Thief

43

(***WARNING: This chapter contains content of attepmted rape, as I mentioned in the very beginning of the story. It's not too graphic, but you should be warned in case such content bothers you. Feel free to skip this chapter and move on to the next if you're sensitive to this content. You have been warned. That's all.***)

"So, Jinyoung, this is the guy who's been keeping you from home? But this isn't where he lives. This is that Jackson guy's place. So why are you here?" Youngjae asked as he looked around the place, obviously trying to find something valuable to take before leaving with Jinyoung.

"You're not his home! You don't deserve him, that's why he's here!" Jaebum yelled, still struggling against his stubborn constraints that held himself against the door.

Youngjae looked over at Jaebum, his brows knitting together. "And you do? You're telling me putting him in so much danger instead of returning him to where he belongs is caring about him? You could get him in trouble. Hurt. Killed."

Jaebum thrashed around violently, earning himself another kick in the side from Yugyeom to calm him down. "I won't let you! He doesn't want to go back with you!"

Youngjae's lips curled up into a smile, his sights trailing from Jaebum over to Jinyoung who stood frozen with fear against a wall. "Jinyoung. You want to come home, don't you?"

Jinyoung shook his head, refusing to even make eye contact with Youngjae. "...I d-don't..."

Youngjae's head cocked to the side, the man completely forgetting what he was doing and walking over to stand just in front of Jinyoung. "Excuse me?"

Jinyoung swallowed hard, letting out a shaky breath. "I s-said I don't..."

Youngjae scoffed, a moment of silence passing before his hand connected with Jinyoung's cheek. A loud smack rang through the room, with Jinyoung grunting and kneeling down while holding his face.

"Don't fucking hurt him!" Jaebum screamed, his heart shredding to pieces as he saw Jinyoung crumple down into a protective ball on the floor.

"You can't do anything about it anyway." Youngjae spat, ignoring Jaebum's outbursts and focusing back on Jinyoung. He had a weird contrast of hurting Jinyoung then treating him gently, just as right after slapping him, Youngjae lifted Jinyoung's face, his thumbs rubbing soft circles against the red stinging skin. "Now Jinyoung, let's try again, huh? Don't you want to come home with me? To where we'll take good care of you, and the punishment you'll receive won't even be that bad? I know about the whole accident with the store owner shooting, I can make that disappear for you too. You know we'll do anything to protect you."

Jinyoung knew that his answer still wouldn't satisfy Youngjae, but he couldn't find it in himself to go back to that place. He was done with Shadow completely. Again, he shook his head. "I-I... I don't..."

"Wrong answer." Youngjae stated, leaning up and kicking Jinyoung in the stomach.

Jinyoung wheezed, his body splaying out onto the floor. He clutched his stomach, groaning from the pain.

Jaebum would've tore the door he was tied too off of its hinges if he had the strength and wasn't in such an awkward position, he just needed to get to Jinyoung. Yet he couldn't. He had to sit there and watch Jinyoung's abuse right before his eyes, and it was already too much to bear. "Stop it! I said don't fucking hurt him!"

Youngjae didn't acknowledge Jaebum at all, his sole focus was on Jinyoung. He squatted down next to Jinyoung's body, resting his head on his hand as a fond smile crept onto his face. "Ah Jinyoung, so little when we found you. Only 7 years old, weren't you? I was around that age too when you arrived, and I remember wanting to play with you so bad. But my dad told me I couldn't. Not yet at least. He did say that one day though, when I'm old enough, I'll be able to play with you and all the other kids as much as I wanted. I was so little, I didn't know he meant that I'd be inheriting a leadership position of a large crime group. But here we are now. Funny how life works huh?"