𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞 || 𝐉𝐉 & 𝐊𝐃 ||

Chapter 5: Deliberation

TIMESTAMP: 14:28 (2:28 PM)

Location: Heesung's Home

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Inside his luxurious white and light neutral-toned abode, Heesung stared boredly at his phone, glazing over yet another 'threatening' email from his father's attorney.

Rolling his eyes and letting out an exasperated sigh, he moved the email to the trash, tossing his phone into the coffee table in front of him and rubbing his glabella.

Just then his phone vibrated, picking it back up to see a text from Kim Dan telling him to 'open his door'.

Heesung could only hope that it was good news and not something that would require a lump sum of money and slick talking per usual.

At a steady pace, he entered his foyer and opened the door, giving a grin to his partner who looked a bit flustered, holding a takeout bag in one hand and two folders in the other.

"Hm, you know you could've saved yourself trouble and just had me come down to the office." Heesung gleefully chirped, closing the door behind Dan as they headed to his dining room to eat and do some work.

"Yeah well," Dan huffed, placing the stuff down, eyeing Heesung as he brought them two bottles of water, "I was closest to your place than I was the office when I got the food,"

"Besides, our workload has officially doubled."

Heesung raised his brows in intriguement, taking a seat as the crinkle of the bag sounded beside his voice,

"So I take it that it was another proposition?"

Dan opened the folder, sliding it over so Heesung could take a good look at the load they needed to take care of, "We have to ship all of this and have Mr.Joo get his confirmation from his people in the U.S by Sunday."

"If we do, we can be sure that business with him is guaranteed."

Heesung gave Dan a knowing look, "I will handle cash flow as promised."

"But I can't assist you in this one."

Almost instantaneously did Dan's brows quickly dip, before coming back to their former position, "Seriously?"

Dan tilted his head, finding himself bubbling with annoyance in Heesung's sudden refusal to participate, "Please don't do this to me. Have you already forgotten what this man did to his last shipper who couldn't keep up with what was promised?"

"Of course I haven't," Heesung answered, taking a bite of his meal, "But, certain issues have come up and I need to go ghost again otherwise I fear our issues won't just be with Mr.Joo."

Dan swallowed thickly, taking meager bites out of his food, "Family again..?"

Heesung raised his brows quickly before dropping them, "Another threat, but I don't care for it,"

"I refuse to feed that man anymore of my attention, but he simply can't understand that so it's back into hiding I guess."

"You say hiding, as if you aren't going to your beachfront home in Hyeopjae," Dan playfully scoffed, "Perhaps visit a few clubs, enjoy a couple of bottles?"

A rather smug hum reverberated in Heesung's throat, thinking about the past two or three occasions he'd done just that.

"It's not easy, but someone has to do it."

"Right, of course," Dan nodded, "As long as the transactions are settled, I should be able to handle things on my own."

"Of course," Heesung nodded along, as he gazed at Dan who was taking another bite, "You always do."

"Honestly, I think we should have that talk again."

Dan let out a slight grunt, dropping his chopsticks and quickly reaching out to take a sip of water, "Heesung-,"

"I'm serious," Heesung tossed his hands up, "This business really is like a hobby for me, and besides, we both know you could handle the money, the people and the routes. You just choose not to."

Dan rubbed his eyebrows, choosing to push around his food as his appetite was beginning to fade despite him barely eating the entire day.

"There's too much at stake if I were to take over," Dan reminded, "Don't forget there's a reason we agreed for you to be the sole face of the company."

"I can't afford to be known like that, especially in the underworld."

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest at the idea of his identity becoming known to certain people in the darkest corners of business.

"If things work out well with Mr.Joo, you'll have his name attached to you and you know they do say there can be power in words." Heesung suggested, earning a look from Dan.

"Even though you say you don't like Mr.Joo, you sure do like to say that him and I could be good partners," Dan pointed out, "How come?"

"Are you tired of working with me?"

He watched Heesung bark out a laugh, picking up his own water and taking a large gulp before giving Dan a knowing glance.

"Absolutely not," Heesung responded as if the idea was so ludicrous to even be put in their airspace. "I still owe you a great deal, knowing what was at stake for you all those years ago."

"I merely encourage you to find someone who even though I hate, I have to admit is stronger than me and can provide better security than I can."

"And the man who has no probably threatening our lives can provide it?" Dan raised his brows, finding that honestly to be a ridiculous and backwards statement, "You gave me a job and gave me a place to stay,"

"That in itself is more than enough for me."

"Barely." Heesung affirmed, "That's all lowly stuff, I can do over and over again even in my sleep. But thanks to you, I have more money than I could've possibly imagine."

"And I could've lost it all if you didn't do what you did."

"And I could have lost my life if you didn't do what you did." Dan muttered out, his eyes pinned to the table.

Whenever he thought too deeply into his past, he found himself beginning to disassociate. Life just felt so surreal that things could turn and twist like this.

Every breath, every blink, every beat of his heart just made him feel so strange.

Guilt lingered within him, even though he wasn't sure why he felt it.

Snapping out of it, he took another small bite, eyeing Heesung who'd gone back to looking over at the folder and the inventory list.

"When and not if, Jaekyung finally approves, I want you to become the sole head of our company. No exceptions." Heesung stated, "I'm ready to let go of it."

"Find my soulmate and continue to enjoy my 95 million inheritance from my mother, knowing my father can't even touch it."

Heesung might've remained somewhat as an enigma to Dan, but he was more than just happy to have him in his life.