Archive of Our Own ^beta

One: There are countless dreams in the sky, waiting for me

On some days, being alive is a tragedy; on other days, it’s pretty fun.

Jisung resists the urge to do a few flips with his hoverboard. They are on a mission, after all.

Minho is flying before him, guiding him through the first sector of new Seoul city. The buildings are tall here; Jisung can look up and watch thousands of stories stretch into the sky; he can let his eyes roam down to see the buildings disappearing into the deep of the other city sectors.

A car lands on a port platform before them, and Minho is guiding his board down to pass underneath. Jisung follows him, heartbeat picking up. They are nearly there.

Minho lands on a staircase next to a big advertisement panel, his hair shimmering in the blue light.

Dancetech tournament recruitment, the panel says in bright letters. Make your dreams come true.

Jisung doesn’t need to be recruited anywhere, though. Chan already did that, years ago, when Jisung still had been a lost kid instead of the city’s best flier.

“Hannie?” Minho leaves him no time to dwell on the past.

“I’m here, hyung.” Jisung can’t resist spinning his hoverboard while landing. He always has been a show-off, especially in front of Minho.

Minho’s head tilts back a little, breathing out. This is as much as a reaction Jisung can get from him.

“We’re exactly on time.”, Jisung tells him with a glance towards his timescreen and an enthusiastic smile.

“Of course we are.” Minho had calculated the route, after all, had carefully chosen their timing to avoid the airbrigade patrols.

Then he is nodding towards the stairs, and Jisung moves forward. His hoverboard follows him silently, almost eerily, the way Jisung had commanded.

They cross a few platforms, and even more stairs, until they finally get a good look at the wide glass panels fixed on the opposite building. The glowing engravement reads “Byeol Enterprise”.

Well, Byeol Enterprise will certainly not be happy after today.

Minho has already taken out his gun, and Jisung follows suit. His weapon is a real gem; colored in electric purple, flexible and slender. Jisung gives it an appreciative stroke, before aiming at the panels.

“I’ll take the left side.”, he tells Minho, and receives a confirmative hum.

“On a count to three?”, Jisung asks.

“Wait.”

Jisung takes a second look at the space before them; another car is passing by, and a few people are skating through the air.

“If we wait, we might get caught.”, he protests.

“I am giving the signal.”, Minho instructs.

Jisung sighs and aims again. A few more seconds pass, and Jisung knows Minho is making sure no one is getting caught in the fire.

“Now.”

Jisung’s finger is moving fast, shooting a rain of bullets towards the left panel. Across the street, glass is shattering. Jisung doesn’t take the time to look; he is turning around, exchanging his gun for a graffiti sprayer.

He leaves a small, angular ‘SKZ’ on the wall behind them. Everyone should know that they are responsible for this, after all. They have a reputation to maintain, or else the job offers will stop coming in.

Jisung notices airbrigade cars the moment he looks up.

“Oh, hell.”, he whispers, before jumping on his hoverboard.

Minho is already waiting for him, diving down once he is sure Jisung is following.

Jisung swoops after him without hesitation; this is his favorite part, after all; fleeing the scene with dizzying speed.

The world is blurring before his eyes, neon colors flashing and disappearing. The air is whipping his face, and he quickly activates his protective screen. Transparent particles are expanding in front of his face.

Jisung likes the thrill of leaving the protective screen off for as long as possible. Gravity is trying to claim him, to pull him away, but Jisung is master of the air. And, of course, his magnetifyable shoes are of a quality that Chan insists on. Only the best equipment for his stray kids.

They are trespassing sector after sector, and Jisung’s vision zooms in on the figure before him. They are nearing the ground, and Minho is losing speed. Jisung is approaching him rapidly, slowing down just a little, enough for Minho to elegantly land in the clean corner of their agreed-on checkpoint. Enough for Minho to turn around in half-panic and notice Jisung nearly crashing into him.

Jisung doesn’t, though; he brakes strongly and pulls his hoverboard up, ignoring the ugly scratching of the underside meeting the ground. Then he is stumbling, staggering from his hoverboard. He loosened the grip of his shoes too soon; completely on purpose, of course. Within seconds, Minho is there to catch him.

“Brainless lunatic.”, he mutters, his eyes wide.

Jisung offers him a sweet smile.

“Thank you for catching me, darling.”

Minho stares at him a little, then tilts his head back and lets out an exasperated breath.

“Come on. Let’s meet up with the others.”

Jisung follows him with a big grin on his face. He feels drunk, high on adrenalin, and so, so in love.

Minho is his. Everybody in the team knows it, to some degree. He is used to the others casually commenting on how much they like each other, how Minho is so soft only to Jisung.

Jisung likes to bask in that knowledge, too. Likes to think it makes him special, somehow. But he also knows the truth, knows how hopelessly enamored he is with the other; Jisung is far softer than Minho will ever be.

Seungmin and Jeongin are already waiting for them, on the balcony around the corner.

“Job’s done.”, Jisung tells his teammates, exchanging a quick fist bump with Jeongin.

“Were you followed?”

“I don’t think so.”, Minho says. “Airbrigade cars showed up, but there is no way they followed us. We took the narrow route.”

“I don’t think they even saw us.”, Jisung adds, fiddling with the sleeve of his green vest, folding it until the length is right again.

“Good. The net should have caught most of the falling glass.”, Seungmin tells them. This was the mission he and Jeongin were on; spread out a midi-net a few stories deeper, shortly before the destruction. They do their jobs properly, after all. No unnecessary casualties.

“Let’s go report then.”

Stray Kids’ home lies in the depths of sector nine, the lowest district in new Seoul city. Down here, there are only artificial lights to illuminate the streets.

They enter the base through the hoverboard port of the once neglected building. The small opening sits on the backside of the second floor, protected by a thin wall of shimmering holoparticles. It only lets the eight of them in, solidifying if anyone else tries to break into their home.

It makes Jisung feel safe.

The walls are decorated with various Graffities, mostly made by Chan. “Stray kids”, it said in colorful letters, on the wall behind the big purple couch.

Jisung watches it and remembers.

“We need a symbol.”, Chan had said, after their first job, when it had still been only him, Jisung and Changbin. “A name. Something recognizable.”

It was the first day Chan had sprayed “Stray Kids” in big, bright letters all across the wall. He had added a little dinosaur at the end, one Jisung had laughed at for a full minute. Chan had just smiled to himself, before adding a crown on the dinosaur’s head.

“It’s my tag.”, he had explained. His signature.

Everybody knew Chan’s tag by know. The crown felt appropriate, too; Chan was king of their small empire, after all.

Jisung is torn out of his memories when Minho flies into the room after Jeongin.

“You’re doing whole backflips now just to enter the house?”, Minho chides, amused. Jisung grins sheepishly. And what if he does? It’s an elegant entrance.

Minho is dressed in practical black clothes, and Jisung’s gaze flits down to the belts strapped around his thighs, up to where the dark hair falls across his eyes. Minho catches his gaze, and for a moment they are simply watching each other.

Minho is the first one to break the contact, looking down to where Jisung is fiddling with his jacket again. Jisung wills his hands to still.

“Do you need a new one?”

Jisung casually shrugs the oversized jacket off his shoulders.

“It looks cooler when it’s big on me.”, he points out. He tosses Minho the jacket, who catches it easily.

“You look cool either way.” Minho’s tone is honest, casual, and makes Jisung’s heart jump in his chest.

“Would you two stop flirting so we can report to Chan?”, Seungmin sighs.

“Could you mind your own business?”, Minho grumpily retorts.

Seungmin sighs. “You are the single most annoying human being on earth.”

“Pay attention to your words, or you will not be reporting to anyone.”

“Chaan”, Seungmin yells towards the studio door. “Minho is being violent again…”

When they enter Chans room, they are met with a relieved smile and a bone-crushing hug from their leader. Jisung gives him a few pats on the back, while Minho awkwardly endures the hug.

Jisung suppresses a laugh. It’s such a familiar scene, and it fills Jisung with some kind of deep contentment. The world around them is tumbling and turning, uncaring of their little home; but in here, things stay the same.

“We have a new job request.”, Chan tells them, later. “I’m still discussing it with Changbin. It’ll involve cheating a bunch of very important people during the Dancetech tournament.”

The five of them have made themselves comfortable in the port room; Minho sits next to Jisung, an arm slung across his shoulder.

“Minho, I’ll need you and Hyunjin for the job.”, Chan thoughtfully passes a hand through his blonde curls. “Probably Jisung too, in case something goes wrong.”

Jisung grins. He’s needed when things get dirty; when they want someone too create chaos, shoot stuff, and plan an epic escape.

Chan rubs his hands over his knees, before standing up.

“Jisung-ah, Changbin and me will be downstairs, training.”

Jisung beams, and detaches himself from Minho.

“Where are you going?”, Minho actually pouts.

“Training. Wanna join?”

“No.” A simple statement. “We could go out for dinner later?”

“Yeah, okay.” Jisung ruffles his hair. Minho lets him.

“My big cat.”, Jisung coos.

“Show respect to your elders.”, Minho huffs.

“But you’re just like a cat… You act all menacing, but then you turn soft.”

“He never turns soft with me.”, Seungmin complains. “He has clear favoritism.”

Minho glares at both of them.

Hyunjin doesn’t shoot people. He’s their painter. Every team needs a good painter. For art fraud, of course. Not decoration.

And Hyunjin is very good at what he does. Recreating the biggest and priciest masterpieces, imitating the old masters on the canvas.

In another life, Hyunjin himself would have been the master, Jisung thinks to himself. He would have been the famous one, the one with his name all up the fancy galleries. He is romantic, an artist at heart. He dresses elegantly and draws little doodles of flowers and kissing couples.

It hurts Jisung’s heart, sometimes, to know how much Hyunjin would have deserved this.

“You too.”, Minho tells him softly, when they are perched on top of their roof, surrounded by the neon lights of sector nine. “You deserved to be a poet. A musician. Whatever you wanted in life. You are far better with your words then you are with a gun.”

I’m excellent at anything I do, Jisung wants to reply.

He doesn’t, though. Instead, he lays his head in Minho’s lap and cries.

The art gallery and the dance club are interconnected; stretching as high as sector seven, the buildings stand out thanks to the glittering facade and the many bridges linking them to each other.

“We’re going in.”, Minho tells Jisung, hovering in front of the building. “We’ll be back quickly.”

“Without me?”, Jisung looks back and forth between him and Hyunjin. “You didn’t tell me.”

“I’m trying to steal Minho from you.”, Hyunjin teases him. “Try not to get too jealous.”

“Why should I.”, Jisung retorts. “I know he likes me mo...”

“Hyunjin and I are going to sign up for the Dancetech event.”, Minho interrupts their little dispute. “For the next job. They only allow the artists for the sign up.”

Jisung nods, understanding. He is no painter like Hyunjin, no dancer like Minho. He’s just a special agent with too many words in his messy mind.

An excellent special agent, he silently adds. The very best.

He’ll probably be entering the tournament as their sponsor or bodyguard.

He starts flying up, until he finds an empty concrete platform to land on. He sits down, legs dangling from the edge, observing the sparkling entry port through which his companions disappeared.

His hoverboard is flying circles around his feet, and Jisung nudges it, lost in thoughts.

It has been a long time since he has seen Minho dance. He knows Minho had been a professional dancer, once, before circumstances forced him to quit. Before Chan had found him on the streets, just like he had with most of them.

Everyone left some kind of dream behind, Jisung muses.

He wonders what it will be like, seeing Minho dance again. He wonders how Minho will feel about it.

Changbin horrified stares follow Minho, as the older transports the barbell out of the fitness room. Changbin had insisted on building one in their basement, but now it’s being disassembled.

“How can you even lift this?”, Changbin complains.

“Have you seen his legs?”, Jisung whispers to Changbin.

“You’re drooling.” Changbin whispers back.

Hyunjin appears at the door, a big painting in his arms. “Changbin, move.”

“It’s hyung for you.”, Changbin retorts, without any real bite to it. “Can’t you three go vandalize another room? Why does it have to be our gym?”

“The basement is the largest room we have.”, Jisung empathically pats Changbin’s shoulder. “I also hate to see our equipment go…”

“Oh, don’t pretend. You’re happy that you have an excuse to stop training- Hyunjin, are these flowers?”

“How am I supposed to be artistically inspired when the room is ugly?”

Changbin sighs, defeated.

“How long will I have to lift weights in the hallway?”

“Until Hyunjin and I have finished preparing for Dancetech.”, Minho replies smoothly.

And just like that, he starts dancing again. Jisung regularly stops by at their former gym to listen to Minho and Hyunjin debate about dance moves, to watch Minho repeating steps by himself while Hyunjin and Felix quietly chat about the artistic vision for the performance.

He watches them come upstairs after long days of planning, and can’t suppress a grin when Minho’s eyes immediately find him.

“Chicken?”, he asks, holding up a chicken leg from the big fast food box on the table.

“I can’t believe you are training in our common space now.”, Hyunjin says, bewildered.

Changbin and Jisung are taking a food break, while Chan is still boxing against the training dummy they have transported up into the port room.

“You stole our gym.”, Changbin answers.

“With Chan’s permission!”

Changbin sulks. “Yeah, well, we need to train somewhere.  Jisung has to stay fit for the mission.”

Jisung nods seriously and stuffs a piece of chicken into his mouth.

“It’s hard to live with you three.”, Hyunjin states, defeated. “Chicken and sweat everywhere.”

“And shirtless guys.”, Minho adds. “How am I supposed to concentrate?”

Jisung chokes on his chicken.

Minho is extremely nonchalant about the fact that he will be dancing in front of a crowd in less then a week. Jisung can only admire him. He hates crowds; hates being in the spotlight of people he doesn’t trust.

“I’ll do what needs to be done.” Minho shrugs, out of breath, picking up a bottle of water. Changbin’s gym looks totally different as dance studio. Jisung buries his nose into one of the flowers bouquets decorating the old wooden bench. The smell is strong and sweet, and Jisung knows it’s artificially enhanced. It’s been a long time since he smelled real flowers.

“But you haven’t danced for so long.”, he tells Minho, face still submerged in flowers.

“It’s hard to forget something you’ve done for half your life…”

“That’s not what I meant.” Jisung fumbles with his words. “Doesn’t it feel … nostalgic to you?”

Minho shrugs.

“Not really. A little bit? Haven’t thought about it like this.”

Jisung sighs.

“Do you even have emotions?”

Minho raises an eyebrow at him.

“Feels like you just have three emotions in you.” Jisung lifts his fingers to pinch them against Minho’s chest while he lists them. “Happiness. Sadness. Anger.”

Minho just looks at him, fondly. Jisung can’t help but think about how well they fit together. Minho is just the right amount of levelheaded to balance him, just the right amount of odd to harmonize with him.

Felix’ disguise is immaculate; he looks exactly like the other tech-guys that are flitting in and out of the control room.

As official participants of the tournament, Minho and Hyunjin had no problem getting Jisung and Felix in.

“They belong with us.”, Hyunjin had said, almost commanding. The guards had taken one look at Jisung’s special sponsor badge and had let them pass.

The control room is located on the third floor in the back of the performance hall with its high ceiling and multiple terraces. A wide glass panel allows them to look down at the crowd and the stage.

As a sponsor, Jisung shouldn’t be up here; but he has to keep an eye on Felix. After all, he is doing the dangerous job; finding the voting data and manipulate it, so that the prize goes to their client.

Minho and Hyunjin will be fine on their own.

Felix is meddling with one of the computers; nobody here is actually paying attention to him. The hard part was getting in.

Jisung crouches down in front of the glass panel; he knows it will be Minho’s turn soon.

Hololights are dancing across the stage, accentuating the way the current dancer moves. The music is dampened through the glass panel, but Jisung can still hear the rhythmic notes. The performance ends and the lights shut down.

For a few moments, there is only darkness. Then, a single ray of purple light flashes across the stage, illuminates Minho’s silhouette. Jisung holds his breath. The Music starts to pulsate, along with beautiful patterns of hololights; illusions created by Hyunjin and brought to life by Felix.

Minho starts to move too, accentuated by the flickering lights and changing scenes around him. He is running through a windy field, with fast movements and sharp stops; then, his arms are moving gracefully, dancing with fireflies in a dark forest.

Oh, the way he moves; Jisung thinks he might faint. It can’t just be him; how could anyone see Minho and not fall in love? The performance is perfect. Minho and Hyunjin have done a masterful work. For this night, Minho had turned into Hyunjin’s personal canvas, and Jisung understands. They did this for their own fulfillment; they did this to present their soul through art.

Suddenly, Jisung wants to write; something among the lines of “You, who shines in midst of countless people” or “I want to devote all of me to you”.

Jisung almost wishes he could tell Felix to manipulate the votes towards their performance instead. But he knows the people down there are corrupt to their bones. A newcomer winning would be impossible; they would be getting arrested the moment their win would be announced.

“Hey there. What are you doing in here?”

Jisung looks up, torn out of his trance. A woman is talking to Felix, who looks up innocently.

“Just doing my job, Ma’am.”

Felix is the master of looking like he could never be capable of speaking a lie while simultaneously lying through his teeth.

“I know my workers. You’re not one of them.”

“I was hired by the organizers to help with the additional work load … “

“Nonsense. The guards will retain you while I check what you were meddling with.” The woman turns around, just to find Jisung’s gun planted in her face.

“I don’t think you will.”

The woman goes down with an unpleasant noise, and Jisung drags Felix with him. He shoots every security camera he can find, and takes care of four tech guys on their way out.

“What a mess.”, Felix worries. Jisung worries to. They have made way too much noise, and what if he overlooked a camera, and what if …

They make it to the lobby before the first shouts reach them. Jisung stays composed while he walks to the performance room, searching and searching; and there they are. Minho and Hyunjin are conversing with a couple of other guests, sipping some high-class drink from expensive looking glasses. Jisung sends the emergency message through his midi-phone, and sees Hyunjin looking up, before he nudges Minho.

The two of them excuse themselves quietly, finding Jisung and Felix in the entrance.

“We’re leaving.”, Jisung says, and they don’t question it.

They are almost at the door when five guards stand in their way.

“Gentleman, you are under arrest for suspected … ”

“I’m sorry, we’ll have to go.”

Minho goes to stand right in her face. The guard doesn’t budge. Instead, Jisung sees her hands slipping down to her belt, toward something Jisung recognizes as a full-body paralyzer.

“Minho!”, he shouts, and then he shoots.

For a moment, everything is silent. Then, chaos erupts. His teammates are taking out the other guards, but there are more rushing down the stairs, and there is a crowd full of people surrounding them …

Jisung shoots at the big lightscreens that illuminate the lobby. The room is plunged into darkness, and he makes his way towards the entrance, finding Minho’s hand in the process. He can only trust that Felix and Hyunjin are following.

And of course, they are. The four of them emerge on a big parking platform, guards following them closely.

Jisung’s gaze flits from the guards behind them, too the approaching airbrigade cars above them, down to the parked vehicles; multiple elegant cars and a bright yellow bus. He tries to call his hoverboard, but it doesn’t answer. Someone must have removed their boards, capped the connection.

“Follow.”, he tells the others, and makes a run for the bus. The cars look too fancy; too difficult to break in. Bullets fly through the air, and Jisung registers a big explosion behind them as Felix throws one of his grenades at the following guards.

Jisung shoots the rear door open, and makes way for the driver’s cabin. The bus is dark from the inside, and Jisung calls for Felix to get into the starboard of the vehicle. Minho and Hyunjin are still firing shots at their pursuers, while Felix does his work. After a few seconds, the bus lights up. Jisung sits down on the ugly green drivers’ seat and presses a few buttons, before yanking the lever forward. The bus comes to life with a loud roar, and soars into the sky.

In the rearside mirror, Jisung can see how Hyunjin kicks a guard back down onto the platform.

“Hold on!”, he shouts, as the bus moves up vertically. Behind him, Felix grabs a seat. Minho is making his way up to the driver’s cabin, clinging to the poles in order not to slip back down while they fly into the higher districts.

“I’ve contacted Chan. They are coming to our rescue.”, he calls.

“Good.”, Jisung answers. “Because I never drove a thing like this, and the airbrigade will bring backup sooner or later- “

A bullet hits the window beside him, and glass is shattering. Jisung activates his protective screen to shelter his face from the shards. Minho grabs the next handle he can find, and responds with a few well aimed shots that send the airbrigade car spiraling into the deep.

“Can you stop going up?”, he exclaims.

“There is more space to maneuver a gigantic bus in the upper sectors!”, Jisung shouts back.

He adjusts to a more horizontal course, though.

The cars are catching up to them, fast. Jisung can spot multiple people jumping on hoverboards and approaching their bus from all sides. He manages to ram some of them, but then they are entering the bus, and Hyunjin and Felix are fighting, even though they shouldn’t be. They can fight, of course. But they shouldn’t be. They should be drawing or wiring computers, not kicking and shooting at airbrigade patrols.

Minho isn’t leaving Jisung’s side, protecting him from anyone who dares to approach the driver’s cabin.

And then, the others are there. Chan comes sweeping in through the broken glass, smashing his hoverboard into the face of a guy attacking Minho. Jeongin is right behind him, gun drawn.

Jisung has to look away to avoid crashing the bus into a building, yanking the lever left. He sees someone tumbling into the deep besides him, and for a scary second he thinks it’s one of them, before he recognizes the red airbrigade vest. Everything is loud and chaotic, and adrenaline is cursing through his veins as he narrowly avoids another building. Then, Minho is flying next to his window, feet firmly planted on a hoverboard that looks like Changbin’s.

“Jump!”, Minho shouts.

Jisung can spot Changbin and Seungmin behind him; they are flying on Seungmin’s hoverboard, Changbin gripping Seungmin from behind with one arm while they shoot at their opponents. Felix has joined Chan on his hoverboard, and Jisung assumes that Jeongin is taking care of Hyunjin.

“Jump!”, Minho repeats, raising his arms to signal that he will catch him. And Jisung trusts him, completely. He stands up, steering the bus to the side before taking a leap out of the shattered window. The bus goes crashing into a building before tumbling into the deep.

Jisung is falling; then he feels Minho’s body around him as he plucks Jisung out of the air.

“Got you.”

Jisung pathetically grabs Minho’s shoulders; his shoes cannot get a proper grip onto the hoverboard. It isn’t made for multiple people flying on it.

Then they are sinking at a breathtaking speed.

Back in their base, Jisung collapses onto the ground, exhausted. Minho is there in a matter of moments.

“Hannie. Are you hurt?”

“Do you like calling me that because it sounds like honey?”, Jisung whispers, out of energy and brain to mouth filter.

He can hear Chan letting out an exhausted laughter in the back. Minho doesn’t answer, but the worried look leaves his face; Jisung’s antics are enough to prove that he is fine.

After that, they stay low for a while, only accepting smaller missions.

Today’s mission doesn’t go well, though, and Jisung is tired of things getting messy. They were only supposed to take one person out, a corrupt banker who was blackmailing their client. But then, the air brigade shows up.

Changbin, Jeongin and Jisung flee in a rain of bullets, having to take multiple guards down with them.

Later that night, Jisung and Minho are on their way to the convenience store. The city is as crowded as it is by day, and as dark. It’s not like there is sunlight filtering down to the lower sectors anyway.

Jisung remembers the shoots from earlier; he can still hear them ringing through his ears. Stuff like this doesn’t haunt him, normally. But today is weird.

His gaze lingers on one of the illuminated streetcorners; “Poet’s club”, it says above the entrance door.

Maybe in another life, Jisung thinks, that’s where I would have belonged.

It hurts a little.

He hurries to catch up with Minho, slinging an arm around his shoulder. Minho is insanely beautiful like this; hologlasses sitting high on his tall nose, dark hair framing his face, walking by Jisung’s side like that’s where he was supposed to be all along. Maybe Jisung belongs here, too.

“Do you think we should be dreaming more?”, Jisung muses out loud, looking back over his shoulder, where the poet’s club disappears around the corner. And he knows Minho’s answer; knows he always has both feet firmly on the ground, hadn’t felt the need to drift away like Jisung does.

“You always do.”, Minho says, because he also knows Jisung. “Dream, I mean.”

And maybe he is right. Jisung is always … somewhere. Mind floating between the stars, heart drowning in the deepest of seas.

“It stopped being magical, though.”

“Then make it magical again.”

And it’s as simple as that.

Jisung laughs, brightly.

“You’re really wise, hyung. You always know the right things to say.”

Two: The walls that were black are all colored by you

They all get emotional once in a while, deep in the night, when the city shines the brightest.

“You guys saved me.”, Chan says, and it’s not the first time he tells them. “When everyone left me, I felt so … empty. I don’t know what I would have done without Stray Kids.”

They have come together, here, on one of the highest rooftops of sector one. Jisung turns to Chan, right foot playing with his new hoverboard, pushing it back and forth, back and forth.

Changbin is patting Chan’s shoulder.

“I might not even be here, without you.”, Chan continues, and Jisung is finally standing up to put him in a bone crouching hug.

“Our Channie hyung- “, he coos. “Our oldie leader-”

“I’m twenty-five.”, Chan protests, but there are tears in his eyes.

“Old.”, Jisung confirms.

“Minho is twenty-tree.”, Chan tries, pointing at the second oldest.

“Two whole years!”, Jisung exclaims, grinning.

“Don’t want your hugs anymore.”, Chan pouts, and he feels so young like this, when he is not busy leading them through the biggest city of the modern world.

Jisung pulls back then. He is still smiling when he retreats to the place he was sitting before. This time, Minho is there, to quietly put his arms around Jisung. Jisung lets his head fall back onto Minho’s shoulder. The city lights are drowning out the stars, but the moon is still there, bright as ever, with it’s little bumps and craters. Minho’s hand smoothers down Jisung’s side.

“You are the one that saved us.”, Felix tells Chan quietly, in English, because it’s their private language, a reminder of their origins. He looks like he is about to cry, too.

“I’m going to protect you.”, Chan growls, still in tears. “Each and every one of you.”

They will make fun of him for it, afterwards. But for now, they just comfort him.

Jisung clearly remembers the first time he met Chan. He had been sixteen, on the run, and filled with anger, so much anger. At the world, at himself, at anyone really.

He’s much calmer now, more mature. He isn’t lost anymore. Most of the times.

“Are we still stray kids?”, he asks, head still on Minho’s shoulder, watching the moon. “Now, that we have each other?”

“We’re still astray.”, he hears Changbin’s calm voice. “Castouts from society.”

“And you definitely still act like a kid.”, Seungmin adds.

Jisung laughs.

“Me or Changbin?”

“Both.”

Jisung feels Minho’s chest against his back, hears him chuckling quietly.

“You’re quite childish yourself, Seungmin.”, Changbin remarks.

“That’s what I get from living with you guys.”

“We’re all a little insane, aren’t we?”, Jisung lifts his head, just to get the satisfaction of watching them smile.

Seungmin grins. “It’s difficult to be normal in Stray Kids.”

Jisung breaks out into a smile when he sees Minho occupying the biggest couch in the port room. He is wearing Jisung’s oversized green jacket, the one he never bothered giving back. It fits him just right.

Hyunjin is sitting across him; his long, dark hair is swept up, and he seems to be drawing something in his sketchbook.

“Hi baby Hwang.” Jisung greets, walking past him to join Minho.

Hyunjin snorts at that. “Get out of the way, I’m trying to sketch Minho.”

“I never agreed to that.”, Minho mumbles, eyes fixed on his midi-phone.

“Gonna have to draw me too.”

Jisung plops down right on Minho, suffocating him in the process. Minho huffs out a surprised breath, dropping the midi-phone in the process.

“Jisung, let him breathe.”, Chan says from across the room. He has just landed, and grabs his hoverboard to position it next to the entrance.

“Our protector is back.”, Jisung announces dramatically.

Hyunjin giggles. “I’m going to protect you!”, he mimics Chan’s voice.

Chan laughs awkwardly.

“I hate you. I was emotional.”

“Our Channie cutie will protect us-“, Jisung beams.

“You’re insufferable.”, Minho tells him. He has arranged Jisung in his lap so he can breathe again, arms closing around his waist.

“Our client won Dancetech.”, Chan tells them, and Hyunjin claps his hands together, delighted.

“Felix has done a perfect job.”, Chan adds. “He left no traces. But a few people might know our faces. We’re not sure if Jisung got all the cameras, too. We should be careful.”

“Of course, dad.”, Jisung says, seriously, earning another laugh from Hyunjin. “We will be back before dawn and…“

Minho tickles his sides and Jisung shrieks.

“Hyuung”, he whines. “Whyy…”

“Jisung-ah, can you move so I can continue my drawing?”, Hyunjin asks.

“Stop harassing poor Channie hyung.”, Minho tells Jisung.

“If you stop harassing me!”

“It’s so much fun though- “

“I give up on my drawing.”

“I’ll be going, then.” Chan walks past them to lock himself in his studio.

Jisung had been really small, back then. A scrawny, weak kid with narrow shoulders. He is not weak anymore; not after hours of training in their basement gym, not after his daily boxing sessions with Chan. Sometimes he still feels small, though.

“I don’t like your way of exercising.”, Minho tells him, keeping his torso straight, supporting his weight with his underarms.

“But you could be spending time with us.”, Jisung interjects.

Minho glares at him. “I only train to keep healthy.”

“At this rate, I’m gonna be stronger than you.”, Jisung teases.

Minho is standing up, wiping the sweat from his face.

“Come here.”, he says, and Jisung steps closer.

He gasps when Minho picks him up, bridal style.

Stupid dancer legs.

“I lift your weight in dumbbells.”, Jisung tells him. “I can carry you.”

“Good.”, Minho answers. “If I’m ever to injured to walk…”

“That’s not why…”, Jisung starts, but stops himself. He’d rather die then tell Minho about the silly romantic scenarios he imagined. “Stop being like this!”

Minho carries him all the way to the bedroom he shares with Seungmin, while Jisung protests weakly. He tosses Jisung on his bed, and Jisung’s heart is doing weird acrobatic things.

“Wait here. I’m going to shower.” Then Minho disappears again. When he comes back with damp hair, in a simple black t-shirt and shorts, Jisung is already tapping against the floating hololights that control the screen.

“A horror movie?”

Minho shrugs. He always goes with what Jisung likes, anyways.

“You should grow your hair out.”, Jisung suggests. “Like Hyunjin.”

“That would be bothersome during missions.” Minho plops down next to him.

“How about dying it? Purple would suit you.”

Minho shrugs. “Maybe.”

“Changbin hated the suggestion.”

“You told him to dye his hair purple?”

“Yeah. He was really annoyed.”

“You probably said it in an annoying way.” Minho grabs a pillow to adjust it behind his back. Jisung watches him affectionately.

“Hyung, you’re never annoyed by anything I say.”

“There’s nothing I don’t want to hear from you.”, Minho tells him, and something warm blossoms in Jisung’s heart.

“I can tell you anything?”

Minho nods.

“I love you.”

Minho breaks out into a surprised but pleased smile; as if he hadn’t anticipated that answer. Jisung tells him regularly, though. Suddenly, he is overthinking.

“I’m not joking when I say stuff like that.” Jisung plays with the hem of his ripped shirt. “I know I say it all the time, to all of you. But I mean it.”

“I know, Hannie.” Minho lets his hand roam through Jisung’s hair. Jisung wants to tell him more, though.

“It’s just… I feel so much, and its difficult to describe it. And “I love you” are the most beautiful words I know.”

Minho is silently tracing patterns on his head, and for a while, Jisung soaks in it, eyes closed.

“You’re really precious to me.”, he hears Minho whispers into his hair, before reaching for the control lights again.

Jisung allows himself a small, giddy smile.

“How about an animal documentary?”

The timescreen displays four o’clock in the afternoon, and Jisung is not sure if Minho is trying to massage him, kill him, or feel up his torso.

“Let me.”, Minho complains, his hands wandering around Jisung’s upper body.

“Not my chest.”, Jisung stops Minho’s hands with his own. They are in public, after all; he and Minho are occupying the purple couch in the port room, waiting for the whole team to arrive.

“But everywhere else is fine?”, Minho comments.

“Guys, concentrate please.”, Seungmin chides in. “Jisung, put on a shirt.”

“Chan is also shirtless.”, Jisung complains.

Chan is, in fact, stretching his bare upper body on the electric blue sofa.

“And we are still waiting.”, Jisung adds. “Hyunjin isn’t concentrating either.”

Hyunjin looks up from his sketchbook. “Yeah, well, we are waiting for Changbin.”

“That’s what I just said!”, Jisung exclaims. “Look, he’s not paying attention at all! Why should I?”

“There is a big difference between you and me!”, Hyunjin protests. “I’m working on my next masterpiece; you are getting groped.”

“You wish you were getting this wonderful massage-“

“I’m an exhibitor, not an exhibitionist.”

“Jealous, your soo jealous Hwang Hyunjin…”

“How do I even survive living here-”

They are interrupted by Changbin’s arrival. Seungmin lets out a relieved breath, and turns to Chan, who has been watching their bickering with a fatherly smile.

“Now that we are complete, can we talk about the next mission?”

“It’s a couple event.”, Chan explains, while Changbin takes place next to him. “We need to steal something from the hosts of the party. We will infiltrate it and do the job while everyone is distracted.”

“Then we need someone to play a couple.”, Changbin states, already grinning.

All heads turn to them directly. Jisung is very aware of Minho’s legs that are still draped over his.

“Minho and I will do it.”, he agrees easily. He’s not going to let go of an opportunity to flirt.

“Anyone of us could do it.”, Minho remarks. “It’s not that difficult. You just hold hands a little … ”

“We’re sending four people in, actually.”, Chan says. “It’s a dangerous mission, so I’ll definitely go. Felix, we might need you to get through some locks.”

“Count me in.”

Felix is already clinging to Jisung’s side the moment they land on the big entry platform. Bright lights are dancing through the tinted glass windows, and Jisung takes note of the multiple vehicles parked outside, the buildings shape; anything that might help them later on.

“You’re enjoying this too much.”, he whispers into Felix’ ear, slinging his hand across the youngers back.

Felix wiggles his eyebrows and Jisung makes an exaggerated kissy face in his direction. Felix smiles and leans in, lips puckered. Jisung laughs it off and gives him a clap on the back.

“You’re not escaping my kisses tonight.”, Felix promises.

Jisung winks. “Never planned to.”

He can feel Minho and Chans gaze on them. They make for a much more modest couple; one that Minho had insisted on.

“I will not pretend with you.”, he had told a pouting Jisung. “You’re going to be insufferable, and I won’t be able to focus on the mission.”

“Are you saying I’m so pretty it’s distracting?”, Jisung had retorted with an exaggerated wink.

It feels ironic now that Jisung is staring at Minho’s face far too often. He is supposed to lovingly gaze at Felix, not Minho. Minho in a black dress shirt is really a sight to behold, though…

Jisung himself had gone for less formal wear; a leather jacket, multiple earrings and a bonnet hiding his hair. He wants to dye it soon; maybe blonde like Chans curls, or in pinkish strands, like Seungmin recently did.

They enter the building with a crowd of other people. Jisung feels a rush of adrenaline when they step into a large, dim-lit bar. The music is so loud he can feel it in his body. The electro beat paired with the changing lights makes the whole crowd appear as in a trance.

“Okay, let’s spread out.” Chan tells them.

They’ll probably need to break out of the public event and into the private quarters to find the keys they are here to steal.

 “Jisung, Felix, you stay at the bar.”

Jisung doesn’t like when they have to split up; it always feels safer having them all in sight. It reminds him of what Changbin had said, once: Out there, you guys are my closest allies.

Jisung swirls his drink around, keeping an eye on Chan and Minho, trying not to stare at Minho’s shirt to much. It would look so good with the top buttons opened …

Felix disappears shortly after. Jisung tries to protest; it’s a couple event after all, and being alone would look suspicious. But Felix is already gone, clearly having spotted something of interest.

Half an hour passes before Felix comes to join him at the bar again. Jisung is relieved to see him.

Felix leans forward to whisper into his ear: “The passcode to the private accommodations is four, zero, zero, one. You’ll probably find the keys in the bedroom.”

Jisung has no idea how he managed to find out all of this, but he nods, impressed. Felix inconspicuously searches the room with his eyes, before turning back to Jisung again.

 “Okay, baby, I’ll have to go hiding now. If a tall guy in a suit comes searching for me, you never saw me.”

Felix presses a light kiss on his cheek and disappears into the crowd again.

Minho steps into his space a few minutes later. Jisung sheepishly grins at him. He had just contemplated leaving the bar, after receiving a few curious looks from other pairs.

“Your time has come.”, Minho announces.

“What does that mean, hyung?”

Minho lowers his voice. “Let’s go find the keys.”

“What about Chan?”

“Chan has been held up.”, Minho tells him, leaning into his space in a way that would seem intimate to an observer. “See that guy? He’s the manager of Byeol enterprise, apparently.”

“The one we destroyed the panels of?”

“Yes. He shouldn’t be able to recognize us, but he is acting… weird. Chan is taking care of it.”

“Wonderful. Leave the two people who don’t know how to interact with strangers alone at a party.” Jisung groans.

“You’re the one who wanted to come as a couple.”, Minho responds next to his ear.

“Well, I’m sure you wouldn’t have left me here, all alone.” Jisung frowns. “I’m going to break up with Felix next time I see him.”

Minho giggles, and Jisung breaks out into a smile. Flashlights are wandering through the room, illuminating the people in circles of purple and blue. Even now and then they flit across Minho’s face, and oh skies, Jisung is staring again.

“Should we go, then?”, he quickly says. “Lix told me to look for the bedroom.”

Turns out that the party stretches out to a labyrinth of rooms and hallways. They stumble across a salon that reeks of chemicals, multiple people lounging on sofas and talking quietly. A long corridor full of dark figures later, they find themselves in a space lit in dark red and purple.

Jisung only needs to take a quick look at the intertwined couples to know exactly what kind of room this is. Minho is carefully heading towards the opposite door, moving relaxed enough not to draw suspicion. Jisung follows him, watching the space with morbid curiosity.

The door clicks open behind them; Jisung wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t looked back right then to observe a vase of red flowers placed on a low table in front of a kissing couple. He wonders if they smell artificial, too, before catching a bald man in a suit slipping into the room. Jisung recognizes him immediately; it’s the guy Chan was talking too, earlier. The CEO of Byeol enterprise.

Jisung reacts on instinct; he lets his hands glide up Minho’s back, softly guiding him around a sofa. Minho sends him a questioning gaze but follows Jisung’s lead obediently. They have to trust each other, in situations like this; and Jisung knows Minho trusts him especially.

“The Byeol dude is here.”, Jisung whispers into Minho’s side. Minho knows better than to look back. He just nods slightly.

“Do you think he has been following us?”

Jisung doesn’t answer. Instead, he manoeuvres Minho against a wall, before stepping forward, caging him.

Minho looks slightly surprised, then panicked, but Jisung lets his arms fall around Minho’s shoulders, one hand roaming up to tangle in his hair.

“Stay.”, he whispers, mouth close to Minho’s. “He knows your face, he’s seen you with Chan. There is only one reason for us to be here, and if he thinks we are doing anything else-“

He traces a finger down Minho’s face.

“Jisung.”, Minho whispers, and Jisung doesn’t know if he is agreeing or not. His hand wanders down further, finds the first button of Minho’s dress shirt. Oh, how badly had he wanted to do this, all evening. He plops the button open, fingertips finding Minho’s skin underneath, and Minho breathes out shakily.

His eyes roam from Minho’s eyes to his mouth and back. He can’t do this, though.

“Is he still looking?”, he whispers against Minho’s skin.

“Yes.”, Minho answers, without averting his eyes from Jisung’s face once.

Jisung turns them around, then, switches their positions so he is the one pressed against the wall. Then he softly pulls Minho in, mouth finding his neck. Now he can oversee the room without looking suspicious.

He allows his eyes to stay closed for a second, drowning in the feeling of having Minho right there, pressing a few kisses into his skin, before peering over Minho’s shoulder.

He congratulates himself for being able to focus with his lips still trailing along Minho’s throat, while the other has gone completely pliant under his hands, breathing out a soft noise…

No. Focus.

The Byeol CEO seems to have left the room. They can continue to move.

He detaches his lips from Minho, head falling back against the wall. “He’s gone.”

Minho’s blinks, pupils blown wide, cheeks flushed red. “What?”

“The Byeol dude.”

“Oh. Right.” Minho takes a step back, hands leaving Jisung’s body. “Give me a second.”

Jisung uses the time to compose himself; he takes a deep breath to calm his still racing heart and tries to not miss Minho’s touch too much.

“Okay.”, Minho shuts his eyes, frowns, opens them again. “Okay. Let’s get going.”

They don’t talk on their way through the staircase. It leads up and up and up, and Jisung still has a hand on Minho’s back, like he is afraid to let go, like there is a magnet drawing him in, like he might explode if he doesn’t touch.

He only removes his hand to tap in the code Felix told him.

Four - zero - zero – one

The door slides open, and Jisung is thankful that most private households don’t have holoparticles to protect them yet.

There is an acute kind of tension when they start searching the empty flat; Jisung wants to be done with it as soon as possible, and at the same time he wants to …

His eyes meet Minho’s across the hallway; his shirt is still unbuttoned at the top. Focus, Han Jisung. You’re a secret agent. A masterful criminal. Focus.

“Hannie.”, Minho calls from inside the next room. “I found it.”

Jisung hurries to join him, and finds himself in a large bedroom. The outer wall is completely made of glass; Jisung guesses that it is opaque from the outside. But from the inside of the bedroom, he can watch cars flying by, observe how big, bright advertisements change colours.

The city lights illuminate the room, throwing shadows onto the soft bedcovers, the multiple screens fixed to the wall.

Minho is searching through drawers, before holding a bundle of keys up.

“This one.” Jisung steps to him to hold a small, silver key up. The little screen on the key lits up, showing that it needs charging soon. Jisung takes out the drawing Hyunjin did beforehand, and compares. “That’s the one.”

Minho detaches the key from the bundle, throwing the others back into the drawer.

Then he turns around, meets Jisung’s gaze again. He holds out the key, and their hands brush when Jisung takes it. It’s kind of intense. Jisung doesn’t realize he has been staring until Minho makes his way to the door.

“What is it, Hannie?” Minho asks, when Jisung stays frozen in spot. Then he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. “Do you want to stay in here? We even have a bed.”

“Hyuung.” Jisung breaks out into a pained whine. “You can’t just say stuff like that!”

Minho grins wickedly, and just like this, the tension is broken. Jisung laughs a disbelieving laugh before taking out his graffiti spray to leave a bright orange ‘SKZ’ next to the bedside table.

Rain is falling, but inside their base, it is cosy and warm.

Minho is placing food on Jisung’s bedside table, real food, and Jisung sighs contently.

“Is there anything you can’t do?”, he asks, sitting up.

Minho doesn’t answer, but Jisung can see his ears go slightly red. He does not know how to deal with compliments, getting adorably shy most of the times.

Outside, small waterfalls cascade from the buildings; most raindrops don’t make it to the lower sectors. Instead, they accumulate on some roof or platform, before they start to come crashing down. Jisung joins Minho at the window, leaning his chin on the others shoulder.

“Don’t want to go outside.” he whispers.

“I like rain.”, Minho whispers back.

Jisung gives him a quick kiss on the neck, and Minho’s eyes fly up, surprised.

Jisung hopes his stutter isn’t as apparent as he explains: “You seemed to like it.”

Minho stares, unbelieving. Jisung observes him trying to act unfazed, sees him failing, too, as a blush creeps up to his ears again.

Sometimes, Jisung is convinced that they both know. That they both feel this way, and they both know, and it’s just more comfortable to not talk about it, because they always seem to get each other without words anyway.

One of these days, Jisung thinks, he’s going to kiss Minho, on the mouth. And then they’ll be this obnoxiously affectionate couple that tells each other sweet things all the time. And then they’ll grow old together and never let go of each other ever again.

Jisung heart aches a little bit at the idea. I really want this, he realises.

I really want this, Jisung thinks, in front of the poet’s club. He is used to it, by now; the small sting, the “what if’s?” that surface in his mind. He had been about to walk by, maybe jump on his hoverboard to get home faster, when the doors had opened.

Jisung stands there, mesmerised, as he observes the people getting out; they are chatting and laughing; some are still holding notepads or pens. Jisung hadn’t even noticed how his heart had started racing. He watches the door to the club close behind them, and suddenly, violent longing overtakes him.

I really want this, Jisung realises, leaning back against the wall behind him. I want to write.

His nerves are on fire; Jisung thinks he might die from this feeling.

Weak light is filtering into his room.

Jisung wants so many things. He longs, and dreams, and he’s always been like this; high ambition, crazy imagination. But never in his life has he felt the way he felt in front of the poet’s club. Never had he felt such yearning; not even for Minho.

Maybe that’s a lie. But the point still stands; Jisung mind runs wild with rhymes and cadences, beauty and melody. It begs for him to put down all the words he hoarded within himself.

Jisung lets his body fall down into the softness of his bed. Then, after a little bit of consideration, he stands up to go join Minho in his room.

The street is grey with thoughts. Jisung walks next to Minho, a bag from the convenience store in his left hand. It is a crowded afternoon, but Minho’s face seems to be the only coloured thing in Jisung’s world. It’s like someone forgot to paint everyone else, leaving him as the only vibrant being.

“I love you.”, Jisung randomly tells him. It is the best way he knows how to express Minho’s colours.

Minho changes the hand he’s holding his bag in, without giving him an answer.

“You’re not going to say it back?”, Jisung teases, because Minho rarely does. “Oh, your so cool, aren’t you?”

The truth is, Minho never even needs to say anything. The way he holds out a hand to anchor Jisung in the crowd is enough. Like he noticed the way Jisung had started to subtly shake a few moments earlier.

“I know this place that takes care of stray cats.”, Minho tells him. “There are far to many in this city. I’m thinking of adopting one.”

Jisung lets himself be distracted by Minho’s smile, by the easy flow of the conversation.

The crowd is getting smaller, his heart is getting lighter, and soon, he feels like himself again.

The next week passes in a blur. Jisung spends most of it with Minho, cuddling in his bed, or going for little walks.

“You went really quiet, lately.”, Hyunjin tells Jisung, sitting on the balcony next to him. Jisung lets his feet dangle between the railings.

“Just been feeling down.”

“You can talk to me.”, Hyunjin tells him, serious. “I just don’t know how to approach you when you’re like this.”

Jisung raises an awkward hand to his neck. “Don’t worry, really.”

“I … I regret not being there for you.”, Hyunjin says, and Jisung is touched, really. “It’s sweet how Minho is always there for you.”

“He is my tranquilizer.”, Jisung agrees.

“He was the only one you didn’t fight with, back then.”

Jisung laughs, remembering the way he and Hyunjin used to be at each others’ throats for the smallest of things. “I didn’t fight with Felix either.”

“Yeah, but Felix is an angel; it’s impossible to fight with him.”, Hyunjin states. “My point is, you didn’t fight with Minho, because you choose him, right? You knew from the beginning. Couldn’t stop staring at him, either.”

“Not my fault he’s that good-looking.” Jisung tries to be casual about it. “Also, there was nothing to fight about. We think the same way.”

“You’re both weird, that’s it.” Hyunjin offers him a teasing smile.

“Hey! He’s the weird one. I’m normal.”

“You’re an alien, Han Jisung.“

„I’m gonna tell Minho to cook you in the airfryer.”

Hyunjin laughs, short and bright, before his expression turns serious again, almost pensive. “You were kinda right, back then. Sometimes I’m jealous, you know? Of how you two found each other. I want someone like that.”

“But you have us!”, Jisung protests. “Lix and Changbin and everyone…”

“A soulmate is different, though.”

“I can also be your soulmate!”, Jisung protests right away. After all, he loves Hyunjin with all his heart.

Hyunjin chuckles. “You’re sweet, baby. But you know that’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean, then?”

Hyunjin looks at him for a while, as if debating how Jisung will take his next words.

“I’m talking about romance, Han Jisung. I want someone to care for me, romantically.”

Jisung’s hand awkwardly wanders towards his neck. That’s not the topic he thought they would be discussing tonight.

“Well, you’ll surely find someone…”

“Oh, thank the skies.”, Hyunjin exclaims. Jisung’s eyes shoot up, surprised. There is no way his meagre words were enough to convince Hyunjin of his romantic potential …

“I really thought you were going to deny it or something.”, Hyunjin continues. “Like the oblivious idiot you are. Leave Minho hyung to be lovesick by himself.”

“Minho hyung?”, Jisung’s eyes widen comically. “I’m the lovesick one!”

“Yeah, well, I totally thought it would be the other way around.”

“Why?”

“Well, he treats you like you’re the only person in the world.”

“But I … I treat him differently too!” Jisung exclaims. He ruffles his hair, frustrated. “You don’t understand. He’s the most beautiful being to have ever walked this earth. I’m so desperate for him it’s not even funny. And I’m not subtle about it!”

“Well, you don’t seem very desperate.” Hyunjin shrugs. “You’re always the center of all action, flirting with everyone.”

And of course, that’s what Jisung aims to be; he wants everybody in the team to like him. He wants to be fun and self-assured. It’s just that sometimes, it feels like a facade to him; an outer layer that only shows the person he wants to project. And whatever he feels for Minho takes root on another, deeper layer.

If Jisung were to be an artist, Minho might have been something like his muse. If Jisung were to be a poet, if he would have written down all the pretty and all the sad words that float through his head, then maybe, he would have written about Minho.

“I am desperate.”, he repeats quietly.

“Then why the hell haven’t you told him yet?”

“I think I’m just scared it’ll all go away.”, Jisung breathes. “If I change something between us. It’s so … fragile, and I’m scared to break it, to chase it away.”

“You won’t”, Hyunjin tells him, and Jisung really wants to believe him. “Look at us. We’re all staying, aren’t we? One stray kid makes the other stay.”

“It’s different … “

“Sounds to me like you’re the one running away from it.”, Hyunjin raises a meaningful eyebrow.

Jisung shrugs. Maybe he is, and maybe Minho is too. Maybe that’s why they never properly talk about it.

“Stop running, Han Jisung.”, Hyunjin bumps into his shoulder. “Start staying.”

Three: Like the earth hardens after rain, and flowers bloom again

“Jisung-ah, are you sure you’re up for the mission tomorrow?”

“Of course.”, Jisung responds. He is ready. Exited, even.

Changbin pats him on the back. “I can replace you if you want. Go with Minho.”

“No need.”

Changbin doesn’t look convinced. Jisung elbows him, smiling. “You don’t worry like this, normally.”

“I always worry about you the most.”, Changbin tells him.

“Really? Never got that impression.”

Changbin nods, serious. “You make people want to care for you.”

Jisung feels himself getting awkward, and quickly backtracks to jokes. “Are you going to take care of me, hyung?” He bats his eyes at Changbin.

Changbin snorts.

“Hyuuung, please take good care of me”, Jisung continues, annoying grin plastered on his face. “You’re the absolute best older brother eveer …”

Changbin weakly raises a menacing arm, and Jisung dramatically stumbles backwards.

“Help, Changbin is attacking me!”

“I’m not even mad.”, Changbin grumbles, resigning himself to sit down at the couch. “I’m not upset at all.”

“Are you brainwashing yourself?”

“Tell me if you need anything for tomorrow.”, Changbin dryly responds.

They are flying through the highest sectors, where they can see the sky. The sun is bright and warm, and Jisung enjoys the clean air; a stark contrast to the dusty scents down below.

He guides his hoverboard to circle around Minho, who’s gaze follows him calmly.

It’s funny, to think back to the times they both struggled with heights. Jisung had exaggerated his fear to make Minho feel more comfortable. It was an easy way to connect with him; together, they had trained on the hoverboard, until Minho was no longer shaking. Jisung hadn’t needed that much training; but he had wanted to get close to Minho, and he liked taking care of him.

So here they are, now. Waiting for their target to leave the elegant glass building that stretches high into the sky. Jisung does a backflip, his blonde hair bouncing. He and Chan had dyed it together; the chemical scent in the bathroom had lingered for days.

He is thinking of words again. This time, they are words of freedom. In the middle of the noisy city, do whatever pleases your heart.

Minho lands on a roof next to him. Jisung joins him with a smile, and shrugs his jacket off; it is getting too warm.

Sit in the sunshine and close your eyes; or look at me for a second.

He barely realizes they are being attacked; he just sees Minho’s panicked expression, seconds before he is blinded by a bright flashlight. Then, everything fades.

The CEO of Byeol Enterprise is a tall and creepy man. Jisung names him Turnip in his head.

Turnip had already been here when Jisung had woken up, a few minutes ago. Now, he is pacing back and forth, holding his dramatic villain monologue.

“ … always knew I would catch you. Stray Kids. Ever since you destroyed our company’s panels, I have been tracking you. I will end your little group of criminals, and I will … “

Jisung focuses on the room. It is nauseatingly white, with bright stripes of cold lights attached to the ceiling. Three people in bright red air brigade vests are positioned around the door.

Minho is sitting a few meters from him, feet shackled to the floor, like Jisung. His hair is messy, his gaze is piercing daggers through Turnip, and if Minho were to ever look at him like this, Jisung would fold instantly.

Suddenly, Turnip is in front of Jisung, slapping him in the face. Minho jumps to his feet, but his chains prevent him from reaching them.

“Answer my question!”, Turnip roars. Jisung tilts his head; the slap burns a little, but he will not be intimidated.

“Would you mind repeating?”

Turnips head reddens, and he looks ready to attack again.

“Our base is in sector eight.” Minho’s voice echoes clearly. “Right at the outer ring of the city. It’s the building next to the night bar.”

He is shamelessly lying, and Jisung feels like laughing and crying at the same time. Turnip looks at Minho in disbelief.

Then, he turns around to the air brigade. “You heard him. Search the building. If the little criminal is lying, he’ll lose his arm.”

And oh, the things Jisung will do to this man if he dares to touch Minho.

“Spread the message in the lower sectors.”, Turnip adds “We are ready to release the two stray kids if their leader turns himself in.”

Minho and Jisung’s eyes meet across the room, and Jisung can see his thoughts reflected back to him.

He can only hope the other members stop Chan before he does something stupid like sacrificing himself.

The room is dark; Jisung doesn’t know if it’s already evening, or even night. The air brigade has confiscated his and Minho’s devices, including their timescreens.

Jisung sighs. They will need new hoverboards, again.

He watches Minho’s shadow. He is sitting against the wall, head tilted back.

“I wish I could touch you.”, Jisung whispers into the dark of the room. He hears Minho taking a breath.

“Do you think they will torture us?”, Jisung asks. He furrows his eyebrows when Minho doesn’t answer.

“Hyung, I don’t know what to do if they hurt you. I think I might go crazy.”

“The others will be here soon.”, Minho tells him. “They’ll break us out, Hannie. Don’t worry.”

The hours pass.

Jisung is trying to wriggle his feet out of his chains. At some point, Minho had tried ripping his own off with brute force. Now, he is brooding.

Then, they sleep. It is important to be well rested for whatever will happen tomorrow, Jisung thinks.

They are in some kind of lobby. The walls are decorated with two big, expensive paintings, and multiple air brigade members are surveilling the door.

Jisung and Minho are tied to chairs, and Turnip is currently facing a very angry Chan.

Jisung tries to suppress his grin. Of course, it didn’t take their leader more than twelve hours to come find them.

“Free them.”, Chan demands.

“I have a better idea.”, Turnip laughs, bracing himself forward on a big table in front of him. “You give up your business and give us your profit to compensate for what you destroyed. Or we’ll find every last one of your little team, and we’ll break them.”

Chan leans forward, and his gaze has turned into something dark, something dangerous.

“Let this be your only warning: No one lays a finger on them. Don’t you dare even touch them.”

They are his kids after all. Jisung grits his teeth. If only the ropes weren’t so tight. If only he could…

It’s ironic, really; that from all the people they have swindled and thieved from, even killed, this is the one that would go after them. A rich businessman, searching payback for a few broken glass panels.

“I thought my message was clear, Stray.”, Turnip is now saying. “To free them, you have to turn yourself in. Isn’t that what you’re here for?”

“Not exactly, no.”, Chan answers.

If it weren’t for the air brigade guns are pointed at him, Jisung would have smashed himself against the wall, breaking his chair in the process, and then…

The ceiling explodes. Jisung reacts immediately; he hops with as much elan as he can muster, and his wooden chair splinters against the wall. He ignores the pain in his arm in order to catch the gun Seungmin is tossing him. He and Jeongin are flying through the broken ceiling, while Chan has jumped over the table to wrestle with Turnip.

There is chaos everywhere; the paintings are ripped, people are shouting, and dust is swirling, making Jisung cough.

Jisung springs to action; he takes cover behind a massive block of concrete from the ceiling, and lifts the gun. It’s one of his favorites, a paralyzing laser in sleek green paint. He grins and starts shooting at the guards attacking them.

Minho has managed to free himself too; Jisung can see him jumping over ceiling blocks to join Chan in beating up Turnip. Behind them, Seungmin is still floating in the air, evading the rain of bullets and lasers. He lifts his arm in a command, and two empty hoverboards are flying to the ground. Escape tools for him and Minho, Jisung understands. He gets up to join Seungmin, but stops, horrified, as he hears a familiar scream.

Jeongin is tumbling from his hoverboard, barely catching himself on the ground.

Is he hurt?  Jisung starts running towards him, avoiding the destroyed concrete in his path. Jeongin is standing up again, and Jisung watches out for anyone attacking him, ready to protect…

Suddenly, piercing pain is spreading through his chest. He lets out a strangled moan, tumbles. Someone shot him. Someone shot him.

He is falling to the floor. Everything is loud, too loud, and his vision is swimming…

“Jisung! Jisung.” Minho picks him up easily. Shoots are still firing around them, and Minho is running towards their Hoverboards.

“The others.”, Jisung weakly exclaims, but Minho is paying him no attention.

“Jeongin…”, he tries again.

“Can’t fly with you and him in my arms.”, Minho grunts. Jisung really, really wants to protest. I can fly by myself, he wants to tell Minho. His vision is getting black, though.

“Jisung!”

A slap across his face. Minho’s panicked voice.

Jisung blinks. Everything hurts; he feels like he is dying, and maybe he his. His eyes are closing again.

“Hannie, please. Hyunjin will be here any minute.”

Jisung croaks. Minho must understand him, because he nods, urgently. “We’re safe. Everyone got out.”

They must be at a checkpoint, then. Good. His family is out of danger. Knowing that, he can die in peace. And pain. Hell, it hurts. He coughs. Is this blood spilling out of his mouth?

He feels pressure on his hands, and distantly realizes Minho is holding onto them. Then his fingers are roaming up to Jisung’s face.

“Hold on.”, he whispers. “Hold on. Everything will be fine.”

But it won’t. It won’t, and Jisung will have left them all behind, leave Minho behind, without even telling him…

“Love you.” He chokes. Coughs. “’ve been in love. You know. You know, right?”

“Yes.”, Minho whispers. Is he crying? “I know.”

“Don’t mind me,” Minho whispers, joining Jisung on the balcony. Then, astonished: “You’re writing?”

“Yeah.” Jisung takes a breath. “Yeah, I am.”

Minho stares at him, and Jisung notices a small smile dancing around his lips.

“How come?”

Jisung puts the sketchbook down. It’s one of Hyunjin, but it’s being filled with words now, instead of drawings. Jisung asked for it this morning, when he finally woke up, after three days of pain and blurriness.

“I feel … light.”, Jisung tells Minho. “The good kind.”

Minho sits down next to him, on the balcony floor. A blue car is passing them by, and the stores across the street are blinking with bright letters.

“We haven’t talked yet.”, Jisung tells Minho, eyes focused on the corner of his sketchbook, fingers bending the paper back and forth. Minho doesn’t answer. He does know what Jisung is talking about, though. Jisung knows he knows.

He looks up to meet Minho’s gaze. Minho is already watching him, city lights reflecting in the dark of his eyes.

“When did we ever need to?” He reaches out to hold Jisung’s hand, stopping it from destroying the paper.

“Hyung, that’s so unfair.”, Jisung lets out a little whine. “You’re still trying to cheat yourself out of it.”

“But you know, right?”

“Tell me!”

“I love you.” After all this time, Minho says it, just like that. Jisung smiles a shy, happy smile. Minho mouth lifts up into a sheepish grin and he elbows Jisung’s side. Jisung nudges him back and groans a little when he feels his chest wound aching.

And that’s it. That’s how they stay; side by side, watching the city and each other, occasionally breaking out in silly smiles.

Jisung still feels a faint pain in his chest when he sits down on the purple couch. It’s better then what he had expected, after being was passed out for so long.

“You haven’t seen the best thing yet.”, Jeongin tells him, nodding seriously. Jisung leans his head against Jeongins shoulder, who makes an annoyed face, but lets him. That’s the perks of nearly dying; even Jeongin lets him be touchy.

“You’re cute.”, Hyunjin calls out, and gets his hands in Jeongins face, trying to squish him.

“You’re scaring him away!”, Jisung complains, while Jeongin starts to make more annoyed noises.

They all still when Changbin and Chan finally come in, transporting a giant box.

“Nobody told them?”, Chan asks, and they all shake their heads in unison. Jisung exchanges a curious glance with Minho. Apparently, he is as clueless as Jisung is.

Felix breaks out into exited giggles while Changbin opens the lid to the box.

Riches are flooding from the opening: New tech devices, expensive rings and watches. And money. A lot of money.

Jisung stares, wide eyed.

Chan leans back, smug smile playing on his face.

“The best thing is this; while we were breaking you out from Byeol, Felix and Hyunjin emptied his tresor.”

Jisung laughs a big, delighted laugh. “You’re crazy. You’re the best. He is going to hate us so much.”

“First, he’ll be in the hospital for weeks.”, Minho states. “Then, he will probably think twice before messing with us again.”

Jisung can’t bring himself to worry, either. He feels kind of invincible right now. It’s ironic, really, because he is still recovering from his chest wounds. It feels good, though.

Later, the others will tell Jisung that Minho stayed in this room for the last three days, refusing to sleep.

Later, they will find themselves on one of the highest buildings in new Seoul, the city quietly lying underneath them. The moon reflects on the glass surface of the neighboring building, and Jisung leans back against Minho’s chest.

Minho is caressing his hair, pressing small kisses onto his head. Above them, Changbin is showing the others funny moves on his hoverboard. Chan is not far from them, sitting on his board, letting his feet dangle into the infinite depths of the city. He observes them with a fond smile on his face.

Jisung feels peaceful. Yesterday, he started writing. Tomorrow, he will kiss Minho breathless.

For now, he just closes his eyes and sinks into the feeling of being known and cared for. And Minho knows him, inside out.

Jisung has found something, here, surrounded by his people. He doesn’t know what, exactly; but he knows he has been longing for it.

And Jisung thinks that maybe, this might be the moment that heals everything. Maybe being alive isn’t that tragic, after all.