"On your feet, pretty boy." Jae Hyun shouted, yanking a fistful of his hair.
Every time the man yanked him his scalp burned, but it seemed like it was his new favorite hobby. It wasn't like he was in a position to tell him what to do or not do to him, his only choice being to put on a tough demeanour while keeping his stance. Not that it was working much anyway.
This time, however, they rounded a dim corner. What place was this with endless hallways? Just where was this man taking him this time? What fresh torment does he have in mind for him? Minho was nervous as hell, yet still gave in to the man half dragging him into the unknown.
Finally, they came to a metal door set into a stone wall. Jae Hyun grabbed a keycard from his jacket pocket, swiping it over the lock and the door slowly slid open, revealing an… elevator? Before Minho could comprehend where this elevator led, or even a rough idea of where this sinister man was taking him, he was shoved inside.
He staggered, barely managing to even stand up straight. This place had worn the life out of him and he was just holding up. Yet somehow, he managed to keep his feet under him, and the heavy door shut with a bang.
On the control panel, Jae Hyun tapped a code. "You may want to brace yourself, he said to Minho, raising his brow in a naughty gesture.
Brace himself for what?
Seconds later, the elevator moved upwards with such momentum that had the boy buckling his knees to keep steady, all in vain, as he flung to his side and against the wall.
Jae Hyun shot him a belittling stare, taunting him in mock sympathy. "What's this? And here I was thinking you're all tough." He sighed as Minho glared back, knowing better to stifle his words before saying anything that could land him in worse trouble.
"Don't worry, pretty boy, you'll be conditioned properly… soon enough." He grabbed the boy's arm and yanked him up just in time before the lift halted to a stop.
Minho gasped in disbelief as the doors parted. It was not another chamber hellscape that he had been bracing himself for at all. He took in the plush office room in a haze of confusion. It was considerably nicer than the dungeon he had been hurled up in earlier, sparsely furnished with a wooden desk, and a leather chair and against the wall was a cabinet.
"Good, you're finally here." Hyun Woo said without looking up from the computer he was tapping on. "I was starting to think you two got lost down there. I trust you made the… guest… feel at home?"
Much as he was being discussed like an object in his presence, he maintained his boldness nonchalantly, obviously a show of defiance. "Listen," he began. "I don't know what you want from me or who you think I am, but―"
Hyun Woo whipped his head up and shot him a gaze with such contempt that made him almost stutter.
Damn. What was with everyone being so scary in this mansion? It was almost as if he would land in trouble regardless of whose hands he ended up in. Who was this man? Was he the boss's boss?
"You will only speak when asked questions, Are we clear?"
Jae Hyun had dealt with Minho enough to pick a sense of defiance in his silence. He shoved him forward impatiently. "Answer him!" he ordered.
The boy looked at him scornfully before inclining his head slightly. Hyun Woo seemed to accept the reluctant acceptance and snapped his fingers at the guards by the door. "Excuse us."
The door shut with a thud behind the guards, leaving them in a tense uncomfortable silence. The man scanned Minho for a while. Seconds passed, minutes, it felt like hours in there, but Minho knew it hadn't been that long. The man then sat back in his chair, crossing his fingers below his chin.
"So, young man, what am I gonna do with you? He turned to Jae Hyun. "Do you think he can handle the border business?"
What border business?
Minho tried to shut it but couldn't hold his tongue any longer. He was burning with frustration. What business? It was the mob, sure the business they were talking about must be anything but legal. Just what had he gotten himself into?
"Okay fine, my dad did whatever he did and I'm sorry it got me here. None of us wanted it to go down this way. I don't wanna get involved in anything, and I sure as hell don't wanna do your shady border business. Just let me go already, please!"
The man stared at him, not fazed or anything, almost looking bored. "And what pretty boy? Render all my efforts wasted? No, I don't think so." Jae Hyun said, looking at Minho intently. "You see, we handle our business so discreetly. You don't have to be scared of anything, or are you? Not that we care anyway."
Jae Hyun strode closer to the boy, closing in whatever distance there was between them, his features hardening. "Here are your options, you can choose not to cooperate and take your gamble on living out whatever plans I have for sweet daddy," He grinned sensing how the boy shuddered in fear. "Or you can hear my proposal."
It baffled Minho that this man never ran out of ways to taunt him. He had done so much already and somehow, he still had to bring his father into this, knowing he was he would shudder at the mere mention of his name. The tension between them grew as the boy struggled to pick between his options.
"Your turn." Jae Hyun said, casually picking a cigar and bringing it to his mouth, lighting it.
Minho had barely responded when a knock at the door startled him. Another figure came in and immediately caught the boy's attention.
"Chan?" the words slipped out without him thinking.
It was his former best friend. What was he doing here? and since when had he been involved with the mafia? Was he part of the reason why they hauled him here? Had he told Jae Hyun about him?
Chan froze in place, and his eyes went wide upon realizing it was indeed Minho. Minho watched disbelievingly as Chan regained his composure.
"Well now," Jae Hyun chuckled. "How convenient, so you two already know each other, that should make things much easier." He said, glancing at Chan and back to Minho. "Or you want to change your mind about hearing me out, prett―"
"Minho." He filled in immediately, unable to take his gaze off Chan. "It's Minho, Mr. Park."
Jae Hyun laughed. "Isn't life just full of surprises for you?"
Minho was at a loss for words. His thoughts spun as if trying to gunner this fresh hell. How could Chan be possibly involved with these criminals? And why was he looking at him like he was some stranger?
Jae Hyun tapped Minho's shoulder, breaking his trance back into reality. "A reintroduction would do us all some good, don't you think? Be a good lad Chan and fill our new friend how we run things around here. I'm sure he'll be interested after getting some proper… insight."
"Welcome to the main family Minho, I hope you survive the experience." Chan dropped those words flatly on Minho.
The boy's mind spiralled into a terrifying mayhem. There was just no way Chan, too, was part of this sinister clique. What did he mean by he 'hopes' he survives?