Work Text:
Jihoon watches Hansol in amusement, chuckling to himself as the boy’s eyes rest heavy and scrutinising on something Jihoon can’t see.
It had been a while since he’d seen Hansol. The younger had made himself scarce after Seungcheol’s arrest, and Jihoon had to admit that he felt something like brotherly pride seeing he’d grown up as well as he had. Last time he saw him, Hansol had been little more than an errand boy, a distant cousin of Seungcheol’s that had ended up an orphan. Now he was taller, stronger, and, from what Jihoon had heard, the kind of unpredictable genius that got you far in this business if only you knew how to use it.
“You’re going to hurt yourself staring that hard.” He teases before raising his glass to his lips and taking a long sip of the wine.
“I don’t get it.” Is Hansol’s only response. Jihoon might not be able to see what it is Hansol’s watching so intently, but he knows very well what has stolen his attention. Somewhere behind Jihoon’s back is Jeonghan and Seungcheol, seated at a table in a dark corner of the restaurant, most likely all over each other while appropriately bribed staff and patrons pretend they don’t know who they are. Jihoon chuckles again.”Seungcheol used to be a terrible actor.”
“He still is,” Jihoon assures him, not bothering hiding the way his eyes roll. Seungcheol could play the tough guy fairly well when they were younger, but it wasn’t rare for his soft heart to shine through, and while prison had definitely done a number on his gentle soul, Jihoon could still see the clear compassion that he tried so hard to cover up. It was less of an issue now, however, when Jeonghan had dropped the innocent act and was ready and willing to make the hard calls when Seungcheol was unwilling to.
Over the years following the takeover, Jihoon had watched Jeonghan painstakingly try to purge every ounce of softness from himself. It had been a painful and often unpleasant process, but Jihoon couldn’t deny that when Jeonghan emerged on the other side, every bit as put together and beautiful as before, only now lacking the gentleness so often associated with him, he was far more fit to lead than before. If it wasn’t for the resilient loyalty to the Choi lineage that was welded to the core of the syndicate, then Jihoon is certain Jeonghan could have managed it all by himself. That’s why it had been so hard for Jihoon to tell Jeonghan they needed to bring Seungcheol back. Jeonghan had known it himself, of course, but hearing it from someone else made it final. He had tried and he had failed, and now he needed to crawl back to the man he’d betrayed and thrown to rot in jail, hoping he would take pity on him. He had betrayed the one who trusted him the most in his pursuit of power, only to have it mean next to nothing.
Jihoon had always pitied Jeonghan as much as he admired him. He also couldn’t deny that having Seungcheol back was a relief. It offered them more control, and worked to soothe Jeonghan’s constant need to prove himself.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Hansol insists, lips pursed and eyes calculating as he watches the two lovers.
“When he came back I was sure he was going to kill Jeonghan,” Hansol mutters, conscious of the loyalty of the people in the restaurant.”Take his power back, y’know?”
“And yet here we are.” Jihoon shrugs. He can tell what it is Hansol wants to know, but he has no intention of answering until he asks him outright. It’s a testament to Hansol’s growth that he’s treaded carefully so far, the Hansol Jihoon remembers would have wasted no time demanding Jihoon tell him what Seungcheol’s game was.
“He can’t actually think Jeonghan’s changed.” Jihoon pities the boy, so clearly in denial of the fact that there was a new world order, and Yoon Jeonghan was placed securely at the top. He turns around in his seat at the bar and casts a quick glance at the couple. He watches as Jeonghan tenderly adjusts Seungcheol’s tie, rare fondness pooling in his eyes as he listens to Seungcheol talking. He corrects himself; Seungcheol was placed at the top, Jeonghan on his lap with their fingers threaded together. Jihoon turns back and downs the rest of his wine. Love is disgusting.
“If you don’t trust Jeonghan, why did you come back?”
“I missed Seungcheol.” Hansol’s lips purse into a pout, his strong eyebrows furrowing.”And my boyfriend was working himself to death in a thankless job.”
“You’re so much like your cousin.” Jihoon states fondly, patting Hansol’s arm.”Doing anything you can to provide.”
He supposes it’s the Choi genes that cause it, that turn the men in the family into that specific brand of adoring fool who will do anything for those who hold their hearts. Even if it comes at the price of blood, guts and the occasional prison sentence.
“Why did you work with Jeonghan back then?” And there it was, after the appropriate amount of beating around the bush Hansol has finally gotten tired of not understanding. Jihoon decides to take pity on him.”What is it with him that makes people--”
“Abandon everything for him?”
“Yeah.”
Jihoon shrugs one shoulder and finishes the wine in his glass.
“It depends on who you talk to,” he says, and he can tell Hansol is already disappointed with his explanation.”Charm, charisma, the fact that he’s beautiful and smart enough to use it. A lot of little things like that in succession.”
“And for you it was?”
Jihoon smirks. For a split second he remembers Jeonghan when he first met him, skinny, bruised and having just unashamedly tried to steal his wallet on a routine visit to Jisoo’s brothel. There had been something special about him, something promising. Their eyes had met and Jihoon had seen a hunger for power, an impossible challenge that he could help overcome.
”What can I say, I just like a bit of intrigue.” He rises from his chair and straightens out his jacket.”Now quit playing around, we have work to do.”
-
At the sound of approaching footsteps, Seungcheol looks up from his drink and makes eye contact with Jihoon.
“It’s time?”
Jihoon nods.”Song and his men are in the elevator.”
“How many?” Jeonghan tucks his hair behind his ear when he asks, and Seungcheol has to hold himself back from reaching up and undoing it. He hopes the meeting is quick and efficient, even if it is in vain. He’d much rather be having dinner in bed, Jeonghan tucked into his side, than spending the evening intimidating a failing drug trafficker into keeping his hands off their neighbourhoods.
“Only two.”
“That’s bold of him,” Jeonghan says with an amused smirk.
“Makes it easier for us, though,” Seungcheol offers with a shrug. Unable to keep his hands to himself, he reaches a hand down to rest on Jeonghan’s thigh. Jeonghan only barely reacts to the touch, legs parting minimally and allowing Seungcheol’s hand to slide down to rest between his thighs.
“Only if the plan was to kill him,” Jeonghan turns to him, stern look on his face.”Which it isn’t .”
“I know,” he says, defensive.”But you can’t deny it would be easier.”
“We can’t just run around killing people for minor missteps, it’ll brew unrest,” Jeonghan tries to reason with him. Between them, it was rare for him to be the one to oppose bloodshed.”Besides, better the enemy you know.”
“Also,” Jihoon butts in, and Seungcheol knows exactly what he’s going to say.”You only want Song dead because I told you about that time he tried to bribe me into kidnapping Jeonghan for him.”
He’s got his mouth open, ready to assert that wanting to kill a man for trying to abduct his lover was a perfectly reasonable request, when the ding of the elevator signals the arrival of their guests.
The change in all of them is immediate. Jihoon takes the last few steps until he is standing by Seungcheol’s side, Mingyu coming to stand tall and intimidating by Jeonghan. Across the room, Seungcheol watches Hansol crouch down behind the bar, no doubt making sure his gun is where he left it.
From where they’re sitting they have a clear view of Song as he enters, yet Seungcheol elects to watch Jeonghan’s face as he studies their guest. His eyes are sharp and alert, jumping from figure to figure as they come closer, led to their table by Soonyoung playing host.
“Seungcheol!” Song greets him as he comes closer, and when he grins his multiple gold teeth glimmer in the evening sunlight.”Never thought I’d see you again.”
“Funny how things work out,” the man says as he sits down, still wearing a wide smile.
“Song.” Seungcheol offers with a sharp nod. During his father’s reign, Song had been nothing, an inconsequential drug trafficker unsuccessfully vying for more. From what Jeonghan and Jihoon had told him, however, he’d gotten bold after the older Choi’s death. Then even bolder when it became clear it was Jeonghan taking over, and Seungcheol rotting away in prison. Now here they were. Funny how things work out, indeed.
“I suppose you know why we asked you to meet us?” Seungcheol asks pleasantly, watching the way the older man reclines in his chair like he owns the place, one forearm on the table, showing off the gaudy watch he’s wearing and the countless rings to match. He’s cocky, Seungcheol notes with amusement.
“I can’t say I do.” Out of the corner of his eye, Seungcheol watches Jeonghan’s smile turn sharp.”You wouldn’t mind enlightening me?”
“It seems you and yours have forgotten your place.” Jeonghan talking seems to surprise Song, because he turns his eyes to him, eyebrows raised.
“We’ve forgotten our place?” Song’s laugh is insufferable, loud and wheezing and far too self-righteous. Seungcheol has to make a conscious effort not to wrinkle his nose in disgust.”So this is about our recent expansion?”
“This doesn’t have to be a fight,” Jeonghan’s voice is sugary sweet, like his patience is running out.”A simple apology and a promise to not encroach on our territory and this can all be over.”
The cocky smile slips from Song’s face at Jeonghan’s subtle threat.
“Listen here, slut, I didn’t come here to be ordered around by Seungcheol’s whore, so why don’t you make yourself useful under the table while the real men talk?”
Song looks pleased with himself for all of two seconds, and by the third he's bent over the table, desperately screaming in pain. In front of him is Jeonghan, still the perfect picture of calm, but now he's standing, slightly bent over the table, pressing the edge of his steak knife deep into Song's hand. The bodyguards who’d stood calm by the table are now at the ready, guns out and ready to fire. Their own people, spread around the restaurant with care, have their own guns out. Seungcheol throws a look to Jihoon and nods in approval when he sees his gun pointing straight to Song’s balding head. He assumes it’s his quick reflexes that have stopped one of Song’s bodyguards from firing a shot at Jeonghan.
Seungcheol sees Song try to choke out a command and shakes his head, sighing at the man’s foolishness.
“Your men fire those guns and you die, Song.”
“This will start a war,” Song manages to choke out through his pained groans, his eyes shift from the knife in his hand to Seungcheol.”You’re letting your whore act like this?”
"I'm not the one you should be worried about." Seungcheol says with a chuckle, fond eyes watching as Jeonghan twists the knife in his grip, drawing a guttural, gurgling sound from Song.
“It’s me,” Jeonghan hisses out, paying no attention to the guns trained on him.”One word from me and you and your little guard dogs will be put down and dumped in the Han river.”
“I knew you were pathetic, Choi,” Song spits out with a surprising amount of coherency, the venom in his voice thick and palpable. No doubt Jeonghan has managed to harm his pride as much as his hand, especially since they both know he would be the bigger loser were he to harm either of them in retaliation.”But allowing this cunt to run in your stead is pathetic even for you.”
Seungcheol smiles, sharp, while his hand gently strokes up and down Jeonghan’s back. If Jeonghan didn’t already have a knife in the man’s hand, Seungcheol thinks he would have buried one in the side of his neck by now. Instead, he simply leans back in his chair, a challenge in his eyes.
“Jeonghannie can do whatever he wants.” He offers, easy, unbothered.
“Apologise.” Jeonghan demands, twisting the knife again, bringing the attention back to himself and making Song groan. There’s a pool of blood growing steadily on the table, the pristine white tablecloth soaking the liquid up eagerly.
“Fine, I’m sorry!” He chokes out pitifully, voice hoarse and desperate.”Take the fucking knife out!”
Song gives another guttural groan when Jeonghan pulls the knife out with a graceless tug, and seeing the man curled in on himself, shoulders shaking with fury and pain, has Seungcheol smiling to himself.
Jeonghan sits back down in his chair, hands gently running through his fringe to make sure he still looks put together. Seungcheol marvels at his elegance, and the way Jeonghan jumps between murderous anger and nonchalance spurs a familiar simmer of arousal in his crotch. He gives Jeonghan an appreciative squeeze on his thigh.
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Jeonghan asks with a taunting smile, throwing his napkin at Song.”Clean yourself up, we have things to discuss.”
Jeonghan’s words are enough to make even Song’s men lower their guns, and in just a few seconds the restaurant is back to normal, Song’s bleeding hand the only trace of the altercation.
The rest of the meeting, as expected, is dull and time consuming, despite the way the napkin around Song’s hand quickly colours with red. Seungcheol would like to say he at least tried to pay attention, but the truth was that he was all too happy to just lean back and watch Jeonghan talk, stroking up and down his thigh all the while.
When it’s over, Song leaves first. He hides his hand in his suit pocket and gives a valiant effort at looking in control when he marches out, uncertain bodyguards at his heels.
“Fucking idiot,” Jeonghan curses as soon as the elevator doors have closed, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.
“You could say that again.” Jihoon agrees a few metres away.
“Told you we should’ve just killed him.” Seungcheol huffs with a frown.”Scum like him are only gonna be more trouble for us.”
“I’m going to remember this enthusiasm for murder next time I order to have someone killed and you start protesting,” Jeonghan chuckles, turning his head to meet his gaze.
“Just wanna keep you safe, angel,” Seungcheol murmurs, leaning forward to press kisses along his jaw.”Can’t have someone disrespect you and get away with it.”
“How noble of you,” Jeonghan sighs, but it’s a pleased one, a don’t stop kissing me , kind of sigh.”But you know I’m used to it.”
“You shouldn’t be, though.” He moves further down along his neck, reveling in the way Jeonghan shivers.
“Hey, lovebirds!” Jihoon barks, and the disgust is clear in his voice.”Cut that shit out, you’re making the whole room uncomfortable.”
“Have the driver ready up front, then.” Jeonghan says with a laugh, a hand in Seungcheol’s hair tugging him away from his neck. Seungcheol lets him, but he vows to resume the second they are in the elevator, whether they’re alone or not.
“Let’s get going, Cheollie.” Jeonghan gets up from his seat, and Seungcheol mourns the loss of his hand in his hair. The sun is setting outside, and the way the golden light reflects on his lover’s skin is nothing short of divine.”I want strawberries and champagne on the balcony.”
“Of course, baby.” Seungcheol can’t help but grin, following him closely. Walking toward the elevator, Seungcheol slides his arm around Jeonghan’s waist and sneaks a few kisses against his shoulder, just to hear the way Jeonghan tries to stifle a giggle.