[a/n: Here the third part! :D]

“Brother, just drag this brat with you...” Jae put a calm face while pointing at Minho.

“B—but Noona…” Minho tried to defend himself as he still wanted to hook Siwon right here and there, but Jae’s death glare silenced whatever words he had wanted to spat. Donghae and Changmin calmly and expressionlessly brought Minho to his feet while Siwon was with Sungmin to another direction.

Then, Jae’s focus shifted to the sobbing company of Minho. She remembered. Her name was Taemin, Minho’s biggest crush, was sobbing. Seeing feral males might have scarred her, poor girl. She ordered the beauty who kept her fine standing next to his brother to tend the weeping girl.

“Kyunnie, bring the little girl with us too. You know what to do.” She said softly. Taemin stared at Jae and then at the beauty lass. She was wondering if that girl was really Kyuhyun-eonnie or this woman in silvery gown was playing a prank. The girl who was approaching her was nothing like the geeky nerd of the school.

“Come here, Tae.” Kyuhyum said. Her cherry red lips had its color more pronounced, while her big eyes were deep warmth of liquid brown. Like homemade chocolate. Calming.

 She held the girl’s shaky hand and led her toward the exit, ignorant with her surroundings. She murmured something about oppa, brute boys and violent habits that Taemin did not understand.

She led her to an inanely another expensive car, a limo. She noticed the others also followed them. Leaving that Jaejoong woman behind to talk to headmaster.

The party continued as the headmaster came up to ease the tense up. But it was clear in Taemin’s eyes that her schoolmates were still high on the crazy scenes.

In the way to Jaejoong’s apartment which was only took 15 minutes, silent and thick atmosphere dominated the group.

Kyuhyun soothed Taemin’s sobs with cheering words. She blinked at the finesse of humans around her. Accepting Kyuhyun’s warm arm around her shoulder and leaned in on her shoulder. Trying to appreciate the older woman’s attempt on cheering her up.

 Across them, Jaejoong, which Taemin assumed to be Changmin’s older sister, talked to her younger brother in slow and hushed voice. While Donghae was cheekily washing Minho’s bloodied wounds with cold water and antiseptic from the first aid in the limo, they sat face-to-face. Sometimes, Donghae sent some remarks at Minho, which the younger replied with snarls, and at times, the magnae of the group simply was writhing in pain and cursing his cousin with all foul languages he had learnt.

“Changmin, how did you get there and met Kyunnie?” Jae asked her brother who was staring solemnly with his indecipherable eyes at Kyuhyun. Her curled caramel tresses were bouncing as she moved her head and it caught Changmin’s attention, but snapped back to his sister. Changmin turned his head and saw some worries on Jae’s expression.

Well, he always managed to make his sister worry.

“I am fine.” He answered flatly. “I was just following your advice about me doing anything I want to do.”

Jaejoong could not stop a smile from slipping through her calm façade. He might not notice it but she knew better, her brother had tried to fight back—fight for his feelings. And what he deserved.

“Now that you remind me, I left my car in the parking lot. Should ask ojii-san to pick it up.” He eyed his sister from the corner of his eyes. Eyes dark and blazing with fire. “Before you start some crazy gossip with Hankyung-hyung, I was walking idly on the balcony we used to go picnic and I caught her slumbering there.”

Changmin stopped talking. His tone full of finality, as if he refused to elaborate any further.

Flashback

Kyuhyun awakened, as she felt something soft and warm weighed on her cold shoulder, it was warm and smelled familiar... the faint scent of cinnamon and something masculine. Her favorite. As she lifted her head, her eyes met another pair of dark eyes. Hypnotizing.

“Changmin… Minnie…” She mumbled sleepily.

The man grinned his famous cocky grin that mismatching his eyes.

“Hey, sleepy head! Look at you, sleeping in the middle of party. You are sneaking out, aren’t you.” He did not ask. He simply stated it for her.

Changmin sat at the stool beside her and crossed his long leg. Kyuhyun saw that the soft weighty thing was Changmin’s suit, no wonder it had his scent. She frowned realizing that he was just in his pale-blue shirt with dark blue tie tucked under the collar.

“Minnie, you will get cold.” She tried to remove the suit. Jaejoong had spent her time, fishing this suit straight from Brioni. The exquisite Brioni Vanquish II.

Chanmin stopped her hands by wrapping his arms around her securely, like security blanket. “No, I’m just fine. Wear it.”

Kyuhyun tried to look at those marveling eyes, but the man hid his face in her hair.

“Why are you here, Minnie?” Changmin stunned, and then removed himself from the intoxicating scent called Kyuhyun’s. He laughed at her expression, her cheeks were red and her hair was sticking to her cheek.

He solemnly removed her hair from her gleaming face. Her long fingers brushed her cheek lightly, the place where he touched burned with something, something she did not recognize at that time.

 “Hmm, Minho invited me, and Jae-neechan left me with this cool Brioni... It is a waste to keep this kind of suit in wardrobe, no?” He smirked playfully. The old playful Changmin is back. “And I decided to take a peek, I thought I would see you stumbling while dancing with... that Choi,” he spat at the name and it did not go unnoticed by Kyu, “but what I did see? A sleeping bear?”

He laughed while the beauty girl’s face reddened as his remark. She turned her body as her moving space was limited since she was caged within the tall man’s embrace, her back facing Changmin as she was irritated. Her lips were pouting cutely.

Changmin who realized that then took her face within his palms, forcefully making her facing him. Eyes to eyes. Nose to nose.

“But, I think it’s worthy... I can see you. So beautiful...” And mine. Mine alone.

 Changmin’s ridiculously handsome face became more indescribable as he smiled that dark smile, which he had never shown to anyone. The girl looked away at the intensity; she could not tell the emotions that were dancing within her best friend’s eyes. It was something powerful that made her stomach churned and her heart fluttered wildly.

She felt his face was going to be in flames. Kyu stuttered while forcing herself to look at the man’s eyes “Thanks. And for your suit.”

Changmin then broke a deep chuckle and it closed the conversation. Both of them enjoyed the warm silence and the air was just too good to be broken. Kyu leane her head on Changmin right shoulder and Changmin silently hugged her with his right arm while the left was holding her hand and took her fingers to his cheek

“Thanks, Minnie… For always be so… warm.” She murmured sleepily.

It was because you are cold… I would always be your source of warmness.

End of flashback

Changmin squeezed his sister hands. “Nothing to worry.”

Jaejoong raised her brows, puzzlement marring her confident demeanor.

Changmin sighed and whispered darkly. “She’s fine and I won’t let her touched by other men. That pathetic brat left her. I do not want to see her sad face. Not anymore, Neechan.”

Jae then smiled, she felt as if one of many burdens on her shoulder had been lifted. I know you will protect your soulmate. I know you are now, fighting for your happiness.

When they arrived, Changmin helped Donghae crouching Minho to the highest level where Jae’s apartment room was placed. It was actually not a room, but the whole floor that belonged to her. She bought it with her salary from modeling.

Kyuhyun was holding Taemin with her, since the youngest female felt safe around the disguised nerd. Jaejoong then walked beside Taemin and talked with her too. With fast approach, Jae could grab the little girl’s heart.

Taemin literally adored her, she was unlike her sister. Something new in her life. A woman to look up to. Jaejoong’s charm is not only her beauty. Her kindness, her maturity, gentleness, and her motherhood were admirable and pulling the youngest girl to respect her.

But still, when she glanced back at Kyuhyun’s appearance, Taemin squirmed like she was in an electric shock. It was alien… to interact with her eonnie without her using her thick glasses.

The boys arrived in the room first; Changmin unlocked the door with his key. He held Jae’s apartment key too, as he was being cautious of late tragedy, it was a good thing Jae was a strong and stubborn woman, so she did not give a damn to trauma.

The girls entered the room the exact time Minho was forced to sit on the black leathered couch by Changmin.

“I am fine, Hyung.” Minho defended.

Changmin took a sideline glance at him. “Shut up and just sit. I will find the first aid.” With that, he left to find the said box.

“Kyunnie, Taemin-ah, I will go to my room to change my clothes,” Jae shrugged her shoulder. “It is not comfortable wearing these craps in home.”

Kyuhyun nodded vigorously. Obviously wanted to get out from her gown as fast as possible.

“Do you both want to change clothes too? I think I still have bags of souvenirs from my latest photo shoot.”

“Changmin’s shirt will just fine, Jae-eonnie.” Kyuhyun unconsciously blurted out of habit.

Jae smiled. “Of course, you will. I will just give you some comfortable pants, right?”

Kyu nodded appreciatively.

“Wait a minute ok?” With that, she skipped to her room before Taemin could refuse or digest anything of both her offers and her conversation with Kyuhyun.

“Kyu-eonnie, is it alright? I really am bothersome.” Taemin sulkily said, but Kyuhyun brought her to sit on a long couch nearby Minho.

“You’re not, Taemin-ah... Jae-eonnie is always like that, she is like my mother despite mine is deceased long time ago...” Taemin could detect a faint bitter tone in her melodic voice.

“And, you don’t ever dare to refuse her; your attempt will be futile, anyway.” Kyu added lightly as she made herself comfortable next to the blonde girl. While waiting for the drinks and Jaejoong changing her clothes and removing her make-ups and uncurling her hair and so on, the girls chit-chatted rabidly like kittens in heat. Taemin filled Kyuhyun with why Minho and Siwon were beating the out of each other and keeping some details from her as why Minho was searching for Siwon instinctively, something told her not to. Kyuhyun told her that one of security reached Changmin and recognized him as authorized and told the Shim about the commotion. So, Changmin rushed back with her to the ball.

Minho who was growling like an angry wolf, letting several painful hiss and curses as Changmin unintentionally put more pressure on his wounds.

“Silence, Dummy! Or else I’ll add some minor injuries to your battered body.” When Changmin said ‘minor injuries’, it meant ‘I will crack your bones’. His devious aura came quieted the boy’s anger into mutterings.

Taemin was holding and carressing Minho’s free upper left arm to calm him down and miraculously it worked. Changmin then finished bandaging Minho’s wounds with a fair share of bandages and wasted bloody cottons.

“Try to move and it will get worse.” Changmin threatened him while passing by. Minho only snickered at him, “Thanks, Hyung!” Yeah alright you devil in human disguise.

Later, Donghae appeared like a well-trained butler from the kitchen bringing six glasses of mixed juice and some mocktails on the rolling table and served it on the bar near the watching room where people were gathered. Seconds later, Jaejoong came out with loose white t-shirt and shorts, and on her hands, there were two bags, one filled by a pair of comfortable clothes and one with bicycle shorts. Taemin then went to the bathroom to change her clothes and tried to persuade Jae letting her pay her awes but she got a very sweet refusal. While Kyuhyun just strode off to Changmin’s preserved room and raid his wardrobe.

 Taemin accompanied Minho who was watching TV, since Chanmin blatantly forbade him from moving too much and clearly threatening him.

 Having nothing to do, Donghae made himself comfortable on the marble bar, reading some magazines which had himself and Jae featured. A half-full glass of Kahlua slipped between his lean fingers. Changmin himself was taking shower in Jaejoong’s room because his bathroom was claimed by a certain brunette.

Kyuhyun finished her relaxing nigh shower; she came out and couldn’t find the Shims. When she asked Donghae, he just pointed lazily to balcony and getting back to the magazine with his face printed on the cover. Indicating that the older one was there. She nodded to him.

That playboy oppa of her… and his narcissistic behavior.

She caught a glimpse of fair skin and long hair. She sighed and decided to talk with Jaejoong who was sitting on her orange sofa on outer balcony.

When she was close to the glasses door, the soft texture of green rug tickled her bare feet and the night breeze hit her face. She saw the Lady was sitting alone looking at the star; a cup of hot chocolate was placed on the wooden small table. Her small body was curled as she hugged her legs. Even though she was tall, her small frame seemed… so fragile.

“Come here, Kyunnie.” Jae called her softly. Kyuhyun had no resistance against the woman’s demanding voice, she walked steadily toward the older woman, and sat on the rug beside the chair.

Jaejoong frowned at Kyuhyun’s choice of sitting place. She rose from her place and made herself presentable next to the Cho.

“Eonnie, why are you moving here?” Kyu asked innocently. Jae chuckled. “I won’t let you sit on the rug alone, because there isn’t a single chair left, right? So I might just join you here. What’s bothering you Kyunnie?”

Kyuhyun sighed. Suddenly, Jaejoong saw a mature version of Kyuhyun next to her.

“Nothing, Eonnie...” Jae then stared the brunette right on her eyes. Denial, just like her younger brother.

“Tell me, you can’t hide it from me. You have problem.” Jae simply said. Kyuhyun then took a long and deep breath.

“Eonnie, I feel so insecure... Minnie was sick back then, and he isn’t like himself for months... and you were too attacked by some… bastards.” She constructed her word so Jaejoong would not scold her for using profanity like Minho. “While I know nothing! Minnie’s sudden changes and decisions still confused me. Why? What is going on? Why….” Kyu stopped her words.

Without knowing, her tears shrieked and fell on her cheeks. Jae looked at her with apologizing face. She felt guilty on agreeing with Changmin and Hankyung’s policy of not telling Kyuhyun. The girl was not stupid, dense maybe, but she was intelligent. It was natural for her to pick up the evidences.

“I know what you’re going to say... It may be really hard on you to see this changed. It’s my fault to make you like this, Kyunnie. I’m really really sorry, I can’t tell you how sorry I am.” Jae said. Kyuhyun almost spitted her words but Jae’s long slender finger closed her lips.

“Let me finish it. I will tell you the story why I have to apologize... and I’ve asked Han-oppa about it...” She sighed.

“He said, if somehow hiding the fact from you will only break you, you have the right to learn about everything, and now, I believe is the time.”

 Jae then explained her about the big problem they face now. The bankruptcy, the stealing, the threatening, the murder trials, and others.

“Changmin decided himself enrolling that school. He deemed it will put you out of danger. I’ve done my best to change his determination, but as you’ve known well about him. He will never change his mind of something he has decided. I’m sorry, Kyunnie. You just know how stubborn he is at times.” Jae apologized again. Kyuhyun could only stare at her with her own tears flowing like waterfall.

 “So... you guys are in danger? And you do not tell me? I am faltered… I am going to have talk with Oppa.” She said in hoarse tone. Jae then wiped her tears.

“Shhh, don’t cry, dear... I know we can solve it; we just don’t want something bad happens on our pretty baby’s head. Don’t worry, ne?” Jae said soothingly, she hugged Kyu’s shoulders.

“Changmin is the one who wants it so badly, even Hankyung can’t win against his pleas of not letting you know...” Jae shrugged. “I believe deep inside his heart, he agreed with Minnie, sometimes I even wonder if Changmin actually was related to Hankyung, not me.”

Kyuhyun giggled at Jae’s way of describing her Oppa and Changmin’s similarity. “Han-oppa busied himself so he won’t be able to see you and tell you as Changmin had pleaded him. He always has that soft spot for his only family. He wants to protect you, baby. Your safety is his priority too.” Jae murmured. Kyu’s eyes grew bigger as she learnt it from Jaejoong and hided her face on the Lady’s warm embrace. They kept like that until the brunette came sober.

At the eleven o’clock, Minho, who had received Changmin’s approval to his basic activity, drove Taemin to her house with Jae’s black Audi, and returned back to the lady’s apartment as Changmin wanted him to stay overnight. Donghae himself drove his car, which was parked in the basement earlier that day, alone to his reserved apartment that wasn’t far from Jae’s. Kyuhyun slept with Jaejoong, and Changmin with Minho in his room. The moon was rounded and shone beautiful at the peaceful night.

Marking the storm that was about to come.

At Taemin’s House.

"Who is the real Kyuhyun-eonnie?" The strawberry blonde girl rolled herself on her spacious bed. She played lazily with a caramel bear given by a certain Choi boy. The thought had disturbed her consciousness lately. The nerd of the class... she had different aura than those usual nerds. The authorities and independency showed in the way she interacted with other. Her choice of friends also a thing to be considered. Minho, the school's kingka, seemed to be deeply attached with her. It seemed they have known each other since childhood and based on his talk with her earlier, he even considered her as his own sister. Second that cool guy who often searching for her, Shim Changmin. He was something, considerably not human. He was too perfect to be a man, it scared her, and yet he was so clingy and caring for Kyu-eonnie's well-being. Second, she might have imagined it, but the time she took of her glasses off her face a few days ago, when she thought there was no one around her. Taemin was stunned. She had those big rounds brown eyes framed with long lashes, just like that evening liquidly warm orbs. Her nose was sculpted with perfect precision, and the pale skin. Taemin dared to bet Kyu-eonnie was ten time more beautiful than her own Unnie. Yet despite all of it, her appearance was an off. It was like she was pretending to be someone she wasn’t…

It was time to find out.

Would Minho spit all of it for her? Why not try?

****

The black haired man sat comfortably on his beige leathered backseat. He was young, extremely young, but he already had those marvelous achievements of an old experienced businessman. He tousled his hair as he took a deep groan. Everything had been hectic lately but nothing could go out of hand under his surveillance and a problem with that G-Dragon guy would also soon be over. That man had caused too much pain. No matter that man does to save his up, he wouldn't be able to escape his wrath.

That bastard messed with his uncle's company, the old man who had voluntarily taken the responsibility of raising him.

He made Minho worried, hard to admit but that sugar-high brat was like his own brother.

That man made Donghae had to keep an eye over Jae during his photo shoots with her—ah, now on most of his free time, he sticked himself to her like annoying glue, and risking his own health while working through his financial links and connections to support the Shim and cut any financial support that G-Dragon man had from the shadow. Nomatter how much he hated his playboy demeanor, the model was still his childhood friend and… his stress-relief dummy to be honest. That man would soon be diagnosed with mental illness if he kept playing his role as stress-reliever.

He had pained Jae, his precious best friend. The one who took care of him on his hardest time and she did understand him through thin and thick. That's why he was willing to do anything to repay his best friend's kindness. Well, he'd do anything for her... literally.

He had hurt Changminnie, his soon-to-be in law if he wasn't so adamant about denying his feeling for his baby sister.

And that imbecile also had hurt his little baby, his beloved baby Kyu by hurting the people she loved. And everybody who dares enough to hurt his little family will never get out without getting to pay for what they've done. Nothing escapes him, Cho Hankyung. Zhoumi and Amber had working their asses, a fair share of stress, for him to gather evidences, stalk, dig the truths, and other dirty jobs he had assigned to them, his trustworthy right hand man and left hand woman.

Hankyung chuckled darkly as he reminding about a stunt that has been pulled by that spoiled brat several days ago. That was unexpected. Maybe his dongsaengs were growing too fast but if it meant they’d be save, he had no problem at all. But now it was his time to take a move... before everything getting out of hand. His facial contorted slowly almost naturally into those Adonis sculptures-like. Cold and emotionless. His long slender fingers carefully took a slim black cell phone and he swiftly dialed a certain number he remembered by instinct.

 "Ah... Hello, Yunho! I'm not disturbing you, right? How's your day?"  He spun lazily from his chair and walked to the window, silently observing the busy city of Seoul.

"No. Ah. Okay. By the way, do you mind meeting me? We have interesting issues to discuss." With that, a faint malicious smirk graced his lips.

TBC

[a/n: CHAPTER 7 DONE! The longest chapter ever-____-]