Mine,Even If You Run

Jae's POV

I didn't even imagine that when I came back from school, I would see my parents' corpses. Even though this has shaken me, I still can't be weak, 'cause if I become weak now, who's gonna take care of my brother Seon?

"brother... hic..." Seon was crying badly, standing in front of the casket of our parents.

This funeral was organized by the police, 'cause we didn't have money to do anything, nor any relatives who would help us. For us, in the whole world, we only had each other and no one else.

After the funeral, we came back home. And Seon was hungry. He can't fall asleep hungry, that's why I checked the whole kitchen. Only a few packets of ramen were there and one fist of rice.

I didn't know how to cook, 'cause Mom never let me step into the kitchen. She liked to cook, that's why.

"brother , are you cooking something?" I snapped out of my thoughts after hearing that and noticed Seon there. His eyes were swollen from crying and were red too, just like his nose.

"I'll make some ramen, is that okay with you?"

"Yeah." He came inside to help me and grabbed the knife, but I couldn't let him do anything.

"Seon, go and do your homework. I'll do this." Even though he was whining, still I didn't listen to him and just sent him out. It took me an hour to make rice and ramen. I placed two bowls of ramen on the table and set the rice cooker.

"It looks delicious." Seon served the food on the plate and started to eat. A smile appeared on my face seeing Seon enjoying the food.

But as I was about to start eating, I heard a bang on the door, which startled both me and Seon.

"Who would it be? It's so late already." Hearing Seon, I glanced at the time, and it was midnight now. My heart was beating like crazy, making my whole body tremble. I really didn't want to open the door right now and just wanted to hide where I could no longer hear the banging.

But if I didn't open the door soon, it was gonna create a problem, 'cause that bang was loud enough to wake the landlord. Slowly, I stepped toward the door and opened it, and as I did, many men with knives and other weapons rushed into our house.

"W-Who are you all? And how can you break into someone's house?" I asked while standing in front of Seon, 'cause those men looked like goons and I didn't want anything to happen to my brother.

"Hahahaha... Did you hear that? He's asking why we're here!

At first, I didn't understand why they were laughing, until they threw a statement paper on my face. When I read those statements, the ground slipped under my feet, and I was unable to process it, 'cause it was written in that statement that...

My parents had taken a debt of 100 million dollars, which, after all the interest, is now 200 million. And they had stated that if they died, their sons would pay the debt on their behalf.

I couldn't believe my own parents did this to us. Like they really ended their own lives just to make us pay their debt.

I was so shocked after reading that, no words were coming out of my mouth. I just looked at them with an empty gaze. But it's not like I had any right to deny it and say no, 'cause my parents' signatures were on the statement.

And I was scared. If I said anything now, they might kill me and Seon right here.

"Hey bitches, why did you go silent?" That goon's voice echoed through our house.

"I'll pay," I said, 'cause it's not like there was another way. And when I told them that, they finally left, leaving me no choice but to regret that my parents died.

My hunger died even after they left. Only Seon ate. I just simply went back into my room to ease my mind, but then I saw the mock test results paper. I had gotten full marks, but it's not necessary anymore.

****

"What are you saying? You want to drop out of school? But you're about to graduate, Nam Jae. Just hang in there for a few more months," my homeroom teacher said.

"No sir, forgive me, but I can't study further." No matter what he said, I still dropped out of school, 'cause after learning about that debt, one thing was sure: one of us would have to work, so I would work and Seon would study.

After leaving school, I tried really hard to find work, but the thing was, I got scared whenever shop owners asked why I wanted to work.

It was my first time working. And when I finally found three part-time jobs, I was happy, 'cause whatever I was earning was enough to feed us.

But then all of a sudden, those loan shark guys started showing up and snatching my money from me, saying they were taking it for the debt. That's why I always kept a small amount of money in my other pocket so they wouldn't find it. That way, me and Seon would have some mone

Days kept passing like this, and I didn't even realize that a month had already gone by. But now it had become a habit for us. Seon knew those loan shark guys would end up coming after him, so he always stayed hidden in the corner of the house while studying.

And I worked the night shift at the 24/7 store. So I went home in the morning and took some rest before heading to another job.

But still, the store owner said my payment would be $1,000 for the month, 'cause I was new and didn't have experience. But once I gained some, he was eventually going to raise my pay.

It was still a lot for me, so I was happy to work there. Since no one had come inside, I was cleaning the floor when my mobile rang. When I answered, I saw it was Seon calling.

.

.

.

.

.

Jae's POV

I thought his homework must be done, that's why he was calling before going to sleep. But it was still too early to sleep, wasn't it?

I answered the call. But what I heard from him made me drop the wiper from my hand. I ran out of the store without looking back and rushed home.

So many thoughts were racing through my mind, telling me every possible bad thing that could have happened.

And when I reached home, I saw Seon sitting on the roadside with our luggage. He was hugging his knees while leaning on the bags, shaking.

"Seon," I called out. He looked up, still crying.

"Hyung, you're finally here! What will we do now? The landlord threw us out of the house. He said we'll have to live on the street."

"He said those loan shark guys come to bother him every day," Seon said, still hiccupping.

Why is this happening to us? When we already have so many problems, why does another one have to show up?

But I wiped Seon's tears. Even though I wanted to cry too, I couldn't, 'cause that would break Seon. I had to stay strong like an adult.

"Seon, wait here. I'll go and talk to the landlord."

I went and knocked on the landlord's door, hoping he would at least let us stay one night, and then we'd leave. But as soon as the door opened, a sharp, painful slap hit my cheek. In a second, I found myself facing sideways, holding my cheek, and with teary eyes I looked at the landlord. He was staring at me with disgust.

"Mister, please let us stay in our house just for tonight, 'cause we don't have anywhere else to go."

I dropped to my knees and grabbed his feet, ready to beg him. No matter how many times I begged, he only looked at me with rage in his eyes, like he was seeing some kind of beggar.

This was beyond painful, but whatever I was feeling didn't matter. What mattered was that we didn't have a roof over our heads.

"Mister, please don't do this to us. I'm ready to do anything if you let us stay there." I was begging him

As I said that, his expression suddenly changed and he smirked. But that sent a shiver down my spine. He stretched his hand and touched my chin.

"If you're really desperate to do anything, then suck my cock, I want to rub my cock on your small and soft lips" he said, moving his hand from my chin to my head. It was uncomfortable when he was patting my head like someone was Peircing needles in my head.

And my eyes widened when I heard him.

The way he was patting my head felt deeply wrong, like thousands of tiny needles were piercing my skin. My eyes widened in horror at his demand.

Every part of me screamed no. I absolutely did not want to perform an act like this for money. But outside, on this freezing night, my younger brother was sitting alone on the street. I could not, under any circumstances, allow him to sleep out there.

Against every instinct, I nodded my head.

I tried to glance back toward the street one last time, but just then, the landlord grabbed me, pulled me roughly inside the house, and slammed the door shut.

I was terrified; I had never experienced anything like this.

Still kneeling on the floor, I watched as the man unzipped his trousers and pulled out that disgusting thing. It was right there, directly in front of my face.

"Sir, I don't think I will be able to do this. Can I clean your house instead?"

The moment I suggested that, he delivered a vicious kick directly into my stomach.

The force of the blow pushed me backward, sending me crashing onto the ground. As my back hit the floor, I saw him looming above me, immediately sitting down hard on my chest. Without wasting a single moment, he forced his penis into my mouth.

Tears streamed from my eyes, but he showed no sign of stopping.

A while later, I returned to Seon. He was still sitting on the roadside, patiently waiting for me.

"Brother, what did the landlord say?"

I immediately grabbed the luggage. "He said yes, we can stay, but only for one week. After that, we'll have to find a new place."

Yet, simply hearing that we wouldn't be sleeping on the street made Seon happy. He quickly helped me bring the luggage back inside. I knew I would never tell him what I had done behind that locked door to secure us just one week under this roof.

Shortly after returning to the house, my phone rang. It was the store owner. He was furious that I had abandoned my shift and fired me on the spot, refusing to pay even a single penny for the two weeks I had already worked.

Now, I was jobless. I had no idea where to find another job, let alone one that paid enough to cover our debts. My mind went blank, paralyzed by the weight of our situation.

I retreated to the bathroom and stood under the spray of water, scrubbing every inch of skin the landlord had touched. The memory of his hands made my skin crawl with disgust.

I gargled repeatedly, trying to wash away the lingering taste of what he had forced me to swallow. After several minutes of desperate scrubbing and rinsing, I finally vomited. Only then did I feel a small, hollow sense of relief.

When I finally stepped out of the bathroom and lay down beside Seon, he immediately pulled me into a hug. He was clearly happy that I hadn't gone back to work, relieved that he wouldn't have to be alone for the rest of the night.

I knew how difficult it was for him to be left by himself in that house, but I felt a pang of guilt knowing I had no other choice. I would always have to go back to work, no matter the cost.

.

.

.

.

.

Jae's POV

The next morning, I woke to find the sun already high. It was the weekend, which meant a holiday for Seon, but in the restaurant business, weekends were the most grueling, crowded days of the week.

I set to work cooking breakfast. A month ago, I wouldn't have known where to start in a kitchen, but I had taught myself out of necessity, for my own survival, and for my brother's.

Once the meal was ready, I woke Seon and prepared to leave. I needed him to be alert, as he was the one who had to lock the door from the inside the moment I stepped out.

By the time I reached the restaurant, the morning rush was already in full swing. Just as I had anticipated, customers were pouring in.

I spent the morning on my feet as a waiter, and when that shift finally ended, I headed straight into the kitchen to begin washing a mountain of dishes.

While I was working, a customer approached me with a suggestion. He told me that if I was truly desperate for money, I should look into Club Hollow.

He described the roles there as being similar to waitstaff, but with significantly higher pay. He even offered to recommend me, suggesting I show up that very evening.

I don't know much about the world outside my own struggle, but the name Dark City, the district where Club Hollow is located, rang a bell.

I remembered hearing rumors back in school that Dark City was a lawless place where illegal trades flourished. Some whispered that it was a hub for arms dealing, overseen by a mysterious and powerful figure.

I wondered if those stories were just urban legends. After all, if such a place truly existed, wouldn't the police have raided it by now?

Regardless of the risks, the promise of better pay was too tempting to ignore. Since the man said he would be there to meet me, I decided to take the chance.

I told Seon not to wait up for me for dinner and caught the bus to Dark City. The moment I stepped off the bus, a heavy sense of unease settled over me; I felt as though eyes were tracking my every move, shadows following me through the dim streets.

After asking several locals for directions, most of whom looked at me with cold indifference, I finally found Club Hollow. However, my progress was halted immediately.

The guards stationed at the entrance were massive, looking more like statues of muscle than men, and they flatly refused to let me pass.

I stood there, helpless and unsure of what to do, when suddenly,

"Oh, you actually made it, Jae."

I glanced beside me to find the same man who had eaten at the restaurant earlier that morning. He gave a sharp nod to the guards.

"He's with me," he said, ushering me inside.

Once we were through the doors, I realized he wasn't just a regular; he was the manager of the club. It explained why he was so confident about hiring me.

I knew I shouldn't be so quick to trust a stranger, but I told myself that working as a waiter here was a thousand times better than the alternative, the degrading price I'd had to pay to the landlord just for a roof over our heads.

The manager spoke to me gently, leading me to the staff room where he introduced me to the other workers. I changed into the waiter's uniform and he handed me a heavy silver tray. On it sat a bottle of Balkan 176 vodka and a set of crystal glasses.

"Take this to VIP Room No. 22," he instructed.

I nodded, steeling myself. This was the start of my new life. Room 22 was located on the second floor. I took the elevator up, the weight of the tray straining my arms.

When the doors opened, I stepped out into a hallway that smelled of expensive cologne and tobacco. I scanned the numbers and finally found the room at the far end of the corridor.

I knocked softly before attempting to enter. A few minutes passed before the door finally swung open. A man in a sharp suit stood there, his hair a striking shade of green. He narrowed his eyes, looking at me as if I were an intruder who had no business being there.

"What are you waiting for? Come in," he snapped.

I flinched at his tone and hurried inside, but the sight that met me brought me to a dead halt.

Spread across the central table was an arsenal of weaponry, pistols, rifles, and long-range firearms I couldn't even name.

Three bodyguards stood like stone statues behind the green-haired man. Swallowing my fear, I moved to the side table, set down the heavy tray, and began pouring the vodka into crystal glasses.

A man sat at the head of the room, draped in an imposing black trench coat over a dark shirt and trousers. His hands were covered in gloves, and his boots were polished to a mirror shine.

As I handed him a glass, I noticed a young boy sitting beside him, he looked no older than Seon. The man had his arm wrapped tightly around the boy's shoulders.

On a separate sofa, another man was meticulously inspecting one of the firearms; I stepped forward and handed him a glass as well.

"Mr. Chan, I don't think your KRISS Vector Gen II has the same stopping power as the units from the other dealers," the man on the sofa remarked, his voice cold and analytical.

The air in the room felt thick with danger. Having completed my task, I bowed my head and quickly slipped out of the room.

The atmosphere was heavy enough to make it suffocating. And those guns... don't tell me this club is involved in illegal things. Does the manager know about it? I wanted to ask him when I got back, but I didn't dare, it was just my first day.

.

.

.

.