Baekhyun shoved his materials into his bag and got up.
The lecture hall was quickly emptying, everyone was trying to get out of the room as quickly as possible because it had been the last lesson of today for most of them. It was late afternoon and Baekhyun was tired. Usually he was full of motivation at the start of a new semester but this term he could not bring himself to be happy or motivated. He knew of course why but he tried to ignore the reason. It was stupid because he had spent most of his time in the basement of the RDT. But without Chanyeol he had no longer any reasons to go there. He lifted his bag a little higher and walked out of the building.
It was comfortably warm outside and the sun was hanging low like a fire ball, nearing the horizon over the ocean. Baekhyun walked through the park, trying to come up with a place to go to. He checked his phone but there were only messages by university groups and Yixing, a good friend of his. When he reached the river, he felt reminded of Chanyeol so badly he felt it like a physical pain.

“Baekhyun?”
He whirled around hopefully but it was not Chanyeol. The man approaching him was way too short. Kyungsoo had changed since the last time they had seen each other, he had lost weight and his hair had grown considerably. He was accompanied by another young man. Baekhyun could not help but stare, he was very attractive but something about him also made Baekhyun’s insides squirm. His eyes were glowing yellow like a cat’s and they were eyeing him with great suspect. Somehow he looked familiar to Baekhyun but he could not ever recall having seen him before. He was remaining a few steps behind Kyungsoo.
“Kyungsoo”, Baekhyun said. “Are you okay?” he asked. Kyungsoo cleared his throat.
“Listen, I wanted to visit you for ages and apologise”, he started. Baekhyun blinked.
“Apologise?” he asked. Kyungsoo looked confused.
“Well you got involved in this – mess because of me. And you were injured!” Kyungsoo said. “Also, I lied to you about my identity”, he added. Baekhyun coughed awkwardly. Kyungsoo had just summarised everything Chanyeol had repeatedly told him when he had visited him at the hospital.
“You know I like trouble”, Baekhyun said but he did not sound very convincing.
“You don’t have to – I don’t know – hang out with me anymore, you know. You don’t need to pretend, it’s okay, I would understand if you don’t want to be friends anymore”, Kyungsoo said. Baekhyun shook his head.
“What? No, of course I still want to be friends with you! What has gotten into you?” Baekhyun called. “I’m just glad you’re okay. After the court trial, there were no news about you and I got really worried”, Baekhyun said. Kyungsoo sighed.
“I’m sorry, I was – uh – preoccupied”, he murmured. “Right”, he said when he noticed Baekhyun’s eyes constantly drifting over to the tall yellow-eyed man behind him.
“This is Jongin. I told you about him, maybe you remember -?” Kyungsoo started.
“What? That – that is the guy you…”, Baekhyun asked baffled. Kyungsoo nodded, a sheepish smile appeared on his lips.
“Jongin, that is Baekhyun. I told you about him a couple of days ago. He is studying geography here at the university”, Kyungsoo said.
“Baekhyun, this is Jongin”, he introduced him. Baekhyun felt like Jongin’s eyes were nailing him into the ground.
“I know you”, Jongin said.
Baekhyun flinched, his voice was deeper than expected. And it appeared the strange familiarity about him was not just his imagination.
“You know him?” Kyungsoo asked surprised.
“Yeah, when I first woke up, he was there as well”, Jongin said.
“Ah!” Baekhyun called as he remembered. “You were at the hospital. Holy , I would not have recognised you. I mean, who would have guessed – your face had been more or less an injury. Oh, I didn’t mean, no offense”, Baekhyun babbled nervously. Jongin shrugged.
“Yeah, that’s what it looks like when you had your head smashed against concrete floor”, he said. Baekhyun shivered.
“I – what?” he stuttered.
“Okay”, Kyungsoo quickly intervened. “Where is Chanyeol by the way?” he asked. But that did not seem to lift Baekhyun’s mood, in fact it only worsened.
“Chanyeol? Yeah, I wonder where he is”, Baekhyun said in a very untypical cool tone. Kyungsoo opened his mouth.
“But are you not -?” he asked carefully. Baekhyun shrugged and turned away.
“He got that fabulous job offer and works for the government, he made such a huge secret out of it. But it sounded like he works for some super rich guy. I don’t even know what he is doing aside from developing some new technology probably”, Baekhyun huffed.
“He is no longer at university?” Kyungsoo asked. Baekhyun shortly looked at him.
“No, he had just graduated. The semester party we all went to was for the students leaving the university”, Baekhyun said. “Didn’t I tell you?”
Kyungsoo shook his head.
“I still got two semesters left”, Baekhyun murmured.

They walked along the river together.
“He came visiting me at the hospital everyday to preach what a terrible person you are and that I should stay away from you. He was not happy that you got cleared at the hearing”, Baekhyun said. Kyungsoo hummed.
“Figured, he never particularly liked me”, Kyungsoo said.
“Yeah, it drove me mad”, Baekhyun said. Baekhyun looked over at Jongin. “He won’t allow me to talk to you for a second under four eyes, will he?” he asked. Kyungsoo turned to look at Jongin.
“What? Sure, why not?” he asked. Kyungsoo leaned closer to Jongin, he whispered something to him. Jongin nodded and with another glance at Baekhyun walked away.
“So?” Kyungsoo asked. Baekhyun continued to walk ahead, his hands tensed around the straps of his bag. Kyungsoo jogged to catch up with Baekhyun.
“What is it, Baekhyun?” he asked. Baekhyun looked close to tears.
“I broke up with Chanyeol. We were only fighting, every single day. We’re just too different, I cannot be that good boy who follows the rules and doesn’t speak up. That’s why his relationships have always worked out, they were all what he looked for. I’m not like that”, Baekhyun said leaning his head into his neck. He smiled but Kyungsoo saw his tears. Kyungsoo didn’t know what to say.
“We cannot ask each other to change that much for each other. We worked out as best friends, I guess one tolerates more of a friend than of a lover”, Baekhyun said.
“You regret breaking up with him?” Kyungsoo asked.
“I lost him, Kyungsoo. I lost him as a friend, too”, Baekhyun said with a desperate look and burst into tears. Kyungsoo pulled him into a hug.
“I miss him so much”, Baekhyun cried. “And I said so many terrible things. It was my fault, too. We cannot be together like that but I don’t know how to be without him either”.
Kyungsoo held him tightly.
“I don’t know where he is anymore, I don’t know what he is doing, how he is doing”, Baekhyun whispered.
“If you go to his home to talk to him about it?” Kyungsoo suggested. Baekhyun shook his head.
“He moved, I don’t know where he lives”, Baekhyun said and wiped away his tears. “We grew up together, I thought he would be with me for – for my entire life”, Baekhyun said. Those words sparked something in Kyungsoo.
“Baekhyun”, he said. Baekhyun looked startled.
“Yeah?”
– “You told me about your childhood friend Jongdae”, Kyungsoo said. Baekhyun rummaged his bag for a tissue and blew his nose.
“Yeah, what about him? I don’t know where he is either, I haven’t seen him for over 4 years now”, Baekhyun said. Kyungsoo bit back a smile.
“Would you like to see him again?” he asked in the hopes it would cheer him up. Baekhyun looked up astonished.
“Are you saying…?” he asked. Kyungsoo nodded.
“Let me call Jongin and we can go back home. Jongdae should be back by now”, Kyungsoo said.
He waved his arm and within a minute, Jongin had rushed over.
“We’re going back. Baekhyun will come with us, he is an old friend of Jongdae”, Kyungsoo said.
“I can’t believe that we were both friends with Jongdae the whole time”, Baekhyun murmured. “And he’s back in the city…”.

Kyungsoo hesitated. “We’re all kind of living at his house”, he said then.
“What do you mean with we all?” Baekhyun asked puzzled.
“A few of the Aureum Luscus and me”, Kyungsoo said slowly.
“He’s taken them in?” Baekhyun asked.
“Well”, Kyungsoo started slowly. “He took Kenta and Shaila in. Minseok was with him either way. And later he invited me and I brought Jongin with me”, Kyungsoo said. Baekhyun frowned for a second.
“He’s friends with you guys?” he asked Jongin. Jongin’s eyes narrowed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked darkly.
“Yeah, he never told me that people like you exist. I cannot believe he kept that from us”, Baekhyun said and bit his lip. Jongin looked surprised and Kyungsoo suppressed a chuckle.

They arrived at the house and from the voices sounding inside, it seemed like everyone was there. Kyungsoo rushed ahead into the kitchen.
“Jongdae, I brought someone with me. He just wanted to say hello”, Kyungsoo said. Jongdae looked up, his eyes fell onto the two entering the kitchen after Kyungsoo.
“Jongdae”, Baekhyun simply said.
“Baekhyun”, Jongdae murmured. Baekhyun eyed Jongdae with a strange look.
“Maybe we’ll leave you two alone for a few moments”, Kyungsoo suggested and grabbed Kenta and Jongin’s arms and pulled them out of the kitchen. Minseok was still leaning against the kitchen counter with his hips, looking at Baekhyun.
“Okay, this dude is really making me nervous now”, Baekhyun muttered. Jongdae did not even look over his shoulder at Minseok.
“I – just wanted to see you again. Kyungsoo told me you were back in the city… I didn’t think I’d see you again. It’s – it’s nice… to see you again. You seem to be doing well”, Baekhyun said quickly. Kyungsoo who was standing outside could hear that Baekhyun was close to tears again.
“Chanyeol is doing well, too. He’s got a job now. I’m – I’m still at university, though. But I’m in my final year…”, Baekhyun said, continuing bravely.
“Baekhyun”, Jongdae interrupted him. “Let’s talk outside”, Jongdae said. He grabbed Baekhyun’s arm and pulled him out of the house.

A few steps away from the house they stopped.
“You look different”, Baekhyun continued.
“Well, I am different”, Jongdae said. Baekhyun nodded. “I can tell…”, he said quietly. Jongdae sighed.
“I’m sorry, Baekhyun but it is better if you did not come again. I’m no longer the child that played with you”, Jongdae said quietly. Baekhyun looked at him desperately.
“You would not want to be friends with me anymore if you knew who I really am now”, Jongdae said quietly.
“Why is everyone thinking that? Kyungsoo just said the same”, Baekhyun said and shook his head.
“Baekhyun, it seems like you can still enjoy and believe in the good life in this city. Live it. I can’t”, Jongdae said.
“What do you mean?” Baekhyun asked. Jongdae shook his head.
“They took everything from me”, Jongdae said quietly. “I cannot go back to who I was. I cannot live like I used to”, Jongdae said. Baekhyun looked back at the house.
“So your job had something to do with them?” Baekhyun asked. Jongdae just looked at him.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I – I’m your friend, am I not?” Baekhyun asked close to tears.
“I couldn’t! I was not allowed to tell anyone. It was hard for me, too!” Jongdae called.
“Am I really such an unreliable, irresponsible person that no one can entrust anything with me anymore? Chanyeol doesn’t want to tell me what he’s working on, you didn’t tell me. Even now…”, Baekhyun called, the tears were now falling.
“Baekhyun”, Jongdae said uncomfortably.
“Was he the reason you could not come back?” Baekhyun asked then, wiping away his tears with his sleeve. Jongdae’s face went rigid.
“What do you mean?” he asked stony.
“When we saw each other last time, you said you could not abandon your work because of something”, Baekhyun said. Jongdae let out an exasperated breath and turned away.
“It’s not like that”, Baekhyun quickly added. “I’m not asking because I still – while you were away I started … Chanyeol and I were dating”, Baekhyun said quietly. Jongdae looked back at him.
“It’s just – when you turned me down last time you said you were not into boys”, Baekhyun murmured.
“Chanyeol and you were dating?” Jongdae asked instead. Baekhyun pulled up his shoulders and looked to the ground.
“Not anymore?” Jongdae continued.
“I was – really stupid”, Baekhyun murmured. “Like always. I guess I’m not made for lasting relationships or maybe Chanyeol was just imagining things. I don’t know, I can’t understand why he even thought that he liked me”, Baekhyun murmured. Jongdae gave him a side glance.
“Don’t be stupid. Chanyeol always liked you”, Jongdae said. Baekhyun turned his head so fast his neck cracked.
“What?” he asked. Jongdae let out a short laughter.
“You were just too busy running after other boys”, Jongdae murmured and leaned against the guardrail. Baekhyun stood next to him.
“You mean, I was too busy chasing after you”, Baekhyun said. Jongdae hummed. “Yeah”. Baekhyun shook his head.
“He always had girlfriends and I mean, he was in two very long relationships. Why would he -?” he wondered. Jongdae shrugged.
“He thought you would never be interested in him”, Jongdae said.
“Did he say that?” Baekhyun asked surprised. Jongdae raised his eyebrows.
“He did. He said that he did not intend to correct your assumption of him being only into girls”, Jongdae said. Baekhyun opened his mouth but he didn’t know what to say and closed it again.
“And you?” he asked after a while. Jongdae was looking down, there was a hint of a smile on his lips. Baekhyun gently nudged his side.
“You like that guy, don’t you?” Baekhyun said. Jongdae gave him a side glance, the smile disappeared.
“It’s difficult”, he said then. Baekhyun laughed and leaned against Jongdae’s shoulder. “Don’t be so afraid of admitting that you like a boy”.
Jongdae shook his head. “That’s not it. I never thought about it that way”, Jongdae said and leaned his head back. He looked up into the purple evening sky.
“What do you mean?” Baekhyun asked.
“I was constantly scared of dying and I wanted to protect him but at the same time…”, Jongdae murmured. He looked at Baekhyun. “At the same time I was terribly scared of him”. Baekhyun’s eyes widened. “But…”, he started.
“After some time I saw that he had no intention of hurting me, we build something like trust maybe friendship. It was a strange thing. Suddenly I was not only worried about my own death but his, too. I could think of nothing else. I wanted to save him, I knew I couldn’t save anyone, not myself… but he -”, Jongdae said. His eyes were clouded and Baekhyun shivered at the dark look in Jongdae’s face.
“But neither of you died”, Baekhyun said when Jongdae did not continue.
“I helped him escape”, Jongdae said plainly. “I thought I would never see him again. But better he was free than suffering more”. Then he put his hand over his eyes and laughed but Baekhyun saw a tear running down his cheek.
“I suddenly didn’t know what I was doing anymore or why I was even there”.

He tensed up when Baekhyun pulled him into a hug but then relaxed into the hug and buried his face in Baekhyun’s neck. His body was shaking as he was crying.
“I’m all messed up, Baekhyun. I cannot drag you into this hell. I don’t think it will ever stop, it won’t stop”, Jongdae whispered. Baekhyun tightened his hug.
“I don’t care, I’m your friend. You know me, I’m all for trouble. So I’m ready for your trouble as well. Stop trying to carry it on your own”, Baekhyun said. Jongdae pulled back and wiped his eyes dry.
“That’s nothing you can carry, Baekhyun”, Jongdae said. Baekhyun frowned. Somehow it sounded like Jongdae was still keeping another big secret from him.
“Well what exactly is it then?” he asked. Jongdae shook his head.
“Nothing”, he murmured.
“Don’t lie, there is still something going on, isn’t there? You said it won’t stop. Are the experiments still ongoing?” Baekhyun called distraught.
“No!” Jongdae called quickly. “It’s not like that… please, Baekhyun…”. They were quiet for a long time, then Baekhyun gently tapped his arm.
“Let’s go back”, Baekhyun said.

Kenta who stood curiously in the hallway looked startled at Baekhyun who rushed past him into the kitchen. Baekhyun glared at Kyungsoo.
“I know that something is still going on. Another crazy plan, isn’t it? Why are you still keeping this from me? Everyone always thinks I’m too weak or too – too naïve to handle this but I’m not. I won’t let you cut me off again. Neither of you! Kyungsoo, you needed my help last time but did not entrust me with the whole plan. You thought I could not handle the truth behind your job, Jongdae. But that’s wrong. As if I cared what you have done! You’re my friends, I won’t let you push me away like that! Whatever it is you’re planning or doing, you will need my help!” Baekhyun called.
Everyone stared at Baekhyun, Jongdae opened his mouth looking completely confused. The rest was in the middle of dinner and it was a strange silence that followed Baekhyun’s outburst. It would have been a comical silence had Baekhyun not been entirely right. They usually avoided talking about the still open situation with the Feng group. No one of them knew how they should proceed. Kenta was still trying to get new information through his job but had been unsuccessful so far and the same went for Jongdae. Without any new information it would be hard to continue their search and plan to eliminate the entire Feng group.

“What were you two talking about outside?” Kyungsoo asked. Jongdae shook his head.
“Baekhyun, there is no plan going on. That’s not what I was talking about”, he said.
“Oh stop lying! I can look right through that. Everyone is working on some secret stuff. Chanyeol at least let me know that it was a secret. You just said that there is still some trouble left that you have to deal with and I insist on helping you with it, whatever it is”, Baekhyun growled. Jongdae frowned.
“Chanyeol said – there was a secret plan going on?” Jongdae asked slowly.
Kyungsoo suddenly felt uneasy. What if – no matter how crazy it sounded and how unlikely it was – what if Baekhyun was right and Chanyeol was involved somehow, too? Baekhyun crossed his arms.
“Plan, project. Whatever. Same thing”, he said grumpily. Minseok looked at Jongdae.
“I didn’t say anything”, Jongdae murmured.
Kyungsoo frowned. It seemed that whatever Jongdae and Baekhyun had talked about had been enough for Baekhyun to figure out that there was another big reason the Aureum Luscus had come to the city after all. But Jongdae would never tell Baekhyun that they still had to find a group of people and expose them. Mainly because all of the Aureum Luscus wanted them rather dead than just exposed. However knowing Baekhyun, it would be hard to control him should they not involve him. Baekhyun would never stay out of that, he had already set his mind on it because of a hunch and now he would stick to that. Just like he had followed Kyungsoo after the festival no matter what danger had lain ahead.
“Where did you say does Chanyeol work?” Kyungsoo asked now looking serious. Baekhyun shrugged again.
“Some rich guy employed him, it was not a company. It sounded like he’s working for the government”, Baekhyun murmured.
“Kenta”, Minseok said. The younger boy was already on his feet and hurried into the living room and returned with a laptop under his arm. He shoved his plate away and put the laptop onto the table.
“Full name?” he asked now very seriously.
“Park Chanyeol. He just started working there, about two weeks ago”, Baekhyun said. “Chanyeol majored in the RDT department”.

Kenta nodded while his fingers flew across the keyboard. “A new gadget from your work?” Kyungsoo asked stepping next to Kenta. Kenta nodded.
“The hologram devices are obviously way better than this device but if I need to write a lot, then the laptop is better”, Kenta said. “I’m just getting used to it”, he added.
“Do you have a picture?” he asked Baekhyun. Baekhyun was staring at Kenta working at that speed.
“I – uh? Yeah”, he murmured. He pulled out a small device that was neither a phone nor a tablet.
“A digital photo album?” Kenta asked as he saw the device.
“Not quite. Chanyeol made it, it is similar to a tablet. You can save pictures, music and take notes on it but the storage is not as big as the ones they sell at the stores. I use it for university most of the time, the size is quite handy”, Baekhyun said. Kenta took the device and turned it in his hand.
“He made that?” he murmured. Baekhyun nodded.
Kenta studied the device for a few seconds and then managed to send the picture of Chanyeol from Baekhyun’s device to the laptop. It was a picture of Baekhyun and Chanyeol sitting together in a very crammed room. Kyungsoo recognised their favourite noodle shop. Chanyeol had a bright smile on his face, Baekhyun was leaning against Chanyeol with a just as broad smile.
The laptop made a quiet sound and two files opened on the screen. One carried the name Byun Baekhyun and the other one Park Chanyeol. Kenta’s eyes flitted across the screen, then he sat up abruptly and looked at Jongdae.
“What is it?” Baekhyun and Kyungsoo asked at the same time.
Kyungsoo leaned over Kenta’s shoulder and quickly scanned the files. Baekhyun’s file was rather big because of his long criminal record. A little comment had been added to almost all of his offences that the charges had either been dropped or he had not been charged at all. Kyungsoo wondered how Baekhyun had managed to get out of it so many times.
It was a mix of indecent behaviour, vandalism, night time disturbance. But there was nothing really heavy or bad. Chanyeol’s file however was short. He had been officially registered as a working adult after graduating university. But there was no information on his work place at all, instead –
“The file is sealed”, Kenta said.
“I cannot see where he is working or what he is doing”, Kenta added.
“What is going on?” Jongdae asked.
“What is it? So Chanyeol is involved in something secret, right? I was right!” Baekhyun said. Kyungsoo frowned.
“It could be a harmless reason. I guess they will black out any information once you work for the government or the job requires a security clearance”, Kyungsoo said.
“Yeah, that means it could be something potentially dangerous”, Baekhyun said angrily.
Kyungsoo couldn’t help it, the possibility was there – maybe Chanyeol did work for the government and got in touch with the Feng group.
“I thought you can find out anything”, Jongdae said. Kenta’s face darkened. He said nothing and kept hacking his fingers onto the keyboard, now very determined on finding out where Chanyeol was working and on what.
The rest continued dinner but Baekhyun was just shifting nervously around on his stool. “What is it now?” Baekhyun asked anxiously when Kenta finally stopped typing. Everyone looked up.
“It seems Chanyeol is working for Junmyeon”, Kenta said then. Kyungsoo took a sharp breath and leaned back.
“I see”, he said and crossed his arms. Jongdae and Minseok exchanged gazes. Baekhyun nervously looked at Kyungsoo.
“What does that mean? Is that something bad? Isn’t Junmyeon the governor’s advisor? His grandfather had that position before him, I think…”, Baekhyun said.
“What would he need Chanyeol for?” Kyungsoo looked at Jongdae.
“It could be that he needs Chanyeol for his newest therapy, right?” Jongdae said.
Kyungsoo bit his thumb as he thought hard. What use could Junmyeon have from a technical talented guy like Chanyeol? Kyungsoo knew hardly anything about Chanyeol’s other abilities aside from making new products out of old ones and apparently creating his own inventions like the device Baekhyun used.
“Therapy?” Baekhyun asked pointed.
“Nothing you have to worry about”, Jongdae said and waved with his hand. Baekhyun opened his mouth angrily.
“But if he really works for Junmyeon then there won’t be any record of the project Chanyeol is working on. Junmyeon knows that Kenta could hack anything”, he added. Kenta bit his lip.
“You think Junmyeon wants to revive the whole experiment with the therapy?” Jongin asked. Jongdae looked at him.
“No, but he is planning something else but I do think that it involves the Aureum Luscus… he is in an influential position so he can do however he pleases. We still have that – thing to do so if Junmyeon is planning on stopping us we should better now about it. It could be that this therapy was originally just a distraction or something”, Jongdae said. Minseok hummed.
“So he is trying to trick us into therapy but really wants to immobilise and control us so we won’t cause further problems?” Minseok asked sharply. Jongdae tilted his head.
“Maybe… but then he would have had to trick Sean into believing him”, he murmured.
“He can be very persuasive and he is good at tricking people”, Kyungsoo said coolly. “I hate to say that but you are probably the only one Chanyeol trusts enough to tell what he is working on”, Kyungsoo said. Baekhyun huffed.
“I told you that he won’t tell me”, Baekhyun said and crossed his arms.
“And I thought you were going to meet him and make up with him because you need your best friend back”, Kyungsoo said. Baekhyun pursed his lips, shooting a side glare at Kyungsoo.
“Yeah but not to spy for you”, Baekhyun said. “He will look through that immediately”. Jongdae raised his eyebrows.
“Didn’t you just say a minute ago you desperately wanted to help us?” Jongdae asked.
Baekhyun lifted his head. “Yeah, but a minute ago you denied the existence of a plan”.
Minseok raised his eyebrows. “It isn’t our plan, it is Junmyeon’s plan. And we need to find out what it is, if one exists”, Minseok said. Baekhyun tilted his head.
“But if I try to find out what Chanyeol is working on and I share my information with you, you have to share your knowledge with me too. You cannot cut me off last second again”, Baekhyun said and looked at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo shifted.
“Baekhyun, everyone here is trained for that. It could get very dangerous and you’re not prepared for that”, Kyungsoo said. Baekhyun bit his lip.
“You think it’s as dangerous as last time? Someone is going to get killed?” Baekhyun asked.
“We don’t know yet, that’s the problem here. We don’t know in what direction this will go. Maybe Chanyeol is working on something completely harmless and then everything is fine”, Jongdae said.
“You really think I will let Chanyeol go alone through this. If he is involved in something dangerous, I will go and get him out of there”, Baekhyun said. Jongdae raised his eyebrows but Baekhyun was serious.
“He pulled me out of every dangerous situation for over 20 years, now it is my turn to help him”, Baekhyun said. Jongdae looked at Minseok.
“Okay”, Kyungsoo said. Jongdae nodded and Baekhyun beamed.
“If we’re on the same team now, you could stop staring me down like that”, Baekhyun said then to Minseok.
“Don’t take it personally”, Jongdae murmured. “He’s risk calculating”.
Baekhyun pulled a grimace and raised one eyebrow. “Huh?”
Minseok shifted a bit. “You’re a trouble-maker, you cannot follow rules. You’re impulsive and act on emotions not on a rational thought through decision. That makes you a potential risk or danger to any plan”, Minseok said. Baekhyun opened his mouth.
“Now that was spot on”, Jongdae murmured. Baekhyun grimaced.
“I don’t know if that was now a compliment or an insult”. Minseok frowned.
“Why should it be a compliment or an insult?” he asked.
“He doesn’t give compliments”, Jongdae said. “And you’d have to be a bit more annoying to earn an insult, but really just a tiny bit more. So better not”, Jongdae added. Baekhyun started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Jongdae asked. Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo.
“Even if we say we’ve changed, we do not fully abandon our old selves, huh”, he murmured.
“Getting philosophical now”, Jongdae said and got up. “Jongin, can you help with the dishes, please?” he asked and Jongin got up.

Kenta quickly and silently escaped the kitchen, to avoid the responsibility of helping with the dishes. Kyungsoo wiped the table when he noticed Baekhyun approaching Minseok who was just leaving the kitchen.
“Maybe Jongdae isn’t quite as he used to be but I think on the inside he is still a bit like that”, Baekhyun said. Minseok raised his eyebrows.
“Like what?” he asked.
“He showed his affection openly and a lot. I think he is just holding himself back because you don’t show what you feel”, Baekhyun said.
Kyungsoo felt torn, not sure whether he should intervene or let them be. He decided to join Jongdae and Jongin with the dishes so that they could not overhear the conversation in the corridor.
“You don’t have to pretend it’s not like that. I know Jongdae too well, I can see that there is something going on between the two of you”, Baekhyun said. “And I can tell that Jongdae is suffering”. Minseok tilted his head.
“You’ve seen him for an hour after many years and come to that conclusion?” he asked. Baekhyun shrugged.
“Maybe you’re good with that – uh – rational thinking or what you called it. But I can tell that Jongdae has deep feelings for you and you better don’t hurt his feelings”, Baekhyun said a bit firmer.
“Or what?” Minseok asked and crossed his arms.
“I’m not threatening you, I’m just asking you to be good to him because he deserves it”, Baekhyun said. Minseok let his arms drop.
“I know”, he said plainly. Baekhyun looked up at him in surprise.
“I once sneaked out of the city to visit him. I managed to get there, that building in the desert. He was so mad at me and sent me back immediately. But while he brought me back to the city, we talked. He told me that he did not like his job but he could not throw it aside”, Baekhyun said. “I had suspected that there was someone he liked”.
Baekhyun was quiet for a long time and looked to the floor. “He was so sad and I could do nothing for him. He was alone with it”, he murmured.
“Is that what you were talking about outside?” Minseok asked. Baekhyun frowned.
“Jongdae rarely cries”, Minseok said. “But what you were talking about made him cry”, Minseok said. But before Baekhyun could answer Jongdae appeared.
“Baekhyun”, Jongdae said clearly determined to interrupt their conversation. Baekhyun cleared his throat.
“I’ll be leaving now. Well, I will contact you as soon as I have met Chanyeol”, Baekhyun murmured. He hugged a very tense Jongdae and left, saying goodbye to Kyungsoo in the kitchen.
“Are you okay?” Minseok asked quietly. Jongdae loosened his shoulders.
“Huh? Yeah, why?” he said calmly.
“You looked very upset”, Minseok said.
“I’m fine”, Jongdae said and walked back into the kitchen.
“Kyungsoo, I’ve got to go to work tomorrow early so I’ll be going to bed. It’s best if we do not attract too much attention now in case there is really something going on. Best is if you and Jongin act normal”, Jongdae said.
“What, we should do nothing?” Kyungsoo asked. Jongdae bit his lip.
“There isn’t much you can do anyways without raising suspicion. Maybe there is nothing going on after all which I really hope”, Jongdae said. Kyungsoo nodded.
“Good night”, Jongdae said. Jongin and Kyungsoo both wished him good night too.
“He’s right”, Jongin murmured. Kyungsoo looked at him and smiled. “Yeah, probably”.

They stood in the kitchen quietly for a while. From upstairs came the sound of steps, down the corridor someone was in the bathroom and then someone else went into the bathroom. “What do you want to do then? Tomorrow, I mean”, Kyungsoo asked. Jongin looked at him.
“I want to go to the beach again”, Jongin said. Kyungsoo smiled.
“Okay, let’s do that then”, he said. He pushed off the kitchen counter and nodded. “Let’s go to bed as well”, he said.
But when he walked past Jongin, he felt Jongin’s hand on his and stopped. Surprised he looked at Jongin, who carefully intertwined their fingers.
“Can we – stay for a bit longer?” Jongin asked. Kyungsoo hummed. He looked at Jongin who had a stern look on his face.
“Do you really think Junmyeon is planning something?” Jongin asked. Kyungsoo sighed.
“I don’t know… but I don’t trust him, so it is better to be safe”, Kyungsoo murmured. Jongin furrowed his eyebrows.
“I don’t really care about that group, you know”, Jongin said quietly. Kyungsoo looked at him surprised.
“But if they come after you –“, Jongin continued.
“No one is after me, Jongin”, Kyungsoo interrupted him softly.
“From what you and the others said, Junmyeon is”, Jongin said.
“So you’re no longer taking his side?” Kyungsoo asked carefully.
“I never took his side”, Jongin said and narrowed his eyes.
“He saved you, you said it yourself”, Kyungsoo murmured.
“No, you did”, Jongin said.
“Did I ever properly ask for your forgiveness for capturing you?” Kyungsoo asked. Jongin just looked at him, his fingers were still holding onto Kyungsoo’s.
“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. I – I sound stupid, don’t I?” Kyungsoo murmured and sighed.
“I don’t think about that”, Jongin said plainly. There were a thousand questions and things Kyungsoo wanted to ask and say but he couldn’t put anything into words.
“What do you think about then?” Kyungsoo asked finally.
He still couldn’t tell what Jongin was thinking at all. Minseok and Jongdae were talking upstairs, someone shut a door. Outside some people passed by the house, laughing, running. Jongin did not avert his eyes.
“Why would you choose me to save over and over again?” Jongin asked. Kyungsoo opened his mouth, the words got stuck in his throat.
“Do you think you’re not worthy of being saved?” Kyungsoo asked quietly.
“I don’t understand. Why would you ask for my forgiveness? You never abandoned me, you were never scared of me. You do not avert your eyes when you look into mine”, Jongin said. His voice was shaky, his eyes glowing in agitation.
“I asked for your forgiveness because you got hurt because of me. I felt responsible and sorry, so I saved you and then I – I don’t know. At some point, you were more than that”, Kyungsoo said and stepped closer to Jongin.
“More than that?” Jongin repeated. Their noses almost touched so close were they.
“More than everything”, Kyungsoo said.
“More?” Jongin asked.
“Important”, Kyungsoo said when the tips of their noses brushed against each other. He closed his eyes when he felt Jongin's hand on his cheek.

First of all, I'm sorry for the sudden Chanbaek angst OTL
Please stay tuned for their development! Baekhyun won't give up so easily...

I hope you guys are anticipating the Kaisoo date at the beach next chapter! I know you're all waiting for more moments between them

Also, what do you guys think, is Junmyeon really plotting something?

Thank you all for subscribing and commenting on this story! I say that often but it really does mean the world to me. Your comments make my entire day!! Thank you, thank you!

I hope you continue to enjoy this story!