Be My Pride (old)

42: A Long Drive

There's a reason why Jeongguk doesn't really enjoy long car rides. Especially not when the atmosphere in the car is uncomfortable and awkward and when it was so hot outside. The radio was off, just because Jung Hoseok didn't like listening to the radio, and maybe, that was the worst.

Jimin and Jeongguk had gone back to the entrance hall to meet up with Jung Hoseok and his assistant (who was going to drive them wherever they were going to). The four of them had left the building and found themselves climbing into one of the Company's cars, the still anonymous assistant on the driver's seat.
Jimin and Jeongguk were seated in the back, the latter finding himself sitting behind Hoseok. Jeongguk didn't know why, but the man was giving him the chills. As if he was not who he appeared to be, as if there was something no one knew about him. It freaked Jeongguk out, got him to keep quiet the whole ride long.
Jimin didn't struggle with the same. He was more concerned about the location they were going to.

Usually, a location was chosen with the utmost care. The location must be safe, stable, healthy and NOT be somewhere where it was dangerous to only so much as go to.
But with the location Hoseok has chosen, there was no information on it. Jimin tried to find it on the internet only to discover that said place was somewhere at the poor side of Seoul. Now, that was quite the discovery. A location for a video clip wasn't supposed to be at the poor side. It was too risky. However, Jimin didn't dare say anything about it. He felt like Hoseok has his reasons to choose such place. He was the CEO after all, he must know what he was doing, so it was alright.

He hoped it was alright. If not for himself, then it was for the boy sitting next to him, knowing how fragile Jeongguk actually was.

It was only after ten minutes that Hoseok decided that it was too hot, putting on the air conditioner. The buzzing sound was welcomed, really. It cut through the heavy silence and the youngest among them let out his breath, not even aware of when he started holding it. Jeongguk then closed his eyes, enjoying the cold air blown into his face. He started paying attention to only that, not wanting to have the discomfort annoying him. The boy felt how the cold air blew on the material of his Daffodil yellow dress shirt, the sleeves being curled up because of the warmth. The feeling was nice, the buzzing sound of the air conditioner was nice. It took his mind off of things for now. Jeongguk was completely unaware of where they were going. He didn't know that the car was heading towards the poor side of Seoul. And maybe, that was better for him. For now.

Some time went by before Jeongguk felt a strange feeling of discomfort in his belly. Not the sick kind of discomfort, though. No, the boy felt like something wasn't right.
He opened his eyes, feeling the need to make sure Jimin was still sitting next to him before looking out of the window. His heart clenched. He knew this road. The long road that seemed to be abandoned most of the time. Jeongguk knew they were heading to the poor side now, dread filling his body. It was just so strange to go back there like... this...
Dressed in Taehyung's expensive designer clothes, walking on expensive shoes, having a phone with him that was probably worth more than everything he's ever owned back at home. Jeongguk felt uneasy, as if he didn't really belong at the poor side anymore. At the same time did he not belong at the rich side. Now, this was torture. Jeongguk didn't belong anywhere anymore. Taken from home and drowned in expensive stuff must have fucked with his head. Or, no. It was Taehyung who did. But Jeongguk couldn't find it in himself to blame the King.

Once they passed the sign telling them they reached the poor side, Jeongguk felt like passing out. He didn't want to be there. He didn't have a reason to be there. His brother was at the palace and his parents where somewhere nice too. Jeongguk didn't want to go back to a life where he did bad things to survive. Maybe he was strong enough to pretend as if it didn't happen, but he was surely not strong enough to pretend as if it didn't hurt him, embarrassed him, broke him.

Returning to the poor side of Seoul made him remember the last fifteen years of his life. Made him remember the criminal things he did, how he sometimes stole and how he would sell drugs from time to time.
But, that was far from the worst, even if that's the only thing that brought him in trouble with the police.
Returning to the poor side of the city made him– no, forced him, to remember the disgusting things he did for money. Jeongguk couldn't take it anymore, how he bottled it up, all those memories. All stored away as if they didn't turn his life into hell.

"S–stop t–the car..." he whispered, clutching his head with closed eyes, not wanting to remember those moments. He needed out, Jeongguk needed fresh air.

Luckily, the three men heard him and the car stopped along the side of the road.
Jimin took the responsibility and stepped out, rushed to Jeongguk's side to help him out as well. He understood that the boy needed a break, even though he didn't even know why and what was going on.

"We'll be back soon. Wait for us, please." Jimin said, looking at Hoseok while Jeongguk buried his head into the smaller's neck. The CEO only nodded, allowing the two males to walk off and take a break. He himself needed some time to himself too anyway.

Jeongguk looked so small just now. Even though taller than Jimin, Jeongguk sure was younger. It was obvious in his behaviour and even in his body language. The boy was fragile, maybe even more than Hoseok already expected him to be. It scared him, really. The CEO didn't want to hurt him, not at all. If coming back to the poor side of Seoul got Jeongguk to break down over the last fifteen years he could actually remember, then Hoseok could only imagine how bad it would be once he remembered what he forgot. Jeongguk needed to know. The boy just needed to. And Hoseok only wanted to help. And he would go on with his plan. The only thing was that he had to be aware of the fact that it was going to be a little more difficult than he expected it to be.

Hoseok's eyes were fixated on Jimin and Jeongguk who had walked off just a bit. They were seated on the road, Jeongguk was talking while the other just held him, tears threatening to spill. Hoseok already knew what they were talking about. He himself knew the full story already. Jeongguk was telling him about what he did to help his family, how his loved ones didn't even know. Jimin let him cry once he was done talking. They only went back to the car after thirty minutes, when Jeongguk was alright again. And for some reason, the boy did feel much better after telling Jimin about it. The weight was gone from his shoulders and he felt calm. There was no fear anymore.

And that is what triggered Hoseok's doubt. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to do this today. But on the other hand, this might be his only chance. He never thought that Jeongguk would come to the Company himself without being followed. Hoseok just took the chance.

Twenty minutes later, they finally reached their destination. Jimin frowned at the house. There were only a handful other houses around and they were pretty much not nearby. It was a scary place, the neighborhood being too silent, almost nothing was there. No fresh grass, no trees, no stores... just the houses.

The house they were there for seemed to be abandoned. There was no sign of life and there was nothing that told them it was put on for sale. Just the huge, rundown, abandoned house.

However, Jeongguk couldn't help but feel the chills. He didn't think that Hoseok would choose such location for Jimin's video clip.