"My father loves art," Woo Bin started, for lack of anything else to say.

Earlier, he'd nodded rather dumbly in response to Ga Eul's request to talk. This was what he came here to do, after all. Talk over things. Give her his side of the situation - for all the good it would do.

Woo Bin had glanced at her house then, thinking she'd pull him inside - but then she shook her head and pulled his hand - straight towards the street.

She just never failed to surprise him, didn't she?

And now here they were, walking around the neighborhood rather aimlessly. Needlessly, a part of him noticed that there were hardly any lights in the houses they passed by - though given the late hour, perhaps he shouldn't be surprised.

The fact that Ga Eul's parents - and Ga Eul herself - were still wide awake, however-

"He- he got it from my grandfather," he continued, his eyes on the road before them, and not long after they turned a corner and stopped in the middle of a quiet playground.

He watched as Ga Eul quietly sat on a swing, while he chose to stand a few feet away from her.

"My, um. My grandfather collects a lot of antique art. Went to a lot of countries to get them," he said. Why was he telling her this nonsense? He didn't know. But he knew he should fill the quiet with something, or else he'd just resort to breaking something. "Father's passion is more on paintings, though. Not that he ever tried painting himself, but-"

"Is that why your house was filled with them?" she asked. Woo Bin glanced at her, and she continued, "Remember? When I brought you porridge and your change. Your, uh, butler was kind enough to let me in your house that day. While waiting for you, I had a chance to... look around. I saw the paintings." She crossed her arms, and in a small voice she added, "I guess you don't remember, then."

Perhaps he should have. And a niggling memory flitted by him-

-before things finally clicked.

"Want to hear something funny?" he asked, smiling slightly. "I do remember that day. And I remember thinking you were so bold, back then. Not a lot of people would find the courage to actually drop by our house like you did, after all."

"Your staff were very kind to me," she replied, pushing her feet so her swing would sway a bit, forward and back. For a moment, the tiny squeaks from the swing filled the air around them. "But I did think it was strange that all I saw were men back then. And that you had people stationed by the doors who look so-"

"Scary?" he suggested. "Menacing?"

"Intimidating," Ga Eul said. Then she thought about it and agreed, "But, yeah. Scary too."

Ga Eul went silent. She stopped her swing before adding, "Were they... your father's men?"

Woo Bin thought about them for a bit. He grew up with them around; men in black suits and black shades and black guns tucked in their belts. He remembered finding it strange that such staff weren't to be found in Yi Jung's house, nor were they present in Ji Hoo's. Back when he was still a child, he remembered asking about it from his father.

"They're not as important as you, my son," he'd replied then, smiling at him, and Woo Bin had felt so, so good he'd shamelessly bragged about it to the rest of his friends the next day.

It also led to his first fistfight with Jun Pyo, who thought himself to be the most important person in the group.

Being so young back then, of course, he didn't understand what his father actually meant.

Woo Bin knew better now.

"Security personnel," he'd told her. "Bodyguards. There's always a ton of them around the house, even from when I was growing up. Some of them, you could see. Most of the others, you don't."

Woo Bin shoved his hands inside his pockets. "It took me a long time to learn to basically ignore them. It took me even longer to convince my father that I didn't need them. I told him I'm strong enough to take on anyone who messes with me, or with my friends. Fortunately, there's not a lot of idiots out there who tried."

Why would they? Not only was Woo Bin the son of Song Senior but he was also affiliated with a group of young men who exuded their own powers in their respective fields. That in itself offered some degree of protection to him.

Not that he needed them anyway.

"Until I entered the picture."

How quietly she said those words, but of course he heard.

Woo Bin whirled around to face her. "No. No. We talked about this, Ga Eul. What happened that night- that wasn't your fault, all right? It's all just a very unfortunate misunderstanding-"

"One that left so many people dead," she whispered, still not meeting his eyes.

And there it was, the truth that Woo Bin didn't want to face.

Something he'd run away from if he could.

"It wasn't my intention at all," he said, taking a step towards her. "What happened to Park Yo Na's family, believe me, I never-"

Perhaps that was his fault. For underestimating how his father thinks. For believing that this, all this, was something Woo Bin could control.

For being so, so naïve, despite knowing who his father really was, and what sort of power he wielded.

You have always been kind. It makes me wonder where you got it from.

Woo Bin exhaled slowly. If he's to face the truth today-

Might as well reveal his side, then.

"Yes, I wanted them to suffer," he said, clenching his jaw. "Yes, I wanted Yo Na to regret what she did to you. What she'd done to you in the past. But killing her family was never part of my plan. I hope you believe that at the very least. Please."

He saw her take a swipe at her cheek, and Woo Bin realized that she'd been crying.

God.

"Of course, I believe you," she replied softly, and a part of Woo Bin felt as though he ought to be relieved about hearing her say those words. "You have- you've been nothing but kind to me, Sunbae. To my family. I would never have entertained the thought that you would- that you could-"

Woo Bin held his breath.

"I just- I don't know if I can believe that your father-" She looked down. "I thought he was like you, to be honest. When I saw him, my first thought was that he looked a lot like you. But then... Yo Na said-"

Here, here, finally, Ga Eul met his eyes. "A M-Mafia Lord? So that makes you-"

You are my only successor, his father's words echoed in his ears.

Woo Bin's shoulders slumped.

Of course, this was an inevitable moment between them. He'd never mentioned the fact because back then, he didn't think it mattered. Back then, being the son of a powerful Mafia Lord was just a part of his identity; similar to the fact that he was also the son of a construction mogul.

It was simply just part of the world he was born into.

Foolishly, he even thought that perhaps Ga Eul didn't actually need to know just what being Song Woo Bin entailed. What it truly meant to be a successor in a Mafia. Woo Bin had spent most of his life running away from the responsibility that sometimes even he wasn't fully aware of what he needed to do to embrace this facet of his life, whether he wanted to or not.

The rest of the F4 had some idea, but fortunately, none of them had to witness a sliver of what Ga Eul just did.

And now-

God.

What an idiot he was.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "that I never told you."

Ga Eul bit her lip and swiftly looked to the side, her mouth trembling.

There were very few people in the world who held the power to make Woo Bin feel so small. His father, of course, along with the weight of his expectations. His friends, and how underserving he is of them. How envious he was that their lives seemed to be so uncomplicated when compared to his.

And now, there's Ga Eul.

And she might just have the greatest power among them all.

"I never-" he started, his brain scrambling for something, anything to say to make her understand - and came up with shit.

"I never wanted you to find out this way," Woo Bin said, half-kneeling in front of her - but not feeling brave enough to reach for her hands. "I didn't tell you that part about me because it's not something I'm proud of. The last thing I want is for you to think less of me, Ga Eul. I-I didn't want you to feel ashamed of me, the way I am of myself often."

"Ashamed?" Ga Eul repeated, almost on a scoff and with a glare thrown his way. "What right do I have to be ashamed of you? I'm no one."

"Not to me," Woo Bin said. "Never to me."

"But-" She swallowed and looked away again. "Am I not worthy of your trust?"

"-what?"

"In- during those days of Yo Na being absent in school. I told you there were talks, didn't I? Rumors. About your family." Ga Eul shook her head vehemently. "I never really listened to them. I thought they were so- silly and stupid. I told myself that what they were saying was impossible. I know you. I've met your father. He couldn't be- he looks so much like you, and you're so, so kind. I told myself I know better because I know you."

Woo Bin felt as though there were hands on his throat, at that moment. "Ga-"

"Turns out-" She closed her eyes. "-turns out I didn't."

"Don't say that!" Woo Bin said, surging to his feet and grabbing her hands. "You do. You do know me. Everything I've shown you is true. Everything I've shown you is who I really am. Please, Ga Eul. Please-"

Just as quickly, she pulled her hands away, hugged herself, and stepped behind the swing - allowing it to become a silent barrier between them.

"I just- I kept thinking about Park Yo Na's face," she said quietly, rubbing her arms as though she was cold. "How scared she was. How much she was pleading for you to help her. And- and I kept thinking how powerful her family was. That if your father was able to destroy them just like that, then- then how much easier would it be for him to hurt those who don't have any power at all?"

"My father won't hurt you!" Woo Bin exclaimed, realizing with horror what her train of thought led to. "He doesn't have any reason to. Don't you see? To him, the Parks did something unforgivable, and that's why he punished them. But god, Ga Eul. He wouldn't hurt you! Don't think like that. You have nothing to be afraid of."

She shook her head again. "I don't know. I'm not-" Ga Eul sank on the swing, her back facing him, and she buried her face in her hands. "I just don't know what to think anymore."

Goddamnit.

He did this, Woo Bin realized.

As if what happened to the Parks wasn't awful enough, he also made Ga Eul feel so... so frightened like this.

And who wouldn't be? Who in their right mind wouldn't be frightened once they catch a glimpse of the filth that Woo Bin belonged to?

Especially someone as innocent and pure as Chu Ga Eul.

Goddamnit!

He really didn't deserve her, did he?

A part of him said: he never did.

She might have thought highly of him before, but now... after this, all she would think of him is that he's trash.

Just as the rest of the world did.

Author's Notes: SO THIS WAS CRAZY LATE I was definitely putting writing this off for SO LONG :/ STAY SAFE LOVELIES