XVI.

“I have something to tell you, so listen up,” Minho says and by his tone Kibum can instantly tell whatever he was about to saying was serious.

“W-What is it?” He questions nervously, adjusting his posture in his seat. “Did I do something wrong?”

“What? No, just listen – you’ve already accepted me with my age and everything and I have been thinking. If we’re going to be in a nice, healthy relationship – first things first – we have to be honest with each other.” Minho swallows. “I--” He suddenly stops and Kibum waits, thinking he’s probably trying to process whatever he’s trying to say in his head but then he realizes that Minho’s staring intently into the rearview mirror. “Hold on. Stay in the car.” Minho instructs leaving Kibum dumbfounded in the car.

“How long are you going to stand there?” Minho questions, suspiciously. He slowly approaches a pillar where a woman was hopelessly trying to hide behind. Out comes the stock marketer, Park Bom. “Oh… it’s you… Care to explain why you’ve been standing there for the past five minutes just watching my car?”

“U-Uh…” Bom stutters, trying to think of something believable to say quickly. “I just wanted to make sure Kibum left safely.”

Minho eyes her, shadily. “Really…? You’re really worried about his safety? Why weren’t you worried about his mother’s?”

“What are you saying, mister?” Bom crosses her arms.

Minho looks over his shoulder and sees Kibum staring at the two with worry in his eyes. He takes a step closer to the woman and lowers his tone, making it venomous. “I’m saying that if Mrs. Kim being in this hospital has anything to do with you, I swear to God I’ll--”

“You’ll what?” Bom interrupts; she steps closer too, to show that she is not intimidated by him. “It’s quite rude to be accusing me like this. We all know it was one of the maids who did it. They probably just didn’t like the woman.”

“Probably. But it’s quite fascinating how once you stepped into the picture the maid’s want to act out…”

“It has nothing to do with me.” Bom sneers. “Who are you to Daeho anyways? Last time, I checked you’re a complete stranger.”

“Last time you checked? What’s the supposed to mean?” Minho questions. “I thought you were new to this city as a whole. I mean – that’s what you’ve been telling your colleagues, haven’t you?”

Bom bites her lip, in defeat. She knows now she shouldn’t push any more buttons and if he pushed any more of hers this scene would take a turn for the worst. “Whatever, just deliver Kibum to school.”

“I don’t need you to tell me, sweetheart.” Minho says and walks backwards towards his car, his eyes never leaving hers until he was by his car.

He angers me. Bom says to herself, as she watches the car zoom out of the parking garage. But I must find out more.

______________________

“What was that all about?” Kibum demands on the way to school. “And why the hell are you driving so fast?” He grips the seat tightly, in fear that he could fly out of the vehicle at any time. “Please slow down, Minho, I’m starting to feel a little sick.”

Minho comprehends and put less pressure on the gas. “I’m sorry.” He sighs as he comes to a stop at a red light. “Sorry.”

“What happened back there?”

“Nothing happened,” Minho replies. “I’m just trying to make it to your school faster.”

Kibum says nothing and just relaxes in his seat. He stares out of the window at the pedestrians walking and at each stop light, out of boredom he reads almost every sign he can lay his eyes on. Another ten minutes fly and they pull into Kibum’s high school, Genie High.

“Have a good day.” Minho says as he exits the car. Kibum wants to turn around and lean in for a kiss but he knew how Minho would react; so he just utters a soft “Goodbye” and watches Minho’s car drive off till it disappears from his view. He sighs as he makes his way into the building. There were so many things racing through his mind. Was his mother okay? Who could possibly try and kill his mom? And why the hell does Minho have health papers in his condo?

Speaking of those health papers, Kibum thinks to himself, I need to figure out who Jennie Kim is. The building is quiet and all he could hear was his own footsteps and the occasional loud classroom here and there. He checks his phone for the time and the bell was going to ring any minute now. He makes it to Jinki’s fourth period classroom just as the bell rings and students begin to pile out of the room like ants.

“Jinki!” he grabs the elder by the elbow, startling him.

“H…Hey, how come you’re arriving so late?” he questions.

“Personal reasons,” Kibum says simply. “Listen, I have a question.”

“What’s up?”

“Do you have any idea who Jennie Kim is?”

“Um…yeah I have study hall with her. Spoken to her once or twice, why?”

Kibum froze. What the heck? She goes to this school?!

“Kibum…?” Jinki speaks again; he impatiently waits for Kibum to open his mouth.

“I-I’m sorry. Let’s head to class.” He says, leaving Jinki dumbfounded.

“Wait!” the elder calls after him. “Why’d you ask me about Jennie?”

________________________

Minho pulls up in front of the pharmacy Jonghyun works at and quickly makes his way in. He maneuvers through many aisles till he finds Jonghyun flipping through a magazine behind the counter.

“Hey.” He says.

The pharmacist pops out of his seat. “Y-Yes, how may I- oh, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at work…”

Minho leans onto the counter, speaking in a hush tone. “I have to miss today, so I need a note of some sort so I don’t get lectured by my boss.”

“Minho,” Jonghyun sighs. “You’re looking for a doctor’s note? I’m a pharmacist, I can’t provide that for you.”

“Why not?”

“Because… I know you! It’s against the law for me to issue a sick note to friends and family.”

Minho sighs. “Really, Jonghyun? Can’t you just do it this once? Please? I really need it.”

“Why the hell are you missing work anyways?”

“I’m sick!” Minho fakes a cough into his elbow. Jonghyun rolls his eyes. “Please?” Minho says again.

“Okay, fine.” He looks over his shoulder, whilst pulling out a drawer. “But this is the first and last time that I will do this.” He pulls out a paper and pen and starts scribbling down on it.

“I love you, Kim Jonghyun.” Minho laughs.

Jonghyun bites his lip as his grip on his pen tightens. Why must he constantly say that lie?! “Here,” he mutters, sliding the small paper towards him. “Don’t you ever come back here asking for favors like that alright?”

“Someone’s having a bad day…” the taller man notes as he takes the paper and exits.

Just as he’s settles in his car, his phone begins to ring.

“Hello?” he answers, pulling on his seatbelt.

“Minho…” It’s In Guk.

“Why the is Nickhun still walking this Earth?”

“Some things came up…” Minho spoke.

“I don’t want to hear your bull excuses, Minho. This should have been taken care of a long time ago! Take care of the er right away!” he hangs up before Minho could even respond. He sighs as he reaches back to locate his laptop. He would need it to help track down Nickhun.

______________________

It’s about ten-thirty when Kibum looks up at the clock again. He sits in his mother’s hospital room next to her sleeping body, with an open Health textbook in front of him. Although the book was open, he paid no mind to it. He was lost in his racing thoughts.

Minho’s papers… Jennie Kim… There were so many questions that he had that needed answers. He glances over at his mother. Her face is extra pale and the only thing letting him know that she was still alive was the nearby beeping monitor. He sighs just as a knock sounded at the door.

In enters Officer Lee, the policeman that would be watching over Kibum from now on, “Hey, kiddo, we gotta go. Visiting hours is over. I have to take you home now.”

“Okay,” he answers. He grabs his belongings and follows the officer out of the door.

Tonight for some reason there was a lot of traffic tonight. The constant honks of cars and the country music Officer Lee was listening too was beginning to give Kibum a headache. Kibum wanted to scream and kick at the windows to express his frustration but deep down he knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere.

He rolls his eyes at Officer Lee who is bobbing his head wildly to his music and obnoxiously eating a donut, getting the powder all over his moustaches.

Kibum glances out of the window as they come to another stopping point. There’s a tall building that he recognized. He glances at Officer Lee who’s tapping at the wheel to the beat of his music and then back at the tall building. He then makes a decision; one with little thought.

_________________________

When Jonghyun arrived home it was about eleven-twenty. There was no sign of Minho and the condo seemed to be absolutely empty. He sighs as he takes off his coats and leaves it to hang off the edge of the chair in the kitchen. He looks through the refrigerator for a drink and just as he’s about to grab a bottle of water the doorbell rings.

“Minho…?” Jonghyun wonders as he goes to answer the door. At the door is a panting boy, shivering from the cold and hair tussled due to the strong winds. “Um…” Jonghyun raises an eyebrow, absolutely puzzled. “How may I help you?”

“I’m sorry, I know it’s late, but is Minho around…?” the boy asks.

“He isn’t-”

“Kibum…? What are you doing here?!”

 Both males look and see Minho staggering towards them covered in blood.