C h a p t e r O N E
Imperfection Within Perfection
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-YOUR POV-

The wide arch doors clicked when your shivering fingers gave the knobs a closing pull. Trying to pull yourself together, you lean against the beautifully-wallpapered walls along the corridors. Hot tears trickled down your cheeks as you pull yourself towards the stairs, enduring all the pain that hasn't left.

Tears that never stopped flowing blurred your vision, and the intense blazing pain continued to burn. You gripped onto the walls for support as you trotted down the flight of stairs. Suddenly, you lost balance and tripped over yourself. Your body nearly launched straight towards the few dozen steps below when a strong hand gripped onto you firmly. The arm wounded around your waist and you felt yourself colliding into something hard. There was a sudden gush of fragrance in the air, a distinct perfume scent, as you regain your balance. Looking up, you saw the blurry image of Hyun Joong, whose sturdy chest you were then leaning on with his arms wrapped around you.

You quickly broke away from his contact, and noticed he was grateful you did. "M-Miane," you stuttered with a bow. Hyun Joong stared at you, scanning you from head to toe, and toe to head again. He noticed you only had a ragged red silk tube dress that covered you scarcely; he scanned the tears that stained your cheeks and studied the amount of pain you were portraying, making you uncomfortable under his stare.

Just as you were about to walk away, his right arm blocked your path and grabbed your wrist with his left. You jerked under his tight firm grip. "Hyun Joong-sshi!" you cried in pain when he dragged you back up the stairs. "What are you doing?!" He held both your wrists with his hands to keep you from struggling, kicking open the huge doors that led to his room. His wide room smelt as fragrant as him, but you did not have time to admire the ambience as he settled you onto his big throne-looking armchair. Squatting in front of you, he scanned you once again with his deep eyes, he asked with a heavy tone, "Kyu Jong?"

You looked away.

He got up and took a first-aid kit over. Without a sound, nor a change in his expression, he took out several rolls of cloth. Putting your right leg on his lap, he cleansed each and every wound of yours. Whilst at it, he placed a tissue box beside you.

Faster than expected, he was done treating your wounds. Settling your left leg back onto the floor, he tilted his head up and looked right into your eyes. His stares had always been uncomfortable. They were always longer than necessary, like he was trying to perform an x-ray through your mind. However, you took a second to admire his features. He was so beautiful, alike a masterpiece.

"Thank you.."

He immediately pulled his eyes away from you as he kept the utensils back into the first-aid kit. "Please don't think I bother," he told you coldly, not even bothering to look at you, "I just can't stand you walking around like that in my manor. I knew this would happen."

You felt hot tears trickling down again.

He placed the kit on his table and turned around to stare at you. "You knew Kyu Jong's a player, you should have stayed away." Hyun Joong sighed, and escorted you towards his door.

-END OF POV-
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His long slender body rose from the leathery seats and he walked towards the high wardrobes. Passing by the large mirrors, he looked at his reflection. His hair was fashionably styled and his facial features were alike an art. His dressing, of course, was spectacular. He withdrew a collared-shirt from his wardrobe and quickly changed into it.

"Kyu Jong-ah," a voice called from the leathery seats behind him, "you shouldn't have done that."

He turned back and went back to the couch, sitting beside his brother, Jung Min and sighed. Just then, Hyun Joong came into the room and quietly settled beside the two.

"But I've got your back," Jung Min continued. Kyu Jong looked out of the window.

"Heori?" Hyun Joong spoke. The simple two-syllable word proved effective as Kyu Jong glanced at Hyun Joong before turning away again. Jung Min immediately comprehended. "I was drunk," Kyu Jong said at last, sinking his face into his hand.

Jung Min and Hyun Joong looked at him apologetically for an instant before Hyun Joong withdrew a piece of paper from his pockets with his long agile fingers. He placed that piece of paper on the table for his brothers to see. "Old Hound's back."

Kyu Jong lifted his head up as Jung Min stared at the paper. There was another moment of silence as they took time to digest the information.

"That means the Dragon Hounds will be active again," Hyun Joong added.

"I'll bring him to his death." Jung Min hissed.

"He'll pay for what he did. We can't be reckless, especially when it's just us three now."

Hyun Joong inhaled a deep breath before he rose up and left the room, his shoulders sank as he walked.

Jung Min watched as Hyun Joong left quietly, "it's been four years."

"It's hilarious, isn't it?" Kyu Jong said with a bitter chuckle, "the three of us mercilessly played under the hands of lust and greed."
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That night, in Hyobi's room,

-YOUR POV-

--your thoughts--

It's been three months since my foster parents died. Three months since I first stepped into this great manor that belonged to Uncle Kim. The three brothers, they seem so beautiful and perfect on the outside. But who are they inside? They refuse to let anyone understand them. Jung Min, he always wears a smirk on his face in front of the gang or at the den, and the pub girls would crowd around him. Yet when I saw him assassinate somebody that day, he didn't even flinch when he brought death to that man.

Hyun Joong, in this three months I've known him, he's like an ice sculpture. One with little worlds and that never ceasing blank expression. Yet his eyes, his eyes are so deep. Even in the den, he rejects the company of the girls. I thought he didn't have any feelings, but today, why did he treat my wounds?

My wounds.. Kyu Jong...

--end of thoughts--

You felt tears forming at the corner of your eyes, but your attempts to blink it back in was to no avail. Hugging your knees close to your chest, you thought again.

--your thoughts--

Kyu Jong. H-H-He..He nearly... He seems so ruthless and cruel, yet he treats his women well. He always trys to put on a fierce front in front of everybody else, but last night, he called a girl's name while he was drunk. That tone, it's something I've never heard before. It was so gentle. Fortunately he backed away from me at the last point, else..else..

Was that girl his lover? Now that Uncle Kim is out of the country, I feel that there's no more warmth in this manor. The way the walk, the way they talk, the way the look at me..

Unconsciously, I feel myself being attracted to all three of them. I want to know them more, I want to understand their lives. I want to be aware of what imperfection have carved these three beautiful boys to act in different manners. I want to know..

--end of thoughts--

You looked at the clock above your bed, it was really late. You quickly got out of your bed and walked towards the arched wall-length windows of your room. You realise that this action have gradually developed into a habit in the past three months. Looking out of the window, you saw what you expected and anticipated every night.

From your room, besides the beautiful scenery outside, the huge swimming pool surrounded by a gigiantic garden two floors down, you could also catch a glimpse of the insides of Hyun Joong's, Jung Min's and Kyu Jong's room.

You peered into the slight opening of Kyu Jong's room curtains, and continued to stare until you saw his shadow increasing against the curtains. With a swift motion, Kyu Jong's fingers drew up the curtains. There he was like the other nights, his slender tall figure looking straight out of his window towards the luminous full moon. Staring, you could roughly make out that expression of his as he gazed at the dark purple sky. His eyes were alike a lost puppies', longingly staring at towards a distance. His features were pained and unexplainable. How could someone who seem so brave and fearless be like that? You pulled your eyes away from him with much effort.

Looking towards Hyun Joong's room, you see the shadow being casted onto his curtains. There he was, as usual, sitting on his bed with a guitar in his arms. You've always wondered what he was playing. Would there be a day where he'd ever let you be his audience?

You didn't look at Jung Min's window, for you know he'd not be there. Instead, you looked down to the garden several floors below you. There Jung Min was, sitting amongst the beds of flowers as the garden spotlights and lamps shone at him. He was drawing again. On some nights he drew on the soil, but today he did it on paper.

Many emotions flew pass you. They are so..unexplainable.
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The next morning, you were at the pub again.

Jennifer said as she walked over to you after flirting with Kyu Jong, "hey! What do you think you were doing?"

Gae Yuh followed, "yeah, don't get so arrogant just because Chief adopted you."

Jennifer and Gae Yuh were two of Kyu Jong's lovers. "You should know your place," Seon Tae came into the conversation, she belonged to Jung Min.

"You've mistaken, I-"

They cornered you against the wall.

"You what?" Gae Yuh barked.

"Gae Yuh-ah, she's just trying to get Oppa's love."

"But I think you forgot," Seon Tae sneered, "Kyu Jong-oppa and Jung min-oppa doesn't love."

The two chuckled along, "yeah, so stop your little fairytale dream."

"Look there," Gae Yuh pointed to where Kyu Jong sat, he was surrounded by some of the gang brothers, and definitely all the noisy girls, "you see, Kyu Jong-oppa has enough women."

"And so does Jung Min," Seon Tae pointed to Jung Min, who was dealing many cards on the table.

"So what's your chance in getting them, huh?"

You backed against the wall. "You, better know your limits, if not your life will be hard, understand?!"

You looked at them, but saw another figure approaching behind. It was Hyun Joong. He stood behind the three girls and cleared his throat on purpose.

"Hy-Hyun Joong oppa!" the three girls gasped.

Hyun Joong nodded slightly, "what are you guys doing?"

"N-Nothing much! We were just ha-having a friendly talk with Hyobi! I think we should go now, right girls?"

"Y-Yeah!" The girls scurried off. You awkwardly looked at Hyun Joong, he directed his head towards the bartender behind the bar, suggesting you join him there. He did not wait for a response, but instead walked on, expecting you to follow.

You quietly sat beside him in front of the bar, you like this place best, because it was peaceful and quiet, and often, it only had Hyun Joong. He gave you a glance when you settled down before indulging back into his drink. "Kumaoh," you meekly said. He looked towards you again, not comprehending your words.

"For yesterday," you quickly added as the bartender handed you a glass of cocktail, "and just now." The image of his perfect face inches away from you in the morning resurfaced to your mind.

Hyun Joong simply nodded in reply before asking for another glass of wine.

You were gently sipping your cocktail when you heard a shocking voice.

"How dare you!" the voice exclaim followed by several high-pitched screams, both you and Hyun Joong turned back and was shocked at the scene in front of you. Kyu Jong was no longer surrounding by the crowd, instead they were all behind him. He was standing up and facing another guy who had a gun in his hands. Kyu's face was less calm but he didn't frown, he just looked angry and dangerous.

"Don't force me!" the guy with the gun threatened. At this point, Jung Min stood up and banged the table, causing all his cards to flutter beautifully onto the ground, "put that down," he ordered with a surprisingly thundering voice.

"I've treated you like my brother, why are you doing this." Kyu Jong shouted to the man with the gun.

"The Dragon Hounds," the man yelled, his voice shivering, "they offer high payment to whoever assassinates you. I'm-I'm- sorry!" The man got ready to fire the gun right at Kyu Jong's chest. Just then, a strong hand pulled at the man's neck to stop him, jerking him back as he fired a gunshot straight at the ceilings, triggering another round of high-pitched screams. A wine bottle was seen instantly smashing onto the man's skull. It was Hyun Joong, still holding the half of the cracked wine bottle on his right palm, he released his left hand's grip on the man's neck and the man immediately sank to the ground.

"Finish him," Jung Min commanded, and some of his men came to carry the unconscious man away.

Hyun Joong slung his arm over Kyu Jong and gave his shoulders a squeeze, "I told you wine bottles are harder than beer bottles," he said, before going back to the bar. He noticed that you were standing there with your mouth wide-open, not believing a single thing you saw. Indeed, your heart skipped a beat, or maybe two beats. You looked at Hyun Joong, without saying a word, he taps on the chair beside him and motioned you to the seat. He hands you your glass of cocktail and you took a sip of it. "I-I'm fine."

He nodded and looked away from you back to his drink. 'Did he just cared about me?' you asked yourself.

"Meeting room, two minutes," Kyu Jong suddenly popped out behind the both of you as he told Hyun Joong.

Then Hyun Joong left and you were alone.
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Back at the manor, you were sitting in the garden when you heard footsteps approaching you. It was Kyu Jong. You immediately stood up and tried to walk away.

"Wait," Kyu Jong said.

You looked at him with wary eyes.

"Hear me out."

He drew closer to you, but kept at a distance he knew you'd be comfortable with. "For yesterday, I'm sorry," he apologized. It was rare he acted this way. "I'm really sorry, I'm willing to bear all the blame."

He looked at his empty hands and spoke with a softer voice, "you can tell on me..to foster father I mean..if you want.."

Gently, he pulled himself away and went back into the manor.

His voice had never been this husky nor this tender before, it was like he was pleading you to report his misdeeds to Uncle Kim.

You looked at him. His eyes were filled with sincerity and regret. This was the side of him you haven't got to see. For once in three months, he looked.. fragile.

"I won't tell," you whispered to yourself.

-END OF POV-
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C h a p t e r E N D