"Where is he?" Woo Bin demanded, soon as he had bolted out of the elevator. Wildly, his eyes focused on his Father's own secretary - who, to his credit, rose to his feet the moment he spotted Woo Bin. "Where is he?"

"Prince Song-" the secretary said, looking quite composed despite Woo Bin's looming - and potentially unhinged - presence. "The Chairman is in a meeting right now. Perhaps if you'd wait a moment-"

"Wait?" Woo Bin repeated incredulously. "Me? Wait? Perhaps you misheard me. I need to see my father now. I don't care about his meeting." He glanced at the door sealed shut behind the secretary. "Is he in there? Is the meeting in there? I need to-"

As if reading his intention, the secretary planted himself before the door, arms outstretched before him. Truth be told it would be so easy for him to throw Woo Bin out, but of course, he wouldn't dare to - unless Woo Bin's father himself ordered it. "Please, Prince Song. The Chairman is meeting very important clients, as I'm sure you understand. I can inform your father that you're looking for him, and soon as they're done I can-"

"Get out of the way," Woo Bin fairly snarled at him.

As it was possible, the secretary stood a bit straighter and stared impassively right back. "I'm afraid I cannot do that."

"I said-"

The door behind the man opened.

"Gentlemen," the booming voice of Woo Bin's father could be heard, "my deepest apologies for cutting our discussion short. Rest assured, however, that we shall continue with our meeting sometime this week. My staff will coordinate with your offices as to the date. Good day to you."

And with that, several men began filing out of his office, occasionally glancing at Woo Bin as they made their way to the elevator. Once the last man had left, Woo Bin wasted no time in charging inside his father's office.

He found Song Senior casually pouring himself some rum from a decanter. Even before Woo Bin had spoken, his father had cut him with, "And here I thought I taught you better than making a fool out of yourself. In my own office, too." He threw a dark look at his son, adding, "You have so much to learn, still."

Woo Bin refused to be cowed by the biting words hidden in his father's impassive tone; he had to a truth to uncover, after all. "Is it true? What Park Yo Na said to me earlier. Is it true?"

"You assume I'll automatically know about what some random girl has told you?" Song Senior scoffed. "I may be a lot of things, my boy, but a clairvoyant is not one of them."

"Only because she's not a random girl," he replied, coming closer. "She's-"

"The one who had ordered the hit?" Song Senior said, turning to face him. "The one responsible for this mess?"

"Accidentally," Woo Bin emphasized. "She said she didn't mean it. That she didn't know her father would actually enforce it!"

"And?" His father looked unmoved. "Does that undo what had happened to you?"

Is there anything worse than having your family kidnapped and slaughtered?

"But- her whole family, Father?" he asked, his voice close to shaking.

Song Senior didn't say anything - merely sipped his rum.

"I don't understand," Woo Bin said, pulling at his face. "I told you- I told you I will be the one to dole out their punishment. That's what I've been working on these past few weeks! I never- I didn't want any of them dead!"

"You don't," his father told him quietly. "But I do."

At this moment, Woo Bin knew he wasn't just looking at his father - but at the most formidable Mafia Lord in Korea.

Song Senior placed his glass down on a side table, walked over to him - and placed both hands over his shoulders. Their weight bore down on him as his father continued, "Anyone who believes they can hurt you without getting their comeuppance is a damned fool, Woo Bin. They almost took you from me." He patted Woo Bin's cheek. "They almost killed you. And you thought I was going to let that pass? You really thought I was going to be happy with them just being driven to destitution?"

Eliminate the Parks.

No exceptions.

Woo Bin swallowed. "Father-"

"It's all about sending a message out there, my boy." Song Senior smiled at him - and it's full of affection. "No one should hurt you. No one should touch you. The Parks made that mistake, and where are they now? Gone. Dead."

The shift in the expression on his father's face - from tender to malevolent - made Woo Bin look away for a second.

"You are my only successor. All my power will one day be yours - and nothing should get in the way of it. I pity those who would even try." He spread his arms out. "And now everyone knows it."

Not just son, Woo Bin thought, feeling more and more dismayed.

Successor.

Which, perhaps to his Song Senior, was the more important role Woo Bin would portray.

And why his retribution was as swift and bloody as it had been.

He thought about Park Yo Na - how pathetic she'd looked earlier, how she'd looked down at Ga Eul even at her sorry state-

-and how much bravery she'd expended just to walk into his office to plead for her family despite knowing all the dangers it could entail.

Help me, she'd cried out to him.

Help me!

A part of him knew he at least had to try."Father," Woo Bin said, grabbing his wrist. "Please. Can't you put a stop to it? You've made your point. There's no need for- surely there's no need to kill all of the Parks?"

For a moment, Song Senior almost looked disappointed at him. "You have always been kind," he said, moving away. "It makes me wonder where you got it from."

"What-"

"You still have so much to learn, my boy, if you're to succeed me. Let your lessons begin now: my orders are absolute. Once given, I will not take it back. Nothing you or anyone can say will sway it, do you understand? The Parks are dead. That's all there is to it."

Song Senior took his glass of rum and drained it, before addressing Woo Bin again. "If you have nothing more to say, you may go. You've wasted so much of my time already with your theatrics." He pointed at the door, reiterated: "Go."

After a few heavy seconds, Woo Bin did.

After driving around aimlessly for quite some time, Woo Bin found himself parking his car in front of Ga Eul's house.

He didn't know if she'd be back here; honestly, he'd been reluctant to even call her after his talk with his father to even check her whereabouts. What was he supposed to tell her, anyway? How could he explain himself to her after she found out the truth about him and his family in the worst way possible?

I know you, she'd said before. How sure and confident she sounded, back then when they were having dinner in her house.

Woo Bin wondered if she would still claim that as her gospel truth after today.

He took his phone out of his pocket, stared at it. Debated if he should tell her where he was, or simply ask her if she'd like to talk. Depending on her answer - if she even would come to think of it - he could always just... go someplace else.

Where? his mind asked.

Go where?

Then his thoughts shifted on what was truly bothering him:

He wondered if Park Yo Na was still alive, this very moment.

Knowing his father's orders, however, and the willingness of his men to carry them out without delay-

The Parks are dead, his father had said. That's all there is to it.

And he wasn't even able to do anything about it.

What a damned fool he was. How could he be so naïve as to how his father thinks, anyway?

A knock on his window threw him out of his reverie. Woo Bin glanced at the side, saw Ga Eul's father standing outside his car, with his wife just a little way behind him.

Without thinking too much about it, Woo Bin killed the engine and stepped out of his vehicle. "I-I apologize if I'm bothering you by dropping by this late-"

"We saw your car outside our house. And when you didn't come out of it, we got- we got worried," Ga Eul's mother said as if she had to explain why the two of them were here now.

"Are you here to visit Ga Eul?" her father asked him.

Woo Bin glanced at her house, thought he saw the curtains in one of the rooms flutter - as if someone had just stepped away from it. He turned his attention back to the other man and asked, "Is she inside?"

Her parents exchanged looks.

Then her father asked in return, "Is she expecting you?"

No, his mind answered.

When he didn't reply out loud, Ga Eul's mother stepped closer and placed a hand on his arm. "Did you two fight?"

"Ga-young!" her husband hissed. "Stay out of their business!"

The woman merely clucked at him. "This is my business," she responded. "It's my daughter we're talking about." She focused on Woo Bin again and gently said, "Whatever issue you may have, it's always best to talk about it. Only then can you gain an understanding of where the other is coming from. Do you understand me?"

Woo Bin nodded slowly. "But that would depend on whether or not she'll want to speak to me, wouldn't it?"

Ga Eul's mother hesitated. It looked like it pained her, but she still said, "Perhaps you should just come back once she does."

He nodded again. Woo Bin glanced at Ga Eul's father. "I will. Thank you." He patted the hand holding on to his arm and smiled at the older woman. "Thank you," he repeated, meaning it.

Woo Bin turned to his vehicle when a voice rang out, "Wait!"

He paused, his chest tight. Glancing over his shoulder, Woo Bin watched as Ga Eul practically flew out of their door in her haste to approach them. "Wait," she repeated, even if it was clear he hadn't moved a muscle.

Once she was close enough, she squared her shoulders and told him, "Let's talk?"

Author's Notes: THIS IS CRAZY LATE but I hope you all have been well, darlings! Stay safe!