Safe Now

Swish.

Click.

Swish.

Click.

The staccato of Vincenzo's thumb against his lighter beat faster than his footsteps. It was anticipation, he knew. Not the kind that usually accompanied this sound. He wasn't channeling a purposefully simmering rage. He felt calm. Unthreatened. A novel thing to be from the last time he'd set foot on Korean ground.

This arrival was nothing like the one before it. On many counts.

But this time was sure to be more fleeting.

It was too early to think about goodbyes though. Not when he had people to see.

His quarry was close, right where he knew he would be. The boy was still predictable with his routine. It was sweet, but also it worried him.

Vincenzo spoke when his steps had joined the other's in the parking lot, echoing through the dim silence.

"Receivership? I thought you swore you'd save Babel. Or were those empty words?"

An annoyed twitch of the head. A hand coming up as if to swat away a fly. Vincenzo almost laughed. He slid the lighter back inside his pants pocket.

"Excuse me, sir," said the boy with a slight turn of his head, enough to acknowledge his company but not enough to see behind him. "If you weren't able to ask all your questions in the press conference, please set an appointment with my secretary. It's late and I haven't eaten the whole day."

"What's that? You can't drink with me on an empty stomach."

Footsteps halting at attention, the steady march broken. A briefcase clattering to the ground. Vincenzo had a moment to feel slightly hurt it took this boy that many sentences to recognize his voice before he was pummeled in a hug.

"HYUNG."

"Okay," Vincenzo huffed, the wind knocked out of him. "You can let go now."

"Hyung."

This time the word was quiet, pressed against his shoulder like an answered prayer. He didn't like it. He wasn't here to stay.

Vincenzo took Jang Hanseo by the shoulders so he could look at him.

Hanseo looked alive. That was the most important. Not dead from the bullet that ripped through his body, thanks to his demon brother. Not dead in the eyes, from fear or panic or the stress of living his life feeling lost, used, and unwanted.

Hanseo looked tired, purple bruises under his eyes, cheeks more hallowed than Vincenzo's recollection. But his eyes were alive.

"Hyung!" Hanseo cried again, clapping Vincenzo hard on both shoulders, almost bringing him to his knees.

"I heard you the first time," Vincenzo muttered, straightening the creases on his expensive suit, though he wrapped an arm around Hanseo.

This felt particularly good, this win. When he flew out of Korea a year ago, fleeing while he still could, he barely had time to see Hong Chayoung recover from her own bullet wound, much less find out if Jang Hanseo had any hope of surviving the coma he had slipped under.

To see him now, smiling, beaming at him, warm by his side, when his last memory was of him pale and dying in his arms...

Hanseo is a win, he thought, a smile breaking out of him.

"What took you so long?" Hanseo's fist thumped against his chest. Vincenzo staggered for real this time. "You didn't even call."

"I called!"

"Once. I was unconscious for six months and dying—"

"The doctors said the surgery went well and your wound was healing cleanly—"

"And you called me once! One time after I'd woken up."

"It was all I needed to know. That you've woken up."

Hanseo's little punches stopped. His pout remained, lips pressed together, eyes shining.

Vincenzo was never going to say it out loud, but he missed the kid.

He cleared his throat, straightening his tie. "Besides, I've been busy."

Hanseo rolled his eyes. "I know. In your brand new island."

"How did you—?"

"Atty. Hong showed me the postcards." Hanseo grinned like a boy getting away with a treat. "I see them when I come by the office. She put them up in the corkboard. So many of the same island. We have coffee with Mr. Nam at least once a month. To discuss business and things. She quizzes me sometimes too, but that's fun now. I just guessed about the island. Is it true? Did you buy an island? Aw." Hanseo grabbed his arm again, beaming. "My professional hyung."

Those were a lot of words and Vincenzo took them all in, letting the bright images they conjured wash over him. There were a lot of wins there too, but he fixated on one thing.

"You've met with Hong Chayoung?"

Hanseo nodded. "She represents me now. I would have told you this if you'd called me more than once."

He was pouting again, tugging at his hyung's arm, wanting a reaction. Vincenzo wasn't quick enough with a comeback.

"Have you not met with her?" Hanseo guessed, not incorrectly. The puppy dog eyes turned sly. "Did you come see me first? I am flattered, hyung. But was it really the best decision?"

"Come on," Vincenzo said, gruffly pushing Hanseo towards the flashiest car in the parking lot. "It's 6 in the evening and you haven't had a meal? How can you rehabilitate a rotting empire if you're not taking care of yourself?"

Hanseo took hold of Vincenzo's arm and steered, away from the shiny convertible and towards a modest, white sedan. Vincenzo felt an inexplicable swell in his chest, watching Hanseo find his keys and unlock the doors.

"Maybe I need you here with me," Hanseo said, leaning against the driver's side door. "Can't you just stay here? I've asked you nicely before. Please?"

Vincenzo smiled at the earnest face before him. The boy was back. Maybe the boy would always be there, maybe that was deserved. Hanseo had grown up too fast, and not in any way to his own liking, or by his own choices. He was only starting to make his life now.

"You know I can't." Vincenzo's smile stayed on his face. Not all fleeting visits were sad. He'd found many things that endured in these parts, despite distance and time apart.

He watched Hanseo's face temper into acquiescence, eyebrows meeting in a small frown.

"How long can you stay?"

"Just a day," Vincenzo said. "I leave tomorrow."

"What?"

"I only reserved 2 hours for you and you've used up 10 minutes with this nonsense—"

"What? Let's go. I've replaced my whiskey stock at home with makgeolli. You're gonna love it. Was I expecting you'll arrive just like this? Have I been waiting patiently without you saying a word? Hehe. Maybe. I can be foolish like that sometimes."

Vincenzo let Hanseo steer him to the passenger side and open the door for him, only resisting from being tucked and strapped in the seat.

"No bodyguards?" Vincenzo asked.

Hanseo's smile was bright, light diffused on his face. He looked as young as he really was.

"What for? I feel safe now."

The many times he'd had his heart chipped and broken in Korea, in ways he was least prepared for. This was a good one, though. A win. A reason to visit again, and maybe call more often.

Vincenzo stepped back from the passenger door and took the keys from its owner's hand. He gave Hanseo a hug that startled the boy, this man. An embrace that was short but earnest.

"Let me drive for you," he said, smiling. "I did miss you, kid."

The End