Chicane (1/3)
kai/kyungsoo (+ wufan/kyungsoo/zitao) ; r ; ~8,700w ; criminal AU
kyungsoo likes order, logic and constants while kai likes messing up solved puzzles and throwing things off track
ONE - WE MET AND I WAS DYING
“Everything's set up guys. The mission is now a go. I repeat; the mission is a go.”
Kyungsoo registers the voice in his earpiece as Wufan's. His brain translates the words into a single command: Go-time. His body tenses with the onslaught of adrenaline, cold as ice as it overtakes his every sense. He catches sight of himself in the reflection of a glass door and pauses to straighten out his jacket, admiring the way the garment compliments his body. A fleeting thought of how Wufan really is good at dressing people comes to mind before he refocuses his attention, submerging himself in his character and abandoning all thoughts that belong to Do Kyungsoo to instead adopt those of Kang Juwon, his alias of the past few months, and more importantly, of the night.
Standing at the edge of the high class party he is attending, he takes to watching the scene for a while, occasionally sipping from the glass of champagne he holds in a gloved hand. With his slicked back hair, expensive suit, dark make-up and shiny Italian dress shoes, he looks just like one of them; upper-class, wealthy people with far too much money and too few worries in the world. Normally, Kyungsoo would look down upon them, upon pointless get-togethers such as this, but tonight he's playing a role and it's of utmost importance that he plays it well.
He smiles at anyone who glances his way, making a show of taking out his pocket watch ever so often and glancing at the time to indicate he is waiting on someone. It's exactly ten past eight when the big entrance doors swing open, indicating a new guest, and Kyungsoo can’t help but smile at Zitao’s never-ending punctuality. He goes over to the newcomer, smiling and wrapping an arm around the man’s waist. They get a few curious looks from the surrounding guests, but both men ignore them, fully focused on one another.
“You look splendid,” Kyungsoo whispers, pressing a tiny kiss on the skin just underneath Zitao’s ear.
“Why, thank you, Juwon-ssi. You look rather dashing yourself.” Zitao turns to him and grins, and Kyungsoo finds himself grinning back. Through their earpieces, they hear Wufan cough.
They manoeuvre their way in and out of conversations, exchanging pleasantries with the various other guests and just generally making their presence known. It takes a mere fifteen minutes for a tall, handsome man to approach the pair, smiling through too-white teeth as he places a hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder.
“Juwon," he says, regarding Kyungsoo with false amiability. "I'm so glad you could make it. And I see you've brought a guest?” His gaze shifts to Zitao almost instantly, sharp eyes raking over Zitao's body in a way that makes him feel rather exposed. But as uncomfortable as he is, Zitao does nothing to show it, smiling pleasantly and bowing as he is acknowledged.
“Yes, Himchan sir,” Kyungsoo answers, voice sickly sweet, “I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Not when tonight's the night we relieve you of your riches. "And yes," he adds on, turning to face Zitao, "this is my roommate." He puts his hand on the small of Zitao's back and pushes him forward, taking a small step back as he does so to remove himself from the focal point. He already knows that Zitao has all of Himchan's attention, what with the way his boss is one step away from drooling all over him, but chances are still best left untaken.
“Roommate, huh? And what might your name be, beautiful?” Himchan looks at Zitao with a suggestive stare and Zitao blinks back innocently, coy smile playing on his pink-painted lips.
Kyungsoo can tell Zitao's whole act is working with the way Himchan's face is progressively reddening and how he keeps reaching up to tug at his collar, as if the small amount of space it allows isn't enough to let him breathe comfortably in Zitao's presence. In all the months he's worked for the man, Kyungsoo has never seen him so flustered. It's amusing, really, that all it takes is a suited and booted Zitao to get fierce, strong, untouchable Himchan all hot and bothered, but then he takes another look at Zitao, who's looking at the ground shyly while he pulls on a strand of his dark hair, and he feels it for himself, the undeniable pull that the younger boy has.
He watches on as Himchan openly flirts with Zitao, Zitao answering all of his not-so-subtle advances with clever, roundabout answers. Just when he thinks that maybe Zitao has overdone it and Himchan is about to move on, Himchan leans in, lips next to Zitao's ear as he whispers a few rushed sentences. Kyungsoo can't make a lot of it out, just the word 'upstairs' and an 'up to you of course' tacked on at the end, but he gets the gist of it when Zitao slips a hand into Himchan's and turns back to wink at him. It's only when the pair are climbing up the steps to the top floor of the place that it really sinks in; phase one of their plan, the part where Zitao is supposed to seduce the target, is now well underway.
It takes a lot longer for Zitao to finish up than Kyungsoo is expecting. He walks around the party as he waits, picking up various hors d'oeuvres and drinks whenever a waiter passes by. He knows he won't be fine dining for a while after this so he takes full advantage of the opportunity, enjoying the taste of the expensive, foreign foods Himchan has splashed out on. He's halfway through eating his fourth cream cheese canapé when someone takes a hold of his elbow, and he looks back to see Zitao stood there, positively beaming at him. His clothes are a little rumpled, lips shiny and red, and his hair definitely wasn't that tussled before he went up, but aside from that he looks good, better even. There's an obvious gleam in the boy's eyes and Kyungsoo doesn't even have to ask as he's half-pulled, half-dragged towards the doors and then outside to the driveway where Wufan is waiting for them, car ready; it's clear in the way Zitao is bursting with poorly concealed excitement that the mission has been a success.
Zitao manages to wait patiently until Wufan has driven a good half-mile before finally breaking down, letting out a small squeal as he reaches into his inner pocket and pulls out a black cloth. He unwraps the material carefully and Kyungsoo feels the air leave his lungs at the sight of the jewels Zitao holds in his hand. He knew that Himchan had an extensive jewellery collection - they all did; it was why they had planned the hit - but he never expected the jewels to be so, so breath-taking. Even in the dim lighting of the car, they shine brilliantly, what little light there is reflecting off them in the most beautiful hues of white and yellow.
"They're beautiful," he breathes out. Zitao looks at him with a knowing smile.
He wants to reach out and touch them, feel their sharp smoothness beneath his fingertips, but he knows better that to give in to his whims. The jewels are strictly to be passed on to their client, coming into as little human contact as possible along the way. There is already a chance that Zitao's fingerprints will be on them, for which they will have to be cleaned thoroughly once they get to their destination, and Kyungsoo doesn't want to add to the liabilities. So he settles for admiring them from afar, wondering about which lucky soul's finger they will eventually end up on even long after Zitao has put them away.
"So you really managed to seduce the inseducible, huh?" Wufan's tone is teasing as he slows down at a stop-light, eyes leaving the road for a moment to meet Zitao's gaze in the rear-view mirror. Zitao grins and leans back in his seat, arms coming up to rest behind his head.
"Well, duh, I mean, have you seen me? Between my perfectly-sculpted ass and my sexy, mysterious allure, that Himchan guy was doomed from the start. Plus it didn't hurt that I was wearing his favourite colour, his favourite brand and his favourite perfume." He looks down at his crisp, grey Armani suit and runs a hand down the material affectionately. "Well done for finding that out by the way, Kyungsoo hyung. Your stalking skills really came into good use this time."
Kyungsoo shakes his head but accepts the compliment anyway. With the jewels safely stolen and their getaway smooth so far, he feels a giant weight lift off his shoulders. No longer does he have to pretend to be Kang Juwon, personal accountant to Kim Himchan. No longer does he have to spend his weeks curled up in the study next to Himchan's bedroom, slaving away on the man's financial statements and finding ways to hide away wealth that he can never even dream of having. He's free to be Do Kyungsoo, codename D.O; professional thief, actor, cook and all-rounded criminal, member of the best criminal group known to Korea, lovingly dubbed Exo by their complete loser of a leader, Wufan. At the back of his mind, he knows that the job isn't over yet. It's not just about getting the goods, it's about shifting them. Making sales is where the money comes into play. For that to happen they need to contact Chanyeol, but that's Wufan's headache, not his, so he doesn't dwell on it for too long, just enjoys the blissful feelings that come with a job well done.
It’s all too soon that they arrive at their home for the night. It’s a small, somewhat dodgy hotel deep in the heart of Seoul, rather vacant despite its convenient location. Wufan has been to the place before, as part of an errand he ran for someone previously, so he knows it’s safe for them to stay even with the stolen goods still on their person. Still, it doesn't hurt to be cautious, so he takes out the secondary disguises he prepared beforehand as he pulls up a few blocks away. Zitao stays in his suit while Kyungsoo swaps his trousers for black, ripped skinny jeans, discarding his jacket and undoing the top few buttons of his shirt. He smudges the kohl that's already lining his eyes with a finger and runs a hand through his hair, ruining the flawless creation Wufan had spent hours perfecting earlier. Zitao looks at him and wolf-whistles.
“Looking good, baby.” He places his hand onto Kyungsoo's thigh, fingers gently running over the skin visible. Kyungsoo growls and bats the hand away, scowling at the rear-view mirror in hopes that Wufan will see his annoyance.
“Hey, don’t blame him.” Zitao says, voice still on the verge of teasing. “I was your bitch earlier on, so now it’s time for you to be mine.” He ignores the ever-increasing frown on Kyungsoo’s face and reaches forward for the disguise bag, putting on sunglasses and neatening his hair a little, thus perfecting his disguise of a businessman out for a night of pleasure. In the front, Wufan adjusts his driver's cap a little before driving them into the hotel.
Wufan gets out first and walks over to open the backseat door with a bow. Zitao steps out of the car with all the grace of an important man with something to hide, keeping a pompous air about him yet at the same time acting careful, so as not to attract attention to himself. Wufan follows a few steps behind him and Kyungsoo a few steps behind Wufan. Zitao reaches the front desk first, casually draping an arm on the counter as he waits for Wufan to join his side.
“A room for two, please. And a room for one.” Wufan says politely. The man at the desk looks confused for a moment, until he spots Kyungsoo hanging around by the door, at which point he begins to smirk.
“I see. What name shall I put that under?”
“Lee Minhyuk for both rooms.” The man nods and jots it down before going to get their key-cards. “Room 1211, single, and right opposite, 1224, the double.” He hands them over to Wufan with a smile before turning his attention to Zitao, who is busily inspecting his immaculate nails. “Enjoy your stay, sir. If you need anything else during the night, do let me know.”
Zitao ignores the words and stalks over to the elevator, Wufan following close behind. It’s not until the elevator has arrived and Zitao is already stepping inside that Kyungsoo rushes over, getting in clumsily. As soon as the doors close, he fixes Wufan with a death glare and ‘accidentally’ steps on his foot, earning a loud burst of laughter from Zitao.
“Now, now, baby", he coos, enjoying the way Kyungsoo's body tenses up at the patronising tone. "Let’s not act out. Save all of that aggression for the bedroom.” He leans in close and wraps an arm around Kyungsoo’s waist, pulling the smaller body back into his own and placing his lips on Kyungsoo’s neck. Kyungsoo freezes immediately, ready to go all ninja turtle on his ass but then Zitao mumbles the words ‘security camera’ right before he lets his tongue runs over Kyungsoo's skin and Kyungsoo realises that he’ll have to carry out his role of hooker a little longer.
Wufan dutifully averts his eyes as Kyungsoo tilts his head back, deciding to put on a promising performance. Their rooms are on the twelfth floor and with the speed the elevator is going at, they’re going to be stuck in it for a while; might as well give the security guards a show worth watching. Zitao smirks as his grip on Kyungsoo tightens, fingers digging into hard abs as he pushes himself harder against the shorter boy. Kyungsoo turns around in his hold and two pairs of lips meet in a passionate kiss that leaves Kyungsoo panting once they break apart. Zitao’s hands drop down to his butt and he squeezes tightly.
“I can’t wait to ram my dick into this.” he says lustfully, and the arousal that Kyungsoo feels coming on is very much real. “Do you want me as badly as I want you?” Kyungsoo nods shakily and responds by jutting his hips forward, pleased to find that he’s not the only one with a problem.
“More, sir.” He doesn't know whether he’s answering the question or making a request, but Zitao’s response is to slip a hand into his trousers and he decides that it doesn't matter. He leans into the touch, his hand reaching out to steady himself against the elevator wall, and it’s only when the buzzer goes off and Zitao is hurriedly retracting his hand that he realises that playtime is over. He exits the elevator on shaking feet, trying his best to cover up just how badly their little act has affected him.
“Wow, and I thought I was a good actor.” Zitao chuckles from behind, kissing Kyungsoo on his cheek. “Do you want to come to my room and finish off what we started?” His offer is real and given with a meaningful stare, and it takes all of Kyungsoo's resolve to reject it. He reaches up and pinches Zitao's cheek affectionately, grabbing the single room's key-card from Wufan's hand.
"Maybe next time."
Zitao looks like he's getting ready to murder him and would probably carry out his plan if not for Wufan stepping in, pressing the other key-card into Zitao's hand with a pointed look. "It's getting late, you should get some rest." No one can put up with Wufan's intimidating obey-me-for-I-am-the-leader presence for too long and it's only a few seconds before Zitao lets out a huff of air, all the fight diminishing from his eyes. He nods, once at Wufan and again at Kyungsoo, then turns to enter his room. Kyungsoo is about to do the same when Wufan puts a hand on his shoulder.
“I don’t want to get in your business, but I hope you know that if you and Tao were ever to... to get together or whatever, I would have no problem with it. In fact, you two would have my blessings."
Kyungsoo turns back around to Wufan and is faced with one of the most awkward smiles in the world. He makes a mental note of the fact that there's a reason why Wufan doesn't smile a lot. His face is burning at the bluntness of what their leader has just said but he appreciates the words, knowing Wufan probably feels a lot more embarrassed that him for even having said them.
"I- I'll keep that in mind." Dark eyes bear into his own, and just when he thinks he will melt under the pressure and the awkwardness, Wufan breaks out into a smile.
"Good! Anyway, I emailed Chanyeol earlier and he said that our offer was accepted. The meeting is on for six tomorrow morning. He's going to email you the place sometime tonight, you should have it well before then." He pauses for a moment, eyes taking in the tired, dull form of Kyungsoo, and his eyebrows knit together in concern. His face is a wonderful mess of emotions and if Kyungsoo wasn't so tired he'd probably be laughing. Instead he smiles, reaching up and smoothing out the wrinkles of the elder's forehead.
"Don't do that, you'll age faster."
"Are you sure you're up for going tomorrow? I can always take your place, you know." As tempting as Wufan's offer is, meeting up with Chanyeol has always been Kyungsoo's job, and it feels wrong to let someone else fill in. It's like going against tradition.
"I'll be fine."
Wufan doesn't look convinced but he drops it anyway. He reaches out and ruffles Kyungsoo's hair, smiling so sweetly it gives Kyungsoo tooth decay. This is the smile that Kyungsoo longs to see.
"You worked real hard on this job, Kyungsoo. All the effort you put in over the last few months was what made tonight possible. And tomorrow, once you've done the deal with Chanyeol, it'll all have been worth it." Kyungsoo nods. He knows that already. There has to be another reason why Wufan is saying all this. "I'm sorry I had to put you in this position. I'm sorry I couldn't live up to my promise." And there it is. Kyungsoo takes a deep breath before going over to him, using the last of his remaining energy to hug the shit out of Wufan.
"You didn't let anyone down, dummy." He'll probably get hell for the insult tomorrow, but for now it goes unpunished. "We all knew deep down that it was going to end up like this. We made a decision that day when we ran away. It's not your fault. Now stop being so soppy and let me get some sleep. Some of us have places to be at six tomorrow morning."
Wufan squeezes him tightly before letting go, wiping his tears so fast that Kyungsoo wouldn't have known they were there if it wasn't for the patch of wetness at the back of his shirt. He decides to be nice and let it go for now, already making plans in his head of how he can use the knowledge to embarrass the elder later.
"Rest well," he calls out as he enters his room. The bed is small and stiff with noisy springs and ugly bedding, but it's just as much 'home' as the last hotel they stayed at, or the one before. Kyungsoo has long stopped linking comfort and familiarity with the essence of home. He's literally one hallway away from Wufan and Zitao, and if he listens hard enough, he can hear their voices carry in through the thin walls of his room. That's what makes this home; the fact that he's with the people he loves. As long as he's with the Exo members, Kyungsoo knows he can live anywhere. He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.
The sound of the alarm going off wakes Kyungsoo with a jolt. He looks at the time, just before 5 in the morning, and checks his emails. Sure enough, Chanyeol has sent the name of the location, using their previously agreed on code of using one letter before the actual one then reversing the whole sequence. Kyungsoo writes out the letters then reworks it into the location, laughing to himself when Chanyeol’s predictability shines through.
mnhszsr xzvatr mzrta
Busan Subway Station
“Trust you to pick the busiest place in the whole of Busan to carry out the dodgiest deal.”
He quickly closes the email then deletes the whole conversation. Even in his groggy, early-morning state, he can’t help but feel a sense of elation, knowing that in less than two hours, all of their hard work will finally pay off. A quick note is slipped under Wufan and Zitao’s door, telling them he’s off and to order him some breakfast when they wake up, and then he heads out of the hotel, donning Wufan’s uniform from last night in case anyone pays him too much attention.
He dumps the outfit in the car, revealing his own checked shirt and pants underneath. It’s a relatively short distance to the subway, twenty minutes at most, so he walk slowly, leisurely, in no real rush to get there. Chanyeol is a punctual boy, and 6 am means 6 on the dot, not a second later and definitely not sooner. It’s just after half-5 when Kyungsoo climbs down the steps to the subway and he finds himself wishing he set his alarm for slightly later.
He chooses to bide his time by the barriers and glances at his phone every five or so minutes, not wanting to miss the meet-up time. There are only ten minutes left until six as he checks for the third time, and his nerves are buzzing with excitement as they often do at times like these. Kyungsoo loves the last few minutes before closing a deal, the nervous rush that takes over him, the adrenaline that pumps through his bloodstream as he counts down the final seconds, the last few moments before his work, all of his team's work, comes to fruition. There's nothing quite like seeing months upon months of hard-work and planning finally pay off, getting to be the one who goes back home to give his team-mates the good news.
By the time it’s five to, Kyungsoo has mostly recomposed himself. His face is blank, non-committal mask as his eyes scan over the train timetable, pretending to be looking for a particular train. After a few minutes, he moves to the opposite platform, deciding that he'll have a better view of the stairs from there. The station is relatively quiet this early in the morning and Kyungsoo has no doubt that Chanyeol will find him. The boy has a built-in radar when it comes to things like this. They often joke that it's how he came across Kyungsoo, Wufan and Zitao in the first place, many years ago. He sets his bag down by his feet and and loops a foot through the handle, relaxing as the final few seconds tick away.
It's six on the dot when the tell-tale ring of his phone goes off, and he forces himself to wait a few seconds before unlocking the device. He clicks the link in the email Chanyeol's sent and smiles as he sees his bank account balance reading 74 billion, up 45 from the 29 it was at before. He quits out of the page and looks up for a sign of Chanyeol, knowing that the kid wouldn't have transferred the money before at least seeing Kyungsoo. He spots him on the bench by the barriers wearing a large brim hat and oversized sunglasses, no doubt another one of his infamous disguises. The boy's tried everything from dressing in military-issue camouflage gear to cosplaying as his favourite anime characters, but his outfits do nothing but attract even more attention to him. Even in ordinary clothes, it's impossible not to notice Chanyeol with his 6 foot lanky frame and unruly copper hair. Luckily, it's more the attention of teenage fan-girls than of actual law enforcement officers he attracts, but it's still a nuisance.
He gets up lazily, going back to the main timetable to make it seem like he was at the wrong platform. He takes a seat a few feet from Chanyeol and places the bag with the jewels on the floor in between them. All Chanyeol has to do is reach out and take it, and they can go their separate ways. Kyungsoo takes out his phone again and half-heartedly plays a game of Temple Run as he waits, but Chanyeol is hunched over his own phone, furiously typing away and completely ignoring him. Kyungsoo is in the middle of contemplating whether he should fake dropping something so that he can initiate a conversation with Chanyeol when the boy finally acts, grabbing the bag and stumbling off.
Kyungsoo freezes, thrown off by the chain of events, and it takes a few seconds for him to regrasp the situation. A dull panic begins to settle in but he shakes it off. No matter how weirdly Chanyeol's just acted, it’s not like anything has gone wrong. The money has been transferred, and Chanyeol has taken the goods, just like what was supposed to happen. Yet he can’t help but feel like something is wrong. He glances down at his phone screen and is surprised to it lighting up with a new message. The message is listed as being from a private number, but that’s not what throws Kyungsoo off. It’s the words of the message itself that have his heartbeat accelerating, initial hunch proving right as his brain switches into overdrive.
I'm sorry.
Kyungsoo has about five seconds to decipher exactly what the words could mean before the first gunshot goes off. After that, his mind goes blank, a single thought left that has him up and moving within seconds: run. He catches a glimpse of copper hair up ahead, and in that moment, Kyungsoo realises what’s going on. He’s been set up. And somehow, Chanyeol is involved.
Running has never been one of his strong points, but with his life and several billion won on the line, Kyungsoo pushes on relatively well. He’s long lost sight of Chanyeol and is racing down the streets now, trying to put as much distance between himself and the shooters that are pursuing him as he can. He didn't get to see much before he fled the scene, but he definitely caught a glimpse of police uniform. He knows he's still being pursued because of the heavy footsteps behind him, but he can't tell exactly how far away they are. They sound as if they are a good dozen or so metres away, but Kyungsoo knows it would only take a few seconds for them to make that distance if he were to slip up. He pounds forward with as much speed as he can muster, feeling his energy slowly slipping away with each passing second. At this rate, he knows he won't last for much longer.
His mind is swarming with questions. What had just happened? Where Wufan and Zitao safe? If the police were involved, did that mean they knew about him, about Exo? If so, then how much? He has the money, and Chanyeol has the jewels. Did that mean Chanyeol had given the jewels over to the police? Had Chanyeol sold his client out too?
The thought of the traitor has Kyungsoo’s blood boiling. The first thing he will do once he gets to safety is find Chanyeol and skin him alive; breakfast can wait. He still can’t get his head around the fact that the kid would betray them like this. For as long as he can remember, Chanyeol has been their partner; their link to the underworld and to all their clientele; the unofficial fourth member of their team. The boy had helped them since day one, back when they were just three good for nothing teenagers trying to make a place for themselves in a world that didn't want them and Chanyeol had already been doing so well as the heir of his father’s company. He had helped them stand on their feet, going against his father’s wishes time and time again for the sake of their friendship. He was never directly involved in their operations, but he made the sales happen, and he was family as far as they all were concerned. Chanyeol’s betrayal hurts more than it should and Kyungsoo finds his vision blurring with hot, angry tears. He doesn't even realise he's lost speed until someone shoots out of a hidden alleyway and grabs his arm, pulling him back in and shoving him face first against the wall. He opens his mouth to protest the rough treatment when long, bony fingers are forced over his mouth.
“Shut up,” a male voice hisses into his ear. Maybe it’s the authoritative way the man says it, or maybe Kyungsoo’s just tired from all the running and emotions, but for the first time since those two words had ever been said to him at the ripe age of four, he actually complies. A strong grip holds his head in place, and Kyungsoo winces as his cheek rubs against the rough concrete.
“Those police officers, why are they following you?”
Kyungsoo’s heart drops into his stomach at the question, but he keeps his tone impassive. “What police officers?” His question is met with a harsh push, and a finger is held up in his line of vision.
“There,” the voice says, pointing towards the street. Kyungsoo squints and sure enough, there are two police officers stood in the place he was in just moments ago. One of them is looking around and the other seems to be on a phone, hand reaching towards his holster. Kyungsoo follows the movement with his eyes. He spots the Glock 22 on the man's hip and immediately he knows that it’s the same cop who fired the shots back at the bank. Kyungsoo could easily be dead by now, or at the very least in police custody awaiting torture. The thought is a sobering one that has Kyungsoo anxious to get back to safety, but first he has to get rid of the little detective-wannabe who's probably just, embarrassingly, saved his life.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, man." he deadpans. The hold on him loosens a fraction and he takes it as a sign to continue. "Personally, I think someone’s been watching a little too much CSI. I was just on my way to buy an anniversary gift for my girlfriend when you so rudely abducted me.” He braces himself for the attack he is so sure is coming, but the stranger surprises him by letting go instead, murmuring an apology as his hands fall back down to his sides.
Kyungsoo shrugs out his shoulders and turns to face his abductor for the first time. He’s expecting to see a big, beefy man; someone with the body to match the deep voice and assertive actions. So when he sees a young, skinny boy staring back at him through nervous eyes, he can't help but laugh.
“Wow, kid, you've got guts. You’re lucky you caught me at a bad time, or I’d teach you a lesson about manhandling people bigger than you." He takes a few steps towards the boy, not failing to note how the latter stands his ground even though it's clear from his wavering form that he's terrified. Truthfully, Kyungsoo is kind of impressed, but it doesn't stop him from wanting to spook the kid out a little. "What if I really was a criminal on the run from the police?" He stops just short of the boy's face, looking him up and down with a mean smirk. "Wouldn't you be scared of what I would do to you?”
He doesn't know what he's expecting, but it's definitely not the shove that the boy gives him, skinny hands pressing against his chest and exerting enough force to make him stumble backwards a few feet. When he looks up, the boy is glaring at him, eyes ablaze with defiance as he silently dares Kyungsoo to try something. Part of Kyungsoo is tempted to sock the cocky bastard in the face, but he decides that getting back to his team is of a higher priority. On top of that, there's the small detail about the boy having saved Kyungsoo that reluctantly keeps coming back to mind, so he dusts off his jacket and is turning to go when the boy's hand reaches out and grabs his arm, much like before only this time. the grip is a lot softer.
"Wait. Please. I shouldn't have done that, but you were freaking me out. And I really am sorry. I thought you were running because those cops were chasing you. I guess I was just mistaken then. Please don't be mad; I was just trying to help you."
Kyungsoo looks the boy up and down, over and over, as if trying to decide whether he's real or a figment of his own twisted imagination. The boy has short black hair, similar to Tao's, and lips so plump they could rival Kyungsoo's own. His eyes are downcast and his eyelashes are splayed long and full against his cheekbones. Kyungsoo looks towards the hand that's still on his arm and notices how dark the boy's skin is compared to his own. It's a deep honey colour, and it gives the boy a somewhat exotic look.
"What's your name?" The question has slipped out before his brain-to-mouth filter has a chance to kick in, and he has no way of taking it back. The boy's eyes widen - clearly he was expecting a different answer - before they scrunch up as he breaks into a smile.
"I'm Kai, and you are?"
"Kai," he repeats, the word foreign on his tongue. It's a pretty name to match a pretty boy, but Kyungsoo doesn't see himself using it any time soon.
"Well, it was nice meeting you and all, but I'm afraid I have to go now. My girlfriend is a very impatient woman and I don't want to keep her waiting, so I'm afraid our time together ends here."
He doesn't wait for a response and turns away, phone already in hand as he keys in Wufan's number. His sole focus is getting back to his team-mates, wanting to make sure he does so undetected. He's aware of Kai's voice calling out behind him, but he doesn't pay him any mind. It's only when he hears a scream that he realises something must be wrong, and he turns just in time to see a bullet lodge itself into Kai's chest.
Within seconds he's running again, only this time he tears down the streets with a new-found determination. The cops must have seen him. There's no way he can make a clean escape. But even so, he runs. He has to get away. His soles pound down on the pavement, rubber wearing away against grainy asphalt. He concentrates on the sound it makes, the rhythmic thumps. His lungs burn but he continues pushing forward, welcoming the pain with open arms. It feels good, serves as a nice distraction. Whenever his thoughts slip up, he's back. Back in the alleyway. Back to staring at Kai as the life slowly seeps out of his body. He's been running for so long, he can no longer make out his location. The surroundings begin to blur together, one street looking no different from the next. He needs to take a break, but he can't bring himself to. Kai enters his mind again, the scene of his shooting replaying itself in mind again and again like a broken record, consuming him. He comes to a stop in the middle of the pavement, body doubled over. His force of the fall slices his knees open, dark red staining the fabric of his jeans. The smell of iron makes him vomit.
He picks himself up slowly. His feet sway unsteadily as he continues down the street. He'll phone Wufan once he gets to the end. He just needs a few minutes to clear his head. He closes his eyes, letting his feet guide him. If he's managed to get himself this lost, he's sure that the police would have gotten lost too. Part of him wonders if they even pursued him in the first place. But they had shot Kai because of him. Of course they had pursued him. His shoe comes into contact with something solid and he stops. His eyes fly open and he comes face to face with a wall. There's a small gap next to it, an entrance of some sort. His heart stops beating when he realises where he's ended up. The alleyway.
He should go. He has to go or he'll get caught. The police are probably still in the area; he has to leave. Kyungsoo knows, with every fibre of his being, that he should turn around and call Wufan and walk away from all of this, but in a moment of insanity, he walks into the alleyway instead. The voice of reason in his head is screaming at him, telling him to leave, that he’ll get caught, it’s not worth it. The police most likely got Kai medical attention once they found out he was just an innocent civilian. That, or he died, and they took his dead body with them. Either way, there’s nothing Kyungsoo can do. He knows that fully well, but he can't bring himself to just leave. Whether it's for closure, or some other reason, or simply because he is a sick, twisted masochist who takes pleasure in torturing himself, Kyungsoo doesn't know. All he knows is that he has to see. See for himself what became of the boy who unknowingly risked his life to save him.
Kyungsoo has never been a caring person. Apart from Wufan, Zitao and Chanyeol, he hasn’t cared for a single soul in fifteen long years. A large part of him hopes that Kai is dead. That way he’ll have nothing to worry about, not about the police getting information out of him, nor about owing the boy anything. But a small part, an absolutely tiny part that Kyungsoo normally dissociates from, wishes that Kai is still alive, that the police officers took care of him and that he didn't lose his life trying to protect someone as worthless as Kyungsoo after all and can go back to abducting strangers from the street or whatever it is that he does as a hobby in no time. Kyungsoo is prepared the place empty, and at the worst, he’s prepared to find a covered corpse that the police haven’t disposed of yet. What Kyungsoo isn't prepared for is to find Kai lying in the same exact spot he went down, framed by an alarmingly large pool of blood and eyes glazed over as his chest rises up and down arrhythmically. He's dead. He has to be dead. Kyungsoo saw the bullet hit him, right in his chest. There's no way he'd be alive for this long without medical attention. But then Kai's eyes shift slowly to face him, and Kyungsoo realises the only thing standing between Kai and death now is him.
So much blood. Got to stop the bleeding. It’s the first thing to comes to Kyungsoo’s mind as he stumbles over to Kai’s side, jeans soaking in the substance as soon as he hits the floor. The smell assaults his senses, bringing about another wave of nausea, but he pushes the discomfort aside, focusing on the task at hand. His hands descend on Kai's face, pushing his sweaty hair away from his eyes and feeling for a pulse on his neck. There's a faint, irregular beat present under his fingers but it's fading fast. Kyungsoo knows Kai doesn't have much longer left, minutes at most. Swift fingers begin to unbutton Kai's shirt, fingers dragging through the blood to search for the wound. A weak sigh leaves Kai's mouth, most likely protesting the rough actions, but Kyungsoo doesn't have time to be gentle. he finally locates the bullet hole near his left shoulder, just below Kai's collarbone and mere inches from his heart. It's a rather shallow wound, one that he knows Wufan could fix up in moments with all of the medical tools he keeps in the car, but Wufan isn't there. He's all the way back at the hotel and Kyungsoo has to find a way to keep Kai alive long enough for them to get there.
He takes his jacket then his own t-shirt off, folding it into a long thin strip and wrapping it around Kai's chest. He knots it at the back and takes a deep sigh of relief when the material seems to stem the bleeding. It's not a permanent solution, but at least things are looking up. Kai's head falls to the side and his eyes fall shut. For one horrific second Kyungsoo thinks the boy’s passed away, but when he lowers his ear to Kai's mouth and feels his breath, he realises he's just fallen asleep. It’s a good sign, he tells himself. This way he won’t be in pain. But somehow, he's not so sure.
As gently as he can, he slips his hands under Kai’s back, lifting the boy up into his arms. Kai is freezing to the touch and Kyungsoo wishes he had more clothes to give him, but all he has left is his jacket and he can’t just walk around topless with an unconscious boy in his arms. Instead he clutches Kai’s body closer to his chest, hoping his own body heat will somehow warm him up. He’s already called a taxi and expects it to arrive any second now. The driver is a trusted one that Kyungsoo’s used on more than one occasion, and he knows he won’t be questioned as to why he’s holding a semi-dead body in his arms. Of course, once he gets back to the hotel, he’ll have to explain it all to Wufan and Zitao, but Kyungsoo doesn't dwell on that for too long; for now, getting Kai to safety is the most important thing.
He looks down at the boy in his arms, limp and lifeless, and can’t help the sense of dread that washes over him. With every passing second, Kai's skin is paling more and more, now a dusty ashen colour that rivals his own in terms of paleness. His lips have begun to turn blue around the edges, a sign he’s losing life, and Kyungsoo does the only thing he can think of. He leans down slowly and presses his lips fully against Kai’s own. They’re cold and wet and it’s not the most pleasant of feelings, but he keeps his own against them, determined to slip some of his own warmth into Kai in any way possible. After what seems like an age, they finally warm under his touch, and when he pulls away they’re back to a soft pink colour. “You’ll be okay,” he whispers. We’ll both be okay.
It takes another four minutes for the taxi to show up, driver rolling down the window and apologising profusely. “Sorry I'm late, D.O-ssi, I got held up in traffic and I--” His eyes finally land on the person in Kyungsoo’s arms and he rushes out, throwing open the back door so Kyungsoo can place him inside.
“It’s okay, Joonmyun." Kyungsoo says as he leans inside the car and lets Kai's body slip gently from his hold. "Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
The driver - Joonmyun - nods and goes over to the other side of the car, reaching in and pulling Kai’s legs along so he fits comfortably on the seats. Kyungsoo nods a thanks and climbs in, lifting Kai's head for a second and slipping in underneath. He places Kai's head back down on his lap and absent-mindedly strokes through his hair. His eyes fall onto the blood dripping onto the seats and he scowls.
“I'm sorry about all the mess, Joonmyun. I’ll get Kris hyung to send you a cheque to cover the cleaning costs.”
Joonmyun shakes his head and climbs into the driving seat with a smile. “No worries, I was planning on upgrading the interior next week anyway.” His eyes go the rear-view mirror and he sneaks a glance at Kai. “I take it this is a client then?” he adds on. He’s somewhat expecting the silence he’s met with - Kyungsoo has never discussed business with him before, so why start now? - but he doesn't expect the way Kyungsoo’s hands curl over the boy protectively, shielding him from view as his face takes on a hard edge.
“He's not a client,” Kyungsoo finally says, tone hard and even. “He’s a friend.” He's well aware that it's not the right word, but it’s the only one he can use without giving anything away. “He got injured during a misunderstanding and I need to get him back so Kris can patch him up before he ends up dying. I don't want him to die." His voice cracks a little on the last word, but it goes unnoticed.
Joonmyun just nods, foot already pressing down harder on the gas. “Just tell me where to go.”
--
“What in the world gave you the idea that it was okay to bring him back here?” Wufan’s eyes are livid with anger and Kyungsoo just stares back at him, the ability to speak having left him a long time ago. “Do you even realise what a huge risk you took in doing that? Are you stupid, or are you just insane?” Kyungsoo swallows the lump in his throat and opens his mouth to somehow defend himself, wanting to defuse the situation. He knows what he did was wrong, stupid, insane, all of it, but he had reasons for doing it, reasons that Wufan doesn't seem to understand. Maybe if he could just explain..
“Hyung, I-”
“Don’t,” Wufan cuts him off. “Nothing you say can justify the fact that you brought an outsider back to this place. What were you even thinking? Oh yeah, that’s right, you weren't. No, you just put all of us in danger because you didn't stop to use your brain for a single second.” He runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head, eyes moving over the room until they come to rest on the source of their problems.
Kai is lying in Wufan's bed, dressed in Kyungsoo's clothes with Zitao on a chair by his side holding his hand. His breathing is loud and steady, the only noise in the otherwise silent room, and Wufan takes a little comfort in knowing that at least he’s alive, that Kyungsoo didn't risk exposing them for nothing. When Kyungsoo had stumbled back to the hotel around an hour ago, Wufan had been ecstatic, but that delight had quickly given way to disbelief when his eyes had fallen on the boy Kyungsoo had been holding. He’d done his part out of pure morality, extracting the bullet from Kai’s body, disinfecting the wound, stitching him up and even administering some painkillers so he wouldn't be too sore when we woke up. He'd put all of his anger aside, but now that Kai was patched up and in as good of a condition as he could be in, it was coming out hard and fast.
“Tell me, Kyungsoo,” he continues, “does the word safety mean nothing to you?” He goes to fix Kyungsoo with another deadly glare but his heart melts unwillingly at Kyungsoo's wide eyes. Kyungsoo is obviously scared-shitless, so he decides to go for a more gentle approach.
“Kyungsoo,” he begins again, voice softer this time. “I get that you wanted to help this kid, but bringing him back here was both thoughtless and reckless. What if you and Joonmyun hadn’t been able to sneak him in through the back door? What if someone had seen his bullet wound and called the police, hmm? You should have left him, Kyungsoo. It would have been the right thing to do.” He reaches out and squeezes Kyungsoo's shoulder, wanting to leave him to think on his words.
“I couldn’t.”
Kyungsoo’s voice is so soft that Wufan can’t be sure he even said anything, but then he repeats his words, louder this time. “I couldn't. He took a bullet because of me, Kris. They were after me. He saved my life by pulling me into that alleyway and you're saying that when the time came to help him, I should have left?” His eyes are fiery, staring at Wufan with an intensity that’s frightening. "You want to know something? I did leave. When he got shot I high-tailed it out of there as fast as I could and even now I can't stop the guilt from eating me up alive. He wouldn't even be this bad if it wasn't for me. He wouldn't have even been shot in the first place if he hadn't pulled me away from those fucking cops."
Kyungsoo's shoulders deflate, the exhaustion from the day finally hitting him full force. He sinks to the floor with a loud thud, willing away the tears he knows are forming. It's so stupid, crying over something like this. Kyungsoo's not normally an emotional kind of guy. He blames it on the tiredness, the lack of food, Chanyeol's betrayal and all the other shit he's gone through. Wufan tries to put an arm around him but he shrugs it off. The room is silent once again, but this time he finds solace in it. He lets his head hit the carpet, registering how soft it feels. So comfortable. He could probably fall asleep right here. He stretches out his limbs and plans on doing exactly that when a whimpering sound pulls him out of his thoughts. He glances up to see Zitao looking at Wufan with a concerned expression on his face. Though he's too lazy to check, he knows Wufan's expression is probably something similar. Alarm bells begin to go off in his head.
"Tao, what's wrong?" he asks warily. Zitao turns his attention to him and points to the bed. At the same time, Kai struggles into a sitting position and raises the hand that Zitao is still clutching, pulling it out of his grip.
Kai looks around the room in a panic, most likely trying to make sense of his surroundings. His eyes widen as he sees Wufan, and even more so when he looks at Zitao by his side, who's trying his best to look friendly but without much luck. It's only when his gaze falls on Kyungsoo that he seems to calm down a little, recognition appearing on his face. Kyungsoo smiles warmly and it almost looks like Kai's going to smile back. Kai parts his lips as if to say something, and all three boys wait to see what his words will be.
No one is expecting the blood-curling screams that leave his mouth.
--
tbc
kyungsoo likes order, logic and constants while kai likes messing up solved puzzles and throwing things off track
ONE - WE MET AND I WAS DYING
“Everything's set up guys. The mission is now a go. I repeat; the mission is a go.”
Kyungsoo registers the voice in his earpiece as Wufan's. His brain translates the words into a single command: Go-time. His body tenses with the onslaught of adrenaline, cold as ice as it overtakes his every sense. He catches sight of himself in the reflection of a glass door and pauses to straighten out his jacket, admiring the way the garment compliments his body. A fleeting thought of how Wufan really is good at dressing people comes to mind before he refocuses his attention, submerging himself in his character and abandoning all thoughts that belong to Do Kyungsoo to instead adopt those of Kang Juwon, his alias of the past few months, and more importantly, of the night.
Standing at the edge of the high class party he is attending, he takes to watching the scene for a while, occasionally sipping from the glass of champagne he holds in a gloved hand. With his slicked back hair, expensive suit, dark make-up and shiny Italian dress shoes, he looks just like one of them; upper-class, wealthy people with far too much money and too few worries in the world. Normally, Kyungsoo would look down upon them, upon pointless get-togethers such as this, but tonight he's playing a role and it's of utmost importance that he plays it well.
He smiles at anyone who glances his way, making a show of taking out his pocket watch ever so often and glancing at the time to indicate he is waiting on someone. It's exactly ten past eight when the big entrance doors swing open, indicating a new guest, and Kyungsoo can’t help but smile at Zitao’s never-ending punctuality. He goes over to the newcomer, smiling and wrapping an arm around the man’s waist. They get a few curious looks from the surrounding guests, but both men ignore them, fully focused on one another.
“You look splendid,” Kyungsoo whispers, pressing a tiny kiss on the skin just underneath Zitao’s ear.
“Why, thank you, Juwon-ssi. You look rather dashing yourself.” Zitao turns to him and grins, and Kyungsoo finds himself grinning back. Through their earpieces, they hear Wufan cough.
They manoeuvre their way in and out of conversations, exchanging pleasantries with the various other guests and just generally making their presence known. It takes a mere fifteen minutes for a tall, handsome man to approach the pair, smiling through too-white teeth as he places a hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder.
“Juwon," he says, regarding Kyungsoo with false amiability. "I'm so glad you could make it. And I see you've brought a guest?” His gaze shifts to Zitao almost instantly, sharp eyes raking over Zitao's body in a way that makes him feel rather exposed. But as uncomfortable as he is, Zitao does nothing to show it, smiling pleasantly and bowing as he is acknowledged.
“Yes, Himchan sir,” Kyungsoo answers, voice sickly sweet, “I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Not when tonight's the night we relieve you of your riches. "And yes," he adds on, turning to face Zitao, "this is my roommate." He puts his hand on the small of Zitao's back and pushes him forward, taking a small step back as he does so to remove himself from the focal point. He already knows that Zitao has all of Himchan's attention, what with the way his boss is one step away from drooling all over him, but chances are still best left untaken.
“Roommate, huh? And what might your name be, beautiful?” Himchan looks at Zitao with a suggestive stare and Zitao blinks back innocently, coy smile playing on his pink-painted lips.
Kyungsoo can tell Zitao's whole act is working with the way Himchan's face is progressively reddening and how he keeps reaching up to tug at his collar, as if the small amount of space it allows isn't enough to let him breathe comfortably in Zitao's presence. In all the months he's worked for the man, Kyungsoo has never seen him so flustered. It's amusing, really, that all it takes is a suited and booted Zitao to get fierce, strong, untouchable Himchan all hot and bothered, but then he takes another look at Zitao, who's looking at the ground shyly while he pulls on a strand of his dark hair, and he feels it for himself, the undeniable pull that the younger boy has.
He watches on as Himchan openly flirts with Zitao, Zitao answering all of his not-so-subtle advances with clever, roundabout answers. Just when he thinks that maybe Zitao has overdone it and Himchan is about to move on, Himchan leans in, lips next to Zitao's ear as he whispers a few rushed sentences. Kyungsoo can't make a lot of it out, just the word 'upstairs' and an 'up to you of course' tacked on at the end, but he gets the gist of it when Zitao slips a hand into Himchan's and turns back to wink at him. It's only when the pair are climbing up the steps to the top floor of the place that it really sinks in; phase one of their plan, the part where Zitao is supposed to seduce the target, is now well underway.
It takes a lot longer for Zitao to finish up than Kyungsoo is expecting. He walks around the party as he waits, picking up various hors d'oeuvres and drinks whenever a waiter passes by. He knows he won't be fine dining for a while after this so he takes full advantage of the opportunity, enjoying the taste of the expensive, foreign foods Himchan has splashed out on. He's halfway through eating his fourth cream cheese canapé when someone takes a hold of his elbow, and he looks back to see Zitao stood there, positively beaming at him. His clothes are a little rumpled, lips shiny and red, and his hair definitely wasn't that tussled before he went up, but aside from that he looks good, better even. There's an obvious gleam in the boy's eyes and Kyungsoo doesn't even have to ask as he's half-pulled, half-dragged towards the doors and then outside to the driveway where Wufan is waiting for them, car ready; it's clear in the way Zitao is bursting with poorly concealed excitement that the mission has been a success.
Zitao manages to wait patiently until Wufan has driven a good half-mile before finally breaking down, letting out a small squeal as he reaches into his inner pocket and pulls out a black cloth. He unwraps the material carefully and Kyungsoo feels the air leave his lungs at the sight of the jewels Zitao holds in his hand. He knew that Himchan had an extensive jewellery collection - they all did; it was why they had planned the hit - but he never expected the jewels to be so, so breath-taking. Even in the dim lighting of the car, they shine brilliantly, what little light there is reflecting off them in the most beautiful hues of white and yellow.
"They're beautiful," he breathes out. Zitao looks at him with a knowing smile.
He wants to reach out and touch them, feel their sharp smoothness beneath his fingertips, but he knows better that to give in to his whims. The jewels are strictly to be passed on to their client, coming into as little human contact as possible along the way. There is already a chance that Zitao's fingerprints will be on them, for which they will have to be cleaned thoroughly once they get to their destination, and Kyungsoo doesn't want to add to the liabilities. So he settles for admiring them from afar, wondering about which lucky soul's finger they will eventually end up on even long after Zitao has put them away.
"So you really managed to seduce the inseducible, huh?" Wufan's tone is teasing as he slows down at a stop-light, eyes leaving the road for a moment to meet Zitao's gaze in the rear-view mirror. Zitao grins and leans back in his seat, arms coming up to rest behind his head.
"Well, duh, I mean, have you seen me? Between my perfectly-sculpted ass and my sexy, mysterious allure, that Himchan guy was doomed from the start. Plus it didn't hurt that I was wearing his favourite colour, his favourite brand and his favourite perfume." He looks down at his crisp, grey Armani suit and runs a hand down the material affectionately. "Well done for finding that out by the way, Kyungsoo hyung. Your stalking skills really came into good use this time."
Kyungsoo shakes his head but accepts the compliment anyway. With the jewels safely stolen and their getaway smooth so far, he feels a giant weight lift off his shoulders. No longer does he have to pretend to be Kang Juwon, personal accountant to Kim Himchan. No longer does he have to spend his weeks curled up in the study next to Himchan's bedroom, slaving away on the man's financial statements and finding ways to hide away wealth that he can never even dream of having. He's free to be Do Kyungsoo, codename D.O; professional thief, actor, cook and all-rounded criminal, member of the best criminal group known to Korea, lovingly dubbed Exo by their complete loser of a leader, Wufan. At the back of his mind, he knows that the job isn't over yet. It's not just about getting the goods, it's about shifting them. Making sales is where the money comes into play. For that to happen they need to contact Chanyeol, but that's Wufan's headache, not his, so he doesn't dwell on it for too long, just enjoys the blissful feelings that come with a job well done.
It’s all too soon that they arrive at their home for the night. It’s a small, somewhat dodgy hotel deep in the heart of Seoul, rather vacant despite its convenient location. Wufan has been to the place before, as part of an errand he ran for someone previously, so he knows it’s safe for them to stay even with the stolen goods still on their person. Still, it doesn't hurt to be cautious, so he takes out the secondary disguises he prepared beforehand as he pulls up a few blocks away. Zitao stays in his suit while Kyungsoo swaps his trousers for black, ripped skinny jeans, discarding his jacket and undoing the top few buttons of his shirt. He smudges the kohl that's already lining his eyes with a finger and runs a hand through his hair, ruining the flawless creation Wufan had spent hours perfecting earlier. Zitao looks at him and wolf-whistles.
“Looking good, baby.” He places his hand onto Kyungsoo's thigh, fingers gently running over the skin visible. Kyungsoo growls and bats the hand away, scowling at the rear-view mirror in hopes that Wufan will see his annoyance.
“Hey, don’t blame him.” Zitao says, voice still on the verge of teasing. “I was your bitch earlier on, so now it’s time for you to be mine.” He ignores the ever-increasing frown on Kyungsoo’s face and reaches forward for the disguise bag, putting on sunglasses and neatening his hair a little, thus perfecting his disguise of a businessman out for a night of pleasure. In the front, Wufan adjusts his driver's cap a little before driving them into the hotel.
Wufan gets out first and walks over to open the backseat door with a bow. Zitao steps out of the car with all the grace of an important man with something to hide, keeping a pompous air about him yet at the same time acting careful, so as not to attract attention to himself. Wufan follows a few steps behind him and Kyungsoo a few steps behind Wufan. Zitao reaches the front desk first, casually draping an arm on the counter as he waits for Wufan to join his side.
“A room for two, please. And a room for one.” Wufan says politely. The man at the desk looks confused for a moment, until he spots Kyungsoo hanging around by the door, at which point he begins to smirk.
“I see. What name shall I put that under?”
“Lee Minhyuk for both rooms.” The man nods and jots it down before going to get their key-cards. “Room 1211, single, and right opposite, 1224, the double.” He hands them over to Wufan with a smile before turning his attention to Zitao, who is busily inspecting his immaculate nails. “Enjoy your stay, sir. If you need anything else during the night, do let me know.”
Zitao ignores the words and stalks over to the elevator, Wufan following close behind. It’s not until the elevator has arrived and Zitao is already stepping inside that Kyungsoo rushes over, getting in clumsily. As soon as the doors close, he fixes Wufan with a death glare and ‘accidentally’ steps on his foot, earning a loud burst of laughter from Zitao.
“Now, now, baby", he coos, enjoying the way Kyungsoo's body tenses up at the patronising tone. "Let’s not act out. Save all of that aggression for the bedroom.” He leans in close and wraps an arm around Kyungsoo’s waist, pulling the smaller body back into his own and placing his lips on Kyungsoo’s neck. Kyungsoo freezes immediately, ready to go all ninja turtle on his ass but then Zitao mumbles the words ‘security camera’ right before he lets his tongue runs over Kyungsoo's skin and Kyungsoo realises that he’ll have to carry out his role of hooker a little longer.
Wufan dutifully averts his eyes as Kyungsoo tilts his head back, deciding to put on a promising performance. Their rooms are on the twelfth floor and with the speed the elevator is going at, they’re going to be stuck in it for a while; might as well give the security guards a show worth watching. Zitao smirks as his grip on Kyungsoo tightens, fingers digging into hard abs as he pushes himself harder against the shorter boy. Kyungsoo turns around in his hold and two pairs of lips meet in a passionate kiss that leaves Kyungsoo panting once they break apart. Zitao’s hands drop down to his butt and he squeezes tightly.
“I can’t wait to ram my dick into this.” he says lustfully, and the arousal that Kyungsoo feels coming on is very much real. “Do you want me as badly as I want you?” Kyungsoo nods shakily and responds by jutting his hips forward, pleased to find that he’s not the only one with a problem.
“More, sir.” He doesn't know whether he’s answering the question or making a request, but Zitao’s response is to slip a hand into his trousers and he decides that it doesn't matter. He leans into the touch, his hand reaching out to steady himself against the elevator wall, and it’s only when the buzzer goes off and Zitao is hurriedly retracting his hand that he realises that playtime is over. He exits the elevator on shaking feet, trying his best to cover up just how badly their little act has affected him.
“Wow, and I thought I was a good actor.” Zitao chuckles from behind, kissing Kyungsoo on his cheek. “Do you want to come to my room and finish off what we started?” His offer is real and given with a meaningful stare, and it takes all of Kyungsoo's resolve to reject it. He reaches up and pinches Zitao's cheek affectionately, grabbing the single room's key-card from Wufan's hand.
"Maybe next time."
Zitao looks like he's getting ready to murder him and would probably carry out his plan if not for Wufan stepping in, pressing the other key-card into Zitao's hand with a pointed look. "It's getting late, you should get some rest." No one can put up with Wufan's intimidating obey-me-for-I-am-the-leader presence for too long and it's only a few seconds before Zitao lets out a huff of air, all the fight diminishing from his eyes. He nods, once at Wufan and again at Kyungsoo, then turns to enter his room. Kyungsoo is about to do the same when Wufan puts a hand on his shoulder.
“I don’t want to get in your business, but I hope you know that if you and Tao were ever to... to get together or whatever, I would have no problem with it. In fact, you two would have my blessings."
Kyungsoo turns back around to Wufan and is faced with one of the most awkward smiles in the world. He makes a mental note of the fact that there's a reason why Wufan doesn't smile a lot. His face is burning at the bluntness of what their leader has just said but he appreciates the words, knowing Wufan probably feels a lot more embarrassed that him for even having said them.
"I- I'll keep that in mind." Dark eyes bear into his own, and just when he thinks he will melt under the pressure and the awkwardness, Wufan breaks out into a smile.
"Good! Anyway, I emailed Chanyeol earlier and he said that our offer was accepted. The meeting is on for six tomorrow morning. He's going to email you the place sometime tonight, you should have it well before then." He pauses for a moment, eyes taking in the tired, dull form of Kyungsoo, and his eyebrows knit together in concern. His face is a wonderful mess of emotions and if Kyungsoo wasn't so tired he'd probably be laughing. Instead he smiles, reaching up and smoothing out the wrinkles of the elder's forehead.
"Don't do that, you'll age faster."
"Are you sure you're up for going tomorrow? I can always take your place, you know." As tempting as Wufan's offer is, meeting up with Chanyeol has always been Kyungsoo's job, and it feels wrong to let someone else fill in. It's like going against tradition.
"I'll be fine."
Wufan doesn't look convinced but he drops it anyway. He reaches out and ruffles Kyungsoo's hair, smiling so sweetly it gives Kyungsoo tooth decay. This is the smile that Kyungsoo longs to see.
"You worked real hard on this job, Kyungsoo. All the effort you put in over the last few months was what made tonight possible. And tomorrow, once you've done the deal with Chanyeol, it'll all have been worth it." Kyungsoo nods. He knows that already. There has to be another reason why Wufan is saying all this. "I'm sorry I had to put you in this position. I'm sorry I couldn't live up to my promise." And there it is. Kyungsoo takes a deep breath before going over to him, using the last of his remaining energy to hug the shit out of Wufan.
"You didn't let anyone down, dummy." He'll probably get hell for the insult tomorrow, but for now it goes unpunished. "We all knew deep down that it was going to end up like this. We made a decision that day when we ran away. It's not your fault. Now stop being so soppy and let me get some sleep. Some of us have places to be at six tomorrow morning."
Wufan squeezes him tightly before letting go, wiping his tears so fast that Kyungsoo wouldn't have known they were there if it wasn't for the patch of wetness at the back of his shirt. He decides to be nice and let it go for now, already making plans in his head of how he can use the knowledge to embarrass the elder later.
"Rest well," he calls out as he enters his room. The bed is small and stiff with noisy springs and ugly bedding, but it's just as much 'home' as the last hotel they stayed at, or the one before. Kyungsoo has long stopped linking comfort and familiarity with the essence of home. He's literally one hallway away from Wufan and Zitao, and if he listens hard enough, he can hear their voices carry in through the thin walls of his room. That's what makes this home; the fact that he's with the people he loves. As long as he's with the Exo members, Kyungsoo knows he can live anywhere. He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.
The sound of the alarm going off wakes Kyungsoo with a jolt. He looks at the time, just before 5 in the morning, and checks his emails. Sure enough, Chanyeol has sent the name of the location, using their previously agreed on code of using one letter before the actual one then reversing the whole sequence. Kyungsoo writes out the letters then reworks it into the location, laughing to himself when Chanyeol’s predictability shines through.
mnhszsr xzvatr mzrta
Busan Subway Station
“Trust you to pick the busiest place in the whole of Busan to carry out the dodgiest deal.”
He quickly closes the email then deletes the whole conversation. Even in his groggy, early-morning state, he can’t help but feel a sense of elation, knowing that in less than two hours, all of their hard work will finally pay off. A quick note is slipped under Wufan and Zitao’s door, telling them he’s off and to order him some breakfast when they wake up, and then he heads out of the hotel, donning Wufan’s uniform from last night in case anyone pays him too much attention.
He dumps the outfit in the car, revealing his own checked shirt and pants underneath. It’s a relatively short distance to the subway, twenty minutes at most, so he walk slowly, leisurely, in no real rush to get there. Chanyeol is a punctual boy, and 6 am means 6 on the dot, not a second later and definitely not sooner. It’s just after half-5 when Kyungsoo climbs down the steps to the subway and he finds himself wishing he set his alarm for slightly later.
He chooses to bide his time by the barriers and glances at his phone every five or so minutes, not wanting to miss the meet-up time. There are only ten minutes left until six as he checks for the third time, and his nerves are buzzing with excitement as they often do at times like these. Kyungsoo loves the last few minutes before closing a deal, the nervous rush that takes over him, the adrenaline that pumps through his bloodstream as he counts down the final seconds, the last few moments before his work, all of his team's work, comes to fruition. There's nothing quite like seeing months upon months of hard-work and planning finally pay off, getting to be the one who goes back home to give his team-mates the good news.
By the time it’s five to, Kyungsoo has mostly recomposed himself. His face is blank, non-committal mask as his eyes scan over the train timetable, pretending to be looking for a particular train. After a few minutes, he moves to the opposite platform, deciding that he'll have a better view of the stairs from there. The station is relatively quiet this early in the morning and Kyungsoo has no doubt that Chanyeol will find him. The boy has a built-in radar when it comes to things like this. They often joke that it's how he came across Kyungsoo, Wufan and Zitao in the first place, many years ago. He sets his bag down by his feet and and loops a foot through the handle, relaxing as the final few seconds tick away.
It's six on the dot when the tell-tale ring of his phone goes off, and he forces himself to wait a few seconds before unlocking the device. He clicks the link in the email Chanyeol's sent and smiles as he sees his bank account balance reading 74 billion, up 45 from the 29 it was at before. He quits out of the page and looks up for a sign of Chanyeol, knowing that the kid wouldn't have transferred the money before at least seeing Kyungsoo. He spots him on the bench by the barriers wearing a large brim hat and oversized sunglasses, no doubt another one of his infamous disguises. The boy's tried everything from dressing in military-issue camouflage gear to cosplaying as his favourite anime characters, but his outfits do nothing but attract even more attention to him. Even in ordinary clothes, it's impossible not to notice Chanyeol with his 6 foot lanky frame and unruly copper hair. Luckily, it's more the attention of teenage fan-girls than of actual law enforcement officers he attracts, but it's still a nuisance.
He gets up lazily, going back to the main timetable to make it seem like he was at the wrong platform. He takes a seat a few feet from Chanyeol and places the bag with the jewels on the floor in between them. All Chanyeol has to do is reach out and take it, and they can go their separate ways. Kyungsoo takes out his phone again and half-heartedly plays a game of Temple Run as he waits, but Chanyeol is hunched over his own phone, furiously typing away and completely ignoring him. Kyungsoo is in the middle of contemplating whether he should fake dropping something so that he can initiate a conversation with Chanyeol when the boy finally acts, grabbing the bag and stumbling off.
Kyungsoo freezes, thrown off by the chain of events, and it takes a few seconds for him to regrasp the situation. A dull panic begins to settle in but he shakes it off. No matter how weirdly Chanyeol's just acted, it’s not like anything has gone wrong. The money has been transferred, and Chanyeol has taken the goods, just like what was supposed to happen. Yet he can’t help but feel like something is wrong. He glances down at his phone screen and is surprised to it lighting up with a new message. The message is listed as being from a private number, but that’s not what throws Kyungsoo off. It’s the words of the message itself that have his heartbeat accelerating, initial hunch proving right as his brain switches into overdrive.
I'm sorry.
Kyungsoo has about five seconds to decipher exactly what the words could mean before the first gunshot goes off. After that, his mind goes blank, a single thought left that has him up and moving within seconds: run. He catches a glimpse of copper hair up ahead, and in that moment, Kyungsoo realises what’s going on. He’s been set up. And somehow, Chanyeol is involved.
Running has never been one of his strong points, but with his life and several billion won on the line, Kyungsoo pushes on relatively well. He’s long lost sight of Chanyeol and is racing down the streets now, trying to put as much distance between himself and the shooters that are pursuing him as he can. He didn't get to see much before he fled the scene, but he definitely caught a glimpse of police uniform. He knows he's still being pursued because of the heavy footsteps behind him, but he can't tell exactly how far away they are. They sound as if they are a good dozen or so metres away, but Kyungsoo knows it would only take a few seconds for them to make that distance if he were to slip up. He pounds forward with as much speed as he can muster, feeling his energy slowly slipping away with each passing second. At this rate, he knows he won't last for much longer.
His mind is swarming with questions. What had just happened? Where Wufan and Zitao safe? If the police were involved, did that mean they knew about him, about Exo? If so, then how much? He has the money, and Chanyeol has the jewels. Did that mean Chanyeol had given the jewels over to the police? Had Chanyeol sold his client out too?
The thought of the traitor has Kyungsoo’s blood boiling. The first thing he will do once he gets to safety is find Chanyeol and skin him alive; breakfast can wait. He still can’t get his head around the fact that the kid would betray them like this. For as long as he can remember, Chanyeol has been their partner; their link to the underworld and to all their clientele; the unofficial fourth member of their team. The boy had helped them since day one, back when they were just three good for nothing teenagers trying to make a place for themselves in a world that didn't want them and Chanyeol had already been doing so well as the heir of his father’s company. He had helped them stand on their feet, going against his father’s wishes time and time again for the sake of their friendship. He was never directly involved in their operations, but he made the sales happen, and he was family as far as they all were concerned. Chanyeol’s betrayal hurts more than it should and Kyungsoo finds his vision blurring with hot, angry tears. He doesn't even realise he's lost speed until someone shoots out of a hidden alleyway and grabs his arm, pulling him back in and shoving him face first against the wall. He opens his mouth to protest the rough treatment when long, bony fingers are forced over his mouth.
“Shut up,” a male voice hisses into his ear. Maybe it’s the authoritative way the man says it, or maybe Kyungsoo’s just tired from all the running and emotions, but for the first time since those two words had ever been said to him at the ripe age of four, he actually complies. A strong grip holds his head in place, and Kyungsoo winces as his cheek rubs against the rough concrete.
“Those police officers, why are they following you?”
Kyungsoo’s heart drops into his stomach at the question, but he keeps his tone impassive. “What police officers?” His question is met with a harsh push, and a finger is held up in his line of vision.
“There,” the voice says, pointing towards the street. Kyungsoo squints and sure enough, there are two police officers stood in the place he was in just moments ago. One of them is looking around and the other seems to be on a phone, hand reaching towards his holster. Kyungsoo follows the movement with his eyes. He spots the Glock 22 on the man's hip and immediately he knows that it’s the same cop who fired the shots back at the bank. Kyungsoo could easily be dead by now, or at the very least in police custody awaiting torture. The thought is a sobering one that has Kyungsoo anxious to get back to safety, but first he has to get rid of the little detective-wannabe who's probably just, embarrassingly, saved his life.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, man." he deadpans. The hold on him loosens a fraction and he takes it as a sign to continue. "Personally, I think someone’s been watching a little too much CSI. I was just on my way to buy an anniversary gift for my girlfriend when you so rudely abducted me.” He braces himself for the attack he is so sure is coming, but the stranger surprises him by letting go instead, murmuring an apology as his hands fall back down to his sides.
Kyungsoo shrugs out his shoulders and turns to face his abductor for the first time. He’s expecting to see a big, beefy man; someone with the body to match the deep voice and assertive actions. So when he sees a young, skinny boy staring back at him through nervous eyes, he can't help but laugh.
“Wow, kid, you've got guts. You’re lucky you caught me at a bad time, or I’d teach you a lesson about manhandling people bigger than you." He takes a few steps towards the boy, not failing to note how the latter stands his ground even though it's clear from his wavering form that he's terrified. Truthfully, Kyungsoo is kind of impressed, but it doesn't stop him from wanting to spook the kid out a little. "What if I really was a criminal on the run from the police?" He stops just short of the boy's face, looking him up and down with a mean smirk. "Wouldn't you be scared of what I would do to you?”
He doesn't know what he's expecting, but it's definitely not the shove that the boy gives him, skinny hands pressing against his chest and exerting enough force to make him stumble backwards a few feet. When he looks up, the boy is glaring at him, eyes ablaze with defiance as he silently dares Kyungsoo to try something. Part of Kyungsoo is tempted to sock the cocky bastard in the face, but he decides that getting back to his team is of a higher priority. On top of that, there's the small detail about the boy having saved Kyungsoo that reluctantly keeps coming back to mind, so he dusts off his jacket and is turning to go when the boy's hand reaches out and grabs his arm, much like before only this time. the grip is a lot softer.
"Wait. Please. I shouldn't have done that, but you were freaking me out. And I really am sorry. I thought you were running because those cops were chasing you. I guess I was just mistaken then. Please don't be mad; I was just trying to help you."
Kyungsoo looks the boy up and down, over and over, as if trying to decide whether he's real or a figment of his own twisted imagination. The boy has short black hair, similar to Tao's, and lips so plump they could rival Kyungsoo's own. His eyes are downcast and his eyelashes are splayed long and full against his cheekbones. Kyungsoo looks towards the hand that's still on his arm and notices how dark the boy's skin is compared to his own. It's a deep honey colour, and it gives the boy a somewhat exotic look.
"What's your name?" The question has slipped out before his brain-to-mouth filter has a chance to kick in, and he has no way of taking it back. The boy's eyes widen - clearly he was expecting a different answer - before they scrunch up as he breaks into a smile.
"I'm Kai, and you are?"
"Kai," he repeats, the word foreign on his tongue. It's a pretty name to match a pretty boy, but Kyungsoo doesn't see himself using it any time soon.
"Well, it was nice meeting you and all, but I'm afraid I have to go now. My girlfriend is a very impatient woman and I don't want to keep her waiting, so I'm afraid our time together ends here."
He doesn't wait for a response and turns away, phone already in hand as he keys in Wufan's number. His sole focus is getting back to his team-mates, wanting to make sure he does so undetected. He's aware of Kai's voice calling out behind him, but he doesn't pay him any mind. It's only when he hears a scream that he realises something must be wrong, and he turns just in time to see a bullet lodge itself into Kai's chest.
Within seconds he's running again, only this time he tears down the streets with a new-found determination. The cops must have seen him. There's no way he can make a clean escape. But even so, he runs. He has to get away. His soles pound down on the pavement, rubber wearing away against grainy asphalt. He concentrates on the sound it makes, the rhythmic thumps. His lungs burn but he continues pushing forward, welcoming the pain with open arms. It feels good, serves as a nice distraction. Whenever his thoughts slip up, he's back. Back in the alleyway. Back to staring at Kai as the life slowly seeps out of his body. He's been running for so long, he can no longer make out his location. The surroundings begin to blur together, one street looking no different from the next. He needs to take a break, but he can't bring himself to. Kai enters his mind again, the scene of his shooting replaying itself in mind again and again like a broken record, consuming him. He comes to a stop in the middle of the pavement, body doubled over. His force of the fall slices his knees open, dark red staining the fabric of his jeans. The smell of iron makes him vomit.
He picks himself up slowly. His feet sway unsteadily as he continues down the street. He'll phone Wufan once he gets to the end. He just needs a few minutes to clear his head. He closes his eyes, letting his feet guide him. If he's managed to get himself this lost, he's sure that the police would have gotten lost too. Part of him wonders if they even pursued him in the first place. But they had shot Kai because of him. Of course they had pursued him. His shoe comes into contact with something solid and he stops. His eyes fly open and he comes face to face with a wall. There's a small gap next to it, an entrance of some sort. His heart stops beating when he realises where he's ended up. The alleyway.
He should go. He has to go or he'll get caught. The police are probably still in the area; he has to leave. Kyungsoo knows, with every fibre of his being, that he should turn around and call Wufan and walk away from all of this, but in a moment of insanity, he walks into the alleyway instead. The voice of reason in his head is screaming at him, telling him to leave, that he’ll get caught, it’s not worth it. The police most likely got Kai medical attention once they found out he was just an innocent civilian. That, or he died, and they took his dead body with them. Either way, there’s nothing Kyungsoo can do. He knows that fully well, but he can't bring himself to just leave. Whether it's for closure, or some other reason, or simply because he is a sick, twisted masochist who takes pleasure in torturing himself, Kyungsoo doesn't know. All he knows is that he has to see. See for himself what became of the boy who unknowingly risked his life to save him.
Kyungsoo has never been a caring person. Apart from Wufan, Zitao and Chanyeol, he hasn’t cared for a single soul in fifteen long years. A large part of him hopes that Kai is dead. That way he’ll have nothing to worry about, not about the police getting information out of him, nor about owing the boy anything. But a small part, an absolutely tiny part that Kyungsoo normally dissociates from, wishes that Kai is still alive, that the police officers took care of him and that he didn't lose his life trying to protect someone as worthless as Kyungsoo after all and can go back to abducting strangers from the street or whatever it is that he does as a hobby in no time. Kyungsoo is prepared the place empty, and at the worst, he’s prepared to find a covered corpse that the police haven’t disposed of yet. What Kyungsoo isn't prepared for is to find Kai lying in the same exact spot he went down, framed by an alarmingly large pool of blood and eyes glazed over as his chest rises up and down arrhythmically. He's dead. He has to be dead. Kyungsoo saw the bullet hit him, right in his chest. There's no way he'd be alive for this long without medical attention. But then Kai's eyes shift slowly to face him, and Kyungsoo realises the only thing standing between Kai and death now is him.
So much blood. Got to stop the bleeding. It’s the first thing to comes to Kyungsoo’s mind as he stumbles over to Kai’s side, jeans soaking in the substance as soon as he hits the floor. The smell assaults his senses, bringing about another wave of nausea, but he pushes the discomfort aside, focusing on the task at hand. His hands descend on Kai's face, pushing his sweaty hair away from his eyes and feeling for a pulse on his neck. There's a faint, irregular beat present under his fingers but it's fading fast. Kyungsoo knows Kai doesn't have much longer left, minutes at most. Swift fingers begin to unbutton Kai's shirt, fingers dragging through the blood to search for the wound. A weak sigh leaves Kai's mouth, most likely protesting the rough actions, but Kyungsoo doesn't have time to be gentle. he finally locates the bullet hole near his left shoulder, just below Kai's collarbone and mere inches from his heart. It's a rather shallow wound, one that he knows Wufan could fix up in moments with all of the medical tools he keeps in the car, but Wufan isn't there. He's all the way back at the hotel and Kyungsoo has to find a way to keep Kai alive long enough for them to get there.
He takes his jacket then his own t-shirt off, folding it into a long thin strip and wrapping it around Kai's chest. He knots it at the back and takes a deep sigh of relief when the material seems to stem the bleeding. It's not a permanent solution, but at least things are looking up. Kai's head falls to the side and his eyes fall shut. For one horrific second Kyungsoo thinks the boy’s passed away, but when he lowers his ear to Kai's mouth and feels his breath, he realises he's just fallen asleep. It’s a good sign, he tells himself. This way he won’t be in pain. But somehow, he's not so sure.
As gently as he can, he slips his hands under Kai’s back, lifting the boy up into his arms. Kai is freezing to the touch and Kyungsoo wishes he had more clothes to give him, but all he has left is his jacket and he can’t just walk around topless with an unconscious boy in his arms. Instead he clutches Kai’s body closer to his chest, hoping his own body heat will somehow warm him up. He’s already called a taxi and expects it to arrive any second now. The driver is a trusted one that Kyungsoo’s used on more than one occasion, and he knows he won’t be questioned as to why he’s holding a semi-dead body in his arms. Of course, once he gets back to the hotel, he’ll have to explain it all to Wufan and Zitao, but Kyungsoo doesn't dwell on that for too long; for now, getting Kai to safety is the most important thing.
He looks down at the boy in his arms, limp and lifeless, and can’t help the sense of dread that washes over him. With every passing second, Kai's skin is paling more and more, now a dusty ashen colour that rivals his own in terms of paleness. His lips have begun to turn blue around the edges, a sign he’s losing life, and Kyungsoo does the only thing he can think of. He leans down slowly and presses his lips fully against Kai’s own. They’re cold and wet and it’s not the most pleasant of feelings, but he keeps his own against them, determined to slip some of his own warmth into Kai in any way possible. After what seems like an age, they finally warm under his touch, and when he pulls away they’re back to a soft pink colour. “You’ll be okay,” he whispers. We’ll both be okay.
It takes another four minutes for the taxi to show up, driver rolling down the window and apologising profusely. “Sorry I'm late, D.O-ssi, I got held up in traffic and I--” His eyes finally land on the person in Kyungsoo’s arms and he rushes out, throwing open the back door so Kyungsoo can place him inside.
“It’s okay, Joonmyun." Kyungsoo says as he leans inside the car and lets Kai's body slip gently from his hold. "Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
The driver - Joonmyun - nods and goes over to the other side of the car, reaching in and pulling Kai’s legs along so he fits comfortably on the seats. Kyungsoo nods a thanks and climbs in, lifting Kai's head for a second and slipping in underneath. He places Kai's head back down on his lap and absent-mindedly strokes through his hair. His eyes fall onto the blood dripping onto the seats and he scowls.
“I'm sorry about all the mess, Joonmyun. I’ll get Kris hyung to send you a cheque to cover the cleaning costs.”
Joonmyun shakes his head and climbs into the driving seat with a smile. “No worries, I was planning on upgrading the interior next week anyway.” His eyes go the rear-view mirror and he sneaks a glance at Kai. “I take it this is a client then?” he adds on. He’s somewhat expecting the silence he’s met with - Kyungsoo has never discussed business with him before, so why start now? - but he doesn't expect the way Kyungsoo’s hands curl over the boy protectively, shielding him from view as his face takes on a hard edge.
“He's not a client,” Kyungsoo finally says, tone hard and even. “He’s a friend.” He's well aware that it's not the right word, but it’s the only one he can use without giving anything away. “He got injured during a misunderstanding and I need to get him back so Kris can patch him up before he ends up dying. I don't want him to die." His voice cracks a little on the last word, but it goes unnoticed.
Joonmyun just nods, foot already pressing down harder on the gas. “Just tell me where to go.”
--
“What in the world gave you the idea that it was okay to bring him back here?” Wufan’s eyes are livid with anger and Kyungsoo just stares back at him, the ability to speak having left him a long time ago. “Do you even realise what a huge risk you took in doing that? Are you stupid, or are you just insane?” Kyungsoo swallows the lump in his throat and opens his mouth to somehow defend himself, wanting to defuse the situation. He knows what he did was wrong, stupid, insane, all of it, but he had reasons for doing it, reasons that Wufan doesn't seem to understand. Maybe if he could just explain..
“Hyung, I-”
“Don’t,” Wufan cuts him off. “Nothing you say can justify the fact that you brought an outsider back to this place. What were you even thinking? Oh yeah, that’s right, you weren't. No, you just put all of us in danger because you didn't stop to use your brain for a single second.” He runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head, eyes moving over the room until they come to rest on the source of their problems.
Kai is lying in Wufan's bed, dressed in Kyungsoo's clothes with Zitao on a chair by his side holding his hand. His breathing is loud and steady, the only noise in the otherwise silent room, and Wufan takes a little comfort in knowing that at least he’s alive, that Kyungsoo didn't risk exposing them for nothing. When Kyungsoo had stumbled back to the hotel around an hour ago, Wufan had been ecstatic, but that delight had quickly given way to disbelief when his eyes had fallen on the boy Kyungsoo had been holding. He’d done his part out of pure morality, extracting the bullet from Kai’s body, disinfecting the wound, stitching him up and even administering some painkillers so he wouldn't be too sore when we woke up. He'd put all of his anger aside, but now that Kai was patched up and in as good of a condition as he could be in, it was coming out hard and fast.
“Tell me, Kyungsoo,” he continues, “does the word safety mean nothing to you?” He goes to fix Kyungsoo with another deadly glare but his heart melts unwillingly at Kyungsoo's wide eyes. Kyungsoo is obviously scared-shitless, so he decides to go for a more gentle approach.
“Kyungsoo,” he begins again, voice softer this time. “I get that you wanted to help this kid, but bringing him back here was both thoughtless and reckless. What if you and Joonmyun hadn’t been able to sneak him in through the back door? What if someone had seen his bullet wound and called the police, hmm? You should have left him, Kyungsoo. It would have been the right thing to do.” He reaches out and squeezes Kyungsoo's shoulder, wanting to leave him to think on his words.
“I couldn’t.”
Kyungsoo’s voice is so soft that Wufan can’t be sure he even said anything, but then he repeats his words, louder this time. “I couldn't. He took a bullet because of me, Kris. They were after me. He saved my life by pulling me into that alleyway and you're saying that when the time came to help him, I should have left?” His eyes are fiery, staring at Wufan with an intensity that’s frightening. "You want to know something? I did leave. When he got shot I high-tailed it out of there as fast as I could and even now I can't stop the guilt from eating me up alive. He wouldn't even be this bad if it wasn't for me. He wouldn't have even been shot in the first place if he hadn't pulled me away from those fucking cops."
Kyungsoo's shoulders deflate, the exhaustion from the day finally hitting him full force. He sinks to the floor with a loud thud, willing away the tears he knows are forming. It's so stupid, crying over something like this. Kyungsoo's not normally an emotional kind of guy. He blames it on the tiredness, the lack of food, Chanyeol's betrayal and all the other shit he's gone through. Wufan tries to put an arm around him but he shrugs it off. The room is silent once again, but this time he finds solace in it. He lets his head hit the carpet, registering how soft it feels. So comfortable. He could probably fall asleep right here. He stretches out his limbs and plans on doing exactly that when a whimpering sound pulls him out of his thoughts. He glances up to see Zitao looking at Wufan with a concerned expression on his face. Though he's too lazy to check, he knows Wufan's expression is probably something similar. Alarm bells begin to go off in his head.
"Tao, what's wrong?" he asks warily. Zitao turns his attention to him and points to the bed. At the same time, Kai struggles into a sitting position and raises the hand that Zitao is still clutching, pulling it out of his grip.
Kai looks around the room in a panic, most likely trying to make sense of his surroundings. His eyes widen as he sees Wufan, and even more so when he looks at Zitao by his side, who's trying his best to look friendly but without much luck. It's only when his gaze falls on Kyungsoo that he seems to calm down a little, recognition appearing on his face. Kyungsoo smiles warmly and it almost looks like Kai's going to smile back. Kai parts his lips as if to say something, and all three boys wait to see what his words will be.
No one is expecting the blood-curling screams that leave his mouth.
--
tbc