Let's think that the grandfather in Lost Anima is Choi Min Sik. I have mad respect to that man. His I Saw the Devil and Oldboy movies are some of the best South Korea could offer. Oh gosh. Those movies . . . Crazy but Daebaaaaaak!!!

To misspunky29 and sofeaa_123, thank you sooooo much for upvoting!! Take care always!! 

If he could just close his eyes and simply change everything, Donghae wished he wasn’t sentenced by such fate. He walked down the bronze carpeted stairs of The Lair, his feet wanted to run away, but where else could he go? His feet continued to move forward as his eyes were fixed on the crowd of people dressed in black, waiting and staring at him below. He wanted to erase the idea but he couldn’t help it. As he went down, it felt like a funeral which they were about to attend to.

The Blackbloods.

He only knew few of their names. On the right, there was the red-haired man named G-Dragon standing on the very front of the end stairs. They all told him to trust the man, just like what his brother did. And he will.

Behind him was his Japanese girlfriend, Kiko, who was wearing a black coat and gloves tucked in her pockets. She was the doctor in the family, a really great doctor and the head of the drug laboratory. Donghae wondered how a noble career that fights for people’s lives would end up being the profession that causes suffering to many lives too.

On the left, there was Daesung, whose only laugh always echoes inside the Lair. He always supports and is very patient in teaching him their ways. Donghae likes him very much.

There was Yuri behind him who was smiling at Donghae brightly. She’s the only one who’s always so eager to offer him a smile and initiated a small talk wherever they meet in the mansion. He thought she was really friendly. A trait he didn’t think possible to see in this place.

Then, there was Lalisa beside her, with that innocent smile plastered, looking so thankful an heir like him came into their lives. He thought that smile never suited in this world.

His feet finally reached the first floor as he turned to his left, looking at the woman behind him all the time. Dara . . .

She was just staring at the door in front of them.

She’s the one who threw him into fire pits of hell.

Dara . . .

She’s the one who brought him to his family.

And for that, he knew he could never resent her.

Donghae’s jaw tightened as he looked ahead too, as the main door slowly opened widely ever since he got there. More blackblood wearing their deadpan faces, lined neatly outside. He hasn’t yet to serve in the military, but he thought this is what it looked like. This is what the gathering for the coming war looks like. He gulped the unvoiced fear in his throat back to his stomach.

His eyes were caught of a little boy on the far side of the ground floor, near the kitchen. Sky, he thought. He was a young blackblood. A very young blackblood. His parents were holding his hands side by side. Donghae looked at his father. He realized the middle-aged man is joining them at the Bartering. His eyes then fell to the kid who left his mother’s hand just to wave at him in admiration from afar.

Donghae’s right hand was about to raise and wave back at Sky, when GD blocked his view. 

“Ready?” GD asked.

Donghae nodded to him, composing himself.

“The car is ready.” Yuri waved the key on her hand. She’ll drive Donghae to the place. They all decided that he should go with the best driver in the group, accompanied with the best gunslinger too on the passenger’s side, G-Dragon.

“Uhm.” Donghae took a step to the right. “I . . .” He pointed to his right. “I’ll just get my speech in the library. I forgot it yesterday inside.”

“It’s fine, leader.” Lisa smiled at him. “You’ve memorized it well already.”

“I’m afraid I might forget a line or two.” He reasoned.

Daesung started to walk. “I can get it.”

“No. No.” Donghae took another step to block him. “I know where I left it. I’ll be quick. I’ll get it.” He didn’t wait for any of their reply as Donghae avoided their eyes and ran towards the corridor going to the library.

They remained quiet when GD turned to ask them questions about the Pawns and the Nils. They tuned to him and supplied all the necessary information, except her. Dara’s eyes were on the place where he just ran off to.

The line ended.

Donghae put down the phone. He felt like he just ran miles and miles and just stopped abruptly. He knew he couldn’t faint today though. He let out a deep breath, calming himself once more. It’s done. He thought, praying to the god above that this would work. It has to work. Never he felt so determined in his life. I can save them. He remembered Sky’s innocent wave at him a while ago. All of them.

He took the script from the huge antique wooden table on the right and headed to the door to go back to Daesung and the others. He was frozen to his place when he saw Dara behind the door, staring back at him with those eyes he could never read.

“We’re all waiting for you.” Her voice was cold.

“Y-yes.” Did she? She turned around and walked her way back. Donghae closed the door and followed her from behind. She didn’t. He felt relieved.

The two reached outside the main door where blackbloods waited for him. He saw how the others had their attention on the middle of them. He thought GD was still going on about the plan or something. G-Dragon really suits to be their leader. He was near them, when it came into his realization that it wasn’t GD their attention was so into.

GD stepped beside, letting his gaze fall upon the old man in black suit. Like someone twisted something inside him, hard and instant, Donghae stopped and faced the old man, forgetting the people that surround them. His mouth parted a bit, as tears fought to gather in his eyes. He wanted to hug the old man so tight, but instead he just stood there and smiled. He gave that smile which mirrored everything that he has been through in his life. Just to meet him. Just to be with his own family.

The old man named Lee Min Sik looked at the young man’s gaze with so much coldness. The younger must be really lost in his own thoughts to not notice it. A certain scenario of the past played in the elder.

What are you waiting for? What do you need that filthy bastard for?

Nothing.

Then, kill him already! Or I will.

The old man’s gaze travelled from Donghae’s head down to his shoes.

Spare him. Please spare the child.

Why?

He’s my son! He’s your grandson too.

The image of his own son begging him that night haunted him after his death.

He will never be part of this family.

That’s good. I don’t want him to bear the same weight of sins I already bestowed on Minho for the years to come. One innocent soul is enough for this hell our family is forever bound.

The old man looked back at Donghae’s sad pair of eyes he was so familiar with. Those eyes that were now buried in the deepest part of The Lair. His hand tightened around the golden cane he was carrying. How he hated those soft eyes.

Until now, you are still weak.

I am different, dad.

Different is useless in our world, Shinwoo! I swear that child from your -

Spare him, and I’ll accept the succession. Spare him, and I’ll be Lost Anima’s leader.

His illegitimate son clearly got his eyes. It made the older Zenith wonder if that’s the only thing he got from his late son. Or else . . .

Donghae’s mouth opened as he finally took a brave step towards his only living family. The old man is everything he’d prayed for . . . he’d stayed for . . . “Halabeoji.”

Before Donghae could finish his word, his grandfather walked down the stairs and got inside his car. Daesung followed him and went to the driver’s seat. Halabeoji. The word repeated only in his mind. He was glad to finally meet him in person, but . . . Is he not happy to see me?

Dara stared at him quietly before following Daesung in the car with his grandfather. GD motioned Donghae to get in the next car where Yuri was already in.

“Deh.” Donghae replied shortly, pulling the tears back that formed in his eyes as he took a deep breath before he got down.

He turned his wrist and saw the time. 5:39 P.M. The car stopped in front of a four-story, abandoned building outside Seoul. There was a decaying tower on its right which a mere kick might cause it to collapse. He remembered Lalisa telling him that it was built in the 30s, meant to become a refuge for Korean soldiers and their families. Now, it has become a meeting place for Asia’s top mafia groups. Fate and its own ways.

It’s exactly what it looked like in the pictures. Donghae thought, looking how it was tucked behind the tall, eerie trees around. Unsuspicious and darksome. It’s the exact address he gave too.

The door of the bulletproofed Maserati Quattroporte where he was in was opened by GD. “Let’s go.”

Donghae got down the car and watched his grandfather walked out from a 2021 black Rolls-Royce Phantom car, followed by Dara on the side. The elder didn’t even throw a glance at him as he walked inside the building with Kiko and Daesung at his back. Halabeoji. He glanced back at the dusty road they took. Guilt of what he did and what he was about to do became heavier each second that passed. I’m sorry.

“Are we waiting for someone?”

Donghae was bit back and quickly turned around, but felt relieved that the question wasn’t directed to him. GD was talking with a man on a suit and dark shades.

“Yeah. You.” The man replied, referring to them. “We’re all waiting for our leader.”

Donghae gulped and took a deep breath as he watched them. GD glanced at him. “Leader. This is Tablo.” He motioned a hand to the man. “He’s one of the Pawns in Lost Anima.”

Donghae nodded and bowed. “Annyeonghaseyo.”

“O-oh.” Tablo was taken aback and glanced at GD who creased his brows a bit, kinda amused too. “Annyeonghaseyo, leader.” He bowed deeply, something which he hadn’t done years. Tablo looked at the Zenith in front of him. He had heard rumors that their new leader is different from Lee Minho. He didn’t think he was that different. Tablo smiled kindly to him. “Let’s go, leader.” He pointed the way to the building.

Donghae was about to speak but was cut off by Dara who appeared beside him. He thought she was already inside with his grandfather. “You guys go ahead.” She told them. “Grandfather made a few revisions on leader’s speech later.” She showed a folder.

“Oh, okay.” Tablo nodded to her. “Is it long? I hope not. I really can’t stand being with people I loathe inside that place.”

GD snorted at that.

“It’s not.” Dara replied.

“Good.” Tablo said in English. “I mean, Minho would probably speak three lines and leave if he was still here.”

GD and Dara became quiet at the mention their friend’s name.

“We’ll just wait for you inside,” told Tablo.

Dara nodded back and watched them leave. When she was sure no one was around, Dara turned to Donghae and gave him the folder. Donghae read the lines again. She watched how he tried to hide that shaky feeling but his hands seemed to betray him. “They’re already inside.”

Donghae looked at her and made a nod. “Y-yeah.” He glanced at the building. Let’s-”

“The ones that you called on the phone.” She cut him. “They’re already inside.”

Donghae