Your face scrunched underneath the imposing sunlight filtering in from the windows, letting out a tired sigh of annoyance. You thought maybe you could sneak in a few more minutes of sleep since Kyungsoo didn’t come to wake you, but the rising sun was filling in for his part of the job. You managed to open your eyes as you turned your body, waking yourself up from a deep sleep you were annoyed from ending. A groan escaped from your throat as you stretched your tired limbs with exertion underneath the thin sheet across your body.
You sat up in bed with a smack of your lips and looked around, eyebrows furrowing when realization dawned on you. Everything in the room was still the same from last night before you went to bed. It was out of place for you since Kyungsoo would have laid out clothes and opened the curtains before you rose out of bed. You took a glance at the clock beside your bed on the nightstand, eyeing the two lines pointing in the direction of the time. It was only 8:50am, you could have gone back to sleep and go on until noon. You decided not to though, not when curiosity was eating at you wondering where you obedient butler could have gone.
You managed to wash up and dress yourself all on your own, dragging your feet into the dining area where you caught the small commotion of noise. You recognized the two idiots instantly, Victoria and Suho bickering between themselves as they set the table with a platter of food for one. You watched them push and shove at each other, huffing and carrying on which dish to present closer to the edge. You cleared your throat loud enough for them to hear, watching their heads pop up and eyes go wide with the sight of you.
“Good morning!” Their voices rang in unison, smiles gracing their faces as they readied the table and ushered you to come sit down. You took a seat at the head of the table, eyeing the assortment of food laid out just for you. It was ten times more the amount you were used to, but Kyungsoo was the only one who limited your intake and kept an eye on your diet. The first thing you made a grab for were the biscuits, a lovely spread to the side of the stack of pancakes in front of you. You took a bite into the thick bread, the sound of your munching filling the room that had grown silent.
“These biscuits.” You commented, tasting the fluffy bread in your mouth as both servants eyed you with expectancy. “Are bland.”
It was quiet for a moment until Victoria stuttered on a reply. “A-all it needs is a little honey!”
She quickly came to your side, hands reaching out for the sweet condiments in the middle of the table and set to work on buttering your bread. You dropped the biscuit down onto a napkin before picking at the fruit bowl, aiming for the fresh ripe strawberries that made your mouth water.
“Where’s Kyungsoo?”
“He’s out running errands for Mistress. He should be back no later than the evening.” Suho answered unhesitantly, still standing to the side with a goofy smile on his face. They must have planned for this since this morning, or maybe last night before you went to bed. Either way, it crept a few ideas into your head as you raised an eyebrow.
“Really? Should I have some fun then?”
*
Your idea of fun wasn’t all that bad. You just wanted to play a little prank on Kyungsoo, get him riled up to see the mess you created in the house when he came back home. It started with a food fight with the breakfast your servants prepared for you, taking it into as many parts of the house as you could as you laughed with joy. Victoria and Suho had no choice but to join you, enjoy the game together and forget about the impending doom when he was on his way home. You ended up ruining your attire for the day, leading into the dress up party as you created a fashion show in your own dressing room. Once again your servants had to participate, giving you a good laugh to see Suho in the different dresses you managed to fit on him. You made sure to take pictures of all three of you, something to show Kyungsoo so he could see what a fabulous time you had without him.
Your fun was short-lived when a knock came at the door, followed by the familiar ring of your doorbell. You gave each other a look, no one expecting guests at all before Victoria hurried to go downstairs. You were quick to follow after her, racing down the stairs before slowing your steps as you got to the door. You stood behind Victoria with a curious look on your face, watching as she answered the door. A man neither of you recognized stood in the doorway with a bright smile, charming and quite handsome as he gave the both of you a bow.
“Is Miss ___ in?”
You brushed by Victoria before she could stutter an answer, crossing your arms before plastering a smile on your face.
“Who’s searching for her?”
To your surprise he held out his hand, palm facing upwards as he asked for your hand to place a kiss on top of it. “I’m Kim Taehyun. Messenger of House Park. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, my lady.”
You blinked at him, a slow smirk growing at the corner of your lips. “What brings you by?”
“My lord wanted me to stop by on his behalf to present gifts and offer a partnership. I can explain our businesses in more detail if you have the time.” He answered, that smile on his face as his eyes gleamed with playfulness, urging you to take the bait.
You hummed in amusement before you gripped his hand and pulled him inside. “Come. Victoria, fetch my gifts out of his carriage and ready the sitting area...and tell Suho to prepare snacks and tea.”
Victoria’s unhesitant answer of a ‘yes mistress’ was all that was needed before she was hurrying outside to complete her task, letting you lead the guest to one of the fortunately clean rooms. You were well aware how uncommon it was for you to not have more servants in such a big mansion you resided in, and how it came off to others who would visit. It didn’t matter, and it played well into your game to see the reactions and responses you got out of them. So when you sat down with Taehyun, the switch in your head turned on to start the game.
“Now, who do you work for?” you began, just as soon as Suho rolled in a platter of cookies and fresh brewed tea.
Taehyun kept his eyes on yours, accepting the tea that was set in front of him on the coffee table. “Park Chanyeol. Owner of Park’s Trading and where constantly expanding to reach new heights and places. My master heard numerous stories and has kept a watchful eye on your company and is quite impressed with how large your company has grown since you’ve taken ownership. He wanted to form a partnership, which I guarantee will produce immense growth in not only sales but integrity. ”
You hummed in thought, seeing Suho bow in the corner of your eye before he left the room. “Why didn’t he come himself? Isn’t it rude to not introduce yourself formally to the person you so want to be partners with? Or is he shy?”
“On the contrary he’s known to make his acquaintances shy. That’s why he sent me to break the ice.” Taehyun chuckled, his playful response making you raise a brow as you smiled.
“Oh?”
Taehyun took a bite of a cookie that was displayed out, humming at the sweet treat before thinking for a moment. “He has a way with his words, Mistress.”
You gave a nod. “Hm. So do I.”
You had made your decision right then and there, even as your guest continued to sell the offer to you and try to convince you to sign a contract he had brought with him on this new ‘partnership’. You finally brought it to an end with a glance at the clock and sighed. “As fun as it was listening to the absolute bullshit Mr. Kim, I have other fun matters to attend to. You can be on your way.”
You would have laughed at the look on his face as you stood to your feet, stretching your limbs as you made a move to the door.
“My servants will see you out and give you some of my own gifts to take home, and you can tell Mr. Park-”
A hand slammed on the door beside your head, making it slam shut before you could have it opened all the way. You breathed a sigh as you felt the cool, sharp edge of a knife on your neck threatening to sink in and draw blood.
“I tried to be easy with you, ___.”
“First name basis now, huh?” You mused with a giggle.
The knife pushed deeper into your flesh, Taehyun’s mouth by your ear as he chuckled. “All you needed to do was sign the papers and make it easy. Now I might have to forge your signature while your body goes missing.”
“Mmm, make me sell away my assets and property to expand yours? Good plan~” The obvious sarcasm earned a sting of pain on your skin, warm liquid spilling down your neck as you hissed softly. You felt hardness press against your backside, his arm snaking around your waist as he pulled your closer.
“Maybe I should play with your body for a little bit before I take your head to Chanyeol.”
“That sounds like fun.” you breathed, giggling with your tongue between your teeth.
“Not only are you a spoiled brat, you're a psycho too. Maybe I should end your life now and put your servants out of misery-” Taehyun threatened before his words were cut off, watching you turn around in his arms as dead, cold eyes bore into his.
“Do you really think you could kill me? You walk into my territory and think you are going to make out alive?”
He started to open his mouth to say something, only for it to hold open without a word coming out. His mouth had gone completely dry, the taste iron dripping down his throat and completely built up in his mouth. He coughed up blood, seeing the red stains on his hand as his eyes went wide in horror. His head shot to the door, watching it ease open with an eerie creak. Victoria stood in the doorway, a smile plastered on her face as she waved.
“What the fuck did yoo do to me?” Taehyun managed to get out, his voice choked and hoarse.
Victoria cocked her head to the side as her face dropped into feigned confusion. “You mean the poisoned sweets you called gifts to my mistress? That’s what we served you Mr. Kim.”
His eyes widened to the point they could bulge out their sockets, gaining an amused laugh from you before he turned his attention back to you. With a roar he aimed his knife to strike only for it to miss you as you dodged, letting Victoria handle the attacker. She restrained the knife out his hand with ease but he managed to get out of her hold, racing to the staircase with only the setting sun as his means of light. Taehyun didn’t make it to the top, finding himself falling along with pieces of cracked wood all the way down to the first floor. A glimpse of Suho at the top, smiling down at him as he fell confirmed the thought that he had been pushed, with unbelievable strength that managed to smash the stair railing off its hinges.
His back collided with the marble floor, the last bit of stable air in his lungs escaping from him along with more blood. He cried in pain, his body aching all over as he urged himself to move, crawl on the floor if he needed to make it to the front door. He knew they were right behind him, the two frightful servants making their way down the staircase towards him. He found his feet onto the ground, pushing himself up and stumbling to the door before swinging it open.
The worst sight of the night, the one he was warned never to cross with greeted him at the door, curious black eyes staring him down and stealing the regained breath in his body. Kyungsoo looked him up and down, standing firm in the doorway with an arch in his thick brow.
“Hello.”
Taehyun screamed and pushed with all his might, freeing himself from death inside the mansion and made a getaway down the dirt path. Kyungsoo watched the guest leave before turning his attention to you, having made it down the stairs as your other two servants disappeared from their own monster when he found out the state of the household.
You smiled gleefully before skipping over to your butler. “Where have you been all day?”
“Taking care of errands.” Kyungsoo answered, eyeing the wound on your neck where blood was still coming down from. “What have you been getting yourself into?”
“Some fun. For once. And you just let it loose. Now what’s going to happen?” You questioned, keeping your eyes on his as he whipped out a handkerchief from his back pocket, pressing the white cloth against your neck and staining it red.
“He won’t get too far.” Kyungsoo assured, pulling your body into his arms after kicking the door shut. He peeled the cloth back and tilted your head to the side carefully with fingers gripping your chin, right before he brought his mouth down and slowly licked. A soft moan escaped you as your eyelids fluttered close, already starting to feel your neck begin to heal.
“I took Kai off his leash.”
You smiled, a buzz in your body spreading all over at the thought of letting the screams of anguish be what it was to lull you to sleep.
Your face scrunched underneath the imposing sunlight filtering in from the windows, letting out a tired sigh of annoyance. You thought maybe you could sneak in a few more minutes of sleep since Kyungsoo didn’t come to wake you, but the rising sun was filling in for his part of the job. You managed to open your eyes as you turned your body, waking yourself up from a deep sleep you were annoyed from ending. A groan escaped from your throat as you stretched your tired limbs with exertion underneath the thin sheet across your body.
You sat up in bed with a smack of your lips and looked around, eyebrows furrowing when realization dawned on you. Everything in the room was still the same from last night before you went to bed. It was out of place for you since Kyungsoo would have laid out clothes and opened the curtains before you rose out of bed. You took a glance at the clock beside your bed on the nightstand, eyeing the two lines pointing in the direction of the time. It was only 8:50am, you could have gone back to sleep and go on until noon. You decided not to though, not when curiosity was eating at you wondering where you obedient butler could have gone.
You managed to wash up and dress yourself all on your own, dragging your feet into the dining area where you caught the small commotion of noise. You recognized the two idiots instantly, Victoria and Suho bickering between themselves as they set the table with a platter of food for one. You watched them push and shove at each other, huffing and carrying on which dish to present closer to the edge. You cleared your throat loud enough for them to hear, watching their heads pop up and eyes go wide with the sight of you.
“Good morning!” Their voices rang in unison, smiles gracing their faces as they readied the table and ushered you to come sit down. You took a seat at the head of the table, eyeing the assortment of food laid out just for you. It was ten times more the amount you were used to, but Kyungsoo was the only one who limited your intake and kept an eye on your diet. The first thing you made a grab for were the biscuits, a lovely spread to the side of the stack of pancakes in front of you. You took a bite into the thick bread, the sound of your munching filling the room that had grown silent.
“These biscuits.” You commented, tasting the fluffy bread in your mouth as both servants eyed you with expectancy. “Are bland.”
It was quiet for a moment until Victoria stuttered on a reply. “A-all it needs is a little honey!”
She quickly came to your side, hands reaching out for the sweet condiments in the middle of the table and set to work on buttering your bread. You dropped the biscuit down onto a napkin before picking at the fruit bowl, aiming for the fresh ripe strawberries that made your mouth water.
“Where’s Kyungsoo?”
“He’s out running errands for Mistress. He should be back no later than the evening.” Suho answered unhesitantly, still standing to the side with a goofy smile on his face. They must have planned for this since this morning, or maybe last night before you went to bed. Either way, it crept a few ideas into your head as you raised an eyebrow.
“Really? Should I have some fun then?”
*
Your idea of fun wasn’t all that bad. You just wanted to play a little prank on Kyungsoo, get him riled up to see the mess you created in the house when he came back home. It started with a food fight with the breakfast your servants prepared for you, taking it into as many parts of the house as you could as you laughed with joy. Victoria and Suho had no choice but to join you, enjoy the game together and forget about the impending doom when he was on his way home. You ended up ruining your attire for the day, leading into the dress up party as you created a fashion show in your own dressing room. Once again your servants had to participate, giving you a good laugh to see Suho in the different dresses you managed to fit on him. You made sure to take pictures of all three of you, something to show Kyungsoo so he could see what a fabulous time you had without him.
Your fun was short-lived when a knock came at the door, followed by the familiar ring of your doorbell. You gave each other a look, no one expecting guests at all before Victoria hurried to go downstairs. You were quick to follow after her, racing down the stairs before slowing your steps as you got to the door. You stood behind Victoria with a curious look on your face, watching as she answered the door. A man neither of you recognized stood in the doorway with a bright smile, charming and quite handsome as he gave the both of you a bow.
“Is Miss ___ in?”
You brushed by Victoria before she could stutter an answer, crossing your arms before plastering a smile on your face.
“Who’s searching for her?”
To your surprise he held out his hand, palm facing upwards as he asked for your hand to place a kiss on top of it. “I’m Kim Taehyun. Messenger of House Park. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, my lady.”
You blinked at him, a slow smirk growing at the corner of your lips. “What brings you by?”
“My lord wanted me to stop by on his behalf to present gifts and offer a partnership. I can explain our businesses in more detail if you have the time.” He answered, that smile on his face as his eyes gleamed with playfulness, urging you to take the bait.
You hummed in amusement before you gripped his hand and pulled him inside. “Come. Victoria, fetch my gifts out of his carriage and ready the sitting area...and tell Suho to prepare snacks and tea.”
Victoria’s unhesitant answer of a ‘yes mistress’ was all that was needed before she was hurrying outside to complete her task, letting you lead the guest to one of the fortunately clean rooms. You were well aware how uncommon it was for you to not have more servants in such a big mansion you resided in, and how it came off to others who would visit. It didn’t matter, and it played well into your game to see the reactions and responses you got out of them. So when you sat down with Taehyun, the switch in your head turned on to start the game.
“Now, who do you work for?” you began, just as soon as Suho rolled in a platter of cookies and fresh brewed tea.
Taehyun kept his eyes on yours, accepting the tea that was set in front of him on the coffee table. “Park Chanyeol. Owner of Park’s Trading and where constantly expanding to reach new heights and places. My master heard numerous stories and has kept a watchful eye on your company and is quite impressed with how large your company has grown since you’ve taken ownership. He wanted to form a partnership, which I guarantee will produce immense growth in not only sales but integrity. ”
You hummed in thought, seeing Suho bow in the corner of your eye before he left the room. “Why didn’t he come himself? Isn’t it rude to not introduce yourself formally to the person you so want to be partners with? Or is he shy?”
“On the contrary he’s known to make his acquaintances shy. That’s why he sent me to break the ice.” Taehyun chuckled, his playful response making you raise a brow as you smiled.
“Oh?”
Taehyun took a bite of a cookie that was displayed out, humming at the sweet treat before thinking for a moment. “He has a way with his words, Mistress.”
You gave a nod. “Hm. So do I.”
You had made your decision right then and there, even as your guest continued to sell the offer to you and try to convince you to sign a contract he had brought with him on this new ‘partnership’. You finally brought it to an end with a glance at the clock and sighed. “As fun as it was listening to the absolute bullshit Mr. Kim, I have other fun matters to attend to. You can be on your way.”
You would have laughed at the look on his face as you stood to your feet, stretching your limbs as you made a move to the door.
“My servants will see you out and give you some of my own gifts to take home, and you can tell Mr. Park-”
A hand slammed on the door beside your head, making it slam shut before you could have it opened all the way. You breathed a sigh as you felt the cool, sharp edge of a knife on your neck threatening to sink in and draw blood.
“I tried to be easy with you, ___.”
“First name basis now, huh?” You mused with a giggle.
The knife pushed deeper into your flesh, Taehyun’s mouth by your ear as he chuckled. “All you needed to do was sign the papers and make it easy. Now I might have to forge your signature while your body goes missing.”
“Mmm, make me sell away my assets and property to expand yours? Good plan~” The obvious sarcasm earned a sting of pain on your skin, warm liquid spilling down your neck as you hissed softly. You felt hardness press against your backside, his arm snaking around your waist as he pulled your closer.
“Maybe I should play with your body for a little bit before I take your head to Chanyeol.”
“That sounds like fun.” you breathed, giggling with your tongue between your teeth.
“Not only are you a spoiled brat, you're a psycho too. Maybe I should end your life now and put your servants out of misery-” Taehyun threatened before his words were cut off, watching you turn around in his arms as dead, cold eyes bore into his.
“Do you really think you could kill me? You walk into my territory and think you are going to make out alive?”
He started to open his mouth to say something, only for it to hold open without a word coming out. His mouth had gone completely dry, the taste iron dripping down his throat and completely built up in his mouth. He coughed up blood, seeing the red stains on his hand as his eyes went wide in horror. His head shot to the door, watching it ease open with an eerie creak. Victoria stood in the doorway, a smile plastered on her face as she waved.
“What the fuck did yoo do to me?” Taehyun managed to get out, his voice choked and hoarse.
Victoria cocked her head to the side as her face dropped into feigned confusion. “You mean the poisoned sweets you called gifts to my mistress? That’s what we served you Mr. Kim.”
His eyes widened to the point they could bulge out their sockets, gaining an amused laugh from you before he turned his attention back to you. With a roar he aimed his knife to strike only for it to miss you as you dodged, letting Victoria handle the attacker. She restrained the knife out his hand with ease but he managed to get out of her hold, racing to the staircase with only the setting sun as his means of light. Taehyun didn’t make it to the top, finding himself falling along with pieces of cracked wood all the way down to the first floor. A glimpse of Suho at the top, smiling down at him as he fell confirmed the thought that he had been pushed, with unbelievable strength that managed to smash the stair railing off its hinges.
His back collided with the marble floor, the last bit of stable air in his lungs escaping from him along with more blood. He cried in pain, his body aching all over as he urged himself to move, crawl on the floor if he needed to make it to the front door. He knew they were right behind him, the two frightful servants making their way down the staircase towards him. He found his feet onto the ground, pushing himself up and stumbling to the door before swinging it open.
The worst sight of the night, the one he was warned never to cross with greeted him at the door, curious black eyes staring him down and stealing the regained breath in his body. Kyungsoo looked him up and down, standing firm in the doorway with an arch in his thick brow.
“Hello.”
Taehyun screamed and pushed with all his might, freeing himself from death inside the mansion and made a getaway down the dirt path. Kyungsoo watched the guest leave before turning his attention to you, having made it down the stairs as your other two servants disappeared from their own monster when he found out the state of the household.
You smiled gleefully before skipping over to your butler. “Where have you been all day?”
“Taking care of errands.” Kyungsoo answered, eyeing the wound on your neck where blood was still coming down from. “What have you been getting yourself into?”
“Some fun. For once. And you just let it loose. Now what’s going to happen?” You questioned, keeping your eyes on his as he whipped out a handkerchief from his back pocket, pressing the white cloth against your neck and staining it red.
“He won’t get too far.” Kyungsoo assured, pulling your body into his arms after kicking the door shut. He peeled the cloth back and tilted your head to the side carefully with fingers gripping your chin, right before he brought his mouth down and slowly licked. A soft moan escaped you as your eyelids fluttered close, already starting to feel your neck begin to heal.
“I took Kai off his leash.”
You smiled, a buzz in your body spreading all over at the thought of letting the screams of anguish be what it was to lull you to sleep.
You stared down on your screen and frowned when you saw a water drop hit the middle of your protection glass. It wasn't raining, it was freezing cold outside, but the sun seemed to manage to shine brightly somehow. It broke through the clouds, its rays lighting up the shops around you, but they weren’t able to shoo away the cold. No, there was no rain, instead it seemed like tears were rolling down your cheeks. Even though you had promised yourself you wouldn't cry, you somehow couldn't help it. It was confusing, how a person could feel as if they were being freed, but the world was scattering underneath their feet at the same time. A whirlpool of emotions was crushing into you as you tried to control yourself. You weren’t supposed to act as if your world was falling apart, because it wasn’t. Still, you felt as if you’d just become part of a different universe and you had no idea how you were supposed to handle it. Closing your eyes you let the tears fall, and you weren't planning on wiping them away. You weren't ashamed to cry, to show others how you felt. You ignored the people who passed you and they seemed to do the same.
hough a few of them slowed slightly as they passed you, as if they wondered of they should stop to ask you if you were alright. Perhaps a few of them even wanted to hand you a tissue. Well, you didn't need their sympathy. If it were up to you all those people could just continue walking and leave you the hell alone. The world was hard and cruel for many of you and you didn't feel the need to share your problems with some kind of stranger. "______________?" You blinked your eyes at the sound of the familiar voice, which caused more tears to fall. When you looked up you could see that he had put on a cap, in the hope to hide his eyes and to get through town unnoticed. You knew it wasn’t always easy for him to get out without having a bunch of people chasing him, so you couldn’t blame him for trying to cover up. In the beginning of your friendship you had wondered if maybe he’d been ashamed of you, that he didn’t want to be seen with someone who stood so far away from him and who didn’t know a single thing about his world. When you had addressed your worries to him, he’d gotten angry.
That was how things were with Kyungsoo, when he was happy he smiled, when he wasn’t happy he’d scowl. The moment he wasn’t pleased about something you said or something you did, he wouldn’t even try to hide it. It was one of the things you liked about him, because even though he could he harsh sometimes, you always knew where you stood with him. He wasn’t someone who tolerated people, if you were a part of his close circle it meant he liked you, otherwise he would kick you out. Sometimes you still couldn’t quite believe that your best friend turned out to be an idol, and that event though your worlds were nothing alike, it hadn’t caused the two of you to grow apart. You knew he was the person you could always call and you could always reach out to, even when he was busy or others thought he didn’t have the time. He was one of those people you trusted with your life, and he knew all your secrets. And so, when you hadn’t been able to think of anyone else to contact, you’d called him, and here he was. Thankfully the mall wasn’t too crowded, it seemed like most people had decided to stay at home to avoid the cold weather.
You would have done the same thing if it hadn’t been for the need to get away from your small apartment, which held to much memories at this time. You hated the winter and everything it stood for. The only moment you could tolerate the cold was when it would snow, because at least then it would be cold for a reason. But now you weren’t getting anything out of this. “Hey.” You muttered, forcing a smile on your face and ignoring your blurry view as he walked over to you and sat down on the bench beside you. You could see him shiver because of the contact with the cold material, but he didn’t complain. Instead he sighed, as he lifted his cap from his head and brushed his hand through his medium length hair before putting the hat back on top of his head. You’d once told him that you’d preferred his long hair, back in the days, before he’d cut it short for his acting work. But by now you were so used to seeing him like this, that you wouldn’t want it any other way. “What happened? Why are you crying?” He asked, but by the sound of his voice you knew that he knew what this was about. He was just asking you the question because he felt as if he had to.
Bringing your hands towards your face you wiped the tears away from your cheeks, and you had no idea which part of your body was colder than the other. Shrugging your shoulders you tried to make it seem as if it wasn’t a big deal, yet your words sounded slurred when you spoke. “He broke up with me.” You muttered, and you would have thought that saying it out loud would cause you to crumble, that it would cause the pain you felt inside of your heart to cut even deeper. Instead it felt as if some kind of burned was falling from your shoulders, as if you were cutting something loose. Kyungsoo remained silent for a while and you were sure it wasn’t because he didn’t know what to say, but because he didn’t want to say something he’d regret later on. Kyungsoo had never been a big fan of your boyfriend, no correction, ex boyfriend. Those two had been like fire and gasoline, a perfect combination but once they got too close they could blow each other up. From day one Kyungsoo’d been telling you that the guy wasn’t good enough for you, that you could do better. But you’d been blind and in love, and you’d only gotten angry at him because he wouldn’t support you.
In the end your friend had accepted the situation, but you had been able to tell his opinion had never changed. You’d noticed it every time you brought up your boyfriend in front of him, the look on his face had told you all you had needed to know. You bet the words ‘I told you so’ were dancing inside of his mind right now, but he would never dare to say them out loud. He’d upset you and that was the last thing he wanted to do. instead he clamped his hands together inside of his lap, as if he had to try very hard not to grasp onto yours. “I’m sorry, I know you liked him.” He said, and you were grateful for his nice words. Sighing deeply you shrugged again before you shoved closer to him and you rested your head on top of his shoulder. As usual he didn’t push you away, yet he didn’t move either. He just sat there, staring at the scenery around him. Sometimes you wished you could look inside of his head, so that you’d at least know what was going on inside of it. You were sure he had many thoughts he never told you anything about.
“Let’s get you home, you’ll turn into an ice cube if we stay here.” He suggested and you couldn’t help but sniff, even though you knew he was right. Yet, that was another thing about Kyungsoo, he knew he was right, so he didn’t care if you argued with him. Getting up from the bench he waited until you had pushed yourself up beside him before he started walking towards the parking lot. Some people stared at you, but to because they seemed to recognize him. It seemed as if they thought that he was the person who’d made you cry, and they were wondering if they should do something. Ignoring them you stared at the side of your friend’s face, looking past the fact that he was being his usual handsome self. “You’re happy, aren’t you?” You asked, not because you wanted to provoke him but because you wanted an honest answer from him. His face moved sideways and his eyes drilled straight into yours. The two of you almost had the same height, so you didn’t feel intimidated by him. His gaze studied your features, slipped past your tear strained cheeks and your wet eyelashes before he sighed and shook his head. “No ____________, I’m not happy. I hate seeing you get hurt.” He explained and you bit your bottom lip as you nodded.
This was the reason he’d been this rebellious against your relationship in the first way. Perhaps he’d seen something you hadn’t, from his point of view. With his sober look he might have been able to see what you hadn’t been willing to see. Because you’d been head over heels in love, you’d been the crazy girl who’d thrown her life around just to make one person happy without thinking of the consequences. “Maybe it’s better this way. We fought so much lately, things weren’t the way they used to be.” You said, no idea if you were trying to convince him or yourself. You realized that maybe you weren’t sad because he’d left you, but because you weren’t used to being alone. All of a sudden your apartment had seemed to big for you to live in all by yourself and your bed had seemed to large to sleep in. The world seemed dangerous now that you had to get through it on your own. “A person who makes you cry is never good for you.” Kyungsoo mumbled as he got his car keys out of his back pocket. Somehow you could feel your anger bubble inside of you as he pushed the button to open the car. Though you surprised the both of you by stilling before either of you could get in. Confused, he stopped in front of you and he looked up to see what was up.
Placing your hands on your hips you tried to glare at him, but you’d never been very good at that when it came to him. He was surprised to see the angry expression on your face, that much was for sure. “You’ve hated him since the moment I first told you about him. You’ve never said a single good word about him! Don’t pretend as if you care about my feelings now.” You roared, crossing your arms over your chest and pushing back the need you felt to stomp your feet on the ground like a little child. But you didn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of him. A deep frown rested on his forehead and his lips pressed together into a thin line. You were being ridiculous. Kyungsoo had always been there for you and he always had your back. Accusing him of not caring for you was probably the most stupid thing you’d ever said. But you simply couldn’t help yourself. For one reason or another you wanted someone to feel as shitty as you felt right now, and Kyungsoo was the only one around who you could get to right now. You were being a crappy person and he didn’t deserve this. “____________, please just get in the car.” He spoke softly, not willing to gain even more attention from outsiders, partly because it was embarrassing and partly because he didn’t want anyone to recognize him. A big part of him probably had to fight really hard not to scold you.
Yet, the thing was that he had been scolding you for the past few months, for dating an ass and for being an idiot. You’d never called him out on it back then, but you seemed to be planning to do so now. “Why couldn’t you just be happy for me? He was good to me, you know that?” You shouted and it was as if you could see something enflame inside of his eyes, and you knew you had crossed an invisible line. His hands fisted next to his side as he took a big step towards you. Now he was so close that you could see your own reflection inside of his eyes, and his eyes were not very friendly right now. Still, you didn’t even think about stepping back, you weren’t afraid of him. “He was never as good for you as I would have been.” His voice was soft, as if the words had slipped out of his mouth without his permission, as if he hadn’t really been willing to say this to you. But what you were able to tell was that the words caused an explosion to go off inside of your head. Your lips parted, as if you wanted to say something, but only a small beep came out. What the hell was he talking about? He straightened up before turning around and getting into the car. You flinched as he smashed the door close behind himself and stared at the side of his face through the window. He didn’t look back at you even once.
Knowing that he wouldn’t leave without you and he would wait there for you to get in, you used this moment to let the both of you get your thoughts back in order. The way he said it, it sounded like his frustrations had flooded out of jealousy all along. You’d always thought that Kyungsoo simply didn’t like your ex. But now you realized that all this time you’d been dating he hadn’t even tried to get to know your boyfriend, he hadn’t even given him a single chance. The thing was that you and him had been friends for so long and you hadn’t even thought about the chance of him having different kind of feelings for you. The thought that Kyungsoo might like you more than a friend caused your hands to become sweaty. It was a possibility you had never kept in mind. Taking a deep breath you convinced yourself that you couldn’t just leave things like this. The two of you had to talk about this, otherwise you friendship would never make it through. It was one of the things you would never be able to loose. Carefully you walked around the car, towards the passenger seat. When you got in and shut the door softly behind yourself you saw that he hadn’t moved from the second he had stepped it.
His eyes were fixed on one point ahead, his hands resting on top of the steering wheel and his fingers turning white as he pinched it. He didn’t bother to look at you, but he didn’t seem as if he was planning on driving either. “Why didn’t you tell me?” You asked, because you knew your whole life may have looked very different if Kyungsoo had been honest with you from the start. Who knew how long he’d been walking around with these feelings, and you’d never known. You felt like an idiot. All those times you’d run to him after a fight, all those moments you’d been bragging about how amazing your boyfriend was. It must have been hell for him. Now it was his turn to shrug his shoulders and you watched him as the tension disappeared from his body and he slacked back against the carseat. You were a useless friend. “I don’t know, I could tell you were happy and I didn’t want to ruin it. I thought I was doing the right thing.” He said, tracing the emblem in the middle of the wheel with his finger. It was obvious he was trying his hardest not to look at you. Though you wished he would. You wanted to see how he felt, you wanted him to look at you, you wanted him to see you. It was almost impossible to believe that a guy like him could see something in a girl like you.
“Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to change anything. I’ve been liking you for so long while being your friend, I guess I can just continue doing that. I don’t want you to feel bad.” He explained and you felt so sorry for him. You could only imagine how terrible it must be to watch the person you liked to fall for someone else and to need to pretend that everything was fine. The truth was though, that you had no idea how you felt towards Kyungsoo. You had always seen him as your best friend, you had never thought of it as a possibility that the two of you would ever become anything more than that. But as you thought about it, it didn’t seem like something impossible. “I just never thought about you like that before.” You muttered honestly, and he managed to tug his lips up into a little smile, though it looked rather sad. You really wished you were able to tell him something different. You wanted to tell him that you loved him too, that you wanted him to be happy and that you wanted that to be with you. But if you would then you’d be lying to him, and he didn’t deserve that. “But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t.” You continued, and you felt your heart ruffling inside of your chest.
You felt as if you were in high school all over again, when you had told your biggest crush that you fancied him. He’d laughed in your face, thinking you were being ridiculous, but at that very moment you’d been so proud because you had dared to say what you felt. From that moment on you had never even looked at him the same way again. Perhaps you would never look at Kyungsoo the same way either. Finally he turned his head to look at you, and his eyes stood hopeful. You smiled at him, because that was what you always did when he was around. At least when he didn’t make you want to pull his hair out of his skull. “I just…I need some time, to figure everything out. I just broke up with someone, I don’t want to throw myself back in just like this. It wouldn’t be fair to myself, or to you. I’d be great if you would like to wait for me.” You muttered, hating the way a blush started to travel onto your cheeks. You never felt shy around him, but it seemed like things were up for a change. You heard him chuckle slightly and somehow electricity was dancing along your skin when he reached for your hand and squeezed it softly. “I’ve been waiting for so long, I guess I can handle it.”
“No,” a chocolatey voice purred smoothly from a plump pout, “it’s not. It’s Givenchy to be exact.”
Your eyes narrowed into an appraising glare as you took in the man stood in the middle of your doorway. The first thing you noticed aside from his heart-shaped lips and unblinking owlish eyes that boldly stared back into yours was his height: He was short. And you weren’t just saying that because he didn’t match your Amazonian height; he was well and truly short despite the five centimeter inserts undoubtedly present in his shoes, which appeared to be custom Italian leather. Despite his height, he was of a rather sturdy build: His figure perfectly filled out the bespoke double breasted suit he wore—Tom Ford, if you had to hazard a guess—which peeked out from beneath his Givenchy overcoat. You had to admit his style was impeccable and his attention to detail, as clearly demonstrated by the fact that each article of his clothing was the same inky shade of black despite their differing brands, was remarkable. All in all, he was small, dark, and handsome. Chanyeol certainly had interesting taste, and this… “gift” was no exception.
“May I come in?” the mysterious man questioned in that deep baritone voice of his that did not match his stature at all.
You shrugged and stepped aside, figuring it would be rude of you to dismiss and then have to deal with Chanyeol’s annoyingly effective pout. “Come in.”
“Thank you.” He strode past you on his way to your living room, you mere steps behind him.
“So… Who are you exactly?”
The man turned on his heel, a pleasant yet restrained smile etched across his strangely soft features. “My name is Do Kyungsoo,” he calmly introduced himself as he extended his hand for you to shake, “and I am a professional Dominant.”
You froze mid-handshake. There was no way you’d heard that right. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, was my pronunciation off?” he questioned in near-perfect English, the ease with which he switched from his native language to yours made your head spin. “Sometimes loaner words sound foreign in the context of a different tongue. Should we continue the evening in English?”
Was he…was he showing off? Your mouth twitched in annoyance at his smugness, but you quickly shook it off. “No, your pronunciation is fine. I’m just a bit taken aback,” you clarified, your Korean dripping in honeyed innocence. He hummed softly in acknowledgement. This man was a conundrum. How could someone so small and so soft-looking possibly be the type to be assertive and commanding toward any partner, let alone you, the perfect picture of pride, determination, strength, and resilience—aka, The Ultimate Brat.
Yeah, no.
There was no way this was going to work. Chanyeol must have tripped over his own toes again and smacked his big head hard enough to dislodge the little bit of sense he had tucked away between his Dumbo ears.
“I know what you’re thinking.” He smiled that same soft, shallow smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as he carefully shrugged off his overcoat, laying it delicately over the back of the wingback armchair.
“Oh, you do?” you countered in that same honeyed tone as you internally forced yourself to keep your eyes from rolling all the way back until you saw your brain.
“You’re wondering how this is supposed to work and if your partner Mr. Park really thought this through. How can someone who looks like me—short and almost cherubic in appearance, if I dare to be so boldly poetic—possibly be a dominant person in general, let alone in intimate settings, such as the bedroom?” You blinked, careful to keep a stoic expression on your face despite the shock coursing through your system considering he’d just repeated your thoughts practically verbatim. Not willing to accept the fact that he was a telepath (because that would be freaky—cool, but still freaky), you chalked it up to it being the result of him frequently being asked such questions. He gracefully lowered himself into the oversized chair (and it really took everything in you not to coo at how tiny and adorable he looked against the large backdrop) and crossed his legs, tugging at his cuffed sleeves before carefully crossing his hands in his lap. “The answer to your question is that it is exceedingly easy.”
A bemused chuckle floated from you. “I’m sorry but I think you might have spoken to the wrong Mr. Park because one thing I am not is easy. So—“
“I spoke to the correct Mr. Park,” he interrupted calmly, “and he stressed that fact to me repeatedly. Just as I assured him, let me assure you as well that I am more than capable of handling you. In fact,” a dark smirk pulled at the corner of his lips, “brats like are my specialty.”
You scoffed, “I am not just some brat.”
“Yes, you are. Your denying such a blatantly obvious fact does nothing to dissuade me in believing it, but rather just confirms what we both apparently know to be true. But no matter, I still won’t have much trouble breaking you.”
Narrowing your eyes, you crossed your arms and leaned back against the cushioned back of the sofa. “I don’t submit to just anyone.”
He shrugged, “I’m not just anyone.”
“And why should I believe that? I don’t even know you.”
“No, you don’t. I will admit it is rather unfair that I know more about you than you do me. So let’s change that, shall we? Ask me anything you’d like.”
“How old are you?” you immediately fired off.
“More than old enough to be in this community and own my own business.”
“How long have you been in the community and had this business?”
“I’ve been a member of the community for eight years and have had my business for six years.”
“How have I never heard of you before now then? Is ‘Do Kyungsoo’ even your real name?”
“It’s real enough for our purposes, yes. I operate my business via word of mouth.”
Your jaw slackened slightly. Word of mouth. Had Chanyeol subbed for this man before? You certainly wouldn’t put it past him and it’s not like such a revelation would upset you. But in that moment you felt pure jealously slice through you as you thought of your goofy, loud, precious boyfriend being pushed to the edge over and over again without even inviting you to watch. The bastard. “Hold on. How did Chanyeol get your information?”
“I am not at liberty to say; but please know I came very highly recommended.”
“So he never subbed for you before?”
“Again, I am not at liberty to say. I sign an NDA for the benefit and security of each of my clients.”
Your brow furrowed. “An NDA? Really?”
“While I pride myself on my discretion and most of my clients are comfortable enough with just my word, it has been my policy from the very beginning to have such agreements in place for the sake of my more finicky clients as they need something a bit more binding, shall we say, in order to agree to soliciting my services.”
“And do you already have one prepared for me?”
“I do,” he confirmed with a nod.
“Let me see it,” you demanded, stretching out your hand expectantly.
“As you wish,” he conceded as he produced the agreement from his duffel bag (which you hadn’t even noticed until that very moment) with a seemingly uncharacteristic flourish. “I have six copies in total drafted, one set of three in English for your benefit and the other set in Korean for Mr. Park’s, with each party involved receiving a copy of each. As you can see, Mr. Park has already signed and I will sign after you do. But first,” his voice trailed off as he slid a sleek dossier from his bag toward you. “We must negotiate and agree to terms. I’ve already had a very thorough consultation with Mr. Park and he provided me a detailed framework from which to operate. However, as he is an indirect party in this evening’s proceedings, I need to confirm which kinks will be in play this evening as well as define and set your boundaries.”
You flicked open the dossier and carefully scanned over each word, every turned page leaving you feeling more and more exposed. Thorough was an understatement. On one hand, you were impressed and quite flattered Chanyeol had practically listed every little thing that made you tick. On the other, you felt a bit perturbed that a literal stranger knew these incredibly personal and intimate things about you. Yes, it was his job to know these things, but did he really have to know all of this? And did he have to bullet it no less? You took a deep, steadying breath as you closed the folder before handing it back to him. “Everything listed looks good to me,” you said nonchalantly.
A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Well of course everything looks good to you, they’re your kinks after all,” he pointed out.
“Touché. So how exactly are we going to do this then?”
Kyungaoo shifted forward in his seat, a wicked glint flickering in the depths of his sable eyes. “Mr. Park made it very clear to me during our discussion you, as you so perfectly declared earlier, ‘don’t sub for just anyone.’ Well, I don’t accept just any sub, especially when it comes to beats such yourself.” He held up his hand to cut your denial off before you could even vocalize a syllable. “Don’t deny it. We’ve already confirmed you are and Mr. Park mentioned it at least six times in our consultation. You are a brat, but a very unique one at that. As such, I have a rather unique playtime proposition for you.”
You lifted your brow skeptically. “What would that be?”
“Suppose you were the Dominant partner in a scene, what are the top five kinks your ideal sub would have?”
You blanched. You were horrible at making decisions. “Just five?”
He nodded, the glint in his eye burning brightly now, “Just five.”
“How the hell am I supposed to choose just five? I can barely decide what to wear on a day to day basis! There’s no way I can—“
“Please, try to calm yourself. These aren’t the only five kinks we’ll explore in tonight’s scene. These will just be the foundation on which the scene will build.”
“Are you going to be my sub?”
“No, I will not.”
“Then who will be? Chanyeol?”
“No, as previously stated, Mr. Park will be an indirect participant this evening. The submissive partner for this evening’s scene will depend on your answers. So, please, what are the five kinks?”
“Um…” Your voice trailed off as you lowered your eyes to stare absentmindedly at the closed dossier laid before you. Okay, you could do this. All you needed to do was ramble off the first five that came to your head. And that is exactly what you did after a brief moment of silence: “Edge play, sense deprivation though no blindfolds should be used on me, humiliation and degradation, bondage but not necessarily shibari since I’m too impatient to properly rig someone, and anything leather is always my style.”
His smirk widened greatly as he mulled over your list. “I think I have the perfect sub for you.” He clapped his hands loudly twice; and less than three seconds later, a sharp knock resounded on the door. Kyungsoo motioned toward the entrance, “You should go answer it. And no, it’s not Gucci either, but I think you’ll find it quite an acceptable substitute. After all, it’s Burberry made and very well mannered.”
Your eyes trained on the words on the page through your rimmed glasses, emitting a yawn through your gaped mouth. It was a quiet morning as you spent it with a book in your reading room, nothing particular planned on your schedule for the day. It was smaller compared to the library, a sitting room with shelves of books surrounding your comfort chairs and single open window as you listened to the chirping of birds from outside.
You flipped the page with slight curiosity as to what was to come next in the chapter, but your mind was still wandering to other ideas.
“Victoria.”
You heard the scrambling shift of her feet against the floorboard behind you, her stuttering response answering you, “Yes!?”
“Tea.” you cooly commanded, eyes still glued to the page of the book in your hands. You could still see her from the corners of your eyes, hurriedly trying to pour a cup of tea for you while trying to be careful with the expensive porcelain that would indeed be difficult to replace.
She managed to hand you your teacup successfully without making a mess, smiling to herself happily with arms outstretched to you as you dropped your book onto the table stand next to you. You took the cup with fingers holding onto the handle, letting the cool porcelain press against your lips before you took a sip. The earl grey had grown warm but you didn’t bother telling her, a matter more important to you on your mind.
“Victoria, have you ever been to a party?”
Her eyes snapped with attention as she straightened up in front of you, hands clenching together as she hummed with thought.
“Only when I was younger my mistress, that was a long time ago, years ago-”
“How would you like to attend one with me?”
You didn’t think her eyes could grow any wider, her mouth dropping open as she immediately refused, “I could never! I’m too shabby looking compared to you mistress, what would they think of a maid attending a party with my mistress-”
“Are you refusing me, Victoria?”
Her mouth shut instantly as she dropped her gaze, like a scolded puppy who didn’t know any better. You set your teacup aside before getting up from your seat, your eyes examining her from top to bottom as you circled around.
“You would look amazing in some of the dresses I have.” you murmured mostly to yourself but the shift in her body didn’t go unnoticed. You glanced back up when you reached the front of her, a finger underneath her chin as you raised it up for her eyes to meet yours. You smiled adoringly, “I was invited to a party tonight, hosted by some promising partners who would be a valuable asset in the growth of my company. But you know how much I hate going to parties.”
You moved from her feigning worry with a sigh. “If I must go, I’ll go, but Kyungsoo makes it so boring for me. Always making me speak to the other guests and building rapur.”
You heard her open her mouth and stutter on a reply and you knew you got her, quickly returning back to her with a bright grin. “It would seem I might have some fun going with you Victoria. Call it, a girl’s night out?”
She was still stuttering over her words as your eyes bore into hers, not allowing her to break eye contact with you. You knew exactly how to break Victoria, but even more so on how to use her, which is why you knew she would never refuse you if you put her on the spot. And break she did, her uneasy gaze finally relenting into yours.
“I would be honored to accompany you, my mistress.”
*
The ballroom hall was filled with glittering candlelights along the chandeliers hanging above the mass of people. They were all high class individuals, dressed to impress for the evening event celebrating the union of outstanding businesses with successful revenue. You believed it was all bullshit quite honestly, sipping lightly from the champagne glass as your eyes wandered about the hall. It was an excuse for rich people to get together and brag about their companies, family names, and overall wealth they acquired from overworking lower class people.
You truly hated parties, but tonight was special. Tonight you didn’t have Kyungsoo to torment you into dancing or making ‘friends’ with the rats who only cared about having more money and popularity. You didn’t completely ignore the rodents though, keeping light conversation and earning a few points in getting invited to the next ladies brunch outing.
You wanted to hurry and wrap this night up all together, but there was something you planned to do if the moment arrived. That’s why a pleased smile formed on your face when you noticed her at the top of the marble staircase.
Before Victoria became your maid she was known as a mysterious beauty across the nation. Not many people got the chance to witness her grace and charm but she was sure to leave them absolutely stunned. Now she belonged in your hands, living to abide and serve only you.
She looked elegant in the black gown that initially belonged to you, making heads turn as she made her way down the steps. Her midnight black hair was slicked back falling down past her shoulder blades in gorgeous waves. Her makeup only accented her features more, with a red lip stain that was addictive to the eye. You applauded yourself silently with the fine work you’ve done, watching her make her way towards you in the sea of people with their attention on her.
Of course she was stopped many times, astonished men not being able to help themselves wanting a dance with her. She rejected all except one, an older gentleman far out of his league that she permitted with a chasting smile.
You scoffed to yourself at the way he rumbled with pride, courting her the whole night as he introduced her to his many acquaintances before they made their way through the room down to the hall that led to other private rooms. You continued to sip your champagne, enjoying the night through until you figured it was late enough. Kyungsoo must be missing you by now.
It was a long walk down the dark hallway, hearing the sound of a record player and deep laughter of men the closer you got to the door. You didn’t bother to knock, turning the knob and pushing the door open with your fingers as the noise quieted down upon your entrance.
You almost snorted, lips turning up in a sneer at the sight before you. “Uncle.”
The room was dark except for the few lighted candles that littered the tables, smoke hazing the room from the cigars each man had. You were able to spot Victoria in an obscene position, pushed against the table with hands all over her being pressured to take a drag from the cigar by the man you addressed. They were all taken back by your presence, removing themselves from Victoria as you leaned against the doorway with arms folded. “How are you? I see you’ve grown acquainted with my maid.”
Hushed murmurs and chuckles filled the room as your uncle stepped back from Victoria, taking a drag of the cigar he offered her before blowing the smoke out into the air.
“My niece, it isn’t polite to address people you mistaken as. Now if I had known you were here I would have properly greeted you-”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean. Then again you do love to talk nonsense.” you cut him off, tsking to yourself as you stepped into the room and towards the group of men. “You’ve been going around boasting on about my company and how well it’s been doing which is true, but I don’t remember ever giving you a share of my profits.”
The murmurs grew in volume, your uncle’s face falling by your words as you stepped in front of him. Your plan went exactly the way it should, putting your uncle in a corner he couldn’t get out of. You noticed some time ago that money was being withdrawn from your company’s bank account on numerous occasions, and the tellers all informed you that someone with your name was taking it out.
“You’ve been going around with these claims of teaching me since I was young and taking me under your wing when my family unfortunately died in that accident. And excuse my terrible memory, Victoria what was he saying?”
“I let her have the rights to the company’s fortune so she feels as if she’s accomplished her parents wishes.” Victoria repeated the words from memory of only a few moments ago before you arrived. You turned your attention back to your uncle who seemed to be at a loss for words, stumbling over his speech as you sighed.
“Everything that I built over time is in my name, and you dare go around spewing these jokes on how you mentored me? Please.” You stepped away and circled back towards the door, the horrible scent of the cigar getting to you.
“Let me formally introduce myself. I am ___, owner of Herbal Pharmaceuticals, the number one leading pharmacy in the country, and probably the reason keeping you old jackases alive.”
Only silence answered back as you noticed a few heads turn, ashamed to keep your gaze. Only your Uncle stood with rage in his eyes as he cackled with a gruff tone, “Shouldn’t you show more respect to your elders, dear?”
“Shouldn’t you show more respect to the richest in the room?” You challenged calmly, raising an eyebrow as you watched his face fall once more. “You’ve been stealing money from your poor little niece and stole my spotlight for some time now, Unc. And you along with the men in this room also conspired the death of my parents, jealousy over inheritance.”
His face was grim when you uttered the truth, his mouth falling open as he breathed, “Preposterous, there’s no evidence to prove that-”
“Kill them.”
Victoria’s movements were swift; the gleam of a knife swinging from a pocket attached to her leg and inserting into the neck of a victim closest to her. He made a gargled noise before blood pooled from his mouth and neck; Victoria made quick work of pulling the other hidden knife to slice another.
The screams began in that small room, a sinister smile on Victoria’s face as she began the killings.
“Prove to whom? I know what you did.” you muttered mostly to yourself, taking one last look at the sight unfolding before you turned on your heel to leave.
Your uncle backed away in disbelief, watching the slaughter being committed as he watched his colleagues fall one by one. His head spun in your direction, quickly racing to grab your arm. “Wait, you can’t do this to your own family!”
He heard something fall to the ground with a thud as he paused, watching you turn back to him with your attention aimed at the ground. He immediately felt the rush of nausea, his body trembling as he peered down to make out his forearm lying on the ground in a clean slice.
His head came back up, widened eyes staring at you in horror as you stared at him questioningly.
“What are you talking about? I never had one to begin with.”
Victoria was a mystery to the nation, showing up at coincidental occurrences of when an elite official would be pronounced dead. Other than being horrible at house chores, she was amazing when it came to drug usage, and an expert in weaponry. You were able to trust that they wouldn’t make it out that room by the time you left the party.
Your eyes trained on the words on the page through your rimmed glasses, emitting a yawn through your gaped mouth. It was a quiet morning as you spent it with a book in your reading room, nothing particular planned on your schedule for the day. It was smaller compared to the library, a sitting room with shelves of books surrounding your comfort chairs and single open window as you listened to the chirping of birds from outside.
You flipped the page with slight curiosity as to what was to come next in the chapter, but your mind was still wandering to other ideas.
“Victoria.”
You heard the scrambling shift of her feet against the floorboard behind you, her stuttering response answering you, “Yes!?”
“Tea.” you cooly commanded, eyes still glued to the page of the book in your hands. You could still see her from the corners of your eyes, hurriedly trying to pour a cup of tea for you while trying to be careful with the expensive porcelain that would indeed be difficult to replace.
She managed to hand you your teacup successfully without making a mess, smiling to herself happily with arms outstretched to you as you dropped your book onto the table stand next to you. You took the cup with fingers holding onto the handle, letting the cool porcelain press against your lips before you took a sip. The earl grey had grown warm but you didn’t bother telling her, a matter more important to you on your mind.
“Victoria, have you ever been to a party?”
Her eyes snapped with attention as she straightened up in front of you, hands clenching together as she hummed with thought.
“Only when I was younger my mistress, that was a long time ago, years ago-”
“How would you like to attend one with me?”
You didn’t think her eyes could grow any wider, her mouth dropping open as she immediately refused, “I could never! I’m too shabby looking compared to you mistress, what would they think of a maid attending a party with my mistress-”
“Are you refusing me, Victoria?”
Her mouth shut instantly as she dropped her gaze, like a scolded puppy who didn’t know any better. You set your teacup aside before getting up from your seat, your eyes examining her from top to bottom as you circled around.
“You would look amazing in some of the dresses I have.” you murmured mostly to yourself but the shift in her body didn’t go unnoticed. You glanced back up when you reached the front of her, a finger underneath her chin as you raised it up for her eyes to meet yours. You smiled adoringly, “I was invited to a party tonight, hosted by some promising partners who would be a valuable asset in the growth of my company. But you know how much I hate going to parties.”
You moved from her feigning worry with a sigh. “If I must go, I’ll go, but Kyungsoo makes it so boring for me. Always making me speak to the other guests and building rapur.”
You heard her open her mouth and stutter on a reply and you knew you got her, quickly returning back to her with a bright grin. “It would seem I might have some fun going with you Victoria. Call it, a girl’s night out?”
She was still stuttering over her words as your eyes bore into hers, not allowing her to break eye contact with you. You knew exactly how to break Victoria, but even more so on how to use her, which is why you knew she would never refuse you if you put her on the spot. And break she did, her uneasy gaze finally relenting into yours.
“I would be honored to accompany you, my mistress.”
*
The ballroom hall was filled with glittering candlelights along the chandeliers hanging above the mass of people. They were all high class individuals, dressed to impress for the evening event celebrating the union of outstanding businesses with successful revenue. You believed it was all bullshit quite honestly, sipping lightly from the champagne glass as your eyes wandered about the hall. It was an excuse for rich people to get together and brag about their companies, family names, and overall wealth they acquired from overworking lower class people.
You truly hated parties, but tonight was special. Tonight you didn’t have Kyungsoo to torment you into dancing or making ‘friends’ with the rats who only cared about having more money and popularity. You didn’t completely ignore the rodents though, keeping light conversation and earning a few points in getting invited to the next ladies brunch outing.
You wanted to hurry and wrap this night up all together, but there was something you planned to do if the moment arrived. That’s why a pleased smile formed on your face when you noticed her at the top of the marble staircase.
Before Victoria became your maid she was known as a mysterious beauty across the nation. Not many people got the chance to witness her grace and charm but she was sure to leave them absolutely stunned. Now she belonged in your hands, living to abide and serve only you.
She looked elegant in the black gown that initially belonged to you, making heads turn as she made her way down the steps. Her midnight black hair was slicked back falling down past her shoulder blades in gorgeous waves. Her makeup only accented her features more, with a red lip stain that was addictive to the eye. You applauded yourself silently with the fine work you’ve done, watching her make her way towards you in the sea of people with their attention on her.
Of course she was stopped many times, astonished men not being able to help themselves wanting a dance with her. She rejected all except one, an older gentleman far out of his league that she permitted with a chasting smile.
You scoffed to yourself at the way he rumbled with pride, courting her the whole night as he introduced her to his many acquaintances before they made their way through the room down to the hall that led to other private rooms. You continued to sip your champagne, enjoying the night through until you figured it was late enough. Kyungsoo must be missing you by now.
It was a long walk down the dark hallway, hearing the sound of a record player and deep laughter of men the closer you got to the door. You didn’t bother to knock, turning the knob and pushing the door open with your fingers as the noise quieted down upon your entrance.
You almost snorted, lips turning up in a sneer at the sight before you. “Uncle.”
The room was dark except for the few lighted candles that littered the tables, smoke hazing the room from the cigars each man had. You were able to spot Victoria in an obscene position, pushed against the table with hands all over her being pressured to take a drag from the cigar by the man you addressed. They were all taken back by your presence, removing themselves from Victoria as you leaned against the doorway with arms folded. “How are you? I see you’ve grown acquainted with my maid.”
Hushed murmurs and chuckles filled the room as your uncle stepped back from Victoria, taking a drag of the cigar he offered her before blowing the smoke out into the air.
“My niece, it isn’t polite to address people you mistaken as. Now if I had known you were here I would have properly greeted you-”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean. Then again you do love to talk nonsense.” you cut him off, tsking to yourself as you stepped into the room and towards the group of men. “You’ve been going around boasting on about my company and how well it’s been doing which is true, but I don’t remember ever giving you a share of my profits.”
The murmurs grew in volume, your uncle’s face falling by your words as you stepped in front of him. Your plan went exactly the way it should, putting your uncle in a corner he couldn’t get out of. You noticed some time ago that money was being withdrawn from your company’s bank account on numerous occasions, and the tellers all informed you that someone with your name was taking it out.
“You’ve been going around with these claims of teaching me since I was young and taking me under your wing when my family unfortunately died in that accident. And excuse my terrible memory, Victoria what was he saying?”
“I let her have the rights to the company’s fortune so she feels as if she’s accomplished her parents wishes.” Victoria repeated the words from memory of only a few moments ago before you arrived. You turned your attention back to your uncle who seemed to be at a loss for words, stumbling over his speech as you sighed.
“Everything that I built over time is in my name, and you dare go around spewing these jokes on how you mentored me? Please.” You stepped away and circled back towards the door, the horrible scent of the cigar getting to you.
“Let me formally introduce myself. I am ___, owner of Herbal Pharmaceuticals, the number one leading pharmacy in the country, and probably the reason keeping you old jackases alive.”
Only silence answered back as you noticed a few heads turn, ashamed to keep your gaze. Only your Uncle stood with rage in his eyes as he cackled with a gruff tone, “Shouldn’t you show more respect to your elders, dear?”
“Shouldn’t you show more respect to the richest in the room?” You challenged calmly, raising an eyebrow as you watched his face fall once more. “You’ve been stealing money from your poor little niece and stole my spotlight for some time now, Unc. And you along with the men in this room also conspired the death of my parents, jealousy over inheritance.”
His face was grim when you uttered the truth, his mouth falling open as he breathed, “Preposterous, there’s no evidence to prove that-”
“Kill them.”
Victoria’s movements were swift; the gleam of a knife swinging from a pocket attached to her leg and inserting into the neck of a victim closest to her. He made a gargled noise before blood pooled from his mouth and neck; Victoria made quick work of pulling the other hidden knife to slice another.
The screams began in that small room, a sinister smile on Victoria’s face as she began the killings.
“Prove to whom? I know what you did.” you muttered mostly to yourself, taking one last look at the sight unfolding before you turned on your heel to leave.
Your uncle backed away in disbelief, watching the slaughter being committed as he watched his colleagues fall one by one. His head spun in your direction, quickly racing to grab your arm. “Wait, you can’t do this to your own family!”
He heard something fall to the ground with a thud as he paused, watching you turn back to him with your attention aimed at the ground. He immediately felt the rush of nausea, his body trembling as he peered down to make out his forearm lying on the ground in a clean slice.
His head came back up, widened eyes staring at you in horror as you stared at him questioningly.
“What are you talking about? I never had one to begin with.”
Victoria was a mystery to the nation, showing up at coincidental occurrences of when an elite official would be pronounced dead. Other than being horrible at house chores, she was amazing when it came to drug usage, and an expert in weaponry. You were able to trust that they wouldn’t make it out that room by the time you left the party.
Warnings: graphic content, implied homicide, implied child abuse, mentions of alcoholism, mentions of maternal death
Previously…
Kyungsoo adjusted his glasses, the thick black circular frames accentuating the boyishness of his face. “How have you been, Taehyung-ssi?”
Taehyung’s mouth dipped down in a frown, “I thought I was supposed to be questioning you, Kyungsoo-ssi.”
Kyungsoo smiled slightly, heart shaped lips curving into a gentle line but the deep umber eyes that have come to feature prominently in the shadows of Taehyung’s mind retained their guarded and calculated disdain. “You are,” he responded curtly. “I was simply being polite. You know I despise people with horrible manners.”
“How could I forget?” Taehyung adjusted the notepad on his thigh. “Well, to be truthful, I have been better. There’s just been…a lot happening lately in my life and sometimes it seems as if I can’t quite get a handle on things.”
Leaning forward, Kyungsoo interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on his flattened knuckles. He tilted his head ever so slightly like all his previous therapists and psychiatrists did to show him they were interested in what he had to say on the rare occasions he spoke in more than one-word answers. “And how does that make you feel?” he gently murmured in the same low tone he’d grown accustomed to hearing in settings disturbingly similar to these.
In rapid-fire succession and without so much as blinking an eye, Taehyung rattled off, “Unsettled. Restless. Unnerved. Confused. Frustrated. Bitter. Resentful. Angry. Jealous. Spiteful. Miffed. Lonely.”
The ravenesque man shook his head slightly and hummed in the back of his throat as sympathetically as he could feign. “What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”
The doctor leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply. “Well, it’s my sister. I told you about her once, her name is-”
“Taehyeon. Yes, I remember.”
“Right. Well, she’s pregnant.”
Kyungsoo chuckled, “I’m not the typical expert in this field, but isn’t a new life a cause for celebration?”
“Well, yeah, it is. But it’s not her kid,” Taehyung attempted to clarify, only puzzling the other man more.
“Taehyung-ssi, I’m afraid I’m not following…”
“Well I mean, it is her baby, obviously. But it’s not the baby I’m worried about. It’s the bastard father,” the young man spat venomously.
“What about him?”
“He reminds me of my father.”
“Most people tend to be attracted to people that are similar to their parents,” Kyungsoo offered.
Taehyung’s eyes flashed darkly, a spiked edge of ice piercing his voice as he growled, “My father was a piece of shit, the scum of the earth, a weak and spineless man whose only purpose in life was to make our lives hell because he couldn’t come to terms with the death of my angelic mother without drowning himself in pools of vodka and vomit nightly.”
“You say he was like this. What happened to him?”
The boiling blood racing through Taehyung abruptly iced over as his mind was thrust backwards to the darkest era of his lifetime. His nostrils filled with the acrid stench of spilt whiskey and fresh vomit. His vision clouded by the thick and permeating greyish haze of smoke. His skin drenched in sticky sweat and hot blood. His ears attuned to the muffled sobs and broken wails of his sister as she huddled in the corner and clutched her bruised cheeks and arms and legs tight to her chest. His hand clenched tight around the slender neck of the drained soju bottle, the jagged teeth of the shattered verdant glass plunged deep into flesh of the vicious and vile imbecile collapsed against the piss-stained floorboard. His voice pierced with unbridled animosity as he hissed, ”You were supposed to protect us! You were supposed to raise us! You were supposed to provide for us! You were supposed to love us and cherish us and care for us and be there for us! You were supposed to be a father to us! You were supposed to keep your promise to her! You promised her! You promised her and you broke it and you made us hate you! You abandoned us! You left us to fend for ourselves while you drank yourself into oblivion! You never loved us–”
“Taehyung.”
The soft baritone voice sliced through the steel clutches of Taehyung’s memory and yanked him forward into the present. Chest heaving and eyes dazed, the young doctor inhaled shakily as he chanted his most sacred mantra, “I’m here, I’m safe, I’m here, I’m safe, I’m here, I’m safe.”
Kyungsoo reached forward and slotted his warm palm over Taehyung’s clenched fist and squeezed it gently as he reassuringly murmured, “That’s right. You are here with me and you are safe with me. You are safer than you have ever been.”
Shakily, Taehyung unclenched his hand to turn it over so he could lock their hands together and he solemnly nodded his head, “Thank you. I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Kyungsoo smiled gently, “I’m not. You should never be ashamed of that. Ever.”
Taehyung’s heart clenched as a fresh wave of tears sprang to his eyes. But he rapidly blinked them back and readjusted himself in his chair, picking up his pen and notepad to finally begin their session as planned. “Now, where were we?”
A long beat of silence passed between them as Kyungsoo leveled his piercing gaze against his confidante. Finally, just as Taehyung began to squirm in his seat, he spoke, “I’ve done it, too. In less honorable circumstances if I’m being quite honest…But I have done it. I still do it.”
The calmly spoken words triggered a cacophony of warning sirens in Taehyung’s scattered mind. Had…Had he just heard him correctly? There was no way he could have heard that properly. Surely this was a misunderstanding. Ever one to give the shadow of doubt, he shook his head as if to erase the nefarious implications sprouting in his thoughts. “Kyungsoo, if you’re saying what I think you’re saying…” Taehyung reached out to grab his recorder, but a warm palm encircled his wrist in a tight grip.
“No, keep it rolling,” came the gentle command from the heart-shaped mouth of the seemingly unassuming man that was the source of ice spiking through Taehyung’s veins. The confused doctor glanced hesitantly at his patient. “I have a feeling you’ll want to hear what I have to say later,” Kyungsoo offered simply, the same haunting smile still adorning his soft features.
PUHLEASE WRITE THIS MAGICAL PIECE. ONLY YOU CAN WRITE IT TO THE PERFECTION THAT IS NEEDED TO SOOTHE MY ACHING SOUL FOR KYUNGSOO. <3 <3 <3 <3 XOXO 37 (Kyungsoo)
37. “I swear it was an accident.”
A/N: Ahaha, thank you! ﾍ(￣▽￣*)ﾉ Plus, I’m sure you can find better writers than me out there, but I appreciate the compliment! I hope you enjoy!
“Oh my gosh.” You say nervously, bending down low to peer at him. “I’m so sorry. I swear it was an accident. Here!” You extend your hand out to the stranger you accidentally pushed into the water.
You were at the public pool, and even though it was midnight, there were still a lot of people hanging around the area, who were now gawking at the embarrassing scene.
The man in the water stares at your hand a moment, before taking it. You smile in relief, before you realize you shouldn’t be because he pulls you forward, making you stumble and fall into the water with him.
You scream, the cold chemical water seeping through your black dress and sandals and you aren’t expecting the sudden blanket of chills to sweep over your body. The stranger laughs, deeply and genuinely, and you glare at him in disbelief.
“Sorry.” He chuckles, covering his mouth bashfully. “It was an accident.” You roll your eyes, clearly understanding what he was doing. “But now we’re even.” He says seriously, smiling when you look at him again.
“I guess so.” You utter, turning towards the latter to climb out. Before you do, though, you splash water at him and make a break for it.
You should have know, since he was a man and he was devious enough to yank you down, that he was brave enough to chase after you and pull you back into the water.
You guffaw, laughing as you try to get away, and he lets you for the fun of it. “Was that last splash an accident, too?” He teases, and you splash more water at his handsome face.
“Yes! Sorry about that! I can’t seem to stop my hands!” The people watching now got the impression that you two were lovers, and turned their attentions back to whatever it was they were doing before. At this, the man gradually slows down and sighs in relief.
Because of this, you notice the lack of stares, too, and realize he was putting up an act to divert the attention. Clever, you think, impressed.
“Sorry about pulling you in.” He says after he finalizes that you’ve caught on to his ruse, but his cute smile was still there. “I guess you could call it an accident. I wasn’t planning on it.” You playfully roll your eyes, splashing more water at him.
“It’s alright.” You tell him. “Consider us even.” You smirk. He’s shocked, and he stands there for a minute before splashing some back at you. You take that as an invitation to continue, and start playing games like this was what you planned to do all evening.
You’ve never met a stranger you clicked with so fast before, and this man intrigued you in more ways than one. Maybe this relationship, though starting as an accident, will end up being something more?
