HyunWoo

I stared at myself in the full-length mirror, looking at the details of my short cut hair, small eyes, red mouth and paler than normal face that stands out starkly against the black suit that I'm wearing. The whole vibe of it is making me feel uncomfortable; I'm much more at home in a t-shirt and jeans but I have to look professional today since my image will be everything in this instance. My hands are fumbling with the tie I'm trying to put around my neck and I'm ten seconds away from throwing it across the room when KiHyun comes up and neatly plucks it from my hands.

“Hyung, when are you going to learn how to do this yourself?” The younger boy nags at me, his use of the older brother title making me seem even more immature since I can’t even tie the silk fabric.

“It never works when I do it. I'd just rather not wear one,” I complain instead of acknowledging that my damaged hands just don’t let me do delicate maneuvering anymore; they haven’t for a while now. Meanwhile KiHyun shook his head at me in disbelief.

“You run a team of six people yet you can't tie your own tie? Do you have any idea how that makes the rest of us look if we're following your orders?” He asks finishing off the tie with a flourish.

I ignore his statements, still feeling the need to whine. “Why am I doing this again?” I asked him impatiently.

“You're the leader, you have to get the big bosses permission to be in their territory. That's how it works.”

“But we're supposed to be moving in the shadows, not alerting everyone to our presence.”

“If we don't do this first then we end up dead, no matter who we take out,” KiHyun reminds me and I try to stifle the sigh that wants to escape.

“You knew America was going to be different from Korea. The Kkohaepang here are much more organized and have way more central power. We have to play it safe with the gang culture here, we don’t have the respect we garnered in Seoul to rely on anymore,” he reminded me again and I waved my hand, hoping he would get that I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. 

I huff out another sound of irritation and then straighten the suit on my frame. “This better be worth it; MinHyuk is sure the guy is here in America?”

“You know he's never wrong,” KiHyun replied with a roll of his eyes.

“Fine, I'll be back later,” I tell him gruffly, already walking out of my room and down the hallway.

“Don’t die,” KiHyun called out only half joking and I nodded in response even though he may not have seen it. I would do my damndest not to but it was going to be tough; where I was going people were usually bound to get hurt.

When I pulled up to the strip club that housed some of the most dangerous men in the city, I was more than a little surprised by the shabby look of it. Situated on an almost empty street, a lone hooker prowled around the front door and she gave me a toothy smile as I drew close. The white girl’s blonde hair was simply a bad wig and the bright red velvet jacket with thigh high black boots she wore were a statement that pronounced her profession better than if she had spoken it aloud.

“Can I offer you anything handsome,” she grinned looking me up and down. Her hand reached out to grab my arm but I sidestepped it easily and sent her a smile back.

“Thanks but no. I have business.” The girl pouted but let me through and as I made my way inside the smell of sweat attacked my senses. I tried to breathe in through my mouth as I came into a large open area full of mirrors stages and poles. Painted in a garish bright purple, the room looked like a nightmare but the person I was looking for was terror personified.

Tough looking dudes were stationed in every corner of the room and they all stared me down as I walked to the back, knowing that their boss wouldn’t be anywhere else. Deep moans are coming from behind the door and the guy guarding it knocks twice before letting me enter. Abruptly the sound stops and I make my way inside.

The room is dimly lit and dirty but the man sitting behind a huge wooden desk is dressed to the nines, his body encased in Versace and his fat hands sporting gold rings on every finger. The jowls of the man’s neck moves before his head does and I fix my face quickly to hide my disgust as a small asian girl raises herself from the floor, her dress pulled up so high that almost all of her body is exposed. She doesn’t bother to cover up and instead stands next to the man I’m here to meet with.

“Well now, look who it is! I didn’t expect to see you again in this lifetime,” the fat man’s voice rasps out as he smiles crookedly and rustle around his desk until he find a cigarette and lighter. He flicks the tab once and lights the smoke but it’s not regular tobacco and I resist scrunching my nose as the herby smell of weed reaches me.  

“We left the main branch years ago Hyungnim. None of us want to come back. It's not a question of money,” I say firmly, my hands not having moved from the respectful position of them resting against the sides of my legs.

“Now now Shownu, didn't I teach you better than that? Everything and every person in this world is consumed by money, having it and getting more. Making sure you have that money and no one else does, that's what true power is all about. Everyone can be bought,” he says smiling though it doesn’t reach his eyes that are as cold as ever.

I ground my teeth together as rage spreads through me, the truth in his words making my heart beat faster. No matter how much I hated the man in front of me, what he said was right for most people. It had worked for my sister and no matter how much I had tried to stop her; the lure of more money had made her do things I would've never thought her capable of.

“Hyung-nim,” I said bowing deeply. “With all due respect Monsta X is its own unit. We will not join the main forces again, or any gang for that matter.” I said firmly, keeping my head slightly to the left but still raised so that he would know there was no way we’d go back to being henchmen in his twisted army. I didn't look HyunMoo directly in the eyes out of respect of his position, but there was no room for persuasion in my tone. HyunMoo was the devil in a thinly veiled disguise; I would risk death rather than take him up on his offer.

Suddenly HyunMoo let out a loud laugh and I had to resist jumping in my seat.

“I always did admire your direct attitude, even when it's not in your best interest to be truthful,” HyunMoo’s voice had become a low and dangerous whisper and I felt the hairs raise on the back of my neck.

“If you don't want a job, then what do you want?” He snaps at once and I don’t flinch as I look him in the eye this time.

“There have been some dangerous men who've recently come into the country. They're looking for someone to kill but we're here for them. I came to ask for permission to search for them in your territory.”

“Ah, so you came here for a favor,” he replies as he his lips. He wide smile and reveals several gold teeth, his audible hiss of satisfaction making his eyes light up in as much amusement as he gets from anything.

“Well then, you'll have to do something for me in return…” he begins but cuts his sentence short.  

“What do you need?” I ask him, praying it's not one of his usual deplorable assignments.

“Oh no, not yet,” he says slowly. “I think I like the fact that you owe me a favor. I'll mill over it for a while and get back to you. How's that?”

I bow again, but this time it's barely a twitch in his direction. My skin crawls underneath his gaze and I quickly get up from my seat.

I stare HyunMoo’s bodyguards in the eyes, making contact with each of them as I leave. I'm scared but not for myself. HyunMoo doesn't think small; if he plans to use Monsta x for something then I can only believe it'll be bad for someone. The question is who and when.

A/N: Hey guys, back again! I know this chapter was short, but there will be a part two of this unfolding drama coming up next, making this a two shot but whatever, there was too much to pack into one chapter and you guys know how I love having differing POVs. Anyways, I hope you guys are enjoying these little tidbits as I get my ish together for the bigger updates. What do y'all think of Monsta x as former gang members? Let me know and please remember to UPVOTE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more content. Much love, <3!