The Whispers (Underworld 6) VK

44: Take A Break

Moonbin jolted awake as a loud, heavy knock echoed through his apartment, shattering the early morning silence. His heart raced as he hurried to the door, wondering who would be at his place at such an hour. When he opened the door, he froze.

Standing there, eyes blazing with an intensity that could burn through steel, was none other than Boo Sungmin, Seungkwan's older brother. Sungmin's face was set in an expression Moonbin had never seen before—cold, calculating, and radiating fury. There was something terrifyingly calm about him, but beneath that calmness, Moonbin sensed a simmering rage, barely contained.

"S-Sungmin?" Moonbin stammered, already feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. "What... what brings you here?"

Sungmin took a step closer, his jaw clenched tightly. "Where. Is. Seungkwan?" His words came out low and measured, each syllable laced with an anger that was barely held back. His eyes bore into Moonbin's, searching for answers.

Moonbin's throat went dry. He knew there was no hiding the truth, but he hesitated, not wanting to be the one to betray Seungkwan's confidence. He shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Sungmin's piercing gaze. "Uh... h-he's... well, you know, he's around..." he mumbled, grasping for words.

Sungmin's hand shot out, grabbing Moonbin's shoulder in a vise-like grip. "Don't even think about lying to me," he growled, his face mere inches from Moonbin's, his eyes narrowed with cold precision. "I'm only going to ask one more time: where. Is. My. Brother?"

Moonbin swallowed hard, feeling his stomach twist in knots. "O-okay, okay," he whispered, voice barely above a whisper. "Look, I... I didn't mean to keep this from you. But... he's not in the dorms anymore. He... he moved in with someone." Moonbin winced as he said the words, dreading Sungmin's reaction.

Sungmin's eyes darkened. He released Moonbin and took a step back, exhaling slowly, his fists clenched. "And this 'someone'... I have a feeling I know exactly who that is." He let out a bitter laugh, void of humor. "Hansol. Choi Hansol, right?"

Moonbin looked away, unable to meet Sungmin's gaze. "Yes..." he whispered, almost as if saying it any louder would make things worse. "Hansol... they're together."

Sungmin clenched his jaw so hard Moonbin was surprised it didn't crack. His eyes blazed with an intensity Moonbin had rarely seen, and he took a deep, measured breath, clearly trying to control the rage boiling within him. "I knew something was wrong the second I saw those photos. I thought maybe, just maybe, they were fake. That some sick joke was being played on me. But this?" He laughed again, the sound harsh and laced with bitterness. "Seungkwan, my own brother, moving in with a gangster? He didn't even think to tell me?"

Moonbin stepped back instinctively as Sungmin's anger seemed to radiate off him in waves. "H-he wanted to tell you, Sungmin. I'm sure he just... he just didn't know how," he said, desperately trying to defend his friend. "He... really loves Hansol. You should see them together. They're... they're good for each other."

"Good for each other?" Sungmin's voice was sharp and dangerous, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Moonbin. "You think my baby brother, my Seungkwan, belongs with someone like Hansol? Someone who's tangled up in the Midnight gang?"

Moonbin could feel the weight of Sungmin's anger pressing down on him. "Look, Sungmin, I know this isn't what you wanted. And I know you're scared for Seungkwan. But Hansol... he really cares about him. He wouldn't let anything happen to him. He's... he's not what you think."

Sungmin took a step closer, his expression hard and unyielding. "You don't know him like I do. You don't know what men like him are capable of, Moonbin." He paused, his gaze growing even colder. "Seungkwan is my brother. My responsibility. And I will not let him ruin his life because he thinks he's 'in love' with a gangster."