Hoseok
I watched her as she left while I stood frozen in place. A part of me wanted to stop her – to just follow her. a part of me wanted to hold her in my arms – comfort her and seek comfort from her. Yet, another part of me knew she was my biggest chance of getting my son back safely.
Everything was just too much for me to handle. I sat down on our bed as I put my head between my legs. Ae-Cha and Minho were alive. Hanuel knew about it all along but she never told me about it.
I just can’t understand how she could keep it a secret from me, especially knowing how much it hurt and how much guilt I carried around with me. She was at the receiving end of those crying nights. Is this what was always weighing her down? Was this why she always told me she has secrets I would not be able to forgive? Am I able to forgive her?
She lied about them being alive… but they are alive because of her. They are alive because she saved them. Sehun wanted to hurt me so he hired the Scarlets to kill them. He would have succeeded but fate had other plans. If the kill didn’t go to Hanuel, they might truly be dead. How can I be angry at her for keeping it a secret when she saved them?
Besides, I knew what a promise meant to her. She lived by what she swore. If she swore to her that she won’t say a word, then she would have taken that to the grave with her. If she swore that she will save Minho, she would, even if the meant going to hell and back.
I groaned as I thought about how all this started a couple of years ago. The rivalry between EXO and Bangtan started a generation ago. EXO was the only gang on this territory until Bangtan came along. Bangtan was doing well and growing fast. People respected them because although they still did illegal things, they did not make use of unnecessary violence and cruelty.
EXO did not like it at all. They were taking their customers – people preferred going to Bangtan for Casinos and car races. Then, well over three years ago, there was a Bangtan wedding. EXO had come in and attacked without mercy.
Namjoon’s father was murdered as were the bride and groom along with some others. They had left us all bloodied but we had taken a few of them with us. They had thought that they would crumble Bangtan because Namjoon’s father was killed but they underestimated how good Namjoon was.
Instead of going low like them, he used his brain. Within a week, he had made EXO run bankrupt. We had destroyed their warehouses and their assets, one by one. EXO had come to the mansion to attack again, out of retribution but we had been prepared. We fought back.
During the fight, Sehun’s brother was going to shoot Ae-Cha who was nine months pregnant and I had shot him dead. The look on Sehun’s face was a murderous look – a look I could never forget. He screamed and shouted as his members dragged him out.
Two months after Minho was born, I received a call. Ae-Cha and Minho had been out and their car had been rigged. It had exploded, leaving nothing to be identified. All I had were a few scraps of clothing to identify them with.
I had wanted blood but Jackson had put a stop to the gang wars, proposing the truce. Namjoon had given me the option but I was too lost in grieve and too tired to fight, so I accepted.
God, I wish I ended Sehun, then none of this would have happened. Then Ae-Cha and Minho would have never had to hide and fake their deaths. Then Ae-Cha would have never been shot and Minho never taken.
‘*ing hell,’ I mumbled as I stood up and started going back downstairs. I saw everyone going about while Namjoon and Yoongi approached me.
‘Hoseok how are you holding up?’ Yoongi asked as I shrugged.
‘I don’t know. For now, I want to make sure Ae-Cha is okay and that Minho comes back home and so does Hanuel,’ I said and she nodded.
‘I’m guessing Hanuel went to get the Scarlets?’ Namjoon asked and I nodded. ‘Good. Then we’ll come up with a plan. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from Sehun soon,’ he said.
‘Why not go check on Ae-Cha and take Jungkook and Taehyung with you? We can deal with everything here,’ Yoongi suggested and once again I nodded.
‘I probably should. Where’s… where’s Wonho?’ I asked. Yoongi pointed to a man who was sitting down on the couch, staring into the wall.
I gulped as I walked towards him and kneeled down before him. ‘Did… what are we going to do? How are we going to get Minho back?’ he asked.
‘We will. Hanuel will make sure of it. I trust her more than myself. Let’s go check on Ae-Chae,’ I said and his eyes got wide.
‘Oh God I left her alone at the hospital,’ he said, almost as if he suddenly realized it. He looked at me with a certain panic which I felt in my heart as well.
‘You were trying to focus on getting help to get Minho. It’s what she would have wanted you to do,’ I said. ‘Come on, let’s go,’ I said.
‘She is in a very critical condition. She was shot twice and lost a lot of blood. It took a lot of time before she was brought here. I’ll have to say that I am worried about complications,’ the doctor said.
‘No, no, please, please you have to save her,’ Wonho cried as he shook the doctor.
‘Wonho,’ I said as I reached for him. He let go of the doctor as he turned to me. He was pale, his eyes red and puffy. He looked like he could be sick any moment and like he wanted to break down – or needed to. I hugged him as he sobbed onto my chest. I felt my own tears fall down, as a familiar ache came to my chest.
Three years ago, I had believed I lost my wife and best friend and my son. It had killed me on the inside. Now, I could lose her all over again, before I could even talk to her. Before I could even let her know it was okay – that I was not angry, that I understood and that I was sorry I failed her.
I felt tears cascading down and I could see Taehyung and Jungkook looking at us with worried and sad eyes. We stayed like that for a few minutes until Wonho pulled away and sniffed. He wiped at his nose, using his sleeve as he looked at me.
‘Th—thanks for that,’ he said as I just nodded. ‘I’m going in to see her. Come in when you’re ready,’ he said and once again I just nodded.
I watched him as he walked down the corridor and opened her door. I heard it shut softly before I turned to the other two.
‘Any news?’ I asked but they both shook their head, looking dissatisfied.
‘Not much hyung,’ Jungkook said. ‘Yeonjun is at their house, checking for any clues. Yoongi is trying to gather information about EXO and any place they might be holding him,’ he added.
‘Anything from Hanuel? I asked but they both shook their heads. I wasn’t sure what to feel about that.
‘I hope she doesn’t go after EXO alone. We know how vicious they can be,’ Jungkook commented.
My heart skipped a beat as I felt myself caught in the middle – I want my son but I don’t want to lose her. I can’t lose either of them. Maybe I really was a selfish *. I wanted the whole world when I did nothing to earn it.
‘EXO don’t know what they started,’ Taehyung said as we both looked at him. We both knew what he meant but we both were not willing to say it. ‘EXO has woken up Domina Umbra again. You remember what happened last time when Vindictae tried to hurt Hoseok and Logan? She ended her and she will do the same to EXO,’ he said.
‘This is not a one on one thing though. Vindictae, with all her faults and monstrosities kept to the rules. EXO have no shame. They’ll just kill her,’ Jungkook argued.
‘She won’t go alone,’ I said as I gulped. ‘EXO started a war but Hanuel will finish it before they even realize it,’ I said.
Suddenly my phone buzzed and I took it out. It was an unknown number and I felt my heart drum. I answered it, putting it on speaker.
‘Ah hello Hosoek. It’s been too long but I’m sure you recognize me,’ Sehun’s familiar voice said.
‘You did a mistake going after Ae-Cha and my son,’ I said, trying to keep calm.
‘You did a mistake killing my brother. Three years ago, I thought I got the justice I deserve but it turns out that * of yours helped them fake the whole thing,’ Sehun said, getting angry.
‘Leave Hanuel out of this,’ I said, just as angrily. I felt the rage bubble inside my chest, both for the fact he is dragging her into this and for calling her a *.
‘Oh but I won’t. See when that * comes here, I will end her for making a fool of me for three years and because I know that will hurt you,’ he said but I laughed slightly, trying to hide my crippling anxiety.
‘You won’t last five seconds with her Sehun. She will slice off your head and feed you to the tigers,’ I said.
‘I have your son. She won’t dare to lay a hand on me while I have him captive. I know she has a soft spot for kids since she is not even capable of bearings kids of her own,’ he said, laughing.
‘Shut up you *er! Tell me where is my son!’ I yelled, starting to lose my cool.
I hated how he was playing with me. I hated how he was talking about her. I hated the doubt he was placing in my head. Last time there was a child involved, she willingly walked into a tank full of water and drowned herself. What if she did something as crazy this time around too?
‘Oh Hoseok, always so rude and impatient. How’s Ae-Cha by the way? I don’t think poor girl will make it. Pity, she gave a good fight,’ Sehun said. I felt my body tremble with undefined rage.
‘You’re going to pay for hurting her!’ I said but he just laughed. ‘Stop with your games and men up. Face me like a man instead of using a child like a coward,’ I said.
‘I will call in five hours with a location. I know you will bring Bangtan but you won’t win. You won’t do anything if you want your son to stay alive,’ Sehun said before he hung up.
Once again, I found myself looking at Taehyung and Jungkook. All three of us knew that things were just going to escalate from now on. Things were going to get ugly and bloody.
