8 sips of Poison | Stray Kids Mafia AU (part 2 of 8 sips of Wine)

Keep the burns under the sweater

-How is he? Chan asked Changbin.

-He collapsed on the bed. He won't wake up for the next two hours. He is all wasted.

-I've never seen him drinking, Hyunjin said.

-I guess my sudden visit is of fault, Dongmyeong said.

-Yeah, what's the deal with that? Jisung asked, eager for some answers. Who are you?

-Son Dongmyeong. Donju's twin. Also known as Xion of Oneus. I met Seungmin when I was a kid at the orphanage. He was silent, distant, but incredibly smart. Remarkably smart. Unfortunately, that was also his biggest flaw. People would fall in love with his face, but bring him back when his personality was too much. They were too stupid to realize that Seungmin needed help to integrate and interact with other people. At first, he was brought back by people who tried to lie and explain that they had enough kids or that Seungmin deserve much more. But by the third family, people started seeing a pattern. He was rejected by every couple. We were too young to understand at that age, but he was coming back with bruises. A busted lip or even a sprained ankle. It kept getting worse with each family. Seungmin started growing, self-aware of his flaws and becoming defensive. He couldn't trust anyone. He was beaten up, bitten by a dog, cursed, abandoned on the road... One of his foster parents even hit him in the head.

-With a bottle of alcohol? Jisung asked.

-Yes! I remember that he had his head bandaged for a month after that. The ninth family got him tested for autism. They thought...

-That he wasn't able to communicate with others? Chan asked with his arms crossed.

-No matter how many tests they did on him, they found nothing. The worst part is that... My brother was very much amused. He used to bully Seungmin. Every day. And I was going along with it. I thought it was innocent. Just teasing. I would never have imagined we were the reason Seungmin stopped talking with people. Stopped trusting them. It's our fault. I am so ashamed of myself.

-That explains why he kept it secret from us, Changbin sighed. God, I was so stupid to think he was cheating on me! he covered his face with his palms. I invaded his privacy. He probably hates me now.

-I am actually surprised he has a boyfriend. He never let anyone touch him. Not even shaking hands, Dongmyeong said.

-I'll go check on him, Hyunjin got up from his seat.

He went into the other room and found a drunk Seungmin working on his laptop, surrounded by files.

-Seungmin? Weren't you sleeping?

-I was! Then I realized! It's Jisung!

-What?

-When I confronted him about the woman in Times Square he said he couldn't have possibly been him since he had his leg injured. So he couldn't stay on heels.

-Right, Hyunjin tried to see where was that conversation going.

-But I've never mentioned the woman was in heels, he stared at Hyunjin with big crazy eyes.

-Maybe he just assumed. I mean... A lot of women wear heels.

-Then what about this? he shoved Jeongin's phone out of his pocket.

-What about it?

-He said he found it in the Hudson River. If he found the phone underwater, how did the pictures with us and Chan in the phone case survived? Paper dissolves under water. Jisung lied to me! He is the traitor! I can feel it, he grabbed Hyunjin by the collar.

-Seungmin, you are scary while drunk. Why don't you take a good nap and then we can ask Jisung about it?

-Hey, Hyunjin, how is he-

Jisung stopped when he saw Seungmin staring at him like a lunatic.

-What did I do?

-You lied to me! You are the traitor!

-What? Jisung raised his hands in the air.

-Ji, is there maybe a chance you didn't find the phone underwater? Hyunjin asked.

Jisung averted his gaze and closed the door behind him.

-I'm sorry!

-So it's true! Seungmin yelled in Hyunjin's ear.

-Yes, I didn't find it in the Hudson River.

-Why did you lie? Hyunjin tried to keep Seungmin away from Jisung.

-If I tell you, promise you won't tell anyone else?

-Of course, Hyunjin replied calmly. What's wrong?

-I found the phone in my bag. Someone placed it there. It was already soaked. I placed the photos in the phone case to make Seungmin turn it on. I found the pictures in Jeongin's wallet.

-Why didn't you say so?

-Because the phone came with a note, he said taking out of his pocket a sheet of paper. Here! he handed it to Hyunjin who read it out loud.

"Is that why you didn't let Minho touch you lately? Keep the burns under the sweater, pretty boy. No one wants to know how much of a freak you are"

Hyunjin furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at Jisung.

-What the hell is this?

Jisung took a deep breath and lifted his shirt to reveal his abdomen full of burns.

-Oh, shit! Seungmin widened his eyes.

-Ji, who did this to you?

-I did, he said with teary eyes. Please don't tell anyone!

-Why? Why are you hurting yourself?

-I can't help it, he said crouching down to hide his face.

Hyunjin locked his arms around him and tried to soothe him.

Seungmin felt like shit for accusing him like that. If alcohol had any effect on him was the guilt and emphaty he was trying to repress while sober.

After Seungmin passed out again and Jisung went back to the other, Hyunjin stayed to look at Seungmin's laptop where every single clue about the traitor was displayed on an online crime board.

He put his hands in his pocket where he felt something.

He took it out and found a flyer to the Willian Circus announcing a Europe tour.

Next to it a note:

"Look out for your boyfriend. Those girls definitely caught his eye. Not too late to try something new"

Hyunjin wrinkled the paper inside his fist and hid it in his pocket as jealousy took over.

Felix indeed seemed fascinated by Twice. Hyunjin didn't like that.