RUSE || Taekook

FORTY NINE || C1F5J3J5O4XF4C4F4A5

"Saving him at the cost of Vante's life."

Yeonjun doesn't reply for a while and Soobin gets used to the silence again. He can feel Yeonjun's body stiffen and relax above him, repeating the cycle a few times before he exhales loudly.

Soobin's head perks up, expecting an answer.

What he gets, leaves him unsatisfied. 

"I have to."

Soobin doesn't question him further. There's no point, Yeonjun doesn't know, and asking him again won't get a proper answer.

Ten minutes of silence and Yeonjun packs everything up.

As he makes his way to the door, Soobin's heart sinks. Deep down he knows, he can feel it... that this big change in routine will affect him and Yeonjun, especially their short meetings like this.

Soobin may never get to see Yeonjun again for all he knows.

The thought of not hearing Yeonjun's light laugh, not seeing his curly smile, not staring at his lips... leaves a dread in Soobin's heart he's all too familiar with.

What if Yeonjun dies?

Soobin's breath hitches in his chest, his arms tensing up.

Yeonjun is reaching the door.

He needs to say something. Now.

"Yeonjun."

The man mentioned halts, turning around, "Hmm?"

What does he tell him?

"Be careful," Soobin chokes out, his feelings lodging themselves in his throat.

Yeonjun's body slouches a little and Soobin imagines him smiling softly in the dark. "No promises, Binnie."

That's not enough to satisfy Soobin, but it's the best Yeonjun can afford to give him.

The door opens before Yeonjun can reach it.

Every muscle in Soobin's body stiffens at the man standing in the entrance.

Golden hair askew with remnants of black dye sit atop his head, his dark irises staring at Yeonjun, scrutinizing him with his gaze.

Yeonjun nods and Soobin chooses to stare at him while he can, while there's light pouring from outside.

"Sir, I came in to get the final details of the report on August," Yeonjun bows, lying with ease.

Vante nods and pushes the door open wider, allowing Yeonjun a path to walk out. Yeonjun does so without looking back at Soobin, who's left waiting to see Yeonjun smile for what could be the last time.

Vante walks in once Yeonjun is out of sight and Soobin presses himself against the wall. The leader pulls out a flashlight and switches it on, closing the door behind him.

Soobin immediately tries to think of a way to avoid trouble.

Stall, he has to stall and distract Vante.

Vante walks over to him and comes to a stop right in front of him. Soobin can smell the tobacco mixed with cologne as the leader leans closer to Soobin's face, not uttering a single word.

Soobin holds his breath, not wanting to blow it out in Vante's face.

His eyes sting as the flashlight is pointed at them, causing him to squint.

"Where's the camera?" Vante asks, his deep voice cutting through the uncomfortable shifting in the cell.

Soobin tries to process what he said, what he meant by camera.