𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 | Lee Felix | Mafia

t w e n t y

"Seonghwa hurry uppp!" Irene whined, leaning impatiently in the bedroom doorway.

Seonghwa grumbled in response, "Alright, alright, I'm leaving." He sloppily tied up his shoelaces and sprung up from his seated spot on the bed. "I'm ready now."

"Finally," Irene cheered as he raced to the front door, keys in hand. "I need to do a few quick touch-ups, but I swear if all the booze is gone by the time we get there, I'm beating your ass."

"Aeri? Aren't you ready yet?" She appeared in front of me.

I had been sitting on the chair in front of the vanity for quite a while now, replaying the boiling scene in my head again and again. I remember the girl kissing his cheek, but way too close to his mouth. Not that I felt jealous in any way, but it was hard to describe what my thumping heart meant. I tried to find any convincing reason for that, but it was a failure. I wouldn't remember her name after the party, so there was probably no reason to focus on her—or, more accurately, on them. Every thought about him was bad.

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We stepped out of the car; there were normally beer bottles strewn about on the lawn. Free, endless drinks were to be found everywhere.

The messy room also had a few empty bottles lying on the ground, waiting for someone to trip over them. I almost became a victim. As for the people in this crowded area, they reminded me of the beer bottles: empty and useless. As I stepped over the god-awful mess, I noticed the music playing in the background. The loud thumping sound, usually the popular stuff of the time mixed with some old classics, was filling the place. It was almost like a private club, with barmen serving drinks in a corner. Mostly everyone was tipsy, or better yet, drunk, with a few people in clusters sitting around outside either making out, dancing somewhere, drinking, or just talking.

The boys greeted some other guys they seemingly knew as we made our way into the dancing crowd to find an appropriate place to sit.

It was really hot and sticky. Some girls fake getting drunk to get attention. There I discovered Jay's gang. Some members. They're said to be dangerous people. The others, whose identities are yet unknown, may be in a corner deep in the party or upstairs in a room, from what I've heard from the crowd. it's very packed and hot. The drinks run out way faster; more of a laid-back environment.

"Hey bro," Jay said, coming over a few moments later to give Mingi a handshake. "How's it going. Are you likin' the party?"

He nodded after glancing at us for a second. "Yeah, so far."

"We're delighted to have been invited to attend." Jongho added.

Jay slapped him on the back. "Stop with such nonsense." He chuckled. "You speak properly. Loosen up, don't be so stiff." He shoved a beer in front of our faces. "Drink it. You need it more than anyone in this room." He said this while staring at me.

I smiled, reluctantly took the bottle, and started to drink. Who exactly did he think I was? Did he think I was that intimated by the people here? Anyway, it seemed like I needed to show him.

"I don't plan on staying like this for the entire time." I placed the bottle right back in his hand, leaving a surprised expression on his face.

"Dude. She's wild." He said it, looking at the others and pointing with his index finger at me. I didn't miss Wooyoung's sharp expression, of course.

Not long after, a small group of boys entered the place. Irene, Yeosang, and San were sitting on the couch while the others enjoyed themselves. My fingers holding the glass started trembling under their sharp eyes. Sunoo and Heesung were among them. In a split second, the blood reached my ears, and I immediately felt tipsy. Alcohol had some responsibility for it. If I wasn't sure about Jay before, I definitely am now. They were connected to each other. The tattoo on the neck matched both Jay's and the other ones that were also in that very same spot.

"Boy, don't stare at that poor girl, you're scary," one of his friends said clearly for my understanding as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Sunoo grinned as they moved in a different direction from where he was standing. Is that why I felt restless and watched before their apparition?

"Hide upstairs before we get rid of them." San continued to text as he spoke.

Irene abruptly took hold of my hand and led me up the stairs before locking me in the restrooms. My friends were aware of what he had tried to do to me on that evening three years before.

"Stay here, I'll check on the others. And please keep the door locked until I come get you." With that she left me alone.

No more than a few seconds had passed before someone entered via the windows. I turned around to find one of them.

"Nice bracelet you've got there." So it explains everything. It had never been Felix. This was a warning sign that I had ignored the entire time.

"I'm Sunghoon. Nice to meet you, Aeri. Finally". He leaped down with his almost innocent smile from where he was, leaving me no choice but to back off.

"We're not gonna make this more difficult than it already is for you. Just obey me, and no one will be hurt."

"What does he want?" I retorted, my tone sounding slightly frustrated and angry.

"Honestly, you know it. Revenge. For your father's actions."

"Is that why he tried to abuse me last time?That monster..." The memory was repulsive and bitter. I only wanted to live without it, but I was unable to. It was permanently etched in my memory.

"I don't have anything to do with his actions. How many times do I have to say that? I have no involvement in it."

"You are the ideal piece in this chess game. Do you not comprehend that? He'll use you to force that man to the ground once he has taken control of you."

"You still don't know that you're still under his protection? Why do you think Ateez and you have become friends over these years? Surely one reason was your true friendship, but it's not the sole explanation. Why that boy and his gang have appeared in your life? Does that make you think you're done with us? Is that your final retirement from this affair? Your father made them both sign a contract for your protection."

That was an unexpected shock. Is that the cause of their tension? Why both of them continued to defend me. My father had pleaded for their help, and they agreed to protect my well-being without me knowing this entire time. So that explains why they never talked, why they never answered my questions: if they did, they'd have to mention my father. Why was I so delusional to assume that everything would change if I just left them and my past behind me? Both of the gangs worked for my father, and Heesung was their only shared enemy. But it didn't explain why they despised each other.

"He promised to let me go and stay away from it, please don't do this, don't force me to go back." However, he just shook his head as I continued to beg him with teary eyes.

"Don't make me waste my time. Heesung is surely waiting for us." He said as he grabbed me by the wrist, which immediately caused me to release myself.

"No."

"No?" He repeated himself a mocking grin, as if unsure if he had heard me correctly.

I did not move. I was terrified to death when a loud knock suddenly came.

"I know you're there Aeri, please open it!" The voice belonged to Wooyoung. He seemed a little frustrated that I didn't open the door and I could imagine visibly rolling his eyes, but there was also a little worry in his voice.

"Tell him to leave. Right now." He murmured and leaned against the wall, hands in the pocket.

"Please go away, I'll be out in a moment." I closed my eyes, wishing that it would also take all the possible problems with it.

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Author's note:

Hey loves!
Here's the new chapter! I am not sure when the next one will be uploaded. My exams are approaching so I need to focus on them but I hope to update it asap! Hope you understand :)
Thank you for your support!