word count; 1376

Xiumin walks with a relaxed pace down the halls of the art gallery. He steps in and out of different rooms, not really looking at the carefully created pieces of art. No. He’s searching. The Dealer is searching for a man who had ripped him off, not paying the full amount agreed to. Xiumin’s dress shoes click softly on the polished floors, gleaming with a clean shine. His hair is swept back, slightly copper and with a soft touch. The suit he wears is freshly ironed, a dark grey and crisply worn. He dresses for the occasion.

People notice his charming looks and friendly smile, stopping him multiple times just to have a short conversation. Hands in his pocket, he continues to scout out the large art gallery, looking for his target. A wolf stalking his prey. Entering a new room, he carefully strolls along the wall of paintings. The Dealer stops himself from upturning his lips in disgust at such distasteful art. He’s never cared much for models, to say the least. As he reaches as more abstract area, he recognizes a certain reclining hairline. Cracking his neck, he walks over to the man and places a strong hand on his shoulder. “Hey, Mr. Jeon, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Friendly smile.

Mr. Jeon looks over to the young man in a nervous manner, his hands visibly tremor. His throat bobs as he swallows a scream, “M-Mr. Kim, I-I didn’t know you would b-be here.” The poor man stutters as his skin shines with sweat.

Xiumin chuckles lightly: a menacing sound to the ears of Mr. Jeon. “Oh my, how long has it been since we last saw each other?”

“Not long enough.” Mr. Jeon says seriously but forces a laugh as Xiumin’s hand tightens on his shoulder, “I’m just kidding, Mr. Kim! Just a joke!”

The Dealer laughs dryly, “We should catch up. Are you hungry?”

“No, I actually ate before I came and I should be catching up with my family, Mr. Kim.” His eyes plead with a desperate stare but as Xiumin’s tightening fist becomes unbearable, Mr. Jeon pats his stomach and sounds quite loudly, “Actually, I am starting to feel hungry. Mr. Kim, we should go eat at the local diner a couple of blocks from here.”

“I don’t like diners.” His voice is cold, commanding that the man cooperate with him. “I prefer this coffee shop around here. I can’t really remember where it is so we will have to do some wandering but I swear,” He leans in for effect, “I think we should get some coffee, Mr. Jeon.” As the scared business man mulls over his options, Xiumin slips his own wallet into the pocket of Mr. Jeon. Inside contains over three hundred dollars, American.

Mr. Jeon runs. He runs as quickly as his pressed suit allows him to. He breaks away from Xiumin’s now light grasp, tripping over other families and artists, trying to get away as fast as possible. As he reaches the exit of the room, Xiumin shouts loudly, “Thief! He stole my wallet! Someone catch him!” Expectedly, at least three men run after Mr. Jeon, unsuspecting to the framing. Xiumin waits a few seconds before running after the four men. As he catches up, pretending to be out of breath, he notices that the three men have corned Mr. Jeon in a corner of the art gallery. Security walks past the line of defense and to the cowering man in the corner.

 Mr. Jeon holds the wallet out with a shaking hand, “T-take it!” He stammers, “I don’t want it!” Security grabs the worn, brown wallet out of his hand before flipping it open.

“Mr.Kim? Is there a Mr. Kim JungWoo?” The broad shoulder security guard looks around the crowd, his eyes stopping on Xiumin as he steps forward.

“Me. That man took my wallet when I was just offering to go out!” He walks forward, still continuing his façade of fatigue. “Bastard.” He spits out as he takes the wallet.

Security walks back to Mr. Jeon who shouts words of framing around in an echoing resistance. “You don’t understand!” He shouts angrily, “He’s a drug dealer! I owe him money! He came to kill me! I bet his name isn’t even Kim Jungwoo!” Mr. Jeon continues to ramble unnecessarily since it’s already obvious that Xiumin has won this round.

As the framed man is towed away by unsuspecting security guards, the people who gathered have begun to disperse in a slow waltz. Xiumin continues to stand there, unable to hide a smirk that plays at his lips. Of course, Mr. Jeon will not go to jail. He won’t be able to. The Dealer will get him first, before anything can really happen. Mr. Jeon is not allowed to live after trying to run; it only excites Xiumin.

“I’m sorry that happened!” Xiumin turns in surprise to find a pretty girl looking up at him with large brown eyes, rimmed by dark, long eyelashes. Her height catches her attention as she appears to be up to his chest. “That’s never happened here so, like, I’m just so surprised but I got to see the men body check him into the wall and that was so cool an—“  she stops herself, catching that she’s talking a little too fast and a little too much.

Xiumin turns to face her completely, “Yeah, I couldn’t catch the guy. He was running too fast!”

The girl laughs a rich tone, her tanned cheeks rounding as she smiles a genuine smile, “Yeah! He pushed me aside, I just about kicked the guy’s myself!”

Xiumin looks again at her wavy, innocent looking hair that reaches a respectable length of just past her shoulders. Her tiny, frail looking body and height. He laughs a true, loud laugh. “You wouldn’t be able to take him!”

Once again, the girl puts on a determined face, “Oh yeah? I bet I could take you now! Come on,” She raises her fists and jump from foot to foot; an awkward and open stance, “Come on little boy, show me what’cha got!”

The Dealer gives her a smile and another once over before flicking her in the forehead, “Even if we did fight, I don’t think we’d do it here.”  

She pouts loudly, rubbing the spot he had flicked, “At least let me have a shot, like a punch in the arm!” With a weak fist, she pushes his arm lightly. “One shot, come on~”

To amuse the girl, Xiumin angles himself so she can have a clear shot, “Alright, go ahead.” He pats his upper bicep, “Give it a go.”

She smiles childishly before punching. The impact makes her smile as her fist connects cleanly with his shoulder. “Ahha!” An innocent laugh erupts from the young girl.

“Yo, Xi-, Mr. Kim.” The Abductor jogs up towards Xiumin, slightly out of breath. “Can you babysit the dog? I have to go do something.” Giving the Dealer a pointed look, Xiumin catches on who the dog truly is.

“Ohhh a puppy?” The girl trills with a cute squeal, “Is it a boy or a girl?”

Chen smiles widely, “She’s a !”

The girl nods understandingly, “So a female! I can help you know,” She gives a peace sign, “I’m a dog person~ Minimum wage is required though.”

Xiumin shakes his head, “No, it’s alright, Ms…?”

“Call me Mahima.”

“Mahima,” Xiumin shakes her hand, “Nice to meet you. Let’s meet again, shall we? I really have to get going. Our dog has some bad habits.”

Mahima nods understandingly, “Okay, see you JongWoo!”

Chen and Xiumin bow before walking away towards the exit. The Abductor snickers, “JongWoo? Really? That’s the best you could come up with?”

“Shut up.” The Dealer growls deeply, “Generic is the way to go, alright?”

Chen shrugs, “Alright.”

Xiumin rubs his arm, sore from the punch. “Oh man,” Chen looks over at him curiously, “Mahima can really punch.”

“That skinny chic?”

“Yeah man, look at this.” Xiumin shrugs off his blazer, revealing a purpling bruise on the exact spot the ‘frail’ girl had punched. “Strong little rabbit.”

Chen nods in agreement.

end of prologue chapters