a/n : i forgot to mention, but some of the things in this book is inspired by the korean drama, the penthouse. also tw, abuse and blood please skip if you are uncomfortable!!

━━ ( 🎲 ) chapter three...

"bring it on then, let's see if they're really like what you meant, renjun-ssi. "

jaemin words infuriated chenle, how could he possibly take the situation so light? with his figure laid back, and a relaxed grin painted across his face-a grin that the chinese wanted nothing more than to wipe off. all that swirled in his mind was pure anxiousness and fear, fear of how jaemin's decision would lead him straight to a hell that he wouldn't be able to escape-and as his little brother, he felt that it was his job to stop this monstrosity.

" no! you are not doing this, it's dangerous! " chenle stood up suddenly, startling the other males. " we're leaving early renjun-ge sorry for wasting yo-"

jaemin pulled his arm off chenle's grasp roughly, ignoring how the younger's face blazed scarlet red, " let's go back to discussing renjun."

chenle scoffed, his brother's actions shocked him. never in a thousand years would he have thought that jaemin would have done that.

"listen to me would you!? " chenle, as stubborn as jaemin retorted, " do you know how terrible of a brother i would be? if i agreed to send you off on this suicide mission! "

jaemin sighed, not even recoiling after hearing chenle's rage, " i know what i'm doing chenle, you have to trust me. "

it never rang to his senses, how in an uncertain situation-jaemin's gaze remained as poised as before, how his voice resonated sternly without a single tremble. it sent a turmoil of pain down his heart. jaemin wouldn't even spare a glimpse at him. it was as if his wails of anxiousness prickled by unignored by his ears.

it was enough for him. chenle needed to strike jaemin with a piece of reality, before he unleased his fury.

" you're being cocky aren't you? thinking you're oh-so great, and so brave that you have the courage to step in the building without hesitation, " he let out an airy, yet mocking laugh.

jaemin finally faced the chinese, rolling his eyes before saying, " stop blabbering nonsense chenle! remember you were the one who came up with this. "

deep inside, jaemin knew that he should have restrained himself, but he couldn't possibly rewind time. what was uttered has been uttered.

" yeah of course, it's my fault i admit that-but know one thing, the next thing you will do isn't going to be mine, jaemin hyung, " chenle admitted, turning his back to leave which left renjun in confusion, " i guess i have no reason to stay, well good luck trying not to die there! "

that was the last straw for the young man, his anger boiled until it reached its very tip. he fumed of fury, kindness and peace no longer lingered in his heart. chenle had reached his limit-when anger is set free, it can lead to a flame of destruction. when a brother's words are pierced like a blade, a deep scar is left concealed, deep in anguish.

jaemin's gaze remained floating around the landmark, it would be a lie if he said there wasn't a part of him that truly repented his words. still, he had his eyes set on his goal, and nothing was going to stop him from reaching it.

renjun massaged his head, chenle's shrieks and jaemin's stubbornness accentuated his mind even more, " aren't you going to go after him? "

" no, i'll talk to him later, " he simply uttered and renjun abruptly felt a blaze of anger and disappointment.

" jaemin, i don't think you should do this, maybe talk it out with chenle first? " renjun negotiated, siding with chenle-finding jaemin's action ridiculous.

" when i say no, i mean it huang renjun, " jaemin's warm orbs long forgotten, renewed by a cold glare, " now tell me about them. "

renjun gulped, jaemin's aura was something unusual but it was undoubtedly dominating and frightening his timid one, " alright i guess, let's move on..."

his fingers reached for his tab, the portrait forming figures of some middle-aged and even some that was around his age. they were draped in the most lavish dresses and coated with the finest suit, jewelery of gold and silver embellished their skins. and although they were closely huddled together in a group, posing with big smiles stretching on their faces-jaemin knew it sprouted lies, for how their orbs reflected the exact opposite.

" they are this country's wealthiest families, wielding the power to some of the most influencial companies and industries in korea, " renjun described, " the lees, the parks and the jungs...the big three. "

( a/n : yg sm jyp who? )

" greedy snobs, " jaemin chuckled.

renjun tagged along, " you're right...and also wrong at the same time. "

" from my experience, greed only lies in the heart of their parents-who sadly brainwashes their children to strive for more, just like them, " renjun then swiped the screen.

jaemim engulfed his eyes at the view of five males, their lean figure beside each other while their hands discarded in random awkward positions. their faces embodied god's greatest masterpieces, sculpted finely with no flaw. some with raven black locks, some splashed with wild colors like blonde and even pink.

renjun was also in awe, they were indeed charming, he already knew. but coming across a portrait of his childhood friends after many years of avoidance and missing-renjun needed time to churn it.

his mind thought about the good old days, tainted with innocence and echoes of laughter-days when their smiles was enough to cover the reality that was their parent's evil deeds.

the chinese's mind chuckled focusing on a familiar face, a childhood company? more like an umforgettable first love. a feeling that surprisingly never tarnished as the clock ticked by.

jaemin glanced over at renjun, finding him at daze, " hey, you alright? "

he scratched his head awkwardly in reply, " uhh y-yeah totally, just got a flashback you know? it's been a long time since i have met them. "

jaemin just nodded, " and their names? "

" too eager huh? " renjun smirked, fidgeting with the ipad tab to show display a picture of male.

jaemin was a met with a pair of doe eyes, warm hazel ones illuminating rays of comfort. he travelled his way to his cherry plump lips, and along the way got lost admiring his overall features. his sharp jawline bestowed to him the masculinity to finish off his looks. warm yet intimidating, mysterious and enchanting.

" jung sungchan, the second son of the jungs. many said that he is the most careless out of the group...that he doesn't know how to control his tember. sungchan's also pretty popular in the media's eyes for constantly putting his father's reputation at risk, " the latter

explained widely, jaemin targeting his attention either on the ipad or renjun's words. noting down some important things in his head about his personality.

the jungs, a new resident of jade palace. the sudden rise of mr.jung in the politics world, granted his family a place amongst the wealthiest koreans.

" you said he has a sibling, what about them? " he questioned shortly.

renjun raised his eyebrow, but soon realized, " oh! not much is known about him, he won't show up much anyways since he's been living in america for 4 years. "

the male's long fingers then proceed to slide left, displaying another male with an aura of youth. his thin nose bridge fell perfectly on top of his soft red lips, and though hise orbs sent rays of intimidation to hi-how his pearl white teeth lined up to form a precious smile convinced jaemin he was harmless. jaemin never knew a nose could be sculpted anymore perfectly.

a rather proud smile emerged on the older's face, " next is jisung park, this kid...ahh he's grown so much...he used to be so tiny next to me! always trying to be manly as what his parents told him, when he can't even hurt a fly. he is a curious one, always wondering how things worked, and being fascinated by everything. jisung's the tsundere type, on the outside a cold, scary looking guy but in the inside...just a scared lonely child whose childhood was taken away too soon. "

it raised questions from jaemin, " what do you mean by his childhood being taken away? "

at first renjun had his mouth clasp tight, his excitement died down-bullets of sweat ran down from his forehead as he swifted uncomfortably. he was clearly still traumatized, even after the long years since their escape.

" w-when we h-hit the age of eight back in the jade palace...our childhood practically ended. our parents would force us to hours and hours of exhausting lessons, participating in clubs, attending formal meetings, and any wrong doings will he punished severely, " renjun looked bothered when recalling his traumatic experience, "we got used to it eventually, but jisung? he was only six jaemin...a six year old who wanted nothing but to explore the world, yet he had to learn about it in the harshest way. "

" i-i don't know what to say, i never expected that. "

" out of all the kids, i considered jisung as my younger brother. i was his shoulder to cry on, i remembered how late at night he would sneak to my room asking me if his parents really loved him, " his voice started trembling which worried jaemin, " i told him everything will be fine, and that they still do but then jisung started complaining that his b-back h-hurted..."

the latter just couldn't continue, his throat ran dry when the vision of the six year old jisung clouded his mind. in his heart was guilt overlapping the misery bubbling. renjun didn't even notice that there were liquid flowing from his orbs.

jaemin rubbed his hand on renjun's back, genuinely feeling like he had push the chinese to the limit. chenle was right, he was being selfish, constantly bombarding questions to renjun whose past still haunted him.

" renjun, take a deep breath. let's just stop here alright? you don't have to continue, " jaemin tried his best to comfort renjun, who even started choking on his breath due to the meltdown.

he shook his head, wiping his tears facing jaemin with great grief and pain in his red eyes, " i-i need to jaemin, it's fine i have to get over this somehow. "

he then handed renjun a piece of tissue, it was the least he could do after everything he had done.

after awhile, renjun's loud chokes and sniffles died down. a new courage bloomed inside him, he had been hiding about the truth when everything needed to be spoken. everyone needed to know about how those cruel devils crushed their childhood.

" jisung told me his back hurted, so i lifted his shirt to see what's wrong, " he stopped, closing his eyed to take a deep breath but it made it worse since the tears started pouring, " t-there w-were s-scars...his back was packed with bruises and scars jaemin, t-there was even blood oozing out, and even after that, he still believed his parents loved him."

the parks, old money like most. jisung's parents, carried a legacy which was passed down from generations to generations. their broadcasting and entertainment company, the very first to be established in korea. as the ceo's son, jisung's future was pretty much set the day he arrived to the world. his body automatically trained to become a dancer, and after graduating he would become a soloist under MS entertainment.

he pulled renjun to a hug, jaemin just felt like the older needed it. jaemin bit his lip silently pitying jisung even though they were strangers.

" he was only six jaemin, i feel so bad for leaving him there, " renjun covered his eyes, breaking down once again, and jaemin could only pat his back for comfort.

renjun swallowed a bitter feeling that day, one that came as a kaladoscope but soon transforming into a stab in the pits of his heart.

jaemin was overwhelmed too, in his mind his expectations of these wealthy kids crumbled. what he thought was perfect, turned out to appear with many flaws. he was blinded. it is true-for a child, even mountains of gold would mean nothing when compared to a parent's love. he was suddenly grateful, he didn't have to buy his mother's genuine love.

silence engulfed the air, as jaemin waited patiently for renjun to calm down and gather himself before continuing. he didn't want to pressure the latter, especially after knowing the fact that his childhood was apart of hid darkest secrets. though not long after, renjun gave jaemin a pat signaling that he was ready.

he sighed once again, " it's time to stop regretting and start doing right?, " renjun paused, " you know what jaemin? i'm going to help you until you get into jade palace. it's the least i can do, please tell me, you will help them if something bad happens. "

jaemin nodded, it wasn't part of his plan, but witnessing renjun's story and how it had torned him, he suddenly had the urge to help.

" thank you, let's move on from all the crying shall we? " he then laughed to lighten the mood, although deep inside he was scarred, " ah yes! today's main attraction, the lee siblings..."

" i just have to pick one right? " jaemin stared.

renjun shook his head, still with a cracked voice and a sniffling nose replied, " believe me, after seeing them you'd wish you could pick
three. "

" nah, i won't fall that eas-"

again, he would be in the face of regret because in front of his eyes was another genetically blessed man. a pair of glasses sat perfectly on his nose, his evident cheek bones popped as his mouth creased to a smile. the male's happiness radiated so much, jaemin could practically hear his echoing laugh.

' dang renjun's right ' a thought appeared in jaemin's mind, that he couldn't resist.

⌨ᶻᶻᶻ elena is typing ...

yeah i wonder who that is?? ( if u still dk then my nctzen heart is deeply disappointed ) hehe

chapter cut here because it would be too long if i introduce everyone in one chapter!! don't worry though, i'm going to work on the next chapter tonight and it should be up within this week. thank you for reading this chapter, and as always stay safe healthy and happy💚💚