/ Taehyung K's POV /
Taehyung woke up that next morning to his phone ringing off the hook. His body couldn't take it, he groaned as he crumbled into a ball. The obnoxious bell from his landline pulling him out of his slumber and drawing him to open his eyes and get out of bed.
Early mornings were normal for him. Normal because in prison he had spent many nights wide awake, anticipating for the prison guards to burst through the doors flashing their flashlights and blowing their whistles at Taehyung and the other inmates as if they were a rapid pack of dogs. Sometimes, Taehyung figured that a lot of the things he had adjusted to throughout life came from his time spent in prison.
Sluggishly, he glided through the halls of his high rise. Bare feet hitting the cold, marveled floors as he makes his way over to the telephone. Taking the phone off the hook, he placed it up to his ear.
"What?" He mumbled, voice deep and heavy with sleep.
"Now Taehyung, is that anyway to speak to your father?"
Sighing, Taehyung ran his hand down his face. It was never a good sign when his father called so early in the morning.
"I'm sorry, father. What is it?" He replies respectfully, holding on to the last ounce of proper Korean etiquette he had saved for his father. The man wanted his respect from everyone. Especially Taehyung.
"Better. Good morning. I hope you're about ready to wake up and get a move on for the day. I wish to meet with you later on."
"About?"
"I'll tell you once we meet. I will be at the Japanese restaurant downtown at around noon."
"Donburi?" Taehyung looked around.
"Yes. Don't be late."
And that was it. No safe travels, no I love you's. It was cold and cut short.
Taehyung kissed his teeth and placed the phone back on the hook. He thought about calling Hoseok for this, but he realized that the man served a good enough purpose helping me navigate around the red room. Which, Taehyung assumed that this is what this meeting was all about.
•••
Taehyung was at the restaurant at 11:59 sharp. By 12:00, he was walking through the doors and searching around for his father. There was a specific section downtown in most densely populated cities such as Chicago. Outsiders called it "Chinatown", which , Taehyung found extremely racist and passive aggressive. Because there were many mixtures of east Asian cultures in this area.
Some Korean restaurants, some Chinese, some Japanese. Donduri was a Japanese restaurant that Taehyung's father had enjoyed eating at ever since Taehyung was a boy. Taehyung didn't understand it back then, but he now knew that most of the man's enjoyment sprouted from an affair he had with a waitress.
Her name was Chiyo, yo-yo is what they called her. She was about ten years younger than Mr.Kim. Around 46 now. Just like all of the other waitresses, she had been told to dress as a geisha to match the theme of the restaurant. She no longer worked here. But Taehyung suspected that his father kept returning in hopes to find her one day.
Which is, the only thing Taehyung knew of his father to do in a romantic sense.
"Son, over here."
Taehyung turned to the sound of the voice. His father sat in a booth waving him over. Hard to miss him, with the two guards standing on either side of the booth. Oddly enough, nobody paid attention to it.
Taehyung began to take his jacket off as he approached the booth. Sliding in, he kept the brown leather on his lap and looked at his father after sending him a respectful bow.
"I have ordered you something. I suspect that you haven't yet eaten."
"No sir, i haven't." Taehyung mumbled. He watched as his father nodded before slapping an envelope down on the table.
"Tell me about the club. It was brought to my attention that you brought the crazy bastard from Korea along with you. Was he a great help?"
Taehyung smirked as he pulled the envelope towards him with a single finger.
"He was. Next visit he'll be attending as well."
"That's fine with me. As long as he isn't in the way." Taehyung kissed his teeth.
"It was okay. A nice club, extremely ducked off. You walk in and you see cages on the roof, naked women dancing inside. Women and men working the floor and dancing on pools. Red lights..." Taehyung mumbled.
"Bobby is some fucking pansy?" Mr.Kim asked. Taehyung looked up at him.
"I think he has men in there because it attracts more female customers. Smart business tactic in my opinion."
"I suppose." Mr.Kim said.
"What is this?" Taehyung asked, beginning to open the envelope. The first paper he pulled out was all in Korean. He read the title. "Dragon" it says, and then "Yong". Which was the term in Korean.
"This, is information. It appears that the reason as to why we have yet to get our money back from that son of a bitch is because he's in kahoots with the underground Korean incorporation. The Yong, known for selling sex and extorting drugs. Every few years they bring in more people. Wether that person be a cop that could gather information, or a random broad off the street they could sell. They have a list of who they plan to bring and who they plan to get out."
Taehyung nodded. "How does the club tie into all of this?"
"The club is bringing in the money for Bobby to supply them with. He gains support because in exchange they give him illegal drugs or whatever the case may be. I don't care about what they give him, I care about what he is giving them."
Taehyung sighed, flipping to the next sheet. His eyes damn near popped out of the sockets once he seen a familiar face in print. The beautiful girl he was stunned to see last night after so many years.
Liyah Gwan.
"These are some of the most famous faces he has in that club. She, being the most popular. All of her information resides in that packet so don't lost it. I figure she's his favorite if she is a fan favorite. Get to her and you get everything you need."
Taehyung couldn't speak. It was as if his tongue had shriveled up and fallen off. It was one thing for him to see her again. But another thing for her to get involved. She was considered a target. If she was Bobby's favorite then she knew things that other dancers didn't. Taehyung couldn't stomach it.
"You seem troubled." His father said. Taehyung looked up at the man to see him sparking a cigarette. He didn't care about the no smoking sign.
"I'm not." Taehyung quickly masked his emotions. "I seen her dance last night. She is, in fact a favorite. It may be hard getting to her."
"Since when have you ever ran from a challenge, son?" He smirked.
Taehyung licked over his lips, watching as a waitress approached.
"Good afternoon." She says sweetly, placing their food on the table.
"Thank you honey." Mr.Kim says. Taehyung forced a smile. "Thank you." He says.
"Enjoy." The waitress boss before strutting away. Taehyung made sure she was out of earshot before he began to speak.
"I'm not running from anything. I just think it's unfair that an innocent woman has to get involved. What if she's popular? Doesn't mean she's a favorite of his. He just sees money bags when he fucking looks at her." Taehyung found himself getting angry.
Mr.Kim broke apiece his chop sticks as he rolled his eyes. "I guarantee you he does not. And I need you to put aside these so called feelings. It seems as if you've taken a liking to her after last night. Got your rocks off to her moves, Hmm?"
"No." Taehyung clenched his jaws. Mr.Kim chuckled.
"I'm kidding." He chuckled, but quickly stopped. He looked up at his son stoically. Not a single smile on his face. Not a hint of amusement. Taehyung narrowed his eyes.
"You will get to that fucking girl so that we can get to Bobby and settle this. And I won't have otherwise. Do you understand me, boy?"
"Yes sir." Taehyung says. Although it was killing him inside.
Mr.Kim rested back. "If we get to the head of the yong, then we slay the entire dragon. She is our key to getting what we need."
"I understand sir." Taehyung nodded. Fuck.
"Good." The man cleared his throat. "Eat your meal. I don't want to be in here for long."
•••
Long after his father left this side of town, Taehyung stayed. Sitting inside of his Buick as he stared down at Liyah's file. He hated how easily accessible she was. Made him wonder about just what she had been doing these past few years while he was gone.
He seen that she didn't graduate high school. She was the smartest girl he knew growing up, he didn't expect that she would drop out.
He seen her address, her birthday, doctor files, height, weight, fucking hair color. His father had dug deep and Taehyung hated it.
Sighing, he stared at her picture on the piece of paper. He knew he would have to return back to the club soon. But he wasn't anticipating having to pursue her for the sole purpose of his father's own gain.
Taehyung wanted to catch up with her. Talk to her and make things right after so many years.
Would it hurt for Taehyung to do something out of his own selfish gain this once?
-
A/n: ooouuu it's getting spicyyyyyy🤭🤭🤭
I got the idea of Bobby's connection and Liyah's connection with 'The Yong' after watching rush hour. The whole thing about a list and a woman who knew the information. So on so forth. I'm loving this plot.
Excuse any mistakes <3.