Park Gyul's Point of View
"Come with me to work today," Jin said as we ate breakfast.
My eyes widened, still chewing on the food I had just put in my mouth. "I resigned, and you fired me, remember?" I asked despite having food in my mouth. If I were with my family, I would have already gotten a lecture for breakfast because of what I did.
"That's invalid." He sipped on his coffee. "And don't try to run away. We'll find you no matter what." He threatened, and I immediately recalled Suga's gun on my face, making me shake my head.
It's absurd. He used to make me feel a sense of protection, but now, just thinking about him makes me grow gooseflesh.
"And besides, I don't have someone to replace you."
"Okay." I shrugged.
At this point, I don't feel like a captive anymore. The boys have been kind and warm to me, and it was only Suga distancing himself for reasons I cannot even find. I wanted to ask him, but I prefer not to talk. I did nothing wrong, so why should I be the one to fix whatever issues he has with me and make him indifferent about me?
He has his own apartment, too; that's why I barely saw him come here to the mansion. I think that's better because he is beginning to irritate me.
So much for being responsible in our situation; he could have been at least nicer. Just because I knew who he truly was doesn't mean he needed to be a complete douchebag to me. I know they aren't the nicest people ㅡ they have an illegal business ㅡ but he could at least treat me like I exist and not just pass by me whenever he sees me.
He's a completely different person from the Suga that I met. He wasn't as kind to me anymore. And I hate the fact that, somehow, I miss our interactions.
After breakfast, I got ready for work. Jin drove us to the office while I read his schedule to him.
We ended up finding our situation convenient. If we needed something done by each other, we could do it straight away because we had to revise some of his schedules at the moment.
The day at work was the usual. Nothing special except that I had to go home with him this time. And although the thought of running away from them was getting in my head, I decided not to do it anymore.
My life with them is both a danger and a safety, but choosing to be with them means I am protected with a convenient life. More importantly, I may have been only with them for less than a week, but I have somehow built a connection with them. They're nice, funny, and caring, and again, I don't feel like their captive.
Sometimes, I feel scared of them. They would randomly take out a gun or any weapon for random reasons, but they assured me that I'd be fine with them.
I think it's cute. With all those weapons and a physique built for fights, they're very soft on the inside.
But for some reason, I still find Jimin annoying.
"The next time you're in your police uniform, can you not show yourself to me?" I told him as we entered the mansion at the same time.
"What did I ever do to you?" He asked, surprised at my comment on him.
"Betray me." I still feel how high he lifted my hopes only to crash it hard.
He laughed. "I can't betray my family for you, Gyul. I'm sorry."
I rolled my eyes.
"Oh, come on, what can I do to redeem myself?" He walked ahead and stopped in front of me, making me also stop.
"Nothing," I said. I stepped aside and was about to walk away, but he stopped me, catching me on my wrist.
"Look, there's nothing you can do, Jimin. It's a me issue, and I understand where you came from. But there's one thing that I don't understand." I sighed, and he looked at me with those eyes that begged me to ask whatever I had in mind as if, by doing so, he'd be able to give me something that could finally make me feel better about him.
"You're a man of law and justice, but why are you doing this?"
His face became serious and heavy, but there was also hesitations in his eyes. However, he still answered me with something. "A fair and just law and order is the idea, but the sad reality is that our world isn't so different from the mafia world." He looked at me afterward and immediately changed the topic.
"So, how was work?" And he was back to his usual self as if he wasn't carrying that dark and heavy aura a while ago. By the way, he answered me, I knew there was something deeper, and that hidden something somehow made me understand what he was doing. After all, Namjoon had told me they had different stories of their own as to why they were here.
"It was okay. Nothing different."
As we passed by the living room, Suga was there, and he was discussing something with Namjoon. Namjoon greeted me, but Suga just glanced at me, not even a smile of acknowledgment which made my teeth grit.
When he said he'd had enough of me, I never thought of it to be this way.
I sighed. Why does it even matter to me? So what if he won't pay attention to me? So what if he ignores me?
But why?
"Ugh!" I said out loud in frustration, even if I did not intend to.
I'm no longer annoyed with Jimin but with Suga this time.
"Where's Jin?" I asked, no longer seeing him after coming here with him.
"He's probably in the kitchen cooking dinner," he said.
I went to the kitchen and found him there, preparing ingredients. His blazer was placed on the chair by the counter, and he wore his button-up shirt with two buttons already undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbow. Admittedly, it was a sight, and I needed to steal a few seconds of a stare for admiration before I approached him.
"Need help?" I asked, standing beside him while he sliced the meat into strips.
He looked at me. "Yes, please. That would be great," and he smiled.
"Tell me what to do then. What are you cooking?"
"Just bulgogi and kimchi stew. You can cut the carrots into strips to start," he said, pointing at the washed vegetable on the sink and the other ones that were also already washed. They were all placed in a strainer.
I took a knife, and the wooden chopping board hidden in the cupboard and began chopping.
"So, it's you who always cooks the food here?" I asked.
"Yup. Breakfast and dinner."
"Do the guys help you?" I was curious, seeing that not one of them was here.
"Sometimes. Most of the time, it's Jungkook and Hoseok helping me if they're not busy." He finished slicing the meat. "But since you're here, why not be my help?"
"Okay, sure. I don't mind. At least I'm useful."
He chuckled. "It's a good thing you've adjusted well. I had expected you to actually sulk and not talk to us after we locked you here, but here you are."
"Well, I mean, I don't even feel like I'm locked up in here, and I'm not running away because I fear for my life." I could imagine Suga with the gun again. "If I escape, I die because of Suga or Taemin, so instead of either, I'll just stay here. You guys are kind to me, and sulking won't do anything in my life, so I must move forward with whatever my situation is."
I placed the last strips of carrots I'd cut in a bowl with the rest. "Besides, it's been three days since that day. And for someone who is locked up, I have so much freedom. You even let me go to work as if nothing happened."
"It still surprises me that you didn't run away."
I rolled my eyes. "You just threatened me before we left, remember?"
He chuckled. "That's not a threat. It's the truth. We'll find you wherever you try to hide."
"Exactly. So what's the point of escaping?"
He laughed this time. "You're funny."
After cooking, Hoseok and Jungkook came, and they helped us set up the table for dinner. The other boys were also gathering at the dining table until it was only Suga who was not with us. However, I wasn't expecting him anymore because he might have returned to the apartment.
***
Namjoon sat down across me on the sofa inside the library. He had his legs crossed, and so was I, but by the time he joined me, I was already distracted. I've been re-reading a few pages because I couldn't stop staring at him, I just hope he wasn't seeing me doing so.
Finally, the book that Namjoon recommended to me was ready. I closed the book and announced my accomplishment, "I'm done," which made the guy look.
He smiled. "So, what do you think?" He closed his book, placing it over his lap to give all of his attention to me.
The book he gave to me was the novel Almond by Shon Wonpyung. The story was about a boy who had a condition called alexithymia which made it difficult for him to express his express his emotions.
"I like it. It's interesting. I've actually never heard of his condition before," I said.
Namjoon and I spent more time discussing it until our topics changed to other books, and he got too excited and recommended another.
We stood by his shelf, and I watched him as he tried to find the book he wanted me to read next. Then, when he found it, he handed it to me.
Suddenly, Suga's entered. I was horrified to see his condition. He was covered in blood and wounds, and that alerted both me and Namjoon. From his soft and warm aura, Namjoon's face became stern in a second, and his body was firm and tense.
"Gyul, please call Hoseok and Jin now," he commanded me, and I was quick on my feet to run upstairs to where I knew the guys would be.
I first knocked on Jin's room because it was the closest to the stairs. I no longer waited for him to speak and opened the door, finding Jungkook without a shirt on inside and Jin shouting as he played video games beside Jungkook on the bed.
"Jin, Suga needs you in the library now!" I exclaimed.
"Why?" Jungkook, who was now covering himself with a blanket, asked.
"He's wounded and bleeding," I said, which was enough for them to be alerted. Jin let go of the controller in his hands and left the room as fast as he could.
"Go call Hoseok," he commanded me as he rushed down.
"On it!" I rushed to the next bedroom, where I already knew Hoseok was. I knocked first but immediately opened the door after and found Jimin and Taehyung cuddling in each other's arms on his bed. They were all surprised to see me, but I had no time to judge whatever I saw.
"Hoseok, go down to the library now. Suga needs you."
"Suga?" Both Jimin and Taehyung asked.
"It's Yoongi, you dumbfucks!" He got out of the bed, coming closer to me.
"What's the commotion?" He asked, walking towards me.
"He's wounded," I answered, and that was enough to send him running down the stairs.
"Alert everyone and tell them to be on standby in case we need them!" He shouted the command, but before I could even go back to their rooms, Jimin, Jungkook, and Taehyung were already out and had probably already heard what Hoseok said.
"What's happening?" The now-dressed Jungkook asked.
"I have no idea. But Suga, Yoongi, whatever you call him, came home wounded."
"What?!" They exclaimed at the same time.
"But none of us had a mission for today?" Jungkook said, worry evident on his face, and the same goes for the two.
"We better find out what happened," Jimin said, signaling Taehyung and Jungkook to accompany him downstairs.
"Gyul, stay inside your room," he commanded me. I was about to complain because I wanted to know Suga's condition, but I thought it would be best for me to obey.
However, Namjoon's call for my name downstairs caught our attention. "Come down!" He shouted, making the four of us head wherever these people were.
I was surprised by the next thing that I saw when we were inside the library. Suga's shelf was open, and it had an elevator, which we all got in, which led us down to the hidden basement, whose walls were filled with different guns and weapons. It also had two doors, one open and where we were all heading into.
As we entered, I was welcomed by a small clinic-like room that had three beds, one of which was where Suga lay at the moment as Jin and Hoseok stitched his wounds and stopped his bleeding.
"How is he?" I asked, seeing how much in pain he was. He was soaked in his blood, and his clothes were ripped.
"He's fine. But it was the Lees who did this to him," Namjoon explained. "They had found you, Gyul, or so they thought, in Suga's apartment complex."
"W-what?" My body was suddenly frozen, and fear slowly crippled in me.
He is not giving up until he gets me.
"It's a good thing we kept her with us before it was too late. But how come Yoongi is like that?" Jimin asked.
"That motherfucker got pissed and threatened me with a gun. Of course, I had to fight!" Suga managed to explain, whimpering and groaning in pain in between his words. "It got intense, and his men and him ganged up."
"And you're like that? It's unbelievable," Jungkook said.
"I was one against eight, okay? And I had nothing with me. Plus, if I won against them, he might get suspicious of me."
"We're done," Jin and Hoseok said, cleaning up the materials they have used.
Suga lay still, catching his breath with his eyes closed. I found four stitches all over his body: one on his face, one on each arm, and one on his left thigh, which was also the biggest.
"Oh gosh," I sobbed, on the verge of crying, and stood closer beside him, feeling extremely guilty for putting him in such a situation. "I'm sorry."
"I think it's best to find a new secretary, Jin. It's no longer safe if Gyul wanders around outside," Namjoon spoke, making me look over at Jin, who was removing the bloody gloves from his hand. He was also looking at me, which changed into an apologetic gaze.
"Namjoon's right. I'm sorry, Gyul, but we have to lock you up in here for real."
I nodded. "I understand, but until when?"
"Let's give it a month in the meantime. Maybe Taemin will eventually give up on finding you." Namjoon answered.
"I just don't understand. Why do you matter so much to him to search for you like this?" Taehyung asked, leaving all of us in wonder.
"I wish I could answer you, but I have nothing. I've said it, we were fixed, but I ran away. That's all about it." I looked over at Suga, who stared blankly at the white ceiling. I pitied him and felt extremely guilty for putting these people's lives at risk.
"I'll try to search more. Maybe I can finally find something," Taehyung said and proceeded outside the infirmary.
They brought Suga back to his room here. The more I stared at him, the more I pitied him and felt guilty for putting him into this just because he got involved in protecting me.
His face was wounded; bruises and cuts over his brow, the corner of his lips, and his bare torso showed the further damage of their attack. I knew what Suga could do, but he let himself be this way to avoid suspicion.
"Gyul," Namjoon called me softly as they departed the place. I stood still by the door, eager to stay.
"I'll just talk to him for a bit, please?" He glanced at the man with his eyes now closed.
"Okay," he said, then left, closing the door.
"Suga," I called his name softly as I approached the side of his bed. He didn't respond to me in any way, so I continued. "I'm sorry for putting you through this trouble."
He sighed, still his eyes closed. "Don't apologize. It's my fault," he said in a low and nonchalant voice.
"Butㅡ"
"I'd like to rest, please. Let's just talk tomorrow."
I nodded despite him not seeing me. "Of course." I left his room after, guilt bothering me for the rest of the night.
***
"Can't I really go to work?" I asked Jin. He was already in his suit and tie, leaving early for his meeting. We were in the kitchen. I was cooking, and he made coffee to put in his thermos tumbler.
"Sorry, you can't. We can't risk it."
I pouted. "But I feel useless here."
He chuckled. "No, you're not. Just look at what you're doing right now, making food for us."
I shrugged. Well, he technically has a point.
"I'll be going now. Make sure to bring Yoongi food, okay?"
I could only nod and watch him leave from the kitchen.
While Jungkook and Hoseok, who came to help me, arranged the table for breakfast, I was the one to bring Suga his meal. I was worried about how he was, his wounded body vividly flashing before my eyes. I have never seen someone soaked with their blood; I was surprised he was even able to ride his motorbike all the way here.
I knocked on his door, and I received no response the first or the second time. I decided to let myself inside, twisting the knob with difficulty as I tried to balance the tray on one hand only. Finally, I was inside his room, yet the next thing I found almost made me drop the tray.
I cleared my throat, acting as if the sight of him was nothing to me.
"I- uh - brought you breakfast." I acted nonchalant despite the burning of my whole face and the sudden conversion of my joint into jello. The last thing that I had expected to see in this room was a topless Suga with only a white towel around his waist to protect his dignity.
"Thanks," he approached the bed where his phone was, limping and wincing as he walked. Seeing him in pain had a ton of weight on my chest; it ached, knowing that his pain was partly my fault. My eyes carefully traced along the wounds on his body, but I'm also human, and I couldn't help but look over his toned and muscular body. The brightness of his nakedness from his complexion was blinding as if the sun was shining before me.
His shoulders were wide, his chest was proud, his stomach was flat and toned, and his arms were muscular. His wet hair was shriveled, with strands laying flat over his forehead, almost covering his eyes. Yet despite the fairness of his skin and the impassiveness of his expression, his cheeks burned pink, flustered by my unannounced appearance.
"I'll just come back later to get these." I left his room, and I didn't realize how much I was holding my breath until I was taking deep inhales out his door.
The image of him flashed before my eyes vividly again. I firmly closed them in an attempt to calm the internal chaos inflicted by the sight of him. I swallowed as if that could ease the heaviness of my chest.
Back downstairs, the boys were all waiting for me to join them. Namjoon and Hoseok were in their button-up shirts, while Jimin was in his police uniform. However, Jungkook and Taehyung, as always, were just in their house clothes.
Last night's event made me wonder what these men do in front of the shadows. I knew that Mister Kim was a general practitioner aside from being the CEO of Sugums, but I wondered what Hoseok did. I concluded from last night that those two are the medical duo of their family.
It's still a wonder to me what Jungkook and Taehyung do in the light. They're always here at home, but I barely see Taehyung coming out of his room.
"You guys don't have work?" I asked, stacking the plates after Jimin, Hoseok, and Namjoon left.
"I do," Tae answered. "But unlike them, I don't have to go to the office. I can work at home or in the office if I want to."
"What do you do? I'm curious."
"I'm a software engineer." He carried the stacks of plates that I just finished to take them to the sink while some glasses were in my hand.
"How about you?" I asked Jungkook, who was also carrying the other glasses.
"I'm an artist."
"Oh," I nodded. "I'm not surprised. I've seen your pieces inside the library and I think they're great."
He smiled shyly. "Thanks."
"You should come and visit his art gallery sometime." Taehyung suggested, and Jungkook agreed to that.
"Right. I have a painting to display this weekend. I'll take you with me if Yoongi and Jin permit it."
I smiled. "I hope they do."