$ f o u r $
winter 2006.
Junmyeon hadn't seen Minho and his sister in almost six months. In that time, he had joined the Jackals without Yifan, made money by their side, and left the organization to start his own with Yifan. Jinki and his pack had been very understanding about it, and Jinki had even warned Junmyeon to be weary of his best friend.
Now with an expensive car and new clothes, he looked out of place in that dark alley where Minho had made his home with scrap wood he had found around town and an old tarp, much like the one Junmyeon had. He pulled the expensive sunglasses off and frowned, scolding himself internally for not having helped him sooner. But he had been too busy with his new life, and helping out Yifan to remember that he had other friends too. Though he wasn't as close as he was with Yifan, Minho was still a good friend of his.
The alley was in between two abandoned buildings with an old dumpster blocking his makeshift home from view. It kept them safe from people finding out where they were and taking them away, since they were only fourteen years old.
Junmyeon reached the blue tarp covered shack in the back of the alley and cleared his throat, calling out to his friend. "Minho, its Junmyeon. I came to visit you and I have an offer for you."
Minha stuck her head out of the tarp first, a friendly smile on her face despite their situation. She crawled out from her house and got on her feet to greet him. "Junmyeon oppa, its been a while." She commented. She leaned in to hug him, but stopped himself short when she saw his expensive clothes. It was clean and neatly pressed. She felt subconscious about her own appearance. Dirty clothes that hadn't been washed in weeks, her hair oily and matted, her face stained with dirt. It was hard to find places to get herself cleaned up.
Each time she and her brother went down to the river, they were more than likely chased away by cops. Whenever they went into restaurants to use the washrooms, people eyed them with disdain and complained to the managers who would later chase them out of the building.
Seeing her hesitance, Junmyeon grabbed her wrist and pulled her in for a hug, reassuring her. "Just because I have money now doesn't mean I forgot where I came from." He told her, her arms slowly wrapping around him with more security.
Minho followed out into the alley soon after, a bright smile on his lips. "Junmyeon! Look at you. I hardly recognized you." When Junmyeon pulled away from Minha, he hugged Minho next. His friend was a bit less hesitant to hug him, despite the disheveled appearance he was sporting. "What brings you to this dump part of town? I heard you were living in the heights now." The Heights was what they called the rich part of town, where people either lived in fancy apartments or expensive mansions.
"I have a proposal for you, from the Jackals." Junmyeon said.
As the two boys pulled away, they went to go sit at an old table he and Minha found at the dump. They used milk crates for chairs. Junmyeon remembered nights when he would spend time with Minho, his sister, and Yifan in that alley, in those very same milk crate chairs. It felt like it had happened years ago.
Minho raised an eyebrow at Junmyeon. "The Jackals? That rising gang full of high school boys?"
Minha had left them to talk and informed her brother that she was going to the university district, where there were dozens of restaurants. It was a few blocks nearby and there was a long alley behind a row of restaurants. The dumpsters behind them were where she and her brother scavenged for food. Most of the university kids didn't finish their meals half the time and they were able to get by on their left overs. Minho had nodded and told her to be careful. There were several instances in which she had been attacked and humiliated by university students when she had been out there.
"They're technically not in high school anymore." Junmyeon pointed out. "They were expelled for taking part in gang activities."
"Why would they want me?" Minho wondered aloud. "They're all from the richest and most prominent gang families in the country. I'm just a homeless kid that lives under a tarp." He gestured to the little makeshift home behind himself.
Junmyeon informed him with a small smile. "I'm starting my own gang, and they need someone to replace me in theirs. I recommended you because you're honest, and kind, and you've always been a good friend to me. I know you won't forget where you came from."
Minho shot up from his chair with excitement. "You did that for me, hyung?" He asked with a big smile, going around the small table to pull Junmyeon into his arms. Ever since his parents died, no one had ever had such a kind gesture with him. Others may have thought it wrong of him--to get Minho involved with a gang--but Minho thought that they couldn't be all that bad if Junmyeon trusted them. He also thought about the life he would be able to give his sister. He would be able to take care of her and keep her safe, something he couldn't fully do on the streets.
Junmyeon gave a nod of his head.
"Thank you!" Minho hugged him tighter.
"I wanted to let you know before they could drop by." Junmyeon continued explaining when Minho let go of him. "They said they'll be here tomorrow to talk to you. But I know they'll like you. They have a pretty good judgement." He thought all of them did, especially Jinki. So far, the only person Junmyeon thought he had been wrong about was Yifan.
When his excitement died down a bit, and it finally sunk in for Minho that he would finally have a home, he found himself asking a question. "But...why won't you take me with you instead? To join your pack?" There was a hint of sadness in his tone at the fact that he was taking Yifan with him, but not him.
Junmyeon's smile also dropped, and he bit down on his lower lip. "We're just starting out and I didn't want you to struggle with us when you've already struggled enough. I'd rather you go some place where everything is settled."
Minho accepted the explanation and didn't question it any further. "I understand, hyung."
"I have to go." Junmyeon said when he felt his cellphone vibrate in his pocket. It was a text message from Yifan, who was meeting up with some suppliers. At the moment they were looking around, talking to people, trying to determine which was the best product to buy and sell in their new territory. "I have some things I need to get done. But don't forget to invite me over to your new house for some drinks when the Jackals make you an official member of their pack."
The younger of the two boys nodded his head. "You'll be the first person I invite over." He promised.
Junmyeon nodded and left the alley, walking over to his car that was parked out on the street. As he climbed into the driver's side and started the ignition, he gave Yifan a call back.
"So what's the verdict on those suppliers?" Junmyeon asked with curiosity.
Yifan replied from the other line. There was optimism and a good mood in his words. "These Mexican guys are giving us product every month, and supplying us with weapons, all for the same cost as those Colombian guys we met the other day." But the Colombians were only offering the product, and charging extra for weapons.
Junmyeon heaved a sigh. "Close the deal. We want to start selling the product as soon as possible."
"I can feel it, Jun." Yifan said, a smile evident in his tone. "Its our time now."
-
that's how junmyeon got into business with the mexicans, my people. lol
just a little chapter with minho in it, how he got in with the jackals. it was thanks to junmyeon who decided to help a friend out. i hope you're all liking this story. when i get back from dropping off my sister at night school, i'll try to write an update for "another world" and a post for the q & a session.
so stay tuned for that.
-clary
