Blaze

Friendship Needs Work

~_____~

"You left this in the car?" Suho asked pulling out the box of pocky sticks from behind him. "No wonder I was uncomfortable." Then he handed them to Namjoo, "Here."

"You can have them." Namjoo didn't even bother to turn to look at him.

Suho slightly narrowed his eyes and set them in the cup holder, "Remember to take them later. Kris got them for you, right?"

"I guess." She replied insincerely.

"He's going to be upset if you don't take them."

"What's with you?" Namjoo turned to him with a frown when she lightly braked at a red light.

"Well...I'm just saying. He was pushing them to you earlier; he just wants you to have them."

"Ok! I'll eat it! Good enough?" she half raised her voice.

Suho pressed his lips together and turned to stare out the window. "You could try to be nicer to them. Chorong and Kris don't seem like bad people."

"It's obvious they're not evil, if that's what you're saying."

"No, that's not what I was saying," Suho pointed out, "don't judge them so much. I think you'd work well in a team with them if you weren't so uptight. Let loose a little, Namjoo."

Namjoo didn't reply as she started the car again.

"Namjoo." he urged.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll eat the damn pocky sticks and I'll be nicer. Good?"

The corner of his lips curved up satisfied and he leaned back into his seat.

~_____~

"The three of us?" Chorong repeated pointing to herself.

She wasn't sure if Victoria was serious. For a second, Chorong couldn't believe this.

Victoria nodded, "When I get better details of what goes on during the night area down there, and when I make sure we've nailed the right place, I'll devise a more detailed plan. For now, I want you, Namjoo, and me to be in the team sneaking in."

Chorong was unsure. This plan made her feel queasy.

"We're the only females here. It would only make sense if the three of us get in there," Victoria explained, "don't worry, nothing's going to happen. We're not staying there longer than a night."

Chorong felt her eyebrows slide together. "A night...do you think that's enough?"

"We'll have to make sure it's enough," Victoria pressed, "I'll look for Hyukjae while you and Namjoo look around. There's bound to be some hidden activity there. We have to find those children and those missing women."

The first two missions had indeed been dangerous, but this one sounded even worse. Sneaking into a brothel...a brothel where men and women did their dirty work. What if something were to happen? Chorong drew a hand up to the collar of her shirt unconsciously and clutched it.

~_____~

Donghae paused in the hallway when he spotted Tao laying down on the couch in the lounge, his head against the arm rest, his eyes closed. He searched around for Suho and Namjoo, but didn't spot them. Walking over to Tao he glanced down at him. For a long time he didn't budge. Donghae had a feeling that he wasn't asleep and concluded that Tao was a very good actor.

"Where's Suho and Namjoo?"

No reply.

Kicking the cushion of the couch he repeated, "Where's Suho and Namjoo?"