𝔒𝔟𝔰𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔐𝔞𝔣𝔦𝔞

16

As they drove further from the chaotic scene of the party, Hae-rin's fake bravado started to crumble. The weight of everything came crashing down on her, and despite her snarky comments earlier, the gravity of what just happened was overwhelming. She stared out the window, her fingers anxiously fidgeting with the hem of her dress. Taehyung remained silent beside her, one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on his lap, as if they had just left a normal evening gathering.

But it wasn't normal. Nothing about this was normal.

The fear she had been holding at bay with sarcasm and banter began to creep up, settling in her chest like a cold, heavy stone. She had just witnessed a murder—an actual murder—and no one had batted an eye. Except her.

Hae-rin bit her lip, trying to steady her breathing. She felt like she was teetering on the edge of something she couldn't fully grasp—something dangerous and far too deep. She glanced at Taehyung, his sharp profile illuminated by the faint glow of the dashboard lights. How could someone so calm, so composed, pull the trigger without a second thought?

She shivered.

"Hey," Taehyung's voice broke the silence, softer than before. "You're quiet."

Hae-rin swallowed, not sure how to respond. Did he expect her to be okay with everything? To brush it off like it was nothing, just because he was the Mafia King and that's how things worked in his world?

"I'm just... processing," she said finally, her voice wavering.

Taehyung glanced at her briefly, his gaze unreadable. "Don't overthink it, Hae-rin. It was necessary."

"Necessary?" she echoed, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You shot a man, Taehyung. In front of everyone. How is that necessary?"

He sighed, his grip on the steering wheel tightening for a second. "He disrespected you. And in my world, disrespect has consequences."

Hae-rin shook her head, struggling to make sense of it all. "But does everything have to be about violence? Can't you just... I don't know... talk it out? Or, God forbid, ignore it?"

"Ignore it?" Taehyung let out a humorless chuckle. "You don't get it, do you? If I let him get away with that, if I don't show everyone that no one touches what's mine, then people will think they can. I can't afford that. Not in my position."

She frowned, feeling a mix of anger and fear bubbling up inside her. "So, what am I? Some kind of possession to you? Something you have to protect to keep your reputation?"

Taehyung's jaw clenched, and for a moment, he didn't respond. His eyes stayed focused on the road, but his silence spoke volumes.

"You're more than that," he said quietly, almost as if he was trying to convince himself. "But in my world, it's how things are."

Hae-rin scoffed, turning her gaze back to the window. "Your world is messed up."

He didn't argue. Instead, they drove in silence for a while longer, the tension between them thick and unspoken.

After what felt like an eternity, they pulled up to the entrance of Taehyung's mansion. The towering gates opened automatically, and they drove down the long, winding driveway. The mansion loomed ahead, dark and imposing, a perfect reflection of the man beside her.

Taehyung parked the car and turned off the engine. Hae-rin made no move to get out, her hands clenched in her lap.

"You don't have to be afraid," he said, his voice low but firm. "No one will hurt you as long as you're with me."

Hae-rin finally turned to him, her eyes filled with a mixture of emotions—fear, confusion, anger, and something else she couldn't quite place. "But what if the person I'm most afraid of is you, Taehyung?"

Her words hung in the air like a challenge, and for the first time, she saw something shift in his eyes—something almost vulnerable. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the cold, guarded mask he always wore.

"You don't need to be afraid of me, Hae-rin," he said, his voice hardening. "I'm your protection, not your enemy."

She shook her head, her heart heavy with doubt. "I don't even know who you really are."

Taehyung leaned closer, his dark eyes piercing hers. "You will. In time."

Hae-rin swallowed the lump in her throat, her mind racing. Was this really her life now? Stuck in a dangerous world where violence was the answer to everything? Where she had to constantly watch her back, even around the man who claimed to protect her?

She didn't have the strength to argue anymore. With a heavy sigh, she opened the car door and stepped out, the cold night air biting at her skin.

Taehyung followed closely behind, his presence looming over her like a shadow. Together, they walked toward the mansion, their footsteps echoing in the quiet night.

As they reached the grand entrance, Hae-rin paused, her hand resting on the door handle. She looked back at Taehyung, her voice barely a whisper.

"Am I ever going to get used to this?"

He stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "Maybe," he said finally. "Or maybe you'll learn to see it differently."

Hae-rin gave a small, bitter laugh. "I guess we'll see."

And with that, she pushed open the door, stepping into the darkness of her new, uncertain reality.