prologue.

from the ashes into the fire

Park Jinyoung always considered himself as a lucky man.

A complete fool. But lucky.

He had left home at such a young age. Thinking that wherever he was going, it would be a lot better than the small town he lived in with his parents. Jinyoung didn't care just how much his mother cried that night. He just took out all of his savings, a bag with few of his clothes, and left without even looking back. Not once.

Jinyoung's money was enough to buy him a ticket to Seoul. He thought he'd take an adventure, he'd never been there anyway. With little money at hand, he explored the city. Experiencing whatever the city has to offer.

Soon his money run out. 

There he was. Sitting in near one of the dark alleys in the big city, late at night. He was hungry, no money, and he had no place to stay for the night. The only warmth he got was from the thin jacket he was wearing. At that moment, Jinyoung thought maybe he shouldn't have left home in the first place.

"Are you okay?" A boy, looking not much older, approached him. He was talking in a language that he couldn't quite understand. 

"Uh,,, I,I'm sorry, but I don't understand..." he stuttered weakly.

The boy frowned, his eyes still glued to Jinyoung. "I asked you, are you okay?" he switched to Korean now. "What are you doing here? Wouldn't your parents be worried?" he asked in a heavily accented korean. 

"My parents aren't around..."

The other boy just stared at Jinyoung for the longest time. As if he was contemplating something in his mind. After awhile, he offered Jinyoung his hand. "Come with me," he said.

This time it was Jinyoung's turn to frown. He hesitated at first, but eventually took the boy's hand. The boy went as far as taking off his own coat and puting it on Jinyoung's before he led them to the main street. And he had brought Jinyoung to one of those expensive-looking restaurants. Somewhere that Jinyoung had only seen on TVs, somewhere he couldn't even imagined of going. 

Jinyoung was quick to snatched his hand back, "Why are you taking me here? I don't have any money."

The boy chuckled, "I know, that's why I'm paying."

He practically shoved Jinyoung inside the restaurant. Jinyoung had never been so out of place before. The place was so fancy and every customer inside looked properly dressed. The boy pulled him into one of the corner tables and even took the liberty of ordering for him. 

As they began to eat, Jinyoung had learned the boy's name. Sometime between appetizer and main course, the boy had introduced himself as Mark Tuan. That was all he had told Jinyoung about himself. Mark was silent most of the times. Jinyoung wondered whether it was because of the language barrier or if it was in his nature to be so quiet . But he smiled at Jinyoung a lot, as if to offer some sort of comfort. 

"Why are you here? Did you run away from home?" Mark asked, sipping on his tea.

"It was stupid, really," Jinyoung admitted. "I couldn't stay at home any longer. My parents... they've practically abandoned me and we're pretty poor. My mom cried when I left, but my father is probably happy that he has one less mouth to feed. It took all of my savings just to get here."

"But now you have nowhere to go," Mark stated. Jinyoung nodded innocently, a bit embarrased because of how stupid he might've sound. "You really didn't think this through, have you... I'm sorry, I never catched your name."

"It's Jinyoung," he introduced himself, bowing slightly. "I'm Park Jinyoung."

Mark smiled yet again, "Well Park Jinyoung. You are going to live with me from now on."

~

Jinyoung had refused Mark's offer about a hundred times in the past hour. But apparently, Mark didn't understand what the word 'no' means. The boy quickly paid for both of their dinner before pulling Jinyoung into the backseat of his car. His chauffer drove away as soon as Mark commanded him in English. Jinyoung couldn't help but stare at the boy sitting next to him. Who is he? Why is he being so nice to a complete stranger like Jinyoung?

"Are you sure it's okay for me to actually live with you?"

Mark let out a somewhat sardonic laugh. "The real question is are you going to be okay to live with me?" he retorted. 

They quickly fall into silence after that. Mark stared outside the window for the whole journal while Jinyoung sat awkwardly beside him. Once Jinyoung glanced outside the window, he noticed the wooded suburb. He knew this place, again, from the TV. Wait, are we in Pyeongchang-dong? It was one of the wealthiest neighborhood in Seoul, often called the 'Beverly Hills' of Seoul where only the most elite people live. Jinyoung couldn't stop staring the big houses on the side of the streets. The car finally pulled a stop once they reached their destination. 

Jinyoung widened his eyes as he saw the building in front of him. It wasn't a house, it was practically a manor. He turned to Mark, "Who are you, really?"

Mark smirked as they slid from the small door on the side of the gate. A man was standing there, waiting by the door. He took the coat that Mark handed him and also took Jinyoung's bag from his shoulder. "My name doesn't sound at all familiar to you?" 

Mark Tuan.

Tuan.

Jinyoung's eyes grew even wider. "Tuan Enterprise," he whispered to himself. Jinyoung maybe a kid from a rural town in a far island, but even he knew who the Tuans are. The Tuans owned a trading company, a few restaurant and supermarket chains, and even a bunch of properties. His total assets value at a couple of billion won. "So that means you're..."

"The son of Raymond Tuan, first heir of Tuan Enterprise. Unfortunately." Mark grimmaced. He didn't seem to happy about it. "Now, my butler," Mark signaled the man who had welcomed them at the front door, "will take you to one of the available rooms. Meanwhile I will talk to my dad about you. He won't be happy that I bring a 'stray' into the house. He'll be upset at first, but I'll have my ways to make you stay. I'm afraid you will have to cope with his set of rules afterwards."

"Yes, of course. Completely understandable," Jinyoung said. After all, beggars can't be choosers. He let himself be led by the head butler, while Mark began to climb the stairs to his father's study. Before the other completely disappeared behind the staircase, Jinyoung stopped him, "Mark?" the boy halted and turned back to Jinyoung, "Thank you," murmured.

Mark scoffed, "Don't thank me yet, Park Jinyoung." Then the boy climbed up and left Jinyoung with the head butler.

Being from homeless to staying in such luxurious place, Park Jinyoung once again considered himself lucky. 

Little did naive Jinyoung know, he was being picked up from the ashes only to thrown back into the fire.

~