‘I said you’re not getting in!’ Taemin growled as the very young looking boy tried to shove himself passed him, through the club’s entrance.

‘Please! I swear I turned 18 just yesterday!’ he insisted, folding his hands under the bouncer’s nose in a praying and begging-like manner.

‘You’ve got ID?’ Taemin smirked and towered himself over the short and lanky boy who felt his knees turning into jelly at the sight of the intimidating man in front of him.

‘Well..n-no..’ he stuttered his confession, scratching the back of his head insecurely as it became crystal clear that he was obviously lying about his age to get into this club.

His behaviour wasn't a surprise. After all, this club was by far the hottest one in the whole of Seoul, and people who happen to be one of the few lucky ones to get in, were guaranteed a night that was easy to turn into one of the best ones of their life.

‘Then go home! You’re not getting in.' Taemin insisted, crossing his arms and keeping the huge double doors, behind which the loud music was already blasting, shielded.  

The minor sighed heavily, and with great reluctance, turned around to make his way back to the pavement, passing the long queue of people that still hoped to get in.

‘What a moron, he didn’t even have fake ID.’ Taemin muttered under his breath as Jongin, another bouncer and his best friend tapped his shoulder and motioned behind him.

‘Boss said he’s free to talk to you now. You can go in, I’m taking over here.’ he announced, eyeing the next in line, who was yet another underaged boy.

‘Finally!’ Taemin hollered, immediately making his way through the doors and the unbelievable crowds of people.

The stench of alcohol lingered in the air and even though he hoped to be wrong about it, he could even smell a few people smoking something more than just plain tobacco.

The flashing lights in the ceiling that changed colour, the busy waiters barking orders at each other, the hired dancers in their fake cages, rotating their hips to the movements, everything was just a big buzz of tremendous noise.

Taemin himself hated this club.  

And while watching people grind against each other and making out in the middle of the dance floor, he couldn’t help but feel disgusted at the scenarios unfolding in front of him.

The only reason why he had agreed to do this job in the first place was for the money he’d get.

He needed to pay for his mother’s treatment and there was no other job that paid him nearly as much as this one.

It was in his senior year of high school when his mother had suddenly fallen ill.

So, after graduating and deferring his college entry for majoring in music and composition, Taemin took it upon himself to make some cash and support the only family he had left.

He saw it as his duty, as the man of the house, to care for her.

But as his mother’s stay at the hospital elongated, so did the hospital bills pile up.

Hence, Taemin had needed money, and he'd needed it fast.

Once he got to his destination, he knocked on his boss’s office door and heard the familiar, deep voice telling him to enter.

Immediately, he was greeted by a thick cloud of smoke that surrounded not only the old man but also the very huge and nice mahogany desk he was sitting behind.

‘Tae! Come here, my boy! Have a seat.’ he called out.

Mumbling a brief thank you, the 20 year old took the few steps ahead and plopped himself down on the wooden chair as one of the two club owner’s hand-men, closed the door and locked it.

It was slightly colder in the room than it had been outside so shivering, he pulled the zipper of his hooded jacket up in hopes to get a little warmer.

‘So, you asked me for a pay rise, is that correct?’ the male in the expensive suit got down to business straight away, taking a long drag off his cigar to puff the smoke right out again.

‘Ehm, well yes.’ Taemin nodded to which his boss let out a throaty and raspy chuckle, followed by a heavy coughing fit.

The bouncer immediately grabbed the nearby water bottle off the desk and poured its’ content into the glass next to it, offering the elder man the soothing beverage which he accepted and gulped down in less than a few seconds.

‘Thank you. You’re a good boy, I assure you, Taemin.' he gasped, leaned back in his leather chair, looking the young male up and down with a knowing smile.

The club owner let a while pass like that, following his thoughts while his fingers played with his cigar.

‘Alright,' he exhaled loudly, indicating his voice’s return.

‘Well, for this kind of job, I can’t offer you more.'

‘But-‘

‘Taemin, listen. Don't interrupt me.' he warned him with fierce eyes while stomping out the gleaming stick in the sole ashtray on the desk.

‘I said for this kind of job, I can’t offer you more.’ he said while opening a drawer and pulling out a few pictures, laying them out in front of the young male.

Taemin eyed the three different photographs, taken from various angles, but still all showing the same pretty high school girl in her uniform.

‘What’s the meaning of this?’ he wondered aloud, his brows furrowing.

‘This is Son Naeun.’ the older man pointed to the smiling girl in the picture.

‘I want you to kidnap her.’ he explained soberly.

‘What!?’ Taemin instantly blurted out.

His eyes were wide in shock, his mouth agape and his hands were turning clammy within seconds as he looked back and forth from his boss to the photographs in front of him.

‘You need money, don’t you.’ the old man leaned back in his seat again, and twirled the ends of his moustache between his index finger and thumb.

‘I do, but-‘

‘And your mother is sick, isn’t she.' he continued, ignoring Taemin's resistance.

‘She is, though-‘

‘I tell you what, Taemin,’ his boss cut him off straight away, leaving his chair to pace around the office in a relaxed manner, lighting another cigar he'd just stuck in between his lips.

‘Do this job for me, watch her for the nights and I’ll pay you enough to cover your mother’s treatment and your college tuition. How does that sound, hm?’ he smirked, inhaling deep to puff the smoke out, clouding the already stuffy room.

A moment of silence passed before Taemin actu