“You really wanna know?” Taeyong peered through Ten, deducing that Ten was as serious as ever. Usually the Thai boy had a fragile hint of a smile on his lips at all times, but it wasn’t around this tim.. In fact, he was going pale in the face, looking as if there was a big, bad threat forming in front of him. Something cloudy that he couldn’t quite recognize just yet.

Could he really be imagining something worse than the truth?

Taeyong parted his lips, unsure of how he wanted to approach the topic now that someone had actually spoken on it. A s part of him was eager to talk about it all, thinking it would somehow be the key to gaining his ‘normal’ back. All he had to do was get the damn thing off his chest and he’d be able to breathe easy again. Maybe all he had to do was laugh at the entire thing with Ten and then he’d be able to truly start over.

Jaehyun.

Taeyong scowled for a moment when he thought of the other boy. Really, Jaehyun was a whole different roadblock keeping that precious normal away from Taeyong’s palms. Until he tackled or even touched the issues that swirled around his history with Jaehyun...maybe there was no such thing as normal.

“Of course I wanna know? Otherwise why would I ask?” Ten said, impatient. Whatever he thought Taeyong was going to say, he seemed to need confirmation quickly.

“Okay but, just promise me, it won’t change the way you think of me.” Taeyong locked Ten in a soft, pleading stare. Ten shivered.

“I promise. Just tell me who Jimin is. It won’t change anything.”

“Fine.” Taeyong scooted closer to Ten, both their palms getting a shock from the touch. They didn’t flinch.

A brick could’ve smacked Ten in the back of the head at that moment and he probably wouldn’t have noticed. It was like he’d allowed himself to get into Taeyong, leaving his own body behind like some kind of second skin. He’d prepared himself for the unknown, deciding that he’d play it cool no matter what Taeyong told him.

“Jimin is my brother. My mother gave birth to him after an affair with another man, and to hide the shame, she had him sent away. Out of revenge, he tracked me down all these years later to destroy my life.” Taeyong flat out lied, watching a slideshow of expressions on Ten’s face.

“Your brother? Taeyong....” Ten’s palm shook as he brought it up to his mouth, trying to muzzle whatever words were about to spill out next. “Are you serious? Wow, I’m...” Ten started again.

“I’m absolutely not serious.” Taeyong cackled, his head flopping backwards like the lid on a can. He clutched his chest, already on the verge of tears each time he got a glimpse of Ten’s pale, stoic face starting to get some of it’s color back. “You will literally fall for anything, huh?” Taeyong reached out, grabbing Ten’s cheek with his thumb and index finger. He tugged at the boy’s face, cheesing at the snarl Ten gave in return.

“Get the hell off me!” Ten flailed his arms, getting to his feet. He held both his hands up, huffing for a few moments before he was able to hear himself over the sound of Taeyong’s rude, obnoxious laughter.

“Why would you lie? I’m sitting here, trying to understand what kind of hell you went through, and you decide to lie to my face and joke around. I mean, here I am, taking the opportunity to be a good best friend and all I get in return is a slap in the face. No! More like spit in the face.” His face and ears were red, matching the color of Taeyong’s amused lips.

“Oh gosh, Ten, don’t be so dramatic. This isn’t some soap opera.”

“Actually it might be. Have you seen the news? The articles and stories about you?”

“I try not to.”

“Well, I did. And excuse me for being worried about...i dunno, your mental state.”

“Then why didn’t you ask about my mental state? You only asked who Jimin was.” Taeyong pointed out.

“I thought it was an easier question for you to answer. Once again, sorry for thinking of you.” Ten bit back.

“Apology accepted.” Taeyong wasn’t moved, he lazily leaned back. Still with a ripple like grin on his face, he just let Ten glare down at him.

“Look, are you going to tell me who he is or not?” Ten stepped forward, his voice desperate and cracking in places. “Why did he stalk you and..”

“And what?” Taeyong wouldn’t let Ten get away with holding back. The elephant in the room had already been spotted, they might as well kill the damn thing now. It wasn’t the sort of topic that could be swept under the rug once it was brought up. “What were you going to say?”

“And who’s Jongin?” Ten said bravely. “Answer whatever question you want first, but cmon man, you gotta tell me what’s going on. I mean, should I still be worried about your safety?”

“Huh?” Taeyong’s head jerked back a bit. Fists clenched, he wanted to sock himself dead in the jaw for initially thinking Ten’s agenda had been selfish. Since when did he expect the worse from people that way?

Of course Ten was concerned for Taeyong, just like Taeyong would have been for Ten or anyone else he considered a friend. A frend. Ten was his only friend now.

In a way, he was the only face and name that Taeyong trusted in this new, familiar city that still didn’t feel like home.

“I know he’s in jail and all but is he gonna get out and come after you again?”

Ten seemed to sense how rigid the air between the two of them was getting. He lightened his voice and tried to appear casual, leaning on the lockers with one foot up. The way his jet black hair hung just above his forehead made him look older, like a big brother type. Taeyong wasn’t used to it. However, it did put things into a certain perspective.

This place, Exodus City, it wasn’t the same as before. And no matter how similar things looked or felt to the last time Taeyong had been there, that wasn’t the case. Everything was different. Including himself, Jaehyun and Ten. In this place, even though he was attempting to start over and grab a piece of normalacy by the horns...he was still a victim. How long until he could shake that uncomfortable title? Maybe it started with telling the truth to the only person who felt really wanted to help do something about it.

“He’s not going to come after me again. And if he ever does, I’ll be like, a boring adult with no desire to live. I’ll probably hate my job and wife and gladly let him choke me to death.” Taeyong shrugged.

“Okay fine, keep making this a joke. Screw you.” Ten nodded, his lips pressed into a thin, blunt line.

“I’m not joking.” Taeyong grabbed Ten under the arm when the dancer tried to gather his gym bag and head for the door. “But...to answer your question, I don’t know who he is and even now, I don’t know why he did anything he did.”

“How?” Ten breathed out, straining to understand. The entire thing still seemed like something out a movie to him, he couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that their were questions with no answers, holes in the plot that would never get filled in.

Did bad stuff like this really happen to people for no reason? Ten had a tough time accepting that.

“How can you not know him? It’s not like he picked your name out of a hat.”

“Maybe he did.” Taeyong coughed out a laugh, seeing flashes of himself all over Ten. He’d thought so much of what he knew Ten was thinking right then. “Maybe he just saw me one day and picked me, I don’t know.”

“Well what the hell do you know? Obviously you changed cities for a reason. It wasn’t the weather or gas prices.”

“Jimin told the police he wasn’t working alone. He had help.” Taeyong was still holding onto Ten. Maybe he was squeezing too tight, but Ten didn’t react. “My dad wasn’t going to let me stick around after that, wheter it was true or not.”

“What!? An acomplice!? A partner?” Ten flung himself, pacing around with his fingers starting to pull at his hair.

“Jimin could have been lying though, it’s hard to take the word of someone like that.”

“Or he could have been telling the truth. Which means you’re still in danger like I said.”

“I don’t feel like I’m in danger.” Taeyong hadn’t planned on saying it out loud. It had just been a thought that washed over him, overflowing right out of his mouth. “I just feel like a different version of myself.”

“You’re the same jackass I’ve always known.” Ten was matter of fact about it.

“Good to know.”

“So, then what is Jimin talking about when he says you should be together with Jongin forever?” Ten’s head tilted to the side, his black hair falling to the other side with it. “Who even is Jongin?”

“An old friend.” Taeyong admitted despite himself. “But now he’s...”

“Wait wait, so Jimin does know you? If he knows the same people as you, maybe you two are connected in some way and don’t know it yet.” Ten smacked his fist into his palm, lighting up as every dot he seemed to think he was connecting.

“Or maybe he picked my name out of a hat like we said. To me, that’s actually easier to live with.”

“But it’s not realistic.” Ten was still curious, his eyes darting around the room like he was tryin to solve some kind of invisible math problem. “Like...it’s not adding up.”

“Sorry Ten, but it never will.” Taeyong exhaled from his nostrils, almost scared more of his fears and doubts would have poured out if he kept speaking then.

He hated the way his baggage seemed to be taking root within Ten’s mind, growing into something that would soon cloud their entire friendship. Were they going to spend every encounter trying to understand Jimin’s motives now? Taeyong wanted nothing less. If it was up to him, he’d get a new name and face just so he could erase all history of Jimin that had been painted onto him.

Without even wanting to, Taeyong thought of Heechul, feeling guilty about how the man’s life was bound to be flipped and redirected beacuase of the favor he was doing his brother and nephew. That wan’t fair. None of it was fair. Why did Jimin get to take so many lives into his own hands? Taeyong felt hot, his temperature rising as he held back more of what he now wanted to shout out.

“I’ll never know what Jimin’s objective was.” Taeyong settled on that instead.

“Sure you will.” Ten remarked.

“How? You know a psychic or a Shaman or private investigator?” Taeyong half joked, actually very interested in the investigator route.

“No. And you don’t need any of that. All you need is Jimin.”

“I need him to get shanked in the prision shower, that’s what I need.” Taeyong grimaced. Without even noticing it, the boys had closed the distance between themselves, finding their way back together like two leaves in the breeze, going every which way, while going in the exact same direction.

“Have you gone to visit him since he’s been arrested?” Ten asked without a flinch again.

“Why on earth would I go visit him? We’re not exactly pen pals.” Taeyong started to question Ten’s sanity on the sly. Did he actually not see any of the stories on the news? Was he going to have to break the circumstances down to Ten at an elementary level?

“Because he’s the only person that’s gonna be able to tell you the truth. You were the object of his desire in one way or another, so use it to your advantage and get the truth from him. , I bet he’s waiting for you to come see him finally.” Ten’s words took a while to make sense to Taeyong.

“Yeah but..” Taeyong tried to talk himself out of agreeing.

“I’m not telling you to do anyhting you don’t want to. I’m just saying what I would do.” Ten said.

“Suddenly you’re the daredevil between us.” Taeyong was impressed.

“Hardly.” Ten was surprised when Taeyong moved closer, grabbing him by the underarm again. This time, Taeyong pulled himself inward, clearly going for a hug. A slow, mechanical hug, but a hug nonetheless. It never happened and Ten was glad since...well, they had company.

Loud even without opening their mouths, Yuta and Johnny enterted the locker room.

Johnny narrowed his eye at Taeyong on some sort of instinct. It was a accusatory sort of glare, as if Johnny knew for a fact Taeyong was eventually going to piss him off.

“Oh, a little touchy feely in the locker room? What’s next? A full body massage.” Yuta said, his expression controlled.

Right away, Taeyong felt more uneasy around Yuta than Johnny. Yuta felt like one of those animals you’re constantly told is harmless and good, the kind that dig theirt teeth into you the very moment you turn your back. Something loud and viceral told Taeyong to keep his distance from Yuta.

Johnny on the other hand was like...a boulder. Just plopped there in the middle of the locker room to take up space and cause a problem. Still, Taeyong was more amused by the beanstalk than anything else.

“What the hell are you staring at, ya damn tarzan looking..” Taeyong bared his teeth.

“I’m looking a swollen cheek and maybe a busted lip if you talk to me again.” Johnny fired back.

“Take it easy. How can you wanna fight after three seconds in the same room, Johnny?” Ten sheepishly put himself between the two hotheads.

“I just got a feeling about this guy.” Johnny raised one brow at Taeyong, inviting him to try something.

“What kinda feeling?” Yuta smirked.

“Like Jaehyun won’t be the only one knocking his lights out.” Johnny, sweaty from a workout, shoulder checked Taeyong. He had to duck down a bit to get out the exit, but still managed to look back at Taeyong for a short, fiery second.

“I dare you.” Was all Taeyong said in response.

Still watching Johnny through the foggy window on the exit door, taeyong hardly noticed Ten and Yuta speaking about something in hushed tones behind him.

“Sure that’s fine whatever.” Yuta finished the conversation abruptly, avoiding Taeyong all together unlike Johnny. When they were alone, Ten seemed eager to deflect whatever was about to come out of Taeyong’s mouth next.

“So, wanna learn how to break dance? I’ve been really into that lately? I can teach you a headspin in like, five minutes.” Ten swung the gym bag over his shoulder, a big excited grin across his face. What was so funny? Taeyong looked at his friend with half his face, using the other to check the ID showing up on his cell phone.

“Damn, it’s my uncle for the tenth time.” Taeyong’s finger hovered over the reject option.

“Well answer it. Don’t leave the man hanging.” Ten walked ahead.

“Hello? Uncle, Hi.” Taeyong was slow to fall into pace with Ten. “Ahhh, I know, I know, but I’m just exploring my old city with a friend. I was thinking of stopping by a church and getting forgivness for some sins.”

“God’s gonna strike you down.” Ten muttered.

“Don’t get my hopes up.” Taeyong said on reflex. “No, not you Uncle. Okay, okay, I swear I’m on my way back. Okay, I said okay! Stop yelling! I’m hanging up!”

“I wish I could talk to my Uncle like that but he’s from the military and carries a switchblade under his tongue.” Ten stuck his tongue out, tryin to understand where heck a knife could fit.

“Sounds like you can learn a lot from him.”

“So you’re headed out of here?” Ten stopped just before reching the practice room. There was a Michael Jackson song blasting two seconds later. “Dammit, she beat me here.” Ten didn’t stick around for Taeyong’s answer. “Text me when you get home so I know you’re not in jail for fighting an old man or stray dog.” Ten basically poofed into the practice room, apologies faliing out of his mouth like marbles.

Taeyong sighed once. Then about five more times as he left the building the same way he’d come in.

On the sidewalk, he wondered again just how different this place could have really become. There was one place in particular he needed to see again. It couldn’t wait. Or rather, it wouldn’t wait.

Like one of those sirens from pirate tales, Taeyong felt like the specific place was singing out to him. Of course, in those pirate tales, the sirens always had some wicked, evil agenda...and Taeyong knew that. But there was no way he’d be able to attempt getting back to normal if he didn’t go there first.

It had been blurred out at the top of his mental to-do list since getting back in the city, yet it wasn’t until then that he was able to see it clearly, or better yet, feel it clearly. There wasn’t any promise or gut feeling that he’d get answers or closure or even nostalgia going back there, but there also wasn’t any running from it anymore.

He had to go back to Dream Park. The last place he’d seen Jongin alive.

Hi!

So I know this is a super short chapter update lol the reason is because I felt bad making everyone wait so long for an update, so instead of taking the few more days to make the full chapter whole,

I decided to chop this first part out and post it for you! Hope you enjoy it and hope you’re all doing well!

Thank you!!