𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘

8) Jake

Wow, two updates in one week, I'm spoiling you x

Also the Orange Blood concept trailer???We need a full length enhypen lore movie right now please I'm begging

Anyway, enjoy

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At nightfall, we stop at a large clearing in the woods just off from the road to Daeyi. We've only been travelling for about 5 hours, but my lower back aches from where I'm not used to riding a horse for that long.

I groan as I slide from the saddle and stretch out.

Heeseung chuckles at me. "You're like a 90 year old."

I narrow my eyes at the gangster, who looks like he could keep going for days more without tiring.

"Shut up." I grumble, but he continues to laugh quietly.

I draw my hood up and slip my facemask back on, joining the rest of the group to help get everything ready for the night.

It's completely dark by the time the tents are set up, and we're all starving. Circus performers and Blessed-Cursed members alike gather around the campfires, and before long the smell of roasting meat and the sound of laughter and music fills the air.

I sit by a smaller fire, watching the festivities from a distance with my hood still up to conceal my face.

I'm usually the life of the party, so I'm feeling a bit left out and sorry for myself, when all of a sudden I'm joined by Sunoo and Jungwon, who settle themselves down either side of me.

"Hey." Says the circus ringleader, passing me a kebab stick.

"Hey... oh, thanks." I reply, accepting the food gratefully.

Sunoo props his chin on his hand, assessing me.

"We thought we should come and actually introduce ourselves, now that you're not busy being hung upside-down and interrogated." He explains.

"I'm Sunoo, and that's Jungwon. Your name is Jake right?"

"Yeah, that's right. Nice to meet you."

I'm touched that they thought to come and talk to me, and even more so because they're treating me like a normal person.

"How are you holding up?" Jungwon asks me.

I shrug. "As well as anyone can be after getting kidnapped. You?"

"Same. Though I've only had to deal with one crazy mafia leader, so you've probably got it worse. That quiet guy is really scary, even if he didn't actually shoot your friend after all." He ponders out loud.

"Yeah, Sunghoon is... unhinged. But I can handle it."

Sunoo hums in agreement. "Actually I think it's Heeseung we should worry about, he seems calm and looks like an angel but I bet he's just as sick as the other two."

Jungwon scrunches up his nose. "Looks like an angel?? Sunoo are you ok? The man is a literal criminal please tell me you're not crushing on him."

"Of course not! I'm just warning Jake that he's pretty to look at, but that only makes him more dangerous so he needs to be careful."

"I'll keep that in mind." I say with a laugh.

We chat for a while, and they tell me about their lives. They're so far removed from my own, and even though theirs have not been at all easy, I can't help but think at least they've had some level of control over their fate.