Chapter 17

 *FLASHBACK*

“I don’t need a f*cking wife!” Changmin barked as he shot a death glare towards his bestfriend. He couldn’t believe what had just been said by his most trusted man. It’s not like Junsu doesn’t know the laws written on the mafia’s ‘guidebook’. Not that they actually had the book and had it published worldwide, but it’s like a known law, passed down to heirs of each mafia’s generation.

Mafias do not believe in a whole life’s commitment. Everything has always been a job. A mere job. Once the job is done, they will move on. It’s as simple as that. The same goes with women. No woman will last longer than a week in a mafia’s arms. And as their personal preferences changes, so will their women… Unless it’s under special circumstances, the mafia might decide to keep her as a concubine, along with his other favourites.

“How long are you going to keep hiding behind the ‘ancient’ law? Wake up, Changmin-ah! It’s already the millennia!” Junsu insisted angrily. “Besides, your mother would be very happy in heaven when she witnesses her son having a normal life she had always hoped for.”

“Stop talking about that slut…” Changmin quickly hissed. Grumpily, he laid himself on the couch, covering his eyes with one arm. A heavy sigh left his throat.

“She’s your mother for God’s sake! Have some respect!” Junsu felt his blood starting to boil. It may be true that Changmin’s mother wasn’t married to his father even as she gave birth to InKyung. But it allows no reason for Changmin to degrade such a wonderful woman who had sacrificed her whole life for the man she loved. The woman, whose heart was torn to pieces every time she saw a different woman coming out of the ‘guest’ room at dawn every other day…

Changmin laid motionless, pretending not to listen.

“That was her last wish, for the mother of your children to not having the same fate as she had, Shim Changmin. Your mother knows you’re strong. You could break that law easily if you wanted to,” Junsu continued on, confident that Changmin’s heart was starting to soften.

“Shut up… I said SHUT UP!” Changmin thundered a moment after as he lifted himself into a sitting position and gradually fisting his hair out of frustration.

Junsu stared at the behaviour of the man in front of him. “Changmin-ah, just admit it. You love the girl…”

*END FLASHBACK*


“Junsu-yah… Is there something bothering you?” a man appeared from behind him and touched his left shoulder lightly. Junsu lifted his chin to be greeted by a concerned face of his uncle. Junsu turned his sour face to a smile.

“Nothing. I was just reminiscing,” Junsu answered truthfully. Politely, he gestured for his uncle to have a seat next to him. He pulled his cup of tea closer to his lips and took a sip. “By the way, how’s Changmin doing, SongSun-ajusshi?”

Songsun sighed. He brought both his palms to cover his face for a while before letting them go and inhaled a good amount of air into his lungs. “He still wouldn’t budge from the door. He’s not doing anything else either.”

“That man always does stupid things,” Junsu grunted, bringing his palm to the bottom of his chin, elbow resting on the table.

“I’m very worried,” SongSun continued. “He has gone through a lot of changes since Min Hee appeared in his life. But nothing could ever compare to this. He’s becoming even more fragile by the day to stay as the leader of this clan. Help him, Junsu…”

The younger man stared at his uncle for a while before nodding his head softly and focused his stare into nothingness. “That is what I’ve been doing.”

“This is my entire fault,” SongSun mentally smacked himself.

Nothing more needs to be said. Junsu immediately knew exactly what his uncle was thinking about right at that moment. It was about Changmin’s unknown twin brother…

“That was a long time ago, ajusshi. And besides, his father requested it. Even if you didn’t allow it, he’d still want you to throw that poor child away.”

Another sigh left the older man’s chest. There was once a saying that forbids the separation of identical twins since birth. It shall make each of the twins incomplete, and bad karma will land upon them until they're reunited. In this case, Changmin never knew his twin brother ever existed. And SongSun thinks this is the reason why Changmin is having so much trouble in his life.

“I wonder if he’s still alive…”

Junsu’s eyes bulged at the words. If he was still drinking the tea, he would’ve spat it out. Suddenly his whole body became conscious of his surroundings and started to react to the tiniest movements in the room. 

He musn’t get caught.

He cleared his throat a little before excusing himself, saying that Changmin had given him an errand for the night. SongSun, being oblivious of Junsu’s strange acts, only nodded and reminded his nephew to be careful. Junsu slipped away from the room quickly. But instead of heading out of the house which is where the errands should usually take place, he brought his feet towards the upper floor. His eyes were itching to witness the scene of Changmin’s pitiful state, breaking down in front of his own bedroom door like the end of his life was nearing.

He did feel guilty. But jealousy and regret has clouded all his senses and also the fact that Changmin was his best childhood friend.

His fists were held tight as he hid behind the dark corner. Who would guess that the closest man to Changmin was actually the one who was hiding the most secrets from him? Yes, Junsu had his own secrets. A secret against the man who trusted him the most; A secret that was tearing the Shim Clan down; A secret, that he thought could fix the life of the one he loved…

So there he stood; watching as Changmin stayed stationary, eyes looking through the walls, face flushed and disappointed. It broke his heart to see Changmin like that, but it also meant that he was one step closer towards his goal. Min Hee was more important.

The feelings he had at the moment was complicated, but he knew he had to finish what he started. He needed to keep his end of the bargain. He didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

Junsu continued observing the man. He wondered why Changmin hasn’t gone and fetched the spare keys and barge through the door instead of stupidly crying his heart out on the other side of the wall. He had done it a lot of times before anyway, when he was still the frightening predator. The times when Changmin was still in denial of his own true feelings and himself…

Suddenly, Junsu chuckled. Maybe love does have the capabilities outside of the world. Yes, love does change a person to an unimaginable extent. Just look at the view in front of him. And at himself.

From a distance, Junsu heard soft footsteps coming nearer.

“Oppa, you have to eat,” InKyung’s voice was heard. Junsu’s sudden strong heartbeat started to get slower and back to normal when he realised the person was coming from the other side. It wouldn’t seem nice if someone caught him spying on his own boss.

“If Min Hee’s not eating, I’m not eating.”

“Yah! Stop acting like a child. Get up! Dinner is getting cold,” InKyung pinched Changmin’s shirt and pulled at it softly.

“I’m not eating! And I’m not hungry!!”

“Min Hee wouldn’t like it if she knew you weren’t eating,” InKyung threatened. She was pushing his shoulders lightly by now.

“DAMN YOU, LEAVE ME ALONE!” Changmin suddenly stood up and swiftly pulled out his gun. He pointed it steadily at InKyung’s forehead, his face was beyond fury.

The action stunned InKyung as she started to back away, both hands up in the air.

Even Junsu’s toes were pinned to the floor. It has been more than a year since he last saw this scene right in front of his eyes. It looks like Changmin was slowly turning into his old self, which is exactly what Junsu wanted in order for the plan to progress. But… is this really what he himself would wish for?