A/N: Good day to you. LCCross here. Sorry for the late update. I still just can't get over the fact that I saw Ateez last Sept 16, 2023 in Manila. I was too happy and too busy at work that I forgot to update. Anyhoo, thank you for waiting.

-0-

This could not be happening. San kept on thinking that it was just a bluff on Hongjoong’s side. It was definitely a bluff because his brother could not be involved in such a deal and bargain just to save him. San looked at the documents in his hand. He knows that it was impossible for his brother alone to pay his debt and help him start a business in just a span of 18 months. Even so, their family was well-off.

“San, I-“

“Shut up,” San, not even looking up at Seonghwa, sternly said, “Your explanations won’t matter with Hongjoong, nor with me. I know that we had already stopped the illegal side of things. What I don’t understand is that, you told me you had changed. I offered you the job months ago. I hired this guy for a part-time so that he can help you with the hours of driving, but why?”

Seonghwa did not respond. He already knew that if he does, San will not listen anymore and they would just clash just like before when they were under Hongjoong’s turf.

Hongjoong was the one who introduced the two of them. Seonghwa was a great dealer, and San was a great escapist if needed. Together, they made a good tag team of drug dealing juveniles. Yet, when they got caught by the police, San was the only one who got out in an instant. Seonghwa thought it was Hongjoong who freed San, and he spent 20 months in jail. When he got out, San was the first one to greet him. That’s how he understood that it was San’s brother who helped him. What’s more, San helped him on restarting his life.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hey, where are you going?!”

“Look,” Seonghwa looked at San, “We’ve been together all this time. You were the only one helping me. I’ll do this alone.”

“Seonghwa!”

Seonghwa just rushed to the elevator, and as the door closes, he bid San farewell.

“Sir,” Wooyoung finally spoke, “I know I shouldn’t be saying this as I don’t even know anything, but I don’t think we should let Seonghwa face this alone.”

“And what do you know about the underground world?”

“What?”

San smirked. “See, you don’t even know who you’re working for.”

 

-0-

 

Wooyoung was mixing a lot of cocktails but seemed uncomfortable. Even his customers were pointing out how silent he was.

“Oh, haha, um, I’m just thinking too deeply about something.”

Mr. Kim was still grateful that Wooyoung was working even though he was facing some problems. He knew that San was not going to take care of this man at all.

“Wooyoung, you can take the day off tomorrow if you need to.”

“No, I’m fine, Mr. Kim,” Wooyoung forced a smile, “I’m much more contented here.”

What he wants to do though, is to absent without leave from the courier business. Yeosang was correct. Once San mentioned the underground world, he immediately knew.

He doesn’t want other people to screw his life.

He already screwed his.

A week has passed and he had not come for work at the courier business.

He had blocked calls from Secretary Somi, Ms. Nam, Mr. Gong, and even San’s number.

He just laid down and looked at the daylight and landscape of Seoul from the window. He had talked to Yeosang and Jongho about his situation and, even if their reactions were expected, they didn’t bothered Wooyoung. They knew that it might came into a shock that he trusted this person and even gave his loyalty, just to have a deep flaw.

Jongho was finishing his homework at the table and Yeosang was resting at the sofa when a knock, no more like a pound, came from the door. Each of them was startled, and Jongho being the bravest enough, looked at the peephole.

“Um, Wooyoung?”

“What?”

“You might not like this, but I’m gonna open the door.”

“Why?”

The moment the door opened, San came inside with a bleeding Seonghwa.

“Wooyoung! Please! Help!”

Yeosang rushed to the first aid kit, while Wooyoung was panicking and asking questions. San tore off Seonghwa’s long-sleeved shirt and his undershirt. There, Seonghwa’s body had cuts and bruises around his chest, with one deep wound just by his abdomen. His face was full of bruises and cuts, too, but was not too disfigured.

“Why did you bring him here? Why not at the local hospital?” Wooyoung asked as he poured the opened whiskey at the counter top.

“Then, what? They gonna get him immediately if I did that! Yeosang please! Jongho please!”<