Twilight of Shadows

Chapter 23: The Shadows of the Past

The news hit like a thunderbolt. Six-month-old Dino, their precious baby, was gone. Jeonghan’s screams echoed through the house as Mingyu tore apart their home, looking for any sign of their son. The crib was empty, the blanket crumpled, and Dino’s favorite stuffed bunny lay on the floor as if mocking them.

Mingyu clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with rage. "This is Kwan," he growled. "He’s crossed the line."

Jeonghan stood frozen, his legs barely able to hold him up. Tears streamed down his face as guilt clawed at him. This wasn’t just about Dino; this was about his past—a past he had kept hidden for too long.

"I’m sorry," Jeonghan whispered, his voice breaking.

Mingyu turned to him, confused and furious. "Sorry? What are you talking about, Jeonghan? This isn’t your fault!"

But Jeonghan shook his head violently, collapsing into a chair. "You don’t understand. It is my fault."

---

The Confession

Mingyu crouched in front of him, gripping his shoulders tightly. "Tell me what you’re talking about," he demanded, his tone sharp but desperate.

Jeonghan took a shaky breath, his chest heaving as he tried to find the words. "Kwan and I… we were married," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

The room went silent. Mingyu blinked, struggling to process the revelation. "Married?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.

Jeonghan nodded, his hands trembling. "It was years ago. I didn’t have a choice. My family… they sold me to him. He saw me as a possession, something to flaunt. But I ran away. I couldn’t live like that."

Mingyu stared at him, the pieces slowly falling into place. "You ran away," he echoed, his voice softening.

Jeonghan nodded, tears spilling down his cheeks. "He tried to control me, to break me. But I escaped. And when I ran, I ended up in a place where… where someone sold me off again. That’s how I ended up here, in your world."

Mingyu’s jaw tightened, his anger redirected. "That bastard took everything from you," he said, his voice shaking with fury.

"There’s more," Jeonghan choked out. "Kwan had concubines. One of them—Soo Young—was jealous of me. She poisoned me."

Mingyu’s eyes widened. "Poisoned you?"

Jeonghan nodded, his voice cracking. "That’s why I’ve been weak, why I’ve been sick. She wanted me dead. Kwan didn’t care enough to stop her. When I ran, I thought I’d escaped all of it. But he’s back, Mingyu. And now he has Dino."

---

The Weight of Guilt

Jeonghan buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with sobs. "It’s my fault Dino’s gone," he cried. "If I hadn’t been so selfish, if I’d just stayed with Kwan—"

"Stop," Mingyu interrupted, his voice firm but gentle. He pulled Jeonghan into his arms, holding him tightly. "This is not your fault. You didn’t ask for any of this. Kwan is the monster here, not you."

Jeonghan clung to him, his body trembling. "But what if we don’t get Dino back?"

Mingyu’s grip tightened. "We will," he said fiercely. "I’ll bring him back, Jeonghan. I swear to you, I’ll bring him back."

---

Planning the Rescue

As night fell, Mingyu called in every favor he was owed, rallying allies who despised the Syndicate as much as he did. Meanwhile, Jeonghan sat in Dino’s nursery, clutching the stuffed bunny to his chest and whispering prayers to the heavens.

When Taehyung and Seokjin arrived, they wasted no time stepping in. "We’ll do whatever it takes," Taehyung said, his usually soft demeanor replaced with steely resolve.

Mingyu nodded, his mind racing with strategies. "Kwan thinks he’s untouchable. But he’s underestimated us. He’s underestimated me."

Seokjin placed a reassuring hand on Jeonghan’s shoulder. "You’re not alone in this," he said. "We’re family. And we protect our own."

---

A Message from Kwan

The next morning, a package arrived. Inside was one of Dino’s onesies, stained with something red that made Jeonghan’s blood run cold. There was also a note, written in Kwan’s elegant, mocking script:

"Come back to me, Jeonghan. Bring yourself, or lose the boy."

Jeonghan felt his heart shatter. But before he could spiral further, Mingyu grabbed the note and crumpled it in his fist.

"That’s it," Mingyu said, his voice a low growl. "We’re ending this. No more running, no more hiding. We’re taking Dino back, and we’re taking Kwan down for good."

Jeonghan looked at him, his fear replaced by determination. "I’m coming with you," he said firmly.

Mingyu hesitated but saw the fire in Jeonghan’s eyes. "Fine," he said. "But we do this together."

As they prepared for the fight of their lives, one thing was clear: they wouldn’t stop until Dino was safe, and Kwan’s reign of terror was over.