Kai is horrible at making decisions.

He’s sitting in front of some tall, six foot something with a permanent scold on his face and even scarier presence. Bleached hair, too many piercings and he’s just staring at Kai as he waits for him to drink the coffee that he had offered earlier. Or run for the nearest exit.

There is someone else in the room; another tall man. Black hair, matching piercings but he seems more carefree. Maybe it’s the smile he sometimes has on his face as he talks to the blonde one, rapid words in low hums. Kai isn’t even sure why he’s whispering; he can’t understand whatever language they’re conversing in anyway.

“Do you not like coffee, Kai?” the guy in front of him asked and Kai is half-aware it’s actually Korean, and more importantly, directed to him. He takes a sip as respond. It’s too hot, but he says nothing.

He never really did like coffee. But they never asked, never even introduced themselves as they asked him to follow them.

There is blood on his forehead. He isn’t sure of the source. He also has a nosebleed and the one with black hair offers him a new tissue; the one he previously used is all soaked up. His knees are scraped, his stomach hurts and he isn’t sure why he’s sitting in a well-kept office with these people, ruining their expensive carpet with his blood dripping all over it.

“Join us, Kai,” the black haired one says as he takes a wet cloth to gingerly wipe the blood off his face. Kai winces and he is aware that the one sitting across from him seems less pleased with all of this, but allows it nonetheless. There is a moment of silence as Kai looks to his savior before he decides.

“Okay.”

Because Kai is the worst at making decisions.

[+]

Zitao. But you can call me Tao.

It had been what the tall, dark haired guy said to Kai as he placed him on a bed after cleaning him up. The other tall guy (“Kris,” Tao had offered) left them shortly after. Something about business errands and truthfully Kai doesn’t really care; he’s losing too much blood, causing him to feel lightheaded. Kris had them sent off to some apartment before kissing Tao a goodbye.

Well, then.

“Korean friend,” Tao calls for after making sure Kai’s wounds have been properly cleaned up and wrapped. Kai hears footsteps and he sees through hazy vision someone who looks awfully familiar. The boy who just joined them stands beside Tao, chewing on his lip as he looks at Kai’s condition.

“Kai, this is—“

“Oh ing Sehun,” Kai ends it for Tao and Sehun flinches at the choice of word.

Tao looks at them both before quietly stepping out and Kai can see that Sehun doesn’t like the idea of being left alone with an enraged Kai. Despite aching everywhere Sehun knows anger is a powerful emotion and who knows, Kai could surprise him by punching him there and then. But Kai is also his friend and he has the right to know what has happened. Sehun slowly sits himself at the chair near Kai’s bed.

“I was under the orders to not interfere tonight because they wanted to test you,” Sehun starts explaining, watching Kai for any reaction. When Kai didn’t react violently, he continued, “Kris had heard many things about you. So they wanted to check you out. See if you were worthy to be invested in. They had to make sure you weren’t going to die because of a little beating.”

Kai scoffs at that. He had known that Sehun was involved in some gang, but took little interest in it. Sehun could do whatever he wants. Kai just wants fast cash and he was more than willing to help a friend by being a dealer. Kai just sells drugs with his pretty face and suggestive words; he doesn’t want to get caught in some gang.

Except tonight he had sold drugs at someone else’s turf without knowing, and they had come attacking him in a group of five. Two of them had bats, and Kai was aware of Sehun running away when the group started approaching them. It didn’t look good from the start but Kai isn’t someone who runs away, especially when he brought the problem upon himself.

He was on the ground, getting kicked at the stomach when he saw Sehun running back with two other guys. One of them had a gun and he shot the person kicking Kai at his arm without even a warning. That caused the others to run scramming. Kai pants as the guy with the gun walks nearer, steps steady, a total opposite compared to Kai’s heartbeat. He entertains the idea of dying by a gunshot and thinks it isn’t that bad; at least it’s fast as compared to getting beaten to death.

He didn’t expect a hand outstretched to help him get up, the shooter asking if he’s okay.

“Why did Kris help me?” Kai asked in confusion. Not that he’s complaining, if Kris hadn’t come he probably would’ve been dead now.

“Well, you were dealing his drugs…” Sehun answered and of course, now everything makes sense.

Sehun was a rich kid with nothing wrong going on in his life. He did well in school despite skipping so many classes because his parents had hired him a tutor. His parents, however, did not know of his delinquent lifestyle because Sehun tips the teachers (and occasionally the school) really well for their silence. So someone like him can’t just have bags of drugs to sell around. Of course he was selling his boss’ drugs. And Kai had been the silly one, helping his friend and getting beaten in return.

“Does your boss know I’ve been the one selling his drugs all along?” Kai asks, a little nervous now.

Sehun had approached him one day saying he was scared, he didn’t know how to complete his latest job from his boss. Despite being in a gang, Sehun was still that shy, awkward kid and he can’t go around clubs, selling drugs to strangers. So he had asked Kai for help. Kai was a natural, dealing it with ease as he went around, subtly giving teens their high in exchange for cash. Sehun told him to keep the extra cash; he just wanted his task completed and Kai needed the money more than him.

Kris had been more than happy after Sehun came back later to report all the pills had been successfully sold. He was given even more drugs to deal and with a sigh, contacts Kai again for help. Kai didn’t mind, he wanted the money too.

“He knew after the third time he gave me the job. You know, that time when you couldn’t help me because you were sick with a high fever. I did a ty job, couldn’t even get half of the stuff sold and my boss was confused. I had to tell him the truth. And that’s how he found out about you. He’s been checking you out for a while, thinks you’ll be a good addition to the gang.”

 Kai sighs. He didn’t want to enter any gang. He works better alone. But he doesn’t like the feeling of being in debt and he certainly feels like that now; tucked in a nice warm bed, wounds cleaned and treated to. Sehun offers him a worried smile.

“It’s okay. No one’s forcing you into anything, really. Even if you said okay just now I’m sure the boss will wait until you’re better so that you can properly decide. You should just rest,” Sehun says as he gets up and Kai has this urge to pull him back down, to tell him not to go. He’s a bit scared; he doesn’t know where he is and if anything happens, he isn’t in a condition to defend himself.

“Don’t worry, I’m right outside,” Sehun says when he sees Kai frowning at him and smiles again, reassuring him that everything is alright. Kai gives him a small nod as a reply and Sehun quietly leaves the room.

“So?” Tao asked as he sees Sehun stepping out of the room, slowly closing the door after him. He takes his time, walking over to Tao before shaking his head as an answer.

“I really like him,” Tao explains and he isn’t really sure why, but he feels the dire need to have Kai close to him. To make sure he’s fine. It’s different than what he has with Kris. It’s more of a platonic relationship. Or like an owner-pet relationship. Not that Kai is his pet. Tao just thinks that he looks like a cute puppy.

“We can’t force him. I could try talking to him, if you want?” Sehun offers. He doesn’t want to upset Tao. Tao is, after all, second in command. He is also Kris’ lover and pissing him off would equal a death wish.

“Let me try. And if he still doesn’t want to join us, then I’ll tell Kris that we couldn’t get to him,” Tao says and Sehun heaves a sigh of relief. Tao would probably do a better job at persuading Kai and if he doesn’t, well at least Kris won’t be that upset.

“I’m sure you’re tired. You can sleep in the spare room, I’ll sit with Kai,” Tao says as he watches from the corner of his eye as Sehun yawns for the tenth time in the past five minutes. Sehun smiles with gratitude before walking away.

Tao steps into the room where Kai is resting, making sure to keep quiet as he doesn’t want to wake him up. He sits at the sofa on the far end of the room, looking at the rise and fall of Kai’s chest as his breathing takes a calmer pace, a sign that he’s fast asleep. He looks peaceful when he’s at rest and Tao pushes away the urge to walk over to the sleeping figure and pat him on the head.

He’ll do it when Kai’s awake, he thinks as he leans back on the sofa, gradually falling asleep.

[+]