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Acting As His ShadowSushi for breakfast was what they were having. Or always had as Sungyeol who claimed to be a cat person loved raw fish just as much as cats loved fishes. As the men occupied all four sides of the table, Sungjong sat facing Woohyun with Ryosuke to his right and Sungyeol to his left. Though Sungyeol was focused on eating, Ryosuke and Woohyun kept most of their focal on Sungjong, just waiting for him to phone Myungsoo.
“Is there something on my face?” Sungjong asked, causing Ryosuke and Woohyun to look a completely different direction. “I will try to get a hold of him soon, don’t worry.”
“Can’t you do it now and get it over with? So that we can finally relax about having a place to stay now or not?” Woohyun questioned. Sungjong inhaled and exhaled deeply, he could feel the blood flow in him. His heart raced a little and he could feel the sweat forming on his temple and around his nape.
“Fine.” Sungjong pulled out his phone, “Eat then, while I make the call—”
“No we want to see what he say right after you hang up!” Ryosuke said.
“Yeah and if he refuse to take us in then I may reconsider my mind about killing him.” Woohyun said then stopped when Sungjong glared at him. “Well, something like that, you know?”
“Fine but keep your voice down.” Sungjong said, putting on his bravest face. He quickly search up Myungsoo’s old number that he has saved onto his sim card and now into his phone. As he dialed and waited for the call to go through, he heard someone pick up on the other end. “Myungsoo, it’s me Lee Sung—”
“One second, Myungsoo! Phone for you!” Suzy called.
“Was that a woman’s voice?” Ryosuke asked. Sungjong shot his curiousity down.
“Myungsoo speaking.” Myungsoo said on the other line.
“Sorry, wrong number.” Sungjong said bluntly before hanging up. His whole crew’s eyes were on him.
“That wasn’t Myungsoo?” Woohyun asked.
“No. It wasn’t.” Sungjong lied. Ryosuke and Woohyun heaved depressed sighs, meanwhile Sungyeol ate in silence. Because the person known as Kim Myungsoo meant very little to Sungyeol. Though he was sure he had heard of the name before.
“So in the end he really did change his number too….I guess he have really moved on.” Ryosuke said. Woohyun who was ignored by the idea scoffed heavily.
“If only I know where that punk is, I’d go find him and threaten him to let me take over his studio.”
Ryosuke who was slowly catching on look straight at Woohyun. “Sungjong said you’re a man right out of prison, but how are you related to Myungsoo or come to know Sungjong? Earlier you spoke of your wife to get to Myungsoo, just what did you mean by that?”
Woohyun flashed the Japanese man a gleeful smile. “How much do you know about, Kim Myungsoo?” Was his first question. Ryosuke who couldn’t predict that such question would be asked at the moment pulled his head back.
“Well not much, he doesn’t say much about himself.”
“And people who don’t say much about themselves tends to be those who has too many secrets. In order to appear decent, average, and normal, they don’t talk about themselves. Because everyone has disgusting and nasty side to them. Myungsoo’s nasty side just happens to be my wife, his older sister.”
Sungyeol was the first to react by choking on his food. “W-why are you acting like Sungjong when you’ve decided to follow your plan? So inappropriate and rude to the food.”
“Exactly, it’s a disturbing topic that Kim Myungsoo has always wanted to open people’s mind to.” Woohyun said, Ryosuke looked over to see how Sungjong was like, but surprisingly he didn’t appear affected.
“You knew about this, Jong?”
Sungjong exhaled heavily. “Yeah.”
A wave of guilt washed through Ryosuke’s short body. If he had known, he was sure he wouldn’t have pushed the idea of Myungsoo’s studio onto Sungjong. For some reason, Ryosuke was starting to feel bad for his and Sungjong’s love. Not once were their love returned. They’re always falling for the wrong person.
“I’m sorry….” Ryosuke said under a low voice, almost like a whisper. Sungjong wore a smug on his face.
“Just eat. We need to start gathering information on Yamaguchi soon. So the more food you’re able to eat, the stronger you’ll be.” Sungjong’s words of courage was quickly killed by Sungyeol’s question.
“So, are you saying I’m stronger than you since I’ve been eating from the beginning, unlike you guys?”
“Just eat you fool.” Sungjong said with a sound of his breath in. Sungyeol flashed a smile when he considered his tease a small victory.
“Who was it, Myungsoo?” Suzy asked while standing beside Myungsoo. Myungsoo cocked his head to the side.
“I’m not sure.”
“Why? Did they hang up?” Suzy questioned, in which case Myungsoo hummed. Then he pocketed his phone and instead turned to hug Suzy, squeezing her a little in his hold.
“What do you want to eat? I’ll cook.”
Suzy smiled and wrapped her arms around Myungsoo’s waist. “Really? Then, hm.” As Suzy was trying to decide what she wanted to eat, Myungsoo was slowly spacing out. Until she brought him back. “Then spaghetti.”
Myungsoo exhaled softly before answering, “Alright, I’ll make it for you.”
Sungjong’s little group was walking down the busy street after their fill. Sungyeol who led the group was the happiest. “A walk after stuffing myself always feels great!”
Sungjong, Ryosuke, and Woohyun who were just steps behind him scoffed at his openly excitement. Sure, Sungjong was used to it, but unlike Japan where people are always rushing, South Korea has people who are just out on dates and could be watching them. “Keep your voice down Sungyeol.” Sungjong said bluntly from behind.
Sungyeol spun around to face them, meanwhile walking backwards. “Sungjong, can you take me around soon? Show me every corner of South Korea?”
“Hey, Lee Sungyeol, if you don’t watch where you’re going you’re going to get into trouble.” Woohyun commented, earning confused looks from Sungyeol. Then the tallest man slowly turn around and found himself clashing into a lightpost. The snickering around them could be heard from strangers. “What did I tell you?” Woohyun asked, this time the other three make their way past Sungyeol, leaving him behind.
Sungyeol groaned and whimpered as he took a step back from the post, “Damn it! My nose! Ugh, wait, I think I’m bleeding. Guys?” Sungyeol looked up to see that the rest had left him behind. With the loudest voice possible he charged and scream at them. “You evil people!”
They have come to what appeared to has been a homeless person’s shack. The home were made of metal board with a broken hanging door. And it was about ten feet long and six feet wide. “So we’re staying here?” Woohyun asked.
“Yeah.” Sungjong said, Sungyeol who had started to move inside it first took a few steps back and wore a disgusted face.
“It stinks!”
“You’ll get used to it.” Sungjong said, kicking Sungyeol in first. The tallest let out a yelp and refused to enter the home by holding onto the walls by the door. But Sungjong kicked him again, making him land stomach first on the many sheets that were used to cover the floor. Most were rugs picked up from dumpsters, the others were stolen laundry clothes.
“Damn it Sungjong!” Sungyeol cursed under a low cry. Woohyun who wanted to avoid the same treatment made his own way into the shack, hoping Sungjong doesn’t notice him. Meanwhile, Ryosuke continued to stand beside Sungjong.
“Well, at least tonight we’ll have a roof over our heads.” Ryosuke said before stepping forward. Then with much thought he took a step back, “Actually, we might need some new sheets in there. I’ll go buy some.”
“Alone?” Sungjong asked.
“Want to come along?” Ryosuke asked, Sungjong who has yet to make a decision look to Woohyun and Sungyeol. It appeared Sungyeol has gotten up from his position and together were now pickering with Woohyun.
“You’ll need help with carrying, take Sungyeol and Woohyun with you. I’m going to check around the area and see to any changes needed.”
“Oh….Okay.” Ryosuke said. Then he approached the house to call for Sungyeol and Woohyun.
“Oh shopping?! Alright!” Sungyeol said too loud.
“You’re not coming with us?” Woohyun asked once he was the second to come out. Sungjong shook his head.
“I’m going to check the area.”
“Alright then.” Woohyun said, and with that he hooked his arms with Ryosuke, “Let’s go then.” Sungyeol who was left out of the action frowned.
“This guy. Wait for me guys!” Sungyeol cried as he took short yet quick steps after Woohyun and Ryosuke. Sungjong then did as he said and began scouting the place. He checked its surrounding. Nothing but trees and a few homes down the rock road in which his comrades were traveling down. Sungjong has gone to the back where very little to nothing surprised him. Other than some pots and pans left hanging in the back and woods, covered in spider webs, collected to make fire.
Sungjong then walked down a path that seems to be used often in the small woods. He could tell as leaves and twigs were kicked out of the way and the dirt was constantly been stomped on. After a twenty minute walk, Sungjong came to what appeared to be a camp. Gates closed in tents and shacks with people in thin clothes roaming around. Sungjong was near enough to hear the mumbling and chattering among the people.
The homeless. Sungjong thought.
Then all of a sudden his phone rang his his ringtone sparked the ears of the homeless. Sungjong cursed and retreat into hiding against the tree he was closest to. Quickly he took the call but on the other hand, it was difficult to make out the voice. There Sungjong knew that his phone was not in reception, the signals of his phone were at no bars.
Sungjong peeked behind him and noticed that the people has started to gather at the gate, where they had heard his phone. Sungjong wasn’t sure why he had to hide from them, but he felt like he had to. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure what they were capable of. And a yakuza never attack without knowing nothing about their enemy, just in case they need to have learned something they could use as blackmail.
After a while Sungjong had kept quiet and still, in fact while he was lost in his own memories, he had forgotten about the homeless, and so did they as he had never made another sound or move afterwards.
Woohyun and Sungyeol set down the bags of sheets onto the ground and dropped down to the ground with heavy pants. “Oh gosh I’m tired.” Woohyun said. Sungyeol who was drowned in sweat stomped the ground with one foot while lying on his back.
“All of the food I’ve eaten earlier went to waste! I feel so drain right now!”
“Hey, is food really the only thing you care about?” Woohyun asked. Sungyeol who was too tired to answer only groaned.
Meanwhile Ryosuke scanned the room. “It’s getting dark, but where’s Sungjong?”
At that Woohyun sat up and look around the room as well. “Maybe he hasn’t gotten back yet?”
Ryosuke pursed his lips. He was getting a bad feeling.
On Sungjong’s way back, where it was a lot darker now and the shades of the trees made it seem even darker. Then the ringing of his phone came back to him and slowly Sungjong reached into his pocket. With a growling stomach, Sungjong was barely focused and took the call without any interest as to who the caller may have been. When he took the call with a silent greeting, it was the voice of the caller that woke Sungjong up immediately.
“Lee Sungjong?” Myungsoo asked.
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