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

Blurry memories

3 and a half years ago, the police station

-Are we sure Minho is able to answer the phone? I mean... no offense, kid, but you need to empathize with the one calling and keep them calm.

Minho had the same empty eyes and blunt face while following his superior.

He was new there, just graduated from the academy and dressed up in his uniform.

He analyzed every corner of the room, memorizing every crack and stain.

He could read the people in front of him so easily.

Half of them weren't bothered by his existence, but half were not happy at all. They hated him.

However, through Minho's eyes, all of them were insignificant. Blurry faces decaying into the void of his memory.

The sound of the phone caught his attention as he turned towards the table.

An older officer answered and put it on speaker to show Minho an example of what could happen while on duty.

A child's voice filled the room with quiet sobs.

-Hello?

"Please... Please help me. Please!"

-Is your mother around, kid? What's going on? the man replied in English.

"He... He will be back any minute. Please! He will hit me again."

-Who? Who is gonna hit you?

"The master's nephew. It's his birthday today... if I don't sing, he will make me swallow it again. Please! Help me!"

-Sir, the call is from Australia.

-Then hang up!

The man did as he was told with no shame or concern plastered on his face.

-Why? Minho finally spoke.

-We're in Korea, kiddo. What happens on another continent is none of our business.

-But he called us.

-It was just a kid pulling a prank, Minho. Don't take everything so seriously, he patted the boy on his shoulder.

Minho's response was to walk away and wait for everyone to go outside.

Then he picked up the phone and waited. Nothing.

The person on the other side of the line was gone.

Gone but always present in the back of Minho's mind.

Present, Milan, Italy

-We're here, Lia stopped the car at the intersection between Via delle Rose and Via Tulipani streets.

A few meters away from them was standing tall an abandoned building, next to a construction site.

-Here? Jeongin asked hesitantly.

-Here, Lia confirmed.

They both pushed open the door which was barely leaning on its one hing left.

The mold was covering the once-white walls, leaving room for an unbearable smell of smoke and dead rats.

-I'll search for a place to plant it. We need to detonate it at the base so the entire structure falls. You go upstairs and make sure no one is here.

Jeongin nodded and climbed the stairs carefully, his hand flexing on the bar.

Thousands of rooms. Filled with rusted weapons, tables or beds.