"why did you wake me up at 11:30pm for again?" donghyuck asked walking on taeyong's side. the rest of the members were behind them, all having their weapon hidden in their clothes.

"i can't tell you."

"why isn't mark here? isn't he the second in command?" donghyuck inquired.

"he... didn't want to come."

this comment hurt donghyuck. so, in the end, mark didn't really care about him...

"and where are you bringing me in the middle of the night?"

"i can't tell you either."

donghyuck stopped asking questions. he only followed the leader silently, warming himself up by putting his hood on. he was wearing his jeans and mark's oversized sweater, which made sweater paws on him and almost reached his knees. the outfit wasn't warm enough for this chilly weather though.

taeyong and the gang stopped when they were behind a supermarket, on a parking, circling donghyuck and checking their surroundings. the place was empty, except for one truck that seemed rather old.

"sir? we're there." taeyong said on the phone. after seconds, a black car pulled up and a man got out, followed by some guards.

one of these guards came towards the gang. "please, put all of your weapons in these boxes." he said motioning to some huge boxes other guards were bringing.

"i-i'm afraid we will need them. it's for donghyuck's safety." taeyong said sternly.

"mr lee has the zone secured. donghyuck is safe. so, please, as you come to see mr lee, put all of your weapons in these boxes." the man repeated, almost like a robot.

taeyong took his gun out and posed it in the box, and soon, all the gang members had done the same. the guard let them pass. taeyong approached lee sooman, donghyuck on his heels. the boy hadn't dared saying anything. this was gang stuff, and he didn't want to be involved more than he already was. the whole scene was scary. they were surrounded by men that he didn't know who were all holding guns, and nct was there, totally unpowerful in front of the person donghyuck had identified as 'mr lee'.

"i see you brought the boy." the powerful man stated, looking at taeyong.

"we did everything as you asked sir." the leader responded between gritted teeth.

lee sooman approached the boy who was hiding behind taeyong. "great, i can take him now. please, come with me donghyuck."

donghyuck listened carefully to the man. he didn't know him, but he couldn't do anything else.

"i am lee sooman, your father."

donghyuck widened his eyes at what the man had just said. "m-my f-father?" he said with teary eyes.

"yes donghyuck. your father. i'm going to explain everything in a few minutes, but please, let me finish my deal with nct." he said, opening the car's door, revealing another face.

"j-junmyeon?" taeyong let out recognizing the person inside the car.

"shoot." lee sooman said simply.

and so, junmyeon pulled donghyuck inside the car, and the guards surrounding them shot all the nct members with what seemed like darts. taeyong took out the one he had received on the arm and winced.

"w-what?" he said, his body wavering dangerously.

"this, dear taeyong, is a sleeping solution than can make an elephant black out in less than ten minutes." sooman said before flicking taeyong on the forehead.

the boy lost his balance and collapsed on the pile of sleeping bodies that had become nct.

"bring them to my company." sooman said before heading to his car.

he entered the auto, only to see donghyuck blacked out on junmyeon's lap.

"i thought i had asked you not to use the product on him?" sooman stated.

"oh, i didn't. he fainted."

sooman scoffed. "weak boy..." he snapped his finger. "to my company." he added to the chauffeur.

XXXXXXXXXX

mark was in the training zone, and more precisely at the shooting stall.

he was shooting, first with his gun, then with one of lucas' grenade launcher, then with knives he had found in a box, and then, just punching the target with his fists.

he was angry.

how could he fell for someone when he knew it would make him weak?

having a significant other means that you can never be yourself. you have something to lose, people have a way to pressure you... you are weak. and mark couldn't be weak.

donghyuck was a distraction. he couldn't get closer to donghyuck. if he did, he would become the weaker member of the gang, and he would put all of his members in danger.

after lots of punches, mark's knuckles had become bloody red. this wasn't enough. he really needed something to relieve himself. and well, right now, he couldn't find any better option than nicotine.

so, he ran out of the house, to the nearest open shop, and he bought packs. how many? perhaps seven? or eight? he didn't know. he had only emptied his wallet on the counter, asking for the largest amount of packs he could get. he finally got home, after a long walk and many curse words.

he installed himself in the backyard. he took his lighter out, lighting the end of one of his nicotine sticks and bringing the object to his lips shortly after, inhaling a large amount of it.

he felt the so familiar rush in his metabolism, sighing deeply at the feeling he hadn't lived for so long.

he was laying on the backyard's lawn, eyes closed, cigarette in the mouth, and all the packs he had bought sprawled around him.

his mind was blank. he had no worries. right now, he felt good, and nothing else mattered.