"Nonsense, This is all bullshit"

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the packs of photos onto the polished wooden surface of his office table. They scattered haphazardly, revealing a macabre collection of images that shared a common theme - lifeless bodies. Each one was dismembered, their limbs and torsos separated with ruthless precision. The marks on each of them were unique; some bore the etchings of serpentine creatures, while others displayed punctured wounds that spilled out the contents of the body's cavity - tools of all kinds, from small scissors to pocket knives.

The corpses were now tinged with the pallor of death, their once vibrant skin now a stale brownish hue. The bruises that marred their bodies spoke of the viciousness and daring of the person behind this grisly display. It was clear that the perpetrator had spared no effort in bringing his twisted vision to life. As the photos lay scattered on the desk, a chilling reminder of the gruesome fate that had befallen their subjects, a sense of unease settled over the room.

"Why... just why would heartless come after us?"

The old man huffed in annoyance and groaned in surrender, feeling helpless in his attempts to discern the source of his mistake that had earned him the wrath of the top authority. He couldn't fathom how he, of all people, had managed to earn the ire of such a cold and heartless entity. Heartless was shrouded in a cloak of mystery so that even when they stood before you, you couldn't be certain of their true identity.

It was this enigma that piqued the old man's curiosity and lured him deeper into the web of their decision-making process. But it was also this very same mystery that made them all the more vexing and infuriating when it came to dealing with their unintended actions. For the bargainer, it was a never-ending cycle of enticement and exasperation, an unending game of cat and mouse with an unpredictable foe.

"I don't remember doing anything that might pique Heartless' attention, heartless needs big.... Big bloody reasons for that"

Mr. Kim's footsteps echoed loudly in the spacious room as he paced restlessly, his eyes never leaving the shiny wooden table that sat in the center. Every few minutes, he would pass by it, his hands clasped tightly behind his back, his expression wrought with frustration.

The rhythmic sound of his footsteps filled the air, punctuated only by the occasional sigh or huff of irritation. With each lap around the room, his agitation seemed to mount, until it was almost palpable in the air around him.

But still, he kept on pacing, as if the mere act of movement would somehow alleviate his mounting frustration. His mind whirled with thoughts and ideas, each one racing to the forefront of his consciousness only to be quickly discarded in favor of the next. It was a never-ending cycle of restlessness and discontent, one that left him feeling perpetually unfulfilled.

"Why are you so quiet Seokjin, speak" Seokjin stood quietly hands neatly folded and locked in the front, he looked down and momentarily stole glances at the old man.

"FOR FUCK SAKE, SAY SOMETHING" With a sharp turn, the old man strode purposefully towards the figure looming behind him, his teeth clenched tight in a feral snarl. His every step was filled with an undeniable sense of fury and menace, as if he were a predator closing in on its prey.

Despite his advancing years, there was an undeniable strength in his movements, a testament to the fire that burned within him to see his struggles failing. And as he closed the distance between himself and his adversary, that fire blazed brighter still, fueling the flames in his eyes.

It was a sight to behold, the old man standing tall and proud in the face of adversity, his every muscle tensed and ready for action. With each step, he drew closer to his foe, ready to unleash his wrath upon them in a fury of righteous anger.

"Father, I-"

"What huh!? What is this all? You said you will not let me down"

Silence

"SPEAK..."

Seokjin gazed down at his hands, his thumb tracing circles over his knuckles in a familiar pattern. It was a habit he had picked up long ago, small comfort to soothe the ache of loneliness that seemed to permeate his very being.

He was surrounded by people, of course, a sea of humanity that ebbed and flowed around him. But even in the midst of all that bustling energy, he couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that gnawed at his heart and soul.

It was a profound sense of isolation, a weight that he carried with him wherever he went. And so he turned to the simple act of running his thumb over his knuckles, drawing comfort from the familiar motion.

How strange it was, he mused, that even in the midst of a crowd, he could still feel so alone. The warmth of other people's bodies pressing in around him did nothing to ease the ache of his own solitude.

With a heavy sigh, Seokjin felt the weight of his adoptive father's words settle on him like a leaden cloak. It was a feeling he knew all too well, the weight of expectation and obligation that had been placed on him from the moment he was taken in.

"I adopted you for a reason, Seokjin-ah," his father's voice rang out, the words sharp and stinging. "One reason, and one reason only. And you know damn well what that reason is. And you know that all this could cause havoc and destroy that one reason for which you stand here today"

Seokjin swallowed hard, his eyes fixed firmly on the ground. He knew all too well what was at stake, the delicate balance that had been struck to keep everything in order. Any misstep, any deviation from the plan, could send everything tumbling down like a house of cards.

It was a pressure that he had grown used to, but never fully accepted. The weight of his father's expectations bore down on him like a heavy burden, threatening to crush him beneath its weight.

The word "adopted" cut into Seokjin's heart like a thousand sharp daggers. It was a constant reminder that he was not Mr. Kim's flesh and blood, that he did not belong to him in the same way that a biological son would. It was a painful realization that seemed to grow more unbearable with each passing day.

Seokjin had always looked up to Mr. Kim as a fatherly figure, a man he respected and loved deeply. But now he couldn't help but feel that their relationship was just a beautiful facade, a mere illusion of familial love and belonging.

As an adopted child, Seokjin felt like a lone existence in the world, a pathetic little boy who was always one step away from being cast aside. The memory of the day he was brought to the orphanage still lingered fresh in his mind, the smell of fungus and paper still grazing his nostrils like a painful reminder of his past, where the ink of adoption agreements was grubbed against the paper mercilessly.

But even in the face of such heartache and despair, Seokjin refused to give up. He would prove himself to Mr. Kim, show him that he is worthy of more, his love and affection, even if he was not his flesh and blood. For Seokjin knew that family was not just about blood ties, but about the bonds of love and loyalty that could be forged between two souls, no matter how different their origins.

Flashback start~

Sitting before the shabby wooden desk, a married couple hunched over as they scrawled their signatures upon the legal documents presented before them. Meanwhile, a man perched at the desk's rear, providing them with a detailed briefing. Unbeknownst to the trio, a pair of trembling orbs was fixed upon them from a dark corner of the room.

A small boy, garbed in tattered and faded attire, stood timidly, his delicate features framed by black-rimmed glasses. His full lips remained pressed tightly together, as though fearful of drawing too much attention. Seokjin watched on, his heart racing as the strangers carried on with their business, heedless of his presence.

At long last, the couple finished with their paperwork and, to Seokjin's surprise, turned their gaze toward him. Burning hotness crawled its way up to his ears as he found everyone in the room now staring at his feeble and small figure. He felt himself shrink more to the ground under so many eyes.

"Come here Seokjin" The owner of the orphanage addressed him with his malice all hidden under the fake disguising wide smile that made his pathetic face wrinkle up, each bend hiding what lies beneath, a self-centered and cruel man, Seokjin knew of his doings and the illegal business he ran using the boys at his orphanage, indeed everyone is lucifer of their own hell, every vessel growing a demon inside, it is a world of demons and evil, injustice, and violence and so Seokjin saw it all at such a small age.

The dark circles around his eyes spoke of how restless his nights were after hearing the pleading muffled cries of the boys from his dorm, he always dreaded the fact that one day he'll be dragged away like this, and keeping this in mind he never wanted to grow up, never. And now he stood here, ready to be pulled out of this hell. God loves him! He showed that... Right? It all cleared to him when he rode to the Kim Mansion in the grand Kim's Car.

"Seokjin, are you clear about what I told you? this is why I adopted you... you have to keep Taehyung safe always and forever, be his shield. This is now the only purpose of your life, keep that in mind. Am I clear?"

"Yes" a mere whisper was what left Seokjin's lips, but everyone heard it.

"Good" Mr. Kim spoke with eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel, a relaxed expression grazing his features.

So, this is it? this is why I was taken? To be someone's living shield, so this is why they looked for a Kim and tested my blood type to match with the person I have to protect.

Seokjin gulped the thick lump forming in his throat and blinked away the burning tears filling the brim of his eyes.

They didn't adopt me 'cause they liked me, they adopted me 'cause... they needed to assure their child's safety. Their true blood child unlike me.

Seokjin smiled bitterly, the curve of his full lips depicting the thousands of bloodied and shattered pieces of his soul. This fact didn't do any good for him in making a good opinion about Taehyung, he felt irritated by the fact at first but as soon as he entered that room with blue walls and a small boy giggling hiding in the heap of stuffed toys, his heart melted.

"Taehyung, look whose here"

Seokjin's gaze fell upon the small boy huddled in the corner, his eyes glistening with that pure glow of life.

"HYUNG" Taehyung's high-pitched laughter filled the air, accompanied by his adorable squeals. His eyes radiated warmth and kindness, and Seokjin was surprised at the boy's affectionate greeting. As Taehyung stumbled towards him, throwing himself into his embrace and holding onto his lower half tightly, Seokjin couldn't help but feel a wave of tenderness wash over him. The boy's innocence was utterly captivating, his angelic demeanor making it impossible for Seokjin to hold a grudge against him. He couldn't possibly blame this pure, untainted soul for any of the hardships he had faced, nor could he burden such an innocent being with the cruel and deceitful nature of the world.

"Hyung, Hyung" Taehyung chanted, jumping up and down still clinging to Seokjin's lower half making the shocked boy sway from side to side.

Seokjin's eyes darted toward Mr. Kim, seeking his approval. One nod was enough, conveying all the unspoken words that Seokjin needed to know. As the couple exited the room, Seokjin lowered himself to Taehyung's height, clasping his small hands in his own. The boy looked up at Seokjin with his charming, boxy grin, radiating an innocent warmth that made Seokjin's heart swell with affection.

"Hello my little alien" Seokjin caressed Taehyung's cheeks pushing back the ribbon that fell down from his alien cap.

"Hyung" Taehyung squealed in return.

"Yes, I'm your Hyung"

"Yes, Hyung" As the boy attempted to mimic his words, Seokjin couldn't help but feel a rush of affection for him. Taehyung's lips stretched into that charming boxy smile of his, which had quickly become one of Seokjin's most cherished things in existence.

"Yes, and I will always protect you, My Alien" These weren't the words he repeated of Mr. Kim but those that left directly from the bottom of his heart.

"Protect"

The sensation of Taehyung's hand against his own was nothing short of magical for Seokjin as if the warmth of the boy's touch had the ability to penetrate through the layers of his clothes and reach his very heart.

At that moment, a feeling of love so intense overcame him, causing a single tear to escape from the corner of his eye and trickle down his cheek. Seokjin's gaze shifted from Taehyung's palm to his face, his tears now streaming down freely. Seeing him cry, Taehyung raised his little hands and gently wiped away the tears from Seokjin's face, a tender gesture that touched Seokjin's heart even more deeply.

I will always protect you alien, you are my light now.

I vow to always protect you

Flashback end~

Seokjin stood with his back straight and his eyes fixed on Mr. Kim. His voice was firm and unwavering, as he spoke the words that came straight from his heart. "I remember the reason, Father" he said. "And I promise you that you'll never regret adopting me. I will be there for Taehyung, no matter what. I'll protect him with every ounce of my being, with my blood, sweat, and tears. He'll always be happy and safe, and I'll be his shield, always and forever"

Mr. Kim only looked at Seokjin's face and hummed in response. "I hope I don't regret it"

"You won't"

"So, this?" Mr. Kim pointed to pictures sprawled over the office table.

"You'll soon hear from me, Father"

"Don't let me down Seokjin"

The words weren't mere words, Seokjin could feel that Mr. Kim really meant what he said and that Seokjin earned through years of obeying and serving him, putting his pain and difficulties aside.

What he strived for so hard up till now, how could he let a third party come out of nowhere and destroy it?

He could make out that Heartless and Devil Eye's heir are connected. Through some way, mates or friends or even... one person, but Seokjin was still confused and thus he decided to finally jump into the sea to see how deep it could be, there was no way around it but to walk through the road of fire, burn in it and cross it to reach his destination.

For his brother, he would jump into any fire, be it hellfire or Heartless. He was ready to face the faceless disguising entity swallowing humans to produce demons.

But would he be successful and come out of its hell alive to still protect his brother? That... Is a big question mark now, isn't it?

ℑ𝔶𝔞𝔫𝔨𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔳𝔬𝔱𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔡𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔰.
𝔜𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯
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