The first few pictures were all of Jisung's, tied in a same manner and also blindfolded. But it seemed the second one was in a hotel room rather than any rundown place.
"The first one is from August, 2015 and the second one from May, 2020."
"That's.." Minho's eyes stayed fixated on the younger in the pictures. "My last year in high school and when I was in LA."
"Yep," San agreed. "It seems as though Han Jisung had been kidnapped both the times."
"Where did you even find this, San?"
"Well.. I had to do some digging. If someone sues me you gotta handle that for real, hyung." He quickly added. "These are pictures that were personally sent by Mr Lee to Mr Han."
"My dad?" Confusion and anger started appearing on Minho's face.
San nodded.
"What I can assume by the information I've gathered, Han Jisung was kidnapped both times for being in contact with you. There's a copy of the chat between Mr Lee and Mr Han."
Minho brought the paper out. Surely there it was, a conversation filled with conspiracies and threats.
"According to this," Minho started. "Han Younghoon deliberately told my father to kidnap his son and threaten him to be away from me? But why?"
"Maybe because of their homophobic asses, who knows?"
"That man fucking acted sweet about our relationship back then and did this to his own son!?"
Minho was beyond furious.
He felt mad at Younghoon yet at the same time, he couldn't help feeling guilty now that he knew Jisung never betrayed him, he was forced to.
"I still don't understand why dad would agree to this though, San."
"Hyung, remember the problem with deals with the Han company a few days ago? My assumption is that after the scandal 7 years ago, Mr Lee was threatened to do this in order to keep the business running."
That made sense.
7 years ago, Minho's father committed a crime by stealing information from his partner company but the case was well hidden up until now.
Of course Han Younghoon had made Lee Jihoon work for him as a compensation.
"I can't believe these fathers.." Minho couldn't help the sigh that left his mouth.
"There's more, hyung." Reaching out, San took out another picture from the file. "Can you recognize them?"
It seemed like a big family photo. He could see Jisung with his parents and also..
"Aunt Minjae and Nori? What are they doing with the Han family?"
"They are Hans too." San replied. "Han Minjae is Han Younghoon's sister which means Miss Nori is Jisung's cousin."
Minho's eyes met San's in confusion.
It all felt so so confusing that his head was staring to hurt.
"You're telling me this marriage between me and Nori is eventually connecting our company with the Hans?"
"That's what it looks like. I think the mastermind behind all this is Han Younghoon himself."
"I need to confront dad about this now." Minho was about to get up when the younger quickly pulled him to sit down again.
"Hyung, you need to be careful about your steps now. Don't do something on impulse."
"What do you mean?"
"Han Younghoon is a dangerous man and I think your father is just another victim of his hideous plans, just like Han Jisung."
"That's why I need to know why both dad and Jisung are so afraid of him. I need to ask-"
"That's because he's in the mafia, hyung." San cut the older mid sentence. "Han Younghoon, under his several multinational business farms, runs various illegal businesses and is very influential underground."
"No doubt even your father fears a man like that.." San finished.
There it was again, a surging headache making its way towards Minho's head. Every time he was faced with some sort of shock, headaches seemed to be following right after.
He lightly punched the side of his head with the base of his palm, a little effort to get rid of the pain.
"You should stay careful and don't get involved with this anymore. I'll take care of the rest myself." Minho said after a while.
"But hyung, it's dangerous and there's still too many questions to be answered. I want to hel-"
"Exactly, San, it's dangerous. Now that I have a somewhat picture of what's going on, I cannot let you get involved in this madness any longer."
San sighed in response. He knew arguing with the older was no use.
It really was risky to dig further considering the fact that he probably was in danger already.
However, how could he simply leave his older friend in a pit of darkness, a mysterious world nobody should be in?
"I'll obey you now but you must tell me if you need any sort of help." He practically begged with his eyes. "And please don't do something reckless either hyung."
Minho felt the younger's concern by the way his hand rested on Minho's thigh. He put his own hand on top of San's, giving it a squeeze of reassurance.
I wonder how you'd react if you knew..
In the end, it was better to keep the younger in dark as much as still possible and Minho knew it.
...
Desperate knocks filled the office room, followed by a "Come in" from the middle aged man sitting on his office chair.
Opening the door in a more calm manner despite the urgency, came inside his only son.
"What is it, Minho? I don't remember asking for you."
"Can I not have a talk with my own father without being called?"
Lee Jihoon looked up from his laptop, finally sparing a glance towards his son.
"I think we both know that neither of us are very fond of small talks."
"You might care if this small talk involved you selling off your son to the mafias."
Minho saw as his father slightly flinched, his body tensing at the mere mention of the issue.
"What're you talking about?" The older tried to keep his voice steady.
"No need to pretend, dad." Minho stayed firm in his words though. "I think it's time you explained everything going on regarding this business, the Hans, the wedding and me."
"Starting from when I was a high- schooler.." He finished.
Jihoon stood up from his seat, frustration making his eyebrows frown already.
"How do you know about this?"
"That shouldn't be any of your concerns." Minho was quick to answer. "I know you kidnapped Jisung.. twice, that is also by the order of Han Younghoon. Why dad? Why would you do that?"
"What else do you expect me to do!?" His father yelled in response. "Watch my son be in a relationship with another guy and be happy about it?"
Minho gulped in the anger that boiled inside him.
"And you'd go so far as to kidnap a high-schooler and threaten him to leave your son?"
"His dad was the one who wanted this. It wasn't my plan."
"Still doesn't explain why you would go out of your way and obey someone just like that. Why are you so afraid of Mr Han?" Minho inquired again.
But his father stayed quiet.
After a few minutes of demeaning silence, he again spoke up, "You know nothing, son. Don't get involved in this matter.. I'm begging you."
The sudden softer tone of his father didn't go unnoticed by Minho but he couldn't help letting his own frustration flow out.
"Then tell me, dad!!" He shouted. "How can I not get involved when everything happening literally revolves around ME!?"
"You still shouldn't-"
"You know what? I'll just go and confront Mr Han himself. He seems to be the head of everything, right?"
Minho was about to walk away when Jihoon hurriedly grabbed his arm to stop him from moving.
"Don't! Okay- I'll tell you everything."
Minho let himself calm down and waited for his father to continue.
"The mishaps started about 8 years ago. I was jealous of Younghoon's success and so I sent in a spy to sell their company information to me. That's when I accidentally found out that my friend, Han Younghoon, was actually in the mafia and ran various illegal businesses."
Jihoon let his body relax and remember the events from back then, not making eye contact with his son.
"My reputation, the business I've worked hard on for years, was in the grasp of Younghoon then. If he wanted, he could've destroyed everything, go as far as to killing me and my family. I begged him for mercy, that's when he proposed a deal-"
"What deal?"
"A contract where I was bound to follow his orders," Jihoon continued. "Not long after, he found out about you and Jisung's relationship. He couldn't accept it although acting like a supportive father outside. So he gave his first order and told me to kidnap Jisung and threaten him to leave you."
Minho couldn't but frown at the realisation again that how terribly he had misunderstood his lover.
"It worked. You two broke up. It was supposed to end there but you had to fucking reconcile with him after years in LA. Younghoon kept track of everything so he ordered me again to kidnap Jisung."
"How tf can a father make his son suffer like that?" Minho uttered in disbelief.
"This time though, he knew Jisung wouldn't buzz with simple threats. I remember how that boy looked dead into my eyes and said that he'd never leave you even if it meant his life was at risk." The older lightly laughed.
A pang shot through Minho's heart. He wished he could go back in time and just keep the younger safe in his arms.
"So it was you who framed Jisung of stealing my money?" Minho asked.
Jihoon nodded.
"To make Jisung listen to us, Younghoon finally came out of the shades and threatened his son that if he didn't follow, his mother would be in danger. Again, we thought things will be under control now but of course you had to be nosy and keep searching for that boy. It was because of your stubbornness that Younghoon forced Jisung to fake his death."
"T-That man faked his son's death and even threatened to hurt his wife." Minho uttered to himself in disbelief.
The pained look of Mrs Han flashed in front of his eyes.
Regaining his composure, Minho faced his father again. "Why make him reappear in front me then?"
"Younghoon sensed you'd find out sooner or later. Besides.."
"Besides what dad?"
Jihoon shook his head. "You should just focus on your wedding and let things go as they are. Don't make it harder than it already is."