The Aged | Gyuhao (Sequel to Youth)

- 38

| Chapter Thirty - Eight — Myungho |

"Why do I even come to work anymore?" Soonyoung drops his head to Minghao's former desk, running his fingers along packets he'd rather die than go through, "I hate this building. I hate these floors, this cracked ceiling. I hate this entire job."

"Why?" Junhui chuckles, typing away like the good worker he is, "You used to talk about how much you wanted to be a police officer all our childhood."

"It's not fun anymore."

"It's never supposed to be fun," Junhui frowns, "It's dangerous. I joined for the thrill, but mostly because I want to help people get justice, I want to throw the people in jail who deserve it."

"Did Myungho?"

Junhui stops typing.

He sighs at the mention of his former best friend, looking over at Soonyoung, "That was the Chicago PD, Soon. We couldn't have done anything even if we wanted to." He tells him.

"I wanted to." Soonyoung lifts his head, face contorted into an expression of what Junhui can only assume as devastation, "You and I both know he's not like that. You saw what he looked like at Mingyu's. He was scared. He wouldn't hurt a fly and we both know it— Not after what happened to his parents."

But Minghao killed them in the end.

Soonyoung knows that. Junhui knows that.

Maybe they still didn't want to. 

What was so wrong about acting as if the truth never came out in the first place?

Junhui leans back in his chair, "He's not coming back, Soon."

Soonyoung closes his eyes, pained, "You don't have to say it out loud. I'm worried about him enough."

"We both are. So's Jeonghan, Kwan, and Chan. We're not alone, and neither is Hao," Junhui sighs, hoping his words are all true, "I'm sure he's fine. I'm sure he's doing—"

"Holy shit," Soonyoung shoots up abruptly, eyes drilling holes into the television just across the room.

Junhui watches in confusion how Soonyoung scrambles clumsily for the remote, amping up the volume.

"What the hell are you doing—"

"Shh!"

"Just last night in Chicago, Illinois, Xu Minghao, runaway murder convict, has finally turned himself in, surprising the city and surprising the world after his prison escape."

"Xu disappeared exactly 12 months ago on the dot. His whereabouts for the past year have been unknown and are currently under investigation. Speculations say his court date is set for the 3rd of December."

Minghao's picture is up on the screen, right next to the news reporter. Both Soonyoung and Junhui feel like throwing up.

"Chicago?" Soonyoung blinks, "Why the hell is he back in Chicago?"

"Beats me," Junhui croaks, "My question is why did he turn himself in?" What was the point of breaking out if he was just gonna end up back there eventually.

And on his own terms, nonetheless.

"I can't believe this," A new voice speaks up.

Soonyoung rolls his eyes upon landing them on the woman next to him. Her arms were crossed, a lollipop pushed past her lips as she stared at the television just as hard.

"Go away, Shuhua."

"He was our friend," She sighs, "And now he's a murderer? It's bullshit, if you ask me."

"We know it's bullshit," Junhui rises to his feet as well, walking over. He leans against Minghao's desk with a sigh, "None of this makes any fucking sense. Either something really fishy is going on, or Chicago PD isn't doing their job right."

"Hmm," Shuhua smacks her lips, pushing the candy back in her mouth once she decides, "I vote for the second one."

"Don't we all," Soonyoung sighs.

Junhui nods sadly, "Don't we all." He repeats.