The knock on the door rings through my mind. Why would somebody knock on our door?? Did they find us??
I look at Squirrely who stops playing with his food and is looking at me.
"Please open the door." In that moment I feel a small amount of panic shakes me up. I need to think fast and do something. I'm not giving them Squirrely and neither going to prison.
I get up signal Squirrely to stay still and quiet. I know he's not used to situations like this and I can see his legs already shaking, but I need him to keep it together now.
I quickly jump to the couch and shake Minho's shoulders until I get a nasty glare from him.
"Police. Please open the door!!" As soon as the officer's voice hits his ears his eyes open up and he sits on the couch in less then a second. He looks at me and I can read from his expression that he doesn't have an idea about what to do.
I signal him with my hands to just act cool and he slightly nodes before getting up. I ran back to the kitchen where Squarely is sitting on the ground his hands around his head and him squeezed in a ball on the ground.
The sound of the front door opening can be heard, but I just lean down in front of him and make him look at me. He is... crying. Why would he cry??
"Hello officer I'm sorry for the late response, I was sleeping. What brings you here??" Minho just don't be nervous please.
"It's ok young man. I got a report about this house from one of the neighbors. They said someone keeps coming in and out of the house and they think it's a burglar because apparently the owner died a few years ago."
I can't hear everything clearly but I know it's not about me and Squirrely. Does that mean we are safe. A small feeling of relief washes over me and I turn my attention back to the boy.
His legs and hands are shaking even though he is hugging his knees tight. The tears keep streaming down his face one by one and he is also running out of breath every second more and more. Is he having a panic attack?? I have never seen one, so what the hell do I do??
I gently lift his chin up and take his face into my palms. He looks at me and starts crying even more, letting out those small noises that can easily get us in trouble.
"Oh yes. My grandmother died 2 years ago and since then this house has been left here to root like this, so I decided to live here. I moved in a week ago that's why the neighbors don't really know my face yet." Good Minho just keep it cool and simple.
"H- He- He- He hit me. H- He hi- hit me over and- and over again." Squirrely can't even speak properly from all the pressure that has been building up in his throat. He continues to sob even louder, but his words hit me more than the fear from the policeman in front of the door.
"Oh than there is no problem here. Please make sure not to create any more misunderstandings. This is a small neighborhood so everyone are used to each other, get to know your neighbors kid."
"Yes I'm sorry to trouble you officer."
Is this what he has been dreaming over and over again for four nights already. I can't even make a guess about who hit him but it's obvious abuse. It could have been anyone his father, mother, doctors, bullied in school if he even attended it.
Fuck he didn't even get to live a life, why does this piss me off so much. I hate to see this. I hate to see people so scared and shaken up that they can't even talk. I hate to see people cry because of someone else. I hate to see the scene in front of me right now.
Without a second thought, I pull his wrist which makes him fall forward. I just wrap my hand around his weak body and slightly push his head on my shoulder.
"It's ok. He's not here anymore." I say trying to comfort him. I can feel his arms slowly travel around my waist and his muscles tighten around mine. He buries his face into my shoulder and just continues to cry.
"It hurt so much.." I can feel on my skin how his tears fill up the material of my shirt. I have never seen anyone cry this hard. His voice is so high because he can barely breathe while crying. I stroke his back a few times still trying to calm him down while my other hand is just placed on his head in between his hair.
"Don't worry, I won't let anyone hit you ever again... I promise." I just let him cry it all out here and now.
"Is everything ok thought. I can hear noises from inside"
"Ohh, umm..." Came on Minho. You got this. "It's the TV. I was watching a drama before falling asleep and there is an emotion scene now." Damn he's gonna get better at lying then me if he keeps it up like this.
"Ohh... Ok. I should get going then. Goodbye."
"Yes. Goodbye sir have a good day." And that's how the door closes letting me and Minho finally breathe.
As I hear the police man leave, I lean back on the drawers and let Squarely fall forward onto me. BY now his hands have stopped shaking a little but he is still shaken up pretty badly. I also really hope he stops crying soon otherwise he'll choke himself by not letting air get to his lungs.
I keep stroking his back hopping it makes him feel at least a little amount of comfort. After a few seconds I notice Minho leaning on the door with a clear look of relief on his face. He looks me in the eyes and I don't know why, but I can't read his facial expression. Mostly me and Minho share the same brain for most things but this time I can't read what is on his mind as he is looking down at me and Squirrely.
I stay on the floor with Squirrely for around 10 minutes before pulling him away and noticing that he is actually asleep. His closed eyes are slightly red from the crying before and I can feel the big wet spot on my shoulder.
Minho who has been sitting on the ground next to me for the last 10 minutes leans forward and sees the asleep boy. He carefully picks him up and drops him on the couch.
"Maybe you should lower the drug quantity again. We lowered it 3 days ago and we should lower it again. The faster he gets to normal the better." Why is his voice so... strict?? Ever since he gave me that look earlier he has been acting more distant, like I'm some girl he picked up on the street.
Kinda pisses me off but I'll talk to him about it later, now I should give Squirrely the drug and settle him in bed. I'll also give him an extra pillow so he can stop tugging the blanket up and let his feet feel some warmth.
As I gave him my pillow that I used on the armchair, his hands slowly wrap around it. I hope he is not going to droll. And I hope he won't dream...
I hear Minho clear his throat behind me obviously trying to catch my attention. Why would he want my attention though it's not like I was staring or was I.
"Come here." He pulls my wrist and drags me back to the kitchen. "You are not.... You know" he drags his words in an eternity making me look at him with clear confusion.
"You don't.. You see.." Why is this annoying me. Since when is my fearless friend afraid to ask a question.
"Spit it out." He sights and takes a deep breath before locking eyes with me and finally letting the words out.
"You didn't help him out of personal reasons right??" Wow... Do I really look like I would help someone just out of personal greed. I can feel my face drop a bit as his question keeps ringing through my mind. Does he really think I did it because of myself. He probably noticed the disappointment on my face since he tries to explain his question.
"I mean. You didn't help him only because of what happened to your sister right?? I know you wouldn't do something like that but the way you look at him, the way you worry about him and the way you take care of him it's like you see her in him. The last time you couldn't sleep like this was when your sister was hospitalized. Jieun I need to know how exactly you feel about him." How do I feel about him?? I don't know.
I look away for a second trying to form an answer but I can only compare my behavior from back then to now. It's not the same. It's true that I can't sleep but this time, it's not the same feeling. It's worse.
"You know last time I was afraid. This time I'm terrified." I look back at him and his eyes soften a bit after hearing my words. "What if this doesn't work out?? What if we don't get him back to normal on time?? What if... it ends for him the same way it did for my sister??" I feel like I'm getting way to emotional here. Damn, I should just answer his question.
"In some ways he does remind me of her but that is not the only reason I decided to risk my entire life and everything I have achieved by now. What they did to him was simply wrong and he didn't deserve it. I'm not the type to ignore someone's call for help easily. I thought you knew that much about me." Oh, why did I add those last words?? That sounded like I'm mad he brought this topic up.
"Ok then let's take good care of him. I would lie if I say I don't like him, he's a really interesting person. But once he gets better and we settle things down we'll part ways. I hope you know that." I just nod and Minho nod back at me conforming his own statement.
"By the way, what I originally had to tell you was about the mic." He starts walking back toward the livingroom and I follow behind. I totally forgot we placed a mic on the director a week passed and I just forgot about it. How stupid.
"I listened to it non stop for the last week and it finally caught something useful. Before It was all phone conversations which weren't a big of a help, but this morning during class I caught something." He sat on the couch opening the computer in front of himself. I sit next to him and watch as he plugs an USB in to the laptop. He clicks a few files before reaching the final one.
"How could you be so irresponsible to let some crazy bitch take that bastard out of the hospital" What?? Bastard?? How dare he this son of a bitch.
"I paid you to keep him in here not letting him feel the wind ever again in his life. That bastard doesn't deserve to even smile. HOW DARE YOU MAKE SUCH A RECKLESS MISTAKE" I hear objects fly through the room and hit the ground making a loud noise.
"I took care of every detail even faked his illness in front of the entire country and you let him disappear over the night. HOW DID SHE EVEN KNOW THE CODE FOR HIS ROOM!!" Damn he truly is pissed. I almost feel bad for the director.... well almost.
"I truly don't know sir but I assure you the police is going to find him soon. They have a lead on someone who might have helped them with the entre th-" I heard someone smacking someone's head and I can only guess the one who got his is the director. But what worries me more than the directors empty can of a head is the someone they mentioned. How did they get to Seungmin so fast?? Did someone report him?? If they get to Seungmin he is probably going to be declared as an accomplice.
"If the police finds him first I swear I will make sure you live on the streets for the rest of your life. Now tell me, what is the chance for them to actually succeeding in breaking his addiction??" My ears narrow at the question.
"There is a bigger chance of him dying in the process than them succeeding sir. Since he has been taking the drug for years and not to mention his mental state that is in the worst possible condition. I can almost assure you that he is not going to make it sir." I shouldn't get discouraged from this right?? I mean we've been doing pretty well so far.
"You better pray to god he doesn't." Are the presidents last words before he exits the room and loudly shuts the door behind himself. I hear the director mumble a few words before the recording finally ends. I guess we will have to prove them wrong and keep Squirrely alive. I mean what can go wrong.. huh.
"Did you warn Seungmin about this??" Is my first question to Minho. He tears his gaze from the screen and nods at me.
"I texted him. Even though he didn't answer anything I'm sure he read it. We should focus on our main goal right now, Seungmin will find a way." Will he?? I mean there is not much he can do. In worst scenario the police will question him about the whole thing and it can get even worse if they find the witness. If I understood right someone helped him get those tests so it would be hard for that person to talk. What will he do if the police catches him??
Damn I didn't think they would find a connection between the so called kidnapping and Seungmin like.. ever. But in one way Minho is right, we should focus on our main goal which is called Han Jisung a.k.a Squirrely.
"Don't worry. Seungmin is not an idiot he will be fine." Yes. Ok. I can live with that... I think.
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