Bittersweet ≈ Seonghwa [NEW!]

Rising Action

Mingi and Wooyoung checked the van for bugging devices before we got on and left the building.

Seonghwa drove us to a classy restaurant where we got our own dining room for privacy.

After our meals arrived and everyone was eating silently, Hongjoong spoke up.

"I wasn't the only one who heard the boss of SME saying that it's not over right?"

I rested my chopsticks on the table, deep in thought. Everyone else was still silently eating as if they were afraid that if they were to clarify their doubts, their doubts might come true.

What if that was a declaration of war between the gangs?

What if my biological dad will find a way to force me to be his heir through the members?

I felt Seonghwa's hand caressing my head, "What's wrong? You barely ate."

"Hong is right," I voiced out, everyone looking up from their plates to me. "He doesn't seem to be an easy person to decline. He won't back down without a fight. He will push forward until I give in."

Yunho generously reached out and placed a dumpling on my plate, "Eat this. How do you know that?"

I groaned my head falling into the palm of my hands, "Because I am like that too! Remember how I didn't back down when you guys hurt Beomgyu?"

Seonghwa's hand that caressed my head, reached down to pat my back while reassuring me that I am nothing like my biological dad.

I glanced at every member, "Guys, I'm worried. I don't want him to hurt you because of me."

A sudden slam jerked everyone in their seats. Hongjoong had slammed his hand down on the table.

"Do you take us for cowards?! We are not weak and we are definitely not stupid. We'll fight alongside with you, Yeon. You're one of us now."

So this is what it means to be part of a good gang. They aren't bad at all. It's like a wolf pack. They look after one another. Sure they deal with illegal stuff but it's not like they actually hurt anyone right?

---

The days that followed was silent and cold...

It felt like the calm before the storm.

I buttoned up my pink silk pyjamas, and crawled into bed. Seonghwa already tucked in, scrolling his phone.

"It's too quiet. I don't like it," I said, breaking the wall of silence.

Seonghwa's arm pulled me into a warm embrace, but his other hand was still scrolling away on his phone.

"Maybe your dad didn't really mean it, maybe he's just saying it to scare you."

I shook my head, "It felt more like a warning."

The light of Seonghwa's phone went off, his head turning to me, "Trust me, whatever happens, we'll be ready. Now get some sleep. You've been sleepless the past couple nights."

I snuggled up to him as he patted my back softly in a gentle, rhythmic manner. It didn't take long before I could finally fall asleep.

It was a peaceful sleep but part of me was consciously hearing out for anything amiss.

A few hours passed, I could feel Seonghwa fidget in his sleep as his soft snores filled the room. It was perfectly still until...

*gunshots*

I startled up from bed, Seonghwa had too and he swiftly pulled a gun from his bedside, loading it.

He shushed me, signalling me to wait and stay still.

I glanced at the clock.

It's 4am. What's going on?!

I watched, quivering, as Seonghwa stealthily waited by the door, listening for any sounds.

He quietly turned the door knob, signalling me again to stay put while he went out. I remembered my training and quickly grabbed a steel baton which Seonghwa allowed me to keep by my bedside drawer.

My heart was racing as a few other gunshots echoed the house. It's not SME is it? What if they sent RV here? Or worse, NCT?

I gritted my teeth, gripping hard on the baton.

'I can't hide here and cower, this is my fight. I can't let them take the bullet for me,' I thought to myself.

Sucking in a deep breath, I tiptoed out into the hallway. The members doors were all open. I checked the rooms to see if any members were hurt but noone was in them.

I poked my head out to the living room from up the stairs.

The members were all gathered there, looking a like hot mess. A window was shattered and there were holes in the couch, the chair, the curtains and the door.

I ran down the stairs, "Is everyone okay? Please tell me no one got hurt. What happened?"

Hongjoong who still had bed hair, unloaded his gun.

"Aish, they just wanted to scare us. They shot at us but I'm sure they purposely missed cuz I was standing right there."

"Either that or they stink at aiming," San pointed out.

I gulped, looking at Seonghwa, "Do you really think he was just saying things scare me? Now they're DOING things to scare US."

Jongho emerged from the back hallway, shaking his head, "They didn't take anything. I just checked the weapons room."

Mingi came down from upstairs, "I was in the computer room all night. They didn't even enter. They just shot at us."

Hongjoong raised his eyebrows, "Did you catch their faces from the CCTV?"

"I'm positive it's RV. I saw Joy and Seulgi's crazy laughing faces," Mingi replied, rolling his eyes. "They shot through their car and Irene was driving."

As soon as Mingi was done talking, Wooyoung came out from the bathroom with a blood stained bandage around his right bicep and grumbling to himself.

"They just HAD to shoot randomly while I was eating," Wooyoung growled as he sat back on the dining chair and picked up his chopsticks. He gave a pouty face to San, upset he couldn't use his right hand.

I watched as San walked over, proceeding to feed Wooyoung his instant noodles. It's crazy how they all seem to be okay with this.

"What are we going to do if this happens again? The second time, Wooyoung might not be as lucky," Yeosang spoke up, side eyeing the poor guy who was innocently eating.

The two bickered in the background while the rest of us, frowned, wrecking our brains to think of a solution.

"Yunho, do you still own that beach house in Jeju?" Hongjoong suddenly piped up after a long while of silence.

Yunho snapped his fingers, "Oh yea, I still do."

"Let's go there for the time being. We leave now," Hongjoong instructed and as if on cue, all the members started moving. Seonghwa led me by my hand back to our room.

"Pack your stuff. I'm going to help the others."

He handed me a big empty duffle bag that Jongho was passing around from the cabinet and immediately left the room.

I sinked down onto the bed, sighing.

Why can't my parents just talk like normal people? If they're not happy and they can't convince me to stay with them, just talk it out. Why are they turning their weapons on me? It's just going to make me NOT want to join them even more.

Boy, I hope we'll be okay.