"You shouldn't play with fire, or you'll end up burning yourself. Do you remember?" Wooyoung sneers.

Yoochan doesn't answer, still trying to register the situation they are in, taking in the familiar surrounding. Why does it feel so familiar, but he can't point out where they are? Maybe it's the drug or the drinks that's fogging his brain, but he's void of thoughts. He only stares at their captors, not even an ounce of recognition splashed over his face. He knows better than to move around, for the wires wound around his wrists and ankles are sinking into his flesh, already making way for blood to seep out. His jaw feels sore; maybe from the way he keeps on gritting his teeth, or he could had been punched squarely there but he couldn't remember. It doesn't matter anyway, as his body doesn't feel like his anymore. He's like a phantom being, floating around, watching everything unfold from a safe distance.

Then something strikes inside him, grounding him as to why the surrounding is awfully familiar to him.

It's his old apartment; one of the many he owns, one that he moved out of when he was tired of people knocking on his door, demanding him to reveal himself. When he got annoyed from the relentless banging on his door he decided to abandon the apartment, and he simply bought another one far away without much fuss. He could have sold the unit, but the market wasn't good at that moment and he couldn't be bothered enough to put it on the listings. Over time he was comfortable with his new crib, completely forgetting the existence of this realty.

That is, until he wakes up after being drugged at this particular apartment, with the people who kept on knocking his door that eventually drove him out, as their captors. Now he remembers them; Jung Wooyoung and Jeong Yunho. Two best friends, who lost one person from their circle - all because of him. Something dark stirs inside his stomach when he realizes what they are here for; they are coming back at them for whatever they did... was it 5 years ago? 5 years that felt too long ago he doesn't even remember what Choi San looks like. Where is he, this Choi San? He still cannot conjure up his portrait.

Yunho is dealing with his other two friends, hanging them by their limbs with wires that dig deep into their skin; one wrong move and they might just die from blood loss. Slowly, painfully. Just like how their captors want them to. After he is done, both him and Wooyoung sink back into the sofa at the living room, watching them with empty eyes. All three captives steadily get back to their senses.

The taller guy of the two looks at Seongjin the longest, particularly vexed, "You look so much like Seonghwa it amazes me how both of your personalities are different. Seonghwa is nice without restraint that he's so endearingly innocent sometimes, but you are the fakest person I know. Standing back without even doing anything when you could have... no, when you should?" he shouts. "Because of you I had to kill him. It annoys me looking at his face because he reminds me of you."

"You... what....?" he asks, enraged.

"Ah, you didn't get the messages from your family members? Looks like I got to your family members first," Wooyoung bares his teeth, akin to a smile that holds no joy. "They were supposed to be the trigger to bring back the memories of what you did. We treated them the same as you treated San and us, but, would hearing about them bring any effect to any of you, though? Do you even care for your family members? Park Seonghwa, dead. Choi Jongho, turned crazy. Kang Yeosang-" he looks at Yoochan sharply, "-is more resilient than I thought. Must be from enduring all those years having you as his damn brother."

"Release us this instant or I'll make sure once the police get-"

"Oh, don't worry they will get here," Wooyoung snaps. "See, you don't even care about what happened to your brothers." He sighs, "I should have known that people like you wouldn't care for anyone but yourselves. They were all tortured for nothing." He closes his eyes and massages his temples, "Also, nobody will be able to hear you, because this complex was abandoned some 2 years ago. Developer wanted to demolish the building and make a new one. Didn't happen and left like that, but I bet you don't even remember you bought a unit here, do you?" He clucks his tongue, "But I'm not here to sweet-talk you into buying a new property. Do you remember, or do you want me to jog your memories?" His eyes darken as they rest on three of the trembling faces, his hunger for their fear insatiable at this point. "We will gladly bring you back, down to every single detail."

---

Flashback begins

Wooyoung watches in horror - as that is the only thing he could and is allowed to do - as Yoochan dunks San's head into the freezing cold water, cutting his supply of breath before bringing it back up. San's face is drenched, his body is violently shaking from head to toe and his voice only comes out in croaks. The process repeats until Wooyoung decides for once to turn his head away, but Jinhan forcefully snaps his face to the front again, urging him to watch. He closes his eyes, but the devil in the form of a human pries them open wide until he feels as if his eyeballs would pop out of their sockets. He is immobile; hands and legs bound to the chair facing the horrific live show and San as the main actor.

The only thing is he wasn't an actor; he is dying and Yoochan seems intent on making it a reality. Although he keeps repeating the same sentence, completely different than what his hands are doing.

"You can't die, Choi San. Unless I tell you so." He says the sentence every single time he shoves San's face into the basin full of iced water, numbing his senses and bluing his lips. "I'm the one who makes the rules here, and I'm the one in control. Even you," he lifts up his face, allowing him the liberty of a few seconds to take in fresh air, then dunks it inside again, "and you too." He glares at Wooyoung. "Say, what should we do next?" he asks to no one in particular, because it's going to end up being his decision anyway. "What can be a painful way to let him suffer?"

"Stop it-" Wooyoung blurts out, only to receive a hard slap on his cheeks, twice, by the person that had held his eyes open. His cheeks sting from the contact, reddened but he braves through the pain, cleching his teeth feeling like he could break them. His tears have long dried up, the only way to show that he cares for his friend - sprawled on the floor, completely incapacitated - is his mouth left hanging, the words to beg them to stop remain stuck and strangle him instead.

All his life he has never thought someone could be so cruel, that a person is capable of doing this to another person; that even the warnings and rumours he have heard about the trio, save for Park Seongjin, pale too much in comparison of what he's witnessing. They don't bat an eyelash while holding San down, treating him as if he was one of their playthings, crafted purely to amuse them. He pleads with his eyes, but they choose to ignore. He calls out San's name, but he's only an empty shell. He curses Yunho for not being here, but really, is he to blame?

"I really wanted all three of you to be here," Yoochan announces, nudging San with his left foot. San lies still, unresponsive. His only moving body part is his chest, which is reluctantly rising and falling. "But when I tried to call your other best friend, his phone was turned off. Say, is Jeong Yunho bad luck, or he's simply doing it on purpose? He probably knows all about this and chooses to run away. Why should he get involved, am I right?" He smirks, "Let me give you a piece of advice. You need to choose your friends wisely, or you might end up having a traitor on your boat. Having a friend like him..." he sighs, "really doesn't suit you. The two of you and him... are of different leagues."

Wooyoung stays mum. For once, he spat out something that he agrees on. Their friendship was a puzzle that barely fit together; it was San and Wooyoung, before Yunho came along.

"Stop... trying-" San coughs, startling the rest at the basement when he starts talking, "to put a rift- between- between- us. You have- no- rights-"

Wooyoung sniffs. Choi San, always being the nicest out of us three. His trust never lets up.

"Right, right," Yoochan waves him away. "What right do I have to say anything about your friendship, right? Ah, sorry, I just got carried away." He eyes Wooyoung, "some people just can't be trusted, that's all. The person you thought you could trust, turns out to be the person rocking and capsizing your boat. Well, well, enough of the chit-chatting." He claps his hands, "What should we do next?"

The next moments are forever ingrained in his memory, like a broken record playing the same song over and over again. The song is San's screams, and it is him who is broken. It seems to pass in a blur, but at the same time he remembers every detail vividly - like it was made for him to savour, like he was supposed to be feeling everything that they made San feel.

The clanging of metal and the faint thud against something big as the metal pipe was brought down onto the victim's body. Park Seongjin at the corner of the basement, frozen but face indifferent, unable to intervene for fear of getting involved. The iron grip of Jinhan as he held his face in place, forcing him to become an audience of the misery that he went through. The crackling of fire placed near San that his body was charred at different parts. The pair of scissors snipping as it cut through his skin, as if the wounds created were landmarks on a bloody map. The blood, the blood, spilling like he was an upturned full bottle of water. The final gurgling sound from him, the desperate sign of him surrendering to death. The laughs full of satisfaction coming from Yoochan and Jinhan as they watch the two friends losing themselves. The disbelief cutting through him that humans like them exist, and they got caught up in their twisted games. The anger bubbling up as Wooyoung felt something pop off inside him.

The nerve of Kang Yoochan to say, "I really hated seeing those dimples of yours, Choi San. Such an ugly sight. If you were reborn in the next life, make sure you don't have them. Or if you do, consider not talking or even smiling. Then your dimples won't show," as if he was giving a good advice, one that can be done.

They leave after like it was nothing, not even bothering to clean up. They have no intentions of hiding whatever they did, because they don't fear the law. The look in their eyes show that they know they can get away with it- no, they will get away with it. A small tug of their lips upwards to tell them, might as well just forget about it because you will never win. What can two of you do, when we have gotten away with things much worse? Things like murder... In fact, go on and tell the police. We'll get back right at you, and you will regret for even looking our way.

Wooyoung embraces San with shaky arms, his hand trying to dial Yunho's phone number, the only one person he feels he could confide in now. Maybe they were lying - he couldn't be having his phone shut off at this crucial moment. While muttering it's okay, it's okay, I'm here to San, his chest constricts with every ring. The message saying he's unreachable echoes in his brain and he almost throws the phone in a rage but stops himself. He needs to think but that's the thing he cannot do; he cannot think.

He went here by taxi and the culprits are long gone, leaving them to bite the dust. He could call the ambulance but he felt like it would only further upset him if he has to give them directions, because the villa doesn't appear on the navigator. San stirs and whimpers in his arms; he wishes he could help him ease the pain. He uses the only way he could think of; he heaves San on his back, carefully placing him so he doesn't fall off and he doesn't touch his wounds. Then he bursts out into the cold air, letting the night wrap around him, feeling strangely safer than being inside. He takes one last look at the villa, the starting point of their nightmares. With determination to save his best friend, he walks, walks, walks and walks. He never stops, and the rhythmic breathing of San against his neck makes him feel secure, his own heart at ease knowing that he is still alive.

We will make it.

San, on his back, groans and moans with no intelligible words. He shushes him, saying that he needs to save his energy to stay alive. He gives reassurance to him that he will never let go, that they will be safe. He chants apologies to the person on his back, and as San's arms wrap themselves loosely around his neck, he cries. The steps he puts down on the dirt road, seemingly the only way out of the maze, are accompanied by his salty tears.

You're a crybaby, do you know that? San had mentioned to him once while playfully pinching his cheeks. But you're always crying for other people, not once for yourself. You try to look tough but you're actually really soft inside.

I'm sorry, San. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you.

Maybe it has been only a few minutes or a few hours since they left the villa but he hears his friend's breathing getting shallower and slower. He curses at the night sky, curses at their fates for having to be tangled up with monsters - one that donned on human masks, he curses at Yunho for not being here, he curses for he was San's friend.

If I could even call myself that.

He tumbles onto the asphalt road, holding on to San tight, gripping his shirt so he won't hurt himself on the road anymore. Now that they're already on the main road he fumbles for his phone, already putting a ring through for an ambulance. The operator's voice is only a crackle to him, putting through a promise they will get to them as fast as they can. His hand falls to his side after the call ends, his energy spent. They lie down on the asphalt road, waiting for help to arrive, and he hugs San to keep him warm. He watches the snow falling and coating their bodies, as if trying to soothe the wounds they acquired. If not for their situation, it could have been a beautiful sight. It should have.

We need to make a snowman here someday, Woo. And snow angels! San had told him excitedly, one day when snow started falling heavily. It was only their first year at university, but Wooyoung was caught up with extra college activities so they barely spent time together.

What are you, ten? he had shot back, stressed out from the work piling up. If only he could sense the look in San's eyes, the disappointment as he dragged himself away, mumbling about how it would be fun. We don't have time for that; for crying out loud, we're in university, Choi San. Grow up.

Sure, friends fight once in a while and they make up quickly after. But ever since that day San never mentioned about wanting to build a snowman or making snow angels again, even though there was a distinct sparkle in his eyes whenever he sees the first snow falling. They let it drift away without any verbal reconciliation, the topic slipping away like it was never mentioned. Winter is Choi San's favourite season, but he ruined it. And today, it is completely destroyed.

A black mark on a white sheet. A dent that can never be repaired. All because of me.

The distant howl from a lone wolf. The screeching sound of the night wind. The flapping of wings of nocturnal birds. The soft thud of snow falling to the forest floor. The sound of him choking back on his tears. The laboured breathing of San beside him. The rhythmic beating of their hearts together as he pulls him closer. The loud echoing of regrets in his head. The whispers of comfort from the snow blanketing them. The faraway sirens coming to save them. The thunderous footsteps of paramedics coming to their aid. The cries he lets out as they were pulled apart, needing to be tended to separately.

Your friend needs urgent medical attention! You can't hold on to him like this! Please let him go, sir.

He shakes his head, no, I need to be beside him. I need to be with him!

Sir, please! You need your own medical attention too.

He lets go after being coaxed. He falls back into a paramedic's arms, too tired to argue. If he knew it was the last time he could hug San, feel the warmth of his body, he would never let go, no matter what they say.

Because he did let go, and he never stopped regretting it since.

Flashback ends

---

"Seems to ring a bell in your dense heads? Every single evil - no, even evil sounds too nice for the likes of you - things that you did to him, that you did to us. Do you remember?" Wooyoung shouts. "You destroyed all of our lives just because... just because..." he bites his lips, the mere reason they were caught up with these three sounding ridiculous the more he thinks about it, "he was trying to claim back his project. One that you should never get your hands on in the first place."

"You know how I got it in the first place. I was only-" Yoochan gets cuts off.

"Shut up!" he throws a fist against the leather sofa, shutting their mouths up with a single gesture. "He was never supposed to get involved in this, but you... you... you monster."

"B- b- but everything is fine now, isn't it? Look, it was all in the past. Come on, we were just playing around-" Jinhan tries to defend themselves, but it only brings Wooyoung and Yunho to a higher level of cynicism, widening their eyes as he starts talking.

"What did you say? Do you even listen to yourselves? You tortured someone for pleasure but you think this was all just a game? Choi San died because of the three of you. Because you-" he points towards Yoochan, "you tortured him until he can't even walk on his legs. You-" he points to Jinhan next, "held me so I can watch everything. And you, the worst-" he points to Seongjin last, "didn't even do anything to save him. Even when he was calling out your name."

Seongjin shakes his head frantically, "Look- look- I was just- I was caught up with them, okay? I never wanted to get involved in the first place. Come on, you can let me go. I will tell everything to the police about what we did-"

"It will never change anything, because in the end filthy rich people like you, especially," he eyes Yoochan, "are always above the law. It happened 4 years ago, and it will happen again. You won't fool us twice. You might have been let go back then, but you can't run away now. We caught up with you before the law did, and you will pay the price. Also, let me give you a piece of advice. You need to choose your friends wisely, or you might end up having a traitor on your boat. Look at this, Kang Yoochan and Choi Jinhan, look at your friend trying to sell all of you away." He smiles, "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

They feel a presence behind them; Wooyoung and Yunho don't even have to turn around to know who had appeared. Even from the looks of terror on the victims' faces, they know that San has made an appearance, quietly observing them.

"You- you- said he was- dead-" Yoochan chokes up on his words, his body writhing as if he could get away. The wires slice deeper into his skin, but the terror towards San's appearance is greater so he ignores the pain.

"He is dead," Yunho deadpans. "Because all of you killed him. People like you will never learn from your mistakes- no, they are not even mistakes. You deliberately pushed San into a corner and made him doubt himself. You used that against him and you ruined his whole life ahead of him." He hears San starting to sob behind him, and he presses further. His heart clenches. "You drove him to the edge because you made him lose his mind. To you it was a form of wicked entertainment, but to us it's a whole life of torment; to you that day was a pit stop but to us it was a dead end. Yet you don't even remember because it wasn't your lives that were ruined. People like you will always forget unless-" he suddenly gives the childish smile he is known for, bringing shivers to the victims, "-you bring along the reminder for the rest of your lives."

Wooyoung springs into action as soon as Yunho finishes talking, and they work as a pair to execute their bout of revenge. Throughout the ordeal, San looks on, expressionless, his feelings unfathomable. Anguish screams and shouts echo throughout the whole unit, but Yunho and Wooyoung are unperturbed. Their minds are too far broken, the pain felt by the victims not giving any effect to them. No anesthetic for the tormentors-turned-victims, allowing them every single painful sensation. By the time they are finished, the dusty floor, their hands and clothes are bloodied, a final trophy for what they have waited for. Wooyoung places a call, bringing a flurry of panic at the end of the line as he talks into the phone. He ends the call.

And they wait.

It doesn't take long before the door to the apartment unit is broken down; police officers in uniforms and plainclothes filing into the room. Nothing in the world can ever prepare for the view they are presented with. Detective Dowoon is at the front of the line and he, too, cannot hide his disgust as his hands fly to his mouth.

Wooyoung and Yunho are calmly sitting on the sofa, bloodied hands put out, ready to be cuffed and taken away. They are surrendering themselves, but not without making a memorable mark. The detective eyes them as they are taken away, not spotting an ounce of guilt hidden away in their eyes or faces. His eyes travel to the victims, who are being hastily pulled down, tended to. He studies the faces of the victims one by one; they are heavily distorted. Their cheeks are pulled inside with what seem like strings, held in place, making it appear as if they have dimples.

Then his vision is caught by the items on the coffee table; presents prepared for them. He takes a look at the first, second and the third one. Below each of them, there are small messages left for them. He approaches the table, reading them one by one before releasing a heavy breath. He feels a hand on his shoulder and looks over to find Younghyun, studying the 'presents' they received alongside him.

"This is the game they were playing. We were too late," Dowoon verbalizes. "We could not stop them."

"And this was the prize of the game," Younghyun agrees.

They look at the first 'present', arranged neatly side by side, the round objects staring up at them eerily. The victims' eyeballs; one from each victim. Below it, the message they left read, 'SEE NO EVIL'.

They move on to the next one, another part of a pair taken from the victims; their ears. The message was 'HEAR NO EVIL'.

The final organ, looking like live slithering animals ready to strike; their tongues. The last message read, 'SPEAK NO EVIL'.