It was nearly lunchtime when Sehun got called downstairs, his dad’s voice urgent. Was it something to do with Tao? He thundered down the stairs, grateful that he was barefoot; otherwise he would’ve slipped and fallen. He'd only been awake for about two hours, trying to plan out a way to trick one of the policemen into giving him the address to the place Tao was being kept, but none of his ideas seem plausible.

The door hit the wall as he catapulted through to his father’s office; today there were less police present. He leaned on the back of his dad’s chair, watching the screen over the top of his head anxiously. Before he was able to begin his downward spiral of apprehension, his dad clicked play. The video was just eleven seconds long, but that was still more than enough time to get the message across.

Tao had a purple bruise on his cheek, and the side of his face looked swollen and puffy. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and he definitely seemed worse than before. He still looked defiant though, not like he had given in. Tears welled up in Sehun's eyes for a moment before he forced them away. Not once did Tao look at the camera, always slightly past it. The video ended similarly to the previous one in that it cut off mid-flinch. The day before yesterday he'd looked livid at having been captured, but now he looked afraid, and it broke his heart. And steeled his resolve to get him back.

Sehun clenched his fist before walking out the room, stomping into the lounge where they had played that dancing game, and kicking the wall fiercely. He did it again since it didn't seem to have achieved much in the way of catharsis, but it just made him feel worse. He tried punching it, but that didn’t work either.

He kicked the wall again, and again, until his dad pulled him away, pinning his arms to my side, crooning his name into his ear. Sehun cried into his dad's chest again. After he'd stopped sobbing, his dad let go of him, patting his head.Sehun felt so out of control. He needed to lie down but the sofa wasn’t long enough for him; his feet dangled off the edge.

He had to get out of the house, but he knew his parents would never let him if he asked. The only way he could get away was if he sneaked out. So he changed into more suitable clothes and slipped on his shoes. He would use the backdoor, but that was in the kitchen which was closer to the office and had the higher likelihood of him being noticed, so went out the front door as quietly as he could, careful to close it behind him.

Once he was halfway down the street it occured to him that he had no idea where to go. He could go back to school, but there would be no point, since it was Saturday. What about the kids playground near Tao's house? The weather wasn’t that nice today, so he didn’t think it would be overrun with hyperactive little children.

He headed there and was pleased to find that there was nobody there at all- it was completely barren. He perched gingerly on one of the wet swings, like some kind of delinquent might, and began to swing gently, not having done this since he was very young. As he swayed back and forth, he thought about Tao and what they might be doing to him right now. Despite his worrying, he eventually got tired of sitting there. Sighing to himself, he got up and hoped his jacket covered the wet patch on his jeans. He didn’t want to go home yet, but he also didn’t feel like staying there anymore.

Not knowing where he was going, he started walking, feeling the misty rain seeping into his clothing. An immeasurable amount of time later he found himself stood in front of Tao's house. He his lips nervously.

The gate refused to open for him, until he remembered to do that flicking thing with the latch that Tao did, when he visited before. Did he really even want to face Tao's family? They probably hated him now. After all it was his fault that Tao was captured. But he couldn't do what he needed to do alone. He knocked on the door, cursing his hands for shaking. Tao's sister answered, and she looked worse for wear. She had definitely been crying since last time he'd seen her. When she recognised him her face dropped from hope to disgust, and she was about to slam the door in his face but Sehun interrupt her,

“Wait,” he cried out, and surprisingly, she did.

“What the hell could you possibly want?” She whispered scornfully. Sehun was afraid that if he said what he was thinking, she would yell at him, and tell him to get lost. He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

“I was wondering if you could, uh, help me, actually...” He trailed off, because really, this was a stupid idea, why did he even think it might work? Xiao-Xing would never agree to help him. There is a long silence before,

“Help you how?”  Her eyes were narrowed suspiciously. Sehun stood there awkwardly for a moment, irresolute.

“Can I trust you…not to tell anyone?” He asked her, his voice wavering. She looked at him strangely, but nodded anyway and held the door open so that he could come in. They went into Tao's room; because it seemed appropriate at the time, but now sat on his bed he regretted it slightly. Xiao-Xing looked at a photo of them when they were younger, both of them covered in sand from the beach. She picked it up and stared at it for a moment, then turned to Sehun murmuring,

“You do realise, if he ends up hurt, it’s your fault?”

Sehun cringed. He did know that, perfectly well, and he had already been hurt and it was all his fault,

“Yes, and that's why I need your help to get him back, the police aren’t doing anything, even though they say they know where he is. They won’t tell me because they think I’ll do something reckless,”

She tilted her head contemplatively, “And what do you expect me to be able to do about that?”

“Have they told you where he is?” By the aversion of her eyes, he could tell they had,

“Where? Where is he?”

She looked away, and bit her lip, hard. Sehun brushed his knuckles against Tao’s picture, missing him.

“If I tell you, you can’t just leave, I have to help too. Even though he’s an annoying little he’s still my brother,”

Another long pause,

“Ok,” 

“What? Really?” She clearly didn’t expect him to say yes, but what else could he really say? He badly needed that address,

“Yes, really, I’m not sure I can do it alone anyway…” she stood up and left the room. Sehun heard a door down the corridor open, then close again a few seconds later, and she returned clasping a pad of paper to her chest. She flipped it open, grabbed a pen from Tao's desk, and wrote the address in the top corner. He didn’t recognise it, but she was looking at him like he should,

“Where is that?” He asked nervously, and she rolled her eyes, and drew a small square,

“If that’s that game shop Tao likes-I’m sure he’s taken you there loads of times,” she pointed to the square, and murmured something that sounded suspiciously like ‘nerd’ before continuing her map, “then that address is,” she draws a long horizontal line. On the opposite side of the line, she drew a larger box, and then taps it, “here.”

Something clicked,

“Isn’t that that really big pharmacy building?” He gasped,

“Yep. So you have any ideas on how to get in?” Xiao-Xing sat back and stared at him expectantly, like he was supposed to provide all the answers.

“I don’t know, are you free right now? We could go check it out. See how many security guards, cameras, electrified fences and fortifications they have."

Nodding, she got up again, left the room, and returns with a hat on her head, and a scarf around her neck.

“What are you waiting for?” She rummaged through Tao's wardrobe, revealing a woollen hat of his, and tossed it at Sehun carelessly, “C'mon, we don’t have all day.”

so Xiao-Xing isnt so bad? 

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