ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ɪɪ || ᴋᴛʜ & ᴊᴋ

Chapter 3 || Illiterate

Yeri stepped down from the SUV, feeling the palpable tension in the air.

After Kang Y/n and Kim Tae-hyung's wedding, the relationship between the provinces had improved significantly, but whenever Jungkook and her came together, people braced themselves for fireworks.

Tamping down the need to shoot the man in front of her, she walked towards him.

"Kim," she greeted.

"Kang," he greeted back in a similar tone.

On the outside, they both appeared civil for the sake of their people. Hundreds of families depended on what would transpire between the two of them. For that reason, Yeri shook the extended hand offered to her. A large, tanned and surprisingly rough hand enclosed hers.

Yeri felt her skin crawl with the brief, firm shake. At least she told herself it was disgust, and refused to let any other thoughts bombard her mind.

"Follow me." Kim Jungkook showed her a polite hand and led the way to the large structure.

She gave his three-piece suit a quick cursory glance. Even though Kim Jungkook looked as though he stepped out of a magazine cover, she also knew he was a violent, blood-thirsty bastard.

Her people feared him and were also in awe of him. She recalled how a few years ago when he and his brother had moved back to their ancestral home, despite her aunt's orders not to attack the Kim family, some of the Kang men had still gone ahead and attacked the Kim brothers while they were riding on the lands with their grandmother.

Kim Jungkook had responded by going at the men with an axe he had apparently found nearby next to a tree. Apparently the Kang men mistook his skill because of the way he was dressed at the time. Yeri had personally seen the aftermath of what he had done to the men.

Since then, Kim Jungkook had bloodied that particular axe several times in a gruesome way, until Kim Tae-hyung intervened. And to keep him out of such bloody battles, Kim Tae-hyung sent his brother to the city.

Yeri knew that unlike his cool-headed, sensible older brother, Kim Jungkook was a hot-headed, cocky, arrogant, brutal bastard. He was also a privileged playboy used to the luxuries and comforts afforded to him. Even though she had heard he managed several such projects and units before, she had severe doubts about his capability to be able to manage the entire project without his brother intervening multiple times.

"The workers' area," a deep voice explained.

Yeri entered the large temporary structure the Kims had built next to the site. She was still surprised at the generous gesture Kim Tae-hyung had extended to the Kangs to be able to share the canal and manufacturing units. She had heard the offer had been extended to the Lees as well. However, the Lees had declined.

Kim Jungkook stopped briefly inside a large common room. He explained that the workers could meet and rest there. He then took them out towards the back where there were several rooms built that were to be used by the management.

He led her to one of the rooms and opened the door. There was a decent-size office along with a small semi-private bed and bath at the back.

"This is my office. You have a similar one next to mine."

She gave a curt nod.

He asked her to follow him inside. "Be seated," he said, indicating to a chair while he went behind his desk. He shrugged out of his jacket before he sat on a throne-like leather tufted chair.

A soft click of the door indicated it had closed automatically behind her, shutting them both from rest of the world.

"What's the matter, Kim?" she said. "Too delicate for outdoor work? You need a bed inside your fancy office for your beauty rest?"

She knew it was childish to snipe at him, but his entire demeanor grated on her nerves. He was acting as though he was in charge, and she was his underling who was there to work for him.

"I can afford it, Kang," he said with a sneer on his annoyingly perfect face. He eyed her coffee-stained clothes with disgust. "But don't worry, I won't send you the invoice for all the luxuries I put in your fancy office."

Yeri's jaw clenched. "Whatever this entire project is costing, you know damn well that the Kangs are pitching in their fair share."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see how long before you ask for a small loan."

She refused to dignify that with an answer. "What did you want to talk about?" she demanded.

He opened a drawer and pulled out a few papers from a file and placed them in front of her. "Go through these documents."

She frowned at the papers in front of her. "We already finished signing the necessary paperwork a few weeks ago."

"Just a few more simple additions about our workers' schedules. Read them and approve it now, so I can confirm today."

She continued frowning at the papers. "I'll call my lawyer and ask him to take a look at it first."

"That's not necessary. These are just informal documents you need to be made aware of. Your signature is not required. You just need to convey the message to your people."

She shrugged. "Maybe, but I'd still prefer someone other than me to look at it first."

He was quiet, and then his eyes slowly scanned her face before falling to the documents in front of her.

He did that a couple more times until his eyes slightly widened as though he figured out something shocking.

"Fuck! It is true, then. You are illiterate. You can't even read or comprehend a simple-"

Before he could finish, she stood up and whipped out her gun before pointing it towards his head. "Don't push your luck, Kim," she said. "Or your brains will be splattered all over your fancy office desk. I'll just call it an unfortunate accident."

She saw his hands clench and the next moment, he grabbed her wrist, and she was shoved back into the chair.

"Don't ever point your weapon at me again," he hissed, getting up and coming around the desk towards her.

She watched him impassively. "That's going to be hard because each time you open your stupid mouth, I'm tempted to draw my weapon." She let a small smile play around her lips. "Sometimes, not even that. Just your mere presence is enough."

He leaned closer, putting his face barely a few inches away from hers. "Well, darling, the feeling is mutual. However, I suggest you control yourself. Or your people will soon have to resort to begging or fleeing your province."

She placed her palm on his chest and pushed back, shoving him away from her before getting up from the chair. Immediately, she rubbed her hands on her thighs, wiping away the feel of his warmth and heartbeats.

"You don't have to worry about my people," she said coolly. "I will. Just keep your mouth shut when it comes to my personal things. Unless you have something to discuss about our projects, don't communicate with me." She picked up the papers from the desk and strode to the door, opening and shutting it behind her and feeling his burning glare all the while on her back.

[Words Count : 1240]