C12 Chapter 11

The pianist's fingers suddenly stopped tapping on the keys of the grand silver piano on the stage when he heard the commotion in the background. Because the bright melody had stopped filling the room, the guitarist shifted his attention from the strings of his wooden guitar to his fellow friend, and when he saw his friend was staring straight ahead, the curious guitarist followed his line of sight.

Together with his other band members, they all looked towards their guests upon hearing the continuous gasps in the air. They were nervous about their performance that might not have met their guests' expectations.

The hotel butler, who was assigned to take their lovely guests’ food orders run his polished shoes across the room in lightning speed with the other hotel staff behind him in tow. Under the professional expressions on their faces, they had withheld an intense trembling of their hearts. Their task was to observe in the corners, assist their guests' needs, and make sure that whatever happens, the dinner should go well, or else they'll say 'bye-bye' to their salary and beloved jobs.

The whole restaurant had prepared for this dinner well. Their general manager had even told them about how valuable these guests are, that's visiting them. They are one of the big shots with a well-reserve, posh with royalty-like presence, yet one lowkey family background on the public page and they have called on their telephone line for VVIPs to inform them they would reserve a floor for a mere dinner once in a while after ten years had passed.

With such pressure thrown unto them, there should not be any mistake to happen in their guests' presence. But upon looking at the scene at present before them, they could only endure the heaviness of their hearts upon thinking hundreds of their co-employees and the restaurant's reputation had been relying on their service tonight.

They had poured their energy and hearts into giving the family one merry night and an ecstatic dinner to enjoy as they heard they had traveled from Cheon to Hangbyul.

They had never expected such an incident as this were to happen.

“Jin!" As soon as Asami recovers from shock, she rushes and holds Jin's slopped and unmoving shoulders, slightly shaking him with worry. Why didn't he tell her he was feeling under the weather? "Sweetheart, can you hear me---is he breathing?” she asks out of panic.

Asami’s trembling fingers and worried heart rests upon feeling the slow and tiny movements of his chest moving in and out. She breathes in relief, her breath shivering, almost sobbing. Her cold palm went to cover her eyes, as she was still not used to seeing her child in this painful state. The overflowing emotion she felt within her chest had affected the wetness of her eyes.

She was on the verge of breaking down again as she reminisced about the sufferings her child had to go through.

What kind of mother is she to not notice he's been enduring it this whole time? But thank god, he’s breathing.

Hiro lent her the handkerchief in his hand instead after hearing her quiet sobs.

Asami smiles towards the young man, who she was thankful for paying close attention to her child.

She was about to open her mouth, but Hiro suddenly turned his head to the right, looking straight at the small crowd approaching them.

As a natural reaction towards the unrecognized faces he saw, Hiro stepped back, his head focused on the cold object he slipped into the back of his trouser before entering the restaurant.

His grip around the unconscious little man in his arms tightens as his thick brows furrow. His black slate eyes looked guarded as they threw daggers towards the troubled staffs like they had done something that offended him for a long time. His cold and dark gaze was enough to put three pairs of shoes to stop midway.

They can feel an immense frostbite numbing their skin. The tall young man's stare was as petrifying as someone peeling their skin off with all the goosebumps they felt all at once.

What have they done in their past lives to deserve being in this situation? Did they perhaps steal money from a church's donation box?

Now that the music has finally stopped, that made Hiro uneasy on his feet. He opens his mouth, his eyes glued on the little man's body in his arms. He could see the person's refined collar bones carved beneath his turtle neck sweater.

Hiro’s lips part. He was surprised to see a man with this type of body.

Too petite.

In his world, not even the little man's pale and slender fingers can compare to his. It's another first. The norm he sees in his everyday life is far from the docile and fragile nature of this person he held. It was due to his keen reflexes, encircling his arms around him was as easy as breathing in and out.

“I’ll take him to the lounge upstairs.”

Hiro’s eyes never left the frail sprout in his arms, “You could start the dinner without us.”

When Hiro saw Jin rubbing his cheeks against his sinful and tainted hands, the pure sight of it alone gave off a funny feeling in his chest, but in a blink of an eye, the mixed emotions he's been frustrated about since earlier left his eyes and body. He shifts his attention towards the woman in front of him who looked worried sick.

He wasn't good with words, but looking at his old man's eyes that's wary of his impolite behavior, this is one of the times where he shouldn't provoke his father.

“I’ll make sure to fetch him a doctor.”

Harashi breathes in relief as he moves at ease. He smoothly embraces his lover on the side, comforting her, “You’re growing pale, honey. How about we start dinner? The kids will be fine." Even during his youngest son's mischiefs. One thing he can't deny, he trusts this young fellow of his.

His son has a good eye and good choice on how to protect the valuables.

It seems that these two will grow close without him trying. Harashi can already sense it under his nose.

That should be good, his son should help get young Saesang's approval for his mother's marriage knot with him.

They would be one merry family.

Ahh, he loves to see that at one table.

Harashi signaled the butler to come. As the butler carefully approaches him while giving a meter distance from his youngest, Harashi whispers an order to the man’s ears.

The butler nodded his head back in acknowledgment of his request before politely leaving their guests to guide the singers of the chosen band on their way out. The butler smiled mourningly at the frown he sees on the band's faces. But what can they do? The great man had requested him to get rid of the singers who were playing and instead let the pianist perform alone.

Asami clasped her trembling hands together and brought them to her lips as she look at her son, who's in good hands, “Alright, please handle him with care.”

She leans in and kisses Jin on the back of his head. She looks up and smiles. There was a hint of sadness in her round eyes, “I can’t thank you enough. Do call me when the doctor is here.” Asami continued her speech. She wouldn’t have stopped if it weren’t for her lover, who slowly pulled her to the table.

When Akashi's eyes met his younger brother's dark ones, Hiro mouthed a few words towards him without a sound, paired with his annoying blank face, ‘Finders keepers.’ It was all he said before leaving towards the elevator. His brother's face screamed, ‘I found it first, now you have no right to claim it’ as if they were battling for competition in the first place.

Akashi parts his lips before slumping himself on his seat in deep thoughts, he was now completely speechless.

Since when did he agree to participate as his brother's competitor?

No, there was none right?

For Pete's sake, he still has a sane mind to do that.

“Should he be okay? I should go check on him,” Even after a few minutes after the two left the room, Asami was still uneasy in her seat.

Harashi could only shake his head and hold her firmly so she wouldn't escape, "Don't worry, he's in fine hands."

The pianist resumes playing after seeing the bright mood has returned

He’s in good hands? "I hope so," whispers Akashi, which made two heads turn towards him.

Eh?