Taemin tightened his grip on the railing as he looked down from the rooftop during lunch hour, or specifically, at Minho. He frowned as he saw him hanging his arm over a girl’s shoulder, and that, of course, has nothing to do with him. He clenched his teeth. The problem is that, that girl isn’t Hyehee.

              “Minho…” he mouthed, he’s obviously not taking my words seriously when I said not to hurt Hyehee.

              Taemin clenched his teeth even tighter as he slammed his hand on the railing, sending a jerking pain up his arm. tard, you're going to be so dead.

              “What are you looking at?”

              Taemin’s eyes widen as he recognized the voice. Almost immediately, he turned around. “Hyung…” he said inaudibly and he almost forgot he shouldn’t call him ‘Hyung’ anymore. Jinki smiled, as if he heard him.

              The younger one blinked, composing himself as he kept his poker face on again. “Why are you here?” he questioned bluntly as he leaned against the railing.

              “I have a favor to ask of you.” Jinki said, putting his hands into his pockets, something that Jinki doesn’t usually do.

              Taemin raised a brow. Didn’t they already got nothing to do with each other and Jinki has been keeping their distance away from him, what could Jinki want from Taemin?

              “And that is?”

              “Not to look us up anymore.”

              Taemin blinked, and for a second he felt the aching in his heart. Yeah, what else could he have asked for? What are you expecting, Lee Taemin?

              “Of course, isn’t that what we have been doing, keeping our distance. You don’t have to ask for it.” the younger one replied, swallowing.

              “I’m sorry, Taemin. Believe me; we are doing all these for Hyehee.” Jinki had a sad frown on his face and it was pissing Taemin off so he lowered his head. The older one walked closer to him when Taemin didn’t reply, and he wanted to pat on the younger’s head when Taemin slapped his hand away.

              Jinki was shocked but when he saw Taemin’s cold glare, he stepped back.

              “Keeping distance, aren’t we?” Taemin sneered.

“, Taemin!” Jonghyun tried to pull Taemin back when Taemin threw a punch right at Minho’s face again.

              “I said before, didn’t I?” Taemin asked, breathing hastily, “If you hurt Hyehee in anyway, I will—,”

              “Your baby sister doesn’t even let me kiss her.” Minho smirked, with blood visible on his teeth. “I know you saw me with another girl, but let’s face the truth. You can’t always be with someone who doesn’t even let you touch he—,” He continued but halfway Taemin threw another punch at his face, cutting off his sentence. “Kissing her?” Taemin asked with a mocking face. “Someone like you don’t deserve to be anywhere near my sister.”

              “Is that so?” Minho’s smirk became wider. “What if I say I’m going to her soon?”

              Taemin’s eyes widen, his nostrils flaring, and his hands were trembling all in anger. He tightens the grab on Minho’s collar as he leaned in to him. Jonghyun was standing behind Taemin, all ready to stop whatever is going to happen if Taemin were to go berserk.

              “You can try,” Taemin said low in Minho’s ear, “but you must be ready to pay the price.”

              And he let go of him, turned his heels and headed for the exit of the night club with Jonghyun following behind.

              “Hey,” Minho called out, wiping off the blood on his lips with his thumb. “Have you ever wondered about your past?”

              Taemin stopped in his tracks, and Jonghyun sighed. Minho, why must you provoke Taemin?...

              “I’m saying, are you really a part of the Lee’s family? Or are you actually from the Mafia? I mean—,”

              Minho’s mouth was immediately shut when a dagger flew towards him, stabbing into the wall just an inch away from his face.

              “The next time you open that mouth and speak as if you know about my past, that dagger will drill into your ing skull.” Taemin hissed silently.

              Jonghyun almost forgot to breathe when that dagger flew before his eyes, but was glad that Taemin decided to let it go with just a threat.

Jinki was making dinner when Hyehee came back. It was 6 in the evening and Hyehee said she was going out with friends because it was the last day of school before the summer break. Well, she lied. Apparently she doesn’t want Jinki to know of her relationship with Minho because she knew Jinki wasn’t going to like the idea of her dating someone. “Jin oppa!” She exclaimed, taking off her sneakers. “I’m in the kitchen.” Jinki shouted, and she head into the kitchen to find Jinki with a blue box in her hand.

              Even though just now the date was slightly awkward with Minho attempting to kiss her, she didn’t allow him to because she thought that it was going too fast. Though, they still went to the movie and did some shopping, and she managed to find a present for Taemin.

              “Jin oppa, I bought a present for Tae oppa.” She smiled brightly; totally oblivious to the fact that Jinki literally froze with a knife in his hand. Taemin again, he thought.

              He put down the knife and turned to her, “Hyehee.”

              “Let me show you,” the smile on her face didn’t disappear and instead, it was getting wider when she opened up the gift box. “Hyehee,” Jinki called her again and this time, she saw his serious face when she looked up. “What did I say yesterday?” her brother questioned.

              Hyehee blinked, yesterday when she came back home after running out, Jinki was back to his old self so she thought everything was fine.

              The stainless steel bracelet shines in the box.

              “Forget him, Hyehee. Taemin is not part of us anymore.” Jinki said again, turning back to the counter and picking up his knife.

              Hyehee thought something snapped at the back of her mind. She couldn’t understand the reason behind all this hostility Jinki had towards Taemin. Didn’t they grow up together? Aren’t they siblings? Just because Taemin got sold to Mafia, doesn’t mean that Taemin is not part of them anymore, right?

              “Why?” Hyehee asked, covering the gift box back. “It’s for your own good.” Jinki replied.

              She frowned, “What’s for my own good? Lee Taemin is my second brother. Why must I forget him just because he’s sold to the Mafia?”

              “Hyehee, listen to Jin oppa.” Jinki said calmly, still chopping carrots up into dices on the chopping board, obviously not interested in the topic anymore and that Hyehee should just listen to him.

              “You’re so unreasonable.” She said bluntly, expecting Jinki to at least look at her when she is turning serious. “Reasonable or unreasonable, I know what I’m doing and I’m doing all these to protect you.”

              And he proceeds to put all the carrots into the pot before taking the peeled potatoes out from another bowl.

              “If Tae oppa was here, he won’t treat me like this.” Hyehee said, tightening her grip on the blue gift box. “How I wish that I was being sold to the Mafia together with Tae oppa. I would rather be with him than with you.”

              And that sentence sparked off Jinki’s patience. He threw the knife on the counter and grabbed Hyehee by her wrist. “Don’t you ever say that again,” he said low, making it sound like an order. Hyehee whined from the pain in her wrist, Jinki was grabbing it so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

              “You hear me?” Jinki raised his voice a little, making sure that he got the upper hand.

              “Monst—,” Hyehee whimpered and it took Jinki a while to let her go after realizing what he did to her. “You’re a monster.” She said through her gritted teeth before running out of the house.

              Why can’t you understand that I’m just trying to keep you safely by my side…?

Hyehee wandered off into the night and before she knew it, she landed herself in the Phoenix pub. “Tae oppa…” she murmured to herself, and wiped off the tear stain on her face.

              Taemin was back in the pub after the commotion he had with Minho over at the Dragon’s. He sat at the bar counter, overlooking the dancefloor and making sure that no one is making trouble. But he almost choked on his drink when he spotted a girl.

              And that girl happened to look like his sister.

              He couldn’t confirm if it was her but he put down his drink and walked over anyway. She seemed lost as she walked away from the dancefloor and into the dark corner, Taemin follow suit.

              Before that girl could go into the restroom, Taemin grabbed her shoulder and she turned around.

              “Hyehee??”

              He swears his eyes almost came out from his sockets.

“Now, why are you here?”

              He had asked for a VIP room and ordered the staff not to let anyone comes in. Taemin stared at Hyehee, eyeing her when he saw red marks on her wrist. “What’s that?”

              When Hyehee knew Taemin was talking about the marks on her wrist, she covered it. “It’s nothing.”

              “Was it Minho?” Taemin asked, and Hyehee had a dumbfounded look on her face. “What? Why Minho?”

              Taemin blinked, judging from her reaction, it should not be Minho. “Never mind, so why are you here in such a place?”

              “If you can be here, why can’t I?” Hyehee retorted, and Taemin was baffled at her response. “You had a tiff with hyung?”

              Hyehee sighed; she leaned back against the red velvet seat as she took out the blue gift box from her pocket, fondling with it until she decided to pass it to Taemin. “I got this for you. It’s for your birthday. I know for the past few years I didn’t get you anything but please just accept it.”

              The older one blinked as he took over the box. His favorite sister is getting him present, what could it be?

              “It’s a bracelet. It won’t rust, so you can wear it to shower too. You don’t have an excuse not to wear it.” Hyehee smiled.

              Taemin run a finger over the design of the stainless steel bracelet. His lips unknowingly stretched upwards into a smile. “It’s nice,” he commented, and Hyehee reached out to take out the bracelet from the box.

              She urged Taemin to lift out his left hand and after a ‘click’ sound, the bracelet was secured on his wrist. “Happy birthday, my favorite oppa.” She smiled.

              Taemin looked at her. Getting called her favorite oppa was something that Taemin likes to hear. A sister that he had looked after since young, love and care for, a sister that he wants to protect always, even with his life.

              His favorite sister.

              “I have a favor to ask of you.” Jinki said, putting his hands into his pockets, something that Jinki doesn’t usually do.

              Taemin raised a brow. Didn’t they already got nothing to do with each other and Jinki has been keeping their distance away from him, what could Jinki want from Taemin?

              “And that is?”

              “Not to look us up anymore.”

              But when he recalled what Jinki said to him, he frowned. After a while, he stood up. “You should go,” Taemin said. “Go home, Hyehee. This is not a place you should come.”

              “What, Tae opp—,”

              “Go home.” And he shrugged off her hand when she attempted to hold him. “But why?” she cried. Not even her Tae oppa is treating her this way…

              “Go!” Taemin raised his voice and he decided to drag her out of the VIP room when she has no intention to leave.

              When they were outside the pub, Hyehee was already crying at both the pain she had in her heart when her brothers treated her like these, and at the pain that Taemin is causing her on her wrist. “Let me go!” she pleaded, and Taemin finally let go of her.

              “Go home.” Taemin commanded, turning away from her when he had a glance of how sad Hyehee looked. I’m sorry Hyehee.

              “No, Tae oppa, please, let me stay here, with you.” Hyehee cried as she tugged on Taemin’s arm. “Please, Tae oppa, I like you. Don’t push me away…” she mumbled under her breath as she lowered her head.

              And it took her less than a minute to collapse on the ground, she hasn’t had dinner and everything was traumatizing her so much she felt so weak. “Please…don’t leave me alone….Tae oppa…” she begged, with tears running out and cascading down her cheeks.

              Silly girl…

              Taemin sighed; he bit on his bottom lip and squatted down in front of her. His favorite sister, Lee Hyehee, how can he push her away when she was just right in front of him claiming that she likes him?

              “I got it…” He said, pulling her into his embrace and hushing her. “I’m sorry. I like you too, so please, stop crying. You’re making me confused.”

“So she will be staying with us?” Jonghyun raised one of his brows when Taemin brings Hyehee back to their headquarters. “No, is with me.” Taemin replied as he struggled to take off his sneakers while heaving Hyehee up on his back.

              “But aren’t you staying with us?” Jonghyun wanted to help Taemin take off his sneakers but when he squatted down; Taemin had already taken it off. “She stays in MY room. That’s different.” He scoffed. “Doesn’t she have school? And don’t you have school?” Key asked, coming out from the kitchen.

              “We’re on summer break.” Taemin replied with a sigh. Jonghyun pressed his lips together and got up, “What will master say if he saw her?”

              “That’s why she will be in my room until I think of something else.” Taemin said while heading to the stairs, up to second floor into his room. His room was painted in grey and white color, with only a queen size bed layered with white bedsheet, a study desk, and a navy blue long couch.

              “Jin oppa…” Hyehee mumbled under her breath when Taemin placed her on his bed. “It’s Tae oppa, silly…” he breathed as he removed her sandals and pulled the blanket over her. Pushing her fringe away, Taemin smiled as he leaned down to peck her forehead. “Sleep well, sister.”

              It was almost one at night and Taemin just had a hot shower. He put on a pair of sweat pants and stood before the mirror, the tattoo caught his attention again and he was glad that Hyehee was asleep.

              “Dragon tattoo simply means you’re part of the Dragon’s?”

              Taemin shook his head as he grabbed on the either sides of the basin.

              “You’re from the mafia?”  He asked again.

              “And are you not?” Minho retorted, pushing Taemin away from him as he readjusted his collar. Taemin stepped back, “does Hyehee know about this?”

              The tall guy smirked, “and does she know about you?”

              Taemin looked up and stared at his reflection.

              “Why? Who are you to Hyehee?” Minho challenged, earning another death stare from Taemin.

              “Lee Taemin, Lee Hyehee’s second brother. Keep that in your ing mind.” He said aloud.

              “Hey,” Minho called out, wiping off the blood on his lips with his thumb. “Have you ever wondered about your past?”

              Taemin stopped in his tracks. “I’m saying, are you really a part of the Lee’s family? Or are you actually from the Mafia? I mean—,”

              “Ugh…” Taemin groaned when he felt his head was starting to ache. “ this .” He cursed as he walked out of the bathroom and slammed himself against the long couch.

The sunlight penetrated into Taemin’s room and stung his eyes the moment he opened them. He groaned with a frown as he cursed at himself for forgetting to draw the curtain last night. He stared at the ceiling for a while, feeling like he forgot about something.

              Hyehee.

              His head immediately snapped towards the direction of the bed.

              Empty.

              He looked towards the bathroom, and the door was opened.

              Not inside.

              “,” and he scurried for a tank top, throwing it on before going out of his room.

              “Oh, Tae oppa!” Hyehee exclaimed as soon as she saw Taemin coming into the dining room. Taemin was panting a little and he swore his heart almost stopped when he saw who was sitting in the middle of the dining table.

              “Master.” He greeted, wondering if master will get mad at him for bringing a girl back. Master nodded, and Hyehee held a plate of food in front of him. “Grandpa, I made this. Hope it w ill taste good!” She smiled.

              Taemin raised a brow, Grandpa? “I’m sure it will,” Master smiled.

              And Taemin couldn’t remember when the last time he saw his master’s smile was. “Tae oppa, do you want to try the breakfast that I made?” Hyehee asked.

              “Sure,” his brother gave her a small smile as he pulled a chair out. “Your sister cooks well.” Master said, scooping up the scrambled eggs with his spoon. Taemin watched him, “She does.”

              It was silence with only the sound of the utensils, and Taemin knows it all too well when master is around. A good five minutes passed and Hyehee finally came out with what seemed like Taemin’s food.

              “Tae oppa, I know you like my scrambled eggs, I made more for you.” she giggled, placing the plate of food in front of Taemin. “What about you, have you eaten?”

              She shook her head and Taemin pulled her down to the seat beside him. He took an empty plate from the table and shared half of what was on his plate. “Finish this, and I’ll bring you home.”

              “What?” Hyehee asked, looking at him, “I’m not going back.”

              Taemin put a fork in her hand, “Eat.”

              Hyehee frowned, putting the fork down and getting up. “I am not going back.” She said, before taking quick steps into the kitchen again. Taemin sighed.

              “If she doesn’t want to go back, then don’t force her.” Master said, wiping his lips with the napkin on the table. “You don’t understand, sir.” Taemin said, the word ‘sir’ came out smoother than ‘master’.

              “I need to talk to you.” Master said with a sigh as he gets up. Taemin lowered his head as he put down his utensils. “Tonight at 10, in the meeting room, see you.”

              “Yes.” He replied.

              “And help me thanks Hyehee for a wonderful breakfast. It’s been long since I had a nice one…ever since my daughter passed away.”

              Taemin was stunned to hear master talked about his daughter, he never does that; but before he could react, master has already left.

For the whole night, Jinki didn’t sleep. He was wide awake while sitting in the living waiting for Hyehee to return. But she didn’t. He tried calling her but all the calls were directed to the voice mail.

              He shouldn’t have let her go; he shouldn’t have let her gone out of the house. He looked down at his hand, the same hand that grabbed Hyehee’s wrist.

              “You’re a monster.”

              Hyehee’s words echoed in his mind like a broken recorder. Jinki closed his eyes and pulled his hair with his hands. He was so frustrated with himself, until his phone vibrated on the table. It was a text from Taemin.

              Jinki spare no time as he stood up immediately from the couch, before heading out to Phoenix pub.

It was still early afternoon so the pub wasn’t open for business yet. But when Taemin asked him to meet him, he knew he would be excused to enter the pub.

              “You’re here.” Taemin said as soon as he spotted Jinki entering. “Here, follow me.” He said, leading Jinki to one of the VIP suite.

              “Where’s Hyehee?” Jinki asked, sitting down. “She refused to come.” Taemin said, and Jinki caught the silver chain tangling on his slim wrist. “Do you want to—,”

              “Taemin,” Jinki cut him off. “I’ve something to tell you.”

              Taemin swallowed. He remembered Jinki’s serious expression back then at the rooftop but this time, Jinki looked way more mature. And Taemin has a feeling he won’t like what he was going to hear.

              Jinki blinked, he looked down.

              “Lee Jinki and Lee Hyehee are siblings. Lee Taemin…isn’t.”

              For a moment Taemin thought that because he was sold to the mafia that’s why his brother doesn’t treat him as one of them anymore. But when Jinki took a deep breath with his brows locked, he knew there was something else.

              “Nineteen years ago a baby appeared at the Lee’s. The baby’s back was covered with blood, and the couple was so shocked that who would be abusing a newborn like this. But after washing up, they realized it wasn’t a wound, but a newly inked tattoo that hasn’t been cleaned.”

              Taemin swallowed again, his breathing getting heavier with each words coming out from Jinki.

              “A letter was found together with the baby, and it stated that whoever it is, please take care of the baby.”

              Jinki looked up, and he waited until Taemin met his gaze.

              “The tattoo was a curled up, sleeping dragon.”

              For a few seconds, Taemin didn’t respond but they didn’t look away from each other either. He broke out into a smile. “Stop kidding.”

              “I’m not laughing.” Jinki replied, and Taemin’s smile immediately fell. “Taemin, your father is the head of the Dragon’s, and your mum is Lee Hyori.”

              Lee Hyori.

              It was a familiar name that he once heard when he first came into the Phoenixes.

              “Yes, your master’s daughter.” Jinki said, as though he could read Taemin’s mind, and Taemin’s eyes widen. He took a sharp breath; but he couldn’t remember when he stopped breathing.

              “Taemin, you’re the son of the Dragon’s and the Phoenixes. You’re the key to everything.”