Yuta’s POV
27 October, 2028
Seoul, Korea
I rolled to the other side of the bed. I thought Taeyong was going to be still in bed, but the side was completely empty and that wake up fully. I looked at the nightstand, scared that he found out about Shota and left me, but his things were still there. I looked around the room confused, but there was no trace from him. I got up and checked the bathroom, but it was completely empty. I wondered if it was possible for him to leave me without even taking his things, but at the moment I thought about that the door was opened. I turned around and saw him standing there with a tray. Two cups of coffee, a bunch of croissants and a small buf of jam.
“I brought breakfast!” He said cheerfully and left it on the table.
“You scared the shit out of me!” I hissed at him and he made a puppy face. “Are you naked?”
He shook his head. He was wearing the white bathrobe and I was sure that he didn’t wear any clothes beneath that. Taeyong sighed and removed the bathrobe, showing me that he was wearing boxers.
“God, at least that!” I said and collapsed on the armchair. He smiled and got on top of me.
“Yuta,” he whispered close to my lips.
“Mmm…” I mumbled and slowly looked him in the eyes.
Let's stay here. Just me and you. For a while. A couple of days, or a week…” He mumbled. I rolled my eyes.
“We can’t, baby!”
My and slowly ran down his cheek. He didn’t like what I said and got up. He left me alone and started dressing himself. I rolled my eyes.
“You’re getting ready for meeting Mark and Johnny?” I asked after a minute or so. He turned around and looked at me shocked. “Huh?”
“Does that mean yes?” He tried to smile, but he waited for my answer. I nodded and he jumped. He came closer to me, sat in my lap again and kissed me. The moment our lips collided I felt lighter. I kissed him back and made sure to show him that I cared about him.
“Under one condition!”
My words made him look at me seriously. I was a bit scared to say it, because I didn’t want to pressure him. But I had to.
“Come on!” He punched ne on the chest. “What’s it?”
“We can stay here for a week. But we will spend time with Shota too. You know he had a hard time coming here.” I asked Taeyong and he nodded.
“And Johnny is going back to Japan?”
“Of course, baby,” I caressed his cheek and kissed him on the lips lightly. “Of course!”
“So I don’t care if Shota is with us, I just…” I chuckled and took one of the croissants. I put it in his mouth and he almost chocked laughing at me.
“Hurry up eating,” I said and made him get off of me, so I could get ready too. Once we were ready, I texted Johnny and Mark to wait for us in a restaurant nearby. I looked at Taeyong and he looked ready. He sat on the bed and put on his wristwatch. He was looking at me from time to time and soon, he finally said what was on his mind.
“Thank you!” He whispered. “I know that you prefer to be strict and go back to work, but… We need that.”
“What now?” I asked and went closer. “You plan on making my suit a mess?” He laughed and leaned on my shoulder. “What?”
“Once we’re back and Johnny and Mark are not next door, I will let you destroy me!”
I chuckled and took his head in my hands. I slowly left a peck on his lips and whispered, “I love you! I need you to know that!”
“I love you too!”
Our foreheads were pressed one to another and I sighed.
“Come on, Tae… Let’s go!”
My plan was to try and tell Taeyong why I want us to spend time with Shota. But for that I needed to see if they were getting along.
Hyunjin’s POV
27 October 2028
Seoul, Korea
I was slowly getting wasted and I knew that. I was in my usual spot, the VIP thable in my own bar. I was glad that Jisung didn’t come to the bar that night and I knew that if he came here, he would come to meet me. I sighed and leaned back on the backrest. Chan was looking at me and was about to say something, but once again he stood quiet. It was like that for a couple of hours now and I didn’t know if he wanted to ask me what happened, or what the hell was going to happen from now on. Maybe he already knew what happened judging by the way I was drinking. And maybe he already knew what I wanted from now on.
“Are you out of your mind?” He dared to ask quietly.
“I used protection, Chris!” I yelled at him.
We both stared into each other’s eyes. None of us said a word, because both of us weren’t sure what to say. I knew he wasn’t ready to hear that and neither was I. I would have accepted it if I was her older daughter’s father because the night of the prom was the only time I didn’t use protection. Or the only time I remembered.
“Don’t tell me that you can be sure that you used condoms when you were totally wasted, drunk and drugged.”
“I don’t understand it, Chan…” I mumbled looking at his eyes. “It just doesn’t make sense.”
“What do you mean?” Chan looked concerned at me.
“Five years ago,” I started quietly. “It was the last time… I… I haven’t…” I stuttered. Memories flashed in front of my eyes. I hated that night more than any other night in my life.
Flashback
Hyunjin’s POV
05 July, 2023
Seoul, Korea
I had just finished practice and was walking towards my car. The people who were always around me followed me. I turned around and looked at them crossing my arms.
“What are you doing here again?” I raised an eyebrow. “Leave me! Okay?”
“Mr Hwang,” one of the men spoke calmly. “You know that someone tried to kill your uncle. We’re here to protect you, to keep an eye if there’s something…”
“LEAVE ME!” I yelled and they sighed. I shook my head. “No, no… This is ridiculous. I am just coming here to dance! There’s no one who would do anything to me. Why don’t you understand that?” I hissed and got into my car. I leaned on the backseat and looked at the people. They stood there still. I shook my head and sighed.
My hands slipped on the leather steering wheel, the tips of my fingers tickled by the stitches from inside. I looked straight ahead and tried to calm down. I breathed in and out, putting the key inside. I pressed the button and the car’s engine tickled me from inside. I closed my eyes and smiled. Today was a good day.
And at the moment I thought that everything for today was over, my phone rang. It was my best friend, so I picked up without hesitating. I was ready to hear him complaining about his partner who was always making him do the stupidest and easiest things, but his shaky voice made me turn off the car’s engine.
“San, San… Keep calm, and please tell me what happened…” I whispered and I heard him taking a deep breath. I did the same as if I was getting ready to hear what was happening. It was nearly five in the evening, but for me there was no chance anything was happening today.
“Hyunjin, we found him. We couldn’t put him in prison, because he…He’s… Dead.”
I shook my head. My eyes filled with tears. No matter how many times I wanted to hear this, right now I didn’t want to hear it. I wanted to wake up and to realize that this was a nightmare. But the nightmare just began.
I took a deep breath.
“The report is ready. You have to pick it up. Want me to come with you?”
I shook my head, almost crying.
“This didn’t happen, San. Say it’s a joke please!” I cried.
“I wish I could, Hyunjin.”
Those words made me realize what was happening. My uncle was dead. For real. And no matter how much I tried to believe in the opposite, I didn’t have to.
“I… I need time. I will come as soon as I can, okay? I.. I have to go home for a while.”
“Alright, I will be there.”He told me.
I hung up and started the engine again. I left the parking lot furiously and went home as soon as possible.
The fear that his whole empire was going to ruin my dream wasn’t leaving me, but I didn’t expect that to happen so soon.
Once I got home, I went to his office and opened one of the drawers. I found a silver pen and I opened it. Inside of it there was a small key that opened a little box he used to hide behind his books. It was still there. I took the box and opened it. There was an envelope and a gun. Just what I was looking for. I took the envelope and put the gun back inside. I opened the envelope and started reading.
Soon, I put everything back in there and took a deep breath. My dream crashed into pieces the moment I read that letter. My teeth sank into my lower lip and I turned around. I chuckled.
I will burn this place!
Then, I got my phone from the desk and left. San was there, waiting for me. I opened the car and both of us entered it.
***
The fast car was making me feel like I was home. I didn’t have home, so the only thing that felt like that was the speed and my lamborghini. I just had heard the best thing in my life and at the same time the thing that I feared the most. My uncle was dead.
"Hyunjin, please…" I heard a voice through the noises of my furious engine. I was driving from my home to the police department but I didn’t want to waste time. San was right next to me, his quiet and worried voice was trying to make me slow down. I couldn't. The only thing that could make me do it was something that would never happen. Not after my uncle was dead and everything he had achieved was mine now.
"How can he fuck up everything?" I yelled and hit the steering wheel. "How?" I yelled again. "I don't get it. I told him I didn't want to get all of it. I fucking wanted to be a dancer, San!" I yelled and hit the steering wheel once again. "Motherfucker!"
"He's your uncle…" San whispered again, trying to calm me down. “He raised you. He gave you everything you needed.”
“And fear. Constantly going to the store with my bodyguards?” I asked and looked at my friend for a while. “Is this what someone would give to a child? Fear?” I asked and he sighed. I knew he didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what I wanted him to say. The worst part was that I had no fucking idea of business. "Did he ever ask me what I wanted? Private school, home lessons, and at the end, his whole empire?" I sighed. "And why didn't he ask me? Because he knew, he fucking knew that I didn't want it." I yelled. "The best part of it is that his consigliere will have to teach me…" I hit the horn at some bitch that was making me hit the brakes too, because she was moving slower than ever. Finally we were there and me and San went out of the car. I looked at him just for a moment and looked at the door in front of us. I felt like a criminal and yet, I haven’t done anything to feel like that. But I knew, I knew very much that I was about to be more criminal than every single person that was entering this door for some reason.
"Don't worry. Come on, I have to give you the report." He made me follow him. Entering the police department, I felt like I was going to prison. Instead, I was here to get the report for my uncle's death. I was happy that he was dead, but what I had heard just half an hour ago was making me so uncomfortable.
We walked into San's office and he gave me the paper. I looked around and smiled.
"So, you're now working here?" I whispered and he came closer to me.
"Yes, I'm a police officer now." He chuckled. I hugged him and told him that I was so fucking happy for him. “Don’t do anything stupid,” he asked me quietly. I shook my head. A promise was too much. But a little “I will try,” was enough so I whispered it and looked at the folder in my hands. “You can take the body after the autopsy.” San told me and tried to make me relax. “And please, don’t kill yourself.”
“I won’t,” I assured him and left.
My shaking hand dialed Hyejin. I waited for her to pick up. Once that happened and I heard her sweet voice, I shook my head, knowing that this was a total mistake.
“My uncle’s bar. In an hour. I need to get distracted…”
“Of course, Hyunjinnie!” She giggled and hung up on me. I sighed and got in my car.
Hyunjin’s POV
27 October 2028
Seoul, Korea
“You’re kidding me…” Chan whispered.
“I have a daughter. Hwasa’s daughter is mine too. She’s three years old… And a half. Three and a half. The DNA test proved it. But check it. Five years ago he died. I needed something to distract me, so I called her. We got drunk, but not wasted. I knew what I was doing, I went there prepared! I had condoms and I don’t think I don’t remember what happened… I know exactly what happened, Chris. And it was the last time I slept with her. I haven’t done it ever since. Yet, my daughter is not five but three. I just don’t understand how she got pregnant…”
“What if there was another time that you just don’t remember?” He whispered and sighed.
“I have no idea… This just makes everything more complicated!” I sighed and drank more. “Jisung…”
“This boy again?” Chan hissed. I nodded.
“Like it or not, I care about him!”