Sunbeam

53.

October 22, 2020

Namjoon sat back comfortably, looking around at Myo Maeng and his daughter Su. She wasn't bad looking at all, but compared to Ari, she was like a weed next to a rose. And this woodcutter really thought his daughter could take Ari's place, Namjoon didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Sitting in the chair in front of his desk, Myo Maeng was smiling smugly, rubbing his fat hands studded with gold rings. It was like Namjoon was watching a movie from the 50s about some gangster with extremely bad taste in appearance.

On the other hand, his daughter at least had taste, wearing a formal Versace suit, artful hair, and if it weren't for what Namjoon guessed she would call makeup on her face, she would probably make up for her father's bad taste.

Namjoon looked over at Jungkook and Jimin who were calmly sitting to the sides, trying to stifle their laughter. They were so red that they were about to explode at any moment.

"Mr. Kim, I'm so glad..." Namjoon cut him off. "Please, Mr. Maeng, before we start, we're expecting someone else" Namjoon smiled, but continued to glare at them, though Mr. Maeng didn't seem to notice.

After a few minutes the door to his office opened and Namjoon jumped to his feet. "Sorry I'm late, Izeul wanted to show me something" Ari smiled sweetly and took Namjoon's hand.

"It's okay, baby" Namjoon smiled gently at her and led her to his desk, placing a hand on the edge to keep from hitting Ari's already huge stomach as she walked around him. She gave him a grateful smile and settled into his chair as he stood behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Ari made herself comfortable and lifted her hand, intertwining their fingers on his shoulder. "Mr. Maeng, may I introduce Hyun Ari" Namjoon looked at the older man who raised his eyebrows in displeasure, his smile having evaporated as soon as Ari entered.

"Yeah, hmm, anyway..." Maeng started, but Namjoon cut him off again. "Basically, Mr. Maeng, I don't have all day. I heard you want a date with me, here I am, tell me what it's about, because I'm far from fond of rambling," Namjoon stated matter-of-factly with a cold note in his voice and an indifferent look.

"Hmm, yes" Mr. Maeng cleared his throat. "If you've heard that I want a date, then you know what it's about, so I don't think it's respectful of my daughter to have this woman present or stay at your house!" Maeng looked at Ari smugly and dismissively.

"Then she can leave" Namjoon stated and Maeng grinned evilly, looking at Ari expectantly, but she didn't move at all, smiling sweetly.

When neither Namjoon reacted nor Ari moved, Mr. Maeng cleared his throat again. "Miss Hyun, you heard Mr. Kim, please leave…" he started, but she shook her head and he sullenly looked at Namjoon and then back at Ari.

"Mr. Maeng, Namjoon was referring to your daughter." Ari squeezed Namjoon's fingers lightly, looking up with a gentle smile. "PLEASE?" Maeng almost squealed in offense, dramatically placing a hand on her chest, Su Maeng just gasped in shock.

"How dare one…" he trailed off in shock as the muzzle of a gun rested against his temple. "Jungkook, sweetie, I'm sure Mr. Maeng wouldn't say what we're thinking, right Mr. Maeng?" Ari looked at him, blinking innocently.

Maeng looked over at Namjoon, who was just watching the scene completely blankly, one hand in his pocket and the other still on Ari's shoulder. "Mr. Kim, are you going to let a....woman, control our meeting?!" he growled in amazement and Namjoon shrugged.

"I believe you play chess, Mr Maeng?" Namjoon asked evenly and the man nodded. "Then you are aware that even the king kneels before his queen?" Namjoon replied arrogantly, raising his eyebrows.

"Queen?" Maeng muttered in confusion, glaring at Ari. "Mr. Maeng, we all know why you wanted this meeting." Ari started, motioning for Jungkook to put his weapon away. Maeng watched with his peripheral vision as the young man obeyed and squirmed even more.

"There's just one problem, the position you're claiming for your daughter is already taken, and I, I trust you understand, I don't like to share, especially my fiance" Ari said mockingly and Namjoon smirked proudly.

"So" Ari continued after Namjoon gave her fingers an encouraging squeeze. "You have two options" she smiled and Myo Maeng raised an eyebrow. "And what are they?" he asked coldly.

"The first is to sign an agreement and remain under the control of Bangtan and my fiance" her smile melted and her face froze. "The second is to pay for the insult and have Bangtan take your territory by force" she finished angrily and narrowed her eyes, a warning that the older man understood perfectly well.

"If I were you, Mr. Maeng, I would choose the first option while I still have the patience to forgive you" Ari smiled sweetly again. "Because, as you can see, I'm extremely under the influence of my hormones and my moods are a bit erratic…" she pushed a folder at him.

Maeng took the folder suspiciously and opened it. His gaze skimmed over the contents, then he looked back at her, eyes wide with shock. "It's…" he choked on his own words and a vein began to pulse above his right eyebrow.

"That's right, this is the first opportunity. As you can see, you pay for the offense with your territory." Ari shrugged. "Or with your blood" she finished, handing him a pen and smiling like she was handing him candy.

Maeng slammed the folder on the desk and leapt to his feet, bracing his chubby hands on the edge. "Mr. Kim, this is absolutely unacceptable! How can you allow a woman to manage your business?!" he yelled and Namjoon stepped forward, bringing himself forward as well but towering over the much shorter man.

"Mr. Maeng, you don't know how lucky you are that Ari decided to lead the meeting herself. Otherwise, you wouldn't have a choice right now!" he growled and Maeng swallowed dryly, cringing under Namjoon's murderously destructive gaze.

"Because Mr. Maeng, I am far from soft! Just for the fact that you called my fiancee and the mother of my children 'that woman' and disrespected her, I would now weave a rope out of your intestines to hang your beloved daughter's neck upon him." Namjoon's voice dropped to a low hiss.

"Namjoon, baby, I'm sure Mr. Maeng agrees with our terms, we don't need to be rude, right Mr. Maeng?" Ari smiled, taking Namjoon's hand and he looked at her, giving her a furtive wink, but when he looked at Maeng again, there was nothing kind in his eyes or face.

Myo Maeng swallowed dryly, biting his lip. The look of both of them left him with no choice. He had to either obey Namjoon and Bangtan or die. With trembling fingers, he opened the folder and signed abruptly, dropping the pen noisily.

"Welcome to Bangtan, Mr. Maeng!" Ari greeted happily. Maeng nodded coldly, took his daughter's hand and dragged her towards the door like a sack of potatoes.The door slammed behind them.

"What was that?" Hoseok asked, walking into the office but looking after the two who had just left. "Hyung, you should have seen Ari!" Jungkook finally laughed. "Just chopped his balls off and gave them to the bears!" Jimin joined in and they both rolled with laughter, slapping each other's hips or backs.

"Huh?" Hoseok looked at Ari and then at Namjoon. "We have a deal with Maeng" Namjoon grinned. "That's great, we needed a fresh addition" Hoseok smiled.

"But why did he fly off like that then?" Hoseok inquired and Ari laughed. "Because Namjoon told him he was going to make a rope out of his intestines and hang his daughter on it for having the audacity to call me 'that woman' or offer him his daughter" Ari laughed and Hoseok looked at Namjoon in amazement.

"You should have seen them, hyung, they were like Bonnie and Clyde, the good cop and the bad cop!" Jungkook burst out laughing, trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah, yeah, I think it's time for me to rest" Ari waved, grinning idiotically. "These two got infected by their uncles joy" Ari shook her head and stood up. Namjoon immediately picked her up, helping her to her feet.

"You were gorgeous, baby" he complimented her, kissing her temple as the two walked towards the door, leaving Jungkook and Jimin to tell Hoseok how the date went.