Nam Soon yawned, poking at his food idly and listening with half an ear as Kang Joo unashamedly ran through the names of every male celebrity she could think of (which was a lot, that girl really needed to stop spending so much time online) and running them by Heung Soo to find out which ones he found attractive. Nam Soon was supposed to be playing this ‘game’ too, but he got bored of it after about the first three. Heung Soo, however, seemed amused by the younger girl’s enthusiasm and was taking his time to comment on each and every one, much to Kang Joo’s delight. Nam Soon was happy to just doze in his seat and let them get on with it, but if he heard Heung Soo talk about one of them a little too long, he’d cough pointedly and elbow him in the side. For some reason, this seemed to please Kang Joo the most.

As he used his chopsticks to prod at an unidentified substance which he was pretty sure was supposed to be food, he was interrupted by a shadow falling over his lunch tray, and Heung Soo and Kang Joo quickly shut up. Already having a good idea as to who it was, Nam Soon turned in his seat, and sure enough an angry Ji Hoon and anxious Yi Kyung were stood right behind him.

Nam Soon sighed, but to be honest he was surprised that they’d even waited until lunch break for this.

“Fine, fine,” he waved a hand, not even bothering to let them ask to speak with him as he already knew what they wanted. He’s have to be completely oblivious not to. He turned back to look at his boyfriend as he stood. “Heung Soo-ya?”

Heung Soo stood as well at the silent invitation, hands slipping into his pockets in a casual manner. They said goodbye to Kang Joo, who looked pretty miffed at being bailed on, and the four boys headed for an empty classroom for a bit of privacy.

“So where is he?” Yi Kyung piped up as soon as the door was shut behind them. He looked like a nervous ball of energy.

“Hanging with them gangsters,” Nam Soon replied, not bothering to beat around the bush. “I don’t know what exactly he’s doing, but it looks pretty shady.”

“But where is he?” Ji Hoon stressed, and he just looked plain worried now. “If you tell us, me and Yi Kyung-ah could go. Maybe we could go and-”

“Talk him out of it?” Heung Soo interrupted, a sceptical eyebrow raised. “Right, because that worked out so well for you before.”

“Shut up!” Ji Hoon snapped. “At least we’re trying!”

“Cool it,” Nam Soon ordered, and Ji Hoon gave him a glare cold enough to freeze water, but he kept his mouth shut and didn’t talk back. “Look, I know he’s your friend and you care about him, but that is exactly why we’re not telling you.”

“Why?” Yi Kyung asked, sounding pretty miserable, and Nam Soon couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. If he were in their place and Heung Soo in Jung Ho’s then he’d do whatever it took to find him, damn the consequences. “Why would you do that?”

“Because you’ll want to help him, save him,” Nam Soon told him, trying to be understanding. “If we tell you were he is, would you not immediately do whatever you could? Including rushing in there with no plan or no backup?”

“We wouldn’t,” Ji Hoon said stubbornly. “We’re not idiots.”

But Nam Soon could hear the lack of conviction in his voice. All four of them knew that’s exactly what they’d do. “You would,” Nam Soon said. “And I know you would because me and Heung Soo would do the exact same.”

“So you’re not going to not tell us?” Ji Hoon asked, jaw clenched tight and fists balling.

“No,” Nam Soon said. “Sorry, but no.”

“This is bull!” Ji Hoon yelled angrily, kicking over a chair in a sudden outburst and Yi Kyung jumped at the violent clash. “He’s our friend; we have the right to know!”

“Knowing will get you into more trouble than you want,” Heung Soo said, arms crossed as he looked unimpressed at the knocked over chair. “These guys he’s hanging with seem pretty serious.”

“You don’t get to decide that!” Ji Hoon argued, and he looked ready to do damage to something more than a chair. Too be honest, it was a little surprising. Nam Soon had never seen him this mad before.

“Yes we do,” he replied, as calmly as he could, hoping it would rub off on the angry boy. “Because we can look at this rationally, and you’re can’t. Charging in blind would not help Jung Ho; it would only end badly for you.”

Ji Hoon didn’t look any calmer, but Yi Kyung hesitantly looked to his friend. “Maybe they’re right,” he said softly. “Perhaps we should think about this a bit more.”

Ji Hoon spun on him, betrayed. “You’re siding with them? Jung Ho is our friend! Our best friend!”

“I’m not siding with anyone,” Yi Kyung snapped, looking peeved that Ji Hoon would think that of him. “I’m just saying we need to be smart about this.” His expression turned softer. “Come on, Ji Hoon-ah, you know I’m right; you’re the smart one out of the three of us remember? I don’t want to rush into things and get Jung Ho into even more trouble.”

Ji Hoon turned away from the three of them looking upset, and they stayed silent, giving him a moment to gather himself. He must know that Yi Kyung was right, and hopefully he’d listen to him if nor Nam Soon or Heung Soo. Then, he turned to Nam Soon and Heung Soo, and he looked so worn out and lost that if Nam Soon were a more physical person, he’d probably be hugging him right now.

“Will you just tell me if he’s in any immediate danger?” He asked, more of a defeated whisper than a real question.

“I don’t think he is,” Nam Soon replied gently. “But I can’t be certain.”

Tears sprung to Ji Hoon’s eyes, though he was clearly trying to hold them back, and for his sake Nam Soon pretended he didn’t see them. “Okay,” he mumbled, utterly rejected. All that anger had faded away, and only misery was left. Nam Soon tried not to see it, but it wasn’t something he could avoid. It brought back memories of his own misery when Heung Soo wasn’t around.

Without another word Ji Hoon left the room, and the remaining three simply stood in silence. Then Yi Kyung moved too. “I should go check on him, make sure he’s alright,” he said quietly. “He’s taking this situation with Jung Ho really hard.”

And then he too was gone, and as the door shut behind him Nam Soon let out a groan, hand to his forehead.

“Well, it could have gone worse,” Heung Soo shrugged.

“Yeah,” Nam Soon agreed. “But now I want to speak with that idiot Jung Ho again more urgently. I’ve been putting it off too much, distracted by other things.”

“You can’t worry about him constantly,” Heung Soo reasoned. “He did make this choice. Though I doubt he thought it through that well.”

Nam Soon shook his head. “It was a dumb move. And I’m also interested in why Lee Shin Dae and that kid was with them too.”

“Recruiting the younger generation is hardly unusual,” Heung Soo shrugged. “Gangs always do it. Besides, since they aren’t of age them gangsters know that the law will go softer on them, so they probably want Jung Ho and that other kid doing their dirty work from them.”

“This whole thing is beginning to piss me off,” Nam Soon sighed. “I think we should look for Jung Ho again after school. The sooner we can get him away from those guys the better.”

“Can’t today,” Heung Soo said, and Nam Soon shot him a questioning look. “Noona’s still sick, I’ve got a shift at work and I’ve got to meet my probation worker again,” he shrugged. “I’ve only got ‘til the end of the month left on probation, then its over.”

“Seriously?” Nam Soon said, exasperated. “Why does it have to be today?”

“The universe likes to screw with people,” Heung Soo shrugged. But he gave Nam Soon a serious look. “Promise you won’t go alone.”

“What?” Nam Soon asked, feigning ignorance.

“I’m serious, Nam Soon-ah,” Heung Soo said, and he did sound pretty serious. “Don’t go back to that place alone tonight. Just wait until tomorrow, and I’ll go with you.”

Nam Soon paused, not sure if that was a promise he was willing to make, but the look Heung Soo gave him had him nodding. He didn’t want Heung Soo worrying about him. “Okay, okay, I promise,” he surrendered.

Heung Soo gave him a hard look, but  when Nam Soon just stared back he soon relaxed and nodded his head. “Good.”

“Right…” Nam Soon said.

There was another breif moment of silence, and then Heung Soo headed for the door. “Come on, bastard, classes will be starting again soon.”

Nam Soon groaned, freaking maths next, but followed him out and they headed for homeroom together.

Afternoon classes passed by slowly. Nam Soon noticed immediately that Ji Hoon was missing, and he kept glancing to the door occasionally, half expecting him to come strolling in. Yi Kyung was in class, but he was slumped in his seat looking like the world was weighing on his shoulders, and seemed to be caught up in his own world. It made Nam Soon feel guilty, and the urge to find Jung Ho greater. Towards the end of school Nam Soon cast a glance to Heung Soo, wondering if he should break his promise. He didn’t want to lie to him, but he hated this feeling of uselessness building up inside him.

By home time, he still wasn’t sure what to do. He said goodbye to Heung Soo brightly, pretending he wasn’t complementing lying to him, his heart feeling rather heavy as he stood and watched his boyfriend walk away.

He didn’t want to break his promise, he decided, and with determination he turned in the direction that would take him home. After five steps he turned back around. “!” He cussed loudly. He just couldn’t leave it.

It was fine, he assured himself, he’d just have a quick look around. If he spotted Jung Ho alone, he’d speak with him, but if he spotted Jung Ho with anybody, he’d walk away. It would be fine, he wouldn’t be getting himself into any trouble.

With that reasoning he headed the way he and Heung Soo had followed Jung Ho the day before, all the while trying to beat back the feeling that he was betraying Heung Soo’s trust.

It took a while, but he was soon back at that narrow path. Although it was more visible at this brighter time of the day, it was still shaded enough that you could overlook it.

He paused for only a few seconds before walking down it.

This time there was no light on when he got to the warehouses, nor could he see any signs of life. It seemed that nobody was here.

Well, that was that. He should just turn back around and leave.

He bit his lip. If the place was empty, it was the perfect opportunity for a little sneaking around. After all, what sort of trouble could he run into in an empty building?

‘, Heung Soo is going to kill me,’ Nam soon thought as his feet led him to a door. It was locked, and this would be the perfect opportunity to just go home, but instead he headed for the side of the main warehouse, looking for any open windows. He spotted a broken one, up on the third floor. There was a fire escape near it, but not close enough. If he went for it, he’d have to go up the fire escape, climb it’s railing, stretch out to reach a windowsill, then move on to another windowsill. It was defiantly dangerous, and he could be seriously hurt – or worse – if he fell. He weighed his options. Just earlier today he’d been telling Ji Hoon to not be stupid, and now he was contemplating it himself.

He was itching to get in there. He wanted this whole thing sorted and over with for good. But he also thought about how hurt and worried Heung Soo would be if things went wrong, and Nam Soon ended up injured badly. He couldn’t do that too him. He’d definitely put Heung Soo through enough already without turning up with a broken neck or something similar.

Screw this; he’d do as he’d promised. He’d go home and wait to return tomorrow.

Cursing his own rashness, Nam Soon turned to leave. As he was about to round the corner to the front of the building, however, he heard voices and immediately froze. , now he’d really landed himself in it.

He cautiously poked his head around the corner and spotted some men walking up the path, heading for the warehouse. He didn’t recognise any of them, but there was no doubt as to who they were.

“Oh, why do you get yourself into these situations, Go Nam Soon,” he muttered to himself. He really needed to start listening to Heung Soo more often. He’d realised years ago that Heung Soo was smarter than him, yet he still continued to bulldoze on once he got an idea in his thick skull.

He hid back behind the wall, deciding to wait until they’d all gone inside and then sneak away. He gave it a few minutes, even after he heard the door open and shut just to be on the safe side, and then he ducked his head around again to check the coast was clear. It wasn’t; two of them were still out there smoking. Nam Soon whipped his head back.

“Hey!” A voice shouted. , wasn’t fast enough. “Hey, you!”

‘, , ,’ Nam Soon swore mentally, trying to think fast. He didn’t recognise those guys, which hopefully meant they didn’t recognise him. Perhaps he could just play dumb? Pretend like a harmless lost idiot. ‘Well, you’ve got the idiot part down to an art form,’ his subconscious, that sounded an awful lot like Heung Soo, helpfully pointed out.

It was the best plan he had. He could try fighting, but he knew there were more guys inside who’d come running out at the first sign of trouble, so that was really a last option only. He was a good fighter, but he couldn’t take them all on at once. And so, after taking a deep breath and exhaling, he walked around the corner, looking as unthreatening as he possibly could.

He looked over to the two men, and they seemed to hesitate, obviously not expecting to see some kid in a school uniform wandering about.

Nam Soon smiled brightly at them, doing his best to look relieved. “Yah, finally, people! You seriously wouldn’t believe how long I’ve been walking around here. Yah, you wouldn’t happen to know the way back to the main street would you, fellas?” He looked at them wide eyed, and he probably looked utterly stupid, but, well, that was sort of the point.

The two men looked to each other, clearly a little thrown by the situation, and Nam Soon dearly hoped this plan of his would work.

Then, one of them scoffed and shook his head. “Dumb ing kid, I swear they get stupider every year.” He motioned to Nam Soon, looking pissed. “ off you dumb little , or I’ll beat some ing intelligence into you!”

Relieved, Nam Soon didn’t hesitate. Thanking his lucky stars he ran passed the men, making a quick dash for the narrow path and along it.

However, right before he got out onto the street, he came to as sudden halt fast enough to almost trip himself over to avoid knocking into someone turning onto the same path just as he got a few steps from the end.

After getting his footing, he realised that it was Jung Ho stood in front of him. Nam Soon just looked at him in surprise, and Jung Ho did the exact same. The other boy snapped out of it first, causing Nam Soon to as well when he tried to elbow past him.

“Wait!” Nam Soon called, grabbing hold of his arm to keep him still. “I need to speak with you.”

“No you don’t,” Jung Ho replied coldly, and he tried to move passed him again, but Nam Soon wouldn’t let him; quickly moving to block his way.

“Stay, please,” Nam Soon asked, as sincerely as he could. “Ji Hoon and Yi Kyung are worried about you.”

That made him pause. Jung Ho met his gaze, and Nam Soon could see the concern in his eyes, but then the other boy seemed to realise this and shut it down. He looked away. “How did you find me?”

“Luck,” Nam Soon replied honestly with a shrug. “Me and Hung Soo saw you by chance yesterday and followed you here.”

Jung Ho didn’t look pleased with that answer, but Nam Soon didn’t particularly care about that. “You should leave, Jung Ho-ya. You shouldn’t be messing with these people.”

“ off, you don’t know anything,” Jung Ho angrily retorted, but he didn’t try to get by Nam Soon again.

“I know what sort of people these guys are,” Nam Soon said. “And I know how you’ll end up if you stay with them.”

Jung Ho met his eyes again, full of hate Nam Soon didn’t think was actually directed at him. “You don’t know anything. Just stay out of it, Tsunami.”

He moved to push passed again, and this time Nam Soon let him. He knew he hadn’t convinced him today, and he couldn’t chase after him with those gangsters still about. For now it was a lost cause, but he would try again tomorrow with Heung Soo for sure. It didn’t seem right though, to just stand back and watch him walk away.

“I do know one thing,” Nam Soon called after him as Jung Ho headed down the path. The younger boy paused with an irritated sigh and turned back.

“Yeah, and what’s that?”

“I know that you’re worth more than this,” Nam Soon said softly, watching the stricken look appear on the younger boys face. “You know where I live, you’re welcome to come.”

And then he left himself, leaving Jung Ho standing there on the path, halfway between the open street and the worn down warehouse; halfway between two worlds and two very different futures.

Nam Soon really hoped he’d choose the right one.