Petals Stray Kids jeongchan

07

     Jeongin's POV

    "You— you what?" Chris asked incredulously over Taeyong's phone.

    "I want to stay with Neo City." I copied myself calmly. Johnny ruffled my hair playfully while Taeyong looked at me sadly. Taeyong's eyes were softened and he gave a sad smile trying to cover up the sadness.

   "No- that's it! Where are you? I'm coming to get you right now!" Chris says. I could hear the jangle of keys meeting each other and the confused shouts of the other members.

   "I'm not a child, Bang Chan. I can take care of myself just fine." I muttered. I rolled my eyes knowing he would continue to fight with me.

  "You're in danger there, Jeongin! What don't you understand?"

"I understand it fully well, Bang Chan. This isn't my first instance being taken into a gang; I'll be fine." I hesitantly reply. Memories weighed heavy on my mind and I mindlessly ran my fingers over the scar on my thigh. I gained confused looks from the pair sat before me.

   "You can't be serious! Why do you trust them so much? They're the ones who kidnapped you!" Chris tried to reason, but I was having none of it.

   "I'm fully serious, but don't make me lose my temper. I'm the one who agreed to go with them, so this is and was of my own free will."

  "You would really choose Neo City over me?" Chris asked in a hurt whisper. His voice shook throughout the sentence.

"I'm not choosing them over you, just that I wish to stay with them. Please understand me, Chan."

   "Why are you calling me by my alias?" He said, his heart breaking slightly.

   "Why wasn't I informed you ring-lead a mafia?" I shot back.

   "I was going to tell you when I was sure you could handle it—"

   "And when would that be? It's never an easy conversation starter or random piece of intel commonly said. But Taeyong was open about it from the start about it— and he's kind about it." I gushed, sending a thankful smile to the red haired leader.

"That kindness won't last forever, Jeongin. I know him— a lot more than you do. I'm coming as soon as I can!"

"Let me live my life and make my own mistakes." I reply and hang up the phone. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair as I slide the black phone back to Taeyong.

"Are you sure you want to stay here? We don't have any other bedrooms open." Taeyong warned and raised an eyebrow. He looked between myself and Johnny, who placed a hand on my knee.

"As long as Johnny doesn't try anything, I'll be fine with it." I teased and poked Johnny's wide chest with my pointer finger.

"Alright keep it PG this is a kitchen. Speaking of which, it's time for dinner." Taeyong said as he stood up then walked out of the kitchen.

"Jeongin, are you sure about this? I mean— we are dangerous; our lives revolve around shoot outs, drug dealing, and crimes. What if something happens to you?" Johnny worriedly states, his brown eyes soft and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Johnny, did you not hear a word I said to Bang Chan? This isn't my first gang experience, and I'll handle my own mistakes. And if something does come up, I know I can trust you. I don't really know why I trust you, I just do." I replied and lowered my head.

Other members began piling into the kitchen after I finished speaking. They gave confused looks to Johnny as they walked past, except for Mark, Jaehyun, and Doyoung.

"You'll have to tell me about that past experience later, Innie. I'm curious about you." Johnny flashes a smile to me before turning to the full table of seemingly ruthless gang members, each with a dyed hair color.

"This is Jeongin, and he is our guest for as long as he pleases. Before you all start complaining, know Taeyong-our boss- is the one who picked him up, and cleared him to stay. Any objections or questions?" Johnny asked the group.

"Are we allowed to play with him?" A pink haired boy, seemingly no older than seventeen, asks with a tilted head.

"I think I'm a little over the legal age for you, kiddo." I giggled once his eyes widened slightly. His jaw dropped and his eyes darkened slightly.

"Who are you calling 'kiddo', Jeongin? I'm seventeen, and you look like you're my age!" The pinkette exclaims from across the table.

"I'm nineteen, soon to be twenty." I calmly reply, looking him into his eyes.

"No Jaemin, you guys aren't allowed to 'play' with Jeongin. Taeyong said he would not be responsible if you got your butt handed to you for messing with Jeongin, by Jeongin." Johnny replies with an eye roll. Jaemin pouts and slumps back into his chair.

"Does he know of our business, Johnny?" Another male asks, he had light orange hair resting on his head. His young face was smooth and emotionless.

"We just brought him here from Stray Kids, what do you think Chenle?" Johnny sarcastically asks the young boy.

"Well geez you don't have to be mean about it." Chenle pouts and beings to quietly eat his food. A pair of metal cutlery loudly drops to the white glass plate of a blonde.

"Did you say Stray Kids? As in, Bang Chan's gang?" He quietly asks, his dark brown hair falling into his eyes as he looked towards me.

"That's the one, Kun! He was Bang Chan's new crush until we swooped in and he agreed to come with us." Johnny smiles again and gently squeezes my smaller hand within his own larger hand. He rubs a circle on my hand with his thumb then looks at the gobsmacked male.

"How are you guys still alive?" Kun quietly asks and timidly looks at me with slanted brown eyes.

"Taeyong knocked Chan out and Jeongin happily agreed to come with us. He was excited in the car ride here- until early fell asleep at least." Johnny playfully teased me and crinkled his nose.

"It's not my fault! I didn't get any caffeine in me yet!" I tried to explain myself to the table of boys.

"By the time you guys took me, I usually would've drank three cups! But because I met Bang Chan, I didn't have a chance to get any." I slightly frowned then began to eat my dinner.

"We have a coffee pot, Innie. How do you like your coffee?" Johnny asks me then stands up.

"Black like my heart." I muttered with squinted eyes. Johnny laughed a little before asking another question.

"Any sugar or flavor?"

"A lot of sugar and some vanilla please." My eyes sparkled and a genuine smile rose to my cheeks. I heard a few guys 'aww' or gasp to themselves.

"Coming right up!" Johnny exclaims then walks one room over to, I'd assume, the coffee pot.

"How did you do that?" Jaemin asked with wide eyes. "Johnny never listens to any of us, let alone get coffee!"

"He's whipped— hard." Taeyong grins from across the table.