Chapter 8

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It wasn't the best day to be outside. The cold weather was coming back, but Amber stood in the center of the town by the fountain. It had already been two weeks since Taemin went looking for Taesun. She remembered when he ran out of the house and when she was calling for him, she wanted so badly to ran after him. The pain in her shoulder kept her from going after him. She hoped that by the time he reached the edge of town, he would stop. She was wrong. He kept running. Why would she think other wise? Those two needed each other, even when they were young. Amber tried to follow him, but by the time she reached the town border, Taemin was gone. He wasn't anywhere in sight.

She stayed behind, waiting for him to come back after realizing Taesun was gone. She waited and waited, but now neither of them were coming back. She regretted not running after him with every fiber in her body. She pulled her coat on tighter when a cold breeze ran down her back. She looked around the town. She wasn't the only one outside, there were children and a few workers. The little kids were running around playing with each other, throwing a ball back and forth, catching it with their tiny hands. If only she was that young again. The little girl tossed the ball to the boy. He missed and it rolled over to Amber's feet. The children came running up to her, and stopped. She smiled at them, picking up their toy.

Holding the round item in her hands, made her think of when her and Taemin used to play at school. When they used to sneak away from the other kids, and hide behind the building. The memories of the young chestnut haired boy distracted Amber from the kids, who kept asking for their ball. She handed the little boy their ball, watching them run back to where they were and begin playing again. As they were running back, Amber noticed far behind them, someone was coming into the village. Confused, she decided to figure out who it was. She walked the edge of the town where the man had entered. The man was standing, talking to someone. He had a horse and carriage with him. When Amber walked closer, the horse shook it's head, making his master look in her direction.

"Amber?" The man asked.

"Suho?" Amber said. Suho was someone Amber and Taemin went to school with. He was of course older, and in a different grade, but he was one of the only people who were nice to her and Taemin. Amber walked up to his horse, petting it's mane. "What are you doing here?" Suho left the village to travel once he was out of school.

Suho rubbed the back of his neck. "I found a little lost puppy when I was traveling. Thought I would bring him home." Suho walked Amber to the back of his carriage, and opened the doors. He held Amber's hand, helping her step in. She walked over to the person who was laying down. She looked over her shoulder at Suho, then back to the person. She knelt down beside the body. They weren't moving. It didn't even look like they were breathing. She gently touched the person's shoulder; still no movement. When she pulled on the person's shoulder, flipping them over, her heart jumped into .

"Taesun?" Amber said. She picked his head up, placing it on her lap. "Where did you find him?" she looked at Suho. He pulled himself into the carriage.

"A few miles back. He was collapsed on the ground, so I picked him up and headed here."

"Help me get him to his house, please?" Amber said. Suho nodded, jumping out of the carriage again, pulling his horse into the town heading towards Taesun's home.

After being locked in his room for a few days, Taemin finally decided to get some fresh air. He was scared to leave his room because he thought that if he did that monster would rip him apart, and no one would be able to stop him. Jonghyun walked Taemin back to his room after the scene in the dining hall, helping him stop the bleeding on his arm, and giving him some clothes to wear to bed. Tao found out that Taemin defended him about the clothing, and apologized for putting him in such a situation.

Taemin wasn't able to sleep either. When he would roll on to his arm, the cut would begin to sting, waking him up. It didn't help that every night it would rain around the castle. Since the whole wall is glass, Taemin hears every rain drop, hitting and sliding down the clear sheet. He spent the days trying to sleep, skipping meals in the process, not daring to encounter the master of the castle again. Jonghyun never left Taemin's side. He spent the time talking to him and making sure he was okay. He also had Onew talk to the Master about the event. The Master had indeed regretted the way he acted, but never really said he was sorry. Being too stubborn to admit he was wrong.

Taemin wrapped his hooded cape around his shoulder before stepping outside. It was around mid-February, so the weather was getting colder. Since the sun barely made it past the clouds, it made it even colder around the castle. The cold wind brushed against Taemin's fair skin, turning his cheeks red. He pulled the ends of his cape together, giving himself some warmth. He walked along the gate, the one separated the castle from the abandoned village. He's fingers danced while he dragged his hand along the cold metal. He walked parallel too the gate as it reached every corner of the castle grounds, and bent around to the back. Taemin made it to the side of the castle and noticed a small grave yard behind a tree.

Minho stood in the center of the grave yard. His fur and shirt blowing in the cold air. Taemin stood behind the tree, hiding from the castle's Master. He watched the monster stand there. Why was he only standing there? Why was he in a graveyard? He almost looked like he had been crying. Taemin walked slowly behind the large monster. He was standing in front of a grave stone. Taemin tried to read the letters written on the grave stone, but someone scratched them off. The only letter's he could read were 'R,' 'Y," and 'I'. While Taemin was focused on reading the grave, Minho looked over his shoulder at him. Taemin felt a pair of eyes on him. He locked eyes with the monster. For the longest time, they didn't look away, they didn't say anything, they just looked at each other. Taemin could see the hurt in those black eyes of the monster.

"Who was it?" Taemin asked.

Minho huffed through his nose, turning back to look at the grave stone. "No one you need to know about." Truthfully, Minho didn't want to talk about his wife because he wasn't ready to go through the painful memories.

"I can see you care about them. Don't you want to talk about it?"

"If I wanted to talk about it, I would." Minho gave Taemin a side glare, "If a day like that ever comes, I wont be talking about it with you."

Taemin puffed out his cheeks. He didn't need the attitude. He crossed his arms and leaned back a bit. "It was just a simple question." Minho looked down on Taemin, trying to scare him away. He hated when people talked back to him. Taemin stood his ground this time though. After the breakfast event, Taemin knew the worst side of this monster. Deep down inside Taemin might be afraid, but he'd been damned to hell if he showed it. The wind blew past Taemin's face, pushing strands of his hair into his face. For just a minute, Minho's face softened. As he looked at Taemin, and his loose hair, hitting his face in a perfect way, Minho saw Taemin differently....somehow differently.

Minho shook his head, turning around. "It's my business, so stay out of it." Minho walked out the grave site, pushing Taemin so he fell on his back. Taemin quickly picked himself up off the ground. Stomping his feet, and brushed the dirt off himself. This monster really has a temper. Whoever it was, that had passed away, must of given that monster a soft spot he didn't want. Taemin looked back that the grave, before returning to his walk.

Amber was waiting outside the bedroom door with Suho, as the doctor was looking at Taesun. Once Suho helped Amber carry Taesun up to his room, he left to get the doctor. It didn't take long for them to return. Taesun still hadn't moved, or said anything, which worried Amber. Suho and her were pacing back and forth, trying to see the bright side. At least they found him, but where was Taemin? Amber pulled the fabric of her shirt that was close to her heart. She didn't want to think of that right now. She just wanted to know if Taesun was okay. Suho noticed her shaking, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder to clam her down and Amber leaned against him. She needed support right now. She lost two of the most important people in her life, thinking they were dead, but now finding only one of them, to have a doctor maybe confirm that the man was indeed dead. Minutes turned into an hour and hour turned into two.

The doctor finally stepped out of the room. Amber and Suho immediately stood into front of him, waiting for the news. The doctor removed his glasses, hanging them on his shirt before looking at the two. He cracked a smiled, "He's had a rough fall, and broke a few bones here and there." He paused, making eye contact with Amber. She couldn't help but hold her breath. "He's seemed to have fallen into a coma, but over all he's fine. I can't say how long he may be unconscious, but he's alive." He nodded before heading out of the house.

Amber walked into Taesun's bedroom, kneeling down beside the bed, Suho right behind her. A smile creped across her lips. "At least he's alive." She grabbed the sleeping man's hand, squeezing it gently. "I wont leave your side. I promise."

A few weeks had passed since Taesun returned home, and there was still no sign of Taemin. Although Taesun was in a coma, Amber would still stay around to talk to him, and make sure he didn't get too warm or too cold. She would sit next to the bed, watching Taesun. She promised never to leave his side, explaining to her parents that she would be staying at the house until he would open his eyes. Each pasting day, he showed signs of improvement, giving Amber a little hope each day.

Suho would come to visit often. He decided to stay in the town, staying with his parents, until Taesun was back on his feet. He would bring food and books for Amber so she wouldn't go hungry or bored. Amber wasn't the biggest reader, not compared to Taemin, but to keep herself busy she read the books. The sky was turning into a dark shade of blue during the afternoon, but Amber just kept flipping through the pages. A knock on the door was the only thing that pulled her away from the story. She set the book down, walking down the stairs to the front door. She groaned after opening the door to find Kai standing on the other side.

"What do you want?" Amber spat. She hated Kai just as Taemin did. She hated anyone who her best friend hated. Kai just smiled, pushing past her and entering the house. He seemed to be looking for something, pushing his hand into his pockets, rocking back and forth on his feet.

"Where's my lover?" Kai looked back at Amber, his eye twitched. Amber rolled her eyes.

"One, Taemin is not your lover. Two, he is not here." Amber crossed her arms. "Get out." She said coldly. She didn't care that she sounded rude. She really didn't care.

Kai walked forward until they were inches apart. "Why? Is he hiding from me?"

"He's gone Kai. I don't know where he is. Now get out, I have better things to be doing than standing here hurting my eyes by looking at you." With that, Amber stormed past Kai, back up the stairs. Kai showed himself to the door. Once the door was closed behind him, he punched the it, almost breaking it in half. He created a crack from the top, down to the middle. He stepped back and looked at what he had done. He didn't put much force into that punch, so for the house to fall apart so easily was sad. He smirked to himself, before walking away from the house.

He wasn't going to be gone long. He planned on returning to the house soon. But first, he needed to 'talk' to a few friends.

He made his way back to the bar in the alleys that he had Luhan take Taemin. He stepped inside, entering a roaring crowd. Men were drunk, falling over onto other men or to the floor. Others were just at the bar forcing down every drop of beer. Some were punching each other. That's who Kai was looking for. He pushed his hair back and walked up to the fighting men. One of them stumbled backwards and slammed his head on Kai's foot as he was walking. He smiled and kicked the back of the fallen man's head. The man turned over to his side, clenching his head. The man's friends clenched their fists at Kai.

"Ayo!" One of man breathed, with the smell of liquor escaping his mouth. "A-a-a-ayo! I-I'm the only, I am the only person who can, who can hit, hit, hit him!" The man's words were slurring so bad. He hiccupped a bit.

Kai walked up to the man. Just the slight wind was enough to push the man over. "I've got a job you. If you're a big enough man for it." The man and his friends looked at him like he had six heads.

"Why would we to-to-to-to work for a-a-a man like yourself.?"

Kai pulled out a few gold pieces from his pocket. He didn't just have the looks. He also had the money. "I believe this would be enough to convince you." The man's mouths hung open. Kai tossed the coins down at their feet, watching the man act like dogs trying to pick up the money.

"What do you want us to do?" A man asked.

Amber heard Kai break the door. She wasn't bothered by it, she didn't want to spend too much time away from Taesun. She wasn't in the room for long before she started hearing banging come from down stairs. She turned in her seat, looked at the door. She heard a crash, then glass breaking. She quickly walked to the stairs. As she was walking down, a picture was thrown across the room, smashing into the wall at the bottom of the stairs. She stop midway in her tracks. Who the hell is in the house? She heard some men laughing and screaming as she continued down the stairs. Another picture frame was heading towards her. She quickly ducked and the frame shattered against the wall. What was going on? Amber stood back up, and saw a group of drunk men, throwing around the furniture, smashing every glass bottle, and punching down the wall. Where the hell did these men come from? Amber grabbed the man closest to her. She pushed him as hard as she could. The man fell on his face, banging into a table. The thud the man made, caused all the other man to turn there attention to Amber.

The skinniest man smiled like a cat. "Got a good deal on this one! Comes with a free !"

Amber's face turned red from anger. "Go to hell!" A ? Amber was far from being a . "Get the hell out of here!" She stomped her foot on the ground. The men refused to listen to her. Instead a few of them started smashing up the house again, while two of them grabbed a hold on Amber. They covered , and held her up against the wall. She continued to punched and kick at them but nothing she was doing was working. The one was holding her arms above her head, making it harder to fight back. The other grabbed her hips. She closed her eyes, not giving up and fighting back harder. She could barely move against the wall. It was two against one, and the two were winning. She felt them pull at her clothes.

Before she knew it, both men weren't touching her anymore. She opened her eyes again to find both men on the floor, almost across the room. All the men were on the floor now. What?

"Get out of here before I cut your throats." A voice said. The men got off the floor, and ran out the door. Amber looked over to the voice finding, none other than Kai. He looked at her angrily. It didn't look like he cared, it looked more like he just wanted to beat a few people up. She looked away from him, glancing around the house. It was a mess. It didn't even look like her best friend's house any more. It looked like a junkyard. Pictures weren't hanging of the walls, the paint was torn down, glass was shattered everywhere. Most of Taesun's inventions were broken, every piece being scattered around the floor god knows where. Amber wanted to pull her hair out.

Kai put on his little evil smile, straighten his back. "Good thing I came when I did." Amber still didn't bother to look at him. She was to focused on how she was going to fix this mess. Kai could tell she was thinking that too. "You know, maybe if Taemin came to see me, this wouldn't of happened."

Amber's eyes burned with rage. "If Taemin... you mean to tell me you caused this?" God help her. If she had something in her hand right now, she would of beat Kai to death. Kai shrugged his shoulder before turning to the door.

"Tell Taemin that if he wants to continue hiding from me, worse is yet to come." Kai headed out the door. Amber ran up the door frame. Kai was already down the road walking back to the town. The rage just kept building up in Amber each step Kai took.

"Taemin is ing gone! He may not even be alive! You bastard!" Tears started running down Amber's cheeks.