Hala Hala ||| Ateez

30

Hongjoong looked back at where San was now unconscious on the floor. Of all the times for him to snap...

"I told you not to move!" The man shouted, pointing the gun straight at Hongjoong. "Don't test me. Get up and move to the front of the store."

Slowly rising from the ground, Hongjoong locked eyes with Mingi. He didn't have to look to know that Mingi was reaching for whatever he could grab to use as a weapon.

Yunho was still gasping for air and coughing behind him, and Hongjoong wanted nothing more than to turn around and make sure his friend was ok.

"What's the matter with him?" The man jerked his head at where San was laying unconscious.

Hongjoong didn't answer. He just kept his hands in front of him and made sure to keep moving slowly to try and keep the man's attention. "What do you want?" He asked instead, narrowing his eyes.

"Like I'd tell you. If you value their lives, you'll come with me now Hongjoong."

His heart stopped. The man knew his name. How? How did he know his name?

Mingi stopped as well, his mouth dropping open at this new piece of information. He did have something in his hand though, so Hongjoong knew he needed to do as the man said.

"Fine. I'm here. Just, leave them alone." He held his hands up higher and took a step forward, kicking several canned goods out of the way.

People could still be heard screaming up front and a few gunshots were fired.

The man glanced to his left to check on the commotion.

Big mistake.

Mingi hopped up and threw a can of soup with pinpoint accuracy. It slammed into the side of the man's head and sent him falling to the ground with a loud crash.

The gun slid away and Hongjoong dove for it as the man groaned and shook his head.

The leader slid across the ground and picked up the gun, spinning around on his knees to point it at his enemy, a snarl on his face as his anger rose. But the man was gone.

Tires screeched in the distance and Hongjoong pushed himself off the ground. He ran to the front of the store.

The innocents who had been in there shopping were starting to gather themselves. A few noticed Hongjoong and stepped back when they saw he had a gun in his hand, but he quickly pulled out his police badge and flashed it at them.

His heart sank when he saw the suv speeding down the street.

Unable to do anything now, he turned around and hurried back to where Mingi was helping Yunho off the ground.

"Are you ok?" Hongjoong dropped to his knees and placed a hand on his friend's back.

Yunho cringed and held his now bruising throat. "I... I think so." He glanced over at San with the most heartbreaking look on his face.

"What happened?" Hongjoong asked gently.

"I don't even really know. We were enjoying looking at things together, then the car crashed into the front of the store... And it's like it triggered him. One second he was San, the next... he wasn't. It all happened so fast, I didn't have a chance to try and defend myself." Yunho got onto his hands and knees and crawled across the floor.

He lifted a large hand up to cup the side of San's face as his lower jaw trembled. "I hate that we had to do this to him."

Hongjoong nodded slowly and looked at Mingi. He knew just by looking at him that the thief was worried. His name being dropped was a big clue that their enemy knew a lot more about them than they thought...