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11. Back To Business

"These stitches aren't bad, actually." The doctor said as he examined Taeyong's wound. "As a temporary fix, I'd say whoever put them in did a good job. I'm still going to have to take them out though because the material will accumulate bacteria and lead to infection. I will just use an adhesive to keep it closed since it has already started to heal."

Taeyong laid on the couch with his shirt up, waiting for the doctor to finish. The other men stood around and watched, curious of the extent of his injury and relieved that it wasn't anything major.

"Who put those stitches in, hyung? Do you have a doctor friend we don't know about?" Winwin asked as he watched the doctor carefully remove the thread.

"It was some girl." Ten answered. "He doesn't want to talk about it."

"Ohhhh" the others all exclaimed in unison.

"That sounds suspicious." Doyoung added.

Taeyong ignored them as he watched the doctor apply the adhesive.

"This lack of response is somehow more suspicious." He said as he planted himself on the other end of the couch.

"Maybe that's why he didn't come home right away." Jaehyun smirked.

"And why he said not to bother him while he was gone." Winwin giggled.

The doctor finished and Taeyong stood up and fixed his clothes.

"It's time to go." He said, not acknowledging any of their comments. He shrugged into his coat and left the room, ready to get in the car and go.

"Interesting." Doyoung smiled before they all followed after him.

Taeyong climbed into the passenger seat while Ten drove and the other three sat together in the back seat. The long ride was quiet as they passed the busy city streets and the sun hung low on the edge of the horizon when the scenery changed to open green fields and sparce trees. They tried not to remind themselves that this was the best kind of place to lose a body as they made their way to the place where their punishment would be decided for their previous failure.

A large elegant house began to take shape under the moonlight ahead of them. The men in the back couldn't sit still in their seats as they sped closer.

"Don't worry too much, we're just going to talk. There's no need to be nervous." Taeyong noticed their restlessness and tried to comfort them.

The car pulled up to the front of the house. It was eerily quiet and empty outside. As lifeless as it seemed, they all knew there were plenty of people around, waiting and watching from the shadows. This place was huge and elaborate and not discrete, but it was like an impenetrable fortress that protected the sole inhabitant that waited for them inside. No matter what happened tonight, they already knew that they couldn't run and they couldn't fight. They were entering for their judgement and knew there was no way to escape it.

They got out of the car and walked through the front door, knowing they were expected. The entrance was an elaborate archway with huge pillars on either side. It lead into an enormous room with marble floors and a grand staircase on each side that led up and met in the middle. A crystal chandelier hung high in the center from the vaulted ceiling and fierce dragon statues flowed along the frame of the wide doorway nestled on the opposite wall between the staircases.

They were familiar with this place and had been here many times before, but it never got any less intimidating. They followed the elegant patterned rug that led into the room ahead of them in single file, their breathing shallow from anxiousness.

Taeyong led the way, stopping in the middle of the room as the four others flanked him, two on each side. They stood before an older man behind a big dark-stained desk with his hands folded together on top, wearing a gray suit. Lee Soo Man. Head of the Sungnyemun (South Gate) family and Taeyong's puppeteer. The one who would, without a doubt, make him pay for his losses.

They bowed and greeted him in unison, catching glimpses of the middle aged, thuggish looking men that sat casually on either side of the room. They stayed silent after the greeting, waiting for him to address them.

"Taeyong. It's good to see you are alive."

"Thank you, hyungnim."

"I am only saying so because you know that you now owe a very big debt to me." He leaned back in his chair and laid his hands on the armrests at his sides. "It seems that you delivered the product but failed to get payment. It was quite a large shipment and as you know, the responsibility falls solely on you since it was you who was leading the transaction. I can't have you dying before I get what is owed to me. "

"Yes, hyungnim. I accept full responsibility."

"I heard you were injured." His eyes scanned Taeyong up and down. "You seem perfectly fine to me, so I expect you to take care of this immediately. I will accept no less than double what was taken from me or their lives. If you can't deliver within one week, it's your life that will serve as payment. You have never disappointed me before, Taeyong. I will be heartbroken if you do now."

"Yes, hyungnim. I will not fail again."

They bowed to him again and left the way they came in. Scornful eyes of the men watching from the sides followed them out. The rest of the elders never liked the way Taeyong was rarely punished and likely felt that Soo Man was being far too lenient on him. He hardly ever gave anyone a second chance and granting Taeyong this opportunity to make up for his mistake surely stamped "boss's favorite" on his forehead for everyone to plainly see.

"Oh my god!" Ten dramatically exhaled with a groan as they got back into the car. "I really thought we were going to die. That was scary!"

"I can't believe we had to drive all the way over here just for that. Can't he just call you? At least he could make us some tea or something, damn." Doyoung grumbled.

Jaehyun nudged him hard with his elbow and glared at him. "So what do we do now, hyung?" He asked, turning his attention to Taeyong.

"We do what we were ordered to, like always." He answered bleakly.

"How? Those bastards aren't just going to hand us over what they took, much less double."

"Then they will pay with their lives, like hyungnim said."

"So, what? We're just gonna randomly pick them off in the streets then? We only have a week, hyung. We have to do better than that." Doyoung interjected.

"No, that wouldn't be good enough, anyway. I'll give them a choice, at least...between paying up or losing something bigger."

"What do you mean?"

Taeyong stared at the road in front of them. Not at the scenery that whirred by them in a blur, but straight ahead, steady and unwavering in the decision he'd already made and ready to move forward no matter the cost. Just what he was made for...just what he's good at.

"Find the little one tomorrow and bring him to me."