Unconditionally (BOOK 3)

Secrets

Felix's POV:

I've been impatiently waiting in the living room for Wooyoung to get home. San has sat across from me for the last hour but I refuse to speak to him. Even when he tried to talk, I held my hand up to stop him. This conversation needs to be had with them both here because I really don't want to repeat myself.

Another hour had passed and the sun was setting before Wooyoung finally walked in the door.

"Alright, let's talk." He sat down next to San, looking fresh out of work. Although he was in comfortable clothes, his hair was styled and his makeup had been done professionally. "Hyunjin says you know something we don't."

I tilted my head in confusion. "He didn't tell you?" I looked to San who seemed completely clueless.

"No, he just screamed at me the entire way there." San sighed, wrapping his arm around Wooyoung's shoulder.

Hyunjin needed to let that out. I can only imagine what he said, but I'm sure it was harsh.

"Alright then." I clapped my hands, preparing to tell them what's really going on. "Remember Taemin? I told you guys about him. He was in rehab with Hyunjin." They both nodded. "And remember how I told Hyunjin to try and be friends with him?" And then again. "Worst idea ever. He's a drug dealer that goes into rehabs and sells on the inside. Hyunjin relapsed in August while he was there. He was going to stop the second Taemin left, but then he started visiting as a 'friend'. Giving him the cocaine for free was a strong, manipulative tactic. Taemin looked at it as doing him a huge favor so he'd watch Hyunjin to make sure he actually used it. There was no way out of it. Then when Hyunjin got out of rehab, Taemin wouldn't stop blowing up his phone and asked to see him. So the one day he went out to get your birthday present, he met up with Taemin first to just get it over with. Hyunjin got a price beforehand, but Taemin doubled it. Of course Hyunjin lied and said he didn't have all that money, but he absolutely did, he just wanted to keep it so he had enough for your present. So instead, Taemin made a deal: Hyunjin needs to give him ₩400 thousand the next time he sees him or he's gonna kill him. You can't go to the police because Hyunjin is doing something illegal too, he'll go to jail. I promise you, he doesn't want to do it, but he's scared. We all know Hyunjin is probably the easiest person to manipulate; I don't understand it, he doesn't understand it, but that's how it is."

Wooyoung and San stared blankly, trying to process what they just heard. It's definitely a lot to take in. It somehow always is when it comes to Hyunjin.

"So what now?" Wooyoung seemed so lost. He fidgeted with his engagement ring as he let his thoughts flow through his mind.

"Call the rehab, tell them Taemin isn't allowed to see Hyunjin, and only keep him there for a month. He doesn't need 90 days, a month is plenty." Wooyoung stood up and took his phone out immediately, leaving just me and San. "What did he say to you?" Once we were alone, I felt compelled to ask.

"That he thinks I have it in me to put my hands on Wooyoung." The hurt was evident in his voice. I know for a fact that Hyunjin doesn't believe that. He probably just said it to be dramatic. "I don't need to explain this to you. You see the one you love the most, your initial reaction is to protect them."

"No, you don't need to explain that to me. But what you do need to explain is why you wouldn't get off him when he was screaming, visibly in pain, and downright terrified. Don't give me some bullshit like 'I forgot about New York' because that says a lot about you. Shows that you don't give as much of a shit as you claim because-"

"I'm not his fucking boyfriend, Felix!" He shouted. "I don't have every little fucking detail about him on the forefront of my mind. He's 22 years old, he's not a little kid. Wooyoung and I can't babysit him for the rest of his life. We let him live here, we do what we can to take care of him, but we have our own lives too! I love Hyunjin, he's like my little brother. But don't sit here and tell me this isn't frustrating. How is it that in all the years we've known him, neither of us have ever gotten into a situation like this? We're normal p-"

"Stop yourself before I get really fucking mad right now."

"Defend him all you want, don't defend what he does. Don't lie to yourself either. He needs the help, we're getting it for him. Hyunjin has never coped with anything properly because he can't do anything on his own. If he keeps this up, he'll be a liability."

At that very moment, I saw red.

I got up off the sofa chair and took a decent swing at San's face. Instead of fighting back like I wanted him to, he pulled me in by my waist and restrained my arms.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, struggling the best I could. He loosened his grip immediately, then held my hands down to my sides.

"Felix, you need to relax." San said calmly.

"Don't tell me to relax." I scoffed, insulted that he'd tell me what to do.

Wooyoung had come back from his phone call with the rehab and looked wildly confused. Seeing San holding my hands while standing less than five inches apart from each other is not the best look.

"Deal with him, I can't do it." San looked to Wooyoung and shook his head. He let go of me and walked upstairs without another word.

"Come sit." Wooyoung sighed and patted a spot on the couch. "Did you just punch my fiancé?" He asked very calmly, staring at the lit fireplace. "Because his face wasn't red like that when I left."

"Yeah." I mumbled, feeling small. I'm starting to regret it just a little.

"San is really stressed out right now. Your best bet is to give him some space." He sighed.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" I sat up.

"Get down." He pushed my chest back. "He didn't want anyone knowing, you know San is very private, but his dad died last week from alcohol poisoning. He's not taking it well and he's acting out. He told me yesterday. I'm not trying to excuse his behavior, but he genuinely forgot about what happened with Hyunjin in the moment. He has so many other things on his mind right now. Trust me, he's been beating himself up like crazy since you guys left. San doesn't cry, you know that, but he was a mess."

"I thought all those tissues were yours."

"Nope, his." He shook his head. Now I just felt like the biggest asshole on the planet. If Wooyoung didn't tell me, I never would've known. San has always kept things so secretive because he doesn't like the attention. "They actually spoke on the phone a couple weeks ago for the first time in years." His calm demeanor remained the same as he wiped several tears away. "San told him we got engaged and they made a plan to meet for lunch. He went to the place they said and his dad didn't show for two hours. So instead of going home, he went to the house and found his dad dead on the ground."

"Was he just not gonna tell you?"

He shook his head. "Didn't want me to worry. He's been dealing with all the funeral arrangements himself. I told him I'd pay for everything but he refused."

"Wait, so what happened after he saw his dad?"

"Called the police and they took his body away. San came home that night like nothing happened. I really had no idea. Then last night he just said if he would've cried then, he never would've stopped. So he tried to hold out for as long as possible. But hurting you and Hyunjin just sent him over the edge."

"When's the funeral?"

"I told him to make it on my birthday since that's my only morning off." I sighed. "I pretty much gave him no choice."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. But everything will be okay. Hyunjin will be okay, San will be okay, we'll all be okay." He took a deep breath and stood up from the couch. "The cops are raiding Taemin's house as we speak, by the way."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh yeah, he's fucked. Hyunjin is in the clear too."

"Thank god." I took a huge sigh of relief, feeling a weight lifting off my shoulders.

"I'm gonna go upstairs and see how San is doing. Just breathe, alright? Everything will be okay."