Something Once Lost Cannot Return

Two hours, thirty-seven minutes, twenty-two seconds, and counting.

That was the time remaining on the clock.

Zero.

That was the number of answers that the boys had managed to find.

Everyone was exhausted, so tired that they were barely able to move. Yoochun had bidden on her, playing into the FINE Co.’s hands, but it was their last resort. He’d bid over four billion won, everything that the police department had allowed him to use.

At that moment, they were the highest bidders.

It was a waiting game.

Joonmyeon wasn’t satisfied, though. He knew that just bidding on her wasn’t enough. How would they be able to take down the entire company by just bidding on Hyesung?

“Relax, kid,” Yoochun had assured him. “There isn’t a soul alive who would bid more than what we have on a girl, no matter how pretty she is. We’re going to get her back just fine. And we’ll meet them Independence Park. There’s nowhere to run there. We’ll get them for sure.”

Even with the words of a detective, words that had calmed most everyone else, Joonmyeon still had a sinking feeling in his stomach.

He couldn’t pry his eyes away from the screen.

For the past ten hours, he’d watched as Hyesung paced back and forth, her eyes landing on the camera constantly. She’d refused food and water, and it had broken his heart to know that she wasn’t eating. Junsu had personally visited her several times and each time, Joonmyeon wished that the camera had sound, so he could hear just what they were discussing.

He felt more anxious, more concerned, than he had in perhaps his entire life. Even when he was waiting for his University results, he’d never been that worried.

The concern continuously grew in his heart as the clock at the bottom of the screen ticked down to zero. Never had twelve hours seemed longer. He wanted it to get to zero, and fast, so he could have Hyesung back in his arms.

Two hours, fifteen minutes, thirty-six seconds, and counting.

Joonmyeon stood suddenly, drawing all attention to his worn and weary form. “I need some air,” he declared. “I’m going to get coffee… anyone want to come with me?”

Almost immediately, Sehun jumped up. “I’m going.” His eyes were still bloodshot, which caused Joonmyeon to nod. The younger boy had been crying on and off for the past few hours. Every time he thought of Hyesung, his precious noona who’d always taken his side in an argument and even treated him to bubble tea afterwards, he started to sob, bawling his eyes out.

“I’ll come, too,” Jongin volunteered easily, looking tired and saddened by the event that had caused all of them to look years older than they really were.

Soon enough, most of the boys had agreed, needing the break from the gloomy atmosphere. Only Jongdae had offered to stay behind, not wanting to risk being outbid. “I’ll definitely call you if anything happens,” he promised.

Ten minutes, fifty seconds, and counting.

Jongdae stared at the counter.

They were still the highest bidders at four billion won.

He was starting to think that Yoochun was right, that they were going to win the bid. It wasn’t like anyone could bid more than four billion. There weren’t that many people in South Korea that had that kind of money to just blow on a girl in her twenties.

He gnawed on his nails as the counter ticked down even further.

It was getting to a point of complete exhaustion. His heart was beating out of his chest. Jongdae had never concerned himself with such things as human trafficking, thinking that it would never affect him, yet he was sitting in front of the computer, waiting to see if his friend would be lost to the hands of anonymity.

Jongdae gripped his phone tighter in his hand, Joonmyeon’s number already dialed. All he had to do was hit send to call his friend and tell him exactly what happened.

He wasn’t about to let Hyesung go.

And he wasn’t about to forgive the people who’d dared to try to take her away.

Joonmyeon couldn’t bring himself to smile at all. None of them could.

Sehun was sitting with him, curled into Joonmyeon’s side as he sniffled even more, sadly sipping the bubble tea that Luhan had bought in order to attempt to calm the younger boy. Unfortunately, Sehun couldn’t help his cries.

The entire car was silent.

No one knew what to say.

“Guys,” Minseok started, “what time is it?”

Pulling out his phone, Jongin replied, “It’s almost eight at night. It’s seven fifty-nine, to be exact.”

There was one more minute until the bidding closed.

The tension in Kris’ van was evident, even from the taller Chinese, who was gripping the wheel so hard it’d practically turned white.

A sudden ringing burst out in the middle of the van, disruptin