Battle of Pride (24)
Chapter Summary: Whenever you take something without permission, you have to return it in its exact shape and quality.
Previous chapters:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Yesung and Kangin were just in time to pry Eunhyuk away from Kyuhyun. The moment the latter entered the house, a raging Eunhyuk charged towards the boy and robustly gripped the stunned man’s collars, his eyes flaring in anger.
“Where is Sungmin?!” Eunhyuk yelled while trying to free himself from Kangin’s strong arms.
“I don’t know, hyung. I tried looking for them, but… but… Hyung, I’m really sorry.” Kyuhyun said as he covers his face using his hands, letting Yesung stroke his back for comfort. Who would have thought that of all people to give him support, it will be Yesung, who was once his rival on getting Sungmin’s heart?
“You shouldn’t have left them!” Sungmin’s brother retorted. But then, Heechul decided to butt in and told his dongsaeng, “It’s not Kyuhyun’s fault. No one knew this will happen. Instead of arguing on whose fault this is, why don’t we just find a way to locate them, yes?”
Eunhyuk took a deep sigh as he closed his eyes for a while before speaking again, and this time, his eyes and tone are calmer. “How?”
It was Kangin who answered, placing a hand on his dongsaeng’s shoulder, “We have two ways: First is we can wait for the kidnapper - in case they were really kidnapped - to call us and then we’ll track the call down. Second, Kyuhyun here can go back to their mansion and look for someone reliable who will tell him where his father is. The second one is riskier and unsure, but it could also be of help. Who knows?”
“What if they didn’t call?” Shindong, who is seated on the sofa behind Yesung, asked.
“I’m sure they will,” Kangin’s father stepped in. “Cases like these usually involves phone calls from the mastermind. If not a phone call, text messages or mails are sometimes used, though mails really aren’t convenient for them. A negotiation will be made, and the best way to do this is through a phone call.”
To be honest, they really aren’t a hundred percent sure that Sungmin and Hyunsung were kidnapped by Cho Younghwan. There is a possibility that she just strolled off somewhere and forgot to tell Kyuhyun, so they didn’t find each other, and unfortunately, the battery of her phone lacked of charging…
Then again, why isn’t Sungmin still back at home?
They are just hoping that Sungmin being missing and Younghwan’s escape are just a coincidence.
“I’ll go with Kyuhyun.” Yesung volunteered, earning an expression of shock and relief on Kyuhyun’s face. Kibum, who was just standing quietly at a corner, also presented on coming with Yesung and Kyuhyun. Surprise is an understatement for the maknae.
~0~
Kyuhyun was a bastard, yes, he admits; so these two bore anger at him, especially Yesung, for hurting and impregnating Sungmin.
Of course it never occurred to him that there will come a time that he will have some alone time with the men associated with Sungmin’s love life. No, they are more like the guys, like him, who got captivated by the goddess, Lee Sungmin. What a funny scene.
This is totally awkward… Kyuhyun thought.
They never shared any conversations since they stepped out of the Lees’ house - not like it is appropriate and necessary for the situation, still, even just small exchange of words could be a bit useful so he wouldn’t go insane for worrying about his wife and son!
Then again, he is not good at opening topics, so he just shut his mouth up and tried to occupy himself on trying to contact Sungmin or his father. However, to no avail, none of the two picked his call up. He couldn’t even reach them.
He deliberated on asking his mother or Ahra, if ever they have any idea, but just threw it away since he doesn’t want them being involved in this. He’d rather receive an earful from his mom for not telling her.
It’s his fault, anyways. If he took his father’s threat to him this morning seriously, he would have stayed with Sungmin and Hyunsung. He wouldn’t have left them unattended. Or better yet, he wouldn’t have asked them to go out. He wouldn’t have to worry for their whereabouts; if they are still safe or not.
His father wouldn’t do anything to the two for now, he is sure of it. But what if he discovered that they are affiliating with the police? Will he hurt them? Will he kill Sungmin just like how he killed her parents?
He shook that latter thought off. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, he believes that his father won’t do any harm to his wife and son. They are still his daughter-in-law and grandson.
“Hey, it’s not your fault.” Kibum suddenly spoke, almost making him jump on his seat. Yesung looked through the rearview mirror and talked to them on the backseat of his car, a smile ghosted his lips, “No one’s blaming you… except Eunhyuk-hyung, of course. But just ignore him. He’s just being paranoid since his precious sister is in danger.”
“Why do you guys look so calm despite this?” he finally managed to blurt out anything after recovering from the shock that his former rivals talked to him and encouraged him.
He heard Yesung from the driver’s seat chuckle, finally taking notice of the older guy’s blond hair after weeks of seeing him. He never really paid attention to a person’s hair. Kibum’s is still the same, though. “Nothing will happen if we panic. Besides, you’re also calm, so why wouldn’t we? Your wife and son are in the hands of your father. I didn’t expect for you to act like this, honestly.”
“Yeah, especially with the way you acted earlier when you came.” Kibum joined.
“Oh, that was because of Eunhyuk-hyung. He scared the living daylights of me.” Kyuhyun actually finds it weird that he’s talking to the two rather comfortably. They’re not that bad, after all. He meant being the three of them together since Kibum and he were roommates for months. This is the first time he was with Yesung like this, actually.
The atmosphere between them became lighter, though the nervousness still can’t be hidden. They will do whatever it takes just to find Sungmin and Hyunsung and save them.
After minutes of drive, they finally reached the Cho mansion, with Kyuhyun’s mother welcoming them with worry due to what happened earlier regarding her husband. Kyuhyun tried reassuring her that there’s nothing bad happening especially to Sungmin. Of course he lied.
Not wanting to get suspicious, he introduced Kibum - his mom knows Kibum already, though - and Yesung as his friends and they will get something from his room, sighing in relief when his mom believed him and didn’t ask any questions again.
Mrs. Cho didn’t follow them either, so they are able to go to his father’s office without effort of hiding from his mom.
When they entered said office, they saw his father’s loyal assistant, who immediately brought out a gun and pointed towards them. However, Yesung and Kibum were fast enough to bring theirs out, too. It wasn’t much of a shock for Yesung to have a weapon, but Kibum? That guy can surely fight, but not this way.
“Since when did you have a gun?” he whispered to his former roommate.
Kibum chuckled lowly. “Kangin-hyung gave me this before we left.”
“What, and he didn’t hand me one?!” Kyuhyun unconsciously hissed, forgetting that they are in a serious situation. He was just brought back to reality when his father’s assistant spoke, “I won’t hesitate shooting you three!”
“Oh really?” Kyuhyun said, smirking. “I don’t think so. Three versus one? Can you survive it?”
The older man seemed distracted so Yesung took that chance to disarm the assistant. He swiftly ran towards the unnamed man and twisted the wrist for the man to lose grip of the gun. Kibum ran towards them after, grabbed the gun and threw it to Kyuhyun while Yesung held both of the assistant’s arms and positioned his gun on the guy’s head.
Kyuhyun kind of envied that these two have good fighting skills, while his could only be applied to Starcraft.
“Where is your boss?” Yesung hissed angrily.
The three frowned when the man just chuckled and remained silent.
“Tell us where your boss brought Sungmin and Hyunsung!”
But the man stubbornly refused to say anything in spite of Yesung’s raising of voice. It was sort of scary in Kyuhyun and Kibum’s opinion.
“Mr. Park, your wife died a year ago, so you’re the only one working for your twins who are just a year old. Unfortunately, you aren’t a College graduate so it will be difficult for you to find high-paying jobs like this. No matter what happens, my father will still be jailed after this and since I’m the only son, I will take over the company, meaning you’ll soon be under me. If you tell us this instant where my wife and son are, I won’t fire you.”
Kibum and Yesung exchanged astonished glances as the maknae delivered those lines without pausing and stuttering.
If Kyuhyun is envious of his acquaintances’ combat skills, then those two, on the other hand, are awed by his skill in speaking… and confidence, of course. This man can be a lawyer.
Mr. Park’s smug grin was soon replaced by an alarmed look at what his boss’s son said. All of that information about him is true. And if what this lad said about Mr. Cho going in jail, then he’s going to give what these three want. He doesn’t want to lose his job, which compensates him very well.
“Can I hold on to your word, Mr. Cho?” the adult finally spoke.
Kyuhyun smirked at him. “Of course.”
Mr. Park sighed heavily, shutting his eyes tight before uttering, “Fine.”
~0~
They hastily got out from the car as they saw the police assembling in front of the house preparing to go. Eunhyuk and Kangin came after.
“Where are you going?” Yesung went to the two and asked them.
“Cho called us and we tracked the call.”
“That’s a trap,” Eunhyuk and Kangin, including Heechul who just stepped out from the house, looked at Kyuhyun skeptically. It was already Cho who called them, and where else would that man be? Of course somewhere near the captured. “That call was meant to lure you. He just fled to where Sungmin really is right now because he predicted that you will track it.”
“What made you so sure?” Sungmin’s brother inquired his brother-in-law with an eyebrow raised.
“His assistant told us.” It was Yesung who answered for the younger, knowing that they will believe him more.
Eunhyuk shot Kyuhyun a suspicious glance, pondering if he should consider what the younger is talking about. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Kyuhyun; in fact, the guy had been proved to be reliable, being Sungmin’s husband and all. But what if that assistant told a lie just so his life would be spared?
“Don’t worry; our source is reliable. Kyuhyun here already took care of that. This boy’s got skills, you know.” Yesung said as he placed a reassuring pat on Kyuhyun’s shoulder.
Sighing, Eunhyuk decided not to think of what kind of interrogation these three did and just went with what his instincts are telling him because they are running out of time. “Fine. Let’s go to where that man is and save Sungmin and Hyunsung.”
Kangin’s father smiled at Kyuhyun and gave him a ‘thumbs up’ sign.
~0~
Sungmin woke up to the familiar sound of someone crying. Realizing that it is her baby’s, she snapped her eyes wide open and looked around, trying to find where the source of that voice is.
She is in an abandoned factory of whatever product it is, arms tied on a post, and another thick rope prevents her from moving her feet. She can’t find where her son is. He isn’t anywhere near her.
That’s when she remembered the exact happenings earlier.
It was that time when Kyuhyun was already out of her sight and the baby cried. She was still trying to hush the infant when a cloth with an unfamiliar scent was placed on her nose. Seconds after, she found herself dozing off, her surroundings getting blurry.
She can’t ask for help; there were only kids around the area who doesn’t seem to care of others. She can’t scream as well for some reasons. She can’t call for Kyuhyun’s name. She doesn’t even have the strength to grab her phone for her arms seemed to be turned to jelly, and they will surely snatch it away even before she was able to press a button. The last thing she saw before passing out is an unknown man getting Hyunsung from her.
“Good morning~” Cho Younghwan appeared wearing an identical smirk as Kyuhyun’s. The only difference is that Kyuhyun’s smirk is a playful one, while the older Cho’s is a dangerous one. The type which would send shivers down to your spine due to fear.
“You…” she whispered.
Younghwan knelt in front of the captive, eyes full of admiration as he stares at the woman’s face features. Again, Sungmin can’t help but compare it with Kyuhyun’s. She blushes whenever Kyuhyun does this to her, but she feels disgusted when it comes to his father.
“You really look like Sunhee…”
She frowned. “You don’t have the right to call her by her first name, you murderer!” She hates how casual this man uttered her mother’s name as if he didn’t do something dreadful to her.
“Oh really? But I am your mother’s first boyfriend.”
“What?”
“Yes, honey, Sunhee and I shared a past. We are neighbors, childhood sweethearts, lovers… until your dancer of a father came into her life and took her away from me.”
“So you killed them?”
At the question, Younghwan’s eyes darkened and his voice turned hoarse. “Sunhee cheated on me. I didn’t know that she’s in a relationship with your father while I’m still her boyfriend.”
Younghwan and Sunhee are best of friends since they were kids. They were basically inseparable that their parents thought that they would get married in the future. Things between them slightly changed when they reached middle school. Sunhee, being one of the prettiest girls in town, became really popular among boys and girls. On the other hand, Younghwan here is, should we say, one of the nerds. Spectacled, hair flat and clean, quiet, and nose stuck on his Math books. Their worlds suddenly became different.
However, Sunhee never forgot her best friend. Though they don’t talk that much while in school, she makes it to a point that they’ll meet at night. Movie marathon is a tradition of them.
It took them years before they realized that they don’t see each other as merely best friends anymore, but someone of higher level than that. They got together in high school, and their relationship lasted for four years.
Four fruitful years. Or not.
There was a drastic change in Sunhee during College. Sure, they entered the same university, but they were of different courses. Younghwan majored in Business Administration, while Sunhee got to music. Because of this reason, Younghwan joined the fraternity which allies with Sunhee’s sorority.
On the night before their fifth anniversary, Sunhee broke up with Younghwan, saying that maybe she’s really not in love with him at all, that maybe it would be better if they remain as friends. But you can’t go back to exactly the way you were before. What’s done is done. Once a glass is broken, no matter how hard you try bringing it back to its previous beautiful self, there will always be a crack - a sign that it was once broken, and can never be mended completely.
The next day, he just received the news that Sunhee ran away with the school’s best dancer, who is also a member of the fraternity which is his group’s mortal enemy. Sunhee was pregnant.
Years after, he was arranged to get married to the daughter of his father’s partner in business. And then he found out the whereabouts of his former lover and her husband, Lee Chunhwa, his heart and eyes blinded with hatred to the couple that he didn’t have second thoughts of planning for their death. If he can’t have her, then she would be better off dead. He decided to leave their kids alive to suffer for their parents’ loss.
Never did he expect that his son would marry Sunhee’s daughter, who is a replica of her.
“You were best friends? But appa is umma’s childhood best friend!” Sungmin yelled, not wanting to believe what this man just said, though she knew about the part her parents of running away when her mom got pregnant.
“See what your foolish father did to my Sunhee? He turned her to a liar!”
“No! You’re the one who’s lying!”
“Oh come on, Sungmin, I know that you believe in my story,” Younghwan smirked. “Come to think of it, if it weren’t for your father, you and Kyuhyun might end up being siblings.”
“Then it’s a good thing that my father came.” Sungmin retorted, earning her a slap on the cheek. It stings, yes, but she didn’t pay heed to it just because of anger filling her mind.
If her mom really did cheat on him, then it’s a bad thing. It is unforgivable. But it isn’t a reason for him to kill someone, especially the one you love. Saying that if you truly love him or her, then you will let him or her go can be somewhat applicable, yet it is easier said than done. It sucks when you need to let go, but you can’t because you’re still hoping for the impossible to happen.
Just like what happened to her. She really didn’t let go of Kyuhyun. It may be obvious or not, but she didn’t let go of that small hope in her heart that he will come back, and yes he did.
And Younghwan didn’t give up as well. But the outcome of it wasn’t a positive one.
She sort of pities him at first, but when the fact that he killed her parents dawns on her, she goes back to despising him more. Her case was almost the same with his; Kyuhyun cheated on Sungmin, Sunhee cheated on Younghwan. Kyuhyun got Sungmin pregnant, but Sunhee wasn’t impregnated by Younghwan. Could she say that she’s lucky? Maybe luckier will do.
History repeats itself, huh… just the other way around, and there are some changes in the beginning and the end. Hopefully, Kyuhyun and she will be the end of it.
And then she remembers her son.
“Where’s my baby?” she asked with a glare.
“Somewhere. He’s a bit difficult to get to sleep, huh, just like his father. He really looks like Kyuhyun, right? Good luck on raising him… if you could.”
“Leave him out of this.” Sungmin said slowly, but firmly.
Suddenly, men came rushing to Younghwan, telling them that the police have arrived. Alarmed, he instructed his men to untie Sungmin and take Hyunsung away, ignoring the captured woman’s protests.
When Sungmin is already free of ropes, Younghwan dragged her outside while his men took care of the police and the baby. He was trying to get out of the place as fast as possible, but Sungmin is intentionally slowing him down by applying weight on her feet.
It pissed him off, so he forcefully carried Sungmin on his shoulder as he brought his gun out the moment he heard gun shots from somewhere. He hissed threats to Sungmin when the latter was screaming for help, and it successfully shut her mouth up.
Since the front entrance is surely blocked by the police, then he’d have to find an escape somewhere at the back. Unfortunately, he doesn’t really memorize this place, so he was left with no choice but to continue walking outside until he reaches a destination.
But he reached a dead end. He peeked through it and saw that they are in an estimated 50-feet high cliff. Anyone who will fall here will surely die.
They stopped there for too long that the police caught up with them already. Facing Sungmin with him, his gun pointed at the girl’s head, he saw three men in uniform with their guns pointed towards him, and a lanky black-haired on the side who looks exactly like his rival in love. Sungmin’s brother.
“Put your guns down or I’ll shoot this girl!” he shouted, but those who have weapons didn’t put it down.
“Don’t you fucking dare hurt my sister!” Eunhyuk yelled back, fiery is mirrored on his squinty eyes, making the captor mockingly laugh.
But then, a mop of brown curls appeared from behind Eunhyuk and stood in between two of the policemen, its owner’s eyes teary and arms stretched in front of him.
“Appa,” Kyuhyun said in a weak and pleading tone. “Please don’t hurt Sungmin…”
After so many years, it is the first time Younghwan saw his son like that. Broken. Pleading. Since the day Kyuhyun walked out from his house and decided to live alone, the young man will just throw him cold stares or glares whenever he’s around. Of course he never cared. He just had him so that the company will have a male successor. He doesn’t even love his wife, this boy’s mother.
“I’m sorry if I defied you, but I really love Sungmin and I will not let go of her. I want to have a happy family with her…”
That’s what he wants to have with Sunhee; a happy family. But it never happened.
“I’m also sorry for turning you to the police. I just don’t want you doing more terrible things and you have to pay for what you took…”
But Sunhee’s lover didn’t pay for taking his one and only love.
“Please surrender now, appa… it’s for the best.”
Does he really have to surrender now? Does he have to give up this fight? Does he really have to let go of Sunhee? He looked at Kyuhyun, realizing that this boy had his looks. Turning to Sungmin, who is silently crying beside him now, he thought he just saw Sunhee, crying.
He doesn’t want to see Sunhee cry, especially if it’s because of him. She may have cheated on him, but he still loves her no matter what. The pain she brought him might have killed him inside, but he actually killed her. Sunhee didn’t deserve that. He should have just let her be happy.
He glanced at his son and Sunhee’s daughter; imagining that they were him and Sunhee - it’s not that hard to imagine it, anyways. Happy together. Smiling. Laughing. Loving. Free.
He felt envy in his heart. He knew that the reason why he didn’t want Sungmin for Kyuhyun is that he sees Sunhee in Sungmin, and he is actually afraid that his son might end up having the same fate as him. Seeing that it won’t happen, a smile graced his lips.
He could just always think that he is Kyuhyun and Sunhee is Sungmin.
However, he has to return what he took: Life.
“I’m sorry, son.” It was like Kyuhyun got the shock of his life; never have he heard his father address him as ‘son’ in a genuine way. No matter how much of a bastard his father is, he can’t deny that he still loves him. He felt like tearing up.
“Sungmin-ah,” Younghwan lowered his gun and turned to face Sungmin, his fingers caressing the side of the girl’s face with a smile. Sungmin noticed that the kind of admiration on the older Cho’s eyes isn’t the same as earlier; this is real and gentle.
“You really look like Sunhee. Love Kyuhyun the way I loved her…”
Sungmin smiled. “You don’t need to tell me that… I love your son more than anything else.”
“Thank you, dear.”
Younghwan glanced at his son meaningfully before Sungmin found herself pushed on the ground and the man disappeared from their sight.
Kyuhyun stayed on his spot, frozen. He barely registered Sungmin’s scream and the sound of the people rushing to the edge to check on what happened to his father. His mind is blank. There is nothing in it. He can’t feel anything. He was numb to his surroundings. Everything’s a blur.
He was only brought back to his senses when a hand was placed on his shoulder and he saw Heechul handing a crying Hyunsung to him. At the feeling of the baby’s warm body on his, his tears finally gushed out from his eyes; probably out of relief that his wife and son are safe, and out of grieve that his father committed suicide in front of him.
Sungmin, who pulled away from Eunhyuk’s arms, dashed to her boys and immediately hugged them tight, weeping with them.
They don’t know if they are crying over the same thing, but who cares? At least they know that they’ve got each other at a time like this. One will truly find the greatest comfort in the arms of your family. After all, they are the ones who know you best.
EPILOGUE
Previous chapters:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Yesung and Kangin were just in time to pry Eunhyuk away from Kyuhyun. The moment the latter entered the house, a raging Eunhyuk charged towards the boy and robustly gripped the stunned man’s collars, his eyes flaring in anger.
“Where is Sungmin?!” Eunhyuk yelled while trying to free himself from Kangin’s strong arms.
“I don’t know, hyung. I tried looking for them, but… but… Hyung, I’m really sorry.” Kyuhyun said as he covers his face using his hands, letting Yesung stroke his back for comfort. Who would have thought that of all people to give him support, it will be Yesung, who was once his rival on getting Sungmin’s heart?
“You shouldn’t have left them!” Sungmin’s brother retorted. But then, Heechul decided to butt in and told his dongsaeng, “It’s not Kyuhyun’s fault. No one knew this will happen. Instead of arguing on whose fault this is, why don’t we just find a way to locate them, yes?”
Eunhyuk took a deep sigh as he closed his eyes for a while before speaking again, and this time, his eyes and tone are calmer. “How?”
It was Kangin who answered, placing a hand on his dongsaeng’s shoulder, “We have two ways: First is we can wait for the kidnapper - in case they were really kidnapped - to call us and then we’ll track the call down. Second, Kyuhyun here can go back to their mansion and look for someone reliable who will tell him where his father is. The second one is riskier and unsure, but it could also be of help. Who knows?”
“What if they didn’t call?” Shindong, who is seated on the sofa behind Yesung, asked.
“I’m sure they will,” Kangin’s father stepped in. “Cases like these usually involves phone calls from the mastermind. If not a phone call, text messages or mails are sometimes used, though mails really aren’t convenient for them. A negotiation will be made, and the best way to do this is through a phone call.”
To be honest, they really aren’t a hundred percent sure that Sungmin and Hyunsung were kidnapped by Cho Younghwan. There is a possibility that she just strolled off somewhere and forgot to tell Kyuhyun, so they didn’t find each other, and unfortunately, the battery of her phone lacked of charging…
Then again, why isn’t Sungmin still back at home?
They are just hoping that Sungmin being missing and Younghwan’s escape are just a coincidence.
“I’ll go with Kyuhyun.” Yesung volunteered, earning an expression of shock and relief on Kyuhyun’s face. Kibum, who was just standing quietly at a corner, also presented on coming with Yesung and Kyuhyun. Surprise is an understatement for the maknae.
~0~
Kyuhyun was a bastard, yes, he admits; so these two bore anger at him, especially Yesung, for hurting and impregnating Sungmin.
Of course it never occurred to him that there will come a time that he will have some alone time with the men associated with Sungmin’s love life. No, they are more like the guys, like him, who got captivated by the goddess, Lee Sungmin. What a funny scene.
This is totally awkward… Kyuhyun thought.
They never shared any conversations since they stepped out of the Lees’ house - not like it is appropriate and necessary for the situation, still, even just small exchange of words could be a bit useful so he wouldn’t go insane for worrying about his wife and son!
Then again, he is not good at opening topics, so he just shut his mouth up and tried to occupy himself on trying to contact Sungmin or his father. However, to no avail, none of the two picked his call up. He couldn’t even reach them.
He deliberated on asking his mother or Ahra, if ever they have any idea, but just threw it away since he doesn’t want them being involved in this. He’d rather receive an earful from his mom for not telling her.
It’s his fault, anyways. If he took his father’s threat to him this morning seriously, he would have stayed with Sungmin and Hyunsung. He wouldn’t have left them unattended. Or better yet, he wouldn’t have asked them to go out. He wouldn’t have to worry for their whereabouts; if they are still safe or not.
His father wouldn’t do anything to the two for now, he is sure of it. But what if he discovered that they are affiliating with the police? Will he hurt them? Will he kill Sungmin just like how he killed her parents?
He shook that latter thought off. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, he believes that his father won’t do any harm to his wife and son. They are still his daughter-in-law and grandson.
“Hey, it’s not your fault.” Kibum suddenly spoke, almost making him jump on his seat. Yesung looked through the rearview mirror and talked to them on the backseat of his car, a smile ghosted his lips, “No one’s blaming you… except Eunhyuk-hyung, of course. But just ignore him. He’s just being paranoid since his precious sister is in danger.”
“Why do you guys look so calm despite this?” he finally managed to blurt out anything after recovering from the shock that his former rivals talked to him and encouraged him.
He heard Yesung from the driver’s seat chuckle, finally taking notice of the older guy’s blond hair after weeks of seeing him. He never really paid attention to a person’s hair. Kibum’s is still the same, though. “Nothing will happen if we panic. Besides, you’re also calm, so why wouldn’t we? Your wife and son are in the hands of your father. I didn’t expect for you to act like this, honestly.”
“Yeah, especially with the way you acted earlier when you came.” Kibum joined.
“Oh, that was because of Eunhyuk-hyung. He scared the living daylights of me.” Kyuhyun actually finds it weird that he’s talking to the two rather comfortably. They’re not that bad, after all. He meant being the three of them together since Kibum and he were roommates for months. This is the first time he was with Yesung like this, actually.
The atmosphere between them became lighter, though the nervousness still can’t be hidden. They will do whatever it takes just to find Sungmin and Hyunsung and save them.
After minutes of drive, they finally reached the Cho mansion, with Kyuhyun’s mother welcoming them with worry due to what happened earlier regarding her husband. Kyuhyun tried reassuring her that there’s nothing bad happening especially to Sungmin. Of course he lied.
Not wanting to get suspicious, he introduced Kibum - his mom knows Kibum already, though - and Yesung as his friends and they will get something from his room, sighing in relief when his mom believed him and didn’t ask any questions again.
Mrs. Cho didn’t follow them either, so they are able to go to his father’s office without effort of hiding from his mom.
When they entered said office, they saw his father’s loyal assistant, who immediately brought out a gun and pointed towards them. However, Yesung and Kibum were fast enough to bring theirs out, too. It wasn’t much of a shock for Yesung to have a weapon, but Kibum? That guy can surely fight, but not this way.
“Since when did you have a gun?” he whispered to his former roommate.
Kibum chuckled lowly. “Kangin-hyung gave me this before we left.”
“What, and he didn’t hand me one?!” Kyuhyun unconsciously hissed, forgetting that they are in a serious situation. He was just brought back to reality when his father’s assistant spoke, “I won’t hesitate shooting you three!”
“Oh really?” Kyuhyun said, smirking. “I don’t think so. Three versus one? Can you survive it?”
The older man seemed distracted so Yesung took that chance to disarm the assistant. He swiftly ran towards the unnamed man and twisted the wrist for the man to lose grip of the gun. Kibum ran towards them after, grabbed the gun and threw it to Kyuhyun while Yesung held both of the assistant’s arms and positioned his gun on the guy’s head.
Kyuhyun kind of envied that these two have good fighting skills, while his could only be applied to Starcraft.
“Where is your boss?” Yesung hissed angrily.
The three frowned when the man just chuckled and remained silent.
“Tell us where your boss brought Sungmin and Hyunsung!”
But the man stubbornly refused to say anything in spite of Yesung’s raising of voice. It was sort of scary in Kyuhyun and Kibum’s opinion.
“Mr. Park, your wife died a year ago, so you’re the only one working for your twins who are just a year old. Unfortunately, you aren’t a College graduate so it will be difficult for you to find high-paying jobs like this. No matter what happens, my father will still be jailed after this and since I’m the only son, I will take over the company, meaning you’ll soon be under me. If you tell us this instant where my wife and son are, I won’t fire you.”
Kibum and Yesung exchanged astonished glances as the maknae delivered those lines without pausing and stuttering.
If Kyuhyun is envious of his acquaintances’ combat skills, then those two, on the other hand, are awed by his skill in speaking… and confidence, of course. This man can be a lawyer.
Mr. Park’s smug grin was soon replaced by an alarmed look at what his boss’s son said. All of that information about him is true. And if what this lad said about Mr. Cho going in jail, then he’s going to give what these three want. He doesn’t want to lose his job, which compensates him very well.
“Can I hold on to your word, Mr. Cho?” the adult finally spoke.
Kyuhyun smirked at him. “Of course.”
Mr. Park sighed heavily, shutting his eyes tight before uttering, “Fine.”
~0~
They hastily got out from the car as they saw the police assembling in front of the house preparing to go. Eunhyuk and Kangin came after.
“Where are you going?” Yesung went to the two and asked them.
“Cho called us and we tracked the call.”
“That’s a trap,” Eunhyuk and Kangin, including Heechul who just stepped out from the house, looked at Kyuhyun skeptically. It was already Cho who called them, and where else would that man be? Of course somewhere near the captured. “That call was meant to lure you. He just fled to where Sungmin really is right now because he predicted that you will track it.”
“What made you so sure?” Sungmin’s brother inquired his brother-in-law with an eyebrow raised.
“His assistant told us.” It was Yesung who answered for the younger, knowing that they will believe him more.
Eunhyuk shot Kyuhyun a suspicious glance, pondering if he should consider what the younger is talking about. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Kyuhyun; in fact, the guy had been proved to be reliable, being Sungmin’s husband and all. But what if that assistant told a lie just so his life would be spared?
“Don’t worry; our source is reliable. Kyuhyun here already took care of that. This boy’s got skills, you know.” Yesung said as he placed a reassuring pat on Kyuhyun’s shoulder.
Sighing, Eunhyuk decided not to think of what kind of interrogation these three did and just went with what his instincts are telling him because they are running out of time. “Fine. Let’s go to where that man is and save Sungmin and Hyunsung.”
Kangin’s father smiled at Kyuhyun and gave him a ‘thumbs up’ sign.
~0~
Sungmin woke up to the familiar sound of someone crying. Realizing that it is her baby’s, she snapped her eyes wide open and looked around, trying to find where the source of that voice is.
She is in an abandoned factory of whatever product it is, arms tied on a post, and another thick rope prevents her from moving her feet. She can’t find where her son is. He isn’t anywhere near her.
That’s when she remembered the exact happenings earlier.
It was that time when Kyuhyun was already out of her sight and the baby cried. She was still trying to hush the infant when a cloth with an unfamiliar scent was placed on her nose. Seconds after, she found herself dozing off, her surroundings getting blurry.
She can’t ask for help; there were only kids around the area who doesn’t seem to care of others. She can’t scream as well for some reasons. She can’t call for Kyuhyun’s name. She doesn’t even have the strength to grab her phone for her arms seemed to be turned to jelly, and they will surely snatch it away even before she was able to press a button. The last thing she saw before passing out is an unknown man getting Hyunsung from her.
“Good morning~” Cho Younghwan appeared wearing an identical smirk as Kyuhyun’s. The only difference is that Kyuhyun’s smirk is a playful one, while the older Cho’s is a dangerous one. The type which would send shivers down to your spine due to fear.
“You…” she whispered.
Younghwan knelt in front of the captive, eyes full of admiration as he stares at the woman’s face features. Again, Sungmin can’t help but compare it with Kyuhyun’s. She blushes whenever Kyuhyun does this to her, but she feels disgusted when it comes to his father.
“You really look like Sunhee…”
She frowned. “You don’t have the right to call her by her first name, you murderer!” She hates how casual this man uttered her mother’s name as if he didn’t do something dreadful to her.
“Oh really? But I am your mother’s first boyfriend.”
“What?”
“Yes, honey, Sunhee and I shared a past. We are neighbors, childhood sweethearts, lovers… until your dancer of a father came into her life and took her away from me.”
“So you killed them?”
At the question, Younghwan’s eyes darkened and his voice turned hoarse. “Sunhee cheated on me. I didn’t know that she’s in a relationship with your father while I’m still her boyfriend.”
Younghwan and Sunhee are best of friends since they were kids. They were basically inseparable that their parents thought that they would get married in the future. Things between them slightly changed when they reached middle school. Sunhee, being one of the prettiest girls in town, became really popular among boys and girls. On the other hand, Younghwan here is, should we say, one of the nerds. Spectacled, hair flat and clean, quiet, and nose stuck on his Math books. Their worlds suddenly became different.
However, Sunhee never forgot her best friend. Though they don’t talk that much while in school, she makes it to a point that they’ll meet at night. Movie marathon is a tradition of them.
It took them years before they realized that they don’t see each other as merely best friends anymore, but someone of higher level than that. They got together in high school, and their relationship lasted for four years.
Four fruitful years. Or not.
There was a drastic change in Sunhee during College. Sure, they entered the same university, but they were of different courses. Younghwan majored in Business Administration, while Sunhee got to music. Because of this reason, Younghwan joined the fraternity which allies with Sunhee’s sorority.
On the night before their fifth anniversary, Sunhee broke up with Younghwan, saying that maybe she’s really not in love with him at all, that maybe it would be better if they remain as friends. But you can’t go back to exactly the way you were before. What’s done is done. Once a glass is broken, no matter how hard you try bringing it back to its previous beautiful self, there will always be a crack - a sign that it was once broken, and can never be mended completely.
The next day, he just received the news that Sunhee ran away with the school’s best dancer, who is also a member of the fraternity which is his group’s mortal enemy. Sunhee was pregnant.
Years after, he was arranged to get married to the daughter of his father’s partner in business. And then he found out the whereabouts of his former lover and her husband, Lee Chunhwa, his heart and eyes blinded with hatred to the couple that he didn’t have second thoughts of planning for their death. If he can’t have her, then she would be better off dead. He decided to leave their kids alive to suffer for their parents’ loss.
Never did he expect that his son would marry Sunhee’s daughter, who is a replica of her.
“You were best friends? But appa is umma’s childhood best friend!” Sungmin yelled, not wanting to believe what this man just said, though she knew about the part her parents of running away when her mom got pregnant.
“See what your foolish father did to my Sunhee? He turned her to a liar!”
“No! You’re the one who’s lying!”
“Oh come on, Sungmin, I know that you believe in my story,” Younghwan smirked. “Come to think of it, if it weren’t for your father, you and Kyuhyun might end up being siblings.”
“Then it’s a good thing that my father came.” Sungmin retorted, earning her a slap on the cheek. It stings, yes, but she didn’t pay heed to it just because of anger filling her mind.
If her mom really did cheat on him, then it’s a bad thing. It is unforgivable. But it isn’t a reason for him to kill someone, especially the one you love. Saying that if you truly love him or her, then you will let him or her go can be somewhat applicable, yet it is easier said than done. It sucks when you need to let go, but you can’t because you’re still hoping for the impossible to happen.
Just like what happened to her. She really didn’t let go of Kyuhyun. It may be obvious or not, but she didn’t let go of that small hope in her heart that he will come back, and yes he did.
And Younghwan didn’t give up as well. But the outcome of it wasn’t a positive one.
She sort of pities him at first, but when the fact that he killed her parents dawns on her, she goes back to despising him more. Her case was almost the same with his; Kyuhyun cheated on Sungmin, Sunhee cheated on Younghwan. Kyuhyun got Sungmin pregnant, but Sunhee wasn’t impregnated by Younghwan. Could she say that she’s lucky? Maybe luckier will do.
History repeats itself, huh… just the other way around, and there are some changes in the beginning and the end. Hopefully, Kyuhyun and she will be the end of it.
And then she remembers her son.
“Where’s my baby?” she asked with a glare.
“Somewhere. He’s a bit difficult to get to sleep, huh, just like his father. He really looks like Kyuhyun, right? Good luck on raising him… if you could.”
“Leave him out of this.” Sungmin said slowly, but firmly.
Suddenly, men came rushing to Younghwan, telling them that the police have arrived. Alarmed, he instructed his men to untie Sungmin and take Hyunsung away, ignoring the captured woman’s protests.
When Sungmin is already free of ropes, Younghwan dragged her outside while his men took care of the police and the baby. He was trying to get out of the place as fast as possible, but Sungmin is intentionally slowing him down by applying weight on her feet.
It pissed him off, so he forcefully carried Sungmin on his shoulder as he brought his gun out the moment he heard gun shots from somewhere. He hissed threats to Sungmin when the latter was screaming for help, and it successfully shut her mouth up.
Since the front entrance is surely blocked by the police, then he’d have to find an escape somewhere at the back. Unfortunately, he doesn’t really memorize this place, so he was left with no choice but to continue walking outside until he reaches a destination.
But he reached a dead end. He peeked through it and saw that they are in an estimated 50-feet high cliff. Anyone who will fall here will surely die.
They stopped there for too long that the police caught up with them already. Facing Sungmin with him, his gun pointed at the girl’s head, he saw three men in uniform with their guns pointed towards him, and a lanky black-haired on the side who looks exactly like his rival in love. Sungmin’s brother.
“Put your guns down or I’ll shoot this girl!” he shouted, but those who have weapons didn’t put it down.
“Don’t you fucking dare hurt my sister!” Eunhyuk yelled back, fiery is mirrored on his squinty eyes, making the captor mockingly laugh.
But then, a mop of brown curls appeared from behind Eunhyuk and stood in between two of the policemen, its owner’s eyes teary and arms stretched in front of him.
“Appa,” Kyuhyun said in a weak and pleading tone. “Please don’t hurt Sungmin…”
After so many years, it is the first time Younghwan saw his son like that. Broken. Pleading. Since the day Kyuhyun walked out from his house and decided to live alone, the young man will just throw him cold stares or glares whenever he’s around. Of course he never cared. He just had him so that the company will have a male successor. He doesn’t even love his wife, this boy’s mother.
“I’m sorry if I defied you, but I really love Sungmin and I will not let go of her. I want to have a happy family with her…”
That’s what he wants to have with Sunhee; a happy family. But it never happened.
“I’m also sorry for turning you to the police. I just don’t want you doing more terrible things and you have to pay for what you took…”
But Sunhee’s lover didn’t pay for taking his one and only love.
“Please surrender now, appa… it’s for the best.”
Does he really have to surrender now? Does he have to give up this fight? Does he really have to let go of Sunhee? He looked at Kyuhyun, realizing that this boy had his looks. Turning to Sungmin, who is silently crying beside him now, he thought he just saw Sunhee, crying.
He doesn’t want to see Sunhee cry, especially if it’s because of him. She may have cheated on him, but he still loves her no matter what. The pain she brought him might have killed him inside, but he actually killed her. Sunhee didn’t deserve that. He should have just let her be happy.
He glanced at his son and Sunhee’s daughter; imagining that they were him and Sunhee - it’s not that hard to imagine it, anyways. Happy together. Smiling. Laughing. Loving. Free.
He felt envy in his heart. He knew that the reason why he didn’t want Sungmin for Kyuhyun is that he sees Sunhee in Sungmin, and he is actually afraid that his son might end up having the same fate as him. Seeing that it won’t happen, a smile graced his lips.
He could just always think that he is Kyuhyun and Sunhee is Sungmin.
However, he has to return what he took: Life.
“I’m sorry, son.” It was like Kyuhyun got the shock of his life; never have he heard his father address him as ‘son’ in a genuine way. No matter how much of a bastard his father is, he can’t deny that he still loves him. He felt like tearing up.
“Sungmin-ah,” Younghwan lowered his gun and turned to face Sungmin, his fingers caressing the side of the girl’s face with a smile. Sungmin noticed that the kind of admiration on the older Cho’s eyes isn’t the same as earlier; this is real and gentle.
“You really look like Sunhee. Love Kyuhyun the way I loved her…”
Sungmin smiled. “You don’t need to tell me that… I love your son more than anything else.”
“Thank you, dear.”
Younghwan glanced at his son meaningfully before Sungmin found herself pushed on the ground and the man disappeared from their sight.
Kyuhyun stayed on his spot, frozen. He barely registered Sungmin’s scream and the sound of the people rushing to the edge to check on what happened to his father. His mind is blank. There is nothing in it. He can’t feel anything. He was numb to his surroundings. Everything’s a blur.
He was only brought back to his senses when a hand was placed on his shoulder and he saw Heechul handing a crying Hyunsung to him. At the feeling of the baby’s warm body on his, his tears finally gushed out from his eyes; probably out of relief that his wife and son are safe, and out of grieve that his father committed suicide in front of him.
Sungmin, who pulled away from Eunhyuk’s arms, dashed to her boys and immediately hugged them tight, weeping with them.
They don’t know if they are crying over the same thing, but who cares? At least they know that they’ve got each other at a time like this. One will truly find the greatest comfort in the arms of your family. After all, they are the ones who know you best.
EPILOGUE