Smoke Break; TEN

VI.

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Sitting outside the next morning, reading The Only Child by Mi-Ae Seo, a book about a criminal psychologist's step daughter having uncanny similarities to a serial killer whom she starts interviewing, and listening to the rain calmed your nerves, oddly enough.

It wasn't very often that you got to put your cute reading glasses on and give yourself some silence. The only thing you had time to think of was your family, but now they were sound asleep in the house right behind you.

The cold breeze hit your torso through your turtle neck, so you decided to go inside to grab a blanket. You were trying to be quiet since you thought everyone was still asleep, but you heard quiet whispering from the kitchen.

"Let me ask her, please." You heard Xiaojun say. "We went to prison for her. Why did we commit arson for her? Because she said to?"

Kun's voice followed. "She's a part of this family. If I have a problem, all of you help me, and vice versa for all of you. The same goes for Minli."

"But I know what caused your problems!"

"There's a reason she's not telling us, Xiaojun. We need to respect that." Winwin said.

"We were off the radar when it came to the law! Nobody knew who we were, and now our faces are all over the place. We're fugitives now, and we wouldn't have been before."

"Say I told you the reason I hate Minsu," You jumped in, making all of them turn to face you. "Would that have prompted you to let me go commit arson by myself?"

Xiaojun dropped his head. He had forgotten one small detail, a detail that he let get lost in the time spent behind bars. That day that Minsu's house erupted into a hot blaze, you were by yourself initially. They got nosy, and you graciously told them where you were going, so they went with you. They had heard Minsu's name come out of your mouth, followed by statements infused with hatred and revenge. Yet, that day was the first time they went with you to tantalize him.

"There are two people that know why I hate Minsu, and that's Minsu and Wang Lei."

You turned on your heels, but Xiaojun stopped you. "Wang Lei knows?!"

You looked back at him, a sudden look in your eyes that made him shut his mouth. "He watched the reason happen."

Ten and Yangyang put their head in their hands. They hated when this was brought up, because it put a scary cloud over your head. They weren't scared of you, but the whole house was on eggshells when you were angry.

You pulled your sleeves up to your elbows as you walked away from them. You noticed your phone sitting by the blanket you were planning on grabbing and saw the unread messages.

Unknown:
We're breaking people out of prison now?
I bet Mom would love to hear that.
Maybe I should try out your strategy?

That's okay, I don't need your opinion on what I do. I guess I'll just do it and surprise you, yeah?

You dropped your arms and cursed under your breath. Minsu always managed to get your phone number. If you didn't know better, you would say he was an overprotective brother.

"Minsu has my phone number."

"Can he track you-"

Your phone started buzzing and you saw that your older brother was calling. You reluctantly answered, knowing he wouldn't stop being annoying until you spoke to him.

Putting him on speaker, you answered, "What?"

"Don't sound so mad to hear from me." Minsu laughed. "I'm on my way to your house."

"My apartment?"

"No." He went silent after that and your irritation grew. "Your house."

"I don't have a house, Minsu. I live in an apartment."

Your friends, listening intently, would've been fooled by your lie. They were excellent liars themselves, good at pointing out a liar as well, but they weren't as good as you.

"Minli, don't be stupid. If you lie one more time, I'll tell your friends about that-"

WayV was cut off from hearing anymore of the conversation since you took it off of speaker. They were curious now. What were you hiding from them?

You heard Minsu make a disappointed sound. "Ah, you took me off of speaker."

"Yeah, I did." You pinched the bridge of your nose. "I don't live in a house, Minsu."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?!" He screamed. The line went silent for a bit longer. You could hear his engine running. "I know things that you will never know-"

"Come see me then." You cut him off. "If you really think that I live in a house, come to the address."

His voice was low. "Okay. I'm on my way."

You were about to hang up, but he called your name. "What?"

"You should tell your friends about what happened five months ago. Keeping things like that on your conscious is bad for your health."

You turned to your friends who were watching you attentively. You thought back to that dark room, and that dark eyed man, the one that had wronged you so twelve years ago.

"No." You hung up after your refusal. You threw your phone onto the couch and grabbed your blanket. "I'll be outside if you need me."

"Doesn't Minsu know where we live?" Yangyang questioned.

You waved your hand dismissively as you made a beeline for the door. "He doesn't have a clue where we live."

They all followed you out onto the screened in porch. Watching you open up your book and push your glasses up so casually put them on edge.

"But," Hendery began. "How can you be sure?"

You sighed and cocked your head. "I lived with him for several years, I know that he's a master manipulator. He was hoping I wouldn't see through him and that I'd give him some sort of hint. I'm too careful for that, especially now."

You smiled a reassuring smile. You'd seen WayV do their own things, so you weren't quite sure why they were worried about someone like Minsu.

They were about to go inside when the sound of wheels against the concrete filled the air. You all looked over at the incoming black SUV in the driveway, then at each other.

"Who is that?"

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