ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎

Soonyoung woke up with a burdensome migraine, his vision blurry and his lips in a downward pout as he sat up.

The scattered memories from last night littered his brain as soon it activated again, his head pounding as he jammed his eyes shut in reaction to the pain.

"What the hell did I drink yesterday?" He muttered, perplexed by the intensity of his headache. He shuffled out of bed, still a bit unstable as he tried to regain his balance, his eyes blinking and opening repeatedly once he finally stood.

He placed his hands forward, leaving them out in the air as he staggered towards the door. However, as his hand brushed the door knob, it opened, hitting him in the face.

Soonyoung crumbled, his hands on his face as he yelped, "Fuck!" while stumbling backwards.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Sir!" Minah's words rushed out of her mouth in a hurried panic as she bowed with her hands placed together.

Soonyoung stared at her and the fear that shook her pupils vigorously as her hands rubbed together and wondered,

Am I really that terrifying?

Soonyoung tapped her on the shoulder and she flinched as she slowly glanced up. "You can stand up, it was a mistake, I'm not going to hurt you or anything..."

His voice was apologetic and also dripping with a sense of disappointment in himself. He couldn't let himself become his father, he didn't want to. So why did he possess his every trait?

Why was he his father's reincarnation?

"Sorry Sir, I... I only came to inform you that your husband is about to leave the house on his own." She told Soonyoung whose brows furrowed, his sincere expression changing to a baffled one.

Jihoon was trying to leave on his own? To where? Why? After everything they'd agreed on? Was he trying to attract all of Soonyoung's enemies and rivals?

Soonyoung folded his arms, regaining his stability and consciousness as he queried, "Why?", his voice brooding with an awoken indignation.

Minah gulped, her hands falling to her sides as she let a breath escape, "I... I don't know Sir, I just thought to inform you, incase..."

Soonyoung nodded, his jaw moving side to side as he gritted his teeth, his hands diving into his pockets. "You can leave, I'll take care of it, thank you Minah."

Minah nodded, bowing before she turned, rushing out of the room, a sigh of relief coming out of her mouth as she did.

Soonyoung sauntered out of the room, his hangover almost completely gone and replaced by a burdensome feeling of frustration.

He knocked on Jihoon's door, the sound of the man singing to himself as he got ready penetrating through the long wooden door.

Of course, his knocks were not acknowledged by Jihoon who paused his singing momentarily on purpose before carrying on, knowing fully well that Soonyoung was outside.

Soonyoung rolled his eyes, his hand reaching out for the knob which he twisted, opening the door fully. "Leave." Jihoon uttered, not even a second after Soonyoung's entrance leaving the man speechless.

He was also speechless because of how good Jihoon looked, he was dressed in a simple, white, silk shirt with black slacks but yet he looked so ethereal, like he'd been dragged out of a Greek myth.

His long black hair flowed down to his shoulders and his pale skin glistened despite the lights in the room not being fully lit up.

He had come to talk to Jihoon but the man's appearance and his attractive aura left him unable to reply.

Jihoon took a short peek at Soonyoung before his eyes returned to the watch on his hand he was trying to wear. "What are you still doing here? Please leave." Jihoon repeated, breaking Soonyoung out of his trance.

"Leave? No, I won't. Where are you even going without any of the bodyguards and without letting me know?" Soonyoung's hand rested on the frame of his door.

A scoff left Jihoon's lips as he clipped the watch, turning to look at Soonyoung, his eyes hosting an unmistakable vexation.

"I don't remember you letting me know before you decided to break the rules we set, yesterday." He crossed his arms in a calm manner that demonstrated just how pissed off he was.

Soonyoung's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes squinted and his nose crinkled, confusion written all over his face. "Rule?... what rule did I break?"

Jihoon sighed, lessening his exasperation by scurrying past Soonyoung out of the room. "You broke a rule, one of the rules we agreed on so now, I don't need to follow your rules either." He shrugged, taking relaxed steps down the stairs.

Soonyoung spun around, not taking his eyes off Jihoon as he stepped towards the railing of the stairs, looking over.

"Jihoon-ah, please let's not do this." He begged, his face coloured with concern. Jihoon, for a brief second, didn't move, the plea passing through his ears.

He sighed before continuing to go down the stairs. The truth, which he didn't want to believe, was that he was hurt. It hurt him that he'd been thinking about their "kiss" all night, he'd cried because of it and yet, Soonyoung didn't even remember.

It wasn't like he enjoyed the kiss, no... no! He thought it was horrible but he had expected Soonyoung to at least remember and apologize.

Unfortunately, he had forgotten who Kwon Soonyoung was too many times. He had believed his words, his promises and his apologies but now was a reawakening call.

Now he pledged not to forget who Kwon Soonyoung truly was, an insufferable, insatiable, manipulative man.

•••••••••••••

Soonyoung heard the front door shut with a loud bang that he knew was meant for him. His hands ran through his hair with an aggravated speed.

He didn't know what he had done. He couldn't even remember and he knew that was exactly what he had done wrong.

He moved back to his room, picking up his phone and calling Joshua. The call rang for a few seconds before Joshua picked up, his honey-like voice saying, "Good day S-"

"I don't know where my husband is going but I need you on the lookout with Vernon, follow him and make sure he is safe." Soonyoung's order interrupted Joshua, his command tinted with traces of desperation.

He knew how sneaky his enemies were and with Yoon Jeonghan on the run, the last thing he needed was Jihoon's life in danger.

"Yes Boss." Joshua replied with a determined tone before Soonyoung cut the call. He sat on the bed, swimming back into his deep pool of thoughts.

What had he done? What rule had he broken?

His brain scanned through the rules they had proposed in the car the day of their wedding. He hadn't slept in Jihoon's room and he had eaten breakfast and dinner with him the past few days as well.

So what the hell did he do wrong?

He hated that he was slowly going crazy and as much as the constant over-thinking and worrying maddened him, the fact that it was Jihoon that made him feel like this was strangely reassuring in a way he knew he would never be able to explain.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Soonyoung's eyes narrowed to his phone in his hand, Wonwoo's name appearing on the screen as he glanced at it. He swiped to left, answering the call.

"Mm, Wonwoo, what's going on?" He put the phone to his ear, falling backwards unto the bed, huffing as his back hit the soft mattress.

Wonwoo's voice came out in a regretful tone, his words monotone and flat. "I interviewed Kim Mingyu but... he refused to talk... and he tried to strike a deal."

Soonyoung's grip on the phone got tighter, his fingers slightly trembling as his face hardened. "What?" He managed to get the words out in a composed manner despite the venom that started to spread around his body.

"Wonwoo, tell me exactly what happened." Soonyoung ordered, his tone eager and impatient as he sat up, his tongue in his cheek.

Wonwoo let out a sigh before recounting their first meeting yesterday.

"You're looking for Yoon Jeonghan right?"

Wonwoo crossed his legs, relaxing his body as his head naturally tilted to the right, his eyes studying Mingyu and his behaviour.

He could see it. The man was too confident for his own good. Maybe if Wonwoo caressed his ego, he'd talk.

Wonwoo's hands went to his mouth, his eyes bulging open in surprise. "How did you know?" He questioned, his voice suddenly more high pitched and flattering.

Mingyu scoffed slightly, amused by Wonwoo's tactics. "That's not going to work on me, Jeon Wonwoo-ssi." He let the man know, his legs still spread open as his head fell backwards.

Wonwoo frowned but he couldn't stop his eyes from navigating Mingyu's tan, toned body from his face to the intricate veins in his neck and his biceps which conveniently looked like they were about to burst out of his plain, black tee.

He was certainly very strong, the type of man would win a 12 v 1 in a low budget action movie.

"You're right. I am looking for Yoon Jeonghan." Wonwoo admitted, sitting up straight again, his mood back to focused. Mingyu nodded, his big, bubbly eyes catching Wonwoo's attention.

He placed his arms on the table and leaned forward with a smirk whose underlying emotion was unidentifiable.

His eyes traced up Wonwoo from his neck to his eyes and as they met, he whispered, "Let's make a deal." His pupils lit up, sparkling with a psychotic zeal.

Wonwoo's eyebrows ruffled as he looked back at Mingyu, the question leaving his mouth instantly, "What deal?"

Mingyu grinned, his teeth on full display as he slowly retreated, his hand ruffling his hair. "You get me a job at Kwon Inc, a good position and I'll give you all the intel I have on Yoon Jeonghan."

Wonwoo couldn't help but smirk, one that showed his discontent with the whole deal and how laughable it was to him.

"And how do I know your intel is exactly what we need? Good enough to go through with this deal?"

Mingyu shrugged, a playful pout as he stood up, wearing his sunglasses again. "That's the point, you don't... but your boss is a businessman right? He should know that we all take risks at times."

Wonwoo rolled his eyes, readjusting his glasses as he retorted, "You seem like more of a liability than a risk, businessmen don't take on liabilities." His tone was vicious, straightforward and truthful.

Mingyu however, didn't let it hurt him. Words weren't able to. "Then I guess you can figure out Yoon Jeonghan's location all on your own, it's a big company after all." Mingyu passed a sarcastic smile, moving away from the chair.

Wonwoo closed his eyes, a fight between his pride and his conscience happening in his brain. An exhausted sigh left his lips as his eyes followed the man.

"Kim Mingyu, why do you need a job there?" He interrogated, crossing his legs as he attempted to stay calm. Mingyu's hands smoothly slid into his pocket as he replied,

"I want my father to notice me."

Soonyoung's tongue ran over his teeth as Wonwoo finished recalling the meeting, his brain just as scrambled as it was before.

Why did Kim Mingyu need a job at Kwon Inc when his father could give him a job anywhere else? What if it was all a lie, a decoy orchestrated by his father and his brother?

He really hated the idea of Mingyu working in his company but on the other hand, it was their only way.

Yoon Jeonghan had completely flown off the radar, becoming untraceable as he usually did after almost being caught but Soonyoung was rightfully paranoid.

He knew the damage Yoon Jeonghan was able to do if he was left uncontrolled and free and he didn't want to deal with that again.

Soonyoung thought for a moment before his brain came to an agreement. Reluctantly, he held the phone even closer, the instruction passing out of his lips in an unsure quiver.

"Hire him."

As the words travelled to Wonwoo's ear, he coughed, swallowing as his eyes opened in utter bewilderment, "What?!"

Soonyoung's eyes closed in frustration as he breathed out, "Don't make me repeat myself Wonwoo, hire Kim Mingyu, he'll work under you but if anything about him is slightly suspicious,"

Soonyoung's eyes became darker, his pupils glossy with a hint of insanity and a smirk pulling at his lips.

"We take him out with no hesitation."

ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎

Ⓒ︎𝙾𝙷𝚆𝙰𝚈𝙾𝙷𝚆𝙰𝚈𝙾𝙷
𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝙳 - 11•01•2025
𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙴𝙳 - 𝙽•𝙰