~ Jongin's POV

I look over to Sehun, who's scribbling something in a small notebook. I wonder how Sehun ended up where he is now. The drawing in the notebook is beautiful, it's a picture of a house and there's a motorcycle parked in front of it. He's obviously pretty smart, so why would he throw all that away and give in?
    Well, I guess it's the same thing with me. Before ending up here surprisingly many years ago, I was an amazing dancer. But what could I have done after beating up a cute little boy just because he was taken? What could I have done after there was blood on my hands and a dead body in front of me, who I had just beaten to death? I shake my head and look away from Sehun.
    When I was young, me and my mother lived in a tiny apartment near my dance studio. She could barely pay for my lessons, rent and food, but it was all that I could've asked. I was happy, healthy... Except for the times when I just wanted to hit everything and everyone who stood in my way. And one day, after school, I went to a café with some friends. And the barista there... Wow. Flawless. Kind eyes, a pretty smile between cute dimples, and an adorable accent he was Chinese, I think. So, I waited outside for him to get out of work. I followed him to the other side of the river, into a big apartment building, where he finally noticed and confronted me. I wanted to kiss him so badly. But what he responded with... I have a boyfriend. My head just clicked. I started seeing red and something other than myself took control of my actions. I looked around and before he could get away... My fists clenched up by themselves as I pressed him against the wall. I don't know why I would do something like that. Before I knew it, he was lying on the ground, blood on his face, bruises on his neck. I felt his neck with my index and middle finger, trying to find a pulse. But I had gone too far. He was dead. I committed a ing murder, with just my bare hands. My heart started racing, what the did I just do to a poor innocent boy, who was just being honest and faithful to his boyfriend? Someone's going to look for him. I looked around in panic and lifted the body to my arms, the eyes now closed, the smile and the dimples gone forever, and his skin turning colder, paler, his body nothing but dead weight. I ran outside to the cold rain and threw the body in the river. It floated away from me, and after making sure there was no-one around, I started running.
    I've never ran faster in my life. Tears fell down my cheeks when I ran so far that I didn't recognize the buildings anymore. It started getting darker, more and more street lights were out, the buildings were falling apart, and there were only drunks and junkies lying around and mumbling something I couldn't understand. I slowed down. That's when I bumped into a young woman, who I later on got to know as Sunny, and she took me here.
    The next week there were pictures of two missing persons on the news mine and his. He had disappeared, and I was the only one who really knew what had happened, and I had basically disappeared too. They never found him, and indeed, he did leave behind a boyfriend. The news had told me the boyfriend's the name was Chanyeol.
    Of course, I haven't told about this to anyone, either. And of course, I don't want Baekhyun hanging out with the person whose boyfriend I brutally beat up and killed, even if it really was accidental. Hopefully he doesn't remember me, or that my disappearance happened on the same day as his boyfriend, or hopefully he assumes we were taken by the same person. Earlier he didn't seem to know my face, which is obviously a good thing.
    I take a deep breath and look at Sehun again. His face is calm and he seems to be fine. I sigh before getting up and walking towards the door. I need some air. Maybe a human punching bag.

~ Sehun's POV

    I look down to my lap as mommy scolds me. I'm sitting on the couch with a lollipop in my hands. Mommy sounds really mad. I didn't know you had to pay for them, I stutter and look up at her with tears in my eyes. I'm not even lying. But mommy is still really angry. You're six years old, Hunnie. You should know by now, she says and her voice is a little calmer. I sniff quietly and roll the lollipop around in my fingers. I took it from a store a few days ago when mommy was at work and I was bored, so I snuck out. Where did you get it? she asks and crouches down in front of me. I shrug a little and look up. I can't remember, I whisper and put the lollipop down on the couch pillow next to me. She's quiet for a moment. Why did you take it? You should always ask before taking something, she says calmly, but for some reason that just makes me cry more. I don't know! I just wanted it and the store man was scary and I didn't want to talk to him! I manage to explain between sobs. Mommy holds my hand. I'm going to throw it away, okay? And you have to promise me you won't steal any more, she says and takes the lollipop. I nod a few times and watch as mommy takes my candy to the kitchen and to the trash can. She returns and I stand up. Do you promise? she asks and looks me in the eyes. I promise not to steal again, I say quietly and look up at mommy's eyes, and she nods. Good. Now let's go buy some ice cream, so I can show you how to buy stuff? Would you like that? she asks and smiles a little. I nod again and wipe away the tears from my eyes. Mom doesn't get mad often. She's a nice person. I want to be like mommy.
    I throw myself to my bed and sit up on the edge of it, placing the backpack against my feet. I pull out a huge bag of chocolates and smile a little to myself. I don't think I've ever stolen this much. I look into the backpack and take out a notebook, a gluestick and a magazine. I don't really need them, but the rush I got from stealing them... Very real. I hear a knock on my door. Sehun? I can hear my mother's voice. Y-yeah? I ask and quickly shove the items away. The door opens just in time as I pull the zipper and close the backpack. Dinner is almost ready, he says shortly. I nod and we make eye contact for a moment. But even in that short period of time I can see the screaming disappointment behind her eyes. I know she knows what I do when I'm out this late. And I know that she hasn't told anyone. Mostly because it would pretty much ruin my chances of ever getting a good career and so forth. I sigh and take out the chocolates again. I flick through the magazine within two minutes, while shoving chocolate down my throat. I smile a little when I finally get up and stroll downstairs, where mom is making the table. I ate in town, I don't really need to eat right now, I mumble and look at the front door. I actually... I think I left my cap there, I'm gonna go see if anyone's found it, I say quickly and take a few long steps to the door. Please come back safe, I hear my mom plead before I slam the door closed behind me and start walking away.
    I need to get something for mom, so she won't be so mad at me for stealing. But I have no idea what she'd like. Maybe some jewelry? Or a book? I look around and sigh. I'll probably be in town just in time before everything is closed.
    I walk into a jewelry shop that's pretty distant from the dead center of the city. There's pretty much no one around and the store seems to be ready to close up. Do you need help sir? the old cashier asks with a professional smile. Uh. No, I'm just taking a quick look around, I tell them and look around. He nods and turns around to lock up some cabinets where they keep the most expensive stuff. I look around and manage to sneak a small silver chain to my jacket's pocket. I look around for a few more minutes, trying to look innocent. Okay, thanks. Have a good night, I say and smile to the cashier for a moment before hurrying out the door. I glance behind and the cashier is looking at me funny. I look down and realize a part of the chain is hanging out. After a quick look around I start running. I hear the cashier running behind me, catching up...
    Suddenly, I hear a slap and a thump as someone falls down. I stop and turn around.
    In front of me is a young man, probably not older than me. His skin is pretty dark and he's dressed in all black. He's staring at the cashier, who's lying on the ground... Dead?
    Don't worry about him, he's fine, the stranger assures me and drags the cashier to the shadows of a bunch of trash cans. He looks up at me and looks at the chain hanging out of my pocket. You're a thief, he says with confusion and our eyes meet. I remain silent. What the hell is he doing? He walks closer, and I back away a couple of steps. He just punched a guy out cold. So what if I am? I ask quietly and stuff the chain back into my pocket. Well... the stranger starts and looks around. Okay, so my name is Jongin.
    I wake up slowly and look up on the mattress next to me. There he is. I yawn and he turns his eyes to me with a smile. Hey. Baekhyun's home, he says quietly and I turn around to see the familiar boy looking at me too, but with red and puffy eyes. Has he been crying? I wouldn't be surprised, panic attacks and all that jazz. You good? I mumble and drag myself up. Baekhyun nods and looks away, as usual when he doesn't want to lie to our faces. I shake my head and look at Jongin, who seems even more worried than usual. I had a dream about the first time we met, I inform him and he huffs a little with a quick smile. I tap my pockets. You were the one that brought me here in the first place, right? I ask him and he nods. I nod back to him and sigh.
    When I got to this place, I knew my life would never be the same. I knew, from the moment I stepped inside and looked around, I knew that I wasn't home, but rather where I belong. With other criminals, where we can be safe, without the responsibilities, without having to pretend like there's nothing wrong with us. My mom apparently died soon after I moved here, was it suicide or not, that I never got to know. With no relatives and all the freedom that came with this place, I could finally be myself without having to force or hide anything. I have a new family to share everything with, I have a partner in crime who does the dirty work. And it makes me feel right, happy, in a strange way. Even when yourself is a sick bastard, you still are who you are, and pretending doesn't change anything. So why not just find someplace where you don't have to pretend?

~ Jongin's POV

    I look at Sehun as he looks away with eyes that are not looking at pretty much anything, and at Baekhyun who is hugging his knees tight with his eyes closed. He needs to eat something. I push Sehun's back away from the wall and reach in to grab a chocolate bar, crawling past Sehun and sitting down at the foot of Baekhyun's bed. I shove the chocolate bar in front of his face and he opens his eyes, looks at it for a moment, then me, then the chocolate, and then me again before grabbing the damn thing and ripping off the wrapper. He starts eating slowly, and I smile to him.
    Panic attacks are hard on him. I wish we could get him medical help. I wish Sehun could move to Bali with Luhan and buy a house and a motorcycle and I wish I could go back to dancing, being innocent and happy. But how would three people like us do something like that? We couldn't, we can't. We're in too deep.

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A/N: sorry for the short chapter guys! > <"