Saturday morning came and went and Sehun had no word from his closest friend. So naturally he assumed the worst. But years of emotional stunting had left him unable to bear loss and therefore unable to cry about it. He only felt regret about the last things he’d said to him, how he’d been unable to give a proper goodbye. So that evening he went into work anyway, a stupefying fog clouding his thoughts.

He was mechanically wiping down the bar when two girls left, preparing for more to step in. It was crowded already so another chime from the bells on the door didn’t catch his attention.

But he almost screamed when his friend came and sat in the empty seat, like a ghost going through its routine, unaware that it had died. Putting his other customers on hold he stared for a long while at his friend, who did the same back at him. Eventually, he tentatively poked his shoulder, flinching himself when the figure was very much solid.

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, “What was that for?”

Sehun punched him in the shoulder, sending his friend reeling off the barstool and barely catching himself before he hit the floor. The whole bar paused to stare at the two, one red in the face and the other clutching his arm.

“What the was that for!?” Chanyeol cried again.

“Come with me!” barked Sehun, gesturing behind the bar. “Take over!” he commanded a waitress and she replaced him as bartender.

Rubbing his shoulder and wincing Chanyeol followed his friend into the back room where he immediately locked the door and sat down at an old poker table. “Sit!” he commanded again.

“Jeez, alright already. You sound just like my boss,” he muttered.

Sehun’s eyes narrow dangerously. “What the happened!? I thought you were dead!”

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t call or anything. It’s just…it’s been a rough couple of days. I was sleeping all day today and I spent all Friday afternoon at the hospital and quitting my job.”

“Okay. You need to start doing some serious explaining. Like, right now, please.”

“It might be a long story.”

Sehun folded his arms, waiting.

“All right,” his friend sighed.

Sehun’s mouth gaped progressively more as Chanyeol went on with his tale, squeaking a bit when he got to the part about his boss and what he made him do. But his mouth clenched shut again when Chanyeol told him the truth, about how he only pretended to kill the man on the river. His story ended with him going to the hospital for a cast and arriving sleepy and completely late for his office job. It took an awful amount of time to convince his boss that he’d be leaving with no notice. And when he finally made it home he slept all evening and well into this afternoon.

“And did I mention they ing branded me?” he cried with annoyance, bending over and tugging down his collar to reveal the healing tattoo on his neck.

Sehun peaked at it but said nothing, lips pressed into a tight hard line.

“What do you think?” Chanyeol finally asked.

Sehun sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I think you’re a ing idiot.”

“What? Why the hell-…..Why!?”

“Listen, Yeol. If a mob boss tells you to kill a man you ing do it, okay? No questions asked.”

Chanyeol’s jaw dropped. “Sehun…I’m surprised at you. You’re saying that if you were in my situation, if you looked an innocent man in the eyes and were told you have to shoot him, then you would do it?”

“Yes,” he said, no hesitation. “You wanna know why? Because if that man ever found out that I didn’t kill that guy, I know I’m gunna get ed up. And trust me, it will be without mercy.”

Chanyeol scoffed. “You arrogant son of a . At least I did the right thing.”

“And I’m not saying you didn’t. I’m just saying you’re an idiot for it.”

Chanyeol sighed and rested his face in his hands. “I am an idiot, aren’t I? Should I have done it? Should I really have just…killed the guy?”

“Well there’s no use worrying about it now. What’s done is done. But I will say this. If you ever see that guy again, put a cap in his or it’ll be you in the river.”

“Damn, Hun. I came here so you could make me feel better.”

“You know that’s not why we’re friends.”

“I know.” They gave each other a small smile then, but neither were truly happy. Although Sehun could say he was relieved for his friend, at least for now.

“I’m really glad you didn’t die.”

Chanyeol laughed, “Me too.”

A pause. “So he broke your fingers eh?”

Chanyeol looked down at his splinted left hand, black and blue where the skin was actually showing. “Yep. The doctor said it’ll be about three to four weeks before he can take this off.”

“So that’ll be no for a month? God help you.”

Chanyeol snorted. “You sick bastard.”

He shrugged. “I’m just saying, a month’s a long time. I’d go mad.”

“Well you sure are ‘just saying’ a lot of things today. And I’m not in’ deprived like you are. Get a girlfriend.”

Sehun finally laughed. “With the way yours is I’m better off with my hand, thanks…How is the anyway? Did you even tell her about any of this?”

Chanyeol frowned. “No. And don’t call her that. She’s not that bad.” Sehun raised a brow, unconvinced. “Okay well maybe a little but still. She’s not like you. She’s not my friends she’s my girlfriend. I can’t just tell her willy-nilly I quit my job and became part of a major crime syndicate overnight.”

“Well maybe that’s your actual problem then, that you can’t tell her anything.”

“Yeah, well maybe, Dr. Phil…but at least I don’t have to my hand every night.”

Sehun flipped him the bird with a roll of his eyes. “Are you even a part of it yet anyway? Like what do you even do for him?”

He glanced at his watch, “Well I think I-“his eyes bugged out of his head as he looked back to his watch again. “! I’m totally gunna be late!”

Sehun watched as Chanyeol scrambled from his chair and ripped his jacket from the seat. “Who the actual is late for their meeting with a mob boss?” he cried before unlocking and running out the door.

And he wonders why I worry for him, Sehun thought with a shake of his head.

---

The taxi pulled up to the large high rise with only moments to spare. The orange cab had trudged painfully slow through the summer evening downpour. He handed the driver his cash but couldn’t be bothered to accept the change. He was much too busy craning his neck to the top of the building, a giant skyscraper completely covered in glass.

Chanyeol before could never have imagined what type of people had the money to live on this side of town, let alone a building like this, but now his mind was a little clearer. He was startled suddenly when a large hand clapped down on his shoulder. His yelp scared a few passersby but otherwise gained no more attention. He turned to see Kris, the bodyguard from before that stood just barely taller than him. Though they were about the same height, his face was still intimidating, eyebrows unmercifully trained downward in an angry scowl.

“Come with me,” he said gruffly, and discreetly led him by the elbow into the lobby of the building. The other, Tao, was waiting next to an elevator with a bundle of clothes in his hands. He sighed when he saw Chanyeol.

“We figured you’d have nothing better to wear,” he said, scanning Chanyeol’s jeans and leather jacket with obvious distaste. “Change into this. It’s mine and it’s old, but it’ll do. There’s a bathroom over there. Be quick about it, you don’t want to leave him waiting and he’s on his way down now.”

Chanyeol caught the clothes quickly, barely glancing at them as he rushed over to where Tao had indicated. Once in a stall he stripped quickly, then he finally looked at what they’d given him.

He couldn’t believe that bastard had given him an Armani suit as a ing hand me down. Just how rich were these people? With the job he’d been working in (not to mention with what he’d been spending on the horse races) he had never thought he’d be able to wear something this nice. Maybe this job wouldn’t be so bad…

---

A little while earlier…

Byun Baekhyun awoke at 7 PM sharp very much annoyed that he was not alone in his bed. Even though his air conditioner blasted through his bedroom he really hated waking up to sweaty body heat pressing up against his back.

ing no one tries to cuddle with him.

So he turned over and shoved the man off him, kicking his stomach until he fell on the floor w