it was around 2 o'clock in the morning when there was a knock on seji's window, awakening her.
without thinking, she got out of bed and sleepily walked towards the window to see keeho outside.
"what the heck, keeho?" she let out as she slid the window up, revealing a messed up looking theo in his arms.
seji widened her eyes and out her hand over her mouth, gasping, "w-what happened?"
"don't worry. he's not dead," keeho assured, "just out like a light .. for now."
as keeho and seji worked together to carry theo inside through the window, seji observed how theo's face and body was covered in bruises and blood.
once theo was inside her bedroom, keeho shut the window while seji ran to get the first aid kit.
"stay quiet," she whispered, "i don't wanna wake my mom."
keeho nodded and started by removing theo's outer clothes while seji began to take care of the wounds on theo's face and arms.
"what happened? what did you guys do? where did you go?" she asked, "are you okay?"
"i was the least affected," keeho replied, "the other boys had it bad, especially theo."
"well where are the other boys?"
"at intak's house."
"why didn't you bring theo there then?" seji asked, keeping her focus on theo.
"because i knew you'd take a lot more care of him," keeho answered, "and i was right."
seji quickly glanced at keeho before looking back at theo, seeing keeho stand up from the corner of her eye.
"and because bringing him here would mean one less person i have to take care of," keeho added, "i have to go."
"go where? this late? you already look worn out enough."
"i've got to go to the other boys," keeho explained, "i need to make sure they're okay. you're okay with theo staying here for now, right?"
"well there's no other place for him to go, right?" seji asked.
"fair enough," keeho nodded, "then i'll be back in a bit."
"wait— just .. be safe," seji whispered.
keeho gave her an assuring smile and ruffled her hair before quietly leaving through the window again.
—
"you're up," she whispered, shutting the door to her room.
seji had managed to carry theo into her bed to let him rest.
she set a glass of water on the bed stand next to the bed and some medicine before saying, "just painkillers."
taking a seat on a little stool in her room, she looked at him and saw how his head was turned to look at her.
"how are you feeling?" she asked.
"my body is covered in bandages and you're really asking me that?"
"right .. sorry .."
"why am i here?" theo asked.
"keeho brought you here," she replied, "you passed out."
"so where is he? where are the others?"
"they're at intak's house. keeho only brought you here because you apparently got hurt the most and he said that i'd take care of you a lot better," she replied again, mumbling the last part.
"are you okay? you seem to um .. have an attitude," seji muttered.
"are you seriously asking that right now, seji?" he asked, raising his voice.
"i knew you were in danger once you came to that building with keeho," he continued, "but you continued to stick around us."
"do you know how many eyes we have on us? both good and bad," he stated, "and—"
he paused and let out a deep breath, closing his eyes.
"well— i'm just gonna .. go," she whispered, quickly leaving her room.
she kept her eyes on the ground as she shut the door until she looked up and saw keeho leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest.
"don't think of it too much," he quietly spoke, giving seji an assuring look, "he's not mad at you."
"he sure seems like it," she mumbled as they walked to the kitchen together.
"why would he be mad at you? especially after you took care of him without getting sleep."
seji shrugged, "then why was he talking like that? what happened?"
keeho stayed silent and stared at seji before sighing, "do you really wanna know?"
seji nodded.
"rivals have their eyes on us," keeho began, "always have and always will. that means they know who we associate ourselves with, so they know about you."
"and they want you."
"what?" seji asked in total confusion.
"this guy, riki .. he's really bad news. he wants you for himself and he was saying some really disgusting things about you," keeho explained.
"so you guys went to see him?"
keeho nodded.
"he was saying what he'd do to you when you were finally his and it made me mad. it made all of us mad," he continued, "but before any of us could do anything, theo was on him."
"and i mean on him," keeho stated, "theo was taking his anger out on riki for what he said and riki fought back. it was the two of them, so that explains why theo's in that condition."
"why didn't you break it up or at least help him?" seji asked slightly loud, "why would you just let theo get hurt like that?"
"ji, obviously we tried to break it up and pull theo back," keeho replied, stating the obvious, "but theo was really mad."
"he cares about you," he whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder, "let's just see how it goes."
