The Hanes Enigma

Chapter Five - Inheritance

Kai Finton

Five Years Ago

My feet fly down the carpeted steps, almost slipping on the bottom few as I crash into the wall.

"Consider yourself cautioned." A stranger turns and walks away as my brother sighs and closes the door.

"Who was that?" I frown, disappointed that it wasn't the food delivery. "I'm hungry..."

"Just a kid who was lost." Mishal smiles at me and walks into the kitchen, picking up the phone. "I haven't ordered yet, sorry."

"Really? I thought you were ordering like an hour ago..." I pretend that I didn't hear the last sentence that the 'lost boy' spoke - it's a lot easier to believe my brother's blatant lies and we're both better off if I play along. If it's anything to do with work then I can't know about it anyway. His life is full of secrets and I pray to any god there ever was or could be that I won't end up in a job like that.

"I was going to, but..." He pauses, eyes lingering on his briefcase that sits opened on the sideboard.

"Work stuff?" I nod grimly and my brother gives me a look.

"About that... We need to talk." He puts the phone down again and leans his elbows on the counter in front of him.

"That sounds menacing..." I chuckle. "Can it wait? I wanted to see Hobi tonight seeing as we go back to school in a few days. I was going to wait until after dinner but I may as well just take him out instead." I shrug and go to pick up my keys; knowing my boyfriend, it will be late when I get back...

"You're back together again?" Mishal frowns.

"Weren't broken up, it was just a fight." I roll my eyes at him. He always overreacts.

"And barely talked for two months..." He huffs.

"That was mostly because we were in school, it's not that we didn't want to. I just can't risk him getting caught. We've come too close far too many times." My lips purse at the thought.

"You can't risk it? Or he can't?" My brother raises his eyebrows disapprovingly.

"Oh, come on. You loved him before!" I groan, not wanting to have this conversation again.

"Yes. Before I found out he was your teacher, Kai." He glares at me.

"You know it's not like that." I glare right back at him.

"Well, either way, he'll have to wait. This is important." Mishal turns and walks to his briefcase, pulling a file out and placing it between us.

I frown, immediately knowing something is unusual. My brother never talks about work, let alone shows me anything. He can't - it's illegal.

"It's about peacekeeper..." He sighs, looking at me warily.

"Like, the peacekeeper? As in you?" My brow furrows even more, ever confused.

"As in the role." He meets my eyes and I gulp.

***

Jung Hoseok

I hear the tell-tale crunch of leaves underfoot before my cottage door swings open with a bang.

Kai.

"He just doesn't get how suffocating it is sometimes! I get that he loves what he does, and I'm very happy for him, but why does he have to pull me into it too?! He loves it. Not me, him! And yet I still have people hounding me about all the trials that I know nothing about all the freakin time and now he's putting me as his successor?? I don't want that! I'd hate that!! Seriously, imagine me trying to stop wars! I'm more likely to cause them to start!!"

I gently place my hands on my boyfriend's cheeks and his shoulders visibly un-tense. "He just told you this?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he used to have my uncle - the one I've never met because he didn't give a flying fajita about his two nephews, no matter if they were starving on the streets with nowhere to live or not - but-"

"Slight exaggeration, you had your parent's house and your brother had a job, but go on." I correct him gently and Kai sighs, nodding.

"But he died or rather was killed, a few days ago. So, Mishal put me down. Without even asking! I don't get a choice in the matter, I was just being informed." He growls, slumping onto the forest green armchair by the fireplace.

"Can we have dinner tomorrow night?" I sit on his lap, legs finding their usual place dangling over each arm-rest as Kai's hands automatically hold onto my hips.

"With my brother?" He frowns, looking up at me.

"I didn't know you hadn't told him last time and it ended badly, I want to do better." I shrug, blushing slightly.

"Well... I mean, yeah. Of course. Anything you want, always." He blinks as if my wanting to ask was an odd notion.

"Good. Now tell me why you don't think you're good enough to be the peacekeeper." I grin, hands sliding into his claret hair.

"I didn't say that..." His eyes widen slightly, still shocked when I read him so easily.

"I know you didn't." I smile, kissing him softly. "But I also know that, ordinarily, you would be scared but flattered by the offer. This is clearly just you not believing in yourself, so talk to me."

~~~~~

It's a lot shorter, I know. But the last one was very long, don't be greedy! Or do, I don't really mind. It won't make a difference. Hehe. Sorry, I'm mean and in a weird mood. That might have something to do with it being 4:30am...

Oo! UPDATE! So tattoos... Not as painful as people make them out to be. It felt like a load of pin pricks. BUT IT LOOKS AWESOME AND I AM SO HAPPY WITH IT!!!!!!

Kind of a spoiler ish? It's a yoonmin chapter next... You're welcome.

Comment who your favourite ship is! I'm interested!!