Rise Up (Stray Kids Seo Changbin)

11

"Why?" Minho's voice was quiet as he trudged through underground tunnels and alleyways to the Main Society Headquarters with Paige and Donghyun.

The girl, fortunately, didn't hear but Donghyun, the person the question was directed to definitely did.

"Why what?" He spat out bitterly.

"You knew the book you were leading Paige to was fake. Why were you tricking her?"

The assassin turned on his heels and glared at Minho.

"Don't you dare accuse me of trying to trick. I would never want anything bad to happen to her."

Minho narrowed his eyebrows and sucked the inside of his mouth.

"Really? Because your tone says otherwise."

"I meant everything I said and more. I've been working alongside and helping Paige for the past month, alright? And I'm not going to have some lousy mafia member come out of nowhere and claim I'm trying to kill her."

"I never said anything about killing."

"But you were thinking it, weren't you? Because I'm an assassin. Because no matter what I do, I can never be trusted. Isn't that what you were getting at?"

Minho raised his hands up in mock surrender.

"I never meant to offend you. It's just your intentions that concern me."

"My intentions?" The anger hidden in his tone provided enough defensiveness to make Minho grin in triumph, knowing he's already cornered him. Donghyun inwardly groaned at the other's delight.

"I know who you are. Kim Donghyun, son of Kim Taehyun who, if I remember correctly is the leader of the South Korean mafia known as AB6IX. Why would you leave that behind and come to Buenos Aires specifically to join the Society? What could the son of a mafia leader want with the Society?" He paused for a second, realising the true question here. "How, in fact, did he find out about the Society?"

"I read about it in a novel."

"Where?"

"In a library, of course. Where else?"

"No novels mentioning the Society have ever been put in a library unless used as a trap. And if it were a trap, you'd be dead by now. So I'll ask you again, how did you find out about the Society? And I expect the truth this time."

Donghyun narrowed his eyes at Minho before sighing.

"My father stole money off of the Rebellion. I offered my service so they wouldn't kill him. So there you go, that's how I found out about the Society. Happy now?"

The latter's eyes widened, clearly only expecting the response.

"You're working for the Rebellion?"

"And the Society."

Finally realising, Minho couldn't help gasping.

"You're tricking her into giving you information to give to the Rebellion, aren't you? When you were leading her to the book, you were actually leading her to an ambush, weren't you?"

Donghyun lifted an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Not going to lie, that was a good conclusion. Too bad it's wrong. I admit, maybe that was my first intention but not anymore."

"Don't tell me you like Paige." The disgust and anger in Minho's voice was evident.

"And what if I do? What will you do about it?" He chuckled at the other's shocked expression before shaking his head. "Too easy to fool. No, I don't like her."

"Good because she's not yours to have."

Donghyun's laughter echoed around the tunnel before his gaze finally met Minho's serious one again.

"And I bet you believe you're the better choice, huh?"

"Not me, you idiot. Changbin."

"Oh, I see. Standing up for your friend, right? The one that left her behind? And left her crying on a beach? You think she wants him back? You're fooling yourself, Minho -- Lee Know."

"She couldn't have gotten over him in a year."

"Not unless someone took the place she saved for him," he winked. "Not unless someone helped pick her up when she was at her weakest and helped her forget him."

Minho snarled.

"Donghyun, you devil. Don't mess with her like that."

"Oops, already have."

"But you don't even like her."

"What does that have to do with anything? I want her trust and that's the only way to get it."

"But when I said you were using her for information, why did you refuse? You do what information from her."

"I do. But you said I wanted information to give to the Rebellion. And that's where you're wrong."