Work Text:
Miroh City’s skyscrapers were casting these eerie and unnatural lights upon the Yellow Woods through the raindrops falling from the sky. They were never able to see the stars but in this late afternoon grey sky, the rainbow looking drops were probably what could be the closest to the stars. But the four children playing in the wet grass did not pay attention to it, they were used to it.
The Yellow Woods was not affected by the City’s pollution. It had been built upriver, where the water was clear. It was a place where Christopher used to play during the summer with his best friends. You could see through it like glass, the fishes always swimming in circles in spite of the currant, shiny and smooth rocks often caused him to sleep and fall on his bottom. His father got it partially deviated a few years back to feed the big pond his mother asked. She wanted this pond because the neighbour’s wife had one, she wanted a bigger one. Christopher’s dad loved his mother, so he obliged.
The pond complimented the garden to perfection. It was boarded with hundreds of different flowers that Mother tried to teach him, but his tweenage boy brain did not bother to memorise. He just knew that the flowers were pretty. Weeping willows guarded a path to a smaller twin pond, only accessible with the small boat that looked like a swan. He never went there, he was afraid of falling into the dark waters of the pond. He never really played around it. But this afternoon was different.
The four boys played in the garden, around the pond. Playing tag, and running around, oblivious to the adults inside. The women were gauging each other, Mother looking at the lady across from her with this disdain that was so characteristic. Clad in her burgundy turtleneck and pencil skirt, her stockings gave her legs an unnatural shimmer and her pinned up hair was giving her this severe look which Christopher hated. She wore it like armour and her words were her weapons.
The men were in Father’s office, each a cigar between their lips and scotch in their glass. Baryton laughs and an ugly contract between them. Father was not as relaxed as the other man : his powerful jaw was clenched, his hands clamping so hard around his glass that the crystal could probably crack under the pressure. But Father did not crack, ever so guarded with his emotions.
Christopher was the eldest among the boys. He was almost thirteen when the three others just turned ten, or he was almost sure. Jisung and Seungmin came from the Ninth District, so it was uncertain as to when they truly were born. The Ninth District was a slum. They did not keep a calendar like the people of the city, uncivilized of them truly, sad for the children who did not have a birthday. Christopher often asked what the Ninth District was like to Jisung, but the younger boy did not know, but Christopher thought that he did not remember. It showed how dumb the people from there were, at least to him. Because if he was born somewhere, he would remember. Mother told him that it was because he was better fed than the children of the Ninth.
The children were running and laughing. Christopher and Jisung knew that they were not supposed to run around the pond. But the two younger boys had been so insistent that Christopher caved in.
Felix and Seungmin had just moved in the Yellow Woods neighbourhood, in the house once occupied by Hyunjin’s family. Christopher did not know where the Hwang family went, he just knew that one day, Father came home, looking a bit paler and talked to Mother in the study. The Hwang house, on the other side of the river, stayed empty for a while. Christopher was no longer allowed to play near the Hwang domain anymore. He didn’t even get to retrieve the little plastic airplane he had forgotten that day. It probably fell into the river, though. But a few weeks ago, a new family settled in : Mrs and Mr Lee, their house staff, but most importantly, Felix. He saw Felix from afar once or twice, either crouched behind the reeds, observing the dragonflies that settled on the vegetation, his ridiculous yellow bucket hat screwed on his brown curly hair, his freckles golden in the Sun ; or with his puppy-looking companion. Christopher knew that the latter was the same as Jisung, rescued from the Ninth District by the Lees; he could sense it. Even more now, now that they were all playing tag near the beautiful gloomy pond. He ran too fast, too agile. Felix, him, was clumsy and uncoordinated, stumbling and tripping, sliding on the muddy grass. When it was Seungmin’s turn to be the catcher, he ran to Felix, laughing like the little boy he was. Felix dodged him, running in the opposite direction from him.
Straight to Mother’s pond.
Clumsy little Felix tried to stop running, and he did, falling right on his ass on the muddy, wet edge of the pond, sliding right into the water. His arms reached for the surface, but he was sinking. Christopher’s eyes widened as he looked at the tiny boy reaching for life, the two other children were just standing there, eyes wide open, paralysed by fear, and he probably had the same look on his face. He shook his head and dove in the deep, scary and gloomy pond. He will always remember the icy water seeping into his bones, the pure terror of drowning, terror of what may lurk at the bottom of the pond ; but the scarier, was the idea of tiny, stupid, clumsy Felix who just had to run into Mother’s pond. He grabbed the wet, slippery hand in his. He could hear the mothers yell, running under the rain, their heels probably sinking in the soft ground. Christopher grabbed Felix as well as he could. The two other boys were kneeling, their arms extending to grab Felix.
In the end, everything went fine. Felix did not hurt himself, nor did Christopher. But… Seungmin, it was another story. Mrs. Lee was furious at him. She was yelling, fuming, her high pitched voice was pounding against his eardrums. How could someone as little and skinny as Mrs. Lee could make such piercing noises ? But this wasn’t the worst. The worst was when she looked at the tiny nine years old boy from all of her height, sneered and struck him with the palm of her hand. No hesitation, no remorse, she did not even bother to check on the little boy cradled in Christopher’s arms, shaking and sobbing. But why was he sobbing ? Was he sobbing because of the fright he’d just have ? Or, was he sobbing because the boy who he had been raised to consider like a brother had been struck by his mother ? It did not matter why he was crying. The result was the same. It was naive to think that kids like Jisung or Seungmin could be their equals, they were not. Felix did not understand it yet, but it was because, in his head, they could be as equal as they wanted.
But some of them were more equal than the others.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
“- Babe. These appetizers are fucking foul… They should pick another planner.”
Felix Lee and Christopher Bahng, the new Miroh hit couple, were sitting on a couch of the VIP lounge. Felix was absolutely demolishing the appetizers that were passed around by the tuxedo clad waiters.
Christopher chuckled softly and gently touched his arm, a comforting touch that immediately relaxed the other man.
“- Don’t eat everything… Leave some for me.”
Felix laughed and shoved a few petit-fours in Christopher’s mouth, not without a few protestations from him. They honestly were both the perfect couple. They had gotten together during their late teenage years, were engaged when Felix hit his twenty-first birthday, and got married six months later. The picture perfect Yellow Woods issued couple, not a stain of a teenage scandal, or public fights. They were an example to follow.
Across from them, on a cushy armchair was their lifelong friend, Changbin, heir of the Seo family. He was sitting straight, too straight, his grip on his champagne flute so strong it could shatter it. Felix glanced worriedly at him and nudged Christopher. The older man briefly kissed his cheek and grabbed Changbin's arm.
“-Come on, man. Let’s go somewhere calm.”
They walked away from the main lounge, probably to go to one of the secluded corridors. The end result would be the same anyway whether they stayed all night in the main lounge or if they moved around the huge tower. Felix got up from the couch, his faux-leather pants squeaked slightly. He found a tuxedo-clad waiter holding a platter full of champagne flutes, well almost there were two missing. His gaze hardened as he looked at the waiter.
“-Why are there two missing ? It is almost time for it to start !”
The waiter blinked at him slowly, as if to process the question, or to give him a satisfying answer.
“-Erm… Someone must have taken them. Sorry.”
Before Felix could argue, a hand closed on his shoulder. He felt the nails pressing against the fabric and smelled the expensive floral perfume before hearing the saccharine sweet and calming voice.
“- Calm down now… I know it mustn’t be easy standing there, especially today, but you shouldn’t go around threatening the poor waiters.”
Felix nodded and gave a quick apology to the waiter, he would survive without the whole fanfare. He turned to face the interruptor who was now holding two flutes. They gave Felix one and kept the other. They readjusted their silken scarf and smiled sympathetically at Felix.
“-How are you holding up, darling ? I heard about what he did.”
Felix gave them a tense smile.
“-It was important for us to be here, Christopher even bet his own companion to make sure that this story finally ends.”
His interlocutor nodded approvingly. But they still went to hug Felix.
“- I can’t imagine what you are going through. That could have been you in that car…”
Felix patted their shoulder and took a step back. They smiled at him politely and went to chat with another guest. Felix brought the flute to his lips, appreciating the bubbling liquor. He skimmed the room with his eyes. Christopher and Changbin had gone back to their spot, he painted a smile on his lips and skipped to them. He sat back against Christopher’s side, his pants squeaking, and kissed his husband’s cheek. Felix glanced at their friend, his eyes were wet and red-rimmed. He pulled out a handkerchief and passed it to Changbin with a sympathetic smile. Christopher looked expectantly at Felix, who gave him a worried pout.
“-Two were missing. He didn’t know why. Probably taken.
-Does he know where ?”
Felix shook his head sadly. Changbin interjected with a trembling voice.
“-It is not up to us anymore.”
They both knew that Changbin was right, nothing was more unsure than right now. They had to stay calm. Everything is fine, everything will be fine. But he could feel the looks full of pretend pity behind his back. Poor Felix, poor helpless Felix, losing his parents and his companion in the same night. Poor Felix, poor orphan, naive Felix, duped by his companion who took advantage of a security breach to cause his benefactors deaths. Poor, soft Felix, the new head of his family, so young and delicate Felix who could not even hurt a fly. But in his misfortune, he still was married to Christopher Bahng. The people loved Christopher, Christopher was strong. He commanded respect, slowly replacing his father as head of the Bahng family at only twenty-eight years old, waiting for the old man’s death. Christopher cared so much about his husband that he even bet his own lifelong companion to avenge his family. So sweet and pure of heart Christopher was.
Felix felt his arm tightening around his shoulders as the fanfare resonated through the stadium. Drums and percussion, trumpets piercing his ears as the face of a man appeared on the big screen. A fake and frozen paternal smile on his lips, a smooth face and a square jaw, his skin pulled made his cheekbones pop.
“Citizens of Miroh, dear families of the Yellow Woods, we are gathered to witness this year’s fifth edition of the games.”
He paused, as if what he was about to say was more than painful, unbearable, his gaze lowered to the dozen of racecar pilots gathered near the track.
“Gladiators. Among you are two traitors, who conspired, murdered and destroyed. The one amongst you who brings doom upon them will receive more riches than they could have ever dreamed of, more glory than they could ever win in decades in the Arena. I will offer them freedom. »
Felix’s face got drained of all of its color as the Gladiators erupted in cheers, already running to their cars. The trio gathered at the window of the Tower, overseeing everyone, everything. It wasn’t long before Felix noticed the head of buzzed green hair, Changbin yelped out a pitiful sob when the hood of the man he was cuffed to fell. Spiky reddish brown hair. Felix grabbed Changbin’s hand in lieu of comfort and looked at him pointedly.
Everything will be fine. Everything had to be fine.
The Master of Ceremony came back on the screen, his disgusting grin showing his ridiculous artificially whitened teeth grinning upon the crowd.
« -May the Ceremony begin. »
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
It was raining that day, he remembered it like it was yesterday. They were all supposed to be playing in the rainbow-tainted mud with the other kids near the end of the river. Minho had found a blue plastic toy airplane on the riverbank earlier. He had run back to the younger kids to show them the toy. All of them were crouching around a muddy puddle reflecting a rainbow-like hue, they were not allowed to touch the water, so they were using a branch to poke at a paper boat. They had all gathered around Minho and the cat-eyed little boy proudly passed it around the curious hands. It was not the first time that they retrieved objects from the river, the Miroh citizen’s trash often became their treasures, the polluted and dirty banks of the Ninth District were where every single thing that had fallen into the river were destined to end up, from upstream to downstream.
All of the street’s kids were gathered this afternoon : the Jung brothers, Jiwoo and Seungmin - obviously. Once Jiwoo got her little hands on the airplane, she decided it was hers, her argument being that she was the only girl and the prettiest. Wooyoung argued tooth and nail, actually ready to fight her for the airplane. Yunho decided to grab his little brother by the back of his neck like a disobedient kitten and made him apologize to the little girl, which Wooyoung refused.
“- She is my noona. She is the one who has to apologize !
Jiwoo slapped him behind the head.
- That’s exactly why you have to apologize !”
A later consensus decided that Seungmin, being the youngest, would get the airplane. In the back of their minds, the kids all knew that a few weeks earlier, this debate wouldn’t have happened. Seungmin glanced quickly at the little house with the dirty facade and the boarded-up windows and sighed. He got up after a few more minutes and ran back home, he was no longer in the mood to play with his friends, he did not bother to tell them goodbye, he would see them the next day anyways.
He climbed the stairs leading to his front door fast, took off his shoes and pushed the door gently.
It was just chaos, the few furniture turned upside down, torn documents everywhere. The pathway of chaos was leading to one room, his brother’s. Rustling, fumbling and knocked over objects could be heard, but also desperate muffled crying and frustrated groans. Seungmin gently opened the door and what he saw would haunt him forever. Wonpil was curled up, his back against his bed and his head between his knees, crying. His face was red and wet. Seungmin slowly walked over to him and gently hugged him.
“- I’m so sorry, Minnie… I really tried to find him for you.
- It’s okay, hyung. Everything will be fine.”
Wonpil got back to his feet and smiled at Seungmin through his tears. He got back to his feet and together, they tidied up the house as fast as they could. In the end, there was just a box filled to the brim with papers and redacted documents. Wonpil instructed Seungmin to go down the street to give it to Minho’s mother. Which he did, so very careful. Auntie Lina just looked at him with a sad smile and stroked his cheek.
“- I am so sorry, baby…”
Before he left, she gave him a stale biscuit.
Later that night, their little house had been invaded by officers, and Wonpil, beaten up, taken away. The little boy had been taken too, but they did not take him to the same place as Wonpil. The lady in a button-up shirt and tight hairdo who coaxed him out of the closet that his brother made him hide into held his hand gently until the end. From the moment they stepped out of the house, surrounded by men in uniform who were looking through every nook and cranny, searching for documents, the same ones Wonpil had torn, or put in the cardboard box for Auntie. She had this sweet, sweet saccharine smile. He remembered the milky pink of her nails and the way her thumb stroked against his knuckles.
“- Everything is going to be okay, baby.”
Seungmin did not believe her. He was smarter than that, even if he felt like she believed what she was saying, he did not. She smelled like expensive perfume and her clothes looked too soft. Jiwoo would have loved her, he thinks, the little girl always dreamed of the pretty clothes of the women from Miroh City that she saw on television during the monthly Ceremony. The red carpet at the beginning was her favourite, the rich Miroh City families, and sometimes, the ones from Yellow Woods would prance around the photographers to show to the common folks how they should be envious of them. He was absolutely not bitter.
The lady offered him a sweet. She was basically a stranger, and Wonpil always told him not to accept stranger’s sweets.
He just stared at her, she stared back at him and then at the sweet. She formed an “o” with her lips and her gaze became softer.
“- It is a sweet. Didn’t you have these in the Ninth District ?”
She was articulating every syllable as if he were the stupidest child she had ever seen and had the most condescendingly compassionate tone. At the same time, the car hit a bump, making a comically awkward moment. He continued to stare at her.
“- I know what a sweet is. I’m just not going to accept some rando’s sweet.
She blinked once, twice, an embarrassed blush creeping on her diaphan neck.
- Well… I am not a random person.
She extended her hand at him, a warm smile on her lips.
- I am your Nayeon noona.
He gave her skeptical once over, an eyebrow raised. He channeled all the contempt his eight years old body could contain. He wanted her to feel as uncomfortable as he felt, even judged. He then shrugged, free sweets were free sweets after all.
- Cool. I am Seungmin.”
The drive from his hometown to… wherever that was they were going to, Seungmin did not care to ask, had been the last true moment of peace he ever knew, now that he could think back about it. They had pulled up to a huge building facility, a white and sad place, a bit too anxiety inducing for his taste. He could feel the smell of cleanness in the very marrow of his bones.
Nayeon held his sweaty hand inside. Once they were inside, she crouched down to his level, which was a great feat of balance given how thin and high her heels were.
“- Seungmin.
She had a soft and sisterly attitude, her manicured hands on his shoulders.
- It is going to be complicated for you, baby. But in the end, everything will work out, I promise.”
He did not trust her, not as a person, not even what she was saying to him, but he wanted to. Maybe, one day, he will manage to get back to his brother, to the friends he lost, maybe everything will be fine in this huge sanitized building.
Seungmin did not stay more than a week in his new, too white, too perfect room. After a few days, a gaunt woman showed up. She was wearing a woolen sweater, a coat and a scarf, her heels even higher than Nayeon’s. Her face was pulled back, a constant frown on her lips and arched eyebrows. She had gotten him convoked into the director’s quarters. She was seated on one of the cushy armchairs, staring him down as he walked over her, shyly. They had dressed him up, combed his hair, and gave him nicer clothes. That’s when he finally finished walking up to her that he noticed the second figure. Shorter and thinner than him, he was sitting on the other armchair, a silly bucket hat screwed on his head of brown curls. His face was splattered with freckles. He kind of looked like a baby chicken, he thought at the moment. The little boy smiled and waved at him.
“- Hi ! I am Felix, your new best friend !”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–
Now that he thought about it, destiny was a cruel bitch, because after being bought by Felix’s family, they brought him to the Ceremony. They all went down the red carpet he despised so much, in a tuxedo. And then, when they got in their seats, the best ones Miroh citizens could have and the Ceremony started, Gladiators left backstage for the arena, and the camera focused. It focused on his brother’s big sad eyes as he climbed in the flamboyant racecar, handcuffed to another guy with a beaten puppy look - probably the same Seungmin had at the moment.
He raised his gaze to the glass tower, hoping to recognize one of the silhouettes. Seungmin knew that neither Chan and Felix nor Changbin came to watch the executions - no, the Ceremony, god, what a Freudian slip. Even knowing that, he still hoped… He felt a hand tightening around his own. He looked up and his eyes got caught by the soft intensity of his companion of misfortune’s. He gave Hyunjin a tight-lipped smile, and as he looked back down at their connected hands, a dumb idea but it was his best one at the moment. The hood they had given him had fallen, everyone could already recognize him as Felix’s companion. And Hyunjin had already been recognized. He leaned into Hyunjin’s ear.
“- I am going to do something so dumb.
Hyunjin furrowed his eyebrows.
- Dumber than getting caught like we did ?”
Seungmin gave him a huge grin, Hyunjin should have pushed further, but something in Seungmin’s eyes prevented him from doing so. There was absolutely nothing, but wild despair. The kind of despair the squirrel falling from a tree while the forest was on fire had. He was sitting on a bomb, and was going to try to blow everything up with him.
The Ceremony had a very simple functioning, the Gladiators came from every background : the slums of the Ninth District, or the tallest Miroh skyscraper. They were the regular Gladiators, aiming for glory and wealth, which was something Seungmin could understand. He did not agree about the way of doing it, playing into the system to get higher socially, but he also understood the motivations. There was a reason why governments invest in propaganda.
There was another way to get into the category of the regular Gladiators, which was the most used by the rich families, they could bet their companions to compete for them. Companions were replaceable after all and even out of the arenas, they were a mirror of the family’s prestige. He had never met a rich heir without a companion, except for one… Well, Hyunjin too but it was not the same.
The green haired boy and himself were none of the two categories, they were considered “political criminals”, which, to Seungmin, was a bit of an exaggeration. The only criminal thing in this arena was the MC’s veneers. But the point was that they only had one possible option, when regular criminals could redeem themselves by winning and becoming full-time Gladiators, he and Hyunjin could only die in this. All the other Gladiators had been riled up, and it was known that even regular Gladiators often finished severely wounded or maimed from the various games. The more gruesome the injuries were, the more sponsors and fans they had for the next edition.
Seungmin glanced at the Tower and mouthed a “sorry” at the men he imagined inside, let go of Hyunjin’s hand and lunged at the guard by their side. He dragged Hyunjin in the movement, making him stumble forward. He then grabbed the gun carried by the guard and pointed it at his own head.
He laughed manically at the crowd while Hyunjin was watching him in utter shock and disbelief. Was he this dumb ? Was he about to blow his own head off ? Like, they were about to die anyway.
Seungmin started screaming at the crowd while holding the gun, his eyes wild.
“- Are you all this moronic ? So fucking blind, they’re keeping you satiated and entertained while children are fucking dying ! Wake the fuck up, you fucking self satisfied assholes !”
But the crowd did not hear anything, they just saw a fucking psycho screaming whatever while holding a gun. The guard who had been previously holding the gun tried to get the gun back by lunging at Seungmin. The both of them fought for the gun, when Seungmin launched a punch at him, connecting it to the guard’s jaw, his helmet - previously covering his face - flew off and landed further away. Seungmin froze, staring back at him were those asymmetrical eyes he knew so well. He dropped the gun, shell-shocked. The guard grabbed it and brushed his hair out of his forehead. Sighing, he took Seungmin’s arm and forced both of them in the car.
“- You happy ? Got your tantrum ?”
The guard slapped Seungmin behind his head.
- Now put on the helmet and drive.”
The guard left them once they were buckled in. Hyunjin glanced at Seungmin curiously, the younger man looked at peace, the fleeting madness and despair had left his eyes. He raised his eyebrow at Seungmin.
“- What the fuck just happened, Seungmin ?
Seungmin just smiled gently and grabbed his hand again.
- We are either really good, or astronomically screwed.
Hyunjin’s eyebrow could not furrow more, but if he could, he would. Worry was etched on every feature of his face, carved so deep, he almost looked aged.
- What the fuck does that mean ?”
Seungmin just stayed silent and gave him the second helmet. The whole situation just felt so eerie to him. What was Wooyoung doing here ? Could that mean that Changbin, Felix and Chan were also there ? He already knew that Jisung would not be there, even if they were. Had they seen his earlier outburst ? He could imagine their reaction. Chan would look straight ahead, his brows knitted together in worry, Changbin would crush Felix’s fingers out of anxiety, and Felix would actually look like he could throw up. And Felix was a stress-eater, so he probably would throw up. Feeling Changbin’s eyes on him shouldn’t feel as soothing as they felt right now. His hands had stopped shaking when he screwed the helmet on his head. He spoke in the microphone to test if Hyunjin could hear him, Hyunjin gave him an awkward thumbs up.
As everyone on the track prepared themselves, a slight interference came sizzling in their ears. The noise got stabilised by the sender of the frequency, and they heard a cheeky giggle.
“- You guys are so screwed right now… Want some help ?”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–_-_-_–_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–_-_-_-_–_-_-_-_–_-_-_-_–_-_-
The day of Felix’s and Christopher’s marriage had been a nightmare for both the grooms. Their mothers had hijacked the planning, so they had little to no control over it. The only things they could actually decide were the flowers and the cake. They both decided that Felix would decide the cake and Christopher the flowers. They could not even invite their closest friends. Well, they did… But they had to be creative about it.
Jisung was helping Chan into his suit, they had asked the whole crew entrusted with the older man’s appearance to leave them alone. He was standing behind Chan in front of the mirror, his eyes full of words they never said to each other but that they knew nevertheless. Jisung sighed and dabbed at the inner corner of his eye with a handkerchief. Chan chuckled wetly and hugged him, not as tight as he wanted to because the fabric of his vest and the embroideries were fragile. They both ended up laughing like little boys again. Jisung leaned back against the sofa’s armrest while Chan went back in front of the mirror, he glanced at Jisung through the mirror.
“- Is everyone here ?
Jisung nodded, his smile becoming more tense while Chan’s was brighter. He adjusted the flower at his boutonniere. Chan’s smile became cheekier.
- Even him ?
Jisung’s eyebrow shot up, his eyes looked like they were bulging out of their sockets.
- Shut up… It’s your day, you shouldn’t be focusing on this…
Chan giggled and wiggled his eyebrows at Jisung.
- I’m kinda thirsty now that I think about it, hehe…”
The banter went back and forth for a few minutes, until the armada handled by Mrs. Bahng came back and threw him out of the room. Mrs. Bahng and her charming demeaning way of talking to him, he could write poems about this charming trait of hers. He walked to the bar where a waiter was standing, charming cat-like eyes scanning the room. He chuckled and called out for him.
“- Hey… I don’t have a drink.
The waiter sighed and rolled his beautiful eyes.
- You shouldn’t be drinking, right now.
Yet, he still poured him a scotch, neat. Jisung shrugged and took the glass.
- You look handsome like this.
He swirled the amber liquid and looked more attentively at the other man’s face.
- Did you put on make up ?
The waiter laughed, a soft blush spreading on his cheek.
- They weren’t digging the whole... sleep-deprived look.
Jisung laughed too and then winked at him.
- I kinda do, you look handsome, Minho hyung…”
Jisung did not let Minho answer, he downed his scotch and hurried away to greet some of the guests.
Later on, everyone was gathered around the altar. People were everywhere, all rich pompous bastards, clad in expensive tuxedos or fabulous dresses. The huge chandelier was casting an eerie, unnatural glow across everyone’s faces. Roses were boarding the carpeted blue aisle, the benches were painted white, they were seated on these incredibly hard cushions selected because they “matched the color-scheme to perfection”. Even after all this time, Jisung could not even comprehend the obsession of these people with discomfort and pain. Maybe it was because they never had to live in truly bad conditions, maybe it was an unconscious knowledge that they were not deserving of good things, or perhaps karmic retribution. He skimmed through the crowd with his eyes, searching for their friends. He saw some of them, wearing more or less cheap tuxedos, holding platters, discreetly glancing at the ceremony taking place at the end of the aisle. Felix and Chan were staring lovingly in each other’s eyes, gross. But Jisung was happy for them. They deserved their happy ending, and Jisung was grateful that they battled for his and Seungmin’s right to stand by them as their best men.
His gaze got caught by Minho’s from across the room, he was probably just looking at their friends, it felt nice to believe for a second that the smile tugging at his lips was destined to him. But then, Minho winked and Jisung knew that it was really on him that his gaze was, Jisung blushed slightly and discreetly looked down. It was unfair, he was way too stunning in his cheap second-hand tuxedo that he knew did not really fit him. He knew that because he had been the one to help him make some retouches.
They had been standing in Minho’s decoy flat. They were in front of a mirror, a tin box full of thread, needles and everything they might need. The pants were not well fitted at the ankles and the sleeve of his shirt had a tear. Jisung grabbed a needle and white thread to repair it. He held the other man’s arm to steady it and started to sew it carefully. Minho’s eyes were on him, burning through his skin right down the marrow of his bones. He made the mistake of looking up, the warm brown eyes were soft on him. He blushed and felt the sting of the needle piercing through his skin. He winced in pain and Minho chuckled. The older man went to grab the first aid kit to patch him up. But, when Minho had come back to the living area, Jisung had left, a slight current of air was bringing chills to his spine.
Jisung and Changbin were hanging together near the for the best part of the night, they were both sipping one glass of whiskey after the other. Changbin was vaguely looking towards Seungmin and Felix, having fun on the dancefloor just like when they were teenagers. He sighed, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. God… It had always been a no-brainer that Chan and Felix would be the first to get married to each other. Chan learned it first, Changbin was hanging with him that day, Chan had just graduated in his last year of high school and Changbin had finished his first year. They were getting ready to leave for the summer to go to the Coast. They had planned to go there to party and drink, like the stupid teenagers that they used to be, and then, Mr. Bahng had called Christopher into his office. When he got back, Chan had grabbed a beer bottle in the mini-fridge under his desk and had started to gulp it down. He then explained the situation to Changbin.
Not long after the fall of the house of Hwang, bad investments mostly, when the Lee family moved in the old Hwang estate, Mr. Bahng signed a contract with Mr. Lee. Said contract promised a union by marriage between the two families. It was an arrangement that guaranteed one family to prosper, and the other one to grow. Not long after, Christopher started to court Felix, and then they got together. But, somehow, the secret got out and Felix learned the truth before his own parents let him know about the arrangement.
And after all these years, they still got married.
Jisung put down his glass loudly. He looked at Changbin, visibly pissed.
“- Go talk to him or so help me God, someone is leaving this wedding on a backboard.
Changbin furrowed his eyebrows, his cheeks pink.
- You, go talk to him!
- Why would I go talk to Seungmin ?
Changbin facepalmed himself.
- I’m not talking about Seungmin.
- Who, then ?
God, Jisung was annoying when he played dumb. But if the younger man could play dumb, Changbin was even more headstrong. He replied with a sly smile.
- Who do you think ?”
Jisung just scoffed and scurried away, hiding his pink cheeks. He walked through the crowd, pushing through the crowd until he found a quiet, secluded corner. It was a long and dark corridor with a window at its end. He looked through it, it was facing an empty area of the huge garden. He climbed to sit on the old stone windowsill, leaning his back against the facade, he looked up at the stars. When a shooting star tore through the sky, he felt a knock against the glass. He turned his head to meet the intruder’s eyes, beautiful cat-like eyes. Minho was holding two rolled cigarettes and his lighter.
“-We have to talk, Ji’.”
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–__-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–_-
The large corridor at the entrance of the Gladiators floor in the Tower was nearly empty, except for the man pacing back and forth in front of one of the security posts. He called out to the man inside the room.
“- Is everything good there ?
He was answered by a loud sigh and a mop of orange hair popping out of the room.
- I swear to God, Jisung. Let me work or come inside, but you can’t do that every minute. Wooyoung made them go in their racecars. They just have to put on the helmets.”
Jisung’s eyes widened and he hurried inside the room. It was almost completely in the dark, only illuminated by a dozen little screens, each displaying a different angle of the arena’s track. On the desk was a laptop displaying a map of the track, with a blinking dot. The orange haired man grabbed a headset and started talking, unnecessarily cocky.
“- You guys are so screwed right now… Want some help ?”
Jisung heard a sigh of relief on the other end of the line and Hyunjin’s voice resonated in the room.
“- Fuck Innie… I missed your voice so much…
Jeongin chuckled bashfully, his cheeks harbouring pink splotches.
- Not now, Hyun… I am trying to save your asses.
- Okay, baby, sorry. Tell me what I have to know.
Even if Hyunjin could not see him, he nodded.
- I took control of the car, problem, can’t guide you through the track. Luckily, I hacked the car’s software, I’m going to make it completely crash. You won’t be able to make it through this trial. Wooyoung and Mingi hyungs are going to escort you back to your cells.
A skeptical cough resonated on the other end of the line, Seungmin.
- This is a shit plan. But… Maybe… Yeah, Wooyoung would have never left HQ if he wasn’t sure it would work… Especially after…
What happened to his brother, Jisung finished internally. Seungmin took a breath.
- Sure. Why the fuck not.”
Jeongin giggled and dove into his laptop, typing fast and precise. Jisung was mesmerized by the dance of Jeongin’s fingers above the keyboard. He didn’t understand jackshit but he thought that Jeongin could use an emotional support vase. The more he was trying hard to read the lines of codes, the more his brain got confused and fuzzy with the letters and numbers. Jeongin, tired of being one of the only twelve hackers of their organisation, had tried once to teach Jisung code, but he abandoned once they touched Python and Jisung spent the lesson making dick jokes. He made the wise choice to step back when he heard a frustrated groan.
“- Jisung. I swear to God, I’m going to get violent if you stay like this. Go back to the Gladiator’s lounge like you were supposed to do and breathe down someone else’s neck!
Jisung’s face dropped slightly, a pang of hurt in his chest, but he pulled himself together instantly. He just pouted.
- Okay… Just try to not miss me too much, baby Innie, hehe…
- Fuck off.”
And that is what Jisung did, he fucked off to the Gladiator’s lounge. Every non-competing Gladiators were either placing bets, drinking or eating. Amongst the general audience, and if you omitted the VIPs, they were the one with the best food - it was highly likely that it would be the last thing they ate, after all. But Jisung was not interested in all that, he was stressed and needed to see him. He needed to see his boyfriend. He knew that he had been assigned the VIP lounge, but he also knew that waiters rotated. God, he was worried about him. Minho and his big mouth. The only reason he was able to keep this undercover job was because of Felix and Chan when he thought about it. There hadn’t been a single assignment where Minho did not mouth off some rich dude or dainty lady, and Jisung was prouder of him than he should be. But with the stakes of this assignment, they couldn’t allow it. Please be it that the one rich prick Minho decided to be frank to today was Chan or Felix, he knew that Minho wouldn’t be a dick to Changbin. Well, he would, but not today.
He finally caught a glance of his boyfriend’s black hair. Minho was dapper as ever in his tuxedo, the pants still a bit high on the ankles but it suited him. He was holding a platter full of champagne flutes perfectly balanced. Jisung almost skipped to him. As he approached, he could see worry etched on every pore of his perfect face. Once he arrived in front of him, he shot a charming grin at him.
“- Hi, handsome. Mind if I take some of this delicious champagne ?
Minho relaxed and smiled politely, but a bit too softly.
- Of course, sir.
Jisung grabbed a flute and drank slowly, his eyes on Minho.
- How are you doing ?
- Meh.
Jisung nodded.
- Valid. Innie got control over the car, by the way. They’re supposed to be escorted back soon.
- Yeah. I know. I was about to clock out. Go mingle, babe.”
Jisung nodded and walked off. Minho was good, well, as good as he could be. He used to be envious of Seungmin and Minho’s bond, even before Jisung was forced to leave the Ninth. They used to all be a little group, them and the kids from their street. Minho and Seungmin were the same kind of weird, that was how they connected, even now. But he didn’t feel the same envy that young insecure Jisung felt. Being friends with Chan, even if it was not a friendship he would have chosen at the time, truly made him mature. Well, he kind of did not have the choice.
He sighed and tried to get comfortable on a couch. He leaned towards another Gladiator. It was a handsome, buffed and visibly taller one - well almost everyone was taller than him, the man had gentle eyes.
“-Hyung ?
The man turned to look at Jisung. This encouraged Jisung to go on.
- Can you catch me up ? I haven’t been paying attention to what was going on with the race…”
The Gladiator smiled gently at him and explained. God, it was boring. Only one piece of information mattered to him : the traitor's car software had crashed , making it impossible for them to participate in the race. They both were escorted back to their cells, and Jisung knew what was going to happen next.
Wooyoung and Mingi would escort them to the underground holding cells, where they would escape through the sewage system, guided by Jeongin. Once they are all out of the Arena’s perimeter, they’d go up and flee through the city, and Jeongin would join Minho as a waiter. It was six in the evening, his match was planned for eight, Hyunjin and Seungmin’s disappearance would only be noticed at around seven thirty if they played it well, they would all be extracted at around eight fifteen. He really needed to trust the plan. He did not want to think of all the tiny details that could make it go wrong - the human details. He groaned and grabbed an appetizer. He grimaced. How could such pretty food taste so disgusting ? Jisung leaned a second time into the Gladiator’s space.
“-I’m nervous, I never actually participated in these games.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Felix was once again tossing and turning in his bed. He had never felt as stupid as he felt right now. Of course there had been a hidden reason as to why Christopher started to be so sweet and prince charming-like towards him. Not that he used to mean, it was just that… They were really different, with a three year age gap. Felix always thought that his parent’s insistence for him to be friends with Christopher was only so that they could stay commercial partners with his parents, which was in a way the case. He had locked his bedroom door last night, and now that the sun was high, he was still in his bed, buried under the cushions and comforters. Seungmin had been knocking for the past hour, but he wouldn’t understand how Felix felt. He knew how self-centered it could appear but that was his genuine thoughts.
And, even if he wanted, he did not feel like he could get out. He was completely merging with the bedding. He sighed and closed his eyes. Sleeping felt like a good idea, he was so sleepy.
When he woke up, the door was half opened and there was barely any natural light. He looked around and saw Seungmin on his couch, reading a comic book. He barely looked up when Felix croaked out a wonky greeting.
“- I managed to snag you something to eat. It’s evening already. And your parents have been bitching about you sleeping all day…
Felix let out a dry chuckle.
- It was obvious that they wouldn’t like it.
Seungmin shrugged and put the comic book away.
- How do you feel ? Be honest.”
Felix did not answer immediately. Instead, he buried his head in his pillow and screamed, Seungmin just hummed. He got up and grabbed the tray of food.
“-There’s pasta salad, and a slice of brownie.
Felix rose and sat up.
- I’m gonna marry you. Instead of this idiot Christopher.
Seungmin chuckled.
- You like men, men are disappointments. It’s in the word.”
He chuckled and snapped his fingers in agreement. He got to his feet, the world felt cottony around him, but it was probably because he needed to eat. He grabbed the plate with the brownie and gave the pasta to Seungmin. They ate in silence. After they finished eating, they moved to Felix’s bed, they stayed laying there, Seungmin’s head on Felix’s middle while the older boy played with his hair. Seungmin looked up at Felix.
“- I thought you wouldn’t mind marrying Christopher. That’s kind of a dream scenario, isn’t it?
Felix let out a whine.
- I know… But it doesn’t feel right, you know ? I wanted him to like me for real, not because our parents wanted us to.
Seungmin frowned slightly, his nose scrunching.
- But he does like you.
- What do you mean ?
Seungmin sighed.
- I talked with Changbin, like last week, he told me Christopher liked you.
- Since when are you talking with Changbin ?”
As an answer, Seungmin just grabbed a pillow and smashed it in Felix’s face, muttering a “shut up”, but Felix would never shut up about it, just for the evening. The two of them revelled in that quiet time, quiet friendship between the four walls of Felix’s bedroom. Time flew between them, until midnight struck. Seungmin flatly announced.
“- Today is the anniversary of my brother’s death.
-Yeah. I know.”
A beat of silence.
“- I’m sorry about it.
Seungmin sat up.
- Don’t apologize for it.
- But…
Seungmin stopped him.
- I know who to blame. And it is not you.”
He laid back down and closed his eyes. Seungmin never talked about his life before their meeting. Felix just knew about his brother because his parents forced them to go watch the edition of the Ceremony where Wonpil died. It was a little while after his parents took Seungmin, his father had said that they had to kill disobedience before it could grow. At the time he did not fully understand, but now he did, and that aspect of the world terrified him. He was not yet fifteen, but he had a full understanding of the fact that his own father tried to break the little kid they had committed to raise and protect into obedience. They ripped him from his roots, from everything, and showed him what would happen to him if he stepped off the path carved up for him, but he kept that snarky spark. Felix was in awe of this strength. He was far less strong than him, only one upsetting thing and he was there, crying in bed. He was truly pathetic. He moved to hug Seungmin’s side.
“- You can be my brother if you want.
Seungmin chuckled at the clumsy offer.
- We already are.”
A few days later, Felix burst into Seungmin’s room, smiling from ear to ear. He had accomplished something huge and could not wait to tell Seungmin. When he opened the door wide, Changbin and Seungmin were seated on the latter’s bed, and had seemingly jumped away from one another. Felix smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at his brother but did not tease further. Instead, he jumped on Seungmin’s desk.
“- I have a gift for you Seungmin. We have a car waiting for you, and Seo, you are not invited. Whatever you two were doing.”
The two other boys were completely red by the time Felix left the room. He skipped to the car, a new pep in his step. He smiled a toothy grin at the driver.
“- Do not forget to pass by the Bahng estate, please.”
And that is how the four of them found themselves driving along the river. It was a long drive, the more they strayed from Yellow Woods, the poorer the city looked, the dirtier the river was and the more scarce the stream was.
They finally arrived. It was a poor town at the edge of the city. The houses all look abandoned, but they were surrounded by playing children of all ages. Felix thanked the driver and, grabbing Seungmin and Jisung by the arms, he left the car. Christopher followed them, at respectful distance from Felix. Their two friends were teary-eyed, Jisung was chewing on his lower lip, looking up and batting his eyelashes fast so as to not fall apart, Seungmin had much more trouble to mask his emotions. They were back home. Seungmin led the way, walking them to his old house. The place looked as old and abandoned as the others, but somehow looked cared after. The place was elevated and at the foot of the stairs, were flowers and a funerary token. Seungmin fell to his knees when he read the engraved metal.
In years, it was the first time that Felix saw Seungmin express his grief. He truly looked his age, he looked like the frightened and broken fourteen years old that he was. Kneeling and wailing as if he was bearing the weight of the world and he was in some way.
“In memory of Kim Wonpil, beloved brother and comrade”.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–_-_-_-_–_–_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_–_-_-_–__-
“- The fuck you mean you lost them ?!”
Chan looked absolutely livid but truly, he was completely elated. Seungmin and Hyunjin had managed to disappear in the sewers, Mingi and Wooyoung found beaten up. He just needed to manage everyone’s extraction. Luckily, his beautiful, wonderful husband knew how to cry on command. Felix looked at the supervisors of the guards.
“- You have let my parents' murderers run free ?
One of the supervisors bowed his head in apologies.
- We are so sorry, sir.
Felix grabbed Christopher’s hand.
- Christopher, we are leaving. Pull your companion away from the competition. We are done with this organisation.
The other supervisor’s eyes widened in panic.
- Mr. Lee ! Mr. Bahng ! Please, no… The organisation needs your financial aid!
Christopher raised an eyebrow.
- And that is what you are doing with our money ? I will make sure that the Seo family pulls their financial support away as well !”
On these words, Christopher Bahng grabbed his husband’s hand and walked to the elevator, Changbin in tow. In the elevator, they had to stay composed and in character, surveillance cameras were on them. Jisung joined them in the lobby, he was accompanied by two bodyguards - Minho and Jeongin. Chan gestured to the door leading outside.
“-Let’s go back to the car. Changbin, we are giving you a lift.”
To the outside perspective, it sounded like Christopher was not giving him a choice, asserting his leadership quality. But everyone in this little group knew that he would never force anything on any of them. He turned his gaze to Felix, and as a group, they hurried outside. Their car was already waiting for them, they all climbed in in haste. Chan looked at their driver, the same who drove them to the Ninth all these years ago. Eunkwang gave him a proud smile before focusing on the road. They were not far from the Yellow Woods but they were all exhausted. Minho had his head on Jisung’s shoulder, Chan guessed that he was relieved that he did not lose neither his boyfriend, nor his childhood friend. Jisung kissed the top of his hair. Jeongin and Changbin were a bit more tense, after all, it was their significant others who almost died tonight. Jeongin’s fiancé and whatever Seungmin and Changbin had going on, which he was sure was complicated and a headache - it was more of Felix’s department. Speaking of whom, he glanced at his husband and grabbed his chin between his fingers.
“- Hmmm… Give me a kiss, Channie…”
And who was he not to indulge the request of his lover ? He gently pressed their lips together, as if they were teenagers all over again. Felix smiled in the kiss and gently moved his lips against his. They separated after a few seconds. Felix kissed his cheek.
“- I love you.
- I love you too, my love.”
A few minutes later, they were parked in the huge garden of the Lee estate. They all exited the car and bid their goodbyes to Eunkwang who went back to his small house - an outbuilding situated further in the estate, where he lived with his husband and their daughter.
Inside the house, every room was buzzing with excitement. Everyone was hugging everyone, music was loud. When they entered, a tiny woman barged in the hallway, she jumped in Minho’s and Jisung’s arms while stringing Seungmin along. She turned towards Chan.
“- Where are Mingi and Wooyoung ?
- They’re still back there. But their cover is good, we’ve been working on it for days.”
She nodded and got back to her boys, her heart-shaped smile was brightening the room in a way that a few could. Chan strode to find Hyunjin and hugged him tightly, he passed his hand on the taller guy’s shaved head and made him lean down so he could kiss his forehead. Even after all these years apart, Hyunjin was still and will always be his younger brother. Felix went to hug Hyunjin as well. Chan knew his husband well, he knew that Felix was ready to burst into tears. So when Felix let go of Hyunjin, he instinctively grabbed him by his hips and brought him close, he buried his nose in the crook of his neck and inhaled his expensive perfume. They got a bit in the background to observe everyone. Changbin and Seungmin had not changed… They always were so cagey about their real feelings, they had been for years. But something in Seungmin’s gaze looked different, he grabbed Changbin by his tie and kissed him square on the lips, Changbin immediately reciprocated it. The room erupted in cheers and Felix threw a wolfwhistle.
After a little while, the celebrations ceased, the living room became empty, except for a few of them who were reunited around the huge table. Everyone of them had their gazes fixed on the recently rescued duo. They had managed to collect the data needed to expose the real purpose of the Ceremony to the greater public. All the behind the scenes manipulation, all the built-in system, every part of it would fall apart and Chan was more than happy to be a part of the gravel that was going to break the gears of this shitty system. Felix’s gaze was on Seungmin who was explaining to all the others what would go down next, and everyone was suspended to his lips. Felix could not be prouder of his little brother, he was finally achieving his goal, avenging his brother. The people he held responsible for his death would finally pay for their crimes.
In Miroh City, the price of life was blood. And the Mayflys would be happy to pay with theirs.