Changmin had never been suicidal before. He’d never once thought of killing himself. He’d always taken it upon himself to smile and enjoy every second of his life, no matter how rough it got. But now, whenever Hyeonjin left the room, Changmin thought about death a lot. He imagined the nothingness would’ve been better than this.

His wrists ached from the restraints, bruised black and blue all over again. The scratches on his chest itched, and his arms were numb from being held in the same position for so long. He hoped the tingling in his hands was simply from lack of use, and not because he’d done severe damage to the blood vessels in his wrists.

If he slept, nightmares plagued him. He tried to run, but always, always, the chains held him down. He forgot what he’d originally been running from in those dreams. Every time he found himself in that dark void, he knew, something was coming after him and he had to get away. Fast. He never could, resulting in him waking up with a shout, covered in ice cold sweat. He cried silently when Hyeonjin wasn’t around. He didn’t know what time it was, or even what day it was. For all he knew, he could’ve been chained up again for days.

Hyeonjin walked in while Changmin’s cheeks were streaked with tears. He turned his head to the side, trying to wipe them away, but she was by his side in half a second, brushing them away with her fingers.

“Don’t cry, my little Changmin,” she whispered. “I’m here,”

He tried to turn his head away, making her grip his chin tightly, turning his face back towards her. He slumped, giving in to her touches and letting her wipe the tears that kept flowing away. She pressed tiny kisses all over his face, as though trying to make him feel better. Changmin just wanted to throw up more.

“I’ll give you longer chains if you promise to be good,” she whispered, smiling down at him. “Of course, you know what happens if you’re not,” she ran her nail softly down the side of his neck, making him shudder. “Understand?”

Changmin managed to nod, feeling another tear trickle from his eye. Hyeonjin wiped that one away too, then kissed his lips softly, not lingering this time.

“Promise to be good?” She asked.

All Changmin could do was nod. At this point, he’d do just about anything to get out of the short chains.

“Maybe I don’t trust you,” she breathed, nuzzling into his neck. “How do I know you won’t hit me again?”

Somehow, hitting her wasn’t what was on his mind. Giving up was. If he had to make out with her for an hour to get out of the chains, then so be it.

She planted another kiss on his lips, her fingers trailing down his chest and sliding under his shirt. Changmin shuddered under her cool hands, wanting to disappear; to die and fade into the black void forever. She trailed kisses down his cheek and neck before running her finger down his leg and sitting up straight.

“I’ve got your lunch to make, so I’ll be back soon,” she said cheerfully, nipping at his lip. She stood up, leaving him lying on the bed. The moment the door closed, Changmin sobbed, fresh tears pouring down his face to soak the pillow beneath his head.

...

Yunho never thought he’d play a game of cards again.

Jaejoong had convinced his company to give him another day off to rest his ankle, claiming it wasn’t too sore now, but he wanted to take care of it to make sure. They barely questioned it, telling him to get some rest and stay off it. Yunho didn’t bother calling SM. If they called him, he still had the contract termination card to play. At the very least, for once, he had power over his company.

Junsu slammed down a pair of fours, grinning as he did so.

“That is not cool, Junsu,” Yoochun groaned, picking up a card. “I don’t have diamonds,”

“I do,” Yunho said, slapping down three aces.

“I swear Yunho-hyung,”

Yunho cracked a grin, flashing it towards Yoochun. His phone rang, making him jump. He set his cards down with a heavy sigh, expecting it to be SM.

“Hello?” He held the phone to his ear.

Hello, Jung-seonsaeng?

“Yes, that’s me,” it was the police.

I wanted to alert you of the fact that we may be getting close to finding Changmin. We’ve narrowed the field to three persons of interest, and we’ve put in an application for warrants to search their houses.

“What about the other houses?”

They let us in without complaint and some of them even gave us a tour. One of them was very co-operative. She was a real fan of TVXQ.

Yunho let out a short, humourless chuckle.

There is one house we are very concerned about, the investigator said. She was home alone. Her maids claimed her parents were in China on a business trip. She had a bruise on her cheek and scratches on her wrists. She refused to let us inside, so as soon as we get the warrant, we’re searching her house first.

“Please find him,”

We will.

“Thank you,”

Take care, Jung-seonsaeng,

“Goodbye,” he hung up the phone, setting it in front of him and took a breath, feeling the cold chill of excitement run down his spine.

“Police?” Jaejoong asked.

Yunho nodded. “They have three suspects now. They’re issuing warrants. With any luck, this will be over by tomorrow,”

“I hope so,”

Yunho picked his cards back up. “It’s your turn, Jaejoong,”

“Right,” he calmly picked up a card, chewing his bottom lip as he disappeared in thought. Yunho found himself doing the same, hoping, praying that Changmin would be alright.

...

The door slammed shut. Changmin pushed himself onto his forearms, staring at Hyeonjin. She was on top of him so fast, he barely had time to breathe.

“What did you tell Yunho?!” She snarled, gripping the front of his shirt.

“I-I didn’t-”

“Don’t lie, Changmin! What did you tell him?!”

“Nothing!”

She was frantic, Changmin realized. His fear left him as he cracked a smile that was far too cold, even for him.

“You were found, weren’t you?” He said, unable to stop smiling. “The police know you exist,”

She punched him heavily in the face, dropping him back onto the mattress. Changmin groaned, his cheek throbbing.

“You can bet if the police so much as come anywhere near you, I will take you as my hostage, Changmin. And I won’t hesitate to kill you and then myself afterwards,”

Changmin shuddered, staring up at her. He had no doubt in his mind that she would do exactly that. He flinched away from her hand when she softly touched his aching cheek. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, lying down beside him and cuddling up to him.

“You’re mine, Changmin,” she whispered, nuzzling his neck. “Even if I have to take you into the next life with me, you’ll always be mine,”

Whatever thoughts of suicide Changmin had before were gone now. He felt a burning hope deep inside, and no amount of fear of being used as a hostage could take that away. The police were on his trail. He only had to endure maybe a day or two more of this. He could handle a day or two.

“I have a feeling your heaven will be different from mine,” Changmin said, not caring how much she hit him now.

She hissed, sitting up and gripping the front of his shirt again. “I don’t care how distant our heavens will be, if I have to drag you into hell I will,”

“Good luck with that,”

She growled, taking hold of his throat again, but she let go almost immediately and stood up, striding to the door and disappearing out it. Changmin grinned at the victory he’d just won.

...

Yunho couldn’t sleep again. His mind darted over Changmin, thinking endlessly of the maknae trapped for a total of eight days now. Tomorrow, Yunho convinced himself. Tomorrow would be the day. Changmin would be freed.

“Can’t sleep?” Jaejoong had woken up.

“No,” Yunho replied quietly. “I’m too nervous,”

“As am I,” Junsu sat up, startling them both.

Yoochun raised his hand, keeping his head on his pillow. “So glad I’m not the only one,”

“The moment they get that warrant,” Yunho mumbled to himself, “they’ll get Changmin out,”

“Yeah,” Jaejoong agreed.

Junsu was thumbing the crucifix pendant on his chest, staring into space as he held it. Yunho had seen him do it so often, he had an idea of what was going through Junsu’s mind. He’d explained it once, that sometimes, when he couldn’t think of the words to pray in, he would hold his cross just like that, and hope God understood.

“Let’s try to get some sleep,” Jaejoong said finally, adjusting the sheets and rolling onto his side. “When Changmin gets out of there, I’m sure we want to hug him with all of our strength,”

Junsu let out a laugh and lied back down, his cross still clamped tightly in his fist.

“Pray a little extra for us, Junsu,” Yoochun said, yawning.

“I will, but you should pray yourself,”

“Nah, your god won’t listen to me,”

“How many times have I told you that he will?”

Jaejoong groaned, pressing his face into his pillow. “Religious babble is not good for my head right now,”

Yunho laughed, along with Yoochun. Junsu chuckled a few times. For a moment, the rustling of blankets filled the silence, and then Yunho dropped off into sleep, dreaming soft, peaceful dreams of a bird his mind called Changmin.

...

It was the ninth day since Changmin was kidnapped. He didn’t know the number of days that had passed, and he knew very little of the outside world. Hyeonjin may have returned several times throughout the night, angry and on the verge of tears, but Changmin never once offered sympathy, only receiving injury in return. His hope was far too powerful for him to simply let it go and watch it fly away and leave him trapped in a room, never to see the outside again.

Police received the warrant for Kim Hyeonjin’s house far faster than anyone could’ve anticipated. By the morning, it had been personally delivered to the station by the lawyer who helped issue it. By the time the sun was up, police crews were mobilizing, preparing for anything. It caught the attention of news crews who immediately began sending representatives to film the growing situation. People all across South Korea quickly found themselves pressing themselves into the television, waiting to see what would happen.

By the time the police crews had moved out, on their way to their number one suspect, the rumour was being whispered. They’d found Shim Changmin, and they were going to rescue him.

Schools lost nearly all of their productivity. Despite teacher interventions, smartphones were out, watching the news unfold in real-time. Groups of girls, and some boys, clustered around desks holding their breaths as they watched the news reports. But there, in the background behind the television, they were safe. It was nothing compared to what was about to happen down at the mansion.

Police cruisers and a K-9 unit pulled up in front of the mansion. A news helicopter circled overhead, filming the scene from above. The police moved onto the house, pounding on the door.

“Open up! Police!”

One of the maids opened the door, a frown marring her features. “I’m not supposed to let you in, the mistress gave strict orders,”

The investigator held up the search warrant. “She can no longer refuse our entry,”

The maid stepped away from the door, allowing the officers into the building. One of the search dogs was frantically sniffing the air, searching for anything at this point.

“What are they doing here?” A loud female voice shouted, appearing at the top of the marble stairs in the entrance hall. “I told you not to let them in!”

“We have a warrant to search the house,” the investigator said. “Please come stand here, Miss. Kim, and allow us to conduct our search.”

For a moment, they thought she would comply, but then she turned, disappearing back down the hallway.

“Follow her,” the investigator said to an officer with one of the dogs.

He let the dog go, and immediately, he bounded up the stairs, followed closely by his handler.

“Go in pairs,” the investigator ordered. “Search every room,”

The squadron scattered, while the investigator followed the dog handler, keeping his hand firmly planted on his gun in case there was any sign of resistance.

Hyeonjin had broken into a run and was fleeing down the hall, tailed closely by the dog. She ducked into a side room, slamming the door shut behind her. The dog began barking, clawing at the door, trying to get it open.

The investigator tried the knob, but quickly found it locked. He pounded on the door. “Open this door!”

There was no response from the other side of the door. The investigator swallowed and picked up the speaker at his waist.

“Bring a ram up here,” he ordered. “She’s barricaded herself in a room,” He pressed his ear against the door as he heard an affirmative call. He could hear nothing from the other side. The room must’ve been soundproofed. He thought grimly to himself that it was a perfect place to hide a kidnapping victim.

The battering ram was brought up swiftly, carried by four officers. The investigator gripped one of the handles and started the count off. On three, they slammed it heavily into the door, hearing it already beginning to splinter. By all its soundproofing, the door was just as flimsy as every other one.

In three smashes, the door came crashing down and the investigator stepped into the room, feeling his heart twist in his chest.

Changmin had been chained down, his bruised wrists bound by handcuffs to the bedframe bolted into the floor. There was blood on his t-shirt from what looked like scratches on his chest, and a bruise was blossoming on the part of his face he could see. Hyeonjin had clamped a hand over his mouth and the other one was around his throat, though she wasn’t squeezing.

Yet, the investigator thought silently.

Changmin was conscious, his eyes staring straight at the investigator, begging and pleading silently for help. The investigator knew he would do anything to do just that.

“Let him go,” the investigator said, staring at Hyeonjin. “You’re under arrest for kidnapping, assault, and obstruction of justice,”

“Get out,” Hyeonjin snarled. “Or I swear I will kill him,” she squeezed his throat, making Changmin grimace, for good measure.

“You are only adding to your list of charges, Hyeonjin. Release him now and your penalty will be significantly less,”

She stared defiantly, squeezing a little harder. Changmin squirmed, then shot a glare at the girl. She suddenly screamed in pain as Changmin bit down hard on her hand, yanking it away. He spat in her face, driving his head back in an attempt to get free of her choking hold. The officers charged, grabbing the screaming girl and yanking her off Changmin, pinning her to the floor.

“NO!” She screamed. “NO!”

“Stay calm, Changmin,” the investigator said, taking a quick once over of the injuries scattered across his body. “We’ll get you out. Get the lock cutters, and bring the paramedics!”

One of the officers fled the room, heading back downstairs to grab what they needed. Hyeonjin was handcuffed and dragged, still screaming from the room. Despite everything, despite the swollen bruise on his cheek, the scratches on his chest, and the dark handprints around his throat, Changmin was smiling, his brown eyes sparkling as he looked up at the investigator. He returned the smile, and the dog trotted over, Changmin’s face.

The idol laughed, turning his head away. “Down, boy,”

“It’s a girl,” the handler said, tugging the German shepherd back.

“Oh,”

The officer returned with the bolt cutters and paramedics in tow. He quickly snapped the chains on the handcuffs, allowing Changmin to sit up. As the paramedics began their once over, he let out a laugh. It was a strange sound, really. At the end of everything he’d just been through, the idol could still laugh.

...

Yunho stared at the television, clutching his phone tightly, waiting for the call. He’d seen it happen on live television. The sasaeng had been dragged from the house and thrown into the police car, taken off to the station for detainment. Now, he was waiting for Changmin. Soon, he thought. Soon, Changmin would be brought out.

It was a long twenty minute wait, but eventually, the idol emerged from the building, walking under his own power, tailed by paramedics and several officers, towards the ambulance. Yunho smiled so wide, his cheeks burned with the effort.

“Thank God,” Yoochun whispered.

“I thought you weren’t religious,” Junsu joked, earning him a rough punch.

“Shut up, Changmin just got saved,”

Yunho’s phone rang just as the news segment ended. He picked it up, smiling broadly.

“Hello?”

Hyung, I’m free, I’m out, Changmin’s voice was breathless, overjoyed and happy.

“I saw. Are you alright?”

Yeah, I’m going to Seoul Memorial Hospital. Will you come meet me?

“You don’t have to ask, Changmin. I’ll be there,”

And...uhh...them too?

“JYJ will be coming,”

Jaejoong snatched the phone from Yunho’s hands. “I promised you a hug and you’re getting one,”

Changmin’s laugh was obvious, even when Yunho didn’t have the phone pressed to his ear. He said something Yunho couldn’t quite make out, bringing a grin to Jaejoong’s face.

“I say screw SM and screw the media,” he said. “I don’t care who sees us. You’re more important,”

“Whenever you two are done flirting, I already have my shoes on,” Yoochun said, standing by the door.

“!” Jaejoong shouted, throwing the phone back into Yunho’s hands.

Junsu choked, leaping to his feet, still grinning.

“We’ll see you soon,” Yunho said into the phone, unable to get rid of his own brilliant smile.