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42.

"Just what-"

Renjun's reflexes allow him to dodge a sharp piece of rock that comes flying towards his forehead. "The hell!?" His gaze scans the surroundings, trying to find the person responsible. 

"Come out! Stop hiding like rats. You dared to attack my friends, then have the guts to face me."

"Yeah, that's him alright. My mini explosive." At the sound of the voice, Renjun sharply turns his head to face the trees diagonal to him.  

"Lee Donghyuck!" Three figures carefully emerge from behind the trees. 

Jaemin, who had a huge wound on the right side of his torso, was being supported by Jeno who himself was sporting obvious wounds. Haechan was also slightly limping on his left foot. Renjun felt a huge burden lift off his shoulders at the sight of his three friends looking very much alive. Then suddenly he marches across to them and smacks Haechan on the back.

"Ow! How can you hit an injured person?"

"How did you guys manage to get yourself this hurt?"

Before Jeno could answer, Haechan dramatically scoffs, "Why are you asking that from us, it's not like I asked those thugs to attack me."

Renjun narrows his eyes. "Right, I should settle this with them first. Where are they?" 

Jaemin smiles big like someone just made the funniest joke on earth and points back at the trees where they were hiding. Renjun looks over Jaemin's shoulder and finds four grown men, shirtless, unconscious and tied up.

With a mix of amusement and horror, Renjun looks back and forth between his friends and the men. "You guys used their shirts to tie them up?"

Jeno frowns. "That's your concern? Can't you see that we were overpowered and outnumbered?"

Renjun shakes his head. "When else would you use those muscles."

"Excuse me-"

"Wait, if you're here then what about Jieun and Jisung?" Haechan interrupts.

Renjun takes a deep breath. "Mark's there."

"Mark?" Haechan's fists clench and his breathing quickens. "You left them alone trusting Mark!? I expected better from you!"

"Haechan calm down. Atleast hear out Renjun." Jeno calmly but firmly puts a hand on Haechan's shoulder.

"Yeah, you know he won't do anything that can hurt them." Jaemin tries to soothe Haechan but he shakes off Jeno's hand aggressively.

"No! You guys don't understand! This was all a set up! They planned this... Jieun... Jieun and Jisung are not safe." 

Haechan looks around frantically and sees the car Renjun drove to get there. "We need to hurry back! Now!" He tries to reach for the keys in Renjun's hand, but Renjun pulls it out of his reach.

"Haechan-"

In a frenzy, Haechan grabs Renjun's collar. "Did you not hear a word of what I said? Jieun is in danger! Move it you idiot before she gets hurt!"

Jeno and Jaemin try to pull Haechan back but his grip on Renjun is so strong that even Renjun feels a bit intimidated. 

"They contacted you first. Why? Were they hoping to ask a 20-year-old for ransom?" 

Haechan pushes Renjun's shoulder, staring him dead in the eye. "They knew the officers or Jungwoo hyung won't be here tonight. They knew you were the last line of defence. They lured you here by attacking us."

Renjun doesn't respond. He lets Haechan blow off his steam for he now understands, why Haechan gets more worked up over the siblings' safety, dare he say Haechan gets protective even more than himself. 

He observes Haechan with his crossed arms and gritted teeth finally giving in to Jaemin and Jeno coaxing him to calm down. 

"Haechan, there's something you should know about Mark."

~~~

 Jieun stumbles out of her room in pitch black darkness.

"Renjun? Jisung?"

She anxiously calls out for the two boys, knowing in her gut that the sudden blackout was not normal. When she doesn't receive a single response, not even a sound letting her know that there were other people besides her in the house, that's when it strikes her that it is a trap.

Alarm bells flare in her mind and her fingers move to dial the emergency contact but a hand abruptly tightens around her mouth. Her phone almost slips out of her hand, and she is ready to swing her arm back before she recognises who the erratic breaths belong to.

"Mark?" Jieun whispers.

"Shh. I'll explain everything but for now, we need to get out of here." Mark gently pushes Jieun and directs her to a side window by the staircase. "I sense someone downstairs, someone who shouldn't be here and most definitely has no good intentions."

"But Mark-"

"Later Jieun." The urgency in Mark's voice is enough for Jieun to reserve her questions and comply with his request.

"Jisung? What about-"

"He's outside. I told him to wait by my car." There's a gentleness to the way Mark guides Jieun to hold on to the makeshift rope he's made using spare curtains and helps her crawl over the windowsill. Jieun mentally takes note of how all his actions also carry a sense of decisiveness and precision as if he's done this many times. 

Mark can feel Jieun's curious gaze linger on him, but he deliberately avoids it. Instead, he throws a long, hardened look down the staircase. "I know you are confused... but I need you to trust me."

Jieun who's now barely holding onto the windowsill, with most of her weight hanging onto the rope for dear life lets out a frightened gasp as she feels gravity do its job. "Mark!"

Mark wraps his hands around hers with a mixture of dread and warmth. "Jieun go through the side gate, towards where Taeyong dropped you guys off. You'll find my car and Jisung."

"Wait, you aren't coming?" Jieun huffs out, her hands trembling and eyes wide.

"I'll be right behind you." Mark gives Jieun the most painful expression she's seen ever seen on his face. "But if I'm not there in the next 2 minutes then leave. Drive straight to the Neo Police Station and look for Officer Doyoung."

"Mark no, what-" Tears threatening to slip out of her eyes makes Mark realise just how much scared and concerned she was. Not just for her and her brother's safety, but for him too. And knowing that she almost lost Bomin and Jisoo to kidnappers, makes her fear of losing him all the more intense.

Mark gives a small smile, his own eyes getting slightly moist. "I made a promise to myself." He leans closer to lovingly peck the side of her head. "Your watermelon boy loves you, Eun."

"Mark please... don't-"

"No one's harming you or Jisung. Not when I can protect you."

Hellooooo!! NCT DREAM COMEBACK!!! I love it!!! It felt like an emotional trip down the past but neo style for us fans who have been with them since Chewing gum... Let me know which song was your favourite!

I couldn't not make an update. I know I have been trying my best to be consistent with posting chapters, especially since we are so close to the climax.

And I hope this chapter wasn't off or my writing wasn't rusty due to the gap... I apologise if it was. I'll do better.

Let me know how you found this chapter!