The days following the heist were nothing but pure bliss. The following morning Taemin and I went out and bought all the groceries we needed, paid all of our late bills, and still had some money left over. We spent those few days held up in our apartment, carefully monitoring the TV, in case we heard any news of the robbery or the suspects. We had to be cautious after each job we pulled. We were always lucky that we hadn't been caught, but we never knew just when our luck would run out. 

“Hey Tae, I’m gonna go check on my Gran, you wanna come with?!” I shouted from the door as I slipped on my sneakers. 

“Nah! It’s cool. Tell her I said hi!” I heard him yell back from the kitchen. I grabbed my jacket and keys and walked out. Her house wasn't too far, but it was easier and safer to take the bus. The less time I stayed outside, the less likely I was recognized from a previous job. I quickly made my way to the bus stop; I took a seat and waited, hardly sparing a glance to the handful of other people waiting for the same bus. The glass archway that covered the benches of the stop were plastered with papers, help wanted ads, concert posters, lost pets, and wanted posters. 

I pull out my cell phone from my jean pocket and slowly scrolled through various text messages from Taemin. How is it that we had gotten this far? How is it that we’ve been this lucky. I smiled  thinking of all the possibilities that we could have, a better life, better jobs…scratch that, actually have jobs- to be able to make a living without being scared or living in shame and regret, to have a future that isn’t behind cold, iron bars. That is my dream for Taemin and I, and I somehow feel that deep down, one day we’ll find it. 

While looking through my phone for possible jobs on various career sites, I couldn't help but notice someone staring at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a woman and her little girl standing beside me. The mother wore a face of judgement and distain, and more importantly, suspicion. I glance up at them, giving them a sweet smile, intending for it to mean no harm, however, the woman just turned away. Sighing, I turned back around and looked down the street, silently praying that the bus comes sooner than later. Suddenly, a noise tickles my ear; people were whispering around me. I sat up straight, straining my ears to hear what everyone was talking about. I was able to catch some words, although now, I wish I hadn’t. Thoughts of ‘That’s one of them’, ‘oh my God, he’s the one on the poster’, and ‘no he’s too blonde to be one of them,’ filled my head with panic. 

Soon, I heard the bus roaring down the road, it’s breaks squeaking as it came to a halt at our stop. I remained still like a statue, frozen in time as the others passed by me, each giving me quizzical and threatening looks. Once the bus was gone I immediately bolted from my seat and began running. The safest place for me now was back at the apartment, back to where Taemin was, since the only sensible thought in my head was that we were caught. 

I ran past multiple telephone poles, some plastered with posters so much that you couldn't see the wooden pole underneath. One particular poster caught my eye, causing me to pause…but for only a second. Fear gripped my insides, the world was slightly spinning as I ripped the poster from the pole and continued to run. I ran hard and fast all the way back home, my legs felt like they were on fire as I scaled the steps to our apartment. My lungs ached as I burst through the apartment door. Taemin. I had to find Taemin. I had to find him, before they found us. 

“TAEMIN!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, panting hard as I searched the apartment for him. 

“Hyung?!” I heard him call out, he was still in the kitchen where I had left him not moments ago. 

“Hyung…that was super fast…did you even visit with her?” He smiled and began laughing. I breathed a sigh of relieve, he was ok, but the comfort only lasted for a moment before I grabbed him by the shoulders and looked in his eyes. 

“Taemin. We need to leave.”

“W-what?” He asked stupidly, looking like a baby deer caught in headlights. 

“We need to leave…tonight. We have to get out of town.” 

“Key…hyung…you’re…you’re scaring me. What’s happened? What’s going on?” He flinched when I moved to pull the crumbled up poster of out my pocket. I smoothed it out and held it up for him to see. His eyes widened as he grabbed the paper, almost ripping it out of my hands. It was a poster of us, standing outside of the quick mart we had robbed a couple nights prior. Even though the photo was blurry and dark, you could still make out some details, for example, my bright head of blonde hair, or Taemin’s baby like face. Either way, we were screwed. Completely and totally screwed. 

“That’s…it’s not possible hyung. My plans were flawless. When did they…” Taemin stuttered in disbelief, still in shock that someone seemed to be more cunning that he had anticipated. Tears started to fill his eyes; dropping the poster, he crashed into me. Wrapping his arms around my stomach, he sobbed and hugged me tighter. I held him close, knowing exactly what he was feeling. I solemnly looked around the room. We needed to leave. Tonight, we would need to leave everything and…everyone behind. We had to start over…again. Everything that we had worked so hard to build and maintain was now destroyed, and knowing Taemin, he couldn’t help but think it was all his fault. 

“Tae…” I whispered lovingly. “Look Tae…now isn’t the time to be sad, we need to go. We can be sad later…but now we need to run. I promised to keep you safe and that’s what I’m gonna do. We can go to a nearby city and stay there until all this crap is settled. The one near the ocean sounds nice neh? We use to go there on school trips, you remember yea?” 

“But I-“

“Yah…it’s ok! Besides maybe moving is just what we need.” I held his face in my hands and kissed his forehead. He nodded, his eyes and face still wet with fresh tears. 

“I’m going to my grandmothers to…say goodbye, Tae, do you think you can handle packing? Pack as much as you want, then when I come home…back, we’ll leave ok?” He nodded in silent and thoughtful agreement. I felt him squeeze my hand before he turned away and headed to his bedroom. 

After watching him go, I turned at headed out the door once more. This time instead of taking the bus, I walked to my grandmothers house. It seemed like walking down side streets was safer this time around instead of being in public where everyone could see my face. I passed many of our posters as I went, stopping at each pole to pull them down, hoping to buy us a little more time. 

I knew life in a big city would change things, we would be safer, less suspicious. We could hide easily, and…there would be bigger prey. More people always meant more money. Taemin and I could find an apartment easily in the city, and probably a hell of a lot cheaper too. We could start fresh, maybe look for new jobs, something, anything to turn things around. Maybe this was the change we were looking for. Now…I would just have to break it to my grandmother.

My mind was a mess when I walked though the front door. The sweet smell of cookies and old perfume wafted through the air. She had her own personal scent, one that reminded me of home, one that I might not be able to smell again. That thought tugged at my heart as tears threatened to cascade down my face. I had to keep to together, just for a little while. 

“Grandma!” I called out to her, already heading towards the kitchen. Anytime I visited that’s where I would always find her. 

“Kimbummie?!” She sang out sweetly. I made my way through the old fashioned house until I entered the kitchen. She stood at the stove, handling different pots and pans, all b with some type of food. She was dressed in jeans, a sweat shirt and slippers, with an apron wrapped around her that was splattered with sauce and whatever else she decided to cook that day. Even though she lived by herself, she always loved to cook. 

“Hi grandma.”

“Hi bummie! Ah sweetie come here and give me a kiss. I missed you.” I put on my best smile as I hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. “I missed you to grandma.” Slowly she pulled away from me, resting her hands on my shoulders; she looked at me, he r eyes squinted and her headed cocked to one side.

“Whats wrong Bummie?”

“W-What? Nothing’s wrong! What are you talking about?” 

“You can’t fool me Bummie,  we maybe be different ages but I‘m still your grandmother and I know when something is wrong. Are you ok? Is Taemin-ah ok?”

“Yea! Everything’s fine! I just…have some exciting news to tell you! Tae…Taemin got a new job!” Of course I lied! How could I possibly tell her the truth?! My grandmother was my angel, she was the one person who I could trust in the whole world aside from Tae…I couldn't let her down by telling her what had happened, or anything that we have been doing. How would she feel? After all she's given us? I couldn’t do that to her…besides it’s easier to lie anyway…it will keep her safe and out of our mess. The less she knows, the better. 

“Oh Key that’s wonderful!! Tell me where! What’s he gonna do? Ah I’m so happy for you!”

“Oh… um well here’s the thing grandma…he…I mean we have to move to another city. Actually the one near the ocean that you and gramps use to take me when I was little. The job is there…” I bowed my head, forcing the tears away. I couldn't cry. Not in front of her. 

“Oh…I see. When will you be leaving?”

“We, um, we leave tonight. The boss seems to want him to start right away. And with any luck I’ll be working there too…so I can pay you back for everything you’ve given us…”

“Key…” She pulled me into her embrace and whispered in my ear. “Key, you don’t have too…I did that for you boys because I love you, and if this new job is going to make you two happier then damn it go on and get it!” She laughed loudly and held me tighter, kissing my forehead like she always did when I was young. I pulled back from her and smiled brightly. 

“Grandma. I love you. And…I promise to make you proud.”

“Bummie, you already have.” She said with a stray tear falling down her cheek. She turned quickly and went over to one of her many drawers, opening one, she pulled out something small and shiny. Walking back over to me, she took my hand in hers and placed the shiny object in my palm. I looked to see what she had given me and gasped. It was the keys to one of her cars. 

“Grandma…I can’t take this.” 

“Hush. Yes you can.” She said as she turned back to the stove, quickly stirring a pot of boiling soup. “I already have one, there’s no sense in having two, besides you boys need it more than I do.”

“T-Thank you…so much grandma.” Then the waterfall of tears began as I hugged her from behind, placing my chin on her shoulder and wrapping my arms around her thin waist. 

“I love you so much.” 

“I love you too Bummie.” She replied as she folded her hands over mind. She quickly turned and gave me a kiss on the cheek. It wasn’t long after that did I leave, with not only her car but bags upon bags of food and groceries that she insisted we take with us to our new “home.” Then, after promising to visit her soon, I set out back to the apartment to help Tae finish packing before we kissed this town a long over due goodbye.

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ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED IN THIS CHAPTER!~ I'm so sorry...but I swear the next chapters will be more fun fulled...just had to get the more "boring stuff" out of the way ^.^ Please look forward to more updates! <3 xD

Damn it's good to be back! 

~S.I.R.