Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin.

A well-known figure amongst his world of crimes, and drugs.

The attractive man with a ruthless nature.

The man leading Dongcheonpa, the top gang in Korea.

--

Yoon Jiwoo. That’s your name. Daughter of Yoon Donghoon, Choi Mujin’s right-hand man and best friend.

Leading a normal life wasn’t what you wanted. Instead, you wanted to be part of the gang. Wanting to be able to fight well, to use guns, and to be able to kill was your dream ever since learning about Dongcheonpa from your dad. Somehow, it just sounded right to you. Although others would think you’d be sick of the world of crimes by now, you weren’t.

However, your father was against your dream.

“Jiwoo-yah. Are you asking your father to dig your grave?” Your dad had his hands on his hips, his face scrunched in anger. “How can I send you into the gang when I know the best how dangerous it is?”

You slightly shook your head to rid the scene of your dad nagging you. You weren’t planning on giving up anytime soon, though.

You have yet to meet the infamous Choi Mujin, after all.

You needed a reason to pay Hotel Liber a visit when you graduate high school.

--

Thud.

You hear ringing in your ears.

You zone out.

Everything is in slow motion.

And suddenly you’re back. You feel a sharp pain in your abdomen. You realise you’re lying on the floor of your classroom as your eyes took in the dirt accumulated between the cracks of the grey tiles. Surrounded by your classmates, each of them taking their turn in inflicting pain on your small body. You bring your arms up to shield your face. It worked, but only for a while.

Until you felt a fistful of your hair being grabbed from behind, and you were pulled up from the ground and slammed against the lockers at the back of your classroom, pain spreading across the entirety of your back. You almost decided that you were not going to take it anymore and wanted to stand up for yourself.

Until an idea popped into your head.

The decision to stand up for yourself went down the drain, and you stayed still, taking hits left and right, occasionally shielding your face until your classmates eventually got tired and left you on the floor of the back of your classroom, and with your body battered and bloodied.

You didn’t have many friends- no. You had no friends. But you preferred it that way. You were quite invisible in school. Teachers, students, they would close an eye even if they saw you bloodied.

It was quite painful, and you had a slight limp. But at least you were excited to go home.  

Or to be specific, you were excited for your father to see the state you were in.

Fortunately for you, your father’s shoes were in the doorway when you arrived home.

--

Stepping foot into the house, you see your dad lounged on the couch, watching television. He had glanced at you casually from the sound of the door opening and closing before shock graced over his features, swiftly turning into worry.

“What the hell happened to you? Who did this?” Your dad’s voice dripped with wrath. Of course it would. They say fathers are usually overprotective of their daughters. And you were going to use this to your advantage.

“Did this happen in school? Talk to me.” Your dad urged you for answers.

“Yeah. It happened in school.” You started calmly with a shrug. “My classmates just thought it would be fun to beat someone up, I guess. And that someone happened to be me.”

“I can’t fight because I don’t know how to.” You painted a pained expression on your face, hoping your guilt-tripping was working on your dad. Greeted with silence, you lifted your gaze to catch his expression. You were sure he was heartbroken, somewhat. And at that moment, you knew your plan worked. Half of it, at least for now.

“I’m sorry, my precious daughter.” Your dad held your upper arm as gently as he could, as if he was afraid that you would break if he was even a little bit harsher.

“It hurts a lot, doesn’t it? Let me tend to your injuries.”

Sitting still as your dad fetched the first aid kit, you tried not to make the stinging obvious when he cleaned your wounds. He carefully applied medication and gently wrapped bandages around your injuries, his face scrunched in worry and pain the whole time.

Seeing as he was almost done, you decided to drop the bomb.

“Appa. I want to learn self-defense from your gang.” You monitored his reaction. His already scrunched up face scrunched even more, and you knew he was aware of what you were trying to convey.

“I don’t want to get hurt anymore. Having to be afraid of getting beaten up…it sucks. And I hate that I wasn’t able to do anything about it other than leave them to trample on me.” You stated in complete honesty. After all, honesty is the best policy, isn’t it?

Your dad stayed silent and you immediately wondered if you had made a mistake. Knowing how much he is against it, and you even tried a stunt like this. Your dad was deep in thought for a few long minutes.

Finally lifting his eyes to meet yours, “Fine. But only on Sundays.” You couldn’t help the grin from spreading across your lips. “Sundays are when the Dongcheon gym is empty.” Your dad explained and you nodded eagerly.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, appa!” You threw your arms around him in a hug, temporarily forgetting that you were injured until you felt the pain spread through your entire body.

“Ouch.” You hissed, retracting your arms from your dad’s wide body.

“Gosh, Jiwoo. Please, take care of yourself. Are you seriously so happy that you forgot you are injured?” Your dad shook his head in disapproval, followed by a series of tsk sounds. You giggled before pecking a kiss on his cheek as a finishing touch.

Your dad thought you were naïve to not notice the way his eyes lit up and the way the corner of his eyes crinkled when he laughed like he was the happiest man on earth. But you did. You always knew he has a soft spot for you. You knew he was a warm father only when he was with you. You knew you were the apple of his eye.

You were grateful, and you love him equally as much as he loves you.

--

Tuesday.

5 more days until Sunday comes. Until you could meet Choi Mujin.

You tapped your foot rapidly on the dirty tiles of your classroom anxiously. Your chin on your palm as you stared out the window, the golden sunshine shining into the classroom in rays. You wondered how would your first meeting with the leader of Dongcheonpa be.

Would he dislike you at first sight? Would he reject accepting you because you’re a girl? And his best friend slash second man’s daughter at that? You were underage too…

You were pulled out of your stance with the slam of your desk. Your eyes landed on two ugly hands on your desk and you looked up to its owner in annoyance. It was one of the kids who beat you up yesterday.

“This fucking bitch.” He seethed, pointing at you and turning around to his friends. “Are you seeing how this slut is glaring at me?” His hands came up in the air, attempting to slap you by coming down rather quickly.

You grabbed his arm that was next to your face, twisted it outwards, got on your feet and kicked him in the chest. Stumbling backwards, his back met with the lockers with a loud thud, booming throughout the entire classroom.

Silence.

Stares.

Some were in disbelief, some were angry, some were confused, and some were already lunging towards you.

You managed to dodge one of them from the right, unintentionally letting your guard down from the happiness of being able to dodge a hit. Not seeing the person on your left, you received a hard punch. You tried to fight them, you truly did, with your sloppy skills. But with no former training, no knowledge on fighting, it was bound to end terribly.

This time, you ended up with a slight limp. You wondered if it was possible for you to get through 3 more days of school. Would you be able to leave a good impression on Choi Mujin when you’re in this state?

Lost in your thoughts, you took some time to realize you’ve arrived at the lobby of your apartment building. You stepped into the lift with a sigh. Arriving on your floor with the soft dinging of the lift, you unlocked the door by pressing in the passcode on the digital lock and entered.

You were somewhat glad that your dad wasn’t home today. It had allowed you to clean up your injuries without worrying him again.

As much as you could clean up and hide the rest of your injuries with baggy clothes, it was hard to hide your limp. You simply told your dad the truth, earning another wave of worry and sadness from his expressions. You reassured him that you were fine, and that as his daughter, you could handle this much.

“Stay home for the rest of the week. I’ll contact the school.” He stroked your hair gently, and you felt all weight lifted off your shoulders. You nodded in obedience, and retreated to your room to rest for the rest of the day.

--

Tomorrow is D-Day.

Time passed rather quickly, with you only eating and sleeping and catching up on kdramas.

Just the thought of meeting the infamous Choi Mujin tomorrow has got your heart racing, palms sweaty, and somehow…feeling butterflies in your stomach. You thought lightly of it and went on with the rest of your day, trying not to think too much about it.

--

You jumped awake, your eyes immediately landing on the clock on your bedside table. Swiftly preparing, you took a quick shower and got dressed in a simple t-shirt and sweatpants.

During the entirety of the car ride with your dad, comfortable silence was present. Except your dad had no idea your heart was literally threatening to jump out of your chest.

Arriving at the destination, you got down from the car and stared up at the 2-storey building, instinctively rubbing your clammy hands on your sweatpants nervously. Inhaling deeply, you jogged to catch up with your dad who was already heading inside.

“Jiwoo. You know you still have time to tell me if you don’t want to do this.” Your dad rested a hand on your shoulder, his expression concerned.

“I want to do this.” You nodded in determination, clenching your jaw. Your dad nodded in response before leading the way towards the entrance. 

You were greeted with the stench of sweat and a metallic scent you assumed to be blood.

You froze on the spot.

There he was. Choi Mujin. The man you have wanted to meet all along. He was right in front of you but you couldn’t move an inch and you couldn’t even utter a single word.

You knew he was attractive, but not to this extent.

Staring into his expecting eyes, you felt a shiver down your spine when he raised an eyebrow and a knowing smirk graced his features. You slowly drew your eyes away from his face to take in his outfit.

A crisp black suit hugged his fit physique, along with matching dress pants. A white shirt on the inside with a white tie. His leather shoes, they were polished to perfection without a single crease.

Allowing your gaze to scan his face, you took in his slicked back hair, with a few strands of grey scattered. Oddly, it had only increased his attractiveness. A slight beard framed his jaw, along with a perfectly trimmed mustache settling above his lips.

Finally meeting his mesmerizing eyes again, his voice reached your ears for the first time.

“Yoon Jiwoo, is it? A pretty name for a suiting face.”

All breath left your lungs as his smooth yet coarse voice complimented you. Was it an actual compliment? Saying you were pretty?

You wondered how was it possible for him to feel so dangerous, yet so much like a safe place at the same time.

Choi Mujin held out his hand for a handshake.

You put your hand in his.

Once again, you locked eyes.

This time, there was something unexplainable pulling you in.

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin insisted on giving you a tour of the gym. To get you familiarised, he said.  

Walking around the gym with your dad and his boss which you were low-key attracted to was definitely something you didn’t want to experience again. As thrilling as it was trying to steal glances at Choi Mujin while he was facilitating the tour, it was a rather hard task trying not to get caught by either man.

You had just noticed the presence of another guy by the name Taeju not too long ago. You, too studied his features and his outfit. He was pretty good looking too, with that serious and emotionless look plastered on his face. He was younger than the boss, and older than you. You were wondering if you could call him oppa in the future, since you had always wanted an older brother since you were younger.

With just the blink of an eye, the tour had ended. All four of you were now standing in the middle of the gym, which was also the competing ring.

Choi Mujin broke the silence, “Alright, now that we’re done with the tour, I’ll have to get going.”

Then, his eyes were on you.

He continued, “Jiwoo, for today, you can get the basics trained with Taeju, hm?”

Your breath got hitched in your throat by how gentle he was talking to you.

You finally choked out an “okay” and bowed to him while he left. Your father stayed behind to give you a pat on the shoulder to encourage you with a “fighting!”

You quickly gave him a grateful smile and now turned to the only other person in the gym with you.

Taeju still had the serious look on his face. This time, he was eyeing you down. From top to toe. It seemed like he was silently judging you. Your eyes darted around the gym hesitantly.  

You were fully prepared for hurtful comments coming your way when he unexpectedly said, “You look fit, so it’s a good thing we don’t need to spend too much time on that aspect.”

You gave him a tight-lipped smile and waited for him to continue.

“I’ll have to spar with you to see your weaknesses and strengths. I won’t go easy on you.” Taeju announced, glancing behind him before getting into a wide-legged stance.

You slowly nodded, and mirrored his current posture.

Seeing his bounce lightly on tip-toes, you did the same as your heart began to race.

You see a jab coming your way. And then you felt a throbbing pain on your left cheek. You definitely saw it coming, and you tried to dodge it, but it was fast. Too fast. You held the throbbing area with your hand, hoping it would ease the pain.

Taking a deep breath and shaking your head slightly, you got back into your stance. Looking at the man standing in front of you, you tried to guess his next moves by observing his arms and his footwork. But you figured because you weren’t professionally trained before, you really didn’t have much idea about this.

“You’re not as good as I thought, little girl. You couldn’t even dodge my first hit.” Taeju smirked, shaking his head in disappointment.

Licking your lips, you wondered if the metallic taste was blood or from your imagination.

“Were you any better than me during your first fight, Taeju?” You cocked an eyebrow at him, earning an annoyed scoff from him.

As if he was in a rush, Taeju swiftly shifted his weight on his rear foot. Using his lead foot, he drew a half circle while knocking your feet off the ground, making you fall onto the nasty gym mat with a thump. Groaning in pain, you clutched your left shoulder that you landed on in the result of falling.

Glaring at Taeju while still curled up on the ground, he made a slight tilt of his head, “I guess that’s all we can do today, huh? You don’t look like you belong here, so leave while you still can.”

And he left. Leaving you there all alone.

Feeling disgruntled with how the spar ended and how he viewed you as a weak individual, you decided to up your game.

You mentally vowed that one day, you would win him in a fight and leave him speechless.

And that was the moment you started training hard on your own. Making full use of the several utilities in the gym.

You know for a fact that your speed was one of the main issues. Whether it was the speed to attack, or the speed of your reaction. You decided to work on that.

Punching the punching bag needed way more strength than you thought, feeling like all those years of dramas had deceived you. Or were you just really weak?

Time passed in a blur, focusing too much on the matter at hand had made you unaware of your surroundings. Be it the time, the colour of the sky that had turned from a shade of light blue to the colour of nightmares, or the fact that you were sweating so much to the point it stinks.

You decided to take a break, your breathing ragged while you waited for it to go back to normal. You turned around and glanced at how the gym looked at night, when you saw someone standing at the doorway.

It was your father. He looked proud, if you saw it correctly.

Your father held up a white plastic bag, “I brought fried chicken. You should eat, you’ve trained more than enough today, Jiwoo-yah.” Your sweaty face spread into a big grin.

“Let’s eat together, appa. Come sit.” You proceeded to sit crossed leg on the gym mat you once thought was nasty, but not anymore since you were probably nastier than it was now.

Your father mirrored your crossed leg seating, and unboxed the fried chicken. As if on cue, your stomach grumbled like it was angry you didn’t feed it the whole day.

--

The chicken disappeared rather quickly. There were only bones left in the box. You groaned in satisfaction and you looked at your father who already had his eyes on you.

“Is there something on my face, appa?” You asked while wiping your face.

“No, Jiwoo. It’s just that…you’ve grown so much. You’re a big girl now, wanting to train to fight. I’m proud of you.” He spoke softly while wiping a stray tear with the back of his hand.

You feel your eyes get watery.

“Appa, why are you crying! You’re making me cry too.” You felt hot droplets of tears stream down your sweaty face.  “I’m going to get so dehydrated after this...”

Your father reached out to your face and wiped your tears with his thumb, and you did the same to him.

Looking at each other, you burst out laughing at the dumb and wholesome moment.

Your dad’s laughter followed. And soon the empty gym that was normally filled with threatening auras, was filled with laughter of love between a father and a daughter.

--

Someone was watching while you were too focused on trying to carve that priceless moment with your dad into your brain.

That someone, felt warmth he has never felt before slowly seep into his heart while watching the interaction of the father and daughter.

That someone then quietly backed away and left, not wanting to interrupt the precious moment.

--

You woke up on your soft bed barely able to move with your whole-body aching from overexerting yourself the previous day. You groggily recalled last night.

After the fried chicken and spending some time talking about general stuff with your dad on the floor of the gym, your dad noticed the time and pulled you up, reminding you that you had to attend school the next day and drove you home. You scrubbed your skin raw from the disgusting feeling of sweat and grime on your skin and slept like a log shortly after that.

Pushing yourself out of bed, you put very little effort into getting ready for school. Simply bunching your hair into a ponytail and slipping on your uniform, you departed from home. You really didn’t want to go, but you needed to graduate. You had no choice.

--

Seated at your desk in class, you rested your head on the piece of wood with countless scribbles while waiting for your class teacher to enter.

You made a mental goal for today. To not get into any more fights. Getting into another fight while your body could barely move smoothly would be sending yourself to an early death. You vowed you were going to try and avoid trouble until you could at least land one attack on Taeju.

It would probably mean you could put up a fight with your classmates. They couldn’t be professionally trained like Taeju was, right?

You sighed in frustration. The thought that you had to wait a whole ween until Sunday, until you could go to the gym again…You knocked your forehead on the table a couple of times, groaning in annoyance.

--

You arrived home in the evening and felt relieved that nothing in particular happened at school today. You figured you were lucky that your classmates weren’t looking to relieve any stress today.

After taking a steaming hot shower, you swiftly prepared a simple dinner and went to your room to finish up your homework while waiting for you father to return. After that day at the gym where you ate with your father, you decided you wanted to have dinner together more often.

Halfway through with your homework, you heard your front door open.

You rushed out to greet your father and wanted to hear him compliment you for making dinner.

But then you stopped dead in your tracks.

Your father was laying on the floor, bloodied and unconscious.

Chapter Text

You were seated on the cheap and uncomfortable hospital chairs outside the surgery room. Your hands were still stained with your dad’s blood from applying pressure on his wound. You felt hot tears stream down your already tear stained cheeks again.

You couldn’t help it. Every time you glanced downwards and see the dried blood on your hands; you trembled with fear. You thought of the worst even though you know you shouldn’t. You kept reminding yourself to believe in your dad. That he wouldn’t leave you alone so abruptly and that his will to live was strong enough for him to survive this.

Every time you closed your eyes, you see the scene from a few hours ago. Replaying over and over again.

Rushing out to greet your father, you saw that the front door was still wide open, with your father laying on the floor just one step inside the small apartment. You stood frozen on the spot trying to process what was going on as you hurriedly kneeled beside your dad’s still body when you realized what was going on.

Dialling 112, you checked your dad’s body as carefully as you could to find out what kind of injuries he suffered while waiting for the other side to pick up the phone. Several cuts were scattered across his body, with one deep stab wound on his abdomen. Blood was still oozing out from it like a pipe, so you quickly pressed your free hand on it like you’ve seen in the movies.

As soon as the 112-operator picked up, you rapped out the current situation and your address. The call eventually ended with the operator telling you that it will be fine and that you did well. Anxiously waiting for the ambulance to arrive, you started praying. To anyone who would listen. To anyone who could help. To the skies and to the heavens. You begged them to not take your father away from you in this way. To save him, because he’s the only one you have left.

Feeling a large hand on your shoulder, you flinched and turned your head to your right. There he was. Choi Mujin. He was staring at you with concerned eyes. He has his eyebrows knitted together, like how it always was. For a moment while you looked into his eyes, it felt like everything would be okay, and that you didn’t need to worry.

“Are you alright, Jiwoo? I called your name a few times but…” Choi Mujin trailed off with a slight shake of his head, probably knowing that it wasn’t the point. He removed his hand from your shoulder and returned it to his pocket, and you had immediately shivered from the cold without his warmth. He kept his eyes on you with an expectant gaze. You finally realised you haven’t provided him with an answer.

You cleared your throat and averted your gaze from his mesmerizing eyes, “Y-Yeah, I’m alright.” You stared at the ground. “Sorry, I-I got lost in my thoughts.” You wondered how his presence always made you stutter and made your mind blank.

You looked away, wondering how his presence always made you stutter and at a loss for words.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Donghoon will be fine. Hm?” He spoke with complete calmness. It sounded like he was certain of it.

You hesitantly raised your gaze and allowed it to scan his face.

You noticed he had a few injuries of his own. A white square bandaged covered the right side of his forehead, along with a few fresh cuts here and there on his face. He looked tired. Exhausted, even. Your eyes dropping to his lips, you realised it was busted. You were dying to know what had happened. It was obvious, but you wanted the details.

Choi Mujin’s tongue escaped briefly to lick his lips the moment your eyes landed on the busted part. You forced yourself to tear your eyes away and checked his appearance. You weren’t able to see much with his two layers of clothing but you did see his bruised and scalding knuckled, along with splattered blood on his white shirt.

“What happened…ahjussi?” You asked in an intimidated whisper and trailed off.

Choi Mujin inhaled deeply and you could see hesitation in his eyes. Taking slow steps, he neared you before lowering himself on the waiting chairs, but with a single empty spot between you and him. Leaning back against the seat and resting his head on the wall, your eyes dropped to his throat as his Adam’s apple bobbed.

“I received a call from your dad, just before it happened. He said he was only 5 minutes away from home and that there were people on his tail.” Choi Mujin ran his hand through his tousled locks. “Donghoon said he’ll stall for time while waiting for us to arrive, not wanting to lead them to you, Jiwoo.” He turned to you, merely keeping his eyes on you for a few seconds before briskly turning away.

“By the time we arrived, Donghoon was no where to be seen.” He focused on the wall in front of him, his eyes blurry. “Most of the guys were unconscious on the ground. Your dad did a good job. But there were more.” Choi Mujin sighed.

“They attacked Taeju and I on sight. Thankfully my members came on time.” He nodded slowly, as if reassuring himself before turning to you again, “Otherwise I would be in there with your dad right now.” His gaze intensely staring at your eyes before they dropped to your trembling hands.

Choi Mujin paused, clenching and unclenching his fists.

In the blink of an eye, his large and rough hands were on top of your small shaking ones. A slight squeeze of reassurance followed.

As absurd as it sounds, your many concerns and worries disappeared like magic. And your only concern currently was…you didn’t want him to remove his hand from yours.

You didn’t want to admit it, but his hand on yours felt oddly right, even though you knew it was wrong in every way. It brought you comfort and warmth you’ve never felt from anyone else.

Your eyes were glued to his hands, but he didn’t seem to notice, or maybe he pretended not to.

“We ki- got rid of most of the guys from presumably our rival gang, only leaving one of them to report to their boss.” Choi Mujin’s eyes narrowed slightly staring into the distance. “Right after that, I called Donghoon. But I was sent straight to voicemail. We searched until I got the call that he’s here.” He glanced towards the surgery room, with the red light on the top indicating the surgery was still ongoing.

“I didn’t expect him to go home in that state.” Choi Mujin clenched his jaw.

“I’m sorry you had to see your dad like that.” He exhaled in relief before turning to you and meeting your eyes again. “But I’m glad you’re alright, Jiwoo.” His hand was still on yours.

Thinking about how much pain your dad must’ve endured forcing himself to reach home before collapsing triggered your tears again. You made no attempt to stop it, or wipe the tears that escaped your eyes. Your head hung low. You wanted to hide behind your curtain of hair, because for some reason, you didn’t want Choi Mujin to see you vulnerable like this.

You felt him remove his hand from yours, and you cried harder. It felt incredibly stupid, but you wanted to blame it on the fact that everything that happened recently is the reason why you’re so sensitive now.

You feel a finger under your chin, then your head was lifted and your eyes connected with his through your blurry vision. Choi Mujin gently tucked your dishevelled hair behind your ears and brought both his hands to the sides of your face, holding it softly and rubbing his thumb under your eyes, wiping away the tears.

You froze in place. Your heart raced, threatening to jump out of your chest. Your hands were clammy and sweaty. Your stomach? Butterflies. Swarming with it.

You told yourself mentally that it was beyond wrong to feel like this when your dad is facing a life-and-death situation just a few meters away from you.

His hands eventually leaving your flushed face, you could finally stop thinking about how his touch felt. You had used the back of your hands to rid of the remaining wetness on your face, completely forgotten about the dried blood that was still very much there.

Choi Mujin fished out his handkerchief and passed it to Taeju who was stood next to him. You eyed Taeju as he sped over to the nearest sink and moistened the small piece of cloth before jogging back to his boss, passing it to him with a slight bend of his body.

Choi Mujin took a few small steps towards you again. You leaned back instinctively, your lips slightly parted.

He raised it to your face, rubbing lightly while you stayed as still as you could. Then he took your hands in his and did the same, gently getting rid of the reds.

When he was done, he passed the piece of cloth to Taeju again.

You wanted to keep it.

Springing up from your seat, you spoke in a hurry, “I-I’ll take it. I’ll clean it and return it to you. I-It’s the least I can do…ahjussi…” You actually hoped Choi Mujin would forget about it so it could be in your possession.

Taeju raised an eyebrow, and Choi Mujin’s eyes widened. With just the slightest nod of Choi Mujin’s head, Taeju handed you the handkerchief. You folded it nicely and tucked it into your pocket, making a mental note to not forget about it when you get home.

As if on cue, the surgery room doors opened.

And the doctors who performed the surgery on your father walked out.

You and Choi Mujin both rushed to the doctor.

"Yoon Donghoon's family?" The doctor asked, glancing between you and the bloodied man next to you.

"I-I'm his daughter. Is my dad okay?" you asked in a hurry. The doctor looked at both you and Choi Mujin.

"The surgery went well."

Chapter Text

You felt the weights lifted off your shoulders, and felt like you could finally breathe again without feeling short of breath.

Both you and Choi Mujin let out a breath of relieve. Choi Mujin turned to you, and pulled you into a hug. You forgot how to breathe for a moment and you didn’t know whether or not to hug him back, so your hands were just floating in the air. Your face was at his chest level, squished into his black suit.

“Your father is okay, Jiwoo. Everything is okay now. Your father will be as good as new in no time.” He said while hugging you tight. You finally decided to put your hands around him. And you felt his firm back, and broad shoulders. Even his chest felt like a rock. You wondered how much time he spent working out to feel so buff.

He released the hug but still held your shoulders. “Let’s go see your appa, okay?”

You nodded and walked with him to the ICU ward. Your father had a private room, thanks to Choi Mujin. There were several of Dongcheonpa’s boys outside the room standing guard too, to prevent any future incidents.

Sitting down on the stool next to your father’s bed, you grabbed his hand and caressed it. Silently thanking him for staying alive, and thanking the skies for listening to your prayers.

Turning to Choi Mujin, you said, “Ahjussi, you must be tired. You should go home and rest. I’ll stay here with my appa. I want to be next to him when he wakes up.”

Nodding, Choi Mujin then grabbed a burner phone and passed it to you. “Here, use this to call me when your father wakes up. It’s safer for both you and me to use a burner phone to communicate.”

“Okay, I got it. Get home safe…ahjussi. And thank you for today…” you gave him a grateful smile. He returned the smile and left the room.

You were finally alone, you walked to the window and looked at the dark skies and glistening stars. Letting your mind wander about the things that happened today. The boss of Dongcheonpa, the top gang in Korea had held your hand and embraced you in his arms. Just the thought of it had made your heart race again.

What is it that you felt? Is it a silly crush? Is it because he’s attractive and powerful? Is it because he’s gentle with you? Or is it because no one seemed to care for you other than your father? But it’s so wrong, right? To be attracted to a man that’s 3 decades older than you? But isn’t age just a number?

Your thoughts were running wild. And you let them.

--

You heard movement. You opened your eyes to find yourself on the couch. You must’ve dozed off after all that thinking. You looked over to your father and his fingers were moving. Speeding over to his side, you held his hand tight and called him a few times, asking if he hears you. You see his eyelids fluttering and you slammed the button calling for assistance above the bed. Nurses came running and checked your father’s vitals.

Your father is now awake, the nurses said he’s recovering well, and that you needn’t worry. You were sat beside him again, holding his hand while the other hand fumbling for the burner phone Choi Mujin had given you the night before.

There was only one number in the phone and you pressed call. It rang once, then twice, then you heard his voice again.

“Jiwoo.” He said with his husky voice, that almost sent you to the floor, but you father was watching.

“Ahjussi, appa just woke up.”

“On my way.” And with that, he hung up. You smacked your lips together, trying to hide your smile. You don’t know why you wanted to smile, maybe it’s because he sounded so hot?

You put the phone back into the pocket of your coat, and gave your father your full attention.

“Did Mujin-hyung give you that, Jiwoo?” Your father asked.

“Yeah, he did. He wanted me to call him when you awoke. Anyways, appa, how are you feeling? Does it hurt a lot?” you expressed with concern.

“I’m fine, my sweet daughter. I’ve had injuries much worse than this, you know? You must’ve been shocked when you saw me lying on the floor bloody and unconscious, I’m sorry, Jiwoo.” He said with apologetic eyes.

“It’s okay, appa. The most important thing is that you’re fine now. That’s all that matters. Hmm?” You said and placed a peck on his hand. You continued talking to your father, bringing him water and helping him adjust the bed for him to sit comfortably.

--

The hospital room door slid open and revealed the person you tried not to think of while waiting for his arrival. Choi Mujin. He was in a dark brown suit and white shirt today. A colour you’ve never seen on him before.

Walking to the other side of your father’s bed, he spoke,” Hyung, you okay?”

You left the room to give them privacy. You met Taeju outside the room and slightly nodded to each other. You still felt like he disliked you though.

“Do you want coffee? From the vending machine. It’s on me if you’d like a cup.” You asked for fun, because it seemed awkward. You’d be seeing him more often too, so you didn’t want to be on bad terms with him. You wanted to call him oppa too. Therefore, you were putting in effort.

His eyes glanced everywhere, and it looked like he was thinking about whether or not he should accept the offer. Looking at you once again, he said “Okay.”

Surprisingly you felt happy, like you’ve won a lottery. Not hiding your smile, you walked to the vending machine with him following behind, like a lost puppy.

Arriving at the vending machine, you had asked him which one he wanted and he just mumbled an americano and looked at his phone. Lightly scoffing, you put in the coins and pressed a button labelled americano. Once it was ready, you took out the cup and passed it to Taeju, then proceeded to order a latte for yourself. Except for the sounds of you both sipping on the fresh coffee, there was awkward silence. And you decided to break the ice.

“Why do you dislike me?” you asked.

It seemed to catch him off guard as he slightly choked on his coffee. Turning to you, he said “I don’t.” and that was it. He was now looking at the wall.

Tilting your head, “You do. You can tell me; I want to know. I don’t want us to be on bad terms when we would be meeting often for training sessions.” You simply stated.

Taeju turned to you and leaned on the wall on his side. “I just don’t think you’re suited for Dongcheonpa. That’s it. It’s dangerous, and I’m sure your father wouldn’t like his daughter being in constant danger. Am I wrong?” he shrugged.

“No, you’re not entirely wrong. I might not be made for Dongcheonpa, but I’m interested in it. You didn’t give me a chance yet you said I’m not suitable. Is it because I’m a girl? And girls don’t join gangs? Is it also because I’m the first girl to train at the Dongcheonpa gym?"

Taeju sucked in a frustrating breath and finally said, “Fine, I’ll train you for a month. If you’re not up to my standards by then, leave voluntarily.”

“Deal.”

--

Walking back to your father’s hospital room, you were about to open the door when Choi Mujin opened the door and cam face-to-face with you. You were shocked and nervous and excited, all that made you stumble back an inch and trip on air. You made a small oh shit sound and was prepared to feel a sharp pain at the back of your head when you felt one hand on your upper arm, holding you to stop you from falling. But you already fell, for him. You didn’t need to open your eyes to see who it was, because who else would it be?

You finally decided to open your eyes, wanting to see that face of his, when your smile became an upside-down smile. The person who caught you before you fell wasn’t Choi Mujin. It was Taeju. How? When did he get in there? Fuck! Your eyes finally found Choi Mujin, he was standing at the side, watching the whole situation go down with a knowing look. You know what was worse? You looked further in and your father was also watching the whole situation go down, with a frown. You quickly balanced yourself and felt your face hot from embarrassment. You mumbled a my bad and almost ran to the ladies’ room to hide.

You splashed your face with water to cool yourself down. While your mind kept replaying how Choi Mujin looked at you, he seemed to be smirking, and he seemed to know that you were hoping it was him who saved you.

You banged your head against the wall a few times, feeling stupid. How are you going to face them ever again?

Chapter Text

You had returned to your father’s hospital room after making sure Choi Mujin and Taeju had left. All that’s left now is for you to face your father.

“What was that about just now, daughter?” your father asked the moment he saw you.

“Eh, nothing. Honest.” You raised your hands. Letting out an awkward chuckle, trying to hide your attraction to the mafia boss.

“Do you have a crush on Taeju? It’s okay, y’know. You can tell me. Taeju is a handsome young man with capabilities. I’d understand if you were to have a crush on him. I even heard you had coffee with him from the vending machine while I was talking to Mujin-hyung. Hmm?” Your father said with a smile, like he was approving of you and Taeju.

You pondered if you should just say he’s right. It would be better than telling him nope, I actually have a crush on your Mujin-hyung right?

Huffing out air, you decided to just say, “Appa, let’s not talk about this, okay? I want to go train a bit, I’ll come back in the evening with dinner. I’ll see you later appa.” And made your way out. When you left the hospital room, you saw 2 DongCheonpa boys standing guard at the door.

You decided to get 2 cups of coffee and gave it to them and proceeded to tell them, “Please take good care of my father. Thank you for your hard work.” you left after bending your body 90 degrees to them.

--

You had decided to go to a gym that isn’t owned by DongCheonpa. You didn’t want to bump into Taeju and Choi Mujin, yet. You started with speed walking on the treadmill for half an hour, then continued with some lifting.

You were about to start with your booty and legs reps when you got a call. Looking at the caller ID, it was an unknown number. Who would it be? You cleared your throat and answered the call with a soft “Hello?”

“Why aren’t you training at our gym but instead paying to train at some random gym?” It was Taeju and you just got exposed. Bruh. That’s the only word you could think of. Before you said anything, he continued “Are you embarrassed?” Sucking in a breath because of his cold and straightforward question, you thought of what to reply.

“Maybe, maybe not. Am I not allowed to visit other gyms?” you simply muttered.

“You are, but it’s safer here. Come back.” And the line went dead.

Who does he think he is? Commanding me like that. Hmph. But you left the random gym anyway, because you didn’t like how the guys there were watching and looking at you. You drove your father’s car to the Dongcheonpa gym, and then it hit you. Didn’t my appa say to only come here on Sundays? Does it mean it’s packed here right now? Ah shit.

But you still walked in, and you found Taeju immediately amongst the crowd. Maybe it was because he wore a windbreaker and wasn’t covered in sweat and blood like everyone else present. He spotted you too, the moment you entered the gym.

Well, it wasn’t only him because you suddenly realized all eyes were on you. Whispers and murmurs between members of the gang immediately filled the gym, with you just awkwardly bowing here and there, trying not to get on anyone’s bad side.

Taeju quickly walked to you, and stood next to you facing the crowd.

Getting everyone’s attention, he introduced you as Donghoon’s daughter, and that everyone should behave. Now done with the introductions, Taeju had asked you to follow his tail. Arriving at a separate room, he explained that he will be training you there, due to privacy issues. Nodding your head, he promptly got you started with the punching bag. Coaching you on your stance, and the right way to land punches without injuring yourself. Taeju wasn’t generous on the compliments, but that made you work even harder after hearing a compliment from him once.

Hours passed in a blur. You had enjoyed every moment of the training. Taeju was a good trainer, honestly. He was patient, and his explanations were detailed.

By the end of the training, you had learned many, many things, that you were now confident to win if you were in a situation required to fight. Realising the time, you remembered you had promised your father to bring him dinner. Quickly thanking Taeju for the lessons, you bowed and left the gym, driving to a jjigae restaurant and ordered you and your father’s favourite sundubu jjigae on the go.

Rushing to the hospital, you had parked the car and decided to change a tshirt because the one you were wearing stinks and was drenched. Arriving at your father’s room, you said, “JJan! Appa, I brought your favourite jjigae! Let’s dig in.”

Your father ate the jjigae well, probably because he was bored of the hospital food. Enjoying having dinner with your father, you decided to live in the moment. But that moment was cut short with someone entering the hospital room. You turned to look who it was and your eyes met his.

Choi Mujin. Unprepared and still embarrassed, you breathed nervously and got up to bow to him as a gesture of respect. While he was exchanging a few words with your father, you had gotten your blankets and pillow ready on the couch, it was a tiring day after all.

Choi Mujin had looked around the room, and saw you preparing to sleep on the tiny couch. Opening his mouth, he said “Jiwoo, I can give you a room at my hotel to spend the night. Going back home isn’t safe as our rival gang now knows your address, and I doubt that couch is comfy, Liber Hotel is also safer. Hmm?” and he raised an eyebrow at you, waiting for your answer.

Choi Mujin had caught you off guard. You didn’t expect him to offer you a room at his hotel. You looked at your father then back at Choi Mujin, saying, “It’s okay, I’m fine spending the night here with appa.” You were super nervous, and there was no way you would accept his offer in the blink of an eye, what would he have thought of you if you did that, right?

“Jiwoo, you should go. It’s safer there. Mujin-hyung will keep you safe, I can’t keep you safe here, can I?” Your father had suddenly said. Your eyes wide with disbelief, you looked at your father who nodded at you and then looked at Choi Mujin who was seemingly nodding to himself.

Biting your lip slightly, you hesitantly nodded to the two guys present in the room. Your father continued, “You should go now, daughter, it’s getting late, it’s time for you to rest comfortably.”

You followed Choi Mujin’s lead out the room after bidding goodbye and goodnight to your father. Choi Mujin’s presence still makes your heart race, and he’s still pretty intimidating to you, but nevertheless, you try not to act that way in front of him. You didn’t really want him to know you’re scared of him. You wanted him to see you as someone with guts.

Following Choi Mujin to his car, he had opened the door to the passenger’s seat for you. You quickly sat in the car and he closed the door for you too. Getting sat in the driver’s seat himself, the engine whirred to life, and you wondered why weren’t Taeju the driver this time around.

After rehearsing the same sentence in your head countless times, you decided to speak, “Umm, ahjussi. If you don’t mind a reroute, I’d like to go home and grab some clothes and necessities.” You mentally facepalmed for sounding so nervous, but he didn’t say anything about it, and you’re glad for that.

Arriving at your house, you told Choi Mujin to give you 10 minutes, and that you’ll quickly run in and pack. Turning to look at you, he said, “I’ll come with you, it’s dangerous.” And got out of the car while you were still trying to process what he said.

Once you came to your senses, you quickly got out of the car and caught up with him. Reaching your house, Choi Mujin waited in the living room while you speed-packed your luggage in your room, only packing the essentials. Wow, it’s only me and Choi Mujin in my house now…how weird is that? That thought had suddenly invaded your mind, and you simply shook your head hoping to get rid of it, but to no avail.

You were done packing, and you rushed out to the living room to tell him you’re ready to go. Choi Mujin noticed you out of your room and stood up, “Ready?” he asked with his deep voice. Feeling chills down your spine, you just nodded and followed him out the door, and into the car again. The little space where it was just you and him, the attractive man that’s 3 decades older than you, and the mafia boss of the top gang in Korea.

What could go wrong, right?

Well, not much, it’s just that you had fallen even deeper for him.

--

Seated at his desk in a dimly lit room was the boss of Dongcheonpa’s rival gang, known as Kim of Gucheonpa. Hearing the report by the only member left alive by Choi Mujin in the incident a day ago, enraged would be an understatement. The result of Kim trying to relieve his stress was shattered glass and random paperwork scattered throughout every inch of his office. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, he ordered his right-hand man, K, to summon the top few of his gang, desperate to plan something that would take down Choi Mujin.

Chapter Text

It has been half a month, with you staying at Liber Hotel, waking up, visiting your father, training at the gym with Taeju, have dinner with your father, and go back to the hotel to sleep at night. You were so used to this routine that it felt like it has become a part of you.

However, your father is finally discharged from the hospital, which means you’ll have to go back home. It isn’t that you don’t like it, but always being around Choi Mujin and Taeju had made you…. accustomed to their presence. But of course, you were glad your father made a speedy recovery and that you can live with him again.

You had driven to the hospital to get the discharge documents settled with your father. After it was done, you drove back with your father, and felt like it was home-sweet-home. Helping your father unpack while he takes a nap at the living room, you realized how little clothing your father owned. It was mostly black, if not, other shades of dark colours.

Seeing your father’s wardrobe’s messiness, you decided to take out everything, fold them nicely, and put them in again. Reaching the bottom of the wardrobe, there was a bright coloured shirt, unlike the rest. Taking it out, you unfolded it and heard a clang sound.

Looking to the floor, you saw a necklace. Not just any necklace, but a necklace that seemed to have a picture locket. Unknowingly frowning, you picked it up and turned it in all angles, trying to recall if you had ever seen this before. Not coming to a conclusion, you decided to open it. That’s weird. In the small little picture, you as a baby was in there, but the couple holding you…. your father isn’t in there. Am I adopted? Is my current father not my real father? Why didn’t he tell me about it?

With a million questions going through your head, you decided to sweat it out. By going to the gym. You didn’t want to wake your sleeping father in the living room, therefore you quietly left. Arriving at the gym, you realized it was a Sunday and thanked God for it. The last thing you wanted right now was a bunch of guys looking at you that would result in you not being able to train in peace.

Stepping in, you went to the punching bag again. You tortured the punching bag. You kicked it, punched it, slapped it. Just to get your mind off everything. Hearing footsteps behind you, you swung around and met with Choi Mujin. Bowing slightly to him, you turned back towards the punching bag and continued punching it.

“Why aren’t you at home with your father when he just got discharged from the hospital?” Choi Mujin voiced out. Putting a halt to what you were doing, you turned around to face him.

“He’s sleeping. I wanted to get some training done while he’s resting.” you nodded while saying. Looking at him, he was looking at you too. It made your stomach do backflips and you wanted to believe the thumping of your heart was from working out, and not because of him.

“Let’s have a match.” He had said out of the blue. You raised your eyebrows and nodded, saying a quick sure and proceeded to walk with him to the center of the gym, where the fighting ring was. It was a short fight, as you couldn’t be compared to him. You sucked, and you knew it, but you did improve over the past two weeks. But still, Choi Mujin was too good at fighting, considering his years of experience and that he’s a mafia boss.

“When you fight, you should think of killing, not winning. Don’t try to use your strength. No matter how much you train, they’ll be stronger.” He smirked. You thought of his words.

“Then what should I do?” you asked.

“Attack their vital points.” He picked up a dagger and inspected it. “The temple, upper lip, chin, solar plexus and…” he looked at you, “genitals.” He continued. “Just their vital points, then you can incapacitate your opponents.” He finished.

It seemed like he wanted a serious fight after his explanation. He shook off his coat jacket and hung it somewhere, folded up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, and opened a few of his top buttons.

You were sure you were drooling while seeing Choi Mujin do all that. After all, he is attractive. Even more so with his chest tattoo showing, and his sleeves rolled up that revealed his veiny arms. Taking a deep breath and tightening the boxing gloves on your hands, you prepared for the educational and very exciting fight that made your stomach churn.

Choi Mujin easily dodged all your attempted hits, while his one hit sent you flying to the ground. Grunting slightly, you swiftly got off the ground and turned to face him with your fighting stance again.

After dodging several of each other’s punches, he had his fist close to your face. “Upper lip.” He informed you. You managed to hit his arm a few times, but nothing more than that. Again, getting his fist near to the bottom of your face, “Chin.” He informed again. And pushed you away. Taking a deep breath, you tried to stay focused while fighting him. It wasn’t easy, honestly, to have an attractive man be in such close proximity with you.

Exchanging punches, he had managed to knee you a time or two. Choi Mujin suddenly grabbed both your arms and held it to your shoulders like a butterfly hug. You couldn’t move due to his strong hold. But you could feel your back against his chest. The curves of his abs, and his firm chest.

Exhaling to calm yourself down, you tried to break free from his grip. But he wasn’t loosening his grip. Instead, he held on tighter, and pulled you closer. You were so close to Choi Mujin that you were afraid he could feel how fast your heart was beating. You could feel his hot breath fan your ear and the back of your neck.

Unable to take it any longer, you finally broke free and turned to look at him. At this point you were almost certain you were as red as a tomato. Choi Mujin only looked back at you with his signature smirk, and for a second it felt like he knew the effect he had on you.

Engaging in punches again, somehow, you managed to hit him and before you realized, you had kneed Choi Mujin’s solar plexus. You both froze for a moment, and you hurriedly asked, “Are you okay?” Nodding and chuckling lightly, Choi Mujin turned to you and said, “That was a good one. You’ve got the talent, but not enough power.”

You let out a breath of relieve and bowed down slightly. “Again.” He said, and you did. Again and again, you and him fought for hours, that felt like minutes.

--

Choi Mujin had insisted you to join him for an early dinner at his favourite restaurant after all the fighting. Agreeing to join him, you had offered to drive him today. Having the boss drive you isn’t really comfortable, and thankfully he allowed you to drive him this time.

Arriving at the small restaurant, you were sat facing him, which was really awkward because it was hard to keep your eyes off of him, and he knew that. You looked at him ordering food from the ahjumma and felt like it was so wrong for you to be attracted to a guy you shouldn’t be attracted to.

He brought you out of your thinking by asking you what would you like to eat. Getting back to your senses, you just told him “anything” because he probably knew what dish was good in this restaurant better than you.

Choi Mujin quickly ordered and turned his attention to you. “Your father and I frequent this restaurant. But since your father needs to rest, I guess it’s just you and I. I ordered a takeout for your father’s dinner. I’m sure he’s hungry.”

“Thank you, ahjussi.” You didn’t know what to say, because his presence did that. But then you thought of something to ask. “Ahjussi, how long have you known my father?” You wanted to know about whether or not your current father was your biological father. And if Choi Mujin knew your father for long enough, he would know.

Touching his beard, seemingly thinking, he said, “Around…20 years? Why?” he asked. 20 years…that means he had known my father before I was even born. But I probably shouldn’t ask him…right? He would surely tell my father. It’s be better to find out myself.

Choi Mujin snapped his fingers in your face, getting your attention. “What are you thinking about, Jiwoo?” he asked while looking into your eyes, trying to read them. You could never get over how your name rolls off his tongue. It just felt like it was meant to be, but at the same time, isn’t meant to be.

“Ah, nothing. I just tend to zone out a lot.” You lied. Choi Mujin didn’t seem to buy it, but he let it off the hook this time.

--

Choi Mujin had driven you back after the dinner. You thanked him for the training sessions and the delicious dinner and got off the car. Choi Mujin rolled down his window and called out your name.

You turned around and went closer to the car. “Jiwoo-yah, you can tell me anything, okay? Even the things you don’t tell you father, or the things you can’t talk to your father about. You know that, right?” he said with sincerity clear as day in those beautiful eyes of his. Nodding, you bowed again and went up to your apartment, where you sat with your father at the dining table, while he consumed the takeout.

Choi Mujin had helped you get your mind off the whole adopted thing the whole day, and you were thankful for it. Because he was probably the only one who was capable of doing that.

You wanted to deny it, but you wanted him in your life.

Chapter Text

Staring at the ceiling while on your bed, you were thinking about none other than Choi Mujin. The words that came out of his mouth. The concern in his eyes. The sincerity in his actions. The way he shrugged off his suit jacket. They way he folded up the sleeves of his dress shirt. The way his tattoo showed when he opened the top few buttons. And the way he held you tight in the midst of a fight.

Why did he do that? Was that his way of teasing me? Does he know I’m attracted to him? Is he trying to test me? You weren’t able to sleep with a million questions running through your head. Even more so with every one of them related to Choi Mujin.

You checked the time on your phone. It read 3:22am. Deciding to go for a walk, you put on an oversized hoodie along with some sweatpants. Silently leaving the apartment, you went downstairs and breathed in the fresh air.

Plugging in your earphones, you decided to jog. With only the lyrics of music on your mind, your legs did its work. Jogging. You felt free, and alive. Slowing down for a break, you looked around and realized…you’re at the reservoir right outside the Dongcheonpa gym.

Wow, my legs really had a mind of its own, huh? Slowly walking towards the end of the concrete ground, your eyes landed on a familiar figure. You contemplated whether or not to turn back and leave quietly, without him knowing. After all, it had only been a few hours since you had last met him.

You didn’t want him to think that you deliberately came here to meet him. You were satisfied just by seeing him, or his back to be specific. Therefore, you decided to turn around and leave. He probably wanted some alone time, seeing how he was there at almost 4 in the morning. Turning around, you started walking away but halted at the sound of his voice.

“Jiwoo?” Disbelief clear in his voice. Ah shit. You turned back around and walked closer to where he was. Now standing next to him, you observed his features. Fatigue was clearly written on his face. The bags under his eyes were proof of that.

You then turned to the waters. Hearing the sound of waves and splashes calmed your nerves. The scent of the waters too, had a calming effect on you. You closed your eyes, inhaled and exhaled with a slight smile of relieve.

Opening your eyes, you realized Choi Mujin’s body was turned to you, his eyes studying yours. You didn’t want the moment to end. Although no words were exchanged, although you were just both silently looking at each other, and although you didn’t want it to end, you knew it had to end one way or another. Feeling emotional all of a sudden, you turned away feeling your eyes get watery.

Biting your lip to stop them from quivering, you felt a hand came up to your chin. The same rough hands that held your chin in the hospital weeks ago. His hands touched your bottom lip, pulled your bottom lip so you would stop biting it.

Closing your eyes for a brief moment, you let his hand lead you. He turned your head towards him, and you opened your eyes. Looking into those unreadable eyes of his, your own only got even more watery. You didn’t know why.

Maybe it was because of the fact that you could be adopted? Or maybe it could be the fact that your father hid it from you until now. You were 18 already. You felt miserable, you felt alone. Although he was right there with you, but you knew it was impossible for the both of you to have a thing. You really didn’t want to shed tears in front of him again. You really didn’t. But you did. You let one drop fall down your cheeks.

He stared at you, not doing anything. You felt embarrassed and wanted to leave. You turned on your heel when you feel him grabbing your wrist. He pulled you into his arms. Rough and gentle at the same time. Choi Mujin had his arms wrapped tightly around your small body, while your hands stayed by your side.

You finally let loose. Tears fell like waterfalls on his coat. Your mind was filled with all the sad moments in your life when you didn’t allow yourself to shed tears, because you wanted to be strong. It was normally easy for you to hold it in, but it was just something about Choi Mujin. You weren’t sure what, but it affected you, a lot.

You felt Choi Mujin tighten his arms around you when you sobbed harder, with your small body shaking. You felt him rub soothing circles on your back, with the other hand now on your head, patting it like you were a pet. You stood there in his arms for a long time. You don’t know how long, but it was until there were no more tears willing to fall.

Feeling your body stop shaking, Choi Mujin finally loosened his hug, and held your shoulders. Bending his knees slightly to be eye-level with you, he tried to look into your eyes. But your head was hung low, with your hair flying with the wind.

Again, with his hand on your chin, he raised your head and stared into those red puffy eyes of yours. Tucking the stray strands of hair behind your ears, he dried your tears once again with his thumbs. You didn’t look into his eyes. You felt like a kid. You felt dumb. You felt like you were begging for his attention.

Using the sleeve of your hoodie, you rubbed your whole face to dry the remaining tears. You wanted to leave, right there and then. But you knew he wouldn’t allow you to. You finally mustered up the courage to tilt up your head and look into his eyes through your curtain of hair.

Choi Mujin was frowning. It was a sad frown. You have never seen that expression on his face. And to think that you were the cause of it… All of this happened without needing to exchange words, you still didn’t want to mutter a word, but you had to.

“I’m sorry.” You spoke in a whisper.

Choi Mujin’s hands came up to your face, cradling it, “Why are you sorry?” he spoke with the same quietness.

“For ruining your coat, and your mood. For having to deal with me. For interrupting your alone time.” Your voice got softer after each sentence. You heard him exhale.

Still caressing your face, “I told you right, Jiwoo? You can come to me, you can tell me anything, you can rely on me, you can lean on my shoulder. Don’t apologise, alright? Let’s get inside, it’s cold here, I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.” He finished and placed his hand on the small of your back, leading you inside the gym.

--

Seated inside a private room in the gym, there was a bottle of soju and two soju glasses in front of you. “Have you ever drunk?” Choi Mujin asked you. You shook your head.

He poured you a glass, placed it in front of you, and said, “Drink.” Grabbing the glass and looking at him, you downed the liquid into your mouth. You quickly swallowed the cold liquid, the taste unexpected. You coughed a few times, feeling your throat burn. How do people drink this? You thought to yourself.

You looked at him to find a slight smile resting on his lips. “How is it?” he questioned while he took your glass, poured himself a glass, and downed it. You stared at him use your glass, with his lips touching where your lips have touched.

Finally remembering to answer his question, “It tastes bad.” You uttered.

“You know, people say soju tastes sweet when you had a good day, and tastes bitter when you had a bad day.” Choi Mujin explained. Hearing that, you wondered how would it be possible for soju to taste sweet. You wanted to experience that someday.

“I had a bad day then, I guess.” You sighed.

“Do you want to talk about it? It’s fine if you don’t want to.” You wanted to talk to him about it, you really did. But you really didn’t know if you should. He’s your father’s best friend after all, one that have known him for 20 years. But you needed someone to talk to, and somehow your heart told you that you could trust him, and that he isn’t someone who would go back on his word.

Taking a deep breath to prepare yourself, you started, “I trust that you won’t tell my father about this, hence why I’m telling you. The thing is…I found a necklace in my father’s room when I was refolding his clothes. The necklace was in a t-shirt, at the bottom most of his wardrobe.” You closed your eyes, seeing the scene replay in your head.

“It was a picture locket, of me as a baby, and a couple that held me in their arms. And my father isn’t in the picture. I could be adopted. And my father never said a word about this before. I don’t know how to feel.” You explained your situation.

Looking at him again, you continued, “And I asked you how long have you known my father because…if you knew him long enough, you would know about this.”

Choi Mujin’s eyes had something unreadable in them. You couldn’t make it out. It was as if, this was something you should’ve never found out about, nor continue to investigate. Choi Mujin had looked away from you first for the first time. Was he hiding something? Is my father hiding the same thing?

“Is this something I shouldn’t have found out about?” Maybe you shouldn’t have gone through your father’s wardrobe. Then you would still be carefree and clueless and happy at this very moment. Choi Mujin’s hands went up to his stubble, touching them slightly.

Finally connecting eyes again, he said, “I know I said you could tell me anything, even the things you couldn’t talk to your father about, and I mean it. But regarding this, you should hear it from your father. I’m in no position to interfere with your family matters, Jiwoo. I can be here for you, I can listen to what you have to say, and you can lean on my shoulder, but I cannot say anything about this. I’m sorry, Jiwoo, but you should confront your father about this. I won’t tell him you talked to me about this.” He stated.

Clenching your jaw, you knew you shouldn’t have done that, you knew you shouldn’t have talked to him about this. You ruined everything again. Regretting your choice, you decided that you once again, want to leave. Standing up, you said to Choi Mujin, “Thank you for today. It’s late, I should go back.”

You bowed to him and left, and he didn’t stop you this time.

Chapter Text

Walking out of the gym, you paused for a moment, and looked back at the gym. Your lips were in a line, you turned around and started to walk your way back home. This time, you decided to take your time, walking home slowly, while looking at the night sky, when no one is around.

Feeling droplets on your head, you looked up into the sky. It started pouring. What great timing, eh? Right when I feel like shit. But it was fine, it had been a while since you walked in the rain. It can somehow be calming too.

Walking by the side of the road, you slowed down even more, taking in the view of the night lights in the city. You were now completely drenched. And freezing. You knew you were going to get sick the next day, but that didn’t matter now. You relied on the pouring rain to wash away your worries.

You didn’t feel raindrops on your head anymore. But it was clearly still raining. Looking up, there was a black umbrella held above your head. Your eyes followed the handle of the umbrella, to the hand that held it, and to the owner of the hand.

Once again, your eyes met with his concerned ones. Choi Mujin grabbed your arm and led you to his car. He opened the door and closed it for you. Jogging to the other side, he got into the driver’s seat. He blasted the heater in the car, and he shrugged off his coat jacket. Choi Mujin had covered you with his coat jacket, to shield you from the cold. Your body was freezing, but your heart was filled with warmth.

“What were you even thinking walking in the rain like that?” he raised his voice at you. But you couldn’t help but smile. You knew it was out of concern.

“Why are you smiling?” You probably looked crazy. “Because you’re worried about me.” You simply replied, looking back at him and giving him a sweet smile.

However, he had a frown on his face, again. “Are you that happy because I’m worried about you?” He looked like he couldn’t believe it.

“Yep.” But he just looked at you, and didn’t look like he was going to say anything. You continued, “Because you don’t seem like the type to worry about others. You also don’t seem like the type to take care of a little girl like me.” You chuckled. It really was a miracle how Choi Mujin could make you devastated one second, and smiling ear-to-ear the next.

“You’re my best friend’s daughter. Of course I should take care of you and worry about your wellbeing.” He said like it was super obvious. Only because I’m your best friend’s daughter. Right…nothing more than that. That thought went through your head.

You felt disappointed, but you still faked a smile, “I know.” You forced out. He seemed to see through you, but he only said, “Let’s get you home.” And you turned towards the window, letting your mind wander.

The entire ride was quiet, but it was comfortable silence. You held on to his coat jacket the whole time, inhaling the smell of…him. You arrived home pretty fast. You wanted to spend more time with him in the car, you didn’t mind the silence, as long as he was next to you.

He got a hold of your arm again before you got off the car, “Take a hot shower when you get home and dry your hair properly, don’t get sick, okay?” You nodded, holding onto his coat jacket, “I’ll return this to you after I wash it.” And got off the car, and went into your apartment.

You hoped that he doesn’t remember about the handkerchief you took from him in the hospital. Arriving home, you did as you’re told, you took a hot shower and blow dried your hair with your door closed, not wanting to wake your father.

The last thing you want him to know is that you spent almost the whole night with his best friend and boss. Done with everything, you laid down on your bed, and decided to take a nap. Soon enough, you dozed off.

--

You woke up a few hours later, realising you have to go to school. Rushing, you prepared yourself and ran out the house, taking public transport to school. Once again, you avoided trouble, although you knew you would win in a fight now. You completed your homework at school so you don’t have to worry about it when you get home.

When school was dismissed, you made your way home and thought about how you should confront your father. You decided to just go with the flow, because it seemed easier that way.

Arriving home, your father was on the couch, watching some reality show on the tv. Your father had ordered takeout for dinner, and you both ate in silence. Feeling like the time has come, you sat on the floor of the living room with your father, and turned off the tv.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Your father frantically asked you.

Mentally preparing yourself, you hesitantly said, “Appa, I found something in your room yesterday when we came back from the hospital.” You didn’t want to tell him everything first, just to see how he’d react. There wasn’t any major reaction, but you caught the tiny muscle movements in his face. The slight movement of his eyebrow muscle contracting that was gone as soon as you saw it, and the dilation of his pupils. You wondered what would he say.

“Found something? What is it? Is it my hidden cigarettes?” Your father chuckled nervously, trying to hide the fact that your statement caught him off guard.

You displayed a small smile, “A necklace. I found a necklace.” You believed that he would be willing to talk about it now that you mentioned a necklace. Your father had that look on his face, the type that meant he still wanted to feign cluelessness.

Your father stayed quiet this time, nodding his head, signalling you to continue talking. But you didn’t. You only took out the necklace from your pocket, and placed it in front of him. Your father stared at the necklace for what seemed like forever, and you caught the clenching of his jaw.

“Am I not your child, appa?” You wanted to sound unaffected, but the crack in your voice had exposed you. After all, your father had shown and gave you nothing but love your whole life. You father’s eyes were still glued to the necklace.

“I didn’t want you to find out, Jiwoo.” Your father took in a deep breath, “You didn’t have to find out, Jiwoo.” You didn’t want to admit it, but your father sound…wounded, too. You stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

“Yes, you’re not my biological child. But I have treated you like my own since the start, I’m sure you know it too… Your biological parents passed away, leaving you behind. I couldn’t stand to see a baby being left behind like that, so I took you in…” Your father briefly explained.

“My biological parents…passed away…? How…?” The words had come out of your mouth before you had processed it. Your father had finally looked up from the necklace, and your eyes met his. You saw something in them. Hesitation...? Could I be wrong? But it was gone in a split second.

“I’m not sure, I had found you in a baby carrier near the Dongcheonpa gym reservoir. The necklace was hung around your neck. I had some of the boys find out who your parents were, and it turned out they had passed.” You stared at your father, you believed him and what he said, because there was no reason for you to doubt him.

Nodding, you asked, “What were my biological parent’s names?” You were curious.

“I don’t know their names, I’m sorry, Jiwoo.” Your father quickly said. Does he really not know? You couldn’t stop the thought from piercing through. But you shook it off, not wanting to doubt your father.

“Thank you, appa. For everything. For taking me in and bringing me up like your own. Thank you for giving me a chance at life. I love you, appa.” You were truly grateful for having a father like him. If it weren’t for him, you would’ve probably been six feet under 18 years ago. Your father had a smile on his face, showing that he was proud of you, and thankful that he had took you in.

Relieved, you looked at the time and realised it was time for bed, as you still had to attend school the next day. Saying goodnight to your father, you took a quick shower, and went back into your room.

Seeing Choi Mujin’s coat jacket hung on your chair, you realized you have yet to clean it. Making sure your father has fallen asleep, you quickly put the coat jacket into a net and had the washing machine run a speedy wash. You had made sure to use the most fragrant detergent you owned.

After swiftly drying it in the dryer, it wasn’t completely dry yet due to how thick it was. Smiling to yourself like a psycho, you hung the coat jacket at the balcony, and made a mental note to take it in before your father wakes up in the morning. You went to bed feeling giddy and fell asleep in an instant.

Waking up earlier than usual, you quickly brought in Choi Mujin’s coat jacket, folded it nicely and put it in a paper bag. You had planned to return it tonight.

School time felt like forever, probably because you didn’t have anyone to talk to. But you were fine with that. School was finally over, and you bought some food home to have with your father. Finished with dinner, the clock read 9pm. It’s almost time.

“Appa, I’m going out for a moment, to the convenience store. Do you want anything?” You lied straight to your father’s face. Your father had asked you to buy some ice cream, you said okay and practically flew out of the house.

Jogging over to the reservoir again, you hoped Choi Mujin would be there too. You decided to believe in fate, if you were meant to meet him, you would meet him. That’s what you told yourself, at least.

Reaching the reservoir, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding when you saw the same figure you saw that night, standing by the edge of the reservoir. Smiling, you were about to walk to where he was, when you saw a man on the right side, in full black clothing, a black cap and a black mask, approaching Choi Mujin with a shiny object in his hand.

You ran towards Choi Mujin and successfully kicked the man’s hand away, along with the dagger. But you suddenly felt a sharp pain on the left side of your abdomen. You had difficulty breathing because of the pain.

You looked to your left, and there was another man, dressed similarly to the one on the right. And you looked down, to see a dagger lodged in your abdomen. The man swiftly pulled out the dagger, which sent another series of pain through your entire body.

Choi Mujin was holding you up with his hands, and his leg had kicked the man who had stabbed you. Slowly lowering you, he had your head rest against his bicep, while the other hand fumbled with his phone, dialling 112. Briefly explaining the situation and giving the address, his hand had come to put pressure on your wound.

Looking around, you saw another guy, approaching your direction. You were worried, because you wouldn’t be able to withstand another stab for Choi Mujin. You didn’t want to die yet. But Choi Mujin looked at the third guy, and nodded. The third guy started fighting the first 2 guys. You were relieved, to say the least.

“Ah, so this is how it feels to get stabbed, huh?” You tried to crack out a joke with your weak voice.

“Don’t talk.” Choi Mujin sternly said. You looked at your hand, and realized you were still holding onto the paper bag that contained Choi Mujin’s coat jacket.

You couldn’t believe yourself, even in a moment like this, you prioritised his coat jacket.

“Ahjussi, here’s your coat jacket. I washed it. Ha..ha..” You didn’t know why you did that, you just felt like you should. You were slowly losing consciousness.

“That’s not important, Jiwoo. Stay with me. Don’t sleep.” His hands were now holding your face. You looked into those mesmerizing eyes of his again. Filled with concern, for you. He had the signature frown on his face again.

Releasing a small chuckle, you raised your hand up slowly, touching his frown, trying to smooth out the lines. “Don’t worry, ahjussi, I won’t die so easily. Stop frowning, okay?” You gave him a small smile.

Feeling your eyelids droopy, you slowly relaxed your eyelids. The last thing you saw was Choi Mujin’s eyes, red-ish and glassy. But you weren’t sure. And the last thing you heard was sirens and Choi Mujin’s husky voice calling your name repeatedly.

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin had been next to you ever since your surgery successfully ended.

Somehow, he had the urge to be the first person you see when you wake up. Your father had eventually found out what had happened to you when you didn’t return with the ice cream he had asked you to buy.

Your father was in your hospital room too, but he had fallen asleep on the couch while waiting for your anaesthesia to wear off. However, Choi Mujin couldn’t find it in him to doze off. He was confused about what he was feeling. Choi Mujin couldn’t understand why he felt the need to worry about you, to protect you, and to make sure you’re okay.

Looking at your peaceful sleeping face, he felt more at ease. He couldn’t get rid of the image of your face in pain before you lost consciousness. Seeing that image had make his heart wrench. Looking over to your father, Choi Mujin made sure he was snoring away before gently holding your hand in his, feeling your soft hands against his rough ones.

Your vital monitor suddenly started beeping, startling Choi Mujin. Suddenly realising what he’s doing, he swiftly let go of your hand and ran his own through his hair out of frustration. Looking over to the bedside table, the paper bag containing his coat was sitting there.

Grabbing it, Choi Mujin took the coat out of the paper bag and unfolded it. He was engulfed with the fragrance of the detergent you had used. It was the smell of flowers. Unconsciously smiling to himself, he raised to coat to his nose, inhaling the sweet smell of flowers.

You had been awake for quite a while. You had felt Choi Mujin hold your hand in his, and you could hear him taking out his coat jacket, sniffing it discreetly.

You panicked for a moment when he held your hand, the reason why the vital monitor beeped aggressively. You were certain you were going to get caught pretending to be asleep because of how fast your heart was beating, but thankfully, Choi Mujin didn’t think much of it.

lFor some reason, the place you got stabbed didn’t hurt that much, maybe it was because you weren’t moving. You decided to wake up by slowly fluttering your eyelids open. Upon noticing your eyes are now open, Choi Mujin stood up immediately and observed you.

“Are you okay? How are you feeling? Does it hurt? Do you remember me?” You got bombarded with questions. Your father was now next to you too, asking the same questions Choi Mujin had asked.

“Guys, chill out. I’m fine. I got stabbed in the abdomen not in the head, alright?” You chuckled. And immediately after that you felt the pain where you got stabbed. You made an ouch sound and frowned from the pain. Your father held your shoulder and fired are you okay questions at you while

Choi Mujin smashed the button calling for assistance above the hospital bed and then proceeded to run out of the room calling the nurses and doctors. The corner of your lips quirked upwards seeing them overreacting.

After a few seconds, Choi Mujin came rushing in with a doctor and a few nurses. The doctor had asked you the usual questions, and checked your vitals. He said you were doing well, and told them not to worry. You thanked the doctor, and he left, leaving the three of you alone.

You turned to your father, “Appa, why are you here? You’re not even fully recovered yet. You should go home and rest, I’m fine now. As you can see.” Your hands gestured to yourself, showing him that you’re fine.

“I’m sorry for putting Jiwoo in danger, hyung. It won’t happen again. You can go home and rest, Taeju and I will be here. You don’t have to worry.” Choi Mujin had directed at your father. Your father seemed to be mad at Choi Mujin, but it was understandable. Your father didn’t seem too convinced to leave, but he left after nagging you. After your father left, you and Choi Mujin had a short awkward silence moment before he started talking.

“You really shouldn’t have taken the hit for me, Jiwoo.”

Smiling to yourself, “I didn’t expect there to be another dude from behind. I didn’t want to get stabbed, too. But what happened to those guys?” You looked at Choi Mujin. He still had concern written in his eyes, and the frown still evident on his forehead. You frowned too. Choi Mujin’s eyes had widened seeing your sudden frown.

“What is it? Where does it hurt?” He quickly shot out. “I told you not to frown, didn’t I?” Your hand went up to the middle of his eyebrows to smooth out the lines again. After slightly touching his face, Choi Mujin’s hand caught your wrist, stopping you from touching his face. Your eyebrows were raised from the surprise.

“Don’t do that.” He suddenly turned serious. “Why?” you shot out.

“Just don’t do it.” Choi Mujin then released his hold on your wrist and turned away. Choi Mujin felt his heart beating unusually fast, and he didn’t want to admit that it was because of you. You were the first to talk to him like that, to touch his face without his permission, and the first to make his heart thump.

You had your lips in a straight line when Choi Mujin had looked away. You were curious as to what he was thinking, but that thought was quickly interrupted with Taeju and another man entering the room. They both bowed to Choi Mujin, and you had realized the other guy was the one fighting the enemies last night.

Your face lit up, and you smiled to him. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt fighting last night?” You questioned him.

He looked taken aback, “Yes, I’m fine, thanks for asking. I didn’t get hurt.” He smiled reassuringly.

“Ah, that’s a relieve. What’s your name?” You had your full attention on him. He had looked to Choi Mujin after you asked the question. It looked like he was seeking permission from his boss.

Seeing a slight nod from Choi Mujin, he looked back at you and answered you, “I’m Gangjae. Do Gangjae. It’s nice to meet you, Jiwoo.” You nodded, silently repeating his name a few times to test the feel of his name on your lips.

You didn’t notice Choi Mujin staring at you, until his phone abruptly rang, that you turned your attention to him. Reading the caller ID with a frown, he answered the phone and mumbled an ok before ending the call.

Turning to you, “I have urgent business to take care of. I’ll come back later. Gangjae will be here with you.” And he left with Taeju hurriedly.

You felt somewhat disappointed, and you let out a sad sigh. And you suddenly realized you’re not alone. Looking up at Gangjae that was still standing awkwardly, you beamed at him and told him to have a seat. He obeyed adorably with a smile like a cute puppy, leaving you with a smile of your own. The both of you had glanced every corner of the hospital room awkwardly before you decided to break the ice.

“Soooo, umm thank you for appearing at the right moment last night. Hahahaha…” You laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of your head.

He chuckled, “Well, I didn’t literally appear. Haha. I’m just surprised you didn’t notice me tailing you since, like forever.”

 This time you were surprised. “Tailing me? Since forever?” He nodded his head and looked surprised that you haven’t already found out.

“I’ve been ordered to follow you wherever you go so you’re in danger. You didn’t know?” You shook your head. And then it hit you. How you didn’t get targeted for anything while on the streets when your father was openly the right-hand man of the leading gang in Korea.

If it weren’t for Gangjae, the hospital would’ve probably been your second home. Or worst, you could’ve been nothing other than bones at this very moment.

“Ahhh, that’s why. God, I can’t believe how dumb I am. How did I not notice?” You had accidentally thought out loud. Earning a genuine laugh from the other person in the room, you looked at him properly this time. He was cute. He was pretty muscular, with a cute smile, and kind eyes.

You had spent a good few hours talking to Gangjae. And you realized he was a fun person to be with. He had kept you entertained with his jokes that you had to tell him to stop, because of how much your wound was hurting from all the laughing.

You felt like you finally had a real friend, and you thought about the last time you were this happy. Excluding the times you spent with Choi Mujin, of course. That was incomparable. You were glad you met Gangjae. He had made the supposedly long hours without Choi Mujin pass by in a blur. The awkward stage between the both of you had passed sooner than expected, and after that was just full of laughter.

You suddenly thought of a question to ask him. “Gangjae-ssi. Can I call you oppa?” You were straightforward with it. You know you’re not supposed to call someone you just met oppa, but you really felt like you and him had clicked. Gangjae’s face had turned a light shade of pink, all the way to his ears. You wanted to squeeze him because of how cute he looked at that moment.

Gangjae cleared his throat, “S-sure, if you want to.” He finished it with a few coughs. And a wide smile spread across your face.

“Oppa!” You immediately called him, and he turned a deeper shade of pink.

Recalling the question Choi Mujin hadn’t answered, you decided to ask Gangjae. “Oppa, what happened to those guys who stabbed me and tried to attack ahjussi?” Gangjae thought for a moment before he answered, “Ahjussi? Oh, you mean boss. Yeah, we locked them up, we’re trying to get answers out of them. But they’re not telling us which gang they belong to.” Gangjae clarified.

Getting the answer you wanted, you changed the topic and started talking to Gangjae about random things again. And as usual, he had managed to make you laugh, holding your stomach. You were too busy laughing to notice the room door opening and shutting.

Choi Mujin entered the room, and his eyes landed on you, laughing and looking the happiest he’s seen you. He then looked to Gangjae, who looked as happy as you were. Choi Mujin had felt something, but he wasn’t sure what, but he wondered if he would be able to make you as happy as you were right now.

He strolled in, looking at you, once again with a frown, from head to toe, checking if you’re okay. Your eyes lit up, feeling happy that he has finally came back. Gangjae instantly stood up and bowed to the boss. Choi Mujin acknowledged him with a slight bob of his head, but his eyes never left you.

Choi Mujin dismissed Gangjae with a flick of his hand, and Gangjae left the room swiftly, but not before casting you one last look, with a smirk.

Taking off his coat and hanging it on the coat hanger, Choi Mujin sat on the stool next to the hospital bed. “You looked like you enjoyed Gangjae’s company.” Choi Mujin stated with a slight tone of hint.

“Yep, he’s fun to talk to. Was the urgent business taken care of?” You didn’t know what to say anymore, so you decided to just ask a random question.

Choi Mujin smiled tight-lipped, “Yes, it has been taken care of. How are you? Does it still hurt?” and he placed his hand on your shoulder, looking straight into your eyes. Although there was a piece of cloth in between his hand and your shoulder, you could feel the heat of his hand seep through the clothing, and onto your shoulder, and into your bones.

You started feeling butterflies in your tummy, and all you could think of is that hand on your shoulder. Feeling your cheeks getting hot, you tried to distract yourself, but to no avail. “Y-yeah, I’m good, it doesn’t hurt that much.” You mentally facepalmed for stuttering.

Choi Mujin had seen the redness creep up your cheeks, and something told him it was from his touch. Choi Mujin couldn’t stand how cute you were, and how shy you get when you’re alone with him. He purposely removed his hand from your shoulder, just to see you release the breath you’ve been holding, and to see disappointment on your face.

You were too caught up in your thoughts to notice the slight smile that graced his features. “Alright, it’s late, you should sleep. I’ll come back tomorrow. Goodnight, Jiwoo, sweet dreams.” Choi Mujin petted your head, and left.

You were left alone in the dark, smiling uncontrollably, just because Choi Mujin had touched your head.

Snuggling under the covers, you went to bed with your mind filled with thoughts of Choi Mujin.

Chapter Text

You awoke to a bright light flooding into the room. Opening one eye, you saw that Taeju had drawn the curtains. Squinting your eyes to adjust to the sudden change in brightness, you greeted Taeju.

“Hi Taeju, what are you doing here so early in the morning?” You were still squinting at him.

“Jiwoo-ssi, it’s the afternoon, alright? It’s not early.” Taeju deadpanned. You grabbed your phone from the bedside table and looked at the time. 1:46pm.

“Oh, my bad. It’s probably because of my injury… Right, we need to postpone our training lessons, right? The one where you said I have to be up to your standards in a month.” You remembered the deal, and was disappointed that you got injured. You liked training with Taeju, oddly.

“Yes, we have no choice but to wait until you’re fully recovered.” He released a sigh of annoyance and muttered under his breath, you weren’t sure if you heard him right, but it was something along the lines of or else boss will kill me.

“What was that?” you wanted to know if you heard it right.

“Nothing.” He said and left the room while you had a slight pout on your lips. It seemed like he still didn’t like you very much. I just have to impress him after our month of training is up, then he’ll probably stop disliking me that much…I hope. You were worried he would still be cold to you even if you were up to his standards, but you pushed that thought to the back of your mind when the person you wanted to see the most entered the room.

You didn’t hold back your smile when you saw him. You were sure you looked like a girl who finally got the lollipop she wanted after begging her parents for days. You were sure your eyes had a different kind of glow, and you were sure you had turned a light shade of pink.

Choi Mujin was dressed in a black suit and vest, matching slacks and tie, with a white dress shirt. The outfit had hugged his figure perfectly. Choi Mujin saw the way your face had lit up when your eyes landed on him, and the way your eyes twinkle with joy.

Little did you know, seeing you happy, had brought him joy too. He felt a fuzzy feeling in his heart along with a weird sensation in his stomach. He had never felt this way before, and he was wondering if he had an upset stomach.

“Ahjussi!!” You called out cheerfully. Choi Mujin hid his joy behind his usual frown. He had to hide how his heart skipped a beat at how you had called him ahjussi. He took a deep breath, and sat on the usual stool.

“You slept for a long time; did you rest well?” His asked in his serious tone. You thought about the dreams you dreamt last night. Most of them had Choi Mujin in them.

You were in the train with Choi Mujin. And there were no seats left, and the both of you had to stand. You stood next to him, and he had grabbed the handhold. Choi Mujin looked over to you, and asked you to hold onto the handhold too. But you didn’t want to. You ended up holding onto his arm to keep your balance, and he let you.

Biting your lip unconsciously, you had a shy smile on your lips, “Yeah, I had a good night’s sleep. What about you, ahjussi?” You looked up at him to see him staring at your lips. That’s when you realized you were biting your lip and quickly released it. Choi Mujin’s gaze shifted from your lips, to your eyes. You tried to hold the eye contact, but you couldn’t. You looked away and cleared your throat a few times, but you could still feel him staring at you.

“No, I didn’t sleep well. I don’t normally sleep well.” He wasn’t sure why he had told you that, and you didn’t expect him to say that either.

“Why? Oh…because of your line of work…?” You mentally facepalmed again. Choi Mujin only nodded his head, saying nothing. He had looked around the hospital room during the little awkward moment, and you only had your eyes on him the whole time, trying to memorize every feature of his face.

You heart almost beat out of your chest when the door burst open and Taeju rushed in. Placing a hand on top of your heart, you took deep breaths, while Taeju had whispered something into Choi Mujin’s ear. Choi Mujin briefly looked at you, he didn’t want to leave you…yet. But he had to.

Standing up and straightening his suit, he said to you, “I have to go. I’ll come back when I can.” You felt your mood turn sour, and disappointment was evident on your face, but you only let it show for a millisecond, and quickly replaced it with a smile.

Trying to act cheerful and as if it didn’t affect you one bit, you replied Choi Mujin, “Heh, don’t worry about it, I’m going to sleep.” You were going to end it at that, but you see Gangjae entering the room quietly.

You quickly continued, “Ah, I have Gangjae oppa, you can go take care of your business, ahjussi.” You looked over to Gangjae who seemed to be…a little shocked by your statement, and lowered his head when the boss glanced at him. Choi Mujin had that feeling again, the one where he wasn’t sure what it was.

Oppa? She calls him oppa?  He felt slightly angry and annoyed. Shaking it off, Choi Mujin walked closer and petted your head again, before he left. That little gesture had both Taeju and Gangjae’s eyes widened for a short moment, before they composed themselves swiftly before the boss notices.

Choi Mujin had left in a hurry again, while Gangjae had taken a seat next to you again. It wasn’t awkward anymore this time, and he never failed to make you laugh over and over again.

--

It has been around a week since you got stabbed, and every day was the same. Choi Mujin would visit you in the morning, leave and come back at night, and leave again. But he would pat your head before he leaves every single time.

You still couldn’t get used to it, but there was no denying that you were getting…maybe slightly addicted to it. Gangjae would accompany you when Choi Mujin isn’t around. And on certain days, your father came to visit too. Your wound didn’t really hurt anymore, even when you moved around.

The doctor said you could get discharged. But you weren’t sure if you were happy or sad about that. You wondered if you could still have so much time to chat with Gangjae, and you wondered if Choi Mujin would ever pat your head again.

--

Choi Mujin had settled all the discharge documents, and had apparently told your father he would take you home, so your father wouldn’t have to come to the hospital again. You trailed behind Choi Mujin like a puppy while he led you to his car. He had helped you carry your bags too.

Choi Mujin would look behind from time to time, checking if you were still following him. For some reason, it made you feel important. You knew it was the bare minimum, but maybe because it was him that was doing it, that it made you feel butterflies in your stomach.

Arriving at his car, he had opened the passenger seat door and closed it for you as usual. The car ride was silent, and you decided to ask him a question.

“Ahjussi, what happened to those guys? Did you find out which gang they are from? Gangjae told me they were locked up and in the midst of an interrogation.” You looked over to him in the driver’s seat and almost drooled at the sight. Dress shirt sleeves folded, veiny arms, and the tight grip on the steering wheel. You shut your gaping mouth when you realized your jaw had actually dropped. You prayed that he didn’t notice.

With his eyes trained on the road, “Still locked up. We’re close to finding out which gang they are from. Don’t worry.” He had said calmly but you had noticed the way he tightened his grip on the steering wheel, until his knuckles turned white. You thought about it for a moment, and you had an urge to see the scene of the interrogation.

You know it won’t be a pleasant sight to witness, but you were going to be a part of the gang sooner or later. The only problem is you were almost certain Choi Mujin would give you a solid no if you asked to watch the interrogation. Despite that, you still wanted to try. Mustering up your courage, you turned over to him.

“Ahjussi, I want to ask you something. But can you promise me to not get mad?” You activated your puppy eyes. Trying to make him soft. Choi Mujin had looked over to you for a split second and instantly creased his forehead. Well, your facial expression had caught him off guard. It was the first time he had seen you with a cute pout and big round pleading eyes.

He immediately turned on his car signal, and stopped at the side of the road. He turned to you completely, studying your facial expression. “What is it?” He questioned. But he still looked quite mad. Your pout had returned to your lips, and his eyes found his way to them.

“Promise you won’t get angry?” You held out your pinky to him. His eyes left your lips, went to your pinky, went to looking into the distance, and then back at you. He didn’t know why he did it, but he had locked his pinky with yours. He felt like a kid, because who even does this these days? But he saw the way you beamed into a full smile, and he was glad he locked his pinky with yours. He enjoyed seeing you happy.

“…can…I see…the interrogation…scene…?” You softly asked the question. His face morphed into one filled with anger. You slightly flinched back. Probably realizing how scary he looked, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them again with a calm expression.

“Why would you want to do that?” He seemed genuinely curious.

“Well…I’ve watched many dramas, and I just want to see if it’s the same in real life. And I want to learn too. I’ll be a member of Dongcheonpa one day and I’ll see it either way, sooner or later. I won’t do anything; I’ll just stand and watch from afar. I swear.” You said quicker as you neared the end. His gaze was intimidating you, so you just wanted to quickly finish your sentence. You didn’t dare hold eye contact with him this time. You looked and played with your fingers, inspecting if you have any hangnails.

“You have to be by my side at all times, no running off on your own, got it?” He warned you, but you were too happy to think of it as a warning.

“Okay! Don’t worry! I’ll behave!” You quickly said. And he started driving towards the destination.

--

Arriving at the destination, you didn’t know where you were. You didn’t really pay attention to the road signs, and you weren’t good with directions. Getting out of the car, you looked around and noticed many black cars parked around the area.

“Come here.” Your thoughts were cut off by Choi Mujin’s voice. I could listen to his voice for the rest of my life. You shook your head to rid of the thoughts. You slapped your cheeks a few times, for thinking of something like that during a serious moment. You followed him into a dark tunnel, went down some stairs, turned left and right a few times, and finally stood in front of a steel door.

He placed his thumb on the scanner, and the door unlocked. Walking in, the members of Dongcheonpa bowed to him with respect, while you felt out of place. You kept your head down; you didn’t want them to think you were showing off or something.

“Get back to what you were doing.” Choi Mujin gave out the order, and the men scattered into all different directions. Choi Mujin looked back to make sure you were still there, and motioned you to walk next to him instead of behind. You hurriedly obeyed, not wanting him to flip out.

And you have arrived, in front of another steel door, with blood seeping underneath the door cracks.

Chapter Text

You took a deep breath and entered the room filled with the stench of blood. You didn’t have a weak heart, so you figured you’d be able to handle it.

Choi Mujin walked in front of you, and the moment he stepped aside, your eyes took in two individuals with their hands hanging from chains attached to the ceiling. They were both topless, and only had their boxers on. Their bodies were filled with fresh wounds. You could roughly make out how they got the wounds. Some were from whips, some were from punches, some were from electrocution, some were from knives. There were too many to list out.

Looking over to the side, there was a table. Filled with every possible tool that can be used for torture. You steadied your breathing; you didn’t want to show Choi Mujin that you were intimidated.  Everyone present in the room had their eyes on you now.

You weren’t sure what to do. Should you bow to them? Nod at them? Keep your head low? You were contemplating which one would offend them the least. Before you did anything, Choi Mujin stood in front of you, shielding you from the stares. Your heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, he had successfully averted the gang member’s attention to himself.

“This is Donghoon’s daughter. Continue what you were doing, don’t mind us.” He had introduced you. The members had peeped at you to get a better look, but had quickly looked away with just one glare from the boss.

With everyone’s focus away from the both of you, Choi Mujin had turned around to face you.

“We’ll stand here and watch, okay? Wouldn’t want to get blood splattered on you.” He looked at you from top to toe, analysing your outfit, that was unfortunately, all-white. You simply nodded your head at him and he stood next to you to observe the process.

One of Choi Mujin’s men had grabbed a dagger from the table. He went up to one of the guys hanging from the ceiling. He held the dagger to the hanging man’s cheek, threatening to slice his skin if he still were to keep his mouth shut. He had visibly flinched, but made no move to expose which gang he was from.

The gang member showed no hesitation to slice his cheek, leaving blood to ooze out of the fresh wound. You had slightly narrowed your eyes at the sight, but it was still bearable. Placing the dagger back onto the table, another gang member had grabbed a pair of pliers, whispering something into the bloodied man’s ear, and backed up to see his reaction. He only remained stone faced.

Getting impatient, one of the gang members used the pair of pliers to detach his fingernail from his finger. The room was filled with bloodcurdling scream that had made every hair on your body stand. You slightly bit your lip to help calm yourself down. You notice Choi Mujin glance at you out of the corner of your eye, checking if you were okay.

Choi Mujin had wondered if he had made the right decision bringing you here. You seemed to be taking it all in calmly, which was good, but he wasn’t sure if it was true, or all an act. It was your first time seeing something like this in real life after all.

Choi Mujin was worried that you would have nightmares. He looked down to see both your hands tightly gripping each other, lightly fidgeting. He glanced at your face and figured the fidgeting must’ve been done unconsciously. He clenched his own, pondering if he should place his hand on top of your fidgeting ones to calm you down.

Choi Mujin had unclenched his hand and was about to hold yours, when another hand beat him to it, landing on top of yours. Furrowing his eyebrows, he looked up in annoyance. Gangjae. Gangjae had quickly bowed to Choi Mujin, still holding your hands.

Choi Mujin heard him whisper in your ear, “Why are you here? It’s not a place for you.” Choi Mujin had his jaw clenched with anger. Who was he to hold your hands? If only Choi Mujin had been a second earlier, your hands would’ve been in his, not Gangjae’s.

“Oppa, I didn’t know you would be here too! I just wanted to watch so I asked ahjussi if he could bring me here.” You explained, chuckling at how worried Gangjae sounded.

Choi Mujin felt himself getting hot and beads of sweat forming just from hearing how you spoke to Gangjae. Stretching his neck until cracks were heard, he shrugged off his suit jacket. You looked at him in confusion and Choi Mujin was already walking towards the two hanging men.

Choi Mujin asked his gang members to get lost, while he stood in front of the two terrified, half-dead men. He started folding up his sleeves. Everyone in the room was frantically looking around, and looking at each other. Everyone knew that if Choi Mujin were to personally interrogate someone, their chance of living…would basically be non-existent.

No one in the room wanted the two men dead…yet. They hadn’t confessed which gang they were from, and at this rate, they would die, before even spilling the information because of Choi Mujin. It had been over a week, and Choi Mujin was clearly frustrated, and he didn’t really care about the information anymore.

Choi Mujin made his way over to the table, and picked up a machete, inspecting the sharp reflective blade.

Unexpectedly, all eyes were on Gangjae, and then on you. If you weren’t wrong, there was a pleading emotion in their eyes. You were doubting, but that wasn’t the case for Gangjae. It seemed that he had understood what they meant in an instant. Gangjae turned to you, and grabbed your shoulders, making you face him.

With a serious look on his face, “Jiwoo-ssi, it seems the only person who can resolve this situation now is you.” You had a brief idea in mind, but you weren’t sure if it was what you were thinking.

“What?” You questioned. Gangjae looked over to the boss, who had seemed to gone mad, and then back at you.

“You’re the only one who can stop him now. If we let him be, we won’t be able to get the information we want. We’ll only end up with 2 dead bodies.” Gangjae looked around and his fingers around your shoulder tightened.

“All of us wouldn’t want the whole week of torturing for information to go down the drain. Please, do us a favor. Look around, everyone needs your help here.” And you did, everyone’s eyes were on you, wordlessly asking for your help. You hesitated. Choi Mujin intimidated you, what if he got mad at you…or what if he kills you with the machete in hand? 

Picking at the skin of your fingers, you took deep breaths, looking around. You slowly made your way to where Choi Mujin stood. You closed your eyes, preparing yourself for the worst. Opening your eyes, you looked at Choi Mujin, his right hand was holding the machete, while his left was at his side, empty. 

Releasing the breath you were holding; you slowly slid your hand into his empty hand. Holding it tight. He turned to look at you, clearly fuming.

Gulping, “Ahjussi…” You had softly said. Maybe it was the fear in your eyes, or maybe it was your hand holding his firmly. Choi Mujin’s facial expression softened. Still holding his left hand, your other hand reached forward and removed the machete out of his right hand, returning it to the table, where it belongs.

You had to remind yourself to breathe, because of how heavy the atmosphere was. You tried your luck by slightly tugging at his hand, to see if he would move. You would either bring him out successfully, or he would continue with the ruckus. He moved with your tug, and he was still holding eye contact. Tugging his hand, you started to walk towards the door, and it seemed like the situation was resolved. But you were wrong.

A faint whisper could be heard throughout the pin-drop silent room. “Gu…cheon…pa…” Everyone had turned to the hanging men. Including you and Choi Mujin. The whisper was followed with a loud bang, that had left a resonating ringing in your ears.

Everything had seemed to be in slow motion. You realized one of Choi Mujin’s gang members had shot a bullet through the hanging man’s head. Looking at the now dead man, his eyes were still wide open. Staring at you. There was a bullet hole at the side of his head, with blood finding its way out.

Why…why is he…staring at me… You were terrified. You started clenching the material of your shirt where your heart was. You started scratching uncontrollably. It was unexpected. You didn’t expect to witness a death today. If you had expected it, it would’ve been different. If the dead man didn’t have his eyes wide open staring at you until he took his last breath, it would’ve been different. You felt like you were in a daze. You couldn’t process what was happening. Maybe it was a bad idea to have come here.

You felt someone shake your shoulders, and you were brought back to your senses. Facing a worried Choi Mujin along with Gangjae, it finally felt like you could breathe. You were bombarded with the are you okay questions again, reminding you of the time you woke up in the hospital after your surgery.

You steadied your breathing, and placed a hand on your beating heart. “I’m okay, I’m okay. Don’t worry. I’m good. I’m fine.” You looked at both Choi Mujin and Gangjae, reassuring them with your eyes. You looked around and everyone else had their eyes on you too. They probably wondered why was the boss so worried about a young girl. Choi Mujin had tucked the stray strands of your hair behind your ear, smoothing your hair with his hand again. Choi Mujin made sure you were okay, before turning around to look at all his members present in the room.

“Who fired that shot?” Choi Mujin questioned calmly. But everyone knew he was everything but calm. You couldn’t see his facial expressions and his eyes because he wasn’t facing you, but judging from the expressions of his men, Choi Mujin probably had a facial expression that could put anyone 6 feet under. You were calmer now, with Gangjae next to you and Choi Mujin in front. You tried your best not to look at the dead man hanging, you didn’t want to see how his eyes looked again.

A man amongst the crowd had slowly raised his hand, admitting to firing the shot. Choi Mujin ordered him to meet him in his office later, and that if he didn’t show, Choi Mujin would do the same to him, as he did to the hanging man. The man seemed to rethink all his life choices, with regret in his eyes. As soon as Choi Mujin had made himself clear to him, he turned around and gave you his full attention.

“Let’s go.” He said, letting you walk in front. As soon as you got out of the underground torture chamber, you breathed in the fresh air that didn’t smell like blood.

“You sure you’re okay, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin observed you. Feeling nervous under his stare, you tried not to stutter. “Yeah, it was just unexpected. I’m good.”

Getting into the car, your mind was filled of images of the dead man, no matter how hard you try not to think of it, and no matter how hard you tried to get rid of it. But you kept calm on the outside, for some reason afraid of Choi Mujin finding out. Because it was you who insisted to go from the start. It was your own fault, and the only person to blame. You unintentionally wondered what kind of life the dead man had led, if he had any family waiting for him at home…

If you didn’t insist to go there to watch, Choi Mujin wouldn’t have gotten angry, and the man probably wouldn’t have died.

Chapter Text

After you and Choi Mujin had left the torture chambers, everyone had swarmed over to Gangjae. He knew what they were going to ask, what they wanted to know. But Gangjae couldn’t help but ignore everyone’s expectant gazes and focus his gaze on the boy who had pulled the trigger.

Gangjae had always been smart, observant, quick-witted. And he now had suspicions about the boy. He had quickly asked a few members to bring the boy out, and find out why he did it. The rest of the members stayed in the room, questioning the other hanging man.

“Do you perhaps have any idea why he pulled the trigger?” Gangjae directed his question at the hanging man. The man seemed to be in shock from his friend’s death, which was understandable. Gangjae grabbed a bucket of water and splashed it on the man, in an attempt to bring him out of his daze.

As soon as the man came back to his senses, Gangjae repeated his question, and observed him. Rapid blinking, uneven breaths, and glancing at every corner of the room. It seemed that Gangjae’s suspicions were right. Surprisingly, the man blurted out everything he knew. Wanting to give him a peaceful death, Gangjae lowered the man to the ground, and gave him pills. The man didn’t hesitate to swallow them, and soon after, he breathed his last breath.

Screams were soon heard from outside the door. Rushing outside, the boy who pulled the trigger held a dagger to his neck, denying everything. “I’m not a traitor! I swear! Why are you guys doubting me?!” He had screamed out.

If they didn’t know better, they would believe him. But the now dead man had spilled everything about him. His name, his background, his age, everything. Gangjae signaled several men to grab him and lock him up in a room, and to make sure it’s impossible for him to hurt himself. Gangjae dialed the boss’ number, and briefed him about everything.

The boss had sent you back home, and was now on his way back to the torture chambers.

After the boy that pulled the trigger had been locked up, everyone had swarmed around Gangjae again. This time, he decided to hear them out. “What is it? Just ask, don’t give me those looks.” He had rolled his eyes at them. They had all looked at each other, and then back at Gangjae.

“What’s your relationship with Donghoon’s daughter? Why were you holding her hands? Did you see how angry boss looked when you held her hands? Does boss have a soft spot for her? Is she your girlfriend?” They had all shot out their questions at once.

“Woah, woah. I’m just friends with Jiwoo, okay? Her hands were shaking so I just held it. Wait…boss was angry when I held her hands? No way…” Gangjae thought back to that moment, right before the boss flipped out all of a sudden.

Gangjae doubted it was because of him holding your hands. But it was true that the boss treated you differently. He was especially nice to you, and Gangjae had been thinking it was because you’re Donghoon’s daughter the whole time. Was it not?

“Gangjae-hyung, did you not know boss flipped out because of you? Before you appeared, boss was fine and calm. He even looked happy!” The members glanced at each other before one of them spoke, “We even saw boss preparing himself to hold her hand! God, who wouldn’t get angry if someone interrupted?” The gang members shook their heads at the clueless Gangjae. Gangjae couldn’t believe it. Does his boss have a thing for Jiwoo? But their age gap is…

“Gangjae-hyung, you better behave now, eh? If the boss likes Jiwoo, you’ll have to back off, otherwise you’ll end up dead, you know?” Gangjae had frozen on the spot. Rethinking everything that has happened since he met you, and rethinking your interactions with the boss.

It does kind of makes sense now that he thought hard about it. But Gangjae had fallen for you, a bit. He was always excited to see you. And you were nice to him too. Does he have to give up now because of the boss? Ruffling his hair, Gangjae let out several disgruntled grunts and stormed off, leaving the other members gossiping on their own.

--

You didn’t feel like going home yet. But you knew your father was waiting for you. You were craving the beach. The scent of the waters, the feel of sand beneath your feet, and the beachy wind. You had already walked into the lobby of your apartment building, when you decided to turn around and take a cab to the beach.

You had made sure Choi Mujin had left, before walking out and hailing a cab. You sent a brief text to your father, telling him you’ll be late, and that you had somewhere to visit. You hoped he wouldn’t get mad at you. You really needed the alone time, without Choi Mujin. You had to really think things through.

You had to think if you were okay with seeing people die every day. You had to think if you were okay with torturing others, to pull out their nails, to slice into their skin. You had to think if you were capable of protecting yourself if you were to officially join the gang, or you would need someone to come to your rescue every time you were in danger.

Arriving at the beach, you silently thanked the skies it was a weekday. There were only very few people there. You turned off your phone and found a spot near the waters where the waves would slightly touch your feet. You sat down and let your mind wander.

You didn’t know how long had passed. The skies had turn shades of orange and light blue before finally a dark blue. You had thought everything through, and decided to accept the fact that someone had died with his eyes on you. You accepted the fact that that man would’ve died either way, sooner or later, and you accepted the fact that this was normal in their lives.

You prayed for the dead man. For him to rest in peace, and apologized to him for making his death come sooner than expected. You hoped he would be in a better place now, without any pain.

You decided to make your way back home before your father gets any more worried. You took a cab back, and entered your apartment. There were another pair of shoes in the doorway. You recognized them as Choi Mujin’s.

And then you heard heavy footsteps running towards you and the two men appeared. Your father pulled you into a hug, expressing how worried he was when your phone was off. You released a sigh, and looked to the other man in the house. His eyes had scanned your body, seemingly checking if you were injured of any sort.

Finding no injuries, his relieved eyes found your blank ones. He seemed to be taken aback by your emotionless eyes. Your eyes were always filled with emotions, especially towards him. You weren’t blaming him for what you had witnessed, but you just wanted to go to bed. You were exhausted.

“I’m tired, sorry for making the both of you worry about me. But I have to take my finals tomorrow to graduate. Goodnight.” And you went straight to your room, laying on the floor, and closed your eyes.

­--

It felt as if you didn’t sleep a wink last night. The image of the dead man would pop up every time you close your eyes. And every time you fell asleep, you would have a nightmare that leaves your eyes wide open and your brain running. At some point you have just decided to not sleep, and study instead.

You had no time to study over the eventful past few weeks. You were always a smart one who never really needed to study, and you prayed this time would be the same, and that you would pass every subject with flying colors.

Your alarm started ringing, indicating you have to get up. But since you were already up, you started getting ready for school. You took a quick shower to freshen yourself, because you almost had the shock of your life when you looked in the mirror. The bags under your eyes looked like actual bags, and you looked so sick.

The reflection in the mirror showed you looked slightly better after the shower, but you made no move to use makeup to cover it up. You just wanted to get your finals done with quickly, although that was impossible because it would only be done in 2 weeks’ time. Putting your hair up into a messy bun, you left the house earlier to clear your mind with the morning breeze, walking to school.

However, your plan was ruined when you noticed Choi Mujin’s car parked right outside the lobby of your apartment building. You would be jumping with excitement if it was any other day. But being sleep-deprived, well, it just makes everything worse.

Choi Mujin had wound down the window once he saw you, and asked you to hop in. Which you obeyed without a word. You rested your head against the headrest and closed your eyes as soon as you sat in the passenger seat. The car didn’t start moving, he was probably staring at you, waiting to speak to you.

You opened your eyes and met his. He looked worried again. And tired. You feel yourself pitying him. Your heart had started to race again upon seeing him worried about you. You had to look away for a moment, and you unconsciously clenched your jaw.

“Are you okay?” Choi Mujin had asked you. His voice was especially gentle today. As if talking to a kitten, not wanting to scare it away. You gulped and looked over to him. Offering him a small reassuring smile, “Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry for making you worry yesterday.” You felt bad about treating him that way yesterday. You basically ignored him. That wasn’t how you were as a person, especially towards him.

“You don’t look okay, Jiwoo.” He voiced out with a pained expression that had pained your heart too. His hand had come up to your head, he had stroked your hair, and caressed your cheeks. And you stayed still, letting him show you affection. You can only silently pray that your dad wouldn’t appear out of nowhere. It wouldn’t be the best for him to see this scene unfold in front of him.

When you stayed silent, Choi Mujin continued, “You know you can tell me anything and I’ll always be here for you, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin seemed to be begging you to share your burdens with him. You were afraid he was blaming himself that you witnessed a death, because it looked like he was regretting it. You placed your hand on top of his that were still on your face.

“Ahjussi, don’t blame yourself for what I have witnessed, okay? It was my choice to go there from the very beginning and I insisted even when you disagreed. If anything, I brought it upon myself. I wanted to become a member of the gang so I have to get used to it. But they say that first times are the hardest, right? Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay in a few days. Hmm?” You gently told Choi Mujin, giving him a genuine smile, all while holding his hand in yours.

It seemed to have worked, because the frown on Choi Mujin’s face had disappeared, and had been replaced with a small smile on his lips.

It had improved your mood too, seeing the usually serious Choi Mujin getting graced with a genuine smile. A smile of your own had found its way to your lips too, while you looked out the window, and occasionally looking over to the man driving you to school.

Chapter Text

You were done for the day. You had complete examinations for two subjects. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as challenging as you thought it would be. You were basically speeding through the questions, because of how easy they were. Oh wait… but there’s people who said, the easier it is, the more questions you will get wrong…right? Oh well. You thought back to this morning, when Choi Mujin dropped you off at school. Before you got out of the car, he had said to you, “Do well. I know you’re smart.” And with that, he drove off with a small smirk. It had left you with a fluttery feeling in your heart, and you felt like all your worries had vanished.

You took your time walking out of the school. You didn’t want to squeeze with the crowd, so you had waited until majority of the students had left, before you walked out the school gate. You were thinking of tteokbokki for lunch, because you were suddenly craving for something spicy. You were thinking about which store to visit, when a car horn startled you. Looking behind, a black car drove up to you. You were worried for a split second that you would get kidnapped. But the window wound down and revealed Choi Mujin. He made a small head movement, telling you to get in. Looking around, there were several students from your school staring. Wanting to avoid further attention, you hopped in, and he drove off. Choi Mujin stopped at the side of the road further away, where no students would be able to spot the both of you.

“Ahjussi, why did you come pick me up from school?” You asked him with wide curious eyes. You were more than happy he appeared to pick you up, but you didn’t want to show that to him. Choi Mujin looked into those wide curious eyes of yours, and looked to his lap just to break into a smile. Was he trying to hide his smile from you? You huffed out a smile, and brought your hand to his face without thinking. You tilted his head up and said, “I rarely even see you smile, ahjussi. You shouldn’t hide your smile. You look cute smiling.” You expressed with a tease. But your face fell after realizing what you had just done. You quickly withdrew your hand and mumbled a sorry, darting your eyes away. But when you looked back at him, he was still smiling. “It’s okay, Jiwoo. Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind.” He told you with a nod.

“What do you want for lunch?”

“Tteokbokki.”

--

Arriving at a tteokbokki restaurant Choi Mujin recommended, he had ordered 2 servings of their signature tteokbokki. The smell already had you drooling. Therefore, when the food finally arrived, you stuffed your face with the tteokbokki, leaving not even a drop of sauce behind. You licked your lips to clean the remaining sauce, and finally looked up at Choi Mujin looking at you in fascination. And you looked to his plate, which was…still pretty full. You puckered your lips.

“You’re not hungry?” you asked awkwardly. You probably looked like you haven’t eaten in years stuffing the food in your face.

“I ate a heavy breakfast, and tteokbokki isn’t exactly my cup of tea.” He revealed. Your jaw dropped as you stared at him in disbelief. “Then why didn’t you tell me! We could’ve eaten for something else.” You frowned at him and lightly rolled your eyes. You wondered what was funny about this situation as he chuckled. “You didn’t hesitate to say tteokbokki when I asked what you wanted for lunch earlier. I figured you must’ve craved tteokbokki since the morning.” He explained nonchalantly. You shook your head at him, and eventually you started eyeing his plate of tteokbokki.

You licked your lips and smiled cheekily at him while he was staring at you. “Are you going to eat that?” You signalled to his plate with your eyes. “Ah, okay, you can have it.” He chuckled while pushing his plate to you. You giggled and started stuffing your face again, occasionally looking up to see him staring at you openly.

Choi Mujin looked at you eating his half-eaten tteokbokki. For some reason, he felt…attracted. You looked carefree, with your mind only focused on the plate of food in front of you. The part where you didn’t mind sharing food with him, eating from the cutlery he had used… Choi Mujin shook his head to come back to his senses, and get rid of the ”useless” thoughts. He hurriedly grabbed the cup of green tea on the table and gulped it down. He took a deep breath, and mentally scolded himself for feeling this way towards an 18-year-old girl that is also his best friend’s daughter.

You had quickly finished up the tteokbokki, and told Choi Mujin you were ready to go. You really wanted to get home and sleep because you didn’t get any sleep last night. But you felt bad for Choi Mujin who only ate a bit because he didn’t fancy tteokbokki. Therefore, you asked him, “Ahjussi, should we go for some street food? I’m sure you’re not full with eating only a few tteokbokki.” You weren’t sure why he suddenly had a rather cold expression from his face, but you assumed it was matters from work. Thus, you didn’t bring it up.

“No, it’s okay. I’m not hungry.” He said in a relatively monotonous tone. You pouted a bit before saying, “No, it’s not okay. I’m still hungry. Let’s go.” And you marched to his car, getting in and closing the door on your own. You looked at side mirror to see him releasing a sigh, assumably from your behaviour, before getting into the car and driving to the nearest street food market. Choi Mujin was still quiet, and you were really curious now. He wasn’t like that before. You walked side-by-side with him at the street food market, and you observed him. You looked at which stall his eyes would linger a second longer, and which stall he was looking at when his adam’s apple bobbed.

You would jog over to that particular stall, buy their popular item, eat one or two bites, and pass it to him, saying “I don’t like it.” Making him have no choice, but to eat it. You did that a few times, until he looked like he was full. Satisfied, you said, “Alright, I’m full now. I want to go home and nap.” And you got into his car again, and rested your head against the headrest, feeling like your eyelids are threatening to shut any moment. You wondered if he saw through your plan to make him eat. If he did though, he didn’t show that he knew. And you were happy with him playing along. You feel yourself slowly doze off, as your head slipped off the headrest, and was now against the window.

Seeing you doze off, Choi Mujin had stopped his car at the side of the road, and lowered your seat. He adjusted the position of your head, so that you could sleep comfortably, and not have your head knock against the window every time he hits a bump. After making sure you would be able to sleep peacefully, he continued the journey, driving extra slow. Choi Mujin would look at you from time to time, just to check if you were comfortable. The journey to your house was pretty short, but he didn’t want to wake you just yet. Just 10 more minutes. He told himself.

It ended up being 20 minutes. He had work to do back at Liber Hotel, and he needed to go check up on the Dongcheonpa gym too. Hence, he had to wake you up. He called your name softly, and gently touched your shoulder. You stirred awake, and got a little taken aback by the close proximity between you and Choi Mujin. “Sorry, I fell asleep. I should get going.” You quickly fixed your hair, and got out of the car, and bowed to him before you entered the lobby of your apartment. Entering your house, you were surprised to find that your father wasn’t home. But you figured he probably went out for some food or something. You took a quick shower, and crashed on your bed, shutting down in only a few seconds.

Choi Mujin had watched you enter the lobby and the lift before deciding to drive off. However, before he could do that, there was a knock on the window of his car. Looking at the window, he slightly jumped at Donghoon’s face. Donghoon had opened the car door and hopped in. At this moment, Choi Mujin knew he was fucked.

“What was that I saw? You with my daughter?” Donghoon raised his concern.

“I only brought her to lunch and sent her back home from school, hyung.” Choi Mujin honestly answered Donghoon’s question.

“Yeah, and why would you do that? When did you get close to Jiwoo? And that time you brought her to the torture chambers? Why would you do that?” Donghoon expressed with displeasure.

Choi Mujin felt like he needed to thread carefully. He didn’t want to anger Donghoon any further. But Choi Mujin honestly had no idea what to say. He had no idea how he should explain the situation. He didn’t know whether he should lie or tell the truth. Oh, I’m actually attracted to your daughter and feel the need to protect her and be around her at all times. He couldn’t say that, could he? This wasn’t some ordinary person he was facing. This was your father, his right-hand man, his best friend he was facing. If he lied, Donghoon could probably be able to tell.

“What? You’re not going to answer me? Or do you not know how to answer? Are you taking advantage of my daughter? Because I wasn’t around these days?” Donghoon continued interrogating Choi Mujin with anger.

“No! I’m not taking advantage of Jiwoo. I only see her as a daughter, hyung. I wanted to take care of her while you were still recovering from your injury. Hyung, please don’t misunderstand.” Choi Mujin had managed to lie to Donghoon. It wasn’t actually completely a lie. It was Choi Mujin’s aim when he first met you. He didn’t expect to…

Donghoon looked like he wasn’t buying it. But to Donghoon, the thought of Choi Mujin liking his daughter…is a little far-fetched. It was basically impossible. Choi Mujin was old enough to be your father, after all. Maybe Donghoon did misunderstand. Maybe he jumped to conclusions. Looking into Choi Mujin’s eyes, it didn’t look like he was lying, so Donghoon decided to believe him.

“Fine, I guess that makes sense. My bad, I was thinking too much. Thank you for taking care of Jiwoo. But I’ve recovered now. I can go back to work. I was actually thinking of going to the gym today. Since I’m already in your car, drive me there, hyung.”

And Choi Mujin did. He drove him there, and decided his training too, had been put off for too long. Therefore, he sparred with Donghoon. With a million thoughts running through his head.

Now that Donghoon is back, he’ll probably keep an eye on me so I don’t get too close to his daughter. He would probably find out from the boys that I’ve been close to her…He would probably find out Jiwoo witnessed a death too…Should I send him far away on a business trip? Would Jiwoo be mad at me if I were to send her father away? But if her father is here, I won’t be able to…

Choi Mujin ended up taking multiple hits, due to him being distracted. And Donghoon didn’t seem to be going easy on him. But Choi Mujin figured he should be getting hit, because of those feelings he shouldn’t feel, and the things he shouldn’t have done. He felt like he needed to wake up, to make himself come back to his senses. And to him, getting hit sounds like the best way to achieve it.

Chapter Text

You had woken up during dinner time, whipped up some ramyeon and studied for your upcoming test. You still get nightmares, and you still jump awake from them, but it isn’t as bad as it was. You were able to fall asleep for a good 30-45 minutes before jumping awake, which was a good sign. You studied hard, and looked forward for the next day. You were excited for Choi Mujin to come pick you up and drop you off at school. You felt extra motivated to study, and the clock soon displayed 11:59pm. You decided to sleep, and wanted tomorrow to arrive sooner.

--

You practically ran out of the elevator once you reached the lobby and continued to run out of the building. You had expected to see a black car, with the window wound down waiting for you. But…it wasn’t there. You felt your excitement drain away, but then you told yourself. Ah, maybe he’s running late. And so, you decided to walk slowly to school. You had expected to hear a car horn halfway, and that you would look behind and it would be Choi Mujin. But it didn’t happen. You had already arrived at school, and entered the school gates. You even looked back to see if he was there. But he wasn’t.

You felt yourself lose all the energy you had in the morning. You had woken up naturally a few minutes before your alarm rang. Feeling jittery in your stomach the whole morning. Just for everything to go down the drain. Those words were true, the higher your expectations, the higher your disappointment. But then it crossed your mind. Maybe he’s picking me up after school? But you didn’t want to be disappointed again. Therefore, you told yourself, he probably won’t come. Although, deep down in your heart, you wished he would come pick you up as a surprise.

The clock had ticked slower and slower. The questions on your examination paper had made you dizzy. You weren’t as motivated as you were before. You needed a certain someone’s encouragement. But that certain someone…

You knocked your head against the desk a few times, waking yourself up to finish up the paper. You had managed to finish the paper without falling asleep. And now it was time for you to walk out the school gates. You hesitated for a moment. You had a feeling you were going to be disappointed. For the first time, you didn’t want to step outside the school.

His car wasn’t there. He wasn’t there. You felt a sharp pain in your chest all of a sudden. But it was gone the next second. Accepting reality, you slowly made your way home. You didn’t bother to get lunch because you didn’t have the appetite. There weren’t any car horns on your way home, too. Entering your apartment, you felt odd that your father wasn’t home again. Shaking it off, you took a shower and took a nap, as usual.

--

It was a Friday. You were done with your paper for the day, and you had 2 days to rest before continuing with the papers next week. You should be happy. However, you weren’t. Why? Because Choi Mujin didn’t show up. You waited 4 days for him to show. You went home, but your father wasn’t there again. Since it was a Friday, you decided to pay the gym a visit. Maybe do some catching up with Gangjae. And you hoped that certain someone would be there too. You didn’t really care if the gym was packed. Choi Mujin had that effect on you. You were too tired and disappointed to care about anything else.

Arriving at the gym, you walked in and eventually all eyes were on you. This time though, you see everyone’s eyes rake over your small body, lingering a while longer on your legs. Looking down, you realized. Ah, I’m still in my uniform. That’s unfortunately a mini skirt. Revealing my legs. That’s porcelain white. Oh well. It didn’t really bother you. Everyone has legs. Not just you. You scanned the crowd, looking for Gangjae and... But you had spotted someone else. Your eyebrows knitted together. That someone had spotted you too.

“Daughter! What are you doing here?” Your father expressed with surprise. “Did you come here to see me? Did you want to have lunch with me?” He seemed happy. And you didn’t really want to disappoint him. But you had no idea you would see him here. That explains why he wasn’t home most of the time. He had gone back to work and training.

“Appa. I didn’t know you were here. I came to see Gangjae.” You told him. As if on cue, Gangjae walked towards you. And he whispered in your ear, “Let’s leave.” He bowed to your father, and grabbed your wrist, pulling you outside. You managed to bid goodbye to your father, before being led outside by Gangjae. Now out of the gym, Gangjae had released your wrist and placed both his hands on his hips, looking at you with an annoyed expression.

“What’s wrong? Why’re you looking at me like that?”

He had continued to give you the look for a while. Until he finally decided to say, “What were you thinking wearing that coming here? A mini skirt in a place full of guys with raging hormones? Did you not see the way they looked at you and your legs?” Gangjae nagged you. Your face went from being serious, to uncontrollable laughter. You felt like he was adorable. That worried and annoyed facial expression of his had made you feel again. You laughed for the first time in 4 days.

“Oppa, chill out. You know they won’t dare to do anything to me. And I came here straight from school. I didn’t think that far ahead. And I have stuff to tell you. You know how Choi Mujin and I were pretty close back then?” You started your story.

“Yeah, why? What happened?”

“I don’t know what’s up with him. He sent me to school and picked me up after school. He even treated me to lunch before sending me home on Monday. But then he never appeared again. Do you think it has something to do with my father returning to work?” You told him your thoughts truthfully.

Running a finger over his chin, “I’m not sure, Jiwoo. But that could be the case. I’ll try to see if I can eavesdrop on anything and let you know, okay?” Gangjae reassured you.

You showed him a grateful smile. “Anyways, I think I should head home. I don’t have anything else to do here.” You were disappointed you didn’t get to see him, but at least you had rant out your concerns to someone.

“So soon? I’ll drive you back. Have you eaten? Let’s get lunch first before I send you back.” Gangjae offered. You didn’t plan on eating but, since he offered, who would say no to food? You walked alongside Gangjae to his car. And you heard a familiar engine sound. You felt your heart rate increase. Your palms now clammy. Your stomach doing flips. You looked over to the source of the sound. There he was. The man you’ve been wanting to meet all week. The man that has never left your mind even for a millisecond. As soon as you saw him, he saw you too. He had a glum expression on his face, even more so after seeing you and Gangjae together, again. He had glanced over your outfit, and creased his forehead. He had looked away, and walked past you and Gangjae as if you were strangers. He didn’t even acknowledge Gangjae’s bow of respect to him.

You felt your heart drop. Smacking your lips together, you fought the urge to breakdown and calmed yourself.

“Seem like something’s really up. The tension was so thick I could cut it with a knife.” Gangjae said after seeing Choi Mujin disappear into the gym. You nodded your head and said nothing, following Gangjae to his car. He had opened the door and closed it for you too. You were supposed to feel happy and touched. But you were only reminded of Choi Mujin.

You had grabbed lunch with Gangjae and he had sent you back home, knowing you want nothing but to sleep at that very moment. Gangjae had petted your head before you got off the car in a form of comfort, telling you that everything will be okay. You were grateful to have Gangjae in your life, as your only friend. And one thought had went through your mind. If only I had fell for Gangjae. Everything would’ve been simpler and less complicated.

You had returned to your empty home. You were alone again. Like you always were.

--

Gangjae had let his emotions go free as soon as you got off his car. He didn’t know why you would feel that way towards boss. He didn’t know what was it that he lacked compared to boss. The boss was old enough to even be your father, he thought. Did you not notice he way he feels towards you? Was it because you were too focused on the boss? You even told him your problems about the boss. But he couldn’t do anything else other than to listen and to be there for you, although the one you wanted to be there for you probably wasn’t him.

Gangjae had stayed that way in the car for a long time, with those thoughts eating him away.

--

Choi Mujin finally saw you after what felt like weeks but was only 4 days. But you were with Gangjae. And your outfit. Choi Mujin was speechless. He wondered the reason you were wearing that to a gym full of young men. Even he, himself had a hard time trying to take his eyes off your flawless legs. Not to mention the rest of the uneducated young gang members. He had secretly hoped you hadn’t gone inside. He didn’t want anyone else…looking at those legs of yours.

“Did you see her legs?”

“I didn’t know Donghoon’s daughter is so pretty wearing a uniform.”

“Her legs looked smoother than a baby’s butt.”

“She looked super cute in her uniform.”

“Was her name Jiwoo? Wow her body is…”

Choi Mujin had heard whispers of you the moment he set foot in the gym. They hadn’t noticed him…yet. Choi Mujin clenched his jaw. He felt his blood boiling. All he sees is red.

How…how could they talk about…about my Jiwoo like that? How can they…My Jiwoo…

He felt uncontrollable rage consuming him as a whole. However, Taeju had suggested him to calm down, and that he shouldn’t lash out on the boys because of Jiwoo. They would lose their respect for him. Choi Mujin had closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. Clearing his throat to announce his entrance, the gym had become dead silent, with each and everyone of the boys present bow to Choi Mujin in a 90 degree angle.

Choi Mujin’s hands were clenched into a fist and shaking with anger. He had glared at the few boys in particular that had talked about…your body.

“Do not let me hear such gossips ever again. You would know best what would happen if you fail to obey to my command.” Choi Mujin had managed to threaten through gritted teeth. He stormed out of the gym, and headed to his office in Liber Hotel. He had poured himself a glass of whiskey, downing it in one go, attempting to get a little girl out of his head.

Chapter Text

It was the following Monday. You had woken up as usual, and went to school to sit for your papers. When you were done though, you had the urge, to call him. You didn’t feel like holding back. And you haven’t heard his voice in forever. And you wanted to know why, exactly, was this happening. Therefore, you decided to just do it. You were seated on a bench in the school compound, where no one was around. You unzipped your bag to retrieve the 2G phone Choi Mujin had given you a month or two ago.

You hesitated for a while, and finally pressed the call button.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three.

And then four.

You start to lose hope.

Five.

Six.

“Jiwoo.”

There it was again. His husky voice, void of emotion. You sucked in a deep breath.

“I think you forgot something.” You decided to say. You could hear his breathing on the other line, and automatically, your breathing synced with his.

“What?” He questioned.

“You forgot to pick me up from school.” You had said after a few seconds. You wanted to make him anxious. You wanted him to wonder before you answered.

Choi Mujin was taken aback by your boldness. But he had let out a small chuckle. He didn’t want to admit it, but he had missed talking to you. He wanted to rush over to your school at that moment. He wanted to pick you up from school and get lunch with you again. But he knows, that he shouldn’t.

Your lips had quirked up after hearing his small chuckle. It wasn’t anything big compared to him petting your head or caressing your face. But it has been a while, and hearing his chuckle was surprisingly more than enough to lift your mood. You waited for him to speak. But only his breathing could be heard. You were fine with that, honestly. At least he was on the line with you. After what felt like hours, you finally decided to speak.

“Hello- “But you were cut off, by him speaking at the same time as you did.

“Stay there. I’m on my way.” And he hung up. And you were left with a smile on your face, stretched from ear-to-ear.

--

Crash.

Ringing.

Sirens.

Choi Mujin had drove into a tree. Choi Mujin felt himself slowly lose consciousness.

Fuck. Jiwoo…waiting for me…

Everything turned black.

--

You had been waiting for an hour. But he didn’t show. You wondered if there was urgent business which needed his attention. You wondered if something had happened to him on his way here. You wondered if…he had changed his mind at the last minute. You wondered if you should continue waiting for him. Then your 2G phone rang. You answered the call immediately.

“Ahjussi, where are you?” You questioned.

“Hello, I’m calling from Hankuk Hospital. The owner of this phone has been in a car accident. You are the last person he had talked to on the phone; therefore, I called you. Please come to the hospital as soon as you can.” A lady’s voice had said. And the beeping that followed had told you that she had ended the call.

You were frozen to the spot. You were in a state of panic. Immediately running out of the school, you hailed a cab and headed to Hankuk Hospital. Time passed awfully slow while you were in the cab. You had asked the driver to speed up multiple times, but he had told you he was already at the maximum speed limit. You tapped your foot against the floor, anxiety kicking in. You had prayed for him to be okay. You soon stopped tapping your feet, and shook your legs.

After an awfully long while, you could see the Hankuk Hospital logo in the distance. You had finally arrived at the hospital. You ran in and asked a random nurse about the whereabouts of Choi Mujin. The nurse had pointed you in a certain direction, and you sprinted that way. You pulled back the curtains, and there he was. Laying there, unmoving. This time, you were the one who scanned his body, in search for severe injuries. There didn’t seem to be any, and you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You settled yourself on the little stool next to the bed.

A nurse had come up to you, and asked about the relationship between you and him. You simply said he was your uncle, and had asked her about his state. The nurse told you that he had only suffered some minor injuries, and that he was lucky. She told you not to worry, and that he’ll wake up soon. You thanked her, and turned your attention back to the unconscious man.

You looked at his face. He wasn’t frowning for once. And he looked peaceful. There were a few cuts and bruises on his face, assumably from the accident. You felt bad for thinking this way, but the small injuries on his face had made him look even hotter. Your hand had a mind of its own, reaching forward to push away strands of his hair that had gone astray.

You almost had a heart attack when he opened his eyes and grabbed your wrist that was in front of his face.

“Ahjussi! Are you okay? What happened?” Your voice filled with concern. He had released your wrist and slowly sat up. Flashbacks of the accident replayed in his head.

Choi Mujin had grabbed his coat and rushed out of his office after telling you that he’s on his way. He had left his office without even telling Taeju where he’s headed. His mind was filled with you, and only you. He had got into his car and began speeding towards your school.

However, half way to your school, Choi Mujin realized someone was on his tail. Choi Mujin kept changing lanes, to see if the car would keep following him. He wanted to make sure he was right, and he was. “Ah, it’s probably because of the 2 dead bodies I sent back to them as a warning.” Choi Mujin was almost a hundred percent sure it was somebody from Gucheonpa tailing him. He didn’t want to lead the person tailing him to your school, because that would put you in danger. And that was the last thing he wanted.

Choi Mujin had tried to get him off his tail, he didn’t want to fight him this time. Because his priority at that moment, was you. If Choi Mujin hadn’t promised to pick you up, he would drive to a secluded area and go head-on with the man. But he couldn’t keep you waiting. He didn’t want to keep you waiting. At least that’s what he had told himself. Deep down he knew, he couldn’t wait to see you too.

Choi Mujin had ran a red light, trying to lose the man tailing him. But there was a truck coming from the front. Instinctively, Choi Mujin had turned the steering wheel, and swerved to the other side of the road, ultimately crashing into a tree. Choi Mujin had let out a series of curse words. He wanted to send you a text, or call you. But the phone had slipped under the car seat, and he was losing consciousness.

The man tailing Choi Mujin couldn’t get to him, as there were already a circle of people forming around the scene of the accident, and calls to the police and ambulance were made. He had no choice, but to leave…for now. And he had sworn to plan more meticulously next time, to bring Choi Mujin down for good.

You had waved your hand in front of Choi Mujin’s face to get his attention. He had suddenly come back to his senses, and you repeated your question.

“Someone was tailing me. I tried to lose the guy, I ended up running a red light and swerved. And I crashed into the tree. I apologize for being unable to pick you up after I promised.” Choi Mujin had given you a brief explanation. You were surprised at his apology. He really didn’t look like the type who would apologize.

“Don’t apologize. All that matters is that you’re alive and well.” You smiled at him, truly relieved. He didn’t return your smile. There were still worry evident on his face. You didn’t want to trouble his mind even further by asking him why was he…avoiding you these days. But you wanted to know. Or needed. You wanted to know if it was your fault.

“Ahjussi…why were you…avoiding me…?” You asked the question slowly and softly, not wanting to trigger him. You see Choi Mujin inhale, and exhale. Looking up into your eyes. Was that…guilt? You weren’t sure. But he did look like he felt bad. And that alone, had comforted you. It proved he wasn’t mad at you.

“Jiwoo-yah, I’ll tell you everything when the time is right. Now let’s get you home, your finals aren’t over yet.” He had said. You really thought you would be able to hear the answer at that moment, but you had simply nodded, having left with no other choice.

Choi Mujin had called Taeju and asked him to drop by the hospital to pick the both of you up. Taeju arrived in the blink of an eye, and you wondered how much he sped. In the car, there was nothing but silence. Taeju was probably wondering why you were there with boss. And probably wondered why you were quiet, as you were normally…talkative around the boss. But he didn’t question anything. He had dropped you off at your apartment, and you only bowed to them before entering the lobby. You had done your usual, shower and take a nap, with an empty stomach.

--

Taeju had followed Choi Mujin into his office at the Liber Hotel. Taeju had waited until the boss had settled down with a glass of whiskey on his desk before deciding to ask the question he’s been wanting to ask since the boss gave him a call.

“Boss, what happened?” Taeju had kept it simple and straightforward. He knew the boss despised people beating around the bush. The boss had sipped on his whiskey, seemingly deep in thought, before he told Taeju the whole story, leaving Taeju fuming with anger.

“Find out the identity of the man tailing me asap.” The boss had ordered Taeju. Taeju had only replied with a curt nod, and made his way out of the office.

The boss had turned his chair towards the windows, looking out into the city, sipping on his whiskey, getting lost in his thoughts.

--

Dark skies have graced the city, the darkness now relying on electrical lights for illumination.

The sound of the doors of Choi Mujin’s office opening had brought him back to earth. Turning his chair around, Taeju rushed in, with a worried expression on his face. Choi Mujin signalled him to speak, and so he did.

“Boss…the man who had tailed you…” For once, Taeju’s words were filled with hesitation. And Choi Mujin didn’t like the sound of that.

“It was the boy who had pulled the trigger on the Gucheonpa guy who tried to stab you…” Taeju kept his eyes glued to the floor. Knowing very well the boss would flip out.

“What do you mean the boy who pulled the trigger? Wasn’t he taken care of?” The boss had asked in a calm manner. Which Taeju was more worried about, than him flipping out.

“Well, yes. The boys had thrown him into the sea, with weights tied to his feet. I’m not sure how he had managed to survive, boss. I’m sorry, it’s my fault.” Taeju had apologized to the boss, hoping his anger would die down, even if it’s just a little bit. Not hearing the boss say a single word, Taeju slowly lifted his head to look at the boss.

Choi Mujin was casually smoking a cigarette. Thinking. The boy knew about Jiwoo’s existence.

“Send someone to guard Jiwoo’s apartment.” Choi Mujin had given an order.

“And bring me the boy.”

Chapter Text

You had your full focus on studying. Although, sometimes, a certain someone would find his way into your mind, clouding it for a moment. You couldn’t wait for your finals to be over. At least, after that, you would be free to do anything you want and not have to worry about your grades. You looked forward to joining the gang, being an official member. You knew for a fact that your father would disregard the idea of it. However, you had the right to chase your dreams, and to do the things you like.

--

Choi Mujin had suddenly remembered the fact that you didn’t have lunch. You had rushed to the hospital because of him, and he had you sent straight home after that. He was mad at himself for forgetting to feed you. Knowing it wasn’t appropriate for him to buy you food and visit your apartment, he had given someone a phone call, entrusting them with the task of feeding you.

--

Your stomach was growling from the moment you awoke from your nap. You considered ramyeon, but you were sick of it. You didn’t have any food at home, not even bread. You thought of just letting your stomach growl, and start your studying, but the feeling of hunger…it wasn’t the best feeling to feel.

Ding dong.

The doorbell had rung. Hmm, weird. You weren’t expecting anyone. And your father wouldn’t ring the doorbell. It wasn’t...Choi Mujin…right? You looked at the electronic device. And Gangjae’s face had came into view. He was holding up a bag of…fried chicken? You quickly opened the door, letting him in.

“I figured you haven’t had dinner. Am I right?” Gangjae cheekily said.

“How did you know? And is that fried chicken? I haven’t had fried chicken in soooo long.” Just the scent of it had made you drool. And made your stomach growl even louder.

Settling the box of fried chicken on the table, you eagerly opened it, and wasted no time digging into it. For quite a while, no words were exchanged between you and Gangjae. Only the sounds of munching filled the silent house. Occasionally, you would look at Gangjae while munching on the fried chicken, and he would return the look, in which the moment would end up in laughter.

You wondered how Gangjae knew to arrive at the perfect time with fried chicken. You were thankful, no doubt. Because if it wasn’t for him, you would’ve needed to starve until the next day, when you can grab some food from the convenience stores on your way to school. Because your father never really brought food home, now that you thought about it.

Gangjae silently thanked the boss, for entrusting him with bringing you food. He had thought the boss was mad at him, for hanging out with you too often, and he had thought the boss wouldn’t want him anywhere near you ever again. However, he was surprised when the boss had ordered him to bring you food. But it had also dumbstruck-ed him, at how much the boss cares for you.

You had grabbed a bottle of soju from the fridge, brought out two soju glasses, and placed them on the dining table. Gangjae had refused to drink with you at first, reminding you that you had papers to sit for the next day, and that he needed to be sober to protect you, if anything were to happen. Nevertheless, he had gave in after your reassurance that you would only be drinking one glass. You had chatted and laughed with Gangjae, temporarily with your mind off of the older man.

--

Choi Mujin was seated at his usual seat in his office. He had wondered if your stomach was filled at that moment. And he had wondered how would it be if it was him instead of Gangjae that was with you. His thoughts were cut short when Donghoon had entered his office, to discuss future plans about drug trafficking.

Signing documents, reading contracts, revising the contracts. Part of Choi Mujin was glad to be distracted with piling work, while part of him…wanted to spend time with…

--

You had walked to school every day, and walked home from school every day. It was finally the last day of your finals. You told yourself to do well, and not to disappoint your father. And him. Your mind said. Shaking your head, you thought about lunch. You had decided to celebrate finishing your finals with your favourite food for lunch in the afternoon.

You had arrived at school, and sat for your papers. It wasn’t too hard, and you were pretty sure you would be able to obtain good grades.

You had seen groups of friends linking arms, skipping out the school, assumably to celebrate the end of the finals. You looked around you. Everyone at least had one friend with them. Smacking your lips together, you walked out the school grounds with your head held high, not wanting to seem…defeated. You looked up into the sky, admiring the view, when someone had bumped into you with a hard force, almost sending you to the ground. Fortunately for you, you managed to balance yourself, not falling. The guy had lowered his cap and muttered a sorry, practically running away. You shook it off, and made your way to the street food market, where everything was cheap and delicious.

You had ordered a corndog, and you reached into your pocket to fish out your purse when you felt a paper rustling. You took it out, held it in one hand while you hurriedly paid for the corndog. While waiting, you had unfolded the paper, curiosity consuming you slowly. Your eyes had scanned the words printed on the paper, and your eyebrows had creased together, with your mind running.

Your adoptive father killed your biological parents.

You wondered how it had got into your pocket. You retraced your steps and your thoughts stopped on the man who had bumped into you outside your school. It must be him. You deeply regretted not paying attention to him. You weren’t able to see his face. If you had paid attention to him and had saw his face, there was a chance you could search for him again, and demand answers. But it was basically impossible, like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Nonetheless, you weren’t sure if you should believe whatever is written on the note. It could purely be placed in your pocket to cause chaos, or it could be intended to ruin your relationship with your father, to perhaps uncomplicate an attack or some sort. Or it could be…wanting you to find out who your father really is and how he really is as a person.

--

Gangjae was seated at the sofa of your apartment, with you next to him. You had rung him up, telling him there was something you needed to talk to him about. And as expected, he had arrived in the blink of an eye, as if he was on your beck and call.

You took a deep breath and released it, looking into his eyes. “Umm, you know my dad isn’t my real dad, right?” You asked him straight-forwardly. You see him slowly frown, looking confused. Oh well, he did not know.

“What? No. I didn’t know. How would I know? When did you find out? Who else knows?” You chuckled at him bombarding you with questions.

“Well, I found out like a month ago. The boss knows. Since my dad and him has known each other for so long. Yeah. Anyways, I found this note in my pocket just now, and I think it was placed there by a man who had bumped into me outside my school.” You simply passed him the note, seeing him unfold it, seeing his eyes scan the words, and then his eyes went wide.

He had looked up at you, opening his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but you had beat him to it. “No, I’m not hurt. No, I didn’t see his face. And I’m not sure whether to believe the note.” Gangjae nodded his head slowly, and went deep in thought. You too, thought about your father, whether or not it could be true and…you wondered if Choi Mujin knew about this.

Gangjae had discussed the matter with you for a long time. He was there for you when you needed it, and he had done a great job at comforting you and reassuring you. You had fell asleep while thinking, and Gangjae had placed your head on his shoulder. His eyes were trained on you the whole time you slept. And he stayed as still as a statue, even with his whole body going numb.

--

Taeju had entered Choi Mujin’s office, informing him that they’ve caught the boy.

“Boss, we caught him. He was lurking around Jiwoo’s apartment. He’s at the Dongcheonpa gym now. I figured you wouldn’t want to go to the torture chambers now as it’s far. Thus, I had him sent to the gym.” Taeju had given the boss a brief explanation.

The boss had felt his fury sprang to life upon hearing him lurking around your apartment. He dare...try to hurt her? He had stood up, grabbed his coat, and marched out of his office. Taeju had rushed to get the car ready, and as soon as the boss entered the car, Taeju sped to the gym, knowing the boss was on a level of anger that no one can subside.

--

Choi Mujin had his favourite dagger gripped in his right hand, while standing in front of the traitor. Choi Mujin didn’t want anything out of him. There wasn’t anything he was curious about. He just wanted to inflict pain on him. He wanted to see the boy in pain, crying and begging him to spare him. Choi Mujin wanted to hear his cries, and he wanted to hear him breathe his last breath.

It has been a while since Choi Mujin had taken matters into his own hands. And it felt like the beast in him had been revived, with the first slice of the boy’s skin.

Choi Mujin had taken off his suit jacket, and rolled up his sleeves. Smirking, he decided the first slice would be…the skin on his chest. Choi Mujin cuts deep, but not deep enough to kill him instantly. Choi Mujin wanted him to die a slow and painful death, as a punishment for a traitor.

The boy’s screams and cries could be heard throughout the gym. A few of the rookie gang members had visibly flinched, not having used to seeing sights like this. It was different for Choi Mujin, though. He had almost forgotten the joy of torturing an individual, with their cries and begging doing nothing but motivate him even further.

The next slice was…the boy’s cheek. Choi Mujin felt ecstasy run through his veins from the look of grimace on the boy’s face. Blood trickled down his face, down his neck, onto his chest. It was…quite a beautiful sight. Crimson red liquid…having a mind of its own, flowing wherever it wants. It reminded Choi Mujin of a canvas, as soon as it was done, it would be a work of art.

By the end of Choi Mujin’s ”work”, there weren’t a single inch of the boy’s body, that wasn’t painted red. Choi Mujin was impressed with the boy’s will to live. The boy was still breathing, although slow and silent.

Choi Mujin had watched him bleed for a while, before he decided it was time for him to go. Choi Mujin went close up, and stared at the boy’s eyes while he positioned his dagger in the middle of his heart. Maintaining eye contact, Choi Mujin had thrusted the dagger into the boy’s heart.

And Choi Mujin had succeeded in both hearing the boy’s cries and begs to spare him, as well as the boy breathing his last breath.

Chapter Text

Jab. Dodge. Punch. Kick.

You were drenched in sweat. Taeju stood in front of you, holding up boxing pads, training in session. The one-month deal has been delayed for too long. Thus, as soon as your finals were over, you went straight to the gym the next day, ready to resume the training. Fortunately, Taeju was still willing to go on with the deal, and he was, as usual, doing a good job at training you. You didn’t know whether your gut feeling was right, but you felt like he was deliberately avoiding attacking the part you got stabbed. You didn’t voice it out, but you felt moved. It was a gesture of a gentleman, and you didn’t know gangsters could be gentlemen too.

--

You would train with Taeju in the morning and afternoon, and when he left for either other businesses to tend to or because the skies had turned dark blue, you would stay back and train on your own. You didn’t want to disappoint Taeju and make him dislike you even more. Even when your whole body was sore from overexertion, you had endured and trained even more, to not regret in the future. Sometimes late at night, Gangjae would come and accompany you, teaching you useful tips and tricks, to win against an opponent. You had gotten fairly close to him, same goes with Taeju, but he still had his walls up. As for Choi Mujin…you rarely see him anymore. You would see him come to the gym from time to time, but he would just walk straight to the little office, without even casting a glance at you. You didn’t want to bother him, so you just left him alone, and decided to trust him when he said he would tell you everything when the time was right.

Of course, you had assumed he would look at you, at least once, but he didn’t. You had felt your heart drop every single time, but you had told yourself every time that it would be okay, and he surely has a reason for acting this way. The trainings had helped you distract your mind, and you were thankful for that.

--

The 2 weeks had flown by, and now it was time for Taeju to evaluate you. He was kind enough to plan it on a Sunday, when not many people would be in the gym.

You were physically and mentally exhausted, to be brutally honest. You wanted to just collapse somewhere, and hibernate for a month. But you decided you would do that after the evaluation. You blinked away the sleepiness, and focused on Taeju.

You got into your fighting stance, making sure your footing was secure, and balanced. You gripped your hands into fists, and positioned them neck-level, in front of you. After a few seconds of a face-off, Taeju seemed like he wanted to quickly get it done and over with, as you see his fist nearing your face in slow-motion. You managed to dodge it by moving your head sideway, as you see his fist pass your face. You had quickly regained your stance, now bouncing on tip-toes, on high alert. You swiftly eyed his stance, and you realized you might have a point you can attack.

You sent a fist almost to his face, distracting him, while your leg kicked his knee outward. Of course, you didn’t kick too hard. You didn’t want to injure him. He had wobbled a bit, losing balance. You took the opportunity to punch right under his throat, which sent him stumbling back. You received a look of surprise from Taeju. You were certain Taeju had his guard down, because if he didn’t, you wouldn’t have been able to even kick him, not to mention land a punch on him.

“Are you okay?” You were worried you had put him in pain. Taeju had slightly nodded his head, with a small smirk on his lips. He had got back into his stance, cracking his knuckles. You gulped. Feeling the nervousness kick in.

He had thrown a few light punches, with some of them of them hitting you when you failed to dodge. You had thrown a punch at him too, but it didn’t reach him. Instead, he had his fist collide with your abdomen. You had expected to feel pain. But you didn’t. He had his fist softly collide with your abdomen. You chuckled at his gentlemanly gesture.

He came forward with a kick, which you blocked with your legs. Somehow, he had managed to kick the back of your knee, making you kneel forward. You had quickly turned around on your knees, and then standing up. You grabbed his shoulders, and sent your knee in the direction of his chest. This time though, you had used almost every ounce of your strength. His hand had come up to his chest, rubbing circles on it. However, he seemed satisfied.

Once again, the both of you got into a fighting stance. By now, you were starting to become short of breath. He didn’t even look affected, but that was expected, of course. He had years of experience. Unlike you.

While your mind had wandered, he jabbed your ribs. Again, he did it lightly. As you stumbled back a bit, he announced that the evaluation has ended. He looked at you from top to toe, before looking away.

“You improved. That, I admit. Keep it up.” Taeju had complimented you. Your insides were jumping with joy, but you were too tired to let it show on the outside. Taeju had left before you could even thank him. Therefore, you made your way to the reservoir outside the gym. You sat on the concrete pavement, leaning against one of the short pillars. You breathed in the air with a water scent, and closed your eyes listening to the waves.

--

Choi Mujin had been watching the whole fight you exchanged with Taeju. He was observing from the upper level of the gym, well hidden. He was proud of you, to say the least. He had a smile unknowingly settle on his lips every time you succeeded in attacking Taeju. However, when Taeju attacked you, he would have a tornado of feelings. Anger, concern, pain. He knew for a fact that this was something you needed to go through to improve, but he just couldn’t bear to see you getting attacked. Of course, Choi Mujin had noticed how light Taeju’s punches are. It wasn’t even 1/10^th of Taeju’s strength. Choi Mujin was glad he went gentle on you, because if he didn’t, Choi Mujin wouldn’t go gentle on him too. When the fight ended, Choi Mujin exhaled with relieve. He had followed you to the reservoir, and had let you sleep while he watched over you.

--

You felt a hand on your face, and you jumped awake. You had accidentally fell asleep listening to the waves. Your eyes landed on his eyes. There it was, those mesmerising eyes of his. The ones you have been craving to make eye contact with for weeks. Your mind went blank, you didn’t know what to say.

“Ahjussi…” was the only word that had come out of your mouth. Choi Mujin had looked at your face with a frown. His eyes slowly left your face and looked at your appearance. You looked down too. You were in a loose oversized t-shirt, and sweat pants. Ah, now you knew why Taeju had looked at you from top to toe. He was checking if there were any visible bruises or injuries that Choi Mujin might see. Fortunately, there wasn’t any. You weren’t sure about your face though. Taeju did throw light punches, but you still felt it throb once or twice.

“Why are you sleeping here?” Choi Mujin asked. He had sat on one of the short pillars, looking into the distance.

“I…accidentally dozed off.” You looked over to him, realizing how much you’ve missed him. It seemed like he wasn’t going to say anything. Therefore, you decided to.

“How have you been, ahjussi?” It was a question that you genuinely wanted to know the answer to. You had wondered every day. If he was fine. If he was happy. If he was eating well.

He had turned to you this time, looking deep into your eyes.

“Good. You?”

“Yeah, good.”

You both knew it was a lie. After 2 weeks of not spending time with him, it had felt like…you and him had grown apart. You were upset about it, but he didn’t seem like he was. You didn’t want to make a big deal out of nothing. Therefore, you stayed silent. Just him being there, was more than enough for you.

--

You decided it was time to head home. It was late, and you felt filthy from the sweat on your body. You didn’t want Choi Mujin to think you were clingy by sticking to him. It had been around an hour and if you stayed longer, you didn’t know what would he think of you. You had got up, and brushed the dirt off your pants.

“I should head home…” You wondered if he would offer to give you a ride. But he had only nodded his head, and said “Get home safe.”. You turned on your heel and walked home, feeling the night breeze.

As soon as you got home, you took a burning hot shower, to wake yourself up from…wanting something that you shouldn’t. You didn’t know how long you stayed in the shower, letting the burning water run over every inch of your skin. When you were finally done, you blow dried your hair, and went straight to bed.

--

You woke up around noon the next day. You decided to stay home for the day. You wanted some me-time, and some time to watch kdramas. Your father wasn’t going to be home anyway, so you had the whole house to yourself. You sang, you danced, you jumped on your bed, you had a mini-concert. By the time you were finished, you felt like you were going to die from shortness of breath. But you didn’t.

--

You would still go to the gym almost every day, training hard, chat with Gangjae. Gangjae would always bring you out for lunch, visiting restaurants that serves the food you craved. Sometimes he would bring you to arcades, or to karaoke stores. You enjoyed every moment you spent with him, but it just…wasn’t the type of feeling you felt for the older man.

Choi Mujin would be at the gym sometimes, but he just wouldn’t look at you. At this point, you were used to it. You didn’t look forward to anything anymore. You just went on with your daily routine, not wanting to upset yourself by thinking too much. Sometimes, your father would be at the gym too, and you would always leave with Gangjae. Because your father would nag you every single time he sees you training. Even after you told him thousands of times that it was only for the sake of being able to protect yourself.

You would try to find out more about the note you got, but you always hit dead-ends. Gangjae had helped you too, but it just seemed like there was someone intentionally blocking access to the information. Then why would they give me a note? You didn’t know what was their intention. Why would they give you a note and then stop you from finding out the information? No matter how much you racked your brain, it just doesn’t make sense. Even finding out the names of your biological parents were impossible.

You didn’t want to ask Choi Mujin about it. Because you know for a fact that he would say it isn’t his place to tell you, and it isn’t a matter he should interfere in.

You were walking alone to the street food market. A cold breeze had made you chilly. You stuffed your hands into your pocket to warm it up, when you feel the rustling of a paper, again. You closed your eyes, took a deep breath, and took it out. You unfolded it, and it read:

“Start investigating from your father’s belongings.”

Chapter Text

Your father’s room was now in a mess. You had searched his clothing, went through his dressers, under the bed, but to no avail. You huffed out a breath of frustration. Did your father clear out the things you shouldn’t see when you weren’t around? Did he hide them already?

You looked around the small room. You decided to clean up and put everything back in place. When you were done, you looked around again. Your eyes landed on his wardrobe. You wondered if there could be anything behind it, like what you see in the movies. You never try, you never know. Therefore, you pushed the wardrobe away from the wall, and looked behind it.

Bingo. There was an envelope stuck to the back of the wardrobe, filled with dust. You checked the time, making sure your father isn’t going to be home anytime soon, before you removed the envelope from the back of the wardrobe. You slowly wiped away the accumulated dust with a piece of tissue, preventing the dust from flying everywhere. As your father would probably notice something is up if he sees clouds of dust in his room.

You opened the envelope, and poured out its contents. There was a picture, a gold zippo lighter and…a ring? You picked up the picture first. There were 2 men in the picture, shirtless, showing off their tattoo. The Dongcheonpa tattoo, to be specific. One was your father, Donghoon. The other one was…the guy you saw in the picture locket. Which means…he’s your biological father, and he was part of Dongcheonpa too. Which would mean…Choi Mujin knew your biological father too. You brought the picture closer to you, trying to take a better look at your biological father’s face. You felt upset, for not knowing your biological father. But there was nothing you can do.

You picked up the zippo lighter next. You flipped open the cover, and there was something engraved on the inside of the cover. 김정도, Kim Jeong Do. Was this your father’s name? Did this zippo lighter belong to your late father? You decided to quickly move on to the ring. As you have expected, there were carvings on the inside of the ring, too. This time, there was a date, and some initials.

1998.10.28 YJ

You wondered if the date was your biological parent’s wedding date. What else could it be? You weren’t sure. The initials…could be your mother’s name. But how can you find out her exact name? You decided to whip out your phone and swiftly snap photos of everything, put them back into the envelope and attach it to the back of the wardrobe. You made sure everything was back in place before leaving the room. You didn’t even know when was your biological parent’s death. You wanted to use the internet to search for information. But you didn’t know what to type in. You had typed in your father’s name, and the date on the ring. But there wasn’t anything related to your father.

You had phoned Gangjae, asking him where he was, and if you could meet him. He agreed without hesitation, and said he was on his way to your apartment to pick you up. You didn’t wait for long until he arrived. You hopped into his car, and he brought you to a café, with not many people. You gave him a grateful smile, and then you told him everything. From the note you had received again, to showing him the pictures on your phone.

To say that Gangjae was shocked that your biological father was part of Dongcheonpa was an understatement. Gangjae’s jaw had dropped so low it almost hit the floor.

“No way. I wonder how he died, though. Did your adoptive father really kill him? What about your mom though? Are you really sure they’re both dead?” Gangjae asked.

“Right. I have to check if they’re really dead. But how? I don’t have connections.” You told Gangjae. Gangjae looked to be deep in thought, before he continued.

“Don’t worry. I know a guy. I’ll ask him and let you know.”

--

Gangjae had driven you home, and had got off the car to see you get into the building. You didn’t know how to repay him for all the things he had done for you. He was there for you every single time you needed him, but you didn’t do much for him at all. You hesitated for a moment, before you decided to give him a hug. To thank him. Actions speak louder than words, right?

You felt his body tense for a moment, before he wrapped his arms around you.

“Thank you, Gangjae. For everything. I really appreciate it.” You felt him put his hand on the back of your head, pulling you closer to him. Your head was at his chest level, and you swear you heard his heart racing. You released the hug after a while. You didn’t want to lead him on. He had a big smile stretched on his face when you looked up at him. A smile of your own had found its way to your lips. Because of how cute Gangjae looked for a gangster. He didn’t even seem like a gangster to you. But it was probably because you haven’t seen that side of him yet.

You had finally entered the building and into your apartment. It was late, and you were tired. You took a shower, and collapsed on your bed, trying to fall asleep, but it was ineffective.

--

Choi Mujin had been outside the building of your apartment. He just wanted to see you, initially. He did, but you were with Gangjae. He had seen you give Gangjae a hug. Choi Mujin didn’t know what was it he was feeling. But he didn’t like the feeling of that. His heart raced. His forehead creased. His fists clenched. He knew that Gangjae had feelings for you. Hence the reason why he was always around you, sticking to you. The moment he saw Gangjae wrapping his arms around you, pulling you closer, Choi Mujin had to fight the urge to get off the car and pull him away from you. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself down, and subside his anger. Deep down, he knew he had…felt attraction towards you. But he didn’t want to admit it. He had told himself over and over again, that he only cared for you like a father would for a daughter.

--

You barely got any sleep. Your mind was filled with thoughts of your biological parents. Your biological father was part of Dongcheonpa too. It was something you had never expected. You wondered if your mom knew about your dad being in the gang. Wasn’t it dangerous for her? To be the wife of a gangster? Family members were always weaknesses that would be used to threaten gang members. Your mind went on and on, with scenarios filling your head.

You had fallen asleep for a mere hour or two. When you awoke, you had the urge to go the gym to train. It has been a few days, and your muscles were aching to punch something. You quickly got dressed in your usual oversized tee and sweatpants, and made your way to the gym.

Arriving at the gym, you went straight to the punching bag. You let out your all. Soon, you were drenched in sweat. You took a short break, sitting on a bench and gulping down a bottle of water. Gangjae joined you on the bench, and told you he had some new information. The both of you had stepped out of the gym to talk about it.

--

Again, Choi Mujin had been at the second level of the gym, observing your every move. He had wondered what was on your mind when you punched the punching bag. As it had seemed like you were using the punching bag to release your stress. You hadn’t talked to him in a while, and you weren’t like how you used to be. You used to tell him your problems, and said whatever was on your mind. But not anymore, and Choi Mujin had missed that part of you. But he knew it was his fault. He had no choice but to distance himself from you because your father was watching. He was still thinking of ways to solve the problem, but there was only one way, and that was to send your father away. But he couldn’t do that, not now. It would raise suspicions. He had no choice, but to keep you waiting, until he finally figures out a solution.

--

“Here are the files on Kim Jeong Do. Take a look.” Gangjae had passed you a brown envelope.

You opened the envelope and took out the contents. Your eyes scanned through the documents.

Drug Trafficking. Assault. Bodily Harm. Date of Death, 2002.10.27. Cause of Death, Charcoal-Burning Suicide.

Your fished out your phone and scrolled to the picture of the ring you took. 1998.10.28. 4 years and 1 day apart. You quickly looked for the date of his wedding on the documents. It was a match. 1998.10.28. This meant your biological father died one day before the anniversary. Suicide? One day before their wedding anniversary? Something wasn’t adding up.

You flipped to the next page of the paper. Kang Yeon Ju. YJ? This was your mother’s information.

Date of Death, 2002.10.28. Cause of Death, Taktsubo Cardiomyopathy.

You didn’t understand the medical term used. Quickly typing it into Google, the results revealed that it meant dying of a broken heart, also known as heartbreak syndrome. You felt your eyes tear up. Your mom had passed away because…your father passed away. Your mom probably couldn’t handle the fact that your father has passed, leaving her and the baby alone. Therefore…she too… All that on the day of their wedding anniversary too.

You had wiped off a stray tear and put the documents back into the brown envelope. It was a lot to take in. Gangjae had put an arm around your shoulder, comforting you silently.

“Thank you, Gangjae. For finding out this information for me. I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy to ask your…friend for a favor. Thank you, Gangjae. I really don’t know how to repay you.” You choked out.

“It’s nothing, really. Don’t worry about it Jiwoo. No repaying is needed.” He reassured you.

The both of you had stayed like that in silence, slowly processing all the information. When someone cleared their throat behind the both of you. Gangjae had retracted his arm in an instant. The both of you turned around, seeing the boss standing there with his hands in his pockets. Gangjae had quickly bowed and muttered I’ll get going to you before he scrammed, leaving you and the boss alone.

You turned back to the waters, and Choi Mujin slowly made his way next to you. Your mind was blank, again. You didn’t know what to say to him anymore. It felt like he was a stranger. But your worries were soon gone, as he spoke first.

“What’s that you’re holding?” He had eyed the brown envelope that was in your hand.

“It’s nothing.” You said without moving the envelope. You didn’t want to make it obvious that it’s something he shouldn’t know by shoving it behind your back like in the movies. But of course, Choi Mujin wasn’t any ordinary man. He knows when something is up.

“You don’t trust me?”

You looked at him. You couldn’t believe it that he had asked you that question. He was probably the person you trust the most in the world. But his eyes, it showed nothing but sincereness. Did he really doubt your trust towards him?

“What makes you think that?”

It was as if the both of you were communicating with nothing but eye contact. You tried to show him that you trusted him with your eyes. But you weren’t sure if it had been delivered correctly. His eyes were still, partly filled with doubt. You wanted to make it go away. You wanted him to know you trust him with all your heart.

Therefore, you chose to pass him the brown envelope.

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin had taken out the documents from the brown envelope. He had briefly skimmed over the information. Your eyes were trained on his face, eager to spot even the slightest tick of his brow. You believed you were observant. You could spot even the slightest details. But not this time. You weren’t sure if Choi Mujin was really good at acting, or he genuinely didn’t know anything. There was only plain confusion on his chiseled features. After scanning both your biological parent’s profiles, he looked at you.

“What is this? Why do you have this?” You looked into his eyes, trying to find anything, that could expose him lying. But no, there was nothing. He was sincere. He genuinely didn’t know what was going on. You hesitated for a moment. You didn’t know how to answer him. You contemplated whether or not to just tell him everything, from the very beginning. You had unconsciously bit your lip again. A habit when you were nervous, anxious. You had zoned out, thinking through all the possible scenarios of what could happen if you told him, and if you didn’t.

Choi Mujin’s eyes had found its way to your lips again. That habit of yours drives him crazy, but he wasn’t going to admit it. He looked at you, deep in thought. He looked back to the documents. He really had no idea what was going on. Your facial expressions had told him you were hesitating to let him in on it. He didn’t want to force you, but now that he has been let in on a little bit of it, he wanted to know the rest.

“Jiwoo-ssi.” He had called out your name to bring you back to earth.

You train of thoughts got cut off, and you looked into his eyes again. You wanted to make sure you wouldn’t regret telling him everything. Seeing only sincerity and curiosity in his eyes, you let out a breath of frustration and decided to tell him.

“Kim Jeong Do. He was part of the gang, right?”

“Yes. A long time ago. Why? What happened?”

“He’s my biological father.”

You knew Choi Mujin hated people beating around the bush. Therefore, you told him directly. His face scrunched into one of disbelief.

“Jeong Do-hyung…is your biological father?” His eyebrows had creased together even more, if possible. He shuffled through the documents again. Seemingly trying to connect the dots. You had let him process the newly acquired information for a few minutes, without telling him anything else.

--

You had told him everything. From the first note you received. To the access of the information seemingly being blocked by someone. To the second note you received. To the envelope behind your father’s wardrobe. To the wedding dates. To the suicide, and lastly to your mother’s death. You had explained your speculations, to your doubts.

“It’s just weird that my biological father committed suicide one day before his wedding anniversary, and that my mom died on their wedding anniversary. I just can’t think it through. It’s weird that they left a baby behind. Right?”

Choi Mujin seemed to be at a lost for words. He was never at a lost for words. Ever.

“My father…adoptive father, I mean. What kind of person is he? While in the gang. Does he kill? Without hesitation?”

“Yes, he was reckless. He’s…efficient. That’s one way to put it. He gets his job done. By all means. But…he and Jeong Do-hyung were best friends. They were practically inseparable. Donghoon-hyung wouldn’t…”

Choi Mujin had trailed off. He appeared to have said whatever was on his mind, like he was mumbling to himself. That was the moment you knew; he was just as confused as you were. It was the right choice to tell him.

He had suddenly looked at you amidst of his thinking, with concern evident on his face.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? You could’ve been in danger.” He had conveyed the message with an angry tone. But you knew, it was just his way of caring. You smiled a little to yourself, having missed this feeling.

“How could I? You didn’t even cast a glance at me once during those 2 weeks. I was basically invisible to you.” You said with a pout, just to see his reaction.

You saw him gulp, eyes suddenly darting. His eyes had found its way back to you with an apologetic look. You knew you had succeeded in making him feel bad, and with that, you felt giddy inside.

“I’m sorry, Jiwoo. It’s my fault. I wasn’t there for you when I said I would be. From now onwards, you can come to me. Anytime, anywhere.” Choi Mujin maintained eye contact with you while uttering those words. You felt your knees buckle, stomach doing flips, and heart thumping out of your chest. You had managed to maintain calm, with an unaffected appearance. You had nodded your head as a reply because if you were to talk, you had a feeling you would stutter. You didn’t want to embarrass yourself. But you felt like he could see right through you. Your nervousness, your excitement.

As if his words didn’t affect you enough, his hand had come up to your head, petting it a few times. You had clenched your jaw and exhaled to keep your cool. He seemed to have done it on purpose, and he seemed to be having fun teasing you. A small smirk has settled on his lips again, after seeing how he affected you. However, the smirk on his lips didn’t get to stay there for long.

“Daughter!” A voice came from behind. You and Choi Mujin exchanged looks, before you turned around with a fake smile plastered on your face.

“Appa.” You called out.

Your father eyed both you and Choi Mujin with a suspicious look.

“Mujin-hyung. What are you doing here with my daughter?”

You looked over to Choi Mujin. As expected, he was calm. He is a mafia boss after all.

“Coincidence, hyung.” Just those 2 words had managed to shut Donghoon up. He couldn’t question the boss now, could he?

You took it as your que to leave, silently entrusting the brown envelope in his hands to him, with the exchange of eye contact.

“I’ll leave you two to it.” You had said, and left. You entered the gym, looking around for Gangjae. You wanted to update him on everything.

--

Donghoon had spotted the brown envelope in Choi Mujin’s hands.

“What’s that envelope you’re holding, hyung?”

Choi Mujin looked down at the envelope, and looked back at Donghoon.

“Some documents.” Choi Mujin had replied, and looked towards the waters, as a sign for Donghoon to stop asking. Donghoon managed to understand his sign, and had stopped prying into the brown envelope. He had changed the topic, and discussed projects about the gang with Choi Mujin.

--

You had continued to train until late at night, because you had nowhere to go, and nothing else to do. You had sparred with Gangjae a few times, but he never hit you. He always stopped at least 2 inches away so he wouldn’t hit you. He had asked you to hit him, and that he was fine with it. But you tried not to. It was fun, sparring with him. It gives you life. He was practically your first friend, and he made you feel alive.

However, he had to leave early for some business. Therefore, you stayed back, training until your body couldn’t take it anymore. You had quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes, as the one you were wearing was damp with sweat and stunk. Running your fingers through your hair, you tried to tame your hair that was sticking out in all directions. You walked out of the gym, feeling a cool breeze slap you in the face. It was a cold night. You shivered and rubbed your hands on your arms, attempting to warm yourself up. Walking to the path to get home, you heard the familiar sound of a horn. Is it… You didn’t want to disappoint yourself by assuming it’s him. You slowly turned around and see the familiar figure winding down the windows. Your heart had skipped a beat when he motioned you to get in with his hands. You stood frozen to the spot for a few seconds, before lightly jogging over to his car, getting in and sitting on the passenger seat. You were engulfed with the scent of his cologne. You briefly inhaled it, as it calmed your senses.

Your eyes were trained on the road, waiting for him to start driving. But he didn’t. You slowly looked at him from the corner of your eye, and his body was turned towards you, with his gaze fixed on you. You slowly exhaled to calm yourself down, along with the rapidly beating heart in your chest. You slowly turned your head to look at him. Your eyes darting here and there from the nervousness. It has been…a while since the two of you were confined in a small place like this in close proximity. You had almost forgotten how it affected you.

“What?” You asked him. But he had only continued to stare you down. You looked away at first, but then the bold part of you had suddenly emerged, and then you decided to have a staring contest with him. You mirrored his actions, staring at him with a confident yet playful gaze. But the longer he stared, the more your confidence dropped. His hands slowly came up to your face, and you closed your eyes with a frown. It was subconsciously done. You felt his hand stroke your hair, pushing some stray hair away from your face. You opened your eyes to see him even closer to you than before. Your hands started fidgeting from the nervousness, and his hand was suddenly on yours, trying to calm you down. But what he didn’t know was, it was increasing your nervousness.

You lightly backed away, as the situation was overwhelming. He had taken that as his que to lean back into his seat, and start driving. You, too, leaned back onto the passenger seat. You looked out the window, trying to calm your racing heart. Your mind had replayed the scene from a few minutes ago over and over again. Your heart wasn’t going to calm down anytime soon. You looked over to him driving. Your eyes scanned his hands, the face he made while concentrating.

This is bad. You were falling for him all over again. You looked back out the window, reminding yourself to breathe. Your hands were on your lap, clenching and unclenching. A warm and rough hand suddenly found its way to your hands. You looked down on your hands and his hands were just resting there, on top of yours. You looked at his face. There weren’t any facial expressions. But his hand had squeezed yours, as a sign of reassurance. Somehow, it felt like an apology too. The both of you had stayed that way the whole ride back to your apartment. It was a small gesture, but it had made your whole day, or week even.

Time had suddenly passed like lightning. It felt like the journey had only been a mere few seconds. You didn’t want to get off the car. His hand was still on yours, too. You finally mustered up your courage to turn to him. He was already looking at you.

“I’ll get going…Thank you for the ride…ahjussi.” You gave him a small smile, and gathered your things before getting off the car. You bowed to him and entered the building, only hearing the engine of his car rev away after you turned on the light in your room. You looked down on your hand, and you had missed his touch already.

­--

It felt like forever since you had called him ahjussi, while in reality it had only been a few days. But what you didn’t know was that you could get Choi Mujin’s heart racing just by calling him ahjussi. Choi Mujin had to place his hand on top of his racing heart to calm it down after you had gotten off the car. He couldn’t believe the effect a little girl had on him. He had watched the window of your room, making sure you had arrived home safely, before driving away. The whole ride back to Liber Hotel, his mind was replaying the moment he put his hand on your small and cold ones. It wasn’t much, but he liked holding your hand. He silently cursed himself for acting like this, but he was in no control of his feelings. Soon after, his mind was filled with thoughts of Kim Jeong Do, his dead friend.

Chapter Text

Seated at his desk in the dimly lit office, Choi Mujin had tried to recall his memories about Kim Jeong Do. Choi Mujin wasn’t the head of the gang at that time, therefore there were many things he didn’t know. But no matter how much he thought about it, in his mind, Donghoon couldn’t have killed Jeong Do. He wouldn’t. But the note you got…there has got to be some kind of evidence for the person to confidently tell you that Donghoon is the killer. Choi Mujin wanted to investigate deeper. But he didn’t know where to start. Most of his fellow gang members from back then, were long dead. He was the closest to Donghoon and Jeong Do. He wasn’t sure if anyone else would’ve known about this.

Choi Mujin swirled the glass of whiskey in his hands, before taking a sip of it, letting it flow down his throat with a burning sensation. Thinking, thinking, thinking. Should he just ask Donghoon? Or should he investigate in secret? He wasn’t sure. But he had called in Taeju.

Taeju strode in, giving the boss a bow, waiting for his orders. Choi Mujin had briefly told Taeju about you receiving notes from an unknown person. Taeju had listened intentively.

“Find out who it is.” Choi Mujin gave out the order. Taeju wasted no time as he was out the door the next second.

Choi Mujin leaned back into his seat, turning it around to face the windows.

­--

You had nothing much to do at home, therefore you decided to go on an excursion. You never really explored the city before. You were always either cooped up at home, or at school. You didn’t have friends to go anywhere with, and you disliked seeing people with friends wherever you went, as you were reminded of how alone and miserable you were. But not now, not anymore. You don’t care about how people make you feel, or how people think of you anymore. There were quite a number of places you wanted to visit. You had seen those places on social media, with great reviews. Cafes, street foods, boutiques.

You didn’t have a car to drive, and you didn’t want to bother Gangjae. Therefore, you decided to make use of public transport. It was your first time, and you had done some research. It was easy, and so you headed to the subway station nearest to your apartment, and got on the train. You had to hold onto the handrails because you couldn’t keep your balance. Everyone around you had no problem keeping their balance even without the help of handrails. You wondered how they did that so effortlessly, but you believed you would get the hang of it soon.

You had quickly arrived at your destination, and you entered a dog café. The fluffy friends had surrounded you with their fluffiness, and your heart melted at how cute they were. You had spent a few hours in the café, playing with the adorable balls of fluff. One glance out the window had made you realise the sun was setting, and you’ve only managed to visit one place out of the thousands you had added to your list. You stomach was rumbling, therefore you decided to get a simple dinner. You left the dog café with a heavy heart, and soon entered a small pasta restaurant. You had ordered a carbonara, and had inhaled it in the blink of an eye.

You slowly made your way back to the subway station, and took the train home.

--

It has been a week since you started taking the train to visit places you’ve wanted to. You’ve managed to cover quite a few places, and you got some new clothing. You were now able to keep your balance in the train without handrails. It was an achievement to you. You didn’t know being alone could be so fun. It felt like you had all the time and freedom in the world. You had managed to spot quite a few hot guys while roaming around. To your surprise, one of them had asked you for your social media, because apparently you had attracted him. You hesitated, because this was a first for you. But you had given him your Instagram account, and he had texted you a few times.

Gangjae had called you and asked you where you’ve been, as you weren’t at the gym. You had told him about your excursion, and he said he wanted to join you in the near future. Being on an excursion had managed to make you think less about Choi Mujin at times, but you had also wished he was next to you most of the time. You wanted to share the happiness with him. He didn’t really seem like a happy person, you know?

You were walking home late at night after exploring. The places you’ve visited were full of life, with some promoters selling certain items, giving out samples. You tried every one of the samples you could. There were a huge variety of food, drinks and snacks. A few of them were alcohol samples. The promoters told you they were flavoured, and that it tastes good. Therefore, you tried a few cups. It was good, honestly. You weren’t the type to get red-faced from alcohol, therefore you weren’t worried. No one could tell you drank unless you told them.

You neared the building of your apartment. Your eyelids slightly drooping.

“Jiwoo.” A voice called out. You didn’t need to turn around to know who’s voice it was. After all this effort to not think about him… You mentally cursed at his unexpected presence. You were wide awake now, with not even one ounce of sleepiness left. You turned to look at him and he signalled for you to get into the passenger seat, and so you did. You were once again welcomed with the scent of him, and his cologne. You turned to him. He suddenly had a frown on his face, sniffing.

“Did you drink?” He asked while looking into your eyes.

“Just a bit.” You said with your lips in a straight line.

“Where did you go?” He continued with another question.

He felt more like your father than your father. Your father probably didn’t even know you left the house. You huffed out a chuckle, now slightly smiling.

“Hongdae.” You answered.

“Who did you go with?” He continued.

You didn’t hold back your smile.

“Alone.” You still answered him.

“Why did you drink?”

You were full on smiling now. But he wasn’t. He still had that serious look on his face. The more you smiled, the more serious he looked.

“It was free samples.” You said while looking at him.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Because you’re cute.” You said without hesitation. It had caught him off guard, but you managed to put a tiny smile on his face. He had quickly recomposed himself, and looked at you with a serious face again.

“I’m here to tell you that we found out the identity of the person who passed you notes.”

That had perked up your interest, and you stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue.

“His name is Kim Jeong Woo. He’s your biological father’s brother. Your uncle.”

“My…uncle…?” You mumbled to yourself.

“Yes, but we’re still locating him at the moment. It won’t be long.” Choi Mujin assured you.

You nodded your head in response, trying to process the information. A hand on your head had made you jump a little, cutting off your train of thoughts. You looked over to Choi Mujin.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find out the truth.”

“Okay. Thank you ahjussi.” You gave him a small smile. You had remained in the car with him in silence, appreciating his presence. But it was late, and you were tired. You had no choice but to leave.

“I should get going. Get home safe, ahjussi.” You told him and got off the car, instantly missing the scent of him. You looked back and bowed to him, before getting inside the building.

--

You had went exploring on your own again. You were getting the hang of it, and learnt to enjoy being alone. However, this time you didn’t venture for long. You wanted to get back to the gym for training. You had delayed your training for quite a while, and felt like you were getting out of shape.

You managed to arrive at the gym late afternoon, and started training right away. You trained with Gangjae for a few hours, and took a break at the reservoir. You hear footsteps approaching, along with a silhouette. You knew who it was just by the sound of his footsteps. Therefore, you didn’t bother to turn around. You continued staring out into the distance, as the scent of his cologne slowly started to find its way to your nose.

“Jiwoo.” He had said with his husky voice. It had made your stomach do flips and your knees weak. You took a deep breath before replying.

“Hmm?”

A hand was suddenly on your shoulder, turning you around. You were now facing him. His hands had dropped back to his sides. Again, it looked like something serious was going on, as there was no sign of happiness on his features.

“We found him. Let’s go.”

As soon as those words were out of his mouth, he held your hand and led you towards his car. You were too shocked to say anything, and you took the opportunity to hold his hand tight, feeling the roughness and warmth of them. He had opened the car door for you again, and put a hand above your head to prevent you from knocking your head on the door frame of the car. It was a small gesture, but everything he does had an unexplainable effect on you.

Choi Mujin was silent throughout the journey, and you had kept quiet too. He looked intimidating, and for some reason, you were a little scared. Therefore, you didn’t utter a single word, and just looked out the window the whole time. Your mind ran, nervous about meeting your…uncle. What was he going to say? What was he going to do? You were anxious. Worried. Before you knew it, Choi Mujin had parked the car, and got off. He had opened the car door for you, and as soon as you got off the car, you felt like you couldn’t breathe. Choi Mujin had seemed to notice your anxiety, and had grabbed your hand, squeezing it to let you know he’s there with you. You sent a grateful smile his way, and followed him inside the small café.

Choi Mujin led the way to a small table in the corner, where another man was seated. Choi Mujin had already approached the man, while you stopped to regulate your breathing. Telling yourself it’s going to be okay; you made your way over to the two men.

You bowed to your…uncle the moment he noticed you, and he bowed too. He had asked the both of you to get seated, and you did.

“Jiwoo, right? It’s nice to meet you officially. I’m sure you already know, but I’m your samchon, Jeong Woo. I’m sorry for…coming to you, only now…after 18 years.” Your uncle had formally introduced himself and apologised.

“Yes, I’m Jiwoo. It’s nice to meet you too…samchon…and it’s okay…as long as you’re here now.” He had a proud smile on his face, nodding.

“Let’s talk business now, shall we?” Choi Mujin interfered. Your uncle had quickly nodded, digging into his bag. He pulled out a brown envelope, and placed it on the table.

“This is proof, of Donghoon’s murder.” Your uncle said, while he slid the envelope towards the both of you. Choi Mujin had looked at you, before grabbing the envelope, and pouring out the contents onto the table.

Chapter Text

You were in the car with Choi Mujin. Your mind was…confused, in disbelief, skeptical.

Choi Mujin had poured out the contents of the brown envelope. There was a document. An NFS report, to be specific. Flipping it open, it was Kim Jeong Do’s autopsy report.

Cause of death, Blunt Force Trauma. DNA found under fingernails belongs to Yoon Donghoon.

There was a USB in the brown envelope other than the NFS document. Choi Mujin had plugged the USB into a laptop and hit the play button.

“I thought I could trust you, Jeong Do-hyung. Why did you do that to me?”

“No, hyung, it’s all a misunderstanding, please. Hear me out.”

“Shut your mouth. Even at this point, you’re trying to lie to my face?”

“No, hyung. Please, I’m trying to explain myself. I don’t know where you heard it, but it’s not true.”

“I have the proof. I shouldn’t have trusted you, you fucking bastard.”

Thud.

Silence.

“Where did you get these, Jeong Woo?” Choi Mujin had asked your uncle.

“I was a former NFS employee. We were told to fabricate the report, and that we would get killed if we didn’t. We didn’t have a choice. It was dangerous for us. But I kept the original report, just in case. The USB…there was a recorder in Jeong Do’s room where he passed. I found it when I was cleaning up his room. I’m sorry for only revealing this now.” Your uncle had explained.

--

Your adoptive father had said the last sentence of the conversation before everything went silent. It sounded like your adoptive father had attacked your biological father. You weren’t sure if the recording file could be trusted. But there was the autopsy report too. Choi Mujin had told you he would check the facts, and had told you not to worry and think too much. But it was hard not to think about it. It involved the man who raised you for 18 years. He didn’t seem like…you weren’t sure. You didn’t want to assume anything before it’s confirmed.

“Do you want to go home? Or…” You were brought back to reality by Choi Mujin. You wondered if you wanted to go home. But if not home, where else could you go? You had nowhere else to go besides your home. You thought about how you should answer Choi Mujin. But it seemed that he had sensed your reluctance even without the need of you saying a single word.

“Let’s go to Liber Hotel, okay?” He had spoken with a gentle tone, and you simply nodded, agreeing.

--

It has been a while since you last came to Liber Hotel. You had followed behind Choi Mujin like a lost puppy, with the employees of the hotel bowing to both you and Choi Mujin. However, after a while, Choi Mujin had slowed down his pace to walk beside you, and not in front of you. You pretended like it wasn’t a big deal. But you were shocked, touched, excited, nervous. You wondered why he did what he did. Was it just a simple act of concern?

Arriving at the rooftop bar of the hotel, Choi Mujin led you to a table at the edge, allowing you to see the whole of Seoul. You breathed in the fresh air, while Choi Mujin called over the waiter and placed your orders. He didn’t ask you what you wanted, but you didn’t mind. You trusted him. Looking over the whole city, it had taken your mind off the situation for a while. The food arrived pretty quickly, probably because it was the boss who placed the order.

You looked at your plate. It was high-class tteokbokki that was made into a smiley face. Your expression reflected the one on the plate. A genuine smile. You looked up at Choi Mujin and he was already looking at you with a small smile.

“Thank you, ahjussi. You made my day.” You said honestly.

“It’s no big deal. Eat.”

You started digging in. It was good. You didn’t expect Choi Mujin to remember you liking tteokbokki. You looked at him from time to time, consuming his steak. You looked like a fool eating tteokbokki next to him who was gracefully putting pieces of steak into his mouth. You finished your food and looked back at the scenery. A cool blast of wind came from nowhere, sending chills down your spine, and messing up your hair. You ran your fingers through your hair, smoothing them out.

Choi Mujin had looked at you. He noticed red sauce on the side of your lips, and several strands of your hair stubborn, not wanting to go back in place. Instinctively, he reached out to smooth out your hair, patting your head as well. After he was done fixing your hair, he grabbed your chin, and ran his thumb at the side of your lips, wiping away the sauce. You gulped from the sudden touch. You were certain you were as red as a tomato at that moment, as you felt heat creep up your neck and onto your cheeks. You muttered a thanks and scratched the back of your neck, avoiding eye contact.

Choi Mujin had smiled to himself when you weren’t looking. He was having fun teasing you, testing the effect he had on you. He didn’t expect you to turn into a tomato. He continued consuming his steak, leaving you to calm down.

--

“Here, this is the key card to the suite on the top most level. You can stay here anytime you like. It’s yours.” Choi Mujin handed you a black and gold card, with the words Liber Hotel imprinted on it.

“No, ahjussi. It’s okay. I don’t need a suite. I…won’t be here for long.” You felt bad, like you were making use of him. But he didn’t take no for an answer. He slipped the card into your pocket, and walked away.

You decided to just listen to him, and made your way to the suite. The suite was way bigger than your apartment, with large floor to ceiling windows, allowing you to view the entirety of Seoul. You snuggled under the covers, closing your eyes and slowly dozed off.

--

Choi Mujin had made his way back to his office, collapsing on his chair. He had called in Taeju again, wanting to entrust him with another task. Taeju strode in not too long after, bowing 90 degrees to his boss.

“Taeju-yah, help me with this. Check the credibility of it. Thank you for your hard work, Taeju.” Choi Mujin said to Taeju while passing him the brown envelope he got from your uncle, slightly feeling bad for asking him to dig into something that had happened almost 20 years ago.

“Don’t mention it, boss. It’s my job to serve you.” Taeju replied, and proceeded out the door.

Choi Mujin walked over to the liquor counter in his office, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. Gulping it down, he felt his nerves slowly relax, as he exhaled and thought about you. He pitied you, for having to go through all these at such a young age. He wanted to be with you at all times, but he knows he couldn’t do that. He’s not supposed to. He didn’t want you to grow attached to him. He was afraid…that something might happen to him, and that you would have to live on without him.

Grabbing a cigar from his cigar collection, he snapped off the tip and started smoking it. As usual, he turned his chair around, closing his eyes. Soon enough, he dozed off, which was a rare occasion. Because he never dozes off in his office.

--

The sound of his door opening startled him awake, and he turned his chair around looking at the person who had entered his office. Taeju. Holding the brown envelope he had entrusted him earlier. Choi Mujin lightly rubbed his eyes, ridding the sleepiness. Sipping on his leftover whiskey, he motioned Taeju to report on what he had found.

“Boss, I’ve checked it. It seems credible. But because it happened so long ago, I wasn’t able to make sure it’s100% true. The other NFS employees who worked on this case in the past had all died, so there wasn’t anyone I could ask. As for the recording, no one else was present. But we ran it through a fabrication detector, and it didn’t detect any fabrication.” Taeju explained the whole situation to his boss, who nodded while listening.

“Good job, Taeju. Thank you.” Choi Mujin got up from his seat, and walked towards Taeju. Choi Mujin patted his shoulder, nodding and giving him a small smile, before leaving his office.

Choi Mujin slowly made his way to your suite, wanting to let you know that the information from your uncle is probably true. Choi Mujin pressed the bell a few times, but there was no answer. Attaching his ear to the door, he tried to listen for any sounds of movement. There wasn’t any. He started feeling anxious and worried. He thought of the worst, even though he didn’t want to. He was afraid something had happened to you. He quickly took out a master key from the inside pocket of his coat, and scanned it on the door scanner. The green light and light beeping indicated the door was now unlocked. Choi Mujin softly opened the door, walking inside the dimly lit hotel room.

Choi Mujin looked around, trying to locate you. He had called out your name a few times, but there was no answer. Reaching the bedroom, the door was slightly ajar. He slowly pushed open the bedroom door, and there you were. Buried in the sheets, lightly snoring away. Choi Mujin felt the heavy weights lifted off his shoulders as he released a sigh of relieve. He decided to let you continue sleeping, because he knew how tired you were. Your face looked peaceful, worry-free while you were sleeping, and he liked the look of that.

Choi Mujin walked out of the bedroom, and settled down on one of the couches. He laid his head on one the armrests, while his feet dangled off the armrest on the other end. He closed his eyes, thinking of Donghoon and Jeong Do. Once again, he fell asleep, unexpectedly.

--

You had awoken, and looked out at the dark skies. You wondered how long you had slept. You checked the time on your phone, and it displayed 21:39pm. You had slept for 6 hours. That was crazy. You haven’t slept this long in a while, and you felt refreshed. Feeling dehydrated, you walked out to get a glass of water when you saw a figure sleeping on the couch. You almost screamed, but then you noticed it was Choi Mujin. You wondered why he was there, sleeping. How long has he been there? Was he waiting for you to wake up? You felt chilly, and was certain he was too. You silently made your way into the bedroom, grabbing the fluffy comforter, and laid it on top of Choi Mujin gently. He stirred for a moment, before soft snores could be heard again. You quickly grabbed your phone, and snapped a picture of him sleeping. You wanted to remember this moment, because he was kind of…adorable.

You tip-toed to the pantry area, grabbing a bottle of water and gulping it down. You sat on a couch next to the one Choi Mujin was sleeping on, and scrolled through social media silently, not wanting to wake him.

--

You see him beginning to stir awake, and you sat up straighter. You saw the confusion in his eyes when he discovered a blanket on top of him, then he looked around and his eyes landed on you.

“Ahjussi, did you sleep well?” You asked him while walking over to the pantry to grab another bottle of water. Choi Mujin cleared his throat, and sat up, leaning against the couch.

“Yeah, I slept well.” He answered you. You twisted open the cap of the bottle and passed to him. He looked slightly…awkward. But cute. He gulped down the water and placed the bottle of water on the table.

“I actually came here to tell you about the information your samchon gave us. Taeju checked it and it seemed credible. What do you want to do now? Do you want to confront your father?”

You were hoping the information would be false. You didn’t really want to face your father now. You knew your temper would go off if you were to confront your father at this moment. You figured it would be best to wait a few days, for you to properly digest all these information, so that you can calmly talk to your father.

“Maybe in a few days. Not now…” You trailed off.

Choi Mujin nodded his head, letting you know he understand how you felt.

“Would you like to come with me to a place?” Choi Mujin suddenly asked you. He had that look on his face, like he was anticipating your answer to say yes.

“Sure.” You answered him and he immediately stood up, grabbing his coat and yours. He handed you your coat, and wore his own. You followed him out of the suite, and to the carpark. You got into the car, and he started driving. You didn’t ask where you guys were headed, because it was exciting this way. Like a surprise.

--

Getting off the car, your eyes lit up at the scene in front of you. Lanterns covered the entire sky, lighting up the dark night. You have never seen anything like this before, and it was astounding. You couldn’t take your eyes off the sky, and the lanterns. But Choi Mujin, he couldn’t take his eyes off of you.

You and Choi Mujin walked side by side down the small path, savouring every moment. Every time you turn to look at him, he would already be looking at you, leaving you blushing. At the end of the trail, there was a river, with candles on lotus flowers floating on the waters. It was a freezing night, even when you were wearing your coat. Goosebumps covered every inch of your skin as you shivered.

Choi Mujin held your shoulders, turning you to him. You looked up at him with your big innocent doe eyes. He looked back at you with...eyes full of emotion. His hand came up to your face, pushing your hair away. He placed his hand on your neck, wanting to warm you up. But the ring on his pinky was icy cold, making you flinch. He retracted his hand at the speed of lightning. He took off the ring, rubbed his hands together a few times, and placed them back on your neck. It was an…intimate moment. You were shy, you felt awkward.

You looked away, not being able to maintain eye contact. You heard a low chuckle rumble from his chest, as he pulled you in, hugging you tight. You inhaled the scent of him, and felt his firm body. You wished there was a pause button, because you would want to live in this moment forever, embraced in his arms.

Chapter Text

You were back to being alone in the hotel suite. For some reason, the silence and darkness…had made you feel slightly lonely, and afraid. He had released the hug after a while, after making sure you were warm enough. He patted your head, again, before walking with you back to his car, driving back to Liber Hotel. You had parted ways with him as soon as the elevator reached the floor of your suite, with him probably heading back to his office.

You sat alone in the dark, staring out the windows. You wondered why this was happening to you. What was it that you did so wrong in your past life that this is happening to you now? Your uncle should’ve taken you in instead of Donghoon…at least your uncle is actually your family. Why didn’t he? You made a mental note to remind yourself to ask him the next time you meet him.

You slowly made your way to the pantry area and made yourself a cup of coffee. Yes, you knew it was midnight. But you slept for 6 hours in the evening. You were sure you weren’t going to get to sleep anytime soon. You walked around the suite. Exploring every nook and canny you didn’t get to explore in the afternoon. It was so luxurious that you felt bad, and felt like you didn’t belong there. You glanced around looking for some sort of entertainment. Anything that can get your mind off the current situation. Next to the bed was a bedside table, with a notepad and a pencil. You grabbed both of them, and headed out to the living room, settling down on the couch facing the large windows.

You weren’t the best at drawing, since it has been quite a while since you drew. But you liked to draw during your free time…a few years ago. You picked up the pencil and began to sketch. With nothing but his face in your mind. With every stroke of the pencil, an image was beginning to form.

Placing the pencil down, you looked at the image you created. A man’s face, with his perfect beard, hair slicked back to perfection, and…his usual frown. Turns out you still had your skills after all. Feeling your confidence boost up, you figured you might as well sketch a few more while you’re at it. By the time you finished your coffee, you managed to sketch 6 mini drawings. Looking at the time, it was 5:24am. You should be able to fall asleep now, you reckoned.

Snuggling under the soft and fluffy covers once again, you let your eyelids relax as you feel sleep slowly consume you.

--

Choi Mujin spent the whole night working in his office. Planning future projects, signing documents, solving problems of his hotel. He doesn’t sleep much anyway, dozing off twice during the day was more than enough sleep for him. Might as well use the time to catch up on his work that has been piling up. The sun has risen by the time he was done with most of his work. Choi Mujin pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming. He wondered if you were up. Glancing at his watch, it read 11:09am. He wondered if you were hungry. He wondered if he should check up on you and ask you to join him for brunch. He wondered many things, but soon after, he decided not to wonder anymore, as he made his way to your suite.

Choi Mujin rang the bell a few times, before you opened the door groggily. You were in a large t-shirt and shorts that you found in the wardrobe. Choi Mujin had eyed your figure for a brief moment before averting his eyes somewhere else, not wanting to seem…

You told him to wait in the living room while you freshen up. Running into the bathroom, you took a quick shower without washing your hair, and got dressed in a simple hoodie and black high waisted jeans. You walked out into the living room, and see Choi Mujin holding the 6 sketches from last night. You mentally face palmed for forgetting about them and leaving it where Choi Mujin could see them. You made your way over to him with an awkward smile.

“Did…you draw these, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin sounded…somewhat impressed. He looked back at the 6 drawings of him, taking in every detail.

“Yea…” You trailed off. “It’s not the best.” You told him. He turned to you with a shocked and angry expression.

“What do you mean it’s not the best? How is this not the best, Jiwoo? You’re kidding me, right?” Choi Mujin basically rapped out.

“Um, alright. You can keep it if you want, ahjussi.” You offered. Right after he heard your offer, he gathered all of them and tucked it into the inner pocket of his coat. You’ve never seen this side of him, and you wished you could see more of it. It seemed like he was…becoming a kid around you, not a mafia boss. You smiled to yourself and followed him out the door, and to the coffee house.

­--

You had stuffed your face by taking every single thing they had to offer at the breakfast buffet. You gulped down some orange juice, feeling your stomach about to burst. The coffee house was filled with other guests from the hotel, and with Choi Mujin being there, the staff seemed terrified. They did their work super efficiently, clearing plates and providing top-notch service to every single person there. Many had looked at the both of you with a curious glance, probably wondering who you were. But with one look from the boss, they went back to doing their job without sparing you another glance for the rest of breakfast.

“Ahjussi, can I go out later?” Choi Mujin gave you a frown even before you finished asking the question.

“Where? With who? Why?” Every question he asked started with a W, and you remembered your teacher teaching you how to write an essay with w questions in high school. You gave Choi Mujin a smile, and gladly answered his questions.

“Hongdae, myself, for fun.” You answered honestly. Choi Mujin suddenly looked to be deep in thought. He grabbed his phone and swiped here and there, touching his beard. You looked at him, wondering what he was thinking about. He then looked back up at you.

“I’ll go with you. Let’s go.” He finished his sentence and stood up, walking out of the coffee house. You were left there sitting on your own for a good few seconds, processing his words. You quickly got up and caught up with him.

“Why? Aren’t you busy?” You were genuinely curious. He’s always busy, isn’t he? Is it even okay for him to do this? To leave his work unattended?

He didn’t answer you. He just walked straight ahead. You pouted.

“We have to go there by train though. The traffic is terrible at this time of the day.” This time, he looked at you. He seemed like he didn’t want to take the train. But of course, he had a driver to drive him anywhere and everywhere he went. Why would he want to get on the subway?

“It might take us a few hours to get there if we went by car. Have you ever taken the train before, ahjussi?”

“A long time ago. Let’s go to the train station.” He said and made his way to his car. You happily followed him, and got into the car, quickly arriving at the nearest station.

The both of you waited for the train to arrive for a few minutes, before hopping in. The train was packed, leaving you and Choi Mujin in a close proximity. You stood firmly before the train started moving, because you were used to it. However, Choi Mujin wasn’t. The moment the trained jerked forward, he lost balance and tipped towards you. You placed a hand on his chest, preventing him from falling. You looked up at him laughing, initially. Until you realised how close he was to you, with your hand on his chest, and him looking at you with…some kind of emotion in his eyes. You quickly retracted your hand, and glanced the other way.

Choi Mujin felt his heart race when you placed your hand on his chest. Your hand was so small, so cute. He felt a warm patch on his chest even when you removed your hand. The way you blushed made him feel fuzzy inside. He knew he was attracted to you, and this time he wasn’t going to deny it anymore.

--

Arriving at Hongdae after around 20 minutes, the both of you got off the train and you led the way towards the area you always went. He followed behind you, glaring at anyone who looks your way. He seemed like your personal bodyguard, and it was cute. When you arrived at the market area, you walked around, looking at things on display. Choi Mujin, too, was looking at something that caught his eye. He wasn’t far from you, maybe just a few steps away. It was at this moment, when a boy your age approached you.

“Umm, hi. Can I have your number?” The boy said to you. You were thinking how to reply when Choi Mujin was suddenly by your side.

“No.” Choi Mujin said. He held your arm and led you away. You turned back to the boy and gave him an apologetic look, mouthing a sorry to him. The whole time, Choi Mujin looked sulky. Was he jealous? Or just protective like a father? You couldn’t figure it out. He was hard to read.

­--

It has been a week since you spent every day with Choi Mujin, staying at Liber Hotel. Your father tried to call you multiple times, but you didn’t answer his call. You weren’t ready. But you needed to face him sooner or later, and you should probably face him now. You had organised your thoughts, processed every single information, thought of every possible outcome.

You had told Choi Mujin that you felt like you should face him now, and he agreed. You were now in the car with Choi Mujin, on the way to meet your father. You were worried, and upset. You tried not to think too much and to just go with the flow.

Arriving at the empty gym on a Sunday, your father was already there. He was staring at both you and Choi Mujin in a weird way the moment the both of you got down from the car. But he didn’t say anything about it.

The 3 of you were seated in Choi Mujin’s small office on the second level of the gym. You and Choi Mujin, facing your father. Choi Mujin took out the brown envelope that contained the evidence, and passed it to your father. Confusion was written all over your father’s face, while he took out the contents and scanned through them. His eyes went wide, and he looked up at the both of you.

“Care to explain?” Choi Mujin calmly said.

“This is a misunderstanding. I didn’t kill him. Hyung, you believe me, right? I wouldn’t.” Your father looked at Choi Mujin with pleading eyes. Somehow, they look sincere. Was your father always this good at acting?

“There’s proof, you’re still denying it?” Choi Mujin asked.

“Where did you get this? It’s fabricated, hyung, Jiwoo. Don’t believe it.” Your father insisted.

“Why didn’t you let my uncle raise me, appa? Why did you kill my biological father? Wasn’t he your best friend?”

Your father furrowed his brows, thinking. After a while, he looked back at the both of you with a look of pure horror.

“How did you know you have an uncle…? Did he give this to you? Did he say I killed Jeong Do? DID HE?” Your father suddenly raised his voice, catching both you and Choi Mujin off guard.

“Why? What’s wrong with that?” Choi Mujin raised his concern.

“He…he’s the killer. Not me.”

Chapter Text

“What do you mean my uncle is the real killer?” You and Choi Mujin exchanged looks, probably wondering the same thing. Your father didn’t reply you. Choi Mujin passed the USB to your father, wanting him to listen to it. Your father did as he was told, with disbelief written all over his face the whole time.

“This…” Your father was at a loss for words, and you didn’t know why. You and Choi Mujin only stared at him, waiting for an answer, an explanation, anything. The both of you waited patiently for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a few minutes.

“This recording…it’s true. It happened. But this isn’t the whole thing. It’s cut off. I…I don’t know…Why…How…Fuck. Hear me out, hyung, Jiwoo. Please, believe me.” Your father looked like he was genuinely frustrated, and wanted to prove his innocence.

“Go ahead. Explain.” Choi Mujin ordered.

“I…” Your father looked to be in a daze, recalling his memories of the incident 18 years ago.

Donghoon had received a mail in the letter box on that day. Opening the mail, there were several photographs, and a USB. Donghoon inspected the photographs, noticing it captured Jeong Do and a drug supplier. The supplier Donghoon was in contact with, specifically. It couldn’t be coincidence, not when the drug supplier had called Donghoon just a day before, wanting to cancel their collaboration.

Donghoon felt fury rush through his veins. He couldn’t believe it. Jeong Do was his best friend, like a brother. Jeong Do was the one who suggested Donghoon to be in charge of the drugs, to gain the boss’s favour. But now…

Donghoon got into the car, and sped to Jeong Do’s house. He got into Jeong Do’s house and grabbed Jeong Do by his collar.

“I thought I could trust you, Jeong Do-hyung. Why did you do that to me?” Donghoon went straight to the point, raising his voice with every word.

“No, hyung, it’s all a misunderstanding, please. Hear me out.” Jeong Do didn’t ask what Donghoon was talking about, indicating he was aware of the situation.

“Shut your mouth. Even at this point, you’re trying to lie to my face?” Donghoon was beyond raging at this point, after hearing Jeong Do try to deny it when he clearly knew what was going on.

“No, hyung. Please, I’m trying to explain myself. I don’t know where you heard it, but it’s not true.” Jeong Do pleaded, holding onto Donghoon’s arm, begging on his knees.

“I have the proof. I shouldn’t have trusted you, you fucking bastard.” Donghoon made his point, not wanting to hear more. Turning around to leave, Donghoon felt a sharp pain at the back of his head, before blacking out.

Donghoon awoke in his car, parked in front of Jeong Do’s house. Touching the back of his head, Donghoon flinched from the pain. Getting off the car, he went into Jeong Do’s house again, wanting to know who had hit him on the back of his head. However, the sight he saw was something unexpected, and something that would be carved in his memories for the rest of his life.

Laying on the floor of the living room was Jeong Do, with a pool of blood growing, starting from his head. Jeong Do laid there lifeless, eyes still wide open. Even though Donghoon kills people pretty often, seeing someone close to him dying, he couldn’t take it. Donghoon walked over to Jeong Do, pressing his fingers into the side of his neck, checking for a pulse. He knew he wasn’t going to feel a pulse, but actually not feeling one had confirmed Jeong Do’s death.

Donghoon was too stunned to feel. He didn’t know what to do. His hands eventually reached out to Jeong Do’s face, lowering his eyelids. Donghoon wanted to call the police right there and then, but he couldn’t, not when he’s wanted by the police. Donghoon took one last look at his dead best friend, before making his way out the door, and driving to the nearest payphone.

Making sure there aren’t any security cameras around, Donghoon quickly reported the murder and left.

Donghoon kept an eye on the news, wanting to know the progress of the murder investigation. However, there was no news about Jeong Do. Frustrated, Donghoon called up one of the gang members who was in the police force as an undercover.

“Murder? No? They said it was suicide from charcoal burning.”

Donghoon was stunned. How? He was killed, not suicide. At that moment, he knew. Someone powerful was behind this. A genius. With enough power to fabricate police reports.

Donghoon dug for information for a few years right after that, and most traces led to Jeong Woo. Although there wasn’t concrete evidence, there were car dashcams that caught Jeong Woo on camera, the only other person who entered Jeong Do’s house except for Donghoon. There was no forced entry, which meant the killer could go in and out of the house as he liked. Jeong Woo as Jeong Do’s brother had full access to that. He was the prime suspect. Without a doubt.

Your father had tears streaming down his cheeks by the end of his recollection. It seemed, genuine. His side of the story. It was more like who he was. Your father didn’t seem like someone who would murder his best friend who had a new-born. Your father was looking at you with eyes that begged you to believe him. You couldn’t look at him. You diverted your gaze.

“Do you have proof to back up your claim?” Choi Mujin voiced.

“No…unfortunately. But I have all the information I’ve gathered over the years. I’ll give them to you. Anything, anything for you to believe me, hyung.”

--

Choi Mujin had let you arrange your thoughts throughout the quiet ride. He had accompanied you back to your suite, stopping right at the door.

“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be in my office.” His hand reached up to your head, patting it slowly. He gave you a warm smile and nodded, reassuring you silently. You nodded your head at him and entered the suite, collapsing on the couch, staring at the view of the city. You really didn’t know what to think. Knowing your father, he wouldn’t lie about something like this…would he? But it would be dumb to…believe a man you had met for the first time, claiming to be your uncle and hell-bent on listing your father as the killer of your biological father, right?

Feeling a headache on its way, you took a burning hot shower, and buried yourself under the fluffy covers again. You managed to fall asleep. However, it wasn’t pleasant. Your dreams were filled with scenes of your father killing your biological father. With scenes of your uncle committing murder. With scenes of your biological father in a pool of his own blood on the floor, eyes wide open.

You jumped awake with the sound of the doorbell ringing. Panting, you got out of bed and made your way to the door, opening it. There stood an employee of the hotel, with a trolley in front of him. Your stomach started to growl with the smell of food.

“Good evening, miss. Mr Choi had ordered these to be sent to your room. May I bring them in?” The employee spoke politely. You were still a little out of it, but you nodded and stepped aside for him to enter. The employee placed a few plates and bowls on the dining table and left with a bow. You thanked him for his service and got seated, opening the covers of the multiple dishes. There were small portions of everything. The ones you liked. Tteokbokki, soft tofu stew, odeng, corndogs, gimbap, mandu. It was the foods you had with him in the past. He…remembered.

You started digging in, thinking about how this simple gesture of his got you teary-eyed. You ate everything, every last bit, not wanting to waste any of his sincerity.

--

You stayed in the suite for a few days, not stepping even one foot out the door. Choi Mujin continued to order your favourite foods to be sent to your room for every meal. He gave you space, to process everything. You were thankful for it.

The ringing of your phone startled you. Grabbing your phone, you looked at the caller ID. My dear appa. Your heart skipped a beat, nervous. However, you decided to take the call, as you had already ignored his calls for the past week.

“Daughter? Is that you? Thank you for picking up, really. Can I see you? Please. Let me convince you. Hmm?” Your father’s voice boomed through the speakers of your phone.

“Where do you want to meet?”

--

You were seated at the second level of a small café with your dad. There was no one around, fortunately.

“Daughter, you know me, right? I wouldn’t. Especially when it’s my best friend.”

“Yeah, I know. But I don’t know at the same time. I trust you; I do. But…”

Your father grabbed your hands in his, holding it tight.

“Daughter, never, ever trust your uncle. He was kicked out of the NFS. I don’t know why. Nobody knows. But it’s not because of something good. He has been weird since I knew him. He could be a psychopath, Jiwoo. Please, be careful. I know you might not want to listen to me now, but I still love you as a father. You’re still my daughter.”

You felt bad. The Donghoon you knew, would never do anything that would harm the people close to him. You let a few drops of tears fall from your eyes, as you pulled your father into a hug. Your father bawled, sounding relieved.

--

You went to they gym for a few hours, catching up with Gangjae and getting your mind off things. Gangjae comforted you, telling you everything will be okay. As usual, hours flew past, and the skies were now in a dark shade of blue. Gangjae offered to drive you back to the hotel, to which you agreed.

You took another hot shower to wash away the sweat, and got into comfortable pyjamas.

Choi Mujin crossed your mind. You felt the urge to look for him in his office. You wanted to tell him about the things your father had told you. Looking in the mirror, you made sure you were presentable.

You made your way to his office. Maybe it was because it was kind of late at night, there weren’t many people around. It was quiet. Unusually quiet. You shook off the weird feeling and neared his office. There was only one member of the gang standing guard. Maybe the other one went for a toilet break, you told yourself.

The member standing guard blocked you when you tried to enter Choi Mujin’s office. You were taken aback. They normally let you pass without hesitation.

“I’ll just peek. Nothing else. Please?” You gave the guy your puppy eyes, trying to convince him. He looked at you in pure seriousness, before slowly stepping aside. You went closer to the door, and heard hushed voices. You wondered who it could be this late at night.

You pulled the door open an inch, silently. Peeking inside, there was a lady. A very beautiful lady. Talking to Choi Mujin. Who is she? You tried to listen in on their conversation. Successfully eavesdropping, your heart dropped, and shattered into a million pieces.

“여보 (Honey), how is it that you look so much more handsome than the last time I saw you? Right, kids?” The beautiful lady spoke with elegance.

Two kids your age emerged, coming into view. A girl and a boy, calling Choi Mujin…appa?

Chapter Text

You were back in your suite. In disbelief. You had closed his office door as silently as you could, before making your way back to the suite. You couldn’t believe what you just heard. Choi Mujin…has a wife? And two kids? Did you hear them wrongly? But you did see Choi Mujin pull them into a hug, saying he missed them. Where have they been all this while? Why…why weren’t they here with him? Is it because it’s dangerous? So he sent them away? But why did they come back? Why now?

You plopped on the bed. Why did he…treat you so well? Those hugs, those head pats, those reassurance. Why did he…lead you on? You fell for him. Hard. You knew it wasn’t right in the beginning to be attracted to a man 3 decades older than you are. But now that you knew he has a wife and two kids…it wasn’t acceptable. It was more than wrong. You felt like a bitch. You could’ve ruined a perfectly happy family of four.

You laid in bed, eyes wide open for a good few hours before finally falling asleep. Your brain was filled with thoughts of Choi Mujin…with his wife and kids. You wondered what would happen to you now. You wondered what you should do. Of course, you should distance yourself, right? You didn’t want to become his…mistress.

The sun rose, with the sunlight entering your room. It was a day with a nice weather, unlike your mood. You took a long shower, trying to wash away the thoughts. Exiting the bathroom, your doorbell rang. As usual, an employee sent the food into your room. However, this time you didn’t have an appetite. You stopped the employee, telling them to have half of the dishes. You told them you weren’t hungry and didn’t want to waste the food. Fortunately, they obeyed, leaving only 2 mini bowls of food on the table. You forced yourself to finish it, before placing the bowls outside of your room.

You left the room, wanting to go for a walk. Maybe to MyeongDong this time. You silently prayed that you wouldn’t bump into Choi Mujin. You were afraid you wouldn’t be able to conceal your emotions. But the heavens weren’t on your side. The moment you stepped out of your room, you see him walking towards you from the elevator area. You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down.

He walked over to you with a sweet smile on his face.

“Jiwoo-yah, where are you going?” He looked at your face, his smile turning into a frown.

“You didn’t sleep well?” Your eyebags probably gave it away.

“Yeah, it’s probably the coffee I drank last night.” You chuckled awkwardly, slightly rubbing your eye to avoid eye contact.

“Where are you going?” He asked again.

“MyeongDong.” You gave him a smile. One that you used to always give him. You tried to not think about him having a wife and kids. You tried to deceive yourself that it was just you and him.

“Ah, what should I do? I don’t think I can go with you today, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin scratched the back of his neck, with disappointment on his face.

“It’s okay, ahjussi. I can go on my own.” You gave him a reassuring smile, and walked past him, heading to the elevator. You clenched your jaw and closed your eyes to stop the pain. But it wasn’t helping. Nothing was.

--

Choi Mujin felt something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Maybe it was your lack of sleep? Choi Mujin figured that was probably it. But your eyes, they weren’t as enthusiastic as they usually were. He wondered what was bothering you.

Back in his office, Choi Mujin focused on his work at hand. The employee he had entrusted with the task of sending you food had suddenly requested to meet him. Choi Mujin agreed, and thus the employee entered his office.

“Good morning, Mr. Choi. I wasn’t sure if I should report this to you, but I figured it would be best I did. Ms. Jiwoo offered half of the food we sent her to be divided amongst ourselves, with her only eating 2 small bowls of the dishes. It was odd, as she would always finish every single bowl usually. Therefore, I thought you should be informed of this matter.” The employee finished his report and exited the room, leaving Choi Mujin to ponder.

Choi Mujin was aware of your big appetite. Thus, the reason he would always send many dishes. Like the employee had said, it was indeed odd. Including your behavior this morning, Choi Mujin wondered if something had happened. You had rushed off without sparing him another second. It seemed as if…you were avoiding him. But for what reason? Choi Mujin was unable to wrap his head around it. Choi Mujin contacted the front office department, ordering them to let him know once you enter the hotel.

--

You were afraid of going back to the hotel. You had a feeling he would approach you and ask you if anything was wrong. You spent the whole day outside. Just mindlessly wandering around. You didn’t want to bother anyone. You thought of calling Gangjae and hanging out with him. But then he would surely notice something is wrong, and then you would have to explain to him. But you didn’t want to talk about it. It made you feel like a fool, dumb and stupid and naïve. How could you have fell for the head of the mafia? He was probably just treating you like his daughter the whole time. It was just you, who was overconfident. You wondered if you should check out of the hotel.

It was almost midnight. You were out since the morning. It was time to go back. You made your way back as slowly as you could, wanting to delay the meeting of Choi Mujin. You arrived at the hotel, and made your way to the elevator area. You stood behind a few people waiting for the elevator as well. Ding, and the doors of the elevator opened. The few people in front of you entered the elevator, turning around once they were in. You heart skipped a beat once you realized they were the family of Choi Mujin.

“Excuse me, are you getting in?” Choi Mujin’s wife asked you. You forced out a smile and quickly got into the lift with the three of them. You were surprised when you noticed the button of the floor you were headed to was lit. You stayed silent while listening to Choi Mujin’s wife talk to her kids. The way she spoke overflowed with grace, class, elegance. You couldn’t help but think she was a perfect match for Choi Mujin.

Ding, the sound of the elevator indicated the arrival of the highest floor. The doors opened, and you were shocked to see an equally shocked Choi Mujin standing right in front of the elevator. His eyes darted from you to his family behind you, and then back to you.

“Honey!” The voice came from behind you. Choi Mujin’s eyes widened, looking at his wife. He looked back at you.

“Jiwoo.” He said your name. You gave him a small smile and bowed slightly to him, before brushing past him and headed towards your room.

“Honey, you know her? Who is she? She looks like a student…why is she staying in a suite?” You heard the murmurs of his wife while walking away.

You entered the suite, walking around, looking for the things that belongs to you. There really wasn’t much. Most of the stuff were already there when you checked into the hotel room. It would probably be the best time to leave now, right? How shameless would it be if you were to continue staying there, mooching off Choi Mujin despite knowing he has a family? But Choi Mujin would come to your suite, to look for you, wanting to explain…right? Would he? Or would he feel like there is nothing to explain, and stick to his wife?

Your mind couldn’t stop running. You contemplated whether you should leave or stay. Your mind came up with countless scenarios of what could possibly happen. You paced around the room, biting your nails, constantly running your hand through your hair. You decided to wait. An hour. If he comes to your room, you’d hear him out. If he doesn’t…you’ll leave.

Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

Your eyes were glued to the clock. Anxiously waiting.

10 minutes.

20 minutes.

30.

40.

55.

You stood up, telling yourself it’s enough. Telling yourself it’s fine to leave now. You grabbed your handbag, and the few of your belongings. You walked to the door. Staring at it. You closed your eyes and breathed. Your hand landed on the handle.

Ding-dong.

It felt as if you were hyperventilating. You looked through the peephole. There he was, panting. Looking as if he ran over. You waited a while. You wanted him to feel as anxious as you do. The doorbell rang again. And again.

Pulling open the door, you came face to face with a worried looking Choi Mujin. His face morphed into a guilty looking one the moment you opened the door. You didn’t want to blame him for the things he made you feel. After all, he did make you happy all these while. He was the main source of your happiness. You’ve never felt anything like that during the whole 18 years of your life, until you met him.

You gave him a genuine smile, wanting to reassure him. To let him know everything is fine, and that you are okay. But it didn’t quite work, as it turned out as a sad smile instead. You stepped aside, letting him in. You closed the door once he was in, and you turned around to face him.

“Jiwoo, hear me out. Please.” He grabbed your hands in his, seemingly begging you. It was amusing, to see a mafia boss begging a little girl to listen to him. You smiled to him, leading him to the couch.

“Sit, ahjussi.” Your reassuring smile was plastered on your face the whole time. You didn’t want him to feel bad or to blame himself. He didn’t really do anything, after all. It was you, and your one-sided love for him.

Choi Mujin sat down, at the edge of the couch.

“Sit comfortably, ahjussi.” He looked disappointed in himself, but slowly slid further into the couch, sitting somewhat comfortably. You placed your handbag and the other stuff you were holding onto the couch, and went over to the pantry area, grabbing 2 bottles of water. You placed one of them on the table in front of Choi Mujin and gulped down your own.

“Jiwoo…I…Why aren’t you asking me anything?”

“Ahjussi, calm down. I’m fine. Really.” You said nonchalantly, but deep down, your heart was already in a million pieces. But you were good at acting. Like you were fine.

“Yes, that is my wife. And my kids. I…sent them away the moment I became the head of DongCheonpa. I didn’t want them to be in danger because of me. I didn’t know they were coming back. My…wife said it was a surprise for me…”

“It’s okay, ahjussi. I understand. You don’t have to explain to me…who am I to you anyway...” The last sentence was practically a whisper, not meant for him to hear. But his ears managed to pick it up. He turned sharply to you, with a look of disbelief and anger.

“Do not say that, Jiwoo. Watch your words.” Choi Mujin gritted out through his clenched jaw. You were taken aback by his sudden outburst. You scoffed out a chuckle, finding the situation rather funny.

“But it’s true, isn’t it? I am only your best friend’s daughter. Nothing more, nothing less.” You said while looking straight into his eyes.

“You know how I feel towards you, Jiwoo. I’m sure you do.” Choi Mujin spoke gently.

“Perhaps, I do. But what difference does it make? You have a family, waiting for you. For your love and affection. Your wife, I can tell the person she loves the most in the whole world is…you, ahjussi. It’s obvious by the way her eyes lights up when she sees you, and I can’t be the one who removes the light, can I? What about your kids? What would they think of you if they were to find out? Would they still respect you? Would they acknowledge you as their…dad? I…I don’t want to be a girl who ruins a family, ahjussi. Especially yours.” You poured out your thoughts. You felt your heart wrenching in pain. Feeling as if you had gotten stabbed.

You looked up at him to see him looking at you with red teary eyes. Your eyes reflected his. Producing tears. He broke eye contact when a tear escaped his eye. Followed by streams of tears running down his cheeks. It broke you heart even more, seeing him in a state like this. He always appeared strong, confident. It was the first time you had seen him break down.

Choi Mujin stood up all of a sudden. You were confused. You followed his actions, standing up as well. He looked at you with the saddest eyes you have ever seen. He took one careful step towards you. Looking into your eyes, making sure you were fine with it and didn’t step away from him. Choi Mujin took another careful step. Now only inches away from you. He took another, and now he was close enough. Tears still streaming down his cheeks, he slowly lowered his head and put his chin on your shoulder.

You took a deep breath, as your hand slowly came up to his back. You patted his back, a gesture of reassuring him, consoling him. Letting him know it’s okay, and that everything will be fine.

Deep down, you needed consoling too. But at this moment, you decided that making sure Choi Mujin is okay is your top priority.

Chapter Text

“Stay, Jiwoo. Don’t leave. I’ll…give you a room on another floor. Okay?” Choi Mujin removed his chin from your shoulder and pulled you into a hug. You didn’t know why you were still letting this happen. You told yourself you should distance yourself from a married man. You have to. But…how can you push him away when he’s holding onto you so tightly? Your hands stayed by your side, not hugging him back. You should slowly distance yourself. It’s the best way.

While a million thoughts were running through your mind, Choi Mujin grabbed both your hands and placed it around his waist, wanting you to hug him back. You gave in, putting your arms around him, hugging him as tight as he hugged you. This could be the last time, after all.

--

You were now alone again in the spacious suite. Choi Mujin had left a while ago, carefully, making sure no one saw him. It pains you how he has to be secretive around other people because of you. A mafia boss shouldn’t have to do that. He promised that you would be able to change rooms tomorrow morning, and you simply agreed, not knowing what to do otherwise.

It was late but you didn’t feel an ounce of sleepiness. If anything, you were mentally drained. You left the suite again, and made your way to the roof. The cold breeze swayed your small frame, with goosebumps covering every inch of your skin. It wasn’t helping that only a thin piece of sleeveless clothing covered your body. Wrapping your arms around yourself, you looked into the distance, zoning out.

A jacket being placed on your shoulders startled you. Turning around with the speed of light, you came face to face with a smirking boy. You made it out as…Choi Mujin’s son after a few seconds. You shrugged off his jacket and gave it back to him, brushing past him and started making your way towards the elevator.

“Hey. Jiwoo, is it?” Choi Mujin’s son called out to you. You stopped in your tracks, turning around to look at him with a frown.

“What do you want?” He looked amused. Chuckling, he broke into a grin and a smirk, combined.

“Woah there, calm down. I just want to be friends. You know my dad, right? He acknowledged you in front of the elevator just a few hours ago.” You looked at him, properly this time. He was good looking. He could probably get anything he wants using his looks. Sharp features, slicked back jet black hair, a charming smile, a dimple on the left side of his cheek, tall, and fit. He probably has everything a girl usually looks for in a guy. Not to mention he’s rich, too.

“No thanks.” You conveyed your message, turned on your heel and left. Leaving him alone on the roof.

--

Choi Taeyong stood frozen to the spot, letting out a scoff of disbelief. Girls would usually be at his feet, begging for his attention, begging for him to notice them. It was the one of the first times he had approached a girl first, as well as his first time getting rejected. He wondered if you were playing hard to get. But the look on your face…showed that you were genuinely uninterested. That, has only perked up his interest in you even more. He mentally swore, that he would get you, at all costs.

--

Choi Mujin had arranged a suite for you on another wing of the hotel, to prevent you from bumping into his family again. It was a new environment, but it felt like…you were a burden to Choi Mujin. You settled down in the new suite, and decided to go out for lunch. Exiting the hotel, there stood a familiar figure, awaiting your appearance. Your breath got hitched in your throat the moment you realised who it was. You wanted to run back into the hotel, but it was too late. He had noticed you, and was now walking towards you.

“Samchon…” You trailed off. The case of him possibly being your biological father’s killer had been pushed to the back of your mind after you found out about Choi Mujin’s family. You felt fear course through your veins. But you had to stay calm. You mustn’t’ let him notice you were on to something.

“Jiwoo. It’s been a while. Why haven’t I heard from you?” Your uncle asked you with a tone of…distrust. He slightly squinted his eyes at you, urging you for an answer.

“Ah, samchon. You don’t have to worry; we confirmed the credibility of the evidence you provided. We’re thinking of a plan to get my- I mean Donghoon in a trap to confess it himself. When he knows he’s in the wrong, ahjussi will give him a punishment worthy of his sins. What do you think, samchon?” You elaborated with a tone of excitement, trying to deceive him into thinking that you were looking forward to seeing your adoptive father getting his punishment.

“Sounds good to me…Let me know when…it’s decided. Jiwoo.” Your uncle didn’t seem to completely buy it, but it looked like he was willing to…believe you for now. Your uncle started to turn to leave, but you decided to make your plan seem more realistic.

“Samchon, wait. Can I have your number? It’ll be easier for me to contact you this way.” You said to him with a smile. He looked you eye to eye. Probably contemplating the amount of truth in your words. He nodded, giving you his number. He gave you one last look, before leaving. You waved to him until he was out of sight.

You rushed back into the hotel and went straight to your room, panting. You placed your hand on top of your chest, trying to calm your beating heart. It was terrifying, acting calm in front of a possible murderer. You fumbled with your phone, finding Choi Mujin’s contact number. Your finger hovered over the call button, having second thoughts.

What if he’s with his family now? What if your call raises suspicions? Should you text him? What if your uncle could somehow trace it? He has many connections, after all. What if…

You pressed the power button on your phone to lock it. You decided not to contact him. If you were to bump into him later, you would tell him then. For now, staying in your room with the doors locked would be the best choice. You drew the blinds, the curtains, made sure every window was locked and there was no way for anyone to enter. By the time you were done, the suite was dark, with no natural lighting being able to enter. You sat on the couch in the living room, imagining how nice would it be if…Choi Mujin was next to you. You would feel safe in his presence. You wrapped a blanket around yourself, imagining the warmth coming from Choi Mujin.

You stayed in that position for a long time, until you felt your body go numb. At that moment, the doorbell rang, startling you with fear.

--

Choi Mujin was working in his office when his son, Choi Taeyong entered.

“Appa. You busy?” Choi Taeyong neared his father’s desk. Choi Mujin briefly looked up before turning his attention back to his work at hand.

“What’s wrong?” Choi Mujin directed at his son while still scanning through his documents.

“That girl, Jiwoo, I think? The girl we met in the elevator that day.” Choi Mujin stopped everything he was doing and paid full attention to his son. Choi Taeyong looked slightly shocked by his father’s reaction but he brushed it off. Choi Mujin nodded his head as a signal for his son to continue talking.

“I was at the lobby just now, you see. I saw her talking to some weird man outside. I don’t know, the man gives off weird vibes. Jiwoo rushed back into the hotel the moment he left. I wanted to call her name but she left too fast. Just thought I should let you know. It’s probably nothing big. Oh, here’s a picture I took.” Choi Taeyong unlocked his phone, tapped several times and turned his phone to Choi Mujin.

“Fuck.” Choi Mujin cursed and dashed out his office, leaving Choi Taeyong alone. Taeyong wondered what was wrong, and why does everyone leave him all alone. First you, now his father. He let out a sad sigh and left his father’s office, and back to his room.

Choi Mujin ran over to your suite at the other wing. The employees stared at him, as they had never seen him run. But Choi Mujin didn’t care, his image isn’t important at a time like this. He was outside your room door, panting. He pressed the doorbell. No answer. He pressed it again. Silence. And again. This time, there were sounds of shuffling from the other side, before the door clicked open, revealing you with a surprised look on your face.

“Ahjussi…?” You were shocked to see him appear all of a sudden. Was it because you thought of him so much during the last hour? Did he feel it? Did he sense it? But that look on his face…it was concern. Choi Mujin grabbed your shoulders, eyeing you up and down and then turning you around to do the same.

“Are you okay, Jiwoo?” He asked in a hurry.

“Umm, yes…why?”

“Your uncle came to see you right? Why didn’t you tell me straight away? Something bad could’ve happened to you, you know that, right? You should’ve told me right away, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin bombarded you with questions, and was about to walk into your suite when you blocked him. He looked at you, frowning. You cleared your throat, avoiding eye contact for a brief moment.

“Ahjussi, I don’t think…you should come inside. What if people see us? We should…go somewhere open. Maybe the roof…?” You noticed Choi Mujin clenching his jaw, exhaling with frustration. He stepped back for you to come out of the room, and headed to the roof. You followed behind him silently, not wanting others to…misinterpret the situation.

You and Choi Mujin stood facing the city on the roof.

“You haven’t answered my questions.” Choi Mujin stated with a stern tone. You looked at him. He looked…angry. You gave him a smile, and that made him frown even more.

“I…was worried that you were with your family. If I called, you would be worried and it would raise suspicions. I wanted to text you, but I was afraid samchon would be able to somehow trace my texts. If I went straight to your office, many people would see.” You explained, and his features slowly softened, now replaced with a look of…sympathy.

“You still should’ve called me, Jiwoo. Where’s the burner phone I gave you last time?”

“At home.”

“I’ll give you another one later. What did your samchon want? What did the both of you talk about?” Choi Mujin’s body was now turned towards you, with his full attention on you.

“Well, he asked me why haven’t he heard from me yet after he provided so much evidence. So, I kind of lied to him. I said we were planning to trap my father for him to confess his sins, and that you would give him a punishment worthy of his sins after that. I faked being excited so he would buy it. I even asked for his phone number, saying it would be easier for me to contact him. That’s about it, I guess.” You weren’t sure if you did well. You were panicking after all. You weren’t sure if your uncle could see through you. You sighed, feeling a wave of self-hatred.

Choi Mujin was silent for a moment. He was speechless. He was impressed with how fast you could think of a solution in an unforeseen situation. He was proud of you. He placed one of his hands on your head, patting it gently.

“You did well, Jiwoo. Don’t doubt yourself. It was impressive. Well done, Jiwoo. I’m proud of you.” Choi Mujin praised you, and he saw the way your emotionless eyes suddenly sparkled, and the way your face became a light shade of pink, and the way you looked down so that your hair could cover your face. Choi Mujin smiled to himself, missing this cute side of yours. He patted your head a few more times, before dropping his hand to his side.

You felt your heart thumping, excitement pumping through your veins. But this was wrong, right? You shouldn’t feel this way, you couldn’t.

“Honey!” The familiar voice reached your ears. Your happiness and excitement went down the drain, now replaced with a feeling of…guilt. Choi Mujin looked at you apologetically, before turning around to his wife. You turned around too, realising the whole family was present. You bowed to his wife, showing your respect. You felt out of place. You knew you didn’t belong there. You shouldn’t even be there in the first place. You kept your eyes down, not wanting to increase your guilt by seeing how beautiful of a family they are.

“Seojin-ah, what brings you here?” You heard the way Choi Mujin calls her name. Gentle and…loving. Did he not call her honey because you were there?

“Honey, what are you talking about with this girl? Why do you look so serious?” Choi Mujin’s wife asked, while walking forward to wrap her hands around his arm. Choi Mujin looked uncomfortable, but it was probably only because you were there. Choi Mujin looked at you and back to his wife.

“Her name is Jiwoo, Seojin. Her uncle came to see her just now. I’m sure Taeyong told you. Her uncle…is a very dangerous person. There’s a high chance he killed her biological father, and she could be his next target. We’re discussing what to do next to ensure her safety.” Choi Mujin briefly explained the situation to his wife, with the look of discomfort still evident on his face. His son and daughter were now staring straight into your soul, and you didn’t know why.

“어머 (Oh my gosh)! Poor girl, are you okay?” Choi Mujin’s wife stood in front of you, grabbing your hands in her silky-smooth ones. You were taken aback by her sudden caring gesture, frowning.

“Thank you for your concern, ma’am, I’m good.” You muttered, staring at Choi Mujin’s wife. You couldn’t understand how could one be so beautiful, so perfect. Your thoughts were interrupted with Choi Taeyong’s loud voice.

“I can be her bodyguard. I’ll protect her. I’ll be next to her 24/7. I’m good at fighting, you know?”

Everyone turned to him, surprised. It was a…good kind of surprise. Choi Mujin’s wife looked at her son, seemingly proud of him. Choi Mujin’s daughter looked at Choi Taeyong with a knowing smirk on her face.

However, you heard a low growl from Choi Mujin, and you looked up to see displeasure on his sharp features.

Chapter Text

“No.” A straightforward and stern answer came from Choi Mujin. It was an answer that made every head turn towards him with surprised looks. Especially his wife. You tried not to smile, but you failed. You looked down at the ground for a brief moment to recompose yourself before looking back up with an emotionless expression.

“Hmm? Honey, why are you saying no?”

“This isn’t something you can play around with, Taeyong. It’s way more dangerous than you think. He’s a killer, Taeyong. He could be a serial killer, even. Stay out of this. I don’t want you guys to get dragged into this.” It sounded convincing. So convincing that it made you think it is because he was worried about the safety of his family. Not that he was jealous and didn’t want his son around you. You realized, maybe you weren’t as significant as you thought you were. Even if you were, you couldn’t. He would prioritise his family, not you. It was your fault for falling for a man 3 decades older than you, when you didn’t even care find out if he had a family or not. Karma is a bitch, isn’t it?

“Appa, I’m really good at fighting, don’t you believe your son? I can protect her.” Choi Taeyong still tried to convince his father, not showing any sign of giving up. Choi Mujin looked at him and then at you, releasing a sigh of exasperation. You decided to help him out a little.

“Umm, I’d like to reject your offer. But thank you. I appreciate it.” You finished your sentence with a slight nod of your head, showing that you’re thankful.

“Why? What is it about me that you dislike so much, Jiwoo? You rejected being my friend and now you reject my offer to protect you? Can you tell me the reason why?” Choi Taeyong suddenly seemed…frustrated. You thought of how to answer him. Everyone was looking now and it was stressing you out. You didn’t want to say something wrong and offend everyone present. You took a deep breath, and looked him in the eye.

“It’s dangerous, Taeyong-ssi.” You spoke in the gentlest voice possible, trying to…make it seem like you’re worried. You tried to soften him, to melt his insides, and you wondered if it worked. Judging by the way his facial expression went from a somewhat angry one to one that shows he was…moved, you probably succeeded. You broke eye contact, leaving a small smile on your lips for Choi Taeyong to see. You hoped he wouldn’t bother you anymore after this. The clearing of Choi Mujin’s throat brought everyone back to their senses.

“I still have things to discuss with Jiwoo. You guys can go ahead.” Choi Mujin told his family, his wife specifically. His wife looked at him with eyes full of love. You looked at Choi Mujin, you could tell…he loves her very much too. Feeling like you got stabbed in the heart, you bowed to his wife and walked further away, giving them space. I’m such an idiot. I’m so fucking dumb. How am I so fucking dumb. Those words repeated in your head while your fingers massaged your temples. A gentle hand on your shoulder stopped those self-destructive thoughts in your mind.

“You okay? Does your head hurt?” Choi Mujin questioned with a tone of clear concern. His hands came up to your head, wanting to massage your temples for you. But you stepped back, and offered him an awkward smile.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” You said and looked back into the distance, not wanting to face him. Because you knew it would make you falter. You heard Choi Mujin taking a deep breath, seeming hurt from your actions. But what can you do? You and him both should stop continuing on the wrong path.

“Jiwoo. Is it okay if…Gangjae were to protect you by your side?” The way Choi Mujin said it seemed…forced. You would love for Gangjae to be by your side protecting you. He was fun to be with, after all.

“Sure. Sounds good to me.” You said, with the corner of your lips quirking up unconsciously.

Choi Mujin had noticed the way you seemed…glad that he planned to have Gangjae protect you. He felt bad for not being able to be there for you. He felt angry that he had to ask Gangjae to protect you. He should be the one to protect you, to be next to you 24/7. But there was no one to blame, except for himself. He was the one being greedy. As if having a beautiful wife and kids wasn’t enough. He was drawn into a girl that was the age of his kids. Does he not feel shame? Well, he does. But he regrets nothing. All the time spent with you, all the little things. It made him feel human again. It was something his wife wasn’t capable of doing, no matter how much they love each other.

Perhaps, this was his karma. For being a mafia boss. For killing countless people. For ruining numerous people’s lives. For being merciless. For all the things he has done wrong in his life. Maybe, he should’ve been a better person. Maybe, it would’ve been different.

--

Gangjae arrived at the roof and made his way towards the both of you. He folded his body 90 degrees to the boss and gave you a wide smile. You returned one of yours, and his ears slowly started getting pink-tinged. He swiftly turned back to his boss, awaiting his command.

“Gangjae-yah, I need your help again, protecting Jiwoo. I’ll entrust you with this task.” Choi Mujin sounded somewhat sad while giving out the order. You felt your heart ache.

“Boss, don’t say that. I’m always at your beck and call. I’ll protect her well. Don’t worry, boss.” Gangjae finished his sentence with another 90-degree bow, earning a firm nod from the boss. Choi Mujin looked to you with a sad gaze, slightly bobbing his head.

“I’ll leave you two to it, then.” Choi Mujin walked off slowly; head hung low.

--

“Soooo, did you know your boss has a wife and 2 kids?”

“WHAT? Are you serious? No way. You’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?” You only stared at him with a look of deadpan on your face, and Gangjae understood that it wasn’t a lie. You filled him in on everything, but you made him promise to keep it to himself, as it’s dangerous for his family, and also him.

--

Choi Mujin was back at his office, seated in the dark. He had never felt this lost before. He always had a solution for everything. But not this time. His mind went back to a few hours ago, at the roof. He saw you trying to stifle your smile when he didn’t allow his son to stay next to you. He saw you looking down and using your hair as a curtain to cover your face. It was something you had always done. He saw how quick you were able to recompose yourself. He remembered the only thought in his mind at that very moment. That’s my girl. But then, were you still his girl? Were you ever his girl? The moment you stepped back and avoided his touch, it made him realize how serious this situation was.

It was now his turn to massage his temples. Choi Mujin wondered if he should come clean to his wife. What would she do? Knowing her, she would probably…take it out on you. Choi Mujin didn’t want that; he didn’t want you hurt. Is it really love? Is the feeling he’s feeling, really love towards you? Or is it some kind of misinterpretation? Does he love you as a daughter? It certainly didn’t feel like it. Maybe it really is love. The thought of that had worsened his headache.

Choi Mujin drowned himself in both whiskey and work, wanting to get his mind off of the current situation.

However, the skies weren’t on his side. Going through every file on his desk, he stumbled across one that concerned your uncle. Choi Mujin called in Taeju, wanting to be briefed.

“Sorry, boss. You were very busy these days. I didn’t get a chance to report it to you. Therefore, I only placed it on your desk. I’ll report it now. According to the information Donghoon-hyungnim provided, it does point to Jeong Woo as the culprit. Of course, I couldn’t entirely rely on his information alone. I met with our members that is in the NFS, the police, and the prosecution. Not much information was available, most of them was gone, missing, probably destroyed by Jeong Woo. However, I was able to meet with the people that was in charge of the case. The NFS team originally in charge of the case had all died, and there are several factors that point to Jeong Woo being the killer. The police and prosecution were ordered to close the case as a suicide, which is suspicious. I was lucky to have found some old handwritten reports from that time, and it was stated that Jeong Woo’s DNA was discovered at the scene of Jeong Do’s death, and also at the scene of the NFS team members’ death. Conclusion, it isn’t 100% confirmed that it’s the doing of Jeong Woo, but we can be at least 90% sure he's the culprit, boss.”

Choi Mujin smoked his cigar and exhaled, blowing puffs of smoke into the air. Flicking the cover of his zippo lighter, he processed Taeju’s report. How dare Jeong Woo…lie to me?

“Thank you, Taeju. For your hard work. You must be tired. You can go home for the day.” Taeju bowed 90 degrees to his boss, and left the room. Leaving Choi Mujin to think everything through.

--

You jumped awake with the sudden ringing of your phone. Rubbing your eyes, you reached for your phone and checked the caller ID. Samchon. You were wide awake all of a sudden. Your heart started to race. Did he already find out you lied? Is he here to get you now? You ran over to Gangjae’s room, shaking.

“Don’t answer it, Jiwoo.”

You didn’t. You let it ring, and ring, and ring. As soon as it stopped, you put your phone on silent. You searched for the burner phone Choi Mujin gave you yesterday, and pressed the call button. It didn’t take long for him to answer the call.

“Jiwoo, what’s wrong?” Choi Mujin’s usual husky voice was laced with concern.

“My samchon. He keeps calling me. I didn’t answer. But…” You trailed off, not knowing what to say.

“Good job. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.” With that, the line went dead. Somehow, your nerves were calmed, and your heartbeat returned to its normal speed. With just those few words of his, had made you feel at ease. You still needed him, after all.

--

Choi Mujin had Taeju check all the CCTVs. Choi Mujin wanted to know if Jeong Woo was in the vicinity of his hotel. To his surprise, he indeed was. Jeong Woo was chilling at the coffee house, sipping on a cup of coffee. Choi Mujin decided to meet him, to end things once and for all.

--

Choi Mujin pulled out the chair and got seated opposite of Jeong Woo. Jeong Woo looked up with a satisfied facial expression, smirking. But he wasn’t the only who was good at smirking. Choi Mujin was even better than him at that. Choi Mujin was confident, intimidating, powerful.

“Ah, Mujin-hyung. It’s good to see you. How have you been? How is the planning going? Where is Jiwoo? She doesn’t seem to want to answer my calls. I wonder why.” Jeong Woo rubbed his chin, acting curious. Choi Mujin gave him a sweet smile. One that would send chills down your spine.

“I’m not your hyung, Jeong Woo-ssi. This is your last chance. You’d better tell me the truth. Before I run out of patience. Sounds good?” Choi Mujin spoke in a threatening manner, leaning closer to Jeong Woo towards the end of his threats.

Any normal person would lean back, away from Choi Mujin, intimidated. However, Jeong Woo wasn’t any normal person. There was something, in his brain, that differs him from others. Jeong Woo leaned even closer to Choi Mujin with an evil smirk on his lips.

“I see…you’ve discovered the truth.” Jeong Woo started laughing maniacally, while the corner of Choi Mujin’s lips simply quirked up with amusement.

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin had simply leaned back into his chair, watching Jeong Woo acting like a psychopath. Choi Mujin had his arms resting on the armrest, with his legs crossed. Choi Mujin raked his eyes over Jeong Woo’s entire form. Choi Mujin observed, studied Jeong Woo’s facial expressions.

Anyone passing by would think ah, this guy is laughing so hard. Something must’ve made his day. He looks so happy.

However, Choi Mujin saw his soulless, emotionless eyes, even when he was laughing his head off. The entirety of Jeong Woo seemed calm, though. Or maybe, he was just fearless. Or maybe, he just didn’t know how to feel.

 Choi Mujin patiently waited, until Jeong Woo’s laughter died down.

A stare down. That was what was happening at that moment. After Jeong Woo had put an end to his chortling. The both of them, they were staring into each other’s eyes. It was clear Jeong Woo was trying to figure out Choi Mujin’s thoughts. He was probably trying to predict Choi Mujin’s next move.

But Choi Mujin, well, he wasn’t the mafia boss for no reason.

Being the mafia boss meant he was cunning.

Manipulating.

Calm.

Unpredictable.

Tough.

Therefore, it wasn’t hard for Choi Mujin to mask himself emotionless. Making his eyes blank, void of emotion, was a skill he mastered years and years ago. Only after you appeared, the walls he built starting crumbling down. But only around you. With others, his walls are still standing strong, impenetrable.

Holding his head up high, Choi Mujin broke the ice.

“Whenever you’re ready, Jeong Woo.” Choi Mujin spoke with a slight tilt of his head, and a slight raise of his right eyebrow. It was Jeong Woo’s turn to lean back into his chair now, mirroring Choi Mujin. Jeong Woo smacked his lips together, stifling a smile.

“By the way, where’s Jiwoo? I kind of miss her, you know. She’s my niece after all.” Jeong Woo glanced around, intentionally looking like he was looking for you. Not seeing you anywhere, he turned his attention back to Choi Mujin.

“Aww, don’t be like that. Let me see her, hmm? Isn’t it only right for her to be here when we talk about her father? No? Hmm.” Jeong Woo continued mumbling to himself, touching his chin, inspecting his fingernails. To be completely honest, Choi Mujin was running out of patience. But he didn’t want anyone to know that.

“Continue stalling, Jeong Woo. All I have is time.” Choi Mujin sipped on his coffee, tolerating Jeong Woo’s behaviour. While Jeong Woo mumbled to himself, Choi Mujin swiftly pulled out his phone and sent you a text.

Stay in your room. Don’t go anywhere until I tell you to.

Choi Mujin was worried you would appear and affect Jeong Woo’s plan to talk. It felt like an eternity to Choi Mujin. He didn’t want to get violent this time, he wanted to settle the matter as quietly as possible. It wasn’t like him, to do things quietly. But he was still in the hotel. It wouldn’t be nice for people to witness his boys dragging someone out, would it?

“Mujin-hyung.” Jeong Woo called out, staring intently into Choi Mujin’s eyes. Choi Mujin wondered if he was finally going to talk. Choi Mujin gave him a smile. A smile that said something along the lines of, if you utter bullshit again it’ll be the end of you. But Choi Mujin wasn’t sure if Jeong Woo got the message. Jeong Woo seemed unaffected either way. Jeong Woo leaned in towards Choi Mujin.

“Mujin-hyung. I…Can I have more coffee?” Jeong Woo ended his sentence with another fit of hysterical laughter. Choi Mujin looked to his lap and let out a chuckle. A chuckle of amusement, once again. It has been a while since he had a conversation with someone like this. Someone with…a few screws loose.

“Of course. You can have as much as you want, Jeong Woo.” Choi Mujin gently stroked his beard, with a smirk still evident on his face. One of the waiters had immediately come and refilled Jeong Woo’s black coffee, with Jeong Woo gulping it down like he hasn’t drank water in 10 years.

Choi Mujin contemplated whether he should just inject Jeong Woo with some propofol and lock him up at the torture chambers. If he continued waiting, Choi Mujin wasn’t sure when was Jeong Woo actually going to start talking. With some triggers, tortures…maybe it would speed up the process. But Choi Mujin wasn’t sure if it would work on Jeong Woo. Psychopaths are harder to handle after all. Choi Mujin glanced at the watch on his wrist. 5:23pm. He didn’t know it had been that long. Choi Mujin had left his office around 2pm. He wondered if you were doing fine in your room. You were with Gangjae, of course you would be fine. But…he wanted to be next to you. He clenched his jaw, looking up at Jeong Woo. He had had enough. But Jeong Woo thought the same.

Jeong Woo got up from his chair, walking towards Choi Mujin. Jeong Woo bent his back for his mouth to be at Choi Mujin’s ear. Choi Mujin stayed still, waiting for the words that was about to leave Jeong Woo’s mouth.

“Allow me to let you in on a little secret, hmm? 우리 형은, 내가 안 죽여 는데? (About…my brother, I didn’t kill him though?)” Jeong Woo spoke with a mocking tone, full of excitement. Choi Mujin turned his head slightly to face Jeong Woo, to see him smiling uncontrollably, corner of his eyes crinkled.

“Ah, is that so?” Choi Mujin had a smile of his own graced on his lips, with his words laced with sarcasm. Being sick of Jeong Woo’s shit, Choi Mujin decided to take it outside. With just the flick of hand, one of his boys inserted a syringe into Jeong Woo’s neck, and injected every drop of the content. Jeong Woo was too occupied laughing to notice, but by the time he did, his eyelids were already shut.

One of the boys carried Jeong Woo on his back, and made his way to a black van, throwing him in.

--

You can leave the room if you want. It’s safe now.

You let out a breath of relieve after scanning Choi Mujin’s text. But you couldn’t help but wonder what had happened.

What happened?

You decided to send him a text, but you doubted he would tell you. You tapped your fingers on the chair you were seated on. Your foot tapped the floor. All while you waited for his reply.

Ding.

You unlocked your phone in a flash, eyes skimming his text and immediately flying out the door with Gangjae following closely behind you. You arrived at the coffee house and spotted a man in black, seated at the table alone, sipping on his coffee. He looked…lonely, for some reason. Which made your heart wrench for a brief moment, but it was gone the second you took a seat opposite of him, with Gangjae standing next to you. Gangjae wasn’t sure if he should be there, but he wanted to know what happened too. Therefore, he decided that he would stand there until told otherwise.

“Ahjussi, are you okay? What happened? Where’s my samchon?” You asked, filled with curiosity. Choi Mujin looked you in the eyes for a while, before blinking and looking away. The atmosphere was…depressing, to say the least. You had to take a deep breath to try not to get affected by it. But obviously, it had affected you. Because why wouldn’t it?

“I’m okay. Your samchon stalled for a long time here, uttering pure nonsense. At the very end, though, he said he didn’t kill his brother. We’ll find out more about it later on. It’s probably another lie.” Choi Mujin explained monotonously. As if he was speaking to a wall. You felt it, the pain in your heart. There was no enthusiasm, no eye contact, no feeling of connection. Part of you felt worthless all of a sudden, blaming yourself for everything that had happened. Your father’s death, Choi Mujin’s dilemma, stress, and everything else that went wrong around you.

“Oh. Okay. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll get going.” You soullessly said, and left with Gangjae, feeling somewhat…numb.

--

It has been a while since you visited the gym to work out. You walked straight to the punching bag. It was your best friend at times like this. Gathering up all your stress, depressing self-destructing thoughts, and your pent-up frustration, you gave it your all. You punched the bag over and over and over again. You didn’t know how much time had passed. But it was Gangjae who had pulled you away from the punching bag. Gangjae grabbed your hands, and that was when you noticed your knuckles were bleeding. But you didn’t feel pain in your knuckles. Not even one bit. But your heart did. Your heart was feeling all the pain from…everything.

Gangjae led you to a bench and tended to your bleeding knuckles. You felt your eyes get teary thinking about everything that had happened recently. But you stopped yourself. You turned off the emotion switch and kept a blank expression.

“Please don’t do this to yourself, Jiwoo. It hurts me to see you like this. I know, it’s painful, everything that has happened. But you trust boss, right? I’m sure he’ll find a way to solve it. He will. Undoubtedly. So, please. Don’t hurt yourself.” Gangjae expressed with sadness and concern. That thought once again crossed your mind.

How nice would it be if I had fallen for Gangjae instead? Everything wouldn’t be this complicated. I would be happy, with him. Not stressing over a married man.

“Thank you, Gangjae. I really…appreciate it. I really, really do. But I wasn’t intentionally hurting myself, I just…got too lost in my thoughts. Don’t worry about me, Gangjae. I’ll be fine.” You reassured him, giving him a smile, and embracing him in a hug.

--

Jeong Woo’s hands were strapped to the armrest of the chair, and his legs tied to the legs of the chair.

It wasn’t just any usual chair.

It was an electrocution chair.

Taeju splashed a bucket of water on Jeong Woo’s face, waking him up with a gasp. Jeong Woo frantically looked at his surroundings. Then at his arms, and legs. Then up, at the man standing tall in front of the chair meant for torture. That man, had a wicked smile filled with excitement on his face. Jeong Woo who had panicked for a second, had suddenly mirrored Choi Mujin’s expression.

“Hyung, I thought you were better than this.” Jeong Woo conveyed with sarcasm disappointment.

“Oh no, Jeong Woo-yah, what should I do? I think it’s going to hurt.” Choi Mujin copied Jeong Woo’s tone of speech, before his lips stretched in a full-blown grin.

Jeong Woo hasn’t met this side of Choi Mujin yet, until now. Jeong Woo does seem calm on the outside. But on the inside, there was a small ball of fear, growing slowly but surely. But don’t psychopaths not have feelings? Yes, but they can feel fear. And that was exactly what Jeong Woo was feeling.

Choi Mujin turned his head to the side by a mere inch, giving Taeju the signal to execute their plan. Taeju obeyed immediately, walking over to the machine controlling the electrocution chair. Taeju turned up the watt power, and flicked the tiny lever.

Jeong Woo started convulsing violently for a few seconds, before Taeju flicked the tiny lever again, disconnecting the source of electricity. Jeong Woo gasped for air, breathing heavily.

“Let’s say you’re not the killer, hmm? So, who was it?” Choi Mujin asked Jeong Woo with a threatening manner. Jeong Woo, somehow managed to crack out a smile.

“Are you curious, hyung?” And then he started convulsing again, but this time with higher watt powers.

It went on for a long time, until there was a whiff of burning in the air. Jeong Woo was now weak. He didn’t have the energy to crack a smile anymore. It had been hours, after all.

“Hyung…I didn’t kill him. Why would you think it’s me?” Jeong Woo had choked out, while looking Choi Mujin in the eye. But Choi Mujin was not in the mood to answer him. Choi Mujin simply cracked his own neck by moving it around, as it was stiff from the long hours. Jeong Woo sensed Choi Mujin’s refusal to answer his question.

Jeong Woo knew that if he didn’t provide any evidence, he would be here forever, unable to leave.

“It was Jeong Do’s wife, hyung. She killed him, not me.” Jeong Woo said weakly. Catching Choi Mujin’s attention, he neared Jeong Woo, wanting to know more. Choi Mujin simply nodded his head, signalling Jeong Woo to continue.

“She…was mine, before she was his. We…She cheated on him with me…while she…was…married to him…he found…out……it was an accident…” Jeong Woo looked like he was about to pass out any second, and Choi Mujin couldn’t allow that. Taeju splashed more water on Jeong Woo, which had woken him up a little.

“And why should I believe you? Bring me the evidence.” Choi Mujin was of course, still in doubt.

“Take…my DNA…compare it…with…Ji...”

With that, Jeong Woo lost consciousness.

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin was stood frozen to the spot for a few seconds. No way. Choi Mujin thought out loud. Choi Mujin looked over to Taeju, wondering if he had heard the same thing.

“Boss, I think he’s referring to…Jiwoo.” Taeju stated. Choi Mujin felt stress slowly consuming him. His headache was coming back, too. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he headed towards the exit.

“Let me know when he regains consciousness.” Choi Mujin gave an order to Taeju, to which Taeju obeyed with a curt nod, followed by a 90-degree bow to his boss who was leaving.

--

Choi Mujin held his usual glass of whiskey in his hands. On days like these, when there’s a lot on his mind, he likes his whiskey neat. He didn’t need any dilution from the ice. He needed as much alcohol as he can consume.

Choi Mujin was in a dilemma. He didn’t know if he should acquire your DNA without you knowing, or be honest with you. The problem was that Jeong Woo didn’t seem like he was lying. If it turned out to be the truth later on, Choi Mujin would have to tell you one way or another. That would mean telling you he acquired your DNA in secret as well. He put himself in your shoes, thinking how you would feel. Not very nice, of course. But if it had turned out to be false? After he was honest with you?

Choi Mujin’s headache wasn’t making it any easier. In all honesty, Choi Mujin just wanted everything to stop. Being the head of the mafia was stressful enough for him. You were one of the main things in life he looked forward to everyday. But now that he couldn’t be with you whenever he wants, it was slowly killing him.

Choi Mujin searched his desk drawers for a mini pill bottle that hadn’t made an appearance in a while. Pouring out 2 pills, he gulped them down with his whiskey. Leaning his head back against the headrest, he closed his eyes, steadying his breathing. His mind started playing memories of you and him.

When he had met you for the first time. When he brought you to lunch, because you were craving tteokbokki. When you got stabbed for him. When he hugged you for the first time. When he sent you to school and picked you up from school. When you would blush at his slightest touch. When he brought you lantern watching. When he warmed you up by putting his hands on your neck. When he pulled you into tight hugs countless times.

Choi Mujin wanted his brain to stop showing him these memories. It was doing nothing other than hurting him even further. His brain then decided to show him something else.

When his wife called him honey in front of you. When you avoided his touch. When you distanced yourself. When you were cold to him. When your eyes were filled with tears, knowing he has a family.

Choi Mujin couldn’t take it anymore. He had been holding everything back, keeping everything bottled up inside of him. He gulped down the remaining whiskey, feeling the burn in his throat. He needed a distraction.

Choi Mujin left his office, and headed to his wife’s suite. Entering the suite, his wife welcomed him with open arms. Choi Mujin obliged. Choi Mujin walked into her arms, hugging her tight. But in his brain, he was imagining his wife as…you.

Seojin loosened her arms around Choi Mujin. Seojin hasn’t been able to see her husband much lately, as he was busy with work. Seojin had missed him. So much. Seojin tipped her toes and wanted to place her lips on Choi Mujin’s. Seojin closed her eyes while she leaned in. But rough hands on her shoulders pressing down had her reopen her eyes. She couldn’t believe her husband had rejected her kiss. They were married. What’s wrong with a kiss?

Choi Mujin took off his coat and went into the shower without saying a single word. Seojin was left standing in the middle of the room, feeling a small ball of fire growing within her.

Choi Mujin had gone straight to bed after his shower, facing away from his wife. Seojin, however, wanted his affection. She tried everything. Hugging him from behind, placing kisses on his cheek, playing with his hair, calling him honey several times. To her dismay, not a single thing she had done had earned a reaction from her husband. Hearing him start to snore, she gave up and slept on the other end of the bed, fed up with her husband.

--

Choi Mujin left early in the morning, not alerting his wife. Somehow, he didn’t feel that way towards his wife anymore. Was it bad? Of course, it was. Why wouldn’t it be? Choi Mujin thought he would be able to get you off his mind by spending time with his wife. He thought wrong. His mind was still filled with memories with a specific little girl.

He got started on work right away, with a glass of whiskey as his companion.

--

Choi Mujin glanced at his wrist watch that displayed 12:17pm. You should be awake by now, he thought. Choi Mujin made his way to your suite with long strides.

He rang the bell, and Gangjae answered the door. Choi Mujin sucked in a breath to calm himself down. He couldn’t get used to it, seeing you and Gangjae being so close.

“Boss.” Gangjae had bowed 90 degrees, before stepping aside for him to enter. Choi Mujin entered the suite, looking around.

“Where’s Jiwoo?” The boss had asked Gangjae, while getting seated comfortably on the couch.  

“She’s taking a shower, boss.” Gangjae answered like a robot, but sounding somewhat intimidated. The boss simply nodded while looking towards the large windows, waiting for you to come out.

--

You took your own sweet time, not knowing Choi Mujin was out there, waiting for you. You had made poor Gangjae stand all awkwardly behind the boss, not saying a single word.

You got dressed in a large t-shirt and shorts, and dried your hair simply with a towel. You preferred letting your hair air dry, as you were too lazy to blow it dry.

“Oppa, what should we get for lunch? Tteokbokki?” You said while walking out. But then two pairs of eyes landed on you, with very different emotions in them. One was filled with fear, while the other, anger. Your mouth was slightly agape, seeing Choi Mujin in your suite.

“Ah…ahjussi. What brought you here?” Choi Mujin didn’t really hear your question. He was too focused on your wet hair, and your shiny legs. Not to mention the scent of your shampoo and shower gel floating in the air, invading his sense of smell. He had shut his eyes for a brief moment, inhaling. But then he remembered you were still waiting for his answer to your question. He played it cool by looking out the window again, pretending to think. He had hoped you and Gangjae didn’t catch on. He turned to Gangjae.

“Gangjae, give us a moment.” To which Gangjae curtly nodded, and flew out the door, leaving the 2 of you, alone.   

As soon as Gangjae left the room, Choi Mujin stood up from the couch. You were still rooted on the spot, only looking at him. Choi Mujin made his way towards you. You hesitated for a moment, whether to stay rooted, or step back. But your legs had a mind of its own. Seeing him coming closer, your legs stepped back. That little action of yours had stopped him in his tracks, looking at you with hurtful eyes. But it didn’t stop him.

Choi Mujin had taken 2 big and fast strides towards you. He pulled one of your arms, which made you crash into his rock-hard chest. You tried to push him away, but your strength couldn’t be compared to his.

“Don’t push me away, Jiwoo. I know you want this too.” He muttered into your ear, which sent shivers down your spine, along with goosebumps over your skin. You inhaled deeply, and exhaled. You tried to calm down, to stop your beating heart.

“Ahjussi, this isn’t right.” You reminded him, again. He was silent for a while, wrapping his arms even tighter around your small frame, if possible.

“I know, it’s just that…I…missed you.”

The power those words held…was indescribable. Your heart was about to jump out of your chest, and you felt hot all of a sudden. You were starting to sweat. You felt heat on your neck, face, ears. Your stomach was doing flips, and your legs wobbled. You knew it couldn’t have been easy for him to utter those words.

Choi Mujin released the hug at the moment you wished he didn’t. You didn’t want him to know how much you were still affected by him. You didn’t know how to act. You ended up just awkwardly blinking and trying not to look him in the eye. He noticed how awkward you were feeling, and proceeded to hold both sides of your head, making you look at him.

“Don’t feel burdened, Jiwoo. I apologise if I made you feel uncomfortable.” Choi Mujin released his hold on your head and walked to the couch, settling down. You followed him, making your way to another couch, and got seated.

“It’s okay, ahjussi. Don’t worry about it.” You tried to lighten the atmosphere.

“It’s about your uncle. The reason I’m here.” Choi Mujin mentioned with his eyes on you. It had perked up your interest, and you returned the gaze.

“He claims to be your father, Jiwoo.”

You frowned and let out a chuckle. What is this? April Fools? But it wasn’t April, and there wasn’t a hint of joke in Choi Mujin’s expression.

“You believe him? How many fathers do I have then?” You said while laughing. You had genuinely found this hilarious. But Choi Mujin’s face was still serious, which put a halt to your laughter.

“I need your DNA. To check the facts. Can I?” Choi Mujin had asked with a gentle tone, while still looking you in the eye.

“What do you need? My hair?” Choi Mujin nodded his head, jaw clenched. It seemed like he didn’t want to do this either, but he had to find out the truth. You simply combed your fingers through your hair, and entangled on your fingers, was a bunch of hair. You stretched your hand out towards him, to which he looked at the bunch of hair in your hand in horror. Choi Mujin then slowly grabbed a zip lock bag from his pocket, and carefully pinched your hair with his thumb and pointer finger, before stuffing it inside the small bag.

“Thanks.” He said, putting the bag back into his pocket. But not before eyeing it one last time, with a look of…horror, again. The both of you sat in silence for a while, purely appreciating each other’s company.

Choi Mujin got up to leave. You stood up too, wanting to see him off. He walked to the door, but had suddenly turned around.

“Come here.” He had used his husky voice again. He probably knew the effect it had on you. This time, you quietly obeyed, waddling over to him. He opened his arms wide, and you stepped in. He wrapped his arms around you, and you wrapped yours around him. It was perfect. If he didn’t have a family, it would’ve been better.

--

Choi Mujin had passed your hair to Taeju, for him to run a DNA test alongside Jeong Woo’s hair. Choi Mujin had called in Donghoon. He had the right to know. After all, he was the least evil and only wanted what was best for you.

Choi Mujin had filled him in on everything, with Donghoon’s jaw on the floor the whole time. Donghoon was bewildered, to say the least. How did it happen? Why did it happen? Too many questions were in both Choi Mujin and Yoon Donghoon’s heads. So many things they were curious about, so many things they wanted to know.

But there was one thing in their mind that was in common.

They vowed to keep you safe, no matter what.

Chapter Text

The DongCheonpa gym has been your second home lately, while you were waiting for the DNA results. Your adoptive father would be there at times, and you would often have lunch with him, or train with him. You trust him. He had done nothing harmful to you before, and it didn’t seem like he was the killer of your biological father anymore. Therefore, there was no reason for you to distance yourself from him anymore. You had thought of moving back in with him, but you decided to save that thought for later.

It was a usual training day at the gym. You had undergone a training session with Taeju as your trainer. You never stop learning from him. There was so much he knows. Everything was useful. You believed you were pretty good at fighting now, and you weren’t worried about getting attacked anymore. If anything, you looked forward to it. It was fun, exciting.

You were resting on the bench, gulping down a bottle of water when someone called out your name. Both you and Gangjae turned around at the same time, looking at that very person.

“Taeyong-ssi.” His name rolled off your tongue. He had that cocky smirk on his face again. You looked around the gym, and no one seemed to pay attention to him. Which meant no one knew he’s Choi Mujin’s son. Except for you and Gangjae. Taeju too, probably. But Taeju couldn’t care less. Choi Taeyong walked closer to where you were. He crouched in front of you, and looked up at you, right into your eyes.

“How about a match, Jiwoo?” He oozed confidence, with the fuckboy kind of smirk still on his lips. The corner of your lips quirked up, amused. You looked at Gangjae, which shook his head slightly at you, which widened your smile. You turned back to Taeyong who was still crouched in front of you, mirroring his smirk.

“Sure, I don’t see why not.” With that, you got off the bench, and headed to the centre of the gym. The other members of the gang gave the both of you space, backing away. No one knew who Taeyong was, so most of them were rooting for you. Taeyong looked around him, at everyone who was cheering for you. He looked somewhat impressed, and smiled a little looking down, before recomposing himself and prepared for the match.

You cracked your neck, your knuckles and warmed up your wrists by turning them in circles. You weren’t sure if he was a good fighter, as you’ve never witnessed him fighting. Therefore, you had to be prepared. You kept the tips Choi Mujin gave you in your mind. Constantly reminding yourself to attack the opponent’s vitals to win.

As usual, the both of you had faced off for a few seconds, before he lunged at you. You decided to dodge during the beginning of the match, just to get to know the level of his skills. He hasn’t managed to hit you once, but you weren’t sure if he just didn’t want to hit you.

You felt like you had seen enough after a minute or two. It wasn’t fun to keep dodging hits. It was fun to hit. You were now familiar with his style of fighting to some extent. You really wanted to play with him. To keep the fight going for a long time, just so that you can see him fail at his attempts to hit you. But you also kind of want to just end it in a second. To show him how great of a fighter you are.

You still dodged his attacks, but you started throwing in some of your own. You would punch his face right after he failed to punch you. You would bend down when his hand came into view and then proceed to jab his abdomen, which would result in him curling like a shrimp. You chuckled, finding the situation rather interesting and fun. Screams of your name could be constantly heard every time you succeeded in landing a punch, which boosted your confidence.

Taeyong stood back up, with his smirk gone. You gave him a sweet smile, to which he huffed out a breath of amusement. You decided you wanted to end the fight soon, not wanting to drag it out any longer. You were tired, and hungry, and thirsty.

He lunged at you again, with full force, with determination. You had managed to crouch down, and stretched out your leg to sweep his feet of the ground. You got up on both feet, and did a twist kick. But without kicking him. Knowing him, he probably didn’t want any injuries on that face of his. You stopped a mere inch away from his cheek, to which he held up his hands in surrender. You retracted your leg, and stood facing him.

“Woah, Jiwoo. I didn’t know you were this good. Now I see why you rejected my offer to protect you. It was a good match.” Taeyong seemed impressed. He was probably overconfident with himself before he fought you. You simply nodded to him, and walked over to Gangjae. He handed you a bottle of water, and you followed him out for lunch.

­--

Choi Mujin had been at the second level of the gym the whole time, watching his son invite you to a match, and watching you kick his ass. He didn’t mind seeing his son get his ass kicked, because it was you who was kicking his ass. He was proud to see you silently observing his son’s fighting style, before starting to fight him. He was proud to see you not get hit a single time by his son, while his son wasn’t able to dodge any of your hits.

Choi Mujin was proud to see the little girl who once got beaten up, now beating people up. A proud and genuine smile was carved on Choi Mujin’s face, with 3 words in his head the whole time.

That’s my girl.

--

Taeju had barged into the boss’s office, with an envelope in hand.

“Boss.” He called out, passing the envelope to the boss with a frown. Taeju focused on steadying his fast breathing, while the boss skimmed through the contents of the envelope. The boss had his jaw clenched, brows furrowed, hands curled into fists.

--

Choi Mujin was once again, headed to your room. Once again, Gangjae answered the door, letting him in. You were seated in front of the large windows, sketching the city.

Choi Mujin honestly didn’t want to do this. If he could, he would hide it from you forever. He didn’t want you to go through all these things anymore. At such a young age, when you should be having fun, going out with friends.

“Ahjussi.” You calling him had interrupted his trance. He looked into your curious eyes. He wordlessly passed you the envelope, to which you opened without hesitation, and scanned the words.

DNA A and DNA B is a 99.9999% match.

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. You ran your hands through your hair and rested them on your neck. That psychopath is my father? That was all you could think of. You weren’t going to acknowledge him as your father. You didn’t plan to. The only person you acknowledged as your father is Donghoon, as he was the most like a father to you.  

You mind ran again, wondering why was this happening to you. Were you so evil as a person in your past life that you have to suffer in your current one to pay for your past sins? You thought about the things you should do now. Your uncle- no, your biological father surely wants to meet you. But do you want to?

A large hand on your shoulder startled you, making you open your eyes just to stare into those mesmerizing ones. You had turned away after a few seconds, knowing full well you would fall for him all over again if you were to continue gazing into those caramel eyes of his, swirling with emotions that could easily melt you into a puddle.

You thought you were safe from his charms. But you were wrong. Those hands of his are the death of you. He grabbed your chin again, forcing you to look into his eyes. You really didn’t want him to see you right now, in your vulnerable state. It was worse that your eyes had started to tear up while looking into his. You were angry. At yourself, at your life, at him…for being able to affect you like this.

You had an angry frown on your face, focusing on not letting your tears fall. You tried to free your face from his grasp. You tried turning your head. But to no avail. His grip on you was deadly. Your own hand came up to his to release his grip. You succeeded for a mere second before he pulled you against him again, mirroring his kneeling position.

Choi Mujin held the back of your head firmly, with his thumb gently stroking your hair. His other arm was on your lower back, holding you still. You were breathing heavily, from anger, and trying to break free from him. Him, on the other hand, was breathing calmly.

“Jiwoo. Don’t fight me. I said I’ll be here for you whenever you need me and I mean it. I’m not going back on my word just because…my wife is back. It’s hard to accept that Jeong Woo is your biological father, I know. You don’t have to accept him. Take your time. Move at your own pace, Jiwoo. Everything is going to be okay. I’m here. You don’t have to act strong around me. You can let it all out, Jiwoo. Don’t keep it bottled up inside.” Choi Mujin comforted you with the gentlest, softest voice.

Your eyes were like a running pipe at this point, behind Choi Mujin’s back. You took deep breaths, calming yourself down, wiping away the tears with the back of your hand. You weren’t going to continue this. You weren’t going to rely on him anymore. Those words of his…was probably going to be stuck in your mind for the rest of your life. But it didn’t matter. As much as it had affected you, as much as it had brought you peace, as much as you…like…him for saying that, you shouldn’t cling to him.

You mustered up your courage to gently get him to release his hold on you. His eyes immediately found yours, checking if you were alright. But you had already wiped the tears dry, and put on the emotionless mask.

“I’m okay, ahjussi. I just need some time. Thank you for your concern. You should get back to work now, I planned to go to the gym with Gangjae. I’ll see you around, ahjussi.” You calmly conveyed your message to him, who still looked worried to death. But he had seemed to understand a few moments later. Choi Mujin broke eye contact with you, looking to the ground, slowly nodding his head, before turning on his heel to leave.

You didn’t follow him out this time. Your heart felt like someone was squeezing it on the inside, hurting like fuck. But you had to endure it. This way, he would be able to continue living a happy life with his family. As for you, maybe you could give Gangjae a chance.

--

The punching bag kept you company for the longest time. It was one of those days again. Where you didn’t feel hungry, didn’t feel tired, didn’t feel pain, didn’t feel anything.

You were the only person left in the gym. You were glad, honestly. There was no one getting in your way, no one interrupting you. You had privacy, and you could take your own sweet time doing anything. No thoughts were in your head as you focused on the punching bag swinging in front of you. You tortured the punching bag. You punched it, you kicked it, endlessly.

“Jiwoo-ssi.” A voice called out. You didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. It was that annoying cocky voice. You seriously didn’t need any of his bullshit at this moment. You ignored him, still punching the bag. Until you were turned around by him pulling on your shoulder.

“What do you want?” You asked in a harsh voice, furrowing your brows. He was taken aback by your sudden outburst, but had quickly got back to his senses. He took in your appearance. His eyes widened when his eyes reached your hands. Taeyong grabbed both your hands by the wrist, being extra gentle. You looked down to see that you had once again bloodied your knuckles. It wasn’t entirely healed yet, therefore the punching probably created friction between your skin and the bag, causing the scabs to fall off and restarted the bleeding.

You huffed out a sigh of annoyance by how easy your skin tears. Taeyong seated you on the gym mats, jogging over to a small room to grab the first aid kit. He came back and sat opposite from you, cross legged.

“I’ll do it myself.” You muttered and reached over to the first aid kit.

“Stop being so stubborn. I’m trying to help you here, Jiwoo. I’m not trying to cause you harm.” Taeyong snatched the first aid kit, placing it further away, out of your reach.

“Did I ask for your help, Taeyong? Did I ask you to help me?” You didn’t intend to lash out at him, but it was a shitty day and you were sick of your life.

“God damn it, Jiwoo. Why are you being like this? Just shut up and let me help you, for fucks sake.” Taeyong was annoyed, but he had already gotten started on tending to your wounds. This time, you decided to stop being stubborn as he said, and sat still, letting him help you with your bloodied knuckles.

--

Choi Mujin was about to run down to the first floor of the gym when he noticed you endlessly punching the bag with your already injured knuckles, staining it with your blood, but his son was one step ahead of him.

Choi Mujin stopped in his tracks on the second floor, silently watching, not making a sound. It pains him to see you hurt yourself, and it pains him even more to see your mind too focused elsewhere to not even feel the pain from the injury. He knew he was the cause of this, the cause of you hurting yourself.

Choi Mujin’s eyes were getting redder and glossier with every passing second. It was unbelievable to him, that you could make him feel this way. He looked down at you and his son again, observing.

Why was his son so hell-bent on helping you? Why was his son so keen on wanting to get to know you?

Was it normal? For a father to feel jealous of his son? The answer is no, but Choi Mujin’s feelings wasn’t something he was in control of.

If he could, he would stop feeling attracted to you.

If he could, he would stop worrying for you.

If he could, he would let you go.

But unfortunately, there are no ifs.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t find it in himself to let you go.

Chapter Text

It has been a few days, and you spent a lot of your time thinking about what was the best thing to do about your…biological father’s situation. You were going to get the truth out of him. You want to know why he lied about your adoptive father killing Jeong Do. You wanted to know why he was doing this now, too.

You needed to let Choi Mujin know about you wanting to meet Jeong Woo, and just the thought of seeing Choi Mujin and interacting with him, it makes you nervous. Being around him isn’t easy. But you have to face him either way.

You left your hotel room with Gangjae, and you slowly made your way to Choi Mujin’s office. Upon arrival, there were two of his boys standing guard outside the door. One of them saw you and entered the office, informing Choi Mujin of your arrival. Another one of them opened the door for you, letting you in.

The moment you entered his office, the scent of him and his cologne engulfed you. Ah, the familiar scent of him. You breathed in a deep breath, wanting to inhale all the air in his office. But you looked at him and he kind of caught you red-handed. You quickly put on a calm expression and walked over to him. As usual, he scanned your appearance, stopping for a second longer on your bandaged hands. You noticed him clenching his jaw, and glancing away from your hands.

“Gangjae, Taeju, step out for a moment.” Choi Mujin ordered sternly. Gangjae glanced at you and left the room alongside Taeju, leaving the both of you alone again, in the big space. The awkward tension was present again, with your hands slowly getting clammy. You stood still in front of his desk. He looked at you from where he was sitting. While maintaining eye contact, he got up from his chair, and circled around the table, approaching you. Your right hand held your left, fidgeting while feeling anxiety consume you.

“지우야, 아파? (Jiwoo-yah, does it hurt?)” Choi Mujin questioned with concern while holding both your hands in his, as gentle as he could, not wanting to hurt you any further. You had melted at both his touch and his words.

“No, not really.” You lied. It stung like a bitch when you showered, or washed your hands. Choi Mujin gently led you over to the couch area of his office, and seated you. He took a seat on another couch, diagonal from you. He took one of your hands in his, and found the edge of the bandage. Slowly tugging at it, your bandage loosened and he gently peeled it off.

Your scabbing knuckles with dried blood was now exposed. Choi Mujin grimaced in pain at the sight. He did the same thing to your other hand, all the while taking his time and doing it as gentle as he could. Once both your hands were naked, Choi Mujin placed your hands on your lap and went over to the drawer of his desk, getting out a first aid kit. I’ve really been seeing a lot of first aid kits lately. You thought, while huffing out a chuckle.

Choi Mujin came back with the first aid kit, sitting right next to you on the couch this time. Your knees were touching his, and your arms were touching his. He took your hand and placed it on his lap, disinfecting it with the disinfectant. You looked away to hide your flinch from the pain. It would expose your lie if he saw you flinching after you said it didn’t hurt, wouldn’t it?

The floor was rather interesting. The design of the couch too. Wow, look at the threads, colourful. Nice. OUCH. You hissed at the sudden stinging. Your head turned at the speed of light towards Choi Mujin. His hands were frozen in the air. Probably because of your hissing. The both of you held eye contact for a brief moment before you sighed and looked away.

“Ahjussi, it’s okay, I’ll do it myself.” You retracted your hand, and blew on it, wanting to lessen the pain. You tried to move away from him as slowly as you could, not wanting him to notice. You slid away inch by inch on the couch. You stopped by the time you felt like it was an appropriate distance. You inspected your knuckles, pretending to be invested in it. The first aid kit was too far away, and you didn’t really feel like moving.

Feeling a hand circle around your bent elbow, you turned to look at Choi Mujin at the exact moment he decided to pull. You immediately slid back across the couch and your shoulders were now sticking to his, without any extra space. You were certain you were full on blushing, as red as a tomato at that very moment. But then Choi Mujin acted as if nothing happened, and simply grabbed your hands to continue tending to your wounds.

Your mouth was agape. How was he able to act as if nothing happened after doing that? When you were so affected by it? You inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath, and when you looked at Choi Mujin, he was…chuckling? He was trying to hide it by looking down at your hands, seemingly concentrating, but you caught him. A frown found its way to your features.

“Ahjussi.” You called him, waiting for him to raise his head.

“Hmm?” But he didn’t raise his head. He continued tending to your wounds looking down.

“Ahjussi. Why are you laughing?” You called him again, straight to the point this time. You had captured his attention, making him raise his head. He was still smiling, looking at you. That was all it needed for your stomach to get swarmed with butterflies.

“Because you’re cute, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin stated nonchalantly, still looking deep into your eyes. You were only mere inches away from him, with the sides of your bodies touching. It certainly wasn’t helping the fact that you’re trying to stop liking him, as you found yourself falling even deeper. You felt his hand snake around your waist, with the heat of his hand travelling through the thin material of your clothing and onto your skin that was ice cold. You shivered as goosebumps covered your skin.

Your body flinched towards him instinctively as he started moving his fingers on your waist, tickling you. He stopped for a moment, while you turned to look at him in disbelief.

“What are you? A kid?” You asked with pure curiosity. You still had that frown on your face, because you were supposed to keep your distance. However, Choi Mujin had his lips stretched from ear-to-ear. You haven’t seen him this happy in a while, and it had somehow made you feel bubbly inside too. Although you were frowning on the outside, you felt the happiest you’ve been in a while on the inside.

Choi Mujin continued tickling you, leaving you no choice but to laugh. He seemed to be enjoying tickling you, as his deep laugh resonated in his whole office. You decided to take revenge. Your hands found their way to the side of his waists, as your finger started moving with a mind of their own. Soon enough, the only sound that could be heard in the room was the sound of both of your laughter. You prayed his office had soundproof walls, not wanting people from outside, especially the members of the gang to hear the sound of laughter.

The scabs on your knuckles somehow scraped against Choi Mujin’s shirt on accident, making you hiss in pain and also making the bleeding start again. Choi Mujin stopped tickling you immediately, and grabbed your hands again, inspecting it carefully.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve wrapped it up before tickling you.” Choi Mujin did the usual clenching of his jaw again, signalling his frustration. He disinfected your wounds again, and applied some random ointment, and wrapped it up nicely. He was still holding your hands, on his lap. It seemed as if he didn’t want to let them go.

When you least expected it, his hands found their way to the side of your waist again, tickling you. He was smart, you admit. He only tickled the side of your waist that was away from him. That way, when you flinch, you would flinch towards him and lean against him. It wasn’t that you mind, you liked it. You liked being close to him. But what if someone were to walk in on the both of you now? What would they think? Inappropriate thoughts, of course.

You were happy, laughing the hardest you had in a long time. But then those thoughts, they invaded your mind again. Yes, you were laughing. You were laughing your heart out, but your eyes had begun to get watery. You hated yourself for ruining your own mood. You tried to continue laughing, not wanting Choi Mujin to notice. But someone as meticulous and observant as he is, it was nearly impossible to hide anything from him. He retracted his hands, turning you around to face him.

“Why? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Choi Mujin had that frown of concern again. You mentally slapped yourself for wiping that smile off his face. It was already rare to see him smile, not to mention laughing his heart out. You shouldn’t have ruined it. You wanted to see him being happy.

“I…” You couldn’t find it in yourself to express how you felt. Choi Mujin held your head, staring deep into your eyes. Just the way he was looking at you was already comforting enough. You mustered up your courage.

“Ahjussi…I…I just…missed you, a lot. I thought I could…not think about you. But turns out I was…more than wrong. I’m sorry, ahjussi. I really shouldn’t have said that.” You realised how much you fucked up the moment the words left your mouth. You were making it worse. It felt like you were actually going to ruin his happy family of four. Choi Mujin’s features softened, as he pulled you into a hug.

“It’s okay, Jiwoo. Everything will be okay.” That was all Choi Mujin had said. He didn’t guarantee he could solve the problem. Probably because he didn’t know how to either. You just simply wanted to spend time with him. Nothing more. He was that kind of person that could make your whole day better with the littlest things, littlest gestures. You believed everyone needs someone like that in their lives. It could be their best friend, their family, or just some random people. But it was unfortunate for you that, it’s someone you like, and off-limits.

--

Taeyong has been sticking to you every time he gets a chance. At the gym, mostly. He would approach you, and ask you for tips and tricks. Or he would want to train with you. Sometimes, he would even tag along with you and Gangjae for lunch. Taeyong would often try to win you over with food. He would buy various snacks and drinks for you when you were done with your training. You were hesitant at first, and would reject hanging out with him and accepting the snacks he brought. But after a while, you decided to let him in.

It was a cloudy day, and you were done with practice. Gangjae had other things to do, therefore it was just you and Taeyong. You and him were seated on the concrete floor overseeing the reservoir. You were just munching on the snacks Taeyong had bought you, when he suddenly asked you a question.

“Jiwoo. I’m just assuming it’s okay for me to ask you this now because we’re friends now. Are we friends? Anyways, what is it about me that you hated so much in the beginning?” You were caught off guard. You looked over to him, and thought about the best way to answer. Taeyong had that look of anticipation in his eyes.

“Umm, I didn’t hate you, Taeyong. It was just that I wasn’t bothered to make new friends.” You lied. It was because of Choi Mujin. But you couldn’t tell him that, could you? Well, yeah because I fell for your dad and I found out he has a family and kids. You couldn’t say that. It would probably ruin their relationship in the blink of an eye.

“It’s weird that you don’t like me, you know? Other girls would stick to me whenever they get the chance. But I got rejected by you twice. Is it because you already have someone you like? A boyfriend? Who is it that owns that special place in your heart?” Taeyong seemed to be really curious about you. He was asking more questions than usual now that you let him in. But it was true thatyou didn’t feel anything for him. You figured it would be best to just reject him so that he wouldn’t get his hopes up for nothing.

“No, I don’t have a boyfriend. But yes, the special place in my heart is occupied. And it will probably be for a long time. I don’t think anyone can take his place.” You told him frankly. You reckoned it would be fine as long as he didn’t know who it was you were talking about.

“Damn…and I thought I was hot enough to get any girl I want. Come on, tell me more about this mysterious guy. Is he hot? Is he cool?” Taeyong sounded like a kid, being all cute and excited. You chuckled and leaned against the mini pillars.

“Well, of course he’s hot. He’s cool, he’s smart…He’s the best in every aspect. Best in the world. Whole wide world. I don’t think there’s another like him out there.” You looked into the distance, smiling to yourself while thinking of the memories.

If there was another man like him out there…

You would probably still want Choi Mujin.

Because he’s irreplaceable.

Chapter Text

Taeyong has always been a papa boy. He loved sticking to his father ever since he was a little boy. But due to his father being the head of the mafia, he had no choice but to keep a distance. He even ended up in the US, for him to be able to live a normal life. Ever since he came back, he has been trying to stick to his father whenever he could. He had missed his father deeply, and he wondered if his father had missed him too.

Taeyong loves going to his father’s office. He would lay on the couch while his father sat at his desk chair. He would tell his father stories about his life in the US, tell jokes, and often ask his father if there was anything he needed help with. Choi Mujin would chat with his son while doing his work, as it lightened the mood. They enjoyed each other’s presence. It was more like making up for the time that Choi Mujin couldn’t be around his family and his son.

At times, Taeyong would fall asleep on the couch in his father’s office, and his father would be as silent as possible while doing his work, as to not wake him. During the times when this happened, Choi Mujin would silently take a seat on the couch next to the one Taeyong fell asleep on, and just stare at his son. Choi Mujin would feel proud of how much his son has grown, and how handsome of a boy he has grown into.

--

Taeyong was there at his father’s office again, laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Taeyong was rather quiet today, unusually. Taeyong breathed deep breaths, exhaling sighs that indicated frustration. Choi Mujin looked over to his son with a raised eyebrow.

“What’s wrong, son?” Choi Mujin found it odd, as Taeyong would normally tell his father everything, without needing him to ask. Another one of Taeyong’s loud sighs could be heard before he got up from the couch, and walked over to his father’s work desk. Taeyong leaned on the desk, facing his father. Choi Mujin was a little taken aback by the serious look on his son’s face, as his son was normally the happy-go-lucky kind of guy.

“I don’t know, appa. It’s that girl, Jiwoo.” Taeyong said with another sigh, with his head held low. Choi Mujin’s interest perked up, hearing your name.

“Jiwoo? What about her?” Choi Mujin tried to keep his question as simple as possible, not wanting his son to catch on. Taeyong once again, took a deep breath and released it, now lifting his head to look at his father.

“She…she’s different. From other girls, I mean. She rejects me, she’s better than I am at fighting, and she doesn’t stick to me. I’m the one who needs to approach her. I think that’s why I’m…attracted to her?” Taeyong scratched the back of his neck, feeling kind of shy for some reason. Choi Mujin smacked his lips together the moment he heard his son say he was attracted to you. Choi Mujin had competition. There’s Gangjae, who isn’t much of a threat. But now that his son wants you too, Choi Mujin felt slightly anxious. He knew how his son is like. His son is an expert at getting girls, an expert at flirting, an expert as capturing girls’ hearts. What if he managed to capture your heart too?

“But, appa. You know, I kind of asked her that day. I asked her what was it about me that she hated so much that she didn’t want to talk to me. She said she didn’t hate me. She just wasn’t interested in making new friends.” Taeyong elaborated, still sounding devastated. Choi Mujin kept quiet, waiting for his son to continue telling the story. Choi Mujin didn’t want to rush his son, as it would seem…weird. Wouldn’t it?

“I asked her too. Why she didn’t like me. I asked her if it was because she has a boyfriend. Or even someone who has taken the special place in her heart.” Taeyong took his own sweet time telling the story. For one, he was slightly embarrassed to be discussing girl problems with his father. Two, he was upset about you not liking him. Therefore, he needed time to compose himself and story the details properly. Choi Mujin wanted to just ask his son to hurry up with the storytelling, because it was keeping him on edge. But he held his tongue, patiently waiting. For what seemed like forever, his son just stared at the floor, sighing consistently.

“She said she doesn’t have a boyfriend.” Choi Mujin had felt somewhat hurt from that statement of yours, but it was true. He wasn’t your boyfriend. He never made things official.

“But there is a special someone in her heart. She said he’s hot, he’s cool, he’s smart. She even said he is the best in every aspect. Best in the whole wide world.” Choi Mujin felt his heart starting to race. He had to pretend to scratch his upper lip to hide the smile that was finding its way to his lips. He didn’t expect you to talk about him in this way. Wait…is she even talking about me? That thought crossed Choi Mujin’s mind. Choi Mujin told himself it was him you were talking about, because who else would it be? It couldn’t be Gangjae now, could it?

“Appa. She even said that guy would probably be in her heart for a long, long time. Because…no one would be able to take his place.” Taeyong sounded like he was about to bawl. But Choi Mujin felt the complete opposite. He felt jittery, with butterflies in his stomach.

“Son, don’t worry. Things takes time. But if she really already has someone in her heart, I doubt it’ll be easy for her to change her mind. You should slowly move on, there’s always someone better out there.” Choi Mujin tried comforting his son.

“Appa, do you have any idea who it might be? I’m so curious it’s killing me. I just want to know who is it. Who is it that’s better than me.” Taeyong had his jaw clenched while uttering the last sentence.

“I don’t know, son. I’m sorry.” Choi Mujin said while getting up from his seat to stand facing the windows. He made sure his son wasn’t able to see his face, even through the reflections, before letting a small smile grace his features.

Jiwoo…My Jiwoo. 

Choi Mujin kept replaying the words Taeyong had said. Every time he replayed it in his head, the more jittery he felt, and the faster his heart raced. He felt weight lifted off his shoulders, and his burdens lessen. Stroking his beard, Choi Mujin thought of how he could make you feel what he was feeling at that very moment. With that, a little girl lived in his mind rent-free, every minute and every second.

Taeyong was still in his father’s office, facing the windows as well. Taeyong’s mind was filled with the mysterious guy you liked, while Choi Mujin’s mind was filled with you and the words you had said to Taeyong. It was a comfortable silence, between a father and a son. That was, until a faint sound of clacking could be heard from outside Choi Mujin’s office. The doors opened, causing both the father and son to turn around, looking at the door.

“Honey! Oh, son! You were here all along? I wondered where you had been all morning!” The bright voice of Seojin chirped, making the dead silent office feel alive. Choi Mujin sighed, rubbing his temples. For some reason, he didn’t feel like seeing his wife at the moment.

“Mom! I was just chatting with dad.” Taeyong walked towards his mom and gave her a hug, to which she returned by wrapping her arms around her son, patting his back, eyes filled with love. Seojin’s eyes then found its way to Choi Mujin.

“Hmm, honey. Why the sudden visit?” Choi Mujin tried to show at least a bit of affection towards his wife. Their son is right there, after all. Seojin had immediately released her hold on her son and walked towards Choi Mujin. Seojin proceeded to wrap her hands around Choi Mujin’s arm, sticking to him.

“I missed you, sweetie. It felt like such a long time since I’ve spent time with you.” Seojin tilted her head upwards, staring at Choi Mujin, pouting. Seojin spoke in a flirtatious way, wanting her husband to pamper her, and make up for the times he had neglected her. Choi Mujin looked at his wife, forcing out a smile. Choi Mujin reluctantly removed his arm from her hold and wrapped her in a hug. Choi Mujin shut his eyes, holding his wife in his arms.

“Hey, hey. Don’t do this in front of me. Do it when I’m not around, okay?” Taeyong’s playful tone of voice had saved Choi Mujin. He didn’t know how long he needed to hug her if Taeyong didn’t interfere. Choi Mujin felt bad, for feeling this way towards his wife, who he once loved. But right now, he just didn’t feel anything towards her anymore. In his eyes, she is just the mother of his kids.

“So…what were the both of you talking about? Taeyong looked sulky when I walked in.” Seojin walked to the couch, settling herself on it. Choi Mujin and Taeyong followed. Choi Mujin was about to get seated on a separate couch, but Seojin had pulled his arm towards her, which caused him to plop down right beside her. Seojin’s hands has once again found their way around Choi Mujin’s muscular arms.

“Mom, I think I have a crush.” Taeyong confessed, earning a surprised look from his mom. Seojin turned over to Choi Mujin with a proud look, smiling ear to ear. Choi Mujin only offered Seojin a small smile in return.

“Aigu, son! You’ve never been one to have a crush first! Who is it?” Seojin’s words were literally dripping with excitement. Taeyong had a cheeky smile on his lips, looking down to his lap, shying away.

“It’s…Jiwoo, mom.” Taeyong expressed with giddy. Seojin was silent for a moment, before breaking into a full-blown smile.

“Aww, son. That’s a good choice! Jiwoo is pretty, and cute, and capable. I’m sure she likes you too, son.” Seojin somehow sounded…kind of fake. That was how Choi Mujin had perceived her words, at least. But Choi Mujin had brushed it off, telling himself it was probably the prejudice that he now had against her.

“But she doesn’t like me, mom. It’s unusual, but it’s true.” Taeyong had turned sulky again, pouting the whole time.

“She said there’s a guy that holds the special place in her heart. Apparently, he’s hot, good in every aspect, and the best in the world. I don’t think I have a chance now, mom.” Taeyong spilled the beans, while Choi Mujin had his jaw clenched. His wife wasn’t supposed to know this. It was risky. At that very moment, Seojin turned to look at her husband. There was something in her eyes that he couldn’t quite make out, but it was gone in a split second. Choi Mujin doubted himself for a second, wondering if he was mistaken.

“it’s okay, Taeyong-ah. I’m sure she’ll come around, hmm?” Seojin placed a reassuring hand on her son’s lap, patting it a few times.

--

Seojin had left her husband’s office and returned to her suite. She plopped down on her bed, and stared at the wall with a blank expression. She stared, and stared, and stared. The room soon became dark, with the lack of sunlight.

Seojin had her hands clenched into fists, feeling a small ball of anger growing inside her. Her heart rate was increasing, and she started hitting herself. She punched her thighs, she knocked her head with her hands, and slapped herself a few times.

Seojin released a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She entered the shower, spending a long time in there. The moment she stepped out, she has returned to her usual self, the side she shows everyone else. The side of her where she stands tall, smiles gracefully, and oozed kindness.

She looked into the mirror, and stretched her lips into a smile a few times, checking if her artificial  facial expressions could deceive the eyes of others.

Chapter Text

The constant aggressive ringing of your doorbell had startled you awake with a rapidly increasing heartbeat. Gangjae wasn’t around today, as he had business to attend to. Therefore, it was only you alone in the spacious suite. You groggily made your way to the door, opening it without looking into the peephole beforehand. You weren’t fully awake yet, your brain too, was still powered off. A lady marching into your room after you opened the door had you rubbing your eyes, checking if you were seeing things correctly. Or was it a dream?

“Hello, Jiwoo.” The familiar chirpy voice had woken you up a little, but not enough.

“One minute.” You had excused yourself to visit the washroom, brushing your teeth and washing your face. Feeling sober, you exited the washroom and entered the living room. There sat the beautiful wife of Choi Mujin, dressed and seated with nothing but grace.

“Good morning, Mrs. Choi. I apologise for earlier; I wasn’t fully awake yet. May I know what brings you here this early in the morning?” You had glanced at the clock that read 7:23am. To be honest, you had only managed to fall asleep a few hours ago, thus the cause of your eyebags. Choi Mujin’s wife had crossed her leg on top of the other, leaning back into the couch. She looked at you with the kind of gaze…that made you feel looked down on.

“Would you get me a glass of water, please?” Seojin had spoken mockingly, with her gaze now transferred to the large windows. She spared you no second glance, which left you no choice but to fetch the water she had asked for. Hurriedly pouring water into a glass, you brought it over to her, placing it on the mini table in front of the couch.

“Here you go.” You spoke as politely as you could. Seojin glanced at the glass of water on the table, and corner-eyed you.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Jiwoo. I had a change of heart. Can you get me a cola?” A sly smirk rested on her lips; eyes filled with amusement. You wondered if she had found out about you and her husband. Was that the reason why she was treating you like this now? But you decided to obey her once again.

“It’s okay. I’ll be right back.” You uttered, patience running thin. You grabbed the glass filled with water to the pantry once again, disposing the water and replacing it with cola. You made your way back to the coffee table, placing the glass on the table in front of her once again. You stayed standing, in case she wanted you to change her drink again. But this time, she picked up the glass and brought it to her lips, taking a sip.

“Ah, this is sweet. Maybe water is better. Can I have the water back, Jiwoo-ssi?” Speaking in a sweet tone dripping with sarcasm, Seojin looked like she was enjoying the moment, ordering you around. You had expected it, but your hands balled into fists.

“No problem, Mrs. Choi.” You gritted out, and went to get a glass of water. You considered pouring salt in her water, but decided against it as it would probably make things worse. Placing the glass on the table once again, you waited for her to speak.

“Sit, Jiwoo-ssi.” Seojin commanded you with a monotonous tone. You listened to her, and took a seat on the couch opposite of her. If she were to have you bring another drink, your patience would’ve run out. She still didn’t look at you, with her eyes fixated on the large windows. You didn’t say a word and patiently waited for her to reveal the reason she paid you a visit.

Finally, after what felt like hours of suffocating tension in the air, Seojin turned her head towards you, eyes filled with…disgust? You were shocked, but managed to hide your emotions. You looked at her, waiting for her to speak. You noticed the way she clenched her jaw and the way her fingers tightened around her skirt before she spoke.

“Did you think I didn’t know, Jiwoo-ssi?” Hissing through gritted teeth, Seojin glared at you with anger evident on her features. Your heart skipped a beat, but it wasn’t a good one. You were panicking on the inside, but you stayed emotionless on the outside.

“Mrs. Choi, I don’t get what you mean.” You played innocent. But it wasn’t like you kissed Choi Mujin or did anything inappropriate with him. You are, kind of innocent. Seojin’s eyes squinted slightly upon hearing your words. The fingers around her skirt tightened even more, until her knuckles turned white. You discreetly took a deep breath. This was overwhelming.

“Playing dumb, is it?” Seojin scoffed, rolling her eyes at you. You took the opportunity to break the eye contact between you and her, to calm yourself down. Seojin got up from her seat and walked towards you, stomping her feet with each step, indicating her anger. Your brows slightly furrowed together by her sudden approach.

Standing tall in front of you who were seated, she grabbed the collar of your shirt and pulled. Forced to stand, you were now eye-level with Seojin. She made no move to release the hold on your collar. If anything, her grip tightened even more with every passing second. You could make her release her hold in under a second if you wanted. You were sure you were a better fighter than she was. But you didn’t make a move. She was an elder, and you didn’t want to attack her. You understood how she felt and why she’s feeling what she’s feeling, after all. It was entirely your fault. You decided to let her be. To let her do whatever she wants with you, as long as she feels better.

She walked forward, and you did backwards. Your back hit a wall, and she was now mere inches away from you.

“Stay away from my husband, Jiwoo-ssi. Listen to me while I’m being nice.” She seethed in your face. You didn’t know how you should answer her. You stayed silent, thinking. But it had only seemed to add fuel to the fire. Seojin released her hold on your collar, and her hand went around your neck. Seeing you unaffected, she added another hand to your neck, squeezing. That was when you felt suffocated.

Your own hands came up to your neck, wanting her to release her hold. But no, she didn’t. You wondered if this was the moment you were going to die.

“Do you hear me?” Seojin asked once again, determined to get an answer out of you. But you couldn’t speak due to her hold, and it was hard to even nod. But you managed to, and that was when she finally released her hold on you, and you fell to the ground, gasping for air, clawing at your throat. The sound of her heels clacked away, before it stopped for a few seconds.

“I trust that you know what to do now, Jiwoo-ssi.” With that, the sound of her heels disappeared into the hallway and into the distance, leaving you curled up like a ball on the cold floors of your suite.

You had stayed on the floor for a while, to calm yourself and to organize your thoughts. Gangjae came back from his business and freaked out seeing you curled up on the floor. You told him everything, and told him to keep it a secret. You didn’t want Choi Mujin to find out, because it would be an even bigger problem then.

--

“You ready?” The usual husky voice reached your ears. You looked to him and nodded with a small smile on your lips. You exited your suite, walking behind Choi Mujin. You were wearing a turtleneck, because a bruise was starting to form on your neck. You prayed Choi Mujin wouldn’t notice, and you tried to act as normal as you could.

You followed Choi Mujin, walking behind him, because if you were to walk next to him, it would raise suspicions again. Seojin could be watching from afar, too. Arriving at his car, you opened the door yourself, before he could do it. Quickly getting in, you sat still on the passenger seat, thinking about meeting your biological father.

“This is the first time I’m seeing you wearing a turtleneck, Jiwoo. Are you cold?” Choi Mujin turned his body towards you while talking after he got into the driver’s seat. You subconsciously tugged on the collar of your turtleneck, awkwardly chuckling.

“Yeah, it’s pretty cold these days.” You rubbed your hands together while looking him in the eyes. You hoped he didn’t detect your lie. His eyebrows furrowed while he scanned your appearance. One of his hands reached up to your face, wanting to touch your forehead. You unintentionally flinched away from his hand a small bit, maybe just a mere inch. But that small move of yours froze his hand in the air.

“What’s wrong, Jiwoo? You know you can tell me.” Choi Mujin proceeded to touch your forehead with one hand, and touch his own forehead with another. You didn’t have a fever, and you weren’t cold. But he didn’t know that.

“It’s nothing, ahjussi. I’m just kind of sensitive these days.” You made up a lie, hoping he wouldn’t catch on.

Choi Mujin knew it was a lie. Choi Mujin knew you never wore turtlenecks. Choi Mujin knew you loved the cold. But why? Choi Mujin wondered. Was there something he was unaware of? Was there something you were hiding from him? He was curious, but he didn’t want to force you to tell him. If you wanted him to know, you would’ve told him already. Choi Mujin kept telling himself that. Choi Mujin felt slightly down, but he kept his mouth shut. He simply patted your head to reassure you, and started driving to the destination.

--

Choi Mujin led you to a place that looked similar to a prison. Long hallways, with steel doors on each side. Blood splatters stained the walls and floors, making you take every step with caution. Screams and the sound of banging on doors came from every direction. Some doors had mini openings, and there you could see the desperate faces of the prisoners, pleading with their eyes. Chains clanked on the doors, floors. Dragged on the floor as the prisoners walked. The prisoners eyed you in a way that made chills run down your spine. You were glad you were wearing a turtleneck and long sleeves, but you still couldn’t help but rub your hands up and down your arms.

Choi Mujin probably noticed, because he suddenly had you walk in front of him, with his hand on the small of your back. You shivered from his touch. His hand was warm, and you weren’t supposed to shiver from warmth. But it was just the effect he had on you. The prisoners had suddenly cowered away, presumably from Choi Mujin’s glare. You and Choi Mujin finally stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway.

It was only then you realised Taeju had been walking with you and Choi Mujin from the very start. Taeju stepped forward, and looked into something that looked like a scanner. After a short while, the heavy metal door unlocked with a clang. Taeju pushed the door further open, and Choi Mujin entered the room. You followed behind him, and when he stepped aside, your eyes landed on a figure laid on a bed, with several tubes connected to him.

The moment Choi Mujin stepped aside, the man on the bed sprang up, sitting straight on the bed. The sound of clanging brought your eyes to his limbs. They were cuffed to the frame of the bed, with the bed drilled to the concrete floor. Everything was sturdily in place, with no chance for the prisoners to escape.

“My daughter! You’re finally here. Come give appa a hug.” Jeong Woo’s eyes sparkled with excitement; arms open wide after finishing his sentence. You stayed rooted to the spot, frowning with disgust and anger at your so-called biological father. You could feel Choi Mujin and Taeju’s eyes on you, waiting for your answer and reaction.

Only one word left your mouth, and it flipped Jeong Woo’s facial expression 180 degrees.

“No.”

Chapter Text

“Why did you lie, Jeong Woo-ssi?” You didn’t want to acknowledge him as a father. It was weird to call him by his name, but it would be even weirder to call him appa, wouldn’t it? Jeong Woo didn’t like the sound of that. His brows furrowed together, eyeing you with a slight squint of his eyes.

“You should be calling me appa, Jiwoo. Why aren’t you calling me appa?” Jeong Woo had his jaw clenched. But he had no right to be angry. He was in the wrong, wasn’t he?

“Answer my question, Jeong Woo-ssi.” You requested. Jeong Woo shifted his gaze from you to his lap, and then to his wrist that was cuffed firmly to the frame of the bed. A loud clang was then echoed throughout the entire room due to his sudden pulling of his hand. It must’ve hurt. But it didn’t seem like it had affected him. You merely closed your eyes when the loud noise engulfed the small room. You were shocked, of course. But you were more frustrated than shocked. You were tired of everything. You just wanted to disappear. But you couldn’t. This was something you had to face sooner or later.

A warm hand on your shoulder brought you comfort. But you didn’t let it show. You simply fixed your gaze on Jeong Woo, with a blank expression. Jeong Woo didn’t seem like he was going to answer you. Therefore, you stepped forward, nearer to him. You bent down a little, having your mouth levelled with his ear.

“Appa, do you see me as a daughter? Do you love me?” You whispered into his ear, making it inaudible to the other 2 men in the room. Jeong Woo’s head turned at the speed of lightning and his eyes snapped to yours. You showed him a sweet smile. His eyes lit up staring into yours.

“Daughter! Of course I love you. You’re the only person I love in the world.” Jeong Woo exclaimed. You then proceeded to take a huge step back, away from his reach. Jeong Woo stared at you with wide eyes, confused. You made sure there was no space behind you, and that both Choi Mujin and Taeju wouldn’t be able to reach you either.

You reached into the back pocket of your pants, pulling out a mini dagger. You raised it to your neck, slightly pressing on it. The eyes of everyone in the room widened, with Choi Mujin’s hand reaching out to you.

“Jiwoo-yah!” Choi Mujin’s voice was laced with panic. But you raised your left arm, stopping him in his tracks. Your eyes didn’t leave Jeong Woo’s. You wanted him to know you were serious about this.

“Daughter! What are you doing? Why are you doing that?” Jeong Woo was now at the edge of his bed. The constant clanging of his cuffs against the bed frame indicated that he was trying to free himself from it, to take the dagger from your hands.

“If you love me so much, why didn’t you raise me?” You decided to rephrase your question to get an answer out of him. Jeong Woo’s face morphed into one that was beyond angry.

“It’s because of that bastard Donghoon. It’s all his fault. He took you. HE TOOK YOU BEFORE I COULD! I went to him and asked him to give you to me. That I had more time to look after you than he does. But he kicked me out. He said I was unworthy. HE SAID I SHOULDN’T EVEN LOOK AT YOU!” Jeong Woo shouted with anger at the top of his lungs. It didn’t seem like a lie. He was too worked up to tell a lie. You still held the dagger firmly to your neck.

“Why did Donghoon say you were unworthy? Are you?” You figured triggering him would be the way to go. After all, psychopaths hated being looked down on. His reaction proved you had succeeded in triggering him. He was moving around aggressively, trying to break free. Jeong Woo’s eyes was fierce with anger, trained on you.

“How could you say that? When you’re my daughter? I was everything but unworthy. EVERYTHING BUT UNWORTHY! Donghoon had always hated me. He had looked down on me from the very beginning. I don’t know why. I didn’t care. But when he stole you from me…I couldn’t let it slide. I wanted to raise you, Jiwoo. You are my daughter, not his.” Jeong Woo was more calmed towards the end. He was now seated on the bed, head hung low. His eyes were red, glistening with unescaped tears.

It was because of how Donghoon looked down on him? That was the reason why he lied about Donghoon killing Jeong Do? You weren’t sure if you could believe him. Everything he said previously was nothing but lies.

“Why now?” This time, you asked with a gentle tone. You lowered the dagger from your neck, and you could’ve sworn you heard both Choi Mujin and Taeju release a breath of relieve. But you paid no attention to them. You walked closer to Jeong Woo, putting a hand on his shoulder. Jeong Woo raised his head, eyes deep in thought.

“Because my daughter, you’re a grownup now. You would understand the situation better. You would think of everything with a matured mindset…and because it’s time for you to come back to me now.” Jeong Woo looked at you with pleading eyes, begging without words. But you weren’t sure what you should do. You backed away while still looking into his eyes.

“I’ll be back.” You said, then turned on your heel and exited the room with the other 2 men following behind.

Arriving at the carpark, you pulled the car door handle but it was locked. Your eyes flickered over to Choi Mujin who was standing next to you. He didn’t unlock the doors. Instead, his eyes were fixated on yours with a worried expression.

“There was no need to press a dagger against your neck back there, Jiwoo. Did you know how worried I was?” Choi Mujin muttered. It was so soft, you had to fully focus to hear his words.

“I know what I was doing. I wouldn’t hurt myself. You don’t have to worry, ahjussi.” You spoke in the same tone as he did, reassuring him with your eyes. His hand came up to your face, holding your cheek. He tucked your hair behind your ear, and slightly tilted your head upwards to inspect your neck. Your eyes were focused on his face. His worried expression slowly changed into one of confusion and anger. You feel him pull down your turtleneck and you immediately stepped back, away from him. At that moment, you knew you were fucked. It had slipped your mind that you were hiding your bruise with a turtleneck. You shouldn’t have let him inspect the little cut you got from the dagger.

“What is that, Jiwoo?” His voice was low and commanding. Choi Mujin slightly squinted his eyes in a form of anger, shifting his gaze from your neck to your eyes. With every step you took backwards, he took forward. It was until your back hit the car, and when he placed his palms on the window of the car on either side of you, that you knew you wouldn’t be able to escape from this conversation. You were trapped. Choi Mujin was so near to you, that you had to lean back and turn your head sideways, otherwise his lips would’ve touched yours.

“Answer me, Jiwoo.” If you were any other person, you would probably already be on your knees, begging him to spare you. You have never seen him this angry before. One of his hands came up to your turtleneck again, tugging them down to get a good look this time. Your jaw was clenched as you gulped, feeling intimidated for the first time in a while. Choi Mujin grabbed the sides of your cheek harshly, forcing you to look him in the eye.

“I…” Your mind was blank. What could you possibly tell him? Well yeah, your wife kind of strangled me because she found out we have a thing. Could you say that? Of course not. No way. But Choi Mujin being Choi Mujin, he would see right past your lie. But you still decided to try. His eyes staring intently into yours wasn’t helping. You were slightly shaking. But you hoped he didn’t notice. You knew your legs would give out if he were to release his hold. It was the only thing holding you up.

“It happened during practice. It was unintentional. I beat him up worse. It’s nothing to worry about, ahjussi.” You spoke with difficulty, because of his hold on your face. You tried to huff out a light chuckle, wanting him to buy your lie. But the opposite happened. Choi Mujin got even angrier, if possible.

“Tell me the truth, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin’s jaw was clenched and his teeth were gritted. How were you going to get out of this? He was hell-bent on squeezing the truth out of you. He wasn’t the type to let it go once he set his heart to it. But you couldn’t tell him the truth. You refused to. It would ruin his relationship with his wife, his family.

There was only one way that has a chance of getting you out of this. You really didn’t want to resort to this, but it was better than spilling the beans.

You started thinking of every pitiful thing that had happened to you in the course of your life. You closed your eyes, seeing the scenes flash through as you took deep breaths. You opened your eyes again when you felt like you were ready. Your eyes slowly found his, as your tears fell. You decided to let him feel you shaking, too.

The widening of his eyes and the surprise in them showed that he was taken aback. Which probably meant you had succeeded. Your eyes continued to produce tears as they fell like a broken pipe. You started to sob while clenching the material above your heart. You weren’t looking at him anymore. Your eyes were focused on his tie.

“Jiwoo. What’s wrong? Jiwoo. Look at me. I’m sorry. Why are you shaking? Jiwoo, please.” The panic in his voice made your heart ache even more, but you had no choice but to resort to this. When you didn’t raise your head, both his hands held your cheeks gently, raising them softly. When you looked into his eyes, you felt your heart break even more. His eyes, they contained so much pain. It had only made you sob harder. You wanted him to be happy. You wanted to see him being happy. But you were the one who caused him the most pain.

Suddenly, you were in his arms again. He was drawing soothing circles on your back. It pained you so much, that he had to comfort you when he too, was hurting so much.

“아저씨, 미안해요. (Ahjussi, I’m sorry.)” You sobbed out. There was the heart wrenching pain in your chest, and it was overwhelming.

“Why are you sorry, Jiwoo? I should be the one that’s sorry. I shouldn’t have been so harsh on you. I promise it won’t happen again.” Choi Mujin sounded calm, but was he really?

--

You were back at your suite. But you were in a daze. So much was on your mind. There was so much you had to resolve. But you wanted to dig a hole and jump in. Choi Mujin didn’t talk about the bruise on your neck anymore during the drive back. You were grateful, but it hurts.

--

Choi Mujin was at his office, huffing out a puff of smoke.

“Taeju-yah, did you see Jiwoo’s neck just now?”

“Not really, boss. But I did catch a glimpse of a bruise forming.” Taeju answered honestly.

“It looks like someone strangled her, doesn’t it?”

“Yes boss.”

“Who could it be?” Choi Mujin was curious and frustrated. He wanted to know who dared do that to you. But why couldn’t you tell him?

“I’m not sure, boss. No one would dare lay their hands on her, boss.” Taeju voiced his opinion, to which Choi Mujin groaned in reply.

The doors to his office had opened, with Seojin entering with the clacking of her heels.

“Honey, should we have dinner on the rooftop bar with the kids?” Seojin chirped. Choi Mujin pinched the bridge of his nose and gulped down his whiskey before grabbing his coat from the hanger and following his wife out his office.

On a round table, the family of four were seated. Choi Mujin was silent, mind running, filled with thoughts of you. The loud voice of his son had brought him back to reality.

“Jiwoo-ssi! Join us for dinner!”

Choi Mujin’s eyes found you, standing at the entrance, looking like you were about to leave.

Chapter Text

You were leaving. You initially wanted to have some alone time on the rooftop bar. But upon entering, you saw the family of four. You turned to leave but Taeyong had spotted you.

“Jiwoo-ssi! Join us for dinner!” Taeyong’s face had lit up upon seeing you, and he waved his hand, signaling you to go over to where they were seated. You had to go over to greet them either way. Therefore, you made your way there with small tiny steps, head hung low with eyes darting here and there.

Your eyes studied every one of their facial expressions.

Seojin. She was trying to conceal her anger towards you. Her brows were slightly furrowed, but nothing too obvious. There was a strained smile on her lips. Her jaw was slightly clenched. With her eyes, it seemed like she was threatening you. Something along the lines of, if you dare join us for dinner, I will kill you with my bare hands.

Choi Mujin. Guilt. He was trying to look at you in an appropriate way in front of his wife. His eyes had found their way to your neck again, and you were glad you were still wearing a turtleneck. His eyes were able to ask you questions, without the need of him to use words. Are you okay? Have you eaten? How are you feeling?

Choi Taeyong. Eyes filled with anticipation. His usual smirk was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was replaced with a genuine smile. Does he really like you that much? But why? He was nodding towards you. Join us. Please. Say yes.

Choi Nara. Choi Mujin’s daughter. She was scanning your appearance. From your head to toe. Your hair, your outfit, your shoes. She was taking in every little detail about you. But her eyes, they didn’t hold hatred. Instead, it was…admiration? Her round and innocent eyes were wide, staring into your blank ones. Judging by her facial expressions, she was probably thinking, I want to be friends with her…

You had bowed to them and greeted them.

“Ahjussi, Mrs. Choi. It’s a coincidence to see you here. I’ve had my dinner. Thank you for inviting me, Taeyong. But I’ll get going.” You finished with a nod of your head and turned on your heel to leave. However, a hand around your wrist brought you to a halt. You looked down on your wrist and Taeyong’s hand was wrapped around it. Your eyes snapped to his, but he had those puppy eyes, with a cute smile on his face.

“Just join us, Jiwoo. It’s okay if you already had dinner, you can munch on some finger foods here. Come, sit here, next to me.” Taeyong was trying to convince you to join them. But you knew better than to accept his invitation. You looked over to Choi Mujin who nodded his head in approval and signalled to the chair beside Taeyong, encouraging you to take a seat.

Seojin was fuming. But she tried hard to not let it show. Her eyes that sparkled had suddenly became dull at your presence.

“Ah, Jiwoo-yah. Sit, please. Is there anything you want to eat?” Seojin spoke with grace, dripping with politeness. You weren’t surprised at how good she is at acting. The wife of a mafia boss surely wasn’t any ordinary person. She is good at acting; you gave her that. But your skills aren’t bad, either. You were gloomy, initially. You didn’t want to join their family dinner when you’re not family. But now that Seojin is putting on a show, you were going to play along.

You flashed Seojin a wide smile and took a seat next to Taeyong, who eagerly pulled out the chair for you and seated you like a gentleman.

“Well then, if you insist.” You said after you were seated. On your right was Taeyong, and on his right was Nara. Right across the table was Seojin, while Choi Mujin was seated across of Taeyong. It was fairly awkward. The restaurant manager approached the table with several menus in hand, passing them out to everyone starting with the ladies, and ending with Choi Mujin who was the host of the table.

You scanned through the food items on the menu. There were so many choices it made your eyes blurry. Half of the menu consists of words you didn’t know the meaning of, and prices you could only afford if you sold a kidney of yours. You briefly looked up from the menu to see if the others were struggling too. But of course, they weren’t. Everyone had their gaze focused on the menu, heads low.

However, someone’s head was raised and that someone’s eyes was now staring straight into yours. You unconsciously bit your lip out of nervousness and only realised when the usual frown found its way to his features. You quickly released your lip from your teeth and gave him a small smile.

Choi Mujin looked around to make sure his family wasn’t looking.

What do you want to eat? Choi Mujin had mouthed those words to you. You felt out of place and slightly upset that he has to be discreet even about asking you your choice of food. Your lips quirked up and you simply shrugged, honestly having no clue. Choi Mujin stifled a chuckle of his with his fist on his mouth. He then lightly scratched his temple, thinking. His eyes found their way back to you after a few seconds, sparkling as if he had thought of a perfect solution.

Tteokbokki? He mouthed. Choi Mujin looked so proud of himself for figuring it out, that you had nodded your head unknowingly, agreeing to his solution. Choi Mujin broke into a grin that reached his eyes, making your stomach do flips. You decided to break the eye contact before anyone catches on, lowering your eyes onto the menu again.

“Have you decided on what to eat yet?” You almost jumped from the voice next to you. You turned to Taeyong and he was once again, looking at you with wide puppy eyes. You wondered if there was tteokbokki on the menu. You glanced into the direction of Choi Mujin. He was already looking. You followed the gaze of his eyes to…Taeyong’s hand resting on your arm. You didn’t even know when had Taeyong put his hand there.

“Umm, tteokbokki maybe.” You removed your arm from his hold while speaking, hoping he wouldn’t notice. But he did. Although he didn’t say a word, but he had slowly retracted his hand and placed it back on his lap in a somewhat sad manner. You looked over to Choi Mujin just in time to see him unclenching his jaw, seemingly relieved.

“Tteokbokki? You can order something more expensive, you know. It’s on my dad.” Taeyong’s eyes crinkled when he laughed. In some sense, he resembled his father. Handsome, like his father. Charming, like his father. But it was the father you were attracted to, not Choi Mujin junior.

“It’s okay, I’m not hungry anyway.” You awkwardly chuckled, eyes darting around.

The restaurant manager was back. He stood at the end of the table where Choi Mujin was seated and was ready to take orders.

“Tteokbokki for the girl,” Choi Mujin motioned to you with his hand. “and beef short ribs for me.” Choi Mujin finished, passing the menu to the restaurant manager. You had earned a glance from the restaurant manager who probably wondered why was the boss ordering food for you. Choi Mujin’s family, too, gave both you and him a look. Especially his wife, who was still trying to contain her anger.

The moment the restaurant manager left, the atmosphere was tense and awkward. You simply looked around you, taking in the design of the rooftop bar. You prayed that the food would be served quickly, because you probably wouldn’t be able to take it if this awkward silence continued.

“Jiwoo-yah, are you doing okay? I heard about your biological father.” Seojin faked her pity for you. There was a glint in her eyes. A mischievous glint. You gave her a smile in return, leaning back onto the chair.

“I’m doing great. Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Choi. I really appreciate it.” You nodded your head towards her.

“I’m glad to hear that, Jiwoo. Do you have someone to lean on? A boyfriend perhaps?” Seojin was hinting with her tone of speech. She was challenging you. You could feel all eyes on you, especially Choi Mujin’s. You diverted your gaze to your lap as you smiled, thinking of the sweet memories between you and Choi Mujin. It was a smile that showed everyone you were thinking of your other half.

“I do. There’s a certain someone that I can always lean on. I’m grateful for having him.” You looked into Seojin’s eyes that displayed disbelief. You then looked at Choi Mujin, who was staring at you intently. He looked like he was happy and sad at the same time. You then looked at Taeyong, who was avoiding eye contact.

“Ah, I see. Maybe you could bring him over some time to have dinner. It would be on the house, wouldn’t it, honey?” Seojin placed her hand on Choi Mujin’s lap, earning a startled jump from him. Seojin looked back at you with an evil smirk. Choi Mujin was frowning, again. You really wanted to wipe that frown off of his face. He looked better when he was smiling.

“Hmm, I’m not sure. He’s a very busy man. He doesn’t even have time for me anymore nowadays.” You pouted, looking at Seojin, and then at Choi Mujin. Choi Mujin’s eyes were wide and apologetic. While Seojin’s eyes were angrily squinted as she breathed in a deep breath and clenched her jaw.

“He doesn’t have time for you? Dump that man, Jiwoo. I’ll be a better boyfriend. I’ll spend all my time with you. That man doesn’t deserve you, Jiwoo.” Taeyong had a sudden outburst that had garnered everyone’s attention. His reaction had made you chuckle, because of how cute he was. You decided to play along, just to see Choi Mujin’s reaction.

“Should I?” You asked in a teasing manner, chuckling and looking at Choi Mujin who now looked…somewhat angry. You chuckled even more at his facial expression but was interrupted by Seojin.

“You’re probably not his priority, then. If someone truly loves you, they would make time for you no matter how busy they are, don’t you think so?” You knew Seojin did that on purpose, to trigger you. But you couldn’t help but feel a pang of pain in your heart, like your heart shattered into a million pieces.

“That’s probably true. I might not be his priority. But I understand he’s busy and it’s hard to make time for me. It’s okay, as long as I love him.” You managed to force out a sad smile, while Seojin looked like she had just won the lottery. She probably felt like she had won because she made you feel like shit. Your eyes found Choi Mujin’s sad ones. Your lips were in a straight line as you looked away.

Fortunately for you, the food arrived. It had eased the tension and everyone focused on their food. You didn’t really have an appetite. But you still took small bites of your tteokbokki. It was especially spicy today, making you sweat in the cold weather. Thankfully you have a high tolerance for spice, making it kind of enjoyable. When you were done, you felt like you were in a sauna.

You grabbed a tissue and started wiping the sweat off your forehead, and also the back of your neck. The turtleneck was making it unbearable. If you didn’t have that bruise, you would’ve folded down the turtleneck already.

“Jiwoo-yah…what’s that on your neck…?” Taeyong questioned with concern. Everyone had now stopped eating their food and focused their full attention on your neck. You mentally cursed for letting it show once again.

But then…you realised it would be the perfect opportunity to play a little trick on Seojin.

The corner of your lips had quirked up in a smirk, as you thought of a last-minute plan.

Chapter Text

You kept your gaze downwards, placing your hand on your neck, and rubbing the material lightly, as if recalling a traumatising experience. You acted traumatised for a good while, getting everyone’s attention. You then slowly lifted up your head, and looked at Seojin with a gaze that’s filled with fear. You weren’t actually afraid; it was all just part of the act. Her reaction was priceless, and you wished you had recorded it. Her eyes widened with panic, as her eyebrows furrowed at you, as if giving you a warning to drop your act. You made sure you looked at her in fear long enough, for everyone to notice, and for it to raise suspicions.

When it felt like it was enough, you smiled and diverted your gaze to Taeyong.

“It’s nothing, Taeyong-ssi. It just somehow happened while I was training.” You dropped the hand that was on your neck to your lap, and started to play with the leftover sauce of the tteokbokki. The tension had become thick, because of you, and a slight feeling of satisfaction consumed you, as the corner of your lips quirked upwards again, but not before you made sure no one was watching.

“Who the fuc- Tell me, Jiwoo. Tell me who it is. I’m going to fucking crush that piece of shit.” Taeyong cursed with anger. You couldn’t hold back your chuckle. You looked around to see Choi Mujin staring at his son with wide eyes filled with surprise. Seojin looked appalled. Probably because of how much her son cares for you, and the feeling of knowing she is the one that her own son cursed out and wants to crush.

Seojin then shifted her gaze from her son to you, looking distressed. You simply sent a small smirk her way, and averted your eyes to Taeyong who was still mumbling to himself in anger.

But what you didn’t know, was that Choi Mujin had noticed everything. From how you looked at his wife in fear, to how his wife looked panicked, and to how his wife was clenching her jaw most of the time after you joined them for dinner. Choi Mujin had also caught the smirk you had on your lips that you had showed his wife. Choi Mujin had his mind running, trying his hardest to connect the dots.

--

You were in a dark alleyway, taking small and slow steps. Your mind was filled with thoughts of him again, as usual. You felt something press over your mouth all of a sudden. You had held your breath and quickly pulled on the person’s arm over your shoulder and crouched, making him flip and fall in front of you. A sharp pain spread from your back to your entire body, making you turn around to a group of thugs. Some were holding iron rods, some wooden rods, and some had daggers in their hands.

You wondered who’s tail you had stepped on for a whole group of them to show up in front of you like that. You made a quick head count, which totaled to 13. 14, if you were to include the one lying on the ground behind you.

“What do you guys want? And who are you guys?” You asked. It really was because you were curious. You were pretty confident with your fighting skills. But they had weapons, and you didn’t. It still made you kind of nervous.

“Ooh, a feisty one, just as they say.” The group snickered amongst themselves, having nasty smirks on their faces. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. You hated men like this. Dirty and perverted. They had somehow managed to catch you rolling your eyes at them in the dark, which they had found amusing.

“Look at her, rolling her eyes at us. How cute.” The guy standing in the front of the group sneered, looking at his members. You took that opportunity to send a flying kick to his face, knocking him out with just one strike. Everyone was now staring at you, and their collapsed member on the ground.

It was fortunate for you that you were in a narrow alley, because otherwise you would’ve been easily outnumbered. You picked up the wooden rod that had rolled to you swiftly, with your eyes trained on them. You stepped backwards, and the first guy who had collapsed behind you was now in front of you.

Like a swarm of bees, everyone started lunging towards you, holding their weapons up high, ready to strike. Seeing everything in slow-motion, you ducked just in time to not get hit in the face by a metal rod. When you ducked, you made use of the wooden rod you had picked up, hitting it hard against someone’s shin, making them fall. You then stood to your full height, turning around to kick someone’s chest, sending them flying in the other direction.

Temple, upper lip, chin, solar plexus, genitals.

Your mind was repeating Choi Mujin’s words in his voice, which made adrenaline pump through your veins like a drug. You were getting excited, and a smile had unconsciously found its way to your lips.

You see one of them running towards you, as you stepped to the side and put out a leg, making him trip and fall on his face. You chuckled, but that was a mistake. One of them had managed to land a punch on the side of your face, making your jaw throb and your lip bust. You spit out some of the blood before turning to the person who had attacked you.

You hopped up the side of the walls, and sent another kick in the direction of his head, managing to hit his temple. 5 down, 9 more to go. They were now on either sides of the narrow alley, and you were starting to get out of breath. You stood tall in the middle, now facing the front of the alley, with people behind you. As soon as the guy in front of you ran towards you and raised his weapon, you ducked again, making him hit one of their own in the head. 8 more.

While you were ducked, his crotch was right in front of you. You chuckled as you positioned your wooden rod to hit it like you were hitting a pinata. You smirked in triumph as he held his crotch, kneeling down and slumping in pain. Getting up, you felt a blade slash through the skin of your thigh, making you fall again. From your kneeling position, it was easy to attack their solar plexus and genitals. With just the raise of your wooden rod, another one of them was cradling their crotch. You stood up, enduring the pain of the cut on your thigh. 6 more to go.

You decided to change your weapon. A dagger was lying on the floor, calling out to you. Picking it up, you faced your opponents again. They were huge men. Tall and buffed up. You probably only reached their chests, but it was an advantage, in a way.

You had taken another punch to the face, this time, making you a bit dizzy and vision blurry. You shook your head several times, trying to wake yourself up. But it wasn’t helping. You then held the blade of the dagger in your hands, and suddenly you were wide awake. Crimson liquid was dripping from your palms, but it was a sacrifice that had to be made, if you didn’t want to die.

You were on the floor, and your view was filled with their legs. You then took the dagger in your dominant hand, and swiped it across one of their achilles heel, making blood splatter in your face. You stood up again, and took advantage of their shock. You plunged the dagger into one of the guy’s solar plexus, and proceeded to pull it out, seeing blood ooze from the new wound. Only 4 left.

Taking another punch to your abdomen, you sneaked in a punch of your own. You punched the bottom of his chin upwards, and heard a faint crack, ending with him on the ground. There were 2 more on one side, and one on the other. You kicked the chest of one of them, and he stumbled backwards, with the domino effect taking place. You then turned to the last guy. He looked around him, only to see everyone else on the ground. Panic grazed his features, as he looked back at you. You steadied your breathing, and spit out more blood that was the result of two punches to your face.

“Who are you? What was the point of this?” You asked, breathless. He looked like he was about to piss his pants. You sighed. He looked to be even younger than you. You wondered why was he even in this kind of…organization.

“Tell me, and I’ll let you go. Easy as that.” You nodded to him, encouraging him to talk. His eyes darted everywhere, looking at his members that were on the ground, and at you.

“I…We…GuCheonpa…” The boy stuttered.

Gucheonpa? The one that attacked me and ahjussi last time…?

You nodded your head, signalling him to continue.

“It…was an order…from our boss. He said…you’re Choi Mujin’s weakness…so we were told to…capture you.” The boy explained, voice shaking. You exhaled in frustration, running a hand through your hair.

“Go back, tell your boss he’s wrong. Choi Mujin does not care about me, and that there’s no use in holding me hostage.” You ordered the boy, and left the dark alley, lightly limping.

--

You arrived at the building you were most familiar with after limping for a good 20 minutes. You haven’t been back in a long time, but since it was proved that Donghoon wasn’t the killer, you had no reason to not come back. You punched in the keycode of the door, and the light beeping indicated the door was now unlocked. You took a deep breath before pushing open the door.

Your father was standing there, looking at you, surprised. You wordlessly walked forward into his arms and stayed there for a good while. He’s the only family you have now, after all. He’s also the one who caused you the least pain.

“Daughter, what’s wrong? What happened to you? How did you get injured? Let me see you.” Your father rubbed your back gently, wanting to let you know he’s there for you. You closed your eyes and inhaled the smell of home. You should’ve come back sooner. You should’ve left the hotel when you found out Choi Mujin isn’t a man you can have. You should’ve…

“I’ll go take a shower, appa.” You released the hug, and stepped into the shower. Turning on the water heater, you stood under the burning water, burning yourself awake. You hissed from the water coming in contact with your wounds and injuries, but it was somehow…enjoyable. You scrubbed every inch of your body, only satisfied when it turned red. You stepped out of the shower, and got dressed in loose oversized shirts and pants, before heading out to the living room.

Your father was seated on the couch with a first aid kit on the table. Noticing you, your father immediately got up from the couch and held your hand, helping you make your way to the couch safely because of your slight limp. You got seated on the couch, and your father focused on tending to your wounds while you zoned out.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened?” Your daze was broken by your father talking, and you looked down to see that he was already done bandaging all your wounds. You inspected all the bandages, trying to stall for time.

“I…got targeted by a group of thugs on my way here. Said they’re from Gucheonpa. Said their boss wanted them to capture me because apparently, I’m Choi Mujin’s weakness. Yeah. But I managed to defeat them. So, here I am.” You mumbled, avoiding eye contact with your father. A few seconds passed, and your father was dead silent. You looked at him to see his eyebrows furrowed together, looking kind of, shocked and worried.

“Did you say Gucheonpa? And why would you be Mujin-hyung’s weakness?”

“Yeah, Gucheonpa. Because I’m close to him? I don’t know. I told them they were wrong and asked them to pass the message to their boss. Appa, keep this a secret from ahjussi, okay? I don’t want unnecessary problems to arise.” You told your father gently, not wanting him to let Choi Mujin know. Because if he found out, there was going to be war. Which would put almost everyone you knew in danger. Your father nodded hesitantly, and you gave him another hug before you went to your room, turning off the lights and laying on your bed.  

--

Choi Mujin had spammed your dead phone with calls and texts.

Call me when you see this, Jiwoo.

Text me back.

Why is your phone turned off?

Where are you?

Why aren’t you back in your suite?

Jiwoo.

Text me back, for fucks sake.

You were soundly asleep, while Choi Mujin paced his office, worried sick.

Chapter Text

You awoke to the smell of freshly cooked rice. Your eyes opened and you almost jumped because you were used to seeing the large windows overlooking the city. Now that you were in your small room again…you had to get used to it. Scratching the back of your head, you groggily got out of bed. The moment you tried to stand, you winced from the pain spreading all over your body. You stood in front of your mirror and lifted your shirt, grimacing as you saw bruises scattered on every part of your body. You looked at your bandaged hand, and tried to ball it into a fist. But you couldn’t, probably because the cut was pretty deep. How am I going to take a shower?

You dragged your feet against the floorboards as you made your way to the kitchen. Your father’s back was facing you, as he stood at the stove, stirring something in a pot. Hearing your footsteps, he turned around with a bright smile.

“My Jiwoo, you’re awake! Happy birthday!” Your father cheered. You were confused for a moment, thinking about the date. June 25^th. Too much has been happening that your birthday had slipped your mind. You walked closer to where your father stood and he was boiling seaweed soup. Your stomach growled at the smell and you gulped.

“Ah, it’s my birthday. Happy birthday to me. I’ll go wash up.” You quickly stripped once you were in the shower, and was extra careful as to not get water on the bandages. But you failed, miserably. The bathroom was filled with sounds of you hissing, that you felt like a snake. Throwing on an oversized t-shirt and shorts, you exited the bathroom and got seated at the dining table. Your father placed a bowl of rice and seaweed soup in front of you, and also a few side dishes.

“잘 먹겠습니다. (I’ll eat well /Thank you for the food.)” You dug in, slurping the soup and stuffing rice into your mouth, occasionally munching on some picked radish and kimchi. But because of your busted lip, it was challenging for you to stuff the rice in your mouth. Every time you widened your mouth, it felt like your lip was splitting again. But you managed, and soon the bowls and plates were empty, like it wasn’t filled a few minutes earlier.

“Thanks for the food, appa. It was good. It’s been a while since I ate food like this.” You mumbled while wiping your mouth, and patting your belly. Your father chortled, with the corner of his eyes wrinkling.

“No need to thank me, daughter. How are you feeling? Do your injuries hurt a lot? Come, let me rebandage it.” Your father held your arm and guided you to the couch, and repeated the process.

“You should stay home today, Jiwoo.” Your father said while still tending to your wounds. You considered staying home, but you wanted to get your belongings from the hotel room.

“I’ll go to the hotel and quickly get my things. There’s only a few, appa. I’ll be quick.” You explained, and changed into more presentable clothes once your father was done with the bandaging. You wore a hoodie and long pants, to hide the bruises and injuries on your body. Unfortunately, the ones on your face couldn’t be hidden.

You looked for your phone and realized it was dead when you tried to turn it on. You grabbed a portable charger and plugged it in, and turned on your phone when you stepped out of the house. Notifications of messages and missed calls flooded in, with every single one of them from Choi Mujin. You felt your heart skip a beat seeing his name pop up on your phone. You skimmed through the texts and you could feel his worry through the screen. You felt bad, until his name popped up again, calling you. You hit yourself in the chest a few times, wanting your beating heart to calm down. You slowly slid the answer button, before raising the phone to your ear.

“Jiwoo? Are you alright? Where are you? Why didn’t you answer my calls until now? Hello?” His husky voice dripping with concern had managed to put a smile on your face once again.

“Ahjussi. Calm down. I’m alright. I slept at home. My phone was dead. I’m sorry for worrying you…” You spoke softly, hoping to soften him. There was only the sound of his breathing on the other line for quite some time, until you heard him sigh.

“Just…don’t do that next time. Okay?” His tone was back to being gentle, like he normally was when he was with you. You too, released a sigh. It was a sigh of sorrow and…joy, if possible. You felt sorrow because he always manages to make you smile whenever and wherever. You felt sorrow because he couldn’t be yours. While you felt joy because of how much he cares for you.

“It won’t happen again, ahjussi.” You kept it short, and ended the call when he said nothing more. You walked to the hotel, taking your own sweet time although you told your father you would be quick. Sure, you should be happy on your birthday, but for some reason, the happy feeling wasn’t coming.

--

You took the clothing that belongs to you, and several items that you had bought during your stay at the hotel. You stuffed them into the backpack you brought with you, and soon it got full. You glanced around the room, making sure you didn’t leave anything behind. You were about to open the door when the doorbell rang, startling you. You looked into the peephole and silently cursed.

Opening the door, an angry looking Seojin stormed inside the suite and stood in the middle of the living room. You slowly shut the door and walked over to where she stood. You knew you were fucked. You shouldn’t have provoked her last night. She could probably be as scary as Choi Mujin.

“Leave the country. Right now, you bitch.” She sneered at you, baring her teeth. You wondered if she was in her right mind. She wanted you to leave? All of a sudden? Why would you listen to her?

“Did I hear you right, Mrs. Choi? You’re asking me to leave the country? Right now? Why would I do that?” Your tone was filled with only curiosity.

“Get lost. I want you far from my husband. That stunt you pulled last night, you think you won, didn’t you? You wanted my husband to know I was the one who strangled you. But guess what? You failed, miserably, at that.” She smirked, eyes glinting with humour.

“And why would I leave when you tell me to?” Seojin simply chuckled, pulling her phone out of her pocket. Turning it on, she shoved it in your face. You squinted your eyes to get a better look at the screen. Your eyes widened as your heart raced.

“I warned you, didn’t I? You should’ve taken it seriously, little girl. You’re no match for me.” Seojin was laughing away. You have never seen her laugh like this before.

A million thoughts went through your head. Maybe it is for the better. Maybe I should leave. If I stay here, I’ll continue to keep seeing Choi Mujin, and that won’t help me get over him. Maybe it is better for me to live my life somewhere else. Start anew, without Choi Mujin. He can’t be mine anyway… I don’t really have friends here, too. So, it won’t affect me much if I were to leave…

“Fine. I’ll leave.” You looked into Seojin’s eyes with your blank ones. She looked like she was on cloud nine. A wide grin spread across her face, and she put her hand on your shoulder.

“See? How nice would it be if you had agreed from the start? You’ll be leaving for New York in…” Seojin glanced at her wrist watch before she continued. “8 hours. I suggest you quickly pack up now, Jiwoo-ssi.” She patted your shoulder, turning to leave before she halted.

“Oh, and before you leave, break it off with my husband. If you dare say a word about…, I’m sure you know what will happen. Go now, little girl. I’ll be listening in on the conversation between the both of you, so don’t try anything silly, hmm?” With that, she walked away, clacking her heels and swaying her hips.

You fell to the floor, tears streaming down your cheeks. How could she? How could she threaten you with Gangjae? She had showed you a live video. Of Gangjae and a bunch of masked people around him. Gangjae was already beaten to a pulp. If you refused to leave…Gangjae would die. Because of you. You stayed on the floor for a while, before you got up weakly, and left the suite.

--

You stood outside Choi Mujin’s office, facing the large luxurious double doors. Two men in suits stood on either side of the door. You took a deep breath to calm yourself down, before looking to one of them and nodding.

The large doors were pulled open, and your eyes landed on Choi Mujin who was seated at his desk. He was handsome, as usual. The frown on his face had vanished as if it weren’t there in the first place when his eyes met yours. The corner of his lips quirked upwards, as he stood from his chair and walked towards you while you did the same.

You were then squished in a tight hug the moment the doors closed. Your body tensed.

“Jiwoo-yah. How did you know to come here? I wanted to call you over.” Choi Mujin buried his face into your hair and the curve of your neck, mumbling his words. You heard him inhale and felt him relax his body against yours.

“You wanted to call me over? Why?” You asked, body still tense. Choi Mujin then released his tight hold on you and held you by the shoulders. Then he scanned your appearance. The frown returned to his face as he took in the bruise on your face, your busted lip, and your bandaged hand.

“What the fuck happened, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin questioned with anger. Instead of feeling upset at his tone, you felt happy. You broke eye contact with him, looking down to the ground and smiling uncontrollably. But you had quickly looked back into those eyes of his again. Because…you might not be able to see his mesmerizing caramel eyes again. You looked at his face, close up. Memorising every single feature of his, afraid of forgetting.

“Just got into a fight, that’s all.” You answered. It wasn’t a lie, you only left out the details. The sad smile of yours wouldn’t leave your face, and you decided to just leave it.

“With who? And why are you smiling? What’s with that look on your face?” Choi Mujin bombarded you with questions, and you had secretly hit the record button on your phone. You wanted to be able to hear his voice anywhere, anytime. Choi Mujin sighed, “Just what have you been up to, Jiwoo?” He asked in a pained manner, his hand coming up to cradle your face.

“Let’s stop talking about this, ahjussi…please?” You softly requested, making him exhale with frustration and then pulling you over to the couch to get you seated.

“Jiwoo-yah, happy birthday.” Choi Mujin said, which caught you off guard. “One minute.” Choi Mujin continued, walking over to his desk and coming back with a small box in his hands. He passed it to you with a bright smile, looking excited like a young boy. You took the box in your hands, looking at it, hesitating.

“It’s your birthday present, Jiwoo. Open it.” Choi Mujin instructed. He sounded so happy; you could even hear the smile in his voice. Your hands slowly loosened the ribbon, and slid out the box. It revealed the brand Swarovski. Flipping open the jewellery box, you were blinded by the crystals. It was a necklace. A white crystal heart intertwined with a rose-gold plated infinity symbol. You looked up to Choi Mujin to see his eyes glistening with…love?

(  https://www.swarovski.com/en-MY/p-5518865/Swarovski-Infinity-necklace-Infinity-and-heart-White-Mixed-metal-finish/ ) (picture of the necklace! idk if you guys can access it tho. let me know!)

“Ahjussi…this is too expensive, I can’t…” You trailed off. But he simply smiled and got seated next to you, holding your hand in his firm one.

“This necklace, a heart intertwined with an infinity symbol. Do you know what it means, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin looked at the necklace, and then back at you with eyes filled with emotion. You shook your head slightly at his question, making him chuckle and patting you on the head.

“Everlasting love. It means everlasting love, Jiwoo.” And then you felt your heart shatter. How were you going to break it off with him and leave for another country? Before you said anything else, he grabbed the necklace from the box, stood up and went behind you, securing the necklace around your neck. The light brushes of his fingers on your shoulder and neck caused goosebumps to cover every inch of your body as a shiver down your spine.

You were supposed to be happy, jumping with joy at this very moment. But all you could feel was…sorrow. You were worried, scared, guilty. Your hands started fidgeting, scratching your own skin with your nails. How were you going to bring it up? But Gangjae…

You looked down at the necklace hanging around your neck. You love it so much, so, so, so much. But you were going to break the heart of the person who mended yours. Choi Mujin got seated next to you again, staring at you and the necklace, looking proud and satisfied.

“Ahjussi…” You muttered, avoiding eye contact.

“Yes, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin spoke with such love, you wanted to die. Why was everything so complicated? Why does everything have to be so complicated? Why?

Your hands started to shake, and your eyes started getting teary, and your chin wobbled. You mustered up your courage to look him in the eyes.

“Let’s stop this, ahjussi.” Choi Mujin only looked surprise, staring back at you.

“Stop what, Jiwoo?”

“Let’s stop seeing each other, ahjussi.”

Choi Mujin’s eyes was drained from all positive emotions, and was now filled with heartrending emotions.

It hurts so much to watch, that you had to look away.

Chapter Text

“What are you saying?” Choi Mujin was unexpectedly calm. He honestly looked like he only wanted to know the reason why. His hand came up to your chin and tilted it upwards so that he could look into your teary eyes. You still avoided looking at him, and simply looked behind him.

“Why, Jiwoo? Is it something I did? Tell me. We can work this out.” Choi Mujin caressed your face in one hand, and held your hands in the other. He gently stroked your cheek, making you melt.

“There’s no ending for us anyway. I don’t see the point for us to continue.” You decided to be straightforward, and harsh with your words. You didn’t mean anything you had said. You would even risk your life if it had meant you could stay by his side. Choi Mujin’s face was overcome with shock. It looked like he couldn’t believe those words had come out of your mouth.

“I know that’s not how you feel, Jiwoo. Tell me the truth. Hmm? Don’t say things you don’t mean.” Choi Mujin spoke so gently; it made you doubt if he really is a mafia boss. You needed to convince him to believe you, even if it isn’t the truth. You looked into those mesmerising eyes of his again, as you blanked yours.

“I mean every word I said, ahjussi. Do you think it’s fun? To do everything secretly when it involves you? To see your wife, do whatever she wants with you in public? To see that you have a family waiting for you? While I have to keep my distance in front of them and act like you’re nothing but my father’s best friend? Have you ever put yourself in my shoes, ahjussi?” Then you realised you shouldn’t have said that. Choi Mujin’s eyes darted away from yours, and stayed glued to the floor for a couple of minutes. His eyes had something in them that you had never seen before. It was like he suddenly realised how you felt, from your point of view. There was extreme guilt in his eyes, and it looked like he was blaming himself.

Sure, you had succeeded in convincing him that you were sick of everything, and that you wanted to end things. But you had hurt him. It was the last thing you wanted to do. But you did it. Then he raised his head and held your hand that he had dropped a few minutes earlier, caressing it once again.

“I’m sorry, Jiwoo. It’s all my fault. I didn’t consider your feelings.” Choi Mujin looked somewhat distracted while uttering those words, eyes indicating he was still deep in thought. Then his eyes snapped to yours. This time, filled with hope.

“I can fix it. I promise. Hmm? Jiwoo. Don’t end things with me. Please.” Choi Mujin begged you with his eyes, making you waver for a moment. But you couldn’t. You mustn’t. You couldn’t put Gangjae at risk when he’s your first and only friend.

Choi Mujin waited for your answer that never came. You were fighting inner battles, contemplating on the things you should and shouldn’t say. Choi Mujin continued to wait. Then he had held the sides of your head in both his hands, and pulled you in while he, too, leaned forward. Choi Mujin placed a gentle kiss on your forehead, his lips lingering for a few seconds longer than needed. Your eyes fluttered shut as you drowned in self-hate.

When he had released you, you gulped and stood up, making him eye you with surprise. If you were to stay there any longer, you were sure he would’ve convinced you to not end things. You couldn’t let that happen. You didn’t know what else to say. Therefore, you decided to leave.

“I’ll get going.” You headed for the door, hand reaching out to pull on the handles. But then a hand on your other wrist had pulled and turned you around to crash into his firm chest. His arms were around your small frame again, squeezing you tight. You didn’t hug him back, but you were itching to do so.

“Think about it, Jiwoo. Please.” He mumbled into your ear, making you shiver. You said nothing and left the moment he loosened his hold. Leaving the room, tears had finally escaped your eyes, but with no one there to catch them this time.

--

“Appa…I’ll be leaving for New York in a few hours.” You quietly said to your father when you arrived home. Your father jumped up, staring at you in disbelief.

“What did you just say? New York? In a few hours? Why?” Your father sounded angry, and you didn’t know what to tell him. You seated him on the couch, and got him a glass of water.

“Appa, it’s just…I want to travel. I want to experience life outside of Korea. I want to know how it feels like to be independent. That’s why.” It was partly true. But it was too sudden. Your father looked like he didn’t buy your lie. His eyes narrowed into slits, staring at you, trying to read you.

“There’s something else, isn’t there?” Your father questioned. He looked like he already knew, for some reason. But you told yourself that there’s no way he knew, and continued to try to deceive him.

“Something else? What else would there be? I’m an almost adult, wanting to travel the world. Is it that weird?” Huffing out an awkward chuckle, you sipped on the cola in front of you. Your father seemed like he was holding back, contemplating whether or not he should say something.

“Jiwoo-yah…is it because of Mujin-hyung?” You could only stare at him, mind running. How did he know? How much does he know?

“Ahjussi? No, of course not. Why would it be because of him?” You tried your best to keep up your lie, acting clueless.

“You can be honest with me, daughter. Is it because of him?” Your father turned serious, and you felt like you probably couldn’t deceive him anymore.

“I guess…part of it is.” You came clean, too embarrassed to look into your father’s eyes. You played with your fingers, inspecting your finger nails and looking for hangnails to distract yourself from your father’s stare drilling a hole into the top of your skull. You wanted to leave quietly and peacefully. You didn’t want to cause any more problems. Which meant you couldn’t tell your father about Choi Mujin’s wife threatening you. Because your father would tell Choi Mujin, and then Choi Mujin would get mad at his wife who loves him so much, and then it would probably ruin their family, which would also ruin Choi Mujin’s happiness.

“Why? Why are you leaving because of Mujin-hyung?” Your father didn’t give up on the questioning.

“I just…want to move on from him. There’s no point in continuing what we have because he has a family waiting for him. So, I just want to leave so I won’t think of him.” You told your father exactly what you have told Choi Mujin. Therefore, if they were to talk about it after you leave, it won’t be contradicting. Your father released a sad sigh.

“Don’t go for too long, daughter. Your father is still here. Come back soon, okay?” Your father’s eyes turned red and glossy as you engulfed him in a hug.

“I will contact you, appa. But please don’t give ahjussi my number, no matter what. It will only ruin everything. I love you, appa.”

--

Seated at the airport chairs, your butt was starting to go numb. You watched people walk in front of you for hours, waiting to board the plane. You watched some people who was traveling with their family. Some were traveling with their lover. Not many were alone. You had suddenly wondered how it would be like if you travelled with Choi Mujin. You imagined how it would be like to travel with him. You imagined snuggling into him when you’re cold. You imagined sleeping with your head on his shoulder on the plane. You imagined eating all the good food with him. You imagined…

Then your tears started falling again. You tried to stop, but it wasn’t stopping. You didn’t realise how much you would miss Korea. Miss home. Miss your father. Miss Choi Mujin. There are so, so, so many things you would miss. A handkerchief in front of your face had stopped your tears for a while, while you raised your head. There was a guy. Probably only a few years older than you.

“Take it.” The guy said. He has a nice voice, and he was pretty good looking too. You wondered who he is. You took the handkerchief he offered, and simply wiped your tears. He took a seat next to you, and you instinctively scooted further away. He looked at you, smiling lightly to himself.

“Ms. Choi sent me. I’ll accompany you on your trip to New York. My name is…” But you had zoned out after he said Seojin sent him. She even had to send someone to stay with you to make sure you don’t contact her husband? You didn’t hear him say his name. But you were sure you would get a chance to ask him again. Since he would probably be with you as long as you are in New York.

The guy had helped you with your luggage, and you were seated next to him on the plane. It was a window seat, and you mentally thanked Seojin for that. It had distracted you from everything that was happening, and it had calmed your nerves. About an hour in, the air stewardess had approached the both of with a food trolley. The guy turned to you.

“Are you hungry? Is there anything you want to eat?” He asked with concern, which kind of caught you off guard. But you shook your head. Because you had no appetite after all that happened. The guy had dismissed the air stewardess with a thanks and you glanced back out the window, getting lost in your thoughts.

--

Your eyes fluttered open as you realised you had dozed off, and your head was currently laying on something hard. You quickly moved your head upright and you realised you had been sleeping with your head on the guy’s shoulder. You looked at him in shock and apologetically.

“Sorry, I…I dozed off by accident. I’m really sorry.” You repeatedly apologised, mentally slapping yourself for doing that to someone you had just met. A low chuckle rumbled out from his throat, as a charming smile spread across his face. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at you.

“Don’t worry about it, Jiwoo-ssi. It’s nothing, really. As long as you slept well.” He said, which reassured you. You exhaled and rubbed your eyes, before turning your attention to the window again. It was dark, with small dots of lights from buildings covering the ground. You took out your phone and snapped a picture, lightly smiling to yourself when you checked the outcome. Choi Mujin had found his way into your head again, and your smile faltered. Your stomach had suddenly growled, earning a look from the guy. He chuckled, once again, before getting the attention of the air stewardess to get some food.

--

Nothing else was left in the aluminium food boxes. Both you and the guy had ate the food like it has been 10 years since the last meal. The both of you looked at each other, and then at the empty boxes. The both of you laughed at the same time, finding the situation rather funny.

“You look nice when you smile. You should smile more often.” The guy said, studying your every feature. You smiled and muttered a thanks, before turning away.

The vibrating of a phone caught your attention, as you turned to the guy. He fished out his phone from the pocket, looking at the caller ID before sliding the answer button and raising it to his ear.

“Hello. Yes, Jeon Pildo speaking.”

Chapter Text

You stepped foot into an apartment unit. It was modern, and cosy. It has a kitchen, 2 rooms, and 2 bathrooms. The living room was perfect for someone who would stay alone, and there’s a balcony overlooking the city. Your unit was on the 21^st floor, which was pretty high.

It was one of the conditions that you had Seojin agree to. The other one was to give you monthly allowance while you’re in New York, as it would make your life easier. Surprisingly, she had agreed to both. As long as you’re away from her husband, apparently. Pildo occupies the unit next to yours, so he can keep an eye on you, and be the first to reach you if anything were to happen.

You collapsed the moment you arrived at the fully furnished apartment. Being in the sky for over 14 hours isn’t exactly a nice feeling. You slept for around 10 hours, with every dream you dreamt filled with Choi Mujin. You woke up crying sometimes, and smiling sometimes. Your pillowcase would often end up wet with salty tears, and you would flip the pillow to continue sleeping.

--

You spent a few days settling in, unpacking your stuff and rearranging some furniture to your liking. You set up everything. Your tv, your computer. Pildo would come over most of the time to accompany you, probably because you looked super depressed from the moment he met you. You would eat every meal with him, and he would buy snacks and bring them to your house to have together. You explored New York city with him, walking around, buying things. You managed to find a nearby gym with him, and had registered with your fake name that Seojin had given you. Oh Hyejin. It was weird to be called by a different name, but you were sure you would get used to it in a few weeks.

--

Choi Mujin was pacing his office. He had called and texted you countless times. But every time, the call operator would say that the number he had called didn’t exist. Which didn’t make sense. Choi Mujin just couldn’t understand. He has been contacting you through this number since the very beginning. Why does it say it doesn’t exist now? He had gone to your suite to find it empty. All of your belongings were no longer there. Choi Mujin wondered why you had left without a word. Was it because of him? Was the part where you ended things with him secretly a goodbye?

“Taeju. Do you know where Jiwoo is?” Choi Mujin asked the man who was standing by his side.

“I’m sorry, boss. I do not know where she is.” Taeju said with his head low. Choi Mujin had clenched his jaw, feeling worry, and frustration at the same time.

“Call Gangjae here.” Choi Mujin ordered, to which Taeju efficiently fished out his phone and pressed the call button to Gangjae’s number.

--

“What do you mean you don’t know? Aren’t you her best friend?” Choi Mujin’s angry voice boomed throughout his office, making Gangjae take a step back with his head ducked, avoiding eye contact with his boss.

“I’m sorry, boss. I haven’t been in contact with her for a few days. I…” Gangjae wondered if he should tell the boss about his abduction. The boss gulped down his glass of whiskey like it was nothing but plain water, eyes snapping to Gangjae once he had let the alcohol run down his throat.

“You what?” The boss raised his voice, making Gangjae shut his eyes in fear.

“I was…abducted, boss. For the past few days. I only got back yesterday.” Gangjae hesitantly told the boss. The boss had his eyes narrowed into slits, not really believing Gangjae’s words because the boss believed Gangjae to be a good fighter. Which meant it couldn’t have been easy to abduct him.

“Abducted? By? Is that why you’re a mess right now?” Curiosity was slowly consuming the boss as a whole.

“I don’t know who they are, boss. I was blindfolded the whole time, and they never spoke a single word. I don’t even know how long passed, when they suddenly released me.” Gangjae explained.

“Find out who they are. And find Jiwoo. Now.” Choi Mujin slumped back into his chair, swirling the glass of whiskey in his hand, as Gangjae and Taeju scrambled out of Choi Mujin’s office.

--

After settling down, you took out the new phone along with a new number Seojin had provided. You made sure you were alone, before dialling Gangjae’s number that was carved in your brain.

One ring. Two rings. Three rings.

“Hello?” You exhaled in relieve when you heard his voice. You were so worried that Seojin wouldn’t keep her promise to release him after you left.

“Hello? Who is this?” Gangjae asked with curiosity. You didn’t know hearing Gangjae’s voice could make you smile.

“It’s me, Jiwoo. How are you?” Then there was silence. You could hear him breathing, though. It was just that he didn’t utter a single word.

“Where the fuck are you, Jiwoo? Did you know how worried I was when you suddenly disappeared like that? Boss is going crazy looking for you. And what is this number? Where are you?” His questions were laced with anger, and you had a sad smile on your lips. 

“Oppa, are you alone right now? Please go somewhere so you’re alone and there’s no risk of anyone hearing you. Then I’ll explain everything. You can call me back later when you’re alone. And please, don’t let ahjussi know.” You hung up, and laid on your couch, staring out the balcony. You waited for a while, probably around 20 minutes, until your phone rang with Gangjae’s name lighting up the screen. You slid the answer button.

“I’m alone at home now. Tell me.” Gangjae sounded impatient. Which you understand.

“Oppa. Tell me this first. Are you okay? Are your injuries severe?” You wanted to know if he was beaten up badly by Seojin’s people and you wanted to know if he was recovering nicely.

“How did you know I was injured?” And then you told him everything, from the beginning to the end.

“Why are you keeping this from boss? How dare that bitch use me to threaten you? I’m going to tell boss. Right now.” Gangjae was beyond fuming. But you understood where it was coming from.

“Oppa, calm down. Listen to me. Hmm? Think about what would happen if ahjussi found out? His kids would have a broken family then. I was the one in the wrong in the first place. I am the extra. It’s good for me to leave, don’t you think so? It’ll be better for both me and him. I’m sure he’ll calm down soon. Give it some time.” You calmly told Gangjae, not wanting him to do things on impulse. Gangjae released a long sigh.

“Jiwoo. I don’t know why you’re being so nice. We can just get that bitch and then you can be with boss. Isn’t that good?”

“And then what? His kids should call me mom? And then? I should lead the gang with ahjussi? Would the members accept me? Would they still respect ahjussi as their boss? Everything would change, oppa. And it’s not for the better. I don’t mind staying here, oppa. It’s peaceful, for once.” You truthfully told Gangjae, wanting him to understand the current situation.

“But you’re there alone, Jiwoo. How can I just let you live there alone?” Gangjae spoke with concern.

“Oppa, there’s someone here that Seojin sent to watch me. So, I’m not really alone. You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll call you from time to time.”

“She sent someone to watch you? Isn’t it enough that you’re already in New York? I’m coming to New York. I can’t trust whoever is watching you.” You could hear the sound of Gangjae walking around, pacing. It seemed like he really wanted to come to New York to accompany you. But that would raise suspicions.

“Oppa. Stay there. There’s no way you can leave the gang. They would kill you. Just stay there, okay? I’ll call you again soon. And please. Don’t tell ahjussi about this. Otherwise, we’re not friends anymore.” You waited until he mumbled an okay before hanging up, feeling weight lifted off your shoulders.

The ringing of your doorbell alerted you from your daze as you lazily dragged your feet across the floor to get the door.

“What’s up, Pildo-ssi?” You asked when the door opened to reveal your next-door neighbour.

“Can I come in?” Pildo politely asked, to which you stepped aside to make space for him to enter your house. Once inside, he seated himself on the couch as you did the same, opposite of him.

“Who was that you were talking to on the phone?” Pildo was straightforward with his question, which left you dumbstruck. You got caught, and now Seojin would probably find out and…

“Don’t worry. Only I have access to the recording. I won’t tell Mrs. Choi about it if you don’t want me to. I could tell he’s a friend that cares deeply about you and you care deeply about. And hearing Mrs. Choi abduct him to threaten you…well, I don’t like the sound of that.” Pildo had said those words calmly, almost nonchalantly. You couldn’t really believe it. Did Seojin really send him to keep an eye on you? Is he really betraying Seojin? So easily? It was hard to believe.

“Why are you helping me?” You simply asked.

“I haven’t been working for Mrs. Choi for long. I have no idea why she chose me for this job but, during the time I worked for her, well, she isn’t exactly a nice boss.” Pildo explained with a shrug of his shoulders. Sure, his explanation sounded pretty convincing. But was it true? Could it all be a part of Seojin’s plan? You couldn’t trust him, not yet at least. You decided to wait it out. If anything were to happen to Gangjae again, it would be the result of Pildo reporting everything to Seojin.

“Um, here is another phone. I’d suggest you use this if you want to contact people in Korea. It’s safer, and not from Mrs. Choi.” Pildo passed you another phone similar to the one Seojin had given you. You inspected the phone. It looked to be brand new. You hesitantly accepted it, while a smile spread across Pildo’s face.

“Shall we go for dinner?” Pildo asked the question to which your stomach replied by growling. You mentally facepalmed, while Pildo burst out laughing, to which you also laughed from embarrassment.

­--

Choi Mujin was getting more and more cantankerous by the day. Every day passed with no new information about your whereabouts. He was getting angry, impatient. He needed you by his side. He missed you.

Taeju would always be the one Choi Mujin lashes out on. Taeju is always there next to him, therefore making him the nearest and easiest to lash out on. Choi Mujin couldn’t believe that they haven’t found you yet. Because DongCheonpa is known to be the best at tracking people down. But why couldn’t they track you?

Taeju had to reassure his boss everyday that you were fine, probably just hiding from him somewhere out there. Choi Mujin was reassured, but at times, he would think of the worst. What would he do if something had happened to you? How is he going to live his life without a certain little girl lighting it up?

“Honey!” It was a voice which Choi Mujin had unconsciously rolled his eyes to. He had no idea why he was so angry at his wife who had done nothing wrong. He had no idea why he hated the sound of her chirpy voice. But it was probably because Choi Mujin was feeling everything but chirpy.

“What do you want?” Choi Mujin had accidentally snapped at his wife. Seojin’s eyes widened with shock, and then sadness.

Seojin was angry. She was fuming. She was enraged. She knew her husband was acting this way because of you. It was because you disappeared and he couldn’t locate you. That’s why he snapped at her.

Seojin then wondered, if there was a way to make you disappear for good.

Chapter Text

You had grown accustomed to life in New York, and you would call Gangjae and your father once every week, just to let them know you’re safe and alive. Thankfully, the both of them aren’t saying anything to Choi Mujin. Also, turns out PIldo could be trusted, as he didn’t report anything to Seojin that she shouldn’t know. Gangjae had updated you on Choi Mujin’s behaviour. He was still flipping out every day, giving the members of his gang a hard time. You wanted him to move on. Why wouldn’t he move on?

Truth be told, you couldn’t move on either. He still finds his way into your mind 24/7. Even after weeks, almost 2 months, you’re still thinking of him like you did the first day you left. You would find yourself grabbing your old phone from the drawer of your desk, and pressing the play button on the recording you secretly recorded when you last met him. You would close your eyes while listening to it, and imagine yourself in that scenario once again. You would see his face, his facial expressions, and even feel his touch at times. Your hands would find their way to the thing hanging around your neck, feeling the coarse crystals with your fingertips.

You would think of him and miss him to the point where you would sob, until you curled up like a shrimp on your bed, and fall asleep just to wake up with swollen eyes the next day. Pildo never questioned, probably because it was an easy guess. He had become another one of your good friends in a short period of time, because you only had him, and he only had you. You don’t fully trust him yet, and you kept things to yourself. You told yourself you would wait for at least 4 months, before trusting him. Because you once heard that a person’s true colours will often be revealed in 3 months. Pildo has been nothing but good to you so far, and you hope it stays that way. So that you can trust him, and you can live in peace without having to fear him reporting to Seojin about the things that she shouldn’t know.

You were with Pildo, as usual. At a local pizzeria. Waiting for your order. Your hand was holding the pendant of your necklace, as he filled your mind once again.

--

Choi Mujin’s desk was empty. Why? Because everything was on the floor. Choi Mujin had swiped everything off his desk in a fit of anger. He just couldn’t understand why his gang couldn’t locate you. It should be easy. With their resources, their connections. It has almost been 2 months without you, and they still had no new leads.

Taeju was a bit heartbroken, seeing his usually calm and composed boss being in state like this. Taeju was doing his very best at locating you. But it was as if you disappeared off the face of earth. He had checked with Immigration if you had left the country, but there were no results of you departing from Korea. But if you were still in Korea, there was no way they haven’t found you yet. Taeju was confused, and he wasn’t sure what to do other than continue to send members of their gang to locate you.

A piece of shattered glass had lightly grazed Taeju’s cheek as the result of Choi Mujin hurling his glass of whiskey into the wall behind Taeju. Taeju did not make a single sound, only raising his arm to wipe the blood trickling down his face. Choi Mujin rubbed his temples as he released a long sigh. Choi Mujin took slow steps towards Taeju who stayed rooted to the spot.

“Taeju-yah…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. Does it hurt?” Choi Mujin placed a hand on Taeju’s shoulder, inspecting the cut on his cheek.

“No, boss. Don’t apologise. It doesn’t hurt.” Taeju reassured his boss. Taeju couldn’t blame his boss for leaving a small cut on his cheek when he knew the boss was hurting way more than he showed. Taeju has never once seen his boss act this way in the 7 years he knew him. Which showed how much this meant to the boss. Finding you. It was like Choi Mujin was willing to risk anything and everything if he could find you and get you to come back.

The sound of hurried footsteps outside Choi Mujin’s office had both men turn their heads towards the door. The doors opened to reveal one of the gang members, holding a phone in his hand, with a panicked expression on his face. Taeju and Choi Mujin looked at each other, hoping it was news about your whereabouts.

“Boss! We have a problem. Our drug smuggling container was raided. Everything is gone. Not even a single packet left. We’re tracking them down now. It shouldn’t be long until we know who it is.” The member explained to the boss while the boss had his jaw clenched and eyes shut tight. Choi Mujin wondered why was everything going wrong.

At least my mind won’t be filled with her 24/7 now. Makes it hurt less.

With that, Choi Mujin stayed at his office for almost a week, sorting out all the problems, thinking of solutions, and planned for future routes to be used for the smuggling of drugs. Choi Mujin would doze off on his chair at times, and jump awake after dreaming that something bad had happened to you. He would then continue to work, and work, and work until he eventually dozes off again. It was a never-ending cycle. Choi Mujin thought he would think less of you because of the amount of work he has, but you were still in his mind every minute and every second, even while he was working his ass off.

--

“Boss, you should take a break. You’ve been working non-stop without stepping foot outside this office. Please, boss. Get some proper sleep. I’ll handle things here.” Taeju couldn’t stand seeing his boss in that state anymore. Sure, the boss did take showers and change into fresh clothes everyday in his office, but he never slept properly. It was at most 1-hour naps he took while still sitting on his chair. His boss was looking more and more haggard by the day, the complete opposite of when you were there with him. Taeju was determined to bring you back, because you are the only one, who the boss listens to.

Choi Mujin took a swig of his whiskey after smoking his cigar. The frown has never left his face ever since you disappeared. It was as if it was carved into his forehead. Choi Mujin thought about Taeju’s advice, and realised maybe, he does need to get some proper sleep. Choi Mujin walked to Taeju, patting his shoulder as a sign of appreciation.

Choi Mujin dropped his hands to his sides, lazily dragging his feet to the doors. He had suddenly come to his senses, and had suddenly thought of his wife who he had neglected for almost 2 months. Choi Mujin made his way to his wife’s suite, unlocking the doors with a simple tap of his master key. He looked around the living room, not seeing his wife anywhere. Hearing a muffled voice, he walked towards the direction of the source. He stopped right outside his wife’s bedroom, and placed his ear on the door, straining his hearing to listen in.

“Oppa, I told you I wanted her gone weeks ago. Why am I not hearing any news of her dead?”

“No. It’s not enough. I want her gone for good. What use is it that she’s in another country? She could always come back. But if she’s dead, she won’t be able to make her way back. Forever.”

Choi Mujin felt every ounce of tiredness disappear upon hearing his wife’s words. Who was his wife talking about? Who is the person that his wife wanted gone for good? Who was his wife even talking to? Oppa? His wife didn’t have a brother, she was an only child. Choi Mujin walked back to the front door, opening and closing it loud enough for his wife to hear, wanting her to think that he had just arrived.

“Seojin-ah.” Choi Mujin called out. Pretending to look around the suite and pouring himself a glass of water at the pantry. Seojin emerged from the room, with a look of surprise.

“Honey, what brings you here?” Seojin was curious. Because Choi Mujin has never stepped foot inside her suite ever since you left, which was 2 months ago. Choi Mujin never even spared her a second glance when she’s around. Therefore, him visiting her room was unbelievable.

“I missed you, honey. I’m sorry for neglecting you. I’ve been so busy with work.” Choi Mujin put on a mask in front of his wife. He needed to know more about his wife’s phone call and to do that, he needed to deceive her. To make her think he’s still in love with her. Which, with the look of his wife’s face, he could tell he succeeded. His wife’s face had lit up along with her lips stretching into a wide smile upon hearing him call her honey.

“Took you long enough, sweetie.” Seojin threw her arms around Choi Mujin, almost suffocating him with her tight hold. Choi Mujin hesitantly placed his hands on her back, rubbing them up and down in a soothing manner, as he felt his wife’s heart race and her smile against his neck. They stayed like that for a while, with Choi Mujin looking forward for the moment he can release the hug and just go to bed. Meanwhile, his wife held on tight, not wanting to let him go.

“Honey, I need to get some sleep. Would you accompany me?” Choi Mujin internally cringed after those words escaped his mouth. His wife smiled so brightly it could overpower the brightness of the sun. She eagerly nodded, and speed-walked to the bathroom to get the shower ready for Choi Mujin.

Taking a quick shower, Choi Mujin dressed in loose clothing and collapsed on the soft and fluffy bed, with Seojin next to him. Seojin laid on Choi Mujin’s chest, with him wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Choi Mujin closed his eyes while Seojin was talking, and had quickly fallen asleep.

Jumping awake, Choi Mujin was sweating and breathing heavily. He had dreamt of you getting kidnapped and tortured, with you calling out to him for help. A hand on his chest jolted him, only realising his wife was next to him when he looked to his right.

“What is it, honey? Did you get a nightmare?” Seojin asked with concern, patting her husband’s forehead with a piece of tissue to rid the sweat.

“Yeah, I did.” Choi Mujin admitted, still breathing heavily as his mind replayed the dream in his head over and over again.

“What was the dream about?” Seojin asked in her high-pitched voice, making Choi Mujin feel annoyed all of a sudden. He got up from the bed, and walked over to the bathroom, splashing some water on his face. Choi Mujin stared at the reflection in the mirror. He could hardly recognise the man staring back at him. He didn’t look like himself anymore. Looking at the clock in the bathroom, he realised he had slept for 7 hours. It was more than enough, in his opinion. He took another quick shower, and left the bathroom. He walked to the closet, and got dressed in his usual formal attire.

Choi Mujin looked around the suite while his wife was taking a shower. Swiftly walking over to his briefcase, he grabbed a few black things shaped in circles. Choi Mujin walked around the suite, planting one of them in every corner, every room. Making sure it was unnoticeable, he sat on the couch, and waited for his wife to finish her shower.

“Honey, stay for a while longer, hmm? You haven’t accompanied me for so long…” Seojin practically begged Choi Mujin to stay, but Choi Mujin had no plans to do that. He turned to his wife who was staring at him desperately.

“I’ll be back, hmm?” He told her in a gentle tone, patting her head. That was all it took for Seojin to become happy again.

--

Returning to his office, he switched on his computer, and plugged in his earphones, testing the bugs. Seeing Taeju walking in, Choi Mujin called him closer with just the flick of his hand.

“Boss, we found out who raided our container. It was Gucheonpa.” Taeju reported to his boss. Choi Mujin was confused. How did they know where to find their container of drugs?

“Thank you, Taeju-yah. Check the call history of this number.” Choi Mujin had slid a piece of paper across the table to Taeju. It was Seojin’s number.

“Yes, boss.” Taeju left after a curt nod and a 90-degree bow, leaving Choi Mujin alone in his office again, playing the waiting game.

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin sat at his desk. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he had a feeling it wasn’t anything good. He was worried. It felt like there was a storm coming. His gut feeling was never wrong. But this time, he hoped it was.

Taeju strode into Choi Mujin’s office after a few hours, holding a brown envelope. Choi Mujin looked up at Taeju with anticipation.

“Here you go, boss.” Taeju placed the brown envelope on Choi Mujin’s desk. Choi Mujin quickly grabbed the envelope and pulled out the document that was inside. Scanning the list of numbers and the people it belonged to, there weren’t anything odd. Choi Mujin flipped to the next page, and the next, and the next. Nothing. It was odd that there wasn’t anything that smelled fishy.

“Boss, may I know whose number are you looking for? Maybe I can help.” Taeju asked politely, afraid to get on his boss’s nerves. Taeju knew his boss had asked him to check the call log of his wife, and he had wondered why. But he knew he shouldn’t ask the boss. It would be crossing the line.

“Taeju-yah, I’m sure you already know whose number I’m asking you to check. I trust that you’ll keep this between us. Do a background check on the people she called and let me know if there’s anything that’s out of place. Thank you, Taeju.” Choi Mujin had asked Taeju for another favor, to which Taeju responded with a curt nod. Once again, Choi Mujin was left alone in his office.

--

“Jiwoo-yah, do you know how much us members of DongCheonpa have to suffer because of you? Boss is still not over it yet, breaking and smashing glasses every day. Do you really not want to come back?” Gangjae’s frustration was evident even through the phone. You thought of ways to stop Choi Mujin from being like this. If you sent him a text, he would be able to trace it. If you…wrote a letter? With no return address. It could work.

“Oppa. I’ll try something. Tell me if it works next week. I’ll talk to you soon.” You ended the call, and took out a pen and a piece of paper. Soon enough, a few pieces of paper were filled, and you were headed to the post office.

--

Choi Mujin had earphones plugged into his ears for hours on end. But there was no sound coming from the suite. Choi Mujin wondered if his wife had found the bugs? But knowing her, she would definitely confront Choi Mujin if she found them. But she didn’t. Which probably meant she didn’t find them yet.

Feeling frustrated, Choi Mujin walked over to the mini bar in his office. His eyes scanned the bottles of liquor, contemplating which one he should choose. Choi Mujin’s usual choice of liquor was whiskey. He had many different brands of them. This time, he opted for scotch, which had a spicy after taste. Pouring himself a glass, he walked back to his chair and leant back, sipping on his liquor while smoking a cigar. He turned his chair around to face the windows, as he closed his eyes.

--

“Boss, I did a thorough background check on every one of them. But there was nothing suspicious.” Taeju reported to the boss, who seemed to have his focus elsewhere. Choi Mujin wondered if he had heard it wrong. Choi Mujin felt bad for suspecting his wife. Choi Mujin figured he was probably hallucinating because of his recent stress. Choi Mujin thought he might have been too on edge lately, that he even suspected his wife. Choi Mujin thought back on his decision to plant bugs in his wife’s suite. It was rude, an invasion of privacy. Choi Mujin did the usual pinching of the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming once again.

“Thank you, Taeju. You can leave for the day.” Choi Mujin kept his calm. He didn’t want to accidentally injure Taeju again. Once Taeju left, Choi Mujin pulled on the earphones that was plugged into his computer. He threw them far away in a fit of anger.

No, oppa. No. He didn’t report anything suspicious. He won’t betray me. He isn’t one to betray me.

The girl? She’s just living a quiet life there. You think she would dare come back after I strangled her? After I threatened her?

Shut up. I’m hanging up.

The voice of his wife blasted through the speakers of his computer, to which he stared in shock. He wasn’t hallucinating after all. Choi Mujin grabbed his cell phone, and called Taeju, asking him to check the call log right now, and to check who was the most recent person she spoke to.

Taeju was efficient, which was why Choi Mujin liked him. Taeju got the call log in 20 minutes, delivering the document to the boss’s office. Choi Mujin pulled out the document with anticipation, but upon scanning the document, Choi Mujin’s face scrunched into one of confusion. The last person she called was…her mom? 4 hours ago? But the call was only 20 minutes ago. It wasn’t adding up.

Unless…she had another phone?

“Is everything okay, boss?” Taeju showed concern when his boss seemed to be deep in thought.

“Yes, Taeju. Everything is fine. Thank you. You can really go home this time.” Choi Mujin felt bad for calling him back when he had asked him to leave for the day. Choi Mujin had made a mental note to reward Taeju handsomely one day for his efforts.

Choi Mujin made his way up to his wife’s suite after Taeju had left. On his way up, Choi Mujin thought about the things his wife had said. His wife strangled someone. Threatened someone, and now that certain someone is living a quiet life somewhere? Choi Mujin thought about the bruise that was on your neck before you left. He also remembered the way you looked at his wife during dinner when Taeyong had brought up the bruise. Could it really be his wife who had strangled you? If it is, then the person she threatened…was it you too? Were you living a quiet life somewhere, because his wife had forced you to? Choi Mujin wondered what was it that his wife had threatened you with. The more he thought about it, the more enraged he became. But he told himself that he had to make sure that it was indeed his wife who did that to you, before he could take any action.

The light dinging of the lift indicated that he had arrived at the floor of his wife’s suite. Taking a deep breath, he exited the lift and walked to the door of the suite, scanning his master key and entering the room. There she was. His wife, laying on the couch, looking out the windows with a glass of wine in her hand. She had swiftly turned around at the sound of the door opening. Her eyes went wide with excitement the moment she saw her husband. Placing her glass on the table, she ran over to her husband and engulfed him in a hug.

“Honey! You really meant it when you said you’ll come back! I love you so much.” Seojin missed her husband, even though it hasn’t been long since they had last met. Seojin didn’t expect her husband to actually come back, because he had been distant. But now that he kept his promise, Seojin felt like everything was going back to normal, and that she could finally live a happy life with her husband again.

“Of course, my wife. I have to make up for neglecting you in the past, don’t I?” Choi Mujin gave Seojin a small but sweet smile, holding the back of her head during the hug. Choi Mujin saw the sparkle in her eyes when she looked at him, and wondered if she really was the one who had did that to you. Either way though, he had to find evidence.

Seojin held her husband’s hand, leading him to the couch. They were both laying on the couch, with Seojin snuggling in to him, holding him tight and not wanting to let him go. Choi Mujin played along, holding her in his arms. She had poured him a glass of wine, and played some soft music. Choi Mujin had once again imagined the person in his arms was you, and not his wife. Looking at the well-lit city at night, his heart ached. He had grown attached to a little girl. He knew it was wrong too. To fall for a little girl while he had a family. But feelings aren’t something he can control.

His thoughts took control of his mind. He didn’t know how long had passed, but the soft snoring of his wife had brought him back to earth. Looking down at his wife who was sound asleep, Choi Mujin took the opportunity to look for her other phone. Slowly and gently pushing her off of his chest, he tiptoed his way to her bedroom, opening the door as quietly as he could.

Once he was in, he started with the bedside drawers. Then the closet. Then the bathroom. There was nothing. Choi Mujin put himself in her shoes and thought of the best place to hide a phone if he were her. He stood in the middle of the room, turning around and around, looking at every corner. Under the bed? Choi Mujin lifted the bed and looked under. Nothing. At this point, he started thinking he was wrong. But he didn’t give up yet. Walking around, he looked again. Under the table, under the chairs, behind the curtains.

Then his eyes landed on a painting hanging above the headrest of the bed. Choi Mujin lifted the painting from the wall, and plop. A black phone fell onto the bed. Choi Mujin grabbed the phone and turned it on, checking the call log. Choi Mujin took several pictures of the call logs and the text messages, before placing it back, making sure his wife wouldn’t suspect anything. Choi Mujin made a call to the room service division, ordering some snacks while he sat on the bed. As he had expected, his wife opened the doors to her bedroom frantically, eyes landing on Choi Mujin placing an order with the phone in the room.

“Honey, why did you leave me outside?” Seojin had phrased her question so it doesn’t sound suspicious. But in reality, she had panicked when she woke up with Choi Mujin out of sight.

“I figured you’ll be hungry when you wake up. I didn’t want to wake you by making a call in the living room. Therefore, I came into the bedroom to make a call.” Choi Mujin told a perfect lie, not showing even one bit of suspicion, making his wife buy his lie a hundred percent. Seojin didn’t try to hide her smile from her husband’s sweet words. She walked forward and kissed him, sitting on his lap. Choi Mujin closed his eyes as he didn’t want to see the face of his wife. Choi Mujin held out for a few seconds, before breaking the kiss and held his wife’s hand, leading her outside to wait for the food.

--

There was only one number in Seojin’s secret phone. Choi Mujin had asked Taeju to check the number again, to which Taeju did, bringing Choi Mujin the results in half an hour.

Choi Mujin hurriedly removed the documents from the brown envelope, and skimmed the paper. Choi Mujin’s blood boiled, eyes red with anger, jaw clenched hard. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. How is this possible?

“I’m sorry, boss.” Taeju apologised for finding out about something so unbelievable. Choi Mujin was so enraged, it got to the point he was calm. Choi Mujin had to think about what to do. He knew his wife wasn’t the best person in the world, but he had not expected her to be…

Once again, Choi Mujin made his way up to his wife’s suite. He needed to hear it from her, to hear her explanation. He just couldn’t find it in him to believe the information Taeju had discovered.

Storming into her suite, Seojin was shocked to see her husband’s eyes fuming red.

“Honey…what’s wrong?” Seojin stepped forward and caressed Choi Mujin’s arm, to which he removed by simply moving his arm away. Seojin’s mouth was slightly agape, staring up at her husband in confusion.

“Tell me the truth, Seojin. There’s no point hiding it anymore. I am giving you a chance to come clean.” Choi Mujin stated calmly, although he was everything but calm. Seojin was probably a really good actress, as the facial expressions she had made would probably fool everyone. But not him. Choi Mujin wasn’t easy to fool.

“What are you talking about, darling?” Seojin feigned cluelessness. It had only made Choi Mujin even angrier, if possible. Choi Mujin stepped forward in a threatening manner, while Seojin stepped backwards until her back hit the wall. But she still kept her mouth shut. An amused smirk found its way to Choi Mujin’s lips, startling his wife.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, honey! Why are you doing this?” Seojin’s eyes had become glossy with unshed tears. But Choi Mujin knew it was nothing but an act.

“Who have you been talking to on the phone? Ah, I mean…your burner phone.” Seojin’s eyes widened as she broke eye contact. She had finally dropped her act, letting fear show in her eyes.

“I…I…no…” Seojin stuttered, unable to look into her husband’s eyes.

“What is there to talk about with him, huh? What business is there between the two of you?” Choi Mujin interrogated. Seojin was looking everywhere but Choi Mujin’s eyes. She seemed to be looking for a solution, thinking of a lie. But it was too late.

“No…there’s no business between us. I…It’s true. Please believe me. Nothing is going on. I swear. Honey, please.” Seojin pleaded. Choi Mujin huffed out a breath of disbelief.

“Oh yeah? Then why is there a need for you to contact the head of Gucheonpa several times a week since a year back?”

Chapter Text

In a silent room, only the sounds of Seojin’s pleads were heard as Choi Mujin had his hand around her neck, lifting her up against the wall. Seojin’s mascara was running down her face due to the producing of tears from her eyes. Seojin was begging her husband to let go of her neck, because she wasn’t sure how long she could hold on like this without having enough oxygen. It was hard for her to even talk, the most she could do was move her mouth, mouthing the words that didn’t make a sound. She could only whimper, and claw at her husband’s arm, because her husband’s eyes was clouded with rage.

“Wasn’t this something you did to Jiwoo?” An evil smirk had spread across Choi Mujin’s lips seeing his wife begging him to let her live. But then your face had suddenly flashed in front of Choi Mujin’s eyes, making him see that the person he was strangling was…you. Choi Mujin released his hand in the blink of an eye, making his wife fall to the floor, coughing and rubbing the area she was strangled.

Choi Mujin looked down at his hands, the hands that he had used to strangle…his own wife. If it weren’t for your face popping up, his wife could’ve died. He looked at his wife on the floor, breathing heavily. For some reason, he didn’t feel guilty for strangling her. A little voice in his head had told him that she deserved it. But did she really? Choi Mujin wanted to find out.

“What did you do to Jiwoo?” He calmly directed at his wife who was still on the floor. His wife slowly tilted her head up to eye him through her curtain of hair. Her eyes were filled with angry tears.

“Why do you care so much about her? That little girl? That bitch who wanted to steal you from me? What did she do to you to make you fall so hard for her, hmm?” Seojin said through gritted teeth. She just couldn’t understand what is it about you that her husband liked so much that he had strangle her because of you.

“Do not call her a bitch, Seojin. You’re crossing the line. She didn’t do anything to make me fall for her, Seojin. It is her personality, her as a whole that had attracted me.” Choi Mujin explained. He didn’t want his wife to think it was you who had seduced him or something like that. Because you did no such thing. His wife simply scoffed at him, rolling her eyes.

“What did you do to her, Seojin? Don’t make me ask again.” Choi Mujin was getting impatient. He wanted to find you as soon as possible. It had already been 2 long months without you and he wasn’t sure if he could take it anymore.

“She’s alive and well, don’t worry. Good luck finding her.” Seojin crawled up onto the bed and laid on the soft covers. She closed her eyes, and relaxed her entire body. Choi Mujin chuckled. His wife really is something else. She was as stubborn as he is. Choi Mujin sat on the edge of the bed, his back facing his wife.

“What did you threaten her with for her to leave so quickly?” Choi Mujin asked. He had gotten calmer. He just wanted to have a conversation with his wife now. He knew his wife wouldn’t give him the information he wanted if he was angry and lashing out at her.

“Ask her when you find her, honey. How was it like? To cheat on me with a young girl?” Seojin was calm too. She said everything nonchalantly, as if it didn’t affect her at all. Choi Mujin didn’t like seeing how calm she was. After all she had done to you?

“And how did it feel? To hide the fact that Nara isn’t my daughter all this time?” As soon as the sentence left Choi Mujin’s lips, Seojin eyes were wide open and she was immediately in a sitting position, facing Choi Mujin, staring at him in shock. She was speechless. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Choi Mujin turned towards his wife, a sly grin forming on his lips.

“Why? Did you think I didn’t know?” Choi Mujin asked with one brow raised. Seojin was in disbelief. She wondered how he had found out. How long he had known about it and why he didn’t expose her. Seeing Seojin still unable to say a single word, Choi Mujin spoke again.

“You must be wondering why I didn’t expose you all this while. Nara is innocent. The mom is the one at fault. Don’t you think so?” Choi Mujin ran his hand through his beard, finding Seojin’s reaction amusing.

“I…how…how did you know?” Seojin had finally managed to speak. Her voice was shaking. Seojin never stuttered, but this time she did.

“You want to know how I found out, Seojin? Then why don’t you tell me where Jiwoo is first, hmm?” Choi Mujin wanted to make his wife talk. He wondered if she would tell him now that her secret is out. But it seemed like, she was still stubborn.

“How about no, honey?” Seojin managed to scoff out a chuckle. To which Choi Mujin mirrored her expression.

“I’ll see you in a few days, then.” Choi Mujin said and got up, grabbing all of Seojin’s electronics before leaving her room, and locking the door from outside. He had his men stand guard outside her room and outside the balcony of her room, to make sure she couldn’t escape. Choi Mujin believed that locking her up for a few days without much food and water would do the trick. He had hoped to hear about your location from her in a few days. He had planned to fly to wherever you are the moment he knows your location. He will bring you back, no matter the cost.

--

Arriving at his office, he poured himself a glass of whiskey again, as he got seated at his desk. There was a white letter envelope on the table. A frown found its way to his face as he picked it up and inspected the envelope. The front of the envelope had 3 words written on it.

To: Choi Mujin

Choi Mujin got out his envelope opener and slashed it open, pulling out a few pieces of paper folded together. Opening the letters, he felt his heart skip a beat as he read the first line.

Dear ahjussi.

Choi Mujin stopped his eyes from reading any further as he put down the letter, and put a hand on his chest to calm his beating heart. He couldn’t believe you had written him a letter. He gulped down his whiskey and got himself prepared. When he was ready, he picked up the sheets of paper again and let his eyes roam your handwriting.

Dear ahjussi,

I hope you are well. I am sorry for leaving so suddenly, without even saying goodbye. But in my point of view, it was for the best. You must be searching for me desperately, right? I’m writing to tell you, that you can stop now. I am in a nice place, a peaceful city, with a beautiful scenery, and amazing people. My life has never been as peaceful before. I want to leave everything that happened in Korea behind.

I still think of you every day, ahjussi. In case you’re wondering. I wonder if you do, too? I always imagine you here next to me, in this beautiful and peaceful city. But then I realize, that it’s wrong. The place where you belong is next to your wife, with your kids. I am nothing but an outsider. Ah, this is getting kind of sad, isn’t it? I’m sorry. I didn’t intend it to be this way.

Ahjussi, don’t question the reason I left, okay? Even if you do find out, which I know you will, please don’t get too angry over it. It is partly my own choice to leave, too. My dream was to travel the world and experience life outside of Korea, and now that I am experiencing it, I can say that, it had exceeded my expectations. I don’t mind living here for a long time. Although it sucks that you can’t be here with me. Hahaha. I think I shouldn’t laugh in a situation like this, should I? But I hope I had made you smile. I’m sure that frown of yours has never left your face in a long time. Smile for me, ahjussi. Be happy for me.

I believe in fate, and I believe that we will meet again one day. On the day we meet again, I will be the best version of myself, and I hope to see you living a happier life. Please don’t be angry because you can’t locate me. Please don’t make your boys work day and night just to find me. Let them take a break, okay? I won’t be easy to find. Please, don’t blame them for not being able to find me. It isn’t their fault.

I hope you’re not crying when you read this letter, ahjussi. Hahahaha, oops. I laughed again. Therefore, I hope you’re laughing too. I guess that’s all for now. I’ll see you when I see you, ahjussi.

Don’t miss me too much, okay?

Yours sincerely,

Jiwoo.

Choi Mujin had tears streaming down his cheeks by the time he had finished reading your letter. He had chuckled while crying a few times while reading. It was odd to him, as he had never felt this way before. Choi Mujin had quickly rubbed the tears staining his cheeks, and made sure he looked okay in the mirror before calling in Taeju.

“Find where this letter came from. NOW.” Choi Mujin barked out the order, causing Taeju to scramble out the room with the envelope in his hand. The contents of the envelope were still on Choi Mujin’s desk. After he had gave Taeju the order, he had sat back down and read your letter again. Again, and again. He read every word, every sentence hundreds of times throughout the night. It had brought him a sense of comfort, somehow.

Taeju had came back early in the morning, apologizing to his boss for not being able to find out where the letter came from. There was no return address or anything like that, therefore it was basically impossible to trace it.

Choi Mujin felt anger again. He thought he was close to finding you and bringing you back. His fists were clenched, he wanted to lash out at Taeju again, but had stopped himself when he remembered the things you had said in your letter. You were right, his boys were innocent, it wasn’t their fault that they couldn’t find you. It was Seojin’s fault. It was her fault for hiding you so well. Choi Mujin briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Choi Mujin opened his eyes and looked at Taeju who looked like he was prepared to get scolded.

“Thank you, Taeju. For your hard work. I’m sorry for being so harsh on you recently. You can leave now.” Choi Mujin said weakly. Taeju raised his head to look at the boss with wide eyes. He couldn’t believe his boss was not lashing out on him, instead he was apologizing? Taeju knew it must’ve been something you had written in the letter.

“I’m sorry, boss. And don’t worry about it. It’s my job to serve you.” Taeju had finished with a 90 degree bow and headed out the door.

Choi Mujin leant back on his chair, feeling a wave of sadness wash over him again. He never would have thought he would fall for a little girl. He never would have thought a little girl would have so much control over him.

Night came quickly, as Choi Mujin made his way up to his wife’s suite again, in need of answers.

--

You had dialed Gangjae’s number. It has been a few days since you sent the letter and you wondered if it had reached Choi Mujin’s hands.

“Jiwoo! How are you doing?” Gangjae had picked up the phone and had immediately asked about your wellbeing.

“Oppa. I’m good. You?” You returned the question.

“I’m good too. You want to know about boss, right? I think it worked. He’s more gentle these days, and he didn’t lash out on us anymore. How did you do it and what did you do?” You were glad to hear that he’s treating his members better. You were glad your method worked.

“I wrote him a letter, oppa. Simple as that.”

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin attempted at organizing his thoughts before he made his way up to his wife’s suite. He was still confused, and tired. He couldn’t really think straight. That was when he realized, he had been too caught up on thinking about where you were, that he had missed an important point.

The head of Gucheonpa.

The one his wife had been contacting for over a year. Why? Choi Mujin wondered if the head of Gucheonpa played a part in making you leave. But how? Choi Mujin asked himself countless questions, to which he did not know the answer to. But he was trying, and he was trying hard to unveil the truth.

Then it struck him. The raid of their drug container…was done by Gucheonpa. Could it be a coincidence? Choi Mujin sensed something was wrong, and he trusts his gut. Which meant…his wife was most probably the one who had leaked the info about their drug container to the head of Gucheonpa. Could it be…a deal? A frustrated sigh left Choi Mujin’s lips as he pinched the bridge of his nose again with his eyes closed.

Everything was getting unnecessarily complicated. If only I didn’t get married…Choi Mujin thought.

Stood in front of the door he has been seeing frequently these few days, Choi Mujin nodded to the two men standing guard outside, before they unlocked the door, letting Choi Mujin step inside. The sound of a click indicated that the door was now closed, as he walked further in, trying to catch sight of his wife.

Choi Mujin had never seen his wife in a state like this. Her hair was messy, with strands sticking out in every direction. She was only wearing small pieces of clothing inside of her robe. Her makeup was smudged, along with her lipstick.

Choi Mujin unconsciously scrunched up his face in disgust, taking in the appearance of his wife. His wife turned to him with a goofy smile on her lips.

“You’re here.” Seojin said while chuckling. Choi Mujin thought she must’ve gone crazy.

“What’s wrong with you?” Choi Mujin questioned genuinely. Seojin displayed a sweet smile, except it wasn’t sweet. It was creepy, she looked psychotic with the smudged makeup and messed up hair. Choi Mujin felt his legs having the urge to take a step back, but he held it in. Instead, he took a few steps forward, nearing his wife.

“I’m perfectly fine, honey. Why? Do I look like I’m not fine?” Seojin asked, with her voice going an octave higher by the end of the sentence. Choi Mujin’s face scrunched up further, not used to his wife acting this way. If she continues acting this way, how is he supposed to ask her about the leader of Gucheonpa?

Choi Mujin walked around the couch to the front of it, hesitantly lowering his body to sit next to his wife. Seojin immediately threw her arms around Choi Mujin, making him lean back a little instinctively. He wanted to remove her arms from his shoulders. However, he needed answers, which means he has to play along…for now, at least.

“Seojin-ah, are you okay? Do you want some water?” Choi Mujin asked gently, causing his wife to look up at him with eyes full of love.

“Aww, honey. It’s okay, I only want you here with me.” Seojin tightened her arms around Choi Mujin, this time putting her head on his chest. Choi Mujin shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He thought about how he should ask the first question.

“Seojin-ah, were you close with Kim, the boss of Gucheonpa?” Choi Mujin asked carefully, not wanting his wife to go berserk. Seojin seemed to be in a stance, and Choi Mujin hoped she would be honest with him. Seojin blinked her eyes a few times, looking drowsy.

“Yup. We’re close. Why? Are you jealous?” Seojin wiggled her eyebrows looking up at Choi Mujin. Choi Mujin had a feeling she was putting on a show. Knowing her, she wouldn’t go crazy just by being locked up in a room for a day or two. She was a strong woman, making it practically impossible for something like this to happen to her in such a short period of time. But what would she get out of pretending to be insane? But if she’s willing to tell, why not hear her out?

“Of course, I am. You’re my wife, not his. What do you guys talk about?” Choi Mujin played it cool, stroking Seojin’s hair while asking the question, hoping it helps with her telling the truth. Seojin had let out a giggle, boosting Choi Mujin’s confidence.

“Hmmmm, well, Kim likes me very much. Didn’t you know? I thought you knew everything, honey.” Seojin mumbled. Choi Mujin had to strain his hearing because of how soft his wife was talking.

“Kim likes you? Since when?”

“Hehehehe, since…before I met you.” Seojin continued chuckling, giggling. Choi Mujin was left confused. Seojin knew Kim since…? Something wasn’t adding up. Light snoring brought Choi Mujin back to earth as he looked down at his wife who was now sound asleep. How could she fall asleep so quick?

--

Seojin’s medical records were now spread across Choi Mujin’s desk. Choi Mujin couldn’t quite believe his eyes. His wife had personality disorders. She had been consuming medicine for it for a long time. Which meant she had acted that way in the room earlier because she had no access to her medication. Choi Mujin leant back into his chair, huffing out a puff of smoke from his cigar.

How did she manage to conceal it so well? Choi Mujin wondered if the kids knew. But it would be best if they didn’t, wouldn’t it? Choi Mujin had suddenly felt pity for his wife, but he was still in need of answers. Choi Mujin figured it would be best to take advantage of her current state, as it was easier to dig for answers.

Choi Mujin ordered his men to send her food and snacks for every meal of the day, as she needed enough food to have enough energy to answer his questions in the near future.

--

You were at home. Alone. You had asked Pildo for some alone time, because you needed it. You had appreciated the times you spent with Pildo as it had temporarily took your mind off Choi Mujin, but you were missing him terribly today. You wanted to just call him, to listen to his voice. You craved his touch, and his affection.

Depressing songs played in the background as you bawled your eyes out. Slowly reaching for the phone that Pildo had given you, you wondered if you should give him a call. Since Pildo had said it was impossible to track this phone…

You punched in the number of Choi Mujin’s cell phone. Your finger hovered above the call button for a long time. You thought of all the consequences that might happen if he figures out where you are. But you were Choi Mujin deprived. It was making life hard. You were sad and not in the mood for everything every day. You were just living for the sake of living. You needed that boost of motivation for living again, and no one else but him had the power to do that.

Fuck it. You had said, and then your finger pressed down on the call button. You raised the phone to your ear, as your heart thumped in your chest. It felt like an eternity listening to the dial tone waiting for him to pick up. A light click could be heard, followed by his breathing.

“Hello?” His husky voice had said from the other end. You placed one hand over your mouth, silencing the sobs.

“Hello? Who is this?” Choi Mujin spoke again, this time with frustration in his voice. You couldn’t believe how much you had missed him, and his voice, and his…frown.

“Hello? Is this…Jiwoo…?” Choi Mujin’s voice had turned soft and gentle. Your heart beat rapidly in your chest, as if it was threatening to jump out. You lowered the phone and pressed on the button ending the call. You released the hand covering your mouth, letting the sobs free.

For hours on end, you were curled up like a ball on your bed, with tears constantly escaping your eyes, falling onto the bedsheets.

--

Choi Mujin had answered that call like he would any other. However, it was odd when no one spoke from the other end. He had never received calls like this before. He was starting to get angry when he thought of you. He had stood from his chair, holding his phone tighter in his hand while calling out your name. He missed your voice. He wanted to hear your voice again. He would do anything to be able to hear your voice again. But the line had went dead before he could hear anything.

Choi Mujin ran his fingers through his hair, wanting to pull them out from the frustration. He had called in Taeju again, asking him to track the number.

But to no avail, Taeju had come back bearing no news. Choi Mujin felt anger again. He wanted to throw all the glasses he had in his office, but the words from your letter had found their way into his mind, making him stop everything he was thinking of doing. Instead, he laid on the couch. He imagined you there with him, he imagined you telling him about your day, and he imagined your hands on his.

--

The moment Choi Mujin awoken, he grabbed his suit jacket and headed to the gym that he has been absent from since a long time ago. Stepping in, all eyes snapped towards his direction. Distinct gasps could be heard, widening eyes could be seen. No one had expected the boss’ presence, including Taeju. Speed walking over to his boss, Taeju bowed 90 degrees, with everyone present in the room following his actions.

“Boss.” Taeju greeted. Choi Mujin acknowledged him simply with a nod of his head and walked towards the middle of the gym. Throwing his coat jacket on the couch, he stood tall in the middle of the fighting ring, making eye contact with everyone in the crowd. Most of them had fear evident in their eyes, along with confusion, of course. The senior members, however, looked like they were anticipated about whatever that was going to happen.

“A volunteer, please.” Choi Mujin gracefully spoke. The amount of power he had in the room was indescribable. Murmurs could be heard throughout the room, with members of the gang looking at each other, raising eyebrows. Taeju emerged from the crowd, gaining attention from everyone else. Taeju was about to take another step forward when the boss spoke.

“Not Taeju.” His voice boomed throughout the room, with Taeju slowly disappearing into the crowd once again. Everyone in the room glanced at each other again, hesitant to step up. That is, until a hand was raised amongst the crowd. Choi Mujin’s eyes fixated on the raised hand, with everyone following his gaze. Emerging from the crowd was…Gangjae.

Gangjae walked up to the fighting ring, with Choi Mujin squinting his eyes at him the whole time. The frown was creasing his forehead even more this time, seeing Gangjae, who is your best friend. Choi Mujin knew Gangjae harbored feelings for you. He knew he saw you as more than a friend. Which was the reason he was getting angrier by the second.

The room was dead silent, with no one having the courage to make a sound.

Stood in the middle of the fighting ring, Choi Mujin and Gangjae faced each other. The tension was thick. Anyone could feel it. Everyone could also roughly tell what it was about.

Choi Mujin started the match by sending a punch to Gangjae’s abdomen, to which Gangjae dodged. Choi Mujin looked at Gangjae in the eyes with rage, while Gangjae clenched his jaw from feeling slightly intimidated.

Punches were exchanged, jabs were jabbed, legs flew. It was a miracle that the both of them had managed to dodge every single one of each other’s attacks. But it was probably because of Choi Mujin holding himself back. Choi Mujin was beginning to get frustrated, and decided to not hold back anymore.

That was when Gangjae continuously endured multiple punches to his face and also his abdomen. Gangjae tried returning the attacks, but it wasn’t easy. Choi Mujin had noticed him trying to fight back, and it had only fueled his determination. Choi Mujin packed another punch to Gangjae’s cheek, but this time with a question.

“Where is Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin had asked through gritted teeth. It had caught Gangjae off guard, as he stared into Choi Mujin’s eyes. While he was distracted, Choi Mujin landed another punch on his abdomen, making Gangjae wince in pain.

“I asked you a question, Gangjae. Answer me.” Choi Mujin held Gangjae up, saying the words into his ear. Gangjae had gathered the blood in his mouth and spit it out, seething his teeth towards Choi Mujin.

“Why? Have you only realized you need her when she’s gone? You should’ve made her happier. You should’ve treated her better.” Gangjae spoke his mind. Choi Mujin snapped his head to the side to see Gangjae enraged. Choi Mujin let out a scoff, not believing Gangjae having the courage to say those words to him. But the things he said was right. Gangjae was right. He had only realized how much he needed you after you had left. He had taken you for granted. He thought you would always be there. But he thought wrong, and now he was suffering because of it.

In the moment Choi Mujin faltered, Gangjae took the opportunity to land a punch on Choi Mujin’s stomach. Choi Mujin simply stumbled backwards, not doing anything to return the attack. He was in a daze, eyes zoned out, not moving.

Everyone was dead silent, looking at the scene unfolding in front of them. They had never seen the boss in this state before. But they dare not say a word.

Choi Mujin broke out of his daze, eyes raising to look into Gangjae’s again. Choi Mujin slowly walked forward to where Gangjae was standing.

“Gangjae-yah…you know where she is, right? Tell me. Please.” Choi Mujin said softly, and desperately.

Gangjae’s eyebrows furrowed together, looking at his boss who was begging him. Gangjae didn’t want his boss to lose respect from the other members.

“Punch me, boss.” Gangjae spoke. To which Choi Mujin looked at him in confusion.

“Punch me. I can’t let the members see you being vulnerable like this. We’ll talk about Jiwoo later.” Gangjae briefly explained to Choi Mujin, his tone nothing above a whisper. Choi Mujin obliged, punching Gangjae in the stomach again. But this time, he did it softly, with Gangjae dramatizing the effect, jumping backwards on his own. Gangjae laid on the ground, pretending like he was unable to get up.

Taeju emerged from the crowd and ordered everyone to leave for the day, as everyone scattered into different directions, leaving only the 3 of them who knew the truth there.

Chapter Text

*2 years later*

Choi Mujin roamed the streets of New York on his own, eyes glancing everywhere, in search of even the slightest shadow of you. He had heavy bags under his eyes, but other than that, he looked the same, handsome as ever. He had tried his best to look presentable, in case he finds you. He didn’t want you to see him looking haggard. He wanted to look his best for you.

He had flown to New York alone in his private jet immediately after obtaining information that you were here. He had roamed the streets for days, and he was beginning to doubt the accuracy of the information he had obtained. But he wasn’t giving up, not yet at least. He had planned to give it at least a few months before giving up, since he had come all the way to New York.

He had his sunglasses on, along with a long black leather coat. He walked almost 50k steps a day, every day around New York city, praying that he gets to bump into you. He believed in fate, and had told himself that he would bump into you if your fates were intertwined. He had hoped you look the same, because at least it would be easier for him to recognize you. If you had dyed your hair a different color, or if you had changed your style, it would take him longer than a second to recognize you.

Crossing the street, Choi Mujin’s eyes scanned every figure passing by, but he was afraid. He was afraid he would miss a few people, and among those few would be you.

Day after day went by as he scanned the crowd, as his vision gets blurry. He blinked several times, sometimes rubbing his eyes with his fingers quickly before going back to scanning the crowd. He prayed every day, hoping the skies would answer his prayers soon. He felt like he couldn’t take it anymore otherwise. He was so tired. So, so, so tired. Both mentally and physically.

Stood at the same crosswalk where he usually is every day, he was ready to start scanning the crowd again. As soon as the pedestrian light turned green, people brushed past him as he stood in place, not moving, and only focusing on looking for you. As soon as the crowd dispersed, his eyes landed on a familiar small figure standing at the end of the crosswalk opposite from him.

Choi Mujin took off his sunglasses, eyes wide, staring at you. You were looking at him too. You had felt a sense of relief, as if heavy weights were lifted off your shoulders. You attempted to steady your breathing, but it wasn’t working, because being near him would have your heart racing. Even more so after not seeing him for 2 whole years. The lights had turned from red to green after what had felt like only 5 seconds. Before you know it, he was running towards you. You couldn’t move, as you stay rooted to the spot, seeing him getting closer and closer. You gulped as you broke eye contact, looking at the ground. You were hyperventilating at that point, as your hand went up to your chest, hitting it a few times.

Choi Mujin had never run so fast in his life before. He never really ran in his life. The previous time he ran was because of you too. Choi Mujin saw how you broke eye contact and put a hand up on your chest. You looked almost the same, but your hair had grown long. It was wavy, and it was the same brown color.

Choi Mujin stood in front of you, with only a few inches between the both of you. You looked into his eyes, seeing the exhaustion in them. But at the same time, you have never seen him look so relieved and glad.

“Jiwoo-yah…” Choi Mujin called out your name with his usual husky voice, a small smile settling on his lips. The sound of his voice had immediately melted your insides. You discreetly exhaled before speaking.

“Ahjussi.” The word had felt foreign as it rolled off your tongue. You cleared your throat as your eyes darted here and there. Choi Mujin took a small step forward, making your eyes flicker back to his.

“Can I…hug you?” Choi Mujin asked with a soft voice and pleading eyes. The sound of cars and honks had almost made him inaudible. You weren’t sure if you should let him hug you. You had just started to think of him less. You thought you would be able to move on. But here he is. You closed your eyes and had your lip in between your teeth. Should you, or should you not let him hug you? Your brain repeated the question countless times, but you still had no idea what to do.

You opened your eyes to gaze into those mesmerizing ones of his. You couldn’t find it in yourself to reject him. You gulped, and then lightly nodded your head, breaking eye contact. In a split second, he had pulled your arm towards him as you crashed into his solid chest. Your hands stayed by your sides, while his hands wrapped around your small body, as tight as he could.

You felt your entire body relax the moment you were engulfed in his hug. You closed your eyes again, as you inhaled the scent of him. The feeling of nostalgia consumed you, as memories of you and him played in your mind while your eyes were closed. The scent of him, of his cologne, it never changed. It still had the power to comfort you and bring you peace.

You didn’t know how long had passed. He had finally released you from the hug and held your shoulders, staring into your eyes. But you didn’t have the courage to do the same. Or perhaps you simply didn’t want to. You knew you would fall for him all over again. You knew the 2 years’ worth of hard work trying to move on from him would go down the drain just like that.

“Give me your number, Jiwoo. I don’t want to lose you again.” Choi Mujin passed his phone to you, wanting you to key in your number. You stared at the phone in his hand for a few seconds, before slowly taking it from his hand and punching in your number in the keypad. You passed it back to him when you were done, and he had immediately pressed on the call button, causing your phone to buzz in your pocket. You fished it out and ended the call, swiftly saving his number.

You had suddenly stumbled backwards from the tugging of your arm. You felt a hand around your shoulder as you glanced up to see Pildo. He had a protective gaze in his eyes as he took in Choi Mujin’s appearance. His hold on your shoulder had tightened, as you see Choi Mujin’s usual frown return to his features. Choi Mujin’s eyes landed on Pildo’s hand on your shoulder as his jaw clenched. Choi Mujin didn’t bother to hide the fact that he was annoyed and displeased with the sight.

“Is this your boyfriend, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin had a threatening tone to his voice. He had directed the question at you with a slight raise of one of his brows. You mentally cursed yourself because you had found that small gesture of his so fucking hot. You didn’t even care that he was mad. You smacked your lips together in an attempt to hide the smile that was about to spread across your lips. You wondered if you should mess with him?

“Yes, she’s my girlfriend. She’s not your 18-year-old Jiwoo anymore, Choi Mujin.” Pildo had spoken bravely. But after the 2 years you had spent with him, you knew he was probably slightly trembling under the mask he had put on in front of Choi Mujin.

Choi Mujin creased his forehead and had his eyes in a slight squint of anger. Scoffing, Choi Mujin stared straight into Pildo’s eyes and asked him a question.

“Did I direct the question at you?” With that, Choi Mujin rolled his eyes and looked at you. His features had immediately softened, silently begging you to tell him the answer he wants to hear. Your eyes left Choi Mujin’s, as you looked into Pildo’s.

“Oppa, can you give us a moment? I’ll see you at home later. Hmm?” It sounded like a question, but it wasn’t. It was more like a statement. You weren’t asking Pildo for permission, because why would you do that? You weren’t dating, making it unnecessary to ask for his permissions when you want to do something.

Pildo nodded, looking unsatisfied.

--

Seated at a quiet café, you sipped on your coffee, looking out the window. While Choi Mujin only had his eyes on you. You were trying to drag out the moment. You weren’t quite ready to face the situation, yet.

“Jiwoo.” He called out. You placed the cup of coffee on the table, turning to him and leaning back against the chair.

“Yes, ahjussi?” You knew he probably had a lot of questions. You do too, but you figured it would be better for him to satisfy his curiosity first. It felt as if the both of you were having a staring contest. All the walls you and him had built was no longer there, as the emotions in both yours and his eyes were clear as day. Choi Mujin clenched and unclenched his fist, leaning forward to you.

“How are you, Jiwoo?” You could only stare at him with wide eyes. You didn’t expect his first question to be…about your wellbeing. You instinctively broke eye contact when you felt your eyes start to water. You reached for the cup of coffee, but right before you lifted it off the table, Choi Mujin’s hands held yours, making you freeze. Choi Mujin had quickly retracted his hand upon seeing you freeze, and muttered a sorry.

“I’m…okay. What about you, ahjussi?” You returned the question, knowing full well he would be able to tell you were lying when you said you were okay.

“Life was meaningless without you, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin gave a straight answer, making your heart thump in your chest. Your eyes dropped down to your hands resting on your lap as you fiddled with your thumbs.

“Have you been here in New York all along?” You couldn’t help but feel like you and Choi Mujin were two strangers getting to know each other. It was awkward, and you didn’t really know what to say although there were millions of questions floating in your mind. But when you tried to speak, the words just couldn’t form.

“Yeah. I’ve been living here ever since I left Korea.” You nodded your head while saying, trying to make it less awkward. Choi Mujin’s eyes showed hesitancy in them, and you wondered what it was that he was hesitant to ask, or say.

“So…um, are you really dating that guy?” Choi Mujin licked his lips after asking the question. You couldn’t help but smile. He had looked like a jealous teenage boy at that moment, and it was adorable. All thoughts of messing with him vanished into thin air, as you only wanted to reassure him that your heart still belonged to him.

“No. We’re just friends. Nothing more than that.” You stared at Choi Mujin, wanting to see his reaction, and you were glad you did. He had let out a breath of relieve, his eyes had lit up, a smile was evident on his lips, and his frown was no where to be seen.

“That’s good…very good.” Choi Mujin had said out loud, but it had seemed more like he was talking to himself. Choi Mujin seemed to be in a world of his own, smiling to himself. But it had quickly disappeared as the atmosphere turned serious again. He raised his head to look into your eyes, gulping before speaking.

“I divorced my wife.”

Chapter Text

Choi Mujin closed his eyes as the memories of him and his wife shortly before the divorce played in his head as if it had happened only yesterday. It was a matter that Choi Mujin thought long and hard about. He was worried it would be a decision he would regret. After all, Seojin did give birth to a son that had his blood in his veins. However, Choi Mujin couldn’t quite accept the fact that his wife had hidden her connection to the head of Gucheonpa from him all these years. Not only that, but she had hidden her medical condition from him too.

It was like any other ordinary day. Choi Mujin went up to his wife’s suite to check on her, and also to try and fish for information. It wasn’t easy these days, as all his wife does is sleep. Sometimes she wouldn’t wake up no matter how much Choi Mujin shook her. Sometimes, she would jump awake upon the slightest touch. However, it was practically impossible to communicate with her. It was as if the words couldn’t reach her, and that she was unable to understand the human language.

After days of trying, Choi Mujin decided to let her consume her medication, and see how it turns out. The effect was fast, almost immediate, but at the same time, not quite. She had mumbled to herself after a few minutes of consuming her medication, and after about half an hour, she was almost back to normal. She was quiet, simply laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling, slipping into a world of her own imagination. Choi Mujin had ordered food, and when it had arrived, he spoon fed them to his wife, who still seemed to be in a blurred state.

By the time the skies were a dark blue, Seojin had returned to her graceful self. She sat on the couch with her back as straight as a ruler. Her legs were gracefully crossed, her hair was neat, she had makeup on, she was wearing a dress, and was even wearing heels. Choi Mujin was seated opposite of her, looking at his now normal wife.

“What did you do to me?” Seojin questioned.

“I simply took away your medication.” Choi Mujin answered truthfully. “Why didn’t you tell me about your condition, Seojin?” He continued. Seojin seemed to know there was no way out of this now, she averted her gaze to the ground and sucked in a breath. Not too long after, she raised her head with confidence, staring at her husband. She opened her mouth, and began to speak.

“I felt like you didn’t need to know. I was afraid you wouldn’t want me if you knew about my condition.” Seojin spoke softly. Upon seeing her husband opening his mouth to talk, Seojin raised one of her hands, halting Choi Mujin’s plan to speak. Choi Mujin simply closed his mouth, and sat calmly looking at his wife, ready to listen.

“I’ll tell you everything. Except the location of Jiwoo. But other than that, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” Seojin leaned back, and took a deep breath.

“The head of Gucheonpa. He was my boyfriend. I was on their side. He sent me to you as a mole. He wanted me to get information about Dongcheonpa from you. You weren’t the boss back then, which made it easier for me to approach you.” Seojin glanced downwards, looking like she was reliving the moment almost 20 years ago.

“But I fell for you, Mujin-ssi. I didn’t plan to fall for you, but I did. I stopped giving them the information they wanted, and started lying that I couldn’t get anything out of you. They believed me in the beginning. But soon after, they found out. That was when I broke it off with him. He was supposed to finish me off, to wipe me off of the face of this Earth. But he couldn’t. He still had feelings for me. But I had promised him that I would take this with me to my grave.” A stray tear fell from Seojin’s eyes, and slid down her cheeks.

“You’re probably wondering if Nara is his child. Yes, she is. But he doesn’t know. After all, we did cut all contact after I broke it off with him. Until a little over a year ago. He had contacted me, and told me about you and…Jiwoo. He had said he couldn’t stand seeing the man he lost to, cheating on me. That was why I flew back here, to Korea. I wanted to see the girl that had got your heart.” Seojin had anger in her eyes. She clenched her jaw, hands balled into fists.

“Kim then suggested we get rid of her. I agreed without a second thought. He then asked me for information about your drug smuggling routes in exchange. I felt like it was a good deal, which was why I told him and which was why your drug smuggling container was raided. But Kim…he didn’t keep the end of his deal. He was supposed to make her disappear. For good. But he didn’t. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted that fucking basta-” Seojin was cut off by Choi Mujin’s hand on her throat.

“Shut your mouth, Seojin. How dare you speak about wanting to get rid of Jiwoo for good? Thank you for being honest with me about everything, Seojin. This is for you.” Choi Mujin threw a brown envelope on the table, as he let go of Seojin’s neck. Seojin had sucked in deep breaths for a few moments before reaching forward to grab the brown envelope, opening it and grabbing the piece of paper that was inside.

Seojin’s mouth were shaped like an ‘o’ as she lightly gasped.  Her eyes snapped to her husband’s, with her eyebrows creased together.

“You want a divorce? All because of that girl? How could you?” Seojin questioned in disbelief.

“It’s not just because of her Seojin. She had only helped me realise you weren’t the one for me all along. From the very start, you had approached me with a motive. And I fell for you, not knowing that. Was it fair to me, Seojin?” Choi Mujin explained himself to Seojin, gently. However, Seojin was silent. She didn’t utter a single word. She kept her gaze downwards, seemingly in deep thought.

“Don’t you think it’s better for us to end it rather than dragging it on and causing more pain to the both of us?” Choi Mujin continued, trying to convince Seojin to sign the divorce papers. But Seojin did not move a single inch. Choi Mujin looked out the windows, seeing the dark skies.

“I’ll come back in the morning. Get some rest, Seojin.” With that, Choi Mujin left the room, and spent the rest of the night praying that Seojin had signed the papers during his absence.

*End of flashback*

“When I visited her room the next day, the divorce papers were signed, and there was no trace of her. She had brought Nara with her, and left Taeyong with me.” Choi Mujin finished his story, now staring at you who was processing everything he had told you.

You didn’t know how to feel. Should you be happy? Or should you be sad? The only man you ever loved but couldn’t have because he was married is now divorced. It is something worth celebrating, isn’t it? But the reason for his divorce was you. Which had caused both Nara and Taeyong to have a broken family, an incomplete family. You felt like you were incredibly selfish for feeling joy. But you didn’t let it show on your facial expressions. You kept your cool, and had the usual emotionless expression on your face.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” You managed to say. But you had avoided eye contact, afraid he would be able to see right through you, like he used to.

“It’s for the better, Jiwoo. Do you want to follow me back to Korea?” You raised your head and your eyes stared into his upon hearing his question. But once again, you weren’t sure. Life in New York…it’s not bad. It’s pretty calm, and peaceful.

“I…” You trailed off.

“It’s okay, Jiwoo. I’ll be here for a while. I’ll wait for your answer. No matter how long it takes.” Choi Mujin reassured you. But is it okay for you to do this? To make him stay here until you think of an answer? When you clearly know he’s the head of a mafia in Korea and is undeniably busy? Should he be wasting time here in New York because of you?

“You’ll be here until I give you an answer? What if I take a long time? What about your work in Korea?”

“I’ve put Taeju in charge for now. The members think I’m on a business trip. It’ll be fine. And I certainly wouldn’t be going back empty handed after finding you here.” Choi Mujin explained. Hearing that Taeju is in charge, you did feel more at ease. But Choi Mujin shouldn’t be gone for too long too.

“I just need a few days. Then I’ll give you an answer.” You looked into his sad eyes, while he nodded his head, agreeing.

--

“So…do you want to? Follow him back to Korea, I mean.” Pildo was seated across of you on the floor in his apartment. The both of you were downing soju, and discussing about the matter.

“Of course, I do. I wanted to say yes the moment I heard the question. But I figured it would be best if I thought more and thought further.” You explained to Pildo, who was nodding his head at you, showing his understanding.

“How did you feel when you saw him again? Do you still have feelings for him?” You felt like Pildo was interrogating you. But it was all questions that had to be answered. You looked down at your lap and fumbled with the seam of your clothing. The questions he had asked didn’t need much thinking for an answer. The answers had all came to your mind immediately.

“I felt my heart skip a beat the moment I saw him. I felt butterflies swarm in my stomach. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I felt excited, but afraid. My feelings for him…they never left. They were kept in a box in my heart all along. The moment I saw him again, the box had unlocked on its own and the feelings that were securely kept in there…had scattered to every inch of my body, making me feel giddy again.” You said while the moment from earlier kept replaying in your head. The moment when he ran to you. The moment when he asked you if he could hug you. Everything about him had made you fall for him even deeper than before.

“Go for it then, Jiwoo. You deserve happiness now.” Pildo told you calmly. You stared into his eyes, and broke into tears. Pildo had simply opened his arms in a welcoming matter, giving you a sweet smile. You waddled over to him, and had let him embrace you as you cried your eyes dry.

--

Walking out of your apartment building to get lunch, you spotted someone leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Hearing your footsteps, his head turned to you as he took off his sunglasses, eyes lighting up at the sight of you.

“Ahjussi…” You muttered. He walked closer to you with a smile on his face.

“Shall we go for lunch?” Choi Mujin asked in an excited and happy tone. You had felt genuinely happy in a long time with the corner of your lips quirking up unknowingly, as you realized how effortless it was for him to make you happy, and that he is the light in your dark world.

Chapter Text

 “Tteokbokki?” Choi Mujin asked when the both of you got seated at a small Korean diner. You were a bit caught off guard at his question. You haven’t had tteokbokki since you came to New York, and it was because it would remind you of him. Which was why you didn’t really consider it your favorite food anymore. But now that you were with him, you figured it would be fine to have tteokbokki again. You simply looked up at him and nodded your head, causing a smile to appear on his lips as he placed the orders.

Surprisingly, it didn’t feel awkward to eat with him. Rather, it was pretty comforting and relaxing. The both of you simply enjoyed each other’s company, silently slurping on your own food. You would secretly tilt your head up at times, just to steal glances at him. But then you would lose track of time and stare until you see him raising his head. Only then, you would quickly scoop some of your food and put it into your mouth, and focusing your gaze on your plate. You hoped he didn’t notice, but who is he to not notice? He’s the most observant person you know. Of course, he noticed. But you weren’t ignorant either. You noticed him stealing glances at you too. But you had chose to feign ignorance, although your heart was jumping with joy.

When you had finished your food, you looked up to see his gaze focused on…your neck? You looked down to see the necklace he had gifted you hung around your neck. Ah, that’s what he was staring at.

“You’re still wearing that.” He spoke, but it had sounded more like a statement. His gaze then flickered to your eyes, staring immensely into them.

“Yeah, it’s just…there. I’m used to it being there.” You made up a lie. You internally face-palmed as you realized how bad the lie was. You see Choi Mujin trying to hide his smile by looking at his empty plate of food, as he tried to scoop air. He then realized there was nothing left on his plate, to which he put down his spoon, and simply looked out the window, pretending that it didn’t happen.

--

It has been a week since Choi Mujin had found you in New York. You haven’t told him your answer yet, and you have been spending day and night thinking whether your decision is correct. You didn’t want to regret anything. But even after a week of thinking, you stuck with your initial answer. You have been packing up your stuff the past week, but Choi Mujin doesn’t know. Because you never invited him up to your apartment.

Hearing a knock on your front door, you walked over to it and pulled the door open. You stepped aside, making space for Pildo to enter.

“You’re going to tell him today, right?” Pildo asked while looking around your small apartment which was now filled with brown boxes. It looked exactly like when you first moved in.

“Yeah. It’s today.”

--

Stood right outside your apartment building were you and Choi Mujin, facing each other.

“Ahjussi.” You said while looking into his eyes that looked afraid, and worried.

“Yes, Jiwoo.” You had almost died at the sound of your name rolling off his tongue, but you kept your cool, and showed no emotions.

“I’ve made up my mind.” You continued, while still staring into his eyes.

“Tell me, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin urged you, which had made you feel jittery inside. You purposely waited for a while, not talking, just to keep him on edge. When you felt like it was time, you spoke.

“I’ll follow you back, ahjussi.” You were glad you had asked Pildo to secretly film Choi Mujin’s reaction, because it was priceless. His eyes went wide first, and then he grabbed your hands.

“Really? Are you sure?” Choi Mujin had asked in disbelief. It felt like he needed to reconfirm whether he had heard you right. With only the slightest nod of your head, he pulled you into his arms, saying thank you over and over again into your ears. You could even hear the smile in his voice when he was thanking you, that you raised your arms to hug him back, feeling his chiseled back.

--

“We’ll be taking my private jet back tomorrow morning, okay? Or do you need more time to pack your things?” Choi Mujin sat next to you at a café, practically sticking to you like glue.

“Tomorrow morning is fine. Pildo can follow us, right?” You were worried he would have Pildo take a flight back on his own, since they didn’t quite like each other.

“Of course. I need to thank him for taking care of you all these time, too.” Choi Mujin spoke while nodding, looking into the distance in a daze.

“Thank you, ahjussi.” It was your turn to thank him now. But he had looked at you, shaking his head.

“No, I should be the one thanking you for willing to follow me back. Thank you again, Jiwoo.” He smiled and put both his hands on the side of your head, gently pulling you towards him as he placed a gentle lingering kiss on your forehead. Your eyes fluttered shut, trying to savor the moment before it comes to an end. You imagined having the ability to pause time. How nice would it be?

--

The morning of the next day had arrived in the blink of an eye. You were struggling to carry all of your luggage into the lift of your apartment building. Pildo himself, too, was struggling with luggage of his own. He didn’t expect to have accumulated so much stuff over the past 2 years, and he wanted to bring all of them back with him to Korea. Thus, the overwhelming amount of luggage.

Choi Mujin was downstairs, with a truck.

He had helped you with your luggage but left Pildo to carry his own. You discreetly chuckled at the number of side-eyes they were giving each other. After what felt like 10,000 years of loading the luggage, the truck driver then got into the truck and made his way to the airport. Meanwhile, the three of you were seated in a Mercedes-Benz, with Pildo as the driver.

--

You had chosen a seat with a window view. Anyone who knew you would know your love for scenery. Pildo was simply walking around the private jet, exploring every nook and canny. Choi Mujin was seated opposite from you, facing you. There was a table in between the both of you, with various snacks and drinks displayed on it. You were in a daze as you took in the view from over 10,000 meters in the air.

Jumping slightly from the slight shaking of your seat, you looked to your left to see that Pildo had plopped down next to you. All while holding eye contact with the person seated opposite from you. Your gaze darted to Choi Mujin’s, to see him frowning, again, with his jaw slightly clenched. It looked as if Pildo was challenging Choi Mujin and was trying to trigger him, but you knew it wasn’t going to work. If Choi Mujin wanted to, Pildo would already be dead.

“Thank you for looking after Jiwoo all this time, Pildo-ssi.” Choi Mujin said to Pildo with a forced smile on his lips. Pildo narrowed his eyes at Choi Mujin, not believing what he had heard. Pildo turned to look at you, confused. You slightly nodded, silently telling him that he had heard it right.

“No problem…it’s what I’m supposed to do anyway.” Pildo ended his sentence with a shrug, wanting to make the impression that he doesn’t care.

“Why did you betray Seojin?” Choi Mujin asked, eyes glinting with curiosity. Pildo released a breath of frustration before answering.

“Because I didn’t like what she was doing. And because I like Jiwoo.” Your jaw slightly dropped because of how straightforward he was. You looked at Choi Mujin to see a mirror image of your own expression. A dropped jaw.

“Why? Is it so surprising?” Pildo asked while rolling his eyes and focusing his gaze on something else. You eventually looked back out the window, and you eventually ended up falling asleep. Right before falling asleep though, you heard Choi Mujin and Pildo talking business, and you heard Choi Mujin asking him whether he wants to join Dongcheonpa. You felt a bromance forming between the both of them as you finally drifted into deep sleep with a smile on your face.

--

Hungry. Hungry. I smell food. I see food. You put the food into your mouth, but why weren’t you able to taste anything?

That was when you jolted awake by the slight tap on your shoulder. Choi Mujin was mere inches away from your face, as you quickly leaned your head back to increase the distance.

“Sorry I startled you. I figured you would be hungry by now. Are you hungry? I got you food.” Choi Mujin had said in the gentlest voice possible. You looked at the table in front of you to see an aluminum food box, piping hot with steam escaping the gaps. You sniffed and smelled curry, which had made your mouth water and stomach growl.

“Yeah, I’m hungry. Thanks for the food.” You said while already fumbling with the box to get it open. Choi Mujin released a deep chuckle which rumbled from his chest seeing your actions. You froze for a split second hearing his chuckle, before quickly going back to fumbling with the box, acting as if it didn’t affect you one bit. But then Choi Mujin raised his hand to pat your head and ruffle your hair, which had made you froze again. All the memories of him patting your head from the past flashed before your eyes, as you realized how much you had missed it. But he had quickly retracted his hand from your head upon seeing you freeze.

“Oh. I’m sorry, Jiwoo. I…just had the urge to do that.” Choi Mujin apologized, looking pretty sad. He had looked like a cute teddy and you wanted to squish him, but you held back.

“It’s okay, ahjussi. Don’t worry about it.” You gave him your sweetest smile, and then turned back to your food, digging in. He sat across from you, watching you eat. Halfway through, you noticed he wasn’t eating.

“Where’s your food, ahjussi?” You asked while munching your food with puffed up cheeks. Choi Mujin’s eyes glinted with a look of adoration.

“I ate with Pildo while you were asleep earlier.” Your mouth made an ‘o’, before scooping up a full spoon of rice and curry and stuffing it into your mouth again. When you were done, you leaned back into the seat, patting your satisfied tummy.

“You and Pildo have gotten pretty close, huh?” You teased Choi Mujin.

“Well, I don’t think we’re close yet, but it’s definitely better than when we first met. He’s a nice guy.” Choi Mujin finished his sentence, looking around to see if Pildo was anywhere in sight. Right at that moment, Pildo seemed to have popped up out of nowhere.

“You’re not too bad yourself, Choi Mujin.” Pildo smirked at Choi Mujin, with his hands in his pockets as he leaned on one of the seats. They looked into each other’s eyes, as you felt like you were third-wheeling.

Somehow, a new love seemed to be blossoming, and that love did not include you.

Chapter Text

You walked along the all so familiar alleyway leading to your apartment building in Korea. You didn’t tell your father that you were coming back. You wanted to give him a surprise. Making your way to your unit, you pressed on the doorbell and hid from the peephole. Your father’s voice could be heard from the inside asking who’s at the door, but you kept quiet with a cheeky smile. The moment the door clicked open, you jumped in front of him. His face was filled with confusion and then joy. A long hug was shared between you and father outside the apartment, before he pulled you in and cooked you a steaming hot bowl of ramyeon.

--

Choi Mujin had told you to call him once you were done talking with your father because he wanted to bring you to the gym. Which you did. One call and by the time you left your unit and went downstairs, Choi Mujin was already there, in his black car, with his windows wound down. Again, you, tried to not let your emotions show although his hotness had immediately made you melt. You hopped into his car and was once again engulfed by the scent of him and his cologne that wafted in the air. You closed your eyes and rested your head on the headrest, discreetly taking deep breaths to inhale his scent. You were exhausted and jet lagged from the flight, but you figured you can sleep after greeting the people you care about. You almost dozed off when the car came to a halt, jolting you awake.

You opened your eyes and turned your head towards the driver’s seat and immediately made eye contact with him.

“Sorry I woke you; we won’t be here for long. You can go home and get some rest after this, okay?” Choi Mujin reassured you with his gentle voice and mesmerizing eyes. You smiled and nodded your head, before proceeding to get out of the car. You took a deep breath, before stepping foot inside the gym. Choi Mujin was in front of you, blocking most of the eyes that found their way to the two people who had just entered the gym. Upon seeing the boss, everyone bent their backs 90 degrees while calling out hyungnim.

Then Choi Mujin stepped aside, revealing you. Everyone stared at you in silence, eyeing you from top to toe. You felt pretty exposed, as if you were naked under all their stares. Until someone shouted your name amongst the crowd. Emerged from the crowd was Gangjae. He ran up to you and threw his arms around you, making you stumble backwards a few steps from the impact.

“Jiwoo! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?” Gangjae sounded like he was about to cry. You chuckled and patted his back, returning the hug.

“I’m sorry, oppa. I just wanted to give you a surprise. Did it work?” You were still patting his back. You looked around to see all eyes on the both on you, and eventually you saw Choi Mujin with his signature frown. He was glaring at Gangjae’s hands that was settled across your back and on your shoulder, and another that was on your lower back, ending with it on your waist. But Choi Mujin simply took a deep breath and looked away.

You took the cue to remove your hands from Gangjae’s back, to which he did the same.

“It worked, I guess. I missed you so much, Jiwoo. You look so grown up now. So beautiful.” Gangjae took in your appearance. You started wearing makeup, and found your own style. You’d like to believe you were pretty good-looking.

“I missed you too, oppa. We’ll catch up tomorrow or something, okay? I’m so tired right now. I’ll say hi to Taeju first and then I’ll get home and crash into my bed.” You patted his shoulder, before walking around the gym, reminiscing the old memories. Looking around, there were many new faces. But of course, some were familiar faces that greeted you and asked where have you been. But you simply said just somewhere as you didn’t want to get into details. You were sure everyone already knew you vanished and Choi Mujin spent most of his time searching for you, but you still wanted to keep the real reason a secret.

Spotting Taeju at the back, you walked over to him with a genuinely happy smile.

“Taeju-ssi, how have you been?” Taeju lightly scoffed before answering.

“I’ve been through hell and back. Thanks to you, Jiwoo.” You knew it was supposed to be a joke but you really felt bad. It must’ve hard for them these past two years.

“I’m sorry, Taeju. I didn’t mean to do that. I am really, really sorry. How can I make it up to you?” You sincerely felt like you have wronged him, because you knew Choi Mujin isn’t an easy person to deal with, even more so when he’s angry and throwing a tantrum.

“As long as you’re back, Jiwoo. You have already made it up to me. Don’t worry about it now, and just focus on being by his side, alright?” Taeju smiled, which had somehow warmed your heart. Because he rarely smiled. You nodded and walked back over to Choi Mujin who was going to drive you back home.

“Ready?” Choi Mujin asked you. You eagerly nodded as the thought of sleeping sounded exciting to you.

--

You woke up almost 13 hours later. You looked at the time, slightly confused about where you were. Until you recalled the fact that you had flown back to Korea and that you are now in your own bedroom. You jumped awake and quickly walked over to the door of your room and swung it open. Your father was on the couch, asleep with the television running in the background. Your father startled awake by the sound of your door swinging open, and sat up straight to look at you with concern on his features.

“Did you rest well? Was it enough? Do you want to go back to sleep? Or are you hungry? Do you want some ramyeon?” Your father shot out all his questions at once. You chuckled, realizing you had missed your father’s affection. But then a single thought crossed your mind, making your facial expression drop. Your biological father, Jeong Woo. He had completely slipped your mind. But it had been two years. Was he still locked up in that underground dungeon prison thing? You said you’ll be back, but you didn’t manage to keep your promise.

Your hand went up to your forehead as you massaged your temples. You felt like you fucked up.

“Daughter, what’s wrong? Tell me.” Your father was now right in front of you, holding your shoulders, looking you deep in the eyes.

“Appa…what happened to Jeong Woo? My biological father?” A worried expression found its way to your face as you looked back into your father’s eyes.

“Ah…he’s probably still locked up in that place. But I’m not sure. You have to ask Mujin-hyung about that. For now, let’s eat, okay? Give me a moment, I’ll cook it fast.” Your father finished his sentence and proceeded to walk to the kitchen, opening cabinets and taking out packets of your favourite ramyeon.

Not even 10 minutes later, 2 bowls of piping hot ramyeon was on the table, one in front of you, and one opposite from you, which was your father’s serving.

“Eat up, Jiwoo. Then we’ll worry about Jeong Woo.” Your father gestured you to eat, and only started eating his own bowl of ramyeon when he saw you slurp on the noodles.

The bowls were empty with not even a single drop of soup left. You didn’t feel a hundred percent full yet, but you figured you can go for some snacks with Gangjae later.

You were glad your father offered to drive to the gym, because you were sure you wouldn’t be able to concentrate if you were to drive because your mind was filled with thoughts. Your father pulled up in front of the gym, and you followed him out the car, and into the gym, where everyone present bowed to him 90 degrees. Your father was the second man after all. All eyes were then on you again, as they probably wondered why you were here again. You saw some of the senior members whisper to the rookies as you walked past, probably telling them you are Donghoon’s daughter and that you probably have a thing with Choi Mujin.

Entering the small office on the second level, you and your father got seated on the couch, while Choi Mujin was seated at his desk.

“What’s the matter, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin only had his eyes trained on you, as your father kept quiet next to you.

“Ahjussi, what happened to Jeong Woo? Is he still at that place?” You were straight to the point, because you felt like you needed to know what happened asap. Only after hearing your question did Choi Mujin’s eyes look over to Donghoon’s.

“Yes, he’s still there. He’s probably fine. But I’m not sure, because the previous time I went there was with you, 2 years ago. Do you want to pay him a visit?” Choi Mujin lightly scratched his chin while answering your question. Did you want to pay him a visit? Truth is, no, not really. But 2 years is a really long time, and you have avoided this matter for 2 years. But you really didn’t know what you should do. What do you even say to him? What would you plan to do with him? Keep him locked up in there for the rest of his life? Set him free? But a psychopath like him…shouldn’t be released…right?

“In a few days’ time. I’ll pay him a visit then.” You mentally convinced yourself that it was going to be okay, and that you made the right decision.

--

You had left your father and Choi Mujin upstairs, leaving them to talk. You were now downstairs, at the main area of the gym. You simply sat at the couch Choi Mujin would usually sit when he would watch the monthly evaluation where the members fight each other to see who would be the last man standing. You crossed your leg and silently observed, because you had nothing better to do. You did get weird looks from some of them, but you couldn’t care less. Your hands were itching to use the punching bag, but you held back…for now. You were dressed decorously, and decently. It had probably given the newer members the impression that you couldn’t fight. You wanted it to stay that way, until it is absolutely necessary for you to fight. You’d like to give them a surprise when the time comes.

“Jiwoo! Have you eaten?” Gangjae had plopped down next to you, looking at you with wide eyes.

“Yes, I ate. But I’m still hungry. I’m craving for some street food, care to join me?”

--

For hours on end, you chatted with Gangjae at a small and cozy café. The both of you headed to the café right after you had stuffed yourself with street food for lunch, and it was now dinnertime. It was only after you had reunited with your loved ones that you realised you had actually missed life in Korea, a lot. At least there were people who cared about you, and you didn’t have difficulty communicating here.

“Do you want to get dinner? I know a good place.” Gangjae asked with anticipation, to which you nodded excitingly, and followed him out the café, and to his car.

You and Gangjae were seated at a small corner shop that specialised in grilled pork belly. The place was packed, which proved it was a good place with reasonable prices and good food.

“I figured you would miss eating this. Am I right?” Gangjae asked while grilling the meat skilfully. You fished out your phone and swiftly snapped a picture of him concentrating on grilling the meat, while having a smile on his face from the question he had asked earlier. The sound of the camera shutter caused him to raise his head, looking at you with surprise. Before he could say anything, you spoke first.

“You looked cute. That’s why I took a picture. And yes, I really missed samgyeopsal. I’ll send you the picture. See if you like it?” Which you then proceeded to tap the screen of your phone a few times before hearing a ding coming from his phone. Gangjae’s eyes had lit up seeing the picture, which managed to put a smile on your face.

“It looks really nice, Jiwoo. You could be a photographer.” Gangjae praised your skills, while he kept going back on his phone to look at the picture, zooming in and out.

The rest of dinner went by in a blur, and you found yourself lying on your bed again, staring at the ceiling.

A certain someone, had found his way into your mind again, as you fell asleep, dreams filled with him.

Chapter Text

You didn’t want to train at the gym when it’s filled with members of the gang, so you decided to wait until Sunday before heading to the Dongcheonpa gym. Exactly as you had expected, there were no one in the gym. You put down your stuff and got started on working out. However, your peace didn’t last long because you heard footsteps approaching and you quickly stopped what you were doing and turned to the entrance.

Clanging of a water bottle dropping echoed throughout the entire gym as the person who had just entered dropped everything he was holding the moment he saw you.

“Jiwoo…When did you come back?” Taeyong ran towards you and threw his arms around you, making you stumble backwards a tad bit. You lightly put your arms around him and gave him a few pats on his back before letting go. Thankfully, he got the signal and released his hug on you, stepping back and looking at you from top to toe.

“I came back only a few days ago, Taeyong-ssi. How have you been?” He had become more good-looking, but it wasn’t surprising. He had already been dashing, as he got the looks from his father. Taeyong grabbed your arm and led you towards the couch, seating you and then taking a seat next to you.

“Why didn’t you come look for me when you arrived in Korea?” Taeyong had completely ignored your question. But it was fine, he was probably overwhelmed by the fact that you had suddenly reappeared after all these time.

“I came to the gym, but you weren’t here, I guess. I went back straight to catch up on sleep after that. I’ve only been home these few days, unpacking and getting used to things here again. I’m sorry, Taeyong-ssi. I should’ve contacted you.” You smiled apologetically. But he had shown you a wide smile, letting you know it was okay, and that you didn’t have to worry about it.

“Don’t be sorry about it, Jiwoo. I know it must’ve tiring. As long as you’re back, Jiwoo. I missed you, really.” Taeyong had diverted his gaze to the ground, as the mood had suddenly turned somewhat…depressing?

“Taeyong-ssi…are you okay? Is there anything bothering you?” You’ve never seen this side of him, which had slightly shocked you, because it probably meant something had really affected him. The moment he raised his head, you looked into his red and teary eyes. You panicked for a moment, not knowing what to do because you were always the worst at comforting others.

You raised your hand, putting it on his shoulder, lighting patting it.

“It’s okay, Taeyong-ah. It’s okay. Just let it all out, okay? I’m here. You don’t have to worry about anything.” You continued patting his shoulder while he silently cried, as his head slowly found its way to the area of your collarbone. He rested his head there as he continued to sob. You were in an awkward position, but you figured, as a friend, you should be there for him when he needs you the most. You stayed still, until he stopped crying and calmed down. Taeyong slowly lifted his head from you’re the area of your collarbone, looking at that part of your shirt that was now soaked. Guilt filled his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Jiwoo. I’m so sorry. I ruined your shirt. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m so stupid.” Taeyong repeatedly muttered. You couldn’t believe your eyes. Just what had happened to him in the span of 2 years? How did he go from the happy-go-lucky boy to…this?

“Taeyong-ah, listen to me. Hmm? Look at me. This,” you pointed to the wet patch on your shirt, “is nothing. It’s no big deal. You don’t have to worry about it. The only thing that matters now is your wellbeing. What happened, Taeyong? It’s completely fine if you’re not comfortable telling me. I just want you to know I’m here whenever you need me.” You tried your best to comfort him, to reassure him. But you didn’t want him to feel forced to tell you his problems.

“I…I don’t have a mom anymore, Jiwoo. She doesn’t want me anymore. She left me. But she brought Nara with her…” Taeyong wiped a few stray tears off his cheeks, as a pang of guilt stabbed you in your heart. You knew it was your fault. You knew you were to blame. Deep down, you felt like Taeyong knew it too. You froze for a moment, not knowing what to say. You had just ruined a family of four. Simply because you fell for Choi Mujin, who was married with kids. Now, his son is telling you, the reason for everything that happened, his problems.

“Taeyong-ah…” You trailed off. Countless sentences of comfort crossed your mind. But somehow, none of them felt right. You gulped and continued patting Taeyong’s shoulder. You kept quiet, hoping that you simply being there with him was enough comfort.

--

Taeyong had calmed down and went on his way. He had looked better after letting it all out, but now you were left feeling guilty. Wanting to distract yourself, you walked over to the punching bag you were using before Taeyong appeared. You wrapped your knuckles with elastic bandage wraps before starting, as to not accidentally injure yourself. Then you were in a daze. Until you collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.

You breathed heavily, while sprawled out on the ground. You wiped off the sweat on your forehead with your arm, and laid there until your breathing returned to normal. You got up on your feet, and walked over to your belongings that were on the couch. You decided it was enough for today, because you could feel your arms aching, and your knuckles, well, the bandages were worn out and your knuckled were slightly wounded. But it was no big deal. Sometimes, feeling pain is necessary.

You walked home, and took a hot shower, hissing when the water touches your wounds.

That night, you fell asleep relatively fast. But your dreams were filled with scenes of Choi Mujin’s ruined family.

--

Waking up around 10am, you took a shower and walked to the kitchen. On the dining table, there was several small bowls and plates covered with a food cover. There was a note on the side.

Jiwoo-yah, appa needs to go to work early today. Eat up before going out.

Love you.

You smiled to yourself, chugging down every last bit of the food your father cooked for you, before leaving the house and heading to the Dongcheonpa gym.

--

You didn’t come here to train, to be honest. You simply wanted to observe the members and entertain yourself by looking at them fight. You were dressed appropriately, long sleeves with sweatpants with your hair up in a high ponytail. You had minimal makeup on, because otherwise you would look like you’re sick.

Your eyes scanned everyone who was present at the gym. Until your eyes landed on a tall figure. He made his way towards you the moment your eyes met.

“Jiwoo! You here to train?” Pildo asked. You didn’t expect him to already be at the Dongcheonpa gym. You figured he and Choi Mujin really did get along.

“Nah, just here to watch. I trained yesterday, when no one’s around.” You shrugged and made your way to the couch again, with Pildo following behind like a little puppy.

You and Pildo were just chatting about general stuff when the gym became dead silent. You looked to the entrance to see the mafia boss entering the gym with a few of his boys trailing behind him. He was dressed formal, as usual, with a sunglass. You were glad you were seated. Because otherwise your weak knees would give out, and it would be embarrassing. Everyone in the room bowed 90 degrees to him. Choi Mujin gracefully took off his sunglasses, with his eyes already on you.

You sucked in a breath at his intense stare. But you couldn’t help but notice he looked so much better now, compared to that day you met him in New York. He looked energised, and…alive. You held eye contact with him. Because that’s what you do best. Until they’re right in front of you, of course. Only then you would shy away.

Choi Mujin walked through the crowd with his eyes fixed on you the whole time, with some of his members following his gaze, to you.

Now standing right in front of you, Choi Mujin spoke.

“Let’s have a word, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin said in his usual deep and husky voice, which sent a shiver down your spine. He was in full seriousness, which was rare. But you found it overwhelmingly hot, and you felt your heart rapidly beating against your chest.

You followed him up the stairs into his office on the second level. Choi Mujin got seated, and gestured you to take a seat in front of him. You wordlessly obeyed, getting seated and then looking at him, into his eyes.

“Yes, ahjussi?” You asked when minutes passed and he was still staring at you without a single word spoken.

“Would you like to work with me, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin asked carefully, observing your reaction. You licked your lips, thinking about his question. You noticed his eyes staring at your lips for a quick second before looking back into your eyes.

“Work with you?” You wondered what work would you be doing if you were to accept the offer? Would you have a position like Taeju? Or…would you be doing less dangerous work?

“Yes, Jiwoo. Work with me. You’ll be my assistant. Next to me 24/7.” You held in a smile that was threatening to form. Next to him 24/7? That was pretty tempting. You acted deep in thought, wanting him to feel the suspense.

“Hmm…” You purposely said, with your eyes darting around, pretending like you’re thinking. Choi Mujin’s frown had made its appearance once again.

“What is there to think about, Jiwoo? You don’t want to work with me?” Choi Mujin sounded like he was in disbelief. He sounded disappointed.

“Will I be getting…that tattoo?” You pointed to his chest where you knew the tattoo is under the thin piece of clothing.

“Yes, you will.” Choi Mujin answered in under a second. You had wanted the tattoo for a long time. You had wanted to join the gang for a long time. Now that he offered…you don’t see any reason to reject it. It was an opportunity. One that you have been waiting for.

“When do I start?”

--

There was so much hissing in a small room that if one didn’t know, they would think it’s a room filled with snakes.

You were getting your skin pierced, or rather, stabbed with needles repeatedly. It was a rather big tattoo, and you knew it was going to hurt. But the pain was a little more than what you had expected. Choi Mujin was outside, waiting. He had specifically requested a lady tattoo artist to ink your skin, because apparently, he didn’t want any men looking and touching your body. You felt jittery inside when he had said that, and you felt like a little girl again. The girl you were before you had left for New York.

After enduring 4 hours of excruciating pain, you walked out of the tattoo room, feeling drained and lifeless. Your limbs were numb, and the area slightly above your chest where you got the tattoo had a throbbing pain. It wasn’t exactly the best feeling.

“Are you okay?” Choi Mujin asked with concern the moment he saw you walking out of the room.

“Nope. Am not.” You didn’t even feel like talking, you were slightly regretting your decision now. Choi Mujin chuckled deeply, which had automatically put a smile on your face.

“Don’t laugh at me.” You mumbled, giving him the side eye and then rolling your eyes at him. He had only continued to chuckle, which slowly turned into laughter while looking at your angry face.

“I’m sorry, Jiwoo. Forgive me. You looked too cute.” Choi Mujin laughed again, walking next to you, side by side. Choi Mujin ruffled your hair, and looked down at you with eyes filled with love.

Chapter Text

You were stood slightly behind Choi Mujin on his left. In front of you was the members of DongCheonpa, fighting each other for the monthly evaluation at the gym. Sounds of punches, grunts and heavy breathing filled the gym, with your eyes, Choi Mujin’s eyes and Taeju’s eyes following the movements of the members fighting intensely.

It was your first official day at work. Choi Mujin had ordered you a few tailor-made suits beforehand, and you were wearing one of them today. It was fitting, hugging your figure in all the right places, accentuating your curves perfectly. You had noticed Choi Mujin’s gaze on you linger for a while longer than normal when he first saw you in the morning.

You stared at his eyes which were fixated on your outfit until he finally looked back into your eyes. Choi Mujin had simply let out a small chuckle and proceeded to say, “You look good today, Jiwoo.” You smiled and rolled your eyes, diverting your gaze. You haven’t heard such a compliment in quite a while, what else when it’s coming from him? You decided to let your eyes scan over him and his appearance. You knew he was staring at your eyes. You lightly smirked before making eye contact with him.

“You don’t look too bad yourself, ahjussi.” You had felt confident all of a sudden, holding eye contact and having a sly smile on your lips.

You were suddenly brought back to the present time by a loud clang coming from the center of the gym. One of the members had lifted another member off the ground and threw him against the metal netting surrounding the fighting ring. The member who was thrown against the metal netting slid down to the ground in a sitting position, unmoving. However, the member who threw him had walked forward to him, and threw in punches without the intention of stopping.

A few of the other members had to pull him back in order to stop him from putting the other member’s life at stake. Being locked in their hold and getting pulled back, the aggressive member screamed and thrashed around, trying to break free. Fortunately, the other members were strong enough to hold him in place.

Seeing the chaotic situation where everyone stopped whatever they were doing because of a single guy getting too worked up, Choi Mujin simply flicked his hand forward in a small but swift motion. Taeju had got the hint immediately and stepped forward into the fighting ring, and stood right in front of the aggressive man. The man had now calmed down, breathing heavily with Taeju staring at him with a look of disappointment.

“Are you done?” Three simple words came out of Taeju’s mouth in the dead silent room. The man in front of Taeju had scoffed, making everyone raise their eyebrows in surprise. He had then proceeded to spit out a mixture of blood and saliva right next to Taeju’s feet, as he rolled his eyes at Taeju. A series of gasps could be heard throughout the room, as everyone knew better than to get on the wrong side of Taeju.

Taeju had let out a laugh. Which had brought a smile to your lips. Things was getting interesting, and you were eager to watch. However, to your dismay, Choi Mujin had stood from his seat and called our Taeju.

“Taeju-yah, one moment.” Choi Mujin had said rather gently. After getting everyone’s attention, Choi Mujin continued, “You’re all dismissed.” Which had sent everyone scattering out of the gym, leaving only the four of you behind. You were still standing at the same spot, not moving. You only wanted to watch how the aggressive man was going to get taken care of. You had slightly rolled your eyes because Choi Mujin had asked Taeju to stop when all you wanted was to watch Taeju get violent.

“Jiwoo.” Your name rolling off Choi Mujin’s tongue had brought you back to earth as your eyes found its way to his. The both of you exchanged a stare filled with…emotions for a few seconds before he motioned his head towards Taeju and the other man. Your eyebrows were raised out of confusion as you took small steps towards them.

Now being right next to Taeju and Choi Mujin, you stared at the other man whose name you had not a single idea. He stared back at you with a look of hate, which was weird. You didn’t know him, why does he hate you? The moment that thought had passed your mind, the man had gathered spit in his mouth again and spit it probably aiming at your feet, but you had stepped backwards on time to avoid it getting on your new shoes.

He was getting on your nerves. A frown was evident on your forehead, as you released a breath and licked your teeth with your tongue, not believing the guts of this man. You felt your hands itching to…teach him a lesson. But you tried to calm down because it wasn’t your job to teach them lessons.

A large hand on your shoulder had your head snap to your right shoulder, your eyes eventually looking into the eyes of the hand’s owner. Choi Mujin was already looking into your eyes with a look of…anticipation?

“Do you want to teach him a lesson, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin’s husky voice asked you a question which had you replay it in your head countless times because of doubt. He was allowing you to teach this man a lesson? But you had never done anything like this before. You didn’t even know how you should teach him a lesson, or how far you could go.

“Me…? Are you sure, ahjussi?” You asked Choi Mujin, while also looking at Taeju, not knowing if he was okay with it. Since it was his job, and the man did piss off Taeju first. But Taeju simply gave you an encouraging smile with a nod of his head. You licked your lips and lightly bit them, thinking about your decision.

Should you? Or should you not? But there’s always a first to everything…right? Taking a deep breath, you announced your decision.

“Sure, I don’t see why not.” You announced with a smirk, looking straight into the eyes of the man who was still stood in front of you. He didn’t look a tad bit intimidated. But you could understand him. If you were in his shoes, you wouldn’t too. He didn’t know you before, and you were dressed pretty appropriately, which made you seem like a nice and gentle and well brought up girl. You looked pretty young too. Which you believed was one of the main reasons he wasn’t afraid. He had even let out a scoff and rolled his eyes at you.

You didn’t know why, but you were feeling pure happiness. You were excited. The more he looked down on you, the more your smile grew. Until you actually chuckled. Your eyes crinkled at the edges as you continued chuckling. You stopped yourself by raising a hand to your nose and slightly rubbing it, and then running your fingers through your hair.

You then looked over to Choi Mujin.

“Where should I do it? Here? Right now?” But Choi Mujin looked at you with unblinking eyes as you wondered if they were taken aback from your actions a few seconds earlier. The chuckling. You waved your hand in front of Choi Mujin before he was out of his daze and quickly nodded.

“Yes, here. If you want. It’s your choice.” Choi Mujin calmly answered you. Which had you thinking. The gym, the man was no doubt familiar with it. Wouldn’t it…somehow ease his fears, if he was even afraid. But if he was in a foreign place, a place that was new to him…wouldn’t it fuel his fear? You were excited. It was something new for you. You smacked your lips together in an attempt to stop your smile from spreading. But let’s just say, all 3 men had their eyes on you, probably wondering what was going on in your head.

You locked eyes with your boss.

“Ahjussi, can we bring him somewhere else?” Your eyes glinted mischievously.

--

The journey to the destination you had in mind was…familiar. It brought you a sense of déjà vu. You doubted your choice, but…it was rather late to turn back now.

“Are you sure you want to do this here?” Choi Mujin’s voice interrupted your thoughts. You looked over to him a offered a small smile.

“Yes, of course. We can visit my father while we’re at it, am I right?” You stepped foot into the long claustrophobic hallway with metal doors on either side. Taeju led the way, to an elevator. Inside the elevator, Taeju pressed the button that was on the bottom most. B4. The doors of the lift opened with a squeaking noise, probably because of how old the building was. The man was dragged along behind you by 2 other members of the gang.

Taeju opened a door larger than the rest, and signaled the 2 other members to push the man inside, to which they obeyed. Once the man was inside, the 2 members exited the room, and headed to the elevator. You followed Taeju into the room, with Choi Mujin following closely behind. The man was chained to a chair that had its legs bolted to the concrete ground. You thought about how you should start teaching him his lesson.

You wanted to start with something…simple. You looked around the room. Every corner, every wall, every detail on the floor. You looked at the air vents as an idea popped into your mind. It was a rather simple thought, but just that had your heart racing with excitement. You turned around to face Choi Mujin.

“Ahjussi, do you perhaps…have a heater room?” You couldn’t really hide the smile that was forming on your lips. You unconsciously licked your lips, with a smile.

“What for?” Choi Mujin asked, looking into your eyes, forehead creased.

“Him.” You turned around to point your finger at the man chained to the chair.

--

Stood outside a door, you could feel the heat seeping through from below the door. You grabbed your purse from your bag and took out a few pieces of 50,000 won notes. You gave them to 2 members that were present and sent them on an errand to buy a few winter jackets. They had quickly took off after receiving the order from you, while you sat and waited alongside Choi Mujin and Taeju. Surprisingly, they didn’t ask you what you were planning.

The other man was sat on the ground, patiently waiting for what’s to come.

Hearing your wristwatch ticking, you started to feel sleepy with all the waiting. But fortunately, the moment was cut short with the 2 members running back into your sight with multiple shopping bags. You smiled.

“Will you guys help him wear all of them? Thank you.” You looked into the eyes of the two members, which you smiled to rather seductively, which had them duck their head down and avoiding eye contact. You could see the tip of their ears starting to redden, as you smirked to yourself in triumph.

They had quickly got to work, putting on layers and layers of winter clothing on the man. When they were done, he looked like a huge ball. More than 10 times his original size.

“Put him in there, and lock the door.” You ordered. The boss and his assistant had only been watching the whole time, merely exchanging glances, not making a sound.  

The man’s screams of protests filled the area, as he got thrown in and the door gets shut with a clang. His entire body was tied to a chair before getting thrown in, to make sure he doesn’t get to take off the winter jackets.

As soon as he was locked in there, you turned on your heel and got into the car, looking at your wristwatch.

5:43pm.

You wondered how long you should keep him there. Maybe 5 hours? Was that too much? Or too little?

“Ahjussi, how long should I leave him in there?” You asked because you weren’t sure.

“Depends on what you want to do with him next.” Choi Mujin shrugged.

“Throw him in the freezer room with nothing but boxers.” You answered.

Chapter Text

7:39pm.

It has been almost 2 hours since you had left the man in the heater room. There was a camera in there, just for you to see how he was doing, and make sure he wasn’t dead. But his breathing had slowed an obvious amount during the 2 hours you had left him in there. You figured it was time to get him out of there and give him a short break before moving onto the next part.

The 2 members of the gang who had thrown him in there had to drag him out of there. The man was close to passing out. Once he was out, you had the boys grab a bucket of cold water to pour on him, which had woken him up and had him gasping for air.

The man looked at you from his sitting position on the ground. His eyes were filled with hatred but you simply smiled knowing you had succeeded at least a little bit in making him suffer. You simply used your head to signal towards the man, with one of the boys grabbing a glass of ice water, and passing it to the man who now had his hands freed.

The man gulped down the water in mere seconds, breathing heavily once he had finished the whole glass. He looked at you, probably wondering if it was over. You decided to give him another 10-minute break, before throwing him into the freezer room.

--

The timer on your phone rang, signaling the end of the 10-minute break you had given him. It passed relatively quick, as you were scrolling on Instagram on your phone. The sound of the timer had gotten the attention of the man, making him look up at you from his sitting position on the ground. You gave him a sweet smile.

“Let’s go to our next destination, shall we?” You walked towards the car as the man, too, got thrown into a car by the men that had been following you and your orders. It took around 5 minutes to arrive at the next destination. It was inside the building where your biological father was kept. Which meant it was time for you to face the reality.

Getting out of the car, you walked to the freezer room, with the man dragged behind you. The 2 members had stripped the man, leaving him in only his boxers with the door of the freezer room slightly ajar. The man had finally realized what he had to go through next. Fear was written on his face, as he freed himself from the 2 member’s holds and crawled to you on his knees.

“Please, no. Please, I know what I did was wrong. I’m sorry. I swear, it will never happen again. Please, don’t throw me in there.” The man’s loud cries and begs were getting on your nerves. His hands grabbed your shoes while he was still kneeling, begging and pleading for mercy.

You were disgusted by his hands on your new shoes. Not only were they on your new shoes, but those hands had touched your legs, the bare skin of your legs and feet. It took everything in you to not kick him in the face. You gritted your teeth and motioned to the boys with your head to drag him away, and into the freezer room. However, before they could do that, the clacking of dress shoes against the floor could be heard throughout the room.

Only by the sound of their steps, you knew who it was. The sound of his footsteps screamed dominance, power. Eventually, he stood beside you, looking down at the man who was still at your feet. The man, seeing Choi Mujin, looked like he was glad. He probably thought Choi Mujin would let him go, and stop you from doing anything more. He let go of your feet and was now at Choi Mujin’s feet. However, Choi Mujin had taken a step back before he could even land a finger on his dress shoes. The man froze, looking up at his boss.

“Cut off his hands. Both of them. Then throw him in there.” Choi Mujin ordered the 2 boys. It was a fact that everyone present in the room had their eyes widen in surprise. Except for the man. His eyes widened in fear and disbelief.

You looked next to you, seeing his side profile. The corner of your lips quirked up slightly but it was gone in the blink of an eye, before anyone could notice. Though, you were still clueless as to why Choi Mujin had suddenly given out an order like that.

“Sir, please, you’re kidding, right? Why…why both my hands? Please, no, boss. Please let me live, please.” The man’s begs and pleas continued.

Choi Mujin kicked the man in the chest, causing him to fly back a couple meters.

“You touched her, that’s why.” With that, a small gesture was made with his head and the 2 members dragged the man away, into another room, where you presume the cutting of his hands will occur. Once they were out of sight, Choi Mujin turned on his heel to have his body face yours.

“괜찮아요? (Are you alright?)” Choi Mujin asked you, concern written all over his face.

“Of course. It was nothing.” You replied with a subtle smile. The both of you started walking out of the place, next to each other. It was then, you could hear muffled screams of agony coming from the room where the members dragged the man into. He was probably getting his arms cut off at that very moment. You tried to shift your thoughts because your brain was starting to imagine the image of the man getting his arm cut off with blood splattering in every direction. Thankfully, Choi Mujin spoke, successfully making you focus on him, instead of the screams.

“You shouldn’t have let him touch your…skin, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin grumbled with his low voice. You stifled a laugh. “His hands are filthy.” He continued. You look over to him to see the frown creasing his forehead again.

You stopped in your tracks, making him stop too, and turning to you. You reached one hand out, to his forehead, and smoothed out the creasing lines.

“It’s okay, ahjussi. I should get used to it, shouldn’t I? I’m sure there are worse to come now that I’m in this field.” You spoke while smoothing out the lines. Retracting your hand, you looked at his face without the frown. A small smile graced your lips in satisfaction.

Choi Mujin’s stiff features stare back at you, before you see him visibly relax, with a rare smile forming on his lips. You turned back to the front and started walking, hearing him following closely behind, in comfortable silence.

--

In front of you is an all so familiar door.

You had unconsciously made your way to your father’s room in the huge maze-like torture chamber.  You felt Choi Mujin already looking at you as you turned around.

“Ah, I…don’t know why my legs made their own decision to bring me here.” You explained, blaming everything on your legs.

Choi Mujin’s deep laughter resonated throughout the hallway as it rumbled from the depths of his chest.

“Sure, blame it all on your legs, Jiwoo. I’ll believe you.” Choi Mujin was still chuckling, reaching his hand into his coat pocket to retrieve a bunch of jangling keys.

“Are you ready?” Choi Mujin wanted to make sure you were prepared before unlocking the doors straight away. You looked towards the door right in front of you, gulping, and then hesitantly nodding. You didn’t even know what to say to him, you didn’t even think about it. You were too occupied.

A loud clang could be heard as the door slowly opened. You see a frail man on the bed, sitting up in surprise, eyes landing on Choi Mujin, and then on you. His eyes had widened and then squinted.

“Jiwoo…is that you? My daughter?” Your biological father called out, making shivers run down your spine. You took a big step inside, but not before making sure he was securely chained.

“Yes, it’s me, Jeong Woo-ssi.” You answered him, calling him by his name. Jeong Woo sat up even straighter, eyes fixated on you.

“You…finally came back…It’s been so, so…long.” Jeong Woo sounded happy. But happy was the last thing you felt. You still kept your distance; you were somehow afraid he would lunge at you if you went even a little bit closer. Choi Mujin stood close behind you, so close that you were able to feel the heat radiating off his body.

“What took you so long? Huh? Answer me, Jiwoo.” Jeong Woo got worked up all of a sudden, pulling his hands against the cuffs securing him to the wall. You were glad you kept a distance. You stood your ground, not moving an inch, not wanting to show Jeong Woo that you were affected. You felt a warm hand gently placed on the small of your back, probably to offer you reassurance and comfort. Which had worked perfectly. Knowing someone will always be there for you if anything were to happen.

“Because I don’t see you as a father, Jeong Woo. I may have your blood running in me, but that’s it. The relationship between us, is nothing more than that. I said I’ll be back, because it’s only to say goodbye. I have lived my entire life without you, and I have no problem continuing to live my life that way. Goodbye Jeong Woo.” You turned on your heel and walked out the door, hearing Jeong Woo’s screams fill the hallway. Once the door was shut, you released a breath of relieve and looked at Choi Mujin who gave you a reassuring nod.

--

“That man…is probably handless now, right?” Walking in the same direction the both of you came from, you decided to ask a question to get rid of the silence, although it was a comfortable silence. But you wanted to hear his voice.

“He was probably handless since…” Choi Mujin raised his wrist to look at his wrist watch, “15 minutes ago.” He nodded to himself, chuckling. Which brought a smile to your face as well.

“He’s going to die, isn’t he?” You felt…bad. Probably because you weren’t used to all these yet. Taking people’s lives like it isn’t worth anything, torturing people. You know you’re going to get the hang of it, but…it will take you some time.

“Yes, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin answered your question even though the answer was obvious. You exhaled, saying a “mmmh”, acknowledging his answer but not knowing what else to say.

“Nothing to worry about, Jiwoo. He got on the wrong side of Taeju. That’s the consequence of it.” Choi Mujin said in a comforting manner. But you heard him mumble something else. It was something along the lines of “and for laying his hands on you, god damn it”.

“What was that, ahjussi?” You knew you heard him right, but you just wanted to mess with him.

“Nothing.” Was all he said, before he started speed walking to the exit. You couldn’t help but laugh, he was so cute, like a child. You ran up to where he was and grabbed ahold of his arm, stopping him from running any further.

“I heard you; you know.” You confessed. You looked at him and he was already looking at you.

“It’s because I let you hear it, Jiwoo. It was intentional.” Choi Mujin confessed as well, looking into your eyes, then at his arm, that had your hand wrapped around it. You looked at it as well, realizing what you had done. You were going to retract your hand, but Choi Mujin was fast. He had put his hand on top of yours, securing it in place.

“Don’t ever let go, Jiwoo.”

Chapter Text

You were seated in Choi Mujin’s car, at the passenger seat. Choi Mujin was driving in silence. Your heart was thumping, although you looked cool and composed on the outside. You were looking out the window, silently thinking about a few moments earlier.

Choi Mujin’s words had caught you off guard. You had stood frozen to the ground for a few moments, looking into his eyes to check if he was joking or being serious. There was no sign of him joking. You quickly composed yourself and chuckled.

“Sure.” You had simply said and let go of his arm, walking ahead of him to the car. You hoped he wouldn’t say anything else, because if he did, you wouldn’t know how to respond. Thankfully, you successfully made it to the car in silence, with him following closely behind you.

--

At the gym, you were walking around, observing the members of the gang train. You didn’t train at the gym anymore, because you had a full set of gym equipment at home. A gym room, basically. It was more comfortable to train alone, in your comfort zone. If you were to train at the gym, you knew you wouldn’t get used to those lustful gazes.

Spotting Pildo aggressively punching a punching bag in a secluded corner, you made your way over quietly, wanting to scare him. He seemed to have a lot on his mind, as he was fixated on the punching bag, not even hearing you approach him although he was one of the most alert people you know. He would be aware of the smallest details. But now that he didn’t even notice you approaching him, it was no doubt that something was up.

You gently placed your hand on his shoulder, changing your mind about scaring him. Even though you had placed your hand gently on his shoulder, he jumped slightly at the touch and whipped his head to look at you at the speed of lightning. You notice his features slowly relax at the sight of you.

“Oppa, are you okay? Is there anything wrong?” You asked with concern. Spending 2 whole years with him had made him pretty significant in your life. Pildo hesitated for a brief moment, seemingly thinking if he should let you know about it.

“Jiwoo-yah…” Pildo trailed off. He then proceeded to look around the gym, which you did, too. Countless people working out, loud and distracting. You immediately knew why he wasn’t willing to talk. Pildo preferred quiet places.

Knowing Choi Mujin wasn’t at the gym, you grabbed Pildo’s arm and pulled him to Choi Mujin’s office on the second floor. Shutting the door behind, the noises from the gym weren’t completely gone, but at least it was decently muffled.  You turned around to face Pildo.

“Tell me, oppa. What’s bothering you?”

Pildo looked at you in the eyes, and then he started talking.

--

You left the gym with countless thoughts clouding your mind. You were in a daze. Your mind just wouldn’t stop running. You were desperate to find a solution.

Then you collided into a rock-hard chest. It made you raise your head, to look at who you had bumped into. Choi Mujin had both his hands holding your elbows, steadying your balance from bumping into him. Choi Mujin scanned your face and visible concern appeared on his.

“Jiwoo, what’s wrong?” He had seen through you immediately, as usual. But you wondered if you should let him know at that instant. Thinking it through a few more times, you decided you needed some time to process everything and think of how to put the words together properly before telling Choi Mujin about it.  

“I’ll talk to you later, ahjussi. I’ve got to go.” With that, you brushed past him and walked to the car and drove home. You took a quick shower and laid on your bed, staring up at the ceiling. Your brain replayed the conversation you had with Pildo earlier in the day.

“What is it, Pildo?” You asked him again, feeling curiosity slowly consuming you.

“Jiwoo…I think I should leave.” Pildo stated with a look of frustration on his face, while yours was evident with confusion. Why did he want to leave all of a sudden?

“What are you talking about, oppa? Leave? Leave where? Why?” You had asked all the questions that had appeared in your brain all at once. But Pildo had answered every one of them without getting annoyed.

“Leave here, the gym. I knew from the start that the members here don’t enjoy my presence. But I had brushed it off thinking it would get better soon. But then last night…I overheard Taeju and Choi Mujin’s conversation.” Pildo spoke, all the while with his brows furrowed, thinking deeply.

“What was it about…?” To be honest, you were slightly worried about what Pildo had heard. You knew Taeju’s words wasn’t the kindest, and you knew Choi Mujin wasn’t the nicest person either.

“Taeju was talking to Choi Mujin. About how he doesn’t trust me, and about how much the members don’t welcome me here because I’m not even a member of the gang. Taeju asked Choi Mujin to stop doing things only for you and to start doing things for the gang. And one of the things is bringing me here because of you.” Pildo explained, eyes slightly cloudy.

You thought about what he said. What are you supposed to do now? You wondered.

“Don’t worry about it too much, oppa. I’ll find a way. Trust me, alright? Give me some time.” You reassured Pildo and left the room, walking out of the gym, earning several looks from the members training in the gym as usual.

You wondered if you should visit Liber Hotel tonight? You haven’t been there in a while, in Choi Mujin’s office. You picked up your phone from the bedside table and looked at the time.

12:23pm.

You figured you could use a good nap before heading to Liber Hotel. Therefore, you had set an alarm for 4pm and had put your phone on mute, before letting your eyelids droop.

--

“Jiwoo-yah! Jiwoo!” You were awoken with your name being called in what sounds to be a state of panic. You sat up straight on your bed, rubbing your eyes when the door to your bedroom burst open, revealing Taeju. You stared at him, frowning and confused. He, had the same expression on his face.

“What’s up, Taeju?” You asked, voice groggy.

“What’s up? You’re asking me what’s up, Jiwoo? Do you know how worried we were? Because you weren’t answering your phone after leaving the gym looking like something was wrong?” Taeju sounded like he was fit to be a rapper. Your mouth simply formed an “o”, before you quickly shut it at the look Taeju was giving you.

“Sorry. I was just having a nap. I was sleepy.” You said with a pout.

Taeju fished out his phone from his inner coat pocket and dialed a number who you had presumed to be none other than his boss. In less than 2 seconds, Taeju started speaking.

“She’s fine, boss. She was just having a nap, because she was sleepy.” Taeju had emphasized on the word sleepy, making him sound sarcastic and fed-up. You kept your mouth in a straight line, feeling bad for making him come all the way to your house to see if you were alright. At that very moment, your phone alarm rang, signaling it was 4pm.

Taeju’s forehead was creased even more as you quickly fumbled with your phone to turn off the annoying sound. Taeju had finished the call with his boss and kept his phone in his coat pocket. He made his way out of your room.

“Taeju-ssi.” You called out, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around, looking at you with raised eyebrows.

“Will ahjussi be in his Liber Hotel office tonight?” You asked, just to make sure you wouldn’t end up making a trip there for nothing.

“Yes, he will be there.” Taeju answered. You nodded your head at his answer.

“Anything else, Jiwoo?”

“Nope. You can go, sorry for taking up your time.” You quickly ran to the refrigerator and grabbed a small bottle of a Vitamin C drink and handed it to Taeju, to which he smiled in return, and left your house.

--

You gave Pildo a call, wanting to hear his opinion on some things you have thought through. Once you were done, you tied up your hair in a messy bun and stepped in the bathroom for a quick shower, just to freshen up from the nap.

Once out of the shower, you released your hair from the bun and it fell down in waves, since you fell asleep with your hair wet. You got dressed in a high waisted wide leg jeans and a white tank top, wearing a knitted cropped white cardigan on the outside since the weather was getting colder.

You applied light make up, concealing your under-eye bags, so you wouldn’t look sick. Looking in the mirror satisfied, you made your way to the Liber Hotel.

--

You walked into Liber Hotel, and made your way to the top most floor, where Choi Mujin’s office is. Walking towards his office in the long walkway, the two members of the gang who were standing guard outside his office looked at you as you looked back at them. Their faces were unfamiliar. You’ve never seen them before.

They naturally lifted their hands, blocking you when you neared the tall double doors. You stepped back with a smile.

“Please tell Mr. Choi that Jiwoo is here, thank you.” They looked at each other, before one of them opened the door slightly and went in. You exchanged awkward looks with the other guy, with him looking away and you chuckling.

Not even a minute had passed when the double doors had opened. Both you and the other guy snapped your heads to look at the door. Choi Mujin walked to you, grabbing your hands in his. Your eyes widened and then you looked at the two members, who also looked surprised.

“Jiwoo-yah, are you okay? Come in, quick.” Choi Mujin walked into the room; his hand still held onto yours. You gave both of the guys a small smile before entering, which they replied with lowering their heads.

Seated on the couch in Choi Mujin’s office, his eyes scanned your entire body, checking if you were okay.

“Ahjussi, I’m fine. Didn’t Taeju already tell you I was sleeping?” You chuckled, looking into Choi Mujin’s eyes. His eyes looked into yours, clearly concerned.

“Why did you leave so quickly this afternoon at the gym?” Choi Mujin questioned, his hand found its way to yours, holding it tight. You looked down at your entangled hands. Letting out a small sigh, you decided to tell him.

“I had things to think through, ahjussi.”

--

“Pildo heard that?” Choi Mujin broke eye contact, biting his lip ever so slightly.

“Ahjussi.” You called out to get his attention on you. You wanted him to focus on what you were going to say first, and to let him think about the rest later.

Choi Mujin’s eyes snapped to yours.

“Listen to me, okay? I know, most of the members dislike me, as well as Pildo. They see it like we’re outsiders. They probably dislike us because you brought us in, personally. Right?” Choi Mujin nodded his head slowly, hearing you talk.

“Here’s what I think. We have to prove our worth to them if we want them to welcome us. I can do that. Maybe during the monthly evaluation. I’ll participate. How does that sound?” Choi Mujin was rubbing his stubbled chin with his fingers. You noticed the slight clench of his jaw.

“You’ll get hurt, Jiwoo. It won’t be minor. I don’t want that.” Choi Mujin stated his opinion. You smiled, feeling warmth course through your veins at his words.

“There is no change without sacrifice, ahjussi. We can’t have the members of the gang hate me forever. Things won’t work out, and they won’t feel the want to respect you. Since you’re always covering for me.” You explained. You were fine with getting hurt, as long as things would be resolved.

“And as for Pildo?” Choi Mujin asked.

“He will go through tests. Set up by the members, so it would be fair. If he passes those, he would then officially be a member of the gang. Then the members won’t have anything to hate him for anymore.” You explained your thoughts. Choi Mujin’s eyes darted here and there, thinking hard.

“And Pildo has agreed to what you’re telling me?”

“Yup. He’s fine with it as long as it would resolve the matter.”

“Alright then. Sounds good.” Choi Mujin agreed. You smiled, happy that he had agreed. Choi Mujin had stood up all of a sudden, with you following his actions, standing up as well. Choi Mujin looked at you, before putting a hand on your head, patting it gently.

“Good girl.”

Chapter Text

Your heart thumped in your chest. You were afraid he would hear how hard your heart was beating merely because of the two words that had come out of his mouth. Choi Mujin had dropped his hand that were petting your head.

You stared up at him because of the height difference. The atmosphere was kind of awkward. You bit the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from bursting out with laughter as you raised your arm slowly. Choi Mujin’s eyes followed the movement of your hand. Until it landed on his head. You patted him the same way he patted you.

Choi Mujin’s frown was back, while you were smiling with your eyes in mere slits.

“Am I supposed to say good boy?” You giggled. The frown on Choi Mujin’s face never left, probably because no one has ever done this to him before. When you noticed his unchanging expression, you wondered if you crossed the line? The smile on your face dropped, as well as your hand that was on his head.

“Sorry.” You muttered as your gaze, too, dropped to the ground.

“Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin called your name. His hand reached under your chin, lifting it up to look at him.

“I don’t mind, Jiwoo. I’m sorry for reacting that way. It’s just that no one has ever done that before.” Choi Mujin explained, sounding sorry for making you feel like you were crossing the line. Perhaps there was still some doubt left in your eyes, that Choi Mujin had noticed.

Choi Mujin’s eyes showed hesitancy for a brief moment, before he grabbed your wrist and placed your palm on his head. Allowing you to pat his head, like a small puppy. Although he was far from that. Your face lit up with a bright smile at Choi Mujin’s actions. The moment he noticed your smile, he smiled too. It looked as if he was satisfied because he had made you happy.

“You haven’t had your dinner yet right, Jiwoo?” As if on cue, your stomach growled as you thought back to the last meal you had. In the morning, around 8am. You didn’t even have lunch. How could you have forgotten to have lunch?

“Did you not have lunch either?” You wondered how Choi Mujin knew. But then you realized maybe it was written all over your face. You smacked your lips together, looking like a child who got caught stealing a lollipop.

“You should’ve told me, Jiwoo. I would bring you out for dinner earlier. Let’s go.” You nodded and followed him as he walked out the large double doors of his office. Once out of his office, he slowed his steps to match yours, so that he would be able to walk side by side with you.

Small talk was made in the car, as you stared out the window. Soon, a traditional wooden restaurant came into view. It looked to be…rather pricey. Judging by the cars that were parked at the carpark of the restaurant. There wasn’t a single normal car. They were all cars that only the super-rich could afford.

“This place looks super expensive…ahjussi.” You voiced out, feeling like there wasn’t a need to dine at such an expensive place when there are much cheaper and delicious food elsewhere.

“Hmm…treat it as a celebratory dinner for you coming back to Korea, back by my side. Alright?” Choi Mujin had already started making his way inside that you had no choice but to follow.

Inside, a staff had ushered the both of you into a small private room after Choi Mujin said his name that was booked for the reservation. You looked around the small room. The decoration was rather cozy, and cute.

“Want me to take a picture of you?” You were surprised to hear that coming out of Choi Mujin’s mouth. Is he even good at taking pictures?

“Why? You don’t trust my skills?” He was now frowning at you.

“Umm, no, of course not. Here, use my phone.” You passed him your phone and started posing when he aimed the phone camera at you. You could see his smile behind your phone as he spammed the shutter button. Which had brought a natural smile out of you.

After several minutes of posing, he gave you back your phone and you couldn’t wait to check the pictures. Scrolling through all the pictures he took; they were surprisingly not bad. The angle was pretty nice, too. You peeked at him and see him smiling proudly.

“Not bad, right?” He smirked.

“Not bad.” You admitted.

--

The empty table was filled with countless plates and very appetizing dishes in under a minute. Your mouth was agape, staring at all the different kinds of Japanese food displayed on the table. You took several pictures of the food with your phone.

You slowly looked at Choi Mujin, who was already looking at you. You carefully stretched out your hand, holding your phone out to him. He glanced at it, looked back at you and chuckled. He grabbed your phone and started aiming the phone camera at you again, but this time slightly lower, to capture the food displayed on the table.

--

The plates on the table that were once full are now empty, as if there wasn’t anything on them to begin with. Stuffing the last bite of food into your mouth, you chewed on it with your mouth closed, raising your head slightly to peek at the man sitting opposite of you.

“Yes, Jiwoo?” He spoke the moment you looked up, as your eyes met. You chuckled.

“Nothing.” You muttered. You quickly grabbed your phone to make it seem like you were busy. You checked out the picture he had taken for you. The ones with the food on the table. Your jaw had dropped slightly. The pictures looked surprisingly good. The person you see in the picture is like the person you see in the mirror every day. You know when you look better in the mirror and look completely different in photos? It wasn’t like that this time.

You had quickly chosen one you liked the most, one where you were smiling the brightest, and the sparkle in your eyes were the most obvious. You had changed the profile picture of your KakaoTalk account, the messenger app you use the most often. Smiling to yourself, you put down the phone and sipped on some hot green tea, this time boldly staring into his eyes.

--

Choi Mujin had returned to his office that night after sending you home. He had had a great time, as expected, because he was with you. As long as he was with you, it would never go wrong. He enjoys your company, more than it seems.

Sinking into his office chair, he leaned back, thinking of the moments he spent with you earlier. He found himself feeling a weird sensation in his stomach, while his lips were quirking up a significant amount. Putting his hand into his coat, he fished out his phone from the inner coat pocket.

Choi Mujin went on KakaoTalk, searching your contact. The moment he found it, his finger hovered above the profile picture for a brief moment, as it looked familiar. Clicking into it, he was…surprised to say the least. You had changed your profile picture to the picture he had taken for you. His fingers had automatically pressed the power button and the volume button at the same time, taking a screenshot.

Realizing what he had just done, he went to his gallery, seeing your photo at the top. Tapping the picture once, he pressed the heart at the bottom of the screen, adding the picture to his ‘favorites’ album. Pressing the power button once, he placed his phone on the table, as he got to work.

--

You were out of breath, feeling pain on every part of your body, as well as tasting a familiar metallic taste in your mouth. You put your hand on the ground, pushing yourself up again. Standing tall, you eyed the several men staring at you, while gathering the mixture of spit and blood in your mouth, and spitting it out while still maintaining eye contact with them.

You held your fists in front of you, standing in the usual fighting stance, ready to pounce.

Like a predator to their prey.

Chapter Text

It was time for the monthly evaluation, and well, you were quite nervous. You were confident, of course, that you wouldn’t die. But you knew you would be pretty badly injured.

“Jiwoo will be joining the monthly evaluation this time. It starts in 5 minutes.” Choi Mujin announced, earning surprised gazes from everyone else that were going to participate in the evaluation. Some of them had gazes which clearly meant they were looking down on you, probably because you were a girl.

But you had faith in yourself. You believed the many years of training wouldn’t result in you losing in a monthly evaluation.

You were dressed in a body fitting tank top, along with sweatpants. It showed off your lean figure perfectly, as well as your tattoo of the DongCheonpa logo. You gathered your hair up and secured it in a messy bun with the elastic band on your wrist. You could feel countless eyes on you. You stepped into the fighting area once you were prepared, and awaited the whistle signaling the start of the match.

You looked at Choi Mujin who was seated on the couch from where you were standing, the ring. He gave you an encouraging smile and nod. As if on cue, the sound of the whistle filled the entire gym, silencing everyone for a millisecond before grunts could be heard as everyone lunged against everyone. Including you.

A fist was flying your way as you easily dodged it and punched the person in the abdomen as you ducked. Holding his abdomen, he had regained his composure rather quickly, lunging at you once again. You weren’t sure why you were seeing things in slow motion, but it was definitely helping in the fight. Seeing his right fist approaching the left of your face, you took one step to the left, causing his arm straightened on your right. You raised your right arm, interlocking with his right arm, and twisted it backwards, making him scream out in pain. Hearing a slight crack, you quickly released his arm and hit the crook of his neck in a swift motion. Seeing him passed out on the ground, you moved on to the next guy.

It seemed as though these people only knew how to throw punches and nothing else. Why? Because all you see are punches coming your way. The guy right in front of you was aiming a punch at your chin, but then you had realized his eyes. They weren’t staring at you, or your chin. They were staring behind you. Which probably meant someone else was behind you, ready to attack at the same time to put you down for good.

You ducked, and then stepped to your left, where it was empty. You then heard the sound of a bone cracking, as you looked at the guy who wanted to punch you. He had punched the guy behind you, and you could see the other guy’s nose slowly turn red, as lines of blood made their way out of his nostrils. Figuring you could take the chance to put out the injured guy, you swept your feet at his ankle area, making him fall backwards with a thud. You see the black of his eyes roll to the back of his head, his eyelids fluttering shut.

Looking back up at the other guy, he was staring at his friend on the ground, seemingly still trying to process what had just happened. Once again, you took the chance and punched his chin from below, making his head fling upwards, and another thud could be heard as his body hit the ground.

You looked around you, silently counting how many people are left. There were many that was already motionless on the ground, knocked unconscious by many of the stronger ones. There were around 10 more guys left, and they were still violently fighting each other. You were stood at a corner. You didn’t really want to make the initiative to fight someone. These remaining people standing were the stronger ones, and you were slightly worried. You weren’t too badly injured yet, just aching here and there. But you had a feeling it was going to change.

You had accidentally made eye contact with one of the bigger guys. Maybe it was in your head, but you could have sworn you felt the ground shake as he took big and confident steps towards you. Right behind you was the metal fence-like thing, which meant you couldn’t back up any further.

In just a few seconds, he was right in front of you. His left fist came very close to your face. You figured he was left-handed. You tried to dodge again, because you knew you wouldn’t be able to overpower him in terms of strength.

But you were wrong about your assumption of him being left-handed. He had tricked you. The moment you stepped to the right to dodge his left fist; you had stepped directly into his trap. You felt a rough hand around your neck. You quickly felt yourself being lifted off the ground, having difficulty breathing. You knew Choi Mujin would be on his feet by now, worried of you getting severely injured.

You forced yourself to think. Quick.

“When you fight, you should think of killing, not winning.”

“Attack their vital points. The temple, upper lip, chin, solar plexus, and genitals.”

“Just their vital points, then you can incapacitate your opponents.”

Choi Mujin’s deep and dominating voice rang in your head.

Your arms. They weren’t restricted. You tried to reach your opponent’s face, maybe to poke their eyes. But your arms weren’t long enough. Your vision was getting foggy at this point, due to the lack of oxygen. Which meant you had to get out of this situation quick.

Your legs, they were dangling, away from the ground. You were going to try something. Anything that could get you out of this situation.

You reached out your arms, locking onto your opponent’s arm as tight as you could. You then put your body weight on the metal fence behind you as you lifted your feet, stepping them on your opponent’s thighs. One good thing about him being on the bigger side was that you could use him as support. Your feet had climbed his body in a swift motion. He couldn’t move his arms due to your arms locking him in, but you could.

As soon as your feet was on his chest, you gathered all your strength and kicked as hard as you could, releasing the lock on his arms at the same time. Both of you fell on the ground in opposite directions. You quickly got back on both your feet and lunged at him while he was still down on the ground.

You sat on his huge stomach and started punching his face, taking turns with your left and right hand. You see him slowly losing consciousness but you didn’t stop, you wanted to make sure he wouldn’t get up and attack you again. You wanted to make sure he was down for good so you could fight the other opponents in peace without needing to worry about him getting up again. But before you could beat him up to your satisfaction, you got yanked by your bun backwards.

You had lost your balance for a brief moment and the guy attacking you saw it as an opportunity to kick the back of your knees, causing you to fall on your knees. You groaned in frustration and also in pain, as you felt your scalp burn from the pull. You were mad, you felt like you were going to lose a lot of hair from his yanking of your hair.

Either way, he had to loosen his hold on your hair to attack you, either from punching you from the back, or walking in front of you. You saw that as your chance to get on your feet, standing face to face with him, with only a few centimeters separating the both of you. You knew he was caught off guard. Therefore, you dropped your head backwards, and swung it forward, aiming at his nose as hard as you could.

You could feel the pain throbbing on your forehead, as you see him slowly lose his balance and fall backwards. You lightly rubbed your forehead with your hand and looked around. There was one last opponent, standing at the corner. He was leaned against the metal fence, arms folded across his chest. You could feel his confidence soar through the roof. You were worried. There weren’t any visible injuries on his face, or any bruises forming on his exposed skin. Which meant he had fought most of the guys, and not get beat up by any of them.

Judging by how calm he was, you knew this was going to be a hell of a fight.

--

You were on the ground, both arms lifted, covering your face while the other man threw unstopping punches. You were getting worn out, and exhausted, and you felt like this was a bad idea. But you were almost there. You weren’t going to give up.

You didn’t want to resort to this, but it was the last thing you could think of, in order to…finish the fight. He was straddling you, and your movements were, limited. You removed one of your arms that was shielding your face. It would mean getting your face beaten but, there was no choice.

It was a good thing he was straddling you, because his genitals were near, and easy to attack. You balled your right hand into a fist, and then used all your remaining strength to punch downwards, on his crotch. Surely, he did not expect it, as you see him curl into a shrimp and wince in pain. You finally got on your feet, and kicked him a few times, breathing heavily.

You looked around you, everyone was on the ground, laying still and motionless. Your knees gave out, and you sat on the ground, in the middle of the sparring ring. You lifted your head and looked in the direction of where you would usually stand with Choi Mujin to observe the fight.

You made eye contact with him. His eyes were filled with worry. He was already walking towards you, with Taeju following closely behind. Pildo, too, was making his way towards you from the side as he didn’t take part in the monthly evaluation.

Choi Mujin had crouched in front of you in a flash, cradling your face in his hands.

“Are you okay, Jiwoo?” He had asked you, but it was blurry. You managed to let out a chuckle.

“I’m good. But I’m going to take a nap. Goodnight.” You closed your eyes, hearing concerned voices asking you not to sleep. But you knew you weren’t going to die; you were just tired. With that, you fell into a deep sleep, with your dreams being filled with the fights you had fought.

Chapter Text

You were hearing voices, muffled. You didn’t open your eyes yet, but you slightly moved your hands around and felt soft sheets beneath you.

You decided to keep your eyes closed, just to eavesdrop.

“Why isn’t she awake yet? You said there wasn’t anything wrong with her, right?” You could hear Choi Mujin’s intimidating voice questioning someone you reckon to be the doctor in charge of you.

“Err, yes. I did say that there wasn’t anything serious wrong with her, but she should be waking up anytime soon. Please be patient, sir.” The doctor’s voice had exposed how the doctor felt. Intimidated.

A grunt could be heard from Choi Mujin’s as the door to your hospital room closed, and you hear the slight creaking of a chair next to your bed, probably by Choi Mujin taking a seat. You wonder if you should open your eyes now? It would be boring if you were to keep pretending you haven’t regained your consciousness yet. You’d like to believe you were a pretty good actress, therefore you decided to act as if you had just woken up.

You slowly fluttered your eyes open, squinting at the light, and staring at the white ceiling for a few moments before looking around your hospital room. You then made eye contact with your boss.

“Jiwoo-yah, are you okay? How are you feeling?” The words had rushed out of Choi Mujin’s mouth.

You chuckled, wanting to sit up straight cause you felt like you had been lying down for too long. When you tried to sit up, every part of your body ached, causing you to wince in pain. Choi Mujin’s hands were quick to be on your elbows, holding you up while he adjusted the mattress. He slowly guided you to lean backwards when the mattress was now in an upright motion. You leaned against the mattress and breathed out the breath you were holding due to the pain.

“I’m alright, ahjussi. It’s not too serious.” You replied, cracking a smile at his concerned features.

“I knew it wasn’t a good idea to let you participate in the monthly evaluation. But you did a good job back there, Jiwoo. I’m proud of you.” Choi Mujin praised you, making your gaze fall from shyness.

“But I’ve managed to prove my worth right? To the other members who looked down on me?” You wanted to make sure what you did wasn’t in vain. It would suck if the members still looked down on you and disliked you even after you fought so hard to turn it around.

“Yes, you did. They were quite badly injured, but nothing time can’t heal. They’ll be different to you when you go back, I’m sure.” Choi Mujin assured you, which had made you feel, a sense of relieve. Your gaze was somewhere else, recalling what happened during the fight, when Choi Mujin’s hand was on your head, lightly patting it.

“Good girl.” You looked at him the moment those words had been said. It felt like quite a long time ago since he last said that, as it had made you feel giddy inside. You simply smiled and looked away, not wanting to let it show that it had affected you.

--

You strode into the gym with confidence and your head held high.

Your injuries were almost fully healed, except for a few that were more severe. Other than that, you were good as new.

The moment you walked in, hushed whispers could be heard throughout the room. Everyone’s attention was on you, while you kept your gaze straight and unchanging, staring at the boss seated in front. All they did was stare. Until the boss asked them a question in 4 words.

“인사 안 해? (Not going to greet her?)” Choi Mujin asked the members, in a tone that would’ve shaken you to the core if you didn’t know him personally. As if on cue, all the members had bowed 90 degrees to you, who was still making your way to the front. You had felt, a bit odd and weren’t used to everyone of a mafia gang bowing to you, but you kept yourself composed and continued walking until you reached Choi Mujin. Your lips were in a straight line, looking at the boss. He simply nodded at you, and you went to stand behind him, on his left, as Taeju was on his right.

Everyone had raised their heads and stood straight facing the boss, waiting for him to start speaking.

Then the boss spoke.

“Jiwoo was the last one standing during the monthly evaluation. Most of you aren’t happy with how it had turned out, I know. But she has proved her worth and from now on, respect her as one of us.” Choi Mujin had spoken sternly, as the members cast glances at each other.

“Understood?” Choi Mujin had questioned when there was nothing but silence.

“Yes, sir!” All of the members had shouted in unison, and bowed their head in a 45 degree angle, towards the man seated in the center.

“We will be doing a test for Pildo next week. A total of 8 tests, will be decided by all of you, and will only be disclosed on the day of the test itself. If he passes every single one of those tests, he will officially be a member of DongCheon. Once you are done planning, send Taeju the plan. Any questions?” Choi Mujin looked around the room, whoever he had made eye contact with had lowered their gaze to the floor, probably intimidated.

“No, sir!” Everyone had replied in unison once again. Choi Mujin nodded his head, looking around, then proceeded to do a small flick of his hand, and everyone scattered to each part of the gym, starting their training.

You stayed standing behind Choi Mujin, while he talked to Taeju about the test for Pildo. You were feeling kind of sleepy, because you had woken up earlier than usual to come to the gym for the ‘announcement’. You were hungry too, as you didn’t had time for breakfast. You covered your mouth with your hand as you yawned, slightly turning away too, you kind of didn’t want others to see you yawning?

Choi Mujin turned to you after he was done talking to Taeju.

“You haven’t had your breakfast yet, right?” Your jaw dropped. How did he know? Looking at the expression on your face, Choi Muji chuckled, and stood up.

“Will you have breakfast with me, Jiwoo?”

--

The both of you were seated on a bench at the park with the famous Isaac Toast in your hands. You had ordered the Spicy Bulgogi toast because you were craving something spicy, while Choi Mujin had ordered the Bacon Best toast. You insisted on paying, telling Choi Mujin that ‘this is the only thing I can afford to buy for you’. Choi Mujin had chuckled and eventually accepted your offer to pay.

Seated side by side, the both of you ate in silence while looking straight ahead. At the people who were at the park with their pets, or with their kids, or the people who were there to exercise.

It felt relaxing. Just the both of you, next to each other, enjoying each other’s company in peace. The toast was quickly gone, as it was delicious. Choi Mujin had discreetly scooted nearer to you, and placed his arm around your shoulder. You froze for a moment and hoped he didn’t notice.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Choi Mujin spoke. You turned to your right, facing him. His eyes were focused on the people in front.

“What is?” You asked, still staring at him.

“This. Not having to worry about anything, and simply spending time with…an important person.” Choi Mujin spoke softly. You turned your head back to the front, thinking about it. Sure, it is nice. But it wouldn’t last, would it?

“Yeah, I guess.” Your eyes were fixated on a puppy not too far from you. It was a baby Golden Retriever, running around and playing with its owner. The puppy was running, and running. Until it was at your feet, staring up at you.

You couldn’t control your smile. You love animals. But never got the chance of owning one. You looked up at its owner, it was a boy, around your age, maybe a little bit older. He was pretty good looking.

“Can I pet your puppy?” You asked him politely. The owner of the dog gave you a big smile, followed by a nod. You looked over at Choi Mujin. You were so excited. You slowly lowered your hand to pet the dog and oh my, it was a moment of cuteness overload.

“Do you want me to put it on your lap?” The owner asked, causing you to look up at him in disbelief and also pure excitement. Simply by looking at your facial expression and your reaction, the owner had gotten the answer to his question. He bent down and lifted his puppy, and gently placed it on your lap.

Your whole body was frozen for a brief moment, eyeing the fluffy ball of fluff on your lap, staring up at you with its tongue out. You then turned to Choi Mujin. He had a slight frown on his face, not by looking at the dog, but by looking at the dog’s owner. Shit. You mentally cursed. You quickly distracted him.

“Ahjussi.” You called out, making him shift his attention to you. “Look at it.” You said, while also turning to look at the puppy yourself. You lowered both your hands to hold the puppy’s head, petting it at the same time. Then you looked back at Choi Mujin, wanting to make sure he is looking at the dog, and not the guy.

Thankfully, he was looking at the puppy. The puppy, too, was looking at Choi Mujin. With its tongue out, seemingly smiling. Since the both of you were sat very closely, the puppy had easily made its way from your lap, to Choi Mujin’s lap. You quickly fished out your phone from your pocket, and took pictures of Choi Mujin and the puppy, because you felt like it would probably be a once in a lifetime thing.

Choi Mujin was taken aback by the puppy climbing onto his lap, but he had quickly regained his composure and lightly pet the smiling dog.

--

You stared at the puppy whose name you learned to be Choco and the owner, Ha-Jun walking away while you and Choi Mujin was still seated on the bench.

“Do you want a puppy, Jiwoo?” Choi Mujin asked. Your head turned to him so fast you felt aching in your neck.

“Owww…” You trailed off, one had on your neck.

“You alright?” Choi Mujin had put his own hand on the area of your neck which was hurting, and had rubbed it soothingly. It was probably the feeling of his hands on your neck that had distracted you from the pain, but the pain was gone almost immediately.

“I’ll get you a puppy. What breed do you want?”

Chapter Text

A baby Doberman was laying in your arms, eyes wide looking up at you. You looked at Choi Mujin who had just laid the puppy in your arms. He was looking at the puppy in adoration, too.

You had chosen the Doberman because it was one of the dogs you had really wanted to own since quite a few years back. The Doberman is a highly intelligent species of dog, they stand as the world’s finest protection dogs too. You thought about how it would feel to walk the streets with a Doberman. You would feel safe. You choosing the Doberman wasn’t because you wanted it to protect you. But it was more like, to have company. You were alone most of the time, and you knew pets make great company. Now that you were old enough to take care of yourself, you could finally take care of a pet as well.

“What are you going to name him?” Choi Mujin asked you. Honestly, you didn’t expect him to get you a puppy at this speed. Therefore, you didn’t really think of what to name him.

“Hmm…” You trailed off, deep in thought. “Bobby?” You tested how the name felt rolling off your tongue. You looked at the puppy, it was staring up at you, and attempted a bark. You internally melted due to how cute it was.

“He likes it, don’t you think so?” You directed the question at Choi Mujin who was smiling, looking at you. Another tiny bark had escaped the puppy before Choi Mujin could even answer your question.

“Yes, yes. It looks like he likes it very much, Jiwoo.” Choi Mujin agreed.

“Bobby! Bobby-yah.” You called out several times, seeing how he would react. Bobby had turned his body around in your arms, baring his belly up at you. You rubbed his belly and used the ‘baby voice’ to talk to him, as research shows that dogs would react more to their owners if they use the ‘baby voice’. Bobby seemed to be smiling at you as you called his new name, and you were getting immersed in playing with Bobby that you had almost forgotten that Choi Mujin was still there, watching you. You lifted your head to look at Choi Mujin.

“Ahjussi, sit.” You patted the spot on the chair next to you. Choi Mujin obliged obediently, sitting exactly at the spot you had patted. He was really close to you, until your shoulders were touching. At this point, you should’ve been used to it already, right? But you haven’t. For some peculiar reason.

--

The both of you had bonded with Bobby for over an hour, and it was getting late. You made your way home alone, with Bobby, as Choi Mujin had other matters to settle at The Liber Hotel since he had used up over an hour playing with Bobby, instead of working.

Unlocking the front door to your home, you pulled the door open and stepped inside, taking off your shoes, and then stepping on the wooden floors of your home.

“Appa, I’m home.” You announced, and the sound of rushed footsteps approached you.

“Daughter. Have you eaten yet?” Your father asked you before his eyes noticed the small thing wiggling in your arms, staring up at him with wide round eyes and its tongue out.

“Oh my! That gave me a shock. Where did you get him? Or her?” Your father had his hand placed on his chest, on top of his heart. You could tell he was genuinely shocked.

“Hehehe, appa, say hi to Bobby. It’s a male dog, and ahjussi gave it to me. Oh, and no, I haven’t had dinner yet. I was too occupied playing with Bobby.” You answered your father, holding up Bobby’s arm and waving it at your father. Your father’s lips cracked into a big smile while staring at Bobby, and you knew, he was going to start treating Bobby as his son beginning tomorrow.

“Hi Bobby, I’m Donghoon. Nice to meet you.” Your father spoke to Bobby formally, holding Bobby’s arm and doing a handshake. It made you chuckle. You have never seen this side of your father before.

“Mujin-hyung gave it to you? Why?” Your father questioned you, but his eyes were still on Bobby.

“Ermm, we went to the park that day, and there were many dogs there. One of them came up to us and we played with it. Ahjussi probably noticed how much I liked dogs, because he asked me what breed I wanted right after. Then, Bobby happened.” You briefly explained, earning a hesitant nod from your father. You quickly changed the subject.

“Here, hold him. I’m going to take a shower and have some ramyeon.” You put Bobby in your father’s arm, and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

--

You stepped out of your room in a t-shirt and shorts, walking over to the couch area to check on Bobby and your father. Your jaw was almost, just almost on the floor when you saw them.

Your father was belly side down on the floor, his elbows holding him up, and in between his rested elbows, Bobby was there. Bobby had his belly facing upwards, and your father was having the time of his life playing with a little puppy. You quickly and quietly grabbed your phone from your room, and snapped a few pictures, along with a few videos. It would be fun to watch them in the future, and it would also be fun to use them to tease your father.

You walked to the kitchen, not wanting to disturb them. You took out a small pot, filled it with 500ml of filtered water and put it on the stove to bring it to a boil. While waiting, you opened the ramyeon cabinet and decided to have the Jin Spicy Ramyeon. Taking one packet out, you teared it open and took out the condiment packets. When the water came to a slight boil, you threw in the condiments, and then threw in the noodles when it was bubbling. You left it for a minute to crack an egg and then threw that in as well, turning it to low heat so the egg would be nice and round.

In 5 minutes, you were already slurping on the smoking hot noodles on the dining table, while watching the cute little scene of your father bonding with Bobby right in front of you.

--

You were starting to get a little worried for Pildo, as the tests was going to be in 5 days.

He was seated in front of you, at a small café near your place.

“What is it, Jiwoo?” Your facial expressions probably gave it out.

“Ah, I’m just worried about you, oppa. The tests, they won’t go easy on you. That’s for sure.” You diverted your gaze, thinking about the tests they were planning for him. 

“Hey, don’t worry, alright? I’m sure I’ll survive it without any major injuries.” Pildo reassured you. You hesitantly nodded, a feeling of uneasiness still in your gut.

“Will I be getting a reward if I pass?” Pildo wiggled his eyebrows at you, lips quirked upwards.

“Hmmm, what do you want?”

“Let’s see…Korean beef barbeque?” You could see Pildo gulping, just thinking about the smell of the barbeque. You smiled.

“Sure. It’s a deal.”

--

The day has come. Everyone was stood facing the boss, who was seated on the couch. Pildo, too was there. He was stood in the first row. Pildo was dressed in a body-hugging gym top, along with gym shorts. Pildo seemed to be pretty calm, his body standing straight and unmoving. Whereas, you were the one who were tapping your feet against the floor continuously.

You were stood behind Choi Mujin, on his left, while Taeju was on his right.

Choi Mujin raised his arm with his palm facing up, and Taeju had placed an iPad in Choi Mujin’s palm. Choi Mujin retracted his arm, and focused his attention on the iPad, reading through the plans for the tests. Swiping page after page, you see Choi Mujin nodding his head, and passing the iPad back to Taeju.

“Good. Start the tests in 5 minutes.” Choi Mujin ordered.

Everyone had scattered into their own corners, with a small group of members remaining in the centre, preparing for the first test.

--

“Test 1. Jeon Pildo will have to disassemble and assemble a pistol in under 1 minute.” Taeju announced.

Pildo stood with a table in front of him, having the pistol on top. He was given 30 seconds the inspect the pistol to know how it works. You knew this would a piece of cake for Pildo, as he was good with guns.

The sound of a whistle filled the gym, followed by the clacking of metal sounds made from disassembling the pistol. No one made a single sound, as their full attention was on Pildo and the pistol in his hands. Pildo’s hands moved swiftly and smoothly. Anyone seeing that would know that Pildo had done that well over a hundred times. You noticed a few slumped shoulders as the members realised Pildo would pass the first test without any difficulty.

A loud clang on the table was heard seconds before the timer went off. Taeju walked over to the table, checking the pistol and loading it with a single bullet. He twisted on the silencer and pulled the trigger, firing the bullet into the distance, making sure the pistol works well.

Taeju turned to the boss, giving him a nod, which the boss had returned, signalling that Pildo had passed the first test.

“Prepare for the second test.” Taeju told Pildo, and proceeded to walk away.

--

There were now 10 cardboard cutouts of the upper half of a human body, the ones you see in shooting ranges. All 10 of them were distanced, further and further. You had to squint your eyes to see the furthest one properly, which meant it was pretty far. The requirement was for Pildo to get a headshot or the heart every time, for him to pass the test. To not be unreasonable, Pildo gets 2 tries for each target.

Everything was going well until the 6^th target. He had gotten head shots for the first 6 targets within his first try.

He had missed his first shot for the 7^th target, making every one sitting at the edge of their seat.

You see Pildo clearly frustrated. You knew he was doubting his own abilities by now, as he has crazy high expectations for himself. Pildo had turned around to look at you.

Making eye contact, you gave him a smile and an encouraging nod. You see his jaw clenched for a brief moment, before he returned the smile and turned back to the front.

Pildo adjusted his stance, straightened his arm, the other bent slightly, tilted his head and closed one eye. He had looked like a statue for quite a while, unmoving and making sure he had the aim correct and precise.

Bang. He had hit the target exactly in the middle of the head. Right on the dot. You released a breath of relieve. He turned around and smiled to you, you gave him a thumbs up.

He had continued to hit the targets first try until the 10^th target.

He had missed the it again the first time. You see his hand grip the pistol until his knuckles turn white. You knew he was stressed, and worried.

Once again, he turned to look at you. This time, there weren’t any trust in his features. He didn’t trust himself. His eyes, you didn’t know how to describe them.

He turned back to the front, aiming again, and he fired the last shot.

But it was off.

By 1 centimetre.

Chapter Text

Pildo had turned to look at you. You had held eye contact with him, silently telling him that it was going to be alright.

Choi Mujin had called for a 10-minute break after Pildo missed the target by 1 centimetres. You knew very well that the other members were hoping for Piildo to be kicked out because of this, since they hated him from the start. But you hoped Choi Mujin would show a bit of leniency. After all, he wasn’t off by much.

10 minutes had passed in a blur, and everyone was back at where they were, waiting for Choi Mujin’s announcement, whether or not to continue to tests for Pildo.

“1 centimetre…is it a lot?” Choi Mujin had asked. Everyone present was exchanging glances with one another, hesitant to answer. To you, it wasn’t a lot. You weren’t sure if you could hit the target if you were to take the test.

“Taeju.” Choi Mujin called out. Taeju was immediately by Choi Mujin’s side, head slightly bowed, ready for Choi Mujin’s instructions.

“Choose 5 members by random, and have them shoot the target. If majority cannot hit the target exactly, Pildo passes this test, and vice versa.” Taeju lowered his head even more, and then proceeded to walk into the crowd, choosing 5 members. You wondered if it really was chosen randomly. But seeing that no one dared to make a sound, you kept quiet as well.

5 members were now stood in a straight line, next to each other, with a basic pistol in their hand. You walked around, and stood next to them. You looked at the target, and it really was pretty distanced.

Once they were ready, Taeju counted down as they aimed.

5 shots were then fired at the same time. Pildo walked towards the target to check their shots, and came back to announce the results of their first try. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, waiting for the results.

“Out of 5, only 1 managed to hit the target exactly. Get ready for the second try.” Again, Taeju counted down, and 5 shots were fired.

“For the second try, out of 5 shots, 2 had hit the target exactly.” Taeju announced. You quickly looked over to Pildo, and you could see him release a breath of relieve, as you did the same.

--

The 3^rd test was rather simple, compared to the 2^nd test.

Pildo’s knowledge of drugs would have to come in for this test. You knew Pildo would ace this test as he had been somewhat of a dealer before he worked for Choi Mujin’s wife, Seojin.

With just the blink of an eye, Taeju had announced that Pildo had passed the third test. He had identified the several heaps of fine white powder on the table, and had clearly stated which one was the best quality with just a little taste.

--

When the sky turned the darkest shade of blue, Pildo was accepted as a member of DongCheonpa, as agreed by all the other members, and approved by the boss, Choi Mujin.

You walked over to where Pildo was. He was seated on a bench, hunched over with a bottle of water in his hands, and his breathing heavy. There were several wounds all over his body, some with blood still oozing out, while some had already formed a scab with the dried blood.

You crouched in front of him.

“Oppa, are you okay?” He raised his head to look at you, smiling faintly. You returned his smile instinctively.

“Let’s go, I’ll clean up your wounds.”

--

You wondered how could Pildo not hiss while you disinfected his wounds and wrapped them up nicely with gauze. He had simply stared into space, while you did your thing.

“Do you want ramyeon for dinner?” You asked. He didn’t eat the whole day. You were sure he was starving, because you were too.

“You’ll cook ramyeon?” Pildo asked while looking up at you from the couch with doe eyes. You smiled and nodded, and made your way to the kitchen where you took out 2 packets of instant ramyeon and boiled some water.

Only a few minutes later, the both of you were slurping up the steaming hot ramyeon, without a single word said.

You and Pildo sat on the carpet in front of the television with soju shot glasses in your hands. The both of you were talking about anything and everything. Time passed in a blur, and you could see the sun was beginning to rise. But somehow you weren’t sleepy. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the tests earlier.

The soft beeping of your phone brought you back to earth, signalling a new message. You grabbed your phone that was laying on the carpet and unlocked it.

Choi Mujin: Are you at Pildo’s?

It was weird how your heart still skips a beat whenever you receive a text from him. You quickly typed back a reply and pressed send.

You: Yup. Anything?

You held your phone firmly in your hands, and held it towards your chest, waiting for his reply. Pildo had looked at you and your phone, and you simply told him it was Choi Mujin asking where you were. You felt your phone vibrate and quickly tapped into the message.

Choi Mujin: Nothing. Just wanted to know where you are.

You could feel your heart beat faster and harder, although the text was pretty simple and normal. But you couldn’t help the side of your lips from quirking upwards.

“What did he say?” Pildo asked from beside you. You looked at him and chuckled.

“Nothing much.”

“You sure? You’re smiling like you’re in love, Jiwoo.” Pildo had a smirk resting on his lips while looking at you. You slapped him on the shoulder and stood up. It was late, no, early in the morning and you had to go home to wash up and then go to work.

“I’ll get going, oppa. See you.” With that, you left.

--

You were dressed in the usual formal attire, as you walked into Hotel Liber. You made your way to the floor of Choi Mujin’s office. Knocking on the door, you heard a faint voice telling you to go in, and you pushed the doors open, walking straight to the boss.

Choi Mujin’s eyes had lit up the moment he saw you, and a smile was evident on his features. Your facial expression mirrored his, as you were equally happy to see him.

“Good morning, boss.” You smiled cheekily. A frown then found its way to Choi Mujin’s forehead.

“Why are you calling me boss? Don’t call me boss. Call me ahjussi, like you always do.” You didn’t know if you were wrong but you could’ve sworn you saw him pout.

“Okay, okay. Ahjussi, have you had breakfast?” You walked closer, giving him the doe eyes. Choi Mujin looked up at you, at your eyes, and chuckled, casting his gaze elsewhere.

“Let’s go then.” Choi Mujin said, while grabbing his coat from the coat hanger, and walking towards the door.

--

Choi Mujin was driving, with you seated at the passenger seat. He didn’t tell you where he was bringing you. You talked to him about this and that, earning a couple deep chuckles from him. You were looking at him while he was driving.

You felt so happy, honestly.

That was, until you saw a truck approaching on his side of the car. You screamed, and he looked.

You blacked out.

Sirens were heard. But your eyelids were too weak for you to open them.

But you prayed to God, for Choi Mujin to be alright.