Park Jimin Daring Wife || PJM ✔️ (COMPLETE)

C71

Today’s work ended quite early for Song Areum who finished everything on her schedule, including the paperwork for the day. Seeing as she had a few hours to burn, she made her way to Cerulean Water Pavillions in hopes of checking upon Park Jennie, but to her dismay, the young woman was nowhere to be found. After contacting her, she discovered it was because Park Jennie was still at the studio designing her next fashion line. Thus, she made her way to the studio, a place she had not been to before.

Song Areum took off her sunglasses and admired the layout of the simplistic and small building at the edge of the city, which was a short walk from the seaport.

It was a cute little place that was five-stories high and had a nice little rooftop that overlooked the floral gardens which were a frequent tourist spot. She could see why Park Jennie would choose this location to be her studio. With an endless array of colors, beckoned by the garden of flowers to the left, and the calm seashore to the right, it was a harmonious combination.

The outside of the building was painted white, with a nice little cafe at the bottom, frequented by the locals there. A pleasant aroma of coffee could be smelled from down the block, small black chairs and tables were laid out in the front to add a vintage minimalist appearance.

Small pots of plants added a splash of color to the white building. The fourth-floor had a window that took up the entire wall, revealing the studio, but because it was so high up, not many people knew what was going on inside. Besides, with the curtains always drawn, no one could look in anyways.

Song Areum checked the text again. It seemed Park Jennie’s studio occupied three floors in total.

She went into the cafe, grabbed an americano for herself and then an extra sweet caramel latte for Park Jennie who always had a sweet tooth when it came to coffee. Then, she made her way upstairs. Stopping in front of a cute pastel door, she placed down the coffee cups on the small table next to the door. Then, she typed in a passcode and walked into the studio.

Instantly, she spotted Park Jennie by the oakwood table. She was standing up and hunched over it, her hand moving at an incredible pace while she drew something.

"Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually seeing the genius at work." Song Areum teased, closing the door behind her with her legs as she attempted to juggle the drinks and her purse that dangled between her arm and elbow.

"I can’t recount the last time I’ve seen you so focused over a table." She added on, placing the cup of latte beside Park Jennie.

"Oh please, don’t act like you’ve ever seen me work in the first place. I barely did anything on the desk at school, except using it as a pillow for me to nap on." Park Jennie chuckled, raising her head and settling the pencil down.

"Of course, how can I forget? As the class president, I always had to reprimand you." Song Areum rolled her eyes. "It also didn’t help that you sat right beside me and in the front of the class where the teacher could have the perfect view of you snoring as you wandered off to La La land." She scoffed.

"Hey, for the record, the teacher got a free show that he should appreciate! In my glory days, people would die just to lay their eyes on the Supermodel Ruqin!"


"Yeah, the appreciative view of you drooling." Song Areum snorted, taking a sip of her coffee and peering over Jennie’s shoulders. She was in the process of designing...gym clothes? It was interesting to see the athletic clothing drawn to be so stylistic.

"Gasp! I do not drool!" Park Jennie argued, even though she did wake up with a wet sleeve...but that was only one time!

"Sure you don’t." Song Areum grinned, dodging the rolled-up canvas paper tossed at her head.

"Ugh, can we just change the topic?" Park Jennie pouted, hating the fact that she was always wrong. From beating people with carrots to drooling, she could not believe she was such a weirdo.

"Fine, fine, I suppose we should." Song Areum took a sip of her Americano and glanced around the surprisingly tidy studio.

Seeking praise from one of her favorite people in the world, Park Jennie wrapped her arms around Song Areum. "Areum, I clean up my studio all by myself! I organize it at least five times a month. Aren’t you proud of me?" She gleefully showed off the meticulously clean studio.

"Wow, you’re finally being an adult. Of course, I am very proud of you." Song Areum laughed, her eyes landing upon the sofa and coffee table in the far left of the room, right beside the large window that overlooked the street. She walked to it, Jennie in tow, and decided to open the curtains a bit and let in the sunlight. To her pleasant surprise, there were two layers to the curtain, a heavy layer and a thin one. She adjusted the heavy layer to the side and allowed the thin, flowy layer to remain in place.

"I know right! It was so tiring at first, but I prefer to know where everything is, so that’s why I clean up the studio all by myself! If I hire other people to do it, they might misplace my putty eraser or put my design and notebooks elsewhere. It would be a disaster." Park Jennie babbled, setting her caramel latte onto the coffee table and sitting down on the heavenly comfortable turquoise couch. There was a yellow comforter slung over it, paired with matching throw pillows that had...prints of baby chicks in eggs?

"So Areum, what brings you here today?"

Song Areum took one last sip of her americano before also placing it on the table. She sat down beside Park Jennie and turned to face her. "Actually, yes. I was wondering if you’d like to have brunch this Sunday."

"Just brunch? Well, you could’ve asked me this over text and save yourself some gas, but of course, I would love to have brunch." Park Jennie happily replied. Margaritas sound amazing right now.

"I mean, I could, but I also wanted to discuss something else with you." Song Areum quickly changed the topic. "I know you mentioned him in the past before, but we were stupid drunk back then, so I don’t remember much." She began. "What is your relationship with Kim Je-Ha?"

Park Jennie’s cheerful expression turned sour. "What about him? How do you know him? Why? Did he ask about me?"


Song Areum was taken back. "No, he didn’t—"

"Because I swear if he did, I’m going to ask Jimin oppa to give him a thorough beating the next time he sees him. Kim Je-Ha promised he would leave me alone, but damn it, I should’ve known! He never keeps his promises, and because of that, we always— anyways, nevermind." Park Jennie cut her rambling short, which was a very unusual quality for her.

Song Areum was quick to catch onto the strange pause as well. "What did you guys always do?"

"Nothing, don’t worry about it. Let’s go back to the topic of brunch, okay? So, I was thinking La Roche would be nice, but if you want a change of pace, we should head to Bellovaurd where I have a membership—"

"Don’t try to change the topic on me, young lady. What did you guys always do?" Song Areum pestered on. She paused, her brain thinking abnormally wrong. "Wait, did you guys always sleep together as in have one night stands a lot?!"

"What?! Oh goodness no! Jimin oppa would chop off his manberries if we did!" Park Jennie had a horrified expression on her face. "I meant we were always arguing a lot! Like the couple-fights... well shit." Park Jennie slapped a hand over her mouth, letting out a groan. She hated having such a big mouth that always babbled in front of her Areum.

Song Areum’s eyes widened. "You guys dated?! How come I didn’t know about this?"

"Ugh, can we not talk about it? He’s the one mistake in my life that I want to forget. Okay?"

"Wait wait, just one more question. Is he the reason why you refuse to have a serious relationship?"

Park Jennie responded by downing the rest of her caramel latte as if it was a shot of vodka at some flashy club. She drank all of it and then shotglassed the Americano as well. "I’d kill for a rum right now." She muttered under her breath. "I can’t do this sober."

"Well, who said we can’t get drunk and stupid?" Song Areum found the story too juicy to ignore. "I saw a local bar down the street. Let’s go." She grabbed her wallet, ready to bounce but Park Jennie profusely shook her head.

"Alcohol at five in the afternoon? Are you crazy?"

"Hey, at least it’s not ten in the morning like how I used to be." Song Areum rolled her eyes.

"I thought you quit drinking?"

"I did. I was just planning on watching you drink and hopefully go on a rant." Song Areum sat back down, placing the wallet down after seeing Park Jennie deeply rooted to the couch. "Will you tell me about Kim Je-Ha one day?"

Park Jennie glanced at her nails, seemingly finding it to be the most interesting thing in the world. "Maybe...But today is not that day."

On Sunday morning, bright and early, when there were only a handful of people on the top floor, Song Areum strolled out of the private elevator. It was quiet in the building today, mainly because it was an off day for many people, but many of the newer employees in the lower floors still came in anyway.

Song Areum came into the company with a purpose. She walked down the hall leading to Ji Cheong Shin’s office, a sneaky little smile on her face.

She was dressed in a yellow summer dress that hugged her waist and flowed out from thereon. It stopped two or three inches above her ankles, revealing the stars and moon anklet she found in her jewelry box. Lately, there have been many random little accessories popping up here and there. It was strange, but she already knew who was behind it. Park Jimin always gave her gifts in secret so that she could not reject it on the spot.

She didn’t bother knocking when she slammed the door of his office open, surprising the man behind the enormous mahogany desk. His fingers finally got a break when he jumped. His head snapped up so quickly, she worried if he got a whiplash or not.

"Good morning, boss." Ji Cheong Shin warily said, an edge to his voice. He was not happy with the dramatic entrance. "Next time, can you please open the door a little gentler and not give me a heart attack?"

"I’m just trying to keep you on your feet." Song Areum teased as she sauntered into the room, her marigold dress fluttering with each step. He stared at it before averting his gaze. Her lips broke into a grin, "Yes, I know this is not an outfit appropriate for the office."

Ji Cheong Shin cleared his throat, a light blush traveling to his ears. "I would never dare to badmouth the boss."

"Yeah, yeah and tomorrow it will snow." She rolled her eyes, setting down her tiny bag.

"Anyways, I’m not dressed in office attire because I do not plan on staying here today." She walked to the edge of his desk and confiscated the laptop, closing it shut.

"Boss, I still have next Wednesday’s presentation to do—"

"Did you finish today and tomorrow’s work already?"

"Yes, but—"


"Then you have time to have some breakfast with me." Song Areum grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet, tugging the reluctant man out of her door.

"But Boss, next Wednesday’s presentation—"

"Can wait until Tuesday approaches, Mr. Workaholic." Song Areum sang her reply, turning back to give him a wink. "And as your Boss, I give you permission to slack off for one day."

"I can’t afford to slack off—"

"Sucks to suck." She shrugged, pressing the door to the private elevator and tugging him inside.

If Ji Cheong Shin was trying to hide his sulking and displeasure, he was not doing a very good job. His eyes were stormy and gloomy, his lips tucked into a thin line.

"How about this? I’ll give you a bonus for accompanying your poor boss to breakfast. It’s so lonely to eat by myself."

"It’s eleven in the morning, I believe it’s brunch now." He snorted, adjusting his suit by flicking his wrist and tugging it down a bit.

Song Areum absentmindedly nodded her head. "In the end, it’s still a meal isn’t it?"

Ji Cheong Shin was left speechless by this shameless woman who also happened to be his boss. "It sure is." He huffed under his breath.

- - - - -

Ji Cheong Shin’s eyes flickered with disbelief when he found himself at the well-decorated doorsteps of Bellovaurd.


It was an unsuspecting black door with a tinted window and nothing on it except the characters of the restaurant of this place. Entering here was nearly impossible and if you even dare to set foot here without a membership, you can find yourself behind bars. That was only the surface of how well-connected the owner of this place was.

The membership here was not something bought with money or fame. If someone even showed the slightest hint of interest in the restaurant, the possibility of gaining entrance was zero.

His eyes landed on his unassuming boss who had a loose smile on her face. She pulled out a black card that resembled the limitless credit card she possessed, but the only difference was that this one was completely black, no design or number. The only thing visible was the small carving, in silver letters, spelling out "Diamond Member — Song Areum."

Song Areum scanned her card, opened the door and waited for Ji Cheong Shin to walk inside before she accompanied after him. They boarded a vintage elevator with hues of orange and red. The door opened and all eyes set onto her and Ji Cheong Shin.

The top socialites, gossipers, elites, and so forth, of this country, seemed like they were all engrossed in their conversations, but they were secretly scrutinizing the two newcomers.

"Welcome to Bellovaurd, may I have the liberty to see your membership please?" A host behind a tall booth asked, his voice tinged with a foreign accent.

Song Areum silently handed it to him, not bothering to spare him eye contact as she turned to Ji Cheong Shin, worried that he might run back into the elevator at any given second. She grew up with judging stares, but this man did not.

Her shoulders relaxed a bit upon seeing his expressionless, nonchalant face. His stormy eyes were set upon the exotic plant beside him. He looked so bored by this place, she was impressed by it.

Not many people could remain so firm in a crowd of piranhas waiting for you to make a mistake. Acting as if you did not want to be in this place was the biggest unsaid rule here. And so far, both of them were stellar examples of that.

The host’s eyes widened upon seeing who she was. Goodness, gracious! He repeatedly jammed his fingers, as discreetly as possible, against the manager button underneath the booth. No less than a second later, a man stepped forward, dressed in a perfectly tailored grey suit.

"Miss Song, you should’ve told me you were coming. I would’ve personally greeted you in front of the door." Sung-Chul said, his voice laced with astonishment.

Everyone was taken back by his treatment towards the two new guests, but seeing her being placed on such a high pedestal, the socialites stopped their hidden stares. From far away, they could not realize Song Areum had entered, until her surname was used.

"That would be too much for me." Song Areum mused. It was so interesting to see that both Tang brothers were managers of world-renowned restaurants. The Tangs  have always had a great relationship with the Songs and the majority of them usually served the latter, for example, Old butler Tang.

"Well, only the best treatment would be suitable for you." Tang Sung-Chul let out a smooth laugh before ushering her beyond the velvet ropes. "I already have the perfect table in mind for you."

"Actually, a friend of mine booked a private room for me." Song Areum leaned closer and whispered the name. Tang Sung-Chul’s eyes flickered with recognition as he readily nodded his head.

"I deeply apologize, I should’ve known earlier. I will guide you there right away." He changed their path and directed them towards a private room.

Song Areum turned towards Ji Cheong Shin and said, "Can you enter two minutes after me?"

Her strange request severely confused him, inclining him to quirk up his brows. He turned to face the black sliding door with design works resembling the gates found in Buckingham Palace. There were the same orange and red hues that were also present back at the elevator.

"Sure?" Ji Cheong Shin’s response came out more like a question.

Song Areum didn’t care about his hesitation. "Alright, perfect. I’ll enter first." She opened the door by the tiniest crack, stepped in, and closed the door shut behind her.

Park Jennie was sipping on a gradient yellow and orange mimosa when Song Areum came in. She had already had two glasses, making her tipsy too early in the morning. "Hey, I was wondering where you were. You’re ten minutes late."

"Well, you certainly found a way to entertain yourself in those ten minutes." Song Areum warily glanced at the empty glass beside Jennie.

Before Park Jennie took another sip, it was snatched out of her hand, earning a loud protest, "Hey! I was trying to finish that!"

"It’s too early to get drunk." Song Areum chuckled a bit, setting the mimosa elsewhere, causing Park Jennie to pout. The mimosa tasted too good to go to waste.

"It’s not like I have anything to do..." Park Jennie trailed off when the door slid open and in walked a tall, handsome man. Her eyes widened a bit. Wow, he could pass as an A-list male model! If her manager was here, she’d probably go crazy and convince him to sign with the agency. A face like that... it would be a shame for it to go to waste.

Park Jennie’s amazement died down when she realized the turn of events. "Who are you? You have the wrong room. Please leave." She deadpanned, her voice suddenly brisk, resembling her older brothers’ arctic voices.

Ji Cheong Shin was equally surprised and unhappy to see the presence of a stranger. This woman was stunning beyond words, but he was not blind nor was he stupid. He recognized her as the supermodel whose sudden departure from fashion industry shocked the world. She was at her peak when she left the scene of fame.


What was Park Jennie doing here? An idea came into his mind. His throat was suddenly parched. Is this a blind date?!

Song Areum coughed to get their attention. The air was a lot more awkward than she had anticipated..."Well, now that everyone is here, let’s all sit down and order brunch!" She happily said, clapping her hands.

Both of them tore their eyes away from each other to glare at Song Areum. Both of them had realized they’ve been set up.

"I heard their toast menu is delicious! There is one that has smoked king salmon layered upon cream cheese made from Nakazawa milk from Japan! It’s also topped with chives, Mexican honey tomatoes, and—"

"I just remembered, an important client is coming into our office today." Ji Cheong Shin interrupted her, turning to face the door. He attempted to slide it open, but instead, found himself to be locked inside. Upon closer inspection, he saw the tiny key slot.

"Sorry, none of you guys are going to leave this room until the end of brunch." Song Areum dangled the keys in front of them. She smiled and sat down, picking up the small menu.

She briefly glanced at Ji Cheong Shin and said, "Also, I checked your schedule, you’re not expecting anyone."

"Areum, what are you doing?" Park Jennie frowned, occasionally glancing at the stranger in the room. No matter how handsome he was, she was still cautious of him. When her eyes met his stormy ones, she immediately looked away. She was surprised by her behavior. Since when was she this demure? Taking the chance, she looked up at him again, but quickly averted her eyes when he turned his head.

"Setting you fools on a blind date, what else does it look like I’m doing?" Song Areum scoffed, setting down her menu after deciding what she wanted to eat.

"A blind date? Are you crazy?!" Park Jennie shrieked, slamming her hand down onto the table.

"Why, Jennie, I thought we have already established that I am very crazy." Song Areum laughed, turning to her unhappy vice president.


"I’m not looking for a girlfriend." He snapped like his thin patience. He usually respected his boss, especially because she was the one who hired him, but today, her behavior was too outrageous. He wondered if she took the wrong medicine this morning.

"Yes, you are. You’re twenty-seven and aside from the two girlfriends you’ve had in your youth, your love life is as dead as my will to argue with both of you guys." Song Areum shrugged her shoulders. She turned to Park Jennie, "Payback hurts, huh?"

It finally clicked to Park Jennie. Her Areum was still petty enough to be angry about the blind dates she set up in the past! She groaned. "I was just trying to help you in the past! It was so sad to see you in such a pitiful and single state."

"It’s also so sad for me to see you in such a pitiful and single state." Song Areum monotonically replied, giving her a pointed look. She was fully prepared to spend her time here and argue with both of them since they were equally stubborn people.

"Now, can we please just all sit down and order something off the menu? I’m really hungry."

"The door is locked. How do you expect the waiter to come in?" Ji Cheong Shin deadpanned. He planned on escaping the moment the waiter comes in.

"I can just text Tang Sung-Chul what we all want to eat. You see that small window over there?" She pointed to the wall where a small opening was seen. "Well, that is where the food is going to be delivered from." Song Areum revealed a wicked smile, resting her chin upon her two propped-up hands. She looked like an evil mastermind, planning to end the world.

"Now, let’s be like civilized people and sit down please." She pointed to the chairs in front of her, using the voice of a reprimanding mother.

Park Jennie’s stomach grumbled for food. With nothing else to do aside from complaining and feeling betrayed, she pulled out a chair and sat down. Ji Cheong Shin followed suit, both of them admitting defeat to the crazy lady in front of them.

They chose their food in silence and passed it along to Song Areum who sent out a text to Tang Sung-Chul. When the food arrived, there was a light knock on the window. Song Areum brought the food to the table and instigated the conversation. "Alright, let’s start with 20 questions—"

BUZZ!

Song Areum glanced down and saw it was a phone call from her grandfather. She grabbed the key in her purse, got up, made a dash to the door with her phone and in less than a second, unlocked the door, then slammed it shut behind her. It all happened so quickly, neither of her "hostages" were able to escape.

Song Areum poked her head through the window. "I’ll quickly answer this call from grandfather. In the meantime, please have a civilized conversation and try to not miss me too much!"

"Hey, let us out—"

BAM! She slid the window shut, walking down the hall to pick up the phone on the last ring.

Song Areum answered Song Yun Gak’s call which was just a brief conversation confirming whether she would show up at the auction tomorrow night.

She thought it was odd that such an important event would be held on a Monday night, when most people would be too exhausted from work to attend it, but then remembered the majority of these people probably do not mind taking days off — since they were mainly the CEOs, CFOs, or Vice Presidents of their companies, or in a position too high up for anyone to object to their departure.

Song Areum debated the idea of returning to the private room. She thought it would be nice to initiate the conversation because Ji Cheong Shin seemed like the silent type.

In the end, she snuck her way to the small window, opened the tiniest crack, and tried to eavesdrop on their conversation. She could hear the distinct laughter coming from Jennie, who seemed to be rambling her mouth off. She expected Jennie to lead the conversation given her bubbly behavior and extroverted tendencies.

Song Areum poked her head further in and was pleasantly surprised to see Ji Cheong Shin with a smooth, easygoing smile on his face. He was intently listening to whatever Jennie was excitedly talking about.

’Dare I say he’s awestruck?’ She thought to herself. He didn’t take his eyes off of her throughout their entire conversation, even when he used his knife and fork to cut the breakfast quiche in front of him.

Song Areum made a mental note to ask Park Jennie about her thoughts on Ji Cheong Shin. If she did not prefer the silent type, there was always William Ning.

Not wanting to disturb the two potential lovebirds, Song Areum made her way to the people guarding the door. She wiggled her manicured finger and walked down the halls, commanding everyone to follow after her.

She sighed at the number of bodyguards she had, from both her grandfather and Park Jimin. She knew if she complained, it would fall on deaf ears because both of them only cared about one thing: her safety.

- - - - -

A discreet black car pulled to the curb and out stepped the private chauffeur. Song Areum was too engrossed in her phone to realize who the driver was. She climbed into the car. She comfortably nestled herself on the leather seats with her eyes still glued on the phone. She was looking at the stock markets’ changing trend and debating which companies would be good to invest in too. She shivered a bit at the drop of temperature in the car but continued to refresh the stock market screen.

"Can you turn the AC lower?" She asked the driver with her head still tucked down.

"Lady Boss, the AC is not on..." He replied, nervously glancing at the mirror where the demon king was seated with his legs crossed.

"But it’s so cold in here..." Song Areum huffed. "Turn on the heater please."


Suddenly, a large hand came out and snatched the phone out of her hands, chucking it into the passenger seat. He slammed the partition up, preventing her from even looking at it.

"What the hell— oh dear." Song Areum gulped upon seeing the fiercely angered ice block in front of her. He shot daggers out of his eyes, daring her to break the thin ice she was now treading upon.

"Wifey." She nervously said, reaching her hands out to pacify the neglected man in front of her.

Park Jimin slapped her hands away as if she was dirty. "Don’t touch me." He snapped, temperamental as always. "What is so important that you’re always on your phone lately?"

"I didn’t know you were in the car." She carefully said, "If I did, I would’ve thrown it away like you did." She lied, hoping to ease his anger. His eyes changed a bit and she seized the chance to throw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and climbing into his lap.

"You’re so nice and warm." She let out a contented sigh, ignoring the fact that he did not wrap his arms around her like he usually did. "What? No hugs today?" She scooted back a bit, ready to climb off his lap. He soon responded by grabbing her waist and yanking her back to him.

"Oh, now you want to hug me?" She left her arms limp at her side, enjoying this pull and push game he always seemed to lose.

"If you want to appease me, sit still and put your arms back into place." His voice was lethal and cold.

Song Areum laughed, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head upon his shoulder like a koala. She snuggled into his warmth, loving the portable heater she had with her.

"If you were so cold, you shouldn’t have worn this dress." He nagged, referring to her short-sleeved dress. "It looks great on you, but you get cold easily."

Song Areum was left speechless by him. The only reason why she was cold was because his anger got the best of him before! "Just start the car." She muttered, burying her face into his neck, too lazy to argue with him.

Park Jimin played with the ends of her curled hair. "Drive back home." He instructed Hyung Min who turned the car on and began to drive.

"I thought you had work." She hummed against his crisp black suit, his refreshing scent tickled her nose.

"I only went in to grab some reports." Park Jimin easily lied to her, distracted by her silky strands of hair. He originally had an entire schedule set out for today, but he wanted to ensure she was safely taken home. With the General running around this place, he was not willing to take any chances. The only way to calm his fear was to personally see her set foot in their house.


"Will you return to the office then? I know you have a full schedule."

"Do you want to get rid of me that quickly?"

"Preferably, yes." She teased him, grinning at his discontented expression. He was not expecting a blunt response like that.

He retaliated by harshly tugging the edges of her hair, causing her to yelp out in pain. Like the child she was, she yanked his hair as well. "That hurts!" She complained to him, even though she hurt him more.

"I didn’t pull that hard." He somberly told her, lifting his hand to roughly pinch the cheek of the mischievous child.

"Well, it still hurts!"

"Says the one who almost ripped my hair out."

"You have too much hair anyways." She snapped back, not realizing how childish they were being.

Hyung Min struggled to keep his composure. He had to think of very sad thoughts to distract himself from the laughter threatening to break free. Both of his bosses were arguing like squabbling children on the playground. He hoped their days would always remain this loving and carefree. But with the next twist and turn being tossed their way, he wondered how long these peaceful days would last.

- - - - -

Park Enterprise.

Seung Woo wished his boss just stayed home instead of coming back to the office with a gloomy expression and grumpy atmosphere lingering around him. He could tell his boss wanted to spend the day with the lady-boss but was most likely kicked out of the house to return to work.

"Boss... I forgot to mention this sooner..." Seung Woo started his conversation. He did not realize he missed this piece of news until he brushed back to his tablet.

"What is it?" Park Jimin snapped, roughly opening his laptop and nearly bending the screen in half with the force he used. He was in a great mood until Song Areum practically kicked him out of the house just so he could attend the stupid and boring meetings plaguing his schedule.

"We have exterminated the guard, in our security team, who allowed the folder of pictures to slip through and enter the highest floor."

Park Jimin continued typing as if it was nothing. "Make sure an incident like this never happens again."

Seung Woo bowed his head, "Yes, sir!" He was thankful he got off without any consequences. Fearful that his boss would change his mind, he speed-walked out of the door and gently closed it behind him.

The Ning Annual Auction was a highly private event closed off to the public and away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.

There was a quiet hum in the air from small conversations that were filled with faux smiles, judging eyes, and competitive behavior. There were rumors that a newly uncovered painting from the medieval era was going to be auctioned here tonight. The painting was done by someone highly complimented by Van Gogh himself. The artist himself never signed his name on any of his paintings, but great art connoisseurs could spot his drawings from a mile away due to his style.

The Nings were making their rounds, champagne glasses in their hands. They mingled with the crowd, exchanging brief talks and ensuring everyone had their little bidding flag.

The banquet hall was a world of yellow and white with a stage in the far center where the items would be auctioned off. The thick and enormous yellow curtains were let down to ensure no one could see inside. It was a shame though, the wisteria outside was in full bloom today. The security here was top of the country, generously given by Madam Han Jun-hee’s brother.

Many socialites were gathered around a stunning trio whose blindingly beautiful appearances looked straight out of a magazine’s photoshoot. With Kim Chungha’s angelic features, it made Choi Soobin seem a lot less fearsome and unapproachable.

Standing next to the gorgeous woman was someone of equal, if not, more beauty than Kim Chungha herself: Song Ara. She held the flag with both hands tucked in front of her waist.

She was the epitome of grace and innocence, with her large dewy eyes inherited from her mother, an adorable button nose, and small lips resembling freshly watered roses. She had garnered attention ever since she stepped into the room with her modest pastel blue Yves Saint Lauren dress. Currently, she was the source of envy to other socialites.

With her prodigious and world-renowned piano skills, she was constantly mingling with the right crowd. Being the closest friend of Kim Chungha also helped. Speaking of which, Song Ara received a strange message from Kim Chungha the other day in regards to some bank transaction. After a brief talk, she understood the Queen had sent out the text to the wrong person.

When the door opened again, every pair of eyes discreetly turned towards it, ready to judge the competitors.


The pieces sold at Ning Annual Auction were always the top of the line items that were highly sought out by everyone. From the jewelry to the rugs, everything here was too valuable to slip out of their hands. People always wondered how well connected the Nings were to come into possession of such items.

Everyone sucked in a breath when Song Yun Gak, dressed in a steel-cut grey three-piece suit, strolled in like he owned the place and everyone here was his servant.

A soft gasp could be heard throughout the room when a woman strolled in after him, and instantly, her attractive features garnered the attention of people. Every woman here was in a dress of some sort to enhance their features, but here she was, in white trousers tailored perfectly for her long legs. She paired it with a navy blue silk top and a dangling earring that had a single teardrop pearl.

Song Ara’s eyes widened upon seeing her elder sister who has been ignoring all of her mother’s phone calls. She watched as Song Areum walked in proudly, like an untouchable goddess, and perhaps she truly was, because there were at least twenty bodyguards that trailed in after her, all on high-alert.

Sporting matching black-suits, equally burly and muscular bodies, the guards looked like something that walked out of a cliche movie about a spoiled and self-centered heiress. ’Which is exactly what she is,’ Song Ara bitterly thought to herself. What kind of daughter would choose to ignore their mother’s dire phone calls? Especially when their father has been missing for weeks now!

Song Ara attempted to contact Song Yun Gak in hopes that he had news on the whereabouts of his son, but as usual, he sent his assistants to let her know that she was to never step foot in his house. She despised him with a burning passion. All she did was cry once in her childhood and because of her silly tears, he did not like her.

Children cry all the time!

’Song Areum was a crybaby in her childhood too! Why was she accepted and I wasn’t?!’ Song Ara screamed inside her head, her fingers tightly grasping the thin glass stem of her champagne cup.

"It’s so good to see you again, Mr. Song." Ning In-gyu warmly greeted the elderly man with a welcoming smile on his gracefully-aged face. His pepper and salt hair was neatly combed back with the help of a little gel.

’Wish I can say the same.’ Song Yun Gak muttered inside of his head. Instead, he amicably replied with a brief, "Likewise."


He was not a big fan of events like these, especially when they were held on Monday nights when people like him had to work the next day. Then again, he could always stay home and finally take a day off, but he preferred to do things that would keep him occupied. When he was alone for too long, he would think too much of the painful past.

Madam Han Jun-hee’s eyes lit up at the presence of Song Areum who was quietly observing everything around her. A smile graced her lips but slipped a bit when she saw the number of bodyguards around the young woman. There were ten people on each side of her, and when Han Jun-hee was close enough to Song Areum, their interactions would be hidden from the public’s prying eyes.

"It’s such a pleasure that you’ve also come to this auction." She pulled Song Areum closer for a quick hug.

Song Areum nodded her head. "Yes, thank you for extending the invitation out to me." She leaned in closer and whispered, "Park Jennie is currently very single. I’m ready for the blind date as soon as William is ready."

Han Jun-hee’s smile deepened drastically, "If you give me your business card, I can have it settled very quickly."

She was originally unhappy that Song Areum had not contacted her ever since Park Mu-jin’s banquet but seeing as Song Areum was so eager to bring up the topic, Han Jun-hee’s perspective of her improved a bit.

Song Areum took out a business card from her pants pocket and handed it to Han Jun-hee. She had a discreet smile on her face. "Park Jennie will be in the city for a while now, so virtually, any time works for her."

Han Jun-hee gave a small nod of her head. "I will get in contact as soon as possible."

Song Yun Gak saw the entire exchange, his face brightening up in amusement. This granddaughter of his was really petty... Something she inherited from him and he could not be more proud of it.

"If I remember correctly, Miss Song, you’re currently the CEO of the rising investment firm, Muera." Ning In-gyu was quick to jump boats and direct his attention to Song Areum. He would much rather prefer if his son, William Ning, was introduced to her, instead of Park Jennie. With Park Jimin roaming so close to her, ready to destroy any man that looks at her for longer than a second, Ning In-gyu knew that would be a gamble too dangerous to even fathom.

Song Areum gently nodded her head. ’Huh, in the end, it seems I do not need a debuting banquet... Not that I mind, I didn’t want to go through the hassle anyway.’ She glanced at her grandfather whose stern stares were making her think otherwise.

Ning In-gyu pulled out his business card. "The construction for my new project has finally finished and the red-ribbon ceremony is beginning soon. However, one of our agreements with another company fell through and we are short on investments. If you’d like to discuss in private, please contact me." He handed it to her with a pleasant smile on his face.

Song Areum found his words a bit suspicious. Nonetheless, she took the card with a gracious smile. "I will get back to you very soon." She planned on having Ji Cheong Shin investigate why the agreements fell through before signing anything with him. Though, she did recall Ning Trading Inc. always had a very good reputation and had never done any shady deals. But it was always better to be safe than sorry.

One of the women surrounding Kim Chungha and Song Ara spoke up. "I see they have the Red Parlor Grand Piano on display right now." She turned towards the shining white piano with a pop of crimson red underneath the cover. "Ara, we haven’t seen you perform for some time now, why don’t you play a piece on it?"

Song Ara’s face transformed into a calm smile, like the small ripples on a lake during a soft drizzle. "I’m not sure about this... Isn’t the piano going to be auctioned off?"

"Well, even if it is, you would only add value to it. Having a world-class prodigy play it would be a dream come true. I’m sure Madam Ning will not mind."

Right on cue, Han Jun-hee walked past them with Song Areum in tow, ready to introduce her to a group of women.

Kim Chungha, whose entire week was plagued with fatigue, truly wanted to hear the soothing melody of her friend’s magic touch. "Madam Ning, would you mind allowing Ara to play the piano? I think it would be a nice way to start the auction."

Madam Han Jun-hee tilted her head a bit. She wanted to object since the choir she hired was already providing enough entertainment and the piano was supposed to be an auction piece. Then, she saw Choi Soobin’s gloomy expression. When their eyes met, he glowered at her and that was enough to make her unwillingly nod her head. "I suppose so."

Song Areum remained quiet and never once did she look at her younger sister. Instead, her eyes trailed to Kim Chungha’s wrist where a silver charm bracelet dangled comfortably. That design... She had seen it somewhere. She tilted her head, lost in thought.

Choi Soobin stood protectively in front of his lover, his stormy eyes glaring daggers at Song Areum. If she was not accompanied by Song Yun Gak himself, Choi Soobin would’ve lashed out at her. But currently, she was with the Head Monarch of the Song Regime, and doing such a thing would be extremely disadvantageous for him.

Song Ara’s smile grew a bit. "Thank you for offering the opportunity." She gracefully turned to the piano and with fairy-light steps, made her way towards the stage.

Han Jun-hee gestured for the employees to get everything prepared. In less than five minutes, the stage was set up for Song Ara. The lights were dimmed and shone solely upon the stage where a young woman brushed up the stairs, her face and gestures capturing the eyes of nearly every man in the room.

From the first melody, Song Areum already recognized the magnificent piece that was going to be played. La Campenella by Listz, one of the hardest piano pieces to play in the world. From the gentle note that it starts off as, it transformed into a faster tempo. It was perhaps not that suitable to start an auction. But it was most definitely the best way to capture the audience, for almost every music fanatic would know how complicated it was to play this piece. What made it so difficult was the fact that one had to perform enormous jumps from the right hand that would need to play the piano at an uncomfortably fast tempo.

Not a single beat was missed. Everyone stood up to give her a thundering round of applause, paired with a standing ovation.

"Wow, we saw the genius at work!"

"One of the best pianists of her generation."

"Madam Wang Nuoli must be so proud of her daughter. Beautiful and talented, what more could a mother ask for?"


"I can see why she’s so treasured by Song Kang-Ho. If I had a daughter like that, I would boast of her for days to come!"

Compliments after compliments poured out for the young lady.

Song Areum was thoroughly impressed by her younger sister, as she always was in the past. She could still recount the days a little girl sat beside her on an enormous cushion bench and together, the two playing symphonies that could bring an entire auditorium down.

"If you’re thinking about forgiving her, do not even consider such a stupid idea." Song Yun Gak’s quiet voice rang in her ears. He could tell she was reminiscing of the past that could never be changed. "That child has betrayed you by choosing the side of the mistress."

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." Song Areum muttered under her voice, turning to face her grandfather. "I never considered the idea of forgiving her."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course." She kept her hands loosely tucked behind her back with her chin held high whilst she observed everything in the room.

"You seemed hesitant."

"I was never that nice to consider forgiveness." She turned to the direction of their seats. "Let’s get over with this auction. I’m tired."

Song Yun Gak let out a heavy sigh of relief or perhaps, true fatigue. She could not decipher which one it was. "Alright then."

Song Areum walked with Song Yun Gak towards their seat which was near the front, closer to the stage. She dutifully helped her grandfather into his seat first before she fathomed the idea of sitting down herself. Once Song Yun Gak was comfortably seated, she pulled back her chair and sat down.

Ning In-gyu took his position on the stage and started his speech. "Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for attending tonight’s dinner auction. I appreciate every effort contributed to fundraising the Ning Charity. Like every year, all of the proceeds will be fully donated to help keep children in third-world countries in school."

Song Areum zoned out whilst he made a long speech. After five minutes, he raised his glass in the air and took a sip, followed by everyone else. She did the same, but instead of wine, she drank lemon water. She ignored the sniggering of her grandfather when she made a face.

"What is it?" She asked him, setting the wine glass down.

"How is your lemon water?"

"Fantastic, thanks for asking." She snorted, turning her attention to the plate of salad being set in front of her.


"I see you’ve kept our promise."

"I didn’t drank any alcohol since the time I confessed to you." She honestly said, taking a sip of her lemon water again and setting the glass down. Perhaps she should grab some sort of soda because this drink was beginning to bore her.

"You know, it’s alright to drink a healthy amount. I will only be angered if you drink yourself stupid and make a mess out of yourself." Song Yun Gak truthfully told her. He picked up his fork and poked at the salad before setting his utensils down. He began to look forward to the other entrees more than this boring salad built for a rabbit.

"Well, that’s quite hard. When it comes to wine, I sometimes don’t know when to stop myself." Song Areum teased him, meaning it as a joke, but who knew this old man would take it so seriously?

"If you’re going to be an idiot, then do it when that imbecile is present." He thoughtfully said, preferring not to say that man’s sinful name.

"Imbecile... You mean Park Jimin?" She queried, confused at the nickname.

"Who else?"

Song Areum sat still for a second before letting out a small laugh. "Grandfather, do you trust him that much?"

"Given the fact that I’ve yet to see a grandchild, yes, I do trust him." He grumpily replied, half-wishing they would just announce their marriage already.

"What if I told you I didn’t want to have children?"

"Then go and adopt one." He sniped, not giving a damn if the child had their blood or not. All he wanted was a small child to play with, though, he would like it a bit more if the kid had his mother’s features.

Song Areum became quiet. Her grandfather’s reply was too good for her to combat. She kept her mouth shut and poked the salad. She set down her fork and waited for the next entree. The salad looked very appetizing but there were too many leafy greens and carrots.

Was Park Jimin that trustworthy in her grandfather’s eyes? He never took advantage of her or forced her to do things that she did not want to. In bed, he was fairly patient with her and never once did he push her beyond her boundaries. On the other hand, he was very overbearing and borderline ’too possessive.’ In the end, she deemed him a very trustworthy man. She was vulnerable in front of him so many times, yet he never did anything to her except cuddling her to death.

"Why are you looking at the salad like that?" Song Yun Gak scoffed. She had set down her fork, yet she was staring at the plate like it was the love of her damn life. He thought she disliked carrots, so why was she eyeing it with so much adoration?

"Huh? Like what?" She snapped back to reality, turning her head to her grandfather whose sour face was beginning to wilt the salad. Luckily for both of them, the first course finally ended and out came the next entree: French Onion soup.

"Were you daydreaming about that rascal? If you ask me, there’s nothing good that comes into my mind when I think about him."

"I can’t agree more." She let out a laughter, airy and sweet, tickling the heart of the men around her. In particular, a man who had been watching her ever since she stepped foot in this room.

"He’ll cry himself to sleep if he hears of this."

"I’d pay good money to see that." She chuckled. She tried to picture something as hilarious as that, but her mind was blank because the possibility of it happening was close to zero.