Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The air is humid in the middle of the day, the rain ceased just mere minutes ago thus puddles of water scatter all over the pavement of the streets of Seocho-gu, the street stalls pile up along the road tending to their customers, the inviting smell of fried delicacies and sweet streets mixing with the after-shower air.

People are on and going about in their day, it's the normal break hours for offices and there are multitudes of buildings along the block of just that. 

The rain hasn’t been harsh but Taehyun still flaps his slightly soaked hoodie, the wetness seeping through the fabric and sticking to his skin, it was a dumb idea to rush himself through the pour but he had to catch the bus.

The bus that he ultimately failed to catch anyway, leaving him wet and very much late to his part-time job.

The male slumps down on the bus stop seat, a sigh escaping his lips from tiredness, at least the weather is cool unlike the usual sunny blaze. Midterms are inching near and he’s getting loaded with more work than usual, college sucks ass and the blonde had wished someone told him sooner before he decided taking a bachelor’s degree in finance was a good idea for a future career.

He leans back in his seat, the bus stop is adorned with a banner commemorating some obscure idol's birthday, and he takes out his phone to call his manager, awaiting the earful lecture about being on the dot.

But it's not his fault the sky had decided to fall, and Mrs Kim forgot to keep track of the time because she was too into the topic they just entered that day. It's one bad luck stroke after another, Taehyun places the phone to his ear, the sound of a woman's voice booming through the micro speakers.

“Yes, Hana noona, I’m sorry for being careless about time–No, I’m still at the bus stop but it stopped raining moments ago” he exasperatedly tries to explain, but she has a track record for not listening to him so Taehyun shouldn't be too surprise.

“Yah you foolish boy, are you serious? Get a taxi or something, no wait. You stay where you are, I'm coming to get you” Taehyun mentally groans at her words, suppressing a protest from his lips.

“Noona no, I’ll be okay. I can call a taxi or–—”

“Nonsense, you stay where you are right now. Can’t trust anything these days, especially you, Taehyun. Be more careful” her nagging is mostly flying over his head, his aunt Hana works as a manager at his part-time job at the convenience store, she is instructed to keep an eye on him by his parents ever since he reached Seoul last year to further his studies.

The male can't fathom why they are so worried, the life and streets of Seocho-gu, Seoul, is not much different from the one back in Ilsan. Things are just a tad bit up ahead and speedy but all things considered, it's really not a bad area save for the slightly higher crime rate. 

He lives in an apartment with a roommate who is a Seoulite himself, Taehyun gets by easily at the fast pace of life in his new environment.   

“I will, noona” he mumbles a reply and puts down the call, the male takes a deep breath and exhales it exasperatedly. Taehyun wants to scream his frustrations because he has spent his whole life being treated as if the moment he steps out of the door, something terrible will happen to him and he'll be powerless to stop it.

And it's all because his wrist is clean, skin pure and clean without any sort of trace and marks.

Unlike the rest of the world around him, who each either have one to three dark redwood rectangular bars on their skin whereas his is blank and untouched.

The world is unfairly odd like that for as long as he knew, growing up one will learn that people will perceive you by the marks on your wrist rather than for the person that you are, and for Taehyun he just thinks the system is stupid.

Every child will be born with the marks or they end up like him with no marks. These so-called special marks are indicators of how dangerous one can be. Most people have one, they’re the normal folks, nothing too worrying about them since most if not all people are capable of some sort of danger.

And then there are those with two bars on their wrist, you don’t see them every day but it's not an oddity to have an extra bar. As simple as it goes, it just means you are capable of more danger than the normal quota.

Then there are the ones with either no marks at all or three full bars on their wrist, the rarest of them all.

The ones with no marks, like him, are often seen as helpless and incapable of protecting themselves. It’s why all of Taehyun's loved ones treated him with such tenderness and overprotection as he grew up, because having no bars on your wrist means you’re harmless and that makes you defenseless.

The logic never adds up for him, yet it's how society all around the globe has been working along for centuries. It gets annoying of course when people see him, and all they see is a damsel in distress.

But there are those with three full bars, the dangerous ones of them all. Taehyun personally has never met or seen anyone with three full rectangular bars on their wrist. In real life at least, he’s only ever seen them on the screens of his phone and television.

And most of the time, those people are being chained and arrested for brutal crimes.

The three bars’ folks are known to be very dangerous, as it indicates on their wrist. Can be nothing but trouble, and they always end up being a criminal or such for they believe, they can be invincible.

Again, these things just don’t make sense, Taehyun, even as a child can barely wrap his head around the concepts and sortings of these signs.

They say those with more bars on their wrist are gifted with better agility or even strength, combat senses come to them naturally along with an instinct to act volatile or dangerously without meaning to, thus why they’re seen as dangerous.

Surprisingly, there isn't much research done to actually prove such facts, three-bars individuals are hard to find, capture and contain. Yet everyone took that baseless bullshit and sprint with it, Taehyun wished he knew why, or if there is even a solid reason behind it.

The man stands up and looks around, his backpack slung over one shoulder and his eyes tiredly scanning the area for a street stall for quick snacks where he could buy some because his stomach is growling with hunger.

The male skips over to a nearby stall to buy some tteokbokki, the kind middle-aged uncle smiles and packs his order and Taehyun can see his eyes going to his exposed wrist of no marks. The man hums, "Don't see kids like you often" he remarks with a grin.

Taehyun returns the gesture, he sheepishly pulls down his sleeve to cover his wrist and thanks the man, reaching for the food; however, a loud bang ricochets off the street pavements, startling everyone.

Taehyun’s eyes bulge widely at the direction of the sound, he hears a couple of louder bangs following after, it sounds really horrid that he clasps his ear shut. The kind stall owner shoves his food into his hands, “You go now! Don’t go anywhere near that commotion, go!” he says, moving fast to close up his stall.

And Taehyun would’ve, he really would’ve run the other way and not look back.

The blonde male would’ve done exactly that but the man just had to mention the next bit.

“You kids with no bars shouldn’t be out by yourself you know? Quickly go now, call someone you trust as well”

Taehyun would've spun his heel and rushed away, but since the man just had to eagerly point out that tiny yet insignificant detail, Taehyun decides he’s going to be a bitch about it.

And with that, he charges headlong into the sound of bullets going off and screaming, his aunt would pass out if she knew what he's doing, but he doesn't care. Taehyun is athletic himself, and he may be able to assist.

While he should be terrified, Taehyun feels a rush of adrenaline and excitement coursing through his veins with each step he takes closer to the commotion. They’re always keeping him safe and bundled up, so he never got to be a part of anything fun before getting pulled away ‘for his own good’.

He’s running into danger, idiotically but it's worth proving something wrong. Taehyun can prove that he is very much capable of handling himself, even in dangerous situations with even more dangerous people involved.

No bars or not.

He pushes past the scattering waves of people, trying to fight his way through the stampeding crowd trying to escape the chaos. Taehyun knows there’s a bank up ahead, it must be a robbery.

There isn't anything too unfamiliar with such an ordeal, everyone here knows the underground gangs operating about, another main reason why his aunt doesn’t trust him out on his own and why his parents had been hesitant to let him come.

Perhaps she has been right since he is very much endangering himself as of the moment, but God did the rush of danger fill him with bubbling excitement.

As he draws closer to the bank, the thundering sounds of shootings and screaming become more apparent to him. White smoke mixes the air with faint traces of sulfur, the male covers his nose at the protruding smell and pushes his way through but stumbles over something without him noticing.

A body, lying still on the pavement covered with bruises and dust as they’re being stepped all over but he doesn’t see any blood as the person must have just passed out. Everything sounds outlandishly loud with shoutings of names and curses, a mumble of ‘What the hell…’ escapes his lips, looking around the chaos frantically.

So, this is what danger is? It's not as fun as he’d thought of in his head, but Taehyun supposes danger has never meant to be associated with the word fun in the first place.

That’s just him being stupid, goddammit he’s being utterly stupid.

The blonde male picks himself off the floor, it's a struggle with people brushing past and just pushing each other as they go without caring about anyone else around them. All selfish for their own safety, the shootings aren’t ceasing, rounds after rounds of bullets keeps going off.

However, he sees a little girl in the corner of his eyes, backed up in a corner and no parent in sight. She must have gotten separated in the scurry and her eyes red from crying with a bunny plushie hugged tight to her chest. Taehyun bites his lips and fixates his gaze on her, he has to do something, that’s a child.

However, halfway through the mess, and feeling pretty sure two bullets grazed passed him at least, he could’ve almost reached her if it weren’t for a tall menacing figure suddenly blocking his way, they stumble into his view after dodging a flying bullet expertly.

The tall figure, draped in all black with the coolest gear Taehyun has ever laid his eye upon is mere centimeters away from his crouching self. The blonde curiously looks up to see a masculine face, a dark cap over his equally dark hair but what catches his eyes isn’t the handsome face.

(Okay, maybe it is, a little. What can Taehyun say? Criminal or not, a hot guy is a hot guy)

But the exposed wrist of the criminal, glaring right back at Taehyun are three rectangular bars.

The figure’s eyes do catch a glimpse of him but he has to duck away and dodge another bullet before he could do anything to Taehyun, the male finds himself swallowing a lump in his throat.

He accidentally locked eyes with the oddly hot stranger with three full bars, and as dreamily and beautiful those eyes are, they’re so cold and blank. A lifeless gaze that belongs not to a person but a mere shell rid of humanity.

It sends a shiver all over his body just thinking about it, how can someone be so…...empty?

He looks lifeless, is that how a person with three full bars looks like? A danger wrecking machine with no mind of his own.

It such a shame, he’s hot enough for Taehyun to drool over but alas, a shame.

He continues his way for the girl, snapping his mind out of his thoughts. She’s being cornered up a wall by the chaos, Taehyun clicks his tongue and groans. The crossfire is still very actively going on and the scene gets even more dangerous by the minute.

He thought robberies are a grab and go thing? Why in the world did a shootout have to break out? Are these criminals idiots or something? Or they just love causing chaos and destruction everywhere they go?

But there’s no time to question motives or idly watching, he has to save that girl.

Taehyun feels his breath hitching when one of the guys in black sprints towards the table near her, the man’s eyes suddenly snap towards the little girl and a hand barreled a gun at her. His lungs suddenly couldn’t take in another breath, far too petrified from fear to do so.

‘Oh no, no no no don’t!’  Taehyun pushes his feet forward, already lurching forward without thinking much, he has to shield her or else—

The girl drops the stuffed toy in her grip, swiftly grabs the man’s gun by her hands and easily manoeuvres it into her own palms, the guy couldn’t even blink before a bullet is shot through in his skull.

She shot the other guy in the face without even a beat of hesitance.

Taehyun is on the floor, on his knees from shock because what the absolute fuck just happened.

The guy sags down next to her, lifeless and oozing out blood from the wound. The little girl tosses the gun away frightfully with a scream as if she herself couldn’t comprehend what she just did.

Taehyun with his mouth still hanging agape, gawks at the sight. Suddenly the sight of her wrist gives him the answer, two bars, the little girl in her pink dress and bow in her hair has two bars on her exposed wrist.

It explains so much yet makes so little sense, once more, their world is an odd one.

Dangerous or not, she is still a child and Taehyun be damned if he doesn’t get her out of this mess alive.

His phone has been buzzing nonstop in his pocket for the past few minutes, which he is very certain are from his aunt or his roommate, but Taehyun is in the middle of a life and death situation right now so he can’t really answer their calls.

The place reeks of crimson and gunpowder, the dust from shattered debris is starting to get suffocating. Taehyun coughs and wipes his eyes, it’s starting to get a bit fuzzy and weird in there, he tries to reach for the girl who finally saw his presence. 

But tall, lifeless but very much handsome is back in his view, this time with his gun pointing at the girl, he must've seen what she did to his cronies and while that point stands, she’s still a kid who doesn’t know she’s capable of such dangers.

However, he doesn’t shoot, hesitance in his stance.

It makes Taehyun wonder even for just a second, is he hesitating because it's a little girl and he still has some resemblance of humanity in him?

Taehyun leaps from the floor to reason with him but he sees a blur of blue and white, police uniforms he supposes, and a gun being aimed in the criminal’s direction.

Maybe it's the Sulphur or the haze in his head from the adrenaline, maybe even the rush of his heart.

But without further thought, he tackles down the figure. The two of them colliding down the debris floor with a loud thud. The man however immediately kicks him away, a foot straight to his abdomen and it hurts like a bitch because motherfucker was wearing combat boots damn it.

That’s definitely going to leave a wound, Taehyun clutches his side and glares up at the man who he basically just saved his life.

“You motherfucker that hurts!?!” the shout rips out of this throat before Taehyun can even remind himself who is he talking to, yet he’s given a blank stare in return and while that is probably not the right moment to feel his heart skipping a beat, his heart is a fucking traitor.

Why are the bad guys always so goddamn attractive?

Taehyun tries to kick him back but that barely made him move, “Great, now I do hope a bullet passes through your head” he remarks while he’s at it, he’s a petty little bitch through and through so if the criminal is going to kill him, might as well go all out being the bad bitch he likes to think that he is. 

The tall criminal is staring him down, intensely at that with one weird face that Taehyun can’t decipher, his face doesn’t show any particular expression which left Taehyun wondering if this guy is even a living human.

“Bin, the fuck you’re standing around for?! Get going!”

But he’s suddenly gone as quick as he came, and the sound of chaos around him disperse with his leave. Taehyun lay in the debris, shocked and baffled, his side stinging, but he began scrambling up to his feet upon remembering why he’s here, the girl.

But a pain moan erupts from his lips instead, that guy kicks hard, “Him! I saw this oppa trying to help me but he got attacked by the bad guys!!” Taehyun blinks his eyes, a concerned lady hovering in front of him and the little girl from before. 

“Sir? Sir are you alright?”

“I… I’m okay” he feels somebody helping him sit up from the lying position he was in, his head spinning like a madman. Taehyun feels as though he must've hit his head too hard when he crashed to the floor with the tall criminal on top of him.

“I think he has a concussion,” another voice says. ‘Yeah, no shit lady…...’ he remarks in his head, his aunt is going to murder him herself.

Yet even as he is being escorted to an ambulance, he can’t help but wonder.

‘He had a clear shot of me, why didn’t he kill me?’

“Mission success, that turned out messier than expected” a guttural voice speaks up from inside the van, Soobin hums along nonchalantly to dismiss the comment. The few gathered in the dimly lit vehicle scatter around, sitting in silence and while it stinks with the smell of blood and sweat mixing, all of them are too used to it to care.

But there’s suddenly a figure standing in front of Soobin’s sitting frame, glaring with obvious annoyance and rage. Red crimson drips down his thigh, leaking and dripping onto the floor, Soobin lifts his gaze up to meet the other’s, cold spiteful orbs filled with envy looking down on him.

“You fucking idiot, you’re supposed to cover me and head out after our cue! But you went back in! Are you trying to get me killed you fucker?” the other, slightly youthful voice demands. His bleached blond fringes falling over his head, the fixated glare not dimming even for a second.

The other occupants of the van could care less about sparing them any shred of attention, it’s almost like an after-mission routine at this rate. Soobin shrugs off the taunts, used to hearing it on a daily basis since the brat never shuts up.

“Saw Minjoo ran off his position, went after him but then he was dead” he explains, monotone and cool. 

“So that's two casualties, the boss isn’t going to like this, this was only supposed to be a diversion plan” the first man from before speaks up, a frown on his face at the information.

The youngest of the 5 in the van huffs and sits down, arms crossed angrily knowing damn well his father is going to pin the blame on him anyway, it's always him and not perfect son three bars Soobin.

“HK don’t be a brat now, you guys did your part” a voice booms from his in-ear piece, Kai groans upon hearing the laughter that follows, “So it's a success over there as well?” he retorts back at the elder while a faint smile crawls up his lips.

The robbery isn’t exactly a robbery to begin with, it is just to divert the police forces attention somewhere else from the actual plan of breaking in and stealing weapons blueprints. Beomgyu was on the small team of hackers and spies doing that part of the task.

“Oh hell yeah, I’m gonna have a field day with these new babes. Come and pop in my lab later after getting your wounds treated” Kai grimaces at the reminder of his bleeding thigh where a bullet had managed to graze because somebody decided to leave his 6 unguarded.

While throwing one more glare at Soobin, he mutters “I’m fine” and even though he doesn’t see it, Kai can feel the eye roll from the voice alone. “Your vital stats say otherwise, I know you’re bleeding somewhere” the other nags at him, knowing well that Kai is always neglecting his injuries.

“I’m getting enough of that from boss later, don’t even get me started Beom hyung” the younger boy drones on earning a laugh from the other male “Just get patched and swing by, got something for ya that might cheer you up” and Beomgyu disconnected from his earpiece before he could say more.

The van pulls up to a warehouse storage area, their hideout acts like a storage area to the public with actual cargo transport and storage services to act as a front. The huge area stretches out a couple of thousand acres with rows of warehouses, underneath however is an underground base with rooms and training halls, weaponry storages and labs.

The newly arrived team all head for the med bay, a rather big hall lined up with beds and medical equipment with a few other gang members hanging about getting their wounds treated.

Kai’s face lightens up when Hoseok waves at him to come over, the male more than eager to trot over with Soobin tailing behind him still deep in his thoughts about the strange guy at the bank shootout.

“Hey hyungnim!!” He greets the older man, Hoseok is in a white lab coat over his brown turtleneck and dark pants, his face washes with relief seeing Kai.

However, he eyes the gash on the boy’s thigh and throws up a questioning eyebrow, the male beckoning for both of them to sit on the empty beds “Now, I thought I taught you better than to leave it bleeding out like this?”

He expertly grabs some bandages and cleaning cloth, used to treat the many kinds of injuries these young adults are getting themselves each time they go out on a mission. But he also notes how the ponytailed male is visibly glaring at the person next to him, not an unusual sight.

Hoseok, having been there to watch the two grow up ever since they were young, can only sigh heavily for what must be the millionth time that week. The elder male used to be one of the members actively participating in missions but he’s more of a lab and medic member now, the thrilling part of the job is no longer his forte.

“So, what’s got you two in twisted panties this time?” the red-haired asks while his eyes still trained on his actions, cleaning away the smudges of blood and applying the healing ointments.

Kai accusingly points a finger at the taller boy next to him “Hyungnim, he left his post!” to which Soobin shrugs, “I told you why” his cap now lay in his hands, revealing his messy dark raven hair.

Hoseok gives him a quick scan, other than a few normal bruises, Soobin doesn’t have any fatal wounds, the male is rather careful of himself and was trained harder than everyone else in the gang, so he doesn't get major injuries as often as others.

“Aish, you two brothers are always bickering! Knock it off already" the middle-aged man finishes up with Kai quickly and dismisses Soobin seeing how he could take care of his minor injuries himself.

Seeing the upset look on Kai’s face, hand crossed and slouched, Hoseok’s lips curve inwards "Beomgyu is asking for you Kai, you should go see him after this before mission debrief...and come find me right after?" he winks by the end of the sentence, a small smirk on his lips.

The young male looks up to him with a softened gaze in his eyes, he nods at the other and hops off the bed, heading for the all too familiar weaponry and computers labs area where a certain tech engineer is waiting for him.

Soobin returns to his room after the clear from Hoseok, since he is ‘special’ he gets a room to himself. But it isn’t much, just a standard bed, some storage drawers for his clothes and personalized weapons.

The tall male drops his cap on his bed and sits on the thin mattress, the square room always feels tinier than it is after a mission. 

The dimly lit room with one light bulb hanging above his head along with a small wired window, he grew up in this room, spends countless cold days and thundering stormy nights confined here that he’s accustomed to the smell of old cramp rooms.

Yet it never feels right, Soobin couldn’t pinpoint a word to it, the incompleteness of how he feels. Being born into the gang life meant he’s constantly surrounded by all the crimes even at a young age.

His father, Choi Hakyeon, had him trained as soon as he could grip a knife properly in his hands.

The reason was plain and simple, he has three rectangular bars on his wrist.

He’s one of every 1000 people in the population to be born the way he is, extremely dangerous.  

He becomes the pride of the gang, not many out there could admit to having a person with three bars in their arsenal, he killed his first man at 7 and he easily murders hundreds of cops, task forces, rivalling gang members and even innocent civilians sometimes over the years.

His ledger is dripping with so much crimson it overflows, and Soobin would just go with the assumption that all his life, that’s all there is to him; a weapon of mass destruction.

There’s no point in thinking it as any other way, one glance at his wrist and everyone would put an ocean between him and themselves.

It's just how it is for people like him, they’re dangerous, feared.

A threat to the vague illusion of calamity they like to believe that they live in, there’s no place for him in the normal world.

These are the things that are drilled into his head while growing up inside the dark walls of the base, he doesn’t go out often unless it's for a mission, not that he’s not allowed to but because he just finds it pointless.

Soobin tears off his combat gear and places it aside, he dips down and pulls out a personal first aid kit from under his bed. Being constantly thrown into situations where you can die and get fatal injuries at any given moment or time means you have to know how to treat some of your wounds yourself.

His eyes suddenly landing on the marks on his wrist, the three rectangular bars looked like they were glaring at him, mocking him for what he is. Soobin is then reminded of when he saw Minjoo’s body go limp to the floor.

His gun was already up and aimed at the shooter but his finger halts on the trigger by the last second.

The small child, a girl, is looking up at him frightfully, stains of crimson on her dress from the bullet she just let loose on his teammate. Her small body trembled with fear, and suddenly Soobin doesn’t know why but he can’t shoot her.

He’s never killed children directly before, they often died by how he sets buildings ablaze or when he would toss a bomb into the windows. Is that why he hadn’t been able to pull the trigger?

He doesn’t understand his mind at the moment, what difference would it make?

She’s just another human, yet he can’t do it. His father or anyone in this gang would not be pleased if they ever knew he hesitated, the male shudders, god knows the number of beatings of punishments he endured because of hesitance.

But then, there was that…...guy?

Someone, there was someone at the robbery and he had been trying to save the girl from the looks of it. Soobin remembers a mop of blond, oversized hoodie but the most prominent feature that stuck in his memory was his eyes.

Round, bright and layered with fear and awe when their eyes locked. The figure had tackled him down, Soobin in his sudden pause of hesitance had carelessly forgotten his blind spot, making an opening for one of the officers to be able to shoot him right in the head.

The male’s hands pause, cotton bud hovering over the slightly red wound on his forearm. Soobin takes a moment to realize that If it weren't for that mystery guy leaping at him and sending them both to the ground, he knows damn well he would’ve been dead meat with a bullet through his skull.

He saved him, a criminal.

He’s sure the other saw the marks on his wrist, but he still went to save him. The male is suddenly thrown to a dazed state, the blonde male saving him just feels surreal, in the heat of the moment, he couldn’t have processed it and kicked him out of reflex.

But thinking back, that crazy guy was not afraid of going near him, hell, he tackled him down.

"Why did you save me…?" Soobin mumbles, why would anyone other than the gang members care if he had died? Soobin is just another criminal, he’s done so many bad things and caused so much harm.

The fact someone tried to save his life just screams bizarre to him, the male finishes up bandaging his wound, a voice from the intercom by the door of his room booms out a reminder that he has to report himself in one of the meeting rooms for a mission debrief.

Soobin picks himself up from the bed, a nagging ache still in his head by the sudden revelation. The face of his unexpected saviour keeps popping up in his mind, the image of a blond male, his big orbs looking up to him angrily after the kick.

“Who are you…?”

Chapter Text

Beomgyu runs a hand through his hair, wiping away beads of trickling sweat, an annoyed grunt escaping his lips at the long bangs covering his face. 

‘God, I need like a bandana or something...’ he walks through the rather vacant hallways, most of the members of the gang don’t pass by his lab much, knowing well he’ll shoot anyone who dares to be noisy when he works in the head.

There was one guy who ended up dead, but since he’s just another of the drug runners so Beomgyu didn’t get in any trouble for it. He climbs down a few stairs, it used to be the old med bay but now they just leave the area unused.

The stairway down is a lot darker with only one or two working light bulbs, the metal stairs are a hard and rusty orange, clanking with each step he takes. A few flights down later he’s in a narrow hallway with a row of long-abandoned rooms.

Beomgyu walks up to the all too familiar door, the first one of the many, and pushes it open. There’s a fond smile on his face as he steps inside, "Hey squirt, how are you feeling?" the male softly asks the young girl laying on the mattress laid on the floor.

It's a small room, but clean and comfortable enough for a person to live in. The girl in question looks up to him, lips smiling widely at her visitor. Her long black hair is braided, and she is adorned in some simple black garments.

Thin IV tubes connect the back of her hand to a bag of water drip, the young female beams at his arrival, she had been wearing a frown when he entered. Beomgyu internally sighs to himself, feeling slightly bad for having her need to live the way she is.

“Oh, you're back! I'm just…. the usual...how did your mission go?" she excitedly pats the empty spot next to her, beckoning for the man to take a seat. 

Beomgyu laughs along and flops himself down, he always comes down to check on his sister after every mission and the girl herself is always looking forward to the stories he’ll tell.

Beomgyu is more of a tech engineer in the gang, he designs some of the weapons they produce, some of the drugs they deal, and a pretty good hacker as well. While he doesn’t actively get himself involved in the physical and more life-threatening part of the job, nobody dares to underestimate him.

The two bars on his wrist would be the sign to take, he’s not to be messed with.

Beomgyu’s hand reaches for her head, ruffling the fringes of raven on her face, his sister has a small, cute face, one that would grow to be a beauty. "Meh it's nothing, easy peasy lemon squeezy'' the room is mostly occupied by storage boxes of spare clothes and the many books mounted on top of one another in stacks.

Arin leans her head and rests it on her brother’s shoulder, the 10-year-old girl giggling at the remark "You're so cool oppa…" she mumbles fascinatingly, her adoration for her brother never lessening.

Two siblings suddenly caught in the twisted fate of crimes and murders, Beomgyu would never say it out loud but if he had been given a different choice, he wouldn’t have dragged himself along with his only family member left into this dark world.

Choi Beomgyu was disowned by his family at 15-years-old because he got caught being in a relationship with a male at school, his family wanted nothing more than to just get rid of him whom they believe to be a disgrace to their great Choi name. 

Seeing as how his bigot family is, Beomgyu did leave as he had no choice, but the male also took his then 5-year-old sister with him, he couldn’t leave her with those people and when they didn’t send a search party for her, Beomgyu knew he made the right choice.

However, there were some unexpected miscalculations in his plan, his little sister falls ill as they live off the streets and he’s got no resources to get her treatment. But a gang member saw him hijacking an entire building’s CCTVs from a single computer in an internet café, easily messing up the footage so he could casually go up and take the money from the cash register the second that the staff left their post.

He was recruited and they gave him his lab and computer equipment to work with, even letting him keep Arin in the base and allowed him to use their medical resources to treat her. 

Of course, Beomgyu is not dumb to know the real reason they let Arin stay. The elder brother snakes an arm around the girl, pulling her into a side hug while his hand strokes her hair.

"Me? Cool? Of course, I am, I'm Choi Beomgyu, your big bro!" he exclaims, but his eyes fall to the marks on her wrist, three rectangular bars. 

Arin grew up in this dark underground part of the base, Beomgyu would sometimes bring her up and outside when it's a quiet night because not many gang members knew of her, he was recruited when the organization was relatively small, and he’d like to keep it that way. 

But this also means it’s been how long since the girl has actually seen sunlight, it's one of the factors that hinder her health recovery.

Yet Arin doesn’t complain, sweet and innocent as she is, she never complained about the food she’s given or why she can’t roam further than the empty cold corridors. She keeps herself busy with books and due to her ill fatigue state, sleeps most of her days away anyway. 

“Oppa your hair is getting in the way, isn’t it annoying?” Arin asks him, her hand reaching out to comb his hair back, only for the bangs to slide forward and cover his face again. Beomgyu chuckles with a sigh at her attempt.

“I guess I gotta cut it off, it is getting disturbing,” he remarks but Arin suddenly reaches for a pouch next to her pillow, she pulls out a piece of cloth with star patterns on it and hands it over to her brother.

“Try this on!” Beomgyu looks at the cloth, it’s a bandana, with star-shaped patterns scattered on it. He pulls it over his hair and ties it up. “How do I look?” he shows her, now his hair no longer getting in the way. 

Arin giggles, “Cute!” and Beomgyu lets out a strangled cry and pouts “But I’m supposed to look badass Arin!” he whines but hands slowly creeping to capture her in his embrace, drawing laughter from the girl.

The girl then excitedly reaches to pick up a particular book she had been reading before he came in, "I read a few pages more of the workbook, it's so cool... I'll study hard so I can be just like you!" she exclaims with glee, bright eyes with life staring up at his own.

What he would give to keep those eyes the way they are, but in a world and place they’re forced into, it’ll be a miracle if she does "Like me? Nah! Don't have to, squirt" Beomgyu hums, her confused gaze draws a small chuckle out of him.

"Eh? Why not?" he takes her smaller hands into his own, the one tainted with crimes and blood of innocents he helped assist in killing with his talents. Her pure innocent ones in his, could there be a way to help her escape this curse?

The curse he plunged them into out of survival.

"You're going to be even better than what I am," he told her earnestly, although it might just be a white lie to assure her or maybe even his own self that she’ll be fine, she won’t end up like him. 

Very unlikely that she won’t but that’s a discussion for another time, one too far into the future to be dwelling about now. 

Soobin leaves the base without further notice, they never cared where he went because they know he always comes back, like a programmed machine he’ll return to them loyally like a trained dog, once in the gang life, always in the gang life. 

No backing out.

Soobin jogs down the foyer, passing by people and members he couldn’t be bothered to memorize their names. He makes way for a parking lot with his vehicle, a black slightly modified motorcycle. 

Soobin mounts the thing and gets its engines started, he doesn’t know where he’s heading, but he can’t ignore the need to seek out the mystery person either. It bugged him so much he couldn’t even get proper rest last night.

The mystery person who saved his life, him, a dangerous criminal. It doesn’t make sense; it goes against everything he’s taught and knew. Why would he put himself in danger for a person who is just as, if not more dangerous? Soobin doesn't think he could keep his focus on the right track until he knows.

His head has been buzzing so badly Soobin doesn’t know what else he could do to make it stop than to go hunt down the enigma, he’s never felt so strongly about anything in his life like this, hell Soobin didn’t even know he’s capable of feeling these much-conflicting emotions. 

With the need to quench his thirst for an answer, the male rides out into the open road without a destination in mind, he keeps driving past the streets and such. Going about aimlessly as he wonders what he is even doing, he doesn’t even have a clue or a lead to the person.

Maybe fate has a plan for him, he never believed in fate but at that moment when he catches a whiff of blonde walking on the sidewalk next to him. Tall and frail, footsteps steady and it could as well be anyone with blonde hair but something in his gut tells him that's the person he’s been looking for.

Soobin is starting to feel he should be inclined to believe that there’s something fishy about how they’re suddenly meeting again. Perhaps he should give fate a chance.

The male shakes his head in frustration, this is confusing, he’s never had to deal with so many random emotions charging at him at once. It's like being thrown to the restart level again and losing all his progress so far with life as if someone woke him up from a dream he did not realize he was dreaming.

Soobin tries to follow the figure, as discreetly as one in an all-black tech gear could, he should've changed into something more casual to blend in, but his mind had been in a hassle. He sees the male figure entering a park, he is holding something in his hand but Soobin can’t quite make it out to be what front the distance.

Steering around his vehicle, Soobin tails after the figure, he parks his motorcycle and strolls into the park, the man keeping his exposed wrist tugged to his back and his cap lowered as far as it could go. 

He can’t risk causing a scene here, especially with him alone.

The male soon finds himself sitting a few feet away from where the mystery person is, holding up a newspaper in his hand to cover himself as much as he could. Soobin isn’t taking any risk of being caught now, even if the blonde in question isn’t technically facing his direction.

The male, Soobin notes, is adorned in a cardigan this time paired with some cargo pants, his face in his view, and Soobin confirms that this is the person who stupidly tried to save his life a few days ago. 

He sits there on the grassy patch of the park ground, his hand holding up some sort of stick and string that might be a toy or a tool of a sort. The male frowns with confusion, "What is he…" he mumbles quietly to himself until he sees it.

A little grey cat lay in front of him, rolling around as he played with his owner. From this distance, Soobin can’t actually hear what he’s saying but the blonde seems to be laughing along, a radiant smile on his lips that compliments the softness of his gaze. 

His bag lay unattended next to him, and it's the most peculiar sight Soobin has ever seen in his life. Just a male, with his animal companion playing together in the park, unbothered by the world that surrounds them. 

Soobin furrowed his eyebrows, a nagging that is similar to the one he had back the base tumbling back into his thoughts once more. He doesn’t understand why he’s so drawn to the sight, as if something from within is tugging at him towards this stranger.

Perhaps it's the way his pretty sharp features are highlighted by the rays of the sun shining above, or the gentle yet playful way he plays with the cat, or maybe just those orbs alone, round and sparkling with a sense of innocence. 

So the tall male ends up staring mostly because it's such a gorgeous or maybe even bewitching picture and he can’t bring himself to look away. “Pretty….” the words escaped his lips before he could even compute them in his head. 

What is going on with him all of a sudden?

Then the stranger goes to pick up his furry friend and hoist him up in the air, Soobin’s eyes widen with shock. His orbs are zeroing on the very empty wrist that shows when the sleeve of the brown cardigan sags down slightly when his arms are raised.

Clean and empty, not a single rectangular bar. 

A complete opposite to what he is.

At this, Soobin’s own palm closes around his wrist where his mark lays permanently ever since his birth.

If he is one of each 1000 people in the population to be cursed with three rectangular bars, then Taehyun is the other one in the same pool of 1000 people to be blessed with no bars.

A person incapable of being or causing danger.

A person one can confidently say is safe to be around.

He who is danger, and him who is safe.

What an odd turn of events, Soobin has never met anyone like that. Someone who is, as simply to say, rare as he is even if ironically, they are nothing alike. 

He keeps on watching the male, his every movement and actions. Soobin doesn’t know what the tugging in his chest meant, but it’s definitely stronger now, almost edging him to reach for the other. 

Playing with his cat in the park in the late afternoon, and he would see mothers with their children passing him by, smiling with their arms waving at him. He would see dog owners who rush after their own pets coming up to him to apologize when their dogs bother his cat. 

Soobin sees a person approachable by all, nobody around him had to think twice before deciding to greet or wave at him. 

No one around him is wary or would ever think he has any inferior intentions if a parent here needs someone to keep an eye on their kid and they had to choose between literally anyone else in this park and that blonde male.

They would pick the blonde with no question because you can genuinely trust people like him.

People like him who are safe by nature.

Unlike Soobin, most of his gang members stay away from him unless they have to cooperate for a mission. Funnily the only person who dares raise his tongue and voice against him other than his father would be his angsty and annoying half-brother. 

Kai is never afraid of Soobin, never in his whole 19 years of living was he ever scared of his dangerous three-bar half-brother. 

Soobin’s lips tugs into a small curve at the thought, Kai may be annoying, but Kai is also frankly the only person in that goddamn base that treats him differently, the only one who isn’t tiptoeing on eggshells around him like Soobin is some sort of ticking time bomb that can blow up at any moment's notice. 

He secretly appreciates his brother for that, but of course, he’ll never actually show it. 

The male’s sudden movement brings Soobin back to reality, he watches as he cradles the grey cat in his embrace and walks over to a patch of growing wildflowers, the male now much closer to him and just nicely in his earshot.

Soobin is astounded that the blonde hasn’t noticed him yet, he’s sticking like a sore thumb out in the open with his getup. “Hobak, do you want a flower crown? Want Taehyunnie to make you one?” he hears a faint cooing from the male, tone dripping with endearment for his pet. 

‘So Taehyunnie is his name….?’ It's an odd name, not in a bad way…...he doesn’t have a word for it yet, but he likes it. ‘Taehyunnie……’

He sits down next to the flower patch, the grey cat resting on his lap while his fingers pull and weaves the flowers together. It's by this angle does Soobin notice he’s actually wearing a white crop top underneath the cardigan. 

But a particular detail catches his eyes, silver pieces of metal are dangling from his ear, simple yet so pretty. He’s seen earrings on some of the people back at the base, yet none are like this, so effortlessly appealing.

So innocent and harmless, a person like that exists?

Eventually, he does leave the park with his animal companion, leaving Soobin to contemplate what he just spent his afternoon doing rather than training, watching that male, it somehow feels...good.

The man himself isn’t entirely sure of his feelings, all his life he was taught to shut them out because feelings hinder his skills, his worth as a weapon. But now that he’s allowing himself to feel a fraction of it, the male greedily wants more.

It’s a rather pleasant feeling to observe the other, watching him interact because Soobin knows it's something he’ll never get to experience himself. 

Normal, that normality he’s never given the choice to choose.

With a small curve tugged at his lips, Soobin heads back to base, with plans to seek out the male again.

Blond, lithe frame with the roundest and brightest eyes.

Taehyunnie

There's a spark in his chest at the name, one that he’s never felt before. How can a person be so alluring just by playing with a cat, minding his own business and unaware of the danger that observes him from a distance? 

The same someone who jumped in to protect him, putting himself in danger and harm for a criminal that he should be fearing, how intriguing. 

Soobin is never the one to indulge in feelings, but for this one time, he can let himself be a bit selfish. Chasing after the light sweet sensation that he discovered, all these firsts in a long while. 

‘Taehyunnie is it? Interesting’ 

It’s the start of an odd routine that Soobin never thought he’ll ever come to adapt to his dull life of crimson, but in its own weird way, it is comforting. Soobin would find himself making his way through the base, grabbing his bike, and driving off searching for the peculiar blonde guy. 

His curiosity is drawn to the male, latching on him like a sudden addictive drug that has him coming back time and time again. He doesn’t go often, just enough to recognize Taehyunnnie’s daily routines and through his observations, like any other data collecting missions, Soobin gathers his information.

The tall man learns Taehyunnie is a college student at a local college in the area, he works part-time at a convenience store, his pet cat is named Hobak and he’d bring the feline out to play on weekends on his own. 

He lives at an apartment near the college he’s attending, he has a roommate that Soobin has yet to identify. Taehyunnie’s blonde hair bounces when he skips, his eyes look at the world around him twinkling with wonder yet laced with a judgmental filter.

Soobin learns Taehyunnie would go to his classes in the morning and spend the afternoon studying at a nearby Starbucks, he learns Taehyunnie’s part-time job shifts are on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, and differs at times whether it is an afternoon or night shift. 

There’s also to note that he likes soft colors as that’s how he dresses, he waves to the children and elderly passing him whenever he roams the streets, his smile warm and bright to those around him like a beacon of goodness. 

Soobin is entranced, for the least to say, he’s never seen someone like him. Taehyunnie is pure, so pure Soobin is starting to wonder why he was at the bank, how he somehow got himself tangled up in such danger. 

The days slowly turn to months, hours, and minutes long of just observing from afar, watching the blonde male as if he was some sort of research subject, analyzing his every action and interaction. 

Of course, there’s always a want, a wish to reach out and maybe call out a hello. It’s outstanding, how he, who probably might not even remember who Soobin is and if he does, he probably remembered the male as the tall menacing murderer he daringly tackled during a crossfire.

But this Taehyunnie, who doesn’t even know Soobin is watching him, can bewitch him so much just simply by existing. 

But Soobin knows he can’t possibly do that, the marks on his wrist would scare him away at first glance. And He’s sure someone like Taehyun wouldn’t approach anyone who hides their bars, in fact hiding your bars is what causes people around you to be suspicious.

Because hiding how dangerous you are, means you are dangerous or at least trying to hide something dangerous. 

Soobin tosses his guns at Beomgyu, taking his cap off for a moment to shake off the droplets of sweat from his hair. Another heist successfully done without casualties on their side, and five more bodies in his kill count.

Soobin sees Kai strutting off elsewhere, he had been benched from major roles since the bank robbery mishap. The boy got an earful of a lecture from their father, as always, he blamed Kai just as the male had predicted. 

The young male however whips his head around and throws his helmet at him all the sudden, which Soobin reflexively easily catches with one hand. The boy groaning out a curse before storming off.

There’s no trying in mending the bond between them, not when it never existed. They may be brothers, half-brothers as they share the same father but different moms, but Kai and Soobin both lead very different lives than one might think. 

Beomgyu, seeing the interaction, shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, fetching the rest of the other gear before trotting off in his own way.

The technician isn’t really close to anyone but Kai so Soobin couldn’t be bothered to feel anything by the abrupt dismissal. In The base, he’s just a weapon, there isn’t really anyone on his side and he has long learned to live with it.

Hopping on his bike, he is about to drive off when one of the other guys suddenly calls out to him “Where cha going?” the man snarks, a mean look on his face even though there’s no doubt he doesn’t dare to raise a finger with Soobin, not with that one bar on his wrist.

Soobin stares him down wordlessly, not saying a word, his blank face gradually becoming more and more intimidating as he does so till the guy slowly backs away with a grunt. Soobin turns his head back on the road, satisfied, and drives off.

“Where do you think he’s always going?” Beomgyu asks Kai upon hearing the roar of the engine through the warehouse, he’s starting to notice the pattern of the guy leaving occasionally and only coming back hours later. 

Kai shrugs “I don’t fucking care, that asshole can go drive himself up a wall and die and I still wouldn’t care” Beomgyu snickers at the answer amusedly, making his way back to his lab to check over the weaponry.

Soobin checks the time on his wristband watch, Taehyunnie has a fixed schedule so he could almost always pinpoint his exact location just by the time. And as he predicted, he sees the usual mop of blonde walking down the sidewalk. 

But Soobin also noticed the very obvious two men following him discreetly, the said male unaware of his followers. Soobin parks his bike and shadows them, easily identifying those men as members of another gang by the tattoo on one of the guy’s exposed neck. 

Taehyunnie suddenly walks into a hidden alleyway upon spotting a stray cat, the young man scrambling after it carelessly without thinking of the danger he might get himself into. The two tailing him quickly jogs after him, smirking to themselves.

They pass by Soobin without knowing he is there, lurking in the darkness as he is trained to be, hearing their disgusting conversations about the pure male.

“He’s so pretty, he’ll make a good boy toy” the man feeling his blood suddenly boiling at their vile words, talking as if Taehyunnie is just an object they could grab.

Hot seething anger slithering in the pit of his gut, his teeth clenching while his hands itch to grab and do something about that. And Soobin does exactly that, he couldn’t stand the way they were talking about him,

Before they could get any closer, Soobin steps out, catching them by surprise. The two couldn’t even do anything, they can’t scream or flee because the man moves almost at an inhuman speed, slicing two throats with two clean swipes of his dagger. 

In 30 seconds, he has two bodies on the floor, bleeding out. But the male stares down at his hand with utmost wonder, he kills those men without hesitation and that’s always something he has been doing, but this marks the first time he killed on his own account rather than for his job.

Why had he killed them? 

The blonde male is no one, he doesn’t even know Soobin and yet he murdered two lives so quickly for him. The male shakes his head confusedly, he wasn’t even thinking then, he was just so mad and let his limbs do their thing, the dangerous thing he’s inevitably been capable of.

Two corpses on the floor for no real reason, perhaps he really is dangerous.

But hearing incoming footsteps, Soobin quickly vanishes from the scene, he leaves the alleyway and goes back to his motorcycle. The man drives off back to his base, feeling conflicted at what he just did. 

All the while the blonde male steps out of the alleyway, frozen at what he saw “What…...what happened….?” he mumbles ghostly, walking away with shock.

He had seen those men following him and decided to lose them in the alleyway when he saw a cat since running off in public would draw attention.

But he hits a dead-end in the alleyway, already fearing that he can’t escape thus he tries to think of a plan as he waits for those men to catch up to him. They never came, confused but still very relieved, Taehyun traces his steps back to the entrance.

The male feeling his blood run cold when he sees the two corpses lying on the floor, lifeless and unmoving. But he didn’t hear so much as a grunt, not even a scream, Taehyun quickly leaves the scene.

It wouldn’t matter if he got caught, one look at his wrist and no one would even entertain the idea he could’ve been the murderer. But there’s something oddly strange about this, given how he keeps feeling a stare on him at the most random times for the past few weeks.

As if someone is watching him.

The blonde male keeps walking down the path, hugging himself to rid his head of the images. But if that someone who is watching him, did that, as in killed those two predatory men who are after him……

Taehyun smiles to himself, he’s not sure why, he should be scared that a person capable of murder is on his tail. But the male only feels…...safe.

‘Are you the angel looking after me?’ he thought to himself with a gleeful chuckle. 

Chapter Text

"Are you planning to kill yourself here?" Kai yelps as he misses a target, sending the bullet flying a little too far to the right, the boy heaves a breath before turning around to glare up at his intruder. 

Beomgyu stands by the training facility door, a smug smirk on his face as he walks up to the other. The training room is specifically just for Kai and Soobin's use, but Beomgyu being Kai's close friend has his privileges.

Kai rolls his eyes, he has no mood to be dealing with Beomgyu’s nonsense, fastening his grip on the gun he shoots off a couple more rounds of bullets, the damaged target is blistered with holes. The male keeps going at it until a hand is on his own. 

"What is it, hyung?" he groans out loud, it’s not the first time the technician comes dropping by to hinder his training and it certainly isn’t won't the last either.

Beomgyu swiftly takes the gun from his hands with ease, "Been at it since morning, haven't you had enough?" he remarks, Kai may be practicing with a gun but he can tell from the sweat and his worn-out face that the younger male has been drilling himself down with training again.

A tendency of his whenever a mission goes a bit off tangent than planned, Beomgyu sighs heavily with a small frown when he tries to reach for the gun again and since he’s a tad bit taller than him, Kai manages to snatch the weapon from his palms and returns to his stance.

The raven-haired however feel a heartbeat skip when Kai hovers close, their heads with only but a gap of air between their foreheads, Kai doesn’t even notice how Beomgyu’s face blush red at the close contact, only strutting off once he acquires his weapon.

Beomgyu exhales a shudder, that in fact, is a growing problem for him. 

Many unexpected things happened throughout his life from being disowned to befriending the lead chief of his gang’s son to eventually having feelings he probably shouldn’t have for the said son. 

Most of the men here are older in age back then, so Kai was far comfortable being around with newly recruited Choi Beomgyu who was only a year older. 

He dares say they are rather close, but soon that perfectly platonic feeling of ‘He’s my best friend in this cruel dark world’ turns into something much different, much messier.

Maybe Beomgyu suppose it's when Kai reached 18 years old and puberty made its first move, suddenly he’s no longer just that friend but an attractive person he sees every day and sometimes wishes he could stare at for hours with no end. 

The male is by all means, beautiful. With his tall frame and perfectly built body, distinct facial features that portray his mixed ethnicity. Kai has always been a handsome individual, but his puberty really did a number on him, Beomgyu is sure half of the organization wishes he was theirs.

But that's not all why he likes him, Kai is captivating in his own way, Beomgyu loves how driven he is to prove himself even if that led to some unhealthy habits.

The young man has a determination that's almost terrifying. He may be born with a single bar on his wrist but his abilities are almost up to par with Soobin's.

"I'll decide when I have enough" the blonde fringed boy exclaims with a grunt, and Beomgyu knows there’s nothing he can do to stop him. So he does what he can, takes a seat on the floor, and waits till Kai drops so he’ll drag him back to his room as usual.

Today, however, surprisingly Kai must’ve had enough of Beomgyu lecturing his ass about taking care of his health because he eventually does sit down next to him to catch his breath. The younger one takes the bottled water from his grasp, chugging its content down.

Beomgyu smiles softly to himself, feeling Kai is pretty much leaning against his shoulders. His head resting on his shoulder, “The hell you're wearing a star bandana?” he breathlessly gasps out at the new addition to the all too usual black getup.

Beomgyu smirks and pushes his glasses up, this draws an eye roll from the taller male but he makes the weapons they use thus he’s allowed to be dramatic if he wants to.

“Everyone else looks the same with the same attire, I need to stand out bro, I'm the main character in my own story” Beomgyu jokes, it earns chortle from the other, Kai clasps a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. 

“That’s dumb. You look dumb with that,” he comments, the tone meant no actual bite but with the significance of where he got the bandana from, Beomgyu would be lying if he isn’t irked at those words, even if it's just by a small margin.

“That’s my fucking sister’s you fucking idiot!” the man thought loudly in his head with annoyance. 

Well, two can play that game. 

“Says the guy who impulsively bleached his hair for the same reason.” and he knows he hits a good spot with that one. Kai instantly sits up, a very offended look on his face at the remark made. 

It had been a dumb idea from a couple of months back, he was scolded for it but it did look pretty cool for the first three days, now he just wishes he can chop it all off but he can’t. 

Apparently, it's part of his job to…. look pretty, some missions demand it and it's the only kind where he actually has something that Soobin doesn’t. Something only he is capable of.

He may be born with one bar and his dad can hate and underestimate him for it, but Soobin will never be as pretty and manipulative as he is to seduce their enemies into giving information and Kai thrives with that fact.

Huening Kai or HK; the name that the gang uses for him, is a product of an accident with one of the mistresses that Choi Hakyeon; the leader of the Choi gang organization, had kept.

The woman, Yelena Huening managed to keep her pregnancy a secret and when Kai was born, she begged him to not be killed and that he would be of use to the gang.

Hakyeon agreed but because Kai only has one bar on his wrist, he always despised him, thinking that Kai is useless compared to Soobin.

Yelena was sent away when Kai was 4 and he never sees her again, but Kai has always known his purpose of living.

Each time he misses a target and Soobin doesn't, he hears the other praise while he earns a punch to his gut.

Each time Soobin pins him down on the sparring mat, and hears their father sing praises to him while jabbing Kai with insults, the rage within him grows bigger.

He needs to be better than Soobin.

Yet unlike Soobin, Kai led a completely different life. Soobin is only allowed to leave the base if he is on a mission, and he receives training and some basic education there. Kai, on the other hand, went to school and attended middle and high school like any other average adolescent.

Of course, he wasn't there to study. But that's a tale for another chapter. 

“S-shut up...! I’m a flesh and blood to your boss, I’m the important one here.” he reminds the technician, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder for the tease. 

But Beomgyu isn’t done there, “Says the one who has daddy issues.” 

Now that struck a real chord, Kai jumps at him. Beomgyu laughs as his back hits the hard cold floor with Kai straddling on top of him, the boy’s warning face glaring down as he clutches the man below him by his collar.

“You…! I’m going to kill you if you keep talking like that!” again, empty threats, and they’ve done this at least a couple of hundred times throughout the years.

Yet it never fails to send blood to Beomgyu’s cheeks, has his heart doing more flips that he can actually manage to do in real life but it’s nice. 

It feels a lot sane and more normal, like the life he previously had.

“Ooh~ Is this a flirt I see? Bold” And of course he has to keep taunting, the moment he stops will be when he malfunctions at the close contact and he can’t have that, especially not now with Kai hovering on top of him looking like he’s about to gauge his eyes out.

“oh~ scary boy~” The younger boy growls at the teasing, it’s frustrating for him because he doesn’t understand why it annoys him so much. But he keeps Beomgyu pinned to the floor, seeing how the elder wants to play with him so badly, then he’ll indulge him.

Suddenly, the door thrusts open and in comes Kai’s oh so perfect half-brother that everyone fears and is envious of, "Oh look! The daddy's favorite is back" the blonde fringed boy spats out, still on top of Beomgyu but now with his body raised and arms crossed.

Beomgyu gulps, opting to just stay quiet with him being in such an awkward position and all. Soobin merely cast them a blank glance before moving along to the punching bags. Kai huffs at him, legs straddling Beomgyu harder when he feels the other tries to kick him off.

"Nothing to say?" Soobin continues to ignore his brother, tugging off his straps and black outer vest, leaving him in a skin-tight undershirt that highlights the shape of his toned abs. 

Taking off his cap he tosses the pieces of clothing to the floor to begin his own training rounds.

Beomgyu snickers at Kai’s very annoyed face, the younger does not look amused "You're always trying to piss him off” he comments to which he receives a hiss from the male above him.

Kai shrugs "So?" but a yelp bursts from his lips when Beomgyu manages to push him off with one haul of his body. The younger throwing him a glare but Beomgyu stifles his laughter at the ‘angry’ face he wears, adorable.

"Give that man a break dude. Geez Kai, you're projecting!" he continues to tease, reaching out to pinch Kai’s cheek, a gesture the younger male could never understand what is the significance behind it despite being told it’s an act of endearment, not even Hoseok does that to him.

"Shut the fuck up, hag" he slaps away the hand with a pout and Beomgyu gasps out with a hand over his mouth exaggeratedly, “The disrespect?! YA! I’M ONE YEAR OLD OLDER THAN YOU! You take those words back!” 

Beomgyu demands with an accusing finger pointed at Kai, but the boy merely shrugs it off with a giggle, prompting Beomgyu to hit the air with both fists in frustration.

Kai then let his attention drift to his brother, who was practicing alone without giving him or Beomgyu a single glance. He's been disappearing a lot recently, but no one seems to be bold enough to question him.

Unfortunately for Soobin, Kai isn't one of them “Have you noticed something about him?” 

But Beomgyu isn't paying attention, still in his fake tantrum, he crosses his arms “I don’t care, I would like you to apologize-” but Kai cuts him off curtly and Beomgyu knows then he's turned serious.

“I said, have you noticed something about him?” the male repeats, emphasizing his question while nodding his head at the other male in the room.

Beomgyu curiously looks over, not entirely on board with what Kai is trying to make out with that “What?” he watches as the younger sighs.

“He’s acting very odd lately, there are no missions but he’s been going outside the hideout. Not once, but twice and probably more often" Kai points out, his tone hushed to not be heard by said male, eyebrows knitted together with suspicion.

Beomgyu rolls his eyes, Kai and his rival agenda with his half-brother, the guy just never quits it.

“You're always suspecting him doing something very minimal. The man is stuck in his room all day. Who knows, maybe he wants fresh air or to change his daily routine or whatever— Hold on, you said you didn’t care a couple of weeks back!” Beomgyu exclaims, clearly he can recall Kai proclaiming that he honestly doesn't care about what his brother is up to.

“Whatever, didn't think it'll be a frequent thing. It’ll be suspicious when a three-bar guy like him roaming off in public like that, what if someone tails him back here?” Kai mumbles, always eager to point out Soobin's faults and wrongs.

"I doubt he'll let that happen, it's impossible to sneak up on the dude" Beomgyu adds, although he is feeling slightly annoyed that Kai is back to talking about how shitty Soobin is again.

It's always about his dad or how he can be so much better than Soobin, his attention has always focused on the validation from his oh so dear daddy and the desire to exceed his brother.

Never Beomgyu, one way or another the conversation steers back to being that no matter how many times he tries to change the topic.

It's obvious he cares not for anything else other than his position in the organization and abilities, but Beomgyu wished he could spare some attention to notice him and his feelings for him.

Beomgyu could be the most obvious person in the world and confess to him directly with heart gifts and all yet he is certain that Kai would still somehow spin the direction to be about his hatred for his brother.

He gazes at the blonde fringed boy longingly, his eyes sharply focused on Soobin's movements with his lips thinned out. Suddenly he gets up from the floor and walks over to his brother.

"Spar with me" it comes out like a demand more than anything, Soobin who is punching the thick bags stops to look at his brother, the male merely nods with a shrug heading over to the training mats area with Kai.

They both got into their fighting stance and began to spar, Beomgyu left alone at the sidelines, watching them. 

He frowns to himself, feeling aghast 'When will you see me the way I see you…...?' He let his mind stray, bored that he has nothing to do but watch as Kai gets slammed to the floor every 2 minutes or so and demands another match.

So Beomgyu picks himself up and leaves the room, questioning himself for the umpteenth time that week, why was he in love with his gang leader's son again?

Everything is going as it normally would, the sun is setting, sounds of birds chirping at dawn and the weather is quite nice as well as it matches the warm tone of the sky.

Taehyun drags his body down the streets, yawning with a hand over his mouth. He should really get going if he wants to have dinner before his sudden extra shift at his part-time job for that night.

The male is exhausted but he did promise his aunt he'll cover for the sudden MIA of the supposed staff. The college student walking down the almost deserted street that would lead him to his shared apartment, his insides feel queasy for some reason but he's learned to get used to it.

Recently after the events do two dead guys in the alley, he concludes that someone is occasionally watching him, the burn of a stare always sends tingles down his spine, Taehyun does try to look for his sudden stalker but he never could catch a glimpse of anything suspicious around him.

He should probably tell his aunt and roommate about it but the blonde is afraid they might get more paranoid about his safety than he is, and that route would lead him down a path where he can't go anywhere without company and Taehyun would rather walk through hell flames than that bullshit.

It's most likely dangerous for him to jeopardize his safety like that but no way in hell is he telling if he's just going to lose what little freedom he already has now.

Well, today seems like the day he learns maybe he should've informed his hyung about this because the peace he initially has is cut short 5 minutes later when an unexpecting figure roughly yanks him into a dark alleyway suddenly. 

Being tall but practically frail means he doesn't have the strengths or means to fight the force so by the next second, Taehyun is pressed against the mucky wall, surrounded by the disgusting smell of trash with a knife grazing at his neck.

"Not a word brat or I'll cut your throat open!!" His predator, Taehyun, could make out is a broad man with a beard. One bar on his wrist, but very scary nonetheless because for fuck's sake there's a knife to his throat.

The man is hovering so close to him that Taehyun could smell his disgusting breath that reeks of cigarettes, don't get him wrong, he is very terrified at the moment but also has a strong urge to tell the dude to brush his teeth or something.

The man has a mean glare, but frantic with his movements, most likely in a rush so he doesn't get caught. Taehyun flinches, hissing out a pained yelp when the knife slightly presses down, breaking a bit of his skin, the stinging gradually getting more painful each second.

"Give me all your valuables and—" he couldn't even finish his words, because suddenly there's a blur of black shadows. Whatever it was, it moves fast at an almost inhuman speed, and the next thing Taehyun knows, there is no longer a knife on his neck or a harsh hand shoving him up the wall. 

But a dead body now lays on the floor, bleeding out just a mere three feet away from him. Taehyun nearly slumps down to the floor, his body almost going lax at the intensity of the shock that jolts him.

A tall shadow looms over the corpse, the dagger in his palms drips with crimson. Taehyun takes in a deep breath, feeling his entire body washed with relief but also curiosity and maybe even a dash of horror.

The guy may scratch his neck till it's kind of bleeding but he is on the ground lifeless and very dead now, Taehyun actually feels bad for him. 

But his gaze falls on the black figure hiding in the shadows, Taehyun can’t quite see him but the male guesses this must be the guy that’s been following him around. He saved him, again. 

"Who are you….?" he asks, wanting to slap himself hearing how much his voice is wavering with anxiousness.

The figure slowly comes into view and Taehyun quietly gasps to himself, he knows this person, not personally of course since they've only ever faced each other once.

It's the three-bar dude from the bank robbery, the one he saved from getting a bullet through his skull. 

And oh shit did he just kill that mugger for him? That should not sound attractive but damn Taehyun has to admit that is sort of insanely attractive. 

He doesn't say a word, only keeping that blank gaze on Taehyun that should honestly make him feel unnerving yet all Taehyun does feel is mesmerized.

Since he is standing much closer and not moving every five seconds to dodge bullets, Taehyun has the liberty of taking a good look at his appearance. 

And the only conclusion his gay ass could draw from the black getup and muscle arms along with that handsome face carved by the Greek gods themselves is that criminals should not be this good-looking. 

What feels illegal, technically is but totally not in his head? This, this motherfucker right here who decided to show up and play hero to his damsel in distress despite probably being a serial killer.

(Taehyun has very serious issues, but he will not address said issues because ignorance is a bliss)

"You…. you're that guy…...from the robbery" he mouths, feeling awed that he got to see him again. The other widened his eyes, not at all expecting the blonde to remember him from an event that happened months ago.

But strangely Soobin notices that Taehyunnie doesn't back away or cower in fear at the sight of him, he's wearing a short sleeve so his three rectangular bars are very openly displayed for the other to notice.

But Taehyunnie doesn't look scared at all, in fact, his face confuses Soobin. His eyes rounder than he's ever seen it been and lips slightly hanging agape, the male is gazing at him as if he's a sight to behold. 

Why is he not scared of him? Soobin just murdered someone right in front of his eyes, he is dangerous yet the blonde only looked like he wanted to inch closer. 

Taehyun pulls his gaze away from Soobin and onto the corpse on the floor, the smell of thick blood mixing in the air with the trash, he sees the horrid gash on his neck oozing out more crimson. 

He killed him, but why?

Why would he kill someone off to protect a stranger, Taehyun doesn't know how a criminal moral compass works but he's half sure caring about random civilians is not part of the act. 

Yet this man killed his predator in cold blood without hesitance so brutally, it should be horrifying but the blonde only grows more curious. 

"Why?" He asks at last, bringing his attention back onto his savior. Although soft and low, his tone does not indicate he was by any chance intimidated by the tall looming man on all black.

"Because I'm dangerous"

Taehyun feels chills (the good kind, you know, the one that makes you wanna swoon because—) shoots up his spine at the voice, it's deep but smooth, not completely falling on the baritone spectrum and it's calming too in a way that he will not be explaining.

(Taehyun will not be explaining any of his thought processes at this point, he's simply going to go with the flow)

He takes a deep breath to just chill for a moment, this feels like talking to that tall handsome boy that he forgot the name he had been crushing on during middle school.

It's always the tall handsome ones with high potential of having a criminal record in their hands, his preference in men is borderline problematic but at least he's got exquisite taste. 

Taehyun calms his beating heart before continuing "But he didn't do anything to you" he hopes to god that this handsome mass killer most likely does not notice his inner simping for him, because Taehyun is very certain some of those are starting to slip through the surface.

This is a very attractive man, and Taehyun is only a lonely gay college student, give him a break, let him have this.

The killer looks at him questioningly, eyebrows furrowed as confusion fills his head "Did you want him to kill you?" He asks, not a threat but more of puzzled confusion. 

And Taehyun has to bite down on his lips to stop his dumb self from inserting a lame one-liner like "No, but I don't mind if it's you" Someone please stop his gen Z ass from causing more damage to himself than he already has.

Thankfully he didn't enter college with nothing, Taehyun does have a few brain cells left to spare. He does genuinely want to know why this stranger saved his life, or at the very least, why is he stalking him around.

How did he find him anyway, or is this a coincidence?

Taehyun shakes his head at the question, "No, but I'm curious. If you are dangerous......why won't you let him kill me?" 

The million-dollar question seems to spook the dude, Taehyun observes as his firmly blank face crumbles slightly like an existential crisis suddenly falling onto his shoulders.

Soobin's mouth opens and closes, unable to form a reply because even he himself does not know why he did what he did.

He had followed his usual routine of stalking, saw the mugging and when the red starts to drip from the cut on the blonde's neck, something in him snaps and he sees red.

Soobin has never felt such intense emotions of anger before, he wants to make it quick and not too messy but if he truly wanted his way, he would've been less merciful and let the predator slowly die an agonizing death.

Yet the question remains unanswered in his head, why did he do it? What made him do it? Nobody ordered him, it's his own act and choice and that, for some reason, terrifies him.

What control does this young man have over him that he would commit murder out of command?

'No, it's not him, that's just you being you…...' he reminds himself of his nature, the proof of his damned existence as a threat to others around him on its own. 

Taehyunnie looks like he's getting impatient with the lack of response, the blonde male taking a few calculating steps forward and closer to Soobin. 

"Hey—"

Soobin makes a run for it, he vanishes from the scene as quickly as he appeared, moving fluidly despite his build. He was there, and then he wasn’t.

Now Taehyun is left alone in the dirty smelly alleyway, face darting back and forth, looking for the man who all but disappeared into thin air all of a sudden.

Taehyun looks back down at the body on the floor, the blood pooling under the body, the liquid gushing out from where the dagger was sunken into his side. 

'Because you are dangerous huh……yet you protected me…….'

The boy dusts himself off, rips off the sleeve of his cardigan to be made as a makeshift scarf to cover up his slightly bleeding neck, and nonchalantly walks out of the alleyway.

Even as he jogs down the street continuing to head back home, Taehyun's thoughts are clouded with the mysterious three-bars criminal that helped him.

Without his own self realizing, his lips curve up slightly with newfound fondness.

Chapter Text

Soobin hastily parks his vehicle and races down the base frantically, his heart is drumming so harshly against his ribcage from the rush of adrenaline but he couldn't fathom where the warmth on his cheeks is coming from.

What was that feeling? 

What even happened back there….

One moment he saw Taehyunie with a knife at his throat, his pupils wide and filled with fear. The next thing he knew there's a dead body and his hands were tainted with red once more, blood dripping to the floor from the tip of his blade. 

Soobin had been, for the first time in his life, mortified at what he just did.

Taehyunnie saw him, he saw him kill the man in cold blood like the demonic being that he is.

But he hadn't been afraid, the blonde was far from afraid.

The male had looked at him in such a peculiar way, Soobin can't really call it anything but…... curiosity.

His round bright eyes are much bigger when he's up close, the edges of his collar have a few droplets of crimson from the thin cut, Soobin actually thought of helping with the wound but he couldn't bring himself to move any closer towards the boy, hell, he almost couldn't even form the right words.

He stood there standing, unmoving and still because he was far gone in his shock to make out what just happened.

How ironic that is, a person with three full bars on their wrist is suddenly scared of a person with a clean wrist.

Soobin saw the guy following Taehyunie, he saw him tail him and commence his assault, he watched and only watched until the knife drew blood.

Only then did he decide to be a participant, Soobin couldn't comprehend why he did that, why would he stain his already bloody red hands for a stranger.

The answer came in the form of a flash of recognition.

"You…. you're that guy…...from the robbery"

He remembered him; he knows who he is. Usually, this would've triggered his kill or kill instincts but somehow, he feels a warmth spreading inside, a feeling that feels welcoming. 

The male did not sound terrified or afraid when he uttered those words.

He just sounded awed.

Taehyunnie, perhaps he is stupidly idiotic with a death wish. The way he is so nonchalant, not paying much attention to the very dead body near him, his gaze almost never left Soobin and he would know, the dude stares hard. 

Hard enough that Soobin felt this unfamiliar rush in his chest, a tingle that tickles his inside that feels oddly strange yet he likes it. He’s not sure what that feeling is but he can conclude that it does feel nice.

Soobin huffs out a breath and lets himself fall onto the mattress; the words being said booming in his head. 

"If you are dangerous......why won't you let him kill me?" 

This guy, he's making Soobin question quite literally everything about everything he knows about how life works for him. Why did he interfere? 

And why is he already making plans to keep stalking the male around anyway, does Taehyunnie know he’s being followed by a dark shadow every now and then in the form of a human weapon of mass destruction? 

Soobin takes off his gear and flops himself over his bed, a tired grumble bubbling from his lips. Just what exactly is happening to him and why does he not want it to stop.

'Taehyunnie…... what are you doing to me…….'

Taehyun somehow, miraculously managed to drag himself back to his apartment without drawing too much attention, phoned his aunt to inform her that he ran into some trouble and couldn't make it to the shift. 

She panicked obviously, it took him quite an effort to get her to shut up and let him clarify he is okay. He assured her he'll live and besides, Yeonjun should be home by then and he trusts Yeonjun.

The blonde kicks in the pin number to the door, letting himself in. He is immediately greeted by a blue-haired male jolting up to his feet to meet his gaze.

"Tae, you're late, what was—What the fuck happened to your—IS THAT BLOOD?!" Taehyun yelps, stumping back as the figure approaches him at record speed.

The other cups his cheeks, a finger gently brushing over the cut after tugging off his makeshift bandage of sorts, the slightly bloodied torn sleeve discarded to the side. His touches are careful while his piercing eyes stare at it angrily, the figure's taller frame looming over him with a growing aura of rage.

"God dammit, what happened? And why didn't you call me?" Taehyun couldn't even begin to explain because Yeonjun won't let him, he wordlessly let himself get dragged to their small living room and is made to sit on the couch while his worrywart of a roommate goes to fetch the first aid.

Taehyun can clearly see Yeonjun, distressed and worried if not a bit angry at the state he's in, rummages through their cupboard for the first aid kit.

His blue fringes drape across his forehead irritatingly, the hair clips he usually sports not there to keep them out of his face.

The male 3 years older than him returns with the white box filled with meds moments later.

"Hyung, it's nothing really… I'm okay" Taehyun insists, the mugger only managed to make a thin scratch on his neck which already stopped bleeding a while ago and some minor bruises from the rough handling.

And then that guy appears from the shadows and kills him off, the scene still makes him shiver with goosebumps (Good ones good ones even though he should not feel giddy about a criminal like this), the whole ordeal still feels surreal to him. 

But Taehyun guesses the murder did not mind him as much as he thought it would. How could it when his mind is still partly occupied by the handsome man who came to his rescue.

Normally, the whole 'rescuing' thing always annoyed him but Mr. Handsome Murderer gets a free pass because Taehyun said so.

"How many times do I have to tell you, be careful" the cold glare made Taehyun shudder, Yeonjun looked scary when he's like this but Taehyun knows he's just worried but it didn't help that his roommate has default murder face.

Things that stick after being in the gang life he supposed, oh right, his roommate used to be part of an underground gang ring once.

Taehyun doesn't know in detail of course, but Yeonjun doesn't try to hide his participation in that side of the world, drug dealing, gambling, murder. There's a scar under each tattoo on his body, a peculiar skill, certain habits, proofs that he is once a criminal as well.

Crazy life he has, surrounded by all these dangerous people but Yeonjun is only a one-bar person and for that, he doesn't look like a walking blinking neon light that says he used to be a criminal, unlike those with three bars. 

"I am careful, you can't just lash out at me when I don't have control over whether I'm gonna suddenly get mugged or not" he barks back, it made the older male stop in his actions. The cotton bud with ointment hovering over the bruise on his wrist, where there are no bars, clean and perfect fair skin.

"Sorry, I know...sorry. It's just…" His voice stammers out, face glowering down with guilt. Yeonjun sighs and continues to dab the ointment on his bruises, his catlike sharp eyes trained on Taehyun's every movement despite the bangs of his hair getting in the way.

Taehyun's lips thinned, he knows the other means well, he only wants Taehyun to be safe. But Yeonjun, like most people in his life, are just too overbearing; it suffocates him.

But Yeonjun is also a safe presence to be around. He may prance around with an aura so intimidating if you breathe in his direction the wrong way, you'll probably be on the floor begging for forgiveness in the next minute.

But whenever he's around Yeonjun, Taehyun doesn't even have to think of the danger that may come to him. There's this warm blanket of safety that Yeonjun provides him just simply by being there.

Their friendship started out on a warm autumn evening with Taehyun hunched over the library table on his laptop, Yeonjun had been a library volunteer then, presumably on an undercover mission.

Taehyun had been struggling to work with his material and the male who was just passing by, pointed out where he's not getting it right.

From there, Yeonjun would help him with some of his work, the elder being a human resource major meant their line of courses doesn't differ too much.

Then there's an awkward time period where Taehyun doesn't see him for a while, only for him to show up at Taehyun's doorstep months later asking if his roommate spot was still open.

Taehyun doesn't question his scars or the way he has a gun stashed in one of their drawers now. Taehyun is smart, he doesn't need Yeonjun to spell it out for him to read between the lines and figure out the hidden message in between. 

His aunt, surprisingly, trusted Yeonjun (she doesn’t know about the gang bit of course), because he is a one-bar guy, a normal person like everyone else.

Taehyun is very sure she ships them, which is weird since Yeonjun is just a friend.

So no, Taehyun doesn’t know what’s the deal with Yeonjun, but the elder means him no harm and that’s all that matters. Now he has to occasionally deal with the nagging and the overprotective streak tendency the male has but he finds that he doesn’t mind it as much.

Taehyun watches as he pulls back to check his work, satisfied he proceeds to put the medical stuff away, brushing his hair back each time it gets in his face.

“Hyung, why don’t you use your hair clips, that looks annoying” he comments, and Yeonjun’s lips curve up slightly.

“Couldn’t find them, those lil shit always go missing for some reason” the reply makes the slightly younger boy roll his eyes sassily, he picks himself off the couch and knowingly dips his hand into the edge of the seat. Taehyun pulls out two hairpins from the couch, narrowing his eyes at his roommate with a tempered face.

Yeonjun sheepishly chuckles at the sight, skidding over to grab the pins from his hand but Taehyun won’t let him, darting away playfully. “Yah give me!! They’re mine!!” the smaller boy stuck his tongue out at that.

“Then you should’ve known better than to leave them lying around!” he taunts the elder, sprinting around the room to dodge Yeonjun’s hold.

“Give me my hairpins!!” and suddenly, catching Taehyun off guard, Yeonjun is able to grab onto the younger boy and pins him to the nearest wall.

Just like that, the lighthearted air around them turns into something else, Taehyun’s fingers lose grip of the hairpins, the small pieces of silver dropping to the floor clinking. 

His smile drops and his face morphs into something different, something darker. 

“Let me go….” he whispers, the fright in his tone immediately has Yeonjun let go of him. The taller male’s eyes are back wide with worry.

“Taehyun? Did…...did I hurt you?” it's ironic how he sounds just as terrified as Taehyun is, if not more.

The blonde shakes his head, arms finding their way up to hug himself, “No…...it just… it reminds me of the... the mugging just now” he admits, that moment was terrifying.

The man’s presence helped distract him from the initial shock of the mugging but now he’s reminded again that he could’ve been killed.

He’s never so powerlessly beyond anything he imagined, he could recall vividly how his muscles tensed up and freeze, and everything beyond that is just his hands unable to work the way he wants it to.

Is this what it meant to be a person with no bars? He can cause no danger, but in that same sense, also means he’s powerless to defend himself when assaulted? 

There’s the same rush of panic that shocks through his body when Yeonjun has him pinned, there’s never a true moment when Taehyun thinks he has to protect himself from Yeonjun of all people.

But he is stuck in a fear-stricken trance and all he’s able to muster is a plea to let him go.

Weirdly it did not feel this way with the strange figure that saved him.

Yeonjun takes a step back to give him space, “What exactly happened there?” he asks, even if he himself is afraid of what he'll be hearing from the boy, maybe he could afford to commit one more murder.

Taehyun takes a deep breath “This guy…...he…. He was pressing a knife to my throat,” he explains and could see his roommate getting visibly angered by it.

Yeonjun shudders at the thought, an image of Taehyun being held at knifepoint flashing in his head and it sets off his instincts.

“Fucking bastard, I’ll-”

“Hyung, forget it…. they’re dead” Taehyun cuts him off, there's a bit of an unprecedented mask of emotions on his features.  

“What? What do you mean they’re dead?" Yeonjun asks, now much more concerned than he is angry.

Taehyun won't meet his eyes, looking anywhere but at him as if he too is unsure if he wants to disclose “There was… there was this guy, he…...saved me” the answer is as vague as it can be.

Yeonjun narrows his eyes, feeling as though there are more to the tale that the boy leads on, “You look…. unsure” he presses on, his tone demands further explanation.

“I don’t know, it's cause…. I know him? From somewhere?” It's even less informative of an answer, but the suspicious Yeonjun has that something isn't quite right is growing tenfold with each word that spills from those lips.

“You……. know him?” he questions, not buying the statement at all.

Taehyun sighs, there's no way he could actually lie his way out of this without having Yeonjun highly suspecting he's hiding something he shouldn't be, might as well rip off this bandaid real quick and get it over with.

In fact, he can already predict the lecture he's about to be drilled with as he chooses his next words. The male traces small circles with his foot, nervously he admits “He was the… erm… three-bar guy I tackled during the robbery”

“He was what—You WHAT?!”

The mortified face is definitely expected, Yeonjun looks like someone just shot him through his skull, and that's when the bizarre look of shock made him realize one crucial detail that he completely forgot.

While Yeonjun knows he was involved in the robbery, he never got the information that Taehyun apparently tackled said mass murderer. Oh, this one is going to bite him in the ass for sure.

The elder's face is twisted with shock, looking at Taehyun as if the blonde is a completely different person, “He was going to get shot and I don’t know...I just…. jumped at him….?” Taehyun tries to defend himself.

“Kang Taehyun, you crazy idiot!”

Yeah no, he's not getting out of this one scot-free, enraged worry doesn't even begin to describe the state Yeonjun is in.

Taehyun nods, hands clasped together with his lips pouting sulkily “Yes, yes, I admit that time, I was acting irrationally but hyung! He saved my life today” the rational part of his brain said 'He murdered the guy who might have murdered me first' would be the most accurate way to put it.

But who needs details? He's not even sure why he's defending a criminal like that guy, but it doesn't feel right to not to and he's conflicted about the situation as it is. 

Taehyun doesn't need an existential crisis over his moral compass on top of everything. Someone, please give him a break, he's only trying his best.

It’s odd, how he doesn't even have his name yet Taehyun wouldn’t let Yeonjun think otherwise.

He may be a criminal; he may be dangerous but he saved him nonetheless despite it all. That has to count for something, the blonde isn’t sure why he’s so drawn to the man, there’s an inkling in his gut telling him that he’ll be seeing more of him.

“He’s a criminal!” The argument is so ironic that Taehyun can't stop himself in time from saying a rebuttal that might rub the elder in the wrong way.

“And so were you” Yeonjun's past, his, for the lack of better words, career then is never brought up or discussed, but to spat on someone for being what he once was? Taehyun doesn't think so.

But he also doesn't like the flash of hurt that colors the elder's face at his rebut, the blonde almost feels bad for bringing it up, almost.

“I was a criminal; he is a criminal." The elder emphasizes, Taehyun hums with acknowledgment. At least he's not about to pretend that his hands are clean or anything, but he's always known that's not the kind of person Yeonjun is. 

The tension slowly dies down, Yeonjun sighs heavily, head dizzy with migraine and now from the onslaught of info dump.

"Did he kill the mugger in front of you?” he asks, suddenly is hit with the thought that seeing someone die and seeing someone killed are two different things.

Taehyun gulps, “...yes” his blue-haired hyung concernedly casts him a glance “Are you okay?” knowing firsthand what it feels like to be on the observing end of both, Yeonjun checks in with him.

Seriously, what the hell is going on? Their lives were okay and sort of peaceful, and now suddenly Taehyun keeps getting roped into a dangerous situation, both of which he could've died in and that tall mystery murderer is involved.

“I… yeah, kinda? I’m okay, I didn't see much since it happened fast and, in the shadows," Taehyun explains but Yeonjun isn't listening, the elder man suddenly zeroed in on that very thought.

Tall, mysterious, three bars, kills fast and in the shadows.

Yeonjun shudders, his skin crawling at the reminder of that person, his hand crawling up to rest on his neck. It couldn't be, right? This is some other guy, right?

“Does he happen to be this tall? And you said he has three bars?” Yeonjun tosses his arm up and almost tiptoes to replicate the height.

‘It could be anyone else right, it cannot be him, it just can't.’ he thought, although it sounded more like a silent wish, a prayer that there’s no way Taehyun had ran into the worst possible person to exist in this city.

“Yeah…? Dark hair, wearing a cap, dressing in all black.”

Yeonjun flinches, his eyes wide and bulging with his feet suddenly stumbling back a few shaky steps back. The world around him suddenly turns into a huge blur of black and white wrapping around his senses.

Suddenly Taehyun is gone, and a small sting shoots up from his collarbone, the sharp tip of a blade barely grazing his skin, cold merciless eyes with no life looking down at him from above, his head dripping droplets of red on Yeonjun's face.

The male shudders, the image flashing by his mind, his heart spiking from awakening a long-buried fear. One hand flying up to his neck at once trailing down to his collarbone, trembling as it searched for the blade, the cut, and the rough hand that held him in place only to hover over the butterfly tattoo.

Yeonjun is sure he could still feel the scar, a grim reminder of his encounter with the actual real-life demon himself. 

Taehyun worriedly looks at the older man, how there are beads of sweat forming along with the unsteady rise and fall of his chest. The male looks frantic with his hand trying to grasp the pretty tattoo on his collarbone.

It's a sight he's never seen of the man, his roommate looked horribly terrified, face pale as if he just relieved a dark memory.

"Yeonjun hyung?" he calls softly, but it doesn’t look like the other heard him.

The make tries to shake the jittery of it all away, a hand running through his hair, clutching bit tight with a trembling fist “Ah fuck, him? Really? HIM??” he all but growls although his voice implies something else, something grave.

'Out of everyone, it’s that Bin guy from Hakyeon’s Gang' his mind echoes loudly, his teeth digging down so hard on his lips that he's sure it is going to bleed.

Taehyun's head jerks up with surprise, but he supposed it isn't odd that they might know each other considering what Yeonjun was in the past, “You know him?”

Yeonjun lowers his gaze to the floor, giving the younger boy a nod. He tries to hide the frustration and bubbling anxiety from simply thinking of the tall menacing male. 

Of course, out of all the people in the world, it had to somehow be the star of the nightmares he had for months. Yeonjun remembers vividly the horror of being in the receiving end of the inhumane beast’s claws.

“Everyone in the dark gang world knows him, he’s a cold-blooded murderer. You don’t ever go anywhere even a mile radius near that killing machine” Yeonjun spats, the warning in his voice pressed with absolute sternness. 

“But he didn’t kill me… twice” Taehyun mutters, just loud enough to be audible to the other. The male still holds some sort of unexplainable thoughts of the tall mystery person who saved his life.

But he is snapped out of his thoughts when Yeonjun slams a fist into the wall next to him, “I don’t care, he’s bad news! Almost killed me a couple of times, you stay away from him if it's the last thing you do, Kang Taehyun” the male snarls his demand.

His mind suddenly attacks his thoughts with shards and pieces of memories from years ago, flashes of scenes that play in his head too clearly that it's almost like he was back there again.

There are the few bullets that brush past him, the one or two that sunk deep into the flesh of his arms and legs. 

The hands that trap him down, holding him down by his neck, the blade in the other’s hand threateningly pressed against his skin, he can recall much too clearly how blankly that face looks at him at the edge of taking his life.

"Talk or die"

His voice low and unsettling, sending rounds of shivers down anyone's body. Swirling and slithering, a predator that's ready to pounce. 

Yeonjun's balled fists shake, he be damned if that monster is to ever go near Taehyun again. 

Taehyun takes a step back by his outburst, a surge of fury rips through him “You…. you can’t tell me what to do hyung!” he shouts, the very thought of someone coddling him for every little thing makes him sick.

And he really believed that Yeonjun can be a bit different, but everyone is just the same with him. As if he is some child in need of constant protection. 

The boy draws a glare, face scrunching with disbelief of what Yeonjun is asking of him. Yet the male only throws his hand around him, his gaze laced with underlying emotions that seemed to haunt him.

“It's for your own good,” he mumbles, and Taehyun shakes his head wildly at the subjective statement.

There isn't a moment where he thought he could be so terribly angry at the older man “What do you know what’s good for me?!” he barks out, hands in the air with annoyance.

Yeonjun suddenly leaps forward, his arms now back on Taehyun's shoulder blades. The man stares down into the younger eyes, dangerously threatening tears glazing the usually confident orbs of a man intimidated by all.

“Because that man is dangerous! The bars on his wrist said so, and his actions throughout all the years said so! Do you see those murders and crimes on TV? It's all his gang with him in each part.”

He breathes each word exasperatedly, because he has to get this point across. To make Taehyun understand that that man he met is danger itself. 

And he's not ready, never ever will be ready to lose Taehyun. 

Yeonjun doesn't give a damn what kind of version of the menace Taehyun met, whether or not he took the chance to kill him. The younger male is here, still present for him to hold, to touch, and feel.

He's not taking another chance; he won't lose the person he has grown to love.

“Please… Please do me one goddamn favor and don’t go near him at all, please Taehyun, just don’t,” he pleads, the tears puddled up in the edges of his eyelids slowly dripping to the floor.

Taehyun can feel the tremor in his grip, the way those orbs are looking at him like a cry for help. Suddenly he doesn't register the sting on his shoulder from such a strong grip, the male sighing out a deep breath.

“That’s…” his words choppy with pauses, because deep down something in his gut tells him, it wouldn't be the last time he'll meet that man.

For Taehyun feels their fate is closely knitted somehow, he'd known that the criminal had been following Taehyun around for a couple of weeks thinking the male had no idea. 

There’s oddly no fear, no doubt a mysterious person following you around should invoke all sorts of fear but the other is always just… watching. And the only time he did interfere was when Taehyun was in trouble.

There's just something about his incomprehensible demeanor that not only draws Taehyun's curiosity to know but feels as though he doesn't have to worry. 

But Yeonjun, his hyung that he grew fond of looking up to him like that, was near begging “Please…” there's a pain like none other in that voice, a crying plea.

Taehyun relents, letting his body fall into the other's arms. His blond strands brushing the male's cleavage when he rests his head against him. 

The abrupt battle in his head on what he should do drains him of his energy, this is tiring, to constantly put up with one mess and bullshit after another. All because of some marks he wasn't born with.

Yeonjun buries his nose into the other's hair, the sweet scent of vanilla filling his senses. Holding the boy in his arms tightly, it's ironic how while they do both loves each other, they love differently. 

“Fine, I… I will”

And Taehyun has his fingers crossed the entire time.

Chapter Text

After their little not-so-formal encounter, it must be comical now because Taehyun could literally pick the assassin apart from his surroundings.

Now that he knows what to look for each time, he feels that burning stare on him, he could whip his head around and pinpoint the other’s exact location where the other is watching him from.

And Soobin, being a bit of a dummy he is, is always in his black gear and it makes it even easier for Taehyun to spot him.

The blonde isn’t sure why but he does find it cute, how the tall and supposedly scary-looking man who murders as a job could not hide himself away in plain sight.

He allowed him to indulge in the fact maybe Taehyun doesn’t know what he’s doing, he does know Soobin isn’t out to harm him, if he had truly been watching Taehyun over like some sort of a guard dog all this time then he would’ve killed him off already if that had been his intention.

But no, Taehyun is very much alive but he also makes no move to engage again with Taehyun, which is starting to get annoying since he’s dying with curiosity as to why the male is following him around like a lost puppy in the shadow.

And they played this little follow the no bar college student with issues game for a month before Taehyun puts his foot down at the nonsense, the male had just finished his morning class and is on his way over to the nearest Starbucks.

And as he drags his ass across the street, he feels his instincts alert him of prying eyes again, this particular one of course brings him no panic, just amusement with a dash of ‘Why can’t you just come out here and walk with me?’ and needless to say, he’s tired of that.

Besides he’s feeling rather feisty that day, might as well invite the walking danger to accompany him since that guy obviously has nothing better to do than be a loyal stalker, and that statement itself should not have sounded as charming as it did in his head.

“You know I can see you right? You’re wearing like a goth wannabe in summer, kind of hard no to” he says out loud when making a sharp turn at a corner, it's when he knows the other is near, and could very much hear him. 

Taehyun exhales a breath as he is greeted with silence, maybe another push?

“Just come on out” he says again, standing there on the street waiting for the criminal to jump out. He sees him, just behind the edges of the buildings, hidden in the narrow alleyway watching him.

The male looks hesitant, as if he’s contemplating himself on whether or not he should approach the blonde. And Taehyun, being the very curious and a weird attraction to the dangerous person he is, makes his way over to the man in all black instead.

The guy doesn’t back away, only staying where he is, Taehyun knows damn well the amount of chewing out he’s going to get from Yeonjun just for reaching out first to the other.

But he looks like a lost puppy even with that blank face void of emotions and Taehyun is weak for hot himbo men with soft tendencies.

‘Taehyun, what the fuck you don’t even know him!’ but his gay ass overrides all logic and sense so here he is, confronting a three-bar criminal like the guy is some sort of stray he can take home with him.

“What do you want with me?” he firstly asks although Taehyun is quite certain he’s not getting anything about that out of the male.

The question goes unanswered because tall, hot, and very not responsive is just, staring at him with wonder.

That’s a first, from blank monochrome canvas, he finally sees a bit of colors in those orbs.

Taehyun puffs his cheeks and breathes out exasperatedly, this is tougher than he thinks.

“Um hello? Can’t you talk?” more silence follows, and the intense stare is starting to make him feel hot on his face, the stress from classes catching up to him as well.

They are so not doing this in the middle of a street, Taehyun already feels at least 5 pairs of eyes watching them.

With that, he walks forward a little and beckons the other to follow him, and he does.

Taking a few steps out of the shadow, the criminal tails him, walking exactly right behind Taehyun like a not-so-small lost puppy he is.

The boy chuckles to himself, it's cute.

“You drink coffee?”

“Everyone is staring” is the first thing Taehyun hears him say after the long begrudging silence that falls upon them on their way to the franchise café.

The male almost stumbles in his footsteps at the sound of that low sweet voice again, he turns to Soobin to flash a smile with obvious irk but the criminal doesn’t seem to see that.

“So, you can talk” the sarcasm drips with each syllable, his lips pouting while stomping off to find a seat, Soobin tails after him and with each move, he makes, more eyes follow the two.

Taehyun ques up to order, the cashier even asks if he’s in trouble to which Taehyun laughs and shakes his head.

“Seriously, don’t call the police on my friend there” They take the seats at the booth in the back away from everyone else.

Taehyun hands him his drink, the cold ice coffee is pushed in front of Soobin while he stares down at it blankly.

“What is this?” a low yet monotone voice emits from his lips, Taehyun throws him a weird look but shrugs, the male is pulling out his laptop and study material. 

“Coffee” he hums, the corner of his eyes observing the other as he carefully picks up the drink and brings it to his nose, taking a sniff.

He still wears the indifferent face void of any emotions then, “It smells…...different” he comments with a bit of confusion as it is much different than the caffeinated drinks he is given at the base. 

Taehyun’s lips wobble as he tries to surpass a guffaw at the other’s rather peculiar remark, Soobin is eyeing the drink as if it’s a new discovery that was just founded.

“Well, it’s Starbucks so technically it's overpriced coffee”

The drink had been a simple basic order of Iced Caffè Mocha, he doesn’t know the other’s preference and it doesn’t look like the guy knows anything on the menu either if his calculating gaze on everything is anything to go by.

Soobin brings the cup up to his lip, he takes a small sip through the green straw and blinks.

The male looks up to Taehyunnie who is watching him, the blonde immediately whips his head back at his gadget screen, cheeks heating up for being caught staring.  

“It tastes nice” the commentary comes out with a slight tinge of awe, the drink still has that all too familiar taste of caffeine but only faintly, the oddly nice taste of something he isn’t familiar with takes him off guard. 

it’s nothing he's ever had but Soobin welcomes the foreign taste, the newness of it has him immediately sipping more of the drink.

Taehyun would go on with his work, typing away on his laptop while occasionally writing on his paper notes.

Soobin on the other hand, is simply sitting there and watching him, after so long of observing him from afar he thought of how different it is when Taehyunnie is so up close.

He could clearly see his every feature, and remarkably, Soobin is even drawn to the male.

He could see the way his finger tapped on the solid surface as he worked, focused eyes narrowed on the screen.

Dimples greeting him on his cheeks each time he puffs his cheeks with annoyance, and especially how his eyes, mesmerizing and round that would occasionally steal glances at him.

When others look at Soobin, there’s always a rooted fear in their gaze that he could make out, they would look at him and see a merciless monster, maybe even a demon. 

But unlike them, Taehyunnie isn’t like that, Taehyunnie’s eyes look at him with wonder.

There’s an inkling of interest in those orbs, a desire to reach out to him. The male is strange in many ways, a person that Soobin believes could never exist. Yet it’s what makes him so confused about the other, who acted nothing like the rest of the world, an anomaly in the system.

Soobin eyes his wrist that bears no mark, a clean slate, and back at his own of three full bars. Taehyun might be the anomaly in this world to act in such a way around him, but their very nature of having the rarest marks is also an anomaly on its own.

“Why do you always wear like that?” he suddenly asks, pushing away his things to finally break some ice with the other, he thought of letting the supposed criminal let loose and make the first move to talk first but after the intense impromptu of stealing glances, that might not be the route to go.

“Like what?” he is given a blank stare in return, the blonde is starting to feel that he probably doesn't have any other expression to wear than that.

“This whole assassin creed getup” Taehyun retorts back, a pen pointing at the other's outfit.

The man continues to give him the silent treatment, unaware of how to respond to such social cues.

It's odd, talking but he couldn't pinpoint the focus of the conversation. There's always a reason for any sort of talk, at least, that's how it has always been for him. 

The capped male gives him no answer, he's never heard such a…. statement? It's confusing him to a turmoil in his head because what did Taehyunnie meant?

Yet instead of questioning the blonde, he seals his lips again.

After all, he didn't want to say the wrong thing and terrify him away, he's gotten this far too.

Taehyun's eye twitches lightly before a deep exhale escapes his lips, this is difficult, this man has no socializing abilities at all that Taehyun is certain a robot is more in tune with social cues than he is.

He pulls out some files from his bag and begins to work through the material with highlights and pen, the burn of the criminal's eyes can pierce through skin as it follows along with Taehyun's hand movements.

“What are you doing?” The blonde almost cheered out loud, almost relieved to know that the man has some sense of curiosity. 

Humans are curious creatures by nature, it goes without saying they tend to question matters unknown to them a lot.

It got him thinking himself, how on earth could someone turn a human into that, or was it the nature of a three-bar human?

Taehyun shakes his head, he has no bars on his wrist, but he's no saint or angel. He's…… just like everyone else, the bars don't shape someone into that state of mind.

So……. Why is this man the way he is?

So many questions running through his head, he almost forgot he was asked a question until Soobin, in his monotonous glory, repeats it again.

The boy blinks and red blush colors his cheeks in embarrassment, “Assignments, college sucks” he finally replies, there's a tinge of annoyance at the mention of college.

It's fun when it is, but he could make do without the added peer pressure and extra stress. Seriously, why did nobody warn him? Isn't this a type of danger as well? 

Soobin, for the first time, let's his stoic face fall. His lips narrow and a new glint takes place in his orbs, the man slightly leans forward and the shift is so sudden that Taehyun almost tumbles backward.

“College? What’s….it like? Going there?” he never got to experience education like Kai does, his form of education is long hours of lessons with tutors at the base. 

But Soobin does recall hearing Kai and his friend talk about their experiences sometimes, the way Kai would complain about schoolwork and group projects, how the food is always yucky, how his classmates are dumb and so easy to manipulate. 

Kai has one bar on his wrist, no one would suspect him to be a spy collecting information for a gang organization through befriending the children of rich and important figures in school. 

A task Soobin could never execute with the state he's born with, and even if Kai had sounded like he was filled with dread when he talks of those experiences, Soobin thought of how it'll feel to be in his place, to live that life like everyone else even if he was there with an ulterior motive.

But Kai didn't go to college, something about him finally reaching the skill capacity to do missions like Soobin.

Thus, he wondered, is it any different than school life? Not that he knew how that felt either but he can't help but wonder, imagine what it'll feel like to have that chance to experience.

“I just told you, it’s…." But Taehyun's words died at his lips at that face, the genuine curious glimmering like an awed child looking straight into his soul. 

'You…. You don't know anything about this, do you……' he figures that criminals don't have the time or care to worry about lectures and deadlines but why does it look like this man almost wants to give that life a try?

He wouldn't recommend it seeing how it went for him but the other male looked so…. fascinated?

Since he would rather not have him go back to that emotionless robot, he'll entertain the curious criminal.

"Well, you learn stuff, attend lectures, and they give you materials to study and sometimes we get group projects or uni events and activities” he lists out and giggles quietly at how the other listened with such earnestness.

It looks like the perfect opportunity to dig some information on the attractive man himself, “What do you do?” Taehyun asks, stupidly he might add because it's pretty obvious.

The criminal indulges him anyway, but he's starting to think this guy takes every word literally if his speech manners if any indicator.

“Steal and assassinate” the reply comes, curt and short. 

Taehyun hums to himself at the bluntness of it “Figured”

'No shit sherlock he almost shot a little girl down in front of you months ago' he loudly blares in his head but didn't expect the follow-up statement from the man.

“But you’re not scared” it didn't really sound like a question, rather it sounded like a prompt that's requesting a fact check, like he is trying to confirm something.

Taehyun beams at him, “No, I’m not” and when the man in all black, wide-eyed and awestruck, gaping at him like a fish at his words, the blonde giggles.

“Do you want to?” he asks him, watching how the stoic person from before going through several emotions at once, face overwhelmed because he’s never met someone like this. 

Someone so peculiar and strange as Taehyunnie, his question goes unanswered while Soobin waits for further elaboration. How is it that he can’t seem to understand a word that he’s saying, no matter how simple they sound.

Sensing the confusion, Taehyun quickly rephrased his question “Doing what you’re doing, do you like it?"

The crimes, the murders, and everything in between. His hands may have committed them, but Taehyun truly believes his heart lies somewhere elsewhere.

This strange pull towards the dangerous man, wanting to see for himself who he truly is because it does sound like he doesn't even know his true self.

Soobin can feel the spike of that unknown emotion, just as the day in that alleyway when Taehyunnie's words had shocked him, “I…... never thought of that” he mutters in a low voice full of uncertainty.

All his life, it's yes or no, do or don't, there's not a maybe. 

Everything comes with a precise answer, a world so black and white yet here he is in the presence of this enigma of his opposite, suddenly pulled into a mass of gray in between of that familiarity that he'd known.

“Never? Dude, how are you living your life?” Taehyun gasps out, genuinely feels concerned for him.

In all honesty, it doesn't look like he's given any freedom to have ideas and thoughts of his own because everything is already set out for him to obey and follow.

How unfair…… what if there's someone completely different underneath that indoctrinated mind?

“I don’t know…” he narrows his eyes at the older male's answer, there's a resemblance of distress, and Taehyun, although curious, does not want to push him any further today.

What's to say they won't meet again after this? The college student has a good feeling they would.

It's almost like a call of destiny, the same destiny he had damned to hell and back for making him born with no bars on his wrist.

(Or it could be his gay ass wanting a hot guy to look at and not feel bad for staring, whichever it is, he'll never know)

"Thank you for…... the drink…... Taehyunnie" 

Taehyun nearly chokes on his caramel macchiato at the use of his nickname, and if he's right, he didn't even give the man his name but he's already on a nickname basis?

'Holy shit holy shit that nickname rolling off those hot damn lips in that deep voice I'm swooning—' Taehyun so badly wants to slap himself to stay calm but they're in public, and he's reached his daily weird antics quota.

Forget the fact that the mass murder somehow knows his name without him mentioning it or introducing himself properly, he needs a record of that voice for his notification ringtone.

And all the while he's having his internal gay turmoil over it, Soobin is nervously keeping his eyes glued to the table thinking he said something wrong with how fidgety Taehyun is after that.

Taehyun coughs into the palms of his hands, "You're not bad company yourself.... but I wished I knew your name?"

Ah yes, of course, his idiotic self didn't think to ask for that particular information like, 2 hours ago when they first sat down.

He hopes his attempt at hiding the redness on his cheeks works in his favor for once, please he has embarrassed himself enough in front of the male for one day.

Soobin's face morphs into confusion, "Why are you not scared of me?"

"Why should I?" The blonde shrugs, keeping all of his items back in his bag deeming that he's done a fair load of his work for the day.

"I have three full bars"

The said male lowers his head as he said it, plain and clear. For anyone, it would be the simplest explanation, no further details needed because that alone speaks a lot for what it entails.

But Taehyun isn't just anyone….

"So?"

He's the annoying no-bar kid with a potential death wish and magnet for danger.

"I'm dangerous" he presses on further, unsure why isn't that getting through the other's thick skull. 

Why doesn't Taehyunnie understand it? Why does he refuse to accept it? It bugs him yet stir him in a……. not to say a bad way because he welcomes the feeling, but his denial of Soobin's nature just…. makes him feel things.

(He doesn't want him to accept it, he wants to understand why he doesn't…... so that maybe he could share the same view too)

"No, you're not"

Soobin narrows his eyes, eyebrows knit together in a stern stare "Do you underestimate my abilities?"

Without fail, Taehyunnie in all his unbothered glory, replies to him "No"

(But why? He wants to…... to scream so bad at the younger male. To demand why?)

"I.... then…... then how am I.....why would you say I'm not dangerous?"

(Is there a way he could see himself in that light too?)

Taehyunnie smiles softly at him, and carefully reaches out for his forearm. When the other's small hand hovers over Soobin's wrist, he is rendered puzzled once more for not knowing what the male is trying to do.

"Can I touch you?"

Oh

Oh, that's new, no one has ever bothered to ask. A small gesture, but it spreads warmth all over his chest.

"You may"

The soft palms of the blonde's hands clasps around his wrist, it feels odd, to have someone holding him like this.

Another pair of hands covering his three bars, yet it feels nice. 

Really nice, like Taehyunnie is comforting him. For what he doesn't know, but he welcomes this warmth.

"The bars just show what danger you are capable of, it's you who decide what do you wish to be" he starts to talk, fingers tracing over the skin where the rectangular marks etched on his skin.

Soobin slowly shakes his head, "I... I don't understand..."

Taehyunnie nods, he continues to say "You can harm, you can do so much harm. But it's your choice, isn't it? It's you who choose to do harm or not"

No that's…... that's not what he was told, he can't escape it, won't be able to. He's born this way, there's no other way to go about it.

Taehyunnie is wrong

(Oh, how he wished that Taehyunnie is right)

"I... But it's... it's in my nature…..." he feels back, tensed and slightly overwhelmed.

"Curiosity is a human nature, but we don't all let it run wild. We control what we are curious about and where we let our curiosity wander……It's not something beyond our control" and as he spoke, Soobin can see something in his gaze shifting.

A wavering sadness, a flash of understanding.

Of course, he has no bars, his life is just as enigmatic as Soobin's.

They're different, so different like the sun and moon itself. Yet so alike that they could be the two sides of the same coin, maybe they are.

"Losing control is normal, it happens, but if we really did try our best to control.........if we're able to live just like others………. how is that natural part of us...any different from everyone else?"

There's no refuting that, Soobin remains silent in awe.

The other slowly releases his grip on Soobin's wrist, a fond smile gracing his lips.

Soobin has always thought Taehyunnie shines with a soft glow, but at that moment, in making him realize that maybe there is a chance of normalcy for him….

Taehyunnie is far more radiant than he could ever imagine.

The boy slips his backpack on and gets up from his seat, a hand outstretched to a still dazed Soobin, softly chuckling.

"Now, your name?"

This is either going to be the biggest mistake of his life or the greatest decision (frankly speaking, it's the first independent non-crime-related decision) he'll ever make in his life.

"Soobin......my name is Choi Soobin"

Taehyunnie beams brighter, finally receiving a name to call his handsomely dangerous new companion.

"A pretty name, I'm Kang Taehyun" and because he's a cheeky bitch who knows his power of cuteness, Taehyun even adds a wink at the end because why not?

And he swore he saw pink hues painting those stoic cheeks of his.

"This is my apartment! Technically I shared it with my roommate but he's not home, between you and me, he doesn't like you much" Taehyun announces as soon as he pushes open the door, letting the guest step in.

"It's nice" Soobin comments, he'd always looked out from the exterior thus it's a new experience to see the home from the inside.

He’s completely aware how reckless this is of him, not only is he breaking promises but he’s here letting in the same man Yeonjun warned him to stay clear off into their home, while the other isn’t home of course.

Why? It didn’t look like Soobin was going to leave him after departing from the café, the criminal following his trail like a little duckling, at least he’s openly doing it rather than hiding himself in the shadows.

And Taehyun really did like his company, as awkward and completely morbid he can be, his presence is somewhat intriguing and a contrast to the dull life Taehyun lives.

What Yeonjun doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

Taehyun throws off his cardigan, the piece of fabric laying over the couch. Soobin awkwardly stands in the middle of the room, taking in the place as to not stare at the other's exposed waist from the crop top he's wearing. 

It's a relatively simple space, there are a couple of doors in the hallway, presumably for the washroom and bedrooms.

There are multiple frames of pictures hanging on the wall, Soobin can recognize Taehyun in some of the photographs along with a very familiar-looking male.

But his eyes eventually trail back to Taehyun who now flops himself down on the couch, sprawled with his limbs spread wide and an exhausted look on his face.

Petite and small waist exposed and on display, and it’s strangely making him flustered.

Soobin has seen a fair share of topless guys and even girls at the base or during specific missions, yet none can come close to how…… pretty Taehyun is, his heart races as fast as the heat reaches up to his ears.

He doesn’t understand why or how he is feeling the way he is, a recurring incident for him when it comes to the boy with no bar, but it’s probably nothing.

Anything that feels like this, this tingly sensation in his chest, couldn’t be a harm, right?

Feeling Soobin's burning stare on him, Taehyun coughs while his face burns with warmth on his cheeks.

His face painted red at the thought of the handsome male admiring him, no lie, Taehyun is aware he is pretty but to even catch the attention of that stoic criminal?

The blonde is tempted to act cocky about it, maybe insert a tease or two but he figures Soobin wouldn’t get it, "It's rude to stare you know" he remarks loudly and Soobin takes note of it, averting his gaze somewhere else.

"Aren't you ever hot wearing that? Take it off" Taehyun comments, the other only ever wears his all-black getup that looks anything but comfortable, and the weather isn’t kind either with how humid it is.

The male gets up from the couch thinking how he should probably make something to drink, where are his guest-hosting manners? criminal or not, a guest is a guest.

He pops right back into the living room seconds later.

"Oh and Soobin hyung I—"

He drops the cup in his hands, the thing dropping to the floor with a thud along with its contents spilling onto the floor.

Thankfully that thing had been plastic otherwise they would have a mess other than the very red one on his face. 

Taehyun could feel his face going on fire, it's probably as red as rose now with how flustered he is by the sight, his entire body feels high and hot that he might just explode.

Soobin is actually wearing a skin-tight black tee underneath his vest-like top gear and seeing him pretty much pulling it off and revealing the outlines of his defined abs and sexy-looking torso, Taehyun whips his head away. 

‘The gay gods are testing me what the fuck’ One hand clasp over his own mouth as he lets out a very gay scream of panic, Soobin stops in alarmed at his reaction.

Confused and alarmed to see the male all red and stammering.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! I WAS JOKING IT'S FREEZING HERE PUT IT BACK ON!!!!" He all but screams out, face flushing red while covering his face with both hands, yet his eyes peeking through the very obvious cracks between his fingers to see Soobin hastily put on his gear again.

Soobin nonchalantly picks up his discarded clothing, tugging them back on without another thought.

"Okay" not really seeing the fuss about it.

Taehyun slides himself down on the couch again, hugging his knees while trying to calm his speeding heartbeat, he is not your strongest single gay college boy. 

But seeing how Soobin is already all dressed up again standing in front of him, he nearly shrieks out a surprised squeak, for someone so tall and big, he makes no sound at all.

‘Must be a murderer thing…’ Taehyun concludes in his head.

Oh yeah, this guy is a criminal. Why does he keep forgetting that?

“You don’t have to keep standing, have a seat Soobin hyung” it feels nice to finally be able to properly address this mystery man, turns out Taehyun managed to find out he’s only two years older than he is.

Soobin nods, he situates himself in the seat next to Taehyun wordlessly, far too much like a robot following a command.

This immediately has Taehyun thinking, he doesn’t question any of those requests, simply doing them as soon as they are given.

Taehyun supposed if he had told Soobin to jump off the window right now, he would, "You shouldn't just…. follow what people tell you to do. You are your own person, regardless of what the outcome is…...you can make your own choices"

"Why?" Soobin asks him back, he finds no reason to do as such. Carrying out demands and orders given to him is all he’s known.

Doing otherwise sounds…...unacceptable, it usually ends up with a beating if he remembered correctly. 

Taehyun throws him an odd look, suddenly a sheepish smile carved on his lips, "Because…... if not…... you're not living then?" 

Soobin blinks, the blonde’s words circling in his head as it sends him into another state of existential crisis, "Living ……" the words echo from his lips.

Living, the word feels so foreign somehow.

Chapter Text

Soobin leaps over the fallen obstacles, adrenaline coursing through his veins in the chase. He's on a solo mission to track down and dig out some information regarding this particular organization, and the rat is giving him quite a chase.

He somehow managed to escape the bomb he implanted; it should've rendered him somewhat immobile along with the goons accompanying him.

But that didn't work and now Soobin has to actually chase him down.

The guy's screams aren't doing him any help either, it's rare but there are instances when these missions are to carry out while the sun still hovers in the sky.

In the daytime, it's harder to keep it down low than at night.

The target, some middle-aged man with a single bar on his wrist is no match to Soobin, the criminal has him pinned down to the floor with a gun on his forehead and a dagger to his throat to pair it.

The fool is a stammering panicking mess and wouldn't cooperate to give him the Intel he needed, and it greatly annoys him that if this fucker doesn't start talking then he might as well kill him off and be done with it.

'Come on Taehyunnie is waiting for me' he thought with his teeth clenching with impatience and a glare that promises doom on those who cross him.

"WAIT WAIT PLEASE!! I REALLY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING?!? PLEASE I'M JUST THE MESSENGER IN BETWEEN I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING?!!"

The male in a cap narrows his eyes, he's heard far better lies and excuses that this sorry of an abomination.

The empty kitchen they're in would be opened soon by their staff and Soobin rather not be there when that happens, "You wasted my time" he mutters with irritation, ready to slash the man's neck but hesitates.

"PLEASE I HAVE A FAMILY!! MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE WAITING FOR ME AT HOME PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!! SPARE ME!! I WON'T BREATHE A WORD!!" the man pleads, the snot and tears streaming down his face deliriously while he begs for his life.

It's not the first time he's heard this particular pleading, but it used to mean nothing to him. 

Used to.

He can feel his stance faltering just for a moment, the grip on his weapon loosening just a bit and just quite enough for the target below him to kick him off. 

Soobin curses and steadies himself, disbelief at how he let his guard down in such a way, if anyone at the base had seen it, he would've been severely punished.  

The fool scrambles up to his feet and makes a run for the door only to drop to the floor a split second before his fingers could grasp the doorknob, red leaking out and pooling in the kitchen tiles from the gun hole on his head.

The loud bang from his gun echoes the empty kitchen yet his labored breathing thunders much louder in his ears.

Soobin shakes away the thoughts and drags himself up to his feet to take his leave, for the first time in a long while, he feels it again. 

The shaking feeling has his heart spiking with an emotion he once thought had been beaten out of him.

Soobin is terrified.

Much terrified that his impudence is somehow known and reported than the fact he brings no intel that he's originally supposed to retrieve. 

The male couldn't process the fact he hesitated, he slipped up, something he never does because Soobin executes all his missions perfectly because flaws are not allowed.

And yet when the man mentioned his family, he saw a flash image of a blonde boy hugging his parents with a big smile, and his fingers wouldn't move.

Taehyun cheers as he bursts out of the lecture hall with a yawn, he had made the mistake of pulling an all-nighter before a presentation class but thankfully pulled through.

He calls it a miracle but Daehwi calls it dumbass luck.

"I'm surprised you didn't stammer at all, not even a word, you're getting better at this 'talk-to-the-audience' thing" his other friend, Chenle comments earnestly and Taehyun fights the urge to strangle the slightly older male.

"Wow hyung, I did my best on 40 minutes of sleep and that's all you're going to say?" He snipes back at him but Daehwi decides to butt in the two.

"Yeah whatever, we did it, it's done, in the past, it goes never to be spoken of again, and if one of you do, I'll stitch your mouth shut in your sleep" the boy warns, the stress of being a double major making him snappier since finals are the week after.

But since it's Daehwi, the two friends know he's all talk and no actual bite, they like to play along to it anyway. 

Chenle upon realizing the implications, laughs at him, "Me? Maybe, but for him? With his housemate? Not a chance" Taehyun bewilderedly reels back with an offended glare.

"Hey watch it, that's my Yeonjun hyung you're talking about" he pouts, but the other two shrugs, Daehwi coughs "I mean, he is terrifying. I'll never understand how you are not afraid of him, let alone able to live together" 

Taehyun shakes his head with disapproval, "He is a sweet guy if you get to know him…" Taehyun takes a peek at his watch, almost gasping at the time.

His two friends notice his sudden distress, face puzzled with confusion "Did you forget something?" Daehwi asks, alarmed since leaving things in the lecture hall is an open invitation for said thing to be stolen.

Taehyun dismisses his worry, only wearing a sheepish grin "No no I just forgot I had to meet up with someone today. I should go, I'm already late!" he tells the two, Chenle seeing his rush knowingly smirks.

The Chinese male has an inkling idea where this is heading, "Oh is that so? Wow, look at Taehyunnie all grown up and dating already?"

Even at the mention of the word, Taehyun's cheeks color red with blush.

"No, I'm not! It's a friend!" 

Oh, that certainly solidifies his suspicion, the two older males could only muster nods and teasing grins.

"Sure sure whatever you say kiddo" Chenle continues to add to his ruse earning a choked yelp from his younger peer.

"You're only a couple months older than me?!" Taehyun would argue as he always does, and frankly the numbers he put out aren’t wrong but that doesn’t mean his friends wouldn’t press anyway.

"What he said…... Kiddo" Daehwi chimes along, and relishes with amusement when Taehyun storms off, arms crossed and face red with fake annoyance. 

"I hate both of you" he proclaims out loud, there’s a bit of fondness to it, not that he’ll ever admit that.

“Bye Taehyun!! See you tomorrow! And don’t let your roommate kill them!” Two arms waving at him, both marked with one bar on each wrist. 

He took a shorter pre-university route so he ended up being slightly younger than most of the students in this particular course, Daehwi gets along with just about anyone, and Chenle apparently was his childhood friend.

So one would say, they’re the ones who parent Taehyun around when Yeonjun isn’t available.

Taehyun does, in fact, turn around to wave back. But he sticks his tongue out at them just because he can and will, a small smile on his lips while they part although he is oblivious to why they think Yeonjun would try to kill his secret friend.

But thinking back, Yeonjun most likely would if he knew (Taehyun legitimately promised him after all, but who’s here for details?) but probably only after he kills Taehyun first for breaking his promise.

The male rushes on his feet, clearly remembering that he’s supposed to meet up with Soobin at the bus stop somewhere around this area, the elder, to his shock (and maybe horror) does not have his personal cell phone.

He has a communication device of sorts to communicate with his gang members but it’s a strict link between them thus the two have no actual means of virtual communication between each other, so they had to decide on a meet-up time and spot.

Why? Why go through all the trouble? Both have no clue, just that they have to see each other again. 

Yet when he finally arrives at the designated meeting place, a bus stop just a few blocks away from his campus grounds.

Taehyun looks around but couldn’t see his criminal in all black, starting to wonder if Soobin decided to finally wear normal clothes and blend with society as much as he’s able to.

But that would make it harder for him to find him, ‘Oh? He's not here yet either?' the blonde thought to himself and looked around.

It’s mostly vacant save for a few people waiting for their bus, his chest rises and falls a tad bit harshly from the rush but feels stupid when he actually got there.

He did not calculate the chances that Soobin might not show up at all, he is a criminal, he revealed himself to Taehyun so openly the other day, and what’s there to say he would proceed to disappear altogether as he does doubt Soobin would hunt him down and kill him.

‘Why am I so sure of that….’ he snickers at himself for thinking so lightly of the criminal, the blind trust and benefit of doubt he’s been giving Soobin can be, by all means, worrying.

It’s odd, he can be reckless but he is careful to an extent.

Yet here he is, blindly trusting a killer who could possibly just be manipulating him into trusting the other, it’s a dangerous gamble, but Taehyun in all his whipped gay stupidity takes it upon himself to make the gamble.

What does he have to lose? Other than his own life that is.

He lingers at the bus stop, watching children rush past and office workers checking for their bus. No doubt, his finger fiddles with the hem of his sweater paws idly to calm his growing nerves.

Somehow the thought of Soobin not showing up is weighing a lot on his mind than he’d like to admit.

Is this how it feels to get stood up by a date? The sour pang in his chest spreads, it sucks.

“Taehyunnie” 

And that’s when Taehyun decides he needs a bell on that man.

The blonde almost shrieks out loud in public by the sudden call of his name, he whips his head around to see Soobin, dressed in his all too familiar all-black aesthetic looking down at him with a deadpan expression.

He didn’t even hear him, what the fuck.

“Soobin hyung! Oh god, you scared me” he whispers out a yell, a hand on his heart to calm his heavy breath. Soobin is so close, standing very much well in his personal bubble, only a good one and a half feet away from him.

Too close, his face is burning red and very hot from the close proximity. 

Soobin frowns hearing him, quickly taking a few steps away in alarm. He didn’t mean to scare the male, “My apologies, that was not my intention” he quickly says, an icky tug in his head berating him for already messing up.

Taehyun sensed the alarm in his voice, the blonde himself looked slightly surprised to hear it. But he is quick to shake his head, trying to dismiss whatever silly idea that came over Soobin’s head. 

Taehyun flashes a smile at him, the edges of his lips curving up, eyes like crescents and it warms Soobin so see his smile again, one of the many delights he finds in his new…...friend? 

A friend, to think he'll be able to have something he never would even dream of thinking he’ll have a chance at having.

Taehyun awkwardly coughs and looks away when he is greeted with a blank face, all in Choi Soobin courtesy, they still got a lot to work on it seems.

But Taehyun doesn't feel burdened from the thought, if anything, he looks forward to that journey with this new addition to his life.

"Hey sorry I'm late, got an errand to run" Soobin’s eyes glints dangerously at the woman who suddenly hooks her arms with Taehyun, her smile failing to hide the frantic look in her eyes as she attempts to glare him down.

The lady, a young woman probably in her early twenties, two bars on her wrist. She is trying to pull Taehyun away from him, and his mind zapped into that strategizing mindset at once, already thinking of how to intervene and get rid of her.

Soobin failed to realize that the fear in her eyes isn’t because of him but for the blonde boy, she had seen him walk up and startled him and thought Taehyun was in trouble, and being a courageous fellow law-abiding citizen probably with a death wish, tries to ‘save’ him from the obvious criminal with three bars.

Her breath is shaky as he stares her down, gripping onto one uncomfortably awkward Taehyun and ushering him to play along and escape with her.

Of course, none of that is the case at the moment, if it wasn’t for the almost murderous look on Soobin’s face, Taehyun might have enjoyed a good laugh from the irony of the situation.

But no, he dares not to take chances with the still obvious killer.

"Um, Miss? It's fine, he's with me" Taehyun sheepishly remarks, awkwardly tugging his arm back from her and shifting himself to stand closer to Soobin.

His timid grin is proving hard to sell but he has to manage somehow or this woman would no doubt call the cops on Soobin.

The lady looks stunned while gawking back at him in shock, disbelieving at what she's hearing as she darts her eyes from the menacing figure in all-black back to the blonde male.

Her face screams ‘I don’t trust this’ but seeing how Taehyun keeps assuring her, she skeptically backs off.

"Really? Okay then…." She mutters in a whisper, clearly unconvinced but Taehyun waves her off. Putting on a smile for her to assure that it really wasn't she thought it was, and he keeps it up till she’s leaving them to themselves.

The people around them had been watching very closely, some looked like they were getting ready to step in if it escalated, the rush of nervousness suddenly made sense with so many eyes on them.

Once the lady makes her leave, Taehyun turns his heels and sighs at the taller man who looks down at him blankly, face going back to unfazed as he always is. 

Taehyun playfully punches Soobin on his shoulder with a pout, at least 3 gasps can be heard from the people around him, bewildered at how he just hit, let alone touch a 3-bar person.

"You can't keep following me like that, people think you're tryna kidnap me" he exclaims, irritation in his voice, a nag with no malice.

It's weird enough that a tall very suspicious-looking man is following him around, Soobin doesn't even bother to cover his marks, letting them show wide in the open.

And with the all-black fit? It’s like the guy is trying to tell everyone that lays eyes on him that he's a dangerous criminal.

(Even if he’s anything but)

The other frown, eyebrows knitting together in confusion, "I'm not?" He clarifies for himself, and Taehyun once more forgets this man can't process normal human interaction with how he lived. 

"It looks like that to them" he explains and pushes Soobin from the back as they walk away from the place, maybe someone did call the cops and he’s not going to let them stick around any longer to find out.

The criminal allowed himself to be directed away, "Then what do you suppose I do......?" he can’t control what the general public around him assumes of him, their assumptions are never too far off anyway.

For a good 10 seconds, his mind just malfunctions.

Soobin likes to think he is well mastered in the art of clearing his head till it’s empty, nothing can get out and nothing can get in, other than orders from his superiors of course.

They did beat the sense and emotions out of him at an early age so his mind, relatively, can be said is almost always empty.

It’s quiet, it’s……. empty, nothing.

And yet when Taehyun slips his hand into Soobin’s, lacing their fingers together, all of that goes out of the window.

Suddenly he’s bulldozed with too many thoughts, the warmth against his palms, the feel of skin in his hand.

Physical touch has never felt so…...nice, it’s gentle and welcoming. Taehyun locked their hands together, a satisfied smile on that face he’d come to see as his favorite sight. 

Their hands slotted so perfectly together, unlike the jarringly huge opposites that they are.

"There, now they won't be suspicious of you!" Taehyun chirps with confidence but soon those cheeks are red and he whips his head to look somewhere else, low panicky muttering can be heard but Soobin can make out the exact words.

"Your hand is warm"

He likes it.

The two men settle down at one of the seats in the large franchise café, Soobin taking a seat and watches as Taehyun places down a plate of what looks to be a dessert of some sort. The taller male let his eyes scan over the white delish, fascinated since he’s never actually seen one so up close before.

It's a small piece, a mush of white on top of a thin crust drizzled with purple syrup and chunks of mashed berries, the smell itself is invitingly sweet, a scent that Soobin is not familiar with but even at one swift. It feels addicting.

He has his own drink that Taehyun ordered for him, some sort of dark chocolate drink with white frosting on top, it’s hard for him to believe that such drinks are actually coffee, because the ones he’s familiar with are bitter and taste no better than sewer water.

But he likes the taste of this coffee, the sweetness that’s foreign yet addictingly pleasing.

So used by the bland food he’s given, the new colors of tastes he discovers whenever he’s with Taehyun never fails to surprise him with delight.

Such as now, his curiosity overtaking the best of him because he can’t at all tear his gaze away from the dessert, entranced by the sight and sweet smell that pulls him in like a child after candy. 

Taehyun, of course, notices it. It's hard not to when the tall man in all black keeps looking at you eating dessert like he wants to pounce at you himself.

"Hyung, you're staring" he comments sheepishly. 

"What…...is that….?" The voice is full of awe, much in contrast to the person himself. But the young male bites back a gasp, bewilderment on his face at the sudden admission that Soobin has never had cheesecake before. 

"Cheesecake? Don't tell me you've never had cheesecake before?!" He almost exclaims out too loudly, already looking around to check if anyone is watching them.

But then remembers someone is always constantly watching them, keeping an eye on the two.

It reminds him once more of the world they love him, Taehyun tugs the sleeve of his cardigan down, forming sweater paws.

He sighs heavily and turns his attention back at Soobin, who is either unbothered by the prying eyes on his exposed wrist or just too distracted by the threat to notice. 

It’s oddly endearing, "What does it taste like…...?" The taller man questions him, eyes still on the cheesecake, Taehyun supposed he should’ve bought Soobin some as well but he hadn’t known if the elder even likes the dessert.  

Instead, he throws him a smile, pushing the plate over to the man in the black cap "Why are you asking me? Hyung, just take a bite!" he offers, eyes glinting with encouragement. 

"Really……?" Soobin looks up at him and backs down on the piece of half-eaten cake.

"Yes really! Oh- it's not poisoned! Trust me, it's good!"

Whatever he’s doing with his eyes (Why is it…. sparkling?) it’s making it hard for him to say ‘no’ although he has no plans of declining, 

The man takes the spoon, carefully scooping some of it up. Taehyun watches on eagerly, anticipating the reaction like an overexcited kitten. When Soobin’s lips close around the spoon, the world around him seemed to freeze.

There couldn’t possibly be a way to describe the sweet goodness that all but melts in his mouth, he doesn’t even know something so sweet and good existed. The flavor explodes and charges at his taste buds, it’s like everything is suddenly dialed up to ten.

‘Holy shit, something like this existed?’ he could…. he could cry. 

(But he doesn't of course, not that he is capable of it)

Soobin, too in awe of his discovery of the delicacy that is blueberry cheesecake fails to see the round-eyed mesmerized face Taehyun is wearing.

He watches, he watches how that blank face slowly morphs into something he’s never seen and honestly is unaware someone like Soobin could still have an almost childlike innocence as he stares down on the dessert with starstruck with wonder.

It warms his heart, seeing the slightly elder boy lighting up, finally showing some signs he hasn’t entirely lost all of his emotions, that there are still parts of him that can be salvaged and put together. 

"Oh…...oh, it tastes…. nice…..." it's the most emotions he ever sounded, disbelief with amazement. Taehyun’s heart churns with adoration, yet a small part of him can’t help but feel pained. 

Soobin looks up to him, face still partially blank but his eyes are shining, for once, with just a tinge of life.

The life that was blown out by the harsh world he lived in.

"I like it"

‘Who hurt you? What did you go through? What did they do to make you turn so……? inhumane?’ Suddenly he doesn’t see a criminal sitting in front of him, he doesn’t see the way those hands are bloody red with murders.

He sees a victim to the games of fate, someone robbed of his chance to live.

Taehyun sympathetically smiles at him, "Lemme go grab some more, just finish those yeah? It’s my treat!" He holds no pity for the man. 

What he bears isn’t pity, Soobin doesn’t need that. He needs someone to understand, and Taehyun is more than willing to be the first.

"Okay"

The taller of the two blinks and goes back to eating, carefully taking small nibbles on his cake, probably to fully savor it.

The scene is one to behold, Taehyun giggles "Geez, you're so cute and for what?"

He freezes up, face red and hot as the words leave his lips. Where is his mouth filter when he needs it?! Taehyun turns tail and sprints away before he could see Soobin’s reaction, the gay in him needs to be reeled in for god’s sake.

Soobin blinks, face tinted with pink "I'm…...uh…...cute?"

They didn’t stop at Starbucks this particular day, ‘not feeling the need to consume caffeine' is what Taehyun had said to him, instead, they’re in a building that Soobin rarely ever goes to.

This time, Taehyun managed to coax him into changing out of his usual attire.

The male threw a tote bag at him upon walking up to him and forced him into the nearest public restroom, demanding that he change. It's weird, not wearing his gear outside the base, the clothes that he was given too look odd on him.

The striped sweater is loose around his frame and the sleeve is long enough to subtly cover his marks, the jeans were surprisingly more comfortable than they look and Taehyun made him lose the cap and now his head is oddly light from the absence of the extra weight.

He feels so different, so out of place but he likes it. Because when he steps out, he may feel like he’s warranting some sort of punishment from his superiors but god damn did it feel…... different, and not the bad kind of different.

It’s like he finally found the ‘right’ way he should have looked like.

And walking on the street, with lesser eyes on him, people around going about chatting away or stuck in their phones and not scrutinizing at the sight of him (saved for a few observant fellows who caught the sight of his wrist, they weren't fully covered after all) makes him feel so belonged.

Taehyun had clapped his hand excitedly, chiming on and on about how good he looked. Now that they’re walking together again, it feels almost natural, it’s not two opposites together but two people, regular normal people being together.

The place they’re at, he notes, is quiet but it’s not like the silent eerie calmness with danger lurking in the corner kind of quiet, instead, it’s a welcoming serene sort of quiet.

The rows of shelves full of books almost go on endlessly, he could read the sections split up in the rows of ‘Science Fiction’, ‘References’ and ‘Japanese Literature' amongst the many. It’s relatively peaceful, the visitors present mostly kept to themselves, not even looking up from their respective work.

"Is this…... the library?" he mutters out after scanning the area for threats, what kind? Not sure, but it’s a force of habit. Taehyun pulls him along or it's Soobin who is clutching onto the hem of the sleeve this time.

The oversize hoodie he’s wearing is drowning him, only the tips of his finger peeking through, he moves around with familiarity like he’s memorized the entire layout of the place. 

"Yep, we're here to get something. Just hang here a minute, I'll be right back" he calls out to him, taking off down the ‘Food & Dining’ section, the fluff of blonde bouncing with each step.

In the meantime, Soobin takes the liberty to settle down in one of the vacant seats, looking around awkwardly while waiting for his male companion, he isn’t much of a reader.

"You know hyung, you're not really all that thing they say you are." a voice speaks up from behind him, the man widens his eyes and whips his head back. How did he not hear Taehyun’s footsteps?

The other giggles at his reaction, taking the seat next to him and placing the couple of books he has in his arms down, Soobin turns away from him with a frown.

"Am I though? With the amount of blood on my hands?" and he hates how he doesn’t even sound sorry as he says it.

He doesn’t even know how ‘sorry’ feels.

Taehyun sighs, he takes the first of many from the pile, letting the pages flap open, "It's never your fault they never let you learn how to live" he retorts, firmness in his tone.

"Live……. I am living aren't I?"

(Is he asking Taehyun or himself? The question echoes in his own head and it cowers his thoughts with the unsettled feeling of maybe, just maybe……)

Taehyun shrugs, eyes cast down in his book but look up to Soobin to meet his gaze. Kind eyes, looking into his own like a hand reaching out to him. He spoke softly, unlike the usual clumsy mess that he is, Taehyun is calm.

"I don't know hyung, are you? Does it feel like living to you?"

A hand rests on his own, squeezing his larger and calloused hand and it was strangely, like all things for him these days, comforting. 

"I... don't know"

Another squeeze.

Taehyun smiles warmly, the shine in his orbs providing a sense of reassurance somehow like he hadn’t expected Soobin to have an answer to such a question and was never going to reprimand him for it anyway.

"That's okay, it's fine if you don't. But you know what isn’t, okay?"

Soobin shakes his head, and his mind blares with the question, screaming at him. 

"What?" he whispers out, not knowing why his voice is so small, why can’t he talk normally. Why does his throat feel so constructed that he can barely say anything, chest so tight that he almost couldn’t breathe.

"Not letting yourself search for the reason, holding yourself back from truly living your life to the fullest."

Everything stills, Taehyun’s words ring in his ears, chiming at him repeatedly while he drowns in these unknown emotions.

"How do I do that…?" he whispers out, and loudly wonders in his head why can’t he talk?

Taehyun smiles at him, tucking away the book in his hands, that face with no fear for him looking at him in such a gentle way, "I can try to show you, but only if you let yourself learn to live" 

He takes a deep breath, trying to soothe the way his heart rapidly thunders. The other’s touch feels almost electrifying in his grasp.

"Do you want to live, Soobin hyung?"

Soobin pours all his will and might into answering it, all of his indescribable emotions pulled into his voice. 

"Yes…. I want to"

The streets are crowded, it’s the rush hour after all, Taehyun can suck it up and stop whining in his head because he knows damn well there’s no helping his case with this. Stumbling out of the mass of college students and lecturers brushing past him, the main corridor is busy and making his head dizzy.

The blonde with all his might push through the crowd, multiple files of assignments hugged tight to his chest and he prays that he doesn’t trip and fall, if he could make it past the busy areas without losing anything, that would be nice.

And he did, only to bump into a strong wide chest while making a turn, too caught up in his joy of escaping the busy herds that he forgot to look where he’s going. Truly, he’s starting to think him being a klutz is almost fate’s doing than his own.

And of course, petite lanky Taehyun can’t even hold his shit in his grip properly because some of those files he’s been holding slipped and now there’s a mess of assorted colors on the floor, "I'm- I'm so sorry! So sorry!" he stammers out.

Flustered, he swoops down to the floor to pick up the papers. Screw those damn professors and their need for hard copies, he curses in his head eternally for their abundance to go fully digital with their assignments.

The voice above him chuckles, and the voice rains down like warm afternoon sun rays, Taehyun dares not to look up in fear of showing his red face of embarrassment.

Strangely, why does this voice sound oddly familiar. The memory jumping about in his head and he can't seem to grab it 

"It's okay!" And there's another hand on the floor, larger than his own as they help gather the papers, a singular rectangular bar on their wrist.

Taehyun immediately jumps to protest, he can't have strangers picking after his own clumsiness, finally lifting his gaze to meet this kind stranger.

"No! I should look where I'm going—"

The words died in his throat, eyes widening while his jaw dropped open. He stares at the man crouching in front of him as if he had grown a second head.

"Let me help you pick your stuff up" his hair is different than it was years ago, and it really has been a couple of years ago since he last saw him.

But Taehyun doesn't forget faces, especially not the ones that used to make his heart race and come to a realization that he's actually very gay.

And he would remember, no way he'll forget such a cute boy, it'll be a crime in of itself.

The face he remembered however is much…. younger, like the traces of innocence and youth evident for all but the one he's looking at now is so much mature and hotter yet still the very same guy and he's sure of it.

Said stranger was not in fact, a stranger after all.

"Please you don't have to—You...?" The other pauses, a flash of recognition in his eyes now that they locked gazes. Taehyun yelps, the other male must've remembered him too.

"Kang Taehyun-shi?"

Taehyun smiles, not knowing whether he should run and hide or dig a hole and bury himself at the moment because the other suddenly leans very close.

Dangerously close and it's not good for his heart, ex-crush yes but he used to crush on him all the same so his heart is thundering at the sudden close-up.

'Wow he grew so handsomely?!' The blonde fringes of his hair fall over his face perfectly, he feels the other taking his frozen hand off the floor, hoisting both of them up to their feet.

This also leads to Taehyun realizing 'Holy fuck he's almost as tall as Soobin?!' because he distinctly remembers that this ex-cutie now hottie was only a couple centimeters taller than he is but now towering over him.

Taehyun's gawking draws out a laugh from the other, it chimes sweetly like honey that brings forth a sense of nostalgia.

A single hand holds out to him, the one bar on the wrist wide in the open, and Taehyun can't help but get swamped by a great feeling of déjà vu.

He smiles at him, Taehyun is still processing his thoughts because this is—

"It's me, Huening Kai, your desk mate from middle school, remember?"

Chapter Text

“Class we have a new student joining us, please introduce yourself” 

Taehyun nervously fidgets, his thick round glasses almost slipping from the bridge of his nose with how much he has his head lowered.

The thin built boy gives a small nod “Hi, my name is Kang Taehyun” he introduces himself, timidly as ever with one hand raised to greet his new classmates.

Instantly, whispers erupt in the room and Taehyun yanks down his arm with a yelp, hiding it behind his back. The boy frowns, mentally cursing himself for forgetting again to not use the arm with his non-existence mark because his oversized jacket does a bad job at hiding it.

“Very well, now please take a seat next to Mr. Huening, Mr. Huening please raise your hand” the teacher follows up, a tall boy with soft curly brown hair shoots his hand up in the air with a kind smile. 

Taehyun walks over to him, passing by the tables and tries to ignore the prying eyes trying to get a glimpse of his wrist. He awkwardly smiles at the other boy and sits down next to him, pulling out his material for the lesson.

It isn’t as bad as he thought, Kai, is actually a pleasant deskmate to have. During the small breaks in lessons, he would strike up some idle conversation to get to know Taehyun, the boy notices how his eyes sparkle in the sunlight from the window, making him almost glowing with a shimmering aura.

He’s never met someone so beautiful. A boy nonetheless.

Once the first two class sessions ended, the bell rings and welcomes recess. Kids pile out the room and some rush off to meet their friends and the once relatively quiet classroom is bubbling with chatters.

Taehyun too takes out his lunchbox, he notices that Kai is gone from his seat, probably to buy food like how most kids who go there.

It is an elite school, most children attending here either have rich parents or come from families with strong political power.

Unlike him, he’s just here because he’s lucky enough to score a scholarship.

"Hey, newbie! Where are you from?" a blonde girl asks him, there’s a mean taunt in her tone while she giggles back at her friends at his silence.

It’s pretty obvious he isn’t in the same social league as them, answering would only make things worse for him so Taehyun chose to ignore.

"What's your parents’ job? You know what class you're in, right?" another adds on, he sounds amused. Treating the ordeal like a game to play, to them, it means nothing, they’re not him. And with the clean wrist indicator, they didn’t even have to be afraid that he might do something because he won’t.

He can’t, not even if he tried, and that’s just the nature he’s born with.

The group of bitchy girls continues to laugh at him, and it urges more students in the classroom to chime along. "He's quiet~ Meaning his parents are not that big of a money maker. Sad, he doesn’t belong here"

He doesn't, Taehyun knows that, he’s nothing like them and he’ll never fit in. He most likely wouldn’t even have any friends, the boy tries to ignore their insults and jabs, it's only his first day, he can’t cry on his first day.

"You guys are mean, he just got here," The all too familiar voice he has been hearing all morning interjects, Kai enters the classroom with a packet of bread in his hands, sending a mild glare to each person in the classroom who were mocking Taehyun.

The space quiets down at once at his entrance, everyone looking at one another while he skips back to his seat next to Taehyun’s, sitting down next to him while still wearing the same friendly smile.

"Huening, don't be too soft. Aren't you disgusted sitting next to him?" One brave guy steps up to say, but he dares not go any closer than he already is to them, keeping a firm three-foot distance between himself and the pair.

Taehyun observes the interaction with utmost curiosity, it’s almost like everyone in the class is terrified of the pretty looking boy who is his desk mate.

"No~?" He defended, in a cute tone full of tease.

"Even if he transfers to our school without entering our class, it doesn’t make a difference~ He must be working hard to get here, unlike you~" his voice singsongs sweetly with the obvious sarcastic connotation

The other kids back off then, leaving the two to themselves as they go about in their own business. Taehyun lets out a shuddering breath he’s been holding, the entire class has been scrutinized so that he could barely breathe through it.

"Sorry, for the trouble..." he mutters towards his deskmate, feeling bad that he had to step in to defend him because Taehyun couldn’t do it for himself.

"Why are you apologizing?" The other astoundingly remarks, but his voice is soft, a much contrast to when speaking with his other classmates.

Kai gives him a kind smile, "It's just them being spoiled rich brats, thinking they have the privilege to boss everyone around," the words slip through his lips in a low playful whisper so as to not be heard.

Taehyun looks at him, awestruck and amazed at how he speaks of his so-called friends, the other who is a tad bit taller leans his head back while chugging down his banana milk, his brown hair prettily drapes on his face while his lips are still slightly curved up in a smirk.

Taehyun’s cheeks flushed pink, his face warming up but he quickly shakes away the feeling.

"Are you... friends with them?" he asks, finally getting to eat his own packed lunch. 

"Everyone thinks we are, but for me," the boy slowly straightens his posture, putting the empty bottle of banana milk down, there’s an almost dark loom over his face as he chuckles, Taehyun gulps as their eyes meet. 

Those eyes are bright and beautiful, almost like a doll’s, yet they don’t feel as lively as they look.

Taehyun feels his breath halting at the beautiful sight, how can someone be so pretty?

"It's just rich people's business thing with the connection and stuff, nothing is ever really real here," he told him with a grin.

But Taehyun sees what’s beneath those orbs, something he can’t decipher but it’s the sharp glint that gleams so menacingly that entrances him, like there’s an unspoken secret between the lines he spoke.

It gives him shivers, yet Taehyun simply assumes it's just his barless instinct acting up, often cornering him to feel scared over nothing but he does notice the one flashy rectangular bar on the latter’s wrist.

One bar, yet it feels like there are more qualms and twists to this boy than he could ever think.

"Though you may know my name from the others, but let me properly introduce myself anyway, I’m Huening Kai," The male offers his hand and Taehyun sheepishly takes it, the warmth of Kai’s hands around his own makes his face burn.

There is definitely something wrong with him, from the weird way he keeps going ‘Pretty.’ in his head each time he so much as takes a glance at Kai to right now in which he’s getting ridiculously flustered at each eye contact they make.

Their hands join together, one bar on Kai’s, a clean empty one on Taehyun’s own wrist.

As they connected, somehow Taehyun wishes to know more about the boy. 

Taehyun keeps his head down and low and moves fast, he hugs his books close to his chest and quickens his pace, the school is nice, it is after all an elite school for rich kids meaning the facilities are top-notch and the lessons are great.

But there comes his real problem, the kids, now while Taehyun doesn't vibe with stereotypes, these fuckers are about as stereotypically as they can get.

Snobby, prideful and so full of himself just because they were born with silver spoons in their mouths. 

Why did his parents even let him come? Oh yeah, it’ll be a waste to turn down such a great scholarship offer.

Taehyun cursed the school for short sleeves uniforms, and himself for forgetting his jacket that day, his clean wrist exposed and not exactly easy to hide. Being harmless and not up to the social class with the rest of the school means you’re an inevitable target for bullies.

The brown-haired male speeds as the whispering hurdle of kids in their rich uniforms, but his own dumb self forget that when you walk, you have to look up and forward and not at the floor.

This led to the situation now, Taehyun accidentally bumped into another student in his haste, his glasses falling to the floor by the impact along with his books.

The bigger boy hisses and glares down at him, “What’s with you punk?! You think you’re so great coming on a scholarship pathetic fuck?”

The guy has no mercy as he kicks Taehyun's already broken glasses away, the object sent flying into a wall, now broken to an unfixable state. 

The boy groans, his mom isn’t going to be too happy about this, one of those rich brats’ smirks and leans down, Taehyun yelps when he’s being yanked up by his collar.

“You’re so pathetic, I don’t know why are you even here” the wrist on his hand showing two bars.

Taehyun grabs the hand trying to push himself away but the other was far stronger, the kids laugh at him, insults streaming in one after another.

“You’re that useless! You can’t even stand up for yourself huh little damsel? No prince charming here to save you now”

Taehyun bites his lips down to suppress a sob, the tears threatening at the edge of his eyes, silently cursing how he was born this way. 

“Oi, let him go bro, he did nothing to you” another voice suddenly steps in, Taehyun blinks his eyes and suddenly the hand is no longer grabbing him by the collar.

Instead, a bigger warm hand sling across his shoulder.

“Well? Go on, your classes aren’t going to wait for you, go on” He calmly tells them off, yet there’s a sharp and dangerous glint in his eyes, a hidden dagger in his smile that gives off a vibe that says one shouldn’t mess with him.

Kai is like that, he's one of the popular kids. Taehyun learns quickly while studying in that goddamn school that he’s friends with quite literally everyone, knows each student by their names and doesn’t stick with cliques, he flocks around and everyone welcomes him.

Taehyun isn’t surprised, he's quite the charmer. The boy, although still in his teens like everyone else is still the prettiest guy he’s ever met in his life, the girls want to date him, the boys too drool over him or want to be him. 

He’s much discreet about his family status and wealth but one luck at his limited-edition designer bag and anyone can tell he’s one of the top richest kids in the school.

Naturally, everyone has no problem befriending, including Taehyun.

They’re good friends, desk mates after all. Kai would often ask for his help with subjects he’s struggling with and scares away cocky kids who think just because his parents don't make as many figures as theirs, doesn’t mean they could make him their punching bag.

But as the high school cliché romance trope goes, Taehyun does develop a crush on the boy over time, it's hard not to. Kai is as bright as he is mysterious as he is enigmatic.

Like a protagonist straight out of a drama novel that Taehyun would sit down and binge read.

But the boy never confessed his feelings, not once through his year at high school, too driven by his sureness that Kai only sees him as a friend. The guy rejected every confession he’s ever presented with, Taehyun doesn’t blame him, like he once said.

There’s no telling who is genuine and who isn’t, you never know that someone might just be taking advantage of you in a business high societal class where everything is more or less laced with lies and deceit.

Taehyun chose to cherish his little experience of crushing on the boy instead of acting on it. It’s far easier that way and he won't be mauling over any possible rejections that way.

Taehyun doesn’t regret the choice, Kai is an amazing friend just the way he is.

While he may harbour feelings, Taehyun doesn’t feel that they should be more. Besides, rarely anything in his life is fun, so keeping to himself about a secret crush on his deskmate is a lot more exciting to him than most. 

Sadly, with time comes parting, and theirs came during their middle school graduation. His family would be moving to Ilsan and he couldn't possibly stay in Seoul, their middle school graduation ceremony is probably the last he’s ever seen of the boy. 

Kai is a very private person, hardly anyone has his phone number, let alone Taehyun. And he doesn’t use social media either, which is sort of weird for kids in their generation but it’s not like anyone would dare question him why.

Taehyun would sometimes see him appearing once or twice in some other classmate's photos but even those are rare.

They share one last hug, one last handshake and an exchange of “Don’t forget me!” before parting ways.

From then on, Huening Kai is just another sweet memory from his young adolescent days.

Beomgyu’s lips curve inwards while his fingers fiddle with the wire, nodding along as Kai lays out his plan to stalk their resident human weapon, once he hears the younger boy finish, he lifts his gaze up to him with an amused yet questioning look.

“I’m like……. very intrigued right now, because…... Why are we doing this?” he could see the growing irritation on the boy, but damn Beomgyu loves Kai but he’s not going to do suspicious unauthorized personal missions on the person who could kill him in his sleep for no reason.

Kai rolls his eyes, moving from the wall he was leaning against to drape himself across Beomgyu’s slumping shoulders on his chair, he could feel his entire body jolting up at the contact with his heart rate picking up speed faster than a malware virus.

Beomgyu really wonders if Kai knows what he’s doing to him, “I told you, he’s been going out so often... I think he’s meeting up with someone,” of course he doesn’t, not even fazed while he continues to talk.

His face leaned down to watch Beomgyu work on the particular gadget he’s working on for said mission, but the elder male is queasy about Kai catching his hands that are slowly getting wobbly and inefficient while he works.

Beomgyu collectively prays for his soul and takes a deep breath, “....... are we even talking about the same person?” 

Bin? Meeting someone that isn’t his handlers or superiors outside the base?

That’s hilarious as fuck if it doesn’t border on the fact their most dangerous member is probably being influenced by an outside source. And that in itself is odd, Bin hardly has contact with anyone if any at all outside, how would such an event even transpire?

Kai growls at him, “I’m positive, besides if that bastard is really ratting us out to someone…...” 

Kai really shouldn’t be glad or even hoping that is the case, it would set all their safety in jeopardy but if Soobin is really doing something like that then he could bust him and show just how much of a better son and member of the organization he is compared to his half-brother.

“Is he even capable of that?” Beomgyu continues to question while attempting to shove Kai off of him, the taller of the two doesn’t even budge.

His doubt of him is starting to piss Kai off (and maybe even hurt, Beomgyu always trusted him….) and he can’t help but grumble out a “Why are you defending him so much?”

Beomgyu quickly shakes his head, a sigh almost escaping his lips from how childishly the other is acting.

“No, it's not that Kai, but you have to realize, Bin is basically trained to be a programmed weapon. I would know…... Sort of, I’ve seen the kind of training that he had to undergo…... One doesn’t just break out of that heavy indoctrination” he explains.

Kai let those words maul over his head, the word ‘indoctrination’ ringing in his ear, that doesn’t… That doesn’t sound right.

Of course, he’d known what kind of training Soobin went through (Or did he…?), he participated in some of it as well and had then been very bitter that they wouldn’t train him as well as they trained Soobin.

But for Beomgyu to use such a word to describe it... Kai shoves whatever remnants of the thoughts down, he doesn’t need that at the moment,

“Meaning whoever it is, they’re dangerous” he concludes, it’s the only logical conclusion. And when he’s able to snuff out this little rat that’s been trying to sway Soobin, his father has to acknowledge him.

No matter how much he hates Soobin, Kai smirks to himself at being able to use the elder male as a tool to gain their father’s recognition. 

Beomgyu on the other hand needs no telepathic abilities to even hear Kai’s thought process, forehead already creasing with irritation because he’d bet his entire arm that Kai is thinking of using this chance to appeal to his father again, judging purely from the look on his face.

“So... we’re doing this?” he calls out, pulling Kai’s attention back on him. 

The other nods, a vicious smile makes its way to his lips, it’s a while since he last did this sort of mission, “Well, can’t say this isn’t quite literally my speciality” 

After all, whoever the fuck thinks they can mess around and get past Kai needs to learn their place.

It’s comical how so simple and easy this is.

Huening Kai spoke too fucking soon because things really just got a shit-ton more complicated than it ever was before.

It’s Taehyun, Kang Taehyun. 

Specifically, one of the 4 remaining classmates he has from middle school that is still alive since they don’t warrant him to eliminate them, and he truthfully did dig deep and hardback then, after all, they did sit side by side in class and he collects information on everyone.

He first saw them together when they met up at the bus stop, getting major backlash from just seeing Taehyun running up to Soobin excitedly with a smile on his face like a little excited kitten.

The fact Soobin did not notice himself being tailed is a concern itself (Nothing, absolutely nothing get passed his eye, Kai would know, he tried and failed too many times at sneaking up to the other) but then he saw, it was faint but he saw the male’s face that is usually hardened with no emotions…...

Softens with a small faint smile.

If one is not constantly around him to see his face then you wouldn’t notice it, but Kai grew up mostly surrounding him and it was the most emotions he’s seen of the elder male in all his 19 years of living. 

And then there’s Taehyun, how did they even meet?

As far as Kai is concerned, Taehyun is quite literally a normal person, he racked his brain for the information he has on the boy from years ago but nothing could point at him how and why he is suddenly acquainted with Soobin, a mass murderer and criminal.

But of course, Kai also knows there’s no way in hell he will ever get to the bottom of this if Soobin is around, which is why he’s diving back again to play that persona of a deskmate friend and approach Taehyun himself, unknowingly luring his target in.

Kai now walks side by side with inner triumph, it has been a long while since he last saw or hung out with the now blondie, their little friendship itself is more of a ruse than anything with no genuine attachment and with Taehyun’s barless status along with his background of a normal middle-class family.

He’s pretty much just an extra that Kai easily tossed away once his infiltration mission was done.

It’s almost nostalgic, both of them making their way to a nearby Starbucks after helping Taehyun hand in the files walking together, one oblivious and the other with hidden motives, just like good old middle school. 

Kai does note he doesn’t look too different, still, the same awkward boy the young criminal remembers that sat next to him during middle school, save for the blonde dye job and maybe the clothing choice, the little midget managed to grow some confidence and shed off some of his adolescent shyness from the looks of it.

“How have you been? What luck we bumped into each other again” he starts to converse, better get the ball rolling now if he doesn’t want to bump into Soobin. 

Taehyun sighs, his frame slouch forward in exaggerated dismay “I’ve been better”

Dramatics, that’s new.

Kai giggled at the remark, “You haven’t changed much” oh he did, he changed significantly but Taehyun doesn’t need for him to point that out, Kai is just his old friend and deskmate after all.

“Other than your pretty face, neither did you” the other boy taunts back with a shaky smirk on his lips, wobbly but trying his best nonetheless, Kai being a professional flirt would give him a B for effort.

Which reminds him of a grainy detail he almost forgot.

“Pretty? Oh Taehyun-shii, are your puppy love feelings for me coming back?” The reaction is exceptional, the shorter boy almost trips over air, his face burning up quickly and his ears turning red.

It’s laughable how this is almost too easy. The way Taehyun diverts his gaze elsewhere, looking anywhere but at Kai even as they walk up to the café steps and push through the door.

Albeit a bit pathetic, Kai would later snort about the lack of instinct or situational awareness but then Beomgyu reminds him through his earpiece to stop holding back his suppressed snickering and focus on wooing.

“W-what? Nonsense!” Are all barless folks this naïve even in their adulthood? Kai would’ve thought they had some kind of danger sensor sort of instincts but he now knows otherwise.

Unless Taehyun is a special case of a special kind of stupid.

“What are you doing here anyway? Had your fun dropping off the face of the earth?” get the target to open the topic for him, easy to avoid any suspicions.

Kai is breezing through this but they’re already at the counter and Beomgyu booms from his earpiece that Soobin will arrive soon.

“No I didn’t” Kai retorts back in fake confidence, Taehyun still foolishly unaware “Yes you did”

“I have a contact number” It’s basically screaming `take this motherfucking bait’.

Because Taehyun might just be the only person who doesn't find it weird that his old deskmate he used to have a crush on and was his friend, disappeared to god knows where after middle school, completely dropped off-grid and now started turning up again out of nowhere when he got a pet criminal following him around.

(Or perhaps it's Kai that got built-in extreme paranoia over everything around him)

If Taehyun had lived his life, even a small fraction of it, he'd be dead by the third hour. He is basically doing his job for him, Kai is tempted to doubt and pose a question if Taehyun is somehow aware and is playing him instead because surely this guy has some sense of self-safety right? Not even a small this-shit-kinda-sus ?

“That’s easily fixed, gimme your phone” and Taehyun hands over his Samsung phone without a word and turns towards the cashier to make his order, not even looking back at Kai.

(Oh god, his phone even has no security passcodes. Is this guy real?? Kai might just start worrying for him.)

He almost too easily slips a micro-sized bug into the phone while he types in one of his many phone numbers, the deceive is actually movable and hearing the confirmation that their little seed is planted, Kai can’t help but smirk to himself. 

The feat is hardly a challenge, Taehyun turns back and takes his phone back, “About damn time Kai” he scans the new contact on his phone with an excited smile.

“Is it my fault you never asked?!” Kai snorts, walking over to the pickup counter to wait for the drinks. But Beomgyu warned him about Soobin approaching, he has to leave now. 

As planned, his phone ringtone breaks out and Kai naturally pretends to pick up the call, “Hello? Yeah? You got the assignment note I gave you? Cool, cool. Oh you need my help? Sure, I'll be on my way.” he speaks, calm and collected while Taehyun curiously looks up to him.

“Sorry Taehyun, guess we’ll catch up some other time. Don’t forget to text me” he says, pulling a sheepish grin to sell the lie, Taehyun pouted at him but didn't say a thing. 

“I guess we can, I’m supposed to be meeting up with a friend right now anyway”

‘Friend? With him?’ Kai might as well choke on his laughter in his head, his half-brother who has the social capacity of a brain-dead robot? Friends with Taehyun? It’s so far-fetched, Kai could be crying with laughter.

They exchange farewells and Kai takes the other door out, just barely missing Soobin who walked in, oddly enough in some random casual clothing that Kai is very sure he doesn’t own. That was a weird sight, colors looked strange on Soobin.

Kai walks down the pavement with stride, he taps his earpiece to signal Beomgyu that their job is done, "Mission success~" now they’ll just observe.

Beomgyu frowns deeply while slouched on his seat, “Are you sure? I mean, I kind of think he’s nobody important but to sway Bin like that so easily…...” he comments, Kai who has been perching on the extra space of his desk nods his head with a sigh.

Through the device, they could track Taehyun’s location and even hear conversations if it's near the boy, but much to their surprise or not, it’s mostly a solemn blanket of quietness between them with Taehyun’s occasional attempt at conversation.

And even then, it was just idle talking. Kai was disappointed at first, dear god he’s actually starting to believe that Soobin somehow ended up with a boyfriend of all things and there’s really nothing going on other than his brother’s own curiosity finally catching up to him.

But he does personally know Taehyun, once upon a time that is, but he knows the male.

And after two weeks of just talking about pastries and which coffee tasted better, it’s like he’s stalking someone on their—God forbid why and how did it come to this—dates, awkward mostly one-sided conversation dates. 

And the idea of him stalking Soobin on dates is fucking hilarious at first, weird next and now just utterly lame, how can two people be so boring. For Taehyun he understands but Soobin? Asshole is a big-time criminal yet that guy is bland as fuck, yet that’s another area Kai exceeds him.

(Okay but there was that one time Soobin indulged Taehyun when he asked how does one shoot a gun so efficiently and his brother explained for a good 2 minutes—the longest he’s ever talked—and how fucking ominous, yet not is that Taehyun replied with an “Oh cool” like that was hands down the most interesting thing they talked about but this Kang Taehyun also isn’t freaked out, just what—)

So yes, Kai all but abandons the idea that Taehyun is a threat of any sort. Still, Beomgyu is the one who is starting to be convinced that Taehyun might be hiding something, very suspicious of how easily Taehyun allowed them to bug him. 

Oh, how the tables have turned.

“..... I know I wasn't as skilled back then in collecting data but I’m positive that he has no affiliation whatsoever with any of our rivals or….. Anyone honestly. He’s just a normal guy” he tries to explain, not that he cares what happens to Taehyun or anything.

But they don't need to go around targeting random civilians and bring attention to themselves. Also if Soobin does have some kind of attachment to the guy……… it’s probably best to leave him alone.

Kai ain’t dumb, he hates Soobin with all his gut but even he knows not to force Soobin into being volatile for no reason. He has 3 bars on his wrist for a reason after all.

“Or is he? Let me just, ah! There we are…...” Kai could see Beomgyu’s fluid and manic keyboard smashing, his screen showing a bunch of things at once. “What are you doing?”

“Hacking into his college database, we should get some information there. Damn these fuckers really need to do something about their cybersecurity, it's like it's begging to be hacked” Beomgyu made a small noise of excitement when he finally pinpoints Taehyun’s file.

It’s not as informative as they’d like it to be, but a particular thing caught Beomgyu’s attention, making him narrow his lips with an unreadable expression. His gaze hardened but he didn't comment.

“What?” Kai tries to see what he’s glaring at on the screen, Beomgyu points under the ‘Bar Count’ part which states ‘0 / None’. Kai hums, not sure what he’s got all frowny from that, it is rare to see someone with no bars as it is with someone with 3 full bars.

“He…... He has no bars?” that came out weird, Kai throws him a look of confusion, “Yeah and?”

Beomgyu tears his gaze up to meet him, “Why would a no-bar person associate with an obviously dangerous criminal? He can’t know Soobin’s bar count seeing how he doesn’t make an effort to cover. And he’s not affiliated with any sort of government forces or rival gangs….it just…… screams something. I don’t know what but…. It’s just too odd to be a coincidence? Even after their meeting, we still don’t know how they met or how they even kept in contact….”

Oh it definitely gave Kai a lot to think about, the relationship looks and sound weird but if one put it that way, then even Kai can’t help but feel a small tinge of you-know-what-something-isn’t-adding-up-here like they’re missing a piece of a puzzle. 

“... Let’s keep observing” he finally says after a long pause of diving into his mind for possibilities. 

Beomgyu snorts out a laugh, he plucks his glasses off his face and starts to clean the layer of dust coated on it with an eye glancing back at Kai with amusement, “You’re oddly invested in what looks most likely to be your brother’s love life... And possible sabotage to our organization”

Kai kicks his chair which has him rolling away on it with laughter, the boy wears the most disgusted look he could muster as if he just claimed Kai said he loves Soobin.

Truly comical on Beomgyu’s part, even the threat of being tasered falls on deaf ears.

“Shut up, and you’re more invested than I am” Kai snarls, ready to leap and pounce like the short-tempered child he is at heart. 

“Are you going to give Taehyun the shovel talk too?”

In Kai’s defense, Beomgyu asked for that dislocated shoulder, and he did not regret it one bit.

Chapter Text

Summary of the plot due to this story being Discontinued.

You guys at least deserve to know how it ends.
It will be in the form of notes that we used.

Here are two Google Doc links, one to a kind of partly written of the entire fic with extra chunks and Dialogues that aren't on here. And another to basically the entire plot of the fic. 

I allow access to comment, so you guys can leave comments of you want. 

The Whole Fic

The Plot Notes/Profiles

I apologize that it came to this, I hope you enjoyed the story while it lasted. To everyone who had been supportive and loved this story, thank you. I appreciate it, and again, I'm sorry.

- Via (TyunnieBFF)