stigma [ yeonbin ]

viii

"Shit, I'm bleeding. Any of you got a bandage?"
the sharp voice of a boy rang out through the darkness, echoing between the alley's walls.

The slap of sneakers against asphalt resounded, the group of young males huddling around the first who had spoken.

"Let me see it," a boy said, grabbing the injured hand and holding it near to his face as the others whispered amongst themselves.

"Yeonjun, you can look at it later. We gotta go," the softer voice of a third boy came, grabbing the group's attention.

Yeonjun only scoffed, letting go of the hand as he patted a couple of the others on the back, urging them to hurry out of the alleyway.

Any pedestrian crazy enough to be out at this hour of the night wouldn't look twice at the group of boys running down the sidewalk, their faces barely visible in the dimly lit street.

"Gyu, don't you think we're going a little too far?" Yeonjun called out to the boy in front as they ran.

Yeonjun's best friend grinned. Beomgyu was the type of boy who wasn't afraid to take risks, the potential pain worth every bit for his own satisfaction.

"Nah. You got nothing to worry about. Cops catch us? I'll take the fall," Beomgyu insisted, glancing behind them into the empty street.

"Taehyun, how'd you get cut?" Yeonjun asked, seeing the boy cradling his hand carefully as if it were a baby.

"That chain fence got me while we were leaving. Kinda shit security if you ask me," the boy, Taehyun, commented, trying to make light of the situation.

"Thank god it wasn't me," the fourth boy commented from the back, prompting a laugh from the rest of the group.

"The hell is that supposed to mean, Kai?" Taehyun retorted jokingly.

The tall boy, Kai, gave him a look of disbelief. "You know how they arrest demons nowadays. They find my blood there? Bye, I'm dead," he spoke, almost shivering at the thought of what would happen.

"Over here guys," Beomgyu interrupted their banter as he turned a corner, gesturing for the other three to follow him.

The group of four made their way to a small 24 hour convenience store down the block, its bright fluorescent lights almost blinding in the dead of night. The store was an oasis in the dark desert of the rundown streets.

The four wandered in, a small bell chiming as they entered. A tired looking middle aged man sat at the cashier, giving the four a judgy look as they piled into the store.

"I'm gonna get a snack. I haven't eaten in like a day," Kai mumbled, wandering over to the aisles of food.

Yeonjun noticed Taehyun scanning around the store, a sort of hesitant look on his face.

"No stealing, there's cameras," Yeonjun muttered, patting Taehyun on the shoulder. Taehyun nodded before heading off in search of bandaids.

Yeonjun leaned against a wall, watching the others linger about the shop.
Beomgyu strided over to him, leaning back against the wall next to Yeonjun.