(⚠Warning: Murder⚠)
Siwoo didn't have any connections to the military.
How foolish of me. To be so caught up in my moral dilemma that I couldn't bring myself to remember such an important detail. I had even gone through the student's profiles before this whole mess started. I should have realized as soon as I saw Siwoo that some things weren't adding up.
But I had overlooked it. It seemed as if everything that made me a competent person were falling apart in front of me, as yet another failure stacked on top of the already foreboding pile of mistakes.
I should have shot Siwoo when I had the chance. I should have made sure my weapons were easier to get to. I should have somehow communicated my location with the others as soon as I started hearing static. And most of all, I should have remembered.
We had already concluded that the culprit would need a deep understanding of military security systems to get past all the motion sensors and security cameras that the headmaster had set up, and not only did I gloss over this very important detail, but I also made the mistake of assuming Siwoo was the only culprit.
These were all mistakes I would have never made in the past. Either I was getting rusty, or working with others just wasn't my strong suit. If Minho's safety wasn't a factor, dealing with all this would have been easy. But I just wasn't good at protecting people.
However, trying to excuse my failures was a luxury I currently couldn't afford, because as I turned around to see who had cocked a gun, I came face to face with a person who wouldn't hesitate to shoot me. And if I died, Minho would soon follow.
I needed to continue my charade, because the only factor currently playing in my favor was the fact that the person currently holding me at gunpoint had a partner who appeared to have feelings for me. Playing to that was the only way I could properly stall for time. An opportunity would arise, I would make sure of that. Because even though having to protect someone was throwing me off, I had still gotten through much more dangerous situations. All thanks to the fact that I was a rather skilled actor when I needed to be.
I started to shake as I fearfully looked into the eyes of the gunman, and I subconsciously took a step away as my mouth opened, only for me to choke on my words. Before I could pretend to gather the composure I already had in order to say something, Siwoo was already dragging me behind him as he glared heatedly at Kim Sooyeon. The fucking bitch, who also happened to be the daughter of a high ranked lieutenant. That connection was most likely how she got a gun in the first place, and based on the way she wielded it, she knew how to shoot.
"Sooyeon, lower your weapon." I had never heard him speak with so much venom in his voice, even when he was talking to Minho. Apparently I wasn't the only one caught off guard by this, because Sooyeon furrowed her brows, but kept the gun pointed at the small parts of me still visible from behind the younger.
"How about you get out of the way. Why are they still alive? They know your identity. I agreed to help you take down Mr. Lee even though he wasn't on our list, but I never said you could stray even further from the plan." She gestured towards me and Minho before once again steeling herself against Siwoo. "End them. Or I'll do it for you."
Siwoo tensed even further as he continued to guard me, and even though Sooyeon seemed hellbent on standing her ground, it was clear from the look in her eyes that she wouldn't be able to bring herself to shoot her partner. "I won't let you hurt Mr. Bang, and I promised I wouldn't hurt Mr. Lee. I refuse to go back on my word, so if you don't lower your weapon, we're going to be stuck like this all night." The timidness I was so used to associating with Siwoo was nowhere to be found as he continued staring down the barrel of the gun, and Sooyeon scowled.
"But what about the promise you made me? We're a team, right? I promised to help you get revenge on all the teachers who refused to help you. I've been nothing but helpful. And you want to stop? When we've already gone too far? It's too late for that, Siwoo. Move, or I really will shoot them down, even if you're in the way." She was lying. On the outside she looked determined, but something in her eyes gave away the pain she was in. She didn't want to shoot him. In fact, I doubt she would be able to, even if she had to. But why?
I continued to cower behind Siwoo as my eyes searched our surroundings for any ideas on how to get out of this, and they stopped on a rope hanging down from the ceiling to our left. Most likely from a canoe no one bothered to hang back up. If I could get a little closer, I could-
"Then shoot. Because if Mr. Bang dies, I wouldn't want to live, anyway." Those were some pretty heavy words coming from a kid, but he appeared to mean it. Sooyeon seemed to realize this, and her scowl faltered as a look of disbelief and betrayal washed over her features.
"Seriously? You would choose him over me? After everything I've done for you?"
"What do you mean I would choose him over you? I just don't want you to kill him. Why is this suddenly about choosing sides?" The volume of his voice increased as it filled with frustrated confusion. "Besides, he said he could ensure Mr. Lee's silence. He said he could help us."
She scoffed. "And you believed him? Look at him. Just the sight of a gun and he's about to piss himself." She used the barrel of the gun to gesture towards me, which Siwoo apparently didn't like as he repositioned to cover even more of me.
"But he's really good at digging up dirt on people. He doesn't need to be brave to be useful."
"Why the fuck do you trust him?"
"Because he saved me."
"So did I!" She huffed, her frustration and sense of betrayal still prominent on her features as she alternated between glaring at the two of us. "I saved you. I offered you a way to get revenge. I killed for you. But he's still your first choice, isn't he?"
Siwoo's brows furrowed as he shook his head slightly, an act of confused disbelief more than a show of denial. "What do you mean? I love him. It's different."
Her eyes began to water, a hurt and shocked smile tugging at the edge of her lips as she breathed out painfully. "Is it?"
Oh shit.
Against my will my attention strayed from the rope and back to the drama playing out in front of me, and my eyes widened slightly as I understood the true depth of her words. Something Siwoo didn't seem to have the luxury of as he continued to give her a confused expression. "What do you mean?" If the situation wasn't so serious I would have facepalmed at his obliviousness, and Sooyeon seemed just as flabbergasted by his continued confusion, though she also appeared a little pissed as a vein in her jaw became visible.
"I love you, you fucking idiot!" Her hands shook as she continued to point the gun at us, which really worked against showing the sincerity of her confession. Perhaps that's why Siwoo hadn't been quick to catch onto what she was hinting at.
So it was an unrequited love that fueled all those murders? She literally killed for him just to satisfy his drive for vengeance, all in hopes of gaining his affection? Incredibly pathetic. Though it also didn't make much sense. I understood how frustrating it would have been to be tormented while the authority around you did nothing but watch, but wouldn't it make more sense to kill your tormentors instead? But Siwoo also said some had died at his hands. So how many kills did each of them have?
Trying to make sense of this would get me nowhere, and as I finally made peace with that fact, I turned my attention back towards the rope. My plan would most likely lead to me shattering every bone in my left arm from my fingertips up to my shoulder, but it would increase our chance of survival, and it would also look really fucking cool, so it was definitely worth it.
"If you really love me, then don't kill someone I care about." He remained resolute in his desire to protect me, and for any other combination of people and events, the pure dedication would have been swoon worthy. Our situation, as well as the age differences, didn't exactly allow his resolve to have the same effect, however.
Despite the logic behind his words she simply scowled, and she readjusted her aim as she seemed prepared to shoot me, even though doing so held the rather big risk of Siwoo getting shot instead.
But before she could pull the trigger, Siwoo's eyes widened as he looked behind her and towards the side door. His expression was one of shock and dread, and he swallowed harshly. "Shit."
Sooyeon looked over her shoulder to see what could have caused his reaction, but as soon as she did, Siwoo launched forward and seamlessly wrestled the firearm from her grip. It was an incredibly smooth, if not risky, way of dealing with the situation, and he managed to pull it off with a high level of skill. Sooyeon most likely had training from her father, but what about Siwoo? What was he capable of?
Once the weapon was in his grip he didn't hesitate to point it at her, and she turned back to him with wide and pain filled eyes. "What? Are you going to shoot me? With my own gun?"
He grimaced. "Do you leave me any choice? Letting you live will only put Mr. Bang in constant danger of you. Even if you did eventually agree to leave him out of all this, I wouldn't be able to trust you. Not after this."
A few tears fell from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks, but even as she seemed to be overcome with a wave of sorrow, her face still twisted into a scowl. "So you really are going to choose him over me. A two year long friendship ruined by someone you've known for what, a week?"
"You don't understand. I love him."
She closed her eyes, a pained sigh leaving her lips. "Of course I understand. I killed people for you because of love. What I don't understand is why it wasn't enough."
A few moments of silence passed as they looked at each other, both sporting a tormented and sorrowful expression. Then finally, Siwoo broke the tense silence. "I don't have the answer to that. I'm sorry that it's come to this Sooyeon. Thank you for everything you've done. But threatening Mr. Bang? That outweighs all of it." And then he pulled the trigger.
She fell lifelessly to the floor, blood pooling out from the hole in her head. Her eyes seemed to visibly dull as she stared blankly into nothingness, and though she was already dead, a few more tears fell from her eyes and into the growing pool of red.
She was killed by the person she killed for, and if she and Siwoo weren't murderers, I probably would have felt sympathy for their situation. He killed the only person who generally loved him, all to save someone who was manipulating him.
He lowered the weapon slowly, his eyes never straying from Sooyeon's corpse. Even as he looked into the lifeless eyes of his partner, his friend, he remained resolute. And as he threw the gun to the side and turned to face me, he smiled.
A smile full of relief, pride, sorrow, and acceptance. A smile I was quick to return.
I stumbled slightly as I rushed into his arms, and he wrapped himself around me before burying his head into my shoulder. "You're safe now." His voice was shaky and breathless, but it carried with it a tone of pure relief.
I hugged him back, and as my expression was finally hidden from him, I allowed it to go blank. Without hesitation I silently pulled out the contraption from my pocket, and I stabbed it into his side before pushing down the injector.
He grunted before pushing me away, and his eyes widened when he noticed the syringe in my hand. His eyes trailed back up to meet mine as he began to struggle to maintain his balance, and his expression of sorrowful betrayal only deepened when he met my emotionless eyes. "Mr. Bang?" His voice slurred as he attempted to reach out for me, but before he could, he collapsed.
A deafening silence fell over the dark space, and even as I threw the syringe to the side, the clang of metal hitting concrete sounded muffled and far away. I let out a shaky breath as I looked down at the bodies of two of my students, one dead and one unconscious.
This wasn't the first time I had seen such a scene. Betrayal was common in the Mafia, and tragic endings were a dime in a dozen. I thought I was desensitized to it, but then again, I had never grown attached to anyone involved before. Perhaps that's why I struggled to not let my personal attachments affect my reactions. But that was a mistake I wouldn't make again. Every purpose I had centered around SKZ. No one else mattered.
Speaking of which.
I turned to face Minho, my expression once again falling blank as we locked eyes.
He was still tied up, the light of the nearby lantern making his eyes look like fire as they stared into me with an intensity I didn't hesitate to match. He had remained silent the entire time, and even as I approached him, that did not change.
But, as I moved to untie his hands, he finally spoke, his voice being the only sound I cared enough to focus on in the otherwise silent building. However, the words he chose to say were ones I didn't expect. "Why did you save me?"
I froze, one knee touching the ground as I kneeled beside his chair. He didn't sound troubled, fearful, anxious, or even relieved. The only emotion in his voice seemed to be curiosity, but even then it was barely able to keep his voice from sounding monotonous.
Why had I saved him? Was it so far-fetched of an idea that I didn't want him dead that he actually had to ask why I even bothered to save him? I knew he didn't like me, but surely he didn't assume it was a two way street. Had I given him reason to assume I despised him enough to sit back and watch him die?
My goal of untying him went forgotten as I moved to be kneeling in front of him, my brows furrowed with concerned confusion as I steadied myself by grabbing onto the armrests. "Why do you assume I want you dead?"
Despite the previous intensity of his gaze he suddenly struggled to hold eye contact, and his face remained blank as he looked to the side. "Why would you want me to live?"
I stared at him wordlessly, too flabbergasted by what he was suggesting that I struggled to find a response. But when I finally did, I didn't hesitate to voice it. "You're an idiot." His brows furrowed, and his eyes snapped over to meet mine as I rolled my eyes at him. "You think just because you're a little rude to me that I want you to die? How petty do you think I am? I'm not weak enough to be fazed by the things you do, so don't ever fucking suggest that I am. Got it?"
Seriously, where was this coming from?
I sighed heavily, and I leaned back onto my heels. But even as I increased the distance between us, I maintained the intense eye contact neither of us seemed tempted to disrupt. "I don't hate you, Minho. I want you to be safe, just like I want all the others to be. Your bratty attitude can't change that."
His blank expression quickly turned unamused at my insult, but behind the rather threatening looking gaze, he appeared to be slightly relieved. Though I'm sure bringing attention to that wouldn't end well for me. So instead, I opted to move around the chair and towards where his hands were tied. I pulled out Knifey before beginning to saw through the rough rope, making sure the blade never strayed too close to his wrists.
The sound of the rope fibers snapping echoed out into the still dark space, and I once again found myself thankful for the lantern still burning away on the little table set up beside Minho's chair. As I continued to work in silence, a little ember of a thought lit up in the back of my mind. It was a thought I quickly extinguished, but no matter how many times I attempted to ignore its persistence, it continued to burn in the back of my head.
It was a question I didn't need to voice. A question I felt I already had the answer to. A question that would only hurt me to ask. But as the silence persisted, the fire only grew. Until eventually, I found myself unable to resist the temptation of voicing it.
"Do you hate me?" My hands stilled, almost like I was shocked that I had asked, and the way Minho tensed was a clear indicator that he was just as caught off guard. But even though I regretted asking, I still found myself waiting patiently for a response.
It was stupid to hold any hope for an answer other than yes, because even if he denied it, there was no way of telling if his response was influenced by the fact I just saved him, or the fact that his freedom relied heavily on my continuing to cut away the rope.
But I still wanted to know.
His glares had lessened overtime, and even when he did glare at me, they didn't carry the same fire that they used to. His mean comments had become a lot less venomous and infrequent, and most of the time, he opted to just ignoring me rather than actively showing his distaste for my existence.
But then he stood up for me.
He said I wasn't a monster, and held Do Yoon Bak at gunpoint in order to get him to back down. He had defended me against an accusation that had previously fueled his hate. And since then, he hadn't once tried to use my past against me.
And though a possibly sweet moment was ruined when he dropped a bucket on my head, he had attempted to keep it from falling on me before he knew it wasn't a threat. Perhaps I was reading into it too much, but . . . a part of me wanted to believe his view of me had changed. My treatment of him wouldn't be affected by his response, but I still wanted to hear that he didn't despise my presence. I wanted to hope.
As he made no attempt to end the silence I once again raised my hands to continue sawing, a little disappointed but also relieved by his refusal to answer. But right before I could start up again, he spoke in a voice so quiet that I wouldn't have heard it if I had actually started.
"I don't hate you."
Those four words were enough for my stomach to fill with butterflies, and a smile tugged at my lips as I continued to cut away the rope. I had no idea if he was telling the truth, but for now, I would allow myself to believe.
I continued in silence as the rope grew thinner and thinner, and as soon as the last fiber snapped, Minho moved his hands into his lap before rubbing at the injured skin. He groaned slightly, the pain in his wrists and shoulders no longer being numbed by his nerve receptors now that damage was no longer being done.
I allowed the rope to fall to the ground before I stood, and I tucked Knifey back into my waistband before moving around the chair. I grabbed the lantern as Minho continued to gather his bearings. I then handed the lantern to him, and though he raised a brow, he still surprisingly accepted it without complaint.
He seemed to realize why I needed him to carry it as I moved over to Siwoo, and I slung him over my shoulder and into a fireman's carry before turning back to Minho. "Ready to go?"
He blinked, most likely because the answer was obvious, and without actually responding, he simply turned on his heel and began to walk away, not hesitating to take the light source with him.
"Hey!" He ignored my exclamation as he continued to walk to the front of the building, the light quickly fading from around me as I rushed to catch up, not too keen on being left in the dark. As soon as I made it beside him I huffed disgruntledly, and chose to ignore the way the corner of his mouth tugged up at my sign of annoyance.
"That was incredibly rude, you know. I saved you, and this is how you treat me?" My tone was overly dramatic as I sighed heavily, and Minho looked over at me with an annoyed expression.
"If you don't shut it I'm cooking you in an air fryer."
"I agree. I am a snack."
He sighed. "And you're back to being irritating."
"It's my charm."
—------------------------------------------------------------------
The light from the lantern struggled to illuminate the path around us as we ventured down the forest path, the same peaceful scenery still playing out which only worked to show nature's disinterest towards the chaos that had unfolded only a few minutes prior.
However, despite the previous events that were still attempting to weigh down on my shoulders, I found myself able to enjoy the peaceful night air a lot more than I had on the way over. Images of Minho's corpse no longer flashed across my mind at unsuspecting moments, and the feeling of stress and dread were no longer prominent.
Perhaps I had been more affected by Minho's disappearance than I thought I had been, but that was a tidbit that no one needed to be made aware of.
We walked in silence, neither of us finding it necessary to break the peaceful quiet that surrounded us. Though when around me, Minho had never been much of a conversationalist. It was very possible that he would simply go back to ignoring me once the night ended, and perhaps this silence that followed us like a hazy cloud was simply a taste of what was to come. I couldn't claim to be saddened by this, as none of our prior interactions had ever been rather pleasant to begin with.
I could still clearly remember the first time I had met him, because even while emotionally numb, everything about him had been memorable. The first thing that had caught my attention had been his voice. Lately it seemed I never got to hear him speak without his voice being weighed down by monotony or filled with malice, but when I had first heard him speak, his voice had been melodic. It was light, not in a way that caused his voice to sound high pitched, but in a way that made it sound the way clouds looked when they floated across the sky. Not an ounce of malice or distaste could be heard as he discussed with Felix about my state, and even though I struggled to feel anything at the time, the very prominent urge to see who belonged to such a voice had been enough to chip away at my numbness.
And when I actually caught sight of him? He looked kind, gentle even. Though I rarely ever get to see his eyes filled with anything other than hate or annoyance, when he had first looked at me, before he knew of my origins, they had looked warm. When his eyes weren't narrowed with distaste, they were rather doe like, but I only really got the chance to see that when he had first looked at me. They were beautiful pools of brown, and though the color was rather common in this country, when on him it appeared as if no one else possessed such a trait.
I had thought he looked beautiful.
But such an opinion was hard to keep when the voice you were entranced by became tainted with vile words, and the eyes you saw a galaxy in became twisted with hate. The man I had first thought of as gentle and playful proved to be capable of terrible bias, and though I had wanted to hate him in return, I couldn't bring myself to fully despise him. Not when I saw his eyes return to being beautiful as he gazed at the others. Not when his voice once again became melodic when he said such sweet words to his boyfriends.
I had the chance to see the best and the worst of him, but only one of those sides were ever directed at me. It wasn't like I wasn't used to seeing such vile sides of people, nor was I new to the feeling of being the cause, but when it came from him, it was harder to deal with. I had told him that the way he treated me didn't bother me, and I wasn't necessarily lying. His insults never got under my skin, his glares never frightened or enraged me, and the tone he used to address me never made me falter. But I had felt bad in a different way.
The others had welcomed me, and allowed me to be of use. Though I could never offer them what they had provided me, I still felt like my presence could benefit them in some way. It was because of this that I allowed myself to stay with them. The guilt over encroaching on their home and their peace was bearable, because they never seemed to mind. And though Jeongin had taken a little longer to come around, his opinion of me did eventually change for the better. They offered me shelter, food, a purpose, and companionship. And in return, I helped them in any way I could. Helping them on missions, ensuring their safety, providing comfort. At first it was fueled by the constant feeling of guilt that weighed me down, and though guilt still had a part to play, my motivations had changed as soon as I started to care for them. Now, I wanted to help them on missions because I knew how important their work was to them. I wanted to make sure they were safe because I cared about their well being. I wanted to comfort them and take away their pain because I wanted them to be happy.
I felt I had a way of repaying them for everything they had done.
But Minho never changed his view of me. He continued to despise my presence, and though I wanted to feel sour about it, or any feeling of hate that wasn't directed at myself, I just couldn't. Because I had tainted his home. Infiltrated his circle of loved ones. His safe place was suddenly haunted by the presence of a reminder of his trauma. His boyfriends were suddenly all buddy-buddy with what he viewed as a threat. I had completely ruined the good in his life, simply by existing in it. That was a feeling of guilt that no sense of purpose could lessen.
My focus was stolen by the sound of muffled voices, but as I looked up to try and find the source, I realized Minho remained completely unbothered, almost as if he didn't notice them. It was only when I noticed the undertone of static that I quickly remembered the earpiece I was wearing, and the fact that I had only turned it down, not off.
With the increased distance from the canoe hut, whatever had been interfering with my connection was no longer an issue, and as I turned the volume up, I was met with the panicked voices of the others.
"Have you found them yet?" The pure anxiety in Jisung's voice was concerning, and I almost tripped over a tree root as I waited expectantly for a response that would hopefully offer more context.
"Not yet. Chan, are you almost near the lake?" Why are they going to the lake? That's the area I was assigned.
. . .
Oh.
I guess they must have noticed I wasn't responding anymore. Speaking of which, I should probably tell them that I found Minho. I had completely forgotten about the Walkie until now, but I guess even if I remembered, it only started working a few seconds ago.
Thankfully my earpiece was on the opposite side of where I had Siwoo slung over my shoulder, and I pulled the cord forward so I could speak into the mic. "Sorry for disappearing on you, guys. Something was interfering with my connection. As an apology, I found Minho. Hope that suffices."
All that came through the earpiece after that was static, most likely because they were all trying to use their mics at the same time, but even though none of their voices actually came through, I could take a guess on what they were saying. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to answer them until they stopped trying to monopolize the mics.
Thankfully they all seemed to notice the problem rather quickly, and the static slowly fizzled out until an anticipative silence was all that came through, and once I was sure none of them were going to attempt to speak again, I once again brought the mic to my lips.
"Minho is fine, the culprits are dealt with, and we're on our way back. We should breach the tree line in a couple of minutes." I dropped the cord so I could readjust Siwoo, and Minho slowed his pace as soon as he noticed. Apparently he viewed leaving me in a dark canoe hut and leaving me in a dark forest to be two completely different things, because he made sure the light of the lantern was close enough to keep me illuminated as I slowed my pace, trying to bring Siwoo higher up onto my shoulder so I wouldn't drop him.
Once I was situated he turned back around and started walking away wordlessly, though his pace still seemed slower than normal. Was he actually being considerate? I wonder how long that would last.
"Alright. Chan will meet you where the treeline meets the main path. Good job, Hyunjin." No one else spoke after Seungmin, and if it weren't for the crickets chirping and the water lapping against the shore, all that would have surrounded us would have been silence.
Siwoo wasn't exactly heavy, but as we finally stepped onto the stone path that led back to campus, I found my shoulder aching slightly from the weight. It was nothing I couldn't handle, but I would definitely appreciate being able to stretch once we finally made it back. Though as Chan quickly became visible in the distance, my discomfort was quickly forgotten.
He was making his way down the path, going the opposite direction of us as he most likely intended to meet us at the treeline. It only took him a couple seconds to look up and notice the light from Minho's lantern, but as soon as he did, his expression of anticipation morphed into one of relief and joy.
He sprinted towards Minho, and as soon as he closed the distance, he pulled the younger into a bone crushing hug. Minho spread his arms out in order to keep the lantern from being squished between them, and I was quick to take it from his hand so he could hug Chan back.
"Thank fucking god." The amount of relief in Chan's voice was unexplainable, and the tension that had kept him coiled up all night seemed to melt away as he buried his face into the other's neck. His eyes were squeezed shut as he seemed to be soaking up Minho's presence, his arms locked tightly around him as he breathed him in.
I knew better than to interrupt their reunion, because while Chan had been the most composed, he was also the one most affected. He was the leader, and it was his responsibility to give the others direction and confidence. He had to act as the group's pillar, so even while his boyfriend was in danger, he couldn't afford to let his distress show.
But he also seemed to carry the other's well being around like luggage, as if their safety was his sole responsibility. A responsibility he couldn't always prioritize. He was constantly trying to make sure the others were taken care of in every sense of the word, both as their leader, and as the oldest in their relationship. Balancing everything must have been incredibly stressful, especially since he couldn't always prioritize what he wanted to. That was one of the downsides of working with your significant others.
I couldn't imagine how stressed he must have been, but with Minho safely returned and the culprits dealt with, he could afford to be unprofessional. At least for the moment. There was still the headmaster, the cops, and their higher ups to deal with, but for the moment, the fact that Minho was unharmed and within reach was all that seemed to matter to him.
His grip loosened slightly as he pulled away enough to look Minho in the eyes, but his arms still remained locked around his shoulders, as if he needed the physical reminder of Minho's presence. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere? Did they trigger something? I'm here to talk if you need to."
Minho seemed to find the sight of a worried Chan to be just as endearing as I did, because his gaze softened as a small smile danced across his lips. "I'm fine, Chan. Physically and mentally." Once again I was met with the sight of an expression Minho would rather die than direct at me, but as the sweet scene played out, I found I didn't have it in me for self pity.
I was startled by the feeling of movement on my shoulder, and I noticed too late that Siwoo had been ever so slowly slipping off. I attempted to catch him as he fell from my grip, but my arms wrapped around air as Siwoo's still unconscious body fell to the ground.
I froze, and even the crickets seemed to silence as I looked down with wide eyes. Chan and Minho had also stilled, though not before turning to see what had caused the disturbance.
I blinked before sheepishly reaching down to grab him, my shoulder protesting as I once again slung him over my shoulder. I attempted to simply act like nothing had happened, but as I stood back up and faced the others, I realized that was probably wishful thinking. Especially with the laughter booming out from further up the path.
Jisung continued to show his amusement through obnoxious laughter as he closed in, his eyes watering slightly as his face flushed. My unamused expression seemed to only worsen things as he continued to laugh, though his laughter steadily quieted as he finally stopped to stand in front of us.
He caught his breath, wiping a tear from his eye as his lips remained lifted with mirth. "Smooth, dude." The remnants of a chuckle could be heard in his voice, and I playfully rolled my eyes before using my freehand to gesture towards Minho.
I didn't need to say anything for him to realize what I meant, and his eyes widened as he turned to him, said male still wrapped up in Chan's arms as he watched the younger with a glint of amusement in his eye.
"Oh shit, dude! I was running over to come check on you, but Hyunjin's massive slip up distracted me!" He quickly pulled the other into a hug, and Chan allowed his own arms to fall so Jisung could properly entrap him. Minho allowed himself to be transferred over to the younger, and he wrapped his arms around him as Jisung buried his face into his neck, much like how Chan had done before. "Don't pull that shit again. If Chan gets any more gray hairs, he's gonna need to start dying it."
I pursed my lips in order to stop myself from chuckling, well aware that disrupting their interaction would be rather rude. However, my attention was stolen by Chan as he made his way closer to me, his eyes locked onto Siwoo who was still snoozing away on my shoulder.
"So the kid you were trying to help turned out to be the killer?"
I grimaced. "Yeah. That and a girl named Kim Sooyeon. Do you know her?"
His nose wrinkled. "She's kind of a bitch."
"She's dead." He paled, apparently horrified by the fact that he had insulted the dead, and I snorted. "Dude, calm down. Dead people can still be bitches. Plus, she was a murderer. I feel that gives you a free pass."
I once again had to readjust Siwoo, the ache in my shoulder worsening as it started to trail up to my neck. Chan was quick to take notice of this, and without asking he rolled Siwoo off of my shoulder and slung him onto his. I simply blinked, my ego a tad bit wounded by how easy he made that look. "Dude. Stealing my captive? Not cool."
The corner of his mouth tugged up as he rolled his eyes, though his amusement was quickly lost as he looked over at me with a suddenly thoughtful expression. "Thank you for saving him. I know you guys aren't on the best of terms, so it was big of you to help us."
I blinked. "What do you mean it was big of me? I expect compensation."
He seemed to realize I was joking before I even finished my sentence, but he was kind enough to play along as he let out a fake sigh. "And what would this compensation look like, exactly?"
"McDonalds."
His freehand raised to hold his chin as he pretended to ponder my request, and he eventually shrugged, the motion somehow not hindered by the literal human just chilling on his shoulder. "Such a large establishment might be kind of pricey, but I could make it work."
I slouched as I disgruntled huff left my lips. "Right. I keep forgetting you're fucking loaded. But even for you, I think McDonalds might be too ambitious of a purchase."
"Yeah. You might have to settle for a smaller chain business."
I hummed in thought. "How about Dick's?"
He raised a brow, still somehow willing to keep up the type of conversation that I would usually have with someone like Jisung. But it was nice to know Chan could match my level of bullshit. "You mean the sporting goods place?"
"Yeah. I want to change it from Dick's sporting goods to Dick's: The place to buy balls."
He breathed out a chuckle, but before he could respond, our attention was stolen by the Minsung duo. They had apparently finished their heart to heart, and Jisung was happily skipping over with Minho on his heels.
I was slightly caught off guard when Jisung slung his arm over my shoulder, but as soon as I realized he wasn't attempting to punch me in the side of the head I was quick to wrap my arm around his waist. "Well hello there, little hero. You should give me your number for the next time I need saving."
I blinked. "I don't have a phone."
"Technicality. Anway, is this the guy?" He jerked his head in Siwoo's direction, and I nodded.
"One of them, at least. The other was a student named Kim Sooyeon."
He wrinkled his nose, just like Chan had. "You mean the bitch that tried to crush Seungmin's fingers?"
Chan grunted. "She's dead."
"And that suddenly changes the fact that she tried to hurt Seungmin? I won't talk shit about her at her funeral, but I still don't like her."
I furrowed my brows, not at all bothered as Jisung started walking down the stone path, his arm around my neck meaning I had to follow along. "Why would you be invited to her funeral?"
"I don't know. Maybe I bought a ticket."
"That's not how funerals work."
"Then you've never been to a fun one."
Chan and Minho were both following us, the oldest somehow still not showing any sign of struggle as he treated Siwoo like a jacket he had slung over his shoulder. He seemed to notice my gaze on him as he looked up to make eye contact, and he offered a kind smile before seemingly remembering something.
"Any chance you guys figured out their motives or other details I might need to put into the report? Like how Sooyeon ended up dead?"
I inhaled sharply, and Jisung perked up as soon as he noticed my expression. "That's the face that means there's a pot of steaming tea nearby, so you better spill."
"Alright. I'll start from the beginning."
"You better not do what I think you'r-"
"When a guy and a girl really want to fuck without protection-"
—------ To Be Continued —-------