When Aeyoung arrived back at the school, she headed towards the back fields where Beast hung out.

They were currently muttering darkly to themselves. Judging from the murderous expression on Junhyung and Kikwang's faces, they had another argument while Aeyoung was away.

Yoseob had Haruhi in his arms again, looking happy and anxious at once. Haruhi just looked nervous as she stared at the two ticking time bombs glaring mutinously at each other.

A little farther away from the group, Dongwoon, Hana, and Hyunseung were ignoring everything and discussing something seriously. Aeyoung had a feeling it was about the plan to get back at Yunha.

When Doojoon saw her, he immediately jumped to his feet. "Aeyoung-ah!" He said, sounding relieved. "Did you take Mihi-ah home?"

"Oh, yeah," Aeyoung said vaguely. She thought she saw Junhyung look at her suspiciously, but he was still too busy glaring at Kikwang.

Dongwoon broke away from his serious conversation enough to say, "Soojoo will be fine. U-KISS isn't low like DBSK or Infinite is. They won't kidnap someone for no reason, and they won't hurt their hostage either. There's probably a perfectly good reason for this."

"But HOW?" Kikwang demanded angrily. "I don't understand -- how did they even know she was connected to us? I made sure no one knew about us being together! Unless........" He suddenly narrowed his eyes at them.

Junhyung rose to his feet. "Yah, are you trying to imply something?" He hissed darkly under his breath. 

The air turned cold. Aeyoung shivered and, badass woman or not, she sidled behind Doojoon. 

"Well, the only people who knew we were dating was YOU or SHINee!" Kikwang shot back, a dangerous and crazy look in his eyes. "Maybe even Teen Top, if Haruhi was shooting off at home --"

"YOU KEEP MY GIRLFRIEND OUT OF THIS!!!" Yoseob shouted angrily, standing up as well.

"Yoseob oppa, it's fine!" Haruhi begged, clutching at his sleeve. "Calm down, please!"

Yoseob continued to glare at Kikwang murderously. 

"You guys were having dinner in an outdoor cafe!" Junhyung retorted. "ANYONE could have seen you!"

"That's not possible!" Kikwang yelled back, balling his hands into shaking fists. He looked desperate. "I made sure that they were busy on the other side of Seoul! I sent them a fake tipoff and everything!"

Aeyoung couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He really did everything thoroughly.

"Well, how else would they know Sookjoo is connected to one of us?" Doojoon said quickly, trying to calm the situation down. "Think, guys, don't scream. Did any member of Infinite or U-KISS have any contact with us that we forgot about?"

Aeyoung thought hard. She couldn't remember a thing. Then she gasped.

"That kid......."

All heads turned to her. "What?" Junhyung demanded sharply.

"T-that kid......." Aeyoung stammered, unable to formulate proper sentences. At this sudden memory, her brain was moving too fast for her to speak properly. "The cute kid who sometimes paid for our ice creams........h-he would run into Mihi-ah and help her carry ice creams to us during break time at w-work...........Mihi-ah told me his name was D-Dongho..........."

"Shin Dongho!" Kikwang hissed.

"Oh, ." Hyunseung paled.

"Wait! So you're saying the enemy gangster was buying you guys ice cream?" Dongwoon asked incredulously.

"Yeah........I w-wondered why at first, then I realized he probably had a thing for Mihi-ah and --- OH ."

"What?" Junhyung immediately caught the guilty tone in her voice. "Aeyoung. What. Did. You. Do?"

"Oh my god." Aeyoung whispered in horror. "Oh. Oh my god. I can't believe -- I....I'm so sorry, Junhyung, I didn't know. If I remembered, I never would have let her....."

"Aeyoung, what are you saying?" Doojoon asked worriedly, but Junhyung already understood.

"She's not at home, is she?"

Aeyoung shook her head helplessly.

"!!!" Junhyung swore. "Guys, we gotta move out!"

****************************************************************************************************************

I entered the old, broken, run-down warehouse at Third Street. There were holes and cracks in the walls, which let in light, as well as several broken windows. I shivered. I hated warehouses, ever since last year's battle where I got kidnapped by Jaejoong and held in a warehouse.

"Hello?" I asked shakily, my voice echoing slightly in the silence. "H-hello? It's me. Mihi. I'm here. Where's Sookjoo-ah? Hello?"

There was the sound of footsteps, and Dongho's face appeared through a doorway. His face split into a wide grin, throwing me off. 

"M-Mihi-sshi!" He stammered, a rosy glow in his cheeks. He quickly forced his smile back down, and attempted to make a business-like poker face. "Hong Sookjoo is here." 

I slowly walked forward, feeling a bit uncomfortable when he had his eyes on my every move. I thought it might have been because he thought I might do something drastic, but I had a feeling that wasn't it............

"Where's Sookjoo-ah?" I demanded, trying to sound brave.

"Ah, r-right....." Dongho nodded, his voice wavering and his face sinking. "Follow me......"

I followed him down the hallways silently. Dongho looked like he was struggling with an inner battle.

In fact, what he was thinking was, God dammit, I'm so stupid! Doing something so reckless just to see her face, I can't believe it. She probably hates me now for kidnapping her friend. God dammit! Why? Why did I do this? I'll never get another chance to be alone with her again, and I blew it......

"She's here." He pointed to a door. I ran towards it and nearly threw it open, expecting to see a beat-up and bloody Sookjoo hung up by chains onto a wall or something.

"Oh, hey, Mihi-ah!" Sookjoo waved. She was sitting in a comfortable room with a couch and a small TV, her feet propped up on a tiny coffee table. She reached into a bag of chips and crunched on them happily. "Come, sit with me. Boys Over Flowers is on!"

"W-what......what?" I stammered, dumbfounded. 

"Yeah, I was a bit scared when that Dongho kid grabbed me and dragged me here," Sookjoo said cheerfully. "But he sure knows how to treat a lady! I asked him for a mango smoothie and he actually bought me one." She pointed to a half-empty plastic cup on the table near her feet.

I turned around to stare at Dongho, who was leaning in the far corner and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I don't understand. Don't all hostages stay like this?" He asked, a bit confused.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I guess you're a nice guy after all, Dongho." I plopped down next to Sookjoo and patted the leftover spot next to me. "Wanna sit with us?"

Dongho turned fifteen shades of red, mumbled something incoherently, before slowly moving to sit down next to me. He sat down gingerly, on the edge of the couch, as far away from me as possible.

"Oh, come on, Dongho. Be comfortable. I won't bite." I promised, smiling a little. "I thought you might have done something horrible to Sookjoo-ah, but you were nice to her. Thank you for tha --- oh, the show's on!"

Sookjoo and I leaned forwards excitedly. Dongho stared at the screen, but his eyes kept on drifting towards me. Of course, I didn't know this. I was too busy gossiping about the drama and the celebrities with Sookjoo.

"I think she should have ended up with Jihu in the end," Sookjoo complained. "He was so kind to her, helping her out and everything!"

"Yeah, but he was in love with another woman for like half the show," I complained. "I think it's fine the way it is. Her relationship with Junpyo is so sweet!"

"Like yours and Junhyung's?" Sookjoo teased, nudging me with her elbow.

Dongho's hands tightened into fists.

"Yah, Sookjoo-ah!" I complained, giggling when she tickled me.

"So, how have you guys been doing, anyway?" She asked, blowing a bubble with her gum before popping it. "Have you guys, you know, done 'it' yet?"

"YAH, SOOKJOO-AH!!!" I shrieked, turning red. "Dongho is here!"

"So? He's a man, he can handle this." Sookjoo gave him a sneaky glance, and Dongho glared at her from the corners of his eyes. "Well, did you?"

"N-n-no!" I stammered, blushing even harder. "We just k-kiss and stuff."

"Aeyoung-ah told me he sometimes sleeps in your bed."

Dongho choked on his own tongue. I blushed so hard I buried my face into my hands. "Yes, he does do that sometimes, especially when it rains since I hate thunder, but WE DON'T DO ANYTHING!!!!"

"Why haven't you?" I mean you guys have been together for like, more than a year already. You guys are totally serious about each other. Besides, haven't your parents already given the OK?"

Stop talking, stop talking, stop talking.......... Dongho and I were both thinking this, for entirely different reasons.

"Why? Have you done anything with Kikwang yet?" I demanded, in a vain effort to ditch the awkward conversation. The commercial ended and the drama came back on, but we weren't paying attention to it.

"No. We've only been dating for like, two weeks." Sookjoo shook her head and blew another bubble. "I must say, though, he sure knows how to kiss."

"Really?" I said, quickly changing the conversation. "Well, I suppose they are all good kissers. They used to be a bit fickle before they met us and everything, so....."

"Playboys," Sookjoo shook her head, smiling a bit. "When he first asked me out, I told him I didn't date playboys. He got really upset and did all these things to prove me wrong. He brought me 100 red roses, he sent me necklaces and earrings, he sent me 50 boxes of bubble gum......he even deleted every single girl's number on his cell phone in front of me, including yours."

"Oohhhh, no wonder he never responds to my texts anymore," I giggled. "That's sweet of him."

"Yeah, and when this one girl came up to us and started to sweet-talk him, he completely ignored her and came back to me. And we're talking a pretty chickie, too. Miniskirts and cleavage-revealing tops and everything."

"That's so cute! You guys are adorable together!"

"Yeah," Sookjoo grimaced. "But I hate dressing up for dates. I'd much rather wear my jeans and T-shirts, you know? But I don't want to embarrass him showing up like that for dinner, especially since he looks like a model without even trying."

"Tell me about it," I agreed solemnly. "Sometimes I find it hard to walk hand-in-hand with oppa, especially since he looks like he stepped out of a KPOP band and I, well.......I'm just a four-eyed nerd, right?"

"Not......" Dongho mumbled. I almost forgot he was there.

I turned to him. "Bwoh?"

"Not a nerd........" He cleared his throat, blushing, and refused to look at me. "You're not a four-eyed nerd........"

"E-eh......" I felt myself blushing. What was he trying to say?

Suddenly, the door kicked open, and many people hurtled inside.

"Oppa?" I gasped when I saw Junhyung. Oh no. I was doomed.

Junhyung crossed the room in three long strides, knocked the coffee table onto its side ("My smoothie!" Sookjoo cried) and grabbed Dongho by the collar.

"What the are you trying to pull here, huh?" He demanded, shaking Dongho a bit. "YAH!!! ANSWER ME!!!"

"I have nothing to say to you." Dongho said coldly. "You have two seconds to get your disgusting hands off of me before I rip them out of your sockets."

"O-oppa! Dongho! Stop this now!" I yelled, trying to put myself between them. When Junhyung shook me off, I grabbed his arm. "Oppa, please!"

"Get off, Mihi-ah!" Junhyung growled. "I'm gonna rip this bastard to pieces right here, right now! Your gangster friends won't recognize you by the time they scrape you off the walls!"

"Oppa, stop!" I screamed. For some reason, this looked really familiar. Where had this scene happened before?

I suddenly remembered.

I ran over and grabbed Junhyung's arm before he coud punch Hyunseung again.

"LET GO!!!!!!!!!" He roared, so angry he was beyond reason.

"No!" I cried. "Oppa, please, calm down!"

"LET GO OF ME, DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!" He started struggling, trying to push me away so he could get Hyunseung.

"NO! Oppa, oppa please-------"

"A-AAAAAAAAAAGH!!!" I screamed in pain. The pain I felt when my arm was cut began to throb. I fell to the ground, clutching at my arm. I could practically feel the blood running down my arm again.........hear the panicked screams coming from Aeyoung and the others...........feel the pain..........

"Mihi-ah?" I heard Junhyung say desperately. "Mihi-ah! Babe! What's wrong with you? What happened, baby?"

"A-aaaahhh......" I whimpered, tears falling down my cheeks. "It hurts.......oppa, it hurts........"

"Why does it.......oh. Oh god." Judging from the sound of his voice, he understood. "Oh, god. I'm so sorry, baby. I'm sorry. Please. I promise, I won't hurt this bastard. Not today, anyways."

"Junhyung!" I heard Hyunseung snap. I felt cool fingers probe my arm softly. "Minnie, it's going to be okay," I heard Hyunseung's soft whisper. I smiled slightly, suddenly transported back to the past, back in the country. "Seungie......"

"It's going to be fine. You're alright, Minnie. It doesn't hurt, see?" He ran his fingers up and down my arm lightly. It's true. I felt the pain go away.

"Yah, hands off my girlfriend," Junhyung said sulkily.

"If you care about her so much, stop acting like such a in front of her," Hyunseung said back calmly.

"Am not." Even more sulkily.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am n ---"

"Will you two shut up already?" Doojoon said. I opened my eyes and sat up. I watched in delight as Kikwang and Sookjoo had a tearful reunion.

Kikwang ran towards her without a second thought and yanked her into his arms. "Oh my god," He said breathlessly. "I thought -- I really thought you were going to be hurt........dammit, Sookjoo-ah, be more careful next time, don't........don't make me scared like this ever again, you hear?" 

"I understand," Sookjoo laughed softly, kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry."

"Well, we weren't hurt or anything," I said. "Dongho gave us food and let us watch TV."

"What?" Dongwoon sounded confused. "Why? Since when did we treat hostages so nicely?"

I looked around. "Where is Dongho? Where did he go?" I couldn't find the handsome, young gangster anywhere.

************************************************************************************************************

Dongho ran and ran, not even noticing where he was going. He felt angry, humiliated tears blurring his vision, but the cold winds blew them away. He ran until he was gasping for air. He stopped and leaned against a wall, his shoulders and chest heaving.

What am I doing? Why am I so stupid? Barging into their relationship like that........why did I even think I'd have a chance with her?

Sighing, he sunk down until he was sitting, burying his face into his arms. 

I'm so stupid, so stupid. She's happy with him. She's happy with THEM. Beast. Why am I doing this? Why did I........fall in love with someone I could never, ever be with?

He heard footsteps, and felt someone standing above him. He looked up and grimaced.

"Shin. Dong. Ho." Soohyun growled, arms crossed. "Where the HELL have you been all day?"

Taking care of a hostage so I could meet the woman I love. "Nowhere."

"I'm sure," Eli snorted, peeking slyly at Dongho. "Not meeting with a mystery woman?"

Boy, you have no idea. "Don't be stupid."

"Are you gonna introduce me? Huh? Huh?" Xander teasingly said, grinning. Dongho scowled. "Go away, hyung."

"Ouch, maknae's angry," Kibum snickered. He and Kevin high fived.

"Anyway, get back home with us. We're meeting up with Infinite to discuss war meetings. We're going to officially attack Beast and their allies tomorrow."

Dongho's eyes widened in shock. "W-what?!"