Hyun-woo (Monsta X)

🍋

After exiting the building, I felt all eyes on me as I dialed Mom's number and held the phone up to my right ear. Not that the people in the front yard were anywhere interested in me. I brushed away my tears with my left hand and sniffled before my mother answered the phone.

"Well, look who's calling. My third born has finally decided to reassure me about her well-being," my mother's sweet voice filled my ears, making me close my eyes and think about her sweet smile and warm eyes. "Where are you, darling? Are you already on the bus? How did your exams go? You didn't even notify me about that! Normally, you're quick to tell me about important things like this." I had almost wept as she talked. It was very hard not to break down completely and then, later on, rely on her soothing words of comfort.

"I don't know when I'll arrive," I briefly explained the consequences of this shitty situation. And even that was pretty hard. I bit on my lower lip to prevent a sniffle. The burning in my chest never faded, rather tugged at my heartstrings mercilessly.

"Why? What happened? I thought you didn't have anything else to do this afternoon."

"I'm sorry, Mom, but I'll have to hang up now. I'll call you later and tell you the exact information then." My voice came out shakily at the end of what she must have realized as well. Of course, she would notice. She was my mother after all. However, as if she'd known that I couldn't explain to her further she didn't push it.

"Don't stress yourself. We are no impatient people, we'll wait for your arrival whenever it will be. I love you, pumpkin, you know that, right?"

"I love you too, Mom," I told her, another tear streaming down my cheek which I wiped away immediately. "Bye." After the call had ended I let out a frustrated grunt and wiped away the tears that followed as well.

Fuck!

I looked up the route from this place to my home on my phone. It said it would take me three and a half hours to get back home on foot. There was a bus station 40 minutes away from this place.

Bullshit!

I looked around the front yard and noticed a row of bikes on the side of the terrasse.

They borrowed and used something of mine without asking for permission, now I would do the same thing with their belongings.

So I glanced around the front yard making sure that the busy gangsters weren't looking as I grabbed a yellow-colored bike and then led it in the direction of the gate. No one seemed to suspect that I was about to steal. My heart raced in my chest but I didn't let anxiety lead me this time. I hopped on the leather seat and then pushed the pedals with my feet, riding off in the snowy forest way, not giving a shit about any consequences.

'An eye for an eye', was it?

This stupid game, I was very capable of playing it.

I had parked the bike at the bus station nearby and tried to leave that whole situation behind me but I still thought about what the red-haired gangster had said. And I reflected on what I had replied to his statement.

I wasn't that sure if what I had said about Lisa was anywhere honest. However, since it had come out automatically out of my mouth I was pretty sure that deep down that was what I had truly felt. She and I had never reached a further state than roommates but how could it be then that my heart ached by the thought of her? In a way, not as a stranger and not even as a roommate, I had connected with her on a level for which you didn't need reassurance about statuses.

After getting on multiple buses I had finally found the one who would bring me to the nearest bus station to my apartment. Arriving at my apartment, I had quickly restored my passport and other important stuff in my suitcase and then grabbed a smaller backpack since I hadn't needed that much stuff with me on the bus and stored everything necessary in there. I wouldn't bring any college utensils since I needed a little time out. Especially today.

I had checked all the rooms for any light being on or windows open. After reassuring myself that I could leave the apartment since there had been nothing else to do, I had locked the front door and then walked off. The city bus had taken me to the main bus station where I had gotten on another one that would drive me back home, to my parents' house. Thank God that I hadn't bought a ticket beforehand. Not that it would have mattered that much when getting away with my life after meeting Bangtan.

I thought I would be able to put that situation behind me but I couldn't. It just truly dawned on me that instant. All that had happened had been more than absurd. How come I was still alive? Normally every person who had been taken by the mafia was doomed of dying. All the indie resources had only reported about citizens vanishing and never appearing ever again. Why hadn't they done the same to me? It would probably be pointless if they killed me.

Now that they also had enough power in politics, the police wouldn't go against them either. Nobody would go against them. Only some citizens, the powerless weaklings, had enough brains to go against them. And they had paid the price for it.

When would I pay for it?

Maybe I already did, judging by my trembling and the sweat of fear clinging to my forehead.

🍋

"The troublemaker's finally arrived!" My silly older brother, Theodor, called in the house after he had opened the door. The blonde man waited for a second for someone to answer back.

"I'll be right there! One second!" My mother called out from the kitchen, making me smile.

As if that was the passcode for me to enter, Theo pushed the doorframe, so I could go past him and enter our parents' home. I rolled my eyes at his politeness. He had always been nice to me but never went as far as this. Or I was simply not used to this mannerism anymore.

"What a gentleman," I mocked him as the comforting and familiar smell hit my nose. "Gosh, how I missed home," I almost immediately changed the subject. My older brother chuckled at my remark and took my bag out of my hands as I was about to set it down on the floor. We kissed each other on the cheeks, a traditional behavior when we greeted each other after a long time we hadn't seen the other one. It was probably common in France to greet each other with kisses on each cheek Or it was just an Abbe thing. To be honest, it was as natural as sleeping to me by now, so I had never questioned the background of it.

"I can help you with your luggage. Mom's already prepared dinner, so hurry up and get freshened up for our family reuniting," Theo said, his brown eyes fixating me. That was what I loved about him, he always gave me his attention when we talked. No phones, no other things that could have distracted him in this busy world.

"Understood. I'm going to hurry up. I'm hungry anyway," I said while I bent down to untie my shoelaces. Theo had left with my suitcase and backpack, probably went up the stairs and set it down in the former bedroom that I had shared with our little sister. Now she had the whole room for herself. Lucky girl.

"Odi!" My older sister's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I had just hung up my winter jacket on one of the hooks when I was jumped and forced into a big hug.

"You've grown!" She joked as she retreated her arms from around my body. She kissed me on my cheeks which I returned with an eye roll. Her frame had gotten smaller.

"And you're thinner than usual. Is university life getting stressful again?" I was seriously worried about her health. She was very good at putting herself under pressure after all. Just like in high school back then.

"I should never have chosen Psychology. Math is devastating," she replied, flashbacks of mathematical tasks most likely torturing her brain at that moment.

"I feel you. That's the reason why I tried with all costs to avoid that subject. I'm good with Literature and English." Although I still thought about changing.

"I should have chosen something else. University will be the death of me," she told me, sighing as she slowly shook her head.

"Don't lose hope! Fighting! If it's you, I bet you'll get at least an A if not an A-plus."

She smiled at my reassuring words but didn't reply to them. Not that she needed to, I understood her insecurities completely.

"You've changed your hair color," it was only now that I had taken notice of her pink hair. Originally she had always been a brunette like me.

"Oh yeah! Do you like it? I was kind of anxious to get it at first but we only live once, right?" She asked me while she took a pink hair strand and rolled it between her thin fingers.

I smiled.

"We only live once," I repeated, maybe interpreting too much in this sentence myself.

After we had discussed her newest boyfriend and other important stuff such as TV shows movies and books, I also entered the kitchen to greet my mother and father.

"Look who's here! Odi, my favorite child!" My father stated loudly for all my other siblings to catch up to it probably. He was such a dork.

"I heard that, Dad!" Helen's voice resounded from upstairs. My father snickered like a child being caught doing something mischievous and I couldn't help but grin at his playful behavior.

"Dad, one of my favorite parents!" I also greeted him and kissed him on the cheeks.

I would gladly participate in his game since I wasn't any better. His genes were in me after all

My mother had also approached me, only to later pull me in a big hug which I immediately returned.

"Making your parents worry all the time, you troublemaker. How were your exams?" My mother asked. I chuckled at her remark.

Troublemaker. Although we were a bunch of crazy people—my father, me, and my little sister especially—I had always been the only one to be in tricky situations. Well, my father had also done some stupid things when he was younger but now he was just a lovely middle-aged man.

"The exams went pretty well actually. I'm quite confident that I did a good job."

Both of my parents smiled at me. My father put a hand on my head.

"I knew my third-born would do well. Father instincts never lie."

🍋

After our quick conversation with Mom and Dad, I used the bathroom to freshen up as my brother had told me to. On the way to the living room, I had also kissed my little sister, Evelyn, on her cheeks who didn't appreciate the physical contact at all but still endured it like a true heroine. She had laid on the big couch in front of the television and watched some K-Drama. The young blonde girl was, in fact, a big fan of the romantic and dramatic storylines. Not that I was one to judge, I had also loved watching them. Even now when college and gangsters weren't taking up all my time.

My mother had prepared Budae Jjigae, Galbi, and a lot of various cooked vegetables and rice. We all sat down at the slightly big table and patiently waited for our father to say his bon appétit and dig in first, so we could do the same after him and eat up the whole pots of food. A Korean traditionality; it was only respectful to let the oldest take the first bite.

"That's delicious, Mom," my older siblings and I congratulated our mother's wonderful cooking skill almost in sync as we had most likely all missed her food equally. Our little sister, Evelyn, on the other hand, was still at home, enjoying this good life, living in an awesome home, and eating delicious cooked food, so she couldn't relate that much to the lonely lifestyle we college students and one full-time worker all shared now.

Mom grinned at our compliment and swayed her brown hair sassily over her shoulder. She had some grey tints but I hadn't taken notice of it until that moment.

"Well, thank you, my sweeties. I'm happy that you still think this lovingly about my cooking."

"What about me? I've also helped!" My Dad commented, making us all direct our gazes at him.

"Yeah, because chopping vegetables is that hard of a job," Evelyn commented, a smug look on her face as she chewed on her salad.

"Then don't eat it, you ungrateful brat!" My dad scolded and grabbed the bowl full of vegetables from his youngest daughter.

"Hey! Give me my food back!"

Dad refused which pissed Evelyn off. They began arguing, barking snarky remarks at each other. Our father did it out of my amusement but our little sister out of annoyance. Dad was very much one of a kind. He sometimes acted more like a child than any of us but at the next moment, he was the most responsible and kindest father one could have wished for. Mom smiled at the scenario before her eyes and just continued eating as if it was nothing. Well, it was probably nothing, just that I hadn't been home for a while now and I had grown used to the silence in my apartment while eating.

"Fine! You're also a good cook, old man!" Evelyn finally admitted and got her bowl with vegetables back.

"Lyn!" My mother said the name of her youngest daughter warningly. Evelyn only huffed and muttered a quick apology for her insult.

"56 to 45," my father stated. clenching his fist and quietly celebrating his victory, not even bothering about the 'old man' statement from before.

Right, as if they had only bickered 101 times in the 15 years that my sister had been born. They had probably only started counting this year which also seemed pretty unrealistic. Theodor must have shared the same thoughts by the way he made a confused face. I couldn't help but snicker at his facial expression.

"101 times? Do you count your victory yearly because then you must have left out a couple of hundreds."

"Don't ask me. He just randomly picks out numbers to continue from when he remembers," Evelyn explained and shrugged.

"Don't you want to finally end the competition? Maybe you should pick out a winner," Helen initiated

"I don't think that will stop them from competing," Mom said, sighing deeply.

"Oh yeah? Let's do it then. One match of Mario Kart after dinner," our father had suggested before he took another lamb skewers off the plate and bit into it.

"I've got no time for childish games. I need to continue watching my favorite Kdrama. I'm almost at the first kiss scene," Evelyn mentioned, raising her head arrogantly and smiling. My father waved her argument down with his hand, shaking his head while sighing.

"Maybe instead of watching some cheesy romantic TV Show, you could go outside and live out your storyline," Dad commented.

"Hey, I'm not Odi! I do go outside and meet up with people!" Lyn immediately defended herself, attacking me in the process.

"At least I did better in high school," I commented while I leaned forward to get myself another serving of Budae jjigae.

Everybody except Evelyn laughed at my statement and nodded in agreement. My younger sister rolled her eyes at me.

"School's not everything," she bit back.

Yes, indeed, it wasn't. Family and freedom held so much more importance.

After dinner, we had talked some more in the living room, discussed school problems and other issues. However, we still joked around a lot, laughed even more, and just enjoyed our time together. Theo had told some idiotic stories from his workplace. He was a teacher at an elementary school since the beginning of September, following in the footsteps of our parents. He taught English and Korean and although he hadn't been there for long he had some crazy and funny stories up his sleeve.

And some disturbing ones as well.

"You've heard about young kids selling drugs and weapons in high schools, right? Schools in bigger towns and cities are all known for the black market trade. Shockingly, it turns out that children in elementary schools are also participating in thuggery. Those ten-year-old kids are carrying daggers and pills with them, trying to sell them to their classmates. These illegal activities are getting out of hand."

"Yeah, some of my school comrades also participate in this kind of fuckery."

"Watch your language, Lyn. I don't want to hear any cussings in my house," my mother scolded the youngest family member. She had leaned her upper body against the sofa while standing.

Lyn sighed which earned her slight snickers from her older siblings including me of course.

"That also goes for you, guys," our Mom stated and softly pinched my left cheek. "Especially you, Odi. It doesn't look right on you when you cuss. It makes a human being seem vulgar."

"Yeah, I know. But I haven't cussed since I've arrived!" I defended myself grinning cheekily at our mother who then chuckled and shook her head.

"Well, as long as you don't involve yourself in this rebellious state of Korea, you won't need to worry. It will die down eventually," my father said, his eyes trained on his only son. Theodor didn't reply. Helen sighed deeply and directed her eyes on the TV that wasn't even on at this point.

"Yeah right, as if it's going to die down," Evelyn commented, taking a muffin off the plate that had been placed on the table. She had unwrapped the sweets on her plate before she bit into it.

Suddenly it felt as if everyone tensed up.

We all knew that Evelyn was right. In a way, it seemed like a silent agreement on her statement.

Bangtan, no one dared to talk about them. It was a never outspoken rule that you should never badmouth them.

"Why didn't you come sooner, Odi?" My younger sister suddenly asked, making all the eyes of my family members fixate me. "What was it that had taken up your time after your exam?"

I hesitated for too long simply out of the fact that I didn't want to come up with a silly excuse; with a lie.

"Well, you know...," I began, trying hard to find the right words. "I had simply forgotten the time since I had a serious conversation with a group of people," I answered. It wasn't a lie but also not the whole truth.

"See? She's got friends," Helen joked but it was not the time for it judging by Lyn's facial expression. She had always been skeptical, questioning everything that seemed shady to her.

"Oh right, your roommate. Lisa, right? Is it still cool living with her?" Theo asked me, grabbing a muffin of the plate as well and biting into it.

"She's moved out," I told them, flashbacks of the gangsters making my heart clench.

"She has? When?" My mother questioned me, her green eyes wide with surprise.

"Officially, two weeks ago. She hasn't been around for a long time though," I told them trying to sound carefree and calm.

Although the occasion with the thugs was still as fresh as ever in my brain and it wasn't the best timing to tell them about Lisa, I didn't want to hide the truth anymore.

My family's questioning stares deepened into a confused and worried one.

"Why are you telling us only now? We're talking to each other once every week," Helen asked.

"Because Lisa's involved with the Mafia," Lyn answered for me, her eyes glaring in my direction. "Isn't that right? That's why you didn't tell us until now."

"She's no thug," I immediately denied.

"That doesn't mean that she's not hanging out with them."

"Lyn!" My mother called out but her voice didn't reach her youngest daughter. It just motivated her further on creating problematic conspiracy theories that were most likely true. Not that I was ready to approve of them.

"That's ridiculous," I simply stated, ready to end the awkward and uncomfortable conversation.

"No, it's not. You've been acting weird since you've decided to move in with your roommate," my little sister insisted.

"Weird how? College just takes all of my energy and I'm very tired most of the time," I denied her statement fully although she was on the right track.

"Whatever." Evelyn rolled her eyes at my answer and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

The upbeat and comfortable conversations we had until that moment bickered down which was more than obvious by the way everyone made a sour face and seemed to think deeply about my situation now. I needed to tell them, I knew that; I felt it. However, I feared involving them in a situation like this; involve them with the Mafia. It wouldn't only destroy me further but threaten my lovely family as well.

That night, as I laid on a mattress next to Helen's bed despite all of the worry and deep thoughts, I also noticed that by choosing silence over talking in this kind of situation, this country wouldn't get better. In a way, I was like all the other fearful citizens who didn't dare to voice their opinions and were scared of getting involved and involving others in shady situations.

That's how Bangtan had grasped their powers in the first place—fear.

🍋

I threw my head back as I held tight on the cold railings of the swing. As I was on the way to the cinema, I made a quick stop at my old high school's campus. It was right on my way, and I was very early, like always. Originally, I wanted to go with my little sister, Lyn, but since she had argued with me the day before she was still pouting in her room, completely segregating herself. Of course, I had tried to mend her angry state but she had ignored me. In the end, I had to give up and let her some more time to cool off. I did understand her anger, I truly did. If it had been them who hid something important from me I would have acted the same way. However, I was just like any citizen; fearful of her loved ones. Or maybe this was just a pitiful excuse of a coward because admitting defeat was a lot worse, if not the worst when it came down to Bangtan.

I would never shove the king out of his bloody throne and never put him behind bars most likely. And still, admitting it was still the worst in my eyes because this silly imagination had formed itself into a lifetime wish, a dream even. I hadn't even taken notice of it until that very moment.

"Odette?" Suddenly, a loud voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I sat up straight and looked in the direction of the street. A male had leaned on the fence around the rail ground and smiled at me as I had looked at him.

"So it is you," The stranger said, pushing himself off the fence and smoothly jumping over it.

Who was this guy?

I tried to make something out of his hickory-colored hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a playful smirk on his full lips.

"Don't you remember me?" He asked me. He had probably noticed the cautious and questioning look on my face.

"We are neighbors? The yellow house next to yours?" He tried yet again.

Neighbors? Yellow house?

No, that couldn't be!

"Hyun-woo?" I suddenly called out, making him nod and smile brightly out of amazement. "But I thought you moved to Japan?"

"Yeah, well, I figured the Yakuza life isn't one for me. Bangtan seems more trendy and less uptight and traditional," he joked, laughing about his own since I hadn't appreciated his humor. I've known this man for half of my life. He was at least eight years older than me and had been on top of that the biggest bully. He had often come around to provoke my older brother. Since Theo had always been a kind and patient person, he had been the perfect victim for assholes like him. Well, Hyun-woo had probably matured since then but the memories of him terrorizing Theo were still fresh in my mind.

"So what are you doing currently? Finished with high school I bet?" He questioned me as he slowly approached.

"Yeah, I graduated this year. Now, I'm at JYP University. I've already written my half-year exams."

"JYP? That's in SM Town, right? Isn't that the city where most criminals rove 'round at the moment?"

"Shouldn't you be more careful about this subject, Hyun-woo? I know that we're more in the countryside but it's still not safe to talk openly about this topic."

"Come on! Since when does the little rebel care about such secondary things? If I'm not mistaken, you've always been the one picking moral fights with everyone who doesn't act right in your eyes."

"That's a long time ago. I've changed," I replied and got up from the swing when he got seated on the other one. I felt the urge to escape this conversation.

"You're going already? Won't you have a nice and long conversation with me?"

"I'm not interested," I bluntly stated.

"How cold," he said and chuckled after. "You've got very little trust in your old neighbor."

"Well excuse you, I wasn't the one beating up your brother," I harshly bit back and whirled around to face him.

"That's exactly what I've missed about you. That fire in your eyes..."

I rolled my eyes and was set on leaving the playground when his next statement shook me to the very core, making me forget about all my negative feelings towards him for that moment.

"I'm sorry about that and about everything bad that I've done to Theo. Being a parentless kid and being watched over by strangers who tried to replace that role didn't sit well with me," the one and only Hyun-woo suddenly apologized. "It's not an excuse for what I've done. I know that as well. I was the biggest prick who thought the whole world was against him, so I figured I needed to fight against others as well. It was wrong of me, very wrong. And I wish I would've taken you seriously and didn't make fun of you when you tried to get this through my brain back then." He made a short pause which resulted in me turning around and looking at him. His head was slightly tilted and his broad shoulders sunken. This guy was either a good actor or he meant his words.

"I'm not asking you for forgiveness. I don't even care if you believe me. I just wanted to say it, to selfishly make myself feel better about my own youth's faults and foolish behavior. I'm sorry."

Even before apologizing to me rather than to his actual victim, I knew that Theodor had forgiven him. My brother was kind and naïve after all, always seeing the good in everyone. I, on the other hand, was more careful, more resentful. Well, I tried to be. In this world, kindness wasn't exactly a helpful personality trait.

"Do you want to go?" I asked the older male without thinking about my request at first. There I was again, spouting nonsense without thinking first.

"Go where?" Hyun-woo asked me with a very much surprised facial expression. I kind of felt idiotic for actually playing out that crazy idea in my head. Not that it was unlike me, I usually wasn't that smooth when socializing.

"To the cinema. I've wanted to watch this one Christmas Horror Movie for a while now and I do have the chance to do so finally. Evelyn's rejected my proposal, so I still have a free ticket. You wanna go?"

He smiled a smile I had never seen on him, ever. If I hadn't believed his apology until then, at that moment I suddenly did.

Or maybe he was just a natural actor after all.

My ex-neighbor put his arm around my shoulder as we walked down the sidewalk to the cinema. He laughed, joked about the Yakuza, compared the Mafia to Bangtan in a loud voice. He was a rebel, that didn't change about him at all. Hyun-woo was still that neighbor's adopted kid with a bad temper nobody could handle. I hadn't liked him back then, I didn't like him now. However, the way he had badmouthed the all-around feared gang, somehow I felt more at ease.

If strong people like him could do this easily then there was still hope. Hope for a better world, a better Korea.

So after a time, I began laughing, silently thanking him for all the snarky and mean insults he inflicted on Bangtan. In a way, it felt like we were winning the battle against those assholes.

And still, his hands dangling over my shoulder made me remember the time he had held up his fists to bring it down with all his might on my brother. Theodor must have been only 14 years old, 2 years younger than Hyun-woo. And the bully had hurt him, had laughed and had called him names, provoking him into fighting back. Only that Theo had never stooped down to his level. Not that he could have ever overpowered him even if he had wanted to.

Strong people like Hyun-woo never used their power on stronger humans. Why would they, though? It was so much easier fighting the weaker ones after all.

🍋

"You're back!" My mother had called out as I had closed the front door behind me. I turned around at her voice and smiled as our eyes had met. Those beautiful green eyes that I had inherited from her.

Almost immediately I slipped out of my boots and took a few quick steps towards her figure, only to bring my arms around her round form and hug her.

"I'm home," I mumbled as I embraced her, leaning my chin on her shoulder. My mother was as tall as I was, making us the smallest among the other ones in the family. My father was a tall man which resulted in him looking like a big and kind-eyed bear next to my mother although he had always been thin and sporty. My mother had stroked my head, slid her fingers through my curly hair, and hummed a sweet tone. I breathed deeply and just enjoyed her caressing as all the bad thoughts vanished out of my mind.

Hyun-woo hadn't had any good effect on me which didn't surprise me, to be honest. I would have been a fool to not foresee it. It's not like he did anything bad while we had watched the Horror movie but the dark past of his was more than enough to make me feel sick to my stomach.

"How's Lyn?" I asked Mom while I held her closer.

"Still pouting in her room. She hasn't come out the whole day."

"Maybe I should check on her," I suggested.

"Maybe you should," my mother agreed and grinned as I looked her in the face, a neutral expression on my own. She had only waited for me to give in and reconcile with my little sister again.

"Well then." I let go of her and aimed for the stairs. Just as I was about to put a foot on the first wooden stair my mother's voice resounded in the hallway anew.

"You do know that you can tell me everything, right? Whatever that is that burdens you, I'm going to listen to you and try my best to help you."

"I know. Thank you, Mom," I replied after some time. She had noticed my hesitation but didn't push it. Though if she had, I would have spilled everything in that instant. All the precious memories with Lisa, the encounters with the two-faced Jeong-guk, the traumatic session with two thugs—D.O. and Channie—who had broken into my home, the tense scene with the observing man, Junior, and the invasive questions of the red-haired guy, V.

And maybe, just maybe, it was better that I kept my mouth shut.

After opening the door to Evelyn's bedroom, I tiptoed to my sister's bed. She was breathing deeply, probably sleeping at this point. Or she was pretending. It wasn't even nine in the evening. Normally Lyn stayed up very late, even on school days.

"Are you awake?" I whispered to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She was laying on her side. Normally, she slept on her stomach. I sighed deeply when she didn't respond though it was obvious that she was awake.

Without asking for permission I pulled her blanket up and snuggled beside her on the hard mattress, welcoming the warmth and the smell of home, our smell.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to her, putting an arm around her stomach and hugging her from behind. "I shouldn't have kept it hidden that Lisa's moved out. It was just very hard on me and I've been stressed for a while now and I wanted to avoid worrying you all, especially Mom."

Lyn didn't respond, she continued breathing deeply and stayed in the same laying position.

I got up after some time of silence and was about to tiptoe my way out of the darkened room when her voice resounded.

"We're family. Doesn't that mean that we share everything and carry the pain of each other with us?"

A wry smile spread over my lips though she couldn't have noticed it in the darkness even after she had turned around.

"So you were awake after all," I simply replied, automatically ignoring but not forgetting her question.

"Duh. Who goes sleeping before midnight in the holidays? I'd be crazy to waste my nights like this."

"So, we're good?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I'm sorry as well. Maybe I shouldn't drop to conclusions all the time and accuse the Mafia of everything that's going wrong in life," she told me.

"It's never a shame to do so. Those assholes deserve all the blame in my eyes."

Now she must have noticed my intention with this statement. Since I had been too proud to put my failure and fear in words, I tried the indirect method.

"Yeah, maybe they do," Lyn agreed.