OUTLAW || ATEEZ x Reader

47

It was a quick affair for when someone had come in to take away Hendricks. He struggled for a moment but after Wooyoung got annoyed with the man's shouting and fighting, he was quick to shove a rag into the man's mouth. Seeing as he was cuffed, Hendricks was only able to huff and puff into the fabric.

When you turned back around to face Klein you watched as he was looking over the papers once more. He had a somber look on his face, one of regret as he sighed at each word that seemed to process into his head.

"I'd like to thank you for bringing this to my attention." Klein said, not meeting any of your eyes.

"You don't seem like it." Hongjoong raised his brows, crossing his arms as he stood in front of the man.

"You're still criminals in the eyes of the public." Klein finally looked up, sighing to himself as his eyes skimmed over all nine of you.

"We understand." You spoke up. "You're a respectable man who has a city to protect."

You watched as Klein suddenly thought about the entire town, going back to clenching his jaw as he began to think lowly of himself. It was a tough job to take on, especially for a town that was the second most populated. You were never going to be able to make everyone happy, but you were able to make the world a better place. At least in your own image.

Your family had always supported Klein–a vast majority of the town did–so he must have felt a heavy pressure on his shoulders knowing that he was close to putting all of them in danger. There aren't many people you are able to trust when it comes to positions in office, especially not with times growing more and more. People were getting greedy as things began to change, which led to problems. But that shouldn't stop the few who were trying to keep things at peace from doing what they must.

While Klein had the right intentions–wanting to see Cromer grow into a modern city–he didn't realize he would fall into a pit of snakes. Human era was inevitable. You were just glad to have stopped everything before it got too far.

"Will you leave soon?" Klein asked.

"We have a mission to finish." Yunho explained. "This was only a side quest." He chuckled.

Klein huffed a little laugh, pressing his lips together. "This drug." He asked, tapping on the papers and envelopes. "What happens if it gets out?"

"The world falls." Seonghwa answered. "It becomes baron of the joys we see everyday."

"We've seen what it could do." Jongho called from the back of the group. "It's not something this world should suffer from."

"Why hasn't Aurora done anything then?" Klein shook his head, not understanding the whole thing.

"They don't have evidence to prove corruption yet." Hongjoong told the mayor. "That's what we've been trying to do for the past couple of years."

The man took a moment to gather his thoughts before moving to grab the things from his desk. "Here." Klein began to gather all the papers between Quaid and Hendricks, handing them over to you. "Take these then." He told you.

"What about Quaid?" Mingi asked.

"I've already sent people after him." Klein answered the boy. "We'll take care of him here in Cromer seeing as it's my jurisdiction." He turned to look at you, giving you a thankful bow of his head. "Should anything else come to light though, I'll be sure to send word to you."

"Thank you, Mayor Klein." You smiled in thanks.

You watched as he suddenly clapped his hands, rubbing them together. He gave you all a raise of his brow, pursing his lips. "You've all committed crimes that should be punishable but it seems to me you're all hard to catch."

All of you suddenly looked at him oddly, frowning a bit at his words. You were a bit worried that Klein would somehow punish the boys for all they had done, but as you registered the rest of his sentence you concluded that wasn't going to be the case.

"You're letting us go?" You said, being the first to realize what it was he meant.

"If what you say is true about this drug, then it seems we have a common enemy." Klein nodded to himself. "I have a city full of people to keep safe. It's what I signed up for as mayor of Cromer." He took a breath, coming to a stand. "I'll tell the city it wasn't you who stole the money."

"Tell them you had money left over." Hongjoong suggested. "You'll be seen as the hero again."

"As much as one would love to take credit for that, I could not." Klein shook his head. "I was going to send that money somewhere terrible. I could never live with myself had you not taken it."

Your shoulders dropped at the man's convention. He was right in thinking a majority of people would have loved to take the glory and credit for saving the town, but Klein wasn't a majority of people. He was someone selfless who took care of others first. It was something each of the boys were quick to realize after speaking with him more.

At least by what you could tell from the looks on their faces.

"What will you say then?" Wooyoung asked.

"The truth." Klein spoke up, smiling as he thought it over. "ATEEZ were the ones who took the money." He smiled, watching as the boys all gave him skeptical looks.

"They have never seen your faces." The mayor added. "I don't believe they will suspect 8 handsome, young men who work for one of Cromer's hotels. Unless you have warranted for people to think that." Klein joked.

The boys all looked at each other for a moment, humming in thought as they pondered on what they had all done so far in your town. "They haven't." You answered for them, sending them looks that called for them to behave.

You turned back to Klein, bowing your head and giving him a smile. "Thank you."

"Of course." Klein nodded his head, giving you a kind smile as well.

Just as the boys all turned one by one to leave the office, you suddenly gasped, stopping to turn back around. "One more thing!" You called back.

"Yes?" Klein answered.

"My father." You began. "He's kind of in jail at the moment."

Klein laughed, nodding in understandment. "I'll have him released, don't worry."

"Thank you, Mayor." You bowed one more time, turning to Hongjoong who waited closer to you.

"Be careful on your mission." Klein called out before you all left the door. "It doesn't seem easy." He added.

You watched as the boys gave each other knowing looks again, Hongjoong sighing as he bowed his head. "It never is."