XVI

      It was an abandoned warehouse, just like in movies about gangsters, and Minwoo could have laugh about such fact if not for the frightening smiling man standing in front of him. He should not be so nervous with the wanted notebook in his pocket, but he could not help it. Something like gut instinct was yelling at him something was wrong, but he could not figure out what and had no other choice than follow the flow for now.

"So you have it." Smiled the man Minwoo was still ignoring the name of.

Dongwan did not want to give him any information, because it would have looked suspicious if he knew more than he should about the man. It was logic but so freaking unnerving to be so ignorant about the man having his daughter and threatening his life.

"Yes." He answered, shoving his uninjured hand in his pocket, and the man smiled some more.

Minwoo hated this smile, it looked too… reptilian for his liking, and it made his skin crawl.

Taking the little notebook out, the man stretched his arm out, and hesitating, Minwoo took the few steps closer separating him from the man and gave the item. Eying warily the four men standing threateningly behind the man, he swallowed thickly and stepped back carefully.

Checking the notebook, the man's smile did not change for a moment until it stiffened and turned into a menacing scowl.

Nervous, Minwoo his lips, felt like running away, glanced at the people in front of him before asking, "Wha… what ?"

The man glared up at him dangerously before showing the notebook in his hands.

"It's a fake." He announced curtly, and Minwoo could have fall on his if he was able to move.

He could not understand what the man was saying and could think about only one thing : Hyeri. Would these people hurt her, would they kill her, kill him ? What would happen now ? He did not know and had no idea how this notebook could be fake. Dongwan could no…

Throwing the little book in his direction, Minwoo snapped out of his thoughts when it hit his chest before falling at his feet. Staring at it, he still could not believe it was fake. It had to be the one. Dongwan said it was the asked notebook. He said he would help him. He said…

Picking the notebook up, he started flicking the pages and saw something making his eyes widen big.

He could remember this page. He did not want to look at it when he was doing Mun's dirty work back there, but he had saw a few things, and this page was part of it. However, what was written on it was all wrong. The numbers mostly. He recognized this page because of a peculiar name he had spotted, but beside this name, everything else was wrong. The first names were wrong, the bank account numbers were wrong, the…

The notebook was fake. He could not believe it, and looking up at the man in shock, he could not say anything to defend himself.

Observing, the man's expression was unreadable, and Minwoo was expecting to be shot or something now, so when he heard a gunfire, he ducked and closed his eyes tightly.

He was sure he was shot, but the sudden mess of noises, screams and fire shots filling his ears forced his eyes open just as a hand was grabbing his arm. Yelping, he ran with the man dragging him away from the shooting and helped him escape from a back door.

He had no idea what was going on, and when he was shoved in a car where Dongwan was waiting for him, he could not understand anymore.

      Staring at his friend, he could not talk nor think or move, and feeling the car start and drive away with as background melody guns shots, he felt sudden hot tears run down his cheeks.

Because here, in this vehicle with his friend, he suddenly realized he had just lost his baby girl. Dongwan had signed Hyeri's death warrant and… he would never see her ever again. He could not believe it. He could not believe how painful it was, how terrifying it was, how…

"Why ?" He suddenly screamed, startling at least the driver. "Why did you…? How could you ?" Grabbing the attorney's collar, he wanted to punch and hurt him and kill him.

"Calm down Minwoo." Answered the paused voice of the man as his eyes bored into him. "You're being dramatic."

"You just…" He hissed dangerously. "You ing bastard. Because of you… because of you Hyeri's dead."

Dongwan sighed and did not comment on the accusation. "We're looking for her, but so far there's no progress."

Minwoo was not sure what he had just heard, then he realized his friend had just told him they did not know where Hyeri was which meant she was as good as dead.

"You…"

"If you don't calm down right now Minwoo, I'll have to do it for you." Cut off the attorney, and trembling in rage and desperation, Minwoo did not care about the threat, but he still let go of the other man's collar.

"Why did you do that ?" He asked, hot tears still streaming down his face. "I thought… I thought you were my friend. You said…"

Dongwan snickered then composed himself before looking over at him, "I am your friend. Otherwise we wouldn't be here having this conversation, but…" Minwoo shut his mouth to listen. "I couldn't let ShiHoo get my notebook. Too many lives would've been at risk, and too many people would've been ruined. I couldn't allow it."

"But…" He could not believe it and ended up speechless. "Hyeri…" He managed to breathe out, and Dongwan sighed.

"I never meant for it to happen like this. I really hoped we'll find her before the trade but…" He sighed again, closed his eyes and pulled on his buttoned suit jacket. "I'd a choice to make, and I chose to protect these important information."

At this point, Minwoo was feeling like killing the man he once called a friend. He could not believe what he was hearing and even less the fact Dongwan was so casual about the fact Hyeri was maybe dead by now (or would be real soon). It made him feel like murdering the attorney.

"What are you saying Dongwan ?" He still asked in a shaky voice, because it could not be possible. All this must be a horrible, bad dream. "Hyeri… she…"

The attorney looked over at him and stared. Minwoo could not really read his expression, but it looked almost tender. 

"Collateral damage."

Clenching his fist violently, Minwoo exploded, "You ing bastard ! I thought you liked her. You were always so nice to her, I thought… I thought…" He was getting out of breathe and words, and Dongwan took over.

"I like you. I really do." He said, staring straight in Minwoo's eyes, which sent a shiver down his back.

"What is that supposed to mean ?" He answered breathily, not really wanting to understand what the other man meant by that.

Dongwan could not…

"Business is business, Minwoo. I'm sorry you've to be entangled in this mess, and believe me…" He stared back at him and added. "I'll make sure these damn detectives pay for it. But I can't do anything for Hyeri anymore. We're still looking for her, and if we don't find her soon, there will be nothing we can do for her anymore. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry ? Are you ing kidding me ?" He could feel blood thumping in his ears and making his head spin as he continued, "You're not sorry ! You don't care about her. You're just an egoistic greedy bastard."

Trembling, Minwoo felt the sudden need to get away from the attorney. He could not stay with him anymore and needed to get some air.

Grabbing the door handle, he pulled on it but the door was locked. "Let me out !" He said threateningly low, and looking at him, Dongwan sighed. "Now !" He yelled, glaring dangerously at the other man.

Staring at Minwoo's red, murderous eyes, Dongwan saw something he had never saw before in his friend, and in a hand motion he ordered at the driver to unlock the doors.

Minwoo glared at him another moment and felt like jumping at his throat, but overwhelmed by emotions, the need to get away was stronger. Opening the door, the car went to a stop just as he was jumping out and taking a run for nowhere specific. He just needed to get away.

 

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      Eric should have expect for something like that to happen at the warehouse. Nothing good was never happening with a man like Park ShiHoo, and even less when Kim Dongwan was involved. He did not know much about the two's history, but it was not pretty and Eric had no doubt of the hatred they had for each other.

It was such a shame Minwoo had to be involved in all this.

He knew the main responsible was certainly him, but he rather believe that Kim Dongwan was just bad news and something like that would have happened sooner or later (even without his intervention in the first place). Kim Dongwan had too many enemies for Minwoo to be safe around the man, and it was his luck Eric was around while it happened.

If not, who would have been here to help him now his dear attorney friend had showed his real self to him and let him down in a dangerous situation.

He was not that sure what the all trade was about, but after looking for Hyeri and finding her nowhere she could be, Eric presumed she was used against Minwoo once again. Poor guy. His daughter was the reason of his life and was the only way to get him to do anything. It was why Eric did not want any kind of attach. Attachment meant weakness and weakness meant danger.

People were vulnerable when they had weaknesses, and Eric could not afford it. Not anymore at least.

      He followed from afar the car in which Minwoo was shoved by Andy and wondered what was Kim Dongwan's plan now. He had just got the little girl killed after all, and he was sure Minwoo would not react well to it.

Therefore, it was no surprise when he spotted the man storming out of the car before running away. Eric wondered where he was going like that, and changing line to follow after him, he parked his car at a free spot before resuming his search by feet.

Minwoo was hurt after all, he would not go that far.

      He found the man limping in the grass along the river. He looked like a lost soul, someone who had lost everything and had no more reason to live. He reminded him of Hyesung in some way, and the comparison made a pinch of emotion awaken in him.

He was not one to show his attachment or concern, but it was true he actually had a liking in the hacker. They were sharing a similar past, or at least, had crossed ways at some point and ended up involved with the same .

Shaking the memory away, he followed Minwoo until he crashed on the green grass and just stayed there. From afar it could look like the shorter man was just sitting on the ground to watch the river, but from Eric's position, he clearly noticed the tremors in his body and slouched shoulders.

Advancing on the man, he was not sure how to approach him. He knew too well his responsibility in the pain the man was victim of today, and he was not as ready as thought to face it.

      Minwoo did not let him time to think too much about a way to get his attention, because he suddenly felt Eric's presence and snapped his head up.

It was no surprise the shorter man was crying, and the hatred and anger Eric saw on his face was perfectly understandable, as the way he lunged at him and tackled him on the ground for a good punch. Grunting, Eric did not try to defend himself and just did his possible to minimize the damages.

Minwoo's first punch was enough to burst his lip, and the following ones were meant to hurt too, but he got a grab of the shorter man's wrists before bucking him off and switching their position.

"Let me go !" He yelled, struggling like a madman with tears flowing out of his eyes freely. "Let me go ! Help !" He started yelling then, and pressing a hand on Minwoo's mouth, Eric realized it would not look right from afar, but what else could he do ?

The shorter man was hysterical and making a scene. He had to keep him quiet and… He did not know. He was not even sure why he had followed him in the first place, and coming to such realization, he sighed and moved away.

Minwoo gasped for air and hurried in a sitting position before glaring at Eric's back. He wanted to lung at him again and hit him, but he was suddenly tired and did not want to move anymore, so just sat there on the grass behind the detective.

"You killed her." He eventually accused, and Eric tensed up furiously.

He knew it was not true, but it was not wrong either, and this only made him feel horrible.

"My baby girl, I..." His voice cracked, and looking over his shoulder, Eric felt an ache in his chest at the sight of Minwoo with his elbows on his knees and hands hiding his face.

He did not need to see the tears to know the shorter man was crying. The sobs were enough, and the tremors in his body too.

He was not sure what to do, but he reacted on instinct and reached a hand towards Minwoo to grab his forearm and squeeze as silent support, apologize or God knows what else. He was not even sure himself what he was doing.

"We'll find her." He said and punched himself mentally the next second.

He was not one to make such dangerous promises, but he felt the need to do it. Only for Minwoo to eventually stop crying and look at him.

"Dongwan's already doing that." He answered in a strained voice. "And he said he'd nothing so far."

Eric observed as Minwoo pulled his hands down and stared in the distance with puffy read eyes and bruises along with cuts on his face. He looked so beat up, and Eric felt bad about it.

"We're not Dongwan." He answered with a grin, and the shorter man's eyes slid down on him to stare before glaring. "I know a great hacker who can find anyone anywhere. If you want, we can give it a try."

Eric hated the fact he waited anxiously for the other man's answer. He was worried, worried he would turn him down and just hit him again. He did not care about the pain, but he sincerely wanted to find this little girl and get her back in her adorable father's arms. She did not deserve what was happening to her, and Minwoo did not deserve it either.

So, staring back in Minwoo's unreadable eyes, he hoped with all his might he would accept his offer and just let him help him.

"Okay." He cracked out, and Eric could not believe how wide his grin spread.

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For all the RicMin shippers, I hope you're happy ;))

I'm curious to know what you've to say about what happened *grins*

Did you like it ? I hope so ^^