Declaration||seongjoong

Sixteen

Seonghwa's eyes narrowed onto his brother-in-law. "What? But why you?"

Hwanwoong looked completely shaken. "I don't know. I've only met you once." He said to Hongjoong.

"Explain everything that happened." Seonghwa ordered as he shimmied Hongjoong almost all the way off the footrest so he could be seated too. But before the younger could fall off, Seonghwa made sure to grab the hem of his shirt sleeve preventing him from doing so, all while keeping his gaze fixed on Hwanwoong.

Hongjoong couldn't help but stare down at Seonghwa's serious expression. Anyone could mistaken it for worry, but he wouldn't dare to think so.

"I was walking alone after a business dinner with Mr Parks board members. I was there as a shareholder. Once it was over, I was waiting outside for my driver but he didn't turn up, I must have been there for 15 minutes before I just decided to walk. It was dark. I couldn't see much since the street lights were flickering all around me. The next thing I know, I'm being backed into an alley by a man with a mask on." Then he peaked at Hongjoong after having his head facing his cup the whole time. "Just rephrasing how much he desires your death."

Because of how closely their shoulders were pressed up against each other, Seonghwa could feel as Hongjoong released a shaky breath. He could tell the younger was masking how frightened he was about the situation.

"I really am sorry." Hongjoong apologised. "I don't know why you've been brought into this. I can only blame myself."

Hwanwoong lifted a friendly hand in denial. "No apology needed." He forced a smile through his bruised lips. "I'm sorry you have such a deer threat against your life."

Hongjoong brought up a stiff chuckle as he rubbed the stress lines away on his face.

"We need to do something about this." Seonghwa declared. "It's getting beyond a joke."

"You don't think I realised that when a bloody pigs head was delivered to our door?!" Hongjoong argued.

"Calm down." Seonghwa urged.

"Calm down?!" Hongjoong's voice remained rose, "Seonghwa, innocent people are getting hurt for a reason I don't even know."

Hongjoong's breathing became noticeably heavier.

"Call Jihyo to pick you up." Seonghwa told Hwanwoong as he grabbed Hongjoong's wrist, readying to pull him up before Hwanwoong stopped them.

"Wait. I wanna help you find this guy."

Seonghwa scoffed as he eyes the male up and down. "What help could you give to us. You barely made it out alive from being jumped."

"I may not be good at fighting but I have the brains. Trust me, I can help. Your father wouldn't have made me a shareholder of his company is he truly didn't believe in me."

"Yet I'm not my father."

"No. You're not. But I'm sure you share his good instincts."

Seonghwa thought for a few seconds. He really needed this killer out of his way. It was ruining his plan. How could he gain Hongjoong the way he needed if someone else was after the same thing? "Fine whatever. Call Jihyo now."

And then he took a panicky Hongjoong upstairs and into his bedroom. Settling him down on the bed. "You need the chill."

Hongjoong's breaths were short and quick. "I can't." He whispered. "They aren't going to stop until I'm ten feet under."

"We're going to get through it. I swear." He promised with his fingers crossed. "You're going to make it out alive. You've survived three years already, and now you have me to help protect you."

Hongjoong managed a scoff. "Why would you help me? You hate me."

That was true. Right? A small bump was given to Hongjoong's shoulder. "Haven't I already told you. I am your only enemy. Anyone will have to face me before the get their hands on
You before myself."

Hongjoong rolled his eyes, a small giggle leaving his lips. "How flattering."

"You feel okay now?" Seonghwa asked.

Hongjoong nodded before confessing. "I'm scared, Seonghwa." He looked up at the said male with glistening eyes, pulling Seonghwa in with each second he stared into them. He quickly blinked and looked away.

"You're tough. We'll get through it."

That's when they heard the ping coming from the elevator.

"Jihyo must be here." Seonghwa announced, standing up from Hongjoong's side. "Get some sleep. You'll be fine in the morning."

The stairs creaked under his feet as Seonghwa greeted the soon to be married couple. Jiyho was fussing over Hwanwoong's injuries, giving him gentle slaps as if it was his own fault for getting jumped. "Can you pick this up already." Seonghwa interrupted them.

Jihyo's head popped up and she stormed around the couch so she was facing her younger brother directly. "How could you let this happen to him?!" She yelled, worry filling her gaze like an empty swimming pool.

Seonghwa was taken aback. "My fault? I've met the guy once. It didn't know it was my sole duty to protect him."

"He's family, Seonghwa. Family protect each other."

The raven-haired lowered his head so he was more average with his sisters height, his eyes fading with darkness and his nose flaring. "He's no family. Even after you marry him. I don't trust him and will never accept any husband of yours."

Jihyo's face scrunched up in anger, a loud slap following her expression into Seonghwa face, his head swinging to the left. His tongue poked at the inside of his cheek and his lips tightened into a compressed line. Slowly, his head turned to face Jiyho who was carrying the same angry expression. "You're a selfish bastard."

He fixed his posture carelessly. "It was nice seeing you."

As he went to walk back up the stairs Jihyo called. "How can you say that when you're going to betray your own husband."

Seonghwa turned his torso to sight the girl. "What do you know?"

The older crossed her arms, "you think I'm stupid. There's no way Park Chanyeol would ever forgive Kim Minseok over his dead grave. And I also know our father. He's been dreaming of revenge for years. So of course he's sending his little puppet to do it for him."

"Go home, Jihyo."

"See! You know I'm right. You're so deprived of father's approval that you'll do anything to gain it. By that you're willing to kill an innocent boy."

Seonghwa almost choked up a laugh. "Hongjoong. Innocent?" He allowed the chortle to escape. "Don't make me have to tell you again. Get the fuck out of our house."