[Fic] Before You Go - Chapter 23
Title: Before You Go
Pairing(s): Jaemin, Yoosu
Length: Chaptered 23/?
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: (gang) violence, language, abduction
Genre: AU, drama, angst
Summary: Jaejoong and his cousin have been swept up into the world of violence and gangs. The struggle and fight for his sanity is complicated greatly by the addition of a certain Shim Changmin into the mix. Will he be able to protect those he loves as well as save himself?
A/N: ahh its getting really close to finishing!? maybe... ?? XD still trying to decide exactly how to do this ending TT ~
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 - part 1 - part 2 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20
| Chapter 21 | Chapter 22
********
Yoochun sighed and tried to tell himself the pain in his heart was all in his imagination as Junsu shut the bedroom door in his face.
He stared at the blank surface for a few moments, not really understanding what the other was still so upset about or what he had against him anymore, as Yoochun had tried everything he could think of to coax the other man to understand him. To show him that he was serious and to beg him to trust him. And to wait for him.
With another sigh, Yoochun turned to walk to the window on the far side of Jaejoong’s small apartment. He stared out at the softly blinking pinpricks of light scattered across the city as his hand dug into his pocket for his phone.
Thinking back to a few hours previously, Yoochun longed to go back in time and redo the whole scene in the van. He had nearly gone crazy after Jaejoong left them there. Although he knew he had to concentrate on the task at hand, had to listen and be ready at a moment’s notice to intervene, he couldn’t think of anything except for the small warm body sitting so close beside him.
Junsu had resolutely ignored him, fingers clenched around the headphones placed over his ears as his eyes were glued to the screens in front of them. Yoochun watched him from the corner of his eyes, only able to half follow the conversation that had been going on between the guard men that had just taken Jaejoong past the gates. It was all being recorded anyway.
He had known he was being entirely unprofessional and really nothing more than a lovestruck idiot, but he felt so misunderstood. And more than anything he just wanted to see Junsu smile at him, wanted to feel the warmth in those eyes.
Junsu’s cold attitude disheartened him greatly, and he had struggled to fight the urge to just pull the man from the van and have a serious talk. To force him to listen, or to just show him how much this was killing him and take him in his arms.
Yoochun had forced himself to focus, thankful and annoyed at the same time for the way the technician he’d brought along kept demanding his attention and opinions with each minute that passed.
Yet he hadn’t missed the way Junsu reacted to every fuzzy sound that leaked through the hidden microphone on Jaejoong’s body. Mr. Shim's threats and demands had him wringing his hands, while Mrs. Shim’s cold words had Junsu biting his lip as his eyes flashed angrily.
Yoochun had reached for him then, unable to stop himself. Sliding his hand around Junsu’s he marveled yet again at the warm jolt that accompanied the touch. Junsu’s eyes turned to look at him, to actually look directly into his eyes, and the open vulnerability glistening there had Yoochun leaning forward to hug him, longing to reassure him. He was met with only empty air as the other suddenly ripped the headphones from his head and bolted out of the van.
Yoochun had scrambled to follow him in alarm, unwilling to let him out of his sight, and had rushed around the side of the car in time to see Jaejoong collapse into Junsu’s open arms in a dead faint.
Needless to say Junsu hadn’t spoken another word to him as he helped carry Jaejoong to the van, drove them back to Jaejoong’s place, and even carried the unconscious man on his back up to his room.
He had laid the dark haired man as gently as possible in his bed, ready to seize the opportunity to drag Junsu into the next room and talk some sense into him, but the flush across the man’s face caught his eye. It looked far from healthy. One hand on his forehead was enough to identify the shudders that wracked his thin body as to those of fever chills.
Only wanting to help, Yoochun had started to try and wrap the man in blankets when Junsu had promptly pushed him aside. Yoochun felt rather hurt by Junsu’s continual harsh treatment, even more so as he watched the man tug up Jaejoong’s shirt and practically tear the microphone still taped in place away before turning and shoving the bundle of wires forcefully into Yoochun’s chest.
“Take your crap and get out.” Junsu muttered, not even looking at him in the face as he moved to stand by the door pointedly.
Yoochun had been unable to think of a single comprehensive thing to say, anger sparking instead as he swept past Junsu who had stared resolutely at the floor. Turning to look over his shoulder, Yoochun wanted to ask why he was acting like this. He wanted to hear just one good reason why he should have to put up with this, but before he could open his mouth the door had been shut in his face.
Yoochun rubbed a hand tiredly over his face. He just knew he’d be losing even more sleep than ever over Junsu, and with the list of things he needed to get done knew he couldn’t expect much time for sleep for the next few days either.
Although he knew he needed to just push past this last hurdle before everything would be finished, he felt it would be so much easier to bear if only Junsu would be on his side. He didn’t have enough time or emotional energy to go through this game with Junsu, not while a single slip or miscalculation could have years of hard work crashing down around him. Could have more people dead.
Walking slowly towards the door to let himself out, Yoochun promised himself he’d finish this if just to prove it all to Junsu. If that was what it took to win the other, he was more than ready to do it. He was sick of the heart stopping thrills followed only by heartache which the man was forcing him through, and wanted to get back into the comfort of cold emotionlessness.
Yoochun laughed at himself bitterly, leaning against the wall of the elevator to try and support himself as he forced his emotions behind a mental block, swallowing it as it struggled to pour out of him.
He never would have thought he’d look forward to walking into the gang’s camp more than he did at that moment. Maybe he could take his frustrations out on one of the more vile men in the group. He was sure the men needed a little reminder of who he was, plus it was time to get them riled up.
He had had enough, and everything was almost ready. Just two more days. Two more days until he called it all quits and everything would finally come down around them.Whether for better or worse, Yoochun could hardly tell.
****
Jaejoong didn’t come the next day.
Changmin had sat stiffly on his bed, eyes fixed on the tops of the trees just visible outside of his third story window. Yet his eyes were unseeing as he battled with the anxiety filling him, unable to control the thoughts that plagued him and were making him crazy. Waiting and waiting as the clock slowly counted away the minutes.
He’d ignored all the attempts from his mother to coax him out of his room, or even out of his bed. She hadn’t once mentioned anything about Jaejoong, and Changmin noticed the way she seemed to deliberately try and distract him by bringing up all sorts of other topics.
Worst of all, she didn't hesitate to remind him for the millionth time about how he would get over all this soon, how he'd heal and this would merely be a scar in his past, and that she was there to help him get back on track. He hated the nagging feeling that her words were somehow more about Jaejoong than anything else, and he couldn't bear to hear it.
He did his best not to give much positive response, since he was hardly even able to talk over the tight clenching feeling in his throat as it was. She had given up after he had politely and coldly refused dinner, and had finally left him to himself.
He didn’t stir from his position, his hands slowly fisting the bedspread and blinking quickly to hold back sudden tears as the sun finally sank slowly behind the horizon .
And still no Jaejoong. He never came.
For some reason it didn’t actually surprise him. He had somehow already known, that was why he was so desperate to hang on to him the previous day. He didn’t even know how Jaejoong had managed to get to him yesterday, but as the other man had left he had known deep down they wouldn’t let them see each other again.
Not with the way they forced them to separate so quickly after reuniting. Not with the way his step father had a man constantly standing guard in front of his door. Not with the way his door was now locked from the outside.
He was a prisoner in his own room, and the feelings of uselessness and hopelessness festered as he realized it was more than that. He was really a prisoner for life, the rest of his future already planned out and decided. It wasn't anything new, and he had never really had any problem with the pressures or constraints his parents had always placed on him before. But now everything had changed. And it was only him who had changed so much, so irreversibly, that made him resist it all now.
He had thought his mother would be on his side, had thought she would understand after he had told her what Jaejoong did for him. But she didn’t seem to understand the fact that he needed the other man now or he would never get through this. Even after this, he wanted to be with him. He had to.
He didn’t care that his step father threatened to disown him for wanting to be with another man. His mother’s reminders of all the wealth and power just waiting for him if he followed in his step father’s steps didn’t interest him in the least. No longer did he feel the obligation to make her proud or to be a good son. Nothing mattered when he felt so broken and incomplete inside.
His heart started pounding as he finally made a decision and scrambled off of his bed. There was no other way. He couldn’t, just wouldn’t, just stay trapped in here by his own family. He wasn’t some possession or slave that couldn’t think or act for himself. No longer would he blindly allow them to dictate his life, not when they threatened to take away the only thing he cared about.
He had never truly wanted something for himself before, but now that he finally founds something…someone, he was determined he wouldn’t let them take it away from him.
He couldn’t function, couldn’t even breathe without Jaejoong, and his weak body and overwhelmed mind had been stretched to their limit. He knew what he needed to do, yet was having trouble breathing around the fear lodged like a lump of metal in his chest.
It was already the middle of the night, the rest of the house had fallen silent many hours before, yet Changmin knew that the who men rotated watching outside of his door never slept nor left him unguarded. For ‘his own protection', they had said. He knew better than to argue with them.
Changmin moved to pick up the empty heavy glass vase atop his bookshelf before he positioned himself on the side of the door that would be hidden when it swung open. Try as he might, he couldn’t push down the anxiety and nerves filling him up suffocatingly, threatening to send him spiraling into dark waves of panic.
He had no idea if this would even work, he’d never even imagined attempting anything of the sort, but he was so desperate now. Moreover, it wasn’t like things would get any worse than they were now if this failed.
Hand trembling despite himself, he reached out to knock softly on the door, a signal to the man outside that he needed something.
There was a faint sound of footsteps, the rustle of clothing. “What is it, kid?”
Changmin recognized the voice of one of the more older guard men. The man was actually a bit smaller than Changmin, yet he knew size was nothing when there was years of hard training and fighting muscles involved. Not to mention the man was armed.
His sweaty hands slid on the vase, and he wiped them quickly on his shirt. He felt he was going to be sick with the way his heart thundered in his chest.
“Bathroom, please.” His voice sounded faint even to his own ears, but at least he didn’t stutter.
There was a pause, then the sound of keys unlocking the door. Changmin swayed dangerously, panic making his vision blur. He couldn’t do this, how could he do this? It wasn’t going to work. But the door was already swinging open towards him, and Changmin pressed himself silently against the wall.
The man on the other side didn’t make a sound as his eyes no doubt fell on an empty room, which meant he’d have to take a few steps in to find him. Changmin’s wide eyes latched onto the back of the black suit as the man stepped into view and stopped to look around the room. It was now or never.
Changmin sucked in a breath and raised the vase above his head with both hands. It only took one step and he was behind the unsuspecting man. It only took one second and he was bringing the glass down with all his strength against the unprotected back of the man’s head. It took only one second for the body before him to crumple to the ground and for the small scream that left Changmin’s mouth to fade into the silence that now blanketed the room.
Changmin stood immobile above the prone body, staring in horrified disbelief at the blood that trickled from a deep gash in his head. The sight of red along with his churning insides had him fighting down nausea as the vase slipped from his hands and fell to the carpet with a dull clunk.
The sound seemed to rouse him from his shock, and he crouched down next to the man, shaking hands reaching into the pockets of the man’s jacket. He found a ring of keys first, and clutched them in one hand as the other hand slipped against something cool and hard fastened against the man’s side.
His hand froze against the object, eyes wide and mind a fuzzy blank of white as his fingers moved without conscious thought, wrapping around the handle and gently tugging out a small hand gun.
Changmin stared at it blankly for a moment, before he was suddenly bolting to his feet.
Stumbling over to grab his coat, Changmin pulled it on and hesitated as his eyes fell again upon the weapon clutched in his hand. He shoved his hand into his pocket, the metal that had now warmed up to his touch seeming to burn him as he pushed it deep into the pocket.
He made his way back to the door, trying to avoid looking at the still unmoving man on the ground. He couldn’t be dead, could he? Changmin hadn’t even really expected his plan to work, but now that he'd gotten this far he could only keep going, regardless of the consequences. He didn’t have time to worry about the state of the man as he knew that time was running and his chance at escape was narrowing.
He slipped through the door into the dim half-lit hallway beyond, and turned to pull the door closed. It bumped against the man’s feet, and he clenched his teeth as he forced the door closed, causing the man’s limbs to bend awkwardly. He still didn’t move.
Changmin shut the door as quietly as possible then hurried to lock the evidence of his deed in his room. His hand was still shaking so much it took him a few tries to fit the small key into the lock.
He turned away from the room, eyes adjusting to the dark empty hallway. Taking a few deep breaths, Changmin’s hand in his pocket clenched tightly around the weapon. Why the hell had he taken it? It wasn’t like he could use it. And how the hell was he supposed to get out from here?
Pushing down the doubt and panic that inevitably started bubbling up, Changmin took hesitant steps, leading him down a flight of steps. He passed through a few rooms he knew should be empty, and wound his way around towards the kitchen which had a back door leading to the garden.
Changmin had been expecting men to be standing watch at every turn, yet with each heart stopping turn of a corner, he found the house to be very much empty around him. He still couldn’t breathe properly, sure that his pounding heart could be heard throughout the whole house.
He made it to the kitchen and didn’t pause as he walked through it and reached to unbolt the door. He was out in the cool air of night and turning to look back up at the dark silhouette of the sleeping house before he even realized he was safely out.
Turning away quickly he broke into a half run for the low wall that surrounded their estate. It wasn’t until he had safely crossed the obstacle and ran a good four blocks that the stitch in his side forced him to stop. Sinking to his knees as he struggled for air, Changmin’s whole body was on alert for the sound of pursuing footsteps.
The night was silent, broken only by the sound of his own pained gasps. He hung his head low, eyes clenching as he pressed a hand over the searing pain in his chest.
He was out. He was free.
But it was so dark. And he didn’t even know where Jaejoong lived. The realization that he was completely alone in the dark empty street sent panic coursing through him. The breaths leaving his mouth were now more choked as tears filled his eyes.
No. He couldn’t give up now. He could go to Junsu’s. Junsu would know where to find Jaejoong.
Striking new energy into him, that thought alone had him climbing back to his feet and had him stumbling down the street again.
His body was hunched and shaking, much too weak and feeble to support such sudden vigorous movement, yet the determined strength that lit up his eyes and the death grip he had on the gun in his pocket were enough to have him back into a quick jog.
Just the thought that he would be able to see Jaejoong again, tonight, in just a few short hours, it was more than enough to drive him forward through the chilly blackness.
But there was no way for him to know that his destination was just as dark and empty as the street before him.
*****
Chapter 24 ~~
A/N: woooooooooooo! you know I had to look up the knock-somebody-out-with-a-bottle thing, and technically it's not supposed to be possible.. but.. wat the heck, how else was min supposed to get out?? XDDD
but.. where is min going...??? i really have no idea TT and how is chunnie gona bring it all down?? again.. i have no idea TT thats why i keep making them angst. *wail*
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Pairing(s): Jaemin, Yoosu
Length: Chaptered 23/?
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: (gang) violence, language, abduction
Genre: AU, drama, angst
Summary: Jaejoong and his cousin have been swept up into the world of violence and gangs. The struggle and fight for his sanity is complicated greatly by the addition of a certain Shim Changmin into the mix. Will he be able to protect those he loves as well as save himself?
A/N: ahh its getting really close to finishing!? maybe... ?? XD still trying to decide exactly how to do this ending TT ~
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 - part 1 - part 2 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20
| Chapter 21 | Chapter 22
********
Yoochun sighed and tried to tell himself the pain in his heart was all in his imagination as Junsu shut the bedroom door in his face.
He stared at the blank surface for a few moments, not really understanding what the other was still so upset about or what he had against him anymore, as Yoochun had tried everything he could think of to coax the other man to understand him. To show him that he was serious and to beg him to trust him. And to wait for him.
With another sigh, Yoochun turned to walk to the window on the far side of Jaejoong’s small apartment. He stared out at the softly blinking pinpricks of light scattered across the city as his hand dug into his pocket for his phone.
Thinking back to a few hours previously, Yoochun longed to go back in time and redo the whole scene in the van. He had nearly gone crazy after Jaejoong left them there. Although he knew he had to concentrate on the task at hand, had to listen and be ready at a moment’s notice to intervene, he couldn’t think of anything except for the small warm body sitting so close beside him.
Junsu had resolutely ignored him, fingers clenched around the headphones placed over his ears as his eyes were glued to the screens in front of them. Yoochun watched him from the corner of his eyes, only able to half follow the conversation that had been going on between the guard men that had just taken Jaejoong past the gates. It was all being recorded anyway.
He had known he was being entirely unprofessional and really nothing more than a lovestruck idiot, but he felt so misunderstood. And more than anything he just wanted to see Junsu smile at him, wanted to feel the warmth in those eyes.
Junsu’s cold attitude disheartened him greatly, and he had struggled to fight the urge to just pull the man from the van and have a serious talk. To force him to listen, or to just show him how much this was killing him and take him in his arms.
Yoochun had forced himself to focus, thankful and annoyed at the same time for the way the technician he’d brought along kept demanding his attention and opinions with each minute that passed.
Yet he hadn’t missed the way Junsu reacted to every fuzzy sound that leaked through the hidden microphone on Jaejoong’s body. Mr. Shim's threats and demands had him wringing his hands, while Mrs. Shim’s cold words had Junsu biting his lip as his eyes flashed angrily.
Yoochun had reached for him then, unable to stop himself. Sliding his hand around Junsu’s he marveled yet again at the warm jolt that accompanied the touch. Junsu’s eyes turned to look at him, to actually look directly into his eyes, and the open vulnerability glistening there had Yoochun leaning forward to hug him, longing to reassure him. He was met with only empty air as the other suddenly ripped the headphones from his head and bolted out of the van.
Yoochun had scrambled to follow him in alarm, unwilling to let him out of his sight, and had rushed around the side of the car in time to see Jaejoong collapse into Junsu’s open arms in a dead faint.
Needless to say Junsu hadn’t spoken another word to him as he helped carry Jaejoong to the van, drove them back to Jaejoong’s place, and even carried the unconscious man on his back up to his room.
He had laid the dark haired man as gently as possible in his bed, ready to seize the opportunity to drag Junsu into the next room and talk some sense into him, but the flush across the man’s face caught his eye. It looked far from healthy. One hand on his forehead was enough to identify the shudders that wracked his thin body as to those of fever chills.
Only wanting to help, Yoochun had started to try and wrap the man in blankets when Junsu had promptly pushed him aside. Yoochun felt rather hurt by Junsu’s continual harsh treatment, even more so as he watched the man tug up Jaejoong’s shirt and practically tear the microphone still taped in place away before turning and shoving the bundle of wires forcefully into Yoochun’s chest.
“Take your crap and get out.” Junsu muttered, not even looking at him in the face as he moved to stand by the door pointedly.
Yoochun had been unable to think of a single comprehensive thing to say, anger sparking instead as he swept past Junsu who had stared resolutely at the floor. Turning to look over his shoulder, Yoochun wanted to ask why he was acting like this. He wanted to hear just one good reason why he should have to put up with this, but before he could open his mouth the door had been shut in his face.
Yoochun rubbed a hand tiredly over his face. He just knew he’d be losing even more sleep than ever over Junsu, and with the list of things he needed to get done knew he couldn’t expect much time for sleep for the next few days either.
Although he knew he needed to just push past this last hurdle before everything would be finished, he felt it would be so much easier to bear if only Junsu would be on his side. He didn’t have enough time or emotional energy to go through this game with Junsu, not while a single slip or miscalculation could have years of hard work crashing down around him. Could have more people dead.
Walking slowly towards the door to let himself out, Yoochun promised himself he’d finish this if just to prove it all to Junsu. If that was what it took to win the other, he was more than ready to do it. He was sick of the heart stopping thrills followed only by heartache which the man was forcing him through, and wanted to get back into the comfort of cold emotionlessness.
Yoochun laughed at himself bitterly, leaning against the wall of the elevator to try and support himself as he forced his emotions behind a mental block, swallowing it as it struggled to pour out of him.
He never would have thought he’d look forward to walking into the gang’s camp more than he did at that moment. Maybe he could take his frustrations out on one of the more vile men in the group. He was sure the men needed a little reminder of who he was, plus it was time to get them riled up.
He had had enough, and everything was almost ready. Just two more days. Two more days until he called it all quits and everything would finally come down around them.Whether for better or worse, Yoochun could hardly tell.
****
Jaejoong didn’t come the next day.
Changmin had sat stiffly on his bed, eyes fixed on the tops of the trees just visible outside of his third story window. Yet his eyes were unseeing as he battled with the anxiety filling him, unable to control the thoughts that plagued him and were making him crazy. Waiting and waiting as the clock slowly counted away the minutes.
He’d ignored all the attempts from his mother to coax him out of his room, or even out of his bed. She hadn’t once mentioned anything about Jaejoong, and Changmin noticed the way she seemed to deliberately try and distract him by bringing up all sorts of other topics.
Worst of all, she didn't hesitate to remind him for the millionth time about how he would get over all this soon, how he'd heal and this would merely be a scar in his past, and that she was there to help him get back on track. He hated the nagging feeling that her words were somehow more about Jaejoong than anything else, and he couldn't bear to hear it.
He did his best not to give much positive response, since he was hardly even able to talk over the tight clenching feeling in his throat as it was. She had given up after he had politely and coldly refused dinner, and had finally left him to himself.
He didn’t stir from his position, his hands slowly fisting the bedspread and blinking quickly to hold back sudden tears as the sun finally sank slowly behind the horizon .
And still no Jaejoong. He never came.
For some reason it didn’t actually surprise him. He had somehow already known, that was why he was so desperate to hang on to him the previous day. He didn’t even know how Jaejoong had managed to get to him yesterday, but as the other man had left he had known deep down they wouldn’t let them see each other again.
Not with the way they forced them to separate so quickly after reuniting. Not with the way his step father had a man constantly standing guard in front of his door. Not with the way his door was now locked from the outside.
He was a prisoner in his own room, and the feelings of uselessness and hopelessness festered as he realized it was more than that. He was really a prisoner for life, the rest of his future already planned out and decided. It wasn't anything new, and he had never really had any problem with the pressures or constraints his parents had always placed on him before. But now everything had changed. And it was only him who had changed so much, so irreversibly, that made him resist it all now.
He had thought his mother would be on his side, had thought she would understand after he had told her what Jaejoong did for him. But she didn’t seem to understand the fact that he needed the other man now or he would never get through this. Even after this, he wanted to be with him. He had to.
He didn’t care that his step father threatened to disown him for wanting to be with another man. His mother’s reminders of all the wealth and power just waiting for him if he followed in his step father’s steps didn’t interest him in the least. No longer did he feel the obligation to make her proud or to be a good son. Nothing mattered when he felt so broken and incomplete inside.
His heart started pounding as he finally made a decision and scrambled off of his bed. There was no other way. He couldn’t, just wouldn’t, just stay trapped in here by his own family. He wasn’t some possession or slave that couldn’t think or act for himself. No longer would he blindly allow them to dictate his life, not when they threatened to take away the only thing he cared about.
He had never truly wanted something for himself before, but now that he finally founds something…someone, he was determined he wouldn’t let them take it away from him.
He couldn’t function, couldn’t even breathe without Jaejoong, and his weak body and overwhelmed mind had been stretched to their limit. He knew what he needed to do, yet was having trouble breathing around the fear lodged like a lump of metal in his chest.
It was already the middle of the night, the rest of the house had fallen silent many hours before, yet Changmin knew that the who men rotated watching outside of his door never slept nor left him unguarded. For ‘his own protection', they had said. He knew better than to argue with them.
Changmin moved to pick up the empty heavy glass vase atop his bookshelf before he positioned himself on the side of the door that would be hidden when it swung open. Try as he might, he couldn’t push down the anxiety and nerves filling him up suffocatingly, threatening to send him spiraling into dark waves of panic.
He had no idea if this would even work, he’d never even imagined attempting anything of the sort, but he was so desperate now. Moreover, it wasn’t like things would get any worse than they were now if this failed.
Hand trembling despite himself, he reached out to knock softly on the door, a signal to the man outside that he needed something.
There was a faint sound of footsteps, the rustle of clothing. “What is it, kid?”
Changmin recognized the voice of one of the more older guard men. The man was actually a bit smaller than Changmin, yet he knew size was nothing when there was years of hard training and fighting muscles involved. Not to mention the man was armed.
His sweaty hands slid on the vase, and he wiped them quickly on his shirt. He felt he was going to be sick with the way his heart thundered in his chest.
“Bathroom, please.” His voice sounded faint even to his own ears, but at least he didn’t stutter.
There was a pause, then the sound of keys unlocking the door. Changmin swayed dangerously, panic making his vision blur. He couldn’t do this, how could he do this? It wasn’t going to work. But the door was already swinging open towards him, and Changmin pressed himself silently against the wall.
The man on the other side didn’t make a sound as his eyes no doubt fell on an empty room, which meant he’d have to take a few steps in to find him. Changmin’s wide eyes latched onto the back of the black suit as the man stepped into view and stopped to look around the room. It was now or never.
Changmin sucked in a breath and raised the vase above his head with both hands. It only took one step and he was behind the unsuspecting man. It only took one second and he was bringing the glass down with all his strength against the unprotected back of the man’s head. It took only one second for the body before him to crumple to the ground and for the small scream that left Changmin’s mouth to fade into the silence that now blanketed the room.
Changmin stood immobile above the prone body, staring in horrified disbelief at the blood that trickled from a deep gash in his head. The sight of red along with his churning insides had him fighting down nausea as the vase slipped from his hands and fell to the carpet with a dull clunk.
The sound seemed to rouse him from his shock, and he crouched down next to the man, shaking hands reaching into the pockets of the man’s jacket. He found a ring of keys first, and clutched them in one hand as the other hand slipped against something cool and hard fastened against the man’s side.
His hand froze against the object, eyes wide and mind a fuzzy blank of white as his fingers moved without conscious thought, wrapping around the handle and gently tugging out a small hand gun.
Changmin stared at it blankly for a moment, before he was suddenly bolting to his feet.
Stumbling over to grab his coat, Changmin pulled it on and hesitated as his eyes fell again upon the weapon clutched in his hand. He shoved his hand into his pocket, the metal that had now warmed up to his touch seeming to burn him as he pushed it deep into the pocket.
He made his way back to the door, trying to avoid looking at the still unmoving man on the ground. He couldn’t be dead, could he? Changmin hadn’t even really expected his plan to work, but now that he'd gotten this far he could only keep going, regardless of the consequences. He didn’t have time to worry about the state of the man as he knew that time was running and his chance at escape was narrowing.
He slipped through the door into the dim half-lit hallway beyond, and turned to pull the door closed. It bumped against the man’s feet, and he clenched his teeth as he forced the door closed, causing the man’s limbs to bend awkwardly. He still didn’t move.
Changmin shut the door as quietly as possible then hurried to lock the evidence of his deed in his room. His hand was still shaking so much it took him a few tries to fit the small key into the lock.
He turned away from the room, eyes adjusting to the dark empty hallway. Taking a few deep breaths, Changmin’s hand in his pocket clenched tightly around the weapon. Why the hell had he taken it? It wasn’t like he could use it. And how the hell was he supposed to get out from here?
Pushing down the doubt and panic that inevitably started bubbling up, Changmin took hesitant steps, leading him down a flight of steps. He passed through a few rooms he knew should be empty, and wound his way around towards the kitchen which had a back door leading to the garden.
Changmin had been expecting men to be standing watch at every turn, yet with each heart stopping turn of a corner, he found the house to be very much empty around him. He still couldn’t breathe properly, sure that his pounding heart could be heard throughout the whole house.
He made it to the kitchen and didn’t pause as he walked through it and reached to unbolt the door. He was out in the cool air of night and turning to look back up at the dark silhouette of the sleeping house before he even realized he was safely out.
Turning away quickly he broke into a half run for the low wall that surrounded their estate. It wasn’t until he had safely crossed the obstacle and ran a good four blocks that the stitch in his side forced him to stop. Sinking to his knees as he struggled for air, Changmin’s whole body was on alert for the sound of pursuing footsteps.
The night was silent, broken only by the sound of his own pained gasps. He hung his head low, eyes clenching as he pressed a hand over the searing pain in his chest.
He was out. He was free.
But it was so dark. And he didn’t even know where Jaejoong lived. The realization that he was completely alone in the dark empty street sent panic coursing through him. The breaths leaving his mouth were now more choked as tears filled his eyes.
No. He couldn’t give up now. He could go to Junsu’s. Junsu would know where to find Jaejoong.
Striking new energy into him, that thought alone had him climbing back to his feet and had him stumbling down the street again.
His body was hunched and shaking, much too weak and feeble to support such sudden vigorous movement, yet the determined strength that lit up his eyes and the death grip he had on the gun in his pocket were enough to have him back into a quick jog.
Just the thought that he would be able to see Jaejoong again, tonight, in just a few short hours, it was more than enough to drive him forward through the chilly blackness.
But there was no way for him to know that his destination was just as dark and empty as the street before him.
*****
Chapter 24 ~~
A/N: woooooooooooo! you know I had to look up the knock-somebody-out-with-a-bottle thing, and technically it's not supposed to be possible.. but.. wat the heck, how else was min supposed to get out?? XDDD
but.. where is min going...??? i really have no idea TT and how is chunnie gona bring it all down?? again.. i have no idea TT thats why i keep making them angst. *wail*
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