IV

      "Daddy !" Hyeri's voice eventually pierced through the thick cotton of confusion in Minwoo's mind, and when he looked over at his daughter sitting on the couch, an instinctive smile broke his face. "I'm hungry." She said with a cute pout, and glancing at the clock he noticed it was past their usual diner time.

Meeting Mun's gaze, he did not dare to move or say anything until the man gave a curt approving nod.

"I'll cook you diner sweetie, then you'll go to bed." He said, walking to the fridge on the other side of the counter.

"But…" She began, sulking. "I'm not tired."

"You've school tomorrow, so after diner you'll go to bed and read a book if you want. But I want you in your room." He looked at her more seriously than intended and noticed the worry crossing her eyes.

"What's wrong daddy ? You're weird." She said, eventually standing up to walk to Minwoo.

He stiffened and could not wait the moment to get his girl in his arms, but Park stood up and picked her up in his arms. If surprised, Hyeri was quickly distracted when the man started playing with her to make her laugh. Minwoo watched from the corner of his eyes as the detective pulled her up and get her on his shoulders.

He hated the scene, but he bit his lip and just started cooking with Mun sitting on the high stool behind him.

"Daddy's cooking us a really good meal, so we should leave him alone." Smiled Park with Hyeri still in his arms. "What about a game ? Do you have any video games ?"

"She don't play video games so late." Butted in Minwoo despite the joyful exclamation coming from his daughter.

Mun grinned and shared a look with Park. "Do what daddy says. We're just guests here."

Park nodded and looked at Hyeri. "What about cards ? I'll teach you poker." He said, walking to the little girl's room.

"You're not teaching her poker !" Snapped back Minwoo, and looking over at Mun, Park almost sighed. "She's a dozen of board games in her room, just pick one." He added, cutting some carrots to prevent himself from glaring daggers at the man wanting to teach poker to his eight years old daughter.

Then what, he would give her a beer and cigar ? There was not way this guy was teaching his baby girl such game.

"You're pretty protective." Commented Mun, and Minwoo gritted his teeth.

"She's my daughter. What else did you expect ?" He did not want to sound so annoyed, but he could not help it.

"Junjin will never hurt a kid, so relax." He answered. "He's just distracting her while we talk business."

Minwoo looked up from the food he was cutting and glared at the detective. "You mean you're using her as leverage against me."

Mun just smiled and did not deny such accusation. "What are you cooking ?" He asked instead, and the shorter man tensed up in irritation.

"Something quick. Soup with ramen. She loves ramen."

"Me too." Grinned Mun, and Minwoo had to double check on the man to be sure he was not kidding.

"I'm not cooking for you." He snapped in a breath of annoyance and outrage.

"Why not ? We're your guests, remember ? It'll look weird if we were just watching you two eat from afar."

"You're holding us hostage, and I'm not eating." He added more softly before putting the vegetables in the boiling water.

"Sit down !" Suddenly stood up the man before pushing Minwoo away from the cooker. "I'll cook us something really tasty."

"What ?" He gasped, almost shocked.

"I said sit down." Answered the detective with a pointed look, and walking around the counter Minwoo obeyed.

"Why are you doing this ?"

"Because the kid deserves better than instant ramen." Minwoo gritted his teeth at the hidden reproach.

"I was cooking some soup too." He added poorly and hated the smirk on Mun's face.

"I'll show you how real ramen tastes like."

"With instant ramen ?" He scoffed back and held the man's gaze in defiance.

"I've my tricks." He answered with this annoying grin, then it was quiet in the room as Mun cooked diner.

Minwoo wanted more than once run to Hyeri's room and surprise the man enough to grab his daughter and make a run for it. But he had great doubts such plan was safe. Mun would notice he was gone before he had real time to enter his daughter's room, and there was no way he would risk Hyeri's life. Not if these detectives were honest and just wanted these data.

Therefore, he just sat on the high stool and observed Mun cook before getting bored and glancing at the TV screen.

"You can watch TV if you want." He heard and was almost startled out of his skin. "Go ahead." Smiled Mun when Minwoo's gaze met it, and hesitantly moving, the shorter man eventually sat down on the couch and switched on the TV.

He could hear Hyeri laugh and play with Park from where he was, and he could not help smile softly at how happy she sounded to have someone to play with her at one of her many board game he had bought her. She was sadly too often alone to play with it and the games had spent all this time in a closet waiting to be used.

He felt guilty for never finding a moment to play with his daughter with these games, but she never really asked him either to do so. Maybe the only few times she had and he was too busy to had dissuaded her to ask again. He was not sure but promised himself from now on he would play with Hyeri to whatever game she wanted.

　

      It was awkward. Sitting there at the counter with detective Mun while Junjin and Hyeri were on the couch watching some movie about a talking car. The ramen were the best Minwoo had ever tasted, mostly when cooked with instant ramen, but he could not enjoy diner when there was these two men in his apartment holding them hostage and threatening their life.

He was glad Hyeri was oblivious of the situation and having fun with Park -even if Minwoo hated it. As long as she was alright he could behave himself and think about this absurd thing they wanted him to do.

"How're the ramen?" He heard and looked away from his daughter to the man sitting across from him.

Staring, he let the words sink in his brain then shrugged flippantly before glancing down at the food he had barely touched.

"It's okay." He answered, refusing to give any praise to this guy.

Mun snickered -as if knowing he was being immaturely dishonest, and gave him a knowing look making him boil from the inside. Therefore, he ignored the man to look back at the TV he used as distraction from the annoying detective observing him. It was like he was mocking him with his only gaze, and the feeling was the most distasteful one he ever had.

Hyeri's laughter broke his trance from the animation movie and made him smile softly. He was always softened and appeased when seeing his little girl's happiness, and tonight was not different -despite the conditions.

At this right moment, Minwoo knew he would do anything for her, even stole confidential data in his close friend's possession. Hyeri's well-being was more important than anything else in his eyes, and he was ready to sacrifice everything for her. Even the man's truth in him and maybe his job.

 

---

 

      The night was a long one. Putting his daughter in bed and reading her a story -under Junjin's watch, Minwoo was allowed in his room after Mun's search of it to be sure he had nothing threatening or troublesome in.

"Leave the door open !" He heard on his way to his bedroom -at midnight, and stiffening, he could not describe how hateful such words sounded.

"Okay." He answered lowly before disappearing in the darkness of his room.

It felt utterly weird to be laying in bed with two armed strangers in the living-room, and the fact they could be dangerous kept running in circle in his mind. He was terrified to close his eyes and fall asleep. He could not let his guard down with these people in his apartment, and who knows what their real purpose here was.

Maybe they were some kind of maniacs enjoying to torture people before killing them.

Minwoo definitely could not sleep tonight.

　

      The next morning he was forced out of bed even before dawn, and groaning when the little sleep he had managed to grab escaped him, he joined Mun in the living room where breakfast was surprisingly ready.

Looking around, panic assaulted him when Junjin happened to be gone. Different kind of worrying thoughts involving his daughter made his head spin, and just as he was thinking to race to Hyeri's room, he heard the toilet flush then the door open. Soon after, the bathroom's light offered some clarity in the darkness of the hallway before the taller man was coming back to the living-room.

"Hey there." He grinned with a pat on Minwoo's back. "You'd a good night ?"

The shorter man groaned, scratched his head and hated the man for such question. "I'd better."

Junjin smiled and squeezed his shoulder -as if he actually cared about him, then lay on the couch with his arms crossed behind his head.

"Come eat your breakfast. We need to go in one hour." Arose Mun's voice, and Minwoo could not help glare at him for such patronizing words.

The detective ignored his reaction and just set the breakfast on the counter for him. He was a bit surprised by the attention, but with his growling stomach he could not deny the food like last evening. He was suddenly regretting having no appetite for the amazing ramen Mun had cooked.

Sitting on the high stool, he glanced at the food and could not resist long before eating. It tasted good, even if there was not much prepared. It was just enough to satisfy his hunger quickly washed away by the gravity of the situation.

"You've forty minutes left to get ready. You should hurry, we've a few things to discuss before going."

Minwoo eyed the man and wanted to say a lot of things, but he found himself unable to utter a single word. Heading to his bedroom, he slowed down at his daughter's bedroom level and peaked from the slightly opened door. Seeing the peaceful form of Hyeri entangled in her comforter, he felt the muscles in his body tense and scream at him to get in here, grab his baby girl and get out of this mess.

But he did not. He could not, with these two men in the other room. He knew he did not have a chance to do more than get Hyeri in the safety of his arms to then what ? Face the detectives and stand there dumbly with no way out of his apartment ? It was the stupidest thing he could do.

Swallowing a sigh, he quietly pulled the door shut with his fingers on the door handle. As if to shield his daughter from the danger the men in the living-room were representing.

When he looked up, there was Junjin standing at the hallway entrance and staring at him. Minwoo felt cold sweat rush down his body and a lump form in his throat.

He was suddenly feeling like the little boy he was once and was caught red-handed by his mother stealing candies after diner. It was an act he knew he should not do and was forbidden but still did it in the end because he wanted these candies so much.

He was feeling exactly like this right now, as when his mother's scowl had pinned him in place and made his pulse quicken and his brain race.

"You don't have much time." Commented Junjin in a softer voice than expected, and swallowing, Minwoo nodded absentmindedly before glancing back at Hyeri's bedroom's door.

He should be moving by now, but he could not bring himself to do so with the man at the other side of the hallway. He was a threat he could not let close to his baby girl, and glancing back at Junjin giving him a curt nod, he moved at the same time as the man retreating in the living-room.

Anxious, he entered his room and chose a suit, shirt, socks and tie before walking to the bathroom.

He was always wasting time in the shower room, mostly because it was one of the rare moment he had for himself and himself only; but today he showered, shaved, dressed and styled his hair in record time. He was back in the living-room with fifteen plus minutes left for them to discuss whatever Mun wanted to discuss about.

Minwoo presumed it was about how they would steal the wanted data, and sitting on the high stool he had claimed as his since yesterday evening, he watched the two men quietly.

Junjin was once again laying on the couch, with his eyes closed this time and a relaxed expression on his face. Minwoo wondered how he could be so calm in such situation, then the thought he was used to it made him sickly annoyed.

Eventually sitting across from him, Mun stared at the shorter man before handing him a box in which a pair of glasses was. Frowning in confusion, he looked up at the man questioningly.

"There's cameras on both sides." He began to explain with the glasses in hand. "I'll guide you with this. Here !" He handed him a Smartphone Minwoo took carefully before looking it over. "I'll be on the phone with you all the time. If you hang up or if I lose my visual…" Minwoo felt the threat hung in the air. "Remember Junjin's watching your little girl while we're gone."

He heard himself drew on a breath and nod slowly. The threat was not really necessary, but it effectively convinced him to just do as told and get over with this madness.

"It's all you'll need for the job." He continued, showing him some kind of USB, but bigger and more sophisticated. "Alright." He glanced at his watch then looked up at Minwoo. "We should be going now. Before traffic gets heavy."

Checking the time, Minwoo could not remember ever leaving so early to go to work. It felt strange and panicked him. Such change of habit would look suspicious, and when Dongwan would notice the missing data he would know it was him. Not many people had an access to his office, and Minwoo knew he would be the main suspect.

He was not sure what his friend would do for such betrayal, and even if he was sure Dongwan would understand him, he was worried of losing not only his job, but a precious friend.

"Relax." Mun's voice bounced on the apartment's walls.

Looking up at the man, he found nothing to say when he actually had so much on his mind. He knew none of his arguments would be valid to these people and rather shut up than waste his saliva.

"Let's go !" Announced Mun, and the sudden realization he was leaving without Hyeri made a ball of anxiety fall in his stomach.

It had never happened before. The only moments he had to separate from his baby girl were when she was going to school or when he was studying and leaving her in the care of an old lady he trusted with his life. He suddenly could not bring himself to move and stared at Junjin's form on the couch.

The man had been nothing but caring towards his daughter since all this had started, but it only increased this worry at the pit of his stomach. What if he was hurting her ? Doing things to her ? What if he was taking her away ? He could not bear the idea of losing his little girl.

"Hey." The hand falling on his shoulder almost made him jump out of his skin, and on a breath, he looked over at Mun. "It's okay. Don't worry about her, he'll take care of her like his own daughter." It should be reassuring, but it was not to the terrified father he suddenly was.

"If he hurt her…" He began lowly, and the softness he could have see on the taller man's face suddenly disappeared to let place to a smirk.

"Again. Don't give us a reason to, and you'll be back home tonight to have diner with her and forget ever meeting us."

Minwoo could not believe in so little time his life could resume its original path, and his stubborn part did not want to believe it. But Mun had been nothing but sincere so far, so he did not have much reason to doubt his words. Besides the fact he was threatening him to get some confidential data and holding him and his daughter hostage. None of them were hurt, and Minwoo would do anything for it to stay this way.

"Let's go now."

"Can I kiss her goodbye ?" He questioned, asked, already taking a step away; and after staring at him for a second, Mun nodded.

"We've some time." He accepted to an already retreating Minwoo.

Entering his daughter's room quietly, he walked to her bed and could not help look at her for a spreading moment. He was feeling like it was the last time he would see her and touch her, and such possibility made him sick in his stomach and weak in his knees.

Leaning forward, he pressed a gentle hand on the back of her head and kissed her temple before murmuring some loving words in her ear. Hyeri's brows twitched, but then she fell back in a deep slumber. Keeping his hand a little longer on her head, he fought against himself to move and go out of her room. With a last glance at his baby girl, he shut the door and joined Eric waiting for him at the entrance.

"Let's go !" He said, walking passed the detective to get his shoes on and then open the front door.

The sooner he would be done with his task, the sooner these people would disappear from their life.

---

---

I hate Shinhwa !!

 

They're trying to ruin me. I just saw the re-release of their 10th anniversary concert, and I HAD to get it. T.T

I'm lucky so far when they release stuffs I've the money to buy it. Fortunately their 12th album's not gonna be as expensive as their concert dvds.

*sigh*

It's the very first time I buy so many things from one group. I've two BigBang's albums --they were my very first music related thing I bought-- and that's all. I've never wanted to buy anything else from the groups I liked. But with Shinhwa... I spent more money than I would've ever imagined.

I've their 2013 Grand Final Concert In Seoul, Minwoo's Inside M+Ten Documentary, and now I just ordered their 10th re-release Concert DVD and I will buy their 12th album.

I bought so many things from them in so little time, but I want to support them and have their stuffs.

I wanted Minwoo's Xmas DVD Concert, but I didn't have the money at the time.

So yeah, Shinhwa and Minwoo makes me want to buy their stuffs, and so far I'm satisfied. But I can't wait to buy my very first Shinhwa album ^^ I just hope I'll have the money when it comes out.

 

Sorry for boring you with such random rant, but I wanted to share it with Shinhwa Changjos, as irrelevant as it can be xD