Kyungsoo adjusts his tie for the thirteenth time in the last five minutes.

He stares at the small table for two in front of him, mouth watering at the sight of the freshly baked bread sitting in the basket in the middle. He doesn’t think he can stomach it right now, though. Not with how his stomach is constantly flipping nervously.

He broke into a sweat the moment he entered the restaurant and saw that nobody was there . 

He was informed by the hostess that the entire building was rented out for his meeting tonight. He should feel comforted that at least if he makes an idiot of himself it will only be in front of very few people, but the longer he sits at this table alone , the more anxious he feels.

The waiter comes over and offers him wine. He’s tempted but if he picks up a wine glass right now, his hand would be too shaky to even lift it to his lips. Instead, he shakes his head and just holds his briefcase even closer to his chest.

His cover letter is in his other hand, and he reads over it like a madman just in case there are any wrinkles or stains. He’s got at least 4 others in his briefcase just in case, but luckily it looks just as spotless and perfect as it did ten minutes ago when he last looked.

It’s a miracle he’s even here right now, waiting for what could possibly be the big break he’s been hoping for for years. The turning point of his life. 

He cannot help that feeling of insecurity and uttermost horror as he simply sits and waits. He knew this meeting was to be a very serious, a very definite and strict one. The people who had approached him about his research before had certainly been intimidating- professionals on behalf of Heechul himself coming to him with formal requests and vague proposals. Letting him in on just about enough information to pique his interest, but immediately retreating the more questions he asked. They seemed to only want to know about his research, nothing else, which only unnerved Kyungsoo to his very core.

That’s how this meeting had come to be, though- the questions he had were no longer easy to answer, and the answers he expected were no longer decisions of those intimidating messengers. 

This meeting is different, though. The man that reached out- Kim Heechul - had already known about Kyungsoo’s research to the very T. Kyungsoo was at first mildly startled considering he doesn’t have many published research papers or blogs about his findings. In fact, he keeps a lot of it under wraps and only details his research to those close to him or proper investors.

Alas, even the wealthiest of investors had dismissed his ideas and proposals before. He had been ridiculed by many in the past for his delusions of a lost paradise. It was just better to keep gathering more details and expand his knowledge, he’d figured at some point.

He was surprised to find out that Heechul was an old acquaintance of his brother, and that they had met briefly at his funeral. Kyungsoo hardly remembers anything of that day, but when he and his family went through his brother’s things, he had come across pictures of Heechul and his brother during his brother’s college years.

Heechul didn’t really outline much in his short email. Mostly saying that he knew what Kyungsoo was after, and that he would love to meet him to talk about funding. The only other part of his four sentenced email was a time and date to meet at the very restaurant he’s sitting in now, the ending being ‘ see u soon, sent from my iphone10 ’.

He had thought at first that this was probably some nasty joke. A ghastly reminder of his horrible losses. However, the sole fact that this man had known his brother, even if it was briefly, gave him the little nudge he needed to dust off the old papers and pick up the books he had been keeping only to himself.

Since then, Kyungsoo has been an absolute mess. He really wants to impress Heechul, not only for the sake of his research, but for his brother’s memory as well. 

Kyungsoo goes to rub his face, panicking when he almost bends his cover letter. He hardly has time to check it for creases again, though, because suddenly he hears boisterous laughing from the front. He turns, getting up suddenly and freezing when he nearly knocks over the table. He catches his empty wine glass just before it falls, ignoring the waitress across the room staring at him.

He had been waiting for this moment for weeks . 

And what follows is certainly something he had not been expecting. 

A group of people walk in. Kyungsoo’s first thought when he sees them is ‘ holy , i’m going to die ’. They are big, sturdy men, all wearing matching black suits with wires attached to their ears and sunglasses covering their eyes. A thought occurs to him that Heechul may very well be the President of South Korea. Kyungsoo hasn’t really checked the news lately, so it could be true for all he knows. 

Then again, he thinks back to the other’s email and how his username is [email protected]. So probably not.

The man in the middle of that frightening formation looks nothing like a President. In fact, he kind of looks like a surfer. 

He isn’t particularly tall, and he isn't particularly big. In fact, he’s pretty skinny and tiny, as far as Kyungsoo can tell from afar- at least judging by the skinny legs showing below the knee-length shorts. He’s wearing sunglasses too, and his blond hair is sticking out to the sides in waves. There is a disturbingly wide smile on his face as he approaches him. 

His arms widen the closer he gets, and Kyungsoo feels his eyebrows rising higher on his forehead with every passing millisecond. 

“Kyungsoo! You made it!” the man says and before Kyungsoo can even assess the situation, he’s being pulled in a rather familial hug. 

There goes his wrinkle-free cover letter. 

Kyungsoo doesn’t really know what to do with his arms. He’s so taken aback that by the time he decides to maybe awkwardly pat this man’s back in return to acknowledge his greeting, the other lets go of him and steps back. 

He reaches up to pull the sunglasses down his nose and he smiles again, fondly looking at Kyungsoo as he blindly reaches to the side and tucks the sunglasses into one of the security guards’ front pockets. 

“Ah!” His eyes light up, but he doesn’t step away from Kyungsoo’s personal space. “Sorry, you probably really don’t remember me, right?”

“I-”

“Kim Heechul!” Heechul doesn’t even wait for Kyungsoo to take his outstretched hand, just grabbing it himself in a vice grip. Kyungsoo’s smile turns a little desperate when he starts to lose blood circulation to his fingers as Heechul shakes it proudly. “I’d give you the whole spiel of my successes but that would be unnecessary. Besides, we’re here today to talk about your successes.” 

One of the security guards suddenly hands Kyungsoo a business card. He only has a few seconds to read ‘ CEO ’ before it’s yanked from his hands by Heechul himself, he only throws it behind him.

“Sorry, they’re used to a certain protocol with meetings like this.” Heechul says that, before briefly turning his head to the side. “Go take a lap.” 

Kyungsoo blinks when those massive men immediately step back and beeline out of the restaurant. Heechul turns to look at him again, then, with that same unbothered, bright smile and a rather disturbing glint in his eyes. “R-Right.”

“What are you doing standing around so awkwardly? Sit, sit! Why is your glass empty?” Kyungsoo is about to answer, barely even having time to breathe before Heechul is speaking again. “No, no. These glasses are for wine anyway. Excuse me? Could we have two cosmos please?”

“Right away, sir.” 

Kyungsoo is startled by the sudden presence of the waitress, mouth just opening and closing as she walks away. “I… uh?”

“More of a margarita type of guy? I like your style, kid. Excuse me-”

“No!” Heechul pauses, looking at him. Kyungsoo takes a breath. “I-It’s fine. I’ll drink anything, honestly. Uhm…”

He looks down at his briefcase, swallowing hard. When he looks back up at Heechul, he sees his face has softened.

“That’s your brother’s, isn’t it? I remember him lugging that ugly thing around.” Heechul smiles.

Kyungsoo shifts in his seat then, nodding slowly. He curiously eyes the man sitting across the table. He feels how tense his shoulders are, and all the questions he had prepared before are now slowly evaporating from his mind as he simply blinks at Heechul.

“You seem to have known my brother really well.” 

“I dare say.” 

“May I ask how?” 

“That old tosser. He really never talked about me?!”  Heechul heaves a dramatic sigh, slumping back in the chair. “Your brother was a very ambitious young man and I was- and still am- a very young, very handsome man who recognizes that ambition and sees the potential in it.”  

Kyungsoo is about to fire about a thousand more questions when something shifts in Kim Heechul’s eyes, and he looks at him again. He looks almost… guilty.

“That is also the reason I asked you to come here tonight, Kyungsoo.” 

Kyungsoo waits for the other to elaborate, but when he doesn’t, he clears his throat. “That… was another question I had. Why did you ask for me in the first place?”

Heechul sighs, not even reaching for his drink he ordered when it arrives. He gathers his thoughts. “Because this young, very handsome man before you was once very ignorant.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow…”

“Your brother had a dream once,” Heechul says and looks at him pointily. Kyungsoo feels himself sitting up straighter. He knows of that dream his brother once had. “He came to me with that dream back in the day. When he had first found hard evidence of… your lost world for lack of better words…”

Kyungsoo can already feel his breath hitching at the mere mention of the past. 

“He had bold ideas, and even bolder plans. I liked that he was so set on it. I could see the fire in his eyes whenever he talked about it,” Heechul leans over the table. “It was a very risky setup, but even when I refused to fund his expedition, he did not stop. He did not take no for an answer. So I helped him find the best possible team instead, and I helped him with my connections to get investors.” 

Kyungsoo sits quietly in front of the man as he takes a deep breath and shines him a very sad smile.

“Not a day has passed that I don’t regret it all,” Heechul sighs out. “I was younger then, and I was impulsive. His propositions were exciting, they were revolutionary. And all I kept thinking about was how great it would be to have my name up there when they were to come back.” 

There is bitterness spreading in Kyungsoo’s mouth now, and he looks down at his hands. 

“I was too foolish to realize that his dreams were too big for what he received. Too advanced for what he was given to work with. I regret not doing more.”  Heechul seems like he’s trying to gather himself. “That foolish mistake cost hundreds of lives. And that is a weight I can never lift off my shoulders.”  

Kyungsoo reaches up to hook a finger under his tie. He pulls on it slightly. He is suddenly suffocating. 

“This is why I asked you to come here today. Because that weight is simply unbearable.” Heechul brings his hands together and there is a sharper look to his eyes now, a rather dedicated one. “Your brother had a dream and I intend to make that dream come true. I will not make the same mistakes again. I can at least try to clear my conscience.” 

Kyungsoo’s mouth feels dry as those clever eyes never leave him. He reaches out hastily to grab the cosmo that had been ordered for him and he takes a brave sip. Then another. 

His mouth still feels dry, and Kim Heechul is still looking at him. Even when he sets down the cocktail back on the table. 

“When your people came to me first, they mentioned something-” 

“I’d hope so.” 

Kyungsoo’s eyebrow tick at the calm of the man in front of him, who is still so casually sitting and vaguely smiling at him. 

“You are interested in funding another expedition to find Atlantis.” 

“That is absolutely incorrect,” Heechul says and Kyungsoo feels his shoulders slumping. He tries not to let his disappointment show, but it’s hard. The man in front of him simply takes another sip of his drink, looking completely unbothered. He gives him a small smile when he looks up again. “I have already funded another expedition to find Atlantis.” 

Kyungsoo blinks, heart in his throat now. “I’m sorry. I’m a bit confused.”

“Do tell.” Heechul is smirking at him now, eyes twinkling. He is resting his chin on his palm, almost rocking back and forth. 

“If you already have an expedition funded, why am I here?” 

“Because we need your research, Kyungsoo.” 

He hears the breath leaving his lips harshly before he even feels the pang in his chest. What?

Kyungsoo doesn’t want to believe Heechul only called him here to be a consultant of some sort, someone that just sits on the sidelines and hands over their research without a care. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s been asked this. 

Even if Heechul offered him all of the money in the world, he wouldn’t give up a single page of his work. His entire career has been based on his research. His work on proving the existence of Atlantis is his life . 

Heechul never once looks away from Kyungsoo’s suspicious gaze. Kyungsoo should feel intimidated, but at this point he’s starting to not care.

“We have extensive technology, clearances from higher government agencies to conduct our research in international waters. We have the smartest minds in the world packing their bags, ready to set out on my word. But we’re missing one thing. Your research.”

Kyungsoo’s jaw tightens, hands balling into fists now. “I assure you that my work is not for sale, and will not be a part of your expedition despite-”

Heechul suddenly laughs now, effectively shutting Kyungsoo up for a moment despite the raging fire within him. He looks at the man across from him, a little disturbed at how much he sounds like a madman laughing like this. He’s loud, hitting the table over and over.

“Oh my god. No, no. That’s not what I’m trying to say here.” Heechul wipes a tear from his eye, calming down now. He dons a more serious expression, leaning over the table a little. “We need your research, yes, but that research is useless without the expert on the matter, right?”

He waits for Kyungsoo to answer, but once again he is stunned into silence.

Just like this?

“What I’m saying is, we need you . I am convinced that without you and your expansive knowledge, this mission will fail.” Heechul sips his cosmo, smiling afterward. “Besides, none of the others can read gibberish quite like you can.”

Did Kim Heechul just call his livelihood gibberish? 

He sure as hell did, and Kyungsoo sure as hell does not care. 

He doesn’t even realize he is leaning forward, almost standing up at this point. 

“Are you being serious right now?” 

Heechul’s lip twists into a little half-smile as he brings his hands together over the table. 

“We have better technology than we did last time. And your research, it is much broader than that of your brother. You picked up where he left it off, so you know more,” the man says, giving him a hard look. “I am hopeful. And yes, as serious as I can get.”

Kyungsoo takes in everything being thrown at him in this moment. He runs a hand through his hair, unable to stop the grin threatening to break out on his lips. He laughs to himself, it bubbling up in his throat as he feels his eyes start to become glazed with tears.

Never in his life did he think he would actually be here, in this moment. It’s overwhelming , and his mind is going a thousand miles per minute as he thinks of his pages upon pages of research.

“We’re going to need an ecologist… I have work that I can share with them that may be able to help pinpoint where we should head- Oh! And a cartographer. Although I could fulfill that role quite easily since I know these maps like the back of my hand. Perhaps someone who has extensive knowledge in oceanography and marine biology. Ah! We’ll also need a-”

“Kyungsoo,” Heechul interrupts, clearly amused. “The team has already been set. All we’re missing is one last member, and that’s you.”

Kyungsoo slumps back in the chair. He still can’t wipe the smile off of his face, probably looking like a child about to open his presents up on Christmas morning. “Right. Sorry.”

“So?”

Kyungsoo’s heart skips a beat as he looks up at Heechul. 

“Are you coming with us?”

There is no other answer in his mind.

He has to go.

For his brother. For himself. 

Kyungsoo gives the other man a determined look.

“Count me in.”

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