Mafia | Renhyuck

Part 44: Epilouge

Eight years came and went in the blink of an eye.

The untimely death of their closest family member, friend, colleague, associate, and partner, Lee Taeyong shook the underworld to the core. All 20 members of this band of unusual characters mourned for weeks.

Donghyuck stayed by Renjun's side every single day. It had to be one of the hardest things he had to do. Renjun would repeatedly wake up, deleterious, asking where Taeyong was, saying that he had a horrible nightmare and he wanted to check on the older. Every time Donghyuck had to tell Renjun that it wasn't a horrible nightmare. That it was reality. And he had to hold Renjun's shaking body as he slowly processed, slowly mourned the loss of his parental figure.

But they got through it. They slowly processed and healed.

As the weeks went on, the members entered a time of uncertainty. Their founder, the one who had made the NCT Mafia what it was, the one who changed the Yongsan-gu district from one of fear and poverty to one of safety and prosperity, was gone. Although no one voiced it, they all wondered who would take over.

Their was no obvious choice. Johnny clearly refused to take over, set in his resolution to provide aid and assistance to the boss, but not lead it. Renjun was thrown up as a possibility but Donghyuck was firm in dismissing the idea completely. Renjun was mentally and physically strong, but there was still fear that this life would completely ruin Renjun, not to mention the fact that he wanted no more part of the violence.

Then some of the older members mentioned Doyoung. It had finally come into the discussion that Doyoung used to be an essential part of the mafia before NCT was even created, when he used to live in Jinju. Tales of his skills began to resurface before Doyoung shut down the discussion. He and Taeyong had discussed his involvement years ago and it wasn't going to change now that he was no longer there.

So it remained unsolvable. Until Doyoung found a letter Taeyong had written prior to his death.

It had been a will of sorts but he had been very clear in who was to take his place.

So Mark Lee took over as leader of the mafia. It was certainly rough at first. He butt heads with the older members and shut down ideas with authoritarian force. But he was a natural. Close to a week after he had assumed position as leader, he had drafted a treaty with EXO's remaining members. Two weeks later he had created a web of alliances with more than 75% of the other mafia organizations. Three weeks later, he has intimate ties with almost a dozen government officials, soothing stresses that the war had caused.

A month after he had been inducted as leader, he had been labeled one of the best leaders in mafia history. He was establishing strong ties in foreign countries after traveling all over the world, Jisung with him as a consigliere in training. The Yongsan-gu district was restored with ease and efficiency, functioning just as well if not better than it was under Taeyong's control.

In almost no time, he had become a wise and strong-headed leader. One with steadfast convictions, stubborn ideals, and morals that would waver for not a single person. It was almost as if he had been born exclusively for this life. Taeyong had seen that.

So, close to a year after Mark had been boss, Renjun and Donghyuck left.

Seven years after they left, they had a two story building to themselves. It was small, settled in a suburban area, but it was exactly what they wanted. They had transformed the top floor into their home with a bedroom, a living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. The bottom floor had then been renovated into a small coffee shop that combined with a bookstore.