₥₳Đ ₩ØⱤⱠĐ -ot21

0.33

Sicheng closed his eyes as he sat on the swings, it had been a week since the last 'meeting' with NC 127 happened. He somehow kept coming back to the little playground, it held many happy memories for him.

The place was like chocolate, you eat some of it and before you know you keep walking towards the cabinets and take another bite and another one and another one, until the chocolate is gone. It's a weird example, but what he meant with it, is that he just got attracted by this place. He went there some days ago already and here he was again.

When he came back from China and started working at the police station the playground never crossed his mind. He had forgotten about it. He had forgotten about the relaxing atmosphere of the playground, maybe the interactions with his old friends made him want to come here more.

One, because it was very peaceful for him and it gave him the chance to clear his mind.

And two, because he was (maybe) waiting for a particular (Japanese) male to show up.

As if it was his lucky day he heard a cough somewhere next to him. The Chinese male opened his eyes and looked around him, coming face to face with Yuta.

"Hey, eh, can I sit there?", the other pointed at the free swing next to Sicheng. The younger nodded with a small smile and Yuta sat down. For a while the two just sat there in silence, until Yuta decided to speak again.

"You've grown a lot", he muttered.

"Didn't we all?", Sicheng laughed dryly and the Japanese male nodded slightly

"Yeah we did... Oh! Guess what", he turned towards the younger who stared at him in confusion, "Puberty hit Mark like a truck."

"Oh yes I saw, it definitely did!", Sicheng laughed as Yuta just stared at him fondly, "Stop staring, it's creepy."

"It used to be normal."

"Yes, but quite a lot changed. So if we start again, maybe you'll be allowed to stare at me someday or whatever."

Yuta grinned as he wiggled with his eyebrows "What ever?", but groaned loudly when Sicheng hit him.

"That's not what I meant you punk!"

"Yah, I'm older!"

"You don't act like you are", Yuta made offended noises as he was the one that hit the other now.

Peaceful silence fell while both boys unconsciously leaned closer towards each other. "How have you been", Sicheng then whispered.

"Not that great to be honest", was the response of Yuta.

"Well, tell me about it all. I've got plenty of time and I'd like to spend that with you", he smiled at the older who smiled back at him.

"Well let's say that it started going downhill when you left", Sicheng opened his mouth surprised, but closed it as Yuta continued talking, "Luckily it wasn't horrible, I still got the others. It was probably far worse for you."

"Don't worry it wasn't", Sicheng lied. The first years it actually was worse for him, but he didn't want to make the other even more sad.

"Well, when Hyuckie 'died' we totally lost control. As you heard earlier, we were searching for Donghyuck everywhere. But it was killing us physically and mentally, so we stopped. That was a huge mistake though, we could've found Hyuck if we tried more. Well we started the gang, but beside that tried to live normally. Mark was technically the youngest now. I think he had it the worst, but he hid it really well. He found ways to cheer us up and that mattered a lot. No one knows, but I actually thought about committing suicide, you weren't there, Hyuck wasn't there...It was a selfish thought of me, my other friends were still alive and needed me. But I just couldn't do it anymore, luckily Mark always took care of me and the others. He was the one that kept believing and hoping, I don't know how he did it, since he was the closest with Hyuck. But he did, he saved my life by spreading that positive vibe.. I think he saved the others too."

Sicheng nodded, he really wanted to hug Yuta especially when the other choked back a sob.

"Well it was okay at first, until we really became crazy. We started doing illegal things, we took drugs, we stole and we participated in street fights. Every 11th of July we would set things on fire, it started with small things like papers, etc. But it got worse as our condition got worse too, we wanted others to feel the pain we were going through. Like you probably already know, we set the entire city on fire the last 11th of July."

Sicheng's eyes got a bit colder as he reminded himself that Yuta was still a member of a gang and a murderer.

"Well when Taeil got shot a lot of us broke down, especially Doyoung. I stayed with Taeil for god knows how long and luckily he survived. Until now only Mark and I didn't break, but Mark is not okay at all", Yuta looked down as Sicheng stared at him worriedly.

"What do you mean, what's wrong with him?"

"The horrible things are getting to him, he told us he didn't want you and Donghyuck back. He said that you guys left him and I'm scared he's finally breaking. It's like his spirit died the moment he saw Donghyuck, that sounds weird and it probably is..but..I think he finally got caught up in this mad world."