Chapter 12                                                                                                                             “Please let him be here… Please let him be here... Please.” Baekyoungs’ repeated pleas rang in his brain as his eyes wildly scanned over the fields, hoping with all his might that his brother would suddenly pop up from somewhere randomly. This was the third time he had patrolled around the place, checking every nook and cranny. He could not count the many times he passed by the trash can and opened the lid just to look inside even when he knew that it  was impossible to fit another can on coke into the metal tube. Baekhyuns older brother looked over the sand that was imprinted with his foot prints. Baekhyuns foot was visibly smaller than his, if he headed towards the woods Baekyoung would have been able to tell by the footsteps.   “Hyung!” Baekyoung whipped his head around, hoping that it was his brother but instead came face to face with Kyungsoo who had followed him out. The owl faced boy always looked like he was staring at something and it kind of scared Baekyoung but at this moment, it looked like Kyungsoo was genuinely concerned about Baekhyuns disappearance. “A-Ah.. Kyungsoo-ah. Did you just finish eating?” Baekyoung asked, trying to switch his expression of disappointment to a normal one. Kyungsoo nodded and when Baekyoung looked down he automatically looked up. Kyungsoo was wearing very short shorts and he wondered if the boy knew that what he was wearing was actually a pair of loose briefs. To simply put it, Kyungsoo looked like a big baby wearing a white clothed diaper. “Did you find him?” Kyungsoo asked, wringing his hands together and Baekyoung shook his head, his shoulders slumping. Kyungsoo knew and he glanced around at the barren land, jerking his finger and pointing behind him. “The pointy faced guy said the puppy boy isn’t home.” Kyungsoo started and Baekyoung paused, trying to put names to the people Kyungsoo described. He wondered if Kyungsoo could still not remember their names since he was a newcomer or if Kyungsoo just spoke weirdly. “You mean Chen said Baekhyun isn’t home.” “And the pointy faced dude said that maybe puppy boy went with the others and not to worry. The panda eyed guy said that the tan boy would take care of puppy boy.”   Baekyoung was now certain that it was Kyungsoo’s weird way of speaking but he let it pass, nodding as he tried to take it in fast enough. He guessed the panda eyed boy and tan boy Kyungsoo was referring to was Tao and Kai. As much as he wanted to jump onto the remaining car they had and drive over to the town, the words of Kris floated to him reminding him that a protected child is a weak one. “I see. Nevermind, let’s go home for now. They’ll probably be back in another hour.” Kyungsoo nodded and turned back, starting to walk back leisurely with Baekyoung. Baekyoung cleared his throat, his eyes going back to Kyungsoo’s bottom wear once again. “You know that what you’re wearing is a pair of briefs right?” “Really?” Just when he thought the boy’s eyes could not become any wider, it almost popped out of his head. Kyungsoo looked down, covering his front part, his cheeks turning red. “Tan boy chose it for me. Should have known.” Baekyoung chuckled at the innocence of the owl eyed boy, his hand going around Kyungsoo’s shoulders. “Just asking… If you call everyone by stuff like “tan boy” and “panda eyed guy”, what do you refer to me as?” “Puppy boys’ brother.” Kyungsoo answered almost immediately and Baekyoung scratched his head. “Couldn’t find a cooler title for me?” Baekyoung joked and Kyungsoo smiled a bit. “How about Kris?” “Policeman.” Kyungsoo answered once again and Baekyoung nodded as it made sense. Kyungsoo kind of spoke like an alien, and he already did not look human. “And yourself? What do you call yourself?”   Kyungsoo seemed to think for awhile, looking down onto his bare feet, his hands behind his back when he mumbled under his breath. “Hobbit.”   ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Baekhyuns hand moved against time, his fingers undoing the knots as his heart raced. His eyes were on the bundle of winded ropes that had secured Sehuns wrists together so tightly that he found himself wondering if the boy’s blood would clot. Sehuns hands were turning a slight shade of purple, his palms already cold by the lack of flow of blood and Baekhyun gave a groan of frustration when he found himself tugging on the rope repeatedly. Sehuns face cringed in pain, the ropes stained in bright red as the cuts around his wrists deepened. “Give me a moment, it’ll be off soon.” Baekhyun said, finally the ropes loosening a bit. Sehun who was bleeding in different places nodded weakly, his pale skin going even paler. Baekhyun gave it a final pull and yelled a mental scream when it finally came apart. Sehuns hands that were tied up were now free but his eyes were slowly closing. Baekhyun had now noticed something he did not see before. Sehuns’ shirt that was light blue was sticking against his stomach and there was deep red liquid seeping out of the cloth. Baekhyun now knew why Sehun looked like he could barely talk. “Y-You.. Were you stabbed?” Baekhyun asked frantically, his hands working on the ropes around Sehuns feet. With experience from untying the previous knot he finally undid it within a minute, Sehun collapsing onto the ground.   “You! Sehun-ssi?” Baekhyun yelled his name, grabbing him on the shoulders and shaking him. Baekhyun grabbed the bottom of Sehuns shirt and lifted it up just to see what he was scared of seeing- a deep gasp that was gushing out blood. Baekhyun had to think fast. He knew that the moment Sehun closed his eyes and fell asleep, it could result to much danger and Baekhyun hated to think that the person who he saved could actually die. What was all that trouble for then? “Hurts.” Sehun managed to say, his face wincing when Baekhyun covered the cut with his hands and even then the pressure he applied did not stop the blood that pooled out of the cut. How evil those guys were… To gash someone out and leave them tied to a pole. “Okay, okay... This won’t do. I’ll have to bring you inside the grocery store- can you walk?” Baekhyun asked, his hands grabbing Sehuns’ arm and pulling him up. Sehun let out a groan, his hands automatically cupping his wound, his other arm going around Baekhyuns shoulder. Baekhyun have a huff from the weight of the boy and he tried to take a step forward, Sehun staggered and almost making Baekhyun fall onto the ground.   Baekhyun turned to Sehun and looked at him. Sehuns eyes were fluttering and Baekhyun knew he was using all his willpower to stay awake, Baekhyuns’ arms rounding around Sehuns waist as he struggled to maintain his balance. “Talk to me. We’re going to the grocery store right there in front.” Baekhyun started, taking one step at a time. “What color is the sign?” Sehuns’ lips trembled and Baekhyun saw him squint. It seemed that his eyes were now losing focus and every step they took; they had blood trailing behind him. “Red.” Sehun answered weakly. “Okay, good. Have you ever been to a grocery store before? Answer me. Focus on my voice.” Baekhyun spoke to Sehun, trying not to make his voice tremble. He was taught how to handle emergency situations before but it was never first hand. “Yes.” Sehun’s chest heaved and he almost doubled over, Baekhyuns’ feet stopping to let Sehun breath. “Really? What did you like to buy?” “F-food…” Sehuns’ answer was simple but it made Baekhyun roll his eyes. “No , Sherlock.” Baekhyun answered and when he turned towards Sehun, he saw Sehun crack a smile. He could not help but smile as well, urging the boy forward to the glass doors that was wretched open by a bewildered Kai.   “There he is! Hyung, he’s here!” The moment Kai saw him, the tanned skin boy yelled in