The Arrangement

22

Word Count-  2102

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"We need him to talk." Mr. Shin Taejin said. The senior detective has been trying to reach out to the Hyunchan couple for a few days now but Chan just always denies saying that Hyunjin wasn't ready to talk or something like that. Hence, the only way left for the detective was to barge into their house with a legal notice.
"Why are you here? I thought this case was assigned to Lee Minho." Chan replied as he sat down opposite to the stranger in his living room.

"He was but then, some other cases came up and the team needed his help with them. Thus, the case is mine now. Please, cooperate and call your husband. I need his statement." Taejin replied before taking a sip of his coffee.
"He is not ready to talk." Chan replied as if it was the most obvious thing.
"But he needs to give his statement, otherwise it will be too late." The other argued back logically.

"It isn't about this stupid case, his mental health and well being are also important to me. Hyunjin can't even walk properly for long and you think he is stable enough to talk to you?" Chan said, getting frustrated with the other man's careless behaviour.
"Do you actually believe that I care about that stuff when we have the chance to catch such a big organisation? Sakura Group is not one of those small mafia gangs that we can finish off just by arresting them. They are more powerful than you think. I am here to help you only." The man replied calmly, trying to make Chan understand that it was necessary for him to talk.

Chan sighed. The man's words playing in his mind again and again. Taejin was undeniably right but he knew Hyunjin wouldn't take it the right way. Heck, the boy hasn't even talked to Chan about what had happened when he was there.
"I understand your point, Taejin-shii. But Hyunjin just isn't ready." Chan said, his hands moving up to lightly rub his temples.

"I am ready." Hyunjin's voice broke the tense atmosphere between just to build a more confusing environment. Both the heads turned towards to look at the said boy who was standing at the entrance of the living room with his hands clutching the wall for support.
"Hyunjin? What are you doing down here? You should rest." Chan rambled on, panicking because the boy should be resting, instead of standing here like that. The older quickly made his way towards his husband whose legs were already beginning to shake.

"Hyung." Hyunjin said without any hesitation in his tone. The boy has been focusing on getting back on the track ever since they came back from the farm house which was a week ago. He was successful enough to get his voice back to normal but his knee and legs were a different story.

"Hyunjin, you should rest. Go back upstairs." Chan said as he helped Hyunjin stand up properly by taking the boy's left arm over his shoulder whereas his other arm wrapped around his waist.
"I want to talk." Hyunjin said, dead straight. He ignored all pleas of Chan asking him to go back in his room.
"You're not ready. I know that. Please, don't force yourself." Chan said and shook his head.

"I need to talk, Hyung." Hyunjin said, looking at the detective with an expressionless face.
"You don't need to."
"Yes, I do. There were many people stuck in that building like me. If I have the chance to save them. Then, I will not let that go." Hyunjin argued back before Chan could say anything. The younger was standing there since they started to talk. Hence, he heard everything.

"I am ready to give my statement." Hyunjin quickly said, making an eye contact with Taejin who nodded at him.
"You can't stop him from giving a statement if he wants to, Chan-shii." Taejin said and took out a small diary and a pen from his coat's pocket.
"I am ready when you are." He continued and reached out for a glass of water. It felt like he was bored or uninterested.