Is it always going to be like this? Will I always stay in the audience’s seat and watch the two of you so happy together? When will the time come when it’s me who’s making you laugh like that? Making you feel at ease and safe with me around? When will those happy laughter and beautiful smiles be thrown at my direction? I wanna take care of those smiles. I wanna treasure that laughter. I wanna be the one who takes care of you…

From one side of the hospital’s garden, Changjo stood watching Niel and Minsoo laughing and having a good time. He wanted to see Niel from the moment he heard that the older boy has been rushed to the hospital, but he wasn’t allowed to. So when he got the chance, he quickly drove to the hospital. He sort of anticipated that Minsoo will be here. He’s not blind or dense to guess that something good is going on between the two. What he hasn’t imagined is that they would be this happy talking and laughing with each other. He really felt hurt and envious as of the moment. But he knows he couldn’t do anything. If it’s Minsoo who’s making Niel feel so free and happy like that, he wouldn’t take that away from Niel. But his chest…

Changjo’s musings was then cut when someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was Ricky.

“Hey, you’re watching them again. How come whenever I would find you, you’re staring at them?” Ricky’s eyebrows danced in confusion. Changjo tried to read if there was a pun intended on Ricky’s expression but he found none. The other boy is merely curious.

“Hi, Ricky! Fancy seeing you here!” He offered a friendly smile. From that time on the car, they have been better friends and though Changjo isn’t voicing it out, he is enjoying Ricky’s company.

“Annyeong, chingu-ya!” Ricky smiled. “But answer my question, my friend, why are you always staring at them?”

Changjo fell silent and again and looked at the two men seated under a huge oak tree. The place spells solace, and he couldn’t help but think that the two look so good together. It’s like they are meant to sit beside each other, and just be together. He heaved a deep sigh.

“Woah! That was deep. Can you tell me what’s been bugging you?” Ricky worried.

Changjo smiled a small smile. “Nothing, really. I was just thinking that Niel-hyung’s condition is getting worse by the days and he still doesn’t wanna go through the operation. But seeing him this happy with Minsoo-goon…” he let his sentence trail off and looked at Ricky beside him. He, too, is now staring at the two figures seated not too far from where they stood.

“You know what I think?” Ricky looked up at him with the famous unique curve of his eyebrows. “I think that if Minsoo-goon would ask him to undergo the operation, Niel-hyung would do it.” Ricky stopped as if in deep thought. After a while he said, “I can’t explain this but, I think Niel-hyung now has high regards and respect for Minsoo-goon that he would trust his judgment no matter the circumstances are.” Ricky finished with a shrug of his shoulders.

Changjo pondered on that thought. “I wonder how you can say that. But come, I’m thirsty. Or even hungry. Wanna eat something?” Changjo offered a simple smile down Ricky’s direction.

Immediately, Ricky’s face was pulled up into a jolly smile. “Are you buying?” His eyes are twinkling in excitement that Changjo didn’t stop himself from giving off a small laugh.

“Yes, baby brother, hyungie will buy his cute dongsaeng some food.” Changjo put an arm around Ricky’s shoulder and pulled him in the direction of the nearest cafeteria.

“Ya! I’m older than you. I’m the hyung here!” Ricky brushed off Changjo’s arm, pouted and stomped his feet on the ground as if a spoiled brat having tantrums.

Changjo laughed even more and again, put his arm around Ricky’s shoulder and pulled him into him. “Of course, of course, hyungs really act like that.” He laughs heartily. Somehow, there’s a specific joy Ricky is giving him when his jolly friend is around.

“Eh? What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing, hyungie.” Changjo winked at him. “But being the hyung means you’re paying for you dongsaeng’s lunch, right?”

“Eh?”

“So, you don’t wanna be the hyung now?” Changjo is trying so hard to stifle his laughter with Ricky’s confused look.

“Ya! I’m the hyung! I’m paying!” Ricky perked up his chest in a proud manner. Changjo let himself laugh at that. How can this small fellow act so cute all the time? And he’s not even aware of it..Changjo smiled shaking his head.

“What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing, hyungie. I’m just excited on what I will order.” Again, he winked at Ricky.

“Order anything you want, brother.” Ricky tapped Changjo’s shoulder and nods his head as if trying to convince the both of them. Changjo could only smile.

--------

“Where is the car now, Byung?” Chanhee frantically shouted on the earpiece.

“Wait. Can you dictate the plate number?” Byunghun said in a calmer manner. He’s been providing assistance to Chanhee’s team from the head office. They are now on the tail of a kidnapper, and Chanhee is pressuring him to trace the whereabouts of the getaway vehicle as if the details are being served in a silver platter for them.

“XJL1104. It’s a gray Volvo, 2010 model. What’s the location?”

“Relax, man. I’m on it.”

“Will you hurry? We don’t wanna miss the chance that bastard left for us.”

Chanhee has been pushing Byung, he knows it. But he just couldn’t relax now that they finally had a lead to the whereabouts of the kidnapper who has taken his seventh victim just now from a nursery school. The kidnapper has a knack for fair-skinned little girls ages 4-5. His MO would be to take children with chubby cheeks and round brown eyes. This has been their red string to catch the criminal. His predictable movements of taking children just after school, and having a special type made them plan his CAPture easily. Chanhee and his team profile every girl who matched with the kidnapper’s type and started to stake out at nursery schools around Seoul. Chanhee happens to be outside the school where the same gray Volvo has been spotted days ago. He quickly follows the car but lost it when they passed a tunnel. And now, he’s been bugging Byunghun to trace the whereabouts of the car. He wants to nail the man. And he wants to take him now!

“Okay. Here it is.” Chanhee listen intently. “30 meters from where you are, turn right. Run straight to that highway and a hundred more meters, you will see an abandoned parking space. The vehicle has been idle for about a minute.”

“The bastard must’ve changed vehicles if it’s been idle there. Watch out for any vehicles going outside that parking space.” Chanhee tries so hard to relax but the anticipation and thrill he feels just wouldn’t let him.

“Already on it. As we talk, there’s a red Hyundai pulling out. Oh wait, another one is going out. It’s another Hyundai. A blue one. Which one are you going to follow, Chan?” Byunghun said calmly. It’s a fifty-fifty chance for them to catch the man now.

“You watching this via satellite?”

“Yes.”

“Which of the two is driving slower?”

“Eh? Why?”

“Just answer, Byung, quick! And tell me which direction that car is headed.” Chanhee heaved a sigh. Whichever is driving slower should be the one driven by the criminal. He’d be more at ease now that he has changed vehicle and would think that driving fast would caught attention from the police. His deductions better not fail him now.

“The blue one is headed west from your direction. Take the next right turn from that highway and you are hot on his tail.” Though Byunghun doesn’t get why Chanhee should pick that car, he has faith in his friend’s instincts. After all, Chanhee graduated from the academy with flying colors and is aware of his outstanding sense of leadership.

“Thanks, Byung. We are nailing down this bastard.” Chanhee took a right turn and true to what Byunghun said, the blue car just took a turn and is now driving in front of him. He accelerated and drove past the car, cut it, and parked his car a few meters forward to stop it from advancing.

“Police!” Chanhee flashed his badge on his left hand while securing the trigger of his handgun with the other. He has his eyes on the driver.

Quickly, the driver pulled his gun out and moved to shoot Chanhee, but Chanhee was quicker. He pulled the trigger and shot the man on the right shoulder which made him let go of his gun. Now as Chanhee and his two other police officers advanced, the man sat still and awaited the judgment.

They pulled the man out of the car and handcuffed him. Soon, they found the little girl, still in her uniform, put to sleep on a sack at the passenger’s seat. Chanhee felt relieved that nothing bad has happened to the girl, and that his hunch has been right again. He picked the right vehicle to follow. He felt proud and at ease. But the question still remains. Where are the other six children?

“Where are the other six? Where did you take them?”

The man only smirked at him and spit on the ground.

Chanhee punched him on the face. He backed the man on the car while holding him tight on the collar. “Where are the other girls? Tell me or I will break your face until even your mom couldn’t recognize you.” Chanhee is fuming with anger at the arrogance the man showed him. They can’t be dead, right? Surely, the man has his purpose at taking only little girls. And the fact that they found this girl alive made his notion stronger that this man wants his victims alive. For whatever purposes he has for them.

“Oh yeah? I wonder how a pretty face lad like you is going to do that.” Yet again, the man smirked. Chanhee punched him with the of his gun straight on the nose. He heard the bones crack but he can’t feel compassion for this man right now. Heck, he knows what he’s doing is against the law but he can get away with that. Right now, he wants to beat this man to a pulp until he asks for his mercy. He’s that angry.

“We found this.” One of the officers said which made Chanhee stop.

“Tell me what it is.” Chanhee gritted his teeth; he doesn’t have time for a guessing game right now.

“House address. Also, Byunghun called and said that our men found the same address on the car this man left on the parking space. Our men are already on their way there to see if the children are indeed there. We better take that man to the headquarters now.” His subordinate calmly said. He knows of Chanhee’s temper whenever kidnappers of little children are concerned.

Chanhee looked at the kidnapper and brusquely led him to the police car. One of his two men already had the child on the other car and is going to drive her home to her parents.

“I heard you broke that man’s nose back there.” Byunghun said as he and Chanhee are having coffee at the cafeteria in the office. Chanhee just got back from putting the man behind bars and submitting the report of their successful operation. The other six girls are also found gagged and kept in the house. Though whatever the man’s purpose is for collecting and keeping them there, they didn’t found out. But Chanhee is happy that he can now heave a relaxed sigh. It’s another case closed for him.

“Couldn’t help it, Byung. The man looked even proud of what he’s doing. Man, he’s sick.” Chanhee sipped his black coffee.

“I just couldn’t imagine you being that brusque when all I see of you is the happy Chanhee I know, haha!”

“Aigoo, Byung, you should quit your job behind the desk and join me and Minsoo hyung on the field. I’m telling you, it’s much more fun.” Chanhee smiled at him.

“Why, do you think any other agent can keep up with your frantic demands whenever you would ask assistance on the whereabouts of some vehicle?” Byunghun said in a mocking tone.

That made Chanhee laugh. “You’re right. I guess you’re the only one who could keep up with that.” He let out yet another delighted laugh. Now that the case is closed, Chanhee can now laugh heartily.

--------

At the same moment, Minsoo has been pacing like a mother hen in labor. He’s outside of the operating room. The doctors and nurses just took Niel in. He’s waiting outside with Niel’s dad, Ricky, Changjo, and Niel’s other bodyguards. When he finally decided to sit, the light on the operating room blinked red—OPERATING.

A/N: Oh! I know you missed Changjo so here he is. ^_____^ And also some ByungChan for you. (I think I like calling them that now instead of ChunJoe. It’s cuter, no? Plus, that name even came from L.Joe’s mouth. He thought that they should name their child ByungChan. Lee ByungChan. How cute is that? ^_____^) And oh, Niel is being operated on. Yay! Comments??!! Please!! ^_____^