“Minseok, wake up.”

“Just splash him with water or something!”

“Tao!”

Minseok woke up and found Yixing was bending his body above him to wake him up.

“Finally.” Yixing smiled.

“Ah!” Minseok got up abruptly. But, he was greeted by the view of Tao half with just a towel hanging loosely around his waist. The dripping water was rolling down slowly on his toned body. Tao ruffled his damp hair slightly and caught Minseok staring at him, mouth wide.

 “Like what you see?” Tao smirked, “You should’ve received my offer last night.”

Minseok covered his face with red face after Yixing had exclaimed ‘Tao!’.

And then Minseok found Yixing and Kris had been packing up. Tao also gathered the guns, which made Minseok shiver, into a briefcase.

“You better get showered, Minseok.” Yixing said, “We bought you new clothes to wear. They’re hung in the bathroom. Please be quick. We don’t have much time.”

“Where are you going to take me?!” Minseok shrieked, “How about my family?!”

“Minseok, like what I told you last night. We can’t let you go and let you be killed. And…you don’t want you family get involved in this too, right?”

“No…” Minseok said weakly, “But…I-I…my parents must be looking for me…”

Yixing smiled sadly, “You can call them on the way. Now, don’t get too long. Get showered.”

Minseok got up from the couch, feeling like flying, and entered the bathroom. He stepped into the shower stall and the water. Slowly, the water washed all his tears from his face. He couldn’t help but sob heart wrenchingly. He was about to separate from his parents, of course it made him sad. On his mind, he remembered his parents’ face. He knew his parents would be looking for him and all he could do was call them later. Oh, how he hated that his life was flipped 180° in just one night. Life did hate him, like Tao had said.

Out of the bathroom, Yixing rubbed his temple and sighed heavily after he had heard the water running.

“This is really not supposed to happen…” Yixing said, “It’s cruel to separate him from his family forcefully like this.”

“But, it’ll be more dangerous if we let him go and get killed with his family.” Tao said, “No choice is better than one another…”

Kris locked the last briefcase and stuffed it carefully into the empty luggage, “We have to throw this up once we get out of here. Firstly, we have to meet Luhan to get some fake files for that unlucky man and then we can go to China.”

Yixing nodded.

Tao sighed while observing the gun in his hand.

Life hates that Kim Minseok so ing much.

Suddenly Minseok opened the door with a loud sound, making Tao point the gun in reflex. Minseok gasped when he saw Tao pointing the gun to him and raised his hands up, dropping his dirty clothes.

“Tao, what are you doing?!” Yixing hurriedly lowered Tao’s hand.

“Ah…” Tao threw his gun and scratched his head, “Sorry. It was my reflex.”

“Minseok, are you alright??” Yixing asked the traumatized man at the bathroom doorway.

“Ye-yeah…just shocked.”

“Sorry.” Tao mumbled again.

“I-It’s okay…” Minseok replied.

Kris suddenly got up from the couch and grabbed the luggage, “Come on, Guys. We don’t have much time for this.”

They left the hotel and drove the black car Tao had used from the previous night. They stopped beside the Han River for a while to throw the luggage with weapons in it into the river. And then they continued. Kris stopped his car at a shabby village of the side of the city. Yixing pulled Minseok out from the car and ordered him to follow them. They entered a shabby house. Minseok looked around in fear because he didn’t know what they were going to do in that house. Suddenly, a honey haired man stepped out from the room.

“Ah, you, Guys!” Luhan clasped his hand, “I was wondering when you would come.” And then he saw Minseok behind Yixing. He widened his eyes. “Who is that chubby guy?!”

“Look, Luhan. This is urgent.” Kris said seriously, “This man right here was really unlucky by coming into the scene when Tao had killed the previous mafias we had talked about. You know the rule. You can’t let the witness go. But, we can’t kill him either. That’s why he’s here.

Luhan, we need your help to make fake files for this guy. ID, passport, driving license, everything. Can you make them right now?”

“Well, maybe they’ll be ready by evening. Are you in hurry?” Luhan asked.

“Yes, we are so, can you make it faster?” Kris demanded, “Please.”

“Okay, but one thing.” Luhan smirked, “You’re going to China, right? Bring me. I miss my hometown.”

Kris chuckled, “Of course.”

“China?!” Minseok shrieked, “You didn’t tell me we’re going that…that..far…”

“Sorry, Minseok. But, we can’t help it. We need to get away from Korea until this circumstance done.” Yixing said.

“But, when?!” Minseok asked, tears on the edge of his eyes, “When will I meet my family again?! When?!”

Yixing was taken aback when Minseok was snapping at him. Tao huffed and grabbed Minseok’s wrist. Without word, he dragged the snapping man out from the house.

“Let me go!” Minseok snapped his wrist and rubbed the reddened skin.

“Be a man!” Tao suddenly snapped, “Why did you have to snap Yixing like that?! He’s trying to be nice to you! He’s trying to ease you up! You didn’t have to behave like that!”

“But, I want my family! You guys are trying to bring me away far from my family! China! Until when?!”

“Listen, Idiot!” Tao hissed, “I, personally, don’t want to take you with us! Everything about you is a burden! But, Yixing insisted to bring you because, like he said, he didn’t want you and your family to get ing killed! But, if you insist that your and your parents’ lives aren’t that important, you’re pleased to go anytime!”

Hearing that his parents might get killed if he decided to come home was the horrible thing to know for Minseok. He lowered his eyes and bit his lower lip.

“I’m…just….going to miss them…” Minseok said between his sobs, “I miss them…”

Tao gritted his teeth, “Be grateful that your parents are still alive, Minseok…”

Minseok lifted his head up, “What are you talking about…?”

“Nothing.” Tao turned his face away, “Now, if you’ve fixed your mind, you better go inside and apologize to Yixing because I think he was hurt when you snapped him.”

“And you…?”

“I’ll stay here longer. Go.”

Minseok nodded and stepped into the house again, looking at Tao’s back along the way.

“Yixing, I’m sorry for snapping you…” Minseok apologized, “I didn’t mean to…”

“I know, it’s okay, Minseok.” Yixing smiled, “Now it’s okay for you to follow us to China, right…?”

“…yes.”

“Good.” Yixing said, “Your fake files will be done in an hour. I bet you’re hungry. Let’s find something for breakfast, first, okay? And you can call your parents too.”

Minseok nodded weakly.

-

The connection voice was heard from the receiver. Minseok bit his lower lip nervously when he was dialing his house’s number.

“Hello, Kim family here.” A voice of a lady was heard. Minseok could recognize that his mother’s voice was weak and sad.

She must be crying over me…

“Mom…” He managed to choke.

“Min-Minseok?! Is that you?! Oh, my God, Baby, where are you?! We’re worried about you! Are you okay?!”

Minseok looked up and saw Yixing pointed his watch uneasily, signaling that he had to be hurry. Minseok gulped down his sadness and sighed.

“Mom, listen to me carefully.”

“Minseok…?”

Minseok closed his eyes, letting the warm tears rolling down is cheeks, “I’m…not going home…”

“Wha-what?!” The lady on the other line choked, “Why?!”

“Mom…I’m involved into…something I can’t explain. Please, Mom, don’t cry. I’ll be okay. I’m a grown man now. Just…please trust me. I’ll go home after all of these are settled down. I love you, Mom. And please tell father that I love him too.”

“Minseok!!!”

Minseok gripped the receiver tightly, “Goodbye, Mom…”

And the receiver was hung up.

“Minseok…” Yixing rubbed crying Minseok’s back, “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not…” He sobbed, “But, I have to.”

“I’m so sorry…”

Minseok bit his lower lip and let Yixing to lead him. But, suddenly, he was pushed into the dark alley. He gasped in surprise. He was about to ask Yixing when Yixing’s hand pressed on his lips.

“Silent, Minseok.” Yixing whispered. His usually soft eyes hardened. He d his pocket and picked something out from it. He plugged the device into his ear and pressed something on it.

“Hello, Kris. , they’re following us. No, we’re not caught. We’re hiding in the dark alley now. But, I’m afraid they’ll find us if we don’t move from here. Could you pick us up?” Yixing nodded and sighed, “Fine, thank you.”

Minseok knitted his eyebrows.

“Later.” Yixing breathed, “Kris, hurry up…”

Suddenly a black car came into the sight, with a loud sound of the wheels scratching the pavement; it stopped in front of the dark alley. The back door was opened.

“Hurry!” Tao appeared from it.

Minseok saw Yixing picked up a gun from his belt. Suddenly, the usually soft man shoved him harshly toward the back door. He stumbled with his feet and fell down on Tao’s chest. He heard the guns firing. Yixing ran out from the alley, pointing his gun toward whoever shooting them before falling down on the backseat right on Minseok’s body. The car moved quickly even the back door hadn’t been closed. Yixing sat into the proper position and slammed the door shut.

“Get down!” Tao pushed the back of Minseok’s head down. Minseok could hear the bullets kept hitting the back of the car even though his scream was loud enough. Tao suddenly opened the window.

“Yixing, give me your gun!” Tao said.

Yixing threw the gun without a single thought. Tao caught it and settled it between his fingers. He climbed the window so from his waist up, he was out of the car. Minseok heard several shots and then silence. Tao got back into the car and closed the window. He sighed heavily, leaning back on the backrest.

“Killed them all?” Kris asked the black haired male.

“No, one was missed. But, I killed the rest two.” Tao sighed. Suddenly, he felt a pain on his side. “!” He cursed and brought his hand to the wound on his side.

“Oh, my God!” Minseok shrieked, “You’re bleeding.”

“Stop being a drama queen, Minseok.” Tao grumbled, “It’s just a scratch, maybe from the previous shot.”

Yixing opened the aid kit box from under the driver seat.

“Minseok, since you’re in the middle, can you please take care of Tao’s wound?” Yixing asked.

“Well…”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know how to take care a wound-ouch.” Tao chuckled mockingly but then he felt the pain again.

“I know!” Minseok protested. He took the alcohol and the cotton. And then he pursed his lips when he knew he was going to lift Tao’s ing shirt.

“What are you waiting for?” Tao frowned.

Minseok shook his head. He didn’t want Tao to know that he was uneasy to see Tao’s body. He lifted Tao’s shirt carefully. But, the black haired man couldn’t help but groan when his shirt grazing his wound.

“Sorry…” Minseok said. He lifted up and up until he could see the wound right on Tao’s rib. He poured the alcohol on the cotton and warned the wounded man, “It’s going to hurt…”

“I know.” Tao replied, “This isn’t the first time I got shot. Hurry.”

Minseok nodded and dabbed the cotton on Tao’s wound.

“Oh, !” Tao cursed when he felt the alcohol touch his wound. His sweaty neck lolled back to the backrest, his eyes shut tightly to hold back the pain. Unconsciously, his hand was gripping the nearest thing, Minseok’s thigh.

The chubby boy ignored the heat that consumed his face and neck and tried to focus on Tao’s wound. After cleaning the whole blood and wound, Minseok closed the wound with the bandage carefully.

“Done.” Minseok sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

“Thanks…” Tao panted and lowered his shirt again.

“So, when did you notice this men follow you?” Kris asked.

“When Minseok was having a phone.” Yixing said, “These men were looking around like they were looking for something. Then, I recognized one of them.”

“Who?”

“Wait, I forget his name. Hmm…” Yixing tapped his chin, “Ah, Park Chanyeol, from Joonmyeon’s side.”

“Park Chanyeol?!” came from Minseok’s mouth.

“Huh?” Luhan looked at the chubby man from the mirror, “You know him?”

“Of course!” Minseok exclaimed, “He’s my best friend! He’s working with me as ramen delivery service of my family’s shop!”

“Are you sure…?” Kris asked.

“Yes! Are you sure it was him Yixing?!” Minseok asked, “Was it really him?! Impossible! He’s the clumsiest person I’ve ever known! He can’t even kill a single fly!”

“You just don’t know him…” Yixing said, “He was the one who…” Yixing eyes flicked up to Tao.

Minseok turned his face and saw Tao’s face darkened, “He was the one who killed my parents…”

The chubby boy gasped. He couldn’t believe it. Chanyeol he knew was the clumsy boy with horse grin and abnormal giggling behavior. There was no way Chanyeol could kill Tao’s parents.

Wait, so was that why he was so mad at me when I said I wanted to go to my parents…? Because he had lost once and I just couldn’t understand…?

He felt dizzy so he just could lean his back. His head felt hurting him because the unexpected information and situation he had been in since the last twenty-four hours.

Even Chanyeol…? How many people around me are some kind like…them I don’t know?

“Wait. It’s impossible he’s around you if you don’t have anything with you.” Kris said. He turned his face to see Minseok and smirked, “Well, well, I think you, Kim Minseok, you don’t know that you’re worthier than a normal civilian.”[]