Young Wings

1

A huge, red, and blinking GAME OVER was flashed on the screen and everyone grunted in defeat but also let out a tired laugh. I removed my headphones and flopped back on my chair as I check the time. It was already five in the morning and we've been playing together for the past eight hours.

"Okay guys, Game Over. Let's all rest now," Woojin-hyung said standing up from his computer and stretching his body.

Hyunjin got up as well. Yawning, he made his way to his room and said, "Good mornight guys. I'll just go take a nap before I go to class."

The moment he mentioned 'class' everyone cheered. "Our SOPA Flower Boy, Hyunjinie~~"

"Do well in school, Hyunjin. Make the team proud," Minho-hyung said, motivating him before he dozed off to sleep.

As everyone headed to bed, I still sat there by my computer. Jeongin passed by me and patted my shoulder. "Running was brave," he said with a smile. It comforted me but not even a second passed when he added, "but that was very stupid," and then he laughed.

I laughed too. "Yeah, I know."

He was walking up the stairs when he said, "You owe us,"

"A'ight mate, I'll get ramyeon, chicken and cola in the morning," I answered.

That is the team rule: loser buys food. I have the money but I died in the game so the whole team lost so breakfast is definitely on me. I finally shut down my computer and made my way upstairs to get some sleep when I noticed Changbin-hyung by the door, sitting alone in the dark in deep thought.

I walked up to him asking if he was alright.

"Fine," he said. "Just tired but can't sleep." Changbin-hyung was smiling weakly so maybe he really is tired. "Felix," he called me. "Next time listen to me so you don't get killed."

I chuckled, understanding that he was referring to the game. I nodded and proceed to go upstairs.

I looked around the rooms to see if everyone's already settled and taking a rest. Seeing their rested faces warmed my heart. This is my family, my team; and our home may be a rundown storage warehouse disguised as an old auto restoration shop in the suburbs but this is our hide-out, our safe place, our home.

"Brothers by bond" Channie-hyung used to tell us that.

Channie-hyung. I saw his empty bed in the dark corner of the last room of the warehouse's second floor. His old room was dusty and dark and colder than the other rooms because no one but me enters it. We didn't want to talk about it; no one dares to bring the topic up for conversation. What is there to discuss? He left the team two years ago after finishing the Bank of Asia job. We robbed the bank and bagged millions, after splitting our hauls equally, he suddenly vanished. He left his burner phone and intercom as if cutting all ties with us He even left all his guns behind. Without his burner phone, we couldn't contact him for another job. Without his guns, it's clear that he's leaving behind the life of an outlaw.

Maybe he has saved enough to retire. We can't go on like this forever, he said. We are not always the young, live-for-the-thrill type, he said. So maybe he retired, just like that; and he made it quick and so sudden that none of could even react.

I shook the thought out of my head. I didn't want to think that he only did it for the money. All the years they've been working together, they couldn't be all for money. The seniors of the team- 3RACHA; the legendary trinity of underground bandits that brought us all together; they took us under their wings and trained us to do what we do now and to do it best. Not just strategizing or handling guns, Channie-hyung taught me to also take care of others- to look out for each other; and that we are not just a band of young robbers, we are brothers by bond.

I sighed as I left his room. I headed for my room to rest. Closing my eyes, memories from our past works came into my thoughts. The memories from the old days; taking me to dreamland.