"A few months ago, the owners of this estate, Masters Kim Jonghyun and Kibum, went on a business trip to Japan. It was supposed to be for a week, but a few weeks past and they didn't return. We-Baekhyun and I-looked into the situation and found that the masters, as well as their horde of bodyguards, never boarded their planes. They never even made it to the airport. The car is shown going to Seoul, and then it just...vanishes off the grid." Chanyeol explained.

Kyungsoo sat down, shocked.

"You mean the parents just disappeared?" he asked in disbelief, "How can that happen? You saw them leave, right?"

"Yes, but it's not as if we don't have any theories on what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"The Kim's fortune is all inherited. Master Jonghyun is the eldest son of a gold tycoon and Master Kibum is the eldest son of a oil tycoon. The perfect pair, you could say. Everyone wanted a taste of their money," the butler said darkly, "Especially the siblings of the two."

"Baekhyun?!" the shorter gasped.

With a shake of his head, Chanyeol denied Kyungsoo's suggestion.

"No, it couldn't have been him. Even if the masters disappeared, he couldn't have inherited anything. He is Master Kibum's younger brother. Kibum's maiden name is Byun. Only someone from pure Kim lineage that is of age could receive the money."

The nanny furrowed his eyebrows. It didn't occur to him that Jonghyun could've had a sibling. Chanyeol's lips pulled upwards in a smile.

"I see you haven't met the current Master of the House." he stated.

Kyungsoo nodded sheepishly.

"Yeah, I haven't gotten the chance to-oh."

Realization dawned as the man dug out his acceptance letter to the mansion. Signed at the bottom, in fancy curls, the name was clearly written. Chanyeol opened his mouth to explain when Jongdae burst into the room.

"Chanyeol! Kyungsoo! Joonmyeon's in the hospital!" he cried.

The two ran out of the hidden room toward the lobby, where a frantic Taeyeon was pacing.

"What happened?!" Kyungsoo asked.

The head maid grabbed his shoulders and looked at him desparately.

"Joonmyeon left a homework assignment in his locker, so Tao offered to drive him there. I got a call a few minutes ago from him. He said that the boys that beat the young master appeared again and attacked them. Thankfully, he managed to save Joonmyeon in time, but one of the boys had a knife. The call got disconnected," she fretted, "Master Baekhyun is pulling the car up in the front. Hurry to our young master!"

Kyungsoo raced out toward the car, Chanyeol in tow, to see Baekhyun hurriedly waving them over. They got into the car and swiftly drove to the town hospital. Suprisingly enough, Joonmyeon looked physically fine, sitting outside the emergency room. His pretty face was blotchy and tears poured through his eyes.

"Joonmyeon!" Baekhyun shouted, catching the other in his arms, "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine, but Tao-sshi...Tao-sshi took the knife for me and it stabbed him in the back! It's all my fault! I'm to blame!" he sobbed.

All of their eyes grew wide and Baekhyun's arms went limp.

"Go check on Tao's condition, I'll take care of Joonmyeon." Kyungsoo murmurred, taking the boy into his own arms.

The two men shot him looks of thanks and rushed to the young butler. The nanny sat Joonmyeon on the hospital bench, petting him gently.

"You know, it would make Tao sad if he knew that you blame yourself."

The boy looked up slightly.

"But it is my fault..." he whispered.

Kyungsoo smoothed back Joonmyeon's crimson locks and smiled softly.

"No it isn't. It's the monsters that attacked you that are to blame. You're a victim too, Joonmyeon."

"But if I hadn't-"

"Did you stab Tao?"

"No!"

"Did you tell anyone to stab him?"

"No."

"Did you want Tao to get hurt?"

"Of course not!" Joonmyeon said.

The elder's smile widened.

"Then it's not your fault, is it?" he asked quietly.

The teenager slowly nodded and a small smile appeared on his lips. A moment of comfortable silence passed through the two before Joonmyeon's head slumped on Kyungsoo's shoulder.

"Can you tell me a story, Kyungsoo-sshi?" Joonmyeon asked shyly.

"Of course and you can just call me 'hyung'. Don't be formal around me." the other chuckled.

"Okay...Kyungsoo hyung."

"When I was younger, there used to be a boy that lived in my town. He was a city boy that had moved to the countryside to live with his grandparents because he had a frail body and needed the clean air. No one really liked him because he was new and that was a time when new things weren't very accepted. But I thought he was interesting," Kyungsoo murmurred, "I became friends with him quickly and we were inseparable. We played together, ate together, even bathed together. Then one day, after school, a fancy black car pulled up alongside of the road and a rich city couple came out. They opened their arms and my friend ran towards them. They were his parents."

"Did he go back to the city?"

"Nope. His parents and his older brother had moved to the countryside, just for him. They built a big mansion and the family lived there happily."

"Then your friendship continued, right? Where is he now?"

Visions of tears and sad partings filled Kyungsoo's mind and he sighed.

"Actually, a few months after, I moved away, to Seoul. I lost contact with him, but I've heard from acquaintances that he grew up to be a wonderful man and that he lives in America now." he finished.

Joonmyeon's eyes looked up at him curiously.

"What was his name?"

Right then, a tall, suited man with handsomely charming features walked into the hallway and Kyungsoo's eyes widened. The man's full lips curved into a heart-stopping smirk and his hand reached for Kyungsoo in a firm handshake. Joonmyeon ran to his side.

"Kyungsoo hyung, this is my paternal uncle-"

Kyungsoo's mind whirled as memories flew around and a name slipped past his lips.

"Kim Jongin."