Homeless ➹ 2jae [✓]

- 15 -

"Agh! What the-" Mark yelped as his hands were held behind his back. "Youngjae? Youngjae!" The younger was lying just next to the staircase, unconscious. "Hey, you- You knocked him out!" Mark was deliriously trying to escape out of the one-handed grip he was in, but the officer holding him down was having none of it.

"He hit his head on the door, he's not that hurt."

"Are you kidding me!? He's unconscious!"

"And he will wake up, so, stop struggling." Mark defied the security guard for a few more seconds before he realized that he was, ultimately, not going to escape his situation, so he lied there, defeated, his focus on Youngjae's faint face.

"Hey, who the hell is this?" said another guard, coming from behind them.

"Your co-officer knocked out my friend!"

"Shut it," he demanded, holding onto Mark's wrists tighter.

"Damn, you need to be more careful with these kids," the other officer – Officer Jeong – explained, picking up Youngjae's limp body. "Hey, what's your name?" he asked Mark.

"I'd tell you if this beefy guy would let me go!" he yelled, glaring up at the guard above him.

"Let him go." As soon as Mark was released, he rubbed his wrists and brushed off the front of his jacket. "So? What's your name?"

"Mark." He was given a stare that meant business, so he knew what he was being asked of. "Mark Tuan."

"Let me see your ID." Mark fished in his pocket and pulled out his black wallet, where his student ID was sitting in the front pocket. The guard took it with fat fingers, looking over it carefully. "Okay," he said, handing Mark his ID back. "What about him?" Mark looked at Youngjae, who was being supported by the guard speaking to him. No words left his mouth, and he earned another glare from both of the officers. "Are you deaf? I asked about your friend."

"Uh..." was all the older boy could let out, biting his tongue. Officer Jeong sighed with a grunt and pulled out his walkie-talkie.

"Hey, I think we caught the... suspicious activity. You can cancel the rest of the inspections." Mark switched between the guards and Youngjae, determined to stay by the younger's side the whole time. "You, bring him to the office. I'll carry this kid."

"I'll be with him, right?" Mark asked.

"Yes, yes, you'll be with him. Now, go."

Walking through the backdoor, and walking up one less floor of stairs than usual, Mark and Youngjae were led through dark hallways, hardly lit up by a few measly light bulbs scattered about. Mark thought it was eerie, how it seemed to resemble those police stations in thrillers, but he followed with the guard to wherever they were leading him.

The room they were brought to was much more modern-looking than the journey, as the floors were covered in carpet, and there were smaller versions of the plants from outside next to the large desk. Mark was impressed by the interior, considering that it felt like an interrogation room, but he pushed that thought aside.

"Sit down and wake your friend up," he was ordered by the guard that had just released his hands. Silently, he did what he was told, walking over to the Youngjae that was dropped into the chair. Kneeling in front of him, he brought his hand up to the boy's face, rubbing his thumb gently underneath his eye, where there was a forming bruise.

"Hey," he said quietly to the slowly reacting boy. "Youngjae?" His eyes fluttered open, and he looked around a little, still not fully awake.

"Mark?" he asked faintly. "What... What happened?" Mark smiled that Youngjae was awake, but he licked his lips in thought when he was asked the question.