Summer Breeze
Author: anonymous
Prompt#: 297
Title: summer breeze
Word Count: 6.690
Side Pairing(s): none
Rating: M
Warning(s):[click to open]graphic descriptions of violence, murder
Disclaimer: The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: A year ago, maybe he would have tried to approach him. He would have talked with the man. But now? Chanyeol doesn’t think twice before he pulls the trigger. (psycho pass au)
Author's Note: dear prompter, I know a story based on an anime isn't probably what you had in mind. It's not what I had in mind at first either. But things change, and this is what I was able to work out. You wanted mystery and I'm really bad at it, but you also wanted fantasy and I think that the dynamic in the psycho-pass universe covers that.
It's not necessary to watch psycho-pass to understand the story, I've explained everything the reader would need to know to follow the story (although it's a great anime you all should see). It could be considered a dystopia au as well.
I wish I'd had more time (truth be told, I'm a really slow writer and creativity tends to abandon me). I wish I'd done better than this, and I truly wish you all enjoy it even though it didn't came out as I planned it. Thank you ☺
AO3 ver
“What do you miss the most?”
It’s a simple question, Chanyeol thinks. “Everything” should be the answer. From the early walks to the office feeling the summer breeze against his skin, to the rooftop at his grandmother’s house where he could see the starry sky. And all the things in between. Chanyeol knows that he should miss everything about his old life, but that’s not what comes to his mind when Sehun asks him the question.
Instead, there are two words, hanging on the edge of his mind, burning him from inside out. And it’s not a what, but a who.
-
“Hello, my name is Kim Jongdae, I've been assigned to the CID as of today.”
Jongdae looks young, although Chanyeol already knows that he is not. He glances at him, wondering now how much time will it take the CID to crush his happiness. Because Kim Jongdae is happy. That’s something you can say from just taking a look at the boy. And it’s not weird at all. Nowadays the Sybil System reads your talent and tells you the way of living that will bring you the most happiness. Unlike before, a time when people were unreadable and unpredictable, and therefore not even themselves were able to choose the correct path.
If the Sybil System has decided that Jongdae fits into the Criminal Investigation Department, then that’s it. No further question. No second thoughts. Just a wide smile caused by the dazzling sensation of fulfilling a duty.
“Nice to meet you, Inspector Kim. Please make yourself at home, we’re happy to have you.” Chanyeol lets out a small chuckle that is ignored by Junmyeon, who shakes Jongdae’s hands and continues with the welcome speech. “I’m Kim Junmyeon, I’m in charge of Team 4. And they are Oh Sehun, Jung Soojung, Park Chanyeol and Im Jinah. They’re all the enforcers assigned to our team.” Junmyeon makes a pause. “You should get to know them, at some point.”
Chanyeol doesn’t miss the small frown of Jongdae’s eyebrows. It’s almost funny, the way he can read what’s going on in his mind. Right now Jongdae is asking himself why should he bother to get to knowing them. They’re just enforcers. Dogs strapped on a short leash, something to use for their advantage. That’s what they teach you about latent criminals in the academy after all.
-
“This is an elevated Area Stress Level warning. Inside Hongdae, in the Mapo-gu district, a Psycho-Pass above the regulation has been detected. Inspectors on duty, please go straight to the site with enforcers immediately.”
It’s been awhile since Chanyeol’s been in Hongdae. The streets are as busy as he remembers them, and though it isn’t night yet, he can already listen to the music coming out from some clubs. What wouldn’t Chanyeol give to be just one of those pedestrians, walking freely and completely oblivious to what it’s happening. Just going to some club, drinking with his friends and talking shit, going back soon to his apartment because he has an early shift the next day.
How long has it been?
“I hate this.” Sehun says, then lets out a big yawn. “Some random civilian gets a little bit stressed and now we have to move our asses to find him and tell him to calm the fuck down. It’s stupid, don’t you think?”
He doesn’t get to answer.
“Drones have been watching the streets since the warning was triggered. They haven’t caught anyone, and the stress level has not decreased.” Jongdae shows them a map, it has some red marks where the stress level is more elevated. “After we take the dominators, we’ll have a look, just aim if you see anyone who shows any symptoms, but don’t shoot without telling me first, okay?”
Chanyeol sees him twenty minutes later. He’s old, maybe on his sixties. What reveals him is something as human as sweat. The man’s shirt is soaked, even though he’s just sitting on a bench, with a little purse in his hands. They almost passed by, but Chanyeol happened to look at him once more.
He raises his dominator, aims at the old man, and hears the familiar voice in his mind almost instantly.
“Crime Coefficient is over by 110. He’s a target for enforcement action. Enforcement mode is Non-Lethal Paralyzer. The safety will be released. Aim calmly and bring the target under control.”
A year ago, maybe he would have tried to approach him. He would have talked with the man, to see if the raise of his Psycho-Pass was just a temporary thing. It worked, sometimes, and the person would have to attend one or maybe two therapy sessions anyways, but their record wouldn’t be stained.
But now?
Chanyeol doesn’t think twice before he pulls the trigger.
“I told them to warn me, Junmyeon. This isn’t about how things worked out, it’s about obedience.”
“I know, I know. But can’t you let this one go? The patient is already receiving treatment. Everything’s fine.” Junmyeon tries to sound calm, but for the way Chanyeol sees him massaging his temples, he knows that he’s far from that. Jongdae is still pissed off, but what is he going to do about that? “I’ll talk to Park. Your shift ended, go home now, this isn’t something you should worry about.”
“Yeah, sure you’ll talk to Park. Like that’s going to solve anything.” Jongdae says as he grabs his coat. It’s late, and Junmyeon is right. He shouldn’t worry about him. Chanyeol is going to keep on doing what he wants. That’s what happens when you got nothing to lose. When he passes by Chanyeol, Jongdae speaks again. “At least we’re not going to be in the same team starting next week.”
“Yeah? And why is that?” Chanyeol asks, speaking for the first time since they got back from Hongdae. He doesn’t even look at Jongdae, his eyes are too busy with the new hologram design he’s been working on during the last month.
“Inspector Kim,” Junmyeon calls him. And there is something in his voice. Something that only a person who’s known him for a long time would notice. It’s almost like the silence between a lightning and the thunder. A feeling of anticipation of something that you don't want to come. That’s why Chanyeol looks up.
He knows immediately that he shouldn’t have. The smile on Jongdae’s face is wide, but empty, so different from the one that he saw him wearing when he was first assigned to their team almost five months ago.
“Haven’t you heard? Inspector Byun is back from therapy.”
-
Back then, it all had make sense. Society is so much safer now that the Sybil System exists. Nothing is invisible anymore. Every person can be read and evaluated while they’re just walking down the streets. If their hue, or stress level, exceeds some specific measures, then their Psycho-Pass will be affected. People’s Crime Coefficient shows the possibility of them being a criminal, it doesn’t matter if they have committed a crime or not.
Chanyeol hasn’t, and those who are like him are called latent criminals.
It’s all about possibilities. Chanyeol has done nothing wrong, he has made no harm to anyone who wasn’t guilty. Yet Sybil says that he has the possibility to. Sybil has decided that Chanyeol can’t walk free anymore, that he’s a threat to the community and to the well-being of others. Therapy doesn’t work on latent criminals, so again, it’s about possibilities: expending their life in prison, or working for the Criminal Investigation Department. Enforcers -that’s why they call them- can’t go anywhere besides the CID floor and their quarters. They can’t leave the building without an Inspector.
In other words, latent criminals are prisoners.
Chanyeol had believed in the Sybil System once. He thought that it made sense, who wouldn’t want to stop a threat before it even starts? That’s why he became an Inspector. It was all about safety, being prepared, and protecting people before something bad happened.
Baekhyun had always thought differently.
“I’ve heard he’s coming back next monday.” Sehun’s words are accompanied by a bottle of soju. Chanyeol eyes the bottle, then gets up from his bed. He takes it from Sehun’s hands, and drinks half of it before the other man dares to say something else. “I’m sure it’ll work. Somehow.”
Sehun was flagged in a Psycho-Pass test when he was ten. Sybil decided that he was a latent criminal, and that he had no possibility of rehabilitation through treatment. Life as a prisoner it’s all Sehun has known since then. It’s the only life he’s going to live, just like him. Chanyeol hadn’t questioned situations like this before. But now, looking at the other man, who he can call now a friend, he can’t help but feeling angry. What kind of threat is a ten year old child to society anyway? And why does a software get to decide that he’s hopeless?
“It’s stupid.” Chanyeol says, once his throat stops burning from the alcohol.
“Uh?” Sehun looks up to him from where he’s sprawled on the couch.
“About what you asked me the other day. I think it is. All of this. It’s stupid.”
-
Baekhyun does come back on monday. His hair is black now, just how it was during the Academy, and high school, where Chanyeol had met him. He had changed it into a bright blonde color during their first year at the CID, but Chanyeol kind of feels relieved about it being gone. The last memory he has of his blonde hair, is how it looked red while being covered up in blood.
“I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve missed you.” He hears Junmyeon say, and Baekhyun greets him back. Just like he greets Soojung, Sehun and Jinah. All of his words are full of affection, because it’s Baekhyun after all. Wasn’t his fault the fact that he cares about people? Chanyeol hears Baekhyun laugh at something that Jinah says, and after that the room falls into an awkward silence.
It’s not like their past (is it past?) relationship was a secret, they all knew about it.
Suddenly, Baekhyun is standing in front of his desk. He can’t ignore him, because honestly, he doesn’t want to be rude. But before looking up, he thinks about what Sehun had asked him the first week after he was reincorporated into the team as an enforcer. It was about what he missed the most. It’s obvious. Chanyeol could say that he misses the dawn, and the rooftop back at his grandmother's house. Or he could say that he misses all the things in between. Things like waking up with Baekhyun’s body on top of his, embracing him. Like preparing a warm dinner and waiting for Baekhyun’s shift to end, so they could eat together watching an old movie. Or just listening to him whispering “i love yous” while they became one under the sheets at night.
If there is just one thing that Chanyeol misses every day like crazy, it’s him.
“Park.”
The coldness in Baekhyun’s voice almost makes him shiver. He finally looks up. Park, uh? so that’s how it's going to be. Chanyeol can’t say that he’s surprised. He’s had an entire week to prepare himself for this moment. He tried to think about every possible scenario between them, and being called “Park” by someone who used to scream and worship his name is not actually that bad. It could be worse, and on top of that, two can play the same game.
“Inspector Byun.” It doesn’t matter that Chanyeol is breaking apart right now. It doesn’t matter the fact that there is a high pitched noise echoing inside his head, or that he could swear that he can hear the Sybil System laughing at him. He pulls out a smile, a genuine one, and looks right into Baekhyun’s eyes and says “It’s good to have you back.”
He still smells like summer breeze.
-
The first days are weird, but after a month Chanyeol gets used to work with Baekhyun being there. It's easier than what he expected. Turns out that when two people are reciprocally avoiding each other, it kind of works. Junmyeon helps too, changing positions so now Chanyeol works with him and Soojung and Baekhyun work with Sehun and Jinah. Of course, all of them have to work together sometimes, and since they're on the same team it's impossible for them to ignore each other.
But things go on quietly. Some days they would exchange a few words about a case, or Baekhyun would ask Chanyeol about the reports. They even went out to examine an Area Stress Level warning together, and things worked out perfectly. They brought in the latent criminal, a young student who had been thinking about stealing some jewelry to sell it at double price. How there are still people who think about stealing, Chanyeol doesn't know. He even commented on the thing with Baekhyun, back in their quarter, and they laughed together about other things. No one said anything.
Chanyeol thinks that as long as they keep their relationship strictly related to work, there's nothing that can go wrong. He also knows that he's not helping the situation by relieving himself in the shower thinking about the inspector, but Baekhyun has always had that effect on him. It doesn't really matter, because those thoughts are his only, and besides, he's learned how to not keep his eyes on Baekhyun's lips.
"Aren't you going to eat that?" Chanyeol snaps from this thoughts when Sehun throws him that question. He looks at his friend, and then at the piece of cake neatly placed on the table. "You know, Jinah made it, and she's going to get mad at you if don't at least try it."
Today's Jinah's birthday, and after their shift ended, they all went back to the enforcer's quarters. And "all" means that Junmyeon and Baekhyun are there too. It is weird to see him standing there, in the middle of the room with his tie loosen up, when he should be home now, far away from Chanyeol. Baekhyun and him had been in the enforcer's quarters plenty of times before. They always talked about how the chambers were cold, meaning that the walls were plain gray, with no windows or paintings, and that there was no sign of anyone living down there. Not a single picture, or a personal object left behind, nothing. The Chanyeol who was a kind inspector didn't understand why it was like that, why no one tried to make the place friendlier. But now, Chanyeol the enforcer knows. Those quarters, those room, they are not their home. They are their prison. And that's something that they cannot afford to forget by hanging a couple of pictures.
"Chanyeol, you okay?"
"Mm?" Ah, he did it again. It's so easy for Chanyeol to get lost inside of his mind when he has nowhere else to go. He feels guilty about the concern in Sehun's voice.
"You've been looking at the void for five minutes now. At first it was entertaining, but then I started to worry. Should I call Yixing so he can check on you?"
"I'm okay, don't worry." he answers, and before Sehun can take the piece of cake away from him, Chanyeol gives it a try. The sweet feels odd on this tongue. When he looks up, Baekhyun is suddenly gone. Not that he cares.
"So? Is it good?" Jinah asks him with a smile glued to her face.
"It's really good.” It is not a lie. Jinah likes to cook, and if it wasn’t for her Chanyeol would have already forgotten how a home cooked meal tastes like. She uses the kitchen the most, while the others, like Chanyeol, survive on food delivering or pre-cooked meals. “Happy birthday again, Nana."
“You didn’t make a cake for my birthday though.” Sehun protests, earning a light slap by Jinah on his shoulder. Chanyeol smiles when he sees that.
“I made you seaweed soup, you ungrateful child.” She says as she walks away, pretending to be hurt. Chanyeol’s eyes search through the room again, just to confirm that indeed, Baekhyun has already left. Junmyeon’s now gone too, so only the four of them -the ones who cannot get out- remain there. Chanyeol knows that Sehun and Soojung have been locked up since they were very young, but how long has it been since Jinah joined them? Maybe three, four years? She must have memories about her other birthdays. She looks like the kind of girl who would throw a wild party surrounded by all her friends. She probably was.
Was. Past tense.
“Where are you going?” Sehun asks him when Chanyeol gets up.
“I’m tired.” It’s his only answer, he doesn’t need to explain himself any further. Sehun understands, that’s why he doesn’t say anything when Chanyeol congratulates Jinah again, says his goodbyes to her and Soojung and walks out the door.
He stops by the office again, to grab his laptop. He needs to clear his mind, and nothing distracts Chanyeol more than designing. It’s his field, actually, he did specialize in Hologram Design, and through that, Chanyeol was able to lead the investigations that occurred in the virtual world. He can no longer do that, but he’s still pretty good at it.
When Chanyeol opens the door to his room, he almost drops his laptop. He knows that something is wrong instantly, which makes his full body go on alert mode. The lights are on, and there is a figure standing in the middle of the cell. When the man turns, Chanyeol meets Baekhyun’s dark eyes.
At first, none of them says anything. And it’s not like they have to.
Sure, Baekhyun should explain why he was there. He should explain a lot of things, actually, because Chanyeol needs some of the answers to finally sleep peacefully at night. Right now there is a world between them, and it doesn’t matter that they’re in the same room, Chanyeol still feels like Baekhyun’s millions of miles away.
They’ve hardly ever needed words to know what the other wanted. Tonight is no exception. Chanyeol has barely a couple of seconds to put down his laptop before Baekhyun is on him, hands on his hair and lips colliding. Baekhyun might be small, but he’s not weak, and he pushes Chanyeol until his back hits the door, closing it. He can feel one of Baekhyun’s hands travelling under his clothes, and the other slightly pulling at his hair. It’s not until the other man opens his mouth to let his tongue in that Chanyeol tastes the alcohol.
He stops the kiss.
“Baekhyun.”
“No.”
That’s all the inspector says before grabbing Chanyeol by the shirt’s collar, pulling him down into another desperate kiss. Chanyeol is trying to think, -he really is-, but it’s so difficult when he has Baekhyun moaning into his mouth. Part of him wants to pretend. To pretend that they’re at their old apartment, getting ready for the night. To pretend that the shooting never happened, and that the Sybil System doesn’t find a threat in any of them. To pretend that Baekhyun’s still his -because he’s still Baekhyun’s, his whole heart is-, and that they could have a future together.
It’s so easy to get lost, so easy to give up. Maybe that’s why Chanyeol is a criminal, because if temptation comes for him in Baekhyun’s form, Chanyeol’s lost the battle before it could even began.
So he just lets Baekhyun unbuckle his belt, and he doesn’t say anything when he feels his pants around his ankles. What he does is cover his own mouth with his hands, just in case he can’t control himself.
And Baekhyun goes down.
-
Chanyeol is almost out of breath when he gets to the rooftop. Seoul’s night sky greets him with grey clouds and the reflection of hundreds of neon lights. The light sign on the nearest building casts a yellow shadow on the man in front of him, the one whom they’ve been chasing across Mapo-Gu all afternoon. Even in the dark Chanyeol notices the black spot on his white t-shirt, which is likely to be Mrs.Jung’s blood.
Chanyeol aims the dominator at him.
Jung Sohye, his potential second victim, was found dead at his apartment that same morning. Though apparently it all started with the disappearance of another woman ten days ago. Kim Nahwa disappeared after she attended a Nell concert. Her friends said that she was with them during the whole show, but they never saw her again after it ended. Her apartment’s keys were found in Song’s bedroom. Usually, when people disappear, they’re found at casinos or in one of the few drug tent that still exist. How did Song Jaeyoung manage to murder a girl a week ago and keep walking through the street without being tagged by drones is one thing that the CID doesn’t know. They don’t know where the body of Mrs.Kim is either, and that’s the only reason that is keeping Chanyeol from shooting.
“Crime Coefficient is over 300. He’s a target for enforcement action. Enforcement mode: Lethal Eliminator. Please aim carefully and eliminate the target.”
“Okay Song, hands up, where I can see ‘em.” Chanyeol shouts, watching closely as the other man puts his hands over his head. He then press the communicator. “This is Park. I found the target on the rooftop of the HD Building. What are the orders?”
It takes a couple of seconds before he can hear Baekhyun’s voice, loud and clear.
“We need him alive. I’m tracking your position, wait until we get there.”
“Roger.”
And then Chanyeol hears it. It had been a faint noise at first, something in the background while he was listening to Sybil and Baekhyun. The unmistakeable sound of someone laughing. When he looks up, Chanyeol catches a glimpse of Song’s smile, right before the laugh becomes an angry screech.
Their eyes meet, and Chanyeol’s whole body and soul tremble. There is not even a little trace of remorse in the criminal’s eyes; there is no fear. This is why Chanyeol’s been avoiding talking to the targets since he became an enforcer. Because that man, standing right in front of him, with his clothes stained with the blood of innocent women, is, to Sybil, his equal.
Did Chanyeol’s eyes look the same after he shot the man who was choking Baekhyun to death? How is it the same, killing for pleasure than killing trying to protect your life? Chanyeol had no choice, his one and only crime was to let the emotions control him that night. Yes, killing that man was his duty, but at some point between Baekhyun’s last breath and the blood sliding across his temple, it had become Chanyeol’s will. He didn’t pull the trigger to fulfill Sybil’s choice, he pulled it to watch the man who was trying to kill Baekhyun die. He pulled the trigger because in that moment it was the thing that he wanted to do the most.
“I know you can’t kill me.” The harsh voice of Song Jaeyoung brings Chanyeol back to the present, to the old rooftop. The rain's still falling, and Chanyeol is suddenly aware of how cold he is. “You would have done it by now if you could. You want to know where’s the other girl, don’t you?”
“Shut up, or I’ll shoot anyway.”
“You’ll never find her.”
It happens fast.
Song Jaeyoung runs towards the end of the building, and Chanyeol tries to stop him, but he fails.
There are a few things that will probably haunt Chanyeol’s mind after this.
First, the yellow light, coming from the neon sign placed at the next building, and how it casted an ugly shadow on the criminal’s face, making almost believable that it was the true colour of his skin. Then, the dry thump that was followed by the pedestrian’s screams. The body had fell in a busy street during night time, and therefore most of the people hadn’t been able to hold the liquor in. And finally, the pleasure in Song Jaeyoung’s final words, while he told Chanyeol that they won’t find Kim Nahwa.
-
“Chanyeol. Harder.”
Baekhyun has always been demanding. He likes things done his way, and Chanyeol still hasn’t decipher how he gets them every single time. What he knows is: one second they were arguing about the outturn of the case, and the next Baekhyun had him straddled with his legs on the bed. Ties and pants on the floor, Chanyeol thinks it’s selfish, but he would take Baekhyun’s physical attention anyway. All he wants to hear are love words, but those moaning coming out Baekhyun’s mouth every he buries himself deeper inside him is not that bad.
How long has it been?
“I went to see your family.” Baekhyun says, once the sex is over and they’re both breathing fine.
Chanyeol shifts on the bed to look at him. Still naked and with his skin glowing from the thin layer of sweat, Baekhyun has his eyes on him, and this is the first time that he does so after one of their sex encounters. Usually Baekhyun is out of the room as soon as Chanyeol is out of him. It takes him a moment to fully understand what Baekhyun has said, and when his mind registers the word “family”, he suddenly feels out of breath.
“Your mom misses you, you know.”
“Stop.” Chanyeol gets up, grabbing the clothes from the floor and starting to dress himself. “Don’t go there, Baekhyun.”
Baekhyun stays still, looking at him during a couple of seconds before he loses interest, apparently. Chanyeol wants to be angry because of that. Why does he think that he can do that? First he fucks him, then he starts talking about Chanyeol’s family. Like it is okay to just do that. Like Chanyeol still had a family.
“I guess it’s fair.” he says, and then he starts to get dressed. Chanyeol doesn’t look at him this time. Usually he wouldn’t take his eyes off Baekhyun, relishing their last seconds together until Baekhyun decides that he wants sex again. Chanyeol is not dumb, he knows Baekhyun is just using him, but he doesn’t feel used at all. He’s just sad.
“I never said thank you.” Baekhyun speaks again, and something in his voice catches Chanyeol’s attention. “For saving my life that night, you know.”
Chanyeol turns to look at him. He has that night painted at the back of his mind, always playing in the background like a sad melody.
“Yeah well, you’re welcome.”
“I need to ask something, though.” Baekhyun’s eyes change into a darker tone of brown. “If you knew what would happen to you if you pull the trigger, would you have done it anyway?
“Yes.”
-
Song Jaeyoung’s bedroom is unsurprisingly normal. It’s a small room, with a bed, a desk and some shelves. The walls are painted a dark grey, but they are mostly covered by posters. All of them are music related, and Chanyeol recognizes quite a few of the groups. In fact, the shelves are full with music CDs, from national to international artists, from hip-hop to classical music. You could say that Song was not just a criminal, but a music lover too. That’s two things Chanyeol has in common with him.
“We’re wasting time.” Soojung says from the corner of the room, where she’s going through Song Jaeyoung’s pile of clothes. Aside from too many dirty socks, she doesn’t seem to have found anything relevant.
“Don’t say that.” Chanyeol asks, even if he thinks the same. He’s going through Jaeyoung’s cds, and truth be told, he’s been wondering for the past twenty minutes if the CID would let him keep them. There are just too many good pieces of work there, and it would be a shame if they ended up being thrown. His fingers almost itch when he grabs Nell’s Slip Away.
Chanyeol observes the cd in his hands. Technically, music is something that hasn’t been taken away from him. He still has his guitar, and his equipment. He might not spend the nights composing as he did before, but music has been the only constant thing in his life since that night.
He’s about to put back the cd in his place when something slips from the inside. Chanyeol frowns when he recognizes a polaroid picture on the floor. He freezes as soon as he takes it.
“I’m just saying, he’s the only one who knew, and he’s dead. I can’t believe the bastard killed himself just to make things for us more complicated.”
“What if he isn’t the only one who knows?”
“What?”
“This photo was taken at Nell’s concert two years ago.” Chanyeol shows her the picture. There are two men in it, and one of them is clearly Song Jaeyoung. He’s smiling, with his arm around the other’s man shoulders, both of them wearing the same shirt with the concert date on it. Even though the scenario can’t be seen, Chanyeol’s knows it’s Nell’s concert. Hell, he was there.
“Are you really suggesting…?”
“Yes. Maybe he went to the last concert with this guy here again. He could know something.” There is a hint of despair in his voice, and Soojung’s eyes softens when he takes them off the picture to look at Chanyeol.
“Chances are small, Chanyeol.”
“I’ll take anything. Let’s go.”
-
The place is located in the border between Gangseo and Yangcheong. It’s just another one of those fields. The ones that are green and pink during spring, yellow during summer, brown and orange during autumn and white in winter. The ones that are full of people during the day, with families teaching their kids how to ride a bicycle and groups of friends drinking and enjoying the sunlight. The ones that, once the night comes, turn into something completely different.
With no streetlights, the shadows dance between the trees and their own pace, taking in dirty secrets.
Song Jaeyoung used to like this place during the day, but according to one of his friends, he always liked it more during night. It was perfect for bringing company, specially if they didn’t want to be interrupted. No cameras, no population near, not even a road. The field is just another one of Seoul’s dead zones, in which humans proved yet/once again their true nature.
Human Nature. It was a big dilemma back then, before Sybil was created. It was the subject of countless arguments, and Chanyeol had read a few books about it, but his mind never wandered around the topic too much. When he was an inspector it didn’t matter anyway, because he trusted Sybil to give everyone a fair treatment, and human nature couldn’t be any less important.
“Can we talk?”
Baekhyun’s voice brings Chanyeol back to reality. He looks at the other man, who Chanyeol now notices hasn’t leave his side since he got out of the van.
“Is it about the case?” he asks, carefully, because the older male has been acting weird for a couple of days now. Yesterday he didn’t show up at work because apparently he was sick, but today Baekhyun doesn’t show any of the symptoms of a cold.
“No.” The answers comes after a few seconds in cold silence.
“Is it about us?”
Baekhyun flinches, guiltiness visible all over his face.
“God, Baekhyun, you’re unbelievable.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what, exactly? Cause I’ve got several things in mind.” the words slip through Chanyeol’s lips before he could think about it twice. The thing is, he doesn’t feel as bad as he thought he would feel.
“For bringing the topic while we’re looking for a corpse.” Baekhyun raises his arms, as if he wanted to make it more obvious that he was aware now that it wasn’t the place or the time for the conversation he has tried to initiate.“I didn’t know there was a list of things I should be sorry for.”
“It’s a long list.” Chanyeol smiles, not knowing why he’s feeling so calm right now. He’s looking for the corpse of a young girl, and the man he’s in love with is trying to pick up a fight with him. And then there’s the sunlight, gently caressing his skin, making him feel warm after so long. He stops walking, and so does Baekhyun, who moves to put himself right in front of Chanyeol.
“No one forced you to pull the trigger. You even said you’d do it again.”
Chanyeol is about to reply when something catches his attention. Sehun and Jinah, who were a few meters ahead of them, have stopped walking as well. Jinah seems to be calling Junmyeon, and Sehun is working with one of the drones to establish the perimeter, which can only mean one thing.
They found Kim Nahwa.
The notice shouldn’t make Chanyeol happy, obviously, maybe reconciled with himself in some way. Jaeyoung’s last words, his last promise made to Chanyeol seconds before his death, were part of a broken promise now.
He looks at Baekhyun, who’s still right in front of him, maybe a little bit too close. His eyes are wide open, and Chanyeol knows he’s looking for something. It’s hard not to know what is happening through Baekhyun’s mind in some moments, because Chanyeol’s had years to memorise him. Looking at him always felt like reading your favourite book once again. It’s just that a few pages were ripped out during that tragic night, and when he came back, Chanyeol didn’t know what was left. But right now, Baekhyun is every word he remembers. The way he’s making a pout with his lips, and how he can manage to look angry at the same time, with his hands resting calmly at both sides of his body. He knows him too well, and he doesn’t hesitate when he takes a step closer, and coups Baekhyun’s face with his hands.
“Baekhyun. I’d kill for you” it’s weird how those words can come out of his mouth in such a delicate way. It’s almost beautiful, and calm, a soft whisper between death and summer breeze “but that doesn’t mean that I’m okay with it.”
Baekhyun’s smile is so small it almost goes unnoticed, but it’s also clear in his eyes. The sensation is so pure that his next words catch Chanyeol unarmed, by surprise.
“And would you die for me?”
“What?”
Sehun is signaling them to come closer to the body. Junmyeon is now there too, phone on his hands talking with someone. Probably to Kim Nahwa’s family. It must be nice, Chanyeol thinks, to have closure. Even when it is this kind of closure, it’s better than having no ending at all. Without an ending, you just don’t have anything to hold onto, and days keep passing by while you drown yourself in multiple questions without a proper answer. Why me. Why now. Could it have been different if I hadn't done this one thing? Could it have been different if I had done this one thing? I should have said “I love you” one more time. Maybe a couple more times. Now’s too late to say it.
“You heard me. Would you die for me, Chanyeol?”
But at least it has ended.
-
Baekhyun stopped coming to work after that day. Worst part is, the only one who seemed a little bit surprised was Chanyeol himself. The others didn’t even flinch when Junmyeon told them that Baekhyun’s apartment was empty and that there were no traces of him at all. Apparently, the apartment had been empty for the past few months.
A week passed and Baekhyun was still pretty much a ghost.
By the tenth day, Jongdae walks into their office once again. That night Chanyeol gets drunk by himself in his bedroom during his break. By the eleventh day, Chanyeol starts to wonder if maybe he has imagined it all. Sehun doesn’t bring the topic up, and when Chanyeol does, he manages to divert the conversation into something else. After the fourth attempt, he stopped trying. Soojung and Jinah sometimes exchange whispers, and Chanyeol’s caught Baekhyun’s name a couple of times.
Junmyeon is different, though. He’s evading Chanyeol, sending him off with Jongdae into stupid patrolling works. He’s barely in the office, and when he and Chanyeol are in the same room, Junmyeon does look everywhere but him. It could be that he blames him, Chanyeol surely does so.
Not having closure is what makes Chanyeol stay up all night, unable to sleep, unable to close his eyes without seeing the sunlight caressing Baekhyun’s skin. All the questions except one of them are the same as before. This new mystery crawls through Chanyeol’s heart, ripping it apart, trying to find out in his insides if maybe a different answer would have make things different.
Saying that he wouldn’t die for Baekhyun was a lie. And Chanyeol was a criminal, but definitely not a liar.
-
“Shit. Did you see where he went?”
“Let’s split.”
Chanyeol follows Jongdae’s order, and keeps on running through a different street. It’s hot even though it’s four in the morning, and his hair sticks to his forehead because of the damp. He has to dodge quite a few people despite the time being, stopping just before running into a fence. He stops, trying to catch his breath. His head is starting to hurt, could be the lack of oxygen or the almost blinding neon pink lights.
“Jongdae, I think I’ve lost him.” He starts, but when the answer doesn’t come in the next seconds he tries again. “Jongdae?” The device is on, and so it should be working, but the communication channel seems to have problems. Chanyeol holds it closer to one of the lampposts, trying to get a better look of it, but he drops it at soon as he hears a sound. He raises his dominator almost instantly.
But something’s not right.
“Crime Coefficient is over 300. He’s a target for enforcement action. Enforcement mode: Lethal Eliminator. Please aim carefully and eliminate the target.”
The man he and Jongdae had been looking for is right in front of him, with his hands up and a open wound on his head. It’s still bleeding, and the red fluid seems funnily pink with the reflection of the signs.
A shadow comes from behind him, holding his own dominator and looking completely out of place.
Baekhyun’s hair is blonde again.
“What are you doing?” Chanyeol asks, but it doesn’t sound like his own voice, almost as if he wasn’t really there. It can’t be real, right? Baekhyun being there after a month of silence and sleepless nights. He doesn't take his eyes off Baekhyun, seeing how the older changes his target, the new one being now Chanyeol.
“Crime Coefficient is over by 120. An enforcer registered at the Criminal Investigation Department. He’s an enforce at will target. The safety will be released.”
He tries to say something, but no sound comes from his mouth. The worst part is, Chanyeol doesn’t know if he’s scared of excited. Sure he can be both at the same time, right? This is how he always imagined a closure would feel like. When he smiles, Baekhyun returns the gesture.
“Bye love.”
-
At first, when he opens his eyes, everything seems to be a vast dark ocean. It feels like being born again, with the initial darkness and then sudden realization of the existence of light. Tiny little dots, hanging just above him, making him feel small and lost. Honestly, there are a million questions on Chanyeol’s mind right now. How did he get there. What is going to happen now. At least he doesn’t have to worry about the place or who is he with. Because he would remember the sky view from his grandmother's house rooftop no matter what, along with a strong familiar scent.
Freedom. And maybe summer breeze.
How long has it been?
Prompt#: 297
Title: summer breeze
Word Count: 6.690
Side Pairing(s): none
Rating: M
Warning(s):[click to open]graphic descriptions of violence, murder
Disclaimer: The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: A year ago, maybe he would have tried to approach him. He would have talked with the man. But now? Chanyeol doesn’t think twice before he pulls the trigger. (psycho pass au)
Author's Note: dear prompter, I know a story based on an anime isn't probably what you had in mind. It's not what I had in mind at first either. But things change, and this is what I was able to work out. You wanted mystery and I'm really bad at it, but you also wanted fantasy and I think that the dynamic in the psycho-pass universe covers that.
It's not necessary to watch psycho-pass to understand the story, I've explained everything the reader would need to know to follow the story (although it's a great anime you all should see). It could be considered a dystopia au as well.
I wish I'd had more time (truth be told, I'm a really slow writer and creativity tends to abandon me). I wish I'd done better than this, and I truly wish you all enjoy it even though it didn't came out as I planned it. Thank you ☺
AO3 ver
“What do you miss the most?”
It’s a simple question, Chanyeol thinks. “Everything” should be the answer. From the early walks to the office feeling the summer breeze against his skin, to the rooftop at his grandmother’s house where he could see the starry sky. And all the things in between. Chanyeol knows that he should miss everything about his old life, but that’s not what comes to his mind when Sehun asks him the question.
Instead, there are two words, hanging on the edge of his mind, burning him from inside out. And it’s not a what, but a who.
-
“Hello, my name is Kim Jongdae, I've been assigned to the CID as of today.”
Jongdae looks young, although Chanyeol already knows that he is not. He glances at him, wondering now how much time will it take the CID to crush his happiness. Because Kim Jongdae is happy. That’s something you can say from just taking a look at the boy. And it’s not weird at all. Nowadays the Sybil System reads your talent and tells you the way of living that will bring you the most happiness. Unlike before, a time when people were unreadable and unpredictable, and therefore not even themselves were able to choose the correct path.
If the Sybil System has decided that Jongdae fits into the Criminal Investigation Department, then that’s it. No further question. No second thoughts. Just a wide smile caused by the dazzling sensation of fulfilling a duty.
“Nice to meet you, Inspector Kim. Please make yourself at home, we’re happy to have you.” Chanyeol lets out a small chuckle that is ignored by Junmyeon, who shakes Jongdae’s hands and continues with the welcome speech. “I’m Kim Junmyeon, I’m in charge of Team 4. And they are Oh Sehun, Jung Soojung, Park Chanyeol and Im Jinah. They’re all the enforcers assigned to our team.” Junmyeon makes a pause. “You should get to know them, at some point.”
Chanyeol doesn’t miss the small frown of Jongdae’s eyebrows. It’s almost funny, the way he can read what’s going on in his mind. Right now Jongdae is asking himself why should he bother to get to knowing them. They’re just enforcers. Dogs strapped on a short leash, something to use for their advantage. That’s what they teach you about latent criminals in the academy after all.
-
“This is an elevated Area Stress Level warning. Inside Hongdae, in the Mapo-gu district, a Psycho-Pass above the regulation has been detected. Inspectors on duty, please go straight to the site with enforcers immediately.”
It’s been awhile since Chanyeol’s been in Hongdae. The streets are as busy as he remembers them, and though it isn’t night yet, he can already listen to the music coming out from some clubs. What wouldn’t Chanyeol give to be just one of those pedestrians, walking freely and completely oblivious to what it’s happening. Just going to some club, drinking with his friends and talking shit, going back soon to his apartment because he has an early shift the next day.
How long has it been?
“I hate this.” Sehun says, then lets out a big yawn. “Some random civilian gets a little bit stressed and now we have to move our asses to find him and tell him to calm the fuck down. It’s stupid, don’t you think?”
He doesn’t get to answer.
“Drones have been watching the streets since the warning was triggered. They haven’t caught anyone, and the stress level has not decreased.” Jongdae shows them a map, it has some red marks where the stress level is more elevated. “After we take the dominators, we’ll have a look, just aim if you see anyone who shows any symptoms, but don’t shoot without telling me first, okay?”
Chanyeol sees him twenty minutes later. He’s old, maybe on his sixties. What reveals him is something as human as sweat. The man’s shirt is soaked, even though he’s just sitting on a bench, with a little purse in his hands. They almost passed by, but Chanyeol happened to look at him once more.
He raises his dominator, aims at the old man, and hears the familiar voice in his mind almost instantly.
“Crime Coefficient is over by 110. He’s a target for enforcement action. Enforcement mode is Non-Lethal Paralyzer. The safety will be released. Aim calmly and bring the target under control.”
A year ago, maybe he would have tried to approach him. He would have talked with the man, to see if the raise of his Psycho-Pass was just a temporary thing. It worked, sometimes, and the person would have to attend one or maybe two therapy sessions anyways, but their record wouldn’t be stained.
But now?
Chanyeol doesn’t think twice before he pulls the trigger.
“I told them to warn me, Junmyeon. This isn’t about how things worked out, it’s about obedience.”
“I know, I know. But can’t you let this one go? The patient is already receiving treatment. Everything’s fine.” Junmyeon tries to sound calm, but for the way Chanyeol sees him massaging his temples, he knows that he’s far from that. Jongdae is still pissed off, but what is he going to do about that? “I’ll talk to Park. Your shift ended, go home now, this isn’t something you should worry about.”
“Yeah, sure you’ll talk to Park. Like that’s going to solve anything.” Jongdae says as he grabs his coat. It’s late, and Junmyeon is right. He shouldn’t worry about him. Chanyeol is going to keep on doing what he wants. That’s what happens when you got nothing to lose. When he passes by Chanyeol, Jongdae speaks again. “At least we’re not going to be in the same team starting next week.”
“Yeah? And why is that?” Chanyeol asks, speaking for the first time since they got back from Hongdae. He doesn’t even look at Jongdae, his eyes are too busy with the new hologram design he’s been working on during the last month.
“Inspector Kim,” Junmyeon calls him. And there is something in his voice. Something that only a person who’s known him for a long time would notice. It’s almost like the silence between a lightning and the thunder. A feeling of anticipation of something that you don't want to come. That’s why Chanyeol looks up.
He knows immediately that he shouldn’t have. The smile on Jongdae’s face is wide, but empty, so different from the one that he saw him wearing when he was first assigned to their team almost five months ago.
“Haven’t you heard? Inspector Byun is back from therapy.”
-
Back then, it all had make sense. Society is so much safer now that the Sybil System exists. Nothing is invisible anymore. Every person can be read and evaluated while they’re just walking down the streets. If their hue, or stress level, exceeds some specific measures, then their Psycho-Pass will be affected. People’s Crime Coefficient shows the possibility of them being a criminal, it doesn’t matter if they have committed a crime or not.
Chanyeol hasn’t, and those who are like him are called latent criminals.
It’s all about possibilities. Chanyeol has done nothing wrong, he has made no harm to anyone who wasn’t guilty. Yet Sybil says that he has the possibility to. Sybil has decided that Chanyeol can’t walk free anymore, that he’s a threat to the community and to the well-being of others. Therapy doesn’t work on latent criminals, so again, it’s about possibilities: expending their life in prison, or working for the Criminal Investigation Department. Enforcers -that’s why they call them- can’t go anywhere besides the CID floor and their quarters. They can’t leave the building without an Inspector.
In other words, latent criminals are prisoners.
Chanyeol had believed in the Sybil System once. He thought that it made sense, who wouldn’t want to stop a threat before it even starts? That’s why he became an Inspector. It was all about safety, being prepared, and protecting people before something bad happened.
Baekhyun had always thought differently.
“I’ve heard he’s coming back next monday.” Sehun’s words are accompanied by a bottle of soju. Chanyeol eyes the bottle, then gets up from his bed. He takes it from Sehun’s hands, and drinks half of it before the other man dares to say something else. “I’m sure it’ll work. Somehow.”
Sehun was flagged in a Psycho-Pass test when he was ten. Sybil decided that he was a latent criminal, and that he had no possibility of rehabilitation through treatment. Life as a prisoner it’s all Sehun has known since then. It’s the only life he’s going to live, just like him. Chanyeol hadn’t questioned situations like this before. But now, looking at the other man, who he can call now a friend, he can’t help but feeling angry. What kind of threat is a ten year old child to society anyway? And why does a software get to decide that he’s hopeless?
“It’s stupid.” Chanyeol says, once his throat stops burning from the alcohol.
“Uh?” Sehun looks up to him from where he’s sprawled on the couch.
“About what you asked me the other day. I think it is. All of this. It’s stupid.”
-
Baekhyun does come back on monday. His hair is black now, just how it was during the Academy, and high school, where Chanyeol had met him. He had changed it into a bright blonde color during their first year at the CID, but Chanyeol kind of feels relieved about it being gone. The last memory he has of his blonde hair, is how it looked red while being covered up in blood.
“I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve missed you.” He hears Junmyeon say, and Baekhyun greets him back. Just like he greets Soojung, Sehun and Jinah. All of his words are full of affection, because it’s Baekhyun after all. Wasn’t his fault the fact that he cares about people? Chanyeol hears Baekhyun laugh at something that Jinah says, and after that the room falls into an awkward silence.
It’s not like their past (is it past?) relationship was a secret, they all knew about it.
Suddenly, Baekhyun is standing in front of his desk. He can’t ignore him, because honestly, he doesn’t want to be rude. But before looking up, he thinks about what Sehun had asked him the first week after he was reincorporated into the team as an enforcer. It was about what he missed the most. It’s obvious. Chanyeol could say that he misses the dawn, and the rooftop back at his grandmother's house. Or he could say that he misses all the things in between. Things like waking up with Baekhyun’s body on top of his, embracing him. Like preparing a warm dinner and waiting for Baekhyun’s shift to end, so they could eat together watching an old movie. Or just listening to him whispering “i love yous” while they became one under the sheets at night.
If there is just one thing that Chanyeol misses every day like crazy, it’s him.
“Park.”
The coldness in Baekhyun’s voice almost makes him shiver. He finally looks up. Park, uh? so that’s how it's going to be. Chanyeol can’t say that he’s surprised. He’s had an entire week to prepare himself for this moment. He tried to think about every possible scenario between them, and being called “Park” by someone who used to scream and worship his name is not actually that bad. It could be worse, and on top of that, two can play the same game.
“Inspector Byun.” It doesn’t matter that Chanyeol is breaking apart right now. It doesn’t matter the fact that there is a high pitched noise echoing inside his head, or that he could swear that he can hear the Sybil System laughing at him. He pulls out a smile, a genuine one, and looks right into Baekhyun’s eyes and says “It’s good to have you back.”
He still smells like summer breeze.
-
The first days are weird, but after a month Chanyeol gets used to work with Baekhyun being there. It's easier than what he expected. Turns out that when two people are reciprocally avoiding each other, it kind of works. Junmyeon helps too, changing positions so now Chanyeol works with him and Soojung and Baekhyun work with Sehun and Jinah. Of course, all of them have to work together sometimes, and since they're on the same team it's impossible for them to ignore each other.
But things go on quietly. Some days they would exchange a few words about a case, or Baekhyun would ask Chanyeol about the reports. They even went out to examine an Area Stress Level warning together, and things worked out perfectly. They brought in the latent criminal, a young student who had been thinking about stealing some jewelry to sell it at double price. How there are still people who think about stealing, Chanyeol doesn't know. He even commented on the thing with Baekhyun, back in their quarter, and they laughed together about other things. No one said anything.
Chanyeol thinks that as long as they keep their relationship strictly related to work, there's nothing that can go wrong. He also knows that he's not helping the situation by relieving himself in the shower thinking about the inspector, but Baekhyun has always had that effect on him. It doesn't really matter, because those thoughts are his only, and besides, he's learned how to not keep his eyes on Baekhyun's lips.
"Aren't you going to eat that?" Chanyeol snaps from this thoughts when Sehun throws him that question. He looks at his friend, and then at the piece of cake neatly placed on the table. "You know, Jinah made it, and she's going to get mad at you if don't at least try it."
Today's Jinah's birthday, and after their shift ended, they all went back to the enforcer's quarters. And "all" means that Junmyeon and Baekhyun are there too. It is weird to see him standing there, in the middle of the room with his tie loosen up, when he should be home now, far away from Chanyeol. Baekhyun and him had been in the enforcer's quarters plenty of times before. They always talked about how the chambers were cold, meaning that the walls were plain gray, with no windows or paintings, and that there was no sign of anyone living down there. Not a single picture, or a personal object left behind, nothing. The Chanyeol who was a kind inspector didn't understand why it was like that, why no one tried to make the place friendlier. But now, Chanyeol the enforcer knows. Those quarters, those room, they are not their home. They are their prison. And that's something that they cannot afford to forget by hanging a couple of pictures.
"Chanyeol, you okay?"
"Mm?" Ah, he did it again. It's so easy for Chanyeol to get lost inside of his mind when he has nowhere else to go. He feels guilty about the concern in Sehun's voice.
"You've been looking at the void for five minutes now. At first it was entertaining, but then I started to worry. Should I call Yixing so he can check on you?"
"I'm okay, don't worry." he answers, and before Sehun can take the piece of cake away from him, Chanyeol gives it a try. The sweet feels odd on this tongue. When he looks up, Baekhyun is suddenly gone. Not that he cares.
"So? Is it good?" Jinah asks him with a smile glued to her face.
"It's really good.” It is not a lie. Jinah likes to cook, and if it wasn’t for her Chanyeol would have already forgotten how a home cooked meal tastes like. She uses the kitchen the most, while the others, like Chanyeol, survive on food delivering or pre-cooked meals. “Happy birthday again, Nana."
“You didn’t make a cake for my birthday though.” Sehun protests, earning a light slap by Jinah on his shoulder. Chanyeol smiles when he sees that.
“I made you seaweed soup, you ungrateful child.” She says as she walks away, pretending to be hurt. Chanyeol’s eyes search through the room again, just to confirm that indeed, Baekhyun has already left. Junmyeon’s now gone too, so only the four of them -the ones who cannot get out- remain there. Chanyeol knows that Sehun and Soojung have been locked up since they were very young, but how long has it been since Jinah joined them? Maybe three, four years? She must have memories about her other birthdays. She looks like the kind of girl who would throw a wild party surrounded by all her friends. She probably was.
Was. Past tense.
“Where are you going?” Sehun asks him when Chanyeol gets up.
“I’m tired.” It’s his only answer, he doesn’t need to explain himself any further. Sehun understands, that’s why he doesn’t say anything when Chanyeol congratulates Jinah again, says his goodbyes to her and Soojung and walks out the door.
He stops by the office again, to grab his laptop. He needs to clear his mind, and nothing distracts Chanyeol more than designing. It’s his field, actually, he did specialize in Hologram Design, and through that, Chanyeol was able to lead the investigations that occurred in the virtual world. He can no longer do that, but he’s still pretty good at it.
When Chanyeol opens the door to his room, he almost drops his laptop. He knows that something is wrong instantly, which makes his full body go on alert mode. The lights are on, and there is a figure standing in the middle of the cell. When the man turns, Chanyeol meets Baekhyun’s dark eyes.
At first, none of them says anything. And it’s not like they have to.
Sure, Baekhyun should explain why he was there. He should explain a lot of things, actually, because Chanyeol needs some of the answers to finally sleep peacefully at night. Right now there is a world between them, and it doesn’t matter that they’re in the same room, Chanyeol still feels like Baekhyun’s millions of miles away.
They’ve hardly ever needed words to know what the other wanted. Tonight is no exception. Chanyeol has barely a couple of seconds to put down his laptop before Baekhyun is on him, hands on his hair and lips colliding. Baekhyun might be small, but he’s not weak, and he pushes Chanyeol until his back hits the door, closing it. He can feel one of Baekhyun’s hands travelling under his clothes, and the other slightly pulling at his hair. It’s not until the other man opens his mouth to let his tongue in that Chanyeol tastes the alcohol.
He stops the kiss.
“Baekhyun.”
“No.”
That’s all the inspector says before grabbing Chanyeol by the shirt’s collar, pulling him down into another desperate kiss. Chanyeol is trying to think, -he really is-, but it’s so difficult when he has Baekhyun moaning into his mouth. Part of him wants to pretend. To pretend that they’re at their old apartment, getting ready for the night. To pretend that the shooting never happened, and that the Sybil System doesn’t find a threat in any of them. To pretend that Baekhyun’s still his -because he’s still Baekhyun’s, his whole heart is-, and that they could have a future together.
It’s so easy to get lost, so easy to give up. Maybe that’s why Chanyeol is a criminal, because if temptation comes for him in Baekhyun’s form, Chanyeol’s lost the battle before it could even began.
So he just lets Baekhyun unbuckle his belt, and he doesn’t say anything when he feels his pants around his ankles. What he does is cover his own mouth with his hands, just in case he can’t control himself.
And Baekhyun goes down.
-
Chanyeol is almost out of breath when he gets to the rooftop. Seoul’s night sky greets him with grey clouds and the reflection of hundreds of neon lights. The light sign on the nearest building casts a yellow shadow on the man in front of him, the one whom they’ve been chasing across Mapo-Gu all afternoon. Even in the dark Chanyeol notices the black spot on his white t-shirt, which is likely to be Mrs.Jung’s blood.
Chanyeol aims the dominator at him.
Jung Sohye, his potential second victim, was found dead at his apartment that same morning. Though apparently it all started with the disappearance of another woman ten days ago. Kim Nahwa disappeared after she attended a Nell concert. Her friends said that she was with them during the whole show, but they never saw her again after it ended. Her apartment’s keys were found in Song’s bedroom. Usually, when people disappear, they’re found at casinos or in one of the few drug tent that still exist. How did Song Jaeyoung manage to murder a girl a week ago and keep walking through the street without being tagged by drones is one thing that the CID doesn’t know. They don’t know where the body of Mrs.Kim is either, and that’s the only reason that is keeping Chanyeol from shooting.
“Crime Coefficient is over 300. He’s a target for enforcement action. Enforcement mode: Lethal Eliminator. Please aim carefully and eliminate the target.”
“Okay Song, hands up, where I can see ‘em.” Chanyeol shouts, watching closely as the other man puts his hands over his head. He then press the communicator. “This is Park. I found the target on the rooftop of the HD Building. What are the orders?”
It takes a couple of seconds before he can hear Baekhyun’s voice, loud and clear.
“We need him alive. I’m tracking your position, wait until we get there.”
“Roger.”
And then Chanyeol hears it. It had been a faint noise at first, something in the background while he was listening to Sybil and Baekhyun. The unmistakeable sound of someone laughing. When he looks up, Chanyeol catches a glimpse of Song’s smile, right before the laugh becomes an angry screech.
Their eyes meet, and Chanyeol’s whole body and soul tremble. There is not even a little trace of remorse in the criminal’s eyes; there is no fear. This is why Chanyeol’s been avoiding talking to the targets since he became an enforcer. Because that man, standing right in front of him, with his clothes stained with the blood of innocent women, is, to Sybil, his equal.
Did Chanyeol’s eyes look the same after he shot the man who was choking Baekhyun to death? How is it the same, killing for pleasure than killing trying to protect your life? Chanyeol had no choice, his one and only crime was to let the emotions control him that night. Yes, killing that man was his duty, but at some point between Baekhyun’s last breath and the blood sliding across his temple, it had become Chanyeol’s will. He didn’t pull the trigger to fulfill Sybil’s choice, he pulled it to watch the man who was trying to kill Baekhyun die. He pulled the trigger because in that moment it was the thing that he wanted to do the most.
“I know you can’t kill me.” The harsh voice of Song Jaeyoung brings Chanyeol back to the present, to the old rooftop. The rain's still falling, and Chanyeol is suddenly aware of how cold he is. “You would have done it by now if you could. You want to know where’s the other girl, don’t you?”
“Shut up, or I’ll shoot anyway.”
“You’ll never find her.”
It happens fast.
Song Jaeyoung runs towards the end of the building, and Chanyeol tries to stop him, but he fails.
There are a few things that will probably haunt Chanyeol’s mind after this.
First, the yellow light, coming from the neon sign placed at the next building, and how it casted an ugly shadow on the criminal’s face, making almost believable that it was the true colour of his skin. Then, the dry thump that was followed by the pedestrian’s screams. The body had fell in a busy street during night time, and therefore most of the people hadn’t been able to hold the liquor in. And finally, the pleasure in Song Jaeyoung’s final words, while he told Chanyeol that they won’t find Kim Nahwa.
-
“Chanyeol. Harder.”
Baekhyun has always been demanding. He likes things done his way, and Chanyeol still hasn’t decipher how he gets them every single time. What he knows is: one second they were arguing about the outturn of the case, and the next Baekhyun had him straddled with his legs on the bed. Ties and pants on the floor, Chanyeol thinks it’s selfish, but he would take Baekhyun’s physical attention anyway. All he wants to hear are love words, but those moaning coming out Baekhyun’s mouth every he buries himself deeper inside him is not that bad.
How long has it been?
“I went to see your family.” Baekhyun says, once the sex is over and they’re both breathing fine.
Chanyeol shifts on the bed to look at him. Still naked and with his skin glowing from the thin layer of sweat, Baekhyun has his eyes on him, and this is the first time that he does so after one of their sex encounters. Usually Baekhyun is out of the room as soon as Chanyeol is out of him. It takes him a moment to fully understand what Baekhyun has said, and when his mind registers the word “family”, he suddenly feels out of breath.
“Your mom misses you, you know.”
“Stop.” Chanyeol gets up, grabbing the clothes from the floor and starting to dress himself. “Don’t go there, Baekhyun.”
Baekhyun stays still, looking at him during a couple of seconds before he loses interest, apparently. Chanyeol wants to be angry because of that. Why does he think that he can do that? First he fucks him, then he starts talking about Chanyeol’s family. Like it is okay to just do that. Like Chanyeol still had a family.
“I guess it’s fair.” he says, and then he starts to get dressed. Chanyeol doesn’t look at him this time. Usually he wouldn’t take his eyes off Baekhyun, relishing their last seconds together until Baekhyun decides that he wants sex again. Chanyeol is not dumb, he knows Baekhyun is just using him, but he doesn’t feel used at all. He’s just sad.
“I never said thank you.” Baekhyun speaks again, and something in his voice catches Chanyeol’s attention. “For saving my life that night, you know.”
Chanyeol turns to look at him. He has that night painted at the back of his mind, always playing in the background like a sad melody.
“Yeah well, you’re welcome.”
“I need to ask something, though.” Baekhyun’s eyes change into a darker tone of brown. “If you knew what would happen to you if you pull the trigger, would you have done it anyway?
“Yes.”
-
Song Jaeyoung’s bedroom is unsurprisingly normal. It’s a small room, with a bed, a desk and some shelves. The walls are painted a dark grey, but they are mostly covered by posters. All of them are music related, and Chanyeol recognizes quite a few of the groups. In fact, the shelves are full with music CDs, from national to international artists, from hip-hop to classical music. You could say that Song was not just a criminal, but a music lover too. That’s two things Chanyeol has in common with him.
“We’re wasting time.” Soojung says from the corner of the room, where she’s going through Song Jaeyoung’s pile of clothes. Aside from too many dirty socks, she doesn’t seem to have found anything relevant.
“Don’t say that.” Chanyeol asks, even if he thinks the same. He’s going through Jaeyoung’s cds, and truth be told, he’s been wondering for the past twenty minutes if the CID would let him keep them. There are just too many good pieces of work there, and it would be a shame if they ended up being thrown. His fingers almost itch when he grabs Nell’s Slip Away.
Chanyeol observes the cd in his hands. Technically, music is something that hasn’t been taken away from him. He still has his guitar, and his equipment. He might not spend the nights composing as he did before, but music has been the only constant thing in his life since that night.
He’s about to put back the cd in his place when something slips from the inside. Chanyeol frowns when he recognizes a polaroid picture on the floor. He freezes as soon as he takes it.
“I’m just saying, he’s the only one who knew, and he’s dead. I can’t believe the bastard killed himself just to make things for us more complicated.”
“What if he isn’t the only one who knows?”
“What?”
“This photo was taken at Nell’s concert two years ago.” Chanyeol shows her the picture. There are two men in it, and one of them is clearly Song Jaeyoung. He’s smiling, with his arm around the other’s man shoulders, both of them wearing the same shirt with the concert date on it. Even though the scenario can’t be seen, Chanyeol’s knows it’s Nell’s concert. Hell, he was there.
“Are you really suggesting…?”
“Yes. Maybe he went to the last concert with this guy here again. He could know something.” There is a hint of despair in his voice, and Soojung’s eyes softens when he takes them off the picture to look at Chanyeol.
“Chances are small, Chanyeol.”
“I’ll take anything. Let’s go.”
-
The place is located in the border between Gangseo and Yangcheong. It’s just another one of those fields. The ones that are green and pink during spring, yellow during summer, brown and orange during autumn and white in winter. The ones that are full of people during the day, with families teaching their kids how to ride a bicycle and groups of friends drinking and enjoying the sunlight. The ones that, once the night comes, turn into something completely different.
With no streetlights, the shadows dance between the trees and their own pace, taking in dirty secrets.
Song Jaeyoung used to like this place during the day, but according to one of his friends, he always liked it more during night. It was perfect for bringing company, specially if they didn’t want to be interrupted. No cameras, no population near, not even a road. The field is just another one of Seoul’s dead zones, in which humans proved yet/once again their true nature.
Human Nature. It was a big dilemma back then, before Sybil was created. It was the subject of countless arguments, and Chanyeol had read a few books about it, but his mind never wandered around the topic too much. When he was an inspector it didn’t matter anyway, because he trusted Sybil to give everyone a fair treatment, and human nature couldn’t be any less important.
“Can we talk?”
Baekhyun’s voice brings Chanyeol back to reality. He looks at the other man, who Chanyeol now notices hasn’t leave his side since he got out of the van.
“Is it about the case?” he asks, carefully, because the older male has been acting weird for a couple of days now. Yesterday he didn’t show up at work because apparently he was sick, but today Baekhyun doesn’t show any of the symptoms of a cold.
“No.” The answers comes after a few seconds in cold silence.
“Is it about us?”
Baekhyun flinches, guiltiness visible all over his face.
“God, Baekhyun, you’re unbelievable.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what, exactly? Cause I’ve got several things in mind.” the words slip through Chanyeol’s lips before he could think about it twice. The thing is, he doesn’t feel as bad as he thought he would feel.
“For bringing the topic while we’re looking for a corpse.” Baekhyun raises his arms, as if he wanted to make it more obvious that he was aware now that it wasn’t the place or the time for the conversation he has tried to initiate.“I didn’t know there was a list of things I should be sorry for.”
“It’s a long list.” Chanyeol smiles, not knowing why he’s feeling so calm right now. He’s looking for the corpse of a young girl, and the man he’s in love with is trying to pick up a fight with him. And then there’s the sunlight, gently caressing his skin, making him feel warm after so long. He stops walking, and so does Baekhyun, who moves to put himself right in front of Chanyeol.
“No one forced you to pull the trigger. You even said you’d do it again.”
Chanyeol is about to reply when something catches his attention. Sehun and Jinah, who were a few meters ahead of them, have stopped walking as well. Jinah seems to be calling Junmyeon, and Sehun is working with one of the drones to establish the perimeter, which can only mean one thing.
They found Kim Nahwa.
The notice shouldn’t make Chanyeol happy, obviously, maybe reconciled with himself in some way. Jaeyoung’s last words, his last promise made to Chanyeol seconds before his death, were part of a broken promise now.
He looks at Baekhyun, who’s still right in front of him, maybe a little bit too close. His eyes are wide open, and Chanyeol knows he’s looking for something. It’s hard not to know what is happening through Baekhyun’s mind in some moments, because Chanyeol’s had years to memorise him. Looking at him always felt like reading your favourite book once again. It’s just that a few pages were ripped out during that tragic night, and when he came back, Chanyeol didn’t know what was left. But right now, Baekhyun is every word he remembers. The way he’s making a pout with his lips, and how he can manage to look angry at the same time, with his hands resting calmly at both sides of his body. He knows him too well, and he doesn’t hesitate when he takes a step closer, and coups Baekhyun’s face with his hands.
“Baekhyun. I’d kill for you” it’s weird how those words can come out of his mouth in such a delicate way. It’s almost beautiful, and calm, a soft whisper between death and summer breeze “but that doesn’t mean that I’m okay with it.”
Baekhyun’s smile is so small it almost goes unnoticed, but it’s also clear in his eyes. The sensation is so pure that his next words catch Chanyeol unarmed, by surprise.
“And would you die for me?”
“What?”
Sehun is signaling them to come closer to the body. Junmyeon is now there too, phone on his hands talking with someone. Probably to Kim Nahwa’s family. It must be nice, Chanyeol thinks, to have closure. Even when it is this kind of closure, it’s better than having no ending at all. Without an ending, you just don’t have anything to hold onto, and days keep passing by while you drown yourself in multiple questions without a proper answer. Why me. Why now. Could it have been different if I hadn't done this one thing? Could it have been different if I had done this one thing? I should have said “I love you” one more time. Maybe a couple more times. Now’s too late to say it.
“You heard me. Would you die for me, Chanyeol?”
But at least it has ended.
-
Baekhyun stopped coming to work after that day. Worst part is, the only one who seemed a little bit surprised was Chanyeol himself. The others didn’t even flinch when Junmyeon told them that Baekhyun’s apartment was empty and that there were no traces of him at all. Apparently, the apartment had been empty for the past few months.
A week passed and Baekhyun was still pretty much a ghost.
By the tenth day, Jongdae walks into their office once again. That night Chanyeol gets drunk by himself in his bedroom during his break. By the eleventh day, Chanyeol starts to wonder if maybe he has imagined it all. Sehun doesn’t bring the topic up, and when Chanyeol does, he manages to divert the conversation into something else. After the fourth attempt, he stopped trying. Soojung and Jinah sometimes exchange whispers, and Chanyeol’s caught Baekhyun’s name a couple of times.
Junmyeon is different, though. He’s evading Chanyeol, sending him off with Jongdae into stupid patrolling works. He’s barely in the office, and when he and Chanyeol are in the same room, Junmyeon does look everywhere but him. It could be that he blames him, Chanyeol surely does so.
Not having closure is what makes Chanyeol stay up all night, unable to sleep, unable to close his eyes without seeing the sunlight caressing Baekhyun’s skin. All the questions except one of them are the same as before. This new mystery crawls through Chanyeol’s heart, ripping it apart, trying to find out in his insides if maybe a different answer would have make things different.
Saying that he wouldn’t die for Baekhyun was a lie. And Chanyeol was a criminal, but definitely not a liar.
-
“Shit. Did you see where he went?”
“Let’s split.”
Chanyeol follows Jongdae’s order, and keeps on running through a different street. It’s hot even though it’s four in the morning, and his hair sticks to his forehead because of the damp. He has to dodge quite a few people despite the time being, stopping just before running into a fence. He stops, trying to catch his breath. His head is starting to hurt, could be the lack of oxygen or the almost blinding neon pink lights.
“Jongdae, I think I’ve lost him.” He starts, but when the answer doesn’t come in the next seconds he tries again. “Jongdae?” The device is on, and so it should be working, but the communication channel seems to have problems. Chanyeol holds it closer to one of the lampposts, trying to get a better look of it, but he drops it at soon as he hears a sound. He raises his dominator almost instantly.
But something’s not right.
“Crime Coefficient is over 300. He’s a target for enforcement action. Enforcement mode: Lethal Eliminator. Please aim carefully and eliminate the target.”
The man he and Jongdae had been looking for is right in front of him, with his hands up and a open wound on his head. It’s still bleeding, and the red fluid seems funnily pink with the reflection of the signs.
A shadow comes from behind him, holding his own dominator and looking completely out of place.
Baekhyun’s hair is blonde again.
“What are you doing?” Chanyeol asks, but it doesn’t sound like his own voice, almost as if he wasn’t really there. It can’t be real, right? Baekhyun being there after a month of silence and sleepless nights. He doesn't take his eyes off Baekhyun, seeing how the older changes his target, the new one being now Chanyeol.
“Crime Coefficient is over by 120. An enforcer registered at the Criminal Investigation Department. He’s an enforce at will target. The safety will be released.”
He tries to say something, but no sound comes from his mouth. The worst part is, Chanyeol doesn’t know if he’s scared of excited. Sure he can be both at the same time, right? This is how he always imagined a closure would feel like. When he smiles, Baekhyun returns the gesture.
“Bye love.”
-
At first, when he opens his eyes, everything seems to be a vast dark ocean. It feels like being born again, with the initial darkness and then sudden realization of the existence of light. Tiny little dots, hanging just above him, making him feel small and lost. Honestly, there are a million questions on Chanyeol’s mind right now. How did he get there. What is going to happen now. At least he doesn’t have to worry about the place or who is he with. Because he would remember the sky view from his grandmother's house rooftop no matter what, along with a strong familiar scent.
Freedom. And maybe summer breeze.
How long has it been?