Jay wore his silky white shirt, buttoning up the buttons of it, he tied his hair, a few strands falling on his face. He left his room in his suit, hands covered with black gloves. He stopped when he saw Jungwon sleep-wander in the halls. "Papa Jay? G'morning." The kid said, "Good morning" Jay said, wanting to leave the house quickly. "Are you going out?" Jungwon rubbed his eyes. "I'm heading home for a while." Jay said simply.

"But your home is here." Jungwon said, confused. "True." Jay answered, heading towards the stairs. "Keep it down, you guys." Sunghoon mumbled, his messy blond hair falling down to his eyes. He opened the door, seeing a fully dressed Jay. "Huh? Did we have a job today?" He asked, adjusting his oversized shirt which was falling off his shoulder, exposing his pale skin. Jay shook his head, he went down the stairs. "Come home soon, Papa Jay!" Jungwon yelled.

"Today we're gonna-" Jungwon started, "Hey, Jungwon!" Sunghoon warned him, Jungwon quickly shut his mouth. "Shh!" He whispered. "Don't stay out too late, okay?" Sunghoon said, watching Jay leave the house. "Have a good day!"

They both sighed when they heard the door close after Jay left "Where'd he say he was going?" Sunghoon asked, "Home, he said." Jungwon answered. "Home?" Sunghoon repeated, soon it hit him, "His dad called him home, huh? Well, saves us the trouble of getting him out of the house." Sunghoon said, a grin on his face. "Okay, Wonie! Mission start!" He announced, Jungwon giggled.

-


Jay stood in front of the giant gate of the mansion, several cameras surrounding the place, the gate opened for Jay to step in. He walked past the bodyguards of the mansion, walking through the huge park of the place. He reached the coloured glassed door, two men standing beside it. They bowed, letting Jay inside the mansion. He entered it, it was silent, "Three years, huh?" He spoke to himself.

-

"Does Papa Jay have two homes?" Jungwon asked, "Yeah, there's the house he lived in with his dad before." He said, putting some groceries into the basket. "Papa Jay's papa?" Jungwon tilted his head, "Grandpapa?!" He exclaimed, a big smile on his face. "I guess that's what he'd be, sure." Sunghoon chuckled at the reaction of Jungwon. "I wanna meet him!" The toddler jumped around in the market, catching some people's attention. "Sorry baby, you can't." Sunghoon said, "Why?" Jungwon frowned, "Jay's dad is one diabolical dude." He explained, but the kid was more confused now by the new word he had never heard before. "Dia-bo-lical?" He tried to speak out the word. "It's like scary." Sunghoon said, Jungwon gasped when he realized "Hey, when Jake seonsaengnim teaches us a song, it's diabolical!" He yelled, remembering the other day when Jake sang for them as he played the piano. "N-Not quite in the same way." Sunghoon stuttered awkwardly.

-

Jay walked in the hallways of the big mansion, stepping on the red carpet of the floor until he reached a certain door. He knocked three times, waiting for an approval to be let in. He opened the door, he saw his father sitting on his chair, writing something on the papers. Jay closed the door after him, taking some steps closer to his father's desk. He bowed before speaking "Forgive my long absence, Boss." He started, his father looked at him "You seem well." He said, examining his son from head to toe.

"So, living among the little people has taught you proper etiquette? Sunghoon, was it?" His father said, mentioning his partner, growing Jay tense as he stared at the ground, still in a bowing position. "He's a peasant, but I see he's not entirely useless. Still, his skills seem poor." His father said, Jay gritted his teeth, "Is he the reason for the numerous mistakes on your recent jobs?" He mumbled, placing his things in the drawer. "The time may have come." He announced, starling Jay. "Return to this home." He said.

-

"So is grandpapa mad at papa Jay?" The child questioned, cutting some forms with the scissors from colourful papers. "Did they get into a fight, maybe?" He supposed, "I think it goes a little deeper than that." Sunghoon said, looking over at the oven. "His family's got kind of special circumstances."

"Cir-cum-stan-ces?"

"Yeah, Jay's dad really expected the world from him. He was super strict teaching him the family business."

"So around the time I first met him..." Sunghoon smiled, "He was sorta like a robot. I guess rebelling against his dad was part of the reason he left home." He explained, remembering the old times.

"You think papa Jay can make up with grandpapa?" Jungwon asked, "Huh? Hmm, not sure..." Sunghoon mixed some ingredients together. "If he did, I wonder if he'd go back."

-

"The blood of the Park family is the blood of assassins. Among those who make their living in death, it could even be considered noble blood."

"Wherever there is light, darkness inevitably arises. Those who shine brightest require the aid of the deepest darkness."

"The Park family is the pinnacle of that darkness, it's sovereign. And that blood flows through your veins as well." Jay's father explained "Carry on the family. That is the reason for your existence." Jay held his breath, not wanting to say anything. He didn't move one inch.

"That's what I raised you to do. I've given you more than enough leash. It's time for you to learn the business of being head of the organization."

"You don't like that?" His father asked, making Jay perk up with his lips parted. "The reason I allowed you to live on the outside was because of the oath you took to return one day."

"Yes, sir." Jay said, "Did you find true belonging on the outside?" He asked, receiving a 'No' from Jay. "You belong here with us. It seems you've formed pointless ties." Jay gasped, his eyes widening slightly as his father continued to speak. "Bad influences are common enough in our business. If one such influence has sullied the Park family blood-"

"No." Jay disagreed, daring to break his fathers words. "Sunghoon has nothing to do with this. Please, give me time." He begged, "Need to tie up your affairs?" His father pulled out a file filled with information for Jay, throwing it on the ground. Jay quickly went to pick it up "Finish this before the day is over." He said. "I know this man." Jay mumbled when he saw the picture of the target. "He betrayed the organization." His father explained. "You'd better not betray my expectations." He warned, "Yes, Boss." Jay bowed, leaving the mansion with heavy steps.

-

"Huh? You're gonna be late?" Sunghoon spoke to Jay from his phone, "We've kinda got stuff planned here!" He whined, looking at the party supplies they bought, they already got everything ready for Jay's return.

"Sorry." Jay apologized, "Papa Jay, You finished your talk with your dad, right?" Jungwon asked if he could be heard because Jay wasn't answering, he only whispered an apology "Could you say something other than "sorry"?" Sunghoon frowned, trying to hold Jungwon from doing anything naughty. "Just be back by dinner!" He yelled because Jungwon wasn't keeping still. "I'm not so sure." Jay replied, Jungwon finally snatched the phone from the blonds hands "We got pizza and fries! And ca-" he shouted, Sunghoon yelped and quickly took the phone back "We'll be here! See you!" He said before ending the conversation.

"Sheesh. He won't tell me a single damn thing that matters." He sighed, "Papa Hoon! It made the ding!" Jungwon yelled, "Hey, Jungwon! No touching. It's hot." Sunghoon warned when Jungwon ran to the oven, staring at the cake.

-

Jay put his phone back to his pocket and got out of the mansion, heading to the gate where he had come before, he stopped when he saw the bodyguard, the one who was in the bar of Heeseung a few days ago "So you're the heir to the great Park family?" He asked, "Get in." He said, signalling to the car. Jay did as he was told, he got into the car. His eyes met his dad's, realizing he had eyes everywhere, he gulped.

"That man." The bodyguard addressed, his name being Lee Minho, Jay looked at the files in his hands. "You worked with him previously, I'm told?" Minho asked, "He taught me how to use various weapons." Jay answered, "And how to do the job." He examined the photo of his old master with a disappointed feeling.

"Why-" Jay sighed, his words not coming out. "Why did he betray the organization?" Minho said it for him, Jay nodded, waiting for a sense full explanation, he wanted to know why the person that thought him all this betrayed his father. "A pointless question." Minho spat, staring into Jays eyes from the mirror of the car. "You should spend your mental energy elsewhere." Jay sighed, flipping over the pages, "Is this the reason?" He mumbled when he saw another picture of his previous teacher, but with a woman by his side this time.

"He can wait all he likes, but she won't be there." Minho smirked, Jay bit his lower lip when the next photo showed the woman tied up to a chair, looking lifeless as her cut on the throat was bleeding, her head resting against the back of the chair, there were some fresh tears on her cheeks.

"Why do you kill?" Minho asked suddenly, "For the Park family? For fun?" Jay was silent, "What about you?" He asked instead, "For the concept." Minho answered without hesitation.

"Concept?"

"A car exists to be driven. Money exists to put form to desire. Guns exist to inflict violence." He explained. "So what does he exist for?"

"I look through the materials and I wonder these things. "What is this person's reason for being?", "What will he see as his life passes before his eyes?", "What's the thing he cares about more than anything?", I speculate on the answers." Minho smiled, a sadistic smile on his face. "Killing is a way of checking those answers."

"Distasteful." Jay wandered his eyes outside the window, they drove, reaching an abandoned place, there was mist all around it. Jay pulled out his gun when the car stopped, filling it with bullets before putting it in his pocket back again. "I have a favour to ask." Minho stopped him. "Tell me what he says just before he dies. I collect last words." He said, taking a notebook from his pocket. "I'd like to record his next to hers." Jay nodded although he found the favour weird, he shrugged, getting out of the car.

The victim waited with his luggage, looking at the time from his watch. "So you were the one following me?" He asked, recognizing Jay. "How appropriate." He smirked, Jay approached him closer "I'm here on a job." He said, coldness lingering in his voice. "Where is she?" The man asked, getting straight into the subject. Jay didn't say anything, the man sighed, understanding the reason "I see. Maybe if the boss loses you, he'll understand a bit of how I feel?" He laughed, "No, probably not." He pulled out a gun, "Well, let's see how you do."

Minho was waiting in the car meanwhile Jay and the man shot at each other, hiding behind objects to avoid any injury, "Did your father tell you to come back to the organization?" The man asked, out of breath as he hid behind a wall, he cursed when Jay shot, starling him. The man quickly changed his hiding place "When you said you were leaving, it really raised my estimation of you." He said, "But I guess you're a Park through and through." Jay ignored his words, he was still in the same hiding spot, getting a perfect view of his victim, he was about to shoot when the man climbed up the stairs in a hurry, Jay mumbled a few words before following him upstairs.

They shot at each other as they ran, hid and fought. They were in a terrace, Jay groaned when his back hit the wall, the man close to his face as he pulled out a dagger from his pants. Jay kicked him with his strength, he gasped when he fell down the floor after doing so, his back luckily hit the floor. He stood up, wincing in pain, his back hurt badly, he looked up, the man directed the gun at his head. "Shit."

-

"Papa Jay just looks sad sometimes." Jungwon said, watching Sunghoon put things back into the fridge. "Nah, he's just got one of those faces." He laughed, "Men are such a mystery." Jungwon mumbled, Sunghoon was surprised when he heard that. "Where'd you learn that phrase?" He asked, "Sometimes Mama would be drinking and she'd look happy but also sad." He frowned, "Papa Jay is the same. He looked all snappy today, but he also looked sad." He explained, Sunghoon nodded "That's why we're doing the party today." He said, "We got all his favourite foods to make him feel surprised." The pointed at the table filed with fresh food.

"You think he'll smile today?" Jungwon asked, resting his chin on the hard wooden table. Sunghoon approached to him "Yeah, I bet he will." He ruffled Jungwon's hair. "But when's he coming back?!" The child asked again, impatient as he counted minutes for Jays return, Sunghoon watched him with a sad expression, he wasn't sure if Jay would even want to come home, after all he had been with his father, maybe he needed some space.

-

Jay pulled out his newly sharpened dagger, waiting for his victim to show up. He got out of his hiding place, moving forwards carefully, he had to be silent. He stayed behind a wall where he thought the man was, he moved forward, he held his dagger firmly, he then hit...air? His lips parted in confusion when his victim wasn't there where he thought he was. He turned around quickly, the man jumped over something, landing behind him, taking Jay by surprise.

The man swung his own knife at Jay, he backed up, trying to dodge the attacks. "Reminds me of old times." The man said, smiling as he stopped moving, putting a distance between him and Jay. "I never once beat you back then." The lunged forward again, locking hands with Jay as they fought. "Acting as a mindless killing tool, following the organization blindly, not hesitating to turn your blade on anyone..." his former teacher scoffed, Jay only gritted his teeth at his words, he couldn't care less about the bullshit the man was talking, he just wanted to get the job done.

"You're truly the perfect assassin!" The man yelled, with a smile, he stumbled backwards when Jay escaped from the man's grasp. "That's the law of the organization." Jay said, again in a position ready to attack. "You know you can't ever leave it!" He started to hit him with his dagger again, the man easily dodged his movements. "Of course a puppet wouldn't understand. I found something worth protecting, so I changed how I live!" He shouted, hitting Jay with all his strength, letting him stumble a few steps back.

Jay groaned when the man pulled him close, made him unable to move when he put the dagger against Jays neck. "But you people stole the thing I care about more than anything!" Jay could feel the cold metal touch his neck, he held his breath, he kicked the man, but both of them fell on the ground. Jay's dagger flew from his hands, the man on top of his body as he prevented him from punching his face. Jay pulled out his loaded gun in a hurry, directing it to the man's face. they stopped for a moment, their heavy and sharp breath hitting their faces, as they tried to get a hold of themselves. Jay turned the gun away, "I have something worth protecting, too." He said, the man grinned at his words. "You'll never change either!" He mumbled, his dagger and Jays gun met, the metals clashing together, making a spark with each hit.

Jay bit his lips, he hit his forehead against the man's, letting him stumble in pain. Jay stood up from the ground, he hit the man again since it was still hurting in the head, it was easier for him. The man was leaning against the metal holders of the rooftop. Then, the metals broke, he fell down with the metals which were weak and rusty in the first place. Jay gasped and his eyes widened in horror when he saw his teacher fall down the rooftop. He tried to reach out to him, but it was too late now, Jay could only watch the man's smile on his face even though he was going to die in seconds, "I'm on my way." He said before his body met with the ground.

Jay hurried to see the dead body of the man, he stopped when he saw Minho standing next to the corpse. "Died just like that?" He asked, "A disappointment." He pulled out his notebook and pen, clicking it "He wasn't as skilled as the rumours say. Did he have any last words?" He flipped through the pages. "I couldn't hear them." Jay said, "Worthless." Minho spat. They put the dead body in the luggage, closing it. "Let's head back." Minho said, opening the car doors. "No. I'll stay here." Jay said, the bodyguard looked at him for a while "I'd have taken either one, you know. His last words... or yours." Minho said, making Jay shiver slightly, the man stepped into the car and drove back, leaving Jay alone.

Jay watched the moon, thinking to himself as he dangled his feet from the rooftop.

You'd better not betray my expectations.

He could hear his father's words echo in his brain. He sighed, "Am I the same way?" He thought. His thought got disturbed when he heard his phone ringing, it was Sunghoon. "I told you to get back. Where are you right-" "Sorry. Need some time to cool off." Jay said, "Huh? Hey, wait-" Jay didn't let his partner finish his words and just ended the call.

You'll never change either!

"I tried, for so long, not to think. Just doing as I was ordered. Killing. Killing. Killing." He said, remembering all of the times he killed people, just because his father wanted him to do it, because he was a Park. "I..." he sniffed, he turned around when he heard the sound of a car. "Hey, damn it! What're you doing, dumbass?!" Sunghoon yelled, looking clearly worried, stopping the car behind Jay. "Sunghoon?" Jay whispered, did he really drive all this way for him? "There's no time. Get in!" Sunghoon shouted. "No, I-" Jay refused, "I don't wanna hear it!" Sunghoon ignored his words, Jay huffed and got into the car, he didn't want to deal with an angry Sunghoon right now.

"Where's Jungwon?" Jay asked, "Home". Sunghoon answered, focused on the road as he drove. "You left him there?" "No worries, but we're short on time, so l'm gunning it." Sunghoon sped up the pace, "How'd you know where I was?" Jay asked, avoiding eye contact with the blond as he stared outside the window. "Did you forget who set up your phone?" Sunghoon smirked, "You're overprotective." Jay mumbled, Sunghoon's smile dropped "Jungwon was upset that you wouldn't come home. You forced my hand, asshole." He bragged, but a small smile found his lips after, "He asked all about you. It took me back to old times." He said, Jay turned to him "Old times?" He asked.

"When Heeseung hyung first introduced us, you were such a mess." Sunghoon chuckled, "Your room was full of garbage, all your food was instant crap. Unshaven, ungroomed, living like a shut-in with dead zombie eyes. Of course, you've still got the shut-in part down..." Sunghoon explained, receiving an eye roll from Jay. "Like you were any better, acting like you'd caused all the world's misfortunes. You were a useless load at work early on, too." Jay laughed, an angry look on Sunghoon's face. "Huh?! You never said anything before now!" He yelled, making Jay smirk "You're right. I didn't. I didn't think saying it would change anything. You didn't matter much to me." He said, "But then you suddenly started cleaning." He continued, Sunghoon gasped "I couldn't stand watching you live like that."

"I wanted to tell you to back off."

"Yeah, I'll bet."

"But... It wasn't so bad..." Jay admitted, slight red on his ears. Sunghoon laughed, he turned to Jay when the older called his name. "You think we can change?" Jay asked, Sunghoon shrugged his shoulders "I don't know Jay-ah."

-

"Im ba-." Sunghoon saw a sleeping Jungwon on the couch, Jay looked at the food and ornamentals which where everywhere all around the living room and kitchen. "Oh, it was today." He mumbled, remembering his birthday, "Wonie, papa Jay is back." Sunghoon tried to wake him up, but the kid was in a deep sleep. "Jungwon helped with everything." The blond placed the birthday cake on the table. "All day long." He added. "He wanted to make you happy." Sunghoon lit the candles up. Jay watched him with his lips parted, he didn't expect them to prepare something like this for him.

"Oh, Papa Jay! Welcome home!" Jungwon said, half asleep. "Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday." He went back to sleeping again, his puffy cheeks hitting the soft pillow as he snored softly. Jay let out a genuin laugh at the child, Sunghoon smiled "Hey! You did it, baby!" He cheered when he remembered that Jungwon wanted Jay to laugh and smile on his birthday. "He smiled!" But he wasn't hearing them, Jungwon was already dreaming. "Go on." Sunghoon pulled Jay closer by his hand, signaling him to blow out the candles. Jay nodded, holding Sunghoon's hand tight as he blew out the candles, a real smile crept up his face as he enjoyed his birthday with his partner.

-

"Sorry, we're-" Heeseung turned around, only to see Minho in his bar again. "A request for info from the Boss." He placed an envelope on the table, "The organization trusts you." Minho said, watching Heeseung open the envelope and taking out a picture... of Sunghoon and Jungwon.