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Jaehyun expected the worst when he met Jaemin. He knew, from experience, that most soldiers from the 1:27 didn't want to be here. Some wanted to. Some wanted revenge and sought out the 1:27, to make sure their enemies paid the price for what they did to them. He expected Jaemin to curse, give Jaehyun dirty looks, or even resist and leave Jaehyun, demanding that he needed no help. Jaemin did none of the sort. Instead, he approached Jaehyun with a sorrowful, empty expression.
"Na Jaemin?" Jaehyun tried to keep a friendly look on his friendly, except that no one in the 1:27 could even be friendly. "New recruit?"
Jaemin didn't say anything. He just looked down on the floor, as if he was begging for the floor to just open and swallow him up.
"...Hey, I know it's really hard, but there's really no escaping once you get in," Jaehyun told him softly. "If you're recruited, that's it. You need to stay."
"No! I can't stay!" Jaemin protested. "I really can't! I'm not supposed to be here!"
Jaehyun scoffed. "We all say that when we first come in. You get used to it."
Jaemin glared at Jaehyun. "What, you get used to killing innocent people? You get used to breaking everything, taking everything away from people? You get used to breaking the law and running away from the police? You get used to taking away my family and my closest friends?" Jaemin broke into a choked sob. "The 1:27 took everything away from me. I don't want to take anything away from anyone else."
Jaehyun bit his lip. "Listen, kid. It's hard. I know. It really is. But there's really no point in-"
Jaemin just shot him an icy glare. "Don't say it. I don't want to hear it. Do you know what kind of shit is going on right now? Two of my friends are in court, ready to serve their sentence. The other two are here, in the 1:27, and the other two are in the prison, about to be executed. My other friend, my partner, a girl...she's in there, too! In prison! Behind bars! She fucking didn't do anything, yet she's going to die, too! My parents! My mom and dad! You killed...my parents..." Jaemin's eyes were hot with tears. "Didn't you guys also have parents?"
Jaehyun didn't say anything. He let Jaemin keep talking.
"Didn't you ever receive love from your parents? Didn't your parents ever raise you right, to never hurt the innocent, but to help them? To always remain good, no matter what anyone says? Did you ever learn how to love?" He exclaimed, tears streaming down his face. "Do you even know what love is?"
"I-" Jaehyun didn't know what to say. He thought Jaemin was just quiet. He didn't know that he had this whole other side of him. Even though it has only been five minutes since they met, Jaehyun already felt sorry for the younger. "I...don't know my parents. They left me, in a box, on the side of a highway. I was found by this old woman, she died when I was six. I went to an orphanage, and this couple adopted me and took me to America, where I stayed for four years. Then, that couple got really abusive and I stayed at another orphanage there. Taeyong found me and just took me as his. I didn't know what I would get myself into."
Jaemin just looked at me blankly.
"I-I don't know why I just told you that. Look, I should just show you around and teach you how to fire a gun-"
"I already know how to shoot a gun. In fact, I know everything already." Jaemin interrupted.
"W-what?"
Jaemin sighed. "I usually wouldn't tell people, but I just got hassled by some thug, got separated by my partner, and now I'm part of a terrorist organization, so...why not," he took a deep breath. "Right now, um, Jaehyun hyung, you are talking to a detective. You are talking to the police force, and if only I had my walkie talkie, I could just report everything I am seeing right now."
Jaehyun's eyes widened. "What?"
Jaemin nodded. "Yup. If only that damned Doyoung whatever hyung didn't empty all of my pockets and practically beat me up, I would be able to just solve this case and bring the world to peace. So, I would have to find another way."
Jaehyun chewed his lip. "Honestly-"
Jaemin scowled. "What is it now, hyung? Scared that you would have to pay the price for your actions?"
Jaehyun glared at the salty younger. "Jaemin, I don't care if I go to jail."
