Chapter Text
the song from the radio seems to ring in jihoon’s ear.
Soy el fuego que arde tu piel
he always had a love for spanish music. it was always so meaningful and beautiful. the rain hit the windows as they drove down the winding road that would take them back to their penthouse deep in seoul. jihoon had always been curious about what his life would have been like if he hadn’t inherited his father’s empire. maybe by now he would be graduating college, living in his first shitty apartment but he chose this instead.
“babe?”
jihoon’s thoughts were put on hold as he turned to his boyfriend.
“are you okay? you’re thinking again… don’t worry about jeonghan, him and his little circle of friends can’t do anything to hurt us, okay?” vernon moved his hand to rub jihoon’s thigh.
jihoon sighed and held vernon’s hand in his, “it’s okay baby it wasn’t about that.”
“i never know what you’re thinking, and i don’t know if i ever will.” vernon let out a small laugh and moved to place a small kiss on jihoon’s lips.
jihoon smiled into the kiss as the rain seemed to become lighter, and the skies finally cleared to reveal the moon.
vernon would never say it, but he worried about jihoon sometimes. he was always so busy dealing with issues big and small. he also would never admit he thought jeonghan and his little group could be a threat but he kept quiet for the rest of the drive home.
-
“It doesn’t matter about money; having it, not having it. Or having clothes, or not having them. You’re still left alone with yourself in the end.”
-Billy Idol
money, money had always been the center of his life. since he was a child he was raised around wealth. jihoon had always thought he liked being alone, until he met vernon. he still doesn’t remember who started the conversation first, but he knew he loved him from the start. vernon had taught him everything his life as a child hadn’t. love, compassion, and empathy. they were so different yet connected by a strange force from the time they met. most importantly, he learned that he didn’t need money to be happy, he needed someone who cared and loved him.
their balcony overlooked most of seoul, and on clear nights like these, you could see almost the entire city.
jihoon took a deep breath as he inhaled the smoke from his cigarette. he felt arms wrap around his waist.
“it’s so beautiful.” vernon leaned his head on jihoon’s shoulder as jihoon exhaled the smoke from his lungs.
“vernon, can i say something?” jihoon asked as he put out his cigarette on the concrete balcony.
“of course.”
“would you still love me if i didn’t have all of this?” jihoon leaned against the balcony and turned to face his boyfriend.
vernon’s smile quickly faded into a sad, almost disappointed look. he sighed and moved his arm up and down jihoon’s. “jihoon, you know i would.” his eyes seemed to glisten, maybe from the city lights, or the tears filling his eyes.
jihoon looked up and put a hand to vernon’s cheek. “i love you so much.”
vernon pulled jihoon into a hug and began to sob gently into jihoon’s shoulder. “please stop asking me that, you make me so sad when you do. i-” his sobbing cut his sentence short.
“i know. i’m so sorry, i’m so sorry.” jihoon began to sniffle as he held onto vernon’s black button-up.
vernon pulled away for a second to look at jihoon. he looked like a kicked puppy, so sad, so vulnerable. “hey,” he lifted jihoon’s chin with his hand. “i’ll always love you. i don’t care if you have money or not. you could’ve picked anyone, but you picked me, and i picked you.”
jihoon felt himself smile as he reached for vernon’s hand and held it by his side. “let’s dance.”
“what?” vernon giggled as he took jihoon’s other hand in his.
“cmon, stop being so shy i know you can dance.” jihoon led vernon to a record player they kept outside and pulled out a vinyl. he blew off the dust before putting it in the player and moving the needle to the record.
the record began to turn slowly, and before long, a song began to fill their balcony.
I know your eyes in the morning sun
I feel you touch me in the pouring rain
jihoon saw vernon’s face turn into a smile as he took his hands in his and the two swayed back and forth.
And the moment that you wander far from me
I want to feel you in my arms again
And you come to me on a summer breeze
vernon took his hand to put it on jihoon’s face. he could see the pain in jihoon’s eyes. he had been through so much, yet he was here with him, smiling and dancing in the moonlight.
Keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave
And it's me you need to show
the two halted to a stop as gunshots rang throughout their penthouse.
“hansol get down now!” jihoon pulled both of them to the ground.
the music still played softly in the background.
How deep is your love, how deep is your love
How deep is your love?
when the gunfire finally subsided, jihoon slowly got up and grabbed a bat he kept hidden under the patio furniture. “stay here” he mouthed to vernon who was still laying on the ground.
jihoon slowly crept into the living room. glass was scattered on the floor and the lights hanging from the ceiling had been shot to the ground. this was odd, to say the least. his house had been broken into and more of his men had been laying on the floor, wounded. he bent down to examine the glass on the floor. his head turned to a noise the noticed down the corridor. it sounded like a rat or small rodent digging through his files.
great. jihoon thought to himself as he made his way down the hallway into his office.
he slowly opened the door to find the structure of a small man digging through his cabinets. he let out a soft chuckle. the man turned around quickly, revealing an all too familiar face.
“hello, jeon.” he smiled.