Crave You Forever
Chapter 100: You should let me take care of you for a change

Chapter 100: You should let me take care of you for a change

The question hung in the air, heavy with implication. For a moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint hum of the club’s sound system in the background.

"Yes," Yeongsoo said finally, his voice quiet but resolute. "I’m ready."

Sean tilted his head, his expression softening slightly. "You sure about that? Because once you commit to this, there’s no half-assing it. Suho deserves better than someone who’s going to bail when things get tough."

"I don’t bail," Yeongsoo said firmly, his gaze unwavering. "He’s already a part of my life. Haeun and I both made that decision when we took him in. I’m not going to let him down."

Sean nodded slowly, a flicker of respect crossing his face. "Alright, then. Just don’t forget what you’re getting into. That kid’s going to need more than protection. He’s going to need love, patience, and a hell of a lot of understanding. Think you’ve got that in you?"

Yeongsoo’s lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Haeun’s good at the love and patience part. I’ll figure out the rest."

As Yeongsoo reached for the door again, he paused and turned back to Sean, his expression serious. "One more thing."

Sean raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "What now?"

"I need you to find Suho’s biological parents," Yeongsoo said, his tone clipped and businesslike. "Dead or alive, I want to know everything about them. Their connections, their history—whatever you can dig up."

Sean blinked, surprised by the request. "You sure? That’s a pretty big task. If they’re alive, what are you planning to do? Hand him back?"

Yeongsoo’s eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. "I’m not giving him back to anyone. But I need to know the truth. If they’re alive and abandoned him, I want to know why. If they’re dead, I need to know what happened to them."

Sean studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I’ll see what I can do. But you should know, digging into something like this could stir up a lot of buried secrets. You ready for that?"

"I don’t care," Yeongsoo replied firmly. "Suho deserves to know where he came from. And I need to be sure there’s no one out there who could come back for him."

Sean let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "You’re really all in on this, huh? Alright, boss. I’ll get started. But it might take some time, especially if they’ve gone off the grid or... worse."

"Do it fast," Yeongsoo said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I want answers as soon as possible."

Sean gave him a lazy salute, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You got it. I’ll let you know as soon as I find something."

Satisfied, Yeongsoo turned on his heel and left without another word.

As Yeongsoo walked out of Red Phoenix, his thoughts swirled with the weight of his decision. He didn’t regret taking Suho in—not for a second. The boy had wormed his way into their lives, into Haeun’s heart, and even into his own, though he’d never admit it out loud. But Suho deserved stability, not a life filled with unanswered questions and uncertainty.

The drive back to Haeun’s parents’ estate was quiet, his grip on the steering wheel tight as he replayed Sean’s words. "Digging into this could stir up a lot of buried secrets."

Secrets didn’t bother Yeongsoo; it was people’s reactions to them that did.

When he arrived at the estate, the warmth of the house was in stark contrast to his earlier conversation. Suho’s laughter echoed from inside as he bounded toward the door to greet him, his small feet thudding against the floor.

"Yeongsoo hyung!" Suho called out, grinning widely as he flung himself toward him.

Catching the boy with ease, Yeongsoo ruffled his hair. "You’ve got a lot of energy for someone who was supposed to be napping."

"I tried!" Suho pouted, clinging to him like a koala. "But Haeun hyung said I could play after I rested a little."

"Did you listen to him?" Yeongsoo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Suho tilted his head, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "I listened a little."

"Cheeky," Yeongsoo muttered, though a small smile tugged at his lips.

Haeun appeared in the doorway, arms crossed as he watched the two of them. "Took you long enough," he teased.

"Some things came up," Yeongsoo replied, his tone softening as his gaze landed on Haeun. He set Suho down gently and walked over, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Haeun’s ear.

Haeun flushed slightly at the gesture but didn’t move away. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Yeongsoo lied smoothly. "Just business."

Minho and Taekjoon’s voices floated in from the living room, the sound of an animated debate about nursery themes and baby essentials filling the air.

"Your parents are really into this," Yeongsoo commented, glancing toward the source of the noise.

Haeun rolled his eyes, though there was affection in the gesture. "They’ve been waiting for an excuse to spoil someone. I guess the baby gives them a reason."

Suho tugged on Yeongsoo’s sleeve, pulling his attention back. "Can we go play now?"

Haeun chuckled. "You’ve been playing all afternoon, Suho. Let Yeongsoo rest a bit, okay?"

"But—"

"Suho," Haeun said firmly, though his tone was gentle.

"Fine," Suho huffed, though he couldn’t keep the smile off his face. "But only because I want to continue playing with grandpa-Minho"

"Thanks for the honor," Haeun teased, earning a giggle from the boy.

As Suho scampered off, probably back to Minho and Taekjoon, Haeun turned back to Yeongsoo, his expression softening. "You seem tense. Are you sure everything’s alright?"

Yeongsoo hesitated for a moment before pulling him into a gentle embrace. "I’m fine. Just tired."

Haeun rested his head against Yeongsoo’s chest, closing his eyes briefly. "You work too hard. You should let me take care of you for a change."

The corners of Yeongsoo’s mouth twitched upward. "You already do."

"Then let me take care of you more.."