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Jisung fumbled with the blunt, plastic utensils designed for children, in the sink late one night. The washing-up liquid made his fingers feel dry, but he could hardly concern himself with that right now. His thoughts all veered off towards different tracks, different memories.....all reuniting to envision one night specifically.

That boy. The one with the psychedelic orange hair and sharp eyes that seemed to cut through lies and see straight into one's soul. His almost impossibly strong hand nearly broke his wrist when he made a deal with him.

"Blondie, I want you to be my eyes. I need you to tell me who it is that Hyuck is seeing right now. Can you do that for me?"

Jisung should never have agreed. He should never have accepted a dodgy deal wherein his close friend was the subject of his observations, and the very person he would rat out. But when trying to say no...

"Ngh, c-can't-" he gagged, trying to push the thumb out of his mouth and failing miserably. Without that 'yes' he would probably have choked on his own tongue or saliva.

"What will it be, Park Jisung? Do I have you?"

"Mhm ngh, st-" The finger pressed further into his cavern to touch the back end of his tongue and almost force acid reflux. He swept his free hand up to grip the older's wrist defensively, "Y-es. Yes!"

"Ah, such a good boy," Chenle smiled victoriously, yet it didn't meet his eyes, and something told Jisung that a truly happy expression hadn't settled on the male's face in a very long time. The muscles looked unfit.

He retracted his hand, "I'll be keeping an eye out."

"Psycho," the young adult thought aloud while running the water for a bit too long. It was draining away with wasted intention, barely even touching what the boy was trying to clean.

"Jeez, Africa would weep if they saw you now," Donghyuck scolded while leaning over him and switching the tap off. "Save water."

"S-Sorry," the younger murmured softly, leaning against the basin with more pressure, his grip on the edge turning his knuckles white. "I'm so tired..."

"Yeah? What's wrong?"

The blonde bit at the wall of his cheek irritatedly, still thinking about Chenle's deal, and still beating himself up before betraying Hyuck. This was invasion of privacy, wasn't it? He'd never want the older to report back to someone about his life, so why was he doing it now? He wasn't like this. He didn't want this.

"Ji, seriously," Donghyuck furrowed his brows quizzically, "Am I missing something? Are you mad at me?"

"Oh, no. I'm not mad at you, never mad," he blinked a few times to mentally cut off his morals. "Actually....I would love to ask you something."

The shorter nodded curtly, shuffling over to the countertop by the sink and hopping up to sit upon it. "Shoot."

"Um," he dropped the blunt utensils, "You know how you're dating Renjun?"

"......Yeah? Now I'm curious."

"Is it possible that you have someone else? Like, even if you're only interested in another person?"

The questions were strange from the innocent male's lips. As if it wasn't a rarity enough to listen to him talk about relationships, but to directly suspect his friend of cheating was weird. So Donghyuck immediately picked up that something wasn't quite right. "I have someone else I hang around, yes. Romantically, I don't know yet."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he's a fleeting and free spirit. Whenever I'm with him, it feels like I'm trying to grasp at sand. How can someone settle with a person who runs off into sunsets alone?"

So he's falling for someone he can't have? Why not stick with Renjun? Why am I so bad at deciphering feelings? "Is he the person you disappear with all the time?"

"Jisung, why don't you tell me where all this is coming from, hm? Why so suddenly interested?" Hyuck fired a question back. He trusted this person as an outsider, an honest boy, and a friend. There was a bad feeling connected to each enquiry the blonde spoke, and gut instinct mattered a lot to the mafia leader.

Jisung's eyes flicked back to the small layer of aqua sitting in the sink. He was quite clearly nervous, uncertain and at a loss for words. "I, uh.....um..."

"Jisu-"

"I l-like someone now. Yeah. He's...I have no experience, so I need advice." That was all I could do? A stupid lie like that? I'm practically asexual!

"Wow, really?! Dude, you should've said sooner. Well, if it's advice you want, I'm probably the wrong person to ask. My boyfriend is the single most controlling person I've ever met, and the guy I secretly meet up with is an ex-mafia member."

"And who do you love more? Can you even choose?"

Donghyuck's cheeky smile dropped to a hesitant one, a look that described anxiety and confusion. "I really don't know. I keep telling myself 'this is it, this is the last time I see him' when I leave Jaemin......but I always go back. I always want to be with him again."

"That's his name? Jaemin? Is he handsome?" Jisung couldn't help but start to enjoy this a bit. This felt like the first time they had properly connected over a personal conversation.

"Annoyingly so. He always says he doesn't have a soul, but I don't believe that. There has to be something underneath an angel's face, right?"

"Definitely. Everyone has a soul...just some more obviously than others." I'm starting to betray mine. "Yours is probably really sparkly or something. It must be, considering how lovely you are."

"Doubt it. I have a side that isn't worthy of praise, or pride. My soul probably looks..." he trailed off, playfully nudging the taller's shoulder, "Purple."

"Purple?"

"Dark purple. A pretty colour at first, but the longer you look, the more danger you feel."

What does he do....? The blonde wanted to know, but didn't want to ruin the blissfully cute image he had of his friend, or the atmosphere they had now created. He liked the way they were. "I hope you figure everything out, Hyuck. Life is too short to waste on indecisive thoughts."

"Thanks, Jisung. You too."

•

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•

"A boy? He's meeting up with a boy?" The ginger scoffed, "You must be mistaken, Blondie. He has a boyfriend-"

"I'm not mistaken," Jisung uttered grumpily while leaning against the opposite wall of the alleyway. It had only been a day of essentially spying for the mafia member, and already the taller had had enough and wanted out. Hopefully, this information would be enough. "He's honest, okay? I know he's not typically a cheater..."

"Honest, you say? Do you even know who he is?"

"Duh. Lee Donghyuck."

Aha, he's in the dark, Chenle thought with amusement before pushing off the wall he was leaned against as well and brushing down his dark clothes. The weather was packing in as more torrential downfall was expected. "Whatever you say, Kiddo. I'm leaving now, so take five before moving."

"Why can't I leave first? I'm technically the one you need here."

"God, we aren't going to have a repeat of the sassy conversation again, are we? You know what I said about broken records."

"Look, does this mean I'm done? Can I just forget about this?"

"For now," the older sighed, though took one step closer to him to ask one more question. "I totally breezed over the name. What's the secret boy's name, hm?"

".....I-I don't know." Like hell I'd drag another innocent into this horrible situation.

"Oh dear," Chenle murmured softly, pulling his sleeve up and shooting his arm out to grip Jisung's throat tightly, shoving him back against the cement surface in a vice-like hold. Immediately, his air was cut off, and chokes fell from his cherry lips. "I hate lies. Probably because I can detect them."

"S-St-"

"Name. Of. Boy. Please. I haven't got all day, and this arm doesn't get tired."

What does he mean it doesn't get tired?

"Heh, I can see the confusion you're experiencing. The only reason I can singlehandedly suffocate you without my other arm, is because this one is actually metal. I could play with you all day, and you'd never beat me. So," he loosened his grip, "What's the name?"

Jisung panted desperately while tears free-fell from his ducts. "J-Jaemin."

"Surname?"

"I genuinely don't know..." he whined, falling to the ground and clutching his neck defensively. There were finger marks seared into his skin now. Memories of the fear.

"Kay, I'll take Jaemin as an answer. Stay alert, Blondie, 'cause things aren't over quite yet." He started to walk away towards the alley exit, "Actually, I'd say they're only now beginning."

With that, he was gone. Almost seemingly taken by the wind. Jisung sat back against the wall and caught his ragged breath.

Things were even more twisted than before.

"Jaemin..." Taeil froze as his secret little partner reported back with the news for him. "Seriously? Are you sure you didn't mishear him?"

"Positive," Chenle hummed. "Why?"

"It's nothing," they moved to head back to the base from the cafe they had reunited in, "I'm sure I'm wrong."

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