[C h a p t e r 3 7]

Lay sat waiting on a bench outside namsan tower , playing a mobile game on his phone. He had decided to come and wait for Sehun a little earlier as he realised there really was no point in staying at the station brooding over his dead-ends. He might as well go on this ‘date’ with Sehun, giving himself the excuse that he was only going along with it to relax and that there was nothing more to it.

Someone suddenly came to sit on the bench beside him and began leaning towards him as if to see what he was doing. A little annoyed by the man, Lay shuffled along the seat away from him, eyes still glued onto his game. The man followed him, sliding even closer than before. Angrily, Lay pressed pause on his game and turned to look at the man.

“Don’t you know-” he began but stopped when he realised it was Sehun. “Oh, it’s you,” he said simply before returning to his game.

Sehun smiled in reply and leaned forward to look at Lay’s game once more but he shouldered him to move out of the way. “Is this how you greet someone who has asked you out on a date, Detective?” teased Sehun, still smiling.

Lay’s fingers hovered over the buttons, frozen as the ‘game over’ music began playing. He then snapped his head towards Sehun with a frown. “Who said anything about a date?” he stood up, looking anywhere else but at Sehun. “The only reason I’m even here is because I have nothing better to do with my time.”

Raising an eyebrow, Sehun stood up behind Lay. “Well, be that the reason you came, I still consider it a date.” He then looked him up and down, taking in his appearance. “

He then looked him up and down, taking in his appearance. “But going out on a date with you dressed in a boring baseball jacket and looking casual is not going to be fun.” Grabbing his wrist, he began dragging him towards the shooping mall, two of his bodyguards following faithfully behind.

Lay glanced between his hand on his wrist to his face. “Hey! Where are you taking me?”

Sehun just smiled mysteriously as they entered the building and headed towards the shopping mall. When Lay saw him dragging him towards a Tuxedo shop, he immediately stopped and pulled his hand away from Sehun, . “Why are you taking me to this shop?” he asked.

Sehun came to grip his hand tightly once more and began pulling the reluctant Lay into the shop. “I’m taking you to improve your appearance,” he replied simply, handing him over to one of the male working in the shop. “I want you to make him look smart tonight,” he said to the man who nodded as he began leading Lay into a change room at the back of the shop.

“What?” shouted Lay, surprised as he tried to get away. But Sehun managed to catch him again. “You’re going to make me wear this Tux?” he snapped, pointing at it“Remember how I told you that night at Key KimKibum party that I was going to beat up my partner because he left me alone and forced me to wear a tux?”

Sehun pretended to ponder the thought for a moment, before shaking his head as he pushed Lay into the change room. “Nope. But I have no doubt that you really did beat up your partner over the matter and I’m not afraid to suffer the same fate. Now, behave and do what the nice man says,” he smiled before closing the door on him.

“Master Oh has specifically chosen these Tux for you, Mr,” he said kindly, laying the expensive-looking black Tuxedo Lay couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at how smart they looked. Then he caught himself and frowned at the salesman.....

Lee Soo Man returned home early, the meeting with Harada having gone across smoothly. Their agreements were now formally renewed, with a few revisions here and there in terms of the volumes of drugs they were able to sell and buy with one another. Amber attended the meeting in total silence, and entered the mansion in the same fashion.

Key suddenly appeared at the top of the steps, smiling brightly as he waved at them. “Father! It’s nice to see you home early for once!” he greeted as he made his way down.

Lee Soo Man came to a stop, frowning as his son approached him. “You’re home early too, Key. Should you not still be at our Manufacturing Sector’s office ?”

Key nodded his head, still smiling. “I should but as there doesn’t seem to be anything of importance requiring my attention there, I thought I might as well come and see if there is anything I can do for the Syndicate instead.”

Lee Soo Man’s frowned deepened as he walked past Key. “There is nothing in the Syndicate that requires your attention, Key. Focus only on the tasks which I have given you.”

Amber noticed Key’s fists curl up in anger although he was still smiling brightly. “Is that so, Father?” he said through clenched teeth. Lee Soo Man came to a stop and Key turned around to face him. “Why are you keeping me away from the Syndicate now, when all my life you have been filling my head with your dreams for me to succeed you? Why, when I am finally old enough, are you refusing to let me play a bigger role in the group?”

Slowly, Lee Soo Man turned around to face his son, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “And here, I thought you have changed.” He took a step towards his son, looking him up and down. “You have been away from Seoul for quite some time, Key. Before you can even think of playing a bigger role in the Syndicate, you should reacquaint yourself with your surroundings first. That is why I have put you in charge of our organisation’s manufacturing sector.” He stared at Key for a full minute before turning away and heading up the steps to his room. Amber stepped forward to follow him, pausing beside Key.

“It seems being back under your father’s control has begun to awaken that old rebellious streak of yours, Master Key,” she said quietly. “Please don’t challenge your father again. You should remember how stubborn your father is.” She bowed her head respectfully before heading up the stairs as well.

Key watched her walk off, fuming slightly as he turned to stare angrily at the floor. He knew Amber was right. It seemed to have slipped his mind how stubborn his father could be when it came to matters dealing with the Syndicate. That was one of the reasons he had been sent overseas in the first place. Taking a deep breath to calm down, he headed out of the mansion towards his car. Now he had nothing else to do for the whole evening, as he had cleared his schedule in the hope that his father would be willing to assign him something. Starting the engine, he pulled out, Amber and Kris watching from the window above.

“It looks like old habits die hard, huh, Amber?” said Kris with a sly smile. Amber glanced at him out the corner of her eye, slightly annoyed that his comment seemed to be aimed at her as well. She turned away from the window, heading over to her room. Lee Soo Man had already dismissed her for the day and she was forbidden to leave the premises all night.

“I heard from the Driver that some policeman was tailing you today. Care to share the details with me?” he said as he followed her.

Amber continued on towards her room, entering it without saying a word. However, she left the door open and Kris entered, closing the door behind him. Amber went to sit at her desk, pulling out some of the files she was to work on. “It was nothing much. I’m pretty sure you know everything already.”

Kris smiled, walking over to look out the window. “Everything… perhaps…” He then turned to peer at Amber, leaning back against the window. “But I suppose there would only be one person who would suddenly decide to tail you so soon after you have lost your necklace.”

Amber’s pen paused above the paper momentarily, before she continued writing as if nothing had happened. “I suppose so. How is jinwoo  doing?” she asked, suddenly changing the topic.

“Ah Jinwoo?” repeated Kris, raising an amused eyebrow. “I thought you might have forgotten about him by now. He is doing fine, living with a relative of mine.” He paused, studying Amber busily scribbling across her documents. “Do you want to go visit him?” he asked suddenly.

This time, Amber’s pen paused for a longer period of time. She began twirling it in her fingers, pondering over Kris’s suggestion. Then she returned to writing on the page. “Lee Soo Man will never allow it. I am not allowed to leave the mansion unless I am in his company, remember?”

Kris nodded, standing up straight as he slowly walked back around the desk. “I remember. But… he might make an exception if you are with me.”

Amber put down her pen on the table, turning to face Kris. “Even if he were to permit me to leave with you, I still do not want him finding out about Jinwoo.” She raised her hand, pointing at the door. “Now please leave, Kris. You have been a distraction for long enough.”

Kris stared back at Amber and their eyes connected. Turning away, he shrugged, heading towards the door. “Fine, suit yourself. We’ll be leaving in half an hour. I hope you’ll be ready by then.”

Amber watched as he exited her room, turning back to stare angrily at her desk. Slamming it in frustration, she then rubbed her hands on her face. Kris was just playing with her. He knew that she needed to find a way to go and see Henry tonight and it was just like him to lend her a helping hand. She didn’t want his help. He had helped her more than enough to last a lifetime.

tbc.

Yeah... I'm taking forever to reach Amber and Henry meeting but only a few more chapters before then... If you've forgotten, Jinwoo is the kid Amber saved back in chapter 7. Haha, my mind is a total blank right now...

Next Chapter: Last bit of Luhan-Krystal for the night, some more on Sehun-Lay's date and Kris takes Amber to see jinwoo.