Red Notice // seungjin

Prologue

It doesn't matter what you do, it only matters what they think. That's what they told him when they snatched him. Comfort was something he had to teach himself. No one spared a glance at his busted lip, black eye, or his fractured arm. They only concerned themselves whether he was breathing or not. Other than that, they didn't indulge themselves any further.

He was five when they took him. He was quietly sitting on the sidewalk underneath a small overhang from a coffee shop, sheltering himself from the rain. That was when he mistakenly locked eyes with a couple. If he could see the future, he would've burned holes onto the concrete below him instead. He saw them whispering amongst each other as they slowly crept towards him. However the five year old wasn't stupid. He knew better than to continue to sit there when he saw the couple's intention plastered on their face. He got up and sprinted in the rain and swerved through the people on the streets.

He made an abrupt turn into an alleyway but clicked his teeth when he noticed it was a dead end. Quickly pivoting on his feet, he headed back to the main road but before he could, someone already had their hands on him. There was a third one. He gritted his teeth and thrashed in the boy's hold.

"Get your hands off me!" The boy squirmed.

The blonde flinched at the sudden volume but his hold still remained. "It's either you or me. And we both know how selfish humans are."

"And we know how desperate they can be." He shot back as he elbowed the blonde as he ran again. Only to have his escape route blocked by two figures.

"Ethan, this is disappointing," A woman's voice was heard. "You couldn't even handle a kid smaller than you."

"You can't expect us to believe you can take over the family business after this." Another voice was heard, this time a man's.

The targeted boy took this chance to slip through them but another figure appeared. The figure quickly picked him up by the shirt and huffed. "Boss, I got the kid."

"Splendid." They two adults responded as they made their way to their car.

Another one?! The captured child internally groaned. That many for one child?! Depressing. Those were his last thoughts before they knocked him out.

(time skip)

Steady drips of water from a broken pipe could be heard somewhere in a corner. The air was damp and humid. Moreover, the cloth over his head stenched like no other. The ropes that bound his hands started to burn and his head hurted like hell.

"Get this disgusting rag off of me." He spat.

He heard heels clunk towards him. He then felt cold fingers ghost over his neck, hovering in debate as to whether they should choke him or not. Letting the thought go, they ripped the fabric over his head and smacked him instead. "You're in no position to demand. Understand the situation you're in."

He turned back his head and stared at the lady in front of him. "I've been through this more than I can count." He lazily started. "You won't kill me..." He paused, thinking of possible outcomes that could play out. "Yet. And I truly hope this time someone succeeds in sending my soul into the depths of hell."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Miss, I'm putting in a formal request." He smiled.

Before she could get another word in, another woman walked into the room. "Boss, they aren't responding to the demands."

"They need a heir. They'll respond soon." She quickly dismissed her lackey.

The lady hummed as she walked out of the room, leaving the two alone again.