Choi San, a revered and feared mafia boss, reigns over Seoul's underworld with an iron fist, his influence extending seamlessly across both legal and illegal domains. But his empire is shaken to its core when his beloved daughter, Eun-ji, is kidnapp...
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The night had fully settled in, the earlier chaos replaced by a warm, teasing kind of comfort. San and Hongjoong, well into their second bottle of whiskey, sat across from Seonghwa and me, their voices growing louder and their words more shameless with every sip. Their glasses clinked occasionally as they leaned into their conversation, and I was starting to regret not escaping to bed earlier.
"You know what I love about Wooyoung?" Hongjoong said, his smirk devilish as he swirled the whiskey in his glass. "That sass. He's got the kind of wit that makes you want to both strangle him and kiss him at the same time."
"Definitely kiss," San added, grinning as he glanced at me, his dark eyes sparkling. "The sass is part of the charm. He'll roll his eyes, toss out one of his little quips, and suddenly I'm weak."
I groaned loudly, setting my glass of juice down and covering my face with my hands. "I'm sitting right here, you know," I said, my voice muffled and filled with exasperation.
"Exactly why we're saying it," Hongjoong replied smugly, taking another sip of his drink. "This is for your benefit, Wooyoung. Consider it an appreciation speech."
"And let's not forget Seonghwa," San added, turning his attention to the man sitting beside me. "He's got that quiet confidence. The kind that sneaks up on you and hits you like a train."
Seonghwa groaned softly, shaking his head as his cheeks flushed. "We are not talking about me," he said firmly, though the pink tinge on his ears betrayed him.
Hongjoong leaned forward, his grin widening. "Oh, but we are. Let's talk about the way you—"
"Nope!" I interrupted, standing abruptly and grabbing Seonghwa by the arm. "We're leaving. Right now. Let them finish their whiskey without us."
"Agreed," Seonghwa muttered, standing quickly as we both made a move to escape the shameless conversation.
But we didn't get far. San's arm shot out, grabbing me by the wrist, while Hongjoong did the same to Seonghwa, their grins widening as they pulled us back toward them. Before I knew it, San had tugged me against his chest, his arm wrapping around my waist, while Hongjoong did the same to Seonghwa, holding us firmly in place.
"Not so fast," San said smoothly, his lips brushing against my ear as he chuckled. "You're not getting away that easily, kitten."
"Let us go," I protested, though my voice lacked any real heat. "This is harassment."
Hongjoong laughed, holding Seonghwa close despite his attempts to wriggle free. "Harassment? No, this is love," he teased. "We're just making sure you know how much we adore you."
Seonghwa groaned again, his hands lightly pushing at Hongjoong's chest. "I don't need to know," he said flatly, his face burning. "Let me go."
"Never," Hongjoong said dramatically, pressing a playful kiss to Seonghwa's temple. "You're stuck with me forever, babe."
