Hostage {ℍ𝕐𝕌ℕ𝕊𝕌ℕ𝔾} -- DISCONTINUED

Chapter Seventeen

Hyunjin looked up as a new set of headlights lit up the dark night. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he stepped out of the car into the chilly night. Took you long enough. His face settled in a hard-set glare as he approached the vehicle, one of his cars he'd lent to Jisung for his little escapade.

Surprisingly, it wasn't busted up like no tomorrow.

Jisung stepped out of the car first, running a hand through his hair, the lines of his face set uneasily as his eyes slid towards the passenger seat, where a second figure emerged, one Hyunjin was wholly unfamiliar with.

He was shorter than he was, his hair a mix of different types of brown, round glasses settled atop the bridge of his nose. His expression was strangely uneasy, though, more than anything he seemed angry – hurt.

Eyes narrowing, Hyunjin paused a few feet away from them, quirking a brow at Jisung as he glanced at his acquaintance. The man's eyes snapped to his and he sneered. "This is... Minho," Jisung said, tapping his fingers against the car door.

This 'Minho' eyed him up and down, the sneer on his face deepening. "And who's he? Your new boy toy?" His words came out as a hiss and Hyunjin's eyes narrowed into a glare as he took a step towards him, eyebrows crossed over his chest.

"Hwang Hyunjin. And I am nobody's boy toy." He whirled back towards Jisung, anger still pulsing in his jaw as he redirected his glare onto him. Where had he found this guy? He could already feel the incoming headache that would result from dealing with this entire situation.

For the first time in a long while, he just wanted to sleep.

However, he didn't expect Minho's reaction – not in the least. He spluttered, eyes blowing wide as he, too, spun to face Jisung, jaw dropped. "Hwang?" he hissed, eyes darting between the both of them. "Since when do you conspire with the Hwangs?" To that, Hyunjin quirked a brow.

So, this acquaintance of Jisung's was aware of their world. Jisung smirked lazily as he shrugged, but there was still a strange tenseness to his face, one that wasn't characteristic of him. "You've been gone a long time. What can I say; things change." Jisung met his eyes, then, and Hyunjin understood the double-meaning behind those words.

He didn't want this guy – whoever he was – to know about their alliance, or the hostage exchange. He shrugged, turning back towards the building without a word. Fair enough. The two tagged along behind him, though he could still feel Minho's suspicious gaze on his back.

The two men standing guard near the door nodded at their leader as he approached, and he swung down the ladder first, already bracing himself for the stench that would soon burn through his nose – again.

It was just as bad as the last time, and he grimaced, disgust coursing throughout his entire body as he stepped away from the ladder, watching as Minho descended, hesitantly, followed by a surprisingly quiet Jisung.

Hyunjin's narrowed eyes followed him as they walked to the end of the hall, the door still unhinged. Minho brought a sleeve to shield his nose as his eyebrows furrowed, eyes darting towards Jisung with a venomous glare.

"Jesus," he whispered as he stepped into the room, the dim light still swaying gently above them. He turned back towards Jisung. "This is what you wanted my help with?" His eyes swerved back towards the pile of dead bodies, disbelief blanketing his features. "What are you getting yourself into?"

Hyunjin didn't miss the worried shine in the man's eyes, and from the way that Jisung averted his gaze, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the wall, so did he.