Work Text:
Han Seo was sure his brother hadn't heard the beeping noise.
They were in Han Seok's office, Han Seo standing with his hands clasped in front of him as he listened to Han Seok make phone call after phone call. The elder was inches away from him, leaning on his desk, glaring at Han Seo.
Han Seo gulped, knowing his brother wasn't happy with him. The last meeting Han Seo had, where he was supposed to bring in some investors, hadn't gone too well, and now the elder was trying to fix it up himself because Han Seo "never could do anything right." Han Seo had the sneaking suspicion his brother wasn't even angry at him, but instead he was again frustrated that Vincenzo Cassano kept ruining his plans. Han Seo hated that he was going to bear punishment for that as well, and shuddered to think what Han Seok had in store for him once the phone calls were done.
Hyper-aware of his environment, and trying to distract himself from the man in front of him, Han Seo's eyes kept flickering all across the room, the only noise being Han Seok's overly confident voice and the thumping of his own heart, when he noticed something.
A beeping sound.
Intrigued, Han Seo focused on it, searching the room to try and pin-point where it was coming from. He turned to the right, where a huge painting hung on the wall.
Had that painting always been there?
Han Seok hung up his phone, lowly cursing the person on the other side, when he turned to Han Seo, his face souring when he noticed the younger's distracted face, which was doing nothing to help his mood.
"Yah, Han Seo–"
"Hyung-nim," Han Seo cut him off, making the elder raise his eyebrows because did this brat really just interrupt him?
"Do you…do you hear that?" Han Seo said, looking at the side with his eyes wide.
Han Seok frowned, seeing the younger's startled face and followed his line of sight, looking at the painting on the wall, the newest addition to his office.
"What are you talking about? I don't hear–"
The beeping echoed in the office, and in a matter of seconds, a lot of things happened:
"Look out, hyung-nim!" Han Seo called, grabbing the elder by his arms and throwing him to the side, so Han Seo's back was facing the painting. After the brief moment it took Han Seo to shield the elder with his body, the wall with the painting exploded, sending a shock-wave that slammed right into them and sent them flying across the room.
The air darkened in moments, the smell of dust and smoke and burned paper filing the room.
Han Seok groaned on the floor, his back and head hurting from the impact. There was a deafening ringing sound echoing in his ears, causing him dizziness. He opened his eyes to see Han Seo lying on top of him, passed out, with blood dripping from his forehead and his suit ruined.
The office was destroyed, the glass wall cracked and broken, every bit of furniture either knocked over or broken or both. Parts of the wall remained scattered all around the room.
Han Seok sat up, cursing all the while, and looked at Han Seo.
"Yah, Han Seo, wake up," Han Seok shook him slightly, but Han Seo was knocked out cold, his face set in a pained expression. Only then did Han Seok notice the huge piece of concrete - exempt from the wall - crushing Han Seo's left leg, right above his knee.
That, Han Seok thought despite himself, as he pulled Han Seo out, must hurt like a bitch.
Han Seo was completely passed out, as he didn't even whimper as Han Seok maneuvered his limbs. Once Han Seok had a secure enough grip on Han Seo, he started heading for the exit. During the time it took him to get them outside the building, he kept looking over at Han Seo's battered body, from the blood on his forehead, to his ripped suit, to the awkward angle of his leg.
As Han Seok reached the elevator on the other side of the building, he noticed that the rest of the floor was relatively undamaged. The bomb had been intentionally contained inside his office, and if it had been just a little stronger, there was no telling what would have happened to them.
Han Seok didn't flinch when the elevator made a "ding" sound, but it was a close thing.
As the metal doors closed, Han Seok slouched on the ground, holding Han Seo bridal-style all the while. It would take a couple of minutes to reach the first floor, and surely the ambulance had been called already. Han Seok looked down at his brother's face, bringing a hand up to wipe the blood from his forehead. It had started to bruise already.
He tightened his grip on the younger, thinking back to how Han Seo had shielded him from danger. Han Seok gritted his teeth, frustration building up as easily as it always did. What had Han Seo been thinking, huh? What if the bomb *had* been stronger? What if Han Seok couldn't have pulled him out of the ruined office? What if the concrete had fallen on his head, instead of his leg?
What then?
Han Seo's head fell back as Han Seok pulled him closer still. His fingers dug in Han Seo's skin, and then without thinking much about it, Han Seok buried his face in the exposed skin of Han Seo's neck, breathing him in.
They were safe. Han Seo was alive.
Han Seok swallowed thickly, his frustration transforming into rage as he thought about all the things he'd do once he figured out who the *fuck* had planted that bomb.
They would pay. Han Seok would make sure of it.
Tenfold.
The elevator doors opened, and Han Seok got up, never once releasing his hold on Han Seo.
As he exited the building, he was swarmed by paramedics. It was all kind of static to Han Seok. He couldn't hear what they were saying, and that wasn't good, Han Seok always was alert when in public, but all he could think about was the man trying to pry Han Seo away from his arms.
"Sir, we have a stretcher ready for him, please let go." The man repeated the words multiple times before Han Seok finally released his hold.
Two of the paramedics helped put Han Seo on the gurney, wheeling him away, and Han Seok followed every movement with his eyes.
"I'm coming, too," Han Seok found himself saying as Han Seo is ushered inside the ambulance.
"Sir, you also need to get checked out-"
"I'm fine," he snapped, pushing through the medics to enter the emergency vehicle, eyes not straying from his brother's sleeping figure. "I don't need medical attention. Just drive."
When Han Seo opened his eyes, he felt drowsy, his body slow, like he'd been asleep for ages. He blinked owlishly, scanning the room for some hint to where he was. He looked down, seeing the green gown wrapped around himself, and peeking from underneath it were the bandages around his chest and shoulder.
He vaguely remembered the cause.
"You're awake." The voice came from his side, where Myung Hee sat down, observing him. "That's good. You sure took your time."
Myung Hee was texting on her phone, and Han Seo wondered about her presence there. Why would Choi Myung Hee visit his hospital room? It would be different had it been Han Seok laid up in bed–
"Hyung-nim," Han Seo breathed out, eyes widening as he shot up, grimacing at the pain. "Where is hyung-nim? Is he alright?"
Myung Hee raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You're asking for Chairman Jang's condition when you're all wrapped in bandages?"
"I'm fine," Han Seo said automatically. "How is hyung-nim?"
Myung Hee took one glance at her phone screen, then at the door. A beat of silence passed between them, before she sighed.
"He was just here, earlier." Myung Hee said, getting out of the chair to stand next to his bed. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"
The automatic door opened just seconds later.
Han Seok stormed inside the room, out of breath as he rushed to Han Seo's bedside, and the latter gulped at the cold look in his eyes.
"Hyung-nim–"
"You fucking bastard," Han Seok cursed as he looked Han Seo up and down. "What were you thinking, huh? Did you suddenly believe you were bulletproof or something?"
"I-I wasn't-" Han Seo stammered, surprised at the elder's venom.
"Of course you weren't thinking!" Han Seok snapped, fingers itching to break something. "When do you ever? If you wanted to get yourself blown up, you only had to ask, I would have fulfilled your wish quite easily."
Han Seo's eyes were glassy as he looked down to his lap, hands clasped together for lack of anything better to do as Han Seok paced around the huge room. It was in the private sector of the hospital, so he was one of the only patients on the floor.
"What did his doctor say?" Han Seok asked, not even looking at Han Seo, as though he wasn't even there. Han Seo bit the inside of his cheek to distract himself, listening as Myung Hee reported his injuries.
Bruised ribs. Mild concussion. Broken leg and fractured arm. Overall, he'd had worse. A little inconvenient, having all the injuries at the same time, and moving hurt like a bitch, but Han Seo was fine–
"You're gonna sit tight until you can walk on your own again." Han Seok ordered, eyeing Han Seo sharply, as if he'd dare to disobey, before turning to Myung Hee once again. "Tell the doctors to take care of him."
The words would be sweet if they didn't sound so much like a threat; Han Seok took one more look at Han Seo, before he left.
Han Seo swallowed thickly as he saw Han Seok leave just as quickly as he'd appeared. Was it so unbearable for him, being in the same room as Han Seo?
Sighing, he leaned back on the soft pillows, wincing at the movement, and he could pretend his eyes were wet because of the pain.
Myung Hee sat by his bedside again. How long had she been there with him? Surely the lawyer had better things to do than stand guard.
"How long will you be here?" Han Seo found himself asking.
"Until Seung Hyuck gets here," was the instant answer. Han Seo wondered if he'd spent a single moment alone in that room, or if someone else was always present. He doubted it, and while he wasn't the smartest out there, he wasn't dumb enough to believe it was accidental.
It was a little insulting however; Han Seo knew his brother didn't think much of him, but was he so hopeless in the elder's eyes that he needed a babysitter?
"You gave him quite a scare," Myung Hee commented, nodding slightly towards the door, making it obvious who she was talking about.
Han Seo let out a small snort. "Sure, I did."
"I'm serious," Myung Hee insisted. "You should have seen Sajang-nim at the scene, even at the hospital. I thought he was going to snap at any moment."
"Someone just declared war on him," Han Seo pointed out, facing away from his companion. "Believe me, I wasn't even a thought in his head at the time."
He missed the incredulous look she gave him.
Huffing, Han Seo closed his eyes and let sleep take over him.
Han Seo had many thoughts about what his stay at the hospital was going to be like. He didn't see Han Seok again that day, and after both Myung Hee and Seung Hyuck had left, guards were positioned in front of his doors. He thought this would be somewhat of a relaxing time. He'd get to rest for a few days, before he managed to move without much pain. Then, he'd get back to work, and Han Seok would expect him to be able to catch up quickly.
So, for a day or two, Han Seo would sleep, take his meds, and when time to leave came, he'd bite through the pain in his leg and go back to his job.
Plain and simple.
When he woke up in the morning to Han Seok sitting by his bedside, Han Seo was startled.
"Hyung-nim," he greeted, gulping at the intensity of the elder's gaze. "What- what are you doing here?"
Han Seok had been barely injured by the incident. A couple of scratches and bruises, really, nothing to worry about. Nothing to stay overnight at the hospital for, so why was he there so early in the morning?
For some reason, he felt a sense of dread forming.
Han Seok didn't answer him, and his face remained unreadable. Without saying anything, he reached down to his side, the rustling of a plastic bag being the only sound in the room, and Han Seo's eyes widened when he saw Han Seok bring out a take-out container.
"Here," he said, pushing the food towards Han Seo's lap. "You can have some now, or save it for lunch."
Han Seo could tell from the smell, without needing to open it, that it was the same spicy noodles he always ordered when working late at his villa. He had no idea Han Seok knew the place, much less his food order.
"T-Thank you," Han Seo said belatedly, feeling strangely touched.
"How's your leg?" Han Seok asked, not acknowledging his thanks.
Han Seo's heart skipped a beat. "It's fine, really." He said hurriedly. "I'll be able to come back to work whenever, hyung-nim."
Han Seok's eyes narrowed briefly. "Has the doctor gone over your PT schedule yet?"
The younger blinked, startled. "PT…?" He repeated unsurely.
Han Seok scoffed, and he could hear the familiar mocking edge to it. "Broken bones typically need physical therapy, dongsaeng. I'm sure even you know that."
Physical therapy?
Han Seok wanted him to get physical therapy?
"I-I see, yes, of course," Han Seo smiled weakly, taken off guard. "No, no one has told me anything. Have you– Have you already fixed a schedule that won't interfere with my work for Babel?"
He assumed so, since Han Seok liked to get things done quickly, and he mentioned that the doctors should have told him already.
Han Seok blinked, then smiled thinly at Han Seo. "What work at Babel?" He asked, almost condescendingly.
"E-Eh?" Han Seo was confused.
"You're not coming back to work," Han Seok said simply, as though he was an idiot for thinking otherwise. "You have six weeks of therapy to go through. And that's after some weeks of rest for the bone to heal."
"Six weeks?" Han Seo's eyes widened in shock. "Y-You want me to stay out of the office for six weeks? No!"
"At the very least," Han Seok confirmed, then tilted his head, smiling in dangerous disbelief. "Why? Are you thinking of going against doctor's orders, dongsaeng?"
Going against my orders is what the elder meant, and Han Seo knew that well.
"Of course not, hyung-nim." Han Seo clenched the fabric of his covers tightly between his fingers. "If– If you won't mind my absence– if you think it's best, then–"
"I won't mind it at all," Han Seok said easily, making Han Seo's heart constrict in his chest. "I need my dongsaeng to be safe and sound before you come back, now, don't I?"
Han Seo was, as always, amazed at his brother's acting skills. One could look at the sincerity in his eyes, and believe he was serious in his well-wishes.
Han Seo realized that the thoughts he'd had for his hospital stay were horribly miscalculated.
"Yes, sir." Han Seo confirmed, out of habit more than anything. "About– about the bomb. Any signs of the culprit?"
Han Seok smiled, his gaze turning a little sterner, cold. He held up a hand, caressing Han Seo's jaw, and the younger had to keep himself from flinching away.
His fears were unfounded, as Han Seok didn't do anything but keep stroking the side of his face as he said, "Don't think about that, Han Seo, you're on bedrest. Hyung will take care of it, hm?"
Yeah, Han Seo thought, leaning just a little into the warm touch, knowing those hands would soon come to be showered in blood, and shuddered.
That's the problem.
The next few weeks were by far the most bizarre of his life.
Firstly, Han Seo had expected he'd stay in the hospital for a couple of days, a week at most. Then, he'd be moved to his villa, a personal therapist hired to help him walk again. That made sense, in his head.
However, it had been two weeks, and Han Seok had yet to let him go home.
"Someone targeted us with a bomb, dongsaeng, do you think your house is safe right now?"
Han Seo had so dearly wanted to ask why Han Seok gave a fuck, seeing as he had only ever been concerned with his safety when he was posing as the CEO, but he'd held his tongue. If his brother needed the peace of mind, until the bomber was caught, then Han Seo could give him that.
After the third week, he was growing impatient. And bored. When he'd asked Han Seok if he could do some work, or at least have an ipad to check his emails and get updated on the company, Han Seok had laughed at him, said that was not going to happen, then sat beside him, taking the remote of the TV and pulling up Netflix. Perks of the VIP wing.
Come to think of it, Han Seok had been there a lot. He always came in to have lunch with Han Seo, complaining about his employees and the board directors and Seung Hyuck. Sometimes, he came at night, after the office closed, and he'd either watch a movie with Han Seo, or play chess with him.
Other times, Han Seo woke up, and Han Seok was already there.
Han Seo had never seen so much of his brother, and never in such a calm environment.
It was…nice.
Really nice.
Even though Han Seo, after one more week, felt like he was suffocating.
However, he was soon starting physical therapy, and he'd been looking forward to that. Not only could he finally be around someone who wasn't his brother, but the sooner he was done with it, the sooner he could get back to work, to normality.
The sooner he could stop hanging out with Han Seok for no reason, when the elder would converse with him so easily, and play with him, and make him laugh–
It was…better. For things to go back to normality.
Once it started, the worst part wasn't the physical therapy itself, no. If anything, Han Seo liked doing the exercises, he liked being out of bed and moving. In addition, his therapist Hyun Joo was a very nice and patient woman, who Han Seo warmed up to quickly. Hyun Joo was gentle, made pleasant conversation, though she was a little nosy, and more than anything, Han Seo appreciated that she didn't go easy on him. If anything, she pushed him as much as she could in his recovery, so that by the time Han Seo was done with a session, he was sweating and panting from exhaustion.
So the physical therapy wasn't so bad.
However, what made it practically unbearable was that, for some reason, Han Seok was there.
Like, always there.
Like, he attended every single session and did not do so quietly there.
"Do you even know what you're doing? He's got a broken leg! Let him catch his breath, god."
Han Seo never thought he would be in this situation.
His brother sat at a bench bolted to the wall, next to the main door. Han Seo was holding on to the metal bars set in the middle of the room, and Hyun Joo stayed close to him, just in case he needed the support.
And yet, every time Han Seo seemed to struggle, his arms and legs shaking, Han Seok shot up from his place, marching over and glaring at Hyun Joo like she had personally offended him.
Hyun Joo was, to her credit, extremely professional. "Sir, I promise Han Seo-ssi is in safe hands. I'm not pushing him beyond what he is capable of handling."
"He just started walking around, isn't this a bit much?" Han Seok, also to his credit, managed to appear only mildly annoyed, and if Han Seo knew his brother, he knew the elder was fuming at being contradicted.
Han Seok turned to him, and Han Seo almost shrunk into himself, holding on the bars for dear life.
"Let him rest," Han Seok ordered, before heading for the door, presumably to go cool off.
Hyun Joo sighed, before smiling at Han Seo, who immediately felt bad.
"I'm so sorry about him," Han Seo apologizes to Hyun Joo once Han Seok has left the room. "He's not normally like this, I promise." He can be much worse though.
The woman chuckled, seemingly not offended. "Don't worry, every practitioner here has had to deal with an overzealous boyfriend at some point in our career. It's totally fine."
Han Seo's face went beet red–
What?
Did she think– did she think they were–
Before he could dispel her delusions, Hyun Joo went closer and held his arms, then helped him away from the bars, letting him sit down.
"We'll start again in five," she told him, then walked away.
Han Seok came back halfway through the session, and Han Seo spent the remaining time doing his best not to meet his eyes and blush, Hyun Joo's words echoing in his head.
Han Seok had, until then, been insufferably attentive and present in Han Seo's recovery, but Han Seo knew that couldn't last forever. At some point, Han Seok's work would catch up to him, and sure enough, when Han Seok disappeared for over a week, he knew it was because of Babel.
Han Seo felt his absence like a lost limb. He had grown so used to Han Seok's presence that to suddenly be alone in his hospital room, in therapy, having his meals by himself–
Han Seo ached with how much he missed the elder. How much he missed his smile and his childish attitude and his soft touches– when did he let himself get used to Han Seok's touch being soft?
He spent the whole week, for the lack of a better word, sulking. His nurses noticed, Myung Hee noticed, even his physical therapist had noticed, going a little easier on him.
When Han Seok showed up on Sunday morning, bringing Han Seo coffee, the younger hadn't been able to stop the delighted grin on his face at seeing him.
"Hyung-nim!" He'd exclaimed, much louder than would be considered polite, and that was strange, Han Seo was always polite to the elder–
Han Seok had stopped dead on his tracks, eyes raking over Han Seo's face, before sitting down near him.
"Eh, dongsaeng," he drawled in an exaggerated sigh. "I'm so tired. The people around me are so stupid. I'll tell you what happened on Monday, I almost lost it, I swear–"
And just like that, it was like Han Seok had never left.
He talked and he talked, and Han Seo hung up on every word. For some reason, he wasn't overly cautious, keeping his eyes down as Han Seok talked, like he normally would. If anything, he wasn't able to keep his eyes off of Han Seok, who talked with as much enthusiasm and death threats as he usually did.
For some reason, Han Seo's heart kept stuttering in his heart, as he soaked up all of Han Seok's attention.
Han Seo pretended that it didn't happen.
Then, when Han Seok's hand settled on his shoulder, squeezing softly, before resting on his arm, his thumb rubbing soothing circles, and ultimately rested on his hand, threading their fingers together, Han Seo pretended that didn't happen either.
That afternoon, Hyun Joo greets them cheerfully, as if she too had been waiting for Han Seok's return. Most likely, she had been annoyed by Han Seo's attitude in his absence.
"Ah, so the boyfriend is back!" She said, smiling, not noticing the panicked look on Han Seo's face. "Good, I thought you guys had broken up or something. Give me one minute and we can get started."
Han Seo's heart dropped as he wished the earth would swallow him whole. Han Seok was momentarily startled, before he slowly turned to Han Seo, who was decidedly not looking at him.
"Boyfriend?"
"She made assumptions."
"Assumptions you didn't correct?"
"Please let it go, hyung-nim." Han Seo said in a hurry, before dragging his crutches towards his seat, getting ready for Hyun Joo to help him up. Han Seok didn't say anything, only smirking as he took his usual seat, gaze focused.
The session was going well. Except for the fact that Han Seok was driving him crazy.
"You doing good, baby?"
"Aish, jagiya, you should have stopped when you felt tired."
"Is your leg hurting? Want your boyfriend to give you a massage?"
Han Seo had expected his brother's reaction to Hyun Joo's misunderstanding to be many things, but certainly not that. Han Seok had soon abandoned the bench in favor of hovering near Han Seo, and being overly attentive.
He appeared to be having the time of his life. He played up the caring boyfriend like it was another skin he had yet to try on, but had been waiting for the opportunity. He seemed to enjoy the way Han Seo blushed in embarrassment, and how he tried to give appropriate responses.
Hyun Joo didn't even attempt to scold him for crowding up on Han Seo, finding it cute that his boyfriend was being so sweet.
He wanted to die.
Han Seo sighed as he struggled to walk for longer intervals of time, and Han Seok's presence after that whole "boyfriend" thing has put him on edge. Thankfully, he had gone back to sitting by the door, never once taking his eyes off Han Seo. It was better than when he was close by, and Han Seo's heart proceeded to hammer in his chest.
Han Seo flinched when he stepped just a little harder on his bad leg, feeling the pain shoot straight up. Hyun Joo rushed over, but Han Seo just shook his head, signaling that he was fine.
A few minutes passed, and when she thought Han Seo could use a distraction, Hyun Joo started talking.
"Did you guys have a fight?" Han Seo startled a little as Hyun Joo leaned over to whisper to him, mindful of the hawkeye watching them from across the room.
Han Seok is already on alert from Han Seo's flinch, frowning a little as he glared at Hyun Joo, as though he could feel her doing something wrong.
Han Seo gave him a placating look, which eased the tension a little, before turning back to Hyun Joo. "What makes you think so?" He asked, moving forward at her guidance.
She shrugged. "My boyfriend is the same after we had a fight. He's nicer and sweeter, trying to win me back, you know. I haven't heard yours yell once today, not even when you almost dropped earlier. So I'm just wondering. Is that why he's been missing for all of last week? you kicked him out? He must've messed up badly, huh?"
Han Seo's entire cheeks were burning wildly as Hyun Joo rambled on. He appreciated her trying to distract him, but he also kind of wished she would just stop feeding delusions to his head, though.
Deep down, he knows that his brother is only messing with him. He always does that– this time fuelled by Hyun Joo's earlier comment.
"It's nothing," Han Seo said finally, stopping Hyun Joo in her tracks. "He's just– just exhausted, I bet. I heard some stuff was happening at the company. That's why he was gone for the last week. He must have been busy."
"And he comes right back the moment it's resolved?"
"...Yes?"
"Hm. I guess that means he deserves a reward, don't you think? For being so caring?" She said suggestively, and that did nothing to dampen the fire on Han Seo's cheeks. He felt like he might combust at any point.
A million things crossed Han Seo's mind at what that reward could be, he was sure that if Han Seok could somehow hear them, he'd be dead meat. His brother would kill him for real.
Sighing, Han Seo turned to Hyun Joo, stopping his movement altogether. She didn't rush him to continue, openly curious as she watched his downturn expression. "You're getting this all wrong, you know? I'm sorry I didn't correct you before, but he's not actually my boyfriend, he's my–"
"Ya, Han Seo, what's wrong?" Han Seo jumped as he felt Han Seok's presence right behind him, having come close while he had his back turned. Han Seok was staring down at Hyun Joo, his disapproving frown firmly back on his face. "Did you say something to him?"
"Um, no, sir, no. We were just chatting."
"Well, stop. You're not here to be his friend. You're here to help him get better. Don't hinder his progress just because you want to gossip." The words are harsh just like they always are coming from Han Seok's mouth. Han Seo is already hunching down, making himself small under Han Seok's anger. He hadn't seen it in a while.
"Hyung-nim, it's not her fault, I'm just distracted today.'' Han Seok's attention quickly shifted to his brother, as he crouched down a little to meet Han Seo's eyes.
"What's wrong? Is your headache back? Is the doctor not giving you the right meds? Have they checked on you at all lately? Do i need to-"
"I'm fine, hyung-nim, it's just-" Han Seok's frown deepened, making Han Seo flinch as he realized how foolish he was for cutting his brother mid-sentence. Han Seok hated being interrupted.
He bit his lip, forcing himself to keep quiet for once.
"Well? It's just what?"
Han Seo's surprised to hear those words. Was– Was Han Seok really waiting for him to finish his thought? Han Seo scanned his face, seeing Han Seok's expectant expression.
Did he really care to listen to him?
Since when?
"I- um," Han Seo stuttered, flustered as always under Han Seok's full attention. "It's nothing. Like I said, I'm just not really feeling it today."
"Han Seo, you should've said something earlier, aish," Han Seok scolded, standing straight up again as he turned to Hyun Joo, who had been quietly watching the scene.
"Take him back to his room." He ordered.
"We still have an hour left–"
"I don't care. Take him back to his room," he repeated, firmed this time, daring the woman to challenge him again. She only nodded, muttering a quiet 'yes, sir', before moving away to get Han Seo's wheelchair.
Han Seok quickly turned back to Han Seo. "Why do you keep pushing yourself like this, huh, dongsaeng? I thought you wanted to recover quickly? How would you do that if you're exhausted all the time?"
"I'm sorry, hyung-nim. I'll try to avoid it next time."
"Hm, you better," Han Seok intoneed thoughtfully, a finger skirting over Han Seo's face, up to his forehead to tuck a stray strand of hair out of Han Seo's eye. The gentle gesture made something flutter in Han Seo's chest, making his breath hitch, his face burn brighter.
"Go back to your room, dongsaeng," Han Seok said softly as he placed a hand on Han Seo's cheek - which han seo hates how much he leans into it. "I'll go order us something for lunch."
"Ye, hyung-nim," Han Seo agreed easily.
As if on cue, Hyun Joo comes back with Han Seo's wheelchair. Han Seok gave her one last glare before turning to leave, the heat from his hand still a deep imprint on Han Seo's cheek.
He missed it already.
"Where's he going?" Hyun Joo asked as she helped Han Seo into the chair.
"To get lunch."
"Hmm," she hummed noncommittally. "He really loves you, doesn't he?"
Han Seo all but choked, the words hitting him like a punch in the gut.
Love? Han Seok? Those words hardly belonged in the same sentence.
He wanted to protest, to tell her how ridiculous the notion of Han Seok loving him is, but the woman cut in before he could. "God, I just hope my boyfriend looks at me the way he did when you weren't looking."
Han Seo frowned, confused. "What do you mean?" He asked tentatively.
Hyun Joo laughed. "Han seo-ssi, he looked at you like you're everything to him. Like there's nothing in the world he wouldn't do for you. It was so romantic and sweet. You really have a good one there, Han Seo-ssi." Han Seo doesn't know what to say, can't even fathom the idea of himself meaning anything more to his brother than a prop in his grand plan.
"Oh, what were you going to say, earlier?"
Han Seo blinked, too much for him to think about at the same time. "Excuse me?"
"You were saying, he's not your boyfriend, he's your…?"
"Oh," Han Seo swallowed thickly, "it's nothing. I'm just–"
"Still mad at him?" Hyun Joo decided to finish his sentence for him when he just trailed off, unable to find the correct word to describe the jumble mix of feelings in his chest when it came to his brother. "You must be, after he left you for a whole week like that over something as menial as work. I know I would be mad too."
Once again, Hyun Joo started rambling on, and Han Seo, unlike before, didn't try to stop her. He wouldn't know how to, anyways. Never before has anyone got it so wrong about his relationship with Han Seok.
Still, it's nice to imagine, for once, that Han Seok cared, that he loved him at all. It isn't good for his heart, but it filled his head with something warm and heady, keeping him content.
Later that afternoon, Han Seo woke up to the sound of raised voices. He blinked slowly to get used to the light, just in time to see Han Seo throw the chair he had been sitting on to the wall, the clanging sound startling Han Seo awake.
"What's going on?" He asked, apprehensive. Han Seok was breathing heavily, and Myung Hee was on her feet, arms crossed in a defensive gesture.
Something was definitely wrong.
"Those bastards," Han Seok snarled. "Those fucking bastards."
Han Seo knew better than to ask Han Seok for information. "Myung Hee-ssi?"
Myung Hee chanced another look at Han Seok, hesitated, before explaining, "We figured out who ordered the setting of the bomb. It was Jung Do Yun's orders."
Han Seo did a double take. Jung Do Yun owned a billion dollar company, and had connections with Seoul's biggest banks. They had been working on negotiations for a contract between them and Babel, meetings that Han Seok had exclusively been dealing with. Han Seo hadn't been involved in any of the meetings.
"Why would he do that?" Han Seo wondered out loud. "I thought the meetings were going well?"
"They expected to have way more control over the production and the negotiations, given their standing over Babel." Myung Hee said delicately, making Han Seok snort. "The bomb wasn't meant to harm anyone as much as it was...a warning. To Sajang-nim. They sent an email this morning that they're willing to continue negotiations."
"We definitely should," Han Seo jumped in and said. "As they intended, hyung-nim wasn't hurt at all."
"So you're saying we let this go?" Myung Hee sounded incredulous.
"I'm not saying that. We can get them back, show them Babel is strong and we're not scared of them," Han Seo offered, struggling to sit up. "But we can't let this deal fall through."
The sound of a fist hitting the wall startled them. Han Seok turned to face them, eyes ablaze. "They think they can threaten me?" Han Seok said, eyes set on Han Seo. "They think they can harm me and get away with it?"
Han Seo was confused. Han Seok walked away with a few scratches at most. And he knows what people in power are willing to do to put pressure on their competitors. This was par of the course– why was he so angry over it?
"Hyung-nim, I really think–"
"Well, it's a good thing that nobody's asking for your opinion, isn't it?" Han Seok cut him off, spewing venom as he yelled at Han Seo.
The younger flinched back, the familiar attitude a harsh reality check, so in contrast to the calming aura Han Seok had been the last couple of weeks.
Han Seo dutifully lowered his head, and even Myung Hee seemed to find the elder's comeback unnecessarily cruel as she looked at him in pity.
"I'm sorry, hyung-nim," Han Seo said in a low voice.
"You just never learn, do you?" Han Seok sighed, as though disappointed. "When's the next meeting with them?"
"This Friday," Myung Hee replied immediately. "I've been informed Jung Do Yun is going to show up himself."
Han Seok grinned, almost feral. "The fucking bastard wants to gloat, huh?"
Myung Hee looked similarly pissed as she confirmed that, "Most likely."
"Do you have a plan, hyung-nim?" Han Seo asked tentatively.
"My plans aren't any of your concern," Han Seok said, rolling his eyes as he sat down near Han Seo. His mood had lifted once again. "You just sit tight and don't get in my way, hm?"
"For– For how much longer, hyung-nim?" Han Seo gathered the courage to ask, because he was seriously tired of staying in the hospital. He still couldn't fathom why Han Seok insisted on it.
The elder smiled widely, as if he found Han Seo's question to be cute, instead of the desperate plea for freedom that it was.
"Until I decide that you're done, okay, dongsaeng?"
Han Seok ruffled his hair, but he could hardly feel it, his heart having dropped to his stomach like a stone in the ocean. Han Seo felt numb, the statement having zapped all the strength out of him.
The thing is, with Han Seok, nothing was ever a throwaway sentence.
Han Seok hadn't meant– no, there was no reason to think that, was there? Han Seo was wrong, he was overthinking it, it couldn't be– but then again, why else would Han Seok continue to keep him there?
As his brother debated the best course of action with Myung Hee, like Han Seo wasn't even in the room, like it was pointless to include him in the conversation, Han Seo just slowly got back into bed, throwing the blanket over himself.
Han Seok didn't scold him. Han Seo did his best to tune them out, then after a while, when the lights dimmed, Han Seo fell back into fistful sleep.
"What are you doing?" Han Seok asked as he walked into the hospital room, finding Han Seo in his casual clothes instead of the hospital gown he's been accustomed to for the past few weeks. He glared at Han Seo's driver, who was helping him pack up his things. The frown on Han Seok's face only deepened at the implication of that– at the fact that Han Seo was trying to leave again, despite his warning the first time around. "Yah, Han Seo, have you lost your mind? Didn't I tell you to stay put until you're fully recovered?"
Han Seo flinched at his brother's angry tone. Still, he didn't cower; he stood his ground and stared up at Han Seok's enraged expression.
"Hyung-nim, I am fully recovered," he said. "The doctor gave me his discharge order this morning. See for yourself."
Looking down, Han Seok saw a piece of paper in Han Seo's proffered hand. He took it and quickly scanned through the words to find that Han Seo was telling the truth. The paper detailed how good his recovery has been, highlighting his quick improvement and current excellent health. He was being discharged, on the doctor's recommendation; he can finish the rest of his recovery at home.
The news should delight him– the fact that Han Seo could finally return to work, return to the empire they've built over their father's dead body– but Han Seok looked far from delightful. In fact, quite the opposite, he looked like he wanted nothing more than to tear up the piece of paper in his hand and find the doctor who's given the recommendation to shove it right down his throat.
Han Seo looked at his brother's frowning face, wondering what was going on in his head. He himself had, admittedly, grown to enjoy the routine they've had ever since he'd been hospitalized, despite the reason for it. He'd enjoyed the way the elder had come off of work– taken time off of work– to spend it there with Han Seo. Here, where it was just the two of them, cut off from the world outside of this luxurious hospital room.
Han Seo had depended on him for company; he had been so receptive of his touches and his attention because of it, and while Han Seo hadn't quite gotten enough of his fill of it just yet, he knew it was time to put an end to it. The thought of leaving this little bubble Han Seok has created for them is entirely unfathomable, but it was ultimately the correct choice.
Mainly because Han Seo was scared.
He was so scared of getting lost in that bubble, living in his secluded reality, in a small world cut out for him where Han Seok loved him, and that was dangerous. Thinking like that was dangerous. Getting used to the elder's soft smiles and lingering touches was crueler than anything else Han Seok had put him through during the years, because it couldn't last.
Han Seo was no fool, no matter what his brother thought of him, and Han Seo was far from stupid. He knew there was an end goal to this. He knew there was a reason Han Seok had kept him away from the company for so long, despite his injury steadily getting better.
Today, he would confirm it. If Han Seok let him go, then Han Seo was wrong in his suspicions. If Han Seok didn't, however–
Then he'd know for sure.
He'd know that he'd been right to suspect–
Han Seo shook his head slightly, closing his eyes for a moment to collect himself. It would not do to lose his head now. Quietly, he turned to look at his brother, who looked up from Han Seo's medical chart to glare at him.
"You're not leaving," Han Seok commanded with an even tone, keeping his anger under control as he scrunched up the paper and threw it in the trashcan near Han Seo's hospital bed. Han Seo breathed in sharply, heart hammering in his chest, but Han Seok didn't turn to him yet, instead looking over to the driver, motioning for him to leave. The man understands without a single word being uttered, bowing low before quickly leaving.
Once the room was finally empty, Han Seok turned towards him, and oh, he knew that face; the face that dared Han Seo to defy him.
And, as always, in everything, Han Seo did, never learning from his past mistakes.
Even when Han Seok punished his disobedience, he never went too far. He made sure not to extinguish the fire that he could clearly see in him, and Han Seo never knew if it was on purpose or not.
It must be; very rarely did Han Seok do things he didn't mean to do. After all, it was more fun for him that way. With Han Seo struggling; pursuing his lips, burrowing his eyebrows, eyes sharp and challenging and being ultimately defeated.
It's always more fun to conquer a prey that tries to fight back, rather than one that would surrender right from the start, after all.
For a while, Han Seo had foolishly started to forget that. Forget that that's all he was to Han Seok.
Prey.
"I'm not staying, hyung-nim. It's been nearly two months. Don't you think it would look bad for Babel's vice chairman to have been out of commission for that long?" He asked, trying to reason with the elder.
Han Seok wasn't having it.
"Why don't you leave the wellbeing of Babel for me to worry about, dongsaeng?" Han Seok said in a warning voice, taking a step closer, practically looming over his brother's smaller frame. "Do we have to have another conversation about how you should stop thinking for once? Why is it so hard to get it through your head that I don't need you to think? You only need to do what I say, when I say it, got it?"
This close, Han Seok can probably see the hurt Han Seo feels at the words, the fire burning bright behind his eyes still, burning so hot Han Seok must almost feel the heat radiating off of him. Han Seo can feel the desire to fight back encompassing him like a raging fire, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides, his eyes flashing dangerously, and for a moment, he thinks he's going to fight back, consequences be damned.
The thing, though, is that Han Seo never does. It's a blessing and a curse all wrapped into one. The things Han Seok would do to him if he ever did are simply unspeakable, unimaginable, incomprehensible.
"You're staying," Han Seok ordered, voice firm, leaving no room for protest. He took a step back, noticing Han Seo's clenched fists at his side, the tension in his shoulders, the purse of his lips as he stared up at Han Seok. Han Seok waited, just for a brief moment, just to see what Han Seo's next move would be, but Han Seo only stared.
He stared, and stared, and stared, eyes shining with a sheen of tears over the frustration he couldn't voice. Han Seok didn't smile, or grin, or say anything condescending in order to rub his dominance in Han Seo's face, but there was a hint of smugness in his gaze that just about made Han Seo snap.
No, Han Seo wasn't going to sit there and take it. Not this time, not about this.
His eyes burned with the unshed tears that he couldn't allow himself to lose, because if they escaped his eyes, then Han Seo would be unable to stop. He would cry, and scream, and sob himself into an early grave, because he could take many things from his brother, but not this.
Not this–
Not Han Seok being purposefully sweet and gentle in order to get Han Seo to lower his guard. And Han Seo was slow, he was just as stupid as his brother always said he was, because it had taken him so long to understand why Han Seok had kept him in that hospital.
He should have known earlier– he should have seen it coming, but–
Wasn't it embarrassing, how he had wanted to cling to a Han Seok that cared for him, so much so that he had missed what was right in front of him?
Well, not anymore. He wasn't about to go quietly.
Just as the elder turned to leave, nearing the door in just a few strides of his long legs, Han Seo finally spoke up.
And, oh, did he speak up
"No!" The younger shouted, the intensity of it nearly knocking Han Seok right off his balance. He quickly whipped around to face his brother again, eyes round with bewilderment as he processed Han Seo's outburst.
"Yah, Han Seo–"
"No!" Han Seo repeated, speaking over him in a way that he's rarely dared to before. "I'm not staying. I don't want to stay here any longer. If you want to kill me, just do it already. The waiting is exhausting, hyung-nim. I'm so sick of it already."
That caught Han Seok's full attention. He frowned, irritation warring with confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Isn't that why you're keeping me here so long?" Han Seo replied quickly, voice trembling slightly over the words, "To do me in like you did dad? I know I fucked up when I jumped in front of that bomb, hyung-nim, but is that– is tha really why you're going to get rid of me? I told you I could have gone back to work, I– I could have been useful still, but you–
Han Seo cut himself off, taking in a shuddering breath, as his voice died down a little. "For once, please, hyung-nim…please have a fucking heart. Just spare me the anticipation, and do it already please, I cannot take it anymore."
He felt relieved for a moment, to finally have all that off of his chest, to finally explode on Han Seok and throw every worry that had been plaguing his mind for days now right in his face. Whatever else happened, at least now it would all come to an end.
It took a moment for Han Seo's words to set in, for Han Seok to truly process what he's heard. Once it did, his expression showed this strange mix of feelings; half anger, half surprise, half something more that Han Seo can't really identify just yet, but it clearly made the little ugly thing that lives inside him unsettled. Han Seok looked like he did when he wanted to break something; wanted to kill something.
Han Seo was, of course, a nice candidate.
Han Seok, without thinking much about it, made his way back to his brother, walking closer and closer until he's got Han Seo cornered against the wall, a hand wrapped around his neck, tight enough to make Han Seo start gasping for air. His hands come up to futilely grasp at Han Seok's, gripping tight around his wrist in an attempt to plead for mercy.
Unfortunately for him, Han Seok wasn't feeling very merciful. "You're that eager to die, dongsaeng?" he spat, teeth bare and angry, "Should I kill you just now, then? It would serve you well. You just keep thinking when I just tell you not to. When I ordered you not to. Maybe I should tell the doctors to cut your head open and drill it into your brain. Maybe then it'll finally stick, huh?"
"Hyung-nim, please…" Han Seo gasped, pathetic and shaky as Han Seok squeezed down tighter, rougher, turning Han Seo's face beet red with the constriction.
"What?" Han Seok snapped. "You were so ready to die before. I'm granting you your wish now; shouldn't you be grateful instead of begging me to stop?"
The tears began to fall, sliding pitifully down Han Seo's flushed cheeks, landing right on Han Seok's fingers. Han Seo wondered briefly if this really was it, if Han Seok would finally kill him and be done with it; he sure looked like it.
Memories of the past few weeks floated in Han Seo's mind, of Han Seok's laughter and gentle touch and almost caring words. Another show that Han Seo had fallen for. At least, he'd gotten to experience that, fake as it was; before dying, he got to see what it would be like if Han Seok loved him.
With less effort than he thought possible, Han Seo does the unthinkable: he gives in.
It starts with the slip of his grip on Han Seok's wrist, hands falling down at his side, no more fighting back against the onslaught of Han Seok's wrath. It continues with the way Han Seo closes his eyes, causing more tears to fall right out and meeting Han Seok's fingers again. It ends, coldly, with the way Han Seo closes his lips, swallowing down hard against Han Seok's palm, and stops breathing.
Han Seok must know he's still conscious – he has had intimate experience with how long it would take to knock someone out by choking them, after all. He could still feel Han Seo's pulse, vibrating against his fingers, weak, but going still.
And yet a second later, as if without thinking, Han Seok eased up his grip on Han Seo's throat, allowing the younger room to draw in air. It was almost a slow reaction, starting with a gasp, startled and involuntary, and continued on as Han Seo heaved, trying to get as much air as he could into his burning lungs.
Han Seo slid down the wall, legs too weak to keep him up any longer. It took him a moment, but he finally looked up at Han Seok, breathing heavily still.
Han Seok stared down at him, and Han Seo wished to know what was going on inside his head. What had made him pull back, when his rage had been as destructive and uncontrollable as always.
"What?" Han Seok snapped, still worked up. "You think I'm going to let you off so easily? You're still of some use to me, dongsaeng-ah. You can die when I'm finally done with you."
The words were expected, if not a little harsher than usual. Han Seo felt the fear swarming inside his chest, as well as the resignation. He knew, he had always known, that he'd meet his death at Han Seok's hand, and even if he'd evaded it today, the day would come nonetheless.
The day when Han Seok went too far.
Han Seok was a creature of a whimsical nature; his act of mercy had been nothing more than a moment of indulgence that allowed for Han Seo to continue living, because Han Seok wasn't done playing with his food yet.
That was all.
Han Seok took a step closer, until he was inches away from him.
"You want to go home? Fine," Han Seok says, looking down at Han Seo's tearful eyes that widened in surprise at his apparent change of heart. That is, until Han Seok continued, "My home. You're staying there until I say you can leave. If you try to before then, I will hurt you, and it wouldn't be a hospital I'm sending you to this time around, dongsaeng. It will be straight to the morgue; do not test me."
Han Seo turned his face away, then, surprise leaving his body to make room for disappointment, shoulders drooping and breathing evening out. Great. He had stepped outside of a cage and right into another.
"Han Seo, did you hear what I said?" Han Seok asked, not really needing the confirmation, but still wanting to hear the words from Han Seo's mouth.
"Ye, hyung-nim," Han Seo replied obediently, voice rough from the treatment he's just received. Han Seo attempted to drown a sniffle with his hand under the pretense of wiping his mouth.
That right there, was something they were used to, a situation they had been in many times.
Slowly, Han Seok crouched down, sitting on his haunches to get to Han Seo's eye level. He reached out a hand to place on Han Seo's cheek, causing the younger to flinch but knowing well enough now not to move away from him.
It's a great contrast to how receptive Han Seo has been to his touches from just a day before, how he leaned into it, seeking comfort in the warmth of his brother's body. Now, he looked like he was getting burnt just from the contact.
Whatever Han Seok had wanted to say died right in his throat at the sight. In its place came out something more curt, more demanding: "Good. I'll see you back at my place."
With that, Han Seok turned to leave the room, not sparing another glance at Han Seo's broken figure on the ground– and Han Seo wondered what it was that the other hated to see so much. Was it his tears, or his eyes? His face? Was it Han Seo himself that caused Han Seok to turn around and leave so easily?
Alone, in the ruins of that happy bubble he had been living in for weeks, Han Seo cried.
When Han Seo was driven to Han Seok's villa, he found the place empty when he arrived. Later in the day, Han Seo would see a moving van, along with some men he had never seen before, unloading his stuff into the house.
Han Seok's doing, of course.
Han Seo wondered, for what felt like the millionth time, what Han Seok was thinking.
Here he had actually thought the elder wanted to get rid of him, in the same manner he had killed their father– and Han Seok did love his dramatics– and at the end of the day, when Han Seo half expected to be dead, he was being moved into his brother's house.
Han Seo didn't even have the energy to think about it,
Instead, Han Seo did what he could do. He took a long, warm bath. His leg, despite losing the cast, still felt a little on the fragile side, so he couldn't shower. Instead, he settled into the round tub, and spent the better part of his afternoon in there. He couldn't find it in himself to get out and face reality just yet. By the time the water, which had been refilled twice, had gone cold and Han Seo finally got out of the bath, it was nighttime.
Han Seo then settled himself in one of the guestrooms, and while it wasn't home, at least he was out of that damn hopital. Han Seo laid down on the bed, sighing deeply as he felt the events of the day crash on him. He rubbed his face, as if the action could somehow get rid of the exhaustion.
"How's your leg?"
Han Seo almost jumped at the unexpected voice. He sat up, wincing from the dull pain of his ribs, then turned to find Han Seok leaning against the doorframe.
It's funny, despite being inside the man's house, Han Seo somehow hadn't expected to see him. Part of Han Seo still thought he'd wake up from this dream, either in the hospital room or inside his own house.
Han Seok had never liked him being there before.
"Hyung-nim," he greeted automatically, if a little tiredly. "My leg's fine."
Han Seok nodded. "And your arm?" He hadn't paid much attention to the fracture of his arm before, and Han Seo had actually thought the man had forgotten about it.
"Doesn't hurt at all," he confirmed, moving it a little as if to prove his point.
Han Seok nodded again. "Calm down yet?"
Instantly, Han Seo's good mood evaporated. His posture grew rigid, which didn't escape the elder, who grew annoyed. Barely restraining himself, Han Seok simply said," Get some rest."
He turned to leave, and Han Seo just couldn't stop himself.
"I don't want to rest," Han Seo said firmly, though his voice was soft. "I want to go home."
Han Seok gritted his teeth, "Are we going to have this conversation again, Han Seo?"
Han Seo lowered his gaze, feeling like a scolded child, though he figured he ought to be grateful Han Seok seemed to be in a more relaxed mood than earlier.
A hand wrapped around his chin, lifting his head up.
"Yah, Han Seo," the elder started as Han Seo still refused to look at him. "Why do you think I wanted you to stay in that hospital?"
Han Seo swallowed harshly, then shook his head, unable to get the words out.
"Tell me." Han Seok insisted.
"Because...you planned to get rid o-"
"Wrong," Han Seok said firmly, not even letting him finish. "This is why I tell you not to think. You come up with ridiculous ideas.
Han Seo had the audacity to glare at him. "Then why?"
"Because you almost died, Han Seo," Han Seok spoke as if Han Seo was too dumb to not get it already. "And now people know they can hurt you to get to me."
As Han Seo's eyes widened slowly, Han Seok's grip loosened just a little. "You just happened to be there, and you almost died. What happens next time someone targets you?"
Han Seok leaned closer, nosing at Han Seo's cheek, lips close to his ear. "You have no idea how much I wanted to lock you up somewhere no one else can reach you. Somewhere only I could be with you, and the rest of the world wouldn't exist."
Han Seo was gaping like a fish out of water. "Is that– Is that what you're doing now?" He asked, almost fearfully.
"It's reasonable, isn't it?" Han Seok asked, even if it was the most unreasonable he had ever been, if you asked Han Seo. "This way, no one will get to you. You'll be safe."
"Since when do you care if I'm safe?" Han Seo blurted out the burning question that had been in his mind for weeks. Han Seo was ready to believe his brother had no immediate plans to get him killed, but being concerned for his safety? Yeah, he wasn't buying that.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Han Seok sounded genuinely confused, and wow, how delusional can one be? "Have I ever allowed anyone to put a hand on you?"
Han Seo's throat constricted as he felt tears spring in his eyes. "You do." he said softly, almost guiltily. Han Seok stared at him quietly, a weird look on his face, as he moved a hand to caress Han Seo's hair.
Then, before Han Seo could say anything, the same hand grabbed a fistful of his hair, before pushing his head forward, crashing Han Seo's lips to his.
Han Seo froze in unadulterated shock. The kiss was close-mouthed, just the soft meeting of skin, the pressure of that fiery contact; all Han Seo could see, all he could touch and smell was Han Seok. He overloaded his senses, taking control of his entire existence with a simple action.
Han Seo never wanted him to move away.
Unfortunately, the moment was short-lived, and it wasn't long before Han Seok pulled back to take a look at the blushing mess that was his face.
Han Seo looked at the elder with eyes full of surprise and wonder alike.
"Only I do," the elder responded, and Han Seo couldn't possibly be expected to know what he was talking about, Han Seok had fried his brain with that small kiss. "No one else is allowed to, okay?"
"Okay, hyung-nim." Han Seo conceded automatically, and he didn't even know what he was agreeing to, but it didn't matter, Han Seo would sign away his entire soul if it meant Han Seok wanted to kiss him again.
And, like he had somehow heard that thought, Han Seok leaned in again for another kiss. Longer this time, their lips moving together as they explored this new territory of their already fucked up relationship.
"My Han Seo," his brother stated in a low voice, their lips still touching, as he stared at him possessively.
"Yours," Han Seo confirmed again as Han Seok pulled him into an embrace, and Han Seo went easily, burrowing in his warm chest, willingly walking into yet another cage Han Seok could hold him in.