3 years ago…

"Damn it, where did my wallet go?" The younger Jaejoong cursed under his breath as he searched the room where the gang had their meeting earlier. It was not so much the money that mattered – he did not have much anyway – but the only photo left of his family that he had kept with him all these years.

It seemed to have taken forever before he noticed the familiar half-opened black wallet laying in a corner of the room, next to the cupboard. "Sorry, I'll never lose you both again," With an apologetic smile, the boy uttered to his mum and sister, beautifully frozen in time in the photo, before turning to head towards the door. That is when the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Someone was heading towards the room and everyone in the gang knows that no one is allowed there except when their gang leader calls for them. Getting in trouble with the leader was definitely not on his to-do list for the day.

Taking a quick glance at his surrounding, he quickly retreated into the cupboard and closed it before the doors to the room opened. Perhaps all these years of running away from cops did serve useful for his reflexes. Peering through the small gap in between the cupboard doors, he observed in curiousity the people entering and in particular at the strange man in suit. It took but a second for Jaejoong to recognize Na Sang Hoon and about every ounce of self-discipline in him to not burst out of the cupboard to kill him then and there.

But Jaejoong had greater plans. He had learnt from painful experiences that he still lacked the ability to pit himself against the rich, white-collar. But being part of a gang could help him with this. If he could not win in the white-collar game, then he shall fight them by the underworld's ways. At least that was what he had believed in, until this moment, when he watched on in shock and horror at the cordial exchange between the gang leader and Na Sang Hoon.

Little did the young Jaejoong know then that the restraint was to be crucial and that the information he gathered next was to be of aid.

"My son will be helping me from now on. He may be illegitimate but apparently smart enough to be of some use," Na Sang Hoon spoke with a smirk as he laughed together with the gang leader at the distasteful joke before adding, "Of course it helps that no one else knows of our relationship." With that, he gave the boy beside him, who appears to be of similar age as Jaejoong, a stern look as a cue to introduce himself. "Nice to meet you, Uncle Baek. I'm Choi Siwon," The boy greeted politely with a respectful bow, ignorant as to how at that moment, their images have already been deeply etched into the mind of the boy in the cupboard.