Group: Operation Save Kyungsoo

Lay_sheep: Ok, everybody, report today’s progress.

Real_pcy: Jongdae and I found out why Kyungsoo and Mrs. Do won’t say anything. They have bugs on their clothes. I’m guessing Minjun wiped out their wardrobes with special custom made ones. God knows what else that guy could be up to.

Lay_sheep: Bugs?

ChenChen: Not the real ones hyung, the hearing bugs.

Real_pcy: Be careful Jongin, they could be watching you 24/7.

Kai_zzz: This is starting to frustrate me more than my broken leg, I swear!

Real_pcy: Did you guys find out anything fishy about Nayeon?

Baeklight: Nah. She actually seems to have feelings for Kyungsoo. God knows how she developed them though, in such a short time.

Baeklight: And there’s something familiar about her, have we met her before?

Suhorang: Yeah I felt like that too.

Lay_sheep: I didn’t find anything fishy either, unless you consider the fact that her doe eyes resemble Kyungsoo’s way too much. Could we somehow prove them to be siblings?

Oohsehun: LOL hyung

Real_pcy: Wish we could hyung. That would be the end of all our problems.

Baeklight: We need to find a way to get Kyungsoo out of his clothes and make him talk.

ChenChen: That sounded very…..

Baeklight: What is your problem?

ChenChen: I didn’t even say anything!

Real_pcy: Let’s think on this more and discuss in the morning.

_

Jongin barged into Kyungsoo’s room next afternoon, as he was revising the presentation he was due to give tomorrow at the conference.

“You people saved the date?!”, he exclaimed, looking breathless, half supported on his crutch.

Kyungsoo got up from his study table in annoyance, giving a cursory glance to the camera in the corner, and helped Jongin towards the bed, which the later was too shocked to resist. Kyungsoo hated everything even more every time he saw his brother with a crutch, his brother who had been free as the air to fly and glide and dance. It also renewed his belief that what he was doing was for the best. “Why are you so surprised? It was going to happen sooner or later”

They had stayed back after the party, he and Mrs. Do, having sent Jongin with Chanyeol, and Kim Minjun had brought up the topic of the wedding, to decide the date. Mrs. Do had tried to steer off the topic politely, but it hadn’t worked. Kyungsoo had tried hard not to feel perturbed, as Kim Minjun had told him to select the invitation designs so that they could be sent out as soon as possible.

Jongin opened his mouth to say something but then closed it in contemplation. “But….isn’t it too early? 14^th March, that’s only a few weeks away!” He complained a minute later.

“So?”, Kyungsoo looked towards the camera in the corner of the room and wished his brother would just stop talking. “The sooner the better”

Jongin seemed to be in a dilemma as he looked towards Kyungsoo in confusion and worry. The house bell rang a minute later followed by excited voices that Kyungsoo could recognize even in his sleep.

“You told them already huh?”, Kyungsoo asked through gritted teeth, reminding himself all the while that he needed to treat this as lightly as possible as he was being watched. But he couldn’t help his blood pressure from rising thinking of the havoc his friends were going to probably wreak.

Jongin pursed his lips in annoyance, able to feel the disapproval behind Kyungsoo’s question. “Of course I did. Or would you have preferred if they found out when the cards reached them?”

“Of course not. I’m glad you did”, Kyungsoo said sarcastically, and Jongin rolled his eyes as he got up to follow his brother out.

I should’ve asked Mom not to tell Jongin so soon, Kyungsoo thought as he stepped down the stairs towards his friends, preparing himself for their accusatory glares. They were obviously going to be disappointed, but far as he’d come there was no way to go back. They would just have to understand.

“Congratulations Kyungieee!”, He was caught off-guard as a 6 feet tall frame crashed into him.

“H-hey!”, He patted his friend’s back to let him go. “C-can’t breathe!”

“Oh”, Chanyeol leaned away from the embrace and smiled at him cheerily. Kyungsoo frowned. What were they up to now?

“You sly bastard!”, Jongdae came up, smacking him on the arm, and Kyungsoo flinched. It wasn’t as friendly as he’d made it out to be. “You never told us you were going to decide the wedding dates right after the party!”, he chuckled, but Kyungsoo knew better than to not feel the underlying frustration in his tone.

“We were quite surprised”, Junmyeon smiled at him artificially as well.

Kyungsoo sighed. His friends were mad at him. “Thanks guys” He looked towards Yixing standing a few feet away. He was the only person who looked even slightly dejected. The rest of them were putting on a good show of being enthusiastic about it. Did they possibly know about the cameras and microphones? He wouldn’t put it past his friends to have found out.

“This calls for a celebration!”, Minseok suggested it after he’d given out his fake congratulations.

“Oh no – “

“Of course! Let’s go!”, Chanyeol slung an arm around his neck and dragged him towards the door. Kyungsoo pulled away furiously, glaring daggers at his friends to tone down his over-acting. Chanyeol, for the very first time in years, glared back instead of submitting and Kyungsoo got his silent message: play along. He clenched his jaw. “Fine” He’d planned on visiting Mr. Byun at the hospital that day but that would have to wait.

_

Chanyeol looked back through the rearview mirror, watching as Junmyeon and Minseok approached the men who were not so discreetly settling in the black Mazda Demio that he had spotted as soon as he’d entered the street.

“What are Junmyeon and Minseok hyung doing?”, His gaze turned as Kyungsoo asked from the backseat, looking behind himself towards the group of four too.

“Just taking care of your bodyguards. They are going to follow us, aren’t they? Let them have some company”, Chanyeol smiled sarcastically at Kyungsoo who just turned and looked at him blankly. Not bothering, he fastened his seatbelt and started the car.

“So where are we going?”, Kyungsoo asked after a while.

“Shopping”, Yixing announced from the passenger seat in front and it seemed like Kyungsoo sighed. The guy had never in his life bore through his friend’s antics so patiently and it surprised and somehow disappointed Chanyeol. How much more was he going to change once he got married? He might have been scared of him, but Chanyeol realized that he missed the aggressive Kyungsoo who never gave a damn about anything.

Once they had reached the shopping mall, they went straight for the clothes. “My treat Kyungsoo. Change into something better so that we can celebrate more comfortably”

Junmyeon told his friend who was solemnly dressed in black dress pants and shirt, looking like he was going to a funeral or a business meeting, as they entered the store. Chanyeol sighed, not trusting Kyungsoo to do a good job of it, and began picking out random articles of clothing from the men’s section and giving them to the guy, who barely resisted throwing them back in his face. His bodyguards were only a few feet away trying to look inconspicuous and failing miserably in the trendy store. The rest of their friends were at little distances too, pretending to look through the clothes like they were actually there to shop, to avoid suspicion.

Jongdae immediately voted in favor of the first t-shirt and jeans Kyungsoo came out after changing into, but Chanyeol didn’t and asked him to change into the next one. Jongdae scowled at him, he could tell that the guy was getting impatient with what they were doing, and what they were about to do, but he couldn’t let that get in the way of buying something proper for Kyungsoo. There was after all, something called fashion standards.

After a few more contemplations, Chanyeol and the rest of them finally settled for the third get up which consisted of a grey high-neck sweater and black skinnies and got ready to go out again. The rest of them had changed into different articles of clothing too to make it look more natural to the two pairs of hawk like eyes watching them. And also because it was after a while they’d come shopping with Junmyeon and his black card and they wanted to make the most of it. Putting Kyungsoo’s bugged clothes away into the boot, Chanyeol got into the driver’s seat again, his heart pumping in anticipation.

Soon as they’d turned the road from the mall, Chanyeol stepped down on the accelerator, all the while looking in the rearview mirror for signs of the black Mazda. He made a sharp swerve onto the highway, making Kyungsoo snap in annoyance. “Could you drive a little more carefully?!”

“No. I’m trying to lose them!”, Now that there were hopefully no more bugs that could hear them, he told Kyungsoo that they planned to take him somewhere they could talk in privacy without his two shadow clowns on their heels.

“What?! Are you insane? Stop the car right now before you break any more traffic laws or one of our necks!” Kyungsoo snapped, holding onto the seat in front. Yixing seemed to be taking it much more calmly. But that was how the guy was most of the time, in a JPG mode, so Chanyeol couldn’t really say. Jongdae was probably freaking out because not a word left his mouth, and he had his lids shut tightly as he held onto the seat handle in front.

“Too late!”, Chanyeol made a sudden U-turn and he had already turned into a service road by the time the car behind them had realized what just happened. He hoped Minseok and Junmyeon would be able to act well and give them enough time to talk.

Having already mapped out their route, he was pulling into the car park near Han River where Baekhyun was supposed to meet them as well, as it was near the hospital. The weather was chilly despite the sun that was out as Chanyeol got out, and proceeded to open the door for Kyungsoo. He peeked in and found his friend looking blankly into space while trying to get his breath back. He needed to take the guy out more on car racing excursions.

Kyungsoo shot daggers at him as he held out a hand to help him and slapped it away before moving and coming out.

“Who’s going to answer Kim Minjun if this blows up? What will I tell him?”, He asked as they walked towards the stairs leading down to the river bay.

“You worry too much, D.O. yah!”, Baekhyun slung an arm around him, coming up from behind and Kyungsoo could only sigh. Of course his friend had found time to participate in these theatrics.

“Spill everything dude”, Chanyeol said as they stopped and he sat down on one of the stairs. “And be quick, we don’t have much time”

So Kyungsoo told them. About how he’d received calls from Minjun’s office after Christmas and the blackmailing that followed. “He had each and everyone one of your pictures, along with what you did and how we’d come to be friends. That’s why I didn’t want you people involved in this”

He paused. Chanyeol gave him a weak smile. “But you can’t really expect us to not, can you?”

He went on to tell them about Nayeon and how she was the only weakness Minjun seemed to have, and that it was probably her who had initiated all this.

“You’re marrying your stalker? Dude!”, Jongdae exclaimed when he told them about Nayeon’s specifics.

“That’s why she looked familiar”, Baekhyun added thoughtfully.

“So is there really no other option except for you to marry her?”, Yixing asked once he’ finished.

“There doesn’t seem to be because I’ve thought a lot about it and no matter what I do, Minjun’s going to find a way to get me back. And I can’t take chances anymore”, He told them clearly. “Not with how Jongin is right now”

“Are you sure the whole thing with Jongin is his doing though? It could really just have been an accident?”, Baekhyun wondered.

Kyungsoo shrugged. “There’s no way to be sure but the timing is far too suspicious for me to consider it an accident. And I can’t ask him outright”

“Can’t you like run away or something? I’m sure I can find a way to get you to the States – “, Baekhyun asked.

“And leave Mom and Jongin for Kim Minjun to exact his vengeance on? No thanks!”

“You could take them with you”

“Seriously?”, Kyungsoo scowled at him. “Let’s say I do tell them to leave all the life they have here behind to come with me but how long would we be able keep running? Forever? That’s not a solution. And besides, my immediate family isn’t the only problem here, he knows all of you too and….Seungwan”

They all got quiet for a minute. Kyungsoo got up first, followed by the rest. “I’ve told you everything there is, so please stop getting involved now, it’s dangerous”

“If Nayeon herself refuses to marry you, could it be a solution?”, Chanyeol spoke up making Kyungsoo furrow his brows. “And why would she?”

“Oh, I don’t know”, Chanyeol shrugged, before adding sarcastically. “Maybe you should stop being nice to her”

“And become a hot target for her father to unleash his wrath on? No thanks!”, Kyungsoo snapped. He would actually have been a jerk but it wouldn’t have worked. The girl seemed to be obsessed with him.

He took out his cell as they started walking back, and found two messages from her asking him if he wanted to have dinner together tonight. He replied that he was out with friends and would probably be late. Even though she always refrained from being too clingy, even her normal caring gestures were starting to bother Kyungsoo. And we aren’t even married yet…

Junmyeon and Minseok waved to them from a distance, seemingly having just arrived with his harried looking bodyguards. His phone chimed up with a new text, and it was from Minjun. So he’d been told about their little activity.

Where are you? Haneul and Woobin said they lost you for a bit.

Kyungsoo but back the bitter chuckle the threatened to escape. The guy didn’t even try to be subtle about how he had eyes on Kyungsoo’s every move. It was like he was living in a prison these days.

They were slow, not my fault. Out with friends to celebrate, won’t be available today.

He turned off his mobile phone and turned to his friends. “So where to?”

They ended up going to their favorite bar in Hongdae. It wasn’t much of a celebration, more of a beer kind of evening with all of them just relaxing and coming to terms with what Kyungsoo had just told them. Kyungsoo liked times like these. Though he’d never really been a big talker, he always liked going out with his friends, listening to them crack jokes and silently appreciating everything they shared with him.

“I’ll find a way”, Chanyeol whispered to him without turning his way as he sat alone near the bar, his friends all scattered around. Jongdae was pulling a fiasco by going up on the stage and insisting on singing (like he always did, sometimes Kyungsoo wondered where the guy got so much confidence and vibrant energy from) Junmyeon and Minseok seemed to have occupied his guards enough, with friendly talk and even jokes, that although they kept a keen eye on him, he wasn’t bothered that they were going to listen in on him.

“Why can’t you just leave it alone?”, Kyungsoo breathed in exasperation. “It’s no use”

“If you were in our place, would you have given up?”, Baekhyun’s voice made him turn his head to the other side to find the said guy there too. Kyungsoo could only sigh in defeat. He wouldn’t, couldn’t have given up. It would have been a lie to say that he didn’t understand where his friends were coming from.

His silence was apparently enough answer for them too. “Let us then. We have a right to try”, Chanyeol gave him a light pat.

_

Baekhyun smiled as he walked towards the nurse’s station, a box of macarons in his hand.

“Night shift?”, He inquired nurse Seojung, sitting behind the glass panel. She looked up from the paperwork and smiled. “Yeah” She slid open the panel to allow him batter access. “What’s this?”, She pointed towards the box in his hands.

“Thought you could use some sugar”, He lightly pushed the macaron box towards her and she groaned. “I’m an old woman! Sugar isn’t good for me! You know how much weight I gained over the past month?”

“Oh come on”, Baekhyun winked. “You’re pretty enough already, no need to stop the sugar”

She gave him the side eye. “I bet you say that to all the girls!” They both laughed, and she added afterwards. “How’s Taeyeon? I didn’t see her this weekend?”

Baekhyun sighed. “She fine. Just busy with all the college work I guess. She and I are actually co-presidents of a society and since I can’t be there she has to shoulder all my work too”

“Aww, don’t feel too bad, I’m sure she understands why you can’t”

“Yeah, I hope so”, That didn’t stop him from feeling bad.

“She’s a strong girl, Taeyeon”, Seojung added thoughtfully. “Considering all she’s been through, I was really surprised to see her so bright after all these years”

Baekhyun’s heartrate picked up. This was what he was here for, right? To find out more about what Taeyeon was reluctant to tell him? Why did he feel this strange sense of trepidation than? Like he wouldn’t like what he found out?

He brushed away the thoughts and focused. “Right, what happened all those years ago…” He treaded carefully with his words, hoping to say only what was needed and no more.

“Yeah”, Nurse Sejeong pursed her lips, lost in thought. “I was only a trainee of three months at that hospital than, when she was admitted. It really broke my heart to see the condition she was in”

Something constricted inside Baekhyun. What condition? “Right, this was what, three years ago?”, he hoped the nurse wouldn’t notice the underlying nervousness in his tone.

“No, five actually”, Seojung counted in her mind. “She was fresh out of High School”

Baekhyun suddenly found it hard to breathe. Five years ago? High School? That was when…

“And she had…?”, His heart was beating a million times per second as he asked, hoping it would nudge the nurse in the right direction.

“She’d had a nervous breakdown”, The nurse looked too lost in the memory of that time. “Something about a fight she had at the school’s farewell party I think. Poor thing looked more broken than anything I’d seen in that ward till that time”

Suddenly the four walls of the building around him, seemed to close in upon him. Nervous breakdown? Farewell party? She’d had…..a nervous breakdown….after the farewell party?

Perspiration appeared on his face, and he tried not to breathe too loudly, the effort suffocating him. It can’t be…..it can’t be…

“Hey are you okay?”, A hand on his trembling one brought him back to the present. “Huh? Yeah, I’m fine” He lied, in a breath.

“Anyways, I’m glad she’s fine now”, Seojung gave him a small smile. “And that she has friends like you who care”

Right. Friends. Who cared. Had he ever?

He gave her a strained smile before telling her should check up on his father. She thanked him for the macarons as he turned away.

A thousand questions swam through his mind. How, why had Taeyeon had a nervous breakdown? And that too after their Farewell party? The scene where he’d left her standing in the garden and gone away with Soyou flashed through his mind. She had looked fine then.

Had she really? A voice rang through his head and he shook it furiously. No. It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t have had a nervous breakdown because of a simple rejection. He would have found out. There was something missing.

Then he remembered something else. A small detail. Seohyun, the girl who he always saw around Taeyeon then, coming and speaking agitatedly to Minseok as they’d stood enjoying the rest of the party. And then she and Minseok had both apprehensively taken their leaves.

He hadn’t thought much of it then. His mind had been too distracted anyway, but something had still felt wrong which he had brushed away. It couldn’t have been related to Taeyeon, could it?

Even as he questioned himself, he knew it had to be it. The missing piece. Now he just needed to wait till morning to find his older friend and ask him to take away his suspicions.

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A/N: How are you all? Hope you like this update.

Stay safe.