“You’re not going to stay here forever, are you?”

Hyo Min glanced up in despair at her friend who had just placed a glass of warm water on the table in front of her. So Yeon looked back at her sympathetically as she took a seat next to Hyo Min on the leather sofa.

“I don’t know,” Hyo Min replied, fiddling with her thumb nervously. “I don’t think I’m ready to be bombarded with Gi Kwang’s questions yet.”

“But…why did Joon called you anyway? He wouldn’t have tried to find you at home if it isn’t important right?”

“That’s true…” Hyo Min bit her bottom lip hard. “He sounded…urgent. Like something big was troubling him.”

“Hyo Min-ah…” So Yeon started carefully as she got up and started to pace back and forth in front of the coffee table. “Have you heard of the news that has been circulating around the group?”

Hyo Min nodded her head vigorously.

“Nay, I did. About what happened to Thunder right? Wait a minute…” her voice trailed off. A dazed look was painted across her face.

“What is it?” So Yeon prompted when Hyo Min continued to keep silent.

“Lee Joon…He…I think he’s trying to ask me about Thunder…”

“Wae-yo?” So Yeon asked confused. “You don’t know anything about it, do you?”

Again, her question was responded with only silence.

“Hyo Min-ah, did Gi Kwang told you anything? Did the guys have anything to do with his death?” So Yeon asked urgently.

“I don’t know…”

“Hyo Min! If you know anything, anything at all, you have to let Eun Jung know about it,” So Yeon continued to persuade her friend. Cautiously, she placed a hand on the other girl’s shoulder and gave it a light pat. “Don’t keep anything to yourself.”

“I’m going back to the bar,” Hyo Min said instead, as though she hadn’t heard a single word. “I’ve left it in Qri’s care for quite some time. She’s going to need some help.”

“Hyo Min-ah…” So Yeon tried again.

“Thanks for the drink and company,” Hyo Min managed a tight smile. “I’ll let you know if there’s any news okay? Don’t worry So Yeonnie. It’ll be fine.”

Hyo Min knows the wiser girl doesn’t believe her words a single bit. But it was all that she could offer for the time being. Before she could confirm any of her assumptions, it’ll be better for Hyo Min to keep shut for the time being.

Because if she was right about certain things, Thunder might not be the only cause of their worries.

No. Their lives will all be in danger.

“But Joon, you really shouldn’t have left that message on my home’s answering machine…”

“W-what?” Lee Joon asked startled, his shoulders tensing up. He suddenly realised Gi Kwang’s hatred towards him is deeper than it seems. It wasn’t only because of the rivalry between their two groups. It was because of personal reasons. It was because of…

“Hyo Min,” Gi Kwang answered calmly. “You left a message for her, didn’t you? I thought you guys had stabbed a fork in that relationship months ago?”

“It isn’t what you think,” Lee Joon said defensively. “Yes, I was looking for her. But it’s not because I missed her or anything like that.”

He was aware of Hyuna’s cold stare piercing through him from his left. He heard the soft cussed escaping but she didn’t say anything else. He would have a lot more explaining to do later.

“Then what was it about?” Gi Kwang continued to ask, taking a step closer.

Just then, the previous footsteps boomed into the workshop and five recognisable shadows filled the entrance. The conversation stopped dead halfway when all five pairs of eyes saw the other four strangers in their workshop. Yo Seob, who could immediately sense the tensed atmosphere, his lips nervously. Being the playful and joyful one, he’d always prefer to avoid arguments with anyone. He hated getting in any fights. And he’s definitely uneasy about the situation happening right that instant.

“Gi Kwang…” Doo Joon called out lazily as he stepped out from behind the tall Dong Woon. “What’s going on here?”

“Hyung, they came for a talk,” Gi Kwang smiled snidely. “Apparently, they think we killed their dead friend.”

“Aish, jinjja?” Doo Joon sighed. “Ji Yoon-sshi, I told you the other day. We haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I know. But I came for other matters actually,” Ji Yoon admitted, fixing her gaze on the Beast’s leader. “It seems like you might know more than you’re letting me in.”

“Noona...” a new voice spoke up suddenly. The group’s maknae made himself known for the first time as he flashed a brilliant smile at the detective. “We’re not hiding anything. You believe me, don’t you?”

“I don’t believe anyone right now,” Ji Yoon replied firmly, refusing to let the handsome boy’s charms get to her. “But since I’m not on official duty today, I think we should take leave now. But remember, you can’t run anywhere if you’re really guilty. I’ll hunt you down.”

“You nearly got me into trouble the other night, Joon!” Hyo Min hissed at her ex-boyfriend when he visited her bar that night. “What did you want?”

“Answers,” Lee Joon answered in a low voice, averting his eyes from the other patrons who were watching him curiously. He was sure they have heard many stories about him and he wasn’t really keen on satisfying any of their curiosities. “I need answers Hyo Min.”

“What do you want me to say? I don’t know anything!” Hyo Min threw up her hands in frustration. Annoyed, she took her drink from the table and stormed away towards the back door. Lee Joon got up quickly and hurried after her, knowing that she actually knows more than she’s telling.

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking Min,” he tried again once they were out of sight. “Don’t try to deny it.”

Hyo Min started to open but then the back door suddenly flung open and one of the bartenders walked out. She forced a smile at her worker and waited patiently until he left the premises.

“It’s not them Joon,” she said through clenched teeth. “It can’t be them.”

“I know for the fact that we’re on the same page and that we’re not talking about the Beast guys,” Lee Joon said carefully, watching his ex-lover from the corner of his eye. He took a sip of his drink calmly, waiting for her reaction.

“This is crazy,” Hyo Min shook her head. “They are way more dangerous than you give them credits for. Even more threatening than Gi Kwang and the rest. I don’t want you to get involved with them Joon.”

“He killed my friend Sun Young. Are you telling me to just sit back and do nothing?” Lee Joon roared, causing Hyo Min to flinch uneasily.

“This is about your safety! I don’t want you to suffer the same fate as Thunder! Listen to me Joon,” Hyo Min lowered her voice as she touched him lightly on both shoulders. “Please. We still don’t have enough facts yet. Do not act rashly.”

Lee Joon held her gaze steadily, his expression remained emotionless.

“Have you told Gi Kwang about this? Does he know about their existence?”

Hyo Min dropped her hands to her sides abruptly, surprised by Joon’s sudden question. She turned away from his hard stare helplessly, desperate to find the right words for his question.

“He…They…They don’t really know about the other guys Joon. Beast…they are not like you boys. They don’t get into fights to earn a living…”

“They are not any better than me Hyo Min,” Joon scoffed. “Stop trying to defend them.”

“Fine! They do some bad things okay. But I’m telling you the truth Joon; they have never crossed paths with those guys.”

“But they know you, don’t they?”

Hyo Min’s eyes flashed with fear as she faced Joon once again. She shook her head disbelievingly.

“No. You’re not saying…”

“I think they know more about your boyfriend and his friends than you think they do.”

“So what’s our next move?” the tallest guy with straight black hair covering half of his face asked another man seated behind the long dining table. “It’s already been a week since the incident.”

“Do you think it’s safe to carry out with our next plan?” another brown-haired guy frowned at his gang-mate. “I think they are already on hunt for their friend’s killer. If we’re not careful…”

Their other friend, who was seated by the window polishing his dagger cautiously, suddenly spoke up in a calm voice.

“Don’t you know they are now actually accusing each other? We’ve set them against each other hyung.”

The sharp tip of his blade gleamed brightly under the night’s light and he gave a satisfied smile for his little weapon. It’s already been cleaned and was ready for more work ever since that last victim. It was hungry for more blood.

“They are just petty little boys compared to us,” a new voice scoffed from behind the first guy. “They can’t fight us, even if they tried.”

“Quiet,” a more authorised voice commanded them. At once, all four guys hushed up in respect for their leader. They wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.

“We’ll launch the next attack tomorrow…” he continued in a low and menacing tone.

Just then, the door to their meeting room flew open and a new member hurried in hastily; gasping for air.

“What’s wrong with you?” their leader asked curiously. “Is somebody after you or something?”

“N-no,” he answered through deep breaths. “I…I just found out something.”

“What is it?”

“Lee Joon…the guy from the MBLAQ gang…He…He’s already suspected us.”

A soft cussed escaped the leader’s mouth as he clenched his two fists tightly.

“I know I should’ve killed him first…” he muttered.

“What do we do now?” the brown-haired guy asked anxiously. “Do we still carry on with tomorrow’s attack?”

“Yes…We will. But change of plans…”

All five pairs of eyes focused on their authorised figure curiously; waiting for his next few words with much anticipation.

“Beast. We’ll attack them instead.”