Everything seemed very familiar. The chalets, the competition, the dinner with Heechul’s interruption, Donghae felt like if he was back to his second year of college. At the difference that something was missing… Eunhyuk. Even if back then they hadn’t the best relationships of all, they at least were part of each other’s life, still. The brunet remembered that it was during that same competition that he first realized his feelings for the thin dancer. It was also here that they shared their first true kiss… Donghae shook his head to try forgetting all that. Those memories were in the past, the present was far from those beautiful dreams… Someone suddenly put a hand on his shoulder.

“Hae, are you ok?” Minha asked worried.

He turned to her smiling.

“I’m fine, just a bit tired.”

It was the end of the first day of competition and between practice and the actual competition, Donghae was drained. This year there were more schools than before, so the competition was hard.

“How was your competition?” he asked his sister.

“The other schools have a lot of promising talents… but we also do.”

She raised a hand to Ryeowook and the boy high fived with her. The four of them with Rinha, were sitting in their cabin’s living room, trying to relax after a long day.

“Did you see Eunhyuk today?” Minha suddenly asked Donghae.

“Since we are in the same club yes I did. Why?”

She frowned at him and Ryeowook as Rinha stopped doing what they were doing to turn to them.

“You know what I mean. Did you guys talk?”

“There’s nothing to talk about. We broke up, we are over.”

“REALLY?!” Ryeowook exclaimed.

Donghae bit his lip. He hadn’t told anyone that he and Eunhyuk were separate now, even if he knew his friends weren’t stupid and could clearly see that the two boys were cold to each other and that something was wrong. He didn’t know why he hadn’t told them… usually it would be something that we would like to share, but maybe announcing it would make it more official, and maybe Donghae had the hope that maybe things could go back to what they were before… Rinha came to sit next to the brunet and put a hand on his arm.

“Maybe if you talk about it you’ll feel better?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re far from fine, Hae.” Minha said.

The brunet sighed.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“You guys are really the same…” Rinha whispered. “So stubborn in your deny.”

“I’m not denying anything!” Donghae exclaimed. “I just don’t see what talking about will do to change the situation. Eunhyuk broke up with me, it was his decision! What do you want me to do?”

“Fight for him?” Rinha suggested.

In spite himself, the brunet threw a glance at his twin sister and the girl understood exactly what was happening in this little mind of his. She let out an angry sigh and frowned at him.

“You have to stop this Hae! You have to stop it now!!!! We said we wouldn’t sacrifice our own lives for each other anymore. So what the hell are you doing?”

“It’s not what you think!”

“Then prove me wrong and do something.” she almost yelled at him. “Because I know that you love and wanna be with him.”

The boy couldn’t argue with that. He barely could cross the stare of his friends, and deciding he didn’t want to face it anymore he went back to his room. Neither Minha nor the others followed him, understanding he needed to be alone. Donghae knew it, everything his friends and sister had said he realized it was wrong and that it was his responsibility to do something to change his current situation. But that seemed so hard. He was terrified to face Eunhyuk. What if he was rejected again? What if Eunhyuk realized that he didn’t love the brunet anymore? What if… there was nothing left to save? So many questions and fears that prevented him from facing the thin dancer. The next day his roommates didn’t bother him with that subject anymore, everyone had already expressed their opinions and now it was for Donghae to do something. Maybe after the competition? For now he had to focus on the upcoming dance performances. That’s how another day of the competition passed. They were in their third and last day, and it was already the last battle of the day. Unlike the other years, instead of doing an eliminatory system, making the teams battle between each other, the teams had to present performances alone and then do battles with other selected teams, and the points accumulated would define the final score. For now then, Hae and the others had a small idea of their spot in the ranking, and they knew they were among the favorites.

Just before he went up for their third performance of the day, Hangeng who was waiting backstage stopped the brunet.

“Hey Hae! Fighting!”

“Thanks hyung. You too, break a leg.”

“Say… When you’re done can you meet me next to the C building? I have something to show you.”

“Hum… Sure.” Donghae said not really sure why his hyung was asking him to meet.

But well it was Hangeng, he had always been a bit mysterious, but Donghae trusted him with his life.

For some reason Donghae was inspired and he danced beautifully well. Because he and Eunhyuk were the mains, they were in the front and they would have a couple of movements together. One thing that would never change, even if they lost all feelings for each other it was their perfect sync while dancing. They worked well together and they both knew it.
As soon as they were done Eunhyuk went away without even a look for Donghae. His other teammates, congratulated him but the brunet only heard it with one ear, trying to get to Eunhyuk desperately. Finally he got to the boy and grabbed his arm. The other turned around and threw a questioning look to the brunet.

“Hum… Good job today.” was the only thing Donghae found to say.

Now that he was here, with Eunhyuk’s attention on him, after all this time ignoring each other, he didn’t know what to say and felt a bit awkward. Then he remembered what Eunhyuk told him the other night, that every single time the thin dancer saw him he would be angry… But Eunhyuk answered in a neutral voice.

“You were great today. Congrats.”

“Thanks…”

“Do you have anything else to tell me?”

Donghae hesitated. This was the time. This was it. He had to say what he wanted to say… but… but… he was incapable of pronouncing a word. Eunhyuk kept staring at him, when suddenly someone called for him.  He excused himself, pushed Donghae’s hand and went away. And Donghae just stayed there, staring like an idiot to his love walking farther and farther away from him.

***

Since Hangeng asked him to meet him next to the C building, Donghae had been there for at least 10 minutes before wondering if he had understood his hyung correctly. That’s when he suddenly saw a guy, he didn’t know, coming accompanied by 3 other guys. The brunet didn’t think much of them at first but when he saw they were coming straight to him, he started to get nervous.

“Can I help you?” Donghae asked.

“Depends… you’re Lee Donghae?” the boy in the middle asked back.

The brunet hesitated to answer him with the truth, but then again it sounded ridiculous, why would he be afraid of those boys? So he nodded. At that exact time they jumped on him and while 2 boys were grabbing him, the other two put a bag over his head. Donghae struggled, trying to free his hands and throwing kicks everywhere, but they were too many and the 4 boys managed to control him and drag him somewhere. With the bad over his head and focusing on trying to get away, Donghae had no idea where they were leading him and only when he heard sounds of opening something did he understood that the boys were going to lock him somewhere. In a second, the brunet was thrown in a dark place and the boys closed the door behind them. Finally able to get the bag away from his head, Donghae, even if he couldn’t see exactly what was around him, knew exactly where he was. He was in the trunk of a bus. Before panic arouse, Donghae was trying to understand what just happened. Why did those boys attacked him? Were they from another dance team? Were they trying to win the competition by taking out one of the main dancers? But it was ridiculous since they already had their last performance. Really he couldn’t understand the reason why…
And in all, it didn’t change the fact that Donghae was now locked up in cold, dark truck. His fears of small spaces didn’t fade away with the return of his sister and he was still terrified. But instead of panicking, the brunet tried to reassure himself by thinking that Hangeng would probably be looking for him when he realizes his dongsaeng didn’t show up at their meeting. But waiting for his hyung to think of finding him he was still stuck… And air will start to miss… No he shouldn’t think about it! Focus on something else… Focus on something else… It was so dark! The only think he could hear was his thoughts and his air escaping and disappearing in the seclude space. Slowly, as an expected reaction, Donghae started to hyperventilate, and to lose his self-control. He banged against what he thought was the trunks door, asking for help, begging to let him out of there. But soon things got worse and worse and Hae started to lose consciousness, slowly. In his last thoughts the only think he could see was Eunhyuk’s face, before sliding into darkness.

***

The brunet woke up in a jerk, opening his eyes wide, as he breathed again. He was alive; once again he had been saved from asphyxiation. It took him a moment to realize where he was. Curious he