I haven't even fully entered the mansion yet, and I already heard moans of pain amd contact of skin to skin. And immediately I knew what was going on.

I ran inside and saw Jongin on the ground near the entrance, and my father on top of him, punching him like crazy. Jongin tried shielding his angry fists with his arms, screaming in pain over and over again.

"YOU ARE SUCH A DISGRACE! A BASTARD! YOU WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH IN THIS FAMILY! ALL YOU DO IS MAKE US LOOK LIKE IDIOTS!" my father screamed at the top of his lungs, slapping and punching Jongin like crazy.

"Why aren't you doing anything?!" I asked the body guards standing around them.

"I'm sorry, Mr. President, your father's orders."

"JONGIN'S GONNA DIE!" I screamed at them back and ran to Jongin's aid.

My father continued hurting him like a lunatic, not even stopping to catch his breath. I shielded my arms on top of Jongin and tried pushing my father away, but he was too strong.

He never stopped. He kept doing it. I saw it in his eyes. He wanted to kill Jongin then and there.

I was fed up. I didn't like this anymore. This was the last straw.

"Arrest him!" I screamed at the guards while pointing at my father.

The guards, bewildered, made no move to my request. I found a nearby pot and slammed it on the ground, its shards flying everywhere.

"DIDN'T YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID!"

The guards seemed to have went back to their senses, and within minutes, they held both of my father's arms and pulled him away from Jongin.

"What is this?! Taemin, this bastard tried to taint our family, running off like that tonight away from his fiancee! In front of hundred of prominent people! In front of the media! Don't you know how this would affect your image! This bastard--"

"--is my brother! And I love him, and you have no right to do this to him, and take away his happiness, like what you've been doing to us in the past 20 years!" I said harshly, pointing at him with such disgust.

"How dare you Lee Taemin! After everything I've done for you! I gave you clothes! Shelter! Food! I gave you everything you needed, and this is how you repay your own father?!"

I felt Jongin tugging on the bottom of my slacks. He looked so tired, and he was bloody, his clothes were ripped, but he tried his best to stand up. I assisted him and wiped the blood out of his mouth.

He stared groggily at my father, black and bruised.

"Yes." he said. "I may be a bastard. But that's so much better than being like you. A selfish, greedy, money hoarding prick."

My father was about to say something more, but I ordered the guards to take him away. Jongin fell limply beside me and I caught him in time, telling the maids to call a doctor immediately.

"He's damaged pretty badly, Mr. Taemin. I'm afraid he's gonna have to go to the hospital for further treatment." the doctor told me when he arrived.

I was devastated. Jongin used to take all the punches and hits, but today he must've just shut down. 

I was feeling sorry for myself. This has happened countless of times, and I didn't do anything. I blamed myself for being so weak, for letting all this happen, for always being too late.

We rushed immediately to the hospital. Along the way, I found various articles about Jongin, about me, about my father being spotted at the police station, and tons of other more ridiculous news about my family. The pressuring feeling was seeping up my system again, and I feel like going on another anxiety attack.

But I would have to deal with those later. Jongin is what's important right now, and he needs me. He always needed me. Today I have the courage to help him back.

While Jongin was in the emergency room, a swarm of press somehow managed to get inside the hospital. The guards were enough to protect me, but I still needed a safe space. Going through all the floors, I looked for a place away from the reporters, from the stress, from everything.

All this cowardice really backfired on me pretty badly, but now is not the time to be more . I have to face these on my own. As I round the corner, I caught sight of Jinri. What is she doing here? Shouldn't she be with Soojung at her house?

"Jinri." I said as I approached her. She flinched at my voice and turned to me, and I saw tears streaming down her face.

"Taemin." she replied, hugging me and sobbing harder.

I comforted her as she cried and cried. She looked so empty, and I felt nervous for some reason.

A doctor approached us along the empty hallway, and upon seeing me widened his eyes and bowed down. 

"What's going on?"

"Good evening, Mr. President. Ms. Choi, I've gathered up all of Ms. Jung's test results and it's confirmed. I'm sorry, but the glaucoma has reached its highest peak. I regret to inform you that Ms. Jung will no longer be able to see. I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, my world crumbled down even more. What could make this day any worse than it already is?

Jinri's sobs grew louder and she clutched onto my chest, heaving pretty badly. I her back, even when I myself couldn't take all of this in one day.

I called Kyungsoo to let him know about it. I don't think I can do this alone tonight. He cried on the phone and said he'll be on his way.

When Jinri calmed down, I offered her some water I bought from the vending machine. She drank it slowly and sighed.

"I never thought it would be so soon. We had a lot of plans. I was going to surprise her......" she said sadly, and I could tell she was about to cry again.

I shushed her and hugged her once again.

"How did you know Soojung's here?" she asked when she gathered up her thoughts.

"I didn't know..... I brought Jongin here and--"

"What happened to Jongin?" she asked worriedly.

"I'll tell you later, there's a ton of press downstairs and I don't want you to get caught in the controversies. For now, Soojung needs you. She needs us."

Jinri calmed down a little and bowed her head.

After a while, a lady ran up to us with a man beside him, looking very worried. She looked like she was crying too.

"I'm sorry I'm late, there was an angry mob outside and I couldn't get in. How is she?" she asked Jinri frantically.

Jinri just held the girl's hand and showed her inside, and the guy followed suit. Jinri looked at me and nodded her head for me to come in as well.

I slowly rose up from my seat and walked towards the room, my steps heavy. Inside, I saw Soojung with an IV on her left hand, and the lady from earlier was holding onto her other hand and her head was bowed by her bedside.

"Donghae oppa." Jinri speaks after a long time and hugs the man who was standing beside the lady.

The man comforts her and she cries again, and I couldn't speak and just stood there, stoic.

"Sooyeon unnie, the doctor said......." Jinri tried her best to speak but choked up on her words and cried even more.

Somehow the lady sensed what Jinri was trying to say and she started crying silently, holding onto Soojung's hand tighter.

I quietly exited the room and sat back on my seat by the hallway.

What has our lives become? It used to be so simple, so fun. But now, real life is kicking in, and it's taking the fantasies away from us.

If this is what it means to grow up, I'd rather be 7 years old again, playing toy cars with Jongin in our playroom, worrying about whether lunch would be hamburger steaks or another one of those weird fish dish our nanny loves to make.

Real life really is scary, especially when you have no control of what's about to happen, and you can't do anything to be okay again.

The man who was hugging Jinri stepped outside and sat beside me.

"Good evening, Mr. President. I'm sorry I didn't know. We just got back from San Diego and were really out of the loop on what's happening in Korea. I'm Donghae, by the way, Jinri's brother."

He puts out his hand and I shook it firmly.

"The girl with me is Sooyeon, Soojung's sister. She was the only one who knew where Soojung is, having contact with Jinri since Soojung moved from her house. Jinri was going to surprise her with Sooyeon tomorrow, but then she told us something bad happened. We never even bothered checking into our hotel as soon as we got back, we went straight here. And then she learns Soojung has completely lost her vision."

"It's so unfair for Soojung. She shouldn't be experiencing these things. She's too good for this world to suffer like this." I said. Donghae chuckled.

"Soojung has always been the best kid. I found her so admirable and brave. Always smiling, always bright. There was never a time I ever saw her sad. Even when she knew about her glaucoma, she went on this monologue about how lucky she still is that she has us, and that this won't scare her. But I know Soojung's afraid of this too. I know she wouldn't take it if she finds out she can't see anymore when she wakes up."

"I liked her a lot for her positivity. And my brother did too. He loves her so much. She loves him too. But she's too selfless. She always thinks of others before herself, and forgetting she's special too. So I don't understand. How do you stop bad things from happening?"

"Bad things will always happen. So you will appreciate the good."

Donghae's statement a switch. I looked at him in awe. He's so much like Soojung. And it made me feel better.

We got to talk a lot more after that. I also got to have a conversation with her sister, and told her everything, about me, about Jongin. Well, most of it.

Kyungsoo arrived in the early morning and informed me the press outside has dissipated. I haven't slept a wink, and I still need to go back to Jongin.

"I'll take care of Soojung, Jinri and I will be here. You guys should go and take some rest." he said to me and to Donghae and Sooyeon.

We bid each other goodbye and I went to Jongin. I was glad to find out he was already stable, although his face was completely jacked up. His lips were completely busted and a nerve from his left eye apparently broke.

"He's gonna have to stay here for 2 more weeks so we can check his vital signs. Rest assured, he will be waking up soon." the doctor told me.

I looked over to Jongin's limp body as he sleeps soundly in his hospital bed. His chest rose and fell irregularly and I could tell he was still in pain.

I sighed. This is better. Let Jongin rest. From the drama, from the heartache, from everything. From the world. He needs it badly, and if sleep is the only escape, the he has to sleep for a long time.

I ordered Wendy to take care of Jongin while I'm away, and ordered more than 50 guards around the premises. No press should be able to enter hospital grounds no matter what.

I in a huge breath. It's time for me to handle my own business. Starting with my father.

~

sorry the update was a bit late, there was too much happening on twitter and I was busy translating stuff for monsta x lmao but here it is I hope you like it ㅠㅠ I think something big is about to come, but I don't know if I should drop it already or wait for a few more chapters hehe this isn't called Pas De Chance for nothing 😜