Speak Up!

SEVENTEEN-

BangChan sat paranoid in his bed, younger boyfriend tucked between his arms in a protective hold. He couldn't shake the feeling that Xinlong knew.
He sighed and kissed the sleeping boy's bare shoulder before getting up from under the covers and walking to the kitchen. His eyes restlessly scanned the dimly lit room.

"Huh?" He huffed aloud.

"My necklace." Chan's heart began to pound. Where was it? He had left in on the window crank, but it was gone.

He thought about asking Xinlong but he knew he didn't touch it.

Panic set in.

"Where is it?"

Zihao dangled the chain from his finger and examined the hunk of stone on the end of it. It wasn't an ugly necklace, but it was exactly attractive. Why did he even swipe it?
It's not like Zihao ever had a reason for taking things, he just did. It was in his nature and he could hardly just stop.

The petty thief threw the jade pendant onto his desk with a deep sigh. Life had been insane lately for him. For everyone really.

Pushing up from the swivel chair, the boy removed his jacket and hat, fluffing out his hair.

"I miss you." He whispered up to the ceiling and hoped Tills could hear him from there.

"What do you even do up there all day?" He questioned.

"Can't possibly be as bland as what's going on down here. I hope you're having fun." He spoke again, eyes landing on a piece of mail addressed to him that someone had placed on his bed.

"Are you sending me letters from Heaven?" He joked with a small smile on his face.

The boy observed the white envelope, no return address in the corner and no stamp. No postmark. That's weird. It had his full address and everything, but nothing to show it had really been sent.

Eh, whatever.

Zihao pulled the envelope open and gripped the little metal USB that was placed inside. The thing had been burned on one side, but the other was protected and still looked to be in good condition, so without much hesitation Zihao plugged it into his laptop and waited for something to happen.

"Allow outside accessory" his screen flashed before he clicked the 'OK' and watched as the screen went blank.

"Zihao, I have some things to tell you before everything blows up." Tills pretty face appears in front of him. A wallowing emotion washed over him. There's no way she's actually dead right? He felt it couldn't be real.

"I loved you. But I put you in so much danger because I was selfish. I need you to watch your back, especially for certain people. Ask Hanyu when you're finished watching this video."

Zihao leaned in closer to the computer. Ask Hanyu?

The girl on the screen held up a piece of paper with the cadence 1262 written on it, her name and age listed as well.

"This is my number. October 17th was the Sunday I was going to disappear, and never be seen again. I was the 1262nd girl to be auctioned under the Palmyra Bar in our downtown. Xinlong works there, so does Han Jisung and Lee Felix. Xinlong has no idea about any of this, but the other two work for my family and coordinate these auctions.

My father was killed by my mother's new husband, Mr. Ren. And the idea was to sell me while I was still a virgin and live off of my prophets until they could hand Shuyang the reigns of their disgusting business.

So, when I found that out, I immediately tried to find a way out. I tried running away, I tried killing myself. But then, I met He Xinlong and I slept with him, hoping that would disqualify me from the auction because I wasn't a virgin. And it did, but now I'm threatening to be killed by my own family. They don't see me as a person Zihao, to them I am nothing more than an object.

I'm telling you this because I can't tell Hanyu, Xinlong to MingRui. They wouldn't be safe if I did.

I'm killing myself in two days after I kiss you for the last time. I love you so much and I don't want you to be sad or cold about what happened or what might happen now that the secret about the auction is out.

So for the last time. Love Tills."