Chapter 18

 

 “Kyuhyun…yah, Kyuhyun…”

 

Who…is it? Kyuhyun slowly opened his eyes.

 

“Kyuhyun!” when his eyes wide open, he sees Yesung looking at him worriedly.

 

“Thanks God that you’re okay.”

 

“What happened, ouch…” he winced, to feel the pain on his lips.

 

“Better if you just stay quiet for a while. It’s quite a bruise.” Yesung warned.

 

“What…happened? Ah, where’s Sungmin?!”

 

“She’s in the room I guess.” Yesung reluctantly answers, he looks at Kyuhyun, “Well…what had you done to Sungmin actually, Kyuhyun?”

 

“Eh? Why?”

 

Flashback.

 

Yesung, Jongjin and the others heard some voices from downstairs. They lazily wake up and were surprised to see Sungjin fuming in anger and Kyuhyun lying on the floor. The most shocking is, Sungmin. is. speaking.

 

“I didn’t teach you to be this inappropriate!”

 

“I didn’t do anything!” Sungmin retorted back.

 

“Didn’t do anything?! You were hugging this brat!” Sungjin pointed to Kyuhyun.

 

“I didn’t!”

 

“I see it by my own eyes! Yun and Woo also did!”

 

“But, it wasn’t like that at all!” Sungmin denies with all her might.

 

“And you have given him a really hard blow already, Jin.” One of the guys, Woo or his real name Dongwoo, stated the obvious, while poking on Kyuhyun’s face, teasing the unconscious boy.

 

“Well, that’s not enough!”

 

“But, you should not, Jin-chan!” Sungmin scolds him more.

 

“I’m just…”

 

“Enough, Jin.” Yun or Yunho, the one that has been silence, cuts him before he continues, “You should control the anger of yours before venting it out on someone.” he said, and it was then Sungjin finally gives in and calm down a bit.

 

“We’ll talk again after he has woken up.” Sungjin reminded, still giving the girl a death glare.

 

“Jin-chan!” Sungmin wants to say something else but one voice stopped her entirely.

 

“Sungminie?”

 

Sungmin instantly tensed by that voice. She could immediately recognize the voice because it’s her friends’ voice. Her secret that she’s been hiding has been reveal, and in a very unexpected situation. She looks at the three men in front of her, scared and nervous clearly shown on her face.

 

Help me! She called inside her head, sending the message to them.

 

Yunho sighs, “We’re sorry.” he stepped forward.

 

He pushed Sungmin softly to the other two and looks straight into the eyes of Sungmin’s friends.

 

“We didn’t mean to surprise you in this kind of scene and especially so early in the morning.” He explained.

 

“Sungmin…did she just speak?” Eunhyuk’s spills out the question that’s been spinning inside their head.

 

Yunho nods faintly, “Yes, she just speaks.”

 

“But, how? Why? I thought that…”

 

“Wait...why don’t we settle this one by one? Later.” He smiles, but a very unreadable smile, “Jongwoon, come and help me with this kid. And Jongjin, please help Sungmin’s friends back to her room.” Yunho give orders sternly.

 

“Yes, hyung.” The siblings followed right away.

 

Flashback end.

 

“So, what has really happened?” Yesung asked again.

 

“Well…”

 

“You hug my niece, without my permission, that happened.” An angry voice replied instead of Kyuhyun.

 

Kyuhyun jerks abruptly by the voice. Somehow, he could sense wrath going to fall on him. Yesung moved away a little, and a still furious Sungjin appears in front of him. Kyuhyun gulped his saliva bitterly.

 

I’m dead. He told himself.

 

“So, what are you going to say, brat?”

 

“Err…Just…sorry?”

 

“Sorry? What do you mean ‘just sorry’?! You should kneel down and begs for forgiveness!” Sungjin yelled angrily, “Seiza! Now!” he ordered, pointed to the floor.

 

“Seiza?” Kyuhyun frowns, “What’s that?”

 

And that one question make Sungjin angrier, “How dare you!”

 

Bam!

 

 A tray hit on his head, hard.

 

“Ittai, Baka! (It’s hurts, idiot)”

 

“Urushai. (Shut up.”

 

“Naze?! (Why?!)” Sungjin yelled, unsatisfied by the treatment that he got.

 

A glare from Yunho is enough to shut his mouth down completely. He huffed, and walks away from there, leaving a still dumbfounded Kyuhyun.

 

“Take this.” Yunho throws a pack of ice to Kyuhyun, “It will lessen the bruise a little.”

 

“Ah…Thank you.” Kyuhyun obeys though he is really confuses by what has just happened, soon after he wakes up.

 

“Where’s Sungmin, Yunho-hyung?” Yesung asks.

 

“She’s still upstairs with Dongwoo. I’m about to call them for breakfast. You too.” Yunho said more, and coldly just left the living room.

 

“Hyung…care to tell me?” Yesung sighs tiredly.

 

“You really are making a lot of trouble, Kyuhyun.” Yesung remarked.

 

~~

 

Just like what Yunho said, Sungmin is with Dongwoo, in other room, while Jongjin is in Sungmin’s room explaining to the others what has really happened to Sungmin. Also, the truth about Sungmin’s condition.

 

“So, you mean…she’s not mute?”

 

“Me and my brother never say that she’s mute. We just said that she didn’t want to speak.” He replied, half-heartedly.

 

“But, why?”

 

Jongjin sighs, before he continues, “Before anything, I want you to promise to never judge her or ask her anything, about her family background ever again.”

 

“We promise.” Three of them immediately promise.

 

“Great.” Jongjin takes a chair and sit, “The reason why Sungmin didn’t talk is because of human’s stupid perception of her family and envies. I don’t know whether you realize it or not, but Sungmin has the sweetest voice ever.”

 

“It’s true, she has.” Ryeowook agrees, though she just heard Sungmin talk a few.

 

“But, other people were jealous of it. It was all started when she first enroll in her middle school. It was normal at first and just like you, she was also a member of music club.” Jongjin refers to Ryeowook.

 

“But, as days passed, she becomes more popular and other people become more jealous of her. Because of that, they make a prank on her. From just a normal prank, it became more and more severe and finally she was badly bullied at school. But, her uncle and the others were oblivious about that. They were busy, couldn’t blame them all ‘cause Sungmin loves to keep her feeling inside. And just like what had happened here, she slowly loses the will to speak and in the end we didn’t realize that she just stop talking completely.” The others just listen and feel a bit ‘pang’ to the heart when they remembered what had Sungmin gone through.

 

“Sungmin didn’t tell us everything that happened to her, not until she was hospitalized due to exhaustion one day. The teacher reveals that she was bullied and she has stop talking. When Sungjin uncle ask about that, she just stay silent refuses to say anything.”

 

“Her voice is not all the reason she was bullied, right?” Eunhyuk tried to assumes and Jongjin nods.

 

“What happened? Tell us.” Ryeowook insisted.

 

“Sungmin didn’t come from a normal family like us.” Jongjin started again, “Sungmin…came from the Yakuza family. In other words, her family is a mafia.” Every eyes staring at him wide open to hear that.

 

“Mafia?”

 

“Yes, mafia. It has been a secret but somehow, the secret was reveal to someone at school and they spread it. To make things worse, when the gang found out about that, they decided to resolve the matter in their own way.” Jongjin closed his eyes, calming himself.

 

“The student who spread the rumours were attacked and threatened to never spread lies again, but instead of okay, the situation backfired, to Sungmin. Her friends started to avoid her, scared of her and lastly, abandoned her entirely. Sungjin-hyung changes her school few times, but the same thing keeps repeating itself.”

 

“That’s why Sungmin always keep herself all alone.” Ryeowook concludes, couldn’t hold the tear anymore.

 

All of them inside the room remain silent for a few more moment, when a knock on the door suddenly heard.

 

“Got a minute?” Dongwoo appears behind the door.

 

“Hyung.” Jongjin nods.

 

“Go in.” Dongwoo pushes Sungmin inside softly, “Go. It’s okay.” He assures her when Sungmin was still holding her shirt tight.

 

Sungmin hesitate, walks inside the room with eyes still looking at the floor.

 

“Donghae…Ryeowookkie…” she calls, almost inaudible but still heard by the two girls.

 

Donghae and Ryeowook dashed forward and hug her tight.

 

“Oh Sungmin…we love you. We will never hurt you again. We promise.” They hug her even tighter.

 

Sungmin who was stunned for a second there, just stare at Dongwoo. Dongwoo nods, give her a warm smile.

 

“Thank you…” Sungmin said, and that is all that matter.

 

The others smile, thankful that Sungmin is breaking her wall of fear at last.

 

“So, is everything resolve now?” they all turned to the door to see Yunho there, smiling warmly.

 

“Em!” Sungmin nods, still hugging her two best friends.

 

“Good. Breakfast is ready.” He informed, “I just hope that you’re okay with Japanese style.” He said more.

 

They all nod and smile at each other before they go downstairs to the dining room, to have a very not so peaceful breakfast at all.

 

~~

 

Meanwhile, at other place, Kangin and his father are also on the way back home to Korea, with a different flight than Sungjin and the others. Kangin who has been in confusion about Sungjin’s true identity, continue on asking his father for the truth.

 

“So…you said that the right and left hand of Sungjin’s is actually his best friend.”

 

Youngjin nodded, “Well, as far as I remembers, they did have been together since long time ago.”

 

“How did they get involved in the gang? I thought that the gang is inherited from generation to generation and involves family only.”

 

“For more answers, why don’t you just ask Jungha.” Youngjin pushed the job to his assistant next to Kangin.

 

“But…”

 

“I’m not listening, I’m going to sleep.” He cuts Kangin and puts an eye patch and pretends to sleep.

 

Kangin sighs, “So, hyung. What is the answer?” Kangin turned to the man.

 

Jungha, the assistant smiles, “Firstly, yes the gang was supposed to be only from the same family generation. But somehow, it changes in these few years back.” Jungha started the story.

 

“Sungjin became the leader after the death of his brother, Lee Sungyu. His brother’s unexpected death gave him no choice but to take charge of the responsibility. At that time, his position was supposed to be only temporary. But, at that time also where the dispute takes place. Questions by questions arise. Why would an ‘infant’ is allowed to be the leader if there is other person that is available? And yet, the other groups didn’t quite see who is the most suitable to hold the responsibilities. Fights happened almost every day and lead to more injuries every time.”

 

“Why didn’t I know about it?”

 

“Master Youngjin didn’t yet want you to get involve in that matter. It wasn’t a good picture for you to see.”

 

“And, it’s okay with Sungjin? Who are maybe only one or two years older than me?” Kangin talks back, dissatisfied by the answer.

 

Jungha sighs, “No, young master. It’s not like what you think. Sungjin’s side story is far different than you are. You, has master to guide and protect you. But, Sungjin only has himself, old parents and an orphan niece by his side. Not quite a good supporter to begin with. And, he’s 3 years older than you.” Jungha defended.

 

Kangin somehow, a little understand when Jungha mention about the supporter but his face still shows confusion, “So, he continues on accepting the position? Even though the other gangs hate him?”

 

“Yeah, you’re right on that part. But, though he accepts the position in change for his late brother, he showed us that he is more than just an ‘infant’.” Jungha said, a smile plastered on his face, a proud face.

 

“He took charge, and clears the fights by using his own way. He makes us see that being a yakuza or a mafia is not always only about blood and fights. That’s why more of the groups/gangs are now involved in business. Yet, at the same time, the secret are still remain as a secret.”

 

“Family’s generation secret.” Kangin added.

 

Jungha smiles by the statement. It seems that Kangin has truly understood what he’s trying to say and the importance of family secret of being a mafia, which is something that should be proud of. A hand patted the younger’s head. Kangin turn to his side to see his father, smiling at him.

 

“That’s why the family is important to the gang, Youngwoon.” He said.

 

Kangin smiles back, “I know, father.”

 

“Good.”

 

“With the help of his best friend, Yunho and Dongwoo, he proves to us, to all the other groups that he is not his brother and will never be one.” Jungha added more.

 

“That’s why there’re rumors about him being the fearless leader.”

 

“You can say it like that. His family background teaches him about life that no one could ever do. That’s why, at the age of 28, the gang approved him as the next generation leader until there is one next available. Then, until now, there’s no one yet existed to be able to suppress him. To become a great CEO and a leader at the young age, need a lot of courage, Young master. You still have lots to learn.” Jungha ended his story.

 

Kangin nods his head, understood the story.

 

“Then, what about those two best friend of Sungjin? How did they get involves in the gang?”

 

“His left hand, Jang Dongwoo is an idol actually, if you pay more attention to his face.”

 

“Idol?”

 

“Yup, he is in the duo group. Infinite H, I think. And as far as I know, he’s really famous. But then, in the gang, he is the protector of Lee family. He was adopted into the family by Sungjin’s father and it was said that the Lee family is the one that changes him. He is also a professional at martial arts, a very good fighter, I admit, because he’s always seen to be the fighter right in front of the row. I’ve fought with him once, and lose. And he was young at that time.”

 

“You lost? To someone younger? Unbelievable.”

 

“Please, don’t make me remember that bad memory.” Jungha reminded the latter, and continues with the story, “Still, the most dangerous person is not Sungjin or Dongwoo.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“If Dongwoo is the visible protector for the Lee Family, Yunho is the opposite. If there’s one word to describe him, he’s a devil.”

 

“Devil?”

 

“His family has served as the shadow of the Lee family since his father’s time. And they have known each other since birth. Dongwoo protects the Lee family from the front row, while he is the strategist who controls the inside of Lee family.”

 

“So, which part of him that makes him so scary?”

 

Jungha chuckles and Youngjin also did the same which makes Kangin frowned even more, “What is so funny about?”

 

“Just look straight into his eyes for 10 seconds and then you’ll know what is it feel like to be curse by a real devil.” Youngjin recommend, and they continue laughing.

 

Kangin’s mouth wide open by the confused statement from his father. It seems that he needs to know the man itself to know the true self of Sungjin’s trusted hands.

 

“Wait, you said Sungjin’s brother? Is he Sungmin’s father?”

 

 

TBC

 

 

~~Here’s an update!! So, I decided to make Sungmin talk (after so many considerations and a change of plot, hehehe) hope that it will not a disappoint…and also, Yunho here is from TVXQ (cause he and Minnie looks so cute together) and Dongwoo is from Infinite (he’s my bias in that group, hehehehe)~~

Sorry for been neglecting this fic…I didn’t even realize that January is almost over already. There’s a lot on my mind already…T_T. comments are highly appreciated!!!