31. Impotenti Passiones

 

Impotenti Passiones: "Uncontrollable Feelings"

 

 

 

"When he couldn't take it anymore, she rushes to him..."

 

 

No one can stop a man driven by his impotenti passiones.

 

 

"... only to find that another revelation has been waiting for her."

 

 

 

= = = Soundtrack: EXO-K - MACHINE = = =

 

BANG!

 

"Yah! Taemin-ah! What the heck is wrong with you?!" Sunny exclaimed as she found her younger cousin huffing deep breaths, with about three training dummies broken and scattered all around him. She had just arrived at one of the ReapedSouls group warehouses from Desertia Spy Headquarters to report about her findings on the status of the weapon stash in Apgujong... and something else she found out.

 

"Yah!" She exclaimed again, in a frenzy, when she finally got to Taemin and found out that his fist was bleeding, perhaps cut by the edges of the metal holding the training dummies together.

 

Despite his cousin's words, Taemin didn't say anything.

 

When Sunny had taken Taemin's hand for inspection, he angrily snatched it away, which surprised the former. She had no idea how much the younger Lee would change after that incident wherein Shirin herself had punched him. She had been stunned herself that time, for Shirin even pointed a gun straight at her face. 

 

But she didn't expect that Taemin would take it THIS far.

 

"Taemin-ah..." Sunny began to speak again, but then, a sudden thought flashed through her brain.

 

Maybe it wasn't Shirin that he was angry at.

 

Suddenly, all the things she found out about Kai had revved her thoughts up again, and shock crossed her features.

 

She told Choi Jonghyun only half of what she ACTUALLY found out.

 

Upon the appearance of Kai's real name in front of her eyes, fearful memories came back to her, for she had witnessed things that many of the people did not know. She had seen how Taemin grew and developed himself in the presence of this man she was researching about.

 

She knew EXACTLY who Kim Jongin is.

 

Research wasn't needed to remind her of the pain that he experienced under the harsh hands of Lee Hyorae, Taemin's mother, who abused him physically behind the eyes of the general public. It wasn't needed to make her remember the discrimination that he experienced in the up-scale life of the Korean posh society simply because he wasn't a full blooded Lee. It was not needed anymore to make her cringe as the memories of his struggle to gain everybody's approval by studying hard and taking hold of every recognition that comes his way flooded her mind.

 

She knew all of those by heart as she herself saw how Kim Jongin had split from the main family in the Lee House, asked for his father to just give him another place to stay in, and lived alone to fend for himself ever since he was twelve years old.

 

And she also knew Kim Jongin's link with Seo Jinhee, and Taemin's involvement in her death.

 

"Do you already know who Kai is, Taemin-ah?"

 

At the question from his cousin, Taemin shot a murderous look at a wall just a few meters away from him. He knew the answer to that, and knew very well.

 

"I've already recognized him back when Shirin-ah tried to save him during the mission that we had to take her back from the SkullBeaters, but I had just denied it. I told myself that it wasn't him. But time and time again, he appeared in my mind and I couldn't help but think that he had clouded Shirin-ah's mind with doubts about himself and me. I just didn't know that the bastard would take it this far." Taemin started to say in low and husky voice, which shocked Sunny. 

 

Taemin spoke again, but this time, he looked at his cousin straight in the eye... and chills ran down Sunny's spine.

 

"He succeeded in getting Shirin-ah from me once, but I'm not gonna let him have her for long."

 

= = =

 

You're like a cold machine

You're a ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, machine

You're a ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, machine

 

A beautiful goddess

You're a ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, machine

You're a ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, machine

 

The sound of a cellphone's ringtone woke a young woman sleeping on a plush bed, and with her eyes opening hesitantly, she reached out towards the end table to get it.

 

But even before she could reach for it, another hand from behind her had gotten the object.

 

"Oh, Kai-yah, I thought you still weren't awake yet." Shirin said as she slid back under the covers of her bed, still fully clothed but with a small purple bruise by the base of her neck.

 

Kai, who slid back under the covers too after taking his phone, slightly pulled down the fabric of her sleepdress and placed gentle kisses onto Shirin's bared shoulder as he read the message that awaited him...

 

... and his eyes widened.

 

Shirin noticed this, and turned her body around to face Kai with a concerned look on her face.

 

"Wae, Kai-yah?" She asked him softly, but a worried look suddenly crossed his features. Only one thought coursed through his mind as he read the words sent to him by one of the best researchers of the SkullBeaters, Kim Hyuna.

 

From: Hyuna Noona

Message:

Hey, you asked me to keep an eye on that Lee Taemin, right?

I got bad news for you. 

I've hacked into a g-house camera of the ReapedSouls today.

I found out that the Taemin guy is planning to lure her out.

Text me again for the details

 

This isn't going to be good.

 

= = =

 

"How is it, Sunny Noona?" Chanho asked the ReapedSouls researcher as she entered the leaders' den of the warehouse, face serious and expression grave. Seunghyun, who was reading a book, closed the object in his hand at the entrance of the female but said nothing.

 

"The weapon stash is already being re-stocked. Before I did my time-out in Desertia at about three earlier this morning, it was already the fifth batch they're bringing in. So, I don't think there's gonna be a problem anymore." She said, not removing the solemn look on her face. Seunghyun noticed and asked her about it.

 

"What's with the look? Did you find anything else?" He asked softly, letting his voice project worry and concern for his colleague.

 

Sunny nodded, and upon more questions from the two Song Brothers about the additional information she found, she answered them.

 

"I've discovered the location of one of the SkullBeaters' group warehouses. As of three oclock in the morning, before I timed-out, there are about eight people there. There were no sub-group leaders or brotherhood heads spotted, however." She said, and both the Song Brothers took in what she said, creating an atmosphere of silence.

 

Chanho was the first one to break it.

 

"So, why the long face, Noona?" He asked her, and at that, Sunny looked at him sharply, which sent his insides twisting immediately.

 

"Taemin-ah knew about it, and he's gonna go there to try and lure Shirin-ah out."

 

= = =

 

"Please wait for me, Shirin-ah. I'll just be taking a look at something."

 

Kai-yah placed a gentle kiss on my forehead before getting out and leaving me sitting inside his car, which was parked just a short distance away from another SkullBeaters' warehouse... which sparked my interest.

 

I'm pretty sure that Kai-yah meant to go inside the warehouse. But... why did he have to park his car a distance from it? This was their territory, so he shouldn't be at all compelled to take caution, even if I'm with him.

 

When I recognized his surprised expression while he lay with me in bed earlier, his denial of any problem hadn't gone past me, even when he tried to distract me by placing his lips again on the base of my neck and leaving a trail of gentle kisses. I asked him if anything was wrong, but he just shook his head before saying that we were gonna go somewhere today.

 

But then my thoughts got cut as, out of the blue, I saw a familiar car park just in front of the warehouse... 

 

...and out of the vehicle came that one handsome man that I never thought I'd actually see again.

 

His hair color had changed already. From a bright reddish shade, it now sported a hue that could probably blend with the light when it's being hit. Still having its own unique sway and softness, it still was the familiar hair I last remembered... and I saw in my dream two nights ago. Except that back then, it still had the same reddish tint... and was shorter than how it is now.

 

My senses kicked into hyperdrive as I saw the handle of a gun sticking out from his back pocket, and fear invaded me in huge waves as the thought of him facing Kai-yah in a bloody battle crossed my mind. I immediately got out of the car as I saw his figure move towards the doors of the warehouse.

 

I had been wondering why he had found this place, despite him being a ReapedSouls member. But then again, with Sunny-sshi as a researcher, it is possible for him to be informed.

 

When I saw the warehouse gates being opened by Taemin-sshi, my steps quickened.

 

= = =

 

"Make sure that you never let your guard down, arasso? Hyuna Noona mentioned to me about a ReapedSouls member---"

 

BAM!

 

Kai immediately looked towards the doors of the warehouse at the sound, his eyes widening when he recognized the man who opened them.

 

"You?!"

 

A smirk lined Taemin's lips as he took sure steps towards Kai and stretched his fist out for a punch, but the latter was quicker as he shielded the blow with his hand. With a look, he instructed the men he was talking to earlier on to leave him and his "guest" alone. They complied, and within seconds, the whole warehouse was devoid of all people except for the two men who slightly resembled each other.

 

With all of his strength, Kai pushed Taemin away through the fist of the latter that he was holding. And with now a short distance separating them, both men had room to talk.

 

"Give Shirin-ah back." Taemin demanded in a harsh voice, but to his irritation, Kai began chuckling.

 

"Who are you? Her boyfriend?" He asked sarcastically, which made Taemin clench his jaw.

 

"I might HAVE been if you didn't take her. Or rather... lure her to you." The young Lee retorted, which was replied by a smirk from the young Kim.

 

"Really, now. Are you sure she actually had feelings for you?" Kai asked confidently, which had stunned Taemin. A scowl then appeared on the mouth of the ReapedSoul's substitute leader.

 

"I had her first, bastard." Taemin said darkly.

 

"Wrong. I already had her the moment I saw her try to defend herself in the first war at Mirage. I had her first." Kai cut him off with a sly smirk.

 

At that exact moment, Shirin had gone inside the warehouse, about to shout and get the attention of the two men, when the next sentence sealed her silence.

 

"So what is Shirin-ah now, then? She isn't Jinhee-yah. She's a different person, Jongin-ah." Taemin began, and Kai sent a glare towards his way, the both of them not noticing the young girl's presence.

 

"Who said that Shirin-ah was gonna be the next Jinhee? She's my girl, and you can't take her from me." The latter said with finality, before speaking again with a sentence that had pierced through the depths of Shirin's soul.

 

Another revelation had sent her world spinning.

 

"You already had your shot at a love story with Jinhee-yah. So don't wreck my love story with Shirin-ah, Taemin Hyung."

 

= = = =

 

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