#street thug wonho

[biffhofosho]

Who's ready to talk about the 7th brother I won't let anyone forget? Gotta start my Wonho thread simply before I get completely untethered.

[cupidoargiades]

MX mafia masterlist

@caramelandramyun asked: Hey there! Can I get a monsta x mafia au! Fic where they're all in love with you and you've already been in the gang for as long as most of the members have, just filled with a bunch of fluff thank you so much!

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A/N - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KILLING MY WRITERS BLOCK. so, i have a whole idea in my mind. we're going to start off with this post by introducing the characters i made for everyone, yes !! including y/n (nicknamed clio) and then it will be followed by a chapter for each member. the real chapters will be uploaded from the boy who fell in love with y/n first to most recent lover (since this gang had some sort of an indirect poly relationship). i'm really excited as this is my first fully realised project with thought out characters and stuff :) if you're still reading this, thank you so much again for this wonderful request!

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NOTE - this post will function both as a masterlist and the character's summaries. after i have made a chapter to the corresponding member, i will put a link below this note, all in chronological order. clicking on this link will navigate you to his chapter. thank you!

learning how to love - jooheon

mission two: the transporter of seoul - minhyuk

final warning - shownu

breakfast buddies - wonho

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shownu

full name: son hyunwoo

age: 27

function: the head torturer

pride: having earned the name 'torture thug' on the streets.

specialises in: being responsible, knowing countless torture techniques like the back of his hand.

profile: this man has nothing but a soft exterior, but don't let him fool you; he has a kind heart. you simply have to strategically break his shell to get him to open up. equipped with tasers and electrical cords he roams the MX headquarters, waiting for new victims to come in. shownu often tends to stay reserved and keep secrets thanks to his past, but once he finds the right people, he's never leaving their side.

chapters:

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wonho

full name: formerly lee hoseok, but after he got out of prison, changed it to shin hoseok

age: 26

function: the torturer

pride: he once cracked four ribs and a femur with nothing more than his own body.

specialises in: degrading, threatening and snapping bones in half with his own strength

profile: having gone through a rough childhood, he joined a gang way back in high school. that exact gang gave him the motivation to rebel against the government and do illegal things, earning him a place in a state of the art prison. after getting out, he changed his name and now lives a double life; personal trainer by day, mafioso by night.

chapters: nothing here yet!

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minhyuk

full name: lee minhyuk

age: 25

function: the transporter

pride: his mercedes-benz sprinter

specialises in: knowing shortcuts everywhere he goes, driving away from multiple police cars at once

profile: as a child he didn't really show any interest in motorcycles, cars, or any mechanical thing in general until his younger brother stole a maserati. minhyuk became obsessed with expensive cars and started competing in illegal races, now being the currect reigning 'king of the streets'. like the name suggests, he pays other drivers no mind and knows the roads better than he knows himself.

chapters:

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kihyun

full name: yoo kihyun

age: 25

function: the manager

pride: being able to intimidate people into doing whatever he wants

specialises in: fitting everything in a tight, neat plan. he always leaves room for a back up plan, if the first one goes wrong and they need to switch gears.

profile: born with a feeling for tidying everything he saw, this guy is the perfect fit for being the boss of the group. not only does he make sure the whole plan goes smooth, he also makes sure the members are in fantastic condition. he openly cares for the members from the bottom of his heart, often giving out snacks to eat and drinks to drink.

chapters: nothing here yet!

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hyungwon

full name: chae hyungwon

age: 25

function: the 'ninja'

pride: his collection of guns

specialises in: having a fast but precise hand in everything he does. his eye-hand coördination is off the charts, too

profile: this man had a lot of training to do when he first started off in this dark industry. with the ambition of becoming an assassin he started to practise many methods to defend himself and the members of MX. starting with practising with long distance weapons, he gradually made his weapons more manual until he got to the bats, knives, and daggers. he stayed loyal to his first love, however, and now sticks to guns only.

chapters: nothing here yet!

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jooheon

full name: lee jooheon

age: 24

function: the seducer

pride: his androgyny

specialises in: gaining people's unconditional trust in a split second before abusing said trust

profile: he may seem incomprehensable at first, but jooheon is nothing more than a trapped, tortured soul. back when he was a child he always used to get bullied for looking feminine, but instead of letting his looks become his weakness, he took that background and turned it into his job. now he roams the clubs, sometimes as a man, sometimes as a woman, to seduce MX's next target.

chapters:

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i.m

full name: im changkyun

age: 23

function: the hacker

pride: his incredible 120 wpm (words per minute) when typing

specialises in: unnoticably cracking codes and learning everything about his opponent in seconds

profile: growing up as an introvert with a love for games and computers, it's no surprise that i.m ended up in the computer industry. his fast hands help him with finding out everything he needs, which the other MX's members are very grateful for. this underdog likes to stay in the background, where there's not a lot of strings attached. though he's the most introverted out of MX, he loves his friends dearly.

chapters: nothing here yet!

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clio

full name: y/f/n y/l/n

age: 22

function: all-rounder. she does what she wants to do, when she wants to do it, to who she wants to do it.

pride: her talents and being the 'baby' of MX

specialises in: everything that she does. often tags along with one of the MX members in whatever they're doing that night.

profile: clio was going to be one of MX's targets at first, but jooheon messed up big time and changed plans. he was supposed to just seduce clio, but failed, and caught feelings for her. jooheon awkwardly introduced her to the group, followed by weeks of disgrace and bullying to see how tough she was. slowly she gained MX's trust and eventually joined the group, making the eighth and last person to perfect everything they do.

[wonholes]

All In For You

Summary: The story, written in third-person, follows main character Shin Hoseok during a difficult time in his life. Struggling to stay alive, Hoseok lives his life from day-to-day, an outcast with a broken past and juvenile record. Basically living on the streets, his only true comfort comes from his friends who treat him as their leader. When his past comes back to haunt him in ways he can’t fully comprehend, only his closest friend has the capability to pull him back into reality. 

Fandom: Monsta X

Pairing: Wonho/Minhyuk (Wonhyuk, Leatherpaws), M/M

Rating: Mature (Explicit content may be added later)

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Drama, Romance 

Characters: Wonho, Minhyuk, Shownu, Kihyun, Jooheon, Hyungwon, Changkyun

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, eventual explicit content 

Exclaimer: Any writing submitted by myself does not reflect the real members of Monsta X or Starship Entertainment. Any dialog or actions written in this piece is based solely on fiction and does not infer that the members would act this way. This was created purposely for fan entertainment and is not factual. 

I would like to personally thank @wonholypeach for being my beta reader for this fic and for designing the header image. She was basically my co-author in many ways, for not only helping me edit but for taking the time out of her day to create the header and for letting me go over ideas with her. We both spent several days working on this to make sure that everything was perfect, so speaking for the both of us, we hope that you enjoy it.

Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six

Chapter One | continue to read

Chapter One

Shin Hoseok wouldn’t want you calling his group of misfits a “gang.” Though they listened to him fervently, and took his assertions as if they were life-binding commands, he frowned at the thought of being a leader to anything so impulsively violent. He carried a gun on him, yes; a simple glock with average magazine capacity and small enough to be easily concealed, but the pistol was a worst-case-scenario option. Too often thugs were seen hanging around his “area,” but he simply knew it as his home. At first Hoseok paid no mind to the criminals but eventually the police were seen patrolling the street outside of his dwelling. Drug deals were probably going sour, and he didn’t want his residence exploited, so he took matters into his own hands.

He never had to fire the weapon; only uncover his pistol from the inside of his jacket and unclip the safety. Anyone could have resisted. Most of them were middle-aged men, but rung out on Meth and Ketamine and frightened that they would be turned into the authorities. Hoseok never had to do much; simply glare at them long enough until they ran away. He never understood why it was so easy, but it was better than any other option.

Hoseok’s home away from home was an abandoned apartment complex on the outskirts of Seoul, about an hour long subway ride from where he grew up. It stood beside a few other rundown buildings, most of which had been cleared out and scavenged, thus left in ruins. Over time, Hoseok managed to gather his own supplies into his dwelling; decor, as normal civilians called it. These decorations simply consisted of a simple bed and sheets, a couch that he’d found on a separate floor of the building, and a spare, old mattress that he kept on the floor. Anything else that was in his chosen apartment had already been left there previously.

He’d left his family years ago; his parents having divorced when he was young and he didn’t have any siblings. Often, he returned home to see his mother and paid for her rent whenever he could find work, but everyday was a struggle for them both. If it wasn’t for his friends he probably would have wound up in prison years ago.

His friends kept him in check. They made sure that his pistol never saw the light of day unless it was for an emergency. Hoseok always knew that he could be easily riled up, but he never had a temper. The only thing that ever made him angry was seeing his friends hurt, whether it was mental anguish or if someone had physically assaulted them. They never let him after their assailants though; they were adamant in making sure that their “leader” wouldn’t see an early grave.

“But how can you just let him step all over you like that? Hey, I’m talking to you!” Hoseok shouted, calling out to his friend who was nervously covering a swollen eye.

Another boy, Jooheon, stood between them, holding Hoseok’s shoulders as he tried to keep him still. “Wonho, c’mon man, calm down.”

“I told you to never call me that!” Hoseok exclaimed, trying to shove Jooheon away.

“You should listen to him,” Kihyun remarked, standing off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest.

Hoseok sighed loudly but motioned for his friend to let him go. “I’m okay, I’m okay.”

Jooheon cautiously loosened his grip and gave Hoseok a few pats on the shoulder. “See, he’s okay? You’re okay, right, Hyungwon?”

The taller, injured boy nodded as a bag of frozen rice cakes was placed on his face by a blonde-haired boy. “I’m fine, hyung. Really.”

Hoseok stomped over to Hyungwon, carefully examining his injury. The taller boy’s left eye was swollen shut, and his lip was cut and bruised.

“We should keep this on him to reduce the swelling,” the blonde one said, moving the frozen bag of food back over Hyungwon’s eye.

Hoseok stared at Minhyuk briefly and nodded without argument. “Hyungwon, take my bed. You should rest.”

“Thanks, hyung,” Hyungwon replied, letting himself be escorted into the side bedroom by the blonde.

“Take care of him, would you Minhyuk?” Hoseok added.

The blonde nodded and smiled simply before helping Hyungwon into the bedroom, an arm wrapped gingerly around him.

Hoseok and his friends were in his apartment, scattered about the living room with all of their eyes fixed on him. He sighed deeply and fell onto the couch, rubbing his eyes and smearing any makeup that had been there. He felt someone sit down beside him but didn’t move to look.

“Hyungwon needs to learn how to stand up for himself,” Hoseok said out loud.

“Hyung, you’re the one who always says that violence isn’t necessary,” someone remarked from the other side of the room.

“I know, but that’s not what I mean, Kihyun,” Hoseok replied, now looking around the room.

Changkyun, the youngest out of all of them, had decided to sit beside Hoseok. He sat back comfortably, a half-empty beer bottle in one hand, the other combing through his light brown hair.

“Don’t give me that look, Changkyun,” Hoseok remarked.

“What? I didn’t say anything, did I?” Changkyun replied, smiling slyly afterward.

“Not a word,” Jooheon added, also grinning.

“So, what are we going to do about the kid that beat him up?” Kihyun asked, his tone serious.

“We shouldn’t do anything,” Shownu interrupted from across the room, popping the cap off of his own beer.

“What do you mean, we shouldn’t do anything? This kid has been tormenting Hyungwon for weeks. How is he supposed to pass any of his classes this semester like this?”  Kihyun interjected, clearly agitated.

“Well, I ain’t killing him,” Changkyun replied, sipping his beer.

“No one’s killing anybody,” Hoseok said, rubbing his eyes again and growing tired of the banter.

“We should do something,” Kihyun replied.

“And what do you propose we do, Kihyun?” Hoseok asked, looking over at his younger friend.

Kihyun stood across the room, arms still crossed over his chest. Shownu stood behind him from inside the kitchen and raised an eyebrow, curiously awaiting his remark.

“We go after him! Get him to stop doing what he’s doing. Maybe scare him a bit,” Kihyun replied earnestly.

“Or kill him,” Changkyun added.

“Enough,” Hoseok sighed, glaring at Changkyun to inform him that he wasn’t joking.

“Hyungwon’s the only one here who’s doing something with his life. We can’t let him fail out of university because of this,” Kihyun exclaimed.

“I agree,” Hoseok replied in a sigh. “But it shouldn’t come to violence. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”

Kihyun nodded, happy that his bickering finally seemed to win Hoseok over.

“Then what should we do?” Jooheon asked, sitting on a broken coffee table in front of them. He sat forward, his arms resting on his knees as he twiddled his fingers. Hoseok could tell that he was concerned.

“I don’t know, I haven’t thought that far yet,” Hoseok replied bitterly, licking and then biting his lower lip as he tried to piece a plan together.

Minhyuk finally entered the room, watching the discussion from afar as he rested against the bedroom door frame. Hoseok looked up, meeting his eyes for a moment before Minhyuk decided to enter.

“He’s resting now,” Minhyuk announced, making his way over to the couch. Changkyun looked up at him momentarily before scooting over so that the blonde could sit between them.

“Thank you,” Hoseok replied, watching the other as he sat beside him.

Minhyuk nodded, making himself comfortable before sitting back and running his fingers through his yellow hair.

“Well, I should get going. I have a fight tomorrow and I should spend the rest of the night preparing,” Shownu stated, finishing the rest of his beer.

“Hyung, you know I’ll be there,” Jooheon replied, bumping his fist with Shownu’s as he passed by.

“Anyone else coming? I have a lot of bets going for me this time,” Shownu said.

“You know I don’t gamble,” Hoseok replied. “But good luck.”

Shownu nodded, grabbing his duffle bag from off of the floor and wrapped it over his shoulder. “What about the rest of you?”

Changkyun set his empty beer down and burped, winking over at Shownu jokingly. “You know it.”

“I’ll try to come, but you know I work late Saturday nights,” Kihyun replied. “I should get going too. Keep me posted on Hyungwon, will you, Minhyuk?”

Minhyuk nodded, “Of course.”

Kihyun walked out behind Shownu, closing the door behind the both of them. Hoseok could hear their footsteps grow quieter and quieter as they descended the stairs and exited the abandoned building.

Changkyun stretched out on the couch and set his legs onto the broken coffee table in front of them. “I thought Kihyun-hyung would never leave,” he announced nonchalantly.

Minhyuk tried to stop himself from laughing and nudged his friend. “You’re a horrible person.”

“I know,” Changkyun replied with a smirk on his face.

“You’re lucky Kihyun didn’t hear you,” Hoseok added, smiling lightly.

“Ah, he knows I hate his nagging. He’s worse than my own mother,” Changkyun replied, standing up and stretching. “Anyone want to go play billiards downtown?”

“I should probably stay and keep an eye on Hyungwon,” Minhyuk replied. “Maybe we can go tomorrow before Shownu-hyung’s fight?”

“I like your thinking,” Changkyun said with a smirk, patting Minhyuk’s face childishly before going to leave. “Jooheon?”

Jooheon stood, adjusting the cap on his head that was covering his red hair underneath. “Yeah, I’ll come for a bit. What about you, Hoseok?”

Hoseok shook his head, his eyes now closed, still contemplating on what to do about his injured friend. “No, go on without me. I’ll stay here with Minhyuk and Hyungwon.”

“Alright, just don’t do anything stupid while we’re gone,” Jooheon replied before joining Changkyun and leaving.

Hoseok sighed, his eyes still closed as he laid back on the couch, thinking of the best possible scenario for Hyungwon’s situation. Beating the perpetrator nearly to death wouldn’t work; he’d only come back again and with lackeys, and if no one was with Hyungwon when it happened… Hoseok didn’t want to think about what the end result might be.

“Why don’t I go to university with Hyungwon?” Minhyuk spoke aloud. “I know you’re busy thinking. It’s why you’re so quiet.”

“Mm,” Hoseok mumbled back. “You can’t go to university with Hyungwon. You’re not enrolled.”

“But I can go anyway. I’ll wait out by the park, or in the library.”

“And what if something happens to you too?” Hoseok asked, his eyes now open. “What will you do?”

Minhyuk frowned. “Defend myself, obviously, and stick up for my friend.”

Hoseok shook his head, “You’re so naive, Minhyuk, and headstrong. It’s what I like about you, but I can’t let you do that. You’ll get hurt.”

“You don’t think I can defend myself?” Minhyuk remarked, frowning.

Hoseok raised an eyebrow quizzically. “Can you?”

Abruptly, Minhyuk stood up and grabbed Hoseok’s wrist, motioning him to do so as well. “Fight me!”

Hoseok couldn’t stop himself from smirking. “What?”

“Punch me, do it! I’ve been watching Shownu-hyung at practice. He taught me a few things.”

“I’m not punching yo--” Hoseok started to reply, before Minhyuk unexpectedly darted forward and pushed his friend, attempting to rile him.

“I can defend myself,” Minhyuk said, fists now raised in front of him.

Had it been any other person shoving him, Hoseok would have been utterly offended, but he cocked his head side to side before smiling back at the blonde. “Okay then, let’s see what you’ve got.”

Hoseok smirked as he advanced on his skinnier opponent, not holding his fists up in front of him as Minhyuk was doing. He slightly crouched, as if hunting prey, moving from side to side as he toyed with the other.

Minhyuk scrunched his nose, concentrating, before lunging forward and attempting a punch to the side of Hoseok’s face. He had darted back before Hoseok could react, quick on his feet.

Hoseok went to grab him but Minhyuk jumped away, taking the opportunity to knee the larger boy in the stomach. Hoseok coughed and then groaned, trying to stop himself from falling over.

“Ah, shit! I didn’t mean to do it that hard! Are you okay?” Minhyuk exclaimed, hastily going to help his friend.

Doubled-over in fake pain, Hoseok grabbed Minhyuk by the arm when he was close enough and pulled him down into a headlock on the floor. With a strong arm wrapped around Minhyuk’s neck, the other in a vice-grip on his arm, there was no way the smaller boy would win.

“Do you give up?” Hoseok asked slyly.

Minhyuk hit the floor a few times in response that he had lost the fight, coughing lightly when Hoseok released his grip.

“Hyung, that wasn’t very fair,” he remarked, rubbing his neck.

Hoseok shrugged his shoulders, “You can’t always fight like you’re in a boxing ring.”

“Then will you teach me, like Shownu does?” Minhyuk asked, standing up.

Hoseok stood as well, looking the blonde over. “I don’t do that anymore.”

“C’mon, do I have to entice you again?” Minhyuk joked, holding his fists up in front of him and positioning himself in a readied stance.

“Maybe you should just let Shownu teach you,” Hoseok replied, not budging.

“Ah, c’mon,” Minhyuk teased, now lightly nudging Hoseok’s arm continuously.

Minhyuk smirked, walking around Hoseok as if in a waltz, pushing him here and there like a plaything. Hoseok watched him but didn’t move, curious but unwilling.

“Hyung, do I really have to beg you?” Minhyuk asked, giving Hoseok a rougher nudge. “I don’t like begging.”

Hoseok raised a brow but didn’t say anything and instead just watched the other, never taking his eyes off of him. Even as Minhyuk stepped out of his perspective, Hoseok still kept him in the corner of his eye, a light smirk playing across his lips. He licked his lips subconsciously, his gaze perhaps lingering longer than he realized.

Without notice, Hoseok advanced on Minhyuk, sending several punches in the other boy’s direction. Minhyuk quickly replied, ducking his head out of the way just in time. He sent his own back at Hoseok, of which were blocked and then Hoseok stepped back.

“I know that you can do better than this,” Minhyuk said. “I’ve seen you fight before.”

“That was years ago, Minhyuk,” Hoseok replied as they circled each other.

“Fight me like you would then,” Minhyuk stated. “Fight me like how Wonho-hyung would.”

Hoseok’s nose immediately scrunched up and he frowned. “You know I don’t like being called that.”

“Being called what? Your name?”

“You know what,” Hoseok retorted.

“Oh, you mean Wonho,” Minhyuk replied, pressing him. “Well, Wonho wouldn’t hesitate to fight me.”

“I told you to stop it,” Hoseok said sternly, continuing to circle the other.

Minhyuk smirked lightly, continuing to antagonize him. “Fight me, Wonho. Fight me like you would in the ring, unless you’re not strong enough.”

Hoseok narrowed his eyes, having a difficult time stopping himself from letting out an annoyed growl. “You don’t want to do this, Minhyuk.”

“Try me,” the blonde replied, before winking and saying, “Wonho.”

Hoseok was on him before Minhyuk even had the time to register what was happening. The blonde had just enough time to brace himself before he was thrown onto the hard floor, and Minhyuk was scrambling to get out of his grip.

The smaller boy managed to roll away from Hoseok and was about to stand onto his feet before Hoseok grabbed him by the ankle and pulled him back down. In only a few seconds Hoseok had Minhyuk pinned onto the floor, not in a chokehold but instead was straddling him, holding the blonde’s hands up over his head. Hoseok used his free hand to press down onto his chest before moving up to his neck, choking him slightly.

Minhyuk grimaced and attempted to kick free, but Hoseok only tightened his grip. He choked, trying to take in air, his chest feeling like it was going to cave in with the larger boy sitting on top of him.

“Hyung, please,” Minhyuk managed to croak out, tears welling in his eyes.

It took a few moments for Hoseok to register what was happening and he immediately loosened his grip after realizing. Minhyuk coughed roughly, sucking sweet oxygen back into his lungs.

Hoseok let Minhyuk’s hands go free and moved off of him, staring off in a daze. It took Minhyuk a few minutes to pull himself back together, rubbing away any stray tears from his eyes before glancing at his friend. Hoseok was sitting silently on the floor, his shoulders slouched and his eyes glazed over.

“Hyung? Hyung!” Minhyuk moved over to him and touched his shoulder, shaking him a little. 

The blonde was surprised to see tears in the other’s eyes, but before Minhyuk could react, Hoseok finally stood and promptly left the room. 

[wonholes]

All In For You | Chapter Four

Summary: The story, written in third-person, follows main character Shin Hoseok during a difficult time in his life. Struggling to stay alive, Hoseok lives his life from day-to-day, an outcast with a broken past and juvenile record. Basically living on the streets, his only true comfort comes from his friends who treat him as their leader. When his past comes back to haunt him in ways he can’t fully comprehend, only his closest friend has the capability to pull him back into reality.

Fandom: Monsta X

Pairing: Wonho/Minhyuk (Wonhyuk, Leatherpaws), M/M

Rating: Mature (Explicit content may be added later)

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Drama, Romance

Characters: Wonho, Minhyuk, Shownu, Kihyun, Jooheon, Hyungwon, Changkyun

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, eventual explicit content

Exclaimer: Any writing submitted by myself does not reflect the real members of Monsta X or Starship Entertainment. Any dialog or actions written in this piece is based solely on fiction and does not infer that the members would act this way. This was created purposely for fan entertainment and is not factual.

I would like to personally thank @wonholypeach for being my beta reader for this fic and for designing the header image. She was basically my co-author in many ways, for not only helping me edit but for taking the time out of her day to create the header and for letting me go over ideas with her. We both spent several days working on this to make sure that everything was perfect, so speaking for the both of us, we hope that you enjoy it.

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Five | Chapter Six

Chapter Four

No one attempted to follow him. Hoseok wasn’t sure how long he’d been walking. It could have been minutes or several hours; he’d lost track of time as he trudged further and further away from his friends and the thug that he’d nearly beaten to death.

He couldn’t go back to his apartment. That would be the first place they’d look to find him. He couldn’t go see his mother either--he hadn’t a steady income in quite some time and had nothing to give back to her if she offered to take him in for the time being. Impulse caused him to venture to the only place he ever seemed to gain any sort of self-control and peace of mind; the gym.

Picking the lock on the back door, Hoseok entered without much difficulty and made his way inside. It was well past midnight and no one was working, but he kept his guard up just in case, practically tip-toeing through the facility. When he finally found what he was looking for he removed his shirt and jacket and wrapped his hands in bandages that he knew were stored away. After the bandages were fastened he approached a punching bag that was secured from the ceiling and began hitting it, letting out all of the fury that was still trapped inside of him from earlier. He sent several jabs and blows in different directions, timing each punch perfectly so that the bag held no resistance. When he wasn’t hitting it with his fists he was sending several strikes with his feet and knees, punching and kicking until he was bathed in sweat. In his last rush of adrenaline he shouted and smacked the punching bag, hurting his fist in the process but he didn’t register any pain. He leaned onto it, trying hard to hold back any tears--too tired from having cried so much the day before.

“You’ll only hurt yourself if you keep at it like that,” Shownu said.

Hoseok turned to the voice, seeing his eldest friend standing in the far corner of the room. Shownu approached him, watching Hoseok from the other side of the punching bag.

“I don’t care,” Hoseok replied, looking away.

Shownu shook his head. “Let me see your hand.”

“It’s nothing,” Hoseok replied, moving away. He had in fact injured his hand in the process, blood seeping through the bandages on his knuckles.

“Minhyuk’s okay. We took him to a hospital,” Shownu stated. “He’s worried about you.”

“He shouldn’t be,” Hoseok replied, almost wanting to chuckle.

“We’re all worried about you,” Shownu remarked.

“I could’ve killed him, Shownu. I nearly killed a man,” Hoseok said. “I’ve had a rough life, I get that. I’ve been through Hell and back. I’ve knocked so many men unconscious in the ring that I’ve lost count, but never in my life has anything like that ever happened.”

“You were protecting your friend.”

“It wasn’t that,” Hoseok replied, his voice trembling. “I don’t know what it was.”

Shownu placed a hand on Hoseok’s shoulder, getting the other’s attention. “I’ve seen you fight and that’s what it was. It was self defense.”

Hoseok was shaking his head, still not convinced. “I don’t know. I don’t know anymore.”

Shownu embraced him before Hoseok could argue, holding onto him and patting his back. It wasn’t like how Minhyuk hugged him; Shownu was much larger, with broad shoulders and arms that seemed like they could squeeze the life out of him if he wanted to. Although he meant well it didn’t seem to ease any of Hoseok’s distress, but he mumbled a thank you nonetheless.

“They should be releasing Minhyuk tonight.  Thankfully he didn’t get any serious injuries,” Shownu said, letting go of Hoseok.

“What about the others?”

“Jooheon and Changkyun are with him. Kihyun and Hyungwon are back at your apartment.”

Hoseok sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. “Why are they there?”

“I told you; they’re worried about you,” Shownu replied.

“How can they be worried after what I did? They should be afraid,” Hoseok retorted, removing the bandages from his hands. He inspected the cuts that now adorned his right fist, using the bandages to wipe any blood away.

Shownu laughed lightly. “No one is afraid of you. They care about you is all.”

Hoseok shook his head, not understanding any of it. He couldn’t comprehend why anyone would still want to be associated with him after what he did. He didn’t live an easy life and they understood that. He had to fight to stay alive, just as Shownu was doing now, and he’d had some alarming encounters with criminals before. But he’d never sink so low as to kill someone, even if his own life was on the line. In that moment in the alley he hadn’t been concerned about his own well being--the thug could have easily concealed a weapon in his clothing and used it long before Hoseok attacked. It was seeing Minhyuk in such a horrid state that triggered something within him--watching as he lay almost motionless on the ground and afraid that he’d been dead. He hadn’t been thinking when he attacked the man; something almost feral had consumed him.

Hoseok shook the thought away, not wanting to work himself into such an emotional state again. “How did you find me here?”

“I followed you,” Shownu replied, smiling lightly. “C’mon, we should get going.”

“Shownu, I’m not going with you,” Hoseok replied, pulling his shirt back on over his head.

“No one’s mad at you, they’re just worried about you,” Shownu said. “You’re our leader and they look up to you. How do you think it’s going to make them feel if you don’t show up?”

“I don’t know why you all call me that,” Hoseok replied, putting his jacket on. “I’m no leader and this isn’t some kind of gang.”

“You already know why we do,” Shownu remarked.

“Maybe you should lead them then,” Hoseok retorted.

Shownu gripped Hoseok by the shoulders, looking directly into his eyes. “Stop this already. Take a few deep breaths and let’s get out of here.”

Hoseok couldn’t escape Shownu’s grasp even if he wanted to, so he didn’t try to fight. Instead he let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck while he thought it over. “Alright, fine.”

With a pleased smile on his face, Shownu released him and clapped him on the back. Reluctantly, Hoseok followed his hyung, taking deep breaths as he’d suggested as they made their way back to his apartment.

When they returned Kihyun and Hyungwon were settled on the couch, chatting over a video playing on Kihyun’s cellphone. After Hoseok entered they immediately quieted and watched them, obviously unsure what to say or do. Shownu had bought a six pack while they were out and opened a beer, making himself comfortable on the couch beside them.

“How’s Minhyuk?” Hoseok asked.

“He’s fine, I just talked to him,” Kihyun replied. “They should be coming back soon.”

Hoseok nodded but didn’t reply.

“How are you feeling?” Hyungwon asked.

“I don’t know,” Hoseok replied.

Hoseok helped himself to one of the beers, sitting on the floor opposite of them. He popped the cap and took a long swig, debating on how to approach the current situation. Thinking over what had happened, he wondered if Hyungwon was okay, as Minhyuk had said that he’d been the one they targeted. “Minhyuk told me that they went after you, Hyungwon. Are you alright?” he asked.

“Shownu chased them off before they could do anything,” Hyungwon replied. “But I didn’t know that one of them stayed behind. I followed Shownu and we were a block away when it happened. I--” Hyungwon’s voice broke off and he looked away from the others, trying to compose himself.

Shownu rubbed Hyungwon’s shoulder, trying to comfort him. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Of course it was. It was the same kid who attacked me at university,” Hyungwon replied.

“No, it wasn’t,” Hoseok attested. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”

Hyungwon didn’t argue, staying silent. The room was quiet; the only audible sounds coming from cars passing by outside and a door opening on the bottom floor of the building.

“Sounds like they’re here,” Kihyun announced, getting up and going to the door.

Jooheon and Changkyun entered followed by Minhyuk who was now able to stand on his own. Despite this, Changkyun kept a close eye on him, a hand gently pressed against his back as they made their way inside the apartment. Shownu got up from the couch to make room for Minhyuk, going to help him but Minhyuk refused any assistance.

“I’m fine, hyung,” Minhyuk attested, carefully sitting down. “It’s really not that bad.”

Hoseok was now standing, still situated on the far side of the room. His eyes had widened after seeing Minhyuk, who now had stitches and a bandage applied on the side of his upper left cheek. He wanted nothing more than to approach him and make sure that he was okay, but his feet were firmly glued to the floor, too nervous to move.

It was Kihyun who sat down beside Minhyuk and inspected his bandages, asking him several times if he was okay. Minhyuk smiled softly, assuring his friend that everything was alright.

“They gave me painkillers, I’ll be fine,” Minhyuk said, pulling a pill bottle out from his pocket and shaking it. “Plus, Hyungwon looks a lot worse.”

“Thanks, hyung,” Hyungwon replied, laughing lightly.

Hoseok was watching him, subconsciously biting on his bottom lip. Minhyuk finally looked over in his direction and made eye contact with him, and it took all of Hoseok’s resolve not to run away.

“Minhyuk, I’m sorry,” was all that came out from between Hoseok’s lips, his voice wavering. “If only I’d been there--”

“Hyung, it’s not your fault,” Minhyuk interjected. “Stop blaming yourself for everything. There was no way we could’ve known what was going to happen.”

“That’s not the point!” Hoseok replied, his voice rising.

The apartment had become incredibly quiet. Shownu kept a watchful eye on Hoseok but didn’t approach him. Jooheon and Changkyun looked at each other and Kihyun let out a deep sigh.

“Hyung, then what is the point?” Kihyun asked.

“Don’t push him,” Jooheon mumbled a reply, almost in warning.

“What?” Kihyun added, his voice now raised. “Even if Hoseok hadn’t been there you know we would’ve done something. We wouldn’t just stand idly. That’s not who we are.”

“If Hoseok hadn’t done it you know I would’ve,” Changkyun replied.

“Enough! We’re not criminals! We’re not thugs and we’re certainly not killers,” Hoseok exclaimed, the room quieting again. “What I did wasn’t okay. I don’t think that I can ever look at myself the same way again. Just because I did it does not give any of you the excuse to do so.”

Hoseok’s hands were balled into fists, his face flush with anger and an affluence of other turbulent emotions. He took a few deep breaths, calming himself before continuing. “If you want to live like that then fine, I don’t care, but you’ll have to leave then.”

“We’re not leaving you, hyung,” Minhyuk replied.

“No one is leaving,” Shownu asserted.

Everyone looked around the room at each other, seeming to be in agreement. Hoseok closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, questioning so many things but voicing none. Sighing, he finished the rest of his beer before saying, “I need to think,” and made his way to the bedroom.