The Witness ➳ Taegyu

28. The Commander Returns

*The night Taehyun left*

The building's first four floors were nothing but a printer company. It wasn't odd to anybody why the company's HQ was so tall since it was an incredibly successful brand, but above those four floors lied something more sinister.

Members of the "printer company" lined the street, standing straight, side-by-side as the car pulled up to the building. The car was being escorted by a few others, and every single person got out of the car to join everyone in their position on the street, all the way up to the main entrance of the building.

The driver of the main car opened the door, and Taehyun stepped out. Everyone stared at him in awe, his famous outfit that Kami put together and sent with the men to pick him up giving everyone a feeling of nostalgia. He had put it on in the Purple Café's restroom before leaving, being reminded of a lot of things once he put the cape and gloves on.

A/N: I literally found a picture of nearly exactly what I was picturing in my head.

He eyed everyone around, and without faltering, they all got on one knee to bow to him, synchronized to perfection.

"Dismissed," is all he said before walking through the glass doors that were being held for him. All of the adults who knew him were way older than him and only ever knew him when he was a child or a teenager.

The fact that they still bowed to him like his father used to make them do was definitely something.

The printer company was run by Kami's father and the employees were all members of Black Reaper, so Taehyun and the people walking behind him to protect him had no issue walking through the first floor. Everyone there was part of the group outside bowing to him in the first place.

Everyone who worked at HQ and the printer company bowed to him. Everyone except for the commanders and their main guards on the highest floor. When the elevator he entered go that floor, all of the guards bowed to him.

"Stay here please," he told the ones following him.

A brief encounter with an upset Kami, and a short call with her to let her know he would join them again. These were the only interactions he's had with them in four years. He wondered how Seojun would react to him.

Walking down the long hallway, with so many windows on the outer wall that it could have just been made out of glass entirely, he kept a stoic expression. He remembered walking down this same hallway to talk to his father as his own office was on the floor below. Now, the only two remaining superior officers inhabited the two offices on the highest floor.

The one belonged to his father, and the other one used to belong to his mother.

He went to the large meeting room at the end of the hall and opened the door without knocking, immediately noticing a change in the layout. Instead of the long table that use to be in the huge room, there was one small, circular table in the center with three chairs around it.

"Seoul has always had a nice view, hasn't it?" Seojun asked, looking out the wall of windows. "Is that why you betrayed us to protect it?"

"If you assumed my goal was to betray you, you wouldn't have threatened violence on the police force to get me back." He walked forward and sat at the table where Kami already was. Her eyes were closed, her cheek was rested on her fist, and her lips were curled up into a small smile. "Why did you ask why I betrayed you?"

"It was nothing but a joke." Seojun laughed and sat in the third seat, staring at Taehyun to examine how his features changed, if at all. "Kami came here crying because she thought you betrayed us. It was all in the moment though. Your heart has always belonged in a leadership position of Black Reaper, and she knows that."

Finally, her eyes opened, but only to glare at him for saying something like that. "On a more important note," she started, looking back at Taehyun with a softer expression. "Why did you go with them? We all thought you died the same day as your dad."

"The same cop who shot him also shot me. He asked all about our organization, but I didn't say anything that would hurt us at all. The man was really kind once I told him I was seventeen, and I cried to guilt trip him into saving my life. I acted like I was helping them to save my own ass. I've been looking for an excuse to come back, so I'm happy this happened."

Kami tilted her head. "We saw each other at the ice rink. You could have just came back then."

Taehyun nodded in agreement and grabbed a piece of candy that was in a bowl in the center of the table. "I could have, but I didn't. It got to a point where I started to really care about the police and the witness I was protecting, Beomgyu." He looked at Seojun. "Back then, a part of me didn't really wanna come back because I cared about the new people around me. Obviously, my loyalty is with you guys. I just became friends with the new people I was with too, unfortunately."

"You always were a more sociable and kind person than your dad," Seojun acknowledged, taking a drink of whatever alcohol he had in a glass. "That's understandable."

"There are a few people that I want to put on the "No Harm List" immediately. One of them is Beomgyu." They both stared at him in confusion. "I was the one protecting him, and because of that, we became friends. When I am the commander, he will be put on the list. There's no rules against anything like that."

Seojun sighed. "You know who that boy's father is, don't you?"

The one who killed Taehyun's mom.

"His dad is the chief of police in Daegu. The only reason we were asking him to join us was so he would willingly come here. We were gonna use him to get revenge on the chief. He's caused a lot of trouble for our group in Daegu. Also, he's the one who got into the car accident with your mom."

Kami smacked him on the arm for saying it out loud and Taehyun just chuckled. "I know that. Don't worry. While it would be a good idea to use him, his death, his suffering, whatever, as revenge, I'm asking you not to. Please."

The two commanders looked at each other and nodded in agreement. "That's fine," Kami said. "Also, Seojun, he said on the phone that he will only hurt people on his volition this time. The police softened you, didn't they Tae?"

She reached over to ruffle his hair with a laugh and he quickly fixed it before scoffing. "No. I've always been opposed to hurting people. I was always just forced to by my father. Now that the three of us will be the leaders, I finally have my own freedom to do as I please. I'll do what I need to on my own terms."

"Alright," Seojun chuckled. "Any other rules you have for your return?"

Taehyun looked like he was thinking for a moment. "Your guys' bedrooms are on the floor below, right?" They nodded. "My room will also be on that floor. I will have unlimited snacks and entertainment at all times. As the boss's son, I will not need to accept disrespect from anybody. I can discipline my subordinates any way I please. I will be able to add anyone to the list, other than government officials and the chiefs of course."

"Jeez, anything else?" Kami joked, knowing that everything he said was valid and easy to accommodate to.

There was one that he was waiting to say all along, and as he finally unwrapped the complex packaging that the singular piece of candy was in, he said it.

"Under no circumstances is anybody to harm Choi Beomgyu."