Chasing Butterflies

Risk vs. Reward

"No!"

"It's a deal—"

"Izzy what the hell are you thinking?" She whipped around to face Jungkook, who was staring at her like she had completely lost her mind. And to him, agreeing to sell yourself to the man who ruined your life was insane.

"I'm thinking that there's a very good chance you'll win this game and we can all walk away from this forever. No more debt. No more crazy ex," she sighed. "It's a gamble, I know that, but it's a risk I'm willing to take," her voice dropped to a desperate whisper. "If this could help you guys then it's worth it."

Seven pairs of sad eyes watched her, taking in the memory of this wonderful girl as if it were the last time—and it very well could be. They knew all too well that Youngkyun had been playing these games far longer than they had and he ran this ring, which meant that he held all the cards, both figuratively and literally.

"Izz—"

"Kim Iseul, have you lost your mind?" A furious voice screamed from the edge of the room.

"This can't be happening," Izzy whispered to herself as her head fell back in aggravation. "Not right now."

"You have no business making bets with anyone. You shouldn't even be here!" Her father stormed up to her in a fit of rage, making this into an even bigger scene than it already was. And just as Izzy was opening her mouth to shout back at her father, Youngkyun cut in.

"It seems you're forgetting your own deal with me, Sanghyuk." Izzy's eyebrows furrowed while her fathers face paled into a sick grayish color.

"What deal?" Izzy inquired out of her own morbid curiosity.

"This doesn't concern you, Iseul."

"Actually it does." Youngkyun's statement made Izzy whip around to face him.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Watch your language! I am your family young lady, you will not speak in front of me like that!" Her father was fuming now, his once pale face was an ugly red.

"No! You may be my father but you are not my family. As far as I'm concerned, you are no better than a stranger to me. So I will speak in whatever way I please." Leaving Sanghyuk speechless, Izzy turned back to Youngkyun. "Now what deal are you talking about?"

Youngkyun smirked, "I'm talking about how your father went bankrupt and came crawling to me for money. Which I gave to him on the condition that he hands you over to me."

Jimin's grip tightened on Izzy's waist as the blood drained from her face. The first thing she felt was shock, followed quickly by disgust, which was rapidly replaced with a deep, burning rage.

"Hand me over? As if I'm some worthless trinket that you can just trade around?" Now she was yelling. Izzy didn't like to yell, but she couldn't just keep swallowing all the crap they were throwing at her. She'd had enough.

"No. No, I've had enough of both of you," she sucked in a much-needed breath and turned to her boys.
"Play the game, I trust you guys to do this," she whipped around to face Youngkyun and her father.
"And when they win and this is over, I never want to see either one of you ever again. Leave us all the hell alone, because I am done with you. I'm done."

Youngkyun smirked one last time and waltzed away to take his seat at the table. Izzy's father glared at her for a moment before he clenched his jaw and walked stiffly to his own seat. That left only Izzy and the boys standing silently in the corner of the ballroom. Jin laid a gentle hand on Izzy's shoulder and Jimin's arms cinched just a bit tighter around her torso.

Yoongi's fists clenched, "Izzy, why the hell would you agree to that?" He was fuming while the others were too anxious to even voice their own anger.

"Because I believe in you guys," Izzy looked Yoongi right in the eye and told him the truth. "There is seven of you and one of him, the chances that one of you wins are pretty damn good. You guys can do this. And once it's over none of us will ever have to see Yongkyun again," Izzy felt Jimin's chest swell in anger against her back when she spoke his name. Her lungs were being constricted by his tight grip but she didn't care one bit. Just that morning Jimin had been avoiding her like the plague and now he had her pressed to his chest, there was no way in hell Izzy was going to complain about that.

"Alright," Namjoon sighed heavily and clapped Hoseok on the back. "Let's do this."

He wasn't feeling as confident as Izzy seemed to be right now. Namjoon had dealt with Youngkyun firsthand and he knew that he didn't play fair, and even if they somehow managed to win this game, there was no guarantee that he would uphold his end of the deal. But Izzy was on the line, and he would do everything he could to keep her away from the man who made their lives a living hell for so many years. Namjoon walked solemnly to the game table, followed by the other boys—all but Jimin.

Izzy stood silent for a moment, still wrapped securely in Jimin's arms. But after a few moments, someone had to break the silence.

"Jimin—"

"No Izzy," he interrupted, "I need to say something." He shut his eyes and leaned his forehead against the side of Izzy's head.

"I'm sorry," he began. "I'm sorry for ignoring you. I'm sorry for thinking that it would actually help you. I'm sorry for getting mad when you were on the couch with Taehyung and Jungkook—"

"Wait, why were you mad about—"

"But mostly, I'm sorry that it took me this long to apologize for being the biggest ass on the planet. Because the truth is that I've missed you like hell, Izzy. And if I ever decide do something that stupid I want you to slap me right across the face," he laughed humorlessly into her hair and breathed in the floral scent of her favorite shampoo.
"I love you Izzy. Hell, I'm in love with you."

Izzy stood speechless. Jimin loved her. Jimin loved her. This was crazy; him confessing to her like this. It was too soon. They'd only know each other a few months. How could he possibly love her? A million thoughts of doubt raged through Izzy's head in the span of a second, filling her with endless worry. But when she felt his gentle breath on her neck, all those thoughts disappeared, the entire room disappeared, and it was just her and Jimin. The man who lent her his jacket, who rescued her from a freezing railway station, who she shared a sunny bedroom with. It was her Jimin.

Izzy opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't say anything. Let's just get through this game. Then we can go home and we can talk, really talk. Because I have a lot of things I need to say to you, Izzy. But let's just get through this first." He pulled away a bit, just enough to see her face.

Mascara was smudged beneath her wide eyes and she looked like she hadn't slept in days, but to Jimin she was still perfect. He intended to tell her that.

"Please tell me we can talk tonight," he pleaded. His pink lips were parted just a bit and it took all the self-restraint in her body for Izzy not to just kiss him right then. Instead, she simply nodded, and Jimin let out a content sigh.

"Thank you," he sighed and pulled away from her altogether. Jimin gave Izzy a crinkle-eyed smile and jogged back to the game table where several dozen confused business men, six friends with knowing looks on their eyes, and one angry ex-boyfriend sat waiting.