Forever Waiting, Forever Hoping - A HanJay AU

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Hannie had stopped believing in promises—ever since the day he lost his mother. Words, once so full of hope, had become fragile things—loyalty bent, vows turned to dust. But then... there was JL.

And in the quiet of his heart, Hannie knew—he had already sworn an unspoken oath. To love JL fiercely, without reservation. To shield him with every breath. To hold him close, no matter what the world demanded in return.

Let the skies darken. Let the earth tremble. This promise? This was the one he would keep—even if it cost him everything.

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The meeting was adjourned.

While others filed out, the steel door clicking shut behind them, Hannie, Kyungho, Chih En, Hanseo, and Juwon were asked to stay. The room felt suddenly smaller, the weight of Grandpa Park's gaze pressing down like a physical force.

"Listen—" he commanded.

Hannie remained standing while the others shifted in their seats. "If this is about holding back—"

"It's about surviving," Grandpa cut in, his voice a low rumble. "You think I don't see the bloodlust in your eyes? The recklessness?" His cane tapped each of them in turn—Hannie, Kyungho, Hanseo, Chih En, Juwon. "You're too young to drown in the filth we're about to stir up."

Kyungho's jaw tightened. "We're not children."

"No," Grandpa agreed. "You're the ones who'll inherit your family's empire and legacy. And empires aren't built on corpses alone—they're built on legends." He leaned forward, the lamplight carving deep shadows into his face. "So here's how this goes. Stay clean. Stay sharp. Protect what's ours."

Hanseo crossed his arms. "And the dirty work?"

Grandpa's smile was all teeth. "Leave that to the old monsters."

A beat of silence.

"We're not benching ourselves," Hannie said flatly.

"I'm not asking you to." Grandpa stood, his cane scraping against the floor. "But from now on? You only raise your ire when there's no other choice. Your priority isn't hunting—it's keeping your people breathing." His glare pinned them in place. "Because if you fall? Who protects them all? JL? Woongki? Shuaibo? Joohyoung? Hmm? Juwon couldn't handle them alone."

The truth of it landed like a knife between the ribs.

Chih En exhaled first. "...Fine." The others followed.

Grandpa nodded, satisfied. "Good. I won't risk your lives—won't let anyone else get hurt. Not again. Now get out. I have a war to remake."

As they turned to leave, Grandpa added quietly:

"And Hannie?"

Hannie turned slowly, waiting for the old man's last instructions.

"Save your fury. You'll need every drop for what's coming."

The five of them stepped out of the meeting room, the heavy door sealing shut with a final, ominous thud behind them. The sterile hallway lights buzzed overhead, their harsh glare reflecting off the polished concrete floors. The air carried the faint metallic tang of burnt oil mixed with antiseptic—a familiar scent in these corridors.