TASTE OF EXILE; minchan

❯ 𝚜𝚒𝚡

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙉

i sat on the bed that afternoon holding a communication device that changbin got me, minho didn't own a phone and i turned mine off to block signals that might track us. we have been staying here for four days, changbin is trying to get us information from the outside until we have a plan.

❝ i'm back. ❞
i glanced at minho who entered the room carrying a few grocery bags. it had only been days, but i realized minho is quite obedient, it might show that he is against it, but he stays put. i was thankful, it would give me a hard time if he was a handful.

now thinking about it, he's like a wild beast. a tamed one, there was something about seeing him in his natural state than when he was fighting to defend himself. but a beast can never be tamed forever, it was like there's something stopping him, and i'm leaning towards fear if i was to conclude what it was.

every time i see him, his face is sullen and he almost never smiled, if he did, it would be mischief. his eyes held thousands of mysteries i cannot solve, or cannot solve yet, but each time i look at them it was telling me he was so much more than what i see of him on the outside.

how interesting.

it was the same today, he was quiet as always, face blank and sullen as he arranged the groceries out. it took me back to the conversation we had last night.

"i won't betray you."
he told me as i was still watching him closely as if he would do something or run away while we walked down the streets of the small town.
"you are a good man, you deserve life better than i do."   
it made me wonder what has life done to you to make you yearn for death just so you could have your freedom.

❝ i can almost tell what you're thinking, but i usually don't like it when people stare at me. ❞
he spoke out and i jolted, not noticing i had my eyes intensely looking at him while i was thinking.
❝ if you need to ask or tell me something just say it. ❞
minho said bluntly like always.

the red viper.
an assassin beyond humanity.

there were no records of him, his past, his beginnings, how he ended up here, it was only minho who knew what he went through and it's unlikely he'd tell anyone.

i can't bring myself to think that i'd be locking him up in a lifetime cage once this chaos ends, or i would lead him to his death as a sentence for all he had done. it was the law, it was for justice of those he had killed.

but as i looked at him now, i can't bear to think of him from just a boy younger than me, clearly tired from this life of blood and violence.

who are you really lee minho?
what more had you done to exceed the devil himself?

❝ why do you want to die so badly? ❞
i finally asked, i hitched in a breath, preparing to wait and anticipate what he was going to say but he answered without hesitation.
❝ do you think the act of living is really worth it? ❞
he questioned my question. it made me stop and i could see the amusement on his face at my lack of comprehension. i clearly did not understand what he was thinking, of course i wouldn't, i wasn't him after all. i hated how i couldn't understand him.

was the act of living really worth it?
i also ask myself that everyday.

❝ unlike you i am not a good man, but i am human too, i have conscience and i do not deserve this life from all those i have stolen. ❞
minho continued.
❝ and do you think death will justify all those lives you took? ❞
i asked and he stopped to stare at the can he held in his palm.
❝ i believe death is my only way of freedom. ❞
he does not want to die, he just wanted to stop his suffering.

suffering from the world he had no other idea of living in without bloodshed to survive.

❝ i was born a slave, and will die as one. that is my fate, whether i like it or not. i've accepted it long ago. ❞ 
he sighed and bent down to grab the small boxes of butter that fell on the chair.
❝ fate can change. ❞
i said, a smile made it's way on my face.
❝ like now, is it fate that you're on the run with a detective that had never even killed? ❞
i grinned and he stared at me.

my caller rang and i darted my attention away from him to the device. changbin was calling and it seemed urgent.
❝ CHAN HYUNG! A FEW MILITARY TEAMS JUST LEFT! THEY'RE SCOURING DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY AND I BELIEVE ONE GROUP IS ON THEIR WAY THERE! YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME JUST GO! LEAVE NOW! ❞
panic can be heard in his voice and i turned to minho who looked different than when i was talking to him.

like a switch was turned and he had his whole guard up, body tense and ready to spring into action, eyes that glare as if he could kill. we don't know how much time we have, minutes? maybe seconds? i sprung out of the bed and was about to grab my weapons when minho raised a hand to stop me.

❝ i sense something. ❞
he said and his head tilted to the side, i tried to figure out what he was sensing and then i heard it. i could hear a faint sound of a helicopter in the distance.
❝ get down! ❞
he pulled on my arm and we landed on the ground, multiple bullets broke the windows and we crawled our way to our weapons.

we stood up and leaned on the wall crouching, minho looked ahead and he cursed under his breath seeing the window broken on the other wall in front of us.
❝ they're gonna shoot again. ❞
he said and pointed his gun.
❝ there's no way you can— ❞ 
with a bang, he had shot the pilot through the helicopter windshield straight to the head.

❝ damn. ❞
i muttered and he smirked at me.
❝ your turn. ❞
he said and i groaned, peeking through the broken window beside us and shooting another helicopter on the blades until it went haywire and swept away with the wind, crashing on the empty room beside us.
❝ do you really have to take unnecessary steps just so you won't kill a person? ❞
he clicked his tongue and ducked, running towards the door.

we kept hearing gunshots and crashing all throughout the building as we crept down the staircase to the garage where i know changbin leaves a motorcycle. we can't help staying here or this town will be badly affected, or worse, innocent people could die.
❝ is that it? ❞
minho pointed and i nodded.

i punched on the button on the wall and the garage doors started to lift up, i sat on motorcycle with minho behind me.
❝ just keep driving, leave the rest to me. ❞
he said and i started to drive. i swerved through streets and alleys to avoid the military cars as much as possible but they were catching up to us.

minho shifted himself so he sat back to back to me, shooting those in the cars until i heard a crash behind me.
❝ do you have a bomb with you? a grenade will work. ❞
he asked and i let out a confused noise.
❝ why would i have— ❞

❝ oh, a smoke bomb, i guess that could do. ❞
minho pulled something out of my jacket and threw it to the remaining cars.

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𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 : 𝙾𝟼𝟷𝙾𝟸𝟸
almost forgot to update today whoops

i need a minchan ballad duet next on skz record xjejxjejxked