Chapter Text
It was high noon, the time when the blazing sun of southern New Mexico bleached the town dry.
Kim Hongjoong leaned back in his wooden chair and brought a hand up to his forehead to push back his chestnut brown hair. The sheriff’s office was scorching hot, as always. He turned his tired head to the window that overlooked an extensive view of distant mountains and terrain, all in shades of red and brown.
Planted in the parched grounds of Arriba Point was the small, nearly deserted town of Red Hollow (sometimes called Red Pepper Hollow, named after the color of the dirt and the landscape’s burning heat).
Although its population was scarce, it was filled with a long history of gold and silver mining which brought in many visitors, among plenty of gangs and bandits. Everyone who entered Red Hollow was there for a reason— meaning everyone had a reason to lie.
It was gold they were all after, and the town was built on the same treasure that killed the majority of neighboring populations. That history remained a secret among many corrupt officials associated with Arriba Point’s legal system—if you could call it one— but Hongjoong tried his best to uphold his morals even in his current line of work.
He was a man of the law, was what he told himself, but often he wondered if he truly believed his single loyal heart could really make a difference in the desert town.
“Kim,” a stern voice called from the front of the office floor. “Another nap?” It was the head sheriff Eden, and he was cracking down on Hongjoong’s post-lunch drowsiness more seriously over the past week.
Hongjoong perked up immediately to fix his posture. The sheriff was not someone to be messed with any time of year, but especially not during New Mexico’s hottest time of the season.
“Sir!” The younger one answered. He squeezed his eyes tightly to fully wake up his system as he stood his small but sturdy body.
“Kim, you’re our best bounty hunter at the office,” Eden made an easy yet strong stride to where Hongjoong stood. He sighed, “I know work has been a little slow recently as our town’s population has decreased, but just because we can’t see the gangs moving in doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” He rubbed his right hand over his face. The sheriff wasn’t upset with Hongjoong, he knew how Red Hollow was running short on resources and people were moving west, not to mention expansion would never be possible without money.
“Sir,” Hongjoong steadied himself. “Yunho and I have been working on a plan to bring in more resources. We could get in touch with other towns, and we can also consider other states like Texas-”
“Hongjoong.” Eden suddenly held up a file he was keeping by his side. “You ever dug for gold before?”
Hongjoong knew the hopes for Red Hollow were low, but he never thought the town would be in such a bad position. Even if they did have a recent drought, and the sheriff’s office was the closest their residents could get to proper jurisdiction, Hongjoong himself never dealt officially with these kinds of legal situations.
No, not money and resources and human relations. That was the former law men’s job: Jeong Yunho and Song Mingi, the most tenacious and hard-working men in their office.
They were hired just a year and a half ago after coming in from across the border in Texas, and Hongjoong initially wondered why they wanted to be in Arriba Point— Red Hollow of all places! He later realized these two men stuck together no matter what, and they just happened to look for work in smaller establishments. Hongjoong was beginning to wonder if they were actually secretly married when Eden cut his thoughts short again.
“Hongjoong.” He snapped. “I’m speaking to you, have you ever gone gold mining?”
Hongjoong never tried it. He knew this terrain was a jackpot but, as mentioned, his line of work was hunting for criminals among gangs. He hunted outlaws: those who illegally gained treasure by working against the law. Hongjoong never worked with the law in extreme detail; the only contracts he bothered to read were those regarding him and his sheriff when dealing with a criminal or taking gangs to the jail. He left the heavy books to Yunho and Mingi.
“I never have sir, no. I catch outlaws who do that.” Hongjoong answered. He tilted his head to catch a glimpse of blonde hair leaving the front door of the office at the end of the hall. Eden refocused his attention.
“Anyway- Hongjoong, will you stay focused today?” Hongjoong was never out of focus. Rather, he was a man devoted to work. But the recent suffering population and decrease in resources at Red Hollow had him discouraged. It seemed like their sheriff’s office was the only populated structure in the dusty town.
“Sorry, sir, back to the gold.” Hongjoong again readjusted his posture. “I’m willing to try? I only ever heard legends of those hitting the jackpot out in the canyons, I never knew they were really worth going for.”
“It is a rumor, sure, but the Point has issued a notice to all the sheriff's offices that real gold is truly within a 1000 mile radius. It’s important that the officials get there first before the outlaws. That’s what this file is about.” The sheriff let the beige folder slap the wooden desk. “This here is a wanted notice. I want you to look over this carefully tonight and think about what I said about the gold mining. You know I don’t just assign work for nothing— this town needs us, even if the law itself doesn’t always prove to make an effect.”
Hongjoong took the paper file in his hands, but before he could open it the sheriff was already down the hall.
“I guess it’s time I wake up for a dusty chase again,” he thought to himself. “But first, I need some water.”
Stepping outside was always a shock for the eyes, no matter how long you lived in Arriba Point or were accustomed to the heat. The weather was like a sunlamp for reptiles, and those reptiles were Hongjoong and his crew on a late afternoon at the gas pumps.
“Oh, Hongjoong, hey.” A blonde haired man in a slightly cropped tank top looked up over his left shoulder. Hongjoong was just walking over to see two men crouched down at one of the sheriff office’s few cars. “San nearly fixed the tires.”
Hongjoong gave a quick thumbs up before squatting down to see the issue himself. The cars recently began feeling loose on a drive, which was dangerous on highway chases and other cross-terrain hunts. Otherwise everything in Red Hollow was within less than walking distance, and even using a horse was somewhat excessive.
“Done.” The black haired man sighed out of relief before collapsing onto the dirt below him. “Gosh, this took two days to get back together. I should have asked Mingi for a hand too.”
The blonde hit his abdomen lightly. “San, I have literally been helping you this whole time, so don’t disregard my work.” The man on the ground smiled wide enough for his dimples to show through, and waved a tired hand.
“Of course, Yeosang,” He closed his eyes. “I’m thankful.” Choi San was their crew’s transportation genius. He could fix cars, he could ride horses, he even recently put together an old motorcycle that was left skidded-out burnt on the freeway.
Him and Kang Yeosang worked closely on the office’s modes of transportation, as Yeosang oversaw the logistics of moving and what would be smart for specific trails. He was a well-respected man in the office as he not only pitched in to help San on mechanical issues, but also knew the law well and collaborated with Mingi and Yunho.
Not only that, but both San and Yeosang were the head sharp shooters. Hongjoong was clearly their best shooter, but the other men knew the mechanics of guns and had the sturdy biceps and frame for such combat. Both San and Yeosang were around the same height as each other (with Hongjoong being the smallest man in the office, and Yunho and Mingi the giants) but very different in appearance.
Yeosang was like a sculpted, mythical god. No matter the amount of desert sun on his skin, he always remained porcelain. His face, too, was ethereal and had angelic beauty. San was perfectly handsome: broad shoulders, buttery tan skin, and had an alluring side profile. Hongjoong often wondered how he ended up working with two awfully handsome men in such a small, deserted Hollow.
Hongjoong nodded. “It’s nearly 4 p.m, want to head to the cantina after wrapping up?” He didn’t necessarily like alcohol, and he was nearly dozing off at this time of sun-up anyway, but he liked to listen to the other men’s conversations when work at the office slowed for the day job. “I’ll grab Yunho and Mingi too, if so.”
Yeosang pulled San up from the ground, “Let’s go, but you know San is already so lightweight that his fatigue today might knock him out for good.” He chuckled as San brushed his hand playfully, but only before getting to his feet from Yeosang’s help.
Hongjoong patted the blonde’s sturdy back before walking out from under the roof of the gas station and back down the sun-baked road to the office. Yunho and Mingi were already tidying files in the front of the office as Hongjoong exhaustedly opened the door, so they knew the cue.
“Sheriff, we’ll be back!” Yunho called out with a smile; he was always chipper and light. Him and Mingi towered over the smaller man waiting at the front. Mingi had already pulled back his blonde hair into a ponytail and reached for the rack beside the front desk. He grabbed both him and Yunho’s hats before following Hongjoong out the door.
The cantina was pleasantly busy for what a small town had to offer.
Chili Peppers, read the sign above the wooden doors: its red paint faded out to an almost dusty pink lined with a still somewhat bright blue. The owner of Chili Peppers knew Hongjoong and his crew, as did the rest of the town, and already began grabbing glasses as they walked in.
The five men took their seats at the bar table: Mingi and Yunho on one side of Hongjoong, and San and Yeosang on the other. Just how he liked it, Hongjoong was in the middle of switching between conversations to listen to when they weren’t all discussing something together.
Chili Pepper’s owner set down a glass in front of each of them and began scooping ice from a cooler on the other side of the counter.
Hongjoong spoke up first, “Just water for me today, Maddox, thanks.” He was already parched enough after his midday zone-out and the extra heat, so alcohol would only make things worse.
“New case?” Maddox already knew how work went at the office, but he also noticed the file under Hongjoong’s left arm.
He was leaning his head on his hand, and was planning to look at the work assigned to him among his crew’s leisurely chatting.
“About time, honestly.” Hongjoong lifted his head to reveal the closed file beneath him. He pushed it in front of him, right next to the glass of cold water Maddox just poured. “Sheriff’s getting real about the fate of Red Hollow, and I just needed some work to distract me from that fact.” The gold mines resurfaced in his thoughts.
“Eden did mention that to me,” Maddox stopped to look up like he was thinking before he returned to grabbing some bottles on the shelf behind him. “Beats me, though, all this talk about outlaws and gold stuff.”
Hongjoong sighed as he looked down at the unmarked folder before him. Both pairs of men on his sides already began chatting after clinking their glasses together. This is how it usually went with Hongjoong lost in his thoughts after a good ten minutes of talking.
Finally, he figured he’d open the file to see the wanted notice. He had already seen plenty in the past— all wanted for different crimes, but the same reason never strayed away from money. Hongjoong wasn’t surprised to see the front page a black and white print of large, boldface type shouting the words:
“WANTED: PARK SEONGHWA. DEAD OR ALIVE? PREFERABLY ALIVE— DJANGO OUTLAW.”
Hongjoong’s eyes scanned the page down to the photo— Park was a handsome man. He had a sharp face with a long, confident nose and thick eyebrows. His jet black hair was swept back crisply to reveal a scar on his sculpted cheekbones. He was utterly handsome, and how the deputies got such a shockingly good photo of him was beyond Hongjoong’s understanding.
He stared at the photo. There was no way he would miss this face-- what a piece of cake.
[One week ago]
A far-gone gang criminal. An outlaw. The django.
Whatever they wanted to call him, Park Seonghwa let it go. In his mind he was nothing but surviving, and all the labels given to him were just accumulated chains along the way.
A singular glass mirror was pegged to the wall of his small wooden room. He stared at the faint scar that ran down his left cheek, and turned his chin slightly to the side to push back his dark hair. Seonghwa sighed as he pulled a deep brown sleeveless top over his sculpted body and hitched a heavy handgun to the side of his belt.
Again, his gang leader was sending him out on a hunt for treasure. The last time they sent him, Seonghwa came back missing a gram less of gold than requested and was punished cruelly for his lacking skills. That only created the scar on his knee, though.
The Dust Vipers were a known gang across Arriba Point and outside of the territory, as they worked in groups of at least three while swiping through towns and mining sites. The Dust Viper’s leader was a vicious man who rarely left the top floor room of the old building the men lived in, but he often called Seonghwa to the top of those stairs for either a chore, lash out, or something more daring.
How Seonghwa got tied up into this gang was through defeat and capture— he was initially a petty bandit alongside two other men, but they crossed the Dust Vipers in a ghost town outside Arriba Point five years before.
Now, after countless runs from the boss, Seonghwa earned himself the title of Django: the Dust Viper’s untouchable gunslinger that the gang heavily relied on since his joining. It wasn’t that Seonghwa hated being called untouchable and fearless, but he didn’t necessarily find himself feeling prideful about the title.
“Django?” Seonghwa asked in a small curious voice. “Is it a nickname?” He chose his words cautiously, not to make himself look anything more than humble. A nickname, yeah right. He knew it was an earned title.
The boss gave a stupid laugh as he took another chug of liquor. He let the glass hit his side table heavily. “Nickname, you idiot, it’s a title. A fearless title! Be proud of yourself maybe, it only really makes me look better.” He took another swig, “I raised you didn’t I? Answer me.”
“It’s an honor, boss.” Seonghwa gave a small nod of his head while staring at his shoes. One of the laces on his rugged boots were untied. The boss noticed it too.
“Still fucking clumsy. Get out and go tell that Wooyoung kid to clean up the bottles outside the door,” He pointed lazily to the obnoxious heap of alcohol glasses sitting at the crack of the door. “Django.” The boss laughed at the name and choked only slightly on the cigar he was puffing in his hand as Seonghwa hastily exited the room.
Seonghwa rolled his eyes at the memory. It was already two years ago that he had that conversation, but his title hadn’t changed and neither did his boss’s alcoholism. A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.
“Seonghwa, the boss is asking for you upstairs.” The door was pushed open gently to reveal a strong man with a gentle and boyish face. Choi Jongho, the Dust Viper’s sharp shooter and skilled frontier expert, also one of the men that was captured alongside Seonghwa. Jongho’s face illuminated when he saw the freshly polished gun in Seonghwa’s belt. “Didn’t I do pretty well?”
Seonghwa couldn’t help but smile as Jongho closed the door behind him and approached the older. “I can’t deny your work, but you know I never use it unless I have to.” Jongho smiled back.
For being considered the gang’s django, Seonghwa was fairly tame when it came to traveling on the frontier. He never shot anyone, unless out of self-defense, and despite his intimidating appearance he loved his two friends dearly.
“But really, the boss has been waiting for maybe five minutes now and I wouldn’t push that any longer.” Jongho began leading him to the door. “By the way, whatever happens just know that Wooyoung and I will come with you again. Like always.”
Seonghwa held the doorframe as he looked back over his shoulder. He nodded and smiled at the younger man before turning to look up the tall, spiraling staircase.
Better not make that six minutes.
The boss was on his second cigar of the morning. His room was full of hazy, swirling air, and Seonghwa did his best to hold back a choke when trying to breathe.
“Sir, you called for me.” Seonghwa waited respectfully, but he could still feel the fear in his blood even after all these years of living in the house of the Dust Vipers.
“Sit.” The boss put down his cigar and took a chug of an orangey brown alcohol.
“He’s going to get cirrhosis and die— hopefully soon.” Seonghwa thought.
“The Run. It’s a path for the outlaws to get gold. You’ve mined before. Do it again, but bring me every ounce this time.” The boss sneered an off-yellow smile as he leaned forward across the wide wooden desk. “Bring those two kids with you two. The one who shoots and the one who knows the routes. At least one of you will come back here alive with my gold, you get it?” He puffed the cigar at Seonghwa’s face.
“Yes, sir.” Seonghwa knew that one of his crew had already been spoken to about The Run.
The Run was a route for hunting gold that only the outlaws knew. It crossed territories illegally, avoided town checkpoints, and evaded taxes in parts of Arriba Point that the sheriff’s office would take care of.
“That’s all, go.” The boss sent him off as usual, his fat nose moving up and down as he puffed on his cigar. Seonghwa hated his appearance because he was ugly, but more so because of the cruelty inside of him. He didn’t hesitate to leave the boss’ room.
[Present day]
Jung Wooyoung was always bouncing off the walls. Even for the circumstances him, Seonghwa, and Jongho were usually in, he still had a childlike spirit to him. Seonghwa was thankful for that since he often felt lonely in the tower of the Dust Vipers, and he only really stuck to those two men among the whole gang. Anyway, they were the three “captures”, and still bore that label even if it had been five years of working for the gang.
This time, though, Wooyoung had more energy than usual and Jongho had to calm him when they reached the rusty entrance of Red Hollow.
“We’re here.” Jongho hopped off his horse and tugged at the reins. Seonghwa and Wooyoung did the same. “Red Hollow… it’s been a while since we were in this area, yet we never actually entered the town. Think there’s a cantina?”
Wooyoung’s face lit up. “You think?” He smiled at Jongho before Seonghwa smacked the back of his neck.
“Focus, Woo, you have to keep a low profile, remember?” Seonghwa pulled his black brimmed hat over his eyes and brushed some of his black hair down the sides of his face. His hair grew fast, and he began to keep it longer than usual. In a way, he thought it made him look sexier.
“Alright, alright. But we should still go anyway. I’m actually parched.” His strong, angular nose caught the light and exposed his sun-kissed cheeks. Wooyoung did look burnt, but Seonghwa knew it was his fault for not wearing a hat like he suggested. Wooyoung’s cherry red hair dripped with sweat onto the back of his slim neck.
“Put on your hat like I said, and maybe we’ll find somewhere to drink.” Seonghwa gave him a look with a tilt of his head before tugging on the reins of his horse, too. Wooyoung gave him a face before pushing his own hat over his dripping hair and following the other two men.
The walk into town was as expected: newcomers always gained attention since the town was already small to begin with, and the recent population was migrating to other locations anyway.
The three men kept their eyes steady on the dirt road in front of them, fighting not to bring attention to themselves despite their large horses and hats.
Finally, they reached down the stretch of the road in front of Chili Peppers where Wooyoung nearly jumped at the sight of the bar’s doors and the sound of people inside drinking and talking. Their travels had been relatively straight-forward, and the path they followed wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. But with the mid-summer sun and time of day, even Seonghwa was willing to drink a glass of alcohol to quench his thirst.
Wooyoung was the first to tie up his horse on the side of the building before helping the others come in steadily as well. “You think they have ice? Like, actual big blocks of ice. I really need that right now.” Seonghwa took Wooyoung’s shoulder, and both of the men followed Jongho inside.
The only three spots left at the bar were next to a group of five other men that seemed to be split into pairs by a man in between them. Seonghwa took note of all the people in the room, but didn’t speculate there were any sheriffs among the tables of men chatting lazily, or passed out from alcohol or the heat.
“What could I get you three?” Maddox, the bartender leaned on the counter before them. Wooyoung was already looking at the selection behind the man, eagerly scouting out ice while he was at it.
“If you have it, just water. Ice water.” Seonghwa replied. Jongho and Wooyoung ordered next. If anyone had to be alert, it had to be him. He was the eldest of the three, after all, and he knew that they were only passing through Red Hollow before getting back on the trails following The Run’s route.
Jongho got up to find the restroom, leaving the space on Seonghwa’s left a clearer view of the man who was on Jongho’s side. He was a blonde man with a delicate face, but muscular body. The man turned to make eye contact with Seonghwa before smiling briefly and turning back to the man he was talking to. Seonghwa, caught off guard, shook it off and continued to observe the line of five men that filled the bar seating to his left.
He noticed the one sitting between the two chatting pairs, and studied him closely. The brown haired man looked short, but strong, and had a sharp sloped nose and focused eyes. He was studying something carefully, but Seonghwa couldn’t see what was behind the blonde man and his friend.
The small man leaned back in his chair and sighed, letting his nose point to the ceiling. He stayed like that with his eyes closed before opening them to turn and look in Seonghwa’s direction.
This wouldn’t be the second time Seonghwa was going to make eye contact with some Red Hollow stranger, so he quickly turned his head and pulled the brim of his hat down further. Seonghwa could feel the man staring at him, but didn’t look up from his glass of cold water after that.
When Jongho returned from the restroom, Seonghwa relaxed again to be blocked by the man’s broad shoulders. Wooyoung spoke up.
“Okay guys, really. Do you think this route is true?” He was referring to The Run that the boss gave him a week ago. “I mean I know gold mining is huge, and we do have insider information, but it’s just a rumor there’s a fortune that big…”
Seonghwa leaned back for Jongho to face Wooyoung and pipe in. “But Wooyoung, think about it. We already know the other neighboring territories sent out word to deputies. I mean, as a gang we have access to this route, but it doesn’t mean we are chasing on some fantasy map.” Seonghwa nodded subtly before speaking up.
“Anyway, even if it isn't, we can't say we won’t try hunting for it.” Seonghwa's mind flashed with a picture of their boss. “I don’t want to add to my scar collection.” He chuckled under his breath before picking up his glass again.
The other two men did the same as Jongho sank into his chair. They all knew the boss took it out on Seonghwa for being labeled the django, but his friends couldn’t do anything to intervene. Everyone’s life was on the line— their work was purely survival.
“The most important part of the hunt is not whether the gold is really that great in sum, but that we don’t get caught by some sheriff out here.” Jongho swirled the liquor in his glass before looking up. “As long as we’re gone by the evening.”
Seonghwa and Wooyoung both nodded before returning to their drinks as well. Seonghwa didn’t want to be in the hands of a sheriff, to be mocked by what they called a law, and especially not out here in Red Hollow. Even if it meant returning to the Dust Viper’s casa, he would rather keep his django status than be laughed at behind the bars of this underpopulated town.
The five men at the bar next to them got up collectively, which grabbed the attention of Wooyoung and Jongho. Seonghwa didn’t dare to look up again after his awkward glance with two of the men, but saw the blonde flash a small smile at Jongho as well before leaving his seat. “Such flirts, these Red Hollow freaks.”
Jongho, embarrassed, whipped around quickly and accidentally knocked off Seonghwa’s hat. Seonghwa jumped up quickly to retrieve it, but before he could reach the floor a hand was already grabbing the brim. The hand was small, and decorated with a few rings, an unlikely sight for everyday townsfolk.
Without thinking, Seonghwa quickly looked up to make eye contact with the same small man he was observing before. His hair was a warm, light brown and his small face decorated with a subtle orange flush across his slim nose.
Seonghwa quickly grabbed his hat, but before he spun around the smaller man grabbed his wrist. His grip was firm and his gaze was steady. “I recognize a handsome face when I see one, Park Seonghwa.” A pistol pointed to the center of his forehead.
Even among the simmering heat of the bar, and the sweat that broke out over his body, Seonghwa’s heart froze.
“You’re under arrest, django.”
The sheriff’s jail cell was for petty thieves. Frontier bandits, not the Dust Viper’s django.
Seonghwa gripped its cold metal bars until his knuckles turned white. He could see the sun was already setting outside the office windows, and there was no way he and his crew would be out of Red Hollow by evening like they said.
Seonghwa observed the relatively small sheriff’s office. It had a front desk near the entrance of the building, where multiple cowboy-styled hats were hanging. The office walls displayed a variety of framed documents, and a singular analog clock informed him it was already half past six p.m.
The office seemed empty except for two of the men they saw in the bar earlier— one of which arrested him— and Wooyoung and Jongho who were being held in a room next door to the cell.
Seonghwa let out a long sigh and cursed under his breath before releasing his grip on the bars. “Shit, just what I wanted. Really, just what I wanted.” His arms flew up behind his head as he paced the back of the cell.
“Did you say something?” A voice entered the room. It was the small man, bounty hunter Kim Hongjoong. “I’d stay silent if I were you; anything you say now is held against you in later trials.” Hongjoong sat on the edge of a desk across Seonghwa’s cell.
“First of all, you’re not me.” Seonghwa whipped around from the back of the cell to grab its bars again. “Secondly, your trials are nothing but lies.” Even as an outlaw himself, he loathed the corruption of the law.
Hongjoong scoffed and looked down. “Look, do you even know why you’re standing behind bars right now?” He pulled out the file folder behind his back to reveal Seonghwa’s handsome WANTED headshot. “Nice photo, by the way.”
“You don’t even know my reasons.”
“Backstory of an outlaw, yeah I’d like to hear that.”
“So what are you going to do with me here? Lock me up to look at me?” Seonghwa cracked an ironic grin.
“Maybe.” Hongjoong jumped to his feet and approached the cell. “But I have an even better idea.”
Seonghwa let go of the bars and moved away from the front of the cell. The small man had a strong presence, even for his height.
He was wearing a short brown tassel coat, and had mid-length cowboy boots on his feet. His ears were decorated with an assortment of earrings— at least three per side. Seonghwa observed everything from his brown hair swept back on one side, to the smug smile forming on his soft lips. The man was undeniably pretty, but the arrogance clinging to him made Seonghwa recoil.
“Idea? What, moving me to an appropriate cell for my title?” Seonghwa fought back. He steadied his posture to gain even more height on the man; he wasn’t going to let a wall of bars between them break his confidence.
“Sure, I could give you a bigger cell.” Hongjoong stopped a few inches in front of the cell. “What about the whole frontier?”
Seonghwa stared at him.
“No? What, starting to like it here?” Hongjoong laughed as he looked at the small concrete jail cell and shook the keys in his hand. “I’ll tell you what, I’m a man of my word—and business for that matter— so if you give me an answer, I’ll make it work.” He leaned back in his stance with his arms crossed.
Seonghwa continued to stare at him before breaking eye contact to turn to the wall. “What do you mean by the frontier?”
“Exactly what I said.” Hongjoong looked dead serious and regained Seonghwa’s attention. “I’ll put you back on the run.”
Seonghwa’s heart stopped at the mention of The Run. Of course, Hongjoong wouldn’t know about that kind of outlaw path. He was merely suggesting to let Seonghwa go, but the thought that his two friends might have already been interrogated next door made him unstable again.
“What’s the catch?” Seonghwa moved up. “Did Wooyoung or Jongho tell you something? Where are they? Let them go.” He was beginning to worry since he didn’t see anyone else in the office but Hongjoong in front of him.
“Relax, will you? That red head asked about you, rather. He wouldn’t say anything beyond that.” Seonghwa breathed at the thought. The two men were difficult—stubborn— and stayed loyal to only Seonghwa’s words outside the Dust Viper’s casa. When the boss wasn’t the one giving them orders, it would be Seonghwa giving them guidance. “Anyway, I’ll let you out of this cell if you give me and my men some information.”
Information? Was he finally asking about The Run? “… What information?”
“You were sent after gold, weren’t you?” Hongjoong smirked. “Well, so are we. And you’re going to help us find it.”