THIRD PERSON POV

Sunoo was still in his room when Heeseung knocked on the door and he brought him food. When Sunoo didn't reply from another side, he entered the room only to be met with a curled ball.

Sunoo was awake but in a miserable condition. His eyes were swollen, red, and puffy, cheeks stained with tears, hair completely messy and there was a wet patch on his pillow. Heeseung felt sad about the sight when he called for his name but Sunoo didn't respond. He looked totally spaced out, his gaze boring onto the side wall and no more tears were escaping his eyes, maybe already dried.

After trying many times when Heeseung got no response, he left with a sad face, placing food on the side table.

-

"Come in" Sunghoon said from inside as Heeseung knocked on the door.

"Than. The boy is not good. He is not responding, not eating, not talking to anyone, and just crying for many hours. If it goes on like that, I am afraid he will lose his sanity." Heeseung said in a low voice while Sunghoon was already watching Sunoo on his laptop screen. Sunghoon sighed deeply before adjusting himself on his office chair.

"What can I do? I already did enough, didn't I?" Sunghoon retorted while looking through some papers.

"Than! Come on. The boy is sensitive. I know you told him not to talk with anyone. At least let him talk with Ni-ki, maybe it will help to keep him sane. I heard him last time, he was mumbling someone's name in his sleep. You can't deny but the whole incident affected him badly, he definitely needs someone on his side." Heeseung almost pleaded in front of Sunghoon who finally looked up with a stern gaze as he threw the pen on the ground with full force.

"What name?" Sunghoon snapped making Heeseung puzzled for a moment but then he realized what he was asking.

"I didn't hear it clearly. I think it was like Jung-wo something." Heeseung moved closer to Sunghoon and patted his shoulder to calm him.

"It's natural Than. The boy is lonely, maybe he was just missing his friend. That's why I am saying to you to let him be close to Ni-ki, it will help us to know more about him." Heeseung said with an assured tone, trying again.

"I don't want to know about him. I own him now and I don't know anything else. Why Should care for him?"Sunghoon again snapped at his hyung but Heeseung knew how to convince him.

"Well. What if he falls sick again? Or what if his body becomes weak and unattractive? He is losing the shine of his skin. If conditions go worse, no one will pay for him." Heeseung  used his last weapon to convince him, though he never wanted to send Sunoo to auction, he hoped that maybe Than won't send him to auction once he get to know him.

Sunghoon was taken aback by those Words. It wasn't like he cared for the boy and wasn't much interested in money too but he was more concerned about his reputation. He thought for a good moment and then nodded.

"Fine, but tell Nishimura to make him do work with him, keep him busy. Now you can leave." With that Sunghoon again started doing his work while Heeseung left with a victory smile. He quickly made his way to Ni-ki who was working in the kitchen and told him to take care of Sunoo. Ni-ki gladly accepted the order and went to his room.

Sunoo was still laying like before, with no emotion on his face. Ni-ki's heart clenched at the view. He slowly walked to him and softly ruffled Sunoo's hair he flinched a bit but soon relaxed after seeing a smiling Ni-ki.

"Get up Sunoo hyung. You are looking like a zombie and I am not much into the horror genre. So please do a favor and freshen up." Ni-ki said with a bright tone as he made himself comfortable on side of the bed. Sunoo was looking at him with purely confused eyes as he remembered Sunghoon's words.

"Relax, Than told me to do so. He allowed me to be with you and to take care of you. Now get up sleeping beauty and have some food." Sunoo lightly smiled after hearing those words.
Sunghoon send him to take care of him?

Ni-ki managed to make him freshen up and eat but he barely ate a few bites of his food as he said he wasn't hungry. Ni-ki tried a lot but he continuously denied it and in the end, the younger was defeated.

"If you are feeling ok then let's go to the kitchen and help me make something, will you? I heard you can cook?" Ni-ki chuckled when Sunoo quickly shook his head and then smiled his boxy smile.

"I can't cook much but knows a bit," Sunoo mumbled while getting up. Ni-ki and he made their way towards the kitchen while other men of the Mafia were looking at the petite boy like they can eat him with their eyes. Sunoo was quite uncomfortable with all those boring eyes but thanks to Ni-ki who noticed the tension and glared back at all of them who averted their eyes quickly as no one wanted to be scolded byy that loud butler.

After spending some time in the kitchen they  kitchen they talked about some random stuff. Sunoo was smiling more often as he was feeling safe with Ni-ki. They spend their day with each other.

The next day, Ni-ki again took him and made him do some little tasks in the kitchen.

"Sunoo hyung you know, Than is not a bad person," Ni-ki stated while cutting some fruits and Sunoo rolled his eyes.. the man who hurt him many times, both mentally and physically .

how he can be a good person?

"Believe me Hyung. He is just rude for Some reason. You know what, I was abandoned by my uncle after the death of my parents, they literally left me on the streets to die, I was only 10 but Than took me from the street and brought me here.. in this mansion. He helped me to go to school and in turn, I was assigned to take care of him but in return he took care of me. In that time span, I get the chance to know him. He had a diamond heart, hard but precious, and you know, almost more than half of the all men you see here had a past like me and THAN helped them all."

Ni-ki explained in a low voice as Sunoo was listening with his head hung low.

"To make them his slave?" Sunoo chuckled humorously.

"This wasn't like that, he gave them full
authority to choose whether they want to stay here or want to do something else but most of them stayed here, saying they want to protect him as a repay." Ni-ki smiled as Sunoo's eyes widened.

"Ok, now tell me about you." Ni-ki chirped with excitement, he was almost done with his work and quickly sat on the chair near the red-haired.

Sunoo smiled while his eyes were already filled with tears, what should he tell the other?

"My life was hell and now it's damn hell." Sunoo wiped his tears with his sleeves, a sad smile adorned on his face.

"Hey, come on, Hyung. You had no idea, there are lots of people living a terrible life but we don't know. They survived because they hope for something good. You should be happy that you are already out of that hell and believe me this place is way better." Sunoo just looked up and after a few moments of silence, he again started.

"I had a best friend. His name is Jungwon and is the only person I know. I didn't complete my degree because of my father. I love arts but.." Heaving out small sigh he tried to smile.

"Maybe one day, I will try to continue my degree." Suddenly a glint of hope shined in his eyes.

"R-Ri-ki, where is my cell phone?
I missed Jungwon, he left for a job in another city and I want to know if he is ok." Sunoo was looking with his puppy eyes and Ni-ki cooed at the sight.

"Don't know, maybe it's in Than's office." Ni-ki shrugged while handing Sunoo juice who looked up with questioning eyes.

"To Than's office. I realy need to go washroom.. please Hyung. Also, he hates it when his routine is disturbed. Please~." Ni-ki literally whined while tapping his feet on the floor, showing the need. Sunoo smiled at his condition and nodded and it took a second for Ni-ki to storm out of the kitchen, making weird noises.

Sunoo giggled at his childish behavior but soon his smile faded as he remembered the task.

"Than's office." Sunoo was repeating the words in his mind while slowly walking out of the kitchen.

Sunghoon's office was on the left side while Sunoo was going on the right but luckily Heeseung was walking out of Sunghoon's's office when he noticed Sunoo.

"Hey boy! Where are you going?" Heeseung called him as he looked back showing him a juice glass.

Heeseung simply pointed towards the door of Sunghoon's office and smiled as Sunoo blinked many times to proceed before finally understanding and going to the office.

Heeseung stormed out of the mansion and Sunoo knocked on the door and heard a muffled voice from Sunghoon from inside. Sunoo was about to open the door but Sunghoon opened it from the other side making Sunoo jump a little but thanks to his strong grip he didn't let go of the juice.

Sunghoon was on his phone as he looked up for a brief moment at Sunoo and said him to place the juice on the table and set his room with that Sunghoon left.

Sunoo sighed in relief as he saw him going out of the mansion without shouting at him. He made his way to the table and placed the juice then looked around the room, it was messy as all the paper's were scattered on the floor, maybe the other was in hurry.

He quickly started grabbing the papers and placed them on the table. Doing so he heard a loud thunder that made him flinch.

"Maybe it's in Than's office."

Ni-ki's words echoed in his brain. Taking a huge moment to ponder on that thought when he realized that Sunghoon was still out, he made a bold move.

Sunoo started checking the drawer of the table, moving his hand quickly as his heart was beating fast. He didn't think anymore for a second time as he rushed to another side of the table and started searching for his cell phone in haste but before he could find something he heard a clapping sound.

His eyes widened at the fact that someone was standing in the doorway. With shaky pupils, he looked up to see that dark aura.. again. The man started moving slowly while clapping his hands. a devilish smirk playing on his  face. Sunoo was stepping back as his body was moving on its own. The younger was visibly scared of the man.

The man

The man was no one else but
PARK SUNGHOON.

"'So you got the guts to do this in MY OFFICE!?" The raven-haired yelled. increasing his pace as he rushed to the side where Sunoo was standing.

"N- no, Mr. Than. I ju-" Sunoo was cut off by Sunghoon who yelled again, his eyes filled with fire and the younger knew, he did a mistake.

"SHUT UP! You're definitely asking for
punishment." Saying that he yanked Sunoo by his sleeve and started dragging him out of the room.

"N- no. I-I am sorry. I just... I wanted to find my phone. Pl-please. I am so- sorry." Sunoo was continuously begging and pleading as Sunghoon dragged him through his mansion floor while all of his men were not daring to look at them. Sunoo's pleads were echoing in the mansion along with the loud thunder.

Ni-ki was out of the mansion for some reason, so heeseung was. Or Others , no one ever dared to say a single word to Sunghoon when he is angry. Of course, no one wanted to get a bullet.

"Mr.Than, no no. Pl-please." Sunoo was screaming at top of his lungs but Sunghoon didn't respond as he finally stopped at the main entrance of the mansion hall. He practically threw Sunoo on the grass of his front garden which was already wet with rain.

"You should be thankful, I didn't bring my gun with me otherwise I'd have already shot you for screaming like that and if you won't shut up now," Narrowing his eyes more, Sunghoon
glared down at the other.

"-it won't bother me to shoot you right now!" Sunoo was already soaked in rain when he tried to grab Sunghoon's leg but the other quickly dodged, stepping back in an instant.

"On your knees!" Sunghoon growled and Sunoo gave up when he found no hope and followed the order but he still looked with pleading eyes.

"If you move or tried to change your position... believe me you will meet with other punishment."

"And that will be worse." Sunghoon left with those threatening words, leaving a crying Sunoo....... again.

Sunoo looked up to find a camera, he already watched this angle of footage in Sunghoon's office so he gave up struggling and accepted the punishment with a heavy heart.

The cold rain was hitting his body and the poor boy was not wearing any warm shirt or jacket. His body started shaking terribly as the rain got more heavy with the cold wind of winter, his hands were getting blue and so was his face as time passed.

At many points, his knees gave up but the boy was so much scared of other punishments that he used all of his energy to stay in the position. His head was throbbing with sharp pain and that was the only thing he was feeling at the moment as the rest of his body was getting numb.

Sunghoon went to take bath after throwing Sunoo out of his mansion. He took good 20 minutes to calm himself in a warm bath. When he dressed up, his gaze fell on the juice that Sunoo placed on the table and then on the papers, neatly placed on his desk. Ignoring that, he moved back to his room that was connected to his office and plopped on the bed, and fell asleep in an instant because of his tired mind and body.

The rain didn't stop for almost 1 and a half hours. Sunoo was unlucky as nature was planning something else for him.

Sunghoon woke up to a ringing phone, frowning in displeasure, he picked up the call.

"Than, I will be late a bit. I forgot to tell
Ni-ki that Sunoo still needs his medicines as Jaeyun told me he got congestion in his chest. I tried to call Ni-ki but his phone is off. Please Than, tell him before Sunoo's condition got worse due to rain and cold."

With that Heeseung ended the call as the.traffic noises were very irritating and Sunghoon's gaze fell on the screen and his eyes widened.

Without any thought, he took a towel and rushed to the front garden where Sunoo was kneeling, his head was hanging low and his body was shaking.

Sunghoon threw a towel on him and said him to get up. Sunoo slowly moved his head to look up and Sunghoon felt something by witnessing the other's condition. Sunoo's face was almost red and blue, lips trembling just like his whole figure, eyes hooded, and wet hair.

Sunghoon again said him to get up and then Sunoo tried to do so but again fell on his knees twice. Fear was visible in his eyes as he thought that Sunghoon will again punish him for not obeying as his body was not responding to his will, too numb to even move. He again tried to get up but fell on the ground and at this point his breathing was uneven. He tried to breathe but chest pain took over.

Sunghoon moved closer and did something, totally unexpected for Sunoo. He wrapped Sunoo in the towel and helped him to get up by supporting his body with a rather gentle hold. Sunoo completely fell on Sunghoon when his legs couldn't even hold him up and surprisingly, the raven-haired grabbed him.

Sunghoon can feel that Sunoo wasn't breathing properly, his ragged breathing was clear from his chest movements and he barely moved a step when the petite body completely gave up and fell unconscious in Sunghoon's arms.

Sunghoon was taken aback first before picking him up and went to his room as the room where Sunoo was staying, was not so warm. Sunoo was still not breathing properly and was shaking badly in his arms.

Sunghoon laid himn on his own bed and moved to his closet to bring more towels and some warm clothes.

He put the electric heater close to the bed and quickly changed Suno's clothes into his own dry ones and covered him in warm blankets.

Sunoo frowned in unconsciousness and his face showed clear pain sending a little... a very little sense of guilt to Sunghoon's heart, something that barely happened ever.

'No, Sunghoon. He deserved that Punishment.'
Sunghoon tried to But I hurt him without letting him explain. His conscience again poked and then in the next moment, he was holding Sunoo's hand softly while rubbing it to keep it warm but to his surprise, it didn't work. Maybe it was happening for the first time in years when he felt very bothered by the situation, so without any further thought, he snuggled himself in the blankets and,

Hugged Sunoo.......

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