Jeonghan's phone sat heavily in his hand, its cold screen glowing softly under the dim light of his penthouse. His fingers hovered above the screen, trembling slightly. The decision to reach out to someone from his past weighed heavily on him, each second spent contemplating the consequences felt like an eternity.

There was only one person who might still have the answers, someone from his past who knew more about the syndicate and the dangerous game they were playing. Someone who could help him understand why this was happening, but reaching out to her would mean stepping right back into that world.

He cursed softly under his breath, gripping the phone tighter. The clock was ticking, and he knew he couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

As he scrolled through his contacts, his mind flickered to his son. Hanuel. The thought of him instantly softened the edges of Jeonghan's resolve. Hanuel was his light, his reason for walking away from the darkness. The little boy, with his innocent eyes and pure heart, was everything to Jeonghan. The idea of pulling him into the web of his past terrified him.

No matter how much he wanted to protect Hanuel, Jeonghan knew that the storm brewing on the horizon might not give him a choice. Someone was out there, and they wouldn’t stop until they got what they wanted. He had to find out who, and fast.

Taking a deep breath, Jeonghan pressed the name in his contact list, the screen flashing as the call began to ring. He waited, the silence stretching longer than it should have. Each ring echoed louder in his ears until, finally, the call was answered.

“Yah, 1004.” the voice on the other end growled, feminine and familiar. “What do you want?”

Jeonghan exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself. "I need information. Something's wrong. Someone's messing with my past."

There was a long pause on the other end, the air thick with hesitation. Then the voice responded, its tone flat but with an edge of concern. “This is more than just a grudge. You know better than anyone not to poke around in that world. You should’ve stayed away.”

Jeonghan’s grip on the phone tightened. “I tried. I really did.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “But someone’s pulling me back in. Someone knows about 1004. They know who I am.”

The voice on the other end fell quiet again, and for a moment, Jeonghan was unsure whether the call had been dropped. But then the voice returned, softer, almost resigned. “You’re not the only one they’re after, 1004. If they’re coming for you, they’re coming for everyone who’s ever been a part of that world.”

The weight of those words hit Jeonghan like a punch to the gut. He had been trying to shield his son from all of this. He had promised himself that Hanuel would never know the darkness that had once consumed him.

“I know what I’m getting into.” Jeonghan replied quietly, his voice tinged with a deep sorrow. “But I can’t do this alone.”

There was another pause, then a heavy sigh from the other end. “Fine.” the voice said finally. “I’ll help you. But you need to be careful. These people don’t play by the rules. They know things. And they won’t stop until they have you... or your son.”

Jeonghan’s breath caught in his throat, his heart sinking. The mention of Hanuel’s name sent a fresh wave of fear coursing through his veins. The thought of anything happening to his son, of anyone touching him, was a nightmare Jeonghan couldn’t bear to entertain.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.” Jeonghan said through gritted teeth, his voice filled with a determination that surprised even him. “Just tell me what I need to know.”

The voice on the other end paused again before responding. “You’re already in over your head. You’ll need more than just information, Jeonghan. You’ll need backup. You’ll need people you can trust. And right now, I don’t know who you can trust.”

Jeonghan’s throat tightened. He couldn’t bring himself to involve anyone else especially not the people he cared about. His family. But it was clear now that he couldn’t do this on his own. Not anymore.

“Fine.” Jeonghan muttered, resigning himself to the fact that he would need to rely on others. “I’ll figure it out.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, a long stretch of silence before the voice responded, though it sounded slightly more guarded now. “I didn’t think you’d be calling me again. Not after everything.”

“I didn’t think I’d have to,” Jeonghan admitted, swallowing hard. “But something’s wrong. Someone’s come after me. They’re using the name ‘1004.’ I don’t know what they want, but I need answers.”

The line crackled briefly before the voice replied, the tone more serious now. “You don’t get to just come back into this world after all this time, Jeonghan. You know the rules. You’ve got your life now your new life. You should leave this behind. But since you’re asking, I’ll help you. Just don’t drag me back into your mess.”

Jeonghan’s grip tightened on the phone. “I didn’t want to. But if I don’t act fast, it’s going to spiral out of control. I need to know who’s behind this. Who’s after me now?”

The voice on the other end sighed deeply, as if weighing the gravity of the situation. “Fine. I’ll help. But you’re going to owe me. Big time. And I mean it.”

Before he could say another word, the line went dead. The silence in his penthouse was suffocating. He placed the phone on the table, running his hands over his face in frustration.

The decision was made. He had to protect Hanuel, no matter the cost.

Just then, a soft knock echoed from the door. Jeonghan froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Slowly, he stood up, the tension in his body rising.

“Daddy?” came a small voice from behind the door. “Daddy, can I come in?”

Jeonghan’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of his son’s voice. He felt the weight in his chest lighten for a brief moment. Hanuel. The one person who could make him forget about all the darkness that lurked just beyond reach.

“Of course, baby.” Jeonghan replied softly, his voice strained but gentle.

The door creaked open, and Hanuel stepped inside, his small figure framed by the doorway. He looked up at his father with wide eyes, his face still soft with the innocence of childhood. His hair, a messy tuft of dark locks, fell over his forehead, and his little fingers clutched his stuffed bunny tightly to his chest.

"Daddy, you look sad.” Hanuel said, his tone a mixture of concern and curiosity.

Jeonghan’s heart ached as he knelt down to meet his son’s gaze. Hanuel’s innocence was like a balm to his troubled soul, but it also reminded him of the stakes. He couldn’t let anything happen to this little boy. He was Jeonghan’s entire world.

“I’m not sad, baby.” Jeonghan said, forcing a smile. He reached out and pulled Hanuel into his arms, holding him tightly. “Just thinking about some stuff. But I’m okay. I promise.”

Hanuel snuggled into his embrace, his tiny arms wrapping around his father’s neck. “You know..” Hanuel said with the wisdom only a child could possess, "When you look sad, it makes me feel sad too. But if you smile, I’ll smile too. So... smile, Daddy!”

Jeonghan chuckled softly, his heart swelling with love for his son. He leaned back slightly to look at Hanuel, a real smile forming on his lips, though it was tinged with sorrow.

“I’ll try, baby. I’ll try.”

Hanuel smiled back, his little face lighting up in a way that made Jeonghan’s heart ache with both love and fear. This was his reason for living. Hanuel deserved a life free from all the danger that Jeonghan had once known.

“I love you, Daddy.” Hanuel whispered, his voice soft and sweet.

“I love you too, more than anything,” Jeonghan replied, his voice thick with emotion.

But even as he held Hanuel close, the reality of the situation crashed down on him again. He couldn’t let his son become part of this world. No matter what happened, he would shield Hanuel from it.

Jeonghan glanced at the door, the weight of the call he had just made still hanging heavily in the air. His past wasn’t done with him yet. And if it came for him, it would come for Hanuel too.

But Jeonghan wouldn’t let that happen. Not on his watch.

“Daddy, can we play?” Hanuel asked, his voice breaking through Jeonghan’s thoughts.

Jeonghan looked down at his son, his heart breaking all over again. “Of course.” he said softly, his hands brushing through Hanuel’s messy hair. “Let’s play.”

As they settled on the floor, Jeonghan tried to push the thoughts of his past aside, if only for a moment. He couldn’t think about the dangers right now. He had to focus on his son. On Hanuel.

The storm was coming, but for now, Jeonghan would hold onto the peace he had left. He would protect his son at all costs, even if it meant facing the demons from his past.

Jeonghan and Hanuel spent the next hour in a bubble of comfort, the world outside their small, quiet moment fading into the background.

The soft clinking of Hanuel’s toy cars against the floor, his infectious giggle as Jeonghan pretended to be a superhero, even the gentle hum of the air conditioning all seemed to wrap around them like a protective shield. For a moment, Jeonghan allowed himself to forget the darkness knocking at the door.

Hanuel’s little hands grasped onto Jeonghan’s fingers as they played, his laughter like the most beautiful sound Jeonghan had ever heard. The warmth of his son’s presence was the only thing that seemed to anchor him to the present, to this fragile peace he had fought so hard for.

“Daddy, look!” Hanuel said, his small hand pointing to a toy train he’d set up. “The train is going super fast!”

Jeonghan’s lips quirked into a genuine smile, his heart swelling with affection. He leaned forward to admire the little train track Hanuel had built, a maze of twists and turns spread across the floor. The boy’s creativity never ceased to amaze him.

“That’s awesome, chipmunk.” Jeonghan said, ruffling his hair. He could feel the weight of the phone call still heavy in his pocket, but for now, he allowed himself this moment of peace. Hanuel was a reminder of what he had to protect, of the life he had chosen over the one he was now being pulled back into.

But even in the quiet of the penthouse, Jeonghan couldn’t escape the gnawing worry that clung to the edges of his mind. His thoughts kept drifting back to the call he had made, the person he had reached out to the person who had once been a part of his life in that dark, dangerous world.

The warning from that voice still echoed in his ears: They know about you, Jeonghan. If they’re coming for you, they’re coming for everyone who’s ever been a part of that world.

He couldn’t shake the fear that this time, it wouldn’t be him who was hurt. It would be Hanuel.

"Daddy, will you stay home tomorrow?" Hanuel's voice broke through Jeonghan’s spiraling thoughts. His son was gazing up at him with those big, trusting eyes, eyes that had no understanding of the weight of the world on his father’s shoulders.

Jeonghan’s throat tightened. He didn’t want to lie, but he knew he couldn’t promise Hanuel what he wanted.

“I’ll try, baby.” Jeonghan said softly, pulling his son into his arms again. His heart was breaking. He didn’t want to burden Hanuel with the truth, but the fear was starting to gnaw at him in a way he couldn’t ignore. He didn’t know how much time they had before whatever was hunting him would find them.

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