Taemin tried his best to calm down after Key left him. He felt so alone. Ever since Key had been taken off the boat, he had no one. No one to care about him or to support him. He looked down at the back of his hand once more picking at his skin. He hated the tattoo. He wanted it gone even if he had to scratch it off with his nails.

“19, meal time. Hurry up, you have another client in Section M,” a guard said as he entered the room.

Taemin nodded slowly getting up from the bed he had been sitting on and following the guard. The man was his designated guard. He was the one driving him around and getting orders to him places.

What he found amazing was this entire place only had Koreans. No foreigners at all; slaves or guards. At least it made communication easy, but it worried him why only Koreans would be in a place like this. Being a slave means he has been bounced all around the island, from the mountains, to the beach, or forest terrain. It was a strong fortress and no way was Taemin able to get away. Every gate had a checkpoint, the gates were electric and guards all carried guns. He was never left alone except for when he was with a…well he wasn’t even sure who he was having with. They seemed like important people, like higher guards, or he wondered if it was the people who kept this place running like government officials. He wanted to ask, but he was afraid of the answer. Whoever they were, didn’t care about who he was, just as long as they could climb on top of him. And if he resisted; they drugged him.

Taemin didn’t know what was worse, being drugged and unable to move, or complying.

He made it to the cafeteria door when his guard turned around “ slaves sit in the green seats. I will be watching you, understand?”

Taemin nodded, it was the first time he had been allowed into the cafeteria since he arrived three days ago. He was slightly happy to be around other people.

He entered, and his jaw dropped. There were lots of people! Hundreds! Maybe thousands. The cafeteria was huge! He could only just make out the back wall. Just how many people were suffering here? And out of all these men, why was he a slave?

He huffed slowly going over to a stake of trays picking it up and heading to the long line of people waiting for food. He looked around looking for his guard. He was in another line that only consisted of guards. It was moving much quicker than the slaves’ line, but his guard’s eyes glued were to Taemin. His cheeks turned red and he turned his attention towards the person in front of him holding his tray to his chest. The people around him were huge, buff. They smelt of oil. Taemin noticed black stained fingertips and stains on his back.

He looked around again. He remembered his hyung’s had been placed in engineering and mining. Those would be dirty jobs. But the hall was massive. There was absolutely no way to see everything and everyone.

He wondered how on earth he was meant to find a green chair. What did that even mean?

The line moved, and Taemin moved with it. Honestly, he wanted to sit down. His hurt so badly. His last…well Taemin wasn’t even sure what to call them. Masters? Customers? Rapists? Well, the point was; the last one hurt like . The bastard didn’t even prepare him.

Finally, he made it to food; there was a lot. He had never ever seen that much food before. At least they got fed well here. He was sure his hyung’s would be excited. He would just picture Minho and Onew going up time after time to get seconds.

He suddenly felt saddened. He missed his hyung’s. Slowly he started to grab food, most of the stuff he didn’t know what it was. He just pointed and a small portion was placed into a bowl and handed to him. He went through until about halfway then stepped out of line. He had enough on his tray. Now he needed to find where a green chair was.

He walked through the middle trying to spot the seats he was apparently labelled too. He finally understood what his guard had meant. Black chairs belonged to ‘mining,’ the blue chairs; ‘engineering,’ purple; ‘cleaning. Just to name a few.

He understood. They were all broken up, kept in groups. It sort of pissed him off. He had seen so many free seats, but he couldn’t find a single green one. He wasn’t even half way down the cafeteria, and already he was worried his food was going to go cold. How big was this place?

He was starting to get tired of this, he couldn’t find a green! He looked around trying to find his guard, hoping if he could see him, he could ask where a green seat was. He could tell the people towards the right were all guards. He gulped spotting him eating and talking with others, and slowly headed towards that way when he felt a hand grip his arm.

“T-Taemin?”

Taemin’s eyes widened “hyung? Oh my gods!” Taemin cried out putting his food down on the table as his hyung stood up hugging him “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too, Taemin, me too,” Onew cooed “sit, sit.”

Taemin glanced towards his guard. He hadn’t noticed Taemin yet. Plus, there were heaps of people blocking the view of him if he sat down. His guard didn’t have to know. Plus, he could say that he couldn’t find a green chair and just sat down wherever. He could get away with that. He sat down hugging his hyung once more. “I thought for sure you would get shot,” Taemin said.

Onew rolled his eyes “me too. I keep messing up, but they say I do good work and move faster than others, so I guess they put up with me.”

Taemin laughed eating his food. It felt so good to be able to talk to his hyung. At least one of his hyung’s was here.

“So, where did you end up?” Onew asked picking at some corn.

Taemin looked down. The food turning bad in his mouth “I-I…I’ve become a cleaner…”

Onew frowned shoving more food into his mouth “you don’t have to lie to me, Taemin. Key told me. We ended up on the same bus together. He told me about your tattoo.”

Tears welled in Taemin eyes. He was disgusting. If anyone should be shot; it should be him. “I-I’m sorry.”

“Taemin, I’m your hyung. I’m supposed to be the one protecting you. I’m the one who’s sorry…do they at least treat you gentle?” Onew asked taking Taemin’s hand.

Taemin shook his head “s-sometimes…but…not really. I want to go home, hyung. Please. Please. I want to see Minho hyung…and Jonghyun hyung…and Key umma. I don’t want to have with strangers. I feel disgusting…and when my body reacts I want to cry.”

Onew lost all his appetite. And he thought making fight jets by force was bad, his maknae was being forced into ion. Why the hell did they kill all the females if they had a ‘’ industry here? Females would be better. It’s most men’s preference. Then again, Taemin is more beautiful than most females.

Slowly, Taemin ate his food. Tears occasionally left his eyes. “M-Minho hyung…have you seen him?” Taemin whimpered.

“No. I haven’t. But I think I know where he is, Jonghyun too. But I can’t be sure,” Onew said.

Taemin’s eyes widened. He was about to ask where when a strong hand gripped onto his shoulder crushing it. “Ah!”

“19, this isn’t a green seat,” Taemin’s guard growled forcing him to stand up.

“I-I’m sorry…I couldn’t find one,” Taemin whimpered.

The guard pulled Taemin to his feet and grabbed his tray handing it to Taemin “they are over here,” he said pushing Taemin forward never letting go of his shoulder.

He wanted to look back over to his hyung, but his guard seemed really angry. Although this wasn’t the first time he had been manhandled by him. His guard constantly had to pin him down and force him to take drugs. He certainly didn’t make the mans’ job easy. Though at times he could be nice. If Taemin was in an area that didn’t have food, he would get food from guards’ vending machines, or water. He would let Taemin recover and sleep, give him blankets when he was cold and helped him into a shower when he couldn’t move. So Taemin couldn’t say he hated the man, but he didn’t like him.

“Aish, what were you thinking? If it had been any other guard, you would have been tasered,” the man hissed forcing Taemin down in a green seat. He was facing his back to his hyung so he couldn’t see where he was, but he knew he was all alone. No other slave were sitting in any of the chairs. It didn’t make him at ease as well that the green chairs were all seated at the end of the guards' table.

He saw them ogling at him, and Taemin instantly felt uncomfortable. Of course; those were the people who ordered him. Why wouldn’t they want him to sit and eat with him?

“So this is the infamous 19?” He heard a guard say.

“Just like the commander said, lucky bastard,” another man spoke out.

“You are so lucky. How many times have you tapped that?” Another man spoke.

“None, I’m not into that,” his guard spoke.

Taemin wanted to curl up and cry. Those men were looking at him like he was a meal. He looked over his shoulder seeing Onew still looking at him; he was seven rows over, he could barely tell he was even there. Taemin noticed that his hyung’s table zone was still running right behind him. If his hyung sat right behind him, they could still talk. Maybe even con his guard into letting him sit just one chair over. It wouldn’t hurt?

“19, hurry up and finish, you have a request in half an hour in section M.

Taemin heart dropped; another.

~*~*~*~*~

Key almost wanted to yell out when he saw his baby being pushed towards a set of green chairs, but he was sure he would get in trouble if he did, so he opted to keep his mouth shut; for once.

He wished he had seen the others as well. But he never imaged so many people would be here. The hall was massive. He had only seen Taemin because he was grabbed and dragged to a new place. Still, now he could see his baby clear as day. He seemed upset, the guards kept staring at him and it was obvious that he was uncomfortable with it.

Taemin turned around, and Key wondered who he was looking for. In the sea of people, Key couldn’t make it out. But he had a feeling it had to be one of the other members.

As time ticked by, people began bringing their trays and leaving, he saw Taemin nod to someone and then a man took his tray. Key pouted; he wouldn’t get to talk to his baby?

As the guard passed Key the tray, that’s when Taemin stood up; his mouth opened slightly; he had recognised him. Yet, all Key could do was wave and blow him a kiss as he was taken out of the hall.

“Damn it,” Key pouted. So close!

After a few moments, Key pressed a button for the trays to be cleared for him as all space was taken and that’s when a voice he had missed so dearly spoke to him.

“Key? Where else would I expect to see you but in a kitchen? Bet you’re head chef already?”

A smile spread across Key’s face “Onew hyung!”

Onew laughed handing Key three trays.

“Really? Gods hyung, you’re gonna get fat,” Key frowned.

“Seriously Kibum? We are being held hostage on an island, and you’re still lecturing me about how much I eat. Can’t catch a break, can I?” Onew sighed.

Key laughed stacking them then sighed “did you see Taemin?”

“Y-Yeah, he…he seems to be holding up, for now, but…I’m not too sure. Something in his eyes…he’s breaking and fast,” Onew said trying not to cry “on top of that, I haven’t even seen Minho or Jonghyun.”

“M-Me too. But this is only my first day here. I will let you know next time if I see them,” Key said.

“Hey! Move along!” A guard snapped shoving Onew harshly aside.

Key instantly apologised and took the tray while Onew hurried off before he could get into trouble. Key was glad, at least he knew two were still alive. But it concerned him that Jonghyun nor Minho had arrived yet.