C h a p t e r T W E L V E
Pulling Back
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Kyu Jong groaned as he tried to get up, his left arm bled.

"Kyu! Are you alright?"

"Yes, my arm..." he winced again.

Hyun Joong immediately helped Hyobi up, "kwenchana?"

Hyobi nodded.

"Jung Min-nim, allow us," some Lusters volunteered to hold Kyu Jong. "He's bleeding, he's bleeding a lot," Hyobi said as he pointed to Kyu Jong's wound.

Kyu Jong groaned again. It was an excruciating groan. His face turned white and sweet trickled down his forehead.

"Let's get him back to the Manor," Hyun Joong suggested, "Dong Hyuk, Won Bin, you guys take charge for the day."

"Yes sir."
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Hyobi sat beside Kyu Jong's bed, she looked at the thick bandages that circled his arm. Why, why did he have to take the shot for her.

"Is he better?" Hyun Joong asked as he entered the room.

Hyobi shrugged, "he hasn't woken up."

Hyun Joong looked at the Luster Pact hung by Kyu Jong's bed. He sighed, like Jung Min did the other time.

"He shouldn't have pushed me down."

"He'll be fine. The bullet didn't go deep, the doctor said it won't even leave a scar."

Hyobi's eyes sparkled tears. It pulled on Hyun Joong's heartstrings.

He laid a hand on her shoulder, "go take a rest in your room, calm your nerves a little."

She stubbornly shook her head.

"Go on...don't tire yourself out like that."

She looked at Kyu Jong another time before she nodded, "I'll come back later."

Hyun Joong sent her out before he came back and sat by Kyu Jong. Thirty minutes later, Kyu Jong's eyes fluttered open. He groaned again, clutching onto his arm.

"Don't touch it," Hyun Joong immediately said, "the doctor said it's fine."

Kyu Jong nodded, still wincing at the pain. 

"Close shave huh."

Kyu Jong smiled.
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Hyun Joong was out in the halls after tending to Kyu Jong. He spotted Hyobi and she ran over to him, slamming right into his chest.

"Is he alright?"

Hyun Joong nodded, his arms encircling her.

"I'm so worried. What if something happens to him. I'm feeling so remorseful, Hyun Joong-ah."

"There's no need to feel remorse..."

"He shouldn't have pushed me away."

"Hyobi-ah," he smelt her hair, "it's not your fault. Anyway he's fine now."

Hyobi sighed. Hyun Joong pulled her away from the embrace and gently carressed her cheeks.

*

"You love her?" Kyu Jong asked.

"You?" Hyun Joong redirected the question instead.

Kyu Jong closed his eyes, he sighed and nodded, "this is dangerous."

"Is it that worth it?" Hyun Joong asked.

He shrugged in reply, "I don't know." He whispered, "you?"

Hyun Joong kept quiet, he thought for a few distinct seconds.

He shook his head.
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-Hyun Joong's DIARY POST-

Kyu Jong's hurt, foster-father will be back even sooner.

Hyun Joong, I know it's short. But it's enough. Time for you to pull back.

I am selfish. I'm sorry.

-End of Diary Post-
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Jung Min pounded his fist on the table, "Choi Dong Ho got stolen away?!"

"Yes, Jung Min-nim, several assassins came in the middle of the night, they set an explosion to the cell and stole him away." A man before him said.

"We're really sorry for our incompetence, please, if you may, let us hit to Hounds and retrieve him back," another solemnly offered.

"Please let us do something to redeem our mistake," the train of men behind chorused.

Jung Min sat back on his seat and pondered. "Was anyone hurt in the process?"

"Two, Sir. It's nothing critical."

"Then forget it. We'll drop Choi Dong Ho."

"But Sir, please let us try."

"No, it's too dangerous, I don't want lives lost for nothing."

"But Jung Min-nim."

"No, it's all cool. We'll have our chance of attacking back in the future, I want you guys to be twice as alert from now on."

"Yes Jung Min-nim."

"And see to it that the two men of ours recover and recuperate."

"Yes Sir."

"Alright, you're dismissed."

Jung Min looked at his plasma screen on the wall, it showed the latest Luster statistics. He sighed, why in the world did the Hounds want a useless spy back? What does that spy know to be able to bring the heir of the Hounds forth for his freedom?
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"Hyobi-ah..."

Hyun Joong fell into her arms. "Hyun Joong-sshi?" She glanced down at the bottle of Poitin. A few days ago, it was Kyu Jong and his bottle of absinthe. Now, it was poitin, and it was Hyun Joong. She never knew Hyun Joong had a taste for Irish Liquor.

His weight dragged Hyobi to the ground.

"Hyun Joong-sshi, why are you this drunk? Did something happen to Kyu?!"

Hyun Joong just smiled, his face burning from the alcohol content.

"Your carefreeness," he looked right into her eyes as Hyobi pulled the liquor bottle away from his hands.

"Why are you guys drinking all the time," Hyobi frowned, still trying to support a hiccupping Hyun Joong.

"The way you smile, you tore down my walls. Hyobi, you tore down my walls." He leaned on her.

"You're heavy!" Hyobi complained as she tried to pull him up."

"I love you..." Hyun Joong muttered in her ears.

She froze.

This...this was his first confession.

Wait, wasn't it?

Wait. Yes it was.

Wait. This is a funny situation to confess.

"I..I love you too," Hyobi whispered.

He raised his head and softly touched her lips with his.

"When two people love each other," he hiccupped, "they say it's a miracle." He gently touched her face, "but miracles don't happen twice," he muttered to himself.

"Pardon?"

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," he muttered again, too soft for her ears, "I'm sorry I'm this selfish. I can't take the risk anymore."

"Hyun Joong-sshi, I can't hear you," Hyobi smiled, "you're too drunk. Let me get you back, I'll fetch you a wet towel."

"I'm so sorry," he mouthed before the alcohol knocked him out.
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The wide entrance doors flung itself open as a magnificent figure stepped into the manor. Everyone within sight bowed as he walked through the hallways with the steward by his side. He went past the halls and up the main stairs. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed everyone from their still positions and signaled for them to carry on with whatever they were doing. He gently pushed open one of the doors and went in.

"How's he?" the voice of this magnificent man was rather warm.

"Foster-father," both Jung Min and Hyun Joong leapt to their feet as they bowed ninety-degrees to the man before them.

"How's Kyu Jong?" he repeated.

"He's fine," Hyun Joong replied as Jung Min offered his seat to the man.

He sat down and looked at the sleeping figure of his adopted son. "What happened?" he asked his other two adopted offspring who stood upright behind him.

"Hound came along with his men for a spy," Jung Min explained, "turns out-"

"Hold on, we'll talk somewhere else. Let Kyu Jong rest. You two, follow me," he said as he lead the two of them out.

The maids and servants were murmuring to each other by the time the Luster Chief led the two heirs into the biggest room of the entire manor.

*

"We have found no valid reason why the Hounds would want Choi Dong Ho to that extent, he was a spy caught even before official admittance into the Lusters," with that, Jung Min and Hyun Joong finished all they had to inform the Chief.

"Did you guys get our men to pursue Choi Dong Ho?" the Chief asked, sitting behind his regal desk.

"No, I told them to drop it. I didn't want any lives risked," Jung Min said.

His foster-father nodded, "wise decision, son. I suggest we let this go for now. We will have our chance to get back at them."

Both Luster brothers nodded.

"Did they come personally to hit the three of you while I was away?"

Jung Min took a peek at Hyun Joong, who peeked back. "No, Sir."

"And everything else, has everything else been fine?"

"Yes, Sir. Blood Luster have been functioning with successfully."

He stood up from his seat and went towards his sons, placing an arm on each of their shoulders, he smiled. "I'm proud to have three capable sons."

The two brothers felt a gust of fire in their hearts, they smiled to themselves.

"Yes, and Hyobi. I left her in your charges, has she been fine? Where is she, I have yet to see her."

"Yes, foster-father, she's been fine. We took efforts to keep her away from dangerous operations."

He nodded, "that's good. You guys must know that her late parents left her in my care. I must honour my promise."
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Hyobi was walking past the halls one day when she spotted Hyun Joong.

"Hyun Joong-sshi!" she called out with a smile.

Hyun Joong looked in her direction and saw her waving at him, probably motioning him over.

He blinked at her. No, he thought.

In two seconds, she found him turning into another corner and disappeared quickly away from her.

Before she could run to find where he went, she heard a voice, "Hyobi."

She turned around, "oh, Uncle Kim!"

"Hello dear, have you been well?"

Hyobi nodded with a bright smile, "it's been so long since I've seen you, Uncle Kim."

He smiled, "have Jung Min and the rest been good to you like I told them to?"

She nodded again, that smile never faded.

"You sure? You know, if they bullied you have to tell me. I'll punish them by spanking their buttocks!" He chuckled.

She giggled along, "yes Uncle Kim, they've been very good to Hyobi. Too good in fact..."

*

"How've they been around her?" Luster Chief asked.

"Jung Min-nim, Hyun Joong-nim, and Kyu Jong-nim have all been very very good to her, Sir," Steward Choi replied.

"How good?"

"To an undescribable extent, Sir. Jung Min-nim allows her to even accompany him in the gardens at night. Hyun Joong-nim has brought her to his orchestra performances. And Kyu Jong-nim, he is now injured because of Hyobi-sshi, too."

"Kyu Jong is injured because of Hyobi?"

"The shot was fired at Hyobi, Kyu Jong-nim took it for her."

"Is this true?"

"Yes, Sir."

"So there's a possibility my boys have fallen in love with Hyobi?"

"From where I see things, Sir, yes there is a big possibility, Sir," Steward Choi smiled.

The Luster Chief chuckled back, "ah, this is all too great, with that bubbly character of hers."

"Yes, it certainly is, Sir," Steward Choi replied.

"I just hope the three of them can forget about their past."

"Yes Sir."

"We're going in the right direction." He turned away and left the room chuckling.
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"An old habit unchanged?" the Chief asked as he stepped into the moonlight.

Jung Min turned to see who it was. He was startled and immediately rose to his feet. "Foster-father."

"Oh, don't mind me. Sit, sit."

Jung Min still stood.

"You still enjoy sitting out here alone, huh?"

"I heard about what happened," the Chief stood beside Jung Min and said, looking at the night sky. "Hounds did come for you guys after all."

"Foster-father, we...I...I-I'm sorry," Jung Min lowered his head.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, son," he replied, "every man has his weak point. I don't expect any of you to be strong all the time. That will make you inhumane."

"I could have done better. I could have protected my brothers; could have retained the Hound spies; I could have brought less damage to the Lusters," Jung Min looked at his boots.

"You could have. But what you've been doing is putting the interest of all your brothers and the Lusters into priority. You are already a good leader that our brothers and comrades look up to, son. I am proud of you," he said, giving Jung Min a pat on his back. "Rather, I have to apologise. I know by putting you three in this big realm of secret societies have changed your entire lives."

"No, please don't say that. It's not hard on us, we're eternally grateful for who we are, and that is fully credited to you," Jung Min immediately said, "where would we be if you didn't raise us up."

The Chief smiled, "Jung Min-ah. All I can say is, we have so many brothers who have placed their lives with us. They have dedicated so much loyalty. I know I have let the three of you down, but for these hundreds of lives, we have to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good."

"Yes Sir, I understand."

His foster-father smiled, "having said that, there has been a few misdeeds made by you three that I will be looking into."
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"Foster-father," Kyu Jong coughed as he pushed against the bed with his good arm. Jung Min came over to help and brought him up, leaning him against his pillows.

"Don't get up," the Luster chief said.

Kyu Jong coughed again.

"Are you well?"

"Yes Sir," he glanced at his own arm.

The Luster chief sat on a chair beside Kyu Jong's bed.

"The reason why the Hounds were able to get back at us so successfully time after time is because they are daring."

The brothers listened attentively.

"They are inhumane, but have you ever wondered why the Hounds would willingly lose their lives for Old Hound?"

He paused, "even Hound himself came for his own spy."

"Foster-father, did we do anything wrong?" Kyu Jong worriedly asked.

"No, that's not what I mean, sons. What I'm trying to say is that nothing is ever too simple. Old Hound has layers of shield made out of people. His people, like ours, would do as he commands. We have to work around this."

The brothers nodded.

"Anyway. I have gained intelligence that the police are on their guards. The Hounds have temporarily suspended their plans and so should we. We will pause all illegal activities, but our gang's businesses will still continue to function. Take a slight rest for now, but do continue to plan against the Hounds. We will attack them once the cops have dropped their guards, understood?"

"Yes, we will."

*

"One heir."

"Sir?" Steward Choi asked.

"I have to pick one heir, Choi," the Luster Chief said.

"One heir?"

"To take over all of Lusters."

"But, Sir. The three heirs have been doing fine," Choi didn't understand.

"I know. But all this time, the police have been hot on our heels. My sons are doing well but three heirs will complicate things. I have to choose one out of them three."

"But Sir, three-"

"Choi, we can't afford to have the cops on our heels anymore. The Hounds have been tight on us and the cops are no giving us space to breathe."

"If I may ask, what will happen to the other two, Sir?"

"They will only have to be my final heir's right and left-hand men."
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"Thank God you're fine," Hyobi came into the room to see Kyu Jong on his bed flipping the channels of his giant television screen.

He smiled at her, putting down his remote-control. 

"Are you better?" Hyobi asked.

He nodded, that smile still plastered on. 

"Kyu Jong-sshi...Thank you," she said, "you shouldn't have took it for me."

"Why not?"

"Because it's better for me to get shot than you," Hyobi whispered.

"Alright, then thank you."

"Huh?"

"Now that I'm recuperating, I even get to watch television. It's been so long since I even switched it on," Kyu Jong said as he flipped through the channels again.

Hyobi looked at the television screen and smiled to herself. Now that the Lusters were less busy, it was cool that the three of them got to rest.

"Would you like a bowl of nachos to go along?" Hyobi asked.

"Would you mind giving me extra cheese?" Kyu Jong chuckled.

"Sure! One big bowl of nachos and extra cheese for Kyu Jong-sshi, coming right up!" she giggled.
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"Hyun Joong-sshi!" Hyobi called excitedly watching him walk pass.

-Hyun Joong's POV-

Don't turn. Don't turn. Walk straight. Walk away.

I heard her footsteps, she was probably walking towards me. I walked faster.

"Hyun Joong-sshi! Wait!"

Walk. Just walk on.

In two seconds, I found myself running.

-End of POV-
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"I want you to check this out," Jung Min handed Young Saeng a piece of paper.

"I will."

"Remember what I told you to do?"

"Yes Sir."

"Could you find them out in a fortnight?"

"But Sir, Chief said-"

"I will answer if anything goes wrong. Just do as I say. I have to get to the bottom of this."

"Alright, Jung Min-nim, I'll see to it."
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C h a p t e r E N D