150717 Sunday

That night, Baekhyun lies in bed alone at Joo Sung’s house, staring at the ceiling and hands linked together, lying on his stomach. The night is empty and silent and devoid of Chanyeol’s usual shifting and occasional snoring. He misses that. He misses that presence that had used to be a big bother and burden to him, but is now something that he can’t sleep well without.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo … He closes his eyes, trying to push down the pain that comes with the fact that Chanyeol is quickly slipping away from his fingers and slowly turning into someone else’s. He closes his eyes, imagining Chanyeol’s gentle actions towards someone else, Chanyeol’s bright smile as he looks at Kyungsoo like there’s no one else in the world. He imagines the way Chanyeol would hold Kyungsoo protectively and shield him away from harm, like he had done with Baekhyun. He imagines Chanyeol stealing kisses from an unsuspecting Kyungsoo in the hallway, Chanyeol holding Kyungsoo’s hand shamelessly in public, Kyungsoo pecking Chanyeol on the cheek during nights where they’re too busy to speak, heated arguments that always ended in gentleness, and shy flirting that always brought the two of them closer together. They’re perfect together, and Baekhyun is happy for Chanyeol if that ever happens.

But still, his heart throbs with pain at the thought, a pain sharp and overwhelming, a pain that stems from the ugliest feeling in his heart, the type of jealousy that forces him to believe that no one can ever be as good for Chanyeol as he is, and also the type of reluctant jealousy that is more sad than it is resentful.

Baekhyun wants so bad to just tear himself away from this nightmare, go back to Chanyeol, and explain to him what’s happening. But even so, what he’s done has hurt Chanyeol deeply and when Chanyeol needed him most, he wasn’t there. For that, Baekhyun doesn’t deserve him.

I want to go. Baekhyun thinks to himself, shutting his eyes as his mind urges his body to move, to pack up and leave and never come back. I want to go back to him.

Fear claws into his heart and suddenly reality hits him hard. He’ll never have Chanyeol again. Chanyeol will never love him again. If this mission is successful and Baekhyun is allowed to go back, he’ll have to endure every day watching Chanyeol fall in love with someone else.

He sits up suddenly, slides off his bed and rushes to his suitcase. , he can’t do this anymore. He can’t just sit here and wait for Chanyeol to fall in love with someone else. He can’t act anymore. Even in the dark, Baekhyun flips open his suitcase, reaching around him to grab his clothes to stuff it in. He wants to kiss this mission goodbye and go back to where everything was easy.

The moment the suitcase opens, Baekhyun falters.

Even in the darkness, Baekhyun can make out his shape. Chan Chan is lying there innocently, and Baekhyun had forgotten him because his mission took up so much of his tired mind. With shaking fingers, Baekhyun reaches out and grabs Chan Chan’s soft arm, then pulls him to his chest. He shuts his eyes tightly, pulling Chan Chan close and tight, just like how Chanyeol would hold him whenever Chanyeol wanted him to know that there was at least one person in the world that loved him. Then he remembers why he’s doing this.

Chanyeol protected me. Baekhyun thinks, gasping and pushing back tears that threaten to fall out. It’s my turn to protect him.

Is it worth it? He wants to yell at himself. Chanyeol’s out there, about to love someone else, and you’re here with the person you hate the most.

Just get people to throw him in jail, you’ve got the money. The desperate part of him argues. It’s fine. Just back out now, go back to him. You’ll still have him.

No. Baekhyun takes a deep breath and loosens his hold on Chan Chan. If Joo Sung evaded the police once, he can do it again. We have to catch him off guard. I have to make him believe he’s won, and then go in for the kill. I can’t ever risk Chanyeol to be broken by him.

He closes his eyes. Chanyeol might date Kyungsoo. The thought runs through his mind and it doesn’t stop. But no matter how pained he feels, he hopes it would happen, because as long as Chanyeol is safe and happy, whether it is with someone else or not, Baekhyun is content. He takes another deep breath to get himself together. Then, with shaking fingers, he places Chan Chan back in the suitcase, closes it carefully, stands up, and drags himself back to the bed. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. He slides into bed and stares at the ceiling again, remembering all those times when he shared the same ceiling with Chanyeol and they talked about the stupidest but most meaningful things. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. He closes his eyes

When he imagines Chanyeol and Kyungsoo once more, this time he’s smiling, because the Chanyeol in his mind is smiling and happy and safe and content, like he doesn’t need anything else.

Just as he should be.

Joo Sung is losing his touch.

His carelessness is evident, and his trust on Baekhyun increases as time and time passes by (and Baekhyun ‘falls in love’ more and more). Rather, Joo Sung is trusting Baekhyun to be more and more of an oblivious, pure idiot who can’t tell his left from his right. If that’s the case, Joo Sung is better off trying to trick Chanyeol instead.

Maybe it’s Baekhyun’s childish whining and his need to always touch Joo Sung everywhere. Maybe it’s because seven years later, he still acts like the same 15-year old who thought that the world has no deceit and greed. Maybe that’s why Joo Sung fell right into his trap.

Baekhyun doesn’t sleep well when he sleeps with Joo Sung, because he can’t stand knowing that they’re in the same room and he has to let his guard down. He only sleeps when Joo Sung sneaks out, thinking Baekhyun is deep inside his dreams.

It happens one day when Baekhyun pretends he had fallen asleep. The idiot thinks that conquering Baekhyun means the world is his, and he dares call up someone and show his true self, right in front of Baekhyun, the one he underestimates but should fear the most.

“Hello?” Joo Sung’s voice had completely morphed. “No. Not yet, but I’m getting there …… HAHA, man, you have no idea how easy it was. I was thinking that it might be harder, because after all, I did get my revenge … and you’d think a normal person would start hating you to your gut … I had everything prepared. I was going to go to the point where I would even get on my knees and apologise, but there was no need for that. He fell for me straightaway. He didn’t even question it. He even ditched his boyfriend because of that.” Joo Sung laughs. Oh, he’s talking about me. Baekhyun thinks, wondering why the hell he has no reaction to this. No hurt, no anger. It’s like he’s watching a movie where Joo Sung is the motherer that everyone wishes to be killed in the end. And it’s like he’s part of the audience, waiting for Joo Sung to slip.

“What an idiot. As stupid as he was back then. Gosh, you have no idea how ing pissed I was. It took everything in my control not to strangle him, you know? I never thought I’d have to see his ing face again, but here I am, pretending I love him like there’s no one else in this world.” Joo Sung chuckles, and it sounds like such an ugly thing in Baekhyun’s ears. “He says he still loves me, can you believe that? HA! Who would love someone like him? Look at him, he’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” That’s interesting. “Yeah, it was so easy. I just had to pop up, say it was all a misunderstanding, and he was back in my arms … Can you believe the look on that guy’s face? No, not the . The doofus. Yeah, the one that looks like me. Does he even look like me? I don’t even make those ing expressions that make me look like a pig.” Baekhyun clenches his fist under the blankets, but forces himself to calm down.

“God, it was priceless. I’d break his heart any day. He looked like someone shoved a cactus up his .” Baekhyun bites his lip. Luckily he’s facing away from him. “Enough about that loser. Now I have this idiotic back in my hands, I’m thinking of using him to get that necklace … Yeah, probably convince him that the doofus stole my so he can take it from him. Yeah, he said he’d do anything for me.” Chuckle. “ing idiot.”

“What I’d do with him once it’s over? ……… Well, he’s been ing annoying these past few days. I want a real good revenge this time … Too bad the police came early last time.” you. Baekhyun shuts his eyes tightly, trying to remember why he’s here in the first place. He’s not here to punch Joo Sung in the ing face, he’s here to protect Chanyeol. He needs to control himself. Control. Control. “I’d like to beat the out of that doofus for looking like me, but too bad he needs to look perfectly healthy in jail.” Baekhyun feels his heart thumping in anger. “But I guess watching him look like he’s about to cry his eyes out is good enough too. Yeah, I like seeing people cry. I’d the in front of him just to make him cry. I guess I can make him cry a bit more before I throw him in jail. Then maybe I’ll throw the in jail too, I’d like to see how that turns out.” The laugh is evil, and Baekhyun hates the way he talks about Chanyeol. He hates it so much that he nearly blows his cover, nearly sits up and throws himself at that er, just to shut him up.

“Mm …” He moans instead, shifting on the bed. Joo Sung stops talking, and he’d love to see Joo Sung’s ing face as he dreads for the worst. “Mm … Joo-hyung …”

“.” Joo Sung breathes. “Call you later.” Then he hangs up. The moment Joo Sung sets the phone on the table, Baekhyun opens his eyes and looks up sleepily, rubbing his eye.

“Joo-hyung?” He mumbles, looking sleepy but in truth wanting to punch the out of this . This really needs a beating. “Is something wrong?” Joo Sung seems to hover at the bedside table for a while, but eventually he turns over with a sweet smile. Baekhyun would like to kick the sweet smile off his face.

“Nothing, baby.” Joo Sung leans in and hugs Baekhyun. Baekhyun closes his eyes, trying to imagine the embrace as Chanyeol’s, but they’re so different.

Even though they might look identical to people who have only met them, they look so different in Baekhyun’s eyes. For one, Chanyeol’s hair is soft and bouncy, not as slick as Joo Sung’s. Chanyeol’s forehead is wider than Joo Sung’s, and his eyes much larger with a slight curve at the end. Chanyeol’s lips are slightly thinner and much softer, his cheeks holding fat in all the right places whereas Joo Sung’s face is sharper and more angular. And does Baekhyun even need to talk about those ears?

If Baekhyun’s memory is correct, Chanyeol is taller. Maybe that’s why he looks so lanky and awkward all the time. Baekhyun had thought Joo Sung was Chanyeol’s height back when he was fifteen, but that was because puberty had only started to hit and he was still growing. When he was full grown, Chanyeol had been just about the same height difference to him as Joo Sung was when he was fifteen. Chanyeol’s arms are toned, shoulders broad, but when he hugs Baekhyun, he feels soft and warm. Baekhyun hasn’t seen Joo Sung’s body (and he doesn’t think he ever wants to), but his hug is either hard and makes him suffocate, or it’s loose and distant and insecure. Chanyeol has bow legs whereas Joo Sung walks as if he owns the Victoria Secret walkway. Chanyeol’s character is so completely different that he’s sure even if they looked exactly the same, Baekhyun would be able to tell them apart from their appearance in a heartbeat.

He nearly scoffs aloud at the idea that he thought Chanyeol was Joo Sung nearly four years ago. They are so different, and past or present, Baekhyun’s sure he would’ve chosen Chanyeol any day.

Baekhyun pretends to fall asleep again, heaving in relief when he feels Joo Sung slip out of the covers and out of the door, as if he can’t bear to be with the smaller any longer.

It’s only then that Baekhyun allows himself the sleep he needs.

Joo Sung is good at acting.

But Baekhyun is now better.

Baekhyun swipes his phone, frowning when he sees many missed calls from Jongin and Chen, and a spam of texts from Chen.

Chen: tell me what the is going on

Chen: I’m so sick of you keeping me in the ing dark, baek

Chen: you ing idiot

Chen: you ed up chanyeol

Chen: why did you choose him over chanyeol

Chen: you’re a goddamn idiot

Chen: come back here

Chen: I miss you

Chen: come back, please

Coldly, Baekhyun deletes every message Chen has sent, and then blocks him. Chen can’t be caught up in this mess either. As if on cue, his phone vibrates as Jungsoo attempts to call him.

“Baekhyun, Chen doesn’t trust Joo Sung. He’s going to try to bring you back.”

“I know.” Baekhyun replies. “Don’t tell him anything. Don’t bring him into this.”

“Yeah.” Jungsoo falters for a while. “Can’t you just listen to them though? Can’t you come back?”

“I’ll be back soon.” Baekhyun says softly. “Just let me collect enough evidence first.”

“… Watch out for yourself.”

“Baekkie, I’m going out, okay?” Joo Sung says as he heads towards the door. “Be a good boy and stay here.” Even though he doesn’t say it, Baekhyun can hear it. “Stay where you are and don’t touch anything.”

“I’ll just do my homework then.” Baekhyun shrugs, looking disappointed. Joo Sung pats him on the head affectionately and leaves. When Baekhyun’s sure Joo Sung is gone, he climbs out of bed and begins searching the drawers. Joo Sung hardly goes out when Baekhyun’s still in his house, so Baekhyun has to use this time to find evidence, no matter how risky it is.

He opens the drawers and looks through them, flipping everything over. He moves to the last drawer, where Joo Sung’s pants are, and he does the same thing. It’s only at the bottom of the drawer does he feel something hard. He takes it out, feeling the squareness of the plastic before he can see what it is. He stares at it for a while – it’s a disc, and on top of it, writes ‘Sweet Revenge’.

Baekhyun’s heart races and he grips it harder. This might be what he thinks it is. He forces saliva down his throat as he walks stiffly to where Joo Sung’s laptop lies innocently. This must be what he uses to watch it. Knowing Joo Sung’s character, he would watch it occasionally to remind himself of his success. Baekhyun grabs the laptop and switches it on, grabbing a chair and sitting down. His hands are shaking. He drops the disc on the table and takes out his glasses, then puts it on. He can hardly breathe as he reaches up and taps on his microphone twice.

“I need you.” Baekhyun says. Jungsoo takes a long, long time, as if something is holding him up, but eventually, shuffling sounds in his ear.

“Baekhyun?”

“I … I found another piece of evidence, I think.” Baekhyun breathes. “Get your laptop ready.”

“Okay.” As Jungsoo prepares his things, Baekhyun tries the password to get in. It takes him three tries. The password is Byunbaekhyunisawhore. How original. Baekhyun would scoff normally, but the disc lying innocently in front of him has all the annoyance wiped out from his mind.

He feels the world go dizzy for a moment before they focus, and that’s when he knows Jungsoo is ready.

“Laptop?” Jungsoo questions.  Baekhyun swallows down his fear and nods, then takes the disc in his hands and then slides it into the laptop.

“’Sweet revenge?’”

“I think … I think this evidence is very important.” Baekhyun breathes. “It’ll get him in jail for sure.”

“What is it?” Baekhyun doesn’t answer. “Baekhyun?”

“I want you to record everything.” Baekhyun says quietly, his heart thumping and his throat going dry. He wants to close his eyes, but he has to watch it, because that way Jungsoo can record everything.

“…Baekhyun?”

It might be a fake. It might just be an empty disc. Such are the things Baekhyun keeps telling himself, but somehow, deep down in his heart, he knows it’s the real thing. He can’t steal it away, because Joo Sung will know immediately. After all, this also means a lot to him.

The video starts. It’s just as Baekhyun remembers it to be, as dark and as sick as it was in his memory. Joo Sung has a good hand, and the video is not blurry at all.

“What … is this …” Comes Jungsoo’s voice. Baekhyun doesn’t say anything. He can’t say it.

But it might be crucial to their evidence. If they want to give it to the police, Baekhyun has to explain it.

“This … this was how he made them me.” Baekhyun whispers, but his voice is shaky, and he’s trembling so much he has to hold onto the table for support. The him from seven years ago looked so weak, so young and so helpless and so ing oblivious to the cruelty of the world. His heart hurts for his past self, because he was so lonely and so sad that he had to end up like that – tainted and violated by men he doesn’t even know.

Jungsoo doesn’t say anything else, but Baekhyun knows he’s there. He’s grateful for that.

“ this piece of trash. Make him regret he ever met me. Make him regret he ever loved me. Make him regret he’s a ing fool who let me steal his dad’s money. Make him ing hate himself so much that he wants to die. Let him know how worthless he is.”

Baekhyun hates the way his 15-year old self can still look up at the cruel man with broken love in his eyes. He hates the way how back then, his younger self had been so lonely that he denied his situation, wanted to believe that the only person who stopped his loneliness was all things good, even when he was so obviously doing all things bad in front of him. To him.

“I’m really sorry …”

And he hates it most because his 15-year old self still thought it was his fault, and that same part of him had thought it was his fault for six ing years. He apologised for nothing. He apologised for only wanting company. He hates it because … because all he wanted was to be loved, and he got nothing but loneliness.

When the video ends, Baekhyun closes his eyes. His entire body is shaking, and reliving it had almost been as bad as the real thing. Baekhyun retreats, curling up into himself on the chair. Tears fall out of his eyes and he buries his face in his knees, sobbing softly. Jungsoo doesn’t say anything, as if knowing that’s what Baekhyun needs, and Baekhyun almost forgets he’s there until he hears something drop on Jungsoo’s side.

Silently, he reaches up and presses against his bandaid. He knows Jungsoo switches his off too, because his earpiece stops making sounds.

Then the world is silent except for Baekhyun’s quiet, muffled cries.

“I’ve made multiple copies.” Jungsoo says eventually, when Baekhyun calls him with his phone. He figures that if Joo Sung ever sneaks a look at his phone and finds that he’s not talking to anyone, that would be suspicious. “… Are you sure you want to pass this to the police?”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun says softly, once he’s recovered. He shuts the laptop down after he takes out the disc, and puts them back the way they were. “They need to know. Everyone needs to know what happened seven years ago.” There is silence on the other side.

“I’m really sorry, hyung.” Jungsoo says softly.

“I think I’ve got enough evidence.” Baekhyun says, taking a deep breath. “We’ve got enough to capture that er.”

“All right. You can come here now then.” Jungsoo replies excitedly.

“No.” Baekhyun replies, looking around the room. “I don’t want him to suspect that there’s anything going on. I’m going to stay here. Besides, who knows what’ll happen? He’s unpredictable. I need to stay here to look out.”

“Baekhyun, don’t do it. Wait for help.”

“That can take days!” Baekhyun says, exasperated. “If I disappear now, he’ll know something’s going on.”

“You know how dangerous this is, right?” Jungsoo sounds panicked. “Wait for others to come, Baek.”

“I knew how dangerous it was the moment I signed up for it.” Baekhyun growls. “I’m nearly there, I’m not going to stop now. He escaped once … He’ll do it again.”

“You can’t handle it all by yourself. I don’t care whether he’s going to do it again, I want you to be safe first.”

“Well, I care, Jungsoo.” Baekhyun whispers fiercely. “I ing care. I don’t want that criminal to escape again. You’ve seen what he can do to people.” The older falters a little. “I’m not just doing this for Chanyeol. I’m doing it for myself too. My younger self.” Jungsoo stops for a while, as if trying to think of something to say.

“Look, Baekhyun, if you don’t ing listen to me, I’ll tell Chanyeol.”

“, Jungsoo –”

“I’ll do it. I don’t care whether I work for you or whether you made me promise, I’ll tell him.”

I know you won’t. You promised me. Baekhyun hangs up.

Exactly how does he fit into this picture? He’s sure the reason Joo Sung wants him back isn’t only because he can get Baekhyun to steal the necklace. He’s sure there’s something more to that. Joo Sung wouldn’t risk pretending to be in love with someone he hates just for something like that. If that’s the case, he can get anyone to steal it.

So what’s his purpose here?

That’s why Baekhyun wants to stay. He needs to find out, then make sure he can work that against him.

Chanyeol is staring there, shocked.

Somehow, this is even worse than Baekhyun not caring about him. Somehow, this is even worse than if Baekhyun and Joo Sung truly shared real love, worse than if Joo Sung wasn’t a fraud.

Because Baekhyun is putting himself in danger.

“.” Chanyeol paces towards Jungsoo. “Where is he?” Jungsoo blinks at him, surprised. “Where the is he?”

“I won’t –”

“!” Chanyeol shouts, pacing around. “He’s at that ’s house, I just know it. Where the is his house?” Chanyeol paces around even more, but Jungsoo grabs his shoulder. Chanyeol is about to throw him off, but he clearly underestimates Jungsoo’s strength (after all, he had completely forgotten Jungsoo’s job as a bodyguard). Jungsoo pushes him down against the carpet, locking his arms together and straddling on top of him.

“Calm down.” Jungsoo says calmly.

“HOW THE CAN I CALM DOWN?!” Chanyeol screams. “BAEK’S IN DANGER BECAUSE OF ME! !” The taller looks away, as if he’s trying to push down frustrated tears.

“You want to save Baekhyun from the psycho’s house, but you can’t even win against me?” Jungsoo raises his eyebrow. “Why don’t you calm down first?”

“Every minute we waste, Baekhyun can get hurt!” Chanyeol growls, thrashing, but Jungsoo already has the upper hand.

“There are professionals that can deal with this.” Jungsoo says calmly. “If you just let them go, then everyone will get out safely.”

“I can’t just leave Baekhyun alone like that!” Chanyeol yells. “He can get hurt, he can –”

“Do you think I want to leave him alone there, in such a dangerous place?” Jungsoo snarls. “I wanted to help and protect him the moment I heard what was going on! But he told me to protect you instead.” Chanyeol had stopped struggling, looking up with wide eyes.

“Baekhyun wants you protected and looked after, even if it means there’s only a slight chance that Joo bastard would come after you! And what do you want to do? You want to violate his plans by putting yourself in danger?! Is that really wise?” Jungsoo shouts. “If you do anything rash, Baekhyun can get hurt, don’t you get it?”

They stare at each other, panting. Chanyeol doesn’t think he can get out of Jungsoo’s grip anyway, because Jungsoo is goddamn strong and he never knew the younger could be so strong.

Eventually, Chanyeol deflates.

“You’re right.” He says softly. “I can’t do anything stupid that’ll make Baekhyun hurt.”

“That’s why he didn’t ing tell you in the first place, you reckless potato.” Jungsoo rolls his eyes.

“I’m still worried.” Chanyeol mutters. “I need to see him.”

“You can’t.” Jungsoo replies curtly. They glare at each other. Just then, Jungsoo sits up, as if he’s heard something Chanyeol can’t hear. He uses one hand to press Chanyeol’s arms down, his free hand sneaking into his chest pocket, taking out something in the palm of his hand before tapping it with his index finger twice.

“Got it.” Jungsoo presses the little thing in his hands and then puts it back in his pocket. He probably notices that the fight has completely left Chanyeol, because he stands up and lets the taller go.

“What was that?” Chanyeol asks worriedly.

“Baekhyun says he’s coming here tomorrow.” Jungsoo says. “When he has class.”

Chanyeol remembers Baekhyun has class in the morning, and he stands up, expression determined.

“I’m staying.” He declares. “I’m staying and I’m watching and I’m going to be part of it.”

Jungsoo rolls his eyes.

“No.” He replies. “As if Baekhyun will let you.”

“Well, you never said you –”

“As if I will let you.” They glare at each other again.

“He doesn’t want you involved in this.” Jungsoo says. “This is exactly how he’d predict you’d react. He knows you very well, Chanyeol, and he knew you’d react like this if you knew exactly what was going on. You’re not staying.”

“Well, this is my room.” Chanyeol continues. “Too bad if you don’t want me involved in this, because I already am. It was because of me that everyone is involved in the first place, don’t you think I should know what the hell is going on?” Jungsoo stares at him in disbelief.

“What the does Baekhyun see in you…” Jungsoo mutters. “I’m going to kick you out of this place, just you watch me.”

“And I’m going to stick my to this place, just you watch me.” Chanyeol declares just as confidently.

Chanyeol expected to get what he wants, but not like this.

Chanyeol had kept to his word, hugging the leg of his bed even as Jungsoo tried to drag him out. He had hugged it like his life depended on it, and even gotten to the point of clawing the carpet just so he couldn’t be kicked out. Man, Jungsoo has muscle, and it pisses him off how the younger had nearly succeeded.

In the end, Jungsoo had found out that Baekhyun was coming, and fearing that he had no time, he had stuffed Chanyeol under his bed, covering all the holes with his long blankets, and told Chanyeol not to make a sound or else the both of them would be dead.

So here is Chanyeol, stuck under the bed and suffocating because he’s too old for this . The door opens and someone walks in. Chanyeol’s sure the both of them would be too busy to notice him lifting the blankets, so he does. He curses silently when he can only see feet.

“It’s time for us to call the police.” Jungsoo says. “We can get help now to capture him.”

“Not yet.” Chanyeol’s heart races. It’s been a long time since he last heard Baekhyun’s voice. He missed it so much. Giving up on trying to get a look of Baekhyun, he instead lets go of the blankets and closes his eyes, wanting to savour in Baekhyun’s raspy, quiet voice. “I don’t want us to act too rashly.”

“We’ve got everything we need!” Jungsoo sounds desperate. “Let’s just do it.”

“No.” Baekhyun’s voice is more insistent this time. “This isn’t about acting fast, Jungsoo, this is about acting smart. We need to be sure that there is something here that won’t let him go that quickly.”

“Like what?”

“Like … perhaps, making him think that he’s really close to getting what he wants.” Chanyeol loves his voice. The last time he had heard Baekhyun’s voice, it was cold and dismissive and so unlike the one he had gotten used to. This is more like him.

“How do we do that then?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then let’s just call –”

“I’ll find a way. That’s my reason for staying in the first place.” Baekhyun paces around. “I need to find out why exactly he needs me.”

“Isn’t it because he wanted you to steal Chanyeol’s necklace?”

“That’s what I thought too, but … I think there’s something more to it.” Baekhyun had always been smart, and Chanyeol feels so proud. His heart is swelling now that the truth has fully hit him, because Baekhyun had never truly abandoned him. Baekhyun had never looked through him.

Baekhyun … really liked him for who he was.

Chanyeol is grinning madly despite the circumstances.

“I’m going to stay a bit more and find out.” His smile slips off.

“How much longer?” Jungsoo sounds worried.

“As long as I have to.” Baekhyun’s voice is strong. “But not much longer.” This time, his voice is soft and gentle, as if he’s trying to cheer up the younger one. At that, Chanyeol relaxes with a quiet sigh. He uses that to convince himself not to flip over the bed and pull Baekhyun to his arms and tell him he shouldn’t go back. He knows if he blows his cover he’ll ruin everything Baekhyun and Jungsoo had worked hard for. After all, Baekhyun’s coming back soon … Baekhyun will be back soon, so he needs to wait a little longer and trust Baekhyun.

“Hyung –”

“Oh, I also need to find out what else that er wants, just in case he’s not just here for Chanyeol’s necklace.” Chanyeol’s heart skips a beat. Baekhyun said his name. “And lastly, I need to catch all of his subordinates or his minions or whatever he calls them.”

“How do you –”

“I’ll find a way, Jungsoo.” Baekhyun’s voice is firm. “I’ve always found a way, have I not?”

“That’s true, but –”

“Everything else is covered, Jungsoo. We’re nearly there.” For the first time, Baekhyun sounds excited. “We’re so close. Just wait a little longer, okay? Then that er will never get what he wants again.” The way Baekhyun insults Joo Sung is like music to Chanyeol’s ears.

“You got all the files, right?” Baekhyun asks. Chanyeol knows the files are evidence to catch Joo Sung, but he had never been sure what they were exactly. “I want you to be ready to send them to the police at any time, under any circumstances.”

“Got it.”

“Okay, I think that’s done. I’m going to go back now, to see what else I can find.” Chanyeol hears footsteps towards the doorway. He has the sudden urge to suddenly pop up from under the bed and pull Baekhyun into his arms. He nearly lost control. Instead, he bites his lip and stays where he is. Just a little longer. Then he’ll be safe and sound.

“Stay safe, hyung.” Jungsoo calls. There is silence as Baekhyun’s footsteps falter.

“…Jungsoo?”

“Hm?”

“How’s Chanyeol?” If Baekhyun’s voice had been soft earlier, it’s even softer now. Gentle. “Is he happy?”

Chanyeol feels his heart wrench. Baekhyun had never stopped caring, and Chanyeol feels like a ing idiot for falling for his acts. He feels so damn dumb because he had tried to forget Baekhyun, but he had, in reality, never left Baekhyun’s mind.

“He’s …” Jungsoo hesitates, and Chanyeol can imagine the younger glancing towards his bed. “He’s doing much better.  He’s gotten much, much better actually. He’s starting to talk to everyone else again, and actually started doing his work, and he’s stopped hiding. Kinda.” Oh, the irony. Chanyeol thinks as he feels the weight of the bed on him.

“That’s good.” Baekhyun chuckles. Chanyeol bites his lip and clenches his fists, trying so damn hard not to crawl out and yell at Baekhyun that he’s here. “Is … he … and Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol can detect the hesitancy and the fear in Baekhyun’s voice. Yet there is also a sort of resignation and sadness, as if Baekhyun will accept it fully and happily if that happens. A pang of guilt hits him hard for even considering doing such a thing. Baekhyun’s risking his life for him and there he is, trying to make himself feel better by trying to make someone else happier.

It’s so pathetic. Everything Chanyeol does is pathetic compared to what Baekhyun does.

“No! No!!!” Jungsoo replies quickly. “ no! Hahahahaha …” Chanyeol swears he can imagine Baekhyun’s eyes blink in confusion. He can imagine how cute it is. “What I mean is, he stopped. I think … I think deep down inside, he knew trying to stop loving you was never going to make him happy. I don’t think he knows it, but he won’t ever give up on you. I’m pretty sure he said that to make himself feel better about everything that happened. I don’t think he ever had the guts to do it.”

Yes. Just like that, all of Chanyeol’s feelings had been summed up in what Jungsoo had said. He can only stare at the blankets and wish he knows what expression Baekhyun is holding on his face, but Baekhyun doesn’t even reply before he closes the door and then he’s gone.

Jungsoo waits for a bit, but eventually he lifts up the blankets and hisses for Chanyeol get out. Grunting, Chanyeol pulls himself out, rubbing his back. Jungsoo is frowning.

“Are you happy now?” He mumbles. Chanyeol grins widely and he pulls Jungsoo in a hug – the first ever affectionate contact he’s ever truly shared with the younger. Jungsoo, obviously taken aback, doesn’t even do anything, even after Chanyeol pulls away. He blinks though, and Chanyeol chuckles.

“Thanks.” Chanyeol grins even wider. “By the way, what did Baek do? After you told him all that about … me?” Jungsoo’s shocked face morphs into one of mock annoyance.

“He smiled.” Jungsoo says, face softening into a gentle expression. “He smiled so genuinely.”

“Why does Baekhyun have to do everything alone?” Chanyeol asks, frowning as he paces around the room again. Once Baekhyun’s gone, Chanyeol feels worried again. Knowing what Baekhyun had said about the psychopath, he can do anything just to make people suffer.

“Can you stop that?” Jungsoo sounds annoyed. “You’re making me worried.”

“As if you aren’t already!” Chanyeol replies hotly, but listens to the younger and falls on his bed, hiding behind his covers. As if on cue, Jungsoo’s phone rings. He takes it out.

“Hello?” Jungsoo listens, then he removes it from his ear and then presses something on the phone.

“ – gone for now. I’m going to see if there’s anything else.” It’s on speaker now, and silently Chanyeol thanks Jungsoo for considering him. Jungsoo and Chanyeol hear things moving in the background, and it sounds like Baekhyun is rummaging through some things.

“I think I’m going to talk to you through the earpiece instead.” More rummaging. “Get on your laptop. I’m going to wear my glasses. I’m pretty sure there are more things here than what I found.” Baekhyun hangs up and Jungsoo immediately takes out his laptop, booting it up. Chanyeol anxiously sits by his side.

“I’m going to switch my microphone on.” Jungsoo says as he types in the password. “I want you to stay quiet, understand? I’m trusting you not to make a sound.” Chanyeol nods mutely. “Okay.” Then he takes out something small from his pocket and adjusts it next to his lips, making it stick there. Chanyeol’s eyes widen in amazement. How does it do that? He watches with wide eyes as the younger taps it twice.

“All right, I’ve got the laptop on.” He shifts a little and places the laptop on the table. Chanyeol kneeling to watch. Baekhyun seems to be looking at the drawers, where inside there seems to be more clothes. “What are you looking for? … … … His subordinates’ files?” Chanyeol tightens his grip on the table, trying not to make a sound.

He has a bad feeling about this.

“I think he’d be keeping it elsewhere, don’t you think? Somewhere a little more open, because I’m sure he doesn’t care about them as much.” Jungsoo says. He’s already feeling on edge because Chanyeol looks so tense beside him. He watches as Baekhyun looks around the room, then seems to spot something.

“I don’t think I’ve tried this side before.” Baekhyun says as he walks over to another side with even more drawers. Man, there are so many drawers in that room. “I think it should be here.” Baekhyun looks through the stuff again. There seems to be a drawer too tall for Baekhyun, so instead Jungsoo and Chanyeol find themselves staring at the white of the cupboards as Baekhyun’s hand stretches above him.

“I think I feel something …” Baekhyun trails off.

“What? What is it?” Jungsoo asks, watching as Baekhyun pulls his hand out and lets it fall limply to his side.

“It’s a …” Baekhyun sounds breathless. He looks down, and Jungsoo and Chanyeol see it, resting innocently against the palm of Baekhyun’s hand.

“It’s a gun.”

“Baekhyun …” Jungsoo’s voice is quivering once he finds his voice and had done everything in his power to warn Chanyeol to shut up. The older’s eyes are wide as he slaps his hands over his mouth, and Jungsoo would find it funny at how Chanyeol is physically trying to shut himself up if he isn’t so goddamn scared. “I think you should get out of there once you find what you want.”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun’s voice is quiet as he puts the back to where he had found it. “I think so too.” Jungsoo hears him take a deep breath, then he opens the other drawers and starts rummaging through them too. Not long later, he finds what he wanted to find.

“Here it is.” Baekhyun pants, shuffling through the papers and picking them up. He holds it up to his eyes. “Can you see it clearly?”

“Yeah.” Jungsoo says, taking screenshots and saving it just in case. “Yeah, I can.”

“Okay.” Baekhyun flips to the next page, his eyes scanning through all of them. “I think he has everyone here.”

“What for?”

“… I think he blackmails people a lot.” Baekhyun replies eventually. “He wants to know all of their information so he knows how to use them … It seems like they’ve all done really bad stuff.”

“Yeah?” Jungsoo grunts. “You should really get out of there.”

“Yeah. I’m just about done. I think you should call the police and send all this the moment I’m done giving it to you, okay?” Baekhyun flips through again. They’ve gone through at least twenty of them. “There’s so much …”

“It’s okay.” Jungsoo continues. “I think maybe if we arrest him, they’ll be able to find the rest of the information when they raid his house.”

“That’s a good point.” Baekhyun closes the booklet and puts it back where he found it. “Okay, I’m going to have one last look around before I leave. Then I’m coming back, okay, Jungsoo? I’m going home.” Baekhyun sounds so happy, and Jungsoo feels his eyes watering. He wishes Chanyeol could’ve heard that.

“Stay safe, hyung.” Jungsoo whispers. Then the screen goes black. And the static in his ear disappears.

“What happened?” Chanyeol asks. “That … that er’s got a gun in his ing …”

“Yeah.” Jungsoo takes a deep breath and leans back a bit. Then he turns over and smiles at Chanyeol. “But he’s coming back, Chanyeol. He’s coming back.”

Chanyeol stares back. At that moment, they share a moment they will never share with anyone else, or ever, again.

Then Jungsoo is back to work, copying all the files and then preparing to send it to the police. He takes out his phone.

“Hello?” Jungsoo presses the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he types. “We want to report a case of serious theft about to be committed by someone … This is important, because we have the proof attached in the email I’m going to send to you. He’s also a criminal that has committed other felonies. This man has not only committed theft, but also participated in past thefts and possibly some other crimes we aren’t too sure of … We suspect he has others involved in this, and all the information we’ve gotten is about to be sent right now …” Jungsoo continues to talk, busying himself, but Chanyeol feels so happy.

Baekhyun is going to come back.

And he’s going to come back safe and sound.

Still wearing the glasses, this time because he has no time to take it off, Baekhyun rummages through his clothes drawers again, as if trying to find a last piece of evidence that might be able to ultimately throw Joo Sung and the others into jail.

But who is he kidding himself?

The only reason he wants to stay back is because he wants to find that disc again, the disc composed of his humiliation, of his downfall, of his pain. He wants to take it and destroy it and make sure Joo Sung, or anyone, will never be able to watch it again.

Of course, he knows he should take it to the police first, but after that, he wants to destroy it so thoroughly he can pretend it never existed in the first place.

In the frenzy of contemplating whether to surrender to the police or surrender to the police, Joo Sung might not even notice its absence.

He’s down to that same drawer again, flipping through Joo Sung’s pants, and just when he thinks he’s going to find it, something happens.

The door opens.

“Baekkie – ” Baekhyun’s stomach drops. He doesn’t even need to turn around to know that Joo Sung had seen him. He hears stomping and he has no choice but to turn around, trying to think up of an excuse while he’s at it.

“Joo-hyung –”

“What the do you think you’re doing?” Joo Sung snarls as he grabs Baekhyun’s shirt and lifts him up. Baekhyun yelps in surprise as he’s lifted off the ground, staring at Joo Sung’s true self.

“Joo-hyung, I –” Joo Sung kicks the drawer closed and slams Baekhyun up against the wall. Baekhyun wants to spit in his face, to finally show him that he’s been acting all along, but he stops himself. He’s nearly out. He needs to act a little while longer.

“Huh? What were you doing looking through my ?” Joo Sung looks angry and insane.

“I … I was …” Baekhyun’s bottom lip trembles and he lets stray tears fall out of his eyes. “I was … I was only trying to find pants that fit me, I … I was cold, hyung …” He dares stare into Joo Sung’s eyes just as the older stares into his. Those eyes are cold and devoid of compassion, and for that alone, it is completely different from Chanyeol’s.

“I’m really sorry, hyung … I didn’t mean to …” Baekhyun whimpers. Joo Sung stares at him intensely, as if trying to find an excuse to kill him.

Because Baekhyun always knew Joo Sung liked to hurt. He knew Joo Sung hurt and tortured, but he never knew Joo Sung killed.

Eventually, Joo Sung lets him go. Baekhyun crumples onto the floor. He reaches out and grabs Joo Sung by his pants.

“I’m sorry if I did anything wrong …” Baekhyun whimpers. “Please, hyung … Don’t leave me …” Joo Sung looks back at him, eyes murderous, but he only kicks him off.

“You’re going to stay here, get it?!” The hardness is there and the gentleness is gone. “You’re going to ing stay here unless I tell you otherwise.”

“Yeah …” Baekhyun nods submissively, trying not to look up into Joo Sung’s eyes. Because that can only look like a challenge.

“Or else … Or else …” Joo Sung crouches down, grabbing Baekhyun’s chin harshly and making him look up. “… I’ll do this.” Then Baekhyun feels a blinding blow across his cheek. He falls sideways, gasping.

“Be a good boy and listen to your hyung.” Joo Sung’s sweet tone is back as he walks across the room and opens the door. “Stay, Baekkie.” Then he closes the door behind him, leaving the room dark and cold, but considerably warmer than it was before.

“er.” Baekhyun mutters, wiping the fake tears from his eyes as he stands up, clutching his cheek. He’s panicking though. He’s sure that if Joo Sung has shown his true self, then that means something is going to happen. Either he’s stopped trusting Baekhyun or he’s going to make a new move. Or both.

If that’s the case, he needs to find out their plans.

He walks slowly and quietly towards the door, then tries the doorknob. Of course it would be locked, but Baekhyun has foreseen that before his decision to live here. He learned how to pick locks with a hairpin. Taking it out of his pocket, he tries it.

It takes longer than he had practised (maybe it’s because he feels nervous and dread), but eventually it clicks open. Taking a deep breath, Baekhyun slowly opens the doorknob, daring himself to peek outside. During this time, he’s wondering just what the hell Joo Sung wants to do with the gun. It doesn’t just confuse him, it frightens him.

He hears noises downstairs and guesses that Joo Sung has a meeting. He’s sure that everyone will be down there and no one would even worry about him, if they even knew he was there. Once again, Baekhyun reaches down his pants and takes out the recording device, switching it on before hiding it down his shirt, not wanting anything to happen to it for fear something happens to him.

He looks around the house, and decides that this will be the last thing he does before he escapes and the police comes for them. Joo Sung escaped last time, and Baekhyun won’t let him do it again. They can’t have known the police is going to come, probably because Jungsoo has only submitted the report not too long ago. Gritting his teeth, Baekhyun creeps down the stairs, fear slowly making his hair stick to his skin from the cold sweat as the voices get louder and louder. The door is slightly ajar and not closed, but their voices are loud enough.

He realises with a curse that he should’ve told Jungsoo to switch his laptop on so he can record everything, but it’s too late now and he can’t do anything about it. Instead, he tiptoes towards the door and stays behind it on bated breath.

“That was looking through my .” Joo Sung sounds a little anxious. “You had no idea how ing pissed I was. I ing nearly killed him.”

“Did he find anything?” A new voice asks.

“No, he’s too stupid to know anything.” Joo Sung replies. “But I locked him up there just in case. It’s going to happen tonight, and I’m not going to let anything stop me.”

What’s happening tonight? Baekhyun thinks to himself, leaning closer, hoping that the device can hear everything they’re saying.

“I’ve waited long enough.”

“What are you going to do with him now?”

“I’m going to keep that hostage.” Joo Sung says. Baekhyun feels his breath hitching. “It’s gone too far. That idiot won’t give me the necklace, even though I ing told him the wanted it.” …What? He met up with Chanyeol?

Is Chanyeol safe?

Dread pools down Baekhyun’s stomach, and he wipes all the questions from his mind to focus on this. He must be, otherwise Jungsoo will tell me.

“But he kept protecting it. I tried to make that dip angry by telling him how much I ed the , but let’s be honest here: who would want to?” Joo Sung laughs. Baekhyun tightens his grip into a fist. “Anyway, I’m gonna take the hostage and let the er come here himself. I should’ve done that from the ing start.”

.

“… Oi, have you found the hideout yet?” Joo Sung seems to be on the phone this time. “That’s where everything will take place.”

“Soon.” The person on the phone replies. “We should have that place by tonight.” There is a sound of Joo Sung hanging up.

“Yes …” Joo Sung sounds so twistedly happy. “Yes … we should move the there now, then make sure Park ing Chanyeol will follow like a little idiotic puppy.” He laughs. It’s such an ugly sound.

Baekhyun steps backwards, pressing against his chest to stop the recording. His heart is in his throat. He needs to get away. He needs to get away so Chanyeol can be safe.

He needs to get away now.

Baekhyun creeps backwards just as Joo Sung starts another conversation with his guests. Or subordinates. Or whatever the they are. Just as he’s about to turn around and run, someone grabs him by the arm. He looks up, and is met with a man a towering 2 metres tall.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He sneers.

Chanyeol’s phone rings. He takes it out, looking at his screen, eyes widening in excitement.

“It’s Baek!” Chanyeol jumps around, and Jungsoo stands up, walking towards Chanyeol with wide, expectant eyes. The taller picks up.

“Baek?” He calls happily. But a sinister laugh replies him, and his smile drops just like his heart.

“Your loved one is in my hands.” Comes Joo Sung’s smooth, velvety voice. “If you know what’s good for him, meet me there at 11am tomorrow. You know where. And bring you know what.” There is another deep, sinister laugh, then he hangs up.