X

      The throb in his nose was his main focus, but the man pacing in front of him was a close second. He could not understand what this man could be doing at his place -again. He had everything he wanted last time, and he had no idea what this Eric Mun could want from him this time.

"Listen." Eventually spoke the detective, which almost made him jump out of his skin.

Glaring up at the man with the cold pack on his throbbing nose, he waited for Mun to stop pacing and to finally give him an explanation. He did not know what could have make him so agitated, but he was sure it was announcing nothing good.

"I didn't mean to punch you." He began and Minwoo snorted then grimaced in pain. "No, really. I just wanted your laptop, but I didn't know you would be back so early."

"I thought you were a private detective." He shot back in a grumble, and Mun glared at him.

"You were supposed to be at work."

"Well, I'm not. What the hell do you want this time ? I've nothing…"

"I needed your laptop." He cut off, and Minwoo almost sighed.

"Why ? There's nothing on it."

Mun did not answer and started pacing again before checking his phone.

From Minwoo's perspective, it was clear something had gone wrong in this bastard's perfect plan, and if not for his throbbing nose, he would have been happy about it.

What was he saying ? Even in pain he was happy the guy was in troubles. It was deserved, and the only thing he wanted right now was to call Dongwan -or the cops- and let the justice deal with this guy.

Of course, sitting on the couch with Mun pacing in front of him left him no opportunity to phone anyone, but it stayed a tempting dream feeling relaxing.

"Yeah !" Said the detective, answering his eventually buzzing phone, and the tension he could see in the man's shoulders let him fear something serious had happened.

He should not care, but he could not help it. He was maybe hating the guy for what he had done, but it did not mean he wanted him any real harm -even if at the right moment he wanted to punch him in the face. He just wanted these guys to go to jail for their crime and then forget about them.

But the solemn look on Mun's face let him know something serious was at hand, and it worried him.

"Everything okay ?" He asked when the man hung up, and as if surprised to hear him, Mun nodded absentmindedly before shoving his phone back in his pocket.

"I need to go."

"What ?" He snapped back, already on his feet and ready to hold the man back. "So what now ? You just come to my place whenever you want and punch me before disappearing without the slightest explanation ? You know what…? you !"

Mun listened to him without a word then slowly grinned. It was enraging, but he was not the fighter type either, and against an armed man he knew it would be stupid to do anything rash. But God knew he wanted to punch him.

"What's so funny ?" He growled, hating the way Mun's grin stretched wider.

"You." He could have punched the guy for such words, but then he heard, "You're really cute." And he froze in place with wide eyes, at a loss of words.

What the hell this guy had just said ? He must be hearing things after the blow in his face, but the smirk on this bastard's lips was real. Jeez, how he wanted to hit him.

"I should be on my way." He resumed, walking to the door, and Minwoo followed him. "Forget ever seeing me today, it'll be better for you."

"Yeah, sure. Easy to do. You just punched me in the face after all." He shot back with a glare, and looking over his shoulder, Mun grinned.

"I really didn't mean to."

"Says you." He mumbled back, averting his gaze for a second before looking up when the door beeped open. "I hope I'll never see you ever again."

"Aw, that's harsh." He answered with a fake pained expression.

"You're going to go to jail."

Mun smiled and said, "Well, I hope you'll visit me then."

" you." He spat back, watching as the detective opened the door wider and took a step out of the apartment with an unnerving grin on his lips.

Mun was about to say something in return when his phone buzzed. Answering immediatly, his expression changed from amused to serious as he listened to whatever his interlocutor was saying before the elevator arrived at Minwoo's floor. Looking up at it, the detective's eyes widen, and without a word, he pushed his way back inside the apartment and shut the door before looking through the peephole.

"What the hell are you doing ?" He hissed, but Mun shushed him immediately with a finger held up.

Offended by the gesture, Minwoo still decided to shut up at the realization something might be going on. Suddenly nervous at the thought of a dangerous situation, he tensed up and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Okay." Breathed the detective as he pushed himself away from the door and dragged Minwoo through the apartment to the bathroom.

"What the…" He gasped, but Mun silenced him once again with a curt hush and hand gesture.

"Listen. Someone's gonna ring the doorbell and ask about me." Minwoo's eyes widen and his pulse quicken. "You can't tell him I'm here."

He almost scoffed at this, because, really ? This man was expecting him to protect him ? Sure, and unicorns were real.

"Why would I…"

"If you don't, your girl's in danger."

Minwoo froze, "What ?" He snapped back in a strangled, painful voice, and Mun relaxed visibly. "What did you do to her ? Where is she ?" He questioned, agitation growing on him.

"Shh !" He answered, grabbing his bicep with more force than needed. "He's gonna hear us."

"What the hell…" He was cut off by the door bell ringing, and stiffening in place, Minwoo's brain went blank for a spreading second.

"Okay." Said Mun with a hand passing on his mouth. "Don’t let him in, okay ?"

"Huh…"

"Minwoo !" He called in a hushed voice and snap of his fingers. "I need you here. Just focus."

"What the hell's going on ?" He answered in a strained voice, and for a second he swore Mun's expression soften.

"Just do what I say." The door bell rang again. "And it'll be alright."

Swallowing, Minwoo stared at the detective and asked, "Is Hyeri alright ?"

"Yes. As long as you do what I say."

He did not need more, and stepping passed the man he said, "Stay here." And headed to the front door he opened after looking at the intercom.

A young man around his age was standing on the other side, wearing a black coat and suit on a white shirt. He looked like an office worker, and wondering who he could be to worry Mun like this, the perspective his baby girl could be hurt prevented him to just give the detective away.

"Yes ?" He said, opening the door and remembering only now his throbbing nose.

It was cut on the top of the bridge and bleeding slightly, but the most visible was the swollenness and redness around the area. There was no doubt the man would notice it, and it made him anxious.

"Good morning. I'm looking for someone, a certain Eric Mun. I work with him and he said I'll find him here."

"Huh… sorry, but there's no one here."

The man narrowed his eyes at him and tried to see passed him, but he was blocking the view completely.

"Are you sure ? I called him and he said he was here."

Could it be the person Mun was on the phone with earlier ? Why would he hide from the man then ? He did not know, but for Hyeri's safety he just went along the plan.

"Well, he must have mistaken the address or apartment number. I'm just coming back from work and there's no one here besides me." He smiled then and hoped it would be convincing enough.

The man eyed him then asked, "Are you okay ?"

"Huh…" He was taken aback and almost panicked, but the man spoke again before the emotion could take control over him.

"Your nose. You're bleeding." He said, touching his own nose to designate the area, and Minwoo stiffened, shoot his hand up to touch his throbbing nose before hissing and trying another smile.

"Huh, yeah. I met the wrong guy. "

"You'll be okay ?" He questioned with still narrowed, observing cold eyes, and at this right moment Minwoo felt a shiver cross his body.

"Huh, yeah. I'm fine, thank you. And I'm sorry about your friend, but he's not here. You should try the floor below, the postman often mistakes us because we've similar names." He lied easily, which surprised him himself. "Well, I've work to do. Have a good evening. Goodbye." He greeted, shutting the door on the man not moving from an inch, and for a second he expected him to force his way inside. But he did not, and sighing once the door locked, he felt some tension leave his body.

He was still leaning against the door with closed eyes when he heard, "Well done."

Shooting his eyes open, he stared at the detective standing across from him with a slight smirk on the lips. For once, he disregarded it to walk to the kitchen and get himself something to drink. Mun stepped closer and stopped at the kitchen's entrance to observe him. He ignored it once again and gulped down a mouthful of beer before slapping the can down on the counter to let the warm, soothing sensation of alcohol spread inside him.

"Don't worry, he's gone." He heard and glanced over his shoulder at Mun stepping back from the door. "I need to make a phone call though, then I'll be gone."

Minwoo did not answer and listened from one ear, wondering what could be going on with this guy he knew nothing about. If not for Hyeri, he would already have tried something stupid and got himself hurt. So, to keep his cool he just drank some more and closed his eyes on the forming headache. He could feel his nose throbbing once again, and grimacing, he touched it with the tip of his fingers before pulling away quickly in a jolt of pain.

"Where are you going ?" He heard and almost growled.

"Bathroom."

He was suddenly very tired of the man and could not wait for him to disappear definitively from his life. He never wanted to be involved in something like that, and even less something he had no information about. But this Eric Mun was keeping to pop up from nowhere to get him in the worst situations ever. He was lucky to still have his job today, and he did not want to risk his career anymore because of this man.

"What do you want ?" He growled, cleaning the bridge of his nose with some cold water.

Standing at the doorway, Mun straightened his posture and asked, "Well, we've a situation, and I need to stay for a little longer."

If looks could kill, the detective would be dead, but for Minwoo's greatest misfortune, the man was still standing there, breathing and very well alive.

Straightening up from the sink, he stared at the detective in annoyed disbelieve before asking, "Are you ing kidding me ? Get the hell outta here !" He snapped, yelled, brandishing his arm in the front door's direction.

Far from fazed by his reaction, Mun stretched his neck and took a step closer, but Minwoo was beyond this man's bulls now. He wanted him gone, forever, and if to do so he had to kick him out of his apartment himself, then so be it. He was too angry to care about any rational thought struggling to get passed through his wall of annoyance.

"Don't ing come near me !" He yelled, backing away from the man he wanted to beat to a pulp. "You've what you wanted. What are you waiting for to get the hell outta my life ?"

Mun stared at him for a spreading second then sighed, as if he was not surprised by such violent reaction. It enraged Minwoo even more, and if not for the gun he could see under the man's coat, he would have lunged at him to strangle him.

"Okay. Let's get this straight." Answered the detective in such cold way that Minwoo stiffened in place and listened. "I don't have a choice but wait at your place. You've seen the guy at your door ? He's dangerous, and I can't risk getting caught by him. So yeah, I've to stay longer than expected, but it's just a matter of hours. Then I'll be gone from your life."

Blinking, Minwoo was not sure what to think, but the seriousness he could hear in Mun's voice and see in his eyes was enough to let him know the man was far from kidding. Therefore, he nodded absentmindedly and breathed out a small 'okay' before watching Mun walk away to the living-room.

When he joined the man in the room, he found him sitting on the couch and talking over the phone with someone he presumed was Junjin. It made him wonder if Dongwan had found the man and if it was related to Mun's sudden presence in his apartment. Dongwan would have told him if the man was arrested though.

Looking at the detective, he promised himself as soon as he was gone he would call his friend and report the situation. He would never let this guy get away with invading his place -again- punching him and threatening his baby girl.

Eric Mun had to pay.

---

---

You know what ? Tonight I dreamt I was at a Shinhwa concert xD. It felt really real, huge and amazing, and even more when the Shinhwa members arrived from where me and some girls I don't know but were apparently my friends xD were standing. There was Eric standing just near me (wearing the scarface outfit of their last concert) and I could see Minwoo a bit farther =(

I wanted him to be closer, but my dreams are such trolls that they keep my bias away from me xD. Then he was suddenly sitting at a table behind us sorting out a lot of papers/magazines while the others were performing on stage across from us xD.

Then I dreamt about an horrible huge monster devouring people in an hospital Oo. I didn't like this part of my dream =// It was about possession and all, and when this thing was getting us it was scary and painful. So yeah, it would've been good if I'd just dreamt about Shinhwa xD.

The second part of my dream had a Walking Dead feelings in some way (if you know this show, if not, well, never mind lOl) and I better remember the concert part ^^ It was really great, even if I can't remember hearing any songs but mostly the fans' cheers and seeing the Shinhwa members from very up close =D

The thing is, now I think about it, it was mostly RicMin I really see and stood beside.

 

Sorry for the irrelevant, but I wanted to share this dream with you ;))