Archive of Our Own ^beta

Having finally come to an agreement with a prominent mafia family in Italy, Chanyeol couldn’t wait to inform his boss about the success. The negotiations had been pretty difficult but the Old Kim had insisted that Chanyeol couldn’t back down in any shape or form. Luckily, Chanyeol’s boss knew what he was doing as on the fourth day of endless meetings the Italians ultimately gave in to Chanyeol’s demands and signed the contract.

Unwilling to wait until his return to Korea, Chanyeol called the Old Kim as soon as his car had left the family’s territory. The fact that the call wasn’t answered after the third signal made Chanyeol cautious but he continued to wait. Belatedly, the call was answered but the car was filled with Heechul’s voice instead of the Old Kim’s, confusing Chanyeol even more.

“Hello?”

“This is Chanyeol, sir. I was calling your father to inform him about the progress with the Italians.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, I didn’t call you since I knew you were busy. The old man died this morning.”

The moment the words left Heechul’s mouth, Chanyeol pulled over.

“I apologise, but could you please repeat that, sir? What happened to your father?”

“He’s dead. He had a heart attack yesterday and the doctors couldn’t help much. He did put up a fight but he lost it this morning.”

The news left Chanyeol at a complete loss of words. The Old Kim had seemed perfectly healthy when he had sent Chanyeol to Italy so this definitely seemed to have come out of nowhere.

“Chanyeol, are you still there?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Just come back to Korea and we’ll talk then.”

With that Heechul ended the call, and Chanyeol ultimately broke down. Wiping the streams of tears that were running down his cheeks, he couldn’t believe it wasn’t just some sort of a nightmare. He couldn’t believe that his closest friend and mentor was abruptly gone just like that.

“There’s no way it was a natural death. I refuse to believe it.”

It took a while for Chanyeol to finally pull himself together and resume his way to the airport. But once he got on the plane back to Korea, Chanyeol was determined to get to the bottom of it and figure out what the hell had happened to his late boss. Little did he know he was about to get some help. Well, sort of.

Finally returning to his Gangnam apartment, Chanyeol poured himself a glass of whiskey and turned on his computer. He had been expecting only a few e-mails from Sehun with information about a few targets so seeing a message from an anonymous sender immediately piqued his interest. Chanyeol contemplated deleting it for a few minutes before opening the said message only to find a video attachment. No text, no signature. There was just a video with some automated title.

I probably shouldn’t open it. Then again, only a limited number of people know this e-mail address. So it must be for me.

Giving into his curiosity, Chanyeol downloaded the file and scanned it for any malware. As soon as the antivirus announced that the file was safe, Chanyeol opened it. He recognized the Old Kim’s office right away but almost dropped his glass when the said man actually entered the frame and started to speak.

“Is this thing even on? Hello? Sorry, Chanyeol. You know I’m not that good with technology but I need this to work.”

Chanyeol couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Well, if you’re watching this, it means I’m gone. At least I’ll try to automate this e-mail so that you receive it only in case of my death. I hope that this idea will work and I will succeed.”

“You did, sir.”

“So, if you have received this, it means I’m dead. It sucks but it is what it is. Upon my passing, I want to ask you for a couple of favours. I know it’s not nice to be bossy even in heaven or hell, or wherever I’ll end up in. But I need you to do a few things for me.”

Thinking that maybe his late boss was about to list names of people who might be at fault for his death, Chanyeol quickly found a paper and pen. He was ready to explore any hints and guesses.

“I know this will be difficult for you but the first favour I want to ask you is to leave the Kim family. Leave the business, Chanyeol.”

“Wait, what?”

“Now that I’m dead, my son will take over and we both know that Heechul is way too explosive and volatile to run the family well. I can already tell that he will go after the wrong people and I’m afraid that he might get you killed. You and your skills are worth more than that, Chanyeol. Therefore, I ask you to leave this business.”

Although this felt like another blow, deep down Chanyeol knew that the Old Kim was right. They had discussed it many times before, and each and every time the Old Kim had expressed his frustrations about his children. He feared that both Heechul and Taeyeon would run the family into the gutter and, in a way, Chanyeol could see it happening as well.

“I know it will be hard for you but you will find your place in life. I know your heart is still in the right place and you never feared difficult tasks. It will work out for you. I believe in you, Chanyeol.”

The Old Kim rarely gave any compliments so hearing the praises made Chanyeol feel a bit overwhelmed.

“However, I can’t allow you to completely forget this part of your life just yet as I have another favour to ask. As this e-mail reaches you, I will try to automate another e-mail. If the receiver of the second e-mail will agree to be revealed, then they will approach you. Upon meeting you, they will use our old safety code. You still remember it, right?”

“Of course, sir.”

“They will explain everything a bit more upon meeting you so you will be certain that it’s the right person. I want you to take that person to our safe house. I’ve left something there for them. In order to make it possible for you two to meet, I humbly ask you to move to an apartment in Euljiro Plaza. That’s the address I’ll provide to the other person as well, so I hope you’ll agree.”

Euljiro Plaza?

As far as Chanyeol knew, the Old Kim didn’t have any secrets. This was something new.

“Nonetheless, I don’t want to make you wait forever. The person will have to find and approach you within three years’ time. If you don’t meet this person within the next three years, you can keep whatever was waiting for them at the safe house and move on with your life. I trust that you will honour these conditions.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Finally, I want to simply say goodbye. Maybe I already got to tell you this in person but if I didn’t get the chance… I’m proud of you, Chanyeol. You were just a teen when I offered you to join the Kim family and I’m thankful for the opportunity to see you grow and become the man you are today. Don’t ever lose your heart, Chanyeol. Farewell.”

With that the video ended and Chanyeol could feel tears streaming down again. The man had been sort of a father figure to him so the loss was hitting him hard. However, in a way the video also freed Chanyeol as he managed to say goodbye, even if it was kind of one-sided.

Unwilling to give into the emotions again, Chanyeol filled up his glass once more and played his favourite song as he watched over the night view of Gangnam. As the lyrics filled his apartment, he couldn’t help but sing along.

“That’s the price you pay. Leave behind your heart and cast away. Just another product of the day. Rather be the hunter than the prey.

I’ll find the one who killed you, boss. I will avenge you.

“And you’re standing on the edge face up ‘cause you’re a natural. A beating heart of stone. You gotta be so cold to make it in this world. Yeah, you’re a natural, living your life cutthroat. You gotta be so cold. Yeah, you’re a natural.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Knowing how bad Heechul’s mood swings could get, Chanyeol expected that the negotiations over his resignation would be even harder than concluding the contract with Italians. Luckily, the Old Kim seemed to have had the same fears as the late boss had actually included a point in his will, stating that Chanyeol is allowed to resign. Considering that mafia families were based on loyalty and respect, there was no way for Heechul to go against his father’s wishes.

Chanyeol agreed to finish the tasks he had started for the late boss but that was it. Once the final assignment was successfully completed, Chanyeol was free to leave. Of course, he still feared that one day Heechul could change his mind and go after Chanyeol but he tried not to dwell too much into it. Chanyeol had a lot more pressing matters at hand and he wanted to get to them as soon as possible.

Having resigned from the Kim family, Chanyeol’s next step was to find an apartment in Euljiro Plaza. Yet again it felt like fate was on his side as one apartment happened to be on sale in the otherwise fully occupied building. It was far from the usual luxury that Chanyeol was used to but he didn’t mind it too much. He was there for a task and only for the next three years so he deemed it acceptable.

Leaving his Gangnam apartment as a safe backup and arranging some quick renovations at the new place, Chanyeol managed to move within just two days. Laying down in his new bed and surfing online, Chanyeol decided to reach out to an old friend of his that he hadn’t spoken to in a long time. The person on the other side of the call seemed understandably worried.

“Chanyeol? Are you alright?”

“It’s been a while, Junmyeon. How have you been?”

“Why do you sound so relaxed?”

“Why can’t I be relaxed?”

“You only call me when you need medical help so I assumed you’re hurt and need my help. Are you poisoned or something?”

“No, I’m as healthy as ever. But I was actually calling you to ask about poisons. You must be a psychic!”

“What do you want to know about them?”

“Are there any that can cause heart attacks?”

“Of course. There are many, actually.”

“If someone has died from poisoning, is it possible to find out what kind of poison has been used?”

“Sometimes. But there are way too many types of poisons, Chanyeol. Some leave traces, others don’t.”

“What do you need to check? Would the hair of the victim be enough?”

“Again – for some poisons it would be enough, yes. But not for others. Can you explain what’s going on?”

“You probably have heard that the Old Kim passed away recently.”

“Yes, I did.”

“I think he was poisoned.”

“Why do you think so?”

“He was healthy the last time I saw him. There were no signs of sickness or anything. So how can he get a heart attack out of nowhere?”

“Actually, that can happen. There are many factors that increase the risk of having a heart attack.”

“Still, I want you to make sure. What do you need for it?”

“Well, the best option would be seeing the body but I don’t think that’s an option, is it?”

“We might make it work. The funeral is tomorrow so the body should already be at the funeral home, right? Maybe you’re up for a night trip?”

By the pause that followed Chanyeol could tell that the other really didn’t like the idea.

“Please, Junmyeon. I want to get to the bottom of this and you’re the only one who can help me.”

“But I’m a doctor – I work with people who are still alive. I don’t know how my expertise can help you.”

“You’re the only one I know who understands this stuff. And even if you won’t be able to provide an opinion, at least you might notice something? For example, you might recognize a puncture wound which I might consider a simple bruise. So, please, help me out with this one.”

Another pause followed and for a moment Chanyeol thought he could hear Junmyeon talking to someone. Before Chanyeol got to ask, Junmyeon finally announced his answer.

“Fine, pick me up in an hour.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

As soon as Junmyeon got into Chanyeol’s car, the latter could tell that the other wasn’t amused about their trip at all.

“I can’t believe you talked me into this. Isn’t this against the law or something?”

“Let’s consider this a post-mortuum?”

“It’s post-mortem.”

“Really? Why am I thinking mortuum? Can you google it?”

“You want me to google mortuum? It’s not a word, Chanyeol.”

“Just try it. Please.”

Chanyeol emphasised the last word with begging puppy eyes, making Junmyeon sigh as he got his phone out of his pocket. After a bit of tapping, Junmyeon read the first result he could find.

“Caput Mortuum is a shop in Diagon Alley that advertises itself as an articulator of bones and preserver of animals.”

It made no sense to the doctor yet Chanyeol facepalmed himself.

“Of course! Caput Mortuum! How could I forget?”

‘Chanyeol, should I be worried?”

“No, it’s ok. You won’t get it. Anyway, since when do you worry about things being against the law? You’re a doctor working for the mafia, aren’t you?.”

“I don’t work for the mafia, Chanyeol. In fact, you and your boss are the only mafia patients I have. I just help anyone who walks into my office and I’d like to keep doing that. But for that I need to keep my licence and I don’t think desecrating a corpse would help me with it.”

“Sorry. I guess I didn’t really think this through.”

A moment of silence followed and Junmyeon started to wonder if he was being a bit too harsh.

“Listen, I know he meant a lot to you, Chanyeol. I’m truly sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. I’ll try to keep you out of trouble but I just want to find out what happened. That’s all.”

Despite trying to be a bit more understanding, Junmyeon was regretting his choice with every minute of the trip. From getting out of the car in the middle of a forest and sneaking around a funeral home to breaking into the preparation room that happened to be full with “clients”. This wasn’t his line of work and it was really worrying him.

“Can we just go home?”

“What? We’re almost there! The boss’ body is behind this door.”

“How do you know that?”

“I keep in touch with some people of the Kim family. So I know for a fact that the body is in there.”

Holding a flashlight while watching Chanyeol picking a lock definitely wasn’t Junmyeon’s idea of a good Friday night. All he could do was hope that the visit was going to be short. Once Chanyeol got the door open, the two were met with a single table with a body on it and Chanyeol could hear Junmyeon gulp.

“I thought doctors are fine with such things?”

“Pathologists and morticians? Maybe. Doctors who are used to working with living beings? Not so much.”

“It’s just a body. Have a quick look, see what you can find and we’ll be out of here.”

Junmyeon approached the table slowly and a bit unsurely, meanwhile Chanyeol watched the door. He knew that the fact that the place seemed empty didn’t necessarily mean that it was.

“Well, do you see anything unusual?”

“Actually, I do.”

“Really?”

Chanyeol quickly approached Junmyeon and looked at the spot where the doctor’s flashlight was aimed – a stab wound right in the heart.

“If you’re asking for my doctor’s opinion, I don’t think he was poisoned. He was definitely stabbed. Seems like the weapon went straight through his heart so he didn’t have a chance.”

“Why did Heechul say it was a heart attack though?”

“Maybe he meant it literally? Like someone legit attacked this man’s heart?”

That earned Junmyeon an eye-roll.

“What? You wanted to hear my opinion, didn’t you? What are you going to do about this though?”

“I’m going to find out who did it.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

While finding out the real cause of his boss’ death was easy, figuring out who was behind it turned out to be a lot more difficult. Chanyeol even regretted leaving the Kim family so soon as being at the family’s villa where the Old Kim allegedly passed away would’ve made the task a bit easier. Still, he wasn’t giving up. He already knew that it must’ve been an inside job as an outsider would never get past the gate. Thus, Chanyeol resolved to check each and every member working for the Kim family which turned out to be a pretty time consuming activity.

During the first month he had managed to check only those who he already knew were not at the villa the day the boss died. Still, he had to check to know for sure. Closing the final file of this group, Chanyeol couldn’t decide between having a bit of rest or ordering something delicious for lunch. He was about to flip a coin when his doorbell suddenly rang. Standing up and picking up his gun from the table, Chanyeol slowly approached the door.

“Who’s there?”

“Umm, hi! I’m your new neighbour. I just wanted to introduce myself.”

Checking the monitor by the door, Chanyeol saw a pretty cute male standing there with a small box in his hands. Hiding the gun at the back of his sweatpants, Chanyeol slowly opened the door and was greeted by the sweetest rectangle-shaped smile he had ever seen.

“Hello, neighbour! I’m Baekhyun. I just moved in right next door so I thought I’d come by to say hi.”

“Hello. I’m Chanyeol.”

“Nice to meet you, Chanyeol!”

“Nice to meet you too.”

An awkward moment of silence followed before Baekhyun remembered to offer the box.

“Oh, I brought donuts! It’s just a little gift to… You know… Leave a good impression.”

“Isn’t it a bit too expensive to greet neighbours with donuts? This is a pretty big house.”

This made Baekhyun a bit flustered.

“Well, yeah, but… Actually, I wanted to greet my direct neighbours only. The other apartment didn’t open the door so I guess there’s no one there. But you’re home so you can have all the donuts!”

Chanyeol was rather sceptical about accepting food from strangers but Baekhyun seemed to have mastered the puppy eye look and Chanyeol just couldn’t refuse it.

“Thank you! Well, I hope you will like your new apartment. And yeah, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Although I’ve been here for barely a month so I’m not sure how helpful I could be.”

“Really? So I guess both of us are sort of new here?”

“Yup, seems like it.”

“Well, two heads are always better than one. I hope you won’t mind if I approach you for some help and you can also approach me.”

“Yeah, feel free to do so whenever you need.”

Little did Chanyeol know that Baekhyun would need help very often. At first Baekhyun asked about all sorts of mundane everyday things like how the laundry room worked and how to take care of trash properly. Then these little questions turned into a bit more serious requests for help such as when a drain got clogged or some furniture needed to be assembled.

Eventually Baekhyun seemed to become even more friendly as he started to invite Chanyeol to go out. For instance, one morning Baekhyun rang Chanyeol’s doorbell just to say that he had found a great ramen place nearby, offering to show it to Chanyeol. Of course, Chanyeol couldn’t say no to Baekhyun’s adorable puppy eyes and bright smile. As a result, Chanyeol learned that Baekhyun was even cuter when he was eating.

Still, Chanyeol was a thorough man and the Old Kim had raised him to trust no one. Therefore, realising that he was starting to have some sort of feelings for Baekhyun, Chanyeol decided to contact Sehun to do a little background check. In a way, Chanyeol maybe hoped to find something that would keep his feelings in check. However, the file about Baekhyun came back squeaky clean.

In fact, Baekhyun himself had told Chanyeol most of the things on it, including the fact that he had graduated from a medical college and that he had wanted to open his own private medical practice. Chanyeol wasn’t sure what had made Baekhyun’s plans change but he didn’t feel particularly alarmed either.

He’s a good guy. But you can’t catch any feelings, Chanyeol.

Despite repeating it to himself every day, Chanyeol could feel himself falling for his adorable neighbour more and more. He didn’t act on his feelings though, knowing that in his line of work nothing makes a man more vulnerable than having a special someone.

It’s just not an option and it’s fine.

But it wasn’t. The more Chanyeol tried to convince himself about being content with staying alone forever, the more he saw couples doing cute stuff together. Almost feeling like the main character of a bad rom-com, Chanyeol started to wonder why he was destined to be deprived of support and affection.

Boss told me to leave the business and I did. Doesn’t it mean I’m free now?

A sudden thud on the wall brought Chanyeol out of his musings, making him realise that he was still sifting through bios of mafia men and reaching for his gun just because of a random noise.

Alright, maybe I’m not entirely out of the business.

Hearing more thuds accompanied with a lot of shouting and recognizing one of the voices as Baekhyun’s, Chanyeol secured his weapon in the back of his waistband and headed outside. Finding the door of Baekhyun’s apartment slightly open and still hearing weird noises, Chanyeol decided to head inside. Having taken only a few steps in, he saw a man holding Baekhyun against the wall.

Without much thinking Chanyeol rushed over and placed the stranger in a headlock, pulling him away from Baekhyun. The man wasn’t going to go down without a fight though as he practically rammed Chanyeol into a wall. Luckily, Chanyeol wasn’t too thrown off by it and managed to land some punches in return. As the third punch straight to the face knocked the guy out, Chanyeol finally got to take a proper look at Baekhyun.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Who is this, if I may ask?”

“My ex. I thought I had managed to run away from him but he still found me.”

That was the only thing Chanyeol needed to hear as he slowly dragged the man out of Baekhyun’s apartment.

“Alright, I’ll take out the trash. Try to calm down, ok? Everything will be fine.”

“Yeah.”

Making sure that both Baekhyun’s and his own apartment was properly locked, Chanyeol dragged the guy down the stairs, probably giving him a concussion in the process. Getting the man into his car was a pretty difficult task but once Chanyeol had succeeded, he quickly drove to the Incheon Port. It was the Kim family’s favourite place to dispose of bodies.

Chanyeol knew he might run into someone there but it was the only destination he could think of. Realising that he was about to get rid of someone in a pretty old-fashioned mafia manner, Chanyeol almost facepalmed himself.

“Fuck, I’m definitely not out of the business.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Returning only late at night, Chanyeol considered visiting Baekhyun but ultimately decided not to, hoping that maybe Baekhyun was sound asleep. Chanyeol knew he himself needed some rest as well. Quickly getting in and out of the shower, he was about to clean his busted eyebrow that he hadn’t noticed before when he heard the doorbell ring. Recognizing Baekhyun in the monitor, he quickly opened the door and invited Baekhyun inside. The smaller one still seemed pale.

“I’m so sorry, Chanyeol. I had no idea that could ever happen.”

“You have nothing to apologise for. I’ve seen such stuff happen before and I’m just happy you’re fine. You can have a seat on the couch, if you want.”

“Thank you.”

However, before Baekhyun managed to even take a step towards the couch, he noticed a little bit of blood coming from Chanyeol’s eyebrow.

“You’re hurt?”

Feeling the wetness, Chanyeol touched the injury only to find that it was bleeding again.

“Yeah, a little bit. I guess the water from the shower opened it up again. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

“No, let me do it. I’m a doctor after all. Well, sort of. Go sit down somewhere with good lighting. Do you have a clean bandage or cloth? And some antiseptic? We’ll need a band aid or something similar as well.”

“Everything’s on the counter.”

Sitting down on the couch, Chanyeol watched Baekhyun quickly wash his hands and pick up all the items.

“Alright, this will do. It’s still bleeding so let’s start by applying a little pressure.”

Chanyeol watched in amusement as Baekhyun took the cloth and gently pressed it against his eyebrow.

Heck, even his fingers are pretty.

An awkward moment of silence set in although Chanyeol could see that something was bothering Baekhyun.

“You can ask.”

“What?”

“I can tell that you want to ask me something. Go ahead.”

Baekhyun seemed quite uneasy but his curiosity was too strong.

“What happened to him?”

“Nothing. We had another brawl and I won so I told him to leave you alone. I think he’ll listen.”

Of course, it was a lie but Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun couldn’t handle the truth. Seeing Baekhyun sport a relieved smile, Chanyeol vowed to himself to protect it at all cost.

“Thank you. Can I also ask you where you learned to fight like that?”

I used to be one of the best assassins for the strongest mafia family in Seoul but I can’t tell you that.

Coming up with a good lie turned out to be pretty hard with Baekhyun looking right at him but Chanyeol still tried.

“I learned to fight in school. I was kind of a troubled teen, you see. Later I decided to work as a bodyguard but it just wasn’t for me.”

“Really? Why not?”

“It paid too little.”

Baekhyun answered with a small smile. Taking off the cloth, he was relieved to see that the bleeding had finally stopped. Watching Baekhyun reach for the band aid, Chanyeol decided to ask a question of his own.

“You said you wanted to open a private medical practice. What made you change your mind?”

“Well, the costs were a bit too much.”

Something about Baekhyun’s tone made Chanyeol suspicious and Baekhyun knew he had been caught.

“Alright. It was pretty expensive but the guy you met was the main reason. I still don’t know how I got together with him. Or more like I didn’t. Just three dates in he started to show signs of real obsession. He got pretty abusive and stalker-like so I figured that a medical practice wasn’t an option. I just figured that he probably would terrorize my patients and staff.”

“He won’t bother you anymore so you could try it now.”

“I could but something else happened as well. Something happened to someone close to me so I’m just trying to figure out what to do with my life now.”

Feeling Baekhyun’s finger smoothen the band aid on his eyebrow made Chanyeol smile.

“Well, you’re all good. Just don’t get it wet again.”

“Thank you. How much do I owe you?”

“What?”

“A doctor’s visit straight to my home must cost a fortune.”

Hearing Baekhyun's laugh allowed Chanyeol to feel relieved.

“Let’s consider this a barter. You did me a favour so I’m repaying with a favour too. Although I actually came here because I wanted to ask for another favour.”

“Whatever you need.”

All of a sudden Baekhyun’s smile dropped again.

“I was wondering if I could maybe stay the night here. Every time I close my eyes I see him forcing the door and… I’m scared, Chanyeol.”

“Sure, you can stay here.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Initially they had agreed that Baekhyun could stay for a night but, seeing Baekhyun’s uncertainty, Chanyeol offered to extend their agreement for a few more days which somehow turned into weeks. This had an unexpected side-effect that Chanyeol hadn’t really considered before. Not only did he have to get better at concealing his real job and weapons, but he also had to deal with Baekhyun’s cuteness 24/7.

From making delicious breakfast and doing most of the house chores to planning all sorts of activities they could do in their free time, Baekhyun was utterly adorable. Even when Chanyeol had tried to convince him that he didn’t have to work so hard, Baekhyun had assured him that it was the least he could do to repay Chanyeol’s kindness. Still, he did ask Chanyeol to do the dishes with the loveliest puppy eyes ever, saying that he hated how the water made his fingers too wrinkly.

That’s it. I’m doomed. He’s just way too cute.

However, them basically moving in together didn’t involve only delightful moments, of course. While researching the Kim family, Chanyeol sometimes ran into some “old” friends and that usually ended with a fistfight if not a full on shooting. This meant that sometimes he returned home, looking a bit worse than when he left, and it worried Baekhyun. At first, Chanyeol tried to come up with all sorts of excuses but the act was up the moment Baekhyun noticed the giant dragon tattoo on Chanyeol’s back.

“It’s a gang tattoo, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I used to be in one when I was a teen. I was dumb and got this massive piece during my second week in it. Ironically, I got out of the gang just a week after getting it done.”

“But it looks fresh.”

“Oh, I had a touch up. I wanted to get a cover up a few years ago but every artist I visited could offer only a huge blob of black. So I chose to get a touch up instead, fixing a few details and making it look at least a bit better.”

“So you’re not in a gang anymore?”

“Nope.”

“Yet you come home with bruises and scratches all the time?”

“Well, let’s just say that I managed to make a lot of enemies during my brief time as a gang member.”

Chanyeol could see that Baekhyun wasn’t buying it but the latter didn’t question him further. After that everything seemed to be back to normal. Every time Chanyeol returned with any injuries, Baekhyun immediately took care of him. Sometimes Chanyeol wondered what Baekhyun really thought of him but he was too afraid to ask.

The only thing clearing that fear was the fact that Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun’s lingering touch whenever he took care of him. It was subtle, just holding onto Chanyeol’s biceps or brushing over Chanyeol’s abs but he noticed it nonetheless.

Is it bad if I’d like something more than that? Does Baekhyun want something more?

The questions remained unanswered and Chanyeol didn’t feel like he was ready to tackle them just yet.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

As Chanyeol slowly made his way through his list of people close to the Kim family, he figured that maybe the staff at the villa could spill some tea. It also seemed quite suspicious that most of the support staff had quit their jobs not long after the passing of the Old Kim.

Then again, who would want to work for Heechul?

Chanyeol could already imagine what kind of “maids” the new boss had hired as replacements. Still, hoping that the termination of employment might make the old employees more talkative, Chanyeol decided to visit a few of them. Luckily, he had been on good terms with most of them too.

Of course, he had also prepared a bit of money to help when the communication needed some motivation. The first person he visited was the driver, an old man in his seventies who had served the Kim family for pretty much his whole life. The bitterness over Heechul’s decision to fire him was clear in the man’s voice but he couldn’t help Chanyeol much. All he knew was that no guests had arrived on the day of the Old Kim’s death. That meant that only family and staff were at the premises.

Next, the cook also shared his hatred for Heechul’s arrogance but he too couldn’t help much with Chanyeol’s task. He only confirmed the driver’s words, saying that he had been ordered to make the usual amount of meals. None for guests or unexpected companions. Still, he shared that one of the maids who had served the Old Kim tea in his office had returned to the kitchen clearly distressed. She didn’t reply when he asked her what had happened but something was definitely off.

Deeming this as valuable information, Chanyeol decided to visit the said maid next. He guessed that if she had indeed seen something, then that probably put her in danger. Unfortunately, his fears came true as he arrived at the address and saw Heechul’s car parked outside.

“This can’t be good.”

Greeting the men guarding the house’s entrance, Chanyeol slowly made his way inside. It was filled with an eerie silence until Heechul’s laughter resonated through the hallway. As the said man exited a room, he flashed a wicked smile upon seeing Chanyeol.

“What a lovely surprise! Were you in the neighbourhood?”

“I wanted to speak with Mrs. Shin.”

“Oh, that’s a pity. We recently learned that she was selling our family’s secrets so we needed to take care of that. To think that both of us decided to visit her on the same day!”

“Yeah, what a coincidence.”

“By the way, what has happened to your manners, Chanyeol? Where is your usual politeness?”

“I apologise, sir. Leaving the business has made my communication skills a bit rusty.”

“That’s better. Actually, I wanted to pay you a visit as well.”

The closer Heechul walked towards him, the more cautious Chanyeol was feeling. He knew he was probably surrounded so there was nowhere to run. He could only hope that whatever was coming wasn’t an instant death.

“Why is that, sir?”

“Some of the other families seem to have issues with me taking over my father’s work. I wanted to ask you to help me out with this problem.”

“It is sad to hear that but you know I quit the business. It was your father’s dying wish, sir.”

“I know, I know. But the old man was clearly insane since he let such a valuable asset walk away from us. I want you back in the game, Chanyeol.”

“I apologise, sir, but I will have to refuse the offer.”

“Wrong answer, boy. Get him!”

Suddenly the room was filled with a bunch of muscle mountains, two of which grabbed Chanyeol by the arms and forced him to his knees.

“Killing me will not resolve your issues, sir.”

“Oh, I don’t plan to kill you. No, I plan to show you what I’m going to do with that cute little boy toy you’ve found. Baekhyun, is it?”

The way Chanyeol’s eyes widened with fear at the mention of Baekhyun’s name made Heechul grin.

“You see, if you refuse to help me out with this one, I will hurt him. You don’t want that, do you?”

Chanyeol had nothing to fight with. He knew there was nothing he could do to get himself out of this situation or to keep Baekhyun safe. Heechul had him cornered.

“Look at this guy! You can practically see the gears turning in his head but there’s nothing you can do. I have all the aces, Chanyeol. So, will you agree to return?”

Chanyeol hated hearing how satisfied Heechul sounded but the man was right. Chanyeol had no way out so he took the only option he had.

“Yes, sir.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Woah, Baekhyun really means a lot to you. You’re ready to go against my father’s orders just to save him. Nice.”

With that Heechul headed for the door, stopping only when his hand already reached for the door knob.

“I appreciate that you will return and I expect you to be at the villa Monday morning. But until then, I’ll let you have a taste of what I have planned for Baekhyun. Just so you don’t get any dumb ideas about trying to hide him from me. If you try to get out of this in any way, it’ll end even worse for him.”

Seeing Heechul’s bodyguards stretch out made Chanyeol gulp. This wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Chanyeol, you’re not allowed to fight back. Guys, don’t go too hard on him. We still need him. Just a few rougher punches and then take him home. No broken bones. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!”

Hearing his men approve his orders, Heechul finally walked out the door, ready to celebrate.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Being thrown out of a driving car wasn’t exactly a pleasant way to return home but Chanyeol couldn’t say he was surprised either.

“Thanks for the ride, fuckers.”

They had got him good. Despite having no broken bones, his body was covered with all sorts of bruises and cuts and even breathing had become pretty painful. Then he heard the voice of the person who he really didn’t want to face right now.

“Chanyeol?”

The horror in Baekhyun’s voice pained Chanyeol even more.

“Chanyeol, what happened?”

“Let’s just say my past caught up to me and leave it at that. Please.”

“Can you stand up? I mean, how do I even get you home?”

“I think I can stand up. At least I hope I can. Let’s try it.”

Although it was very painful and difficult, Chanyeol did manage to get onto his feet and, leaning on Baekhyun, slowly made his way back to the apartment. He could see that Baekhyun was judging him but he knew he couldn’t tell Baekhyun that all this was for him.

Chanyeol’s brain couldn’t come up with any excuse or explanation and so the two stayed silent while Baekhyun took care of all the injuries on Chanyeol’s body. Once he was done, he helped Chanyeol to get into the bed and that’s when Chanyeol couldn’t stand the silent treatment anymore.

“So, what do you say, doc?”

“You’ll be fine. The person who did this to you wanted you to be in pain but the actual damage isn’t that bad.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Yeah, but I will give you some painkillers and you’ll have to sleep it off. Luckily, there is no swelling but you will have a lot of bruises.”

“That’s fine.”

Just as promised, Baekhyun returned with a glass of water and a few pills. Having watched Chanyeol down them, Baekhyun placed the glass on the bedside table before getting into the bed next to Chanyeol. This obviously confused the latter, making Baekhyun smile.

“You are hurt so I’ll stay by your side to make sure nothing goes wrong. I’m still scared you might have a seizure or something.”

“Saying that you want to stay here because you’re worried would’ve sounded a bit more romantic.”

“Sorry. Come here.”

Watching Baekhyun scoot closer, Chanyeol felt the smaller one softly move his head from the pillow to his chest. Chanyeol couldn’t decide between being confused and amused.

“Is this a new treatment method?”

“Yes. How to make this sound more romantic? Hmm… Let my heartbeat heal you?”

The phrasing made Chanyeol laugh through the pain.

“It hurts. Stop.”

“Sorry. Just try to get some rest and wake me up if you need anything, ok?”

“Alright. Thank you.”

Despite being sceptical at first, Chanyeol had to agree that Baekhyun’s heartbeat was indeed calming. Wrapping his hand around Baekhyun’s waist, Chanyeol couldn’t ignore how right it felt. Besides, the fact that Baekhyun hadn’t simply run away also warmed Chanyeol’s heart.

“Baekhyun?”

“Yeah?”

“I like you. A lot.”

“Chanyeol?”

“Yeah?”

“I like you a lot too.”

Chanyeol felt Baekhyun place a soft kiss on his hair.

“Now sleep. You need to heal.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Despite still feeling like a truck had driven over him, Chanyeol had to admit that the next morning he felt a lot better. Yes, every part of his body still hurt but at least now the level of pain was bearable and it didn’t affect his breathing. Turning around in the bed, Chanyeol noticed that he was alone in it.

That doesn’t seem right.

It took a lot of will power but Chanyeol managed to drag himself out of bed and towards the bedroom door. Hearing music behind it, he slowly opened it only to find Baekhyun dancing around the living room with a broom in his hand, lip syncing to “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Crossing his arms on his chest, Chanyeol observed the sight with unhidden amusement.

So you think you can stop me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die?

As Baekhyun finally turned to face the bedroom door, he stopped in his tracks and almost dropped the broom. Suddenly becoming shy, he didn’t really know what to say.

“Sorry, did I wake you up?”

“No, but I’m glad that I woke up in time to see this. It’s nice to know that you have a good taste in music.”

“It’s your playlist though?”

“And it seems like you’re enjoying it.”

“Actually, yeah, I really am.”

Hearing the electric kettle shut off, Baekhyun rushed over to the kitchen.

“Oh, looks like you woke up just in time for breakfast!”

As it turned out, Baekhyun had planned out the day in order to keep Chanyeol at home and as relaxed as possible. The plan mainly consisted of delicious comfort food, good movies and a bit of gaming. Although the food part was pretty amazing and Baekhyun celebrating a win in a game was utterly adorable, Chanyeol soon came to find that watching a movie while holding Baekhyun in his arms was the best part of the day.

For the first time ever, Chanyeol enjoyed watching even the sappiest of romantic movies. As he had promised himself to make it through the “Titanic” for the first time ever, he even admitted that the scene of Jack and Rose’s first kiss was pretty cute. However, it also made him wonder just how nice it would be to kiss Baekhyun. It seemed that the latter might have had the same idea as he slowly raised his head to look at Chanyeol, making Chanyeol smile.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that, Baek?”

“Nothing.”

The two just looked at each other fondly, taking in every little detail of the other’s face, until Chanyeol decided to test his luck.

“Would it be too corny if we shared our first kiss while watching the “Titanic”?”

“No, I would be fine with it. Would you?”

“I think I’d be fine with it too.”

Slowly leaning in, Chanyeol captured Baekhyun’s lips in a delicate kiss, carefully deepening it with every movement. Baekhyun’s lips were as soft as he had imagined and Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile into the kiss. It seemed like Baekhyun couldn’t hold it in either as he gently pulled away.

“Baek?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I be your boyfriend?”

The sudden question made Baekhyun sport Chanyeol’s favourite rectangle-shaped smile, while Baekhyun’s eyes formed cute little crescents.

“Yes!”

As Baekhyun pulled Chanyeol into a tight hug, the latter didn’t have the heart to tell the smaller one that his ribs were hurting pretty bad. Besides, having someone be so happy for him just being there was a feeling that Chanyeol hadn’t really felt before, and he wanted to prolong it for as long as possible.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Just as promised, Chanyeol arrived at the Kim family’s villa and received the list of targets Heechul had prepared for him. As expected, most of the names on it were members of very powerful families so eliminating them would be a difficult and exhausting task. Heechul didn’t want to hear about it though, telling Chanyeol to just get the work done or else Baekhyun would have to pay for it.

Thus, that’s what Chanyeol did. Luckily, Heechul at least allocated enough time for Chanyeol to carefully plan his actions, as well as provided any weapon Chanyeol demanded. That meant that the attacks could be diverse and unexpected, which gave Chanyeol the hope that maybe, just maybe he wouldn’t get killed in the process.

Deciding to use his return to the villa to his own advantage, Chanyeol also tried to look into the day the Old Kim died. Regaining access to the information systems and renewing contacts that had been cut off by his departure, Chanyeol thought he could actually find out what had happened. However, he also had a hunch that he would not like what he would find.

Returning home after an exhausting day, Baekhyun proved to be the only one who could keep Chanyeol motivated. Although Chanyeol expected the other to ask at least a few questions, none followed. In a way, Chanyeol was thankful for it.

Moreover, the interrogations he had expected were replaced with simply caring for his wounds and encouragement. For instance, Chanyeol had never considered just how much power a simple “I don’t know what you’re going through but I’m here for you” holds until he heard Baekhyun say it for the first time. Yet now it meant the world to him.

Still, as the weeks flew by and the list of targets kept decreasing, Chanyeol also gradually came close to revealing the real murderer of his beloved boss. He was sure that the man’s life was taken by Heechul or Taeyeon but he wanted to be sure before making a move. Having analysed the security footage, it was clear that both of them were inside the Old Kim’s office at the time of his death.

They both could be at fault. But it’s also possible that one of them did it and pressured the other to follow along. But which was which?

Both Heechul and Taeyeon were batshit crazy so either one of them could’ve done it. Chanyeol wanted to believe that at least one of them was a good person but the odds were pretty much against it.

I can’t take care of it without knowing though. If one of them happens to be innocent, the person must live. I can’t end the Kim family by taking out both of them if they don’t deserve it.

It was a true dilemma and Chanyeol was already exhausted from going through all the different scenarios in his head. Looking at the clock and realising that he was about to miss his last target, Chanyeol quickly saved his notes and shut off the computer before rushing out of the apartment.

Just as the doors closed, the computer’s monitor turned on again. Someone was able to control it and the person quickly downloaded a file. Placing it on the desktop and renaming the file to “MUST WATCH”, the person turned off the computer again.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

The last target Heechul wanted Chanyeol to get rid of was Taeyong, a member of the Lee family. The part that made this target difficult was the fact that the Lee family always was on high alert. That made getting close to any of its members nearly impossible. Still, Heechul’s resources had somehow managed to get Chanyeol into the restaurant that Taeyong frequented for lunch.

Having taken a seat in the corner of the dining room, Chanyeol tried to be as discreet as possible while watching Taeyong enjoy his meal. He thought he should at least allow the person one final meal. However, what he surely didn’t expect was for two of Taeyong’s bodyguards to approach him right as Taeyong was finishing his desert. Realising that his cover was blown, Chanyeol followed the two men who brought him over to their boss’ table. Upon making eye contact, Taeyong flashed a smile.

“Isn’t this the famous Park Chanyeol? I’ve heard so much about you. So sad that we meet in these circumstances though.”

“What do you mean by “these circumstances”, sir? I am here to have a nice meal.”

This seemed to wipe the smile off of the young boss’ face.

“Cut the crap. I know why you’re here. Heechul told me everything.”

“Heechul, sir?”

“Yeah, I know everything about how you went rogue and decided to play the good assassin or whatever. Though luck.”

Realising that this was a total set up, Chanyeol couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. This seemed to displease Taeyong as he raised his voice.

“What’s so funny?”

“Heechul double played me, sir. He asked me to kill you and asked you to kill me at the same time.”

Pondering the thought a bit, Taeyong nodded.

“I see that happening. He’s a pretty slimy guy. But you know that it doesn’t change anything, right? Taking out the Kim family’s best asset is everyone’s dream so I can’t pass up such an opportunity.”

“Yeah, I understand. But I won’t be the one dying here, sir.”

“Doesn’t that sound a bit too cocky? Guys, provide me with some entertainment.”

As the bodyguards encircled Chanyeol, he got a feeling of a déjà vu. Only this time the odds were in his favour as he was allowed to fight back.

Luckily, the guys seemed to have the usually incompetent scenario in mind, as they started to attack Chanyeol one by one instead of charging at him as a group. Thus, everything was going well initially as Chanyeol managed to land a few decent right hooks, knocking out the first three men charging at him.

Seeing that Chanyeol wasn’t going to go down as easily as they had expected, the next man decided to hit Chanyeol with a chair from the back, making Chanyeol hit the ground. He didn’t stay down though. Picking up one of the chair’s legs, he turned around and swung at the man, aiming at his head. The moment the wood and skin made contact, the man fell down.

“Woah, this is almost as good as a baseball bat.”

Chanyeol tried his best not to lose the new weapon, aiming at every part of the body that got in his way, targeting heads and knees in particular. Of course, the men didn’t just stand there and take a beating. Some even managed to land decent punches and hits but the thought of going home to Baekhyun motivated Chanyeol to get up again, again and again.

As he finally managed to get back to his table, Chanyeol pulled out the two handguns he had hidden in a newspaper. Chanyeol started to fire without much thinking and with perfect aim, dropping Lee’s men like flies. It was a matter of seconds before Taeyong and Chanyeol were the only ones left breathing. Keeping one of the guns trained on Taeyong, Chanyeol slowly walked towards him.

“I’m sorry, sir. But I have to do this.”

“I know. My family will avenge me though.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll do it for them. Heechul won’t get out of this mess alive.”

“Good.”

With that Chanyeol pulled the trigger. Next, he quickly checked that there were no witnesses and cleared the footage of security cameras. Deeming everything as done good enough, Chanyeol went back to his seat and pulled out a third gun. This one was a special one – one of Heechul’s signature ones with his initials engraved on the handle. Neatly planting it next to Taeyong’s table, Chanyeol fulfilled the last part of his plan by setting the place on fire.

Well, that should do it. The Lees will know that Heechul did it so the asshole will die either from my hand or theirs. Perfect.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Only as he approached home did Chanyeol actually check his appearance, sighing in frustration. It was pretty bad and there was no way to hide it. New cuts and bruises coupled with the dried up blood on his clothes probably wasn’t the sight that Baekhyun wanted to see. He could only hope that Baekhyun wasn’t going to get mad and that he could find a way to make it up for him.

The moment Baekhyun’s eyes landed on Chanyeol, his mouth dropped open. Not really sure what to do, Chanyeol shrugged before offering a bouquet of roses that he had managed to pick up along the way.

“I’m sorry, Baek. I know this wasn’t part of your plan for our evening.”

“No, it’s fine but… I can’t help but wonder how long will this last? You keep coming home with all these injuries and it is starting to scare me. What if one day you just don’t return? How will I know what happened?”

“Fortunately, Lady Luck seems to like me.”

“Luck can run out, Chanyeol.”

Seeing Baekhyun’s eyes fill up with tears, Chanyeol dropped the bouquet on the counter and immediately pulled the other into a tight hug.

“Don’t worry so much. I’m good at what I’m doing, love. Besides, I will quit. The moment I finish the tasks I’ve started, I’ll be out. I promise.”

Baekhyun gently pushed Chanyeol away, looking at the other with wide eyes.

“What did you call me?”

“What? Love?”

Baekhyun’s disbelief in hearing the word seemed quite weird but Chanyeol shrugged yet again, offering a shy smile.

“I guess I realised an important thing tonight. I love you, Baekhyun. I really do.”

It seemed like Baekhyun’s eyes were getting watery again, only this time it was due to happiness.

“I love you too.”

“I would kiss you but I probably should wash all this off first.”

“Yeah, sounds like a good idea. I’ll get out the antiseptic and the band aids. At least this time you’re walking on your own.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

After a quick shower and the usual treatment procedure from his personal doctor, Chanyeol was surprised to be greeted with a homemade Korean meal. Despite the fact that most of the food had gone cold already, it still tasted amazing and Chanyeol couldn’t stop praising Baekhyun’s skills.

“How on earth do you manage to make everything have such a balanced flavour?”

“I don’t know. Maybe Lady Luck is helping me too?”

“More like you have a natural talent for it. Have you thought about opening a restaurant?”

“I have, actually. But usually the food I make doesn’t turn out this good so I wouldn’t risk it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! This is amazing!”

“I think the food I cook for you comes out great because of the secret ingredient which I can’t really offer to others.”

“What secret ingredient?”

“Love.”

The corny answer made Chanyeol squirm but he also adored it at the same time.

“My boyfriend is too cute.”

“Your boyfriend is wondering if his boyfriend has finished eating.”

“Why? Do you have anything else planned?”

“Actually, I do. I just don’t know how you will react to it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Wait here. And maybe move the table out of the way.”

With that Baekhyun disappeared into the bedroom. Quickly moving the suddenly annoying piece of furniture, Chanyeol sat back down on the couch. He wasn’t sure what Baekhyun was planning but he knew it was going to be something breath-taking.

“Yeol, you aren’t allowed to make fun of me, alright?”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

Suddenly the lights became dimmed and a soft melody started to flow from the speakers. Trying to keep his head clear, Chanyeol focused on the lyrics.

I need a gangster to love me better than all the others do. To always forgive me, ride or die with me. That’s just what gangsters do.

Right as the line ended, Baekhyun walked back into the living room, wearing beautiful blue silk pyjamas that emphasised every curve of his body.

“I wanted to do a sexy dance or something like that but I just can’t. Sorry.”

Watching Baekhyun walk over and straddle his lap, Chanyeol placed his hands on the other’s hips.

“Don’t apologise. You look extremely hot.”

Baekhyun seemed relieved as he finally leaned in for a kiss. Usually their touches were shy and gentle so this sudden boldness took Chanyeol by surprise. He loved every minute of it though. Feeling Baekhyun begin to grind down against his crotch, Chanyeol allowed his own hands to travel, sliding underneath the silk pants and squeezing Baekhyun’s firm butt cheeks. As Baekhyun moaned into the kiss, Chanyeol used the opportunity to clarify everything.

“How far do you want to go?”

“All the way. I’m yours, Chanyeol.”

“Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t have spent an hour prepping myself if I weren’t.”

“You did?”

“Yeah.”

Baekhyun moaned his answer right next to Chanyeol’s ear, sending shivers down the latter’s spine. Willing to put Baekhyun’s words to the test, Chanyeol dared to reach further, brushing his finger tips against Baekhyun’s hole and earning another moan. Right as Baekhyun flexed his butt cheeks, Chanyeol could feel some lube dripping onto his fingers.

“Fuck, you’re so wet.”

“For you, Yeollie. I tried my best stretching myself out so I hope you’ll fit in nicely.”

Gently pulling away from Baekhyun, Chanyeol was amazed at the half-hooded gaze directed at him. As if even Baekhyun’s eyes were begging Chanyeol to fuck him.

“You are insane, Baek. In the best way possible.”

Without even waiting for a response, Chanyeol crashed their lips together again, desperately asking for entrance. As soon as Baekhyun granted it, Chanyeol tasted every inch of the other’s mouth. Slowly circling the tight ring of muscles, Chanyeol finally pushed a finger inside which was greeted with even more moans and wetness.

“Fucking hell, you’re so good, Baek.”

“But we haven’t even started.”

“Oh, I can already tell that this is going to be amazing. Push back, baby. Sit on my fingers.”

Obeying the request, Baekhyun felt another finger enter him and gladly pushed back on the two digits.

“More. Please, more.”

“How many fingers did you use during the day?”

“I got to four.”

“Really? Alright, maybe it’s going to be enough.”

Pulling out his fingers earned Chanyeol a displeased grunt but he didn’t mind. In fact, he loved to see Baekhyun being so needy. As Chanyeol was pulling off the top of Baekhyun’s pyjamas, the latter decided to use the opportunity and get rid of Chanyeol’s sweatshirt as well. Baekhyun had always loved Chanyeol physique but the new skin-to-skin contact was driving him crazy.

“Please, Yeollie.”

Hearing the neediness in Baekhyun’s voice urged Chanyeol to softly pick up the smaller one and lay Baekhyun down on his back on the couch.

“Let’s get rid of these too. Get comfortable, love.”

Allowing Chanyeol to pull down his pants, Baekhyun tried to get as comfortable as possible, while watching Chanyeol remove his own pants. Seeing Chanyeol sporting a hard-on, Baekhyun couldn’t wait to have a taste of it. Luckily, Chanyeol seemed to have the same idea. Kneeling down next to the couch, he guided his cock towards Baekhyun’s lips, throwing his head back the moment Baekhyun accepted it.

“Fuck, so warm.”

Baekhyun didn’t need any commands or requests. The moment his lips wrapped around the thick girth, he started bobbing his head to the best of his abilities, taking in everything Chanyeol had to offer. Feeling the fingers entering him again made Baekhyun moan, sending shivers down Chanyeol’s spine.

Baekhyun didn’t know how long he had been going but he felt like time passed way too soon when Chanyeol lightly pulled out of his mouth. Reaching for his pants and pulling out a condom, Chanyeol got onto the couch between Baekhyun’s legs and dived in for another kiss. It was amazing to see Baekhyun reduced to a beginning mess and the sight of Chanyeol opening the condom packet with his teeth surely made Baekhyun beg even harder.

“Please, Yeollie. Please.”

“Just a second. Soon, love. Soon I’ll be where you want me to be.”

Adding some lube for extra safety, Chanyeol finally leaned down and guided the tip of his cock to Baekhyun’s beautifully pink hole. Feeling it softly touch the rim, Baekhyun wrapped his hands around Chanyeol’s neck, still begging for the other to finally fuck him.

“Ready, love?

“Yes, yes, yes. Please.”

Peppering Baekhyun’s jawline with kisses, Chanyeol finally entered him. Although Chanyeol intended to stop to allow Baekhyun to adjust, the smaller one urged him not to.

“Move. Please.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Carefully observing Baekhyun’s facial expressions, Chanyeol started to move. Seeing no signs of pain or discomfort, he gradually increased the pace. As the sounds of skin slapping against skin and Baekhyun’s moans became louder than the music, Chanyeol leaned in for some more of the deliciously sloppy kisses.

Considering how visibly horny and needy both of them were, Chanyeol didn’t really expect their first time to last long yet Baekhyun came through like a champ. Feeling Chanyeol’s pace starting to falter, Baekhyun offered to ride Chanyeol instead, and when his thighs began to tremble, Chanyeol unceremoniously bent him over the table. As Baekhyun was turning into a moaning and leaking mess, Chanyeol helped him lay down on his stomach, making Baekhyun push his ass out and practically fucking him into the mattress.

Feeling Baekhyun tighten around him, Chanyeol knew the end was near. Pulling out and easily flipping Baekhyun on his side, Chanyeol quickly spooned him and slipped back inside. At this point Baekhyun finally started to form words again, even if it was just for a moment.

“I’m going to cum, Yeollie.”

“I can feel it, love. Let me help you with it.”

Firmly jerking Baekhyun off, Chanyeol kept angling his hips in an attempt to find the other’s sweet spot. Feeling a familiar pull in his abdomen, Chanyeol knew he had to find it quick. As soon as he brushed against it, Baekhyun tightened around him with a loud moan.

“Found it, love.”

Increasing the movements of his wrist, Chanyeol kept hitting that sweet spot in hopes of pushing Baekhyun over the edge first. Feeling his lover’s cock twitch in his hand as angry streams of pre-cum dripped all over the couch, Chanyeol knew he was close to succeeding. Keeping the pace steady, Chanyeol tried to pull Baekhyun as close as possible.

“Cum for me, love. Let me feel how tight you can get.”

A few thrusts later Baekhyun came, squeezing Chanyeol unbelievably tightly and finally making the taller one release as well. Chanyeol kept fucking Baekhyun through their orgasms, feeling as though every knot in his body was becoming undone. He couldn’t remember the last time he had gone through something like this but he hoped that they would definitely repeat it in the future.

Finally coming down from his height, Chanyeol peppered Baekhyun’s shoulder with kisses.

“I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Baekhyun was too exhausted to as much as open his eyes but the blissful smile reassured Chanyeol that everything was alright.

“I love you too, Yeollie. Can we go to sleep now?”

“Soon, love. First, I’ll clean us up a bit. Then I’ll check that your beautiful little hole hasn’t gotten hurt and then I’ll hold you in my arms while we sleep, ok?”

“Ok.”

Baekhyun was clearly out of it so Chanyeol quickly went through the tasks before carrying his lover to the bedroom. Covering them both with a duvet, Chanyeol pulled Baekhyun closer and placed a soft kiss on Baekhyun’s hair.

“Good night, love.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Waking up and seeing Baekhyun’s puppy eyes gaze at him ever so softly probably was one of the best mornings Chanyeol had ever had. Pulling the smaller one closer, Chanyeol pecked every inch of Baekhyun that he had access to, making the man in his arms laugh.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning, Yeollie.”

Suddenly feeling shy, Baekhyun hid his face in the duvet while Chanyeol kept peppering him with kisses wherever he could.

“How are you feeling? Hurting anywhere?”

“No, I’m good.”

Baekhyun kept hiding his cheeks behind the duvet so Chanyeol could only see his playful eyes, which both amused and confused Chanyeol.

“Is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Then why the hiding?”

“I don’t want you to see just how hard I’m blushing right now.”

“Blushing? Why are you blushing?”

“I keep thinking about last night. I just never… Well, I never thought it could be like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like… Heaven. You’re really good at it.”

“It takes two to tango, Baek. But one thing seems to be clear – we’re perfect for each other.”

“We truly are.”

After a hearty cuddling session, Chanyeol promised Baekhyun breakfast in bed and returned to the living room that they had ruined the night before. Turning on the electric kettle, Chanyeol quickly made a few French toasts and tried to make use of whatever was left from the dinner, hoping to make something good.

Once that was done, he decided to have a quick look at the computer to see if there were any new messages. He was about to open his e-mail when he noticed a file he didn’t remember downloading.

“Must watch? What the hell?”

Immediately surrendering to his curiosity, Chanyeol played the video. The moment it started Chanyeol realised that it was filmed in the Old Kim’s office. Watching his late boss reading a newspaper at his desk, Chanyeol tried to figure out the angle of the video.

I don’t remember ever seeing a camera there. Is this a hidden one?

Making sure that he was still alone in the living room, Chanyeol kept watching as Heechul and Taeyeon entered the Old Kim’s office. The late boss seemed happy to see his children at first but then it seemed like the three started to fight about something. Next, the Old Kim stood up and approached the two, and Heechul retrieved something from his pocket. Finally, Chanyeol watched in horror as the son killed his father in cold blood. The video ended with Taeyeon giving Heechul a kiss on the cheek.

“I was right. They killed him. Both of them.”

As his mind tried to process all the “whys” and “hows”, Baekhyun’s voice pulled Chanyeol back to reality.

“Chanyeol, I think your phone is ringing.”

Rushing back to the bedroom, Chanyeol picked up the annoying thing and flashed Baekhyun a wink before returning to the living room. The screen indicated that the caller was Heechul and Chanyeol tried his best to keep his cool and sound as normal as possible.

“Hello, sir.”

“Chanyeol, why didn’t you let me know that you took care of that Lee brat? I would’ve celebrated it!”

“I apologise, sir. I had other business to attend to so it slipped my mind.”

“Don’t let it happen again. Anyway, I’m calling you because I want to give you your paycheck.”

“My paycheck, sir?”

“Yes, your paycheck. You know, I think we started off on the wrong foot. You decided to quit, I threatened Baekhyun and you probably got a bit upset. Well, I want to fix it. I will pay you the usual fees for every target on the list. In fact, I’m signing a cheque for 20 million American dollars as we speak.”

“Why the sudden change of heart, if I may ask?”

“Threats are never good for long-term cooperation. But I do want you to continue working for us. Thus, I want to show you how you can benefit from our collaboration.”

“So you won’t touch Baekhyun?”

“We can discuss the details in person. Be here at eight.”

With that Heechul ended the call. Chanyeol knew that something was off but he also understood that insubordination wasn’t an option. Arming himself to the teeth was meaningless too as Heechul’s men probably would pat him down at the entrance.

I have to use whatever is already there. Disarming a guy and taking his gun shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

“Chanyeol, are you still on the phone?”

“No, why?”

“I think the kettle turned off while you were talking.”

“No worries, I’ll get right to it.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

After finishing their breakfast, Baekhyun persuaded Chanyeol to spend a few more hours in bed before ordering lunch and moving to the living room to watch a movie. It was a pretty blissful day and Chanyeol tried his best to gain energy for whatever the evening would bring.

“Do you really have to go?”

“I do.”

“But can’t you just… not go?”

“Sadly, no. But I won’t be long. I promise.”

It was the first time that Baekhyun had tried to stop Chanyeol. The pleading puppy eyes almost got Chanyeol to give in but only almost.

“Don’t worry. I’ll try to be back soon. This is the last thing I need to do before proper retirement.”

“So this is the last time I can expect you to return injured? No more after this?”

“No more after this. Besides, I’ll kick their asses. I always do.”

Picking up his car keys from the counter, Chanyeol turned around to give Baekhyun a tight hug. He really hated to see the other so worried.

“I’m good at what I do, love. I’ll be alright.”

“I have a bad feeling about this one.”

“It’ll be fine.”

Gently letting go of Baekhyun, Chanyeol leaned in and captured the smaller one’s lips in a kiss.

“I love you, Baek.”

“I love you too, Yeol. Always remember that.”

Finally letting go of his beloved, Chanyeol rushed out the door. If he had any hopes to get on Heechul’s good side, running late to a meeting would definitely spoil them.

Just as he had expected, both of his guns were taken away at the entrance. As the guards took him to Heechul’s office, Chanyeol tried to check again just how good his memory was. If he remembered correctly and if nothing had changed, then there were three guns hidden in the hallway. At least two more should be hidden in the furniture inside the office.

What if they removed them though? Seems like going after a guard is a safer option.

However, right as he stopped by the office door, Chanyeol felt a sharp pain in his neck. In just a matter of seconds he passed out and hit the ground. Exchanging smirks, the two guards picked him up by the arms and pulled him back towards the entrance.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Slowly regaining consciousness, Chanyeol found himself stripped down to his underwear and tied to a chair. Trying to take in his surroundings, he soon realised that he was in the middle of a quite dark and cold room. It was almost like a basement.

Is this the bunker?

Chanyeol had heard the legends about the Kim family having secret facilities but he never really believed the rumours. However, this definitely seemed to fit the descriptions included in the tales.

Alright, this is bad. This is pretty fucking bad.

Little did he know his evening was about to get a whole lot worse. Hearing the noise of an old metal door creaking open, Chanyeol turned his head to see Heechul walk in with at least fifteen men behind him.

“Rise and shine, Chanyeol.”

“If this is how you want to fix the tension between us, I don’t think it’ll help.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get rid of the tension by getting rid of you. However, before that happens, I want to ask you a few questions.”

“What makes you think I’ll answer any of them?”

“Oh, I have a lot of reasons for you to crack and tell me everything.”

With that Heechul pointed towards a table that Chanyeol hadn’t noticed before. It seemed to display a variety of things, including a baseball bat, a chain and a set of knives.

“Sorry, Heechul, but I’m not really into the kinky stuff.”

“Oh, by the end of tonight you definitely will be. Unless you’ll provide the information I need.”

“Information? What information?”

“Who is Louis?”

“What?”

“Who is Louis and where can I find him?”

“Ok, is this some kind of a joke?”

This earned Chanyeol a punch in the stomach.

“I don’t have time for any jokes. Tell me where Louis is.”

“Which one? Louis Armstrong? Louis Vuitton? The guy from One Direction?”

This time running his mouth earned Chanyeol a punch to his face. Seeing that Heechul was about to swing again, Chanyeol raised his voice.

“Wait, wait! I think I know who you mean!”

“You suddenly remembered?”

“Yes, I think you mean Louis Walsh, right? The guy from X Factor? I don’t think he will put you through though.”

Another hit followed and suddenly Chanyeol tasted blood.

“Chanyeol, just tell me who Louis is and I will let you go. Come on, make it easier for both of us.”

“I would but I have no fucking clue who you’re talking about.”

“Nonsense. You were the old man’s right hand. He trusted you more than anyone else so I refuse to believe that you don’t know or have forgotten about Louis.”

“Maybe the guy just didn’t have a memorable face?”

Another hit followed.

“We can continue like this the whole night, Chanyeol. I won’t stop until you tell me about Louis.”

“Maybe you want to hear about Louis William Wain?”

“Who’s that?”

“He was an English artist who drew large-eyed cats and kittens.”

Another slap.

“Enough with the jokes!”

“It’s not a joke. It’s art and cats. Although I’m more of a puppy person myself. What about you? You look like a cat person. Cats are assholes and you’re an asshole. It’s a nice match.”

Heechul was clearly getting angry and Chanyeol loved every minute of it. He knew that the boss’ frustration would lead to pain but Chanyeol also felt some pride for being the one to piss Heechul off. However, this time Heechul approached the table instead of continuing to slap Chanyeol.

“Alright. You want to have some fun? Let’s have some fun.”

Seeing Heechul pick up the baseball bat, Chanyeol knew it was going to be bad.

Fuck, I need a plan and I need one quickly.

But nothing came to his mind. Heechul was insisting on inflicting more and more pain with every wrong answer too. Going through the weapons and torture devices one by one, Heechul continued to ask the same question.

After a while Chanyeol had completely lost his sense of time, as well as ran out of funny answers. Feeling like he had spent an entire lifetime in the bunker, Chanyeol could feel his body ache everywhere. Heechul hadn’t gone easy on him at all and Chanyeol guessed he had broken or cracked ribs and hundreds of bruises, as well as a swollen eye.Yet the same question was still being thrown around.

“Who is Louis?”

“I don’t fucking know.”

“Wrong answer.”

“Wait, wait! Maybe you heard it wrong? Or maybe you’re mispronouncing it? Maybe you want to know about Louie, not Louis?”

“Who is Louie?”

“Brother Louie, Louie, Louie! Oh, she’s only looking to me!”

Before Chanyeol managed to finish the verse of the Modern Talking song, Heechul stepped on his foot with as much force as possible. Chanyeol’s scream only widened Heechul’s grin.

“Enough is enough, Park. Since you’re so resistant against physical pain, I think I need to give you a bit of mental torture.”

“I do feel pain, you dick. But how can I tell you something I don’t know? I don’t know who the fuck Louis is! When will you get it through your thick skull?”

“Honestly, having gotten this far, normally I would start to believe you. However, there is a very fine but important detail. I know that you know what I’m talking about. I know that the old man instructed you about Louis and I want to know what he told you about him.”

“He and I never discussed any Louis.”

“I know for a fact that you did! Stop lying!”

“I’m not lying.”

“Maybe making all this a bit more personal will help to refresh your memory. Let’s break you apart, shall we? Damage your mentality?”

“Talking to you is damaging my mentality.”

“Your body has been through so much tonight yet you’re still cracking jokes. Amazing. Guys, how about we celebrate this with some music?”

Hearing “Natural” filling the huge room made Chanyeol’s eyes widen.

“Are you surprised, Chanyeol? You see, while you were running around with my little tasks, I used the opportunity to study you. I know every little part of your soul, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol didn’t offer an answer to that.

“What? You ran out of jokes? Well, let me talk then.”

Changing the strategy, Heechul reminded Chanyeol of his initial threat to hurt Baekhyun. It took a few hours for Heechul to describe every heinous and wicked thing he wanted to do to Baekhyun. This seemed like a more successful approach as Chanyeol couldn’t stop the tears streaming down his cheeks. Still, no information about Louis followed.

“You’re the only one who can stop me, Chanyeol. You just need to tell me all you know about Louis and I’ll let you go.”

“I already told you – I don’t know anything.”

"And I already told you that you definitely know something. The old man sent you a video, right? What did he say?"

Chanyeol had no idea how Heechul had found out about the e-mail but he tried his best to lie and not reveal the main parts of it.

"He said that someone will come looking for me. He didn't say who it was."

"Alright, that's a start. Why will this person look for you?"

"I don't know. He said that the person will have more information. If that person will even look for me, that is."

"So what do you have to do when the person finds you? How will you know it's the right person?"

"We have a secret code. The type where one person tells one half of a sentence and the other person replies with the other half of it."

"What's the code?"

"The person will tell me "Heechul takes big dumps" and I have to reply with "Stinky ones too".

Of course, that earned Chanyeol another beating.

"We've been here for hours yet you still haven't learned not to run your mouth, have you?"

"I'm just keeping the conversation going."

Chanyeol's smile annoyed Heechul to no end.

"Fine. I guess it's time to go all out. I'll break you, Park Chanyeol."

"Haven't we already determined that you hit like a girl? I bet Taeyeon could do a lot better work here."

"Yeah, physical violence and threats don't seem to phase you. But don't worry. I have a secret weapon. I doubt it will make you talk but at least I’ll get the chance to see you have a breakdown. Guys, let's start the operation "hunter and the prey"."

Chanyeol was about to make fun of the corny name when he recognized his favourite song playing again. He couldn't turn his neck to face the door but he could hear it open and someone walk into the room. The person seemed to be staying in the shadows as they walked behind Heechul's men who had formed a circle around Chanyeol. As the person finally stopped right in front of Chanyeol, he looked up in shock.

"Baekhyun?"

"Hello, Chanyeol."

To say that Chanyeol’s jaw dropped would be an understatement. This Baekhyun didn't look like his Baekhyun though. Chanyeol was used to his lover always looking cute but this version of Baekhyun was fierce. The cold stare, the extra black eyeliner, the two guns in holsters on either side. Chanyeol was at a loss of words as he could barely recognize his boyfriend and Heechul was loving every second of it.

"Rather be the hunter than the prey? Isn't that how your favourite song goes? Well, you've been the prey all along, Park."

Baekhyun just stood there and stared with an emotionless face, while Heechul took his sweet time, rubbing it in.

"I gotta admit - the sappy confessions were kind of cute. But it all was a lie. You let your guard down, Park, and I took advantage of it. Baekhyun was never in danger but you wanted to protect him so bad that you were ready to do everything for him, weren't you?"

Remembering all the intimate moments they had shared and trying to piece it together with the distant expression Baekhyun was currently sporting made Chanyeol's eyes fill up with tears again. Chanyeol could feel his heart breaking into thousands of pieces at the realisation that every touch and every kiss was fake. Every confession and every glance had been just an act.

"I've finally broken you, haven't I? The famous Park Chanyeol is weeping like a little baby because he thought he finally had someone to love. I love it! Don't you, Baekhyun?"

The said man didn't reply but slowly made his way towards Chanyeol. Getting himself comfortable on Chanyeol's lap, Baekhyun made Chanyeol face him.

"Just tell him what he wants to know, Chanyeol."

"He knows nothing. Let's just end it here."

As soon as the words left Heechul's mouth, Baekhyun pulled out one of the guns and placed it against Chanyeol's head, making the latter finally make eye contact. Baekhyun's eyes were dark and unreadable.

"Heechul, do you want to count it down?"

"Let's do it right as the beat drops!"

Turning up the volume, Heechul chose the best place to stand for the perfect view. Chanyeol found it ironic as the lyrics "I can taste it, the end is upon us, I swear" filled the room. Chanyeol was ready for whatever was about to happen. However, as the final "I'm gonna make it" echoed in his head, everything suddenly seemed to move in slow motion.

Instead of pulling the trigger, Baekhyun leaned backwards, pulling out the other gun in the process. As his back met with Chanyeol's knees, Baekhyun opened fire, taking care of Heechul first and then moving on to the other men in the room. As the bodies started to hit the floor, Chanyeol realised there was another shooter in the corner of the room.

"Sehun?"

Once Heechul's men were taken care of, Baekhyun dropped the guns and raised himself back up, cupping Chanyeol's face and looking over the injuries.

"Holy shit, what have they done to you? I know I have a lot of explaining to do but we need to get you out of here, alright? Can you walk?"

Chanyeol could barely follow as Baekhyun quickly got up and kneeled to cut the ropes holding the taller one to the chair. Once the strings were gone, Baekhyun quickly helped Chanyeol up, guiding him towards the exit. Chanyeol thought that now everything was happening at the speed of light yet Sehun still seemed annoyed.

"Can you two hurry up?"

"Chanyeol can't run."

"We have to move!"

As they reached the door, Chanyeol noticed that there were two corridors. Judging by the increasing shouting, one of them was about to be full with Heechul's men. Looking between the two routes, Baekhyun figured that splitting up would be the best option.

"Ok, how about this - we will take this way and you go that way?"

Sehun seemed rather offended by the offer.

"You want me to take all the heat?"

"If you distract them, I might get Chanyeol out. Please."

Throwing a glance at Chanyeol and seeing his dire state, Sehun unwillingly agreed.

"Fine. But get to the car as soon as possible."

As Sehun changed the magazine of his gun and headed towards the shouts, Baekhyun guided Chanyeol towards the other tunnel. Although walking was extremely painful, Chanyeol tried his best to keep a fast pace. They were just about to turn a corner when he felt Baekhyun stop in his tracks. Looking up, Chanyeol saw Taeyeon standing in their way with her gun pointed at them.

"Now who do we have here? Are you trying to save your boy toy, Baek?"

"Kindly fuck off."

"Oh, you're suddenly so tough, huh? Wait till Heechul hears about this."

"He already knows. I think the bullet that went through his head was pretty convincing."

"You're lying."

"Don't worry. My aim was good so he didn't have to suffer."

Baekhyun’s seriousness finally made Taeyeon believe his words and she suddenly pointed her gun at Chanyeol before firing a single shot. Feeling abrupt pain in his side, Chanyeol let go of Baekhyun and fell to the ground. His ears were ringing and his vision was becoming blurry but he thought he could still hear Baekhyun’s voice.

"Goodbye, sis."

Another shot was fired and suddenly Chanyeol felt Baekhyun's arms around him. The smaller one was trying his best to pull the other towards the exit.

"Hold on, Chanyeol. We will get you out. Just hold on, please."

With that Chanyeol passed out.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

The next time he came to, he couldn’t figure out if he was dead or alive. He tried to move but it was both very painful and exhausting. Even opening his eyes required a lot of work so Chanyeol resolved to open just one eye and try to take in as much as possible. It took time for his vision to adjust but finally he got at least a hint of his surroundings.

From what he could comprehend, he was lying in a bed in a darkly lit room. As he tried to look up, he found Baekhyun soundly asleep next to him. If not for the excruciating pain he was in, Chanyeol would’ve thought that everything had been just a nightmare. However, the gun in Baekhyun’s hand was another proof that this was the new reality. Trying to gather the little bit of strength that was still in him, Chanyeol gently removed the gun from Baekhyun’s hand.

Baekhyun opening his eyes indicated that Chanyeol hadn’t been as careful as he thought he had been. The two stared at each other for a moment before Chanyeol placed the muzzle right below Baekhyun’s chin. Seeing Chanyeol wince in pain, Baekhyun wanted to reach out, but Chanyeol’s stare warned him not to move. As if reading Chanyeol’s thoughts, Baekhyun tried to speak as softly as he could.

“I know you have a lot of questions. But you are very hurt and honestly… I don’t know how to answer them yet.”

Chanyeol’s face remained rock hard.

“I didn’t lie to you, Chanyeol. Not even once. I just didn’t tell you the whole truth.”

Still not a sign of acceptance.

“Yes, Heechul made me get close to you. However, I never planned to betray you or hurt you. As cheesy as it sounds, I really fell in love with you, Chanyeol, and my heart belongs to you.”

Baekhyun could feel tears stinging in his eyes, but he tried to remain calm.

“Please, let me take care of you. I promise to tell you everything once you get better. But for now, we need to focus on getting you back on your feet. Please, let me help you.”

Chanyeol was trying to read Baekhyun’s face, but he wasn’t sure if he could trust anything anymore. As the exhaustion took over again, he lowered the gun and Baekhyun gently cupped Chanyeol’s face.

“I love you, Chanyeol. I will do everything I can to help you heal.”

Although a huge part of him didn’t want to hear a word from Baekhyun’s mouth, Chanyeol’s heart still craved for the other. Feeling Baekhyun take back the gun and placing kisses on his hair, Chanyeol finally allowed himself to be pulled into a hug and relax in Baekhyun’s arms. The peace didn’t last long though as the door opened and Baekhyun pointed the gun at whoever had entered the room.

“If you point that thing at me again, I will leave.”

Recognizing Sehun’s offended tone, Chanyeol smiled against Baekhyun’s chest.

“Sorry.”

“I thought I heard you talk. Is he awake?”

“Yeah, get Junmyeon.”

Seeing Chanyeol’s questioning gaze, Baekhyun offered a soft smile.

“I don’t know much about gunshot wounds, so we invited a specialist.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

It took weeks until Chanyeol started to feel somewhat like himself again. Heechul had been pretty brutal but Junmyeon reassured Chanyeol that the healing process was going well. Although Chanyeol continued to give Baekhyun the silent treatment, the latter didn’t seem to mind it all. Baekhyun still continued to take care of Chanyeol’s injuries with utmost care, even insisting that kisses on the bandages would make the wounds heal faster.

About a month later Junmyeon allowed Chanyeol to eat solids again and Baekhyun promised to cook the most delicious breakfast ever. Using the opportunity of finally being left alone, Chanyeol decided to try to stand up from the bed. An entire month spent in bed definitely had left an impact on his mobility but eventually he managed to get on his feet.

So far so good. Will I manage to get to the bathroom though?

It took a lot of effort but eventually he got there. What he saw in the mirror shocked him as his skin was still various shades of black and blue even a month after Heechul had had his fun with him. Putting his reflection together with all the kisses Baekhyun had given him made Chanyeol quite emotional.

It's not real love if they don't love you at your lowest, huh?

Feeling his joints slowly come back to life, Chanyeol decided to walk to the kitchen. At least he hoped that the delicious scent wouldn't fail him and he wouldn't end up in another part of the unfamiliar apartment.

As the scent became stronger and stronger, Chanyeol felt his stomach growl in anticipation. Finally reaching the door, he cracked it open and saw Baekhyun dancing by the stove with his back facing the door. Seeing the petite male being so carefree and happy made Chanyeol smile. Deciding to let his presence be known, Chanyeol cleared his throat. Luckily, Baekhyun didn't drop anything due to the sudden interruption.

"Chanyeol, are you insane? Junmyeon didn't allow you to get out of the bed yet!"

The smaller one rushed to Chanyeol's side and guided him towards a chair, which amused Chanyeol even more.

"It's fine. I feel quite well."

Hearing Chanyeol's voice for the first time in a while widened Baekhyun's eyes but the shock was soon replaced by the familiar rectangle-shaped smile that Chanyeol had come to love so much.

"Still, you should be careful."

An awkward silence followed as Baekhyun didn't really know how to continue the conversation. Fortunately, Chanyeol did it for him.

"Is that breakfast?"

"Yes, I'm making pancakes. It won't be the luxurious breakfast I promised but I'm just following Junmyeon's recommendations."

The breakfast was a mix of awkward pauses and shy smiles as the unanswered questions filled Baekhyun's mind. Twirling his fork around the honey-covered plate, Baekhyun finally decided to open the Pandora box.

"You're probably wondering what the hell happened, huh?"

"You don't have to say anything if you don't feel ready yet."

"We will have to discuss it sooner or later."

"Then let's do it later. For now, being alive is pretty good enough for me."

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Ever since Chanyeol got out of bed, his health continued to improve. Maybe it was due to Junmyeon’s advice, or maybe because of Baekhyun’s care. Either way Chanyeol appreciated both, especially since the latter option included funny movies, delicious food and cuddling with Baekhyun.

Despite the fact that all Chanyeol’s questions remained unanswered, it felt like their relationship had simply gone back to normal. The trust was still not completely there but at least their love was back in full bloom and Chanyeol could only hope that it was genuine.

His eyes wouldn’t be full of warmth and affection if it was fictitious, right?

Baekhyun’s lovesick puppy gazes worked wonders on Chanyeol, encouraging him to open up to the other again. In fact, one such gaze finally managed to break him as Chanyeol leaned in and connected their lips. The kiss was slow and gentle, as if both of them were just testing the waters. Still, it proved to be only one of many and the ones that followed got pretty heated pretty quickly.

Feeling Baekhyun grinding against his body during a particularly passionate makeout session, Chanyeol dared to roll his hips in response. Just a few minutes of dry humping each other was all it took for Chanyeol to lose himself in the temptation. It seemed like Baekhyun was equally desperate as the two practically ripped each other’s clothes apart, trying to remove any obstacles between them.

Having taken his sweet time preparing Baekhyun, Chanyeol couldn’t help but smirk at the smaller one’s desperate and needy pleas. However, as they were finally getting to it, Baekhyun asked Chanyeol to be gentle.

“Did I hurt you the previous time?”

“No, but you’re still hurt so maybe we can go easier this time. Let’s make love, alright?”

Although Chanyeol was ready to protest that his abilities were as good as before, the plea for making love got him to obey. It didn’t keep them back from trying every position that came to their mind and Chanyeol still kept a fast pace but it sure involved a lot more kisses and caresses. Baekhyun coming while chanting Chanyeol’s name right as Chanyeol filled him up with warm cum was the perfect ending for the night.

After a quick clean up, the two laid back on the bed, exchanging soft kisses and confessions about how much they loved each other. When a moment of silence set in, Chanyeol figured that they were about to fall asleep but Baekhyun spoke up again, his voice less playful this time.

“Chanyeol?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t know if this is the right time but I want to get everything off my chest. I want to get rid of this heavy feeling and just enjoy us and our love.”

“Baek, you don’t have to tell me anything.”

“I do. You deserve an explanation. Just… Please, let me finish the story before jumping to any conclusions, ok?”

“Alright.”

Another moment of silence followed and Chanyeol guessed that Baekhyun was probably trying to figure out where to start. Then Baekhyun took Chanyeol’s hand into his and raised two fingers.

“Everyone knows that the Old Kim had two children - Heechul and Taeyeon.”

Baekhyun seemed to name Chanyeol’s index finger Heechul and middle finger Taeyeon. However, then he straightened Chanyeol’s ring finger as well.

“But only a few people know that there is a third one. Baekhyun.”

Unable to hide his shock, Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun who nodded in reply.

“Well, I’m not 100% their sibling. My mother was my father’s mistress. She died soon after my birth and miraculously got my father to take me in. But yes, I truly am 50% part of the family. But there is another thing only a few know.”

Returning his gaze back to his hand, Chanyeol saw Baekhyun crossing the index finger and the middle finger - so Heechul and Taeyeon.

“Wait, are you implying what I think you are implying?”

“Yes.”

“Ew.”

“Exactly. She also tried a different combination.”

Chanyeol watched in horror as Baekhyun linked the middle finger with the ring finger.

“But luckily, she failed and I immediately told my father what she was up to. After a long discussion, we agreed that the best option would be for me to move out. Thus, I moved out from the villa and my father's friend took me in. I think you know him - Byun Heebong.”

The name rang a bell as Chanyeol had met Heebong once at the beginning of his career.

“Heebong had a massive mansion with a beautiful garden and even a shooting range where he tested and trained father’s new guys. Maybe you remember visiting it.

Chanyeol nodded in response.

“Anyway, Heebong was a strict but good father figure. He always took care of me, especially in terms of my education. It was odd at first but eventually we got along and actually felt like a family. So, as I was about to enrol into medical college, I asked Heebong if I could take his surname. We told my father that it was for safety purposes but I think Heebong wanted us to feel like a real family as well. Thus, I became Byun Baekhyun.”

Watching Baekhyun play with his fingers, Chanyeol patiently waited for the continuation.

“Moving away from the mafia life seemed to work out for me. I was thinking about opening my own practice but then my asshole ex started to threaten me.”

Suddenly Chanyeol remembered the man he had dragged out of Baekhyun’s apartment.

“Before you ask - yes, that really was my ex. Having moved from Busan to Seoul, I never expected him to find me so it was pretty traumatic to see him at my door. But we’ll get to that… Anyway, my ex and I… We had just broken up again when I started to receive threat letters. The threats were very vile and disgusting.”

Pulling Baekhyun closer, Chanyeol placed a kiss on his hair to show Baekhyun that he was there for him.

“As the threats continued, I decided to give up on my dream of having a medical practice. About a month after the threats appeared I received a call from Heechul. He said that our father had passed away and I got really emotional and told him everything. He expressed concern and invited me to stay at the villa while he would look into the whole threat situation. Thinking that maybe things had changed, I really did move back to Seoul.”

A small pause followed as Baekhyun was trying to understand how to explain the next part.

“Three days after my arrival Heechul announced that he had found the person behind the threats. He said that it wasn’t my ex but someone from the other mafia families. He said that they had found out about my existence and claimed that my father died because he didn’t reveal my location. Then he declared that you were the only one who could help me.”

“Why me?”

“I don’t know. All he said was that I needed to get close to you so that you would protect me. He didn't lie about one thing though - he said you were a good guy and you truly are. I guess that's what got me to fall for you. You're smart, funny and so full of love. How could I not get hooked on that?”

"Ditto. The moment I saw you I knew there was something about you. The puppy eyes didn't lie."

The two exchanged soft smiles but Baekhyun was determined to continue, even if it meant ruining the mood.

"Every now and then Heechul asked me for updates. I didn't tell him about the feelings I was developing so he thought I was simply doing what was asked of me. I have to apologise but he also got me to go through your e-mails. That's how I learned about Sehun."

"Sehun?"

"Yes. I needed help with finding someone but let's discuss that later. Anyway, somewhere along the way I told him about what was going on and he didn't like it one bit. He did his own investigation into the threats and it turned out that not only was Heechul the author of all those disgusting threat letters, but he also was the one who brought my ex to Seoul. Hearing that opened my eyes about the whole thing."

"Did you find out anything else?"

Chanyeol didn't want to be the one to tell Baekhyun that his brother was the one who killed their father so he hoped that maybe the other knew. It seemed like Baekhyun understood what the other was aiming at.

"Yeah, Sehun was the one who discovered the secret camera in the office. He also was the one who uploaded the video to your computer."

"So you knew all this time?"

"I found out the truth the night before you did. As Sehun and I discussed it, we came to the conclusion that Heechul's plan wasn't meant to protect me. He just wanted you to get rid of his competitors, and we guessed that he wanted some sort of revenge as well. We couldn't figure out the reason why he wanted to kill you but then again Heechul rarely needed one to dispose of someone."

"I think he has always had some issues with me. Maybe because I was so close with your father."

"Maybe. Either way, Sehun hacked your computer so that you would find out the truth about my father's death."

"So that I could avenge him?"

"So that you wouldn't think twice before killing Heechul. Sehun said that you need a good reason for shooting someone so we gave you one. Also, that way you would go to meet him while knowing what a monster he is. I hoped it would give you a chance to come up with a plan."

"Yeah, that visit to the villa ended really well for me."

Hearing the frustration in Chanyeol's voice, Baekhyun didn't know how to fix it. He knew the other had a right to be mad but the situation was pretty difficult.

"I couldn’t allow Heechul to realise that I knew the truth. Any deviation from the norm would’ve been a warning to him. Also, I don't want to turn this into a fight but let's be honest - waltzing into the tiger's den unprepared isn't the smartest idea."

"If only a little birdie had told me beforehand about what Heechul is planning to do."

"I swear I didn't know what was going to happen. Sehun and I hoped that it would be just a gunfight that you could easily win. No one knew that Heechul was going to torture you."

Baekhyun just went on and Chanyeol could feel that the smaller one was close to crying.

"We also had no clue where he was keeping you. When you didn't come home, I tried to call him but he wasn't picking up his phone. I didn't know what had happened and with time the scenarios playing out in my head kept getting worse and worse."

Now that Baekhyun was actually crying, Chanyeol tightened his hold around the smaller one.

"It's alright. I understand."

"And when he did call me back, I got even more scared. Hearing his voice meant that he was alive so I feared what had happened to you. But then he said that he was keeping you alive for some information and that I need to go to that bunker thing as his final weapon against you."

"And you somehow managed to drag Sehun along?"

"Yeah, he agreed right away."

"I can't believe it."

"He loves you more than you think. Like a brother, of course."

"But he has never treated me like one."

"All I'm gonna say is that he has saved your ass more times than you'll ever know. Anyway, that's how we got you out."

"I was so shocked to see you like that."

"Yeah, I could tell by your eyes but I had to play along for it to work. I'm so sorry."

Baekhyun still remembered the pain in Chanyeol's eyes. He knew the sight would haunt him forever. Seeing Baekhyun's mood drop again, Chanyeol hoped that a little teasing could improve it. Of course, the whole thing had been pretty traumatic to Chanyeol but he didn't want to hold it above Baekhyun's head forever.

"Well, if not for the heartbreak, I'd say it was almost hot."

"What?"

"Those skin tight jeans hugged your ass so beautifully and I can imagine how smudged that eyeliner would get during sex. It's pretty hot, if you ask me."

Baekhyun couldn't help but playfully scoff before leaning in and placing a kiss on Chanyeol's lips.

"Maybe we can arrange something in the future."

"Really?"

"Sure. I'm all yours so…"

"And I'm yours."

After another kiss Baekhyun was about to rest his head on Chanyeol's chest again when he remembered another important question that they hadn't discussed yet.

"Yeol?"

"Yeah?"

"What was Heechul demanding from you? He instructed me to tell you to answer his questions but that’s it. What did he ask you? If you don't mind telling me, of course."

"I think he was high because he kept saying that your father told me something about someone named Louis. He kept asking me who Louis is."

The moment Baekhyun heard the name his eyes widened in shock.

"That fucker knew!"

"Knew what?"

"A few days before I moved into the villa I received an e-mail from my father. He had sent a long video recording where he basically said everything he hadn't managed to tell me before and it got pretty emotional. Anyway, in the video he also said that he has left an inheritance for me and that if I wanted to accept it, I would have to find someone named Loey.”

“Loey?”

“Yes! I bet Heechul somehow got his hands on the video! Or maybe… I rewatched it a few times at the villa. Maybe he overheard it? Maybe that’s why he got the name wrong?”

“Could be. But your father also sent me a video and Heechul knew about it too. Maybe he hacked into your father’s computer or something.”

“You also received a video?”

“Yeah, your father had a few favours to ask me. Before we get into it, did your father say anything else about Loey? Where to find him?”

“The video said that I had to reach out within the next three years and that I would be able to find Loey at Euljiro Plaza. When I find him, I have to use the secret code. Wait, what was it… If the rain keeps up, the strawberries will be late.”

“But the frogs will be early.”

Chanyeol’s response widened Baekhyun’s eyes.

“How did you know?”

“Hello, I’m Loey. Well, I used to be.”

“Used to?”

“It was my nickname in the gang. I’m surprised your father remembered it though.”

“Wait, so you are the person he wanted me to find?”

“Seems like it. You previously said that you wanted to find a person. Was it me? I mean, Loey?”

“Yup.”

“So, you want to accept your inheritance?”

“I guess so.”

“Looks like we’re going to have a trip tomorrow.”

“A trip?”

“Your father wanted me to take you to our old safe house.”

“Safe house?”

“Yeah, it was sort of a safe haven for situations when everything went sideways. We never really used it but it was always there as an option. I guess your father has left something for you there.”

“Could you… Could you tell me more about my father?”

The question prompted Chanyeol to basically tell his whole life story since he had joined the Kim family at fifteen. He explained to Baekhyun how the Old Kim had noticed him during a gunfight between two gangs and invited him to join the family. Next, he shared how the Old Kim had helped him through his first few missions, including a trick one that was meant to determine Chanyeol’s moral compass. There were a lot of stories to tell and the two probably would’ve stayed up all night if not for the exhaustion making them drift off to sleep close to sunrise.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Arriving at a supposedly empty mansion in the middle of nowhere, Baekhyun was surprised that it was actually in good condition. It was almost as if someone was about to move in. Seeing Baekhyun looking around the rooms in bewilderment, Chanyeol decided to provide more context.

“Although we never used this place, your father had made some arrangements so that it’s always ready for use. I guess whatever we need to find is in the vault.”

“The vault?”

“Follow me.”

The best guess that Baekhyun had was that they were going to find a safe hidden behind a painting. However, following Chanyeol downstairs, they soon arrived at a metal door. As the realisation hit Baekhyun, his eyes widened.

“Wait, is the basement the vault?”

“What did you expect? A small money box hidden in a drawer?”

“Kind of.”

“Do you actually know just how rich the Kim family is?”

“I know my father had earned a fortune in his lifetime but a villa and a mansion with a basement-sized vault seems a bit too much, no?”

Thinking that Baekhyun was being quite humble, Chanyeol flashed a wink before entering the safety code and opening the metal door.

“You have no idea.”

As soon as the door opened and automated lights came on, Baekhyun’s mouth dropped in shock. The vault was full of gold bars, old paintings and other artefacts. Wherever he set his eyes, there was something expensive shining in the bright light.

While Baekhyun admired the valuables, Chanyeol noticed a small envelope stuck on the inside of the opened door. Leaving Baekhyun alone for a bit, Chanyeol stepped out of the room to quickly read it. It was just two lines so Chanyeol returned in a few seconds.

“I think there’s something waiting for you in the middle, Baek.”

Baekhyun stared at Chanyeol before turning his gaze towards the small pathway that led between the piles of gold bars. Taking careful steps forward, he noticed a small wooden box at the end of the pathway. Picking it up, he opened it only to find an envelope. Figuring that Chanyeol would be able to explain everything he didn’t understand, Baekhyun started to read it out loud.

“Dear Baekhyun, thank you for not rejecting me. Ever since you moved out, we sort of fell out of touch and I deeply apologise for it. However, I didn’t want to risk putting you in danger by staying in contact. I did follow your life though as Heebong often sent me updates. He did a great job raising you and I couldn’t be happier knowing how much you have achieved.”

Of course, Baekhyun couldn’t fight back tears.

“If you’re reading this, it means that you have found Chanyeol and he has led you to our family’s heritage. I hope this won’t put you into danger but I trust you with it more than your siblings. Please, take good care of it and don’t let this family perish.”

Considering that Baekhyun hadn’t been too involved in the whole mafia world, Chanyeol thought that the Old Kim might be asking too much of his son.

“What to do with it is your decision and I can only hope that you’ll be smart with it. Anyway, my heart is at peace knowing that you have it. Please, look after yourself and always put your happiness first. Love, dad.”

Seeing Baekhyun’s knees go out, Chanyeol rushed to his boyfriend’s side, softening Baekhyun’s fall. The smaller one just sobbed against Chanyeol’s chest and Chanyeol didn’t know what to do. Thus, he just held Baekhyun close and waited for him to calm down. A few minutes later, Baekhyun finally picked up the letter again.

“P.S. I still remember how you came out to me over the phone and I’m so sorry that it was the only option for you to contact me. I should’ve been there in person for it. Just know that I love you, Baekhyun. Also, I know we never discussed your ideal type or anything but Chanyeol is a good guy. Maybe it’s worth a shot?”

The last part made both Baekhyun and Chanyeol laugh through the tears.

“I guess that means we have your father’s approval, huh?”

“I guess so.”

Still keeping Baekhyun close, Chanyeol looked at his own letter again, opening it behind Baekhyun’s back.

Baekhyun’s letter is in the wooden box in the middle of the vault. Please, keep my son safe.

Putting the small piece of paper in his pocket, Chanyeol hugged Baekhyun tighter again.

“Chanyeol?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think I would make a good boss? For the Kim family?”

“That’s what I was afraid of. You don’t need to feel pressured to get involved in this world, Baek.”

“But I do feel like that’s what’s expected of me. My father achieved so much and I don’t want it all to go down the drain. Also, I didn’t tell you but Sehun called this morning. He said that the other families are fighting for the Kim territory and it’s getting quite violent. Innocent people are getting hurt too.”

Somehow it didn’t surprise Chanyeol.

“Do you think you’d be up for it? It can get pretty ugly.”

“I don’t know. It would be a lie if I said that I didn’t have it in my blood. The whole operation of getting you to safety did seem pretty exciting. Apart from the fact that you got tortured and shot, of course.”

“Of course.”

The two exchanged smiles and Chanyeol could tell that Baekhyun was actually serious about this.

“Well, I’ll be by your side regardless of what you decide.”

“I thought you promised my father to get out of the business?”

“He wanted me out only because he didn’t want Heechul to kill me. I think the promise to protect you overrides that order. So, the decision is yours. You definitely don’t have to make it here on the spot though.”

That seemed to calm the other. Wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s neck, Baekhyun gently pulled him closer and placed a kiss on Chanyeol’s lips.

“Thank you. For everything.”

“I should be the thankful one here. I love you, beautiful.”

“I love you too.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

About a year later...

Hearing Baekhyun admit that he has never travelled abroad, Chanyeol thought it was time to change that. Experiencing all the different cultures and seeing beautiful sights had always been Chanyeol’s favourite part of his job. He could only hope that the other would be equally excited. Not knowing how Baekhyun would react to flying in a plane, Chanyeol decided to book them a trip to Japan as the flight would last only two hours and thirty minutes.

Fortunately, everything seemed to go even better than Chanyeol had expected. Not only did Baekhyun enjoy the flight in first class, but they also found a lot of things to try in Tokyo. They had only a few days so they tried to make the most of it, visiting amusement parks, gaming arcades, a few museums, and all sorts of cafes and restaurants. Much to Chanyeol’s surprise, Baekhyun even agreed to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Despite Baekhyun being a total homebody, Chanyeol seemed to somehow spread his joy to explore things and Baekhyun absolutely loved it. In fact, the two had managed to have so much fun that Baekhyun was rather sad to leave.

Spending the last night in Tokyo at one of the most famous ramen shops, the two seemed to be in their own little world. Them being the only one’s sitting outside only added to it as the two enjoyed their meal under the starry sky. Although a lot of time had passed already, they still seemed to have many stories to share.

Figuring that this was a good moment for it, Baekhyun decided to share a fond memory, hoping that Chanyeol wouldn’t be too creeped out by it. Hearing Chanyeol say that school was never his thing, Baekhyun agreed.

“Same here. Heebong was always very strict about my education but at first I just didn’t want to listen. He actually enrolled me in a summer school just because I failed math.”

“Summer school? Yeah, that sounds a bit rough.”

Hearing Chanyeol’s teasing tone, Baekhyun jumped to defence.

“It was! Heebong actually locked me in my room with a pile of books, saying that I wasn’t allowed to come out until I’ve solved like nine math problems. Can you imagine a teen stuck in a room with books on a hot summer day? It sucked ass.”

“Why didn’t you sneak out?”

“Who said I didn’t?”

Baekyun winked, slurping up some more noodles before continuing.

“Actually, I vividly remember one such case in particular. I knew Heebong was training dad’s men but he never allowed me anywhere near them. Naturally, I got curious and sometimes I sneaked out to watch them at the shooting range. Some of them were pretty rubbish.”

“Yeah, Heebong was the one to make the call whether the guy is a fit for us or not.”

“Well, one day I heard a car stop at the entrance and decided to have a look. As I climbed out the window, I saw Heebong greeting a new guy. This guy was so handsome though! Like.. My heart started pounding.”

Chanyeol wasn’t good at hiding jealousy and Baekhyun could barely keep himself back from laughing.

“Anyway, I followed them to the shooting range and the moment this guy took the gun in his hand… It was magical! Every shot he made landed right in the centre of the target. No misses, no hesitation. It was a simply beautiful execution. I could tell that Heebong was impressed.”

This seemed to arouse Chanyeol’s interest a bit.

“I don’t remember such a guy on our team though. Everyone missed a shot every now and then.”

“Well, this guy didn’t. In fact, this guy was so good that Heebong praised him during dinner. That means a lot since Heebong never liked to discuss his work with me. But this guy - he couldn’t stop praising him.”

Seeing Chanyeol struggle to remember anyone who would fit the description, Baekhyun finally mentioned the most important part.

“You did really well that day, Chanyeol.”

This seemed to utterly confuse the taller one.

“What?”

“It was you, silly. One of the things Heebong kept repeating that night was that this Chanyeol guy will achieve a lot. I bet you fulfilled all his expectations.”

“But I was so rude that time though. I didn’t even properly greet him. It earned me a proper beating from your father so I always had the best manners after that.”

“I don’t think Heebong took it to heart though. Maybe your skills amazed him enough to make him forget about the lack of manners.”

As the two returned to their food, Baekhyun tried to continue the direction he had started.

“By the way, Heebong would like to meet you again. Maybe we can go next weekend?”

“What? Why?”

The suddenly scared look on Chanyeol’s face made Baekhyun laugh again.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because of this ?”

Seeing Baekhyun point at the shining ring on his finger seemed to finally remind Chanyeol that he had proposed.

“Won’t he be upset that I didn’t ask for his permission?”

“I doubt it. If you show that your shooting skills haven’t gone rusty, I bet he’ll accept you with open arms.”

“Baek, I’m serious. I don’t want to get on his bad side.”

“It’ll be fine. He knows how well you treat me so there should be no objections.”

Baekhyun wanted to reassure the other but suddenly a suspicious man came into Baekhyun’s view. The man was right behind Chanyeol and was definitely watching them. Putting his hand on the gun in his holster, Baekhyun saw Chanyeol reach for his too. The two exchanged looks before returning to whatever they had noticed behind each other’s back.

“Yeol, there’s a man about 50 feet behind you. I think he is about to go for us.”

“Same situation behind you.”

It seemed like the man behind Chanyeol’s back realised that he was discovered as he finally made a move and pulled out his gun. Before he got to open fire, Baekhyun quickly pulled out his own gun, taking aim and firing a shot in just a second. As the man hit the ground, Baekhyun realised that Chanyeol had done the same. Returning the guns to their holsters, the two got up from their seats and got ready to leave. It was nothing new but Baekhyun couldn’t help but sulk a bit.

“Can’t they allow us to enjoy a romantic vacation?”

“They probably thought that a romantic vacation would make us more vulnerable.”

“Tough luck, I guess.”

Ever since Baekhyun had taken over the family business, the other families kept sending assassins after him every now and then. Even though he had taken the necessary steps to make the business a bit less illegal, the other families didn’t let him go so easily. In fact, the new line of business made him a target even more often as Baekhyun had decided to go after all the corrupt officials of the largest conglomerates in the country.

Blackmailing CEOs and other high-ranking employees for hurting the innocent and earning money through other peoples’ suffering was never going to be easy. However, Baekhyun felt like he was pretty much the only one with enough power to gain justice. The law wasn’t strong enough to protect the innocent but he was, and although Chanyeol didn’t like to see Baekhyun put himself in danger, he had to agree.

Baekhyun knew that there would never be a day when someone didn’t come after him. Still, having Chanyeol by his side reassured him that everything was going to be just fine.