Treasure: The Present || Ateez WooSanHwa

Chapter 24: Secret Meeting

Once Jun got back into his car, he called someone on his phone.

???: I told you not to call during the day. It's dangerous.

Yeonjun: We need to talk. NOW

???: *sighs* Meet at this restaurant in 20.

Jun drove to the restaurant that was sent to him and waited at the parking lot. And just exactly 20 minutes later, another car he didn't recognize pulled up beside him. Moment the person walked out the car, he knew who it was even if the person wore an all black outfit. The two quietly walked into the restaurant and sat at the most corner table in the restaurant. They ordered and waited in silence.

"What is so important that you called me up in the daylight, risking your own life?" The person sat in front of Jun, took off his sunglasses and mask.

"Wow, not even a 'hello' or 'how've you been'." Sipping his water as well.

The person sighs deeply, "How have you been, Yeonjun ssi?" Rolling his eyes.

"I'm alright, actually. But you, Jongho, you look like shit run over by a car." Jun said, crossing one leg on the other.

Jongho scoffs, "Yeah I know. Tell me something I don't know." He rubbed his eyes tiredly as if he didn't get a wink of sleep for the past few days.

"What about Seonghwa being assaulted by your father?" Jun crosses his arms, watching the person's reaction.

"What?" Shooting his eyes back to Yeonjun.

"Yeah that's something you didn't know, huh? Look here," taking out the security camera photos. "Tell me this isn't him."

Jongho snatched the photos from Yeonjun'a grasp, putting it close to his face to examine.

Now getting a better look at him, Jun could tell Jongho hasn't slept for days or even weeks. Heavy dark eye bags surround his red sunken eyes, small cuts and bruises cover his thin face. Pale, almost bluish lips move with the words that come out from his mouth, like it just wanted some rest. His hands slightly shook as his fingers gripped the photos, his body thin yet still had a sign of muscles from extreme training from the gang.

"Shit, it is him. When? How? Is he ok?" Jongho's voice rang in Jun's wandering mind, bringing him back to the present.

"Yeah, Seonghwa's fine... maybe... not really...no of course he wasn't fine. It brought him back his trauma and he hurt his hand with a mirror. He's fine now. It was a day ago or so. I-I don't really know what led up to it but in the security camera, it looked like the leader (Jongho's gang leader aka his dad) said some insults and almost assaulted Seonghwa but Wonho stopped him in time." Jun spilled the story as Jongho sat nodding.

"Here's your sandwich and here's your salad." The waiter placed the sandwich at Jun's spot and the salad at Jongho's spot and walked away.

Just as Jongho picked up his fork, about to eat his salad, Jun sighed and took it away.

"Here. You need to eat more." Placing his sandwich at Jongho's spot.

"No, no you have it. It's yours anyways." Taking the plate but Jun stopped him once again.

"I bought it, you have to eat it. Besides, I'm supposed to be on a diet." Jun placed it right back in front of Jongho.

Silence took over as they ate their meals until they were halfway through their meals.

"So, when did you guys come back? Didn't we agree? You'll let me know when you guys are in the area?" Jun placed his fork down onto the plate, wiping his mouth from the salad dressing residue.

"I was but stuff happened and I didn't have time. I'm sorry you had to find out by the leader, it wasn't my intention, I swear."

"It doesn't matter now. What matters is what are you guys doing here now? You guys fled 4 years ago, why come back now?"

"I-I don't yet. They haven't told me but-" Before he continued, he looked around the restaurant to check if someone was spying on them before leaning in close to Jun. "2ic (second in command aka Hwa's father) is falling ill, we don't know his condition. He refuses to go to the hospital. You get my drift." Leaning back into his seat.

"I do and I don't like it. You have a plan and you know it might fall right through."

"But it is one." Raising an eyebrow

"What if I don't agree?" Jun furrowed his brows.

Jongho leaned forward to the table, half slamming his injured hand onto the table. "You don't have a choice here, Yeonjun ssi. There's no such thing as choices in the gang. You take or leave it and if you succeed you get what you want and if you fail, you fall hard."

"You know damn well if your plan doesn't work, my parents are going to be on your ass and everyone else's. You might as well rot in jail with the rest of them, you want that?" Copying the same posture Jongho had.

Jongho's face hardens, "And that is precisely why you are going to agree. So your parents won't be on your ass either. Win win." He shrugged with a small smirk on his lips.

Yeonjun sighs deeply, knowing Jongho was right. What other choice does he have? None is the right answer. "You have a plan for the other thing?"

Sharp glare meets Jun's eyes. "I've been here too long. I gotta go." Putting his disguise back on and walking away.

"You do, don't you. Get back here, we're not done." Jun got up from his seat, quickly following Jongho. "Jongho, Jongho!"

He spins to face Jun, inches from his face, grabbing him by his shirt collar. "I suggest you shut the hell up before you get us both killed." Spinning back around and storming out this time Jun stayed behind.

A/n: he's scared to let his name out in public in case someone from the gang is in the restaurant (as a spy) which would put Yeonjun and himself in danger.