Stronger || NCT mafia au

Chapter 14 | "how dare you"

"JUNG JAEHYUN!"

Taeyong's voice echoed around the house, making all the members tense up. They had only heard Taeyong use that tone a few times, and, long story short, it means he was grade A really pissed the fuck off.

Taeyong came running down the stairs, practically flying, as he reached the main floor. His eyes wildly scanning the room, looking around for Jaehyun. As soon as his eyes landed on him, he strode over to the boy, his anger evident in his every step.

Taeyong walked up to Jaehyun, grabbing him by his collar and shoving him backwards into the wall with a loud thud.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!" Taeyong shouted, still gripping tightly to his collar. "I don't give a damn if you felt protective or jealous or whatever the hell you might want to say to defend yourself. How dare you say that to her." Taeyong was seething, Jaehyun unable to meet his eyes, defenselessly staring down at the ground.

He released Jaehyun's collar, pushing him hard against the wall and taking a few steps back so he's now in the middle of the room. All the other members are starting at the two with a mix of confusion and mild fear, their eyes following Taeyong, the anger practically radiating off of his body.

"After all she's been through. You know how hard she's been trying. 20 years, Jaehyun! She's been in mafia training practically since she was born and is trying to undo almost 20 years of trauma! And she's finally starting to do it. To go back to the girl that she would be without all this mafia bullshit screwing with her. " Taeyong is so angry that he can't even shout anymore, he speaks with a low growl, ten times scarier than if he had been shouting.

"The one thing she talks about. The one thing that causes her more stress than anything else is trust. And you know that. We're just about the only people in the world she would trust and now you've decided to go and stab her in the back because you got jealous?" Taeyong slams his hands on a nearby table, Jaehyun unable to meet his gaze.

"And what's worse you want to bring all of us down with you? If you want to destroy your relationship with her, to hell with it, go right ahead. But don't you dare ruin the only family that she has. The only family that any of us have." Taeyong pauses to take a deep breath.

"I don't give a damn about what you want to say to her about yourself, but you really had to say it was all of us, didn't you. You just had to go there to hurt her as much as possible to make your point." Taeyong scoffs at the younger boy, only now noticing the confused gazes of the other members.

"Why don't you tell everyone what happened, Jaehyun, I'm sure they'd love to know." gesturing him to speak, Taeyong steps back, leaning against the nearby table with a dark expression on his face.

Jaehyun steps forward, fixing his collar and clearing his throat. He turns towards the members, finally lifting his eyes off the ground to look at them.

"Jihyun made a friend today." Gasps echo around the room from the members. "I walked in on them after she had pinned him during a combat match. I- ugh." He sighs to himself, feeling ashamed over his actions.

"I got angry, jealous I guess, and when we were driving home I tried to tell her not to be friends with him. I said it was dangerous even though I know that's extremely hypocritical." He pauses, the members still confused as to why Taeyong was so angry. Jaehyun closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before continuing.

"I told her that he was probably only being her friend because he was too afraid of her...I said that we only put up with her because we have to. That we don't have a choice because otherwise she would....kill us" Jaehyun winced as he said it, gasps echoing throughout the room.

"You said....what?" Johnny breathes out. If looks could kill, Jaehyun would be lying dead on the floor from Johnny's glare. The members fall silent, processing Jaehyun's words before angry scowls appear on their faces.

All the members soon begin shouting at Jaehyun. Enraged over not only his blatant lie about all of the members, but also his insensitivity and lack of support for their leader. 

Gradually some of the members begin to make their way towards the stairs, wanting to talk with the girl and reassure her, but Kun quickly shouts to everyone to stop.

"She's been through a lot today and I'm sure the last thing she needs is our desperate attempt to comfort and reassure her. She's going to be very sensitive and insecure right now." He turns to glare at Jaehyun.

"She'll find us when she's ready, but let's not overwhelm her right now, more than she already is, ok?" All the members nod at Kun, gradually making their way out of the main room.

Jaehyun quickly walks up the stairs and heads straight to his room, locking the door. Most of the members do the same, each finding their own way to deal with their frustration and guilt.

Mark goes with Lucas, Haechan, and Yuta to their indoor shooting range. Jungwoo, Taeil, Johnny, Ten, Kun, and Doyoung head to their own rooms, wanting to be alone for a bit. Yangyang, Xiaojun, and Hendery all file into Yangyang's room, feeling the need to distract themselves until Jihyun is ready to talk to them.

Shotaro and Sungchan head to the combat area, wanting to let out their frustrations through boxing. The two newest recruits had the hardest time earning her trust, and it's only been days since she really opened up to them. They were terrified that they could lose it all because of Jaehyun's mistake.

After calming himself down, Taeyong went back to Jihyun's room. She was asleep next to Sicheng as a drama played in the background. Sicheng smiled at him when Taeyong opened the door, he sat up, tucking her in before standing up from the bed. He nodded at Taeyong before quietly leaving to go to his own room.

Taeyong looked down at her sleeping figure, the tears still staining her cheeks. He smiled at her, bending down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. As he turned to leave he heard her whisper to him.

"I don't want to be alone right now, please don't leave." He turned back around, Jihyun slightly sitting up with her eyes barely open, exhaustion clear on her face. He let out a small sigh and smiled at the sleepy girl, climbing into bed alongside her.

He wrapped his arms around her smaller figure as she nuzzled into his chest. He stared at this girl who came into his life and somehow put the pieces back together. When he looked at her, he didn't see a ruthless mafia leader, he saw a 20 year old girl who's had to go through more than anyone should ever have to. He saw his little sister.