PLOT TWIST (6)
⸠chapter 6; bonnie, clyde, and the others on the side
pt. 1 || pt. 2 || pt. 3 || pt. 4 || pt. 5 || pt. 6
âľ cast : jung wooyoung x fem!reader, kim hongjoong, lee juyeon, kim younghoon, ateez, mentioned oc and many kpop artists name or group
âľ genre : romance, marriage life, eventual angst, smut, mafia!au, non idol!au
âľ summary : there's you, and me, and us, and oh wait. perhaps there's more.
in which marriage is not always a paradise, honeymoon avenue somehow is far behind as you look through the rearview mirror. and beware of the road ahead, for accidents might happen. road work, traffic jam,
or some stranger trying to get a lift, perhaps for a permanent front seat.
âľ notes : 6k-ish. thanks for waiting, to those whoever awaits i guess. PLS REBLOG (i will appreciate this sm) AND GIVE SOME THOUGHTS IF U HAVE THEM. ENJOY
WARNINGS BELOW CUT
â warnings: bad words here and there (it's life, but still minors dni) but do remind me if i missed something.
â i do not condone mafia acts nor any acts that goes against the law at all. everything mentioned are just purely fiction, made to entertain myself and fellow readers in this particular platforms.
â do not repost this on any other platform without my permission!
â reblogging, liking, and commenting this post in tumblr (through comment or askbox) are very much appreciated.
i donât know how exactly to start this one.Â
but itâs about younghoon, the crown prince of seoul, the heir of the seoul kim family and the huge problem heâs facing right now. heâs in a deep shit. the shit being the problem that could swallow him whole. the huge problem being falling in love.Â
how is it a problem? one might ask.
well, he fell in love with a woman heâs not supposed to fall in love with. for godâs sake, it was supposed to be just a one night job. a good friendship, a good business partner if it goes for more. but he overstepped. he couldnât help it. not to mention the woman he fell in love with is already tied down to another man.Â
simply put, he somehow fell in love with jung y/n.Â
and most of all, over a single fucking ice cream night.Â
as he laid on his bed, his mind could only go back on repeating the moment, on and on again.Â
you were such a good dancer.Â
youâre a really good dancer.Â
younghoonâs brain kept on saying so as each of his hand held your waist and hand, guiding you through a dance in one of mrs. hanâs party that you got yourself into.Â
he still couldnât believe how easy it is for you to get an invitation over a single lunch and conversation with mrs. han.Â
safe to say you had charmed the lady.Â
and not long into the party, you had once again charmed your way into her heart. and her daughterâs heart more importantly, with the talk of younghoonâs brother, the main target of the whole operation. you charmed them so much to the point that mrs. han had set a formal date to meet both the families up. of course, with the thoughts of marital proposal and possible mergers of the two powers.Â
the outcome of it might still change, but you still got the two families to meet up with each other and that alone is impressive enough to him.Â
thatâs why you and younghoon spend the rest of the evening dancing and chatting. the job is practically finished, and whatâs left was easing up to each other.Â
âi owe you for this one. a promise and more, i think. youâve landed my whole family a new ally, and my brother a possible wife. in less than a month, i might add.â he had said while leading you on a dance.Â
youâve found that younghoon, more than just a charming man, is also a good and down earthed one.Â
you smiled at him, âitâs a possible outcome, but not yet certain, mr. kim.â
âyounghoon.â
âhuh?â
âyounghoon. itâs kinda too fast, but weâve come this far and i think itâs safe to say we can certainly be on first name basis now, y/n.â he said, âonly if youâre comfortable with it, of course.â
ââŚif you say so, younghoon.âÂ
younghoon smiled back. it might sound awkward still, but for that, time can be the cure. not everything can be done instantly anyways.Â
the dance stopped after a while. younghoon and you had several rounds of conversations around the room, keeping the couple act up. his hand would be guiding you by your back, fixing your dress or holding your drink or handbag whenever you need the help, including you in every conversation.Â
he truly is a gentleman.Â
mrs. han, as the socialite she is, invited many important guests. though filled with other socialite wives, there are some prominent figures like deputy chief of the police, in which younghoon is close to, several high ranked people from ministry of health, or even other well-known and successful businessmen and businesswomen from all around the country. everything fell like a domino effect to you, just by knowing younghoon alone.Â
after a while, you and younghoon came to the realization that you both were not a fan of the crowd. hence, you both decided to shy away from the crowd and opting to sit by the empty gardens, a bowl of ice cream in on one hand and your champagne glasses on the other.Â
quietness filled you both as you enjoy the way the star shone that night, while munching on the vanilla ice cream you got from the ice cream bar inside.Â
âthis reminds me of the first time i met you, you know.â younghoon broke the silence. you turned to him with a raised eyebrow, telling him to elaborate.Â
âi was getting away from the crowd in juyeonâs party so i went to the gardens. instead of watching the sky, i had to watch this lady fainting in the middle of the garden in a partyââ
âugh.â you groaned.Â
ââand i had no choice but to help her, because iâm such a gentleman.â he jested.Â
you closed your eyes. âthatâs the most embarrassing thing to ever happen in my entire life.â
âimagine the shock when i learned this lady who fainted would soon become my business partner? and great one at that?âÂ
âgreat one? iâm flattered, younghoon.â
âand you should be. with the amount of achievement? so many in so little time.â younghoon said.Â
you chuckled lightly. you looked at the hem of your dress, playing with it to satisfy your fidgety urge.Â
âi had to. you know, for the family. for my husband, given the state we were in.â you murmured, âi only want stability, if not with peace.â
it wasnât the first time you mentioned your husbandâs name to him. some people in the mafia know that you are jung wooyoungâs wife, and he your husband. younghoon knew that too. but most of the times you were with younghoon, you never failed to mention your husbandâs name. him being a great caporegime, good strategist, good husband who took you to meetings, et cetera. and always with a smile on your face. it never failed to amaze younghoon just how much love you have for him.Â
âhow does it feel like?â he blurted out suddenly.Â
âhuh?â
âto be married. to be in love in this⌠society of ours.â he said. âyou seemed to be in love with your husband, which isnât an everyday thing that happen here, you know? âcause most relationships are⌠benefit based. arranged marriage, forced ones⌠so how?â
âoh, that.â you smiled. âbecause there isnât any benefit. weâre just⌠in love with each other. i didnât came from any mafia group or family, it just happen that i worked for one without knowing theyâre one, and i just met wooyoung. just like that. itâs unlikely in the mafia world, and the ways are also unlikely to happen in a normal world. but we dated, we fell harder, and decided to settle down.â
âand to me, at least, it feels great. i donât think iâll ever feel this way again. not before him, not after him.â you had mouthed in the end, unconsciously pouring up some of you heart contents.Â
younghood sighed. âmust be beautiful.â
âyou couldâve got all of it, you know. just now.âÂ
âhow so?â
âthe arrangement with the hanâs daughter. might be an arrangement, but a good and stable one at that. i mean, youâre the crown prince of your family. you have power. just treat her right, and tell her to treat you right, then you wait for the love to bloom. might take time, might not be the same as mine, but a win win solution still.â you expressed. âwhy giving it all away for your brother? no offense, he looks like a great guy like you, but why?â
younghoon chuckled. the usual question. after all, who in their right mind would give away all powers like just that?Â
âhm, where do i start?â he murmured to himself, then continued.
âto put it easily, iâm here, but i donât wanna be here. my heart isnât fully in this. despite my rank, birth and responsibilities, my brother is more suited for this job. that's why he's always around me, i might hand him this job. hence, the arrangement and all."
âwhat is it then, the thing you want to do the most?â
he leaned back a bit. eyes looking up, seemingly thinking and lost in his thoughts. you stared at him, stared at the way his eyes mirror the twinkling of the stars, and the way he tugged his lips up.Â
âa doctor.â he quietly said, after a while. âa real one. not for my familyâs business. going all around the world as a volunteer, and actually helping actual people in need.â
âwhen i was in uni, i wanted to pursue a med career. but my dad didnât really approve of itâ of my future career choices in med as a volunteer. and med field are most held by my uncle and his children. so my dad offered me a chance for a med career, just not in the actual med field, but more on the business site. so i took law as my major and business as my minor and took over one of our hospitals.â he explained, before continuing, âbut, i still make the best out of it. i volunteered a lot in uni, and my hospital is one of the best hospital in seoul in its practices, and we have a lot charity events to help people.â
you stared at him, awed. there was no words that could describe how amazed you are.Â
âwow.â was all you could say.Â
silence filled the both of you for quite some time. each of you let the conversation sink in deep, trying to understand each character, though perhaps in a light thatâs slightly different from the usual one in the underworld. there were no hostility, no walls kept up too high, no tactics.Â
just two people in a mellow moment, enjoying each otherâs company and in harmony.Â
following your own question, he then asked.
âwhat about you, y/n? what kind of life do you want to live?â
now, it was your time to be the one deep in thoughts. the one who stare at the stars, humming to yourself, thinking of the right answer.Â
ânot a mafia one, to be honest.â you murmured, âbut⌠ever since i met wooyoung, i feel like⌠iâve lived my life. that iâm living in the life that i want,âÂ
âwith the one that i love most.â
somehow your words seemed so sincere to younghoonâs ears. so pure, so innocent, and so dreamy. something that he once dreamed of, something, or dare he say, someone that he wished for.Â
and somehow, you left younghoon star struck.Â
how will he ever move on? how will he ever find someone if he set such standard for his love life? a fairytale like love life, in this kind of environment.Â
he wondered about the life that you have with wooyoung, wondered if he ever will have those life. he wondered what if he was the one you met instead of wooyoung.Â
wishful thinking, eh?
but thatâs all they are; thoughts. his gentlemanly self wouldnât have it in his heart to steal like that. to take someone else away just for his own. no, heâs not that kind of man, and he stood by that.Â
yet it didnât do anything to erase your pictures from his mind. at least for the night. it doesnât lessen the warmth bubbling in his gut as he type his message to you in his phone; the eagerness to see you as soon as possible.Â
me: evening y/n. is tomorrowâs plan still up?
younghoon put his hand down, tapping his phone against his bedsheet as he anxiously wait for a reply; if any would come. the clock on his bedside table showed the time. 1:47 am. you mustâve fallen asleep, right?
right.Â
ding.Â
jung y/n: wouldnât miss it. see u soon, hoon
younghoon think he might need to see a doctor now. his heartâs beating way too fast.Â
you: woo you: i dont think i can send lunch today cause im visiting the kims at their house. im sorry :(((((( you: pls dont miss lunch ok i asked the butler to send u some food. ilysm you: also idk when iâll be home, so pls sleep early. i promise uâll see me in ur dreams xo
you sighed, just after your thumb clicked on the send button for the last message.Â
sending lunch for wooyoung is one of your sacred daily routine ever since marriage, and this would be the first time for you not to do so. you sighed again, trying to get the uneasiness to subside so you can focus on your job today.Â
but itâs still there. prickling you slightly from the inside, initiating the thoughts and realization that you havenât met wooyoung that much these past few days.Â
waking up today, you could only share a quick peck as wooyoung was in a hurry for a mission, so he said. last few days you could only drop his lunch and left as quick to continue your own job. suddenly everyone everywhere needed you.Â
you miss him.
last night you were together, you remember as if it was just yesterday, you recalled how you were talking about this exact problem, this exact thing. it fears you of how fast it came true to life. and you fear even more if it ever will go even further.Â
ding
woo: im gonna cry woo: jk but itâs ok babe iâll be on a mission anw today, i dont know when iâll be done. but iâll be home tonight woo: come back fast if u can, ok? i love you too
just as you finished reading his replies, a sound of horn blasted as a black shiny car pulled up in front of you. the door to the driver side opened up, and you were gifted with the sight of younghoon emerging from the car, offering you a bright smile.
âready?â was all he said while opening the passenger door, inviting you into his car.Â
you nod and said a small yes, entering his car. you stare at your screen for a little while, before typing a quick response.Â
wifey: iâll try my best.Â
a sigh escaped through his lips after your last message to him. putting his phone back to the slot beside him, wooyoung could only stare far into the dark alleys in front of him. his mind filled with you it made his heart heavy.Â
it was never a problem before, when he had to go far or for a while on missions away from you. youâd miss him, heâd miss you, but right then he knew that whatever the circumstances, when he came back home youâll always be there.Â
itâs not the case now.Â
heâs away for missions, and youâre away for business. when youâre home, he might not be home, and when heâs home, you might not be.Â
for that, he feels the subtle ache in his chest.Â
his fingers mindlessly tapped against the wheel of his car, before he was pulled back to his senses. the passenger door opened, showing jiwoo and her smile.Â
and her tight red dress.Â
âtake a picture, itâll last longer.â her snickers made him clear his throat, looking somewhere else to avoid jiwooâs playful glint. he mentally slapped himself for even staring at jiwoo, but as a man, how could he not?
her neck is on display, as were her long legs. the dress short, but long enough to keep the gun and some knives hidden away. and with her features, anyone would be swooned by her presence.Â
maybe thatâs why she got assigned for this mission, and again, with wooyoung.Â
what the fuck am i thinking? i have a wife.
âwhat takes you so long?âÂ
âchill, i was getting some snacks for us. you said weâll be spying and tailing a lot, so i figured weâll be staying in the car quite a lot.âÂ
ânah, change of plans.â
âwhat?â
âsan called. seonghwa said we should go undercover into the club and get the stuff ourselves. so iâll go as a gambler and you,â he eyed her up and down, âyou, conveniently, will be enough as a distraction. did you knew weâre doing this for the mission?â
ânope, i was just feeling myself with the dress.â she shrugged. wooyoung raised a brow, but found nothing came up into his mind nor out of his mind, so he just started driving, wanting nothing more than to finish the mission.Â
âso whatâs the stuff weâre getting?â jiwoo asked as they parked a few buildings before the club. the car came to a halt, the sight of the dimly lit club welcomed their eyes.Â
âsan said itâs a ledger.â he got himself ready, âhongjoong needs something in there. itâs a proof, list of government officers getting involved in the human trafficking ring.â
âthatâs terrible.â
âthere are better words to describe how disgusting that is, but sure. now,â he turned to jiwoo, âiâll go in, act kinda drunk and gamble some money for the ledger. youâll be the distraction and a plan b; should i fail in getting the ledger, you should be the one getting it. okay?â
âokay.â
parting there, wooyoung got out of the car and walked to the club.Â
so hereâs the thing about missions. they can be safe, they can be risky. zero to two means safe, something like spying or just plain investigating. on the other hand, field missions can have more risks, depending on the type of job. whether you have to stay low, or to kill as little as possible, or to not be seen yet has to be there on the spot. it depends.Â
and on a scale from one to ten, wooyoung is absolutely fucked.Â
it was supposed to be a âget in, get outâ type of job and without being seen. yet he managed to make a group of 10 people running after him in the club, after he tried to trick the dealer, a.k.a the owner of the club âthe stupidest thing he's ever done in a mission.
âstop right there!âÂ
a gunshot was heard, luckily not hitting wooyoung anywhere. but guns are out, which means his had to, whether he liked it or not.
he ran in between the crowd of people dancing and getting high, staying as low and as unseen as possible âwhich, he kinda failed in the first place, but he did his absolute bestâ, and he took out his glock from his hidden holster, shooting enemies in his sight. thankfully the music is loud enough to cover the sound of his gun. the ledger is safe in the bag, but if heâs not, then thereâs no point in doing the mission any longer. but he had to hold on.Â
all while he ran and shoot, he cursed jiwoo for not holding them for long. she shouldâve been a distraction, but perhaps not distracting enough.Â
âfuck!â he shouted.
and right after, the power went out in the whole club.
all the lights, all the music suddenly died, and the party goers could only ah-ed in unison clearly disappointed at the outcome. wooyoung couldnât see anything in the dark, and had to stop for a while. he looked around, and found the group of men running after him starting to turn on their flashlights. he was about to run when suddenly someone grabbed his hand.
âitâs me, jiwoo!â the voice whispered loudly. wooyoung looked up and found jiwoo holding him, pulling him away from the crowd. she handed him a shirt and a new hat, rushing to cover him with it.
âletâs get out.â
jiwoo guided him out, away from the prying eyes in the darkness, before the power went back on. the backdoor was empty, leaving only wooyoung and jiwoo. jiwoo kept holding onto wooyoung, pulling him as they ran for their car a few blocks down. wooyoung almost threw himself into the car, sighed loudly when he felt the leather seat touched his back.
âwhat the fuck was that?â he spat out to jiwoo.
âyou tell me! howâd you get chased by those guys? i thought weâre doing this quietly?â she spat back.
âthat was the plan, but you failed to hold them back.â
jiwoo rolled her eyes. âno, you failed to realize that they have more security than what you think.â
âthe fuck was that supposed to mean? i had mingi and san check everything before we go in. and they're doing a bidding for the ledgers anyways.â wooyoung hit back, making her sigh before explaining.
âyou were already far into the club when i found out that the bidding is for tomorrow, so the ledger being there was still a top secret until tonight. reaching out would be risky, and i couldnât explain it that fast, so i had to do plan c.â
âplan c?â
âi broke into their cctvs and jammed the whole thing so thereâs no track of you, then cut out the power to get you out of there.â
he contemplated her answers for a while. sighing again, wooyoung laid back to his chair, trying to ease his breathing.Â
âthank you.â he said defeatedly.Â
âweâre partners. i protect you, and you protect me woo,â she shrugged. ânow move your ass and let me drive. youâre hurt.â
âhuh?â
he glanced towards his body trying to find the hurting part. he reached behind his shoulder, wincing when felt a cut wound along his upper shoulder blade. blood was evident on his fingertips when he pulled them back. it must be enemiesâ knife cutting through when they fought, and didnât realize up until jiwoo point it out.Â
âjust a scratch.â
âyeah well that scratch probably needs a few stitches. câmon.â
jiwoo moved into the driverâs seat, then drove the car away from the chaotic club. for a while, no one said a word, except wooyoung when he gave a call to san about the mission. the sight of endless trees and dark road made him drowsy, and soon he fell into his slumber.Â
âhey, wake up.â
wooyoung jolted awake, blinking his sleepiness away after jiwoo woke him up. he looked around in confusion, realizing theyâre not back at their base.
âwhere are we?â
âother town nearby. letâs be safe and make sure they lost our tracks completely,â she pushed his seat back to create more space before shimmying herself into the tight spot. âtake your shirt off.â
âw-what?â
the comical look in his eyes made jiwoo laughed as she reached for his shirt.
âyo! yes youâre hotââ
âiâm hot?â she chuckled.
âyes, noâ shitâ i got a wife jiââÂ
ââm not trying to fuck, silly. iâm trying to fix your wound. now take the damn shirt off.â
with jiwoo's determination, he had no choice but to take off his shirt hesitantly, glancing back to jiwoo, âlook away.â
âshut the fuck up i've literally seen your body when we spar.â
off his shirt goes, showing his skin that glows under the yellow lights. jiwoo handed him a soju to distract him from the pain as she stitch his wound up. he winced a couple of times when the needle poked through his skin, but he held on.
jiwooâs fingertips are cold, soothing to his hot wounded skin. despite the harsh words, sheâs light with her hands. the sound of his and her quiet breathing filled the air.
âthe pharmacist said thereâs a motel just down the road, maybe we should crash there for the night.â
maybe itâs the soju he downed to the last drop. maybe he lost too much blood because of that wound. maybe itâs the fact that heâs half naked, tipsy, and jiwoo is wearing a red, absolutely sexy dress, but holy fuck, did jung wooyoung just glitched in the brain at the mention of a motel and staying the night out with another woman.Â
âwhy?â
âitâs almost 2 in the morning.â she murmured. âthe drive to the base would take 2 to 3 hours, and honestly iâm tired. youâre wounded and no doubt tipsy, iâm not about to let us crash somewhere down the road.â
that makes sense. but he had other ideas, as he reached out to the console, trying to find his phone. maybe someone could fetch them up, wooyoung thought. he tapped on the screen a couple of times, clicking on the power button but to no avail. the screen stayed dark.
âshit, my phoneâs dead.â he glanced towards jiwoo who just shrugged.
âmineâs dead too.â
and no one thought of bringing a charger with them.
he groaned, leaning back to his seat. after a few beat of silence, he just nodded. âwell, i guess we have no choice.â
somewhere in him, it feels wrong. like something is poking through his chest as jiwoo drove down the road, right to the said motel and parked the car. like thereâs an unseen stop sign in him, reminding him to not to do it as jiwoo pulled him to the motel room.
but what could go wrong? wooyoung doesnât like jiwoo in that way.
not even the way she took her dress off carelessly in front of him, opting to change into a bathrobe thatâs not even tied properly. not the way he clearly saw her pair of underwear.
shit.
but no, he doesnât like her like that. and heâs sure of that. yet, the blaring sound of siren kept playing in his mind, reminding him that this isnât right.Â
but perhaps itâs the soju that calmed the siren down, as he doze off into his slumber once again.
jung wooyoung woke up that morning, with a headache and pain on his shoulder. and that dull thing poking through his chest, and the same siren blasted again in his head when he saw himself; splayed on the bed half naked, with jiwoo and her loose robe, limbs tangled with each other underneath the sheets.
nothing happened last night, he's damn sure of it and remembered every single second that passed before he fell asleep.
yet, still, he doesnât like this feeling.Â
âare you okay?â
younghoon nudged you, who immediately woke up from the empty daydream you had just now.Â
âhuh?â
âyouâve been out of it for like, a solid 5 minutes. are you okay? did my father say something to offend you?âÂ
âno. nothing important.â
yes. it was something that could change her whole life.
you sighed, âitâs just⌠i forgot to tell wooyoung that iâm staying out last night. he hates sleeping alone.â she lied. though, not entirely. she did forgot to tell wooyoung about the whole staying out for the night last night. wooyoung would absolutely gone batshit, but judging from the lack of his messages on your phone, he might not have known it yet. which is strange.Â
guilt bubbled up in younghoon, easily seen through his eyes. âiâm really sorry about last night. my father⌠tend to get too friendly and would sometimes step over the boundaries, like insisting for you to stay the night. i shouldâve said no and took you home. god, he even made you stay up late.â he grumbled.
âitâs okay, he meant well. i just forgot to tell wooyoung, thatâs all.â
âwhen i drop you off, iâll explain everything to wooyoung and hongjoong, so they wonât have any weird ideas about it.â younghoon said, âyouâre a married woman after all. we donât want any trouble.â
you smiled and nodded, âthank you for the offer. iâd be thankful.â
younghoon smiled back, and continued driving towards ateez mansion, as you fall back to yet another set of daydreaming, or, more specifically contemplating your whole existence after the talk with younghoonâs father last night.
over some of his words.
01.59 am
a sigh almost left your mouth, along with a yawn, but you held back as best as you could. after all, youâre presented before kim younghoonâs father, the senior in kimâs family and not to mention one of the prominent figure in the business.
but you have no regrets, all the time passed wasnât for nothing. and heâs a pleasant man.
âyou work diligently, younghoon have said this a lot. heâs not easy to get close with,â the man chuckled, âwell, itâs a shame that youâre married. i wouldâve offered my son to you, he seemed intrigued.â
âyou flatter me, sir. and more often than not, younghoon is the one who helped me a lot since i got into the business.â
he smiled, putting down his cup of tea. âso iâve heard. ah, didnât you meet younghoon through the lees?â
you nodded, âyes. lee juyeon, to be precise. though, i donât know what younghoon has told you about itâŚâ
âhe told me everything. of why juyeon gave you to us, what you want and what he wanted. that boy,â he shook his head, tsk-ing, âruthless as his father was. the whole people in the business had to tip toe around him if they want to be alive. jiyoung would never do that.â then he proceeded to say something that made you raise a brow.
âher child would never.â
âi thought that was just a rumor?â
the man smiled knowingly. âwell, sweet lady, this old man here has a reason for supporting lee jiyoung when the sibling war happened, and still is, until now. i know a secret or two, things that others donât know.â mr. kim explained with a longing gaze. âsheâs my best friend, after all.â
âlike, a secret marriage?â
you shoot your shot.Â
âi was one of the few to witness her marriage. she loved seo rim well, despite the fast that heâs just a bodyguard. going against his elderâs wishes of marrying someone more prominent in the business to secure her safety and her throne, me being one of them.âÂ
âand now for that, she had to lose everything. but whatever people say, it was a lawful marriage.â
âseo rim?â
mr. kim laughed, âoh, oops. the nameâs out i guess.â
you pressed him again, shooting your shot one more time. âbut, what about the child? was it a girl or a boy? where are they?â
but to that question, mr. kim just shrugged. he downed his tea before filling his cup again. âdunno. but if i do, iâd protect them with all i have.â
you closed your mouth, only nodding to his answer. you laid back to your chair. the new information filled your head so it all circled your mind. secret marriage, possible offspring of lee jiyoung. seo rim. the name echoed in your mind. a name you never know before,
but now you do.Â
mr. kim hummed, staring into the fire in front of him, seemingly in his own mind. you stared at the old man, a few white strands of hair on his head, several lines on his face, and you wonder, what does it feels like to witness a war and survived. he lived long, enough to know the lee jiyoung, to witness things that others donât. long enough to know people, wise enough to know what to do and what not.Â
hence the question.
âwhy me?â
âhm?â
âwhy did you tell me this? we just met today. and even if you do know me, itâs only from younghoon and thatâs not even enough.â you murmured, âso why are you telling me this?â
the man hummed again. âbecause i know,â he said, making you raise a brow. he continued, âi know i can trust you.â
âwhere have you been?!â
sanâs screeching voice was the first to greet wooyoung when he stepped out of his car with jiwoo. the said man had his hands on his hips, eagle eyes staring down judgingly at the two partners.
âbedâs empty, no note, car gone! you couldâve died!â
wooyoung massaged his temples. ânowâs not the time to quote some harry potter line, san.â he groaned.
san shrugged. âit was a moment. and seriously, where have you been? you two! not even a text or a call, we were about to hunt you down!â he accusingly said. âyou and y/n both, woo. thankfully y/n told us her whereabouts just this morning. but you? radio silent.â
âmy phone died, and so did jiwooâs.â wooyoung lifted his head when he realized san mentioned your name. ây/n did what?â
slowly, san lowered his hands from his hips. his eyes starting to grow wide with confusion in it. âshe didnât tell you?â
âtell me what?â wooyoung pressed.
âsheâs staying out last night as well. at the kimâs.â
his brain short circuited, trying to process sanâs words a couple of times. when he finally processed the whole sentences, it left him utterly dumbfounded.
âwhat?!â
just after he screamed, a black car stopped behind them. the sight of kim younghoon getting out of the car greeted them, along with you, whose door was held open by younghoon.Â
âspeak of the devil.â san blurted.
wooyoung ignored his remarks, opting to trot his way to you. he threw a look on younghoon, before pulling you away from him.
âyou didnât come home last night? why? why didnât you tell me?â he pressed, his hand still circling your wrist.
you quickly felt guilty. âiâm sorry love, it was younghoonâs father sudden invitation. i couldnât really get my phone, that was my fault.â you ran your free hand over his bicep, trying to soothe the anger away. âwonât happen again. what time did you get home last night?â
âhe stayed out as well.â san replied from behind you. your eyes widened, while he freezed.
âwhat? you didnât tell me anything about it. what happened? wha-â your palm acidentally touched to his shoulder blades, feeling the rough bandage underneath it, âwere you hurt?â
but wooyoung turned away, pushing your hand lightly. âjust a scratch, it doesnât matter.â he turned his gaze back to you, once again giving you a questioning look. âwhy didnât you come home? why would you stay at someone elseâs place? baby, youâre my wife. what would other people say?â
younghoon slotted himself between the two of you. clearing his throat, he explained, âmr. jung, that was my fault. my father can be quite pushy, he insisted that mrs. jung must stay the night because he wanted her company and to talk. iâm sorry, i shouldâve insisted on taking her home.â
âdamn right you shouldâve.â wooyoung spat, earning a slap on his chest from you.Â
âwooyoung!âÂ
younghoon bowed slightly. âiâm sorry. iâll make sure no one knows about this, and iâll explain everything to hongjoong. if these words ever comes out i wonât hesitate to straighten things up and i certainly wonât let this ruin your or y/nâs reputations. once again, iâm sorry.â the man doesnât even lift his head, bowing once again. âiâm sorry. excuse me.â
âhoonââ you tried to call him but to no avail, as the man quickly got into his car and drove away. you watched in guilt as his black car went further. throwing a side eye at wooyoung, you detached yourself from him, grumbling as you walked away. he followed right behind you.
âi canât believe you just did that!â
wooyoung scoffed. âam i not allowed to do that? youâre my wife, and your husband is questioning why were you staying the night at some other manâs house!â
stopping in your tracks, you turned back to glare at him. âi did nothing with younghoon, heck i even stayed at a different wing in his mansion!â you point your finger, âyou were staying out last night as well! with your partner who, by the way is also a woman! did you see me complaining or accusing you of anything? no text no nothing, who knows what you did out there?â
âŚsplayed on the bed half naked, with jiwoo and her loose robe, limbs tangled with each other underneath the sheets.
âhow could you accuse me of cheating?we didn't do anything!â
âi didnât even say the word. you put those in your own mouth.â
âi got injured, she was tired, both of our phones are dead, we had no choice but to stay out!â
âthatâs exactly what happened to me! younghoonâs father wanted to speak, yes heâs a fucking pushover and thatâs kinda annoying so i had no choice but to do as he says because heâs that important, but i did nothing other than talking.â you half shouted. âkim younghoon is an ally, woo. an important one right now. iâm not doing this for me, this whole thing is a business, but then you shouted at him, being completely unprofessional and irrational, iââ
you bit your lip, trying to held your emotions back. âif something goes wrong, hongjoongâs gonna be mad. iâm trying my best right now to gain his trust, to gain something for us, but yââ you choked back your tears out of frustration, trying your best not to let out a single drop of it.Â
seeing how you almost broke down lessen his anger.Â
âbabyâŚ.â
âyou two, enough.âÂ
hongjoongâs voice blared through the whole hallway, making you both turned your heads. you quickly wiped a single tear, trying to compose yourself.Â
hongjoong had his hands on his pocket, eyes icy as he stared down at the both of you.
âhow many times do i have to tell you to keep your goddamn professionalism first in the business?â he gritted through his teeth. you and wooyoung could only stare at the floor beneath you. you heard a sigh coming out of hongjoongâs mouth.
âyounghoon explained everything to me, even gave me a proof of y/nâs room. i know youâre angry, but you shouldnât have shouted at him, woo. and y/n you shouldâve known better than to stay at someone elseâs place. the fuck is wrong with you two? i'm not even married but i at least know this.â
you and wooyoung could only turn away from hongjoong's gaze, clearly lost your faces.
he shook his head, opting to leave the problem behind. âmake up later, however it is. now, you both clean after yourselves, especially you, y/n.â he pointed at you, âyou have a lunch reservation with lee juyeon. i approved it for you. iâll pick you up after for a meeting with stray kids.â
âshe just came back from younghoon, now she has to go out with another man again?â
hongjoong only stared at him. âi said stay professional.â he said, before he turned back and walked away.
thereâs something sour left in his tongue.
heâs fully aware of the cause, he just couldnât say it out loud. so he just sat there on the edge of the bed, watching as you prepare yourself.
the both of you talked and sort things out, explaining each problems while you changed his bandage for a fresher one. both of you talked about how it was unavoidable, things youâve said before, just with cool heads.
but it still left something unpleasant.
you were stepping into a nice green dress, zipping it up. you strapped your heels, then fixed your makeup. a little blush here and there, your hand danced oh so delicately across your face, it wouldâve make him all giddy if it wasnât for the fact that you were about to go out with some other man.
you caught him staring at you from the vanity mirror, the hardness on his face was unmistakable. you sighed as you turned around, walking towards him. wooyoung turned his gaze to the floor, so you reached for his hands, cradling in it your own.
bringing his knuckles to your lips, you kissed it. âi know youâre upset.â you murmured. he stayed quiet, so you continued.
âi donât know when will all of this stop. but remember the promise we made? hm?â you cradled his face. âiâll do anything to keep us together and safe. because i love you, and i need you to understand that thereâll be no one other than you.â you pressed.Â
âothers donât matter. just you.â
you looked at his lips, crouched down to give him a soft kiss. though a little unresponsive, he gave into the kiss.Â
âi love you too.â he murmured into your lips.
the same words came from the both of your lips. the both of you truly are each otherâs halves, in one heart, in one mind, in one act.
even when the same unpleasant feelings resides in both of your hearts, and you both refused to address it.Â
kim younghoon: iâm sorry about this morning. y/n: itâs alright. iâm sorry my husband shouted at you. weâve talked abt it tho kim younghoon: itâs okay. he did the right thing. (typingâŚ) (typingâŚ) (typingâŚ) kim younghoon: heâs ur husband, i understand y/n: thank you kim younghoon: y/n y/n: yes? (typingâŚ) (typingâŚ) kim younghoon: weâre still up for tomorrow? y/n: yes. iâll see u soon.
âah! if itâs not the rising star of ateez.âÂ
juyeon gleamed as soon as he saw you, smile so wide his eyes smiled with him. and to your surprise, he quickly reached for your hand, planting a kiss on your knuckles.
your husband, who escorted you there was right behind you with hongjoong. both of them were stunned at the sight.
but before anyone could say anything, juyeon excused himself, âiâm sorry mr. jung, i donât mean anything bad. itâs just, iâm really happy to see y/n. iâve never been so connected in conversations other than with her.â he grinned, âthough, if she was available iâd definitely try my luck.â
he laughed, forcing everyone to laugh with him.
hongjoong spoke, âwell, we understand. sheâs pleasant to be with, perhaps thatâs why our wooyoung loves her so.â he nudged wooyoung, âisnât that right, woo?â
âyes.â he replied dryly, earning a glare and a squeeze on his shoulder. but he couldn't care less.
âwell,â juyeon clasped his hand together, âwe should go in. iâm starving, and i wish to have a good conversation today with y/n. if i may?â
juyeon offered his hand to you. glancing between juyeon and wooyoung, you have no choice but to take juyeonâs hand, careful in not looking too eager. you threw a guilty look at him.
while walking inside, you typed a quick text.
y/n: iâm sorry. i had no idea heâd do that, he never does y/n: iâm so sorry baby y/n: it doesnât mean a thing to me
ding
woo: itâs ok. (typingâŚ) (typingâŚ) woo: come home whenever ur done.
23.47 pm.
you glanced at your watch, sighing defeatedly. you definitely wonât be home as quick as you wanted today.
you already miss wooyoung. but you have to do this.
the alleyway was dark. the sound of your heels clicking against the pavement echoed in the air. the small restaurant was about to close, the light about to go off altogether. you lightly knocked on the door. âexcuse me.â you called.
a buffed looking man came out from the kitchen, a knife on his hand. âweâre closing. what do you want?â he gruffly said.
âuhm, sorry,â you stuttered, âis mr. kimâs soju⌠no,â you quickly regained yourself.
âi want to talk to the soju maker himself, mr. kim. thereâs this⌠old soju iâm looking for, which i donât know the brand is.âÂ
the big man stood there for a while, processing your words. he went back to the kitchen, and you heard some murmurs before he came back outside, now smiling. âmr. kim is waiting for you in the kitchen.â
the man escorted you inside, through the messy wet kitchen up until a door. he knocked on the door, announcing your arrival. âcome in.â a baritone voice responded. he opened the door, ushering you to come in, before closing the door.
an old man sat on his study, his white hair tousled and a pair of glasses sat on top of his nose. his weary eyes studied your form.
âitâs been a while since someone used that code. soju makerâŚâ he chuckled. âpeople usually looks for fresher soju, something done, but now youâre looking for something older. tell me, what are you looking for miss?â
he pointed the chair across him, signaling you to take a seat. putting aside your handbag, you took a seat. thereâs a beat of silence, before you let your voice out.
âitâs a who, sir.â you said, before continuing.
âiâm looking for seo rim.â
(to be continued)
â
damnnnn 8 months. i have no words for myself frđŠđ¤
i hope y guys still enjoy this. i feel like i should add more things, but iâm afraid itâll make the whole thing stale ykwim
but weâre getting CLOSER and CLOSER to the main problem, aka the timeline when y/n got shot (mafia!woo y/n caught in the crossfire), which is the very first fic that started this all
anyways. TOODLES. enjoy














