"Ruto, what should we do now?" Doyoung asked in fear. Haruto bit his lips, trying to think of a solution. The taxi driver seemed to guess the situation too, and he started driving faster.
"Excuse me, Mr. Please drive straight, don't take any lane. And stay on the busy road too." Haruto instructed. He neither knew who on their tail were nor what to expect. He just knew one thing- they needed help.
Doyoung saw Haruto dialing the police code, and skilfully informing about the incident. He also asked the police to track their GPS and send help as soon as possible. His planned action gave Doyoung a little hope.
"Who are they? And why are they following us?" Doyoung asked, his eyes were glued to the mirror. Haruto had the same question in mind. He couldn't remember having an enemy strong enough to follow them like that. Were the culprits some kind of thieves or hijackers? Didn't seem so, with that expensive car and the daring stalking. They must have a bigger reason. But what?
"Doyoungie," Haruto held his hand tight, "No matter what, you must stay safe, okay? If they catch up to us, just- listen to whatever they say. Don't let them attack you or-"
"Ruto, why would they attack us, what did we do?" Doyoung sounded even more frightened. His voice was shaking. Haruto gulped.
"I hope they won't. But if, by any chance, they do, promise to keep yourself out of it, okay? I'll deal with them."
"Are you crazy? I can't leave you out with them! You-"
"Sssh." Haruto stopped him. "Don't worry. I guess we won't have to deal with them."
Doyoung focused on the mirror again. The car behind was keeping up with them, but nothing else. No attacking, no overtaking them. Was it just a harmless, creepy stalking?
The answer came soon, in an unpleasant, terrifying way. A while later, when they were counting minutes for a police car to aid them, a high-speed car was seen running directly towards them. It was a four lane, unidirectional road, so it was a big traffic rule breaking for a car to run towards them. However, that was the least of their worries.
"No! Don't take any turn! Just go straight!" Haruto spoke aloud, as he saw the taxi driver trying to avoid the absolute hit that was coming.
"We'll die if he doesn't!" Doyoung cried. The car coming at them was showing no sign to slow down or cut them off. As if, its sole intention was to crash them to death.
The taxi driver tried sliding to the left, to avoid the crash, but the car following them, wasn't harmless anymore. It quickly came by their side, and forced them to go directly at the speedy car.
"Fuck!" The driver cursed. Haruto, who was holding Doyoung's hand tightly, saw with terrified eyes. Doyoung was trembling. The car was just a few feet away. They had to do something!
They saw a small, narrow lane on their right, appearing as a saving grace for them. Without any second thought, the taxi driver took a sharp turn and entered into that lane, both the cars at front and at their side followed them. The taxi sped up, so did the two cars. Luckily, the lane was too narrow to accommodate two cars side by side. Or else, they must have cornered them.
When Haruto thought about calling the police again, he saw, with pure dread, a dead end. A huge wall practically ended the lane. And their taxi stopped right before it.
They heard the other cars stop too. With fearful eyes, Haruto looked back.
At least four to five bulky, armed guys came out of the two cars. Doyoung scooted close to Haruto, shaking from fear. Haruto himself was scared to death. Was this it? Was Doyoung gonna die? Not in that filthy bar but in this dark, narrow lane? Was all the waiting, trying, sleepless nights crying and praying- for nothing? It wasn't time yet, Doyoung shouldn't die, right?
But he knew it wasn't a taboo. Doyoung could die anytime; in his place, someone else would live. The overall number of particles are to be conserved, not how or where.
To rephrase that, if Doyoung had to live, someone else must die.
One bald, buff guy went to the taxi driver's side, demanded him to open the car doors. The poor guy did as told. He was robbed off the money he had and then shooed away. The driver ran away, for his dear life. Next, their target, the two guys on the backseat. The same bald guy, whom Haruto assumed as the leader of the whole chase, opened the door to where they were sitting.
With a swift gesture of hand, he asked them out. Haruto squeezed Doyoung's hand tight, and walked out with him.
There were five of them. All were standing in front of them, smirking at their misfortune.
"Had fun in your date?" Mocked the assumed leader. Haruto didn't respond. He just grabbed Doyoung's hand a little tighter.
"Why having fun on your own though?" The big guy touched Doyoung's chin. Haruto pulled Doyoung closer to him, with a burning gaze on his face. The guy chuckled. "Possessive I see. How can you save him when I break his bones though?"
"What do you want?" Haruto calmly asked. They were provoking him. He must not be provoked. He had to buy time. He knew help was on its way.
"What do you think I want? Huh?" The guy was loud.
"Look, if you want money, we'll give them to you. Just don't cause any harm to us." Haruto tried to negotiate. It wasn't gonna work, based on the mocking smile on everyone's face.
"You think we're some thugs who want money, huh?" He grabbed Haruto's collar a s he said. Doyoung flinched. But Haruto didn't lose his cool.
"Then tell us what you want from us." He rather said. The guy smirked again.
"Oh I wanna play with your little boyfriend's head, will you give that to me?" Haruto closed his eyes. How long till the police came?
Having no interesting reply, no begging from Haruto, he lost interest. So, he started doing what he was instructed to do. He punched Haruto hard on the jaws.
"Ruto!" Doyoung shouted in fear. But he couldn't focus on Haruto. Before anything, the guy who punched Haruto grabbed his red hair, lifting his small head up. Doyoung hissed in pain.
"Let's play a little, babe." He went close to Doyoung's face, whispering to his ears. He was about to lick them with his nasty tongue, but a huge force fell on him.
"Get off!" Haruto screamed with an enraged gleam in his eyes. He saw the man standing up, the corner of his lips bleeding. He looked mad. Really really mad.
Haruto went in front of Doyoung. "Stay behind me. No matter where I am, you must always stay behind me!" He whispered. Doyoung was trembling. He grabbed Haruto's shirt from behind, and kept his head low. He wanted Haruto safe, but he had no guts, no power to stand in front of his best friend.
"Beat him!" Instructed the leader-guy. And the four other men, who were just watching, jumped upon them.
Haruto felt some strong hits of bats, hockey sticks and who knows what! He held his hands up, to prevent those. He was still, whole heartedly focused on keeping Doyoung safe. He felt someone pulling him, so that they could get a hold of Doyoung, but Haruto protested. And Doyoung did a very good job hiding behind him. He was terrified, he cried and screamed when he felt the impacts of the hits that fell on Haruto. He mumbled some "Please don't do this to him." But no one listened.
Haruto felt his hands going numb, he didn't know how long he could take them. And he felt weaker by the minutes. He could hold on for maybe a minute or two- after that, he couldn't feel the grip on his back anymore. The strong, buff leader grabbed Doyoung by his arm.
"Leave him!" Haruto shouted. He made a run for Doyoung, but with that he lost focus- to keep his head safe.
And a tremendously strong baam was heard. Doyoung, who was struggling hard to get free from the guy who was practically grabbing his ass, saw in fear how his brave, protective best friend collapsed on the ground.
"Ruto! No!" He made a run towards Haruto, who was still being beaten by the monsters. But he was stopped, by the guy on his tail.
"Oh no no, you're mine tonight, hun."
Doyoung elbowed him strongly on the guts, even kicked him on the crotch with his knee. The man stumbled in pain, and Doyoung immediately went to his friend.
But he couldn't even reach him, the four people who were beating Haruto up, heard the shout of their leader and immediately grabbed Doyoung, by his neck. The leader stood up again, with a maniacal look. Doyoung saw in absolute fear, as he took out a small, sharp knife from his pocket.
Was he gonna die? Here? Like this? And Haruto? Was he okay? Were they both gonna die?
Doyoung didn't know when he started crying again. He felt so helpless! Like a coward, he begged for his life, shaking in an arm lock of God knows whom! He wanted to live. And he wanted his friend to live too.
The guy was a few steps away. He was smirking. As if, cornering Doyoung, he felt like he were the king. The blade of the knife he was holding was shining in the streetlight. Doyoung twisted, kicked and even bit the guy holding him, but his grip- it was strong. So damn strong!
Doyoung saw the night sky, looked at the buildings nearby, in hope of someone noticing him and coming to his aid. But nothing. The man had that smile on, and the loud bangs of the bats with the ground where the other three were still beating his dear friend were heard.
And a very faint sound of a siren too.
Doyoung saw, in a split second, the guy's expression change. His smile was gone, got replaced with fear. He quickly called his mates and ran towards the cars. Doyoung heard loud footsteps, and felt the one holding him letting him go. He fell on the ground. His legs were terribly shaking. The siren was heard more clearly. And Doyoung understood why.
The police had finally arrived.
He snapped his head at Haruto. His friend was lifelessly lying on the ground. Bruises on his arms, face, neck. Doyoung ran to him. Haruto wasn't moving.
"Ruto! Ruto yah!" Doyoung shook his friend's body. But Haruto didn't wake up, didn't even look at his face. Doyoung cried again. With trembling voice, he was still calling his friend, "Ruto...Haruto please wake up..."
He heard the two cars starting and immediately after, another car, that belonged to the police, arriving. One of the two cars managed to escape the lane, but the other, with two culprits still inside, could not. The police car cornered them, and with guns in their heads, brought the criminals out.
Doyoung wasn't minding that though, he just wished to hear anything from his friend, who had gone all numb and cold.
A man walked to him, in his uniform. "Are you okay?" He asked. Doyoung looked at him, his whole face was covered with tears. "Haruto... He..."
The man held his fingers under Haruto's nose. Then with pressed lips, said, "Let's take him to the hospital first."
"Is he okay?" Doyoung asked in fear. The guy stood up without even answering. Doyoung asked him again, but he took out his walkie talkie, instructing more people to aid him.
Probably asking for an ambulance nearby to take the injured guy to the hospital.
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I- 😃