Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A week has passed since their argument.

He has been patient and given Seongje time. He himself admits that he did not choose his words well; instead of explaining himself better, he let fear get the better of him. Mr. Choi had been pressuring him lately. Baekjin felt that his life was in more danger than ever; not being able to control all the schools as he should made him seem weak and expendable. Choi sees him only as an investment, something that generates easy money and leaves him time to plan other businesses. One false move and Baekjin will end up dead, he knows. The gangster has been asking about the other leaders, and Baekjin was not so naive as to think that their loyalties could not be changed with a little extra money and the promise of more power. 

All his plans depended on Seongje. He simply needed him; he couldn't imagine himself without him in The Unión. By his side. Seongje was right, they were in this together. Baekjin wasn't one to apologize, as gestures came more easily to him, but if an apology was what was needed, he was willing to do it.

When he first met him, he thought that such a handsome guy had no right to be so crazy.

He would show up in the most unexpected places, asking him to fight, trying to piss him off in every way he could think of. In the end, he succeeded. Baekjin was so fed up that he beat him up in the middle of a supermarket.

They called the police; and he doesn't know what went through his head, but he decided to carry him and run with Seongje on his back. He dropped him off at a bus stop. He normally wouldn't have bothered. Perhaps that gesture won him over. Or maybe he just really enjoyed the beating. The next day, he showed up at the bowling alley with a huge smile. What a weird guy.

He would even like to put the apology on video, he thought, as a smile tried to escape from the corner of his mouth, what a weird guy.

A few months ago, Seongje broke his phone in a fight. He complained so much to Baekjin that Baekjin simply went out and bought him a new one. What he didn't know was that the new phone had a well-hidden tracking app.

Finding him having dinner with Park Humin's new boy was the last thing he expected.

When Baekjin was a child, there was a girl at the orphanage who taught him to read lips. She dragged him around town chasing her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend in exchange for a few won. At the time, he thought it was a good deal. The girl ended up crying inconsolably one night, but the next day she got up, found the new girlfriend, and a week later she was sleeping with her at her ex's house. Today they are two best friends who run the orphanage. Baekjin has learned a lot from them.

Sometimes it was better not to make a scene. He could approach them and ask them, putting them in an uncomfortable situation, but that would only push Seongje further away. Knowing him, it would only encourage him to fight back. No, that wouldn't work. Baekjin intended to make him cry and confess that he had almost betrayed him. He would regret it. Baekjin would tie him up by his side so tightly that he would only breathe because Baekjin allowed him to. He would make sure of that.

He slashed the tire of Seongje's motorcycle. That would delay him long enough to give Baekjin time to get to his home before him.

He sat with his back against Seongje's door. He had bought his favorite ramen, tossed the receipt aside in case he checked the time, and wrinkled his shirt a little.

He only had to wait twenty minutes to hear his footsteps. Pretending to be asleep, he almost missed the sound of surprise that escaped Seongje.

The footsteps had stopped in front of him. The silence lingered, and he wondered what Seongje was doing. Was he recording him? Was he staring at him like some kind of freak? He had noticed how much Seongje liked to watch him when he thought Baekjin wasn't looking. Or maybe he was just planning where to kick first.

He almost jumped when he felt a hand caress his jaw. Fingers slid down his neck to his shoulder.He was getting goosebumps. An electric tension filled the air. "Baekjin, you bastard, wake up." He opened his eyes, trying to look sleepy without being too obvious.

He stared at him. Seemed nervous, a little flushed.

Good, let him feel guilty. He was playing with fire, meeting with the wrong people. He was lucky that Baekjin was so understanding.

By the end of the night, any thoughts of revenge or betrayal will have been forgotten.

"Can you invite me in? I bought us food. I was waiting for you."

Chapter Text

Na Baekjin was huddled in the doorway of his house.

His mind went blank; for a few moments, silence reigned in his head. As if possessed, he couldn't help but reach out and take Baekjin's hand. Perhaps that was what it was. Possession.

Every time this boy was around, he couldn't help but fall under his spell.

A bitter taste filled his mouth. Thousands of feelings seemed to hit him at once, overwhelming him. Just when he thought he understood Baekjin, he had to do something like this. It was always the same story with him; thought he understood him, that nothing else would surprise him, but he proved him wrong time and time again.

It wasn't fair. He should be boring. Just another nerd buried in his books, or another bully trying to hide his insecurities. Like the Union, full of airheads with a fake confident attitude, pathetic fighters, acceptable at their best, relying on the security of numbers and the empty acceptance of those around him. They bore him to death.

Seongje only needs three seconds of staring to know everything he needs from a person. But Baekjin keeps breaking the pattern. The bastard doesn't even know it, or he doesn't care. He's got him eating out of the palm of his hand.

No matter, that would soon change.

Seongje would leave, leaving the Union in ashes, and Baekjin with a void imagining what they could have achieved together. Let's see if he's still thinking about Baku while everything he's worked for over three years goes to waste.

Being part of the union was fun; there was always something to do, something to hit. It gave him a purpose while also allowing him to pursue the feeling of being alive. Seongje was a simple guy, he liked adrenaline. But even he has his limits, he has his pride.

He never cared that they called him Baekjin's dog. He did it willingly. Why feel ashamed of something that had nothing to be ashamed of? 

But the high esteem in which he held Baekjin seemed not to be reciprocated. Being accused of being a traitor hurt more than he expected. A bit hypocritical of him, he thinks. Considering where he was before, who he was talking to. 

All her previous anger vanished the more he looked at him.  He was so sure of what he was going to do. Of what he will do.

Although it wouldn't hurt to listen to Baekjin.

Lifting Baekjin from the floor took less effort than it should have. A small part of his brain was already wondering if he'd been eating well lately. he often forgets to eat when he's fully focused on work. Whatever, he's not his mother.

He opened the door with his shoulder while unconsciously holding the bag that Yeongdeungpo's student had brought.

Baekjin entered silently behind him.

Seeing Baekjin sitting on his sofa was something he had imagined before, however it was still a strange image. 

"Tell me, why was little orphan Annie sleeping on my doorstep?" He asked with a mocking smile as he cleared the clutter off the coffee table, throwing it on the floor. Given Baekjin's obsession with order and cleanliness, he was probably having a heart attack. 

Just as Baekjin was about to answer, he interrupted, "How long have you been waiting at the door? Wasn't there a story about something like this? A poor orphan girl who dies in the street from the cold because of some matches."

"I bought you some food, I was hoping to talk to you while we ate" He opened his bag and took out what he had bought for them. "Since you weren't answering my messages or calls, I thought I'd show up here. I didn't expect you to take so long."

The thought that he had been waiting for him at home all this time  while he plotted his downfall did not sit well with him. 

"I told you I needed time."

"I know, I'm sorry." 

"What?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Na Baekjin, the union leader, the most reserved guy he knew, was apologizing. "Are you dying? Is the food poisoned? Am I dying?"

Baekjin wasn't too happy about it. "I hope none of us die. Besides, we haven't even started eating. Let me reheat the food; it'll be cold." He got up, stepping over Seongje to leave. If before he was doubtful about whether this was real, now he knew that it must all be a dream.Perhaps he was still unconscious on that rooftop. Perhaps it was his neck instead of his foot.

As he followed Baekjin into the kitchen, he couldn't help but limp slightly. That foot was going to give him trouble for a while. And his leader noticed, of course he did, he was very attentive when he wanted to be.

"Does it still hurt? I've brought you a first-aid kit and medicine. They're in the bag."

"It barely hurts." The last thing he wants is to appear weak in front of him. 

"Ah, there's no need to kiss it to feel better." 

Was he flirting? He was starting to feel hot. Really didn't want to wake up. He doesn't know what to answer; what should be done in these situations? 

"You can kiss me if you want." Damn, that was too fucking honest. 

"Maybe later. Let's eat first, I'm a gentleman." 

It's better if he doesn't speak; he doesn't trust what will come out of his own mouth.

This time they sat facing each other. "Listen, I was going to give you all the space you needed. The union isn't the same without you, but I'll manage somehow. However, I haven't been able to stop thinking about our argument the other day." He took a moment to consider what he was going to say as he passed the plate to Seongje. "I wasn't fair to you that day. I let my worries get the better of me, and I took it out on you unfairly. I know you're more loyal than anyone else. I'm sorry." 

"Damn, that's your second apology already. Who are you and what have you done with Baekjin?" He didn't want to listen anymore. He really didn't want to listen anymore. Guilt was something he didn't know he could feel.

"I know perfectly well how cautious I am. And lately I've become very paranoid." 

Does he know? Maybe they saw him with the new kid from Eunjang. No, impossible. He would have noticed. Besides, if Baekjin suspected betrayal, the last thing he'd do is wait around calmly with food."Okay, I'll play along with you. Why are you being more paranoid lately?" 

"Choi has been testing the waters to see how easy it would be to remove me from the game. He's been meeting with the guys behind my back, putting more and more pressure on me, wanting me to achieve the impossible in a short amount of time. When you lost that fight with that psychopath Eunjang and the cops caught you... Choi had just met with Dongha. He seemed really happy, from what I heard."

" Baek Dongha, that fucking idiot, damn weasel face. He looks like he has rabies; I can't imagine him leading successfully. " His chopsticks stirred the noodles angrily.

"I know, but I think Choi likes him better. He's easier to manipulate than you or I. Besides, the idea of you stabbing me in the back is unthinkable. I misspoke that day, Seongje." He took his hand, all of his attention focused on him. His beautiful hands seemed almost delicate in contrast to his own. He couldn't help but hold his breath " You and I are a team, you were right." His thumb had started circling his pulse. He didn't know if it was calming him down or making him more nervous. "That's why I'm worried Choi will come after you using the police as an excuse. He has cops on his payroll, but that won't stop him from killing you if he goes around telling everyone that you're a snitch. We are in danger." He gently pulled him, indicating that he should stand up and sit beside him. Seongje obeyed distractedly, lost in Baekjin. "When we argued that day, you left and I froze. I don't want to be without you, I can't do it without you. I've messed up so many times with you, but selfishly I want another chance. I'll give you space if that's what you want, but I need you. I want you to think about it. About coming back."