"And the same question can go for you as well." Haikuan once again reversed the situation back to the younger. Yibo sighed and rested his frame against the back of the sofa, throwing his hand back. Taking a few deep breaths, he turned his head towards the older, before speaking.
• • • • • • • •
"Wang Bingwen.. ever heard of him?" Yibo was now looking directly at the older, who was wondering why the other was asking him that. "Who wouldn't know him? He's that huge businessman, with some expected rumours of him also being in the Mafia. Why're you asking of him all of a sudden?"
"Well for starters, he most definitely is the Mafia, he's the leader in fact. And I know that because.. well.." Yibo took a deep sigh, "well because.. myself Wang Yibo, Wang Bingwen's only son, next to be handling his businesses if anything happens to that old man." He said it like it was such a casual thing to have one of the top businessmen in China, and the leader of a Mafia, as your father.
As expected, the older's reaction was laughter, and honestly, Yibo can't blame him at all. I mean who wouldn't laugh if you just told them something as crazy as this. "Okay Mr. Wang Bingwen's son, cut to the chase now. Why're you asking me about that man, and why were you in that area? If you don't wanna tell me that's fine, but at least don't bullshit like this man" Haikuan chuckled.
Sighing, Yibo took out his ID card from his wallet, handing it to the older. "Since you've done alot for me today, I owe you an explanation. Here, read it." He watched as Haikuan's eyes went wide, reading the information on the card. "Believe me now?" The younger asked, taking his card back, seeing the shocked expression on the other's face.
"You really weren't kidding then..." Haikuan said, he tried to stay collected and calm, but a part of him was terrified.
'did I get myself into trouble by helping this boy?... Wait Haikuan you idiot, trouble or not, helping others is always the good option, just.. take a deep breath and ask him what's going o-' Yibo snapped his fingers in front of the older's eyes as a sign to bring him out of his thoughts, which seemed to have worked since Haikuan cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak, rather than just blankly staring at the younger as he was doing so before.
"So.. what's the deal? Why were you hiding from those men? Shouldn't you have protection gathered around you at all times? I mean.. son of the Wang Bingwen.." Haikuan trailed off, the last sentence coming out much quieter than the rest, at which the younger heaved a sigh.
"Yeah right as if, that old man's the only reason I was fucking running away for my life like that" Yibo scoffed, taking Haikuan in a shock as the other was definitely expecting any answer but the one given to him.
"Those were his men, I'm not really.. eh.. let's say 'working' alongside my old man," Yibo trailed off, trying to find the right words to describe the whole situation, "he works on his own with his own men, and 'bcuz I refuse to work with him, he sends off his little minions to get me to him so he could talk me into working with him rather than against him".
At the explaination, Haikuan was definitely taken aback, because as he thought, 'the son of the Mafia? Going against the Mafia?' yeah it definitely didn't make sense to him when put like that.
"Look," Yibo started, "I know this might be new to hear or whatever,"
'might be new?! Is this guy nuts? Of fucking course it's new to him!' Haikuan thought, yet felt best not to say out loud and listen to this boy ramble on about what seemed like, hatred, towards his father and his line of business.
"but I'm not like that lowlife man, 'm not gonna hurt you or shit, plus I'm very thankful you took me here and treated my wound too, and also just listening to me here shitting about my father but," the younger took a deep breath, realising he was rambling on again,
"I guess what I'm trying to say is; one, thank you, and two, I should probably get going now if I don't want those fuckers to track and find me out of nowhere. And finding me means finding you and possibly putting your life on the line along with mine." Yibo looked at the older man, with concern in his eyes, as if he was okay with being chased down himself, but not at the cost of another stranger's life.
Haikuan understood him, and where he was coming from, yet he still had this feeling telling him ' don't let him leave, stay with him' and he didn't know why, but he oh so badly wanted to listen to that voice in his head. Suddenly, something popped up in his head, and he couldn't stop his lips from moving, as he let out the words.
"Wait so.. you're on the run.. alone? No one with you, just, you alone against, what I'm assuming, whole ass gangs after you?"
"Yeah pretty much so, why? You wanna run away along with me too?" Yibo let out a light-hearted chuckle, but his eyes were much reflecting pain some sort. There was an awkward silence between them after that, with Haikuan urging to say 'yes I do want to' and Yibo blankly staring into his eyes as if he had found the answer to his question, without the older saying a word.
"Wait.. you're not serious are you? You actually wanna go along on the run with me? You crazy or something, man?" Yibo let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Well.. I guess at least that's what my gut is telling me. I don't know, like there's just, a thought that 'sure why not go with you' but also we're literally strangers, so I'm kind of afraid to feed into that thought of mine." Haikuan said, with the most serious face Yibo had seen, as the older turned to face the wall instead of Yibo, now.
"You're.. really not kidding huh?" Yibo let out, as if he was trying to convince himself that the man in front of him wasn't joking. "What even makes you say that? Or even think that?" He asks again, trying to get over the disbelief of the whole conversation taking place.
"I'll answer that if you answer me first." Haikuan said, turning his head to face Yibo, as the younger also did the same with a questioning look on his face. "Shoot." Yibo said shortly, wanting to hear what this man who wanted to run away with him, was gonna say next.
"How do you even still manage to run away? I mean, the way you've told me everything, it seems like it's been going on for a while, so how come they still haven't caught you yet? And wait, why are you even running away? Shouldn't you just be training with your dad to become the next boss? Why are you even going against him in the first place?" Haikuan asked, what started as one question, now branching into five different ones.
"Firstly, that was definitely not one question" Yibo chucked, now resting his right arm atop the back rest of the sofa. "I never said it would be" Haikuan outsmarted as he finally took another bite of his once forgotten ramen, making Yibo snort and shake his head slowly in defeat.
"Alright, got me with that one. But to answer you, I really don't know. I mean like you said, I am just on the run alone. It really shouldn't be a struggle for that old man to catch me honestly, but I guess luck is on my side?"
Yibo paused, hearing a mumble come from the older, "well luck was definitely not on your side just now with this bigass injury" Haikuan remarked, followed by both of them letting out quiet and short laughs.
"Well anyway, yeah, and to answer the other questions.. I just really really fuckin despise my dad's work, the shit he does for wealth makes me puke honestly, so I've sworn to myself to never go on that same path ever, and hopefully maybe also put a stop to his disgusting work too if I can." He answered truthfully, staring at the ceiling above.
Silence followed after, but not the awkward or unsettling one; no. The calm one.
"And do you have a plan for that or..? Just gonna go wing it?"
"Huh?"
"Well the whole 'putting a stop to his work'. How do you plan on doing all that with just yourself going against him?" Haikuan's words really did seem to knock Yibo back to reality because he felt silent. That's right, he didn't even have a plan to begin with, he was just out here running away from everything, let alone plan to do something to follow his own words.
"I'm taking that as a; you were just gonna wing it?" Haikuan said again, this time turning to Yibo completely again. "I mean.. I guess yeah.. what else? I don't even have a team to start with, I'm unorganized as hell right now, purely just out here trying to survive by myself" Yibo said defeatedly, facing the older again.
"Well you've gotta start somewhere" Haikuan shugged, before stretching his hand out for a handshake, to Yibo. "Hello there, myself Liu Haikuan, 22, a medical student in his final semester, and although very different from my line of study, I'm also very good with computers, and dealing sensitive and secretive information. Call me a detective if you may" Haikuan smirked.
"Detective? More like a hacker, no?" Yibo chuckled, yet still shaking the hand the older has offered out. "Well I don't really hack into shit and take things for my benefits, more like find out any kind of information I can, to help someone out." Haikuan said assuringly.
"Why not work with the police then? Wouldn't you be more helping there than just studying something completely unrelated?" Yibo asked, now more curious and interested in what the older had to say.
"I think you already should have an idea of that system, purely just filled with faults at this point. Rather would work alone in peace, as well as far as your concern for my filed of study goes. I like it. Plus, nothing bad with two useful hobbies now, is it?" Yibo had to admit, Haikuan has a point.
"In short all I'm trynna say is.. if you're really looking to build a team and to not just survive by yourself, but also to follow through with your words and do stand up to you father, I can be the start of that team if you'd like." Haikuan offered a small smile, as the younger looked at him with curious eyes, understanding his point and taking it into consideration.
"Not a bad offer, I have to say, but.. we don't even know of eachother's work and potential to the point of trust, so how can we just rely on eachother as a duo? I say we stay in touch generally, until we do trust eachother entirely for a mission like this?" Yibo had a serious expression, the one you'd see on that of a businessman, closing off a deal.
"Ahh how hurtful, you're saying you don't trust me right after I saved your ass?" Haikuan jokingly sighed, putting up a hand to his heart as if he was hurt, but deciding to stop after seeing Yibo's face still staying serious.
"Jokes aside, yes actually I'd like that. It would be good to build trust first than just winging it when or if a crises comes." The older said, leaning back on the sofa. "Great then, I guess we have an agreement. Wait we don't even have eachother's contacts" Yibo said, taking his phone out of his back pocket, opening up his contacts.
"Here ya go, put your number in" he said, handing Haikuan his phone as the older did as told, saving his contact name along with the number. Collecting both of their food bowls, Haikuan got up from his position, heading towards the kitchen where he set down the bowls in the dishwasher. "Whatcha waitin' for?"
"Huh?" Yeah Yibo definitely had to get used to the sudden questions from the older. "You're not gonna spend the night on the sofa now, are you? Hella uncomfortable there. Follow me to the guest room" Haikuan said, simply walking off slowly from the lounge room, to where Yibo assumed was the guest room.
'eh I guess staying for just a night doesn't sound so bad. Tired as fuck too, and it's already late as shit, better if I just shut the hell up and sleep the night away' Yibo followed the older into the room, it was neither too big nor too small, hell Yibo was even surprise that a university student could get such a nice apartment with guest rooms to spare too.
The older had told him about the toiletries, gave him his extra pajamas to wear for tonight, and the way out of the apartment complex, if he happened to wake up early and wanted to leave. After that, the both of them had settled down to sleep in their own separate beds in their separate rooms.
2:41 A.M. was definitely not an ideal time to go to sleep, especially for a university student who had an early class in less than 6 hours, but he sucked it up and tried to just sleep for now, and think later tomorrow. Afterall, both of them were tired after individually going through their long hectic day.
•
Haikuan was suddenly awakened by the sound of window shattering just around an hour later, followed by a scream that all too suddenly died down. Rushing up from his own bed, he ran to thd origin of the sound only to find a very helpless, wounded Yibo, with his mouth, and limbs tied up, and a muscular built man behind him.
Witnessing the scene, he soon realised the unkown man is probably one of the men chasing after Yibo. The muscular man glanced up at him, realising Yibo wasn't the only one in the apartment. He started walking towards Haikuan with his metal bat, all while a tied up Yibo lay some feet away from him, on the ground of his living room.
'well..... fuck.'
As he was still stuck there in fear, a kunai knife was sent flying to the unknown man's right shoulder, making him drop the bat which he was holding with the same arm. Groaning in pain, he turned back towards Yibo, which Haikuan quickly understood was Yibo buying him time, to either get ready for a fight or to run away.
Running towards the kitchen, he grabbed the first knife in sight and cut right at the man's Left Common Carotid Artery right under the left side of his jaw, making the man fall fully unconscious in the matyer of seconds. Well at least being a medical student pays off somehow. "That's bound to at least keep him down for a good few hours" he said, dropping the knife and walking to Yibo to untie him.
When he was done, Yibo took deep gasps of breath. "Where on earth did you learn that?!" he suddenly half-yelled, to which Haikuan raised a brow. "oh right medical student.. also thanks for saving me... again" he said in a more hushed tone of voice now.
Haikuan shrugged with a small smile and helped him up from the ground, saying "I should also probably do something with his bleeding neck while you try to figure out how to get out of here safe and sound.", while gesturing to the unconscious man in his living room.
"If I may ask, what are you thinking of doing to him for now? and yeah i was thinking the same, but also is it even safe for you to stay here by yourself? Now that he tracked me down here, I'm pretty sure more of these men might also know this place by now" Yibo glanced up at the older with a worrying gaze.
Haikuan was already carrying the man, with which Yibo helped, and walked into a more empty room, full of medicine shelves, aid boxes, and more supplies. They laid him down on the only bed in the room, while Haikuan started performing first aid to the man, so the bleeding stops.
After a while, the man was fully aided and just for safety, Haikuan gave him a shot of anastasia so he stays unconscious while the two boys figure out their next move. They sat there in silence while Yibo looked down at the ground, fiddling with his fingers.
Finally replying, "I don't fully know what I will do after this if I'm being honest. You're absolutely right about the possibility of more of these guys knowing my location, but also where the fuck am i supposed to go if I were to leave for safety right now? and what about you, where the hell are you gonna stay now that my place is off the limits?" Haikuan heaved a deep sigh, carding his fingers through his hair.
"I.. I might know a place. Not the best level of comfort and will take us a few hours to get there, but it's the safest and most unknown place from these guys. That is.. if you're commited enough to take your things and basically shift there with me, at least for the amount of time we're still in the danger zone. and even when you're not in danger, you'll still probably gonna have to leave this place permanently and rent out an apartment away from here.. fuck.. I'm so sorry man"
Haikuan was surprised at everything Yibo just said. Move out of here? Move in with him at wherever this place Yibo is speaking of? All while fucking college? Find another place away from here? What the fuck did he get himself into. "So.. you're asking me to move in with you for a couple days with all my fucking stuff here that could lead these guys to us?"
At this, Yibo looked at him sheepishly, saying "well... I'd say a couple of weeks but yeah, this seems to be the only and safest option out of this chaos." making Haikuan sigh again and even louder. He could say his life was royally fucked now. After a few minutes of silence, and Haikuan overthinking every possible option, he finally replied.
"Fine.. fine I'll go with you, wherever you have in mind, but at least help me pack right now there's going to a lot of shit. I gave him a heavy anaesthetic shot, that'll keep him out for at least 18 hours, so we need to get out shit packed and be on our way quick." Haikuan said, getting up and leaving for his bed room, whilst Yibo followed.
The next 6 hours were spent just packing and getting all of the stuff out of the apartment, even the unnecessary things were to be taken along with them just so if more men from Yibo's father did get into the apartment, they wouldn't find a trace that would lead them back to this new hidden place the two boys were going. Calling a pickup truck, Haikuan loaded all of his stuff in it, while Yibo took care of the unconscious man in the apartment and completely took him out of the apartment complex.
They decided on the condition that Yibo leaves on his own while Haikuan leads the pickup truck and they both meet up at their designated train station, because supposedly the place Yibo suggested was in a complete different city. While on the ride, Haikuan had to make a lot of calls to his landlord and university, excusing his sudden absence as the death of a loved one, for which he needs to move cities for. Lame excuse, he knows, but what else could he say in such a tight and sudden situation?
The train station finally arrived, and although it was a hassle reloading all of his stuff to the train, they were really lucky that the train was almost empty so they didn't have to get weird glares from people. After another long 13 hours, they had finally arrived at the new city.
After a while of more reloading and unloading, they reached the place Yibo was talking about. It was a decent looking house with decent amount of space inside for all of Haikuan's stuff to fit inside.
Although it was barely furnitured, and true to Yibo's word, not very comfortable for spending nights because there weren't even any beds there, it was still nice. Also the fact that they did technically have Haikuan's bed, and some other furniture now.
The two spent a few more hours adjusting everything inside, cooking and eating, it fell night once again and to say they were beyond exhausted would still be an underestimation. Haikuan settled in on his bed, while Yibo had his own mattresses sprawled out on the floor beside the bed. They both quickly fell asleep, knowing they had a lot to talk about and settle out the following day.
• • • • •
~ End of Chapter 18 ~