It was always the same, day-in and day-out. Jungkook was tired of the monotony and yet there was nothing he could do to break the endless cycle. He had tried a great many things, had discovered a desperate longing to find new hobbies to cause mild enjoyment. Never exciting, it never even got close to exciting for him. This wasn't his life or his choices, not at all. He was just living out the future that had already been decided for him from his birth. He hadn't been chosen as an apprentice, plucked and groomed into his position by nurturing and caring hands. It had not been something that he himself had wished for. No, he was very much a slave to his own future. And all because he had been born as the single son to the head of the largest organised gang in the country. It was a curse he supposed in some regards. Yet he had never went a single day wanting materially. He had always had a warm home and a full stomach, possessed more things and had had more attention catered to him than he had ever really needed. What he did have might not have been necessary things, but they were certainly the parts essential to living a lavish life. Though he was unneeding in most regards it didn't mean that he had everything however. There was something missing, that much he knew. Jungkook didn't really know what but it was missing.

Sometimes the missing thing felt rather small, a slight issue. Like that of a missing tooth. It was irritating and most certainly uncomfortable but it was bearable. He would poke around and feel at it with the tip of his tongue but most of the time he could ignore it. But sometimes it felt so much more than that. Sometimes Jungkook felt like there was a gaping hole in his side. A wound created by Longinus' spear itself. It would ache and he would almost feel the need to dig his fingers into his skin just to check if there really wasn't a wound. There was nothing there of course, no massive trench in his tender flesh. He was whole physically but seemingly not mentally. Jungkook didn't know what it was or how to get rid of it, only that eventually it would disappear and grant him peace for some time before returning. The usual medicine to kick it was alcohol, though he found that that could make it worst. Occasionally he alternated between a line of cocaine or a palmful of downers to try and chase it all away. Failing that there was always his penthouse suite a certain lithe and warm body waiting for him. But Jungkook knew that he could only ignore the matter at hand for so long. At least he had work to distract him right now, though it wasn't exactly the kind that he enjoyed doing.

Jungkook was sitting in the backseat of his Mercedes-Benz S-Class right now, on his way to Mapo-gu. Not for him exactly but more for his father. Or at least on his father's orders. His driver was in the front just like always, for Jungkook only used one man. The same chauffeur over and over meant that he could anticipate the routes that his driver would take, therefore helping him keep to a schedule. The man's name was Yang and only the back of his head was visible, the flat black cap he wore as part of his uniform. Sitting on the other end of the backseat and technically beside him was an associate named Woo. Jungkook supposed that he was a mentor of sorts, though it was hard to not see him as a babysitter most days. Where he went, Woo went. The man had no links to gang activity save for being a sort of bookkeeper. Woo seemed to know absolutely everything that was going on within each district before anyone else did. He used this wonderful skill in assisting in the creation or extermination of any possible transactions and contracts. That was why he had been chained to his side for the day. To ensure that he didn't fuck any of the important stuff up during the meeting. If he should possibly end up doing so Woo would be there, just like always giving him sudden and often unwanted advice.

Like a snake dangling down from the bowers of a tree to wrap around him and trap him in place.

Jungkook didn't have to answer to Woo or even take his advice. There was nothing stopping him from doing what he so wished but there was always one rather irritating consequence. His father would find out and he would be annoyed. That meant hour long lectures on why he should listen to others before making decisions; about how their empire had been founded upon the strength and wisdom of all, not just one. Jungkook thought that that was bullshit because if all had worked together why was only one currently on top? Yet his father would roll it all out to him like a well-rehearsed speech and he would nod along, and at the end he would hear that his father had blocked his decision anyway.

The joys of being a powerless heir. But not so much anymore. Jungkook had started being allowed to have actual influence on business transactions now. Which was likely why Woo was as ever present as always. And right now Woo wouldn't stop talking about business. Not even the important parts but every minute fucking detail.

"I'm bored with this," Jungkook said suddenly as shifted on the seat, cocking his elbow up onto the padded leather armrest. The sleeve of his suit rustled against it and he rested the side of his head on his curled up fingers. At his words he saw Woo turning his head to look at him, and it was clear that the man didn't know what he meant by this. Did he think that he was talking about the endless stream of business he had been unleashing on him for the past ten minutes now?

"Bored with what, Master Jeon?" Woo asked. The man had a full head of greying hair and rounded spectacles that made his eyes looked too large for the rest of his features. There was a pinched look about his face that matched his prim personality to perfection. He couldn't even recall seeing the man drink a glass of champagne in the past.

"This car," Jungkook explained, reaching down with his free hand to run it over the middle seat. His fingers rubbed along the leather with a rather distinct sound. Black leather, rather than the standard cream. Cream leather was tacky and rather stupid in his opinion. Black was better, classier and easier to maintain. No need to worry about leaving bloodstains on the upholstery. He had needed to have it refurbished shortly after receiving it as a gift for this very purpose. But even the new leather couldn't get him to like it.

Simply put Jungkook hated gifts. He hated them because more often than not they were wrong. Fuji silk ties rather than charmeuse silk. An expensive bottle of champagne that tasted like piss as opposed to a cheaper alternative that was palatable and sweet. It wasn't about the price tag, and yet it seemed that every gift lavished onto him was about the price rather than the quality. Like a fucking Mercedes-Benz S-Class with a cream leather interior.

Cream?

"I'm bored of the fucking car, I want a new one instead."

Woo eyed the interior of the car as if trying to find a fault of some kind. He wouldn't, and Jungkook knew that he would no doubt be internally questioning him. The man wouldn't voice his opinions aloud however, for that required a spine. No, Woo would see perfection and he would think about how much he would have to work to get one of these babies, and he might just even think of him as a spoilt brat. Jungkook wasn't entirely sure if he would for he didn't seem the type. But if the man were to think of him in such a way...Jungkook would find himself liking him a lot more. But Woo only asked him what car he was thinking of, rather than advise against it like usual.

"A...a Mitsubishi Dignity."

"With all due respect, Master Jeon, your father won't-"

"It already has the black upholstery," Jungkook continued over him, as if the man wasn't even talking to him, "so that's nothing to worry about. The body is better looking too, I really like the curves on the-"

"Master Jeon," Woo said. He stretched the title out to try and get his attention and so Jungkook paused and finally looked at the man. "It's a Japanese company. You know how your father feels about that. I don't think he would-"

Jungkook sighed and reached inside his jacket pocket to slip his phone free. He unlocked it without even looking, thumb flitting across the screen quick and precise. Woo stopped talking and instead dropped his eyes to stare at the device. When it was clear what he was doing the man made a series of noises under his breath.

"Master Jeon, your father might be busy maybe you shouldn't call him right now?"

"He's always busy. The key," Jungkook explained as he pressed his thumb against the contact name and held the phone up to his ear, "is to not give a fuck. If you had to wait until he was never busy to get shit done well...you would be waiting forever, Woo."

He listened to the dial tone on the line as he gently ran his fingers along the armrest. Was that a nick he could feel in the leather? What sorry son of a bitch had nicked a scratch into his car? He ran his fingers back over to the spot and felt over it a few times, ascertaining that it was indeed a nick; a deep one at that. That wouldn't do. If he had had no reason to want a new car before he had one now. The thing was ruined. On the other end of the seat he could both see and hear Woo fiddling almost nervously. It was as if he was the one calling his father, rather than the other way around. The day that his father got pissed at him was the day that the sun exploded, that much Jungkook knew. There was just three dial tones before there was a slight crackle of static on the line. That meant that his father had picked up, and right on the tail of the sound was his voice.

"Are you at the meeting yet, son?"

"No, not yet. We're still travelling there right now."

"Good, I have something important that I want to discuss." Jungkook told him to explain and he heard a soft creaking sound in the background; that of his father leaning back in his seat. "There are so rather...troublesome inaccuracies with this month's profit margins for Mapo-gu. It was brought to my attention that a certain club owner might have been dipping into profits to fund his rather depressing addiction to snuff pornography. I doubt you'll have a problem figuring out who I'm talking about. I want you to see that his misdemeanor sends a very strong message that Haedogje Pa earnings are not a money pot that he can stick his filthy fucking fingers into."

"I have an idea who that will be," Jungkook said as he turned to look out of the window. "Anything else you require?"

"Yes, a dealer didn't give a tribute," his father said. A tribute meaning new fresh recruit for them to assess and allow into the ranks. It wasn't necessary that one brought one in, but with the current need to refresh the stale blood running through the empire it made sense. Anyone that didn't offer at least a single tribute in their respective neighbourhood looked very much like they weren't loyal to not only Haedogje Pa, but also to the new leader.

"Oh dear...and he'll have to sit in a meeting with me. How very unfortunate."

"Don't discipline him, but let him know that this slight is something that must be corrected. Make him show just how loyal he really is to us. Now, I must get back to-"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the car," Jungkook said, and he almost heard his father changing positions on the other end of the line. He could picture his shoulders stiffening and his expression hardening, a sign that he knew what was coming. "That's why I called you, I want a new car."

"What type of car exactly, son?" his father asked.

"A Mitsubishi Dignity." Jungkook watched the streets go past in a blur without really taking any of it in. His concentration was elsewhere right now, all of his focus on his father's voice so that he could anticipate and plan his next move.

"I'm not buying you a Japanese car, Jungkook. You want a Japanese whore? Fine. Not a car. Do you want me to piss all over my father and his father's honour?" He rolled his eyes at this remark. All of this drama over a fucking car. "Piece of shit car would fall apart within a week. You want a new car? Buy a Ssangyong just like-"

"Just like you, I know but...daddy." Jungkook was using his trump card now and he knew it. But if he played it just right then it wouldn't matter. "We both know that Korean cars are actually shit, not Japanese. You only drive the Ssangyong because it was a gift from the mayor. We both know you'd rather have a Lincoln MKS. At least that's not a piece of shit, but you've got to put up appearances so you can't have it just yet. But we also both know that Mayor Jung will be gone by the next term. He's old and fat and he's probably going to have a coronary." There was nothing but silence on the other end of the line at this. "So," Jungkook stopped running his fingers across the armrest and instead lifted them up to study his nails, "a Lincoln MKS would make an excellent birthday present. Don't you think, daddy?"

"I will buy you any car but that one, Jungkook. Not a Japanese car," his father said in a stern tone. It was the kind of tone that would make their men drop to their knees in front of him, or would make men like Woo piss themselves. But not him. Jungkook knew that they hadn't even gotten close to the end of negotiations yet. He was just warming up. Right now his father had likely reached up to remove a pen from his breast pocket so he could do his usual routine. Pretend to be distracted with papers in the hopes that he would leave it all alone, but it never worked. See, Jungkook had his own routine too, and unlike his father's his actually worked.

"But daddy, I want it," he retorted, voice bordering on something that might have passed for a spoilt whine a few years ago. Had his father been in the car with him he would have seen the petulant pout too, but he wasn't. That usually worked to his favour. Never on his mother, she hated the pouting routine because she told him that it would create wrinkles. But his father was rather pathetic at the sight of his sulky expression. It worked even better if he cocked his head to the side like a puppy. It was rather funny just how easy it was to manipulate his father. Jungkook knew that the fact he was an only child was the reason why he had gotten his way for his entire life. There might just come a time when that didn't happen but he doubted it. Jungkook was poised to take over the empire and that meant that he would keep getting his way, just from those that served below him rather than his only true superior.

"This car is boring, I don't like it anymore. A brand new Dignity would look so much better. Anybody with an American Express card can buy a Mercedes-Benz these days. The key to making an impression is to stand out, right?" More silence on the other end of the line. "You didn't want to buy me my gun, remember? Because you said that I'd get bored and want another but I didn't. That's because I got to pick it, and I didn't pick the S-Class. It was a gift from Uncle Kyungsoo."

"May the bastard rot in hell."

"Exactly. Do you really want me riding around in a car gifted from him? It might not be a Japanese car, but it's not a good car either."

"...This is the last gift," his father said, "for a whole year, Jungkook. If you ask for another thing I'll see to it that the windows of that fucking Mit-shit-bishi are smashed in and the tank is turned into scrap metal."

"Thank you, daddy," Jungkook said in a sweet tone before pulling the phone away and ending the call. He glanced over at Woo to see that the man was looking at him in disbelief and it was enough to bring a wide grin to his lips. "Looks like I'm getting a Japanese car." He slipped his phone back into his pocket before shifting in his seat. "Right, back to business but not your business. Important business regarding this meeting."

"Please go on, Master Jeon."

"Father wants me to address two associates that are out of line, one very and one edging it. I believe without a doubt that I know the first but I have my doubts about the second. I would need to see the men in reality to gauge who it might be."

"Who do you believe to be the first insubordinate, Master Jeon?"

"Father said that a nightclub owner is dipping into profit margins to fuel his own vices. Now there are a great many clubs in Mapo-gu but most of them are personal investments for associates and not Haedogje Pa property. There is but one major chain in Mapo-gu and that chain is owned by Do Seunghoon."

"Yes, you're correct, Master Jeon. Do is the only owner of nightclubs in the district that belong directly to Haedogje Pa. The profits earned aren't his to use, and a single won spent on personal vices is most certainly insubordinate behaviour."

"I also know a rather wonderful story surrounding Do that matches with father's information. Father said that the lost profits might be fueling snuff pornography. I know for a fact that Do had three dead bodies smuggled out of his own private booth in one of these nightclubs just two months ago. All female prostitutes, all severely strangled with their panties shoved in their mouths. I've been keeping tabs on him ever since and let's just say his internet history is absolutely nightmarish." Jungkook snorted and reached down to brush at the knee of his trousers before looking at Woo. "What are your opinions on this?"

"I believe that you're correct, Master Jeon," Woo said as he fixed his glasses. "Do is indeed someone you would call a...fucked up individual. What do you think are fitting reactions to his behaviour?"

"I've got an idea in my mind, a rather wonderful one. All you need to know about Do is that he will enter the meeting but he won't leave. Now the second issue." Woo asked him to explain this one to him and Jungkook settled back in his seat. "A certain drug dealer didn't give us a tribute. Of the men gathered for this meeting there are exactly three dealers: Ahn Bohyun, Kim Dongwoo and Park Myungsoo. Each one covers different fields. Kim, he's strictly marijuana and party drugs and he sells predominantly to foreign tourists and business people. Park supplies heroin. Ahn deals in cocaine. Now, based on their products I have an inkling of who it might be but I'm not entirely certain."

"Who are you think, Master Jeon?"

"Ahn." After a few seconds of silence he turned his head to look at the other man. "Coke's being dropping of late, sales and profit. Ahn's the only one of the three with a legitimate excuse for missing the deadline for a tribute. I expect that he's been struggling to meet profit targets this month, which would explain it all."

"What if it's not Ahn, Master Jeon?"

"Well," Jungkook glanced out of the window to see that the building was drawing close. That meant that they would be getting out of the car in a minute or so, so he had to hurry. "If it's not him there's no excuse for Park or Kim will suffer harsh consequences. My last issue to address is this: who would be willing to kill Mayor Jung?"

"...That would take some time to ascertain an answer to, Master Jeon," Woo said after a moment of thought. The car pulled through a pair of wrought iron railings and then it was crunching over loose gravel to drive across the wide entrance lot. "I would have to check out networks."

"I want him dead by the new year, so let me know when you have ample information." He waited until the car stopped completely, engine dead and air still. Woo got up first and exited his side so that he could walk around the back of the car and open his door for him. Jungkook took a deep breath of the rather frigid fresh air and then he climbed out of the car. He fixed his jacket buttons as he did, smoothing the creases out of the middle and his waistcoat. Appearance was everything and some of these men would be seeing him for the first time. That meant that he had to carry himself with the same level of perfection that his father did. They were standing in a large lot at the front of the building. To his knowledge it had been a boarding house at some point, and it still served its purpose now for the tributes to be lodged in. Across the lot there was a large brick archway that led into a forecourt and thus to the real entrance of the building. Jungkook studied the weathered red bricks and pitted layers of cement between them as he prepared himself for it all.

"Woo, I trust your advice," he said as he carried on fixing his suit jacket. His breath plumed out into the air like cigarette smoke. "But don't advise against my punishment like you did last time. The one thing I have to show authority in is punishment."

"I won't, Master Jeon. So long as Do is indisposed of and our tribute-less dealer is still breathing then any punishment should be fitting."

"That's exactly what I was planning on happening," Jungkook said as he tightened his tie and slipped his hands into his trouser pockets. "So, let's get this meeting started."

Just like when Woo started his usual tirade about business deals and profile margins, and everything possibly in between, Jungkook found that his interests rapidly waned in the situation. It wasn't that such matters bored him, for he understood that every single second in the world of business affected everything else: a cycle of chain reactions that would all be sparked from one tiny mistake. Jungkook understood this, and he understood all of the minute details that came with each aspect; from brokering to negotiating, to introducing standardised charges and flat rates for businesses. He understood it, but he didn't want to hear it all. What he wanted wasn't long explanations, handy graphs and predicted statistics. Jungkook wanted the facts. He wanted everything quick and straightforward because it made everything else move faster. Why spend fifteen solid minutes presenting useless information to make everything sound good when he could just be given an exact figure and a yes or no? That took twenty seconds at most. And yet every single man in the meeting seemed to want his fifteen minutes of fame.

"...and as you'll see, Master Jeon, our latest investments are very beautiful."

A file was placed down in front of him and Jungkook realised that someone had been talking to him this entire time. He furrowed his brow at the object before glancing over his shoulder at the man to see that it was Lee, Lee Dukwon. Ah yes, he was one of the skin dealers and so Jungkook opened the file. The sight he was greeted by was photographs of naked women. Jungkook had to resist the urge to sigh heavily. Was this meant to keep his attention in any way? It wasn't working, and so he flicked through and then shoved the file away a few seconds later.

"All women, don't you deal with men, Lee?"

"No, Master Jeon, my services provide only female clients."

"...That's half of the potential profit margin lost Lee, why?"

"It's against my beliefs, Master Jeon," Lee said, professionally composed smile wavering at this slightly.

"You have North Korean women illegally smuggled into the country from China and have an appealing catch about getting to fuck "authentic communist pussy" and you have beliefs?" Jungkook raised his eyebrows at this and barely suppressed a snort. "Start dealing in men by the new year or I'll see that your taxes are increased."

"But, Master Jeon-"

"Personal beliefs are a hindrance to effective profits, Lee. Haedogje Pa don't run on personal beliefs, we run on rules. Stop favouring yourself before us, Lee, or there will be consequences much worse than increased fucking taxes." Jungkook spared a glance over at Woo to see that the man was silent and in no way objective. Good, he wasn't taking any of that back. Then he turned back to look at Lee. "Sell skin or change your business ventures to cheap crack, don't make me tell you again, Lee."

"...Yes, Master Jeon," the man said with a meek nod as he moved to collect the file and then went back to his seat across the table. Jungkook ran his eyes over the room for a moment, enjoying the few seconds of peace.

It was a long stretch of polished oak, richly coloured and solid to the touch. If he were to rap his knuckles on it it would make a sound much skin to a judge's gavel. Along the length of wood there were six men, three on either side and him seated at the very top. Woo didn't sit at the table but rather by the doors. It meant that he could watch it all like a hawk and should he have reason to voice a complaint he would get to his feet and move to lean down and whisper it to his ear. Jungkook always took great delight in watching his men and their flickering gazes, on him and then over to Woo: the silent witness. If he so much as moved in his seat then all eyes would move to him. The flooring of the meeting room was similar dark wood to the table and the walls were cream. The wall opposite to the door was a stretch of tall windows and the others were plain of decoration save for a single display directly facing Jungkook. Two flags were hanging, the national flag and one with the Jeon family crest printed with Haedogje Pa's motto underneath. The crest was nothing more than the characters in black calligraphy over a white lotus on the black silk but it was one that anyone that belonged to Haedogje Pa would recognise. He studied the flags before swallowing a sigh and turning to the windows.

The outside view was a courtyard. In the summer it would have been a pleasant sight but now in the very beginnings of winter it wasn't pretty. The grassy area was just dirt covered with a thin stubble of grass and rocks, and the sunlight coming down over the tall walls was almost grey-tinged and sterile. Jungkook saw four bodies out there and all of them were tributes. He saw ill-fitting cheap suits that made him want to grimace, wrinkled shirts and worn leather shoes. Mostly he saw puffy faces that signaled hangovers or come downs and it annoyed him immensely. This was Mapo-gu's idea of new recruits? Chubby, pug-faced, gangly young men without even the knowledge on how to look good. No self-respecting member of Haedogje Pa would be caught dead in a suit like that. Why they wouldn't even be murdered in one and-

Jungkook's gaze had been focused on one rather obnoxious-looking man who had been chewing gum almost loud enough for him to hear it through the closed windows. However after a few seconds someone shifted and he realised that there was actually five bodies out there; five to match up with the number of associates that had given him men of course. He was more than certain that it was indeed Ahn that had neglected to give new blood because upon entering the meeting Jungkook had been sure to make a remark about the bright new tributes. He had seen Ahn's gaze dropping to look at the table whereas the rest had laughed in agreement. The newly revealed recruit had one arm hugged to his chest to keep his hand warm and the other up in front of his face so that he could smoke a cigarette. He could only study his profile from his standing position and so Jungkook did so.

His breath and the smoke mingled together to create a thick plume in the air and Jungkook watched him breathe a lungful out of his mouth. When he breathed in again he pulled most of the smoke into his lungs, wispy tendrils escaping his nose on the next exhale. Jungkook saw a head of dark hair that was a little too long and yet seemed to flatter his face regardless. It was hard to see the rest of his face but he could see a strong nose with a straight bridge and a rounded tip rather than a point. The man was wearing a suit but unlike the rest it was much better fitted to his frame; no creases or loose knees and shoulders. It was black and looked to be fine grey pinstripe from what he could see, and judging from the collar visible from his jacket he was wearing a white shirt with it. Was there a tie perhaps? He couldn't see and yet he found himself very much wanting to know.

The meeting was still going on right now, he could hear Nam talking about a recent crackdown in the district to arrest pimps and yet he wasn't listening to him. The words were floating up in the air rather than going into his head. Jungkook had suddenly found something so much more interesting than the boring bullshit his men were talking about, and it was the young stranger outside that had grabbed his attention.

The man turned around slightly as he reached up to stick the cigarette back between his lips. His hand obscured his face for a second but when he lowered it Jungkook finally got to see his features clearly. From their distance he saw large eyes and a mouth that his gaze locked onto. He pouted his lips slightly as he blew the smoke out and Jungkook felt the most pressing urge to wet his own lips. The young man shivered and huddled his crossed arm closer to his chest, as if that would make him feel better.

"...Master Jeon?"

Jungkook heard Woo's voice and he realised that he really hadn't been paying attention to what had been going on. When he looked away from the window he saw eyes on him and yet...he didn't exactly have an answer to whatever he was supposed to be addressing. That meant he had three seconds or so to react before he looked incompetent, but luckily Jungkook had always been blessed with good reactions.

"What I want to know is this, Nam: are you still on profit right now?"

"Yes, Master Jeon, always on profit."

"Then fuck the rest of it, if there's issues with the police force you know what to do. Lodge a strong complaint to my father and I'll see to it that the person responsible for the crackdowns gets several cracked ribs. That should remind them who's really in charge of the district."

"Thank you, Master Jeon I'll be sure to do so," Nam said from behind his sunglasses. Jungkook briefly wondered if he fucked his women in them before pushing the thought away.

"Master Jeon?" Park said suddenly, fixing his glasses as he did. "I too have a rather important complaint to lodge regarding-"

"Out, everyone out," Jungkook almost snapped as he waved an arm. "Go for a smoke or a piss, whatever, just get out of my sight." He could sense that this was not what happened in meetings for them, that they were all surprised by this sudden change in events. Jungkook had been to enough meetings himself to know that this certainly didn't happen, but today was a first for everything it would seem. It took a few seconds for the men to comply to his demand and then he heard the slight scraping sounds of their chairs on the wooden flooring. As soon as the meeting room was empty Woo asked him what he was doing. Jungkook got out of his own seat and wandered over to the windows. "Who's that man over there; the one in the pinstripe suit?" He turned to look over his shoulder at the other man. Woo got out of his own chair by the doors and moved to stand a few feet away.

"He would be a tribute, Master Jeon. I'm yet to have any information on the recruits seen as they aren't all going to be accepted. But I'm sure that I could-"

"I like him," Jungkook spoke over him, turning back to the window to look at the young man out in the courtyard. He was still smoking and dithering from the cold.

"What...what do you mean you like him?"

"He's pretty," Jungkook explained as he slipped his hands into his trouser pockets. "He's pretty so I like him, it's rather simple, Woo. The rest of them are pretty hideous."

"The tributes aren't supposed to be attractive, Master Jeon," Woo said in a rather flat tone. It was enough to make Jungkook roll his eyes with a weary sigh.

"I'm aware of that, Woo, look at most of the men in this meeting. I know they're not supposed to be but it's a pleasant surprise." He studied the man outside. "Not even a name?"

"No, Master Jeon, I don't have a name."

"Then I guess I'll just have to ask him myself," he said before turning on his heel and crossing the meeting room. Woo made disgruntled noises at this but he didn't even try and stop him. "Talk to Park and make note of his complaint."

Jungkook stepped out the room and into the hallway to see that most of the men were in fact just standing around the door. They were no doubt waiting for him to call them back, not wanting to be late or risk their necks. He saw a few smouldering cigarettes and cigars and even a hip flask out in Kim's hand. Jungkook walked down the hallway to get to the door, shoving it open to step outside. Just like earlier he was hit by the plummet in temperature and it was enough to make him take an involuntary gasping breath. He felt a shiver run down his spine and yet he couldn't fold his arms over his chest to try and reserve heat. That would look weak and he didn't want that. Even if it was a natural reaction to the cold he didn't want it. Most of the new bloods were likely older than him, and if they saw him as weaker then it would not do. So instead he kept his hands in his trouser pockets as he crossed the courtyard to get closer to the gathering of new recruits.

Jungkook was used to heads turning to stare at him when he was around Haedogje Pa men. It was only natural that they did, because shortly afterwards heads would drop to stare at shoes respectfully. No one made intentional eye-contact with him, or at least not for longer than a second or so. But not the young man he had noticed from the window. No, he just stared at him openly. It was hard to tell if it was from fear, shock or something else. As he got closer he saw that his skin was tanned against his white shirt collar, just like Jimin's skin looked against silken bed sheets. His cheeks were slightly red from the cold in a wonderfully flushed way and when he stopped in front of him that was when the man dropped his gaze.

"What's your name, mmm?" Jungkook asked, making sure to use a strong but polite tone. "How old are you?"

"Kuh-Kim Taehyung, Master Jeon." Master Jeon, yes Jungkook liked hearing that a lot coming from those lips of his. Full and pouted, the upper slightly more so than the lower. His voice was nice to listen to too, deep but not dull or droning. It had a warm note to it. "I'm twenty."

"Kim Taehyung, mmm." Jungkook moved his tongue around his mouth as if tasting it and he spared a glance over at the other recruits to see that they were all staring at him. "Who do you work for, Taehyung?"

"Luh-Lim, Master Jeon."

"Lim? Don't know him, who does Lim work for?" Jungkook asked as reached out and grabbed hold of his arm, just below the elbow. Taehyung flinched at the sudden physical contact and muffled a shocked noise by biting down on his lip. Yet all Jungkook had wanted was to lean down and take a drag off the end of his cigarette. It had been wasting away between his fingers, ignored and neglected since his arrival. It had been awhile since he had shared a cigarette and so the lungful of smoke burnt as he held it and then breathed it out. Taehyung inhaled and Jungkook saw some of the smoke being pulled into his lungs too.

"He works property, Master Jeon," Taehyung explained, voice no longer quivering from the cold. Jungkook could hardly feel it right now too. "But also handles lawsuits and judicial matters should they arise."

"So you...you specialise in business then too, right?"

"No, Master Jeon," Taehyung explained, eyes flickering up to his face as he did. "I work mostly in...in keeping his affairs in order."

"Brains or brawn?" Jungkook asked, his own gaze moving down to study him as he did. He was aware that he was in fact taller than him. Only slightly but still taller. A glance down at his feet showed that there was the slightest heel on the back, just like his. It wasn't a trick then, he must have been taller. Nice proportions, slim but not too thin. There might just be muscle under that shirt. He lifted his gaze back to study his face.

"Brains," Taehyung explained. Jungkook saw that his eyes were large and rounded, framed with a thick spray of lashes that would be the envy of many women. It was hard figuring out what feature deserved the most attention, his eyes or his nose, or those lips of his.

"Are you a nerd, Taehyung?" Jungkook joked, offering him a smile as he did. This caused the young man to bark a sudden laugh at him, deep and pleasant sounding. When his lips shifted they revealed straight teeth, both rows. Now he knew what feature of his was the one deserving attention by a long shot. "So you know who's who, yes?"

"Yeah, Master Jeon," Taehyung agreed, a little confident now in his presence. "I know quite a lot," he added as he took a drag off his cigarette.

"Anyone shown an interest in you yet?"

"Yeah uh, Nam, Master Jeon."

"Nam?" He raised an eyebrow at this and then scoffed. "Nam's not getting his hands on you."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment and Jungkook almost relished it. He could see that Taehyung was looking at him in mild confusion. Was he trying to ascertain if his words meant that he was out for good, or was he wondering about the strong undertone of his wording? He didn't know but he did know that Nam really wasn't getting his hands on him. No way was a skin dealer dragging him under his wing and turning him into just another shit for brains pimp. Or a slave. Taehyung seemed to have a talent, a talent that he found greatly interested him. He kept affairs in order, he knew who was who. He was like Woo except still a rookie, but if he were to show him the ropes...

"Shit," Taehyung said suddenly, breaking the silence as he did, "it's freezing uh, I mean-"

"It's freezing," Jungkook agreed with a nod as he watched Taehyung drop his rather terribly shaking arms down to his sides. "You know, it's a lot warmer inside. You should join me in my meeting. You will get to stay out of the cold and see what real Haedogje Pa business looks like." Taehyung's expression had been something as close to neutral as he had been able to achieve because of the cold. His lips had still twitched slightly at the corners, as had his brow. But upon hearing his words Taehyung's expression suddenly turned into something close to dumbstruck instead. His mouth fell open in an "o", showcasing his teeth and wet pink tongue. Jungkook couldn't help but drop his gaze to study this before looking back up at his eyes. Clearly he had not expected this and his suggestion had surprised him.

"I'm sorry, Master Jeon, I don't-"

"Come on," Jungkook repeated, this time in a stern tone rather than a friendly. He wanted him to know that it hadn't been a suggestion, it had been an order. "Join me in the meeting."

"Uh...OK, thank you for the honour, Master Jeon." Taehyung went to drop the cigarette and so he grabbed his arm again, this time closer to his wrist. Jungkook took the nearly used up cigarette out of his fingers. His father didn't approve of smoking, called it a dirty habit. He made sure to never smoke often enough to crave them just to please the man. If only he knew about his other dirty habits: like the certain porn star he had had holed up in his penthouse suite for three months now; like the lines of coke snorted from the cleft of his spine and the taste of another man's cum on his tongue.

Well, perfection was hard to achieve. His father would have to settle for as close as he could get.

Jungkook took a deep drag off it as he walked across the courtyard. He didn't let go of his wrist but rather gently pulled him along behind him. Taehyung allowed him to do so, no attempt at resistance whatsoever. It didn't matter if he did because he would have dragged him across the courtyard anyway. The man's wrist was warm against his palm and he could feel something like the cold hard sensation of a metal wristwatch against the side of his hand. When he reentered the building he felt quite a few pairs of eyes on them both, more so Taehyung. Jungkook tried to locate Nam and after a few seconds he saw him down the hallway. The man might have been glaring at him from behind his shades, it was hard to tell but he did know that he was certainly taken aback by the sight. He was hoping that he had given out a nice clear message however. Just like he had with Jimin.

Hands off, this one is mine.

Jungkook guided him along the hallway and into the meeting room. He saw Woo hastily typing on his phone just beside the window and at their arrival he looked up. There was a chair on the far end of the table that was currently unoccupied and so Jungkook let go of his wrist to collect it and carry it over to go beside his chair. Taehyung watched him do this rather dumbly.

"Woo, let them know the meeting can continue," Jungkook said as he gestured to the chair. As Woo crossed the room to step outside Taehyung finally seemed to realise what he was supposed to do and he moved to sit in the seat beside him. "Did...Lim, yes Lim, did he ever take you meetings before?"

"Yeah, Master Jeon," Taehyung confirmed as he looked up and down the table at the files. Jungkook noted how he said "yeah" as opposed to "yes" and found that it was a surprisingly refreshing thing to hear. Much more to the point, less rigidly formal. "Lim allowed me to be a witness in several meetings."

"Normal meetings, right?" Jungkook watched Woo step into the corridor. "This one will be far from normal." Taehyung turned his head to stare at him, expression hard to read and that was when the other men filed back into the meeting room. Jungkook fell silent and waited for them to all be seated whilst Woo closed the doors and sealed them back in again. The scent of cigarettes and cigars, whiskey and cologne wafted across the room. When Woo was also back in his seat and the room was still and silent he decided to open his mouth again. "OK, I'm sure that there are some other things left to be discussed for this meeting but I want to cut to the chase." Jungkook stubbed the cigarette down hard on the table. "Is there anything of importance that anyone has to say before I do?"

Jungkook looked over the men and waited, counting the seconds in his head as he did. He was waiting for one of two men to make a move and admit something to him; for Do to blurt out about his spending in some last ditch attempt to save his ass from the cutting board; for Ahn to admit to his error of not submitting a tribute to Haedogje Pa like he was supposed to. Yet neither of them moved, didn't even blink at him. He waited for ten seconds to pass before speaking again.

"By important I don't mean in relations to business, legal matters, shit like that I mean important." Jungkook shifted to fold his elbows on the table as he looked up and down the table. Another ten seconds passed. "Nobody has anything to say to me? At all?" He turned his head to look over at Woo and left five seconds of silence before sighing. "OK, well there are actually two important matters to address in this meeting and yet neither man decided to own up to it. I must say I'm disappointed. I didn't know Haedogje Pa hired pussies but apparently we do."

Jungkook took a deep breath and held it whilst he sorted his thoughts out. He had to be clear and precise, cutting and cold. No bumbling, no empathy, just the harsh truth. That meant knowing exactly what to say and not fucking up. When he was ready a few seconds later he exhaled and locked eyes right on Do. The man was sitting there trying to act innocent and clean but he knew otherwise. He saw the truth at the corners of his lips and when he opened his mouth and started speaking his face would likely turn the same shade of grey as the hair around his temples and his suit.

"Do, I do not appreciate our women being murdered and mutilated," Jungkook said as he sat back in his seat. He could have stayed forward, elbows on the table to look more stern but that wasn't how he wanted to appear. No, seated back in his chair made him seem unaffected with it all. That was more frightening. "You killed three of our women. That's a loss in profit. Somewhere across Mapo-gu a pimp is making less cash and his superior is making less cash and- you see where this is going, right?" He raised an eyebrow at him and Do remained still and silent. "Haedogje Pa is losing cash because you murdered three women to satisfy a rather fucked up kink, I must say and yet- yet, after all of that you're still losing us profit."

"Master Jeon, I-"

"Don't say my name, you piece of shit," Jungkook spat, voice venomous but not a shout. In the seat beside him he could see Taehyung staring at him openly with his mouth open and even wider eyes. "Don't even look at me I don't want you to have that honour." Do dropped his eyes to the table instead. "Ahn?"

"Yes,Master Jeon?"

"You're the stupid asshole that didn't give us a tribute," Jungkook continued, spinning his chair to glare at him as he did. "Stand up." Ahn moved slowly but he did as he commanded, pushing his chair out so that he could stand with his hands folded neatly in front of his gut. "Do you swear utmost allegiance to Haedogje Pa?"

"Yes, Master Jeon, the utmost."

"Do you regret fucking up and not giving a tribute?"

"Yes, Master Jeon, I admit that I fucked up." He asked him why. "There was an issue with profits for this month, Master Jeon. In my efforts to increase them to a standard level I was unable to select a fitting tribute. I didn't want to send a useless one so I sent none at all. I deeply regret fucking up, Master Jeon."

"You know what, Ahn? I believe you," Jungkook said as he studied the man. "I believe that this was an honest mistake and I'll accept it as so. But I can't let this slide, you understand that don't you, Ahn?"

"Yes, Master Jeon."

"See now...now I have two situations on my hands," he explained as he swept both arms up, empathising this fact. The meeting room was a stage after all, and he was just performing his part to perfection. "I have a man that killed our women and caused substantial losses to profit across the whole of Mapo-gu as a result; and I have a man that must show loyalty to my family." Jungkook glanced across the table to see that not a single pair of eye weren't looking at him right now. He had them all arrested, like a true heir should. "What should I do? Taehyung, what should I do?"

"Muh...me?" Taehyung's twisted his head so sharply he had likely cricked a muscle in his neck. His already round eyes were considerably larger and he looked like he had been caught jerking off into his own sister's panties.

"Yes you, what should I do?"

"The uh," Taehyung wet his lips with the tip of his tongue; showcasing a quick flash of slick pink flesh, "the punishment for Duh-Do's actions, from the loss of profit to the spending of Haedogje Pa earnings is...is death, Master Jeon."

"Yes, that's one solution to my problem but what about the other?"

"A...a true sign of loyalty to a brother is to...to kill for a brother," Taehyung said in a whisper soft voice.

"Well done, that's just what I was thinking. Grab him," Jungkook ordered and both Lee and Kim shifted to seize hold of Do. They moved fast, perfectly trained to respond to his requests. "Ahn, come here." He lifted a finger and wagged it and the other man came to stand behind him, between him and Taehyung. Then Ahn bowed forward respectfully so that they would be on eye level. "You would do anything to show that you're loyal to Haedogje Pa, correct?" The man confirmed that it was so, voice hard to hear under the indignant and rather pathetic complaints from Do. "You want me to know that I can trust you, that you're a good man, correct?"

"Yes, Master Jeon, I'm loyal to your father and you."

"Kill Do for me."

"...How should I kill him, Master Jeon?"

"Hmm, remove his trousers and underwear. Gag him with them and strangle him. Just like he did to our women." Jungkook reached up to pat Ahn on the shoulder and the man confirmed that he would before moving across the room. Lee and Kim had already dragged Do away from the table and the man was struggling to free himself from their grips. A quick glance at Taehyung showed that he was considerably paler than he had been earlier. The young man was staring across the room with an expression that looked trapped between bewilderment and something like fear.

"I didn't mean to do it, Master Jeon, it was an accident and-"

"Once is a fucking accident, Do, not three times in a night," Jungkook retorted as he twisted in his seat. "Three fucking times, you useless cunt. Do you think I'm stupid, Do? Do you think I don't know all of your fucked up secrets?"

"I don't, I don't! I won't do it again, I swear that I won't I'll-"

"Do, to put it nice and simple for you: I don't believe a word of your bullshit. Hurry up and gag him I'm sick of hearing that voice. Gets under my skin like fucking coke bugs."

Do put up a fight, or as good a fight that he could anyway all things considered. With his arms pinned at his sides he could only twist and worm and wriggle, or kick. And he did kick Ahn, several times in fact. Perhaps the dumb fuck hadn't figured it out but kicking the man that was going to strangle him to death was never a good idea. It would just piss him off more. When his trousers and underwear were wrenched down Jungkook was certain that he heard Taehyung making a sound beside him, a breathless wheeze. Ahn got him free of them and then came the gagging. Jungkook was thankful for it for it stopped him from yelling and instead reduced him to rather muted nonsense. Perhaps sensing that this was something that needed to be witnessed Lee and Kim dragged Do back over and forced him down onto the table, on his back. The sound of his head thumping off the polished wood made Taehyung flinch. Then Ahn was leaning over to seize hold of his throat with both hands.

Jungkook had never strangled a person to death before, only lightly for pleasure. He had felt the soft flesh under his thumbs when he had dug them down until the rather hard resistance of the windpipe got in the way. He had experienced that wonderful racing pulse against the palms of his hands and heard the gags that turned into wet gasps as soon as he relented and let a little air be drawn in. But Ahn didn't strangle Do for pleasure, he did so to kill him. The man was brutal and unrelenting, not even showing any emotion as he throttled the other man. Not even when his pitiful gagging stopped and his face started to go a lovely shade of red, and then with rather livid undertones of purple around his lips and eyes. Jungkook turned his head to look at Taehyung and he saw that the rookie had his hands held up against the sides of his head. He wasn't looking over at Do but rather at the table and he looked very much like he was seconds from collapsing.

"Don't look away," Jungkook ordered. "Look." Taehyung seemed like he might just disobey that order, head still turned away from Do. But then his eyes slid sideways to look and Jungkook suddenly found himself more interested in watching him watch the strangulation that the act itself. "Do you see this, Taehyung?"

"Yuh-yeah, Master Jeon."

"This is what happens when you go against Haedogje Pa. If you piss us off, if you try to hurt us, if you cause any trouble. This is what happens. You're not going to do anything like that, are you?"

"Nuh-no, Master Jeon, never."

"Good."

Ahn kept his hands clamped onto the other man's throat until Do had stopped moving and he held them there until Jungkook requested that Kim check for a pulse. The man checked his wrist and then his chest before confirming that he was indeed dead. Then Ahn let go of his throat and reached up to his own to fix his tie. Do was lying on the table, arms spread out from where Lee and Kim had held them down. His shirt had ridden up and he could see his thighs and genitals. Well, they had been the main cause of this rather avoidable fiasco. Seeing them now he hardly thought they were worth the trouble.

Jungkook reached over to put his hand on Taehyung's knee without much thought. What he felt was that it was shaking under his palm, muscles thrumming under his skin. Clearly this had been his first witness to a murder, which made sense considering his background working for a property shark. But Taehyung was going to have to get used to the sight very quickly. He studied the back of his hand before lifting his gaze up slowly to study Taehyung's face. Still that pale shade, rather ashen right now. There looked to be a light sheen of sweat on his brow and he was just staring at the body still lying on the table.

"Welcome to Haedogje Pa, Taehyung," Jungkook said with a smile.