WARNING: ALLUSIONS TO SUICIDE

Xiumin almost regretted making Semi angry when he found himself awake at four in the morning because she was having another nightmare.  It had been pleasant, though a little odd, to sleep by himself that night, but it did concern him a bit that he wasn’t able to get into Semi’s room to calm her down.

He spent some time sitting outside her door, debating over whether to knock or call out to her.  He could tell she was awake because she became quieter and began moving around.  The light also came on, framing the door and illuminating a tiny strip of carpet.  Eventually, she must have given in to her distress, because he heard the lock slide back.

She didn’t come out, though, and Xiumin made no move to enter the room.  He could hear her shallow breathing and near-silent sobs on just the other side of the door.  She was clearly torn as to whether to continue suffering or whether to swallow her pride and come to him.  Xiumin simply waited.  After their argument, she was going to need to feel in charge of the situation or he’d come off as overpowering.

Eventually, at seven minutes to five and just when his legs were beginning to go dead, she caved.  Xiumin got to his feet as he heard the doorknob turn, and Semi tumbled out and into his arms, quivering with cold and fear.  He didn’t say a word, just guided her back to the bed, cocooning her between him and the covers as he held her close and allowed her to press her head to his bare chest so that she could listen to his heartbeat.  She was still crying silently, and it was only with great difficulty that he kept one of his hands from straying to her back to caress the scar that he knew was there from the car crash.

Semi was still curled around him when the sound of the doorbell ringing woke him up several hours later.  As gently and silently as possible, he disentangled himself and went to get the door, throwing on a t-shirt on the way.

His heart nearly stopped when he saw Lay on the other side in full uniform.

“Morning,” the police sergeant said cheerfully, flashing his dimple alongside his ID.  “Can I come in?”

Xiumin really wanted to deny him entry, but he didn’t think he’d be able to get away with it, so he silently complied.  Lay showed himself into the kitchen and made himself at home, putting on the kettle before sitting down at the kitchen table.  Xiumin leant against the counter.  Lay looking around and humming contentedly to himself was beginning to piss him off.

“You’re brave coming alone,” he grunted.

“There’s a distinct advantage to knowing where the kitchen knives are and that everything is watched and recorded the entire time,” Lay told him easily.  “Would you like coffee?”

“This is my home.”

Lay shrugged.  “We both know you weren’t going to offer.  And Siwon’s the one who pays, anyway.”

Xiumin gazed at him impassively.  “Why are you here?”

Lay looked around.  “Just checking up on things.  Toast?”

Rolling his eyes, Xiumin got the bread that Semi insisted on eating every now and again out of the cupboard.  “How many slices?”

“Two, thank you, unless you’d like one.”  Lay beamed brightly at him.  Xiumin shot him a dirty look and dropped two pieces of bread into the toaster, withdrawing his fingers sharply as if he’d just touched something revolting.

“Did you not eat breakfast?” he grumbled.  Lay shrugged and shook his head.

“Nah.  Knew there would be food here.”

“And why are you—?” Xiumin began again when a noise from the front door cut him off.  He straightened up, eyes going to the kitchen doorway as he started forwards.

“Relax.”  Lay waved him back.  “It’s just Kyungsoo.  He went back to get something.”

Xiumin’s eyes narrowed and he halted, but he didn’t relax.  “The front door’s locked,” he told Lay bluntly.

“Yeah,” said Kyungsoo as he entered the kitchen.  “I’m also the one who arranged the apartment’s security, so I made sure I had a key.”  He set down a bag and approached Xiumin.

“There’s toast!” Lay called to him.

“Give me a moment.”  Without warning, Kyungsoo grabbed Xiumin’s wrist.  Xiumin tried to withdraw it, but there was a click and he let out a hiss of pain as something dug into his wrist.  Yanking his hand back, he glared at the technician.  Kyungsoo brushed past him to the toaster.

“Don’t even try taking it off,” he warned.  “It’ll shock you.”

Xiumin immediately withdrew his other hand from the thin metal band Kyungsoo had snapped around his wrist when he’d grabbed him.

“Do I look like some kind of dog to you?” he seethed.

“More like a hamster,” said Lay.  “Or a chipmunk.”  Xiumin turned his glare on him and held his arm up.

“Explain this.”

“Sure.”  Lay smiled sweetly at him.  “After you’ve explained these.”  He threw down a slim wad of photos on the kitchen table.  Still glaring, Xiumin stepped closer to look.

“Abduction,” he said shortly after scanning the photos.  “Young Korean male.  He’s taken a beating.  Photos are probably for blackmail, and he looks like Semi’s friend Choi Seunghyun.”

“You can do better than that,” snorted Kyungsoo, unimpressed, though the effect was a little lost by him munching on his toast.  Lay held up a hand to shut him up and raised an eyebrow at Xiumin.

“Oh, wait,” continued Xiumin, voice beginning to get sarcastic.  “Are you saying that’s not Choi Seunghyun?  Because that’s what you introduced him to me as, and if this has any connection with what happened with Semi yesterday, then this guy is actually her brother.”

“We’re considering adding to your sentence again,” Lay told him.

“Why?”

“You were the one who told Luhan about Sehun.”

Xiumin scoffed.  “I’m