Several days later, Kai gets a call.

“The Board of Directors would like to hold a final meeting with you, Mr. Kim,” a smooth-voiced executive from Korea National Oil tells him. “Please come to the office tomorrow evening prepared with a presentation on the company.”

Hana is was sitting in Kai’s living room with Sehun and the HSC.

Yuri and Hana are steadily making their way through their 3rd box of pizza. Yoojin isresting her head against the sofa, blankly staring off into space, as Kris attempts to cheer her up by drawing cute pictures of bunnies.

Kyung Mi is chatting animatedly with Sehun about his new job as a choreographer. The two hit it off the moment they had met. Kyung Mi had asked Hana, giggling, if she was Sehun’s type. Hana responded by thwacking Kyung Mi’s head with a thick stack of papers.

Suddenly, the apartment door opens. Kai stumbles inside, clammy and dazed. Everyone rushes to him.

“How did you do?” Sehun asks eagerly.

“I don’t know,” Kai responds nervously. “I think I did well. Every executive was nodding at me. But my father looked so disapproving. When the meeting ended... he just- he just left.”

“What?!” Hana scoffs. “He can’t do that. The Board of Directors and shareholders can overrule him.”

Suddenly, there is a loud pounding on the door. Sehun, Kai, Hana, Kris, Yoojin, Yuri, and Kyung Mi look at the door in irritation, wondering why the hell someone is thumping on the door at 10 in the night. Kai strides over to the security video feed to see who is outside.

He jerks back in shock.

“Kim Jongin, open the door right now!” a powerful voice demands. “You’d better let me in right now, young man!”

“What the hell are you doing here, Father?” Kai shouted through the door.

Sehun and Hana exchange incredulous looks. “Father?” they mouth to each other incredulously.

“Don’t be rude, you idiot!” Mr. Kim shouts. “I am your father!”

Kai growled at the video feed. After a moment’s deliberation, he mutters, “Hide!” to his friends. The six of them scurry inside Hana’s bedroom and shut the door. Then, they firmly press their ears against the door.

The moment Kai opens the door, his father comes barging inside, fuming angrily. “Is this a pigsty? Why do you keep your apartment so messy? And... what is that?”

Kai’s eyes widen in appallment. A lacy pink pair of sits on the carpet. Hana was doing her laundry earlier this morning, and she must have dropped it. Kai quickly picks up her underwear and stuffs it in his pocket.

“It’s- it’s mine,” Kai says, lifting his chin. Behind the bedroom door, everyone cracks up into a fit of giggles. Kai hears them and clenches his jaw. They are so going to get it once Father leaves.

Mr. Kim gives Kai a bizarre look. “Well, that’s not the strangest thing about you,” he snorts.

Kai narrows his eyes. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Telling you that you’re delusional. What makes you think that you’ll be qualified to be CEO?” Mr. Kim bites back. “Give up. You’re not cut out for the position.”

“Oh, so that’s why you came? So who do you want to be CEO? Joonmyeon? Oh, I forgot,” Kai sneers, “your favorite little boy ran away.”

Yoojin stiffens.

Mr.Kim takes a long, long look at his son. Kai continues.

“You know, I don’t know what your problem is. You treat me like my entire life, neglecting me and always pushing me and never rewarding me. But suddenly when Joonmyeon comes, you shower him with love and affection. He becomes your favorite child. I don’t care, Father. Even if he’s your favorite, I’m going to be at the head of the company. I earned the position, and I will have it. I can be CEO without your help or approval.”

Kai’s voice has risen several octaves through the duration of his rant. His chest is heaving. Mr. Kim, however, merely studies Kai in silence. Kris, Yuri, Kyung Mi, Yoojin, Hana, and Sehun wait for his response with bated breath.

Finally, Mr. Kim starts clapping.

“Wha-,” Kai says confusedly, but Mr. Kim thumps him on the back.

“Congrats. You passed.” Mr. Kim smirks.

“What?”

Kai’s father looks at his son with an emotion Kai has never seen before on his face... pride. “Do you know how I started Korea National Oil, Kai?”

“Gee, I don’t know, you opened the ing business-,”

“I started it with my own hard work and determination,” Mr. Kim cuts Kai off. “My parents were barely ever home, and they had no time for me. I was the first one in 4 generations to go to college. When your mother had you, my worst fear was that you would be useless and dependent on me.”

Kai creases his eyebrows.

“I wanted to harden you up. I wanted you to be independent, and to have a reason to excel. I wanted you to eventually take me down,” Mr. Kim laughs. “And you’ve proved that you’re capable of doing that. Through your work, and through your words. I came here to give you your final test, and you passed with flying colors.”

Kai’s face is scrunched up in confusion. “What the ?”

“Kim Kai, I approve of you becoming CEO. Tomorrow, I am going to announce my retirement. You shall take over for me. You know, I should take your stepmother somewhere. She’s desperate about finding Joonmyeon.” Mr. Kim claps a stunned Kai on the back once more. “Where are your shot glasses? This occasion deserves a drink.”

“Wait, wait,” Kai says, blinking. He is still trying to wrap his head around this situation. “So... you’re fine with me becoming CEO?”

“Do I have to repeat myself again and again?” Mr. Kim snaps. “Yes, I approve of you becoming CEO. I’m giving you my approval and best wishes.”

Suddenly, a question pops into Kai’s mind. “Wait, you said that you were hard on me because you wanted me to be better. Because you... cared about me.” Kai wrinkles his nose. “But why weren’t you hard on Suho, too? You treated him so nicely all the time.”

Mr. Kim bursts out into laughter. “Suho? Why would I want to motivate him? I never intended for him to become CEO.”

“What do you mean?” Kai says slowly. “Suho and I spent our entire lives fighting each other, so we would get the position. Suho dedicated his entire life to pleasing you and doing well in the company. Honestly, I barely beat him out. How could you have never intended him to be CEO?”

“Kai, please.” Mr. Kim rubs his temples. “I always intended for you to take over the company. Let’s be real here. I would never let one of my illegitimate sons become CEO. Joonmyeon never had a shot at becoming CEO. I just let him entertain that delusion so he would motivate you to work harder and beat him.”

Kyung Mi claps her hands to . Yoojin’s eyes are huge. Kris is wearing a horrified expression.

Kai is utterly silent. A terrible choking feeling is clenching at his throat.

All the years of dedication, desperation, depression that Joonmyeon went through, all the sleepless nights and mental breakdowns Joonmyeon suffered. All the agony and torture and hell Joonmyeon went through, just to excel in every way.

His severed love with Yoojin. His twisted personality.

Joonmyeon’s face flashes in Kai’s mind. His face while he was cornered in the gym, pale and shaking and broken. Everything... my entire life... it’ll be gone, once I lose the CEO position, Joonmyeon had whispered.

All of it had been futile. Joonmyeon did not have a chance from the very beginning.

Perhaps, if Joonmyeon had been told this beforehand, he could have saved his life.

Perhaps he could have been friends with Kai.

“Get out,” Kai hisses.

“What?” Mr. Kim says. “Excuse me, I believe I just fulfilled your life’s ambition. Did you just tell me to-,”

“GET OUT!” Kai roars. He grabs his father by the scruff of his shirt, glaring down viciously at him. For the first time in his life, Mr. Kim has felt scared of his son.

“You sick, twisted man!” Kai screams. “Get out of my sight! Do you know what you did to Joonmyeon’s life? He ruined himself for you. But now you say that his effort didn’t matter anyway?!”

Yoojin is crying. She clamps her palms over his lips, desperate to keep her sobs silent. Kris pulls her into a tight hug, gently patting her back. A moment later, a bang! echoes through Kai’s apartment. Mr. Kim has left.

Tentatively, Hana tiptoes out of the bedroom. Kai is standing in front of the door, fists clenched. There is an outraged look on his face: anger mixed with hints of sorrow. Hana bites her lip.

“Hey, guys, why don’t we call it a night?” she whispers to the HSC. They nod, quietly gathering their things and making their way out the door. When Hana sees Yoojin’s teary face, she almost starts crying herself.

"Joonmyeon," Kai murmurs, collapsing onto the sofa.

A/N: The Joonmyeon feels continue. All the crap he went through wasn't even necessary omg like damn poor boy

FOR THOSE OF YOU GETTING TIRED OF JOONMYEON DON'T WORRY THERE WILL BE HANA X KAI FLUFF IN THE NEXT SCENE