"Take me, instead. Kill me." Byunghun whispered in a raspy voice, dropping the gun. It landed on the carpet floor with a thud. 

Chunji laughed, a laugh laced with so much venom and distaste that Byunghun couldn't ever believe he found someone like him even tolerable. Chunji was cruel, he was heartless, sadistic. He enjoyed seeing others in pain…Byunghun bet Chunji was just loving this right now. "Really? You're willing to sacrifice your life3 for the sake of two old people?" 

Byunghun just wiped the tears from his cheeks, trying to calm himself. "They're not just two old people. They're my family…and I won't let you hurt them." 

Byunghun prayed, prayed out to anyone out there who was willing to listen. He wanted Chunji to accept the trade. Surely, Chunji wouldn't say no, right? If I'm dead, he can't bother me anymore…If I'm dead, I can get away from him once and for all…

His mind briefly thought about Chanhee. Woohyun. Mir. Niel. Jonghyun. Changhyun. Chanhee…

But he couldn't back out, not now. Byunghun was stupid, so stupid for letting this happen. He couldn't let Chunji kill two innocent people. Changhyun would be so heartbroken if his parents were murdered…And Byunghun wouldn't be able to live with himself if it was he who did it. How could he face Changhyun again? How could he face anyone again?

He would rather he himself die, then for others to. 

Chunji picked up the gun off the floor. He traced the tip of it along Byunghun's jawline, and down to his neck, a little grin forming onto his lips. "You have yourself a deal, Lee Byunghun." 

*****

"Chunji, beating up the 'love of your life' into unconsciousness isn't the best way to start a love life." Minsoo barked out a laugh, slapping the other boy on the shoulder. Chunji winced, swallowing thickly as he covered his left side with his palm. 

The pain was unbearable. Hell, he would rather be in Byunghun's position. 

Just a few hours after the stunt he pulled at Changhyun's parents' home, Chunji had to disclose with Mr. Hwang about Byunghun's deal. Apparently, he hadn't been as good as hiding his facial expressions as he thought. Mr. Hwang saw right through him. Chunji didn't have to say anything; he didn't want Byunghun to sacrifice himself. What a ing idiot. Of course, Chunji knew that he would have had to do the job sooner or later, but not so goddamn soon. He figured that by the time he was sent to do the job, his feelings would have died, and he returned back to his cold self. 

Mr. Hwang had seen all this, in just one second of Chunji being in the office. 

The sound of the man's hand colliding against Chunji's cheek rang in his ears. He still remembered the hot prickle of pain. The profanities that were shouted at him. And finally…the knife. The knife that had penetrated his side.

If you can't get your head together, I'll cut you until you do! 

Chunji sighed, mumbling to himself, ". I messed up." 

Minsoo snorted. "Hell yeah you did. Mr. Hwang was furious. I thought you were trained better than that, Lee. You've turned soft--you need to get your edge back before Mr. Hwang really kills you." 

Chunji's pain was blinded by anger. This was all Byunghun's fault. It was his fault. It was with this anger that he gathered the motivation to give that Byunghun what Chunji should have given him a long time ago. 

He still remembered how amazing it felt to punch him. To kick him. To watch him suffer, gasp for air, cough up blood. To release all his pent up anger and aggression the only way he knew how.

Of course, he still had to be a little civil. After one last blow that knocked the life out of the kid, Chunji leisurely called 911 on his crappy pay-as-you-go phone that the company had specifically wired so it couldn't be traced. 

"911, what's your emergency?"

"I beat up this guy. He might or not be dead, I don't care. Might went to get on it though, doesn't like he's gonna last too long." 

Chunji quickly snapped out of his thoughts, staring at his friend before him. "Any news of his condition?" 

Minsoo shook his head. The words that came out of his mouth should have been sad, remorseful. But Minsoo didn't look as if he cared at all. "He's in critical condition. A coma. He ain't waking up, and it's got the doctors all crazy with worry, or whatever." Minsoo snickered, stuffing his hands into his pockets. 

*****

"Is it done, Chunji?" 

"Yes, Mr. Hwang. It played out exactly as you predicted." 

"Excellent. I'll bring Tiffany over to see you in a few days."

*****

Woohyun frowned, trying to take in as many deep breaths as possible. He was afraid the most of Chanhee's reaction. It wasn't going to be good. 

With one final breath, he walked into the living room. The boys were gathered there. Niel and Jonghyun were playing one of their childish games. Changhyun and Chanhee were speaking avidly about something. Woohyun hated being the bearer of bad news. But he didn't want the boys finding out from anyone else.

"Guys." 

The boys immediately stopped their chatter, and looked to him. Woohyun couldn't meet Chanhee's eyes. He spent ten seconds phrasing words together. He wasn't going to sugar-coat. He had to come right out and say it. 

"Byunghun, he's--" Woohyun choked on his own words. He blinked rapidly, clamping down on his upper lip to get rid of the stinging in his eyes. 

"What's wrong with Byunghun?" Chanhee asked. There was alarm in his voice. And of course, the other boys started getting restless too.

"Something happened to Byunghun?" Changhyun asked quietly. 

"No. He's fine. I'm sure he's fine. He's fine, right hyung?" Jonghyun asked. 

Woohyun clenched his hands into fists. He kept his eyes on the window, right behind the group. Don't get emotional. Don't break down in front of them.

"He's in an indefinite coma." 

*****

The ride to the hospital was silent. So silent it was suffocating. Even breathing was a chore in the car; the air seemed to heavy and thick. Chanhee was the one who was taking this the worst. He had chosen the back corner seat, and was silently crying while looking out the window. Occasionally, the group could hear a sniffle. The shifting of fabric as Chanhee lifted his hand to wipe his tears. 

I'm not believing anything until I see it. Byunghun's okay, he has to be. My Byunghun…

Woohyun refused to let Chanhee enter Byunghun's room first. "We're going to see his condition first. Stay out here, alright Chanhee? Please." Woohyun sternly commanded, ushering the other boys into the closed hospital room. The blinds were shut, and the fact that there was absolutely no sound of voices from the room made Chanhee anxious. His heart was beating faster and faster. He could feel his entire body shaking, as he stood in front of the door, eager to see Byunghun.

After what seemed like an eternity in the empty, brightly-lit hallways, the wooden door opened. Out poured the boys. Their facial expressions were exactly the same. Dull. Lifeless. The boys silently trudged to the end of the hall, exited through the doors. Only Woohyun remained. He put his hands on Chanhee's shoulder, looking the other in the eye. There was something in his eyes that wasn't identifiable, but Chanhee's gut churned. It didn't look like as if it was good. 

"Chanhee, I want you to stay calm, okay? Take a deep breath." Woohyun said, before giving the other a sympathetic smile. Woohyun stepped aside for Chanhee to enter the room. 

All the rest of the boys were slightly relieved. Byunghun didn't look as bad as they had pictured. His face was woundless. Unfortunately, his body, starting from his arms, were by hundreds of wires to huge machines; machines that beeped, and blinked flashing lights. 

As soon as Chanhee saw, he burst into tears. He couldn't even move from his spot in front of the door. He choked down a sob, his cries getting louder as he forced himself to move forward. 

His heart…he could feel it being ripped out of his chest. He couldn't breath. 

Chanhee collapsed onto his knees beside Byunghun, entwining their fingers together as he rested his other arm on the bed, his forehead leaning against it. "Idiot…you idiot…you idiot!" 

One tear splashed against the bed sheet. Then another. Then another. The tears wouldn't stop, and neither would the pain. 

A terrible thought flashed into his mind. What if he lost his Byunghun forever? What if Byunghun's condition was so bad that he wouldn't wake up? What if he was stuck in this coma forever? 

A stronger pain struck his chest. The tears flew, harder and harder with each sob. "Byunghun, please! Please! You can't leave me, p-please, you can't leave me here alone! Open your eyes, please o-open them! Please Byunghun, please open your eyes, please!!" Chanhee screamed through his tears, clutching onto Byunghun's arm. 

The tears splashed wildly all over his face. And more continued to fall. His eyes stung, his throat was dry, but the biggest pain came from his heart. Byunghun was still lying lifeless on that stupid hospital bed. His fingers were limp. Chanhee was so used to them giving them a gentle squeeze after he had held them. The way Byunghun's eyes lit up whenever Chanhee spoke to him. Byunghun's laugh--his melodic laugh that was heaven incarnated into a single sound. His smile. 

The way Byunghun would lean forward whenever he laughed. The way he could slid his lower lip underneath his upper teeth when he was concentrating. All the compassion that was hidden within a layer of a cold-looking exterior. 

All these memories of Byunghun drove Chanhee to insanity. He started screaming Byunghun's name, so desperately and filled with sorrow that even the nurses hesitated in stopped him. But they did. They grabbed Chanhee's arm, and tried to soothe him, will him to calm down.

That made him even more hectic. Please God…Please, I don't need anything else but him. I won't ever ask for anything else. Please, please just save him…Please…

"Don't take me away from him!! I have to stay next to him, I have to be there when he wakes up!" Chanhee cried out, jerking away from the nurses who were know looking to each other with petrified gazes.

At that moment, Woohyun came into the room. He couldn't bare to hear those screams anymore. They were so pitiful, even his heart had hurt more knowing how much pain Chanhee was going through, seeing this. Those screams had the potential to haunt anyone in their sleep, so filled with longing and fear that it was impossible to even distinguish his words; his tone said it all for him. Woohyun nodded a brief apology to the nurses, grabbing Chanhee's arms. "Come on, let's go. Let Byunghun rest." 

"Hyung, let me go. Let me go!!" 

He had managed to drag Chanhee out of the room after a ten minute struggle. Chanhee was so exhausted that he could barely stand on his own. Woohyun had an arm over his shoulder, guiding the boy out of the hospital. Chanhee was sure to pass out at any moment, but Woohyun could hear a mantra of words stringing out of Chanhee's mouth, so faint they were barely whispers. "Please…save…him…"