#like you aren't allowed to be mean to them until you've bled from the mouth in pain over at least one of their experiences. it's the rules.

[clowndensation]

i like seeing the roys in pain because i enjoy feeling bad emotions, and watching as characters are forced to continue surviving through atrocities performed both by and against them, creating an echo chamber of suffering that ultimately flays their monstrous shells and reveals the humanity writhing and sobbing underneath. you like seeing the roys in pain because they're rich assholes, and rich people don't deserve happiness. we are not the same.

[babyboibucky]

Devil’s Mark

Pairing: Rockstar!Bucky x Fem!Reader

Summary: You accept a temp job as a runner for a rockstar’s concert.

Word Count: 2.6k

Warnings: TW! Dubcon if you squint, toxic shit, filthy smut, mean!Bucky, rough oral (M receiving), rimming (M receiving), rough sex, slapping, overstimulation, Bucky marking you with a cigarette burn, MINORS DNI I BEG OF YOU

A/N: So this happened lmfao again, this is not to romanticize T*mmy L*e! I don’t care for him tbh, Seb’s tats and piercings were merely inspos for Rockstar!Bucky. Also, this piece sucks because it’s just idk, rushed and filthy and all over the place but I needed to get this out of my system so I can go back to my other WIPs lmfao

Also Rockstar!Bucky’s theme is Nine Inch Nails’ Closer sjcnkjsnakcs and please, he doesn’t have a goatee in this lmfao that fucking goatee ain’t working for me

Devil’s Mark Masterlist || MAIN MASTERLIST

When you accepted the temp job as a runner for a certain rockstar's concert, you'd expected to follow the orders of the staff— bring some equipment to the other side of the venue, fix the lights over there, clean the microphones, buy them coffee— you know, the usual.

You did end up following orders, except that it involved taking the star of the show's cock down your throat.

Bucky Barnes was the epitome of a rockstar with his kohl-rimmed eyes, tattooed skin and piercings in unimaginable parts of his body. He smelled like smoke and leather, tasted like sex, sin and regret.

This was something you weren't supposed to do, hell, you'd never done something like this. At least, not with someone whom you just met a couple of minutes ago. But good god, there was something so irresistible about Bucky that made you say yes to him almost immediately.

Maybe it was the thrill of doing something that your mother warned you about, or the way Bucky looked at you like you were the prettiest thing he'd seen. Or was it his voice and how it sounded velvety-smooth yet rough around the edges whenever he praised you for being his good girl?

Perhaps it was Bucky's entire existence that made you want to desecrate your own image.

"Just like that. Doin' so good for me, sucking my fucking cock like your lollipop. You like how I taste?" Bucky cooed as he sat on the couch, eyes watching you as you kneeled in between his leather clad knees with your lips wrapped around the head of his cock.

You hummed and gripped his knees, hollowing your cheeks as Bucky's hands held your head to keep you in place. He grunted and threw his head back when you slid lower, doing your best to relax your jaw so you can take him further than you'd ever taken someone before.

"Fuckin' hell, sugar." Bucky groaned and violently pushed your head down, making you choke on his cock.

Tears pooled in the corners of your eyes, your lungs burning from the lack of oxygen when he forced you to stay in place. You could feel his cock pulsate against your throat, making you gag on it continuously. Your hands began to hit Bucky's thighs when he refused to let you go, your heart hammering against your chest as you panicked at the feeling of losing all the air in your lungs.

Bucky darkly chuckled, ignoring your actions. "Breathe through your nose, sugar. You can do it, c'mon." he cooed.

A mix of your spit and Bucky's cum escaped your mouth, dribbling along your chin down to your top, soaking through the fabric. You tried to follow Bucky's instructions and inhaled through your nose, your eyes rolling to the back of your head when you gagged again.

"Such a good whore for me, aren't you?" Bucky grunted, finally pulling your head by the hair, allowing you to gasp out for air.

Your cheeks were stained with your tears as you looked up at him, your chest rising and falling heavily with every breath you took. Bucky looked down at you lovingly, his hand tightening around your hair and the other gently caressing your cheek.

"You wanna make me happy, sugar?" he asked and you nodded eagerly.

Bucky then harshly gripped your face in his hand, squeezing your face as he tilted your head up so he could bend down and give you a kiss. It was sloppy, full of tongue and spit but it only spurred you on. The way Bucky was treating you was making you feel things you'd never felt before.

"I need your words, sugar. You wanna make me happy?" he asked again, louder this time.

"Yes, I want to." you said, voice hoarse from having his cock violently shoved down your throat.

Bucky slapped your face before gripping your jaw tightly, "Louder, sugar." he growled.

"Yes! Yes, I want to make you happy!" you exclaimed, eyes fluttering when Bucky tapped your cheek while praising you for being so fucking obedient.

You stayed on your knees and watched Bucky as he stood up, pulling his leather pants down further until he was completely naked. Wetness pooled in your panties as you took in the sight of Bucky, wanting him to just use you however he wanted.

To make you feel useful for once.

Bucky sat back down on the couch, spreading his legs as he gripped your neck, tugging you closer to his cock that rested against his tattooed abdomen.

"You wanna make me happy? I want you to fucking eat my ass." he growled and you blinked, not expecting his request.

Bucky noticed the hesitation on your part and leaned forward to kiss you again, this time taking your lower lip in between his teeth and tugging at it harshly until it bled.

"Not gonna ask you twice, sugar." he warned against your lips before leaning back against the couch.

Your trembling hand took his shaft, jerking him off as you bent forward to lick his balls first. Bucky grunted in response, his hips thrusting upwards as you continued to tug at his cock while your mouth proceeded to work on his sack.

A hiss slipped past your lips when Bucky took a fistful of your hair again, tugging you head back and lifting a brow at you.

"Sugar, I know what you're tryna do and that's not what I asked you." he said, gritting through his teeth and just like that, he dragged your head back down in between his legs as he leaned back against the couch.

Words failed to make it out of your mouth when Bucky pushed your face under his balls, his hand reaching down to grip his cock to jerk at it.

"Stick your tongue out, sugar. Make me feel good, you want that, don't you?" Bucky said, keeping your face in between his head.

You were more afraid to disappoint Bucky than your dignity, the feeling of being forced to do things you'd never imagined was making your thighs clench and your cunt weep. It never occurred to you that it was even possible for someone like you to enjoy being treated this way.

All this time you considered yourself holy, someone who couldn't bear to sin even if her life depended on it. And yet here you were, in between Bucky's legs with your tongue flattening against his puckered hole.

"Oh fuck, that's it." Bucky moaned at your first lick.

Closing your eyes, you allowed yourself to get lost in Bucky's taste as you stiffened your tongue to prod his tight hole. His scent enveloped your senses, the sound of his hand jerking his cock coated with his own cum joining his grunts and groans that went straight to your core.

If this act was a sin, then why did it feel like heaven to you?

"You enjoy eating my ass, huh? Sugar? Yeah?" Bucky asked, grinning at you proudly as you looked up at him.

Seeing you like that made Bucky feral, lashes fluttering as you kept your innocent gaze on him while half of your face was buried deep in between his ass cheeks.

A saint who was willing to sin just for him.

Bucky pulled back and smiled down at you as you panted, "You ever been fucked?" he asked.

You nodded, letting him know that you've done the deed but never like this, of course. Bucky chuckled and cooed in amusement while letting his knuckles graze your cheekbone.

"I don't think so, sugar. At least, not like how I'm going to fuck you. Gonna ruin you for other men, make you mine and only mine. You gonna let me do that, sweet cheeks? Gonna let me use you however I want?" he asked but as usual, didn't wait for you to utter a single word to proceed.

Not that you were going to deny Bucky that.

He pulled you up to your feet by the arm, pressing a soft kiss on your lips before he unzipped your jeans and pulled it down together with your panties. Both your hands were quick to cover your mound from embarrassment, not sure whether Bucky preferred his women bare down there.

"Ah, ah." Bucky tutted, slapping your hands away before cupping your mound, making you jolt backwards at the cold sensation of the rings on his fingers.

"No need to be shy about a little hair down there." he said, dragging his hand upwards to play with the triangular patch of hair covering your mound before pushing you down on the couch.

"Open your legs, sugar. Show me how wet that fucking cunt is." he said.

He knelt down in front of you and almost salivated at the sight of your glistening pussy, so pink and so open as you spread your legs. A tinge of pink painted your cheeks as you watched Bucky nose the insides of your thighs, breathing in your scent while his hand continued to pump his cock.

"God, look at you. Dripping just for me." he moaned and then spit on your pussy, making you gasp out loud.

"I want you to make noise for me, wanna hear you scream my name. Wanna hear you beg for me..." he whispered before finally licking your cunt.

You moaned out loud, wanton and desperate for Bucky to keep going. He ate you out like you were his last meal, it was messy with his spit smearing across your thighs. Bucky was rough with you but god, the sounds he'd make as he lapped up your pussy was borderline obscene. Grunts, groans and muffled praises rang in your ear.

"Ride my face, sugar. Move those hips, smother me with your fuckin' cream. I want your scent on me, wanna smell you when I go onstage." he said and dove back in, your hips moving on their own accord as you chased your nearing high.

The surroundings spun around you and suddenly, all you could feel and hear was Bucky. His tongue and teeth on your cunt, his words of encouragement and then you were gone. Letting out a breathy moan when you came, you tried to close your legs but Bucky pinned them down on the couch as he continued to eat you out.

"Keep cumming, I want more. Give me more, sugar. Come on." Bucky urged and added his fingers into the mix.

Your thighs quaked and your clit was burning from how Bucky kept on sucking on it. Patches of your sweat began to soak your top, mixing along with the marks left by your drool and Bucky's cum.

"Bucky, I can't..." you sputtered out, grabbing at his hair and tugging him away.

That earned you a hard slap on your cheek, the sting only adding to the pleasure that was yet again building up within your core.

"Yes you can and you fucking will." he said and started pumping his fingers in and out of your pussy hard and fast until you were crying out again as another wave of orgasm hit you like a ton of bricks.

You weren't even done riding out your first climax when your second washed over you. And Bucky was relentless and damn insatiable, getting up and sliding his cock into your throbbing cunt.

Your throat went dry with how your moans were slowly transforming into a high-pitched shriek. Bucky was unforgiving as he fucked you, ignoring how your hands were scratching at his forearms in an attempt to escape their grip on your waist. The pleasure was too much, it was borderline painful but it was addicting.

The way Bucky's cock was extending your second orgasm to the point of coaxing out a third was making you delirious.

"You gonna pass out on me, sugar? Can't take my cock that well, huh?" Bucky mocked, his palm tapping your cheek to keep you awake.

You shook your head and tried to speak but couldn't do so. All you could do was whimper and babble like a fucking idiot as Bucky pounded into you. Just as when you were about to explode, his thrusts turned slow and languid, giving you an opportunity to recover.

"You still with me?" he asked with a chuckle, running his fingers through his sweaty locks.

Swallowing, you hummed in response and ignored how your body felt like it was literally on fire. Bucky reached for his leather pants on the ground without pulling his cock out from your cunt. Taking out a cigarette stick and a lighter, he placed the stick in between his lips and lighted it up. He slowly pulled back at the same time he took a drag from his cigarette, the pleasure building up once more as he pushed back into you.

Bucky almost looked ethereal like that with the fluorescent light illuminating behind him, puffs of smoke surrounding his figure as he stood in between your spread legs. His nipple piercings glistening, his tattooed arm flexing when he grabbed the back of your knee, pushing it down onto the couch to further open you up.

"Tell me you're mine to use." he said, nodding his head at you.

"I'm yours to use, Bucky." you whispered.

He smiled a charming smile, almost boyish in charm as opposed to his rugged and rough appearance. And then he sped up his thrusts again, making your toes curl and your fingers ball into fists.

"Yeah, you're mine?" he asked.

You nodded, face scrunching up in pleasure. "Yes, Bucky. All yours. I'm yours, please..." you pleaded.

"Please what, sugar?" he taunted.

"So close, I can't..." you didn't know whether you wanted to cum again or if you wanted him to stop.

Your body was buzzing from overstimulation but Bucky loved it. He loved seeing you like this, wrecked and sobbing. He merely laughed and blew smoke into your face.

"You can, sugar. Gonna make sure you cum again." Bucky growled, snapping his hips in a particular angle that brought you so close to the edge.

"Gonna mark you to make sure no one will want to mess with you." Bucky said, taking his cigarette out from his lips and then pressing it down against the inside of your right thigh.

Your scream was from the combination of pain from the burn and pleasure from your orgasm, making your body tremble on the couch. Your eyes rolled, tears spilling from your eyes and your spit seeping from the corner of your swollen lips.

"That's right, fuck. Milking my fucking cock so well." Bucky grunted followed by a breathy moan when he spilled his seed inside of you without any warning.

Too spent to even realize it, you laid on the couch almost lifelessly when Bucky pulled out and started dressing up as if he didn't just fuck your brains out. It took you a few minutes to return to the right headspace and when you finally came around, Bucky was dressed up in a loose muscle tee and his leather pants.

He walked over to you and bent down to squeeze your face in his hand, eyes glazing over your naked body before he looked back into your half-lidded eyes.

"Goddamn, sugar. Lookit you." he darkly chuckled before kissing you sloppily.

And then just like that, he was out of the dressing room. You looked down at yourself, naked from the waist below and flinched at the cigarette burn on the inside of your thigh. The ache was tolerable now, your intense pleasure masking its pain when Bucky pressed it against your flesh.

The burn was in stark contrast to your skin tone. It stood out, haunting you and reminding you that you sold your soul to a devil on earth— the devil's mark.

-

Everything Bucky Tag List:

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[rnufharose]

Blood, Sweat, and Tears - Chapter 8

Words: 2.9k

Trigger Warnings: There will be murder, violence, and post traumatic stress in this chapter. Please read at your discretion.

︻デ═一 ♥

The man stumbled backward, holding his bruised jaw before meeting the gaze of his attacker. He saw his black hair, those intense eyes, and his suit was as dark as night. He knew that man anywhere, a sneer curling on his lips before he broke into laughter, "You're him, aren't you?! Junmyeon's lapdog! I didn't think I'd find you here." Jong-hoon pulled his glock, pointing it toward Sehun, his finger on the trigger. "You sure know how to make a man angry...”

"You're way outside you bounds, Jong-hoon," the hitman said dryly, that cold expression not leaving his eyes. "If I were you, I'd leave before this situation gets worse. Wouldn't want other groups finding unwelcome guests stumbling about."

Jungkook pushed the door open. After taking a rest for a moment, he too had heard Haneul screaming. In a fit of panic, he ran into the alleyway to check on her, coming across the scene in front of him.

Choi Jonghoon of the FT Syndicate stood before them

Jungkook knew him from many news articles that showcased his violent crimes. He also saw the other man, who was most likely from another crime syndicate, but he wasn't too sure. He had never seen him before.

Following behind him was Taehyung and Bella, who noticed the way he had left abruptly. The silver-haired girl moved carefully to the side, reaching out her hand, "Neullie! Come quickly!"

The brunette snapped out of her frightened state, getting to her feet and running away from the two males, grabbing Bella's hand, and she pulled Haneul close to her.

"Take her inside," Sehun instructed in a hard tone, his eyes still on Jonghoon.

"Okay," Jungkook answered, and Taehyung ushered them back into the storage room, closing the door, leaving the two men to themselves.

"Oh Sehun... EXO's merciless hitman," the older male chuckled darkly as he raised his gun. "The boss is going to be pretty pissed when figures out you've got your sights on her. You do know she's a threat, right? She isn't as innocent as you think she is."

The raven-haired male took out his own handgun, ignoring his words. If one could hold the gun out toward the light, one would notice the small tally marks that were carved onto the barrel. "One last warning. Leave, keep your mouth shut, and you might live to see another day. In all honesty, a rat like you isn't even worth my time."

"But you're worth my time," Jonghoon hissed. "When I take you out, EXO will be crippled, Junmyeon won't have a hold of his territory, and that girl can join her pitiful grandmother!" He pulled the trigger, shooting at the hitman, who quickly ducked for cover behind the large metal trash bin.

He could hear the bullets hitting against it, leaving dents as the shots echoed through the alleyway. No doubt the civilians would be in a panic and Sehun hoped the employees in The Magic Shop would find a way to keep their customers from leaving.

Back inside, Haneul was seated in the couch, endeavoring to steady her heartbeat, the onset of a panic attack taking over her body. The events that transpired could have gone another way, but her friends had come to help her. And that man... she couldn't help but feel scared again. He looked like someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone. "Oh my God," she choked. "I was almost—"

"You weren't," Bella held her hand tightly, rubbing her back. "Nothing will happen to you."

"Aish," Taehyung ran his hands through the blue strands of his hair. "If the customers hear what's going on outside, they won't feel safe..."

"I'll keep them entertained," Jungkook proceeded toward the door. "Call the cops and tell them what's going on. I'm giving them a round of drinks on the house."

"Good idea," Bella looked away from the other girl, pulling out her phone to make a call.

The gunshots kept coming until Jonghoon had run out of ammo. He made to quickly reload his gun, but Sehun took this opportunity to shoot him in the shoulder and legs, crippling him and drawing out a painful grunt. He stood from his place behind the garbage disposal, his gun still poised and his eyes narrow. "And here I thought you were going to put up a fight..." his shots were clear and concise, as expected of a merciless killer.

The other man began to whimper, crawling back while nursing his wounds, blood staining his suit.

"You wasted bullets, firing at a target you couldn't even see. Being trigger happy doesn't get the job done," Sehun continued. "It's pathetic, really. You're in such a well-established syndicate, and yet, you can't even take out one person." He towered over the cowering man now, one of his hands tucked into his pocket. "I'm at a crossroads with myself... do I shoot and put you out of your misery? Or do I take you in and see what I can get out of you? You seem to know something I'm invested in."

"I-If you kill me," Jonghoon spat. "The boss will kill you," he didn't stop cowering as Sehun's tall figure overshadowed him. "That girl is going to get what's coming to her! Her blood—her family—is tainted! Once she's killed, she won't pose a threat to the boss!"

"And what threat does that girl and her family pose?" The hitman questioned, leaning forward. "Her grandmother wasn't just as innocent as she is, and now you're claiming she's a threat? I fail to see the logic here." At this point, if Jong-hoon kept talking, he was going to end up a corpse. He was practically giving away everything he knew.

"She's the heiress to the Cho Clan!" He spoke strongly, backing up against the building. "Her father... was Seoul's most elite mob boss. He owned almost every territory before my boss took him out! We were so sure we had killed every last one of them, but instead, the man shipped his daughter off to the boondocks to live with his wife's mother! That old lady had been raising our biggest threat! One day, she'll kill your clan too!"

"And what makes you think this girl has any recollection or indication as to what her family once did?" Sehun continued to inquire. "From my view, she doesn't have a single clue. You're just targeting her for something she isn't aware of. It's scum like you that I hate the most or yours or any other group will lay a finger on her." He places his finger on the trigger. "If they do, they won't make it out alive... I'll make sure of it."

The final gunshot sounded, and the male's body went limp against the building, no longer breathing. Sehun lowered his gun slowly, tucking it away as the sound of sirens came from the distance. He faced the back door of The Magic Shop, his expression softening before he ran out of the alleyway. We'll meet again, he thought with slight melancholy. She had seen his face and he saw the fear her eyes possessed. He didn't meant to scare her, but he knew she would eventually come to know of his existence. He would have to relay the events of today to Suho later.

︻デ═一 ♥

Word of Jonghoon's murder reached the ears of the civilians. The alleyway beside The Magic Shop has become a crime scene. After the patrons left and they closed up, the police had interrogated the staff but Taehyung had instructed everyone to stay quiet about the unknown hitman that had come to take out Jonghoon. It could have been out of gratitude, or maybe it was out of fear of getting involved with the mafia. One thing was certain: none of them wanted to become targets for any crime syndicates.

Haneul had changed out of her dress and into a black shirt and jeans, laying on the couch and pushing away any thoughts of what happened hours ago. She felt dirty, like his hands wouldn't leave her body. Even taking a shower and scrubbing her skin until it almost bled wasn't enough to make her feel clean again.

"Hey," Bella knocked on the door and stepped inside, and the brunette sat up, noticing the chipped mug of tea in her hand. "I made this for you. It's chamomile. It'll soothe you."

"Thank you," Haneul accepted the mug, the warmth of the tea spreading through her hands and across her nerves, the scent already soothing her.

"Sorry about the mug," her friend chuckled sheepishly. "The rim is slightly chipped."

"It's alright," she bright the mug to her lips. "I like it this way..." After taking a sip, she placed the beverage down, smiling sadly. "Halmeoni always had tea like this... I guess the two of us are a bit peculiar..." She released a long exhaled, closing her eyes. "I don't think I'll ever catch a break..."

"Things will turn out okay in the end. You'll see," Bella assured her. "You just have to hang in there. No one expects you to get back on your feet right away. I know you want to do it quickly but you've been through a lot. It's okay to be vulnerable and ask for help."

"I know, but this isn't like me," Haneul replied. "I've lost everything and I know it's hard, but I just want to be strong. I want to handle everything on my own. If I can't do that after everything that's happened, then what kind of a granddaughter am I?"

"Neullie," her friend began, her tone firm. "You are one hell of a good granddaughter, but if Halmeoni was here, she would tell you that it's fine to break. She knows you're trying your hardest not to let her death define you and she knows it was a traumatic experience on your part, but that doesn't mean you're not allowed to grieve. That doesn't mean you're not allowed to cry after what happened today. Don't bottle it up. Let everything out. Cry if you want to. It'll ease the pain you're feeling."

"Mianhe, Bella," Haneul apologized with a dejected chuckle. "But... I've cried enough. I'm on my own now. I can't afford to cry anymore."

The silver-haired girl opened her mouth to speak again, but the rest of the boys came into the storage room, gracing then with their presence.

"Gwenchana?" Jimin asked, his eyes wide with concern as he sat beside Haneul, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a tight hug.

"I'm fine now," she patted his arm. "A little shaken up, but I'll live."

"This is scary," Beomgyu frowned. "There was a mob fight right next to us and we could have been caught in the crossfire."

"Luckily, that didn't happen and everyone was safe," Jungkook reminded him.

"If this happens again, The Magic Shop will no longer be safe," Yoongi drowned, his eyes downcast. "What do we do?"

"We stay open," Namjoon answered. "We can't give up yet. The mafia isn't going to make our restaurant a base for their crimes."

"Namjoon hyung is right," Soobin added. "We'll take extra precautions. We can't bribe the customers with free drinks every time since we need the money, but we can put on performances ten times as better."

"I know we kept quiet when the police came but who were those two guys?" Jin wondered.

"Their names were Choi Jonghoon and Oh Sehun," Taehyung said, his hands tucked into his slacks. "Everyone knows who Jonghoon is, right?"

"One of the FT Clan's hitmen," Hoseok spike solemnly. "But what would he be doing here? It doesn't make any sense..."

"The mafia are dirty people," Yeonjun pointed out. "They're involved in the use of drugs, dealing with contraband, sex trafficking—the list goes on."

"And the other man? Oh Sehun?" Taehyun rubbed the back of his neck, looking between his friends.

"I don't know much about him aside form rumors," Huening Kai said. "People say he's very scary... he's ruthless and kills people without a second thought..."

"Yeah, he's in EXO. That's why," Taehyung said to the two of them, his face indicating seriousness. "He's a hitman under one of the most powerful clans in Seoul. Whatever you all do, if you see him again, run."

Bella tensed slightly afternoon hearing that name. It did well to stroke fear into her heart. She's heard a number of stories about EXO, and the realization that one of its members was right in their alleyway made her feel slightly unsafe. What was worse was that this was the same man she served a drink to, one who she thought was a good person who was genuinely interested in her friend. If she had known he harbored ill will toward Haneul, she wouldn't have talked to him. The possibility of him taking her and keeping her all to himself made her anxious.

"I'll stay far away," Haneul promised. Like Bella, the very name made her blood run cold. Even the man's face was frightening. She didn't think she could look him in the eyes God forbid she come across him again. "If... If I see him again... I'll run... I'll hide... I'll do whatever it takes to escape."

︻デ═一 ♥

On his way to meet with Suho, Sehun remained unfazed about the night's events. Haneul's expression of fear still plagued him immensely, even though he had managed to acquire information concerning her and regarding her grandmother's murder. It seemed now, the only way to protect her was having her at his side since she had seen his face.

The guard allowed him entry, opening the door to the penthouse, and Suho looked up from his tablet, placing it onto the coffee table and turning toward the younger male. "Sehun-ah... I heard what happened. Are you alright?"

"I am, hyung," he bowed respectfully. "I acquired information on Haneul as well. I'm sure you'll find it useful as I have."

"What is it?" He questioned.

"Jonghoon may be another body added to the count, but he was useful in his short time of living," the hitman explained. "He told me everything. Haneul is the last known member of the Cho syndicate. The FT syndicate feels threatened by her and have attempted to kill her even though she has no idea about her family's background."

"I see," EXO's leader held his chin, furrowing his brows. "You said the Cho Clan, yes? Well, as it turns out, my father was in an alliance with the Don of that syndicate?"

"Abeoji was one of his allies?" Sehun tilted his head. "How do you know that?"

"You'd be surprised about what you learn once you become the Don of your own clan," Suho chuckled, crossing the living room and pouring a glass of whiskey. He handed one glass for he raven-haired male before bringing his own drink to his lips. "The Cho Clan was the biggest syndicate in Seoul, ruling over almost the whole city. It's boss married a civilian woman and eventually, they had a daughter, who we now know is Haneul. I always thought she had been killed as well once the mob war between them and the FT Clan began. Abeoji always said there were no survivors, but now we know that she was given to her Halmeoni before she could get involved and she lived a life away from the violence, not knowing her origins. The only thing we can do now is protect her. Her father would have wanted that since he didn't want her to be a part of the underworld in the first place."

"Yeah... about protecting her," Sehun frowned, looking up from his drink. "She saw my face... I'm not sure how much longer I can go watching her from the shadows. By now, she's become more aware of her surroundings."

"So... she's afraid then," the older male hummed, placing his glass down. "I'm not sure what else you can do to alleviate her anxiety other than having her by your side. Give it time if she's scared. Now that she knows you're here, she'll eventually learn about your kind side. And if all else fails, show her Vivi. That dog will certainly assuage her worries."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sehun laughed a bit, his smile fading afterward. "Guess that means she has to live with me now..." the last thing he wanted was for her to be isolated from the world, to feel like a prisoner and be so small in his presence, but he wouldn't allow that. He would make sure she was comfortable and that she saw past his merciless side. Sehun couldn't imagine hurting her. After seeing her at the funeral, closed off from other people, and then tonight, signing out toward the customers at The Magic Shop, that girl had to be protected. She was a source of light in the darkness of his world and he would preserve the light that shone from her. He will treat her with care and patience and maybe, she won't feel afraid.