𝑅𝑒𝒹 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈-ᴄʜᴇɴʟᴇ

Phobia~49

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Would you love me less?
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"We can explain our issue if you let us in," Jeongin offered, lowering his own gun, yet Changbin and Chenle continued to stand off.

Chenle's emotionless eyes pierced through Changbin and vice vera, peering over his gun's barrel as it was aimed directly at the other's head, yet he didn't dare pull the trigger; Rin's relation to Stray Kids had potentially ruined his chance at second-degree murder.

Changbin's gun was just out of arm's length from Chenle, which left them with a slight distance between the two, yet their violent intentions still remained the same; fight.

"Why are you here in the first place?" Chenle interrogated, his passive-aggressive tone just as deadly as a bullet.

"Orders," Changbin deadpanned, eyes narrowing.

"Care to specify?" He pried, yet the conversation was incapable of being friendly.

Stray Kids, since they were in JYP Nation, were untrustable, considering the fact NCT Dream was in SM. Per usual, the divided groups of gangs were rivaled due to money conflicting aspects; either someone wants to take the money for themselves without having to split their profits, or the techniques of achieving such dirty money was too contrasting to find a compromise.

Therefor, none of the segregated categories of mini-mafias were on the best of terms.

"Our orders were to collect your heads, what else?" Changbin murmured, the gun clicking softly as it twisted within his fingers.

Rin, hearing their exchange, swallowed nervously, sucking in a quiet breath as her eyes steadied on Jeongin's- he himself looking anxious. Whilst the girl's fingernails carved crescent moons into her palms, her brother's twinkling eyes were infected by concern, yet his gaze was steady on her's- almost as if they were trying to find an idea in each other's eyes.

Run harshly bit on her lip before wheeling around, stomach lurching viciously as her quivering legs began to carry her towards Chenle, finding it strange that no one tried to stop her.

The remaining six members of Stray Kids observed from the sidelines, some of their grips locked on their guns and others fiddling awkwardly with their fingers as they watched the scene unfold, gazed flickering between their leader, Jeongin and his sister, and Changbin.

Chan stood beside Changbin as he thought, torn as his mind- guiding him to follow orders- battled his heart- telling him to care for his youngest gang member.

Rin warily stumbled next to Chenle- haze glued to Changbin as she swallowed nervously, realizing she hadn't thought this through. Suddenly finding her throat dry and sore, the girl's wide eyes hesitated on Changbin as she tried to find words- anything to disperse their dispute.

"Let's just... put the guns down, yeah?" She almost whispered, voice slightly hoarse.

Changbin's urge to roll his eyes was almost visible, yet he refrained from such an action, knowing that Chenle might take a shot at him if he averted his gaze, even for a moment.

Wanting to end Chenle's life, Changbin's palm tightened around the grip of his gun, itching to pull the trigger, yet he knew he was at a deadly checkmate.

"Chan?" He asked, awaiting instructions from his leader.

"I'm thinking," He ushered out, words almost slurring together.

Chan's mind raced as he tried to comprehend his situation, and how exactly to deal with it.

If he ordered Changbin to kill Chenle, which would ultimately place his gang in danger, it would cue every member of NCT Dream to attack Stray Kids, even if they were out numbered. If he managed to orchestrate the extraction of NCT Dream's souls from the world, the gang would ironically go down in JYP history as hero's, which was always a nice title to hold.

However, even if Changbin managed to kill Chenle, which would prove to be difficult, considering the fact that a loaded gun was aimed at Changbin's face, there was no way that Stray Kids would slaughter every gang member in the house unscathed.

NCT Dream had a reputation for, despite being the youngest sub gang of NCT, being especially malevolent and ruthless, which wasn't an advantage for Stray Kids.

Nevertheless, perhaps an honor such as eradicating a rival was worth a few bullet wounds, even if they had lost the element of surprise.

On the other hand, there was Jeongin.

When Jeongin had been deluded to believe that his only sister was dead, he had broken; he never smiled, never laughed, and seemed like an empty shell- a silhouette of what once was.

His eyes were constantly lachrymose, but when they weren't, his eyes were voided, as if nothing mattered to him- simple decisions weren't going to brighten his pitch-black world. Almost like he was missing a vital piece of him, the boy seemed empty, like his heart had been torn from his chest and replaced with a vortex of hollowness.

Only recently, after four years, had Chan regained the cheerful, bubbly Jeongin he had met, and he didn't want to lose him for a second time.

If the boy lost Rin twice, he would shatter, especially if he watched her die in a fight against the gang Chan had assumed she had joined.

Jeongin would never forgive him, and he would be dead weight in the ongoing missions the gang revived, but was the boy's happiness and cooperation at the top of Chan's list?

Chan expelled a languid sigh, lazily shifting his weight onto his other foot as he comfortably leaned against a wall, his droopy, tired eyes raking over the crowd around him.

"Follow your orders," Chan yawned, bored with the lack of action.

O h