Chapter 14:

The huge black Land Rover didn’t fit at all in the idyllic image of the area of which with its grass overgrown street it was slowly making its way forward.

In fact it didn’t look like a street at all; the only evidence was the trace of tires in two parallel lines through the surrounding green grass.

The vehicle drove in a careful and slow pace towards the only house at the end of the so-called street. It was located further away than the other houses in this already rural village, making it even more isolated. The car made a stop on a surprisingly wide weed-free space in front of the metallic gate of the small cottage.

The two doors at the front opened and a young girl and a man climbed out.

Sora stretched her stiff body with a deep breath. She slung her dark brown cardigan around her shoulders; too lazy to put it on properly.

The ride took almost two hours. She didn’t do much except for taking short naps or talking to Yoochun yet she felt tired.

Yoochun, who as expected had already put his jacket on, was currently busying himself at the open trunk of their car.

“Sora!” An approaching male voice called out.

Sora turned to the now open gate where a man with slightly greying hair broke into a big smile.

“Long time no see, darling. How have you been?” Genuine happiness was radiating from him.

“Mr. Park!” Sora yelled as she rushed to him and jumped into his open arms. “I missed you a lot too!”

Mr. Park chuckled as he patted the girl’s head. “You’ve grown again, haven’t you?”

Sora giggled as she buried her head deeper in the man’s embrace.

“Sir.” Yoochun bowed in front of the man, in his hands two bouquets of white and red roses as well as a navy paper bag.

“Yoochun.” The man released Sora and nodded towards the younger man. “As hardworking as ever.”

Both broke into a laugh as the man reached towards the bag. “Let me help you.”

Yoochun however, smoothly pulled away. “I can’t possibly let you carry this, Sir.”

“And polite as ever.” Mr. Park shook his head as he marched back towards the house with Sora firmly in his arms. “Will you ever grow closer to me?”

„Everybody here? They’ll arrive soon.“ Chunji looked around the room.

Everyone was busying themselves with either their phones, a book, the TV or the game station. Nobody took the time to even look up to acknowledge his question nor his presence.

Chunji rolled his eyes and scanned the group, checking the presences.

Everybody there.

When he finally plopped himself on the couch, he was awarded with a short amount of attention in form of a brief question.

„Why are we even meeting at this place?“ A mischievous voice complained.

Chunji’s mine darkened and he replied sarcastically: „Because we can’t tell them to attend a meeting in a rat hole.“

„Hey, we cleaned up since last time!“ B-Bomb lifted his head briefly and shot his defense towards Chunji before he engrossed himself in his game again.

„Removing only those empty cans doesn’t count as cleaning. Who knows which diseases are hiding in that cramped storeroom.“ Chunji made a disgusted face.

„Good one. But I can assure you, we don’t have any rats there. Well, not since U-Kwon caught the last one yesterday.“ Zico cheekily replied while grinning.

„Your jokes are as gross as your headquarter.“ Chunji turned away, clearly unamused by the other’s words.

„That isn’t our headquarter, it’s only a cramped storeroom as you said.“ Taeil snickered with a knowing side glance towards Zico.

„Our headquarter is way too fine to welcome you all as guests!“ The other one hollered, while his group erupted in laughter.

The Teen Top members started to complain when a voice rang through the room.

„I apologize for not being ‘fine’ enough for a visit in your headquarter.“

The room fell deadly silent. Eyes of the guilty ones widened in panic while many of them broke into a cold sweat.

The three men who silently entered, made their way nonchalantly across the room and settled themselves on a free couch at the end of the room.

„S-Sir!“ Zico quickly got onto his feet. „I- We-“

„Sit down, we aren’t in the army.“ A single look was enough to make the younger boy comply.

The others straightened themselves and their attention was nervously focused on the newly arrived guests.

„C-Can we bring you any refreshments?“ Jaehyo stuttered, his glance flickering towards the three men.

Silence engulfed the room once again. A nerve-racking silence.

„Why are you all so nervous? Is it the first time we’re meeting?“ Junsu broke into a smile. „You all weren’t even this tense when we had our first friendship negotiations.“

The room was in in danger to fall into a deafening silence once again, but luckily someone spoke up: Jaejoong.

Or maybe not.

„We came today to discuss business…“ He looked around before sighing. „What’s with these guilt ridden expressions and tamed behavior?“

„You know, this guy might not joke often but he isn’t that dense that he wouldn’t get that joke.“ Changmin pointed to his oldest brother with a grin. „But you guys are quite daring, running your mouths so carelessly when Big Boss isn’t present.“

He added the reproach with a wicked smile.

Those who relaxed a bit at the beginning of his speech, gritted their teeth in frustration.

Whose side are you on?

„Enough playing around. The business is serious.“ Jaejoong spoke up while his eyes fell towards the two leaders of the groups.

In a split second, everyone’s posture along with their expression changed. They looked relaxed but appearances are deceiving. Everyone was on full alert, their professionalism took completely over.

„As many of you can guess today’s themes are about the incident yesterday and the boy.“ Junsu didn’t waste any time and started to explain the situation. „Oh and by the way, everyone got the message about that man yesterday, right?“

„We transmitted the message to everyone.“ C.A.P replied. „He’s ready anytime you want to finish him off.“

Jaejoong only nodded in response.

„I don’t know how much all of you are informed about the happenings yesterday. So I’ll just do a short summary before we move towards the important discussion.“ Junsu started off.

„Yunho got a suspicious visit from a police officer yesterday. He immediately checked for possible hidden bugs installed by him but he found nothing. However, the officer left an alarming clue.

An you can all guess it, it’s the second theme we’ll talk about today: the boy.

He eavesdropped on our conversation yesterday, quite stupidly I remark, since I caught him faster than a third-rate mole.

Our initial plan was it to leave him out of our radar in consideration of Sora but if such a stunt happens and this mess with the police, we have no choice but to investigate him. We know that you all have already done some snooping about the boy’s past which will lessen our upcoming work. So I suggest you guys start with the report of the officer which we asked yesterday before we move on to the reintroduction of our little friend.“

„Alright. So about the officer, as of right now, we have all his work related information and but limited personal ones on which we are still working on.“ Taeil started as he prepared his laptop for the slideshow.

„So everything’s available except for the most important part: the blackmail information. Shouldn’t you guys search for this first as your top priority?“ Changmin noted dryly, a faint smirk on his lips.

Taeil his lips as always when he started to get nervous.

Damn that Changmin. Choose a side! Why is he always so ing ambiguous? Who on earth knows what he really wants?

„Well that’s exactly the reason why we still need some time since these information are the ones which they protect the most apart from their top secret files of course.“

This time, Changmin flashed his apparent smirk and with a nod, he monitored Taeil to continue. „I’m listening closely, Professor.“

Taeil scratched his head at the nickname and projected his report on the wall for everyone to see.

„Starting with the basic information first.“ He pointed at the photo of a young man in his mid-twenties in a neatly police uniform.

„Lee Joowoon, 27 years old, grew up in Busan until he moved to Seoul at the beginning of his high school days. Nine years on the force, a rather ordinary officer but now comes the highlight. Guess who’s his partner?“

„Who?“ Changjo replied unimpressed.

„No one else than ing CHO DONG-JOO!“ Taeil put extra emphasis on pronouncing every syllable of the name.

„That damn investigator?!“ U-Kwon called out as the whole room froze in shock.

„He visited Yunho in his private practice and asked obvious questions…“ L.Joe spoke up, his calm and composed voice echoing through the silent room. „It’s crystal clear! He’s gotten this close to us because of the ing boy!“

The news sank in during the following deafening silence in the room.

Was it coincidence? Was this possible? How could this be? No, L.Joe was right.

There was something more behind this whole issue.

How else would the leading officer of the investigation involving the wanted Kim clan appear right in front of their principal doctor in his private practice? For so many years, they led the police roam in the complete darkness, feeding them knowingly shreds of information here and there to sustain their dying light of hope of ever catching them. But now, the tables seem to have turned, as they finally made a move by themselves out of their control.

„Find out every little detail of him and that leading investigator. Adress, parents, girlfriends, family, every ing weakness available. Don’t get caught while doing so, even thought we aren’t in immediate danger right now, we should be careful of our steps. Like always.“ Jaejoong gave the orders nonchalantly, no nervousness or hesitation was spotted. „No need to lose our heads because of this, we’re always a step ahead of the police. As long as we keep going like always, there’s nothing to fret over.“

„But even so paying a little bit more attention to your surroundings won’t do any harm as well. Better safe than sorry.“ Junsu added with a calming smile.

How the two oldest brothers always managed to stay calm as well as keeping their surroundings relaxed with only some phrases was a big mystery to all. No wonder, after all they were managing the biggest group out there, but even so it was noteworthy how well they were able to comply with each other, creating an unbreakable leadership. Their charisma was really no joke; leading to be followed naturally.

„I’ll leave the task of information gathering about these two to you guys then.“ Jaejoong finished the last bit of talk about this theme and naturally shifted to the next one. „So and now about the boy…“

„I’m really curious about what you will disclose of him since I was kind of restricted of any piece of information thanks to a certain goody two-shoes, well aware that some of us did get an update while they pretended that they didn’t.“ Changmin gave Junsu a reproachful look. He knew very well that Junsu made an exception once for their oldest brother while he was confined from anything related to that boy.

Junsu sighed and rolled his eyes. It wasn’t as if he could really keep Jaejoong from learning new things about that boy since they all knew that the Block B boys made their research about him.

“Coffee or tea for you, Yoochun? Princess takes juice as always, right?” Mr. Park gave Sora a playful wink before focusing his attention to Yoochun who was sitting on the couch.

“Tea, please.” Yoochun was already half on his feet to help the elder man in the kitchen when a severe glance made him sit down immediately again.

Mr. Park may be a friendly person with a very youthful looking eye-smile and a kind-hearted personality along with infinite patience but once you start to cross the line he was able to put one in one’s place in the blink of an eye.

You don’t mess with Mr. Park.

Just moments later, he returned with a tray and a plate of biscuits.

“I may be old but I can still hold a tray of beverages on my own, boy.” He raised his eyebrows with a challenging stare towards Yoochun.

“Never would I underestimate your strength, Sir.” Yoochun replied honestly, well aware of the other’s joking tone.

“You’re too serious for your own good. Shouldn’t this ball of energy have you already loosened up enough?” Mr. Park laughed, patting Yoochun’s shoulder while nodding towards Sora whose full attention was on the food in front of her. “Didn’t even your father told you this enough times?”

The corner of his lips lifted themselves as Yoochun looked at the man who he considered as much family as the Kim’s. “How could I ever forget such a respectable person’s words?”

The grin on Mr. Park’s lips grew bigger, if that was even possible, and he turned to Sora again who already ate up half the plate of cookies.

“Will you stop now? We’re going to eat lunch soon.” He scolded her and moved the plate away from her grip onto Yoochun’s lap. “Do you want to confront your parent’s with your mouth wrinkles full of crumbs?”

Sora whined, still stuffed.

She clicked her fingers before she grabbed the forgotten navy paper bag at her feet next to the flowers.

“... For you.” She brought out, trying to gulp down the biscuits while handing over the bag.

“You don’t need to bring me something every time one of you is coming over.” He peeked inside, before he rolled his eyes in resignation, soon to be followed by a smile. “My only weakness.”

“Enjoy it well!” Sora beamed.

His only regret after moving to the countryside was the fact that he couldn’t get the sweets from his favourite shop anymore.

“You should do the visit now after that we’ll eat something good.” Mr. Park tousled her hair as he got up and disappeared in the kitchen.

Sora and Yoochun stood up, each of them taking a bouquet as they went to the front door.

“See you later~!” Sora called back inside the house as they both left.

„I’ll do a whole introduction since we’re all differently up to date when it comes to him and we recently got some new information as well, so… yeah.“ Taeil typed something and a new file was projected on the white wall.

Name: Kang Seungyoon

Age: 18

School: Shinhwa High (class 1A)

Parents*: Mother (Kang Sarang – decreased) / father (Park Kyungjoo)

[*mother died when he was 17 / father disappeared when he was 9, present status unknown]

Criminal record: -

„Besides this, the apartment where he lives is on his name. After his mother’s death, he became the official owner.“ Taeil added. „An own home already at his age is not bad.“

P.O snorted with a hollow laugh. „Not bad? Have you seen the neighborhood yet? It’s a rat hole where you’re in permanent danger of getting mugged at any time. And the apartment? Just look at that freaking building and you’ll know what kind of people live there.“

„Oho, some words coming from you… I didn’t know that your standard became this high, Mr Fancy living in a two level penthouse in the heart of Seoul.“ Niel commented dryly. 

„They’re not that high. I just wanted to point this out since Sora’s spending time there every two days and the security measures of that building are a joke, there practically non-existent.“

„So?“ L.Joe challenged him.

„Are you picking a fight, you little ? Isn’t this already explanation enough to keep her away from him?“ P.O growled, ready to jump the shorter boy for a fistfight.

„No, it isn’t you prick. Your idea is the same as people who claim that math is unnecessary for life; it seems right at first glance but is soon to be proven otherwise and completely illogical. Get your head out of your !“ L.Joe remarked calmly.

If there was one extraordinary trait of L.Joe, it was his permanent coolness. No matter what happens around him; no matter how many mistakes happen during a mission, no matter how much you insult him, he is Mr Coolhead, a master of complete calmness. 

„You forget who we’re talking about. It’s Sora. She has been to much worser places for much longer times already. Even alone.“

„L.Joe’s right.“ Zico spoke up for the first time, shutting up the youngest in his group who was ready to spit something back. „Despite his failure that time, she’s safe with him at his place. And for the neighborhood, it’s no big deal since Yoochun picks her up every time. She isn’t roam