time diplomat | kim taehyung ✔

| Wrong Timing |

The sounds of clicking and tapping bounced off the four walls of Taehyun's dorm. He was on his non-advanced computed, with Beomgyu still on call, giving him directions as he continued his search for Astra. 

Silence conquered the place for a hot minute when beeping sounds resumed from the radar. Terry sighed loudly, making Ben from the other side chuckle. "She's safe then, I guess. You can rest."

"No, no, no. Not yet. I have to bring her back. I'll hang up now, Gyu. Thank you so—"

"You don't have to thank me. I was born with this natural power of helping oth—"

Beep.

Terry had his mobile in one hand as his eyes focused on the red dot that stayed put in that one place. He draped a jacket around him, fixing the device steadily first, and accelerated the car's engine—heading towards North. 

A one-hour ride left Terry wondering what Astra was doing this far from home. He was not only surprised but worried too because the red spot has been sitting in the same position the entire time. He stepped out on a water puddle and into a totally different world that was nothing by dull and sad. The apartments looked as if they'd fall any moment and Astra was probably in one of them.

Looks like a criminal's home.

With his eyes wide and alert of his suspicious surroundings, Terry walked around the hallways. He didn't have anything on him that could protect him but, he believed in his core strength. Reaching a particular floor after a lot of contemplation, he headed to a door on his right as the beeps from his mobile fastened. 

He looked over to the fading nameplate—Kim Taehyung. 

"Ah, it's that guy." He let down his defenses and turned off his phone, feeling pretty chill that she was with Taehyung. Terry knew about the elder boy and his friend who was admitted to the hospital he worked at and to all he knew, Taehyung was nice and sweet.

As he extended his hand to ring the bell, the door opened slightly with a creek. He stopped his arm midway, bringing it back as he expected someone to push through. But, when nobody did, Taehyun peeped through the little space opened to find nobody. When his eyes fell on the knob, he was confused.

The knob was broken and loose with a screwdriver sticking out from the inside of the keyhole.

Terry used his foot to push the door wider and saw nobody in the little living room. "Taehyung? Astra? You guys here?" No reply. He opened his phone, seeing the red dot indicating the bedroom. So, he walked long steps towards the adjacent room and tried to look in without startling anyone who might be there. But, there was no one there either.

The beeping sound continued increasing and Terry was getting annoyed. He turned to leave when he saw a blue light flashing from one of the jeans left on the bed. He rushed to it, putting his hand into the pockets to find Astra's watch in one of them. 

By now, Taehyun was dead scared. He turned the watch off and secured it in his jacket when he heard a thud sound from the living room. He was shitless with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead to his throat that felt dry like a desert. He tried swallowing the lump that didn't stop forming and tried acting bravely. There's nothing there. Maybe Taehyung has returned home from somewhere and somehow has Astra's watch. NO, it doesn't feel alright.

He was so close to squealing and crying as all he had was his phone and there was nothing he could do. He didn't know anyone who would be able to help him and calling his friends from the future would take them about half an hour. 

He sighed through his nose and shut his eyes tight and opened them when another noise echoed through the house. He walked forward, peeped from the frame of the bedroom's door, and pulled himself back from screaming at a speed he couldn't believe in. There was a man by the front door—dressed in all black with a mask.

And he looked as if he knew about Taehyun's existence in the house. 

Terry was now sure that man saw him as he heard slow footsteps coming towards him before the sound of metals and something being pulled out by force.

He slid across the wall and bit into his palm, trying to stay calm. The man's boots collided with the poorly tiled floor loudly and now there was no escape. Terry didn't know what he had to do. He opened the contacts and dialed Beomgyu, begging for him to pick up the call calmly and not screaming at him for hanging up before he could finish appreciating himself.

When Taehyun finally was face to face with the man's feet, he slowly looked up from the floor to the masked man. He had handsome features with coal-black hair and golden-brown eyes. He also had a bag with him, containing stuff ranging from vases to paintings to money.

Robber.

What Terry was too late to notice was the screwdriver held against his forehead.

_ _ _ _ _

The beeping sounds continued loudly as the man sighed for the umpteenth time—looking at the two watches in his hands. The one with red highlights was what he stole from Terry's wrist as he lay on the floor with a trail of blood from being dragged—the bedroom to the living room.

There were also over ten voice messages from the same person. "Yo, how dare you hang up when I was still talking? Do you realize I'm older than you, you brat? I ain't gonna pick your call ever again."

The man chuckled and sighed at the silliness that still surrounded the boy's aura even though he was so close to dying. Pushing the power off button, he tossed both the turned-off watches into the lavatory, later flushing them as the small tides of water took them along with it. 

His business was done with stealing but, Terry had to just come and make things worse.

Tsk. Wrong timing, kid.