The Wolf Within Us
Chapter 17: I Quit
“Promise me. Do anything. Anything at all to prevent her from tearing us apart anymore than she already has.”
Tao woke with a start, brushing the sweat off his brow.
How many times has it been since I first started having this dream?
It was endless, repeating itself every time. Like a black hole, it pulled him in.
He reached silently and grabbed his phone, opening up to his fanpage.
[+1972456] Go die.
[+20154] Why is he even in EXO?
[+1564] Lol, Ikr. He doesn’t even have a talent.
[+89645] Nah he does, don’t be so rude. He can cry in a really ugly way. Lol.
[+14427] You are really ugly.
What did I ever do to deserve this?
He clenched his teeth tightly and dragged his feet slowly towards the bathroom.
Tao looked into the mirror. His eyes filled with its usual playfulness, showed no hint that it ever existed.
They’re right….I’m ugly.
His reflection which stared back at him regarded him with a look of pity. A shadow crossed over his reflection's face, its lips slowly curled into a sad smile filled with pain.
“You promised.” It whispered.
Tao stood there paralyzed, panic seizing his chest. His mind screamed for him to run, to cover his ears, but he couldn’t move.
“You promised.” It repeated.
Before he could do anything, he room began to spin around Tao, forcing him onto his knees. His mind became blank, with only the voice that gave a piercing scream through his head.
“Stop it.” He choked out.
Stay awake. He looked around the bathroom lazily shaking himself awake. He didn’t want to face the dream again, to wake up every time with the feeling of misery and to realize he was a traitor.
“It seemed the promise we made together, disappeared somewhere with time.” His reflection gleamed. The voice vibrated the whole room, creating the feeling of pain in his head.
“What is your purpose when you can't even protect them. What have they deserved to gain a friend like you? A friend like us.”
“I don’t understand what you mean!” Tao screamed with hatred. “Stop! Stop haunting me! I don’t want to remember.” The words rolled out of his tongue before he could stop them.
“So you do remember.” The image whispered, fading it’s way to normality.
Tao stared at the mirror, a feeling of dread ruling over his body.
“I don’t want to believe it. I can’t. I can’t do that to them. I can’t betray them.”
Kris’s POV
“What brings you here?” Kim Joon Gook offered a smile that reached below his cold eyes.
“You told me to meet you.” I said suspiciously before taking a seat on the white chair. No traces of the former CEO’s belongings marked the room. Everything was white, except for the hourglass that poured out blood red sand.
“Oh yes.” His smile widened so that it made his face appear toad like. His dark eyes inspected him closely. “ I’ve been looking into the idols of SM.” He glanced at the neatly piled paper folded underneath his hands.
“It says here you have a younger sister.” His dark eyes glinted.
My face remained emotionless. “And what if I do?” I replied, narrowing my eyes.
He laughed and got up from his chair and began walking around the room until he stood behind me.
“No need to be so serious hyung-nim.” He patted my shoulder.
I glared back at him, feeling a deep hatred sprout inside me.
“You know, I’ve been thinking of firing some people.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “People who snoop around, people who look at things that don’t belong to them.” His nails dug into my shoulder, but I didn’t dare flinch.
“So?” I began slowly, choosing my words carefully. “Why are you telling me this?”
Joon gook walked back to his seat and sat down. “I just thought maybe you can identify this person for me.” He looked at me closely waiting for my reactions as he showed me a video.
A figure which looked like it belonged to a man clicked furiously at a laptop. “He” glanced anxiously around the room, until at last he pulled out a usb and clumsily shoved it in his pocket.
“His” hunched shoulders straightened and his left sleeve pulled up to reveal a small tattoo.
I knew at once who it was. I glanced up at Jong gook and he saw the recognition on my face because he smiled with triumph.
“Who is he?”
“I don’t know.” I responded aggressively. “Do you even have proof that I even know who this person is?”
He smirked.
“Oh really?” He replied slyly, before pressing the button on his phone. “Bring him in.”
My blood turned cold.
A slender pale face boy stepped into the office, wearing the same sweater I let him borrow the night before.
He glanced nervously at Jong gook, until his eyes finally rested on mine. With great difficulty, I made my expression appear blank.
“Sit down.” Joon gook pointed to the chair beside me. The boy nodded obediently and walked his way slowly to the chair and sat down. He peeked through his long lashes and looked at me fearfully.
“Luhan.”
Luhan turned around slowly, as I watched his long nimble fingers shake slightly.
“Yes?” He breathed.
“Kris and I were just talking about someone who snuck into my office and rummaged through my desk.” His eyes slanted ever so lightly. “And we were just about to reveal the culprit weren’t we Kris?” He smirked.
Luhan turned his head towards me, his eyes widening and a look of fear reflected in his eyes.
I looked away, focusing my eyes onto the large hourglass.
Before I could stop myself I spoke. “I know who the culprit is.”
Luhan’s body stiffened beside me and I could hear his breath grow shallow.
I took a deep breath and looked into Jong gook’s dark eyes. “It was me.”
Silence engulfed the room. I didn't dare look at Luhan, but continued staring at our CEO’s surprised expression.
Finally a look of disappointment masked his face. “I thought I knew you Kris, I thought I could trust you.” He paused and glanced at Luhan, before focusing back on me. “I’m sorry, but I need to fire y-”
“I quit.” I said, cutting him off.
The look of amusement fluttered across his face. He raised his eyebrow, a ghost of a smile played on his lips.
“Not only will I quit, but I'll also file a lawsuit against this crappy company.” I paused, letting him soak in my claim. I smirked in triumph as fury burned in his eyes.
“Have fun running this hellhole.”
I grabbed Luhan by the sweater and quickly ran out of the room before Jong gook could reply. We ran until suddenly, Luhan stopped.
“What the hell are you waiting for?”
He stared at me pleadingly. “You’re not really leaving are you Ge?” (ge means brother in chinese)
“I-” His eyes burned into mine, as if it could read my thoughts. “I quit.”
“You can’t.” A look of betrayal reflected upon his face. “Aren’t you the one that suggested our quote ‘we are one’?” His voice grew louder with desperation. “Aren’t you the one that said we are family!?”
“Who was the one caught on camera for looking into somebody else’s documents!?” I countered.
Luhan clenched his teeth. “You think I did this on purpose?” He scoffed. “Do you even know what he’s doing?”
I stared at him blankly. “What?”
“He hired her!” Luhan spat. “He hired that crazy bitch!”
My eyes narrowed.
“Everything up until now. Everything, the Ceo’s death, the sasaeng, and you leaving.” His voice began shaking. “It was all planned.”
My breath got caught in my throat. My minds began spinning wildly.
No, it couldn’t be.
But deep down inside, I knew it was true. I just didn’t want to accept it.
“If this is really true.” I began slowly, “what exactly is he planning next?”
“From what I read, Jong gook is going to use this girl against us.”
“A girl? Who is she?” I asked nervously.
“Meng Jia.”
Tao woke with a start, brushing the sweat off his brow.
How many times has it been since I first started having this dream?
It was endless, repeating itself every time. Like a black hole, it pulled him in.
He reached silently and grabbed his phone, opening up to his fanpage.
[+1972456] Go die.
[+20154] Why is he even in EXO?
[+1564] Lol, Ikr. He doesn’t even have a talent.
[+89645] Nah he does, don’t be so rude. He can cry in a really ugly way. Lol.
[+14427] You are really ugly.
What did I ever do to deserve this?
He clenched his teeth tightly and dragged his feet slowly towards the bathroom.
Tao looked into the mirror. His eyes filled with its usual playfulness, showed no hint that it ever existed.
They’re right….I’m ugly.
His reflection which stared back at him regarded him with a look of pity. A shadow crossed over his reflection's face, its lips slowly curled into a sad smile filled with pain.
“You promised.” It whispered.
Tao stood there paralyzed, panic seizing his chest. His mind screamed for him to run, to cover his ears, but he couldn’t move.
“You promised.” It repeated.
Before he could do anything, he room began to spin around Tao, forcing him onto his knees. His mind became blank, with only the voice that gave a piercing scream through his head.
“Stop it.” He choked out.
Stay awake. He looked around the bathroom lazily shaking himself awake. He didn’t want to face the dream again, to wake up every time with the feeling of misery and to realize he was a traitor.
“It seemed the promise we made together, disappeared somewhere with time.” His reflection gleamed. The voice vibrated the whole room, creating the feeling of pain in his head.
“What is your purpose when you can't even protect them. What have they deserved to gain a friend like you? A friend like us.”
“I don’t understand what you mean!” Tao screamed with hatred. “Stop! Stop haunting me! I don’t want to remember.” The words rolled out of his tongue before he could stop them.
“So you do remember.” The image whispered, fading it’s way to normality.
Tao stared at the mirror, a feeling of dread ruling over his body.
“I don’t want to believe it. I can’t. I can’t do that to them. I can’t betray them.”
Kris’s POV
“What brings you here?” Kim Joon Gook offered a smile that reached below his cold eyes.
“You told me to meet you.” I said suspiciously before taking a seat on the white chair. No traces of the former CEO’s belongings marked the room. Everything was white, except for the hourglass that poured out blood red sand.
“Oh yes.” His smile widened so that it made his face appear toad like. His dark eyes inspected him closely. “ I’ve been looking into the idols of SM.” He glanced at the neatly piled paper folded underneath his hands.
“It says here you have a younger sister.” His dark eyes glinted.
My face remained emotionless. “And what if I do?” I replied, narrowing my eyes.
He laughed and got up from his chair and began walking around the room until he stood behind me.
“No need to be so serious hyung-nim.” He patted my shoulder.
I glared back at him, feeling a deep hatred sprout inside me.
“You know, I’ve been thinking of firing some people.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “People who snoop around, people who look at things that don’t belong to them.” His nails dug into my shoulder, but I didn’t dare flinch.
“So?” I began slowly, choosing my words carefully. “Why are you telling me this?”
Joon gook walked back to his seat and sat down. “I just thought maybe you can identify this person for me.” He looked at me closely waiting for my reactions as he showed me a video.
A figure which looked like it belonged to a man clicked furiously at a laptop. “He” glanced anxiously around the room, until at last he pulled out a usb and clumsily shoved it in his pocket.
“His” hunched shoulders straightened and his left sleeve pulled up to reveal a small tattoo.
I knew at once who it was. I glanced up at Jong gook and he saw the recognition on my face because he smiled with triumph.
“Who is he?”
“I don’t know.” I responded aggressively. “Do you even have proof that I even know who this person is?”
He smirked.
“Oh really?” He replied slyly, before pressing the button on his phone. “Bring him in.”
My blood turned cold.
A slender pale face boy stepped into the office, wearing the same sweater I let him borrow the night before.
He glanced nervously at Jong gook, until his eyes finally rested on mine. With great difficulty, I made my expression appear blank.
“Sit down.” Joon gook pointed to the chair beside me. The boy nodded obediently and walked his way slowly to the chair and sat down. He peeked through his long lashes and looked at me fearfully.
“Luhan.”
Luhan turned around slowly, as I watched his long nimble fingers shake slightly.
“Yes?” He breathed.
“Kris and I were just talking about someone who snuck into my office and rummaged through my desk.” His eyes slanted ever so lightly. “And we were just about to reveal the culprit weren’t we Kris?” He smirked.
Luhan turned his head towards me, his eyes widening and a look of fear reflected in his eyes.
I looked away, focusing my eyes onto the large hourglass.
Before I could stop myself I spoke. “I know who the culprit is.”
Luhan’s body stiffened beside me and I could hear his breath grow shallow.
I took a deep breath and looked into Jong gook’s dark eyes. “It was me.”
Silence engulfed the room. I didn't dare look at Luhan, but continued staring at our CEO’s surprised expression.
Finally a look of disappointment masked his face. “I thought I knew you Kris, I thought I could trust you.” He paused and glanced at Luhan, before focusing back on me. “I’m sorry, but I need to fire y-”
“I quit.” I said, cutting him off.
The look of amusement fluttered across his face. He raised his eyebrow, a ghost of a smile played on his lips.
“Not only will I quit, but I'll also file a lawsuit against this crappy company.” I paused, letting him soak in my claim. I smirked in triumph as fury burned in his eyes.
“Have fun running this hellhole.”
I grabbed Luhan by the sweater and quickly ran out of the room before Jong gook could reply. We ran until suddenly, Luhan stopped.
“What the hell are you waiting for?”
He stared at me pleadingly. “You’re not really leaving are you Ge?” (ge means brother in chinese)
“I-” His eyes burned into mine, as if it could read my thoughts. “I quit.”
“You can’t.” A look of betrayal reflected upon his face. “Aren’t you the one that suggested our quote ‘we are one’?” His voice grew louder with desperation. “Aren’t you the one that said we are family!?”
“Who was the one caught on camera for looking into somebody else’s documents!?” I countered.
Luhan clenched his teeth. “You think I did this on purpose?” He scoffed. “Do you even know what he’s doing?”
I stared at him blankly. “What?”
“He hired her!” Luhan spat. “He hired that crazy bitch!”
My eyes narrowed.
“Everything up until now. Everything, the Ceo’s death, the sasaeng, and you leaving.” His voice began shaking. “It was all planned.”
My breath got caught in my throat. My minds began spinning wildly.
No, it couldn’t be.
But deep down inside, I knew it was true. I just didn’t want to accept it.
“If this is really true.” I began slowly, “what exactly is he planning next?”
“From what I read, Jong gook is going to use this girl against us.”
“A girl? Who is she?” I asked nervously.
“Meng Jia.”
Notes
Author's NOTESHey guys, how long has it been? 3 months? Sorry for the wait, I seriously had a lot going on; exams from last year, and the fact that I'm going to move. I can't promise to update often, but I'll try.
I've been reading my first few chapters, and wow they sound so cheesy and cringy, lmao. I'm such a bad writer. Now that I'm writing again, Exo probably won't be using their powers as much as I was planning for them to.
Omg, have you guys listened to KARD's Oh NaNa and Don't recall. For a group that haven't debut yet and have boy and girl members, they are gaining popularity really quickly. Their songs are so littt!!!!!
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it.
As always don't forget to comment, vote, and subscribe.
Read my other stories:
Bts:
- Suga; oneshot: http://www.kpopfanfiction.com/Story/87682/First-Love/
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@Waterdragon
Thank you so much!!! Hope you like my other story too~~ XD
Lol Hwaitting!
3/6/17