Stranger

.THIRTY ONE.

JANG RESIDENCE / NEWORK MANNOR
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"Welcome back, Mr. Jang."

Seojun nodded at the butler and the maids who roamed the foyer as he entered the house. He went upstairs to his room and rolled his eyes at the rack of outfits for him to choose from.

He picked the simplest one, a plain tailored grey suit and black dress shoes, but he switched out the Louis Vuitton belt for a monochrome Hermés belt.

With some gel in his hands, Seojun styled his hair and since he didn't get a haircut for the last month, his bangs were quite long and flopped over his temples.

Seojun walked downstairs and stopped to stare at the, now repaired, spot on the wall that had he punched. He scoffed to himself then made his way to the dining room where he greeted his mother with a smile.

"Where is he?" Seojun asked and sat next to his mother.

"Do you act braver after breaking a few bones?" Mr. Jang asked with a cold voice.

He walked into the room and Seojun stood up to bow to him.

Dinner was served and Seojun picked up his fork and knife. Mr. Jang scoffed when Seojun struggled to cut his steak.

"What's the point of something if you can't use it, right?"

Mrs. Jang glared at Mr. Jang while Seojun just ignored him with an uninterested nod.

"Kind of like you."

"Can't you go one meal without insulting my son?" Mrs. Jang said. Her patience was running thin and her voice was annoyed.

Nobody spoke for another while until Mr. Jang broke the ice again.

"I heard the girl you're seeing found somebody else. How did you manage to mess her up too?"

Mrs. Jang looked at Seojun who still kept his head down, eating quietly and slowly.

"It's just a rumour," Seojun replied quietly.

"Their companies confirmed it."

Seojun shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he look at his father.

"Why did you want me here? I know it's not because you're curious about my girlfriend."

Mr. Jang rolled his eyes at the way Seojun referred to Jennie--he's never called her that before--then gestured for Mrs. Jang to speak.

"Your father and I are filing for a divorce."

Seojun looked at his food again.

"What does that have to do with me?" Seojun asked.

"Since we are supposed to share family assets, I'm giving the my share of the business to you," Mrs. Jang replied. "You'll need to sign some papers. That's all."

"I thought you never shared anything at all."

"We didn't share anything but you and this company, Seojun. I have my own businesses, companies and corporations but I leant your father money to start one for you so now, since you're turning 22 soon, it's time for you to take over my part."

Seojun scoffed and put his utensils down.

"I don't want anything to do with the company. Take my share and give it to uncle Jimmy."

"Yah, just accept it! What's wrong with you? Can't you be grateful?" Mr. Jang shouted.

"I'm not signing anything, mum," Seojun said and stood up from his seat. "Please don't ask me to come back again."

"Yah!"

Mr. Jang grabbed Seojun's wrist and prevented him from leaving the dining room.

"Let go of him, Beomseok," Mrs. Jang warned.

"You never learn do you?"

Mr. Jang's grip tightened around Seojun's right hand and Seojun winced in pain from the nails digging into his skin.

Mrs. Jang ran out of the room but even after she came back with help, nobody wanted to make any sudden moves because Mr. Jang was holding a knife to prevent anyone from coming near them.

"Nothing's good enough for you."

Mr. Jang put the knife back into his pocket to punch Seojun in the face, then another time near the ear before Seojun was able to stop him but Mr. Jang grabbed Seojun by the collar.

"What is this immorality that you possess, huh? Throwing a broken glass at you, pushing you off the swings... I even sent people just to hurt you at school and you still survived."

Mr. Jang placed his hand around Seojun's throat and held his head to the wall.

"Should I add another one to your collection?" Mr. Jang asked as he took out the knife again.

"Don't you dare hurt him again!" Mrs. Jang yelled but it was useless.

Seojun tried to stop him but Mr. Jang punched him again and the knife drove straight through the flesh of Seojun's shoulder.

The butlers were able to pull Mr. Jang off of Seojun but the blade stuck under Seojun's left collarbone was already in too deep.

"Mum," Seojun said and Mrs. Jang was dialling her phone.

Mr. Jang somehow broke free and began to wrestle the phone out of Mrs. Jang's hands.

Seojun held in his pain and pulled the knife out of his body, crying out loudly in the process. Blood gushed out of his shoulder but Seojun held the knife steadily with his right hand.

Seojun had never been so accurate with his grip as he lunged to force the knife into Mr. Jang, stabbing him in the back.

After Mr. Jang fell to the floor, Seojun followed and lied on the ground. As much as it hurt for him to bleed like this, at least his mother was safe.

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