Routine

I could feel the heat of Jin approaching closer, and my knees buckling under me, his shadow casting over me as he caught me in his arms and a light tap on my cheek as lights flickered above me. As my eyes opened to Jin, I felt instantly embarrassed. I didn’t completely faint. I buckled and blinked and was suddenly being rescued by my newfound, part time brother.

“Have you eaten? When was the last time you ate anything?”

“Your pulse is weak. Have you had anything to eat or drink since you were arrested?”

“Um…” I tried to recall what my last meal was or when I last saw a drop of water. Even if I managed to find those memories, I couldn’t articulate those words to tell them. I needed a minute to recover and come back to myself fully.

“Let’s take her back to her room and get her something to eat and drink.” Jin insisted and Joonho hummed in agreement. I blinked harder to gain some control, enough to at least walk, but I didn’t have that choice. Jin wrapped my arms around his neck and lifted me into his arms, carrying me out of Joonho’s office with him following.

We made our way towards the staircase, but I couldn’t see it through. It was a flash after a flash and each time I closed my eyes it seemed minutes had passed.

The next time I opened my eyes we were passing by a worried Hajun. He was standing aside, allowing us to get to the staircase.

“Has she eaten anything? Do you know?” Joonho stopped to question Hajun.

“I don’t know, she dismissed her maids last night and this morning.” Hajun’s tone was sad. Like he was disappointed. But I could hardly hear them as Jin continued up the staircase, starting to pant by the last few steps.

He kicked the door to my room, and walked inside, slowly lying me down into my already made bed.

“Am I heavy?” I whispered with a smile as he exhaled a heavy breath upon completion.

“Not at all. It’s much heavier to carry all of my muscles.” He chuckled, instantly looking at me to see if he had made me laugh. I smiled, trying to adjust in my bed to a seating position.

He stood beside the bed, as though if he left, I would fall into a million pieces. I could see him eye the door as if wondering if he should go down and get the food or if somebody else was going to. After a third eye at the door, he seemed to have come to a conclusion.

“Hyung!” He screamed to the downstairs.

“Yeah, I’ll bring it.” Joonho yelled back. It made me chuckle. For a second it felt like a normal household. I always imagined it that way. Yelling for your siblings. Fighting and messing around. Something I thought I wanted. I wasn’t so sure anymore.

The cost of gaining two brothers was my potential death, or even theirs. This wasn’t a normal household or a normal house. This wasn’t the normal way things happened in life and they certainly didn’t live normal lives. The normal was my life in Korea. Working a job, cleaning the house, having dinner with my mother and her boyfriend. No action nor attraction, just routine.

The day was still young, so once I had some food and drink, I had no choice but to pull myself together and get on with it. I still had Jin’s question burning a hole through my chest.

“Sunny, will you be living with us?”

Is that really something I should be considering? Why am I considering it? Why does living with strangers seems so much more appealing than going back to my mother's house? I didn’t want to be a burden on Jin and Joonho. I didn’t belong in their fancy world with maids and security guards. They certainly had space for me, but I didn’t want to be in their way, and I didn’t want to insult my mother.

We all collected in what can only be described as a giant living room, where I had met the security team the night before. The large chandelier made me feel uncomfortable. I was afraid to be under it, so I sat as out of way of it as possible. Jin sat down beside me, jumping into the seat like a child.

“Do you feel better, Sunny?” He smiled, taking my hand into his, before pressing his fingers against my wrist and listening out for my pulse. It was a strange feeling. He hardly knew me yet cared about me.

“I feel much better, thank you.” I smiled and he smiled in return, gently returning my hand onto my lap. He was gentle and kind-hearted. I didn’t know him, but I could feel it.

Joonho came in last, making us all wait a little while in an awkward silence. Hajun was whispering something to his team, and I noticed two extra men. They were both tall. One of them had bleached light peach hair. He held his arms behind his back, standing straight like he was in the army. The other had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up and his blazer was folded over and laid on the edge of a chair. He had jet black hair, jelled side to side. There was a piece of hair that continuously fell over his forehead, and he kept brushing it away. Watching him move made my mouth run dry. He was certainly handsome. They all were. But he looked more distant than the others. There was an attitude about him. His ear was pierced, and he had a hoop earring. He held one had in the pocket of his trousers and stood a lot more casually than the rest.

“Shall we?” Joonho took a seat on a couch beside ours. Hajun nodded agreeing, before pulling up his chair to sit opposite us and the rest followed. They all had folders in their hands and Hajun held a couple of sheets of paper in his hands.

“First and foremost, Miss Choi, I hope you are feeling much better. I will have my team introduce themselves quickly as you haven’t met everyone and their preferred titles.” He snapped his fingers and one by one they began standing up and bowing to me, before introducing themselves.

“Jung Youngho. Nice to meet you. Youngho is fine.”

“Min Yejun. We’ve already met. Yejun.”

“Hwang Minjun. We also met. Hwang is what everyone calls me.”

“Bang Kyong. Pleasure to meet you Miss. Kyong, short and simple.”

“Chang Kaji. Nice to meet you. Kaji.” The person I had been waiting for got from his seat, adjusting his blazer onto the edge of the seat so it doesn’t fall down. He avoided all eye contact, but it certainly wasn’t because he was intimidated.

“Feel free to call me Hajun, Miss Choi.” Hajun added on with a smile as the rest finished off their introductions. I smiled with a nod, feeling very singled out.

“I am in contact with detective Lee in Korea, who is the main detective on your fathers' case. He has some leads that unfortunately lead to a potential black-market gang, who are somewhat known to him. Unfortunately, with this information there are mostly bad news. The gang has been around for many years, and it is very difficult to break into or arrest anyone with information. They usually leave no evidence and murder anyone that the police bring into question so there are no loose ends. They have information on some of the gang member but are yet to find the leader. They also found some illegal, black-market material in your father's paperwork and transactions which would warrant him being murdered by the black-market gang. The BMG, like I mention, don’t leave any loose ends behind and it’s possible that your father was involved with something that has resulted in the BMG tying up the loose end. According to detective Lee, he believes it was gambling. Which would be the best scenario. We wouldn’t want him to be involved any deeper than that in order for the BMG not to follow after you. However, we aren’t certain yet and more information is yet to come.” Hajun handed a piece of paper with everything he had just summarised to Joonho. Both Joonho and Jin listened to him, unfazed. Perhaps they had heard it all before, but to me it was all new, and I could feel my mouth slowly falling open. All I need is for a gang to come after me.

“Unfortunately, Miss Choi would be their easiest target. There is no news on anyone identifying Miss Choi in Korea, but if they were to come after any of you, it would be Miss Choi. She would be an easier target being a woman and for all they know we have no idea who she is. They will think that they will have easy access to her, to threaten you.” I swallowed a lump in my throat that just kept growing. Joonho looked over at me, apologetically, as if it were his fault.

“What do you suggest?” Joonho asked Hajun. He looked over his paperwork, before looking up at me with a blank expression.

“In my opinion, we could provide Miss Choi with the most security if she stayed here. That way we wouldn’t have to worry about her being attack during the night or in the house, and a member of my team could go along with her if she were to leave the house. I know that is a lot to ask, but in my opinion that is the best option.”

“But we don’t even know if they’re coming after us or not. We don’t know if they know who I am or not.” It didn’t make sense for me to be under 24-hour security when there was no threat yet. My head was spinning at the thought of relaying all this information to my mother.

“Exactly. We don’t know. Once we’re sure, you can return to your normal life and move back in with your family. For now, I believe that is the safest option, but that is all up to you.” Hajun explained further. I felt everyone’s eyes on me as I hung my head. It was a lot to think about and a lot to consider.