The Hidden Card || NCT MAFIA

Chapter seven: Patience is a virtue

Park Min-Seok put his phone back on his desk, resting his chin on his hands.
He wanted that company, and he'd get it. No matter how far he needed to go.

He had thought that Kang Min-Ju had left when things with her husband got heated, but it looked like she was just patiently waiting in the shadows, ready to come back into the light as soon as the world would be free of her husband.

Maybe that was her plan all along, after all. Maybe she knew what was going to happen, maybe she had guessed his plan of getting rid of Kang, and took advantage from it.

Either way, Park had to get her out of the picture too; and he was going to use Taeyong for that.

Speaking of NCT's leader, he was pacing around his office, and the room was soon filled with the sound of the man cracking his knuckles. He hadn't even turned back after talking to Iseul, sure that he'd give in if he was faced with her upset eyes.

He hated keeping her inside, but that was for her own good, right? He didn't have a choice, at least that's what he kept telling himself in order to try to ease his conscience.

After minutes of mentally torturing himself, Taeyong's thoughts were disturbed by the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Hyung, no offense, but what is wrong with you?"

The leader frowned at Donghyuck's words. It was rare to see him being blunt like this, at least when it came to Taeyong.

"I beg you pardon?"

Haechan gulped, regretting his choice of words, but didn't back off.

"We came to see Iseul after our mission, only to find a closed door. She refused to open it, and we could clearly hear her crying. So I'm asking you, what did you do to her this time?"

He had his arms crossed on his chest, trying to give himself a serious posture as he looked at Taeyong right in the eye. The leader didn't flinch, but he knew Donghyuck was right.

"Why did you automatically assume that it was my fault in the first place?" he growled.

"Why? It isn't?"

Taeyong sighed, "Don't worry about it, Hyuck, just go back to the other Dreamies."

"No."

Donghyuck was scared, he never went against his leader, but his voice was firm as he refused to let him off the hook that easily. During the past couple of weeks, Haechan had gotten to know Iseul a bit more, and she was so kind he was mad at himself for the way he had treated her.

Since that day at the grocery store, when she had literally saved his life, he had tried everything to be a good friend to her. And if that meant standing up for her in front of Taeyong, then so be it.

"Hyung, with all due respect, you can't keep on treating her badly. She deserves more than staying here. I thought you had realized that..."

Taeyong didn't notice, but the piece of paper he was holding was now completely folded, his hand gripping the material tight.

"Hyuck, don't make me yell at you. I appreciate the fact that you worry about the people in this house, but that is none of your business. Let me handle it."

Taeyong's stern stare and firm voice were enough to stop Haechan from insisting even more, and he just shoot him a disappointed look before leaving the office.

As soon as the younger male was out, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

"He's right, you know."

Taeyong didn't even bother to open his eyes to look at the man who had just walked in.

"Please, not you too, Doyoung," he sighed.

"You've been busy and stressed lately. Everyone noticed. You had just started to come out of your shell, and just when we thought that you were about to break out from all those cold layers, you just turn back into the stone-cold guy you were."

Doyoung took a seat on the other side of the desk, observing his friend's face. He was tired, there was no denying it. The large dark bags under his eyes and his hollow cheeks made him look like a zombie.

"I know you won't talk to me about what's bothering you," he continued, not sure if Taeyong was even listening to him, "but at least talk to somebody else... maybe Iseul? I thought you guys had gotten closer?"

That's the thing, Taeyong thought, I can't talk about it to anyone, especially not her.
Oh, how he wished he could. He knew she would listen and comfort him, but he couldn't do that without putting her in danger.

"I'm fine, Doyoung."

Another lie.

The younger male just sighed. Taeyong was a stubborn man. He hoped with all his heart that Iseul was a patient person, because it would clearly take a while for her to get to him.

"Whatever..." Doyoung gave up. "But don't forget that you're not alone... And that other people are struggling as well."

Taeyong straightened up and frowned as he opened his eyes to finally look at his friend.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not me, idiot. I'm talking about Iseul. You didn't notice how weird she's been acting lately?"

Taeyong bit his lip. Of course he had noticed. She didn't smile as much, she had lost weight, and the spark in her eyes had almost disappeared. But he had been so busy with his own problems that he forgot to ask her about hers.

Guilt was eating him up.

"I think letting her go out would be good for her. She might genuinely like us now, she's still not familiar with our way of living... She's been stuck with us for weeks now, I think she needs to go out.
She needs to breathe, to take a break from us, from what we are. Being with her friend could help her do that. She needs someone she can identify with. If you're not willing to be there for her personally, at least let her go to someone who will."

Doyoung's words hit him right in the heart, he knew he was right. Iseul was struggling as well. Was keeping her inside really what was best for her?

After his conversation with Doyoung, he wasn't so sure anymore.

Please, be patient, Iseul, he thought. One day, I'll make it up to you and earn my place by your side, I swear.

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Omg, am I really updating? Three days in a row?