√ 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 // 𝐻𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝐻𝑦𝑢𝑛𝑗𝑖𝑛

twenty.

     Chan didn't move. "First, if you would kindly return my member to me."

     Her brother's eyes flickered across her face, and he shook his head, denying Chan's request. "I'm sorry, but for the time being, she stays where she is."

     Hyunjin's jaw flexed as he attempted to stay calm, not taking his eyes off of the only girl in the room. He waited for Chan to argue, but his leader simply brushed off the refusal and sat, gesturing for the others to do the same. Hyunjin clenched his teeth and roughly pulled a chair out from the table, sitting with quick, fluid motions.

     Nari flinched at the display, making eye contact with Chan again. He gave her a calm nod, soothing the nasty ache brewing in her stomach. After taking a deep breath, she sat back, letting Taeyong officially start the meet up.

     "Well," he said languidly, letting his gaze rest on each Stray Kids member for a moment. "I'm glad you all could make it. The reason you're here, obviously, is to discuss her."

     Taeyong pointed at Nari, who shrank down into her chair. "First of all, let me make it clear who she is to me. Believe it or not, I have a stronger claim to her than anyone on this planet."

     At this point, Chan was looking pretty confused, and Hyunjin was poised on the edge of his seat, eyes narrowed.

     "Lee Nari is my sister. I ordered her capture in order to protect her from you."

     The gasps Nari was expecting didn't break out from her friends. Worried, she peeked over at them. All the members had gobsmacked looks on their faces, save Chan. He kept a poker face as best he could, though Nari could see that he hadn't been expecting this at all.

     After milking the moment as much as he could, Taeyong sighed and looked at his sister, eyes full of pure anguish. "I will confess to you all how I became affiliated with NCT, to explain myself and give my sister some closure."

     He blew a heavy breath out and puckered his lips, wondering where he could start. "Our father was involved with the original founder, and no, I did not create NCT. Our first leader, Ji Hansol, retired after the weight of running a mafia became to much for him about five and a half years ago. He passed the duty to our father, his most trusted member and second in command."

     Her brother had to stop and catch his breath, displaying a rare show of weakness to an enemy gang. When he lifted his head, his eyes were full of moisture, the salty tears echoing the bitterness brought on by unfair circumstances.

     "He wasn't used to unparalleled power, to having the ultimate say in such important matters. He got careless, made too many enemies, and didn't pay his debts. Another gang organized an "accident" for him and our mother not long after he ascended, and they died in the car crash caused by an ambush. "

     It was only until Nari felt her tears dripping onto her hands that she realized she was crying. All of this information had been wrongly withheld from her all her life, and for it to be revealed to her all at once was too much, too overwhelming.

     "I was the only heir that the gang could look to," Taeyong continued, fighting back the burning of unshed tears in his throat. "I was nineteen," he keened softly as several tracks of liquid made their way down his cheeks. "I had no idea what I was doing, or how my actions would affect those I loved."

     He gathered himself and wiped his face, a bit embarrassed with his emotional display. "I began to perform my duties as NCT's leader: organizing my members, expanding our armory, setting up a better headquarters. I was spending too much time away from Nari, and she began to notice. I became paranoid, sure that she would find out about the mafia and pay for it, like our parents did. So I faked my disappearance and sent her away."