“If there is one thing I cannot ing stand—” Joonmyun roars like a beast before landing a particularly hard kick against his gut. Baekhyun coughs as the wind is pushed out of him, curling into himself on the floor. “It’s disloyalty.” He adds with a spit.

Joonmyun straightens up with a sigh, looking down at Baekhyun with a cold and unremorseful gaze. “I give you a job — an income. I give you protection and shelter. Why would you betray me?” The man trembling on the floor says nothing in reply, other than the shaking breaths he takes through his teeth. “Did you think it was clever, hm?” Sehun then appears at his bosses side, handing him a cigarette and a lighter before returning to his place off to the side - he couldn’t see much through the pain and from the awkward angle on the floor. The smell of smoke makes it harder for Baekhyun to breathe as he feebly clutches his bruised stomach. “To prove to me that it was just a fluke — because I’m pretty sure we both know it was just that — and that you are loyal, go and fetch our problem and bring him here.”

He tries his best to nod or say some kind of affirmation, but it’s proving hard through the crippling pain. Joonmyun takes one last long drag on his cancer stick before flicking it out onto Baekhyun. “Sehun, get him on his feet.” And with that he disappears off out of view and Baekhyun relaxes just that little bit.

Sehun pulls him onto his feet with difficulty; he can’t straighten up without his stomach hurting, so he hunches over, batting Sehun’s hand away as soon as he’s stable, albeit shaky. He doesn’t spare the boy a glance because he knows he’s smirking smugly. As soon as he’s free of Joonmyun’s office, he spits out blood and refuses to let his eyes water.

☄

A couple of days later.

Chanyeol wakes up to an empty bed but also to the sounds of cutlery and crockery clicking and tapping in the kitchen. He’s not sure if he’s woken up feeling this happy or this content before. Just the knowledge that Kris is probably making some breakfast and/or coffee or something makes him feel so fluffy and delighted. Especially after what happened last night. He stumbles out of bed and into the bathroom to have a shower.

Freshly dressed and washed, he finds Kris eating a mountain of toast whilst he browses on his phone, leaning against the worktop. So giraffes can look elegant every once in a while. Chanyeol takes a slice for himself, beaming at Kris like an imp when their eyes meet.

“Zao an. Do you want coffee?” The other smiles and Chanyeol leans on the opposite worktop pulling a face of disbelief.

“You made coffee?”

“Just because I’m not a good chef doesn’t mean I don’t know how to make stuff, okay.” If you know Kris, then you’re bound to have heard about his kitchen disasters. He somehow manages to burn everything and ruin all of Kyungsoo’s pots and pans. The fire brigade have been round more than once when Kris nearly blows something up. In his own kitchen, Kris is pretty much banned.

“Yeah sure, you used the machine didn’t you?” Chanyeol smirks, leaving his post to fetch a cup from the cupboard. He doesn’t really have breakfast when he’s on his own. He barely uses the coffee machine or makes himself a pot of tea. Lately, he’s been living on beer, water and painkillers. But Chanyeol can see himself getting used to some sort of proper breakfast. Especially if Kris is involved.

“It was invented to be used, it’d be wrong not to.” As Kris works the coffee machine, making them both a cup, Chanyeol finishes off the last slices of toast, enjoying the different toppings Kris had put on. He’s the type of person who usually just puts butter on, he couldn’t be bothered with much else. However, he makes a mental note to try different toppings in the future, especially if Kris decides to stay ‘till morning more often.

“So being lazy and using a machine is all part of your ‘cold city guy’ image, huh?”

Kris glared at the redhead without malice. “I don’t have to make you some.” Chanyeol came up next to him, taking the now filled to rim cup of coffee out of his large hand and before the taller could react, he took a sip.

“Too late.”

They chat for a little bit, shoulder to shoulder about that album that is out today and that crazy lady who lives across the road and about who she shouted at this time. But it dawns on Chanyeol that Kris will have to leave at some point and the magic bubble will be popped, reality will start again. At the end of the day, Kris will probably sleep in his own bed at his own house and Chanyeol will probably go to bed alone. It would only be normal, he reasons. It’s not like they’re suddenly joined at the hip. Whatever this is between them has only just started. He shouldn’t expect so much so soon.

“Do you want to do dinner later? Like, we don’t have to go anywhere fancy, just get something nice to eat.” Kris offers, sliding his arm around Chanyeol’s waist, and it feels so natural, he didn’t really notice it at first. The redhead eagerly agrees. So he may be a little clingy, but he wants to spend as much time as he can with Kris.

It’s then he hears his phone go off in the bedroom. Begrudingly leaving Kris’s side he checks his phone and upon reading it he heaves a sigh. Now his cosy morning with Kris is ruined.

From: Baekhyun.

meet me at the park. it’s urgent.

Chanyeol doesn’t want to lie to Kris, but he does, saying he’s only going to buy a few things from the convenience store quickly as he pulls on his shoes and jacket in a messy haste. He doesn’t give the other man room to protest, leaving his flat hurriedly. He mentally apologises to Kris as he briskly walks to the park.

He gets there to find Baekhyun loitering at the entrance with a black eye and bruised lip. He knows enough about cuts and bruises now to know that the wounds on Baekhyun are pretty damn recent.

“Baekhyun… What’s up, how did you get that black eye?” The shorter avoids his eyes, his hand immediately reaching out and taking Chanyeol’s wrist. He begins to drag the other away. “Dude, what the hell?!”

“You have to come with me,” is the only explanation he gets.

“Okay, okay! Just… quit dragging me, man!” He snatces his wrist free from Baekhyun’s hold. The other doesn’t stop walking, shoving his hands into his pockets, if anything, he walks faster. All this anxiety and strange standoffish behavior makes Chanyeol wish he had a cigarette to on, but he left them at his flat in the hurry.

He can’t imagine what’s so urgent or what’s got Baekhyun all worked up and bruised. He thought the black haired man had been making progress with Chanyeol’s leaving the pit. What had happened?

The heavy feeling of dread bubbles in his stomach, making his blood run cold. Something bad is going to happen, he can feel it.

☄

Much to his dismay, Baekhyun takes him to the Exo Pit; it’s the last place he wants to be. Kris thinks he’s at the store, he won’t be happy if he finds out he’s actually at the club.

The crumbling concrete halls are deafeningly quiet and it only adds to Chanyeol’s agitation. He’s led down a path he knows all too well; the path to the ring. If he stopped for a second and closed his eyes, he would hear the roar of the audience and he could smell the sweat, the anticipation and the electricity. Chanyeol pretends he isn’t shaking just a little bit as he follows Baekhyun.

As he gets closer and closer, he can see a few silhouetted figures standing in the ring, waiting for them. He recognises one immediately as Sehun, his height is unmistakable. But there’s also another fairly tall person stood on the other side to him. Finally, in between them stands someone shorter, someone with smoke dancing up into the air above them, a orange glow igniting now and then. Chanyeol knows who it is but he doesn’t want to admit it. He doesn’t want to admit that Baekhyun, the person who was helping him, has lead him straight into the arms of his captor.

When he climbs into the ring, he can see everyone more clearly in the dull light. Sehun looks as prim and perfect as ever, his expression a mask of indifference. But the other guy, he’s never seen before in his life. This guy is fairly muscular with cat-like eyes and long midnight hair. The look he’s giving the redhead is very intense, like if he stares at Chanyeol hard enough, he’ll explode. Chanyeol won’t be intimidated though and he pulls his shoulders back, standing straight and proudly. Baekhyun stands off to the side near the others, leaving Chanyeol on his own.

He regrets trusting Baekhyun. There was no-one to trust in this building, probably including himself. He should’ve seen this coming.

“Chanyeol-ah,” Joonmyun smirks around his cigar, absently pulling his bleached hair back. “I’m so glad you could join us.”

'Zao an' is good morning in Chinese in case you didn't know :)