Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Friday nights are supposed to be for parties and yolo-kind of fun, but for Jino, they are not.

Typing furiously at his phone, Jino tells his driver to hurry up as he loses his tie, his jacket, and the waistcoat of his three-piece suit. He fumbles as he rolls up his sleeves and combs his fingers through his hair. He sighs in frustration and just hopes he gets there on time.

He knows they are nearing his destination when his Range rover goes off-road, heading towards what seems to be an abandoned town. It is because of this that he chooses his Range rover amongst all his luxurious cars. Jino sees the abandoned deli as the vehicle slowly reduces speed. This is not the first time he has been here so no wonder why his driver knows exactly where to drop him off.

"Thank you, Mr. Choi. I already asked Mr. Kim to fetch you here. When he arrives you can just go with him. I'll drive myself home later."

"Yes, Mr. Sim. Just message me if you will ever need anything. Please, be careful. This is a dangerous place."

"You sound like my dad. Bye I have to go now."

Jino wastes no more time as he steps down his car and goes inside the dark deli. The only working light is an old one and it is only a matter of time before it starts flickering. That does not seem to bother Jino, though, as he spots a tall lad who was actually waiting for him since he messaged him a while ago.

"Noa, has it started yet?"

"Not yet, hyung. Why are you here? Did you escape from one of your grand parties again? Because I swear to god, hyung, Heli hyung's gonna be mad at you."

"I've made my appearance there already. The party is not even that important. Can we go now?"

"Hyunggg"

Noa's whines fall on deaf ears as Jino was now aggressively walking towards where he needs and wants to be.

They went to one of the deli's corner where what seems to be a storage room was situated. The door is old; its paint wearing off as it ages with this ghost town. Jino opens with no second thoughts and instead of being faced with a supply room, he is now on top of a stairs. The walls are decorated with small dim lights that do not help his vision that much. If only he has not been here for numerous times already, he would, for sure, trip and fall. He goes down the steps rapidly, seeming to memorize just how high each step is.

"Your brother is gonna be the death of me." Jino tells Noa who was trailing behind him.

"Yeah? and when he sees you later, you are gonna be the death of him." Noa says back, still amused at the fact that Jino once again ditched a company party just to be here, for Heli.

The end of the stairs lead to a small arena. It is now time for the main event so as expected, the venue is full. There is a vacant area in the middle of all the chaos. A lot of people are seated around it on plastic chairs, but even more people are standing up. They are placing their last-minute bets before the match begins. The smell of liquor and smoke fills the air as Jino and Noa make their way further inside.

They stood on the furthest corner and Jino's nerves are on the roofs, because there in the vacant area, standing as one of tonight's competitors, is Heli. His black hair is wet, whether from his sweat or not, Jino doesn't know. He is wearing his usual loose tank top, his denim pants, and his old sneakers. Heli's gaze is hard on his supposed opponent for the night. The man was larger and buffer than Heli is. The underdog between them is obviously Heli and that makes the worry in Jino greater. Bile making its way up, Jino just wants to vomit. He knows this match is gonna be tough for Heli and it takes all of his being to stop himself from dragging Heli out of this place. He knows Heli won't like that.

Hell, Heli does not even want him to be here tonight as he was supposed to be somewhere else. The referee then makes the signal and the bell rings, echoing through Jino's ears and piercing right through his guts.

~

Heli is fast and that has always been his advantage. That, however, is not enough as no matter how fast he is, his opponent always seems to dodge and counter his attacks. A smirk from his opponent tells Heli that his moves had been studied. He just knows his speed would not be effective this time. Guess he just has to do whatever then. He throws a punch which ended up just on his opponent's arm. This was then retaliated with a sharp punch on his gut. Heli doubles over. This started the series of punches all over his body; on his face, on his arms, on his stomach, and just anywhere the hits would land on. Heli, ever defiant, refuses to lose just like that. He throws in a few punches of his own, but his opponent just takes them all, as if only gettinhg barely hurt. Heli moves around, getting more and more tired from dodging and being beaten up.

A hard punch right on his jaw throws him down on the hard ground. Heli is tired, dizzy, and his surroundings spin around him. Try as he may, he could not get up before the count reaches 10. Just like that and the match is over. He will get some money from this match but it would not be as much as he would have if he won.

His opponent stood up victorious as Heli just lays there, staring at the ceiling, almost drifting out of the tiredness of his whole being. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he hears his heaven amidst the mixed booing and cheering of the crowd.

"Heli! "

Heli thinks he is just hallucinating, but then he hears it again.

"Heli! Don't sleep!!"

As fast as his body allows him to, Heli looks for the source of the yelling. There, amongst the people, who are either cheering or booing, is Jino begging for him to stay awake and stay out of unconsciousness.

Heli stood up, dizzy, disoriented, body aching and all, and makes his way to Jino. He stumbles on his steps as he walks through the crowd. When he comes face-to-face with Jino, the younger stares at him with worry evident in his eyes. His eyes are also glassy with tears. Heli grabs Jino's wrist as gently as he could and drags him out of there. Noa following closely behind them.

Heli did not stop walking until they reach the outside of the deli, near Jino's rover. Heli, as if running out of the last pump of adrenaline in his veins, slumps down on the grassy ground and leans on one of the rover's rear wheels. Jino looks at him immediatly lays his hand in front of Noa who knows exactly what he needs. Noa grabs inside of his bag and brings out an energy drink and a first aid kit.

These are actually given by Jino who instructed Noa to always bring them whenever Heli has a match. As if part of a routine, Jino opens the drink and hands it over to Heli who drinks it right away. Jino takes out a clean towel from the kit and starts wiping dirt off of Heli's face. Bruises and wounds are starting to show on Heli's face so Jino was as careful as he can be. Heli flinches as Jino cleans up the cuts he has but his flinching isn't as hard as Jino's when he suddenly speaks up.

"You are supposed to be at a party. Why are you here?" Heli asks him, staring right into him.

Jino was busying himself with tending to Heli's bruises to avoid answering the question.

"Jino. Answer."

"What?"

"What what? We talked about this.You are not supposed to be here."

"You know I won't be able to focus on that stupid company party anyway, knowing that you have a match."

"You shouldn't have ditched that event for me."

"I wanted to. I needed to. You really should stop doing this, Heli. I told you our company has a lot of jobs for you. Stop this, please."

"Jino... We talked about this.. This is where I belong, not in your sky-reaching buildings."

Jino sharply looks at him and it looks like he has more to say but decides to stop himself and purses his lips.

Heli smiles lightly. He knows Jino is not done with this subject yet but it is a good thing he drops it off, for now.

"You look good, so pretty." Heli attempts to lighten the mood up.

"And you look beaten up."

Heli chuckles and raises his right hand to tuck Jino's stubborn strands of hair behind his ear.

Jino looks at him and he sees Heli already staring at him with a silly smile on his wounded lips.

This. This is what Jino's Friday nights are. Because Jino would choose to be in a deli turned underground brawl arena than to be in an expensive hotel for a grand party. The stark contrast is appalling and Jino just always chooses Heli.

Chapter Text

“Are you okay now?” Jino asks Heli. The Range rover is now parked away from the deli. They did not want to be bothered by the people who will be going out of the arena soon so Jino decided to drive them away from there.

“Hmm. I told you already, I am fine. I need to go back there to get my motorbike so that Noa and I could trail behind you later when you drive back home.”

“What? You’re driving? In that condition? No way, Heli.”

“Jino, I told you, I am fine. Okay?”

“No. I’ll ride with you then. Just to be sure you’re safe.”

Heli sighs. “Jino, I can drive safely thank you very much. And if you ride with me, how about Noa?”

“He can drive this then.”

“W-What m-me? T-this rover? Jino hyung, are you sure?”

“Yeah, why not? Just make sure to drive safely. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“I mean of course, but I’m scared what if I accidentally have it scratched or dented?”

“Jino, you’re crazy.”

“What? Noa knows how to drive already. I’ve taught him and he even has his license now.”

Jino grabs his coat from the backseat beside Noa, removes his seatbelt and goes out of the car. Heli sighs once more and follows him outside.

“Jino, seriously.”

“Heli come on. Let’s get your bike.” Jino answered back and starts walking back to where the deli was.

“You’re so stubborn.”

“And so are you.”

~

Heli gets his helmet from where it was hanging from the bike and asked Jino to go near him. Heli combs Jino’s hair away from his face before he wears the helmet on Jino’s head. He straps and locks it right after. He then grabs Noa’s helmet and wears that.

“Hop on then, stubborn baby.” Heli says, finally giving up on arguing with Jino.

“Shut up. You are stubborn, not me. And wear this first. It’s cold. You’re not planning on riding with just a tank top on, I suppose?”

Heli looks at the coat that Jino was giving him and then looks at Jino who insistently pushes the coat further towards Heli.

“How about you? You’re gonna be cold.”

“I’m wearing long sleeves, Heli.”

“Fine fine.” Heli sighs defeatedly for the nth time tonight, grabs the coat and wears it.

When he was all settled, he looks at Jino and signals for him to hop on. Just when Jino was about to hop behind Heli, his stomach grumbles loudly. It did not help that the surroundings was so quiet, so Heli easily heard it.

He gave Jino a hard look.

“You did not eat? You came from a party and did not bother to eat? I told you not to skip meals didn’t I?”

Jino looks at him apologetically.

“Sorry, ‘was so busy a while ago I forgot to eat.”

“I’ll bring you to one of your restaurants so you could eat.”

“Actually, can we go to that food park that you brought me to last time? I really liked the tteokbokki and ramen there. Please Heli.”

“You sure you want to eat there?”

“Yeah, I have been craving for those.”

Jino pouts and Heli can’t help but smile. He pinches Jino’s nose and chuckles at him.

“Let’s go then.”

Jino hops on immediately.

“Hold tight, baby.”

Jino felt his cheeks heating up at the endearment. It isn’t the first time Heli called him that but he still blushes every time.

He placed his hands around Heli who pulls his arms closer to his body and wraps them around his own waist.

“There, better.” Heli smiles and started driving.

~

The Range rover trails behind Heli’s motor bike as they park outside what seems to be a food park.

Heli shuts the engines down just as Jino was pulling out the helmet on his head. Noa parks the rover neatly beside the bike.

Jino excitedly hops down and hands Heli back his helmet.

“Come on, faster guys. I am soooo hungry.”

Noa, who just got down from the rover, hands the keys back to Jino.

“Jino hyung, the best king ever, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to drive a rover in this lifetime.” Noa says and bows like how a prince would right after.

Jino laughs and holds Noa’s arm as they walk side-to-side towards the food park’s entrance.

Heli was behind them, smiling while looking at their backs. His body is still aching and he is now starting to feel all his bruises and his wounds, but he is happy.

~

They are now sitting on the hard concrete that separates the sea from the food park. This is what Jino likes the most in this place, the sea. The wind was blowing mildly at the two mops of black hair.

Jino was busy stuffing his cheeks with tteokbokki and ramen and Heli was just staring at him.

“I should take a picture of you right now and sell it to the media. Imagine headlining the news with ‘Multi-billionaire, Jino Sim, was spotted at a food park in Yeosodo district, eating messily with cheeks full’ hahaha that would be something, huh?”

“You can’t do that. You never want me in trouble.”

“Yeah. I can’t.”

Jino stuck his tongue out at Heli.

“You’re such a messy eater.” Heli told him and reaches out a hand to wipe some tteokbokki sauce on the side of Jino’s lips.

“I’m just soooo hungry.”

“That’s why I told you to not skip meals.”

“Sorry.”

“Hmm. Here have some more.”

Heli feeds Jino some of his tteokbokki and Noa who was coming back from buying drinks, stares at the two and decides to give them a little more alone time. Noa smiles seeing his Heli hyung watching Jino eat. His hyung has always been prioritizing his needs and has always been taking care of him. It is such a relief knowing that someone was taking care of his hyung, too.

~

It is more than half-past midnight that the Lee brothers arrived home, after convoying with Jino back to his condo.

“Hyung, you know I could go back to doing part time at the café down the street. I promise I won’t let it get in the way of my studies.”

“Noa.. we talked about this already. You don’t need to worry about anything other than your studies right now. It’s your last three semesters so I bet your school works are gonna be tougher.”

“But hyung, you’re always physically hurt with these underground brawls.”

“It’s fine. I’m fine, Noa.”

“Hyung….”

“By the way, here is your allowance for next week. If you need more, just tell me okay?”

“Hyung, I’m sorry…”

“Hey, what for? Also, don’t cry.”

Noa couldn’t help it, though, as tears keep streaming down his face.

“I couldn’t do anything to help you with all our expenses. Plus, I know the bank has already been bothering you more for the payment of all our debts.. They’re gonna take the house, aren’t they?”

“Don’t worry, Noa. I’m not gonna let them take the house okay?”

“But how are you gonna pay our parents’ debts, hyung?”

“I’m halfway through the payment, okay? Don’t think too much.”

“Hyung just let me work, too. I can just stop school and work with you so that we could pay the debt off and save our house.”

“Noa, I told you, everything’s fine. You need to finish school so that you can be an engineer. That’s your dream, right?”

“How about your dreams, hyung? Why is it always me. Why do you always have to sacrifice for me?”

“Noa, you’re all I have now.. of course, I’d do everything for you.. And about the house.. I won’t let anyone take what’s left of our parents, okay?”

“Hyung.. thank you so much for not giving up.”

“You don’t give up on family, Noa.”

Heli smiles and it’s all blurry through Noa’s teary eyes.

Chapter Text

Heli anxiously taps his feet as he was sitting down, waiting for more than an hour now.

In his hands is an envelope with an all-too familiar form inside, one that he has filled up numerous times for numerous attempts.

The police officer seated across the room was looking at him with irritation evident in his face. Heli bids him no attention as he was too focused on the task at hand. He is here to again file another report in an attempt to have their parents' murder cases re-opened.

Another police officer comes out from the room situated just adjacent to Heli.

"You." The officer looks at Heli.

"You can go in now."

Heli spares no second in getting up and going in.

~

A well-built man was seated behind the desk. "Police Captain Yoon" is what the name plaque says.

The Police Captain was smoking, not even caring at the numerous envelopes on his table. Envelopes titled with "Lee Jaehyuk and Lee Eunha" were piled up on top of the desk and Heli has the feeling that the envelope he is holding will just be thrown over the pile and be kept in one of the rusty drawers in the room again.

"Sit down."

Heli obeys and just when he was about to talk, the captain rudely interrupts after blowing out smoke from his almost finished cigar.

"Are you not getting tired? I have told you numerous times that your parents case can't be re-opened anymore. It has been closed for 12 years now."

"How can it be closed when not even one suspect is named?"

"Okay tell me this, if you ever get to know who the murderer is, could you even do anything about it? I mean, don't you have debts to prioritize other than this? How can you even pay lawyers and investigators for your parents' murders when you can't even pay your debts?" The captain's tone is almost laughing with mockery now and Heli gets sick to his stomach. He wants nothing more but to wipe that smirk off this man's face. Heli closed his fist tighter, fighting the urge to just punch the captain.

"Tsk, getting mad aren't we? Come on let's not waste both our times. Just hand over your envelope and I'll make sure to look into it again."

As if. Heli knows this was a full-blown sarcasm, but he hands him the envelope anyways. Heli stood up quickly right after and stares down at the seated captain.

"You can go now." The captain's smirk widens as he sees how hard Heli was trying to compose himself. Heli retreats and each step going out of the room and out of the police station was heavy. Heli left with not a single ounce of hope.

~

Jino has been so unproductive since after lunch.

It was around that time that he messaged Heli asking for updates on his planned visit to the police station.

It has been 5 hours and yet there was no response from Heli.

Jino has just finished yet another boring meeting and he felt more stressed that there was no notification from Heli.

He then decided to messaged Noa asking for Heli's whereabouts.

It is not even a minute later that the younger replied.

From: Noa
He's been in his room since we arrived home after he fetched me at 2 pm, hyung.

Jino immediately stands up and grabs his keys from his office desk.

Jino made his way to the parking of his building and rode his Bentley.

The road to Heli's house is a marked map on Jino's mind. Given the shortcuts that Jino discovered on the several times that he went to the Lee's residence, it was not even an hour that he arrived.

It was Noa who opened the gate for him. He gave Noa a dinner take-out that be bought along the way.

Noa thanks him as they enter the house.

Jino sees Noa's school sheets scattered on the table in their living room. Music was playing from Noa's phone and no signs of Heli anywhere.

Noa turned his music off.

"Sorry Hyung it's a little messy. I have school works that I need to finish so they're kinda all over the place."

"'s okay Noa. Just continue with your school works and don't forget to eat. I'll go upstairs and hope Heli opens his door."

"Jino hyung.. thank you.. "

Noa smiles slightly at Jino who pats his head.

~

Heli's door is locked. Of course. It is now a confirmed assumption that the visit to the police station was not good. Jino sighs and knocks.

"Heli. Open up."

"..."

"Heli, come on. Open up."

"...."

"Heli. Fine. I'll wait here. I have no where else I need to be anyway so yeah."

Jino sits down in front of the door, back leaned against the wooden surface.

It isn't long though, just a few minutes in approximate, that Jino hears the door being unlocked. He stands up immediatelt and twists the door knob. It was a relief that the door opened.

~

Smoke was all over the room and the smell of banana was thick in the air. Heli has always liked the banana-flavoured vape juice.

Heli was seated on the floor, at the foot of his bed, back against it.

Heli is vaping and Jino knows he has been doing so since a while ago.

Jino stands in front of Heli and grabs the vape from his hand. The vape was black in color with gold linings on its edges. A sun with rays was embossed on its front and it was highlighted in silver, contrasting greatly with the darkness of its entirety.

Heli looks up at him and Jino breathes out a gasp at his bloodshot eyes. There was pain, anger, confusion in those eyes and Heli looks so lost. Jino kneels down in front of him and cups his face with both his hands, the vape forgotten on the floor.

"Heli. What happened?."

Heli tries to move his head and avoids the eye contact.

Jino, though, is more stubborn than he is. The hold on his face is tighter and Heli stops trying to avoid Jino's eyes.

"Heli, talk to me."

"Same shit."

"What do you mean?"

"They don't want to re-open the case."

"What did they say?"

"That fucker told me I don't even have the money for the lawyers and all that shit. Fucking money fucking runs the world, yeah?"

Heli is mad, but the hold on his face is gentle and soft. There was suddenly a thumb wiping the tears that he did not even notice. Heli is crying and there is a sharp pain in Jino's chest that pushes him to hug the former tight.

They sat there in silence. Jino was rubbing his back and was silently kissing his temple, and Heli's arms are enveloped around Jino's body. Heli pulls him closer and when the sobs died down, there were feather-like kisses on Jino's neck.

Heli's lips were dry but soft against his neck and Jino's body weakens.

Jino pulls slightly away and looks at Heli.

There was still anger and pain there, but there was also desire.

"Jino.. can I?"

Heli leans forward and their faces are suddenly so close to each other that they can feel their breaths fanning each other's skin.

Jino lifts his face up and dives into the kiss right away, agreeing to whatever.

The kiss was slow at first, but as they both got lost in it and as the room blurs out of their minds, the kiss became more aggressive. Heli's mind zeroes in on Jino and Jino alone. His lips felt like water against his thirsty and dry ones. It is when Heli angles himself up and started to deepen the kiss that access was granted by Jino, mouth opening up for Heli to get a taste.

Heli pulled Jino's body impossibly closer that the later was on his lap. Heli lets him breathe, separating their lips, but trailing wet kisses on his feverish skin, his jaw, his neck.

"H-heli.."

Jino calls his name out in a whisper.

Heli's lips were back on his own, seeming to not last long in not being able to taste his sweet pair.

Heli's hands were unstoppable too as they work their way inside Jino's long sleeves. Heli's cold hands against his hot skin gave shockwaves to Jino's being.

Heli's lips then found their way to Jino's ear, blowing hot breaths and nibbling whatever skin they land on. Jino felt sensitive all over and it his hold on Heli's head tightens with some hair getting pulled between fingers.

"Heli, fuck" Jino blurts out just as Heli's hand found one of his nipples, slowly drawing circles around it.

Heli's other hand fumbles with the buttons of Jino's annoying long sleeves. As the expanse of Jino's chest was slowly getting exposed, Heli's kisses trailed even more downwards.

Jino gasps loudly amidst the silence in the room when Heli's tongue circled around one of his buds.

Jino's eyes were closed and he feels dizzy, high on whatever Heli was doing to him. He pulls Heli's head closer to his chest as the later begins to suck like he was starved for so long.

Jino's top was discarded on the floor as Heli lifts them both up from the floor. Heli lays Jino on his bed and stares at him.

"You're so fucking pretty. So fucking right. The only thing right in this ugly fucking world."

Heli discards his own shirt and goes back to kissing Jino into oblivion. Jino could not think of anything right now as all of his being was focused on how good it feels when Heli sucks his tongue and plays with his buds.

Jino's hands fumble with Heli's pants ans he feels how hard Heli is. He palms the hard on and Heli groans against where he was sucking his chest.

Heli pulls away just to get rid of all of their remaining clothes.

"So goddamn pretty, fucking hell."

"Heli, please. I need you."

"I know baby. I'm here."

Heli opens his bedside table and Jino sees the familiar bottle of lube, halfway empty already.

Heli suddenly docks his head down and licks Jino's pretty cock.

"H-Heli shit..fuck"

Jino grabs his hair he starts sucking and bobbing his head.

"F-fuck Heli, s' good fuck"

Jino's head was thrown back as his other hand was clutching the sheets on his sides.

"H-heli heli yes yes god"

Heli smirked hearing Jino's moans. Jino has always been noisy in bed and Heli loves it so much.

When Jino's grip on his hair tightens and when he hears Jino's moans become louder, he knows he's almost there, so he stops blowing him. Heli releases his cock from his mouth as Jino pants under him.

Jino looks at him with half-lidded eyes. Jino wants more. He could taste the craving for it at the tip of his tongue and through his insides.

"Heli please please"

"Yes baby shh relax"

Heli spreads Jino's legs around him even more as he wets his fingers with lube.

Heli kisses his stomach and thighs as he circles his wet finger around his rim. With a hard suck on the skin of his inner thighs, Heli pushes his finger in. It is hot and tight and Heli couldn't stop himself from probing him more.

"So fucking tight, baby."

"H-heli hnggh"

Heli pushes and pulls his finger in and out and when it is easier to do so, he adds another.

"Hmm fuck Heli more please"

Heli kisses his skin as he continues to prep him, two fingers becoming three.

Jino pants and moans until he just can't wait anymore.

"Heli please I want you now" Jino voices out demandingly and Heli is a slave to his desires.

Heli looks at Jino while positioning his manhood in front of the later's hole.

Heli watches Jino's every reaction as slowly pushes himself in. Jino's eyes closed and his mouth opens up, panting out from the intrusion.

Heli bottoms out and he knows he could just come right there and then at how hot and tight Jino was.

"Heli, fuck.. hmm feels so full"

Heli kisses his eyes, his nose, his face, his lips as he waits for his signal to move.

Jino wraps his legs around his waist and Heli takes this as the sign.

He pulls out and slams back in and this made Jino moan loudly.

Heli continued moving, setting up his pace when suddenly, Jino's fingers dig into his skin from where he was grasping his arms.

"F-fuck Heli there there please, god."

Heli sinks his teeth on Jino's shoulder as he pounds on that spot. Heli feels so good. Jino has always been so good for him.

Heli buries and grinds himself inside Jino and the later gasps and moans and he thinks he is losing his mind.

"So fucking tight, so fucking food for me, Jino.. fuck baby, you're mine."

"Hnggg yes yes Heli 'm yours, always yours. Fuck Heli so good."

Jino tightens around him and Heli saw stars, felt heaven.

"'m cumming Heli please please."

"Me too baby, me too.. fuck fuck fuck."

With a loud gasp and a loud moan, Jino's back arched and his hold on Heli's arms was bruise-forming as he cums hard all over his and Heli's bodies.

It doesn't take long before Heli was cumming inside him, filling him up. It was hot and plenty and he feels it dripping out of him.

Heli's pace slows down until he collapses on top of Jino who kissed his head.

This was not their first time and the after-sex routine and care that Heli provides Jino is the proof of that.

They cuddle under Heli's blankets like they always do and Jino stares at Heli who is now sleeping.

When will I truly be yours, Heli?

Chapter Text

It had been gloomy day and a gentle blow of the air on 14-year-old Heli's face was a clear indication of an awaiting somber night.

He was walking with 11-year-old Noa who was busy eating his ice cream.

"Thank you for this, hyung."

"Aigoo, my little Noa, of course you deserve only the best ice cream for acing your exam."

"Do you think I can request ramyeon with spam later for dinner, hyung?"

"Aww, of course. We'll tell eomma okay?"

Heli patted his brother's head and smiled down at him as they continued walking home.

~

Instead of being welcomed by their quiet home; Heli and Noa were surprised that Mr. Hwang, a middle-aged neighbor was standing in front of their gate with a very sorrowful expression painted on his face.

"Hello Mr. Hwang. Aren't you gonna walk Benny today? I could do it for you. I kinda miss him also."

"Hi Noa. Of course you can b-but u-uhm can I talk to Heli first?"

Mr. Hwang looks at Heli and Heli could have sworn that the man was so close to tearing up.

"Noa, you can go inside first." Heli told Noa and gave him the keys to their gate and house.

Mr. Hwang gently pulled Heli to the side and Heli started to have an ugly and a very unsettling feeling in his stomach. He almost wanted to vomit, as if knowing that something to so bad had occurred.

"M-Mr. Hwang i-is everything okay?"

"Heli.. I'm so sorry, son.. y-your parents.. t-they.."

"Mr. Hwang, please... what is it?"

"Heli.. someone shot your parents.. their bodies have been found in an abandoned building in Cheonsan.. T-they're gone, Heli.. I'm so sorry."

Heli felt numb. He felt himself falling down and Mr. Hwang was quick to catch him. Tears were falling down his face like waterfalls and then he was screaming, thrashing against Mr. Hwang's hug.

Those were the loudest screams he had let out in his entire life. For a quiet boy who has never raised his voice, this was the first time Heli was loud.

He could not even remember how he and Noa were brought to the hospital by Mr. Hwang and his partner Mr. Lee.

Sparing them the horrors of seeing their parents' lifeless bodies in the worst appearances, both Mr. Hwang and Mr. Lee were the ones who did all the paperworks needed. They were also the ones who paid for their parents' funerals. It was all a blur in Heli's mind but the pain and the grief still stung like it was just yesterday that all of these had happened.

It was all still so vivid, so tangible, so real.

~

Heli was walking with Noa and they both have huge smiles on their faces.

"Heli! Noa!"

They both looked ahead and saw their mother waving at them with an equally huge smile on her face. Their father was standing beside her, also smiling at them.

And then suddenly.....

Bang! Bang!

Blood was splattering everywhere as fast as their parents' bodies fell on the ground.

"N-No!! Eo-mma! A-ppa!"

Noa shouted beside him and he immediately ran towards their bloodied parents.

Noa seemed to be running towards something so far away, though. No matter how far he ran, Noa just could not reach their parents.

Heli was just standing there, watching everything unfold in front of his eyes. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything.

He couldn't do anything.

He couldn't do anything..

~

Heli gasped and immediately sat down on his bed, suddenly so awake and crying.

He sobbed hard as he tightly held his chest.

It's the same ugly nightmare again.. The nightmare that filled his mind and rendered him sleepless for a very huntingly long period of his youth.

Heli kept crying. That's all he could do, anyway.

It had been years, but it feels like it was just yesterday because 26-year-old Heli still felt as useless as he had been 12 years ago.

~

"Police Captain Yoon, District 7, I want him arrested for theft, assault, and battery. I have sent all files with all the necessary evidences. I don't think you want to anger me, Chief Park."

He ends the call and immediately throws his phone on his desk.

It is a gloomy day and the 26-year-old business magnate, dressed in a very expensive suit, was calmly seated in a modernly decorated office. His eyes are far from calm, though. There is pain, fury, and extreme rage in his brown orbs. He leaned his body on his expensive leather chair, and turned, now facing the full-length glass windows and overlooking very busy streets. Smoke filled the air around him as he exhaled. In his hand is a black rounded-rectangle vape with gold linings and a silver moon embossed on its body. The smell of strawberry filled the air, it was soothing, calming, but that just contrasts the scowl painted on his face.

The door of his office opens and he knows just who would dare enter without knocking.

"God, Jino, the fuck are you on? Are you planning to vape all day long?"

"Yeah, we had been calling you. Damn. You know how I hate waiting. You did not even answer me last night about why you asked me to dig through some Police Captain's history."

Jino turned his chair around and faced his friends.

"I thanked you, though, Solon."

"And I asked you after that but you did not reply anymore."

"What's up with that Jino?"

"You're smart Jaan, I know you know what's up."

Jaan only smirked.

"So, you're finally helping Heli, huh? What happened to letting him be because you know Heli wants to get justice through the due process?"

"The due process is as fucked up as the world, Jaan. Heli doesn't deserve shit. I'm done watching him be beaten down by these unjust freaks."

"Could you really still find the killers, though? After all these years?"

"Of course Jino can, Solon. He's Helios after all, son of none other than the most powerful mafia in the whole country."

Chapter Text

A 15-year old boy was sat silently in one of the park's rusty benches. Drenched with tears, his face was as gloomy as the dark clouds hovering the city. Jino was angrily wiping his stubborn tears away with his hand when a handkerchief, blue in color, was presented in front of him. 

"Here. Use this instead. Your eyes and cheeks are gonna hurt more if you keep using your hand for your tears."

Not knowing what to do and not wanting to be rude, Jino slowly took the piece of fabric given to him. 

A tall lad stood in front of him and when they locked eyes, said person offered him a small smile.

Jino hesitantly wipes his tears away with the blue handkerchief and the stranger suddenly sat beside him.

"Are you okay?" 

Jino, surprised by the question, looked wide-eyed at the stranger beside him. 

"Sorry, that was a stupid question. You are crying, so of course you are not okay."

The lad laughed a bit and it was a laugh so gentle that Jino wonders if this was a literal angel in front of him right now. 

"My eomma gave me that handkerchief. She told me that I could use it to wipe my tears away whenever I cry. Today, I don't think I will need it, so I can let you borrow it for a while."

"T-thank you."

The stanger suddenly looked at Jino his lips lifted up to a huge smile. 

"You sound so tiny."

"Hey! I'm not tiny." Jino answered whilst sporting a small glare directed towards this odd stranger. 

"I know I know. I said you sound tiny I did not say that you are tiny.. So, why were you crying?" 

Jino, suddenly noticing that his tears have stopped cascading down his cheeks, sighs and leaned his back on the bench. 

"It is our family day at school today and my dad is too busy to attend." 

"Oh.. well, is your mom busy too?" 

Jino's lips trembled and it looked like he wanted to cry again. 

"My mom died when I was still a baby.. so.. her attending this event would not be possible.."

"Oh.. I-I'm sorry.."

"Y-yeah."

Silence enveloped the two and it was the stranger who broke it. 

"Your dad.. did he tell you why he could not go?"

"He said he had an important matter to attend to.. something about this piece of land that he needed to have so that the villagers living there would not be homeless." 

"So it was for something good, no?"

"I know it is for something good. I am just really sad that this is the only time we could bond and yet he.. "

Jino trails off to complete silence, anger and upset slowly evaporating to thin air. 

"I'm sorry your dad was not able to attend your family day event, but I think that it equated to numerous villagers getting to celebrate with their families today in their homes. I guess your dad wanted to give the children a family day today with what he is doing.." 

Jino remained silent as the stranger leaned his back on the bench as well. 

"It is okay to feel sad, you know? To be upset even. I just hope you do not hate your dad because of things like this. You can talk to him later when you go home and tell him your feelings and if you want to still want to bond with him, maybe you can ask him when his free time is.. It doesn't need to be family day for you to spend time with your dad, you know?"

"I gues you're right...." Jino said almost whispering. 

"It is heart-breaking to lose a parent, but having to lose both is a thousand times more devastating. You still have your dad  and I hope you appreciate his presence eventhough sometimes he makes you sad." 

Jino looks at the stranger beside him, now looking up at the darkening sky. His eyes were like the clouds floating up there, heavy with rain, just waiting to pour. 

Noticing the silence from Jino, the young lad cleared his throat and suddenly stood up.

"My brother is probably waiting for me already. I guess I should get going now."

"Wait, your handkerchief."

Jino stretched his hand, giving the stranger his handkerchief back, only for it to be gently pushed back towrds him. 

"You can keep it for now so that you can have something to use if you need to cry again later.." 

"Thank you again" 

"You're welcome! I really should get going now." 

The stranger started walking away and Jino stared at his figure when he suddenly remembered something. 

"Hey! what's your name?"

The stranger faced him once again, smiling. 

"You'll know." 

And he left. 

Jino was standing in front of a huge door when it dawned on him what he was even doing. Was he really gonna follow a stranger's advice? Before he could even decide on what to really do, the door in front of him opened. His dad looked shocked at seeing him standing there. The surprised expression decorating his dad's face suddenly turned apologetic. 

"Son, can we talk?" 

"I was hoping we could, dad."

It was an hour, a news about the villagers being able to claim back their land, and a plan for a fishing trip later that Jino came out of his dad's office.

He was walking back to his room when something of a darker shade of blue fell off from his pocket. 

It was the handkerchief the stranger gave him. As he picked it up, it unfolded. It was only then that he saw a strike of gold adorning the blue fabric. Embroidered to it were four letters. 

"You'll know"

Heli. 

Chapter Text

"Why is it that everytime we hang out, Jino is stressed as fuck?"

"Shut up, Solon. I can't get a hold of Heli since 4 fucking pm."

"Ohhh , I miss Heli hyung."

A chuckle from Jaan after a death glare from Jino made the smile on Jakah's face even cheekier.

"What? I'm just hoping we can hang out with Heli hyung, too, right babe?"

"I don't think this is the right time to tease Jino, baby." Jaan replies as he pinches Jakah's cheek heartily.

"Can you pleeaaaase , for the love of God, not do these cheesy stuff in front of me?"

"You're just jealous 'cos up until now, you cannot find that cute guy in a fox onesie that you saw while you were passing through that carnival." Jakah teases Solon to which the latter quickly glared at him.

"I will find him one day, you'll see."

"Your family is one of the country's richest families and you can't find a single person?" Jaan raises his eyebrow at Solon.

"I believe in fate, okay. We will meet when the time is right."

"That was too fucking sappy, Solon." Jino finally joins in the light-hearted conversation.

"This whole room smells like strawberries already, Jino, at least get a different vape juice flavor will you?" Solon answers back, seemingly finding a new target for his teasing.

They are in a VIP room in one of Jaan's high-end bars, drinking and smoking the night away. Jino has been stressed for a while now as he cannot contact Heli for hours. Heli just always fails at communicating.

The smoke thinning in the air is a perfect visualization of Jino's thinning patience.

Meanwhile, Heli just got off from another brutal match in the brawl arena. Wiping his blood and sweat from his face, he sighed loudly. Sitting down in one of the benches in a makeshift locker room, Heli began counting his pay for the night. His expression changes into utter confusion when he counts lesser than he should have had. He repeats the counting and it did not change the results.

Pissed off, he sprints angrily towards the admin's makeshift office.

"Why the hell is this lesser than what we agreed on?" Not a knock, a hi, or a hello, was in Heli's concerns.

"Thank you would have been better, kid."

"Thank you, huh? I put my body and life on the line for these matches that you unfairly set up, and you're gonna pay me this??" Heli slams his blood-stained fist on the table. He was answered with disbelief and a smirk.

"That pretty lover of yours, you surely want him safe don't you?"

The rage in Heli's eyes turned into something close to fear. His fists tightened until his nails dig deep into the palms of his hands.

"That's right, loverboy, that expression suits you more. Scared. If I were you, I would run back to that pretty boy of yours and hold him tight before anyone else gets a hol-"

Heli did not let him finish him anymore. The idea though was already completely imprinted on his mind and it was so horrifying that Heli loses control of his fists and he starts punching the smirk off of the admin's face. And the he threw another punch, and then another, and another, until he can no longer feel his hands.

With a last push on the chest, Heli stands up and stares at the now bleeding man in front of him.

"You can get as much money as you want from me, but I will never allow you to ever lay a fucking finger on my pretty."

With rage burning through his body, Heli leaves that abandoned deli and never looked back.

~~

A speedy drive on his motorcycle could not seem to calm Heli's anger. He knows only Jino can calm him down, so he stops driving and dials his number.

"Heli, thank fuck where have- "

"Where are you?"

"The fuck? Where are you?"

"Jino."

"Do you know how long I have been waiting for your replies?"

"Jino, please."

"Fine! I'm in The Aristocrat. I'll wait for you at the entrance."

"Okay, pretty."

Jino would have blushed at that if he just was not pissed off at Heli.

Not even 20 minutes has passed when Jino spots Heli's black motorcycle and something immediately catches his attention. He runs to Heli as he saw the bruises on his knuckles.

"Heli, what the actual fu-"

Before he can even finish his sentence, Heli pulls him out of there and drags him to the dark alley beside the bar.

Heli holds Jino's shoulders and does a quick scan of Jino's entire being - seemingly wanting to check for any harm whilst he, himself, was in all shades of bruising.

"Heli, please talk to me. Where have you been?"

"I was called to do a match in the arena."

"What? but you don't have schedule today, right?"

"Yeah, but they asked for me, so.."

"Those fuckers really want you to always be beaten up."

"Yeah, but I beat one of them up a while ago."

"What? Why? What happened?"

Heli sighs, visibly more relaxed as the anger within him suddenly evaporated as he stared at Jino.

The stubborn strands of hair obstructs Jino's pretty pretty face and his pretty pretty eyes, so Heli tucks them behind his ear.

Another sigh and ..

"'Cause they threatened to take you away from me. How fucking dare they, right?"

Heli chuckles, but it is one dripping with absurdity because how fucking dare they.

"Heli.. "

"I would search heaven and hell for you, pretty. You are my pretty."

Jino stands their in utter shock as Heli pulls him in for a sweet kiss.

This was the sweetest one so far. It was longing, sweet, claiming, just so fucking wonderful. It was as if Heli was so scared to lose him. It sent fireworks throughout his body.

This is exactly why Jino would bend heaven and earth for Heli - it is because he knows Heli would do the exact same thing for him.

~~

"Do you remember that deli I told you about? I want you to go there, arrest each and every one of those bastards that run it and fucking make that place disappear."

"Copy that, Master Helios."

'Cause how fucking dare they hurt Heli, right?