It is another morning when Kris is preparing for a long day at the café. The warmth of the house is cosy, compared to the cold, harsh winds outside. It's winter, a season on the cycle that has never and probably will not stop. Tao kicks Kris' clothes out of the way, while he hauls the laundry basket to the washing machine at the back of the apartment. Well, he lives with Kris for now and Kris is a rather messy but neat person. He throws his clothes around, but cleans up every two days. Once Kris finishes showering and changing into café attire — a black polo tee, jeans, and his apron which he will wear later on, he combs his hair back and walks out of the room. He makes himself a ham sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes, accompanied by fresh milk and two eggs. Healthy much. These are just a couple of foods approved by his heart consultant, Luhan. Tao dumps the clothes into the washing machine and pours detergent all over it. He switches it to a certain speed and lets it wash the clothes, while he showers.

Kris switches on the television while waiting for Tao to get ready. Tao always follows him to the café every morning, or rather, Kris never, and I mean never, leaves without him. The morning news are interesting to watch, sometimes. They tell you the market numbers, political news, breaking news et cetera. Kris' favorite is the business section. He owns a café, a business in the food and beverages department and it's good to know the faring of the food and beverage economy sometimes. Prices may soar or fall and that's the most important part. If rent increases, food prices increase. And vice versa. While the news reader reads out the market numbers, Kris remembers that he left his cellphone inside his room earlier. But just as he is about to take it, he remembers Tao's words. Please don't come in while I am changing or showering, whichever. I'm just really insecure about my body and I don't like people looking at me change. Please, if you can do just that, we will be great friends. But he needs to check the updates on his phone. As much as Kris wants to retrieve his phone, he can't. It will jeopardize his friendship with the latter and Kris doesn't like that. It is rude and not nice.

Kris goes in whatsoever. But everything that he sees, is just a pure shock to him. Sure, Tao may look y, being half like that, but that tattoo on his back... it's familiar. Something Kris knows, something... etched deep in Kris' mind. He hasn't encountered anyone else with that tattoo but he had seen it somewhere before. On the news. Nearly two years ago. Kris retrieves his cellphone from the corner of the room, unplugging the charger and switching off the power.

"What is that?" Kris asks and Tao turns. All that Kris can read from the latter's face is, I thought I told you not to come in while I am changing. But I had no choice, Kris thinks to himself.

"What are you talking about? It's just a tattoo I got from home," Tao replies simply. This was what he was trying to hide. This tattoo. It meant something. Something bad and something he didn't want any civilized human being to know about.

"Don't lie. I hate liars. You're the one that they're looking for. They have been for two years. I saw it on the news, you're the last member of the group. Why did you run away? It's no use, you know. They'll still catch you anyway. And why did you pretend that you are harmless when you're actually just planning something? Am I your target?" Kris asks. His voice balances between fear and trying to question a criminal bravely.

"No! I don't intend anything to you. I'm just trying to, just listen me out okay? The news may say something but you need to know my part of the story. If you don't, don't you think it isn't a fair judgment? Please," Tao says, worried. There is only so long he can hide. And Kris has already found out.

"Fine, tell me everything now," Kris says, inviting the latter to the hall.

"I am innocent, okay? I was involved in that gang but I did nothing wrong. I did not break the law at any cost. It's true, just look at my criminal records. All that is on it is Involvement with gangs. That's all. But they're trying to frame me. Those people in the gang. Now that they're all caught and I am not, they think that it is unfair. They are making up things that I never did but I don't have an alibi to prove that I am innocent. I was arrested and released because I denied everything. The more things they say, the more dangerous my life in China is. That's why I ran. I came here, hoping I'd be safe, even if both countries are near. Please just believe me when I say I am innocent, please. I really am and no matter how many times I tell that to the police, it will just twist. I become the criminal but I know that people know. That I am a criminal who did nothing. I have been evading the Chinese government for a few years now because they will not believe my innocence," Tao says.

"Is that all you could do? Run away?" Kris asks.

"If you were in my shoes, you would understand," Tao replies. "I had to run away because that was my last option."

"How did you even get in here then?" Kris asks.

"I have a friend in the Chinese embassy. He let me in under a different profile," Tao says.

"Then, do you think that they will stop their search for you if you die?" Kris asks, all of a sudden.

"Are you trying to help me by murdering me?" Tao frowns.

"I am helping you but I'm not going to murder you. I'm just going to do one simple thing," Kris replies. "And that is an accident. A car accident."

Kris hauls Tao to Myungsoo's office in the back of the club. His main intention of reporting to work has been long forgetten but he knows that Kai and Chanyeol can easily lead the café on their own. Kris maintains a tight grip on Tao, dragging him to Myungsoo's office.

"How do you know Tao? Why do you even know him?" Kris questions. "What are you even trying to get yourself into?"

"I befriended him. That's why I know him," Myungsoo replies simply. "I'm just sure that he will not harm me. Why are you getting all put off like that?"

"Answer my question truthfully, Kim Myungsoo," Kris says.

"Fine," Myungsoo replies, lifting up Tao's shirt and showing Kris a not so clear scar.

"The dragon's claw used to be there. Maybe I just seem like a club owner to you but I'm a qualified cosmetic surgeon. Do you remember those four years when we lost contact? I was studying these cosmetic surgery and skin things. So I could help people, though not legally. I've been helping him remove his tattoo bit by bit and this could make a great difference in his life. The method I use is not yet certified safe by the medical boards here in Korea, but I've seen it. It works wonders. Unlike laser surgery to remove tattoos, this method does not leave scars. Isn't it great? There will not be any evidence. And also, don't worry if he comes home with light blue or grey eyes. I'm just helping him do this because it's for the best," Myungsoo answers. "Are you happy now, that I answered your question?"

Kris does not answer Myungsoo but takes some minutes to think through why he even has friends like them. Having a lot of friends seems like a great thing but looks are deceiving. Myungsoo, a club owner with the knowledge of a skin doctor and a cosmetic surgeon with seven years of experience. Zitao, a friendly guy but actually a criminal evading the long arms of the law. Life is truly messed up for Kris and he needs time to reflect. Why does he need so many friends, when they all just turn out to be dangerous or some smart working illegally?

[Present]

Tao has not woken up since yesterday when he fell down in physiotherapy. The morphine is on now to numb the pain and the dosage is ending soon. He will wake up in two to four hours. Tao lies peacefully on the bed and everything seems normal. Sehun counts the days. This is day two of the two weeks that Tao should say healthy. If he overcomes the entire fourteen days, he is good to go. But something unexpected happens. Who knows, the future, or rather, life is always unpredictable.

Tao's heart rate starts to increase rapidly, the cardiac monitor beeping rapidly. Then it starts to decrease. What is the problem now? Wasn't he fine all those days ago? Maybe the machines just don't work right for him. There is no one to tend to him in the ICU, hence letting the blood pressure go way down below the normal range and thus causing him to die. The alarm begins to sound, since most of the equipment are connected to the alarm. ICU CODE BLUE- THORACIC SURGERY PATIENT, it goes and it continues until it is switched off by Oh Sehun. It's obvious who the alarm is referring to because there is currently only one thoracic surgery patient in the ICU and that is Tao. Sehun sighs. What is the problem with him now? It is going to be a little difficult to revive him because of his weak heart but he still manages to do so anyway. Tao has a weak heartbeat currently and after being looked over by Luhan, he is sent to the operating room to get a VAD implant with Sehun being the main surgeon. (*VAD: Ventricular Assist Device, an electromechanical device that can partially or completely replace a failing heart. Which in here, will be placed to assist Tao's left ventricle. This will be Tao's hope to a destination therapy, which means no more surgery for a long period of time. If he survives that then, good, I guess. He can live)

The first assistant, will be Kim Taehyung like the last time and the scrub nurse, Jeon Jeongguk and the anesthesiologist, Park Bom. These doctors are in Sehun's surgery team.

"Stay focused, everyone," Sehun reminds them.

"I will begin the anesthesia," Bom says and Sehun nods. She inserts into the tube, twenty milligrams or propofol and ten milligrams of etomidate. Tao falls into a hypnosis within forty seconds and Sehun begins the surgery.

"Scalpel," he orders and Jeongguk hands him the tool. Sehun cuts right in the middle, where it will not bleed when cut and opens up Tao's chest.

"Now. Where is that problem," Sehun mutters.

"It's over here," Taehyung points out. "The left ventricle. It's malfunctioning. Which is why the aortic arch is not receiving enough oxygenated blood. Hence the death for a few minutes."

"Both lungs and heart are weak. I can't help to say this but he can die anytime soon," Sehun mutters.

"One problem leads to another. The organs are too close to each other," Taehyung agrees and at that moment, two other nurses run in with the small object. It will help by allowing proper flow of oxygenated blood to the aorta. Meanwhile, Bom inserts ten more milligrams of propofol when she notices that Tao's heart rate rises a little over normal. He goes back to normal after the drugs have been induced.

Sehun cuts the aorta a little to fit the pump. But since the aorta is the artery closest to the heart, it starts to bleed greatly. Sehun adjusts the pump quickly before it can bleed any further and cuts the left ventricle. It starts to bleed as well and the pump is quickly adjusted.

"Power up the battery," Sehun orders. Once the power is on, the ventricular assist device works just fine. Tao's heart rate remains at normal for a while, as the VAD does its job.

"Doctor Oh," Taehyung says before Sehun can stitch up anything. "There is a blood clot in his lungs. It must be the cause of his difficulty to breathe. As well as this ventricular problem."

"But I will need warfarin if you are going to fix that," Bom says. "I don't have it now and it's at the pharmacy. Do you think he can last fifteen minutes while I get the medicine? I can give him some etomidate. It lasts longer than propofol."

"Go quickly and come back," Sehun says and Bom leaves the operating room.

Taehyung watches the ultrasound submitted by one of the nurses. There is something wrong about it, though.

"Doctor Oh, is there something wrong with this ultrasound or does he really have a malfunctioning valve? This surgery is going to be longer that I expected," Taehyung says.

"Call the counter to bring over an artificial valve now. There is some serious problem with this patient," Sehun orders and Jeongguk makes the call with the phone in the operating room. The valve arrives within five minutes and Bom returns with warfarin ten minutes later, like she promised.

She inserts twenty milligrams of warfarin into Tao's system and Sehun begins to clear the blood clot, that has formed in his left lung, where the bypass works quietly. Next, after the next dosage of warfarin, Sehun holds the first layer of Tao's heart open with a fork like tool. Then, with Taehyung's help, he implants the aritificial bicuspid valve next to the genuine one and ensures that it works properly.

"Please finish up for me," Sehun says. Taehyung stitches Tao up and he is given warfarin before leaving the operating room. The drug will help with thrombosis, the process of clotting.

Tao's life is basically in the hands of the machines implanted in his body. The bypass on his left lung to ensure proper oxygen flow, the ventricular assist device, to ensure proper oxygenated blood flow, the artificial bicuspid valve to prevent backflow of blood. If these machines weren't there, Tao wouldn't be here now. He would be gone, long gone, his body turned to ash by fire in cremation.

Kris chuckles to himself, although rather sadly. What is Tao without these devices?

A/N: so the drama has kind of begun, i guess. and i hope i got my hospital and science stuff right for the present part. if your smarter and know better than i do, please correct me hehe. comment and upvote for karma points!

Repeat guest appearance by Kim Myungsoo of INFINITE and Kim Taehyung as well as Jeon Jungkook from BTS

saranghae my lovelies ♥