“Ding” the elevator chimes as the doors slide open. I look up half expecting a bunch of thugs to be there waiting for me, but nope. There were none. I take a deep breath and step out of the elevator. I knew I should be more cautious in this particular area of the building but my son needed me. I turn around and watch as the elevators slowly close again, making their decent back to the lower level and take another deep breath. I didn’t exactly have a plan, but I didn’t really have time to think of one so I continued on my way. I look down the long, dark and empty hallway before me and shudder instantly. Bad things happen in this place, I knew it. Did Chief and his gangsters know it? If they had they would’ve killed me by now. I try to push my thoughts and the growing fear in the pit of my stomach away and start down the hallway, passing several unoccupied offices and rooms, then stopping at one in particular.

“JJ798…” I whisper, voice shaking.

I run my fingers across the gold imprint on the door, breathing now faltering. The atmosphere instantly felt heavy but I couldn’t pull myself away. “J….J….” I repeat, now running my fingers over the two J’s and I feel tears welling up in my eyes as the harsh memories of the past instantly come back.

{Flashback}

Slam. I hear another loud thud against the door in the room across from mine. I could only sit on my bed, knees pulled to my chest with my arms wrapped around them helplessly. Why had Chief bursted into our room like that? And what did my brother do? I was curious, but the repetitive slamming and loud screaming glued me to my seat. I was afraid. Even from our room I could hear Chief shouting at him.

“DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS????” slap.

“WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? I MADE A MISTAKE! I’LL EARN IT BACK!”

“THIS ISN’T ABOUT MONEY YOU INSOLANT LITTLE FOOL! IT’S ABOUT WAR! NOW EVERYTHING I’VE EVER WORKED FOR WILL BE RUINED BECAUSE OF YOU!” slap. Slap. SLAM.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying to control my fear and anger. Chief has always been physical with us, especially and usually with me, but this had been going on for about an hour now. I began to get more worried. Wasn’t Jaehyun his favorite? What happened that was so bad that he’s being treated his way? Eventually my worry takes over and I figure it’d be best if I intervened, or tried for that matter. My entire body shook in fear as I stretched my legs from my chest, bare feet finding the cool marble floor, and stood right in front of the doorway. I close my eyes and take another deep breath before stepping out into the hall and placing my hand on the doorknob-

SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!

I jump backwards, removing my hand from the knob. If they continued like this, one of them wouldn’t make it. Just then I hear glass shattering and my eyes go wide. Instantly, I grab the handle and push open the door to find Chief hovering over my older brother pushing a pocket knife directly towards his face.  Jaehyun was struggling hard under Chief’s weight, trying to keep the knife away but I knew he would eventually give out. Without thinking, I run over and shove Chief off of him as hard as I could causing him to fly into a nearby desk. “What are you doing?? Get out of here!” Jaehyun shouts at me. I just shake my head furiously, trying to help him up. I couldn’t leave him. Just looking at his bruised and battered body infuriated me. “How could you just let him beat you like this?” I ask him quietly, placing his arm over my shoulder, but he doesn’t answer and instead of allowing me to help him, he pushes me off. “I said get out of here!” He yells at me. I look at him in disbelief. Did he seriously think I would leave him here? I never have before, why would I now? I just look at him for a bit, then hurry back over to try and help him up again. The beatings were getting a little too severe now…I had to stop it, but he pushes me a lot harder this time causing me to land on my backside. “Ya!!!” he shouts, upset that I was being disobedient, but before I could retaliate I’m pulled up by my hair. My hands instantly shoot up to grasp the hands pulling my strands, clawing and scratching at them, but I’m whipped around and met with Chief’s scary, subtle smirk.

I had almost forgotten about him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asks in a harsh whisper before wrapping his hands around my throat. “This has nothing to do with you.” He adds as his grip tightens. I try to pry his fingers from me but his grip only tightens as I gasp for air, then I result to smacking his arms stupidly. He laughs at my foolish attempts and his grip tightens even more, and my eyes begin to roll towards the back of my head. “Still so weak. Even after everything, you haven’t learned a thing.” Chief growls. I was starting to lose consciousness. “Why are you picking on a child? This is between you and me.” I hear Jaehyun say, though he could barely stand himself. Chief chuckles, gives me one last glance and throws me to the ground. I wrap my hands around my throat gasping for air, lungs burning. Chief never choked me before…he’s never come this close to murdering me period. Forget the occasional beatings, we were used to those, but now? I was traumatized. How could a father do these things to his own children?

“He’s only 15. He’s not weak, he’s learning. But if you’re the teacher I’m not sure he’ll get a chance to go any further.” I hear Jaehyun cough. “Out of all of my children…” I hear Chief begin. “-you’re my biggest regret.” He snarls before kicking my brother directly in the ribs. Jaehyun doubles over in pain. He doesn’t scream, but you could see his pain on his face. My eyes widen and I finally realize that Chief wasn’t going to stop. He was going to take this to the end. “YOU’RE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I’VE EVER MADE!” he continues, foot slamming into his side now. “AND NOW BECAUSE OF YOU, I’LL BE GOING TO WAR!” Now he was showering Jaehyun with kicks. I couldn’t just watch, I stumble over and push Chief once more.

“HYUNG WE HAVE TO GO NOW! HE ISN’T GOING TO STOP-“

“Taegu just get out of here...” he manages to cough out.

“HYUNG! I CAN’T JUST LEAVE YOU HERE! THIS ISIN’T LIKE LAST TIME, OR ANY OF THE OTHER TIMES! HE ISN’T- GOING- TO STOP!” I shout shaking his shoulders furiously.

“What did I do that was so bad?”  Jaehyun asks, voice shaking. “Huh?”

I look at him in shock. What did he mean? I wasn't sure myelf of what had happened between the two. “Hyung I don’t know what you’re ta-“ WHACK!

Before I could finish my sentence, I’m knocked upside the head with something hard. Jaehyun watches in horror as I fall over him landing on my side next to him. He quickly crawls over and grasps my shoulders. “TaeGu-yah! TaeGu-yah!” he repeats shaking me. I could see the worry and fear in his huge eyes as my vision began to go in and out. Then I look up to see Chief with something small, shiny , and black in his hand. I blink slowly trying to focus my vison, but I couldn’t. I do hear Chief chuckle as he pulls the object up close to his face to examine it, and when he does, my heart nearly stops.  It was a gun. He it and points it straight at my brother who was busy trying to keep me awake.

“Ya Kim TaeGu! You have to stay with me, okay?!?” I hear him shout as he smacks my face a couple of times. “H-h-hyung…” I try to mumble but nothing comes out. I want to tell him to look out. To run while he still could, but everything was slowly going dark and the words weren’t coming out. Eventually it begins to look like I’m choking on my words and when he notices the effort, he quickly turns around to be met with Chief’s pistol aiming right at his face. In that moment tears begin to stream down my face, as I could do nothing else, and I knew it. Jaehyun doesn’t move but I notice his breathing stops.

“This’ll teach you not to cross someone like me. Looks like you’ll serve as a fine example for your brother after all.” Chief smirks before glaring directly at me. I try to shake my head a little. I didn’t need an example. I already knew what would happen if I were to cross him. I already knew.

But he fires, and my brother crumples to the ground without a sound. Then my vision goes completely dark.