keeping up with the lees || svt

twenty-two: provoke the devil

"what the fuck is wrong with you?!" jihoon roared as he threw his younger brother into one of the empty rooms of their school.

"i had to say something!"

"you don't know what happened between sara and jihan so you should have stayed quiet and let your sister handle it!"

"then she should make me understand!"

"it's not that simple lee fucking seokmin!" jihoon frustratedly yelled. 

"why can't i like who i want?" seokmin asked, his once angry expression morphed into a sad one.

"you know what? fine. be with sara" jihoon said but there was an undertone of danger in his statement. "but don't say i didn't warn you. jihan will do anything to push choi sara under a bus"

-

the day hasn't even been halfway through yet when seokmin was already drowning in guilt. 

why did i say that?

he thought he could never talk to his sister in that way but he just did. and he regrets it.

"is it true?" minghao asked as he placed his lunch tray in front of seokmin's. "what you said to your sister?"

"don't rub it in, hao" seokmin sighed. "i wasn't myself"

"you sure can become a different person when it comes to that choi sara. shall i side with your sister?"

"please do" seokmin replied. "snap me out of my trance, i don't like it either. she's just so captivating"

minghao looked at him in pure displeasure, "don't give me your love talk, i might actually kill myself"

"what should i do, hao?"

"ditch the choi sara and go back to being the obedient and kind boy you once were"

seokmin glared at the chinese male, "that was retorical. i didn't actually ask for advice"

"wow, what is this choi sara doing to you. you've turned sassy" minghao disapprovingly clicked his tongue, leaning his back on the chair he was sitting on.

"do you think she'll forgive me?" seokmin asked worriedly.

minghao hummed, "you may have done something unforgivable but she's still your sister. just make it up to her"

"the only way i can do that is by cutting sara out of my life"

"do what you gotta do, seok" minghao told. "your call"

"easy for you to say" seokmin retorted. "jihoon hyung probably hates me too"

"i would too so get yourself together, seok. you're seventeen and already experiencing mid-life crisis for fuck sake"

"i'll go find sara" seokmin stated before standing up. "i'll make things right"

"those two statements of yours contrast dangerously well" minghao shook his head disapprovingly. he then flicked his hand up and down, making a 'shoo' gesture. "go, get out of my sight and continue causing imbalance like the disappointment you are"

without a single care, seokmin walked away from minghao.

minghao's glaring eyes followed seokmin. "wow, he really left. son of a bitch"

as seokmin walked through the hallways, students' eyes followed him. it was beyond uncomfortable. as soon as he spotted sara, he sped towards her. 

"are you okay?"

before she could reply, seungcheol stepped in. "seokmin, i think it'll be best if you stop talking to my sister for a while. let jihan cool down first, who knows what she'll do to my sister— my family"

seokmin frowned. "hyung, i won't let her hurt anyone"

"that's a lie" jihoon amusedly joined in the conversation. "you're not stopping anyone, seokmin"

"jihoon, do you want to start another scene?" seungcheol asked, exhausting.

"maybe" jihoon plainly replied. 

"you guys really have no respect" seungcheol uttered in pure disbelief.

"hyung, let me handle this"

"oh seokmin, i'm not here to cause a scene. we don't want jihan hurrying over and causing more trouble"

"don't make me ask my father to contact yours, lee jihoon" seungcheol threatened but was enraged when the younger only let out a chuckle bleeding with mockery.

"our father would be delighted to know that jihan slapped choi seungyeol's daughter"

this made both sara and seugcheol frown.

"don't be alarmed, seungcheol hyung. you heard seokmin's whole ass unnecessary speech" jihoon paused to roll his eyes. "our father isn't the kind rich man yours is. he's a monster"

"are you trying to scare us?" seungcheol interrogated.

"please, give us a break" sara sighed. "can't seokmin and i talk without the whole family feud? this is getting exhausting"

"then i'll talk to your brother. alone" jihoon stated, looking at the older.

-

"can't my sister be happy?" seungcheol asked. "give her a break. jihan's been picking on her nonstop"

"i'm sure you're aware of the power i and jihan hold, right?" jihoon asked, ignoring seungcheol's previous statement.

"i'm aware. why are you asking me this? to brag about your wealth?"

jihoon laughed lightly but this time, mockery was not present. he shook his head, "no, i don't do that"

"then why are you reminding me of your power?"

"you know about my sister's engagement with your friend"

"i do"

"i want you to cancel it"

"what?" seungcheol said, flabbergasted. "you want me to— woah, what is wrong with you?"

"i'll offer you a collaboration- both hera hotels and and rose group"

seuncheol stared at jihoon as if he had grown three heads. "your father hates my father"

"exactly"

"what are you on about, lee jihoon" seungcheol crossed his arms. "what are you planning?"

"to provoke the devil" jihoon said.

"how on earth do you expect me to break joshua's engagement? the most capable person is you, jihoon" 

sighing, jihoon shook his head. "i know what i'm doing"

seungcheol crossed his arms. "what do you expect me to do?"

"jihan's engagement party will be in a week and i'm sure your family will be invited" jihoon said.

"i'm aware. what do you want?"

"the president of your father's company. bring him"

seungcheol looked at jihoon, confused as ever. "what?"

"i said what i said"

jihoon's serious expression surprised the older. there was no hint of sarcasm which was strange. this meant jihoon was dead serious. 

"president min? you want him to attend?" seungcheol asked, still unsure.

"yes" jihoon stated. "give me his number"

"nothing comes for free, jihoon"

"is the collaboration not enough?" jihoon rolled his eyes, "if you want me to keep my sister away from yours, just call it off because not even i can control  jihan"

suddenly, seungcheol smirked. "then, shall we do something different?"