# ⁞ velour

after winning a few games in pokers, she got all the money she needed before walking out to the back of the casino. opening her lighter as she drew out her cigarette and lights it up, hitting up the smoke silently in the corner.

@? Christopherᵸ Nicole wasn't sure if she was relieved at all. Although Soobin was he only birthed child, it was no secret she considered Yeonjun and Keonhee her kids as well, meaning she wouldn't be at ease until all three of her sons were back in her arms, alive. Rose's touch and words helped calm her some though, forcing her to take a deep breath for the umpteenth time and focus her thoughts..

"I'm injecting them with the chips even if I have to do it myself," she finally answers after some time, "But, in the mean time, we can grab a meal and maybe you'd be interested in going over these files with me." She gestured to the folders in front if her as she stood. Nicole stretched, picking up her files and hugging them to her chest while reaching for her friend with her free hand, "I don't think I've I've outside of this building for days. Fresh air might do me some good."

Upon reaching the lobby, she noticed two familiar faces, Yiren and Chittaphon, both of who immediately bowed to greet their family head. She gave a light bow of her head in return. "I'm sure you've all been acquainted. It doesn't matter which if you it is, but I want a message when you take off and land. All messages can be directed to Moonbin who will keep me informed. Dongwook, Chittaphon, Yiren... watch out for Changbin and, please, watch out for each other. I want all of you to return in your best conditions as well," she nodded once and let Rose say anything she may have had on her heart before leading her toward their nearest secret exit as Moonbin gave the last of his speech.

"You heard her. Report to me once you've boarded, once you've taken off and once you've landed. I'll be keeping an eye out for your updates," he walked them out. Once everyone was in, Moonbin headed back inside and to the secret exit. He noticed Nicole's car was already gone and boarded one of the few left. He used his phone to find her location, something he had permission to do and something he only had to do in situations like this. Nicole purposely would use her navigation at times like this as well because she could share it with him.

Nicole had the files settled between them, telling Rose she could scan through them if she wanted to. She was currently following her navigation to restaurant on the outskirts of Seoul, one that would be just busy enough for them to hide amongst the crowd with having to worry about a rack of peering eyes and ears. At one point, she finds herself reaching over and just taking Rose's hand, gently gripping it. They both have a lot going on at the moment but having Rose with her is an utter blessing to say the least. She doesn't think she could ever use words or even actions to tell her just how grateful she is to have her in easier times and in times like this. The Lee head is sure she'd be a /lot/ more cold-hearted if she didn't have her ans Christopher around, and she knows Soobin would be as well.

@⚡ Soobinᵸ Perhaps when this all calmed down Dongwook would more than happy to sit down with both of them and tell all the embarrassing stories he overheard, all the little petty and useless banter. Like when Changbin nearly pulled his own hair out because Christopher couldn't decide if he wanted to give Soobin his birthday gift or not, too worried about their crippling relationship when the small act could've made the steps to eventually getting things patched up. Truthfully, Dongwook could go on and on about the things Changbin would say just to make the heir turn red. It made the times they all spent together uplifting with their childish bickering that often reminded him of typical sibling behavior. Of course he threw in the old "you guys fight like an old couple" comment and while Christopher looked bewildered, Changbin more or less looked stoic. Dongwook never knew what to make of that reaction but he also didn't pay too much heed to it either.

Rose was elated. Yeonjun was found, safe and sound and, more importantly, alive. This was one relief off of their shoulders for sure and she couldn't help but feel like they're on the right track. "He led us where we needed to go," she exhaled breathlessly, recalling how her son murmured that single word that ended up leading them straight to Yeonjun. Albeit they appeared to be a bit late but it wasn't in vein. A life was saved. And she's sure the one who are holding Keonhee and Soobin probably didn't predict that Christopher would be conscious enough to be able to give them a lead. Maybe they really do have the upper hand.

"Thank goodness," she practically sinks into her chair in relief, placing a hand over her chest. "Yeonjun's alive. I'll take that as a good sign that we're on the right track, especially if they were there recently - they couldn't have gotten far then, right?" Rose took a deep breath and reaches forward to gently take Nicole's hands in both of hers this time, laughing quietly at the mention of tracking chips. "Honestly, I'm surprised we haven't considered doing that sooner. Especially with the scares we've both had over the years. While I'm sure they might not be all that thrilled, I image, maybe they would consider doing it to spare the hearts of their mothers. But what is our next move, Nicole? Your men is searching the bunker and hopefully, when he's recovered some, Yeonjun will be able to give us some input but.. what can me and you do in the mean time?"

( ngl my mind drew a hard blank of what else i should type so i sincerely apologize for the small reply... )

@? Christopherᵸ "You're making me tempted to take you up on that offer," Nicole smiles at Dongwook before her attention is on Rose again. At this point, Nicole wasn't sure who knew what and, on top of that, who may not even know they were involved. Christopher had gotten curious and protective and it put him in the hot seat. Now that he was temporarily incapacitated, that left her own son open. She hadn't a clue what to think. Despite the possibility of her son actually being dead somewhere, along with his men, she just didn't feel it in her gut that he was dead. Injured? Most likely, and probably in a state similar to Christopher but she didn't believe he was dead. Besides, his men wouldn't allow it in any sense.

Nicole bowed, quietly sending well wishes to the young man as he left the room. Moonbin's expression was gentle but still somewhat concerned as he bowed his head and watched Dongwook leave. As his phone starts going off yet again, he doesn't want to leave the room again so he stands off to the side of the office in a corner while the two heads speak.

"I agree with you. We're all in a tight bind and that includes the Blood Dragons. They're getting desperate," Nicole comments. Her smile is wide and bright, feeling relief in the way her close friend holds her hands. Her smile soon disappears as she makes eye contact with Moonbin. It was as if she just sensed he was done with his conversation. He puts on a smile, walking back over to the two women. Nicole senses some sort of relief in him but not entirely. There's a lot going on and the updates are slow, very slow, and that's what seems to be keeping all of them on edge more than anything else.

"They found the bunker and they found Yeonjun," he speaks up.

Nicole's eyes widen, her head tilting as if she's heard him incorrectly, "Yeonjun? Without Soobin or Keonhee...?"

He nods and his brows knit together for a brief moment, "Yeonjun isn't coherent. He's a little scuffed up with some cuts and his hands are incredibly bloody and so is his bat... They think he may have been given some sort of sedative."

"He was /inside/ the bunker?"

"He was. They got in because they caught someone coming out. They said it was a female and she left it open when they startled her. She ran off without attacking or answering or asking any questions. Yeonjun might know who she is. Either way, he'll be able to tell us what happened once they get him together. My men are also searching the bunker. They found a lot of blood, fresh. Said it looks like someone had been tortured there not too long before they got there. Yeonjun was tied up but they're sure it wasn't him."

Nicole feels a hint of relief. Yeonjun and Keonhee feel as though they're her sons as well. Knowing at least one of her boys is safe was lifting part of the weight on her chest and shoulders. "I want him brought back here as soon as possible. I don't know what's there... The two times I've been inside, it was practically empty save for some necessities, like toiletries and stored food and blankets, but I want everything that can be brought out of that bunker here, namely any notes and photographs. Something that will help up solve whatever is going on here. I'm getting all of my boys back."

Moonbin bowed his head and stepped off again, not too far, his phone immediately in hand again as he called the team to relay their instructions. He ended up having to head downstairs in the midst of his call to meet with Yiren and Chittaphon, giving them their instructions as well.

"When all of them get back, I'm getting a chip implanted in their necks or arms or something..."

@⚡ Soobinᵸ Dongwook could only laugh merrily at Nicole's response. "I could very much sit down with you and have a long chat about it if you really wanted me to. Although I never got to interact with Mister Christopher that much, Changbin spoke of him often, though he mainly complained about Mister Christopher's "lack of game" since he had apparently been smitten with Mister Soobin since his early childhood days. 13 years is a long time to be strung up on someone, no doubt. Even I can't help but wonder why he's never made a move." He purses his lips with a thoughtful expression. "Either way, any mention of Mister Soobin would easily fluster him. It was quite amusing to see him turn pink so quickly."

"I wonder how much Christopher knows then... I mean, we have the box of everything he's compiled over the years but - what happened behind closed doors or when no one was around, we'll never know of. Until he wakes up, that is." Rose, as if hoping for a response from the medical team, peers over at her phone notification only to be disappointed. So far there has been no updates other than 'he's stable.' "It's a shame, honestly... I don't think any of us will ever know peace. Is it really so far off to wish that we could have a period of quiet? Where nothing happens, no one else dies, and we can all just sit together and enjoy some champagne or wine... Maybe when this all blows over and our sons are healthy we could have a bit of a break for a while. Wishful thinking, though, right?" She lets out a small, bitter laugh and misses the way Dongwook's expression softens.

"Anyways," he turns toward Nicole to give her one final farewell. "I should get going then. We will keep you all updated with anything we find. And no need to apologize, Mister Moonbin - it is quite alright. Thank you, I look forward to working with them. Please, take care. All of you." Dongwook bows once more to Rose then to Moonbin before leaving the room, dialing Changbin's number in the process.

Rose wishes, hopes that Soobin is in that bunker. And she really hopes the blood they found wasn't his or any of his men. She's tired of seeing people hurt. It was the realization that she spent more time in medical care centers hovering over the beds of people she loved or dressed head to toe in black watching their casket get buried six foot under. It was a price she had to pay, though. This life was not an easy one, it was a violent one. "Either way, I hope we find something in that bunker that can benefit us instead of hinder us. This whole mess... it's bad now but I feel like it could easily be worse if we don't find /something/ soon. With both of our heirs in tough situations, it leaves our families wide open..." She trails off as her thoughts start to spin. There was always that worry in the back of her head that something like this would happen and that only brought on the paranoia that someone bold enough would strike when they were too focused on other priorities. The presence of Nicole stepping closer snaps Rose out of her reverie and she looks up with a small smile, giving her hands a gentle yet firm squeeze. "Thank you... I'm not going to leave you alone either, Nicole."

@? Christopherᵸ Dongwook's eagerness does spark Nicole's attention even more but it's just another instance to remain quiet. Her brows do raise though when he mentions having wanted to meet her son, only to find the explanation to be both surprising and amusing. "I know the boys have always had some connection but I feel I'm still just quite stunned hearing just how serious Christopher has been toward Soobin," she thinks aloud. Granted, it was most likely because her son had never really pursued any romantic interests before while Christopher, on the other hand, seemed to be the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, guarded or not. She was thankful for the moment of her thoughts drifting to a more light-hearted subject, albeit short it was still a breath of fresh air.

Nicole had begun to go through more pages of the journal a moment after, her thoughts torn between Moonbin's words and Rose's questions. "I don't know. I wish Nagi would be the end-all of this but I just don't feel like he's smart enough to pull off taking over the Blood Dragons, not alone anyway. I do agree though that, whoever took these notes, was probably giving them to him though, especially since Nagi himself doesn't seem to be mentioned in these entries at all. No matter what or how... Nagi must know something special but it can't be any secrets of ours. You haven't done anything and neither have I or Soobin. The only thing Christopher's done is stumble across some important information. Whatever is going on is happening with the Blood Dragons and we've all been pulled into it."

Moonbin finally settles after his call and gives his attention to Dongwook, an apologetic look on his face, "I'm sorry I didn't give you a proper greeting. It's a pleasure to meet you, too." He gives a proper bow of respect and folds his hands in front of him, "I hope that you have a safe trip and that you all return back safely. Yiren and Chittaphon have my direct number should any of you need my help or additional backup," he nods firmly.

Nicole stares at the journal for a while longer, still processing things. "I don't know who they'll find at the bunker but someone's either still there or has been there recently," she furrows her brows, "My only thing is that I don't know who else knows about that bunker or who has found out about it recently. I don't even know what I'm hoping for... I don't know who I'm hoping they find but I just hope that they find someone or something that'll answer all of these questions. I don't like being left in the dark." Moving over to stand next to her friend, Nicole sits on the edge of her desk in front of Rose and holds her hands, "I'm not leaving you alone, all right?"

@⚡ Soobinᵸ Well... she had a point. Masaki's death seemed to have stirred up everything, even the darkest of corners. Rose had done her part to try to keep things under control the best that she could but there were obviously many things that were /far/ out of her control. Most times, there was very little that she could do other than sit down and watch the chaos run rampant. Sometimes that's all she needed to do. Sometimes that's what was called for. This time, though, she's still just as antsy and just as on edge and still just as eager/willing to step in and be of use somehow... and yet she still knows so little. Rose knows she isn't of much help but the least she could do was offer moral support and comfort. That's what she was best at doing.

Dongwook practically melted with relief when Nicole seemed to accept him and his presence regarding this special task. He smiles boyishly and bows a few more times to express his gratitude. His upbeat and joyful attitude made Rose raise a brow. She couldn't help but wonder what skills he possessed for being so young and youthful, all smile and rainbows in such a dark, dark place to be. Yet it was almost refreshing. They've been surrounded by nothing but bloodshed, chaos, war, greed and everything else in between and here's this guy over here beaming from ear to ear like he just won the lottery. She wasn't sure if she should be doubtful or enthused.

"I won't let any of you down," he vowed with utmost seriousness in his tone. "I owe Changbin and Christopher a lot. Not to mention I've been wanting to meet Miss Nicole and Mister Soobin for quite a while, however it was out of my jurisdiction." At Rose's curious look, Dongwook smiles gently at her and starts to clarify what he meant. "I'm only a low-tier subordinate. We're not cleared for much interaction with heirs, much less the head of the family. It explains why we never met before, Miss Rose - I have to kind of rise in the ranks to be able to do more and offer more so I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. I promise I will lead Changbin, Yiren, and everyone else attending to where Miss Nicole sends us and I promise we all will return in one piece." A pause then, as if remembering something-- "Oh, and I've been wanting to meet Miss Nicole and her son, Mister Soobin, simply because Changbin keeps teasing Christopher about his feelings Soobin. I couldn't help but be curious, that's all."

Trying to stifle a fit of laughter behind her hand, Rose has to look away from both of them in order to not crack. There is a tiny smile on her visage, though. "I tend to think that Christopher is very.. obvious even when he claims he isn't. Nonetheless, though, we appreciate your eagerness to help, Dongwook. Is Changbin getting ready to arrive shortly?"

Dongwook shook his head, smiling sheepishly while accepting the drink that Nicole handed to him. "Ah, thank you very much! He's preparing some things before heading out. Perhaps we could pick him up when we leave? It'll be on the way to the airport anyways."

Rose doesn't seem a problem with that, so she nods and gives the okay before returning her attention to Nicole. She sneaks a small curious glance to the journal before leaning across the table so that she could try to decipher anything that had been written, scowling at the description of this so-called Red. Nicole was right. It pretty much is right on the dot. "He could have had his assistant or something write everything down. Maybe he just didn't want to risk being traced so he had someone else do it to avoid having someone recognize his hand-writing. There's many things Nagi did to escape the blame, I'm sure. He was very sneaky and secretive about a lot of things so I wouldn't be surprised if he took a step further with that journal."

When Moonbin entered the room with some news, she straightens up in her seat and sends a 'be ready' look to Dongwook, who nods firmly and raises the cup to begin drinking the rest of its contents quickly. He then sets the empty cup down, turns toward Moonbin, and bows deeply in a formal greeting. "Pleased to meet you." Dongwook straightens up and smooths his palms over his suit.

"Do you think they'll find him at the bunker?" Rose asked quietly, leaning a little closer to Nicole. Her eyes were heavy with concern yet they did twinkle softly with hope. "Staying here is the best option in my opinion.. We can set everything up for when they return and we can also oversee anything that comes our way regarding Nagi, Yuto, and the Blood Dragons. Besides," she heaves a sigh and tucks herself into the cardigan that was wrapped around her shoulders, "if I'm left alone down here, I think I might lost my sanity..."

@? Christopherᵸ Nicole is rambling again and, this time, it isn't from a frazzled mind. In fact, things truly do feel as though they're falling into place. It feels as though she's gradually collecting pieces for a 1,500-piece puzzle but that she's getting to a point where the picture is starting to come together. She hadn't questioned Yuto's mother much before, not thinking much of her, and not that she had to either. As far as Nicole was concerned, they shared a lover and that was it. Quite frankly, it didn't even feel like a love triangle. They never really crossed paths as she stayed in Japan more often than not. Seemingly, anyway.

She raised a brow at her friend and shook her head, "I know he always meant well but I'm also just wondering, out of all of the families he has connections with, why he just seemed to choose us most of the time. We can add that to the list of things I didn't question before his death. I don't personally know a man whose death has caused so much chaos." She folded her hands in her lap, her gaze on the papers still as she sorted different things out with the information contained amongst them. "It's a 50-50 thing at this point... Because it seems our fight has moved countries. I just can't see what good I'm doing by being here but.." Nicole's thoughts trailed off there as she started spotting little threads that seemed to be weaving themselves together more from what she had in front of her. Maybe looking into Yuto's mother hadn't been just a fluke. It seemed it was paying off to look more into her.

She was preparing to answer Rose when she looked at the door. The male introduced himself as Dongwook, not much to her surprise. When he turned to bow to her, she stood and returned the gesture before sitting on the edge of her desk instead, listening to the young male. She was quiet for a moment, contemplating the idea before finally letting out a soft hum. "I'll be honest. I don't know much about you aside from your name and what Changbin has told us but you'll definitely get in at least my good graces if you take care of our boy out there," she nodded firmly, reaching out to gently pat his shoulder, "He wouldn't have recommended you without good reason so I won't fret it and I'll take his word for it. I'll offer two of my own as well to accompany you on the trip." Nicole thinks for a brief moment, two individuals already immediately coming to mind. She just wants to be sure she's making the right choice. "Yiren and Chittaphon will be traveling with you. Consider them more as bodyguards for the both of you. It never hurts to have multiple pairs of eyes on the lookout."

Moonbin isn't back yet with his phone call so Nicole makes a mental note to tell him. Returning her attention to Dongwook, she smiles at him, "I'll be giving Changbin where you all are to go once I get my two ready. For now, you can relax. Would you like a drink or something?" She offers, gesturing to her tea, in hopes of calming the boy's nerves. She pours him a cup and sets it near him on the desk to take if he so pleases. In the meantime, she cleans up her desk a little before pouring herself another cup of tea.

"'Red,'" Nicole repeats as she finally settles back down in her seat, and nods, "I'm sure that is her." Her eyes scan the page, quietly reading as she drinks down her tea. "The description is spot on unless she has someone else that looks like her," she pauses and furrows her brows, "But, now, I'm really curious. This isn't Masaki or Yuto's handwriting. I want to say that I've seen it before but I don't want to get ahead of myself. I could be totally off the mark. Nagi could still have written this but... I can't imagine he would care to have so much information on all of us. Or unless someone was taking the information down for him..." The latter made more sense. Nagi had always been headstrong from what she knew, not necessarily the grounded and mature type. That was fine. Everyone's unique after all but, it would have paid for Nagi to be much more meticulous and focused if his end goal was to really take over the Blood Dragons.

Moonbin comes back into the room, his expression betwixt relief and concern. He notices Dongwook and bows before he's staring off again. "I..." He starts off before quieting himself, "I have... I'm sorry I took so long to come back. My men in Japan found something. It was a little ways away from the village area... They found a trail of blood and, even from the pictures they sent me, it appears that someone was dragged somewhere although they couldn't find any trace of a body nearby. They're still looking for the bunker but, given what was found, they'll most likely find it soon although none of us are sure if they'll even be able to get in if they can find it."

Nicole finishes her tea and sets aside her cup, for now, letting things kind of sink in. She nods and just accepts the information before gesturing to Dongwook, "Dongwook, Moonbin. Moonbin, Dongwook. Moonbin, I need you to get Yiren and Chittaphon caught up to speed on things. I'm sending them to the Alps with Dongwook and Changbin. They're just additional protection and lookouts." He bows and moves to a corner of the room, sending out a message, requesting for the two aforementioned members of the family to arrive at the headquarters.

"Maybe I will have to stay here," Nicole sighs, dejected but satisfied with the idea of things just getting sorted out once and for all. It clearly wasn't the end just yet but it seemed like it was in sight.

@⚡ Soobinᵸ Rose took a few minutes to study Nicole's expression while listening attentively to her words. Changbin had assured them that Dongwook could be trusted and while she trusted his judgement, the guy he spoke about was still a completely stranger to both her and Nicole. If he was someone familiar, someone they both knew, then maybe her opinion on the matter could be swayed. Rose hums quietly and takes her phone back, unlocking the screen and scrolling through her contacts before finally reaching Changbin's number. She began typing up a somewhat lengthy text message, asking him if he would consider going with Dongwook to Switzerland or maybe even going instead. Perhaps she should've thought more about it when they were on the phone call together but she was a little too eager to try to find solutions to their problems quickly. Once she finished the message, she turns on the notification for the conversation so that she would alerted when he would reply.

She glances up, leaning back into her chair and folding her hands on her lap while listening to Nicole's explanation. "Well, it seems like Masaki gave you guys a plan b in case things turned south, you'd be able to at least have a place to hide and seek shelter or safety in the mean time. That's good, right? Makes me wonder if Soobin is there.. But you mentioned that your key is missing too?" Rose purses her lips in thought, pondering around in her thoughts. Then Nicole speaks up again and she's quick to fall silent once more. "I understand," she murmurs eventually. "But I really do not think it is wise that you up and leave the country right now with everything going on. I imagine you would prefer to be here if news came up about your son.. but then again if I were in your shoes, I'd feel the same so I can't really judge you nor do I have the right to tell you what you should and shouldn't do." With a small sigh, Rose's gaze lowers down to her lap so she could instead watch her fingers toy with the hem of her blouse. "I messaged Changbin a few minutes ago asking if he could go to Switzerland instead. I trust his judgement but I don't trust strangers."

As if on cue, her phone buzzes. She reaches for the device and begins reading the reply before starting to type up her own response. Nicole was spreading something out on the table and talking about Yuto's mother. Rose was only half listening in the beginning as she focused on quickly finishing her message before paying more attention. Changbin still seemed a bit reluctant to leave however he also was very understanding of what was being said to him. Dongwook was still going to drop off the journal and introduce himself formally to them before leading Changbin, and Changbin only, to Switzerland with the guidance of Nicole in mind. She figured she would let Dongwook do the explaining when he got here.

"I've seen her at some of the events in the past." Rose recalls those fancy dinners and balls that all the families would attend. They haven't held one in a while due to so much going on but the purpose of those events would to help form treaties, meet up with allies, and just enjoy each other's company in a civil setting. "She was.. nice upfront but something about her seemed off to me. I could never put my finger on it, though - she was too mysterious for me to figure anything out about her. Everyone just seemed to tight-lipped, which was suspicious in itself but I digress." She leans forward, elbows resting on the table as her eyes scanned the papers that were all spread out; skimming over sentences and studying paragraphs. "You say she's the missing link, though? Why do you speculate that?"

However, before she could hear a response, there was a knock on the door. Rose straightens in her seat and watches as someone enters the room carefully, meekly, with a journal clutched in hand. This must be Dongwook. He looks young. Perhaps a few years younger than Christopher. It certainly wasn't what she was expecting, of course, but she still stood up and bowed respectfully to the boy, who scrambled to return the gesture.

"I apologize for interrupting -- my name is Dongwook, I have the journal that Changbin sent me to give to you." The boy approaches and hands the journal over to Rose, who in turn opens the journal and begins skimming through the pages. Changbin had assured them that the handwriting in there was not Christopher's but she just wanted to doublecheck. Dongwook then turns toward Nicole and bows a deep 90 degrees, lingering in place before straightening up. "It is a pleasure to meet you both, Miss Rose and Miss Nicole. Firstly, I want to express how sorry I am that everything is happening. I hope for Christopher's recovery and I also hope we can find Soobin safe and sound. I had gotten a phone call just before I arrived from Changbin informing me that I will be his guide in Switzerland since I know the terrain the language. If you allow it, I will be more than happy to be on this mission with your permission, Miss Nicole."

He seemed formal, if not nervous; he was probably expecting rejection. Rose glances over towards her just to see her reaction, remaining silent the entire time because this, ultimately, would be solely up to Nicole.

"It will be just me and Changbin," Dongwook promised. "He had asked me to be on call if he needed help but I don't think it would be smart if he went down there alone not knowing how to get there or even how to speak the language - I could handle all of that perfectly fine while Changbin can handle the mission you requested. I won't intervene unless told to. I will provide back up when need be but until then, I will hang back and let him do what needs to be done."

There was no indication that Christopher had written in the journal anywhere. There were several mentions of him, Yuto, Soobin, there were mentions of Nicole as well and-- Rose bristles upon seeing the name pop up and it confuses her more than anything. She looks up at Nicole then towards Dongwook then back to Nicole before slowly pushing the journal towards her. It was open on the page that she had stumbled across. "There's a mention of someone nicknamed 'Red'... And they're described as a woman. I think they're referencing Yuto's mother in this part but I also could be dead wrong."

@? Christopherᵸ Nicole had sorted her thoughts enough to listen and understand, her hand holding onto Rose's for a moment. She wasn't sure about the guy Changbin was mentioning, only because she wouldn't have met him before that day. There was still conflict within their own ranks about who was and wasn't a traitor. Even with everything going on, people within their own ranks were still being killed. She wasn't sure if there were still orders being secretly given or if it was just a matter of the distrust that had been brought about from everything but that was just another thing to worry about. Letting a complete stranger handle something like this just made her uneasy. It wasn't personal, of course, but she couldn't help it, despite having very limited options. She would accept the help, or at least she would try. Changbin was a reliable source after all.

"Thank you again," she calls to Changbin before there's conversation between the young male and Rose. She doesn't interrupt and just ends up with a lot of nonverbal communication with Moonbin. He steps out of the room to go fetch her tea, already having been brewing some when he'd had to step out earlier. That makes his return almost instant, bringing in the tray and setting it on Nicole's desk. He proceeds to pour her a cup, giving one to Rose as well just in case she wanted some. When Rose mentions the journal, Nicole nods slowly, having a simple answer.

"I would hope there isn't any mention of me in there as it doesn't seem to be a very good thing," she traces over the rim of her cup, "The word he mentioned is just one that I remember periodically being brought up with Masaki. He trusted that we wouldn't abuse it and, during an ambush, we had to be taken there once or twice. I can't remember exactly where it is but I know for a fact it's near the village I was telling Moonbin about. The village area is a prominent and important place in Japan. Masaki had taken us there a couple of times on a visit, telling us how beautiful it is throughout the seasons. He wasn't kidding. I'm glad he took to treating us like family because whatever is going on in those Blood Dragons... Let's just say I feel kind of sorry for whoever ends up on the short end of the stick after all of this."

She pauses to take a couple of sips of her tea, which opens the floor for when Rose begins to speak. She narrows her eyes and shakes her head, "Rose, I appreciate it but I'll do no good staying here either. I'm getting almost nowhere by just sitting and waiting for everyone else to handle everything. Besides, I can't just send anyone to Switzerland, especially not a whole team. It was a personal gift from Masaki but it's just a property that we haven't used... At least I haven't. The more I think about it, the more I question just who has my other key. The only people who even know about the property are Minhyuk, Yuto and Soobin aside from myself. He waited until both of the boys were 21 and then told us to take family vacations there. Said it was a much more peaceful getaway. Told us that he had a place there that he used for getaways. Pays to have friends in different places."

Moonbin looks down at the look that he received from Rose, knowing he wouldn't have a say either way. Either he would go or he wouldn't and it would have to be on orders, not his own wishes. He couldn't even say what was right in this situation, although he was leaning more toward agreeing with Rose. It wouldn't be good for Nicole to be so far out, especially in an unknown area, with her so much on her mind all at once. He tried to ease up the room by gesturing to the stack of manilla folders, not wanting Nicole to forget. He steps out, excusing himself as his phone rings, while Nicole gives him a look of thanks for reminding her.

Nicole finishes off her tea before setting her now empty cup aside to undo the twine on the folders, "Rose, I know that you're watching out for me and as much as I'd like to listen to you, I just can't..." Her voice trails off as she starts opening all of the folders in front of her, her attention almost immediately drawn to it all now that it's laid out in front of her. She spreads out the information as best as she can without chancing any tea spilling on it. A few things catch her attention but, most of all, the test papers. "Have you ever met Yuto's mother," Nicole asks, her gaze lifting from the paperwork to her friend across the table, "She's one hell of a mysterious woman but I'm starting to see that she's the missing link in all of this. I haven't been told her name, which is interesting to me. Seems like everyone has been keeping her in this cloud. We've even talked in person and shared a meal... but everyone refuses to tell me who exactly she is. Minhyuk has even spilled a lot at this point and she's just one thing he won't bring up."

@⚡ Soobinᵸ "Yes, of course, what is it?" Changbin was so eager to help and be of use that he had immediately taken up what Nicole was offering. Maybe it was to redeem himself and take his mind off of how useless he's been feeling lately. Rose's head snapped over in the direction of her friend, brows raising in surprise though her gaze was filled with confusion and silent questions.

"Switzerland?" He asked, perplexed. "I've never been down there before but actually, uh - one of my men is from Switz. Well, not /from/ from - he studied abroad there for about four years, learned the language, got familiar with the terrain, things like that. I could send him if you would like, ma'am." It was a compromise. Changbin was reluctant to leave Christopher's side even if he wasn't allowed to actually see him (he was literally crashed on the Rose's couch in the mean time because it was the closest he could get that she allowed). He wanted to be present in case something else happened. An off chance, yes, since the security more than tripled, but that's not a risk he wants to take.

Not again.

He already failed Christopher twice. He's not about to do it a third time.

"Don't apologize, you have much going on right now," Rose reaches across the table and gently places a hand over hers. "And you have been carrying much. We will find Soobin. And we will find Nagi and Yuto. I feel guilty to see you like this, Nicole... I'm sorry if I'm not helping much with my own downward spiral, but--" She cuts herself off, expression pinching. "Changbin, I will forward your information to Nicole so that she will be in full contact with your men as they go to Switzerland. But I can't help but be concerned - can we trust your men with this task?"

"Yes." It was an immediate answer. "His name is Dongwook. He's been in my team for about five years and he was pretty close with Christopher, who definitely didn't treat him like Yuto or Nagi. I know Christopher trusted him, and that's enough for me. Luckily, Dongwook will be bringing the journal over to you so you all can get acquainted and everything. You have my word, Miss Rose and Miss Nicole, that he can be trusted."

Rose seems placated by this answer and leans back in her chair. "Alright... I - /we/ will trust you on this." Shortly, after they exchanged a few more pleasantries, the call ends and she could finally return her attention back to Nicole. "He'll be here shortly, I imagine, so you'll be able to give him any information you feel like sharing. In the meantime, what do you think about the information Changbin shared about the journal? Especially the word that Christopher had said, you seemed to recognize it for a moment.. Though he did saw that there were mentions of Soobin and Christopher.. Makes me wonder if there's any mention of you in there, too."

Maybe if things weren't so unclear and jumbled around then they could figure out a solution much quicker, and with less hair-pulling stress involved. She herself has suffered much in the past few days but she can't imagine what turmoil Nicole is going through... Right now, Rose's main focus is getting Soobin back and protecting her friend. "My men are at your disposal," she says after a brief period of silence. "You say Changbin is one of the few that you trust with the job for Switz and he seemed all to happy to help, so that's what we'll do, okay? I want to try to take as much stress off of your shoulders as I possibly can - and /you/ can't afford to leave with your son missing, got me? So you two," Rose glances over towards Moonbin then back to Nicole with a look that left no room for arguing, "are gonna stay here and stay together. I will dispatch my men to Japan and to Switzerland. Just tell them where to go and what to do, Nicole, that's all."

@? Christopherᵸ Nicole is mostly quiet as she listens to Changbin talk. She did feel sympathetic toward the boy. He was trying his best and just for him even willing to do that much meant a lot to her. He was doing what h could. As their questions are answered, for some reason, she finds herself relaxing more and stressing less. She smiles at Rose and then to herself, "Changbin, give yourself some credit, hm? If anything, I'm sure I can speak for both Rose and myself that we're just glad to still have you here with us and helping us out. It's always nice to know you have someone in your corner." She'd meant every word of that. She wasn't sure what Changbin thought might have changed had he not even left the room for a moment but there's no telling that anything would have really changed. If anything, he could be incapacitated at the moment as well should he have been around in any of the given situations that had taken place lately.

Something suddenly came to her mind as Changbin mentioned Nagi, glad to have others around to talk things out because it helped bring about memories, including recent ones just forgotten.

"Changbin... This may sound like a... an odd request and I know Moonbin won't care too much for it, but there's something very important I'd like you two to do for me," Nicole pauses in between her statements, wanting to make sure her thoughts come through clearly in her words, "I'm going to need to send you both to Switzerland."

"Switz-- I can't leave you now," Moonbin calls sternly from the door of her office, startling her since she wasn't aware he'd come back yet.

"This is more important than you think," she sighs, managing a smile, "It's... I'm starting to think Masaki either planned his own death or that he just knew someone was going to try to kill him soon... I don't know if Soobin planned it or not but one of my keys is missing..."

Moonbin's brows furrow and he clears his throat, trying to remind her to stay focused.

"I'm sorry. I just feel like I can only trust you two with this... Masaki gave me an address and two keys to a property in the Swiss Alps. One of my keys is missing and, considering the lockdown we've been on lately, my son is the only person I can think of having some way of getting in here... But, regardless, I don't know if it's him or Yuto at the bunker in Japan but someone is at the mountain home in the Alps, too. Once the journal is here, I'll be able to read it and I'll probably be able to tell whose handwriting it is, though it's been a while since I've seen Nagi's..."

She takes a breath, waving her hands in apology, "I'm so sorry. My mind is so frazzled and I'm just all over the place." Nicole has honestly been worrying about anyone and everyone lately and it's been tiring her out more than she'd like to admit. "I won't do that to you two... Once the journal arrives, I'm taking it with me. I'm going to Switzerland as soon as it arrives. It wouldn't benefit anything to have everyone stretched even thinner than we all already are."

Moonbin folds his hands in front of him, his usual soft expression much harder and even mixed with concern. Usually, when things would get like this with Nicole, he was able to talk to Soobin who would either handle it himself or assist. Now, he was left to his own devices in trying to make sure Nicole didn't cause herself to lose her mind and it made him wonder if he should learn to confide in Rose at some point, something he can't remember ever having done. At least he can feel comfortable knowing she's someone that Nicole trusts very deeply.

@⚡ Soobinᵸ "Likewise, ma'am." Changbin offers kindly in return to Nicole's greeting. There was a small but evident smile in his voice. It was clear that he was still skimming through the notebook because the sounds of pages flipping could be heard from the other line. He was looking for more details about who could've possibly written everything in here or who the journal even belonged to, better yet. Most of the stuff was written in Japanese and Changbin regrettably had to admit that he definitely was not as fluent as he thought he was in the language. "I don't understand a of this..."

Rose does her best to hide the smile behind her hand and resist the urge to laugh. Poor guy. He sounded so annoyed and bummed with himself for not knowing a language. "It's alright, Changbin," she reassures after a moment of collecting herself. "Is there anything else in the journal that you can understand that you think might be of help? Anything at all. Even if it's small."

There was a brief period of silence before Changbin seems to find something. "Oh, yeah, here's something. But before I explain, to answer your question Nicole; no, this journal most certainly does not belong to Christopher. While he does know Japanese, I've known him a great portion of my life and his hand-writing is /nothing/ like this. He writes slow with firm, eligible lines. This? This is practically chicken scratch. None of it resembles his writing skills at all so I'm fully confident that this doesn't belong to him. I've been skimming through the pages to see if I /could/ spot his writing anywhere and there's nothing here."

"So that means he either took the journal, found it somehow, or someone gave it to him..." There more information that was uncovered, the more questions it seemed to create. Like how did Christopher come across this? How did he even manage to get it? Rose runs a palm down her face and heaves a sigh, taking a moment to collect her thoughts and just sit there for a second before speaking up again. "Alright, well - what is it that you found then?"

Changbin fell silent again. "There's... several pages written in here. About Christopher, that much I can tell. I can recognize his name a lot here but also the name of the orphanage he was in." Rose bristles and glances over towards Nicole. "I'm guess I just found the reason why he's been targeted... But I also see Soobin's name here too, as well as Yuto - which means that this journal could possibly belong to Nagi himself. And since I don't know a damn thing about this language, I will have one of my men send the journal over to you. I'm more than positive both of you will be able to piece things together better than I can."

"You did well, Changbin," piped up Rose before the other could begin self-doubting. "You've been working very hard lately."

"Not hard enough, it seems..."

She frowns a little at his disheartened tone. He was Christopher's bodyguard, after all, so he was probably taking this whole thing as a personal hit. "Changbin... This is not your fault."

"It is," he cuts in firmly. "I should've been there. I /was/ there.. but I made the mistake of leaving him alone when I had orders not to. Of course I could go on about that but let's not dwell on that - we have to find Soobin first and foremost, so let's focus on finding Nicole's son. I sent Yoon out just now to bring the journal to you, so it should arrive shortly. Please keep me updated - and if you have an inkling of what to do or where to look, I will do everything in my power to help in any way that I can."

@? Christopherᵸ "You know there's no need to apologize. I'm more than happy to have you come by," Nicole smiles at Rose, her arms wrapping around the other as well. Moonbin returned the greeting with a bow of his own before following the women up to the office. He didn't interrupt as they spoke, simply standing by the door of the office as the two settled in and began to speak. Nicole was quiet, without even realizing it. Just as Rose was getting a call, which snapped her out of her daze as well, she gestured for Moonbin to bring over the bound folders before he returned to the door on his own. When she heard her name, she looked up and over at her friend before her gaze was directed to the phone, immediately recognizing the voice.

"Changbin. It is good to hear your voice," she smiles softly to herself before her focus goes sharp, her gaze distant as she listens. In the back of her mind, she can't help but think she's heard this word before, a number of times. She almost jolts out of her chair but stops, not sure if she actually wants to move now. She has an idea of where to go but doesn't know how or even if they'll find the bunker. Nicole really doesn't want to play the guessing game but, at the same time, she wants to do what she can with what she has.

"If Christopher knew about this place... I have a feeling that it's more of a lead to Yuto than anything else," she thinks aloud, her fingers combing roughly through her hair and accidentally snatching out her hair tie. Catching it, she places it on her desk and tries to get herself to calm down. Having any sort of information, especially given the circumstances, it's hard not to get excited. She looks over at her guard and he's at her side without a word.

"I want you to listen closely to me. Whatever men you have over there in Japan, I'm going to need you to send some to the Gifu prefecture. I need them in Shirakawa without making a scene or messing a single thing up."

"Yes, but... what are we looking for?"

"There are historic villages there, a popular landmark in that area. I'm not sure exactly in which direction going southeast this bunker may be from there but... I'm going to need the perimeter of those villages searched for any traces of Yuto or even Nagi within the two miles from there. There's a chance you may even find some trace of Soobin and the boys there."

Moonbin looks slightly confused but he nods and bows his head before stepping out of the office to make a call and do as he's told. Nicole picks her hair tie back up, getting her hair back up into its messy bun. She props her elbow on her desk, hand cupping her cheek and chin, "Changbin, does that journal belong to Christopher? Or did he make notes in someone else's journal?"

@⚡ Soobinᵸ "I apologize for showing up on such short notice." Those were the first words to leave Rose's lips when the door opened and she was greeted by the sight of her long time friend. Even with everything going on, she still made sure to pull her into a hug and exchange pleasantries, always happy to see her even when the clouds blocking the sun. "I wanted to help search for Soobin, if that's alright with you. I think it'd do me some good - if I spend one more day in that room, I'm afraid I might really lose it." Rose dipped her head in a formal yet friendly bow towards Moonbin before following into step beside Nicole. It wasn't until they got a little further inside that she began to talk about what Christopher had said earlier, explaining how he had woken up for less than a minute but managed to mutter out a name. It was obviously Japanese, that much she knew. However, it wasn't really something she was familiar with - it's not like she got to visit Japan much anyways. All she could tell was that it was name. Whether it'd be to a person or place, she wasn't quite sure.

A small clue, but a clue nonetheless.

Now, Rose was sitting in Nicole's office looking something up on her phone. She was doing extensive research on the same but couldn't seem to know how to spell it correctly so the search results varied. Growing slightly bothered by this, she decides to give up before her impatience was ignited. The phone is set aside for now. She heaves a sigh and leans back in her chair, glancing across the room towards Nicole. For the first time in a while, it was quiet between the two of them. It's like neither knew what to say to the other. Suddenly her phone rings and the noise jars her enough to jump in her chair, which skids noisily across the floor with the motion. Rose places a hand over her heart for a brief second before quickly reaching to answer the call.

"Have you found anything yet?" She inquired.

"I have." Changbin's confirmation causes her to sit up straighter, eyes alighting. "Took some time but I was able to figure it out. You originally thought it was name but you were half right. However," it was like he sensed how she became disheartened because he quickly added further, "I figured out the riddle."

Rose frowns, perplexed. "Riddle?"

"Is Nicole with you?"

"She is."

"Put me on speaker, please."

Rose beckons over at Nicole then puts the phone on speaker, setting it on to the table before giving him the go to continue.

"Greetings, Miss Nicole." Changbin started, as polite as always. "I'm sure Rose has relayed to you everything she knew by now but I want you to hear this as well. Now, the word Christopher had said was both a name but not a name. It was a code name. 隠れた. It's Japanese for 'hidden.' Which gave us absolutely jack to work with but then I got the feeling to look through that box he made... I looked through all the maps, all the notes and before finally coming across a page that talked about a secret bunker. It was described to be a top secret location that not a lot of Blood Dragon members knew about unless they were considered 'significant' in the food chain. But in order to not give it away, they would call the bunker 隠れた so that no one would catch on to what they're saying."

"Do the notes mention anything about the location of this bunker?"

There was a brief pause and the sound of papers flipping. "Not quite. The details even in the journal were vague - Christopher did not write this. He must have came across it somehow but it described a landmark that's nearby. Supposedly, the 'popular landmark' is two miles southeast of where the bunker is, near 'where the end began.'"

@? Christopherᵸ There had been a fire growing in Nicole, one that was even worse than when she was younger. She didn't have a lot of pieces but the ones that she did have were falling into place. Yuto wasn't typically messy. He never had been. That left her and her men to wonder if he'd been leaving breadcrumbs on purpose or if he was scrambling so much that he couldn't keep track of everything all at once. Either way, this was the only lead that she had and, whether she liked it or not, some part of her was beginning to grow worried for Yuto.

She'd heard all the downsides of having a woman in charge before, multiple times, even before she'd taken on the mantle. Generally, men considered women to be too emotional to keep a steady head, even more so in her line of work. In her opinion though, to deny that logic and emotion could run together at all was idiotic. Logic kept people level-headed while emotion kept people on their toes, and helped people see the lines they would miss if they were just following logic. Through all of this, she began to question Yuto and Minhyuk even more. Minhyuk wasn't as on the ball as he'd thought he was, which was laid out in the open by the way Yuto hadn't even thought twice about helping him or even bargaining on his behalf. With Yuto, on the other hand, Nicole could see that there was something else going on, a lot of pieces that didn't add up. Looking back, she found herself looking for all the connected dots from when he was a child with them to now that she may have missed.

Nicole was back in her office, to no one's surprise. It's the only place she'd been able to keep her head clear and work. She was still keeping her distance from everyone as she sorted through things, occasionally talking to her parents to keep them at ease but being careful not to make them worry. It wasn't all that hard considering no one besides Moonbin seemed to know what her plans were either and he couldn't and wouldn't ever go against Nicole. The man himself was soon stepping into her office, bowing his head in greeting, "Dr. Song is here. She has the results you were asking for. Also, it seems that Madame Rose is on her way now to see you."

Nicole thanked him and picked up her blazer to cover up her black silk bustier. She stopped by Moonbin, silently asking if she looked okay and he nodded once before reaching out to fix her bun for her. After he tied her hair back up for her, he led her down to the main lobby of the building where a woman with a short bob cut and a red suit was waiting for her. She bowed her head and smiled, "Dr. Song, it's been a while. I'm sorry to have called you so suddenly out of the blue."

Victoria smiled and bowed her head in return, "Nothing to apologize for. We all get busy in our lines of work." She opened up her large black tote bag and handed over a small stack of manilla folders, bound together with twine, "You're more than welcome to call me whenever you need me although I doubt you need my services for much."

Nicole accepted the stack with both hands and bowed again, "Maybe next time we meet, it can be over tea but at your place."

The doctor laughed warmly and nodded, "Once things are calm for you, come visit me. Bring that friend Rose of yours you talk so much about. I'd love to finally meet her as well. My door is open for you, whenever you're ready to come."

The women bowed to one another before Victoria was heading out of the building, surrounded by the guards as she got into her car. Just as Victoria's car was leaving did Nicole and Moonbin notice one pulling up behind it, stopping out front of the building. They both figured that it must be Rose's ride. Nicole decided to stay put, handing the stack of manilla folders over to Moonbin, who looked at her with concern. He didn't know the contents and didn't ask what they were either, figuring she would tell him if it was something that he needed to know. She did feel her guard's hand rest on her lower back for a moment, Moonbin having incredible sense with reading her at this point. It still startled her at times. He leaned into her as though he were whispering to her and discreetly pressed a light peck to her temple. It got her a bit flustered but it helped her relax, put a smile on her face. She refused to even play with the hypothetical of her having to do things without him, especially with how things were going now. In a way, it felt like he was all she had. Even with Rose, Nicole knew that her best friend had more important things to focus on and she still couldn't go to her own parents. She didn't blame or hate anyone. This was just the way things had come to be.

As Rose was guided in, Nicole and Moonbin immediately led the way to Nicole's office.

@⚡ Soobinᵸ News spread quickly. When Rose had been told that Soobin and the two men that accompanied him still hadn't returned from Japan, she knew she had to spring into action but she also couldn't find herself to leave Christopher's side. She needed to know if he was okay. If he was /really/ going to be okay. Time could only tell. However, he was still showing no signs of waking up as the minutes ticked buy. And in the silence, in the empty room that only held the two of them, Rose could think clearly.

The last person to see Soobin was most likely Christopher. Perhaps he had an inkling on where they could be or even what happened. There was no guarantee, though.

"Is there still no word?"

"Afraid not, ma'am."

Rose's expression grows a little more grim as she stares out of the window, phone pressed to her ear. "There's got to be something we're missing... Something we're overlooking..." She chews on her bottom lip for a moment, trying to come up with any idea that could be of use. "Soobin has to be somewhere... It's not like him to take off - something must've happened."

"Do you still wish to go?"

A moment of hesitation. She looks away from the breath-taking view towards her son, gaze softening at the sight of his fragile appearance. Her jaw flexes and she forces herself to look away least the fresh tears will annoy her already blood-shot eyes. "Yes," she eventually answers. "I just need more time up here with him."

"I'll prepare a car for you, ma'am. Just send the word when you are ready to depart."

"Yes, thank you, Seunghyun." And with that, the call had ended. She takes a deep breath and, with trembling hands, begins to smooth out her clothes. It took her all the courage she had to turn back around. Seeing Christopher like this was significantly harder than she thought it would be. Rose walks over to the bed, heels clacking softly against the floor before quieting down once meeting some carpet. She carefully sits down on the bed like she was worried he might stir awake with the jostle. A hand reaches out to brush along his cheek slowly. "What would you do?" She finds herself wondering aloud. "You always seem to know where to look for solutions... Soobin's nowhere to be found... I thought having you back would calm the chaos but it seems like the world is still out to get us."

Talking to thin air was enough of a therapy lesson for Rose to be able to properly vent her thoughts out in peace. Sometimes the lack of a response is what she would need. Rose leans forward to press a soft kiss upon Christopher's temple and stands up to head over towards the door. She doesn't get to leave the bed side when a small noise catches her attention. It was so miniscule that it almost went overlooked, yet her ear strained to listen. She turns and nearly jumps out of her skin when seeing Christopher's eyes barely open but /open/ nonetheless. They could barely be seen and it was clear he lacked the strength to properly hold them open but what it was that he was trying to say seemed important enough for him to persist through. Rose scrambles forward and quickly lowers the oxygen mask, bending down to offer her ear.

"What is it, baby? Talk to me." Was she begging or encouraging him? A few seconds later the same sound from earlier had happened again. It was a weak mutter that came from his lips. One word. A name. It didn't sound familiar but it sounded like something she had seen before. However before Rose could even get a single word out, it seemed that that was the only thing Christopher could muster out before losing consciousness again. Swallowing the disappointment and the tears, Rose kisses his forehead, fixes the mask and makes sure the blanket is covering him well before rushing out of the room. Youngwoon was waiting in the lobby for her.

"Have you informed Nicole that I will be arriving shortly?"

Youngwoon opened the car door for her. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good," exhaling softly, she slides into the seat and puts on her seatbelt. "Tell her I have something that might help with Soobin's whereabouts. Changbin, please drive safe but drive fast. We need to get there as quickly as we can."

Changbin nods and puts the van in drive, peeling out of the driveway with tires squealing against the pavement.

@? Christopherᵸ Nicole was more than happy to hear that Christopher was back. She avoided asking too many questions because she could tell that her best friend was frazzled by whatever condition he'd come back in. That being said, time was passing, and it seemed it was passing incredibly quickly. Like a vacuum with no escape. It took her a very short amount of time to connect the dots and realize what it was.

Soobin hadn't returned.

To make matters worse, she hadn't heard from Keonhee or Yeonjun and they were answering her calls or messages either. She was gradually beginning to lean more to the irate side. She wasn't sure what she could do and she was avoiding everything, from her house in Incheon to answering calls from business partners and associates to even her parents. She ended up staying mostly in the Lee Family headquarters with the building on lockdown. Only those to who she had given the passcodes were allowed to enter, which was no more than a handful of guards. Oddly, she wasn't antsy but she was very much on edge. One wrong look in her direction and you could end up as target practice.

Nicole sits in her office at the headquarters building. Her office is pitch black aside from the city lights pouring in through the bay windows. Moonbin knocks on the door, bringing in her tea as he closes the door behind him. He sets it on her desk and then proceeds to pour from the kettle into the tea cup. He doesn't say anything once he's done, taking a step back and just folding his hands in front of him.

"Do you have any news for me," she asks, her voice much colder than usual when she's speaking to Moonbin, especially when they're alone.

"From what we know, Master Soobin's plane is still in Japan. It's still at the hospital where Madame Rose picked up Master Christopher," he begins, watching her silhouette against the windows, "There's no sign of your son at that hospital. No one in the area seems to know where he is."

"Is that all?"

"Some of my men spotted Yuto in Japan. Minhyuk knew nothing of this. He doesn't seem to be aware of anything going on at the moment. It also appears that he and Nagi only know each other in name and have had no prior contact before all of this."

Nicole's brows furrow as she turns to face Moonbin. She can't see his face but he can see hers and she's very confused. He isn't sure how to proceed or if she would even like him to. He remains quiet as she moves to take a seat at her desk, sipping her tea.

"How did you come to find that out?"

"In all the evidence that was collected and even from questioning Minhyuk, there's no proof of any connection. However, there does appear to be multiple instances where Yuto has reached out to Nagi and vice versa. The two have been in periodic contact before all of this unfolded, which isn't a surprise considering our connection with the Blood Dragons. Recently though, there seems to have been a spike in their interactions, specifically after Masaki died."

"I know Yuto longs for power but I can't imagine him attempting or even wanting to kill Masaki. He'd be the type to try to stay in his good graces..."

"There are rumors among the Blood Dragons that Nagi was involved in Masaki's death."

Nicole's eyes widen, her gaze coming up from her tea to focus on her bodyguard, "How did you find out something like that?"

Moonbin looks away, wondering how to answer her, "Yuto... as you know, is very meticulous. We went through his bedroom at the family home in Seoul. There was little he didn't take with him but there are some things that he missed... There were a couple of planners that he had tucked away in a box under his bed. In them, we found not just your schedule, but Master Soobin's and Master Christopher's, even Minhyuk's and Nagi's."

"Why would he be tracking Nagi?"

"He didn't start until after the announcement that Masaki was dead."

"Wait... You didn't say that he was tracking Masaki's schedule... Is it because he didn't want to go up against Masaki but he's fine going against Nagi?"

"I've never met Nagi in person nor have I associated with him but... from what I've heard about him and knowing Yuto... Yuto might become the new leader of the Blood Dragons."

"Knowing Yuto, he wouldn't stop there either. More than anything, I want you to find my son but I need you to have someone keep an eye on Yuto. He was after Christopher all this time and almost all of us know now that he's here. He's focused on heavily something in Japan to not be trying to come for him."

"I already have someone it," Moonbin bows his head and hesitates a little as he reaches to rest a hand on her shoulder, her hand laying over his is reassurance that he made the right choice, "We're going to get to the bottom of this and we're going to get Master Soobin back. I promise you this."

"Is that something you can promise?"

"You have my word, or you can have my life."

Nicole looks at him worriedly but stands and cups his cheek, shaking his head. She could never go that far and take his life. Not with the amount of loyalty and kindness he's always shown her. Never once has she felt him doing it because he's afraid of her either. Controlling someone out of fear can be an asset but to have someone so willing of their own accord is much more dangerous, especially when the tie is bound both ways.

@⚡ Soobinᵸ When Christopher finally allows himself to sink into the darkness, he's still just as confused and just as distressed as before that the only thing he 'dreams' about is drowning. The water sort of feels like mud or quick sand, him further in the more he struggled and tried to free himself. Only when he stopped and just accepted his fate did he seem to drift along the surface aimlessly; staring off into the black abyss surrounding him. By the time they had reached the hospital and he was able to get the medical attention he needed, Christopher was showing no signs of waking up any time soon - which was fine, he needed to recover anyways and being unconscious for a while would help his body heal and get some strength back.

It took a while to get the barbed wire out. A long while, actually. It was dug so deep that it was almost close to the bone. Many stitches were called for in order for the wounds on his arms to be closed. Ironically.. they almost looked like vines with thorns growing up along his arms. His body, mainly his upper torso, was covered in dark bruises with a larger one that looked eerily like a pair of hands that wrapped around his throat and what looked to be a few cigar burns were scorched into his left side. Those will scar too. Thankfully, though, other than some broken ribs, Christopher had no other physical injury to speak of and was otherwise going to make a full recovery in no time. At least, that's what the doctors said. it was only when they made the call to Rose that they realized how much drugs were in his system.. and just what kind.

That was when the talk of permanent nerve damage came about. It seemed like the people who kept him captive were very intrigued by the bullet wound he endured saving Soobin because they pretty much tore it open even wider. When they took a closer look, they had realized all of the injections were done in wound. Not only that, but there were burn marks and obvious tears that only a knife could pull off. What was originally a small tiny bully wound had now encompassed more than half of his entire shoulder. The doctors were worried that his shoulder, specifically his collarbone, might be of any use anymore.

Eventually, Rose flew down and practically stormed the hospital with several of her men following closely behind her; wearing similar grim, yet desperate, expressions. She immediately ordered for Christopher to be evacuated from the hospital so that he could receive further treatment back at home, where she knew he would be safe because as of right now, there are little to no people that she trusts to be around him. To her, everyone was a traitor. It took a little while to be able to get the approval but the next thing Rose knows, she's sitting in a helicopter as it carefully takes off. Directly in front of her lay Christopher, strapped to a gurney with IVs in his arms and an oxygen mask over his mouth. There's tears in her eyes as her trembling hands reach to take one of his. It's not as warm as she remembers it to be. This only brings her more sorrow.. and much more guilt.

No one was allowed to see him. Not even the member of her own family. Rose had set it all up so that Christopher would be receiving all of the medical attention he needed in the comfort of his own home. All of the doctors and nurses assigned to his case would reside in the guest penthouse just a floor up. There was heavy security - no one except for Rose and the medical staff had clearance to enter and she was also very tight-lipped about his condition. The only questions she would answer is: "Is he even still alive?"

"Do you think she'd let Soobin to see him?" Changbin whispered softly to the person standing beside him. Well, not beside him per say more.. pressed up against him. The boy looked only to be a year or two younger than him but considerably much smaller in stature with vivid freckles all over his face. "Or do you think it would take some convincing?"

"Convincing, for sure." Felix snorted, as if it was obvious. "You kidding? She didn't even let you in, and you're his personal bodyguard." Changbin doesn't look pleased by the reminder though he can't offer any retort, knowing that the other was right. "She's gone into full mom mode, Changbin. If she does let Soobin in, it'd be a miracle.. But we'll just have to wait and see. Give it some time."

Changbin fell silent, expression falling before it seems to pick back up with realization. "Speaking of Soobin... How the hell is he doing in this mess?"

@? Christopherᵸ Keonhee glances back, catching the way Christopher reaches out and his expression turns soft at the sight. Although trained to fight, the elite would much rather everything be peaceful, quite the opposite of Yeonjun. Then again, he's aware that his friend and fellow elite has different issues to get through. Then again, they all do. He works on getting them in the air and manages to fly off without a hitch, heading for the hospital tucked away in the mountain. Thankfully, it's one with a landing strip and a helipad, considering the patients there are typically flown in and out for treatment. He doesn't want to recall how he knows how to get there so well but he won't, and can't, dwell on those thoughts with everything else going on.

Soobin takes a deep breath and calms himself, anger boiling in his chest that, if he's not careful, will blind him from getting anything done, effectively and efficiently anyway. He just wants to get this over with so that he can go make sure Christopher is all right. Yeonjun stiffens up and glances to his left, the motion catching Soobin's attention. The other isn't one of his bodyguards for no reason. He's good with being able to sense danger. Both Soobin and Keonhee have on more than one occasion about him having a spider sense and being spiderman. It's an inside joke between the three of them but one they enjoy a lot. Another great thing about having Yeonjun as one of his bodyguards is that it seems like he was just built for it. This is proven in the way he raises his gun and fires, the sound they hear in response, along with the body that falls, is a sign that he hit his threat.

"Nagi, stop hiding. This isn't like you," Soobin calls out.

One of his henchmen appears before many of them start popping out at once, "He's not here right now but he asked us to leave a message with you. He kind of hopes you'll make it out of this so he can play with you some more."

"Where is he," Yeonjun questions, his bat resting on his shoulder and his gun aimed at those in front of them.

"He had a meeting to attend to. We're hoping to bring back good news," the henchman states before making a gesture with the metal staff he's holding. It's signal enough to the rest of them to start their attack.

@⚡ Soobinᵸ There was a hand on his cheek. That much he could tell, but.. he can't feel the person's touch. He can feel the weight of their palm and yet - who was touching him? Who was cradling him like this? Christopher's mind was a whirlwind. He couldn't keep a thought down. He couldn't make sense of it all. It was all so confusing and jarring and it only made his head pound even harder. A low, pained whimper slips from his lips as agony hammers away in his skull. Whatever drugs they used on him really ed up his mental state for him to be so.. out of it, in the simplest of ways. Christopher was in such a bad state that he can no longer tell between reality and hallucinations. Was all of this just playing in his head? Maybe he's gone mad...

Christopher is in and out of consciousness the entire time. Slipping away and returning moments later but only briefly, and even then he didn't even have the strength to open his eyes or even utter another word. His body felt so weak. Like there was nothing left in him. And, sure, this wouldn't exactly be his first - nor last - brink with death yet it kind of felt different than the last few times. It was as if his body weighed a thousand pounds. Christopher just felt so heavy when he would laying on the ground bleeding all over himself. This time, he feels.. light. Floaty. He can hear things in slow motion (if that makes even a of sense) and the only thing he taste right now is dust. His entire body was numb and he couldn't feel a damn thing anymore. Nothing hurt. Just a few minutes ago he was in sheer agony and now even the hammering in his head has seemingly ceased. Christopher laid so limp in their arms that he practically looked dead at that point; boneless, lacking any strength or resistance.

The last thing he remembers is darkness and the sensation of something cold wrapping around him. He remembers the feeling of being alone in the darkness with no warmth, no safety, nothing to hold on to or anchor on. And in his last few seconds of clarity, he was almost tempted to reach out again. 'Cause he /swears/ he hears Soobin's voice. He swears that man is right there but.. he can't tell. And honestly, he doesn't know if he should believe it. Gathering enough strength to be able to open his eyes a little, he manages to make that out he's laying down on something and also catches the blurry outlines of figures standing nearby. One of them kind of looks like Soobin.

His fingers twitch as his arms were unknowingly moving slowly despite his condition; desperate to find some kind of light that would reassure him that the world wasn't crumbling beneath his feet. The last time Christopher had reached a hand out when he was in a panic, nothing reached back. The reminder made him stop. One of his arms was half way off the seat, fingers shaking in their attempt at reaching out. Knowing that no hand will find his yet again, Christopher lets his hand fall limp and lets the darkness surround him, leaving him feeling colder than ever.

@? Christopherᵸ (2/2)

He inhales sharply when he hears Nagi call his name from somewhere in the distance. He isn't stupid though. He's not leaving his post until that plane is in the air, or at least the door is shut. Soon enough, he hears Keonhee utter quietly that they're ready. He doesn't glance over his shoulder but he does feel a sense of relief when Yeonjun slips the bat from his hand and brushes his arm against his own. Now, they just have to focus on making sure the plane gets out of there.

"Show your ing face," Yeonjun utters quietly, wanting to yell it but knowing they'd be giving away their position a bit too precisely should he open his mouth.

After all, they still don't know where Nagi is yet or where his henchmen are yet.

[] Sorry for the long wait for a reply. I hope it's okay. ><

@? Christopherᵸ Nicole keeps her eyes closed as she listens to Rose, smirking to herself. "If it makes you feel any better, the guys I was with had stories to tell. They just got scared about what I would do if they told. At least that's what I think anyway." She laughs, keeping her eyes closed and keeping Rose close to her, enjoying her friend's warmth and presence. In the back of her mind, she's going over how she's incredibly glad and thankful for Rose just being Rose and the friendship they've gotten to build over the years. From what she can remember, it's always been peaceful. Of course, like every friendship, there are ups and downs, tiring moments and the high waves but, with the world they live in, the things they have to do and the choices they have to make, she can't be happier to have her at her side. She doesn't even want to think or consider just how many lonely days she would have had without Rose in her life.

All these thoughts just make her hug her best friend tighter to her.

"It's not just me, Rose," Nicole answers, her breathing shaky. She suddenly feels like she's on the verge of tears. There's so much going on and she's coherent enough to know that the wine is starting to kick in. It's making it easier for her to talk but it's also forcing her to feel. The shields are down and everything's finally hitting her. "It isn't just me," her voice breaks this time. Her eyes are still closed but she can feel the warmth running down her cheeks as tears start to escape, "All of deserve some form of happiness. People on the outside only see us as criminals and killers... They don't realize just how much order and peace we keep for them, against the government and the cops... They think we're the corrupt ones just because of how we make a living as if their neighbors may not be the same or even worse. Hell, the ones pointing fingers at us could even be worse to others than we are." Her voice trails off for a moment before she brings it back, "There's a lot more hurt on this side of the line, a lot more pain. It's a price we pay for what we do but, at the same time, there are a lot of instances, like lately, where it's just undeserving. Someone gets greedy or deceived or hurt... And it just becomes a butterfly effect where innocent people get hurt and killed and it's such a close proximity that it hurts worse... A lot of us have to watch others die while we look them in the eyes... and there's nothing we can do about it." She's definitely talking a lot more thanks to the wine. The redness now dusting her cheeks and ears and neck are nothing to the way she's just rambling. "How many people do you think I'd disappoint if I just gave it all up," Nicole asks, finally opening her eyes and staring at the sky, "I couldn't ask Soobin to give up everything but... what if I just stayed here and just never left? Maybe even Moonbin would visit me or even stay with me for protection but I'd have nothing to do with this lifestyle anymore... I could just focus on worrying about my son and his soon-to-be-boyfriend and whether I have enough groceries to make a big dinner or if I have to bring the laundry in before it rains..." Part of her knows it sounds ridiculous but that small, still sober part of her knows that stepping away would mean that Soobin would have to step up and take more responsibilities for the family and she isn't sure she's ready to put that weight on him when he's so young. She doesn't have a single doubt that he can do it.

"To be honest, I don't think I've ever really had many conversations with Christopher," she furrows her brows as she tries to think, "I feel like we've had a number of conversations but... Mm... looking back, especially since this Blood Dragons stuff started and a little before, I think... I feel like Soobin stopped us from talking. Seeing everything, it may have had to do with his investigation. I hope he never thought I was dismissing him on purpose..." she groans. His warnings could have probably prevented a lot of what had happened. Nicole just closes her eyes and wants to go hide. The possibility that she was just as mean as everyone else had been toward Christopher is suddenly wearing on what's left of her sanity and is stretching it into the thinnest of threads. "I give up," she chokes on the words, her free hand clutching at her chest. Nicole can only think of hiding now and just not surfacing for a very long time, if ever again. There's an inkling in the back of her mind that she'll feel this even when she's sober. She's done so much more damage than she could ever make up for.

"It may not be the same... but you two will always be there for each other," Nicole says, closing her eyes again and beginning to her best friend's hair. "It'll take time for it to heal... his heart, the trust between you two... but it's not completely gone so there's hope. Even with you making the heir comment, that doesn't mean that you stopped loving him. That may be hard for him to realize but you don't hate him. You love that boy with so much of your being, even if he didn't come from your womb and it doesn't matter if he did or not anyway." Her words are beginning to slur more now, "Christopher's had a hard time but moms... real mothers... we protect our babies... Sometimes we say stupid things, we do stupid stuff, we say hurtful stuff but our hearts are in the right place. Take him on a trip and just... Just stay with him for a while. Don't let anyone interrupt. Have a trip with him and take care of him and remind him just how much you love him and how precious he is to you. Make memories with him..." Nicole is crying fully now and she's exhausted. Her body feels so incredibly heavy and painful and she isn't sure she'll be able to even move from this bench and she's fine with sleeping out here if she has to. "Remind Christopher that he's cherished..."

Soobin's covered in blood. Surprise, surprise, the heir knows how to use katana. Well-trained with them actually. He's got skills in martial arts but there are a lot of Japanese weapons he knows how to use properly and precisely. He's not as neat this time around and Yeonjun and Keonhee only have the chance to process everything after the room settles down and it's quiet again. He rests a hand on Christopher's side, his hand shaking as he traces the wounds on the other's skin. He can't even bring himself to say anything as he hears Christopher calling out. There are tears in his eyes and they rush down his cheeks. Keonhee and Yeonjun find how the chains are set up and help get Christopher down while Soobin drops the katana to collect Christopher in his arms. Keonhee and Yeonjun leave the room, on a mission to make sure they have a clear path to their plane. They all know that they won't be able to leave easily or anytime soon, especially with them having to watch out for Christopher and carry him all the way back.

Soobin sits there for a moment before finally removing Christopher's blindfold, fingers gently stroking the other's hair. He cups the side of his face, his thumb tracing over the other heir's cheek, brushing just under his eye. His words are still stuck in his throat. He isn't sure why it's so hard for him to speak and he doesn't like the feeling at all. Cradling Christopher's head to his chest, he finally breathes out an "I'm right here." He manages to say it without his voice cracking but his ragged breathing is still a giveaway that he's not okay. The fact that he can't stop crying is only making it worse. There's a lot rushing through his head and the only thing that he can think of is that they'll have to pull another split job where his men are going to have to take Christopher somewhere else, somewhere hidden and somewhere safe while Soobin handles these idiots.

"We have a short window to get to the plane," Keonhee calls as Yeonjun keeps an eye out, his gun in one hand and his trusty bat in the other.

"Take Christopher," Soobin's voice is more stern now. He's still a mess, to say the least, but he's got his head on straight, for the moment anyway.

"Take Christopher and do what exactly," Yeonjun glances over his shoulder, shooting the heir a sharp look.

"Get the out of here. Find a hospital somewhere and take him there. Now," he bites back and both elites just stare at him for a moment before moving over to him to pick Christopher up.

"And what are you going to do, Soobin," Yeonjun's glare is sharp this time and you can tell he's in big brother mode, "What the are you going to do on your own, you dumb ? Your ribcage isn't fully healed yet. You get one good hit or shot to them and you might just be down for the count."

Soobin knows he's right and he looks away, getting up and picking up his katana, "Keonhee... Can you take him somewhere, please...? That hospital at the city at the base of the mountain..."

The heir trails off knowing that Keonhee knows exactly where he's talking about and he nods. For the time being, Yeonjun carries Christopher while Soobin carries his bat. Keonhee takes Yeonjun's other gun, holding two now. Between Soobin and Keonhee, the goal is just to get Christopher out of there for now. Everything else is coming second. They work on making their way to the plane, Keonhee taking hits from behind Yeonjun while Soobin goes first. They'd gone through a whole fight and discussion about Soobin being in the front but they actually got scared that he'd kill them if they kept talking back. Reaching the plane, Yeonjun and Keonhee work on getting Christopher in and strapped in safely while Soobin opts for one of his guns for a bit, wanting a ranged weapon.

(1/2)

@⚡ Soobinᵸ [2/2 sojdsodjo i am so sorry ]

Before the heir could even wonder what was going on, more of the serum is being injected into his system and he could feel his eyes rolling back. Fear ignites in his chest. His temperature was dropping, he could feel himself quickly getting significantly colder by the passing second which is... certainly not good, right? It was terrifying. To be frank, Christopher genuinely thinks he's about to die. For real, this time. He could feel his body convulsing a little, tightening up painfully, making him unable to breathe for a few seconds. His body was starting to go into shock and it was the most terrifying thing he's ever felt.

"B-Binnie..." He unconsciously calls out, convinced the other isn't there but still trying to reach him in vein. It was a nickname that hadn't been used since they were kids. Christopher had started calling the other heir a shortened version of his name whenever he was absolutely scared out of his mind. It was when the fear was overtaking him, overriding any other thought or feeling - and what did Christopher do when he was /this/ scared? He would always run to Soobin, hide behind him. Of course, they were kids. The things that scared him were typical things. Like clowns. And bugs. Definitely the bug part. This, though... this time was unlike any other time Christopher has ever been scared. The way he said it too was broken, shaky, and so riddled with terror. Christopher was terrified of what was happening to him. He couldn't feel his body anymore. Suddenly he couldn't even feel the pain, suddenly it... was nothing. Suddenly, he just felt so, so tired. The need to close his eyes and left himself drift off was overpowering. He couldn't keep his eyes open, head lolling against his bicep as he tried to focus on what was going on in front of him; tried to focus on sounds, on the blurred movements but his senses were warping and distorting. So he cries out again, weakly, "Binnie... w-where... are you?"

@⚡ Soobinᵸ Rose exhales a long drawn out sigh before practically cackling at the memory, "Ahh, that one made it to the books, I'm sure of it. I just wasn't one of those girly girls, ya'know? Sneakers over heels, skateboarding instead of sleepovers - that kind of thing. A tomboy, if you will. Still wore pretty things but I also wouldn't hesitate to break someone's nose." She giggled quietly, leaning against Nicole and letting their heads rest together while she gazed up at the sky. "Then I hit puberty and got these damn things on my chest and I was suddenly a somebody to the boys who were originally too scared to approach me. If it wasn't one, it was the other, right? We also went from the stage of wanting boy's attention to trying to hide from it. At least that was me, I can't speak for you obviously. But, man - boys at that ages were horrendous!"

"Of course, of course!" She waves a dismissive hand, already slurring a little but still seeming somewhat coherent at least. "You never did jump into things, did ya? Always taking your time to decide. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. I'm just not surprised, that's all. Besides... after what happened, I don't blame you for being so unsure." Her voice lowered slightly to something more serious and genuine. Perhaps it was the wine in her system that enticed her to speak more freely, more honestly. "I just want you to be happy, Nicole. Out of all of us here, you deserve it. So take your time, it's fine. Feelings /are/ confusing, so I also don't blame your son for not knowing what to do..." Rose takes a curious pause, looking thoughtful as she studied the twinkling stars above. "Both of us went through much... And so have our boys. I can only imagine what they're going through together right now... But I have faith in them. I've never seen Christopher love someone or something like this before, and if he's willing to hold on for as long as he has, then I'm sure he'd be even more willing to wait longer if it meant he could be with Soobin in the end. When he's in it, he's in it, and I hope your son realizes that sooner rather than later. He's dedicated to that man. Loyal. Even when they were at opposing ends. The box was only but a glimpse... Only true love makes one that damn stupid."

"Happiness... Christopher always thought that it had to be earned, that you couldn't just acquire it. But I've seen the way he looked at Soobin when they were younger. I saw the happiness in his eyes. It's been dull lately, though... Something has shifted in him, even before what happened with the Blood Dragons." Rose grows quiet for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing. Perhaps it was alcohol that made her really think back, to actually look at his body language and listen to the way he sounds when he spoke. It seemed sullen. His shoulders were a bit slouched and he generally kept his eyes low. "Not to... be that person, but we all really were hard with him before things came to light... I was never nice to him, neither was Soobin, neither was anyone for that matter. Imagine having to deal with that from people you spent your entire life loving, for more than a decade. Hearing everyone say such hurtful things... I think it's getting to him. I feel so lacking since I'm only realizing this now but he seems very depressed. He used to be a beacon of light, always smiling and joking and laughing and now it's... quiet. I don't like it, Nicole... I don't even know what I could do - a simple apology isn't going to change anything nor make it hurt any less. I've lost his trust. I'm not even trust if he trusts anyone now even if he acts completely fine. I feel like this... isn't something that can be repaired. And no matter what you or anyone else says, it can't. I burned the bridge. I could build a new one, yes, but... it won't ever be the same."

Meanwhile... he didn't even know where he was, much less what day it was. How long as it been since he's been here? Hours? Days? ...Weeks? The conception of time and reality has been bent. He feels like he's slowly losing his mind. It was agonizing being in there, strung up like this; being stared at like he was the current freak of the zoo or something. Like a specimen under a microscope, poked and prodded over and over and over. Everything's been a blur for the most part, thankfully. The only time they'd jolt him awake is when they wanted to ask him a bazillion questions. They were clearly digging around for something and to be honest, Christopher had zero clue where they were going with it. He had no idea what they wanted from him. The questions were the same no matter what. Repetition only made him spiral more; was anything even real? Was the pain he's experiencing real? Was the air he breathed real? Delirium. Christopher was fading quick to delirium. Everything was the same, even his own answers. Only able to utter the words 'I don't know,' only being asked 'What do you know about Yuto and Minhyuk?' Nothing changed. Was he even alive? Was this hell?

Whatever it was that was laced in the cloth smelled absolutely atrocious. It never ceased to give him a slap of something wicked every time they pressed it to his nose just to force him to wake up; never allowing him to rest. Even smelling it hurt. It would make him cough and the agony coursing through his veins would burn with vengeance. He knows one thing though; this is the 237th time they've woken him up. Somehow, Christopher has managed to keep himself sane (literally) by counting. Marking this the 238th time now, the heir just wanted this to end. He just wants to sleep. But he can't. They don't let him. It wasn't fair. Why would give him things to make him sleep only to prevent him from doing so? Every time they woke him up, they asked the same questions and got the same answers. And they would always appear more frustrated than before, shoving needles and syringes into him and inserting something that was colored funky and weird - and it would be /so painful/. It was like liquid fire. It was burning him, spreading all throughout his entire body. The pain wasn't even just from the inside, either. They'd torture him physically as well; alternating between throwing punches to his abdomen to grabbing his arms and giving a good squeeze. That itself didn't seem harmless and it wouldn't have been if it weren't for the fact that actual barbed wire was wrapped so tightly around his arms, holding them back above his head as he was forced down on his knees. Sadly, though, they were also the only things holding him up.

He didn't have the strength to lift his head anymore. His arms were caked in fresh and dry blood as the metal sunk far too deep for it to be deemed healthy. He couldn't feel his entire body (especially his shoulder, arms, and fingers) and yet he also felt completely numb at the same time. There was so much crap in his system that he's sure there's more drugs than there is blood at this point; almost terrifyingly too close to a forced overdose.

"What do you know about Yuto and Minhyuk?"

Ah. There it is again. They woke him up again to ask him the same damn thing. "I don't know..." He was practically /begging/ them at this point. It was pathetic, and he could tell they enjoyed seeing him break like this in front of their very eyes; this is exactly what they wanted to see after all.

Silence answered him. Droplets of water fell from his face to join the puddles of blood below. Was he sweating or was he crying? He couldn't tell the difference anymore. He could hear a few more voices, more Latin than Japanese; they were trying to throw him off, unaware that he could understand both languages very well. They kept talking about the relationship between the two males that've been brought up constantly. Even though he didn't know in the beginning, he knows now even though it wasn't directly told to him. Listening and putting the puzzle pieces together was enough for Christopher to be able to figure it out on his own.

"Enough." A different voice. The heir feels his breath stutter. Change. It's changing. "It doesn't matter if he knows or not. We've wasted enough time. Just ing kill him. I'm bored."

Who was that? He didn't recognize them and yet their voice sounded somewhat familiar. Hearing the familiar sound of the lever being pushed, the heir has no time at all to prepare himself for sheer pain that bursts through his limbs. The barbed wire around his forearms were connected to a pulley system on the ceiling. If someone pushed that lever, it would begin to lift and therefore bring Christopher off of the ground to leave him dangling instead of on his knees. With this, the jagged wires would dig in deeper each time. They were digging into his bones, digging into the marrow. And with the whatever was in the drugs itself that made him feel everything so intensely, the pain was... nothing he's ever felt before. The lever is pushed and the wire is dragging him up towards the ceiling. Christopher /screams/. No doubt someone two floors down and outside could hear it. Now he can feel the tears pouring down his cheeks, could hear their mocking laughter as they drew closer, shadows of figures soon appearing in his blurry vision. He couldn't focus enough to make out any distinguishable features, plus the blindfold didn't exactly help either. Someone grabs his hair and forces his head to the side, exposing the numerous injection sites dotting his neck and shoulder. Something sharp is stabbed into the same area just as the sound of a door opening could be heard. Christopher lets out a sob and hears more laughter from those who are surrounding him but then he starts to hear something else. More voices. It sounds almost like... yelling?

"What the is he doing h--!"

[1/2]

@? Christopherᵸ Nicole finishes her own bout of wine around the same time as Rose, setting the bottle aside and just leaning against her friend. The walk down memory lane makes her smile. She could easily vouch for all the guys that avoided talking to Rose. A good amount of them, especially those that knew the incident, or even had seen it, came up to her to ask about Rose. She'd try to convince them to give her friend a try but it always seemed they got too nervous or scared just as they were about to give it a shot. She couldn't say she was surprised or wouldn't do the same thing in their shoes. The idea of ending up with a broken nose, or something worse, wasn't exactly one to draw someone in. "Definitely a hell of a story," she ends up replying with a laugh. Nicole couldn't deny after all that the reaction of some of those guys' was amusing.

As she got to talking about Moonbin, she felt shy for some reason. She can't deny that he's good-looking on top of everything else that shines about him. That smile of his is like the icing on the cake. Rose's sudden interjection made Nicole feel lighter, made her laugh. She didn't want to take that chance and find out she was just reading too much into it. Maybe after things quieted down some more, she would be able to really consider even just spending some alone time with Moonbin. It would be a nice change of pace. "I'll give it some more thought," she's beginning to slur a bit, not that she wasn't already. She could hold her alcohol pretty well and the wine didn't feel too strong, or it just hadn't caught up to her entirely yet.

The head goes quiet, listening to her friend talk about Christopher coming out. It makes her think. Soobin had never done anything like that. He'd never come out to her about feeling any sort of way toward the same . Maybe he just didn't feel the need to. She'd never questioned him about it or pressured him about marriage or kids or just dating in general. On top of that, he's still very young and she wouldn't want to lay that stress on him anyway. She shakes her head, "If nothing else, I can say that Soobin doesn't understand his own feelings. He's been confused multiple times about how he feels toward Christopher so I wouldn't be surprised if Christopher didn't know." Her voice trailed off as she thought of her son again, wondering if she's had a hand in it being hard for him to express his emotions. He's always been sweet toward her and made sure life's easy for her, for as long as she can remember. It makes her wonder if she's been that way to the extent that she's hard to read sometimes, too.

"I want the best for Christopher but..." her voice trails off, looking up at the sky now for a bit as she processes her thoughts, only to look at Rose again, "I want the best for him. He feels like my son, too, after all. It does make me wonder if Soobin would be good for him." Nicole combs through her hair, knowing it's just her motherly worries weighing on her, even more so with everything going on. She knows her son is level-headed but she just hopes that all these new experiences and truths and lies coming out that he doesn't become someone else through it all. "I don't think I've had enough to drink," Nicole sighs loudly, practically yelling at the sky, "I want the best for the boys... I need to see them happy. They've already been through so much..." Maybe she's just used to being so put off to love that she worries her son will be the same way. Running from it, in her experience, only ever seems to make things worse, especially when you ignore just where your heart is calling you.

The instant Soobin heard that kidnappers were on their way to Japan, he was walking out of the room. Keonhee blinks and follows right behind him, stopping when his boss does. "Tell Yeonjun to meet us on the strip," Soobin demands in a quiet tone. "Sir... Soobin," Keonhee looks at him worriedly but gives a soft sigh at the broken expression hiding in the other's eyes, "I'll tell him right away."

Heading out to the car, Keonhee calls Yeonjun and relays the information. The amount and volume of the swears that come from the other end make him hold the phone away from his ear. He gets the car door open for Soobin but the other gets into the driver's seat. "Just remember that your men are still needed here, okay," Keonhee's voice sounds desperate as he ends the call with a "We'll see you soon." He slides into the passenger's seat of the car, managing to buckle in just as Soobin speeds off. As they're on their way to private air strip, Keonhee answers a call from the guard at the hospital, doing his best to calm him. Soobin put everyone on alert with the way he rushed off without saying anything. He knows that, even though the heir wants to keep their mothers out of it for as long as he can, they're going to ask questions, especially when neither of them shows up to the Incheon home.

Reaching the strip, Yeonjun is thankfully already there, having been closer to the private airstrip than the hospital. He's standing at the steps to board the plane, bloodied and scratched up bat in hand as he waits to greet them. Waving them over, the Elite bodyguard gets them on the plane before boarding as well. "Do you know where to go," Yeonjun asks the heir, sitting next to Keonhee with both of them across from Soobin, who nods in response.

"I know how to get there, where to go. I was raised there. Just make sure everything is kept quiet for as long as possible. I don't want our mothers getting scared or riled up," he pauses and looks out of the window as the plane finally takes off, "I'll handle this... I'll get him back."

@⚡ Soobinᵸ Rose nearly choked on the wine in her fit of laughter. She hadn't expected the remark and it makes her recall how bad her resting face was back then. Perhaps it was far worse than she realized but it certainly played a part in the reason why not a lot of people were all that keen on talking to her. Of course it's gotten better over the years. She no longer looks like she's two seconds away from shoving a pen in someone's eye. Her position in the family really humbled her, it seemed. "I suppose you're right. Boys always kept their distance. Remember that one time where I broke some kid's nose because he wouldn't stop pulling my hair? I think that's when they realized they shouldn't mess with me but it also marked the beginning of an arc where I could barely ever get a boyfriend. Ah, it kind of honestly... But no matter! I never really cared about trivial things like that. It was still one hell of a story, though."

Once she was settled on to the bench, she downs the rest of her wine and sets the empty glass down beside her before putting all over her attention on her friend, listening to her talk about Moonbin. "Nicole," she interrupted after a moment, reaching up to put a hand on her shoulder. "I think of all the people I know, you deserve some happiness. I understand your hesitation regarding the age difference between the two of you, trust me, but... there's no harm in feeling the way that you feel towards him. No harm at all. From what I see, he truly cares about you. So go for it! And whoever judges you, 'em. 'em." Rose declares with a determined look on her face, clearly wasted but sincere nonetheless. She exhales and leans back, tipping her head so she could stare up at the night sky and admire the twinkling stars above for a little while. "Ah... Reminds me of the day Christopher came out to me. It was a similar situation, in the sense where he thought it was a sin to feel the way that he feels. Despite his real family being a loving one, they were also a very reserved one... Apparently, his mother was a devoted Christian that went to church often so he grew up on the idea that being gay was considered a disease. He never got to tell them and when he told me, it was actually only a couple of months ago... He was so nervous he cried." A small laugh leaves her lips and she closes her eyes, unconsciously reaching for the silver bracelet that adorned her left wrist. It had been a birthday gift from him to her. She never took it off since receiving it. "But to be honest, I saw it. The way he looked at your son, at least. Even with their differences, he still looked at Soobin like he hung the freakin' stars or something. It was so sappy yet... really sweet at the same time. However, if Christopher is anything, he's oblivious as hell - I bet he doesn't fully understand or see Soobin's feelings towards him, haha. It's cute but it also makes me wanna shake him around and knock some sense into that thick skull of his."

After a couple of moments, Rose seems to gather herself a little bit. She fixes her posture and looks over at Nicole curiously, propping her elbow on the bench's armrest and leaning her chin into her palm. "What do you think, though? Of our sons, at least? Do you think they'll make a good match? In my eyes, I do... Christopher deserves it, even though he thinks he doesn't. And Soobin, I think he needs it? To have an unwavering kind of love in your life - it can change you. I'm not gonna lie, I thought Soobin would try to deny him at first since he always seemed to set on work, work, work, and nothing but work. When I realized Christopher had feelings for him, I admittedly tried telling him to let it go - told him that it'd be pointless, that he'd only end up hurt in the end, but... that day changed my mind. Do you remember?" Rose purses her lips as she recalls a little while back. It was when there was still some snow on the ground. "It was when all of us heirs and head of the families were traveling to Busan for that banquet. Our car over- black ice and ended up on the roof. Of course I was the only one who knew about Christopher's PTSD regarding car crashes and such, so when I saw him staring to have a panic attack, I too began to panic. Of all the years I've known him, I never saw him like that and I didn't know what to do to calm him down. That's when Soobin showed up unexpectedly. He used the excuse of wanting to see if I was okay as the reason why he turned back but his whole demeanor changed when he saw how Christopher was being affected. It was a bit difficult to climb out of the wreckage, especially when he was locked in that episode, but your son stayed there the entire time before managing to coax him out... I think that was pretty special, honestly. Ever since that day I realized that these two are complete idiots for each other."

The guard who had originally called it in remained in the room that the heir had occupied, doing his best to try to calm the nurse down. At least enough so that she could let go of the sling. She was the primary care-taker for Christopher and had grown considerably fond of him through their brief, but extremely pleasant, interactions. The charming smile he wore always helped her feel comfortable whenever entering the room. She was in disbelief that someone as gentle as him could be gone in a blink of an eye and a part of her blamed herself. Perhaps if she wasn't so helpless, she could've done more. The guard understood that but there was no dwelling on what if's. Once Soobin and his men arrived at the scene, he hurriedly rushed out to the main hall and gestured for the heir to follow him, guiding the other along until they reached the room.

"It happened just a few hours after you left," he began explaining, noticing the tension and deciding that it'd probably be best to not anger Soobin even more. "We had just finished passing out dinner trays... I saw him briefly leave his room to use the restroom across the hall. We made eye contact, he smiled and said hello. Everything was fine, it all seemed normal, but then... a couple minutes later, they came charging in. Given their outfits and the lack of disguises, it gave off the impression that they didn't care if anyone recognized them. They were cocky as they rounded all of us up, warning that if we made a sound, they'd kill the person next to us. But their guns had silencers on them so I'm not even sure if Christopher had even heard the shots go off. They also never really spoke about what they wanted or what they were planning, but they seemed... relaxed. When they did speak, it was a language I wasn't familiar with. It didn't sound Korean but it also wasn't Japanese or Chinese either. None of them broke away to go search elsewhere - all of them stayed with us in the main hall. I thought it was odd at first but... then I put the pieces together. They were only gathering us there to get us away from something, to create an opening. I think everyone soon realized that because when we were eventually freed, everyone scrambled and began searching. I had hoped that Christopher left the bathroom and hid elsewhere, b-but... when I heard the nurse's wails..." The guard trails off, brows furrowing to a point. He looks shameful, guilty, clenched fists shaking at his sides. "Those bastards... Why did they take him? What do they want with him?"

The nurse, who was still curled up on the bed, sniffles loudly and slowly raises her head. Eyes glimmering, cheeks stained with endless tears. "Latin," she muttered, almost inaudibly. "T-They were speaking Latin..." She loosens her grip on the sling and lets it lay in her lap, solemnly staring at the torn fabric. The room itself suggested a hell of a struggle with things being knocked over as well as broken glass on the floor. Christopher had clearly put up a fight before he had been taken. The guard, realizing that she must've understood what the Blood Dragons were actually talking about, carefully approaches and crouches down in front of her. She doesn't look up, though. Doesn't bother acknowledging his soothing touches to her knee. "Japan... They're taking him to Japan... Private jet - they're gone already." Her gaze suddenly snaps up. "The coin." He gives a stunned pause, as though the coin had slipped from his memory, then he's immediately on his feet again, digging into his pocket hurriedly before hesitantly extending the bronze coin towards Soobin.

"I'm sorry..." The guard murmurs, recalling the last thing Christopher had said to the other. 'Keep an eye out for me.' He was the one who had wandered into the room at such an intimate moment. "We should've been better prepared, sir... I should've tried harder to protect him - I'm sorry. This is my fault."

@? Christopherᵸ So, she wasn't just imagining things. She's aware of her friend's ability to read a room or connection in just the right way. She'd seen it in action before. She wouldn't say she was bad at it but she only really bothered when there was business involved. Nicole knows she can trust her instincts for sure in situations like that. Maybe it's because of Minhyuk that she started to question her ability to read and connect with people when work or business wasn't involved. When he first started coming around, she knew she was reading him well. Minhyuk had serious feelings for her and it was the first time she'd encountered someone that had wanted her and was actually vying for her attention and affection like he was. Sure, they were pretty young at the time but, still. It wasn't like Nicole didn't have suitors that were aiming for her but she could read through them. Most of them either wanted a one-night stand, to build connections within her family, or they just wanted a taste of her money by having her spoil them. She had never had a problem with any of those things but she knew not to take any of her potential love interests seriously. Minhyuk had been different. He took his time courting her and talking to her and it didn't feel like he was sneaking. She could tell with the way he looked at her that she gave him that sparkle in his eye and those around them always said the same thing. Clearly, at some point, that all changed. She still isn't sure just what brought about his change in attitude, demeanor, and motive but, at some point, she could sense it. It was gradual. as though he was questioning things and then, one day, he was just a stranger to her. Nicole couldn't recognize him and couldn't read him and it hurt, of course, but she wasn't mad at him. She'll only ever be mad at herself about it because she was the one that let her guard down and let him in. Minhyuk hadn't forced his way in but had been gentle with her. Because of him, it's possible she shut down the thought of romance, even the fleeting flings, concerned she may slip up and really destroy her family from the inside out. Not that she hadn't been a hair close to said destruction with Minhyuk.

"It's not that I'm prettier. I think I may have just been less scary when we were younger," Nicole smiles, glancing at the sky before closing her eyes for a moment, "I left that door open even if I didn't accept every invitation that came through." She wouldn't consider herself as easy but she couldn't deny that she toyed with a handful of advances that had been made on her. Moonbin's always been different with her though. He'd never tried anything with her, but she wouldn't say she hadn't seen it in his eyes either that there were times he was tempted to push if not step over and cross that line. "He could almost be my son," Nicole sighs but laughs. Their age difference wasn't all that big but it was big enough. He's younger than her but older than her son and she feels like, in some aspects, she raised him. Then again, maybe she'd been reading it wrong the whole time. Nicole isn't sure just how long Moonbin has had even the smallest of interest in her that way but maybe he's been viewing their time through a completely different pair of eyes.

"That's true... Soobin probably doesn't even realize how hard it is for him to stop talking about Christopher once he's gotten started," she laughs warmly, finding it cute, "Christopher might be his first crush. My son thinks I'm stupid. I know he has experience but I also know he's never dated. I've raised a quiet recluse of a workaholic. He's almost just like me." She wines dramatically, laughing at herself, although she does feel pretty bad as she knows she's the biggest influence in her son's life. Taking a few more sips from her bottle, she laughs and helps Rose to the bench. Nicole hasn't started stumbling just yet but she can feel herself swaying some for sure. Nicole keeps locked onto Rose as they sit together on the bench amongst the flowers, their main lighting just the stars and moon at this point.

She rests her head on Rose's shoulder, closing her eyes and hugging her best friend's arm. "Moonbin is the grandson of some of my parents' friends. He was pretty much raised as part of this family even though he wasn't born in it." She goes quiet, glancing around at the courtyard without raising her head, "He worked really hard to become my bodyguard and... Minhyuk was always gentle with me, in how he approached me and in the time he spent with me. I didn't think anyone could be more gentle with me than him but somehow Moonbin is. He even gives me forehead kisses and just hugs me when he just... It's like he just knows when I need one. It's ridiculous."

Interacting with Christopher like this admittedly feels natural albeit strange all the same. They'd always argued and glared at one another but, now, since the air was clearing around everything, it seemed easier to breathe and relax around Christopher. Granted, he's sure it helped a lot that they had to spend as much time together as they did to get matters solved but he knows they weren't forced to share things with each other or talk longer than they needed to. On top of everything, Christopher definitely wasn't forced to tell him the truth about his family and his connection to Rose. Soobin's far from stupid. He isn't sure what actually made the other tell him but it's clear that Christopher wanted to tell him nonetheless. Soobin knows that he wouldn't have heard it from him otherwise.

He doesn't miss the bit of metal that meets his lip when the other's tongue traces his lip. In the back of the heir's mind is the question of just how long the other had had that piercing but Soobin wouldn't be surprised if it was an old one. It's not like he had a chance to notice it or had reason to. "Then, we can make plans once you're not under medical supervision and pain medication," he nods once, his head then tilting just a bit, "I'm curious as well." Soobin's walking away soon after that but Christopher's comment causes him to pause for a moment, his brain processing the compliment. It's going to sit with him for a while, undoubtedly. "Good to hear. I guess I'll be seeing you at some point tomorrow then," he bows his head, giving Christopher another small smile before following his guard out of the room.

After visiting and speaking with his grandparents for a while, Soobin's heading to his apartment to pack some things for his trip to Incheon. He's in the midst of packing when his phone rings, Keonhee bringing it over to him from the living room. Soobin furrows his brows, allowing Keonhee to put the call on speaker while he continues to pack. He halts with the way the voice on the other end sounds, his brows knitting together at the statement following his name. His face is unreadable and Keonhee instantly grows worried before taking it off of speaker, telling the guard that they'll be there soon.

"Yeonjun will finish packing for you and bring the suitcases to the hospital," Keonhee states as Yeonjun walks into the bedroom from the kitchen, eating away at a sandwich he'd just made. He looks confused for a moment but can read the room easily enough to know that it's serious. "Bring a team for clean-up, Yeonjun," Soobin instructs, "We're going to have to keep this situation as contained as we can. Make sure no one in that hospital spreads news about this, especially to the other families. We can't have another red alert with everyone." He pauses, getting his jacket on. He doesn't usually wear his glasses outside of his apartment but he doesn't have time to ask for help with his contacts at the moment and he doesn't want to either. Yeonjun nods, knowing that Keonhee will fill him in later. Soobin is getting his shoes on while Keonhee gives Yeonjun brief details but it's more than enough to connect the dots. "I don't know about telling our mothers about this just yet..." Soobin thinks aloud, opening the door and heading out of his apartment to the car. Keonhee sighs and shakes his head, "He's going to do this again." Yeonjun just nods and ends up sighing himself, waving and watching the other head out before he heads into the bedroom to finish packing for Soobin.

Soobin is on the phone with at least one of the guards at the hotel the entire ride there. They pull up to the front and the heir heads inside with Keonhee close to his side, the driver on guard. He takes a deep breath, seeing bodies going past him on stretchers, some clearly beyond critical condition. He wants to look away but finds it a bit hard to do. There's a sinking feeling in his chest and it's dropping into his chest. "Get me someone that can tell me what's going on in here, now," Soobin demands, tone calm as usual but sharper, "I need every drop of information." Keonhee bows his head and goes to find the guards that had been in contact with them on the way to the hospital.

Soobin stands there waiting, aware of when additional men have arrived no doubt thanks to Yeonjun's call. Elites of the Lee Family span out about the hospital handling information control and cleanup and assisting wherever else they can. Keonhee returns with a small handful of the guards, who bow their heads in respect to the heir. Soobin bows his head as well and then forced himself to relax, the tension in his body making it a bit harder for him to breathe with his fractured ribs. He's sure it hasn't helped either that he's been moving around a lot more than he should have. He'll feel it later but he doesn't have time for any of that right now.

"Somebody had better explain, and fast," his tone goes cold.

@⚡ Soobinᵸ "Oh, you're definitely not seeing it, that's for sure." Rose jests with a merry laugh, having way too much fun with teasing her friend. She had always been extremely perceptive of people's tones and the way others would look at each other. Christopher had developed that same trait as well but he seemed to always be able to read body language the best. She can't help but wish he was here just so he could give his own two cents about the matter. "And please, I was only joking. I have a feeling that he's more into you than he is into me! I may be somewhat pretty, but I'm definitely not as pretty as you. You always had the best luck with boys..." Totally not pouting about it, Rose raises the glass to her lips and takes a hefty swig. She turns her head to look over at Nicole, noticing her reddening face and grins to herself. Sure, it could be the wine and not her actually blushing. She herself could feel her cheeks tinting with warmth from the amount of alcohol they've consumed thusfar. However, Rose was always an honest drunk.

With a small giggle, she presses closer to Nicole with a small stumble. "We both could be more drunk than we think but does that matter? He is clearly into you - I could see it in his /eyes/." Playful antics and a slightly slurred speech, Rose lifts the hand with the glass to do very vague hand gestures, trying to pain an invisible picture before them. "That boyish smile he gave you earlier? Made /me/ swoon - and he wasn't even smiling at me! Shoot your shot, girl, that's all I'm saying. Who says we can't divulge ourselves a little? Besides, if our sons are eyeing each other, who says /we/ can't have a little fun ourselves." Nudging Nicole's side with her elbow, she flashes a -eating grin at her before spotting a bench nearby. It was surrounded by rather large bushes of flowers that she could barely make the color of due to the poor lighting. But they looked beautiful and healthy, nonetheless, so she was just as eager to go over and smell the flowers. Getting over there without tripping over her two left feet is going to be one hell of a mission. "Okay, okay--before I fall over and make a scene, let's go sit down over there. And /then/ you better tell me aaaaaallllllll about your cute little lover boy, alright?"

Christopher doesn't expect to get pulled back in and is caught off-guard when an arm slides around his lithe waist. A surprised noise catches in his throat, lips parting in a small gasp as Soobin's lips brush against the shell of his ear, fanning warm breath across the skin there. The heir shudders a little - and not just because of the cold glass against his back, either. He's actually quite glad there isn't a heart monitor hooked up to him anymore. It'd be rather embarrassing if the other could hear just how fast his heart is racing now. However, Christopher didn't even consider that Soobin could probably feel the erratic beating since they were pressed together. A small, breathless smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as his eyes fluttered shut, palm sliding up the male's chest as he whispers delicately; "Honor, hm? I don't think it's an honor to go on a date with me, but alright. It's a yes from me." The little bite to his bottom lip entices Christopher enough to act in response, peeking the tip of his tongue out - the glimpse of a silver stud glinting subtly in the light - to drag it along Soobin's bottom lip before returning the kiss with a soft hum. "Mm, I did give you permission. I'm curious to see what you do with it."

Blinking a couple of times in surprise, the smile he receives gives him pause. He finds himself admiring it in the reflection for a second before quickly turning his head just so his eyes could sink it in for themselves. He smiles slowly, dimples showing on his freckled cheeks as the tip of his finger lifts to lightly tap Soobin's chin, gaze still lingering on his lips. "You look beautiful when you smile like that..." Christopher admired, tone shifting unconsciously to his native tongue. It always came out more sincere, more genuine whenever he did it without even realizing it. The Australian accent still clung heavily to his tongue, offering a small twist to the rather plain language. "They told me earlier that I might be released tomorrow, so keep an eye out for me."

Watching Soobin leave with his men, the heir remains by the window for a little while just to gather himself. Christopher pats his flushed cheeks as though to snap himself out of it, groaning quietly while internally scolding himself for being so damn obvious about his feelings regarding the other heir. He was like an open book, wearing his heart on his sleeve like that. Spending the next few hours bored out of his mind, Christopher's only activity was interacting with the nurses or doctors that popped into the room. It wasn't until dinner was served a couple hours later that he was growing a bit tired. The nurse had already delivered his plate but he just wished to use the rest-room before digging in. The food smelled and looked divine and his appetite was now coming in full-throttle. When was the last time he ate, anyways? About a week or so ago? Knowing that he better get some food in his system, Christopher leaves his room briefly to walk a little ways down the hall towards the bathroom since there wasn't one in his room. Everything seemed normal when he was in the hallway. It was quiet, save for the lingering voices of people residing nearby. However, when he left the bathroom mere moments later, there was something a little... unsettling. Christopher found himself lingering in the empty hallway with an uneasy expression, wondering why his skin is crawling.

Something's wrong. His gut is telling him that but - what could it be? He doesn't hear anyone talking anymore. In fact, he doesn't hear a damn thing. Unable to just turn away, Christopher slowly walks down the hallway, looking into the rooms he passes just to see if he could find someone. /Anyone/. There was no one around. Everyone was suddenly gone. Frowning to himself as the churning in his gut got worse, the heir turns around swiftly and immediately heads back to his room. He doesn't like this feeling. He needs to get into contact with someone as quickly as possible. His gut feeling has never failed to prove him wrong thus far and right now, his hands were starting to shake. However, upon trying to make a call to Soobin, Christopher realizes several things in that moment. Not only did there appear to be no signal at all but the plate of food that the kind nurse gave him had been knocked to the ground. He sees something small sitting on his bed and slowly approaches it, noting that it appeared to be a coin of sorts. It was rather large. Almost three times the size of a quarter and it was double-sided. The metal was a light bronze color and there appeared to be a symbol on each side. An eye. More specifically, the eye of a dragon.

By the time realization dumped cold water over his head, it was too late. Someone had followed him into the room and jumped him from behind, placing a very odd smelling cloth over his mouth and nose so that he had no choice but to inhale it. He struggled against the attacker's hold the best he could given his condition but the agent that the cloth was soaked in was working extremely fast and Christopher could feel himself growing limp before everything turned dark. The coin had slipped from his grasp, fallen to the floor right beside the bed. It was only a few moments later that everyone seemed to reappear, and they were in a panic. Fright was clear in their expressions as they ran through the hallways, either trying to escape the building and get away from the people who had held them hostage or to look for the patients that were occupying the rooms. When one of the nurses rushed into Christopher's room and saw it empty, she broke down into tears on the floor, clutching the torn, bloody sling to her chest. One of the guards rushes in upon hearing her distraught cries and freezes in the doorway, horrified. Slowly, he enters the room and bends down to pick up the coin, holding it in his palm as he reaches up to press the button on his ear-piece.

"S-Soobin, sir," he started, voice wavering. "There's... T-There's been an incident at the medical center." The nurse sobs a little louder and he immediately moves to try to comfort her. "I... we were held hostage in the main hall, t-there are many people dead, I... We..." The guard lets go of the button for a second to take a deep breath, trying to speak more evenly so that he wasn't rambling all over the place. "You need to come down here... He's gone, sir... They took him."

@? Christopherᵸ [] You're all good, love. Nothing to apologize for at all. n_n

Nicole considers saying more but is more thankful that Rose stops her. "You're right. Let's just take our break here and we'll figure things out tomorrow. It's not just you, especially with everything that's gone on. A little R&R is very well deserved at this point," she smiles and rests her head for a moment on the other's shoulder. As Rose starts talking about Moonbin again, she raises her head, hoping that her cheeks aren't actually turning red or, if they are, that they're already red from the wine warming her up some. "I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to give him a try, though I might ask you how he was and how he treated you," she smirks and ends up laughing, "But it is funny you mention that... I was teasing him about it earlier but maybe... I'm not just seeing things if someone else can see it, too."

Nicole groans out loud, thinking of earlier when she aimed her knife at her bodyguard's throat. She hates how deep under skin Minhyuk had managed to get, to the point that she was able to get that riled up and almost hurt someone innocent just because of a flashback. Looking back though, that memory always gets her riled up and it's because she will always believe that Minhyuk either convinced Soobin to take the blame for the fall or that he might have even pushed or tripped the small boy somehow so he could fall. She usually resists swearing, though it always seems to come out easily when she's agitated, as she is for the moment but it feels bittersweet the way Moonbin suddenly comes to mind again. She ends up blushing again and takes a long sip of wine. "Oh, dear God! Now, I'm going to end up thinking about him more that way thanks to you," she huffs with a smile, looking at Rose, "And being in his arms--- Am I drunker than I thought? I feel like I'm sliding past tipsy at this point and I'm just rambling now."

"I'm sure my mom will have her own thoughts on what to do with all the information. I'm just..." Soobin exhales slowly, unsure of how to continue, and just ends up letting the thought disappear. He looks down for a moment before clearing his head of the thoughts for now. There's just too much and he isn't sure how much more bile he can swallow to try and stay afloat in the mix of it all anymore. If it weren't for the pain medicine he'd been given, there's a chance that he wouldn't have gotten any sleep.

Soobin feels more surprised by Christopher's words than his actions. He parts his lips to say something but just stills, only glancing over his shoulder once he hears the voice. Seeing his man turned around, he grins to himself, gaze returning to Christopher. Soobin steps closer to the other heir and rests an arm around his waist, pressing close to him. He whispers in his ear, "Would you do me the honor of going on a date with me once you're healed up?" He then catches Christopher by the chin again, looking him in the eyes before kissing him. He initially keeps the kiss gentle but delves just a bit deeper with a small bite to the other's bottom lip. He's sure he feels considerably inexperienced but he tries, making sure not to rush and of his gestures and movements. Not that it's like him to do so anyway. "You've given me permission," he whispers, "Let's see where this leads."

Soobin looks into the window, catching Christopher's reflection in the glass. He waits until their eyes meet before smiling at him. It's an actual full one, and one that really only his mother, bodyguard, and driver have ever seen. "I'll be waiting to hear about when you get out of the hospital," he bows his head as he releases his hold and heads toward the doorway. In the back of his mind, Soobin can't help thinking about showing Christopher his home with his mother. He follows the guard out of the room to go finish checking out of the hospital.