Act iii: Angels Are Sinners.

"I honestly can't believe you dyed your hair blond. You look so different, hyung." Hyunjin peered at Chris, who was now a platinum blond instead of a jet black. Chris had one arm on the steering wheel and the other hanging out of his window. The afternoon breeze tousled his hair, and blew it around in the air. He was happy and content.

"Yeah, I know. But I needed a change. New hair, new life." He nodded his head to the beat of the tunes pouring out of the radio. Hyunjin flashed a small smile and leaned back against his seat.

"Yeah, that makes sense. I don't blame you. But, will you ever tell me about what happened?"

Chris exhaled, pulling his other arm back in to lean against the steering wheel as he drove. He stared forward at the trees and the cars in front of him. His thoughts consumed him temporarily.

"I will. Just not right now. Give me a little bit more time, okay?" He took a moment to glance at Hyunjin for his acceptance of the situation. Hyunjin merely nodded and readjusted his position in his seat.

"Sure. Completely understandable."

"Thank you. Now, which exit do I take again for your apartment? I still can't remember." Chris laughed. Hyunjin rolled his eyes and pointed to an upcoming highway exit.

"This one right here. Geez, Chris. Do I need to get you some sort of GPS? A compass, perhaps?" He teased his older friend. Chris groaned and focused on his driving.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny! I'm just not used to doing all of these things again. Don't pick on me." He laughed softly.

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(TIME SKIP)

They finally pulled up to the complex and parked. Chris turned his car off and climbed out of it. Hyunjin followed suit. This was the fourth time they had hung out after Chris was released from the hospital. It was a much needed distraction. It was important to be grounded and get back into a regular routine. Having a new friend helped him readjust. It was like his life was renewed and refreshed. He was happier. More relaxed. But...Just how long was this newfound joy going to last?

Hyunjin walked ahead of Chris. He fumbled around for his key. After a moment of searching, he located it and unlocked the door. They both entered inside and shut the door behind them. Chris, as usual, laid his car keys in the small bowl on the hallway table. Like clockwork, he repeated the same routine he used every time they would hang out together. Hyunjin was kind enough to let him stay here as much as Chris wanted. Chris had a dorm back at his College, but he wasn't currently attending. He put his classes on hold to take a breather. But now that Summer vacation was here, his time off was extended. To be frank, it was more than he thought he deserved. Feeling this free and liberated was almost too good to be true. He took it as a blessing even though he never believed in those sorts of things. He knew he needed to clean out his room at his parents' house at some point.

Chris walked over to the couch and sat down. He reached into his backpack to pull out his notebook.
Even though I'm on break, I still have homework. I have to make up all the work I missed during my absence. Ugh.

His frustration earned a sigh. He rubbed his forehead while staring down at all of the numbers and letters. Hyunjin caught wiff of Chris's sudden change in demeanor.

"What's wrong?" The younger male called out from his kitchen. He was leaning his elbows on the marble surface.

"Do you have to do all of that right now? Haven't you done enough in the last few days?"
Chris scoffed.

"You of all people should know how important school is. You're training to be a Doctor, for fuck's sake." He rolled his eyes and began writing down notes as he opened a text book on the coffee table in front of him. Hyunjin stood there to study Chris's body posture. His eyeballs scanned and analyzed every part of the older one's face. He definitely understood why Chris had to do it. That wasn't the problem. It's more for the fact that he stresses too much and works too much. Hyunjin was afraid that too much pressure and difficulties would cause unnecessary strain on his mental state and on that wound of his. A wide grin stretched across his face.

I can take good care of him.

He leaned down to rest his chin on the palm of his hand. He tilted his head to the side and stared at his hyung while he wasn't paying attention. Hyunjin drummed his fingers on top of the counter and hummed aloud.

"Oh, I know. But you shouldn't overdo it, Mr. Bang. It isn't good for your health."
Chris froze in his seat for a second. He closed his notebook and turned his head back to look at Hyunjin. It was then that he realized Hyunjin was looking at him intently.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you reverting back to being Dr. Hwang again?" He raised an eyebrow. Hyunjin laughed.

"Hey, now. I'm only looking out for you. Besides, I'm nowhere close to being a Doctor. I'm only a-"

"-an assistant," Chan added, finishing Hyunjin's sentence.

"Yeah, yeah." Chris grumbled. "I get it." He turned back to face forward so he could continue with the work. He sighed under a breath and began scribbling some answers down. Little did Chris know that Hyunjin never stopped staring at the blond. It was like he was a hawk, stalking a baby rabbit.

Don't you worry, Bang Chan. I am going to make sure ALL of your worries go down the drain. Be patient, my beating heart.

"Well, while you are doing that, I'll make dinner." Hyunjin stood up to his feet and began rumaging in his cabinets for ingredients.

I'll make it a good one!
"Alright, sounds good. You do that and I'll be here, slaving away!" Chris called back to the younger male. Hyunjin laughed and turned on the stove.

"You have all Summer to do that, but okay! I won't argue with you." He shrugged. He finished pulling out everything he needed and closed the doors to the cabinets. Chris ignored his retort and went on to complete a few pages of his homework. When he was done, he closed his books and stretched. "Well, I can't do anymore. My brain is fried, dude. I'm gonna hop in the shower while you're cooking. Okay?" He stood up and grabbed his bag. Hyunjin started mixing in the ingredients together in a large pot. He stopped momentarily to look over his shoulder at Chris.

"Oh, sure. Go ahead. I'll let you know when it's ready!"

"Cool. Thanks!" Chris waved at Hyunjin before disappearing into a room in the back where the shower was located. After he was gone and Hyunjin could hear the water running, he put the cooking on hold and peered down at a small drawer. He opened it and grabbed an item that was underneath the bottom of the drawer.

"I wonder if this is the right time?" He whispered softly and opened his hand. Laying in it, was a small medical bottle filled with a clear liquid. A creepy, eerie, grin appeared on his face. After he was done admiring it, he stuck it back in his pocket until he was done cooking.

[Hyunjin's P.O.V.]


When I finished cooking, I poured our soup in separate bowls. But of course his was going to have a little bit of... a kick to it.

I take out the bottle in my pocket and pour a little bit of the sedative in his bowl and mixed it in. I hum a happy tune as I do.

"Just enough to help him relax. I don't want him to go mental." I chuckle menacingly.

[Author's P.O.V.]

About the time that Hyunjin finished preparing the food, Chris walked into the living room shirtless. His stomach was still bandaged from the wound. He had lounge pants on and was towel drying his blond hair.

"Ah, that food smells so good. What'd you make?" He smiled while walking closer to the kitchen. Hyunjin looked at him when he realized his presence.
"Oh, d-don't worry. It's nothing fancy. Just some homemade ramen. Uh- Hyung? Did your shirt go missing or something?" Hyunjin cleared his throat and looked away. He pretended to stir the food so he wouldn't seem embarrassed. Chris laughed at the younger one's cute response.

"Sorry, I guess it's time to do laundry." He walked over and sat down at the dining table. Hyunjin slowly walked the food over. He carefully set the bowls in their correct positions on the placemats. Then grabbed the glasses of water next.

"Oh, it's okay. I was just messing with you." He smiled wide while sitting down in his chair. Chris nodded and picked up the metal chopsticks that were laying on his folded napkin.

"Thanks for the food! You're the best."
Hyunjin took a bite of his food.

"No need to thank me. I'm here to help." He grinned while staring at Chris's food, waiting for him to chow down. Chris dug in and began eating. For a small time, they sat in a moment of silence. That was until Chris sat his silverware down and looked over at Hyunjin.

"Hey, by the way... I never really had a proper chance to ask you. I forgot. When I was still at the hospital, what did you mean when you said you were afraid that my wound reopened?"
At the sudden question, Hyunjin choked on some food. He coughed out loud and banged his fist on his chest. Chris's eyes lit up and went to hand Hyunjin his water. But of course, he wasn't going to take that one for obvious reasons.

"Oh are you okay? Did I scare you or something?"
Hyunjin waved him off and picked up his own glass of water to drink from. It soothed his throat and he could breathe again.

"N-no, no. Nothing like that. It just caught me off guard. I'm sorry!" He giggled and set his cup back down. Chris frowned, feeling bad that he freaked Hyunjin so bad.
But I've never seen him like this. Why was he so jumpy?

Hyunjin cleared his throat and ate another mouthful of food.

"What I was going to say, was that you had opened up that wound once already. You were still in your coma. There was one day I went in to do my usual check ins like Dr. Park wanted. I went in to check your heartrate, your pulse, you know- the basics. But for some reason, something in your statistics spiked which caused you to move around. It was as if you had a nightmare, and you began tossing and turning. We had to quickly stabilize you. Sedate you with a low dose of anesthesia to help calm your nerves. While we were tending to you, you kept muttering a couple names over and over. I didn't really know what they meant or who they were," Hyunjin shrugged.
"All that moving around made you bust three stitches and made the blood flow out. We were afraid you'd go into septic shock and bleed out." Hyunjin sighed lightly while twirling some ramen noodles around the tips of his chopsticks. Chris just sat there and stared longingly at his food.

Was it... really that bad?'

He gulped hard. He felt his stomach tie in knots as his breathing quickened.

Why did they waste so much effort on me? Wouldn't it have been better if they had let me die? Also, what was this sinking feeling? Why do I feel so sick all of a sudden?

"I...see." Chris said breathlessly as he got to his feet. Hyunjin kept his dark brown eyes on the older male. He watched him like a hawk to keep tabs on his progress. "Chris?"
"Sorry, Hyunjin. I don't feel well. I'm gonna go lie down." He turned to begin walking but a wave of dizziness hit him. He stumbled. Hyunjin quickly jumped out of his seat to assess the situation. All while keeping a dark grin plastered on his face.

"Are you okay? Do you...need some assistance?" He kept his voice normal as he slid his hand into a pocket of his jacket to fiddle with something hidden there. He walked slowly behind the bewildered male.
This was my chance!

He giggled happily inside of his mind.
Chris tried to shoo Hyunjin away and let him know that he was fine, but it was getting harder for him to stay up on two feet.

"No, I don't. I'm okay, I just n-need some rest. Why do I feel so sick all of a sudden? I-"
"Here, let me help you relax." Without warning, Hyunjin lunged forward and pulled Chris back by the waist. With his free hand, he pulled out a syringe from his pocket and stabbed it into the side of Chris's neck. He never saw it coming. Chris cried out and writhed against the younger one's hold, but he felt powerless due to whatever was causing him to feel offbeat.

"W-what? H-hyunjin- No..." He whimpered as he fell to his knees.

"N-not again!" He choked out between ragged breaths of air. He slowly turned over to look up into the taller boy's eyes. They were crazed, dark, yet devoid of emotion. The horror and terror he had once gotten rid of, came flooding back to him. This horrible scene that was unfolding instantly reminded him of Felix and how sick and disturbed he was. But now, this was happening to his caregiver. His... Doctor. His- FRIEND.

"NO!" Chris backed away from the younger male. He tried to grab onto a chair to help pull himself up but Hyunjin kicked it out of arms reach. He smiled down at the helpless, half naked, scared boy who was now a panicked mess. "Please don't look at me that way, hyung. I love you. I want to help you. Let me be the one to treat you. Okay? I may seem incompetent to some-" Hyunjin kicks over a table that Chris was trying to go for next. He fell down and was losing consciousness.

"-but I know plenty about the human body." He chuckled and got even closer to Chris. Chris fell back into the wall as tears slid down his cheeks.

"H-hyunjin, w-what are you doing? P-please stop!" He sobbed hard. His eyes were heavy and his vision was fading.

"I trusted you!"
Hyunjin slowly crouched down near Chris's side and fiddled with a piece of jewelry around his neck.

"My dear, sweet, Chris. Perhaps you trust too easily."
Before he could fight the growing need for sleep, he blacked out and fell to the floor. The last thing that latched itself onto Chris's consciousness, was the horrifying image of Hyunjin's disturbing smile etched onto his lids.