Criss-Cross || Hyunin

Chapter 12

One thing Hyunjin had come to realize about Jeongin, was he walked faster than most people could run. By the time Hyunjin had caught up to him, he was already near the lift, tapping his foot on the floor as he waited for him. His breathing was labored, and Hyunjin had noticed his efforts to avoid the cells all the way out. “If you have problem seeing blood, how did you come to this line?" Hyunjin asked, amused, as they both got into the elevator.

Jeongin was still tapping his foot on the floor and fidgeting with his blazer. "Not blood. A lot of blood." He answered sounding more embarrassed than irritated. “And what do you have to dot? Stay away.” Hyunjin shrugged with a smile. He found it funny. Jeongin did look young, younger than everyone on their team, but the thought of someone involved in their business being scared of blood didn't sound quite right.

......

They both waited in the conference room. Hyunjin was watching Jeongin grow restless with each passing minute. Where first it was only him tapping his foot, now it was him shaking his leg while fidgeting with his fingers, eyes fixed on the door.

It was when he started picking at his cuticle again that Hyunjin winced and interfered at last, "They must be coming, Jeongin. Relax. And-" He put his palm between Jeongin's hands and pushed them away, "Stop this. It’s not good."

Saying so, he rubbed his own fingers while Jeongin lour at him. However, within the next few seconds, there was a knock at the door and Minho, Changbin, and Chan walked in. Jeongin immediately stood up and took a dangerous step at Changbin, stopped by Hyunjin who stepped in between with raised palms. Jeongin sneered at him. “Get off my way."

"Listen to them first." Hyunjin calmly responded.

"And why should I listen him? Him?" He pointed at the others, his gaze landing on Changbin, “He imprisoned me in my own house and I should listen to him?”

"Because it was necessary." Changbin snapped, putting a hand on Hyunjin's arm, asking him to move aside. "It was to keep you safe!"

"By locking me away?" Jeongin glowered. "After all how long has all this been going on? Behind my back, despite my refusal, you people did not agree, right?”  He looked at others as he spoke.

"Don’t fucking act like kids. And it would be better if you not talk about hidden plans." Changbin spoke, and though he was a few inches shorter than Jeongin, he looked way bigger in that moment with his chin raised high and chest puffed out.

Jeongin recoiled at Changbin's words but jumped back in saying, "Then tell me what is going on here. Why you didn’t tell me?"

"Because of your stubborn ass." Minho spoke from behind Changbin. "If we had told you, you would have denied it." Jeongin looked at him exasperatedly and yelled, "Minho, they know you, not me! They will get revenge from you, not me."

The air fell silent.

Minho looked around and sighed at other's expressions. He stepped forward, beside Changbin and said, "And we did it to keep it this way, Jeongin." Hyunjin raised his brow at the unusual softness in the guy's tone. "What?" Jeongin asked.

"They were after you since you came back from Chayeong’s party." Changbin spoke." The people we caught knew your true identity. That's why they were after you.”

"And how do they know that-"

"That day they asked you whether you work for Chan or not. " Minho intervened and Jeongin stiffened. "Well, you didn't think it was necessary to tell me this but -"

“I didn't tell you because I knew you would do something like this." Jeongin interrupted him in anger. He then glared at Hyunjin saying, "But I forgot to shut someone’s mouth.” Hyunjin raised an eyebrow at his chewing tone. "I did my work. ”And just like you said, you didn’t tell me to shut up." He gave Jeongin an overly sweet smile which Jeongin returned with a scoff.