No one in the car reacted for a full minute, not clearly assimilating Ten's words. It was YangYang, back at the headquarters, who spoke first. Well, more like yelled, actually.
"What?" he exclaimed.
His voice seemed to be enough to snap the others out of their thoughts, and soon, they all tried to get a hold of Ten's binoculars to see for themselves.
"Are you sure that's him?"
"Do you know many people who'd wear a scarf by this heat?" Ten sassed, rolling his eyes.
Truth was, he was as shocked as the others.
"But wasn't he supposed to be dead, though...?"
"That's what we all thought."
"YangYang, can you listen to their conversation?" Kun asked, trying to ignore all the voices in the back of the car.
"Don't be silly," Winwin said, "he might be great at his job, but YangYang is no superhuman, he doesn't have an enhanced hearing- "
"Actually, I do," YangYang spoke. "I mean, I might not have superpowers, but I have super gadgets..."
"For God's sake, YangYang, just let us hear their conversation."
"Fine," the youngest mumbled, sad he wouldn't get to promote his new creation. "Give me just a second."
"Ten-ge," he spoke again not long after, "turn on your phone."
Ten did as he was told, and soon, a static sound echoed in the car, followed by distant voices.
"Can you clear the sounds, Yang?" Kun asked.
The hacker didn't reply, but short after, the voices became clearer and all of them could listen to what was being said.
"What do you want?"
It was obvious that the low voice belonged to Taeyong, and he sounded angry.
"Is that a way to greet your older brother, Yongie?"
"Don't make me punch you."
The loud sound of Park Min-Seok's laugh filled the car, sending shivers down their spine.
"You and I both know that even if you did, the anger and the frustration would still be here. The only way for you to finally let it all go would be by putting a bullet between my eyes...." He taunted. "But we also both know that you can't do that now, can you?"
WayV couldn't see it because they were too far away from them, but Park smirked in a way that made Taeyong want to throw up.
"Now we know where hyung got his skills for psychological manipulation from..." Winwin mumbled, before being shushed by Kun who put a finger on his lips, gesturing for them to stay quiet.
"Jut let's get this over with," their leader mumbled, trying so hard to keep calm. It was taking him every inch of his body not to grab his gun and finally put an end to it.
"Fine. You're going to help me with a... situation."
"What?"
"My men are great at their job. But I need you to do this one."
"Wait, that wasn't part of the deal. I'm not supposed to do anything else for you. What I'm doing is already way too much."
"I'm not exactly asking for your opinion here," Park snapped, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "You're gonna do as I say."
Taeyong didn't answer and clenched his fists, his eyes flaming with rage.
"Kill that bitch of Kang Min-Ju, or I'll kill her precious daughter instead."
Neither of them was aware of it, but in the car parked away from them, the other members were left speechless. Even without the complete backstory, they had heard enough to understand the situation.
A few seconds passed, but the silence and heavy atmosphere made it seem like hours, until Park spoke up again.
"You have a week, brother. Better hurry, because the clock's ticking and I'll be watching."
Without adding another word, Park walked back to his car, leaving Taeyong alone next to the farm in the dark night.
"Guys, I think you should come back before hyung," YangYang spoke after a little while, breaking the deadly silence in the car.
Kun cleared his throat, "YangYang's right, let's go guys. We heard enough for one night."
None of them spoke, too baffled to say anything, and silence took over once again, except for the steady sound of the engine after Ten started the car.
It was good that WayV left, that way they wouldn't have to witness their leader breaking down and falling to his knees, not caring about the dust on his pants or the mud on his hands.
The only thing that mattered at that very moment was the unbearable weight on his chest and pain in his heart. The thoughts inside his head getting too much, he suddenly let out a freeing cry, without anyone hearing him.
As though the weather understood him, rain started to pour, and soon it was almost impossible to guess if the water falling down his cheeks was rain or tears, the only hint being his red and puffy eyes.
Taeyong didn't even remember the last he had cried like this. Or even cried at all. But at this moment, it felt good. Good to finally let go, good to finally let his feelings out.
A pool of mud soon formed at his knees, and his hair started to stick to his forehead.
In opposition to the rain that now poured down, his tears slowly came to a stop, and after a while of contemplating the trees surrounding him moving to the rhythm of the wind, Taeyong got up to walk to his car.
When he came back to the headquarters, drenched from head to toe, everything was as he had left it. Well, he hadn't seen the rooms upstairs just yet...
Too tired to do anything, NCT's leader dragged himself to his office, and lifelessly turned the doorknob. He almost had a heart attack when he noticed that someone was sitting in front of his desk.
"Kun...?" Taeyong spoke with a hoarse voice.
The other male turned around to face his leader, his face expressing the seriousness of the situation.
"I think we need to talk, hyung."
—-
Hi, I'm sorry if I'm not as active as before, but I started work last week and it's exhausting both mentally and emotionally, so I don't have as much time as before to write.
Please be patient with me.
YOU ARE READING
The Hidden Card || NCT MAFIA
Fanfiction| SEQUEL TO HOUSE OF CARDS | Now that the House of Cards is finally stabilized, everyone thinks the game is over. Wrong. The game has just begun, and the Hidden Card is about to join the party.
