(BTW I did make Jeongin a few years younger in this story.)
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"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"It'll be fine. It's a way to make money. I have to do what I need to...for Jiah."

Friday came around quite quickly for Jeongin.

Chris came back to babysit Jiah while Jeongin went for what he thought was an interview for a new job.

"Okay. Just be careful. Call me if you need anything.", Chris said.

"I will. And i cooked earlier. Jiah's food is in the fridge."

"Got it."

Jeongin grabbed his bag and headed to the door.

"Jeongin?", Chris said.

"Hm?"

Chris sighed.

"Nevermind...see you later."

Jeongin bowed to him before leaving.

Chris stood there, watching the door.

Inside, he knew that something was not right. He just couldn't place a finger on it.

He could only hope that Jeongin senses it too.

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The club didn't have anyone outside when Jeongin arrived there.

He assumed it was because it hadn't opened yet.

He knocked on the door.

"Hello? Anyone inside? It's Jeongin."

The door slowly slid open, and Changbin stood there.

"Hi there. You're early. Come in, we have a lot to go over."

Jeongin stepped inside with a smile on his face.

His eyes went wide and he gasped at the venue in front of him.

Purple and blue lights, an assortment of wood tables and chairs, a full bar, and a stage were in front of him.

Changbin stood next to him.

"Welcome to The Runners High. Like it so far?"

"It's beautiful in here! And it smells like sugar."

Changbin laughed a bit.

"We use an automatic air freshener system. It gets full in here, so we have to make sure it keeps a nice smell."

Changbin leads Jeongin over to the bar.

"Take a seat, I figure it's about time I tell you about your job."

Jeongin sits down.

The bartender, who was cleaning glasses, comes over to them.

"Hyunjin, please get our guest a vodka soda."

"Yes sir.", the bartender nodded, giving a sympathetic look to Jeongin.

Jeongin still looked around, and Changbin smiled at him.

"So. This club does a lot of things.", Changbin started.

Jeongin turned to him. Hyunjin handed him the drink.

"Our main source of income, aside from the bar, is over there."

Changbin points behind him to a hallway a few feet from the stage. Jeongin leans over to look.

"What's over there?", he asks.

"About six rooms. Men come into the club and request for certain...models...we have here. If they pay enough, they can take them back there."

Jeongin tilted his head.

"So...you want me to be one of those models?"

"You're very handsome Jeongin. You're also young, hm?"

"Yeah, 22."

"The men here like that. They'll pay a lot for you."

Changbin looks him up and down.

"If you accept my offer...you can start tonight."

"Really?!"

"Yes. Really. I'll post an announcement on the clubs website that we have a new boy. Just wait until you see how many people request you."

"So...what do I have to do with them exactly? Just let them look at me?"

"That's it. Just let them look at you."

The bartender eyed Changbin with a scowl. Jeongin didn't notice this however, and shook Changbin's hand.

"I accept!"

"Good! You're an official staff of The Runners High."

Jeongin cheered, taking a celebratory sip of his drink.

"I'll be right back. Hyunjin will keep you company."

Changbin got up and walked toward a room at the front of the club.

Hyunjin leaned on the bar.

"Hey, I will let you in on a secret.", he said.

Jeongin turned around to him.

"The men don't just want to look at you."

"What?"

"I can't let him lie to you. They wouldn't pay the money they do to just watch someone. Be prepared."

Jeongin watched Hyunjin walk off.

He wondered what exactly he meant.

A few minutes later, Changbin came back. He sat next to Jeongin at the bar and handed him a silver card.

"What's this?", Jeongin asked.

"Access card. At all hours, even when we're closed, you'll have access to the building."

"Oh. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, it's still early. We don't open until 9pm. Do you want to stay until then?"

"Sure! Let me just make a call."

"Alright."

Jeongin got up and went outside.

He took out his phone to call Chris.

"Hi there.", Chris answered.

"Hey! Guess what?"

"You got the job?"

"Yep! And he said I can start tonight."

"That's...great."

"It sure is. How is Jiah?"

"He's singing trot songs in the shower."

"Yeah that sounds like him."

"Heh, yeah, he's a lot like you."

"He is. One more thing. I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"The bartender told me that the men here don't just want to look at me. What else would they do?"

"Excuse me?"

"Changbin is the man who owns the club. He said the men just wanted to look at me, and would pay lots of money to to do so. But the bartender basically said that wasn't all."

Chris hesitated to answer on the other side of the phone.

"Jeongin, is it possible to hand the phone to the owner?"

"Uh...sure."

Jeongin went back in and walked to the bar.

"Mr. Seo, my friend wants to talk to you."

Changbin took the phone with a confused expression.

"Hello?"

"You dirty son of a bitch-"

"Oh, Chris. Hi."

"Don't say hi to me. You know damn well who Jeongin is. Right?"

"Of course I do. He's my new employee."

Jeongin couldn't hear what Chris was saying, but he only assumed it was good things.

Changbin decided to step away to continue the call.

"Changbin, this is wrong and you know it."

"What exactly is wrong? He needed a job and I gave him one."

"Jeongin doesn't know how these men behave. They're disgusting."

"He needs the money. And he won't get it anywhere else. Why do you care so much, huh?"

"Because Jeongin has a little brother who I am here babysitting. I swear on everything living and breathing...if you let some old crusty and dusty man hurt my Jeongin-"

"Oh calm down. You act like I will allow someone to harm him. I would never do that. I'll make sure he's protected."

"Like you made sure Felix was protected?"

"....."

"I didn't forget, Changbin. I bet Felix is still working there. But no one can buy him can they? Why is that?"

"Chris-"

"Because YOU let some creep do whatever he wanted. Now Felix is terrified of those rooms. He won't set foot back there."

"I won't let that happen to your friend."

"You know, when Jeongin told me about the club, I was hoping and praying it wasn't your club. But here we are. Changbin, you better protect him, because he's my boy."

"Alright..."

Chris hung up. Changbin thought for a minute, then went back to the bar and handed Jeongin his phone.

"What did Chris hyung say?", Jeongin asked.

"He's happy you got a new job and asked me to take care of you."

"Aww, he's so sweet."

"Yeah."

Hyunjin smirked at Changbin from behind the bar, who rolled his eyes in response.

The bartender walked back over to them with a box from the storage room.

"Good luck tonight Jeongin.", he said with a smile, "If you need me, I will be here."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Hyunjin walked away again and started to unload the box.

Changbin tapped his fingers against the counter, thinking about what Chris said.

He felt horrible about what happened to Felix.

But that wasn't his fault.

And he wouldn't let it happen to Jeongin.

Would he?