“The boy is running out of time, doing this will only hurt you, you know”

Taemin sighed, growing fed up with his hyungs telling him what and what not to do.

“I know Minho hyung, but it’s different this time”

Minho gave him a dubious look.

“Different how?”

“He can be saved,” Taemin answered vaguely and Minho rolled his eyes.

“Can’t they all…” He whispered sarcastically. Taemin ignored him. The two shinigamis were crouched around a table, watching as Jongin entered his high school. He hoped that the younger wouldn’t get any trouble from the other students. But to his surprise, Do Kyungsoo came up to him instead. Taemin smiled as he watched their interaction. He felt Minho stiffen beside him.

“What is it?” Taemin questioned, turning to look at him.

“That boy is on my list”

•••~|~•••

Just as Jongin and Kyungsoo were about to enter their classroom, he got called to the office.

Rounding the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted his father talking to the secretary. With fear growing inside of him, he came into view. His father gave him a smile but Jongin could see that it didn’t reach his eyes. What a fake…

“You have to leave early today, we have important matters to deal with,” his father explained, the same unnerving smile never leaving his face.

With his throat growing dry, Jongin lost the ability to speak so he nodded numbly as he came to stand next to his father. He tensed when a giant clasped his shoulder and lead him out of the school. Heart pounding, he took his seat in his father’s vehicle and sat staring straight ahead.

Once they came in front of a red light, a hand came up to slap Jongin across the face, hard. A small gasp came out as he clutched his red cheek. The sting brought tears to his eyes but he gritted his teeth through the pain.

“Where were you last night?” the man asked coldly.

“Why do you care?” Jongin whispered, his breathe hitched when he realized he spoke out loud. The car took a sudden swerve as they drove and Jongin screwed his eyes tightly together.

“An officer came over last night, asking for you,” His father growled out. “Imagine my embarrassment when you weren’t home. So tell me: Where. Were. You?” Jongin wanted to laugh. His own father was more worried about embarrassing himself than why the police were asking for his son?

“At a friend’s”

A harsh laugh burst out, “What friends? You don’t have any friends”

Jongin remained silent and he could feel another slap coming. The car jerked to a sudden stop just then and his father cursed. Jongin remained on the edge of his seat, trying to lean as far away as possible from that man.

“Why the hell is he just standing there?!” His father shouted in rage as he honked his horn, “Get out of the way!”

Jongin looked to the road and his mouth fell open when he saw Taemin standing there. Angry grumbling came from his dad and Jongin yelled out as the car suddenly started to move. It gained speed quickly and he yelled out for Taemin to move. But he just stood there, not even budging an inch. Fear gripped his heart and Jongin quickly started to scream at his father to stop. His cries went to deaf ears. Please move, Taemin, just move!

Just they were about to hit him, time slowed for Jongin. He could see Taemin watching him with apologetic eyes. Turning to his father, Taemin’s eyes darkened. Then he gently tapped the front of the car as it approached him and suddenly they were upside down in the air. Jongin’s arms came to cover his head protectively. He could feel his body twist and turn as the car flipped. Time resumed and he out as the car rolled before coming to a stop.

•••~|~•••

“That was a bit much, Taeminnie” Jinki stated as he came to stand beside the younger who was watching the wreckage.

“Says the one who impersonated a police officer” Taemin shot back. Jinki laughed. Walking into the ditch, he pried open the passenger door and watched as Jongin fell out and was caught by his seatbelt.

“I’ll see you at home then,” Jinki called out as he walked away, already on the phone to report the crash.

•••~|~•••

Taemin kept nervously biting at his bottom lip as he kept sneaking glances at Jongin’s sleeping form. How many times has he needed to be in the hospital this week?

A weak groan came from the boy and Taemin was at his side in an instant. The biting on his lip only increased as he watched his eyes flutter beneath his eyelids. Hundreds of thoughts raced across his mind as he watched Jongin struggle to wake up. Does he remember? Did he see him? Is he mad? …Is he afraid?

Finally, his eyes opened and Taemin was caught in a slight trance as he looked at him. A few bandages littered across his face but he mostly unharmed. Taemin made sure of it. Jongin opened and closed his mouth a few times, seemingly at a loss for words. Taemin waited patiently, backing away to give him space. A hand reached out to stop him.

“What did you…”Jongin started, trying to formulate his words. What he remembered seemed far too insane to have actually happened but on the other hand… it seemed like it explained the most. Figuring he had nothing to lose (he could always blame his insane question on shock if Taemin thought he was weird…) he took a deep breath to ask what has been plaguing his mind.

“I’m sorry, Jongin,” Taemin started, having watched the thoughts race through the others mind as if he was a book. He knew what Jongin was going to ask. “I shouldn’t have done that—”

“Thank you” He interrupted. Taemin’s head shot up to stare at him. Thank you?

Tears started to gather at the corners of Jongin’s eyes so Taemin came to sit next to him. Leaning over him, Taemin gently brushed away Jongin’s bangs.

“I was so scared…” He whispered, staring at Taemin’s eyes. His gaze softened and he leaned down to rest their foreheads together. Jongin knew that Taemin understood so he didn’t need to say anything more. I was never afraid of you, hyung…

A sudden bang outside had them jumping apart. A sudden thought finally came to Jongin…Where is he? This isn’t a hospital…

•••~|~•••

Taemin was filled with dread as he finally realised what the banging noise was.

Whenever a new soul comes in with one of five Shinigamis of the house, the passage from the outside to the inside is not the most gentle and it usually ends with the poor soul spinning right into a wall. But that wasn’t what made him worry. If the soul was who he thought it was, then Taemin was faced with a dilemma of what to do with Jongin.

“Hyung, what was that?” Before Taemin could reply, he was already out of bed and heading towards the door.

“I don’t think you should go out there” Taemin suggested, coming to stand in front of the door. Jongin gave him a doubting look. Sudden voices floated into the room and Taemin could see Jongin ears perked as he heard a familiar voice. He pushed past Taemin without giving it a second thought and was out the door. Taemin followed behind reluctantly, bracing himself for the younger’s reaction.

“K-Kyungsoo…?”

A/N

Sorry for not updating for a few weeks. I didn't make a schedule for myself so I just wrote when I felt inspired. Anyways, I'll see where this goes because it seems to have a mind of it's own >< It's almost over though

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try my best to update quicker.