011
Can't Step Back"Daehyunnie?" Himchan called, holding a plate with a large piece of cheesecake. "Where are you?"
"In my room," Daehyun said, his voice slightly muffled by the closed door.
Himchan pushed open the door to find the younger male sitting on his bed with his gun in one hand and a cloth in the other. Himchan raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"I can't just be sit here and do nothing," Daehyun said, answering his unvoiced question. "I need to be in tip-top shape when we go rescue Youngjae."
Himchan grinned. He had expected Daehyun to lock himself in his room and just stay in bed all day like he had the previous two days, and was glad to see him doing something productive now. Maybe Daehyun wasn't as affected as he thought by Youngjae getting kidnapped.
"Want some cheesecake?" Himchan offered.
"No, thanks. I'm not hungry," Daehyun said.
The older of the two blinked a few times in surprise. Daehyun was refusing food. Refusing cheesecake. He definitely was very affected.
"Who do you think took him?" Daehyun asked after a few minutes of silence.
Himchan hesitated. "Honestly, I don't know. He shouldn't be known by other gangs yet."
"It must've been because he was around me too much," Daehyun said with a sigh.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. We're working hard to track them down, but we just don't have that many resources," Himchan told him.
"I--"
Before Daehyun could finish his sentence, there was s frantic knocking on the door. Yongguk, who was closest to the door, immediately went to open it, and Zelo stumbled inside with an unconscious Jongup slung over his shoulders.
"What happened?" Youngguk asked, his voice icy.
"W-we were at the garage and a man came at Jongup with a baseball bat," Zelo said shakily. "Then he threw this at me."
Zelo handed the small object to Yongguk as Himchan helped him lower Jongup onto the couch. Then Himchan went to grab the medical supplies while Yongguk went to connect the object, which turned out to be a USB, to the laptop on the table. He clicked a few things and a window popped up onto the screen, and Daehyun immediately recognized the man sitting on the chair with his head hung low as Youngjae. When they pulled his head up roughly by the hair and Daehyun saw his bloodied face, he felt rage boil in his stomach.
"They want ten million dollars," Yongguk said once the video ended. He left his statement hanging in the end.
"We have to save him," Daehyun said. "I'll--"
"Daehyun."
The younger male clamped his lips. Yongguk closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. After a deep sigh, he opened his eyes again and looked straight into Daehyun's. "I'm sure that by now, you've suspected that he's a spy for the police."
After a moment of hesitation, Daehyun nodded.
"He hasn't been seen by any gang other than the one who kidnapped you last time, at least, not clearly, and there's no way they would pick a fight with us so soon after the damage they took last time," Yongguk said. "Did you notice the room he was sitting in? It looks oddly like a jail cell. There's no way the police would recognize him as a member of B.A.P yet, but they've taken him and now are demanding we hand over the money. They know we would all move together if we're going to rescue him. It's bait to lure us out."
"I've thought about that," Daehyun admitted. "But he's helped us out before too. If he really was wholeheartedly with the police, he wouldn't have helped you guys find me last time."
Yongguk was silent.
"And now that' he's stayed with us for so long, the police are bound to force information out of him eventually," Daehyun said. "I'm not worried about him giving us away. I'm more worried what they'll do to him to force it out."
Yongguk sighed again. "I don't want to risk your lives to save one."
"But--"
"Let me think about it," Yongguk said. His tone was firm and dismissive, so Daehyun could only give a tight nod. "Go check up on Jongup and Zelo."
"Okay." Before leaving the room, Daehyun paused and looked back at his leader. "I'm sorry, Yongguk."
"For what?" he asked, surprised.
"That money we've saved..."
The older man coughed out a laugh. "Don't worry about it."
Daehyun wanted to say more, but decided against it and exited the room.
"Yoo Yonghwa."
The nurse clicked through some pages on her computer screen, and Yongjae waited patiently. They had probably moved his brother since the last time he visited, so he had to make sure before he barged into the wrong room. "Room C59," the nurse told him with a smile. The young male thanked her and quickly made his way to the said room. However, once he was outside it, he wasn't so certain that he wanted to go in. Before he could change his mind, his brother called for him from inside.
"Come in, Jae."
With a soft sigh, Youngjae pushed open the door and stepped inside. "How did you know it was me?"
"I could tell by your shadow through the glass," his brother said with a smug smile. "C'mon, we're brothers! Of course I can tell you apart."
Youngjae was about to start joking back until he saw the condition his brother was in. There were more machines in the room than he remembered seeing last time, and Younghwa's face was paler than before. His brother must have seen his change in expression.
"Don't worry about it," he said. "Just some vitamins or something."
"I'm sorry," Youngjae said quietly.
"What are you sorry for? It's not like I'm sick because of you," Younghwa said. "Actually, maybe you are the cause. You make me so worried with that job of yours."
"But we need the money."
Younghwa sighed. "Youngjae, how many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to go through all of this for me? I know you're gathering money so I can have that surgery and to pay back the debt for the hospital fees, but I'm telling you that I don't need it. The chances of surviving the surgery are so slim. It's not worth taking the chance when it costs so much. You should save the money to use for when you need it later. And you can quit the job you hate so much."
After hearing his brother's words, Youngjae's expression hardened. "I'm not going to just let you die, Hwa."
"And I'm not going to let you die trying to save me," Younghwa said. "There's a higher chance you'll survive than me."
Youngjae kept quiet because he knew there was no point in continuing the argument. He could see his brother getting more and more tired by the second.
"Look, Jae. I know you've gone through a lot for me, and I really do appreciate it. But you have to start thinking for yourself. Do what you want to do. Live how you want to live. I don't want to be a burden to you," Younghwa said. "Ever since we were young, you've had to take care of me. You've never been able to live freely. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. I really love you, Jae. Please don't be unhappy because of me."
"I'm not unhappy."
Younghwa smiled sadly. "Every time you come visit me, you're always so gloomy. You're not as cheerful as you used to be when we were younger, Jae. You used to always smile and tease me. Now you never seem to have the energy anymore."
"I'm an adult now, Hwa," Youngjae said. "I've just matured."
"If this is what maturing is like then I wish you hadn't," Younghwa said. "Remember when we were younger and you were the sassiest kid in our town? I wish you would return to being carefree like before."
"Hey, stop being so sentimental," Youngjae said. He was starting to get worried.
Younghwa laughed at his wide eyes. "I'm just remembering good times. I'm glad you visited me today, Jae. I was feeling a bit lonely after you've been gone for so long."
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Stop apologizing." Younghwa glanced at the clock and yawned. "Sorry," he said, covering his mouth.
"I should get going," Youngjae said as he stood up.
"Aw, going already?" Younghwa asked. "Rest well."
"You too."
As Youngjae headed for the door, he paused and looked back at his brother, who smiled at him.
"Remember what I said, Jae."
Youngjae nodded slowly and exited the room. He wasn't actually going to follow through with what his brother had suggested, but he didn't have the energy to start another argument.
- - - - -
Sorry for the late update, but thank you for waiting and for the encouraging comments/messages! :D There are only about 2-3 chapters left and I really do intend to finish it. Thanks again for sticking with this story!
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