KING

一 15

She gestured for him to start, so he leaned back, pressing his lips into a thin line, lost in thought.

Finally, he spoke.

"Do you know what a Boss is?" He asked her.

The terminology was not unfamiliar, having heard the story from Donghyuck numerous times, so she twisted her hand in a so-so gesture. He nodded, before twisting his fingers together.

"A Boss is someone who is powerful." He said simply. "Someone who is in the highest position of power in a particular field, and has everyone and everything in the palm of his hand. It's a slang, of sorts, that developed over time, and that's what men of high status and prestige used to be called. All these cities," Mark gestured, spreading his hands, "They were built by eight bosses. Neo City, Limitless, Mad City, the smaller towns outside the walls that surround these three cities, they were created from ruins.

These eight bosses were heads of companies, companies that held immense power in the corporate world, a large share of the foreign market back then, you get it."

Rina nodded.

Mark continued, "They were manipulative, using this power to their advantage. They had weapons, factories, resources at their disposal. They formed a union, and sort of took down the government in this place, and rebuilt it to their liking. They crushed the society and order in Neo City, then made Limitless the new capital. And they ruled like that for years.

Each Boss has someone by their side, called a Partner. Like, the Boss is the face of the company, the one who commands most authority, and then there's a Partner, someone who the Boss can trust regardless of the situation or circumstances, someone who he or she can lean on for advice, support, defense, anything.

Obviously, Bosses only choose someone they're the closest with. Their relationship is," Mark seemed to struggle to find the right word, interlocking his fingers, "Almost symbiotic." He said.

"That's what Donghyuck was for me." He said.

Rina's eyes widened. The aforementioned hazel eyed boy had told her about this concept, so many times both he and she had lost count, but never once had he mentioned names during his numerous story telling sessions.

"I practically grew up with him." Mark said, his gaze now on the loose thread hanging from the hem of his t-shirt. "His dad was my father's Partner. Naturally our families became close. I was really young, but if things had gone on normally," Mark swallowed, picking at the thread absentmindedly. "I'd have chosen him to be my Partner."

You gave him the name Haechan, she wrote on the paper, passing it to him. He looked up at her in shock. "How did you- Oh, he must have told you." He cut himself off, looking back down immediately. But Rina had seen the tears in the corners of his eyes. She didn't know what to do, so she simply sat still, waiting for him to speak again.

"My parents, and the other six Bosses were attacked one night." He said, his voice came out strong, but he didn't look up at her, his fists clenched.

"Again, I don't remember much, but it was really chaotic that night. My father died all because the King grew selfish and betrayed the others."

Rina shivered. There was pure, boiling hatred in Mark's voice, and the instinct telling her that she was in danger grew stronger.

She knew this. She knew that the King killed the remaining seven bosses that night, monopolizing the power over the three cities. She knew he had betrayed people to get the throne, the authority he had craved. For a long time, she just didn't know who.

"I just assumed Donghyuck didn't survive that night, because he wasn't present in any of the hideouts the Bosses had created outside the walls." The boy took a deep breath, glancing up at Rina, who said nothing.