Cho Hanna never realized that, knotting her son’s tie was one of the best moments in her life. Aside from allowing her to look at him in a close distant, it made her feeling proud and useful as a Mother. Her tall son was lifting his chin slightly, giving her an easy access to his collar. Hanna was tiptoeing lightly to have a clear vision of her son’s neck. Her growing-up son, who is pretty much taking care of her recently instead the other way around, was looking very much attractive in her eyes.

Kyuhyun was wearing a white shirt, slim fit black blazer, and a black tie. He combined the upper-body’s neat-look with jeans, putting a little bit of Cho Kyuhyun’s touch in the style. He used to combine casual shirt and blazer, or collar shirt with leather jacket, however, tonight, blazer and tie were unavoidable. It was the ‘costume’ he needed to wear for his role as a famous gambler, the young gambler who crowned to be the most valuable rookie gambler in his 16 years old age.

Her lips were pulled to the side, forming a simple yet warming smile, while her hands were busy with Kyuhyun’s necktie.

“Perfect.” Hanna commented proudly when she finished her job. She patted Kyuhyun’s shoulders few times and added. “I can’t believe you have grown into such a handsome man. Time flies very fast.”

“Making you remember about your age?” The rebel replied cunningly.

Hanna slapped Kyuhyun’s cheek lightly before she cupped his chin, and made him to look into her eyes. “I’m not old!” She narrowed her eyes a little, suddenly feeling offended.

Kyuhyun released a small chuckle before he said. “I never said that.” He took Hanna’s hand on his chin and lifted it to his lips. “Even if you’re aging, it doesn’t reduce your beauty Mom.” With eyes looking at her, the rebel pecked his Mom’s back palm softly.

The smile on Hanna’s face was getting wider afterwards. His son was definitely having his own way to kill all the women out there with his dark stare yet seducing words and voice. It reminded her of someone.

“It’s been a while I haven’t done this.” Hanna spoke again.

Without a word, the rebel was crumpling in reply. His face was showing an amusement.

“Knotting a tie for someone.” As if getting the ‘facial expression’s message’ from her son, Hanna answered. “It’s been years for me after-”

“Don’t!!” Kyuhyun spat out, cutting Hanna to finish her sentence.

She turned into a silence immediately.

“I don’t want to hear anything about him.” Kyuhyun added with a stern face. “I don’t have a father.” He said, eyes were narrowing to the middle. “I was born without a father.”

For few seconds, Hanna didn’t blink her eyes, only freezing on the spot with her serious expression. After few seconds passed, she finally spoke. “Well, just like love, too much hate will kill you, Kyuhyun.” She let out a soft breath from her lips.

Kyuhyun only shoved his head to the right, avoiding Hanna’s eyes in reply. He was showing his disagreement with Hanna’s opinion.

“Anyway…” Hanna continued again. “I found your phone on the floor. It’s turned off. You’re not going to bring it with you?” She asked.

Keeping his head to the right, he answered. “No. I’m going to stay in the hotel room if I’m not playing, so I don’t need it.”

His answer was pretty absurd for her logic. Hanna was making few wrinkles on her face in confusion. “Why? Are you avoiding someone?”

The-boy-being-asked was not voicing anything out from his throat. Kyuhyun was silence in his state when Hanna added another question. “Don’t you need to call your boyfriend?” Her face was still looking very puzzled.

Hanna’s questions were left unanswered when Kyuhyun asked back. “Haven’t you heard what happened with me two days ago?” He finally turned his face towards his Mom.

“Hearing about what?” Hanna asked again.

The pole dancer woman saw Kyuhyun’s adam apple was moving upside down as he was gulping in silent. It seemed that the rebel was having difficulty to talk.

Knowing that Kyuhyun wouldn’t say anything, she continued to speak. “I only heard about a very drunk dumb boy had a wild night with 3 other people in his room.”

It reminded him again. Hanna’s words were reminding Kyuhyun about his sin. Yes, sin. The rebel regarded it as a sin. He broke his own words, his own promise to Sungmin.

“Maybe this is my answer Mom.” Kyuhyun said.

Hanna startled by the other’s reply.

“Maybe it’s the right thing…” Kyuhyun said again. “Lee Sungmin is too good, too perfect, and very much impossible to be with me.” If someone listened carefully, they could notice Kyuhyun’s cracking voice within his words. “Hurting him is what I can do best for him.”

Hanna’s forehead was frowning right away. Her protest was clearly shown on her face.

“I promised Sungmin that I’m not going to cheat on him, saying it with confidence that he’s the last partner for me…” Despite his cracking voice, the rebel continued to speak out.

“It’s not even a month and I already proved it wrong.” He let out a bitter chuckle.

“Avoiding him is the best choice that I have right now. I don’t need Sungmin to distract me from this important game. If I give boss the amount he asked, I can bargain again with him. And we can pay our debt little by little…” Kyuhyun spoke with a serious tone. His voice was more firm than before.

“What did you say??” Hanna responded.

It wasn’t a question, it was a protest from her. “Are you saying that I’m the reason of your act in avoiding Sungmin?!?!” Her tone was getting higher than before.

“No. It-”

*slap!!*

Harsh slap was landed on Kyuhyun’s face, cutting him to explain, or defending himself. “You stupid brat!!” Hanna scolded.

“Cheating on Sungmin and winning the game for me is two different things Kyuhyun!!” Her eyes were glaring sharply towards her son.

“But it’s connected Mom!!” He argued with the same high level of tone as Hanna’s. “I-I…” Kyuhyun stammered for a moment.

“Listen.” In Kyuhyun’s stuttering state, Hanna cut again. “Are you disappointed with yourself because of what you did, even though at that time you got drunk and couldn’t think clearly?!” Hanna asked in a firm tone, yet it was lower than before.

Few seconds passed before Kyuhyun nodded slightly. His face was still uptight from a protest inside his mind.

“Are you angry?” Hanna questioned.

“With myself??” The rebel paused for a moment before added. “Yes!”

“Do you think it will hurt him?” Still composed in her words and gesture, she asked again.

“Of course!!” He poured out harshly, thinking that it was the dumbest question ever coming from his Mom.

“And you don’t want him to be hurt?” She kept throwing question to her son, despite a protesting gesture from the other.

“Yes Mom! Yes!” Suddenly feeling cornered, Kyuhyun shouted eagerly. “He was happy without me before! So what’s the difference to be happy without me now?!”

“Are you going to be happy then?” The question from Hanna didn’t stop.

“The with my feeling when Sungmin can be happy!!” The rebel snapped out with glaring eyes.

“As long as he can be happy, even without me, even when it’s going to hurt me when someone can make him happy, I don’t care!! As long as he can be happy…” His voice suddenly weakened, and his glaring eyes were getting softer. He bowed down, drowning in his own thought.

As long as he can be happy…

Kyuhyun repeated the words once again in his head while resisting his body from trembling by gritting his teeth.

“There goes your answer.” Hanna commented.

What…??

In his effort to hold his emotion, Kyuhyun was wondering about Hanna’s statement.

“I think… You’re smart enough to conclude the situation of someone who is willing to do anything for someone else’s happiness…” Hanna elaborated further.

“You changed because you find it was the right thing to do. Maybe Sungmin is your answer, the right answer for you.”

Nor Kyuhyun and Hanna were saying anything afterwards. Kyuhyun was thinking, while Hanna was letting the other to think.

“It’s okay to change, to be different…”

“But… Which one do you find it right for you, Kyuhyun?”

Hanna’s voice was twirling in his mind.

If changing is not wrong,

If I want Sungmin to be happy,

If he is the answer,

If he is the right thing for me…

Kyuhyun bit his bottom lip. He was trying to stop his mind in making a conclusion of his own state. He realized that, aside from his mother, Sungmin was becoming an important person in his life. He realized how Sungmin’s attraction had controlled him completely.

“So…” Hanna finally spoke again. She took something from her pocket and offered it to Kyuhyun.

“Is this your phone Mr. Marcus?” Pulling her lips to smile, she asked the question to her son.

Kyuhyun glanced to his phone in Hanna’s hand. After few seconds of silence, he lifted his right hand to pick up the device. The rebel pulled his lips slightly to smile before he spoke. “This is for you Cho Hanna.” He said and glanced up to his Mother. “I’m going to win all the game for you…”

By the end of Kyuhyun’s sentence, a beautiful smile was creeping over on Hanna’s face.

*****

“Beautiful as ever! How are you pumpkin??” Smiling Kim Heechul with his merry voice greeted Sungmin and Kangin when they entered a coffee shop.

The blonde was walking closer to the pretty with Kangin tailing him behind. “I’m good.” He answered with a smile.

“How are you Heechul-ssi?” He lifted his right hand to Heechul, offering a handshake.

Heechul was shifting his gaze respectively from Sungmin’s eyes onto Sungmin’s offering hand. He curled his lips to smirk before he lifted his own hand to receive the handshake.

Sungmin was losing his balance when Heechul suddenly pulled his hand, also shoving his body forward onto the ’s chest. He felt hands circling around his shoulders, hugging him tightly in an embrace.

“Hug is more appropriate for us, don’t you think so?” Heechul commented along with a small laugh.

Giggling voice was heard afterwards from the blonde. “Yes, of course…” He replied with the same gesture, hugging Heechul’s lean body in his arms.

Still sharing a hug with Sungmin, Heechul glanced up to Kangin and smiled. “It’s a second surprise from you pumpkin! Never thought you want to visit my beautiful hometown and the club.”

Suddenly, Kangin lifted his right hand, shoving a small envelope for him. Without questioning anything, or making suspicious gesture, Heechul took the envelope and hid it inside his grip.

Sungmin leaned back slightly from the hug and replied. “Sorry Heechul-ssi, I’m bothering you once again.”

“Oh no, no worries…” Heechul turned his look on the blonde. “My pleasure to show you around, even let you stay at my place.” He smiled naughtily.

“But under one condition.” He released Sungmin from the hug and put his hands inside his trouser’s pocket.

Sungmin smiled before said. “Story right?”

The pretty winked. “You read my mind pumpkin! Shall we have a coffee first?”

*****

“It’s almost a week since the last time I talked to him. I tried to reach Kyuhyun, and it never succeeded.” Sungmin gripped his warm cup with both palms, enjoying the warmth from his hot chocolate.

“I’m really worried and want to see him.” He glanced up from his cup and placed his look on Heechul’s eyes. “When I talked to Kangin Hyung and Leeteuk Hyung about it, they allowed me to go to Dukryang alone with one condition.”

“Yeah, we let him go there without us as long as it’s under your supervision, Chullie.” Kangin added.

“It’s so great to know that both of you are friend! It’s just… Very coincidence!” Sungmin sparkled suddenly. His bright smile was emitting nothing but happiness.

Heechul shook his head few times by the blonde’s innocence reaction. Sungmin didn’t even suspicious or asking anything about his friendship with Kangin. It’s either Sungmin was too naïve or he just trusted Kangin so much.

“Well, it’s been a week for me too since the last time I saw Kyuhyun.” Heechul said.

“It’s reasonable since we’re going to have a big event in our club called Casino Nights. And Kyuhyun is our top gambler, so yeah, he’s quite occupied with the preparation.”

“Casino Nights is right now?” With much curiosity, Kangin asked.

“Yeah. The opening party is tonight.” Heechul replied. He turned his look on Sungmin and added. “So, it’s your luck to see our biggest event held by Super Generation club.” He smiled.

The breaking news from Heechul was making Kangin anxious. On one side, Casino Nights would make Heechul easier in doing his task to hack the club’s data system, but on the other side, he was worried to let the blonde going there in between the said event.

“I promised you will enjoy our Casino Nights, pumpkin!” Heechul bit his lips and wiggled his eyebrows, making a suggestive look to Sungmin.

Kangin suddenly shoved his body forward to Heechul who sat in front of him. “You will be beside him all the time and won’t let Sungmin to try anything ‘funny’.” He narrowed his eyes, sending a threat to the pretty .

Heechul chuckled in response. “What do you mean by funny?” He scoffed. “Relax Mr. Bodyguard…”

Kangin felt a hand on his left shoulder before a voice came from the blonde. “Yes. It’s okay Hyung. I can take care of myself. Besides, it’s our deal, remember?” Sungmin’s relaxing voice was trying to ease Kangin and his worry. “I’m strong enough to beat you in our duel, so you don’t have to worry Hyung.”

“Pumpkin beat you up in a duel???” Heechul interrupted with a laugh. “So much of your big muscular body!!” He jeered in between his laugh, pretty much annoying for Kangin’s ear.

*****

Second time Sungmin visited Dukryang, and it felt like his first time going there. The neighborhood was very unfriendly and too foreign for his liking. It was only five in the afternoon, but Sungmin wanted to stay inside a shelter already. When he walked hand in hand with Heechul, he saw few pairs of eyes directed to him. They were sending a peculiar messages through their stares that made the blonde glancing down in a second, avoiding their looks.

Their journey to the club was rather different from the first time Sungmin had with Kyuhyun. The first time was very striking and dangerous since everyone was looking at them intently, even tried to touch or offering him something. Kyuhyun needed to cover him under his long coat, just to make other people away from him.

This time, it wasn’t that terrible as the first, and Sungmin could manage to glance a little around the town when he walked passing the neighborhood. Dukryang was dirty for his opinion with trash scattering around the pedestrian. Strong smell of and alcohol were evading his nose when they passed few buildings. Trashing bins with full garbage were everywhere, and few of them were laying sideways on the road. People just didn’t mind to place the bin back onto its right position. Walls with graffiti were also everywhere. Sungmin didn’t even find one clean wall without any ink on it. Smokes were the last thing Sungmin noticed from Dukryang’s area. It filled almost every part of the town, causing his eyes to have a poignant pain from using it too much to see-through the smokes.

*****

Super Generation Club, Lobby Area, 17.30 pm.

“Hee~chul!!” Light kiss on the said man’s cheek followed the naughty cute voice.

Heechul turned his body to the right and saw a petite girl with a long black hair. Her eyes were smiling along with her lips, and her hands were already curling around Heechul’s neck.

“Hi Tiff! Looking good gurl!” The leaned down to his right and returned the kiss on the girl’s cheek.

“I always look good!” She winked, feeling ticklish when Heechul nibbled her cheek lightly.

“Yeah, you are. But it’s waayyy much, much better with the playboy bunny costume you wear right now.” Heechul hugged the girl and placed his hand on her back, squishing the fluffy cotton tail on her .

The girl was giggling. “Yeah, it’s for tonight!” She answered cheerfully.

“By the way…” She leaned back, releasing her body from Heechul.

“Who is this cute richie-rich boy?” She turned her head to the blonde boy who was walking very close with Heechul. The blonde was wearing a dark brown Lacoste polo-shirt and slim-fit grey trouser. From the pattern of his trouser, the girl could predict it was Burberry’s latest season.

“Ah, let me introduce you to my pumpkin over here.” Heechul pulled Sungmin closer. He placed his left arm around the blonde’s shoulder before he spoke.

“Tiffany, this cute blonde boy over here is Sungmin. He is my one and only pumpkin.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Tiffany.” Sungmin lifted his right hand to Tiffany, asking for a shake.

“Aww, handshake… Old-fashioned pumpkin, huh?” She commented and lent her hand to Sungmin.

“For me, I believe classic is everlasting.” Sungmin smiled and pulled her hand to kiss the back palm softly.

“Oh, wouw… What a gentleman!” Tiffany made another eye-smile while smiling brightly. “Umm… Have we met before?”

Heechul turned his head promptly to Tiffany and made a disgusting face. “What??! Pick up lines already?? Tsk, tsk, lame Tiff! Lamee!” He mocked at the girl.

“Oh, shut up Heechul!” She slapped playfully on Heechul’s shoulder. “I’m serious! I think we’ve met before…” Tiffany turned her head towards Sungmin once again.

Sungmin pulled his lips to smile a little. “Well, maybe… I was here once with Kyuhyun.”

“Ah! Yes! Kyuhyun!! You’re Kyuhyun’s right??” Tiffany pointed out as she clapped her hands together, suddenly showing excitement.

Heechul released a scoffing laugh from his lips. “What the with Kyuhyun’s??!!”

“Well… I remembered how Kyuhyun tried to hide you and showing his possession over you.” She shrugged off.

“And why you suddenly become Heechul’s pumpkin? You got bored with Kyuhyun? Or the other way around??” Tiffany’s excitement was getting higher as she leaned forward to Sungmin.

“Hey, hey! Stop with the gossip!” Heechul pulled Sungmin gently. He made a distance between the blonde and Tiffany. “Back to work gurl! The lobby will be packed in a minute!”

"Oh shoot! No fun!” Tiffany pursed her lips together, making a cute pout.

She was ready to leave when the blonde suddenly voiced out something.

“Ms. Tiffany!" Sungmin called. "Have you seen Kyuhyun?” He asked, stopping Tiffany right away from taking a step.

The girl turned again to Sungmin’s direction and made a sweet smile for him. “Nope.”

Her smiling eyes also formed together with her smile. “But Mr. Marcus just checked-in to his room an hour ago.” She added before she turned her body to leave Sungmin and Heechul behind.

*****

“Please make yourself comfortable Pumpkin.” Heechul said when he welcomed Sungmin to his flat.

The blonde walked inside the flat slowly and turned his head around. Heechul’s flat was a bit smaller than his dorm. It consisted of two sections–the living slash dining slash kitchen area, and a door to the owner’s bedroom.

“You can put your stuff in my room behind that door.” The pretty was pointing at the door that Sungmin predicted was his bedroom.

“Heechul…” Instead of taking steps toward the said door, Sungmin stayed on his spot and spoke. “Who is Mr. Marcus?” He asked. His face was plain without any clue.

Heechul’s eyes were dilated a little, showing his surprise. Few seconds passed before the pretty responded something. “You didn’t know?” He asked back.

Frowning forehead and doubting eyes, no one couldn’t deny how Sungmin’s face shown his lost of ideas. The blonde shook his head with hesitation.

Soft chuckle was coming from Heechul’s lips. “It’s okay. I thought that brat told you about it.”

Sungmin listened in silence. His expression was telling Heechul to explain further.

Getting the message from the blonde’s face, Heechul said again. “Marcus is Kyuhyun’s stage name as a famous gambler in here. Only people living in Super Generation know about his real name, Cho Kyuhyun. Other people, especially gambler or customer, noticed him as Marcus.”

There was something inside his throat that made him hard to reply. After few seconds, Sungmin finally spoke. “Why does he need a stage name?”

“You’re really clueless about Kyuhyun’s side life as a gambler in here aren’t you?” Heechul’s reaction over the question was half beyond-believe.

Another shaking head from Sungmin came as a reply.

“Okay. I’ll be quick.” The pretty released a soft sigh before he started to say again.

“Super Generation is a club, exclusive escorting club, also a hotel, and a Casino place. As a club, we have two bars, house music club, cabaret show, and pole dancing show. As an escorting club, we have clients and escorts. We also have rooms for clients or, guest who wanted to stay the night here. And, our Casino place is still the most favorite in the underground society.” He paused for a moment. “You know that Kyuhyun like to gamble for the boss right?”

“Ye-yeah… He did mention it once or twice…” Quite hesitant, Sungmin managed to reply.

“Yes. And the way he played for the boss is, he camouflaged himself as a customer of Super Generation.” Heechul continued again. “Marcus plays, wins, and all the money will be coming into the club’s account. No one knows about his true identity except the gang member and Super Generation’s people.”

“So… The boss uses him to make a huge profit for himself… To-to keep the money inside the club, not going anywhere…” From the look of Sungmin’s eyes, Heechul could say that the blonde was too improbable to believe it.

“Yes. From the outside, it looks like a fair gambling game. But other customers don’t know that Marcus is actually a part of Super Generation club. And our club’s disclosure policy makes it easier to do this kind of case.” Heechul confirmed.

“Is Kyuhyun also cheating and making some kind of arrangement with all the dealers in the Casino place?” Filled with curiosity, Sungmin couldn’t help to ask more.

Seeing the blonde in his worrying state was quite fun. Heechul was spoiling his eye-sight with Sungmin’s ‘cute’ anxiety. The blonde’s eyes were sharpened, his forehead was frowning, and his lips were puckered cutely, not to mention small amount of sweat already glued on his forehead.

“Heechul… Wouldn’t it be dangerous for Kyuhyun…” In Heechul’s silence, Sungmin said again. His face was turning white and pale.

“We have two great young gamblers who really advanced in gambling, and they didn’t need to cheat, because they’re just good like that. One of them is Kyuhyun. He didn’t need to make any arrangements with our dealers. His eyes, his hand movements and his decision are always sharp and accurate.” Heechul explained.

“And, about your last question… Well, I won’t give you a false hope. Yes, it’s dangerous for him, especially when all the gamblers are mostly gang members from Korea or outside the country.” The smiled a little. He was trying to ease the tense aura emitting from the blonde. “If Marcus is not careful enough, he will be revealed for sure.”

Sungmin was opening his mouth to say something, however, nothing came out from his lungs. He went speechless with the whole situation. What was this club all about? How Kyuhyun get an important role? And, how dangerous his situation could get in a mere seconds? Those questions were filling his poor-worrying mind.

*flick*

The blonde felt a stung pain on his forehead in a sudden. He glanced up and saw Heechul smiling naughtily to him.

“Stop worrying pumpkin! I gotta admit, your boyfriend is a strong person. He won’t die easily.” Heechul teased. “Besides, we don’t have much time anymore.” He pulled Sungmin’s right arm and dragged him along to the bedroom.

“What? Why? Where are we going?” Looking puzzled, Sungmin was asking the other hastily.

Heechul stopped for a while and turned his head towards the other. “We will attend Casino Night’s opening party. And you will see for yourself about our club.” He curled his lips to the side, making a smirk to Sungmin. “Maybe… Few questions in your head would be answered too.” He patted the blonde’s crown.

Something came across his mind. Sungmin felt grateful of Heechul. He wouldn’t be at this point–knowing more, and getting closer to his boyfriend–if it wasn’t because of the pretty . Heechul helped him a lot, and he was a fun person too. Heechul made him feel safe. Therefore, Sungmin could trust him.

“Heechul-ssi…” The blonde lifted his arms and wrapped it around Heechul’s body. He gave the a warm embrace before he continued. “Thank you…” He murmured onto the other’s shoulders.

No one could ever resist the warm gesture that came from a beautiful person like Sungmin. Anyone would be melted right away, including the sassy with a name of Kim Heechul.

The smiled and locked his hands around Sungmin’s back. “Pumpkin, three things you need to remember whenever you're in here.” He bowed down, staring at Sungmin’s crown before he started the conversation again. “Be fierce, be free and be careful.”

The blonde leaned back slightly and lifted his head to look at the older’s face.

Heechul set his eyes on the blonde’s and continued. “Always be fierce when you meet someone new. Do whatever you want, no one is good in here so you are allowed to make mistakes. And always be careful with someone you don’t trust. We are all wearing mask, we are all hiding under our nick name, we are all hungry for money, only people you trusted that won’t do anything harm to you.”

Fierce, free and careful…

A smile was slowly creeping onto the blonde’s face. He closed his eyes and nodded slightly in reply.

Heechul nipped the younger’s chin and lifted it up. “Good. Now… It’s time to prepare for your grand entrance…”

A little wrinkle was shown on the blonde’s face in reply.

“Your blonde hair is too bright, and your attire is too neat for Dukryang’s style.” Heechul said again.

Sungmin was still in silence for few seconds, until he finally responded. “So… What do you suggest?”

Small smirk was quickly formed on the ’s face. “Let’s have a makeover shall we?” He widened his lips to smile. “Kim Heechul’s style.”

*****

*pats*

The sound of a light-switch echoed throughout the room. It was quiet, too quiet and lonely for someone staying inside the room. In that hollow atmosphere, the room was supposed to be empty. However, Kangin doubted it.

“Teuk…” The muscular guy called out. Somehow, he felt that someone was inside his and Leeteuk’s flat.

Silence.

Nothing came out as a reply.

Kangin took a step inside the flat carefully. He sharpened his senses as much as he could. The bodyguard was trying to indicate everything through his smell, his eye-sight, his hearing, and his skin.

He was scanning everything with his eyes, expanding it little by little. Nothing was suspicious, each furniture and stuffs were placed on their original spot. Everything stayed at the same position.

Kangin took another step carefully into the flat.

*gasped*

That sound made the muscular guy turning his head in a blink of an eye towards the source. Someone was sobbing, and ran out of breath. His body was tensing up rapidly because a thought of Leeteuk in a bad condition was evading his mind.

Kangin took big steps towards Leeteuk’s room in a quick motion. He opened the door harshly to reveal a clearer gasping-voice. Another hasting pace was made towards Leeteuk’s reading-couch.

What the bodyguard found behind Leeteuk’s big couch was making him shivers in a sudden. Seeing Leeteuk curling up on the floor was a heartbreaking view for him.

The usually-calm Psychiatrist was gasping and sobbing in a quiet voice, holding his own stomach, curling down on the floor. Few papers were scattered around him. There was no blood around him, there was not any trace of liquid or weapon either. But the way Leeteuk held his body, the way he gasped, was showing the same effect as any wounds coming from a gunshot.

Kangin was crouching down slowly, leaning closer to his partner. The Psychiatrist was trembling as his broken voice continued to fill Kangin’s ears. He lifted his right hand to touch the other’s shaking shoulder.

“Teuk…” Kangin called out as he gripped the other’s shoulder gently. He saw Leeteuk turning his head in a slow movement. The Psychiatrist’s calm expression was gone. Kangin got welcomed by a wet-frowning face in a total mess expression.

As soon as Kangin’s face came into his line of vision, Leeteuk opened his arms and leaned forward onto the big guy’s chest. His hands were holding the other’s tightly, hugging him with all he might.

“Teuk……” Kangin called again. His arms already made a move to wrap the other in a tight embrace. In his hold, he felt Leeteuk's trembling body.

“Kangin… Kangin…” His voice was cracked. Leeteuk was gasping out Kangin’s name.

“I’m here…” Kangin answered right away. His tone was very careful and gentle.

“It wasn’t for a therapy. Dr. Choi was not doing a therapy to regain his memory…” Leeteuk choked out, stopping his sentence. “He erased his memory. The doctor was erasing his memory…”

Kangin’s eyes were dilating in surprise. “Wh-what do you mean…”

“The therapy is not to regain Sungmin’s memory… It’s to erase his memory, his childhood memory…” Leeteuk was shivering and paused for a moment to control his breath. “Dr. Choi was erasing Sungmin’s childhood memory and his mother…”

Kangin was agape. In his shocking state, he was speechless.

“And I signed the papers Kangin…” Leeteuk sobbed. “When he really wants to know about his mother… When his mother becomes a symbol for his identity…” He choked again. “I approved the therapy treatment to erase his memory about her…”

Leeteuk’s body was trembling even stronger in his hold, making Kangin to secure his embrace tighter than before.

“I killed her…” Leeteuk murmured on Kangin’s chest. “I had erased her from his life.”

*****

a/n: Hi there! How are you?? Finally an update! Yay! After being kidnapped by works, I hope this one still enjoyable and readable. I won't say much about angst chapter or sumthin, just... well, hope you enjoy!

Oh yeah, since I have many Moslem's friends in here, so I want to say: Have a blessing Ramadhan! ^^