Intricate: Our Bittersweet Love | MARKNOMINHYUCK(bxbxbxb)

Chapter 27

C H A P T E R  27: This feeling

-----Jaemin-----

Laying in bed, all of us, together, was my idea of perfection. It felt free to be together in a room and just focus on what the others had to say or simply focus on the sound of their breathing, and how they felt under my fingers. I trace a finger on Mark's clothed chest; he was laying down, facing the ceiling with one hand under his head and the other around me, brushing it from my shoulder down to my elbow repeatedly as he tucked me close to him. He was impossibly lost thinking, just staring up there. 

Jeno and Donghyuck were sitting on the edge of the bed, playing video games on Mark's PS4. I realized this was what peace felt like, this is exactly where I wanted to be.

"We need to talk," Mark-Hyung snaps the silence that we were in (apart from the repeated sounds of buttons being pressed and the occasional hissing from Donghyuck).

He glances at me before sitting up, Jeno and Donghyuck already facing us. Donghyuck stands up for the TV control and turns it off. "Yeah, okay..." He says, sitting back down in front of us.

We were now in a sort of circle, or rather a square, maybe a rhombus since we were all facing each other. Well, that doesn't matter. We were all close together and everyone now had a serious expression. Too serious, one I hadn't seen from them. We all knew what was coming, we all knew that this conversation was delayed enough. Which we shouldn't have. We shouldn't have avoided it for this long, what if something had happened along the way of waiting?

It should've been that day, the day Taeyong-Hyung told us. We should've been ready since then and now, now it came.

"Taeyong-Hyung hasn't called me since that day, hasn't texted me or given me any updates. My parents haven't contacted me, either and I don't know why. I don't know what's going on, if they've let it go or..." he takes a deep breath. "Or if they're preparing for their worst."

"We're all worried," the eldest says, looking at each of us. "We're all scared, frankly. If anyone else had told us that your parents threatened our death, I wouldn't believe them but it was your brother, Jeno, and I don't think he would have told us that, warned us, if he knew it wasn't possible, right?"

Both Donghyuck and Jeno nod at his comment, confirming Mark-Hyung's observations.

"I should talk to my parents," Donghyuck proclaims decidedly, nodding slightly.

"We've talked about this," Jeno says, putting his hands on his head, gripping his hair. "I don't you getting them involved. I should solve this by myself."

"Okay, you don't want to get them involved, but I do! I want their support, and I am almost 100% sure they'll be behind me. They've stopped going to Friday dinners, they haven't talked to your parents since then, and they're home more often these days. They've added security around our house and even given me a curfew. They wanna help me, help us but I haven't asked for their assistance so they aren't giving it, at least not directly. Clearly, they don't support your parent's views on this. Please, please just allow me to ask for their help," Donghyuck begs, tearing up as he directly looks at Jeno.

I hadn't known they had a conversation regarding this before. Frankly, I hadn't really thought about his parents and the possibility of them helping us.

"What matters is that they can help us..." He whispers, holding onto Jeno's hand.

Jeno glances at us, each one of us, taking a second or three to really look at us, and with a sigh, he breathes out, "Y- You're right. This is about all of us and that might be the only chance on keeping you guys safe."

Donghyuck gives out a small smile and sincerely tells him, "Thank you..."

He stands up after a second and goes to grab his keys. The three of us stayed sitting, confused, and when he noticed no one else moving he turns his head to look at us and frowns, "Well? Stand up, come on."

"We're going now? Like right now?" I stutter out, surprised but also standing up.

"If not now, then when? It should be now rather than later. My parents are home right now and I don't know when they'll leave so we better hurry," he retorts, hurriedly putting his shoes on. We do as he says, silently until we were all ready. "Mark, you drive," he says, tossing him his car keys and then walking out of the room.

Despite the seriousness of the moment, the three of us laughed at his actions.

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We got to our destination quicker than ever before and we quickly got out of the car and inside, Donghyuck leading us. We went through a couple of doors, speed-walking there, until we arrive at a particular one. This room had double doors with fancy engravings. That didn't distract us and Donghyuck let us inside.

I realized that it happened to be a library, a whole wall was covered by books while there was a sitting area on the other half. I was in awe. There must've been at least 1,000 books in here.

"My mom loves reading," Donghyuck informs us.

We reach the sitting area where his parents were. They were sitting side by side, his mom was invested in a book while his dad was in paperwork. When they heard the footsteps, they raise their heads. His father furrowed his eyebrows whilst his mother smiles slightly, her face showing her worriedness. 

"What's happening, son?" Mr. Lee questions, gesturing for us to sit in front of them.

"I need to ask you guys something," Donghyuck responds as he sits directly in front of his father.

"Well, go on with it," the man says, taking off his pair of glasses. He looked knowing, like he was expecting this and what he was about to say.

"Is... is there anything you could do to help us about Mister and Missus Lee?" He asks.

They sigh, they glance at each other, they look at each of us, then turn to their son. "We've done what we could Donghyuck. We have protected you more but that's about all we can do. Their business is more influential than ours these days and there's no doubt they could turn our partners against us," his mom says with a caring, apologetic expression.

I instantly deflate. This was our one shot.

"T- They threatened to kill us!" He exclaims. I could tell he was infuriated. "And, you've protected me but what about them?! I'm not the only one at risk."

His mom glanced at us, sorry for us, and his dad just continued to stare up at his son. "Donghyuck, we really did try. We tried to shove some sense into them but they refused to agree with us until they kicked us out. We insisted, we really did, because we know that your happiness is with them." His dad's expression was sad, for Donghyuck and for us.

"When did you talk to them? Why didn't you tell me?" Their son asks, confused.

"We would've if we had been successful," his mom answers.

"We can see that you truly do love them, that's the only reason we even remotely tried. Because we knew that to you this isn't just puppy love but I'm sorry my sunshine, there's nothing else we can do. We're not willing to kill anyone under any circumstances and we know that that's the only way we can stop them," his mom says with finality.

I see the first tear that escapes Donghyuck's eyes as he collapses onto his seat. Then, the next and the next, and soon enough I was crying too. It all felt so real now.

I really did feel threatened now.

A/N: Get ready for the next couple of chapters! *smirk* I think we're pretty close to the end, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! 

Update: I just wrote the next part and first of all, I'm impressed with myself for writing two chapters the same night. Second of all, y'all gonna love me for it!!!

Anyway! It'll be published on Wednesday so look forward to it!