Chapter Text
Over the next couple of weeks, he texted with Suho and occasionally with Yeongi. Very rarely with Sieun, that kid messaged even less than he talked.
“I need you to do another job in Seoul”
“Ah, come on” Seongje complained, sitting on the couch in Baekjin office. The other doing homework on his desk, as usual.
“I was going to go myself, but something came up” the other boy explained, not looking up from his homework.
“What?”
“Do I need to explain myself?”
Seongje rolled his eyes “If you are going to make me ride a train again for a fucking hour, at least give me a good reason” he took a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it.
Baekjin wrinkled his nose at the smell, he hated it, but he gave up trying to stop Seongje from smoking ages ago “Math competition”.
“Fucking- are you serious?” Seongje scoffed. Baekjin didn’t answer. He took another puff from his cigarette “Send Dongha then” he said. He knew that convincing Baekjin, when it comes to school was hopeless.
“He is busy with collecting the phones”
“Seongmog?”
“Gathering Bikes”
“Hakho then”
“He is already busy in Gangnam”
Seongje let out a protesting sound “I can’t go”
“Why?”
“I have a gaming match”
Baekjin just looked at him with the same look others would find threatening, nobody wants to provoke that kind of glare out of the union leader, but to Seongje it was just the usual Tuesday.
“Baekjin-naaa” he said (he didn’t whine).
“Seongje”
“Ugh, fine. Fucker.” He muttered. The other didn’t react. Seongje would do it, no matter how much he complained. And Baekjin knew that- Bastard. “When do you need me there?”
“Tomorrow”
When Seongje left the bowling alley, he took out his phone as he made his way down the street.
“Hey, puppy eyes. How are you doing?”
“I’m on my way home” came the dry reply, in typical Sieun fashion.
“Ah, be careful. There are dangerous people around these days. The streets aren’t safe. And I’m not there to protect you.”
“I could have handled it myself”
“You are starting to sound like a broken record, just accept it.”
Sieun didn’t answer and Seongje knew that he was probably rolling his eyes.
“I’m going to be around tomorrow. Have any plans?”
“Hmm, I am going to meet up with Suho, Beomseok and Yeongi”
“Great, I will see you there then”
“I didn’t invite you”
“I really don’t care” Seongje smirked “See you there.” He hung up without waiting for a reply.
Ah, at least he had entertainment for his time tomorrow. Hopefully the trip would be worthwhile.
When Seongje arrived home, his phone ringed. It was a message from Suho:
´I heard you were coming tomorrow´
´Yeah, I have an appointment in town´
´Good. We can play that game you were talking about. I will totally destroy you ´
Seongje grinned, now that’s a challenge ´We will see ´
Maybe the day will be more enjoyable, then he thought.
In the end, Suho destroyed his eardrums.
Seongje met up with Sieun as they made their way down to the café.
“What did you do today, to be dressed up like this?”
“I had an appointment”
“What kind of appointment?”
Sieun looked at him “Are you always this nosy?”
Seongje grinned in response “Only to people I’m interested in” he shrugged. And boy, was he interested, he beat up better people for not getting a straight answer. But there was just something about Sieun that made him stop.
Seongje wasn’t scared of him, no. He wasn’t scared of anyone. But there is just something in these eyes that make you look. The promise of something deeper, that behind this calm facade was something more. Something worth exploring, and there is no better way to do that then spending time together.
“Do you guys often go to cafes?”
Sieun shrugged “No. This is the first time. We haven’t been friends long.”
Seongje hummed.
“What are you doing here?” Sieun asked back “Your live on the other side of the city”
“I had an appointment”
Sieun threw him a deadpanned look, Seongje laughed.
As they arrived at the café, Suho and Yeongi where already sitting on a table.
“Yah, you guys are finally here. Come over” Suho waved them over “You are here too, Seongje-a?” Yeongi asked, looking up from here phone, as they sat down.
“Hmm, had a few things in need to take care of. Thought I could join you” he shrugged.
“What’s with you and having things to do here” Suho asked. Seongje just shrugged, not answering.
In that moment a boy with three drinks in his hand but them on the table. He needed to take a chair from another table to sit down but when he did Suho introduced them “Ah, Beomseok meet Seongje. Seongje this is Beomseok” while pointing with his hand when he said their name.
Seongje just nodded at the boy. Round glasses, dark eyes and hair. He was hunching a little when sitting, nothing special.
“Oh, hey. How did you guys meet?” He asked,looking between Seongje and Sieun.
“I helped Sieun here, by getting him out of trouble”
“I would have been okay on my own” the other injected “It was just one guy”
Seongje didn’t object. It was true, he didn’t intervene because he thought about helping someone but because he saw that pen and the intense look in the shorter boy's eyes.
“Ya, I think we all know what a menace you are, Sieun-a” Suho said smiling while taking a sip from his drink
“I didn’t know when you were coming so I already got the drinks” Beomseok said.
“No worries” Sieuns said, while Seongje got up “I will get them, what do you want, puppy eyes?”
“Puppy eyes, really?” Yeongi laughed and Suho snorted “ Sieun-aa”
“I told you not to call me that” Sieun said giving him a glare. Seongje just laughed, unbothered by the look. Teasing him was just so fun.
“So?” Seongje looked at him waiting “Americano” came the answer after Sieun continued starring him down.
He could here the others teasing him, as he made his way to the counter, ordering the drinks. When he got back, they bantered a while back and forth. Suho and Yeongi mostly leading the conversation, and Seongje butting in sometimes, the other two staying mostly quiet.
They ended up at a karaoke bar in the afternoon. Seongje couldn’t exactly remember how they had managed to convince him to tag along but he knew he regretted it with shrieking noises making it into his head.
He couldn’t tell what was worse, Suhos screeching or Yeongis attempt at getting the lyrics right. His ears were ringing.
Seongje was launching on the couch with Sieun and Beomseok, the other two also not participating in what is supposed to be a duet.
“You guys want something to drink?” Beomseok asked them gesturing to the door.
“I can come with you” Sieun offers but the other declines. Seongje watches with disinterest as the other goes.
Seongje groaned in relief when the song finally ended and the music silenced “What? You didn’t like the song?” Suho asked smirking, still talking into the Mikrofon.
“The song was fine. Your singing on the other hand…” he covered his ears dramatically, signing.
“Hah. You think you can do it better?” Yeongi asked holding out her Mikrofon “Here”
Seongje snorted “Oh I know I’m better. I don’t need to proof shit” He actually had no idea how his singing sounded. He never tried but he wasn’t going to admit that.
“Yeah, Yeah. They all say that” Suho gestured to the Mikrofon in Yeongis hand “Come on. You, me. Singing battle” He held out his hand punching the air, laughing.
“Oh, oh. Sieun should join, too”
“Ahh. Leave Sieun-na alone, Yeongi. You know how shy he is” Suho answered still looking at Seongje “Come on, Seongje-ya.” He wiggled the Mikrofon in his face “I win here and I will take pity on you when we play that video game later.”
Oh, nobody challenged him at his game “In your dreams”
“I will kick your ass”
Seongje grinned. We will see.
“I can sing”
Silence.
Everybody turned to Sieun.
He looked like he regretted what he said. Looking at the floor.
“Really?”
“Woahhh, Sieun-na”
Seongje just cackled.
Then a phone ringed “Ah, It’s Beomseoks. He must have left it here” Sieun deflected. Yeongi picked it up.
They were silent for a moment, were Yeongi told talked to Beomseoks friends on the phone. The phone owner just coming in, when she was getting to the room number.
He grabbed the phone out of her hand “What are you doing, crazy bitch? Why the fuck did you answer my phone?”
The atmosphere dimmed.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Suho asked, getting slowly between them.
“What? You gonna hit me?”
“Fuck. Seriously?”
“Hey, that’s enough. What’s this all about” Suho asked, as Sieun stood up as well. Seongje was still siting, watching the scene unfold, curious.
How did it everything go down this fast? Is it usually this way in friend groups?
“Have you gone fucking nuts, asshole? Move” she stormed out. Suho went after her.
“Are you alright?” Sieun asked soft.
“Yeah, I’m alright” the other answered, quietly.
The door suddenly opened “Yah. Beomseok!” Four guys blocking the door of the room “Our little Beomseok-i”
Seongje titled his head. Well, this is getting more and more interesting.
“How it's been. We missed you. It’s been ages” the guy who opened the door said.
“What’s this?” Sieun asked.
“Oh, we are his friends” he answered. Seongje raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Friends, his ass. You can see the tension in glasses shoulders from a mile away.
“We were talking”
“We just wanted a word; it's been so long”
“Then come back later” Sieun shut them down, also noticing the tension.
“My bad, see you soon. We will call you. Make sure you answer.” They said their goodbyes and left, chuckling.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, Im fine”
“What was that?”
“Nothing, it's nothing” he answered leaving the room with now only Seongje and Sieun. They shared a look.
“They were bullying him” Seongje stated.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Didn’t you see the way he was shaking?” Seongje chuckled “And with the way they were talking to him, it isn’t hard to figure out”
“I will talk to him”
“Hmm” Seongje shrugged. He didn’t really care.
“Why. Do. I. Have. To. Clean. After. You. Fuckers.” Seongje said between punches. The guy going to the floor with the last one. The other three already sprawled out on the floor of the room.
“You can’t even do one job properly, huh?” Seongje sighed in frustration, kicking the one that was trying to stand up. The karaoke music covering the violent noises.
“If I have to come here one more time just because you idiots are too stupid to do the job Baekjin gave you. You are dead, understood?” He exhaled.
Seongje just got groans of pain as an answer. He grinned, with the usual malice “Good. I hope the lesson stuck this time” with that Seongje left the room, with the body’s lying on the ground.
He signed heavily. They really make him come all the way up here, just because they can’t get some stupid papers. Seongje was in a bad mood, not even punching the shit out off some bastards made up for that. He had been in the middle of a raid, when Baekjin called to get this done.
Sometimes it felt like the Union leader was making him come to this part of town on purpose, because he knew it annoyed him.
Seongje was making his way down the hallways towards the exit, wiping the blood out of his hands with a handkerchief when he heard a voice “Yah, Seongje-ya!”
Seongje looked up. Blinking for a moment “What brings you guys here?”
“Huh. I could ask you the same” Suho asked, as Seongje stepped closer to the trio standing at the end of the hallway “Didn’t you say you had a game, tonight?”
“Yeah, something came up.” He tucked his hands into his jacket “I met up with a…few friends” he glanced at them “What’s with you?”
Suho scratched the back of his head “Ahh, you will see” he gestured with his head, as they opened one of the karaoke rooms. Seongje glanced at Sieun, the other just giving him a slight shrug of his shoulders.
“Oh, Beomseok-a. You brought friends” one of the guys sitting on the couch said, as they entered the room. Seongje recognized them as the bullies from last time.
While the trio went inside. Seongje stayed by the door. Not directly involving himself but not staying out either. He was looking from the sidelines, observing.
It was silent for a moment, till glasses said quietly “Apologize”
Ahh, so that’s what this is about, Seongje thought. The three Musketeers are playing heroes.
“What”
“I said apologize”
The reaction was laughter “Fucking crazy. Look at him”
“Apologize for what?”
“For what you did to me”
“Beomseok-a” Bully 1 scoffed “You only apologize when you did something wrong. We are Friends, right? We were just playing around, so what is this?” He asked looking around the room. His eyes falling to from Suho, to Sieun and lastly on Seongje.
“Yah. Apologize properly” Sieun interrupted.
“What?”
“How many times do we need to say it?” Suho answered “Apologize or you will die”
Dramatic much. But Seongje couldn’t complain really, he was called crazy for a reason.
Instead of answering, bully 1 stood up. Walking towards glasses “Beomseok. What are you trying to do, fucker? Do you wanna be friends like before, meet up everyday? “
Before anybody could answer, Suho grabbed the fucker by the ears, immediately turning him into a blabbering mess.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I apologize”
Seongje rolled his eyes. How boring. What a bunch of idiots.
“If you’re really sorry. Let me hit you once”
Silence.
Seongje narrowed his eyes.
“What”
“You’re not really sorry, so let me hit you”
In the end Beomseok did hit him but received one right back. His head snapping back, the glasses fell off.
“Are you alright?” Sieun asked, receiving no answer but Seongje could see it. The way his eyes shifted.
He took the Mikrofon from the table, swinging it towards the bully but Suho stopped it. Dragging Beomseok out of the room with Seongje and Sieun following after the latter made one last threat.
Outside they were met with both boys arguing “When did I fucking boss you around?”
“You did fucking boss me around. Do I have to stop just because you said so. Fuck, am I your lackey?”
“Hey. Did I do something wrong? I took time off from work to help you. What the fuck?”
“You helped me? What should I be grateful? Fuck, should I pay your wages?”
“Fucking bastard” Suho pinned Beomseok to the wall “Watch what you fucking say”
“Hey, let go off him and just talk” Sieun interrupted “Okay?”
Instead of answering Beomseok left, with Sieun following after him.
“Crazy bastard” Suho muttered to himself.
“Well, thinks took a fast twist” Seongje commented. Suho turned to him “sorry for dragging you into this mess”
Seongje shrugged “It was entertaining enough. Come on, I need a smoke” they walked out of the noreabang together.
They ended up near the Han river, Seongje was sitting on a bench smoking with Sieun beside him, who had joined them after talking to Beomseok, who had walked off. Suho was pacing before them.
“I mean what the fuck did I do wrong?” Suho spoke to no one in particular “I was trying to help”
“He didn’t seem to appreciate it” Seongje commented, taking a puff from his cigarette. Suho scoffed.
“Look, maybe he was just overwhelmed with the entire situation. We should give him time.” Sieun, the voice of reason, said.
“Overwhelmed? He seemed more like angry to me” Suho answered.
“This also wasn’t some meaningless fight for him”
“He wanted to beat the shit out of that guy with the Mikrofon! What was I supposed to do?” Suho argued, stopping his pacing.
“To be fair, if somebody bullied me. I would want to give them a smack or two, too” Seongje shrugged.
“Are you defending him? I saw the way you look at him, you don’t even like him” Suho answered.
Seongje shrugged “I don’t like weaklings” he took a puff from his cigarette “You should be able to defend yourself. Glasses looks like he is about to break, just when somebody looks at him the wrong way”
“Not everybody has the ability to fight like you” Sieun said, his voice wasn’t defensive just neutral, like he was stating a basic fact.
Seongje shook his head “I don’t mean just fighting. That kid has no fucking backbone. Only ready to fight when somebody is with him. Hell, he fucking asked if he could hit that guy and then when he couldn’t get what he wanted he lashed out on the people trying to help him.” Seongje took another puff “You think he would have had the guts to attack somebody like that if we weren’t with him?” he scoffed “I despise cowards”
Sieun stayed silent, he couldn’t exactly argue with that, but Beomseok was also still his friend “I will talk to him tomorrow, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions”
Suho didn’t answer looking towards the night sky, lost in thought. Seongje just shrugged, disinterested. He didn’t really care if they made up or not, he said his piece.
“Anyway, let's not talk about it anymore” Suho decided, turning to Seongje “What were you doing there again, anyway?”
“It’s nothing” he shrugged.
“Don’t bullshit me. You think I didn’t see the blood on your knuckles”
“Ahh, are you scared for me?” Seongje deflected “Don’t worry, Suho-ya. I can protect myself. No need to play knight in shining armor again.”
“Yah, shut up” Suho let out an amused laugh “Your just salty I beat you at that game, last week”
“I let you win”
“Yeah, yeah. You tell yourself that” Suho chuckled
In truth Seongje had been in the middle of a Union meeting and couldn’t exactly focus on the game, with Donghas annoying voice in the background.
“What’s this game you guys are always talking about?” Sieun asked, looking between them.
“Seongje-ya showed me this phone game where you can play together. Against each other or as a team” Suho answered pulling out his phone and showing it to Sieun “You should install it too. We can play together. It’s a nice game, when you need a distraction”
Sieun shrugged “I’m not much into gaming”
“What? Too much of an emo princess to do anything fun?” Seongje teased.
“I have to study”
“Of course, you do” Seongje let his finished cigarette fall, stumping it with his foot. He can totally imagine Sieun being the studious type of guy.
“Yahhh, Seongje-ya don’t make fun of Sieun-na like that. He is going to university, becoming rich and all that” Suho said “He is the best in class”
“Fighting and learning, huh” Seongje said thoughtfully. Reminds me of someone.
Just as Suho was about to make a comment, they heard shouting. Seongje and Sieun turned around, while Suho stared straight ahead.
Seven silhouettes were making their way to them “Yah!” They came closer, it took a while till you could see them clearly with the streetlight.
“So, you are Beomseoks friends, huh?” The one in the middle asked to the one beside him, gesturing at Suho. Seongje recognized him as one of them in the singing room.
“What do you want?” Suho asked.
The one in the middle scoffed “Isn’t it obvious?” gesturing at the bats in their hands “How stupid are you, huh? You think you can just humiliate one of us like that”
“Look” Suho said, stepping closer “I had enough for today. Just go on your day, okay? Enjoy the rest of your night.” He waved them away.
They ignored him “Yah. We don’t have any problem with you. You can leave now” directing the offer to Sieun and Seongje.
Sieun stood up, standing beside Suho making his stance clear.
Seongje stood up too, lazily “Why do guys like you always need back up, huh?”
“Seongje-ya” Suho turned to him “You can go. This is my mess”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not gonna let you have all the fun.”
“Yah!” Idiot number one interrupted “If you all want to die its no problem for us” with that they charged at them.
The fight became blurry fast, Seongje concentrating on the two that went directly to him. He dodged the swing of a bad and kicked the guy in the knee, making him go down. Behind him another charged at him with Seongje dodging left and right, taking a few steps back. He had to get the bats out off their hands.
He could feel the adrenaline rushing though his veins. Instead of dodging the next swing, he blocked it with his arm, ignoring the pain, he got closer and punched the guy in the face. He than took the bat while, kicking him in the stomach, making the guy go down, groaning.
Seongje ducked his head before really registering what happened. The bat flying though the air, where a few seconds ago his head was. He dropped the one he held in his hands; he didn’t need one to take these fuckers out.
The wind brushing though the air, he could feel the fighting going around him and his usual grin overtook his face. Hah, a fight was always better than just beating them up.
He avoided the next few swings and than he got close before his opponent could react and punched him a few times in the face. Getting him off balance, Seongje grapped the hand that was holding onto the bat, adjusting his stance while turning around and throwing the guy over his shoulder onto the ground. With him on the ground, he kicked the bat away from his hand. The rush overtaking him, he delivered a few punched to the guy on the ground. Just as he was getting up, everything happened so fast:
“SEONGJE!”
He looked up, the first guy had managed to stand up, he was now charging at him with a knife. Too close.
Not even dodging would stop the guy from getting him. It all happened slowly before his eyes. When suddenly he wasn’t seeing a knife before his eyes but the back of a school uniform.
Screams, fists, the sound of metal clashing and then… silence.
Everything you could hear, was the sound of the Han Rivers waves, the wind whispering, the guys groaning and the blood splattering on the floor.
Seongje just stood there. Not really comprehending on what just happened.
“Did you- “Seongje let out a stunned sound “Did you just jump in front of a knife?” His voice a mix of surprise and confusion.
Suho just turned around, shrugging his shoulders. As if it was not a big deal.
“Did you just jump in front of a knife, for me?” He repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.
“Well, you stayed, didn’t you?” The other boy answered, unbothered “Couldn’t have let you get hurt now.”
Seongje just let out a laugh, slightly unhinged, not believing what he was hearing. Still staring at Suho, like he was seeing him for the first time.
“Come on, lets go. These guys totally killed the vibe”