| Chapter Nine |

Seunghyun's car pulled into the parking garage of Daesung's condo building before he turned it off and put it in park. Daesung was much more wealthy than Seunghyun--or rather his family was--so he could enjoy a more lavish, bachelor-style life, needless to say. Jiyong found himself to be in awe once again. What kind of world had he walked into?

"Hey," Seunghyun said, causing Jiyong to snap out of his trance and look at him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jiyong replied, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I'm just having another...beautiful moment. You know, the different perspective thing."

"Yeah, I figured," Seunghyun said as he clicked his seat belt off and took the key out of the ignition. "Well, with the way Daesung lives, he makes me look like I live in a total dump." 

Jiyong let out a small breath. That was hard for him to imagine.

"Um...is he nice? Y-Your friend?" Jiyong asked in a quieter, timid voice right as Seunghyun was about to get out of the car. Seunghyun turned to him and instantly saw hesitancy and distrust in them. It saddened him, but it also made him feel even more guilty than he already did.

"Yes, he is," Seunghyun answered with a sincere look in his eyes. "He's really nice. I wouldn't have brought you here if he wasn't."

"Okay," Jiyong said, sighing lightly. "I didn't mean to offend you or him, it's just...a lot of people in my life have told me that they are nice and then they turn out to be not so nice at all." His eyes and head were now lowered and directed at the floor below his feet.

"Hey," Seunghyun said softly, placing his hand on the area directly above Jiyong's knee cap. Jiyong flinched at the sudden feeling of Seunghyun's touch. "I would never put you in any situation where anyone could hurt you. I know a lot of people have probably let you down in life, but I don't want to be the next one."

Even though he meant every word, Seunghyun couldn't ignore the ping of culpability he felt in his chest after he finished talking because he didn't know if his actions would be able to follow through with his best intentions.

Jiyong blinked his eyes rapidly, his mind not even able to conjure up anything to say next. There was something in the way Seunghyun spoke to him that made him feel like he could trust him; something that made him feel safe with him, despite the fact that he was still very much a stranger. And this terrified him. 

"Come on," Seunghyun said with a quick sigh as he took his hand back. "Let's go inside before he calls me." Jiyong returned to reality and nodded his head a little too frantically as he removed his own seat belt. The two males got out of the car before Seunghyun locked it, emitting a loud but brief beep from it.

Jiyong stayed a few steps behind Seunghyun as they approached Daesung's front door. Seunghyun could hear the younger's footsteps from behind him, but he would still glance back at him out of the corner of his eye to make sure he was there. Since the door was already open, they walked inside and were immediately greeted by a crowd of bodies. Jiyong had managed to inch closer to Seunghyun as he made his way through the huddle of people, deciding it would be safer to stay near someone whose name he at least knew.

"Hey, you made it," Daesung said with a faint smile once his eyes landed on Seunghyun walking toward him.

"I told you I was coming, didn't I?" Seunghyun said as his feet came to a stop.

"No, I believe you just insulted me every time I asked you," Daesung said, causing Seunghyun to let out a small chuckle. "See? I told you I was popular," he said as he looked around the packed room.

"Eh," Seunghyun said teasingly. "I guess this is okay. But I'm sure most of them are just here for the free drinks."

"Whatever." Daesung chuckled. "You're just too stubborn to admit that I am actually popular." Seunghyun only smirked and rolled his eyes in response. Then, he remembered Jiyong was standing behind him and stepped to the side so he was more visible.

"Daesung, this is Yong. The guy I was telling you about," Seunghyun said using his eyes to remind Daesung not to spill the beans about the case.

"Oh yeah," Daesung said, nodding just quickly enough so Seunghyun would notice, his eyes landing on a timid Jiyong. "I'm Daesung. Nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you," Jiyong replied with a timid smile as he bowed a little. "Um, sorry to ask so soon, but where is your bathroom at?"

"It's just down that hall, the second door on the left," Daesung said, pointing to the thin, swirly corridor across the room.

"Okay, thank you," Jiyong said, fitting in another quick bow before scurrying off.

"He's cute," Daesung commented, looking at Jiyong as he walked away. "Maybe you could let me borrow him for a night."

"Shut the hell up, you creep." Seunghyun nudged him, not finding Daesung's comment amusing at all. "That's not part of the case even if it was yours. If you try anything, I will hunt you down. I don't care if you're my friend."

"I won't. Lighten up, man," Daesung said with a laugh, surprised to hear Seunghyun sound so defensive. "Geez, you should learn to take a joke. Besides, you just met him. Why so protective?"

"Well, the whole point of the case is to help him, isn't it?" Seunghyun said with a small shrug, ignoring the other reasons coming into his mind. "I can tell he's been through a lot and as long as he is with me, I want to make him feel safe and protected. God knows that's all going to change in a few days."

"Wait, you didn't tell him about the case?" Daesung questioned in confusion.

"No, why would I do that? That could jeopardize everything," Seunghyun said, bringing his eyes back to Daesung's face.

"Well shit, dude," Daesung said in disbelief. "What did you tell him then?"

"Not much, but he didn't really ask," Seunghyun said. "I just told him I was trying to help him, which technically I am doing. Just in a different way than he may think."

"I would have told him," Daesung said with a disappointed sigh.

"I didn't want to scare him," Seunghyun said, causing his friend to roll his eyes. "No, I'm serious, Dae. You should have seen the way he was so surprised when I was being polite to him and treating him with basic human decency. He's still probably scared and doesn't trust me, so I wasn't exactly going to tell him, 'I'm a detective and I'm here to hold you hostage until I can basically arrest you for doing what you felt you needed to do to survive.' That wouldn't have been good for him, me, or my job."

"Fair enough, but how is lying to him going to make you look?" Daesung retaliated, making Seunghyun let out a gust of air. "Yeah, you're right, he would have been scared if you told him that from the beginning, but just imagine how hurt he is gonna be and how betrayed he is gonna feel when you lied to him."

"I...I just have to explain to him when the time comes, that's all," Seunghyun said, trying not to worry but failing.

"I saw the way he was basically clung to your side earlier. He has clearly already put a lot of trust in you even if he doesn't consciously realize it. Are you really going to be able to explain to him the real reason you picked him up?" Daesung asked. Seunghyun just kind of looked at Daesung and then he saw Jiyong heading towards him out of the corner of his eye.

"You don't say a word to him, you hear?" Seunghyun whispered to Daesung. He just gave Seunghyun a look, tilting his head to the side and widening his eyes slightly. "Daesung, please. I promise I'll tell him later before I take him in."

Daesung stared at him for a moment before sighing in defeat. "Fine, fine," he replied, much to his dismay. "But don't come crying to me when things go wrong." Seunghyun just sighed and tried to act casual as Jiyong came up beside him.

"You okay?" Seunghyun asked as he turned to face the younger, a newly painted smile on his face.

"Uh-huh." Jiyong nodded, smiling faintly as well.

"Good," Seunghyun said. "Good."