White Noise - Part 12
Notes | Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14
15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | Epilogue
"So, Taemin and some people you don't know are coming to pick you up... and you're gonna save the vampire you have some weird psychic connection to from being tortured by other vampires?"
"Yes."
"Minho, you can't be serious." Minseok said, following his brother into his bedroom.
"It wouldn't be a very funny joke."
"Yeah, but you've never been really funny."
"I'm just asking to borrow some clothes." Minho said, frowning. "Not for your help. Not even for you to believe me."
"Yeah, well, that's one of the problems, isn't it?" Minseok asked, crossing his arms. "My baby brother is in all this crap and he doesn't even feel a need to ask for my help."
"How could you help if you don't even believe what I'm telling you?"
".. I could give you a ride."
Minho raised a brow.
"Somewhere...." Minseok shuffled, rubbing his head. "Look, it's crazy. I.. how am I even supposed to let you go anywhere without me? You'll probably get yourself hurt."
"Maybe." was all Minho said.
"Minho." Minseok sternly replied.
"I know how crazy it sounds!" Now, Minho raised his voice, though he was sure it wasn't going to lend itself to the 'not crazy' campaign. He didn't often yell, after all. He simply couldn't contain it any more. "It sounds even more crazy when I'm talking to you, but you can talk about what's possible and logical forever and it won't change what I know is happening. It doesn't make any sense to me either, I watch the news too. I don't know how vampires do what they do and stay secret, but as insane as it is, they do..."
The emotion that broke into his words made all of it sound even more crazy, and Minho dropped his head, defeated, because no matter what he said, his brother was going to see him as a freak that needed his meds.
Minseok didn't say anything though. He walked into his bedroom, and dug through drawers on his dresser. Minho stood still, head hung, until a pile of clothes were shoved into his chest. He met his brother's eyes, a questioning expression on his face.
"Shower." Minseok told Minho. "Shower, get dressed, call mom and lie to her 'cause you know she's not gonna believe this crap either..."
Minho looked awkward, not exactly liking the thought of talking to his worried mom. He was stressed enough without whatever guilt trip she'd put him through.
"Do it, Minho." Minseok said, and walked back towards the couch. "Then we'll talk."
Minho bowed his head, assuming his brother needed time to process, and he walked to the bathroom. He was at least putting off the phone call for a little longer. The hot shower made him sleepy, though. He was pulling on his brother's t-shirt, green with a picture of a soccer ball, straightening it down to his waist when the drowsiness knocked him out, taking him to the floor.
***
"I just need to see him." Taemin had said with an adorable and irresistable pout, "Jongie and Key have Noodle, so we can't get involved with his vampire. We don't have to help save him or anything. I just need to see him."
Jungmo knew very well that once Taemin "saw Minho", there'd be no going back. He solemnly explored Jay and Sungmin's vaguely sympathetic expressions, though, and sighed, trying to decide if it was worth becoming the bad guy over.
"We'll figure out his situation." Jungmo said, "But I'm telling you, we can't save his vampire." The words weren't firm enough, Jungmo thought, because he already knew that they were likely already void.
All four of them loaded up in Jay's car. With the situation they were in, even while the sun was still out, they didn't need to be alone. After all, they knew too well that vampires had their human allies.
"I mean, honestly, we could just keep him safe with us, and Noodle will be stuck. To be tortured forever by Jongie and Key, but that'd be okay, because Minho won't have to feel it forever, right? Jungmo, you said bonds can break with time. Yes. And even though Noodle and me saved Minho from The Council, it's possible that he wouldn't be willing to do it again for Hongki, even though he's always come through for me before.."
"Knock it off, Taemin." Sungmin said, tiredly. "I think we get the picture."
"I'm sorry." Taemin said more seriously, "I just don't see why if we're gonna help humans, we can't help vampires too. Especially the kind that I would be dead without."
They were strong words from Taemin, who didn't like to argue with the others. Jungmo's stress was visible in his expression, but he didn't say anything, and neither did anyone else, until Jay, of all people, spoke up..
"Where were we going?"
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