Yeonjun catches sight of Kai after the function. He blocks Kai's way from entering the company's bus. "Where were you?"

Kai shrugs. "Where were we all tonight, Yeonjun?" he replies.

"I saw you sneak out."

"And?" Kai asks. "It didn't defy any guideline and my client needed a break. Don't tell me how to do my job." he pushes past who used to be one of the people closets to him. Right now, frustration takes place instead of respect for Yeonjun.

One mistake should not burn a bridge of smart decisions. He apologized enough; if Yeonjun wanted to keep track of his every move, that was his own problem and a waste of his time.

..............................

"Kai." Taehyun calls is a sleepy voice through the cracked open door. It has been a while since Kai had stationed himself beside the door and has guessed Taehyun was fast asleep due to the prolonged silence.

"Yes?" he answers, surprise to be proven otherwise.

Taehyun closes his eyes and rests his head on the white pillow; stretching his legs across the carpet in a cat-like manner. He yawns; a tear of pure somnolence gathers at the corner of his eye and drips across his cheek down to his ear. "Thank you for tonight." still, even when he's about to slip into an unconscious state, he doesn't want to do it without first expressing his gratitude. Knowing he will forget to do so in the morning.

He falls asleep a few seconds after.

.................................

There is something. Something in the air that is different. Something in Kai's mind that doesn't quite settle.

He doesn't know when that unease began, but it has slowly built up throughout the morning and by the time breakfast was done he knew that something had to be wrong.

Kai steps out of the dining corridor and pulls out his phone to call Beomgyu, his hands; fidgety.

After a few beeps' worth of wait, he hears the familiar sound of his friend's loud voice. "Kai! How's Paris, Loverboy?!"

At the sheer volume, Kai winces and distances the phone away from his ear. "Are you at work?"

"I just left the studio," he answers. "Say, why is Yeonjun calling me every round hour to rant about your stupid ass?"

Kai sighs. "Has he?" he's not too surprise if he has. And he really doesn't want to know what Yeonjun had been spewing about him.

"Religiously."

"Well, he's welcomed to do so if he's frustrated."

"... You are taking that surprisingly well."

Yes, because Yeonjun is the least of his worries right now and has been for the entire trip. "It's not what I wanted to talk to you about." Kai pivots the conversation. "Something is not right."

"With you?" Beomgyu asks to confirm. "Yes, I agree."

"Hyung." Kai's voice is serious which makes the laughter on the other side halt right then. He takes a deep breath. His heart beats fast, like he had run a marathon. He pinches the bridge of his nose. "I have a bad feeling."

He hears suffering in the background; like fabrics rubbing together. "Like how?" his friend asks; his voice pitched with mild concern.

Kai shakes his head; feeling his peace falling between the cracks more and more. "I'm not sure, my stomach doesn't feel right," he explains.

His best friend ponders in his apartment, having already gotten to his house. "... Maybe you need to shit?"

"Beomgyu."

"What!?" Beomgyu exclaims. "Maybe you really do need to shit, how do you know you haven't eaten anything weird lately?"

Kai opens his mouth. "Well-" he realizes Beomgyu is genuinely worried about his bowels. "I- maybe...? I don't know." he's never felt this anxious, not in any job, not in any position. His heart still thumps the same way he does when he's about to defend himself; only he's not in danger so why does he feel like he is?

"Try to shit, call me later."

"So?"

"Nothing." Kai sighs. He sees Mr. Bang calling him over and he glances at his wrist-watch. He curses under his breath. "What do I do, Hyung?" he talks to Beomgyu through the phone speaker. This feeling doesn't come too often or at all. Kai is not an anxious person but rather easy-going despite the nature of his job.

To feel like this, he just knows. "We need to stay here," he says rather irrationally. Of course they can't, and just on the count of a stomach ache. Mr. Bang will whoop his ass and Kai won't blame him.

"Can you do something about it?"

"Not really."

"What are you going to do, then?"

Kai chuckles. "Well, let's just hope it's only a bellyache."

A yell in his direction makes his head turn. The team is already outside with the exception of him. He balls his fist and leans into the phone. "I'll call you later, Hyung. Thank you for the advice." he hangs up and steps outside.

He stands with the others; people are already starting to enter the bus. He paces around Taehyun who looks up at him with scrutinizing eyes.

Bile rises in Kai's throat. He can taste his breakfast coming up to his mouth. He swallows his nausea; but it's persistent.

"Oh, damn it." he feigns surprise and widens his eyes; lowering his head. The disappointed tone out of his mouth grabs Taehyun's attention and he once again looks at Kai; this time tilting his head.

"Is something wrong?"

"I forgot my key card on the dining table," he says with an apologetic voice. "Can I go and grab it?" he asks Mr. Bang. "I will only be two seconds."

Mr. Bang sighs; raising his eyebrows. "Make it fast," he orders.

"Of course, Sir."

Kai finds the bathroom and opens the first empty stall his eyes fall on. He kneels in front of the toilet and his throat opens up like a faucet, bringing up everything he ate only an hour ago.

He retches as quietly at possible as to not raise suspicion, finishing up as fast as he can; practically gagging forcefully to get out as much as he can from his system so it won't become an issue later.

Of course, he can only do so much in so little time. He gets out with shaky legs and walks to the sink where he gurgles water and spits out.

He wets his warm nape and takes a deep breath.

In the bus, he texts Beomgyu to inform his friend that he was right. Told you. Is what Beomgyu texts back. If it's not coming out from the ass, it has to be the mouth.

Kai grimaces. You are so gross. But he can't help but be relieved that it was the fault of something he ate; or maybe one of the hotel cooks have not washed their hands before preparing the food.

With that being thought of, he should pay extra attention to Taehyun and make sure the other does not experience the same symptoms as him considering they ate mostly the same things from the buffet.

He feels a nudge from Taehyun. "Are you okay?" The scientist asks while looking at him with a look as soft as the one he got last night on the bridge.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Taehyun shrugs; looking down at his yellow pad forever on his side. "You seem off," he whispers. "I thought I'd ask."

"Your concern is sweet, Mr. Kang. But you have nothing to worry about," he reassures. Taehyun finds a place on his shoulder. "I'm just a little tired."

Taehyun hums. "I see." he clutches the pad to his chest and closes his eyes. Adoration sets in Kai's heart. He hopes Taehyun didn't catch whatever he did.

............................

Kai tugs on his belt; tapping his feet while waiting for Taehyun to come out of his room. His phone buzzes, showing Mr. Bang's contact name. He huffs and knocks on the door three times consecutively.

"Unclench, Kai." He hears. "I'm coming."

"We're late."

The door opens, showing Taehyun's unimpressed face. "And the world would not collapse." he flaps his undone sleeves. "Help me with those." he commends.

Kai buttons the few opened buttons Taehyun had forgot to do, tidying the white shirt so it looks perfectly crisp. His fingers brush Taehyun's wrists as he folds the sleeves nicely so they don't look as shaggy.

Taehyun openly gawks at Kai's focused face; the way his eyebrows straighten and his forehead scrunches subtly. His jaw locks and his rough hands try to be delicate as he handles the gentle fabric of the dress shirt.

Kai's cheeks grow pink as he is deathly aware of Taehyun's hard stare. He bites his inner cheeks in a nervous manner. "All done." he clears his throat and turns around. "We should go now."

...........................

He had never been in a Gala before and as far as Kai knows, the people who plan and go to those things are rich and have nothing else to do with their lives. Now that he's in "one of those things." He deems himself correct for the most part.

A wondering about how many more invitations to events of those kinds Mr. Bang had said yes wanders in.

Technically, the large museum where the gala is held is filled with round tables, and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, emitting light like thousands of diamonds... are not the ugliest things he saw. The rich; pointless event is quite pretty and nicely designed, he must admit.

A waiter dressed in a black uniform and a slicked-back hairdo stops beside him with a tray in his hand on which a few glasses of chilled champagne. "Care for one, Sir?" he says; but a belated realization hits that he is not talking to Kai, but rather to Taehyun who is standing a step away from Kai.

Taehyun happily takes a glass. If the evening will go the way he thinks it's going to go, he'll need to befriend one of those liquor-holding-people.

They take a walk around the venue; exploring the floor between the tables and the bar. Everything is decorated in icy blue and emerald green which gives the effect of something royal and formal.

He guesses that was the intention.

In their touring around; he finds that the organizers had hired live music. Something soft; jazzy with a hint of classic.

The pianist seems to be completely in his zone. While the lead singer; a woman in his thirties with a pastel green dress down to the floor and a dainty mic sings in a thin tone and smiles to the saxophonist.

"I hate this place," Taehyun whispers.

Kai has to bite his lips not to laugh and he coughs twice and nods along. "It's certainly something."

"It's too much. Is there something wrong with a simple dinner?" he gulps the champagne in his glass dry then wipes his mouth.

"The music is nice..."

Taehyun rolls his eyes and stops a waiter for another glass. "It's decent," he asks with the colling glass in his hand.

"Would you like to dance with me?" Kai asks and is immediately met with an animated-like expression from Taehyun that practically screams the words "Not even on my deathbed." "Oh, come on, Mr. Kang." a slow song begins to play and people are joining the already accommodated dance floor. "Just one dance."

"Not even if the whole venue was lava and the only safe place to stand was the dance floor." is the answer he gets from the scientist.

Kai tsks his tongue. "You're not fun." he pouts and looks down in devastated disappointment

"Ugh." Taehyun caves at that. "Fine. Big, whiny baby." he spews angrily and drags happy Kai to the dance floor. He then stops and points a finger at his excited bodyguard. "But no twirls." he draws the line there. "I mean it."

Kai lifts his hands up and then holds out his pinky. "I promise, I won't twirl you."

Taehyun links his pinky to Kai's even though he was clear about finding pinky promises stupid which Kai finds to be crazy, but tries to accept. They were mostly for him anyway.

They find their way around the dance floor until the two settles in a place less hectic. It's further than the live band but Kai thinks Taehyun would prefer not having strangers get too close to him; for that they have to compromise the music.

He himself would feel less nervous not being at the center of attention and the more excuses to hide Taehyun away from unwanted company, the better.

Now, Kai wouldn't call what they are doing dancing. In fact, he thinks no one who has eyes will call their standing around, hugging and moving side to side rhythmically dancing by any means.

But it's a good excuse to hug and be close to each other without having to risk being told off. The two are deprived of touch and while the brief moments in the elevator are blissful they are hardly enough for a couple in their honeymoon phase.

The well-lit space dims its lights into something for night-appropriate but the yellowish-orange lighting is still strong enough to see everything. Moonlight shines through the windows.

Chatter between the dancing couples and businessmen and women flirting together and talking about work and life while slow dancing fits well with the quiet music.

"See?" he says. "It's not that bad."

Taehyun shrugs and lays his head on Kai's firm shoulder. "I guess you're right."

He wonders if they look weird. A young man in a well-fitted tux dancing with someone who is clearly not a part of the event is the fundamental sense of it. Kai is in the venue but he's not a guest nor a person of honor like Taehyun.

He's suddenly self-conscious of his tight-fitting uniform and the bare gun sticking from his belt.

He feels a tapping on his back and turns his head around to see a curvy woman in a flattering navy blue dress. "Pardon." she gets their attention with her smooth, gentle voice heavy with a seductive accent. The kind of voice you hear from voice actors. "May I steal you for a dance?" she asks while batting her eyes.

She looks like the expensive kind with a large necklace sitting on her upper chest. Kai wonders if she is in any way working in Taehyun's field as well. His gut tells him that's likely.

Taehyun opens his mouth to decline but to his demise, participating in events like these is the reason Mr. Bang flew him to Paris. And he already sees a few of his co-workers mingling as well. Whether it's on the dance floor or just chatting beside the open bar.

Reluctantly, he nods and let's go of Kai's hands. While the woman takes his place, Taehyun's eyes follow Kai as he somewhat disappears into the wall at a safe distance from Taehyun.

He sees him smiling softly back; hands behind his back as he blends into the place he belongs in.

A buzz goes through the air. A weird electric current that causes the hairs on Kai's arms to rise. He looks around, alarmed. But he seems to be the only one who felt it.

Well, not the only one.

Less than three seconds, Yeonjun strides over to him with a panicked face. "You felt that too," he says, not as a question but a fact. "What is happening?" he asks.

Kai shakes his head, making sure Taehyun in still in his line of vision. A different person dances with him now and he looks like he's having an unpleasant time. "I'm not sure."

"Keep your guard up." Yeonjun tenses; his eyes trained on Soobin who's talking to a group of people near the indoor fountain; laughing carelessly. "It might be nothing-"

A string of shots is heard and at first no one reacts but by the second shot everyone standing or sitting ducks their bodies to the floor at the loud, sudden noise and frantically look around for the source.

"Take Taehyun away!" Yeonjun pushes Kai towards the scientist that has his hands on his ears, eyes shut and body bent to the floor. He runs over, grabbing Taehyun by his shoulder and moves him far from the crowd.

Yells, and more shots fired in the air. The power shuts off; pitch black darkness unveils on the venue and Kai can't see a damn thing.

"Everybody!" a hears an authoritative, low yell. One that doesn't carry good intentions. "Don't move, or we shoot!"

Kai takes advantage of the power being off, whether it's a part of the plan of whoever intruded into the gala or not, if it's fixed in the next few seconds, he won't have any chance of getting his client out of the museum. He picks up Taehyun who is rendered immobile due to the fear coursing in his body.

His hands are still stuck to his ears; eyes bolted shut. His body is entering danger mode. Carried by Kai, he directs them both as well as he can in the unforgiving darkness.

He's not sure where he is going as long as it's far away from the noise. Glass shattering; people screaming and orders being yelled around. It's mayhem at the floor where the event is being held.

He hopes to God Yeonjun had managed to take Soobin but it's unlikely considering how little time he had before the power went off.

For now, he has no spare time to worry about anyone else but Taehyun.

The light flickers. Kai freezes. Then, it turns on fully allowing him to see where he is after running blindly through the small halls and the up the stairs he stumbled upon.

Taehyun whimpers quietly in his arm.

"Shh... You need to be quiet." Kai whispers as lowly as he can while he scans his environment. It seems they have reached the outside of an office. He feels as though Taehyun relaxes as the sound of his voice.

He opens his big eyes only a little before whispering shakily. "Kai... what-"

Kai clamps his hand on Taehyun mouth and the other quiets. He removes his hand while Taehyun stares at him with the questions stuck at his throat. Kai opens the door to the office of by the plates name he assumes is the workplace of the person in charge of the museum.

He wonders if he's in tonight; but the office appears empty. He carries Taehyun in and closes the door as quietly as he can in case someone is lurking in the halls; he doesn't want to notify people of their whereabouts.

Then, he finally lets Taehyun down until he feels that his client can stand on his own. He brings his finger to his lips to signal him to keep quiet.

Taehyun nods in understanding; although frightened.

Kai's phone vibrates. He picks up the call.

Heavy breathing; a loud panicked chatter of people. A shot is fired and Kai hears it through the phone clearer than he does from the office they are self-locked in. "They want Taehyun," Yeonjun whispers. "Hide Taehyun-"

The call abruptly ends; leaving Kai to grip his hairs and mutter a curse to himself. They hear a string of yells that is louder than before and Kai takes his hand and drags Taehyun who has his own hand clamed on his mouth in fear of spewing anything out.

He stops beside the window and glances through the glass down where he has view of the empty street. His hand grips the window sill; conflicted at what to do, he just stares off for a few second before blowing air sharply out of his nose and looking back. "It's not too high," he says.

Taehyun's eyes widen. "What do you mean it's not too high??" he whisper-yells in a squealing voice.

It takes a little more strength than Kai realizes to open the window without making a sound. He slowly pushes the glass out; palm on the window and putting his body into sliding it aside.

The warm air rushes inside. He looks out again; assessing the fall he must take. It's high enough that he wonders if he's going to make it unscathed but the way he sees it, it's their only way out.

"It's not that high," he repeats. Maybe in an attempt to convince himself more than he wishes to convince Taehyun. Either way, he must jump. Didn't matter if he believes he can make it or not.

The exit from the hall is surely blocked, from the chatter he hears outside, it's a luck they haven't entered the office yet but he feels them coming closer. Something in his gut tell him that they don't have much time until the door is opened and they get found. If they step outside now, their chances of getting out are slim. They will be giving up the option of leaving all together.

He takes a deep breath and hears Taehyun hitch when he hooks his shoe on the sill and he pulls himself outside. There is a small space where he can stand but it's narrow and it only takes a brush of wind to knock him down.

"What on earth are you doing?!" Taehyun yanks Kai's jacket and tries to drag him back inside.

"I'll jump," Kai whispers. "Then you will jump and I'll catch you."

"No."

"It's not that high," he says again. "If I step on the sill and catch the pipe, I can manage to slide down."

"You're not jumping down, are you crazy?" Taehyun is just about losing his sanity in the small office they're harbored in. He bites his teeth and the noise outside makes him turn him head to the closed door.

"I didn't say I'd jump."

"You just said you would."

"Do you trust me?"

"I- well- normally I do." the words leave Taehyun's mouth. A sheen of nervous sweat glazes on his forehead. "Not when you're about to jump out of a window." his tone is tight; his hand still holding onto Kai's jacket.

"Mr. Kang." Kai exhales. "It's either this, or someone takes you away and I won't have it. Now, let me ask you this. Are you okay with being taken?"

The air punches out of Taehyun's lungs; creating a painful vacuum that makes his sides sting. He bites his lip until he tastes metal in his mouth. Slowly, he shakes his head, first hesitantly, then once more with more conviction.

"Then, listen," he says with a sharp pleading integrated into his voice. Harsh with a hint of assertiveness that also begs Taehyun to be reasonable. It's a job, he must protect his client even if it means getting hurt himself. It's what they do. What they are hired to do is just that, take every measure even if drastic in order to ensure the safety of their clients.

From now on he isn't Kai; he's Taehyun's bodyguard and he will act that until safety is ensured.

Those hard intention seep through his words and the narrow of his eyes as he focuses his everything on Taehyun. The intensity of his gaze and the tone in which he speaks doesn't give Taehyun much wriggle room to argue. All that comes out is an involuntary nod, he feels like those dolls that you put on the dash of the car, nodding along because he must.

Kai purses his lips. "Good." he breathes. He feels Taehyun's eyes trails his movements as he slips past the window's glass panels and submerges himself into the night's mild wind. His body dangling midair and he tries to catch his footing and stick his legs into a big enough crook in the wall.

He's too far down to hear Taehyun's nervous swallow and strangled yelp that he catches by clamping his palm on his mouth and traps the air inside. Kai holds himself by his hands gripping on the sill, he stretches his leg to the pipe and wrap his limb around it until he feels stable enough to let go. And then, he does.

Taehyun closes his eyes; waiting for the big, daunting thump. His heart falls to his stomach and dizziness washes over him. The thump never comes.

He opens his eyes and leans over the window; not knowing what to expect. He almost breaks in a relieved gasp but stops himself. Kai hangs on the pipe a few feet away from the window; successfully managed to catch it.

Kai slides down carefully; silently. Like a spider. He lands on the grass softly, looking up with a victorious glint in his eyes. But his work is not over. Quietly, he waves his hand and opens his arms.

"Fuck, no." Taehyun hisses. He does not think that Taehyun will jump off, does he?

It's too far to see what Kai's expression looks like, and they are limited in the amount to can speak to each other; from that far high, Kai will need to yell in order for Taehyun to hear.

He only hopes Taehyun will jump eventually like he knows he should. All he can do now is wait.

"Fuck, no." Taehyun laughs weakly; out of pure madness. "Not happening," he mutters, but his body acts differently to his words. "He's crazy," he says, but he is already sitting on the sill, balancing himself. "A lunatic." his hands let go of the window. "Madman."

He falls.