Don't Blame Me || Jeongcheol

Chapter 41

Meanwhile, Seungcheol was pacing in the office once again, his mind whirling as he gathered every scrap of information they could find.

The last thing he wanted was for Jeonghan to go through this alone, but he had learned long ago that you couldn’t rush someone when they were as stubborn as Jeonghan was. He had tried. They had all tried. But Jeonghan had made it clear he wasn’t going to let them in.

The tension in Seungcheol’s chest hadn’t subsided since Jeonghan left the office earlier that day. The promise they had made to protect him no matter what burned in his gut, and he wasn’t about to sit idly by while his friend, his brother, walked into whatever danger was lying in wait.

Mingyu, standing by the desk, was watching him with an almost palpable understanding. “He won’t listen to us, will he?”

Seungcheol’s jaw tightened as he shook his head. “Not this time. But he doesn’t realize what he’s walking into. We need to act fast.”

Joshua, leaning against the far wall, spoke up quietly. “We don’t know the full picture yet. Jeonghan’s been involved in this world before. We need to be sure before we make any more moves. We don’t want to push him into a corner.”

Seungcheol’s gaze was sharp as he turned toward Joshua. “We’ve got to make him see reason. He’s not alone in this anymore. We can’t just let him do this on his own.”

“He's been running from it for so long." Woozi added, his voice quieter than usual. "This is the world he’s trying to leave behind, and that’s what’s making him so stubborn. He doesn’t want us to get hurt because of him.”

Seungcheol clenched his fists, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “But that’s not going to happen. Not this time.” His voice was thick with determination.

Mingyu moved closer, placing a hand on Seungcheol’s shoulder. “We know you care about him, Boss. But he’s been through hell. If you push too hard, it could make things worse for everyone.”

Seungcheol’s eyes softened for a brief moment as he met Mingyu’s gaze. “I know. I know. But I can’t just sit here and wait. We’ve got to find out who’s doing this and stop it before it’s too late.”

Joshua stepped forward, his tone calm yet serious. “And we will. But we’ve got to do it carefully. We need to figure out who’s pulling the strings before we make any drastic moves. Otherwise, we’ll only end up pushing Jeonghan further away.”

Seungcheol took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he tried to temper the burning urgency in his chest. “You’re right. I can’t let my emotions get the best of me. But we’re running out of time.”

Back at the penthouse, Jeonghan stood in front of the window, staring out into the night. The city lights flickered below, but all he could think about was Hanuel. He had to protect him. Whatever came next, Hanuel couldn’t be dragged into this mess. Jeonghan knew that his past was coming back for him, but he couldn’t he wouldn’t let it take his son.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sharp ring of his phone. He glanced at the screen, the familiar number flashing across it. It was the contact he had just spoken to earlier the one who was going to help him navigate the dangerous world he had left behind.

He pressed the phone to his ear.

“I’ve got some information for you.” the voice on the other end said, sounding clipped and cautious. “But I need you to meet me. It’s too dangerous to talk over the phone.”

Jeonghan’s stomach twisted with unease. He wasn’t sure if he could trust this person completely, but he had no choice. He needed answers.

“Where?” Jeonghan asked, trying to keep his voice steady.