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"Hey, what's up guys, sorry for the wait." Minhyuk slaps a hand on Hyunwoo's shoulder, but the latter just shrugs it off. Weird, he usually didn't mind. "Yeah, while you were gone I was just explaining how incredibly important it is that we are completely professional when we meet this guy." Hyunwoo says. "That means not being late."
"Ohhhhh, sick burn hyung!" Kihyun laughs from his seat on the sidewalk. "Shut the fuck up, you wouldn't know what a burn was if I lit you on fire." Jooheon snorts. Kihyun looks mildly offended, picking at a rock stuck in the ground. "Riiiight. So, about this guy, where are we meeting him?" Minhyuk asks, avoiding Kihyun's hurt look.
Hyunwoo runs a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture Minhyuk's seen before. "About that. It's kind of ... complicated?" Jooheon slams Hyunwoo against the side of the house before anyone knows what's going on. "Hey-" Minhyuk wants to stop him, but Jooheon is kind of really hot when he's pissed off.
"No, you're telling me you don't know? You promised this guy could get us what we want. I already said I'd give him what he wants, so hold up your side of the deal." Jooheon is pulled back by an annoyed Wonho. Hyunwoo fixes his shirt and clears his throat. "I never said I didn't know, asshole. I said it's complicated. We meet him wherever’s convenient."
Kihyun stands up, crutch in hand, brushing the dirt off his pants. "Is my place good enough? It'd be kind of convenient for me since I need to stop in and talk to my mom." No one says anything, then Hyunwoo nods. "Yeah, sure. I think that's okay. Your mom and dad aren't home though, right?" Hyunwoo asks.
"They should be gone until around 2am. They're working late at the church again." Kihyun says. Jooheon gives a concerned look. "You seriously don't think they work late every Friday night, right?" Jooheon asks. Kihyun looks confused.
"You know, my older sister works at the liquor shop, and for a priest your dad sure does buy a lot of alcohol." Wonho says. Kihyun still looks confused. “Your life is a lie. You see, when they say ‘hey minhyukie, we’re gonna be working late, don’t wait up’ they’re getting smashed at parties.” Wonho explains. Kihyun still looks confused. “Why would they lie?”
“Listen up guys, it’s getting late, forget about preacher son’s family problems and lets get going.” Minhyuk says. It’s not like he needs to be anywhere later, but he’s just excited. I mean, when Hyunwoo told them about a month ago that he could get them whatever they wanted, it sounded unbelievable. Until Hyunwoo suddenly got that new car he’d always been wanting, and just about anything he wanted to happen, happened. No coincidences.
Minhyuk didn’t know what he was going to ask for when they met this guy, but he knew what everyone else wanted though. Hyunwoo hadn’t said it outloud, but Minhyuk could only assume that the first thing Hyunwoo did was ask for his dad to get better. After that it was all fast cars and pretty girls. Minhyuk had been skeptical before, but when someone is just suddenly cured of cancer the day after Hyunoo meets with some guy, you start to realize maybe there’s something going on other than good luck.
Jooheon and Wonho wanted, money. It was that simple. Not a bad thing to want, but Minhyuk just wondered if after they all got what they wanted, how many of them would he see again? And how many would disappear?
Kihyun did say he wasn’t sure, but everyone knew he was going to ask for his leg back. He was born crippled. His parents, both local priests at the church in town, said he was born early, that it couldn’t be helped. But sometimes Changkyun would tell the others that Kihyun said he remembers being able to run. Minhyuk thought maybe Kihyun just had a dream about it, but at the same time it gave him chills.
As for Changkyun, the way he was, Minhyuk wouldn’t be surprised if he’d ask for a new bike. He was definitely the youngest out of the group of friends at the age of thirteen. Hyunwoo was the oldest, seventeen.
“Your house is so fucking nice, why don’t you invite us over more?” Jooheon asks. They all look around, except Changkyun, the only one out of the group who’d been here more than once or twice. Minhyuk was pretty sure he was dating Kihyun, but they never did or said anything to give them away if it was true.
“Uh, because you cus all the time and my mom would have a heart attack.” Kihyun scoffs. He puts his crutch down and hops up the stairs, everyone follows him, knowing better than to ask him for help. He always insisted he could do it, which was true.
Kihyun’s room is pretty big, a lot bigger than normal. Minhyuk wondered how much his parents made working on just Sunday’s. Maybe he’d start studying the bible.
Hyunwoo looks around before asking Wonho to help him move the bed. “What are you doing? You’re gonna make a mess.” Kihyun complains. “Just making room.” Hyunwoo answers. Him and Wonho move furniture around until there’s a nice clearing in the middle of the room.
“Okay, lets get started.” Hyunwoo says. “Sit in a circle, Changkyun sit over here, youngest to oldest.” Jooheon hesitantly sits down between Minhyuk and Kihyun. “What about the guy? Did you text him our location?” Jooheon asks, watching like everyone else as Hyunwoo pulls out five candles, a small glass bowl, and a book. “Are we fucking studying or making this deal?” Jooheon asks, annoyed when he doesn’t get an answer right away. “Hyung! What are you doing?” Wonho, who had been silent until now asks.
“Do you want to meet him or not?” Hyunwoo asks. “This is how this is gonna work. I’m gonna light these candles, turn off the light and then say some stuff. Then he’ll show up right about then.”
Jooheon rolls his eyes. “Like, he’s just gonna appear? Are you fucking kidding me.” Hyunwoo gets a lighter out and shakes his head. He’s about to light the first candle when he stops. Looking around at everyone he says, “If you don’t want your deal, then leave now. I won’t care, just make sure you want this.”
No one says anything, so after eye contact with each person, Hyunwoo lights the candles. He gets up and turns the light off, sitting back down next to Changkyun and Wonho. He takes out a black marker and draws a star, putting a candle at each point. “Everyone sit in front of a candle.” Hyunwoo instructs.
“Uh, there’s only five points.” Minhyuk says, realizing he doesn’t have a candle to sit by. Hyunwoo looks frustrated. “Just sit in the middle then.” Minhyuk feels slightly like he’s being watched when he takes his seat. “Okay, now here are the rules. I told you guys earlier, but I’ll say them again. Now grab each others hands.” Minhyuk settles for resting a hand on Jooheon’s foot. The latter shrugs as if to say ‘good enough’.
“Don’t interrupt me when I start reading from the book, don’t blow out the candles until I say to, don’t let go of the person next to you, don’t open your eyes after I begin, and most importantly, don’t leave without making your deal.”
Wonho looks scared and Changkyun looks almost sinister the way the candle light flickers. Jooheon and Hyunwoo look fine, as if they’re not scared. Hyunwoo’s done this before, but Jooheon would usually be crying at this point, being the scaredy cat he was. Kihyun looked the worse, almost like he was gonna throw up.
Hyunwoo took the glass bowl and out of his back pocket, a pin. “Pass this around and get at least a bit of blood in it. It doesn’t matter how much.” Hyunwoo goes first, pricking his thumb and pressing the drop of blood against the bottom of the bowl. He then passes it to Wonho who does the same. From there it goes to Minhyuk, Jooheon, Kihyun, and then Changkyun.
Once the bowl is back in Hyunwoo’s hands, he opens the book, and with his finger, mixes the blood together. Pressing the finger against the page, it leaves a red finger print, next to it are several others just like it. Minhyuk wonders just how many times Hyunwoo had meet this guy.
“Alright. Close your eyes. And remember, do not open them.” Hyunwoo warns. Minhyuk shuts his eyes tight, grip tightening on Jooheon’s foot. A moment later Hyunwoo starts talking again, but it sounds like made up words to Minhyuk, or another language even. “Now, with your eyes closed, think about what you want. When I say so, open your eyes and blow out the candle in front of you. Minhyuk, just help blow out Jooheon’s.”
After a moment, Minhyuk starts to panic. What should he ask for? Money? Immortality? Power? None of that sounds like what he wants, so Minhyuk thinks about the one think he’s always wanted to be his. Jooheon.
“Open your eyes.” Minhyuk blows out the candle with Jooheon just as all the other candles go out at the same time. They all sit in darkness, but then Minhyuk hears someone coming up the stairs. “Fuck, Kihyun you literally just told us your parents weren’t coming home until two.” Jooheon whispers.
“What time is it?” Wonho asks from somewhere to the left of Minhyuk. “They aren’t,” Kihyun says, voice hushed and shaking. “And I locked the front door.”
Minhyuk feels his heart stop beating. If Minhyuk locked the door, then who-
“He’s here.” Hyunwoo’s voice is quiet, but everyone heard him. Kihyun starts crying, Minhyuk hold his breath and listens to the foot steps. They go slow, almost like whoever it is knows that they’re all listening. What was probably seconds turned into an hour for Minhyuk.
Then the door opened.
Light poured in from the hall, and a tall silhouette stood in the doorway. “Where the fuck is the light switch?” An unfamiliar voice asks. “To your right.” Hyunwoo answers, casually. Too casually for what was going on.
The light flickers on and Minhyuk blinks around the room, adjusting to the brightness. The tall silhouette belongs to an equally tall looking boy with black hair and … black eyes? Minhyuk squints at the boy, but no, they really are black. No white around the iris. Just- black.
“Hyunwoo, long time no see. Back already?” The boy asks, grinning wide. It makes Minhyuk shift uncomfortably. “Well, Hyungwon, I did bring friends this time. It’s more for them than me. This time.”
“Ah. I see.”
“I’m here to make a deal.” Jooheon suddenly speaks up. Hyungwon’s gaze is immediately directed to the red-haired boy. Jooheon honestly looks like he’s trying not to cry. Unlike Kihyun, who’s now buried his head in Changkyun’s shoulder, still sobbing.
“Oh, are you? What do you want?” Hyungwon asks.
Jooheon clears his throat. “All the money I could ever want.” His voice doesn’t waver, Minhyuk doesn’t know how. Hyungwon shift, leans back against the wall with his arms crossed.
“Okay. But what about me, what do I get?” He asks, dark eyes staring. “Whatever you want.” Jooheon answers. Hyungwon grins wildly, almost from ear to ear like his face is cracking. Minhyuk notices just then how bad he’s shaking.
“How about … half your life?” Hyungwon asks. He’s still grinning when Jooheon stands up. “How many years is that?” Jooheon asks. Hyungwon shrugs. “Who knows. Is it worth the risk?” Hyungwon taunts. Jooheon looks mad, but more so than that, he looks scared, and conflicted. Like he was honestly considering accepting the offer.
Minhyuk is about to tell him not to, but Hyunwoo reaches out and touches his hand. “Don’t,” He whispers. “You can’t cause conflict.” Minhyuk gives his hyung an unbelievable look. Was he really going to let Jooheon give away half his life for money?! Was he even his friend?
Either way Minhyuk doesn’t speak up. “Okay. Fine.” Jooheon says after a moment. Hyungwon walks closer, until he’s in front of Jooheon. “So we have a deal?” Jooheon nods. Hyungwon reaches out, puts his hand over Jooheon’s heart. “Done.”
Jooheon bolts out the door. “Who else?” Hyungwon asks. “I want that too. But uh, do I- do I have to give half my life too?” Wonho says. Hyungwon smiles softly, almost like he’s trying not to seem sinister. Minhyuk isn’t buying it.
“No, of course not. Do you think you have something better to offer me?” Hyungwon waits for Wonho to think. Minhyuk wants to leave, but he doesn’t know what will happen if he breaks a rule. “How about half of my sister’s life?”
“Wonho what the fuck?!” Minhyuk yells. Although he’d been scared to stop Jooheon, at least he’d given something of his own, not someone else's. “You can’t do that to her!”
Wonho looks different all of a sudden. Like he doesn’t care, like his eyes are getting dimmer. “Oh but he can. And he just did.” Hyungwon says. “It’s a deal.” And just like before Hyungwon walks over and places his hand over Wonho’s heart.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” Wonho’s crying, but he’s also leaving, and Minhyuk doesn’t even know he’s yelling for him to come back until Hyunwoo grabs his arm and tells him to calm down, that it’s too late. Hyungwon looks to Minhyuk. “I’m guessing you want that leg of yours fixed?” Changkyun keeps his arms tight around Kihyun.
“No, that’s what I want.” Changkyun says. Hyungwon raises and eyebrow. “That’s the deal? For such a young man that’s very kind of you.” Hyungwon says. “Are you sure? You could ask for anything you know. Money, like your friends. Powers, anything you can think of. Besides, your friend could wish for that himself.”
Changkyun shakes his head. “No, that’s what I want. Now do we have a deal or not?” Hyungwon walks over and lays his hand over the left side of Changkyun’s chest. “Yes, yes we do.”
“Wait, what about you? What do you want?” Changkyun asks, confused. Hyungwon’s smile isn’t anything but frightening. “Oh, I already have what I want. You leg.”
“What?”
“When you wake up tomorrow, your leg will be as useless as his was.” Hyungwon informs. Changkyun gasps. “What the fuck! You didn’t tell me what you were going to do, take it back!” Changkyun yells. Kihyun cries a little harder, mumbling something about ‘you didn’t have to, I told you no’.
Hyungwon doesn’t seemed concerned. “I asked if you were sure, and besides, you’re the one who asked me if we had a deal. I didn’t tell you because you didn’t ask.” Changkyun doesn’t say anything after that, just holds tight to Kihyun.
“Two more deals, who wants to go next?” Hyungwon is staring at Kihyun, but after everything that just happened, Minhyuk can’t bare to see another one of his friends make some sort of sick deal with Hyungwon. “Me.”
Hyungwon walks over. “And you want … Jooheon was it? You can change your mind ya know. Making this sort of deal for a boy is kind of wasteful you know.” Hyungwon says. Minhyuk tries to settle his nerves when he speaks.
“What would you want from me, if I asked for you to take back everyone’s deals? Like, to make none of this happen.” Minhyuk asks. Everything goes quiet, and even Kihyun stops crying to look up at Minhyuk.
Hyungwon doesn’t look happy. “I guess I’d want your life for that big of a deal.” Hyungwon says after a solid minute. Kihyun sobs and Hyunwoo grips Minhyuk’s arm tighter. “You don’t have to do that Minhyuk, they choose to do this! You all did! We’re in this together. Just make a deal for something you actually want.”
Minhyuk pushes Hyunwoo off of him, standing to his feet. “What kind of deals did you make hyung?! You’ve changed! Why would you even have us do this if you knew he’d ask us for things like this?” Minhyuk yells. Hyunwoo looks guilty for a moment, but then angry.
“I wished for a friend.”
“What?” Minhyuk stares. A friend?
Hyunwoo sighs heavily and holds back the tears. “You all had someone. You had Jooheon, Kihyun was always with Changkyun and Wonho. You all had each other. What about me?” Hyunwoo asks. “So I asked for a friend, and- and Hyungwon said he’d be my friend if I got people to make deals with him. He even said I could make as many deals as I wanted for nothing in return if I did.”
“You could have come to one of us if you felt like that hyung.” Minhyuk barely whispers. Hyunwoo shook his head. “No- no, you’re just saying that now because it’s too late!” Hyunwoo yells. Minhyuk can’t stop the tears, but he knows what he has to do.
He turns to Hyungwon who still does not look happy with where this is going. “I want you to take back all the deals and never talk to anyone I’ve ever loved again.”
“That’s the deal?” Hyungwon asks. Minhyuk nods. “Yes.”
“Minhyuk hyung..” Changkyun’s staring at him from the floor, still holding Kihyun like he’s afraid that if he lets go he might fall apart.
“And you accept that you will die?” Minhyuk nods. “Then I guess we have a deal.” The last thing Minhyuk remembers is watching Hyungwon’s hand reach out and touch his heart. The pain is unbearable, but after his eyes fall shut, knowing his friends are safe now, he knows it was worth it.