Unvoiced Secrets
Title: Unvoiced Secrets (2/?)
Author: his_angel16
Characters: Dongho-centric, slight!XanderHo, slight!HyunSeop
Genre: Angst, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Shin Dongho was sent to a boarding school by his parents, who wish to disown him. Among the other students, he meets his cousin and their family's secrets begin to unravel, stunning everyone involved. When the time for being the hero falls upon young Dongho's shoulders, will he be able to prove himself or will death ultimately have the final say?
Warning: Violence
Chapter Two:
Xander rolled over, trying to ignore his roommate’s snoring. He knew the younger couldn’t help it, but he’d be able to sleep better if Kibum would sleep propped up as he should. He buried his head into his pillow, trying to imagine Kibum’s snoring as a boat motor on the water or something. A knock on the door made him grumble as he slid from his bed to answer it.
“Yeah?” he asked, opening the door. He blinked a few times before realizing it was Dongho. “W-why are you here so late?” When Dongho just stood there, staring at the floor, he got a little worried. “Yah, Dongho, what’s wrong?”
“Can I sleep in here for tonight?” Dongho mumbled. His eyes were still locked on the floor in his attempt to hide his embarrassment.
“What? I couldn’t understand you…”
“I asked if I could stay in here tonight…” When he glanced up at the elder, his eyes held a startled appearance.
Xander walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind himself. “What has you so startled?” When the younger just stared at him, he sighed. “Come one, I’ll take you back to your room.” He walked Dongho back to his room, stopping when he heard a ticking noise. He froze, knowing why the younger had wanted to leave this room. “W-what was that?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I wanted to sleep in the same room as one of you. I can’t sleep if something like this happens.” Looking around, Dongho switched on his light. Seeing a mere moth flying into his ceiling fixture, he rolled his eyes. “It’s only a moth…”
“Let’s turn off the fan.” Xander hit the switch, waiting for the blades to stop. After a few minutes, he became impatient, jumping and hitting the blades lightly to force them to stop. By doing so, he startled the moth, causing it to fly around his and the younger’s heads.
Dongho screamed as he quickly dropped to the floor, covering his head. “Hyung, kill it!”
Jumping out of the room, the elder only poked his head back in the doorway. “No, I don’t want to hear the crunching noise it’ll make! You kill it, Dongho. It’s in your room!”
“But, hyung…” He pouted up at the elder, seeing him slowly caving into his pout. When Xander sighed, he knew he had succeeded.
“Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute.” Leaving the younger, he headed back to his room and switched on the lights, making Kibum grumble under his breath. Grabbing a can of Pledge Multi-Surface cleaner and Febreze air freshener, he returned to Dongho’s room. Pointing both cans toward the intruding insect, he sprayed their contents. “Take that, stupid bug!”
Minutes later, the moth had fallen to the floor. As if it would automatically take care of the problem, Dongho placed a shoe over it, looking up to see Xander’s curious expression. “Out of sight, out of mind, right?” Taking a breath, he coughed. “Why’d you spray so much crap? It’s too strong.”
“It’ll be fine. Can I go back to bed, now?” At the younger’s nod, he went to the door. “Good night, Dongho. In the morning you had better get rid of that bug.”
“I’ll have Soohyun hyung get it. I don’t like bugs…” Closing his door and turning off his light, he crawled back into bed. Looking at his clock, he grumbled at what time it was. “Only three hours until I have to get up. This is going to be a long day.”
*****
Lee Estates-
Kiseop rolled onto his side, sleep eluding him once again. Living so close to the school had its advantages, one being that he could stay with his family whenever he felt like it. As he stared at his wall, he grew more and more bored, finally giving up on trying to count sheep to fall asleep. Climbing out of bed and pulling on his robe, he quietly slipped into the hallway. Silently traveling down the hallway and down the staircase to the first floor, he went into the kitchen. He smiled as he thought of the ice cream sundae he was going to engorge. Hearing footsteps, he hastily climbed into the cupboard under the sink, hiding himself from view.
“…repeat myself,” Boss Lee growled. “We need a wild card if we are to upstage the Shin Mafia. Dig into their background a little more to see if there is anything of interest.”
“Boss, the Shins have a son around the same age as Young Kiseop. Perhaps he will be of some use?” the man with Kiseop’s father informed. “If you give the okay on it, we can arrive at the school, capture the Shin, and bring him back here.”
Boss Lee stopped near the cupboard Kiseop was hiding in, an evil gleam in his eye. He turned to face his subordinate, a nearly maniacal smile on his face. “Bring me the son of the Shin Mafia. We shall use him as collateral against them for whatever we want. Let us go discuss this on my office. Bring him here by…” Their voices faded along with their footsteps.
Climbing out from below the sink, Kiseop stumbled toward the stairs. Rushing while trying to be quiet was one of his faults. He staggered up the stairs, running to his room and hastily pulling on a pair of jeans. He threw on a black t-shirt before grabbing his hoodie. He returned to the first floor, sneaking out of the door and into the night. He grabbed his motorcycle, steering it into the street before bringing the engine to life. He sped toward the school as fast as the night traffic allowed.
*****
School-
Kiseop threw his helmet to the pavement, struggling to climb off his bike. He tumbled to the ground, his bike collapsing on top of him. Shoving it away, he scurried to the gate, climbing over it as he impatiently tried to get to Soohyun. The morning mist made the iron bars a slippery mess, causing his hands to slide often. Reaching the top, he hoisted himself over, landing in a bristly bush.
“Aish, I can’t do anything right!” he spat. Brushing himself off, he wiped at the small beads of blood oozing down his arm. He started for the front door, seeing Dongho sitting there by himself. “Yah, where’s your cousin?”
“He left about an hour ago saying something about having to sleep alone last night,” Dongho replied, his eyes focusing on the elder. “Hyung, why didn’t you have me buzz you in? You wouldn’t have gotten cut on that bush.”
“Look, where exactly did Soohyun go?”
“He went back to the Shin Estates for something. Why? Did something happen?”
Biting his lip, Kiseop sat down next to the younger. He inspected his wound, wincing at the pain it brought from the little contact. He looked seriously at the younger. “Do you think Soohyun will be very long? I need to tell him something important, but I left my phone back at the Lee Estates.”
“Just use the phone he gave me. It’s up in my room. While we’re up there, we can clean your arm before it gets infected and falls off.” Standing, Dongho pulled the other to his feet. They went inside, chatting about ridiculous stories of their pasts. Xander watched from the end of the hall, a little jealously bubbling up inside of him.
Inside Dongho’s room, Kiseop sat on the bed. “I’ll call him after we get this cleaned. It won’t burn that badly, will it?”
Dongho shrugged, pulling up a chair. “Put your arm over the bowl. I don’t want the peroxide to ruin the carpet.” As the elder did as he was instructed, Dongho went to his closet, returning with a towel and first aid kit. “You might want to bite down on this.” Handing the other the towel, he knelt by the chair. Glancing to make sure Kiseop bit down on the towel, he poured peroxide on the scratches. Kiseop could only manage a few strangled cries as he watched the liquid fizzle on his arm.
“That stung. Are you done with it or do you have to pour more of it on my arm?” Kiseop held his breath, wishing that it was over.
“I’m done. Just let me wipe it up and you’ll be fine. Not to pry or anything, but what do you need Soohyun for?”
Kiseop looked toward the window as the younger wiped and dressed his injury. “I need to warn him about my family. They’re trying to kidnap him. When, I’m not sure, but they are up to something devious. I can’t let anything happen to him.”
“The Lee Mafia is trying to kidnap Soohyun? What for?”
“For some reason they think that kidnapping him will make it easier to control the city. With the son of the Shin Mafia in their grasp, they can manipulate the entire city to be theirs. It’s only a matter of when they’ll be planning their attack. My father left the room before I could hear when they were going to execute the plan.”
Dongho placed the chair back at his desk, grabbing the bowl and heading for the door. “You call him and warn him. I’m going to go dump this.” After he left, he raced down the hall, entering to bathroom on the floor. He nearly threw the bowl into the large sink before turning to leave. Back in the hall, he hurried to the staircase, seeing the two exchange students. He stopped near them. “Can I speak to you guys?”
Eli looked at him, somewhat confused. “Why do you want to speak with us?” he asked, his arm around Kevin’s waist. “Why would a Shin speak with us?”
“Look, I need a favor and I need it quick. Do either of you know how to make a fake ID?”
“Why do you need a fake ID? Just force your way into places like the rest of the mafia does,” Kevin nearly spat. When the two of them went to leave, Dongho grabbed onto Eli’s shirt, making them stop.
With his eyes downcast, he sighed, trying to build up his voice. “Please, I need your help to save something important.”
“What could be so important to you that you ask us for help?” Eli removed the younger’s hand from his shirt. “Come on, Kevin, let’s get to the cafeteria for breakfast.”
“Wait, Eli, this might be serious. Since when does a Shin ask for help from those who aren’t part of their mafia?” Kevin looked to Dongho, smiling friendly at him. “We’ll hear you out.”
“It’s not something that important to me. It’s important to someone else, so I have no choice but to do this.” He gazed up at them, seeing their identical looks of confusion. “Kiseop hyung just informed me that the Lee Mafia is going to try to kidnap Soohyun. I need a fake ID that says that I’m Soohyun.”
“You’re trying to take his place? Why would you do that?”
“Although my last name is Shin, I am nothing like the others you have met from the family. My parents left the Shin Mafia after I was born, so I grew up seeing them only once a year. My dad didn’t like the way the Shins treated my mom, so they left right after I was born.” Dongho stared at the older two, trying to make them help him. “If either of you know how to make a fake ID, please help me. Soohyun is the only family I have left.”
Glancing around, Eli nodded. “Come with us.” He led the younger to his and Soohyun’s room, closing the door after the three of them were inside. “It may not look like much, but my laptop can make just about any ID or document the one could need.” He snapped a quick photo of the younger before he loaded it into his laptop.
“Eli is skilled when it comes to this sort of thing.” Kevin smiled at Dongho. “Considering his dad works for the CIA back in the United States, he was showed how to create these things just for fun.”
After a few minutes, Eli smirked, pulling the fake ID from the discard bin. “Here you are, Mr. Shin Soohyun.” He winked at Dongho. “Just don’t get caught with that on school grounds. Xander hyung knows that I can fabricate them, but he still hasn’t turned me in for it.”
“You have no idea how much I appreciate this.” Bowing slightly, Dongho left their room. He passed Kibum on his way back to his room. The elder looked slightly miffed about something. Sighing, he stopped by him. “Is something wrong, hyung?”
“Alexander locked me out of the room again. This hasn’t happened since my brother turned him down for a date,” Kibum groaned.
“I can get into the room if you want.”
“How can a kid like you get into a room without so much as a key?”
“Watch and learn, hyung.” Dongho took out a toothpick, inserting it into the keyhole. After skillfully maneuvering it around, the door clicked. He pushed the door open, seeing Xander sprawled out on his bed. “Yah, hyung, why are you sulking?”
“Go away, Dongho-ssi. I don’t want to be disturbed,” Xander said, his voice muffled. Sitting up abruptly, he looked over at the door. “How did you get in here?”
“I picked the lock. Kibum hyung wanted in the room, so I just helped him get in.” Footsteps came barreling down the hall, Kiseop stopping behind him and out of breath.
“D-Dongho, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What, hyung?”
“Soohyun is at Shin Estates, but he said he can’t leave. The Lee Mafia has surrounded the entire premises and he can’t get out to come back to school.”
“Give me my phone.” Taking the phone back from Kiseop, he dialed a number, placing it to his ear. “It’s me. Come pick me up from school. I’ll be ready within five minutes, okay?” He hung up, throwing the phone back at the elder. He stormed down the hall toward his room. Returning shortly after with his wallet, he walked passed them and to the first floor. They heard the front door slam shut, all wincing at the ringing it left in their ears.
“What’s he doing?” Kiseop asked, looking to Kibum and Xander. They shrugged, noticing Eli and Kevin peering around the doorframe of Soohyun and Eli’s room. Seeing the attention on them, they ducked inside and slammed the door shut.
Kiseop stomped over and knocked on the door. “Open up or I will knock this door down.”
“We don’t know what’s going to between you, Soohyun, and Dongho, so just leave!”
Becoming irritated, Kiseop shoved his boot against the door, the wood splintering as it caved inwards. He glared at the two cowering inside the room. “What the hell is Dongho up to? Spill it before I get angry.”
Eli gulped. “He had me make him a fake ID stating that he was Soohyun. I think he’s going to go to the Lee Estates in Soohyun’s place. He told us of the Lee’s plan to kidnap Soohyun and said that he wanted to help.”
“You just let him leave?!” They flinched away at the tone Kiseop used. He turned, rushing down the stairs. Kibum, Xander, Eli, and Kevin followed him.
Outside, Dongho closed the gate. He intertwined a steel chain between the bars, using a padlock to keep it in place. He noticed the door swing open, revealing five nearly panicky men. He turned once a cab pulled up, opening the door and climbing in. He stared at them trying to break through the chains to get to him. Sighing, he closed the cab door.
“The Lee Estates, please,” he told the driver. As the car started to drive away, he stared out the window. I’m sorry, hyung, for doing this, but I have to. Your life is so much more important than mine and so many people can’t live in this world without you. Kiseop hyung, your parents, your classmates, your friends…they all need you around. It was nice knowing you for what short time I did.
Kiseop growled, snatching Kibum’s phone from him and dialing Soohyun’s number. “Soohyun, we have a problem. You know how I told you about my family trying to kidnap you?” He paused, something Soohyun said making his blood run cold. “What do you mean the Lee Mafia just left? That kid has got some guts, I admit. Just get here immediately!”
Nearly thirty minutes passed before Soohyun arrived. He noticed that the others’ expressions were stony and cold. Walking up, he frowned at the padlock keeping the gate tightly shut. “Why did you lock me out?” he asked, his frown deepening.
“We didn’t do it,” Kevin squeaked. “It was Dongho.”
Soohyun chuckled. “Are you trying to tell me that my little cousin locked you in?” He looked at Kiseop, his expression falling at seeing the younger so serious. “Yah, Kiseopie, what’s wrong?”
“I looked into his background a little, Soohyun. He was kicked out of his old school for assaulting a classmate of his. Although he looks all little and innocent, your cousin can be dangerous, hyung.” He locked gazes with Soohyun, his expression turning even more serious than it had been. “He went to take your place as my family’s hostage. Eli made him an ID using your name in case they asked for proof. They might actually kill him, Soohyun, if they find out he isn’t you.”
“K-Kiseop, you can’t be serious. Your dad wouldn’t really kill him if he finds out he isn’t me, would he?”
“It’s a possibility.” Kiseop sighed. “I have to get to the Lee Estates to stop this. It took you a half an hour to get here which means in another ten to twenty minutes, Dongho will have arrived at the Lee Estates. He may be a kid, but he sure is brave.”
“Bravery has nothing to do with it,” Kevin murmured. “He told Eli and I that he had something important to save.” He looked at Kiseop, then to Soohyun. “He was talking about you, hyung. He said that it wasn’t important to him, but to other people.”
“He also said that since others held it important, then he had no choice but to do it,” Eli added. He stared at Kiseop. “Not only do those of the Shin Mafia hold Soohyun important, but you do, too, Kiseop.”
Kiseop stared back blankly at them, realization hitting him like a brick wall. “I told him what my father was planning back in his room before I called hyung. He seemed to think nothing of it, but obviously he thought more about it than I had anticipated.” He looked at Soohyun, his guilt written all over his face. “I’m sorry, hyung. It’s my fault that your cousin is in danger now.”
“I need to call my dad. He needs to know that Dongho is in trouble.” Soohyun pulled out his phone, but didn’t have time to hit a single button before Xander took it from him. “Hyung, I need to inform my dad of this problem!”
“You can’t do that,” Xander explained, shaking his head. When they all tried to protest, he glared at them. “Do you want all hell to break loose?! We have to find a way to do it ourselves. Kiseop-ssi, does your dad know any information of Soohyun other than his name?”
“No, hyung. All he knows is that the Shin Mafia’s heir is Shin Soohyun. He doesn’t know what he looks like or anything. Why?”
“Soohyun-ssi, you’ll have to take on a fake identity. Eli, make him an ID with a false name, date of birth, all of that.”
“Okay, hyung. I just have a question…” When the eldest looked at him, he gulped. “What’s your plan on rescuing Dongho?”
Xander smirked. “We’ll act as if we’re all going to Kiseop’s to stay over the weekend. If memory serves, there’s been some rebellion in one of the Lee Mafia territories in the west. They’ll go to make sure everyone will be restrained and then we can get Dongho out.”
“You seem to know a lot more about what goes on in the underground than we do.” Soohyun stared at Xander. “Why is that, hyung?”
“I’m not the son of the Eusebio Corporation for nothing. My dad has had several mafias under him for a while now. It was only a matter of time before they slipped up and I heard something. Who do you think is causing trouble in the west? All I have to do is call them and they can make a bigger ruckus.”
“Are we really going to go through with this?” Soohyun glanced at Xander before returning his attention to Kiseop. “You might have problems with your family later on because of all us.”
“And if we don’t do this, then your cousin might die. If my family so chooses to throw out their only heir to the Lee Mafia, then so be it. I won’t allow them to harm your cousin.”
“When did you start caring about him? Didn’t you two hate each other yesterday?”
Kiseop shrugged. “I thought he was some lousy kid yesterday. But after I read is file last night, I gained respect for him.”
“You gained respect for him because he assaulted someone?”
“I gained respect for the kid because of the reason he assaulted someone. If you assault someone, you need to have the proper reasoning behind it or you just look like a crook.”
“What was his reasoning behind it?”
Kiseop smiled in admiration as the letters came flowing back into his mind. “He was protecting someone from being mauled by classmates. Three people were picking on someone and he got tired of it, so he fought back.”
“Who was he protecting?”
“My cousin.”
“Y-your cousin?!” Kevin and Kibum gasped in unison. They looked at each other before speaking together again. “Who is your cousin?”
“A guy named Lee Jinki. Him and his brother, Taemin, were being victimized at school. My father told me about it. He also mentioned that he’d love to meet the one who came to their rescue since neither know how to defend themselves really.”
“That’s it!” Xander shrieked. “All we have to do is make him realize that Dongho is the one that saved them! Kiseop, you’re a genius! Call your cousins, have them meet you at the Lee Estates. None of us have to go other than you and they can vouch for him since he helped tem.”
“We may have discovered the best wild card ever. Although he claims to be Soohyun, my cousins just may be able to save his life…” Kiseop dialed Jinki’s phone number, placing the phone to his ear. “Jinki-ssi, I need your help. Just meet me at Lee Estates in about an hour. I’ll fill you in when we’re there. Yeah, bring Taemin with you.”
“Remind me to send thank you cards to your cousins if this plan of ours works and Dongho is safe.”
“You need to go back to Shin Estates, hyung.” When Eli spoke, they all looked at him questioningly. “With Kiseop at the Lee Estates, there won’t be a soul here that can defend you from them once the truth is out. Go home, stay there until we send Dongho to you. We’ll use my dad’s radio up in our room to keep in touch with the parties involved.”
“But I don’t want to wait there.”
“It’s the only place you’ll be safe from my family.” Kiseop looked to him, his eyes pleading. “Please, hyung, I beg of you, go home until I contact you and tell you it’s safe.”
“Okay, I’ll go. Be careful, Kiseop.”
“I’ll drive you to make sure you get there safely. Then I’ll stay with you for more security. I’ll even call one of my family’s underground syndicates for assistance.”
Xander escorted Soohyun to his car, climbing in behind the wheel and calling his family’s best syndicate. After speaking with them, he drove down the road, four black cars surrounding them. Kiseop climbed onto his bike, pulling his helmet on and revving the engine. He peeled out of the lot, heading in the opposite direction as Eli and Kevin raced inside. Eli radioed to Xander and Kiseop, keeping the three groups linked as their rescue of Dongho began.
*****
Lee Estates-
He took a large breath as he climbed out from the back of the cab, giving the driver the last of his money. He walked to the gate, opening it and slipping inside. A few of the obvious mafia members stared at his bold nature as he walked up the front path to the steps. They started toward him once he reached the porch. After hitting the buzzer, they all stopped behind him, unsure of what to do exactly to this surprise visitor.
“Who are you?” a voice asked over the intercom.
Gaining all of his strength into his words, Dongho stared at the little box, seeing a man behind a large desk. “I am here to speak with the head of the Lee Mafia. Are you him?”
“What is your reason for coming, boy?”
“I am here to ask that you leave my family alone. I came on their behalf to make a deal with you.” Dongho was glad his voice didn’t betray him for his nerves were starting to make his knees tremble. He was terrified of the man in that mansion, terrified that he might actually attempt to claim Soohyun’s life along with the rest of the Shin family’s.
“I have no interest in making a deal with a commoner who will never be able to keep it. Go away.” Boss Lee’s hand hovered over the disconnect button, ready to end their conversation.
“On behalf of the Shin Mafia and the families tied to it, I, Shin Soohyun, will become your prisoner so long as you leave all others alone.”
“Did you just say that you are Shin Soohyun? Under what circumstances am I to believe you? You could be a fake for all I know.” Dongho revealed the fake ID, it clearly stating that he was Soohyun. Boss Lee smirked. “Bring him inside to my office, men. I need to confirm this myself.”
The men behind Dongho led him into the mansion. Two had gripped his elbows, a precaution in case he tried to run freely once inside. As they led him down hall after hall, he tried to keep his breathing even as they quickly approached their destination. He was nearly thrown into an office, Boss Lee sitting behind his desk.
Chap. 2 End
Author: his_angel16
Characters: Dongho-centric, slight!XanderHo, slight!HyunSeop
Genre: Angst, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Shin Dongho was sent to a boarding school by his parents, who wish to disown him. Among the other students, he meets his cousin and their family's secrets begin to unravel, stunning everyone involved. When the time for being the hero falls upon young Dongho's shoulders, will he be able to prove himself or will death ultimately have the final say?
Warning: Violence
Chapter Two:
Xander rolled over, trying to ignore his roommate’s snoring. He knew the younger couldn’t help it, but he’d be able to sleep better if Kibum would sleep propped up as he should. He buried his head into his pillow, trying to imagine Kibum’s snoring as a boat motor on the water or something. A knock on the door made him grumble as he slid from his bed to answer it.
“Yeah?” he asked, opening the door. He blinked a few times before realizing it was Dongho. “W-why are you here so late?” When Dongho just stood there, staring at the floor, he got a little worried. “Yah, Dongho, what’s wrong?”
“Can I sleep in here for tonight?” Dongho mumbled. His eyes were still locked on the floor in his attempt to hide his embarrassment.
“What? I couldn’t understand you…”
“I asked if I could stay in here tonight…” When he glanced up at the elder, his eyes held a startled appearance.
Xander walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind himself. “What has you so startled?” When the younger just stared at him, he sighed. “Come one, I’ll take you back to your room.” He walked Dongho back to his room, stopping when he heard a ticking noise. He froze, knowing why the younger had wanted to leave this room. “W-what was that?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I wanted to sleep in the same room as one of you. I can’t sleep if something like this happens.” Looking around, Dongho switched on his light. Seeing a mere moth flying into his ceiling fixture, he rolled his eyes. “It’s only a moth…”
“Let’s turn off the fan.” Xander hit the switch, waiting for the blades to stop. After a few minutes, he became impatient, jumping and hitting the blades lightly to force them to stop. By doing so, he startled the moth, causing it to fly around his and the younger’s heads.
Dongho screamed as he quickly dropped to the floor, covering his head. “Hyung, kill it!”
Jumping out of the room, the elder only poked his head back in the doorway. “No, I don’t want to hear the crunching noise it’ll make! You kill it, Dongho. It’s in your room!”
“But, hyung…” He pouted up at the elder, seeing him slowly caving into his pout. When Xander sighed, he knew he had succeeded.
“Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute.” Leaving the younger, he headed back to his room and switched on the lights, making Kibum grumble under his breath. Grabbing a can of Pledge Multi-Surface cleaner and Febreze air freshener, he returned to Dongho’s room. Pointing both cans toward the intruding insect, he sprayed their contents. “Take that, stupid bug!”
Minutes later, the moth had fallen to the floor. As if it would automatically take care of the problem, Dongho placed a shoe over it, looking up to see Xander’s curious expression. “Out of sight, out of mind, right?” Taking a breath, he coughed. “Why’d you spray so much crap? It’s too strong.”
“It’ll be fine. Can I go back to bed, now?” At the younger’s nod, he went to the door. “Good night, Dongho. In the morning you had better get rid of that bug.”
“I’ll have Soohyun hyung get it. I don’t like bugs…” Closing his door and turning off his light, he crawled back into bed. Looking at his clock, he grumbled at what time it was. “Only three hours until I have to get up. This is going to be a long day.”
*****
Lee Estates-
Kiseop rolled onto his side, sleep eluding him once again. Living so close to the school had its advantages, one being that he could stay with his family whenever he felt like it. As he stared at his wall, he grew more and more bored, finally giving up on trying to count sheep to fall asleep. Climbing out of bed and pulling on his robe, he quietly slipped into the hallway. Silently traveling down the hallway and down the staircase to the first floor, he went into the kitchen. He smiled as he thought of the ice cream sundae he was going to engorge. Hearing footsteps, he hastily climbed into the cupboard under the sink, hiding himself from view.
“…repeat myself,” Boss Lee growled. “We need a wild card if we are to upstage the Shin Mafia. Dig into their background a little more to see if there is anything of interest.”
“Boss, the Shins have a son around the same age as Young Kiseop. Perhaps he will be of some use?” the man with Kiseop’s father informed. “If you give the okay on it, we can arrive at the school, capture the Shin, and bring him back here.”
Boss Lee stopped near the cupboard Kiseop was hiding in, an evil gleam in his eye. He turned to face his subordinate, a nearly maniacal smile on his face. “Bring me the son of the Shin Mafia. We shall use him as collateral against them for whatever we want. Let us go discuss this on my office. Bring him here by…” Their voices faded along with their footsteps.
Climbing out from below the sink, Kiseop stumbled toward the stairs. Rushing while trying to be quiet was one of his faults. He staggered up the stairs, running to his room and hastily pulling on a pair of jeans. He threw on a black t-shirt before grabbing his hoodie. He returned to the first floor, sneaking out of the door and into the night. He grabbed his motorcycle, steering it into the street before bringing the engine to life. He sped toward the school as fast as the night traffic allowed.
*****
School-
Kiseop threw his helmet to the pavement, struggling to climb off his bike. He tumbled to the ground, his bike collapsing on top of him. Shoving it away, he scurried to the gate, climbing over it as he impatiently tried to get to Soohyun. The morning mist made the iron bars a slippery mess, causing his hands to slide often. Reaching the top, he hoisted himself over, landing in a bristly bush.
“Aish, I can’t do anything right!” he spat. Brushing himself off, he wiped at the small beads of blood oozing down his arm. He started for the front door, seeing Dongho sitting there by himself. “Yah, where’s your cousin?”
“He left about an hour ago saying something about having to sleep alone last night,” Dongho replied, his eyes focusing on the elder. “Hyung, why didn’t you have me buzz you in? You wouldn’t have gotten cut on that bush.”
“Look, where exactly did Soohyun go?”
“He went back to the Shin Estates for something. Why? Did something happen?”
Biting his lip, Kiseop sat down next to the younger. He inspected his wound, wincing at the pain it brought from the little contact. He looked seriously at the younger. “Do you think Soohyun will be very long? I need to tell him something important, but I left my phone back at the Lee Estates.”
“Just use the phone he gave me. It’s up in my room. While we’re up there, we can clean your arm before it gets infected and falls off.” Standing, Dongho pulled the other to his feet. They went inside, chatting about ridiculous stories of their pasts. Xander watched from the end of the hall, a little jealously bubbling up inside of him.
Inside Dongho’s room, Kiseop sat on the bed. “I’ll call him after we get this cleaned. It won’t burn that badly, will it?”
Dongho shrugged, pulling up a chair. “Put your arm over the bowl. I don’t want the peroxide to ruin the carpet.” As the elder did as he was instructed, Dongho went to his closet, returning with a towel and first aid kit. “You might want to bite down on this.” Handing the other the towel, he knelt by the chair. Glancing to make sure Kiseop bit down on the towel, he poured peroxide on the scratches. Kiseop could only manage a few strangled cries as he watched the liquid fizzle on his arm.
“That stung. Are you done with it or do you have to pour more of it on my arm?” Kiseop held his breath, wishing that it was over.
“I’m done. Just let me wipe it up and you’ll be fine. Not to pry or anything, but what do you need Soohyun for?”
Kiseop looked toward the window as the younger wiped and dressed his injury. “I need to warn him about my family. They’re trying to kidnap him. When, I’m not sure, but they are up to something devious. I can’t let anything happen to him.”
“The Lee Mafia is trying to kidnap Soohyun? What for?”
“For some reason they think that kidnapping him will make it easier to control the city. With the son of the Shin Mafia in their grasp, they can manipulate the entire city to be theirs. It’s only a matter of when they’ll be planning their attack. My father left the room before I could hear when they were going to execute the plan.”
Dongho placed the chair back at his desk, grabbing the bowl and heading for the door. “You call him and warn him. I’m going to go dump this.” After he left, he raced down the hall, entering to bathroom on the floor. He nearly threw the bowl into the large sink before turning to leave. Back in the hall, he hurried to the staircase, seeing the two exchange students. He stopped near them. “Can I speak to you guys?”
Eli looked at him, somewhat confused. “Why do you want to speak with us?” he asked, his arm around Kevin’s waist. “Why would a Shin speak with us?”
“Look, I need a favor and I need it quick. Do either of you know how to make a fake ID?”
“Why do you need a fake ID? Just force your way into places like the rest of the mafia does,” Kevin nearly spat. When the two of them went to leave, Dongho grabbed onto Eli’s shirt, making them stop.
With his eyes downcast, he sighed, trying to build up his voice. “Please, I need your help to save something important.”
“What could be so important to you that you ask us for help?” Eli removed the younger’s hand from his shirt. “Come on, Kevin, let’s get to the cafeteria for breakfast.”
“Wait, Eli, this might be serious. Since when does a Shin ask for help from those who aren’t part of their mafia?” Kevin looked to Dongho, smiling friendly at him. “We’ll hear you out.”
“It’s not something that important to me. It’s important to someone else, so I have no choice but to do this.” He gazed up at them, seeing their identical looks of confusion. “Kiseop hyung just informed me that the Lee Mafia is going to try to kidnap Soohyun. I need a fake ID that says that I’m Soohyun.”
“You’re trying to take his place? Why would you do that?”
“Although my last name is Shin, I am nothing like the others you have met from the family. My parents left the Shin Mafia after I was born, so I grew up seeing them only once a year. My dad didn’t like the way the Shins treated my mom, so they left right after I was born.” Dongho stared at the older two, trying to make them help him. “If either of you know how to make a fake ID, please help me. Soohyun is the only family I have left.”
Glancing around, Eli nodded. “Come with us.” He led the younger to his and Soohyun’s room, closing the door after the three of them were inside. “It may not look like much, but my laptop can make just about any ID or document the one could need.” He snapped a quick photo of the younger before he loaded it into his laptop.
“Eli is skilled when it comes to this sort of thing.” Kevin smiled at Dongho. “Considering his dad works for the CIA back in the United States, he was showed how to create these things just for fun.”
After a few minutes, Eli smirked, pulling the fake ID from the discard bin. “Here you are, Mr. Shin Soohyun.” He winked at Dongho. “Just don’t get caught with that on school grounds. Xander hyung knows that I can fabricate them, but he still hasn’t turned me in for it.”
“You have no idea how much I appreciate this.” Bowing slightly, Dongho left their room. He passed Kibum on his way back to his room. The elder looked slightly miffed about something. Sighing, he stopped by him. “Is something wrong, hyung?”
“Alexander locked me out of the room again. This hasn’t happened since my brother turned him down for a date,” Kibum groaned.
“I can get into the room if you want.”
“How can a kid like you get into a room without so much as a key?”
“Watch and learn, hyung.” Dongho took out a toothpick, inserting it into the keyhole. After skillfully maneuvering it around, the door clicked. He pushed the door open, seeing Xander sprawled out on his bed. “Yah, hyung, why are you sulking?”
“Go away, Dongho-ssi. I don’t want to be disturbed,” Xander said, his voice muffled. Sitting up abruptly, he looked over at the door. “How did you get in here?”
“I picked the lock. Kibum hyung wanted in the room, so I just helped him get in.” Footsteps came barreling down the hall, Kiseop stopping behind him and out of breath.
“D-Dongho, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What, hyung?”
“Soohyun is at Shin Estates, but he said he can’t leave. The Lee Mafia has surrounded the entire premises and he can’t get out to come back to school.”
“Give me my phone.” Taking the phone back from Kiseop, he dialed a number, placing it to his ear. “It’s me. Come pick me up from school. I’ll be ready within five minutes, okay?” He hung up, throwing the phone back at the elder. He stormed down the hall toward his room. Returning shortly after with his wallet, he walked passed them and to the first floor. They heard the front door slam shut, all wincing at the ringing it left in their ears.
“What’s he doing?” Kiseop asked, looking to Kibum and Xander. They shrugged, noticing Eli and Kevin peering around the doorframe of Soohyun and Eli’s room. Seeing the attention on them, they ducked inside and slammed the door shut.
Kiseop stomped over and knocked on the door. “Open up or I will knock this door down.”
“We don’t know what’s going to between you, Soohyun, and Dongho, so just leave!”
Becoming irritated, Kiseop shoved his boot against the door, the wood splintering as it caved inwards. He glared at the two cowering inside the room. “What the hell is Dongho up to? Spill it before I get angry.”
Eli gulped. “He had me make him a fake ID stating that he was Soohyun. I think he’s going to go to the Lee Estates in Soohyun’s place. He told us of the Lee’s plan to kidnap Soohyun and said that he wanted to help.”
“You just let him leave?!” They flinched away at the tone Kiseop used. He turned, rushing down the stairs. Kibum, Xander, Eli, and Kevin followed him.
Outside, Dongho closed the gate. He intertwined a steel chain between the bars, using a padlock to keep it in place. He noticed the door swing open, revealing five nearly panicky men. He turned once a cab pulled up, opening the door and climbing in. He stared at them trying to break through the chains to get to him. Sighing, he closed the cab door.
“The Lee Estates, please,” he told the driver. As the car started to drive away, he stared out the window. I’m sorry, hyung, for doing this, but I have to. Your life is so much more important than mine and so many people can’t live in this world without you. Kiseop hyung, your parents, your classmates, your friends…they all need you around. It was nice knowing you for what short time I did.
Kiseop growled, snatching Kibum’s phone from him and dialing Soohyun’s number. “Soohyun, we have a problem. You know how I told you about my family trying to kidnap you?” He paused, something Soohyun said making his blood run cold. “What do you mean the Lee Mafia just left? That kid has got some guts, I admit. Just get here immediately!”
Nearly thirty minutes passed before Soohyun arrived. He noticed that the others’ expressions were stony and cold. Walking up, he frowned at the padlock keeping the gate tightly shut. “Why did you lock me out?” he asked, his frown deepening.
“We didn’t do it,” Kevin squeaked. “It was Dongho.”
Soohyun chuckled. “Are you trying to tell me that my little cousin locked you in?” He looked at Kiseop, his expression falling at seeing the younger so serious. “Yah, Kiseopie, what’s wrong?”
“I looked into his background a little, Soohyun. He was kicked out of his old school for assaulting a classmate of his. Although he looks all little and innocent, your cousin can be dangerous, hyung.” He locked gazes with Soohyun, his expression turning even more serious than it had been. “He went to take your place as my family’s hostage. Eli made him an ID using your name in case they asked for proof. They might actually kill him, Soohyun, if they find out he isn’t you.”
“K-Kiseop, you can’t be serious. Your dad wouldn’t really kill him if he finds out he isn’t me, would he?”
“It’s a possibility.” Kiseop sighed. “I have to get to the Lee Estates to stop this. It took you a half an hour to get here which means in another ten to twenty minutes, Dongho will have arrived at the Lee Estates. He may be a kid, but he sure is brave.”
“Bravery has nothing to do with it,” Kevin murmured. “He told Eli and I that he had something important to save.” He looked at Kiseop, then to Soohyun. “He was talking about you, hyung. He said that it wasn’t important to him, but to other people.”
“He also said that since others held it important, then he had no choice but to do it,” Eli added. He stared at Kiseop. “Not only do those of the Shin Mafia hold Soohyun important, but you do, too, Kiseop.”
Kiseop stared back blankly at them, realization hitting him like a brick wall. “I told him what my father was planning back in his room before I called hyung. He seemed to think nothing of it, but obviously he thought more about it than I had anticipated.” He looked at Soohyun, his guilt written all over his face. “I’m sorry, hyung. It’s my fault that your cousin is in danger now.”
“I need to call my dad. He needs to know that Dongho is in trouble.” Soohyun pulled out his phone, but didn’t have time to hit a single button before Xander took it from him. “Hyung, I need to inform my dad of this problem!”
“You can’t do that,” Xander explained, shaking his head. When they all tried to protest, he glared at them. “Do you want all hell to break loose?! We have to find a way to do it ourselves. Kiseop-ssi, does your dad know any information of Soohyun other than his name?”
“No, hyung. All he knows is that the Shin Mafia’s heir is Shin Soohyun. He doesn’t know what he looks like or anything. Why?”
“Soohyun-ssi, you’ll have to take on a fake identity. Eli, make him an ID with a false name, date of birth, all of that.”
“Okay, hyung. I just have a question…” When the eldest looked at him, he gulped. “What’s your plan on rescuing Dongho?”
Xander smirked. “We’ll act as if we’re all going to Kiseop’s to stay over the weekend. If memory serves, there’s been some rebellion in one of the Lee Mafia territories in the west. They’ll go to make sure everyone will be restrained and then we can get Dongho out.”
“You seem to know a lot more about what goes on in the underground than we do.” Soohyun stared at Xander. “Why is that, hyung?”
“I’m not the son of the Eusebio Corporation for nothing. My dad has had several mafias under him for a while now. It was only a matter of time before they slipped up and I heard something. Who do you think is causing trouble in the west? All I have to do is call them and they can make a bigger ruckus.”
“Are we really going to go through with this?” Soohyun glanced at Xander before returning his attention to Kiseop. “You might have problems with your family later on because of all us.”
“And if we don’t do this, then your cousin might die. If my family so chooses to throw out their only heir to the Lee Mafia, then so be it. I won’t allow them to harm your cousin.”
“When did you start caring about him? Didn’t you two hate each other yesterday?”
Kiseop shrugged. “I thought he was some lousy kid yesterday. But after I read is file last night, I gained respect for him.”
“You gained respect for him because he assaulted someone?”
“I gained respect for the kid because of the reason he assaulted someone. If you assault someone, you need to have the proper reasoning behind it or you just look like a crook.”
“What was his reasoning behind it?”
Kiseop smiled in admiration as the letters came flowing back into his mind. “He was protecting someone from being mauled by classmates. Three people were picking on someone and he got tired of it, so he fought back.”
“Who was he protecting?”
“My cousin.”
“Y-your cousin?!” Kevin and Kibum gasped in unison. They looked at each other before speaking together again. “Who is your cousin?”
“A guy named Lee Jinki. Him and his brother, Taemin, were being victimized at school. My father told me about it. He also mentioned that he’d love to meet the one who came to their rescue since neither know how to defend themselves really.”
“That’s it!” Xander shrieked. “All we have to do is make him realize that Dongho is the one that saved them! Kiseop, you’re a genius! Call your cousins, have them meet you at the Lee Estates. None of us have to go other than you and they can vouch for him since he helped tem.”
“We may have discovered the best wild card ever. Although he claims to be Soohyun, my cousins just may be able to save his life…” Kiseop dialed Jinki’s phone number, placing the phone to his ear. “Jinki-ssi, I need your help. Just meet me at Lee Estates in about an hour. I’ll fill you in when we’re there. Yeah, bring Taemin with you.”
“Remind me to send thank you cards to your cousins if this plan of ours works and Dongho is safe.”
“You need to go back to Shin Estates, hyung.” When Eli spoke, they all looked at him questioningly. “With Kiseop at the Lee Estates, there won’t be a soul here that can defend you from them once the truth is out. Go home, stay there until we send Dongho to you. We’ll use my dad’s radio up in our room to keep in touch with the parties involved.”
“But I don’t want to wait there.”
“It’s the only place you’ll be safe from my family.” Kiseop looked to him, his eyes pleading. “Please, hyung, I beg of you, go home until I contact you and tell you it’s safe.”
“Okay, I’ll go. Be careful, Kiseop.”
“I’ll drive you to make sure you get there safely. Then I’ll stay with you for more security. I’ll even call one of my family’s underground syndicates for assistance.”
Xander escorted Soohyun to his car, climbing in behind the wheel and calling his family’s best syndicate. After speaking with them, he drove down the road, four black cars surrounding them. Kiseop climbed onto his bike, pulling his helmet on and revving the engine. He peeled out of the lot, heading in the opposite direction as Eli and Kevin raced inside. Eli radioed to Xander and Kiseop, keeping the three groups linked as their rescue of Dongho began.
*****
Lee Estates-
He took a large breath as he climbed out from the back of the cab, giving the driver the last of his money. He walked to the gate, opening it and slipping inside. A few of the obvious mafia members stared at his bold nature as he walked up the front path to the steps. They started toward him once he reached the porch. After hitting the buzzer, they all stopped behind him, unsure of what to do exactly to this surprise visitor.
“Who are you?” a voice asked over the intercom.
Gaining all of his strength into his words, Dongho stared at the little box, seeing a man behind a large desk. “I am here to speak with the head of the Lee Mafia. Are you him?”
“What is your reason for coming, boy?”
“I am here to ask that you leave my family alone. I came on their behalf to make a deal with you.” Dongho was glad his voice didn’t betray him for his nerves were starting to make his knees tremble. He was terrified of the man in that mansion, terrified that he might actually attempt to claim Soohyun’s life along with the rest of the Shin family’s.
“I have no interest in making a deal with a commoner who will never be able to keep it. Go away.” Boss Lee’s hand hovered over the disconnect button, ready to end their conversation.
“On behalf of the Shin Mafia and the families tied to it, I, Shin Soohyun, will become your prisoner so long as you leave all others alone.”
“Did you just say that you are Shin Soohyun? Under what circumstances am I to believe you? You could be a fake for all I know.” Dongho revealed the fake ID, it clearly stating that he was Soohyun. Boss Lee smirked. “Bring him inside to my office, men. I need to confirm this myself.”
The men behind Dongho led him into the mansion. Two had gripped his elbows, a precaution in case he tried to run freely once inside. As they led him down hall after hall, he tried to keep his breathing even as they quickly approached their destination. He was nearly thrown into an office, Boss Lee sitting behind his desk.
Chap. 2 End