Daredevil's Deception || Jeonghan [ONE SHOT]

13: Master Manipulator

Narrator's POV

It was around early in the morning when Seungcheol received a text and call from his underlings that gave him a few heads-up regarding the black market. He walked back and forth in his office, as he tried to get a hold of his sister who has not been answering his calls nor texts.

"Come on, Haesoo. Pick up, please. Pick up!" he kept on muttered as he held his phone to his ear.

For the nth time, it just kept going straight to voice mails causing him to feel hopeless and anxious. All of a sudden, he got a call. He thought it was going to be his sister, so he answered it immediately.

"Mr. Hong?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Morning, Mr. Choi, I'm guessing you heard about the big bounty in the market?" Seungcheol clenched his jaw.

"You're the one behind it, aren't you?" Joshua chuckles.

"Perceptive, Mr. Choi! What a good guess on the first try!" Seungcheol's grip on his phone tighten as he tries his best to contain his anger.

"Your sister interfered with my plan of getting rid of Jeonghan,"

"And now she has to pay for the price. Whoever gets to kill her, gets a reward money," Seungcheol scoffs as he looks out of the window of his home office.

"Don't get my sister involve here, if you want to kill someone. It's me you have to come to first, not my sister," Seungcheol emphasized.

"Oh, I don't think so. I will make sure every one last of crime organization in this city is gone, but me because when I win this election, I will control everyone and everything in here,"

"This is going to be my second massacre, I suppose,"

"Ah, so you're the one behind the fifteen people massacred?" Seungcheol clenched his jaw.

"Good guess again, Mr. Choi! How perceptive you are! Now good luck, and enjoy this game of life and death!" Joshua bids goodbye before hanging up.

That son of a bitch was behind about everything! - Seungcheol thought to himself, as he dialed his sister's number again for the nth time.

***

Haesoo left Jeonghan's apartment and was walking through the hallway when she felt her phone vibrate from her purse. She took it out and answered it.

"Choi Haesoo, where the hell are you?!"

   "Oh, I went on a date with Jeonghan—"

"You're busy going on dates while I'm here—"

"Relax! I went on a date with him to know about his identity and it's confirmed! He's Moriarty!"

"Forget about that — come here RIGHT NOW!"

"What? Why? But I went through lengths just to—"

"I said, come here right now!"

***

   Haesoo immediately made her way to her brother's home office where she was greeted by a distraught state of her brother. He wasted no time explaining things to her.

   "W-Wait hold on! You're saying that Joshua manipulated us into thinking that it was Jeonghan who did the massacre so we could get rid of Jeonghan for him?" Seungcheol nodded his head.

   "Oh, that son of a bitch," Haesoo cussed as gritted her teeth.

   And we bit the bait he laid out. How stupid! - Haesoo facepalmed, mentally.

   "He didn't like it when you interfered with the abduction," Seungcheol added as Haesoo sighed.

   "And now he laid out a bounty hunting award over my head in the black market, that ruthless motherfucker," Haesoo cussed through clenched jaw as her hands turned into fists.

   "Yeah, which is why you're leaving the country right this second," Seungcheol remarked as he pointed his index finger on his desk.

   "Wait, what?!" Haesoo abruptly stood up upon hearing her brother's words.

   "B-But what about you?" Haesoo asked with a concern tone.

   Seungcheol maintained a serious expression as he diverted his eyes to Haesoo. "I'll take care of this mess while you lay low,"

   "No way! No way! I can't just leave you here!" Haesoo insisted.

   "But it's for the best, I can stay here cause I'm not the one being hunted—"

   "But still, Seungcheol! But still! I can't just leave you here!" There was a moment of silence between the siblings.

   Seungcheol leaned against his swivel chair as he sighed. "Fine, I'll come with you,"

   Haesoo was weirded out by how she easily persuaded him this time. "O...kay," she uttered, slowly.

   "I'll buy another ticket—now go back home and pack your stuffs,"

   "Uh-huh," Haesoo took one last glance at her brother before turning around to leave the office.

   She opened the door to leave. "But just so you know—" However, she was immediately hit on the head, causing her to collapse on the ground, unconscious.

   "You clearly know your sister well, Seungcheol," Wonwoo commented as he dropped the baseball bat he used to hit Haesoo. He knelt down to carry her unconscious body.

   "Yes, I do. Now go drive her to the airport," Seungcheol commanded.

   The man knew his sister would not approve of leaving the country without him, which is why he resorted to asking Wonwoo for a little help.

***

   On the other hand, Jeonghan made his way to work as usual despite the bruises and other minor injuries he earned from Haesoo earlier. As part of his everyday routine, he made a stop to Morstan's cafe.

   "Here's your raspberry hibiscus tea, sir!" Seungkwan, joyfully, handed the cup of tea towards Jeonghan whose eyes are still glued on the empty counter spot.

   "Thanks," he said before leaving the cafe.

   Where's my Haesoo? And why isn't she answering any of my texts nor calls. I'm getting worried here. - he thought to himself as he made his way to his law firm.

   "Sorry, I'm late—" as soon as he entered the small firm, a horrible sight had greeted him.

   He gasped as the cup of tea he ordered slipped out of his fingers, hitting the ground where the tea splattered. Jeonghan's hands tremble as his eyes went round, for a moment he could not speak nor move at all.

    Minghao and Seokmin laid on the floor, bathing in their own blood. Meanwhile, Soonyoung was slumped onto the wall, his eyes still open as blood gushed out of his shoulder. "J-Jeonghan," he coughed.

   Jeonghan's chest began to go up and down as he breathed heavily for air. He diverted his gaze at the familiar man who stood at the side. His white long sleeves were tainted red and so are his hands that had done the murderous deed.

   "M-Mingyu! What have you done?!" Jeonghan shouted in anger, but the man remained silent.