Reasons to Stay // Hyunin

~8~

The week was passing and it was just Jeongin and Hyunjin, Hyunjin and Jeongin, and Felix off to the side. Felix wondered if Jeongin was still coming to his house today or if he was still upset, because they hadn't spoken to each other at all.

At this particular time, Felix was in physical fitness session, so that meant that Hyunjin and Jeogin were having their study hall at the library.

"So what did you have Tuesday?" Hyunjin asked Jeongin. They were sitting at a table with their books open. "I remember you told me you had something and was in a hurry."

"Oh, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Friday I work at an after school care for elementary kids," Jeongin explained. "At Lee Brights, do you know where it is? The international school."

"Hm," Hyunjin thought, "I think so, Maybe?"

"Yeah but...wait–I don't have it today because of a minor holiday." Jeongin suddenly remembered because out of the corner of his eye he saw his phone had turned on with a notification.

Felix

R u coming over tonight

How should Jeongin answer? Yes, he had thought about this week and he felt bad that he wasn't on good terms with Felix because they were actually such good friends. What had stopped him from saying sorry and making it up?

Jeongin turned to look at the reason, sitting beside him. Why couldn't it just be as simple as he was both of their friends. But no, Felix didn't like Hyunjin for reasons Jeongin still couldn't understand.

"Really? Maybe we could do something together," Hyunjin said whimsically. "I mean unless you have other plans."

Jeongin really liked Hyunjin but...he felt it was necessary to get right with Felix first. "Well...I think I do have something, let me check." And he looked at his phone, more like stared at the short message for a whole 10 seconds. "Yeah I think I have something." he finally said, looking up. "...sorry–i mean, i really wanna hang out with you I just you know, it's something important, um, and–"

"Oh don't worry, it's okay," Hyunjin smiled. Jeongin was relieved. "Thanks," he smiled back. "Yeah maybe we can, uh, do something some other time."

"Sure! No problem!" and Hyunjin winked at Innie again, like always.

Jeongin looked down at his book. Hyunjin was okay with it! But that meant...that he'd definitely have to go now...

'''''''

Immediately after school Jeongin waved bye to Hyunjin and hurried home to prepare for the party. He hadn't even an idea of what he should bring, because when he had asked Felix last week, Felix would always answer, "Nah it's okay you don't have to bring anything." But of course you still did because that's what's polite.

He left the house and went to the store to buy some snacks. As he was checking out, he saw there was someone diagonal behind who was staring at him the whole time it seemed like. But Jeongin was the type of person who doesn't like to meet people's eyes because he is shy, but after a while he felt he wanted to see who this was, taking blatant interest in him.

Jeongin looked up and turned slightly to see the guy's face and no, it wasn't familiar. He was a youth like him, big doe-like eyes, squirrel-like cheeks with a caught look on his face. He was cute yet handsome.

The sun shined through the window and filled areas of the convenience store with natural light. A ray fell on the boy's necklace, and the shimmer caught Jeongin's attention.

It was a pretty necklace and Jeongin thought it looked like a kind of familiar charm. He was sure he'd seen that design before, but where? It wasn't a fashion brand logo.

He might have stared too long at the piece of jewellery because the squirrel-boy abruptly turned away and walked off. Jeongin shrugged and started home, keeping on thinking about the design.

Wait–that was the pattern on Hyunjin's pretty ring. Confused, Jeongin hadn't known this was a popular logo before. These were the first times he had seen it. Oh well, he could just ask Hyunjin tomorrow.

Hannie was hiding in the aisle, watching Jeongin leave the store. He sighed to himself. He was pretty sure Jeongin had noticed him staring. And they had made eye contact. But his plan had failed.

He had wanted to quietly take Jeongin aside and warn him of Hyunjin. Yes, Hyunjin was Han's friend, but he didn't want innocent Jeongin to suffer. It wasn't right, how the blonde was leading him on like this only with purposes to murder him. In fact, Han had been wishing to leave the corrupt gang for years now. But he was so scared. If you became "posh" Eun's partner-in-crime or his little pawn, you never left the gang. Eun was savage, cruel, and vengeful–what, it's been over ten years and he's still hunting down possible witnesses for his crime of burning up the children.

Han had himself been kidnapped as a child and taken captive in the gang. And he could bear daily torture for only so long. Given the options to become one of the criminals, or continue his suffering until they lost interest in him and killed him off, Hannie had of course chosen to cooperate with them.

He had broken laws with other gangsters and such, but had always avoided given the job of murder. He had hoped never to receive the order to do so.

But what you want in life isn't always the case, he realised. A week ago he had been sent a message from the top, who wasn't in the area at the time but had appointed Han a task.

E1025

"E" would stand for "End", and the following numbers stand for who exactly to end.

"Ending" someone was already too much for Hannie. But when that "someone" he had to end was #1025, then he had an even bigger problem, a massive problem that had eaten at him every day and night since he had received the notice...

...because #1025 was the only person Han truly loved in the world, his Lee Know.

Lee Know who Hannie had been appointed to check health weekly for the past two years; Lee Know who Hannie was supposed to torture, but instead fell in love with him; Lee Know who was the only thing Hannie looked forward to every day...even when Lee know didn't want to see him. Hannie was sad that his crush didn't like him back, even maybe detested his presence. But who could blame him? Hannie wasn't supposed to be a friend, he was supposed to be a tormentor; and who likes someone who keeps them locked up in a room with no air condition and barely enough food to even keep your eyes open?

Hannie had tried sneaking things over in the past, only to be caught and punished. So that's why he stopped. He was afraid to say nice words to Lee Know because he might be caught. Eun's eyes and ears were everywhere.

Han put the snacks back onto the shelf. He had wanted to buy something nice to eat...but his personal failure in communicating with Jeongin had made him upset. He put the basket back at the front doors and walked out.

Han Jisung you idiot, you're so chicken.