A Hidden Kindness

 

Prelude Story 2

 

R-Star PRISM

Be aware of Gary swearing like a trooper in this section and coming out with some very nasty words, get used to him cause he does this all the time but sticking out a warning just to be on the safe side. You have been warned! 

Part 4

“Hang on, you’ve got a what?” Gary shifted on his stool, trying to hear the voice on the other end of the line but the signal was cracking up something rotten, “Shift your arse out of that blasted flat of yours, I can’t hear a ing word you’re saying.”

 

There came the sound of movement and clearly the other was speaking to someone, telling them where he was going. “There is that better?”

 

“Yes, ya little sod,” Gary said, “Now why the you calling me, Ji?”

 

“I found a kid outside my door, he was attacked by one of the local gangs,” Jial said in replied, “He’s lost and doesn’t have his phone on him or anything.”

 

Gary could feel the need for another cigarette already, “Right. What’s his blasted name and who the do I need to try and ing find?”

 

Jial chuckled a little, “His name is Jang Kiyeol, and it’s a guy by the name of Eun Bra...ly? Get’s nicknamed Mama Bear.”

 

“Pouncy sounding name,” Gary said with a smirk, knowing that he himself was a so he could use that word without reprimand, “Any idea where he’s come from?”

 

Jial paused, clearly asking Kiyeol if he knew his address before coming back on the phone, “He says it’s the Campus but he doesn’t know the rest.”

 

“The Campus?” Gary sat back in his chair, “What’s a spoilt uni doing the out here?”

 

There came a sound of disgruntlement from the other, “He’s about fifteen at best, Gary. Don’t be so mean.”

 

“Fifteen?” Gary shook his head, “Then what f-...wait...he doesn’t mean that pouncy entertainment group does he? What those motherers called again?”

 

“I don’t know, all he said was the campus and that he’s got eight hyung’s,” Jial really wasn’t one for following music or idol groups in general so it didn’t surprise Gary that the other had no idea what he was referring to.

 

The Guard rolled his eyes, “You really need to get with the times, you . Keep him there, if he’s a trainee or something someone’s bound to be looking for him. Do you know which little e did this?”

 

“No,” Jial said, “He can’t really describe them and no mark that I could find.”

 

Gary frowned, “Seriously?”

 

There was a confirmation hum from the other end of the line, “Yeah, they just tried to get his money off him and left him with a few cuts but nothing else. They didn’t even spray paint my door or anything.”

“Strange,” the word was drawn out for a few seconds, “Unless they were spooked by something, little s. Anything bad?”

 

“No, just a couple of cuts to his arm and one to his side,” Jial seemed half distracted, “Cleaned up okay, he’s going to be bruised and battered...and his...”

 

“Jial?”

 

“I’m going back inside,” the tone suggested that he had seen someone he didn’t want to see and the guard knew that tone.

 

Gently he shook his head, “I’ll send Aso over, the thick get, he should be in your zone. Stay there, right head?”

 

The phone hung up, a clear indication that things weren’t as good as what they were supposed to be but Gary knew that Jial wasn’t stupid either. If there was the slightest hint of trouble, he usually got himself out of the situation very quickly, though not always which was a bit of a pain in the neck. Cursing silently, he glared at his phone before sending a message to Aso and snapping it shut.

 

Dixon blinked and glared at him, “You off?”

 

“Ya ,” he said good naturedly to her, “Got a lost kid at one of the boys. If he’s what I think he is we need to get him out of there before one of the bastards get hold of him.”

 

She idly tilted her pink coloured hair back over her shoulder, “What about that one?”

 

Gary sighed, “Bandage the stupid up and send him back. He’s gone beyond all his last chances.”

 

“You dropping?”

 

“Have to,” the Guard shrugged, “He’s been told time and time again, the stupid ing . Harsh but I would rather help someone who got thrown into this crap rather than a moron who got himself into this ing mess and won’t get out of it.”

 

Dixon nodded, “Had a feeling from the first time I saw him. Just don’t get too upset over this one, head, I ain’t going to give you any more uppers.”

 

“Don’t need that e,” Gary grinned, giving the Street Doctor a hefty clout on the shoulder but aware that the girl could take it and deal so much more back, “Do you want Ji in for a check?”

 

The doctor nodded, flipping her neon hair out of the way, “If you can drag that little sod, I’ve tried three times and ain’t had no stinking luck.”

 

Gary chuckled, “He not like doctors, dozy beggar. I’ll kick his arse over for you, even if I have to drag the stupid git. Catch ya later, ” smacking her left cheek with the flat of his hand.

 

“ off, ya ,” Dixon said, slapping him around the back of the head and nearly sending the guard to the floor with the force, “Go and drop down a hole and stop taking the piss outta me.” She was grinning like a Cheshire cat though, it had always been this way between them since the first days that they had met.

 

Gary grinned, stuck his tongue out at the girl and headed out into the snow. Dae had already moved on, returning back to his patrol so there was no chance of a quickie to sort out some of the tension in his body. Not that he needed it, just he had hoped the other would be there for that reason. Gently he shook his head, sighed and stared up at the falling snow, “What else you going to bring me tonight, eh ya big lug up there?”

 

Typically there was no response, other than a glob of snow falling off the nearest drainpipe and landing on his face which caused him to growl out a curse before setting off. It would take him the better part of an hour to get across to Jial’s place but he knew that the other would keep a good eye on the youngster. Especially if he reminded him of a certain someone. Shaking his head, Gary sighed, “I’m really turning into a soft ,” and set off into the snow strewn streets.

 

~~~

 

The “Happy Cat” Cafe was listed as being a small establishment with a friendly atmosphere and really good strong coffee. Jongki had joked that it sounded like some form of maid cafe and if Kiyeol had gone wandering into one of those then he was going to get an extreme telling off. Bradley had commented back that if the youngster had he would have probably ran out of the place like a terrified kitten seeing as he had enough trouble dealing with squealing fan girls. However since the previous five places that they had tried had quite literally turned out to be either over run with people or a rather iffy looking place that they had both immediately discounted as they both felt uncomfortable just looking in through the glass, anything was worth a shot.

 

Plus secretly, Jongki thought that Happy Cat sounded much more like somewhere that Kiyeol would go.

 

As they approached the cafe, a good sense took over the Leaders heart. It looked like the kind of place that Kiyeol would go because whilst it wasn’t a standard ‘cat cafe’ it was decorated in yellows, light pinks and creams and was relatively small with only a few tables to sit around. There was a small library and a nice little atmosphere created straight away. “If he’s not here, then he’ll have been here,” Bradley said, heading into the little shop.

 

Jongki nodded in agreement, “Plus there is a bus stop just down the way, we should check it out to see if that bus comes this way.”

 

“Good evening, gentlemen,” a pretty looking girl asked from the counter, with a gentle smile and a lovely eye smile, “Welcome to the Happy Cat. What can I get you this evening?”

 

Jongki sighed, glancing up at the menu above her head as a coffee sounded a really good idea but they couldn’t dilly-dally too much, “We’re not actually here for anything at the moment miss, we’re looking for our friend. He’s done a bit of a runner on us and we’re hoping that he’s come in here.” A glance around had confirmed that Kiyeol was not in the cafe which was a shame.

 

The girl blinked, “I’m afraid I can’t help as I only just started my shift but if you wait a second I’ll go and get Mai, she’s been here all afternoon and has a really good memory for faces.” The girl bowed and hurried out of the back.

 

“Let’s just hope she’s not a fan,” Bradley muttered towards Jongki under his breath but was smiling gently.

 

Two minutes later the girls returned and the first immediately set about taking the orders for a couple of other customers who had come in, whilst Mai moved towards them. She had clearly just about finished and had her hat and scarf over her arm. Jongki felt a little guilty about keeping her, especially with this weather. “Can I help?” she asked with a polite smile, looking at the two boys in front of her almost as if she couldn’t quite place them.

 

“We’re looking for our friend, we’re hoping that he was in earlier,” Bradley quickly supplied with a friendly smile, “Your co-worker said you may be able to help us out.”

The girl nodded, “I can try. What does he look like?”

 

“He’s a little taller than me with blond hair,” Bradley replied, they were trying not to brandish around his photo just in case it got out that the maknae would be out and about, “He’ll have been extremely shy, a little on the upset side and wearing a red jacket.”

 

Mai thought for a second or two, “Does he like black coffee with three sugars and a chocolate biscuit to dunk in it?”

 

Jongki smiled, recognising that combination easily, “Yes, that’s our friend. Do you know where he went?”

 

“He headed out of the shop around five thirty and headed off to the right,” Mai said, “He seemed to be in a rush so I thought he must have been late for his bus or something.”

 

Well at least they had a direction for Kiyeol but it still meant that they could be in a whole lot of trouble for searching for him. It was getting on for quarter to seven now and it was getting darker b the second. “Oh he’s late all right. Thanks, we’ll have a look that way,” Jongki said with a charming smile towards Mai.

 

The girl blanched a little, “Wait, you’re not from around here are you?”

 

Both of them blinked, “No, we’re from down the way,” Bradley answered, not wanting to mention the group or anything that could identify them.

 

Mai shook her head, “You don’t want to be heading that way alone. It’s a really bad neighbourhood. If your friend has wandered there...” she shivered, “if he’s as pretty as you two I dread to think what may have happened.”

 

Bradley felt his heart start to beat faster in worry, he did not like the sound of this in the slightest. But thankfully Mai smiled, “Don’t worry though, I know someone who’ll be able to help you out. He’s pretty good with finding people. If you take a seat for a moment I’ll give him a call. Oh what’s the name of your friend? He’ll want to know.”

 

“Kiyeol,” both of them said together, and Mai blinked but nodded and moved around the corner to make a phone call, “Thank you!” Jongki called to the disappearing figure as Bradley moved off to grab a table. He really hoped that his imagination was just running away from him with the notion that the neighbourhood Kiyeol had possibly walked into was a dodgy place.

 

Slipping into the seat next to the clearly worried Mama Bear, Jongki took the Umma’s hand and squeezed it tightly, silently letting him know that he was going through the same thing as the other. Bradley nodded back to him and now it was just a horrid waiting game. Please, Bradley thought to himself, Please let my little Ducky be okay.