The sink filled with red water as Hakyeon rinsed every single inches of his hand, making sure there was no traces of it whatsoever. He didn't like the smell of blood. It made him feel nauseating.

"Hakyeon...... your hand is cleaned now....." Leo mumbled, eyes fixed on Hakyeon's hand. They were shaking. Even a few minutes ago the one that was so strong was now shaking before him. His whole body was jerking a little from time to time. Hakyeon stopped, gawking at the red water before him. The sight he had in mind was frightening him now.

Stop shaking!

Hakyeon ordered himself several times, but his body wouldn't follow. His body went numb and he felt as if all the stress of the world had made it's home in his legs. He felt weak, perhaps more restless, and before he even realized it, he was all crumpled up on the floor.

What's wrong?

He asked himself seeing hands tremble, the shirt wrapped around his waist,still smelt of fresh blood. Nervously he took it off, threw it somewhere a bit farther, changed into the sleeveless shirt that Hyuk had gave him, but the shaking didn't stop. The blood was tormenting him in an unknown way, he was abhorring it.

He did not plan this day to turn out like this. No, he wanted this day to be just a regular day. Where did he go wrong? Was it the conversation with Leo in the morning? Or was it not picking up their calls? no..

They were all wrong steps taken by him. He was already way too much shaken. And now he felt lonely, scared, threatened.

Yes, lonely to know that he had brought this upon himself today, to know that he truly was alone in this mess. The loneliness scared him. It multiplied the fear within him.

He needed water to calm himself but he refused to get up. He refused to let his eyes wander around, he refused to look before, he refused to look behind.
Behind him stood Leo, who had a mountain of questions for him. They were alone, what if he asked him those questions now? And before him was his own reflection. He didn't want to see it.

Why today out of all day?

He kept on questioning himself, maybe wishing that god would answer him. In his oblivion he even uttered those words out loud. Leo flinched a little, Hakyeon was a mess today. And just like every day, he again didn't understand what was going on that little mind of the human.

"Hakyeon?" He called, his voice as soothing as it could get. Hakyeon's body sent a little jerk in reply.

"Are you crying?" Leo asked, despite of knowing he wasn't. Hakyeon didn't answer. His mind was stuck in that scenario.

"What's wrong?" A bit desperate, Leo kneeled by him, he knew he couldn't touch but yet tried anyway, the hand slowly lightly resting on Hakyeon's upper arms. Hakyeon looked behind over his shoulder. The concern of the ghost seemed too much visible on the expressionless feature of his.

"Are you not scared?" Hakyeon hushed. Leo couldn't catch his words, he rose his eyebrows.

"Scared?"

"Hmm..... the blood.... The smell of it ..... doesn't it make you feel...... dreaded?"

Leo paused a while. Before parting his lips,

"But you seemed so okay a few moments ago...... when you saw the dead body.... Then why are you so-"

"I was okay, right? I was too okay...

"........what?..."

"...... I should have been strong.....for others....." Hakyeon wrapped his hands around his own arms. "But.... I was too okay.......it was....I..... Why?"

Leo bit his bottom lip. Taking a look back at the previous scenario he could very well picture the fear filled eyes of Ravi, the eyes filled with question that belonged to Ken, the eyes representing confusion of Hyuk and finally the clearest eyes of them all, the eyes of Hongbin that held worlds utter disbelief in his two simple eyes. But he couldn't recall what Hakyeon's eyes showed...

He couldn't recall because he didn't show anything.Why?

Strong? How? Was the Hakyeon from before really just have been the responsible guardian of these little ones? Hakyeon's state was clearly screaming how scared the human was, but he held strong. They would need him, just like Ravi needed him. Was that why he looked that strong at that time? What was he feeling then? What was he feeling now?

Lonely... that was the only answer Leo could think of. Being the eldest of them all, being their guardian, maybe that's why he had to be strong. It was his duty, even after seeing something as horrible as that before his eyes, he had to keep strong. Because simply He was the hyung. The eldest, the strongest.

Leo felt regretful after thinking so.He didn't know if he was correct or not, but if he was, then counted as his failure that not even him could see the dim fear in the shade of his eyes. Even staying with him, walking by his side, he couldn't understand the simple situation of the human. Of how lonely he was.....

And I thought he looked cool...how childish could I get?

"Hakyeon....it's okay..." Leo purred.

Hakyeon continued to shake his head lightly from side to side.

"No.... it's not okay.... Can't you see?" Hakyeon paused, his voice a coarse whisper.

"I acted too normal out there.... A normal human won't.... an innocent person won't... But I did Leo....."

"That's because you had to be strong for others. You just said it yourself....."

"No.... Leo....there is more than that ...."

"... there isn't..... You did what you needed to...."

"No Leo... you don't understand...." Hakyeon's voice as persistent as it could sound, " You don't know what's wrong here."

"Yes I do Hakyeon...." Hakyeon matched their eye level, Leo's dark feline eyes held a sharp warmth in it.

"You are just feeling lonely...." Leo stated firmly.

Hakyeon managed to let out a chuckle,

"Do I really seem only lonely to you?"

"Yes...."

"Leo I'm not that naïve...."

"No.... but you are not some hypocrite either..... Acting normal by seeing a dead body doesn't change anything..... so stop saying these things...."

Another chuckle left his lips. Hakyeon looked away.

Leo sucked in an uneasy breath, to muster up the courage to say something.

"I'm here."

Hakyeon would be lying if he had said that his eyes didn't widened at Leo's words. Hakyeon slowly turned around, the shy blush on the fairer one's face was truly something to pay for. And regardless of what Leo's conclusion to the state of Hakyeon was, Hakyeon had realized that his hand had by then stopped trembling. He couldn't really tell what the reason was. Was it Leo's cute face, or was it because of his words.

"You also think I'm a double-dealer don't you?" Hakyeon kinda slurred. He also knew that the question was out of blue, but he still wanted to ask him, to know how Leo had thought of him.

Leo quailed,

"no....why..okay... Hakyeon listen.. you do seem strange to me sometimes, like in the morning... and you do hold a lot of my unanswered questions. Your identity is mysterious to me as well... but that is just to that range. I don't think you are anything like that....You are a nice person."

"What if I was Leo? What if I was a pretender, or worse a psychopath?"

"Hakyeon.."

"You would hate me right? You would leave me...won't you?" Leo shocked by the sudden stupid question took a moment to think what his answer could be at this point.

"Well I can't leave you.... Not before the time is over....."Leo mumbled.

Hakyeon could wait for another answer but he realized the next answer might hurt him real bad or might just create some kind of weird feeling inside of him that he had been getting from the very beginning of the day. He stood up, looking at his reflection before him he could only see himself. But looking behind he could see the one that's always looking at him. He was the one who saw him, right? Just like the mirror the world didn't know his existence but Hakyeon did. And he was the one who noticed everything. Who felt everything.... So if he had said he was here, he wouldn't leave him before the time was over....... It was only a fool's job for not to believe him after all, right?

Maybe he is right...Maybe I only just need him here.....Maybe that's why suddenly...

Hakyeon turned to the mirror, his reflection still the same, just a slight upturn of his lips on the end.

I'm smiling.....

"Leo-ah~" Hakyeon called, his voice was warm and calm, and his hand turned the tap on. Water soaking his hand wet.

"Hmm....."

"Don't leave me even if I do turn out to be a hypocrite, or psychopath or anything similar to that.....Because ...." Hakyeon splashed his face with cold water, the touch of it felt great against his skin. Turning it off he paused before making his way to the door.

"I really need you here.......it's a promise, okay?" Hakyeon whispered. He didn't even bother to wipe the water off his face, the blood stained shirt still fell on the ground, he didn't bother to pick it up at that time either, he turned the doorknob.

Hakyeon didn't turn back, and that is why he didn't see how Leo's jaw muscle tightened at that one simple silly promise made by that human. Leo turned to his left where the mirror was, his reflection still missing. He shifted his gaze back to Hakyeon's back. He didn't regret that Hakyeon left the place before he could reply to his question but what he regretted was how Hakyeon could never feel the pain he felt just like he did when Hakyeon felt it. Because if he did he could have assuredly felt as if someone had shoveled a dagger in his heart when Hakyeon told him to make such a stupid promise.

Your silliness.........is too much to accept Hakyeon...

Hakyeon entered the room, all others had their eyes dropped. Just except the manager, he stood behind Hyuk rather lazily. Hakyeon looked at Hyuk's back. Hyuk had that something in his aura that reminded him of himself. And that was why he had questions formed for him, questions that needed to be answered. But before, they needed to plan their escape.

"We need to leave this place soon," Hakyeon's voice got them reopen their eyes. They all exchanged some tired gaze,

"I suggest we stay and let police handle this matter..."Ken firmly replied before exchanging his gaze from Ravi to Hongbin.

"It's quite obvious now that the killer really is amongst us.." Ken slurred.

"What are you saying?" Hongbin immediately retorted, eyes hurt from Ken's absurd accusation.

"You just came with Ravi so how coul-"

"I never said it was Ravi....." Ken cut him off. His eyes felt as if they were boring holes into Hongbin's body.

"What were you doing when Hakyeon hyung was not here.... Or when Hyuk was out... you were all alone here..right?"

Hongbin took a step back, he looked shocked. It was hard to tell if he was shocked because Ken just accused him of murder or because Ken actually might be right.

"Why did you went out Hyuk?" Hakyeon calmly asked, looking at a different direction from Hyuk. Hyuk's shifted his gaze between Hakyeon and Hongbin once. There was a long silence in that room.

Leo examined Hakyeon. Leo had noticed how he doesn't show his eyes when he is thinking of something, or trying to solve something. Normally he would cover his eyes with his fringes but today he just looked away. To somewhere where the others won't be able to match his gaze.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Just asking........."

"Well, it's not the very appropriate time to ask just asking type of questions....."

"Can't you just answer?"

"I am sorry, but do all these questions really matter now?" Hyuk's manager chimmed in.

"I am not saying that whatever you are trying to indicate is to even one percent correct, but I also do believe that it is surely not the time to do that. Because when the police would check the CCTV footage, it wont be master who would be caught in that footage, rather it would be you and Ravi. So maybe you should think of your escape plans currently rather than accusing it all on master?"

The whole room looked at the puffy cheeked boy making such heavy avowals. He was point to point right. There was no meaning to it.

"He is right...." Leo also stated the obvious, Hakyeon let out a long sigh,loud enough for everyone to hear it.

"Fine....you are right... But the only one at problem here is Ravi... I don't think any CCTV camera caught me entering the allay... but Ravi needs to be a bit careful... maybe you all should leave Seoul immediately. Before the police comes....."

"Why?" The manager again cut him off. Hakyeon squinted at the boy, he didn't quite get what the boy was referring to.

"What why?"

"Why are you so sure the CCTV camera didn't catch you?"

Hakyeon huffed, a smile trying to creep its way out. His head slightly nodded in agreement, the boy was right.

Interesting....

That was the only thing that Hakyeon thought.

"Maybe the same reason why you think Hyuk wouldn't be caught?"

"That makes no sense."

"How does your statement makes any sense then?"

"That's enough. I don't think this will help us in any way. And Ji-" Hyuk stopped. The manager turned to him with an amused eye. Hyuk got a bit unprepared, looking away,

"You should just stop it.

Hyuk just nodded his head, he didn't say anything else. Signaling his secretary something with his hands he walked to Hongbin,

"Let's not lose our calm at this point.....okay?" Although he looked at Hongbin; Ken and Hakyeon very well understood that the advice was directed towards all of them. Ken snorted, and Hakyeon just shoved his hands in his pocket.

Hyuk's manager returned after a few seconds, "Master the car is ready...." Hyuk nodded.

"Clean all these mess up," the order was meant for his manager. "Shall we go now?"

The hotel room was empty, just him and Leo, who sat on the couch across the room. Hakyeon lied on the bed looking at the black ceiling, he didn't turn on the light. Not because he was liking the darkness, but rather he felt comfortable in there. The darkness hid Leo from his vision even for a few moment, he liked that. He had taken a glance at the ghost once, and noticed that he was fidgeting even in the darkness. Hakyeon predicted thathe had some questions about their connection, and so he wished to avoid him as much as he could. It wasn't that late, just 7pm in the evening. Yet he felt like the whole nation had went to sleep. It felt creepy. Hakyeon shifted his eyes to the clock once more, it was almost seven thirty. He wondered if Ten would return early or not.

"Hakyeon...." Leo called. Leo's voice made Hakyeon shrink a bit, he didn't know why.

"Hmm..."

"sleepy?"

"No.........just thinking about the kids... I wonder if they had reached home or not....I'm too scared to even turn on the tv... I dunno what to do other than thinking."

"Ow......."

Hakyeon let a few more moment pass before he raised from his position, dangling his legs from the edge of the bed. Looking at the couch he could still see Leo with that same expressionless face of his, sitting with his leg crossed over another. His pale skin looked blue in the darkness, almost like the ghosts shown on the horror films. Just the difference was that he wore a black shirt rather than white.

Why did the ghosts wear white in the movies?

Hakyeon let the thought wander around in his mind for a while. He couldn't fix his mind on whether it was because dead people had to be covered in white after they died or was it just because souls are supposed to be pure.

Movie directors really should do their research......

Hakyeon exhaled a big sigh, and Leo turned his eyes to him. He didn't say anything, just stared at him, a blank stare.

"Seems like you have been thinking a lot as well?" Hakyeon pretended to sound cheerful, for that he even smiled a little.

"Not much....."

"Really? You seem to have a lot of questions though......"

Leo didn't move, for one instant Hakyeon thought maybe Leo didn't hear him. He kept on looking at him, Hakyeon tilted his head, the smile still adoring his face.

"Are you not troubled by other things?"

"You are troubled as well...."

"A dead's trouble doesn't really-"

"It matters more to me......"

Leo perked his eyebrow. Hakyeon seemed a bit like the cheerful one that he met when he first saw him, someone he saw a month ago, in the hospital, the one that dangled his legs as he asked him his identity. It seemed so long to him.

Why? Why a bit?

He pondered. Hakyeon was still the Hakyeon, a month cannot change much, he still danced, he still acted silly....he still put Leo's trouble over his own, then why did he think that he seemed a little like him? He couldn't figure out. Leo stared at Hakyeon, thinking about all the silly things that he could. He waited till Hakyeon's fake small sweet smile started to ware off a little. And after that happened he moved towards him, kneeling on the ground before him. Hakyeon stopped dangling his legs. He looked straight in his eyes. Leo still looked blue, even when he was standing before him. His eyes were adjusted to the darkness, yet Leo seemed too blue to him. Hakyeon decided that it was because of the moonlight that reflacted on him. It wasn't a full moon today, but the light was still bright. Making the view before him even more mysterious. His smile faded, he didn't realize when.

"If I ask why...will you reply?"

"If I say yes.... will you be satisfied?"

Hakyeon leaned his face closer, looking at his feline dark eyes.

Leo silently chuckled, Hakyeon noticed the glimpse of amuse in those dark orbs.

"Why did you lie Hakyeon?" Leo slurred, his half smiling tone made his words more daring to Hakyeon. Hakyeon could feel the unwanted raise of his heartbeat.

"About what?"

"Why don't you reply? I'm sure you have some idea........"

Hakyeon kept quiet. He was thinking of which one Leo had asked him off, he had just too many to talk about.

"Your name..... N..... why didn't you say that I gave it to you?" Leo continued.

Hakyeon felt like someone took off a stone from his heart. But he also knew there was not only one stone stacked up on his heart at that time very well.

"ah...You remember...."

"Hmm.... I have been remembering them....... I used to call you N because I didn't know your name. And you said you would tell me yours if only I told you mine. And I-"

"Didn't want to tell. I know.... I remember...."Hakyeon pouted instinctively. The small half smile stretched on Leo's face.

"You said you hated being called N...."

"That's because you said just like in math 'N' can be any number, I could also be replaced by anyone." Emphasizing on the word 'anyone' Hakyeon huffed.

Another low chuckle.

A bit awkward moment.

Then Leo started,

"After one year of my father's death..... I met you on the graveyard.. You came there.......I-" Leo's face seemed like he felt guilty of something, he lowered his face. Hakyeon didn't reply, he lowered his eyes a little too. He was loathing this unwelcomed silence. It made his stomach twist in an uncanny way that he felt as if throwing up at that moment would have made him feel a bit more better.

"I didn't know why you came there.... I thought you went there knowing that I would be there.... I thought you went to show pity on me, I.." Leo looked back at Hakyeon. Hakyeon twitched once. He didn't know what he was feeling, guilty or disgusted by himself. He just held his breath in as Leo continued to talk.

"Why did you not say that your mother died on that day as well? I hated you so much for disappearing so suddenly that I even made you make stupid promise..."

Hakyeon slowly let out a sigh, he should say something, anything, he felt. But words wouldn't really come out.

"Yesterday night... you talked about some promise, how I would hate you if you went there, how I blamed you for everything....It was because of my stupid promise right? Because I told you not to show up in there ever again, right?"

Hakyeon blinked. Leo was certainly right about how he did never go there after he made that promise. But he didn't want to say it then. So maybe it was for that why Hakyeon tried to fake another bright smile.

"You are talking a lot today! It's good to see you talking so much!"

"How could you take it so seriously?" Leo yelled.

"What?"

"How could you take a child's promise so seriously? I mean... look at me... I even forgot you, and there you were, preventing yourself from visiting your mother's grave because of me. I did such horrible deed. You must have suffered a lot for me."

Okay....now it's not okay..

Hakyeon was hating the idea of how Leo was blaming himself for Hakyeon not to be able to visit the graveyard. He shouldn't feel bad for something as trivial as that. In one way, Leo did save him by making him agree to that promise. He really never wished to visit his mother's grave either way. Even then he didn't went there to see her.

"Just stop Leo. It's not what you are practically thinking. You did make me promise to you. But I didn't suffer."

"But I remember you crying."

"It wasn't because of your promise Leo... Stop it...."

"But-"

"Your questions are answered right?" Hakyeon asked, his voice sharp on the edge. It was obvious how Hakyeon wanted this conversation to be stopped.

Leo nodded.

"But I still don't understand why you said it was your punishment.."

Hakyeon again felt his heart skip a beat. He slowly breathed in.

"Do you really wanna know?"

Leo froze, biting the inside of his bottom lip once he mumbled,

"Not really.... I don't think it will reply why I'm here..."

"Uhmm...... Glad you didn't ask."

"Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"How could you not recognize the one that you made to agree on a stupid promise?" Hakyeon retorted back.

"Well... You grew up..."

......

......

"Since when did you know that it was me?"

"From the very first day...."

"Liar."

"NO! I really did learn of you from the very first day. When I searched for you on the internet, your childhood photo popped up .... So I recognized you.."

"So why did you get scared?"

"Eh?"

"You started to tremble after you searched for me..."

"well... you were a dead person...it took me a while to adjust to that fact....."

"Really?" Leo's question was sharp. Hakyeon gulped, and gave a nervous nod. Leo remained in that position for a little bit more time.

"Anymore?" Hakyeon asked, although it didn't feel like he answered anything.

"hmm...but I suppose the rest is unnecessary."

"I can answer them as well...." Hakyeon voice seemed to get relaxed for some reason, Leo noticed.

He smiled, a faint warmth hidden in it. They both felt relaxed. Perhaps both of them were glad that it finally ended.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?"

Hakyeon turned to the voice. Ten was standing by the door, his hand searching for the light switch.

"Owh.... I didn't notice you there..." Hakyeon didn't lie. Leo got up. Time for him to act invisible again.

"Yeah... I've figured that much," Ten replied, while sitting on the couch.

"Are you okay now?" Ten asked. He tried to sound stern but Hakyeon could tell the slight concern flickering in his voice.

Hakyeon shrugged.

"That's good....."

They both didn't say anything for a while.

"Say, did you see the news?" Hakyeon was the one who broke the silence.

"News? You mean another celebrity death?"

"Well....I didn't mean that.."

"That is the talk of the town. Everyone is just gossiping about it. Yeah, I also saw it..."

"ah.... Did they find any clue?"

"Just the fact that there was no flower this time.

Hakyeon put on a professional look on his face as he nodded his head in a rhythm.

"Ah...so they caught the previous suspect for no reason at all..." Hakyeon stated. Leo tried to figure out where Hakyeon was going with that question,

"Don't think so... I think he seems more suspicious now? After he had been caught, the flowers stopped? That's quite suspicious."

"Maybe that is to frame him? An obvious move so all suspicion diverts to him and he does his works silently?" Hakyeon spurted out. Ten gave him a blank look before his stare turned into a frown.

"You are rather interested?"

Hakyeon backed off, shaking his head once he slowly spoke in a low tone.

"Just discussing."

Ten exhaled, he seemed tired.

"No need. It's not like we are any celebrity so it's fine...."

Hakyeon nodded. Hakyeon wished it was fine for him as well. Ten was up from the couch now, grabbing some clothes to change into, Ten started walking towards the washroom. But he stopped, turning around again he called Hakyeon.

"Say.... Have you went outside today? Or more got into some kind of fight?"

Hakyeon and Leo both widened their eyes at his words. Baffled they scanned through Hakyeon's body, thinking he still had some blood stuck on him. Failing to find some, they again darted their gaze to him.

"Why...would you ask?" Hakyeon carefully asked, trying not to sound too curious.

Ten shrugged rather lazily, pointing his index at Hakyeon's arms he sluggishly replied,

"Nothing....it's just that your upper arm... It seems like someone held you so tight that finger marks are imprinted on there. Both of your arms have it. So I asked...."

Hakyeon followed his signal. He didn't know how more he could get surprised today. Leo was also surprised. There truly was red finger marks on his arms.Leo neither remembered anyone actually grabbing Hakyeon that tightly to leave marks. He had not even noticed it till now. If only had Hakyeon not worn a sleeveless top and Ten had pointed it out, even he wouldn't have noticed it.

Hakyeon just blinked at the marks a few times. Ten rolled his eyes at him and continued on his walk to the washroom.

"It really do seem like finger marks?" Leo asked,confused.

"Hmm...really long fingers......whose?"

"Maybe Ravi?" Leo suggested.

"hmm..... Maybe...." Hakyeon replied.

"Say.....let's get dinner.... I haven't quite eaten anything." Hakyeon suggested cheerfully. Hakyeon didn't seem like he cared about it much.

Maybe he remembered from where he got that mark....

"Sure..." Therefore Leo also agreed.

"Great... You go out and wait. I'll just brush my hair.... We will eat a lot and then discuss about what you did after I left! We also have to capture your killer, so we will discuss about that as well!" Hakyeon cheerfully announced, maybe too show his happiness he even gave him an ear to ear grin and tilted his head to a side. Leo again felt his cheeks get hot. It has bee quite a while since he had last saw that smile, also so suddenly. He swiftly started to walk away. Mumbling some no existing words he went through the wall, to again hide the fact that Hakyeon had made him blush again.

Why can I not just get used to it?

Hakyeon felt a giggle bubbling up his throat. He stopped it from turning into a titter. His right hand's fingers running over the finger marks on the other hand. In a moment he was also moving forward. He had too much worries to take care of already to again add another one he thought. So he decided to let this matter slide by thinking conceivably maybe it was Ravi. But he just couldn't kick one question out of his head even after trying so much.

Did Ravi always had that long fingers? I really haven't noticed much about them I suppose....

---------------------------------------------------------------

yeah......changing the story was not a good idea....... I am regretting it now.....Sorry about the messy story ...I know you could really  not understand the emotions [neither can I] but well.....I apologize.