Three weeks.

 

 

 

No.

 

 

 

Two weeks and four days.

 

 

 

Almost three weeks.

 

 

 

Yes, I still remember.

 

 

 

I ran out and freaked out. I can’t fathom the idea of dragging her onto this mess. My conscience would not take it.

 

 

 

Everything seemed fine at first. I thought I was handling things well, everything under control. All of it was under my command; I knew that I will not make the same mistakes my father did. But yet here I am. Lost on what to do or what I should say to the people who are looking for me. 

 

 

 

I left the company under the supervision of Yuri’s father. He is a well-educated man just like my best friend. Trustworthy on top of it, he works well with me and knows every transactions being made on our building.

 

 

 

He too, despises the ways being made on the four cornered room on the top floor of GK’s main building in Seoul; my office. He said he believes on me that I can once and for all finish the corruption and illegal ways my father started and that he was glad I succeeded Jinho at a very young age. Hence as I work on my computer today, typing revisions and making draft, formal or cancellation letter on illegal trades with the compensation pay I am giving to all the men behind those; I am much determined doing my best.

 

 

 

Everything is at stake. 

 

 

 

The company can be saved, no one among the stockholders knows about the illegal trades my father did. The company can survive even if the compensation I am giving could be around a half billion dollars. 

 

 

 

Our family, though I am not proud, have a lot of undeclared wealth. 

 

 

 

My father was ing scared of being poor so he got so greedy. 

 

 

 

Greedy to the extent of sacrificing his own family for money.

 

 

 

How can I still call him my father at this point?

 

 

 

Growing up, I wasn’t really that attached to him.

 

 

 

Mom knows that. She also knows all these evil doings his husband did. They just stayed together for the sake of business. Both of their families back then were partners, merged the two companies and so we have GK today. 

 

 

 

Now my father, I don’t even know how to start. 
He looked like a family man in front of others, great actor to be honest. I remember one time I got an A- on my calculus class during high school, that I had to receive ten hits from his belt that day. He made me go through piano and violin lessons, my mother was delighted upon knowing that thinking that my father already accepted my love for music, but no. It was just one of those ordeals where a child of a chaebol must learn how to play at least one or two instruments. He also showed me how to handle a gun. On some weekends we would go out hunting on rabbits, taught how to shoot and such. 

 

 

 

That day I thought we were catching bunnies for a new pet. Turns out I’d be killing some.

 

 

 

The only thing I might be able to thank him for is raising me so I can one day make it right for the people he hurt.

 

 

 

Pity.

 

 

 

ing chaebol life.

 

 

 

How dare he threaten me now? 

 

 

 

Leeteuk was right. My father is obsessed. He lost his brain on his pile of money.

 

 

 

Leeteuk is my father’s second man. He introduced us back when I was still on seventh grade. The man was nice, teaching me all the ways about how our business operated. He said he’d make me much smarter than my father so that one day I can save all of them. He took me in like a younger sibling, always looked out for me. 

 

 

 

He was the man who would go fetch me after my school then drives me to the Kwon’s villa for a practice on golf or fencing. He also keeps an eye on me back in high school when I would sneak out of the house to meet friends or go on dates. 

 

 

 

Most importantly he was the one who taught me all the things my father did. How ed up things got when he entered the black market trades. All the things I know about business, trading, cars and even guns where all thanks to him. He was a gang leader, so he taught me how to think like one plus studying in Harvard also helps. 

 

 

 

It helps he said, especially when you operate a big company. 

 

 

 

But will I really save them? 

 

 

 

When the people at stake are mom and Hayeon? Tiffany?

 

 

 

Father knows that I am in a relationship with her; he became so interested especially that Hwang Group is a highly established brand in the West. He plans to merge GK with it.

 

 

 

I object, I told him.

 

 

 

I am not going to use this opportunity to lure another company on my father’s trap. Most importantly my girlfriend’s hard earned trophy, her company.

 

 

 

He has to get over my dead body before he can get to her, as well as to mom and my little sister. He can go to hell for trying.

 

 

 

Basically, the plan my father left before he stepped down as chairman was to provide loans on small, struggling companies to help them. Sound’s great to me. But what he found out before we changed titles is that majority of those small businesses can’t afford to pay us back so he decided to just buy them instead. The cycle went on, he thought people wouldn’t notice. Rumors started to arise when the US market started dropping and GK wasn’t affected.

 

 

 

People were wondering why? 

 

 

 

Now this is why.

 

 

 

Father had illegal trades on his table. He paid men to ship drugs on Korea. Drugs that were sold at the Octagon and other private clubs he and his friends owned. He became greedy; he thought he could manipulate all types of markets. But know that some people are; his people are turning backs on him for not paying them enough that they started rebelling on him for unfair treatment: he started to shoot.

 

 

 

Defy him, you’ll end up dead.

 

 

 

So the body count started to rise.

 

 

 

This is why I am currently in London instead of Seoul.

 

 

 

Instead of LA.

 

 

 

I can’t take it anymore. All these manipulations done are enough to send me six feet below the ground. I’ve been earning praise left and right for being a great entrepreneur but here is my father dancing on top of illegal money. I’ve been trying to keep up with him since I was a kid.

 

 

 

I always did what he wanted me to do. Study what he wants and now kill who he wants.

 

 

 

I’ve shot eight men since I became the chairman. 

 

 

 

Eight men who were buddies of Leeteuk.

 

 

 

I asked, “Teuk, why do you still put up with me? I killed your friends.”

 

 

 

He just patted my back, “I know. They didn’t deserve like that. But unlike your father, you didn’t want to do those things. I still believe you’re better than him and you’ll give justice to our low life.”

 

 

 

Another swig on my bottle that night, “I don’t know. I’m failing myself, everyone. I go to a psychologist every Sunday and I can’t even tell him my problems. Then I go home, take those drug prescriptions to keep myself sane, be the person everyone wants me to be then go home again.”

 

 

 

“Nah, you’ll get there. I’m staying with you am I? You have your family except for Jinho, your friends then there’s Miss Hwang. Don’t give up, okay? No matter how hard this gets, you have me and the rest of the men.”

 

 

 

And so I am going to fight for them. 

 

 

 

I don’t even care if this gets to the public; I want my father to stop. 

 

 

 

I believe I am getting a great start since some of my dad’s old men agreed to help on stopping him. They too, were afraid of getting caught and wanted something to change on their lives. The contracts I am cancelling are being sent, some agreed as long as a justifiable pay is made. 

 

 

 

I can make this right. 

 

 

 

I would confront him soon. 

 

 

 

I never saw him as a father figure anyway.

 

 

 

For later, I would have to deal with Tiffany.

 

 

 

I did run away. I’m so afraid of her reaction, to what she may tell me. There were lots of phone calls unanswered as well as messages.

 

 

 

“Hey, where are you?”

“Are you well?”

“Let’s talk.”

“Please babe, answer my calls.”

“Can you please just tell me that you’re okay?”

“I’m not mad Taeyeon, come home please.”

“Be safe, I love you.”

 

 

 

And that was the last of it sent this morning.

 

 

 

I feel so bad leaving her that night but I need to deal with this first. I know my father is not joking when he said he’d lay a hand on the people I value. He killed people since I was a kid for money. What makes this different when the man has gotten more insane through the years?

 

 

 

I keep track on Tiffany by the news. She’s always on the news because of her leadership. I also check her SNS if there’s something new, but there isn’t. The last post she had was our picture in Tiffany’s balcony chilling last month.

 

 

 

The smile on my face forms again. She’s always beautiful even without make up. 

 

 

 

How I wonder what her thoughts are today. Will she still accept me for being this broken? I don’t know how to gain her trust again once I’m done making things right in my life first. 

 

 

 

Tiffany’s the type of person who values trust so much. She plays by her morals and once a person had done something wrong to her, she immediately cuts them off. She said this was the secret to her success. 

 

 

 

What position am I in your life now, love? I truly hope I’m still relevant and that you will see past my mistakes. 

 

 

 

It’s selfish.

 

 

 

But all I have is her. 

 

 

 

She made me see the colors in me. That I can be anyone who I want to be.  She made be a better person in way she can’t even imagine.

 

 

 

Now imagine me losing her. The piece that held my broken self together: gone.

 

 

 

How else am I supposed to continue? When all these hindrances finish, I promise to myself that I will give Tiffany only the best in life. So I hope she holds on for a while.

 

 

 

“Taeyeon?” A knock disturbs me.

 

 

 

“Yes?” I open the door, it was Yuri.    

 

 

 

“Your father has been calling asking where you are, I told him I haven’t talked to you since we last met for Hayeon’s recital back in Seoul.”

 

 

 

I stifle a curse. “What else did he say?”

 

 

 

“Nothing else that’s why I’m worried.” Yuri looks at me with utmost concern. She knows better than anyone else, knew much more that what Sooyoung or Hyoyeon knows.

 

 

 

I walk back to my worktable, Yuri follows me inside. 

 

 

 

“He knows what I’m doing. It’s impossible he doesn’t. Once I’m done with the last letter, I’m meeting him in Korea.” I said with my shaky voice. 

 

 

 

Yuri sighs. “You know how he is, do you think he’ll let you go-“

 

 

 

“I don’t ing know! But I need to be set free Yuri, a lot of people are getting involved on this. Jobs can be at danger and what would happen to their families if GK collapses?! Am I going to just submit myself to him all the time? I’ve had enough!” 

 

 

 

“Don’t you think that you’d also get caught in this?! Taeyeon he could be planning something against you right now and sooner or later he might just frame you up! You’re saying as if this could prevent GK from getting affected but if you get hurled on this mess the whole world would still know.” Yuri shouts as well.

 

 

 

Silence fell on us. 

 

 

 

I know that I can be jailed. I’ve spent months planning and thinking all the possible scenarios when the day I kick my father on his comes. Yuri is right, but I will still go through this. I didn’t expect immediate cooperation with the withdrawals of contracts I sent yet here I am so I am much more determined. 

 

 

 

“I know. I can be jailed no matter how I look at it. But this is the only way Yuri ah. He’ll take on mom, Hayeon. You’ve seen mom with those bruises before right? And how he would lash out on Hayeon before? Mom couldn’t do anything before, she failed. So it’s my job now, “ I shakily take out a cigarette on my pocket. 

 

 

 

Tears threatening to fall anytime. Yuri sees this and light it up for me, I know those looks. She only worries. 

 

 

 

I continue, “Tiffany, I have faith on her. If my hypothesis is correct and that GK will face a fall with some stockholders leaving, Tiffany may buy GK. I’ll let her, at least my father’s gone and that all the rights may be put on my mom and sister. Tiffany,” I blow a smoke. “She’s got a big heart; she wouldn’t let innocent people lose jobs. I’ve seen her help countless of charities and small companies. Companies that my father failed to acquire.”

 

 

 

I didn’t notice but Yuri has lit up a cigar as well and stood beside me watching the cars below us.

 

 

 

“You know Tae, I’ve always admired you no matter how much you say you’re ed up. You’re the smartest among us. Like hell you’re the smartest CEO according to CNN,” she lightly laughs. 

 

 

 

I shake my head and smile. I hear her continue, “This plan, or whatever it is, you have me. You can take  Hyo as your legal counsel. You also have Dad and Leeteuk and his boys. To top it all you have your mom, Hayeon and Tiffany. No matter what happens, we’ll go together.”

 

 

 

She side hugged me and bumps fist. I’ve got the right people with me. I pray above this works. 

 

 

 

Ride or die.

 

 

 

“Here,” Yuri hands me another stick. “I’ll go get drinks so we can plan to kick his motherin better.”

 

 

 

I smile and lit again. 

 

 

 

This is for the people who believe in me and to the innocent people I’m sparing from the pain.

 

 

 

Most importantly;

 

 

 

To my freedom.

 

 

 

 

AN: Hello everyone! I hope you are all safe today with the current pandemic the world is facing. Let's not forget to keep ourselves clean and healthy. I hope your own countries are doing well on handling this situation in order to help us, its citizens. Moreover, let us pray for guidance and everyone's well-being. 

Regarding this fic, I have rarely updated that's why before writing the last chapter before this I thought that I would just discontinue it. But since I've received notifs of new subscribers I was a bit suprised that people still read this! And so I'm here apologizing for my shortcomings and poor writing. I ain't  really that confident on writing but since I love TaeNy, I wanted to write something for them.

Anw, thank u so much to all of u lovely readers and subscribers for ur time given to read my simple fic. 

Keep safe!