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“Beep.” The tenth beep in a row, a follow up for the never ending calls coming from the sealed up phone stored in the cupboard breaks Yoochun’s train of thoughts. Sighing since he knows someone is desperately trying to contact the middle aged lady who had dropped by earlier, Yoochun has no choice but to shut off the ever ‘alive’ phone for his own sake.

Unlocking the phone, he sees a picture of the lady with two young boys on the main screen. She looked like how she did around ten ago and her boys looked as beautiful as she did. The older male in the picture is clearly the older one since he is taller and more matured, like a pretty young lady. The other male looked more like a little girl. Yoochun can understand why they were taken by the syndicate.

Acknowledging all the notifications and trying to toggle around for the off button, Yoochun stumbles across the gallery. Trying to leave, his thick fingers clumsily picked the photo album instead. The first picture came like a punch in his gut, since the person sandwiched in between the lady and her now grown up elder son, smiling so sweetly, is the person he had been staying with all this while.

Hands trembling as he decides whether he should continue, he found his finger ghosting above the smiling Junsu. The picture is taken in Everland since they were standing right in front of the signboard. The subsequent pictures were of Jaejoong and Junsu exchanging ice cream cones, looking chummy and cheerful.

Probing into her other albums gingerly, Yoochun found individual albums titled ‘Jaejoong <3’ and ‘Junsu <3’. Entering the second one, he finds a treasure trove of the familiar faces, taken from infancy all the way to high school and graduation.

Recalling the birthdate and year on the passport, Yoochun finally knows what he needs to know about the boy living with him. He finally has a name as well and that made him queasy even though he is supposed to be happy.

Slamming the file cover of the case he was reviewing shut, Yoochun got up and was about to reach for the phone to call Hyun Joong, he stops. Fingers frozen on the first digit given to him by the lady, he quickly puts the phone down, shaking his head as he tries to reason with himself.

Telling himself that he needs to see Junsu’s face to confirm again, he already knows there are no mistakes. It is just what he does when in the state of denial. Then, telling himself that he has to go through legal proceedings before being able to discharge the boy to the care of his biological mother, Yoochun can feel his heart skip a beat. He knows there is no way he can keep Junsu for any longer than necessary but he is not prepared to hand Junsu over yet.

Comforting himself with the excuse that he still has more time, he is already crying inside. To think that he would uncover the boy’s identity under such circumstances, Yoochun is appalled at himself for not being better prepared for the arrival of this day.

Losing the mood to do anything else, he loiters around the staff rest area for almost an hour before finally giving up on sorting out his thoughts and left for home. Still undecided about what he should do, Yoochun chooses to not think about anything for now, telling himself that he will find Jaejoong first before anything else.

Driving at a slower speed than usual, the detective dropped by at the stores to get a packet of popcorn before heading home. He had promised to watch a movie with Junsu if the boy behaved himself and stayed at home.

Pushing open the front door upon reaching home, the first thing to greet him is his pet puppy. An exhausted looking Junsu appears shortly after to greet him as well, all smiles even though his pale face appears a little paler than usual. He quickly hides the piece of bloodied tissue he was clutching onto when Yoochun’s notices it, stare darkening at the sight of it.

“Were you bleeding again?” The detective grabbed the boy’s hand and tried to take the thin piece of paper from him. Junsu shakes his head and looks away nonchalantly. “That’s ketchup.” he lies and grabs the dog, pretending to be busy playing with the pup.

Sitting down on Junsu’s make shift bed and subconsciously reaching for Junsu, he holds the boy close in a gentle embrace. “Junsu.” Yoochun whispers before gazing into the boy’s pretty round brown eyes, looking back at him questioningly and innocently.

“You thought of a name for him?” Beaming when Yoochun brings up a name, Junsu turns the dog around pokes its paws at Yoochun’s arm cheekily. “Yoochunnie! Junsu is a boy’s name! You need to check if he is a he first.” Then, ing the squirming dog into Yoochun’s open palms, Junsu breaks the older man’s trance.

“I don’t think he is not a he... We’ll think about a female name later then.” Yoochun smiles awkwardly after taking note of the dog’s nice rows of s. “Let’s watch the movie I promised you yesterday… since I am home early today.” “We can have dinner outside later.” Somehow, for no apparent reasons, Yoochun found himself wanting desperately to spend more time with Junsu while he still can. The detective can’t figure his eagerness out.

“OKAY!!” Reminding Yoochun of the lady from earlier in the day, Junsu’s expression changes from adorable to very adorable, scrambling off the couch towards the TV.

“I will do that! You sit here!” Pushing the boy to sit down, causing him to pout, Yoochun makes his way over to the player and tries to set up the device instead. Since it’s been years since he watched his last movie, Yoochun isn’t even sure if the Dhoby surround sound is still working. Busying himself with the obsolete machine, Yoochun does not notice Junsu crawling out of his naughty corner.

“Yoochunnie! You bought popcorn too?” Exclaiming excitedly from over at the kitchen, Junsu had already reached the packet of grocer Yoochun bought home. “I will bring them over!”

Hearing Junsu’s voice made Yoochun look up and beyond the TV console, just to see Junsu crash to the ground near him. “Tunk! Plop!” A loud thud caused Yoochun’s heart miss a beat as he rushes over, half duck walking half kneeling.

Lifting his face up from where he lay prone, Junsu held his forehead and tried to sit up. In a daze, the boy can feel something warm coursing down the stinging gash above at the side of his left eyebrow as well as his nose. The latter had lost his balance as usual and fallen face down again, unfortunately for him, his head landed against the nearby stool before hitting the ground.

With all reflexes to break his own fall virtually non-existent due to the injury in his brain, his forehead took all the impact once again. Yoochun’s heart broke in an instant. Swaying from side to side as he looks at the detective dumbly, Junsu does not even know to staunch his own bleeding wound or the pouring epistaxis.

“EVERLAND!!” Calling Junsu that for weeks have made Yoochun address the boy so without thinking. “! YOU ARE BLEEDING!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO MOVE AROUND DIDN’T I?!” Propping the boy up and examining his face, Yoochun hurriedly cleaned him up and lifted Junsu’s small body up, exiting the house.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.” Seeing Yoochun huff as his puffs, racing down the staircase while cursing at the incompetent lift, Junsu feels terribly guilty. “Yoochunnie I’m alright. Don’t worry. I can walk.” Whispering to Yoochun, the injured boy is ignored yet again.

“Are you hurting anywhere?!” Placing Junsu gently into the passenger seat of his car, the detective removed the piece of small towel from under Junsu’s nose and peeps under the tissue to examine the wound. Junsu shakes his head weakly but Yoochun knows better. Both bleeders have ceased dribbling but the laceration needed stitches so Yoochun hits the paddle and rushes them to the hospital.

Reaching the hospital, the nurses immediately wheels Junsu into the triage area to close up the gap in his head while Yoochun waits outside.

“May I have the patient’s name?” Another nurse approaches Yoochun with a clipboard and the detective hesitated before answering. “Everland.” “He is followed up with the neurosurgeon here.”

“Oh! I see! Is he still under your custodial care then?” “Can you sign this document for me?” The nurse hands Yoochun the pen in her hand and Yoochun takes it.

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POV from Yoochun

Custodial care… what does that even mean? It means his stay with me is temporary.

His name is Junsu. Why does it pains me so much to know his name?

I don’t want him to leave.

What was he to me? He is… someone special. He brought me laughter, which was lost so long ago. He brought me back to those good old days when my parents were with me, when I am never lonely, when there is someone waiting at home for me whenever I open that door leading to where I call home.

The scariest thing is that the feeling he gives me whenever I am around him is not all pure and innocent. I have had partners before, but they left whenever I tell them I have no intentions to settle down. Come to think about it, I was quite the player before I became the ahjussi that I am. But one thing is for sure, I never wanted to protected or cared for them as much as I did for him. Junsu.

I hurt when he hurts. Seeing him become so frail and especially after knowing that he is dying, I feel terrified.

Now, he might leave me to go back to where he belongs, and I feel terrified too.

I don’t want him to go!! He has become a source of strength for me! And I even bought us a pet dog! Why have I become so irrational?

Park Yoochun!! Wake up!!

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Meanwhile…

An expensive looking car pulls up into the same hospital that Yoochun and Junsu is, and a tall man emerges. This hospital is the final and most likely hospital that he has spent a day searching.

Pulling on his coat once he is out in the cold again, the man takes a deep breath of the evening air. Making his way into the main lobby, the man ushered his personal escorts to ask for information while he stands nearby and take a look around the place.

“Isn’t that everland?” One of the receptionists that Yoochun would liaise with quickly identifies Jaejoong’s drawing of Junsu.

“Why is his name everland?” Yunho interrupts and smiles a megawatt smile at the lady. Noting that he can’t just bribe his way into getting information like he did in the morgues and syndicate’s lair, the bachelor decided to just settle for his glib tongue.

“Is he alright?” Yunho asks with a concerned look on his face and the lady feels obliged to answer that. “He is fine. In fact, he was discharged.”

“He was?” Yunho raises an eyebrow and backs away before returning. “Is there by any chance… that he left with a detective called… oh damn. What’s his name again?” Yunho turns and winks at one of his escorts, expecting him to play along.

“Detective Park?” The lady immediately assumes that Yunho knows the detective and answers his ‘question’ for him. “Yup. He is staying with detective Park now. The famous detective Park Yoochun from the human trafficking department.” The lady seems to speak fondly of Yoochun.

“Thank you my dear. You have been a great help.” The bachelor cooed seductively and the lady smiles shyly. “I will go pay him a visit now.” Smiling evilly, no one knows what Yunho is thinking most of the time.

“Wait!” “Sir! He won’t be home now… he just returned with the patient earlier.” Out of goodwill, the lady stops Yunho and revealed the duo’s whereabouts, thinking that they are friends.

“Oh? Here?” Yunho is a little surprised and concerned since Junsu being hospitalised again would mean something happened, but at least he will not need to go as far as to find out where Yoochun lives. That will be too cumbersome and time consuming. “Is he already in the wards?”

“You can visit him at room D2 on the fifth floor.” The lady replied, love struck yet again after seeing Yunho’s comely face. Yunho is good looking and only Jaejoong would find him revolting.

Winking at the lady again, Yunho quickly makes his way to the lifts. “We mustn’t clash with the police. Prepare the car and wait for me down stairs. I will take him myself.” The bachelor spoke while removing his coat and flexing his perfectly compartmentalised muscles.

Nodding their heads, a few of the escorts quickly leaves while a couple follows Yunho into the lift. “Sir! Do you have any idea how this Park Yoochun looks like?” One of the burly men asks the bachelor as they stand in silence, glancing dumbly at his boss.

“Why did you let the dumb one follow me?” Yunho turns to look at the other body guard before turning back to glare at the one who asked the question.