Park Jimin Daring Wife || PJM ✔️ (COMPLETE)

C72

The auction finally started towards the end of the meal. Dessert and drinks were being served and the lights were dimmed a bit to hide everyone’s identity. Though, it wasn’t exactly working.

A gorgeous woman in a body-tight ruby red dress strutted onto the stage, accompanied by the announcer. One by one, the items were being showcased, the majority of it was priceless pieces of jewelry that women went crazy for. From the pearl accessories and jade bracelets with flecks of gold worn by Empress Cixi to the naturally vivid red diamonds worn by Queen Elizabeth the First, each accessory here was special.

Song Areum was bored by all of the pieces being sold, thus, her flag never raised in the air. Seeing as his granddaughter did not show interest in anything being auctioned off, he did not bother raising his flag as well. He only came here to buy her things and maybe get one or two items for himself. He tended to dabble in calligraphy pieces or scroll paintings by unknown artists that would catch his eye because of their age and style.

Song Areum’s breath was caught in her throat when an instrument was rolled up the stage. Her eyes remained fixated on the mesmerizing piano. It was translucent, crafted in 2008, and made entirely of crystals that glistened like glass and allowed everything to be seen-through.

"This fine piano will start with 500,000!"

Song Areum did not raise her flag until the bidding started to get intense. It was lead by Song Ara whose flag went up every time someone countered her. Within the next minute, it reached one million dollars.

"Two million." Song Ara easily replied.

"Three million." A person to the right countered.

"Five million." A person in the back said. Whispers erupted at the exceedingly high price, but to Song Ara, it was tissue-money.

"Eight million." She calmly said.

"Fifteen million." Someone beat her to it, the price terrifying many people. It was down to two people now, Song Ara and another person.

Song Areum was growing tired of this bidding game. For the first time since the banquet started, her flag was raised in the air. "Thirty million."


No one dared to raise their flags anymore. A thundering silence fell upon the crowd that was so surprised, they were all at a loss for words. Thirty million?! For a mere piano?!

The Nings’ hearts were beating excitedly, their eyes wide with appreciation. Oh my, oh my! They did not expect the highest valued item would be a piano! But the night was still young and the possibilities were endless.

Song Ara gritted her teeth. ’Why does she always have to compete with me?!’ The hatred she had for her older sister ran deeper than the roots of century-old peach blossom trees.

The only thing she could do was seethe in anger, inside of her head and silently gloat in happiness at the misfortune that had befallen her older sister a while back... And it was all because of her good friend, Kim Chungha.

Song Ara much rather preferred Kim Chungha to be her older sister instead. Kim Chungha was much more gracious and unlike Song Areum who wanted to shelter her younger sister from the harsh reality of the upper society, Kim Chungha helped Song Ara make her grand entrance that turned the ugly duckling into a soaring swan.

Song Ara did not understand what Song Areum was even attempting to protect her from. Every wealthy person she’s had the fortune to come across was very kind and welcoming to her. Many of them praised her for her piano skills and thoroughly valued her friendship.

Besides, why did Song Areum even want a piano? It’s not like she can play it in the first place!

"Thirty-five million." Song Ara could not afford to spend too much, especially when her father was missing and her mother was going through the money like it was bread.

Just then, another person spoke up. His voice was gruff, dark, and rough. It was mighty like the God of War, but rich and smooth like roasted Blue Mountain coffee. There was a tinge of Leinan  accent. "Fifty million."

Song Areum countered it, "Sixty million." She was highly unwilling to let such a beautiful piano go.

"Sixty-five million." The competitor replied, his lips quirking into a smirk.

"Seventy-five million." She replied, earning sharp gasps from everyone in the room.

"Eighty million." His voice became playful now. Like her, he was not fazed by the delirious price. At this point, it was a game to him.


"One hundred million."

The man opened his mouth, ready to offer his price, when suddenly, Song Yun Gak raised a flag in the air, tired of this childish battle. "Three hundred million." Not a single sound was made. The air was turning suffocating and everyone was too blown away by the instantaneous tripling of the price to speak.

Song Areum’s heart dropped. Dang it! Now her grandfather wanted the piano as well?!

The man’s smile slipped the slightest bit, his dangerously dark eyes turning to Song Yun Gak. Of course, the former Colonel would bid for his granddaughter with such a ridiculously high price. "Four hundred million."

Song Yun Gak’s face morphed into amusement. Which youngster dared to challenge him like this? He wanted a face to the voice but when he tried to look in the direction of the voice, he could not properly see the man’s features. Seated in the back, not a single person could decipher who he was.

"With all due respect, Mr. Song, I can go all night long. The sky’s the limit." The man let out a small laugh, cold and lifeless.

"Funny that you have a limit in the first place." Song Yun Gak mused. He saw how deeply interested Song Areum was. There was no way he was going to give up so quickly. "Whatever price you say, I will top it."

The man became quiet. "You’re quite an old man, Mr. Song. For what purpose would you possibly want the piano for? To display it in the corner of the living room, never to be touched. That would be such a shame."

"Anything my granddaughter desires, she shall get it." Song Yun Gak’s response blew everyone away.

No one dared to breathe in the wrong way.

They were all stunned by his endearing words. They have never heard him utter such sweet words about someone. Not even when his eldest son was born, or when his youngest son graduated from TH University at the top of his classes. The people knew Song Areum was an acknowledged and treasured granddaughter, but only tonight, did they realize just how deep his adoration for her lay.

Song Areum’s head snapped to her grandfather. She did not expect him to be so doting tonight. He rarely gave her gifts.

The man wanted to say, "I see we’re both vying to get on her good side," but that response was too cheesy for him. Instead, he opened his mouth and said, "Seeing as you’re such a doting grandfather, I suppose I should back off for now."

The way he sounded. Song Areum bit her bottom lip. Her eyebrows etched together while she was lost in thought. Why did he sound so...familiar? Maybe it was his Leinan accent that she had heard so many times before.

"As if you had a chance to counter me." Song Yun Gak muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Four hundred and fifty million."

The announcer exchanged looks with Ning In-Gyu. He cleared his throat and in a loud, booming voice, excitedly announced, "Four hundred and fifty million going once...twice...and sold to Mr. Song Yun Gak!" Everyone loudly clapped, cheering that such an enormous amount would be donated to charity. No one was happier than the Nings who could shed tears of happiness that the money could go towards an amazing cause.

Song Areum turned to face her grandfather who was sipping on his tea without a care in the world. He looked like he was in his zen garden, where the glorious flowers were in full bloom and the birds were chirping in the background. He was too calm for a man that easily dropped four hundred and fifty million dollars on a single instrument.

Seeing her antsy and eager to speak, Song Yun Gak slowly laid down his cup. Now, that was a well-brewed cup of tea. In an unsuspecting voice, he asked her, "What is it?"

"The piano...I can’t possibly accept it." She whispered, feeling guilt settle into her. She did not like to rely on his money or enjoy the idea of having anyone splurge on her like this. She made sure to keep her voice low so that the people around them could not overhear her.

"Alright then, I’ll have it trashed."

"What?! No, you can’t do that!" She kept her voice low like a quiet hush, but it raised an octave out of panic. How could he simply throw away four hundred and fifty million dollars?! She knew they were filthy rich and could use the money as tissues, but that didn’t mean it was good to toss money like that.

"Take it or trash it. Your pick." Song Yun Gak purposely cornered her. He could see the trouble brewing in her indecisive brain. He sighed to himself. Did he not pamper her enough? Why was she afraid of accepting a small gift? He pitied Park Jaemin. Giving her gifts must be quite the chore. Well, whatever the circumstance, that prick better shower his granddaughter with gifts for days to come!

"See it as an early birthday gift."

Song Areum’s head snapped up. ’My birthday?’

"It’s your birthday in three days. Don’t tell me you forgot."

"I-it never crossed my mind." She quietly said, turning her face away from him.

Song Yun Gak was saddened at her pitiful response, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He could only blame himself. In the past, he was too busy with work to even throw her a proper birthday party.

She was one of the wealthiest heiresses of this country, yet no one serenaded the day she was born. He felt a sudden rush of guilt and remorse that he was never there for her at such an important moment.


If he had told her "Happy Birthday," even once in her lifetime, would she have valued herself a lot more? Sitting in the plush chair he realized his wrongdoings, however, it was too late to change the past now. The only thing he could do was to look towards the future and make plans to save her before she could truly drown in her dark thoughts.

"You didn’t have to give me such a pricey gift." She leaned back in her seat, her eyes turning to the stage where a painting was being auctioned off.

"Nonsense, you deserve everything given to you." He snapped, nearly slamming his hand on the table in anger. Why did she hate herself more than her haters do?!

"And if that stupid Park Jaemin has not drilled such a thought into you, he is failing as your lover." He added on.

"One shouldn’t rely on their lover to learn how to love themselves." Song Areum replied. She swiveled the glass, watching it catch the light. She wished she could have some wine right now.

"And one shouldn’t fall in love until they have learned to love themselves, but we have long skipped that part. Have we not?" He scoffed.

"Sure." She replied to him, raising her head to give him a small smile. She did not want to get into an argument with him, thus she chose the easiest response to appease him.

Song Yun Gak studied his stupidly-humble and modest granddaughter. He also heard of the way she kindly treats all of her workers, even the janitors.

Villain turned hero was an underestimation for her. He never raised her to be like this, so how did she turn out like this? Was all of his teaching going down the drain? No, it was not. She was still succeeding, far more than he ever anticipated. For the first time in a very long time, a swarm of fear and anxiety attacked him. He just could not point out why.

A chill raised the hairs on his arms. Without warning, his head snapped to the back. He could’ve sworn—

"Grandfather, Mr. Ning is trying to get your attention." Song Areum piped up when Ning In-Gyu discreetly waved at him.

Song Yun Gak sighed. "What does that geezer want?"


"I don’t know. Why don’t you go and ask him?" She dryly said, pointing out the obvious.

She picked up the proper spoon for the french onion soup and dug in. After having a couple of bites, she set the utensil back down. It wasn’t as good as the one Park Jimin made her a few days ago... Speaking of him, it was quite hard to get him off of her trail. He kept on questioning where she was going and she was pretty sure his men had already reported the location to him by now. She insisted she wanted to go alone, but did not let him know it was going to be an auction. It took a lot of convincing on her end that she could get home perfectly safe and sound without needing him to pick her up. That damn brute. He was always terrified someone would kidnap her or something.

"You’re getting sassier with each passing day." Song Yun Gak scowled, standing up to make his way to Ning In-Gyu. "You’re lucky I trained you to be like that." He grumpily told her.

"I was born like this." She revealed her cheeky grin, earning a rough pinch on her nose. "Grandfather, is it alright if I head home now?" She asked him, bored with the food and the items being sold. The four hundred and fifty million should be enough for the night.

"Inform the lovesick puppy his master will be heading home now." He instructed her before staggering off to the other patriarch.

Song Areum laughed to herself at the fearless way her grandfather always referred to Park Jimin. If the man himself was present, it would be disastrous. She was about to stand up and leave when she suddenly realized she forgot to get Fan Jielan a birthday gift. Nothing here was to her interest, so she decided to leave and perhaps find something else another time.

She checked the time and saw it was already half-past nine. It was too late to disturb Park Jimin and she was too prideful to face his smug expression when he rolled up in a car.

She arrived at this place with her grandfather and his private chauffeur, which meant she had no way of getting home except for public transportation like taxis or buses. Both options were immediately crossed off from her list.

Song Areum wondered how far this place was from Feili. She parked a spare car in the underground private parking space she owned.

Since she was horrible at directions, she had to pull out her phone and check one of the map apps she had. To her luck, Feili was only a short ten-minute walk. Smiling to herself, she left the dining room and walked down the hallway leading to the front entrance.

She turned a corner and overheard a conversation.

"I can’t believe she would do that to me! Just because I bidded on something, she just had to top it. Why can’t she be satisfied with her current position? Why is she petty enough to go after my piano?!" Song Ara ranted to a sympathetic Kim Chungha.

"Just because mommy and daddy love me more than her, she has to steal my things. You know, when we were younger, she tried to steal my parent’s attention. When that didn’t work, she retaliated against me, claiming that I had the audacity to steal their adoration!"

Song Ara scoffed. "It’s not my fault mommy and daddy don’t love her. What is there to love in the first place?" She continued rambling, her fingers twirling the charms on the silver bracelet. Kim Chungha had given it to her and on many occasions, the two would get each other various new Pandora charms.

"A-and..." She sniffed, her broken heart crumbling into bits. "She had to steal him from me. I was so in love with him, and my damn sister knew it too! I always talked about him to my parents, you know, and she was always present whenever I babbled about him."

Kim Chungha was shocked by the turn of events. Him? Was she talking about Park Jimin? Oho, this was quite an interesting scoop.

"He doesn’t remember me though..." Song Ara muttered to herself, deciding to change the topic. "A-at my birthday banquet... I was looking for him ever since I saw him come in." She dropped her head, her eyes welting up at the memories.

The birthday gift she requested from her parents was to have Park Jimin present. He was invited many times and each time, he did not reply. But to her surprise, he actually showed up, walking into the room with the presence and appearance that would put a Prince Charming to shame.

In that moment, she felt her entire world brighten. She had never felt happier at that moment, for it was the first time he personally came to one of her events. "I wanted to cry tears of happiness when he attended... So imagine my surprise and pain when he went straight towards Song Areum!" Her nails dug into her palm at the horrific memory.

"The entire night, ever since he disappeared with my pathetic and a sorry excuse for a sister in tow, I was looking for him..."

Kim Chungha kept her mouth clamped shut. She knew exactly where Park Jimin was, for she was there to personally witness him walk after Song Areum, who did not spare her any time of the day. She could’ve easily reported back to Song Ara where Park Jimin was. However, she did not.

Song Ara hiccupped, angrily rubbing her eyes when she felt it become moistened with unshed tears. "I-I’m sorry for ranting so much tonight. I didn’t mean to, but I was just so angry because of tonight."

Without warning, she pulled Kim Chungha into a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Chungha, for inviting me here tonight to get my mind off of the problems going on at home... It really means a lot to me." Her voice became a bit quieter. She was seizing control of her emotions that were all over the place. She didn’t know why she wanted to rant so much tonight, but seeing her older sister’s face for the first time in a while, all of the bottled-up anger just came out.

Kim Chungha’s face softened, genuinely worrying for her good friend. Song Ara was the only woman in the enormous socialite group who was loyal to her. She knew it was because she invited the young woman into the circle and exposed her to the high society and because of this, the stupid girl was too grateful beyond words. Whatever the reason was, loyalty was loyalty, and in such a tough society, it was a valued trait.

"No need to thank me, I am only doing what a friend should." Kim Chungha gently said, giving Song Ara a small pat on the back. She expertly rubbed the area after perfecting the concept of comforting a person.

She used to comfort her crying mother a lot in the past because of her drunkard of a dad that had left them. Thinking of the days she spent in that shack, her lips curled up in disgust. If only her mother was more hardworking, perhaps they could have afforded a decent place! Kim Chungha most certainly did not miss the days in the past when she had to juggle three part-time jobs just to provide a sufficient living environment.

She could not thank the heavens more for the day she accidentally spilled coffee on Choi Soobin. Because of such a stupid incident, she was able to land herself one of the most powerful men in this country. She was displeased at how hard it was to acquire him, especially with the horrendous Song Areum attempting to take back her fiance.


Thinking about that vengeful woman, Kim Chungha’s mood soured. She will not forget the humiliation that took place at the Ling Banquet and the insults thrown at her friend, Rachel Yoo. Speaking of the model, she had not seen her in a while now... Well, no matter what happens to her, Kim Chungha finally got her revenge. An eye for an eye.

Song Areum’s throat ran dry. Originally, she was overwhelmed with anger that her sister dared to badmouth her like this. She even thought about storming in to discipline her, but after hearing the confession, she did not know how to react. Song Ara was in love with Park Jimin? But why? She did remember a moment in the past when her younger sister would happily talk about some older boy she met, but she could not place a finger on how they met. Something about a garden...?

Song Areum left without a word. She did not feel remorse or regret towards her younger sister. ’I took Park Jimin from her? What a joke!’ She scoffed to herself. Park Jimin belonged to no one, for no woman in this world would be able to control a man like him.

It was strange though. She wondered what Song Ara meant when she said Park Jimin did not remember her. Did something happen in the past?

In the end, she shrugged it off because it did not concern her. She wondered what type of relationship she would have with Park Jimin if she met him sooner, perhaps when they were children. She always met up with Park Jennie a lot, but never visited the Park Mansion due to an unexplainable fear towards that place.

- - - - -

Song Areum was glad that Shenbei was still lively, even though it was night time. There were neon lights still glowing brightly on the top of buildings, amazing LED shows on billboards, and many shops were still open. Cars whizzed by and the concrete floor had warm and cold hues, depending on where she stepped. The street was bustling with life and because of that, she was able to relax and walk down the streets. She knew her bodyguards were watching her from a small distance. It had always been this way and she preferred if it stayed that way.

Following the guide on her phone, Song Areum reached Feili in exactly ten minutes. She hoped Ji Cheong Shin had gone home by now. She debated whether or not to check upon him. Sending him a quick text about his whereabouts, she made her way to the back of the building, boarded a discreet elevator and went down to the private parking lot where a single, locked car was parked.

[Boss: What time did you get off of work today?]

[Cheong Shin the Workaholic: I haven’t left the building yet.]

Song Areum gasped as she checked the time. It was almost ten at night now! If this continued, she might get reported for abusing her employees!


[Boss: Are you crazy?! Go home right this instant! I made a new rule for you: if you stay in the office past seven, I will deduct your income.]

Ji Cheong Shin shut down his laptop and took off the thin-framed glasses, setting it back into the case. He placed everything in his briefcase. Once done, he picked up his phone and replied to his boss.

[Cheong Shin The Workaholic: I was packing up and getting ready to go home. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. Leaving before seven will cause a problem.]

Song Areum paused walking mid-way to narrow her eyes. This stubborn child!

[Boss: You are going to overwork yourself at this rate. We do not need to be three days ahead if it means you have to work this hard! Do you know I barely have anything to do in the office, aside from attending meetings, because you keep on stealing my work?!]

[Cheong Shin The Workaholic: Actually, we are five days ahead. I just finished the work for the weekend.]

Ji Cheong Shin grabbed his coat and made his way to the elevator. Not a single light was turned on in the cubicles and except for the janitors and security guards, there was no one left in the building.

[Boss: Ugh! You’re unbelievable. I know it takes you thirty minutes to get home. I’ll give you thirty-five minutes to take a selfie in your living room holding up four fingers.]

Ji Cheong Shin’s lips twitched.

[Cheong Shin The Workaholic: You nag more than my mother.]

Song Areum’s lips quirked into a smile as she walked to her car with her head tucked down.

[Boss: Aw thanks, you flatter me~]

She absentmindedly opened her car door and got in without using the keys. She closed the door shut and locked it, waiting for his next reply.

[Cheong Shin The Workaholic: It’s not something to be proud of.]

Song Areum let out a quiet laugh and shook her head. She had every right to be proud, it felt nice being an older sister to someone!

Suddenly, a thought dawned on Song Areum: the car key was not in her hand. The door was previously locked. A bloodcurdling chill passed through her at the terrifying realization. There was a familiar chill in the air, the silence of the empty parking lot bothered her more than she anticipated.

"You’ve let your guard down." A man breathed into her ear, the same voice as the mysterious bidder from the banquet.

Song Areum reached for her waist pants only for a pair of rough, calloused hand to grip her wrists, holding her in place. She screamed, struggling to fight back. Where were her bodyguards?! And why was this man so strong?

"Calm down, it’s me." Jeong Jin-soo gently cooed, worried that she might hit her back against the car window and hurt herself.

Song Areum’s eyes became unbelievably wide. Because it was him, she panicked even more. "Let me go! Please!" She shrieked, kicking and yanking her wrists back, tears filling up her eyes. She could feel prickling pain in her chest with fear weighing her down like a heavy and soaked blanket. She was so overwhelmed with fear, she could not breathe.

"I will let you go, but you have to relax, little butterfly." Jeong Jin-soo was perplexed by her fear towards him. All he did was track her down and corner her so that she could not run. Was this why she was violently reacting?

Song Areum had no choice but to oblige. She was visibly shaken, her eyes jumping anywhere but him. She was beyond terrified, with her heart beating a million beats per second, and she greedily gasped for air, choking on her own breath at times.

"Why are you doing this?! Why can’t you accept the fact that I want nothing to do with you!" She shrieked, yanking her wrists back, begging, pleading that someone could come and rescue her. She could not move her legs which felt numb and weak. The very sight of his face caused a flash of memories to resurface, all of which was dragging her into the pits of despair.

"I—"

"Haven’t you done enough damage already?! Tracking me down to this extent, sending boxes of snacks, do you realize how insane you seem? Why can’t you leave me alone?! Do you want to see me beg and grovel before you become the bane of my existence?!"

It came out. All the frustration she felt because of him, left her mouth like a waterfall after a heavy day of rain. It resembled the rivers of her eyes, where tears were freely falling.

Jeong Jin-soo was speechless. He had never seen her cry like this. She was always composed in front of him with those indifferent pair of eyes that never looked at him. All he wanted to do was see her smile the same way she used to do when he was her student. He missed her laughter which tickled his heart and could put him in cardiac arrest.


"I just wanted to see you again." He slowly said, torn by her teary face. She rapidly shook her head, shaking and weeping like an injured and frightened bunny. The more pained she looked, the more agony he felt in his heart.

"Well, I don’t want to see you. Let me go. Leave me alone. Don’t ever show up in front of me again." She snarled, her free hand reaching for the door. She found it locked. Her eyes widened in surprise as she glanced out the windows. There were men outside, but none of them were hers.

"Leave you alone?" He let out a burst of dark and harsh laughter. She flinched, her feeble body shrinking into her seat.

"Never." He hissed, grabbing her by her shoulders. "Do you understand how much you have tormented me? Do you understand how much I’ve longed to see you day and night? You plague my damn mind from sunrise to sunset. You’re the very source of my nightmares, yet the heroine of my blissful dreams. Do you really think I’m going to let you go just like that?!" He gave her body a gentle shake, his eyes burning with devotion.

If she commanded him to, he would kill for her. Any obstacle that stood in her way would disappear in a blink of an eye. He was willing to commit the most atrocious sins in this world if it meant she would be by his side, a ring on her finger, and their names on a certificate.

Song Areum shook her head like a rabid dog. She refused to believe his words, refused to believe he cares for her to such an extent.

"Why do you hate me so much?" His voice cracked towards the end, like his broken heart. He combed through every corner of the country for her, leaping in glee when he finally found her in Shenbei. Even though it was in the arms of another man, but that could easily change.

"Why do I hate you so much?! Are you stupid or perhaps you have lost your damn mind!" Her voice raised an octave, her eyes going wide with anger.

She continued her rant, "After what you did to me, you still dare to say such a thing?! Did that night completely fly over your pea-sized brain? You’re a piece of shit, you know that? I wish I had never met you, wished I never stumbled across that pitiful soldier!" She pushed his arms away, her petrified tears turning into pure resentment.

Her voice lowered into a hushed whisper, "Do you understand how many sleepless nights I’ve had because of you? Do you understand how many hours I had to spend in therapy?"

He was confused by her statement. That night? What night? The last time he saw her was when she stormed off to her sleeping quarters after he ordered her not to tie her hair up. He shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Screw you." She snarled, disgusted at him. Of course, he would forget that night. He must’ve done it to so many other women that the thought flew past his head. Nothing in this world could match the pure acrimony she felt for this trash in front of her.


Jeong Jin-soo would’ve violently reacted to her insults. No one had ever spoken to him that way in a long time, no one. Especially not after he was crowned with the reputable title of General. But she was Song Areum and he could never bring himself to lift his hand to her. She was too precious. To leave a mark on that porcelain skin of hers was the greatest sin anyone could commit.

"My little butterfly, I truly do not understand what you’re talking about."

Song Areum saw red.

PAK!

The sound echoed in the car, the sound of skin against skin, palm against face.

Jeong Jin-soo’s face whiplashed to the side, his eyes filled with disbelief. It’s been ages since he was ever hit that hard. Not even his parents had hit him like that. "You’re lucky I love you so damn much." He snarled, suppressing his rage. His fingers curled into fists, the skin turning white. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, the sharp line becoming very prominent. If it was anyone else that slapped him like this, he would’ve broken their fingers or hand or both.

"Just because you were drunk, it does not excuse the fact that you nearly...nearly..." She dared not say the word. Even when she tried to, her throat would constrict itself, like a tube being tied into a knot.

"Drunk? I do not drink." He concluded for her, not understanding what she was referring to. In an entire year, he never drank more than a shot glass. It was something his friends and comrades always complained about when they went out to clubs and parties.

Song Areum opened her mouth, ready to argue again. However, she saw that he was extremely serious and stoic. He was not lying. As the realization sunk in, her face morphed from anger to confusion, to pure horror.

This entire time, she was so terrified of him, having nightmares of his face implanted on the man who nearly raped her that night. The entire time, she painted him as the most villainous man in her life. If he did not drink, then who exactly was in her room?

Jeong Jin-soo’s face grew more frigid. What was it? Why did she look so petrified...was that remorse? What happened to her? "What are you thinking of?"

He would pay a good amount of money just to read what’s inside that pretty little head of hers. Her fair skin was sickly pale. She looked like she had encountered a ghost or went through hell and back. Her lovely, doey eyes were wide and her body was shaking like a brittle leaf on an autumn night.

"T-that man...H-he was not you?" She whispered to no one in particular. She spoke as if she was voicing broken bits of her thoughts. Her brain was in a jumble right now, too much to fathom the people approaching the underground parking lot.

There was a commotion outside of her car which caused her to come back to consciousness. The sound of thundering footsteps could be heard when people entered the spacious parking lot. It was a swarm of black and white, armed men pointing their loaded weapons towards each other.

The King of the Underworld had arrived and he was out for wretched souls, beginning with Jeong Jin-soo who was holding his Queen hostage.

It was a perilous standoff between people of the Underworld and the people under Jeong Jin-soo. Everyone was on high alert and ready to turn the area into a battlefield given the command of their respective leaders. It would only take the swift movement of a wrist for bullets to fly and the war to start. There would be countless casualties and the country would descend into chaos if the Underworld collided with the surface.

No one dared to breathe. It was silent to the point that the sound of a falling feather would be the most evident thing. Trained fighters and shooters were ready on standby.

Song Areum turned to the car window behind her. She could not see properly because of the men surrounding the car. Through the crack, she was able to make out a very distinctive figure whose heavenly face could be spotted from miles away.

Park Jimin.

Her heart leaped in joy, her chestnut eyes morphing into a swirling pool of amber, igniting with happiness at the sight of him. She had never felt more relieved to see him until tonight.

Song Areum tried to open the door again, only to find that it was still locked. She figured one of the men outside her car must’ve done something to it long ago. She was in the driver’s seat and repeatedly pressing the button to unlock the car. It was not working.

"Let me out."

"Sure, when hell freezes over." He scoffed at the stupid request.

"My man will bring you hell if you don’t." She blurted out without any thought. His eyes, the color of freshly cooked chestnuts, stared deeply into hers. She grinded her teeth and stood her ground when she felt the rolling tides of rage emanating from his whole being.

He was livid upon hearing ’My man.’ He never wanted those words to leave her precious lips unless they were for addressing him. And now look where she stood, securely in the arms of another man. Not for long though... He would make her his one day, whether she liked it or not. With or without her consent, she will belong to him, and him alone.


"Your man, huh." He let out an eerie laughter that could freeze hell altogether. "My little butterfly, it seems I have let you escape my clutches for far too long. I should cut off those wings of yours..."

"This is exactly why I never liked you in the first place." She countered him, her voice growing fiercer with every word. Now that she had discovered he was not the perpetrator that night, her fear towards him was slowly disappearing into thin air. "You think you own me, like some trophy on a bookshelf."

"And does he not think the same?" Jeong Jin-soo’s lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "Such double standards that you have...How can you be so unfair?"

"Because he will never hurt me."

"Is that what you think? Silly little thing, he has done much more than that to you in the past." Jeong Jin-soo slowly shook his head at her, as if she was a stubborn child who refused to listen to him.

"Being linked to him, the price on your head is astronomical. Do you know that?" He reached over to brush a stray strand of hair covering her eyes. She scampered deeper into her seat, flinching away from his hand, her back colliding with the cold, glass window.

"Don’t touch me!" She snapped at him. She was on high alert and defense. Even if he was not the one present that night, it did not mean she trusted him to be anywhere near her. He was a seemingly bipolar man and she was wary of him in general. If she allowed him to touch her, she knew he would be delusional enough to overread the tiny action as her consent.

Jeong Jin-soo’s hand stilled in midair. His fingers curled into a fist, a pained look flashed across his face. It disappeared as fast as it came and was replaced by a mask of emptiness. "You let him, someone who destroyed your childhood, to touch you and not me?"

"My childhood? What are you talking about?" There it was again, her childhood. She suspected something must’ve happened in her youth, yet, no matter how hard she tried to recollect the memories, nothing surfaced. If she tried to think harder, a massive headache would slam her and then she could only grasp her head as she writhed in unbelievable pain.

Jeong Jin-soo let out thundering laughter that made her flinch and hug her stomach in fear. "Oh my, did he not tell you what he did to you in the past?" He wiped his eyes even though they were drier than the desert. "Of course he did not. And I’m pretty sure it will remain that way forever."

He knew Song Areum more than she thought he did. In an attempt to track her down, he had also dug deep, deep into her buried past. At first, he did not find anything interesting, until, he dug a little bit more and encountered heavily covered up tracks of a forbidden incident. And when he continued to probe, he found a gold mine of information, one that she would never discover. It was filled with sins and a plethora amount of mistakes. He found it extremely ironic that the ones she trusted and loved the most were withholding the worst secrets from her.


"You’re lying."

Jeong Jin-soo flashed her a pained smile, hurt that she would think he would lie to her. "Am I, my little butterfly, am I really?" He placed a hand on his chest and not giving her the chance to ask more, he opened the car door and stepped out. He pulled out a small, flat and rectangular device, pressed it, and then she heard the click of the door behind her.

Song Areum scrambled out of the car like it was on fire. Her back collided with something hard and when she turned around, she saw it was the people blocking the door. She opened her mouth, ready to tell them to scram, but Jeong Jin-soo beat her to it.

"At ease." He commanded them. In abnormal unison, the men all saluted him and parted a path for Song Areum, leading straight to the border known as Park Jimin’s men.

"I truly wanted to get you a gift for your birthday in three days but it seems I was outbid by your grandfather. You seem to treasure him and because of that, I did not argue back with him, unlike a certain someone."

Song Areum knew Park Jimin heard him. She did not bother to respond. Turning her back to him, she stormed off to the other side and never once did she look back.

Jeong Jin-soo watched with an amused smile on his face as his little butterfly flew off to another man. He continued watching even when the people parted for her, then went back into formation. She was out of sight, presumably with her current lover. He reminded himself that the man was not here to stay and it would only be a temporary lover.

’Soon...my little butterfly, you will be mine forever.’ He thought to himself, turning around, and walking off.

Park Jimin’s dark, looming eyes were glued to the man disappearing into the distance. His expression was hard, cold, and lifeless. No one could fathom what was running through his head. The two men did not exchange any words, but the silence around them was enough to know neither of them was up to any good.

When Song Areum broke through the clearing and was visible, he stormed to her, yanked her into his arms, and crushed her to him. Her eyes widened at how fast he hauled her into an embrace, but she relaxed and hugged him back, relishing in his warmth. She could feel her heart melt when his arms hardened and he hugged her tighter.

"Do you want me to kill him?"

His question sent a shiver down her spine and her heart nearly stopped. She could envision the chaos if Jeong Jin-soo was shot dead. The military would be after Park Jimin and no amount of connections could get him out of trouble. Imagining Park Jimin behind bars and not being able to touch, see, and be with him was a world she did not want to live in.

Song Areum furiously shook her head. "No!" She shouted out, her voice filled with panic. She choked when the arms became unbearably rough, as his anger slammed her in the face. He was furious. More so than when he received the message from his men that their lady boss was unreachable and out of sight.

"Do you care about him that much?" His question was menacing. His voice was gruff with barely contained enmity, resembling the growl of a beast. If she was not hugging him back with her face buried into his chest, he would’ve hurt someone on the spot. Her sweet, floral scent was the only thing keeping him afloat.

Song Areum quickly tried explaining herself. "If you try to kill him, you could get yourself in a lot of trouble. I know you’re big and powerful," Her cheeks flushed when she envisioned something else. "-but if he’s dead, lots of people will come after you. His father is a Major General and his mother is extremely well-connected, more than you can ever imagine." She rambled on.

"I don’t want to see you through a stupid glass window or hear your voice through a crackly phone. What if I wanted to touch you and the only way to do so is through heavily monitored—wait, nevermind, forget about that part." She flashed him a nervous and hesitant smile.

"Can’t do anything?" He echoed with a tiny, devious smirk. He bent his head, his lips hovering a few inches above hers. "What type of things?" He huskily whispered in a throaty, hoarse voice that only she could hear.

Song Areum’s face became beet red, traveling all the way to her ears. She wanted to pacify his anger, not turn him on! "Well, uh, I, uhm..." She licked her lips, growing redder when his eyes became darker with the tiny action. "The type of things that are rated PG-13 and below..."

"Are you sure it’s not rated PG-18 and above?" He teased her, watching her eyes grow incredibly larger.

"No?" She replied, her eyes darting to his shoulders. She could not stare into his eyes when he looked so...so hungry... like a starving beast ready to devour her. She shuddered, a tingling sensation traveling throughout her body.

"No?" He repeated, suppressing the smile threatening to break out. She was simply too adorable for her own good. He wondered how she could be such a perfect blend of a daring, stubborn, feisty, and independent woman while being a demure and shy deer at the same time.

Song Areum refused to respond any longer and embarrass herself with another jumbled reply, thus, she buried her head into his shirt, hiding against the firm wall of his chest.

She wondered how insane his exercise regime must be if he was always this fit. Speaking of which, there was a private gym built in their house, in one of the endless rooms and she had yet to step foot in. Exercising was not her favorite thing to do because of how sweaty and sticky she always got. Though, she did enjoy practicing martial arts in the past, especially sparring with opponents — it was a great stress reliever.

Park Jimin had the fondest smile on his face, filled with tender adoration for her, so much so that it shocked Seung Woo who was quietly standing a few meters from his boss.

Seung Woo always knew his boss was deeply, utterly, and stupidly in love with the woman, but every time he witnessed such a gentle expression he was always blown away. In the past, the Boss’ expression rarely changed and a smile was as rare as snowfall in the smoldering summer.

Seung Woo cast his eyes downwards to give his boss some privacy. No one here dared to witness such an intimate scene which was why they already had their backs turned as they parted for their lady boss to walk through. It would’ve been considered extremely disrespectful, but it was a command of their boss, and there was never a single person to go against an order — especially when it came from Park Jimin himself.


"Let’s go home, I’m tired." She said against his shirt, her voice coming out very muffled. He heard her perfectly. Rubbing her back with his large hand, he nodded his head but did not pull back from their embrace.

"Uhm, Park Jimin, I think this is the part where you let me go." She awkwardly said, giving his enormous back a solid pat.

He responded by burying his face into her shoulder, breathing in her scent and kissing the small patch of exposed skin. He nuzzled his head into the spot, his soft, silky hair tickling the side of her face. She released a heavy sigh at the man-child in her arms and gave his back a few more pats of reassurance.

Park Jimin was discouraged to release her because he had nearly lost her tonight. The fear still lingered within him, even if she was in his embrace.

"We can spoon all night, so can we head home now?" Song Areum offered him.

Park Jimin silently contemplated the suggestion.

After a second or so, he gave her a solid, satisfied nod of his head and pulled back to reveal an impudent grin, a twinkle in his eyes, something she was awestruck by. Her stomach fluttered, her eyes shut when he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and entwined their fingers together.

"Let’s head home now." He told her, guiding her out of the private parking lot, all the while, surveying his surroundings. He made eye contact with Seung Woo and the two shared a heavy silent conversation before the right-hand man disappeared into the shadows, ready to fulfill his boss’ orders.

- - - - - -

Jeong Jin-soo sat in the backseat of his car, watching from far away as a group of men stepped out of the private parking lot. Heavily guarded by the best fighters the Underworld has ever witnessed, he could already guess who was being escorted out. Well, also because it was the private parking lot and no one else was in there besides them.

He wished he could catch one last glimpse of his woman, but it seems Lady Luck was not on his side tonight. Though, he already had enough run with luck to have guessed she was heading to her own car. Tonight, he planned on giving her a nice little surprise after watching her eyes light up in the auction. It was a mere piano yet she marveled at it like it was the great jewel of the ocean.

The group was dispersed and filled with people, he could not decipher which car Song Areum got into. It was a good strategy to conceal where the most important person was hiding. The cars drove off into the distance, whirring down the streets.


Jeong Jin-soo grabbed his phone and called a number he was too familiar with. "It’s me. I need you to look into the night Song Areum left the military. Investigate what happened to her."

When she left the grounds, it was too late for him to intervene. He was deep asleep and was not aware that she had ran off until the next morning. He tried to look for the reason as to why she left and went as far as interrogating the Bai sisters, but neither of them knew why she had truly left.

He thought it was because she had enough of the training or was growing annoyed by his frequent pursuits. He did not fathom something important had gone down the night of her departure, but now that the truth was brought to the surface, he would thoroughly investigate it.

"You have three days." He hung up the phone and collapsed onto the leather seats of his car. He closed his eyes and tried to envision which bastard he would have to destroy once the truth was uncovered.

- - - - -

Song Areum didn’t know a storm was brewing within Park Jimin until the two got home and he slammed the door shut on his way in.

BANG!

She jumped at the loud thud, her heart skipping a beat. She swiveled around and let out a small yelp, tripping over her feet when she saw he was less than an inch away from her. He caught her before she fell, forcing her to stare into his dark, inhuman eyes. He was livid. His jaw ticked, clenching and unclenching whilst he figured out what he should do with this stubborn woman.

Song Areum was confused at his indignation. She thought everything was fine and dandy, that they were okay. She did not understand everything unfolding before her. A shadow loomed over his face, his burning eyes causing her to shrink back a bit. His hands traveled to her upper arm, holding her in place, his fingers digging into her soft skin.

"What were you thinking?" He seethed, his eyes flashing with fury. His voice was gruff and unpleasant to her ears.

"You knew that crazy bastard was combing the entire city for you. Yet, you dropped your guards to take a damn walk ALONE to a DESERTED parking lot. Why didn’t you call me? My number was only a dial away." He was not screaming at her and that scared her more than anything. His voice was calm and tranquil as if they were engaging in a simple conversation about the weather. It only made her more nervous.

"I—"

"Did you want to be kidnapped by him? What would’ve happened if I didn’t arrive on time? What would’ve happened to you? You could’ve been drugged, kidnapped, and I wouldn’t be able to see you—"

Realization clicked inside of her. He was terrified of losing her. "But you’ll come for me." She slowly said.

Song Areum wanted to fight back against him. She wanted to shout, yell, and even throw a tantrum for the way he roughly spoke to her and handled her, but in the end, she realized, he was only behaving like this because he was extremely worried about her. She could see it, buried deep within those unrelenting tides known as his eyes, there were layers upon layers of fear, anxiety, and worry.