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Donghyuck couldn't quite grasp what he had heard, and so as his mind continued to ponder and ponder over it, he hadn't realised Jaemin was guiding him along the streets that were slowly filling up with more people. The morning air was starting to become early afternoon air as a few cars started to whizz by.

"Since you fucked all my coffee out the window, how about we go get some at the shop," the blonde declared as more of a 'must' than an offer. He glanced over his shoulder at the older, sighing at the look he was sporting. "Hyuck?"

"What did you mean? I know you don't want to answer, but you can't just tell me you know Nana is here and leave it there. How do you know him?"

"We were in Jupiter from the start. Simple as."

"God, I'm not dumb enough to nod along and pretend I'll take a vague answer like that. Please. You know what he means to the group now."

Jaemin sighed tiredly, pulling Donghyuck in front of him, and shoving him in through the automatic doors of the convenience store. "I thought I was being nice by telling you my secret. You know, most people associated with Nana are on the hit-list."

"I won't kill you. Just tell me."

"Nope," he popped the 'p', starting to jog into the pantry ingredients aisle and clapping happily at the sight of all the various sachets and flavours of coffee. "Heaven."

"I'll make it so that you never drink that stuff again...." the mafia leader grumbled bitterly, folding his arms and pouting like a child as the younger started collecting various packages in his arms. It sort of bugged him that a measly hot drink could make his face light up brighter than Donghyuck's own presence did. Was he the only one who felt excited to meet up when they did?

"No one does coffee like the Italians," Jaemin chuckled darkly as he started escaping to the cashier. Hyuck groaned, ripping a packet of chewing gum off the shelf as well and shoving it in his pocket. He'd need to bite something so not to explode from infuriation.

The little beeps of coffee passing through the scanner irritated him, so he went to wait outside. It didn't take five minutes for the blonde to reappear with a plastic bag in his hand and a satisfied expression.

"Happy?" Donghyuck murmured. "Can we do something fun now?"

"Uh, coffee shopping is fun, Dumbass. You're just uncultured."

"I'm a gang leader. I have a culture of my own."

"Yeah? Like shoplifting?"

The older smirked, retrieving the stolen item and taking a piece of mint gum out, "Yup."

Jaemin shrugged it off, not much better for taking things that weren't his. They both looked up and down the street, surprised by the sunny sky, but the nippy air. It never got overly warm around here because of the river, which was a slight pity.

Donghyuck's gaze settled on a small boy waddling around on his own, seemingly looking for something with tear-stained cheeks and a permanent pout. The brunette considered waiting longer to see if someone came for him....but his inner parent that hadn't the chance to be exercised outside of the play-school came out.

"Wait here," he pointed to Jaemin. "I'll be a second."

"Where are you going?"

The shorter walked quickly towards the infant and gently pulled it away from the edge of the sidewalk, crouching down to be eye-level with him.

"You look lost," he spoke softly and kindly, rubbing some of the tears away from the smaller's cheeks with his thumbs. "Is Mum not here?"

"Sh-She told me to wait at the bench. But this man came over and tried talking to me...."

"Was he a scary man?"

"He was wearing a hood."

Oh, clearly his parents taught him the rules of stranger danger. Poor kid. "Look, my friend and I will wait by the bench with you, okay? That scary man might come back."

"I want my Mum..."

"I know. We'll wait for her where she can find you, yeah?"

Jaemin pattered alongside him, leaning down and inspecting the youthful human like an ugly insect. "So....why are we helping it?"

"He's lost," Donghyuck sighed, standing up and taking the child's small hand. "What's you're name, Kiddo?"

"Jaesoo..."

"Gotcha. Let's go and stand where your mother left you."

Jaemin reluctantly followed them as they perched by a wooden bench opposite the shop on the other side of the road. Hyuck was, somehow, holding both their hands. Jaesoo's for comfort, and Jaemin's for captivity.

"I don't get you," the younger adult began, pinching the brunette's cheek annoyingly and smiling as a string of whines and protests fell from his lips. "You're a bad guy. So stop being a good one."

"I like kids."

"Ew."

He scoffed, kicking Jaemin's knee, "You wouldn't understand. I wasn't raised in a mafia like you were, okay? I've been normal for most of my life."

"Then why did you come here? Why did you ruin your life like this?"

Hyuck's confidence faltered, his eyes looking over at the shop windows across the street. "It doesn't matter. It's not like you tell me anything, either."

"Fair enough."

•

•

•

After almost an hour of waiting, the young adults were both starting to wonder whether or not Jaesoo's mother had abandoned him or something. When she came running down the street like a lunatic with her arms wide and tears in her eyes, both were downright relieved to know she even existed.

And so the infant ran towards her as well, getting caught in her arms and crying all over again, even after Donghyuck had gotten him ice cream, sat in a cafe for twenty minute with hot chocolate, and told him crazy stories that he appeared to enjoy.

"God, kids are a hassle, and no one can convince me of otherwise," the blonde man murmured as he watched the scene bitterly. "They're pushy, demanding, fragile, and expensive. It's like owning a dog, but on steroids. Absolutely crazy."

"I think they're cute," the older chuckled, pulling his jacket off his shoulders and slinging it over his arm as the sun was well and truly up now. "I'd be unhappy if I died without having one of my own."

"You're literally dating a man, and Huang Renjun at that. He hates kids possibly more than I do."

"......I'll get one in secret. Adopt, you know?"

He's an idiot, the younger thought, sliding his arm around the shorter's shoulders and walking back down the other direction from the happy family members. The mother hadn't even seemed to notice who had looked after him for all that time.

Someone on the sidewalk was watching their iPad without headphones, the voices of the national news blaring obnoxiously onto the street where others turned their noses up at the rudeness. Donghyuck and Jaemin, however, slowed their pace to listen briefly. After all, the headlines were pretty interesting.

"Thirty members of a low ranked organised crime group entitled 'Genesis'  were found in the back eastern farmland last night. Rough depictions if lightning bolts were etched onto various members' skin, and thus the police assume it was more work of the famous mafia 'Jupiter'. Further information will be-"

"Seriously?" The taller scoffed, "Genesis? They're so pathetic. Why did you waste your night on them?"

"They ambushed our drug deal, so we took care of them. It was no bother, really. Exercise at best."

Jaemin grinned from ear to ear, moving forward faster to turn around and walk backwards to speak with him. "I want to see what you can do. Oh great 'Haechan', show me your moves."

"Not unless you show me yours. That's the condition."

"If you're suggesting a secret fight, I'll accidentally kill you. Maybe not...."

"You think? I actually imagined my knife beating your weapon any day. What is it, by the way? Rare?"

"Handguns."

"Dual? Two at once?"

"Three if they're loaded," Jaemin winked suggestively. "Wanna' fight me? I'll end you."

"Let's just hope you have thick skin then. 'Cause my blades are sharp."

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