I re-read the headline, over and over, yet the words remained un-changing.

No. No this can’t be! He can’t be a…

The box full of photos slipped from my fingers, crashing to the floor at my feet.

A murderer… No there must be a mistake.

My lip quivered as my eyes scanned the article.

Lee Donghae, aged twenty, was arrested last Saturday and charged with the hospitalisation of Micky Yoochun, a twenty four year old bartender from Seoul. Lee allegedly beat Yoochun over personal matters, resulting in the hospitalisation of the victim. The attack was directly witnessed by a neighbour, who then called the police. Yoochun was transferred to the intensive care unit in a local medical centre, but died within seven hours upon arrival, due to the damage sustained on his skull. Lee was formally charged with murder, pleading guilty in court only yesterday. It is believed that Lee Donghae got into an argument with Yoochun, resulting with the assault around midnight, the first of August. Although Lee pleaded guilty, it was made clear that homicide had not been his intention, and if it weren’t for the toxins already found in Yoochun’s body, would not have resulted in death. After further police investigation, Lee has been sentenced to four years imprisonment with two years probation. The family of Micky Yoochun…

Tears fell from my eyes, staining the crumpled piece of paper. Donghae… Killed someone. He killed an innocent man. He violently beat someone to death.

I felt myself choking on air.

Oh god, oh god, this can’t be happening. Donghae would never…

But really, how much did I know about Donghae? His life was almost a mystery to me. Ever since he…

Wait. My heart pounded. What if he wants to kill… me?

It all suddenly clicked in my mind. No wonder he helped me in first place. No wonder he was so nice to me. Maybe the exact same thing happened to Micky.

Donghae was the perfect guy. He was everything I wasn’t. But this? Everything until now had been one lie after another. I even trusted him!

I clenched my teeth, letting tears flood my face. I wiped them with my sleeve and dropped the paper to the floor with the rest of the photographs.

Next thing, I ran from his room, flying around the corner down to my room.

He’s going to get me. I’ve found out his secret, I’m going to die! I have to get out of here.

I grabbed my wallet from my bedside table, shoved it in my back pocket. I threw all the clothes he’d bought me from the closet onto my bed. My laptop and phone were added to the growing pile.

I have to get out of here. Before he comes back and finds out what I’ve done.

I didn’t know why I was running. But I knew I was scared. Scared of him.

Crying my eyes out at this stage, I scanned the room for something to pack my stuff in.

I quickly spotted a duffle bag on the top shelf of the wardrobe. I looked at the clear positioning of the shelves to the out of reach bag. I placed my foot on the first shelf, climbing all the way to the top of the cupboard.

Being afraid of even the smallest heights, I squeezed my eyes shut. I reached my hand up, swiping at the strap of the bag which sat just out of my reach. , come on! I jumped slightly, grabbing the zipper and missing again. I lost my footing, feeling my stomach drop as I fell backwards towards the ground. I let out a cry, but suddenly, stopped.

I opened my eyes, to Donghae looking down at me. There I was, in his arms. I’d almost hit the ground, but he must have swooped in to catch me.

“Woah,” He said. “You almost fell.”

My heart raced. He’s going to kill me!

I screamed as loud as my lungs could allow me, struggling from his grip and sprinting out of the door.

“Wait!” he called.

I need to escape before he gets me!

I tore past Kyuhyun in the foyer, straight out the door, not looking back to see if Donghae had chased me.

My legs pounded on the pavement beneath me. I’d left all of my stuff in his house, but there was no way in hell I could go back now.

I lost my breath, tumbling onto the pavement near the park. I gasped for air, letting tears fall down my face.

How could I have been so stupid as to trust him?!

I didn’t know what I was crying over. Whether it was that I was homeless again with a murderer after me, or that I’d lost Donghae; the man I’d believed to be perfect, and my only friend.

I felt dizzy, my mind screaming Donghae’s name over and over again.

Mental images of Donghae beating a man with his own bare hands, face stained with blood and vicious anger in his eyes.

“Hey, Hyukjae! Are you okay?!” I heard a slightly familiar voice. “Hyukjae! Oh my god is that you!?”

I tried to turn around to see who was calling me, but my vision went black as I felt my head slam against the curb I was sitting on.

***

“Donghae.” I muttered. “Donghae. No.”

I clenched my fists in the bed sheets, squeezing my eyes together, before blinking. My eyes adjusted in the darkness. Where am I?!

“Hyukjae?” I heard the familiar voice call to me. “Are you awake?”

Light gently f