Chapter Text
Seoul passed October and autumn flooded the streets. The early morning sun mixed with the yellow leaves of the ginkgo tree creates a romantic scene that many people have to stop to take a photo with the warm colors of the autumn season. But tonight, the city experienced an unusually heavy downpour. The wind whistled outside the doorway and torrential rain swept away the fallen leaves at the stumps of old trees.
The restaurant on the top floor is all-encompassing tonight. However the preparations took place last night, the manager had to receive angry complaints from the guests who had made reservations. He used the softest voice he ever had to appease these guests and promised to give them a discount on future meals. It was all because the restaurant owner had phoned him the afternoon before and asked to canceling all the tables booked so that the preparation would proceed in the most thoughtful manner.
The manager was truly sweating profusely as he dealt with this unexpected problem. He had worked there for nine years and had never witnessed the restaurant being closed all day to prepare for mysterious guests, and he was curious about who they were.
The owner of the restaurant did not reveal much, saying only that he should prepare carefully and that all dishes must be made by the chef himself. The menu arrived soon after and he was busy contacting the supplier for higher requirements for the quality of the necessary ingredients.
The interior space was now devoid of small tables and chairs; the restaurant manager had cleared them all out the previous night. He had to allow a technical team entering immediately after clearing all the furniture and heard that they came to see if this was bugged, GPS tracking devices, or unauthorized communication devices, and then they disabled the security cameras in the restaurant and the kitchen area. The head chef is only allowed to keep one kitchen assistant and the newly sent security team are also strangers on behalf of the restaurant's security team.
In the morning, a large table attached to the restaurant that the owner said was from his collection to put in the center of the restaurant, ready to welcome distinguished guests. The long, oval table is deep polished and the station features gold-plated hand-crafted symmetrical lines with elegant well-designed chairs.
It was dark and the rain began to fall on the glass, causing the brilliant city below to become blurred into colorful streaks of many shapes.
The manager found himself a little nervous, he rarely had this feeling even though he had met many people from the super-rich to some political figures. The reception has never been more formal.
Appointment time is set at eight o'clock in the evening.
Inside the restaurant, the manager stood next to the empty front desk, tapping his finger on the solid wood counter and checking his watch, counting the minutes.
Precisely at eight o'clock, the heavy wooden doors swung open, and a tall, somewhat elderly man with long, slicked-back hair entered, followed by several bodyguards in black suits. The manager bowed deeply in a formal greeting and remained in his position. He had been instructed not to approach the table unless called upon.
A bodyguard came forward and pulled out the chair for the other man. After the man settled down and the guards came out, he could see him better. His skin was white and pale under the light of the large lantern hanging from the ceiling. The face is cold expressionless, giving off an aura that suggested he wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Five minutes later there were two men entering together, they both brought bodyguards but these people just stood at the door and did not go in.
He continued to bend over for a greeting.
He recognized the younger man; he had appeared several times in the headlines as a professional moto rider. On his ears, eyebrows and lips he pierced a lot of piercings. The exposed hand is tattooed with two colors of peacock blue and black ink from the dragon's claw that emerges from the wrist. He wore black leather and combat boost. His angular and arrogant face was quite different from the other man.
The other one looked extremely impressive. You could confuse him with any superstar with his designer clothes and meticulously styled hair. His demeanor didn't resemble someone walking on a restaurant carpet, but rather the red carpet of some prestigious awards ceremony.
The two of them sat down at the table, facing each other.
The youngest placed his hand on the shoulder of the long-haired person, shaking it vigorously:
" Yoongi hyung, it's been a long time since I saw you."
Before waiting for the other person to respond, he turned to the person sitting opposite him, his mouth slightly raised a smile that seemed contemptuous and sarcastic:
“ And it's been a long time, Jung Hoseok. Only a few years ago you've picked up the flamboyant style of those decadents, haven't you? “
Yoongi, who has always sat silently since entering the restaurant, gave young people a sharp glance:
" Watch your words, Jungkook."
“ Just met and couldn't resist, you so-called superstar racer that the newspapers write about you? I wonder how much they sucked up to write such a cliché? I heard that you just got hit by a car, I thought you were going to have to drag yourself here. Looks like your number wasn't up after all."
And as if thinking his words weren't hurtful enough, the superstar-like man added:
“ I also heard that your opponent, that French guy, has already retired early, right? That's not very fair play, kido."
Jungkook's face had slumped, he felt a burning, tingling sensation on the back of his neck, but what Jung Hoseok said wasn't wrong at all. That curly-haired blonde guy had suffered a permanent injury and would never be able to climb onto a race car again; he deserved it. But that also meant Jung Hoseok had investigated him.
Jung Hoseok's face was contorted in a triumphant smile because the other guy couldn't fight back, and Min Yoongi felt like his younger brother was about to flip the table over and start punching the other. He sighed, rubbed his temples gently, and grumbled:
"Can you two stop talking nonsense? I didn't invite you two here to punch each other in the face. If you want to do that, get out of here."
His voice immediately brought the other two people back to their serious expressions, and also sent a chill down the spine of the manager standing at the reception desk.
A few minutes later, two more people entered. On the left was a tall man, wearing a long coat over a turtleneck sweater. His slightly curly black hair gave him a charming, romantic look. His assistant walked beside him, listening to him say something in Japanese.
The man on the right looks like a certain tycoon with golden hair tied into a small ponytail behind his head, with fashionable bracelets on his neck and large rings of various designs with gems, diamonds and gothic motifs on his hands. One of his hand were in his pockets, looking relaxed. He went straight to greet the chairman and pulled out a chair for himself to sit down next to the racer.
The other also took long strides as soon as his assistant stopped by the front desk and stood right next to the manager. Of course, he did not forget to make a deep greeting full of Korean rules. But the gaze quickly swept over him from the young man with a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere. He could feel the fleeting scrutiny, an unflinching appreciation coming from a seemingly powerful figure he didn't know well enough to make him feel like he was on trial.
They sat down at the table and said something unclear, the manager remained standing upright next to the reception desk with the assistant. The assistant, who appeared to be Japanese, maintained an overly rigid posture, as if he had become a statue.
From his position, the manager could see the bodyguards standing in formation outside the door; the security detail sent the previous evening seemed insufficient compared to these bodyguards.
He glanced at his watch: eight fifteen. He had been told six people would be attending, but only five were present. And it would be more than ten minutes before the last person arrived.
He, like the others, was accompanied by a bodyguard and, besides, a secretary. This man wore sunglasses with peach-orange lenses that made his sharp, dragon-like eyes seem to fire. The man had one hand in his pocket, walking leisurely as if he didn't realize he was late.
His secretary and bodyguard did not stop at the door but followed their boss all the way to the table. He appeared to have just left another party before arriving, as the subtle notes of sandalwood perfume mingled with the lingering scent of wine in the air.
This person had just settled down when Min Yoongi vaguely said:
“ Director Kim’s presence is an honor for us, isn’t it? You certainly know how to keep people look forward to your arrival, Kim Namjoon."
Kim Namjoon took off his glasses, casually tossing them to the bodyguard behind him, and chuckled faintly:
“ Busy is nothing new. But however busy I may be, I never forget exactly who I am-or where my place is. Unless...I’m sitting in someone else’s chair. What do you think, Boss Min."
The atmosphere immediately became awkward as the others stopped talking and stared at the two of them. Min Yoongi, on the other hand, laughed:
" Don’t be so condescending. There are no subordinates of yours here anymore. Besides, a friendly gathering like this doesn’t need so many bodyguards; there are no guns at this table."
Kim Namjoon said nothing but turned his head slightly, his secretary and assistant automatically backed away towards the door.
The distance from the door to the party table set the six of them apart from the guards and the manager standing in the distance. The waiter, after bringing food and pouring wine for them, immediately returned to the kitchen.
The one who spoke first was the man with romantic curly hair - Kim Taehyung, he took out a card from his pocket and put it on the table, sweeping his eyes over the people present, he asked:
“ So, did everyone get it ? “
Others put their cards on the table at the same time.
There was not much written on the card, only a line written on a typewriter.
“ The storm eye dissolves in your lie. Stop before it's too late.”
And the “ storm eye” was the code name they called their eldest brother – Kim Seokjin.
Over a decade ago, the people sitting at the table today and Kim Seokjin had formed a seven-member theft group, operating with sophistication and professionalism. They infiltrated the auctions of tycoons from Asia to Europe, stealing luxurious and rare items of historical and artistic value such as artifacts, paintings, royal treasures, etc. Their heyday brought enormous economic benefits to their members.
For safety reasons, to avoid being eavesdropped on, their identities were concealed under code names when communicating during robberies. Seokjin’s nickname wasn’t something he chose himself, but rather what everyone called him when he joined the group, because he was like a silent, quiet, and reserved person. Kim Namjoon was RM, a name he’d had before they formed the group; it could be interpreted as “Real Me,” almost a challenge to conceal his true identity. Min Yoongi's name is Agust D, the D representing his hometown. Hoseok's is Jay; it seems he wanted something that was the opposite of himself, so he chose such a simple name. Taehyung's is V – the desire for victory. Jimin calls himself Alex Armanto J-min, just for fun, but later, because the name was too long, the other members shortened it to AA Min. And Jungkook's name is just two letters, JK..
By seven years ago, after making the last mission with a total fortune of several billion dollars, the band of thieves had dissolved, disappeared from the world plagiarism map. Each of them went to his own place, never to be gathered together.
But an anonymous card with threatening implications was sent, disrupting that false charm, making people doubt what was covered?
...
Jung Hoseok fiddled with his card in his hand; the writing on it was typewritten, all six identical, no difference at all.
" Is that a joke? Or is he too free to do anything to play detective? "
Kim Taehyung glanced at him, interrupting: " Don't act like he likes silly jokes like you, Seokjin hyung won't do something useless."
Jung Hoseok pouted that if he joked a little, it would be deadly, saying:
“ Hey aren't we all delinquents, is this referring to one of us? Anyway, the gang has been dissolved since the ages ago, there is no group activity anymore."
After saying that, he turned to Park Jimin next to him, seeing that his brother was still paying attention to the dish on the table, he gently nudged him:
" Do you think that's right, Jimin ? “
As soon as the fork reached his mouth, Park Jimin showed little interest:
“ Just so you know, I’ve been keeping my nose clean lately, I pay full taxes. And my tiny business, barely making enough to support itself, is already a miracle. Where would I get the nerve to make enemies?“
“ Or is it the Italian mafia you've messed with before? “ Min Yoongi asked, looking at his younger brother judging and doubting.
Park Jimin, feeling pressured, lost all appetite for the food and replied listlessly:
" Hyung, I was just flirting and teasing a girl a little, it’s been a few years. I heard she got married last year, I even sent her a gift. It’s not like her family’d kidnap Seokjin hyung to threaten me, don’t question me anymore."
The phrase kidnapping rang out in the middle of the table like a stone that struck the calm lake surface. Indeed, their worry wasn’t about personal vendetta; what was more terrifying was what had happened in the past when they were a group.
Min Yoongi looked at Kim Namjoon, he was shaking a glass of white wine in his hand, his face pensive. Pausing for a moment, he said:
" Seokjin hyung came to see you, four months ago."
The whole men raised their heads to look at Min Yoongi.
" He came to the office and asked me to have a drink with him. At that time, I felt that Seokjin hyung was a little strange but unclear at what point. Since the organization was dissolved, that was the third time you met him, wouldn't it be such a coincidence? "
As he said that, he looked down at the table, avoiding the distant gaze of Kim Namjoon.
" He came to see me too, there was probably no coincidence." Jungkook sat just to the right of the second brother, remembering the meeting with the eldest brother as he spoke.
" I played in Thailand two months ago and he came to see me play. He has always disliked me driving a motorcycle, you know that. But he went to Chang International circuit. Someone who doesn't care about speed games like him but flies to Thailand to watch a qualifying race and leaves the next day? Isn't that very strange? "
Then Jungkook looked at Kim Taehyung, who was paralyzed. His face turned from astonishment to slump:
" Yes, he came looking for me too. Three months ago. He said he wanted to survey the market to export alcohol, so he came. That reason makes sense, right?"
But he also knew that since leaving seven years ago until the day Seokjin stood at the door of his mansion, they hadn't contacted each other even once.
"This is crazy," Jung Hoseok said. "What kind of bizarre plot is this? He came to my place just last month. He inquired about a real estate project in the South. I thought, since we've been through thick and thin together, sharing this little profit wouldn't hurt mine. I even took him to survey the land and showed him some good plots."
Then turning to Jimin, asked:
"Did Seokjin hyung come to see you? Drunkard ? "
Park Jimin, who had put down his knife and fork and was sitting with his legs crossed, fiddling with the jewelry on his hand, stammered at the mention of him: "Uh, well, let me think. It was only two weeks ago. He's really something. I thought I was hiding really well, but he still found me. It wasn't anything serious, just a few drinks. A few rounds of cards."
After Jimin finished speaking, everyone simultaneously turned to look at Kim Namjoon waiting.
But contrary to expectations of a conversation, Kim Namjoon remained silent, his eyes fixed on the purple invitation card on the table, his hand gripping the wine glass so tightly that the veins were visible.
Min Yoongi carefully asked:
" Did he come looking for you, Kim Namjoon ? "
“ No, never.” His voice was uncomfortably low.
Jung Hoseok was surprised, said in a mocking way:
" Ohhhh, we are more important than this useless ex-boyfriend, Kim Seokjin really doesn't value you very much, does he, my friend."
" That goddamn bastard was you? The son of a bitch who gets him drunk every night ? “ To everyone’s astonishment, Kim Taehyung spun around, grabbed Namjoon by the collar, and almost lifted him off the chair. Kim Namjoon wasn't one to back down either; he pushed Taehyung's hand away and punched him in the left cheek. Taehyung lost his balance and fell off the chair. His left cheek burned, and anger flared up. Kim Namjoon pushed his chair aside and stood up, both menacingly ready to fight, but Yoongi's shout interrupted them
“ Is that the problem, you guys ? “ Min Yoongi was harsh.
“ Seokjin hyung has an unknown whereabouts, first of all, we have to find him, not raise your fists. Don't be childish anymore, you guys are already over thirty."
Kim Namjoon Kim Taehyung also stood up irritably, his chest heaving and veins bulging on his forehead, but Jeon Jungkook pulled him back down
" What’s wrong with you? What does their business have to do with you? " Jeon Jungkook screeched as he held the other person almost to the chair, Kim Taehyung did not respond. He still looked at Kim Namjoon with a bullet-shaped eye.
Jung Hoseok rested his chin on his hand, watching the drama unfold before him without having to pay for a ticket, feeling that tonight's outing was quite advantageous. He turned to Min Yoongi, saw the eyebrows of his brother close to each other, longing:
" Well, see, I guessed right, I guessed right. There are people here who are more worry about Seokjin hyung than we are."
" Don't stir up trouble." Kim Namjoon is grumpy.
“ I'm just telling the truth, to everyone who knows if this is Seokjin hyung's joke or not, you don't have any clues. What the hell is it that you haven't investigated? " Hoseok snapped back, turning to look at the rest: “There's no point sitting here, who knows where his house is? Let's go there and try it, maybe he's sitting at home holding hands with everyone, so ha..”
" I told you..." Kim Taehyung was stunned.
Jung Hoseok quickly interrupted him: " Just kidding, it's not that stressful."
" I think Hoseok is right, we are in a hurry. Go to his house anyway. Sitting and speculating is not the way to go." Min Yoongi said.
And the members got up and left the table one by one. Min Yoongi walked behind, when he was far enough away from the others, he whispered to Kim Taehyung:
“ Contact Seokjin hyung's assistant, send him over to his house.”
After saying that, he strode quickly to the door, the guards immediately followed his boss.
Kim Taehyung stopped by the ceremony counter where his assistant and the manager were standing, he ordered the assistant in Japanese:
" Call Hyun Woo, tell him to come to Seokjin's house, I need to talk."
...
Min Yoongi once went to Seokjin's house, after he moved out of the mansion he used to live in with Namjoon. It's located in a large, heavily guarded mansion that avoids loitering around.
In the pouring rain, a convoy mistakenly approached the gate of the district. The gatekeeper looking at the camera saw that it was not a registered license plate immediately from the attic room talking through the attic window, seeing the door of the Class Pullman Guard slowly lowered:
“External guests must have permission from the host, sir.” The gatekeeper spoke out.
At the end of the sentence, the gatekeeper's radio sounded the voice of the supervisor:
" Let the convoy enter, notify all security guards of the area, do not block the vehicle, open all stages."
The gatekeeper hastily pressed the button to raise the barrier.
The convoy entered in his surprise.
...
“ Think that's stupid, does anyone here know his password? “ Jimin stretched his shoulders after getting out of the car. Surrounded by a group of people dressed in black, in front of other people's houses, it didn't look like it meant much.
Kim Taehyung came forward from behind, replied: " Of course."
Then he skillfully entered the password and opened the door for everyone. Kim Namjoon’s face darkened, and upon catching Jung Hoseok’s mocking gaze, his expression became even more unpleasant.
Seokjin’s house was a two-story detached villa. The interior was unremarkable except for a large cabinet filled with samples of the wines his company had released to the market.
Walking around the house without a clue, Min Yoongi immediately went back to the first floor, approached the library on the first floor, he found Kim Namjoon standing and contemplatively looking at something in a small drawer.
He asked:
“ Did you find anything, Namjoon ? “
" Nothing, the whole management book." Kim Namjoon replied, his voice not hearing any emotion.
Enlisting Min Yoongi to turn around, he smuggled the photo of him and Seokjin into his pocket and calmly walked out as if nothing had happened.
When everyone had gathered on the first floor, Kim Seokjin's assistant arrived. Hyun Woo stood before the intense gazes of these powerful men, feeling his dinner churn in his stomach. He had sped here recklessly after Taehyung's assistant contacted him, feeling like he was being interrogated by a jury in a suffocatingly tense atmosphere. Besides the six people sitting on the expensive leather sofa, the remaining bodyguards numbered nearly two dozen, not including those stationed at the exits, making the large living room seem cramped and the atmosphere suffocating and tense. Hyun Woo could feel his palms sweating profusely.
Kim Taehyung spoke up first: “ Hyun Woo, you don't have to be afraid, we just want to ask. Do you remember me? We met when Seokjin hyung came to Japan.”
“ Yes, Mr. Kim. I still remember.”
"How long has Seokjin hyung not contacted you ?" Min Yoongi asked, his voice was deep and sounded extremely cold.
“ Sir, the boss didn't come to the company three or four days ago. I also have not been able to contact Mr. Kim and am extremely worried.”
“ Do you know his last schedule before he lost contact? “
“ Before I lost contact, Mr. Kim told me to do a few things with the supplier. Then remind me to arrange a meeting with a person.”
Kim Namjoon asked: “ Who did he meet? “
“ Mr. Kim went to see the director of KoreanM Group - Mr. Yoo Seung Ho.”
“ WHO DO YOU MEAN? “ Park Jimin suddenly raised his voice.
" Motherfucker." Jung Hoseok swore for a while. " Unexpectedly, he consorted with the Yoo silver-spoon brat."
Jeon Jungkook frowned, curiously asking: “ What about him? “
“ The mad dog has just come from abroad to atone for his useless father. Steal your brother's new project. He is such a smart guy, but I hate his arrogant face." Jung Hoseok said contemptuously, then suddenly turned to Park Jimin.
" Do you know him? Why is it so unexpected to hear about his name? “
Park Jimin smiled wryly: " I don't know, sometimes I see him come to my place to do some games. They all lost. Unexpectedly Seokjin hyung is also familiar."
“ Is there anything else? " Kim Namjoon asked the assistant," Did he say what he came to see him for, then where he would go, who else he would meet? “
The assistant replied: “ Mr. Kim did not say anything more, sir, the phone was also turned off and there was no response to the work email.”
" Then we should start with him, right? Yoo Seung Hoo something.” Jungkook turned to look at Min Yoongi.
" That must be it." He replied.
Yoo Seung Ho is not an easy person to approach, especially one who is clearly hostile to him.
Jung Hoseok was still bitter about being snapped up in the bidding a year ago. He did not believe that a newcomer from England with a degree in anthropology could successfully bid for a luxury hospital project in the west of the city when the Yoo family company had always been specialized in the field of electronic components. He and his partners had poured so much effort into this project, preparing the necessary documents and bribing several high-ranking officials with large sums of money, but it all ended in failure.
He watched his opponent leave in joy and felt like punching the arrogant face of the Yoo guy. Yoo Seung Ho also seemed to feel like he was being watched, he turned, nodded politely and left, leaving Jung Hoseok furiously cursing and muttering behind.
So when he heard that Min Yoongi had to arrange a meeting with Yoo Seung Ho, Jung Hoseok was the first to show his displeasure.
"If you want to go, go by yourselves. If you let me meet him, I'll beat him to a pulp, hyung."
Min Yoongi lazily shook his hand:
“ No one has ever forced you to go, Hoseok. “
“ Great. I don't know why I'm wasting my time here. If you hadn't called me, I wouldn't have come." Jung Hoseok smiled faintly. He stood up, caught the look from Kim Taehyung, Hoseok said:
“ Listen, Kim Taehyung, nobody is responsible for anyone else. If he goes around making enemies and causing trouble for others to clean up, that’s none of my business. If it’s really an enemy we’ve taken things from, then you should look at me like that. Don’t get all worked up. Your beloved Seokjin is very capable; his father left him a fortune, you know. He has countless hidden and visible assets, and no shortage of connections. Only commoners like me have to fend for ourselves.”
Then he got up and went straight to the door.
No one chased, because as Jung Hoseok said, no one was obliged to find out how many new enemies Seokjin had made for himself over the years.
" That selfish jerk." Jeon Jungkook watched Jung Hoseok disappear after the entrance, silently cursing for himself.
As time went on, the lives of all seven of them were so different. The disintegration in the past seems to have really ended the connection between them, so there is no denying that the connections in the past will always have consequences in the future. The fact that the anonymous letter was sent to them was probably part of the plan of the person who sent them, what he wanted was still an unknown. It is undenying that they had no shortage of troublesome people, but to target all seven of them when the gang had been inactive for many years was extremely strange.
Kim Namjoon said: “ We can't stir up trouble while things are still unveiled. I'll have someone investigate Yoo Seung Ho first, and everyone should be careful during this time.”
Still no one said anything, an uncomfortable silence enveloped until Min Yoongi broke up and said he would try to do the same.
The group in turn left the eldest brother's house in the rainy night.
Before leaving the landscape, Kim Taehyung also turned his head to look at the room next to the staircase that he had closed before anyone could enter, the picture he painted of Seokjin was framed in gold plating and hanging short of that place, but the person in the painting is missing.
" Please, be safe, Seokjin hyung."
....
The encounter was nothing but useless. Kim Namjoon felt like he was wasting too much time with people he didn't even want to see again.
Sitting in the car on the way home, the night rain poured down outside, blurring the city lights. Only the photograph that faded at the corners in his hand felt warmer. In the picture, Seokjin was hugging his neck tightly, planting a deep kiss on his cheek. Namjoon remembered that this photo was taken on a beach in central Vietnam six years ago.
At that time, they had just been together for a year, Namjoon was always busy with new projects of the museum. This seemed to displease Seokjin, who kept grumbling about why Namjoon was working so hard to earn money when money clearly couldn't buy precious time to be with Seokjin. So after promising him sincerely that he would travel with him as soon as the cooperation with the Swiss exhibition was completed, his feet did not seem to touch the ground, sitting on the plane traveling back and forth between the two cities to test ancient paintings and works of art worth millions of dollars transported by private jet from his private collection from Korea to Switzerland. The exhibition was then carried out smoothly and he had the opportunity to meet the chairman of Swiss union of Arts and Crafts. Conservative domestic policies are the biggest hurdle for foreign businesses to exploit the economic benefits from arts and manufacturing activities. The exhibition at that time was an important stepping stone to be able to negotiate with the chairman to solve the inherent problems when foreign businesses want to enter a new market.
It was also a matter of many years ago, he had now safely retreated, living comfortably in his old age in some unknown land.
After the project is finished. Namjoon came to Vietnam with Seokjin, because he said he wanted to see the yellow sun and tropical sea but did not want to go too far. The tropical monsoon climate accompanied by high air humidity makes the sunshine here bright yellow and high contrast colors. Seokjin excitedly ran barefoot on the golden sand, sunbathed to almost brown and dragged Namjoon around, eating local specialties and taking a lot of photos from his Canon camera.
When he returned, Seokjin satisfiedly hung carefully framed trophies on the living room wall.
But after he left, those photos also followed him away.
The villa they used to live in together now Namjoon is no longer there. Everything there was still intact, but he never wanted to go back, these people no longer existed in his world, and yet when he heard his name again, his left chest still throbbed strangely.
“ Do Han, Seokjin's brother's name is Kim Seokjung. “
Because Han was checking something on the phone but just heard Namjoon ask immediately on reflex but answered immediately:
“ Yes Sir.”
“ Tomorrow send someone to look into Kim Seokjung's company, investigate to see if he has any problems with Seokjin these days. Also, keep an eye on Kim Taehyung, if he has any moves, let me know.”
Kim Taehyung, this guy seems very close to him. Kim Namjoon was annoyed by him constantly mentioning Seokjin, not even using honorifics. It was as if there were secrets between them that he didn’t know.
Kim Taehyung and Kim Namjoon didn’t have a particularly close relationship. After their gang disbanded, Kim Taehyung immediately returned to Korea while Kim Seokjin and Kim Namjoon continued living a nomadic lifestyle abroad. More than a year after their return, he had settled in Japan.
Kim Namjoon had heard a few snippets of what had happened to Kim Taehyung at that time from Min Yoongi. Yoongi was certainly not a nosy person; on the contrary, he was quite reserved and not easily swayed, especially when it came to matters unrelated to him. However, during a small gathering when he and Seokjin were still a couple, Min Yoongi revealed that Kim Taehyung had a serious conflict with the son of a politician. The story was not told in detail, he just said that this led to Kim Taehyung having to pack up and almost flee from Korea. This is quite strange because from Kim Namjoon's insights, someone like Taehyung has no interest in things like politics and stories about the rights of people unrelated to him has never been an interesting story even to flirt with a sentence or two.
Over the years together through hundreds of thefts, Taehyung was a master at solving obstacles that hindered their plans, but Kim Namjoon did not like the way he chose to take a detour and unnecessarily extend their time, although there was no denying that they were smart and creative. That is also part of Kim Taehyung's personality, avoiding and saving words. They had quarreled many times in the past.
Kim Namjoon felt a throbbing headache from the fragmented pieces of past and present intertwining and blurring his mind. Tonight's meeting was so sudden and unplanned, yet he still went. And the clue that Seokjin had met with all of them within a short period of time only heightened his suspicions. Why did he have to meet them? Could Seokjin have anticipated something untoward was about to happen to him?
Yoo Seung Ho was a completely new enigma.
He knew very little about this man. The Yoo family company had a long history in the component manufacturing industry, but their golden age had passed after Chairman Yoo Seung Min "abdicated" and his son, Yoo Seung Ho's father, took over. He had squandered his father's hard work and suffered a humiliating downfall before the board of directors when news of his extramarital affairs was exposed three years ago. The company's stock plummeted, and the board of directors kicked him out of the chairmanship.
The current president is not Yoo Seung Ho, so Namjoon does not have too much information about this mysterious character. He was an unsolved mystery and Namjoon wasn't sure what kind of relationship he had with Seokjin. Perhaps a friend, a business partner, or a lover... But now certainly wasn't the time to delve into those matters. Finding Seokjin was his top priority.
But if possible, just start with Kim Seokjung first.
....
In the early afternoon of the next day, when Kim Namjoon was processing a few documents in his private office, the door to the room was knocked.
The person who entered was Do Han and Namjoon knew that the information he needed had arrived. He motioned Do Ha to sit down in the opposite chair and began to present without raising his head to look at his secretary once.
“ Mr. Kim Taehyung is currently at Mr. Park Jimin's place, sir. They have arrived in the Hanok Pil-dong village and there is nothing new at the moment so I would like to announce later. As for Kim Seokjung, after Mr. Kim's death, the will did not have Mr. Kim Seokjin's name, and he never returned to the Kim family home after that. Kim Seokjung now runs the company and has also been making moves to move away from the European market since the start of the takeover. In the past half year, Kim Seokjung and his family have not entered Korea. The Immigration Department did not record that Mr. Kim Seokjin had left Korea. I've let you know more about Igin's schedule and current situation, however this takes some time.”
Namjoon's hand holding the pen stopped, he said nothing and remained silent for a minute, seemingly immersed in his private thoughts. Although Do Ha has been a secretary to Kim Namjoon for a few years, he has not been able to adapt to Namjoon's too cold and harsh appearance, what goes on in that wonderful brain is unpredictable. Do Ha has learned to evaluate other people's facial expressions, Namjoon rarely shows emotion or is out of control. He is too calm even in extreme situations. That's why Do Ha does not catch on from his boss, he always tries to keep his actions from being excessive but never knows where the limit ultimately lies to stop at the right time.
“ At Park Jimin's place? That's right, they were all hiding like rats. After I sign the document, bring it to Hwang, he urges me as if everything will be done in a second just because he wants them to be. The person from the government committee office called for an evening appointment but I didn't want to go. Text them. Cancel the flight to France for the next three days and let the deputy director go instead, telling him that the Chief Curator does not want to speak English.”
Do Ha thought he would deliver something more but received nothing, whereas Do Ha's delayed silence made Kim Namjoon stare at him. The secretary who realized that he was lost immediately replied that he understood the task assigned to him and asked for permission to leave the office. When he came out, Do Ha was still whispering in his head what to do and telling himself to remind the deputy director to bring an interpreter.
While driving to deliver documents, Do Ha's mind wandered along with odd thoughts. Outside of work, Kim Namjoon rarely lets others interfere with his private life. Do Ha is clearly not a life assistant but just a work secretary and as far as he knows, there is no one working in such a position besides Kim Namjoon.
He was quite private but there were also rumors spread around this man among the staff at the office. The villa in the east of the city is a top secret place that few people are allowed to set foot in, Do Ha knows what is there and he is of course aware of who he is working for. He first set foot there after being sent with two other guards to escort a crown that had been in a museum in France two years before and was declared stolen.
The villa is located in a well-guarded area, behind a plain wall painted in olive green in the living room is a small path leading down to the underground apartment.
After carefully placing the item on the shelf and back up, Do Ha observed the interior a bit.
The villa has two floors and is decorated not too lavishly, on the wall there are empty photo frames and on the bookshelf there are still a few souvenirs. Most of the other furniture is covered with fabric to avoid dust, so this place looks like a quiet, abandoned museum. The traces of daily life have been almost completely removed, but just looking at it, people still know that this place is designed to live, not a museum full of illegal items. He heard Kim Namjoon and his ex- boyfriend lived here before breaking up.
Some people had whispered among themselves about Kim Namjoon's ex. This happened before Do Ha became her boss's secretary. They certainly didn't say those things directly to him, but he'd heard rumors about the handsome young man who often waited for Kim Namjoon at the office to leave work together.
“That guy is so friendly and approachable. Oh, I was captivated by his gaze. If he wasn't the boss's boyfriend, I'd want to pursue him too."
“ I still have the frozen cookies he shared with everyone in the office a few years ago. They were so beautiful and cute I couldn't even bring myself to eat them. He remembered everyone's names and wrote each person's name on the cookies. A guy with such deep consideration is rare. Do you remember Children's Day when we went to the orphanage for charity? Wow, he was such a warm and gentle guy, wasn't he? The children were very attached to Seokjin-ssi. I heard they've gone back there many times."
“ I was shocked after hearing that they broke up, they are a beautiful couple. The boss didn't show any attitude and still behaved as usual, so it was only when everyone mentioned that he didn't come to the office anymore that I heard the news. It's a scandal."
“ What a pity…”
“ What a pity” is the sentence Do Ha hears the most in small talk about Seokjin. He has never met Seokjin but maybe he is as handsome and charming as the other employees say. Do Ha tried to imagine it but it was difficult because he didn't have any image of Seokjin in his head.
Until the night before standing in the Seokjin's living room, the painting of the bare back with the ribs of the person's face exposed from a half-closed door from another room was somewhat haunting. He tried to stand up straight while listening to the rest talk about Seokjin and stopped looking at that room because Kim Taehyung had closed that door.
While sitting in the car, Kim Namjoon was so engrossed in looking at the photo that he didn't realize his secretary was also looking at the man's face in the picture and wondering if it was too much to compliment a man on how regal he really was.