firefly | zhong chenle

CH20

"she's beautiful. i want her. you do too"

-

The next day was his break day, and he had decided to check out the site of where the fire started. It didn't make sense that the fire started out of the blue. Yes, it was a highly flammable area, but fire needs to be provoked for it to burn.

He studied the walls of the burnt down garage, even though it was just ashes and debris. It seemed hopeless to be walking around the building, as there was simply not enough evidence left on the site. He was about to give up when he saw something like a gold wrapping glint on the ground. Crouching down, he picked it up, figuring out it was a cigarette.

"A cigarette?" Chenle furrowed his eyebrow "It must've been an adult"

Chenle stood up, glancing around at the nearby villagers. A mere cigarette could have caused that entire accident, he thought. There were barely any adults here as they were all at work. The ones left were either children or young adults on holidays. He strolled along the streets, analysing each person that seemed to just be minding his business. His hands were in his pocket and his face was pulled down, utterly frustrated and annoyed that someone had the audacity to burn the building without another thought.

On top of that, Chenle didn't want to get the police involved as the moment they get involved, he could pull the whole fire station down with him knowing him and the others were in charge of the mission. His father was a police officer, a head one at that, which gave him another reason not to call the police and beg for an investigation because he knew he could never bow down to his father. 

Chenle was about to give up when he saw the 19 or so year old teenager that was talking to Arin before. He was leant against the wall, playing with his phone. Approaching him, Chenle asked nonchalantly "You were the boy who was speaking to Arin before, right?"

He straightened his back, confused that some stranger was talking to him, but responded anyways "Yeah. You were one of the firefighters. I remember"

"Do you know anyone who smokes in your neighbourhood?" Chenle asked, hoping to get some information out of him.

"No" The young adult was rather adamant "No one smokes"

"No one?"

"This is an abandoned neighbourhood for all the people whose home got burned down because of the inn incident last time. We all moved here after that fire. You know that" He shrugged "There's only elderly and children here"

"Right" Chenle nodded, but even so, this made him even more confused. Because if what the boy was saying was correct, there would be no reason for there to be a cigarette there.

"I need to go do the laundry" The boy said, waving a goodbye to Chenle. Just as the boys back was to Chenle, something fell on the ground, the crinkling sounds catching Chenles attention. His gaze fell upon a small black cardboard box with golden details. A cigarette packed. Precisely, the exact same brand as the cigarette before.

Chenle scoffed, his eyes piercing into the back of the boy. Not only was he pissed that someone so young was smoking already, but he just got lied to the face. His fists clenched, the vivid memories of Arin yelling for help flashing in his head. In a moments of rage, he couldn't even think straight, his actions happening faster than his brain spun. Stepping forward, Chenle grabbed the guy by the collar, spinning him around and slamming him against the brick wall.

"Motherfucker" Chenle sneered. For a second, the boy remained confused, till he noticed that his cigarette packet has fallen. A mischievous, almost smug, smirk replaced his confused expression. A soft chuckle slipped from his tongue, making Chenle sick to his guts.

"You almost believed me, didn't you" The boy glanced up at Chenle, their eye contact clashing.

"Why did you do it." Chenle hissed "She saved your brother. You almost killed her"

"Oh no" The boy's smirk grew larger "I wanted to kill the guy next to her"

"What?"

"You must be like me. Seeing as you're here, looking like you want to murder me. We're in the same boat, buddy, calm down" The boy placed a hand on Chenle's shoulder, which he violently shook off.

"I'm not one of you. What are you talking about"

"She's beautiful. I want her. You do too" The boy escaped from Chenles grip "We're the same"

"You're insane" Chenle spat

"From that day she saved my brother. I thought the heavens have finally given me a gift. Gifts shouldn't be shared. They should be kept to yourself" He stepped closer to Chenle "And you might be my next target"

"Shut up" Chenle simply ignored his threats, leaning down to pick the cigarette packet up when the guy crouched down and got to it faster. Holding it with one hand, and the other hand with a lighter, he began laughing, hysterically as he set the packet on fire.

"You can't arrest me even if you tried. I left that cigarette there on purpose so you could find me. That way, this'll be a lot more fun"

Chenle lost it. He threw at punch at the boy, snapping his head to the side as Chenle's chest heaved with heavy breaths. His fury had peaked and he could feel his heartbeat beat erratically, like his heart was burning in lava. His fist was tainted with the blood that was pouring out of the boys nose, but all Chenle could see was the red flashes of anger in front of him.

Clutching his collar once again, Chenle exclaimed with wrath "Don't go near her again. Or I'll tear you apart"

The boys laugh rang again, loud and terrifying. He began slapping his knee after pushing Chenle off him, his body hunched over as his bursts of laughter heightened. It really looked like he had gone ballistic.

When he finally calmed down, the boy smiled at Chenle, then pointed to the right of him. Following his finger, Chenle saw a boy maybe 5 or 6 years old, the same boy that Arin saved, holding a camera up and filming the two. Chenle scoffed in utter disbelief, his tongue poking the side of his cheek.

"You think you're so smart" The boy uttered jeeringly "But you're nothing but the next sacrificial lamb in my plan. Don't fucking try me"

Chenle knew, this fight wasn't going to end easily.