Jin lazily looked over to the key on the dinner table, totally unimpressed by the shiny emblem of the Tesla brand.

"Model S," His father said.  Castle was only thirty-three but he was the leader of the largest most feared Mafia group in the whole of East Asia, Kingdom. "In your favourite color," he said with a patronising grin, flashing a full lower row of gold teeth.

Nodding, Jin muttered, "Thanks," picked up his phone, ignoring the key sitting next to his plate of untouched Italian pasta prepared by the best Italian chef in the whole of the country, hired personally by his father to celebrate their victory.

Kingdom had recently concluded a heist in the biggest bank in the country, getting away with over six hundred million dollars. The heist had been one of the most dangerous one they had ever planned because of the high level of security of the bank. Yet it had been easy to penetrate after Jin had played his part.

"You do not seem to like it, Son. Would you maybe be interested in another model?" He made a finger motion and his personal assistant slash bodyguard slash trusted adviser, Namjoon, came jogging over in neatly pressed suit and shoes darker than night. "Perhaps Namjoon can look over some new designs from Mercedes."

"Don't worry about it."

"I want you to be happy. You have no idea what you have done for the family," Castle said in what sounded like pride and admiration.

I do have an idea what I have done for the family, Jin thought. I almost fucked the fat disgusting bank director, drugged him then made a duplicate of the key to the vault. "I did what I did for the family, not because I wanted a reward. I'm just a bit distracted because I have somewhere important to be tonight."

Castle gave his son a contemplative look for a moment. "Is something bothering you?"

"Yes," Jin said straightforwardly. "But I have it sorted out."

Castle nodded once in understanding. "Okay then. You can leave if you want to."

Jin pulled to his feet and started to make his way out of the VIP room.

"Son?" He turned and Castle had risen from his seat too, he approached Jin and held out his hand. "You forgot something."

Jin gave a moment's hesitation before plucking the key from his father's open palm, brushing his fingers against the rough, calloused skin. "Thanks."

Castle smiled, eyes piercingly staring through Jin's. "You're welcome, son." He gave Jin a pat on the left shoulder, turned and walked back to his chair to resume his dinner. Just as he sat down, his phone rang and the loud echo of his laugh reverberated throughout the room. "Jung! How long has it been? Do you have my money now—"

Castle had a way of tricking his victims, Jin had realised. No one ever really knew they were a victim until it was too late. Until they had a pot of boiling water hanging over their head or a sharp blade hovering just a few inches above their fingers ready to be chopped inch by inch until all that remained of them was nothing but a pile of tiny pieces that was once whole.

Jung probably felt relieved to hear Castle laugh. His fear had diminished because by laughing, it meant Castle wasn't angry that he'd been owing him hundreds of thousands of dollars for four months. But Jin knew his father, he could tell his father's actual laugh from a provoked laugh, and this laugh wasn't as pleasant as Jung thought.

How long would it be, Jin wondered as he stepped out of the large building into the cold Seoul night. How long until Jung's decapitated body would be found by SPD— Seoul Police Department? Two days? Three? Tonight?

Whatever. He didn't care. It didn't matter how much he tried to figure out his father's moves before he made them, he was never able to.

Somehow he was always a step, a day or a thought behind, unable to catch up. Maybe that was why he was left with the shittiest of jobs, the ones that required him to seduce someone or enter a fake relationship with a dumb narcissist or pretend to be a model for some messed up client-using agency, just anything that someone with a pretty face could do and get away with.

Because that was all he had to offer, his pretty face.

The chilly weather sent shivers throughout his body. Jin pushed his hands into the front pockets of his jacket, hugging the denim tighter against his body. He waited on the damp curb as the valet hurried to bring his car. Of course he didn't have a parking ticket. His father owned the hotel and many more like it around the world.

His father owner chains of hotels, night clubs, restaurants, schools and much more scattered around the continents to cover up the actual source of his income.

While he waited, Jin played a little game in his head. Which car would the valet bring to him? The new Tesla gifted to him by his generous killer father? Or the bentley he'd driven here an hour ago which had also been gifted to him by his killer father after accomplishing another mission a few months ago? Which would it be? He had his bets on the former. It had to be the Tesla.

"You look very magical standing there."

Jin didn't need to turn around to figure out who had spoken. He knew that voice, he could pick it out of a lineup even if he were dead drunk. He also knew only one person who had the guts to say that to him. "You sound like a lame poet," he retorted in the calmest manner. Then shrugged, "That is if whatever that was is considered poetry. Maybe bad poetry."

"A simple thank you would suffice," Namjoon laughed, taking the space next to him completely ignoring there was such a thing as personal space.

"A simple quiet would have sufficed. My night was so much better before hearing your bad poetry. Now, I think I'm going to have nightmares."

"What would you have preferred me to have said? 'You'll look ethereal all chopped up in my basement'," Namjoon teased. "Would that have given you beautiful dreams?"

"But why the basement? Did you run out of space in your bedroom? If so, I have a solution to that. Why not concoct with Castle and have me fuck some old bastard for whatever reason—"

"Jin—"

"Then when he gets whatever he wants out of it, you get paid, you get a bigger house and a bigger bedroom, then you can chop me up like meat in your bigger bed. That sounds like a wonderful dream, doesn't it?"

Namjoon nodded, chewing on his bottom lip knowing he deserved the anger directed at him. Knowing he deserved it more than anything. "You're angry."

Jin shook his head. "Not angry." When he turned to face him, Namjoon coud see he'd totally misread the emotion in Jin's voice. It hadn't been anger. "Just really fucking disappointed."

"I know. I'm sorry you had to do all of that. If I had a way, I will take it all away."

"But you didn't!" Jin snapped. "I did all of that and you did nothing about it, you know why? Because you're a loyal Dog who would do whatever to please his master, not even if it displeases the one he claims he loves."

"Jin—" Namjoon's open mouth fell shut. He didn't want to piss Jin off further by defending himself. That would do neither of them good. "I do love you."

"Does he know that?" Jin gestured towards the forty stories behind them. "Does my father know that you fuck me? I wonder what he'll do to you when he finds out." A humorless chuckle left his lips after a moment's consideration. "You know what I just fucking realised, he wouldn't do a thing. If he finds out we've tumbled around for a bit, he'll probably not do anything about it."

Namjoon didn't get a chance to speak before the valet returned, driving his Bentley. Jin almost laughed from amusement this time. His irritation had gotten the better of his senses. He was with the key to the Tesla, there was no way the Valet would have brought it to him.

He'd failed the stupid game.

Jin got in, not bothering to give Namjoon a second look. He looked pathetic just standing there, his eyes pleading but he'd done the same thing to Jin; ignored the look in his eyes when Castle had made him do the nasty jobs with nasty people. Namjoon had ignored him. Jin was only returning the favour, in the kindest way.

Now, all that was left was the distraction he had to sort out but that shouldn't take long. He wasn't even sure why he was going in the first place, but he was curious.

What did the detective's little puppy have to say to him?

-

Hi, my babes. Let's do another book 🤍

This is sort of a short story, I hope you like it.