"Fine...." Soobin caved in.
The officer's eyes widened, not having expected the younger to cooperate.
"So, where are your friends?"
"North route, on fifth Avenue, there's an abounded building, know it?"
The officer nodded excitedly.
"There's a key there, to an apartment down at the docs near 8th street, if you walk there, there's an old man that'll give you the address"
..
"Are you kidding me?" The officer snapped.
"Yes. Obviously."
The officer stood up, kicking his chair.
He took the water glass, throwing it over Soobin's face in a momentary rage.
"Oh wow..." Soobin mumbled "cat's out of the bag now huh?"
The officer took a fistful of Soobin's collar, yanking him forward.
"This isn't fucking over, I will keep you here for as many hours as needed"
"Sounds great, see you in an hour"
..........
"Do you know why I'm scared of you?" Kai said whilst Soobin reminisced on his past.
Soobin lowered his head, his shameful past hovering above him.
"Because I know I can never be like you" the younger spoke quietly, a sad smile on his face.
"I don't know you very well Hyung, and I am a little wary of you. But at the same time.... I admire you."
Soobin blinked his tears away, looking at the younger with confusion and astonishment.
"You're strong, and brave..- don't cry Hyung" Kai spoke. Hesitant to reach his hand, he shakily wiped Soobin's tear away and leaned back onto his shoulder.
Looking at the bumpy ground, he searched for a way to articulate his feelings into words. Years of social interaction taken away from him, he struggled with showing his gratitude.
After all, he had nothing to be grateful for until he met this wonderful, albeit strange group of boys.
A faint laugh escaped his lips as he was looking for words to say.
"Hyung...." he said after a while.
Soobin hummed quietly, he too was out of words. Or maybe he had too much to say.
The older looked at Kai who was resting peacefully on his shoulder, his face finally somewhat relaxed.
Amidst the constant worry Soobin was in, Seeing the younger go from the way he was when they first met him, to how he is now, he felt happy. Soobin realized in that second that he will never let anyone touch the poor baby, ever again. The same protective instinct he felt for his friends bloomed inside of him the minute they found Kai in that old warehouse.
He just didn't want to admit it.
"Thank you Hyung" Kai's voice broke, his slightly less slander arms wrapping around the older's waist.
"I hope to be like you one day...." the younger whispered to his chest.
And with those few words, Soobin crumbled down, Sobbing loudly over the sincerity coating the younger's each word.
"Shhh... Hyung, it's okay" Kai rubbed the older's stomach, trying to mimic the way Taehyun and Beomgyu calmed him down whenever he was in distress.
He didn't know whether it was working or not, but he tried.
He, rather clumsily pulled the crying Hyung into his arms, still not used to their affectionate way of touch. letting him get everything out.
Soobin who now was hugging Kai's small frame with all his might, felt a hand reach to his belly, rubbing soothing circle motion against his thin shirt.
The act, as small as it was. Felt innocent and pure, to the point where Soobin couldn't help but let a tiny smile spread on his face.
Kai chuckled softly, tickling Soobin's belly rather than rubbing it.
Soobin's small smile morfed into a giggle, than a bright laughter mixed with salty tears.
It was almost absurd how the bitter-sweet taste fitted their situation perfectly.
Brushing that thought off. Soobin couldn't let the younger have all the fun.
He reached one hand to Kai's stomach, making the younger burst in a rolling, loud laughter.
"H-hyung" he pleaded, his face hurting from smiling. He folded his stomach while Soobin tackled him to the ground, carefully as to not actually hurt him.
Kai shot his head back while Soobin tickled him all over the place.
Short of breath and giggly, they both ended up lying of the ground.
The tears long gone, and Soobin felt the most lighthearted he had felt in the past month.
He turned his head sideways, meeting the younger's face that still had a red hue to it from the constant laughter.
"Welcome to the family hueningie"
............
"Yeosang?" Yeonjun mumbled to himself, his mind in disbelief of the sight infront of him.
The door opened and Beomgyu walked over towards Yeonjun, determined to see what is taking his Hyung so long to get his ass into the car.
He observed Yeonjun's face. Slightly pale and blank as ever, his body language stiff as ever.
With worry, he looked over at the direction Yeonjun was looking.
His heart filling with dread.
No..no, no, no this can't be happening.
"Hyung.." Beomgyu approach, trying to drag Yeonjun by his arm "Come one Hyung, let's go back to Soobin okay?" He said, in the calmest voice he could muster.
But Yeonjun yanked his arm away from Beomgyu. His head pounded in rage and all he wanted to do was bash the bastard's head into the hardened cement beneath his legs.
"Hyung.." Beomgyu said, louder this time, he knew what Yeonjun was thinking. They couldn't make a scene, they need to leave..now.
"Hyung please" he begged Yeonjun to move, but the older stayed planted in his place.
"Hyun-" Beomgyu freezed while the figure turned their heads.
A face every one of the four of them prayed to forget.
Yeonjun tensed up, and Beomgyu knew exactly what was coming.
With a split second, Yeonjun sprinted, lunging on the shorter and slamming him into the ground.
"FUCKING. BASTARD!" Yeonjun screamed into the now bloodied guy's face. Swinging his fist one more time before a warm hand stops him.
"Hyung please.." Beomgyu pleaded from behind him, his voice small and careful unlike usual.
Yeonjun panted, unable to contain the almost instant anger rising in him.
Beomgyu slid his hands around Yeonjun shoulder, pulling him away from Yeosang.
"No!" Yeonjun screamed, getting the attention of the few people who were at the parking lot. "FUCK!"
Beomgyu successfully managed to separate Yeonjun hands clawing into Yeosang's flesh.
Yeonjun stopped thrashing in Beomgyu arms and just stood them, staring daggers at the boy laying on the cement.
His ears blurred every noise around and his body felt awfully numb, it seemed as if his mind's main focus was the boy who made their life go to shit.
Yeonjun's eyes shot at Beomgyu, he felt his blood boil and he knew he looked like a mad-man, but he didn't care in the slightest.
"He hurt Soobin" Yeonjun spat, hissing under his breath, his voice cold and distant, needless to say that Beomgyu was lost, scared and most of all he was helpless against Yeonjun's anger.
As they were talking, Yeosang peeled himself off the hard ground, clearly he was not expecting to get attacked on a random parking lot at a normal Tuesday night.
He looked just as lost as Beomgyu. Apparently just now recognizing the man who lunged at him, his eyes widened to the size of buttons.
"Y-yeonjun..." he blinked a few times, trembling in fear.
Looking behind Yeonjun, his face paled as if he had seen a ghost.... well, it wasn't far from that.
"Beom...gyu" his breath hitched "I thought..."
"That I was dead?"