Changing Eric had proven harder than Hyesung had hoped for. The man seemed to listen to him when they were alone, and he looked more interested in Hyesung's feelings than ever before, but every time they stood together, in front of others, the changes were almost nonexistent.

He knew Eric would change slowly, he just knew it. It had taken him a long time to turn the way he was now, so it would only be logical that it took him a long time to change back too. But Hyesung couldn't wait, he couldn't wait to get the old Eric back, not just in private, but everywhere.

He had convinced Eric to close the "Hole" for good, and to go lighter on the punishments for some of the less severe cases. And Eric hadn't complained a single time, he had done everything Hyesung told him to.

There was one thing that bothered him though, Eric seemed very stressed, more so than before. He always had something he had to do, and he seemed to have less and less time to be with him, but Hyesung told himself that it was only a phase he had to pass.

but Eric not having time for him wasn't the only strange thing to happen. Hyesung's dad had also called for him, and he never did so unless something was very wrong.

He stood in front of the large iron door leading to his fathers office, last time his dad had called for him had been 5 years ago when he had been suspecting an assassination attempt on Eric, and if Hyesung hadn't convinced Eric to attend that meeting, he wouldn't be here now.

Hyesung's father was a very important man in the gang, having been Eric's father's right hand man, he was now one of the most trusted members of the whole gang, and even Hyesung had to answer to him.

He heard the lock turning in the door before it slowly opened for him.

"Ahh Hyesung, I'm so happy you could come here so fast. I have something very important you need to know" he looked extremely tired, like he hadn't slept for days, that only happened when the gang faced a really big emergency, like when Eric's father was killed.

"Hyesung, you have to trust me, and promise me to tell no one about this, except for Eric" he took a deep breath as he sat down in his chair, and motioned for Hyesung to take a seat too.

"If you tell anyone else, you bring both of our lives in danger" he folded his hands in front of his mouth and stared seriously at Hyesung.

"I promise father" he bowed his head slightly to show he understood.

"I don't think you've ever been told what happened to Eric's father? I mean. What really happened to him?" he stood up as he said that, and began looking at some books on a shelf, only glancing at Hyesung to see him shake his head.

"I know you and Eric were told he was killed, by a rival gang. But tell me, Hyesung, how could another gang get past our guards and kill our leader? And even if they could, why did they not enter the room right next to his to kill his son, who would obviously seek revenge and continue the gang?" he was looking directly at Hyesung now, and Hyesung couldn't do anything but keeping his back straight and raising his shoulders slightly as he answered.

"I don't know. Maybe they didn't know Eric's room was there?" he sounded very uncertain of himself, and he hated it, he wanted to be strong in front of his dad.

"Don't be stupid! Of cause they would have known, if they didn't even know which room had what in them, they would have never gotten that far to begin with!" he was yelling now, and Hyesung knew he had screwed up, he had embarrassed his dad.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Since his killers weren't another gang. Son. He was killed by his own bodyguards" Hyesung couldn't help but widen his eyes. His own people? But why?

"See Eric's father was ruthless, he was hated all of his life, and as time passed, more and more people joined together to end him, to put his son in power instead. See. Back then, no one knew how Eric would rule, but what we did know was, that nothing would be worse than his father, and we all knew Eric's mother, and many people thought he might take from her. We couldn't have been more wrong though" Hyesung was so confused now. Everything he knew was a lie, and he was beginning to feel sick, he knew where this was going.

"See, now I think history is about to repeat itself, I think Eric is in danger of facing his fathers faith. I know he was a good boy once, and that's why I'm telling you all of this. Son, you have to change him, now if you want him alive" it was as he feared, people were rebelling, they wanted Eric gone, but they were all wrong, Eric was a good man, he was just tainted by his dad.

"But haven't they noticed how he's changed already?" he had to ask, he needed to know just how much more he had to change him for him to be safe.

"Already? What do you mean son? He hasn't changed a bit" that was weird. Hadn't he heard about the changes Eric had made?

"But father. He has. He closed the hole, he changed the rules about punishments, he let his bodyguard Dongwan off the hook" he felt like he was talking to a door, as his dad just stood there like this was all news to him.

"Who told you he did that?" he sounded very scared, which was weird and rare for his dad.

"He... He did" He couldn't stay strong anymore, he could feel his stomach turning, and he knew tears were close to forming.

"Son. I'm sorry, but he has lied to you. If he lies to you, we might not have any chance of saving him" his father stepped closer to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"What proof do you have? How do I know he's lying?" he looked up at his dad. It was a stupid desperate question, he knew his dad was right.

"Watch this, then you know" he handed him a USB, it was surveillance camera footage from their meeting room, the meetings Hyesung wasn't allowed to attend.

"Son, I don't care what you do, but I like Eric, so do anything to change his mind. To change him" he pulled Hyesung up and hugged him, and Hyesung couldn't stop himself from crying into his fathers shoulder.

He watched the USB all night. With every meeting, realizing more and more how bad Eric was, how much he had lied. He was split between crying and throwing his laptop out of the window. He had to change Eric's mind, he had to save him from this faith. But how? What if he didn't believe him? He could just go and lie again.

Just as he was about to scream at his wall again he heard the door click open.

"Hyesungie" Eric's voice sang from the hallway.

"Are you home?" he was now in the living room, and Hyesung had to go and greet him. He got up from his desk and headed for the living room, certain of his goal this time.

"Hyesungie" he sang, mouth forming a huge smile as he opened his arms for a hug, but Hyesung had other plans. He walked straight up to him and pushed him to the floor.

"Wow Sungie, are you that happy to see me?" he laughed slightly, but Hyesung stayed determined in his anger.

"Sungie?..." Eric got up from the floor as he noticed the other man wasn't joking.

"How dare you come here!" he had no idea what he had to do to change Eric, he only knew how angry and frustrated he was with the man, why did he do this? Why did he gamble with his life?

"What's wrong with you Sungie? I always go to your house in the morning?" he looked so confused and shock was plastered all over his face.

"You lied to me Eric! You said you would change, but now... You haven't changed a bit!" he screamed as he threw the USB in his face, causing the man to step back a few steps. Eric bend down to pick the thing up, and when he realized what it was his expression turned cold.

"Who gave you this?" Hyesung had screwed up, Eric knew only one person had access to the surveillance, and that was Hyesung's dad, and Eric would not be happy with him for revealing his true self to Hyesung. What was he thinking? This was what the old Eric would do, now, Eric shouldn't hurt his father, he should thank him, he didn't know that they were saving his life! He had to explain everything to him!

"You know who gave me this! And he told me something. About your dad" he tried to soften his facial expression, he needed Eric to believe him.

"Eric. Your father was killed by his own men because of the way he treated them, and my father thinks they are going to do the same to you unless you change" he was back to freaking out and breaking down. He knew this was a lost cause, there was no way Eric would just believe him, and he couldn't get the image of him, murdered in his bed, out of his head.

"Who are plotting this? I'll have them thrown in the "Hole" I..." Eric just started yelling while Hyesung's tears fell, he had to stop him, he knew he would react this way.

"No Eric! It's not just someone, it's everyone! Don't you understand!? You want to be better than you father because you thought he was too soft! You thought he was loved when he was tougher, but you're wrong! They hated him! And they will only stay by your side if you change! If you go back to how you once were!" he screamed and yelled, he could feel the tears streaming down uncontrollably, he knew his face was making ugly grimaces, but he didn't care, he loved Eric, and he had to save him.

"Why are you so sure that I have to change? You always want me to change, ever since I took my fathers place. What if I can't change Hyesung? What if this is who I am now?" Eric just stood there, face still like a stone, an Hyesung couldn't help but feel his heart sting badly at those words.

"But I know that isn't true Eric! And I want you to change, to save you! To get the Eric I fell in love with back!" he looked into Eric's stone cold eyes, and to his surprise, he found something more than anger, he found, sadness?

"Hyesung... I'm so scared" Eric's eyes glossed over as a tear silently fell from his eye, and Hyesung stopped crying completely. Eric had never admitted to being scared before.

"I've always thought I did the best thing for you, the best thing to keep you safe" his tears kept falling, and Hyesung didn't know what to do, or what he was talking about.

"Eric. The only thing I want is for you to be safe, and happy" he hugged the slightly taller man, he didn't know what else he could do.

"I don't know how to run the gang Sungie... I only know what I was taught, and that was all wrong. I did it so you wouldn't end up like my mother Sungie" he could feel his heart stirring at that. All this time, Eric was going through this hell for him? He didn't know how to express his gratitude, it was stupid, but so touching. He pushed away from the man slightly before he immediately crashed their lips together to show the man how much he loved him.

"Eric. I promise you I will do everything to help you get through this. You and me, we're in this together, till the end!" he looked the man in the eyes, and for the first time in years, he felt like things would get better.

AN: First off, sorry for the very late update, I feel like every author note I make starts like this :P And then I would like to apologize for making this Ricsung plot so terrible and cliché, seriously guys, I tried so hard at this, I read it through so many times, changed the plot uncountable amounts of times, but I just have to face it. I at writing Ricsung :(  But thank you so much to those of you who still reads it :D I really don't understand how you guys stick with me even through my slow updates and terrible plot :P I love you all so much :D