PANDORA'S BOX
6:43 PM, TUESDAY

"Okay. So you're telling me, that Daniel...the Jeong Daniel! Your apprentice Jeong Daniel—"

"Can you stop it with all the Daniel's?" Jaemin uttered out, glaring at Reiji who glared back at him in return. 

"Shut up, you blueberry." Reiji retorted before looking back at Keiko.

"Okay, anyways. Continuing the story! Had the audacity to take Lee Taehui's – Taeyong's dad – offer to help you 'escape' but instead make you fall into a deeper trap?" Reiji eyebrows raised up curiously, an unreadable expression cast on his face as he couldn't believe that Daniel did something like that.

Jaemin laughed slowly, clapping his hands, "Believe it or not- Daniel in fact did."

"Will you please stop interrupting our conversation, Jaemin-ssi?"

Jaemin shook his head at Reiji's comment, "No."

Keiko sighed, leaning back onto the wall as she watched the two banter. "Yes, he did do that, Reiji."

"Oh my- you called me Reiji!" the said male snapped his head towards the girl, literally abandoning his little quarrel with Jaemin. "But, anyway, do you think he'll go to work today?"

"Unless he got captured by Taehui's subordinates then he might- if he still had guts to face Keiko or what he did that is," Jaemin answered resulting in Reiji to give him an annoyed stare. The faded blue-haired boy shrugged innocently before drumming his fingers rhythmically on the countertop, "What?"

Keiko shook her head, "I'd like him to come though- after all, he's still works under my bar and he's still a friend."

Jaemin scowled, "Can't believe you still go all nice on him for what he did."

"He's a bit dumb for choosing Taehui but Daniel's still got some brains- he might've been manipulated or something," Reiji explained, Keiko shortly agreeing after.

"Reginald's right. I know sickos like Lee Taehui uses different psychological tricks to control or make use of someone." Keiko pointed out, "Besides- don't you do the same in the mafia?"

Jaemin hummed, resting his chin on his palm as he propped his elbow steadily on top of the counter, "Well- yeah. But how could you say Taehui uses tricks like that."

Keiko plainly shrugged, making her way behind the bar counter, "Don't forget I was once part of the family that was or still is Taehui's rivals. I was practically thought to learn about his strategies my whole life in that household."

Jaemin nodded his head, "Mhm, how could I forget."

"Daniel's from Sangkyun University- that boy has some damn brains to get into that school. Plus, he's also a hacker, maybe Taehui found some use in him." Reiji blurted out, picking up a glass and wiped it with a plain white cloth.

"Yeah- a shitty hacker who literally took our executive's bait for him. He's so easily tricked." Jaemin rolled his eyes, raising up his glass towards Keiko who gladly took it.

"Are you gonna forgive him, Kei?"

Keiko's gaze fell on the blue-haired for a few seconds before averting it back to her work. "It depends."

Reiji huffed, "He should know and respect your decisions, Keiko."

"He will. He should."

. . .

NEO CULTURE TECHNOLOGY
MAD CITY BASE
2:23 AM, WEDNESDAY

"You should get some rest, I heard you're having trouble with sleeping," Jaemin said as he ushered them inside the mansion.

"No, I'm fine." she denies, walking ahead of him. The blue-haired mafioso went to his own path, having more to attend to before going to his room. On her way, she stops by the balcony, knowing it was a nice place to ease her mind and probably relax for a tiny bit.

Leaning forward against the railings, she stared far into the dusk. Nothing but pitch-black darkness, little splotches of visible clouds yet no stars were twinkling. A sigh left her lips, fingers brushing her silver hair back.

Thoughts swerved into her mind, thinking of endless what if's to choose from.

"Keiko?"

The said girl lifts her head up, glancing back to see Donghyuck with tired eyes. A bucket hat covering his purple hair that was parted slightly in the middle. Tanned skin that shone gorgeously under the yellowish light, he tilts his head to the side.

"What are you doing here?" He asks softly, approaching her.

Keiko hummed, "Just... thinking."

The boy only nodded at her response, not bothering to ask her anything else, and that's when Keiko felt weird. She diverts her attention from the sky then onto Donghyuck, who seemed to have his own thoughts clouding his mind.

Noticing the crestfallen atmosphere, she mustered up all the courage to ask, "Are you okay, Hyuck?"

The purple-haired flinched at her question, his heart thumping loudly that he swore Keiko would've probably heard him by now. His fingers balled into a fist, he inhaled a deep breath. "Of course I am, why ask?" He faces her with a bright smile, yet something was off.

It was a fake smile.

"You know, you don't have to force yourself to be okay all the time."

Donghyuck's smile fell off fast, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. "Okay, you got me, Keiko."

"Is there anything wrong?" She tilts her head, taking glances at the younger.

Donghyuck shook his head, "Just... unrequited feelings." He whispers lowly, not audible enough for the girl to hear.

"Pardon?"

The boy shrugs it off quickly, "Nothing. Nothing. Just random thoughts as well."

"Hyuck?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you miss your family?" She asks, looking down all of a sudden.

"Of course I do. But I can't see them anymore though..." his sentence catches her off guard, "They're dead."

A faint gasp was heard, "Oh...I'm so sorry...."

"Some former members of the Nightwalkers killed them when I was away. I'm still not able to forgive myself for not protecting them." He presses his lips together, suppressing the urge to cry. Donghyuck turns to Keiko with a bitter smile, "How about you?"

With a scowl on her face, she scrunches her nose out of habit. "I don't know...I wasn't really close to any of my family members other than my grandfather and Chizue."

"Did you not have friends growing up?" Donghyuck furrowed his brows, realizing that Keiko never really contacted anyone but Daniel and Reiji.

Keiko shook her head, "No...I wasn't allowed to have friends."

"That's just bullshit." Donghyuck scoffed.

"I don't even remember doing much as a child. I don't even go out that much in my age right now." she swallowed the lump forming at the back of her throat as it began to dry.

"Yeah, I'm convinced that the only thing you care about is Pandora's Box. I'm jealous." He joked, earning a small laugh from the girl.

"I just... I don't like going out, 'cause when I do, I feel hurt. Especially when I see other's family. Even... even you guys." She murmured lowly, "It's like I envy every family. Because it hurts to think that my own family sold me away."

Without another word, Donghyuck grabs her arm, pulling her into an embrace. A long hug that both of them needed badly. "Hey, I'm here..." even if you can't return the feelings.

"Keiko?"

"Hmm?"

"I- Your hug feels nice."

Keiko sniggered, reaching up to take off his bucket hat and ruffle his hair. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should go get some sleep now, and Daniel? Oh fuck him- he should be thankful I didn't beat the shit out of him, although I'd be pleasured to do so."

"Get some sleep too, you seem tired." Keiko pointed at him, turning around to head out. "I'm pretty sure you needed a hug more than I do."

A smirk crept up his face, "Well if I do, will you hug me again?"

"No."

"Babe-"

"Mhm, goodnight to you too, Hyuck." She bids, walking off with a small smile.

"How about a goodnight kiss!?" He exclaims, loud enough for her to head.

"In your dreams!"

He chuckles, shaking his head at her response before looking back at the sky. "Maybe my feelings are better off unspoken."

—
so daniel's from sangkyun uni
if you know, you know 😌

I'm also thinking of how this will end :')
not sure if it's a bad or good ending tho