Jay sat at his desk, staring at the pile of documents before him. His office was quiet except for the faint ticking of the clock on the wall, but his mind was far from still. No matter how hard he tried to focus on the political matters at hand, his thoughts kept drifting to Jungwon.

His stepbrother.

Jay frowned, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He couldn't let himself get distracted like this, not with so many decisions hanging in the balance. The city was waiting for him to act, his career demanded attention, but here he was, thinking about the one person he shouldn't.

"Jay, are you okay?" a voice interrupted his thoughts. It was his assistant, Mrs. Park, a seasoned woman who had worked for him for years. She noticed the distant look in his eyes and the way he was fidgeting with his pen.

Jay snapped out of his reverie, blinking a few times before nodding. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... tired. What's next on the agenda?"

Mrs. Park gave him a skeptical look but didn't press. "You have a meeting with the urban development board in an hour, and you need to review the budget proposal before that."

Jay sighed and rubbed his temples. "Right. I'll get to it."

But as soon as Mrs. Park left the room, his mind returned to Jungwon. The way his younger brother smiled, the subtle glances they exchanged when they thought no one was watching. Jay hated the pull he felt every time Jungwon was near. It was wrong, wasn't it? They were family — or at least, supposed to be. But the way his heart raced whenever Jungwon was in the same room said otherwise.

"Why can't I stop thinking about him?" Jay muttered under his breath. He stood up, pacing the room, trying to shake the feeling off. His mind flashed back to last night, to the way Jungwon had looked at him, eyes full of something Jay was afraid to name. Was it love? Longing? Did Jungwon feel the same way he did?

"Stop it," Jay scolded himself. He couldn't go down that road. Not now. Not ever.

Just then, his phone buzzed on his desk, and he snatched it up, hoping for a distraction. But it was a text from Jungwon. His heart skipped a beat.

Jungwon: "Are you coming home for dinner tonight? I made your favorite."

Jay hesitated, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. How could such a simple message make him feel like this? He knew he couldn't keep avoiding Jungwon forever, but every interaction felt like a test of his willpower.

His phone buzzed again. This time, it was a call from his boss, the mayor, Mr. Choi.

"Jay," came the firm voice on the other end. "I hope you're prepared for the meeting later. We need to lock down these plans. No room for distractions today."

Jay cleared his throat, trying to push all thoughts of Jungwon aside. "Of course, Mr. Choi. I've reviewed everything. I'm ready."

"Good. Don't lose focus. The city's counting on us to make the right decisions."

As the call ended, Jay stood frozen. The weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him, but all he could think about was how Jungwon had looked at him that morning before he left for work, the soft smile that tugged at the corner of his lips, the way their fingers had brushed for just a second too long.

Why was it so hard to concentrate? Why did everything keep coming back to Jungwon?

Mrs. Park re-entered, holding a few more documents. "Jay, you have a phone call waiting from the finance department. Do you want me to transfer it?"

Jay shook his head. "No... I'll handle it later."

"But it's urgent, sir," she insisted.

Jay let out a heavy sigh, knowing he couldn't keep putting off his responsibilities. But as much as he tried to bury his emotions under the weight of his work, he couldn't escape the truth gnawing at the back of his mind.

He was in love with Jungwon.

Jay's fingers hovered over the phone as he prepared to accept the call from the finance department. But his mind was elsewhere, drowning in thoughts that refused to stay quiet. The feelings he had for Jungwon — feelings that had started as confusion but had grown into something undeniable — weighed heavily on his heart.

He knew he loved his stepbrother in a way he shouldn't. Jay had tried to suppress it, to convince himself it was just a phase, a passing attraction. But the way his chest tightened every time he saw Jungwon told him otherwise. It was more than just physical attraction. The way Jungwon moved, the way he smiled, the gentle way he cared for him — it all made Jay's heart race. Yet, the guilt gnawed at him, eating away at his resolve.

It was wrong. He knew that. They were family, bound by a title they couldn't escape, but his feelings had long crossed the line. How could he let himself feel this way about Jungwon? How could he allow these thoughts to take root and fester when they had no place in his life, in his world?

But it wasn't just the guilt. It was the fear — the fear that Jungwon might feel the same, and what that would mean for them. Or worse, the fear that Jungwon didn't feel the same at all. Jay's mind churned with the weight of it all as he finally clicked to accept the call. But the words coming through the phone were just noise, muffled by the storm inside his head.

"Mr. Park? Mr. Park, are you there?" the voice from the finance department asked, breaking through his haze.

"Yeah," Jay finally responded, but his tone was distant. "I'll get back to you on this later. Just... send me the details."

Without waiting for a reply, he ended the call and sank into his chair. His hands gripped the edges of the desk as memories from a few nights ago resurfaced — the night Jungwon had run off to find Jake at the club.

Flashback till the end of the chapter

Jay had been worried. No, more than worried — panicked. The moment Jungwon had left, Jay knew something was wrong. He had tried calling, but Jungwon didn't pick up. His mind raced with every possible scenario, and despite his better judgment, Jay had followed him.

He remembered slipping into the club, the dim lighting and thumping music masking his presence as he searched for his stepbrother. But it wasn't long before he spotted him — Jungwon, standing in the corner, talking to someone.

Jay's heart had lurched, relief washing over him. But that relief was short-lived when he noticed a man in the crowd, his phone pointed at Jungwon. The flash of recognition hit Jay — Jungwon was a celebrity, and if someone saw him at a place like this, it would spread like wildfire. The man, probably some opportunistic nobody, was preparing to record Jungwon, most likely to post it online and make a quick buck.

Jay felt a surge of anger. Pure, unfiltered rage coursed through his veins. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let anyone exploit Jungwon.

Without thinking, Jay stormed over to the man, grabbing him by the arm. The stranger looked startled at first, but Jay's grip tightened, and the expression on his face must have been enough to terrify him.

"Delete it," Jay had hissed, his voice low and dangerous. But the man, cocky and oblivious, sneered.

"And if I don't?" the man had challenged, clearly unaware of who Jay was dealing with.

That was all it took. In an instant, Jay's fist collided with the man's face, the sound of bone crunching under his knuckles. The man staggered back, but Jay didn't stop. Years of pent-up frustration, anger, and jealousy all came pouring out as he continued to punch, each hit harder than the last.

People around them began to notice, but no one dared step in. Jay's eyes were wild, his fists relentless. He could hear the man's desperate pleas, but it was drowned out by the roaring in his ears. All he could think about was protecting Jungwon, making sure no one would ever dare to touch him, or hurt him, or expose him like that again.

By the time Jay was pulled off the man, blood smeared his hands, and the man lay on the ground, groaning in pain. Jay stood over him, breathing heavily, his heart racing with adrenaline.

"You ever try something like that again, and I'll make sure you regret it," Jay had growled before storming out of the club, his entire body trembling.

As Jay walked back to his car that night, his phone buzzed. It was Jungwon, texting him that he was heading home.

Jay had watched him leave the club from a distance, a knot of emotion tightening in his chest. He knew what he had done was wrong. He shouldn't have let his emotions take control like that, but the thought of someone using Jungwon like that — of anyone even thinking they could get away with it — had driven him mad.

Now, back in his office, Jay clenched his fists, remembering the blood on his hands. His feelings for Jungwon were dangerous, not just to him but to anyone who got too close. But despite the guilt, despite knowing how wrong it all was, Jay couldn't stop.

And maybe... deep down, he didn't want to.

As Jay stalked back to his car that night, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins, he couldn't shake the image of Jungwon. He had spotted him leaving the club, not alone, but with Jake. They had gotten into Jake's car, laughing, oblivious to the storm that had just unfolded inside the club. Watching Jungwon leave with someone else sent a pang of jealousy coursing through Jay's chest. His hands clenched into fists again, knuckles still red and raw from the beating he had just delivered.

Why was Jungwon with Jake? And why was it bothering him so much?

He stood in the dimly lit parking lot, leaning against his own car, his heart hammering in his chest. He had almost started to follow them when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, hoping it was Jungwon, but instead, it was a notification from social media. His blood froze.

The video.

Jay's eyes widened as he opened the app, and there it was — a short clip of Jungwon inside the club, the caption already drawing in likes and comments: "Spotted: Jungwon at Club. Guess our golden boy isn't so innocent after all."

Jay's vision went red. He swiped through the comments, most of them mocking, some surprised, others eagerly sharing the post as it quickly went viral. His hand shook as he realized the consequences of this. Jungwon's career, his image — everything could be ruined because of this stupid video. And all because some lowlife thought they could get their fifteen minutes of fame by selling out his stepbrother.

Jay's pulse quickened. He turned, scanning the parking lot for the man he had attacked earlier, the one responsible for this mess. It didn't take long to find him.

There he was, standing with a group of friends, laughing as they crowded around a phone — clearly admiring their handiwork. The man's smug face lit up as his buddies congratulated him, clearly thinking he had hit the jackpot.

Jay's breathing became ragged. He was still seething from earlier, but now, the rage inside him boiled over into something darker. Something uncontrollable. His hands itched with the need for violence, a primal urge to make the man pay for what he had done to Jungwon.

Without thinking, Jay started moving toward them, his footsteps heavy and determined. He barely registered the other people milling about in the lot, too focused on the group in front of him, their laughter grating on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

"Hey," Jay growled as he approached, his voice low and menacing.

The group looked up, startled. The guy he had already beaten earlier took a step back, fear flashing in his eyes when he recognized Jay. The others, however, didn't seem to sense the danger.

"Look, man, we don't want any trouble," one of the guy's friends said, raising his hands in mock surrender, clearly trying to defuse the situation.

Jay ignored him, his gaze fixed on the man who had posted the video. "You think this is funny?" Jay's voice was calm, too calm, and that only made the situation more threatening. "You think you can just mess with someone's life and walk away?"

The man opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get a word out, Jay's fist slammed into his jaw with brutal force. The crack of bone echoed in the air, and the man staggered back, clutching his face as blood began to pour from his mouth.

The friends started to back off, panic setting in as they realized Jay wasn't here to talk. "Hey, man, stop! We didn't know—"

Jay didn't care. He grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against a nearby car, pinning him there as he continued to punch, over and over again. The man's groans turned into desperate cries for help, but no one came. Jay's fists were relentless, fueled by rage, by jealousy, by the need to protect Jungwon from the fallout this video would cause.

"Delete it!" Jay shouted, his voice thick with fury. "Delete the video!"

The man tried to speak, but his words were garbled, his face a bloody mess. Jay didn't stop. He couldn't stop. The sound of bones crunching under his fists was drowned out by the roar of blood in his ears.

Finally, when the man stopped moving, Jay stood over him, panting, his chest heaving with exertion. His hands were stained with blood, his own and the man's. The man's friends had scattered, too afraid to intervene, too shocked by the violence that had just unfolded before them.

Jay bent down, grabbing the phone from the man's limp hand. He unlocked it with the man's thumbprint and immediately deleted the video from his social media account. Then, with a final look of disgust, he tossed the phone aside and stepped back, surveying the damage.

The man was barely conscious, his face swollen and disfigured, blood pooling on the ground beneath him. Jay wiped his hands on his jeans, trying to clean off the blood, but it felt like it would never come off.

He turned to leave, but before he could, he heard the man cough, a weak, gurgling sound that made Jay freeze in his tracks. He turned back, his expression darkening as he realized the man wasn't dead yet.

With a sickening calm, Jay reached into his pocket and pulled out his knife, flicking it open with a cold, mechanical precision. The man's eyes widened in terror as Jay knelt down beside him, the blade glinting in the dim light of the parking lot.

"You should've kept your phone in your pocket," Jay whispered, his voice devoid of any emotion.

And then, with one swift motion, he drove the knife into the man's chest.

The man let out a strangled gasp, his body convulsing as the life drained out of him. Jay watched, expressionless, as the man's eyes went blank, the final flicker of life fading away.

Jay stood up, his hands shaking slightly as he wiped the blade clean on the man's shirt. He pocketed the knife and turned away, heading back toward his car. His heart was racing, but his mind was eerily calm. It was done.

As he reached his car, he pulled out his phone and dialed Jungwon's number. The phone rang twice before going to voicemail.

"Jungwon, pick up," Jay muttered under his breath, dialing again.

This time, Jungwon answered, but before Jay could say anything with heavy breath Jungwon hang up again.

Jay stood there for a moment, staring at his phone in disbelief. A slow, simmering anger began to rise inside him. Jungwon had chosen Jake over him. He had hung up on him.

A cold smile crept across Jay's face as he got into his car and slammed the door shut. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he started the engine, his mind already racing with thoughts of what he would do next.

"Wait till you get home," Jay whispered, his voice low and dangerous. "Just wait."

Author note: Yayyyyyy I am back guys !!!! Hope you are all not mad at me *cri*