Through the Back Door

08

"Holy shit!" I nearly yelled, stepping out onto the roof. The view from up here was stunning, displaying bustling streets filled with a variety of shops. On top of that, the sun was setting; shades of oranges, pinks, purples, and blues painted the sky. I walked towards the west rail, trying to permanently capture the scenery. "This is... It's... I mean, just wow!" I could barely form a sentence.

"I know right?" Hyunjin chuckled, suddenly standing beside me. He handed me a cigarette while putting his coffee down. "It's beautiful."

"We're damn lucky we were able to purchase this building," Seungmin agreed, pulling out a cigarette of his own. He lit it before continuing, stepping towards the two of us. "The location here is ideal for a variety of reasons, mainly the accessibility."

I held the stick between my two fingers, still entranced by the view. "Where are we?"

The Kim boy inhaled deeply on his cigarette. "Haebangchon," he exhaled, smoke leaving his lips. "We're in the Yongsan district of the Sudogwon region."

My geographical knowledge of South Korea was still relatively limited, so I just nodded in response. "Can I borrow a light?" I asked, looking towards Hyunjin.

The ferret-faced boy smiled teasingly at me. "I'll light it for you instead, how about that?"

"What, are you worried I'm gonna BIC you?" I smirked, putting the stick between my lips.

Hyunjin flicked a zippo out from his pocket, lighting my cigarette as I inhaled. He proceed to light his own. "Maybe," he winked at me as he exhaled smoke.

I chuckled lightly, huffing on the cancer stick in a desperate chase for my high. Soon, I felt the nic rush hit my head. I sighed happily, feeling more at ease on the roof than stuck in that hall surrounded by the group of boys.

"Well you seem to be doing better than before," Seungmin remarked almost like he read my mind.

"I guess so... Even just the introductions were overwhelming, I can't imagine how I'm going to react when I find out why I was brought here in the first place," I explained between puffs. "Well, kidnapped." I corrected myself.

"Oh, that's relatively simple," Hyunjin replied. "We want you to join our gang."

I choked, leaning against the rail for support. I was surprised how the tall young man spoke so matter-of-fact. "You what now?"

"It's much more than just that actually," Seungmin corrected Hyunjin, smacking him over the head. "However, you weren't supposed to know that yet!" He tugged on his friend's ponytail as an extra punishment, clearly making him wince.

"Aish, let go of my hair!" Hyunjin whined. "She was gonna find out today anyways! Might as well tell her while she seems more relaxed."

The puppy-faced boy released his grip with a sigh. "I don't disagree with you, but I think Innie should've been the one to tell her; it was his idea after all."

The anxiety I had felt earlier while downstairs quickly returned. This was Innie's idea? So it really was just an ulterior motive all along? I dropped to the floor, putting my cigarette out as I did so. I huddled into my knees. "Fuck," I whispered, my eyes tearing up. "This is just my luck isn't it?"

"Yah! Hanbyul! What's wrong?" Hyunjin crouched down to my level and proceeded to rub small circles on my back with his free hand.

"What do you think?" I whimpered, wiping my eyes in an attempt to stop myself from crying. "I don't get why this is happening! And not only that but Innie-"

"He's only ever had your safety in mind," Seungmin interrupted. "Since the moment you two met."

"Did he really now?" I snapped back, not particularly believing him. "Is that really the only reason I'm here?"