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Seungcheol cursed under his breath as he stepped into the house, his movements quick and determined as he made his way directly to the kitchen, where he expected to find Jisoo.
Gun still gripped tightly in his hand, Seungcheol entered the kitchen, his gaze sweeping the room in search of any sign of her.
Furrowing his brows in frustration, he scanned every corner of the kitchen, his anger mounting with each passing second as he failed to find her.
"Where the fuck are you, Kim Jisoo?" he growled, his voice laced with rage as he pounded the gun on the kitchen counter, the sound echoing in the tense silence of the room.
"Sir!" one of his guards hurried into the kitchen, calling out to him. Seungcheol turned sharply to face the man.
"We reviewed the CCTV footage to investigate the gunshot sound, but we discovered that Miss Kim has escaped," the guard informed, his words punctuated by a sense of urgency.
Seungcheol's brows furrowed, a surge of frustration coursing through him as he tightened his grip on the gun once again.
"Oh, yeah? Did she? By herself?" Seungcheol questioned, his tone dripping with skepticism as he loaded the gun, his actions reflecting his growing agitation.
The guard gulped nervously, meeting Seungcheol's intense gaze with dread.
"No, sir. Kim Mingyu helped her. He got inside the house through the back door. I apologize for our mistake," the man spoke, his hands feeling sweaty.
"Mmm," Seungcheol hummed, his lips forming a smirk as he nodded his head in acknowledgment.
"Good job, Kim," he whispered under his breath before abruptly turning the gun directly at the man's leg and firing, the sound of the gunshot reverberating through the kitchen.
The man screamed in agony as he collapsed to the floor, clutching his injured knee with both hands in a desperate attempt to stem the bleeding.
Seungcheol methodically loaded the gun once more, his expression unreadable as the man beside him began to beg nervously for mercy.
"Please, sir, don't kill me," the man pleaded, his voice trembling with fear as he looked up at Seungcheol with wide eyes.
"No need to worry," Seungcheol reassured the trembling man, his voice chillingly calm as he checked his gun before proceeding.
"This bullet isn't for you. I made a promise to someone else," he declared before abruptly turning the gun toward the plate of pasta and pulling the trigger.
The deafening sound of the gunshot filled the room as the plate shattered, sending pasta flying in all directions. The man flinched at the unexpected noise, his fear palpable in the tense air.
Seungcheol pressed the warm gun against his temple, the recent discharge leaving a lingering heat against his skin.
"Funny thing is," he remarked with a wry smile, "I should probably be relieved I have one less problem to deal with. But we both know she'll come back around," he added, his smirk suggesting he almost welcomed the inevitable confrontation.
"And I'll be ready when she does. I can't wait for that moment," he continued in a low, almost sweet tone, his mind swirling with numerous thoughts, all of them revolving around Jisoo. "I'll take my time with her. The future Miss Choi..."
"Mingyu, why are we here? I want to go home," Jisoo said nervously, her fingers anxiously fidgeting as she stood on the sofa in Minghao's apartment.
He sighed before taking a seat next to her, gently grasping her hands in his own, understanding that her anxiety was getting the best of her.
"We can't go home," Mingyu replied softly, tilting his head down to meet her gaze, his eyes filled with understanding and empathy.
"But why?" she asked, furrowing her brows.
"Because it's not safe right now," he explained gently.
She scrutinized his expression for a moment before pressing on with a frown. "Mingyu, you're hiding something. Tell me the truth, why can't we go home?" she asked once more, her tone filled with determination.
Mingyu sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration before meeting her gaze again.
"Because they'll send you back to him," he finally admitted, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth.
Confusion clouded her expression, evident in the furrow of her brows as she tried to process his words.
"What?" she asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "This can't be true," Jisoo protested, her voice filled with denial as she struggled to comprehend what he just said.
"But it is, Jisoo. Dad will send you back to him," Mingyu replied solemnly, his expression reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
"Why? Why would he do that?" she demanded, frustration evident in her voice as she struggled to make sense of the situation.
Mingyu gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face before his hand moved to offer her comfort, encouraging her to find peace in his embrace.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest, offering her the reassurance and support she needed in that moment.
"Don't worry. No one can touch you as long as I'm here. Not even dad," he whispered softly, pressing a gentle kiss to her head.
His words were a promise, a vow to protect her from any harm, even if it meant defying their own father.
"Now, let me take a look at your wound. It seems pretty serious," he suggested, gently attempting to break the hug. However, Jisoo stopped him, resting her head more heavily against his chest.
Mingyu's smile softened, realizing his sister needed more comfort. He continued to pat her back gently, running his fingers through her hair as they remained nestled in each other's embrace.
"I missed you, Gyu," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Missed you too, little one," he responded softly.
"Mingyu, he might have already found out that she escaped. You need to make a decision now, or it might be too late," Minghao urged, emerging from the kitchen with a look of concern etched on his face.
Mingyu sighed before he replied, his arms still wrapped around Jisoo, her ear pressed against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"We're getting out of here. I need two plane tickets, Minghao," Mingyu declared, determination lacing his words as Jisoo furrowed her brows, her confusion evident.
"What country?" Minghao asked.
"Doesn't matter, as long as we're far away from here," Mingyu replied with a sigh.
"You owe me some explanation, Mr. Kim!" Choi Dongyul burst into Mr. Kim's office, his tone demanding and assertive as he sought answers.
"Dongyul, what's going on?" Mr. Kim asked, rising from his office desk with concern etched on his face.
"That little punk of yours!" Choi Dongyul exclaimed, his tone filled with frustration, causing Mr. Kim to furrow his brows. "Who are you talking about?"
"Your son! He kidnapped Jisoo from Seungcheol's house. Care to explain?" Dongyul spat, his accusation sharp and accusatory.
"What? I had no idea, Dongyul. I didn't even know he's back in the country," Mr. Kim responded, his voice tinged with disbelief as he rubbed his temples, trying to process the situation.
"Well, he's back. More than that, he's causing problems. If you don't want your son to ruin the agreement we just made, you better do something about it. I want that girl back at my son's mansion in less than five hours. We have the wedding next week, but with no bride!" Dongyul mocked the situation, his voice rising in frustration and urgency.
"Don't worry. I'll handle the situation," Mr. Kim assured, his grip tightening on the desk as he attempted to project confidence despite the tension of the situation.
Choi Dongyul took menacing steps closer to him, his eyes flashing with threats. "You better take swift action, or your empire will collapse in the blink of an eye. Remember, I'm the one holding everything together," he warned sharply before striding out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him.
Mr. Kim drew in a deep breath before slamming his palm down on the desk, the sharp sound reverberating through the tense silence of the office.
"Kim Mingyu!" he growled, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and anger.
"Why did you call me here?" Seungcheol groaned as he entered the office, taking a seat across from Jeonghan, who was buried in paperwork.
"We need you here, Seungcheol," Jeonghan responded with a sigh.
He scoffed. "Is it too much for you to handle a few pieces of paper?" Seungcheol asked sarcastically, a hint of irritation in his tone.
"What the fuck, man? Do you think I'm upset over some fucking papers? It's about the shipment last night. We got the drugs, but it wasn't what we expected," he announced, his tone serious, causing Seungcheol's expression to harden as he listened attentively.
"How's that possible? Which member was in charge for it?" Seungcheol asked, rising from his seat.
"Minghao. But I haven't been able to reach him since last night," Jeonghan replied.
Seungcheol furrowed deeply, a vein visibly pulsating on his neck. "Just to be clear, Minghao wasn't present when the shipment arrived? And you're unable to contact him," he stated firmly.
"Yeah. I have no clue what's going on with him," Jeonghan replied, shaking his head slightly.
Seungcheol felt his muscles coil with tension, clenching his fists tightly to restrain himself from causing any damage to Jeonghan's office.
"What about the drugs? Are they not what we ordered?" he questioned, sliding his hands into his pockets, a subtle gesture to quell the rising tide of anger within him.
"We conducted a meth test today, and it came back positive, but it's not crystal. Someone tried to deceive us. If Minghao had been present to test it on the spot, this wouldn't have occurred," Jeonghan explained.
"This bastard!" Seungcheol exclaimed, frustration etched across his face as he ran a hand through his hair. His mind raced, pieces of a puzzle clicking into place.
With furrowed brows, he turned to Jeonghan. "When exactly did the shipment occur? I need the precise time," he asked urgently.
"I don't know, perhaps around four or five AM? It was meant to be early, but there was an issue at the border," Jeonghan responded.
Seungcheol's gaze sharpened as if he had deciphered the puzzle. "Right around the time Mingyu took Jisoo," he growled, a dangerous edge to his voice.
"What?" Jeonghan questioned, his brows furrowing in confusion.
"That bastard infiltrated my maison to take his sister away from me, right around that time. And I highly doubt Mingyu acted alone. Who else could help him if not his childhood best friend, the one willing to fucking betray me for him?" Seungcheol spat, his tone dripping with contempt as he emphasized the word "betray."
"I don't know, man. I don't think Minghao would do such a thing," Jeonghan replied, shaking his head in disbelief.
"But I do. Remember when he called me to ask if he could go and meet Mingyu at the airport? What happened next? Just a few hours later, Mingyu was in my house, stirring up a whole scene to take his sister back. How did he know about this? Think about it, Jeonghan," Seungcheol urged, a note of frustration in his voice.
Jeonghan scratched the back of his head, letting out a heavy sigh. If what Seungcheol suspected was true, then Minghao would be digging his own grave.
"Fuck it."
Wasting no time, Seungcheol stormed out of the office, his steps were heavy with purpose, each stride fueled by a potent mix of anger, frustration, and determination.
His jaw clenched tightly, muscles tensed beneath his skin, as his mind raced with thoughts of betrayal and retribution.
As he strode down the hallway, Seungcheol's fists remained clenched at his sides, nails digging into his palms as he struggled to contain the storm of emotions raging within him.
His chest felt tight, a knot of anxiety coiling within him as he replayed the events in his mind.
Minghao's possible betrayal weighed heavily on him, a sense of betrayal and disbelief gnawing at his insides.
How could someone he once trusted implicitly turn against him?
Seungcheol wasted no time as he slid into the driver's seat of his car, the engine roaring to life with a powerful rumble.
His movements were swift and purposeful, his fingers deftly loosening the knot of his tie as he let out a heavy sigh of frustration.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, Seungcheol's grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles white against the dark leather.
Seungcheol's hand reached for the compartment of the car, fingers deftly opening it to reveal the firearm tucked inside.
With practiced precision, he retrieved the gun, feeling its weight in his palm as he glanced at it briefly before tucking it securely into the back of his waistband.
In a matter of moments, Seungcheol found himself standing in front of Minghao's apartment building.
His heart pounded with anticipation, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he clenched his jaw tightly.
With each breath, he struggled to maintain control, reminding himself to knock calmly, lest he give in to the urge to tear down the door in his impatience.
Raising his hand, Seungcheol hesitated for a brief moment before rapping his knuckles against the door, the sound echoing in the quiet hallway.
Minghao opened the door, his grip on the doorknob tightened imperceptibly as he registered the intensity in Seungcheol's gaze.
A flicker of surprise danced across his features, his eyes widening just a fraction as they locked onto Seungcheol's determined stare.
Despite his attempt to maintain composure, Minghao couldn't suppress the subtle tension that crept into his stance.
"Hyung?" Minghao dared to speak.
"Can I come in, or am I unwelcome in the presence of your guests?"
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to be continued...
A/N
Seungcheol is the epitome of masculinity. Change my mind.