A young mans bare feet padded against the the ground during the dead of night.
The rapid movement of his feet were swift and he was almost soundless if it weren't for his heavy breathing that gave him away.
His heart was pounding and his face and body bleeding and in pain.
But his destination was in sight.
He slowed his pace down as to not run into the sliding door and to give away his prescience to soon.
He tapped lightly on the wooden door with his finger.
His impatience getting the best of him.
He tapped again, harder this time almost using his palm to create a louder sound.
"Hyung!" He whispered yelled.
He was frustrated and in pain, his tears being the sure sign of that.
"Jonghyun Hyung please!" He whispered again.
He put his ear against the door only to hear small sounds of movements.
"Kibum is that you?" The voice from inside whispered.
Without giving him a chance to answer the young man slide his door opened only see his young lover beaten and bruised.
"K-Kibum? What happen who did this to y-you?" The man named Jonghyun ushered him inside his small room having him collapse in his arms. His lover, Kibum, had a swollen eye with a nasty cut underneath it that trickled blood. His nose bleed as well and left blood stains around the corner of his mouth.
"My f-father..." He said exhausted. He rested himself in Jonghyun's arms.
"He is still angry that I choose you. He still beats me."
"I did not know to what extent his beatings were..." Jonghyun said dazed.
He knew his father beat him, but he had never seen him in this condition. He had know idea his father laid a hand on him in such a way.
"I did not want you to see me like this...I couldn't show myself to you in this state." Kibum smiled weakly.
Jonghyun wanted to cry at how small and vulnerable is lover looked. He had not seen him like this before.

Jonghyun was a poor orphaned boy living with an adoptive mother. She had five other children with her that she took in for money. Jonghyun was giving to her for a large sum as well as he was a product of adultery and his birth

mother could not stand to look at him. His birth mother offered his adoptive mother money to take him and raise him.
All his adoptive mother does is make him and his adoptive siblings work day in and out to make money to fund her expensive taste for things she couldn't afford. He worked at a paper mill and the rice fields just to give his money to her in the end.
Kibum on the other hand was born into a rich and noble family. His father an educated man that served in government matters under the King and his mother one of the few educated women in town as well that taught her son the art of calligraphy. Kibum was promised to a young women almost the moment he was born. He was trained in the art of fighting like his father, he was very skilled.
They were living in two separate worlds and weren't meant to meet.
But they did.
They met ten years ago as young boys, Kibum crossing his paths as he ran away from home one day to escape his calligraphy lesson. They became acquainted and made an effort to see each other every few days.
At the time Jonghyun couldn't read or write and Kibum put it upon himself to teach him, even teaching him calligraphy he learned at home.
Kibum's father tried to instill in his son the importance of hierarchy, but that went in one ear and out the other of his twelve year old head.
As years passed on and both mean grew so did their feelings for each other.
They knew it was wrong, an abomination, sinful.
But they didn't care.
At the young ages of seventeen and sixteen both boys made promises to only belong and promise themselves to each other. They were young and naive most would say, but they took the commitment very seriously even years later.

Jonghyun laid Kibum down on his poor excuse for a sleeping area. Only having a thin blanket and a sheet filled with hay to lay his head.
He filled a bucket with water he fetched from the small pond that lay just near his home.
He gathered a rag and wiped the blood from Kibum's face gently. Kibum hissed as the cold water touched his opened wounds. He swept Kibum's sleek long hair that reached to his back from out of his face. Jonghyun's own hair only being barely past his shoulders. It was the style for young men to have their like this, long and either braided or put in a bun. Jonghyun always thought it suited Kibum the best. They both wore theirs in a similar style, half in a bun and half down. Of course Kibum's looks more neat and groomed being able to afford people to take care of him.
Jonghyun quietly continued his duties, they had to be quiet as to not awaken Jonghyun's mother and his brother that shared a room with him at the moment.

Kibum's father caught them in an intimate act only several months ago. His father was furious and was sent into a rage and beat Kibum badly. He refused to show himself to Jonghyun for weeks because of the various cuts and bruises he received. Although skilled in martial arts, Kibum still never laid a hand back on his father.
His father had always been harsh and beat him when he was being punished, but never as severely as he had done once he found out about Jonghyun.
His mother forced him to spend more time with his fiancée and assigned him more lessons to keep him busy and from running away to see Jonghyun.
He was miserable.
But he still took it upon himself to run from home to see him still.
Jonghyun's adoptive mother had also caught him and Kibum together and banned Kibum from her home. She made Jonghyun work more or threaten to throw him on the streets with no money, food, or clothes. He hadn't told his lover this, not wanting him to spend his money and time to help him. He wouldn't feel right.
He snuck Kibum in whenever he could, be it at night or whenever his mother left.

Jonghyun dabbed Kibum's face with the watered rag, he regretted that he had not enough money for medical herbs to help his face heal faster.
Kibum grasps the hand Jonghyun was using only to move it aside so he could lean in and hug him.
Jonghyun wrapped his arms tightly around him.
"I missed you so much..." Kibum whispered.
"My father has been so evil to me, and my mother so cold and unwilling to listen to me...I hate it there. I want to escape."
Escape?
These words have been floating around Jonghyun's head for a while. Years even.
He wanted to leave this place, he had a little bit of money that he saved up and hide from his mother. He wasn't sure how far it would take him, but it was better than starting out with nothing.
"We should. We should escape. Let's run away."
Kibum backed up to look at him.
"Run away? To where? Where would we even go? How would we make money? That's nonsense Hyung." Kibum dismissed.
"How is this nonsense? We can find our way as long as we are together can't we?"
"This is so sudden..."
"It is not. I have had these thoughts in my mind for years. I just did not tell you..."
Kibum turned his head to the side and did not answer.
"I can not stay here any longer. But I love you and I don't want to leave you behind. Come with me."
Kibum still did not answer but tried to move away from Jonghyun, but his older lover grasped his upper arms.
"Look at me. Did we not promise to be with each other? Will you not come with me? You hate it at home, why will you not leave and choose to live freely?"
Jonghyun knew exactly why he wouldn't leave. Kibum had never lived a poor life as he did.
But Jonghyun knew he could survive in the streets, he was smart and could fight. He had the potential.
But that didn't mean Kibum wanted to do it.
Kibum had the promise of security and riches at home, why throw it away?
"Don't you love me?" Jonghyun tried again purposely pulling on his heart strings.
"Of course I do! Don't doubt me." Kibum hissed whipping his head back around to glare at him.
"Then come with me." Jonghyun said sternly.
"L-let me...let me sleep on it. I cannot give you a sure answer at this moment. I am hurting and cannot think of such things right now..."
Jonghyun let his arms fall at his sides as he let Kibum go.
"Fine."
Kibum made his way to stand up and head towards the door, he was given an odd look.
"Won't you will sleep here tonight? It is to dark and a far travel for you in your state, stay here. But you must leave before the sun rises to high." Jonghyun said calmly.
Kibum agreed.
He lay himself down in his lovers arms in his makeshift bed.
Jonghyun would always be embarrassed to have Kibum in his home, not being able to have anything nice of his own to show off. But Kibum always assured him that he was with him for his heart, not for what he could give him or show off with money.
"Goodnight Jonghyun, I love you."
"Goodnight my love, I love you too. Rest well before the morning."

•

The next morning Jonghyun woke up to a strange feeling on his face. It felt as if someone was poking the skin on his cheeks. He begrudgingly opened his eyes to find his brother hovering over him staring at him.
"Taemin? What are you doing?" He asked in a hoarse sleepy voice.
"He shouldn't be here, mother will wake up soon." Taemin grinned.
Jonghyun realized the room was brighter.
The sun had come up.
Jonghyun eyes grew and he turned to find Kibum still sleeping peacefully in his arms.
"Kibum? Wake up. Wake up, my mother will wake soon." He said shaking Kibum's shoulder.
Kibum moaned and pouted as he rolled over.
Noises were suddenly heard in the other room.
At this Kibum moved quicker.
He got up and threw on his robe. All he had on were his thin pants and shirt. He undressed during the night as he and Jonghyun liked to sleep skin to skin sometimes whenever they were able to spend nights with each other.
He soon became fully dressed and Jonghyun let him out his side door that was connected to his room that he came through last night.
But before he left Jonghyun pulled him into his chest to land a desperate kiss on his lips. He backed up to whisper in Kibum's ear.
"You have until midnight to tell me your decision. I'll wait for you until then, but if you do not show I will leave alone..." 

Honestly, Jonghyun wouldn't really leave without him, but he needed him to think that so he would come with him. Kibum stared at him. He didn't have a chance to respond because the sound of Jonghyun's mother's voice scared him off.
"Jonghyun?! Wake up boy!" His mother called.

"Hyung, you fool, you were almost caught again. Mother would have beaten you if she knew you brought him here again." Taemin warned.
Taemin was one of Jonghyun's adoptive brother, and the only sibling he liked in the home. The rest were too troubled and ill mannered.
Although he tried not to grow and close attachments to his siblings, because he had always wanted to escape this place and didn't want to leave any attachments behind.
But he did have a fondness for Taemin.
Taemin was also one person that accepted them, although his initial response did not come without criticism. But in the end he knew it wasn't his life so Jonghyun could do what he wanted.
"He was hurt and he needed me." Jonghyun responded.
"I see. His face looked horrid."
He glared at the younger.
"Keep your words to yourself." Jonghyun snarled.
"I did not mean it in that way..." Taemin sulked.
Their talk was interrupted when their mother called for them to get ready to leave for work.

•

"You’re home...I should report this to your father." Kibum's personal servant Minho said.
"Do what you will, I do not care." Kibum said walking past him.
"You will be punished." Minho mentioned.
Kibum did not answer, already knowing the results of his actions will only cause more pain.
But his missed his lover and was dying to see him, he wasn't able to leave to see him in a week. It was hard for Jonghyun to visit him now for his father had put up guards outside his room, only Kibum could sneak past them so diligently.
"You should not see him. It is not right...You have a respectable fiancée picked out for you. Your children will come from a long line of nobles and riches. Why waste such an opportunity?" Minho said suddenly.
Kibum stopped in his tracks and turned around slowly to stare at his servant.
"Excuse me? Who gave you permission to meddle in my affairs? Am I not your master?" Kibum said. Although Minho was his servant, he had also been a good friend to him. He never bragged about his hierarchy over him or anything such, but in this case his nose was in places it shouldn't be.
"F-forgive me..."
Kibum only clicked his tongue and walked off.

As expected Kibum's father called for him the moment heard he was home.
"You disobedient boy, what have I done to receive a son like you?" His father spat.
Kibum was on his knees with his hands on his knees and his head down in front of him.
"You disrespected your fiancée yesterday, it was only right that I punished you."
"She is not my fiancée. I am promised to another." Kibum said daring to look deep into his father's eyes as he said this.
A hard slap resonated through the room causing Minho to flinch as he had to watch the ordeal.
His father slapped him so hard his face turned to the side and it knocked him over. His cheek was burning and swollen and in even more pain, for he hit the spot where his cut was.
Kibum tried not to cry in front of him, it would only egg his father on.
His father yanked him up by his hair to seat him on his knees again. He forced himself not to make any noises that would show he was in pain.
"Hold out your hands boy." He demanded.
Kibum held out his hands in front of him knowing what was next.
His father took out a wooden stick with a whip at the end.
The first harsh sound of the whip cracking was even louder than the slap he received. He watched as his father would whined his hand back with all the strength he could muster to weigh down the whip with as much force as he could.
He's eye became blurry with tears.
He lost count of how many times the whip kissed his hands with such fierceness. The blood trickling down his arms told him it was well over a couple of times.
"You went to see that boy didn't you? You are a SIN!" His father yelled.
Kibum couldn't help but to let few sobs escape.
"Look at you. Letting a few hits make you cry, are you not trained in fighting? This should be nothing." His father said laying down the last whip. He pushed his son over by the head and let him collapse and cry out his pain.
"Clean yourself up." Were his last words.
Once his father was out of sight Minho rushed to Kibum.
He struggled to sit him up as Kibum was trying to curl in on himself.
Minho grabbed his hands to inspect them. His hands were just covered in blood from the open wounds, he would have to disinfect them and bandage them.
"Don't look at me!" Kibum screamed.
"Come master, I'll help you." Minho said ignoring his plead.


•


It was night but not midnight yet.
Kibum still had to time to decide whether the should go or not.
He was mad at Jonghyun because he felt like he was forcing him to choose in such little time. Why had Jonghyun only mentioned this to him now?!
He was lying in his bed with his hands bandaged, the were burning and hurt badly. He couldn't hold anything in his hands or stretch them.
A small knock was heard on his door.
"Come in." Kibum whispered. He knew who it was.
"Master, I must tell you something." Minho said bowing.
"What is it Minho?" Kibum said looking out his window at the moon.
Was Jonghyun's looking at the moon right now too?
"It was meant to be kept a secret but I can no longer hide this from you."
Kibum turned around with his eyebrow raised.
"Go ahead..."
"Your father is planning to marry you off by the end of this month."
Kibum scoffed.
"I refuse! I won't do it."
"That is not all master..."
Kibum looked at him strangely, Minho seemed to panicked and in distressed. Why?
"Your father is planning to have Jonghyun killed..."
This made a strange noise in the back of his throat.
"...by me."
Kibum jumped out of bed.
"No Minho you can't! You can't do that! How could you!?" Tears immediately spilled from Kibum's eyes.
"I'm sorry...I can not disobey your father’s orders. I wanted to warn you. I do not know what decision you are planning to make, but let it be a wise one." Minho quickly retreated from his room.
Kibum sat in his knees crying into his arms, he couldn't lose Jonghyun like this.
Why was his father so evil to him?
He had no choice now.


•


"Do you'll think he'll actually come?" Taemin asked.
He was providing Jonghyun with company while he was sitting outside there home. He had his things packed and with a couple of small foods to carry and his money he had saved up.
"I mean it's really close to midnight now." Taemin added.
Although kind and nice, Taemin had a tendency to say the first thing that popped in his head without thinking.
"I see that Taemin. But I know he'll come." He said staring at the moon.
"Can I go with you?"
There was the question that he dreaded hearing from him. He had hoped he wouldn't ask him that.
In all honestly he felt a tinge of guilt to leave him here. Jonghyun was the oldest and strongest of all the kids that lived here, and although Taemin was young he was one of the most responsible. Which meant their mother would pile more work on him.
But he did not have enough money or resources to support him and Kibum.
"I'm sorry Taemin."
"It's fine. I figured you wouldn't let me anyway." He said sticking out his tongue. He had no hard feelings, he was young and naive.
Jonghyun ruffled his hair.
"One day you should leave this place and come find me." Jonghyun said.
Taemin didn't answer.
A clanking sound could be heard breaking the silence that held between them. Jonghyun stood on guard just in case it was a robber or someone trespassing.
But his heart started beating rapidly when he saw who it was.
Kibum came around a corner with a robe on that had a hood that he took off once he saw Jonghyun in sight. Trailing behind him was a horse on reigns that he was pulling.
"Kibum!" Jonghyun hopped up to run to Kibum to embrace him in his arms.
"Hyung we have to go, we have to leave now." Kibum said in a panicky voice.
Jonghyun took a step back to look over him.
When he looked down he saw Kibum hands were shaking and bandaged up.
"What happened to your hands?" He grabbed them gingerly, but Kibum snatched them back.
"We don't have time! We have to leave! We have to get out of here!"
"Slow down, breathe. We-"
"Jonghyun, my father wants to kill you we have to leave now." He said seriously.
Jonghyun looked at him stunned. His father hated their love so much he was willing to kill him.
"Calm down for me okay? It's alright, we will leave." He tried to say calmly as he wiped away a few of his lovers tears.
Kibum had some of his things in a satchel that's was hooked in the horses sattle. Jonghyun hooked his things in it as well, denying Kibum's help because of his hands.
Taemin watched from the spot he had been sitting on a rock.
He had half his face hurried in his knees and arms.
"Taemin, we will leave East off the mountain. There is a small town there we will escape too. It's a three or four day journey. If you ever leave this place...fine me there. I'll help you get on your feet." He said seriously.
Taemin only nodded and looked down at the ground. He was obviously sad about his departure but there was nothing he could do.
Jonghyun helped Kibum onto the horse and then he followed. He had a little difficulty as he had never ride a horse before. He was afraid if he was honest, but he had no time to be afraid now.
Knowing this Kibum only had the horse walk instead of run, he would save the horse's energy to do that later.
He kicked the horse's side with the heel of his foot to get the horse moving.
They both bide Taemin a farewell and rode into the night.


•


Kibum sat in front, Jonghyun had hold of the reigns as he held him around his waist and rested his head on his shoulder. They had only been traveling for about an hour.
"Will you tell me what happen to your hands?" Jonghyun whispered in his ear.
"I was punished." Was his simple answer.
When he looked down to check in his hands he saw that they were bleeding.
"Your hands...they are bleeding through the bandages." He said worried.
"It is fine. We can stop later for herbs and medicine to help heal them and my face." He said.
Jonghyun preferred to get him something now, but he listen to his suggestion.
"I grabbed as much food and money as I could...I don't know how long it will last. Do you t-think we will make it? Can we survive?"
"We are not children Kibum, we are grown men."
"That does not matter! There are still grown men living in the streets!" He said slightly raising his voice.
Jonghyun pulled on the horse reigns to make him come to a halt.
"You are very scared." He said. Kibum nodded hesitantly.
"Do you want me to take you back?"
Kibum turned his head around to look at him.
"To have you killed? Of course not!"
"If you are scared I shouldn't make you go. I'll leave on my own." He said sadly.
"No, no, no! I want to be with you! But it can not happen if we stay here...we have to leave. Together."
He leaned in to kiss his lips softly an