“His name is Byun Baekhyun. 18 years old, six months older than you, Boss. He’s a prodigy in science and already has the scholarship to University of Seoul for Medical Science in his hand.”

A young man studied the folder in his hand with tired eyes. There were apparent dark circles under his eyes, and the lines on his forehead were evident. He didn’t really read the document, only looking at the picture of the boy named Byun Baekhyun momentarily and moving on to scan his general profile. He sighed heavily and put the document on his desk.

Meanwhile, the older man standing in front of him—the consigliere, or the chief advisor—who was then giving him a brief explanation about the boy, stared at him with his hands folded on his back. His black suit was wrapping his body tightly.

“He’s not as perfect as your previous thirty objects, but it’s getting harder to look for a perfect one after you sent all the best thirty before. At least this one’s worthy,” the consigliere said.

The young man hid his sneer with a scoff. Worthy. Someone’s life was in his hand, and his consigliere said it like it was nothing.

“Boss,” the consigliere called softly, knowing that his previous words were too much for the young boss to handle. “I’m going right now.”

The young man—the said boss, the young Don—nodded once and kept his head hung low. “I’ll wait.”

 

~

 

“Baekhyun, I’m so sorry.”

Baekhyun smiled warily, tired of faking his smile the whole day. People were giving him pitiful looks and showing their sympathy since he received the letter this morning. They were probably glad that it wasn’t them who were chosen, for today.

The letter.

The moment Baekhyun saw the black envelope inside his locker, he saw his life come to an end in front of him. He saw the end of him. He saw himself being dragged out of the school later in the afternoon by a bunch of black suited men. He saw himself saying goodbye to his father and sister. He saw himself entering the mafia quarter.

But he can’t saw himself standing in front of the boss—the Don—the root of this chronic problem in this city for the past month. Baekhyun was too disgusted by the image of the monster. The young monster who could only hide behind the safety wall of his quarter. He could only order people to do the dirty deeds. Getting a teenager his age every single day to be taken to his quarter, to be owned by him, to become god knows what.

It must be easy being the mafia’s boss, Baekhyun thought. You could do anything you want. Even if you do the most monstrous thing a human can do, nobody would object you. Never. Even the South Korea’s kingdom and ministry didn’t dare to object the strongest and oldest mafia family in South Korea. They practically ruled the country.

Baekhyun grimaced at the thought of his country was ruled by a teenage boy, by a boy his age. A boy who took one smart and brilliant teenage girl or boy every day, married them, owned them, and only to be shipped out of country by the dawn to Italy—the place of boss of all bosses of every mafia family in the world.

Human trafficking. That was Baekhyun’s future as soon as he saw the black letter in his locker.

Nobody dared enough to object that despicable act of the Phoenix—their family name. They were just too powerful and nobody wanted to waste their life. Their life were at stakes enough by doing nothing. Let alone trying to fight the strongest and most ruthless mafia boss in the history of this country.

This system had ran for a month, thirty days. And Baekhyun was the mafia boss’ husband number 14. The other 17 were wives.

Baekhyun packed his bag as his mouth started to taste bitter. He felt like he could puke anytime and his thundering heart was going to come out of his ribcage.

 

~

 

They dragged him out of the school by no means gentle to him. Baekhyun didn’t blame them though. He was going to be shipped out of the country tomorrow morning anyway. They didn’t have the time to be gentle with a mere ordinary boy like him. After all, they had done this for the 31st time. They had passed the gentle part.

Baekhyun saw all his friends and students watch him through the class windows as he entered the black van, waiting for him in front of the school. He didn’t even have the time to mourn over how he would never meet his friends again as he felt a presence beside him inside the van.

A shiver ran down his spine as soon as he landed his eyes on the elder man sat not too far from him. Not really old, maybe in his 30s. But it was his hard and cold gaze that made Baekhyun want to piss his pants. This wasn’t the Don, was it?

“Good afternoon, Master Byun,” the man spoke. His voice wasn’t as deep as Baekhyun had expected to be. “I’m Wu Kris. The consigliere of Phoenix.”

Baekhyun his lips and grip his backpack’s straps tightly. His forehead started to be covered by beads of cold sweat, despite the cool air inside the van. There were only three people in this van. Him, the consigliere, and the driver behind the wheel who seemed wasn’t interested in their conversation. The other black suited mafia who dragged him out of the school were in the different four other vans.

They had not take off yet. As if they were waiting for Baekhyun’s order or...

Oh.

 He was the husband of their boss now. They did wait for his order.

“Shou—should we go now?” Baekhyun said softly. If it hadn’t for the quiet van, his voice wouldn’t be heard.

The consigliere nodded, “Alright. We’re going to your house first, to meet your family. After that, we gonna—“

“Meet the Don?” Baekhyun cut him off. He suprised himself for having the courage to do that. But knowing that he was now the husband of the strongest mafia boss in the country somehow made him feel like in charge.

“Yes. We’re going to meet your husband,” the consigliere, Kris, confirmed. If Baekhyun’s eyes weren’t playing a trick on him, he thought he see a playful glint in the older man eyes.

 

~

 

The Phoenix had their ways easily.

Their family had lived alongside the South Korea’s kingdom. In the old age, they were already acknowledged as the strongest family and group in the country. Up until now, after multiple changes of boss, they still remained strong.

They did ugly things. Killing, robbing, drug dealing, bombing, hijacking, everything. But this was the first time ever, they did something as low as human trafficking. And that was happened under the power of the new boss, the young boss.

The previous boss had died for a reason that everyone didn’t know, except the Phoenix themselves. The boss seat was given to his only son, which was the current Don right now.

Nobody ever knew the name of the new boss. Their parents never told the public about him too. It was the tradition of the Phoenix. They never reveal their children’s names and faces, afraid that their children would be endangered. The name was only revealed when the children took the boss’ position.

But now, even though the last boss had died, and his son got the boss’ position, they still didn’t reveal his name. As soon as he was named as the Phoenix’s boss, he did something incredibly surprising.

He immediately got a wife. She was his age, beautiful, and the smartest girl in her school. Everybody thought the young boss probably had his eyes long enough at the girl, so he immediately married her. But the public was once again surprised when the news came the next day. The young boss married another bride. Where was the previous wife then? It was revealed not long after that the first wife was already sent out of the country by the dawn, on her way to Italy.

The young Don kept doing it, marrying brides or grooms every day. Someone his age who was incredibly smart or expert in their field. And he’ll sent them out to Italy the next dawn.

Nobody could escape that. They will receive a black envelope, written with a golden ink, a letter, along with a marriage certificate, saying that the person named on this certificate was already married with the young boss.

Nobody could run.

 

~

 

“Where is Yeri?” Baekhyun said as soon as he let go of his father’s firm yet weak embrace. The old man’s eyes were glazed with tears, and Baekhyun’s heart broke into pieces.

“She’s in her aunty’s house,” his father answered, still holding his son close.

Baekhyun nodded. His father had granted his wish. Baekhyun had called his father upon receiving the cursed letter, telling him what had happened to him and asking him to bring Yeri—his seven years old younger sister—out of the house so she wouldn’t know what was going on. She didn’t need to know.

“Promise me you’re going to protect her no matter what. You’ll protect her with your life, Dad.”

His father reached out and took his hands, holding them tightly. “I promised. I just hope that I could protect you too.”

“There’s nothing you can do,” Baekhyun squeezed his father’s hands. He tried his best to not sound weak. He needed to be strong for his dad.

“I just can’t—Why are they doing this to you?”

“Be strong for Yeri. I’ll be fine. I promise,” Baekhyun kissed his old man’s forehead, lingering a second longer because his heart can’t take it to seperate with his beloved father.

His father had been through a lot. He had lost his wife when she gave birth to Yeri. He took care of Baekhyun and his sister alone. And now, he had to lose his son, to a certain beast’s hands that he couldn’t fight against with.

“I’m so sorry, my dear son,” by this point, his father was a crying mess. “I love you, Baekhyun. Always. Remember that.”

“I love you, too. And I’ll keep my promise,” Baekhyun kissed his father’s forehead one more time, before Kris led him to the car.

Baekhyun saw his neighboors pooling in front of his house. Like his school’s friends, they were looking at him with pity. Seemed like the news had spread all around the country.

The Phoenix’s boss had a new husband today.

 

~

 

“Here’s your clothes, Master.”

“My name is Baekhyun.”

“I know, Master,” the young girl, wearing a black and white maid dress, glanced away in discomfort. The other two young girls stood behind her. One was holding a tray full of food and one was holding a thick white towel.

Baekhyun sighed dejectedly. From the moment he entered the quarter which honestly looked almost like a palace, he had seen approximately hundreds of men welcoming him in a very stiff manner. They called him Master. Apparently, it was how the husband of the boss called. Baekhyun hated the name.

He had not met the Don though. He was able to release a shaky breath of relief when he was brought to his own room. Of course he had his own room, he should’ve known. There was no way he could be in the same room with the boss, even though he was his husband. Baekhyun didn’t object it at all. He was, in fact, relieved.

The girls left the room a moment later and Baekhyun took the time to roam around the room. It was a big room, gilded with golden wallpaper and filled with mahogany furniture. This wasn’t the type of Baekhyun’s room at all. His own room in his house was filled with band posters, sticky notes, and motivational words for him to enter the university.

Baekhyun chuckled at the thought. His effort had gone down the drain. No more university. No more dream to become a professor. Basically, his future was lost in the dark.

When he entered the bathroom, he couldn’t careless about the marbled room. His body was filled with rage toward the Don, and the urge to scream was unbearable.

But he can’t. He can’t scream nor cry, not when there was possibility that the mafia or the boss were watching him right now, his every move. After all, he wasn’t a mere husband. He was an object of ruthless human trafficking. People sure locked their eyes on him, until the moment he was off to Italy.

Baekhyun bit his lips until he felt the iron taste in his mouth. He didn’t know whether he should be scared or proud over the fact that he was smart and special enough to be chosen as one of South Korea’s smartest teenagers.

To become the Phoenix’s boss’ husband.

He approached the bathub loaded with bubbles and warm water. He gulped the lump in his throat and thought that maybe he could at least enjoy the last moment with his own self.

 

~

 

Baekhyun sat at the edge of his bed, wrapped in a blue-striped pajamas, fresh with a sweet fragrance of vanilla and strawberry. It was a rather feminine smell, but Baekhyun didn’t care. He liked strawberry, so when he saw there was a strawberry soap in the line of soaps beside his bathub, he immediately grabbed it.

At least, he was still given a choice for his soap.

His gaze had not left the door. It was already passed midnight, the moon outside his window shone brightly, but the boss still had not come to his room. Baekhyun’s train of thought was unstoppable by this point.

Where is he?

Isn’t he coming?

Am I going to be sent off without even meeting him?

I don’t want this.

I want to go home.

Somebody help me.

Then the mahogany door swung open.

Baekhyun jerked backwards and his breath was hitched. His watery eyes went dry quickly as he saw a man, Kris, entered the room. He looked at Baekhyun for a while before he stepped aside.

Another man appeared behind him. He was wearing the same black suit like Kris and the others, but this one looked rather different. Not his suit, but because of his whole appearance. He showed a strong aura and a sense of dominance around him.

Baekhyun gasped. He was the Don.

Through the dim light of his room, Baekhyun can still see his face. His profile was firm, his jaws could cut an apple, his eyes were dark and cold. But among those glorious features, Baekhyun can see the trace of youth through the lines on his face.

He was just a boy.

“I’m sorry I’m late. There’s something that should be taken care of,” he spoke with a low tone. So low that Baekhyun was surprised for a second. He didn’t see that kind of voice could come from someone whose face was so boyish like that.

“It’s okay, Don,” Baekhyun nodded, glancing away from the intense gaze on him.

“Leave us alone,” the boy ordered Kris and his other subordinates behind him.

Baekhyun inhaled a shaky breath when he heard the door was closed. He couldn’t take the silence ensued after that. He could only hear the wind outside of his window. And now he could hear the boss’ steps, approaching him.

Baekhyun met his gaze as the Don stopped in front of him, standing tall. Baekhyun was sure that even if he got up, he was still going to be beaten by the Don’s height. He was that tall.

“Have you eaten yet, Baekhyun?” the boy said.

Hearing his name was called by the Don, it felt like sweet honey ran down Baekhyun’s throat. Through his voice, Baekhyun knew he was sincere. He really wanted to know if Baekhyun had eaten or not. He cared.

“Yes, Don,” Baekhyun answered.

“Call me Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun nodded slowly, feeling his stomach knot as he heard the name of the Phoenix’s boss for the first time.

Chanyeol.

His husband.

“Can I ask you a question?” The question was out before Baekhyun could stop himself. But he had been dying to know. He deserved to know. “Why are you doing this, Chanyeol?”

Surprised overcame his expression, but Chanyeol immediately regained his normal face, cold and dark. “Don’t ask that, Baekhyun. I could never answer that.”

“I’m going to be shipped out of the country by the dawn. God knows what will happen to me. I deserve to know, Don.” Baekhyun got up from the bed, making Chanyeol took a step back. As he thought so, Chanyeol was much taller than him even though he was already standing up. He needed to tiptoe just to reach his ears. And Baekhyun hated it. He hated how small he was in front of the boss.

“Baekhyun, I’ll answer your questions. Anything. But not this.”

Baekhyun’s heart felt like it was squeezed when he saw the look on Chanyeol’s face. He looked extremely sad, heart broken, almost like someone who lost everything in this world right in front of him. And Baekhyun almost reached out to smooth out the frown on his husband’s forehead.

It surprised him how it pained him to see Chanyeol pleaded like that. Baekhyun should’ve not felt like that. He should’ve hated him.

“I’m a monster, Baekhyun. I’ll do anything to pay my sin off. But not that question,” the young boss pleaded. His gaze was weak.

If Baekhyun wanted to, he thought he could easily punch the life out of the boss and ran out of here now. But it was probably a stupid decision. Chanyeol was obviously much stronger than him. Even beneath that suit, Baekhyun could see the fine line of his broad shoulder and biceps. Chanyeol was really huge. The boss certainly could crush him like a fly if he wanted to. So, instead, Baekhyun reached his hand out to the boss’ hand and slowly pulled him to the bed.

Chanyeol’s body went rigid but he didn’t refuse. He let himself to be pulled by him.

This was strange. The instant affection he felt toward Chanyeol was burning inside Baekhyun and it was shocking him. Baekhyun almost hugged Chanyeol right then and there, but he thought it wasn’t the best decision right now. Maybe later, if there was a chance for him.

Once they settled in the middle of the bed, they sat facing each other. Baekhyun, who was wearing a comfortable pajama, felt awful when he looked at Chanyeol wearing a complete choking black suit. He really wanted to take it off for him, but he wasn’t in the place to do that.

“Let’s talk then,” Baekhyun said.

 Chanyeol sighed, “You can’t avoid what’s going to happen to you by doing that.”

“I just want to talk, Don,” Baekhyun smiled.

Chanyeol stared at him deeply, looking for something that he can’t really pinpoint. “Fine,” he said finally. “Let’s talk.”

Baekhyun smiled again, this time wider. And he thought that if he was really going to be gone tomorrow, then at least he was going to spend his last night with something meaningful. Though he can’t really say that talking to a mafia’s boss could be considered as something meaningful.

Baekhyun puffed his cheeks, fishing for a good question. “Are you tired? Have you eaten yet, Chanyeol?”

That question made the boss look quite taken aback. “Why do you want to know?”

“Uhm... I don’t know. Isn’t that what a couple usually ask each other? I’m pretty sure that was what my mom usually asked to my dad when he got home from work.”

Chanyeol didn’t respond. He only gave him a vague look that Baekhyun couldn’t really interpret what the meaning was. It honestly made Baekhyun feel nervous and that was weird, Baekhyun didn’t usually feel nervous when he waited for somebody’s response. He was just confident like that.

“And...” Baekhyun continued. “I assumed you just got off work, so I thought it was a... proper question?”

The boss lowered his head, and Baekhyun can’t see his face to know what kind of expression he made, but before Baekhyun could even tilt his head to see better, his husband already straightened back his neck, looking at him directly with a complete new expression.

Chanyeol cleared his throat, and his cheeks were... pink? “I’ve already eaten, Baekhyun. Thank you for asking.”

Baekhyun was glad that the light of the room was dim, because he thought he was blushing right now for witnessing Chanyeol being shy in front of him. Baekhyun only asked him a simple question, and what, it made the mafia boss this happy? Just how up Chanyeol’s life was?

“Do you always come to your brides or grooms’ room every night before they were gone?” Baekhyun asked. His hand was still holding the Don’s hand.

“Not always. You’re probably the fourth.”

Baekhyun raised his eyebrows. “Does this mean I’m special, then?”

“I always watch my wives and husbands.”

“Through what?”

“You don’t need to know.”

Baekhyun groaned, “Oh, come on. I’ll be gone by tomorrow anyway.”

“I’m not going to tell you,” Chanyeol said, and Baekhyun swore he could see Chanyeol’s lips were pulled upward a little.

Is he teasing me?

The smaller man rolled his eyes. “Fine. Continue.”

“Are you aware that you’re talking in that kind of tone to me, the Phoenix’s boss?”

Baekhyun laughed. His free hand which did not hold Chanyeol’s hand was covering his wide mouth. “I’m your husband, in case you didn’t remember.”

“I always remember my husbands and wives, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol corrected. His gaze softened. “I only came to those who seemed… how should I say this… normal? Many of them went violent and hysterical when they were waiting in this room. So I can’t really come to see them before they were shipped off.”

It had not registered to him before this. Baekhyun had not realized that this was the same room. The same room which held captive the other prisoners. Their last place before they were gone out of the country. And Baekhyun was going to be like them. Ended up like them. This room was also going to be his last shelter. And that feeling wasn’t doing any good to Baekhyun’s stomach. He could already feel the bitter taste pooling in his throat.

“Baekhyun? Are you okay?”

“Huh?” he answered distractedly.

Chanyeol got off the bed hastily, releasing his hand from Baekhyun’s grip, and walked toward the bedside table. It was where the maids put the tray full of food on earlier.

Baekhyun hid his surprise when Chanyeol filled the glass with mineral water. When he turned around, his face was laced with worry.

“Here, drink this.”

Baekhyun received the glass and drank the content. The water didn’t really help. Half of his sudden sickness went off by the worried expression Chanyeol was sporting right now.

“You alright?”

Baekhyun nodded, avoiding Chanyeol’s gaze and just kept his head hung low. He didn’t trust his voice either. Chanyeol was doing funny thing to his heart.

Baekhyun felt a palm on his right cheek. He could feel a cool sensation ran throughout his whole body.

“Baekhyun, just sleep right now. This talk obviously didn’t work for you.”

“No—“ Baekhyun snapped his head up too fast that the nausea hit him again right away.

Sensing the boy’s distress, Chanyeol pushed him further to the board of the bed, and forced him to lay down.

As soon as his head touched the pillow, Baekhyun realized how tiring this day was to him, emotionally and physically. It was probably the reason why his head felt like exploding right now.

“Don’t go, please,” Baekhyun pleaded. He was so, so scared.

“Sleep, Baekhyun. I’m not going anywhere. I promise”

Before unconsciousness overcame him, Baekhyun felt a damp pressure on his forehead. And he faintly heard, “Good night, Baekhyun.”

 

 

 

 

---

A/n: Soooo fast paced! I don't like seeing Chanbaek not being together for so long. They need to be beside each other asap!

And yeah, Phoenix is the name. Talk about mainstream.