consuming darkness ; chapter 3
Title: consuming darkness
Pairings: Leeteuk/Yesung, onesided!Ryeowook/Yesung
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Thriller, Gang!AU
Word Count: 2,747
Summary: In a world where everyone wears a mask to hide their true selves, nothing seems wrong, but neither does anything seem right. The individuals trapped in this interwoven web of deceit are the ones who have to figure out the truth behind every lie. But then again, are their judgements always right?
He scrutinised the conical object between his fingers, eyes narrowed. It was retrieved from Ryeowook after the blood had been wiped off its surface. He was already able to memorise every single scratch on its metallic surface by now, having repeated this action of his multiple times while he was still recuperating from his injuries.
But regardless of him scanning the object at every given opportunity, he still could not figure out which gun it had originated from. And that reason alone was enough make him frustrated to no ends.
“Yesungie hyung, are you still hung over that bullet casing?” A voice filtered in from the doorway, pulling Yesung’s attention towards its owner. Ryeowook stood there with a dismayed look on his face.
“You know I’m not one to give up without getting to the bottom of this,” Yesung growled, though his anger wasn’t directed at Ryeowook. He was pissed at himself for not having more knowledge about guns. Daggers and blades were his world.
He was beginning to think that maybe he should get their gang’s weapon smith to give him some lessons on those annoyingly overrated firearms.
“It’s been three weeks since that day, hyung. I’m sorry to be blunt, but you haven’t had any leads on your assailant since then,” the younger man pointed out as he invited himself into Yesung’s room, settling himself comfortably on the edge of the bed.
“Still not giving up,” Yesung huffed, not caring if he was being childish. No one else was in the room, and he could do anything he damned well pleased. Ryeowook knew he had such a side to him, and he has done a pretty good job keeping it a secret. “I’m still waiting for old man Jung to give me the details on the bullet. He’s still digging around his sources.”
Ryeowook sighed at Yesung’s stubbornness, but decided that there wasn’t much of a point trying to convince him otherwise. “It’s an enigma how you’re earning a living as an assassin when you have the mindset of a detective…” he muttered, though his eyes widened when he realised what he had just said. His hands immediately flew up to cover his mouth. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have-”
“It doesn’t matter,” Yesung replied offhandedly, voice hard, eyes still fixated on the bullet in his hand.
Ryeowook could tell that the older man wasn’t all that happy to hear such a comment, however, and it had absolutely nothing to do with his hatred for the police force. He mentally chastised himself for being so insensitive with his words.
“So I came to check on your wounds today,” he therefore said, deftly changing the subject before the atmosphere between them turned sour. That was the last thing he would’ve liked to experience, especially when he was the sole person that Yesung trusted in wholeheartedly in this treacherous underworld they were in.
“I’m fine now. I’ve been cleaning the area just like you’ve ordered me to. The wound has healed properly.”
“Hyung, I’m the medical professional here,” Ryeowook frowned slightly. “Can you at least allow me to fulfil my responsibilities?”
It was now Yesung’s turn to heave a sigh; he wasn’t the only stubborn person around in the mansion after all. He left the bullet casing on the table, and proceeded to peel the white button-down shirt he had on away from his body to reveal his well-toned muscles beneath.
Yesung ignored how Ryeowook turned away with a slight blush on his face at the sight of his bare skin. The younger man had never explained why he would become so shy whenever Yesung undresses in front of him. Yesung had his fair share of teasing, pointing out how Ryeowook would still be uncomfortable around guys even though he would see half-naked men walking around the mansion all the time, especially when he would tend to their injuries at the oddest places ever.
He eventually got bored of the subject when Ryeowook would merely respond with a tight-lipped smile and proceed to push the iodine-soaked gauze deep into his wounds. Not a decent experience.
The older man stood there like a statue as he allowed Ryeowook to examine his wound, his eyes following the top of the latter’s head as Ryeowook glanced at it from different angles, occasionally prodding at the scar tissue from time to time. A smirk pulled up on the corner of his lips when Ryeowook finally pulled away several minutes later and settled himself on the bed again.
“I told you it was healed,” he commented smugly, plopping back down on the velvet armchair. Yesung picked up the bullet casing once again and habitually toyed with it as he observed the smaller man.
“Yes, fine. But I had to make sure,” Ryeowook flashed a pout at him, his eyes narrowed in discontent. Nevertheless, he wasn’t really annoyed at Yesung; he knew the man well enough to understand his quirks.
“Good to hear that,” Yesung nodded satisfactorily. “Now can I please get out of this mansion and do something else? I swear I’m going to rot soon if I don’t,” he then whined. Ever since he had sustained the gunshot wound, he had been placed under house arrest by none other than Ryeowook himself. The man banned him from performing any vigorous activities, citing that Yesung had lost too much blood for his own good.
What Yesung did not expect was for Ryeowook to request the gang leader to leave him out of assassination missions. The younger man acted like a doting mother way too much sometimes, and it’s not necessarily a good thing in his books.
“Just a few more questions,” Ryeowook said, earning a frustrated groan from Yesung.
The latter grudgingly nodded in agreement, knowing that there was no way he could wriggle out of it. “Shoot.”
Ryeowook flashed a triumphant smirk. “Okay, here we go then. Any headaches?”
“Nope.”
“Feeling faint?”
“Nope.”
“Do you feel your heart beating rapidly?”
Yesung frowned a little, pressing an open palm against his bare skin directly over where his heart was. He paused for a few seconds, then: “Nope.”
“That’s not how you’re supposed to do it, hyung,” Ryeowook sighed, cocking his head slightly to the side. He eyed Yesung for several seconds, before shaking his head at nothing in particular. “Forget it. I guess you’re good to go. Just make sure you’ll get back here immediately once you feel that something’s not right with your body.”
“Gotcha; I’ll be back before you even know it,” Yesung replied, hopping off the chair in one swift motion and buttoned up his shirt. He reached for his trusted daggers in his drawer, slotting a few of them into the holster secured tightly on his belt, and then threw a brown leather jacket around himself.
Ryeowook heaved another sigh as he watched Yesung walk out of the room without uttering another word, hoping that he wasn’t going to do something reckless again. He flashed a wry smile at Yesung’s retreating back, deciding that he would need to get some bandages and medications ready just in case.
Knowing Yesung and that smirk on his face as he left, Ryeowook knew that he had something up his sleeves.
..｡.:*:.｡..｡.:*:.｡..
He leaned against the brick wall of the run-down building at a quieter part of town, lighting up a cigarette as he prowled on the wait. He disinterestedly ran his eyes across the intricate carvings on his silver lighter, thumbing along the lines before finally pocketing it in his coat. He blew a puff of smoke into the air around him, and trained his sharp eyes onto the entrance of a bar right across the street.
Yesung smiled satisfactorily when a familiar face walked out of the bar with his group of friends, face flushed but not quite drunk. The man seemed to have noticed him staring from the distance, because he glanced directly at Yesung for a brief moment, before turning to say something to his friends. The group dispersed in a boisterous mood, heading off in the general direction of the red light district of town - presumably to continue with their party.
The man whom Yesung was waiting for, however, shot another knowing glance at him, and headed in a completely different direction. Yesung applied some pressure and kicked his heel against the wall, thereby propelling his entire body forward. He casually walked away from his previous location and silently followed the man with regular, carefree steps.
There was no rush.
When the man slipped around the corner, Yesung shook his head, amused, but tailed him nonetheless. He was used to such games.
“Yo,” the man suddenly halted in his steps several metres into the alley, and swerved around to face Yesung, the smirk plastered on his stubble-studded face. He aimed a lazy salute at Yesung, then shoved his hands into his pockets.
Yesung mirrored the later action of his. “’sup. In a jolly mood, I see.”
“Oh y’know, it’s one of those days where you’re just plain bored because there’s absolutely nothing to keep you entertained,” he shrugged with an air of nonchalance.
“I’m surprised. Don’t you usually have hit jobs every other night?” Yesung smiled. His hand moved to finger the hilt of his dagger on his belt, though his gaze remained locked on the other man. He noticed that the latter was slightly dishevelled tonight. Alcohol.
The man sighed in mock exasperation. “It’s no fun when the rival assassin isn’t you, Yesung. Besides, it’s all small fry.”
“I share your sentiments,” Yesung hummed thoughtfully. Small fry were too quick to get rid of. There’s no fun in hunting them down.
Having a skilful assassin trying to take the same kill, however…
“Speaking of which, you’ve been out of the radar for such a long while. I was beginning to think that you got yourself killed before I got my hands on you.”
That’s not too far from the truth, Yesung thought, but there was no way in hell he was going to admit it to the man. It was something that only he, Ryeowook, and his assailant knew, and he would like to keep it that way. Not unless the person who attacked me is standing right in front of me. Meanwhile, he said, “You’re talking quite an awful lot today, don’t you think, Kibum?”
A low rumble of laughter erupted from Kibum’s direction. “I told you; you’re the only exception to my silent side. Things aren’t going to change in a week or two, Yesung.”
“I still can’t decide whether I should feel flattered by that,” Yesung smirked in response. The moment he said that, however, a dangerous gleam flashed in his eyes, and he skilfully dashed towards Kibum with his dagger drawn.
Having been intoxicated by the alcohol in his system, Kibum barely had the time to react and draw his weapon - but he did. The two men ended up in a deadlock, with the edge of Yesung’s blade hanging precariously over Kibum’s jugular, and the muzzle of Kibum’s gun pressed firmly against the older man’s temple.
“A little aggressive today, aren’t we?” Kibum chuckled, showing no signs of panic. He was used to such conditions, where the both of them were mere seconds away from taking the other’s life. And he knew that their reaction times were on par. The moment Yesung slit his throat, his finger would’ve managed to find the last bit of strength to pull the trigger.
And then they would both end up dead anyway.
There was no way Yesung would risk himself to resort to such an action - there must be something he wanted from him.
“Have you been prowling on my prey recently?”
Another low chuckle rumbled from Kibum’s chest at the query. “When have I never? You’ll have to be more specific.”
Yesung frowned when he realised the truth behind that statement. Their bosses seemed to love pitting the both of them against each other. “The drug overlord who encroached on our territory,” he therefore clarified.
Kibum’s eyebrows furrowed together as he waded through his memory. Despite having the habit (and ability) of finishing his targets in the span of a minute, he could remember their faces clearly, long after he had completed his jobs.
Several tense moments passed by, before he finally shook his head. “I remember getting an offer for the job, but no, I didn’t hunt for the man.”
“Now that’s a surprise,” Yesung commented smugly. Kibum rolled his eyes at the man.
“It’s not worth the effort or the bullets. He’s too fat to be killed with just one bullet. You know how I like to plant one through the heart.”
“Don’t start on the gun mechanics with me, Kibum,” Yesung interrupted, not feeling remotely bothered about listening to his ramblings. He released his hold on the gun-toting man and roughly pushed him away, sheathing his dagger in one swift motion.
Kibum coughed and gasped a little to get more oxygenation back into his system when he was finally free. Yesung’s grip was stronger than he had expected, and he hadn’t realised the discomfort from his previous position because of the adrenaline that coursed through his veins.
He rubbed his sore neck and shot a knowing look at Yesung. “Let me guess; you going under the radar for a month has something to do with that job of yours.”
“It’s none of your business. Stay out of it,” Yesung merely snapped and walked away from the alley. Kibum’s eyes narrowed, wondering what exactly was up. Yesung was acting way much weirder than usual, and that piqued his curiosity.
Kibum vowed to find out what exactly was going on.
..｡.:*:.｡..｡.:*:.｡..
He took a double take the moment he entered his room and flicked on the lights, surprised to see a familiar figure seated in his armchair. He had a slight frown on his face as he deposited his belongings in the drawer and kicked it shut, before turning to look at the other man again.
“Please don’t tell me you’ve been seated here since I left,” he sighed when the man remained silent, running an eye over him. He was relieved that the latter did not look the slightest bit dishevelled.
“I’m not insane, Yesungie hyung,” came the sarcastic remark.
“So what are you doing here in my room, Ryeowook?”
“Waiting for you,” Ryeowook said as-a-matter-of-factly, raising his gaze to meet Yesung’s for the first time since Yesung had walked in. “Glad to see that you’re still in one piece, though.”
The corner of Yesung’s mouth curved up in annoyance. “Are you, by any chance, under the impression that I’m always out looking for trouble?”
“Well, you usually are when the boss doesn’t give you anything to keep you occupied,” Ryeowook pointed out knowingly.
Yesung was poised to kick up a retort for that, but the moment his mouth opened up, he snapped it shut again. There was absolutely nothing that he could defend himself with. Ryeowook had patched him up one too many times after such incidents, and the man had an amazing memory about such things. His shoulders sagged in defeat.
Ryeowook’s expressions softened at that, realising that he was being too hard on Yesung. “I’m sorry; I was just worried about you,” he sighed.
“I know.”
“It wasn’t Kibum, was it?” he then said, causing Yesung’s head to snap up in surprise.
“How did you-” Yesung began.
“You’d think you could give me a little more credit,” Ryeowook rolled his eyes. “I’ve known you for five years. I could, at the very least, guess what you’re up to.”
Yesung flashed a tight-lipped smile at him. It was an expression which rarely appeared on his face. He was serious and appeared deadly most of the time. There was no room for kindness on his part.
At least he thought so.
“So what’s your next plan of action? Your one and only lead went down the drain,” the younger man commented, trying not to sound too harsh with his words. But who was he kidding? Yesung would never be affected by even the harshest of comments.
Yesung ran a hand through his hair and plopped himself down on the bed, squeezing his eyes shut so that he could think. “I don’t know,” he finally sighed. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop looking.”
Pairings: Leeteuk/Yesung, onesided!Ryeowook/Yesung
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Thriller, Gang!AU
Word Count: 2,747
Summary: In a world where everyone wears a mask to hide their true selves, nothing seems wrong, but neither does anything seem right. The individuals trapped in this interwoven web of deceit are the ones who have to figure out the truth behind every lie. But then again, are their judgements always right?
He scrutinised the conical object between his fingers, eyes narrowed. It was retrieved from Ryeowook after the blood had been wiped off its surface. He was already able to memorise every single scratch on its metallic surface by now, having repeated this action of his multiple times while he was still recuperating from his injuries.
But regardless of him scanning the object at every given opportunity, he still could not figure out which gun it had originated from. And that reason alone was enough make him frustrated to no ends.
“Yesungie hyung, are you still hung over that bullet casing?” A voice filtered in from the doorway, pulling Yesung’s attention towards its owner. Ryeowook stood there with a dismayed look on his face.
“You know I’m not one to give up without getting to the bottom of this,” Yesung growled, though his anger wasn’t directed at Ryeowook. He was pissed at himself for not having more knowledge about guns. Daggers and blades were his world.
He was beginning to think that maybe he should get their gang’s weapon smith to give him some lessons on those annoyingly overrated firearms.
“It’s been three weeks since that day, hyung. I’m sorry to be blunt, but you haven’t had any leads on your assailant since then,” the younger man pointed out as he invited himself into Yesung’s room, settling himself comfortably on the edge of the bed.
“Still not giving up,” Yesung huffed, not caring if he was being childish. No one else was in the room, and he could do anything he damned well pleased. Ryeowook knew he had such a side to him, and he has done a pretty good job keeping it a secret. “I’m still waiting for old man Jung to give me the details on the bullet. He’s still digging around his sources.”
Ryeowook sighed at Yesung’s stubbornness, but decided that there wasn’t much of a point trying to convince him otherwise. “It’s an enigma how you’re earning a living as an assassin when you have the mindset of a detective…” he muttered, though his eyes widened when he realised what he had just said. His hands immediately flew up to cover his mouth. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have-”
“It doesn’t matter,” Yesung replied offhandedly, voice hard, eyes still fixated on the bullet in his hand.
Ryeowook could tell that the older man wasn’t all that happy to hear such a comment, however, and it had absolutely nothing to do with his hatred for the police force. He mentally chastised himself for being so insensitive with his words.
“So I came to check on your wounds today,” he therefore said, deftly changing the subject before the atmosphere between them turned sour. That was the last thing he would’ve liked to experience, especially when he was the sole person that Yesung trusted in wholeheartedly in this treacherous underworld they were in.
“I’m fine now. I’ve been cleaning the area just like you’ve ordered me to. The wound has healed properly.”
“Hyung, I’m the medical professional here,” Ryeowook frowned slightly. “Can you at least allow me to fulfil my responsibilities?”
It was now Yesung’s turn to heave a sigh; he wasn’t the only stubborn person around in the mansion after all. He left the bullet casing on the table, and proceeded to peel the white button-down shirt he had on away from his body to reveal his well-toned muscles beneath.
Yesung ignored how Ryeowook turned away with a slight blush on his face at the sight of his bare skin. The younger man had never explained why he would become so shy whenever Yesung undresses in front of him. Yesung had his fair share of teasing, pointing out how Ryeowook would still be uncomfortable around guys even though he would see half-naked men walking around the mansion all the time, especially when he would tend to their injuries at the oddest places ever.
He eventually got bored of the subject when Ryeowook would merely respond with a tight-lipped smile and proceed to push the iodine-soaked gauze deep into his wounds. Not a decent experience.
The older man stood there like a statue as he allowed Ryeowook to examine his wound, his eyes following the top of the latter’s head as Ryeowook glanced at it from different angles, occasionally prodding at the scar tissue from time to time. A smirk pulled up on the corner of his lips when Ryeowook finally pulled away several minutes later and settled himself on the bed again.
“I told you it was healed,” he commented smugly, plopping back down on the velvet armchair. Yesung picked up the bullet casing once again and habitually toyed with it as he observed the smaller man.
“Yes, fine. But I had to make sure,” Ryeowook flashed a pout at him, his eyes narrowed in discontent. Nevertheless, he wasn’t really annoyed at Yesung; he knew the man well enough to understand his quirks.
“Good to hear that,” Yesung nodded satisfactorily. “Now can I please get out of this mansion and do something else? I swear I’m going to rot soon if I don’t,” he then whined. Ever since he had sustained the gunshot wound, he had been placed under house arrest by none other than Ryeowook himself. The man banned him from performing any vigorous activities, citing that Yesung had lost too much blood for his own good.
What Yesung did not expect was for Ryeowook to request the gang leader to leave him out of assassination missions. The younger man acted like a doting mother way too much sometimes, and it’s not necessarily a good thing in his books.
“Just a few more questions,” Ryeowook said, earning a frustrated groan from Yesung.
The latter grudgingly nodded in agreement, knowing that there was no way he could wriggle out of it. “Shoot.”
Ryeowook flashed a triumphant smirk. “Okay, here we go then. Any headaches?”
“Nope.”
“Feeling faint?”
“Nope.”
“Do you feel your heart beating rapidly?”
Yesung frowned a little, pressing an open palm against his bare skin directly over where his heart was. He paused for a few seconds, then: “Nope.”
“That’s not how you’re supposed to do it, hyung,” Ryeowook sighed, cocking his head slightly to the side. He eyed Yesung for several seconds, before shaking his head at nothing in particular. “Forget it. I guess you’re good to go. Just make sure you’ll get back here immediately once you feel that something’s not right with your body.”
“Gotcha; I’ll be back before you even know it,” Yesung replied, hopping off the chair in one swift motion and buttoned up his shirt. He reached for his trusted daggers in his drawer, slotting a few of them into the holster secured tightly on his belt, and then threw a brown leather jacket around himself.
Ryeowook heaved another sigh as he watched Yesung walk out of the room without uttering another word, hoping that he wasn’t going to do something reckless again. He flashed a wry smile at Yesung’s retreating back, deciding that he would need to get some bandages and medications ready just in case.
Knowing Yesung and that smirk on his face as he left, Ryeowook knew that he had something up his sleeves.
..｡.:*:.｡..｡.:*:.｡..
He leaned against the brick wall of the run-down building at a quieter part of town, lighting up a cigarette as he prowled on the wait. He disinterestedly ran his eyes across the intricate carvings on his silver lighter, thumbing along the lines before finally pocketing it in his coat. He blew a puff of smoke into the air around him, and trained his sharp eyes onto the entrance of a bar right across the street.
Yesung smiled satisfactorily when a familiar face walked out of the bar with his group of friends, face flushed but not quite drunk. The man seemed to have noticed him staring from the distance, because he glanced directly at Yesung for a brief moment, before turning to say something to his friends. The group dispersed in a boisterous mood, heading off in the general direction of the red light district of town - presumably to continue with their party.
The man whom Yesung was waiting for, however, shot another knowing glance at him, and headed in a completely different direction. Yesung applied some pressure and kicked his heel against the wall, thereby propelling his entire body forward. He casually walked away from his previous location and silently followed the man with regular, carefree steps.
There was no rush.
When the man slipped around the corner, Yesung shook his head, amused, but tailed him nonetheless. He was used to such games.
“Yo,” the man suddenly halted in his steps several metres into the alley, and swerved around to face Yesung, the smirk plastered on his stubble-studded face. He aimed a lazy salute at Yesung, then shoved his hands into his pockets.
Yesung mirrored the later action of his. “’sup. In a jolly mood, I see.”
“Oh y’know, it’s one of those days where you’re just plain bored because there’s absolutely nothing to keep you entertained,” he shrugged with an air of nonchalance.
“I’m surprised. Don’t you usually have hit jobs every other night?” Yesung smiled. His hand moved to finger the hilt of his dagger on his belt, though his gaze remained locked on the other man. He noticed that the latter was slightly dishevelled tonight. Alcohol.
The man sighed in mock exasperation. “It’s no fun when the rival assassin isn’t you, Yesung. Besides, it’s all small fry.”
“I share your sentiments,” Yesung hummed thoughtfully. Small fry were too quick to get rid of. There’s no fun in hunting them down.
Having a skilful assassin trying to take the same kill, however…
“Speaking of which, you’ve been out of the radar for such a long while. I was beginning to think that you got yourself killed before I got my hands on you.”
That’s not too far from the truth, Yesung thought, but there was no way in hell he was going to admit it to the man. It was something that only he, Ryeowook, and his assailant knew, and he would like to keep it that way. Not unless the person who attacked me is standing right in front of me. Meanwhile, he said, “You’re talking quite an awful lot today, don’t you think, Kibum?”
A low rumble of laughter erupted from Kibum’s direction. “I told you; you’re the only exception to my silent side. Things aren’t going to change in a week or two, Yesung.”
“I still can’t decide whether I should feel flattered by that,” Yesung smirked in response. The moment he said that, however, a dangerous gleam flashed in his eyes, and he skilfully dashed towards Kibum with his dagger drawn.
Having been intoxicated by the alcohol in his system, Kibum barely had the time to react and draw his weapon - but he did. The two men ended up in a deadlock, with the edge of Yesung’s blade hanging precariously over Kibum’s jugular, and the muzzle of Kibum’s gun pressed firmly against the older man’s temple.
“A little aggressive today, aren’t we?” Kibum chuckled, showing no signs of panic. He was used to such conditions, where the both of them were mere seconds away from taking the other’s life. And he knew that their reaction times were on par. The moment Yesung slit his throat, his finger would’ve managed to find the last bit of strength to pull the trigger.
And then they would both end up dead anyway.
There was no way Yesung would risk himself to resort to such an action - there must be something he wanted from him.
“Have you been prowling on my prey recently?”
Another low chuckle rumbled from Kibum’s chest at the query. “When have I never? You’ll have to be more specific.”
Yesung frowned when he realised the truth behind that statement. Their bosses seemed to love pitting the both of them against each other. “The drug overlord who encroached on our territory,” he therefore clarified.
Kibum’s eyebrows furrowed together as he waded through his memory. Despite having the habit (and ability) of finishing his targets in the span of a minute, he could remember their faces clearly, long after he had completed his jobs.
Several tense moments passed by, before he finally shook his head. “I remember getting an offer for the job, but no, I didn’t hunt for the man.”
“Now that’s a surprise,” Yesung commented smugly. Kibum rolled his eyes at the man.
“It’s not worth the effort or the bullets. He’s too fat to be killed with just one bullet. You know how I like to plant one through the heart.”
“Don’t start on the gun mechanics with me, Kibum,” Yesung interrupted, not feeling remotely bothered about listening to his ramblings. He released his hold on the gun-toting man and roughly pushed him away, sheathing his dagger in one swift motion.
Kibum coughed and gasped a little to get more oxygenation back into his system when he was finally free. Yesung’s grip was stronger than he had expected, and he hadn’t realised the discomfort from his previous position because of the adrenaline that coursed through his veins.
He rubbed his sore neck and shot a knowing look at Yesung. “Let me guess; you going under the radar for a month has something to do with that job of yours.”
“It’s none of your business. Stay out of it,” Yesung merely snapped and walked away from the alley. Kibum’s eyes narrowed, wondering what exactly was up. Yesung was acting way much weirder than usual, and that piqued his curiosity.
Kibum vowed to find out what exactly was going on.
..｡.:*:.｡..｡.:*:.｡..
He took a double take the moment he entered his room and flicked on the lights, surprised to see a familiar figure seated in his armchair. He had a slight frown on his face as he deposited his belongings in the drawer and kicked it shut, before turning to look at the other man again.
“Please don’t tell me you’ve been seated here since I left,” he sighed when the man remained silent, running an eye over him. He was relieved that the latter did not look the slightest bit dishevelled.
“I’m not insane, Yesungie hyung,” came the sarcastic remark.
“So what are you doing here in my room, Ryeowook?”
“Waiting for you,” Ryeowook said as-a-matter-of-factly, raising his gaze to meet Yesung’s for the first time since Yesung had walked in. “Glad to see that you’re still in one piece, though.”
The corner of Yesung’s mouth curved up in annoyance. “Are you, by any chance, under the impression that I’m always out looking for trouble?”
“Well, you usually are when the boss doesn’t give you anything to keep you occupied,” Ryeowook pointed out knowingly.
Yesung was poised to kick up a retort for that, but the moment his mouth opened up, he snapped it shut again. There was absolutely nothing that he could defend himself with. Ryeowook had patched him up one too many times after such incidents, and the man had an amazing memory about such things. His shoulders sagged in defeat.
Ryeowook’s expressions softened at that, realising that he was being too hard on Yesung. “I’m sorry; I was just worried about you,” he sighed.
“I know.”
“It wasn’t Kibum, was it?” he then said, causing Yesung’s head to snap up in surprise.
“How did you-” Yesung began.
“You’d think you could give me a little more credit,” Ryeowook rolled his eyes. “I’ve known you for five years. I could, at the very least, guess what you’re up to.”
Yesung flashed a tight-lipped smile at him. It was an expression which rarely appeared on his face. He was serious and appeared deadly most of the time. There was no room for kindness on his part.
At least he thought so.
“So what’s your next plan of action? Your one and only lead went down the drain,” the younger man commented, trying not to sound too harsh with his words. But who was he kidding? Yesung would never be affected by even the harshest of comments.
Yesung ran a hand through his hair and plopped himself down on the bed, squeezing his eyes shut so that he could think. “I don’t know,” he finally sighed. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop looking.”