babe, WAIT, I have an idea floating around in my mind, KAJSKAJA. imagine an au where the Yu twins (Yu Karina and Yu Jimin) exist in which Y/N has to marry Jimin but she doesn't want to get married bc she has a partner, Jimin thinks of a plan to avoid marrying Y/N, and what better way than to convince Karina that she should be the one to marry Y/N. could it be gip? but without smut? or w smut, whatever JAHSKAK
𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫
Karina x Fem!Reader
Word Count: ~5K
Synopsis: Yu Karina, the youngest twin of the Yu family, enjoys the freedom that comes with being less burdened by responsibility. Known for her party-loving ways and womanizer reputation, she’s content living her own life. But when her father forces her sister, Jimin, to go on a date with Y/N, the heir of another Chaebol family, Jimin asks Karina to step in—since she already has a girlfriend, Kim Minjeong.
Will Karina go along with Jimin’s plan, or will she refuse to get caught up in this family drama?
Tags: chaebol, bratty!Karina, twins, lying
Notes: Hey, gorgeous, thank you so much for the request! I genuinely hope you like the story. Couldn't really add the gip aspect to it since I saw no window for it...but maybe in part 2? :)
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The Chaebol culture in South Korea was one of the most toxic, unfair, and disgraceful things in the world.
There were a handful of families that owned the biggest conglomerates in the country.
They were the top of the top. Rich enough to not even be called rich.
Samsung, Hyundai, SK Groups, and the list went on.
The most recent company to have joined that group was Yu Industries—known for their fast-growing upscale hotel line and cork production. The Yu Hotels were famous for being reserved all year-round. Their prestige attracted the richest people in the country, so much so that wedding reservations had to be made years in advance.
The Yu's were relatively new to wealth.
Mister Guyn was the founder of their company, who invested a lot in the prestigious aspect of the hotels. And his son, Mister Jyung, was the current CEO, who promoted the hotel line better than anyone else. He was a smart, ruthless man.
He was also an asshole of a father.
"I don't care what you think, you're marrying that girl."
Karina looked up from her plate, munching on her salmon as her eyes fell on her twin sister, Jimin.
She could see the irritation quickly taking over. Jimin was quite responsible and put together. She was the better out of the two of them, but she was never the most patient when it came to her girlfriend, Minjeong.
Jimin clenched her jaw and looked away from their father, who sat at the head of the long, marble table.
"I have a—"
She was cut off by their mother. "Sweetie, just try to go on a date with her first. What's so hard about that?"
Jimin clenched her jaw and sighed deeply. She didn't get to reply before her father spoke up again.
"Difficult? Difficult?! She's going on a date with what will soon be the richest person in this country. The only thing difficult about this is her stupidity!"
Karina bit the insides of her cheeks to not giggle.
Her dad was a dick. A controlling, arrogant dick.
As much as she loved to rile him up and get a rise out of him, her older twin didn't, so she decided to stay quiet for the time being and finish her meal.
"Jyung..." Their mother tried to chastise softly, but he wasn't having it.
"Jyung, nothing!! This is Samsung we are talking about! We are living in the Republic of Samsung, and this is not a joking matter! I don't care if you have that useless girlfriend of yours, Jimin, you're marrying the heir!"
Karina bit her tongue and watched her sister's shoulders tensed up as the anger took over.
Her older twin was always the one to be the good girl, the proper one, the one who always got the brunt of their father's arrogance.
On the other hand, Karina got the free pass to live her life as she pleased. She went out with whoever she wanted, whenever she wanted.
She was the younger one.
She didn't have a conglomerate to inherit.
Their father always had a stick up his ass for some reason, but not with her.
Just like their mother despised Karina but loved Jimin.
Favoritism at its best.
"You don't get to talk about Minjeong like that!" Jimin quickly defended. Her pride was definitely hurt—this was her first time openly challenging her father. "She's the best student in her degree and she's making a name for herself!"
"Yeah, what major? Fucking arts?"
"It's called Oriental Painting!"
"Oh—give me a fucking break, Jimin!! Are you kidding me?!"
Karina couldn't hold her tongue anymore and burst out laughing.
"Even your sister is making fun of you!" Jyung pointed out.
Her mother's face had turned into a tomato as she glared at her, and Jimin gave her a threatening look, but Karina couldn't care less about it.
She knew her sister loved her girlfriend, but the fact that she'd been so stupid as to introduce her to their parents baffled Karina.
She hadn't said anything though.
"My bad, I'm sorry."
Jyung rolled his eyes and pointed a steak knife at Jimin. "You have a week to make your decision. Her representative wants to arrange a meeting as soon as possible. So do the only thing you're good for and marry her!"
Jimin stayed silent, hands clasped tightly together on her lap as she looked down, clearly pissed.
His timeline was essentially useless.
Jimin had made her decision the second he gave her his ultimatum.
She wasn't going to leave Minjeong, and that was it.
So, it was with a hurry to her steps and a seriousness to her face that she marched into Karina's bedroom that night.
"You're going on that date as me."
Karina, who had been reading a magazine, looked up and raised a brow. "What?"
A soft smirk spread on her lips as she sat up in the bed.
"Why would I do that?"
Jimin squinted her eyes at her twin sister and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Because you owe me. You owe me for saving your ass when you were going to fail your economics exam. You owe me for saving your ass when mom almost caught you making out with her assistant. You owe me for saving your ass when you sent your car down the ravine. You owe me—"
Karina held her hands in the air in a defensive way as Jimin rambled. "Hey, hey, hey, chill—what if someone hears you?" She hissed, glancing out the door of her room, which her sister had left open.
"So...?" Jimin raised an eyebrow, leaving Karina no other choice but to sigh.
"Fineee."
Jimin smiled in relief. "Perfect! Just make sure it goes as horribly as possible, and the Lees will never want to see our faces again."
Karina huffed and tossed the magazine on the bed before standing up.
"That's not exactly easy for me to do... How do I not accidentally charm her?"
Karina smiled as she watched her twin sister roll her eyes and turn to leave the room.
"Just be your normal self, and we'll be fine."
Karina clutched at her chest dramatically, despite knowing her sister wasn't looking at her anymore. "Oof! I'M WOUNDED! Soldier down!"
Jimin flipped her off as she left.
So, the date between Karina and Samsung's heir was planned and set.
It was mostly the Lees doing all the work—Karina just had to show up and be pretty. She didn't even have to act like her older sister. It's not like they knew Jimin.
And so, true to her standards, she arrived twenty minutes late to the date. Why? Well, because she had another date right before the Chaebol one, and the girl ended up taking more of her time than planned.
Karina arrived at the fancy restaurant and faced the receptionist. "Hi, I'm meeting up with Miss Lee?"
The old man raised a judging eyebrow at her and looked her up and down. "You're late."
Karina was surprised to say the least.
Why the hell did the waiter care if she was late or not?
Then she remembered who her date was.
Who was she kidding? The Lees probably owned the restaurant and its personnel.
"Gotta keep my date on her toes, you know?" She smiled charmingly.
He grimaced, clearly not believing her, but eventually accepted the excuse.
"She's on the 7th floor in the VIP Room. Take the elevator, and there will be another waiter waiting to give you instructions." The man looked her up and down one last time and turned with a sigh to call for the private elevator.
Karina thanked him and stepped into the elevator when the doors opened.
The elevator was almost silent as it went up.
Karina took the time to look at herself in the mirror.
She was wearing a casual black crop top with a leather jacket, her hair down and messy.
She hadn't bothered dressing very appropriately for the date—she was only there to ruin it, after all.
She only regretted her choice a little when the doors opened and the new waiter also looked her up and down.
"Follow me." He simply instructed coldly.
Karina sighed and shoved her hands in her pockets, following the waiter through the restaurant.
They passed tables and tables, and the atmosphere felt... stiff.
Most attendees were older men and women, and they all stared at Karina like she was an ant.
She bit the inside of her cheeks and tried her best not to feel too judged.
She was rich as well, why the fuck was everyone so judgy?
"Here." The waiter finally arrived at a private room at the end of a long hallway.
The VIP Room was very simple, compared to what Karina expected.
There was a table in the middle, covered by a white tablecloth.
On the wall, a huge glass window gave a perfect view of the entire city.
Karina was about to make a comment when her attention was drawn to the girl who was sitting at the table.
Karina's heart skipped a beat when her eyes fell on the figure, sitting with her eyes down.
This girl was pretty. Very, very pretty.
Maybe Karina shouldn't have arrived late after all.
"Nice to meet you." The girl smiled politely and stood up to shake Karina's hand. "I'm Y/N."
This was the heir to Samsung?
This girl that seemed to be around Karina's age?
Karina's heart skipped a beat again, and she almost missed the extended hand.
She cleared her throat, mentally cursing herself for the way her body was reacting. She was just a girl.
"Pleasure." She grabbed Y/N's hand and gently shook it.
"I'm..." she paused, remembering she wasn't supposed to be herself. "Jimin."
She had been on many dates in the past few months. Everyone always dressed to the nines, but 'Jimin' seemed to be more at ease. More confident.
"Jimin..." She repeated, memorizing the name. "Thanks for coming." Truth be told, after 25 minutes of waiting, she began thinking her date wouldn't be showing up.
Karina was surprised to hear politeness in the girl's voice.
Most of the people she socialized with were all spoiled brats.
"Of course." She chuckled anxiously, shoving her hands in her pockets.
Karina mentally cursed herself. Why was she so nervous?
"I'm sorry for being late. I had another date before this one." Karina could swear she saw something in the girl's eyes, but it was gone way too soon.
Y/N chuckled and sat back down, gesturing at the table. "No problem, at least you made it."
She was charming. Despite the nerves, Karina couldn't help but relax in her presence.
The two sat down, and Karina immediately took a look at the menu, a frown appearing on her face.
"Are these our only options?" She muttered out loud, her nose scrunching up.
Y/N frowned, looking down at her own menu. It seemed pretty diverse to her... maybe for 'Jimin' it wasn't?
"Would you like to go somewhere else?"
Karina hummed, looking over the menu once more and sighing.
She leaned her chin on her palm, her eyes landing on her date and staying on her for a long moment.
Y/N was pretty. Pretty eyes, pretty hair, pretty face, soft skin. She was pretty rich too, so being here or at another high-end restaurant wouldn't matter to her. She was used to it all, and Karina had to make her hate this.
A new idea suddenly sparked up in her mind.
"Yes, actually." She shrugged. "If I'm going to have a boring dinner, I'd at least like to pick our spot."
Surprised, Y/N closed her menu and looked at Karina, tilting her head to the side.
"Where would you like to go then?" She inquired curiously, wondering how this date would go if this was how it started.
Karina smirked and rested her hands on her lap, crossing one leg over the other.
"You'll see when we get there."
And that's how they found themselves stepping through the doors of McDonald's.
Y/N smiled somewhat nostalgically and pushed a chair out for 'Jimin' to sit. "Already know what you're gonna order?"
Karina sat down with a slight chuckle, watching Y/N take the seat in front of her.
"I'll have a Big Mac, a McFlurry, and a double cheeseburger." She confirmed, drumming her fingers on the table.
She had hoped to ruin the date at a minimum, but the sight of Y/N being fine with the location was throwing her off.
Y/N nodded and stood up to go order for them. She appreciated the choice to get out of the fancy restaurant and come here. It made things feel less uptight and more personal.
Karina watched her leave for the counter and leaned her chin into her palm, eyeing Y/N's figure.
She looked way too good to be eating at McDonald's. There was no hint of discomfort on her face.
Karina silently cursed.
She needed to up her game.
"Here we go." Y/N came back with two trays of food.
She didn't seem too sturdy on her movements, so Karina reached out to help her, only to find herself with a Happy Meal box in front of her.
Karina stilled for a moment, and the corners of her lips tugged up into a smile as she stared from the girl in front of her to her food choice.
"A Happy Meal? Really?"
Y/N shrugged, not bothered by the comment, and reached for the box. "They come with cool toys."
Karina squinted her eyes in amusement. She wasn't supposed to be enjoying this date. "Cool toys made for kids, you know?"
"Cool toys nonetheless."
Karina chuckled and watched Y/N gently open the box and free the toy from it.
"Does Mr. Samsung know his future heir likes to play with toys?" She raised an eyebrow as she unwrapped her hamburger.
Karina watched as Y/N tensed up. It wasn't very noticeable, but Karina caught the way her shoulders tightened up.
"My father is a very busy man." Y/N smiled, leaving her response at that.
Karina nodded along and chewed on her food.
A thought popped up inside her mind, and she leaned back in her chair, a smirk adorning her face.
"Does he know you're here? On a date with a girl who's barely a Chaebol?"
Y/N looked up from her burger. "Yes, he does. He basically gave me a list of names to choose from, and you were on it, Jimin."
Karina raised an eyebrow. Well, that was unexpected.
"A list for what?"
Y/N looked at her like it was obvious. "For the people I may marry in the future. I've already met a lot of the guys on the list, none of them took me to McDonald's."
Karina bit back a huff, doing her best to control her expressions.
"My father is the same."
Y/N smiled knowingly. "Yeah, I figured you didn't have much of a choice when it came to this date." That's why she was being so nice—she knew 'Jimin' didn't want to be there, so the least she could do was make the entire thing as enjoyable as possible. "I also figured your choices are much more narrow."
Samsung was number 1, so they had all the other conglomerates to choose from.
Yu Industries were smaller Chaebols, so the fact that they had a chance to form this connection with Samsung was surely the most important thing to them. Y/N could only imagine the pressure 'Jimin's' father was putting on her to ensure this date went well.
She appreciated 'Jimin's' willingness to keep being herself. To not suck up to her and make sure everything was perfect.
Karina gulped, taking a step back from the entire conversation.
She was there as Jimin, not as herself, but something about the genuine emotion in Y/N's eyes made her want to open up.
She cleared her throat and looked down at her hamburger. "Yeah, my younger sister, Karina, is much luckier. My father just lets her do whatever she wants, with whoever she wants, whenever she wants. He's always much more focused on me, since I'm the heir."
Y/N hummed, understanding the situation. "I mean, that doesn't really seem like love to me, honestly. My younger siblings are like that as well. They pretend they don't care and that they're happy our parents only focus on me, but I can see that they also suffer. Every kid wants attention from their parents."
Karina halted for a few seconds, her breath caught in her throat as she looked back at the girl in front of her. In just a few seconds, Y/N had managed to dissect and analyze the very core of Karina's life without even knowing it.
"Given the chance, would you have chosen to be in your sibling's place or not?" she asked, her voice more serious than before.
Y/N thought about it for a few seconds. "I guess, yeah. It's a lot of pressure to know that everything will eventually fall on your shoulders. That you need to be strong enough to handle it." She shrugged, nodding at Karina. "You understand, right?"
No. No, Karina really didn't. But she gained a bit more respect for her older sister.
"Yeah," she let out a fake chuckle, remembering what she was supposed to be doing in the first place. "Not really. I think you're weak for feeling that. I expected the heir of Samsung to be more confident."
Karina didn't know why she said that. It just came out, and it was too late to take it back.
Y/N froze for a moment and stared at her.
Karina expected Y/N's eyes to widen or for her to become angry.
She anticipated harsh words or even being reprimanded for saying such a thing.
Instead, Y/N's lips tugged into a small smile. "Your confidence is admirable. I've always wanted to be more self-assured."
Karina felt a pang of guilt when her eyes landed on the smile on Y/N's face.
She was supposed to be making the date horrible for Y/N, supposed to be making Y/N dislike her.
"You..." She stopped, struggling to find the right words.
What was she supposed to say?
"You're very pretty," Karina blurted out, the words falling off her lips before she could even process what she said.
She mentally cursed herself, looking down at her lap to hide the sudden pink shade that dusted her cheeks.
Y/N was surprised to say the least.
She chuckled softly, enjoying 'Jimin' far more than she ever thought she would. The people she went out with were always very proper and boring. 'Jimin' was unique in the best way.
"I appreciate it, though I don't think my looks can be compared to yours."
Karina felt her heart skip a beat again and mentally chided herself.
She had no idea what the hell was going on, why she was suddenly feeling this way.
"That's not true...I-" She struggled to find the right words to say.
Karina was supposed to be making Y/N hate her, supposed to be making her despise being around her, and she was failing miserably.
"Just shut up and eat your stupid Happy Meal," she eventually huffed, stuffing her mouth with her food as Y/N laughed.
Karina went on to do her very worst throughout the rest of the date.
Nothing worked.
If anything, Y/N only seemed to be getting more amused as Karina became more and more charmed.
It was ridiculous. So much so that when the date ended and Karina returned back home, she could barely reply to her twin sister.
"How did it go?" Jimin asked, lying on the couch with Minjeong in her arms.
Karina didn't need to ask if her parents were home. The simple fact that Minjeong was there was answer enough.
"Aced it. She hates you."
Jimin opened her mouth to probe into the date even more, but Karina didn't let her.
"I'm going to bed! You two better not bother me."
Her words were enough to reassure Jimin.
The date was done. The heir didn't like her and would never call her again.
Of course, that's what the older twin originally thought.
A week later, she found out she was wrong.
"Jimin, I'm glad you've come to your senses." Her father's compliment was as unexpected as a meteor flying by right at that moment.
Jimin looked up from her plate of food with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"
Mister Yu smiled, a sight that was so rare it creeped Jimin and Karina out. "The Samsung heir apparently liked you a lot. She proposed another date between the two of you."
Jimin almost spat out the juice she was drinking, just barely managing to maintain her composure as she turned to glare at Karina.
"She...she did?" She choked out, jaw clenched.
Karina gulped and shrugged. She had done her very best to ruin the date...it's not her fault Y/N liked her. But why did she feel happy about the news?
"Indeed, I'm proud of you."
Jimin almost rolled her eyes.
She had been her high school student of honor. She had graduated from the university her father chose for her, under the degree he chose for her. He never uttered a word about it. The one time she really didn't want to do something was the one time he was proud?
"Of course." She smiled tightly, kicking Karina's leg under the table. It was the only thing she could do to not jump on her twin right then and there.
Karina felt the kick against her leg and did her best to suppress a wince, pretending that nothing was wrong.
She shouldn't be happy...but she was.
Would she ever tell her sister that she had developed a small crush on Samsung's heir? No, no, of course not.
Instead, when Jimin burst into her bedroom ready to kill her, she went with: "It's not my fault!! I told you that it was a possibility she would fall for me!"
Jimin growled, almost punching her twin in the face.
"You had one job!! One single job! Ruin the date!"
Karina shrugged her shoulders, a smug smile on her face. "I did, I was rude, I was sarcastic, I was a complete brat the entire time."
"Then why does she want a second date?! I want to marry Minjeong, not that stupid fucking heir," Jimin complained, falling backward on the bed.
Karina didn't know why, but she felt offended at the way her twin called Y/N.
She cleared her throat and shook her head. "She's actually quite nice..."
"Are you serious?" Jimin raised her head from the bed, a bewildered look on her face. "Did she charm you too? It's her entire plan, you know. She's nice so you start to think she's cute and-"
"She is cute. She looks like a damn model," Karina defended again with a roll of her eyes. "But that doesn't matter. Her charm didn't work. You'll see, I'll completely ruin this next date. She won't call again."
Jimin groaned and covered her face with a pillow, mumbling a few curses.
"You're so damn useless." She huffed before finally removing the pillow.
"Just... just don't ruin it any more than that, will you?" Jimin sat up on the bed and looked at her twin.
"You know I don't play with Minjeong."
"I knowwww, I know. I promise I'll take care of this."
And again...
Karina tried.
She really did.
On the second date, she decided that 25 minutes just wasn't enough anymore. So, she arrived a full hour and a half late.
Y/N didn't show any hint of annoyance. Instead, the sweet smile on her face got wider as she welcomed the late girl.
"There you are. Hi, Jimin."
And Karina almost cursed the Gods. Her sister's name sounded so sweet brushing past those pretty lips. This was unfair. It should be hers.
"I didn't plan on seeing you again." She went straight to the point with a slightly icy tone. Guilt clawed at her chest when she noticed the way Y/N's smile fell ever so slightly.
"I was hoping we could go to Burger King this time."
The joke made Karina's lips lift into an unwanted smile.
God, why was this girl so fucking endearing?
Karina did her best to maintain a serious expression as she shook her head at the mention of another burger place.
"No, no, I was thinking we could try something else."
"What do you have in mind then?" Y/N asked, tilting her head to the side as she fiddled with the ends of her blouse.
Karina's eyes couldn't help but stray to the way the girl's fingers moved against the silk material of the beautiful clothing. It was simple but elegant and probably worth more than a house.
Shaking the distracting thoughts from her mind, she couldn't help but smile at the idea that suddenly crossed her mind.
Karina knew that her family's hotels were completely filled at that time of the year. It was September, wedding season.
And so, the two girls would spend the rest of their afternoon hopping from hotel to hotel, visiting wedding after wedding.
It was the worst date idea Karina could think of, but, surprisingly, even that turned out alright.
From what Karina could remember... they both got drunk, met a Bruno Mars impersonator who insisted on being called by his real name... Johnny; had a small beef with a dude who was hosting a podcast in the corner of the hall; thought they saw Jennie and Lisa from Blackpink; ate some cake, and then found themselves on the dance floor.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the weddings, but I was really craving that Burger King." Y/N leaned in to talk in Karina's ear.
Karina's entire body shivered, feeling Y/N's warm breath dancing across her neck.
"We can do that on our next date." Karina didn't know what she was saying.
Next date?
Jimin would kill her.
But then Y/N smiled softly and nodded, "Give me your phone."
Clarity took over Karina's mind.
This was perfect.
Y/N could just directly call her for their next dates, without having to bring her dad into the mix. Jimin wouldn't know, and Karina could continue seeing Y/N.
Karina's phone never flew out of her pocket so fast.
Fuck it.
She would do whatever she wanted, as always.
They went on that Burger King date the following day.
Karina would never forget the brightness that took over Y/N's eyes when the Whopper appeared in front of her.
"I studied in America last year... my friends and I always went out to eat fast food after our classes," the heir admitted, taking a big bite out of her hamburger.
Oh, so that's why Y/N liked going to McDonald's so much?
Karina smiled amusedly, "What did you study? Business administration?"
Y/N rolled her eyes softly. "Obviously... but I also minored in astronomy. Don't tell my father, please."
Needless to say, Karina was surprised.
Astronomy?
Samsung's heir was interested in astronomy?
They went to Seoul's Cosmos Science Center for their next date.
When Karina cursed out the asteroid for killing her "pretty dinosaurs," Y/N figured out the location for their fourth date—Seoul's Museum of National History.
The two essentially spent the month together.
Karina couldn't even count the number of dates they had been on. Ranging from things as crazy as the weddings to more simple hangouts.
And she enjoyed every single one.
They both forgot about their families. They forgot about the expectations placed upon them and the future that awaited them.
They grew addicted to each other.
So much so, that Karina started arriving on time to their dates.
So much so, that Karina started inviting Y/N out, instead of the other way around.
Y/N stepped inside the closed pool at midnight, frowning in confusion and looking down at her phone to check the time.
Karina was laying on a beach chair, a towel around her body hiding her swimsuit.
She had her eyes closed. Her body was tense and she had a soft frown on her face.
"You're... you're here early." Y/N raised an eyebrow.
The Yu girl rolled her eyes at the surprise in her expressions and shrugged.
"My day was too much today. I was hoping to freshen up a little."
Oh.
So that's why Karina had sent her a text message telling her to suddenly meet up at the Yu Hotel of central Seoul. Karina had shut down the entire pool just for herself and Y/N. Her father would probably curse her out tomorrow morning, but she couldn't care less. It's not like this was her first time doing things like this.
Y/N walked to Karina, a worried glint taking over her eyes as she discarded her belongings and sat on the expensive beach chair beside Karina's.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
Karina wanted to talk about it.
She really did.
She wanted nothing more than to vent about her mother ignoring her the entire day.
She wanted nothing more than to tell Y/N that her parents had decided to go out for lunch with her sister and not her.
But she couldn't.
Jimin was not ignored by their parents. She was.
She was not the precious heir Y/N thought she was. Which only frustrated her more.
"It's nothing." She ended up huffing out.
"Are you sure?" Y/N reached her hand out and placed it on top of Karina's, fingers wrapping comfortingly around it.
Karina looked up and felt any argument in her mind die as she stared at Y/N's sweet smile.
It was impossible to stay mad, frustrated, or annoyed when Y/N smiled at her like that.
Her features immediately softened, and she let out a small sigh.
"Yeah, I'm sure..."
She wasn't really.
But it didn't matter anymore.
She was with Y/N. It was just the two of them. So she was fine now.
"Let's go for a swim." She stood up, using their interlaced fingers to hoist Y/N up.
Y/N felt her eyes widen when the towel fell past Karina's shoulders to the ground, revealing the most perfect body she had ever seen.
Her cheeks reddened, and she found herself looking away.
"Are you coming or not?" Karina asked, already walking to the swimming pool.
"Yeah, yeah." Y/N smiled softly and took off her shirt to reveal the bikini she was wearing underneath. "So impatient."
Karina couldn't help her eyes from wandering away from Y/N's face and down her body.
God, she was so screwed.
"Definitely not impatient, take your time." She barely registered the words as they escaped her mouth.
Y/N let out a soft chuckle and shook her head, leaning down to remove her pants.
Karina, in the meanwhile, tried to commit Y/N's gorgeous body to memory.
The girl was beautiful.
"You're staring."
Her voice pulled Karina out of her thoughts, realization striking her when she noticed the amused smile on Y/N's lips.
"I have a right to stare at my future wife."
"Wow, future wife?" Y/N couldn't help but smile as she stepped up to Karina.
Karina nodded, satisfied with herself.
She wrapped her arms around Y/N's neck and pulled her closer.
"Mhmm, you said it yourself on our first date."
"I'm pretty sure I was joking that day." Y/N replied, rolling her eyes lightly.
Y/N definitely hadn't been joking that day.
Karina chuckled softly, her index finger brushing against Y/N's collarbone.
"Well, are you joking now?" The words left her mouth just as she took a step forward. They were definitely very close. Closer than they had ever been before.
All it would take for their lips to meet was a small lean in.
Y/N gulped, feeling hypnotized as she stared into Karina's eyes.
She didn't know how to respond, so she did the only thing that came to her mind.
She took two steps forward, forcing Karina to take two back, and they both fell into the pool.
Karina couldn't hold back her gasp when her back splashed into the water.
It was cold against her skin but soon warmed up as Y/N's body collided with hers.
Her hands found purchase on the girl's hips, pulling her closer as they both re-emerged.
"You're terrible." She smiled, lifting a wet hand to push back the strands of hair that stuck to Y/N's face.
"You flustered me, I'm sorry." Y/N's honesty was just as endearing as ever.
Karina couldn't control herself.
In that moment, she felt completely overwhelmed by the love she was feeling towards Y/N.
So, she leaned in and kissed her.
Y/N melted against her body.
She let out a soft gasp into the kiss, but her arms encircled Karina's neck, bringing her infinitely closer.
The water didn't feel cold anymore. At that moment, everything felt warm. From the way their bodies pressed together to their joined lips.
Y/N's fingers traveled up and tangled in the strands of wet, black hair.
Karina parted her lips slightly, allowing Y/N more access to her mouth. Her fingers dug into Y/N's hips as she pulled the girl even closer, wanting to completely eliminate the nonexistent distance that separated them.
She deepened the kiss, biting on Y/N's lower lip and drawing a surprised gasp from the girl's mouth. Karina's tongue quickly took advantage of those parted lips, exploring every crevice she found in Y/N's mouth.
"You're so perfect," she breathed out between kisses.
"So, so—" and another kiss, "perfect."
Y/N chuckled softly, leaning in to peck Karina's lips.
"You're perfect, Jimin."
Karina froze, her blood running cold and her lips stopping all movement.
Suddenly, all the thoughts and memories she'd carefully buried away came rushing to the surface.
Her parents, her sister, the deal that had started all of this...
She stepped back, slipping out of Y/N's embrace and avoiding looking into her eyes.
God, she was such an asshole.
"We should go."
Y/N frowned in confusion.
Maybe they had taken things too far?
Maybe they had gone too fast for 'Jimin'?
"Hey, it's okay. We can take things slow—" She tried to reach out for her hand, but Karina pulled away and interrupted her.
"Let's just go, come on. We can't keep the pool closed for too long."
Karina didn't even bother drying her hair or her body after getting out of the pool. She hastily gathered her clothes and rushed out of there.
Y/N simply watched her, completely frozen in place as her brain tried to process what had happened.
Everything had been going so well.
Karina was the one who kissed her, so it's not like Y/N was crossing any unknown boundaries.
The heir of Samsung sighed and shook her head.
By the time she dried herself and left the pool area, Karina was long gone.
She tried texting and calling her.
She tried it several times over the next few days, only to be completely ignored.
Frustration, anger, and hurt soon began to take over... as one would expect.
So, Y/N used her connections to get what she wanted and found herself stepping up to the porch of the Yu family's mansion.
She rang the bell and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
When the door opened and the familiar face she had come to love appeared in front of her, she didn't know whether she wanted to cry out of happiness or sadness.
But Jimin—the real Jimin—only smiled politely. "Hi, you must be the new gardener my parents are waiting for."
Woah, you left another wonderful piece with the "Since She Has a Lover"
I love u so much! Thank you for writing all these beautiful pieces (Just finished the other one with the Dem in the title and the first part of the Winter one)! Take your time with the next part of the 2 Karina works! I love u again! Reading your works made my day! Have a wonderful day! ^3^♡
I appreciate it honey, I genuinely appreciate it.
Thanks for taking your time to read it and send me this message, always makes me so so happy :)
I'll take my time to make sure the 2nd part is okay.
Reading your message made my day haha so thank youuu gorgeous. Love yaaa, have a great day 💋
Hello! It's my first coming across with your story and I love the assassin story so much! I can't wait for the next part/s. I hope you're doing well. I'm rooting for you! ^3^ ♡
Honey, you're so lovely 💋💋
Thank you so much for shooting me this message, I really appreciate it!
I'll do my very best to make the second part good for you :) rooting for you as well 🫶
babe, WAIT, I have an idea floating around in my mind, KAJSKAJA. imagine an au where the Yu twins (Yu Karina and Yu Jimin) exist in which Y/N has to marry Jimin but she doesn't want to get married bc she has a partner, Jimin thinks of a plan to avoid marrying Y/N, and what better way than to convince Karina that she should be the one to marry Y/N. could it be gip? but without smut? or w smut, whatever JAHSKAK
𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫
Karina x Fem!Reader
Word Count: ~5K
Synopsis: Yu Karina, the youngest twin of the Yu family, enjoys the freedom that comes with being less burdened by responsibility. Known for her party-loving ways and womanizer reputation, she’s content living her own life. But when her father forces her sister, Jimin, to go on a date with Y/N, the heir of another Chaebol family, Jimin asks Karina to step in—since she already has a girlfriend, Kim Minjeong.
Will Karina go along with Jimin’s plan, or will she refuse to get caught up in this family drama?
Tags: chaebol, bratty!Karina, twins, lying
Notes: Hey, gorgeous, thank you so much for the request! I genuinely hope you like the story. Couldn't really add the gip aspect to it since I saw no window for it...but maybe in part 2? :)
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺
The Chaebol culture in South Korea was one of the most toxic, unfair, and disgraceful things in the world.
There were a handful of families that owned the biggest conglomerates in the country.
They were the top of the top. Rich enough to not even be called rich.
Samsung, Hyundai, SK Groups, and the list went on.
The most recent company to have joined that group was Yu Industries—known for their fast-growing upscale hotel line and cork production. The Yu Hotels were famous for being reserved all year-round. Their prestige attracted the richest people in the country, so much so that wedding reservations had to be made years in advance.
The Yu's were relatively new to wealth.
Mister Guyn was the founder of their company, who invested a lot in the prestigious aspect of the hotels. And his son, Mister Jyung, was the current CEO, who promoted the hotel line better than anyone else. He was a smart, ruthless man.
He was also an asshole of a father.
"I don't care what you think, you're marrying that girl."
Karina looked up from her plate, munching on her salmon as her eyes fell on her twin sister, Jimin.
She could see the irritation quickly taking over. Jimin was quite responsible and put together. She was the better out of the two of them, but she was never the most patient when it came to her girlfriend, Minjeong.
Jimin clenched her jaw and looked away from their father, who sat at the head of the long, marble table.
"I have a—"
She was cut off by their mother. "Sweetie, just try to go on a date with her first. What's so hard about that?"
Jimin clenched her jaw and sighed deeply. She didn't get to reply before her father spoke up again.
"Difficult? Difficult?! She's going on a date with what will soon be the richest person in this country. The only thing difficult about this is her stupidity!"
Karina bit the insides of her cheeks to not giggle.
Her dad was a dick. A controlling, arrogant dick.
As much as she loved to rile him up and get a rise out of him, her older twin didn't, so she decided to stay quiet for the time being and finish her meal.
"Jyung..." Their mother tried to chastise softly, but he wasn't having it.
"Jyung, nothing!! This is Samsung we are talking about! We are living in the Republic of Samsung, and this is not a joking matter! I don't care if you have that useless girlfriend of yours, Jimin, you're marrying the heir!"
Karina bit her tongue and watched her sister's shoulders tensed up as the anger took over.
Her older twin was always the one to be the good girl, the proper one, the one who always got the brunt of their father's arrogance.
On the other hand, Karina got the free pass to live her life as she pleased. She went out with whoever she wanted, whenever she wanted.
She was the younger one.
She didn't have a conglomerate to inherit.
Their father always had a stick up his ass for some reason, but not with her.
Just like their mother despised Karina but loved Jimin.
Favoritism at its best.
"You don't get to talk about Minjeong like that!" Jimin quickly defended. Her pride was definitely hurt—this was her first time openly challenging her father. "She's the best student in her degree and she's making a name for herself!"
"Yeah, what major? Fucking arts?"
"It's called Oriental Painting!"
"Oh—give me a fucking break, Jimin!! Are you kidding me?!"
Karina couldn't hold her tongue anymore and burst out laughing.
"Even your sister is making fun of you!" Jyung pointed out.
Her mother's face had turned into a tomato as she glared at her, and Jimin gave her a threatening look, but Karina couldn't care less about it.
She knew her sister loved her girlfriend, but the fact that she'd been so stupid as to introduce her to their parents baffled Karina.
She hadn't said anything though.
"My bad, I'm sorry."
Jyung rolled his eyes and pointed a steak knife at Jimin. "You have a week to make your decision. Her representative wants to arrange a meeting as soon as possible. So do the only thing you're good for and marry her!"
Jimin stayed silent, hands clasped tightly together on her lap as she looked down, clearly pissed.
His timeline was essentially useless.
Jimin had made her decision the second he gave her his ultimatum.
She wasn't going to leave Minjeong, and that was it.
So, it was with a hurry to her steps and a seriousness to her face that she marched into Karina's bedroom that night.
"You're going on that date as me."
Karina, who had been reading a magazine, looked up and raised a brow. "What?"
A soft smirk spread on her lips as she sat up in the bed.
"Why would I do that?"
Jimin squinted her eyes at her twin sister and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Because you owe me. You owe me for saving your ass when you were going to fail your economics exam. You owe me for saving your ass when mom almost caught you making out with her assistant. You owe me for saving your ass when you sent your car down the ravine. You owe me—"
Karina held her hands in the air in a defensive way as Jimin rambled. "Hey, hey, hey, chill—what if someone hears you?" She hissed, glancing out the door of her room, which her sister had left open.
"So...?" Jimin raised an eyebrow, leaving Karina no other choice but to sigh.
"Fineee."
Jimin smiled in relief. "Perfect! Just make sure it goes as horribly as possible, and the Lees will never want to see our faces again."
Karina huffed and tossed the magazine on the bed before standing up.
"That's not exactly easy for me to do... How do I not accidentally charm her?"
Karina smiled as she watched her twin sister roll her eyes and turn to leave the room.
"Just be your normal self, and we'll be fine."
Karina clutched at her chest dramatically, despite knowing her sister wasn't looking at her anymore. "Oof! I'M WOUNDED! Soldier down!"
Jimin flipped her off as she left.
So, the date between Karina and Samsung's heir was planned and set.
It was mostly the Lees doing all the work—Karina just had to show up and be pretty. She didn't even have to act like her older sister. It's not like they knew Jimin.
And so, true to her standards, she arrived twenty minutes late to the date. Why? Well, because she had another date right before the Chaebol one, and the girl ended up taking more of her time than planned.
Karina arrived at the fancy restaurant and faced the receptionist. "Hi, I'm meeting up with Miss Lee?"
The old man raised a judging eyebrow at her and looked her up and down. "You're late."
Karina was surprised to say the least.
Why the hell did the waiter care if she was late or not?
Then she remembered who her date was.
Who was she kidding? The Lees probably owned the restaurant and its personnel.
"Gotta keep my date on her toes, you know?" She smiled charmingly.
He grimaced, clearly not believing her, but eventually accepted the excuse.
"She's on the 7th floor in the VIP Room. Take the elevator, and there will be another waiter waiting to give you instructions." The man looked her up and down one last time and turned with a sigh to call for the private elevator.
Karina thanked him and stepped into the elevator when the doors opened.
The elevator was almost silent as it went up.
Karina took the time to look at herself in the mirror.
She was wearing a casual black crop top with a leather jacket, her hair down and messy.
She hadn't bothered dressing very appropriately for the date—she was only there to ruin it, after all.
She only regretted her choice a little when the doors opened and the new waiter also looked her up and down.
"Follow me." He simply instructed coldly.
Karina sighed and shoved her hands in her pockets, following the waiter through the restaurant.
They passed tables and tables, and the atmosphere felt... stiff.
Most attendees were older men and women, and they all stared at Karina like she was an ant.
She bit the inside of her cheeks and tried her best not to feel too judged.
She was rich as well, why the fuck was everyone so judgy?
"Here." The waiter finally arrived at a private room at the end of a long hallway.
The VIP Room was very simple, compared to what Karina expected.
There was a table in the middle, covered by a white tablecloth.
On the wall, a huge glass window gave a perfect view of the entire city.
Karina was about to make a comment when her attention was drawn to the girl who was sitting at the table.
Karina's heart skipped a beat when her eyes fell on the figure, sitting with her eyes down.
This girl was pretty. Very, very pretty.
Maybe Karina shouldn't have arrived late after all.
"Nice to meet you." The girl smiled politely and stood up to shake Karina's hand. "I'm Y/N."
This was the heir to Samsung?
This girl that seemed to be around Karina's age?
Karina's heart skipped a beat again, and she almost missed the extended hand.
She cleared her throat, mentally cursing herself for the way her body was reacting. She was just a girl.
"Pleasure." She grabbed Y/N's hand and gently shook it.
"I'm..." she paused, remembering she wasn't supposed to be herself. "Jimin."
She had been on many dates in the past few months. Everyone always dressed to the nines, but 'Jimin' seemed to be more at ease. More confident.
"Jimin..." She repeated, memorizing the name. "Thanks for coming." Truth be told, after 25 minutes of waiting, she began thinking her date wouldn't be showing up.
Karina was surprised to hear politeness in the girl's voice.
Most of the people she socialized with were all spoiled brats.
"Of course." She chuckled anxiously, shoving her hands in her pockets.
Karina mentally cursed herself. Why was she so nervous?
"I'm sorry for being late. I had another date before this one." Karina could swear she saw something in the girl's eyes, but it was gone way too soon.
Y/N chuckled and sat back down, gesturing at the table. "No problem, at least you made it."
She was charming. Despite the nerves, Karina couldn't help but relax in her presence.
The two sat down, and Karina immediately took a look at the menu, a frown appearing on her face.
"Are these our only options?" She muttered out loud, her nose scrunching up.
Y/N frowned, looking down at her own menu. It seemed pretty diverse to her... maybe for 'Jimin' it wasn't?
"Would you like to go somewhere else?"
Karina hummed, looking over the menu once more and sighing.
She leaned her chin on her palm, her eyes landing on her date and staying on her for a long moment.
Y/N was pretty. Pretty eyes, pretty hair, pretty face, soft skin. She was pretty rich too, so being here or at another high-end restaurant wouldn't matter to her. She was used to it all, and Karina had to make her hate this.
A new idea suddenly sparked up in her mind.
"Yes, actually." She shrugged. "If I'm going to have a boring dinner, I'd at least like to pick our spot."
Surprised, Y/N closed her menu and looked at Karina, tilting her head to the side.
"Where would you like to go then?" She inquired curiously, wondering how this date would go if this was how it started.
Karina smirked and rested her hands on her lap, crossing one leg over the other.
"You'll see when we get there."
And that's how they found themselves stepping through the doors of McDonald's.
Y/N smiled somewhat nostalgically and pushed a chair out for 'Jimin' to sit. "Already know what you're gonna order?"
Karina sat down with a slight chuckle, watching Y/N take the seat in front of her.
"I'll have a Big Mac, a McFlurry, and a double cheeseburger." She confirmed, drumming her fingers on the table.
She had hoped to ruin the date at a minimum, but the sight of Y/N being fine with the location was throwing her off.
Y/N nodded and stood up to go order for them. She appreciated the choice to get out of the fancy restaurant and come here. It made things feel less uptight and more personal.
Karina watched her leave for the counter and leaned her chin into her palm, eyeing Y/N's figure.
She looked way too good to be eating at McDonald's. There was no hint of discomfort on her face.
Karina silently cursed.
She needed to up her game.
"Here we go." Y/N came back with two trays of food.
She didn't seem too sturdy on her movements, so Karina reached out to help her, only to find herself with a Happy Meal box in front of her.
Karina stilled for a moment, and the corners of her lips tugged up into a smile as she stared from the girl in front of her to her food choice.
"A Happy Meal? Really?"
Y/N shrugged, not bothered by the comment, and reached for the box. "They come with cool toys."
Karina squinted her eyes in amusement. She wasn't supposed to be enjoying this date. "Cool toys made for kids, you know?"
"Cool toys nonetheless."
Karina chuckled and watched Y/N gently open the box and free the toy from it.
"Does Mr. Samsung know his future heir likes to play with toys?" She raised an eyebrow as she unwrapped her hamburger.
Karina watched as Y/N tensed up. It wasn't very noticeable, but Karina caught the way her shoulders tightened up.
"My father is a very busy man." Y/N smiled, leaving her response at that.
Karina nodded along and chewed on her food.
A thought popped up inside her mind, and she leaned back in her chair, a smirk adorning her face.
"Does he know you're here? On a date with a girl who's barely a Chaebol?"
Y/N looked up from her burger. "Yes, he does. He basically gave me a list of names to choose from, and you were on it, Jimin."
Karina raised an eyebrow. Well, that was unexpected.
"A list for what?"
Y/N looked at her like it was obvious. "For the people I may marry in the future. I've already met a lot of the guys on the list, none of them took me to McDonald's."
Karina bit back a huff, doing her best to control her expressions.
"My father is the same."
Y/N smiled knowingly. "Yeah, I figured you didn't have much of a choice when it came to this date." That's why she was being so nice—she knew 'Jimin' didn't want to be there, so the least she could do was make the entire thing as enjoyable as possible. "I also figured your choices are much more narrow."
Samsung was number 1, so they had all the other conglomerates to choose from.
Yu Industries were smaller Chaebols, so the fact that they had a chance to form this connection with Samsung was surely the most important thing to them. Y/N could only imagine the pressure 'Jimin's' father was putting on her to ensure this date went well.
She appreciated 'Jimin's' willingness to keep being herself. To not suck up to her and make sure everything was perfect.
Karina gulped, taking a step back from the entire conversation.
She was there as Jimin, not as herself, but something about the genuine emotion in Y/N's eyes made her want to open up.
She cleared her throat and looked down at her hamburger. "Yeah, my younger sister, Karina, is much luckier. My father just lets her do whatever she wants, with whoever she wants, whenever she wants. He's always much more focused on me, since I'm the heir."
Y/N hummed, understanding the situation. "I mean, that doesn't really seem like love to me, honestly. My younger siblings are like that as well. They pretend they don't care and that they're happy our parents only focus on me, but I can see that they also suffer. Every kid wants attention from their parents."
Karina halted for a few seconds, her breath caught in her throat as she looked back at the girl in front of her. In just a few seconds, Y/N had managed to dissect and analyze the very core of Karina's life without even knowing it.
"Given the chance, would you have chosen to be in your sibling's place or not?" she asked, her voice more serious than before.
Y/N thought about it for a few seconds. "I guess, yeah. It's a lot of pressure to know that everything will eventually fall on your shoulders. That you need to be strong enough to handle it." She shrugged, nodding at Karina. "You understand, right?"
No. No, Karina really didn't. But she gained a bit more respect for her older sister.
"Yeah," she let out a fake chuckle, remembering what she was supposed to be doing in the first place. "Not really. I think you're weak for feeling that. I expected the heir of Samsung to be more confident."
Karina didn't know why she said that. It just came out, and it was too late to take it back.
Y/N froze for a moment and stared at her.
Karina expected Y/N's eyes to widen or for her to become angry.
She anticipated harsh words or even being reprimanded for saying such a thing.
Instead, Y/N's lips tugged into a small smile. "Your confidence is admirable. I've always wanted to be more self-assured."
Karina felt a pang of guilt when her eyes landed on the smile on Y/N's face.
She was supposed to be making the date horrible for Y/N, supposed to be making Y/N dislike her.
"You..." She stopped, struggling to find the right words.
What was she supposed to say?
"You're very pretty," Karina blurted out, the words falling off her lips before she could even process what she said.
She mentally cursed herself, looking down at her lap to hide the sudden pink shade that dusted her cheeks.
Y/N was surprised to say the least.
She chuckled softly, enjoying 'Jimin' far more than she ever thought she would. The people she went out with were always very proper and boring. 'Jimin' was unique in the best way.
"I appreciate it, though I don't think my looks can be compared to yours."
Karina felt her heart skip a beat again and mentally chided herself.
She had no idea what the hell was going on, why she was suddenly feeling this way.
"That's not true...I-" She struggled to find the right words to say.
Karina was supposed to be making Y/N hate her, supposed to be making her despise being around her, and she was failing miserably.
"Just shut up and eat your stupid Happy Meal," she eventually huffed, stuffing her mouth with her food as Y/N laughed.
Karina went on to do her very worst throughout the rest of the date.
Nothing worked.
If anything, Y/N only seemed to be getting more amused as Karina became more and more charmed.
It was ridiculous. So much so that when the date ended and Karina returned back home, she could barely reply to her twin sister.
"How did it go?" Jimin asked, lying on the couch with Minjeong in her arms.
Karina didn't need to ask if her parents were home. The simple fact that Minjeong was there was answer enough.
"Aced it. She hates you."
Jimin opened her mouth to probe into the date even more, but Karina didn't let her.
"I'm going to bed! You two better not bother me."
Her words were enough to reassure Jimin.
The date was done. The heir didn't like her and would never call her again.
Of course, that's what the older twin originally thought.
A week later, she found out she was wrong.
"Jimin, I'm glad you've come to your senses." Her father's compliment was as unexpected as a meteor flying by right at that moment.
Jimin looked up from her plate of food with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"
Mister Yu smiled, a sight that was so rare it creeped Jimin and Karina out. "The Samsung heir apparently liked you a lot. She proposed another date between the two of you."
Jimin almost spat out the juice she was drinking, just barely managing to maintain her composure as she turned to glare at Karina.
"She...she did?" She choked out, jaw clenched.
Karina gulped and shrugged. She had done her very best to ruin the date...it's not her fault Y/N liked her. But why did she feel happy about the news?
"Indeed, I'm proud of you."
Jimin almost rolled her eyes.
She had been her high school student of honor. She had graduated from the university her father chose for her, under the degree he chose for her. He never uttered a word about it. The one time she really didn't want to do something was the one time he was proud?
"Of course." She smiled tightly, kicking Karina's leg under the table. It was the only thing she could do to not jump on her twin right then and there.
Karina felt the kick against her leg and did her best to suppress a wince, pretending that nothing was wrong.
She shouldn't be happy...but she was.
Would she ever tell her sister that she had developed a small crush on Samsung's heir? No, no, of course not.
Instead, when Jimin burst into her bedroom ready to kill her, she went with: "It's not my fault!! I told you that it was a possibility she would fall for me!"
Jimin growled, almost punching her twin in the face.
"You had one job!! One single job! Ruin the date!"
Karina shrugged her shoulders, a smug smile on her face. "I did, I was rude, I was sarcastic, I was a complete brat the entire time."
"Then why does she want a second date?! I want to marry Minjeong, not that stupid fucking heir," Jimin complained, falling backward on the bed.
Karina didn't know why, but she felt offended at the way her twin called Y/N.
She cleared her throat and shook her head. "She's actually quite nice..."
"Are you serious?" Jimin raised her head from the bed, a bewildered look on her face. "Did she charm you too? It's her entire plan, you know. She's nice so you start to think she's cute and-"
"She is cute. She looks like a damn model," Karina defended again with a roll of her eyes. "But that doesn't matter. Her charm didn't work. You'll see, I'll completely ruin this next date. She won't call again."
Jimin groaned and covered her face with a pillow, mumbling a few curses.
"You're so damn useless." She huffed before finally removing the pillow.
"Just... just don't ruin it any more than that, will you?" Jimin sat up on the bed and looked at her twin.
"You know I don't play with Minjeong."
"I knowwww, I know. I promise I'll take care of this."
And again...
Karina tried.
She really did.
On the second date, she decided that 25 minutes just wasn't enough anymore. So, she arrived a full hour and a half late.
Y/N didn't show any hint of annoyance. Instead, the sweet smile on her face got wider as she welcomed the late girl.
"There you are. Hi, Jimin."
And Karina almost cursed the Gods. Her sister's name sounded so sweet brushing past those pretty lips. This was unfair. It should be hers.
"I didn't plan on seeing you again." She went straight to the point with a slightly icy tone. Guilt clawed at her chest when she noticed the way Y/N's smile fell ever so slightly.
"I was hoping we could go to Burger King this time."
The joke made Karina's lips lift into an unwanted smile.
God, why was this girl so fucking endearing?
Karina did her best to maintain a serious expression as she shook her head at the mention of another burger place.
"No, no, I was thinking we could try something else."
"What do you have in mind then?" Y/N asked, tilting her head to the side as she fiddled with the ends of her blouse.
Karina's eyes couldn't help but stray to the way the girl's fingers moved against the silk material of the beautiful clothing. It was simple but elegant and probably worth more than a house.
Shaking the distracting thoughts from her mind, she couldn't help but smile at the idea that suddenly crossed her mind.
Karina knew that her family's hotels were completely filled at that time of the year. It was September, wedding season.
And so, the two girls would spend the rest of their afternoon hopping from hotel to hotel, visiting wedding after wedding.
It was the worst date idea Karina could think of, but, surprisingly, even that turned out alright.
From what Karina could remember... they both got drunk, met a Bruno Mars impersonator who insisted on being called by his real name... Johnny; had a small beef with a dude who was hosting a podcast in the corner of the hall; thought they saw Jennie and Lisa from Blackpink; ate some cake, and then found themselves on the dance floor.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the weddings, but I was really craving that Burger King." Y/N leaned in to talk in Karina's ear.
Karina's entire body shivered, feeling Y/N's warm breath dancing across her neck.
"We can do that on our next date." Karina didn't know what she was saying.
Next date?
Jimin would kill her.
But then Y/N smiled softly and nodded, "Give me your phone."
Clarity took over Karina's mind.
This was perfect.
Y/N could just directly call her for their next dates, without having to bring her dad into the mix. Jimin wouldn't know, and Karina could continue seeing Y/N.
Karina's phone never flew out of her pocket so fast.
Fuck it.
She would do whatever she wanted, as always.
They went on that Burger King date the following day.
Karina would never forget the brightness that took over Y/N's eyes when the Whopper appeared in front of her.
"I studied in America last year... my friends and I always went out to eat fast food after our classes," the heir admitted, taking a big bite out of her hamburger.
Oh, so that's why Y/N liked going to McDonald's so much?
Karina smiled amusedly, "What did you study? Business administration?"
Y/N rolled her eyes softly. "Obviously... but I also minored in astronomy. Don't tell my father, please."
Needless to say, Karina was surprised.
Astronomy?
Samsung's heir was interested in astronomy?
They went to Seoul's Cosmos Science Center for their next date.
When Karina cursed out the asteroid for killing her "pretty dinosaurs," Y/N figured out the location for their fourth date—Seoul's Museum of National History.
The two essentially spent the month together.
Karina couldn't even count the number of dates they had been on. Ranging from things as crazy as the weddings to more simple hangouts.
And she enjoyed every single one.
They both forgot about their families. They forgot about the expectations placed upon them and the future that awaited them.
They grew addicted to each other.
So much so, that Karina started arriving on time to their dates.
So much so, that Karina started inviting Y/N out, instead of the other way around.
Y/N stepped inside the closed pool at midnight, frowning in confusion and looking down at her phone to check the time.
Karina was laying on a beach chair, a towel around her body hiding her swimsuit.
She had her eyes closed. Her body was tense and she had a soft frown on her face.
"You're... you're here early." Y/N raised an eyebrow.
The Yu girl rolled her eyes at the surprise in her expressions and shrugged.
"My day was too much today. I was hoping to freshen up a little."
Oh.
So that's why Karina had sent her a text message telling her to suddenly meet up at the Yu Hotel of central Seoul. Karina had shut down the entire pool just for herself and Y/N. Her father would probably curse her out tomorrow morning, but she couldn't care less. It's not like this was her first time doing things like this.
Y/N walked to Karina, a worried glint taking over her eyes as she discarded her belongings and sat on the expensive beach chair beside Karina's.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
Karina wanted to talk about it.
She really did.
She wanted nothing more than to vent about her mother ignoring her the entire day.
She wanted nothing more than to tell Y/N that her parents had decided to go out for lunch with her sister and not her.
But she couldn't.
Jimin was not ignored by their parents. She was.
She was not the precious heir Y/N thought she was. Which only frustrated her more.
"It's nothing." She ended up huffing out.
"Are you sure?" Y/N reached her hand out and placed it on top of Karina's, fingers wrapping comfortingly around it.
Karina looked up and felt any argument in her mind die as she stared at Y/N's sweet smile.
It was impossible to stay mad, frustrated, or annoyed when Y/N smiled at her like that.
Her features immediately softened, and she let out a small sigh.
"Yeah, I'm sure..."
She wasn't really.
But it didn't matter anymore.
She was with Y/N. It was just the two of them. So she was fine now.
"Let's go for a swim." She stood up, using their interlaced fingers to hoist Y/N up.
Y/N felt her eyes widen when the towel fell past Karina's shoulders to the ground, revealing the most perfect body she had ever seen.
Her cheeks reddened, and she found herself looking away.
"Are you coming or not?" Karina asked, already walking to the swimming pool.
"Yeah, yeah." Y/N smiled softly and took off her shirt to reveal the bikini she was wearing underneath. "So impatient."
Karina couldn't help her eyes from wandering away from Y/N's face and down her body.
God, she was so screwed.
"Definitely not impatient, take your time." She barely registered the words as they escaped her mouth.
Y/N let out a soft chuckle and shook her head, leaning down to remove her pants.
Karina, in the meanwhile, tried to commit Y/N's gorgeous body to memory.
The girl was beautiful.
"You're staring."
Her voice pulled Karina out of her thoughts, realization striking her when she noticed the amused smile on Y/N's lips.
"I have a right to stare at my future wife."
"Wow, future wife?" Y/N couldn't help but smile as she stepped up to Karina.
Karina nodded, satisfied with herself.
She wrapped her arms around Y/N's neck and pulled her closer.
"Mhmm, you said it yourself on our first date."
"I'm pretty sure I was joking that day." Y/N replied, rolling her eyes lightly.
Y/N definitely hadn't been joking that day.
Karina chuckled softly, her index finger brushing against Y/N's collarbone.
"Well, are you joking now?" The words left her mouth just as she took a step forward. They were definitely very close. Closer than they had ever been before.
All it would take for their lips to meet was a small lean in.
Y/N gulped, feeling hypnotized as she stared into Karina's eyes.
She didn't know how to respond, so she did the only thing that came to her mind.
She took two steps forward, forcing Karina to take two back, and they both fell into the pool.
Karina couldn't hold back her gasp when her back splashed into the water.
It was cold against her skin but soon warmed up as Y/N's body collided with hers.
Her hands found purchase on the girl's hips, pulling her closer as they both re-emerged.
"You're terrible." She smiled, lifting a wet hand to push back the strands of hair that stuck to Y/N's face.
"You flustered me, I'm sorry." Y/N's honesty was just as endearing as ever.
Karina couldn't control herself.
In that moment, she felt completely overwhelmed by the love she was feeling towards Y/N.
So, she leaned in and kissed her.
Y/N melted against her body.
She let out a soft gasp into the kiss, but her arms encircled Karina's neck, bringing her infinitely closer.
The water didn't feel cold anymore. At that moment, everything felt warm. From the way their bodies pressed together to their joined lips.
Y/N's fingers traveled up and tangled in the strands of wet, black hair.
Karina parted her lips slightly, allowing Y/N more access to her mouth. Her fingers dug into Y/N's hips as she pulled the girl even closer, wanting to completely eliminate the nonexistent distance that separated them.
She deepened the kiss, biting on Y/N's lower lip and drawing a surprised gasp from the girl's mouth. Karina's tongue quickly took advantage of those parted lips, exploring every crevice she found in Y/N's mouth.
"You're so perfect," she breathed out between kisses.
"So, so—" and another kiss, "perfect."
Y/N chuckled softly, leaning in to peck Karina's lips.
"You're perfect, Jimin."
Karina froze, her blood running cold and her lips stopping all movement.
Suddenly, all the thoughts and memories she'd carefully buried away came rushing to the surface.
Her parents, her sister, the deal that had started all of this...
She stepped back, slipping out of Y/N's embrace and avoiding looking into her eyes.
God, she was such an asshole.
"We should go."
Y/N frowned in confusion.
Maybe they had taken things too far?
Maybe they had gone too fast for 'Jimin'?
"Hey, it's okay. We can take things slow—" She tried to reach out for her hand, but Karina pulled away and interrupted her.
"Let's just go, come on. We can't keep the pool closed for too long."
Karina didn't even bother drying her hair or her body after getting out of the pool. She hastily gathered her clothes and rushed out of there.
Y/N simply watched her, completely frozen in place as her brain tried to process what had happened.
Everything had been going so well.
Karina was the one who kissed her, so it's not like Y/N was crossing any unknown boundaries.
The heir of Samsung sighed and shook her head.
By the time she dried herself and left the pool area, Karina was long gone.
She tried texting and calling her.
She tried it several times over the next few days, only to be completely ignored.
Frustration, anger, and hurt soon began to take over... as one would expect.
So, Y/N used her connections to get what she wanted and found herself stepping up to the porch of the Yu family's mansion.
She rang the bell and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
When the door opened and the familiar face she had come to love appeared in front of her, she didn't know whether she wanted to cry out of happiness or sadness.
But Jimin—the real Jimin—only smiled politely. "Hi, you must be the new gardener my parents are waiting for."
I'm actually very busy with schoolwork right now, but I just had to say I loved your new story! Your creativity is amazing, and you have such a great talent for writing. You're truly the best author with the best stories! Thanks for sharing your work. Have a great day, genius!
- ✨💚
Hiyaaa, thanks for taking your time out of your school things to write me such a cute message honey, I appreciate it! 💋💋
You're so lovely, thank you so much for the compliments, I don't deserve them ❣️
Synopsis: Purge Day—twelve hours of unchecked chaos where all crime is fair game.
Karina thinks she's safe, bunkered down with her members in one of Seoul's most secure buildings. But that sense of safety shatters when Miss Liberty, the country’s most notorious criminal, breaks in and takes her hostage. Ready to fight her way out, Karina quickly realizes that Miss Liberty may not be the enemy she imagined.
Tags: Purge Alternative Universe, Guns, Kidnapping, Idol!Aespa, Blood, Criminal!reader
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺
Do you ever feel tired of just keeping things to yourself?
Of looking at the person who always does you wrong and biting your tongue?
Of knowing that you're not in the wrong but being incapable of doing anything to change the situation you're in?
Y/N certainly didn't.
She looked at herself in the mirror and examined her face one last time that night.
Her TV rang with an alarm, but she didn't turn to look at it as she put on her mask.
"This is not a test. This is your Emergency Broadcast System. Announcing the commencement of the annual Purge sanctioned by the South Korean government.
Weapons of class four and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted.
Commencing at the siren, any and all crime (including murder) will be legal for 12 continuous hours.
Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m., when the Purge concludes.
Blessed be the founding leader of South Korea... a nation reborn.
May God be with you all."
She sighed, looking down as her phone lit up with a new call.
She answered and brought the phone to her ear.
"Everyone ready?"
"We're all at our meetup spot. Waiting for you."
"Good. Be there in ten."
She went to hang up, but the man spoke up again. "Are... are you sure tonight is a good idea? We've never done anything like this."
Y/N lit the lights of her mask up, green staring back at her as she grabbed her MPT-76.
"Do you trust me, Winnie?"
:::
"This is the stupidest shit SM has ever done, and they handle our promotions."
Karina threw Giselle a warning look, letting her know that those comments weren't very smart while they were in the company's building... as much as she agreed with them.
"At least we'll be safe," Ning shrugged, yawning a little as they continued following their manager through the hallways.
SM was a safe place.
They could only get through the front lobby with facial recognition confirmation. The elevators and stairs only worked with ID cards, and the idols' floor was basically cut off from the other parts of the building.
Did this mean it was smart for SM to force all their idols to spend the Purge at their building?
No, no it wasn't.
Karina knew that. Yet they had no choice in the matter.
Even if it was safer for them to go outside the country or to other secure locations, every year they were forced to stay at the building.
SM just wanted to have complete control over them.
"It's like having to spend Christmas with your awkward side of the family," Winter mumbled, putting on a smile and bowing as they passed a few members of NCT.
Ning tried to be optimistic. "Just consider it a fun sleepover."
Winter huffed and crossed her arms. "It's ridiculous. We're not allowed to leave, and we can't even rest properly."
Giselle suddenly spoke up, "What if we also wanted to purge? It's a civil right in this country; we should be allowed to do it."
SM had strictly forbidden their idols from even going out on Purge night, afraid that their reputations would be ruined. Though, in SM's defense, it wasn't just them, this was a universal rule in K-pop, just like dating and dieting.
Karina gave Giselle an exasperated look. "Don't even joke about that. Why would you want to purge?"
Giselle shrugged, always one to speak her mind. "Just to see what it's like, I guess. It's not all bad, you know? Have you seen what Miss Liberty does?"
Karina shook her head and stopped before walking into another hallway.
Miss Liberty was definitely not a positive role model.
That group basically wanted society to crumble and the government to be destroyed.
She was a lunatic.
"You do know she's probably killed more than a hundred people."
Ning looked at Giselle wide-eyed.
She was the youngest, so she wasn't really aware of all the things that happened in their country... especially during this particular night.
"Hundred...? Who's Miss Liberty?"
Karina knew she wasn't the only one who couldn't believe that the young girl was completely oblivious to the country's "hero."
The masked anarchist had been a hot topic for years, causing the government to send their agents to find her every year, and every year they failed.
Even with the mask on, you could still see the way she moved and sounded, but still, no one could figure out who she was.
"She's basically a terrorist," Karina stated. "She's the leader of a group of anarchists who want to overthrow the government."
Winter laughed quietly. "Terrorists are the new role models now, I guess."
"She's... she's pretty hot, though," Giselle tried to defend. "At least that."
"How do you know that?" Ning squinted.
Winter shook her head in disbelief. "Are you serious? She's literally killed people, and you're worried about how hot she looks—"
Ning nodded in agreement. "She could be fat and ugly for all we know."
"Or even a guy," Winter added.
"Oh, come on." Giselle rolled her eyes. "Have you seen that body? She's clearly a very hot woman. I would give her what? 30 to 35? She'd need experience to set up a group as big as hers but she's still mother, you know?"
"You think a 35-year-old woman can move like that?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Just because it's—"
Karina couldn't help but shake her head and roll her eyes. "You are all unbelievable."
Karina knew her group mates thought this was a joke, but she didn't.
Miss Liberty was dangerous, and the fact that so many people loved her was scary, making Karina hate the Purge even more than before.
People loved watching the blood be shed and chaos ensue just for entertainment.
"Keep up, girls, come on!" Their manager hurried, as always. He walked like he had a flight to catch and was late.
People loved watching the blood be shed and chaos ensue just for entertainment.
"Keep up, girls, come on." Their manager hurried, as always. He always walked like he had a flight to catch and was late.
"Man, we're already at SM. Where else do we need to go?" Aeri whined, her legs starting to hurt from the rush.
Their manager didn't even look at them when he spoke. "Administration organized a small movie night for the idols, at the conference hall. To spend the time, you know?"
Karina couldn't help but sigh. Was there even a single time they could rest in peace? They were exhausted after coming back from abroad the day before, and now they were actually going to be forced to attend some movie night? She could feel a knot tightening in her stomach as she considered the endless small talk and mingling ahead of them.
"Someone shoot me in the face, please." Minjeong vocalized Jimin's thoughts just right.
It was a comment that went by completely unacknowledged, much like the girls' exhaustion as they walked inside the company's grand hall to see familiar and unfamiliar faces.
The crowd was rather big, composed of SM's idols, actors, their corresponding staff members, and a whole lot of security personnel. As tired as they were, Aespa quickly put on smiles and started their mingling.
They were used to this. After four years of debut, you could say they had become experts at handling awkward social situations.
And it wasn't all bad. They were actually friends with some of the other idols in the room.
After a few minutes of talking, a loud siren echoed through the tall Seoul buildings. A chilling silence swept over the crowd as Jimin turned, her heart pounding as she noticed the big, marble doors of the great hall being ceremonially closed and locked.
The purge had just begun.
They were in for a long night.
"Rina!" She turned to find her senior, Wendy, calling out for her.
Oh well. At least she was stuck inside SM with some good people.
"Unnie!" she smiled genuinely as she approached the singer.
It didn't take long for everyone to settle down in the chic, comfortable seats, leaning back and munching on a few snacks as they watched the new movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Karina was a little thankful that they were at the company, though. It meant they didn't have to worry about being put in danger tonight.
The movie was a good distraction, yet she still couldn't focus on it. Her mind wandered, replaying the day's events, and no matter how hard she tried, her eyes kept glancing at the clock. With each tick, the atmosphere shifted slightly, the laughter around her becoming more muted, her friends’ smiles more strained.
That same clock hit exactly 00:00 when the lights were suddenly turned off.
Karina turned, trying to see what was going on. A sudden hush fell over the room, and hurried footsteps echoed, followed by sharp gasps and muffled cries. Karina found herself wide-eyed, shrinking into her seat as she held on tightly to Minjeong's hand.
"Unnie?" Ningning's scared voice made Jimin's heart clench in her chest as more sounds of struggle echoed around them.
"I'm here, I'm here. Where's Aeri?"
The familiar voice spoke up from beside her, "Here. What's going on?"
"I don't kn—" The lights were finally turned on, and as soon as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, Karina felt the need to vomit.
All the security guards were on the ground, unconscious, being tied up by people in familiar masks.
They dragged along with them SM's CEO, along with a few other administration people whom they shoved to the floor and pointed their guns at.
"You better stay put!!" A guy in a scary Park Geun-hye mask shouted, clearly not very patient.
Karina didn't need to be told twice. The mere sight of guns was enough to make her comply.
It was completely insane, yet it was happening. They were being held hostage in their own company, in the middle of the Purge.
The masked men assembled everyone on one side of the room, guns drawn on them, ready to shoot if one of them even breathed wrong. The air was thick with fear, a palpable tension that clung to the room like a heavy fog. Karina could hear several people around her crying.
She didn't dare turn to see who it was. Her eyes were fixed on the masked man that had shouted at all of them; he seemed to be the leader of the entire operation.
Why did he seem so familiar?
Karina was sure she had seen that mask before. Maybe on the news?
All her confusion cleared up when the man spoke up on his walkie-talkie, "You can come."
And in walked Miss Liberty herself.
A group of armed men followed close behind her, all wearing masks that Karina and everyone else inside the room also recognized. There was a Barack Obama one, a Putin one, an Osama Bin Laden one, and the list went on. The sheer absurdity of it made the moment even more surreal.
Miss Liberty had become pretty much an icon of South Korea. People talked about her on YouTube; they sold t-shirts and mugs with her face on them. There were live streams set up just to try and catch her during Purge night. She had become so famous that it was common to use one of her masks during Purge night just because.
So there were a lot of copies of Miss Liberty out there that night.
But in that moment, as she strode confidently into the hall, it was clear to everyone they had the original in front of them.
Everyone was staring, some in complete fear, others in awe. Karina felt nothing but disgust. The man who she had previously thought was the leader walked up to Miss Liberty and whispered something in her ear.
She nodded and turned, walking to the middle of the room so she was facing all the hostages, the masked crew behind her.
"Good night, everyone. Sorry for interrupting your..." She glanced at the big screen, where the movie had resumed playing after the lights were turned back on. Monica Bellucci happened to be on screen, and Miss Liberty seemed to get a bit distracted by her before she cleared her throat and spoke up again, "...movie."
Karina felt shivers run down her spine as soon as she heard that smooth, calm voice. There was an unsettling charm in her tone, disarming and inviting. She didn't sound like how someone who was a cold-blooded murderer should sound.
She kept her eyes locked on the masked woman in front of her, her heart beating against her chest almost painfully.
"I believe some of you may already know me, but for those who don't, I'm Miss Liberty. It's a pleasure meeting you."
Her words were so casual that it made the whole situation feel like a sick joke. As if there wasn't a whole group of armed anarchists with guns aimed at them.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I have nothing against you; in fact, I'm a fan of some of you." Miss Liberty's tone dripped with false sincerity, her voice smooth yet chilling. "We are here for one reason and one reason only..." The room stilled as her masked face tilted down to look at the man on the ground, the CEO. "Mister here knows why, don't you?"
Everyone's eyes moved to the man. He was shaking in his spot, not daring to even look up at the masked anarchists.
Miss Liberty crouched down, nudging his chin with the tip of her gun to make him look at her.
The CEO flinched as the gun touched him, his eyes darting from around Miss Liberty's mask to the members behind her, desperation written all over his face.
He gulped, almost looking like he was ready to piss himself.
"You tell us where it is, and we'll be gone. You'll see, in half an hour, you'll be enjoying that pretty woman in the movie again." Her words dripped with sarcasm, and Karina felt a cold sweat break out across her brow.
The CEO was visibly shaking under Miss Liberty's gaze; the calmness in her demeanor only amplified the tension in the air.
"I don't know anything, I swear! I have no idea what y—" He winced as the gun was pressed firmly against his forehead.
"Don't lie to me, come on." She tutted, "I don't like when people try to make a fool out of me."
The man shook his head, his eyes darting around the room, searching for help that would never come.
Everyone in the room knew no one would do that for him; their safety was in Miss Liberty's hands, and no one wanted to incur her wrath.
"I don't know anything! P-please! I don't—I don't know!" His voice trembled, cracking under the pressure.
She raised an eyebrow under her mask, head tilting as she looked at him with distaste. "The gun isn't in my hands; it's in yours. Do you really want your precious idols harmed?"
The CEO gulped, his lips trembling as he looked away from the masked woman, panic evident in his every feature.
His voice was raspy and barely audible. "These are the country's stars. You touch one of them, and you'll be hated forever."
The threat amused her greatly. She chuckled softly, turning behind her to see Winnie’s shoulder shaking as he also laughed.
"Who said anything about being liked, Sir?"
Seeing that he wasn't going to speak, she nodded towards the crowd of idols, and her crew advanced on them.
The idols and the staff members flinched, shrinking back into their spots, eyes wide with terror.
Karina's heart beat so fast it felt like it might jump out of her chest as the masked anarchists surrounded them, their intentions clear.
She could see that everything was more than planned. They were a well-oiled machine of chaos. Everyone was quickly tied up; the girls were put on one side, the guys on the other. The staff members and the passed-out guards were shoved out of the great hall, tied and locked in another room. Every masked person moved almost on instinct, as if they had practiced for this moment since their very first day on Earth.
Still, nothing would be more unnerving than Miss Liberty herself.
She sat back on one of the seats, watching as everything went down, her presence loomed large. Her mask didn’t let anyone see exactly what she was looking at, so it was almost as if she was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
"Why—why are you doing this?" The CEO cried out as he was being shoved outside the hall as well.
He wasn't locked inside another room like the others. Instead, they tied him up and left him in the corridor, right outside the hall, accompanied by two burly masked men.
Finally, silence settled in.
The idols were breathing heavily, trying to recover from the shock. This was insane.
Karina could barely find her voice, yet she opened her lips, trying to process her thoughts as she glanced around the room. "What are they going to do to us?" Some people started crying, others trembling like leaves in a storm.
It was terrifying.
Taeyeon opened her mouth to respond when they suddenly noticed Miss Liberty standing up and walking towards them.
Her steps were calm and planned in an eerie way, each footfall echoing ominously in the now silent room.
Karina could feel her members shrinking beside her, but she tried to keep her cool.
"Don't worry," Miss Liberty reached out and pulled a fallen strand of hair behind Karina's ear. The gesture was so disturbingly intimate that it sent chills racing down Karina's spine. "Nothing's going to ha—"
Karina didn’t know what took over her. The terrorist’s touch was warm and comforting. For a brief second, Karina was enjoying it; then she spat at her captor’s face.
The spit hit the mask right on its smiley face, the sound making the woman who was kneeling in front of her flinch and step back.
A step that matched the sudden gunshot that echoed around the room.
The idols screamed in horror, eyes tightly closed as they cowered.
For several heart-stopping seconds, Karina thought she had died. The bullet pierced her skin and hit her vital organs with creeping precision. She was sure of it—she had died.
But then she opened her eyes to see Miss Liberty still in front of her, hand raised to stop the tall man who had his gun pointed at Karina.
A scream was heard from outside, and Miss Liberty smiled under the mask. At least they were able to get under the CEO's skin.
She turned to Winnie and nodded. He shot at the ceiling again. Then the others followed along.
"Go see if he gives us anything after that," Miss Liberty ordered before turning to Karina once again. "You. Come with me."
Karina was frozen, unable to move as the sound of guns firing rang through her ears.
Her heartbeat was too loud; she almost didn't hear what Miss Liberty said at first.
And then she was being grabbed by an armed man, his hands roughly manhandling her as he pulled her to her feet.
The room was filled with cries as Karina was yanked to her feet. Her legs felt weak, as if they might give out, but the grip of the armed man held her steady—whether she wanted it or not. Her heart hammered in her chest, the adrenaline almost numbing her as she tried to process what was happening.
Miss Liberty watched her with that eerie, unblinking mask, head tilted slightly as if studying her.
Karina glanced back, catching her members' terrified faces, their eyes pleading as their own bodies shook with fear. She could feel their worry radiating, and it only solidified her resolve not to show her captor any weakness.
The man holding her gave her a rough shove forward, forcing her to walk. She stumbled slightly but regained her footing, refusing to let them see her falter. Miss Liberty turned on her heel and led the way through the backdoor, out of the hall, her men flanking Karina like guards. As they walked, the muffled sounds of fear and confusion from the other idols slowly faded, replaced by the hollow echo of footsteps in the long, empty corridor.
Karina tried to steady her breathing, fighting back against the anxiety that was taking over her body.
The walk went on in silence for what felt like forever, her mind racing with countless thoughts and scenarios, her heart almost beating out of her chest with every step.
She glanced around, trying to take in any details she could about her surroundings, trying to find any possible escape.
There wasn't one.
When they halted in front of the elevator, one of the men reached out and handed Miss Liberty the key card that had once been strapped to the CEO's neck.
She accepted it with a nod and raised a hand in the air to dismiss them, but they didn't seem too sure.
"Miss, are you sure?"
She nodded, her voice sounding soothing. Karina could’ve sworn she was smiling under that mask. "Go check on the staff members, Tori. Winnie, you can go back to the idols. Ask Irene for an autograph, maybe—I like her."
The men nodded and dispersed as they got their orders.
Karina was left alone with Miss Liberty.
She looked at her, trying to calm her racing heart as the elevator arrived with a small chime.
“You're insane…” she muttered, her voice quieter than she intended.
“I’m perfectly normal,” Miss Liberty shrugged, unbothered by the insult, and stepped inside the elevator.
Karina squinted her eyes, torn over whether to follow the psychopath into the elevator or not.
Should she fight back? Maybe run?
Her gaze fell on the gun Miss Liberty was carrying. It was huge and clearly loaded.
“I’m not going to hurt you; come on. This is about to get really awkward if the doors close and you’re still standing out there.”
You know what?
Screw this.
Karina turned and tried to run down the hallway.
She barely managed a step before a hand shot out, grabbing the back of her shirt and yanking her gently inside the elevator.
Miss Liberty sighed, helping Karina regain her balance.
The idol jumped away from her touch, pressing herself against the wall on the opposite side of the elevator, as far from Miss Liberty as she could get.
“You’re making this more difficult than it has to be; I just need a tour guide.”
“Why should I help an assassin?” Karina shot back, her voice steadier than she felt.
She kept her eyes locked on Miss Liberty, her body tensing every time the masked woman moved.
Miss Liberty raised her eyebrows, her surprise evident. “An assassin?”
“That is literally what you are,” Karina retorted, feeling a sense of satisfaction in her bluntness.
Even in fear, she refused to give Miss Liberty the satisfaction of seeing her tremble.
“What makes me an assasin?” Miss Liberty asked, reaching for the elevator buttons and pressing the one for the top floor.
When prompted for her permission, she swiped the key card. Thankfully, it worked again.
“You just led an armed group into the SM building and held us all hostage. Are you serious? How much of an imbecile do you have to be?” Karina narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, trying to exude defiance in a life-or-death situation.
“Yeah, so...? I’m not breaking the law,” Miss Liberty shrugged lightly, leaning against the wall as she looked at Karina. “It’s Purge night!”
“So your logic is that because it’s a legal night, it gives you the right to take lives?” Karina raised an eyebrow, disbelief etched on her face. “I can’t believe I’m actually having this conversation.”
“I’ve never taken a life. If anything, I saved yours.”
Karina blinked, surprised by how calmly Miss Liberty spoke about the Purge as if it were a casual topic.
“Saved mine?” she shook her head, distrust radiating from her. “If it weren’t for you in the first place, I probably wouldn’t be in danger.”
“If you hadn’t spat on me, you mean,” Miss Liberty mumbled, looking somewhat dejected.
Why was she the one at fault here?
“Oh, poor you.” Karina scoffed, rolling her eyes and sarcastically playing along. “I’m so sorry I didn’t treat you like a princess after you held the whole building hostage.”
Miss Liberty nodded, her tone light as she replied, “Apology accepted.”
Karina's blood boiled.
“Is this some sick game to you?” she shot back, her voice sharp and eyes narrowing as she glared at the masked woman.
“No.” Miss Liberty shook her head, her demeanor shifting slightly. “I’m after something very serious.”
“Something very serious? You and your anarchist group are nothing more than a joke,” Karina spat, crossing her arms defiantly. “You’re basically children throwing a temper tantrum, thinking you know how to solve all the world’s problems. I don’t know what exactly you’re trying to accomplish by kidnapping me and the other idols, but you’re not solving anything. You’re making things worse.”
Miss Liberty noticed how close Karina had suddenly gotten—she was practically in her face.
“I appreciate the effort, I really do,” Miss Liberty said, raising her gun slightly, the barrel hovering between them. “But I’m still the one with the big gun, so back away a little.”
Karina felt her heart race at the sight of the weapon. Not wanting to test the woman’s patience, she took a small step back, though her eyes remained locked on the masked figure.
“Look,” Miss Liberty continued, her voice steady, “You tested me in front of everyone, so I had to make an example out of you. Also, I really do need someone to show me around since your CEO is being difficult. You’ll be that someone.”
“You think I’m just going to obediently lead you through the building? Why would I do that?” Karina raised an eyebrow, her arms still crossed as she fought to keep her voice steady. “I won’t be your tour guide. Find someone else.”
Miss Liberty sighed, a hint of annoyance creeping into her tone. “Walk.” She gestured as the elevator doors slid open.
Karina huffed loudly.
Her legs moved almost on instinct, stepping outside the elevator and walking in the direction Miss Liberty pointed.
The hallway was empty. Of course, the guards had been taken out.
She looked around, her heart hammering against her chest as she began walking.
“Is your manager’s office on this floor?” Miss Liberty asked, glancing around the expanse of cubicles. Everything was clean and organized, showing faint traces of the people who worked there.
No.
“Yes,” Karina replied after a second, casting a quick glance at Miss Liberty before looking ahead again.
She knew SM like the back of her hand, having spent years in this building. But she had never been on these floors. Her meetings usually took place on the lower administration levels, while practices and recordings happened even lower.
She could try to play the terrorist. Make her waste time, fool her, and then find a way to escape.
That couldn’t be too hard, right?
“Great, so then your CEO’s office must be around here too,” Miss Liberty mused quietly.
No.
“Yes,” Karina replied, her steps slow and careful as she were stalled for time.
Maybe she could find a way to run or at least spot something she could use against her captor. The hallway stretched on, the only thing in sight being the elevator behind them.
“You know...” Miss Liberty began, her gaze wandering as if distracted, “you suck at lying. Anyone ever tell you that?”
Karina's heart sank for a moment, her mind racing to keep up with her thoughts.
“Liar? What do you mean?” She forced herself to sound casual and naive, pretending to be oblivious seemed to be her best chance to fool her captor for now.
“I mean exactly what my words say.” Miss Liberty shrugged, casually opening the door to the glass office at the end of the hallway. “This is fancy.”
Karina felt her stomach twist at those words, realizing that the other woman was smarter than she appeared.
The office they had entered wasn’t SM's CEO’s office; it was just another regular workspace. But Miss Liberty’s words made Karina feel exposed, as if her plans were already laid bare before her.
“Are you actually going to search the whole building?” Karina asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
Miss Liberty hummed softly, a sound that felt oddly endearing coming from someone so dangerous. “I will if I have to. I’m getting the papers I need. You could help me end this and take your friends out of their misery if you tell me where the CEO’s office is. Or you could keep lying to me, and we could be here searching all night. It’s up to you.”
Karina sighed, fatigue weighing heavily on her. This was not how she had envisioned her night going.
“What are you even looking for?” she asked, her curiosity piqued despite herself.
“I need some documents.” Miss Liberty replied, her tone casual.
Karina halted and turned to face her, suspicion creeping into her expression. Documents?
“What? Bank information? Some way for you to steal all our money? Get rich?”
“I’m already rich,” Miss Liberty countered, shaking her head dismissively.
Karina raised an eyebrow, trying to process her words. So, she wasn’t motivated by money. Then what the hell was she doing this for?
“Then what? Blackmail?”
“Mhm, yeah. Sure.”
Karina scrutinized her response, doubt gnawing at her. “Blackmailing who? The CEO of SM?”
Did Miss Liberty have a personal vendetta against him?
“What do you want from him?”
"You think I want anything from that rat?” Miss Liberty chuckled, a hint of derision in her voice. “I have better things to do with my time, trust me.”
Karina’s suspicion deepened. Miss Liberty’s answer only left her with more questions.
“Then why are you even here? Why go through all this trouble? What do you have against the CEO?”
Miss Liberty’s eyes widened at the sudden interrogation. Realizing there was nothing of importance on this floor, she turned and walked back toward the elevator. “Wow, that's way too many questions, pretty.”
“I’m not going to blindly lead you to your target,” Karina retorted, her feet following Miss Liberty toward the elevator despite her flustered state. What the hell was that nickname? “If you expect me to be your tour guide, I have the right to ask questions.” Karina raised her chin defiantly, her eyes narrowing as her tone became sharp.
Miss Liberty sighed.
Seriously, out of all the people she could’ve picked, it had to be someone as annoying as Karina. How unlucky could she get?
What could she possibly lose from this anyway?
“Fineee. You know Red Velvet, right?”
Karina blinked, tilting her head in confusion. What did Red Velvet have to do with any of this?
“Yes, I know them... what do they have to do with anything? Wait… you’re trying to blackmail the CEO because of them? That makes no sense!"
Miss Liberty glared at Karina from beneath her mask, irritation flickering in her eyes.
She was dealing with an actual child.
"Remember when they went to North Korea to perform for Kim Jong Un as a gift from our nation?"
Karina nodded, "Yeah, so...?"
“They didn’t go as a gift; they went as part of a governmental exchange. A service to pay for something in return, basically.”
Karina’s confusion deepened as her eyebrows furrowed. “So you’re telling me the government used Red Velvet for something? What did they get in return?” Did the government use them as a political weapon? That didn’t sound too far-fetched.
Miss Liberty shrugged. “We’ll find out when we get those papers.”
“Wow, great answer.” Karina rolled her eyes. “How do I know you’re not going to do something even more insane, like… I don’t know, get them executed or something?”
Miss Liberty rolled her eyes. She was usually very patient, but Karina was testing her limits. “Dude, I’ve never killed anyone. Will you please just tell me how to get to the stupid office?”
Karina scoffed. “Who’s lying now? I know for a fact you get rich by killing people and selling their organs. Everyone knows this.”
Miss Liberty shook her head, her frustration mounting. “I didn’t kill them! I just picked up bodies off the street on Purge night and sold the organs.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “If anything, I saved people in need with all the organs I provided.”
Karina rolled her eyes, her expression morphing into disbelief. “How is that any better? You’re profiting from murder.” She shot her a pointed look filled with judgment.
“Murders I didn’t cause! And I ended up saving people—why do you think I’m actually liked?”
“You think being liked makes anything better? Are you insane?” Her voice rose in disbelief, eyes narrowing at Miss Liberty’s audacity. “You’re a terrorist, a literal assassin. There’s nothing to like about you.”
Miss Liberty shook her head, exasperated. Was Karina even listening to her?
“Just tell me where the bloody office is before I actually turn into an assassin.”
Karina sighed. This wasn’t going anywhere, and it was clear Miss Liberty wasn’t going to back down.
“Fine, it’s three floors down, happy?” she muttered, pushing the elevator button.
Karina crossed her arms tightly, leaning back against the wall of the elevator.
The silence was heavy, each floor they passed making her anxiety spike. She knew she had no choice but to lead the masked woman to her destination, but she hated every minute of it.
Miss Liberty checked her gun, ensuring it was perfectly loaded. This was one of the biggest operations she had ever directed, and she couldn’t shake the tension building within her.
She sighed, bringing her walkie-talkie to her lips. “Anything from the CEO?”
Karina’s gaze flicked to the walkie-talkie, her mind racing with questions. What was happening with the CEO? She could only imagine what they were doing to him.
The walkie-talkie sparked to life, a husky voice crackling through. “He’s pissed himself twice but refuses to talk. I bet the government paid him off pretty well. You found anything?”
Miss Liberty responded, “I’m getting to it.”
She shoved the device back into her pocket and tilted her head at Karina as the elevator doors slid open again.
Karina didn’t say anything; her eyes flicked over Miss Liberty before she stepped out of the elevator.
She led the way down the hallway, her steps slow and steady as she walked.
The office was locked, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for Miss Liberty, who quickly shot out the glass walls and stepped over it.
Karina jumped at the sound of the gunshot, her eyes widening at the sheer audacity of the woman. The shattering glass echoed down the hallway, sending her heart racing again. She tried her best to keep her expression neutral as they walked, forcing herself to ignore the chaos behind them.
“There you go. That’s it.” She gestured to the CEO’s office, a large and lavish space adorned with awards and diplomas lining the walls, plush sofas, and an impressive wooden desk.
Miss Liberty, however, seemed unfazed by the entire thing. She strode to the desk, rifling through the documents that sprawled before her. “Come on, help me look.”
Karina was still reeling from the gunshot, her eyes darting around the hallway before landing on Miss Liberty. She hesitated, debating whether to assist the woman she was supposed to despise.
With a deep breath, she stepped into the office, maneuvering around the desk to take a seat in the comfortable chair behind it. “...What should I even be looking for?” she asked, glancing at the mess Miss Liberty was making.
“Anything that says ‘North Korea’ or ‘government’ on it. It’s not rocket science.” Miss Liberty’s tone remained sweet and calm, a stark contrast to her words.
For a moment, Karina wondered if the assassin was being genuine or mocking her. She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes as she leaned back in the chair, stealing another glance at Miss Liberty.
Aeri was right... she was definitely hot.
Karina had seen her online before, but having the leader leaning over the desk beside her was an entirely different experience. Even without seeing her face, Karina could tell the woman was striking. Her voice was captivating, and the way she carried herself exuded confidence.
Shit—no.
Karina couldn't afford to have these thoughts, especially not about the one person she should despise the most.
But then her gaze drifted down Miss Liberty’s body—from the mask, to her neck, her chest, her waist, and then to the gun strapped to her side.
“Are you going to help me?” Miss Liberty interrupted her thoughts, her voice steady.
Karina cleared her throat, the weight of the moment settling over her. She had two options: to help or to do the opposite.
Her instincts screamed at her to act.
With a quick, decisive motion, she grabbed the gun from Miss Liberty’s holster, standing up and aiming it at the assassin just as the latter turned to face her.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Miss Liberty exclaimed, panic flickering across her body despite her attempt to maintain control.
Karina held the gun tightly, her grip trembling slightly as her heart hammered against her chest. She had never held a gun before in her life.
Her eyes flicked from the weapon to Miss Liberty, and it finally hit her: she was aiming a gun at South Korea's number one public enemy. Was she crazy?
“Drop your gun, right now.” Her voice quavered, but she stood her ground.
When Miss Liberty didn’t respond immediately, Karina raised her voice. “I SAID, DROP YOUR GUN NOW!”
Miss Liberty shook her head, her hands caught between stacks of papers. “You’re not going to shoot me, Karina.”
Karina swallowed hard, narrowing her eyes beneath her messy bangs. “Don’t test me.”
The gun felt heavy in her grip, her finger inching toward the trigger as she locked her gaze onto the masked woman in front of her.
“Hand it to me.” She repeated, reaching out. “Give me your gun.”
Miss Liberty shook her head again, instead reaching for Karina’s hand and intertwining their fingers. She nudged Karina a little closer, as if to say, I’m not a threat to you, even if you think I am.
She wouldn't harm Karina. She wouldn't even think about it.
Instead, she was one who was harmed.
Karina pulled the trigger without even noticing.
The loud shot echoed through the room, causing her to scream instinctively. Her heart hammered against her chest as she quickly dropped the gun, staring at it as if it was the most dangerous thing ever.
"Hey, hey." Miss Liberty let out in a soft, reassuring tone, "It's okay. You're fine."
Karina could feel her head spinning. She looked up, wide eyes falling on Miss Liberty's now red stomach. The blood seeping from her right hip shocked Karina into a catatonic state. "You-you're- I...I"
Miss Liberty shook her head again, "I'm fine. We're fine, okay? Don't freeze up, right now. I need your help finding those documents."
Karina felt paralyzed, her hands trembling as she slowly turned to assess the wound.
“I-I…” Her voice faltered, silent as her eyes traced the blood soaking the woman’s shirt. This was bad. This was really bad. Was Miss Liberty going to die? Was she going to die?
Gulping, she struggled to gather her thoughts, hands hovering over the wound for a moment before retracting them. “I don’t— I can’t—” She shook her head, desperation evident in her eyes.
“Hey, look at me.” Miss Liberty suddenly removed her mask, revealing a young woman who appeared to be around Karina’s age. She was stunning.
Karina’s eyes widened, disbelief flooding her mind as she processed that she had just shot the most attractive woman she had ever seen. Her thoughts spiraled, darting between the woman’s features, the wound, and back to her eyes.
“I'm just like you, you see? I’m a normal girl. I’m not going to hurt you. Please, just help me find those documents, and everything will be over.”
Karina’s expression softened slightly, the shock slowly giving way to confusion. How could this beautiful woman be the same monster who had taken an entire building hostage?
Her gaze fell back to the wound, a lump forming in her throat as guilt settled heavily in her chest.
Still on autopilot, Karina’s gaze drifted to the elevator at the end of the hall.
She could make a run for it.
Find a bathroom to lock herself in until everything blew over.
But then she turned back to Miss Liberty.
What would happen to her? Would she even survive the gunshot?
Karina gulped, her mind racing at a thousand miles per hour. What could she do? What was her best option? She was dead if Miss Liberty's men came in and found their leader wounded.
They would kill her. No questions asked.
Taking a step back, she watched as Miss Liberty’s hands fell from her cheeks, landing on her hip to apply pressure to the wound.
Karina took another step back.
Then another.
And another.
“Don’t. Please.” Miss Liberty’s voice trembled with urgency, desperation lacing her words.
Synopsis: Purge Day—twelve hours of unchecked chaos where all crime is fair game.
Karina thinks she's safe, bunkered down with her members in one of Seoul's most secure buildings. But that sense of safety shatters when Miss Liberty, the country’s most notorious criminal, breaks in and takes her hostage. Ready to fight her way out, Karina quickly realizes that Miss Liberty may not be the enemy she imagined.
Tags: Purge Alternative Universe, Guns, Kidnapping, Idol!Aespa, Blood, Criminal!reader
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺
Do you ever feel tired of just keeping things to yourself?
Of looking at the person who always does you wrong and biting your tongue?
Of knowing that you're not in the wrong but being incapable of doing anything to change the situation you're in?
Y/N certainly didn't.
She looked at herself in the mirror and examined her face one last time that night.
Her TV rang with an alarm, but she didn't turn to look at it as she put on her mask.
"This is not a test. This is your Emergency Broadcast System. Announcing the commencement of the annual Purge sanctioned by the South Korean government.
Weapons of class four and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted.
Commencing at the siren, any and all crime (including murder) will be legal for 12 continuous hours.
Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m., when the Purge concludes.
Blessed be the founding leader of South Korea... a nation reborn.
May God be with you all."
She sighed, looking down as her phone lit up with a new call.
She answered and brought the phone to her ear.
"Everyone ready?"
"We're all at our meetup spot. Waiting for you."
"Good. Be there in ten."
She went to hang up, but the man spoke up again. "Are... are you sure tonight is a good idea? We've never done anything like this."
Y/N lit the lights of her mask up, green staring back at her as she grabbed her MPT-76.
"Do you trust me, Winnie?"
:::
"This is the stupidest shit SM has ever done, and they handle our promotions."
Karina threw Giselle a warning look, letting her know that those comments weren't very smart while they were in the company's building... as much as she agreed with them.
"At least we'll be safe," Ning shrugged, yawning a little as they continued following their manager through the hallways.
SM was a safe place.
They could only get through the front lobby with facial recognition confirmation. The elevators and stairs only worked with ID cards, and the idols' floor was basically cut off from the other parts of the building.
Did this mean it was smart for SM to force all their idols to spend the Purge at their building?
No, no it wasn't.
Karina knew that. Yet they had no choice in the matter.
Even if it was safer for them to go outside the country or to other secure locations, every year they were forced to stay at the building.
SM just wanted to have complete control over them.
"It's like having to spend Christmas with your awkward side of the family," Winter mumbled, putting on a smile and bowing as they passed a few members of NCT.
Ning tried to be optimistic. "Just consider it a fun sleepover."
Winter huffed and crossed her arms. "It's ridiculous. We're not allowed to leave, and we can't even rest properly."
Giselle suddenly spoke up, "What if we also wanted to purge? It's a civil right in this country; we should be allowed to do it."
SM had strictly forbidden their idols from even going out on Purge night, afraid that their reputations would be ruined. Though, in SM's defense, it wasn't just them, this was a universal rule in K-pop, just like dating and dieting.
Karina gave Giselle an exasperated look. "Don't even joke about that. Why would you want to purge?"
Giselle shrugged, always one to speak her mind. "Just to see what it's like, I guess. It's not all bad, you know? Have you seen what Miss Liberty does?"
Karina shook her head and stopped before walking into another hallway.
Miss Liberty was definitely not a positive role model.
That group basically wanted society to crumble and the government to be destroyed.
She was a lunatic.
"You do know she's probably killed more than a hundred people."
Ning looked at Giselle wide-eyed.
She was the youngest, so she wasn't really aware of all the things that happened in their country... especially during this particular night.
"Hundred...? Who's Miss Liberty?"
Karina knew she wasn't the only one who couldn't believe that the young girl was completely oblivious to the country's "hero."
The masked anarchist had been a hot topic for years, causing the government to send their agents to find her every year, and every year they failed.
Even with the mask on, you could still see the way she moved and sounded, but still, no one could figure out who she was.
"She's basically a terrorist," Karina stated. "She's the leader of a group of anarchists who want to overthrow the government."
Winter laughed quietly. "Terrorists are the new role models now, I guess."
"She's... she's pretty hot, though," Giselle tried to defend. "At least that."
"How do you know that?" Ning squinted.
Winter shook her head in disbelief. "Are you serious? She's literally killed people, and you're worried about how hot she looks—"
Ning nodded in agreement. "She could be fat and ugly for all we know."
"Or even a guy," Winter added.
"Oh, come on." Giselle rolled her eyes. "Have you seen that body? She's clearly a very hot woman. I would give her what? 30 to 35? She'd need experience to set up a group as big as hers but she's still mother, you know?"
"You think a 35-year-old woman can move like that?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Just because it's—"
Karina couldn't help but shake her head and roll her eyes. "You are all unbelievable."
Karina knew her group mates thought this was a joke, but she didn't.
Miss Liberty was dangerous, and the fact that so many people loved her was scary, making Karina hate the Purge even more than before.
People loved watching the blood be shed and chaos ensue just for entertainment.
"Keep up, girls, come on!" Their manager hurried, as always. He walked like he had a flight to catch and was late.
People loved watching the blood be shed and chaos ensue just for entertainment.
"Keep up, girls, come on." Their manager hurried, as always. He always walked like he had a flight to catch and was late.
"Man, we're already at SM. Where else do we need to go?" Aeri whined, her legs starting to hurt from the rush.
Their manager didn't even look at them when he spoke. "Administration organized a small movie night for the idols, at the conference hall. To spend the time, you know?"
Karina couldn't help but sigh. Was there even a single time they could rest in peace? They were exhausted after coming back from abroad the day before, and now they were actually going to be forced to attend some movie night? She could feel a knot tightening in her stomach as she considered the endless small talk and mingling ahead of them.
"Someone shoot me in the face, please." Minjeong vocalized Jimin's thoughts just right.
It was a comment that went by completely unacknowledged, much like the girls' exhaustion as they walked inside the company's grand hall to see familiar and unfamiliar faces.
The crowd was rather big, composed of SM's idols, actors, their corresponding staff members, and a whole lot of security personnel. As tired as they were, Aespa quickly put on smiles and started their mingling.
They were used to this. After four years of debut, you could say they had become experts at handling awkward social situations.
And it wasn't all bad. They were actually friends with some of the other idols in the room.
After a few minutes of talking, a loud siren echoed through the tall Seoul buildings. A chilling silence swept over the crowd as Jimin turned, her heart pounding as she noticed the big, marble doors of the great hall being ceremonially closed and locked.
The purge had just begun.
They were in for a long night.
"Rina!" She turned to find her senior, Wendy, calling out for her.
Oh well. At least she was stuck inside SM with some good people.
"Unnie!" she smiled genuinely as she approached the singer.
It didn't take long for everyone to settle down in the chic, comfortable seats, leaning back and munching on a few snacks as they watched the new movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Karina was a little thankful that they were at the company, though. It meant they didn't have to worry about being put in danger tonight.
The movie was a good distraction, yet she still couldn't focus on it. Her mind wandered, replaying the day's events, and no matter how hard she tried, her eyes kept glancing at the clock. With each tick, the atmosphere shifted slightly, the laughter around her becoming more muted, her friends’ smiles more strained.
That same clock hit exactly 00:00 when the lights were suddenly turned off.
Karina turned, trying to see what was going on. A sudden hush fell over the room, and hurried footsteps echoed, followed by sharp gasps and muffled cries. Karina found herself wide-eyed, shrinking into her seat as she held on tightly to Minjeong's hand.
"Unnie?" Ningning's scared voice made Jimin's heart clench in her chest as more sounds of struggle echoed around them.
"I'm here, I'm here. Where's Aeri?"
The familiar voice spoke up from beside her, "Here. What's going on?"
"I don't kn—" The lights were finally turned on, and as soon as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, Karina felt the need to vomit.
All the security guards were on the ground, unconscious, being tied up by people in familiar masks.
They dragged along with them SM's CEO, along with a few other administration people whom they shoved to the floor and pointed their guns at.
"You better stay put!!" A guy in a scary Park Geun-hye mask shouted, clearly not very patient.
Karina didn't need to be told twice. The mere sight of guns was enough to make her comply.
It was completely insane, yet it was happening. They were being held hostage in their own company, in the middle of the Purge.
The masked men assembled everyone on one side of the room, guns drawn on them, ready to shoot if one of them even breathed wrong. The air was thick with fear, a palpable tension that clung to the room like a heavy fog. Karina could hear several people around her crying.
She didn't dare turn to see who it was. Her eyes were fixed on the masked man that had shouted at all of them; he seemed to be the leader of the entire operation.
Why did he seem so familiar?
Karina was sure she had seen that mask before. Maybe on the news?
All her confusion cleared up when the man spoke up on his walkie-talkie, "You can come."
And in walked Miss Liberty herself.
A group of armed men followed close behind her, all wearing masks that Karina and everyone else inside the room also recognized. There was a Barack Obama one, a Putin one, an Osama Bin Laden one, and the list went on. The sheer absurdity of it made the moment even more surreal.
Miss Liberty had become pretty much an icon of South Korea. People talked about her on YouTube; they sold t-shirts and mugs with her face on them. There were live streams set up just to try and catch her during Purge night. She had become so famous that it was common to use one of her masks during Purge night just because.
So there were a lot of copies of Miss Liberty out there that night.
But in that moment, as she strode confidently into the hall, it was clear to everyone they had the original in front of them.
Everyone was staring, some in complete fear, others in awe. Karina felt nothing but disgust. The man who she had previously thought was the leader walked up to Miss Liberty and whispered something in her ear.
She nodded and turned, walking to the middle of the room so she was facing all the hostages, the masked crew behind her.
"Good night, everyone. Sorry for interrupting your..." She glanced at the big screen, where the movie had resumed playing after the lights were turned back on. Monica Bellucci happened to be on screen, and Miss Liberty seemed to get a bit distracted by her before she cleared her throat and spoke up again, "...movie."
Karina felt shivers run down her spine as soon as she heard that smooth, calm voice. There was an unsettling charm in her tone, disarming and inviting. She didn't sound like how someone who was a cold-blooded murderer should sound.
She kept her eyes locked on the masked woman in front of her, her heart beating against her chest almost painfully.
"I believe some of you may already know me, but for those who don't, I'm Miss Liberty. It's a pleasure meeting you."
Her words were so casual that it made the whole situation feel like a sick joke. As if there wasn't a whole group of armed anarchists with guns aimed at them.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I have nothing against you; in fact, I'm a fan of some of you." Miss Liberty's tone dripped with false sincerity, her voice smooth yet chilling. "We are here for one reason and one reason only..." The room stilled as her masked face tilted down to look at the man on the ground, the CEO. "Mister here knows why, don't you?"
Everyone's eyes moved to the man. He was shaking in his spot, not daring to even look up at the masked anarchists.
Miss Liberty crouched down, nudging his chin with the tip of her gun to make him look at her.
The CEO flinched as the gun touched him, his eyes darting from around Miss Liberty's mask to the members behind her, desperation written all over his face.
He gulped, almost looking like he was ready to piss himself.
"You tell us where it is, and we'll be gone. You'll see, in half an hour, you'll be enjoying that pretty woman in the movie again." Her words dripped with sarcasm, and Karina felt a cold sweat break out across her brow.
The CEO was visibly shaking under Miss Liberty's gaze; the calmness in her demeanor only amplified the tension in the air.
"I don't know anything, I swear! I have no idea what y—" He winced as the gun was pressed firmly against his forehead.
"Don't lie to me, come on." She tutted, "I don't like when people try to make a fool out of me."
The man shook his head, his eyes darting around the room, searching for help that would never come.
Everyone in the room knew no one would do that for him; their safety was in Miss Liberty's hands, and no one wanted to incur her wrath.
"I don't know anything! P-please! I don't—I don't know!" His voice trembled, cracking under the pressure.
She raised an eyebrow under her mask, head tilting as she looked at him with distaste. "The gun isn't in my hands; it's in yours. Do you really want your precious idols harmed?"
The CEO gulped, his lips trembling as he looked away from the masked woman, panic evident in his every feature.
His voice was raspy and barely audible. "These are the country's stars. You touch one of them, and you'll be hated forever."
The threat amused her greatly. She chuckled softly, turning behind her to see Winnie’s shoulder shaking as he also laughed.
"Who said anything about being liked, Sir?"
Seeing that he wasn't going to speak, she nodded towards the crowd of idols, and her crew advanced on them.
The idols and the staff members flinched, shrinking back into their spots, eyes wide with terror.
Karina's heart beat so fast it felt like it might jump out of her chest as the masked anarchists surrounded them, their intentions clear.
She could see that everything was more than planned. They were a well-oiled machine of chaos. Everyone was quickly tied up; the girls were put on one side, the guys on the other. The staff members and the passed-out guards were shoved out of the great hall, tied and locked in another room. Every masked person moved almost on instinct, as if they had practiced for this moment since their very first day on Earth.
Still, nothing would be more unnerving than Miss Liberty herself.
She sat back on one of the seats, watching as everything went down, her presence loomed large. Her mask didn’t let anyone see exactly what she was looking at, so it was almost as if she was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
"Why—why are you doing this?" The CEO cried out as he was being shoved outside the hall as well.
He wasn't locked inside another room like the others. Instead, they tied him up and left him in the corridor, right outside the hall, accompanied by two burly masked men.
Finally, silence settled in.
The idols were breathing heavily, trying to recover from the shock. This was insane.
Karina could barely find her voice, yet she opened her lips, trying to process her thoughts as she glanced around the room. "What are they going to do to us?" Some people started crying, others trembling like leaves in a storm.
It was terrifying.
Taeyeon opened her mouth to respond when they suddenly noticed Miss Liberty standing up and walking towards them.
Her steps were calm and planned in an eerie way, each footfall echoing ominously in the now silent room.
Karina could feel her members shrinking beside her, but she tried to keep her cool.
"Don't worry," Miss Liberty reached out and pulled a fallen strand of hair behind Karina's ear. The gesture was so disturbingly intimate that it sent chills racing down Karina's spine. "Nothing's going to ha—"
Karina didn’t know what took over her. The terrorist’s touch was warm and comforting. For a brief second, Karina was enjoying it; then she spat at her captor’s face.
The spit hit the mask right on its smiley face, the sound making the woman who was kneeling in front of her flinch and step back.
A step that matched the sudden gunshot that echoed around the room.
The idols screamed in horror, eyes tightly closed as they cowered.
For several heart-stopping seconds, Karina thought she had died. The bullet pierced her skin and hit her vital organs with creeping precision. She was sure of it—she had died.
But then she opened her eyes to see Miss Liberty still in front of her, hand raised to stop the tall man who had his gun pointed at Karina.
A scream was heard from outside, and Miss Liberty smiled under the mask. At least they were able to get under the CEO's skin.
She turned to Winnie and nodded. He shot at the ceiling again. Then the others followed along.
"Go see if he gives us anything after that," Miss Liberty ordered before turning to Karina once again. "You. Come with me."
Karina was frozen, unable to move as the sound of guns firing rang through her ears.
Her heartbeat was too loud; she almost didn't hear what Miss Liberty said at first.
And then she was being grabbed by an armed man, his hands roughly manhandling her as he pulled her to her feet.
The room was filled with cries as Karina was yanked to her feet. Her legs felt weak, as if they might give out, but the grip of the armed man held her steady—whether she wanted it or not. Her heart hammered in her chest, the adrenaline almost numbing her as she tried to process what was happening.
Miss Liberty watched her with that eerie, unblinking mask, head tilted slightly as if studying her.
Karina glanced back, catching her members' terrified faces, their eyes pleading as their own bodies shook with fear. She could feel their worry radiating, and it only solidified her resolve not to show her captor any weakness.
The man holding her gave her a rough shove forward, forcing her to walk. She stumbled slightly but regained her footing, refusing to let them see her falter. Miss Liberty turned on her heel and led the way through the backdoor, out of the hall, her men flanking Karina like guards. As they walked, the muffled sounds of fear and confusion from the other idols slowly faded, replaced by the hollow echo of footsteps in the long, empty corridor.
Karina tried to steady her breathing, fighting back against the anxiety that was taking over her body.
The walk went on in silence for what felt like forever, her mind racing with countless thoughts and scenarios, her heart almost beating out of her chest with every step.
She glanced around, trying to take in any details she could about her surroundings, trying to find any possible escape.
There wasn't one.
When they halted in front of the elevator, one of the men reached out and handed Miss Liberty the key card that had once been strapped to the CEO's neck.
She accepted it with a nod and raised a hand in the air to dismiss them, but they didn't seem too sure.
"Miss, are you sure?"
She nodded, her voice sounding soothing. Karina could’ve sworn she was smiling under that mask. "Go check on the staff members, Tori. Winnie, you can go back to the idols. Ask Irene for an autograph, maybe—I like her."
The men nodded and dispersed as they got their orders.
Karina was left alone with Miss Liberty.
She looked at her, trying to calm her racing heart as the elevator arrived with a small chime.
“You're insane…” she muttered, her voice quieter than she intended.
“I’m perfectly normal,” Miss Liberty shrugged, unbothered by the insult, and stepped inside the elevator.
Karina squinted her eyes, torn over whether to follow the psychopath into the elevator or not.
Should she fight back? Maybe run?
Her gaze fell on the gun Miss Liberty was carrying. It was huge and clearly loaded.
“I’m not going to hurt you; come on. This is about to get really awkward if the doors close and you’re still standing out there.”
You know what?
Screw this.
Karina turned and tried to run down the hallway.
She barely managed a step before a hand shot out, grabbing the back of her shirt and yanking her gently inside the elevator.
Miss Liberty sighed, helping Karina regain her balance.
The idol jumped away from her touch, pressing herself against the wall on the opposite side of the elevator, as far from Miss Liberty as she could get.
“You’re making this more difficult than it has to be; I just need a tour guide.”
“Why should I help an assassin?” Karina shot back, her voice steadier than she felt.
She kept her eyes locked on Miss Liberty, her body tensing every time the masked woman moved.
Miss Liberty raised her eyebrows, her surprise evident. “An assassin?”
“That is literally what you are,” Karina retorted, feeling a sense of satisfaction in her bluntness.
Even in fear, she refused to give Miss Liberty the satisfaction of seeing her tremble.
“What makes me an assasin?” Miss Liberty asked, reaching for the elevator buttons and pressing the one for the top floor.
When prompted for her permission, she swiped the key card. Thankfully, it worked again.
“You just led an armed group into the SM building and held us all hostage. Are you serious? How much of an imbecile do you have to be?” Karina narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, trying to exude defiance in a life-or-death situation.
“Yeah, so...? I’m not breaking the law,” Miss Liberty shrugged lightly, leaning against the wall as she looked at Karina. “It’s Purge night!”
“So your logic is that because it’s a legal night, it gives you the right to take lives?” Karina raised an eyebrow, disbelief etched on her face. “I can’t believe I’m actually having this conversation.”
“I’ve never taken a life. If anything, I saved yours.”
Karina blinked, surprised by how calmly Miss Liberty spoke about the Purge as if it were a casual topic.
“Saved mine?” she shook her head, distrust radiating from her. “If it weren’t for you in the first place, I probably wouldn’t be in danger.”
“If you hadn’t spat on me, you mean,” Miss Liberty mumbled, looking somewhat dejected.
Why was she the one at fault here?
“Oh, poor you.” Karina scoffed, rolling her eyes and sarcastically playing along. “I’m so sorry I didn’t treat you like a princess after you held the whole building hostage.”
Miss Liberty nodded, her tone light as she replied, “Apology accepted.”
Karina's blood boiled.
“Is this some sick game to you?” she shot back, her voice sharp and eyes narrowing as she glared at the masked woman.
“No.” Miss Liberty shook her head, her demeanor shifting slightly. “I’m after something very serious.”
“Something very serious? You and your anarchist group are nothing more than a joke,” Karina spat, crossing her arms defiantly. “You’re basically children throwing a temper tantrum, thinking you know how to solve all the world’s problems. I don’t know what exactly you’re trying to accomplish by kidnapping me and the other idols, but you’re not solving anything. You’re making things worse.”
Miss Liberty noticed how close Karina had suddenly gotten—she was practically in her face.
“I appreciate the effort, I really do,” Miss Liberty said, raising her gun slightly, the barrel hovering between them. “But I’m still the one with the big gun, so back away a little.”
Karina felt her heart race at the sight of the weapon. Not wanting to test the woman’s patience, she took a small step back, though her eyes remained locked on the masked figure.
“Look,” Miss Liberty continued, her voice steady, “You tested me in front of everyone, so I had to make an example out of you. Also, I really do need someone to show me around since your CEO is being difficult. You’ll be that someone.”
“You think I’m just going to obediently lead you through the building? Why would I do that?” Karina raised an eyebrow, her arms still crossed as she fought to keep her voice steady. “I won’t be your tour guide. Find someone else.”
Miss Liberty sighed, a hint of annoyance creeping into her tone. “Walk.” She gestured as the elevator doors slid open.
Karina huffed loudly.
Her legs moved almost on instinct, stepping outside the elevator and walking in the direction Miss Liberty pointed.
The hallway was empty. Of course, the guards had been taken out.
She looked around, her heart hammering against her chest as she began walking.
“Is your manager’s office on this floor?” Miss Liberty asked, glancing around the expanse of cubicles. Everything was clean and organized, showing faint traces of the people who worked there.
No.
“Yes,” Karina replied after a second, casting a quick glance at Miss Liberty before looking ahead again.
She knew SM like the back of her hand, having spent years in this building. But she had never been on these floors. Her meetings usually took place on the lower administration levels, while practices and recordings happened even lower.
She could try to play the terrorist. Make her waste time, fool her, and then find a way to escape.
That couldn’t be too hard, right?
“Great, so then your CEO’s office must be around here too,” Miss Liberty mused quietly.
No.
“Yes,” Karina replied, her steps slow and careful as she were stalled for time.
Maybe she could find a way to run or at least spot something she could use against her captor. The hallway stretched on, the only thing in sight being the elevator behind them.
“You know...” Miss Liberty began, her gaze wandering as if distracted, “you suck at lying. Anyone ever tell you that?”
Karina's heart sank for a moment, her mind racing to keep up with her thoughts.
“Liar? What do you mean?” She forced herself to sound casual and naive, pretending to be oblivious seemed to be her best chance to fool her captor for now.
“I mean exactly what my words say.” Miss Liberty shrugged, casually opening the door to the glass office at the end of the hallway. “This is fancy.”
Karina felt her stomach twist at those words, realizing that the other woman was smarter than she appeared.
The office they had entered wasn’t SM's CEO’s office; it was just another regular workspace. But Miss Liberty’s words made Karina feel exposed, as if her plans were already laid bare before her.
“Are you actually going to search the whole building?” Karina asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
Miss Liberty hummed softly, a sound that felt oddly endearing coming from someone so dangerous. “I will if I have to. I’m getting the papers I need. You could help me end this and take your friends out of their misery if you tell me where the CEO’s office is. Or you could keep lying to me, and we could be here searching all night. It’s up to you.”
Karina sighed, fatigue weighing heavily on her. This was not how she had envisioned her night going.
“What are you even looking for?” she asked, her curiosity piqued despite herself.
“I need some documents.” Miss Liberty replied, her tone casual.
Karina halted and turned to face her, suspicion creeping into her expression. Documents?
“What? Bank information? Some way for you to steal all our money? Get rich?”
“I’m already rich,” Miss Liberty countered, shaking her head dismissively.
Karina raised an eyebrow, trying to process her words. So, she wasn’t motivated by money. Then what the hell was she doing this for?
“Then what? Blackmail?”
“Mhm, yeah. Sure.”
Karina scrutinized her response, doubt gnawing at her. “Blackmailing who? The CEO of SM?”
Did Miss Liberty have a personal vendetta against him?
“What do you want from him?”
"You think I want anything from that rat?” Miss Liberty chuckled, a hint of derision in her voice. “I have better things to do with my time, trust me.”
Karina’s suspicion deepened. Miss Liberty’s answer only left her with more questions.
“Then why are you even here? Why go through all this trouble? What do you have against the CEO?”
Miss Liberty’s eyes widened at the sudden interrogation. Realizing there was nothing of importance on this floor, she turned and walked back toward the elevator. “Wow, that's way too many questions, pretty.”
“I’m not going to blindly lead you to your target,” Karina retorted, her feet following Miss Liberty toward the elevator despite her flustered state. What the hell was that nickname? “If you expect me to be your tour guide, I have the right to ask questions.” Karina raised her chin defiantly, her eyes narrowing as her tone became sharp.
Miss Liberty sighed.
Seriously, out of all the people she could’ve picked, it had to be someone as annoying as Karina. How unlucky could she get?
What could she possibly lose from this anyway?
“Fineee. You know Red Velvet, right?”
Karina blinked, tilting her head in confusion. What did Red Velvet have to do with any of this?
“Yes, I know them... what do they have to do with anything? Wait… you’re trying to blackmail the CEO because of them? That makes no sense!"
Miss Liberty glared at Karina from beneath her mask, irritation flickering in her eyes.
She was dealing with an actual child.
"Remember when they went to North Korea to perform for Kim Jong Un as a gift from our nation?"
Karina nodded, "Yeah, so...?"
“They didn’t go as a gift; they went as part of a governmental exchange. A service to pay for something in return, basically.”
Karina’s confusion deepened as her eyebrows furrowed. “So you’re telling me the government used Red Velvet for something? What did they get in return?” Did the government use them as a political weapon? That didn’t sound too far-fetched.
Miss Liberty shrugged. “We’ll find out when we get those papers.”
“Wow, great answer.” Karina rolled her eyes. “How do I know you’re not going to do something even more insane, like… I don’t know, get them executed or something?”
Miss Liberty rolled her eyes. She was usually very patient, but Karina was testing her limits. “Dude, I’ve never killed anyone. Will you please just tell me how to get to the stupid office?”
Karina scoffed. “Who’s lying now? I know for a fact you get rich by killing people and selling their organs. Everyone knows this.”
Miss Liberty shook her head, her frustration mounting. “I didn’t kill them! I just picked up bodies off the street on Purge night and sold the organs.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “If anything, I saved people in need with all the organs I provided.”
Karina rolled her eyes, her expression morphing into disbelief. “How is that any better? You’re profiting from murder.” She shot her a pointed look filled with judgment.
“Murders I didn’t cause! And I ended up saving people—why do you think I’m actually liked?”
“You think being liked makes anything better? Are you insane?” Her voice rose in disbelief, eyes narrowing at Miss Liberty’s audacity. “You’re a terrorist, a literal assassin. There’s nothing to like about you.”
Miss Liberty shook her head, exasperated. Was Karina even listening to her?
“Just tell me where the bloody office is before I actually turn into an assassin.”
Karina sighed. This wasn’t going anywhere, and it was clear Miss Liberty wasn’t going to back down.
“Fine, it’s three floors down, happy?” she muttered, pushing the elevator button.
Karina crossed her arms tightly, leaning back against the wall of the elevator.
The silence was heavy, each floor they passed making her anxiety spike. She knew she had no choice but to lead the masked woman to her destination, but she hated every minute of it.
Miss Liberty checked her gun, ensuring it was perfectly loaded. This was one of the biggest operations she had ever directed, and she couldn’t shake the tension building within her.
She sighed, bringing her walkie-talkie to her lips. “Anything from the CEO?”
Karina’s gaze flicked to the walkie-talkie, her mind racing with questions. What was happening with the CEO? She could only imagine what they were doing to him.
The walkie-talkie sparked to life, a husky voice crackling through. “He’s pissed himself twice but refuses to talk. I bet the government paid him off pretty well. You found anything?”
Miss Liberty responded, “I’m getting to it.”
She shoved the device back into her pocket and tilted her head at Karina as the elevator doors slid open again.
Karina didn’t say anything; her eyes flicked over Miss Liberty before she stepped out of the elevator.
She led the way down the hallway, her steps slow and steady as she walked.
The office was locked, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for Miss Liberty, who quickly shot out the glass walls and stepped over it.
Karina jumped at the sound of the gunshot, her eyes widening at the sheer audacity of the woman. The shattering glass echoed down the hallway, sending her heart racing again. She tried her best to keep her expression neutral as they walked, forcing herself to ignore the chaos behind them.
“There you go. That’s it.” She gestured to the CEO’s office, a large and lavish space adorned with awards and diplomas lining the walls, plush sofas, and an impressive wooden desk.
Miss Liberty, however, seemed unfazed by the entire thing. She strode to the desk, rifling through the documents that sprawled before her. “Come on, help me look.”
Karina was still reeling from the gunshot, her eyes darting around the hallway before landing on Miss Liberty. She hesitated, debating whether to assist the woman she was supposed to despise.
With a deep breath, she stepped into the office, maneuvering around the desk to take a seat in the comfortable chair behind it. “...What should I even be looking for?” she asked, glancing at the mess Miss Liberty was making.
“Anything that says ‘North Korea’ or ‘government’ on it. It’s not rocket science.” Miss Liberty’s tone remained sweet and calm, a stark contrast to her words.
For a moment, Karina wondered if the assassin was being genuine or mocking her. She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes as she leaned back in the chair, stealing another glance at Miss Liberty.
Aeri was right... she was definitely hot.
Karina had seen her online before, but having the leader leaning over the desk beside her was an entirely different experience. Even without seeing her face, Karina could tell the woman was striking. Her voice was captivating, and the way she carried herself exuded confidence.
Shit—no.
Karina couldn't afford to have these thoughts, especially not about the one person she should despise the most.
But then her gaze drifted down Miss Liberty’s body—from the mask, to her neck, her chest, her waist, and then to the gun strapped to her side.
“Are you going to help me?” Miss Liberty interrupted her thoughts, her voice steady.
Karina cleared her throat, the weight of the moment settling over her. She had two options: to help or to do the opposite.
Her instincts screamed at her to act.
With a quick, decisive motion, she grabbed the gun from Miss Liberty’s holster, standing up and aiming it at the assassin just as the latter turned to face her.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Miss Liberty exclaimed, panic flickering across her body despite her attempt to maintain control.
Karina held the gun tightly, her grip trembling slightly as her heart hammered against her chest. She had never held a gun before in her life.
Her eyes flicked from the weapon to Miss Liberty, and it finally hit her: she was aiming a gun at South Korea's number one public enemy. Was she crazy?
“Drop your gun, right now.” Her voice quavered, but she stood her ground.
When Miss Liberty didn’t respond immediately, Karina raised her voice. “I SAID, DROP YOUR GUN NOW!”
Miss Liberty shook her head, her hands caught between stacks of papers. “You’re not going to shoot me, Karina.”
Karina swallowed hard, narrowing her eyes beneath her messy bangs. “Don’t test me.”
The gun felt heavy in her grip, her finger inching toward the trigger as she locked her gaze onto the masked woman in front of her.
“Hand it to me.” She repeated, reaching out. “Give me your gun.”
Miss Liberty shook her head again, instead reaching for Karina’s hand and intertwining their fingers. She nudged Karina a little closer, as if to say, I’m not a threat to you, even if you think I am.
She wouldn't harm Karina. She wouldn't even think about it.
Instead, she was one who was harmed.
Karina pulled the trigger without even noticing.
The loud shot echoed through the room, causing her to scream instinctively. Her heart hammered against her chest as she quickly dropped the gun, staring at it as if it was the most dangerous thing ever.
"Hey, hey." Miss Liberty let out in a soft, reassuring tone, "It's okay. You're fine."
Karina could feel her head spinning. She looked up, wide eyes falling on Miss Liberty's now red stomach. The blood seeping from her right hip shocked Karina into a catatonic state. "You-you're- I...I"
Miss Liberty shook her head again, "I'm fine. We're fine, okay? Don't freeze up, right now. I need your help finding those documents."
Karina felt paralyzed, her hands trembling as she slowly turned to assess the wound.
“I-I…” Her voice faltered, silent as her eyes traced the blood soaking the woman’s shirt. This was bad. This was really bad. Was Miss Liberty going to die? Was she going to die?
Gulping, she struggled to gather her thoughts, hands hovering over the wound for a moment before retracting them. “I don’t— I can’t—” She shook her head, desperation evident in her eyes.
“Hey, look at me.” Miss Liberty suddenly removed her mask, revealing a young woman who appeared to be around Karina’s age. She was stunning.
Karina’s eyes widened, disbelief flooding her mind as she processed that she had just shot the most attractive woman she had ever seen. Her thoughts spiraled, darting between the woman’s features, the wound, and back to her eyes.
“I'm just like you, you see? I’m a normal girl. I’m not going to hurt you. Please, just help me find those documents, and everything will be over.”
Karina’s expression softened slightly, the shock slowly giving way to confusion. How could this beautiful woman be the same monster who had taken an entire building hostage?
Her gaze fell back to the wound, a lump forming in her throat as guilt settled heavily in her chest.
Still on autopilot, Karina’s gaze drifted to the elevator at the end of the hall.
She could make a run for it.
Find a bathroom to lock herself in until everything blew over.
But then she turned back to Miss Liberty.
What would happen to her? Would she even survive the gunshot?
Karina gulped, her mind racing at a thousand miles per hour. What could she do? What was her best option? She was dead if Miss Liberty's men came in and found their leader wounded.
They would kill her. No questions asked.
Taking a step back, she watched as Miss Liberty’s hands fell from her cheeks, landing on her hip to apply pressure to the wound.
Karina took another step back.
Then another.
And another.
“Don’t. Please.” Miss Liberty’s voice trembled with urgency, desperation lacing her words.
Synopsis: Purge Day—twelve hours of unchecked chaos where all crime is fair game.
Karina thinks she's safe, bunkered down with her members in one of Seoul's most secure buildings. But that sense of safety shatters when Miss Liberty, the country’s most notorious criminal, breaks in and takes her hostage. Ready to fight her way out, Karina quickly realizes that Miss Liberty may not be the enemy she imagined.
Tags: Purge Alternative Universe, Guns, Kidnapping, Idol!Aespa, Blood, Criminal!reader
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺
Do you ever feel tired of just keeping things to yourself?
Of looking at the person who always does you wrong and biting your tongue?
Of knowing that you're not in the wrong but being incapable of doing anything to change the situation you're in?
Y/N certainly didn't.
She looked at herself in the mirror and examined her face one last time that night.
Her TV rang with an alarm, but she didn't turn to look at it as she put on her mask.
"This is not a test. This is your Emergency Broadcast System. Announcing the commencement of the annual Purge sanctioned by the South Korean government.
Weapons of class four and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted.
Commencing at the siren, any and all crime (including murder) will be legal for 12 continuous hours.
Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m., when the Purge concludes.
Blessed be the founding leader of South Korea... a nation reborn.
May God be with you all."
She sighed, looking down as her phone lit up with a new call.
She answered and brought the phone to her ear.
"Everyone ready?"
"We're all at our meetup spot. Waiting for you."
"Good. Be there in ten."
She went to hang up, but the man spoke up again. "Are... are you sure tonight is a good idea? We've never done anything like this."
Y/N lit the lights of her mask up, green staring back at her as she grabbed her MPT-76.
"Do you trust me, Winnie?"
:::
"This is the stupidest shit SM has ever done, and they handle our promotions."
Karina threw Giselle a warning look, letting her know that those comments weren't very smart while they were in the company's building... as much as she agreed with them.
"At least we'll be safe," Ning shrugged, yawning a little as they continued following their manager through the hallways.
SM was a safe place.
They could only get through the front lobby with facial recognition confirmation. The elevators and stairs only worked with ID cards, and the idols' floor was basically cut off from the other parts of the building.
Did this mean it was smart for SM to force all their idols to spend the Purge at their building?
No, no it wasn't.
Karina knew that. Yet they had no choice in the matter.
Even if it was safer for them to go outside the country or to other secure locations, every year they were forced to stay at the building.
SM just wanted to have complete control over them.
"It's like having to spend Christmas with your awkward side of the family," Winter mumbled, putting on a smile and bowing as they passed a few members of NCT.
Ning tried to be optimistic. "Just consider it a fun sleepover."
Winter huffed and crossed her arms. "It's ridiculous. We're not allowed to leave, and we can't even rest properly."
Giselle suddenly spoke up, "What if we also wanted to purge? It's a civil right in this country; we should be allowed to do it."
SM had strictly forbidden their idols from even going out on Purge night, afraid that their reputations would be ruined. Though, in SM's defense, it wasn't just them, this was a universal rule in K-pop, just like dating and dieting.
Karina gave Giselle an exasperated look. "Don't even joke about that. Why would you want to purge?"
Giselle shrugged, always one to speak her mind. "Just to see what it's like, I guess. It's not all bad, you know? Have you seen what Miss Liberty does?"
Karina shook her head and stopped before walking into another hallway.
Miss Liberty was definitely not a positive role model.
That group basically wanted society to crumble and the government to be destroyed.
She was a lunatic.
"You do know she's probably killed more than a hundred people."
Ning looked at Giselle wide-eyed.
She was the youngest, so she wasn't really aware of all the things that happened in their country... especially during this particular night.
"Hundred...? Who's Miss Liberty?"
Karina knew she wasn't the only one who couldn't believe that the young girl was completely oblivious to the country's "hero."
The masked anarchist had been a hot topic for years, causing the government to send their agents to find her every year, and every year they failed.
Even with the mask on, you could still see the way she moved and sounded, but still, no one could figure out who she was.
"She's basically a terrorist," Karina stated. "She's the leader of a group of anarchists who want to overthrow the government."
Winter laughed quietly. "Terrorists are the new role models now, I guess."
"She's... she's pretty hot, though," Giselle tried to defend. "At least that."
"How do you know that?" Ning squinted.
Winter shook her head in disbelief. "Are you serious? She's literally killed people, and you're worried about how hot she looks—"
Ning nodded in agreement. "She could be fat and ugly for all we know."
"Or even a guy," Winter added.
"Oh, come on." Giselle rolled her eyes. "Have you seen that body? She's clearly a very hot woman. I would give her what? 30 to 35? She'd need experience to set up a group as big as hers but she's still mother, you know?"
"You think a 35-year-old woman can move like that?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Just because it's—"
Karina couldn't help but shake her head and roll her eyes. "You are all unbelievable."
Karina knew her group mates thought this was a joke, but she didn't.
Miss Liberty was dangerous, and the fact that so many people loved her was scary, making Karina hate the Purge even more than before.
People loved watching the blood be shed and chaos ensue just for entertainment.
"Keep up, girls, come on!" Their manager hurried, as always. He walked like he had a flight to catch and was late.
People loved watching the blood be shed and chaos ensue just for entertainment.
"Keep up, girls, come on." Their manager hurried, as always. He always walked like he had a flight to catch and was late.
"Man, we're already at SM. Where else do we need to go?" Aeri whined, her legs starting to hurt from the rush.
Their manager didn't even look at them when he spoke. "Administration organized a small movie night for the idols, at the conference hall. To spend the time, you know?"
Karina couldn't help but sigh. Was there even a single time they could rest in peace? They were exhausted after coming back from abroad the day before, and now they were actually going to be forced to attend some movie night? She could feel a knot tightening in her stomach as she considered the endless small talk and mingling ahead of them.
"Someone shoot me in the face, please." Minjeong vocalized Jimin's thoughts just right.
It was a comment that went by completely unacknowledged, much like the girls' exhaustion as they walked inside the company's grand hall to see familiar and unfamiliar faces.
The crowd was rather big, composed of SM's idols, actors, their corresponding staff members, and a whole lot of security personnel. As tired as they were, Aespa quickly put on smiles and started their mingling.
They were used to this. After four years of debut, you could say they had become experts at handling awkward social situations.
And it wasn't all bad. They were actually friends with some of the other idols in the room.
After a few minutes of talking, a loud siren echoed through the tall Seoul buildings. A chilling silence swept over the crowd as Jimin turned, her heart pounding as she noticed the big, marble doors of the great hall being ceremonially closed and locked.
The purge had just begun.
They were in for a long night.
"Rina!" She turned to find her senior, Wendy, calling out for her.
Oh well. At least she was stuck inside SM with some good people.
"Unnie!" she smiled genuinely as she approached the singer.
It didn't take long for everyone to settle down in the chic, comfortable seats, leaning back and munching on a few snacks as they watched the new movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Karina was a little thankful that they were at the company, though. It meant they didn't have to worry about being put in danger tonight.
The movie was a good distraction, yet she still couldn't focus on it. Her mind wandered, replaying the day's events, and no matter how hard she tried, her eyes kept glancing at the clock. With each tick, the atmosphere shifted slightly, the laughter around her becoming more muted, her friends’ smiles more strained.
That same clock hit exactly 00:00 when the lights were suddenly turned off.
Karina turned, trying to see what was going on. A sudden hush fell over the room, and hurried footsteps echoed, followed by sharp gasps and muffled cries. Karina found herself wide-eyed, shrinking into her seat as she held on tightly to Minjeong's hand.
"Unnie?" Ningning's scared voice made Jimin's heart clench in her chest as more sounds of struggle echoed around them.
"I'm here, I'm here. Where's Aeri?"
The familiar voice spoke up from beside her, "Here. What's going on?"
"I don't kn—" The lights were finally turned on, and as soon as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, Karina felt the need to vomit.
All the security guards were on the ground, unconscious, being tied up by people in familiar masks.
They dragged along with them SM's CEO, along with a few other administration people whom they shoved to the floor and pointed their guns at.
"You better stay put!!" A guy in a scary Park Geun-hye mask shouted, clearly not very patient.
Karina didn't need to be told twice. The mere sight of guns was enough to make her comply.
It was completely insane, yet it was happening. They were being held hostage in their own company, in the middle of the Purge.
The masked men assembled everyone on one side of the room, guns drawn on them, ready to shoot if one of them even breathed wrong. The air was thick with fear, a palpable tension that clung to the room like a heavy fog. Karina could hear several people around her crying.
She didn't dare turn to see who it was. Her eyes were fixed on the masked man that had shouted at all of them; he seemed to be the leader of the entire operation.
Why did he seem so familiar?
Karina was sure she had seen that mask before. Maybe on the news?
All her confusion cleared up when the man spoke up on his walkie-talkie, "You can come."
And in walked Miss Liberty herself.
A group of armed men followed close behind her, all wearing masks that Karina and everyone else inside the room also recognized. There was a Barack Obama one, a Putin one, an Osama Bin Laden one, and the list went on. The sheer absurdity of it made the moment even more surreal.
Miss Liberty had become pretty much an icon of South Korea. People talked about her on YouTube; they sold t-shirts and mugs with her face on them. There were live streams set up just to try and catch her during Purge night. She had become so famous that it was common to use one of her masks during Purge night just because.
So there were a lot of copies of Miss Liberty out there that night.
But in that moment, as she strode confidently into the hall, it was clear to everyone they had the original in front of them.
Everyone was staring, some in complete fear, others in awe. Karina felt nothing but disgust. The man who she had previously thought was the leader walked up to Miss Liberty and whispered something in her ear.
She nodded and turned, walking to the middle of the room so she was facing all the hostages, the masked crew behind her.
"Good night, everyone. Sorry for interrupting your..." She glanced at the big screen, where the movie had resumed playing after the lights were turned back on. Monica Bellucci happened to be on screen, and Miss Liberty seemed to get a bit distracted by her before she cleared her throat and spoke up again, "...movie."
Karina felt shivers run down her spine as soon as she heard that smooth, calm voice. There was an unsettling charm in her tone, disarming and inviting. She didn't sound like how someone who was a cold-blooded murderer should sound.
She kept her eyes locked on the masked woman in front of her, her heart beating against her chest almost painfully.
"I believe some of you may already know me, but for those who don't, I'm Miss Liberty. It's a pleasure meeting you."
Her words were so casual that it made the whole situation feel like a sick joke. As if there wasn't a whole group of armed anarchists with guns aimed at them.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I have nothing against you; in fact, I'm a fan of some of you." Miss Liberty's tone dripped with false sincerity, her voice smooth yet chilling. "We are here for one reason and one reason only..." The room stilled as her masked face tilted down to look at the man on the ground, the CEO. "Mister here knows why, don't you?"
Everyone's eyes moved to the man. He was shaking in his spot, not daring to even look up at the masked anarchists.
Miss Liberty crouched down, nudging his chin with the tip of her gun to make him look at her.
The CEO flinched as the gun touched him, his eyes darting from around Miss Liberty's mask to the members behind her, desperation written all over his face.
He gulped, almost looking like he was ready to piss himself.
"You tell us where it is, and we'll be gone. You'll see, in half an hour, you'll be enjoying that pretty woman in the movie again." Her words dripped with sarcasm, and Karina felt a cold sweat break out across her brow.
The CEO was visibly shaking under Miss Liberty's gaze; the calmness in her demeanor only amplified the tension in the air.
"I don't know anything, I swear! I have no idea what y—" He winced as the gun was pressed firmly against his forehead.
"Don't lie to me, come on." She tutted, "I don't like when people try to make a fool out of me."
The man shook his head, his eyes darting around the room, searching for help that would never come.
Everyone in the room knew no one would do that for him; their safety was in Miss Liberty's hands, and no one wanted to incur her wrath.
"I don't know anything! P-please! I don't—I don't know!" His voice trembled, cracking under the pressure.
She raised an eyebrow under her mask, head tilting as she looked at him with distaste. "The gun isn't in my hands; it's in yours. Do you really want your precious idols harmed?"
The CEO gulped, his lips trembling as he looked away from the masked woman, panic evident in his every feature.
His voice was raspy and barely audible. "These are the country's stars. You touch one of them, and you'll be hated forever."
The threat amused her greatly. She chuckled softly, turning behind her to see Winnie’s shoulder shaking as he also laughed.
"Who said anything about being liked, Sir?"
Seeing that he wasn't going to speak, she nodded towards the crowd of idols, and her crew advanced on them.
The idols and the staff members flinched, shrinking back into their spots, eyes wide with terror.
Karina's heart beat so fast it felt like it might jump out of her chest as the masked anarchists surrounded them, their intentions clear.
She could see that everything was more than planned. They were a well-oiled machine of chaos. Everyone was quickly tied up; the girls were put on one side, the guys on the other. The staff members and the passed-out guards were shoved out of the great hall, tied and locked in another room. Every masked person moved almost on instinct, as if they had practiced for this moment since their very first day on Earth.
Still, nothing would be more unnerving than Miss Liberty herself.
She sat back on one of the seats, watching as everything went down, her presence loomed large. Her mask didn’t let anyone see exactly what she was looking at, so it was almost as if she was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
"Why—why are you doing this?" The CEO cried out as he was being shoved outside the hall as well.
He wasn't locked inside another room like the others. Instead, they tied him up and left him in the corridor, right outside the hall, accompanied by two burly masked men.
Finally, silence settled in.
The idols were breathing heavily, trying to recover from the shock. This was insane.
Karina could barely find her voice, yet she opened her lips, trying to process her thoughts as she glanced around the room. "What are they going to do to us?" Some people started crying, others trembling like leaves in a storm.
It was terrifying.
Taeyeon opened her mouth to respond when they suddenly noticed Miss Liberty standing up and walking towards them.
Her steps were calm and planned in an eerie way, each footfall echoing ominously in the now silent room.
Karina could feel her members shrinking beside her, but she tried to keep her cool.
"Don't worry," Miss Liberty reached out and pulled a fallen strand of hair behind Karina's ear. The gesture was so disturbingly intimate that it sent chills racing down Karina's spine. "Nothing's going to ha—"
Karina didn’t know what took over her. The terrorist’s touch was warm and comforting. For a brief second, Karina was enjoying it; then she spat at her captor’s face.
The spit hit the mask right on its smiley face, the sound making the woman who was kneeling in front of her flinch and step back.
A step that matched the sudden gunshot that echoed around the room.
The idols screamed in horror, eyes tightly closed as they cowered.
For several heart-stopping seconds, Karina thought she had died. The bullet pierced her skin and hit her vital organs with creeping precision. She was sure of it—she had died.
But then she opened her eyes to see Miss Liberty still in front of her, hand raised to stop the tall man who had his gun pointed at Karina.
A scream was heard from outside, and Miss Liberty smiled under the mask. At least they were able to get under the CEO's skin.
She turned to Winnie and nodded. He shot at the ceiling again. Then the others followed along.
"Go see if he gives us anything after that," Miss Liberty ordered before turning to Karina once again. "You. Come with me."
Karina was frozen, unable to move as the sound of guns firing rang through her ears.
Her heartbeat was too loud; she almost didn't hear what Miss Liberty said at first.
And then she was being grabbed by an armed man, his hands roughly manhandling her as he pulled her to her feet.
The room was filled with cries as Karina was yanked to her feet. Her legs felt weak, as if they might give out, but the grip of the armed man held her steady—whether she wanted it or not. Her heart hammered in her chest, the adrenaline almost numbing her as she tried to process what was happening.
Miss Liberty watched her with that eerie, unblinking mask, head tilted slightly as if studying her.
Karina glanced back, catching her members' terrified faces, their eyes pleading as their own bodies shook with fear. She could feel their worry radiating, and it only solidified her resolve not to show her captor any weakness.
The man holding her gave her a rough shove forward, forcing her to walk. She stumbled slightly but regained her footing, refusing to let them see her falter. Miss Liberty turned on her heel and led the way through the backdoor, out of the hall, her men flanking Karina like guards. As they walked, the muffled sounds of fear and confusion from the other idols slowly faded, replaced by the hollow echo of footsteps in the long, empty corridor.
Karina tried to steady her breathing, fighting back against the anxiety that was taking over her body.
The walk went on in silence for what felt like forever, her mind racing with countless thoughts and scenarios, her heart almost beating out of her chest with every step.
She glanced around, trying to take in any details she could about her surroundings, trying to find any possible escape.
There wasn't one.
When they halted in front of the elevator, one of the men reached out and handed Miss Liberty the key card that had once been strapped to the CEO's neck.
She accepted it with a nod and raised a hand in the air to dismiss them, but they didn't seem too sure.
"Miss, are you sure?"
She nodded, her voice sounding soothing. Karina could’ve sworn she was smiling under that mask. "Go check on the staff members, Tori. Winnie, you can go back to the idols. Ask Irene for an autograph, maybe—I like her."
The men nodded and dispersed as they got their orders.
Karina was left alone with Miss Liberty.
She looked at her, trying to calm her racing heart as the elevator arrived with a small chime.
“You're insane…” she muttered, her voice quieter than she intended.
“I’m perfectly normal,” Miss Liberty shrugged, unbothered by the insult, and stepped inside the elevator.
Karina squinted her eyes, torn over whether to follow the psychopath into the elevator or not.
Should she fight back? Maybe run?
Her gaze fell on the gun Miss Liberty was carrying. It was huge and clearly loaded.
“I’m not going to hurt you; come on. This is about to get really awkward if the doors close and you’re still standing out there.”
You know what?
Screw this.
Karina turned and tried to run down the hallway.
She barely managed a step before a hand shot out, grabbing the back of her shirt and yanking her gently inside the elevator.
Miss Liberty sighed, helping Karina regain her balance.
The idol jumped away from her touch, pressing herself against the wall on the opposite side of the elevator, as far from Miss Liberty as she could get.
“You’re making this more difficult than it has to be; I just need a tour guide.”
“Why should I help an assassin?” Karina shot back, her voice steadier than she felt.
She kept her eyes locked on Miss Liberty, her body tensing every time the masked woman moved.
Miss Liberty raised her eyebrows, her surprise evident. “An assassin?”
“That is literally what you are,” Karina retorted, feeling a sense of satisfaction in her bluntness.
Even in fear, she refused to give Miss Liberty the satisfaction of seeing her tremble.
“What makes me an assasin?” Miss Liberty asked, reaching for the elevator buttons and pressing the one for the top floor.
When prompted for her permission, she swiped the key card. Thankfully, it worked again.
“You just led an armed group into the SM building and held us all hostage. Are you serious? How much of an imbecile do you have to be?” Karina narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, trying to exude defiance in a life-or-death situation.
“Yeah, so...? I’m not breaking the law,” Miss Liberty shrugged lightly, leaning against the wall as she looked at Karina. “It’s Purge night!”
“So your logic is that because it’s a legal night, it gives you the right to take lives?” Karina raised an eyebrow, disbelief etched on her face. “I can’t believe I’m actually having this conversation.”
“I’ve never taken a life. If anything, I saved yours.”
Karina blinked, surprised by how calmly Miss Liberty spoke about the Purge as if it were a casual topic.
“Saved mine?” she shook her head, distrust radiating from her. “If it weren’t for you in the first place, I probably wouldn’t be in danger.”
“If you hadn’t spat on me, you mean,” Miss Liberty mumbled, looking somewhat dejected.
Why was she the one at fault here?
“Oh, poor you.” Karina scoffed, rolling her eyes and sarcastically playing along. “I’m so sorry I didn’t treat you like a princess after you held the whole building hostage.”
Miss Liberty nodded, her tone light as she replied, “Apology accepted.”
Karina's blood boiled.
“Is this some sick game to you?” she shot back, her voice sharp and eyes narrowing as she glared at the masked woman.
“No.” Miss Liberty shook her head, her demeanor shifting slightly. “I’m after something very serious.”
“Something very serious? You and your anarchist group are nothing more than a joke,” Karina spat, crossing her arms defiantly. “You’re basically children throwing a temper tantrum, thinking you know how to solve all the world’s problems. I don’t know what exactly you’re trying to accomplish by kidnapping me and the other idols, but you’re not solving anything. You’re making things worse.”
Miss Liberty noticed how close Karina had suddenly gotten—she was practically in her face.
“I appreciate the effort, I really do,” Miss Liberty said, raising her gun slightly, the barrel hovering between them. “But I’m still the one with the big gun, so back away a little.”
Karina felt her heart race at the sight of the weapon. Not wanting to test the woman’s patience, she took a small step back, though her eyes remained locked on the masked figure.
“Look,” Miss Liberty continued, her voice steady, “You tested me in front of everyone, so I had to make an example out of you. Also, I really do need someone to show me around since your CEO is being difficult. You’ll be that someone.”
“You think I’m just going to obediently lead you through the building? Why would I do that?” Karina raised an eyebrow, her arms still crossed as she fought to keep her voice steady. “I won’t be your tour guide. Find someone else.”
Miss Liberty sighed, a hint of annoyance creeping into her tone. “Walk.” She gestured as the elevator doors slid open.
Karina huffed loudly.
Her legs moved almost on instinct, stepping outside the elevator and walking in the direction Miss Liberty pointed.
The hallway was empty. Of course, the guards had been taken out.
She looked around, her heart hammering against her chest as she began walking.
“Is your manager’s office on this floor?” Miss Liberty asked, glancing around the expanse of cubicles. Everything was clean and organized, showing faint traces of the people who worked there.
No.
“Yes,” Karina replied after a second, casting a quick glance at Miss Liberty before looking ahead again.
She knew SM like the back of her hand, having spent years in this building. But she had never been on these floors. Her meetings usually took place on the lower administration levels, while practices and recordings happened even lower.
She could try to play the terrorist. Make her waste time, fool her, and then find a way to escape.
That couldn’t be too hard, right?
“Great, so then your CEO’s office must be around here too,” Miss Liberty mused quietly.
No.
“Yes,” Karina replied, her steps slow and careful as she were stalled for time.
Maybe she could find a way to run or at least spot something she could use against her captor. The hallway stretched on, the only thing in sight being the elevator behind them.
“You know...” Miss Liberty began, her gaze wandering as if distracted, “you suck at lying. Anyone ever tell you that?”
Karina's heart sank for a moment, her mind racing to keep up with her thoughts.
“Liar? What do you mean?” She forced herself to sound casual and naive, pretending to be oblivious seemed to be her best chance to fool her captor for now.
“I mean exactly what my words say.” Miss Liberty shrugged, casually opening the door to the glass office at the end of the hallway. “This is fancy.”
Karina felt her stomach twist at those words, realizing that the other woman was smarter than she appeared.
The office they had entered wasn’t SM's CEO’s office; it was just another regular workspace. But Miss Liberty’s words made Karina feel exposed, as if her plans were already laid bare before her.
“Are you actually going to search the whole building?” Karina asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
Miss Liberty hummed softly, a sound that felt oddly endearing coming from someone so dangerous. “I will if I have to. I’m getting the papers I need. You could help me end this and take your friends out of their misery if you tell me where the CEO’s office is. Or you could keep lying to me, and we could be here searching all night. It’s up to you.”
Karina sighed, fatigue weighing heavily on her. This was not how she had envisioned her night going.
“What are you even looking for?” she asked, her curiosity piqued despite herself.
“I need some documents.” Miss Liberty replied, her tone casual.
Karina halted and turned to face her, suspicion creeping into her expression. Documents?
“What? Bank information? Some way for you to steal all our money? Get rich?”
“I’m already rich,” Miss Liberty countered, shaking her head dismissively.
Karina raised an eyebrow, trying to process her words. So, she wasn’t motivated by money. Then what the hell was she doing this for?
“Then what? Blackmail?”
“Mhm, yeah. Sure.”
Karina scrutinized her response, doubt gnawing at her. “Blackmailing who? The CEO of SM?”
Did Miss Liberty have a personal vendetta against him?
“What do you want from him?”
"You think I want anything from that rat?” Miss Liberty chuckled, a hint of derision in her voice. “I have better things to do with my time, trust me.”
Karina’s suspicion deepened. Miss Liberty’s answer only left her with more questions.
“Then why are you even here? Why go through all this trouble? What do you have against the CEO?”
Miss Liberty’s eyes widened at the sudden interrogation. Realizing there was nothing of importance on this floor, she turned and walked back toward the elevator. “Wow, that's way too many questions, pretty.”
“I’m not going to blindly lead you to your target,” Karina retorted, her feet following Miss Liberty toward the elevator despite her flustered state. What the hell was that nickname? “If you expect me to be your tour guide, I have the right to ask questions.” Karina raised her chin defiantly, her eyes narrowing as her tone became sharp.
Miss Liberty sighed.
Seriously, out of all the people she could’ve picked, it had to be someone as annoying as Karina. How unlucky could she get?
What could she possibly lose from this anyway?
“Fineee. You know Red Velvet, right?”
Karina blinked, tilting her head in confusion. What did Red Velvet have to do with any of this?
“Yes, I know them... what do they have to do with anything? Wait… you’re trying to blackmail the CEO because of them? That makes no sense!"
Miss Liberty glared at Karina from beneath her mask, irritation flickering in her eyes.
She was dealing with an actual child.
"Remember when they went to North Korea to perform for Kim Jong Un as a gift from our nation?"
Karina nodded, "Yeah, so...?"
“They didn’t go as a gift; they went as part of a governmental exchange. A service to pay for something in return, basically.”
Karina’s confusion deepened as her eyebrows furrowed. “So you’re telling me the government used Red Velvet for something? What did they get in return?” Did the government use them as a political weapon? That didn’t sound too far-fetched.
Miss Liberty shrugged. “We’ll find out when we get those papers.”
“Wow, great answer.” Karina rolled her eyes. “How do I know you’re not going to do something even more insane, like… I don’t know, get them executed or something?”
Miss Liberty rolled her eyes. She was usually very patient, but Karina was testing her limits. “Dude, I’ve never killed anyone. Will you please just tell me how to get to the stupid office?”
Karina scoffed. “Who’s lying now? I know for a fact you get rich by killing people and selling their organs. Everyone knows this.”
Miss Liberty shook her head, her frustration mounting. “I didn’t kill them! I just picked up bodies off the street on Purge night and sold the organs.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “If anything, I saved people in need with all the organs I provided.”
Karina rolled her eyes, her expression morphing into disbelief. “How is that any better? You’re profiting from murder.” She shot her a pointed look filled with judgment.
“Murders I didn’t cause! And I ended up saving people—why do you think I’m actually liked?”
“You think being liked makes anything better? Are you insane?” Her voice rose in disbelief, eyes narrowing at Miss Liberty’s audacity. “You’re a terrorist, a literal assassin. There’s nothing to like about you.”
Miss Liberty shook her head, exasperated. Was Karina even listening to her?
“Just tell me where the bloody office is before I actually turn into an assassin.”
Karina sighed. This wasn’t going anywhere, and it was clear Miss Liberty wasn’t going to back down.
“Fine, it’s three floors down, happy?” she muttered, pushing the elevator button.
Karina crossed her arms tightly, leaning back against the wall of the elevator.
The silence was heavy, each floor they passed making her anxiety spike. She knew she had no choice but to lead the masked woman to her destination, but she hated every minute of it.
Miss Liberty checked her gun, ensuring it was perfectly loaded. This was one of the biggest operations she had ever directed, and she couldn’t shake the tension building within her.
She sighed, bringing her walkie-talkie to her lips. “Anything from the CEO?”
Karina’s gaze flicked to the walkie-talkie, her mind racing with questions. What was happening with the CEO? She could only imagine what they were doing to him.
The walkie-talkie sparked to life, a husky voice crackling through. “He’s pissed himself twice but refuses to talk. I bet the government paid him off pretty well. You found anything?”
Miss Liberty responded, “I’m getting to it.”
She shoved the device back into her pocket and tilted her head at Karina as the elevator doors slid open again.
Karina didn’t say anything; her eyes flicked over Miss Liberty before she stepped out of the elevator.
She led the way down the hallway, her steps slow and steady as she walked.
The office was locked, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for Miss Liberty, who quickly shot out the glass walls and stepped over it.
Karina jumped at the sound of the gunshot, her eyes widening at the sheer audacity of the woman. The shattering glass echoed down the hallway, sending her heart racing again. She tried her best to keep her expression neutral as they walked, forcing herself to ignore the chaos behind them.
“There you go. That’s it.” She gestured to the CEO’s office, a large and lavish space adorned with awards and diplomas lining the walls, plush sofas, and an impressive wooden desk.
Miss Liberty, however, seemed unfazed by the entire thing. She strode to the desk, rifling through the documents that sprawled before her. “Come on, help me look.”
Karina was still reeling from the gunshot, her eyes darting around the hallway before landing on Miss Liberty. She hesitated, debating whether to assist the woman she was supposed to despise.
With a deep breath, she stepped into the office, maneuvering around the desk to take a seat in the comfortable chair behind it. “...What should I even be looking for?” she asked, glancing at the mess Miss Liberty was making.
“Anything that says ‘North Korea’ or ‘government’ on it. It’s not rocket science.” Miss Liberty’s tone remained sweet and calm, a stark contrast to her words.
For a moment, Karina wondered if the assassin was being genuine or mocking her. She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes as she leaned back in the chair, stealing another glance at Miss Liberty.
Aeri was right... she was definitely hot.
Karina had seen her online before, but having the leader leaning over the desk beside her was an entirely different experience. Even without seeing her face, Karina could tell the woman was striking. Her voice was captivating, and the way she carried herself exuded confidence.
Shit—no.
Karina couldn't afford to have these thoughts, especially not about the one person she should despise the most.
But then her gaze drifted down Miss Liberty’s body—from the mask, to her neck, her chest, her waist, and then to the gun strapped to her side.
“Are you going to help me?” Miss Liberty interrupted her thoughts, her voice steady.
Karina cleared her throat, the weight of the moment settling over her. She had two options: to help or to do the opposite.
Her instincts screamed at her to act.
With a quick, decisive motion, she grabbed the gun from Miss Liberty’s holster, standing up and aiming it at the assassin just as the latter turned to face her.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Miss Liberty exclaimed, panic flickering across her body despite her attempt to maintain control.
Karina held the gun tightly, her grip trembling slightly as her heart hammered against her chest. She had never held a gun before in her life.
Her eyes flicked from the weapon to Miss Liberty, and it finally hit her: she was aiming a gun at South Korea's number one public enemy. Was she crazy?
“Drop your gun, right now.” Her voice quavered, but she stood her ground.
When Miss Liberty didn’t respond immediately, Karina raised her voice. “I SAID, DROP YOUR GUN NOW!”
Miss Liberty shook her head, her hands caught between stacks of papers. “You’re not going to shoot me, Karina.”
Karina swallowed hard, narrowing her eyes beneath her messy bangs. “Don’t test me.”
The gun felt heavy in her grip, her finger inching toward the trigger as she locked her gaze onto the masked woman in front of her.
“Hand it to me.” She repeated, reaching out. “Give me your gun.”
Miss Liberty shook her head again, instead reaching for Karina’s hand and intertwining their fingers. She nudged Karina a little closer, as if to say, I’m not a threat to you, even if you think I am.
She wouldn't harm Karina. She wouldn't even think about it.
Instead, she was one who was harmed.
Karina pulled the trigger without even noticing.
The loud shot echoed through the room, causing her to scream instinctively. Her heart hammered against her chest as she quickly dropped the gun, staring at it as if it was the most dangerous thing ever.
"Hey, hey." Miss Liberty let out in a soft, reassuring tone, "It's okay. You're fine."
Karina could feel her head spinning. She looked up, wide eyes falling on Miss Liberty's now red stomach. The blood seeping from her right hip shocked Karina into a catatonic state. "You-you're- I...I"
Miss Liberty shook her head again, "I'm fine. We're fine, okay? Don't freeze up, right now. I need your help finding those documents."
Karina felt paralyzed, her hands trembling as she slowly turned to assess the wound.
“I-I…” Her voice faltered, silent as her eyes traced the blood soaking the woman’s shirt. This was bad. This was really bad. Was Miss Liberty going to die? Was she going to die?
Gulping, she struggled to gather her thoughts, hands hovering over the wound for a moment before retracting them. “I don’t— I can’t—” She shook her head, desperation evident in her eyes.
“Hey, look at me.” Miss Liberty suddenly removed her mask, revealing a young woman who appeared to be around Karina’s age. She was stunning.
Karina’s eyes widened, disbelief flooding her mind as she processed that she had just shot the most attractive woman she had ever seen. Her thoughts spiraled, darting between the woman’s features, the wound, and back to her eyes.
“I'm just like you, you see? I’m a normal girl. I’m not going to hurt you. Please, just help me find those documents, and everything will be over.”
Karina’s expression softened slightly, the shock slowly giving way to confusion. How could this beautiful woman be the same monster who had taken an entire building hostage?
Her gaze fell back to the wound, a lump forming in her throat as guilt settled heavily in her chest.
Still on autopilot, Karina’s gaze drifted to the elevator at the end of the hall.
She could make a run for it.
Find a bathroom to lock herself in until everything blew over.
But then she turned back to Miss Liberty.
What would happen to her? Would she even survive the gunshot?
Karina gulped, her mind racing at a thousand miles per hour. What could she do? What was her best option? She was dead if Miss Liberty's men came in and found their leader wounded.
They would kill her. No questions asked.
Taking a step back, she watched as Miss Liberty’s hands fell from her cheeks, landing on her hip to apply pressure to the wound.
Karina took another step back.
Then another.
And another.
“Don’t. Please.” Miss Liberty’s voice trembled with urgency, desperation lacing her words.
I miss my favorite author so I'm sending a message. I actually forgot to send one yesterday. How was your exam? I'm sure you did a really great job! I hope you're having another happy and great day. I'm actually in another good mood today since I got to finally have some walk outside because of the good weather. Have a great day, beautiful. 💋
— ✨💚
Honey, I miss YOU. Always happy to see your texts :)
Text went okay I guess haha I'm representative of students of my degree, and my friends wanted me to complain about it to my teacher- it was a whole thing. But I'm glad you had a great day gorgeous. That good weather sure as hell is deserved haha.
Have a good one gorgeous :))
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