Act Four

            Luhan closed the locker door, satisfied with his nerdy look on the mirror, he smiled. He turned around just to see his friend, Xiumin, has finished. So he took one of his hand to his shoulder, smiling.

“I am so tired. Let’s go home” Luhan cooed

Xiumin laughed at his friend behavior, he said “At the time like this, you should ask me to go have some drink or what”

“Oh, you know I can’t do that. Too much to do after work” Luhan said, but still resting his hand on Xiumin’s shoulder “Let’s go before the sun rise!”

“Oh I wish that we could meet that y reporter guy again, at least I got a free coffee”

            Luhan just laughed at Xiumin’s protest. Once they are outside, Luhan is surprised to see his phone lights up. He pouted, withdrawing his hand on Xiumin’s shoulder as he reads the text.

“Boss?” Xiumin asked

            Luhan shook his head and shows his screen to Xiumin who soon frowned.

“Wow, hard to belief but no surprise” Xiumin reacted

“I know right. Unbelievable. He tried so hard” then Luhan put his phone back to his pocket

“What? You don’t reply him?”

“Me? For what? Seriously?” Luhan rolled his eyes “What is the point of telling me that you, my childhood friend since forever, is dangerous. Knowing my number is one thing, but talking bad about my friend is a big no. I guess he didn’t heed the warning at all”

“Which warning?” Xiumin asked which got no answer from Luhan

“Nevermind. Let’s go, I need to go home fast, but- are you sure you are okay to be alone?”

Xiumin smiled at the pure guy and patted his shoulder lightly “Of course I am, I live there for years. Luhan, you should stop worrying and went back to your brothers and sisters!”

“I know, but- I always accompany you. Your living area is not that good, you know- I mean, those- killers still there, right? Xiumin-ah, why don’t you just live with me?”

At that, Xiumin broke into laugh “With your four other siblings? Well, I am not complaining, but- you know my other job is not good for your little siblings, so-“

“Oh shut up, I know you have been stopped since months” Luhan rolled his eyes “But still-“

“OMG, how did you know? Are you monitoring me?” Xiumin faked his surprise but patted Luhan’s shoulders once again, telling him that he is okay “That is OK, OMG. Didn’t you say that you have to buy new book for Jieun? Little Nana needs to see you before she opens her eyes. And don’t forget today is Donghyun and Songhyun’s field trip, you need to prepare their lunch, they couldn’t just eat leftover meals! On the second thought, should I really come to your place instead and help you take care all of them?”

Luhan pouted, shaking his head and said “-and make everything worse? You couldn’t even hold knife properly. No thank you. Fine then, I guess I really need to go home early, you are right. Just tell me if you are arrived, okay? You are my other siblings that I need to take care of. Don’t disappoint me, Xiumin-ah”

Xiumin laughed and kiss Luhan’s forehead right away which soon blushed by the action “Alright darling, see you tomorrow”

            Xiumin did that often, Luhan never minds though, although it might seem a little awkward because both of them are adult now. They are best friend since kids, never once being separated, thus everyone who dare to talk bad about Xiumin would get his punch on the face.

It goes same with his Boss. Both of them are Luhan’s precious, his saviors from this harsh world. He would give anything to make them smile, and that is how Luhan lives, to make both of them, and also all of his siblings, smile brightly to him.

After made sure that Xiumin took the right bus, Luhan wait until his bus comes. He checked on his watch that shows the number of four. He fixed his glasses, tightened his hoodie and yawned. Well, he got some minutes to sleep on the bus.

With the thought, he closes his eyes peacefully and smiled. Unaware that someone is watching him from the back seat. The man has a hideous blood trace on his right eyes that is hidden perfectly by the sunglasses. He watches Luhan since he came in the bus, until the latter drifted into his sleep.

-and the stare, never once left him.

***

            A guy in nice suit stood behind Jongin, frowning deeply.

“He didn’t reply anything?” he asked

           Jongin didn’t answer. He just turned around and showed the man how his message is only read but no reply. Therefore the man soon frowned. A disappointment clearly is seen on his face.

“I didn’t understand why you asked me to warn him. You are the boss here, you could just fire that man and live happily ever after with him” Jongin crossed his hands as he protested

“That is not as simple as that, young boy”

At that, Jongin rolled his eyes “I am sorry to tell you but this young boy has the same age as you. Just because you are rich, doesn’t mean that you need the honorifics, okay? We are all the same anyway”

The man, which named is Sehun, chuckled “Oh, so you remember now?”

“I ditch my lover not to hear excuses. I better go and live my life”

            Sehun smirked, letting the new hired man go as he sipped his whisky once again.

            Oh how Jongin doesn’t have any idea of how envy Sehun to him. At least Jongin has the choice, when him? Oh Sehun only have one life to be lived with, being the President Oh of the biggest club in the Town means his move has been watch.

            He looked at the camera that watched the room and sighed when it moved according to his move.

Rich? A great fortune that cost all of his life isn’t a fortune at all. He really wants to warn Luhan by himself, but- isn’t it same as making the other fall to the other cliff? From now on, he would do everything Luhan needs. Even it means living in a lie.

            Sehun will give everything to the older boy.

***

            Jongdae put the papers back on his desk, holding his breath terribly. Once the oxygen comes to his system, he knew that his act would be fall down, broke miserably into the tears. He noticed how Eunhyuk sometimes glanced at him, but decided not to look at him because he knows all the reason why he needs his time alone.

            The data has come out. The dead man they found in front of the police station is no other than Mr. Park. It is normal to be felt worse when someone you know is passed away, and Eunhyuk understands that. What he didn’t know is the reason why Jongdae put the blame on himself.

“It is not your fault. X Murder Case take a random guy as a victim. I will call Detective Choi, you should just rest, Jongdae-ah” Eunhyuk finally said as he patted the other shoulders and left him alone

            And there how the oxygen took on his system and he threw all the things on his desk. He shouted, screamed loudly. The tears keep coming from his eyes and he knows he couldn’t stop it. Anger, fear, sad, anything-

            It is his fault.

            Jongdae kept reminding himself of the man who represented him at the crime scene, and the memories those keep coming on his mind.

            So, that is true, he is really one of the kids-

“How old are you?”

Trying to hold his anger, he answered “Twenty four years old, ma’am”

The lady chuckled “The same age as the kidnapped kids. Are you happened to know one of them?”

“No, I don’t know about them. I don’t know them!” he kept whispering to himself

            Jongdae shuts his eyes closed, wanting to remember badly. But nothing much appeared as he only remember about the white room and how painful the syringe on his left hand. He screamed again, unaware of a pair of strong hand already hold him tight. Eunhyuk came and he didn’t realize it, all matters to him is to let go of his damn emotions right now, so he kept shouting and screaming like a mad man.

“Detective Kim! Kim Jongdae!”

            He could hear Eunhyuk called his name. But in the back of his mind, he only saw the man smiled at him. That sick man with the red tux who hid in the bush, waiting for him to approach.

“Au revoir!”

            Jongdae stays calm right away and Eunhyuk couldn’t be happier than that. He says something that Jongdae obviously didn’t hear. There is only one face on his mind, and Jongdae fisted his hand while remembering the innocent face.

            Park Chanyeol. He knows something.

***

            Xiumin’s smile left his face once he saw Luhan’s silhouette leaving him. He sat on the back seat silently and stared at the street. The rain has poured heavily, no wonder though. Therefore, he is curious which poor man is getting killed tonight but not really that care as long as it is not someone he knew.

            At the next stop, an old granny get on the bus, followed by a young fine man which soon got Xiumin’s attention. He immediately smirked at the poor young man who seems pure and innocent and didn’t know how to react once Xiumin winked at him. He could see how the man started to blush but immediately hide behind the granny and took a seat beside her.

            Xiumin smirked, knowing that the man has no idea about him. However, Xiumin knows him. He memorized all of them in his mind, knowing that somewhere, they would meet at each other randomly. Just like this.

            But soon, his smile disappeared as another man get on the next bus stop. His smile soon becomes a frown when the man took a seat beside him.

            Out of many empty seats, just why?

            He protested loud in his mind.

            Xiumin slouched down, resting his back on the seat as he closed his eyes. Silently hoping the stare from the man beside him would stop. The frown soon becomes pout when he realized the man didn’t have any plan to stop staring at him, so then he gave up and calculate the time when he arrived at his place.

“You are one of us who didn’t talk, right?” Xiumin whispered, pocking the man with his finger and added “Stop staring at me, it is not proper, you know. Be more like a human even if we are not” when the man didn’t even listen to him, Xiumin added “Code Number 04, this is an order, stop staring at me”

            As he said that, the man stops staring at him. The white hair guy nodded and turned his head, now back staring at the young innocent man. At first, Xiumin didn’t care, but it started to irritate him, so then he said.

“-and stop staring at Yixing. Stop following him too. Don’t harm him on my watch” Xiumin whispered “It is an order”

            As the bus stop at the next stop, Code Number 04 looks at Xiumin, before pressing the button and get out of the bus. Xiumin sighed, resting his back on the seat once again. He started to sleep.

***

           While Kyungsoo is waiting in the car, the rest of them are out there, squatting at the dead body on the alley. Suho grimaced, when Kris just stood there, keeping the area on watch. Baekhyun is the only one who holds the card, putting back on the dead body.

“It is definitely Number 01, look at the rain” Baekhyun examined the scene

Suho nodded, fisted his hand in anger as he said “He likes to kill”

“It is like a hobby to him. Needs to stop him” Kris added

“But how?” Suho asked

Kris shrugged his shoulder and looked at Baekhyun who whispered incoherently “You said something?”

Realized that he just thought out loud, Baekhyun shook his head “I mean, we should go back home”

“I know. Let’s go. The police would be here soon” before Kris escorted them back to the car, Baekhyun paused

“But hyung, because we are already out- do you mind-?”

            Baekhyun didn’t need to continue his speech as he saw the approval of them. So then Kyungsoo turned his car to the other direction. Then they all drive to another side of the Town.

***

            Xiumin pushed the door and locked it. It is such a tiring day and he almost couldn’t make it. He sighed. Not even looking at the room, he decided to walk straight to the refrigerator. He is just so hungry that he didn’t even care to lights the room.

            Well, it is not like he lived in a big place. Instead, his place is small. One flat apartment in the suburb that is clearly not safe. There are only two doors, one leads to the bedroom and one leads to the bathroom, obviously.

            Thus why, when he rummaged his refrigerator, he is bothered by the noises coming from the same room. He rolled his eyes. Taking two bags on his hand then he poured the red liquid to the cups.

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