"A hundred thousand won!?" yelled the gruffly man at the two fifteen year old boys.

The slightly shorter one stepped ahead and gulped before he spoke, "it's the standard rate." He pointed at the sickly boy behind him, who looked more concerned than anything, and said, "he's experienced, so you won't have any trouble getting him to do what you want. And he's fairly tall too so he can easily pass off as an eighteen year old."

The man smirked at the boy speaking and with a sleazy touch to his voice teased, "you sure know a lot about this business kid?" He grabbed the boy's face in his calloused hand and shook his face as he continued, "been around the streets have you?"

The boy jerked his face away from the man's grasp and sharply put out his open hand and bit out, "that will be a hundred thousand won, Sir."

The man smirked and placed the bundle of cash into the boy's hand, pulling the taller boy behind him by the hand. The shorter boy quickly divided the money in half and placed his share into his pocket before shoving the rest into the other boy's hands.

With a single look of despair he walks away. Fifty thousand won in hand. The fate of the other sealed.

*_*-*-*_*

When Seokjin walks into their small apartment, his eyes are gaunt and his body exhausted. It's been barely over a month that they rented the place but anyone would know that the place is already a safe haven to the boys. He tiredly plucks the apron off the kitchen, his lower back aching a little too much that day, and get's on to dinner.

The others will be home soon.

*****

Yoongi wipes his dripping forehead with a sudsy hand and heaves a sigh as another bucket full of dirty dishes is placed on the platform near the sink.

He finally managed to get a job at the Chinese noodle shop that is a five minute walk from their new apartment. It's a good place and pays really well too. And honestly, Yoongi could wash a hundred peoples dishes is it meant reducing the burden to provide on Seokjin's shoulders.

He frowns at the thought. A day after moving in Yoongi had asked Seokjin where all that money had come from. But Seokjin doesn't tell him where he gets the money to pay for the rent. The bills. The clothes. Food. And Yoongi doesn't ask.

Because they need the money, and something tells Yoongi that the answer won't allow his conscience to take it

*****
Namjoon frowns at the haggard state of their eldest Hyung when he walks in the small one bedroom-bathroom apartment. He shoves off his school bag and walks into the kitchen, forgetting the book report he was supposed to work on for a while.

"Hyung" he mutters as he helps the boy wash the rice to be boiled. When Seokjin turns his attention to the boy, Namjoon can't help but notice how hollow his Hyung cheeks have become. Or how his cheeks are bruised as if he was d. Or how all life has left his eyes. "You should rest a little. I'll prepare the rice."

Seokjin chuckles while ruffling his hair and Namjoon notes how his hand is lighter on his head than it should be. "You'll burn the house down Joonie-ya" he says teasingly and it's not like Namjoon has a retort to that. So he simply stays by his side. Watching.

*****
Jungkook comes home crying and everyone is in a state of panic because the boy never cries. He is hiccuping and even Seokjin looks at a loss at what should be done.

After almost half hour of soothing the child, of crying and carefully back rubbing, Jungkook finally speaks. "Junghongie hyung! He- He- He d- didn't didn't come to school! He didn't come today!"

A collective sigh of relief passes around the little room they are gathered in as Hoseok smirks down playfully at the boy, messing with his hair, "he'll be at school tomorrow Kookie-ya. That's nothing to cry about."

Jungkook shakes his head adamantly with a pot and rubs his eyes as he explains, "I- I heard Mrs. Yang spe- speaking to Mr. Kwon. Th- they they said that Junhongie hyung was not gonna c come ba- back! They said h- he died!"

No one speaks after that and Jungkook continues to cry until he can't cry anymore. The night passes in a solemn air and no one feels the need to fill the emptiness that has formed.

No one notices how Seokjin keeps avoiding Jungkook that night.

*****
Jungkook is sleeping in the bedroom while everyone sits in the living room frowning at the newspaper that Taehyung had brought back. They can't really afford it, but Taehyung's job as a newspaper delivery boy comes in handy at times. Same goes for Jimin's part time job as the milk-boy.

"It says that there's been an increase in the number of child escorts below the age of eighteen in the city by a forty-two percent." He continues reading the paper with a concerned frown etched onto his face. "i- it says tha- that some were reported lost but later found dead due to the careless... exertion. It says the... business... took place under the Karaoke place near the Myungdang district." He looks up at Yoongi, as if asking if he should go on with Ji