Slowly but surely, Jiyong regained consciousness. His vision was still a bit blurred but he was fully aware of his surroundings. “You’re awake” A middle-aged woman was sitting beside him. “Drink this” the woman shoved a filled cup toward his mouth but he turned his head away. “You should drink, it’s water” She smiled, and Jiyong did. His mouth was dry.

“Where am I”? He tried moving but it was impossible, “Who are you”? Red flags rose in his head when he realized he was tied to the bed. “VICK”! He finally remembered. Vick was the person he saw before he was enveloped in darkness, which only meant that Vick kidnapped him and was possibly going to kill him. “Is he going to kill me”?

“I don’t know”. She answered before exiting.

 ‘Seunghyun’ Jiyong cried for a little while, ‘Seunghyun I’m so sorry’, he cried more knowing Seunghyun would be doing everything possible to look for him. He also cried for Taeyang, Taeyang was going to blame himself.

****

“He’s awake” Ara walked into the room, where Vick was busy typing on his laptop. “Come sit, let me look at your wound, ” she ordered him.

“Ajumma you can’t be ordering me. You work for me not the other way around” he complained while taking off his shirt.

“Whoa, its infected” She quickly grabbed the kit she brought in with her and tended to the wound quietly, “Are you going to kill him”?

“Yes” Vick answered, not even showing pain regardless of he amount of pressure she was adding. “I will kill him”

“He doesn’t seem like the type you usually go after”

Vick nodded, “He is Seunghyun’s lover”

“Vick” She put more pressure on the wound, but again he showed no emotion, “What are you thinking”?

“Like I said. I am going to kill him”

“No you’re not, you blinked” She smiled at him, “I know you Vick” she rose up, “Be careful, you keep playing with fire, you’re going to get burned”

Vick laughed, “I’ve been burned already though, now I’m healing”.

“Anyway, I have to take the next three days off. I need to go to Seoul”

“Your daughter had the baby”? He asked and she nodded, “Whoa that’s good news… But what am I going to do without you, especially tomorrow”? The next day was Jiyoung’s birthday, and every birthday he got drunk and Ara took care of him.

“You’ll be fine, just be careful” she smiled, “I’ll go check on Dinner. Our guest must be starving”

“He’s not...” She was gone before he could finish his statement.

Jiyong had cried himself to sleep by the time Vick got to where he was. ‘Such a frail thing’, Vick shook his head. He wondered what his brother would have seen in such a poor excuse for a boy. “Seunghyun”? The boy stirred, “Seunghyun”

“You wish” Vick stepped forward and smiled when the boy shivered, “Hello Jiyong, we didn’t get the chance to properly talk the last time we met”

“If killing me would make you feel better, just do it”

Vick was certainly taken aback, “Well this just got a lot interesting”, he laughed. “I’m not doing this to make my self feel better though, I’m doing this to make my brother miserable”, Vick continued, “Seeing how you’re not asking, I’m guessing he told you about Jiyoung; my fiancée he killed”

“He didn’t kill her and you know it” Jiyong was scared but was determined no to show it. “Does it help”?

“Does what help”?

“Blaming others for your problems, wouldn’t it have been easier to have your brother by your side helping you instead of blaming him”?

Vick laughed, “I am going to have much fun killing you. I wonder how I’m going to do it, I could shoot you... or stab you... better yet, since tomorrow is Jiyoung’s birthday, I could slit both your wrist and then leave your body at Seunghyun’s front door. He’s see you drenched in blood like I saw my Jiyoung, ah perfect, I’m a genius”

“I hate you”

“Good”

“Vick” Ara called from the door, “Your dinner is in your room”. Vick stood and left, closing the door behind him. “I wasn’t sure what you liked so I had the cook make ramyun, spaghetti with alfredo sauce, spicy ddukboki, and Korean beef” She rolled the food cart toward the bed, “There’s also warm bread, and my favorite, cake and ice cream” She sat on the bed, “Let me get this off you” she untied the rope. “Hope you like it, chef Wang is amazing”

Jiyong stared at the woman in awe. “How could someone as nice as you work for a monster”? He asked when he finally sorted his thoughts. “Don’t say things you don’t know”, he heard her voice changing but continued, “I am sitting here tired to the bed, facing a possible death sentence and you tell me I don’t know him? You don’t even act surprised, which would only mean that he has done something like this in the past so....”

“That person you call a monster is the one who freed me and my daughter after the person who murdered my husband, harassed us” Ara stood from the bed, obviously angry, “Four years ago, I would have never thought that my daughter would ever marry, or that I’d have a grand child and today and to day I am a mother in law an a proud grandmother”.

Jiyong felt sorry.

“It is sad to see you in such a state; you are far different from the scums he usually brings here, but I will forever remain loyal to him”

“I’m sorry” Jiyong sighed, “May I ask what happened to the man and how you ended up where.... where ever this is”

“Vick killed him when I finally admitted that he beat and me on several occasions when I tried stopping him from my daughter” Ara smiled when she saw grief on the boy’s face, “It’s okay, better me than her”. To her it was only a distant memory, “Yes others may see him as a monster and although I don’t agree with his style, he will forever be my savior” she pulled the food cart closer to the bed, “Now eat, I’ve been hearing your stomach growling”

Jiyong gladly picked a plate, he was indeed starving, “Thank you, he said before digging in”

“What’s Vick’s twin like”? Ara quickly asked, “Vick never really talks about him much... he never wants to”

“Seunghyun” Jiyong’s heart raced when the name fell from his lips, he missed his boyfriend, “They look the same, and different... Seunghyun’s hair is lighter, his eyes are kind... his presence brings warmth” Jiyong ate as he spoke, “I just wish Vick didn’t blame Seunghyun for...”

“He doesn’t blame his brother” Ara answered quickly. “Then why is he doing all this...he told Seunghyun he was going to kill the person he loved and here I am”

“When I first met Vick he was broken and angry, he’d just moved here and little by little he started getting better, then he said he was going home to fix things with his brother only to return a couple of months later worse than he’d been earlier....” Ara rose up from the bed, “I’ve spoken too much, I should go” She smiled at Jiyong, “I will be out for the next three days so Hanbin will bring your food to you”

“Right” Jiyong scoffed, “This is probably my last meal”

“Well I have a feeling I’ll see you in three days”

***

Vick: Hello brother

Seunghyun: Vick if you touch one ing hair on his head. I will kill you

Vick: Wow is that how you say hello to a beloved brother?

Seunghyun: Where is Jiyong, let me talk to him

Vick: He’s tied up somewhere crying, you know what tomorrow is right?

Vick: Seunghyun?

Seunghyun: Vick please

Vick: Are you trying to trace this call right now? *Vick laughs* Don’t bother brother, you will never be able to find me.

Seunghyun: Vick... Vick plea....

Vick hung up and threw the phone as far as he could, “So tell me does that make you happy”? Ara spoke from behind him, “I sneak up on you and you feel no fear”

“Fear is for the weak” Vick sighed and returned his attention to the view before him; he’d had the island for over three year and view was even more breathtaking as time passed, “I heard you talking to the boy, I am a monster Ara, don’t ever forget that”

“No you’re not”

“It doesn’t matter, he will be dead by tomorrow anyway”

“No he wouldn’t. I know you, you never take your time...I know you just want your brother to hurt” She moved closer to him, “Think about this, I know you want to get back at your brother but that poor child in there’s only problem was that he fell in love so why punish him”?

“I had Daesung bring the helicopter to take you to Seoul, he’s ready when you are” Vick changed the topic making Ara laugh.

 “It’s getting late, I should head out now” she turned to leave, “treat your wound in the morning or it will get infected, and don’t drink too much tomorrow” she turned around and gave him a quick hug. She smiled when he stiffened; Vick never got used to body contact no matter how much she imposed it, but he was like a son to her so she was going to continue.

“Have a safe trip” He nodded and walked away, leaving her smiling after him.

                                                                              ***

Jiyong slept and slept, it was all he could do. Three times food was brought to him, once in the morning, a snack and then a late lunch, and every time he tried to speak to the young boy who brought it, he ran off locking the door behind him. He was no longer tied so he could use the bathroom in the room he was in. There were no windows except the small one in the bathroom that was too high for him..

He was still brooding when a roar resonated from somewhere in the building, followed by crashing and yelling. The door opened and the young boy who usually brought his food, rolled the food cart it, unscathed from the ruckus.

“Oh that”? The boy asked nervously as he pointed out of the room, “Don’t worry about it, he always gets like this around this time of the year” it was the first time the boy was talking to him, Jiyong blinked twice, the boy had a massive black eye.  “Aren’t you scared”?

“No, he’ll never hurt us” Jiyong saw truth in the boys eyes, “It’s usually better when ahjumma’s around but she went to Seoul to see her new grand daughter”

“Seoul”? Jiyong’s heart raced, “We’re not in Seoul right now”? He asked and the boy nodded. “Hi, my name is Hanbin” the boy offered his hands. “Jiyong” Jiyong took it.

“How old are you, we look like we are the same age” Hanbin sat beside him, “I’m sixteen”

Jiyong cleared his throat; “I’m nineteen so I’m your hyung”

“Woah HYUNG”! Hanbin said gleefully, scaring Jiyong a bit. The two talked for a while and Jiyong after asking about Hanbin’s accent, he found that Hanbin, although born in Korea, hadn’t been home for ten years. Hanbin was careful to give away where they were, but his love for Vick was even more intense than Ara’s, in fact he seemed like he was in love with the man.

Jiyong was confused, all that he’d heard about Vick from Seunghyun were all negative and dark but Ara and Vick’s words were the complete opposite. In fact he was a little surprised that he was still alive and breathing, in fact it seemed like he’d gained a little weight in the two days he’d been kept hostage. Hanbin left for a while and came back with a PSP vita and an ipad, “Take hyung, it must be boring... I have games saved and books on the iPad. Tomorrow I’ll ask Vick hyung if I can play the PS4 with you in the game room. Goodnight” The boy ran out of the room before Jiyong could flood him with questions, ‘Vick hyung’? Jiyong wondered as he stuffed his face. Then he remembered the story Seunghyun told him of how a girl fell in love with her kidnappers. “He probably drugged them” he whispered to himself, “What if he’s drugging me too..... Maybe it’s in the food” he placed the spoon down and pushed the cart away.

He was picking up the ipad when the door opened, it was Vick, “You are free, get out”

“Huh”? Jiyong rose from the bed.

“GET OUT BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND”!!! Vick yelled and left.

Jiyong moved closer to Vick and saw something, it was the first time Vick had ever looked like Seunghyun; his eyes were softer but it was only because he looked like he’d been crying. His eyes were red and his breathing was hitched, “Blood” Jiyong was shocked when he saw the the bloodstain on Vick’s white shirt, “Is...is that your blood”?

“Just go.... and tell Seunghyun that we don’t owe each other anything anymore so we don’t have any reason to see each other” Vick turned and left but Jiyong walked slowly after him. Jiyong followed Vick out; it was a house and it was huge, he followed the drunk Vick up the stairs and in a huge room. Vick seemed oblivious of his presence or he simply didn’t care as he removed his shirt and picked up a first aid kit from the dresser and walked back to the bed.

Jiyong was in a trance and he had to violently shake his head to get the thoughts out; Seunghyun was big and manly but Vick, Vick looked like he just stepped out of a magazine. Like he was photoshopped to be exact; he had the complete six-pack and it looked like his muscles were about to burst. He took a close look at the wound Vick was tending to and shrieked, “Oh no it’s infected” He took the cotton wool from Vick, and was surprised when Vick didn’t fight, “It looks like a knife wound. How could you let it get like this”? Years of helping out the younger ones at the orphanage taught him how to tend to an infected wound.

“Here drink this” He offered Vick water, but the man pushed it away and laid flat on the bed. Jiyong had done all he could, so he turned to leave, “Jiyoung-ah” Vick spoke and his heart raced, “My Jiyoungie, it’s your birthday today” Vick laughed, “But why aren’t you here? How could you leave me like that...that”? Vick’s voice broke, “Everybody left me...you left me, Seung left me...you made our baby leave me” It was impossible for Jiyong to leave, “Your mother was right, it was my fault... Seung thinks so too, that’s why he left. He blamed me for killing his first love” Jiyong turned to Vick, Seunghyun definitely left that part out; according to Seunghyun they were best friends, “But why did you like a person like me... why couldn’t you just like Seunghyun... everyone likes him, even mom and dad” Vick sighed, “I just want to be with you...dead or alive”

Jiyong walked towards the bed, and sat beside Vick his hair. This Vick was certainly a different person; “Jiyoungie” Vick placed his head on Jiyong’s thigh and snuggled close.

NEXT MORNING

“Ara”? He called out when he woke to find his bandage changed, and he’d slept deeper than he ever had in a while. “Did she come back”? He wondered getting off the bed. He made his way downstairs, “Is Ara back”? He asked the man cleaning the stairs. “No sir” He sighed when he saw the damage he’d done the previous night.

Vick made his way to his game room to find Hanbin, “Yah dongseang, what happened...did you clean.....” He was speaking to Hanbin when he noticed the boy’s black eye. “What... what happened to your eye”?

“Hyung...about that...”

“DID THOSE BOYS BULLY YOU AGAIN”?!

“Hyung...”

“Come here” Vick rushed at the boy, “Did I start teaching you to fight for nothing”? He asked when the boy dodged again, “You can escape me but you let those boys hit you, do you think people respect rappers that are wimps”! Vick finally got hold of the boy and locked him under his hand and ruffled his hair.

Jiyong was shell shocked as he watched the two, he’d been so sure Vick was the one who hit the boy and he was wrong again. He laughed as he watched until he was caught by Vick, “What are you still doing here”?! Vick sneered at him, “I told you to get out”!!

“Is that how you thank someone who helped you, YOUR WOUND WAS INFECTED”!

Vick walked closer to him, “Did you just raise your voice at me”? Vick’s voice turned dark.

“Yes..well.. You were being ungrateful. If I was evil, I could have easily killed you last night”

“Maybe you should have” Jiyong kept silent, he knew Vick meant it, “Whatever just get out”

“I could have left already, but WE ARE ON A ING ISLAND IN CHINA”!

Vick looked at the boy again, he would never have been able to picture the boy curse in a situation like this, “Then swim your way out of here” Vick moved to leave but when Jiyong tried to grab his arm, Vick shrugged him off making Jiyong trip on a stool.

“The doctor said you’ll be fine... you just have to be on bed rest for a couple of days so the ankle could heal” Hanbin sat beside Jiyong, “You have to be careful around hyung, he’s very strong but he didn’t mean to hurt you”

“I don’t care, I just want to get out of here”

“Hyung’s brother” Hanbi asked awkwardly, “I heard you’re his lover” Hanbin avoided his gaze, “Hyung you seem nice but I don’t know you could like someone like that.... how can he leave his brother when he is grieving... do you know how long Vick hyun looked for....”

“Hanbin that’s enough” Vick was at the door, “Breakfast is ready, go get something to eat” Hanbin quickly rose up and left, “What happened to you isn’t my fault, if you had eaten more...maybe you wouldn’t be a paper weight. Anyways, I will return you to Seunghyun when you are better”

“You are angry at Seunghyun not because you think Seunghyun is responsible for Jiyoung’s death, but because you think Seunghyun left you right”?

“I don’t think. I know” Vick shut his eyes tightly as he remembered how betrayed he felt when he returned to find Seunghyun living happily without him. He couldn’t bear to be around anyone after Jiyoung died so he left for a while to clear his head, and Seunghyun never waited for him. It hurt because he always lived his life protecting Seunghyun; whenever their father came home drunk, he took Seunghyun’s beating. When they were ten, he pushed Seunghyun out of the way of a moving vehicle and ended up getting hit instead. In high school and college, he had to get involved with the wrong crowd so he could be feared so everyone would leave he and Seunghyun alone. He lived for Seunghyun and he was okay with it. Then, he was the muscle and Seunghyun was the brains, and they were the perfect team; he went on the dangerous missions while Seunghyun did the paperwork. When he found out Seunghyun was in love with the friend Seunghyun himself had introduced him to, he decided to suppress his feelings but Seunghyun was the one who begged him to date Jiyong. “Three days, and I take you back”

“Three days”?!!! Jiyong shot up, “I can’t stay that long....can I at least speak to Seunghyun”?

“No”

“What about my parents, they would be worried about me”

Vick laughed, “Do you think I’m a fool. Kwon Jiyong, age 19, grew up as a child of the state with Dong Youngbae and you both live in a run down apartment in Hongdae. Both work at a cafe, crappy coffee I might add. Jiyong; gay lead singer and guitarist. Taeyang, playboy and bassist.... how am I doing or should I mention your hobbies”?

“How did you...”?

“Seunghyun met you when you were getting your handed to you by a couple of closeted fags, then he took you home and cared for you... that’s so Seunghyun” Vick scoffed.

“Have you been watching me”?

“Don’t be full of yourself, I have been watching my brother and you just got in the way”

“So you’ve been planning on the best time to hurt him, you must have so much time on your hands”

“I guess I do… killing people isn’t exactly time consuming” Vick smirked and walked out.