Chapter Four

"Hyung, are you staying late tonight?"

JaeBum stares up at the room above. As the lights turned off he watches as four men exits the room. He made eye contact with the man in front as they are making their way down the stairs. The man smirks at JaeBum's gaze as one of the men following him opens the metal door for them to exit. JaeBum watches as they exit, he quickly grabs his bag and runs after them.

"Hyung!" The young man calls out to him as he sees him running off. He quickly follows.

JaeBum runs up to the moving car, stopping the driver in his tracks. The tires skids as the driver steps on the brake in a halt.

"What the f..." The man in the seat in the back cursed.

"Sorry sir, but someone's in front." The driver explains.

He glares at the driver. "Then get him out of the way." His voice commanding and unforgiving.

"Yes sir." The driver stutters.

"Hyung, are you crazy, what are you doing?" The young man reaches up to JaeBum as he saw him running in front of the moving car.

JaeBum's face was focused, his eyes never leaving the car. An intense look on his face as he stood there waiting for the passenger of the car to come out.

"Yah! What do you think you're doing?" The driver shouted at JaeBum the moment he got out of the car. "Get out of the way!" He shouted.

JaeBum stood his ground, his eyes still focused on the car.

"Yah! Didn't you hear me? Get the hell out!" The driver shouted again.

"Sorry." The young man beside JaeBum shouted back as he bow apologetically. "Hyung, let's go. That's the boss' car. We better get out of the way." He tries to pull JaeBum to the side but he didn't budge.

"Get out of here DooJoon." JaeBum cautions.

The driver snickers seeing JaeBum staying still. He begins making his towards JaeBum. "Yah! What part of move don't you understand?" He threatens.

The driver got closer to JaeBum. JaeBum took his gaze away from the car the moment the driver was inches away from him, he glance at him for a second before throwing a punch to his face. The driver was surprise at the sudden attack as he fell to the ground.

"Hyung?!" DooJoon was shocked at JaeBum's sudden action.

The men still sitting in the car witnessed the situation unfolding in front of them as two of them quickly got out of the car as they  see JaeBum making his way towards the car. The two man rush over towards JaeBum as a fight unfolded. JaeBum against the two muscular men. DooJoon couldn't watch his hyung getting attacked, he quickly jumps in. It was two against three as the driver got back on his foot to join the fight. Punches after punches were thrown, sweat and blood could be seen dripping from their faces. The three men were beaten down, as JaeBum stood above them breathing heavily. DooJoon was beaten but he managed to stand up to stand by JaeBum's side. The man still sitting in the car smirks seeing the fight that had just occurred in front of him. He finally got out of the car as he stares at JaeBum with his arrogant smirk.

"You still got it kid." He says to JaeBum in a mocking tone.

JaeBum stood in front of him breathing heavily as he wipes off the blood on his lips.
 

.....

DooJoon stood beside JaeBum, wiping off the blood on his face. JaeBum just stood glaring at the man sitting in the chair in front of him. The man still had his arrogant smirk on his face. The three men stood behind him, bruises still on their faces. The man sitting, glances over at his men and chuckles arrogantly.

"I'm surprise that you can still do this to my men."

JaeBum smirks. "Why are you surprise? Your men were never really a challenge to me." His arrogant nature appears.

One of the men got offended and was about to jump forward for the challenge but was held back by their boss. The boss laughs. "Still with that arrogant attitude of yours. Have you not learn that it's only gonna get you in to trouble?"

Another arrogant chuckle. "You're lecturing me? Be concern about yourself."

"See? Can't even take a simple advice. Tsk, tsk JaeBum." He mocks. "You need to be careful about what you say around certain people. It can get you in to a lot of trouble." He leans forward. "Who knows maybe even the people around you may suffer the consequences of your actions."

JaeBum's eyes widens at the last sentence. He rush forward and grabs hold the man by his collar from across the table. "You piece of !" He says through gritted teeth. "You're responsible aren't you!?"

The three men jumps forward to defend but their boss just brushed them off. He smirks at JaeBum's reaction, he knew he had hit his weakness. "It was a lovely cafe. It was unfortunate that it had to end that way." He whispers to JaeBum in a mocking manner. "I told you that it wasn't the end." He adds menacingly.

JaeBum slowly loosens his grip on the boss' collar. He slowly took a few steps back as he glares at the man in front of him. "What do you want?"

He laughs at JaeBum's surrender. "Get out, I need to talk to him alone." He manages to utter through his laughter. The three men bowed and begins to walk towards the door.

"Hyung." DooJoon utters to JaeBum with concern.

JaeBum turns to see the three men carrying DooJoon out the door with them. He turns back to the boss standing in front of him with a malicious smile on his face. "Leave DooJoon out of this."

"Oh, don't worry, he is of no use to me. He'll just need to keep his mouth shut and go back to work like nothing has happen and he will be fine. Now concerning you Jay."

"What do you want?"

The smirk on his face still present. "Fights are coming up soon. I need a fighter like you. And this time is not those kiddie boxing rounds that I hold for some measly thousands. This is the big leagues, against the prominent names of the underworld. These will be for the millions."

JaeBum looks up at him, his eyes brim with anger. "That's all you wanted? Why did you have to get Nicole involved?"

"That was just my way of getting your attention." He laughs. "Take it as a warning. That was just me getting you back here, if you try to double-cross me once we begin this, what I did to your precious girlfriend will be nothing compare to what I will do to you if you do betray me. Put my word on it." His tone changed to a serious, threatening tone.

"We have yet to start, what makes you think I will betray you."

He chuckles at the sentence. "If you've been in this world as long as I have, you pick up a few things, most importantly to never trust anyone, even your most loyal companion. Anyone can turn on you in an instant. Take this as my precaution procedures."

"What's in it for me?"

He chuckles once more. "The fact that your girlfriend will remain safe and out of harms way is not enough for you?"

"That's a given. I wouldn't be agreeing to any of this if that's not agreed upon." He challenged. "I will be doing most of the work, what sum of money is my cut." Blunt and straight to the point.

"That's why I like you Jay. No beating around the bush with you." He laughs. "Don't worry about your cut, every fight you win you will get your equal share. Get to the finals and that will be a big pay day for you."

"How much is each fight worth?"

"In the millions."

"I want fifty percent of each fight."

He laughs as if it was a joke. "Fifty percent? You think you're my partner? You're just a fighter, an employee."

"You want to win don't you? If I'm not fighting for you do you think you can win without me?" JaeBum challenges.

"You son of a bi..." He held himself back. "Fine. Fifty fifty. But the moment you lose consider yourself on death row. Your opponent will be the last person you worry about." He threatens.

JaeBum glares at his threat. "Whatever happens just make sure that Nicole is not involved in any of this."

"How endearing, still concern about your little girlfriend." He chuckles. "Fine, she won't know what happens. Even if you end up in the gutters." A menacing smile on his smile.

The two men shook in agreement.

"One more thing." The boss spoke as JaeBum was walking towards the door. "Get rid of that policeman that's been hanging around the warehouse the past couple of days. I don't want him interfering with our plans."

"Who?" JaeBum was a bit confuse as to who he was referring to.

"The one you were talking to a couple of days ago. He has been back here ever since snooping around. Don't let him find out anything."

It finally clicked to JaeBum, it was Kevin he was referring to. "Why do I have to get rid of him. He's here because of what you did to my girlfriend's cafe. If you want him out of your hair, you deal with him." With that he slams the door behind him.
 

-----

"Are you planning to stay here longer?" Hara asked.

"Why? You don't want me here? Am I intruding?" Nicole pouted.

"No. That's not what I meant." Hara defended herself. "I was just curious because I've never seen you or Jay fight like this before."

Nicole sat back on the couch in silence. She replayed the whole fight in her mind over and over again. She couldn't help but feel guilty for not giving him the benefit of the doubt. They've been together for so long, why is it now that she's questioning him. He has always provided well for her, why the sudden mistrust. Then Kevin's questions once again barges in to her mind, that's when it all gets even more confusing.

"That Kevin Kim. I can't believe he caused all this between the two of you." Hara's voice chimes in.

Nicole snaps out of her thoughts. "It's not him. It's the whole situation in itself."

"You never had these doubts before, then all of sudden a few questions from this Kevin Kim and you're starting to question yours and Jay's relationship. Curse that Kevin Kim."

"Don't say that. He was just doing his job. It's not his fault if it I have my own insecurities."

"Why are you defending this guy so much? I find him annoying. It's as if he's trying to do something funny, I just don't know what."

The sound of a phone ringing echoes through the apartment. The two girls reach for their cell phone. It was Nicole's. Her face expressionless when she saw the name.

"Hello?" She answers blankly.

"Hey." Came the other line.

"Do you need something?" Her nonchalant voice almost came off distant and cold.

"Have you eaten? Do you want to come out and eat with me?"

"Sorry JaeBum, but I'm not in the mood to see you right now."

The moment he heard her say 'JaeBum', he knew that she was still mad. She would only utter his full name in moments in which she is angry at him. "Please Nicole. I miss you. It's been a few days already. Can you just come home?" He pleaded to her.

She let out an annoyed sigh. "Please don't waste my time with those words."

Her words cut him like a knife. She has never been this harsh to him before. Nicole herself didn't know what was going on with herself, even though she felt guilty for not trusting him and wants to see him as well, she felt the need to continue this anger. The moment she hears his voice, excitement and joy fills her but at the same time feelings of mistrust and betrayal takes over as well and there's a battle between these emotions and she doesn't know what to do. She just say whatever comes out without thinking it through. What was she to do.

"Nicole. I love you." He whispers in to the phone.

It was a soft whisper, but enough for her to hear him. She grips the phone tightly the moment she heard him say those words. "Jay..." She begins but was cut off at the dial tone on the other line. He had hung up.

She felt the guilt take over her once more. What was she to do.