Kris looked around for a while before turning back to Jongin. “Are you sure this is the place?”

Jongin nodded, slightly surprised that his hyung didn’t believe him, but hey, with Yixing missing (and Chanyeol who might be the person behind everything), Jongin would also want to be sure. “Yes, hyung. I’m 100% sure.”

Kris nodded and looked around around. He narrowed his eyes at what seemed to be an abandoned building and turned to Jongin. “You need to get the others. Get Kyungsoo first, if you can’t bring them here all together. Or Jongdae—no, Jongdae might have a hard time—“

Jongin’s eyes widened. “Hyung you don’t think—“

“If they are indeed holding Chanyeol and Yixing there, they will definitely put up a fight. Worse comes to worst, Chanyeol’s going to put up a fight. We’re going to need each other.”

Jongin gulped. How long as it been since they fought? No—it doesn’t matter how long it had been because this time, they’re going to fight their brother. How is it even possible to fight Chanyeol?

Kris sighed and rested a hand on the younger’s shoulder. “You’re the only person I can depend on now. Please, get Kyugsoo. I’ll be going inside to check everything.”

Jongin lowered his head and nodded. “Neh, hyung.”

Kris took one step back and in a snap of a finger, Jongin was gone. Kris took deep breaths before turning around to look at the building again. He observed how the wall’s paint was starting to chip off and how some windows were broken. Kris shook his head. There was no way Chanyeol—or Taecyeon would be in there.

Kris his heel but as soon as the ball of his foot made contact with the ground, a bloodcurdling scream made him stop and whip his head around.

Because that bloodcurdling scream came from the building.

Because that bloodcurdling scream was Yixing’s.

Yixing bit his tongue and the iron taste was easy for him to ignore. His fists curled into a tight ball, and his knuckled had clearly gone white. He was drenched in sweat and the smell of burnt skin mixed with burnt cloth and probably even wood made his insides churn.

He felt like vomiting, but Yixing kept on swallowing. Swallowing his saliva mixed with blood because no matter what happens, he cannot be weak. Not in front of Chanyeol. Not infront of Taecyeon or Wooyoung.

Taecyeon kicked the floor and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Why won’t you heal yourself?! You can, can’t you? Go ahead!”

Yixing shook his head which hung low, not saying a single word.

Chanyeol’s features softened for a while, he never liked hurting anyone—most especially not Yixing. But why can’t Yixing understand that this is what’s best for everyone? That Taecyeon’s group doesn’t mean any harm? That Chansung will be helping them—the both of them?

Chanyeol didn’t like what he was doing. But if it was the only way for Yixing to realize everything, then so be it.

Chanyeol sighed. “Hyung, please, don’t make me hurt you more.”

Yixing didn’t answer. But Chanyeol noticed how he relaxed; how his shoulders slumped down instead of holding up in that stiff position, how his fist finally opened and how color slowly came back into it.

“Hyung, please.”

Taecyeon stood there impatiently with crossed arms.

Yixing shook his head once more, and with a sigh, Chanyeol put the ropes around Yixing’s wrists on fire.

Yixing let out another scream, and his toes, along with his fingers, curled in pain. It was so painful that Yixing couldn’t even think straight anymore. His vision was being clouded by tears, his tongue was numb, yet he can still taste the strong tang of iron.

He can hear sizzling. Was that his own blood? Was that his own skin? He wasn’t sure.

Yixing was already desperately kicking the floor, hoping to atleast help ease the pain by distracting him, but as soon as the rope made friction with his skin, the intensity of the pain he was feeling grew twenty times stronger and he twisted and turned, hoping to get out in any possible way—but avoiding to move his wrists at the same time.

The fire disappeared, but the pain didn’t. Yixing was now crying out loud, and his can taste his own tears now.

How was it even possible that with all the fire, the rope was still not breaking?

Yixing closed his eyes, and he wanted to do something, to maybe just numb himself from feeling the pain being inflicted to him, but he didn’t want Taecyeon to get what he wants.

“Hyung you can heal yourself, can you? You can. Just—please, just do it! Heal yourself, hyung!” Chanyeol was shouting now.

Yixing sniffed and pursed his lips before shaking his head yet again.

“Hyung!” Chanyeol shouted. “Why are you so hard-headed?!”

Yixing shut his eyes close and shook his head. “I..” He almost whispered, he wanted to talk out loud, but he didn’t have energy left. And he choking on his own tears, his own blood, plus he was trying so hard no to vomit. “I will not let them use me, like they—like they did to you, Chanyeol.”

Yixing, with all that’s left of his energy, looked up, and made sure to make eye contact with the younger.

Chanyeol’s lips twitched, but he didn’t move. Taecyeon, though, took cautious steps towards Yixing.

Yixing tensed up when Taecyeon sat down infront of him. “You know,” He whispered, “I’m impressed. But it would be better if you impress me by showing us you can actually heal yourself.”

Yixing panted, he was tired. He wanted to give up, really. His burns were stinging, his tongue was already numb, purplish-blue crescent shapes were embedded on his palm, he was a mess.

He shook his head. Slowly, not because he didn’t have energy left anymore, but because he wanted Taecyeon to understand one thing: That he will never ever give in.

Taecyeon growled before pushing the burnt rope into Yixing’s skin.

Hell, it was painful. Yixing’s head immediately shot up, his eyes shut close as he screamed, choking on his tears yet again. He screamed in a pitch he himself didn’t know was possible for him to do, but the pain—the pain was just too much for him to bear.

He was on the verge of blacking out when another flame burst from his left side (he wasn’t sure, but can hear it, and he can feel the heat).

Chanyeol?

“What. Are. You. Doing.”

Kris.