Chapter 18

Woohyun

I love the family van.

Sunggyu hates how I call it. He says it is an GMC Yukon 2015 with bulletproof windows and a bigger weapon arsenal hidden in the trunk than the security service in the presidents bunker and of course, 8 seats and enough space for our luggage.

To me, it will stay the family van. Because sitting in the van feels like one of those family trips I always saw in american family movies when I was younger.

Dongwoo is the driver as always. That means Sungjong is sitting next to him and in charge of the music. They have the same taste and against both of them together you can't  win.

I'm in the middle row. Normally Sunggyu lets me sit next to the window, but today he insisted on me sitting in the middle between him on my right and Hoya on my left. Last but not least Myungsoo, Sungyeol and Sungmin in the last row.

Sunggyu is busy on his phone. He keeps sending messages to his subordinates, calling a few of his contact men but as soon as he stops typing his hand finds mine again. It feels almost like a normal day.

Almost.

Sometimes I take a quick glance at Sungmin in the background. He doesn't talk a lot and looks straight to the ground for the second hour now.

Sunggyu squeezes my hand. " I have my men on him. They will persuade that Cho guy to give me a call." he whispers into my ear and I smile at him.

" I believe in the end he will do it."

" Of course. And now try not to think about it, okay? Leave it to me. You must be excited to come back to Sangju."

I really am, as much as I can be in the moment. Sangju is a small town around two hours south east from Seoul. On a nearby mountain, hidden in the forest is one of the Kims many vacation houses.  I think of it as a better observed area than every prison, no one gets out and no one gets in easily, but that is not a bad thing to me. I feel nowhere safer than in Sangju.

" I miss the smell of the old house."

" Can't say I did the same." he deadpans and I nudge his side with a chuckle. He doesn't even try to block it and just kisses my cheek as an answer.  " Love you."

" Me too."

" Around half an hour until we arrive." Dongwoo says from the front.

" You want to sleep for the rest of the trip?"

I shake my head. " No. I'm not tired."

And I yawn.

Sunggyu raises his eyebrows. " You have to take a rest."

" You might be right. I'm dead tired." I wink at him and Hoya can't help but to scoff.

"It's the time for those jokes?"

"It's always the time for jokes."

Sunggyu pushes my head on his shoulder. " I don't find this funny so now you better shut up and sleep."

" Yes, sir."

" I told you to shut up."

" Ye--"

" Woohyun!"

" Sorry."

He sighs deeply and turns back to his phone.

The soft swinging of the car soon puts me into a deep slumber.

Sunggyu

Soon after his head touches my shoulder he falls asleep.

I find myself observing him out of the corner of my eye. During the last two nights I noticed he sometimes stops breathing in his sleep which led me to quiet frantically waking him up.  Not that it matters anymore if he breaths or not but still...

I mentally kick myself for that comment and try to think about others things.

Easier said than done. I massage the bridge of my nose. Fatigue slowly gets to me.

" Sunggyu. The gate." Dongwoo says from the front a while after.

I apply the automatic window opener.

Dongwoo slowly stops the car when the dark, scary looking electrical gate comes fully into view. The connected fence disappears between the dark woods.

I lean out of the window, carefully so I won't disturb Woohyuns sleep too much.

" Suga?" I call into the trees and a few moments later a black dressed blonde guy, heavily armed, appears next to the car. He slowly makes his way over and I already start to get impatient.

" Yo, boss.", he leans himself against the car and peeks inside. " Didn't know you were coming."

" It was decided before long."

" Don't get me wrong.", he smiles brightly at me, a strange contrast to his weapons.

" I'm glad you're here. We didn't hear a lot from Seoul lately. It has been a while since the last mission and let's face it: Guarding this house is no fun anymore after the second week."

I reach out and ruffle the youngers hair. " Tell V to open the door. Then make sure the area is save and come to the house. We brought you're favourite food."

He winks at me and pulls his walkie-talkie out of his trousers. " Everything to your pleasure, boss."

He talks to his companion and soon after the gate slowly opens. I wave at Suga and sit back into my seat again.

Five more minutes and the vacation house can be seen. An american style wooden building, two storys and just enough space for all of us. Not to mention the security.

Dongwoo parks the car in front of the entrance and releases a deep sigh when he finally turns off the engine. " I need to take a nap."

" You've got time now." I say and turn to wake Woohyun but Hoya shakes his head.

" Let him sleep. Seems like Woohyun and the new guy need to rest a bit more."

He nods to the back of the car where a obviously deeply asleep Sungmin slumped down in his seat.

I take the view of both of them in for a second and then slowly nod. " Okay. Let's leave them here a bit longer."

I softly push Woohyun against the seat and open the car door as quiet as possible.

" If any of you wake him up you will sleep in the woods." I kindly whisper to them and everyone shuts up in an instant.

The gravel scrunches under my feet.

" Myungsoo, Sungyeol. I want to you to meet with Namjoon. Ask him about any occurrences around here. When you're finished gather all of them and bring them here. But only if everything is save. Sungjong. Bring the food we brought inside and check the kitchen and basement for other inventories. If there's something missing call the shop in Sangju and let them deliver it here. Make sure we will have enough for a few days. Hoya, check the weapon arsenal. And Dongwoo, you can help me with the luggage."

Everyone obeys my orders without complaining and soon after I carry the last piece of luggage into the living room.

" That's everything."  For a moment I take a seat at the huge couch. 

" You're not looking too well." Dongwoo says after an intent look at me.

" Already felt a lot better than today."

" Take a rest. At least for an hour."

" No time. I have plans to make."

" Sunggyu.", he takes a seat next to me, one hand on my knee. " You know lack of sleep isn't helping you to concentrate.  And you know that there is not only you who has to carry the burden, okay?"

" I know, but..."

" Yeah yeah, perfectionist, Woohyun, bla bla bla. Still you're only human and you need to rest. Let's make a deal. You sleep for at least two more hours while I try to get some clues. Then I wake you up and I take a rest. Could you live with that?"

I think about it and then agree... enforcedly. Actually he might be right. My head starts to hurt.

" Deal. But let me get Woohyun first. It's hard to sleep when he is outside."

" Sure, boss."

I furrow at him. " Trying to imitate Suga?"

Dongwoo chuckles. " It's always cute how they follow you around like little puppies."

I glare at him and leave the living room.

The closing of the door.

When I turn into the hallway I meet Sungmin. He rubs his tired eyes.

" You're alright?" I ask.

He nods, his features still a mask of sadness and not believing.

" Go into the kitchen. Dongwoo will make something to eat for you."

" Thanks, Sunggyu." a hardly audible whisper and he vanishes into the direction I showed him. For a moment I follow his slumped down figure with my gaze and pity overcomes me. I promise myself to kick Chos when I see him the next time.

OOO

" Woohyun?" I whisper into the quietness of the car after I carefully opened the door. He is still in the same position like the one I left him in 20 minutes ago.

When I softly shake him by the shoulder he stirs and finally opens his eyes.

" Hey.", I smile and brush a few strands of hair away that hang into his eyes. " Get up for a second. I'll bring you inside."

He nods, obviously drowsy and reaches out for me. I take his hand and pull him out of the car behind me. He searches for support and clings to me like the monkey he always tends to be when he is sleepy.

How much I love it.

I slowly guide him to the house, my arm securely around his waist.

" I had a dream." he mumbles when I close the entrance door behind us.

" What kind of dream?"

He nestles closer to me. I'm not even sure his eyes are open while he walks. " I was with Sungmin... and we went into that club..."

" A club?" I help him up the stairs, carefully, so he won't miss one.

" Hmm... we drank a few shots and then I wanted to dance..."

We reach the end of the staircase and I guide him to the left.

" Wild dreams you're having.", I bring him to the room we usually sleep in. " There we are."

He lies down on the bed without another word and is fast asleep before I can even pull off his shoes.

I neatly put them on the ground next to the door and do so much as getting rid of my hoodie before I take my place next to him.

His black hair is such a nice contrast to the white sheets of the bed. I can't help but to reach out for it.

The touch... so soft.

I feel the now almost familiar sickness in my stomach.

What if I can't...

            No.

            Don't...

I take his hand into mine and force my eyes to close.

Dongwoo was right when he told me to rest. Soon after, even though I feel like crying once again, I fall into a dreamless sleep.

" Jimin?"

" Yes?"

" Zoom closer with camera 4. I think I saw something in the forest."