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SOMEWHERE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF DAEJEON
FOUR YEARS EARLIER
"You have the package?"
"For heaven's sake, stop calling her a package," Baekhyun muttered, pocketing a handkerchief and resting his hand against the steering wheel. "She's a girl."
"Yeah, whatever," Minho said on the other end of the line. Baekhyun heard someone shuffling about on the other side, and raised an eyebrow. "Do you have her, though? Taemin will be there in about half and hour, and you don't want to see him go empty-handed."
"I won't be seeing him empty-handed, don't worry. I'll be out of here the moment she's in the building, and Yoongi can take care of her after that," he replied, and glanced out of the window of the car. "But yes, I have her. Will have her in a few minutes, anyway."
"I wouldn't trust that druggie bastard with a kid," Minho grunted.
"You're concerned about the child? How touching."
"Shut up, Byun." Baekhyun smiled a little as he heard the words. "Jungkook can't know. You're aware?"
"Yes, I'm aware," the blond replied, sighing out the reply. He had heard the words a hundred times, maybe a thousand times in his lifetime, and he had gotten tired of them. He was aware. He was always aware. The day he found himself unaware of what was happening around him was the day he would die. "I can't play for two sides without being aware. You know that better than most."
"Never mind all that. Is she there yet?"
"Patience, grasshopper." Baekhyun rolled up the window and opened the door of the Lexus, stepping out soundlessly. The sky was turning the purple color of a bruise, and the sun was already sinking into the horizon, reminding him of a drop of color mixing in water. "Yes, she's here."
"Good. Get her in fast, and get the hell out of there. I don't want to get in any trouble because of you."
The call ended, and Baekhyun slipped the phone into the pocket of his pants. The car that had just driven up to the warehouse was a familiar one. Two figures stepped out of it, one significantly shorter than the other. Baekhyun's eyes narrowed behind his glasses.
The girl who was walking towards him was young, with soft features that adolescence hadn't sharpened out yet. Her hair was long and straight, tied up in an innocent ponytail, but her eyes were intelligent, far more than any child's should be.
Yoongi tossed him the keys before he was even within ten feet of him, and Baekhyun caught them effortlessly. The girl, he noticed, was clutching a box to her chest, eyeing him suspiciously. Baekhyun tilted his head as he looked down at her, trying to appear as less threatening as possible. It wasn't hard for him usually, but then, he had never had to deal with a child before.
