“Seriously?” Hyukjae raised an eyebrow when Donghae handed him a pair of boxing gloves.

“For your own protection,” Donghae said, “In case I’m not around to keep you safe.”

“Look, I know how to fight, okay? How do you think I could survive in that ty school?”

“This isn’t some game for kids.”

“Right,” Hyukjae rolled his eyes, but he still put on the gloves. He’d never tried boxing before, but he can fight well. Like people always said, what doesn’t kill you will definitely make you stronger.

“Try to hit me,” Donghae said and held both his hands up. “Hit right on the target and don’t waver.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Hyukjae snorted.

He began to throw punches at the latter, lightly at first, and then harder, but of course, the iron wall Donghae wasn’t even budging from where he was standing. He punches again, this time going for his lower part, but Donghae easily caught his hand and pushed him back. Annoyed, he lunged forward, attempting to take him down by tripping him, but it still didn’t work. Donghae was quick to read his movement and grabbed him by the arm, before throwing him onto the ground.

 “Ouch!” Hyukjae yelped. “What was that for?”

“If you fight like this you won’t be alive in another 10 years.”

“Well that’s because you’re too strong! What are you, a Spartan? I could take down six boys my age by myself, you know.”

Donghae scoffed. “Right. Now keep doing that, I’ll get you some drink.”

“Wait, you’re leaving me here?” Hyukjae glanced around him, where a group of bulky guys were practicing boxing, sometimes stealing glances at them. They didn’t seem dangerous, but he still didn’t want to be left alone with them.

“I know the owner of this place, don’t worry,” Donghae said, waving at a guy in a dark blue sportswear standing near the ring.

Hyukjae heard him calling the guy Ray, and they seem close too, though he had no idea how they knew each other.

“You called me, hyungnim?” Ray asked.

“Keep your eyes on him, I’m gonna grab some drink,” Donghae told the latter, and he was already out of their sight before Hyukjae could stop him. 

Hyukjae stood there like an idiot, staring at the punching bag in front of him. He didn’t get the point of doing this, to be honest. It wasn’t like he was weak. Well, Donghae aside, he could still handle it if someone were to hurt him.

“I didn’t expect to see Donghae hyung-nim here,” Ray said all of a sudden. “So, I heard you wanted to learn boxing?”

“Not really. More like I was forced to. You’re close with Donghae?”

“Um, well, not really. But we do know each other.”

Hyukjae frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, he…” Ray paused, looking flustered all of a sudden. “He was… I mean, we worked together before.”

“You worked together?”

“Yeah, but as you can see, we’re doing a different thing now. Anyway, enjoy your time here. I still have work to do so…” Ray said before he left to his office at the end of a hallway in a hurry.

He seemed strangely nervous about something, though Hyukjae had no idea why. He took another look around the boxing gym, eyeing every side and corner of it, until his eyes stopped at the small window that looked over the sea. But what caught his attention wasn’t the view, it was the man standing out there looking inside, or more like, looking straight at him.

And there was a parrot on his shoulder, the exact same parrot he’d seen last night. There was no doubt about it. That cold, dark stare he was giving him sent chills down his spine, and he had a feeling that man wasn’t good news.

“Hyukjae.”

“Holy crap,” Hyukjae jumped, surprised when something cold touched his cheek. He immediately turned around, only to see Donghae smirking at him, holding a box of chocolate milk.

“Never knew you get scared so easily.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

“I assume this is mine?” Hyukjae grabbed the chocolate milk from the latter and tore it open, and gulped it down in one go. He was nervous alright. There was definitely something wrong with that man. He glanced back at the window, but no one was there anymore.

“You done practicing?” Donghae asked.

“No, hell no, I’m leaving,” Hyukjae quickly said. “This place is scary. Let’s go home.”

“I thought you wanted to see the beach.”

“Not anymore.”

Donghae narrowed his eyes at him, and for a second, Hyukjae thought the latter could actually read what he had in mind. He quickly looked down, avoiding his eyes.

“Sure,” Donghae finally said. “Let’s go back.”

* * * * *

MILAN, LOMBARDY

ITALY

“So what is it this time?” Donghoon slumped down onto his armchair, slamming down a stack of files on the desk. “What does he want?”

“He wanted to talk to you,” Jungsu said, “Though I doubt that’s all there’s to it. You know him better than anyone else.”

“Just make sure he doesn’t get close to my son.”

“Sir,” Jungsu took in a breath, the sound of uneasiness was obvious in his voice. “Why don’t we just end this once and for all? You know he’d never stop, not until he gets to see you suffer in hell.”

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