oo3

Plans

Hei already felt sheepish about dragging Baekhyun out of the room like that and leaving Jinqiong and Jongdae alone in the living room, but she was also scared that he was going to make his decision seem more final than she wanted to be and Jinqiong would leave because of it. At any rate, he seemed pretty ready to send her away.

She turned towards him the moment the door closed behind her and Baekhyun spun around too, already frowning. Silence settled in for at least another ten seconds, tense, before Baekhyun finally started in a quiet voice, “I can’t agree to what Jinqiong’s asking for. It’s too dangerous.”

“You’ve made that clear,” she snapped back, then winced at the tone. “Sorry, I… we didn’t even finish hearing what Jinqiong wanted to ask for. And since Jongdae’s involved, it just feels… there’s a reason they came to us for help, and I’m pretty sure Jinqiong’s desperate even if she doesn’t sound like it.”

Baekhyun eyed her warily before heading towards the bed. He sat down at the side, and after a moment of hesitation, Hei remained where she was standing. “She’s desperate,” he agreed. “And she’s desperate because the person after her is that powerful and the situation she’s gotten herself in has gotten that bad. Jongdae got involved, didn’t he? And now he’s almost in as bad a place as Jinqiong is. I can only hope that we’ll find a safehouse for him to stay and by sending Jinqiong somewhere else, Byun Junsu will give up with him, but if we’re to help her, it’s only a matter of time before he goes after us too.”

“Which is why Jinqiong wants us to help find someone to break the curse with. If Junsu needs it so badly, then there’s nothing for him to go after if the gem’s gone.”

“And if he does get it, Jinqiong will end up dead, and he’ll be nearly invincible and we’ll end up with another enemy who isn’t just confined to running around after dark,” he countered. “I can’t do this. Not anymore.”

She opened to reply, then snapped it shut, frustration rising. As much as Hei hated arguing with Baekhyun, the fact that he was so insistent in saying no, especially so immediately, both didn’t make sense to her and made her mad. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been. She wouldn’t have felt the same way if a complete stranger had showed up at her door, so really, she was biased towards Jinqiong and hoping for something that was probably impossible. Still, knowing all that, she managed out, “What do you mean not anymore?”

Baekhyun’s eyebrows furrowed when he looked up at her as if the answer was obvious. “What else?” he asked. “I don’t want to willingly put you and myself in such danger for a person I barely know, and I don’t want to do something so dangerous and make and enemy like Byun Junsu because Song Jinqiong decided to steal a gem for either no reason or a reason she won’t tell us.”

Trying to keep the frustration from slipping into her voice, she shook her head. “What about Jongdae?”

“I already said that we can find him a safehouse. And if Jinqiong has the stone, Byun Junsu’s not going to go after him if—”

“Jongdae has to have a reason,” Hei interrupted. “He wouldn’t go with her like this, he wouldn’t come find us, he wouldn’t ask for help if it was as simple as getting away from Jinqiong and finding someplace safe. And Junsu wouldn’t be after him like that if it were that simple. He didn’t even get to say much before you told both of them you weren’t helping.”

“I didn’t do that,” he replied, voice growing sharper. “I told Jinqiong I would do as much as I could to help her, and that I’d arrange a safehouse for Jongdae until the threat with Junsu died down. What she’s asking is just too much, and it doesn’t matter what she says. I’m not going to change my mind.”

“If you don’t help I will,” she pressed, and that time, very clear anger washed over Baekhyun’s face.

“You’re not.” The note of finality was there in his tone still, but harsher. Hei fought back the urge to flinch at his voice. “You’re not going to risk your life for someone you spoke to once when there’s someone as dangerous as Byun Junsu’s chasing her who’s willing to kill everyone who stands in his way. I won’t allow that.”

“I’m not asking you for permission.”

Jaw set, he shook his head at her. Hei stood her ground, clenching her hands and trying to stop them from trembling, but there was a quiet buildup of anger around Baekhyun that told her he was getting worked up about the situation even more than she was. Clashing with him head-on wasn’t going to do anything but make the argument worse, but it was one thing to know that and another to do so.

“Song Hei,” Baekhyun began. “I don’t care why Kim Jongdae is here with her, I don’t care what Song Jinqiong said or is going to say. I’m not going to get more involved with her than we already are, and you aren’t going to either.”

She wanted to retort—hearing Baekhyun so insistent on making a choice that should’ve been hers to make made her mad, and it didn’t matter what his intentions were behind it. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she unclenched her fists slowly. “Baekhyun,” Hei started slowly, trying to keep her voice steady. “Why?”

He faltered. She made her way across the bedroom to the foot of the bed, where Baekhyun was still seated. He watched her, expression still weary, before she sat down next to him. “It’s not like you’re never in danger anymore,” she started. “You told me last night. There was a traitor with you and Jongin. You both weeded him out and then told me about it like it was nothing. Yoona sends you on dangerous missions every time. Why not this? It concerns Jongdae—Jinqiong’s not the only one asking for help, he is too. You can’t possibly just… turn this all down so easily.”

Baekhyun studied her for a couple of seconds, like he was debating whether or not to tell her. Finally, he sighed, eyes dropping from her face to his own hands. “I don’t want you involved,” he murmured. “Not with this. Not anymore. After my father, I just… I don’t want to be on the run everyday. I’ll probably never be able to show my face in public without worrying about being seen, but still, this was an improvement. And Byun Junsu?” His gaze flickered to the door, then back towards her. “Song Jinqiong’s not worried about the families. She’s skilled enough to avoid them, and that means she’s capable. And it also shows how dangerous Byun Junsu is.”

“Dangerous didn’t stop you.”

“Because I was an idiot.”

“Because you had something you wanted,” she corrected. “And I know you think it’s stupid, but Jinqiong’s still my sister, and you’re right. If she’s asking for help, she’s desperate. I don’t want to turn her down if I’m capable of helping.”

“Why do you want to?” he shot back, defensive, aggression still laced in his voice. “Do you want to help her because she has Kim Jongdae with her or because there’s something else you want?”

Hei scanned his face. Then, swallowing, she shrugged. “A sister,” she replied. “Someone from my family that I can treat as family.”

She could almost hear his next reply, another set no. To her surprise, Baekhyun remained silent, gnawing on his bottom lip as she waited, slightly nervous for what he was going to say. What he’d decided was perfectly logical. Jinqiong could very much be putting all of their lives in danger, and she couldn’t blame Baekhyun for trying to steer clear of that. It made sense for him to want to. Maybe it was a selfish choice—Hei didn’t know—but she was almost positive she’d regret it if she turned Jinqiong away just like that.

His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I really can’t convince you, can I,” he murmured.

She blinked at Baekhyun. “Does that mean—”

“No,” he cut in. “No. But I’ll listen to whatever else she has to say. And then Jongdae.”

It was probably the best she’d get for the moment, so Hei nodded, both relieved and thankful. Still looking tired, Baekhyun stood up and crossed the room without another word. He opened the door quietly, slipped outside without even looking back, and Hei swallowed, even though she already knew that the coldness meant he wasn’t happy with whatever decision he’d made.

Deciding that there were much larger issues to address, she followed him out and back into the living room.

***

Jinqiong was already certain Byun Baekhyun hated her.

She hadn’t exactly been expecting a warm welcome (in fact, Hei actually being friendly was much more than Jinqiong prepared herself for), but by the time she’d finished telling them everything, she could see his answer written all over his face—a flat no. Which did indeed come a couple of seconds later.

She had half-hoped that bringing Kim Jongdae would be convincing enough, but sending her in one direction and getting Jongdae a safehouse was also a relatively foolproof plan. From what Jinqiong had already seen from Byun Junsu, he wouldn’t be wasting his time with Jongdae if it was going to slow him down, and there was virtually nothing she could do if Baekhyun were to make that decision.

“Well?” Jongdae’s voice broke the silence. Jinqiong glanced up from her untouched cup; she had been squeezing the handle so hard that her fingers were starting to hurt. “There’s Byun Baekhyun’s answer for you.”

Glancing towards the closed door, she shrugged. “I didn’t exactly have high hopes.”

“But you had some hope,” Jongdae shot back, then his eyes narrowed. “That’s a lie.”

There was nothing more she hated at the moment than his ability to tell truth from false. Hoping she didn’t look as antsy as she felt, Jinqiong shrugged at Jongdae. “Your power’s been pretty inaccurate lately.”

He laughed sharply at that. “Shouldn’t have gone such lengths to make me come with you if you can’t handle my power.”

“Yours? Don’t make me laugh.”

He didn’t reply, but Jinqiong was positive he also knew how uncomfortable she did feel. They lapsed into silence as she tried to think where to go next. Given the fact that Hei had dragged Baekhyun out of the room, it was probably safe to assume that she didn’t exactly agree with him, but it was also safe to assume that Baekhyun wasn’t going to give in easily. With the very likely possibility that she wasn’t going to get any help and Jongdae would be sent somewhere else in less than half a day’s time, she needed a route to get out of the area. Byun Junsu would be on her heels in at most two days time if she didn’t move quickly.

“Jinqiong,” Jongdae started again, and, irritated, she looked up at him. The hint of mocking had faded slightly from his voice, but she still eyed him warily. “Where are you going if…”

“If Baekhyun tells me he won’t help like we all expected and sends me away from here because I’m basically endangering everyone in this area? What I’ve done for the past couple of months. It’s nothing new.”

“You were depending on this a lot,” he noted.

She hated that. Kim Jongdae and his stupid ability to see through every single thing, to peer past every wall she tried to build so she would come out vulnerable every time he spoke.

“Whether or not I was hoping for this,” she started angrily, “doesn’t concern you any longer anyway.”

He watched her with an indecipherable expression. “I never said I’m agreeing with whatever Baekhyun’s going to arrange.”

“Save it,” Jinqiong snapped, and at that moment, the door opened again and Baekhyun stepped out.

His gaze went to her immediately, brow furrowing again, before he straightened to address Jongdae instead. “How long does it take for Byun Junsu to catch up if you stay in one place?”

Jongdae frowned. “He can’t move during the day, but… if he’s not here by tonight, then it’s the next. I think he’s able to track the gem.”

“Great,” she heard Baekhyun mutter, and then the door opened again and Hei stepped outside too.

She, like Baekhyun, looked towards Jinqiong first, and she shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, still a bit unnerved from Jongdae. Her expression softened, though, and then offered her a slightly strained smile. Jinqiong didn’t have it in her to return it.

“Jongdae,” Hei started as she made her way towards the couch. “Is there anything you have in mind?”

He grinned at her. “Asking me for the plans instead of Baekhyun. Smart.”

“Doesn’t mean your plans are,” Baekhyun grumbled. He remained standing, leaning on the side of the wall, eyes occasionally flickering towards her. Jinqiong really wouldn’t have trusted herself if she were him either, but the fact that he was so wary felt just the slightest bit offensive. Apart from that, the tension in the room was painfully obvious—whatever it was that Hei had spoke about with him hadn't exactly ended amiably.

“Well…” Jongdae crossed his arms. “I actually didn’t tell Jinqiong this, but… I did a lot of research on the families when I was gone for those couple of months, and I found a lot more about Lee Taeyong.”

Jinqiong frowned. She’d heard that name a couple of t