TRIGGER (인철)

by yeolwangja

Summary:

Park Chanyeol is on a mission to assassinate KangSin Group's Vice President and heir, Do Kyungsoo. He gets dragged into the chaos of the Chaebol (wealthy) families of the big four vital companies in South Korea.

Notes:

hihi! this is pretty big stuff and i'm so excited to share this with you^^
disclaimer!!: i in no way condone any behaviour or actions mentioned throughout the work, and each character's personality and role do not reflect my perspective and view of them. this is all pure fiction and any names mentioned beside OT9 are all made-up and do not represent any public figures in real life.

Chapter 1: ONE

Notes:

Chapter One's song: Chanyeol - Back again.

Mission 7: February 2024

Chanyeol took a deep breath as he reloaded his sniper, sniffling as the raw smell of blood finally hit his nose. With an eye scanning through the scope, he clenched his jaw as he shot the fifth member of the group with a sharp crack. One left. His ears perked up as he heard a muffled noise behind him. He thumbed the safety, the sniper cold again as he set it down. A swift turn, and the man’s back was one with the concrete parapet wall. 

The man groaned at the force, legs fretting in the air as Chanyeol held him up at eye level. Chanyeol’s eyes sliced through him—furious. Their deep breaths flowed loudly through February’s frosty air. 

“You’re not getting away with this.” The shorter man whispered, horror filling his eyes as he struggled to breathe.

Chanyeol scoffed, his breath steady. 

“Pretty sure I am. Can’t say so for yourselves, though. I’m sure the hundreds of those women told you that as you tortured them, didn’t they?” His nose flared at the reminder of why he was doing this in the first place.

“We didn’t do shit. They deserved it—” Chanyeol rolled his eyes as the man started going on with excuses. He threw him across the rooftop, the latter landing near the edge.

Chanyeol approached him slowly, hand on his gun as his cold eyes watched him shiver. 

“Cold?” Chanyeol asked with a smirk, pulling his gun out with his finger on the trigger. The man broke into tears, pathetically begging for forgiveness.

Chanyeol watched as his pants turned dark, cooing sarcastically.

“I know something that will warm you up even more.” He smiled before pulling the trigger, the man’s agonized scream ringing in his ears as the color of his pants turned red. Chanyeol sighed before aiming at his head, pulling the trigger to finally shut him up.

Finally. 

He watched his final piece, the six leaders of ‘Gangnammen,’ finally go down in cold blood. He shivered for a second, not knowing whether it was the cold, the scene, or the relief washing over him. It had been a long while, after all. He cleared his throat before pressing his thumb to the edge of his earpiece, “Targets down. Exfil in a few.”

“Gonna do the iconic move again?” He heard Yixing chuckle through the channel.

“Of course. Gotta show that pig how it’s really done.” Chanyeol inhaled before taking out the Tyvek paper.

---

“Famous sex-trafficking group ‘Gangnamen’ is finally down after eight months of chaos and terror to young women across the city. The gang’s leader, Go Sangwoo, and his accomplices were found dead on the famous nightclub ‘Ghost’ rooftop this morning at 6:12 am; estimated death was four hours before discovery…”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, eyes focused on the big screen of his office.

 “What’s causing a huge uproar is the infamous TEN’s signature found in the six victims’ mouths. Civilians are now doubting the eligibility of last December’s heinous crime that was suspected to be Ten’s comeback after eight years in hiding…”

He let the corner of his lips rise to a smirk, turning off the TV before standing up to stare outside the office window.

“He’s back, huh?” He scoffed.

“Yes, sir. His signature mark is evident on each one of them.” His secretary explained.

“Show me?” Kyungsoo took the tablet she handed him, evidence pictures displaying the gory details of each gunshot wound. 

He scrolled nonchalantly through the pictures, not interested in where his secretary could have gotten the pictures from. Stopping at the very picture he was looking for, Kyungsoo scanned the scene for a moment before smiling again.

“It’s him. The paper is perfectly intact. And the Chinese character, it’s printed just like the ones from before.” Kyungsoo’s eyes lit up as he finally realized it: Ten is back.

He shook his excitement off when his secretary’s concerned eyes scanned him.

“Sorry. It just must be him; December’s murder was some loser who tried to imitate him, as if Ten would kill an innocent woman for no reason. But I have a feeling he’s back for good, and I don't think he's going too far this time.” Kyungsoo thinned his lips after his secretary just nodded at his babbling.

---

“There we go, our hero’s back!” Chanyeol heard as he entered the office of RaeHan Group’s CEO, Ryeo Hakgun. He watched the elder man clap with enthusiasm, Yixing awkwardly standing behind him with a small thumbs-up.

Chanyeol stood silently after a bow towards the elder, adjusting his suit as he scanned the luxurious office he hadn’t seen in years.

“You missed it here, didn’t you? You’ve taken a break long enough to miss this a little, no?” Ryeo raised his arm to pat Chanyeol’s back, the glee on his face almost making Chanyeol smile.

“Of course, sir.” He replied, eyes focused on his partner behind the elder’s desk, who was only smirking at him teasingly. Chanyeol raised an eyebrow at him as Ryeo walked back over to his desk.

“How did the interview go?” Ryeo asked as he swallowed his supplements.

“Got accepted, sir. I start in… an hour.” Chanyeol replied, glancing at his buzzing smartwatch.

Client B. He gulped before setting his hand behind his back again.

“Remember, we’ll take our time until I tell you to move. Just observe for now, and report every week.” Ryeo ordered with stern eyes.

“Understood, sir.”

“Let’s see how this son of a bitch will end up in just a few months.” Ryeo rubbed his hands together before sitting back down and dismissing the pair.

 

“Sure you don’t want some help with this one? It’s a long ride, and he isn’t an easy target.” Yixing asked as they walked out of the company’s main building. He set a hand on Chanyeol’s broad shoulder, knowing eyes blinking up at him.

“I can handle it. I’m now in his inner circle anyway; it’ll be a piece of cake. And you need to travel with Minseok hyung anyway. Take good care of him, or Mr. CEO will kill you for not coddling his stepson enough.” Chanyeol said with a low laugh.

“You act like he isn’t the dearest person to you.” Yixing nudged him playfully.

“That’s you, actually.” Chanyeol winked at him, the latter scoffing as they got in the car.

“Good luck, Mr. Bodyguard. How’s your wife holding up with the news?” Yixing asked as he drove toward KangSin headquarters.

“Stop calling him my wife. I need to call him back anyway.” Chanyeol shook his head as he dialled the contact at the top of his missed calls list.

“Have you lost your mind?!” Chanyeol flinched at the loud shout from the other end of the line, sighing before he tried to reply.

“Calm down, Mr. Baek. This was a temporary contract; our company will provide you with another skilled bodyguard soon.” Chanyeol glanced at Yixing as he awkwardly explained, inhaling deeply as the driver giggled.

Yixing watched him hang up the phone before adjusting his suit one more time.

“And you tell me he isn’t your wife.”

“Fuck you. Drop me off here.” Chanyeol pointed towards the closest bus stop to the company. He decided to set any problems regarding Baekhyun aside as he walked through the grand entrance of KangSin. 

---

Greeted by highly sophisticated chandeliers and employees in special elegant uniforms, Chanyeol felt a little underdressed with his average all-black suit.

“May I help you?” He heard a small voice behind him, turning to see a younger woman dressed in said elegant uniform blinking up at him with a small smile planted on her face.

“Oh, I’m Park Chanyeol, the new bodyguard.” Chanyeol showed his identification card, following the woman as she led him up to the left wing of the office building.

Chanyeol smiled with a quiet thank you as he approached his destination. Knocking on the door twice, he walked in quietly when he heard a ‘come in’ from inside.

“Good afternoon, sir. I’m Park Chanyeol, your assigned bodyguard.” Chanyeol bent at the waist until his torso was parallel to the ground — a precise 90-degree bow.

“Hi…?”

Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrowed at the unusual greeting, given their setting. Standing back up straight, his confused eyes scanned the slim figure before him. Oh Sehun—his protectee, standing by his office desk with his shirt unbuttoned. The younger man’s toned body almost reflected the sunlight from the office windows. Chanyeol’s eyes widened at the sight before he managed to look away. 

“Sorry, I thought you were Giho hyung—my manager.” Sehun explained with a smile as he buttoned up his shirt. 

“Ah… Sorry to come in at a bad time, I will leave until—” Chanyeol turned towards the door.

“Nonsense. I know I need to stop getting ready here all the time. It’s just easier that way, you know?” Sehun, the high and mighty Do Kangsik’s stepson, spoke casually without a single care in the world.

“Yes, sir.” Chanyeol replied as he watched Sehun button up his shirt in the most agonizingly slow manner. He heard him murmur in frustration as he realized he was a button off.

“May I help you, sir?” Chanyeol bit the inside of his cheek as he waited for his reaction.

Sehun only looked up with sly eyes before nodding.

“Of course.”

Chanyeol approached the younger man before grabbing the fine fabric in his rough hands. He felt Sehun’s gaze on him as he fixed his shirt in no time, his ears slightly growing hotter under his long jet-black hair. He kept a poker face regardless, remembering his mission before setting a distance between them. 

“Thanks…” Sehun cleared his throat before sliding on his suit jacket, fixing his hair before walking out; Chanyeol followed in silence.

“My manager will be here any minute; let’s grab some coffee first, then move.” Sehun’s laid-back expression suddenly hid behind a cold face as they walked through the company’s spacious hallways.

A silence fell between the two as they waited for their coffee in the company’s cafeteria. 

Chanyeol was busy observing, eyes scanning each individual surrounding the pair. He felt a nudge coming his way, moving to avoid Sehun’s light touch.

“Serious much? We’re still inside the company, you know.” Sehun smirked, “Don’t you wonder what happened to the previous bodyguard?” He continued, eyes scanning Chanyeol’s expressionless face.

“What happened to him?” Chanyeol asked with his eyes still fixated on their surroundings.

“He died. My stepdad killed him.” 

“Why?” Chanyeol asked again, calm.

“What?! Aren't you taken aback by the fact that he was killed?” Sehun lightly laughed in disbelief, confusion filling his eyes as he stared at the taller man.

“He must’ve done something, no?” Chanyeol finally looked at Sehun, eyes still empty.

“Well… Okay, he didn't die or anything. I just thought you’d freak out; you're no fun.” Sehun pouted, grabbing his coffee before exiting the office building.

 

After going over Sehun’s schedule for the day with his manager, Chanyeol’s ears perked at the mention of a joint dinner between the KangSin and Kangil groups. 

Meeting the target faster than expected.

 

Chapter 2: TWO

Summary:

Chanyeol's first mission was not an easy one- too much for a heavy heart of an eighteen year old filled with anger and pain.
Mission 8 commences on a rather rocky start, catching Do Kyungsoo's eyes far too early.

Notes:

chapter 2 already who cheered! follow me on twt @612eolsoo for updates!
WARNING!! GRAPHIC CONTENT AHEAD: GUN VIOLENCE, MENTION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES.
read at your own risk.

Mission 1: August 2011

Chanyeol’s breath hitched, wide eyes turning on focus mode as he hid behind the pillar of Ahn Il-goo’s backyard. His first solo mission; he can’t mess up. Feeling his heart beat in his ears, Chanyeol took a deep breath before planting his feet and steadying his aim. 

He remembered Ryeo’s words before departing: “Just remember what he has done, and it will be easier to take action. Let your anger control you just at that one moment.”

Chanyeol shivered as he remembered the harrowing leaked video of the sexual assault scene. Heat crawled up his neck, anger igniting in his chest. Once the kitchen lights were on, Chanyeol moved after covering his face with the black cloth. Peeking from the side of the window, Chanyeol confirmed his assumption—Ahn Il-goo was down having a glass of the expensive rice wine that probably cost the lives of two orphan laborers. It was the perfect routine—he had smiled to himself as he wrote it down while observing patterns for the past two weeks. It fit perfectly with his plans, a raging alcoholic crawling down his mansion’s stairs to drink his flaws down around 3 a.m. every night. Perfect.

He decided to imitate Yixing, unsure of how he was supposed to start by himself. Opening the backyard’s door slightly and peeking through, Chanyeol crept up on the older man with his gun cocked and ready to fire any minute. He stopped when Il-goo turned towards him, the glass in his hand slipping to chatter on the cold floor. The elder screamed, dirty hands gripping the marble island behind him as he stared at Chanyeol in horror.

“Who are you?!” Il-goo slurred, bloodshot eyes attempting to scan Chanyeol’s all-black figure.

“Average question. Why would I tell you who I am?” Chanyeol scoffed, his confidence building up as he felt the rapist’s terror fill the room.

“Get away, kid. I’ll—you’re going to pay for this.” Il-goo reached to grab a knife from the counter. Chanyeol only smirked before aiming at his shin, gulping when the man agonizingly screamed in pain, falling to the ground as red gushed on the once clean floor.

Walking slowly toward the man on the ground, Chanyeol slowly stepped on the wounded area, watching him cry and beg for him to stop. Three bullets left. Chanyeol kept it in mind before shooting his arm. 

“How are you feeling so far?” Chanyeol raised an eyebrow before dragging Il-goo by his hair and slamming him against the island cabinets. Cold eyes staring down at the man as he pathetically wailed, Chanyeol took another deep breath before taking a step back. 

“Please. I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again. Please, spare me just this once.” Il-goo shrieked with fat tears falling down his age rings.

“You don’t even know what you did, do you? Just asking to spare your soulless life, and for what? For you to ruin more lives? Traumatize more children? The world is a better place with you gone.” Chanyeol spat, feeling the anger simmer beneath his skin, spreading like fire.

He still couldn’t help but flinch when he watched crimson cover Il-goo’s torso as he sent a bullet through his groin.

“There we go.” He whispered to himself while loading the gun with the last bullet. Il-goo was bleeding out on the cold ceramic tiles.

Last shot through Il-goo’s head, Chanyeol felt like he could finally breathe, backing away immediately to avoid touching his filth. 

He tapped the comm twice: “Target down. I’ll be out in a few.”

“Good job. What are you going for?” He heard Yixing’s muffled voice asking.

“You’ll see.” Chanyeol smirked as he took out the Tyvek paper.

---

Kyungsoo nibbled on his lips with his eyes focused on the family room’s grand television screen. His father was murmuring something about how the “new serial killer” is thought to be working for one of the bigger companies in the country, and his stepmother, Gyunghee, was rushing Sehun to enter his room right before more details of the crime scene were mentioned.

“According to police, Mr. Ahn suffered four fatal gunshot wounds to the shin, arm, groin, and lastly in the head. The suspect is believed to have used a .38 revolver firearm. Authorities are awaiting forensic analysis. There were no witnesses to the incident, as the victim’s home was situated alone on a hillside in the Seongbuk neighborhood. Known as a humble man, he chose not to employ security personnel or household staff.”

Gyunghee winced, shifting on the couch in discomfort at the listed details.

“That is some gruesome behavior. Why would anyone even do that?” She said with disappointment and unease in her tone.

“Ahn Il-goo was a noble and humble man. You saw his great participation in the donations for those elementary schools, right? Whoever that psychopath who did this to him is needs to be found immediately.” Kangsik shook his head in disbelief, furrowing at the news before lowering the volume.

Did they forget the sexual violence cases a few months earlier?

Kyungsoo’s head buzzed as the couple kept going on praising the ‘victim,’ staring off at the big screen before the next segment caught his attention.

“New information has emerged in the investigation. Authorities report that a piece of paper bearing what appears to be a cross was discovered inside the victim’s mouth. Remarkably, the paper appears to be intact despite having remained in the victim’s mouth, exposed to saliva and blood, for several hours. Police are currently examining potential connections to cult-related activities.” 

Kyungsoo had a feeling whoever did this did not forget about the sexual violence cases. They didn't mean to just kill him right away; they wanted to punish him. He smiled lightly to himself, the twisted feeling in his gut easing at the thought of a rapist finally facing the consequences the law had failed to deliver.

Whoever the cross was, Kyungsoo had profound respect for them.

---

Mission 8: Commence.

Chanyeol’s eyes scanned the grand reception hall of the Kangil group’s family home. The interior, a rich dark emerald, was luxuriously accented with elegant beige undertones painted on the walls. Sehun led the way with smiles and polite bows to the staff, quite fashionably late to what was supposed to be an important dinner. He only followed silently as they were greeted by both families conversing in the spacious lounge.

“Took you long enough. You can’t be this late when invited, Oh Sehun—” Do Kangsik spoke, eyebrows knitted in anger at the young man.

“Come on, Mr. Do. He is a busy man; if I knew his schedule was that full, I wouldn’t have caused the inconvenience of inviting you over. I was just impatient to celebrate the start of our project together, you know— confidants and all.” Kangil Group’s CEO, Kim Hyunkang, interrupted the other man, shaking off the tension with a laugh, and the younger generation followed along awkwardly. 

“I’m sorry, sir. Some issues came up at work today, so I had to stay back a little longer.” Sehun deeply bowed, sincere. He did have to stay back as the new collection for the shoot had a few setbacks, so they waited until they arrived. Chanyeol was rather surprised to learn how a son of such a conservative man would be allowed to model as some side hustle. But he did remember how the Kangsin conglomerate started investing in Sohn Horology last month.

It wasn’t like he was the only one anyway; Chanyeol laid his eyes on the tall young man standing beside Kim Hyunkang: Kim Jongin, his second son. Chanyeol recognized him in the research papers from the countless summer magazine covers all over Korea, his rising popularity totally helping in PR for his father’s private defense organization. 

Chanyeol blocked the conversation out when another man entered the lounge from another hallway. 

Target spotted: Do Kyungsoo.

Mission 8: Commence.

Apparently, Chanyeol was also spotted by Do Kyungsoo. The shorter man fixed him with a hard stare, his fierce eyes narrowing beneath furrowed brows as he took in Chanyeol towering behind Sehun. He remained composed, offering a polite bow like he did for everyone else.

Both patriarchs took their seats at the corresponding ends of the long dining table, their wives on their left and their sons sitting across from each other. Chanyeol stood by the wall behind Sehun, facing Kyungsoo, who was sitting across from the younger man. The Kangil brothers were facing each other as well; Kim Jongae, the elder brother, was facing the wall Chanyeol was standing by.

He only glanced once at Kyungsoo, focusing on keeping his gaze away to avoid suspicions. As the executives shared light conversations, the other members laughing every now and then at their jokes, Chanyeol noticed how Jongdae followed a little later than the other individuals. He mostly poked at his food, glancing at everyone to see if he had to follow any cues. Jongin, however, started signing for his brother once he was done with his food, interpreting the conversations for him whenever he was looking up at him. 

“Anyway, I’d like to express how honored I am to be working with you on Project EXO-City. The infrastructure funding has helped us take the biggest step yet. I can’t wait to watch this success grow over the years alongside you.” Hyunkang said as he raised his wine glass, and Kangsik smiled at the man before raising his own glass as well.

“I am a hundred percent confident this project will become our country’s most iconic smart metropolis yet. Our trust must also be placed in our sons and heirs—they’re bound to carry the legacy soon enough.” Kangsik took a sip of his wine before adding with a light laugh, “You kids should be grateful for all the blood, sweat, and tears we shed for you, huh?” He then turned to his sons with a knowing smile.

Sehun laughed along with Kyungsoo, Jongin following along with their mothers. Jongin tapped the table towards Jongdae, interpreting Kangsik’s words to the elder. Jongdae only laughed, his hands moving in a quick, dry gesture as he signed, "Right," with sarcasm practically dripping off his fingers. Jongin laughed along, the rest of the table silent with only Chanyeol focused on their conversation. He froze when he felt all the eyes in the room on him. Shit. He must’ve scoffed a little louder than expected.

“What are you laughing at?” Kyungsoo blankly asked, eyebrows still furrowed and scrutiny flying from his eyes towards him.

“My apologies, sir.” Chanyeol offered a bow, gulping once his waist was parallel to the floor before maintaining his calmness as he stood straight.

“You only laughed a little late, too… Do you speak sign language?” Gyunghee cocked an eyebrow, mostly amusement in her tone.

“Yes, ma’am.” Chanyeol replied, his tone low to stay steady.

“You do?” Jongin turned to face Chanyeol, panic drilled into his eyes as he realized how someone else understood his mocking conversation with his older brother. Chanyeol nodded again, watching as Jongin turned to interpret for his brother. Unlike the younger, Jongdae only beamed with excitement at the information. He looked over at Chanyeol with a grin stretching across his face, eyebrows raised in surprise. 

For the first time that night, Jongdae looked fully up and raised his hands confidently. 

You sign? He signed, just to be sure. 

Chanyeol nodded, smiling. His motions were much more contained than the beaming man's. Since I was a kid. Friend. He replied.

The rest of the table watched the interaction in silence, Hyunkang and Kangsik shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Chanyeol noticed when Hyunkang’s wife cleared her throat, catching the mood shift before Jongdae did. His eyes flicked to the group, then back to Jongdae, who hadn’t noticed at all, too thrilled to finally be seen.

Chanyeol looked back over to the rest of the table, bowing again apologetically, but the fond smile didn’t leave his face. “I apologize for my interruption, sir. Please forgive my carelessness.” He said in a stable tone, his smile fading as he looked in Kangsik’s direction.

“It’s okay. It must be nice to meet someone who signs. How come you can, though?” Kangsik raised an eyebrow, a smile he couldn’t really make out the meaning behind planted on his face.

“I had a friend who was hard of hearing growing up.” Chanyeol explained, glancing over to see if Jongin was interpreting for his brother— which he was. His movements were a little slower than Jongdae's and his own but clear enough for Jongdae to understand at once.

The dinner finally ended on a good note, and Chanyeol only heard Kyungsoo say three words in total the whole night. He did seem like the silent type, acknowledging how fewer words meant less trouble and that observing without a reaction was good enough. Both families were greeting each other goodbyes at the reception hall after the bodyguards were signaled to wait outside.

Taking a chance to have a smoke, Chanyeol took out a cigarette far from the company car. He was nearly finished when he heard footsteps crunching over the gravel behind him. They weren’t as fast as Sehun’s— much slower, calmer. 

He turned around.

Do Kyungsoo. 

Their eyes locked. Chanyeol bowed before pausing when Kyungsoo’s deep voice sharply cut through the cold night’s breeze.

“Who do you work for?” Kyungsoo’s voice was stern, low enough for only the pair to hear.

Chanyeol stood up straight before replying with a measured voice, “I’m assigned through a private security firm under a confidential contract.”

“Name?” Kyungsoo’s eyes narrowed.

“Agent Shield. Executive protection division.”

“Where?”

“Seoul-based.”

Kyungsoo paused, cocking an eyebrow and tilting his head. “Never heard of it.” He raised his chin, asserting dominance in the conversation.

“That’s by design, sir. ” Chanyeol threw the cigarette butt to the floor before stepping on it, Kyungsoo’s eyes following his motions.

“You weren’t personally requested, were you?” Kyungsoo asked, his jaw tight.

“No, sir. I was selected by the family’s legal team for a fixed-term assignment. I follow protocols, nothing more.” Chanyeol kept his face neutral, his jaw clenching as Kyungsoo’s smug smile appeared as a reaction.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you more often these next few months. Better stay out of trouble.” Kyungsoo gave him a warning look before walking off without waiting for an answer.

Mission 8: Commence…

Chapter 3: THREE - Doors.

Summary:

Chanyeol bumps into a rather expected guest in front of his work apartment. Jongin and Sehun continue being clumsy behind closed doors. Kyungsoo proves himself yet again, while Jongdae struggles to nail his position within his father's company.

Notes:

chapter 3 is here! hope you enjoy^^ follow @612eolsoo on twt for more updates!
Chapter 3 song: EXO - Gravity

March 2, 2024.

Chanyeol felt his breath catch in his throat as he smelled a familiar scent the moment he arrived at his second apartment’s floor.

Byun Baekhyun.

He mentally cursed himself for not calling back, unable to tell anyone about his personal issues that got tangled with work.

Walking slowly towards his apartment door, Chanyeol stood small as he watched Baekhyun leaning back against his front door, arms crossed and face showcasing his evident bad mood.

“What are you doing here?” Chanyeol asked, eyes feigning ignorance. He knew exactly why Baekhyun was there. The shorter man looked up slowly, eyes throwing daggers at him.

“What are you not doing here?” Baekhyun cocked an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol tilted his head. This is getting messy.

“I came here multiple times this past week, and you weren’t there. Or you were ignoring me.” Baekhyun took a step closer towards him, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“You’ve been stalking me? That's not a very healthy habit to develop, Mr. Baek.” It was Chanyeol’s turn to cock an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall off the hallway.

“Not stalking, just looking for you. I was worried! You suddenly resigned and said you had to . Is there something you’re not telling me?” Baekhyun’s eyes begged for answers—desperate.

“There are so many things I’m not telling you, Mr. Baek.” Chanyeol moved an inch closer to the shorter man, the expensive perfume scent reaching his nerves.

“Of course, I know that. You must be some undercover spy of some sort to be this secretive, but I still deserve to know the reason why you resigned.” Baekhyun set a hand on the taller man's arm.

Chanyeol clenched his jaw. Stay focused. 

“I don't have to be doing something dangerous to be secretive. In fact, I’ve crossed so many lines I shouldn’t have for you, sir . And you don’t need to know the reason, actually. It’s in the contract.” Chanyeol’s eyes fought not to waver at Baekhyun’s puppy eyes, remaining still and serious enough to set yet another boundary he had clearly broken.

“God, this is getting annoying! I just want to know if I did something to make you leave. I hate seeing you work for someone else who isn’t me. Do you just not want to be with me anymore?” Baekhyun took a step back, frustrated.

“With you? You mean for you, Mr. Baek. You haven’t done anything; it was a mandatory move. Our contract was temporary, you know that.”

“So sleeping with me is something for me now? I don't remember you having to do anything for me in Thailand, Mr. Arai. ” Baekhyun crossed his arms again, eyes narrowing with challenge.

“Your wedding ring is reflecting the sunlight in my eye, sir. Please step aside so I can enter my home.” Chanyeol threw the last bomb, trying to pass by the shorter man through the narrow hallway.

“What an ethical man you are. Here, fuck the ring.” Baekhyun scoffed, sliding the suffocating accessory off his ring finger before tossing it in his blazer’s pocket. “Can you fuck me now?” He then asked with desperation wrapped around his voice, eyes almost tearing up as Chanyeol stared at him expressionless for a moment.

Without a word, Chanyeol opened his apartment’s door and looked back at the shorter man, cocking his head as a signal for him to enter.

---

Jongin’s breath hitched. “Fuck, that was so good.” He moaned, throwing his head back as he leaned on the bathroom counter. 

Rutting helplessly against Sehun’s face, Jongin bit his lips in an attempt to keep his voice down. Sehun only smiled around his boyfriend’s dick before kitten-licking his length on his way up. The couple locked eyes, silence falling between them as fondness filled the air despite the shameless blowjobs they had just given each other in the private bathroom of Sehun’s office.

Getting up with slightly shaky legs, Sehun smiled down at Jongin before leaning in for a slow, tender kiss. Jongin threw a leg around Sehun’s waist, hands roaming the other’s body while Sehun ran his warm hands under Jongin’s shirt. Jongin pulled away, resting his hands on Sehun’s chest before shaking his head.

“Okay, that’s it. Someone’s going to knock any minute now.” Jongin, he said, trying to catch his breath.

“It’s my office bathroom, Nini. Who else would want to use it?” Sehun pouted, trying to lean back in before Jongin shook his head again, adamant.

“Your bodyguard’s going to be here any second. We obviously can’t come out of the single bathroom together.” Jongin insisted, softly pushing Sehun off before pulling his own pants up.

“Fine… But just so you know, Chanyeol hyung is trustworthy.” Sehun said with a knowing smile while fixing his collar, watching Jongin give him a look as he buttoned up his shirt for him.

“Hyung? Trustworthy? He’s been your guard for a week; are you that down bad for him?” Jongin raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

“Of course not. He isn’t you. ” Sehun slurred with a grin, leaning in to steal another kiss.

“Right…” Jongin nodded. A pause. “I’d let him put me in a headlock, though.” He continued, laughing loudly when Sehun smacked his arm.

“Whore.” Sehun scoffed before moving to wash his hands, adjusting his attire before walking out of the restroom. “Admit it. You would, too.” Jongin nudged him, laughing when Sehun nodded with a smirk.

“Anyway, see you at the conference?” Jongin ran a hand up Sehun’s arm, doe eyes blinking up at him. 

“Of course.” Sehun’s eyes formed a crescent, moving his arm to grab his waist.

Knock, knock, knock.

The couple scattered around the room, deciding to just sit across from each other on the couches. Act cool.

“Come in.” Sehun shouted after clearing his throat.

Walking into the slowly familiarizing office, Chanyeol offered a bow to the pair with a murmur, ‘Good morning, sir.’

The couple returned the greeting with awkward postures, smiling nervously at the elder man, who only raised an eyebrow before standing in his usual position silently.

“I better go now. See you tonight!” Jongin sprung up from his seat, waving a quick goodbye as he hurriedly left Sehun’s office.

Sehun bit his lip, thinking deeply before he asked, “Excited for tonight?”

Chanyeol tilted his head slowly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion towards the younger man. “Why should I be excited, sir?”

Sehun stood up, fidgeting around the room as he thought of something to save himself with. “You know, first public appearance and all.”

Chanyeol sucked his teeth, taking a moment before replying, “I sure hope I don’t need to make a public appearance tonight, sir.”

Sehun chuckled nervously. “This feels like a threat... I promise I won’t cause any trouble. I just meant going somewhere public together, in front of the major companies and all.” He then took a deep breath. “I do get lonely there, you know.”

“If that’s the case, then I’m very happy to stay by your side the whole night.” Chanyeol replied, giving a small smile when we watched Sehun’s eyes shine at his reply.

---

Signiel Grand Ballroom, Lotte World Tower.

8:20 pm.

Kyungsoo took a deep breath before stepping out of his car, his eyes focusing on the floor to avoid the instant flashes upon his appearance. He glanced at the high-rise before entering hurriedly to avoid more blinding lights. Becoming trusted enough by his father to give the speech for the EXO City Project Launch Ceremony was huge. He felt his fingertips buzz from excitement and the hair at his nape stand from anxiety.

Finally greeting guests and higher-ups with a practiced smile, Kyungsoo scanned the ballroom for Jongdae, knowing that the older man was giving KI Group’s speech alongside him. He approached the two families’ joint table slowly, bowing to the elders in respect.

“There he is: the star of the night!” Kim Hyunkang exclaimed with a smile of glee planted on his and his father’s faces.

Kyungsoo only smiled shyly with a light bow. He looked at the family members around the table, noticing how Sehun and Jongdae were missing.

“Where is Jongdae?” Kyungsoo asked with a low voice, glancing at his watch to check the time. Starting soon.

“He’s in the restroom; he must be nervous to make a big appearance like this again after all those years.” Hyunkang replied with a deep laugh before continuing his conversation with Do Kangsik.

Kyungsoo quietly approached Gyunghee, leaning down to ask her in a whisper, “Where is Sehun?”

“He’s also in the restroom, I believe… Oh! Don’t forget to greet BaekSong Group’s sons; the vice president had asked about you earlier.”

“Byun Baekho? Okay, thank you.” Kyungsoo stood up before scanning the hall again for the orange handkerchiefs. 

Walking quickly towards the large table, Kyungsoo offered his greetings to the Byun and Kim families. Baekho stood up in excitement, greeting Kyungsoo with a warm hug.

“It’s been so long, congratulations! I cannot wait to hear more about the project.” Baekho patted Kyungsoo’s shoulder with a smile. As Kyungsoo noticed the press quickly approaching the pair, he replaced his bright smile with his usual one, bowing towards the older man in response.

“Thank you, Vice President Byun.” 

“You’ve met Kim Junmyeon before, right? He’s my brother-in-law, Sohn Horology’s heir.”

Kyungsoo turned towards the said man, his lips forming a tight smile as he recognized the somewhat familiar face. They had only met briefly during Baekho’s wedding, but he definitely remembered the man’s friendliness and deferential behavior.

“Nice to see you again.” Junmyeon held his hand out, a respectful small smile drawn on his lips.

Kyungsoo shook Junmyeon’s hand with a smile, “Me too.”

“Where is Mr. Baekhyun?” He tilted his head toward Baekho.

“In the restroom—oh, there he is!” Baekho turned towards a visibly frustrated Baekhyun approaching the table—a shaken smile plastered on his face as he offered a bow towards Kyungsoo.

He glanced at the watch again. It’s time.

“I should go now; we’re starting soon. I hope you enjoy it.” Kyungsoo said before hurrying toward his seat.

He glanced towards Jongdae, who seemed just as nervous as he was. As the executive coordinator started the opening speech for the ceremony, Kyungsoo noticed Jongdae’s interpreter hastily explaining something to him. Visibly shaken and frustrated, Jongdae quietly stood from his seat to switch with Jongin.

What?

---

8:02 pm.

Baekhyun froze when he saw a familiar, tall body standing by the ballroom’s restroom door. 

Chanyeol.

Baekhyun noticed him in his bodyguarding uniform—hair brushed back, black suit perfectly tailored to his frame, and an earpiece accentuating his long neck. 

What shocked him more was the man’s unfazed expression the moment their gazes met. He knew I'd be here. Chanyeol turned his eyes towards the floor and bowed silently.

“Really?” Baekhyun said, resting his hands on his hips as he tilted his head.

Chanyeol didn’t respond; he only stared at the floor in silence.

“Right… I'll leave you to your work, Mr. Park.” Baekhyun let his arms fall beside him before entering the restroom.

Who the hell is he working for now?

Baekhyun kept wondering who Chanyeol's new client was, realizing halfway through his train of thoughts that he and Chanyeol barely ever talked. It was truly just an affair, and Chanyeol never intended on opening up to someone like Baekhyun.

Watching Oh Sehun walk out of the only occupied stall, he connected the dots slowly. Seriously? He wasn’t sure why he was so upset; he was able to meet Chanyeol again despite being apart. Maybe the now less frequent meetings frustrated him, or maybe it was the idea of another attractive man possibly wrapping Chanyeol around his finger.

He stared at himself in the mirror as he washed his hands, eyes widening when a painfully familiar scent filled the restroom.

Jongdae.

He turned sharply, his face flushing. Jongdae froze as their eyes locked, swallowing hard before shaking his head and slipping into one of the stalls. 

Baekhyun remained fixed in his place, clearing his throat as he waited.

Jongdae flinched slightly when he saw Baekhyun still standing there. 

And Baekhyun couldn't help but lift his hands—signing for the first time in ages. 

Hey… It’s been a while.

Jongdae blinked, slow and unreadable. 

It has. His motions were small—indifferent.

Baekhyun watched how striking Jongdae looked in the company’s signature navy-blue suit—his long brown hair adding to the effortless elegance he always carried.

You look handsome. Baekhyun added, a nervous smile tugging at his lips.

Thanks. Jongdae replied quickly with a flick of his hands, his gaze drifting over Baekhyun’s figure before he silently turned away to wash his hands.

Baekhyun sniffled as Jongdae nonchalantly dried his hands and walked out of the restroom without a word. He drew in a deep, shaky breath, eyes squeezed shut to keep the tears from slipping out.

I deserve it. It’s the least he should do.

---

8:45 pm.

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows furrowed when Jongin sat beside him, the younger man clearly nerve-wracked and anxious.

“What’s going on?” Kyungsoo whispered.

“Father said I should give the speech instead…” Jongin answered with a hint of guilt in his voice.

“Did you want to?” Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow in question. He wouldn’t.

“No.” Jongin replied before giving a small smile for the approaching cameras.

Kyungsoo inhaled deeply before giving a smile to the camera, standing up slowly as the coordinator called for them to approach the stage.

“Just follow me.” He gestured to Jongin, then took quick steps on the stairs and bowed to the audience, the younger man trailing behind almost mindlessly.

Kyungsoo approached the podium first, swallowing his anxiety down before leaning towards the microphone.

“Good evening, everyone. It’s an honor to stand here today as we mark the beginning of a project that reflects our ambition, our responsibility, and our honor. At KangSin Group, we don’t just fund projects—we help build systems that support people.”

He exhaled quietly, steadying his voice.

“EXO City is more than just a ‘smart city.’ It’s a space where dreams take root and where new lives will help build the future of our nation. This project couldn’t have moved forward without the trust and vision of our partners, Kangil Group, as well as the tireless efforts of our teams.” 

“I would like to express my gratitude for every hand that made this possible. Tonight is just the beginning. Let’s make it last for generations to come.” He smiled gently, bowing to the audience as their applause rang out loudly.

Kyungsoo nodded his head in reassurance towards Jongin, stepping aside for the taller man to start his speech.

Jongin cleared his throat, glancing down at the wrinkled paper he was barely able to jot down anything on in the ten minutes of his father’s mind change.

“Good evening. First, I would like to thank every hard-working individual who helped make this project happen…” He glanced at their table, swallowing as he watched Sehun flash him a supportive smile. He inhaled slowly before giving a slight grin and continuing.

“EXO City is a place made for the future to hold the bases for our nation’s success, and we are proud to contribute to such an up-and-coming vision. Kangil Group and KangSin Group—together we strive for a promising tomorrow. Thank you.” He bowed before stepping back to stand beside Kyungsoo.

The two posed for a picture before their families approached the stage for more photos. Kyungsoo brushed a hand on the small of Jongdae’s back as he passed him to stand by his father.

Jongdae’s lips were still drawn into a smile, though his eyes held agonizing pain for those with hearts to notice. Kim Hyunkang, on the other hand, was not one of those who noticed. He seemed to have reduced his son to his disability and was slowly ripping him off his promising position within the company.

Kyungsoo could not imagine being in Jongdae's shoes, his smile slightly wavering as he stared into the flashing cameras.

Chapter 4: FOUR - Clash.

Summary:

Jongdae feels his heart shatter once again from having yet another opportunity ripped away from him.
Chanyeol helps Sehun calm down after an emotional breakdown. Kyungsoo witnesses the pair's unusual interaction and clashes with Chanyeol.

Notes:

back with another chapter and a little bit more interaction between chansoo :3 i hope the witch of perspectives is not confusing! ik this is stated at mainly chansoo but with barely two interactions so far but pls bare with me akndwnidnid everyone else plays an important ole within in the main plot, too. and the stories are yet to slowly unfold ;)
find me on twt @612eolsoo for updates!!

10:00 pm.

Jongdae felt the oxygen slipping from his bloodstream by the time the afterparty on the top floor started. He could sense his energy sinking, hitting rock bottom, as he cramped a sweet smile to those around him. Stressing himself out after meeting Baekhyun in the bathroom before he had to give his speech, only for his father to belittle him once again, felt like a huge waste of strength and energy. 

Seven whole years since he was able to represent the company; eighty-four months of being infantilized and underestimated; 365 weeks of being pitied for his disability; 2555 days of slowly fading away.

And when he finally got the chance to stand up and speak, his father ripped him away from the public once again in fear of ruining the company’s image. Apparently becoming deaf is a ‘huge scandal’ that he even had to disappear for several months after recovery until ‘the news died down.’

Jongdae was confused when his father whispered into his interpreter’s ear before she came to translate for him: CEO Kim thinks it is best if Mr. Jongin gives his speech instead. He urges you to switch seats with him immediately.

He hesitated, raising his arms slowly with furrowed eyebrows. Why? Is something wrong?

I’m not sure, sir… She replied with knowing eyes; they both knew why.

Jongdae slowly got up, eyes on the floor as he switched seats with his younger brother. He glanced at his parents, who seemed quite unbothered and rather content with the switch. They clapped enthusiastically when Jongin got up on the stage with Do Kyungsoo, the smiles on their faces showcasing the only pride they had left within the family.

Having his only opportunity in years ripped away from his hands, Jongdae felt the pain eating him up as he tried to keep himself together in front of the fellow sons of the other companies. Out of the tens of people at the rather cozy party, the only person who seemed to be feeling for him was his interpreter, Suwa. The younger woman always had a warm smile drawing her lips. She was probably the only other person who didn’t view Jongdae from behind a huge wall labelled “poor disabled guy.” Suwa had a sense of humor that always lifted any tension off Jongdae’s shoulders; she became a great friend during the past five years she had been on his side.

Suwa stood small beside Jongdae in the circle made by the sons of the big four companies, patiently interpreting everyone’s words to the elder.

“Thank you all for coming today. It’s a pleasure to meet everyone after so long.” Kyungsoo raises his glass, a small smile planted on his face as he scans the men surrounding him.

“It was exciting for everyone to be gathered together again. When was the last time we were all present at one event? Was it Baekhyun’s wedding?” Baekho laughed, nudging his little brother as the rest followed along.

“True, it’s only RaeHan Group’s Kim Minseok who couldn’t attend, right?” Jongin started, freezing when Sehun slightly prodded his back. “Excuse me.” He faced the floor, wincing in embarrassment when the tension grew around the group.

Kyungsoo only chuckled, smiling rather fondly at the younger man. 

“It’s okay. It’s true that he couldn’t make it here today. He is on a business trip, I believe, correct?” Kyungsoo turned to Baekhyun, who took a moment before realizing the question was for him.

“Correct, Mr. Do. He’ll be in Shanghai for a while—he’s in charge of RaeHan Group’s first flagship wellness center in China.” Junmyeon jumped in the conversation, seemingly noticing how Baekhyun did not have much of an idea about Minseok’s plans.

“I didn’t know you were close with Kim Minseok.” Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Ah… We’ve gotten quite close since Baekho hyung’s wedding.” Junmyeon replied with a shy smile, ears turning red at the sudden attention from others.

Jongdae only observed in silence, focusing on Suwa even when she was not interpreting for him—mostly in an attempt to ignore Baekhyun’s desperate stares across the circle.

The group fell into deeper silence when the fathers approached them with their drinks glued to their hands. Hyunkang laid a heavy hand on Jongdae’s shoulder, the latter tensing at the touch with his eyes glued on his interpreter. The reek of alcohol from his father’s mouth only made his stomach turn, closing his eyes for a few seconds to avoid engaging in whatever he was saying.

“It’s been a fantastic night so far, don’t you guys think?” Hyunkang grinned, the young men chipping in a few low yeses in response.

“I cannot wait to watch the growing success of EXO City in the future. We are pleased to help cover any news regarding the process of construction.” Baek Deongsun, BaekSong Group’s chairman, beamed with his eyes focused on Do Kangsik.

Jongdae finally looked away from Suwa when he noticed a familiar face behind Oh Sehun—the man whom he had conversed with in sign at the joint dinner.

The taller man turned to lock eyes with him, offering a soft smile with a nod of his head in respect. Jongdae smiled back before returning his gaze towards his interpreter when he noticed her sign the word "marriage."

“Well, with the promotion coming up, I suppose it’s time to start looking at marriage arrangements. I’d like to see him get married by the end of the year.” Hyunkang was speaking. 

Jongdae turned quickly to his interpreter. 

Who?! He signed, hands flicking sharply, eyebrows drawn tight in concern.

Mr. Jongin, sir, Suwa signed back.

Jongdae remained concerned, eyes shifting to his brother, who was evidently taken aback by their father’s words. He noticed Sehun’s face turn dull before slipping away from the group, the tall bodyguard following him silently.

---

Sehun felt his heart beat in his ears as he tried to breathe, walking as fast as he could from the group before climbing the stairs leading to the rooftop. Air. 

He could hear distinct footsteps following behind— Park Chanyeol. 

Finally stopping when he reached the railing of the rooftop’s garden, Sehun pulled in deep, shaky breaths. He felt himself getting giddy as his eyes brimmed with tears. A warm hand snuck on his shaky shoulder, and Sehun looked back to see his bodyguard giving him an almost unreadable look. To him, it was covering an empathetic gaze hidden behind his professionalism.

Sehun broke down right then, shoulders shaking violently as he leaned his head on his arms resting on the cold railing. His chest heaved with silent, shattering sobs, breath hitching as he tried to compose himself.

Chanyeol only moved his hand to gently rub the younger man’s back, unsure what else to do. He sighed quietly to himself, then slipped off his suit jacket and draped it on Sehun’s trembling shoulders, watching him stiffen as the heavy fabric settled on his smaller frame. Swallowing hard, Chanyeol stepped away from his usual spot and moved to stand beside the younger man. He placed his hands on Sehun’s shoulders and gently turned him to face him.

“Follow me.” He said before taking a deep breath and nodding at him to follow along.

Sehun hesitated before copying the elder, his breaths unstable compared to Chanyeol’s. He shivered again as he exhaled, unsure if it was the cold or from Chanyeol’s serious gaze locking with his own. 

Finally calming down after a few moments, Sehun was sitting idly on one of the benches in the garden while Chanyeol stood behind him in silence.

“Don't you smoke?” Sehun asked him while turning slowly.

“Sometimes…?” Chanyeol raised an eyebrow.

“Can’t you give me one? Please?” Sehun pouted at the older man.

“I—” Chanyeol frowned before sighing. “Fine. But only this once, sir. ” He gave in, surprised at himself by the set of recent interactions between them.

Lighting the cigarette for his client, Chanyeol watched Sehun rest his eyes for a moment as he blew the smoke into the deep night’s gale.

“You're not going to ask me why I had this breakdown?” Sehun asked.

“It’s none of my business, sir. I do not wish to intrude.” Chanyeol replied immediately.

“What if I want to tell you?” Sehun turned again to look up at him. “And can you sit? My neck is cramping.”

“Yes, sir.” Chanyeol said before sitting beside his client, keeping an appropriate distance between them. “If you wish to tell me, then that is your choice, sir. I am here to be by your side either way.” He told Sehun with a comforting smile drawn on his lips.

“I’m scared.” Sehun started, turning to gaze at the bright moon illuminating the dark sky. “I’m… Kim Jongin and I are seeing each other.” He confessed, wincing at himself for actually saying it to someone out loud.

Chanyeol only blinked at him.

“What—why aren’t you surprised?” Sehun asked in disbelief.

“I've had my suspicions.” Chanyeol shrugged slightly, smirking when Sehun’s eyes widened in shock.

“There is no way! We were super secretive.” Sehun exclaimed; he and Jongin had always made sure to not be obvious in front of anyone.

“If spending your morning routine together in your office bathroom almost every day is your definition of ‘secretive,’ then sure, you have indeed been very secretive.” Chanyeol chuckled, shaking his head.

“Who said we spent it in the bathroom?! We meet up every morning for the project, is all—”

Chanyeol raised his chin in feigned interest in Sehun’s excuse. “We both know you have no direct involvement in the project yet, sir. And I sure know how one looks after a heated session with their partner.”

“I’m— Well, now you ruined my big reveal.” Sehun huffed in frustration.

“My apologies, sir.” Chanyeol replied with a small laugh.

“Anyway, I guess the sudden marriage announcement shocked me. There’s no way Jongin didn’t know beforehand, right? When was he planning to tell me?” Sehun’s face turned gloomy again, throwing the cigarette butt after flicking its ashes into the garbage can beside him.

Chanyeol stayed silent.

“No comment?” Sehun tilted his head.

“I said I would be by your side, sir. I am in no position to interfere in advising regarding personal affairs.” Chanyeol turned serious again.

“Come on… I have no one to talk to about this. And now you know my dirty secret.” Sehun whined.

“It is not a dirty secret if you’re not doing anything wrong.” Chanyeol said firmly.

“If it could break hell loose for our families, maybe it is one…” Sehun trailed off, staring at the grass under his sore feet.

“I don’t believe Mr. Kim knew about the announcement. Even if he did, he would’ve never left you in the dark about it.” Chanyeol said, his tone turning soft.

“I don't know… He wouldn't, right?” Sehun turned to lock games with the elder. “Unless he’s like Byun Baek—”

“What the fuck are you doing?” 

The pair jumped at the third voice interrupting them.

Do Kyungsoo.

Standing with a fierce expression painting his face, Kyungsoo sent daggers towards Chanyeol from the rooftop’s door.

Chanyeol stood up immediately, offering a bow before clearing his throat.

Sehun got up slowly with a hand holding the larger jacket on his shoulders. 

“Hyung. We were just talking—” 

“Talking? Are you supposed to be joking around with your hired help? ” Kyungsoo nearly shouted, approaching the pair with angry footsteps.

‘Hired help’? Seriously?

Chanyeol bowed again. “It is my fault, Mr. Do. I—

“You what? You don't get to wiggle your way into his circle while thinking you're like him. You stand behind and guard. Period.” Kyungsoo spat, jaw clenching.

“I was only trying to help Mr. Oh. It is part of my job, sir. ” Chanyeol began to lose his feigned calmness, his ears growing red with frustration.

“What exactly is your angle, huh? You’ve been moving weird already.” Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, his voice stern.

“Hyung—” Sehun placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, only for Kyungsoo to shake it off before taking a step closer to Chanyeol.

“You seem to think everyone is hiding something—but those suspicions only eat away at the ones who are.” Chanyeol said, eyes blazing with fury.

“Who do you think you are to make such absurd comments about me?” Kyungsoo took another step towards him, his fists clenching as their breaths hit each other’s faces.

“My apologies, sir. I am only your highness’ help— a peasant, you might say.” Chanyeol’s nose flared with rage, chest heaving as he tried to control every bone in his body not to lose his composure. 

“What is going on?”

The three men turned when they heard a woman’s voice.

Kim Jongdae was standing by the door, observing the three with concerned eyes along with his interpreter.

“Jongdae…” Kyungsoo stepped away from the taller man, swallowing hard as he stood frozen along with the other two.

“I’m not sure what any of you are up to, but the fact that now both of KangSin Group’s sons have vanished from their own afterparty is not looking good for you. CEO Do is awaiting you downstairs.” Suwa interpreted Jongdae’s firm words to the three—two men who were staring at the pair in disbelief.

“We will be right down. I apologize for the inconvenience.” Kyungsoo said before grabbing Chanyeol’s jacket off Sehun’s frame and throwing it on the bench. “Let’s go.” He whispered firmly to his brother before walking past Jongdae and Suwa down the stairs.

Chanyeol watched Jongdae sign with a surprised smile to Suwa: " Where were you on dinner night last week?" I would have made quite the impression on the Do sons then.

Suwa chuckled before answering, which Chanyeol couldn't make out as the woman was completely facing away from him.

He grabbed his jacket before approaching the pair slowly.

My apologies for the trouble, sir. I assure you that I am to take full accountability. Chanyeol signed to Jongdae before bowing once again.

The latter shook his head with a small smile. It’s no trouble. I can’t judge that you are the cause of the trouble because you are the employee, Mr…? 

Park Chanyeol, sir.

Jongdae nodded. Right, Chanyeol. It’s a pleasure seeing you again, by the way.

Mine too, sir.

Chapter 5: FIVE - Eye to eye, heart to heart.

Summary:

A look into the turning point of Jongdae's life.
Chanyeol suspects the extent of Baekhyun's relationship with Jongdae, and vice versa.
Ryeo panics over Doh Kyungsoo's actions at the afterparty despite being absent from the event.
Sehun struggles to stay stable the morning after the party.

Notes:

hihi! sorry for the late update.. exams season is beating my ass 😞

🎵 chapter's song: "Oh, Love." by Lucid Fall.

TRIGGER WARNING!! CAR ACCIDENT!!

April 21, 2017.

“Thank you for tonight; it meant so much to me.” Baekhyun said over Jongdae’s car speakers, his soft tone melting his boyfriend’s ears as he buckled his seatbelt.

“Thanking me for our anniversary dinner? You can’t be serious. Hang up, Byun Baekhyun, I can’t hear any more of this.” Jongdae said with a laugh as he checked his mirrors.

“Right, sorry. I just wish we were able to go home together so we could end the night, you know?” Jongdae could hear the suggestiveness in Baekhyun’s tone; he shook his head with a sigh before driving out of the parking lot.

“I know, darling. But your bodyguard is rather scary—rushing you home and all? It was only ten!” Jongdae spoke with his eyes focused on the road.

“You know how protective my father gets. Sure, our families love our ‘brotherly bond,’ but they always suggest ‘putting boundaries’ and all.” Baekhyun spoke with an audible sign of a pout in his tone.

Jongdae scoffed before joking, “If only they knew what else we were putting between each other.”

Baekhyun laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world. It was either that he really found Jongdae to be extremely funny, or he didn’t get the signs to stop laughing too much at any joke his boyfriend would tell seven years later. Jongdae loved it either way; he found the resonating voice of Baekhyun’s unrestricted laugh that he only let out around him to be pure bliss to his ears.

“The traffic must be horrible by now. I’ll let you be so you can drive safely. Take care on the highways, too! I love you.” Baekhyun finally ended their conversation for the night. Jongdae replied with an ‘I love you ’ back before ending the call and focusing more on the road.

The silence of the car, however, suffocated him like it always has. Jongdae hated silence; being left alone with his own thoughts practically ate at him, so he’d turn on his favorite playlist to end the day on a positive note where he listens to what he loves the most—his and Baekhyun’s songs.

The songs they’d dedicate to each other, the songs they’d listen to together from the beginning of their relationship up until that very day, the songs they would sing to each other as they’d lie on the soft bed in Jongdae’s apartment underneath the sunlight. They all found a way to nudge Jongdae’s heart and bless his ears as he reminisces about all their memories together. 

Jongdae smiled when the first song on shuffle came on: “Oh, Love” by Lucid Fall. He managed to replace the dark streets of the highway with blooming azalea fields as he drove through the rainy night. 

“And even the sun has abandoned me,

But they're far away, where spring resides. That's Oh, Love.”

He sang along to the calming melody, a smile planted on his lips as he steered the wheel slowly on the slippery road.

“ When I close my eyes and think of you,

Without wings, I am already flying the skies.

When I close my eyes and think of you,

Without a mast, I am sailing the sea.”

Reminiscing about April 21st of 2010, Jongdae chuckled to himself as he remembered Baekhyun’s flushed cheeks when he gave him the bouquet of azalea flowers on their way back from school.

---

“How did you even manage to get that?” Baekhyun asked as he looked around the hill, his cheeks turning a crimson red that matched the color of his uniform’s stripes.

“What do you mean ‘how’?” I could manage to get anything for you. And you love them, so… Be my boyfriend?” Jongdae smiled as he popped the question again, the tips of his ears matching Baekhyun’s cheeks as he waited nervously for an answer.

“Of course, silly! I’ll gladly be yours.” Baekhyun beamed before hugging Jongdae tightly. 

Warmth was what Jongdae had felt at that moment—and the following years he got to spend with his boyfriend.

---

The couple were the luckiest when their families’ companies started working together since Typhoon Danas in 2013; they were more than glad to ‘get closer’ for the sake of the companies’ growing business relationship. 

Jongdae smiled to himself as he kept singing along, the same warmth from seven years earlier filling his heart to the brim. 

“Even when the flowers dry out, even when the liveliest tree turns pale and lifeless,

Listen to this vivid and resilient voice.

to me, who will be breathing somewhere in the world——”

And then it hit him.

The strong illuminance of a truck’s headlights was the last thing to hit him before everything went black .

Jongdae could vaguely remember the moment he was turned upside down in the car with the broken radio still whispering the heartwarming lyrics to his ears—but he could barely hear them.

“And see what you have sprouted, oh, love,

and see what you have sprouted, oh, love.”

Was faint before the painful ringing in his ear put him to sleep again.

The moment he woke up surrounded by his parents, Jongin and Baekhyun, Jongdae felt a dull pressure wrapped around his head—thick layers of gauze, tight and itchy. He lifted one hand to touch it. The bandages crinkled under his fingers.

Everything around him was quiet. Maybe it was the bandages, he thought.

But when the doctors checked his eyes and spoke to him, he only blinked with thick tears trickling down his cheeks.

“What?” he mouthed. No sound. Not even from his own voice.

Maybe everything was just too blurry; he did just wake up from a near-death experience, after all. But when he couldn’t hear Baekhyun when he rested a hand on his arm and spoke, he felt it.

The deadly silence. Not a single sound was heard, not even a muffled noise—nothing.

Panic bloomed in his chest as he shook his head in disbelief.

“I can’t hear.” He said—or at least, he thought he said it; he couldn’t even hear himself.

Baekhyun swallowed hard in response, looking over slowly to the nurses and Jongdae’s family, who were wide-eyed in shock. Jongdae’s vision blurred again as he saw Jongin begin to cry.

“Baekhyun?” Jongdae tried speaking again, a shaky hand on his neck to check the vibration of his vocal cords.

Baekhyun’s eyebrows knitted together with pity , and Jongdae could clearly see his heart breaking through his glossy eyes.

“Can you hear me?” Jongdae sat up as he asked, louder. He felt his throat burn, ignoring the nurse who tried to help him lie back down.

Baekhyun slowly nodded, his family frantically following along. Jongin slowly took Baekhyun’s seat and gently held Jongdae’s hands.

“Hyung”…? Jongdae watched Jongin’s lips closely. “Hyung?” Jongdae copied; he was pretty sure his own voice broke. Jongin nodded with a broken smile, his hands slowly moving to rest on his brother’s sides. Jongdae remembered when Jongin used to run to him, wrapping his dainty arms around his waist and hiding behind him to feel safe when they were kids. Jongdae finally broke down for the very first time in front of his younger brother; he couldn’t stay strong—he couldn’t look strong in front of him at that very moment.

He didn't know how loud his cries were—he just hoped those around him would spare him some for someone who had just lost his hearing. Wrapping trembling arms around Jongin’s neck, Jongdae felt time come to a halt as he rested his heavy head on his brother’s shoulder.

According to the doctors, his eardrums ruptured from the blast of the airbags and impact, trauma to the inner ear’s delicate structures, leading to severe hearing loss—possibly permanent .

Jongdae was hospitalized for what seemed like eternity, except it was just two painfully slow months where he stared out the same window every other day. Baekhyun would visit alternately, take him on walks around the hospital campus, and bring along his warm smile that helped him get by. When Jongdae was finally ready, Baekhyun taught him everything he had been learning on his own for the first month about KSL (Korean Sign Language).

It was definitely a long process, but he couldn't be more grateful that Baekhyun stayed on his side every step of the way. Jongin joined in on the classes, but he somehow felt more distant after Jongdae’s recovery was over. He’d actively avoid him at home, somehow looking guilty all the time. Jongdae couldn’t stand it.

“What the hell is up with you?” Jongdae asked with a frown, signing with weak fingers over his voice.

Jongin avoided eye contact, his own fingers fiddling together as he shook his leg on the side of the bed. He typed into his phone before showing his brother the bright screen. “Dad wants you to stay on a hiatus.”

Jongdae frowned immediately. “What? Why?!” He signed sharply.

“He says you're not in an appropriate condition to continue… for now.”

Jongdae cleared his throat. “Who is going to manage in my place, then?”

“Your brother will.” Hyunkang entered the room, grabbing Jongin’s attention first with his words. Jongin interpreted for his brother immediately as the pair stood up.

Jongdae sealed his mouth and raised his arms to only sign. “Father… I can manage fine. I don't understand how this could get in the way of anything.” Jongin translated for their father, sweaty hands still at his sides as the tension thickened within the room.

“ This can get in the way of everything . Your brother will train to take your place, for now, I hope. We asked BaekSong to publish an article regarding your hiatus, which will last a few months from now.” Hyunkang deadpanned, his gaze indifferent as he turned and walked away without waiting for a response.

Jongdae sat back on the bed after hearing his father’s words. Is hearing loss considered that shameful for him? He doesn't even know what could actually make him lose his shit about me.

---

March 3rd, 2024.

8:00 am.

Chanyeol plopped down on the bed beside Baekhyun, panting heavily beside him as their fingers brushed in a quiet aftermath. 

Baekhyun glanced over to the taller one, a smirk tugging at his lips despite his heaving chest.

“That was…” Baekhyun stared at the ceiling.

“Good?” Chanyeol asked—more like a suggestion to fill in the blank.

“Well, yes. Just a little more…intense?” Baekhyun leaned on his elbows, shaking his head to brush his long fringe off his forehead.

“Was it? I guess, yeah.” Chanyeol glanced at the shorter man before turning his head to stare out his window. He blinked. “Are you okay?”

Baekhyun chuckled. “Yes. I just meant that it seemed like you needed to blow off some steam—and you clearly did.”

“Oh. Yeah, I’ve just been busy lately.” Chanyeol quietly replied as he reached for his daily supplements.

“Right…” Baekhyun pursed his lips, like he got the message that Chanyeol did not want to talk, as usual. “Well, I should shower before heading off. Join me?” He asked as he got off the bed on shaky legs.

“Sure. Don't want you to fall in there anyway.” Chanyeol replied with a smirk, earning a scoff from the shorter.

After a quick round two and then an actual shower along with some aftercare, the pair silently dressed together in Chanyeol’s room.

“Where’d your panties go?” Chanyeol teased, watching Baekhyun pull out a pair of boxers instead of the underwear Chanyeol ripped off of him when he had arrived earlier.

“Ask yourself, Mr. Arai.” Baekhyun smirked as he buttoned his shirt, staring at Chanyeol as he neatly got into his work clothes.

“You’re never going to let this go, are you?” Chanyeol shook his head.

“Well, no. You do turn into Takumi when you’re frustrated; it’s hot.” Baekhyun pronounced the foreign name with its accent, laughing when Chanyeol gave him a look.

“Right. You should wear your ripped panties and show them off to your wife then, Mr. Byun.”

“My wife never saw me in my underwear before, you know that.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes.

“Never? She’s missing out.”

“She isn’t . And maybe she did… Once.” Baekhyun’s cheeks flushed, remembering the one awkward moment they both decided to finally sleep together—three years ago.

“Why do you sound ashamed? I’m the one you're having the affair with.” Chanyeol tapped Baekhyun’s bottom as he reached for the blow-dryer.

Chanyeol was a little suspicious about how Baekhyun didn’t mention anything about the other night—until he did as he was walking out of his apartment.

He turned slowly towards Chanyeol, who was about to shut the door.

“How do you know Kim Jongdae?” He asked with a tilt of his head.

Chanyeol looked around for a second. Oh. “I just happen to know him, why?”

“Happen to know him? You came down the rooftop with him, alone.” Baekhyun raised an eyebrow.

Chanyeol blinked. Is he serious? “We weren’t alone; his interpreter was there.”

“Oh, so that changes everything.” Baekhyun crossed his arms.

“What is there to change? He just happened to be there, probably having a smoke.” Chanyeol shrugged.

“Jongdae doesn’t smoke.” Baekhyun said sternly, eyes widening the slightest as he realized what he just said.

There we go, Chanyeol thought before leaning against the doorframe. 

“How do you know Kim Jongdae?” He asked with a raise of an eyebrow. 

Chanyeol didn’t need to know how Baekhyun knew Kim Jongdae; he already had the background figured out from the files—they were really close friends since high school and through their respective companies’ joint projects throughout the years. One thing he did not know was the mysterious reasons behind the sudden termination of KI and BS Groups’ contract in 2019.

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow back before crossing his arms again. “I just happen to know him.” He said before walking off, and Chanyeol only sighed as he quietly shut the door behind him.

---

9:30 am.

The tension in RaeHan Group’s building was suffocating—even to Chanyeol. It seemed like some snobby higher-up let out all of his anger on the company’s staff, which is not a rare sight to Chanyeol; he saw all kinds of Ryeo’s lash-outs throughout the years and their impact on those under him, including Chanyeol himself.

Walking over to Ryeo Hakgun’s office, Chanyeol wondered how the night ended for Sehun after he was hurriedly rushed out of the party by his brother as soon as it came to an end. He remembered Jongin’s face when he came down from the rooftop with Jongdae—pale and horrified , it was like he had seen it already happen in front of his eyes and did not want to go through it himself.

Chanyeol’s suspicions were confirmed when he entered the office to a raging Ryeo; he was the snobby higher-up who lashed out on everybody in the company.

“Good morning, sir.” Chanyeol offered a bow, indifferent regarding Ryeo’s random outbursts.

“Good fucking morning to you, too. What the fuck happened at last night’s party, huh?” Ryeo turned sharply to glare at the younger man, who furrowed his eyebrows at the unexpected question.

“Would you like a full report on the events, sir?” Chanyeol stayed calm regardless, his hands squeezing each other behind his back.

“What happened with Doh Kyungsoo? And why did your client go home last night without you?” Ryeo asked as he approached him.

Chanyeol cleared his throat before speaking. “Oh Sehun had a personal issue while I was working by his side, and Doh Kyungsoo was not too happy about our distance.”

“What personal issue?” Ryeo raised an eyebrow.

“I believe it is irrelevant to the mission, sir.” Chanyeol stared at the ground.

“Is that so?” Ryeo roamed slowly around Chanyeol, pausing when he sniffed. “Are you seeing someone, Chanyeol?” He tilted his head, feigning curiosity drawn on his eyes.

“I am not, sir.” Chanyeol blinked. 

“Sure? You see, I have quite the experience with women, and you smell like you had some fun recently.” Ryeo said with an uncanny chuckle. He really doesn’t, Chanyeol thought.

“Or are you just being lousy on purpose? Are the reasons I listed for you to kill Doh Kyungsoo not enough for you to be motivated?” He crossed his arms, grinning when Chanyeol finally turned his head towards him, serious eyes locking in his own.

“What makes you think I was being lousy, sir? I am merely doing the job that I need to do so I can go through with the mission, as you have ordered me to observe until ready to take action.”

“I never told you to rile up the motherfucker! He’s insane. He might kill you off at any fucking minute; that’s what he does to orphans.” Ryeo spat. 

A moment of silence fell between the pair when Chanyeol’s eyes turned siren, rage slowly swimming through his veins towards the tips of his nerves. 

He took a minute to breathe deeply before speaking in a low voice.

“I understand, sir. I certainly did not mean to get on his nerves on purpose. I will be more careful from now on.” He glanced at his buzzing watch. “If you will excuse me, sir. I need to hurry to KangSin Group for a meeting with my client.” Chanyeol finished, walking off after Ryeo only nodded in silence.

---

Chanyeol offered a bow to Sehun as he entered his office, eyes scanning the room only to notice Kim Jongin’s absence.

“Good morning, Mr. Oh—” Chanyeol paused as he saw Sehun lying on his couch with pajamas on. He also noticed the numerous soju bottles scattered around the coffee table.

Sehun sniffled. “Morning.”

“Sir…” Chanyeol almost cooed, walking over to the younger man hurriedly. “You have a meeting in twenty minutes, sir. Please get ready so we can arrive on time.” He said calmly after hesitating whether or not he should physically help him up.

“I don’t want to. I’m useless there anyway. Just gotta sit there and look pretty—and I don’t look too pretty right now.” Sehun slurred, pouting as he turned his back towards the elder.

“Sir. I do not wish for you to get involved in more trouble with Mr. Doh.”

“Which one? The loser who hates my guts or the older loser who hates my guts?” Sehun mumbled, hopeless eyes staring at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol glanced at his watch again. “Sir, please. Kangil Group wishes for everyone in the family to attend.”

Sehun sprung up. “It’s with Kangil?!” He stumbled on unstable legs before frantically looking around him. “Fuck. I need to go; I need to see him.”

 

Chapter 6: SIX - Unlike father: The Son.

Summary:

Doh Kyungsoo was perceived as a perfect son of a perfect CEO of the most powerful financial conglomerate in South Korea. But no one dared unfold the layers to his core that showed how he lived to reach such point of success; and to have that many enemies wanting him gone.

Notes:

it's been a week since last update omg... i'm finally done with exams though so expect more updates soon!! this is more of an insight into kyungsoo and a glimpse of major events in his life since i haven't been able to show much about him since the beginning^^
🎵 Song of this chapter: Baby Blue by Luke Hemmings.
WARNING ‼️‼️ Mention of parental death.

August 2008.

Kyungsoo glanced at his maid one more time with pleading eyes, sighing when she gave him a stern look and cocked her head towards the door. He took small steps outside his bedroom and to the hallway, wiping his sweaty hands on his thighs as he slowly walked down the grand stairs of their new house.

He felt his heart beating in his ears with each step he took closer to the main living room. His feet stuck to the stairsteps once he saw the unfamiliar people chatting with his father. A tall woman was conversing with his father rather comfortably; her knee-length red dress and up-do elegantly decorated her frame. On the armchair beside the couch sat a younger boy in a trained position—he had his hands resting on his knees in a polite manner, his back straightened tensely, and his face holding an unfathomable emotion.

Kyungsoo was always aware of the issues between his parents—he was also aware of his father’s unfaithfulness over the course of the few months before his mother’s death. His mother was what one would call a saint; every step she walked on bloomed flowers. She was the only person able to make Kyungsoo feel like he was home, always being there for him despite her hard-pressed schedule. So—of course—his life was crushed into pieces, and the flowers that had bloomed within his heart withered away with her passing. And the fact that his father dared bring another woman to their empty house on her first death anniversary was somehow not too surprising for him.

His maid, Hyonju, stood at the top of the stairs to give him another look, ushering with her hands for him to go down. Kyungsoo gulped, inhaling deeply before finally taking shaky steps down the staircase. He stood small at the bottom of the stairs when his father laid his eyes on him, causing the pair of strangers to look at him as well.

“There he is! My dear son, Kyungsoo.” His father exclaimed with a hand stretched towards him. “Kyungsoo, this is Woo Gyunghee; she has been my secretary for a few years now—” Of course. “And this is her son, Oh Sehun.” He pointed at the pair beside him excitedly, the smile on his face almost sucking away Kyungsoo’s soul.

Kyungsoo offered a deep bow in respect to the older woman. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.” He greeted me in a low tone, indifferent.

“Nice to meet you, Kyungsoo. I hope we get along well.” Gyunghee spoke softly with her gloved hand over her chest.

Kyungsoo tilted his head, the other boy—Sehun—following along with confusion drawn on their faces at her words.

“Gyunghee and I are getting married soon; we shall become one happy family.” Kangsik said with a grin tugging at his lips, Gyunghee smiling along towards both boys.

Kyungsoo blinked; he felt his insides churn and his nerves tremble at the news. After closing his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts, Kyungsoo looked at his father with an indifferent gaze.

“Father, what time exactly are we doing the ritual? Today is Mother’s first death anniversary.” He spoke with feigned innocence in his voice, raising his eyebrow when his father shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Gyunghee’s eyes widened in shock.

“We—I apologize, I completely forgot about that.” Kangsik stammered, sweating when Gyunghee slowly got up from her seat with Sehun following along.

“It’s okay, we can come back another day. Thank you for your hospitality this evening, Mr. Doh—and it was nice finally meeting you, Kyungsoo.” Gyunghee said nonchalantly, her hand tight around her son’s smaller one before bowing and walking off.

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Why would you do that?!” Kangsik shouted at him once the pair left, fury evident in his eyes like Kyungsoo had sinned.

“I just wanted to know what time the ritual for Mother’s memorial is, Father. Forgive me if I had acted arrogantly.” Kyungsoo replied with his eyes glued to the floor, the fear that had been stilled within his heart somehow absent.

“I don’t get what happened to you, but your behavior has been fucking suffocating for so long now. You need to get your shit together if you want to actually take over the company, or else I'll find someone else who will.” Kyungsoo’s desire to become like his father disappeared into thin air along with his words, and his only hope became turning back time.

---

April 2010.

Kyungsoo almost yawned as his father continued his conversation with Ryeo Hakgun over the dinner table, his lack of interest matching Sehun’s at every function—including this one. The pair shared a look before turning to pick at their food again, a small smirk planted on their faces when Sehun lightly nudged Kyungsoo’s shin with his foot.

Sitting opposite Kyungsoo was Ryeo Hakgun’s stepson, Kim Minseok. He didn’t know what exactly it was, but something about the older boy peeved him. He didn’t know if it was the excessive use of hair gel, the smell of his cologne, or his ‘friendly’ smile that got to him—Kyungsoo just did not seem to like Kim Minseok. And for what it was worth, Minseok did not seem to like him either, which was fine; the elder had stated that he was enlisting early anyway, so he would be off Kyungsoo’s back by the time the two companies’ relationship was over.

 

To which he was incredibly wrong, as he found himself getting ready for his own engagement party with Ryeo Hakgun’s daughter, Ryeo Ara, right before Minseok’s enlistment. It was unexpected, to say the least, and he did not have a choice to refuse, given his father’s threats about his position in the company. 

Kyungsoo had only met Ara twice in his life. She was sweet, diligent, and incredibly smart; it almost intimidated him. She wasn’t his type, but he made an effort to make things work regardless. They did get along better than he had expected, though, and they were bound to be good friends.

What made things more complicated for him was the love interest he had in school: Jisung. He was exactly Kyungsoo’s type: tall build, sharp features, deep voice, and short hair. He, however, decided to end things with him once his engagement was official. It didn’t matter whether it was arranged for a strategic alliance or not; Kyungsoo was not going to follow in his father’s footsteps.

What he couldn’t stand, though, was seeing Ryeo Hakgun every other day. He could almost smell an unsettling truth behind his rapidly growing company from the moment he had heard about it; he even faked taking the stock of daily supplements Ryeo had sent him as a ‘gift’ to his son-in-law.

 

Kyungsoo spent the next years working himself to the bone to prove himself within the company and prove to himself that he was not going to become his father. It made his skin crawl whenever someone mentioned any kind of resemblance between them, and he knew he had to somehow break that cycle. He still had to work within his father’s space so he could build his own empire. He was also thankful that his father was at least a decent businessman, or at least he thought so.

 

Because when the scandal that broke everything between RH and KS Groups erupted, Kyungsoo saw a whole new side of his father that he thought, or prayed, never existed. 

 

In 2017, RaeHan Group was preparing for a major IPO to expand their brands globally, and KangSin Group—a major investor—was anticipating substantial returns. It was custom anyway; as a financial conglomerate, KangSin regularly backed high-potential companies across the country and profited from their success. 

But when Kyungsoo found out about the under-the-table, unapproved human testing RaeHan Group was conducting on military recruits, he immediately hurried to warn his father. 

Doh Kangsik, however, was well aware of the operation. In fact, he was quietly funding it to speed up their product development before the IPO hit the market. 

Kyungsoo felt his rage spread like wildfire within his body and demanded clarification from his father.

His voice resonated within his father’s grand office.

“What do you mean you knew?! There have been multiple serious health issues already. There might have even been a death!” 

“This is not your business to worry about.” His father replied coldly. “Focus on the work assigned to you, son.”

“So now you’re calling me your son? I thought the line was at ‘Director Doh,’ sir.” 

Kangsik gave him a warning glare before calmly shutting him down again. “There is nothing to worry about. I’m sure we can get help from BaekSong Group to cover this up soon.” 

Kyungsoo could only scoff. Are those seriously two of the most powerful businessmen in South Korea?

“We’ll go down with them the moment a single article is up.” He snapped. “And Ryeo Hakgun has been acting very recklessly lately, so I’d suggest you rein him in before he burns all of our investments to the ground.” Kyungsoo sternly replied before walking off.

As he reached the door, he added without looking back:

“And don’t lean too heavily on BaekSong Group, sir. They still have some integrity—unlike some others.”

His father didn’t reply. The sound of papers scattering behind him as he shut the door was all the satisfaction Kyungsoo needed to calm himself.

 

Meanwhile, Ryeo Hakgun thought he was clever by releasing a limited batch of the supplement to Southeast Asia and other regions with looser regulations to claim that it was already on shelves and a legitimate market product. 

But the media body was fast enough to pick up the scandal, dragging KS Group along with them.

“KS-Backed RH Group Linked to the Military Testing Scandal”

The headlines spread fast, and Ryeo’s impulsivity was only digging deeper holes for both companies. That was when, finally, Doh Kangsik stood his ground.

“We need to pull out of this; we’re just digging our own grave by staying on his side. Release whatever internal documents clear our hands—we aren’t the ones who started this anyway.” 

His betrayal shattered the alliance between RH and KS Groups overnight. RH Group lost the public trust and crashed the IPO. And in the midst of such chaos, the seven-year engagement between Kyungsoo and Ara collapsed with it.

Kyungsoo would admit that he was disappointed when the engagement broke off, despite the lack of development in their relationship throughout the years. But he and Ara had a good friendship—or what one would call a complicated relationship—as they pushed and pulled each other within their fathers’ differences. He was still worried about any backlash that Ara could receive for her father’s scandal on top of their breakup but knew he had no face to try and make amends given KangSin’s side of the issue.

---

March 2nd, 2024.

Kyungsoo hurriedly ran down the stairs with Sehun’s wrist tightly in his hand, ignoring the younger’s attempts to stop him or free himself from his grip.

“Hyung—Hyung!” Sehun finally lashed out before Kyungsoo could push open the door to the party.

“What?!” Kyungsoo turned, his roar making Sehun flinch.

“I don’t get your issue with him, but you really need to stop overreacting and interfering with everything going on in my life.” Sehun finally stood his ground, though he still seemed rather nervous while speaking up.

Kyungsoo crossed his arms, taking a deep breath. “How many times have I told you not to get too close to any of your hired help?”

“How many times have I told you to stop calling them that? It’s offensive and weird—you sound…” Sehun stopped himself before attempting to open the door to the party and leaving, but Kyungsoo wouldn’t let him go easily.

“I sound like what, Sehun? Say it.” Kyungsoo’s glare shot holes through the side of Sehun’s head.

“Like your father. You sound like your father, hyung.” Sehun spoke calmly before hurrying off to the party with a rehearsed smile on his face.

Kyungsoo could only stand there, frozen at the remark that always made his skin crawl, and he did not expect it coming from Sehun.

The afterparty was finally over on a quiet note as the sons of KangSin Group kept their mouths shut and tugged into perfect grins at their guests. Kyungsoo didn’t give Chanyeol a chance to approach Sehun again as he practically dragged him to his own car so they could get to their house on their own.

“Tell him his time is over here.” Kyungsoo had told his secretary before they entered the vehicle.

Sehun only fussed on the ride back to their house, getting on Kyungsoo’s nerves even more. It reminded him of their relationship fifteen years ago, when Sehun would gripe about small things on their way back from school and Kyungsoo would have to fight every muscle in his body not to punch his new stepbrother.

“At least drop me off at my apartment—please~” Sehun slurred through the few drinks he had around the end of the night, reaching to grab Kyungsoo’s arm.

“I said no. You don’t need any more stress by going back there, and you know what I mean by that.” Kyungsoo sternly replied, pushing Sehun’s hand off his arm as he stared out the window.

“Then drop me off at the company; I need to get some work done before the conference tomorrow.” Sehun begged again.

“What work?” Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows.

“You can ask Giho hyung! I have assigned work for the conference; I swear.” Sehun insisted.

Kyungsoo sighed before asking the driver to stop by the company first. “And you better come on time tomorrow.” He warned the younger man as he was dropped off, finally getting some quiet as he headed back to his house.

Until the buzzing of his phone in his pocket caused him to huff, only for his eyes to widen at the caller ID.

Dowoon.

Shit.

He thought once, twice, thrice, before finally accepting the call.

“Hello?” Dowoon’s heavy tone swam into Kyungsoo’s ear. Fuck.

“Dowoon?” Kyungsoo cleared his throat, not sure how unstable he sounded right then.

Dowoon seemed to know the right moments to booty-call Kyungsoo, which only happened every once in a while, but his timing was almost always perfect. The pair had their ups and downs with a messy ‘situation-ship’ for two years or so, and Dowoon seemed to have Kyungsoo on his mind regularly two years after they ended things.

Kyungsoo would be lying if he said he was able to resist him; the way he felt his knees tremble every time he thought of the elder was almost humiliating to him. But when Kyungsoo had the older man on his knees in front of him, needily sucking him off, he could feel all that humiliation disappear into thin air.

So he did what he could to make that humiliation disappear; he told the driver to drop him off in Mapo Neighborhood and went off to let all his anger and humiliation go for the night. Just that one night.

Chapter 7: SEVEN - The first love's mess(age).

Summary:

Chanyeol helps Sehun save face in the conference meeting at Kangil Group. Doh Kyungsoo surprises the attendees by his tardiness to the meeting, and falls victim for Chanyeol's wittiness. Chanyeol recalls his own first love as he hears Jongin and Sehun's conversation. Jongdae gives Jongin crucial advice, and he reminisces about his journey with Sehun.

Notes:

hihi^^ this is quite long omg but i hope you enjoy! ik i promised more frequent updates but more wips are calling for me + a new chansoo fic is in the making so pls stay tuned ;)
chapter's song: Our time - D.O.
WARNING ‼️‼️ mentions of sex crimes, violence & gun violence ‼️‼️
I would also like to remind you that any character that is not the members is NOT any public figure or specific k-idol.

March 3rd, 2024.

Chanyeol stood still in the middle of Sehun’s office with idle eyes watching him frantically run around to grab his clothes and get ready in five minutes’ time. The younger man was surprisingly fast—which made Chanyeol sigh as he realized that Sehun could get ready as fast as lightning and not in at least a half hour’s time like every other morning despite having commitments.

“Do I look okay?” Sehun breathed heavily as he fixed his hair in the small mirror, fingers pulling at his eyebags and tapping his puffy cheeks.

“Yes, sir. Though your pants are not zipped up.” Chanyeol responded nonchalantly, smirking when Sehun’s cheeks grew red and zipped up his pants in a hurry.

“Alright, let’s go.” Sehun marched to the door before Chanyeol stopped him with a question:

“Did you prepare your files for the meeting, sir?”

And Sehun’s face said it all: Shit.

“I was busy drinking my pain away—fuck.” The younger man dropped his tense shoulders in hopelessness and bumped his head against the door, groaning. “Hyung is going to kill me.”

Chanyeol raised his eyebrows, his brain finally functioning properly after a long morning with a not-so-fortunate encounter. Getting on Sehun’s good side was already checked; all he needed next was to gain his trust and prove his eligibility for the position to Doh Kyungsoo. And this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

“Allow me to help you, sir. Do you have the content of the conference on hand?” He asked while searching for Sehun’s tablet—the one for work that he uses to watch Chinese dramas for ‘language practice’ (he usually just ogles at the male actors).

“Yeah—it’s on my tablet. Why? Will you help out?” Sehun scoffed. A pause. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way—it’s just that it isn’t even your job; how would you know—”

Chanyeol didn’t take much offense at the younger man’s words—Sehun always seemed to mean well, never looking down on him because of class. That was the part Chanyeol hated to admit: it made his heart burn with a kind of bittersweet warmth. He felt bad to see how different Sehun was from his stepbrother, who is known for his abuse of power allegations and said to be a fraud who forces orphans into labor work under the rubbles of his glorious EXO City.

Chanyeol decided to let him enjoy it until the last drop—he needed to gain their trust anyway, and Sehun’s little project seemed like a piece of cake to Chanyeol that he could wing on their way to Kangil’s headquarters.

Sehun was a nervous wreck on the way to the conference, yet his thoughts were far from the meeting itself—they were centered around a certain someone he knew he was seeing there. He shook his leg nervously on the backseat of the car while his manager drove in tense silence. 

Chanyeol was working on a laptop with sharp focus in the passenger seat, silently thanking the heavens for the unexpected traffic that made the drive twice as long. 

“Here is the slide deck, sir. The red line between any bullet point means to pause, and anything in bold is a keyword.” He said after saving the data onto a flash drive and handing it to Sehun.

Sehun held the flash drive with loose hands. “Huh—what?”

“Mr. Oh, please focus. You can improvise the actual script, right?” Chanyeol turned, his serious gaze trapping Sehun’s wavering eyes within.

Sehun gulped, brushing all his first love issues aside as he realized how big of a favor Chanyeol’s help was. “Yes… Yes, of course. Thank you so much. I owe you.”

“No need, sir. It is my job, after all.” Chanyeol flashed a small smile before turning back again.

“This isn’t.”

“It is. I am hired to protect you, and showing up empty-handed would put you in the CEOs’ danger zone.”

Sehun gazed out the window after hearing his bodyguard’s words. He was right; Sehun would not see the end of it with his father and Kyungsoo if he showed up with nothing prepared for the nth time.

Chanyeol expected the burning gaze of Doh Kyungsoo from the head of the conference table once they entered the room forty minutes into the meeting, while Sehun mentally prepared himself for his stepfather’s disappointed look. And Giho expected the demeaning looks of Doh Kyungsoo’s secretary, judging his poor work at managing, quote on quote, a corporate puppy.

The three, however, were flabbergasted when they entered a silent conference room that lacked one of its main leaders—Doh Kyungsoo.

Doh Kyungsoo was never late to a meeting. In fact, he was always in attendance thirty minutes ahead of starting time, and that meant over an hour’s tardiness. Humiliating, Chanyeol thought.

He noticed Sehun get cold feet again as his eyes were fixed on a specific individual: Kim Jongin. After nudging his elbow, Chanyeol cocked his head at the younger man in warning. Stay focused. His eyes spoke.

Sehun swallowed hard before bowing to the attendees once again.

“I sincerely apologize for my tardiness.” He spoke clearly, scanning both CEOs’ expressions in search of reassurance.

“It’s no problem—Vice President Doh also seems to be running late. But it’s alright; we have all day.” Kim Hyunkang spoke in feigned sincerity, a sarcastic smirk tugging the corner of his lip as he glanced at Doh Kangsik, whose blood seemed to have reached its boiling point from humiliation.

Chanyeol could only smirk in satisfaction. Sure, Sehun might still get an earful for being late, but he wouldn’t be the only one humiliating Doh Kangsik that time. Doh Kyungsoo must have a valid reason for such an embarrassing fall in the eyes of the executives and shareholders.

“That’s no problem. Let us start with Mr. Oh’s presentation.” Doh Kangsik spoke after clearing his throat, his heavy eyes almost drilling holes in Sehun’s head as he waited for his reaction.

“Yes, sir.” Sehun said before inserting the flash drive in the laptop and scanning the cover of the slide deck for the very first time.

“Good morning. I’m Oh Sehun, KangSin Group’s Non-Executive Director. I will be briefly presenting the security access model for the wellness zone of EXO City.” Sehun glanced at the laptop screen after pressing the space button, clearing his throat once more before looking back up to focus on—fuck.

All of Sehun’s options sucked. His stepfather was frightening enough, Kim Hyunkang was irritatingly smug, Jongin was an avoidant target, and Chanyeol was way too far back at the rear of the room. So he ran his gaze along the attendees, who seemed peaceful enough—and Kim Jongdae.

The older man was mainly focused on his interpreter, who was standing a few inches beside Sehun, but he still held an encouraging smile that only motivated him to speak confidently.

“EXO City’s wellness district is divided into three key access zones: public outdoor areas, private treatment and fitness centers, and a VIP zone for executive recovery suites. Access will be managed through a layered security protocol, primarily using biometric authentication such as facial recognition and encrypted keycards.”

He paused, stealing another glance at the laptop screen after switching slides.

“In partnership with KI Group’s AI division, all entry points will be monitored by non-invasive surveillance with anomaly detection—designed to flag unauthorized access without violating user privacy.”

Sehun almost grinned when he saw Jongdae’s proud smile.

Chanyeol’s lips were tugged into a small smile as well, mentally patting himself—and Sehun—on the back for the successful extempore.

So far.

“Emergency alerts—” Sehun flinched, his head turning along with everyone in the room at the main door being practically flung open by none other than Doh Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol held back a scoff as he studied the vice president's state: his hair barely tamed, his clothes the same as the night before, his eye bags dark, and his eyes wavering as he frantically scanned the spacious room in horror.

He watched as Kyungsoo offered a deep bow before rushing to silently take his seat once he noticed his interruption of a presentation.

Sehun only blinked a few times before taking another deep breath. 

“Emergency alerts are built into both the wearable devices used by patients and into architectural trigger points, allowing rapid internal response in case of medical or security incidents…”

Chanyeol noticed the rise of Jongdae’s high cheekbones from the back as he intently watched the younger man confidently speak, the wholesome interaction making his eyebrow raise along with the sharp corner of his lips.

The smirk did not leave his face as he watched Kim Hyunkang flush in his seat with visible irritation. From the back, Doh Kangsik also seemed attentive to his stepson’s words, nodding along calmly with his head finally held high. Doh Kyungsoo, however, was shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His breathing was hard enough for Chanyeol to hear, and his face was red enough to showcase his embarrassment.

“...This structure ensures both safety and discretion—critical values for the wellness sector of a high-profile development like EXO City. Thank you for listening.” Sehun finished his presentation more neatly than Chanyeol had expected—he would've never known how good of a public speaker the younger man was if it wasn't for that opportunity. Sure, he didn’t work on the content himself, but the pair could just consider it a small test of his ability to improvise a good speech—for the future.

Doh Kyungsoo applauded along with the rest of the attendees, his claps heavy and slow as his eyes followed Sehun’s movements. Once the room went silent, Doh Kangsik was the first to shower Sehun with praise for his work, Kim Hyunkang surrendering and following suit. While Doh Kyungsoo was still quiet, Kim Jongin chipped in and praised the quality of the work with his eyes fixed on Sehun, who was only bowing his head humbly and avoiding eye contact. Kim Jongdae, of course, expressed his own pleasure from the presentation through his interpreter, his eyes wandering away from his father’s until they reached Chanyeol’s.

The pair exchanged glances for a few seconds before Chanyeol cocked his head down in respect and broke the contact, fixing his posture once Doh Kyungsoo shifted again in his seat and spoke.

“Firstly, I would like to sincerely apologize for my tardiness. An accident had happened early in the morning, and I was not able to inform my secretary ahead of time.”

“An accident?” Jongin tilted his head, his eyes scanning Kyungsoo’s figure for any sign of injuries.

“Not of that sort; I am fine, thank God. It was more of an emergency… situation.” Kyungsoo cleared his throat, his gaze jumping from one individual to the other, and glanced at his father for validation.

Jongdae immediately raised his hands to respond, and his interpreter started speaking. 

“It is no problem, Vice President Doh. You are known for your punctuality—in fact, you always arrive early to check on any preparations and to make sure everything is in order. Thank you for your hard work.”

 

The meeting ended on a rather peaceful note, both CEOs leaving for lunch together with their worries regarding their sons pushed aside for later.

While everyone was scattered outside the conference room to socialize, Doh Kyungsoo, despite his own humiliation, did not miss the opportunity to send daggers towards Chanyeol once his eyes lay on him. Chanyeol could only stare back with a hint of degradation, his gut filled to the brim with satisfaction as Kyungsoo slowly cowered given his own problem.

Chanyeol’s eyes studied his figure once again, and he felt something twitch as he realized the real reason Doh Kyungsoo was late to the meeting. If getting a good fuck lies under the category of accidents, then the poor vice president definitely fell victim to such calamity.

His smirk never left his face when Kyungsoo practically marched towards him.

“I thought you were told that you were cut last night.” The shorter man spat, his tone still low for only the two of them to hear.

“I work under my agency and under the orders of CEO Doh, sir. I also believe there is no valid reason for me to be fired.” Chanyeol kept his hands behind his back, his smirk turning to a small smile to showcase a cleaner look for any gaze-dropper.

“And I believe you have crossed a line. This is your first and last warning—do not get on my—” Kyungsoo’s head turned when a familiar figure appeared in front of him.

The man stood anxiously between the colleagues and executives. He stood out due to his appearance and apparel; his basic blue shirt and light denim pants held a high contrast to the dark palette of the company’s colors. He was almost Chanyeol’s height, his build rather gaunt and hair long enough to curl at the nape of his neck.

“Hey… You forgot your watch at my place; I figured you might need it right away.” The stranger spoke with Kyungsoo’s watch in his hand.

Kyungsoo froze, his wide eyes expanding as he inaudibly stared at the man. Chanyeol picked up on the tension between the pair; Doh Kyungsoo is into men?

“I believe it is time I take my leave. Thank you, sir.”

His eyes wandered around the room for his client, who seemed to disappear into thin air. He could easily find out where he went if he searched for another person in the spacious hall—Kim Jongin, who was also nowhere to be found.

Chanyeol’s suspicions were right when he heard familiar voices in the staff restroom.

“You can’t just storm out without letting me explain myself!”

“What is there to explain? You barely had a reaction; it was obvious that you already knew.”

“Since when did we start assuming shit about each other, Hun? In what way do you think that I would ever agree to this?”

“I don’t know. You’ve seen what happened with your brother.”

“Exactly, so why would I ever do it to you?”

“I don’t know, okay? It felt like my whole world just collapsed. And how will we ever escape this if you are going to become the vice president?”

“I will do everything I can to fix that; I promise. I love you—I’ve only ever loved you, and I will always love you, my hon (soul).”

Jongin’s words struck a wound deeply buried within Chanyeol’s heart—Yeri.

 

Though they met at a young age, their love for each other was strong enough to make his thirty-two-year-old self waver just at the thought of their memories together. Yeri understood Chanyeol, having grown up an orphan like himself, though her life was twice as hard due to the hardships she had to face because of other men.

Her biggest hardship was the older guy who stalked her around her orphanage and knew all her whereabouts. It was not surprising to her that yet another man who passed his mid-twenties was stalking her, an eighteen-year-old student. Chanyeol, though, only remembered seeing blood when she came to his training center in tears, claiming that he assaulted her on the way home. 

So he stalked the man back, only to find his perverted, pedophilic fantasies laid out in his studio apartment when he found a way into his home. He was just like Ahn Il-goo, and all the others following him were no different.

He couldn’t recall the man’s name, but he could vividly savor the taste of satisfaction from watching him screech in pain in a secluded alleyway at the bullet holes in both of his legs. It was only three months after his first solo mission, so Chanyeol had thought he should practice until his next one at that time. The gunshots were for every woman and child he had hurt, but the beat-up beforehand was personalized for the pain the man had inflicted on Yeri. 

Chanyeol was thankful for being bigger than those his age, already reaching an incredibly tall height by the time he turned eighteen, and his natural strength was helpful in missions with regular training at the center.

With one bullet short, Chanyeol decided to finally eliminate yet another mole in society as he aimed for the man’s head, watching him bleed out on the cold concrete before walking off into the dark night.

He and Yeri shared their passions with each other freely; she was the first person he ever opened up to about his struggles growing up. The two adored one another intensely—so deeply, in fact, that he knew he would kill for her.

And he did.

He never expected her to vanish on his twenty-first birthday without a trace. Her disappearance halted the adrenaline rush in his veins even after ending his first big solo project that day. He stood frozen in his work clothes when her friend told him Yeri’s dorm room was cleared out. 

Chanyeol broke down after tearing through the city like a madman searching for her. But she was gone—swept away like the smoke in the winter’s gale. 

 

Snapping back to reality, Chanyeol contained himself before entering the restroom nonchalantly, widening his eyes at the couple standing before him.

“Mr. Oh. I was looking for you.” He said with feigned surprise.

“I—I’ll be out in a minute.” Sehun stammered, his cheeks red and lips plumped. Of course.

“I’m afraid we have to leave now. Your photoshoot schedule moved up an hour, sir.”

The couple sighed before hugging goodbye, and Chanyeol bowed with a sympathetic smile at Kim Jongin as he slipped out of the restroom after Sehun.

---

Jongin took a deep breath before checking himself in the mirror and leaving the restroom, only to flinch when he saw Jongdae standing outside with crossed arms.

“Hyung.” Jongin signed with furrowed eyebrows.

Jongdae raised his hands. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw you sneak into the restroom with Sehun.” Jongdae gave him a knowing look.

“Nothing—we... made up.” Jongin bared his teeth awkwardly.

“Right. Don’t make any empty promises until we figure out what to do.”

“We?” Jongin cocked an eyebrow.

“Yes, Jongin. We. You don’t want the promotion—nor the marriage—and I need to prove myself. We can both get what we desire if we work this out together, no?” Jongdae’s eyes held desperation within, his expressive eyebrows arching upwards as he tensely waited for a response.

“You’re right. We do need to work this out.” Jongin nodded, gazing around the hall before looking at his brother again.

“Jongin.” Jongdae sighed. “Don’t give up on him—no matter what.” 

Jongin could see the woe in Jongdae’s eyes. He could only nod before bending down to hug him tightly.

 

Jongin would rather die than give up on his first and sole love. He and Sehun knew they were made for each other when they naturally got along two years ago. He would always laugh at the way he stammered the moment they met—he rambled on and on about how attractive Sehun was, not paying any mind that he could possibly like men, too. He was flustered when Sehun basically flirted back and expressed his love for Jongin’s magazine covers and photoshoots—then immediately asked him out on a date.

He also recalled last summer, when Kyungsoo casually knocked on Sehun’s secret studio’s door with their ordered breakfast in his hands, giving Jongin a warm smile after glancing at his half-naked figure.

“How did you—What are you—Sehun!” Jongin called for Sehun in horror.

“What? Is there something wrong with—Hyung?” Sehun froze in the middle of his kitchen when he saw the least expected guest standing before him.

“Good morning. Your delivery arrived at the same time as I did, so…” Kyungsoo set the bags on the counter before leaning on the marble surface.

“How did you know about this?” Sehun clenched his fist.

“Don't be mad—I followed you here once before. I just needed to know you weren't getting in trouble! At least you spent the night with someone you trust.”

“Wait, he knows about us?” Jongin sharply turned towards his boyfriend with wide eyes.

“Well, he knows now.” Sehun shrugged, still looking for an answer from the elder.

“It wasn't the smartest move to make out in your father’s office, Mr. Jongin. The adrenaline rush is not worth a banishment from the company, no?” Kyungsoo crossed his arms.

“That—that was at the New Year’s party… You’ve known since then?!” Sehun yelled, his eyes expanding in shock.

“Yeah.” Kyungsoo shrugged. “Anyway, you’re not eighteen anymore, Sehun—you can’t just run away when arguing with Dad; you know better.” He turned to scolding the younger man immediately.

“Did you come all the way here for this? I'm not the one in the wrong this time.” Sehun rolled his eyes, irritated.

“I know you’re not. And I get you not wanting to be involved in the company’s business, but you did make it seem like you just hate us in general.”

“Define ‘us.’” Sehun inhaled.

“Us, Sehun. The family.”

“I don't hate you, hyung.”

“And Dad?”

Jongin watched Sehun take a minute before sighing. “I’m indifferent about him.”

“Understandable.” Kyungsoo exhaled before grabbing his things. “Just come home as soon as you can, okay? We’ll figure this out together.” He gave them a small smile before reaching for the door. “I stole a bagel, by the way.”

“Son of a bitch.” Sehun whispered before his gaze locked in Jongin’s, the pair laughing in amusement.

“What the hell was that?! I thought your brother was a cold-blooded monster.” Jongin exclaimed as he walked up to the kitchen counter.

“He may look like him, but Kyungsoo hyung is nothing like his father.” Sehun replied before wrapping his arms around his waist, their bare torsos melting together in the summer’s tepidity.

---

Chanyeol stayed quiet during the ride to Sehun’s next schedule. His thoughts were already scattered by the recall of Yeri, then a brief memory of Saebyeok passed by. 

They met in 2015, if Chanyeol remembered correctly. It was Chanyeol’s first time going to a gay club in Itaewon, and conveniently the first man to approach him was just his type. Saebyeok was quite shorter than him, his build small, cheeks round, features sharp, and hair short. 

Chanyeol did not have the time to explore what he liked until that summer, when Yixing dragged him to a pride parade on their day off and he had to sit down to figure himself out. He and Saebyeok had a one-night stand at first, then the younger man followed him around, claiming he wanted to get to know him more. 

Chanyeol finally agreed, and they started dating shortly after. But he knew he was easily slipping away from him, as his work required more traveling around the country and the secrecy drove his boyfriend insane. They grew apart as time went by, as Chanyeol recalled. There was barely any conversation, and their interest in each other slowly faded away.

So he was not surprised when Saebyeok told him there was someone else, leaving him a day before his life turned 180 degrees.

Chapter 8: EIGHT - The Affair.

Summary:

One would wonder how an assassin could've started sleeping with one of South Korea's wealthiest families' son.
As Byun Baekhyun bared his soul to Chanyeol on a lonely spring night, the assassin was introduced to the devastating backstory of him and his first love.

Notes:

hi!! finally an update but i'd like to admit its not my best... needless to say i kinda rushed to share this one- but the major part of it is a chanbaek smut scene really 😶‍🌫️ ik chanbaek isn't a main ship here but trust me on this one pls 🙏🙏🙏 it's a vital backstory i promise^^ anyway i hope u enjoy and that this clears (some parts of) baekchen's story. i PROMISE for a *big* chansoo interaction next chapter 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️
chapter's song: MOVE - TAEMIN ;)
(pls check end notes)

April 21, 2024.

Park Chanyeol’s Seongnam Residence.

As the sun’s warm beams broke into a clement spring evening, Chanyeol started to doze off on his couch into a much-needed nap after a long day of following Sehun around shoots and interviews. His vital nap, however, was interrupted by a stinging buzz of his watch.

Client B.

Shit.

He sat up, brushing his hair back and rubbing his heavy eyes.

“Hello?”

“Chanyeol.” Baekhyun’s tone sounded—different. He didn't sound mad like in cases where Chanyeol missed his calls, nor cheerful after a seemingly good day before asking for a treat, nor horny asking for a quickie to let off some steam. Something was wrong.

“Mr. Byun—are you okay?” Chanyeol sat up straight, already glancing at his belongings that he’d take with him on the way out.

“Are you not home? I—just wanted to meet up for a bit.” Baekhyun asked with a desperate tone that laced his weak voice.

“I’m… I’m on the way now. Can you wait for me in the car?” Chanyeol rushed to grab his keys and shoes before leaving his apartment.

“My driver left. Can’t you tell me your passcode?” He paused for a moment. “Never mind, I’ll just wait outside.”

Chanyeol took a breath after shutting his car’s door. “No, it’s okay. It’s 6192. I’m twenty minutes away.”

“Okay—” Baekhyun sobbed. “Thank you.”

“Yeah—no need to. I’ll be there soon.” Chanyeol hung up, rubbing his eyes again before taking off out of Seoul’s neighboring city.

Despite whatever it was that Baekhyun would go through, not once did he ever show his vulnerable side to Chanyeol. And Chanyeol, of course, would rather die in the shadows than unveil his soul to anyone else—other than Yeri. The layers were thick anyway—it would take decades for one to know whatever it was that Chanyeol kept buried inside.

---

June 14th, 2023.

Vatra Hotel - Bangkok, Thailand.

Chanyeol idly leaned against the railing of the rooftop bar, the lively city humming beneath him. Thailand’s summer breeze was thick, foreign, and laced with something he couldn’t name. Thankfully, the bar was almost empty. It wasn't exactly a tourist magnet, and it was a Wednesday night, after all.

Chanyeol sighed after glancing at his empty glass. The taste of orange peel and Thai whiskey was still clinging to his tongue. With a slow breath, he turned back to the bar for seconds—well, thirds. It didn't really matter.

Sliding his glass to the bartender, Chanyeol thought for a minute before deciding.

“Yamazaki—neat.” He slipped into English, flashing him a twitching smile before stretching his neck once he turned around.

Maybe it was the fact that he was finally going back to Korea after years of travelling around that bothered him so much. Not a single cell in his body wanted to relive what happened six years ago. Though the idea of staying on bodyguard duty didn't seem so bad; it was quiet, at least—peaceful.

His eyes wandered the quiet rooftop, glancing at the various pairs conversing, flirting, or making out on the low couches overlooking the skyscrapers surrounding the hotel. He had to look back at a specific figure on the other side of the bar: the thing lacing the air, which he couldn’t name. 

A shorter man was leaning on one of the high tables around five meters away—yet his glances easily found their way to Chanyeol’s. He was dressed in a tight black shirt tucked in his white flare pants, his long brown hair framing his face prettily. Chanyeol blinked a few times; the man looked oddly familiar. He couldn’t quite name him, but he was certain he had seen him in several local news articles.

He glanced at the glass slid into his hand by the bartender, then back at the stranger, who started approaching him slowly. Chanyeol cleared his throat, glancing down at his own apparel—a loose beige linen camp shirt paired with light blue straight-leg jeans. Not bad, he thought. He looked back up at the stranger, who was now taking a seat beside him at the bar with a soft smile.

“Hi.” The shorter man started, his English gentle and measured.

“Hey.” Chanyeol replied with a small smile, finally taking in the man’s delicate features up close.

“I’m Baek.” He said as he leaned on the marble bar. Baek.

Chanyeol took a moment to sip his drink, savoring the quiet burn of the Japanese flavor. Japanese.

“Takumi. Nice to meet you.” He finally replied.

“Oh. I thought you were Korean as well.” Baek chuckled, tucking a few strands behind his ear.

“Ah. I get that a lot.” Chanyeol lowly giggled, swirling the amber whisky in his glass.

“Did you come here alone?” Baek’s eyes studied Chanyeol’s figure, his sultry gaze immediately making his dick twitch.

“Yeah… Just a couple days off.” Chanyeol almost brushed his hair back out of habit before the chilly breeze reminded him of his freshly chopped, almost military-clean hair. 

“You?” Chanyeol tried to keep the conversation alive.

“Small vacation as well.” Baek shrugged, fingers lingering on his own lips as his eyes kept tracing every inch of Chanyeol’s build—like he was mapping it for later. 

“You work out?” His right hand reached to brush against his bicep, and his tone turned slow and deliberately amorous. “Or do you just look like that to make people curious?”

Chanyeol felt himself twitch again. Fuck.

“It’s only people like you who are curious.” He matched his mood, letting his voice drop deeper. 

Baek only chuckled, his hand squeezing the muscle before pouting his lips.

“Hmm. Not bad. I expected more; your shoulders are crazy broad, you know?”

Chanyeol cocked an eyebrow. “Do you always feel strangers up like that?”

“I like to know what I’m getting into.” Baek proudly smiled.

Chanyeol couldn't help but chuckle deeply. “That’s a dangerous habit.”

He leaned closer to whisper into the stranger’s ear: “Want to see more?”

Baek hummed immediately. “Oh, yes.” He almost moaned into Chanyeol's ear, his hand still mindlessly reaching to lightly grip the fabric of his shirt.

Chanyeol moved back the slightest to gaze into Baek’s lustful eyes, a smirk tugging his lips as their liquor-laced breaths mingled in the narrow distance between their faces. He grunted when Baek crashed his lips onto his own, drawing in a sharp breath before Chanyeol kissed him back. Their mouths harmonized like it was practiced to perfection.

Maybe it was the alcohol or the fact that Chanyeol hadn't slept with a man for so long, but he was unusually riled up. His body grew hotter the more they moved their lips in sync, the liquor coating his tongue melting under Baek’s taste. Chanyeol pulled away first, leaving the pair breathless as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“Let’s take this to my room.” Baek spoke first, his voice hoarse.

Chanyeol only nodded with a smirk, scrambling after the shorter man when he grabbed his larger hand and hurried down the rooftop.

He sighed in relief when Baek told him he had a private suite on the top floor. If the elevator ride was any longer than five seconds, Chanyeol would have suggested doing it right there on their way down. So he let himself be dragged into the luxurious lounge by the stranger, already unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt while Baek scrambled to find his key card.

Their bodies danced in sync around the room, every article of clothing flying off and dropping on the floor with every other step they took closer to the bed. A slow, hypnotic beat pulsed through the room—Chanyeol recognized the voice right away—Taemin, one of the soloists he had worked security for two years back. The irony wasn’t lost on him—the lyrics perfectly molded the atmosphere.

Chanyeol fell back on the bed as the back of his knees hit the footer. He watched Baek straddle his lap, lying back the closer the shorter man crawled towards him. Their naked torsos were almost zapped with tension the moment they touched. Chanyeol finally hit the mattress with Baek’s lips latched to his neck, humming deeply with his hands roaming his smaller body.

With his hands gripping just above Baek’s hips, Chanyeol watched him halt and moan loudly when he forced his groin down to grind onto his own. Their hard lengths twitched against each other through the thin fabrics, lewd noises leaving their mouths as they made out for a few minutes again.

“Fuck.” Chanyeol cursed before finally flipping them around, hands tenderly rubbing up and down Baek’s sides as he scattered hungry kisses down his chest.

“Oh my god!” Baek’s Korean finally slipped out when Chanyeol lapped his tongue over his sensitive nipple. He couldn't help but smirk over the hard bud, nibbling on it gently before marking beside its outline.

“Please—” Baek moaned when Chanyeol took his sweet time down his torso, his hot breath against his skin only making him shiver in the taller man’s arms.

Chanyeol grazed his teeth right on top of Baek’s waistband, eyes flickering up to lock with his own before swiftly pulling it off his legs. He moved back up with hungry kisses and small bites trailing the inside of his thighs, earning soft, lewd noises from him.

He pressed his thumbs on the back of Baek’s thighs to lift them up, then scattered kisses around his puckered hole. 

“Can I?” He asked breathlessly. 

“Yes.” Was all, Baek replied with, and all Chanyeol needed to dive in.

He pressed a kiss on the sensitive hole, watching it twitch under the touch before lapping his tongue over it.

“Ah!” Baek’s legs shook when he felt Chanyeol’s hot tongue enter him.

Chanyeol’s hands kept stroking Baek’s thighs while fucking his tongue inside his walls, feeling his thighs twitch and hole clench around his tongue with every stretch. He brought two of his fingers up to the head of Baek’s dick to collect some of the precum pearling at his slit before easing them into his hole along with his tongue.

“Oh—Takumi~” Baek gasped, hands clawing at the duvet under him.

Chanyeol only hummed against his skin, something about Baek calling him by that name sending a rush of heat straight to his core.

He finally took his tongue out and replaced it with a third finger. “You taste so good, Baek.” Chanyeol said with a smirk, his eyes finding Baek’s as he stood up to hover above him.

Baek whimpered. His hands found their way to grab Chanyeol’s biceps, gripping the muscles as they flexed with each thrust. Chanyeol didn't let Baek look away, his eyes locked on his. Then he leaned down to kiss him fiercely—hungry and all-consuming.

Chanyeol finally took his fingers out of Baek’s hole with a loud squelch, then pulled away to grab the condoms he had taken out while they were undressing. Baek took a moment to breathe before sliding further back towards the headboard and grabbing the lube from his drawer.

Chanyeol could feel Baek’s eyes fixed on him as he slid down his boxers and rolled his condom on. A smile tugged at his lips as he looked up and crawled closer to the other.

Baek smiled back, eyes red and heavy, though his face screamed bliss.

“Are you sure about this?” Chanyeol asked again. 

“Yes. A hundred percent.” Baek said with a firm nod.

Chanyeol nodded back before grabbing the lube off his hands, squirting the liquid onto his length and Baek’s hole. He sat back and grabbed a pillow to set it under Baek’s hips, taking in his delicious figure. He then pushed his tip inside slowly, a harmonized moan leaving both of their lips as he bottomed out.

“Fuck.” Chanyeol whispered under his breath, his mother tongue rolling naturally with the profanity. Shit.

Studying Baek’s face, he sighed in relief when he realized how the shorter man was too lost in pleasure to notice.

Baek wrapped his legs around his torso immediately, breathing softly to adjust to the size before nodding for him to move.

Chanyeol dragged his heavy cock along Baek’s walls, pulling almost all the way out before ramming back in and starting a moderate rhythm. His hands firmly grabbed Baek’s wide hips as he thrust into him, eyes lingering on the bulge appearing in Baek’s stomach with each thrust. Fuck.

Baek moaned loudly with every thrust, hands roaming Chanyeol’s torso and desperately grabbing his sides to try and bring him closer. Chanyeol complied with a smile, pressing wet kisses on his neck before quickening his pace.

“Good god. So good.” Baek’s tongue still rolled off Korean praises. And Chanyeol realized that lying about one’s nationality and actually managing through it without slipping into your mother tongue was not something normal people did. Hell, even he almost failed at it a few minutes back.

Chanyeol acted like he didn’t understand him anyway, pressing his thumbs on Baek’s stomach to feel the pressure entice them both before changing his angle. Baek didn’t seem to be able to last very long, as his breath quickened with each merciless thrust and his cock reddened further while slapping against his abdomen.

“Fuck—right there.” Baek moaned in Chanyeol’s ear, hands thrashing to grip his hair as he felt the taller man’s lips latch onto his sensitive nipple again.

“Oh! Oh god. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck—” He cried as Chanyeol rammed inside his hole, legs violently shaking around his waist the second the other jerked his cock with his larger hand.

“Just like that—Oh, fuck. Keep going.” Baek screamed as he came onto his own stomach, watching Chanyeol lick his cum off his own fingers as he came down from his high. Chanyeol knew he still had more to go, his brows furrowing at Baek’s request.

“Are you sure?” He almost halted his thrusts, afraid to hurt him.

“Yes, please. Help me turn.” Baek spoke breathlessly, gasping when Chanyeol effortlessly flipped him over to land on all fours.

Chanyeol slid his cock back inside with ease, resuming his pace as he chased his own high. He hooked an arm under Baek’s torso, pulling him up with a hand flat on his bulging stomach. Baek’s back hit his chest with a grunt, rolling his head back on Chanyeol’s shoulder as he moaned profanities into his ear.

His hands clawed at his hips as he noticed Baek’s dick start to harden again, ramming harder into him to watch precum ooze out of his smaller length with each thrust.

“Fuck. So good. You’re so hot, Baek. I’d gladly fuck you all day long.” Chanyeol groaned into Baek’s ear, teeth lightly nibbling at the shell to earn an obscene cry out of the other’s lips.

“Yes—fuck. Faster, please. I can take it.” Baek gasped, and Chanyeol almost went dizzy when he noticed the blush grow down to his chest, watching his breasts bounce with each smack of their skin against each other.

“Can you, baby? I’ll go so hard you’d forget your own name.” Chanyeol sneered, feeling the heat in his core grow rapidly close to the tip of his own dick.

“Please. Yes, please. As hard as you can.” Baek moaned before reaching to hungrily kiss Chanyeol’s lips, the latter smirking into the kiss before pulling away and thrusting at a rapid pace. A trail of melodic ‘ah’s slipped off Baek's tongue with every push, his hands scrambling to grab Chanyeol’s wrist for some sort of leverage before stumbling and kneeling down on his elbows again.

“Oh, fuck!” Chanyeol moaned loudly, his grip almost bruising Baek’s hips as he reached his climax.

He slowed down his thrusts after coming down from his high, though he noticed Baek’s angry dick almost cry out for release. Finally halting, Chanyeol pulled out slowly before flipping Baek over again. He wrapped his lips around the head of his pink cock, gaining another loud cry as he bobbed his head around the length and used his hands to massage his balls.

“Please!” Baek screamed before shouting incoherent noises as his hips twitched uncontrollably. He grabbed the latter’s larger hand as he chased his second high, coming inside his stretched mouth with a loud cry.

The pair plopped down on the large bed, catching their breaths while stuck in their own thoughts.

Baek instantly fell asleep, and Chanyeol helplessly followed him instead of attempting to sneak out to his own room.

 

After running off at dawn to his hotel room and checking out a few hours later without seeing him, Chanyeol sure did not expect to lay his eyes on Baek’s face in the conference room of BaekSong Group’s headquarters a month later. Both men’s eyes widened at the unexpected encounter, yet Chanyeol maintained his composure almost effortlessly. Baek. Baek. Byun Baekhyun. Shit.

Chanyeol glanced at Baekhyun’s ring finger, the wedding ring shining bright in front of his own eyes as the latter rested his hands on the meeting table. He swallowed hard before stepping forward to introduce himself.

“Good morning, Mr. Byun. Park Chanyeol, assigned bodyguard at your service.” He offered a 90-degree bow, his neck heating up with embarrassment as he finally unveiled his real name.

“Park Chanyeol? You’re Korean?” Baekhyun tilted his head, crossing his arms with furrowed brows.

“Yes, sir.” Chanyeol spoke firmly.

“What made you think he isn’t?” Byun Baekho, his brother, asked with a light chuckle.

“I don’t know… Something about his features would tell—Japanese.” Baekhyun smirked, but Chanyeol kept his expression unfathomable.

Once the conference room was empty and Chanyeol officially started his duty, Baekhyun kept approaching him until his back hit the room’s grand wall.

“What the fuck?” Was all, the shorter man said, eyes studying Chanyeol's figure again—as if checking whether he was the man he slept with a month prior or not.

Chanyeol remained silent. For the very first time, he was unsure of how he should respond.

“Takumi, huh? I asked the bartender about you; he said he called you Mr. Arai, but he was sure he heard you speak Korean on the phone.” Baekhyun crossed his arms. 

“Why would you lie about such a thing?” Baekhyun seemed extremely offended, yet he was the one standing proudly with a tied knot, Chanyeol thought. (not omegaverse omg)

“You never told me your full first name either. Hell, I had no idea you were married! Congratulations, sir.” Chanyeol flashed a sarcastic smile, watching Baekhyun step back silently.

“You still didn't answer my question. What, are you some sort of spy or something?” Baekhyun’s voice edged higher. Warm. Chanyeol remained calm regardless, yet he felt his nerves shake with annoyance.

“I’m being serious. Should I be careful with you?” He continued. 

There was something sharper in his gaze now—a quiet authority Chanyeol had missed until that very moment. Byun Baekhyun might’ve been unforgettable in bed—but when it came to work, he surely was a controlling asshole. 

Chanyeol nearly scoffed at himself. 

What could he have possibly expected from a chaebol?

He finally remembered where he had seen Baekhyun before—the countless articles about a “false” cheating scandal and a few desperate articles trying to frame his attitude as “charmingly blunt.”

They sure did not seem too far from reality.

“I think that’s too late now, Mr. Byun.” Chanyeol heavily rolled Baekhyun’s title off his tongue. “Don’t act all princess on me, and I won’t bite.”

“Princess.” Baekhyun scoffed. “Sure. I’ll keep your secret, then, Guard Park. And you keep ours, hm?” He spoke carefully, eyes suddenly holding pure desperation within.

“Sure thing, Mr. Byun.” He replied with a smirk.

One would think the pair could have some shame after their messy encounter, but shall end up completely wrong. Baekhyun never held back afterwards, taking advantage of the closeness they physically had twenty-four-seven to tease Chanyeol and get on his nerves. He earned passionate, quick, almost purely angry fucks from his bodyguard nearly every single day. The pair let off their own steam in their private sessions—in his office, his bathroom, the car, Chanyeol’s apartment—wherever they could.

Part of Chanyeol felt guilty for sleeping with a married man, though all he heard about Baekhyun’s marriage was that it was arranged and doomed—even lavender. A bigger part of him was shameless enough to keep him going, chasing his own pleasure with him whenever he needed to breathe in a suffocating city. It was far from an excuse, but being back in Korea after his incident six years ago made him wish to end it all—literally. Sleeping with Baekhyun was the only escape he had, praying every day that he, Ryeo, wouldn't suddenly order him for another mission, as he promised himself he would finally stop.

---

April 21, 2024.

Chanyeol’s Seoul Residence.

Chanyeol jogged to his apartment once the elevator reached his floor, pushing in the passcode in a hurry. He was struck by the freezing temperature in his living room upon entering, and Baekhyun curled up in his expensive suit on his couch.

“Why so cold?” He questioned before approaching the shorter man.

“To freeze my bleeding heart.” Baekhyun deadpanned, and Chanyeol almost laughed before realizing he wasn't entirely joking.

“Right… what's wrong?” Chanyeol sat beside the devastated Baekhyun, resting a warm hand on his cold shoulder.

“Too many memories came up; I… I didn't know where to go.” Baekhyun’s eyes started to tear up again.

“Memories?” Chanyeol tilted his head. Was that another level of their affair? Baekhyun coming to him to cry about his marriage?

“I’m—” Baekhyun sat up before slowly turning his head to him. “You know, don’t you? About me and Jongdae?”

Of course he knew about him and Jongdae. Their close friendship was considered a foundation to the BaekSong and Kangil Groups’ business arrangements. Though he didn't remember Baekhyun ever meeting Jongdae during the time he was working for him.

“Kim Jongdae? What about you two?” Chanyeol chose to act clueless.

Until he couldn't.

“Our anniversary was supposed to be today. We had been together for nine years. But… we broke up five years ago.” Baekhyun sobbed before blowing his nose in one of the tissues lying in his lap.

Oh, Chanyeol was clueless. “What?”

Of course they were together. Why else would Kangil Group cut off all relations with BaekSong a week after Baekhyun’s wedding? There was no conflict going on like RaeHan and KangSin—right?

“We were dating—until my father had enough with the gay allegations surrounding me.” Baekhyun sighed. “So he made me marry Hyeri—you’ve met her.”

“Oh yeah. Gorgeous woman.” Chanyeol nodded. Baekhyun lightly smacked his arm with a tsk.

“Yeah. The woman whose husband you're sleeping with.” Baekhyun sternly spoke.

“So? You broke up with him for moral reasons?” Chanyeol tilted his head.

“He did. He said I didn't fight enough for us. But I tried. I swear I tried everything I could.” Baekhyun continued, a sob finding its way out of his lips again. 

“When I disappeared for months, I was crashing at a friend’s place because my father cut off all my credit cards and kicked me out. I lost my access to the building itself!” He drew a shaky breath.

“Then Hyeri asked to meet. She also didn't want this—she was forced into it as well. But she knew about everything with Jongdae—I don't know how she figured that out. And her family was on the verge of declaring bankruptcy.” Baekhyun paused before scoffing, “They sure chose a perfect target.”

Chanyeol never had anyone tell him such details of their personal life, especially a kid with a golden spoon that strived to hide every flaw within him. He wasn't sure what to say; it was the first time he had to hear something new about the third generation from their own mouths.

“Did… did you tell him that?” Chanyeol asked quietly.

“No. I tried—but he couldn't see everything from my perspective.” Baekhyun shook his head. “If I refused, we would've been doomed anyway. Hyeri threatened to show evidence of me and him together to our families and other media outlets; he would’ve been fucked over if we were outed. He can barely even keep his position in the company now. He still had every right to be mad, though. I only made him suffer more.”

Chanyeol was still in disbelief; he had never seen Baekhyun in that state before and never expected him to show that side of himself given the shallowness of their relationship.

“Did you ever try again?” He asked again.

“No. There’s no point. He hates me now, as he should. I just got so lonely again, knowing we could've been watching the sunset together today and celebrating our love.” Baekhyun idly blinked his heavy eyes, glancing again at Chanyeol before sitting up.

“You probably think I'm even worse than I already was now. I sure am shameless for being upset despite being the one who ruined it all.” Baekhyun sniffled. 

Chanyeol felt his heart ache; Baekhyun seemed to have carried all of that for years in silence.

“You're not a bad person, Mr. Byun. If you truly tried everything you could, then there is no reason for you to feel guilty.” Was all he could say, and he realized how bad he was at comforting others.

“Thank you, Chanyeol. I must’ve bothered you so much with my shit, sorry.” Baekhyun awkwardly smiled before standing up. “You should get some sleep. I’ve called my driver to come pick me up; he’ll be here any minute.” He said before adjusting his clothes again and walking out, not giving Chanyeol a chance to respond.

Notes:

could u pls lmk if there's anything you're currently very curious about? anything confusing, or something you'd like to be cleared up already? i'd love to know if there's anything i could improve or clear up from u guys! tysm for reading so far <3

Chapter 9: NINE - Aftertaste.

Summary:

By orders from Ryeo Hakgun, Chanyeol has to find a way closer to Doh Kyungsoo.
'Not too close. No action.' Yixing would remind him.
He nods along to reassure him. Of course he knows it's dangerous and unwise to act on impulse.
Yet the powerful Vice President actively got on his nerves that night. That was when Chanyeol decides to let go.
Until he had to deal with the aftertaste of their contact.

Notes:

hiiii!!!
i know this update took a while... writer's block is so not fun ❤️‍🩹
anyway!!!! action is here!! and way more stuff as you read winkwink...
enjoy!! ;))

May 1, 2024.

8:23 am.

RaeHan Group headquarters.

“Have you been taking your supplements, Agent Park?” Ryeo Hakgun asked nonchalantly as his eyes skimmed Chanyeol’s weekly report.

Chanyeol’s brows furrowed before realizing what was to come.

Ryeo Hakgun would always ask if any of the kids took their supplements when he suspects they haven't done their best. Apparently, those supplements were the foundation of their energy at the training center—if you didn’t take them, you'd probably lose your potential for the day.

“Yes, sir.” Chanyeol firmly replied.

“Did you? Because this fucking sucks.” Ryeo slammed the paper on his desk. “Horrible report; nothing is useful here. I need more.” He did the famous flail of his hands. God.

Chanyeol sighed before standing up. “That was all I concluded from my distance, sir. A closer distance would be dangerous.”

“What, you think he’d bite? Doh Kyungsoo is a pussy.” Ryeo scoffed before loosening his tie. “I need you to follow him after working hours—see where he frequents and such.”

Chanyeol only blinked. He can’t be serious.

“What? You’ve done it with all of your other missions. I’ll pay you more—if that’s what you’re worried about.” Ryeo shrugged before leaning back in his desk chair.

“These were my only assigned missions, sir. I have a full-time day job now.”

“Yeah—for his stepbrother! It’ll be a breeze, I’m sure. You’re already on the warm side; take advantage of that.”

“Then I’ll need more pay indeed, sir. That would be double shifts.” Chanyeol stood his ground, knowing well that Ryeo expected him to refuse extra pay.

To which he was right; Ryeo cocked an eyebrow before sighing. 

“Fine. Just get me something good. I’ll be visiting Minseok in Shanghai starting this weekend, so make it a monthly report.” He idly spoke before waving for Chanyeol to leave.

 

Sometimes Chanyeol hoped Ryeo would go back to being less… delirious. His outbursts and aggressiveness certainly got on his nerves, reminding him of himself as an early teenager. He shook those memories off and focused on enjoying his calm morning alongside Sehun, who finally had no schedules outside the company before the charity rehearsal party they were hosting.

“I feel nervous about tonight for some reason…” Sehun suddenly broke the silence filling his office.

“Why is that, sir?” Chanyeol asked, glancing at the side of Sehun’s face curiously.

“I don’t know. I just don’t feel too optimistic about it. Feels like something weird is gonna happen.” Sehun turned to fully face Chanyeol.

“I sure hope not, sir. I will make sure to keep you safe all night, regardless.” Chanyeol slightly bowed his head. Sehun grinned before slowly turning, then turning back to face him again.

“Are you perhaps seeing someone, hyung?” Sehun asked carefully, biting the inside of his cheek.

Chanyeol’s eyes narrowed at the casual honorific. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

He cocked an eyebrow at the younger man’s response. Right.

“I don’t need to disclose that type of information, sir. Please focus on your work.”

“I’m not a kid doing homework. C’mon, hyung~” Sehun whined, crossing his arms.

“No, sir. Please focus on your work.” Chanyeol insisted, watching Sehun pout and turn back to his desk.

---

8:02 pm.

The evening rolled by much faster than Chanyeol hoped it would. The lack of press and reporters was a little suspicious—but Sehun seemed to have read his mind.

“Kyungsoo hyung made sure there’s no press except for BaekSong Group’s. Said it’s unnecessary and all.” The younger man said from the backseat, his tone rather nonchalant.

Chanyeol only hummed in response as the driver pulled over in front of the hotel.

“Remember, Mr. Oh, stay focused tonight as well.” He said while opening the door for Sehun.

“I don’t… have to do another speech, do I?” Sehun’s head turned toward him swiftly.

“No, sir. Just looking handsome is going to be enough for tonight.” Chanyeol replied as they waited for the elevator.

Sehun sighed in relief. “Thank God.”

“Not too handsome. Don’t ‘disappear’ into another bathroom again, please.” He warned the younger man, who only smiled smugly at his words.

Which, of course, Sehun ignored. Twenty minutes into the party, and he was waddling through the crowd to talk to Kim Jongin. Chanyeol watched from afar before studying the spacious rooftop with his eyes. Doh Kangsik was conversing with other donors. Kim Hyunkang was busy by the buffet, and Byun Deongsun was speaking with other executives in another corner of the terrace. 

He watched Kim Jongdae walk off earlier, and Baekhyun was possibly following him wherever he had gone then. Kim Junmyeon was speaking to his brother-in-law, Byun Baekho, and Doh Kyungsoo was… nowhere to be found.

Chanyeol took another sip of his drink before scanning the crowd again, furrowed eyebrows concentrated to find his target. But the buzz of his watch made him take a break to check who the caller was.

Yixing.

He glanced around him once more to check on Sehun before answering.

“Yeol.” Yixing said the moment he picked up.

“Hyung, is everything okay?” Chanyeol asked. Yixing would usually just text any updates, or when he checks up on him; he almost never calls.

“Yeah—yeah, everything is fine. I just wanted to let you know you should wait some more before taking any action—make sure of the information you’re given, you know?” Yixing sounded nervous, and Chanyeol couldn’t help but suspect that something wrong was happening.

“Why are you suddenly telling me that? I was ordered to follow before doing anything, anyway.”

“Based on the information you’re given. I’d say gather your own first, then see what you want to report.”

“Did something happen, hyung?” Chanyeol drew in a sharp breath, taking a few more paces away from the crowded terrace.

“No—no, nothing happened. I was just checking the files again, and the evidence regarding his crimes is rather vague.”

“Vague? The files seem very solid to me. He wouldn’t repeat what happened last time… right? I warned him.”

“He still sees us as some kids, Yeol. The kids he ‘saved’ from the streets and into his arms.” Yixing sighed. “I’m just saying—if you can’t confirm it with your own eyes, then do not take any action.”

“Right. Thank you, hyung. I’ll see what I can do.” Chanyeol hung up with a deep sigh, then realized he had been walking around the rooftop while speaking on the phone. 

He found himself behind the bar serving drinks, where only a few more people were conversing with one another. Shaking the tension forming in his head off, Chanyeol started walking away until he heard a familiar voice.

Doh Kyungsoo.

“Move the ones in their late teenage years out of the temporary housing by next month.” The shorter man spoke.

A chill ran down Chanyeol’s spine, and the hair on the nape of his neck bristled.

“What about the work progress, sir?” His secretary asked. 

He felt his ears perk up.

“They’ll pick up on that soon enough; they’re just not used to the routine yet. We need to push them harder to see some results.” Doh Kyungsoo replied, and Chanyeol felt his veins quake with rage. “Keep this all on the low; we don’t need any unnecessary trouble.”

He was right. Of course Ryeo was right. 

Doh Kyungsoo is a fraud that exploits orphans to build his opulent compounds.

Chanyeol thought of the hundreds of kids forced into heavy labor, surviving on two peas a day while enduring relentless physical and mental abuse. He felt his heart clench, physically paining him as his stomach churned with memories of his childhood—if one could even call it that. Doh Kyungsoo is a monster, just like all the others before him.

He slowly paced away from the clueless pair and hurried to the restroom.

Chanyeol could merely manage to clear his throat as he watched the ever-familiar pair make out on the counter. Their heads turned swiftly, panic filling their eyes as they stared at him in fear.

“At least get a stall, damn.” He slurred before rubbing his eyes with one hand and slipping into a stall himself.

Feeling his heart pace faster, Chanyeol clawed his chest in pain as he tried to regulate his breathing. He had dealt with way worse criminals than this one; why is this mission so frustrating already?

“Hyung… Are you okay?” He heard Sehun ask carefully from outside.

“Does… wait, he knows about us?!” Jongin whispered in shock.

“Yeah… long story—hyung! Are you alright?” Sehun shouted, landing a few knocks on the door.

“Yes—just go outside before they suspect anything; I’ll be right there.” Chanyeol replied flatly. 

Upon hearing them leave silently, he choked on his own breath and thumped his chest in frustration. His legs trembled, then gave out, so he let himself sink down and squat with a slow breath. He just sat there for a few minutes with his heart hammering in his ears until the tightness in his chest loosened. He stood back up, slow and more steady, then unlocked the door while wiping the sweat off his brow.

After a few more minutes spent tapping cool water on his face, Chanyeol was finally ready to rejoin the party.

 

Finding Sehun again was rather easy, since he seemed to be stuck beside his stepfather while he praised him to the executives surrounding them. He quietly stood behind him, eyes focused on the other faces to slowly recognize them. 

Sehun glanced at him for a second, his gaze speaking amidst the noise: Are you okay?

Chanyeol merely nodded.

Everything was stabilizing, and his blurry vision was fully clearing up as he blocked out the chatter surrounding him, until his voice came up again.

“Vice President Doh, everything seems to be coming together very well for EXO City. How did you manage to get such an efficient team?” One of the executives asked, and all eyes fell on the shorter man standing right beside Sehun.

“Well, it took a while to pick the right people. They are quite hard-working, even under challenging circumstances. We’d had to retrain a lot of them from the ground up, since some of them didn’t exactly come from stable backgrounds.” Doh Kyungsoo replied with a wide grin—something Chanyeol barely saw and despised seeing.

Chanyeol felt his heart drum in his ears once again. His jaw clenched until his vision blurred again, and his throat went dry at the smugness laced in Kyungsoo’s voice.

While everyone raised their glasses and showered him with praise, Chanyeol felt his blood physically boil with rage as he stood still behind the deep pockets.

---

11:25 pm.

So he let Sehun meet up with Jongin one last time that night, while he found his way down to the underground parking of the hotel. 

He idly leaned against Doh Kyungsoo’s car, the smoke of his third cigarette curling into the humid air. But the nicotine wasn’t going to put out the fire in his gut. He needed to do something—immediately.

The light footsteps of Doh Kyungsoo approached quickly, until they came to a halt a few paces away from the car.

“What the hell are you doing here?” The shorter man’s deep voice cut through the empty basement. Chanyeol put out his cigarette before standing up. His sharp gaze locked onto the unfathomable one of Kyungsoo’s.

Doh Kyungsoo took another step closer, his thick brows furrowed with clear irritation.

“Just stopped by to say hello. We haven’t gotten to talk much, you know?” Chanyeol said casually, a smirk building up on his face as Kyungsoo tilted his head in confusion.

“Why are you speaking casually to me?” Kyungsoo asked in a stern voice, his gaze scanning Chanyeol’s figure. 

Chanyeol pushed off the car, eyes narrowed with mockery as he took a step forward.

“Why are you speaking casually to me? I’m a staff member you don’t even know. Dropping honorifics is a very disrespectful manner, isn't it, Mr. Doh?” He asked with a light taste of mockery flowing through it to push his buttons further.

“Or is it only the ones who help build your bullshit of an empire whom you give credit to?” He cocked an eyebrow, watching Kyungsoo narrow his eyes at his words.

“What are you babbling about?” Kyungsoo shook his head, crossing his arms as he glimpsed Chanyeol’s body once again. 

And Chanyeol returned the glances, and a wave of heat struck through his veins, most likely from the anger building in his gut.

He took another step closer as he asked, “Do your executives know that your hard-working, efficient team is a bunch of orphaned kids, Mr. Doh?”

Confrontation. A new addition to Chanyeol’s usual routine. He had never been face-to-face with his targets before their one and only meeting. But this one was different—it felt personal. And Doh Kyungsoo has shown nothing but bigotry since the day they first met.

Kyungsoo seemed to remain calm, though his reddened ears and forehead showcased his ever-growing irritation. “And who exactly fed you this bullshit?” 

“No one fed me shit; you said it yourself. What exactly is the routine some late teenagers are supposed to get used to, huh? And unstable backgrounds? Seriously?” Chanyeol felt his face burn, clenching his fists until he felt his short nails almost cut through the rough palm of his hands.

“Is that what you do during parties after losing my brother? You eavesdrop?” Kyungsoo scoffed. “I knew you were useless and unfit for this role from the beginning—but eavesdropping seems like a new one to me.” He gave Chanyeol that look. The tycoon’s look. The one dripping down from smug smiles and greedy eyes, where he slowly felt the humiliation seep through his own pores under their drilling gazes.

“You can’t even deny it, can you?” Chanyeol was almost a couple feet away from the shorter man.

“I don’t need to correct your daft assumptions about me. It’s sad how you automatically think of evil whenever you hear me speak.” Kyungsoo said flatly as he inched closer. “I could always feel your eyes on me, you know? You’re a cheater—I know damn well Sehun did not make that presentation himself.” 

“Yet here you are changing the subject. The fact that you always undermine him is disturbing, Mr. Doh. You really are just like your father.” Chanyeol ended his sentence with a deep chuckle; he knew he had the last words.

But not the first punch.

Kyungsoo’s fist flew straight to Chanyeol’s jaw, slicing through the air before either of them had time to think.

Chanyeol stumbled back, blood flying from his mouth as he grabbed his jaw with a hiss. The fire in his gut surged through his veins. He didn’t expect a chaebol with such ‘clean hands’ to throw such a hard punch—and with his own fist, no less.

At that moment, he decided to throw everything out the window: professionalism, perspective, and restraint. Since Doh Kyungsoo decided to challenge his pride.

He punched back. Not too hard to knock Kyungsoo out but just enough to make him stumble away; he wasn’t finished with him yet.

The loud thud echoed through the basement, followed by Kyungsoo’s grunt. 

Chanyeol watched red paint his teeth, a wet scoff leaving his own lips as the shorter man glared at him.

Kyungsoo’s next punch was caught mid-air by Chanyeol’s steel grip on his wrist. 

Chanyeol swung him around and slammed him against the concrete wall, his larger frame towering over him.

“You’re so fucking done for.” Kyungsoo groaned, twisting his way out of his grip.

“Not until I’m done with you, Mr. Doh.” Chanyeol said with a smirk.

Something about the way Kyungsoo’s hooded eyes blinked up at him made his lips twitch.

Kyungsoo’s knee drove against Chanyeol’s groin before grabbing his collar, flipping them over, and locking him in with a leg wedged between his thighs.

“I don’t care who sent you anymore—I will end you, Park Chanyeol. Consider yourself fired.”

“For what? Defending myself from assault? Or your signature abuse of power? You punched me first, after all.”

Kyungsoo’s hand snapped up to grab Chanyeol’s jaw. “Your mouth only spits bullshit, doesn’t it? You’re on some mission to ruin Sehun, and I’m not letting that happen.”

Chanyeol didn’t know if it was his own breath, but the smell of expensive cigarettes seemed to mix in the humid air with his own. Doh Kyungsoo was reaching close—too close to him.

“I am literally helping him free out of your nasty grip. At least he doesn't spend the night getting dicked down and forget his meetings.”

“What the fuck did you just say?”

“I said, ‘You’re a whore. I didn’t take you for a fa—”

“Hey! What are you doing?!” A high voice nearly broke the thick tension squeezed between their bodies.

Chanyeol blinked at the blurry figure approaching them. 

Kim Junmyeon?

Kyungsoo turned his head towards the sound. Chanyeol pushed him off his hot body before backing away along the wall. There was no time to run.

“Mr. Doh?! What is going on?” Kim Junmyeon’s gaze flicked between their bleeding faces anxiously.

“Nothing—it’s nothing.” Chanyeol replied as he offered a deep bow.

“I’m firing this piece of shit; that’s what’s going on.” Kyungsoo spat as he fixed his suit jacket.

Chanyeol mindlessly peeled his damp shirt away from his torso, eyes still on them as they whispered to each other like he wasn’t even there. Maybe there was time to run.

Junmyeon’s hand landed gently on Doh Kyungsoo’s shoulder.

“Mr. Park, I’d suggest you leave for now. This will only get worse if you both stay here.” Kim Junmyeon said calmly, cocking his head for him to leave. 

Kyungsoo’s gaze was stuck to the ground, blinking slowly as he wiped the blood off the corner of his lips.

Chanyeol hesitated for a moment. He could feel the pounding in his chest—and lower than his chest—worse than the bruise.

So he gave another stiff bow before hurrying off to find Sehun—after taking care of his wounds, that is.

After storming into the nearest restroom, Chanyeol stared at his figure in the large mirror through red eyes. His breath was still ragged, and the pounding was only growing stronger the more he ignored it.

His ribs throbbed, his fists burned, and his body lit up in all the wrong places.

He glanced down slowly at himself, silently staring at the painful tent in his pants. 

Fuck.

Yet he made the horrible decision to let it disappear on its own as he drove Sehun back home. He ignored the younger's concerned questions, figuring he would get what happened once he saw his stepbrother's face.

Barely dragging himself back to his apartment, Chanyeol ignored every buzz of his watch as he plopped down on his bed. He knew at least part of those calls would be Baekhyun, but whatever might’ve happened between him and Kim Jongdae would be a heavy load for him to carry given how he had his own issue to deal with at the moment. 

As he unbuttoned his shirt to swim loosely around his body, he stared at the low ceiling above him before hissing at the heavy twitch in his loose pants. He had tried to ignore it since he noticed it, unsure of what exactly triggered the heat in his gut to travel down while fighting such an insufferable cunt like Doh Kyungsoo.

Doh Kyungsoo.

He shook the thought away before glancing down. A huff left his dry mouth while he pushed his pants down and slowly revealed his aching cock. So fucking annoying, he thought. Any contact with the vice president always caused him nuisance.

He wrapped tense fingers around the length.

A whisper slipped through his bruised lips. “Fuck…” 

He sat up to stare at the fresh wounds covering his knuckles. Fucking Doh Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol tried his best to take his mind elsewhere; maybe thinking of…nothing. That would work.

It didn’t. He had to think of something as he dragged his fingers across the shaft. Sex in general only led him to his casual hookups. Which led him to Baekhyun—the only person he did not want to think about at that moment, knowing how vulnerable he must be right now.

Every path his thought took only led him to the very moment his lips were barely a few centimeters apart from Doh Kyungsoo’s. The humiliation from letting the shorter man corner him and almost rub his thigh on his groin spread the heat in his gut like wildfire.

He was only thinking of the fight because it was recent and irritating, right?

Right.

Chanyeol thumbed his slit to collect his precum and use it as makeshift lube to ease the friction. With heavy breaths curling into the cool air of his room, he fastened his pace with a viselike grip that still twitched like it did around Kyungsoo’s wrists. Loud profanities and groans escaped his mouth as he kept his gaze focused on his own body, since completely locking up moments of the fight were useless.

After much hesitation, he slowly grazed his left hand upon the jarring scar on his hip. The scar—every other person he had slept with asked about it if he didn’t escape after the hookup. The scar Baekhyun always seemed concerned about but was easily shut down when Chanyeol mentioned something about the military, though he never enlisted. But he didn’t have to know that. No one did. If being an orphan came with the privilege of not getting drafted, then he sure was privileged to avoid the excessive training by the government. Only for him to undergo its equivalent in the training center since his adolescence.

With a sharp jerk, Chanyeol hissed from the sensitive touch and withdrew his hand immediately. He kept it close to his chest instead, sitting up to lazily tease his own nipples as he jerked further into his hand.

“Ah…” He moaned, almost curling forward as he reached a relentless pace that almost numbed his wrist.

“Shit—” With a sharp grunt that rang in his ears, spurts of white flew to his chest and torso.

He came down from his high with shallow pants, a sigh of relief finding its way out between them as he finally released all his rage. 

Then he felt himself nearly pull his own dick off when the image of Doh Kyungsoo’s face faintly appeared in his mind yet again.

Chapter 10: TEN - My biggest fan.

Summary:

Doh Kyungsoo wakes from a haunting dream that leaves him rattled and uneasy, forcing him to revisit the events of the previous day from the very beginning.
Still struggling to make sense of the nightmare, his day takes a stranger turn when an unexpected guest enters his office, acting with a demeanor Kyungsoo has never seen before.

Notes:

finallyyyyyyyyy an update yay!!!! i figured soo's pov is still important here, so i hope you enjoy this mess of a day (chapter) lol
NSFW warning but it's already in the tags anyway heh
WARNING!!! brief mentions of sex crimes, serial killers.

Kyungsoo shivered once a cold hand roamed his naked back. The familiar smell of cigarettes hit his nose the closer he got to kiss him. It almost felt surreal, how perfect their body rhythm was. 

Kyungsoo placed his hands on his broad shoulders and started grinding harder. He needed more, so much more than anything else in his hold. The room slowly grew hotter the closer their chests got to touching, soft steam filling the air with the curling smoke of the cheap cigarettes the taller man was smoking.

Kyungsoo couldn’t wait anymore, too needy to wait for him to put it out.

So he leaned closer to kiss Chanyeol on his lips.

“Please…” Kyungsoo whispered, tears brimming his waterline as he watched him chuckle deeply. That damned chuckle.

“I didn’t take you for a beggar either, Mr. Doh. I’ll give you everything you want; c’mere.” Chanyeol’s raspy voice rang in his ears. 

His larger hand pulled him up before forcing him down on his hard cock with a sharp hiss. Kyungsoo moaned embarrassingly loud, eyes rolling back at the satisfaction of being full—too full to think of anything else for the first time in so long. He desperately bounced on the length, greed whispering in his ears to beg for more. Until Chanyeol heard it too, finally putting out his cigarette and grabbing Kyungsoo’s hips before ramming inside him at a relentless pace.

“Oh my god, Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo cried, his nails digging further into Chanyeol’s skin as if to prevent him from escaping.

But they didn’t work too well.

“Oh—oh god.” Kyungsoo kept moaning with each thrust. His own dick slapped against his stomach with anger, begging to release.

“Ah! So good! Oh!”

Oh!

Oh.

“Oh!” Kyungsoo sprung up on the bed with a loud scream.

His wide eyes scanned the familiar room slowly before turning to his side in horror toward the shuffle beside him under the duvet.

Oh…

“Kyungsoo? What’s wrong?” The taller man slurred, eyes barely open, yet he gently rubbed his back in an attempt to comfort him.

It’s Dowoon.

Of course it was Dowoon. Who else would he sleep with? Not the man he so passionately wanted to be gone, no.

But…

“Oh my god.” Kyungsoo whispered in disbelief, clawing at his naked stomach as if he could rip it off and throw it out in utter disgust.

A familiar pain earned his attention. He groaned while falling back on the soft mattress helplessly.

“You’re hard… again…” Dowoon said in a low voice, his hand gently finding its way to Kyungsoo’s thigh and staying there for a moment.

“I know… Can you help?” He blinked his puppy eyes up at him.

“Gladly so.”

He smiled at Dowoon’s grin, watching him immediately sink down to suck him off just the way Kyungsoo liked it.

---

May 1, 2024.

9:12 am.

“Mr. Doh?” Secretary Lee called as she entered Kyungsoo’s office. 

He looked up slowly; something about the look on her face beamed with good news.

“The training program finally accepted our request.” She said with a wide grin. “They said the process might take around three months, though. But they did list church-funded orphanages we can move them to until then.”

Kyungsoo smiled, a sigh of relief escaping his lips as his eyes scanned the tablet screen.

“Three months?! These kids barely have a shelter right now; I don’t think they can hold out any longer.” Kyungsoo replied sternly. 

The building owner insisted on demolishing the space after the lease was over, and the board has been sniffing around him to find out about this for so long they almost got so close to doing so. They were so used to his father’s pretentious charity work they thought he was the same. And most importantly, many risks he took to keep them away from the government’s radars were going to be exposed if another inspection came up soon enough to throw most of them on the streets and put him in jail.

He needed to find them a permanent place as soon as possible, a special place that would actually help them live their lives after leaving it. The idea of them being crammed in yet another temporary shelter made his nerves spasm with discomfort. 

If he was disturbed merely by the image he viewed in his head, then how disturbed could those kids be to live such a cruel reality?

“And no church-funded orphanages; you know what happens in most of those. I’ve contacted a friend that can help find them shelter nearby, but the process is taking longer than expected.” He glanced at his phone. “I’ll tell her to rush. Contact the mentors to help push them a little more for whatever the training program could test them in, and let them know in advance that we might not need their help anymore.”

6:40 pm.

Kyungsoo watched everything be put into place on the spacious rooftop for the event. He scanned it with his eyes one more time before signaling for the manager to finish up the work. A buzz to his watch caught his attention.

New message from the “Kill them tenfold” group chat.

Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows. The group chat has been inactive for a while—only random theories about TEN’s whereabouts here and there.

Admin 1: New theories about TEN-nim’s new mission. ↓

1. Wol-Gye Neighbourhood’s Serial Femicide Killer: Five cases reported since last September. Evident pattern in timing, killing method, and material used.
2. Baek Doyun: Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. Recent outrage regarding the Seoul outskirts prostitute networks.
3. Yim Taekwang: Former CEO and founder of YT Entertainment. Released from 2 Year sentence after sex crimes against minor trainees.
4. Ryeo Hakgun: RH Group CEO. December 2023 KS Group takeover scandal. Multiple concerns regarding his wellness and training centers for underprivileged youth.

Khj1987: Since when did TEN target other serial killers?

Abe61: His second mission. November 2011, remember? That random pedophile.

Anonymous user: Bets on Baek Doyun. TEN-nim seems to HATE that type of stuff.

JH21: He hates them all.

Anon: Ryeo Hakgun must be the least of his worries. What if he’s against Doh Kyungsoo himself? He isn’t an angel either.

Tens2u (you): He is definitely after Ryeo Hakgun. There are too many layers to that psycho.

Kyungsoo locked his phone immediately after sending his message. He was mainly just an observer on the group chat, but seeing his name mentioned as another plausible target of his… idol made his blood boil. He wasn't sure what TEN was to him exactly, but he was surely a huge fan of his.

He had hoped that the day would keep going on a positive note, but he wasn’t sure anymore when a long text from the building owner caught his attention once again.

“Good evening, Mr. Doh. I regret to inform you that the demolition date has been moved up by three weeks. As a result, all tenants must vacate the property by the end of this month. 

I made every effort to maintain the original timeline, but unfortunately it was not possible. Please confirm receipt of this message at your earliest convenience. Thank you.”

Shit.

“Secretary Lee, I need to make a call. Please make sure everything is in order before CEO Doh arrives.” Kyungsoo asked in a hurry, nodding back at her when she replied with a firm ‘of course.’

Call log: Yuna Sunbae (a/n: senior)

“Hello?”

“Sunbae—hey.”

“Oh, Kyungsoo! How are you doing?”

Kyungsoo gulped, brushing his hair back as he walked further from the crowd of workers.

“I’m doing okay. I know I’ve only contacted you last week about this, but something came up, and I might need to up my favor…”

“No worries. What’s up?”

“The building demolition date has been moved up. The owner said they have to move out by the end of the month.”

“End of the month?!” Yuna exclaimed. Kyungsoo could hear her take a deep breath over some keyboard clicking. “We’re a bit full at the moment, but I think we can take in some of the older kids by next month. Could you at least bargain for a few more days? I’ll try to find other shelters for the younger ones as well.” 

“You’re a savior, seriously. Thank you so much for your help.” Kyungsoo sighed in relief. “It’s just too sudden, and they still don't do too well with change, you know?”

“Aye, It’s my job. I’d do anything for my favorite junior. And I know it might disrupt their routine a bit, but they’ll adjust. We’ll help them settle in. Just let me know by tomorrow, okay? Your secretary can email me directly with their information.”

“Of course. Thank you again.” Kyungsoo hung up and took a deep breath, then tightened his tie again before approaching the entrance with a soft smile. 

 

Kyungsoo decided to slip into the restroom mid-party. He needed a break from the noise, or mostly his father’s backhanded compliments regarding the event.

While passing by a dark space on the rooftop, Kyungsoo heard aggressive rustling of clothes and indistinct mumbling.

“Could you ever hear my side just for a minute?!” A louder voice finally broke the tranquility. It was familiar enough to Kyungsoo.

Byun Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo peeked from the corner of the building, narrowing his eyes once he recognized the other person standing before Baekhyun.

Kim Jongdae.

His heart skipped a beat before hiding back against the wall.

Though he knew he shouldn’t, Kyungsoo peeked again to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

He wasn’t. Kim Jongdae was flailing his signs angrily, ears visibly red and cheeks wet with tears. Baekhyun was sobbing as well, his chest heaving as he waited for Jongdae to finish.

“But I did. I fought. I swear, I did. I did everything I could.” Baekhyun’s voice broke, barely above a whisper.

Kyungsoo took a deep breath. Oh.

He finally understood Sehun’s words during his conversation with Park Chanyeol a few months back. “He wouldn’t, right? Unless he’s like Byun Baekhyun.”

Byun Baekhyun and his wife merely had visual chemistry, but Kyungsoo didn’t expect it to be somewhat of a lavender marriage.

Unless it wasn’t.

He sighed, weariness washing over him all over again. He kind of didn’t care about this at the moment. All he needed was time away from the bustling crowd on the terrace.

Which he didn’t get to enjoy, since his secretary called him two minutes later to return to the bar.

“Is everything okay, Mr. Doh?” Secretary Lee had concern drawn across her face.

“Yeah.” Kyungsoo sighed, grabbing the glass she handed to him as he scanned the crowd before them. “Sorry for disappearing. Just needed a moment.” 

“I understand, sir.” She replied softly. “Have you reached out to your friend yet?”

“Ah, yes.” Kyungsoo took a sip of his drink. “Move the ones in their late teenage years out of the temporary housing by next month.”

Secretary Lee tilted her head in confusion. “What about the work progress, sir?” 

“They’ll pick up on that soon enough; they’re just not used to the routine yet. We need to push them harder to see some results.” He sternly replied. His heart was still somewhat heavy merely from imagining how the children were bound to struggle again. 

“And keep this all on the low; we don’t need any unnecessary trouble.” He added. “The last thing we need is some ass thinking he’s doing them justice by moving them to another church-funded orphanage instead. You know who I’m talking about.”

Secretary Lee chuckled, nodding in agreement before leaving to contact Yuna immediately.

Kyungsoo drew in a deep breath before joining his father’s crowd.

Sehun was visibly uncomfortable under their father’s arm, an awkward smile drawn on his face while the CEO shamelessly praised him to the executives.

Behind him was his bodyguard, Park Chanyeol. He wasn’t standing tall and sturdy as usual, his form rather shaken and his eyes jade. Kyungsoo took another glance at him. He almost visibly rolled his eyes in front of everyone. Something—no, everything about Park Chanyeol made Kyungsoo’s nerves zap with anger. And his lack of power to get rid of him only made his wrath grow bigger.

“Vice President Doh, everything seems to be coming together very well for EXO City. How did you manage to get such an efficient team?” One of the executives asked, and everyone gazed at Kyungsoo in anticipation.

“Well, it took a while to pick the right people. They are quite hard-working, even under challenging circumstances. We’d had to retrain a lot of them from the group up, since some of them didn’t exactly come from stable backgrounds.” Kyungsoo replied with a wide grin, raising his glass and gaining cheers to quickly end the conversation.

He certainly didn’t miss Park Chanyeol’s glare afterwards. He fought every bone in his body not to punch him right there. The last thing Kyungsoo needed was some asshole who thinks lowly of him to ruin his night.

But he did anyway.

 

After the fight, Kyungsoo could only see red despite Kim Junmyeon’s attempt to calm him down.

“You cannot fire him, Mr. Doh. People will talk; they’ll think you’re covering something up.” Junmyeon said while pulling out a napkin from his suit jacket.

Kyungsoo stayed silent, unbothered by the other man’s hand on his arm while he wiped the blood off his mouth for him.

“So, what, I just let it go? He literally defied the meaning of his only job.” Kyungsoo bit out, but the heat in his voice faded when he met Junmyeon’s soft gaze.

Yet the heat in his pants was certainly nowhere near that status, twitching uncontrollably as silence fell between them.

Junmyeon cleared his throat. “You’re a smart man, Mr. Doh. Handle it smart and keep him close.”

“Why? Do you think he’s dangerous?” Kyungsoo nearly sneered, something about Junmyeon’s reasonability getting under his skin.

The elder man was always known to be gentle and measured, but Kyungsoo didn’t take him to be so soft during such moments. Hell, what did he know anyway? Two of the third-generation sons were in a secret relationship after all.

“I think he’s someone who has nothing to lose. Staying on his bad side will only make things worse for you. Just cut him some slack this time and see what happens with the switch.” Junmyeon replied, squeezing Kyungsoo’s bicep before taking a step back.

“And get that worked out if you can.” Junmyeon smirked, cocking his head down toward Kyungsoo’s tight pants.

“I’m—yeah, I will. Thank you, Mr. Kim.” Kyungsoo felt his ears heat up.

He bowed his head quickly before approaching his car, watching the older man bow with a smile and walk away.

Kyungsoo sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. He unlocked his phone to mindlessly find his flagged contact.

“Kyungsoo?” Dowoon slurred, his deep voice raspy.

“Hyung… Remember me saying I was too busy to meet up earlier?” Kyungsoo cleared his throat, eyes focused on the road while hearing Dowoon’s hum in response.

“I may have changed my mind. Are you free?” He bit the inside of his cheek. Instant regret shocked him once he hissed at the pain in his jaw.

“Of course. I’ll be waiting for you.” Dowoon replied softly.

“Thanks… and get more condoms if you don’t have enough.” Kyungsoo said while sliding off his tie.

“I have… two.”

“Get more, please. I’m on my way.”

“Rough day, I see.” Dowoon chuckled. “I’ll go buy some more.”

Kyungsoo squirmed in the car seat during the red traffic light. He chose to ignore the incoming call from Sehun, clenching his bruised jaw to distract himself from the more annoying type of pain. 

Kyungsoo entered the passcode to Dowoon’s apartment, kicking off his shoes as he scanned the place.

“Oh, you’re here.” Dowoon said from the couch, almost springing off to run toward him.

“Yeah.” Kyungsoo said breathlessly as he pulled Dowoon in for a heated kiss.

The older man immediately complied, his hands flying to hold Kyungsoo’s waist as the shorter man pinned him to the wall.

“Your lips—are you okay?” Dowoon asked between the kisses.

“Yeah. Are you?” Kyungsoo hurried to take off his own shirt.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Are you sure this is what you want?” Dowoon watched Kyungsoo shrug off his shirt with furrowed brows.

“Yes. I need this. If you’re still okay with it, of course.” Kyungsoo’s tense shoulders slowly dropped when Dowoon leaned down to kiss him again. He shivered when the elder roamed his hands around his back and led them to the bedroom.

Fourth round in, and Kyungsoo finally felt the anger in his body begin to melt with each thrust. He was definitely overstimulated and his hole was quivering in pain, but he just couldn’t stop. They wouldn’t stop until Kyungsoo let out everything bottled inside of him that night.

The flashing memories of the fight and how Park Chanyeol slammed his body against the wall haunted him. The pain in his back was barely covered by the sweetness of the pleasurable thrusts of Dowoon’s, and it killed him. It surged through him despite the soft mattress under him and Dowoon’s tender hold around his torso.

“Fuck. Harder.” Kyungsoo grunted through his teeth, fingers clawing at Dowoon’s back once the older man complied.

“Kyungsoo…” Dowoon moaned in his ear.

The grip around Kyungsoo's waist was bruising, just how he liked it. Some might call him sick for craving the mingling of pain and pleasure, but to each their own, he thought.

He could taste blood again when Dowoon’s thrusts grew erratic, hitting his prostate repeatedly in a haphazard rhythm.

“Hyung. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…” Kyungsoo moaned shamelessly loud with each hit, shaking with pleasure as he finally reached his climax again.

The voices echoing in his head with shame and regret for thinking of someone— something else—during sex were soon shooed away. Kyungsoo closed his eyes and waited patiently for Dowoon to finish. The latter plopped down beside him with a drunken smile, running a hand up and down his arm as they fell into the usual comfortable silence before drifting off to sleep.

---

May 2.

8:34 am.

So why the hell did Kyungsoo have a sex dream about none other than the man he desperately needed gone from his life?

He felt his heart beat into his ears as he rushed back home, finally turning on his phone and calling Sehun back.

“Hyung! Where the hell have you been?” Sehun’s voice was laced with worry.

“I had stuff to do. Is Father home?” Kyungsoo idly replied.

“No. He just left for work.” Sehun replied quietly. “Are you scared of him or something?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Why would I be? I’m a grown man after all.”

“Right… I’m almost at the company. You’re coming today, right?”

“Of course.” Kyungsoo almost deadpanned. “I’m driving; see you around.”

 

Thankfully enough, Kyungsoo was able to cover his bruise before leaving Dowoon’s place, and Park Chanyeol was nowhere to be seen so early in the morning. 

Kyungsoo stayed in his office, working on finishing the paperwork with Secretary Lee to speed up the process.

Until the devil came to find him on his own.

When Kyungsoo shouted ‘come in’ to the unfamiliar knocks on his door, he did not expect Park Chanyeol to enter or approach him slowly without a bow. And certainly for the taller man to drop to his knees in front of his desk.

Kyungsoo’s gaze roamed around him in confusion, glancing at his secretary, who carried the same look.

“Please forgive me, Mr. Doh.” Chanyeol said, voice firm yet clearly shaken. He was suddenly unable to hold eye contact, either.

Kyungsoo swallowed hard, the hairs at the nape of his neck rising when he felt his guts twist uncomfortably—no, thrillingly—at the sight of the taller man kneeling before him.

He stood up once his secretary left the room.

Bad idea.

Something about Park Chanyeol on his knees, with his shirt tightening around his muscles and his pants outlining his thick thighs, made Kyungsoo’s blood shoot up to his ears—and elsewhere.

He maintained an indifferent expression regardless, staring down at Chanyeol, whose gaze remained fixed on the ground.

“Why are you asking for forgiveness?” Kyungsoo cocked an eyebrow. “I thought I meant far too little to you for you to look this pathetic.” 

Chanyeol’s fists clenched atop his thighs.

He tilted his head, his voice edging to a sneer. “Are you scared you’ll lose your job because of what happened?”

“I merely came to fix things, sir.” Chanyeol said quietly, eyes still stuck to the floor.

“So you swallowed your pride for a whore like me? Didn’t take you for the meek type, Mr. Park.” Kyungsoo smirked, watching Chanyeol gulp bitterly. 

He walked over to the front of his desk, now closer to the man on the ground.

“How big is it, Mr. Park?” He asked, barely above a whisper.

Chanyeol’s head snapped up, eyes wide and brows furrowed in shock.

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but laugh, leaning back casually against the desk.

“Your ego. How big is it?” He raised his brows, the corner of his lips still tugged into a smirk.

His gaze briefly flicked downward, then nearly faltered at the bulge straining Chanyeol’s pants. He swallowed hard, forcing composure before standing up straight.

“I’m letting you go this time and this time only. Don’t try to fuck around and find out again. Unless you actually want to see the ‘evil’ I’ve got in me.”

“Yes, sir.” Chanyeol replied quietly, only standing up once Kyungsoo nodded at him to leave.

Kyungsoo let out a shaky breath once the taller man left his office. His body was still on fire. It took him everything not to snap when Chanyeol looked up at him with wide, bitter eyes.

Chapter 11: ELEVEN - The Peaceful Monster.

Summary:

Chanyeol was taught at the young age of five about the four principles he should live by in his life. And another one in his training years that he should live by if he wanted to reach his goal. Those five principles took shape in some of the most important events in his life, and Chanyeol swore to live by each and every one of them.

Notes:

song of this chapter is 'monster' by day6.
!!! WARNING !!! mentions of child abuse, situation mutism.

Calm.

Chanyeol was always known to be calm. He wasn’t fussy as a little baby and barely ever cried. He wasn’t much of a troublemaker as a toddler, either.

He also didn’t cry much when his parents left and never came back. He just assumed they would come back later.

Until they didn’t. A neighbor from their shelter had found him passed out in the half-basement room two weeks later.

The elderly lady, who barely spoke any Korean, spoke in her mother tongue in frustration to the officers that visited them that night.

Chanyeol could barely speak any Japanese then, but he picked up ‘a six-year-old,’ ‘abandon,’ and ‘bad as it is’ from her rant as he ate the porridge she had prepared for him on her small dining table.

When the officers asked for his parents’ names, Chanyeol waved his hands to sign ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ to them.

“Is he deaf?” One of the officers asked the lady. 

She shook her head. “Mute.” She replied flatly.

“Hey, kid. Can you write?” The tall man asked, handing him a piece of paper and a pencil.

Chanyeol nodded slowly, writing down in neat handwriting: mother, father.

“Ah, damn it.” The man huffed. “Ma’am, are you sure you don’t know their names?”

The woman shrugged, shaking her head cluelessly.

Chanyeol scribbled on the paper again the name he would hear his mother shout at his father. ‘Park Yeongcheol.’

“Wait—he wrote one!”

“Thank the heavens. What about the other, hm? Come on, you can do this.” The tall officer said while patting Chanyeol’s head.

Chanyeol scribbled ‘Miyeong-ah’ down on the paper before running off to sit on the wooden deck outside the room.

“At least we got a name. You said they’ve been gone for two weeks?”

“At the very least. The boy is now skin and bones!”

 

Chanyeol stayed calm when the two officers took him to the police station, studying the other men in the office silently as they went on about cases and patterns in disappearance.

“He’s too quiet, Taewon. Do you think he has that thing that makes him all silent and emotionless?” One of the officers whispered, definitely not quiet enough to miss Chanyeol’s ears.

“What, mutism? The lady said he’s mute, dumbass. That’s what he has.”

“No, the other thing. You know, autism.”

Chanyeol blinked, another term to find in the dictionary.

“Both of you shut up. He’s mute, not deaf.” An older man spat before grabbing Chanyeol’s hand. “I know just the place for you, kid. Let’s go.”

---

Rebellion.

November 27th, 2006.

Eight years in the orphanage, and Chanyeol actually felt all the emotions bottled within him pour out when the last whip came in contact with his calves.

The reality checks the teachers forced upon him were too overwhelming for a child to bear. Apparently, it was a crime to believe the ‘dead’ could come back. Since his parents were dead, according to everyone in the church and orphanage.

And Chanyeol was a monster, as Teacher Kim said. Because he didn’t cry when they left. He was to be punished for the rest of his life for not mourning them properly.

It was like the children were free toys for the sick teachers to lash out on. They were barely cared for by any adults around them, only fed rotten food and information until they were old enough to leave.

That was when Chanyeol lost it all, screaming at the top of his lungs at the last degrading term Teacher Kim used while punishing him. The monster doesn’t deserve a birthday, the older man had claimed.

The real monster doesn’t deserve to use the weapon, Chanyeol thought as he grabbed the whip and gave the man a taste of his own medicine.

Surprisingly enough, no one moved to stop him. He was running too fast for anyone to catch him anyway, rushing to throw his books and clothes in a bundle before jumping out of the window.

“No more monsters. No more.” He murmured to himself as he ran as far as he could from his curse.

“No more monsters.” His mother reassured him, gently petting his hair as she kept him close to her chest.

“He won’t come back?” He asked quietly.

“No, Yeollie. He won’t come back. Daddy told him to go away for good.” She replied with a smile laced in her voice.

He was unsure of the intense, strange smell that came back home along with his father that night. At least it wasn’t what adults would call ‘alcohol’ that his grandfather would bring home late at night with him.

Monsters hurt others, and always those weaker than them. Chanyeol wasn’t a monster.

---

Survival.

“Do not put your hands on her again.” Chanyeol growled at the older kid, petting the cat crying in his arms.

“Come on, man. It’s not like she’ll get you off the streets. We’ll get a good price for her.” The taller boy kneeled down to face Chanyeol, waving his hands around him to swat the flies.

Chanyeol shook his head aggressively. “No.”

“Stop rubbing her against you; she’s filthy.”

“You’re filthy.” Chanyeol spat, screaming once large hands struck his smaller body.

He knew he shouldn’t budge; he should bite.

So he did.

He was grateful to at least one of his parents for giving him healthy, sharp teeth that he could put to good use for survival. Part of him guessed it would be his mother; everyone told him he resembled her a lot. 

Being mocked and called a pretty boy growing up didn’t bother him much, either. Looks can be deceiving, and that was what he had been counting on for the past year he’d spent on the streets.

---

Knowledge.

Chanyeol was grateful for the knowledge passed down to him from those who had once been part of his life.

It was fascinating to some that a six-year-old could already read heavy books filled with concepts even adults struggle to grasp. He loved learning and had taken his father’s advice to heart: You have to be smart enough to survive when you’re grown.  

But Chanyeol needed all that knowledge much sooner than expected.

It was the first Monday of the month. Another convoy of trucks rolled into the warehouse compound, ready to load products the kids knew they would eventually benefit from.

Chanyeol studied the scene from a distance. The workers were barely awake; sunrise hadn’t even fully broken. Some loitered on lazy bathroom breaks while the others hauled boxes one at a time. He couldn't tell if the cargo was genuinely heavy or if they were just dragging their feet, but it worked in his favor either way.

He crept toward the truck from the back, tracking each worker’s movement so he could blend in seamlessly.

Not that it mattered anyway. They were too focused on their own tasks to notice some kid slipping between a crowd of older men burdened with heavy loads.

Chanyeol slipped into the back of the truck once enough cargo had been loaded to offer cover. He pulled a cutter from his pocket and sliced open one of the cardboard boxes to reveal rows of what looked like vitamins.

He picked up one of the small boxes and stared at the candy-like supplements inside, flipping it over to scan the ingredients. Most of the names were unfamiliar to him, so he shrugged and shoved the boxes into his bag anyway. 

Upon hearing footsteps echo through the cargo, Chanyeol held his breath and slid deeper between the stacked boxes.

“Get out of there, kid. These aren’t for you.” A calm voice echoed through the dark cargo.

Chanyeol’s heart pounded in his ears. He had never been caught before.

Shit.

He figured he could just apologize to the worker and run off. Good idea.

Chanyeol clenched his fists, standing up slowly.

The older man standing before him was no worker.

Dressed in an expensive suit and heavy fancy perfume, the tall man stared at Chanyeol with a sinister smile.

Shit.

“I believe you are not the target consumer for this product. Unless you’re a man over forty and need a boost—if you know what I mean.” The man chuckled. “Never mind; you’re like, ten. Get out; I’ll spare you this one time.” 

Chanyeol blinked, maintaining an indifferent expression.

“What, are you deaf?” The man bent down. Chanyeol shook his head slowly.

“A foreigner?” He shook his head again.

“Then what? You need help?” He smirked.

Chanyeol shook his head again.

The man tilted his head, standing back up. “You don’t need help?”

Chanyeol shrugged.

“Since when does a kid like you refuse help? You think you’ll figure it out? You need the help, kid. Swallow your pride and accept it when it’s offered to you.”

“I’m doing fine.” Chanyeol replied, voice low to prevent shaking.

“So you can speak.” He smirked. “What do you think will become of you if you stay this stubborn, hm? You think life is nice to the unfortunate?”

“I don’t care what you say, sir. I will be fine.”

“Where will you start your career from, then?”

“Where did you start your career?”

The man raised his eyebrows, a smile creeping on his lips.

“Every other successful man has a sob story to tell about his life before his career started. I’m working hard enough to become one myself.” Chanyeol raised his chin, clenching his fists.

“You sure seem chatty enough for a thief. Did your parents not teach you about stranger danger?”

“My parents are dead.”

“Oh.” The man pursed his lips. “Sorry.”

“No pity.” Chanyeol replied sternly.

The man scoffed, an amused smile tugging at his lips. “I’m Ryeo Hakgun, CEO of those supplements you were so eager to steal.” He extended a hand.

Chanyeol stared at it, unimpressed. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m not a man in his forties, so I shall leave now.”

He turned to bolt off the truck, only to be blocked by two larger men waiting at the end of the cargo bay. 

“Hey—let go!” Chanyeol shouted, flailing in their arms once they picked him up.

“I like you, kid. I think you deserve a chance.” Ryeo Hakgun said casually, hands in his pockets and expression idle.

“I don’t need a savior. Leave me alone.” Chanyeol squirmed in the fierce grip around his small body.

“I’m not trying to save you; someone like you doesn’t need to be saved. I’ll just offer you a spot in my training center.”

Chanyeol squirmed again, sighing before biting one of the men’s hands and slipping out of their grip.

“Your what?” He frowned his eyebrows.

“Training center—for kids like you.”

“Orphaned thieves?”

Ryeo laughed. “No, kid. Just those who have the drive to be successful in life.”

“You think I have that?”

“You very much do. You should put it to good use.”

Chanyeol stayed silent, contemplating just walking away and avoiding the strange man’s plausible kidnapping.

“I’ll pass on that. Thank you, sir.” Chanyeol bowed before walking away, surprised he wasn’t grabbed once again.

“Hey, kid!” Ryeo shouted behind him.

Chanyeol froze, turning slowly with his legs still ready to run off.

“Take this brochure. The address is here. You’re welcome to change your mind any time.”

Chanyeol cautiously took the paper. 

‘RaeHan Youth Training Center.’

“What will I get from that?”

“Everything you’ve always wanted. You’ll get stronger, smarter, and healthier.”

“I can do all that here if I wanted to.” Chanyeol deadpanned. “I already am, actually.”

“You’ll get to possess more power than you could ever get here. Don’t you need some power to start your career a little?”

“Why are you so desperate for me to join you?” Chanyeol tilted his head.

“Desperate?” Ryeo raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. What’s in it for you, Mr. Ryeo?”

“I will build a huge cult to help me conquer the country.” The older man said with a laugh.

Chanyeol blinked.

“Not funny?” He grimaced. Chanyeol shook his head.

“Right…” Ryeo sighed, taking a few steps closer to the boy and kneeling down to match his height.

“Look, kid. All I care about is… children. I go out of my way to help every single one I find that could benefit from what I have to offer.” Ryeo rested a hand on his shoulder. 

“There are many kids like you in there, and they’re all thriving. You guys are our future, you know?”

Chanyeol stayed silent. He was calculating how much he could possibly lose by joining, which was quite near to zero.

“You can just visit and leave if you don’t like it. I’m not kidnapping you or anything.” Ryeo said with a laugh.

Chanyeol scrunched his nose; his breath really stank for a rich man.

“I’ll think about it. Thank you.” Was all he replied with before walking away.

 

Chanyeol was still reluctant about joining such a facility. The fear of the cycle repeating once again made his gut twist. He chose to sleep on it for a while, almost forgetting about it until the night he bumped into one of the coaches from his orphanage while in Seoul.

He limped his way to RaeHan’s training center that night. Barely conscious enough to ask for help, Chanyeol grabbed the attention of the receptionists by fainting on the cold ceramic floor.

He woke up to the harsh glare of fluorescent lights and the sharp smell of alcohol in the air. Medical staff crowded around him with concern etched into their faces. 

Panic surged through Chanyeol’s veins when he realized he couldn’t get himself to speak—again.

He thrashed on the bed, tears staining his bruised cheeks as he fought against the nurses’ arms.

“Why are you panicking when you’re the one who asked for help?” A familiar voice stopped the chaos.

Ryeo Hakgun.

“We meet again. Seems like you made a decision.” Ryeo said with a smirk.

Chanyeol blinked the tears out of his eyes, his breath still heavy.

“I didn’t think you’d be that scared; you seemed much more brave when we first met.”

Ryeo dismissed the staff, taking a seat beside the bed. “I won’t ask you what happened, but I need you to tell me whether you’ll stick to your decision or not.”

He stayed silent, eyes fixed on his fiddling fingers.

“Do you get silent often?” Ryeo asked gently. His tone wasn’t mocking; rather, it was sincere.

Chanyeol raised his hands to sign but stopped mid-air when he realized.

“You can sign; I’ll get it.”

A subtle light sparked in his eyes. 

Raising his shaky hands again, he signed in small movements, 

“When I’m anxious… or scared.”

Ryeo hummed in response.

“Are you still in any pain right now?”

“My hip…”

“Oh, yeah. Doctor said the cut was too deep; he thinks it might leave a scar.”

Chanyeol swallowed hard, leaning back against the pillows on the bed.

“Where are we?”

“Our center’s clinic.”

Chanyeol nodded softly, blinking slowly as he studied the warm room.

A few moments of silence passed before Chanyeol slightly parted his lips.

“I’ll join the center.” He murmured while gazing at the city’s night glow.

“Great choice, kid.” Ryeo replied with a smile laced through his voice. “I honestly thought you would. You brought a bag with you and all.” He chuckled.

Chanyeol smiled softly, his eyes finally drifting shut to get the sleep he’d been chasing for months.

---

Submission.

One thing Chanyeol learned in the center was to swallow his pride when it was absolutely needed. As humiliating as it was, even getting walked over by the enemy was the best option when necessary.

He chose to not tell Ryeo anything about the fight and confided in Yixing instead. Who scolded him almost as much as Ryeo would—minus the dramatic profanities, that is.

“Get your ass there and apologize to him.” Yixing said sternly. “Kiss his feet if you have to.”

“Are you being serious?” Chanyeol huffed as he buttoned his shirt.

“What, you expect him to not go over to his daddy and tell him what happened? What if he had dashcam footage?”

Chanyeol only sighed, flashes of the fight haunting him again whenever he closed his eyes.

“This can result in a lawsuit—and your ‘agency’ doesn’t even exist! You need to keep this job one way or another. Sleep with him if you have to.”

“Hyung…”

“Sorry—that was out of line. Just apologize; I’m sure it will catch him off guard.”

“I hate when you’re right.”

 

May 2, 9:01 am.

KangSin Group Staff Parking Lot.

Chanyeol had to take thirty minutes in his car to prepare himself for the inevitable. One way or another, he needed to stay on the mission until the very end. 

Doh Kyungsoo was probably the type to fall for the sick greed of gaining yet another form of power, and Chanyeol had to fuel that.

He sighed while dialing ‘Mr. Oh.’

“Hello?” Sehun slurred. Chanyeol guessed he fell asleep on his desk again.

“Good morning, Mr. Oh. I apologize in advance for being late; I just need to run an errand around the company. Your manager will be there with you shortly.”

“Oh… Okay.” Was all Sehun said before hanging up.

Chanyeol cracked his jaw as he got out of his car, mentally bracing himself as he made his way to Kyungsoo’s office.

The closer the elevator got to the 12th floor, the harder something stirred in Chanyeol’s gut. He didn’t understand whether it was thrill or anxiety, hoping it was at least the former so he wouldn’t shut down in front of his target.

Chanyeol shook off the fact that he was awakened by the same image of Doh Kyungsoo that flashed through his mind while masturbating the night before, inhaling deeply to compose himself while taking heavy steps toward the office door.

He entered after Kyungsoo’s ‘come in,’ rushing to the center of the room and dropping to his knees in front of the vice president’s desk.

“Please forgive me, Mr. Doh.” He spoke firmly, clenching his jaw after to keep himself together.

His heart jumped when the secretary quietly left the room and Kyungsoo stood up.

“Why are you asking for forgiveness?” Kyungsoo asked, a cocky smile laced through his voice. “I thought I meant far too little to you for you to look this pathetic.” 

Chanyeol clenched his fists atop his thighs, eyes fixed on the ground to avoid seeing that image again.

“Are you scared you’ll lose your job because of what happened?” Kyungsoo’s voice edged to a sneer.

“I merely came to fix things, sir.” Chanyeol said quietly, his eyes still stuck to the floor.

The fact that he was on his knees, his dignity below the ground, in front of the man he was bound to kill soon made him see red.

“So you swallowed your pride for a whore like me? Didn’t take you for the meek type, Mr. Park.” Kyungsoo smirked. 

Chanyeol gulped, clenching his jaw harder.

Kyungsoo walked over to the front of his desk, only a few inches away from Chanyeol.

Merely ten hours ago, Chanyeol was towering over the powerful man with the satisfying view of his wide eyes glaring up at him with rage.

Now, he was on his knees in front of said powerful man, with the same image of his doe eyes shooting daggers at him and the faint feeling of his thigh between his legs in mind.

Fuck.

Kyungsoo bent down slightly, his face barely a few centimeters above Chanyeol’s.

“How big is it, Mr. Park?” He asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Chanyeol’s head snapped up with wide eyes, his brows furrowed in shock. He felt his short nails dig into the calloused skin of his palms, breath heaving as he felt the sharp pain in his dick reappear.

Kyungsoo laughed, leaning back casually against the desk.

“Your ego. How big is it?” He raised his brows, the corner of his lips still tugged into a smirk.

Chanyeol almost swore right there, yet found himself speechless under the sneering gaze of Doh Kyungsoo.

“I’m letting you go this time and this time only. Don’t try to fuck around and find out again. Unless you actually want to see the ‘evil’ I’ve got in me.” Kyungsoo said with a smile feigned with niceness.

“Yes, sir.” Chanyeol replied quietly, only standing up once Kyungsoo nodded at him to leave.

He finally exhaled in relief, though utterly humiliated with anger boiling in his blood. Just as he prayed for a reason to not punch a hole into the office door, Kyungsoo’s secretary appeared in front of him with a warm, yet puzzled smile. He hastily bowed before walking away, the pain in his pants only angering him further.

He heard Kyungsoo shout for his secretary to not enter the office while entering the elevator. 

Chanyeol ran to the nearest bathroom on Sehun’s office floor and shamelessly jerked himself off in one of the stalls. He was barely able to hold back his moans, the stuffy bathroom made everything sticky, and he realized there were no tissues in the stall halfway through.

“Fuck me.” He groaned, shutting his eyes in pain as he kept going regardless.

He hissed at the buzz of his watch, his grip around his cock tightening mindlessly when the name of Sehun’s manager appeared on the small screen.

Having to hurriedly wipe his own cum off his torso outside was still not as humiliating as the earlier moments in Kyungsoo’s office. He cursed repeatedly as he washed his hands before rushing out to find Sehun.

 

“What happened to you?” Sehun asked in surprise, concerned eyes studying his figure.

“What?” Chanyeol panted, swallowing hard under Giho’s judgmental gaze. “Nothing.” He smiled weakly. “Just had to run around so I wouldn’t be too late.”

“Right…” Giho pursed his lips after, murmuring for the pair to follow him to the car.

Sehun kept staring at Chanyeol, a smirk slowly creeping on his lips.

“What?” Chanyeol asked while fixing his hair mindlessly.

“Nothing… You just got a little something here.” Sehun said with a smile, pointing at a white spot on his pants before walking away.

“Fuck me.”

Chapter 12: TWELVE - Hyung.

Summary:

Betrayals, cruel strategies and reconciliation take place in key points of the third generations' lives. Thankfully enough, almost all of them have those whom they could always lean on. Almost.

Notes:

hi! it's been a while i know... things have been busy but i'm here now! i actually kept writing until i noticed the chapter got really long lol,, but i hope you enjoy! another update will come in really soon!

WARNING!!!
Mention of self-harm.

April 21st, 2024.

Chanyeol took a seat at his desk with a long sigh, rubbing the sleep off his eyes now that he had to add another piece of information to the files. The fact that Baekhyun confided in him about everything made him puzzled; he seemed like the type to bury all his burdens behind his sweet smile. He must’ve reached his limit, Chanyeol thought.

Chanyeol dialled the combination to unlock the safe hidden under his desk, then carefully grabbed the binder titled ‘VII’ and set it in front of him.

Maybe he needed to refresh his memory on everything that he studied, given how he missed such an important detail about two of the third-generation.

He reached for the first sheet of paper in the binder: Kangil Group.

Kim Jongdae:

• Kangil Group’s former vice president, Kim Hyunkang’s first son.
• 21.09.1992
• Spouse: None.
• Scandals: None.

 

• Note: Car accident resulting in hearing loss. (2017)

• Previous bodyguard: Zhang Yixing (2014)

 

Kim Jongin:

• Kangil Group’s potential vice president, second son.
• 14.01.1994
• Spouse: None.
• Scandals: 1. Dating scandals with 2 actresses - debunked. 2. Dating scandal with a famous K-pop idol - confirmed. 3. Concerns of executives regarding competence.

 

• Note: Secret relationship with another 3rd-generation son.

• Previous bodyguard: Zhang Yixing (2014)

 

 

KangSin Group.

*Doh Kyungsoo:

• KangSin Group’s Vice President, Doh Kangsik’s first son.
• 12.01.1993
• Spouse: None.
• Ex-fiancée: RaeHan Group’s daughter Ryeo Ara (2010~2017)
• Scandals: 1. School bullying scandal - debunked. 2. Accusations of abuse of power.

 

• Note: Rivalry with Kim Minseok.

 

**Oh Sehun:

• KangSin Group’s Non-Executive Director, Doh Kangsik’s stepson.
• 12.04.1994
• Spouse: None.
• Scandals: 1. Concerns about his competence in the company role. 2. Doubts about his loyalty to the business.

 

• Note: Secret relationship with another 3rd-generation son.

• Current Bodyguard: Park Chanyeol.

 

Important note: Strained relations between KangSin Group and RaeHan Group.

 

BaekSeong Group.

Byun Baekho:

• BaekSeong Group’s vice president, Byun Deongsun’s first son.
• 07.08.1988
• Spouse: Kim Junyeong, daughter of Sohn Horology’s Chairman Kim Jeonghun. (2011)
• Scandals: Underage drinking scandal - irrelevant. 

Byun Baekhyun:

• Byun Deongsun’s second son. Managing Director.
• 06.05.1992
• Spouse: Go Hyeri, Vice President and daughter of JinSil Textiles (2019)
• Scandals: 1. Cheating Scandal (2020) - debunked. 2. Speculations about sexuality (2015~2019). 3. Concerns of executives regarding attitude.

Kim Junmyeon:

• Son and Vice President of Sohn Horology. 
• 22.05.1991
• Spouse: None.
• Scandals: None.

Important note: Tension between BaekSeong Group and Kangil Group.

 

Chanyeol ran a hand along his jaw, eyes fixed on the page as he debated whether the detail was worth including.

He picked up a pencil and roughly wrote down, 

‘Secret relationship with another 3rd-generation son (2010~2019)’ on their files.

He drew in a deep breath as he stared at his handwriting. No one was to open that safe anyway; it was merely for him to remember.

He took another look at KangSin Group’s paper, reading the latest notes on the fallout between them and RaeHan.

December 2023: Doh Kyungsoo’s betrayal toward Ryeo Hakgun through a cruel and humiliating strategy.

 

December 8th, 2023.

It took Ryeo Hakgun six years to rebuild his reputation and make amends with Doh Kangsik.

Though their relationship was still awkward and shallow, Ryeo Hakgun convinced the conglomerate CEO to invest in RaeHan Group once again.

Ryeo, however, wasn’t looking to mend their relationship once again. He needed revenge for the backstabbing he suffered in 2017.

So he planned a hostile takeover of KangSin’s shares in RaeHan so he could gain full control.

A simple under-the-table plan was executed by buying a large amount of KangSin’s shares through third-party investors and shell companies.

Doh Kyungsoo discovered the takeover attempt just before it went public, since some funds were funnelled through accounts linked to Ryeo’s known associates and past business partners.

Kyungsoo knew the older man wasn’t smart enough when he acted out of hostility. He wasn’t so clever six years ago; how could he get any smarter with greed blinding his weakening eyes?

Noticing such suspicious moves wasn't so hard. Kyungsoo’s analysts simply dug into the money flow behind the shell companies, since they usually trace transactions back through banks and holding companies.

Kyungsoo didn’t think of stopping the plan quietly; he needed to shut Ryeo Hakgun up for good.

In a board meeting, Kyungsoo publicly rejected the takeover bid, exposing Ryeo’s plan to other shareholders and the media.

Needless to say, Ryeo Hakgun was humiliated. Kyungsoo could only laugh to himself when the elder held an emergency conference in a messy attempt to deny everything.

 

Ryeo Hakgun decided from that very moment that he needed Doh Kyungsoo gone.

“That fucking cunt!” Ryeo roared in his office, throwing the closest object to him across the room.

“Father, please stop. We can work around this.” Minseok said quietly.

“How can you be so calm right now?! That menace just ruined everything again!” Ryeo shouted at his stepson, red eyes observing his and Yixing’s peaceful faces.

Minseok knew the damage was far from repairable at the moment, and he had no idea why Ryeo made such a reckless move, but he needed him to calm down first before making further decisions.

Yixing, on the other hand, was glad this happened. He felt like Ryeo deserved it, since he wanted to be an immature menace against the strongest conglomerate in the country. He did wish he was back in China at the moment, though, to avoid Ryeo’s dramatic meltdown.

He wished Chanyeol was with them; he was the only other person who could calm Ryeo down. 

Everything has fallen apart since the younger man’s hiatus. Ryeo only fell further down his spiral after the scandal, which Chanyeol wasn’t there to witness.

In fact, Yixing was sure Chanyeol knew nothing about it. The younger man was vacationing somewhere in North Africa at that time. Ryeo didn’t change when Chanyeol returned to Korea in July; he was frustrated that he refused to take on any missions beside guarding Byun Baekhyun.

“I need Chanyeol. Where is Chanyeol?!” Ryeo yelled, breathing heavily as he rested on his desk for a minute.

Shit.

“He is in the States at the moment, sir.” Yixing quietly replied.

“He needs to come back as soon as possible.” Ryeo said through gritted teeth. “I need Doh Kyungsoo gone, and he’s the only one that can do this properly.”

Minseok and Yixing glanced at each other. They had no idea what Chanyeol’s reaction would be when he’s forced to finally end his 7-year-long break.

Chanyeol, as expected, refused to even hear what Ryeo had to say when he asked him to come back.

“Don’t you think seven years is a little long for a break?!” Ryeo yelled, eyes red with frustration.

“Don’t you think the reason I took that break was a little harsh, sir?” Chanyeol said sternly. 

He noticed the renovations Ryeo had done to his house, shrugging to himself as he observed the tacky style hurting his eyes.

“I get it; it was horrible. But I apologized, and I let you take all the time you needed. You even travelled the world, for fuck’s sake!” Ryeo flailed his arms around.

“Yes. That was fun.” Chanyeol exclaimed with a smug smile.

“And now it’s time to settle, no? You finally took the job to guard Byun Baekhyun, which means you want to stay here.”

“No. I took the job because you stopped funding my trips. If anything, I want to be back in Alexandria and enjoy Egypt’s winter again.”

Ryeo scoffed. “Seriously? Egypt? Are you choosing the furthest country possible?”

“The furthest country would be Argentina, sir.” Chanyeol calmly corrected him. “Beautiful country.”

Ryeo groaned. “Chanyeol. I need you to do this, please. I’ll give you whatever you want. Just this mission. You’re the only one who can do it.”

Chanyeol frowned. “What’s so important about killing this man anyway?” He crossed his arms. “How do I know that he’s not like the last ones?”

“Because he isn’t. He’s too dangerous. Have you not heard of him—Doh Kyungsoo?”

“No, and I don’t want to. I’m satisfied with guarding for now.”

“You’ll regret this, Agent Park. And you’ll be back again sooner or later to take on this mission.” Ryeo said sternly, pointing his finger at the taller man before dismissing him.

Chanyeol had insisted on not taking on any missions after the horrors he had gone through with the last one.

 

April 2016.

Chanyeol put down his gun as he watched the last man take his last breath on the warm wooden floor.

“Targets down. Exfil in a few.” Chanyeol spoke into his earpiece.

He placed the Tyvek paper in the men’s mouths and inspected the dining room again before slipping out of the back door.

“All done?” Yixing asked with a smile.

Chanyeol nodded. “Clean.”

“You never miss, Tenny.” Yixing teased him as they drove back to the warehouse.

Chanyeol slept soundly that night, knowing three more sex traffickers were finally eliminated, and hoped the teams Ryeo dispatched took care of the victims.

Until the next day, when Chanyeol dropped by Ryeo’s house to receive his pay.

He entered on light feet and halted his steps in the hallway when he heard a stranger’s voice conversing with his boss. Ryeo seemed to have drunk one too many drinks in the luxury of his mansion and was boasting about the mission to his friend. Chanyeol watched them laugh over countless bottles of soju in his living room. 

“You know, Sangwoo.” The elder man slurred. “I’m glad he took care of those nobodies for me. I didn’t know how else I could get rid of them.”

“He gladly killed them for you? Just like that?” The other man asked with a laugh.

“Oh, absolutely not.” Ryeo put down his glass. “Kid’s got morals, you know. I had to give him something to work with—told him they were traffickers and all.”

The men’s loud, sinister laughs sent chills down Chanyeol’s spine. He felt the six bullets he had shot through the innocent men’s bodies hit his own heart right there.

Through his blurry vision, Chanyeol sniffled loudly and stepped into the living room to catch their attention.

Ryeo’s eyes widened in horror upon seeing him.

“Chanyeol!” He sprang to his feet.

Chanyeol’s heartbeat rang in his ears when he realized he couldn’t speak. Tears of betrayal and frustration threatened to escape his waterline, and the wildfire in his heart burned his buzzing nerves as everything fell apart in front of him.

“Chanyeol, this isn’t what you think it’s about.” Ryeo stammered, approaching him quickly to place a hand on his arm.

Chanyeol shrugged his hand off, shivering in shock before silently running out of the mansion.

He fell to his knees before he could reach his car. His heartstrings kept tugging in pain as he struggled to breathe. Yet he knew that pain wasn't enough. He deserved way worse.

Chanyeol brought his fists to his ribs as hard as he could, grunting with each punch, knowing it wasn’t enough. He felt like a monster. He became a monster. What else would one who killed an innocent person be?

Just as blood found its way to his tongue, firm hands grabbed his arms and pulled them down with full force. He looked up at the familiar silhouette standing over him.

Minseok.

The older man looked horrified. He remained grounded regardless and firmly held down Chanyeol’s arms, concerned eyes gazing at him as he bent down to face him.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Minseok shouted, eyes glistening with tears as he brushed Chanyeol’s sweaty hair back.

The tears kept dripping off Chanyeol’s face and his chest heaved violently. He still couldn’t speak; the words were stuck in his throat like daggers piercing through it.

He wasn’t sure what he could even say if he was able to speak. All he wanted to do was just scream until he was out of breath.

Minseok quietly wrapped his arms around his broad shoulders, patting his back gently while he sobbed into the crook of the elder’s neck.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Minseok whispered in his ear. “You don’t deserve this, Yeol. You’re not the one to blame.”

Chanyeol shook in Minseok’s arms. His hands found their way to rest at his sides as he tried to breathe steadily. He realized how on many occasions when Ryeo sent him into a spiral, Minseok was somehow always there to calm him down. It was like the older man was quietly apologizing for his stepfather’s mess.

“I’m the one who—who did it.” Chanyeol whimpered quietly.

Minseok pulled away and caressed Chanyeol’s wet cheeks. “You didn’t know, Yeol. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He replied softly.

Chanyeol dropped his shoulders and fell into his arms again, screaming into the thick fabric of his hoodie.

 

Chanyeol showed up in Ryeo’s office the next day. His jaw was clenched and his brows were furrowed, mentally fighting the urge in his nerves to knock the man’s teeth out.

“I’m leaving.” He simply announced, watching with a straight face how Ryeo sprang to his feet in shock.

“What?! You can’t leave—”

“I can leave any time I want. You said it yourself.”

“This is stupid; where would you even go?!” Ryeo shouted.

“I’ll figure it out like I did when I was a child.” Chanyeol deadpanned, squeezing his own hand in an attempt to stay calm.

Ryeo sighed before taking a step closer to him.

“You can’t do that. It’s tough out there, Chanyeol. You won’t be able to survive.”

“You sent me out there since I was 18 to kill people for you, and you think I can’t survive?!” Chanyeol snapped, face growing hot as he slowly started to let go.

“You can’t leave! I need you here, Chanyeol.” Ryeo sighed. “I’m sorry, okay? I should've told you the truth.”

“That won’t cut it. I killed innocent people for fuck’s sake! Three innocent men!” He screamed. Ryeo backed away slowly, like he was actually afraid of him.

“So you’re leaving?! You kill for a living, Agent Park.” Ryeo said with a scoff. “These men were bound to commit horrible crimes anyway. You don’t get to grow a conscience when it’s inconvenient.”

Chanyeol remained silent, clenching his jaw until his ears started ringing.

“It doesn’t make you clean if you walk away now, no. It makes you a coward who runs when things get difficult.” Ryeo took a step closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Take a break if you feel frustrated. I get it; it’s hard. But don’t insult me by ‘leaving’ for good—that’s nonsense. Disappear for as long as you like and take a vacation. I’ll give you whatever you need.” He spoke calmly. 

His sudden reasonableness made Chanyeol’s gut twist. Maybe leaving wasn’t the best option after all.

“Now think it through, get your head straight, and come back to finish what you started. That’s what a man does.”

 

December 20th, 2023.

Chanyeol felt the same sharp pain in his chest when countless news spread about his ‘return.’

Some idiot tried to mimic everything he has done with a sick twist, ending the life of a woman and attempting to use his signature marking on her.

Chanyeol’s gut churned at the news. Everything was done messily and the photos shared actually made him vomit. He wasn’t going to let his name be dragged in the dirt like that, not after the uproar about the last mission he had done.

So he applied two of his principles.

He stormed into Ryeo’s office.

“I’ll do it, sir.” He panted, determination set in his tone.

“Do what?”

“The mission. But under two conditions.”

Ryeo leaned back in his chair.

“I get all the evidence possible on Doh Kyungsoo’s crimes.”

“And?”

“And you help me with another mission I choose myself beforehand.”

Ryeo grinned widely, standing up and running to hug Chanyeol tightly.

“Attaboy. You’ve got it.”

May 11th, 2024.

8:23 am.

Doh Family Residence.

“Hyung.” Sehun said quietly, standing small by Kyungsoo’s bedroom door.

Kyungsoo slowly looked up from his desk. He slid the paperwork under his book smoothly before standing up.

Kyungsoo cocked his head. “Come in.”

Sehun shuffled quietly into the room, taking a seat at the edge of Kyungsoo’s bed.

“What’s wrong?” Kyungsoo asked as he approached the younger man.

Sehun stayed quiet for a moment, his eyes glued to the floor with a glum expression on his face.

He turned to face his brother and finally spoke, “What’s going on between you and Chanyeol hyung?”

Kyungsoo sat up, brows furrowed in confusion. 

“What are you talking about?”

“I hate how dumb you think I am, hyung.” Sehun crossed his arms. “You guys fought last week. I know poorly done cover-up makeup when I see it.”

Kyungsoo sighed. “That’s none of your business, Sehun.”

“It is, though. I don’t need you playing protective big brother for me.” Sehun sat up. “Chanyeol hyung is literally here to protect me, so you should get off your high horse and quit playing savior.”

Kyungsoo barely saw Sehun behave the way he did. The younger man was usually laid-back and quiet, so the fact that he has been snapping at him so regularly alarmed him.

“Sehun.” Kyungsoo set a hand on Sehun’s knee. “Park Chanyeol is not who you think he is. No matter what it is, you do not know his real intentions.” He said sternly.

“He may not want to harm you in any way, but he surely is a dangerous man.”

Sehun bit the inside of his cheek. “Then why would he be going after you? Did you do something?”

“Why do I need to do something for him to attack me?!” Kyungsoo snapped, then instantly tried to calm down when Sehun grew wide-eyed.

“Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “It’s just frustrating. I don’t know what he wants, but I’m not letting him go anywhere.”

“You better not.” Sehun raised an eyebrow.

Kyungsoo simply nodded.

“Now… What’s actually up with you?” Kyungsoo’s tone turned soft, concern drawn on his face as he patiently waited for his brother to answer.

“Nothing.” Sehun deadpanned and stood up.

“Don’t lie to me, Sehun. I know everything with Jongin has been scaring you lately.” Kyungsoo followed suit, crossing his arms.

Sehun turned slowly, eyes already wet with tears. “Then why didn’t you say something?” He asked quietly.

Kyungsoo dropped his shoulders, swallowing hard as he observed the quivering lips of his younger brother.

He froze. He fucking hates freezing. He hates being speechless, he hates fucking up, and he hates being like his father.

“You knew everything was fucked since the party months ago! Took me by the hand like a little child and all just to prove a point!” Sehun shouted, tears finally escaping to stain his red cheeks. “But did you even ask how I was feeling? How all of this is affecting me?! No, you didn’t. You just wanted to be a step above him because you know he’s better than you!” He said through gritted teeth, flailing his fist in the air angrily.

Kyungsoo felt his heart drop to his feet. 

He grew distant again.

He mistreated Sehun again.

He overlooked his feelings again.

No matter how much good Kyungsoo tried to do, he always ended up behaving like his father.

“Sehun,” Kyungsoo drew in a long breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I never checked up on you. I was too busy with my own stuff, which isn’t an excuse.” He clenched his jaw, fluttering his eyes shut for a moment to catch his breath. 

“I get it now—why you were afraid you would end up hurt like Jongdae was.” He cautiously approached the taller man.

“I am sorry. This must’ve been so hard on you.”

Sehun blinked a few times before taking a step closer to Kyungsoo and bending down to find comfort in his arms.

They had tried various times to mend their relationship and every other time Kyungsoo messed up—without even noticing.

He wrapped his arms around Sehun’s torso and gently rubbed his back, comforting him quietly as he cried on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered in his ear.

“I don’t know what’s happening, hyung.” Sehun sobbed. “I’m so scared.”

“I know, I know.” Kyungsoo drew in a deep breath. “We’ll figure it out. I promise.” 

Kangil Family Residence.

9:00 am.

Warm sunbeam streaks awakened Jongdae on the quiet Saturday morning.

With his eyes barely open, he stood up and opened the curtains to unveil his daily view of their private lake.

For the first time in a long time, Jongdae couldn’t feel any pressure weighing his heart down first thing in the morning.

He sighed blissfully and turned around, only to jump at the familiar figure sitting on the piano stool in the corner of his room.

There sat Jongin with an unfathomable expression on his face.

Jongdae knew that an unreadable face on his younger brother meant no good.

“What are you doing in my room?!” Jongdae flailed his hands, grabbing his glasses off his bedside table and approaching him slowly.

“I wanted to talk to you…” Jongin signed with small movements.

“So you sit in the corner of my room until I wake up?” Jongdae asked with a chuckle.

“Well, I played a few songs but you didn’t get up, so…” Jongin shrugged, laughing when Jongdae smacked his arm playfully.

“You’re a menace.”

“It’s a requirement for little brothers to be.” Jongin flicked his hands with a smirk.

“I’ve noticed.” Jongdae smiled.

“Hyung.” Jongin broke through the playful atmosphere with a serious face. 

“Father has been insisting on the promotion and marriage lately…”

Jongdae’s smile dropped. The pressure weighing him down returned.

“We need to do something, hyung. Neither of us wants what we’re being forced into.” Jongin moved his hands sharply.

Jongdae leaned his side on the case of the piano, biting the inside of his cheek as he forced his brain to work that early in the morning.

“We can sit down and talk to him, though I don’t know how that would turn out.”

“We won’t know if we don’t try, right?” Jongin sighed. “It’s just so sickening, hyung. It’s been, what, seven years?”

“Yeah…” Jongdae inhaled deeply, flashes of key memories through the years hitting him in seconds.

“I don’t want to lose Sehun, hyung. I can’t do that to him. I know it must feel…” Jongin dropped his hands to his lap before raising them again. “Horrible.”

Jongdae pursed his lips, shaking off the heavy pull to his heart before pulling his lips to a small smile.

“One way or another we’ll work it out, I promise.”

Jongin stood up to engulf him in a warm hug and left the room, leaving Jongdae alone to let out a sigh of vexation as he stared at the piano keys.

 

February 2019.

Jongdae rested his head on Baekhyun’s shoulder while the latter played another song on the piano.

Watching Baekhyun’s slim fingers flow affluently in the air and drop to the keys, Jongdae hummed softly as he tried to guess the song solely from the movements.

He sat up to watch Baekhyun’s blissful face expressing every note. His furrowed brows and pursed lips held focus within, sweat drops forming at the sides of his face as feelings erupted with the intense hits against the keys.

Jongdae could tell how bad Baekhyun wanted this. He worked himself to the bone to get where he was, and he absolutely deserved to participate in the international competition.

Jongdae stared at the keys again.

Liszt.

Baekhyun finally finished with a sharp exhale, a look of bliss and relief painting his face as he brushed his hair back.

Jongdae waited until Baekhyun finally looked at him with anticipating eyes. He took slow, deep breaths for a minute before parting his lips.

“Etudes 12?” He spoke quietly, unsure of how his voice came out.

Until he saw a sunshine beam through Baekhyun’s proud smile.

“Yes.” Baekhyun flicked his hand.

Jongdae’s vocal cords were barely affected by the accident, but the visible winces from his parents whenever he tried to speak dropped his confidence six feet under. So he never spoke unless he was with Baekhyun, the only person that could handle his off-tone voice.

“You sound pretty.” Baekhyun signed again, still panting from his intense practice.

“Thank you, my love.” Jongdae used his hands. “I’m sure this was perfect.” He glanced at the piano.

“It really wasn’t.”

“For a deaf guy to guess it just by watching? Absolutely perfect.” Jongdae showed a wide grin.

Baekhyun only smiled shyly, his plump cheekbones rising under the crescent moons formed by his eyes.

Jongdae parted his lips again, holding Baekhyun’s warm hands within his own.

“I’m so proud of you.” He whispered.

Baekhyun slid his arms around his waist and pulled him closer so they could melt within the warmth of each other’s bodies. His lips found Jongdae’s like they always did, naturally connecting their souls through their breaths. Jongdae smiled into the kiss and caressed Baekhyun’s broad shoulders, relishing the familiar taste of honey biscuits off his boyfriend’s tongue.

 

Jongdae couldn’t help but shiver when he remembered how everything turned out for them. Baekhyun never got to participate in the competition, given how their lives have turned upside down since his surprise marriage announcement. 

He had tried his hardest not to despise Baekhyun for what happened. He didn’t hate him; he could never hate him. But the sharp pain from hundreds of knives stabbing his back was unforgettable, and he was in no way going to get in the way of a future that was already settled.

Chapter 13: THIRTEEN - My Eyes Are On You.

Summary:

Suspicions, suspicions, suspicions...
Wavering feelings haunt both ends of the red line and neither of them know how to make the wildfires die down.

Notes:

hi! this feels like a quicker update i think... i know it's short but i hope u enjoy! next one will def be the opposite ;)

May 16th.

9:20 am.

“That is why he sucks. He should’ve left her if he couldn’t handle the sudden changes and not be a people-pleaser.” Sehun muttered with furrowed brows, his eyes still stuck to his tablet’s screen. 

He was practically explaining the plot to Chanyeol throughout the episode. Something about a woman turning into a man overnight and her red-flag boyfriend. He shook his head in disbelief, unsure of the reason why he was so worked up: the fact that he was so pissed at the boyfriend or the fact that he was suddenly so invested in the plot.

A loud knock made the pair flinch and remove their eyes from the screen.

“Mr. Oh?” Doh Kyungsoo’s secretary entered his office quietly, glancing at the tablet propped on his desk before offering a bow. 

“Oh. Good morning, Secretary Lee.” Sehun cocked his head with a smile.

She bared a warm smile in return. “Good morning, sir. Mr. Doh would like you to come to his office right away.”

“Oh?” Sehun tilted his head and turned slowly in his chair to stare up at Chanyeol.

He shrugged. He was equally as surprised as the younger man; Kyungsoo barely called him to his office—so formally at that.

“I’ll be right there. Thank you.” Sehun said with a smile.

Once Secretary Lee left the room, Sehun turned swiftly with wide eyes. “Did I do something wrong?”

Chanyeol furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes while thinking of a recent case of Sehun possibly pissing his brother off. He shrugged again; Doh Kyungsoo gets pissed at anything and everything anyway.

“I’m scared.” The younger man whispered while striding to Kyungsoo’s office.

“I’m sure it’s nothing serious, sir.” Chanyeol replied.

“That’s the problem.” Sehun bit his bottom lip.

 

The familiar scent of traditional Korean incense attacked Chanyeol’s nostrils upon entering the spacious office. Flashbacks of the day he humiliated himself in front of his target haunted him as they approached Kyungsoo’s desk.

Kyungsoo lifted his head up slowly from his desk, wearing his usual unfathomable expression that made Chanyeol feel like punching a wall.

“Good morning, my—my dear brother.” Sehun stammered and bowed sharply.

Chanyeol exchanged puzzled glances with Secretary Lee. She grimaced before excusing herself, eyeing him one more time before leaving the room. The air was filled with awkwardness rather than tension, and it was all Sehun’s doing, if you ask him.

“What?” Kyungsoo tilted his head, concerned.

“I mean… Mr. Doh.” Sehun inhaled deeply. “...Hyung-nim…?”

Kyungsoo rubbed his temple and sighed. “Hyung is fine. What is wrong with you today?”

“Huh? Nothing. I’m totally normal.” Sehun shrugged with a shaky smile.

Kyungsoo bit the inside of his cheek and slowly averted his gaze to stare Chanyeol down. 

Chanyeol frowned, swallowing hard and avoiding eye contact at all costs. His gut churned at the fierce staredown. The way Doh Kyungsoo’s eyes held so much expression within sent a shiver down his spine. The shorter man clicked his pen repeatedly while studying his figure. Chanyeol could’ve sworn he saw a sick smirk creep over his lips as he stared near his groin. 

This whore.

“Hyung?” Sehun waved his hand, eyes jumping between the two in confusion.

Kyungsoo put his pen down and sat back. “You’re free this morning, right?”

“Oh. Yes.”

“Great.” Kyungsoo stood up. “We’re moving in a few minutes to a shooting range.” He said while approaching his brother.

“Shooting range?” Sehun frowned.

Kyungsoo removed something in Sehun’s hair and patted his shoulder. “Your b—friend, Jongin, is coming.” He smiled before leaving the office.

“What the hell?!” Sehun mouthed to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol could only shrug in response—again.

---

Myeongdong. Hanguk Shooters Club.

“Can I ask why we’re here?” Sehun stared at the building with concern.

“To hang out! It’s really fun around here.” Kyungsoo said with a wide grin.

Chanyeol didn’t know much about tense sibling dynamics, but the idea of dragging your little brother to a shooting range to hang out didn't seem very sane to him. He assumed Doh Kyungsoo was boring enough to enjoy golfing at most. But, well, he stood corrected. Unless there was some wicked plan behind this whole outing.

Kim Jongin was waiting in front of the building, visibly tense and just as confused as the others.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” Sehun whispered.

“He called and asked if I wanted to go! I got scared…” Jongin answered with a pout.

The couple’s endearingly fearful faces would make one assume they’ve never touched a firearm in their lives.

“Why are you so shaken?” Chanyeol tilted his head.

“We did social service…” Jongin whispered.

“Oh god.”

Realistically enough, they did barely touch a firearm.

“Hyung, couldn’t we have gone for ice cream or something? This is extreme.” Sehun whined while putting on his earmuffs.

“This is more fun. You need to know more than just the basics for this.” Kyungsoo said as he adjusted his shooting glasses. 

He turned to stare down Chanyeol, who was standing behind with just his earmuffs on. 

“You’re joining us, Guard Park.”

Chanyeol stood tall. “I’m fine with observing, sir.” 

“I wasn’t asking you. You are joining us.” The shorter man said sternly and handed him his glasses.

He had to draw in another deep breath to avoid grabbing the nearest rifle and shooting his actual target right there.

“Mr. Doh! It’s been a while.” A tall man greeted Kyungsoo with a warm hug and a wide grin. From the way he wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo’s waist, the pair seemed to be very close, Chanyeol thought.

“Do you come here often?” Sehun asked nervously.

“More often than not.” Kyungsoo smiled. “I booked us a private room. Come on.”

“It’s nothing to be scared about, sir. We’ll help you out.” Chanyeol gave the younger men a reassuring smile while pushing them down the hallway.

“You better.” Sehun whispered.

 

“Hyung-nim, what did you do in the military exactly?” Jongin asked while cautiously holding the rifle handed to him.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply before almost reciting, “Active duty. I was in the White Horse Division.”

“What rank?” Kyungsoo crossed his arms.

“Sergeant.” Chanyeol smirked. “An early promotion with multiple honors.”

“I see.” Kyungsoo cocked an eyebrow. “Looking forward to seeing your skills, Sergeant.” 

Chanyeol clenched his jaw at his smirk, his own lips arching into a cocky smile as he approached Jongin.

“Do you remember anything from basic, sir?” He asked the shorter man.

Jongin shook his head. “I've only touched a K2 once in my life.”

“That’s okay. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and square up your shoulders.” He tapped his shoulders.

“You have to think of controlling the recoil.” He slid a hand along Jongin’s arm. “Keep your support hand further forward.”

 

Kyungsoo watched along with Sehun as Chanyeol helped Jongin aim. Pent-up frustration from the past week started getting to him from the moment he desperately needed to keep his eyes on the suspicious man. It didn’t help, though. Because his gaze would wander to places he shouldn’t be staring at. Not when it’s someone he so passionately wanted to end.

He watched as Chanyeol’s larger hand slid from Jongin’s shoulder to his hip. A phantom feeling of such teasing touches faintly ghosted over on his own skin and burned where it shouldn’t.

“He’s so hot.” Sehun whispered beside him.

Kyungsoo nodded mindlessly before flinching. What?

“What?! No!” He nearly yelled.

Sehun frowned. “What?”

“What?” Kyungsoo gulped.

“He is hot. I can’t thirst over my boyfriend now?” Sehun crossed his arms.

“Your—oh.” His eyes widened. “You want me to agree with you?!”

“Whether you like it or not, you know he’s fine.” The younger man winked.

Kyungsoo cringed and watched Jongin shoot.

“Good shot.” Chanyeol smiled. “Mr. Oh?”

Sehun stood straight and approached the taller man but Kyungsoo grabbed his arm.

“I’ll help you.” He said sternly.

“Are you sure?” Sehun asked quietly.

“I’d imagine you were in some special forces, Mr. Doh.” Chanyeol said with a smirk.

Kyungsoo raised his chin. “I was in the Fierce Tiger Division.”

“Weren’t you a cook?” Sehun tilted his head.

Something twisted in his gut when he noticed Chanyeol smirking.

“Culinary Specialist.” Kyungsoo said through gritted teeth. “And I’ve been training since my discharge anyway. You can ask Coach Choi.” He crossed his arms.

“You seem to be passionate about firearms, sir.” Chanyeol cocked an eyebrow.

“Just another hobby I enjoy.”

The taller man smiled. “I’d love to see your best shot, then.”

“Sure.” Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes and approached the lane.

He could feel Chanyeol’s gaze burning the back of his head. Drawing in a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and squinted his left eye before taking a near-perfect shot.

“Woah.” Sehun gasped. “That was so cool, hyung.”

Kyungsoo smirked. Though his nerves shook when he realized he could have easily hit the bullseye if it wasn’t for the irritating stare of the man he wanted to use as a target the most.

“Almost a bullseye.” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows. “Very impressive, Mr. Doh.”

“My turn!” Sehun jumped in excitement.

Though his enthusiasm seemed to fade after his two-point shot.

“You should’ve leaned into it more. The recoil control was a little weak.” Chanyeol said from the back, taking off his suit jacket and rolling up his sleeves.

“I think his recoil control was fine.” Kyungsoo argued, eyes flicking to Chanyeol’s forearms before locking into another stare-down.

Chanyeol crossed his arms. “It wasn’t fine. You should’ve told him to lean closer.”

Kyungsoo took off his earmuffs, stepping up to the taller man. “It was totally fine. He’s just a beginner—he’ll learn.”

Chanyeol scoffed. “He could’ve done better if you trained him correctly.”

“Shouldn't I be the offended one here?” Sehun took a step between the two.

“It’s alright. Both of you could help. This isn’t a competition…” Jongin said quietly, exchanging a worried glance with Sehun as they pulled them further away from each other.

“Show us your outstanding skills then, Mr. Park.” Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes and stood beside him.

Chanyeol only sneered before picking up the rifle and adjusting his glasses.

Kyungsoo clenched his jaw while watching him slowly adjust his stance. He flinched at the top button of Chanyeol’s shirt popping once he extended his arms to hold the rifle. The room was only getting sultrier by seconds, and he could notice sweat drops gliding down Chanyeol’s tanned skin. His veins bulged under his skin and his brushed-back hair slowly fell against his temple as he leaned his head to zero. He held back a groan he shouldn’t even think of letting out when he peeked at the valley between the taller man’s pecs.

Fuck—

“Ah!” Kyungsoo screeched loudly from the deafening gunshot. His eyes widened when everyone jumped and turned to stare at him. He forgot to put his earmuffs back on. Shit.

“Fuck.” He pressed on his buzzing ears, cursing again under his breath as he bent down from embarrassment.

“Hyung! Are you okay?” Sehun ran to him with concerned eyes.

“I’m fine.” He quietly replied. “Forgot the ear pros.”

“Are you sure they’re okay?” Chanyeol’s deep voice echoed with the ringing in his ear. His large hand rested on his shoulder, and it burned. Kyungsoo shivered from flashbacks of the night of their fight and shook his hand off. 

Why the hell would he even care if his eardrums exploded? Piece of shit.

He stood up again, inhaling deeply before shaking his head. “I’m fine now. Let’s continue.”

---

Gwanak District: Sillim-dong.

10:23 pm.

Chanyeol parked his tailing car further away from Kyungsoo’s down the dark road bordering the dense neighborhood. The flickering streetlights and gloomy, still air flowed around them as he got out of the car a minute after his target. What could the rich vice president possibly be doing in a low-income neighborhood at such a late hour? He first assumed it would be Kyungsoo’s boytoy, but the way the man was making wrong turns and wandering around to find his destination showed that it wasn’t a place he frequented.

Chanyeol adjusted his mask while taking feathery steps behind the shorter man down the narrow alleyways. Kyungsoo halted in front of the small building, pulling out his phone to double-check the address of the one-room apartment in front of him before approaching it carefully. 

Chanyeol positioned himself between two buildings across the street with a clear line of sight to the front door.

Kyungsoo hesitated before knocking on the door. His shoulders were tense and he kept glancing around as he waited.

A woman’s cry came muffled through the thin walls. “Please leave me alone.”

Chanyeol frowned, taking a step closer for better hearing.

“Soyun. It’s me, Kyungsoo.” The shorter man leaned against the door, glancing around him again while waiting for her to respond.

A few moments of silence passed and Chanyeol’s guard was only up higher. Kyungsoo’s determination to meet that woman was rather alarming.

“I just need to give you something that belongs to you. I can’t leave it outside, though.” Kyungsoo tried speaking to her again, inhaling deeply and resting his head against the creaking door. “Remember what we talked about last time? I know it’s been a while, but it’s finally done.”

Another minute of silence passed by before the door cracked open to reveal a younger woman cautiously peeking outside. 

“Don’t hurt me.” She shakily whispered.

Chanyeol almost took a heavy step closer, his fight-or-flight response triggered by her vulnerability and Kyungsoo’s demanding presence.

“I won’t. I promise.” Kyungsoo spoke softly before reaching for his suit pocket. “Your application finally went through. You can start whenever you’re ready.”

The woman—Soyun—reached for the envelope with shaky hands. Chanyeol’s eyes widened when he recognized her face. 

Soyun. One of the victims he had saved in 2016. She was only 16 then, scarred at such a young age from the cruel sex crimes that showed mercy to no one. The girls he helped escape ran off into nowhere. It was always inevitable with sex trafficking groups; the victims he helped out of there would run away, and he could only pray they find the peace and healing they deserved.

“And here’s a little something for you. Treat yourself to something nice, okay?” Kyungsoo handed her a thicker envelope.

Soyun shook her head vigorously. “I can’t pay you back for that.”

“You don’t need to. Just showing up for your first shift will pay it all back.”

Chanyeol’s heart shattered when he realized that she didn’t get the peace and healing she deserved, and surely the other victims didn’t either.

He was just stopping one cycle at a time, but at what cost? When did Ryeo ever consider helping the victims after ending their abusers? 

Chanyeol was only able to remove the moles ruining their society but he never had the resources to actually help their victims.

Was Doh Kyungsoo just another culprit taking the ‘good guy’ approach, or maybe, just maybe, Ryeo happened to be wrong about him, too?

Chanyeol kept his eyes on them as they talked in hushed voices, refusing to let his guard down until Kyungsoo finally said his goodbyes and Soyun shut her door. 

Only then did he exhale and step out of the narrow alleyway to follow the man who had slipped out of his sight.

Until he appeared again. 

Right in front of him, with a pocket knife pressed to his throat.

“Who the hell are you?” Kyungsoo whispered, eyes sharp and locked into his own.

Notes:

teehee
p.s.i know no shit abt shooting ranges and military so i did use chansoo's irl positions and tweaked them to fit... sorry if theres a connoisseur here that notices my bullshitting LOL
i'm also shitting on a kdrama i recently watched and disliked at the beginning lmao bear with me here

Chapter 14: FOURTEEN - Pride.

Summary:

Pride: Confidence and self-respect as expressed by members of a group, typically one that has been socially marginalized, on the basis of their shared identity, culture, and experience.

Notes:

hi! an update within(?) a week again woo!!! the chapter took much more words than i expected but i didn’t want to split it bc of the connected topic, so i just designated two parts for it based on ships.
please read both of them, though, and i hope you enjoy!!

---

PART 1

---

“Who the hell are you?” Kyungsoo whispered, eyes sharp and locked into his own.

Chanyeol stepped back. His fight-or-flight response got triggered by the chaebol's unexpected reaction. The way the shorter man swung his knife showed him how much experience he must possess.

Kyungsoo swung his knife again, frowning when Chanyeol dodged it skillfully. Chanyeol, merely there to be a spectator, didn’t want to end up involving himself in a fight with his target. Part of him also knew that biting back would never make him pull away.

Chanyeol was caught off-guard by the way Kyungsoo spun his knife between his fingers and grazed its sharp blade on his chest. His black sweater ripped a thin line and he felt a sharp nick on his pec. It wasn’t something he couldn’t endure, but the shorter man’s confidence and skill surprised him.

So he chose to survive.

He ran off between the small buildings, heavy steps echoing through the close walls and haphazard ups and downs of the hills. He could hear Kyungsoo’s footsteps behind him but never looked back. He took the complicated route connecting the buildings to lose him quickly—which he did.

He stopped in a narrow alleyway between two apartments. Taking heavy breaths, Chanyeol peeked through the small opening to see Kyungsoo turning his head swiftly in all directions. 

The shorter man sighed heavily before pulling out his phone.

“Hey, Mr. Kim.” Kyungsoo panted. “There’s another one again. Last time was a month ago—”

He brushed a hand through his hair, sighing. “No, it’s not the same person. This one is… lanky compared to the other.”

Lanky? Lanky?!

Chanyeol almost scoffed, glancing at his own body for a second. That piece of shit. 

“I lost him this time, too. I think I cut him, though.” He continued while taking slow steps further down the hill.

Chanyeol stayed as still as a statue until Kyungsoo walked away. He ran a fingertip on his—rather shallow—wound. It was barely a cut but definitely in a certain area that burned whenever he moved his arm. He winced at the sting and watched the blood stain his finger. Piece of shit.

Who else could’ve been following him anyway? Does he seriously have that many people after him because of his crimes? 

He glanced around him one more time to make sure the short hostile loser didn't surprise him again, then waited until he drove away so he could approach his own car.

He leaned against his driving wheel and drew in a few deep breaths before letting the frustration take over him again when he realized how rusty he’s become after that many years.

Was he growing too old? Shit.

---

May 28th, 2024.

11:00 am.

‘Walk Proud’ Campaign Shoot.

“I can’t believe you’re tagging along… voluntarily.” Sehun said giddily, excitement evident in his chuckle.

“It’s an interesting project.” Kyungsoo shrugged, idly staring out the car window. “And you chose it yourself, so I should take a look at least.”

Giho, for once, was not on the verge of breaking down while driving, and the brothers were peacefully sharing small talk on the way to the studio.

Chanyeol, on the other hand, was far from relaxed. The awkward glances he shared with Doh Kyungsoo through the rearview mirror made his gut turn. Kyungsoo seemed to be unbothered, though, which drove him crazy. They hadn’t seen each other for nearly two weeks and it was like the tension all snapped to Chanyeol’s side. Maybe it was because only one side of them had met the other that night. 

He promised himself to stay grounded either way. Neutral. It sounded like the best attitude he could have to find his way closer to Kyungsoo’s circle.

Sehun decided to work with a pride-focused campaign organized by a local shoe brand. Some executives may have judged, but it was approved regardless since ‘it would help with his reputation.’ Chanyeol knew how excited Sehun was and how he must’ve wanted Jongin to be by his side to see him take a step further, even in the slightest.

He wasn’t sure how Kyungsoo would describe ‘pride,’ given how little he knew about his personal relationship with his boytoy, but he hoped he was open-minded enough to support the younger man. 

To Chanyeol, pride meant one’s own soul. Everyone knows that they cannot survive in this world without having pride, but only a few know that swallowing it was what kept them alive. 

As to being queer, Chanyeol never took the time to sit with his thoughts and think about how different he was from others; he was always different. Everyone around him had their own stories, opinions and preferences growing up. He did find out that this part of himself had to be shoved in the dark chest that carried secrets too harsh for anyone to take in. He couldn’t care less anyway. It wasn’t like he was helpless to defend himself if someone bothered him. Pride was still part of the soul; taking away his identity would mean taking a chunk of his life and spirit.

Chanyeol stood behind the cameras with Giho and Kyungsoo while Sehun glowed under the studio lights. He remained unwavered by the strange feeling of Kyungsoo’s presence in a place he had never seen him in before.

“Does he usually act this polite?” Kyungsoo questioned, leaning back in his chair with furrowed brows.

Chanyeol almost tsked. He lightly squeezed his hand behind his back and rolled his eyes.

Kyungsoo shifted to blink up at him with a raised brow.

“You’re not going to answer me?” Kyungsoo tilted his head.

Chanyeol flinched. He frowned at the vice president before glancing at Sehun, who was busy joking with the stylists in front of the cameras.

“Ah.” Chanyeol swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”

“Huh.” Kyungsoo hummed and turned to watch his brother charm the directors.

“My neck hurts. Just sit down until Giho comes.” He said without turning to face the taller man.

“I’m okay here, sir.” Chanyeol deadpanned and ignored Kyungsoo’s annoyed sigh.

A buzz around his wrist caught his attention.

Client B.

Chanyeol sighed. It’s been a while, he thought.

“Excuse me for a minute, sir.” He murmured while answering the call, walking away without waiting for a reply from Kyungsoo.

“Chanyeol.”

“Mr. Byun.” Chanyeol replied, glancing behind him before exiting the studio. “Been a while.”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun replied, quiet.

They stayed silent for a few seconds. Chanyeol waited for Baekhyun to say something—anything. But he only heard his quiet, shaky breaths through the line. The same breaths he would let out when Chanyeol teased him with lingering touches for hours on end.

“Sir?”

“Sorry.” Baekhyun gulped. “I’m not sure why I called, actually.” He laughed breathlessly.

“Is everything okay, Mr. Byun?” Chanyeol frowned, glancing down at the quiet meow by his feet.

“Yeah. I just…” Baekhyun sighed. “Why didn’t you call me? Since… that night.”

Chanyeol squatted down to pet the inky kitten bunting its body against his legs.

“Well…” He drew in a short breath.

“I thought you had some stuff to figure out since then.” He brushed the kitten’s temple with his thumb. “You’re also a busy man.”

“But it shouldn’t be a one-way thing. Do you not want to meet anymore?”

“That’s not what I meant, sir.” Chanyeol tried not to coo at the endearing tricks the kitten showed him. He smiled at her attempts to hide in his jacket. “You know I’m always here if you do need me. I don’t mean to push you, that’s all.”

“Yes, I get that.” The sound of a clicking pen confirmed that Baekhyun was working, or hiding, in his office. “But I’ll figure my own stuff out whenever I want. I’ve already figured it out, actually.”

“Have you now?” Chanyeol cocked an eyebrow. He swooped the small kitten in his arm and tickled her cheek.

“What does that mean?”

“Well… Have you figured everything out with Mr. Kim?”

“Yes.”

“Ah… and?”

“I think I deserve to stay hooked on him a little more. I can’t just fuck my feelings out of me.”

Chanyeol scoffed. “I think the one who has been doing that is me, sir.” He smirked.

“I’m—is that a meow?”

“Yeah. Her name is… Soo.” Chanyeol smiled at her, teasing her by tapping her temple a few times and jokingly wincing at her little bites.

“Soo?” Baekhyun chuckled. “Why ‘Soo’?”

Chanyeol clicked his tongue. “Don’t know. She’s a little feisty.”

“Didn’t know you had a cat.”

“I don’t. She seems lost.” Chanyeol sniffled. “Where’s your mommy?” He cooed at the meowing kitten.

“Here.” A deep voice made him jump.

He stumbled back, grip tightening around the small body in his hand as he stared wide-eyed at Kyungsoo.

Of course, it barely took thirty minutes for him to furrow his thick eyebrows in vexation.

“I have to go, sir.” He told Baekhyun and hung up immediately.

“What?” He asked the shorter man, who had his arms crossed with attitude while leaning against the wall.

The kitten—Soo—glanced at Kyungsoo before turning to meow at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol blinked at her in confusion before cocking an eyebrow at Kyungsoo.

“She’s right here.” Kyungsoo pointed to the side of the building. Soo’s mom was glaring at Chanyeol and ready to attack at any moment.

“Ah.” Chanyeol put her down and rubbed his palm on his pants.

“Do you usually take this long chattering during working hours?” Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow.

Chanyeol snapped his head back slightly, taken aback by the odd resemblance of the shorter man’s expressions to the kitten’s. There’s no way someone like him could ever resemble a cat. Or maybe he did. Maybe he looked more like the cat’s furious mother. Though surely he possessed no such instinct. Well—

“Mr. Park?” Kyungsoo waved his hand.

“Huh? Oh. No, sir.” He straightened his back.

“So you don’t laugh around with your partner on the phone while petting stray cats outside the company any chance you get?” Kyungsoo tilted his head.

Chanyeol sighed. “No, sir.”

He held back a laugh. Doh Kyungsoo really sounded like a hag sometimes.

“Huh.” Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, rubbing his chin as he studied Chanyeol’s figure.

Chanyeol’s eyes wandered around him awkwardly. Kyungsoo seemed quite observant that day. He wondered how many more ‘huh’s he was going to hear by the end of the party that night.

Shit.

Sohn Horology’s anniversary celebration party. Chanyeol almost groaned loudly; he thought the day would simply end without another messy event.

Sehun peeked his head outside the door with furrowed brows. “What are you two doing?”

The pair turned to Sehun. Kyungsoo shook his head while Chanyeol shrugged.

Sehun pouted. “Come back inside.” He demanded and disappeared without waiting for an answer.

They exchanged awkward glances before Kyungsoo slipped inside quickly.

Chanyeol turned to look at Soo and her mother once again before following him inside.

 

“Please style Mr. Oh for the last shots.” The director said through the megaphone.

Kyungsoo took it as an indication for a small break and slipped into the small restroom.

While fixing his shirt and washing his hands, he glanced at the taller man slipping out of the other stall. He almost rolled his eyes, too annoyed by his subtle yet irritating presence. 

He didn’t like that he was always by Sehun’s side, possibly feeding him useless information and acting all older brother around him. He didn’t like that he towered over him whenever they stood remotely close to each other. He also didn’t like how his stupid shirts tightened around his biceps and chest whenever he moved his arms. Stupid, stupid Park Chanyeol.

Glancing through the mirror at Chanyeol, he noticed how his shirt did the stupid thing again. The black fabric hugged his firm chest, showcasing the outline of his pecs. Kyungsoo frowned; he noticed an outline of something on the man’s chest that wasn’t supposed to be there. 

Tape? Plaster? Plaster.

There was plaster on his right pec, exactly where Kyungsoo had cut the man following him. 

Stupid Park Chanyeol.

Kyungsoo didn’t think twice when he turned and pushed Chanyeol to hit the wall behind him.

Chanyeol grunted. “What the fuck?!”

Kyungsoo paid him no mind. He fiddled with the buttons with his wet hands and pulled the shirt apart fiercely, almost ripping at it.

Chanyeol, surprisingly, didn’t fight back. He merely stared at him in confusion until he revealed his firm pecs. 

Oh.

Kinesiology tape.

Kyungsoo sighed. He wasn’t sure if it was a sigh of disappointment or relief, though. He stared at the plump pecs in disbelief, gulping as heat rose to his cheeks.

“I didn’t know you wanted me that badly, Mr. Doh.” Chanyeol smirked, showing his stupid dimple under the arc of his lips.

Kyungsoo frowned and glanced at his hands, which were still gripping the wrinkled fabric of Chanyeol’s shirt. He tried pulling away but the taller man grabbed his wrists.

“You could’ve just said it, sir.” Chanyeol whispered.

He leaned down close enough for his breath to hover over Kyungsoo’s. “It only takes a little begging for me to say yes.”

Kyungsoo widened his eyes. He glanced back down only to realize how his fingertips were mindlessly feathering over Chanyeol’s chest. Fuck.

“Get off me.” He growled, squirming his wrists out of the taller man’s steel grip.

Chanyeol tightened his grip instead. “You’re the one taking my clothes off, though?”

“Fuck you.” Kyungsoo spat.

“You know that’s harassment, Mr. Doh. Or do you just take off the clothes of anyone you wanna fuck?”

“I’m—sorry.” Kyungsoo sighed, “I shouldn’t have—”

“Yeah, you shouldn’t have. Now we’re both hard.”

Huh?

Oh.

Kyungsoo finally became aware of the aching pain in his pants.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” He yelled. “Are you some kind of pervert?!”

Chanyeol scoffed. “Look who’s talking. You’re literally groping my tits right now.” 

“Fuck.” Kyungsoo panted, pulling his hands out of Chanyeol’s hold. “I’m sorry. I thought there was… something else.”

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow. “Right.”

Kyungsoo cleared his throat, backing away slowly.

He took in the full view of Chanyeol’s figure. His pants were now tighter, and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned, showing his glistening tan chest and part of his stomach. And with his red cheeks and doe eyes, he looked straight out of a fancy porno magazine.

“Take a picture if you please, sir.” Chanyeol smirked and leaned on the sink.

“You’re a fucking menace.” Kyungsoo growled. 

He could feel Chanyeol’s perverted gaze practically undressing him and gnawing at his skin.

He stormed out of the bathroom and ran through the busy staff, finding his way outside the building.

Stupid Park Chanyeol. So, so, so stupid.

He took heavy breaths of the cool air, wincing at the uncomfortable pain straining his pants.

Just as he was about to pull out his phone, his watch buzzed with a familiar contact appearing on the small screen.

Dowoon.

He answered almost immediately, clumsily holding the phone to his ear. “Hyung.”

“You’ve never answered my call this quickly.” Dowoon chuckled.

“Yeah—what’s up?” He asked quietly, trying his best to maintain himself.

“I was just checking up on you.”

“Hyung.” Kyungsoo said sternly. “Since when did you ever do that?”

“You’re right… I’m booty-calling. But you seem busy so—”

“I’m not!” He jumped. “I’m free right now, but you’ll have to pick me up… quick.”

“Well, that’s new. You’re never free in the middle of the day.”

“Yeah, yeah, lunch break. Now please come.”

“I sure will.”

Kyungsoo could hear the cocky smirk in the older man’s voice. He scoffed as he hung up, sending him the location and waiting impatiently in the quiet area beside the building.

After a few minutes, the kitten he had seen earlier—Soo—approached him slowly.

“Hey.” Kyungsoo cooed at the small animal, squatting down to let her smell his fingers.

Soo leaned into his gentle pets before suddenly jumping, showing a few tricks then hissing at him and running away.

“You really are feisty.” He chuckled.

---

PART 2

---

May 28th.

Eunpyeong Hanok Village: Sohn Horology’s private hanok estate.

8:10 pm.

The Kim family took pride in their traditional designs of their internationally prominent horology. It was no surprise to anyone that they would hold their 30th anniversary celebration party in one of their distinguished traditional hanok estates.

Elegant paintings and clocks adorned the large brown walls of the house, glimmering under the warm lights of the sophisticated chandeliers. The way the modern and traditional styles harmonized within the spacious rooms amazed Baekhyun; it was a rather exquisite taste that was close to his own. 

Though some might think it’s extra to impose a traditional costume dress code, he thought it was a creative idea to embrace the elegance of their traditional attire. He immediately knew it was Junmyeon’s idea, though; the vice president of the company was known to be extremely innovative and driven.

He stood in the heart of the room to observe the aesthetic interior until a rare yet familiar beauty caught his eye.

Jongdae.

Standing between larger bodyguards and important figures that towered over him, he still glowed with outstanding beauty while entering the crowded room. At that moment, everyone turned into darkness surrounding the only beam of light in Baekhyun’s eyes.

Jongdae halted his steps and stood small in front of Baekhyun, fiddling hands adjusting his navy blue hanbok as his eyes wandered around his figure. He bowed slowly before raising his hands in the thick air between the two of them.

“Good evening, Mr. Byun.”

Baekhyun swallowed hard. Jongdae’s small smile gleamed under the chandelier’s bright lights. He wore his warm expression regardless, despite everything that happened on the night of the rehearsal party.

He raised his arms to reply in small movements. 

“Good evening.”

---

May 1st.

Kangsin’s charity rehearsal party.

10:12 pm.

Baekhyun followed Jongdae when he left the bright terrace, quickening his pace to catch his attention with a tap on his shoulder.

Jongdae turned swiftly with a flinch.

Time came to a stop the moment they locked eyes. Baekhyun could see the light sparkles in Jongdae’s wide eyes. His breath hitched; Jongdae didn’t look too happy to see him.

With shaky hands he signed, “Hi.”

Jongdae stood straight and bit the inside of his cheek. “Hi.” He replied, his expression rather indifferent.

“I wanted to talk to you…” Baekhyun’s eyes wandered; his nerves were practically all over the place.

Jongdae tilted his head. “About what?”

“Everything.” 

“Everything?”

“Yes.”

Jongdae stood still for a moment, allowing the tension to rise between them. “Now?” He signed hesitantly.

“We never got to talk about it.”

Jongdae bit his lip, glancing around with a sigh.

“What do you want to say, then?”

 Baekhyun froze. Suddenly, all the words he wanted to say were locked and tied between his hands.

“I’ve—I’ve been thinking about you… a lot.”

Jongdae crossed his arms, listening quietly.

Baekhyun raised his hands again. “You know, since the anniversary.”

Jongdae frowned, “What?”

“Jongdae.” Baekhyun sighed. “Are you acting like you don’t remember?”

Jongdae’s eyes turned from irritated to enraged—a sight Baekhyun barely ever saw. “Of course I remember! When do I not remember you?”

Baekhyun took a step back. “What do you mean?”

Jongdae flailed his arms, his movements big and sharp. “Why are you acting like I don’t wake up every day thinking of you?! For five fucking years! Five!”

Baekhyun froze, watching him with wide eyes as he let out what seemed like years of rage and agony.

“Why are you looking at me like I’m some madman, Baekhyun? You disappeared for months on end, and when you come back you’re getting married and you expect me not to crash out when you want to feel better about yourself by talking?!”

Baekhyun swallowed hard. Maybe it was a bad idea to talk about everything that way. Maybe he should’ve let it all go instead. Maybe he was too selfish by wanting closure when he was the one who ruined everything. 

But he did try to fix it. He truly did.

“But I fought for us. I swear, I did. I did everything I could.” Baekhyun’s voice broke, barely above a whisper.

Jongdae sighed. Baekhyun could see the tears staining his face under the warm, far-off lights of the party.

“It doesn’t matter, Baek. It doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing does.” 

Baekhyun’s heart shattered; Jongdae mindlessly signed the name he had given him back then.

 

“How about this?” Jongdae turned to face Baekhyun with a wide grin.

He raised his right hand to make a peace sign on his face, one finger on the middle of his cheek and the other right under his smile line.

“Baek.” He spoke, voice weak but high enough for Baekhyun to hear him. “It’s where your moles are.”

Baekhyun felt heat rise from his chest to the top of his head. Oh my god. A wide smile tugged on his lips, eyes filled with fondness as he scooted closer to cuddle into his boyfriend’s arms.

“I love it.” He flicked his hand and leaned closer to plant a tender kiss on his lips.

 

“I’m sorry.” Baekhyun drew in a deep breath. “I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t need you to apologize, Baekhyun. It’s gone way past that. If you said you’ve done what you could, then sure, I’ll force myself to believe that.”

Baekhyun scratched the back of his neck, shoulders dropped in shame.

“It’s time we put this behind us, Baekhyun. Only heavens know what we’ve both been through.” Jongdae ran his hand through his hair. 

“But tell your wife not to go around harassing me like this. I don’t know how she found out about us, but I surely hope she doesn’t keep telling such things to other people.”

“My wife? What did Hyeri do?!”

---

9:01 pm.

Jongdae left the quiet bathroom and headed to return to the party before a sharp grip around his arm halted his steps.

He turned his head swiftly, staring wide-eyed at the person standing before him.

Go Hyeri.

The narrow pathway around the building was dark, yet illuminated enough by the party lights for Jongdae to see her clearly.

She stood still with an unfathomable expression on her face.

Jongdae swallowed hard, pulling his arm out of her hold with a frown. Before she could speak, he texted his interpreter to find him immediately.

He bit the inside of his cheek, thinking of all the possible reasons she would want to speak with him. He had never spoken with Hyeri before. They only ever exchanged a few awkward glances across the room at any parties he was present at.

Once Suwa came to break their tense silence, Hyeri started speaking.

“May I ask why you’ve been sleeping with my husband?” She asked with a raised brow, arms crossed as she eyed him down.

Suwa interpreted cautiously, already looking uncomfortable from the tense atmosphere.

Jongdae frowned, eyes wandering in confusion before raising his hands. 

“Why exactly would you assume that?”

Hyeri sighed. “He’s been sleeping with someone behind my back for this long. Who else would it be if not his dear lover?” 

Jongdae’s heart sank to his feet. He was unsure what he should be more concerned about. That Baekhyun has been sleeping with someone behind his wife’s back, who he has been sleeping with, or the fact that Hyeri knew about their relationship.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Ms. Go. I think you should be asking your husband directly instead of pointing fingers at innocent people.”

“So you think Baekhyun would go sleep with another person who isn’t even you?” Hyeri scoffed. “That is sick.”

Jongdae drew in a deep breath of the cold air. Guilt washed over him when he thought of how selfish he was. He had no right to be upset that his ex was sleeping with someone else—it was none of his business. But it was surely Hyeri’s business. Though it was hard to believe that Baekhyun would do such a thing.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Ms. Go.” He sighed. “If Baek—Mr. Byun—has actually been sleeping with someone, it is surely not me.”

Jongdae bit his bottom lip as he watched Hyeri’s eyes glisten with tears. 

“I would confront him directly if I were you, though. Have a good night.”

He walked away upon finishing his words, taking long strides back to the restroom and dismissing Suwa quietly.

It was already enough pain for him to accept the fact that he wasn’t with Baekhyun anymore. He shivered whenever the memories of the depression he had fallen into washed over him. After months of absolutely no contact and little to no hope of them actually working things out, Jongdae was on the verge of insanity. Jongin used to warn him about the amount of alcohol he drank throughout the day back then.

He leaned against the bathroom sink and repeatedly wet his face with cold water. He had no right to be this frustrated; it wasn’t like he was Baekhyun’s wife. She had every right to be worked up regarding her husband’s alleged cheating. Although he had believed that their marriage was merely arranged and that there was nothing between them. But who knows what all those years have held.

And the questions that had been haunting him since everything happened appeared again.

Should he have swallowed his pride and stayed with Baekhyun regardless?

Should he have done something to stop the marriage from proceeding?

Should he allow Baekhyun to enter his heart again? 

As if he ever left. 

A loud click to the restroom door grabbed his attention. He turned toward the sound source to see his brother entering with a serene smile on his face. Which turned into a concerned frown once they locked eyes.

“Hyung.” Jongin rushed to him, firm hands grabbing his shaking arms and helping him lean against the cold wall.

“Jongin…” Jongdae signed weakly. “Don’t let him go.”

“What?” Jongin frowned further with confusion.

Jongdae sighed. “Sehun. Don’t let him go. No matter what.”

“Hyung… Why are you suddenly saying this?”

“Trust me, staying here will do you both no good.” Jongdae bit his bottom lip, the bitter taste of blood painting his tongue. 

“Do what it takes to stay together, yeah? Run away if you must.” He then patted his brother’s shoulder with reassurance. “Hyung will help you.”

“Hyung, what happened to you?!” Jongin’s eyes started to well up with tears.

“You know what happened to me. You don’t want to put Sehun through that, right?”

---

“There is no way.” Baekhyun trailed off, eyes shocked in disbelief.

“Jongdae, it’s not like that—”

Jongdae swallowed hard, his throat burning. “You don’t need to be telling me that, Baekhyun. I’m not your wife.”

“But—”

“Go talk to her. I couldn’t care less whether what she said was true or not, but don’t involve me in such a mess.”

With that, Jongdae stepped away from Baekhyun but his slim fingers wrapped around his wrist.

Jongdae felt his heart burn.

“Don’t judge the situation solely from your eyes, please.” Baekhyun blinked slowly, eyes red and heavy.

“My judgement shouldn’t matter this much to you, Baekhyun.” Jongdae shook his head, pulling his wrist out of Baekhyun’s hold and walking away without looking back.

 

Baekhyun asked his chauffeur to drive him to Hyeri’s house that night. A conversation he thought he wouldn’t have to start with her was bound to happen either way.

“Baekhyun.” Hyeri stood up from her bed, clearly puzzled upon his visit.

“What makes you think you can go around talking about me the way you did tonight?” Baekhyun spoke with a firm tone, jaw clenched and ears red with rage.

“Did you mean my talk with Mr. Kim? I didn’t think he’d run to you about it.” Hyeri crossed her arms. “You know, since he’s clearly not the one you’re cheating on me with.”

“Cheating on you? Cheating on you?!” Baekhyun yelled. “You can’t be serious.”

“Lower your voice.” She said sternly.

He scoffed. “What about your girlfriend, Hyeri? Should I call that cheating as well?!”

Hyeri shook her head. “That is not the same.”

“Yes, it is.” Baekhyun took a step closer toward her. “It is the same and in fact, you’ve had it way easier and you know it. You had been with her for what? A year?”

“Two.” Hyeri murmured.

“And you were offered everything on a platter just by signing the papers of our marriage. She never refused to be with you afterward but my case was not the same.” Baekhyun shook his head, tears running down to stain his cheeks.

“Do we have to compare this? We were both forced into this, Baekhyun.”

“Exactly. And we never vowed to anything that required me being tied down to you nor you to me. So why would you go and harass him like that?” 

Hyeri tucked her hair behind her ear and inched closer to him. “Baekhyun, this is important to me, okay? I know it seems late but we can fix things.”

“Why is it important to you? What was important to you five years ago was getting your family out of bankruptcy and living your life with your lover and I helped you with that. Now what?”

“I need us to function like an actual couple, Baekhyun. This is the only way we can be convincing.”

“Like a couple? Hyeri, you’re asking for too much right now.”

“We need to be together.”

“Did she leave you, Hyeri?”

Hyeri froze, lips quivering upon hearing the one question she probably never wanted to hear before.

“Yes,” She whispered. “She said she can’t have all of me because I’m married.”

Baekhyun’s heart began to break into pieces. Regardless of their differences, Hyeri was still, somewhat, a friend. She was one of the only queer friends he ever had, too. And the fact that she was put in the same situation as him was already heartbreaking enough.

“I’m sorry.” Baekhyun sighed. “I know this feels like hell.”

“I saw it coming, anyway. I think she stayed with me in the beginning because we had hope that things would eventually end between me and you.”

“Hyeri.” Baekhyun stepped closer, opening his arms for her. “C’mere.”

Hyeri didn’t hesitate to take the offer. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed uncontrollably.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. 

He may have been sorry for many things then. He was sorry she had to go down the hole of guilt and regret. He was sorry things turned out the way they did between them. He was also sorry he could never give her his soul because it was already ripped away from him upon Jongdae’s departure.

He had swallowed his pride enough times for this one to be his last straw. Things had to get fixed one way or another, and he knew he had to do something that those before him never tried to do. Unyielding.