＃

He’d let his guard down.

In all honesty, this was his fault. He’d been careful those first few months, even remaining in China to keep any tailers off him. Remained hidden. But months passed and he was getting anxious again. Anxious for what had been going on in Korea.

What had happened between Exo and the police.

How Sehun had been doing.

So he’d come back. And continued to keep himself hidden for two months now. Had quietly watched over him.

Had quietly seethed seeing Sehun falling into his trap, again.

But he had to bide for his time. Needed to think of a plan. After all, his opponent isn’t someone to be taken lightly.

But the more time passed, the less guarded he became. Thought no one would be able to track him down, come to his hiding place.

Shot him when he didn’t expect it.

“What’s the matter, Luhan? Don’t tell me you’re down already after one measly shot in the shoulder?”

Luhan grits his teeth, hand clenched onto the gun on his uninjured side. If he hadn’t dodged in time, the bullet would’ve pierced him through the chest.

“You’re not going to hide from me, are you? That’s not like you, at all.”

“It’s not like you to do this, either!” Luhan retorts. “What do you have to gain from going after me? I thought you were―done with this life―”

“I am, but this is a favor.”

“A favor?” Luhan repeats, eyes dawning in realization. “From―From Kai? Kai sent you to do this?”

The other doesn’t respond, but that’s telling enough.

“You’re still working for Kai? What the ? I thought you were―” Luhan’s mind is running amok, trying to piece everything together from the few, but vital, information he’s just been given. “, you fooled us all along? You were never―You pretended―”

“A favor,” the other maintains, shrugging. “I don’t have anything against you, I assure you.”

“And does your loverboy know about this favor?”

“Don’t talk about him,” the other snarls, eyes flashing instantly, and Luhan knows he’s hitting a sore spot.

“Oh jesus, he doesn’t!” Luhan marvels, cackling with glee. “And how do you think he’ll feel, knowing you were working with Kai all along, that you had him fooled, too―”

“This has nothing to do with him!” the man defends himself. “I just want him safe―out of all the messy troubles of the underworld. And he is―safe.”

“And you think he’ll be happy, like this? That you lied to him and pretended you were a good guy when you really aren’t?”

“I never said I was a good guy. None of us are good guys. We can’t be, after all we’ve been through.”

Luhan concurs, but. “But I thought you’ve decided to change yourself after knowing him! So why are you still working for Kai?”

“I was! I am,” the man corrects himself. “But like I said, this is a favor. And I can’t possibly turn down a favor from Kai. It’s―”

“―Loyalty,” Luhan finishes for him, cursing. That is the problem. Kai has the uncanny ability to sway all men he’s recruited to be undyingly loyal to him.

Heck, if Kai hadn’t been the one who had ruined Sehun, who had become someone very important to Luhan, Luhan would still be the same way.

Faithfully loyal. Unable to turn down anything Kai’s requested.

“Just this one thing,” the other mumbles, almost to himself. “Once I kill you, it’s done. Then I can go back, and he won’t know a thing about this. We can continue living happily, like how we’ve been―”

“You’re crazy if you think that will make Chanyeol happy, Kris!” Luhan shouts in disbelief. “You conspiring with Kai from the start, pretending to want to kill Kai back in China, pretending to be working with us, with Super Junior-M. Pretending you’ve withdrawn from all the dirty mafia ventures when you haven’t, at all! You think Chanyeol would like this? You think he’d still want to be with you once he finds out?”

“You know… if you’re trying to not get killed by me, provoking me isn’t the best way to do so,” Kris hisses, eyes blazing as he tightens the grip on his gun. “My business with Chanyeol, like my business with Kai, has nothing do with you. I just need to do this one thing for Kai, and that’s that. I can’t turn him down, and you would understand how I feel if you weren’t a traitor, Luhan!”

Luhan clenches his teeth, throwing himself to the side when Kris fires, bullet narrowingly missing him.

“Maybe you wouldn’t be so inclined to still be so loyal to Kai if he had hurt Chanyeol!” Luhan counters, shouting as he leaps from one spot to another while bullets relentlessly pursue him. “You’ve known and seen the he’s done to Sehun! I can’t be loyal to him when Sehun will keep getting hurt as long as Kai’s alive! He won’t let Sehun go!”

“I also can see how in love Sehun is with Kai,” Kris tells him, raining bullets down onto Luhan, the noises echoing deafeningly on the warehouse walls. “You think Sehun would want this? Maybe he doesn’t want to be saved!”

“I don’t ing care, I’m going to save him anyways!” Luhan snaps, using all his strength to move his left arm, the injured side, and throwing a dagger past all the bullets, slashi