𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞 || 𝐉𝐉 & 𝐊𝐃 ||

Chapter 16: Dependent

TIMESTAMP: 04:22 (4:22 AM)

Location: Kim Dan's Home

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Kim Dan stared at the hardwood flooring beneath him. Dark droplets accumulate into tiny pools in between his legs. His eyesight had gone incredibly blurry, feeling his temples throb in pure agony as he tried to refocus them.

How long had he been trapped like this? Bound up with ropes and taking beating after beating every hour or so.

From what he could tell, there were probably three or maybe four goons in his luxury apartment and just one boss.

A flat huff escaped his swollen lips as he observed how that one small droplet of blood had fused and gotten l span of seconds.

" Jaekyung isn't behind this."

As morbid as it sounded, he honestly was beginning to wish it was the raven-haired man who was orchestrating this. At least then, he knew he'd likely have some chance of survival.

His voice had gone hoarse, tasting warm iron at the back of his throat. His legs stung as he adjusted his seating position. "...What more does he want from me...?" Dan croaked out, earning partial attention from the individuals in his living room.

"Sorry to break it to you, Danny Boy, but shit's changed now." The main assailant hummed, as Dan could just barely eye the partial scorpion tattoo on the man's somewhat unbuttoned white top. "We all were stunned to know you're still kicking. Even after everything."

The noxious scent of cigar smoke started to permeate around the battered brunette as heavy footsteps approached him, and he was now face-to-face with his potential killer.

"You see, it would've been smart for you to hide away, maybe go down to a cruddy town far away from here and live the rest of your life," The main assailant snidely remarked. "But you just had to go and make shit difficult, huh?"

Dan let out a wince as his hair was yanked, his face coming closer as he was faced with beady eyes and the astringent scent that made his nose burn.

"Working with Joo Jaekyung, hm? Now why the hell would you think that's such a smart idea, KPD?"

Dan bit his lips, shutting his eyes entirely. His body felt just about ready to give out on him.

Maybe he should.

Maybe he should give himself up to that exhaustive force and just take whatever came next. At least, while unconscious, he wouldn't be aware enough to know he was being ridiculed any further. And if push came to shove, then he at least wouldn't have to count down to his last moment on this miserable planet.

Yeah.

Dan gritted his teeth. "Y-you're right. I probably shouldn't be working with him. Joo Jaekyung."

"But are we sure this is about him and not about him getting his way with me again? Is he really that ticked that I'm working with his son and helping to withhold those funds?"

Dan ticked his jaw. "At this point, it doesn't matter. I've given in to Jaekyung. He's sunk his teeth into me, and with his big plans, I doubt he'll release me anytime soon. Alive anyway."

He could hear ominous laughter reverberate around the room, and seconds later a clap sounded in the room.

Kim Dan's cheek stung as his tongue licked against it inside his mouth.

"Cocky little whore." The main assailant mumbled. "Do you think that pussy bastard is good enough for anything? He tried to stop me before, but here I am, still committing to business, as usual."

Dan let out a hiss as he felt a breeze come in contact with one of the numerous cuts and bruises on his body.

Before he could make another brazen comment, the room fell silent.

The only sound that followed was the quiet thud of the main assailant's cigar dropping to the floor and the familiar clicking sound of a gun's safety being turned off.

Dan's hair was released, and the brunette could hardly make out his assailant's face as he rose from ground level. His attention was no longer on Kim Dan but rather on the main door.

The city lights pouring into the room didn't help the awry feeling suddenly jolting Kim Dan's spine. A clack sounded, then another.

"You really can't seem to keep my name out of your mouth, huh, Booker?"

Dan felt himself freeze. The adrenaline that once kept him going was fading as a deep, familiar, and albeit terrifying voice sounded from the main door.

Kim Dan's mouth moved before he could even process it.

Faced with a dark living room and the assailants no longer on his side, he was utterly positive someone else was in his home.

"J-jaekyung..." Dan wheezed out, gradually tilting his head towards the main door of his home.

A shadowy figure, dressed in black attire and what Dan assumed was a heavy fur jacket draped around their massive shoulders.

"I handled you the first time and told you to mind your own, and what do you come to do, Randy Booker?" Jakeyung started, his gaze unwavering despite the scene in front of him. "Do I need to wipe you away from existence like a stain for you to learn not to test me?"

"It's just business." Randy, the now uncovered assailant, huffed, unamused at Jaekyung's sudden and rather quiet appearance at the home. "I've got shit to handle in order to succeed. Stay out of it, pretty boy."

"That makes two of us then. I've got major business plans in motion, and at this moment, with you harassing and beating my shipper, you're interfering with the shitload of money I'm about to make." Jaekyung snapped back, his gaze now lowering and turning practically murderous. "I don't know why you think this was a good idea, but let me be clear that it wasn't."

"Talk, talk, talk—that's all I ever hear from—," Randy began, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as a loud bang sounded, followed by a heavy thud.

"Move." Jaekyung hissed, as Dan could only imagine how the Don looked at this moment, speaking to Booker's men.

Rushed footsteps exited his apartment, and Dan could only find it slightly amusing how these so-called goons were so proud of taking a defenseless him down, but now that they were faced with someone they considered a bit real, they didn't even try to put up a fight.

"You." Jaekyung's voice rang gutturally. Without a doubt in Dan's head, he knew Jaekyung was talking to him. "Get the fuck up."

Dan would've. Without a moment of hesitation, either under normal circumstances, as he just knew that Joo Jaekyung was likely seething.

He was too calm in comparison to his previous outbursts and the situations that went along with them. Either that or he was just completely used to it and had withdrawn himself from the scene in front of him.

Dan swallowed harshly, shaking his head in defeat.

"C-can't."