Chapter Twenty Two

Kai just stood there, rooted to the ground firmly.

What am I doing here still? When Chanyeol hyung is already out, running on the streets, trying to find Seohyun noona and Baekhyun hyung's location? What am I still doing here? What's wrong with me? Why am I still here, stuck at this spot, no wanting to move at all? Baekhyun hyung and Seohyun noona took care and looked out for me always, but what's wrong with me? I shouldn't be here!

'Jongin-ah! Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be out there looking for them too? Why aren't you moving? They cared for you then, aren't you supposed to do something about this too?! Look at Chanyeol! He's already off and worried for Seohyun and Baekhyun, he's trying his best to find them and you're here doing nothing?! Wake up, Jongin-ah!' Kris yelled as he placed his hands on Kai's shoulders, shaking him, trying to wake him up from his trance.

Kai just stared at him before shoving his hands away, sighing as he plopped down onto the couch, running a hand through his brown locks.

She scurried to a corner and hid there for the time being.

Her body was aching all over, every spot, there were blue black marks. She was bleeding everywhere, her head was spinning and everything was blurry. She clenched onto her stomach, where a henchman kicked her continuously at. She sat down and leaned against the wall, perspiration trailed down her forehead as the pain intensified.

Her eyes were shut tightly, her breathing became uneven.

She craned her head to see what was happening.

Taeyeon was cornered by a few bulky men with sly smirks on their faces, something clicked in her mind, her eyes widened as her head turned to look for Baekhyun. He was in the middle of a heated fight with one of the men, which was why he didn't realize his precious girlfriend in that situation.

She held onto the wall behind her for support as she got up slowly. Each part of her body was aching in pain and her legs were jelly, she could not stand properly. Her head was still spinning, the huge impact when the henchmen hit her on the head was so great.

She cursed as she saw the lime green cover of her phone lying on the floor, she forgot.

As quiet as a church mouse, she grabbed her phone from the floor while they weren't looking and quickly speed dialed for Chanyeol.

'Hello? Seohyun-ah! Is that you?'

'It's me, yes, it's me. Help me, it's hurts everywhere...'

Chanyeol's heart unknowingly ached when he heard Seohyun's sore voice, he could somehow already feel the pain she was feeling right now. He swallowed hard as he prepared for the worst.

'What happened? Why are you in pain? What's wrong?'

'S-She had backups, she left me and Baekhyun here. The henchmen, they're vicious. Every part of my body is hurting and my head's spinning, it's aching so much that it heard to even talk. Baekhyun's injured very badly, he got hit by a wooden stick when he shielded me from it, save us, please, Oppa..'

Seohyun's voice started to fade as her breathing became slower..

Am I going to die this soon? Am I going to die in such a way? God, I don't want to die this early. I'm still young and I have many things unaccomplished yet. Let me live please, I want to see my friends again; I want to see Baekhyun again, I want to protect him from harm that will come his way, sooner or later.

Besides...

I promised Chanyeol something important.

Chanyeol gulped as he started to get flustered.

'Y-yah! S-seohyun-ah, don't close your eyes! I'm coming to get you! And Baekhyun out of there! Don't give up yet, I'm coming!' Chanyeol shouted into the phone before he hung up.

'This idiot.. How's he gonna come get me when he doesn't even know where I am..' Seohyun whispered with the last of her energy as she dialed for him once again.

'Hello?! What's wrong?! Is there something wrong?!' Chanyeol asked.

'We're at a old abandoned warehouse, beside Dongmun park, come get us, quick..' Seohyun started the breathe unevenly.

'Seohyun-ah, hang in there, I'm going to get the boys and we'll go find you, okay?'

'Sure..'

'S-Seohyun?!' Chanyeol screamed into the phone before the line went dead, unknown to him, Seohyun had already fainted.

He cursed out loud, as he immediately dialed Kris's number right after.

'Hyung? It's Chanyeol here, Seohyun just called me and she told me where they are. But Baekhyun's badly injured, Seohyun- I think s-she fainted right after she hung up and I don't know how's Taeyeon. But Seohyun told me we've got to get them quick, before anything else happens to them. They're at some abandoned warehouse beside Dongmun Park.' Chanyeol blurted as fast as he could.

'I got it, will be there in 10. See ya and stay safe, you idiot.' Kris's short reply was followed by a long beep which signaled him hanging up already.

Chanyeol ran.

The boys all looked at Kris intently before he spoke.

'It was Chanyeol,' he started off shortly, 'What'd he say, hyung?' Tao asked impatiently.

Kris shot him a glare before he quietly shut up and sat down.

'Protection squad activated, Chanyeol said Seohyun called.'

Kai perked up upon hearing Seohyun's name being mentioned by Kris.

'Chanyeol said Seohyun called, he's got their current location and let's get going before anything happens to them, got it? Do not, let me repeat, do not even think of telling the other SNSD noonas. Get yourself ready and we'll get going in 5. Quick.'

'What's their current situation over there?' Luhan asked, looking at Kris as the other guys started changing in the living room. 'Baekhyun's badly injured,' Suho and Sehun gasped, 'Seohyun fainted cause she was overwhelmed with exhaustion.' Kai's eyes widened as Kyungsoo looked as he was about to faint too.

'What about Taeyeon noona?' Kai asked, 'At this point of time, you still care about her?!' Sehun asked, grabbing Kai's collar and pinning him to the wall. 'You should worry about Seohyun noona even more, shouldn't you?' He continued before Kris pulled him away.

'Save your energy for later, I bet there'll be lots.' Kris smirked. 'Lots of what?' 'Gangsters, henchmen of that anonymous Kim Minjung.' Kris shrugged.

'That's kinda why they're injured so badly.'

Chanyeol looked and inspected the surroundings of the warehouse, he tiptoed inside. Not long after, he spotted Seohyun, fainted and lying on the ground behind a pile of boxes.

'Seohyun!' He forgot what place he was in, what situation he was in right now, but fortunately, there were no one around after he broke open the lock of the front door. 'Baekhyun-ah, ohmygod!' He gasped as he saw the bleeding Baekhyun, tied to the chair, looking lifeless and helpless.

'G-go find S-Seohyun, I think's she's even more hurt than I am.' Baekhyun choked out, coughing profusely after that. 'O-okay, I'll get you out first, okay?' Chanyeol asked as he observed Baekhyun's now once-flawless face which was covered with scabs and blue blacks, sighing. 'Go get her first, faster.'

'I'll go get Taeyeon, here's some water.' Chanyeol got some bottled water bottles out from his backpack and gave one to Baekhyun, 'No, I meant Seohyun. Now, faster.' Baekhyun pleaded with those eyes of his that Chanyeol couldn't give way to.

He nodded and scurried to Seohyun, who was leaning against the wall, pain written all over her face. 'Seohyun-ah! I'm here! Don't be scared, I'm here, Chanyeol's here. I'll protect you. How are you feeling? The boys are going to come soon, Kris promised.'

'Chanyeol!' Baekhyun's sharp voice broke the silence in the room.

'Ah!' Chanyeol gasped in pain when the wooden stick attacked his head, he fell onto the floor as the henchman closed up the huge gap between Seohyun and him.

'Seohyun! Get away!' Baekhyun warned as the henchman missed Seohyun by a few inches. Seohyun backed away and ran, 'Chanyeol, get up! Faster! , he's coming!' Baekhyun shrieked again.

She reacted fast, grabbing a random object and throwing it at the henchman before grabbing a wooden stick and hitting the henchman repeatedly.

'Chanyeol!' She rushed over to see Chanyeol bleeding like Baekhyun did last time when he got hit by the damned wooden stick too. 'I-I'm fine, you okay?' He asked. Seohyun nodded before standing up, 'I'll go get them,' She said before whipping out a penknife from her pocket.

Baekhyun looked at Seohyun's once flawless face as she tired to cut the ropes and free him, he felt a wave of warmth from his heart, something seemed to tinger and waver inside him, he kinda liked that feeling.

Smiling, he saw the ropes loosen slowly, him being freed.

'Hey! What are you all doing?!' A low and deep voice echoed from behind.

'Oh ,' Seohyun cursed under her breath before raising her wooden stick at them.

'Don't you dare come near us! Don't touch me! Or them either!' She warned threateningly, keeping Baekhyun behind her protectively. 'Chanyeol you get over here,' She said, without looking away. 'You're not intending on getting that poor girl over there? She's been out for quite a long time already, I suppose.'

'Don't touch her, you sons of es.' Seohyun glared at them. 'Chillax girl, I won't take her, cause her boyfriends here, okayy?' One of them said while the rest just had smirks on your faces.

Seohyun's heart sunk, her shoulders dropped in disappointment upon realizing this.

Reality slapped her hard across the face.

'Ah!' She shrieked in pain as one of the henchman came closer and pulled her hair, holding a knife near , he could kill her easily any moment now.

'H-hey, calm down. Put down the knife, please, I'm begging you.' Chanyeol's eyes widened as he pleaded helplessly, looking at Seohyun's frightened face.

'Well done, guys. I've seen that you all had done a great job on hurting these useless people. Hey, who's that cute one over there?' Minjung suddenly strutted in, smirking. 'Minjung? So it's really you!' Baekhyun said in disbelief. 'I hope you're not surprised. I've not touched your precious girlfriend at all, believe it or not. But your friends here are suffering greatly. Look, this girl here, Seohyun, her life's gonna slip away any moment now.' She smirked.

'Why are you doing this? We could've just sat down with a cup of coffee to settle all these. I'm your friend! Why are you doing this? Can you please think properly? I'm innocent, she's too, obviously he is too,' Seohyun said, looking at Chanyeol. 'I believe Baekhyun didn't mean to do anything, he was so guilty the past few months, do you know that? To tell you the truth, he was my first crush, ever since I lost Yixing when I was a kid, but thanks to Baek, I've found my childhood best friend. I've liked Baekhyun, maybe I do now, even.

I don't know why I'm saying this but you have to calm down and clear your mind, think properly and act correctly. But everything was at a loss for me when he confessed to Taeyeon. I clearly remember how much I hated him back then, how much she hated me and vice versa.

She used to be my best friend, next to you. You should know that you were my only friend back in elementary school. But now, I feel like thanking Taeyeon. You know what? I've learnt to let go of things.

If they don't belong to you, they will never. If they're yours, they will eventually come back to you, even when you've let go of it. Taeyeon cheered Baekhyun up and brought light to his life, he's my friend now, and I'm thankful for that, you know? I hope you'll calm down and think properly, really.'

Seohyun said when the henchman behind her loosened his grip on her.

'But why didn't you tell me in the first place, that you knew Baekhyun and you liked him and all?' Minjung asked, 'Because I was afraid something like this will happen. I've known you for years and you act rashly without thinking. Do you know that? Well, I think that's what I am now.'

'But he's really a bastard for doing that to me you know? He played me, toyed with my feelings and all.'

'That may be for a specific reason, maybe. He was rash back then too, I guess.' Seohyun shrugged lightly, to prevent to knife from sliting her own throat.

'Now can you please let me go?'

'Let her go, be careful.' Minjung warned as she bore holes into the henchman holding the knife against Seohyun's throat. 'But not them, especially Byun Baekhyun.' She smirked. 'What are you going to do with them?' 'You don't have to know, just leave.'

'If it's in that case, I won't. I'm not going to leave without them.' Seohyun said, determined to make it out with them together. 'Are you sure?'

'Forget it then, tie her down, on that chair there. I want that guy down there too.' Minjung commanded, pointing at Chanyeol.

Baekhyun seemingly showed a facepalm kind of face when they pulled Seohyun down onto the chair, tying her back onto the chair.

Seohyun's face looked very unpleasant, it looked as if she was going to kill the people with the penknife.

Oh, wait. That's right. The penknife she had in her pocket.

She smirked upon realizing it herself, she fiddled secretly for her penknife as the other people were all distracted by Minjung.

'Who are you, may I ask?' Minjung asked, smirking at Chanyeol, touching his face, tracing his jawline with her fingers in an unpleasant way that made Seohyun fume in anger. 'Can you not touch him?' Seohyun snapped. 'Why not?' Minjung asked, oblivious.

'Well duh? He's mine.'

'Well, oops! I'm sorry then. Seohyun's sweetie.' Chanyeol's face heated up upon hearing that but smiled secretly.

'Hunag Zitao, would you please hurry up?!' Kris yelled impatiently. 'We're late! By another 10 minutes already! What the heck are you doing upstairs?!' He yelled again. 'Hyunggggg can we go now?' Sehun whined for the hundredth time today.

'We're going to leave without you!' Kris bellowed.

'Aigoo! Arasso arasso! I'm coming you idiots!' Tao rolled his eyes as he fixed his hair a little before stepping down. 'Idiots?! Hey! What are you thinking?! What were you doing, you fool!' Kris smacked Tao on the head. 'I was choosing clothes, I also wore protective gears. Do you guys need any?'

'Sometimes, I really wonder if you know wushu, you sissy.' Kris reprimanded.

Seohyun succeeded. 

She got free and grabbed another wooden bat from nearby, preparing to attack the people.

'Ah!' The henchmen started falling one by one onto the floor, Minjung couldn't do anything but watch. But before the henchmen could get up, she freed Baekhyun and Chanyeol in a short time, leaving Taeyeon on the chair first. The three soon became alliances, they got each others' back and started fighting and taking the henchmen down one by one.

Seohyun spotted a kitchen knife on the floor and took it with her, slowly approaching Minjung with a menacing look plastered on her face. 'W-what are you doing? Killing is a crime.' 'Kidnapping is also a crime, you idiot.' Seohyun rolled her eyes.

Seohyun closed up on her, 'Seohyun-ah! Don't be rash! Don't do anything to her!' Chanyeol shouted from afar.

'An idiot won't do this, will they?' Minjung smirked before she snatched the knife from Seohyun and penetrated it into Seohyun's abdoment violently.

'NO!'