Kaeun’s words rang in his head like a churchbell might ring extra in the summer due to the oil becoming lighter in the blazing sunlight. Stay safe. What did she mean? Minhyun shook the thought from his head as he allowed the bathroom door to close behind him. It was then that he felt two strong arms underneath his rather weakened ones as he was lifted from the ground and heavily pinned against the door in front of him.

“Who,” he panted first. “Put me down!” He managed to have caught a glimpse of his attacker, and was struck with an odd feeling; the realization that maybe Aaron was more serious about things than any of them had thought. “Aron, what the .”

“You know something.” he almost growled under his breath.

“What the hell is wrong with you, let me go! I don’t know anything!”

“Tell me!” Tears could almost be heard in Aaron’s voice, but he kept them hidden well.

“Tell you what!? Son of a , Baekho was right.” Minhyun mentioned as he rubbed the back of his neck past Aaron’s arms. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Aaron considered unhanding him for a moment, but quickly changed his mind as he remembered that awful sight. His grip tightened, and frankly, he had hoped he was hurting him. The moment he could get his hands on Jonghyun, though, that would be a different story. He was sure that the pain he would cause Minhyun if he didn’t speak up would be a walk in the park compared to the wrath that Jonghyun would feel. His mind could not think nor dream of anything now except for having Minki as his own, and he was willing, now, to go to any length to make that happen. He, of course, would not approach Minki himself about it, in fear of being rejected, or considered a fool; though he knew that that was exactly what he was; a fool.

“A fool in love.” he repeated out loud. Minhyun lessened his struggle.

“What?”

At the younger boy’s voice, Aaron’s entire upper body tensed, including the arms that still restrained him. “Nothing. Tell me, were they kissing?”

Minhyun said not a word. Aaron laughed horrendously.

“Tell me!” his voice rose. “Minhyun, trust me. You don’t want to keep your mouth shut. Answer me when I’m ing talking to you!”

“I don’t know what the you’re talking about! Han-ssi is going to hear about this!”

“ Pledis. you. Is he ing JR, too?”

“Jesus Christ, I don’t know!”

Aaron took that as his final plea to be taken from the bathroom and drug down the stairs, into the garage, and into the car, where Baekho still remained in the trunk. Aaron had almost completely forgotten about him. Minhyun was less than calm the entire way, and Aaron did not hesitate to give him several hits to the face every time he would attempt to escape the grasp that was still around his forearm.

They had arrived at the studio. As they left the car, Minhyun shouted for help, but was soon silenced by an eighth blow to his now bruised face. Through the three doors Aaron had struggled to pull him through. He didn’t think it to be a possibility at this point, as he was growing more and more tired with every ounce of anger that poured through his veins; but he would stop at nothing now.

Aaron struggled to wrap the chains around the boy’s hands, but did so after minutes of wrestling. He reinforced his trap with the duct tape he had left there by mistake. Minhyun gripped the tape tightly, pushing and pulling as hard as he could. At this point, he’d have done anything to drop from the chain, rope and tape he’d been hanging from and lurch forward onto this sudden villain; but he knew it was a lost cause.

“Aron, let me go!” he shouted, still knowing fully that his simple request would be rejected. “I swear I’ll tell you if you just let me down!” he seemingly changed his mind.

In a light chuckle, Aaron tapped the syringe with a thick finger and smiled as he turned to him. “Will you, now?”

“I will. Kwak Young Min, let me down!” Minhyun kicked. The anger, and not to mention, horror that filled his eyes was no match for the look on Aaron’s face.
            “Who is it then, Hwang? Don’t lie to me. You know that I already know. Admit to me that it’s Jonghyun and everyone is safe.” Aaron shrugged, folding his arms, the syringe now tucked under his elbow. He brought a finger to his lips.

“It’s not Jonghyun! I swear to you!”

“Minhyun,” Aaron sighed as he moved to the table he had previously prepared, carefully placing the needle on the cold metal. “Come on, now. I know you’re not that stupid.”

He laughed another terrible laugh.

Moving closer to Minhyun, Aaron looked deeply into his eyes. “You’re protecting him.” he admitted for his victim.

“I,” Minhyun was far too close to tears now.

“I’d venture to say that you love him.”

Minhyun paused, a tear falling across his cheek. He didn’t speak for a moment. “I don’t love him.”

Aaron turned again, only to twist the brunette back into view. “Not like that, of course," A long pause came next. "But you love him. Like a baby brother.”

Minhyun could only nod.

“Love isn’t about keeping someone safe, Minhyun— not if it’s for the things that really matter. Never has been.” the eldest explained, taking the sharpest knife from the table and examining it. “Before you ask, no. Clearly, I’m not stable. And to be honest, this decision you’re making; you know, the one to refuse to tell me, may not be your best choice, considering the current circumstances— but honestly, when has love ever been about keeping our precious Minki safe?”

“Aron, I swear to God if you don’t let me out of this I will skin you alive.” Minhyun said quite seriously.

“You know,” Aaron said to him without a pause. “That’s not a bad idea.” he agreed, gripping the knife carefully in his hand and turning back to him. Minhyun averted his gaze from the glitter of light that bounced from the blade and opened his mouth.

“Any decent human being—” he barked.

“Any decent human being wouldn’t do this, I know. But I’m not decent, and I’m hardly a human being anymore.” Aaron spoke through the corner of his lips, his face turning to stone as he finished.

“What I’m reading from how you’re acting is that you’re scared. Which is a legitimate emotion, I won’t argue that. But if that’s your reason, then it’s not a particularly good one, seeing as how you’re not in a position to make your own decision at the moment.”

Aaron seemed now, to Minhyun, more intelligent than he had ever been. He cursed himself for not noticing earlier. Minhyun used most of his strength to try and wriggle free once more, gathering a large amount of saliva in his mouth and spitting it at Aaron. Pulling a sleeve over his hand, Aaron wiped his face clean and continued through his speech. “And right now, I honestly think that this decision that you’re making is far more worse for you than it is for anyone.”

“I can’t believe you, Kwak Young Min! After everything, you turn on everyone. What have you become!?” Minhyun gathered the courage to shout. “You’re a.... I don’t know what you are!”

“Yes, yes. I’m deeply hurt.” Aaron caught the brunette’s strong gaze as he hung from the chain connected to the ceiling. “But I do understand. He’s like your brother, our maknae. It’s only natural to want to protect the maknae.”

“A monster.” were the only words that Minhyun deemed fitting.

“A monster? I wouldn’t say that.” Aaron disagreed. “A nightmare, yes. God knows I'm a nightmare. You should ssee what happens in my head." He came very close to sighing, but he didn't. "But not a monster. I seek what everyone seeks.”

“To torture? Are you trying to kill me? If this is all about Ren, why don’t you tell him yourself?”

“To torture, no. But love.” He slyly chuckled at his final comment.

“I hardly believe you can love.” Minhyun spat.

“Au, contraire. That’s what has brought me to this stage of our little game, Hwang. Now tell me, will you admit it or not.?”

“Never.” he answered quickly.

“Never say never, Minhyun.” Aaron snarled as he twisted the dagger between his fingers. “I’ll tell you what,” he stopped. “You tell me that one word, and I’ll let you go.” He came closer as he continued.

“If I don’t?”

“Tell me.” he demanded in a booming voice.

“I said no!”

            And with that, Aaron dug his knife carefully across the skin of Minhyun’s face. With a wince, Minhyun didn’t make a noise.

            “You can hang there and keep quiet all you want. But you only have so much skin.”