Chapter Text
Truly, Han Seo was starting to become the bane of his existence.
Ignoring the smirk sneaking up against the corners of Cha Young’s face, the Italian placed a hand- gentle, always gentle with him- on the back of the youngers neck.
The flinch it resulted in was nothing new, yet continued to make them both curse Han Seok even in imprisonment, but Vincenzo was ripped out of those thoughts by the adoring gaze Han Seo directed up at him.
And that brings him back to his original dilemma.
He wanted him. Badly.
“Hyungnim! I didn’t see you come in, I was just telling Ms. Hong-”
“Noona.”
The Chairman’s eyes dropped to the table in embarrassment as he corrected himself quickly, ears reddening at the Cheshire grin and stroke of his cheek Cha Young rewarded him with.
“I was telling Noona , that the hockey rink is finally reopening and she said that she’ll come learn how to skate.” Han Seo smiled.
Vincenzo took pleasure in the way the boy’s eyes shined with such unbridled delight.
Ever since the incident with Babel, he had been free to live his life the way he wanted to. With Han Seok locked away, and his companions dead, Han Seo no longer had a target on his back.
Han-Seo, all dark lashes on pale skin, petal pink on plush lips and a puppy like disposition, had managed to enrapture him in a way no one else had.
Vincenzo liked games, and this was one he’d never get bored of.
Teasing a line up Han-Seo’s side and watching the blush race past his chest, curl around his ears to kiss at his cheeks, just to see which would come first, the coy gaze or the innocent stuttering a cute - “ H-hyung” -, that had something dark curling in his belly.
But he had to practice restraint with him. A frown twitched at his lip as he allowed his fingers to linger slightly and then pull away from Han Seo’s nape. Han Seo was delicate, innocent despite his circumstances and frankly, was not something to be played with.
No matter how much Vincenzo wanted to take him apart.
Meeting Cha Young’s eyes across the table, he could tell she knew what he was thinking. She’d always been perceptive that way, as sharp as she was gorgeous, but that quick wit meant being at the mercy of her endless teasing.
Cha Young, of course, was never afraid to give the affection Han Seo craved. She would cradle him, kiss his cheeks, give in to pleading eyes and open arms. In return, she received flushed smiles, adoring eyes tilted shyly up at her. Clingy hugs, and a whiny, pliant, obedient Han Seo.
And she loved to rub it in his face.
But Vincenzo refused to pursue someone he had such a clear influence over. He knew that if he wanted it, Han Seo would roll onto his stomach and present himself for his ‘ Vin-hyung ’s enjoyment.
He glanced at Han Seo from the corner of his eye, the younger had draped himself over Cha Young’s lap, face tucked into the juncture of her neck.
But he’d been all too used to doing that for someone else.
Vincenzo looked away, his anger forcing him to put his mug down in fear of breaking the damn thing.
The picture of Han Seo, face cradled in the crook of Cha Young’s shoulders as she talked furiously into the phone calmed his anger. Han Seo was safe and sound with them here at Jipuragi.
The residents of Geumga plaza welcomed Han Seo with open arms, after hearing that he had taken a bullet- no, two bullets, for the pair it wasn’t difficult to see the boy had changed. Vincenzo spent his days after work listening to Han Seo chat non stop about his activities with Mr. Nam, and learning self-defence with Yeojin and Mr. Lee.
“Vincenzo Cassano!”
Despite startling from the loud exclamation, he turned to face Cha Young.
The female lawyer smiled, faux sweet and taunting.
“If you’re done daydreaming, Mr.Mafia,” He shot her a glare at the swipe, “That was Mr. Nam calling.”
She rubbed a dozing Han Seo’s back as she leaned forward in her chair, waving for him to meet her in the middle.
Indulging her, he leaned forward only to get a flick in the forehead.
“Agh- What the hell was that for?”
She shrugged, “You were looking so sad, it was annoying. Anyway, he said to pack it up and go home, apparently we’ll need the rest for whatever he needs to tell us tomorrow.”
Alarms rang through his head, “Why isn’t he telling us tonight?”
Cha Young rolled her eyes, “You know that conference? The one with all geezers who collect buttons? It was in Jeju, he’s flying back tonight but the information is too...sensitive, to say over the phone.”
He looked at her plainly. He could tell she was trying to play it cool, but the tick in her jaw made it clear that the call had been jarring enough for her too.
They could only hope that it was nothing
——-
Later they laid in bed, Han Seo pressed closely to his side, playing little spoon to Cha Young. The youngest of the three was fast asleep the between them, his soft snuffling and deep breaths proof that he was lost to the world.
Though, Vincenzo didn’t like to think of it that way, not with how close they had been from losing him already.
A sharp pain erupted from his brow, and he pouted. His eyes turned towards Cha Young and she laughed easily, her hand pulling back to rest over Han Seo’s soft stomach.
“Your thoughts are so loud, they’re giving me a headache.”
He huffed, indignant, but his lips pulled into a smile anyway.
“It’s payback for all the headaches you give me with your big mouth.”
She gasped, reaching over and twisting his nipple harshly, earning a snuffle that had both of them peering over at the boy between them. Once he was shifted and secured again, Cha Young shot him a grin.
“You crazy woman.”
The silence stretched between them for a while, the soft snores filling both of them with a contented calm before Vincenzo spoke up again.
“He hurt him, you know. He hurt him so much worse than we had thought that he hurt him.” He whispered.
He had never told Cha Young what he saw in the Guillotine file, about the brothers, but she knew that the abuse was long and abhorrent.
Cha Young searched his eyes for a moment before sighing, reaching a hand over to lay on his arm.
“Vincenzo, Han Seo is strong.” Seeing him start, she put a hand up, “I’m not saying that you think that he’s weak. I’m saying this because you know that he’s strong. I may not know exactly what you’re talking about, and I’m almost glad I won’t know for tonight, but Han Seo has come so far in his short time here. He won’t break easily, not now.”
He looked down, “I know. I’m just, not looking forward to what it is that Mr. Nam has to tell us. Han Seo deserves a life.”
And I want to give him that life.
Those words were unspoken, but understood between the two. It was a mutual feeling after all.
“We don’t even know that what he has to say is about Han Seo-“
He turned to her, “What else could it be, Cha Young? Who else would we need to prepare emotionally to hear about?”
Han Seo shifted between them again, moving so he was nuzzling into Cha Young’s chest. The loss of warmth spread through Vincenzo like a forest fire. So much so that Han Seo had barely left his chest before he was pressing himself up against the younger’s back, he could allow himself this much.
“We don’t know yet, but for now we should go to bed. God knows you need it, or you’ll worry yourself to death.” She frowned, leaning over to flick the lights off.
He didn’t have the time to protest before she was kissing him on the cheek and turning into Han Seo, a silent order to do as she said.
Vincenzo sighed, spending the next few moments looking over the two before allowing sleep to pass over him.
————
When Vincenzo wakes up the next morning, it’s to Cha Young’s laugh, muffled by the closed bedroom door and the feeling of Han Seo’s bare thigh pressed against his.
Sometime in the night the youngest had shed his pants and left him in his boxers- which might as well have been panties if he was honest- and a loose shirt.
He hated the idea of waking him, with how peaceful he looked, long lashes kissing his cheeks and lips parted, puffing out tiny breaths; but they had news to hear.
He leaned in close to the younger’s face, brushing his hair out of his eyes for a few moments until he felt them flutter and then moved to get out of bed.
Vincenzo was a man who knew his limits, and if he looked into those eyes for a moment longer he wouldn’t be leaving his bed today.
Leaving Han Seo with a quick caress to his face and a good morning, he closed the bathroom door behind him.
And if he came with Han Seo’s name on his lips, that was no one else’s business.
————
It was on days like this that Cha Young was glad Jipuragi was only down the hall from Geumga plaza.
Short walks meant holding Vincenzo’a hand out the door and down the hall, while a sleepy Han Seo - how he ever woke up early to be Chairman they’ll never know- attached himself to her side.
Unlike Vincenzo, she was never shy to admit how much she liked the development. Holding the younger in her arms, with his face pressed into her neck, he would surrender himself completely to her.
Cha Young wasn’t Vincenzo, she could recognize past her ‘elevated moral code’ that Han Seo needed the option to surrender, that it was healing for him. She noticed the difference in his demeanour when she first started allowing him that comfort. He would go from stiff, jumpy almost, and shifty eyed to mellow, relaxed. Then that wonderful smile would finally start pulling at his lips.
It’d only be after those moments that he would allow himself to venture out and talk to the other residents of Geumga. Specifically, Mi-ri or Mr. Lee, where he’d spend his day filling the hall with the sound of a hauntingly beautiful piano piece or learning how to throw a punch.
She looked down at him for moment, catching his eyes, half lidded and so open and vulnerable that it almost stole her breath from her lungs.
Cha Young passed a hand over his hair, tucking the strands, much longer than before, behind his ears.
“Ahem.”
The glance Vincenzo shot at them was a silent keep moving , that had her rolling her eyes, but she nuzzled the top of Han Seo’s head and kept her pace regardless.
It was with great remorse - for the both of them, though she started to suspect that Vincenzo would rather be shot than admit his feelings- that she shooed him off for the time being, into pseudo-motherly arms of Hee-soo for breakfast.
“Go eat something, Vincenzo and I have to talk to Mr.Nam about something boring.”
He blinked owlishly at her for a second before allowing himself to be doted on, Hee-soo pulling him along.
Watching him go for a moment, Cha Young turned to face Vincenzo and made an impatient gesture at the door.
“Well? Let’s go Mr. Vincenzo Quassano, we have a meeting to attend.”
He opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but opted for a clear sigh instead, opening the door to allow her through and the following.
———-
Mr. Nam’s head snapped up quickly at their entrance to Jipuragi. He scrambled off his seat to where he had set up their coffee and brought it over to the table.
“I didn’t expect you guys to come so early you know, you could’ve slept in a little more.” He mumbled, hurriedly grabbing papers from around him.
Vincenzo raised a brow. Mr.Nam wasn’t the calmest of character, he was often jittery and excited but this was out of the ordinary even for him.
“Are you,” he made a vague hand gesture towards the older man, “alright, Mr. Nam?”
Nam gaped at him, for a moment, briefly stuttering out an affirmation.
Cha Young looked between the two, gaze sharpening. She placed her bag down beside her and crossed her hands under her chin, tilting her head.
“Does this,” She waved a hand at his messy hair and dark circles, “have anything to do with what you called about last night?”
Mr. Nam gave the two an unimpressed glare, “I wish you would stop gesturing at me like that.”
Vincenzo smirked lightly, placing a hand on his shoulder before sitting down. The man was clearly working up the courage to tell them this news, there was no point in picking on him now.
After several minutes of the two lawyers switching Nam shuffle papers, he finally stilled.
“Jang Han Seok is attempting to build a base in prison.” He starts plainly.
Cha Young nearly jumps out of her chair at his words.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Surely that wouldn’t work?”
Mr. Nam ran a hand over his face, pointedly ignoring the burning glare on the left side of his face.
“I received information from an informant that Han Seok has managed to build a small base in prison, and while it’s small now it seems to be attracting attention from insiders.”
Vincenzo raised a brow, “Insiders? Such as?”
“Well,” Mr.Nam sighed, “there seems to be a former partner of the Babel group that has visited Han Seok. After that visit, his base doubled in size.”
Cha Young cursed, “But that doesn’t mean that he can do anything? Maybe he’s building a base for protection in prison, you know how much he hates the damn place.”
Vincenzo nodded, “True, but outside support means the possibility of escape or an early release if he plays his cards right.” He turned towards Mr. Nam, “And we don’t know who this visitor is?”
His question was met with a shake of the head, “No, the informant was only able to get the back of his head, but not his name or face.”
Silence washed over the room.
It was truly the worst kind of news. Han Seok being alive was already a compromise that Vincenzo had barely been able to make, and knowing that he was attempting something - something of which they had no idea of what it could be - was sending a rush of anger down his spine.
He pinned Mr. Nam with a stare, “Speak nothing of this to Han Seo. Cha Young, grab your bag.”
He left no time for either to protest, instead slamming the door open and making his exit.
The only indication that Cha Young was following him was the rushed clicking of her heels against the floor as she struggled to keep up.
“Wait!”
Taking pity on her, he slowed his pace somewhat but continued to the parking lot. He unlocked his car and just barely missed the car next to his with how harshly he ripped open the door.
Cha Young quickly hopped in the passenger seat, sending a harsh glare at his pointed stare towards her seatbelt.
“Oh so now you care for safety, but not when you were practically dragging me across the floor?” She snarled, throwing her bag in the backseat.
Vincenzo barely paid it any mind. Right now he was only focused on leaving as quickly as possible.
Cha Young turned to stare at him as he peeled out of the parking lot, paying no heed to the speed limit.
“Will you at least let me know where we’re heading?” She questioned.
“Prison.”
Her brows rose, “Prison?”
When the question went unanswered she glared, “Are you going to see Han Seok?”
Vincenzo’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter at the sound of his name, and Cha Young couldn’t blame him for the reaction.
“I’m assuming that’s a yes.” She looked at the window for a passing moment, “You know you can’t kill him in prison, right?”
Vincenzo spared her a glance, “I won’t kill him, I refuse to give him the satisfaction. He just needs a reminders of who put him in there in the first place.”
Cha Young scoffed, and that ended the conversation for the time being.
Vincenzo stared ahead for most of the ride there. If he dared to look anywhere else he might turn back, turn back and grab Han Seo and take him to Italy; never to come back to Korea again.
But he couldn’t do that. Han Seo wouldn’t do that, not with how much he had achieved in his brothers absence.
So, if he couldn’t steal Han Seo away, he would just have to decimate the threat.