Chapter One: Two and Four

7 Years Too Late
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Jongup grunted as he pulled the final box from his small, rusted old car. He glanced in at Youngjae and hummed, looking from him to the door. “Do you think you can get inside?” he asked. “I’ll help you up the rest of the way, I just need to get this in first.” He nodded toward the box and rose an eyebrow. Youngjae craned his neck to look around him and then nodded, giving a tight-lipped smile as he reached for the door handle.

 

“I should be fine,” he agreed, pushing open the door. Jongup nodded, biting his lip softly, and turned to hurry back inside. The doorman helped him through, and Jongup thanked him with a stiff nod, rushing toward the elevator. One long ride up later and he was balancing the heavy box on one hand and opening the door to their new ‘apartment’. He stepped inside and carried the box toward the stairs, setting it down on a small bookshelf beside them. He glanced around the home and sighed before swiftly making his way back downstairs. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Youngjae casually leaning against the wall in the lobby. Only he could detect the signs of his struggle; His shaking legs, his slightly labored breathing, the light dusting of pink on his cheeks. Plastering on a smile, Jongup approached his roommate and slung an arm around his shoulders.

 

He didn’t miss the small, grateful smile sent his way. While to others it may look like a little bit of casual contact between friends, Youngjae could feel the tensed muscles and firm grip that Jongup had on him, and he appreciated the support it provided him, making their journey much easier. The two reached the elevator quickly and Jongup hit the button for the top floor, letting go of Youngjae to let him lean against the wall. They chatted aimlessly on their way up, wondering about the house, the job, and their new lives in general. Soon enough, there was a quiet ‘ding’, and the doors slid open. Jongup smiled softly and held out his arms, letting Youngjae step into them before scooping him up and carrying him down the hall to one of the two doors on the floor.

 

Once they made it inside, Jongup set Youngjae back on his feet and placed their keycard on the table beside the door. He slid his shoes off of his feet and placed them beneath the same table before assisting Youngjae with his.

 

“This place is…” Youngjae trailed off, his eyes wide as he looked around at the fancy apartment.

 

“Flashy and, frankly, unnecessary.”

 

“I was going to say awesome.”

 

Jongup stepped into the large living room and pulled open one of the boxes, shifting some clothing around before pulling Youngjae’s wheelchair out from the bottom. He unfolded it and locked everything in place before stepping back so that Youngjae could sit down. The man sighed in relief as the pressure was taken off his legs and immediately gripped the wheels, beginning to navigate their new home with ease. Jongup shook his head and followed him, helping him with anything he needed but letting him take the lead as they explored the house. They left no corner untouched, investigating every last inch of the ground floor. Finally, they came to a short hallway tucked away in the back. Youngjae furrowed his brow, confusion etched into his features, but Jongup gave a small, contented smile. Only two doors were in the hallway, only a few feet apart from each other. Jongup reached for the doorknob of the first door. The click of a lock sounded, and he stepped into the room. Youngjae didn’t seem excited as he followed, but his eyes widened as they passed through the door.

 

The walls were painted a soothing shade of green, a nice contrast to the rest of the completely white house, and it had all the modern comforts Jongup would ever find himself in need of and more. Youngjae pushed himself toward the bed and set a hand on the gray comforter with a soft sigh. “It’s so nice,” he breathed. Jongup laughed and spun around in the middle of the room, getting out his jitters with quick and erratic movements while Youngjae investigated all of his belongings.

 

“Jongup-ah, there’s a note for you!” Youngjae called. He held out a dark green, shimmery envelope, lined with silver, and waited for Jongup to take it before continuing on in his curiosity.

 

Jongup sat on the large bed- too large for just one person- and slit open the envelope, slipping out the folded square of paper inside, and proceeded to open that paper as well. His gaze caught on the handwriting inside, immediately recognizing it as the handwriting of the one who had offered his promotion, and he began to read.

 

Mr. Moon.

 

It is my pleasure to bring you to the top ranks of the Matoki. As you have been told, your skills are unprecedented and invaluable. For your services, I hope you do not mind this token of our gratitude. You will find everything you need in their designated places, and everything of importance is accessible to Mr. Yoo.

 

I wish to welcome you to our organization personally, and thus ask you to kindly join me and a few of those who will be your closest colleagues for a dinner at the Golden Harvest Hotel, top floor dining room, eight o’clock. You will, of course, be allowed to wear your usual mask, but I must ask that you wear the formal attire provided to you, found in your closet.

 

No weapons check will be performed.

 

~Mato

 

Jongup’s eyes widened. Mato? Was he to have a dinner with the boss of the entire organization?

 

“Jongup? Bad news?” Youngjae’s voice was concerned, and Jongup quickly jumped to reassure him.

 

“No! No, of course not.” He laughed breathlessly and held out the letter. “I’ve been invited to dinner.” Youngjae took the letter and glanced over it quickly, a small smile overtaking his features.

 

“This is-” He looked up, laughing happily. “This is great, Jongup!” He set the card down carefully and then grabbed his wheels, speeding out of the room and sharply turning into the hall. Jongup yelped and scrambled after him. “Come on! I want to see my room, too!”

 

The next room was obviously Youngjae’s. Painted a bright, sunny yellow and decorated with small plushies and beautiful paintings, it radiated an aura of hope and joy. Jongup grinned as he looked around. The bedspread and decorations were white, and though the room was happy, it also held an irrefutable element of intelligence. Something about the well-placed decorations and furniture making it seem able to double as a study. And indeed, an entire corner was decorated with textbooks and albums catered toward an aspiring psychology student. Youngjae clapped his hands delightedly as he caught sight of the high-tech desktop and laptop resting atop a large desk. He moved toward it and reached out to gently touch the pure white desk, as if afraid he might stain it if he let his touch linger for too long. He looked up, and Jongup was baffled at the tears in his eyes.

 

“Jae? What’s wrong?”

 

Youngjae shook his head. “Nothing’s wrong,” he said quietly. “I just- It’s so much! And I-” He huffed and folded his arms. “I can’t make it up the stairs today. So you go explore that while I shower.” He didn’t seem upset, instead looking quite excited to be the first to try the shower.

 

Jongup snorted and clapped him on the shoulder. “Alright,” he agreed. “You have fun in there.” Youngjae shouted and threw the nearest plushie at him as he ducked out of the room, laughing. With a grin splitting his features, Jongup made his way up the stairs and onto the small second floor of their home. Curiously, he reached for the only door he could see, opening it slowly. As the room came into view, he gasped and froze in the doorway. Two of the walls were nothing but glass, a stunning view of the skyline surrounding him. The room seemed to cover the entire floor, and it had been turned into a beautiful state-of-the-art gym. Jongup clapped his hands together and stepped forward, staring around in awe at the stunning equipment. He made his way toward the middle of the room, where a punching bag hung from the ceiling over a square platform obviously made for sparring. Jongup laughed breathlessly and ran his hand over the leather of the punching bag, reveling in the feel of it, so smooth and unblemished, not worn from years of use.

 

After one last look, he moved on from the bag, moving toward a wall with targets on it. To his left was a table with knives neatly organized on its surface. Jongup grinned and reached forward to pick up a sleek silver blade. He ran his fingers over the razor sharp edge for a few moments before setting it back in place and moving on. One end of the gym had been converted to a dance studio, and a small corner had physical therapy equipment that- Jongup happily noted- could be used to help Youngjae’s legs.

 

Thoroughly satisfied with his investigation of the upper floor, Jongup moved quickly back down the stairs and into the living room, where he paused to look around again and run his fingers through his hair.

 

“So? What’s up there?”

 

Jongup didn’t seem surprised as Youngjae’s voice suddenly echoed around the home as he wheeled himself around the corner. He turned to look at the elder and smiled. “It’s a gym,” he chirped. “A full gym!”  

 

Youngjae snorted and wheeled himself into the kitchen, where he began to dig around through the drawers. “They must really like you,” he commented, pulling a granola bar out of a box and unwrapping it with a satisfied hum. Jongup nodded once and sent a quick glance toward the front door. “Go take a shower. It’s amazing!”

 

Youngjae’s eyes shone as he watched Jongup walk away. His brown hair was still wet from his own shower, and he had gotten dressed in a soft white turtleneck sweater and some gray sweatpants he’d found in his closet, opting to just throw away his old clothes. He chewed his granola bar slowly and gripped the wheels of his chair, pushing himself back into the living room and toward the large wall of windows overlooking the Seoul skyline.

 

How did we get here? he asked himself silently. He knew it was no thanks to himself. Only days ago, they had been living in a tiny wooden house in one of the smallest fishing villages in the country with an abusive man holding an iron fist around both them and their freedom. It was only thanks to Jongup that they had even survived. Youngjae’s smile faltered, slipping into a small frown as he sat there. He wasn’t stupid- He knew that Jongup hated his job. He knew what his friend had to do to bring in money. He knew, even, some of the things he’d had to do in the past to make sure they would make it through the week.

 

Just as the familiar guilt and self-hatred was beginning to creep up, there came a knock on the door. Youngjae glanced up, surprised, and began to make his way to the front of the home. He hesitated in front of the door, his hand resting on the doorknob, but not turning it. He sent a long glance back toward the bathroom, where he could hear water still running. Jongup would hate it if he opened the door without him, but he couldn’t exactly leave whoever it was standing on their doorstep. With a deep breath, Youngjae opened the door, expertly maneuvering his chair out of it’s path. He peered upward, blinking slowly. Two men stood there, one taller than the other.

 

“...Hello,” Youngjae greeted cautiously. He noticed the tall one’s brief surprise as he caught sight of his chair, and he narrowed his eyes, his gaze becoming sharp and guarded. “Did you need something?”

 

The tall one smiled brightly and held out a hand for Youngjae to shake. “Hi! I live next door, and I thought I’d come introduce myself after seeing you move in!” Youngjae ignored the proffered hand, instead only shifting his gaze to the other man. He said nothing, only raised an eyebrow before looking back to the tall one, who now seemed distinctly uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and pulled his hand back, awkwardly stuffing it into his pocket. “Is your, um, friend here?”

 

Youngjae sent him an appraising look for a moment before shrugging. “He’s in the shower right now,” he said stiffly. The new neighbor made a small sound of acknowledgment and shifted his feet, looking anywhere but at him. His friend rolled his eyes and continued scrolling through his phone. After only a few moments of tense silence, Youngjae sighed and pushed himself back a few inches, plastering a tight-lipped smile onto his face. He was sure it looked forced and tense, but the other seemed to relax at the sight of it. “I’m sorry. The stress of moving must be getting to me. Would you like to come in?”

 

With a too-quick nod, the tall man stepped in, his friend following close behind. Youngjae closed the door and led the two into the immaculate living room. “Would you like anything to drink?” He quickly received two negatives, and he shrugged as he gestured for them to take a seat. “My roommate should be out in only a few minutes,” he said. He knew by their faces that they noticed the way he avoided saying Jongup’s name, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care very much.

 

“Where are you moving from?” The tall man asked quietly.

 

Youngjae pursed his lips. “Dongpo,” he said.

 

The black-haired man on the other end of the couch looked up curiously, tucking away his phone. “I have a friend who lived there for a while,” he said. “It’s a very small town, isn’t it?” Youngjae hummed in confirmation. “How long did you live down there?”

 

Youngjae was quiet for a few moments before answering. “I lived there my whole life. My roommate moved there when he was eleven, following some… unfortunate circumstances,” he said. His tone invited no more questions, but his posture was much more relaxed than it had been before. Noticing that the shower water had been turned off, he leaned forward a bit. “I’m sorry, did I get your names?”

 

“Oh!” The tall man stood quickly and bowed. “Excuse my manners! I’m Choi Junhong, and this is my friend, Kim Himchan.” When he stood once more, confusion overtook his features. Youngjae’s face had drained of color, and his hands were shaking as he stared at the two. “Um, are you-”

 

“You need to leave,” Youngjae snapped suddenly. His expression was panicked as he gestured them toward the door. “You need to go. Now.”

 

“I don’t understand.” Junhong glanced toward the door and then back to Youngjae, though he obediently began to make his way out. Himchan jumped to his feet and hurried away, seeming to catch on to some hidden message. “What’s going on? Why do we have to leave so suddenly?”

 

Youngjae let out a small sound of distress as he heard soft footsteps coming down the hall. “There’s no time to explain! Just-”

 

“Youngjae-hyung? Who is this?”

 

Youngjae cursed under his breath and turned around with a wide smile. “The neighbors! They dropped by to say hello. They were just leaving!”

 

Junhong’s brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at the newcomer. His dark brown hair hung in front of his face, and a very familiar pair of brown eyes peered at him from an angular face. The man wore nothing but a pair of low-cut black jeans, his chiseled torso on display with a towel thrown over his shoulders. Junhong’s gaze caught on the scars littering his skin, lingering just a bit too long on a particularly nasty one on his hip that disappeared around the bend of his waist.

 

“Oh? I hope you weren’t planning on letting them go without introducing me first.” A sweet smile rested on the man’s face. He didn’t seem intimidating in the least, yet Youngjae was fidgeting nervously in his place.

 

“Well, see-”

 

“What are their names?” The man interrupted. Youngjae flinched and looked down at his lap. Junhong frowned. Just what was going on?

 

“Um…” Youngjae hesitated for a long moment. “This is our neighbor, Choi Junhong. His friend is Kim Himchan.”

 

All of a sudden, the room felt icy cold. Junhong was unsure what exactly had changed, but something about the man’s kind smile had turned dangerous. After several moments of tense silence, Junhong let out a small sound of nervousness and fell into a perfect ninety-degree bow.

 

“It’s very nice to meet you,” he said hurriedly. “We were just on our way out. Sorry to disturb you.”

 

“Nonsense.” Junhong stood, his eyes wide, only to be faced with the same cold smile and an extended hand. “It’s always nice to make new… friends… in an unfamiliar place. Please, call me Jung.”

 

Junhong quickly took the offered hand and shook it once. “Of course!” He smiled wide and stepped back, allowing Himchan to step forward and shake Jung’s hand. The two shared a long look, and something like sadness flashed in Himchan’s gaze.

 

“You look remarkably similar to a friend of mine, Jung,” Himchan said, raising one of his perfect eyebrows. “Funnily enough, you even share the same last name.”

 

Jung’s grip tightened on Himchan’s hand, his eyes flashing for a moment. “Is that so?”

 

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MeinAltire #1
Chapter 7: Their father is bad person.
I'm glad that daehyun know jongup situation better now. So the one who do "work" is Zhin, right?
Thank you for the update
MeinAltire #2
Chapter 6: No worry, Do what important for you first. It's good that you won't leave these stories hanging.
I hope you'll brother will get better soon and both of you get all the support you need. *Hugs
Take care, Good luck with school and the choir :)
MeinAltire #3
Chapter 5: Poor Jongup. Is he has DID? It must be hard for youngjae and jongup.
Looking forward
BabyzV #4
Chapter 5: What a cliffhanger.! Ahhh.. I'm just a little confused about the timelines. also bang was let go, Bang Yongguk?
ThunderStruck
#5
Chapter 4: oohh my god what a tease of an ending im sjagalbs
tt_9800 #6
Chapter 4: Authornim, I totally understand and I’ll be waiting for you patiently don’t worry, as long as you’re fine and healthy. Life can get busy and chaotic at times, but you can always get through! Where there’s rain there’s sunshine ;) I’m excited for the upcoming updates, still have my theories but everything is gonna progress soon! Thanks for letting us know, take care! :’)
Bang_Dae #7
Chapter 4: Waiting for u <3
annethundr05 #8
Chapter 3: Ok read this in one go. Omg so much is going down. Like I knew that they would eventually run into one another but wow only day 1, my heart hurt for Jongup. Despite my baby being a total BAMF, he and Youngjae have been through it I can tell. I will say that Jaejae is the only one who can just stand up to him when he "switches" makes him a badass too. As for the others it makes me wonder what went happened that Daehyun didn't keep good promise. It's almost like they all have selective amnesia, Daehyun anyway. It seems that Yongguk seems to "know him" and feels regret. As for the Matoki, despite their business, they really want to help. I'm glad for that. This was so awesome, I look forward to where this goes. Fighting and kudos.
Sandwichqueen24
#9
Chapter 3: My favorite story by far...<3
reemdae #10
Chapter 3: Omg it was AMAZING im speechless literally, ireally want to know what will happen next. Good luck.