Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 59

 The Breaking Point

The tension in the air was suffocating as Woozi yanked his wrist away from Hoshi's grip, his fiery glare locking onto the older man. "Fine," he spat, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and betrayal. "If you won't tell me, I'll find out myself. But don't think I'll forgive you for keeping this from me." His eyes shimmered with unshed tears, his voice laced with both fury and pain.

Hoshi reached for him again, his tone softer but still pleading. "Jihoon, I'll tell you. Just... not now. Please. Not here."

Before Woozi could retort, the sound of wheels squeaking against the floor interrupted them. Everyone turned as a stretcher carrying Jeonghan was wheeled out of the operating room. The sight of him made all their words falter.

Jeonghan lay pale and fragile, his face partially obscured by the oxygen mask strapped over his mouth and nose. IV lines and monitors connected to him, tracking his shallow breaths. He seemed so small, so vulnerable, like a ghost of the vibrant person they all knew.

The sight hit them like a punch to the gut. Woozi felt his knees weaken, but he didn't move. Minghao clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as fury overtook his grief. The group, silent and heavy-hearted, followed the stretcher as it was taken to a private recovery room.

Once Jeonghan was settled, the room became a picture of strained silence. Everyone was scattered around, too weighed down by emotions to speak. Dino sat beside Jeonghan's bed, his small hand tightly clutching Jeonghan's uninjured one. Tears continued to roll down his cheeks, but his grip was steady, as though anchoring himself to the older man. The sight was almost too much for Joshua, who stood nearby. His chest tightened painfully, realizing just how much Jeonghan meant to the boy.

Breaking the silence, Minghao's voice cut through like a blade. "Enough of this." His tone was sharp, his eyes glaring daggers at Jun. "Explain. Now. No more dodging, no more lies." His teeth were gritted, his restraint barely holding back the storm brewing inside him.

Jun hesitated, his gaze darting to Hoshi and Wonwoo. They exchanged tense looks before giving Jun the smallest of nods. Jun swallowed hard and took a deep breath before speaking, his voice low and deliberate.

"The truth... is a lot to take in. But you all deserve to know." He paused, his eyes briefly landing on Dino before continuing. "Jeonghan got involved with us because of Seungcheol."

"Who's Seungcheol?" Woozi asked, his tone sharp and accusatory.

"Seungcheol is our leader," Jun admitted, his voice steady but heavy. "The leader of our group—S.V.T. It's a gang." Gasps rippled through the room, but Jun pushed on. "He met Jeonghan by chance, and... he fell for him."

Minghao scoffed, his anger palpable. "A gang leader? He fell for him? And that somehow makes all of this okay?"

"Let me finish," Jun snapped, his tone uncharacteristically firm. "Viktor, the man who hurt Jeonghan, had been threatening him. Seungcheol knew Jeonghan would never be safe if he stayed out here, so he made the decision to take Jeonghan to the mansion—to protect him. It wasn't just about Seungcheol's feelings. It was about keeping Jeonghan alive."

Joshua frowned, his expression conflicted. "And what happened after that?"

Jun's gaze softened. "Jeonghan was scared at first, but... he grew close to us. To all of us. Seungcheol loved him, and he loved Seungcheol. Dino—" Jun gestured to the boy sitting by Jeonghan's bedside. "Dino got attached to him, too. Jeonghan became family to us."

"And Viktor?" Woozi pressed, his voice ice-cold. "Why was he even after Jeonghan?"

"Viktor saw Jeonghan as leverage. A way to get to us," Jun admitted. "Seungcheol thought he could end it by signing a deal with Viktor. The terms were that Viktor would leave Jeonghan alone if Seungcheol let him go back to his life here."