𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞 || 𝐉𝐉 & 𝐊𝐃 ||

Chapter 14: Hushed

TIMESTAMP: 13:24 (1:24 PM)

Location: Livi International Shipping Headquarters

.

.

.

A whole week had passed following that night.

Dan and Jaekyung had kept relatively neutral contact as typical business carried on per usual.

Presently, the former was situated inside one of the small conference rooms of the shipping Headquarters. With his laptop opened to quarterly reports and his notebook flipped to the amount of converted piers they'd acquired for transfer, Kim Dan had kept himself busy.

Despite Jaekyung's rather intimidating and albeit taunting messages, Dan didn't want to let that be the reason he was deterred from making progress.

He was good at this job, and despite the first few bumps in the road, Dan wanted to prove to everyone that he was worthy of it.

Even if he might've had some slight doubts.

His auburn gaze shifted from his laptop to white oak door that suddenly swung open, revealing his actual partner that had been missing in action for some time now.

"I've got the ramen!" Heesung hummed elatedly, returning from the staff kitchen a floor down, setting the steam cups of instant ramen onto the table, "Made it specially."

Dan raised his brows, the spicy yet savory scent of the chili oil Heesung had used slowly filling the room, "Thank you,"

"Although, I take it you making it specially has something to do with your apology for leaving me to do things like that all on my own?"

Heesung gave him a sly look, "Oh, Dan! Why can't we just leave that in the past? I mean, you met Jaekyung's expectations just fine, and now true business is underway and might I add, is flourishing."

Dan let out an "uh-huh." Sliding his ramen cup closer and picking up the chopsticks, gently playing with his noodles, "Enough about me, how are things going regarding your father?"

Heesung rolled his eyes, "I don't even want to go there."

"Came home to a thick envelope placed in my mailbox, with a bunch of unnecessary documents all requesting that we actually meet and him attempting to loophole his way into getting the money."

Dan swallowed thickly, taking a small bite of the noodles, "Clearly, he doesn't want to give up without a fight."

"You're telling me," Heesung sighed in annoyance, "I burnt those papers, and seeing as how my attorney is out for the month, I'll just keep burning anything else that comes until I can finally settle this dispute."

Dan gazed at his computer, checking the time before giving Heesung his own little words of encouragement, "That does sound like the better option, avoiding real contact til it can legally be settled."

Heesung nodded in agreement, "Agreed. And at the very least, I'm just glad he hasn't tried to harass you, either."

"Cutting him off was one thing, but I was worried he may try to get to you, considering your role in all of this. That restraining order clearly did its job."

A blank face flashed on Kim Dan's face, quickly plastering on a convincingly false smile to Heesung, "R-right. I'm thankful for that as well."

Oh, now who was Kim Dan kidding?

Restraining orders only work for normal civilians. People who get restraining orders placed on them typically don't abide by them unless they are average, but for a big shot like Heesung's father, he didn't have to physically get to Dan or contact him.

No, he had the luxury of sending his little lackies.

Within this past week, aside from the initial assault, Kim Dan had been confronted one more time, although it was more supposed to be eerie than painful as he had arrived in his car one morning and saw a little straw figure that resembled him, with a gnarly dot in the middle.

A simple note was placed, verbatim: "Second warning. Thrice and you're done for."

Kim Dan was almost 99% positive that this had to have been the work of Heesung's father, but there was a small part of him questioning if Joo Jaekyung was behind this. Another test.

It's not like Jaekyung hadn't planned another surprise test for Dan resulting in the latter being held at gunpoint then later getting backhanded praise for telling the truth.

For all he knew Jaekyung could be testing to see Dan's loyalty. If he would stop operations simply because he was threatened. Well, Kim Dan would've had the right mind to do so.

But with so much as risk, especially considering Jaekyung didn't hesitate to threaten Heesung's life the first time around, it was clear to him that he just couldn't.

Snapping him out of his train of thoughts, Dan looked down at his phone, seeing a text notification from Yoon-gu, who let him know he was in the building.

Quickly texting him to meet on the conference room floor, Dan looked at Heesung who eyed his own cellular device excitedly.

"My favorite chow chow is here." Heesung snickered, standing up from his seat, "Let me go properly greet him."

Dan gave Heesung a knowing expression, "Heesung. Yoon-gu is here for work, how about you don't do what I think you plan on really doing?"

Heesung gave Dan a relaxed smile, grabbing onto the handle of the door, "Trust me, this is completely necessary. We didn't properly interact while in Hyeopjae, so now is clearly the best time for us to speak."

Before Dan could make his protests, Heesung had already bolted out and shut the door with a loud thud, leaving him there.

With a long, drawn out exasperated sigh, Dan pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head wondering why he even bothered anymore.

Slurping some of the soup of his ramen, Dan turned back to his phone that seemed to ding with another notification.

Speak, or rather in Kim Dan's case, think of the devil and he shall make himself known. A text from Jaekyung, telling him to head over to the company when Yoon-gu comes by.

Dan furrowed his brows, picking up his phone and deciding to send a message of his own.

"I have other business prospects to take care of, so I might just send Heesung now that he's back."

Not even able to put his phone down did Kim Dan immediately get a call from the don himself.

An immediate wave of nervousness went down his body as he accepted the call and pressed it to his ear, listening to a gruff voice come on.

"Let me go ahead and make two things fucking clear to you, Kim Dan," Jaekyung harshly sounded, "First of all, unless I ask, I'll be giving all orders and suggestions and you'll be the one to follow them. Secondly, let me find out you're working with other people and I'll see to it you end up like my last shipper."

Without Dan even getting to let out a breath and make his own point, Jaekyung had hung up the phone.

It was clear to Kim Dan why he was the Don.

Joo Jaekyung didn't leave any room for anyone.