Nine.
The flaws in Park Chanyeol160724 Sunday
“.” Jungsoo whispers. “ .” He paces around. “!”
Chanyeol is standing there, frozen on the spot.
“Don’t do anything stupid.” Jungsoo warns. “I’m going to call him, okay? Just stay where you are.”
“He used Baekhyun’s phone, you idiot.” Chanyeol breathes, eyes wide as they stare into nothing. Jungsoo curses.
“I’ll … Oh yeah, there’s still those glasses! Maybe we can see what’s going on.” Jungsoo quickly runs over to Baekhyun’s desk and flips up the screen, then switches it on. Chanyeol eventually breaks out of his trance and follows suit, kneeling down to watch as Jungsoo boots up his laptop and then types up his password.
“If anything happens to Baekhyun …” Chanyeol whispers, voice quivering.
“Nothing is going to happen to him.” Jungsoo reassures. “We’ll make sure of that.”
“He has Baek’s phone …” Chanyeol says, voice sounding agitated. “He’s got Baek’s ing phone.”
“I know.” Jungsoo takes a deep breath to stop himself from trembling. “I know … Let’s just hope that Baekhyun left his phone there by accident.” Chanyeol looks so pale, all the colour drained out of his face, like he’s going to faint at any moment.
“Baekhyun’s smart, okay? He won’t let himself get caught like that.” Jungsoo whispers, clicking on a program installed for the glasses. It won’t start up.
“Why isn’t it coming up?” Chanyeol whispers.
“I … I don’t know …” Jungsoo mutters. Clicking it ferociously. “Maybe Baekhyun took it off. Maybe … Maybe … Maybe there’s a virus on my computer.”
“Don’t bull.” Chanyeol breathes. Finally, a pop-message appears on the screen. It reads ‘Error: you are not connected with any glasses, please connect your computer with your glasses and then try again’.
“.”
“What does that mean?” Chanyeol whispers. “What the does that mean?!”
“I DON’T KNOW!” Jungsoo shouts. He takes a deep breath again, then reaches into his chest pocket. “Maybe Baekhyun … we can contact him through here!” Jungsoo whispers. Chanyeol is on edge. The both of them know that it’s their last resort. If Baekhyun doesn’t reply or switch on his microphone, then the both of them know Baekhyun is in trouble. Jungsoo seems to be really aware of this, and so he taps it twice.
“Baekhyun, if you’re there, switch your microphone on.” Jungsoo whispers. Chanyeol waits, heart leaping out of his chest. “… … … … … Baekhyun? Baekhyun, are you there?”
“ …” Chanyeol whispers. “ … …”
“Chanyeol’s here.” Jungsoo says louder this time. “Chanyeol’s here, so reply us!” Still nothing. Chanyeol can read Jungsoo like an open book.
“!” Chanyeol stands up, ready to leave the room, but Jungsoo catches him.
“Wait!” Jungsoo says.
“I can’t!” Chanyeol shouts. “I can’t, Baekhyun’s … Baekhyun …”
“They can’t do anything to him as long as they don’t get what they want.” Jungsoo says firmly as he pulls Chanyeol towards him. “Calm down, Chanyeol.”
“I can’t!” Chanyeol’s voice breaks, and tears are running down his face. “They’d do to him, Jungsoo, just like what they did last time! They won’t let him go … They won’t let him go, and he did nothing to them …”
“And do you think if you go there now they’ll easily let Baekhyun go? Do you think they’d keep their word?” Chanyeol stops talking and sinks into silence. “Stop acting rash, Chanyeol, I’ll call backup, okay? It might be an empty threat.”
“How is it an empty threat?” Chanyeol snarls. “Baekhyun is clearly not replying! Baekhyun is going to be hurt, Jungsoo! Let me go.” Chanyeol pulls, but Jungsoo stretches out his other arm and grabs onto Chanyeol.
“No.” Jungsoo replies fiercely. “I promised him I’d protect you. I promised him.”
“I ing promised myself I’d look out for him!” Chanyeol screams, hysterical. “ing let me go.”
“I’ll call backup, okay?” Jungsoo whispers. “I’ll call backup, and we’ll figure this out tomorrow when they come.”
“It’ll be too late, Jungsoo, can’t you see that?” There is a pleading look in Chanyeol’s eyes. And Jungsoo doesn’t understand. He doesn’t understand why people would go and risk themselves for each other, even though it is so damn obvious they have no chance. “They’ll hurt him, they’ll … they’ll make him retreat into himself again … They’ll scar him … They’ll break him, Jungsoo …”
“Baekhyun’s strong.” Jungsoo reassures. “He won’t let anything touch him.”
“He’s strong, but he got hurt before …” Chanyeol whispers. “Please, Jungsoo, let me go …”
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Jungsoo replies. “He’ll be fine. I bet on your ing blue bunny that he’s going to be safe.” Jungsoo stares at Chanyeol, watches the way those watery eyes look back up at him as the older thinks.
“…Fine.” Chanyeol replies after a long, long time. His shoulder sink and he almost sags in defeat. “I’ll trust you. I’ll wait.” Jungsoo looks at him, tries to look for any indication that Chanyeol might run off if he lets go, but he finds none, so eventually he lets go and takes out his phone.
“I’m going to call backup now.” Jungsoo says as he presses a few numbers and then presses it to his ear. “But for now, don’t do anything stupid. Nothing, you hear me?” Chanyeol nods feebly.
“Hello? I want backup now. Come here ASAP as soon as you’ve prepared your equipment. The time is now. I repeat: the time is now.” Then he hangs up and puts it back in his pocket.
“You’re right …” Chanyeol whispers, and Jungsoo turns to look at him. He looks so deflated, so miserable, so hopeless. “I can’t even do anything for Baek … I can’t even save him.”
“It’s okay.” Jungsoo says kindly. “It’ll be sorted. We’ve got everything covered, so don’t worry, Chanyeol. He’ll be fine.” Chanyeol says nothing.
“Don’t meet up with them tomorrow, okay?” Jungsoo says, only relaxing when Chanyeol nods. “We’ll deal with everything. We’ll make sure no one gets hurt. We’ll be fine, Chanyeol.”
We’ll be fine.
“The police are processing our files and we’ll wait for them to reply us. Our men are also going to be on their way. Let’s just sleep now because we have nothing else to do. We’ve got a lot happening tomorrow.”
When he wakes up the next morning, he knows something’s up.
For one, he can’t move.
For two, he actually cannot move.
Jungsoo wakes up and struggles, but it’s no use. When he looks down, he sees ropes stretching across his body, winding around the bed posts and down the mattress.
He is tied up on the bed.
Afraid, Jungsoo looks over to see if Chanyeol is in the same position, but Chanyeol is gone. The room seems to be the way it was yesterday night, so it didn’t look like someone came in and snatched him away.
That’s when he realises like a slap to the face that it was Chanyeol who tied him up.
In that moment of realisation, the seriousness of the situation worsens and dawns on Jungsoo like a punch in the gut.
. He struggles, but it’s no use.
“!”
He’ll never get past Jungsoo at this rate. He needs to wait it out.
They have to meet tomorrow anyway, so Chanyeol can wait until then.
We shouldn’t act quickly. We should act smart.
“You’re right …” He whispers as he stares down at Jungsoo’s sleeping form. “I can’t even do anything for Baek … I can’t even save him.”
But that doesn’t mean I won’t try.
The moment the man grabs him, Baekhyun knows it’s all over.
It’s too late to late to act naïve now.
Baekhyun thrashes and fights and kicks, but to no avail. The man is HUGE, and no matter how hard he struggles, he can’t move an inch. The big man laughs.
“Hey look, someone puny just came.” The man calls out dumbly. Annoyed, Baekhyun kicks up into the air to kick the man in the stomach. The big man gapes, loosening his hold. Baekhyun slips out from underneath his grasp.
The moment he is free, though, two more men grab him, each holding his arm harshly. He struggles, but it proves to be a vain thing, because they have already secured their grip on him.
“Well well well.” Joo Sung’s voice floats in the air. The men who grabbed him turn him around, and he is met with the horrible smirk of the man who broke his heart seven years ago. “Baekkie, what were you doing there?”
“ you.” Baekhyun growls, trying to pull his arms away. No use. Joo Sung laughs.
“So you were faking this whole time? I’m impressed.” Joo Sung steps forward, reaching out to Baekhyun’s cheek. The smaller wrenches his head away. Joo Sung slaps him, this time, on the other cheek. His glasses fall to the floor and cracks. “You’ve grown up, my little one.”
Baekhyun struggles even more, this time not even wanting to escape but actually wanting to punch the out of this man. Instead, Joo Sung calmly bends down to pick his broken glasses up, then puts it back on his nose.
“There. Is that better?” Joo Sung asks mockingly. Baekhyun only glares at him.
“How about we have a repeat of that week?” Joo Sung whispers gently, leaning his head forward so close that their lips nearly touch. But Baekhyun is so done with his .
He is so ing done.
He tilts his head back, neck exposed. He doesn’t even give the er the time to figure out what the hell is happening. Instead, he cranes his neck and then tilts his head forward, forehead smashing hard against Joo Sung’s head.
Taken aback, Joo Sung backs away, clutching his head. All his men loosen their hold out of shock, hesitantly reaching out to Joo Sung, and Baekhyun takes that time to kick out of their grasp. He kicks harder than he’s kicked in his entire life, and punches and scratches and slaps and kicks and pushes.
It’s all in a frenzy.
“GET HIM, NOT ME!” Joo Sung roars, but Baekhyun is already halfway out the door. They chase after him, but they’re not as quick as him, and they’re not as afraid as he is. The moment he’s out the door, he shuts the door and locks it with the keys in his pocket, because he knows he can’t outrun them. When he’s done, he steps backwards and then throws the keys up onto the roof, afraid that other men might be outside and closing in. Then he turns his head, finding the thing that might be able to save him.
He rushes towards it, the tree so tall and with so many leaves he’s sure it can cover him up. They’ll be looking for him on the ground, not up in the tree. He starts climbing up, making sure to climb up the end where they can’t see him if they don’t look his way. The tree hangs over the house that’s two storeys tall, and when he rests himself against the branch that extends out to Joo Sung’s room, he sighs in relief. He’s never climbed a tree before in his life, but somehow, he’s able to do so easily with this one. Maybe it’s because he’s afraid. Maybe it’s because he has a motive.
Baekhyun hides himself amongst the leaves the moment the door slams open and the men file out, agitated and nervous. Baekhyun is panting, trying to keep his voice to a minimum volume as he presses himself closer towards the tree trunk.
They scatter around the roads, fear evident on their faces. Eventually Joo Sung stumbles out, clutching his head. There seems to be dried blood down his forehead.
“!” Joo Sung screams, a wail so loud that it makes the birds in the trees fly away. All his men look guilty as they keep their heads bowed. Angry, he stomps back inside. In the meantime, Baekhyun cranes his neck, trying to find something that can bring him back home once they’re gone. He finds a motorbike at the front yard of the neighbour’s house. He takes off his glasses, realising that they’re broken beyond repair. Instead, he tries to contact Jungsoo by tapping on his bandaid, but it seems as if that’s stopped working as well, possibly from the punch earlier. His earpiece is gone as well, flown out when Joo Sung hit him the second time. He sighs in frustration. What he needs to do now is go back as soon as possible so that they’ll know and not act rashly. Just as he is about to use that time to climb down and get on the motorbike, the door slams open and everyone files out.
“I WANT TO GO THERE! NOW!” Joo Sung shouts, voice hysterical, and one of his men takes out his phone to call while two others run off, possibly to get their cars. He looks angry, but at the same time strangely satisfied. That’s when Baekhyun knows something has happened.
Eventually, two sleek black cars appear and he climbs into one of them. The car drives off, leaving the other car behind.
“Where?!” One of the men asks loudly.
“A little abandoned hut next to the large sign that says ‘WELCOME TO BUSAN’.” A man grunts. “Because Busan is where the butler is.” Talking quietly this time, the rest of the men enter the car, then the car drives off.
“.” Baekhyun mutters once they’re gone. He climbs down and falls on his the last few metres. He looks at his bleeding hands, full of cuts from the bark – there seem to be splinters too, but right now that isn’t the main problem here. The main problem is the possibilities that might hold for the men at where they’re going.
Baekhyun rushes over to the door, trying to get some money before he can leave, but the door is locked. Cursing to himself for throwing the keys earlier, but knowing he’ll have no more time to look for them, Baekhyun rushes over to the neighbour’s motorbike after climbing over the fence easily. He finds the keys surprisingly with no difficulty, wondering why rich people never care if their things were stolen. Then again, this is a rich area so no one would bother to steal.
He’s never ridden a bike before. Hell, he’s never even ridden a bicycle before so what the was he saying? Still, here goes nothing as he twists the keys and the engine starts. After taking note of a few things, he puts on the helmet and sets off, the motorbike flying over the short fence. He twists it around just in time before he crashes into someone else’s fence, and starts heading off after the cars.
!
How could Byun ing Baekhyun slip under their hands so easily?
If the little called the police, it’ll take some time for him to get there. This time, Joo Sung is not ing running away. He’s so ing close.
He stares at the phone in his hand, picked up by one of his stupid men who had let the go. It’s Baekhyun’s phone. Mood ruined, Joo Sung switches it on and swipes it, finding that the younger has no password to his phone.
An evil thought pops up in his mind.
Just because Byun Baekhyun is out of his hands … doesn’t mean the others know he is.
Smirking to himself, he takes out his phone and scrolls through his contacts, finding Chanyeol’s phone number on his list. He enters the number, then presses Baekhyun’s phone to his ear. It’s when the younger answers does he start laughing, because this is going to work!
“Your loved one is in my hands.” This is going to work out so smoothly. “If you know what’s good for him, meet me at there at 11am tomorrow. You know where. And bring you know what.” He never ing needed that anyway.
Still, it pisses him off so ing much because he had had to endure the stupid boy’s clinging the entire time. His mood is goddamn soaked. Even though someone is helping clean the wound that the made, it’s not helping. Eventually, he pushes the man away, standing tall to everyone else as their leader.
“You all heard me!” He barks to his men. “One of you, get a car ready to smuggle Park Chanyeol into tomorrow when he meets you behind the school, the place I showed you. Get everyone else to stay around the school entrance, just in case a little decides to pop up there …” Joo Sung can’t help but laugh again. He’s so excited! He’s finally going to get what he wants!
He laughs again. He’s never been so happy about something, not since … not since he watched the miserable look on the stupid seven years ago.
He doesn’t want someone to ruin it again.
“If you see Byun Baekhyun, don’t hesitate.” Joo Sung declares, dark eyes flashing at everyone. Even though they are armed, they cower. “Kill him.”
It’s only in the dawn of the morning does he find the place. He sees cars parked up there, and he can only hide behind in the bushes, leaving his motorbike near the main roads so as not to gain suspicion. Baekhyun had spent the entire night riding the bike, trying to search for the right place. He had been lucky that the bike was full on fuel. It was near the end when the fuel looked like it was about to run out, and Baekhyun had never felt so scared.
He finally caught up to them. Even though he doesn’t know where they are, he hides behind the bushes anyway, exhausted. The hut looks normal. Too normal to be suspected of any kidnapping. Baekhyun is so tired. He hadn’t slept well in days, especially when he last watched the disc that he had taken out from Joo Sung’s drawer. Then at night, he had been too afraid to fall asleep, terrified of what the darkness might remind him of.
Somehow, without even realising it himself, he closes his eyes and the unconsciousness takes him like a wrecking ball.
When he wakes up on the soft grass, he doesn’t know what time it is.
The sun is up above him, beating on his body with full strength. He guesses it must be some time in the afternoon, wondering with a miracle how he’s still alive when he’s so close to the hut.
Baekhyun stands up, deciding that it’s time he contacts his friends and tell them that he’s okay and he’s not hurt. Briefly remembering the small town he had just passed by, Baekhyun wears his helmet to hide his face, takes off his thin jumper just in case the others might recognise his clothes. He walks over there mostly because the motorbike has no more fuel to move, and not long after, he arrives in town.
There seems to be a few people walking around. Once he checks and makes sure none of the men are here (he’s sure they would be too scared to come in such a crowded place anyway, for fear their cover might be blown if the witnesses ever remember them as ‘missing persons’), he takes off his helmet, letting it hang by his arm as he looks around for kind-looking people.
Eventually, he finds a young woman with a toddler. He walks up to her, hoping the way sweat sticks to his skin won’t make him look like a beggar or a dangerous person.
“Hello.” He whispers softly as he shoots her a gentle smile. The woman blinks at him, caught off guard. “I’m really sorry. I … I’m from Seoul and I lost my way. I kind of … lost my money on the way as well.” Baekhyun grins sheepishly. The woman smiles, as if she can’t help it.
“Please, can you give me a little bit of money? Not too much. I just need some to contact my friend to pick me up.” Baekhyun chuckles. The woman points to his helmet. “Oh. Right. It ran out of fuel and I have no money …”
“I’ll give you money for the fuel.” She says, taking out her bag and searching through it.
“No no no …” Baekhyun stops her. “It’s all right. I just need some change so I can call my friend at a phone booth.” He smiles at her again convincingly, and eventually she takes out her purse and passes him a few coins.
“If you need help, I’m here!” She calls after him. He smiles at her again, then rushes off, looking for the nearest phone booth. He doesn’t find one, so he asks around, and an old man in charge of a bakery tells him where it is.
Heart in his throat, he pushes the coins in and calls Jungsoo’s number, one he’s memorised by heart just in case something like this happens. He wants to curse at himself for being so stupid and dropping his phone during his escape, but that can’t be helped.
“Hello?”
“Jungsoo, it’s me.” Baekhyun pants softly. “I’m safe and sound, so don’t worry –”
“!” Jungsoo curses. “I ing told him!” Dread piles up at the pit of his stomach.
“What? What is it?” He asks anxiously.
“Park ing Chanyeol went to meet up with them after they sent a message to him on your phone, Baek!” Jungsoo sounds exasperated. “I told him not to do anything stupid but he tied me up to the bed and left!”
“.” Baekhyun breathes, feeling his heart thumping worriedly and fearfully.
“Don’t worry.” Jungsoo reassures him. “My men are here. They’re already heading towards his house –”
“They’re not there.” Baekhyun says. “They’re in Busan.”
“What?!” Jungsoo curses. “We’ll come pick you up –”
“I’m in Busan too.”
“What the ?”
“Long story, but I’m safe, so don’t worry.” Baekhyun looks around at the peace of the small town, leaning his forehead against the plastic of the phone booth. “I think they’re bringing Chanyeol here.”
“Where?”
“… I’m not quite sure. They said it was a little abandoned-looking hut next to the ‘WELCOME TO BUSAN’ sign, so I followed.” Baekhyun tries to think up of anything else that might help. “Oh, and my motorbike’s there too, on the main road. It’s red and white, and really unique. You’ll know it when you see it. Just turn left after you see the motorbike and the hut’s there in the small street.”
“You got a motorbike to chase them? Are you crazy –” Baekhyun pushes in more coins.
“I need you here ASAP. I don’t know when Chanyeol will be here.” Baekhyun says. “I’m sure you called backup already. And the police?”
“Yeah. I’m thinking a plane might be quicker. the police, they’re still processing our report.”
“Then have some of you go on the plane and have the others by car.” Baekhyun is scared, because Chanyeol is in their hands. More scared than if he was the one that will be in their hands. “Please … hurry.”
“I will.” Jungsoo’s voice is determined. “But don’t you do anything rash, okay? Just wait for us. No matter what, wait for us.”
“I can’t.” Baekhyun whispers. “I can’t let them hurt Chanyeol.”
“Look, it’s Chanyeol’s recklessness that got us here in this situation in the first place, Baek. So stay put and –” Without waiting for him to finish, Baekhyun hangs up.
After that, he looks around again, putting on his helmet as he sneaks out of the small town and back to the road he came from. He returns and hides in his bush again, and not long later, a new car pulls up. Baekhyun’s eyes widen and he nearly cries out when he sees Chanyeol being pushed out of the car, wearing an blindfold and a cloth restricting him from talking. Baekhyun feels so angry. They handle him roughly, only ordering him to get up even when they push him so hard that he falls to the floor. Eventually, the door opens after three rhythmic taps, and they push Chanyeol inside the darkness.
They’ll hurt him. Baekhyun stands up with a realisation, his rising fear choking him. They’ll hurt him, just like they hurt me.
I can’t let them do that.
He can picture tears running down Chanyeol’s face, fear and horror etched into his expression and his mouth opening into a terrible scream. Then the light in those eyes fading away until there’s nothing. He closes his eyes and shuts it all out. That won’t happen. Baekhyun will make sure of it.
Baekhyun bobs back down when he sees the headlights of the car turn on and off, indicating that the car has been locked. A small man about his size walks out from the driver’s seat, slowly taking his time, as if admiring the scenery before him before he meets the cruelty hidden within.
Baekhyun has a plan.
I have to go in there.
I have to.
“.” Jungsoo shouts as he fights against the ropes. “! Park Chanyeol I will ing kill you!” He struggles again. He’d never expect Chanyeol to attack him when he was asleep, god dammit! He is a horribly deep sleeper, especially the nights before huge events. He’s been trained to do this, after all. Every second he’s stuck here, Chanyeol is somewhere else, probably getting hurt in the process. !
His phone rings. He struggles again, trying to reach for it, but he doesn’t move an inch. How does Chanyeol even know how to tie these knots? They are impossible to escape from.
“ANSWER!” He screams. “ANSWER YOURSELF!” The phone lies there, vibrating. He curses again, then again when the phone stops. While he’s here, Baekhyun is kept hostage and Chanyeol lured into a horrible trap. He promised Baekhyun he’d protect Chanyeol. He promised himself he’d protect Baekhyun. Now he can’t protect any of them.
He spends a long time trying to think of ways to get out, but Chanyeol seems to have thoroughly and thoroughly tied him up, as if he was the bad guy. He screams and he curses, but eventually, energy spent, he lies there, limp.
As if on cue, the door opens. Kris peeks in.
“Oh, sorry for disturbing –”
“TAKE THEM OFF!” Jungsoo screams, voice hoarse. Kris opens the door, eyes wide and fearful as he steps in almost timidly and closes the door behind him.
“Uh … I never knew you had this kink.” Kris mutters.
“It was Chanyeol! Hurry!” Jungsoo struggles.
“Wow … I never knew Chanyeol had this kink …” Kris starts undoing the knots, but he’s taking a long time undoing them. “I’ll get the others.”
“Yes, please.” Jungsoo breathes. “I don’t have much time.” Kris raises his eyebrows, but doesn’t question as he types something on his phone and then calls some people.
In a mere ten minutes, all the crew is here, trying to untie him, some even going as far as to saw the ropes off. Briefly, Jungsoo wonders where Chanyeol even got these goddamn ropes, but then again, Chanyeol has his ways. He heard Chanyeol stole a trolley once.
When his arms are free, he helps untie his own legs. Everyone is confused, but they don’t see this as an emergency as they untie and talk at the same time. Still, with the help of ten people, the work is already fast enough and in a moment, he’s free.
Immediately he calls the police, but in summary, they tell him to shut up and let them handle this, as if they believe he’s just a little brat that doesn’t know . Frustrated, Jungsoo places the phone down. Ten pairs of eyes watch him, mouths open and about to ask him, but then his phone rings again. He picks it up.
“Hello?”
“Jungsoo, it’s me.” It’s Baekhyun’s voice. Jungsoo presses it closer to his ear, trying to see if there’s any more indication that Baekhyun’s hurt or under the watch of his enemies. “I’m safe and sound, so don’t worry –”
“!” Jungsoo curses. “I ing told him!” !
“What? What is it?”
“Park ing Chanyeol went to meet up with them after they sent a message to him on your phone, Baek!” everything! Park Chanyeol, just you wait … “I told him not to do anything stupid but he tied me up to the bed and left!”
“.”
“Don’t worry.” Jungsoo reassures him as he looks out the window. “My men are here. We’re going to his house right –”
“They’re not there. They’re in Busan.”
“What?!” Jungsoo curses. Can things be worse? “We’ll come pick you up –”
“I’m in Busan too.”
“What the ?”
“Long story, but I’m safe, so don’t worry. I think they’re bringing Chanyeol here.”
“Where?”
“… I’m not quite sure. They said it was a little abandoned-looking hut next to the ‘WELCOME TO BUSAN’ sign, so I followed. Oh, and my motorbike’s there too, on the main road. It’s red and white, and really unique. You’ll know it when you see it. Just turn left after you see the motorbike and the hut’s there in the small street.” Is there anything these two people can’t do?
“You got a motorbike to chase them? Are you crazy –”
“I need you here ASAP. I don’t know when Chanyeol will be here. I’m sure you called backup already. And the police”
“Yeah. I’m thinking a plane might be quicker.” Jungsoo just wants to punch something so ing bad. “ the police, they’re still processing our report.”
“Then have some of you go on the plane and have the others by car.” Baekhyun sounds so scared, something Jungsoo hasn’t heard from him before. “Please … hurry.”
“I will. But don’t you do anything rash, okay? Just wait for us. No matter what, wait for us.”
“I can’t.” Baekhyun replies. “I can’t let them hurt Chanyeol.” Baekhyun has the same tone as Chanyeol had yesterday, like his world will end if he doesn’t do something about this.
“Look, it’s Chanyeol’s recklessness that got us here in this situation in the first place, Baek.” Jungsoo pleads, trying to reason. “So stay put and –” Baekhyun hangs up. “Baekhyun? Baek?” He throws his phone on the floor.
“!” He screams. “WHY DOES NO ONE LISTEN TO ME?!”
“Uh … are you going to tell us what the hell is going on?” Kris asks. He turns and stares at them. Ten pairs of eyes stare back.
“Yeah, what’s this about Chanyeol?”
“And Baek too?”
“What happened to them?”
“Okay, I’ll tell you guys.” Jungsoo says. “But I don’t have much time. Let me deal with this first.” He calls his men first and tells some of them to drive to where Baekhyun is, tells others to catch a plane and reserve a ticket for him too, all the while feeling ten pairs of eyes stare at him intensely. Then he turns to them, giving them a short summary of what’s happened.
When he’s done, they all stare at him.
“What are you waiting for?” Minseok asks. “Let’s go!”
“Yeah!” The others agree.
Kyungsoo looks murderous.
“I’m going to get my bat.” Lu Han says.
“I’m going to steal some bats.” Tao declares.
“I’m going to bring my pocket money!” Yi Xing announces.
“I’m going to smash the head of that guy.” Sehun whispers.
“I’m going to call up some cars to take us to the airport.” Joonmyun mutters.
“Jungsoo, book the tickets for us too, yeah?” Jongin smiles.
Jungsoo stares at them.
“Aren’t you scared? It’s dangerous.” Jungsoo whispers, watching as the ten of them discuss on what to do. They all turn back to him, staring at him silently, in disbelief.
“Why, this is what friends are for!” Chen says, face serious and determined.
And it’s at that moment that Jungsoo sees the strength of their bond.
And the true meaning of friendship.
When the small man inches closer to the bush, Baekhyun knows it’s time.
He jumps out and throws himself at the man. The man doesn’t even have time to yell as he is knocked onto the ground, and Baekhyun uses his elbow to hit the man on the head. The small man passes out instantly, and Baekhyun drags him towards the bushes.
Chanyeol had done as they wanted him to do.
Unable to sleep, Chanyeol had decided to grab ropes from the staff’s cupboard before returning, taking his time to make sure to tie Jungsoo up so thoroughly it’d take him hours before he could catch him. He doesn’t know how he did it without waking the other up, but the feat proved to be possible. Then he had rushed downstairs to the place where he last met Joo Sung, heart fearful but determined.
It didn’t take him long before someone knocked him out from behind him, and the next thing he remembers is that when he opens his eyes, everything is still black. He seems to be in a car, his hands tied behind his back, cloth over his eyes and over his mouth, so he can’t see nor speak. Somehow in his circumstance, he’s not afraid for himself. Rather, he’s terrified of what they might do to Baekhyun. Or what they might have done.
Not long after he wakes up, the car pulls to a stop and he is pushed outside. When he falls to the ground, they get so impatient that they pull him up harshly and push him towards somewhere he’s not quite sure of. He’s sure he must’ve been pushed inside a house or something, because suddenly everything feels more compact and much colder than it was before, as if the sun had disappeared. Then he is pushed onto the cold, hard ground, and he is reminded of Baekhyun’s past.
“Take it off.” Someone instructs. It doesn’t take an idiot to figure out who it is. Eventually, he’s able to see, and a single blinding light right above him almost hurts his eyes.
Joo Sung is patient. He waits until Chanyeol’s eyes focus, the dark smirk on his face as evident as ever.
“Hello, Park Chanyeol.” He greets. Chanyeol shouts, but his voice is muffled. One of the men take it off.
“Where’s Baekhyun?” Chanyeol shouts again, looking around. It’s a closed room except for the doorway from which he had just entered, and he doesn’t see Baekhyun anywhere.
What if they’re torturing him somewhere else? Chanyeol thinks with panic, heart thumping in pain and fear at the image of Baekhyun’s fearful expression, imagining the light fading from Baekhyun’s eyes –
“You’re an idiot.” Joo Sung whispers, a psychotic grin on his face. “You’re a ing idiot, Park Chanyeol.”
“Where’s Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asks calmly, slowly breathing out and trying not to let his fear cloud his mind.
“He was never here.” Joo Sung laughs. “He escaped.”
Even in this situation, Chanyeol visibly relaxes in relief. Briefly in his mind, he knows he should condemn himself for being reckless and stupid, but somehow the relief is overwhelming his emotions and he can’t feel anything more.
“I lied.” Joo Sung continues, expecting Chanyeol to regret his decision, expecting horror to dawn on him, almost gleeful as he anticipates it. “I lied to you, Park Chanyeol!” He laughs again. “The whole time, I pretended to love Baekkie. It was so easy to get him back. Whatever happens, under whatever circumstances, he still chose me over you. After all this time … he still loves me more than you. How do you feel about that?”
“I feel great.” Chanyeol says through gritted teeth. In truth, Joo Sung will never understand, so why bother? Joo Sung laughs instead, his laugh like a strangled hyena.
“I used Baekkie this whole time, but in truth I wanted you.” Chanyeol lifts his eyes up to watch Joo Sung, look at his dishevelled hair and the maniacal glint in his eyes. “Did you know you were rich, Park Chanyeol?”
Chanyeol blinks in surprise.
Jungsoo had told him that Joo Sung wanted his necklace, but never exactly stated the context. He just thought it was because his necklace was really expensive and rare or something. That just happened to be on his neck.
“Yes, Park Chanyeol …” Joo Sung seems to be enjoying explaining Chanyeol’s past to him. “Your parents were rich. They were the founders of a very successful jewellery company. They were killed by people who wanted the money for themselves.” Chanyeol is staring hard into Joo Sung’s eyes now, as if trying to figure out the truth.
“Oh no. I certainly wasn’t the one who wanted them dead, I was too young for that.” The older blinks innocently. “But I am here because someone wants you back. They’re looking for you.” Chanyeol bites his lip. Does he dare believe this guy? “They’re holding trials and interviews to find who this Park Chanyeol who disappeared 21 years ago is. They’re trying to look for the heir of Golden Parks.”
“And you know what I’m going to do?” Joo Sung smirks as he inches towards Chanyeol and bends down, cold fingers sliding across Chanyeol’s neck. The younger shivers. “I’m going to take your place. The moment I walk out of this hole, my name will be Park Chanyeol. I will be 21 years old, a mere orphan who was saved by a loving couple. I will be the heir of Golden Parks and … And I will be rich.” Joo Sung laughs as he takes off the necklace, looking at the silver glinting in the light.
“You er!” Chanyeol shouts. “Don’t ruin my family’s name!” Don’t touch what’s mine.
“Don’t ruin your name, you mean?” Joo Sung sneers. “Don’t worry. I need to keep a good reputation to keep up my business. I will be successful. I will be rich. I will be perfect.”
“You’re just a psychopath who hurts people for no reason.” Chanyeol spits. “You hurt Baek … you hurt Baekhyun for no reason …”
“He was a weakling.” Joo Sung looks at his fingernails disinterestedly, as if the topic of Baekhyun, in contrast to Chanyeol’s inheritance, is a bore to him. “He was a little .” Chanyeol tries to stand to headbutt the er, or throw himself at that er or whatever he can do to make Joo Sung shut up, but his men hold him down.
“Aw, look who’s in love.” Joo Sung smiles sweetly. “You’re even stupider than he was, coming to a place without even asking me to prove myself.” Joo Sung takes out his phone. “How about you watch me steal your identity from you?”
Chanyeol pants as he glares up at Joo Sung, but no matter how much he struggles, more men hold him down. This time, a few men forcefully cover his mouth to prevent him from speaking.
“Hello?” Joo Sung calls, putting it on speaker. He is so distant from Chanyeol, at least two metres away, and Chanyeol hates how he’s watching Joo Sung steal what’s his.
“Hello, this is the Household of Park Minji and Park Jimin.”
“Yes … And I’m going to be the new owner of that house soon.” Joo Sung declares, smirking down at Chanyeol. Chanyeol struggles, trying to scream, but the men press harder at his mouth, holding him down until his cheek presses against the cold, hard floor. “Yes, I am Park Chanyeol, and I have what you’ve been looking for right here.”
“Will you be able to confirm your identity?”
“Yes, I will.”
“You can come by now. We are in 2727 Happy Virus Street, Busan.” Joo Sung pulls down his phone.
“This is the end of your Park Chanyeol days.” Joo Sung says, putting his phone in his pocket. He gestures for his men to pull Chanyeol up, and this time he keeps his distance, as if he doesn’t want to be an inch near Chanyeol. The men pull him up and Chanyeol’s back is forcibly straightened towards Joo Sung. Chanyeol’s look-a-like then takes out a gun and points it towards Chanyeol’s heart. “Hm, and actually, the end of your life.”
BANG!
Chanyeol shuts his eyes, preparing for it. Somehow, he’s not satisfied, because he’s supposed to spend his life with Baekhyun, where he can wake up every day looking at Baekhyun smile, watching the way Baekhyun would read as he wears his glasses cutely on his nose. He’s not satisfied, because he wanted to fulfil his dream of becoming a musician, of graduating college and having all the time in the world to learn different instruments, and, hopefully play them for that special someone to listen to (and right now, Baekhyun’s the only person he can think of that will be the special someone). He’s not satisfied, because he wanted to start his adult life as a dentist, passing every day with a smile knowing he helped fix children’s teeth but at the same time come off as the friendliest dentist to date. He’s not satisfied, because he had just gotten close to all his best friends, who seem like brothers to him now.
He’s not satisfied.
And yet, he is. He’s satisfied knowing Baekhyun is out of danger, probably safe in Jungsoo’s arms. He’s satisfied, knowing Baekhyun had done all this to protect him, even though in the end it was for nothing because he had acted so recklessly. He’s satisfied, knowing Baekhyun has finally found happiness in this world, and has finally found love in himself.
He’s satisfied, knowing Baekhyun cares about him.
But the blow doesn’t come. The blow never comes.
Instead, a body falls over his knees, and when he opens his eyes, wide with shock, surprise and confusion, he sees a small man lying on top of him, his hat flying across the room. The man that he had barely registered in the back of his mind to have entered the hut later than everyone else.
And this man ironically turns out to be Byun Baekhyun.
“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol shouts, struggling against his ropes to hold the smaller. He doesn’t know what’s happened, and is too afraid to, but he looks down anyway. He sees Baekhyun’s pale white hand clutching his upper left chest, and the blood contrasts against it horribly.
So much blood is flowing out.
“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol struggles, but it’s no use. Baekhyun’s eyes are closed but his eyelashes are fluttering. Chanyeol feels so afraid. So, so afraid.
In the background of his frenzied mind, laughter sounds.
Chanyeol doesn’t think he’s hated anyone so intensely before, but he does now. Joo Sung is laughing, laughing at someone dying before him.
“Hey, didn’t this turn out to be better?” Joo Sung grins madly. “God loves me after all! Happy ending for everybody.” He laughs again. Chanyeol feels tears well up in his eyes. “Take off his ropes. He can’t hurt me.” Someone cuts off his ropes, and he immediately breaks free, winding them carefully around Baekhyun’s frail body.
“A better future, a better life, here I come!” Joo Sung sings as he walks towards the door. Last minute, he looks back at one of the men who are staying. “Oh, and once he’s done watching his loved one die, kill him too.” Then he leaves. The bastard who should burn in hell forever, leaves without so much as a scratch on him.
“Baekhyun …” Chanyeol is trembling as he hugs Baekhyun to him carefully. He looks up at the men, who stare back indifferently. “Please … I’ll do anything … please just take him to the hospital.” He stares back down. Through his hot tears, he can see the colour slowly fading from Baekhyun’s beautiful face. There is so much blood, flowing freely through Baekhyun’s slender fingers. He’s about to stand up, to plead for them to save Baekhyun, but the moment he does, a man points the gun at him.
“If you move, I’ll kill you.” He snarls. Having no other choice, Chanyeol curls up into himself, sobbing quietly into Baekhyun’s body.
“Chanyeol …” Baekhyun’s soft voice appears in his ears. Heart thumping painfully in his chest but also leaping in hope, Chanyeol lifts his head to look at Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s eyes are half open, his lips dry and so pale. “I’ll … distract … Run …” Even though the sentences are chopped off, Chanyeol knows what Baekhyun wants. After all, he had always known Baekhyun like the back of his hand. I’ll distract the man with the gun. When I do it, run.
“I won’t leave you, Baek. Do you understand me? I won’t … I won’t.” Chanyeol’s bottom lip is trembling. Baekhyun seems to understand his feelings, because he attempts to move no more, resigned to let Chanyeol do whatever the hell he wants. Even in this situation, Chanyeol lets out a choked chuckle. “You idiot, you can hardly move … What were you thinking?” Baekhyun closes his eyes, and his bloody hand reaches down to find Chanyeol’s. He squeezes, as if to prove Chanyeol wrong, but his grip is weak. It’s so weak. A small smile flits across Baekhyun’s lips, as if he knows. Somehow, it makes everything more painful. Chanyeol doesn’t think he’s ever been in so much pain before. To be faced with the reality that Baekhyun will probably never love him back was hard, but facing the fact that he will never see Baekhyun again, never have him by his side again, is torture. Chanyeol breaks, trying to push down his choked sobs.
“Don’t reject me again in the afterlife, you .” Chanyeol gasps out, tears rolling down his cheeks and smearing Baekhyun’s clothes. “I’ve had enough drama to last me forever.”
Baekhyun tries to laugh, but instead nothing comes out. Chanyeol’s heart wrenches, because even though he’s making stupid jokes and Baekhyun’s heart is smiling, it makes everything worse because Baekhyun can’t actually physically show it. He shuts his eyes tightly, letting the tears fall, before he opens them again. This time, he’s able to see clearer, and this time, he stares right into Baekhyun’s eyes.
Even though Baekhyun is weak and pale and dying, his eyes are sparkling brightly. He looks at Chanyeol with something indescribable in his eyes. He looks at Chanyeol not like the way everyone else looks at him. He looks at Chanyeol like he doesn’t see anyone else.
He looks at Chanyeol, just like how Chanyeol looks at him.
Then he closes his eyes, for what Chanyeol fears, to be forever.
Love is not sacrifice.
Baekhyun knows that now.
Love has never been sacrifice, never been choosing between two of the things that you care about most. Rather, love is taking risks, stepping out of your comfort zone, trying out something that you were always too afraid to try. Love is doing all this, just because you want to keep living in happiness. You want to understand how it feels like to fight for someone. You want to understand how it feels like to want to die for someone.
Love is protection.
Love is courage.
And Baekhyun understands that now.
Eight years ago, Joo Sung stopped him from self-harming.
But it was Chanyeol, six years later, that taught him the meaning of love.
And it was Chanyeol, seven years later, that taught him to love himself.
“Happy birthday to you.” Chanyeol sings out the last phrase like a whisper. Baekhyun grins and stares at him, then blows out the candles.
“Wait!” Chanyeol is too late. Every candle has now been extinguished. Baekhyun blinks up at him, confused. “You’re supposed to make a wish!”
“…Don’t you make a wish after you blow them?” Baekhyun asks dumbly. Chanyeol shakes his head.
“No. You make them before, you dummy.” Chanyeol straightens his back, waving Baekhyun’s mistake off. “Never mind. Quick, make it now!”
“O-O-Oh…” Baekhyun quickly claps his hands together and shuts his eyes tightly. He presses his hands together mostly because he had never desired it so much before. He shuts his eyes mostly because when he opens them, he wants his wish to come true right before his eyes.
It’s not truly a wish though. It’s more of a promise to himself.
Chanyeol has done so much for me. I want to do the same for him.
I wish I can protect him too.
Please, let me protect him.
Chanyeol grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer. Surprised, he stared at Chanyeol with wide eyes. He could see the seriousness in Chanyeol’s eyes, something he didn’t see often, something that he knows when he does, he will always need to comply to Chanyeol’s wishes.
“Do you love me?” Chanyeol asked quietly. It was a simple question, but it held so much meaning. Baekhyun knew that, because Chanyeol taught him that.
But still, it was surprising. He opened his eyes wide, taken aback, and even when Chanyeol let him go, the question tied the both of them down together on the bench.
It’s simple. It had always been simple. And he found it no use to hold back anymore.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say the truth that still made his heart burst. In pain, in fear, in joy, he didn’t know. It’s been a long time since.
‘Yes.’ He wanted to say that day. ‘Yes, I do.’
Somewhere on a tall building in Namsan, lies thousands and thousands of locks, composed of people’s wishes and of the things they love.
Two particular locks lie together, rigid and unmoving even in the fiercest of winds. As if they’ve been glued together.
One blue and white lock reads ‘EXO’, ‘TEETH’, ‘MUSIC’ on the outside, fearless and confident. On the inside, keeping the sweetest secret to itself, it reads ‘Byun Baekhyun’.
The other green one reads ‘SINGING’ and ‘EXO’ on the outside for the world to see.
On the inside, pressed up against ‘Byun Baekhyun’ from the blue and white lock, and holding the sincerest and purest desire, there are three simple characters.
‘Park Chanyeol’.
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