"We're not going to my place, are we?" Ayeon asked as she looked out the window.
"Nope, we're heading straight to Taeil's." Jiayi answered, a small smile on her face.
...
"Here." Jaemin said, passing the plastic bag full of ice to the boy splayed on the couch.
"Thanks." Donghyuck mumbled as he took it, placing it on his swollen cheek.
The members of the apartment were scattered in the common area, along with Mark that sat beside Donghyuck.
The word "angry" couldn't even describe how Donghyuck was feeling. He was absolutely infuriated. Someone in that room had snitched to Taeyong about his relationship with Ayeon and he wanted to know who.
"Who did it?" Donghyuck asked the group, looking around. They were all silent.
"Did what?" Renjun asked. Donghyuck gave him a look.
"Who snitched? I know one of you did it because Taeyong wouldn't have known otherwise." Donghyuck said.
Donghyuck tapped his finger on his thigh as he waited for a response. Finally, one of them spoke up, surprising all of them.
"I did." Jaemin said softly. Donghyuck poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue as he took a deep breath, trying not to explode. But it didn't help.
"You did what?" Donghyuck exclaimed, sending Jaemin a glare.
"I told Taeyong. It's for your own good. Otherwise, she could have ended like-"
"Shut up." Jeno said, standing up from the dinning table. "It wasn't your call."
"But... but..." Jaemin just watched as Jeno made his way to Donghyuck.
"You should go find her. Otherwise you might regret it." Jeno said to his cousin with soft eyes.
Donghyuck didn't need to be told twice. He tossed his ice pack into Jaemin's lap before heading out of the apartment.
...
Ayeon was resting on the couch when a knock sounded from Taeil's door. She exchanged looks with Taeil who stood up to get it.
"It was Jaemin." Ayeon's head snapped at the sound of Donghyuck's voice, a smile spreading on her lips.
"Damn, that looks painful." Jiayi said as soon as Donghyuck walked in. His cheek was still swollen from the slap.
Ayeon instinctively pulled the male into an embrace as he sat down on the couch beside her. She ran her thumb over his cheek, making him wince.
"I was so worried about you." Ayeon said as Jiayi got up to get him some ice.
"I'm fine, I was more worried about you." Donghyuck said, glancing at Winwin. He looked away and Donghyuck gave Ayeon a small peck.
"Now what were you saying about Jaemin?" Jiayi said as he passed Donghyuck the ice. He sighed as he held Ayeon's hand, lacing their fingers.
"Jaemin told Taeyong we were there." Donghyuck said.
"He's probably just worried about you." Taeil said, bringing a tray full of mugs of tea. He passed them out. "Especially with what happened with you know who."
"Who?" Ayeon asked the group. They exchanged looks before turning to Jiayi.
"You losers want me to explain, don't you?" Jiayi said as she picked up a mug.
"You'll probably do the best job." Winwin said, wrapping an arm around her.
"I hate that you're right." Jiayi said before turning to Ayeon. "There wasn't always a dating ban."
"There wasn't?" Ayeon asked. They all shook their heads.
"No, we used to be able to go out and date whoever we wanted. Until Seolhee." Jiayi said.
"Seolhee was a girl that Jeno fell in love with. We were so young then, this was back when Mark was still there." Donghyuck explained.
"Jeno and Seolhee... thinking about them brings tears to my eyes." Jiayi continued. "They were so perfect for each other, complimenting one another in the best ways."
Donghyuck let out a small chuckle. "It's kind of funny to think about a time when Jeno never did any drugs and smiled all the time. He was so happy with Seolhee."
"What happened then?" Ayeon asked, intrigued.
"Seolhee got kidnapped by a rival gang who wanted to get at Taeyong for ruling the streets of Neo City. Quite smart actually, because Jeno went to get her as soon as he found out, making Taeyong follow."
"But the problem was, the rival gang honestly didn't care about Seolhee so when Taeyong refused to step down and disband the Phoenixes, they didn't hesitate to shoot Seolhee." Jiayi said as Donghyuck clutched tightly to her hand.
Ayeon turned towards him. "You were there, weren't you?" Donghyuck nodded.
"The Phoenixes dealt with the rival gang afterwards, fuelled by Jeno's rage. Jaemin was the medic that night and well... Seolhee didn't make it." Jiayi said with a long sigh.
"I think Jaemin's still scarred from losing his best friend's lover but there was nothing he could have done, the wound was too deep and too close to her heart." Taeil added.
"Taeyong told us all to stop seeing people that aren't Phoenixes from then on." Donghyuck told her.
Winwin crossed his arms over his chest, clearly uncomfortable with the topic at hand. "It's for our own good though. It makes us stronger and rids us from having weaknesses."
"I mean that's true but I can't help it if I fall for someone that's not a Phoenix." Donghyuck said, pulling Ayeon closer to him.
"Well, are any of you hungry because I am. I'm going to make us dinner." Taeil said, getting up and heading towards the kitchen.
"You boys should help him." Jiayi said. Winwin gave his girlfriend a look.
"Me?" Winwin asked, pointing to himself.
"Yes, go with Haechan." Jiayi said, giving Winwin a light shove. Donghyuck chuckled before placing a kiss on top of Ayeon's head.
"I'll be right back." Donghyuck said before heading to the kitchen with Winwin. Jiayi got up, taking a seat beside Ayeon.
"Did you want to talk about something?" Ayeon asked. Jiayi nodded her head.
"Ayeon, you want to stay with Haechan, right?" Jiayi asked.
"Of course. I would do anything just to be with him." Ayeon told her.
"I can understand that. I felt the same way about Sicheng. So when Sicheng told me there was a new rule that he couldn't be with me if I wasn't a phoenix, I knew I had a big decision to make." Jiayi said.
"How did you decide?" Ayeon asked. "Like what made you join the gang?"
Jiayi chuckled. "Love won over, of course. I mean sometimes I question whether I made the right choice, especially when I see Renjun and how dangerous his job can be sometimes, but most of the time, I just embrace the new family I have."
"I see." Ayeon said, fiddling with her fingers. Jiayi gave her a small smile.
"Don't let me affect your decision but I think it's worth considering. Go sleep on it and think about it, okay?" Jiayi instructed.
"Alright." Ayeon said as Jiayi stood up.
"Let's make sure these idiots aren't burning this place down." Jiayi said, making Ayeon laugh as the two girls made their way to the kitchen.
...
Ayeon took a deep breath as she stood in front of the rundown bar, checking the address Donghyuck had sent her.
Motorcycles were littered around the parking lot, along with Taeil and Mark's cars. The place was in a shady corner of the city, yet not a single person was in sight, fully aware of who were inside this building.
Well, this is it, the Emperor's Court.
Ayeon opened the door, making the bell ring. Music was blasting from the speakers and there was a huge rack for motorcycle helmets on her right. Pool tables lined the side of the room, while a bar was in the back corner. Ayeon decided to make her way straight to the pool table in the back, where a group of boys were gathered, laughing, and despite it being the middle of the day, drinking, and smoking.
"Ayeon, what are you doing her?" She heard Renjun ask as she walked by him and his friends who were sitting at the bar. She noticed a huge smirk appear on Donghyuck's face as she ignored Renjun, eyes glued to the pool table in the back.
Ayeon slammed her hands down on the table, shaking it. The people around up stopped to stare at her but she was focused on only one person, Taeyong.
Taeyong put his hand up and the music stopped. He removed the cigarette from his lips, puffing a cloud of smoke into her face before stuffing it in the ash tray.
Ayeon held her breath, trying to remain unfazed as the smoke evaporated around her. She could tell that the group was impressed, a small smile appearing on Taeyong's lips.
"How can I help you, Miss... what was it?" Taeyong asked her.
Ayeon smiled. "It's Ayeon. Yoo Ayeon." She looked around, staring at each and every one of his men before meeting Jiayi's eyes. She gave Ayeon a small nod.
Ayeon turned her attention back to Taeyong.
"And I'd like to become a Phoenix."
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Well hello there :)