𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐊 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 | 𝖯𝖲𝖧 [DISCONTINUED]

12 : rotten

sunghoon looked at me with so much disappointment in his eyes, i'd love to just become one with the floor and disappear. the others went silent one by one once they noticed how the atmosphere has changed abruptly.

"hey, you're here! glad you joined us!" jungwon threw his hands in the air like a little kid while jay just chuckled at his behaviour: "seems like all of you have gotten to know each other."

"suyeon is so sweet! i truly adore her already." sunoo gave me an eye smile, causing me to smile as well. the only one who didn't have a good time was sunghoon, obviously. guess he didn't like me being around his friends, was he that jealous?

soon enough, he grabbed something off the table and disappeared in the garden. "i'll be outside for a while.", he monotonously stated and started to lit up a cigarette right at the door. "i didn't know he was a smoker.", i blurted out while staring holes into his back. truly, sunghoon was always full of surprise, doesn't matter if good or bad ones.

"must have started two years ago. i always told him to stop because it damages his lungs, he just simply wouldn't listen though." jake sighed like an old dad as he shook his head.

"huh, he's a fallen prince after all, isn't he?"

"wait, what?" riki chocked on his glass of milk before staring at me in complete shock. i shrugged: "he's a royal, right? he should feel responsible for his actions. and since you're close to hoon, i'm sure you all have hidden identities as well." can't believe we were laughing our asses off just a few minutes ago.

the boys looked at me in disbelief, probably surprised i figured it out so fast.

"you have wild fantasies.", heeseung awkwardly chuckled, looking here and there.

"i'd say we actually don't have anything to hide from her. she's from the higher class too, suyeon's parents are probably as rotten as ours." jake shrugged as he leaned back, i just slightly gasped and looked away.

the others just lowly chuckled, making me raise my eyebrows. "oh, so you all think it's funny?"

"suyeon, do you even have an idea what your parents do for a living? where are they even?"

"i don't know. i haven't been in contact with them for a while." jay sighed as he pointed at himself: "as far as we know, your parents are definitely like premium league. our parents always say they don't know much about the jeons, but they seem to have an unimaginable business, making billions a week. unreachable people who aren't standing in the public either. you still know them though."

"i was never involved in those kind of things, so i don't have much to say.", i honestly replied.

"sunghoon thinks differently as you just witnessed. he assumes you're working for your brother or your parents and just wanted to use him for wealth." but i didn't. a few ago, i wasn't even aware of him being a former prince. "i really like sunghoon though. not because he has a huge status, but because he's been by my side for a while now and makes me feel safe. why would i even use him if my parents apparently run an outstanding business?"

the boys looked around, not able to give me an answer. "what do your parents even do? you just mentioned they were... rotten?", i asked further.

jake scoffed: "heartless people who can't appreciate their kids. all they gave us was money throughout our whole lives, i can't even remember if my mom ever showed me she loves me." riki rapidly nodded, showing he agreed.

"jake and riki are close with each other since their parents own a technology company. they don't just invent normal devices for the usual citizens though. they used their knowledge to provide the underground business with high-tech weapons which are partly illegal.", jungwon explained in the best way he could.

sunoo then pointed at the said one and heeseung: "jungwon and heeseung are the founders of this little club. they're distant relatives, hence their fathers both studied law and help out the rich people in court. you could say they're the most corrupt lawyers known to the high class, but that's why they're so popular."

"and sunoo's mom...", jay started, "owns multiple bakeries around the world, but of course there aren't ordinary desserts. no one ever said they were clean."

"drugs.", riki blurted out between his chuckles, "but only a small dosing. no one has ever found evidence of drugs inside of the cakes or something. they're still there though."

jay grinned at the youngest one before turning towards me again: "i'm hoon's cousin, he considers me as his brother because we spent our entire childhood together."

"so you have a royal title too?"

"my dad's been a commoner, so no. we're all very close nevertheless."

"got it."

just when the conversation was about to end, sunghoon barged into the house again as he stepped on the rest of his cigarette. "alright, now that he's back, you two should talk. we will hide in the kitchen in the meantime." heeseung motioned everyone to follow him before patting hoon's shoulder for reassurance.

i awkwardly sat on the armchair and avoided his gaze. "at least look at me when i'm mad.", he scoffed and threw himself on the couch. "i don't want to.", i stubbornly mumbled and leaned back.

"stop being such ignorant children and talk. it's all a misunderstanding, so suyeon should explain her feelings towards sunghoon!", jay interrupted and threw his fist in the air. i only saw how jungwon pulled him back before they disappeared from my sight.

"feelings?", hoon repeated, "what the hell did you guys talk about while i was outside?"

"your real identities, i suppose. look, i'm here to see you because you've been avoiding me, even though i didn't do anything wrong... well, in my opinion."

silence.

sunghoon looked like he shut off his mind completely, only staring at the floor with wide eyes. is he dead? is he thinking? is he even listening?

"yah! park sunghoon!"

"it was a great honour when wonwoo reached out to us. i've always heard great things about your family and sometimes i would ask myself if i was even fit for this position. only to find out from my parents that... we were your target. my sister was actually rooting for the two of us.", he chuckled at the silly thought and smiled at me, "you're not as rotten as your family, are you?"

"of course i'm not.", i sighed in relief, knowing we could actually start a conversation, "five minutes ago, i found out my parents have an apparent huge business on-going, which i don't even knew about. jay is right, i should have explained myself before this whole disaster."

"why would you have to explain yourself? you seem too innocent to be part of that whole thing."

"i'm not talking about my family anymore, you dumbass! i'm talking about us!"

"i really like you, sunghoon."