Chapter One

“I can’t believe you got to kill him.” Minwoo sulked. “It was my turn.”

Dongwan snorted humorously and kept striding away from the chapel, so no one would catch them. He was holding his fresh husband’s fingers and dragging him behind him until they were comfortably far from the ramshackle cottage-like building and entered a tiny forest.

“But babe,” Dongwan said. “I did it so you won’t get your pretty little hands dirtied.” He shifted his body around and kissed the guy. “Right?”

Minwoo pouted and crossed the arms onto his chest, staring deeply into the eyes of his lover. Dongwan leaned in again to remove the pout from the lips and grabbed the tightly crossed arm and freed it. He entwined the fingers and continued walking.

“Maybe so,” Minwoo replied. “But you used my gun.”

“Oh yeah,” Dongwan remembered. “Give me your gun.”

“Why!?” The older one became defensive towards his gun. “You know it was a present from my dad!”

The slightly taller man heaved a long sigh, hand still up and waited. He knew gazing at his brand new husband would help and eventually the gun would be on his hands. Minwoo was very easy to control – I know it sounds bad but Dongwan was the leader and he told what to do if they were in trouble…again – but he was so damn stubborn so often.

“Fine,” the shorter lad mumbled and ripped the gun from the container. “Here. Take it! Are you happy now?”

“Jesus…if I had known this is our first fight as married couple, I wouldn’t have married you now.” , Dongwan realised as soon as he had finished the sentence that he had said too much. But for his luck Minwoo understood humor and just chuckled softly.

“Oh, you think so much of yourself.” The older one tapped the cheek and walked past the husband.

Dongwan took his gun out and put the other one instead. He strode behind Minwoo and reached his hand to the which he grabbed. The other one turned his head and looked at him. Dongwan showed the gun to the lover and put it inside the container. Then he stepped beside the guy and took his hand again.

“We should celebrate this,” Dongwan suggested.

“We should.” Minwoo agreed.

“I know a place nearby. Come.”

He was dragged behind again, branches cracking underneath the feet as they walked deeper into the strange forest until they were on the other side and they were back at the city. Dongwan turned to his husband, put the hands around the hood and lifted it up to cover the face.

“Just to protect you,” Dongwan said.

“What about you?” Minwoo murmured.

The younger man lifted the collar of his shirt up, hid his mouth, put the sunglasses on and looked at the other guy. Minwoo smiled adorably, as he grasped the other hand tightly and took it inside his pocket. Dongwan cleared his throat, looked around and they blended in to the rest of the crowd.

The whole city was covered with posters, telling about two wanted guys. It was suddenly way more dangerous to even breathe the air. Minwoo had never been in the wanted list, but when he had found Dongwan, his life had turned into constant escaping and running. His mother had always warned him about the guys who chose to live hazardously, and she had knowledge, since Minwoo’s father had not been a good guy.

“Police officers…” Dongwan halted his steps.

“Is the place you know near?” Minwoo mumbled.

“Two blocks away,” the younger guy responded, gripping the hand tighter. “Remember what I taught you; don’t look them into the eyes and just walk past them.” He reminded and they continued plodding.

Minwoo’s heartbeat was unstable, and he was panting when they were approaching the cops. But the calming squeezes on his hand made him ignore the men and just keep walking. Dongwan sighed relieved when they were farther away from the officers, and sped up.

“We need to hurry,” he whispered and kissed the cheek of his new husband.

                ***

The bar was very dim. Only lights came from the red stage lighting and the bar. The place was crowded, even though it was just a regular day in the middle of the week. Men were drinking their third beers, and some were having something to eat, as Minwoo and Dongwan entered the bar. Every head turned to them, but none of the faces cared.

Minwoo took a look around the place; it smelled of cigars and alcohol, and it looked like someone had died there – it smelled like someone had died there to be honest. It was a bar for those who could not afford real place to stay in and who were like Dongwan.

Minwoo followed his husband to the bar, noticing the man dancing on the stage.

It was bizarre to have a male dancer, but for some reason it made the two guys very delighted. They did not feel like unwanted people due to their lifestyle and choices. And the man on the stage was very good at what he was doing; his body moved along the slow beat, the clothes slowly being stripped off. The legs were thin, but in a masculine way, same with the arms; the man revealed his stomach, and it was very good as well.

Dongwan sat down to a stool and let Minwoo enjoy the show. The stripper had leather underneath the clothes he had been wearing, and the older man gasped. He had always adored dancing, which was why he could not stop looking at the wavy motions and the facial expressions. When the guy only had the leather underwear and some string around him, he stepped down the stage and started touching the men who desired it.

“Who is he?” Minwoo interrogated Dongwan.

“He is called Junjin. No one knows anything about him.” the younger man replied and turned to the table when the bartender had the courtesy to arrive. “Finally,” he mumbled.

Minwoo sat down beside Dongwan and smiled at the bartender. However, the bartender was not amused to smile back and just snorted and walked at the back again. Dongwan bit his cheeks and wanted to slam his fist to the surface, but because of Minwoo, he restrained himself.

“Well, well, well,” The bartender returned. “Kim Dongwan.”

“Well, well, well…” Dongwan repeated. “Andy,”

“What brings you to my humble home?” the bartender spread his arms; a man at the back coughed and someone gobbed disgustingly. “Last time you were here, cops wouldn’t stop snooping around for a week.”

Minwoo blinked his eyes and leaned closer to the man he loved. Dongwan chuckled huskily, and threw his arm over the shorter man’s shoulder and held him near. Andy goggled at them dumbly; he looked like he was sick, but Dongwan knew what the guy looked outside this all dirt and smell. His eyes shifted to the stripper and then came back to the two.

“We got married,” Dongwan told.

“Wow,” Andy commented dryly. “Someone actually wanted to marry you?” Minwoo pouted and glanced at the other criminal. “That person must be crazy.” The bartender cackled. “Anyways, what do you want me to do?”

Dongwan shifted his head at Minwoo and smiled at him.

“We’d love to have something…fancy.” He explained to the younger guy. “Something…these dudes can’t afford.” He whispered.

Andy nodded slowly and retreated to the backroom again, remaining there for several seconds. Minwoo had time to concentrate on the stripper again – the look on his face was far from amused or excited – and entwined fingers with Dongwan. Shortly the bartender came back.

“I’ve got this,” he slammed a bottle of some odd wine to the table and presented it to the two. “It must be as old as you two are,” Andy joked.

“Very funny,” Dongwan muttered. “Pour us some.”

Andy took two broken glasses and poured them almost full of the beverage. He looked at the two and shrugged. The hyungs cocked their heads back and gulped down every single drop, before Dongwan commenced digging his pockets for money – the price of the wine was too much compared to the taste that reminded the two from sweaty socks and vomit. He discarded some obscure money onto the wooden board and stood up. While they were fixing each other, the stripper appeared and sat down to the stool. Andy gave him a big glass and filled it with soju like it was normal.

“Who are these fags?” Junjin began.

“Acquaintances,” Andy murmured. “They are fine. You don’t have to pull your gun out.” He added.

Dongwan looked at the man from head to toe and scowled; he was wearing practically nothing, so how on earth did he carry a gun around in that outfit?

“And…we prefer not to be called that,” Minwoo pointed out. “Just…couple is fine.” He explained.

But the stripper did not care, as he glared at them uninterested and sipped the clear drink continually. The bartender leaned to his elbows and looked at the man before he bade farewell to the criminals. Dongwan knew Andy was glad they’d finally leave since last time Dongwan had created the biggest ruckus in his whole career; it had included some hookers, some stolen things and the bar.

“Wannie,” Minwoo prompted when they were outside.

“Yes, love?”

People were hurrying towards a big television built onto a building. Dongwan dug his pockets and noticed that they did not have much money left; the damn priest had carried absolutely nothing in the chapel. Killing him had been the righteous thing to do.

“What happens now?” Minwoo asked.

“Did you hear?! Father Choi is dead!” The two criminals startled and saw the news parading in every street television there was.  “He was found dead in his chapel. He had been shot!”

Minwoo gasped and gazed at the brand new husband, who merely just squished his hand and pulled him back to the bar. Maybe it was safe to hide for a while.

“If someone asks,” Dongwan cupped his lover’s face. “My name is Dane.”

“Then…then what’s my name?” Minwoo stuttered.

“Minbong.”

The older guy exhaled exasperated, but decided not to argue about a name he had not been called since he had been in school.

“Unfair…” he said and pursed his lips. “Minbongie…tsk…”