The Mafia's Love

Chapter 20

TAEHYUNG

Have you ever felt the urge to strangle someone and kiss them right after?

To say that I truly hate Min Li-na is a bit harsh. She just gets on my nerves- a lot.

Sure, I used to despise her a little. Perhaps I was envious? Everyone seemed to love her the minute they met her.

But she is such a lovable person. She has that easy laugh and shy smile, and an infuriatingly cute way of getting pissed off at me.

At this point, it's just like fun. Making her annoyed, seeing her riled up- at least I catch the most of her attention, right?

Sometimes, the sight of her makes me want to throw something at her. So stupid and naïve, liking that weirdo Kim Jung-im or whatever his name is.

Then, there were times when I wanted to cradle her in my arms.

I would like to call it brotherly affection. But damn me, if I ever think of her the way a brother would.

I didn't know really what I wanted.

A future with Li? Nah.

A future without her? Fuck no.

At first, it was subtle, but these days I can't seem to take my mind off of her.

Even as she sat talking quietly, I was painfully aware of her sat in the car behind Yoongi, Lisa, and I, probably laying her head on Hoseok's shoulder.

I grumbled to myself, uncomfortable in the middle. I had insisted that Lisa should go in the middle, her being the smallest out of us three, but she had whined and whined until she got the seat behind Jungkook's, who was in the front with Namjoon next to him driving us back.

Unfortunately, Jin and Jimin had to get a taxi back as there were no empty seats in the car.

Lisa chatted to Jungkook animatedly, while Namjoon concentrated on the road and Yoongi leant against the car window, contently sleeping away.

"How long away are we, Joon Hyung?" I asked, groaning boredly.

"An hour until our first stop, Lisa's place,"

I rubbed my eyes. "Jungkook? How's Jeonggyu?"

"Still asleep," he shrugged, looking at the kid in his lap. "Surprising he's not Yoongi's brother instead of yours,"

I smiled faintly, but that smile quickly disappeared as Lisa opened her handbag and started waving things about, accidentally stabbing me in the eye with her 'spoolie' brush.

"Fucking hell," I cursed, damning all stupid makeup tools and holding onto my eye.

I just wanted to go home and sleep for 11 hours straight.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"A very good morning, Mr Kim!"

"Fuck you," I sighed, and then realised I was supposed to be in a meeting with a business partner. "Sorry. Good morning, Mr Smith,"

He gave me a clipped smile. "That's okay. Should we start?"

"Yes," I gestured for his employee to switch on the presentation they'd brought.

The woman stood up and talked, and talked.

I watched in boredom, resting my chin on my hand.

"But," I interrupted her, "how do Kim Hotels benefit from advertising your newest mattress product- it is beds, right?"

"Yes, it is mattresses," Mr Smith decided to take the lead. "Kim Hotels will be the first branches to use our down mattresses in Korea, and will gain more attention as we are a big company in foreign parts,"

"Mm," I murmured. "But then I could just partner with any big company for down mattresses. Say, Silentnight,"

"But you see," Mr Smith said eagerly. "Our mattress is so special because of the new feature added to it. A built in air-conditioner, and heater, for any time of the year. They last for decades,"

"I suppose so," I rubbed my head, glancing at my phone as it buzzed. "Sorry, just a second,"

I picked up the phone. "What?"

"Are you at your parents' place?" Li-na's voice rang in my ear.

"No, I'm in a meeting," I said sourly.

"Great," she whined. "Now I have to take this basket all the way there myself,"

I snorted, oblivious to Mr Smith and his employee's confused stare. "I wouldn't have come to take it for you anyway,"

"It was worth a shot," she suddenly ended the call, making me roll my eyes.

"Sorry," I picked up my pen. "You know what kids these days are like. Alright, Mr Smith, you've convinced me. Let's sign it off,"

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"Hello," I bowed to Uncle Yoonseok. "Is Li-na home?"

"Of course she is," he chuckled, going back to his newspaper. "Where else would she be past midnight?"

"Teenage girls like to wreak havoc," I shrugged, going up to her room. As I suspected, she was laying in bed, laughing over memes.

"Hello,"

She giggled and glanced up at me, putting her phone down. "You're not Beyonce, you know,"

I rolled my eyes, remarking dryly. "Very funny. Did you get what I told you to?"

"What?" She snuggled comfortably against her pillows as she sat up, taking a stuffed white teddy bear from the edge of the bed and messing around with it.

"I texted you. Get me chocolate from 7/11, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I got it," she stood up, probably unaware that through the moonlight from the windows her nightdress went completely transparent, and rooted through a cupboard to pull out a bag.

"Here," she offered it to me, but all I could see was her curves under her dress.

I closed my eyes, cheeks burning. "Damn it, Li, put something on,"

She raised her eyebrows. "I'm literally wearing a- shit!"

She hurried to her bed and wrapped a blanket around herself, glaring at me defiantly. "You were looking,"

"No, I wasn't," I lied, picking up the bag and looking through it. "You bought every brand of chocolate they had in the store, didn't you?"

She shrugged, seemingly calmer. "You didn't say which one you wanted. Besides, your birthday is coming up soon,"

"Well, thank you very much," I said jokingly.

"You're welcome," she smiled faintly at me. "Goodnight, Taehyung-a,"

"Goodnight, Li-na,"

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Our Hope is finally back!!

2 down, 5 more to go- suddenly 2025 doesn't feel too far away

Happy reading :)