𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐢 | 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ✓

𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

January 14, 2022

He opened his eyes. His whole body felt numb, as if he had just died and woken up in heaven. But was this what heaven looked like? Yunho looked up at a dark ceiling. Painfully, he turned his head to the side and spied a huge window, right next to it an image of a black panther. Where the hell was he?

He wanted to get up and explore the room, but he couldn't move. Every single muscle ached more than anything he had ever felt. It was quite dark in the room. When Yunho heard a door open, a beam of light hit the darkness and made Yunho take in a sharp intake of breath. Were they back? Would they hurt him again?

Panic ran through his body and he wanted to reach for something to fight back, but even the small movement of his hand hurt him. Yunho heard footsteps coming from the darkness. His breathing suddenly quickened and his pupils dilated. A shadow appeared next to him and Yunho narrowed his eyes. "I won't hurt you," someone said. His voice was rough and yet it had something empathetic about it.

Very slowly, Yunho opened his eyes again and his body suddenly relaxed. A man was standing in front of him. But it was someone he had never seen before. "My name is Hongjoong and you are safe now," the man said and then smiled. The first smile Yunho had seen in weeks.

"Where am I? What happened?" Yunho heard a sigh and Hongjoong sat down next to him on the bed.
"We have freed you. You were in the hospital and now you're here with us." Yunho furrowed his eyebrows. "You, who are you?" he said in surprise. Hongjoong smiled again.
"I'll explain it to you tomorrow. You should go back to sleep now. And move as little as possible."

Yunho couldn't realize what this Hongjoong was trying to tell him. They had freed him? Did that mean it was finally over? "Will they come back?" Yunho asked in a panic before Hongjoong could leave again, reaching for the other's cold hand despite the pain. Hongjoong looked at him with a reassuring look. "They won't, Yunho. These people will never hurt you again. I promise."

__________

June 17, 2023

The sun had not yet risen. A bag pack landed on the bed. Mingi woke up and was startled. He saw Yunho stuffing things into the bag pack.
"What are you doing?" Mingi wanted to know. Yunho gave him a cursory glance, then tossed him another bag. "Pack your things. We're leaving."

Mingi got up from the bed. "What do you mean? Where to?" Mingi asked, irritated, watching Yunho pull the backpack closed. "I'm going to show Hongjoong that he can't blackmail me," Yunho said. "But is running away the right decision? What if he finds us?" Yunho shook his head slowly and looked up. "I'll leave something behind for him. He'll regret what he's done."

Mingi still didn't seem convinced. "What if I don't want to go?" He crossed his arms. Yunho gave him a penetrating look. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice." Mingi let out a sigh. "Where do you even want to go?" Yunho shrugged his shoulders.
"I know a place." Yunho gestured to the bag he had given Mingi. "You have ten minutes. We have to leave before the others wake up." Mingi nodded. "Can I at least write Yeosang a letter?" Yunho nodded curtly and Mingi exhaled deeply. He had no idea if what they were doing was right, but he had no choice. He had to listen to what Yunho wanted.

......

Mingi was already sitting in Yunho's car while the older man crept through the living room to Hongjoong's room. He entered the room as quietly as possible. Hongjoong was lying in his bed, asleep. Yunho lowered a letter with a casket onto his bedside table. Then he turned his back on Hongjoong and left the room.

He flinched when someone tapped him after he had closed Hongjoong's room door. "What the hell are you doing here?" San stood in front of him in his pyjamas. Yunho looked at him apologetically. "Sorry San, but I have to go. But I'll be back, I promise." San's eyes slowly widened. "What? You can't leave me alone with these crazy assholes."