Chapter 53

"The cameras what?!"

"All the cameras were dead within the time you told us to check, sir."

Chanyeol cursed under his breath and gritted his teeth. The setup was premeditated thoroughly. And to think that it was just to create a stupid rumor! 

"But we did get something from the CCTV outside. The one near the back alley," the guard continued and turned his chair around to click on the keyboard. "But it's grainy and in black and white, sir."

Both Chanyeol and Suho immediately came close to the sides of the guard's seat; their eyes focused on the screen before them. Upon seeing a man in all black getting out of the back door and mounting a motorbike parked at the alley, Chanyeol knew right away that it was the same man he saw last night. But no matter how hard they tried to get a look on his face, they couldn't.

Suho sighed. "This doesn't help."

"Wait. Rewind," Chanyeol suddenly instructed. "There! Paused there! Zoom in!" 

They all leaned closer to the screen, narrowing their eyes.

"Do you see that, Hyung?" Chanyeol turned to Suho whose eyes were still focused on the screen.

"Yeah." The older one gave a nod. "I think that's some kind of tattoo on his neck." He sighed. "But it's grainy."

"It looks like a star," the guard commented. "A squarish one."

A star? Chanyeol knitted his brows. Now that the guard mentioned it, the tattoo did look like a star. A queer looking one. And somehow he felt familiar seeing it. Yet, he couldn't put his finger on where he saw it before.

"Print this picture," Suho instructed. "I'll give it to my private investigator."

"Yes, sir." The guard nodded. "Oh! And awhile ago," he added looking troubled, "our IT reported that there were traces of hacker in the system just last night. But it didn't last long and it's different form the sudden shut down of the surveillance cameras. This one is believed to only copy this same recording." He pointed at the screen. "But our IT guaranteed that this video isn't corrupted."

Suho and Chanyeol looked at each other with deep frown. They knew they were thinking of the same thing. Someone else was trying to find this evidence. Or cover it.

They hoped it was the former.

Sehun pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against when he saw Tao's motorbike appearing from a distance. Coming to a stop in front of his house, Tao unmounted his bike.

"Here." With a frown, he tossed Sehun a brown envelope.

"Thanks." Sehun bobbed his head to his friend before opening the envelope.

"It's grainy though. It can't prove anything."

Unaware of how cold his friend was being, Sehun's eyes scanned the screenshots from the surveillance camera. He pursed his lips as he examined them. "This will be good enough. Thanks again."

Tao rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you're getting yourself involved with a married girl, but this better be the last time you tell me to go against Xiu. I don't like it if he hurt you, but I don't like doing something like this either. This may jeopardize him." 

"He jeopardize my life, Tao," Sehun deadpanned.

Tao shrugged. "With what? Stupid rumors? You got yourself into that, Hun. He was just using it against you." Running a hand through his hair,  he continued, "I'm not justifying his action. It's wrong, I know. But you have a part in it yourself. And if it get any worse, I really don't want to be the one putting him behind bars. Anyway, I hope you will use that information wisely." He turned away.

"Why don't you just leave him?" Sehun suddenly asked stopping Tao from walking away. "Like Emi did."

There was a scoff from Tao before he turned back around to face him. "You know Xiu is the closest thing to a family for me despite his wrong doings. He saved me from the street."

"You got me."

Tao clicked his tongue. "But your parents don't like me, do they?"

"He told you to quit school," Sehun reasoned again.

"No, I made that choice myself!" Tao's shoulders slumped when he sighed. "Xiumin wasn't a bad person."

"Wasn't," Sehun pointed out.

Hearing that, Tao bit the inside of cheeks. "Not everyone can grow up in such a good family with good morals like you. Besides the illegal race, he really wasn't that bad of a person." He paused then added, "Until you came."

"You're blaming me now?"

"No." Tao lightly shook his head. "I acknowledge it's his fault that he couldn't shake off his envy towards you. I'm just saying that maybe if you never found us, things would be a little better. He wouldn't use Emi to trap you, she wouldn't fall for you, and he wouldn't get a backlash of jealousy."

"Geez. Thanks for not blaming me," Sehun replied sarcastically. "And for a reminder, I was the one dumped by her."

"That's how much she cared about you- Ah forget it!" Tao huffed a breath of frustration. "You won't understand. I have to go now."

"You know where she is, don't you?" His question froze Tao once again. Seeing his friend's widened eyes, he knew he was right. "You were just testing if I would care when you told me she ran away."

"...I-"

"Where's Emi, Tao?"

Tao sighed while closing his eyes.

Sehun never meant to visit Emi when he asked Tao of her whereabout. For some reason, it had bothered him ever since Tao told him she left Xiumin. He hated to admit it, but he was worried. He reasoned with himself that he felt that way because she left after defending him.

Knowing she was somewhere safe would lessen his worry. That was why he asked Tao of where she lived now. Not to visit her like what he was doing right now. But he was out of options. This was the only way to stop Xiumin.

Earlier
"The frost tattoo proves it all!"

Xiumin chuckled looking at the photos. "Yeah, he's one of my guys. I was behind all that sudden signal and cameras interference." He tossed the photos on his table and shrugged crossing his arms as he leaned back on his chair. "So?"

Sehun gritted his teeth. "What do you actually want?"

"Seeing you not getting the girl, perhaps?" He smirked.

"Because Emi left you?" He tried and saw Xiu's eye twitched. "Well, you've accomplished that. Now everyone knows she's not mine. So, get away from Yeojin!"

"Or what?" Xiu laughed. "Sorry, rich boy! Can't do that. I've made a deal with a devil. He's the one executing all the plans."

Sehun suddenly reached for the collar of the shorter guy, lifting him slightly from his seat. Xiu's goons rushed to stop him but Sehun didn't care and glared down at him.

"Then tell me the plans! Who's the devil?"

"Again, or what?" Still looking relaxed, Xiu quirked a brow. "Your dad will sue me?" He snickered. "You know you don't really have evidence besides those blurry pictures and my own words, right?"

Sehun tightened his grip on Xiu's collar. He knew the guy was right and he hated it. There really wasn't any strong evidence to put Xiumin behind bars. He didn't have any strong leverage to threaten him to stay away from Yeojin either. It was as if Xiumin didn't have any weaknesses Sehun could use against him. Except...

Sehun pursed his lips. The wide grin on the older guy's face sickened him to the guts. "What if I bring Emi to you?"

The sudden disappearance of his grin was priceless. Of course! Emi was Xiu's weakness just like how she was his weakness before.

"Will you stay away from Yeojin then?"

Now, Sehun found himself walking around the market in Chuncheon. The loud shouts from the fishmongers from his left and right made him flinch from time to time. The fishy stench caused him to scrunch his nose too. There were too many different fishmongers here, he wondered if he would ever find Emi.

"I'll get going now, Auntie!" A girl shouted not far from where he stood.

Sehun stopped dead.

That voice. He knew that chirpy voice very well. It used to be the only voice he could tolerate to hear talk non-stop.

When he turned to the voice, his heart lurched forward at the sight of her. Her long hair tied in a ponytail was as black as he remembered it to be. Her eyes were still the same big doe eyes. An elder woman was handing her a plastic bag. She then smiled the smile that used to make his heart beat crazily. 

The last time he saw her, she looked at him with steely eyes as she dumped him for Xiumin. It felt weird now to see her smiling so widely again like the first time they met.

"Oh? Hello, handsome young man! What fish do you want to buy?" The woman greeted when Sehun approached them, but his eyes was solely on the younger girl.

When the girl turned her head toward the man addressed, her smile faltered and her round eyes widened even more.

"Se-Sehun?" For the first time in a long time, his name rolled out of her tongue again.

"Emi."

 

"What?!" Emi abruptly stood up from the floor of her small house. She scoffed to the side. "You want me to go back to Xiu? Are you crazy?!"

Hesitantly, Sehun who still sat on the floor raised his gaze and found her glaring at him. He lowered his head again with a sigh.

"You're the only one who can stop Xiu."

"And who am I doing this for? The married girl you like?" She softly scoffed. "Now I felt stupid thinking you came for me," she whispered to herself.

"Emi, Xiumin is helping someone else. Someone more dangerous." Sehun stood up to face her. "He might be planning to harm me too. Not just Yeoj-"

"Stop!" She held out a hand. "I don't care what her name is or how she even look like! I'm not going back to Frost. I won't go back to Xiumin!" Her intense eyes penetrated him.

Despite her anger, Sehun noticed her eyes were moist from holding back tears. He didn't know she was expecting him to come for her. A part of him felt culpable, but another part reminded him he was here for Yeojin. His eyes then dropped down to where part of the frost tattoo below her collarbone was peeking out of her shirt.

Eyes not leaving the black ink on her skin, he spoke softly after exhaling a breath, "You left me for him once." His eyes found her moist ones again. "Can't you go back to him now for me? As an apology for breaking my heart?"

Her jaw dropped along with a tear. "You really don't care about my feelings, do you?"

It struck him and he paused. Her eyes staring at him were full of pain.

"You don't care about mine when you left me," he retorted in a hushed voice.

"I did that for you-" She hiccuped a sob then closed her eyes to pull herself together. "You know what? Just go!" She turned her back on him to hide the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Em-"

"Out! Leave, Sehun!" She shouted; her back still on him. "Leave!"

With heavy heart and a tinge of guilt, Sehun turned for the door but then stood still in front of it. "You know...," he started. "I was worried when Tao told me you ran away." There was a pause of her muffled sobs as he continued, "But I'm sorry I can't worry about you more than about the girl I love now." He took one last look at her back before he let out a breath and left.

Once the door was closed, Emi dropped on her knees and broke down into whimpers. 

Kris and Yeojin.

That was the only news that kept on popping in social medias. Sehun groaned tossing his phone to the side on the bed. 

Apparently, the couple was seen at the airport heading off somewhere just hours after their press conference yesterday. They were going for a holiday while yesterday he had to visit his past. Something he really regretted doing now.

Emi's tearful eyes, her trembling shoulders, her quivering lips- they kept on intruding his mind ever since he left her. Visiting an ex was not a wise decision after all. Sehun thought she would help him, but he ended up feeling responsible for her tears.

Why was she hurt anyway? She was the one who chose someone else over him back then. He was supposed to be the one hurting. It didn't feel one bit that way nonetheless.

Sehun shook his head and tried to focus on the more important matter.

Someone was out to get Kris. And Yeojin would definitely be used. Worse than that, Sehun had a bad feeling his own family would be dragged too because of him. He wondered if he should get in touch with Kris and solved this matter together. Though they weren't in good terms, he was sure they both wanted to protect Yeojin.

His phone suddenly rang pulling him out of his train of thoughts. He frowned seeing Tao's name lighting up the screen.

["Meet me at our hideout."] Tao told him before immediately hanging up.

 

The roaring engine of his motorbike died down when it stopped in front of the abandoned garage. They accidentally found the place when they went for a ride together for the first time more than two years ago. Though old, abandoned and hidden in the outskirts of the city, the place still stood as the silent proof of the start of their friendship.

It was already dark, and the lights were out. The bulb was unchanged for they had not been here in a long time. Yet, Sehun could see a lone figure in the dark sitting on the worn out couch. 

He softly chuckled. "Can't believe this place is still here."

With slumped shoulders, Tao quietly stood up and approached him. "I've decided to quit Frost," he suddenly revealed.

Sehun blankly stared at him, but slowly his lips curled into a lopsided smile. Yet, the smile didn't last long because a fist made an impact with his cheek. He stumbled backward, but the next thing he knew Tao was already grabbing his collar.

"How dare you!" Tao screamed at him who was still trying to blink away the dizziness. "How dare you use Emi!"

Use Emi? Sehun was stumped. "What?"

"Don't act dumb on me, you bastard!" Tao gritted his teeth. "I thought you care about her when you asked where she hid. But you came to her and asked her what? To come back to the place she ran away from? Are you out of your mind?!"

Sehun's lips parted in surprise. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but it was unplanned. H-how did you know though?" He wondered if Tao visited Emi after he did. "Wait. It doesn't matter. Emi didn't want to go ba-"

"She came back!" Tao cut him off.

"What?"

"She went to Xiu begging for him to stay away from you and your girl!" Tao pushed him away as he let go of the collar.

Sehun, on the other hand, stood still with rounded eyes and parted lips. Eyes darting around the floor. he tried to make sense of what he heard, but it didn't make sense at all. Not after what Emi told him yesterday.

He clearly heard her say she wouldn't go back to Xiu. So why did she do so?

"You know what else she did?" Tao suddenly cried and Sehun didn't know what to reply or even do. 

Tao had a soft heart, he knew. But those angry tears-- he never saw it before. He just blankly stared at his friend.

"She gave herself to Xiumin," Tao angrily told him through gritted teeth.

"W-what? What do you mean?" Sehun suddenly panicked. "You don't mean that, do you? It can't be that!" He paused suddenly feeling a little hard to breathe. "Right?"

Tao didn't reply. But the balled fists at his sides, the fury in his eyes, and the angry streaks of tears on his cheeks affirmed his thoughts. Sehun staggered backward. He couldn't bring himself to think properly as his mind suddenly went blank. Deep rue overwhelmed him; he felt despicable.

Without another word, Sehun quickly mounted his motorbike, revved up the engine and rode off. Guilt and anger clouded his mind, but he kept his eyes on the road. Weaving through the streets, he finally stopped at the Frost headquarter. After passing the rows of people on motorbikes eyeing him with wide eyes, he barged into Xiu's lounge. Booming music and the smell of cigarette greeted his senses. Xiu was sitting with a girl on his lap while one of his trusted friends was sitting with another.

"Ah! You're here!" The older guy grinned on his couch. "I was just about to call you." He signaled for the girls to go, stood up and took a brown envelope out of a drawer in the corner of the room.

As if not noticing how Sehun was fuming, Xiumin handed him the envelope with a lopsided smile. "Take it! It contains information about the devil I told you about and some more photographs I'm sure he wanted to release sooner or later."

Sehun only glared down at the shorter guy. Xiumin grabbed his fist and uncurled his fingers to place the envelope on his palm, then he walked back to the couch. Sehun clenched and stared at the envelope.

"I won't help him any longer, but I can't stop his plan," Xiu casually spoke up again. "Neither can you, so I don't know what you want to do with it." He shrugged. "But hey!" He pointed at Sehun then pointed at himself as he said, "You held up your end of the bargain, so I do too."

That just pulled Sehun's thoughts back to what Tao told him. "What did you do to Emi?" He dragged up his sharp gaze to Xiu.

"Oh right! I forgot to thank you." Xiumin smirked. "Thanks to you I got the best night of my life!"

Sehun's heart dropped and he was frozen for a moment. After seeing how angry Tao was, he knew it was hopeless to think Xiumin didn't touch Emi for one bit. But to hear the guy say it so shamelessly killed him with guilt.

"You son of a-" Sehun stomped his way toward Xiumin but was stopped by the friend who had been staying silent this whole time.

Xiumin chuckled throwing his head back. "What? You want to punch me?" He quirked a brow. "Sehun, Sehun, Sehun." He shook his head at every mention of his name. "You were the one who led her to me, weren't you?"

The truth coming out of Xiumin's mouth stabbed Sehun again. He was angry. But he wasn't sure anymore if he was angrier at Xiumin or himself.

"You said it yourself!" Xiumin continued. "You bring Emi to me, I stay away from your girl." Lifting a shoulder, he smirked again. "Right?"

Sehun couldn't find the right words to retort because as much as he hated to admit it, Xiumin was right. This was all his fault. 

"Plus! Emi offered herself to me. She practically begged for me." Xiu raised his hands looking innocent. "I didn't ask her to do it."

"Where is she?"

"Don't know." He shrugged without a care as he took a can of beer on the table and downed some of it. "Why do you want to know? You want her back? But you have your girl. You can't get both, rich boy!" Then he scoffed. "Oh! I forgot! Your girl isn't really yours either, huh?"

Sehun clenched his fist; his finger dug on his palm.

"So what? You want Emi as a side dish?" He smirked.

His ears couldn't take any of Xiu's insults any longer. "I'm done with you! Stay away from Yeojin!" He turned away and walked for the door but then paused to open it. "And from Emi too!" He exited the room slamming the door behind him.

Xiumin was a despicable human being. But Sehun realized he himself was a bigger douche.
 

As soon as the door was slammed, Xiumin's smirk turned into a straight line. Closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"But you told me you didn't sleep with her, Xiu," his friend suddenly spoke up.

Sighing, he admitted with voice contrasting his earlier chirpy one, "I didn't." He stared down at the can of beer in his hand and softly scoffed at himself. "I couldn't." He sipped his beer then dragged his gaze to the closed door. "But I want him to feel miserable for making her go to that length." 

This is the longest chapter I've ever written about Sehun, ain't it? I miss writing about him! Was it too long though? At least you get to know more about him and Emi. And Tao. And Xiumin, who- by the way- isn't as bad as you think he is, ey?