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-Flashback-

It was a mid-terraced house, the walls neatly plastered. The small room inside it was far from chaos, a relatively clean room with replaced mattresses on all four sides, an empty cupboard, a medium sized tea-table, two pedestals and some broken earphones. Who would say, looking at it, might be hiding something very baleful beneath?

To be sure, books do certainly get judged by their covers, but that doesn't, in any way, mean that the judgement is or will ever be correct.

The sun broke in, playing up Lee Wooshik's distinct features. Stretched, he kept his long legs crossed on top of the tea-table, staring at his phone screen at God knows what, very intently. Leia was sitting before the single-hung window, a shadow casted on her of the telephone booth at the other side. "This place looks too good for an inmate," she commented.

"Is it? The manner of Wooshik's words were humdrum, "What did you expect?"

Wooshik heard her walking behind him, "Can you put your phone down and then talk to me?" Leia's fingers touched her boyfriend's nape, and her long brown hair flopped over Wooshik's eyes.

"Fuck!! Who is that? He's so deadly beautiful," Leia suddenly exclaimed, "Do you know him personally?"

Wooshik post-haste minimised the screen, "Can I not have a little privacy here!!?" His broad voice was deafening and shrill which scared Leia.

"Wh- what's wrong?" She retreated with her steps, "D- don't we always see each other's ph- phone?" Leia wasn't someone who would let faltering get to her words. This current day, she didn't envision Lee Wooshik in an avatar she has never met before.

Wooshik slammed the phone down on the table. He stood up and as he had loomed in on her, cupping Leia's face he said, "Sorry baby, I- I didn't mean to shout at you. I don't know, I really don't know what's...what is happening to me," he suspired out.

"It's- it's okay, baby. It's just workload, I understand," she pinched the webbing between her thumb and index, it was her way to curb her urge to let her tears spurt, "I'll go then. I think there really isn't any use of me here. I don't understand how these things work," she said and collected her pochette, "Bye baby, let me know when we can meet again."

"You're saying all these because you're hurting, right?"

"Not at all," she removed the bangs veiling her face, "I have to go to the bank, I need to withdraw some money, with that I haven't copied the register yet, there is a ton of work. Bye Wooshik."

Wooshik tucked those same locks behind her ear, and kissed Leia's tiny nose, "Return safely. Give me a call after you reach. And give me a peck before leaving."

Leia gave a gentle bite on Wooshik's lips, "Bye!"

"It's Sunday and you're having bank work."

He returned to his phone after she had left, awaiting his current aspirant. Three and a half hours. Wooshik had shown symptoms of apathy before the inmate was brought in by his warden. The person convicted of a felony was not too young, nor old. The map of wrinkles on his face told of that most incredible journey. He had a cautious mien. After all, contending everyday to obtain a grain to feed on, or cleaning other detainees' stools to have just a glass of water, must have edified him to some extent.

"Mr. Toby, right?" Wooshik was studying the newspaper cutting being discreet enough, "As the newspaper reads."

"Don't fucking call me by that name, you bastard!!" He shoved the warden, "Why aren't you leaving?"

The warden lady couldn't find a way past her panic, "What will you have to like?" She asked, eyes lowered.

"Some Green tea," Wooshik dismissed her.

"Umm sorry, sir. We don't have the Green tea leaves with us," she stated politely, "If you want I can bring you some black tea."

"Bring it," he said, indifferent. "Now, why aren't you taking your seat? You're out of the cell, are you still wondering if you need to ask permission for everything?" Wooshik tsked.

The inmate found an armchair but prior to sitting on it, Wooshik gave a kick to it and he collapsed near Wooshik's feet.

"In case, you're right. You still do need to ask, beg for everything. Don't you know Toby darling, you must ask for permission before entering where somewhere is already present?" Wooshik drew out his hand to help the inmate get back on his two blemished feet.

"Don't call me by that name," he gnashed his teeth, and stood on his haunches, trying to gripping Wooshik's collars, "Why should I ask for permission in my own damn house?"

Wooshik snickered, "If that is the case, can you save the place from being Raided? Respected Min Dahyun?? Also known as the blazing robber," He removed the hand calmly.

"But I know about you, Mr. Min. If you were only ever a blazing, terrific robber or..."

A look of great bitterness swept across the inmate's face, "Or what?" His lips trembled.

"Mr. Toby Jeen, the arms smuggler. Who trades unlicensed weapons."

"STOP IT!!!" Dahyun covered his ears, "That is not fucking me!!! NOT ME!!" He huffed, "Toby is not me!! Jeen is an Indo-Japanese based smuggling association, Toby was only my pseudo-"

The blonde couldn't stop cackling, "Seriously!!?" He howled with laughter, "Did you think I would come here without digging for your information? What an Idiot," with that last word his smile passed from sight.

"You are the perfect type to be my informant. Let's work together, Mr. Min. I promise to bear your expenses. And, save you from further arrests. So, deal?"

"How much will I make?"

"Maybe...thirty thousand wons, per month?"

They sneered between themselves, and their sly hands earned a shake.

"Take this, you can contact me through this number," Wooshik gave Dahyun his visiting card, "And don't try to play smart with me."

"You piss me off," the inmate hissed, "Thank you!"

A smirk played on his lips, "I should take my leave now," Wooshik said, leaving the pedestal behind, "Thanks for your time."

The plain floor rattled with Wooshik's Lace-up work, he held the door open and the warden was standing there, "Are you already leaving, sir? I brought two cups of black tea for you."

"Stay a little longer, I also haven't learned your name," Dahyun, who was now standing beside Wooshik, took the tray from his warden, "Thank you! You can leave now," he said to her.

"Maybe I can finish it in one sip and go back, I've so much to do," Wooshik jested.

"You're funny!!"

"I guess," he sipped his tea.

"What's your name?" They stood guarding the door, "Since we're going to work together."

"Lee Wooshik."

"Mr. Lee, if you might remember, in the initiation of our conversation, you said something," Dahyun curled his lips, "Something related to begging."

Wooshik raised his eyebrows, "So? You are supposed to do that."

"What if you have to beg someday, for something as well?"

A little of the hot black tea fell on Wooshik's hand, "Ah!" He inadvertently dropped his phone, its screen confined a smiling picture of Sehun on some beach, his side profile on display, in a flimsy white shirt and black trousers looking away from the lens, his left hand brought near the helix to organize his messy brown hairs.

-End of flasback-

Seething with jealousy, Minhyuk stood staring at them, his nose flaring at times.

"Heyy!! Minnie, why are you standing there? Come, join us," Minhyuk was snapped out of his thoughts with Daeseong's yell. He walked down the spare stairs.

"Hold on a minute!! Sir- sir is wearing a polo neck? Really? Didn't he absolutely hated them on sight?" Chris began reading the faces, "Isn't it, sir?"

Minhyuk pulled his jaw in, "Chris, can you please go to that chair on the other side?" His demeanor was cold, "I want to sit beside Eve."

"Uh- sure," the boy wrapped in blue leathers got up, doing without the couch for Minhyuk, he felt a little awkward.

"Joon, aren't you on lunch today? Why aren't you making it?" Wooshik's cheeks flamed into an unhealthy red beacon rising from a chest throbbing, "Aren't you?" He addressed Joon, watching Minhyuk like a hawk.

"Uh- me? But Captain, it's Daeseong's tu,"

"Aren't. You. In. Charge. Of. The. Lunch. Today??" Wooshik spelled out everything with only a look of his eyes.

Did Joon wanted himself to be snapped into half? No, "Ye- Yeah!!" The guy took some steps towards their open kitchen, moving out of the lounge or simpler terms their drawing.

Wooshik had a chance, and he took it. Immediately after Joon left the place to the left of Sehun, Wooshik budged to assert that seat, stealing some erring peeks at the boy beside him. Minhyuk, as a result of the defense effect, put an arm around Sehun's tiny waist.

Ticklish, Sehun glared at Minhyuk, "What are you doing?" His lips only moved, without any sound.

"Whadda!!?" All eyes fell on Chris, it was so out of the blue.

The arrival of Wooshik's chum had been too quiet, that none of them had realized when had he come so close to them with the packets of Fried chicken and beer bottles. If it had not been for Chris startling, they wouldn't be aware of Jihoon's presence.

"Jihoon!!! How many times have I said to knock before you come in?" Wooshik received the eatables, "Say sorry!"

"In your delusions," Jihoon sat with the Lawson arm between his legs, where Wooshik was sitting, a height above that. "Hey, may I say something?" He whispered in Wooshik's ear, unbinding the packets.

Wooshik stared at him, looking fine in a denim jacket and ripped jeans. If the one stared at another after a question, it would mean consented, it was their way of interacting.

Jihoon leaned in even more to the taller's ear, "Who is the boy beside you??" The regulation of whispering stayed intact.

"Why?" A bad temper stirred within Wooshik.

"He's a breathtaking beauty!!" Jihoon's face sparked with zest.

"Why are you talking under your breath? If I'm breathtaking, just say it to me!"

Forthright, that took Jihoon aback, "I- I meant," he laughed diffidently, "You're really awesome!!"

Sehun smiled at that, "I'm accustomed to these compliments. This is a nice meeting by the way. Myself, Yang Sehun."

"Of course you are, anyone can guess that," he showed his flamboyance, "Myself Park Jihoon."

"Can we get back to eating now?" Minhyuk's comportment grim, "Please?"

Joon returned and they set about eating. "Have I told you? This treat is from our Captain?" Sehun started talking, "In my opinion, a rare sight, isn't it?" He pulled the wing out altogether, and swooped in his mouth.

At the mere mention of 'Captain' worded by Sehun, Wooshik realized having a fluttering sensation in his abdomen, he could feel his heart beating faster and louder.

"Since when did you start calling him Captain?" Minhyuk shoved another piece of chicken in Sehun's mouth, "Keep shut! And eat all those."

"What's wrong with you today??" Sehun took notice of Minhyuk in confusion, "Is it about last night?" He murmured.

Minhyuk's heart skipped a beat, he steered clear of Sehun's eyes, "I don't fucking know what I'm getting myself into because of you," he muttered facing away.

Sehun didn't want to drag on with it, so he discontinued. Even though to Minhyuk, Sehun was now becoming so very suffocating, he just couldn't resist him.

Wooshik, on the contrary, very truculently only chewed the bones and littered the table, he wanted Sehun to look at him like he did at Minhyuk so badly, he wanted to talk with him like Sehun was his so badly, he wanted to touch him so badly, he wanted to take Minnie's place so badly, but....he knew he couldn't, he couldn't until Sehun lets him and that hurt...that hurt him a lot.

But he only wanted a taste of it, before if he could ever actually taste it. Sehun's beer bottle stood on the table, he has slurped in it only twice or maybe thrice, polluting it with his saliva. Wooshik's hands stealthily crept on the table, and he drummed his fingers to delude others to believe in he wasn't having any other purpose than relaxing. When none was looking, he took the can drank from it, his tongue tasting a chunk, only a chunk of Sehun's.

"Why am I feeling like this? Is this the right thing? This is...this is not fair to Leia. Why...why are you making me like this, Sehun?"

Sehun wasn't aware of both the men on either side of him were slipping over death glares to each other behind his back. He was rather absorbed in that treat.

Observing the beer bottle in Wooshik's hand, Minhyuk came to look at Sehun's and was frozen by a stark terror. His eyes were not far from pooling up.

Minhyuk ludicrously began tracing his finger along Sehun's jawline.

"What are you trying to do?" Sehun backed away as an involuntary response, "Are you alright??"

"There's crumbles on your lips, some dip too..."

"Uh-oh," Sehun looked for the tissue, only to get stopped from by Minhyuk, "Why?"

While his left hand held Sehun's ant waist swaying him lower, Minhyuk cleaned the dip with his thumb from Sehun's lips, and sloped against him, settling his own pair to clean the greasy mess.

-

"Don't cry," in that dark night, he could only pronounce those to words to a drunk Sehun.

"Can you please let me be in your arms for a while?" He sniffed as his vicious eyes filled with water looked at the taller, "I don't feel good."

"Come to me, Sehun," he spread his arms.

Sehun closed his eyes resting in the man's arm who shielded him so dreamily, who tried to protect him with all that he had,

"Minnie..."

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