Zhoumi walked nervously into the club that Xiah told him to meet at, the stench of smoke and stale nuts mixed with the smell of mould turned his stomach. He took a seat at the bar, ordered a drink for himself and waited, every second he was meeting with Xiah was a betrayal to Ryeowook. 

He had made up his mind to follow Xiah's orders for his family's sake but he couldn't ignore the guilt that was building inside him. He had managed to give Ryeowook one dose of the arsenic, the regret the felt had been too much that he cried in the bathroom for hours after Ryeowook had gone to work for the day. 

He couldn't do it anymore, as soon as Xiah arrives he would tell him to find someone else to do his dirty work. Zhoumi sculled his drink, ordering another one, the alcohol going straight to his head. He lost count of how many drinks he had until Xiah showed up with two men Zhoumi had never seen before. Xiah sat down on the stool next to Zhoumi, also ordering a drink.

"So..How is Ryeowook, Zhoumi?" 

Zhoumi scoffed, if anyone had asked that question it would seem like genuine concern but the evil glint in Xiah's eyes and the eating grin he had, it was like he was expecting and hoping for bad news concerning his friend. 
 
"Ryeowook is fine, healthy as a horse." Zhoumi replied with a sarcastic lilt in his voice and a blank expression.

"What?!! Haven't you been giving him the arsenic?" Xiah was furious, his plan was getting setback.
 
"Can't really poison him if he isn't at home now can I?" Zhoumi stared straight at Xiah. " In fact, find someone else to do it. I ain't doing it anymore." He told him with hesitation.

There was a silent pause and the next thing he knew, Zhoumi found himself with his face pushed against the bar, Xiah was holding his head down, the two henchmen were holding his body in place. He froze as he felt something cold and hard on the back of his neck.

"Poor, senseless Zhoumi. I think the alcohol had made you stupid because there is no way my dear best friend would sacrifice his family like that and risk being deported."

Xiah's words echoed in Zhoumi's brain, how could he just give up his family like that? Since when did friendship trump over family? Zhoumi instantly felt stupid for standing up to Xiah without an ace up his sleeve, his mind and gut made it clear that he had to continue to do Xiah's bidding. No matter how much he hated it or how tainted his concience would get.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Forgive me." 

Xiah smirked at Zhoumi's submission, he released his hold as did his henchmen and asked the bartender for two shots, Zhoumi brought his head up slowly, he was quick to wipe away any tears that escaped his eyes. He wouldn't show Xiah how he reduced him to a crying mess. 

"Let's toast Zhoumi." Xiah announced, holding his shot and waiting for Zhoumi to pick up his.

Zhoumi was hesitant but he did it anyway and drank with Xiah wanting nothing more than to go to bed and cry himself to sleep as he came to the unforgivable realisation that he would have to kill his best friend. The constant ache in his chest only reminded of how painful and heartbreaking this actually was for him, he only prayed that when it was over, everyone else would see it like that too and not hate him for it. 

~

The first thing Ryeowook felt when he came too was the soothing coolness on his forehead, he reached up and touched the moist handkercheif that was cooling his heated skin. He wandered where he and turned his head to the side slightly. It registered instantly  that he was in one of the hotel rooms and by how luxurious everything looked, he was in a grand suite.

He remembered the reason he was even here and outwardly groaned, he couldn't believe Sooyoung was Siwon's cousin. Why hadn't he noticed that sooner? Choi was her last name too for God's sake! and they even resembled each other a little bit, he suddenly felt foolish for drinking so much. Ryeowook knew he had embarrassed his parents with his behaviour tonight, his step-father would surely have words with him next time they meet. 

Ryeowook sat up, wondering if there would be any water for him to drink when the door to the room opened, Sooyoung followed by Leeteuk and Siwon entered. 

"Ryeowook, are you okay? You hit your head pretty hard." 

He was still as Sooyoung rushed over to him, her beautiful face showing nothing but concern for him, she had taken his hand in hers.

"I'm fine." He replied in a whisper, his gaze staying on the man behind his brother.

Ryeowook ignored the pounding in his head as he tried to think of how to explain himself to Siwon. He didn't want Siwon to see this as a betrayal on his part. Ryeowook gently removed his hand of out of Sooyoung's grasp, the girl's expression turned from concern to confusion.

"Sooyoung, let's go see if our parents need anything." Leeteuk suggested, seeing the looks on Ryeowook and Siwon's faces. He knew the two of them needed to talk things out and clear up the misunderstanding.

"Okay." Sooyoung agreed hesitantly as she stood up and left the room with Leeteuk. 

Ryeowook mouthed a 'thank you' to his brother before he left, now it was just him and Siwon in the room. The silence was awkward for the both of them, Ryeowook wasn't sure how to start the conversation, mostly because Siwon was avoiding eye contact with him. 

He relaxed a little when Siwon sat on the edge of the bed, his back facing him. He watched Siwon's shoulder evenly move up and down in time with his breathing, Ryeowook coughed to clear his throat before he spoke, pushing away the nerves.

"Siwon?" He began, when older didn't even reply back, he felt disheartened

"Please Siwon, look at me so we can talk." He tried again, his hands clasped together tightly on his lap, he fought the urge to cry.

He was starting to get annoyed, how were they going to fix this if Siwon was being a child about it and giving him the silent treatment? Ryeowook sighed in aggravation before getting his phone out and dialling Namjoon's number, he picked up on the first ring to Ryeowook's delight. 

"Namjoon-ah, are you free? Do you wanna go for a dr-"

A hand snatched the phone away and disconnected the call, Ryeowook looked up and found Siwon towering over him.

"You are not leaving this room." Siwon said with undiguised jealousy and anger in his voice and expression, his brows furrowed. 

"Oh, so now you talk!" Ryeowook scoffed, moving to get up from the bed only to be pushed back down on the firm mattress. He glared at Siwon. 

"Let me up."
"Not until we talk." 

"I tried to talk to you before but you were like a fricken brick wall!!!!" He cried back, unable to control himself as his eyes began to water.

Ryeowook wailed on the bed, Siwon watching him. It seemed to go on forever until Siwon laid down beside him, the older couldn't take Ryeowook crying.

'I'm sorry Ryeowook. I'm still processing everything, I would have never agreed to the dinner if I knew it was you." He confessed, Ryeowook hiccuped

'And I would have refused immediately if I knew she was your cousin." Ryeowook admitted before moving closer to Siwon. 

"I didn't want to be married but my step-father got so mad and my mother hates me now that she knows I'm gay. I tried to hold out but I'm not strong enough, I didn't want to be disowned by my family." 

Siwon listened to everything Ryeowook was telling him and never in his life had he wanted to hit someone so much than Ryeowook's step-father. The bastard deserved a good right hook to the face and the mother needed some sense knocked into her too. 

How could anyone hate his Ryeowook? This kind, genuine soul that couldn't hurt anyone. His arms wrapped tightly around Ryeowook, holding him flush against his body. The younger snuggled into him, loving the close contact. It made Siwon smile and his heart swell. 

"I don't know how to fix this but I'll try and talk to my uncle into disolving the engagment." He whispered in Ryeowook's ear.

Ryeowook shifted to look up at him, gazing into his eyes, seeing the unspoken promises in them , the love the older had for him.

"I trust you." 

Was all he said before burying his face into Siwon's chest and casting everything from his mind. His parents, Sooyoung, the engagement, his inabilityto do anything for himself, his lack of courage for not standing his ground in refusing the marriage. 

Everything drifted away as the warmth from Siwon's body seeped into him. He didn't want to be anywhere else than right next to Siwon, now and forever. 

~

Leeteuk and Kangin were seated at the hotel bar, both of them having a drink. They needed it after the drama that had unfolded tonight.

"I think it's safe to say tonight was a show." Kangin commented dryly before one-shotting his drink, the alcohol burning it's way down it's throat.

"It could have been worse." Leeteuk replied, absently running his finger around the rim of his glass as he thought about his brother and Siwon.

He hoped the two of them managed to talk it out, he was happy that Ryeowook had found someone he wanted to spend his life with and he was sad that everything seemed be going against his brother. What were the odds that Sooyoung was actually Siwon's cousin? It was inbelievable and shocking, he could only imagine how Ryeowook must have felt in that moment.

"Teuk?"

Leeteuk looked up to find Kangin staring at him, his hand enveloped his own.

"You okay? You looked like you were far away." Kangin told him, Leeteuk gave him a small smile.

"I'm okay, just thinking."

"About Ryeowook?"

Leeteuk nodded and took a sip of his now watered down scotch.

"We have to help him. He deserves to be happy." Kangin suddenly declared with determination and fire in his eyes.

Leeteuk only stared at his husband to be and couldn't be any more prouder of him or more in love with him than he already was. He was absolutely right though, they had to help Ryeowook no matter what. His little brother deserved to have  his happiness and his love, Leeteuk didn't want to see his brother shed another tear ever again. 

"If you are helping Ryeowook and Siwon, count us in too." 

The two males were surprised to find Hyukjae and Donghae sitting beside them, the wandered how long they'd been there and how they didn't notice the pair before. 

"Won't you get in trouble with Sooyoung's parents?" Kangin asked, skeptical of their sudden desire to help them.

"My Aunt and Uncle won't give two s if the engagement is called off, they could care less." Hyukjae explained to them before ordering a drink for himself and Donghae.

"Well the same can't be said for Teuk's parents, they are adamant about this marriage happening. It's all about the connections that Teuk's father is interested in, he doesn't give a about Ryeowook." Kangin scoffed as he told Hyukjae, his dislike for his father-in-law evident. 

Kangin had always disapproved of the way  Teuk's father treated Ryeowook. Nothing Ryeowook ever did was ever good enough for the elder, Kangin remembered the time Ryeowook had shown up at his apartment with bruise hands. Later, Leeteuk had told him his father has punished Ryeowook because he not recieved the highest grade level to graduate with honours.

In fact, Ryeowook's score had been the highest for his grade but not high enough his step-fathers tastes and as a result, he beat him, all the while accusing Ryeowook of slacking off in his studies, saying that he was a disgrace to the family name. He never been the same after that and it broke his heart everytime he saw Ryeowook there afterwards. 

"Let me handle your father, Leeteuk. I can give him so good buisness connections." Hyukjae said raising his glass and flashing a gummy smile, Donghae followed Hyukjae's lead. 

Leeteuk shared a look with Kangin, both nodded as they agreed to Hyukjae's plan and raised their glasses. This could work, if everyone banded together, Ryeowook and Siwon could have the happiness they wanted. 

~

Yesung carefully detached himself from the passed out body of Heechul, covering the exposed male with the bedsheet before leaving his bedroom. It had become a regular occurance ever since the party when he had taken Heechul home, one thing led to another and now they were lovers. 

Yesung had thought the beautiful man was kidding when he revealed he was attracted to him, he never believed it himself but when Heechul proved it and showed him, it left him with a thumping heart and butterflies in his stomach. All he had to do was look at Heechul and those feelings bubble to the surface and he gets a goofy grin on his face. 

He sat down at his kitchen table as he waited for the kettle to boil, his mind suddenly wandering how the engagement dinner went tonight. Yesung had  a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that couldn't be ignored.
 
Usually when he got that feeling something DID always happen, he trusted his gut too much to dismiss it so he quickly went back to his bedroom to get his phone, being quiet so Heechul didn't wake up. Yesung was about to dial Ryeowook's number when his phone started vibrating and  Leeteuk's name flashed on the screen, he answered. 

"Jungsu, how did it go?" He asked anxiously waiting for Leeteuk's reply. He heard Leeteuk sigh deeply which confirmed his bad feeling, something most definately happened. 

"Listen, can you meet us in an hour?" 

".....Yeah okay." 

"Good, I'll text you with the meeting place and bring Heechul too." 

The line went dead, Yesung just stared at his phone like it had sprouted 3 heads. What was so urgent that Leeteuk couldn't tell him overe the phone and why he needed to see Heechul and him and more imortantly, what happened tonight that warranted meeting up at 3am? 

Yesung turned off the kettle and went back to his bedroom, opening the door and finding Heechul sitting crossed legged on the bed, dressed and ready to go.

"Kangin called me. Get dressed lover." Heechul smiled, climbing off the bed and giving Yesung a chaste kiss before leaving the room. 

"I'll make our coffee to go." He called on his way to the kitchen.

Yesung washed his face before getting dressed, he made sure his phone, wallet and keys were in his pockets as he left the bedroom. He found Heechul already waiting by the front door, holding to paper cup with coffee, with a cat ate the canary smile on his face.

"Kangin told you something, didn't he?" He deadpanned, he waited for an answer but all he got was an innocent shrug from Heechul as they left the apartment.