April, 10th, 2020

Donghyuck slammed the door shut and made his way into the precinct, seeing males and females alike bow down at the sight of him. He was well-respected and had solved more cases than over half the detectives at the precinct that had been going for three years.

He met up with Doyoung, saying his thanks when Doyoung handed him his usual coffee. He hadn't been sleeping well and the hot coffee in the morning from a friendly face really helped calm his tiredness. Doyoung tried to hide his look of concern as he ruffled the younger's hair.

"Jaehyun wants us to meet him in his office." Doyoung said and Donghyuck nodded tiredly. Doyoung strung an arm around his friend's shoulder and they both walked to Jaehyun's office, Doyoung knocking once before they got confirmation to come in. 

Donghyuck wasn't expecting to see two familiar faces so early in the morning and he groaned, turning to leave. 

"Get back here, Hyuckie." Donghyuck groaned again and turned back around, giving a death look to Jaehyun, who waved the duo closer. Doyoung seemed just as confused as Donghyuck was when Jaehyun introduced the four to each other. "Although you already know this." Jaehyun muttered before his face fell into a serious look. 

"I need to know that none of your men are behind this, Lee." Jaehyun said and Taeyong gave him a bored look as Mark stayed silent, eyes fixated on Donghyuck. There was a curiosity there and awe just like Donghyuck remembered the first time they had met. Donghyuck avoided the males gaze. "As you know, Hyuck has a past with you and that can jeopardize this mission and favour I'm asking you of ~"

"Favour?" Doyoung and Donghyuck interrupted at the same time and Jaehyun sent them a look. 

"Yes, favour. As you know, Chen Le — one of my officers — was shot and he almost died, so I want — no need you guys to help us; team up with Doyoung and Donghyuck and find those that put Chen Le's life in danger. As for Chen Le and Donghyuck ... I'm going to ask you to take him in." Jaehyun said, face twisting in agony. 

The cup in Donghyuck hands fell out of his grasp and it slammed against the floor, coffee bursting out the top. "What?!?" Donghyuck shouted, eyes going wide. "Jaehyun — we — you ~" Donghyuck choked off, unable to speak at the betrayal he felt running through his veins. 

"Donghyuck, listen to me — you're in danger. Danger! I let Jaemin die and I'm sure as hell not going to let you die too." Jaehyun said, loudly and Donghyuck fell quiet and was about to take a step forward when Doyoung caught his arm. 

"Hear him out, Haechan." Doyoung said, eyes filled with an unknown light. "Hear what he has to say before bursting out on him." 

"Fine." Donghyuck grumbled, gesturing for Jaehyun to continue although rather hesitantly.

"There's a bounty on your head, Donghyuck and the safest place for you to be right now is with NCT. I know — I know that it doesn't make sense, but NCT are trained, experienced people despite what they do and if you do managed to get hurt, they have their own medical facility, so nothing will get logged in. As soon as someone knows that you've gone to hospital with a gun shot wound or a stab slash, they'll know they're one step closer to killing you and claiming their money." Jaehyun said, watching Donghyuck's wary face. 

"You're connected way deeper in this than you know, Donghyuck. There's people looking for you, Hyuck and what happened to Chen Le is only the start of things. Soon it'll be Doyoung or me or Kun." Jaehyun said, eyes saddening. "You won't be alone — I'm asking Doyoung to stay with you and Chen Le too. He needs to lay low — you all do." Jaehyun said, getting to his feet and approaching Donghyuck, stepping over the spilt coffee. 

"You're like my younger brother, Donghyuck, you getting hurt like Jaemin did will kill me even more than Jaemin's death did." Jaehyun whispered, pulling Donghyuck into a tight bear hug and almost crushing his ribcage, but Donghyuck didn't mind; rather hugged back just as tight.

"I'm sorry, hyung, I'm sorry for doubting you and your intentions." Donghyuck choked against the scratchy feeling at the back of his throat. 

"There's nothing to apologize for, Hyuck. I totally get what was running through your mind, but you have to do this to stay safe. You're not running, but hiding and biding your time." Jaehyun smiled fondly and leaned backwards, pushing Donghyuck's bangs back and kissing his forehead. "Taeyong-ssi and Mark-ssi are going to  you to their house and the other members are going to get all your belongings." Jaehyun explained and Donghyuck nodded despite the heavy feeling in his chest. 

"Okay, hyung." He murmured and Jaehyun pulled him into one more tight hug before Doyoung was pulling him away and out the door, the gang duo following closely behind. They gained a few strange looks, but before they could exit the precinct, a boy ran up to them, panting. 

"Detective Lee, you need to see something." He said and Donghyuck glanced at Doyoung, who pursed his lips. After a moment, he gave in and they walked to Donghyuck's desk, the officer that had approached him typing something into the computer before a video took up the screen. 

It looked like a duo were talking in hushed voices in an alleyway. Donghyuck didn't see anything strange and was about to point it out to the male, when he shushed them and pointed to the screen. 

"Look." He whispered and another figure appeared, reaching into his jacket before pulling out a gun and shooting the two males square in the forehead. They were both dead before they even hit the floor. Donghyuck leaned closer and watched as the male turned and faced the camera. The male paused the screen and turned the volume up higher. 

He pressed play. 

"Detective Lee!" The male shouted in a maddening state of insanity. "We meet again after so long! I believe that the last time we met, I was dying, isn't that right? On that hospital bed?" He asked the camera and Donghyuck glared at the screen. It was true he had thought the criminal was dead and that was why he had evaded the capture and had killed two armed guards in the precinct. In simple terms: he was a psycho and a serial killer — the cops weren't his only victims. 

"I thought you were the youngest and smartest detective in the city!" He mocked and Donghyuck remained emotionless as he watched the male raise the gun. "Seems like all the rumours were false; you really are the street rat people think you are. See you in the afterlife, Detective Lee." And then he shot the camera, the lens breaking and cutting off all contact. Donghyuck straightened. 

"Should I tell Jaehyun or ..?" Donghyuck shook his head, interrupting the male. 

"No, Detective Yang. He already knows. Just send a copy to the FBI; they've been looking for this guy for years and to know he's actually alive, means that more lives are in danger than we care to admit." Donghyuck told the male, who nodded and bowed, quickly rushing away.

"Come on." Doyoung whispered and dragged Donghyuck down the precinct halls, the two gang members silent behind them. 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Your friends are already inside by the way." Taeyong muttered as he pulled up into the driveway and the four climbed out of the car. Donghyuck nodded, but didn't make any other move of acknowledging the elder.

"Alright." Donghyuck whispered, internally cringing at the awkwardness in the air. It wasn't like how the atmosphere would be in Donghyuck's home when he had his friends over; this was like the feeling of an itch you cannot scratch. It was irritable and annoying.

They entered the house and Donghyuck barely stole a glance around the room before a body was barrelling into him. Donghyuck blinked down at the mop of blonde hair and gasped, pulling the male closer and closing his eyes. 

"Hyung." Chen Le cried, and Donghyuck felt warm liquid seep into his shoulder, the younger boy seeming to be finally letting loose. Donghyuck sighed and picked the boy up, Chen Le's small legs wrapping around his waist — it was almost like he was carrying a small child. One that had gone through a huge trauma. 

"Oh, baby." Donghyuck murmured, kissing his hair and Doyoung smiled softly at the duo. Taeyong gestured for them to follow them into the living room and they obeyed silently, Chen Le's small frame shaking from his silent cries. In the living room, Donghyuck saw that Taeyong had gathered the whole gang to announce the news. 

"What the hell is he doing here?" Yuta shouted and Chen Le jumped at the loud voice, head darting up. Donghyuck saw his tear lined cheeks and puffy eyes and his heart broke in two at the normally brave and smiling Chen Le crying and broken. 

"Shh, baby, it's okay." Donghyuck whispered, wiping Chen Le's cheeks with one hand. Chen Le sobbed. 

"They're going to kill me, hyung. They're going to come for me again and they're going to come for you. They — they had — they had ..." Chen Le choked, trailing off and Donghyuck glanced at Doyoung, who shrugged with a frown. 

"What did you see, Le Le?" Donghyuck asked, softly. 

"I ~" Chen Le sniffled and blinked brokenly at Donghyuck. "I saw ... I saw pictures of you; they were tracking you, hyung ... pictures of you sleeping in your house and at crime scenes with Doyoung-hyung. They were — they would toast to your death every night is what they told me." Chen Le whispered and Donghyuck stared at Chen Le for a moment, his face not showing anything of what he was thinking. 

"What else? What were their names, Le Le?" 

"They said it was — it was Operation Octavia. One of them called himself Jiheon and another was ... H-Hyungmin." Chen Le muttered. Donghyuck froze. "Hyung, does it mean something to you? A-Are they going to k-kill you like what happened to my brother?" Chen Le asked and Donghyuck shook his head. 

"No, baby, I won't go down that easy: they'll have to catch me first." Chen Le giggled. "The name's are familiar — both of the names and the Operation." Donghyuck murmured, worriedly, eyebrows creasing just like Taeyong's had done a day ago; the others in the room being surprised with the resemblance that they saw. Doyoung shook his head. 

"Just leave it for today, Hyuck. Chen Le doesn't need 'worried hyung' yet." Doyoung said and Donghyuck stared fondly at Chen Le and then nodded. 

"Come on, I'll take you to the kitchen; you shouldn't hear the run down of things ~"

"I'm old enough. I'm older than you when you heard all this dark  ~"

"Language." Donghyuck stated, sternly and Chen Le stuck his tongue out, which Donghyuck gladly returned making Doyoung sigh. "Come on, let go of my waist." Donghyuck said and Chen Le let go, falling onto his feet and then he doubled over in pain, gasping for air. 

"Chen Le?" Doyoung asked, appearing by Chen Le's side, the duo noticing that Chen Le shirt was beginning to get bloody again. 

"He must've popped open his stitches," Donghyuck said, glancing at Doyoung. "You stay here and I'll get Chen Le to the medical room — somewhere in this house — and fix his stitches. You do the run down with the others, okay?" Donghyuck demanded and Doyoung nodded. Donghyuck swooped Chen Le up into his arms and was about to exit the room when a familiar voice held him back. 

"Are you sure you know how to stitch someone up?" Mark; it was Mark Lee speaking. Donghyuck froze. 

"I'm different to how I was when we were acquainted, Mark. I stitch myself up all the time — I've had plenty of pratice." Donghyuck snapped. Doyoung shook his head. 

"Whatever, brat, the medical rooms on the first floor, exit this room and turn left. You go down three doors and the fourth doors the infirmary." Donghyuck left without a second thought, the back of his throat burning at the insult thrown his way — the insult was one thrown constantly at him when he was in school and had been dating Mark; he was actually the one that had told him that whatever they said didn't mean anything and it shouldn't effect Donghyuck. 

It seemed hypocritical to throw it back in Donghyuck's face in the present time.