Reasons to Stay // Hyunin

~17~

So, back to earlier that day, Changbin began to slowly walk to the gangster trio (except he technically wasn't supposed to know that they were gangsters). "Hey...wassup?" He tried to smile naturally at Han, who was the one who had called him over.

"Do you go to this school?" Han asked, friendly.

"Oh, yeah," Changbin answered.
"Are you a robotics major?" Han persisted.

"Um...no, I'm in physical education." Changbin was starting to get confused but scared, maybe this was some code or info they were trying to get from him!

"Rats," was Han's comment, then he laughed. "Sorry, I'm just desperate because the professor just called telling me I had to pair up with somebody quick because my project is failing."

"Oh, um, sorry, I know nothing about that field..." Changbin answered regretfully, but in his mind, Is he trying some kind of trick?

"Ah, no, it's okay! I was just asking randomly, but i should probably find someone in my department building." He laughed again, and Changbin wondered how a gangster/possible murderer could be so cute.

At least Han and Hyunjin didn't seem suspicious at all, but then there was Sky...who was looking at Changbin skeptically. He started panicking again and thought of a way to get out of the situation. With an idea, he checked the time on his phone, and amazingly, Han caught the cue. "Oh, you're in a hurry to get somewhere? Sorry for holding you up."

"Nah, it's okay, but I should probably get going," Changbin answered nonchalantly. He was happy that his plan had worked and made no hesitation to start walking back to his dorm.

But why did he feel Sky's gaze follow him all the way until he was out of sight? Creepy...

Han sighed as Changbin walked away. "Bro, Hyunjin, how will I stay in the school if I can't turn in 'homework' and the professor's already called me twice for it."

"Don't worry; the mission can be finished as soon as you want. I can do it tonight, if you're in a hurry to get out of the situation." Hyunjin replied, trying to help. But Han immediately fiercely shook his head, "Nah. Besides, I'm enjoying the more 'relaxing' time we've been having lately. I like staying at a dormitory rather than practically underground."

"Same," Hyunjin agreed, but he wasn't sure that their cover wouldn't be blown soon, so that's why he decided to attack Innie tonight, as we saw. And going into his brain to see how his mind is wired, you now know that he decided not to kill Innie tonight because he realized how much he enjoyed torturing people. And if he killed Innie that first time, he wouldn't be able to play around like that in the future. Dead bodies aren't fun because they don't react. Man, not even Hyunjin knew he was such a sadist.

As han and Hyunjin talked, Sky was thinking about Changbin. No fooling him, Sky was smart and observant, he knew that Changbin had been the one sitting behind Hyunjin at the restaurant. Now...he just needed a way to keep in touch...

- - - -

"Innie oppa!" "Innie hyung!"

The cries came from kids excited to see one of their favorite workers, Yang Jeongin.

"Hi hi!" Jeongin laughed and smiled brightly as they crowded around him happily. Today, he was handling a six and seven year olds group.

He bent down to give each one the hug they wanted, and then stood back up. Tilting his head and putting on a look of deep thinking, he said "Hmmm, what should we do today?" The kids cheered as they eagerly awaited his answer, and Innie's face changed like a light bulb went off in his head. "How about throwing wet sponge balls? We didn't play that for a while."

"Yes!" the children jumped around, then followed him to carry the sponges and buckets into the gym. As Jeongin went to fill the buckets with water, most of the kids flocked away to admire the colorful sponges.

Six-year-old Sokki, however, told Jeongin that he wanted to help with filling up the buckets, and of course Jeongin said "okay". The little boy found delight in turning the faucet handle left and right.

Jeongin rolled up his hoodie sleeves so that they wouldn't get wet. Realization that his stab wounds and recent wrist cuts were still there prompted him to immediately roll them back down. He was then careful that the water wouldn't splash on him too much.

He took out his phone to check the time, but then noticed that the water was overflowing. "Ah, Sokki!" he quickly turned the handle off and looked at the face of the boy who had neglected his job.

Sokki was looking back up at Jeongin, his eyes wide with tears forming, his lip trembling. Jeongin was quick to come over and give him a hug and a pat. "Ah don't worry, Sokki, it's okay. See? We can just pour the water out in the grass." But Sokki wouldn't take his mournful eyes off of Jeongin. Jeongin stroked his arm. "Sokki-yah, what's wrong?"

Tears started falling, and it was just moments before the little boy would break out into full sobs:

"My mommy's arms looked like that before she killed herself."