“So… are we done yet?”

Suho heaved a sigh out loud. And Kai was sure the man could’ve blown his head off by now. Suho’s been sighing since Kai stepped into his office. Despite coming back early due to the failed honeymoon trip and the disastrous accident, Kai opted to use up his time off from work. He knew how much Sehun needed him and he was pretty certain that she was still recovering from the loss. But of course, neither of them had a reason valid enough to take another week off of work.

“Kai, I know things are pretty hectic now. But I only have 3 weeks left with you.” the man let out another sigh. “Let’s try to finish this before lunch.”

Working for his father was never on Kai’s list. But somehow, he ended up coming to one of his subsidiaries and found out that their CMO position was going to vacant soon. It wasn’t that Suho was going to leave the company; it was because he was getting transferred to their HQ in Singapore. 

Still, being the only marketeer in the organisation, there was no other replacement. Kai was only hired because he’s worked under Suho as an intern before. The man pretty much requested for him. Now, he shared an office room with Suho and he didn’t like it one bit. 

Suho was difficult to work with. He was always bringing stacks and stacks of paper and Kai didn’t know if half of the contents he had was even useful. Some dated back from 2006!

And it’s not that Kai hated him or anything, but was he talking about tomorrow’s lunch time?

“Suho… 2 hours has passed since lunchtime started…”

Suho’s brows knitted, forming a deep crease in his forehead. Man, he really looked like he was going to turn into a grandpa before he even gets married. 

“What!” Suho yelled in surprise when he glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already 3pm and work was going to end in 3 hours. “Why didn’t you tell me!”

Kai’s mouth hung open in disbelief. He’s been trying to hint to the man since ages ago. But knowing Suho, he would still bring his worried everywhere. Bringing him out for lunch would mean needing to listen to him fret over his uncompleted work. 

“Hi Suho.” 

The both of them whipped their heads to the opened door.

“Mr Kim,” Suho wore a worried smile on his face, “What brings you here?”

Kai got out of his seat and gave a slight bow to his father. Suho had his hands clasped before him and Kai has never seen the man get so jittery before. Was he always like this in front of his father?

Kai doesn’t remember.

“No, it’s just…” he looked to Kai and back to Suho, “Have you had lunch?”

∞

Sehun blew a frustrated raspberry. She intended to give her husband a surprise and decided to have lunch with him. She didn’t tell him of course, but she didn’t think she needed to wait for an hour or so. The poor and famished wife wanted to give him a call but as expected, Kai never checks his phone when he was working. And she didn’t even know his extension.

She bumped into his colleagues when they were off to lunch and when they returned from eating. Turns out, he was still stuck in the office. And it wasn’t rare for him to skip lunch either.

“Oh, Sehun?”

Sehun jumped slightly in surprise and spun around to face the person who called her name, “Oh, Mr Kim.” 

She gave a small bow drew a small beam on her lips.

“You don’t have to call me that anymore you know,” Kai’s father chuckled. He turned to his subordinates and urged them to not wait up before turning back to his daughter-in-law. “Are you here to see Kai?”

Sehun bit her inner cheek. Well, she was going to have lunch with him but seeing how it was already past lunchtime, she didn’t want him to think that his son was skiving. 

“Well actually, I wanted to surprise him for lunch.” Sehun confessed, wearing a sheepish smile on her face. “But I heard that he was busy.”

Mr Kim cocked his head to one side, confused. He knew that Suho was a workaholic but even he wouldn’t skip lunchtime. Getting an upset stomach was more of a hassle for work than setting aside an hour for lunch.

“Well, why don’t you come up with me? We can—”

Sehun’s phone suddenly rang and interrupted Mr Kim. She glanced to her phone and instantly ended the call without hesitation. 

“It’s fine,” Sehun responded apologetically. “Something cropped up, I have other chances with him anyway.”

She gave another bow and instantly walked away from the building when her phone vibrated again. Only this time, it was a text.

‘Sehun, please answer.’

Her phone beeped again.

‘Sehun, where are you?’

The woman sighed and bit her tongue. 

‘Sehun, I need to talk to you.’

She’s never been so angry towards him before. 

‘Sehun, how long are you going to ignore me?’

But how could she stay mad.

‘Sehun, I’m sorry.’

Kris only did what he did because of her.

She let out a sigh. She’s never felt as conflicted as she was now. And she’s never been reluctant in carrying out her brother’s requests. Sehun sent him a quick text before hailing a cab. It wasn’t that difficult to get one around here, especially since she was in the CBD area.

But what more did Kris want to talk to her about? She knew he was still bent on tracking everyone of Sangria’s men down, but what good was it for any of them?

She had to admit that it was a bit unfair for her to not be on board of this revenge plot, especially when she knew how attached Kris was to their parents. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t find it in her to hate the people who killed her parents. 

Was it because she barely knew them? Or was it because there really was… no point? 

Kris was unaware, but Sehun was also determined to seek the truth years back. She managed to track her second uncle who was admitted to an old folks’ home and got to ask a few questions; but there were so many that were left unanswered. 

“Your brother does not want to accept the truth.” was the only thing he left her with.

And Sehun’s heard more than enough stories. Most of them were all similar if not the same. They said that the previous head of Sangria acted on his own— despite disapproval from some of the members within his own union and organisation. Even so, if what her uncle said was right, was there something about her parents' death that Kris does not wish to acknowledge?

So many years have passed, Sehun learnt that the man who killed her parents was long gone. Shouldn't that be enough? 

They were doing fine before this, Kris never mentioned about Sangria at all and they were making so many lives better, but why. How did things turn out this way? It's true that unions were hated, especially by bigger cooperates because most of them were associated with underground syndicates, but most of trade unions exist to help. 

If Kris decides to take a different path, Sehun no longer wants to be part of the union. 

But how could she leave behind someone who has always loved and cared for her unconditionally? Everything her brother did was for her.

At least that was what she believed. 

“Thanks, please keep the change.”

Sehun looked up at the house in front of her. The last time she came over was during Christmas last year. Climbing up the few steps, Sehun reluctantly pressed the doorbell and waited for its owner to open the door. 

As the door clicked open, Sehun looked up to see Chanyeol all clad in a white sweater and black pants. His eyes were wide and lips slightly parted, genuinely surprised Sehun decided to show up.

“Sehun…” he breathed in disbelief. Chanyeol gulped dryly and opened the door wider behind him, “Come—”

A cold hand was pressed against his cheek. 

Sehun’s fingers dragged themselves across the faint yet visible scar on his face. “I’m… sorry.”

Chanyeol let out a short but humourless laugh, grabbing her hand gently. He slowly pushed her arm down and gave another smile before turning around; not uttering a single word.

Sehun bit back a sigh and followed his lead, but she didn’t expect to come face to face with her bandage-wrapped brother pressing an ice pack against his cheek. 

“Kris!?”

Sehun didn’t think twice to rush up to her brother as she dropped her bag hastily onto the floor. He didn’t look too beaten up, but tears sprang up to the younger sibling’s eyes.   

Kneeling down beside him, Sehun replaced her brother’s hand with hers onto the ice pack he had over his bruised face. She turned to Chanyeol with a still unpleasantly shocked but concerned look, “What happened?”

Chanyeol gave Kris a glance, pursing his lips as he tried to find the right words to say. He was about to open his mouth when Kris intervened. 

“It’s okay Sehun,” Kris broke into a smile as he breathed painfully. “It’s nothing much.”

But Sehun noticed how Kris gave a slight glance to Chanyeol when he said that. The latter fidgeted in his spot uncomfortably as he felt Sehun’s beady eyes trained on him. 

“Chanyeol, what happened?”

The room fell silent. Chanyeol’s grip at the hems of his sweater tightened as tried to find his voice. He can’t.

He simply couldn’t. 

“Kris, he—”

“It's them.”

Sehun missed it when she turned back to look at her brother, but Chanyeol’s eyes went wide in disbelief. He’s really going with it.

“Them? Who?”

Kris looked into Sehun’s eyes, his lips were still sealed tight but Sehun guessed that it must’ve been Sangria. There was nobody else. 

“But… why? So suddenly...”

“Sehun, if somebody killed one of your members, wouldn’t you go after them?”

Sehun didn’t understand what he meant at first, but there was only one woman that came to her mind. She still didn’t want to believe it. 

Kris pulled Sehun’s hand away from his face and placed the melted ice pack onto the coffee table. He then brought his hand up to cup her ear and cheek, pushing her face upwards as he forced her to look at him. 

“Sehun, you resent me for killing Jessica too, don’t you?” Kris’ eyes were too intense to stare into, but Sehun didn’t know why she couldn’t pull away. “Sehun… I know you didn’t ask for it but— how could I let her get away with betraying you when you’re the most loyal person I know.”

Sehun’s lips trembled, she couldn’t say anything. Jessica and her sister meant the world to her, she couldn’t accept whatever Kris has told her. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked into the eyes of the man who killed her friend. But that same man was her brother. 

Even if she was a traitor, Kris could’ve let them meet. Sehun could’ve asked her why. 

But now, Sehun could only be left in doubt. Was their friendship all a lie? How long was she planning to keep it a secret. 

Sehun looked away as she let her tears spill. She didn’t think she would ever feel so— hollow. Particularly with Kris. 

She let out a sudden and light gasp when she felt a cold metal pressed against her palm. Without warning, Kris pulled her wrist close and pressed the piece in her hand against his left chest.

“Kris—!”

“Stay out of this Chanyeol!” Kris blurted, his eyes flickered with determination as her gripped onto Sehun’s wrist tighter when she tried to pull away. 

Where did he pull the dagger out from!?

“Kris! What are you—!”

“Sehun,” Kris’s voice was soft, it sounded like he was pleading to her. “Sehun.”

More and more tears streamed down her cheeks. Their faces were only inches apart and no matter how hard Sehun tried to tear her hand away, Kris’ grip on her fingers around the sharp blade was unyielding.

“Kris! Stop!”

His eyes turned bloodshot red as crimson liquid slowly seeped through the thin layer of his pastel peach top. It trickled over his and his sister’s fair fingers as he tried to keep the dagger still.

“Kris, please!” Sehun’s voice rose as she wailed for him to stop.

“Sehun, I keep getting nightmares about the day our parents were killed.” Kris started, bringing his face closer to hers, “Sehun, just one day of sleep Sehun. That’s all I want.”

“If you can’t understand my hatred for them Sehun, I’ll let you kill me now.” Sehun shook her head as she let out a whimper— her vision was getting too blurry. The tears won’t stop falling. “I promise Sehun, once they’re gone, I promise I’ll let you go.”

Sehun’s voice cracked as she wailed, she kept shaking her head as she begged Kris to pull the knife out of his chest.

“Sehun, I need you.”

When his sister didn’t answer, Kris’ grip that loosened slightly, began to tighten once more; making the girl instantly look up into his eyes.

“Okay okay! I’ll do whatever you want! I’ll do it!”

The dagger dropped instantly onto the floor with a sharp clank. Sehun pulled herself away as she tried not to gag. She hated blood. 

Her body trembled as she tried to even out her breathing. Her heart beat wildly against its cage as she backed against the coffee table. She couldn’t believe what just happened. Sehun never thought Kris was this desperate.

“Sehun!”

Sehun hiccuped her sobs away as she slumped into Chanyeol’s chest. Her eyes fell onto the blood on her palms and fingers. Her brother didn’t say anything more as he got off the couch and made his way into one of Chanyeol’s many rooms.

Sehun didn’t remember what happens next. But what she did know, was that she cried and cried in Chanyeol’s arms, before her eyes closed shut.

∞

“You sent her home?”

Chanyeol jumped slightly in surprise, sighing when he realised Kris was still in his house. 

“It’s late, she passed out. What do you think.”

Kris let out a simper through his smirk. He shuffled out of Chanyeol’s bed and strode right over to his side. The latter’s eyes shifted from Kris’ face to the bandage wrapped around his body. Another sigh left his lips as he laid eyes on his left chest.

“That was dangerous.” Chanyeol commented, averting his gaze some place else. “How could you… to her, something like that—”

Kris let out a small laugh, “Chanyeol, you’re an accomplice too.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened at Kris’ remark. His lips parted, but of course, he couldn’t retort. Because Kris was right.

“You’ve paid them?”

Chanyeol swallowed dryly and gave a slight nod. 

“Hope it wasn’t so much though,” he groaned, stretching his long limbs as he walked out of Chanyeol’s room. “They really hit hard, I thought I was actually gonna die!”

Kris bellowed with laughter as he walked down the hallway of Chanyeol’s house. The latter could only watch with wistful eyes as Kris walked out his door. He knew Kris was crazy. He knew Kris would do anything. 

Still, to use and manipulate his sister to such an extent, was something Chanyeol couldn’t bear to stand and watch.

But… what other choice does he have?

***

a/n: hi guys! Here’s another update, let’s hope this is going to satisfy you for now! I’ll update as often as I can, I really just got enrolled in a new school so I finally managed to find time after a year of preparation for it. Let’s hope the updates come often ok! Leave a few comments down below and tell me what you’re looking forward to!!

@Chanbaek641: thank you so much!! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!! <3

@teufelchen_netty: yes he does! I’m really just looking forward as to how he’s going to work around their relationship if he doesn’t want to hurt Sehun! ;-;; thank you so much for reading!

And to the rest of the subs, thanks so much for reading as well! I’ll see you all in the next chapter!! xoxo