case 143 | minsung

33

"you're my little cousin, after all," minho stated.

upon hearing that, felix took the cigarette from his mouth and unlit it using the sole of his shoe before violently grabbing hold of minho's clothes.

"didn't know you still think of me that way," he said through clenched teeth.

"you'll always be family, felix," minho replied, his gaze turning a bit softer.

felix let go of minho, turning his back and saying, "please stop doing this, minho. leave the mafia." his tone hinted at sadness.

"you know i can't do that, felix," minho frowned.

leaving the mafia isn't an option; doing so would subject him to judgment. additionally, he can't abandon hyunjin, jeongin, and changbin. even though these three are skilled members, they still heavily depend on him.

the memory of these three joining the mafia remains vivid.

hyunjin and jeongin joined together. both were victims of human trafficking. they and several others were confined inside a truck that time, heading to who knows where. before they could even reach their destination, masked individuals dressed in black intercepted the truck, eliminating everyone involved in the trafficking.

upon their release, those without a place to turn were offered an invitation by minho to join the mafia. learning about minho's line of work, hyunjin and jeongin expressed their desire to join, saying they didn't have anyone anymore and they wanted to get rid of criminals who were walking around free in this world.

changbin's case is different. much like minho, he sought revenge for loved ones who perished at the hands of someone who wasn't caught by the law.

furthermore, the majority of individuals who joined minho's mafia group are victims of an unjust world. they are willing to take on the role of the "bad guys" in a world teeming with disingenuous "good guys."

recalling those moments, he had more than enough reasons to remain in the mafia. those three were already like family to him, and he doesn't have the heart to abandon them.

"if you can't do it for me, then do it for jisung," felix concluded, walking back into the restaurant.

minho thought about felix's words. he loved jisung, but he couldn't simply give up everything he had worked tirelessly for over the years.

furthermore, his involvement in this job was also for jisung's sake. he aspired to cleanse the world for jisung and create a dream future with him and their family in a world where they can be safe.

minho sighed, discarding the finished cigarette. he hesitated on going back inside the building due to his conversation with felix, but he trusted the younger.

after all, they already had this talk the day felix joined jisung's department.

☆ flashback ☆

minho left his private office after receiving the memo about a new agent joining jisung's department. arriving at the lobby, he asked around, "where's the new agent?"

"i'm here," said a familiar voice.

minho's breath caught in his throat, his hands turning clammy. he turned towards the deep voice he recognized all too well

lee felix, his cousin.

felix was the only person outside the mafia who knew his big secret, having discovered it when they lived together during minho's time with his aunt, felix's mom. felix grew suspicious of minho frequently leaving the house, eventually deciding to follow him one day.