Jeongwoo grumbled slightly as he ducked his head away from attention and stared at the shivering body beside him.

"Ru, hold on, kay?" The tanned second year student knitted his brows as he checked the area. He saw Yeongue donned in his painist suit, eyes protected by silver rimmed round glasses, open the door to the backstage. He craned his neck and found Jeongwoo waving slightly at him behind a post, Yeongue nodded and signaled his guards to let both in without anyone noticing.

Haruto hissed slightly, eyebrows knitting in pain as the men carefully carried him inside the concert hall. Jeongwoo worriedly glanced at Haruto.

Yeongue ordered his guards to help Haruto up and pulled Jeongwoo to his waiting room. "Woo, what happened? You both were missing for 4 days now"

"Sorry, Gue. I followed Haruto when he was hunting down the culprit. I already got scolded by him so I know it was idiotic" cried Jeongwoo clenching Yeongue's hands for support. "Did you know about him, Gue?"

"About his family, you mean?" Yeongue stared at Jeongwoo straight into his eyes and sighed. He replied with a nod. Even as a new rich, his family has been at the elite society for a few years now and some rumors had already reached their ears. "Did it change anything, Woo?"

Jeongwoo stared back at him, shaking his head slightly. "No, Haruto has always been Haruto. He tries to make everything work even if it kills him inside. Gue, he just looks tough but he is a kid like you and I. Why did they push all these responsibilities to him? "

"Woo, you--" Yeongue sighed as he felt the tears on his hands. Tears coming from his friend's eyes. "Aren't you stepping into their world too much? You could still return to this side, Woo."

"I can't do that, Gue" Jeongwoo smiled sadly, sniffling. "I--"

Yeongue waited patiently for the other to speak. He already knew the answer, he just wanted the other to confirm it.

Jeongwoo closed his eyes and inhaled, he remained still for a few second. As he opened his eyes, it was lit up with a new fire of conviction. "I've fallen, Gue. I've fallen in love with the annoying, childish, messy, and spoiled Haruto. I don't think I would be able to leave him."

The musician offered a smile and tapped the back of Jeongwoo's hands. He pulled his bestfriend into a hug, a comforting hug. He chuckled as he stated, "I would have stopped you if you've given me any other reason. But, if it is what makes your heart happy, I could only support you"

"Mr. Kim Yeongue please prepare for your recital" the pianist's assistant announced making the two broke their hug. Yeongue fixed his suit and stared at Jeongwoo with an assuring smile, "I've told Junghwan of the situation, he should be here with a van soon"

"I don't know what to do without you, Gue"

"You'd do just fine. The Jeongwoo I raised is not a weak person. Good luck in getting your man, Woo" Yeongue patted Jeongwoo's shoulder and exited the room.

As soon as the pianist stepped out, he let out a smirk at the tall injured figure who was leaning on the wall next to his waiting room. "Heard everything?"

The boy nodded with a poker face, brows knitted in confusion. Yeongue chuckled and bid, "Good luck"

"Mmhmm." Haruto nodded. Yeongue laughed to himself as he started walking towards the stage. Haruto stopped him by declaring, "Gue, I'd protect him"

The pianist stopped on his tracks and stated, "My bestfriend is a strong person. He don't need protection but take care of him"

Haruto paused and smiled, "I will"

"Then, that's fine" Yeongue resumed his way to the stage while Haruto entered the waiting room.

Jeongwoo rushed towards the injured samurai and noticed the bandages has been reapplied. "You really shouldn't be moving around, Ru"

"You worry too much, Woo" Haruto chuckled and raised his hands to ruffle Jeongwoo's hair but immediately withdrew it. He felt his face flushing as he remembered the conversatiom from earlier. "Woo?"

"Yes?"

"I heard everything" Haruto admitted as he stared at Jeongwoo who blanked out. Jeongwoo opened his mouth and immediately closed it. He sighed and scratched his head in awkwardness. He dropped his eyes to the ground, "I see. Don't worry about it"

"Woo" Haruto exhaled closing his eyes. "I don't know if I love you or not. I haven't thought of it yet"

Jeongwoo nodded in agreement, "I understand. You have too many things in mind right now"

"No, that's not what I meant." Haruto slightly bumped his forehead against the other earning a groan of pain from the treasurer. "I don't actually know what love is. I respect Mashiho hyung and look up to him as my master, you could call it devotion. But, I'm sure its different."

Jeongwoo stared at Haruto and beamed a toothy smile, cheerfulness flooding in his eyes. "I told you not to worry about it, Ru. I do like you, love you mayhaps but I'm not really expecting you to return the same. You could take your time" Jeongwoo took Haruto's hands and placed it on his chest. "I don't think this beating would stop soon. I'll patiently wait"

Haruto sighed, he rested his head on Jeongwoo's shoulder and muttered "Why do you spoil me so?"

"Because, I feel happy to do so" Jeongwoo laughed softly as he rested his head atop of Haruto's head.

"I don't deserve you,Woo. Perhaps, I am afraid that you'd become my weakness. A Watanabe can never be weak"

"You're never weak, Ru. Crying does not make you weak, being injured does not make you weak, hesitation does not make you weak, and being you is never weak. Ru, you are weak when you give up without trying, you are weak when you shut everyone out to you protect yourself, you are weak when you try to escape from reality." Jeongwoo stared deeper into the midnight black eyes of the japanese. "But, even if you are weak its never a fault. Before you are a samurai, you are human. And before you are a Watanabe, you are Haruto. And the Haruto that we know is the spoiled and lazy Haruto that we adore"

Haruto smiled gently and sincerely, he enclosed the boy in a hug and chuckled. "Thanks, Woo"

"Anything for you, Ru" Jeongwoo chuckled as he returned the hug. He enjoyed the embrace for a few minutes before he broke the hug as he stared at the clock. "It's time. We can't overstay as it might affect Gue's reputation. He said Hwannie is waiting at the backdoor"

"Uhum" Haruto nodded and stood up. As soon as Jeongwoo was about to exit, Haruto hit the back of his nape to knock him unconscious. Carefully, the japanese supported Jeongwoo's body and lifted it in a princess carry. He placed him down on a couch and made that he was positioned properly. Haruto chuckled as he pecked Jeongwoo's forehead lightly, "I might have lied when I said I don't know if I love you or not, Woo. I do. I realized it the moment that I feared for your life more than I did fear for mine when you popped out in danger when you were following me. I don't have much courage as you think, Woo. Right now, the thing that I feared most is losing you. I'm sorry but I rather have you stay in a world of light than have you beside me in this bloody world"

Haruto clenched his fist and turned to leave. He came face to face with the pianist. Yeongue sighed as he watched Jeongwoo sleeping peacefully, "Is this your answer?"

"It is" Haruto nodded as he passing by Yeongue and saw Junghwan waiting for him while holding his katana. His weapon of murder.

"He'd make a fuss about this when he wakes up"

"I know. He'd probably scream in frustration" Haruto laughed as he imagined the scene in his head.

"You understand that I'll always be his ally, right?"

"I do. And, I'm relieved to think he has you to take care of him" Haruto took the katana from Junghwan's hands. His eyes portraying the malevolence of the feared Watanabe Haruto, the Asura of Bloody Spring. Gone was the spoiled and lazy Haruto who was the youngest of Kings, not a single trace of his existence left. "I trust you to guard him closely, Hwannie"

"I will" Junghwan sighed. "Don't overdo it"

"I'll try" Haruto nodded as he walked outside the room. Junghwan and Yeongue stared at each other and sighed. Yeongue approached Jeongwoo who was still sleeping while Junghwan took his phone out of his pocket and called Yoonbin, "Hyung, as you've predicted. He's out of blood"

Junghwan mumbled his replies as he received his instructions from Yoonbin before he ended the call. He sighed as he remembered the code that Byounggon taught him a few moments ago.

The place where the raven carves is a river of blood. The raven carves to escape its death and plots its revenge while the life of the many are cut. It's a code Mashiho made for Haruto and Asahi to say in case that they are forced to do a suicidal mission. The Watanabe clan might have found that he had failed in his job as a retainer and ordered him to eradicate the danger from the root at the expanse of his life. It must have been approved by the clan head. By Haruomi-san, Haruto's father.