The door crashed opened and L.Joe jerked up from his seat. He thought that the other Teen Top members may have arrived already or something, but he found himself looking at the man he least expected to see.

"Mihye's gone." Kevin panted.

L.Joe raised a brow at Kevin. "What do you mean she's gone? She's living with you? How can she be gone?" he demanded.

Kevin caught his breath and he pulled Mihye's cellphone from his pocket. "I went home, and I realized that my younger sister Seungji released Mihye, and I saw her phone and the message, and-"

"Wait." L.Joe raised his hand. His face darkened ominously. "What do you mean by released? RELEASED Mihye? Damn it Kevin hyung what do you mean?" he grew impatient. He didn't need another person to worry about especially now that his cousin was caught.

"I..." Kevin gulped. "I locked her up at my home."

L.Joe's face grew red with fury and he barked at Kevin loudly. "YOU WHAT!"

"She saw your confession on the tv." Kevin whimpered. "I love her too and I didn't want her to go to you. So I locked her up and took her phone away so that she had no means of contacting you.."

L.Joe clenched his fists agitatedly. Everything made sense now. No wonder Mihye never replied to his confession, because she couldn't. L.Joe saw red when he thought of his precious wife, or rather ex-wife being kept in a room like a prisoner. Utter anger fueled through his veins.

"You bastard!" L.Joe swung his fists at Kevin but the latter caught them in his hands. "Byunghun listen." Kevin panted. "I know I'm wrong, and I'll let you punch me as many times as you want after this. But there's no time. We have to save her."

L.Joe narrowed his eyes at Kevin. "What do you mean?"

Kevin pushed L.Joe's fists away from him and looked at the latter seriously. "She received your message about Minji being kidnapped, Byunghun. And now I'm guessing that she escaped straight to the warehouse as a sacrifice for Minji's safety."

L.Joe backtracked. "Wait...how did she receive that message? I didn't send it do her! I sent it to..." Looking at Kevin's knowing face, L.Joe wanted to facepalm himself. "You mean not only Mihye's the Queen, she's Miss Apple too?" he cried out, exasperated.

Kevin nodded. "So you see, we have to go now because-" he didn't even get to finish his sentence as L.Joe ran off without a second word. L.Joe got onto his car and didn't wait for Kevin before driving off. Kevin waved agitatedly, running after L.Joe.

L.Joe opened the window and looked back. "Call for help, hyung! Tell Teen Top to go straight to the warehouse as well! I'll go save her first!"

Kevin sighed and stopped running. *I guess this is the part where I officially hand her over to him. She's his to save,  not mine.*

L.Joe, sometimes when people leave, it's not because they detest you or they want to distance themselves away from you as soon as possible.
Sometimes, it's because they love you. Because they love you too much, that's why even if they're going to cry and feel like they're dying inside a million times, they'll still leave.

Her words repeated in his mind as he drove all the way to the ware house. So that's what she meant. She was refering to herself when she said that. She had left him because she loved him, not the other way round.

With new determination flowing through him, L.Joe got off his car and raced to the warehouse, flinging the door open. He was going to save her no matter what it took.

Rain perked up when he saw another person enter, and his smirk increased in size. "Kind of you to join us, Byunghun." he snickered.

Mihye's eyes widened as she saw L.Joe stride in, unguarded, alone. *What is Byunghun oppa thinking! He could seriously get hurt here! They're ruthless!*

L.Joe's eyes lingered on Mihye as he took in her tattered sight. Pain shot through his heart seeing her broken like this, and he swore that this was the last pain he was ever going to let her feel. "Where is my cousin?" he demanded.

Rain grinned. "Don't worry Byunghun, I've already sent her back home after your dear ex-wife graced us with her presence. Just with a few scratches that may stay permanent, that's all." he snickered.

L.Joe clenched his teeth. *That bastard. But at least I know Minji's somewhere safe now.*

"Let Mihye go." he demanded.

The MBLAQ members laughed amongst themselves like it was the funniest thing they had ever heard. "Let her go?" Rain repeated, howling in laughter. "Do I hear myself correct? Why would I let her go if I haven't got to the fun part yet!"

L.Joe growled. "You won't be getting any fun, bastard. I won't let you." he snarled dangerously.

"Oh look at that poor boy, delusioned at such a young age." Rain snickered. "What makes you think you can beat me, when we're six people while you're one?" he grinned. "I'm going to taste the tastiest of all women today, Lee Byunghun, and that is your wife. She almost caught me as the culprit for all those cases, capable little one. I'm sure she'd taste much better than other girls out there."

L.Joe grew livid with anger. "Don't you dare touch a single hair on her!" he barked. His eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm warning you. Do anything to me, but not her. Don't you dare touch her."

"Hmm touching." Rain seemed to consider this. "How about, if you stab yourself, I'll let her go? Good deal, really."

"I'll do it." L.Joe stepped forward without a moment's hesitation, and that seemed to catch Rain off guard by his readiness.

"No!" Mihye cried out. Somehow, she managed to spit the bit of cloth out of as she cried. "Don't do that, Byunghun oppa! Are you mad? You might die!"

"Shut the girl up." Rain commanded.

Mir moved to force the piece of cloth into Mihye's mouth again, but L.Joe stepped forward. "Don't touch her." his voice was cold and commanding, making Mir hesitate.

L.Joe softened when he saw Mihye sobbing and pleading for him to stop. He crouched in front of her and caressed her cheek. "I can't let you get hurt, Mihye." he whispered softly. "I was too slow to catch up on so many things. I didn't know you were the Queen, I didn't know you were Miss Apple. I made you cry. Just take it that I'm atoning for my mistakes, oh?"

Mihye shook her head stubbornly. "Did you hear him, oppa?" she shrieked. "You have to stab yourself! I can't let you do that! Oppa please, no." she begged.

"Mihye..." L.Joe looked pained. "I can take this. Trust me. It'll just be a little more painful than an ant bite and it'll be over soon." he convinced. "I can't let him hurt you. I love you Mihye, I really do."

Mihye closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "I love you too." she whispered while crying. L.Joe felt himself smile despite their situation. She loved him. Him.

"But oppa please don't-" Mihye began again when Rain cut in.

"Will you stop with the cheese?" he snapped. "Fine. You love him and he loves you alright? Now." he snickered, eying Mihye like how a predator would to his prey. "It's time for the real fun."