I know the chapters are short. But I think I can keep this up better when I write in short episodes, well I hope at least.

When I started the story I didn't know that Fishy is originally from Mokpo, so when I found out coincidentally I thought I should give him a cameo ^^. I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading, commenting and suggesting things :). I promise I'll reveal how Kibum excused himself to get away from NYC later on.

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqjH9eoO4uw

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I think up to this point, before the last call, I still didn’t really believe those people were capable of hurting Yoogeun. In spite of all the evidence I had kept my faith in the kidnapper’s goodwill and reason. I pictured a bunch of fan-girls who definitely went over the top yet didn’t really mean any harm. But now this has changed. It almost feels as if they hurt us, too, as if they were directly responsible for the accident.

Jjong looks like he is thinking the same thing and I know this isn’t good. We can’t lose our cool. I should try to calm down to be able to hold back Jjong when he blows his lid.

“We’ll be on the train for another two hours at least”, Minho says into the silence and I can see that he is already trying to ease the anger that makes me tremble and Jonghyun clench his teeth. “We should treat Jjongie Hyung’s ankle and maybe get some sleep.”

Taemin immediately seizes the suggestion and adds “Maybe we can get something to eat too. There should be a restaurant in one of the carriages.”

“Okay,” Kibum says, “you and Jinki-Hyung go and get something to eat. Minho and I will play doctor on Jjongie.”

With that he pulls out his wallet but Taemin dismisses it and shows him his own wallet, the one Kibum gave him for his birthday, with a big Taeminnie-smile.

“I can’t believe you haven’t lost it yet”, Kibum says dryly but looks almost touched and probably is.

Taemin and I move to the next carriage in search for the train-restaurant. Among the few people we pass is a teenage girl who is the first person so far who definitely knows who we are. Her eyes go wide when Taemin almost stumbles because the train unexpectedly jerks to the right and he unconsciously makes a couple of magic steps without breaking his stride.

She is about to take a picture and usually I wouldn’t care, but this might be a bad moment and I really don’t want any fans waiting for us in Mokpo and make things even more difficult than they already are.

So I smile my best smile and put a finger to my lips. She stops in mid-motion and then takes the phone down with a slight nod and a shy smile.

I almost want to hug her for understanding and forgoing the opportunity to catch SHINee’s Taemin and Onew off-guard.

The restaurant is closed already, but there is a small newspaper-booth that sells crisps and sweets. We get a bunch of packages of everything and when we pass the girl again on our way back, I hand her a small bag of crisps. She looks up only for a second and takes it with a whispered “Gam-sa hamnida, Onew-oppa”.

Taemin doesn’t notice any of it and that’s probably for the best.

Meanwhile Kibum has managed a decent looking bandage around Jjong’s ankle. I’m surprised that I actually thought of taking the first-aid kit from the car with us. So I’m not entirely useless. And Jjongie seems calmer than before which is probably due to Minho’s good influence.

Critics often write that we’re successful because we’re a well balanced team. I guess they’re right.

We share the junk-food, Kibum whining about the sugar “I can immediately feel my body gaining weight” and Jjong fighting with Minho over the crab-flavoured crisps of which there is only one bag.

Then we try to get some sleep.

It’s Kibum who wakes us 20 minutes before we arrive in Mokpo. It’s 9pm already, just an hour left till rendezvous.

We get off the train unhindered. I check the kidnapper’s messages again for the actual meeting point.

“SAMHAKDO-DOCKS“ I read out loud, “should we take a taxi?”

“Well, I don’t think we have any other options”, Jjong says, limping next to me. He appears to be in more pain than he admits. When we got ready to disembark he was almost unable to fit his foot back into the boot.

Taemin is holding up Minho who is very pale but the band-aid over his eyebrow still holds. He has probably suffered a mild concussion, actually I might as well.

When we try to leave the hall of the train-station we hastily go back in. It’s raining again, freezing rain, sleet as they call it; immediately turning everything into gleaming ice. It’s much worse than what hit us on the highway and a wind gets up. The plaza in front of the station is empty. Not a single soul on the street and not a single taxi.

“Damn”, Kibum swears, “I can’t believe this. All odds against SHINee. Seriously, what’s going on here?”

He takes a careful step outside, shuffling like an old man but still not making it very far before he slips and goes down flailing his arms and cursing.

While he tries to get back to his feet suddenly a man comes striding almost casually around the corner, the ice crunching under his spiked shoes. He stops short of Kibum, and when he bows down to help him in the lights of the station plaza I can see that his hair is dyed blue.

Almost comically he puts Kibum back on his feet, pats down his ridiculous overcoat, looks at him closely and says: “Onew?”