abide

chapter 5

as soon as jihoon glanced at his lighted phone screen and a hurriedly written message, the one he fears getting every day gruesomely flashed in his eyes, the boy had to dash out of the place.

cerberus : "boss, he had gotten away, but I brought him back home." 

the leader murmured unmentionable words under his nose, and after threatening yoshinori once again, not forgetting to show off his tiger-face ring while pointing imperially at the other, the boy left the building much quicker than he got inside.

the one who stayed remained dumbfounded for a minute but as haruto went inside, he beckoned him to get closer.

"tomorrow..." he said slowly as if comprehensively building a sentence in his head. "we will visit them. tell the boys, make sure they dress nicely."

he winked playfully at the other, and when haruto nodded, yoshinori sat back down on the couch. out of a sudden, he wanted someone to be with him at that moment, however, the person he had chosen wasn't someone from his team members.

silver rings, hairclips on dark strands, the eyes that exude how much he desires and how much devotion he would have if loved. the toned body, chains, hips...

yoshinori sighed and closed his eyes already regretting some of the choices in his life. just then yedam came to the rescue. he got back, approaching with sweet, red wine and three wine glasses.

"my salvation."

yedam reminded him now of an angel, and so he welcomed him with open arms soon feeling the pleasant weight of a light body on his. wine helped him forget, yedam's soothing voice made him at ease again. as one more member joined them, claiming the last wineglass as his and giggling softly after taking a few sips and getting a kiss on the lips from his boyfriend, yoshinori's head reclined on the cushions.

a bit intoxicated, his mind started a debate – would jihoon kiss him first or would he be the one to make a move...

at the time the red-hair boy had the little gathering, the one who pushed him to such a state was reaching the respective place almost out of breath.

even though hyunsuk offered him a ride and junghwan wanted to take on the responsibility, jihoon insisted on going "there" alone. apart from him, there was only one person who knew where "there" was placed and how much significance it had for the one so concerned about it.

throughout all these years of being a client, watcher, pushover, member, and finally a leader of a drug-dealing gang he attained himself – not to be cocky – a few enemies. or at least the people who would rather see him dead than alive. if anyone had decided to go this way, fully aware of the consequences and the dead-end, the hopelessness and the shit you have to get yourself soaked with, they would have nothing to lose.

but jihoon, the guy with people under his guard, a locked basement with white sacks not particularly bulky with potatoes, two knives in his jacket, razor blade in his jeans, and chains once used to nearly strangle the "troublesome" ones to death, this man had something to lose.

this something was under surveillance twenty-four seven. jihoon made sure nothing would ever happen to it, nothing would ever harm it or take it away from him. he would never forgive himself if it vanished from him as easily as the mother, whom he believed was a good woman, omitting the fact that she gave up on him sooner than he could write or read.

only two people in this world knew about its existence – the owner, and a man jihoon labeled as "cerberus". did he know his name? he mentioned it once, maybe more times but the leader cared more about the fundamental task he has been handed.

"keep a watch over him. day and night. if I see you shirking off at work, I will cut down on your pay, understood?"

the pay was thick, the man didn't want to have anyone to accompany him, cause then he would need to split the lettuce which he definitely craved for.

addicted to accumulating money – easy to control, would do anything if smelled gold in jihoon's pockets.

and so as jihoon blew into the house, a sharp sound of a slap sounded in the dimly lit living room, cerberus' cheek as reddish as the attacker's face.

// ✧ //