taemin advanced toward you. you tensed up, waiting for something to happen.
taemin put the flat of the blade under your chin lightly and tilted your face up to look at him.

"stand up." he put a bit more pressure under your chin and you rose with it until you were standing again.
you could feel yourself trembling again as he turned you around so you were facing the wall.

your heart was beating fast, you were sure he was going to kill you.
suddenly you feel the pressure of the zip-ties leave your wrists.
you heard him moving and turned around to see him tossing the ties away.
"i... thought... " you stared at him, confused. you would feel relieved too, if he wasn't still holding that pocket knife.

"listen kitten, we have a system here. if you don't cause us any trouble, we won't restrain you. at least, onew hyung and i won't. i can't make promises about jonghyun or minho hyung. i think they find it... entertaining." he sat down on his bed and gestured for you to sit as well.
you gingerly made your way over and sat with a good distance between the two of you.

taemin smiled a bit, "there. good. now, you'll be sleeping here with me tonight, so i suggest you crawl under those covers and stay put until morning."
he got up, went over to a dresser, and began rummaging through on of the drawers.
he picked out some pajamas and set them on top of the dresser.
he pulled his shirt over his head and you quickly averted your eyes. no distractions. focus. leave after he's asleep.
he noticed your reaction and chuckled.
"shy, are you? funny how you're brave enough to spy on professional thieves but too shy to see a man shirtless."

your cheeks flared, "i wasn't spying! i told them already, i don't know why i'm here! i was breaking the law too, i can't report them--you... any of you!" he chuckled again and came back over to sit on the bed.

"sweetie, you've seen too much already. even if you didn't go and directly report us, there are ways the police can figure out where you've been. so no, you're staying here. with us. for a long, long time." he patted your hair and you slapped his hand away, hard. you were frustrated and flustered.
he scowled. he obviously didn't like that.

"didn't i just go over the part where i told you not to be a troublemaker? let me remind you, i am one of the patient ones here." he pulled open the drawer of the bedside table, muttering under his breath "at least he knew how to keep his hands to himself."
he pulled out a thick blue ribbon.
he moved toward you, and you backed up.

unfortuneately the bed was against the wall on two sides, and you were cornered.
"come on, kitten. you didn't think i'd just let you run around and play all night while we slept? give me your hands."

no no no, this wasn't good. you needed to get out. now.
you ducked around him as fast as you could and scrambled off the bed. you ran over to the door and unlocked it.
taemin whipped around and lunged at you as you swung the door open.

you just barely stayed out of his reach, so you took off down the hallway.
you could hear onew and jonghyun still talking in the foyer, so the main door wasn't an option.

making a mad dash for the nearest door, you found it open. you ducked inside and closed it behind you.
you waited a moment, listening for taemin. the room was dark but you closed your eyes anyway.
you heard him running down the hall, then muddled talking with onew and jonghyun.
"YOU WHAT?" you heard jonghyun yell. there were more footsteps. great, now all three would be looking for you.

trying to slow your breathing and focus your thoughts, you looked around. not that you could see much in the darkness.
the only source of light in the room you were in was the dim moonlight coming in through the window, so you made your way over to it, hoping it would be open.

you could barely see as you passed by the edges of furiture around the room.
a small noise of pain escaped when you accidentally stubbed your toe on the corner of a bedframe you hadn't seen.
you moved past it toward the window, and began to open the latch
when you heard movement behind you.

you spun around, only to be pushed hard up against the window, a hand clamped over your mouth again.
your wrists were quickly gathered in the figure's other hand.
whoever this was, they were very tall, and just as strong as the others.

"well what do we have here?" purred a low voice. your heart jumped into your throat. .
"i see we have a new house guest. apparently one that doesn't know any rules yet."
he paused and listened to the commotion outside.

"well, that' doesn't sound good. seems like they've lost something.
why don't we see if we can help them find it?"