Taking another deep shuddering breath through gritted teeth, Kyuhyun quickly shook his arm to try and remove at least some of the rapidly blossoming pain from his shoulder before he tensed and squared them once again and threw himself at the locked doorway. Around him various other members of staff were caught amidst the drama that was developing—whether willingly or not—some foolishly trying to grapple and hold him back from his attack on the doorway Yunho had locked a few minutes ago, whilst others simply cowered scared seeing such a violent display from the Beta who had gained a reputation of being as cool and stand-offish as Changmin himself.

The moment Kyuhyun had watched Yunho force his way into the dressing room; fists balled, and eyes burning in possessive anger, he had felt a nauseous lump solidify in his throat. A lump—that as he’d swiftly abandoned the staff member he’d been apologising to and raced to try and open the dressing room door, only to find it locked—he’d quickly swallowed down and felt it wrap around his chest in panic. He had tried to reason with himself, Yunho often got pissed that his attempts at affectionate wooing always fell flat, even more so when Changmin’s famously sharp tongue came out to play and verbally slapped him in the face with flat out rejection. But stood outside that dressing room, all Kyuhyun had been able to focus on was the night at his apartment nearly two weeks ago when Yunho had finally snapped and physically grabbed hold of the Omega, hard enough to leave a smattering of almost bruises along the delicate shape of Changmin’s wrist.

The Beta had always privately wondered how much of Changmin’s constant rebellion and rejection Yunho would put up with before he snapped, but whenever he’d tried to voice his concerns to the Omega Changmin had simply scoffed and rolled his eyes all whilst loudly declaring that he wanted him to hurry up and do so, so the Omega would have an excuse to do some damage of his own. Kyuhyun had chuckled nervously and agreed each time. Being an Omega if Changmin had responded to Yunho’s more vulgar suggestions physically, he would have been the one in trouble for trying to make a show of the Alpha, but self-defence was another matter entirely.

Kyuhyun had been quite content to stand with his ear pressed against the door, ignoring the other staff members chastising him for trying to eavesdrop on a private moment, not even bothering to attempt his usual rebuffle that the pair of them weren’t actually a couple, since most of the country liked to assume otherwise. Yet the moment he’d heard the start of their argument, their voices raised so loudly that his ear against the wooden barricade had been unnecessary, Kyuhyun’s concern had reared its head again and he’d started pounding his fists in the poor abused doorway in hopes that his incessant attempts to interrupt would anger Yunho enough to distract the attention away to himself.

He hadn’t started to physically throw himself at the room entrance until he’d heard Changmin’s final yell of hatred and hadn’t heard a response from the Alpha. The sudden blanketed silence over the whole area was what was terrifying him the most, if neither of them were even speaking then it didn’t bode well for the situation. Once Changmin was on a verbal tirade there wasn’t a lot that could break him out of it that quickly unless he was restrained from being able to speak at all, and whilst when Kyuhyun took that role on it normally involved a gentle hand over the mouth—sometimes accompanied with a pinch to his nose if he still fought to speak—Kyuhyun knew that Yunho would not resort to such simple methods to do so. In fact, Kyuhyun was convinced Yunho would probably use his own mouth to cover Changmin’s own; it would certainly explain why there was suddenly no noise from either of them, but the Beta knew well enough that such a move would not be appreciated or consented and that set a fire blazing in his stomach and had led to the first bodily based throw against the door.

It had been a few minutes now since the dressing room had gone silent, and Kyuhyun was starting to get frantic. His entire right side was going numb and rapidly losing what little strength he possessed, but he couldn’t give up, he’d had enough in the past two weeks of the Omega’s in his life being into emotionally and physically uncomfortable situations and this time he was around to do something about it.

By now, the staff members who had originally tried to stop him from interrupting had given up and were all stood around almost morbidly curious as to why everything had suddenly gone silent, a few that had been on the TV channels rota for longer and had, had more exposure to the pairs behaviour starting to show signs of their own concern. But even so, none of them stepped forward to aid the desperate Beta as he continued to hurt himself in the name of his oldest friend.

“CHWANG! Chwang! Changmin!” Unable to physically do anything more than bump against the doorway now, Kyuhyun had taken to slamming his left fist against the wood and yell for his Omega to answer him or open the door, anything to lighten the lead weight pushing its way through his gut and steadily mangling his insides. Something was seriously wrong, even if Yunho had kissed Changmin to shut him up, by now either the Omega would have attempted to bite his tongue off and yelled out to him, or Yunho would have had to breathe and given Changmin the opportunity to verbally or physically respond in disgust. Yet nothing. And God, if anything was going wrong in there, Kyuhyun couldn’t give up even if he physically collapsed or he’d never be able to face the Omega again.

“Kyuhyun-sshi?!”

So focused on scraping the last of his strength from the bottom of the metaphorical barrel, the Beta didn’t even register the call of his name until it was repeated at a higher volume right against the cartilage once more. Jerking violently, he span round, fist still pounding against the door ready to tell whoever was now attempting to stop him to GO AWAY in the least polite way he could muster, only to stop short. Convinced for a few micro-seconds he was imagining things or had gotten lost in a warped reality in his frantic efforts, Kyuhyun’s fist stopped thumping against the steadily weakening wood as he blinked at the mass of shocking red hair—since when had he had red hair?—sat atop Jiyong’s face contorted slightly in a weird mix of shock, concern and slight horror.

“Kyuhyun-sshi what’s the matter?!” Jiyong tried again, ring heavy fingers raised ready to catch the Beta who looked ready to collapse on him out of combined relief and exertion, only pausing to flick a couple of fingers beckoning behind him before he reached out to try and steady the swaying mass. Watching as Kyuhyun’s gaze flickered from himself to Seunghyun and in turn Seungri’s manager who had moved forward behind him at his gesture, Jiyong managed to get a hold of the Beta’s shoulders; only to quickly let go once again as Kyuhyun hissed in pain, and despite not meaning too, the sudden shock had spurred the younger male into reality once more.

“C-Changmin! I-I can’t get in. Yunho.” Was all Kyuhyun could manage to spit out between sporadic gasps for breath as he tried to get a hold of himself and the pain in his shoulder. Yet it seemed all that was needed as Jiyong’s face darkened in comprehension, his hands once again grabbing onto Kyuhyun—this time mindful of his bad shoulder—and carefully but swiftly moving him out the way as Seunghyun simply strode forward and slammed his incredibly expensive looking, metal capped boot against the wood near the door handle, once, twice, three times, before the door finally groaned and snapped open under the fourth.

Seunghyun, naturally, had fallen through the doorway from his momentum, but Kyuhyun had been remotely surprised in some tiny part of his brain not short circuiting in fear, when Jiyong had simply manhandled him round and pushed him forward in next and followed along with Seungri’s manager.

The dressing room, despite the 6 minutes—had it really only been 6 minutes?—That a quick glance at his watch had confirmed Kyuhyun had spent demanding entry, was almost imposingly silent and still. And at first glance as the adrenaline steadily drained out of his brain, Kyuhyun was nearly convinced it had all been for nothing and he’d unnecessarily dragged more of Seungri’s friends into the situation without any real cause. But as he glanced across at Jiyong who was still holding onto his arms, Kyuhyun noted the way the slender fingers tightened around him, his gaze fixed away from him and blazing with anger he’d only ever heard described from Seungri in hushed, slightly awe-scared tones.

Turning his head, swallowing round his trepidation, to follow Jiyong’s line of sight Kyuhyun felt his knee’s almost buckle out from under him as he spotted Yunho and Changmin on the sofa. Changmin was laid at an odd angle beneath the Alpha as if he’d suddenly stopped mid-thrash, one knee bent and resting against the back of the leather, the other still and against the floor, the same side arm hanging limply, fingers lightly brushing against the carpet as the other was clasped between Yunho’s own. If Changmin’s position and lack of movement hadn’t caused a wave of nausea to almost buckle his knees under him, Kyuhyun knew that Yunho would have had him running for the nearest bin or bucket. At first it had appeared that the Alpha; in his position straddled across the Omega’s chest, had been kissing Changmin and the Beta had assumed his friend had simply given up fighting. But then the soft sniffles and chokes of tears had registered in his mind, and suddenly everything had crashed into him in one giant wave of acknowledgement. Yunho was hunched over Changmin, squeezing, playing and kissing at his fingers as he cried almost brokenly, his free hand gently carding through the thick waves atop the Omega’s head as he whispered a desperate mantra between his tears.

I’m so sorry.

I didn’t mean to.

Please wake up Minnie.

Don’t leave me.

Kyuhyun’s knees had buckled then as he’d spotted the half-closed, unresponsive eyes of his friend, his lips parted slightly around a final gasp for breath, his pale skin marred with the imprints from the cushion laying forgotten on the floor. And if Jiyong’s quick reactions hadn’t helped guide him at least safely to the floor, Kyuhyun knew he would have gone face first into the flooring.

Changmin was—

No. He couldn’t think like that. He wouldn’t be. Yunho wouldn’t.

Would he?

Shuddering violently with the intensity of his gasp, Kyuhyun barely registered the weak whimper of Changmin’s name that left his lips as his entire world crashed down around him. His mind screamed, begged him to move, to go to Changmin and to do everything possible to open those bright eyes once again, to do everything humanely possible and then some, just to hear his nickname being smiled up at him. But he couldn’t move, even as Jiyong left him where he was and moved forward, even as it took the combined force of Seunghyun and Seungri’s manager to drag the now struggling Yunho off of Changmin’s prone figure. Not even as Jiyong leant over to check something and cursed loudly before rather unceremoniously scrambling up over Changmin’s body on the sofa and swiftly locking his hands together to start compressing against the Omega’s chest, muttering away to himself.

Oh God. He’s trying to get him breathing again.

It was all Kyuhyun could do to stay upright on his knees as the realisation struck him combined with the fact he was watching someone else do the job he’d always promised to do. It was his job to protect Changmin and take care of him, yet when he was needed the most he was left to feel like nothing but a disgusting failure who couldn’t even stand up on his own feet, never mind do what Jiyong was doing.

Behind him, Seunghyun was now sat atop Yunho’s back, holding his arms locked up between his shoulder blades in a position that couldn’t be comfortable, but the younger Alpha couldn’t find it in him to care as it was the only way he could manage to keep a hold of him as Seungri’s manager had rushed off to find the Police and Paramedics that had been summoned by one of the observing staff members.

Jiyong cursed as his hands started to shake from being locked together so tightly, but continued to press against the bottom curve of Changmin’s ribcage, trying to will the effort he was putting into his arms to pass through into the Omega’s body to make him breathe again. He didn’t have time to comprehend the situation, how Kyuhyun was, how Seunghyun and Seungri’s manager were coping with Yunho, all he could afford to focus on was the fact his little Omega’s best friend was currently not breathing and he was the only one who had any ability at that given moment to do anything about that.

He almost missed the slight shift under his last compression, but as he pushed down once again, Jiyong felt his own breath he hadn’t realised he’d started holding release as Changmin’s body suddenly spasmed as he gasped for breath, chest convulsing under his hands as he panicked in his disorientation. As the large eyes snapped open, all blood shot sclera’s and dilated, glazed pupils, Jiyong’s hands quickly shifted to cup round the slender neck and jawline to stop him from moving so much in case he’d sustained more injuries than the obvious, before gently calling his name. Once rewarded with Changmin’s focus on his own face, Jiyong smiled softly, allowing one hand to move and back the hair off the Omega’s forehead as he spoke.

“Changmin.” He stage whispered, not wanting to draw Yunho’s attention to the fact Changmin was alive and awake too early, too relieved himself to bother with any sense of formality. “Just lay still for me, the paramedics are on their way, just take some deep breaths and keep quiet for me okay? And try to stay awake bef—“ was all he managed to get out before the room erupted into action as Seungri’s manager arrived with the public services and Jiyong was all but forcibly dragged off Changmin, and would have been shoved across the room out of the way if Changmin’s hand hadn’t suddenly latched onto the chain hanging from his pants, eyes silently begging him to stay.

A hand that refused to let go as the Paramedics quickly got to work securing the oxygen mask over his face and checking the rest of him before attempting to lift him onto the stretcher they’d brought with them. And a hand that still refused to let go even as the Paramedics moved them back through the now crowded backstage area and out to the ambulance. A hand that only willingly let go when Jiyong settled down beside him in the ambulance and offered him his own fingers—now bereft of their rings—to cling onto instead.

Reclining as best he could in the god-awful plastic chairs hospitals insisted on some two hours later, Jiyong sighed and ran his spare hand across his face, cursing his own idiocy as the rings he’d failed to remove scraped across his face. He wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do, He’d only been allowed along on the journey because Changmin had adamantly refused to let go of him even—a quick glance down to double check what he’d seen earlier was true—managed to break the chain attached to his pants from the intensity of his grip.

Of course once they’d reached the hospital, things had gotten a bit complicated. He wasn’t Changmin’s In-Case-Of-Emergency contact or his next of kin and despite Changmin’s now slightly vocal protests when they tried to prise their fingers apart, the hospital had been adamant he wasn’t to be allowed in while they worked on him. He had been about to try and get Changmin to let go when the Omega had mouthed the words ‘ring Seungri’ at him and Jiyong had gone scrambling one handed for his phone, regardless of the nurse’s annoyingly nasal voice whining about phone usage policies inside the hospital.

Seungri it seemed, had been informed of the situation during the time it had taken for the journey over in the ambulance and despite his voice being slightly emotionally shaky, had simply answered and asked to be put onto the nurse, apparently already anticipating Jiyong would be having this difficulty.

Jiyong had done just that, and whilst the nurse had grimaced disapprovingly, she had still taken it and started talking to what was apparently Changmin’s next of kin, only talking long enough to ask a few security questions and to take a few details, before swiftly hanging the phone up and turning it off before she even thought about handing it back to Jiyong. Jiyong had snatched it back with his own sneer before his attention was drawn away by the tug on his hand now the hospital had the permission to carry on with Jiyong in proximity.

Once settled and hooked up for observation since the doctors couldn’t seem to find anything initially wrong with Changmin, Jiyong had found himself sat silently at the bedside of an Omega who the facts he knew about them could be counted on one hand. Changmin had fallen asleep moments before hand and Jiyong had finally been able to take his hand back and flex some feeling back into it. Then his eyes had landed on the folder tucked into the end of the hospital bed containing all the observation notes and details needed for the current patient.

He knew he shouldn’t have done it, but Jiyong had gotten up anyway and plucked it free and stood at the end of the bed leaning on the built in moving tray table to read through everything. If anything he might learn something new about the person who seemed to not want to let go of his hand for the foreseeable future and he had kept that thought in mind as he flipped open the first page and started to read.

Shim Changmin

Omega

Blood type B

D.O.B: 1988.02.18

Allergies: Penicillin, Local Anaesthetic.

Next of Kin: Lee Seungri/ Omega. Contact number: 010-7458-9824

ICE Contact: Jung Yunho/ Alpha. Contact number: 011-2390-1781

Jiyong had taken his time to read the opening page, he’d already discovered four things that he didn’t know about the other; he was the same blood type as Seunghyun, he was exactly six months older than himself and was allergic to two things he’d always heard were incredibly necessarily for a lot of medical situations. But he’d taken one look at the two contacts below his initial details and had growled in annoyance at the sight of Yunho’s name. It was almost ironic that the guy who caused the whole situation was the one the hospital would have normally called in.

Without really considering what he was doing, Jiyong had moved back to the holder at the end of the bed and fished out a pen from its depths before happily scribbling all across Yunho’s details until there was nothing left but a thick ink scribble that nothing could be seen beneath, and once satisfied with his work, Jiyong had quickly penned in a different contact before returning everything to its rightful place and dropping back into his seat in time for Changmin’s hand to search once more for his in his sleep.

ICE Contact: Kwon Jiyong/ Alpha. Contact number: 010-1993-0302

And now, here he was, still sat at Changmin’s bedside as comfortably as he could manage while the elder clung onto his hand in his medically encouraged sleep. He could sense eyes burning into the side of his face from the window of the private room that looked out onto the main corridor, but he didn’t look round, he knew already it was Kyuhyun and his eyes were probably more fixated on the Alpha’s hand than his face. Last time he’d looked round to check, Kyuhyun had taken a few moments to realise Jiyong had even turned to look at him he’d been so fixated on the sight of Changmin’s hand clinging to the almost stranger’s.

Jiyong had barely changed the details on the Omega’s file and returned to his seat when he’d almost jerked out of it again in shock at the sudden dull thud of something slamming against glass shattered the silent air. A quick glance round had shown Jiyong that Seungri, clearly desperate in his attempts to check on his best friend had not cared about how fast he was running and eagerly turned as he ran to peer through the window to check everything—or everyone—was still alive. Only to be joined moments later by an incredibly pale Kyuhyun at the window whilst Seunghyun used his slight height to his advantage and peered over their heads, gaze fixed on Jiyong instead silently questioning whether he was okay.

Jiyong had watched from the strange silent bubble that was Changmin’s room as the doctor had appeared and once realising who Seungri was in relation to his patient, had agreed to tell him about the situation, but had put his foot down when anyone else except his next of kin had asked to see him. The Alpha had been able to see the look of resentment in Kyuhyun’s eyes as he peered at him through the window at that moment, something which had carried on until the present moment when Kyuhyun was once again watching them through the window. The Alpha would have happily swapped places with the Beta, but even in his sleep Changmin still refused to let go of his fingers.

“Ji Hyung?” a soft voice suddenly called from the doorway, causing the Alpha to look round, to find Seungri’s head floating from round the dooframe. “Am I okay to come in?”

“Of course you are Ri. Don’t be stupid.” Jiyong hissed back, prompting the Omega to push his way through with his elbow precariously balancing two drinks and a pile of food in his arms and hands as he moved. “Planning a picnic this time?” Jiyong added with a soft smirk, which Seungri rewarded with a slight chuckle as he carefully placed everything on the end table.

“No. But you haven’t eaten all day and then you had to bring Changmin back to—back to here.” Seungri replied, pausing to across his lips uncomfortably when he was unable to voice the words he’d originally intended to say. “You need the sugar, you’ve been through a lot yourself.” He added, handing Jiyong his preferred style of Starbucks coffee before taking advantage of the Alpha’s lack of hands to unwrap a sandwich, break a corner of it off and using one hand to pinch Jiyong’s chin, force feed him the piece with the other.

Jiyong for his part let him, face falling into a slight grump as he chewed but it was more for show than actual indignation at Seungri’s actions. He was rather happy with the prospect of food and a hot drink, the Omega was right about his not eating, and his rather impromptu heroics—as much as he hated the fact everyone was calling it that—had taken a lot out of him once he’d finally settled down and had time to comprehend what had happened. And as always, it was Seungri that was the one to notice, or consider the possibility and race to the rescue in a less dramatic way.

“Thanks Ri. I needed this.” Jiyong murmured, sipping elegantly as he could manage at his coffee, letting the younger perch himself carefully against the arm of his chair to carry on feeding him bites of the sandwich between sips. “Where did you find a Starbucks?”

“I made Youngbae Hyung and Daesungie Hyung go to the one down the street for us. I was going to send Seunghyun Hyung, said he could have a smoke etc. on the way…but he was adamant he stayed here.” Seungri replied, making sure to keep his voice softer now he was stood a lot nearer his slumbering friend, falling silent for a few minutes before looking back at Changmin’s prone form. “Seunghyun Hyung told me what had happened…or what he knew from when he arrived since Kyuhyun’s not said a word since you found Changmin.”

“Yeah. He was in a bit of a state when we found him trying to break the door in. And I had to stop him from greeting the ground with his face once we got in there.” Jiyong muttered, not particularly wanting to think over the past day’s events, especially when they’d happened so closely to the fiasco of Seungri’s texting stalker and Youngbae’s indiscretion. He was sick of it all if he was honest and it made him wish for the days when Seungri was too young and cute for anyone to see him as anything other than a fluffy panda-like boy.

“I don’t think Kyuhyun’s particularly happy about how the final arrangements turned out though.” Seungri hummed, sparing a glance at where his Hyung and best friend’s hands were still curled together. “He might not be saying anything, but he seems more relieved that I’m in here for a while this time to keep an eye on you. Even though I originally wanted to stay out there with him.”

“Listen Ri…If…If I could get Changmin-sshi to let go I would swap places with him. I—“ Jiyong started to explain, before Seungri quickly cut him off with a well-timed piece of sandwich again, causing the Alpha to have to chew and eat or risk choking himself.

“I wouldn’t have let you, even if you managed to wriggle your hand free. Only Changmin knows exactly what happened in there. Well, and Yunho but, I don’t particularly want to face him.” Seungri started, Jiyong not missing the slight back roll of the Omega’s eyes as he shuddered lightly. “You were the one who…woke him up, he probably feels safer with you there. And as much as I love Kyuhyun he can wait his turn.”

The pair of them fell quiet for a while, both sipping at their drinks whilst Seungri still continued to feed them both bites of the array of food the two coffee runner’s had brought back with them, content to sit in silence and listen to the distinct sounds of three people breathing, Jiyong all too aware of how close it had come to not being a possibility. Seungri meanwhile simply continued to inwardly shudder, never having expected his proud, strong best friend to be in such a position; betrayed and damaged—admittedly in Changmin’s case it was only almost permanently—by an Alpha who claimed to love and care for him. The whole thing was bringing back unpleasant emotional triggers for the other Omega, and Seungri was having a hard time trying not to wonder just how many times he could have ended up in this situation if he’d let things happen differently in his life.

“So what happens now then?” Jiyong eventually muttered, handing the Omega his finished coffee cup as the younger stood up to clear everything away. “I’ve not exactly heard much being in here.”

“All I know is the Police have taken Yunho away. And they’ve already taken statements from Seunghyun Hyung, Kyuhyun…not that he was much use poor thing…and all the staff members I think? But Yunho will just say that he snapped because Changmin was constantly rejecting him and then leading him on and then flirting with others and it wasn’t his fault he snapped…and he’ll be home before Changmin will be.” Seungri sighed, finally dragging a chair round to sit down next to his Hyung, seemingly sinking into it as he spoke. “Just like every time Yunho says or does something, it’s always Changmin’s fault.”

“Seriously?” Jiyong spat, eyebrow raising over his darkening irises once more as he watched the way the younger Omega slumped almost resignedly as if it had already occurred. “Wait…what do you mean ‘every time Yunho says or does something’? Has he done something like this before?”

“Not like this. But he’s always been making derogatory comments about him and to him, wandering hands and lewd suggestions. That kind of thing. Worst he ever got was he dragged Changmin by his wrist from Kyuhyun’s once…but that was it. But…every time it was always ‘oh Changmin teases me so much, leads me on and then rejects me, can I be blamed if I behave like this?’ and of course…no everyone sides with the poor mislead Alpha.” Seungri all but spat back himself, arms crossing almost defensively across his chest as his spoke, knuckles white as he clutched tightly at his biceps.

“But that’s ridiculous, why would it be Changmin’s fault for any of that? Even I know that he doesn’t lead Yunho on and I only ever normally see him briefly at shows. Why would it be his fault Yunho tried to suffocate him?” Jiyong hissed. “That’s just absurd! Blaming an Omega for those kind of actions.”

Yet the moment Jiyong had finished talking, Seungri’s eyes shuttered blank as he turned to face him, one eyebrow raising almost in a mockery of Jiyong’s previous expression, fingers still tight and white-knuckled around his biceps to the point his muscles were starting to develop blood bruises beneath the pinch of his nails.

“Yes, completely absurd. Not as if you’ve ever blamed an Omega for an Alpha’s actions before is it Jiyong Hyung?” Seungri retorted, voice dripping thick with sarcasm as he swiftly rose to his feet and returned the chair to its original location, all the while Jiyong sat gawping, mouth moving silently as he tried to register what had happened for the swift turn in conversation. “Not like an Alpha’s ever gotten too close for comfort to me and you've blamed me is it?”

“Wait! RI…that…” Jiyong spluttered, finally registering what Seungri was on about. He had been so happy enjoying their fond and easy relationship once again, he’d completely disregarded what he’d said to Seungri back in the President’s office a couple of weeks previous. “…You cannot be seriously comparing what happened with Youngbae to Yunho?!”

“NO.” Seungri snapped, voice slightly harsher than Jiyong was used to, the Alpha watching confused as Seungri seemed to mentally go somewhere else for a moment before he full body shuddered and moved away towards the door. “Youngbae is nothing like Y-Yunho. But the fact remains the same. Omega’s get blamed…and then they end up in situations they don’t always have a way out of.”