FIC: Against All Odds (Chapter Eight)
Ohayo, minnasan! I hope everyone out there in Cyberland is doing well! I have an incredibly busy week ahead of me and my ISP server has been completely out of synch. This has been the first time I've been able to get it to work in about eight(?) hours.
Anyhoo, I wrote the next chapter for "AAO" last night and I'm REALLY pleased with how it turned out. I rewrote the fight scene so many times in my head and reedited it a couple in the written form. I hope everyone enjoys and really enjoys the twist at the end!
"Against All Odds" (Sequel to "Impasse")
By: Miracle Shining
PAIRINGS: HanHae, YeTeuk. KangChun (Kangin/Yoochun), KyuMin, ShinChul, etc.
RATING: PG-13 to NC-17 (Will be notated if R to NC-17)
GENRE: Action/Romance/Angst
GROUPS/ACTORS: Super Junior/Dong Bang Shin Ki/Tackey & Tsubasa/Epik High/Rain/Lee Junki (cameo)
WARNINGS: Dark themes, Violence, Character Death, Sexual Situations
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Don't own them, just borrowing them for a bit.
SUMMARY: AU~ Two years after the events in "Impasse," Hankyung and Donghae return to Seoul for the first time to visit Kangin. However, the two soon find themselves caught up in a new problem as Hankyung has to return to underground fighting for one last time. Old and new friends unite as old and new enemies appear. Among all the chaos, will the love that Hankyung and Donghae strived to develop survive when a seeming ghost from one of their pasts appears?
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
SPECIAL NOTE: Dedicated to all my supporters of "Impasse," I hope this next piece will be worth reading as much. Special thank you to forfirith_tda, wings_strength9, volatileflame, music_loner, chelletasmic, followurdestiny, fifteen_half, skeletoncunt and stevensghost.
*****
CHAPTER EIGHT: Double or Nothing
Two days slid by far too fast for Donghae's liking. He sat on the floor of the training room watching Hankyung. The Chinese man was shaking out his legs, his face focused, lips in a nearly grim line.
It had been exhilirating and frightening watching his lover realign himself with his fighting half. Hankyung had been a little rusty to begin with, but by the end of the second day, was almost back to his former self.
Kangin stood on the other side of the mat, watching as Hankyung began to go through a series of intricate and difficult maneuvers. Legs moved like fluid water as each kick was rendered to near perfection. A series of rapid punches followed, the air around Hankyung's fists seeming to crackle as knuckles seared through empty space. The punches were interrupted by a variety of parrying positions. Roundhouse kicks and two backflips finished out the practice exercise. The fighter came to a standstill, his chest heaving and sweat glittering on his forehead. Despite the situation that Hankyung was walking into, Donghae couldn't help be left breathless by the display of skill on his companion's part.
Kangin let out a low whistle and walked onto the mat. He handed Hankyung a towel, giving a short nod.
"Seems like you haven't lost many of your moves since you retired, Dancer."
"It's coming back to me, Boss."
Kangin nodded once again.
"It's good to see you back in action. Just wish it wasn't these kind of circumstances."
Hankyung turned his head to see Donghae sitting on the floor. He offered a small smile which the younger man returned. He could see the concern etched deeply in the smaller man's face. It stung Hankyung's heart knowing that this was almost unbearable for his partner.
"I know." he finally responded.
A soft knock on the door drew the trio's attention. Jaejoong stood in the doorway. His good eye scanned the room. He stepped through and walked over to Kangin.
"Hey, this was left on your messy desk. It's a message from Yoochun."
Kangin blinked in surprise. He had thought Yoochun had boarded his plane back to America two days ago. The man had bid his goodbye's and no one had seen him since the party.
"Thanks."
The older man opened up the envelope, pulling out the sheet of paper inside.
Kangin,
I'm guessing you won't find this note until someone finds it for you. I lied when I said I wasn't going to stick around. My publisher doesn't need me back in America. You see, I have some of my own unfinished business to attend too. I don't think Golf, Mike or especially my lost Yamapi have been truly laid to rest. I'm going to try and find Changmin.
Yoochun
Kangin lowered the note. He glanced up to see Jaejoong, Hankyung and Donghae looking at him curiously. He plastered a false smile on his face and then let out a forced laugh.
"Just Yoochun letting me know he'll call when he gets back to the U.S."
Jaejoong just gave a curt nod to the answer. Hankyung eyed Kangin suspiciously. He already knew that his former trainer was lying, but opted not to ask about it. Right now, his main focus was making it through the fight. His thoughts immediately went to Donghae. He turned and approached his partner, reaching out his hand to touch the longer hair tumbling down to his shoulders.
"Hae?"
"Yes?"
"Just... I want you to know..."
Donghae lifted up his finger and shushed Hankyung's words. His eyes were already shimmering as he spoke.
"I'll be there with you, Hannieah. Just please, please come back to me."
Hankyung felt a thousand emotions well up inside of his heart. He grabbed Donghae and buried his face into the top of his hair. Words didn't seem enough and yet there was so much more he wanted to say.
Jaejoong shook his head slightly and then looked at Kangin. The man was gazing down at the note still clutched in his hands.
"Yoochun didn't leave, did he?"
"Of course he did." Kangin retorted.
"No he didn't."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I'm a cop, Kangin. And I know when someone is trying to lie. And you're pretty bad at it."
The trainer opened his mouth to say something in his defense. The look on Jaejoong's face quieted any of his objection.
"The fight is scheduled in another three hours. The Dancer better get ready."
With that, Jaejoong disappeared through the door. Kangin looked from the door to the note to the two men clutching each other across the training mats. A sensation he hadn't experienced for two years sparked inside of him. His mouth began to water and the desire to drown himself in alcohol became painfully real to him once again. He drew in a deep breath and forced the sensation down.
"A man is only a slave to his addictions if he allows himself to be." he said to himself.
The thought made him read over Yoochun's note again. Enslavement wasn't always just to a bottle or a needle. Some times it was to things that even the person couldn't seem to control.
"Yoochun..."
*****
The sound of the building crowd caused Kibum to shift uncomfortably in his seat. His mind flashed back to over two years ago. It had been a thrill to sit so close to the action in Minwoo's underground arena. But his connection to the fight had been much more personal. He could even now hear when Ryeowook began to have his seizure. Then the bullet and all the blood. Kibum closed his eyes, trying desperately to block out the painful image.
"What was he like?"
The soft voice beside him drew his thoughts away from the brutal memory.
"Who?" Kibum asked very quietly.
"Ryeowook. What was he like?"
Kibum blinked, a little stunned by the question. The small young man sat beside him, his hand stroking his violin case reverently.
"What do you mean?"
"I've heard you speak of him from time to time during this trip. I know he was the reason you didn't want to return to Seoul. He must have been very special."
"He was." Kibum responded.
"Then what was he like?"
"Well," Kibum said softly. "He was a very kind young man, a little silly, often very focused. He always seemed to have a smile on his face even during his final days. He took better care of me than I think I did of him. He was also Hankyung's adoptive brother. His older brother Siwon was murdered about five years ago."
Henry nodded slightly.
"I remember Junsu speaking about the incident just after Hankyung came to live at his mansion. We were unaware at the time that The Charmer had a sibling."
"Ryeowook went to great extents to ensure that no one would know about his whereabouts. I was his only real link to the outside world."
"Did he do everything he needed before he moved on?" Henry questioned, fingers still lightly sliding over the case.
"He was finally reunited with Hankyung. He asked for Ryeowook's forgiveness. Shortly after that, Ryeowook passed away. I was with him when he died."
Kibum choked up slightly, the memory of listening to Ryeowook's final breath triggering the tears that refused to be shed. A gentle hand was rested over his. Kibum opened the eyes he didn't know he had closed. Henry's gentle face was looking at him quietly.
"It's good you were with him when it was time for him to go. Perhaps now it's time for you to step forward and go ahead. I think he was a truly kind man. He would have wanted you to be happy."
Kibum opened his mouth to respond and found he could find nothing to say. Henry only offered the strange, mysterious smile he always gave. He then turned his attention to the crowd that was shuffling into the surrounding seating.
"My, what are we so serious about?" came an amused voice.
Kibum was torn from his thoughts on Henry to see Heechul glancing over his shoulder. Shindong was behind him with Eunhyuk and Junsu following close behind him.
"I... It... Nothing, just a bit of conversation." Kibum stated.
"Must have been terribly interesting." Heechul cracked. "Shindong, whatever made your associate choose a place like this? It's hardly appropriate."
Shindong let out a chuckle as he gestured for everyone to sit down.
"My associate stated that the underground fighting isn't quite the way it used to be. Ever since our dear Junsu has retired from funding, much of those arenas have become a thing of the past."
Junsu sat down and looked around the building. For the most part it was nothing more than an old abandoned warehouse. The only addition were a series of bleachers for the "cheap seats" near the cage and then some nicer plush seats toward the top for the wealthier. There was no champagne or catering, only a person selling some partially stale beer and cheap bottles of soju.
"I remember when I started out in these places." Junsu mused. "Eunhyuk and I would come to these fights and I would bet on the winning competitor."
"And nine out of the ten times you'd be correct." Eunhyuk pointed out.
"Still feel like betting on this match, Junsu?" Shindong questioned playfully.
"The last time I put a wager on a match, The Dancer almost lost his life." Junsu returned.
"True. How about instead of a bet, you give a guess then?" Heechul piped up.
"A guess? Well then, I'm guessing Hankyung will be the winner. He's the most experienced."
"Then again, we haven't seen the other fighter." Eunhyuk added.
"True. Very true."
The mood of the group turned a little tense. Despite the connection Shindong had and the information he had received, no one knew anything about the opponent and his trainer. Only that they needed enough money to head to America.
A mutual unspoken chill ran up everyone's spine.
*****
Two men stood in the small locker room on one side of the arena. The brunette was carefully wrapping tape around the blonde's fists. They were both silent as a trio of men came wandering in from the left side.
"Hey." one of the black haired men said quietly.
The two looked up to see the trio standing there. There was a moment of awkward recognition before the duo returned to prepping the blonde's hands.
"The boss wants you guys to fight as best you can. But you're going against a real pro. So if he K.O's you in the first five minutes, whatever money we can scrounge up through the bets is yours. Can't gaurantee it'll be enough to get your rears to the U.S. though."
"Figures." the brunette said flatly.
"Hey, what's that for?" the taller one pointed at an object laying on the bench.
"It's his mask." the brunette responded. "He never goes into a fight without one."
"Your blondie is really weird."
"Thank you for stating the obvious, Mithra." the brunette snapped back.
"Don't be getting sharp with my brother." the smaller growled.
"Calm down, Tablo, it isn't that big of a deal." the other taller black haired man retorted.
"You stay out of this, Tukuta. I'm sick and tired of these two pretty boys screwing everything up. If it wasn't for your little mess up in Japan with those two guards, we wouldn't be stuck doing this damn thing."
The blonde haired man just continued to work on prepping himself for the fight. He took out a small bandage and placed it over his shoulder. The brunette saw the bandage and rolled his eyes. He grabbed some of the tape and began to plaster it over the gauze.
"You don't have to cover this up every time you fight either."
"Yes I do." he finally said quietly.
"Like I said, your blondie is weird." Tablo nearly snarled. His expression then cooled and he let out a slightly unpleasant laugh. "Won't matter any way. By the time The Dancer gets done with you, that mask and bandage will be history. I've already placed my bet."
The brunette glared at Tablo dangerously. He just shrugged his shoulders dramatically and then gestured for Mithra and Tukuta.
"We better get out there. The boss wants a play-by-play, remember? Later."
The trio exited out of the locker room. The blonde sat down on the bench. He reached into the pocket of his low slung training pants. He drew out the marble and began to roll it between his fingertips.
"Damn I hate those guys." the brunette grumbled.
The blonde haired man slipped the marble back in his pocket. The intercom crackled to life. An announcer's thunderous voice could be heard. The blonde looked down at the white mask sitting on the bench. He picked it up and slipped it over his head. He drew the blank image over his face, eyes scanning the locker room.
"You ready for this?" the brunette asked.
"Yes." the blonde responded quietly.
He stepped forward, his companion following close behind him, the hallways already echoing the sound of the crowds cheers.
*****
Hankyung knelt on the floor, his body bent forward, head resting on the cool tiles. His meditation was interrupted by the feel of a hand on his back. He quickly rocked back, bringing himself to a more upright position.
Donghae looked down at Hankyung. His eyes were very worried but he was doing the best to smile. Hankyung tried to give an encouraging smile back but knew it wasn't very convincing.
"Hey." the smaller man said softly.
"Hey to you too." Hankyung replied.
"You look good. All decked out." Donghae tried to joke.
Hankyung let out a barely there laugh. His hands were wrapped in black tape and his body was only clad in a set of low black training pants. His feet were wrapped in the same black tape. His chest was marred with the puckered bullet scar as well as the scar from the stab wound in his torso. He turned on his knees and stood, Donghae gazing up at him.
The smaller man reached out and reverently touched the scar across Hankyung's stomach. The Chinese man covered Donghae's hand with his.
"You're always with me, Hae. No matter what."
Donghae nodded. He suddenly threw his arms around Hankyung and kissed the man hard. Hankyung felt Donghae's emotions flood him. His arms came tight around the youth's waist and he kissed back just as furiously. When they parted, both were gasping for air.
"I love you, Hankyung." Donghae whispered against his lips.
"I love you too, Donghae." Hankyung returned.
The clearing of a throat interrupted their moment. Both men turned to see Kangin, Kyuhyun, Sungmin and Jaejoong standing at the door.
"Sorry if we interrupted any really good action. We could just put the fight on hold and let you two go at it." Kangin mentioned offhand.
"Boss!" Sungmin cried.
There was a moment of silence before everyone burst out in real laughter. The heavy mood broke for a few moments as everyone relaxed. The sound of the intercom crackled overhead, the announcer's voice breaking through the laughter.
"I guess that's your cue, Dancer." Kangin said. "You know what to do, take a few hits if you have too, rely on your legs, they've never failed you."
"Thanks, Boss."
Hankyung released Donghae and approached Kangin. The two men looked at each other before Kangin slid his hand behind Hankyung's neck, pulling the man down slightly. Their foreheads met, their unspoken bond becoming evident. After just a few seconds, the two drew apart.
"Good luck, Dancer. I can only hope that I'll live up to your reputation some day." Kyuhyun said, holding out his hand.
Hankyung took the hand, giving it a firm shake.
"You already have, Kyunnieah. Sungmin, you've done an amazing job."
Sungmin blushed at the compliment. His hand slid into Kyuhyun's, the duo seeming to match like two perfect pieces of a puzzle.
"We better head down the corridor, Hankyung. The fight is about to be announced."
Hankyung nodded at Jaejoong. He turned to look at Donghae. The young man was trying his best to not look fearful.
"I promised I'd never leave you alone, Donghae. I swear to you, I'll come back."
Donghae nodded slowly as Hankyung turned to follow Jaejoong down the corridor. The young man did his best to push down the terror that was threatening to drown him at the moment. A gentle hand startled him. He spun to the right to see Sungmin. The young man's gentle face was an immediate relief.
"I believe him, Donghae. I know you do too."
"I do." Donghae stated.
Hankyung would return back to him. Everything would be fine when the fight was over. As he followed Kangin, Sungmin and Kyuhyun down the corridor, Donghae couldn't shake the feeling though that something beyond his control was about to happen.
*****
The makeshift arena was nearly buzzing with adrenaline. The smell of liquor and cigarettes permeated the old warehouse. The din of clattering bleachers and the thrumming of outdated techno music nearly deafened the whole area. Bright lights from spotlights glimmered down on a cage set on some sand. In the center was a white drawn circle, the small area covered then in sawdust.
Hankyung drew in the sight and smell of the atmosphere. His fighting instincts honed in on the distinctive energy that radiated from the arena. His blood nearly sang in response and he could even feel his saliva begin to flow. He bounced back and forth on the heels of his feet. Despite his best efforts to reign his fighter side in, it was nearly screaming to come out as the announcer approached the center ring.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have a very special event for everyone. A long time fighting favorite has come out of retirement for one event. But first, let us announce our challengers tonight! Hailing to us from Japan, we have the Twins!"
The audience let out a series of shouts and applause as two men entered from the left side of the arena. The trainer came out first, a taller brunette wearing a long black trench. His face was very stern and he looked very focused. Behind him, another man followed. He was smaller and was wearing a white, blank faced mask. A little blonde hair spilled over the front of the mask. He had his hands bound in tape as well as his feet and a small bandage covering something on his shoulder.
"Bingo." Jaejoong said suddenly.
"Bingo what?" Hankyung whispered as the two made their way into the cage.
"The brunette is definitely one half of the Tarantula Twins. I'm guessing the blonde is the other half. Won't be certain until that mask comes off."
"Am I suppose to get the mask off?"
"It would help. But if you knock him out, we'll just pull it off."
Hankyung gave a half nod. He wasn't sure he exactly like Jaejoong's technique at catching these two criminals. But he still did owe alot to the officer for allowing him to save Donghae at the docks.
"And returning for the first time in two years, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for The Dancer, Hankyung!"
The audience went into a near frenzy as Jaejoong stepped out from the right corridor. Hankyung followed behind, the sensation of their arena nearly overwhelming him. He felt as though he was returning home. The very feeling of walking on the sanded ground made his instincts kick in. The sight of the cage with his opponent brought his mindset into focus. He could only think of the battle against the other fighter. All other thoughts seemed to be drowned out.
Donghae watched as Hankyung entered the arena. He could see how his partner's body seemed to morph into a different form. Hankyung walked more sharply, his motions more precise. Everything about him was now dangerously elegant.
"...Amazing." Donghae couldn't help but whisper.
The young man's eyes then focused on Hankyung's opponent. The man was smaller than his Chinese lover but was very well built. Donghae found it odd the man would come into a fight wearing a mask, but it wasn't much different than some professional wrestlers. But there was something strangely familiar about how the man carried himself.
Hankyung entered the ring, the masked man across from him.
"Dancer, this man simply goes by the name Mask. Mask, this is Hankyung, The Dancer." the announcer stated.
The masked man just gave a slight nod. The brunette that was with him slapped the blonde on the back and exited out of the gate. Jaejoong did the same thing to Hankyung and slipped out of the gate. He trained his eyes on the blonde as he walked to one side of the cage. The brunette walked to the other, his arms folded in front of him.
"The rules are simple. The first one knocked out or declared unfit to continue the fight loses. There is no holds barred hand to hand combat. Weapons of any kind will not be allowed. This is based completely on your skills. Gentlemen, slap hands and prepare to fight."
Hankyung held out his hand. The masked man slapped it very lightly and drew back to his corner. The audience let out a cheer as the a little bell rang. The sound set Hankyung's mind into focus.
Slowly, the two men began to side step around the ring. Each one seemed to be weighing the other's weaknesses. Finally, Mask lunged forward, his hand coming out in a near slicing motion. Hankyung dodged to the left easily, his fist coming out an impacting the elbow of Mask's arm. The man stumbled forward, shaking out his arm.
"He's not off to a very good start, is he?" Heechul commented.
Shindong shook his head as he watched the fight beginning. Rain seemed to have been correct in saying the man was definitely not in Hankyung's caliber. The fight could be over very quickly if this kind of momentum kept up.
The masked man turned on his heel just as Hankyung's foot shot out. The impact struck the blonde in the chest, causing him to crack back against the steel cage. The sound reverberated through the loud arena.
"Nice, Dancer, good hit." Kangin commented.
Donghae was standing next to Kangin, Sungmin and Kyuhyun beside him.
"Were most of Hankyung's fights like this before... You know before everything happened?" Donghae questioned.
"Pretty much. He was always a hard one to beat."
Donghae nodded, feeling a little more at ease. If the fight went fast, in least Hankyung would have it out of his system then and they could return back to Jin and Kame in Tokyo. Donghae mused slightly to himself that Jin would probably be madder than hell finding out Hankyung fought without him.
Donghae watched as the masked man barely dodged another one of Hankyung's brutal kicks. The swift downward motion of the Chinese man's heel caught a little of the gauze on the man's shoulder. The fabric like material began to pull free. Donghae didn't know why, but he found his attention focused on what was starting to appear underneath the patch.
The masked man quickly drew back against the cage. He drug in his breath and tried to reorientate himself. His opponent was already proving to be a dangerous fighter when it came to hand to hand combat. He rubbed his arm, a feeling of distress coming over him as he realized the patch was starting to come off his shoulder.
Hankyung circled a bit of the left, warily watching his opponent. The man seemed to be completely focused on covering up whatever was on his shoulder. Hankyung decided to use that to his advantage and step back for a moment. He could already see that the man apparently wasn't fast with his fists. There was potential to knock out his legs and he might be able to K.O. him in a single drop.
"Go, Hannieah!" Donghae exclaimed, finding himself swept up in the mood of the fight.
The masked man's head shot up immediately at the sound of the voice above the crowd. To Hankyung's surprise, the fighter crossed quickly past him and seemed to be looking straight at Donghae. The young man saw the masked man focus on him. He felt awkward as Mask tilted his head.
"What the hell?" Kangin asked, seeing the opponent's immediate interest in Donghae despite being in a middle of a fight.
Hankyung felt his protective nature kick in. He quickly spun his legs under and cracked the masked man through his knees. The man dropped and rolled suddenly. Hankyung was shocked as the other spun to his feet and then crouched low. His fists balled up and he lunged at Hankyung with unseen speed.
The Chinese man began to parry a rapid series of vicious punches, two escaping through his closed arms and striking him in the chest. Hankyung felt his air expel from his chest. He took a moment to drop down into the splits and kick his leg sideways, forcing the man to thrust forward, the impact throwing him into the chain link.
The crowd let out a riotous cheer.
"Looks like we underestimated Hankyung's opponent." Junsu suddenly spoke up.
"Hmm, my associate apparently wasn't completely truthful." Shindong mentioned.
"That is to be expected with the people you work with though." Heechul added.
The two men moved back and forth in the cage, the duo exchanging violent kicks, barely blocking each other's strikes. They finally split apart, both returning to their sides of the cage. Their chests were heaving, bodies coated in sweat.
Hankyung wouldn't admit it, but he had severely misinterpreted his opponent. The man had been holding back. He couldn't help but feel a level of admiration for the masked man though. Whomever had trained him had done an amazing job.
Donghae felt a little less at ease as the blonde man had begun to fight back with Hankyung. The punches and kicks the two had exchanged had left Hankyung spitting out a little blood. The memories of a bullet grazing his skin and flying into Jin's torso came unbidden to the young man. He unconciously flinched, rubbing his shoulder where Minwoo's blade had buried itself over two years ago.
The youth did his best to shake out the memory. He trained his eyes on the fight, all of his will being thrown to Hankyung. The masked man began to circle again. The small piece of gauze had fallen free unbeknownst to the opponent. It was then that a tattoo came into view. Donghae squinted his eyes and then felt his mouth begin to go dry.
"It... It can't be... No..."
"Donghae?" Kangin questioned.
The trainer saw how pale Donghae was beginning to look. He was shocked as Donghae began to walk toward the cage, almost in a trance.
"Donghae? Donghae? Donghae!" Kangin shouted, trying to weave through a crowd of drunks who were coming between him and the younger man.
Hankyung moved to the other side of the cage. The gauze piece had tumbled off Mask's shoulder revealing a tattoo. Hankyung couldn't quite make out the image before the blonde man surged forward again. Hankyung quickly bypassed and in a moment of pure grace, did a full roundhouse kick. The side of his foot impacted the man's head. A barest whisper of a snap could be heard as the string to the blank white mask came undone.
The man struck the ground face down. Before the bell rang, Hankyung saw the blonde haired man already getting to his knees. Instead of focusing on him though, the man was desperately trying to find the mask.
"Tsubasa! My mask! Please!" the blonde haired man cried.
The brunette responded to the name. Tsubasa quickly ran to the cage. The man had both hands covering his image. Hankyung saw the mask and reached down for the object. The fight had all but come to a hault. The cheering had died down, now only confused murmurs being heard among the audience.
The Chinese fighter approached the man as Tsubasa attempted to pull open the cage. He knelt down, ready to offer the mask to the man.
"Imai Tsubasa, you're under arrest!" came Jaejoong's voice.
Tsubasa heard the man and turned. He cursed out loud and jumped from the cage. He took off running, throwing people out of the way. Jaejoong was in hot pursuit, tackling the fleeing man as the audience went into an uproar. People began to scatter not wanting to be discovered at an illegal fighting match.
Kangin was pushed back again as the people began to try and escape the underground arena. He began to knock some of them down trying to reach Donghae. In the chaos, the young man had reached the fighting cage and was pulling open the door.
Jaejoong came from the right side, Tsubasa struggling violently against his grip. Shindong, Heechul, Junsu and Eunhyuk were running down the bleachers. Kyuhyun and Sungmin were pushing through the crowd.
Hankyung was almost frozen. Everything felt so surrealistic to him, as if the whole experience two years ago was replaying. He was almost waiting to feel the searing pain of a bullet flying through his chest. Instead, he saw the blonde haired man still on his knees, trying to keep his face covered and reach for the mask. Hankyung was ready to hand it to him when the door to the cage flew open.
"Donghae?!" Hankyung cried.
The young man didn't even look at Hankyung. Instead he turned his attention to the blonde haired man on his knees. The Chinese man realized he had seen that expression on Donghae only a little while before, just after they had arrived at the airport. There was so much fear and uncertainty there.
Donghae dropped to his knees in front of the blonde man. He reached out his shaking hands and grasped the other's wrists. The man struggled for a moment as Donghae drew away back his hands. He quickly diverted his head downwards. Donghae clasped the man's face firmly between his hands and forced his head upwards.
Hankyung watched as Donghae's face went even whiter, his arms now trembling. The man behind the mask was very handsome aside from the bruising dotting his cheek and some blood that was dripping out of his bottom lip. Jaejoong's voice tore through the noise.
"Takizawa Hideaki, you're under arrest!"
"Takki!" Tsubasa shouted from where he was being held.
Hankyung watched as Donghae's hands dropped from the fighter's face. The word was barely heard but Hankyung's whole world came to a stop in that single moment.
"......hyung?"
Anyhoo, I wrote the next chapter for "AAO" last night and I'm REALLY pleased with how it turned out. I rewrote the fight scene so many times in my head and reedited it a couple in the written form. I hope everyone enjoys and really enjoys the twist at the end!
"Against All Odds" (Sequel to "Impasse")
By: Miracle Shining
PAIRINGS: HanHae, YeTeuk. KangChun (Kangin/Yoochun), KyuMin, ShinChul, etc.
RATING: PG-13 to NC-17 (Will be notated if R to NC-17)
GENRE: Action/Romance/Angst
GROUPS/ACTORS: Super Junior/Dong Bang Shin Ki/Tackey & Tsubasa/Epik High/Rain/Lee Junki (cameo)
WARNINGS: Dark themes, Violence, Character Death, Sexual Situations
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Don't own them, just borrowing them for a bit.
SUMMARY: AU~ Two years after the events in "Impasse," Hankyung and Donghae return to Seoul for the first time to visit Kangin. However, the two soon find themselves caught up in a new problem as Hankyung has to return to underground fighting for one last time. Old and new friends unite as old and new enemies appear. Among all the chaos, will the love that Hankyung and Donghae strived to develop survive when a seeming ghost from one of their pasts appears?
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
SPECIAL NOTE: Dedicated to all my supporters of "Impasse," I hope this next piece will be worth reading as much. Special thank you to forfirith_tda, wings_strength9, volatileflame, music_loner, chelletasmic, followurdestiny, fifteen_half, skeletoncunt and stevensghost.
*****
CHAPTER EIGHT: Double or Nothing
Two days slid by far too fast for Donghae's liking. He sat on the floor of the training room watching Hankyung. The Chinese man was shaking out his legs, his face focused, lips in a nearly grim line.
It had been exhilirating and frightening watching his lover realign himself with his fighting half. Hankyung had been a little rusty to begin with, but by the end of the second day, was almost back to his former self.
Kangin stood on the other side of the mat, watching as Hankyung began to go through a series of intricate and difficult maneuvers. Legs moved like fluid water as each kick was rendered to near perfection. A series of rapid punches followed, the air around Hankyung's fists seeming to crackle as knuckles seared through empty space. The punches were interrupted by a variety of parrying positions. Roundhouse kicks and two backflips finished out the practice exercise. The fighter came to a standstill, his chest heaving and sweat glittering on his forehead. Despite the situation that Hankyung was walking into, Donghae couldn't help be left breathless by the display of skill on his companion's part.
Kangin let out a low whistle and walked onto the mat. He handed Hankyung a towel, giving a short nod.
"Seems like you haven't lost many of your moves since you retired, Dancer."
"It's coming back to me, Boss."
Kangin nodded once again.
"It's good to see you back in action. Just wish it wasn't these kind of circumstances."
Hankyung turned his head to see Donghae sitting on the floor. He offered a small smile which the younger man returned. He could see the concern etched deeply in the smaller man's face. It stung Hankyung's heart knowing that this was almost unbearable for his partner.
"I know." he finally responded.
A soft knock on the door drew the trio's attention. Jaejoong stood in the doorway. His good eye scanned the room. He stepped through and walked over to Kangin.
"Hey, this was left on your messy desk. It's a message from Yoochun."
Kangin blinked in surprise. He had thought Yoochun had boarded his plane back to America two days ago. The man had bid his goodbye's and no one had seen him since the party.
"Thanks."
The older man opened up the envelope, pulling out the sheet of paper inside.
Kangin,
I'm guessing you won't find this note until someone finds it for you. I lied when I said I wasn't going to stick around. My publisher doesn't need me back in America. You see, I have some of my own unfinished business to attend too. I don't think Golf, Mike or especially my lost Yamapi have been truly laid to rest. I'm going to try and find Changmin.
Yoochun
Kangin lowered the note. He glanced up to see Jaejoong, Hankyung and Donghae looking at him curiously. He plastered a false smile on his face and then let out a forced laugh.
"Just Yoochun letting me know he'll call when he gets back to the U.S."
Jaejoong just gave a curt nod to the answer. Hankyung eyed Kangin suspiciously. He already knew that his former trainer was lying, but opted not to ask about it. Right now, his main focus was making it through the fight. His thoughts immediately went to Donghae. He turned and approached his partner, reaching out his hand to touch the longer hair tumbling down to his shoulders.
"Hae?"
"Yes?"
"Just... I want you to know..."
Donghae lifted up his finger and shushed Hankyung's words. His eyes were already shimmering as he spoke.
"I'll be there with you, Hannieah. Just please, please come back to me."
Hankyung felt a thousand emotions well up inside of his heart. He grabbed Donghae and buried his face into the top of his hair. Words didn't seem enough and yet there was so much more he wanted to say.
Jaejoong shook his head slightly and then looked at Kangin. The man was gazing down at the note still clutched in his hands.
"Yoochun didn't leave, did he?"
"Of course he did." Kangin retorted.
"No he didn't."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I'm a cop, Kangin. And I know when someone is trying to lie. And you're pretty bad at it."
The trainer opened his mouth to say something in his defense. The look on Jaejoong's face quieted any of his objection.
"The fight is scheduled in another three hours. The Dancer better get ready."
With that, Jaejoong disappeared through the door. Kangin looked from the door to the note to the two men clutching each other across the training mats. A sensation he hadn't experienced for two years sparked inside of him. His mouth began to water and the desire to drown himself in alcohol became painfully real to him once again. He drew in a deep breath and forced the sensation down.
"A man is only a slave to his addictions if he allows himself to be." he said to himself.
The thought made him read over Yoochun's note again. Enslavement wasn't always just to a bottle or a needle. Some times it was to things that even the person couldn't seem to control.
"Yoochun..."
*****
The sound of the building crowd caused Kibum to shift uncomfortably in his seat. His mind flashed back to over two years ago. It had been a thrill to sit so close to the action in Minwoo's underground arena. But his connection to the fight had been much more personal. He could even now hear when Ryeowook began to have his seizure. Then the bullet and all the blood. Kibum closed his eyes, trying desperately to block out the painful image.
"What was he like?"
The soft voice beside him drew his thoughts away from the brutal memory.
"Who?" Kibum asked very quietly.
"Ryeowook. What was he like?"
Kibum blinked, a little stunned by the question. The small young man sat beside him, his hand stroking his violin case reverently.
"What do you mean?"
"I've heard you speak of him from time to time during this trip. I know he was the reason you didn't want to return to Seoul. He must have been very special."
"He was." Kibum responded.
"Then what was he like?"
"Well," Kibum said softly. "He was a very kind young man, a little silly, often very focused. He always seemed to have a smile on his face even during his final days. He took better care of me than I think I did of him. He was also Hankyung's adoptive brother. His older brother Siwon was murdered about five years ago."
Henry nodded slightly.
"I remember Junsu speaking about the incident just after Hankyung came to live at his mansion. We were unaware at the time that The Charmer had a sibling."
"Ryeowook went to great extents to ensure that no one would know about his whereabouts. I was his only real link to the outside world."
"Did he do everything he needed before he moved on?" Henry questioned, fingers still lightly sliding over the case.
"He was finally reunited with Hankyung. He asked for Ryeowook's forgiveness. Shortly after that, Ryeowook passed away. I was with him when he died."
Kibum choked up slightly, the memory of listening to Ryeowook's final breath triggering the tears that refused to be shed. A gentle hand was rested over his. Kibum opened the eyes he didn't know he had closed. Henry's gentle face was looking at him quietly.
"It's good you were with him when it was time for him to go. Perhaps now it's time for you to step forward and go ahead. I think he was a truly kind man. He would have wanted you to be happy."
Kibum opened his mouth to respond and found he could find nothing to say. Henry only offered the strange, mysterious smile he always gave. He then turned his attention to the crowd that was shuffling into the surrounding seating.
"My, what are we so serious about?" came an amused voice.
Kibum was torn from his thoughts on Henry to see Heechul glancing over his shoulder. Shindong was behind him with Eunhyuk and Junsu following close behind him.
"I... It... Nothing, just a bit of conversation." Kibum stated.
"Must have been terribly interesting." Heechul cracked. "Shindong, whatever made your associate choose a place like this? It's hardly appropriate."
Shindong let out a chuckle as he gestured for everyone to sit down.
"My associate stated that the underground fighting isn't quite the way it used to be. Ever since our dear Junsu has retired from funding, much of those arenas have become a thing of the past."
Junsu sat down and looked around the building. For the most part it was nothing more than an old abandoned warehouse. The only addition were a series of bleachers for the "cheap seats" near the cage and then some nicer plush seats toward the top for the wealthier. There was no champagne or catering, only a person selling some partially stale beer and cheap bottles of soju.
"I remember when I started out in these places." Junsu mused. "Eunhyuk and I would come to these fights and I would bet on the winning competitor."
"And nine out of the ten times you'd be correct." Eunhyuk pointed out.
"Still feel like betting on this match, Junsu?" Shindong questioned playfully.
"The last time I put a wager on a match, The Dancer almost lost his life." Junsu returned.
"True. How about instead of a bet, you give a guess then?" Heechul piped up.
"A guess? Well then, I'm guessing Hankyung will be the winner. He's the most experienced."
"Then again, we haven't seen the other fighter." Eunhyuk added.
"True. Very true."
The mood of the group turned a little tense. Despite the connection Shindong had and the information he had received, no one knew anything about the opponent and his trainer. Only that they needed enough money to head to America.
A mutual unspoken chill ran up everyone's spine.
*****
Two men stood in the small locker room on one side of the arena. The brunette was carefully wrapping tape around the blonde's fists. They were both silent as a trio of men came wandering in from the left side.
"Hey." one of the black haired men said quietly.
The two looked up to see the trio standing there. There was a moment of awkward recognition before the duo returned to prepping the blonde's hands.
"The boss wants you guys to fight as best you can. But you're going against a real pro. So if he K.O's you in the first five minutes, whatever money we can scrounge up through the bets is yours. Can't gaurantee it'll be enough to get your rears to the U.S. though."
"Figures." the brunette said flatly.
"Hey, what's that for?" the taller one pointed at an object laying on the bench.
"It's his mask." the brunette responded. "He never goes into a fight without one."
"Your blondie is really weird."
"Thank you for stating the obvious, Mithra." the brunette snapped back.
"Don't be getting sharp with my brother." the smaller growled.
"Calm down, Tablo, it isn't that big of a deal." the other taller black haired man retorted.
"You stay out of this, Tukuta. I'm sick and tired of these two pretty boys screwing everything up. If it wasn't for your little mess up in Japan with those two guards, we wouldn't be stuck doing this damn thing."
The blonde haired man just continued to work on prepping himself for the fight. He took out a small bandage and placed it over his shoulder. The brunette saw the bandage and rolled his eyes. He grabbed some of the tape and began to plaster it over the gauze.
"You don't have to cover this up every time you fight either."
"Yes I do." he finally said quietly.
"Like I said, your blondie is weird." Tablo nearly snarled. His expression then cooled and he let out a slightly unpleasant laugh. "Won't matter any way. By the time The Dancer gets done with you, that mask and bandage will be history. I've already placed my bet."
The brunette glared at Tablo dangerously. He just shrugged his shoulders dramatically and then gestured for Mithra and Tukuta.
"We better get out there. The boss wants a play-by-play, remember? Later."
The trio exited out of the locker room. The blonde sat down on the bench. He reached into the pocket of his low slung training pants. He drew out the marble and began to roll it between his fingertips.
"Damn I hate those guys." the brunette grumbled.
The blonde haired man slipped the marble back in his pocket. The intercom crackled to life. An announcer's thunderous voice could be heard. The blonde looked down at the white mask sitting on the bench. He picked it up and slipped it over his head. He drew the blank image over his face, eyes scanning the locker room.
"You ready for this?" the brunette asked.
"Yes." the blonde responded quietly.
He stepped forward, his companion following close behind him, the hallways already echoing the sound of the crowds cheers.
*****
Hankyung knelt on the floor, his body bent forward, head resting on the cool tiles. His meditation was interrupted by the feel of a hand on his back. He quickly rocked back, bringing himself to a more upright position.
Donghae looked down at Hankyung. His eyes were very worried but he was doing the best to smile. Hankyung tried to give an encouraging smile back but knew it wasn't very convincing.
"Hey." the smaller man said softly.
"Hey to you too." Hankyung replied.
"You look good. All decked out." Donghae tried to joke.
Hankyung let out a barely there laugh. His hands were wrapped in black tape and his body was only clad in a set of low black training pants. His feet were wrapped in the same black tape. His chest was marred with the puckered bullet scar as well as the scar from the stab wound in his torso. He turned on his knees and stood, Donghae gazing up at him.
The smaller man reached out and reverently touched the scar across Hankyung's stomach. The Chinese man covered Donghae's hand with his.
"You're always with me, Hae. No matter what."
Donghae nodded. He suddenly threw his arms around Hankyung and kissed the man hard. Hankyung felt Donghae's emotions flood him. His arms came tight around the youth's waist and he kissed back just as furiously. When they parted, both were gasping for air.
"I love you, Hankyung." Donghae whispered against his lips.
"I love you too, Donghae." Hankyung returned.
The clearing of a throat interrupted their moment. Both men turned to see Kangin, Kyuhyun, Sungmin and Jaejoong standing at the door.
"Sorry if we interrupted any really good action. We could just put the fight on hold and let you two go at it." Kangin mentioned offhand.
"Boss!" Sungmin cried.
There was a moment of silence before everyone burst out in real laughter. The heavy mood broke for a few moments as everyone relaxed. The sound of the intercom crackled overhead, the announcer's voice breaking through the laughter.
"I guess that's your cue, Dancer." Kangin said. "You know what to do, take a few hits if you have too, rely on your legs, they've never failed you."
"Thanks, Boss."
Hankyung released Donghae and approached Kangin. The two men looked at each other before Kangin slid his hand behind Hankyung's neck, pulling the man down slightly. Their foreheads met, their unspoken bond becoming evident. After just a few seconds, the two drew apart.
"Good luck, Dancer. I can only hope that I'll live up to your reputation some day." Kyuhyun said, holding out his hand.
Hankyung took the hand, giving it a firm shake.
"You already have, Kyunnieah. Sungmin, you've done an amazing job."
Sungmin blushed at the compliment. His hand slid into Kyuhyun's, the duo seeming to match like two perfect pieces of a puzzle.
"We better head down the corridor, Hankyung. The fight is about to be announced."
Hankyung nodded at Jaejoong. He turned to look at Donghae. The young man was trying his best to not look fearful.
"I promised I'd never leave you alone, Donghae. I swear to you, I'll come back."
Donghae nodded slowly as Hankyung turned to follow Jaejoong down the corridor. The young man did his best to push down the terror that was threatening to drown him at the moment. A gentle hand startled him. He spun to the right to see Sungmin. The young man's gentle face was an immediate relief.
"I believe him, Donghae. I know you do too."
"I do." Donghae stated.
Hankyung would return back to him. Everything would be fine when the fight was over. As he followed Kangin, Sungmin and Kyuhyun down the corridor, Donghae couldn't shake the feeling though that something beyond his control was about to happen.
*****
The makeshift arena was nearly buzzing with adrenaline. The smell of liquor and cigarettes permeated the old warehouse. The din of clattering bleachers and the thrumming of outdated techno music nearly deafened the whole area. Bright lights from spotlights glimmered down on a cage set on some sand. In the center was a white drawn circle, the small area covered then in sawdust.
Hankyung drew in the sight and smell of the atmosphere. His fighting instincts honed in on the distinctive energy that radiated from the arena. His blood nearly sang in response and he could even feel his saliva begin to flow. He bounced back and forth on the heels of his feet. Despite his best efforts to reign his fighter side in, it was nearly screaming to come out as the announcer approached the center ring.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have a very special event for everyone. A long time fighting favorite has come out of retirement for one event. But first, let us announce our challengers tonight! Hailing to us from Japan, we have the Twins!"
The audience let out a series of shouts and applause as two men entered from the left side of the arena. The trainer came out first, a taller brunette wearing a long black trench. His face was very stern and he looked very focused. Behind him, another man followed. He was smaller and was wearing a white, blank faced mask. A little blonde hair spilled over the front of the mask. He had his hands bound in tape as well as his feet and a small bandage covering something on his shoulder.
"Bingo." Jaejoong said suddenly.
"Bingo what?" Hankyung whispered as the two made their way into the cage.
"The brunette is definitely one half of the Tarantula Twins. I'm guessing the blonde is the other half. Won't be certain until that mask comes off."
"Am I suppose to get the mask off?"
"It would help. But if you knock him out, we'll just pull it off."
Hankyung gave a half nod. He wasn't sure he exactly like Jaejoong's technique at catching these two criminals. But he still did owe alot to the officer for allowing him to save Donghae at the docks.
"And returning for the first time in two years, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for The Dancer, Hankyung!"
The audience went into a near frenzy as Jaejoong stepped out from the right corridor. Hankyung followed behind, the sensation of their arena nearly overwhelming him. He felt as though he was returning home. The very feeling of walking on the sanded ground made his instincts kick in. The sight of the cage with his opponent brought his mindset into focus. He could only think of the battle against the other fighter. All other thoughts seemed to be drowned out.
Donghae watched as Hankyung entered the arena. He could see how his partner's body seemed to morph into a different form. Hankyung walked more sharply, his motions more precise. Everything about him was now dangerously elegant.
"...Amazing." Donghae couldn't help but whisper.
The young man's eyes then focused on Hankyung's opponent. The man was smaller than his Chinese lover but was very well built. Donghae found it odd the man would come into a fight wearing a mask, but it wasn't much different than some professional wrestlers. But there was something strangely familiar about how the man carried himself.
Hankyung entered the ring, the masked man across from him.
"Dancer, this man simply goes by the name Mask. Mask, this is Hankyung, The Dancer." the announcer stated.
The masked man just gave a slight nod. The brunette that was with him slapped the blonde on the back and exited out of the gate. Jaejoong did the same thing to Hankyung and slipped out of the gate. He trained his eyes on the blonde as he walked to one side of the cage. The brunette walked to the other, his arms folded in front of him.
"The rules are simple. The first one knocked out or declared unfit to continue the fight loses. There is no holds barred hand to hand combat. Weapons of any kind will not be allowed. This is based completely on your skills. Gentlemen, slap hands and prepare to fight."
Hankyung held out his hand. The masked man slapped it very lightly and drew back to his corner. The audience let out a cheer as the a little bell rang. The sound set Hankyung's mind into focus.
Slowly, the two men began to side step around the ring. Each one seemed to be weighing the other's weaknesses. Finally, Mask lunged forward, his hand coming out in a near slicing motion. Hankyung dodged to the left easily, his fist coming out an impacting the elbow of Mask's arm. The man stumbled forward, shaking out his arm.
"He's not off to a very good start, is he?" Heechul commented.
Shindong shook his head as he watched the fight beginning. Rain seemed to have been correct in saying the man was definitely not in Hankyung's caliber. The fight could be over very quickly if this kind of momentum kept up.
The masked man turned on his heel just as Hankyung's foot shot out. The impact struck the blonde in the chest, causing him to crack back against the steel cage. The sound reverberated through the loud arena.
"Nice, Dancer, good hit." Kangin commented.
Donghae was standing next to Kangin, Sungmin and Kyuhyun beside him.
"Were most of Hankyung's fights like this before... You know before everything happened?" Donghae questioned.
"Pretty much. He was always a hard one to beat."
Donghae nodded, feeling a little more at ease. If the fight went fast, in least Hankyung would have it out of his system then and they could return back to Jin and Kame in Tokyo. Donghae mused slightly to himself that Jin would probably be madder than hell finding out Hankyung fought without him.
Donghae watched as the masked man barely dodged another one of Hankyung's brutal kicks. The swift downward motion of the Chinese man's heel caught a little of the gauze on the man's shoulder. The fabric like material began to pull free. Donghae didn't know why, but he found his attention focused on what was starting to appear underneath the patch.
The masked man quickly drew back against the cage. He drug in his breath and tried to reorientate himself. His opponent was already proving to be a dangerous fighter when it came to hand to hand combat. He rubbed his arm, a feeling of distress coming over him as he realized the patch was starting to come off his shoulder.
Hankyung circled a bit of the left, warily watching his opponent. The man seemed to be completely focused on covering up whatever was on his shoulder. Hankyung decided to use that to his advantage and step back for a moment. He could already see that the man apparently wasn't fast with his fists. There was potential to knock out his legs and he might be able to K.O. him in a single drop.
"Go, Hannieah!" Donghae exclaimed, finding himself swept up in the mood of the fight.
The masked man's head shot up immediately at the sound of the voice above the crowd. To Hankyung's surprise, the fighter crossed quickly past him and seemed to be looking straight at Donghae. The young man saw the masked man focus on him. He felt awkward as Mask tilted his head.
"What the hell?" Kangin asked, seeing the opponent's immediate interest in Donghae despite being in a middle of a fight.
Hankyung felt his protective nature kick in. He quickly spun his legs under and cracked the masked man through his knees. The man dropped and rolled suddenly. Hankyung was shocked as the other spun to his feet and then crouched low. His fists balled up and he lunged at Hankyung with unseen speed.
The Chinese man began to parry a rapid series of vicious punches, two escaping through his closed arms and striking him in the chest. Hankyung felt his air expel from his chest. He took a moment to drop down into the splits and kick his leg sideways, forcing the man to thrust forward, the impact throwing him into the chain link.
The crowd let out a riotous cheer.
"Looks like we underestimated Hankyung's opponent." Junsu suddenly spoke up.
"Hmm, my associate apparently wasn't completely truthful." Shindong mentioned.
"That is to be expected with the people you work with though." Heechul added.
The two men moved back and forth in the cage, the duo exchanging violent kicks, barely blocking each other's strikes. They finally split apart, both returning to their sides of the cage. Their chests were heaving, bodies coated in sweat.
Hankyung wouldn't admit it, but he had severely misinterpreted his opponent. The man had been holding back. He couldn't help but feel a level of admiration for the masked man though. Whomever had trained him had done an amazing job.
Donghae felt a little less at ease as the blonde man had begun to fight back with Hankyung. The punches and kicks the two had exchanged had left Hankyung spitting out a little blood. The memories of a bullet grazing his skin and flying into Jin's torso came unbidden to the young man. He unconciously flinched, rubbing his shoulder where Minwoo's blade had buried itself over two years ago.
The youth did his best to shake out the memory. He trained his eyes on the fight, all of his will being thrown to Hankyung. The masked man began to circle again. The small piece of gauze had fallen free unbeknownst to the opponent. It was then that a tattoo came into view. Donghae squinted his eyes and then felt his mouth begin to go dry.
"It... It can't be... No..."
"Donghae?" Kangin questioned.
The trainer saw how pale Donghae was beginning to look. He was shocked as Donghae began to walk toward the cage, almost in a trance.
"Donghae? Donghae? Donghae!" Kangin shouted, trying to weave through a crowd of drunks who were coming between him and the younger man.
Hankyung moved to the other side of the cage. The gauze piece had tumbled off Mask's shoulder revealing a tattoo. Hankyung couldn't quite make out the image before the blonde man surged forward again. Hankyung quickly bypassed and in a moment of pure grace, did a full roundhouse kick. The side of his foot impacted the man's head. A barest whisper of a snap could be heard as the string to the blank white mask came undone.
The man struck the ground face down. Before the bell rang, Hankyung saw the blonde haired man already getting to his knees. Instead of focusing on him though, the man was desperately trying to find the mask.
"Tsubasa! My mask! Please!" the blonde haired man cried.
The brunette responded to the name. Tsubasa quickly ran to the cage. The man had both hands covering his image. Hankyung saw the mask and reached down for the object. The fight had all but come to a hault. The cheering had died down, now only confused murmurs being heard among the audience.
The Chinese fighter approached the man as Tsubasa attempted to pull open the cage. He knelt down, ready to offer the mask to the man.
"Imai Tsubasa, you're under arrest!" came Jaejoong's voice.
Tsubasa heard the man and turned. He cursed out loud and jumped from the cage. He took off running, throwing people out of the way. Jaejoong was in hot pursuit, tackling the fleeing man as the audience went into an uproar. People began to scatter not wanting to be discovered at an illegal fighting match.
Kangin was pushed back again as the people began to try and escape the underground arena. He began to knock some of them down trying to reach Donghae. In the chaos, the young man had reached the fighting cage and was pulling open the door.
Jaejoong came from the right side, Tsubasa struggling violently against his grip. Shindong, Heechul, Junsu and Eunhyuk were running down the bleachers. Kyuhyun and Sungmin were pushing through the crowd.
Hankyung was almost frozen. Everything felt so surrealistic to him, as if the whole experience two years ago was replaying. He was almost waiting to feel the searing pain of a bullet flying through his chest. Instead, he saw the blonde haired man still on his knees, trying to keep his face covered and reach for the mask. Hankyung was ready to hand it to him when the door to the cage flew open.
"Donghae?!" Hankyung cried.
The young man didn't even look at Hankyung. Instead he turned his attention to the blonde haired man on his knees. The Chinese man realized he had seen that expression on Donghae only a little while before, just after they had arrived at the airport. There was so much fear and uncertainty there.
Donghae dropped to his knees in front of the blonde man. He reached out his shaking hands and grasped the other's wrists. The man struggled for a moment as Donghae drew away back his hands. He quickly diverted his head downwards. Donghae clasped the man's face firmly between his hands and forced his head upwards.
Hankyung watched as Donghae's face went even whiter, his arms now trembling. The man behind the mask was very handsome aside from the bruising dotting his cheek and some blood that was dripping out of his bottom lip. Jaejoong's voice tore through the noise.
"Takizawa Hideaki, you're under arrest!"
"Takki!" Tsubasa shouted from where he was being held.
Hankyung watched as Donghae's hands dropped from the fighter's face. The word was barely heard but Hankyung's whole world came to a stop in that single moment.
"......hyung?"