The Innocent and The King

Chapter Three - A World of Shadows

Reva’s eyes flickered open to the dim light of the penthouse. She had barely slept, her thoughts consumed by everything that had happened since she stepped foot in Seoul. The plush bed, the soft sheets, the sprawling view of the city—it all felt so unreal. She wasn’t used to this kind of life. In her world, she had always found comfort in simple things: a warm cup of tea, an afternoon walk with stray cats, and the company of animals who never judged her. But now, she was in the middle of a world where power ruled and mercy was a foreign concept.

The cold, indifferent world of Jeon Jungkook.

Sighing, Reva pushed herself up, her soft frame feeling heavy under the weight of uncertainty. She needed to understand what was going on, but every time she tried to ask him questions, Jungkook’s answers were always guarded and cryptic. She had come here for work, to explore a new city, to find herself—certainly not to be entangled in the dangerous world he seemed to command.

She glanced at the clock—almost noon. She had no idea what time it was when she had fallen asleep, but now that she was awake, she couldn’t ignore the gnawing feeling in her stomach. Her hunger was secondary to her fear, though. The image of the men who had been following her the day before flashed through her mind, and she winced. She was in danger, no matter how much Jungkook insisted that he would protect her. The thought of being surrounded by this world of crime, secrets, and violence felt suffocating.

After a few minutes of internal struggle, Reva finally stood up and decided she needed to speak to Jungkook again. She had to know more about what was going on, about the threat that seemed to follow her. Was it really connected to him? Was she really a target just because she had caught his attention?

The heavy door to the master suite opened with a soft click as Reva stepped into the living room. Her eyes immediately landed on Jungkook, who stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his gaze cast out over the city. He had been there when she woke up, but he hadn’t said anything. That stoic expression of his—so unreadable, so powerful—only added to the tension in the room.

“Good morning,” she said cautiously, her voice quiet.

Jungkook didn’t turn, but his head tilted ever so slightly, a subtle acknowledgment of her presence. “Morning,” he replied flatly, not meeting her eyes. His voice, as usual, carried an edge that made her feel as if she were a mere pawn in his world—a world she still didn’t understand.

“I need to know what’s going on, Jungkook,” Reva said, walking toward him slowly. “What’s happening? Why are those men after me? Why are you involved?”

His lips tightened at her words. He didn’t look at her immediately, but his fingers flexed at his sides. She could feel the weight of his silence pressing down on her.

“I told you already,” he said after a moment, his voice rough, “you’re involved because you’re in my world now. They won’t stop until they get to you, whether I like it or not.”

Reva’s heart pounded, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of it all. “But I didn’t ask for this! I don’t even know you! Why did they target me?”

Jungkook’s jaw clenched. “I’m not the one who decides who gets hurt,” he said, his voice laced with an emotion Reva couldn’t quite read. “But when you’re in my life, people come after you. They’ll try to use you against me.”

Reva swallowed hard, her eyes starting to well up with tears. She had never felt so out of place, so terrified, and yet she couldn’t stop the feeling of helplessness that washed over her. She had always been the one to offer comfort, the one who fed stray cats, who rescued animals off the street, who offered kindness to everyone she met. But in this world, her kindness, her softness, seemed like a liability.

“I don’t want to be a part of this world,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I want to go home.”

Jungkook turned sharply, finally locking eyes with her. His gaze softened, just a fraction, as if the weight of her words had struck him. “I can’t let you leave,” he said firmly. “Not when I’ve already put you in danger. You don’t understand what you’re asking. This world isn’t like yours. There’s no going back once you’re in.”

Reva stared at him, her heart aching with a strange mixture of frustration and confusion. “Then what do you want from me?” she asked quietly, her voice almost pleading. “I’m just an innocent woman who wanted to help animals, who wanted to live a peaceful life. I don’t deserve to be dragged into your world.”

Jungkook’s expression hardened, but there was something there—something soft, hidden deep behind his usual cold demeanor. He walked toward her, his movements calculated but not aggressive. He stopped just a few feet in front of her.

“You’re innocent,” he said, his voice a low murmur. “That’s why they’ll use you against me. And that’s why I’m keeping you here. For your own safety.”

Reva’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him, her chest tightening with the emotions she couldn’t process. “Why me?” she asked softly. “Why am I the one they’re targeting? Why am I the one you’re protecting?”

Jungkook’s gaze softened even further, though it was clear he was struggling with something—something that Reva could feel but not quite understand. “Because,” he began, his voice quieter now, “I let the world burn for people I care about. And I care about you.”

The words hung in the air between them, thick with tension. Reva’s heart raced, but she couldn’t quite place the emotion that surged through her. Was it relief? Was it fear? It was something else—something confusing. He was a man who ran the most dangerous syndicate in the city, someone who had just told her that he would burn the world for her. But she couldn’t deny the strange pull she felt toward him, the flicker of something deeper that she wasn’t ready to confront.

She stepped back, the weight of his words making her feel lighter yet more burdened. “I don’t belong in this world,” she whispered.

Jungkook’s eyes softened again, but his gaze was still intense. “I’ll make sure you don’t have to.”

He turned away, walking toward the large window again, his gaze returning to the city outside. Reva stood there for a long moment, her emotions swirling like a storm she couldn’t control. She didn’t know what the future held, or how she would navigate this strange new life, but one thing was certain: her world had been irrevocably changed the moment she had crossed paths with Jeon Jungkook.

And now, she was a part of his world—a world of shadows and secrets, danger and power. Whether she liked it or not, there was no turning back.