chapter two: meet the crazies (part one).

“unconventional?!” hyukjae demanded, whipping around to face jungsoo, who merely walked around the car and made his way toward the massive building before him. “i know you said it was a special agency, but couldn’t you have also told me that you worked for essem? you know, before i got a damn heart attack thinking that you were going to sell me to a black market?”

jungsoo didn’t even bother looking at him as he responded, deadpan, “what does it make of you that you still came along, even with that thought in mind?”

hyukjae whined at him, but followed him through the entrance anyway. “you said you’d forgive me if i went with you. so i just blindly trusted you, hoping that i wouldn’t be sold.” it would have been rude to decline your offer.. especially since i tripped and spilled my drink on you..

“that level of naivete will get you in trouble one day, hyukjae,” jungsoo jested, “but i suppose that you’re our responsibility. come along now, we have cookies and milk waiting in my office.”

“‘you’re now our responsibility’ my ,” hyukjae groused, cheeks puffed up in anger.

not even twenty minutes into the tour, jungsoo literally abandoned him to his own devices in this unknown building-- one that requires an ID to enter, exit, wander, or even use the restroom-- with too many strangers in much too formal attire and with nothing to help him fend for himself. so he barred himself in the closest waiting area he could find that didn’t need an entrance pass.

the only thing he had said before leaving him was sit still, be pretty, and someone's bound to help you.

hello? hyukjae knows no one here and he really, really, really did not want to end up causing another accident that would result in him embarrassing himself beyond belief in front of all these prettied-up professionally dressed people with much more important things to do with their time than to help a kid like him out. hell, if he wasn’t already a massive ball of nerves, thrown into this establishment by a stranger who nearly gave him a heart attack by not telling him what or where the hell he’s actually doing here.. he would have run out the door already.

too engrossed with his own thoughts and sulking, he failed to notice a man emerging from a cloud of smog and shadows, watching him with purple, glowing eyes. “hey, teukie-hyung,” his deep, husky voice murmured into his in-ear, "i found him.”

-----

“... you seriously.. left the newbie. in his care?” kyuhyun asked, raising his eyebrows at jungsoo, leaning back against his armchair. “hyung.. i know you said that the newbie’s.. different, but..”

jungsoo clicked his tongue. “i know what i’m doing, kyuhyun. the ‘newbie’, as you call him, well.. let’s just say that. he and our beloved phantom will be an interesting pair.”

-----

hyukjae literally shot up out of his seat, flinging his glass of milk ten feet into the air, when a sudden chill ran up his spine and a pair of cat-like eyes stared into his soul. “what the hell?!” he screeched, scrambling backwards until he hit the wall.

“oh, you’re cute,” the stranger sang, smirking wickedly as he floated over to hyukjae. “no wonder teukie-hyung wants to take you in.”

“s-stay away!” hyukjae cried, brandishing his half-eaten cookie at him. “i don’t know who you are, but i’m warning you--!”

“sweetheart..” he cooed, closing in on the newcomer, “you can’t even touch me.”

“stop! away, you heathen!”

-----

heechul sighed, sliding down from his perch. “you’re going to traumatize him, teukie-dear. why couldn’t you have introduced someone who’s less of an oddball to him first?”

jungsoo flicked his mid