The meeting room was stunned into silence, to say the least, everyone present at the venue refrained from uttering a word which can be held against them in the eyes of the powerful boss. They exchanged glances, which was the only way they could exchange their thoughts.

The word of Danny's death was out, it circulated in the mafia and spread like wildfire. A loyal man to Boss, mostly present in doing the dirty business, was killed brutally with three holes right in the middle of that overachiever's brain. Not only that but the place where he was killed was the king's manor and the murderer was none other than Boss himself.

How did he even manage?

Danny didn't die at the king's hands, not even after managing to attack him in his very own bedroom, but he was dead because Boss had decided it.

The shocking fact, that Boss was the one penetrating three bullets into his forehead, was enough to make everyone on the rebel side of the mafia think over their life choices, a choice of going against the most fearful crime lord and making a team with an unpredictable Boss.

Perfectly fucked on both sides.

Kangsu and Mr Chris were also present at the scene, both waiting for Boss to arrive and for the meeting to start finally. They sat around the big rectangular table in the meeting room, with bottles of wine and fancy glasses, as they scowled at the other without words.

The awaited man was, by the way, twenty-five minutes late and it provided both Kangsu and Chris a perfect opportunity to glare dagger at each other.

Both thirsty for the other's blood if given a chance.

Soon enough there was a commotion outside, rustling sounds of men in the hallways outside and then multiple tapping of quick boots against the floor before the reason for all that suspense entered the room with his authoritative steps and a frown settled, perhaps, permanently on his face.

"Hello gentlemen......." Boss started facing his audience, taking both of the other's attention as they sat straight. And although he would never classify Kangsu and Chris under the mentioned label of 'Gentlemen' but still..........Well......whatever.

The meeting started.

...

Meanwhile, at the port, which was basically a shining building in the night, Mickey parked the bike at the front gate of his destination. He climbed down the vehicle, turned it off, and fished out his cell phone before texting a certain someone.

Mickey then sighed in anticipation.

After a wait of uncertain two minutes, the gate opened and a surprised Jana exited the premises. He jogged towards the younger with a wide grin on his face, long locks flying in the air and a big build covered in a thin jumpsuit, as he reached closer to the boy.

"Mickey! What are you doing here?" the older asked, breathing fast, in a happy yet confused voice.

"I borrowed your bike for the day, it is only fair if I come to pick you up" the boy replied with a shrug as if it wasn't a big deal and he wasn't internally cursing himself for acting such an act. Mickey considered it his fault for feeling obliged and coming to pick the older.

Jana's smile only widened.

"I would have managed my way home baby.....besides, it's a long distance and I hope you aren't coming from the apartment?" Jana mused as he tried to make eye contact with Mickey but the younger didn't let him, averting his eyes somewhere else.

Unknowingly, Jana had called Mickey's apartment 'home'. He didn't notice but Mickey did.

"I am not....and don't call me that" the boy answered briefly, still avoiding Jana's eyes.

"Even still---..." the older tried again but Mickey tched in annoyance and cut Jana in the middle of his sentence.

"Suck it up Jana and let's fucking go........I am hungry, haven't eaten anything since morning." Mickey groused irritated, a frown on his beautiful face, and Jana chuckled.

"Alright, princess. Wait for me, I will be back in a minute" Jana said as he leaned in to quickly peck against Mickey's cold, dusty pink cheek before running inside the gate.

Mickey cursed after him.

The boy was tired of his days' activities, working for the king wasn't an easy job and he had to do several things in order to complete only one given task. The level of hardness of work was obviously bearable since he was a junior, but that was enough to exhaust Mickey at the end of the day.

Yawning, he leaned across the bike beside him while waiting for Jana to return. It took the older about seven minutes but when he returned, a small smile graced his features seeing a pretty tired Mickey tiredly rubbing his eyes.

"let's go" Jana called taking Mickey's attention, the boy tossed the keys towards the older before taking the seat on the bike's cushiony rear, waiting for Jana to start.

"hold onto me" Jana instructed as he climbed the bike and secured the helmet over his head. Mickey didn't reply instead, he placed his hands over Jana's shoulder and yawned again.

He was really tired.

Jana smiled watching the boy in the side mirror.

"not like this baby....." he muttered, pulling at Mickey's hands over his shoulder to make them circle around his waist. "......like this" he said patting Mickey's hands around him.

"yeah whatever......and stop calling me baby, you punkass" Mickey cursed adjusting himself to get more comfortable and Jana chuckled with a 'never' in return as he happily kicked the engine to life.

"let's go to the one-dollar fast food street......it's been so long since we have been there," Jana said as he raced the bike into the cold harsh air.

Mickey perked at the mention of the place as he clutched around Jana more firmly.

A sudden longing for his baby boy, whom he hadn't seen in a while, erupted in his heart after Jana pointed out the food street Mickey and Mago used to eat at. Being busy at work, he couldn't find time to meet and spend with Mago. The last time he visited, most of it was occupied by the king and then other things came subtracting more of the courage to visit the manor.

But now he has made up his mind. A trip to the manor just for Mago is next on his calendar and he will make sure to make the most out of it.

With that thought in mind, Mickey closed his eyes and hid his face in Jana's broad back from the harsh cold wind.

Jana was babbling something about his work and boss and how much he missed eating certain things he liked, he didn't know that the younger behind him was at the brink of sleep as he sped cutting through the coldness of the night to their favourite food spot.

....

"and that's it for tonight.....until we meet next time" the boss finished after talking about the new agendas and stuff he wanted to discuss, briefly explaining everything, as he dropped the pen in his hand on the table with a sigh.

Both Mr Chris and Kangsu sighed as well as they got ready to leave the room.

Nobody even asked a question or uttered a breath during the whole meeting, all of the men, including Chris and Kangsu were quiet and listening. Considering that, Boss had a feeling of something that might be in their minds that they didn't speak of.

"let's go for clubbing.......it's been a while. My treat" the boss announced with a clap of his hands, displaying a little more excitement for whatever reason. But he got close to nothing as a response he expected, both of his acquaintances were quiet until one of them cleared his throat.

"uh....boss....I am sorry but I will pass tonight. I have...uh...somewhere to be actually" Mr Chris dodged the offer with nervous eyes and a stuttery tongue.

The boss only raised his brow in question. He wasn't stupid, the man was well aware of the weirdness both Kangsu and Chris were portraying since his arrival but he decided to stay quiet for now.

"yes...uh... I will have to pass too. I have to go to....uh....and.. " Kangsu started after Mr Chris, taking refuge behind his friend's excuse and saving his ass from going out with the boss anywhere.

"and what? You have somewhere to be too?" the boss questioned narrowing his eyes and Kangsu laughed nervously, avoiding the man's sharp eyes.

"yes actually,......well....I have to go to the...." Kangsu stuttered, trying to find a suitable excuse but failing miserably.

Mr Chris rolled his eyes.

"Bathroom. Kangsu has to go to the bathroom boss since he is having difficulty in digesting some stuff. I think he is constipated" Mr Chris mocked Kangsu but his direction was prominently towards the boss and that man didn't fail to notice it.

No more staying quiet.....he guesses

"what is wrong with you two? Why are you behaving like this all of a sudden?" he asked in his deep authoritative voice sending shivers down both men's spines.

"nothing really" Mr Chris averted his gaze from the boss to the still pen on the table, not wanting to be directly asked anything.

"you want me to believe that Chris?" Mr Chris felt the heat behind those words, Boss was getting mad and why not when they were being odd with him? He looked up and to his already true estimate, the man was glaring at him.

"I-..." Mr Chris started with an explanation but Kangsu cut him off suddenly.

"you shouldn't have killed Danny boss....." Kangsu stated in a loud voice, he addressed the elephant in the room without hesitation making others feel exposed as well.

He was stupid.

"What?" the boss asked with a warning. A strange dominance showcased itself in his tone, with his face hardened and eyes darkened, the boss looked totally mad and his aura screamed murder all of a sudden.

"you heard me boss.......you shouldn't have killed him. You are the one who has sent him to the den of the lion, he got caught by that son of Xavier because of you, tortured and humiliated, and you just---...." Kangsu ranted full of emotions, he placed everything he felt was unfair before the boss.

What he failed to notice was his friend, Mr Chris, waving at him secretly to stop.

But the boss cut him right off....

"I ended his suffering Kangsu, he was getting tortured every day like you just said.....he was important to me and I did what I think was beneficial for him and us" the man retorted angrily, he couldn't help but feel kind of accused by the men working for him, for whom he was spending his money and other things on.

How dare they question him and his work ethics?

It was there again, the feeling of jealousy. Boss has never heard of the king's men talking back to him like his men did let alone accusing him of anything. All of his trusty men worked like a shadow with him, learned his mind and worked with him like trained puppies.

His men were nothing compared to the king's men.

Why can't he have that privilege? It's not like the boss isn't feeding them with the necessary funds and keeping their desires fulfilled. Than why?

"so it has nothing to do with you worrying over getting exposed? I have heard that King was close to getting Danny to spill the beans boss......maybe he wasn't the loyal man you expected him to be" Kangsu countered back, plating the unsaid in front of the boss, earning himself a look of disapproval from his surroundings.

What? Did he say something wrong?

The air was thick with tension; every eye was on them as they talked to each other in a heated way. Boss was on the verge of bursting when he was getting more than he could take on.

Kangsu had crossed the line and Boss was clearly mad at it.

"It has. It has everything to do with me getting exposed to King, Kangsu. Loyalty means everything to me and I cannot tolerate a fucking traitor like Danny!!!" boss blurted out the words in frustration as he flew his hands in the air dramatically.

Silence fell over the room after his outburst, the words he said lacked sensitivity, empathy and whatnot. Boss has killed a man who was among them working for years and there was no trace of remorse in his tone whatsoever.

The man was already regretting his words, feeling a weird energy filling the room, and he regretted even more when a small hidden smirk appeared on Kangsu's face.

Those words regarding loyalty suspiciously resembled the king's dialogues he had used all his life and was renowned for his loyal men. Who would have known that fact about the crime lord expertly if it wasn't Kangsu?

The old pumpkin shook his head with a teasing smile as if feeling pity for his boss and his cracked image.

COPY CAT!!!!!

"look..... me and you two, we all want something that king has, be it the throne or the boy or the power. It is better if we help each other to attain our purpose and stop mourning and accusing each other for what is done." Boss stated as he regained his composure and his dominating, assertive tone.

A desperate attempt to salvage his broken image.

"Danny is fucking gone and it won't do us any good if we get stuck on his fucking death. I killed him and I have a right since he didn't follow what I had asked him to. I can kill anyone who is not going to listen to me and that is for all of you." he continued as he glared at both his worthless partners in the eyes, specifically glaring at Kangsu.

"so don't try and come after me and question me about how I operate if you know what is better for you" he finished with a well-refined threat making Mr Chris lower his gaze and Kangsu scoff under his breath.

A coward man is a dangerous man but an over confidant man is a fucking demise.

With that said, Boss picked up his belongings and left the room with fast steps. He stopped outside the door and looked back at both Kangsu and Chris.

"keep an eye on them both..... especially that bloody old man" Boss gritted his teeth, glowering at the duo, and the man beside him nodded.

...

The room was silent after the boss left, leaving both Kangsu and Mr Chris alone in the room.

"you never fail to express how stupid you can be" Mr Chris was the one breaking the ice as he stated somewhat a universal fact.

Kangsu snorted arrogantly as he filled himself with another glass of liquor, he didn't seem to notice the damage he had done to himself but that was probably the expectation from a man like him.

"stupid or not.....I like seeing him going crazy over such small talks." The old man said leisurely taking a sip of his drink.

"he can kill you" Mr Chris reminded.

"he can try...." Kangsu shrugged reluctantly.

"Whatever.....I am leaving" Mr Chris said as he stood up taking his keys, phone and file with him, ready to leave. The beef between two old friends was still very fresh in Mr Chris's mind, he didn't plan on gaining back the friendship for some more time.

"Meet me when I tell you to........I have something to talk to you" Kangsu said stopping the other in his tracks, the old man sat straight in his chair, gulped the whole drink down his throat and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve.

"what it is?" Mr Chris asked as he turned around.

"not here my friend......somewhere private" Kangsu muttered standing up and then walking towards Mr Chris, he patted the other's cheek, making Mr Chris step back slightly annoyed, and walked out of the room with a drunken walk.

Leaving Mr Chris to stare at the man with a questioning glare on his face.

...

Thank you for reading, commenting and liking this book.

I love you all

Your attention to this work gives me the power of Bob the builder.

see you next time

Sayonara~