They were all sitting around the lunch table, everyone feeling antsy and nervous. 

Baekhyun couldn't sleep last night because he had so much things on his mind, most of it being how this rescue mission will go, they weren't exactly equipped to deal with this and the severity of the situation is probably more than all of them were willing to realise. But as Baekhyun looked beside him at Sehun, who was poking at the food in his tray he could see the uncertainty but determination on his face, this was his best friend someone he's known half his life. He looked around the table and saw pretty much the same expression on each face, he sighed, how did things get this way? 

"so, I talked to my brother last night"Junmyeon cut through the hard silence.

Everyone looked up at him, a bit of anticipation in their expressions. 

Junmyeon sighed "he said he would talk to his other colleagues and department head and try to convince them but he doesn't know if any will comply" 

Baekhyun could hear a chorus of groans and grunts. They all knew this wouldn't be easy off the bat but they were hoping that Junmyeon's brother would gather a backup group straight away. 

"he wasn't even happy we are thinking of doing this on our own, said we should wait until the police have solid evidence to move out" Junmyeon also added. 

"but we don't have time to wait!" everyone turns their head towards Sehun, who was now standing up looking restless and mad. 

Other students in the cafeteria also turned their heads to see what the commotion was all about but soon looked away when they realise nothing was happening. 

"Sehun..." Baekhyun says a little concerned. 

"he's my friend! Our friend! And we didn't even notice what he was going through, getting abused by his own father! Who knows how long it's been going on? And what if over the years it had gotten worse! Chanyeol the one that always cracked jokes and was always smiling his stupid, dumb smile was miserable right in front of our eyes! He was suffering" Sehun went on pointedly. 

The others had lowered their heads, looking sad. Baekhyun didn't know what to say because he himself was questioning what it is they were doing but he also wanted to save Chanyeol. He wanted him to be okay, wanted to get closer to him properly so someday he can confess again in a better way. 

"we can't just leave him hanging" Sehun continued "because if it was any one of us, he would make sure he helped us as much as he could" 

Sehun has sat down and was scanning around the table. Baekhyun felt the determination of the younger male more so than before and it was coming of in waves mixing in with Baekhyun's, making his burn stronger. 

"that idiot never did know how to take care of himself" Kyungsoo speaks up. 

He lifts his head, his eyebrows slightly furrowed and smirk on his lips "I'll be damned, if I don't get to tell him off for it".

Sehun and Kyungsoo exchanged a knowing smile and soon everyone else starts doing the same, all agreeing that Chanyeol was worth it because he wouldn't think twice about saving any if them. 

"but, are you sure the plan we made is full proof?" Jongdae questions. 

"well, we're just going to have to find out" Baekhyun said confidently.

----------

Baekhyun sprints downstairs. Sporting all black attire, from his hat to his shoes, the backpack on his back was even black. He whizzes past the living room only to stop just short of the hallway before back tracking. 

He backs all the way back to the couch where Jeongsuk was sitting down on his laptop, looking through something.

"um...uh, excuse me" Baekhyun stutters, not sure how to go about this. His relationship with his mother's new husband wasn't the best and they haven't tried anything to at least attempt to bring it back on track. 

Jeongsuk looks up from the computer screen to look at Baekhyun. First his face was full of shock, then uncertainty and finally confusion. 

Baekhyun watches as the grown man takes in his appearance "are you headed out?" he asked kind of cautiously. Baekhyun nods not wanting to get into too much detail, even though Jeongsuk didn't really have a say in what he did. 

"Uh.. I wanted to ask yo-" Baekhyun starts

"isn't it a bit late to go out?" he cuts him off. 

Jeongsuk checks the time on the watch that rests around his wrist. It's was a little past 7. He looks back at the short boy, Baekhyun was a weird one and he never really knew how to approach him. He had wanted to like him and get to know him on account of him being his wife's son but he ended up disliking the boy more than anything. They way he talked to Sooyoung and always had a look of hatred towards her just set him the wrong way even though Jeongsuk knew why he was so angry. But seeing Sooyoung work hard to set all that aside and start a better relationship with Baekhyun only for him to toss all her advances aside just made him angry. 

But the other night, his wife had came into bed smiling,  She had told him how Baekhyun was willing to try, she had rubbed her belly gently saying "I'll try my hardest for both of them".

"I'm only going over to a friends, we're having a sleep over party" Baekhyun tells him. 

Jeongsuk looks at the bag on the boys back, it looked like it had stuff in it, but not full enough that it held any type of clothes. 

"is that so? Which friend?" he questions, figuring Baekhyun wasn't the type to make friends due to him being so unapproachable.

Baekhyun was a little thrown off guard by the sudden questions. He really had to hurry, the others were waiting outside and they weren't sure how much time they had to pull all of this off. 

"Sehun" he said quickly 

Those two were friends? Jeongsuk thought to himself. Since when? Maybe at school but that would mean he was friends with Chanyeol too but they didn't seem to like each other much from observation. Jeongsuk hasn't seen Sehun come over in a while and Chanyeol hasn't been over in days, he knew those two would never skip their jobs so he felt like something wasn't right and as he looked at Baekhyun fidgeting in his spot and casting his eyes around, Jeongsuk felt that Baekhyun knew something but he wouldn't press.

"I was wondering if you had a bike lying around" Baekhyun asked him. 

"yeah, it's a little old but there is one in the shed by the chicken coop, Jeongsuk couldn't hide the chuckle that came out at the face Baekhyun made at the mention of the coop.

He had seen the struggles of the smaller more than once with those chickens and he had to admit that he had himself a good laugh watching the debacles. It had made him thought, maybe he wasn't such a bad kid. 

Baekhyun upon hearing that there was a bike in the shed, turns to sprint off, when he hears his name,

"Baekhyun" 

He looks back at Jeongsuk who was looking at him apologetically and again he was caught off guard, what was with this weird night? He was going on a impossible rescue mission for his crush and now the guy that dislikes him the most was looking at him like that. 

"I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about not being nice to you all this time. I was just upset at the way you disregarded Sooyoung's innocent advances at a better relationship with you. I just wanted to tell you that I don't think you're all that bad and I misjudged you, if it's possible I would like to start over" Jeongsuk confesses. 

Baekhyun stares at him for a bit before realizing he had somewhere he had to be. He shook his head and gave Jeongsuk a smile. "it's no problem, we started off on the wrong foot so, sure I'd like it if we did start over" and with that Baekhyun turns and runs out the back door. 

Jeongsuk stares at the space Baekhyun had been standing. He really was a weird one but there was a nagging feeling Jeongsuk had in his stomach about letting him leave. He pushes it down and goes back to his laptop. 

"what the hell took you so long" Sehun says as Baekhyun rounds the house to the front, wheeling and old bike beside him. The bike had rust along some parts and chipping light blue paint, Baekhyun was surprised it wasn't squeaking and making noise. 

As he joins the pack, the others were wearing black attire as well and sitting on their bikes, steadying themselves with one leg stuck out to the side. 

"Jeongsuk, decided he wanted to have a sentimental moment, sorry I'm late" Baekhyun starts, throwing a leg over the bike to sit on it. 

"he didn't suspect anything did he?" Jongin peeps up from behind him.

"no, I don't think so" Baekhyun states. 

"anyways let's go, we have to make a stop at the convenience store" Sehun informs 

"alright" they all say in unison. 

"8 mase's...rope....8 socks...8 soda's" Yixing recites as they all stand there holding different things. "we forgetting anything?" 

"how about this?" they all look behind them at Kyungsoo who was holding a pocketknife, they all look back at each other. 

"Kyungsoo... I don't think we'll need that" Junmyeon says, laughing nervously. 

Kyungsoo flicks the pocket knife and the blade comes out, he looks at it then tucks the blade back in and puts it back "maybe you're right" 

The rest of them let go a breath of relief before walking over to the counter. 

"Baekhyun you have the additional stuff right" Jongdae asks as they all pull out their wallets. 

Baekhyun nods. 

"alright let's get this done" Sehun says taking a breath. 

They were all feeling nervous and anxious but they wanted to see this through, they wanted Chanyeol safe. 

They walk out of the store when Jongin peeped up "Jun, any word form your brother?" 

Junmyeon takes out his phone to check if there was any message or call from his brother and he sighed "no, none" 

A collective sigh pasts through the group before they all mounted their bikes. The moon was giving off a bright light that night so it wasn't hard to see where they were going. They ride from the store to the road that lead to Chanyeol's house. As they got closer and closer to their destination, Baekhyun's heart rate picked up until it was beating uncontrollably. This wasn't a good idea, we should've never came he thinks to himself. What if everything goes wrong, what if Chanyeol isn't even there, what if what if what if. His mind was erratic,

Baekhyun didn't even hear the shout until he snapped out of his thoughts and saw Sehun flying off his bike, he crashes to the dirt ground, tumbling to a stop and his bike follows suit. Baekhyun stares in shock as he sees Sehun lying in the dirt, they all come to a stop all of them in equal shock as Baekhyun. 

In a frenzy the seven of them hop of their bikes, pushing them to the ground and runs over to Sehun, who still hasn't moved. As they stood over him trying to comprehend what the hell just happened Baekhyun noticed the blood, his heart was slamming in his chest,

"what the hell happened?" he hears Minseok ask incredulously but no one had an answer. 

Baekhyun was reassured when he noticed the blood was only coming from Sehun's leg where his pants had ripped and his skin was scraped. 

Junmyeon crouches down and slides his arms under Sehun's body, lifting up the tall boy. They hear Sehun groan at the movement and they all breathe in relief, he wasn't unconscious.

"I think we should go" Junmyeon says looking at the others. 

"but-" Baekhyun starts. 

Junmyeon gives him stern look and Baekhyun shrinks back getting it. Sehun was already hurt, if we go any further who knows what would happen to the rest of them. Baekhyun sighs and looks in the direction of the house they were only a few metres from. They all turn back to their bikes ready to go when Baekhyun looks off to his right, Sehun's bike was lying abandoned and as he scans his eye across the ground something glinting in the moonlight catches his attention. 

He walks over to it slowly,

"Baekhyun?" he hears Junmyeon question. 

 Baekhyun looks at the shining object and he realises what it was, a knife. What was a knife doing in the road? And why was it in the same spot Sehun rode over? But if it was just lying there how did Sehun go flying? Unless...

"Uh.. Baekhyun" this time it was Jongin but there was a slight fear in his voice.

Baekhyun looked up just in time to see a bunch of rugged looking thugs encircling them, where did they come from? Baekhyun stands up as they came closer feeling a panic rise in him, Minseok and Jongdae moved closer to each other, Junmyeon still held on to a hurt and out of it Sehun, Yixing and Jongin stood in between the four and Kyungsoo was just behind them 

When Baekhyun slowly came up to them they all moved to make a circle, their backs to each other looking at the unfamiliar but intimating faces of these blatant thugs. As Baekhyun stared, fear gripping at him he noticed that they had a red marking like a symbol on the side of their arms. Baekhyun looks up into the face of one of them, this one looking more intimidating than the rest, with this tall and gruff look. He catches Baekhyun's eyes only for him to scowl deeply. 

"well, well, what do we have here?" 

That dark, deep voice was hard to miss or mistaken especially when you've witnessed the person who held such a dark look to go along with it.

All eight of them turn to look at Chanyeol's father pushing between two thugs. His smile as evil and sinister as Baekhyun remembered it.