| Antidote | Poison 2nd Book |

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟟

[Warning: suggestively SENSITIVE themes.]

(A/N: I kinda wanna apologize in advance for this chapter for the unfortunate event that happens later on. THERE ARE NO DETAILS WHATSOEVER, but it is suggestive. As you all know, this is a Mafia AU fanfic, so obviously it's not going to be a soft, happy kind of story.)

[Seonghwa]

"Sss!" Seonghwa hissed slightly when a cotton ball doused in disinfectant blotted the wound on his forehead. "Easy with that! Be careful!"

Yohan broke focus from his brother's wound for a brief moment, seeming clearly displeased with his tone.

"I don't like how you've changed, Mars," Yohan muttered as he set the cotton ball on the kitchen counter and finished with a couple of wound-closing strips.

"It's been ten years, Hyung. I'm not the boy you left behind."

"You know I didn't leave you." Yohan's brows pinched together into a frown.

"Then what happened a decade ago? You ran away from home, and the next thing I know your body supposedly showed up in the river. I went to YOUR funeral, Yohan. I had to suffer the cruelty and coldness of our father alone." Seonghwa's tone sounded a bit bitter. "And look where I ended up. Sure, I have money, a huge mansion, and a private shoreline, but it's all blood money. Not a single penny of my money hasn't come with a price, and I damn well enjoy it."

Yohan just gave a subtle smile, leaning back into the bar stool.

Despite the near-identical resemblance between the two brothers, their personalities were polar opposites. As the older brother, Yohan was more reserved and patient, a pushover when it came to his little brother. Meanwhile, Seonghwa was always the mischievous one, hard-headed and rowdy. Like Yin and Yang, so different yet their relationship was always congruous, inseparable, and partners in crime. Why did fate have to ruin that for them?

"I've missed that hair-trigger temper. I don't care about the blood money, I don't care how you got any of this luxury, I don't care about your profession. Why? Because I know WAY more about this life than you think I do, and my knowledge can get your husband back unharmed."

Seonghwa always envied his brother for how easily he could stay calm and civil under pressure, it reminded him so much of their mother. If it wasn't for Yohan restraining him until he calmed down, Seonghwa would have gone on a murdering spree just to get Hongjoong back.

Seonghwa just scoffed, leaning toward his brother as he rested against the counter. "How exactly do you know more about this life than I do? What knowledge do you have? You owe me TEN YEARS worth of an explanation of what the fuck happened to you, Hyung, because not a damn thing makes sense."

Yohan could hear the slight ping of anger in his voice. He knew his brother was still on edge, his husband was taken in exchange for him without negotiations, and Seonghwa was wearing thin on patience, regardless of his men already working on finding out where Hongjoong was taken. He didn't know a thing about their relationship, but it wasn't hard to guess that Hongjoong was his whole life.

"I know. I owe you ten years of memories we missed, I owe you ten years of everything, Mars. You need to be patient with me as I am with you. I understand your hardships, but you're not the only one." Yohan reached out a hand, locking his fingers in his brother's hair softly just as he did when they were kids to calm him down.

Seonghwa shook Yohan's hand away, flashing an intense glare at him. "I'm not a child anymore and I don't have time for games. You were apart of whatever this grander scheme is, right? So you better start telling me what the hell you know before I show you just how bad this temper has gotten over the years." His tone was frigid, every word rolling off his tongue giving Yohan goosebumps.