9. Off the Record (I've Got A Secret Series)
Wonyoung x MaleOC ft. Yujin, Karina, Yuna, Minju | 10k words | Table of Contents
Chapter tags: BDSM, Foursome, Angst, Rough Sex, Choking, Strap-on, NTR
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Options A and E chosen by readers: aespa Karina (Tumblr winner) & ILLIT Minju (AFF winner)
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Choi Mingyu — Meet me at the pocha next to Yongsan Station at 7pm sharp.
Choi Mingyu — Make sure no one is following you.
It was a dark, rainy week in Seoul. The city was just a wash of headlights and concrete leaking water from every direction. After weeks of multiple unreturned calls, back-to-back texts, and bounced emails, Choi Mingyu finally got back to me. No apology, no explanation, not even a half-assed excuse. I couldn’t say I was relieved he replied at all, and I still didn’t know whether or not I could actually trust him, but I desperately needed answers.
Wonyoung was on another solo trip, and I was no longer naïve enough to believe that it could mean anything else. And unlike last time, she didn’t assign me to serve any of her members. In fact, she never summoned me again after that night we spent together. Out of nowhere, our master and slave relationship vaporized into thin air, but that only made things worse. My fear of losing her was stronger than ever before, and it didn’t help that I wasn’t even allowed to know where she was headed this time—just that she was ‘going to be fine’ and to ‘stop worrying, dummy’.
Manager Kim gradually became less responsive and always changed the topic whenever I asked about her travels or random disappearances, eventually telling me that I shouldn’t have access to her schedule anymore now that I was a full-time student again. My Starship credentials were revoked shortly after. No more badges, no more visits, and worst of all, no more information.
I had no one left on my side besides Yujin. But something told me that even she was keeping a handful of secrets from me. I didn’t have any proof, I just felt it in my bones.
There was nothing else I could do. I didn’t know how or when it came to this, but the dragon had taken my princess, and I was running out of options. And time.
I dropped my umbrella at the entrance and followed Mingyu’s instructions in finding the farthest table of the outdoors area underneath the leaking roof. It sounded confusing, but I somehow got it on the first try.
There was a circle of ahjusshis guzzling soju about five tables away, grumbling and laughing like they’d been glued there for decades, but other than that, we were alone. Almost too alone.
“Sit.” Mingyu nodded at the bench. His face was pale under the fluorescent lamp, eyes baggy as if he had forgotten what sleep was. He opened a bottle of soju, and judging by the two empty ones on the table, he hadn’t waited for me.
“Thanks for meeting me—”
“Eat.” He nudged an empty bowl at me, sloppily scooping some budaejjigae into it, as if almost desperate to appear normal.
“Alright, sure,” I muttered, carefully taking it, even though a bit had already spilled onto the table.
He didn’t say anything. Instead, he just poured me a glass of soju straight to the top.
“So,” he finally said, taking another shot without even offering a toast. “How much do you know already?”
“A lot, but also not enough.”
“Good answer.” His face scrunched from the alcohol. “What do you want to know then?”
“Who’s the black heart?” I asked, straight to the point. It was a question that had been tearing me from the inside out from the moment I first saw it on her phone.
“I don’t know his name,” he said flatly. “No one does.”
“You’ve never met him?”
He shook his head. “Never. It’s damn near impossible.”
“So then what is he?”
He poured himself another shot, pushing mine closer. “We call him the King of Spades.”
The rain picked up and the rattle above us got twice as loud.
“King of Spades?” I repeated. “Like in a deck of cards?”
“Not so loud,” he hissed, eyes darting everywhere. “Rule number one: you never know who’s listening.”
“Sorry,” I whispered, glancing over my shoulder to make sure there weren’t any raindrops spying on us. “What the hell is a King of Spades? A codename for sponsorship?”
“No, they’re not sponsors. Anyone with a stack of money can be a sponsor. This is way beyond that. You can’t buy your way into this.”
“So then what is he, chaebol?”
“Listen carefully, what I’m about to tell you is completely off the records.” He leaned in, eyes wet with either sweat, tears, or rain. “Back in the early 80s, before k-pop even existed, when the government was deathly corrupt and desperate to expand our global presence beyond just exporting and manufacturing, all the Old Money—politicians, chaebol heirs, media tycoons—banded together and formed a secret society, running everything from the shadows.”
“What’s everything?”
“Everything. The entire entertainment industry. The whole idol system that you know today was created by them.”
I waited for him to laugh, to double back and say he was bullshitting, that it was all a test. But there was only the sound of heavy rain, the smell of soju, and the half-eaten pot of budaejjigae simmering in front of us. His tired eyes were still locked on the empty street like someone might be listening.
None of it felt real, but none of it felt like a lie, either.
“So then the King of Spades or whatever is the leader of this secret organization? ”
“One of the leaders.” He slurped on a spoonful of broth loudly, as if wanting to drown out the conversation. “The Four Kings are what drive the global economy and influence for hallyu. The King of Spades for Korea, Clubs for America, Diamonds for China, and Hearts for Japan. ”
“Let me get this straight—you’re telling me a bunch of crime lords run everything behind the scenes—”
He squinted. “Crime? What crime?”
“I don’t know, sex trafficking?”
He laughed so hard his glass tipped, splashing soju across the table like it was rain. “Trafficking? You think your little girlfriend was forced into this shit or something? She could walk away tomorrow completely unscathed if she wanted to.”
My fists balled up. “So why hasn’t she?”
“Why don’t you take a wild guess?”
“Are you trying to say she’s choosing to do this?” I knew my voice was too loud, but I couldn’t dial it down. “That she’s just too stupid to know any better?”
He leaned forward, elbow creaking on the table edge. “Use your brain for a second. People don’t suddenly stop doing things that destroy them just because they know it’s bad. Aren’t you living proof of that? I warned you to walk away, and yet you still begged me to meet you, so you tell me—are you too stupid to know better?”
“I have a purpose!” I grunted, almost slamming the table.
“Everyone has a fucking purpose for what they’re doing, kid. You’re not special.” He poured another drink, spilling some down his jacket sleeve.
“And exactly what purpose would Jang Wonyoung of all people have to be his god damned sex slave?”
“Because Jang Wonyoung wouldn’t be Jang Wonyoung if she wasn’t his fucktoy. Is that clear enough or are you still stuck in middle school?”
My heart pumped so hard I thought it would rip through my sweater. “You’re lying. There’s no way it works like that. Just no way.”
“Listen kid, you said you wanted answers, I’m giving them to you, and now you’re sitting here arguing with me.” He took a messy gulp straight from the soju bottle. “Go fucking ask someone else then.”
Even though I hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, I felt sick to my stomach.
***
“I’m gonna be sick,” Yujin said, covering her mouth.
The video continued rolling, and the girl in pink just sat there with her knees wide, lips adorably parted in an alluring daze, drifting into the camera like she didn’t even know the world existed outside of whatever room they were in.
“I’m ILLIT’s Minju,” she said with ogling eyes, as if waiting to be petted. “I’m here to learn from my sunbaes how to properly worship my master. I don’t have any special talents yet, I’m still figuring out how to be useful to him.”
“Good girl,” he said, holding her chin. She twitched in pleasure, eyes fluttering close. “You’ll learn and feel so much today.”
She nodded obediently. “Yes, master. I’ll watch carefully.”
“Park Minju? Didn’t she just debut?” Yujin said, scratching her head. “She said ‘ILLIT’, right? Literally just last week—”
But the camera didn’t wait for Yujin to finish her question before sending her back into shock. Past Wonyoung, almost to the left of him, was a fourth girl with long black hair and skin so pale that it almost glowed in the shadowy light, wearing nothing but a set of black lingerie, black stockings, and a matching garter belt. Around her neck was a black collar with long rows of diamonds—the same one that Wonyoung had in her bag. The same one that I myself had worn around my throat before.
The camera slowly panned up to her face, and Yujin gasped loudly, as if the oxygen had been punched out of her lungs.
“I’m aespa’s Karina. I’m here to defend my title as the Black Ace,” she said in a sharp, seductive voice, throwing her leg over his thigh like she wasn’t on camera at all. “I’ll make sure he understands why I haven’t lost this collar since the day he wrapped it around my neck.”
“Did she say black ace?” I asked, my eyes unable to break away from the screen.
Yujin’s hand trembled again. She tried to reach for the glass of water on the coffee table, but ended up spilling some onto the rug.
“My special talent?” Karina said, somewhere between a scoff and a smirk. “I don’t need one. I’m better than them at everything.”
“Damn.” Yujin shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. “That was really hot.”
“Yujin, what the hell is an ace?” I repeated.
She took a sip of water and swallowed hard. “I have no idea.”
***
“The King-Ace system has been passed down as tradition for decades. They say its roots date back to the Joseon Era, where the king’s queen would only reign in title, while anointed consorts—the aces—bore the burden of pleasure behind closed doors.”
My hand was shaking as I finally took the shot of soju, feeling it burn my throat as the words rushed out of me. “If you’re expecting me to believe that Wonyoung signed up to be his sidechick, forget it.”
“It’s a privilege to be an Ace,” he spat, jaw clenching as if somehow personally offended.
“No.” I shook my head. “He must’ve somehow manipulated her into it.”
“Nonsense. The girls are fully aware of the arrangement and have plenty of time to agree to it. Nobody forces them or even pressures them. No one needs to. They want it. They’re proud of it. They fight for it. It’s the most prestigious title in the industry and comes with more benefits than you can ever imagine. Money, fame, opportunities, protection, everything—it’s a full-ride scholarship to stardom.”
“Prestigious? She wears a fucking collar around her neck at night!”
“A small price to pay for the crown she wears on her head during the day.”
My chest tightened so hard it hurt. None of this sounded real, but there was no one to tell me otherwise. No one to save me from the so-called truth that I wasn’t willing to accept.
“So then anyone can become a star if they just agree to become a sex slave to some chaebol heir?”
He swirled his glass around slowly as if it was wine. “Not anyone. Everyone wants in, but only a select few make it. It’s incredibly difficult to get chosen because of the strict rules around the drawing of Aces.”
I let the silence drag. The cheap neon lighting looked even harsher between us.
“They have rules?” I asked.
***
“I hope you’ll all be nice to your new Pink Ace,” he said, as the camera zoomed out to fit all four girls in the frame. “It’s her first day, so let me explain the rules again to our sweet Minju—”
“They’re simple,” Karina said, cutting him off. “Whoever makes Master finish first wins.”
He chuckled, trailing a lazy hand up her milky thigh, fingers tapping like he was calming her down. “Let’s not simplify it that much.”
Karina didn’t break her gaze, moving her hands purposefully up and down his crotch before turning her upper body towards the trio kneeling over the luscious black velvet rug.“We get five minutes each. First White, then Red, then Black, and then all together. We keep rotating until someone finishes the job.”
“But there’s a twist.” Yuna smirked and ran a finger along Minju’s rosy cheek, twirling it as she reached her jaw. “We have to make Pink come too. That’s you, babe.”
Minju bit her upper lip, but said nothing, eyes shyly darting as if avoiding Yuna’s flirty smile.
“Aw…don’t look so nervous, Minju-sshi…” Wonyoung winked, her voice playful and mocking. “Just relax and enjoy the show. We were all Pink once.”
“Mhm, I was Pink just before you came along.” Yuna cupped her hands around Minju’s face and gently planted a kiss on her lips, causing her shoulders to loosen. “This white collar still feels new to me.”
Yujin’s breaths quickened. She looked like she’d been slapped, her lips parted in shock. I could practically hear her heartbeat.
“White looks really good on you, Yuna.” Wonyoung smiled, then turned to Karina. “But you know, unnie…red isn’t really my color. It suits you much more.”
“Cocky bitch,” Karina scowled.
Wonyoung’s smile didn’t falter. “What’s wrong? Scared to lose your little throne to me?”
“In your dreams, whore. I’m going to wipe that annoying smirk off your face soon.”
“Gosh, you’re so sexy when you’re mad, unnie. Can you really blame me for always getting on your nerves?”
“Just pay attention, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to please him.” Yuna smiled softly, her invisible halo shining about as bright as a broken lightbulb. “Oh, and don’t mind them, they’re always like this.”
Wonyoung leaned in close as she traced a fingertip along Minju’s collarbone, causing her to shiver. “You know…pink actually matches you perfectly. Your whole body is so cute and pink, especially when you’re turned on like this. You should just stay Pink forever.”
A low hum trembled in Minju’s throat, but it dissolved into a sharp gasp.
“Oh, she’s so wet already,” Yuna teased, pushing a hand between Minju’s thighs.
Minju let out a soft whimper, the sound escaping before she could clamp her hand over her mouth. Her body sank deeper into the plush fabric beneath her as she bit her lip, eyes fluttering shut.
Yuna gasped. “Wow, and you’re so tight,” she said as her fingers slowly sinked into Minju’s folds. “You’re squeezing me so hard that it kinda hurts.”
Karina’s shadow cut across the soft light as she swung a leg over Minju’s chest, lowering herself right onto her face, thighs clamping her head.
“Unnie…it’s not your turn, I just started,” Yuna whined, picking up speed. Wet sounds accompanied the thrusts, and liquid visibly dripped down onto the rug.
Karina’s laugh sounded deep as her fingers gripped Minju’s hair into a fist. “We have to take turns making her come,” she said, slowly grinding her hips back and forth. “Who says I can’t keep her mouth busy while waiting?”
“Did you turn the heat up? It feels so stuffy in here.” Yujin said, exhaling. Her thighs were squeezed tightly together, and her cheeks were rosy, as if she had taken a couple of shots.
“No,” I said, looking away from the screen for the first time in what felt like hours. “I don’t even know where your thermostat is.”
Wonyoung chuckled. “Unnie…you’re always such a rebel. You might be the only one here who will never wear that white collar.” Her lips suddenly crashed onto Karina’s, giving her a quick, sloppy kiss. “Once I take that black one from you, you’ll be stuck being Red forever.”
“I don’t understand the colors,” I said, putting pressure on my temples. “Do they even mean anything?”
But Yujin didn’t answer; she just kept fidgeting in her seat as if the question went right through her ears.
“Jang Wonyoung,” Karina said, wrapping her fingers around Wonyoung’s neck, her long black nails appearing like small knives against their pale skin. “We all know you have quite the reputation with that mouth of yours. Why don’t you put it to good use instead of being an annoying little bitch all the time?” She yanked Wonyoung’s face down to her chest, pressing her in between her cleavage.
“Is this a request or an order, sunbae?” Wonyoung asked as her lips were forcibly pressed onto Karina’s skin, leaving a red smudge of lipstick behind.
“What do you think?” she asked condescendingly, her grip tightening.
“I’ll play nice since this might be your last command to me as Black,” Wonyoung said, rubbing her nose against Karina’s jiggling breasts. “Hm…it’s been a while since I’ve played with these. You must’ve forgotten what happened last time.”
“Oh? What happened?” Yuna asked playfully, poking her head into the frame. “Was I there?”
Wonyoung smirked, planting soft little kisses all over Karina’s chest. “No, it was before your time. Back when I was Pink and Miyeon unnie was White.”
Karina let out a loud moan as Wonyoung forcefully yanked her bra down, revealing her large, jiggling bare breasts—creamy smooth and perfectly round, each one extraordinarily full and frighteningly gorgeous. The camera lingered hungrily on the pale pink of her nipples that stood out perfectly against her milky white skin as they jiggled against Wonyoung’s touch.
“Wonnie-ya, come on, tell me what happened…” Yuna asked, her fingers still splashing in and out of Minju as the poor girl whimpered like a puppy beneath the three of them.
“Fuck…” Karina grunted, gripping onto Minju’s hair with her left hand and Wonyoung’s with her right.
“Unnie, did your boobs get even bigger?” Wonyoung teased, wrapping her lips around Karina’s erect nipples, twirling her tongue in slow, wet circles. “They’re huge now.”
Without any warning, Karina slapped her across the face, leaving a faint red mark. “Stop fucking talking so much.”
My body tensed up as Yujin gasped, her fingers digging into my thigh.
“Ouchie,” Wonyoung said sarcastically, licking her lips. “So violent. What are you so worked up for?”
“Tell me!” Yuna’s fingers kept thrusting faster as wet squelching sounds echoed through the speakers while Minju’s thighs quivered visibly against the rug.
“Jimin unnie doesn’t want to admit it, but…” Wonyoung’s hands fondled Karina’s tits roughly, squeezing and lifting the soft weight while her mouth covered every inch of her skin. “I can make her come just by sucking her nipples.”
“Wow, is this true, unnie?” Yuna asked, as Karina’s hips rolled in a steady grind, her thighs flexing around Minju’s head, pressing down with each forward motion.
“Oh—please—please—please—” Minju begged through muffled breaths, her voice cracking as her body tensed beneath them.
Yuna’s hand didn’t stop. Minju’s cry broke through the air—overpowering Karina’s low moans as her hips met the air before collapsing into a trembling silence.
“I think I need a blanket…” Yujin murmured, staring at the screen like a deer in headlights.
I swallowed. “I think I do too.”
Karina rocked back and forth, body shuddering above Minju’s completely drenched face.
Yuna tilted her head. “Hm…I guess it is true…”
“You’re welcome, bitch.” Wonyoung blew a kiss at a trembling Karina, whose body quaked with aftershocks of pleasure and disbelief.
“Good job, babe!” Yuna said lovingly, pecking Minju gently on the lips. “You did so well for your first time.”
Minju lay lifeless, her gaze stuck in a daze as her chest rose and fell with every breath, juices dripping down the sides of her pretty face.
“My turn,” Wonyoung sang, her lips glistening faintly in the light as she flipped Minju’s small body onto all fours, hands skimming up her thighs and over her hips.
“Wonnie…how do you make people come so easily with your mouth?” Yuna casually wrapped her slender arms around Wonyoung’s waist, embracing her from behind like they were lovers from another life. “Tell me your secret. Pretty please?”
***
“Tell me!” Wonyoung squealed, clutching onto my hand tighter as I tried to pull away. “You ate it, didn’t you?”
“No,” I said, suppressing a grin, but keeping a straight face was impossible. “I really didn’t!”
“Liar!” she shot back, pouting. “Then where is it, huh?”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing, but it slipped out anyway. “Yujin ate it!”
“Unnie!” Wonyoung gasped, turning toward her. “Did you eat my pink macaron?”
“I don’t even like macarons,” Yujin said lazily, flipping a page of her Vogue magazine without looking up. “Don’t drag me into your dessert crisis.”
Leeseo raised a timid hand. “Um… just so everyone knows, it wasn’t me either.” She hesitated. “Though…I might’ve stolen a green one. I thought it was pistachio, but it was actually matcha...”
Wonyoung softened instantly. “No, that’s totally okay! Have some more, I just want to know who ate the one I set aside on my plate,” she said, glaring at me.
“Come on,” I said, still laughing. “There are ten more pink ones in the box right there!”
She gasped dramatically. “And you still had the nerves to eat mine?”
Liz leaned closer to Gaeul, whispering behind her cup of tea. “Unnie…I’m confused…were these two always so…touchy touchy?”
“I don’t think so,” Gaeul murmured, brows arching as she watched us with genuine curiosity.
“They must’ve finally had sex…” Rei sighed, flopping onto the armrest. “…I wanna have sex too…”
“Rei! How many times do we have to tell you to stop talking about sex! Especially in front of Hyunseo!”
Rei crossed her arms, leaned back further, and sighed again. “Why does everyone pretend to be a saint around here?”
Leeseo crept closer to us innocently, tapping me on the shoulder. “Oppa…did you and Wonyoung unnie…have sex…?
“What? No, of course not!” I stammered, still trying to pry Wonyoung’s hands off my sleeve. “We’re just—”
“Best friends,” Rei, Liz, and Gaeul all said in unison, monotonously.
Wonyoung suddenly tugged on my collar, pulling me toward her. The room froze. Her lips parted slightly, eyes glinting with something that wasn’t readable.
“W-Wonyoung…” I said, my breath caught somewhere between panic and disbelief. “What are you doing? Everyone’s watching.”
“Oh, they 100% had sex…” Rei whispered, barely audible.
Wonyoung’s voice dropped, soft but dangerously calm. “Park Wonbin.”
The way she said my name made my heart skip. For the first time, that tone had finally escaped the bedroom.
“Did you eat it?” she asked, tilting her head slightly, eyes still locked with mine.
I nodded playfully.
“Why? You had a blue one and a yellow one on your plate.” She bit a corner off a red macaron and fed the rest to me.
“Because pink tastes the best,” I said, chewing.
***
“I think I found your specialty,” Wonyoung said, her tongue gliding up Minju’s slit, who nearly folded in half, trying to hide her moans but failing, sound leaking through her arms.
“What is it?” Yuna asked, off to the side. Her hand twisted lazy circles on the master’s cock—just barely in frame.
“She tastes like candy.” Wonyoung breathed the words into Minju’s pussy, leaning forward for another deep, slow lick. The sound was wet, but not messy at all. “Did you know, Minju-sshi?”
Minju shook her head, barely moving, arms wavering like she’d collapse. “Sunbae…I feel like I’m melting…your tongue…”
Wonyoung smirked and continued, silently pleasuring her from the back. There were no slurps—just deliberate, careful strokes that sent Minju’s tiny body deeper onto the rug with every lick.
I heard Yujin’s breath hitch as she squeezed her knees tighter. “Sorry, but Wonyoung not letting you experience her mouth is probably way more fucked up than this guy sending you all these videos.”
“I have a hunch she might be better than you…” I said, almost in a daze.
“Maybe one day we can have our own competition,” Yujin said, moving her hand under the blanket, over my thigh. “On you.”
I intercepted her fingers, holding them in place before they could go any further. “Yujin, come on,” I said, my entire body tingling. “Focus.”
“Trust me, I’m so focused.”
“Master…are you focused on me or them?” Yuna asked, looking up at the camera, causing it to move back to her.
“I’m paying attention to all of you equally, of course,” he said, petting her.
She pouted, then dragged her tongue slowly up his cock, making a show of curling it around the head. “It seems like you’re distracted. I want you to look at me only.”
Yuna stood up and slid her white panties down in one slow pull—letting the elastic snap loud enough that the mic picked it up. Her ridiculous hourglass curves glowed under the light; a dangerously tiny waist dramatically contrasted by heavenly hips that swayed hypnotically as she climbed onto his lap, her whole body swallowing the screen.
“She’s gorgeous, my god,” Yujin said, fanning herself.
Yuna impatiently sank herself onto his cock with a wet, juicy slap. “How does my pussy feel compared to Wonnie’s mouth, Master?”
He groaned, clutching onto her firm cheeks as he guided her up and down his length. “So warm and tight. You have such a perfect little hole.”
“Am I your perfect little angel?” she moaned, her body shivering in pleasure.
“Of course you are.” He smacked her ass, a bright pink mark blooming like a flower on her smooth cheek. “Don’t I tell you enough?”
“No,” she panted, hips moving in a slow, needy circles, as if writing her name over his body. “Please tell me again how much you love my pussy.”
“Your pussy is the best, Yuna. It’s so pretty, wet, and tight.”
She leaned forward, almost whispering in his ear as she rode him slowly.“I know you love Wonnie’s mouth, but you love my body more, don’t you? You can’t ever keep your hands off of me.”
“Wonbin…don’t judge me…” Yujin said, slowly opening her knees.
“Don’t,” I said, clutching onto her wrist before it could disappear under the throw blanket. “We’re better than this.”
“Maybe you are, but I don’t think I am.” She pulled my hand forward, pressing it right over the completely soaked patch that had formed over her panties.
My eyes widened. Her lips were wet and swollen, her forehead was damp, and her cheeks were almost as pink as Yuna’s. “Should we stop the video?” I asked, hoping to hear a specific answer.
She shook her head like a zombie. “Do we have to?”
“Master, if you keep watching Wonnie while fucking me, I’m really gonna get jealous,” Yuna moaned loudly, clenching onto his chest. “I’m so wet right now, I’m dripping all over your thighs, can you feel it?” She looked over her shoulder again, moving with slow, deliberate rolls. “Focus on me…stop watching her…please…”
Behind them, Minju’s moans spilled louder without filter, the kind of sound that made it painfully obvious that Wonyoung’s tongue was completely wrecking her.
“I think I’m gonna come again…” Minju cried, clawing the rug, hips jerking helplessly. “Sunbae, you’re so good…I’ve never felt anything like this in my whole entire life…”
“You’re not that innocent, are you?” Karina grabbed her jaw, tilting her face up to the camera. “You just came while Yuna fingered you, and now you’re coming again to Wonnie’s mouth? This might be the first time everyone’s made Pink finish before the fourth round even starts.”
“Master, your cock is so big, you’re stretching me out,” Yuna cried, the clapping of their skin louder than her own voice. “My pussy’s swallowing your cock so deeply, can you feel how perfectly it fits?”
Behind her, Minju’s body shook as her voice snapped silently. “Sunbae…I—no—I’m…com—”
Karina scoffed, and the sound of leather unbuckling could be heard off screen. “This little whore couldn’t even last the five minutes. And yet she looked so innocent on her stupid debut stage. How embarrassing.”
Between shuddering breaths, Minju looked up at Wonyoung, eyes glazed with admiration. “Sunbae…you’re so good…I wish I can be like you one day…” she said, her chest rising and falling against the rug.
Wonyoung smiled and gave Minju’s pussy one last kiss before blowing her a kiss. “You’re really yummy, Minju-sshi. Welcome to Master’s hand. I’ll make you feel good whenever you want.”
“Hand? Ace? They keep saying these words that don’t seem to mean what they’re supposed to mean,” I said.
But Yujin ignored me again.
***
“In order to maintain a fair and ethical ecosystem, the founders developed a set of rules that every member must adhere to, including Kings.” He didn’t even blink. It came out of him like a script, like reciting something that was once drilled in his head. “First, Aces must be of legal adult age at the time of the offering. Second, they need to be completely willing and sign a written contract of consent in front of multiple neutral witnesses.”
“Ethical sexual slavery?” I couldn’t stop the laugh that slipped out, but inside, my heart ached so terribly at the mere thought of Wonyoung ever considering any of this.
“Third, a King can only hold a maximum of four Aces at any given time, and one group can never contain multiple Aces—not even if they’re split amongst different Kings. One Ace per group—no workarounds, no loopholes.”
My chopsticks slipped out of my fingers, but I didn’t pick them up.
“How exactly are they chosen?” I asked, unsure if I even wanted to know.
“Labels nominate their Ace candidates to offer to the Four Kings, and the Kings decide if they want to draw them. But because of the third rule, it’s extremely competitive since they usually don’t want to change their current hand at all.”
“Hand.” The bowl felt heavy, even though it was only ramyun and sausage. “Is this all a fucking game to them?”
“Of course it is.”
“So Wonyoung signed up and got chosen.”
“No.” He set his empty glass down. “Due to the age rule, the only candidates for IVE at the time of the offering were Yujin and Gaeul—and the King of Clubs was very interested in Yujin.”
My heart skipped a beat. “So then why—how—what the hell happened?”
He poured the last bit of soju into his glass and stared at it like he was the one waiting for an answer. “Wonyoung made a special deal with the King of Spades.”
“Special deal? What kind of deal? Why?”
“For him to stop the King of Clubs from claiming Yujin…and in exchange…” he said, before taking one last shot. “Take her for himself—in two years.”
Thunder boomed outside, causing a car alarm to go off, but none of the noise could drown out the sound of my beat banging against my chest.
“D-Does Yujin know?” I asked, sweat dripping down the side of my neck like raindrops.
“No. And you should never tell her.”
***
“Tell me, Master. Keep telling me how much you love my pussy, I’m so close. I feel so good…my hips won’t stop moving, I’m gonna go crazy…your cock is completely filling my pussy.”
Wonyoung started crawling back towards the screen, kneeling before the master as she carefully watched his cock slide in and out of Yuna’s drenched, clinging hole. “Time’s up,” she sang, smiling innocently.
“Not yet, Master, please keep fucking me!” Yuna pleaded desperately. “Please, I feel so good—”
“Fine, you get 10 more seconds,” Wonyoung said, as she carefully lowered her face between their legs and started licking the point in which their bodies met. “You’re making a mess down here…his balls are completely covered with your slut juice.”
I felt the burn in my throat as I swallowed, eyes tracking every new glint of sweat, every breathy gasp in the video.
Yujin started moving beneath the blanket, but I could no longer find it in myself to stop her.
“Can you do it too so I don’t have to feel like a bad person?” she asked as her other hand snuck up her shirt.
I shook my head forcefully, but my body was aching so terribly.
“Oh my god,” Yuna moaned so loud that the microphone peaked. “Wonnie, you’re cheating!”
“Huh? Aren’t you the one overstaying your five minutes?”
“Ahh—master—stop her…she’s licking my ass…don’t let her…she always does that…”
“Why? You love it.” He spread her cheeks open, giving Wonyoung full access as he pumped her violently.
“Ahh—ack—fuck—no! Don’t—stop sucking—aaah—”
Wonyoung’s tongue went wild and sloppy—no more rhythm, no more precision, just raw, carnal lust. Her hands were stuck between her long legs as her head tilted in the only angle that allowed her to run her tongue from his balls, across the length of his shaft, all the way up to Yuna’s other hole.
Yujin scooted over to me, leaning onto my shoulder. “Wonbin…” she said, moaning quietly. “Come on, just do it. No one has to know.”
“No…I can’t…” I protested, but I knew that my body was reaching its limit. “It feels so wrong.”
Wonyoung slurped loudly, sucking and licking both of them like her life was at stake. “You dirty slut, you’re going to come before master does? Maybe you shouldn’t be White after all…you’re no angel…”
“Master…her tongue…it feels so fucking good…stop her already…”
“Time’s up, Yuna,” he said, abruptly stopping.
“No—”
“Get off.” Wonyoung pulled his cock right out of Yuna’s dripping hole, shoving it straight into her mouth, cleaning it thoroughly.
The hairs on my arms rose in protest.
“How do I taste, Wonnie?” Yuna asked, pulling her long hair back to reveal her flushed, sweaty face.
“Hm…not as good as little miss Minju…but still yummy as always.” Wonyoung said, smacking her lips.
“Let me see.” Yuna giggled and leaned in for a messy, hungry kiss. Their tongues tangled, spit and precum glistening as Wonyoung stroked his cock with her slippery fingers, the camera zooming close into all the wet, flushed details.
“Oh god…” Yujin squirmed beside me, soft moans escaping her wet lips.
“Speaking of Minju…should we go save her?” Yuna said, pulling back as a string of spit bridged their mouths.
The camera pointed towards Karina, who was now hovered over Minju’s shivering body, spreading her legs wide open.
“Do you remember your safewords?” she growled, slapping a strap-on repeatedly over Minju’s clit.
Minju nodded like a cornered animal surrendering itself as prey, her eyes shining with submission.
Karina smiled devilishly. “Good. I’m gonna ruin this pretty little pink pussy of yours,” she purred, slowly pushing into her. “Make sure you scream my name when you come.”
“Oh dear…” Yuna said, picking at her bottom lip. “I better go over there and intervene before she tears her apart.”
“Be careful,” Wonyoung said, letting her saliva drip from her mouth onto his cock. “She might end up making you beg instead, like last time.”
Yuna smiled, biting a finger. “I wouldn’t mind that one bit.”
“Aaah—sunbae—it’s too big—”
The camera fully focused on Wonyoung’s face now, documenting her carefully sliding her tongue across every surface of the glistening cock that was still covered in Yuna’s juices. “How quickly do you want this competition to end tonight, Master?”
“That’s up to you, my love.”
My eye twitched at the way he addressed her.
She started sucking him slowly and carefully. “Should I just go take Jimin unnie’s collar now then?”
Somewhere behind them, the wet slap of Karina’s strap-on driving into Minju’s pussy filled the room like background music.
“I know you like to pretend to be fair,” she teased, her tongue flicking his swollen head. “But I know I’m your favorite. You don’t have to admit it, I can tell based on how much your cock throbs the moment I touch it.”
My heart started racing, a knot forming right inside my stomach as my chest tightened.
Yujin slowly slipped her hand into my pants. “Hey. Are you okay?”
I closed my eyes for a moment, but the image burned into my mind. “I’m not sure.”
“Let me help you,” she said, her breaths heavy as she started slowly stroking me.
I couldn’t stop her, and I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to anymore. Pre-cum spilled out of me like an overflowed bottle. Her touch felt like electricity, sending a jolt down my spine.
“Sunbae! You’re fucking me so hard—aahh—slow down—please—”
The master groaned loudly, fingers sinking into Wonyoung’s hair. She slid down and swallowed him in a single breath until her nose brushed his skin, her throat tight and obedient around him. Then she held, looking up as her eyes slowly watered, then eased off with a wet pull.
“Wonbin-ah, don’t watch this part,” Yujin whispered, dropping to her knees. “I’ll take care of you. Close your eyes.”
I didn’t listen, and Wonyoung didn’t rush. She painted him instead—tongue flattening along the underside, followed by a slow drag from base to tip; then a delicate circle at the crown, and a soft kiss to the slit. I felt all of it on myself—every lick, every stroke.
Karina’s rhythm quickened and Minju’s knees thudded the rug. But the audio kept choosing him and Wonyoung—his breath, his little breaks, the way his voice turned raw when she sucked harder. And Yujin moaned louder, her voice vibrating against me, trying to drown out everything else out.
“Should I end it now?” she whispered against him, teasing the tender spot under the head with the edge of her tongue. “Or do you want to watch me suck your cock for a little bit longer?”
“Keep going.” I wasn’t even sure who said it.
Another slow suck. Another pause. Her free hand pressed lightly at his pelvis to stop him from thrusting, and Yujin did the same to me.
“Look at me,” Wonyoung said softly, taking just the head back into her mouth and nursing it with slow, milking pulls that made his thighs quiver.
“Look at me.” Yujin’s voice was just as soft as she wrapped her lips against the head of my cock, gently sucking the tip like she was extracting poison.
My eyes darted back and forth between the laptop screen and Yujin’s pretty, sweaty face.
Wonyoung glanced up through damp lashes, lips parted, voice barely above a breath. “I wonder…how much longer can you hold it?”
***
“Manager-nim, how much longer?” Wonyoung asked in a sleepy voice.
“About 40 minutes,” he called from the front seat.
“You seem really tired,” I said, putting strands of her hair behind her ear.
She sank deeper into the seat, her cheek pressing against the window for a moment before turning back toward me. “Mm, I can’t wait to get home. I still haven’t packed for my trip.”
For a second, my heart stung, like someone was twisting a dagger into it. “It’s been a long week for you, hasn’t it?” I said, regardless.
She nodded slowly, eyes fluttering halfway open before surrendering again. Her head tilted once, twice, and finally landed on my shoulder with a soft thud. I froze for a second, afraid to move or breathe too loudly.
“Thanks for spending your Saturday with us,” she murmured, half-asleep.
“Thanks for letting me.”
“Letting you do what, dummy?”
“Be here,” I said, feeling the soft brush of her hair on my cheek.
She wrapped her arms around mine, hugging it close to her chest like a pillow. “Where else in the world would you be if not next to me, Park Wonbin?” Her words slipped out so naturally that my chest felt like it might burst.
“It’s like we’re invisible now,” Liz whispered from the row in front of us.
“Sex will do that to you…” Rei sighed for the 100th time that day.
Liz smacked her arm. “They can hear you! Can you at least whisper?”
“For once, I think she might be right,” Gaeul said, leaning back. “They definitely had sex.”
“Not you too!”
“Unnie, what are you smiling about over there?” Leeseo asked.
“Nothing,” Yujin hummed.
“You’re probably thinking what we’re thinking, huh?” Liz said playfully.
“Hm? What’s that?”
She sighed satisfyingly. “It’s so cute to see Wonbin and Wonyoung finally admitting that they’re in love.”
“We’re not in love!” I hissed quietly, careful not to wake her.
“You’re sooo into each other.” Rei said, somewhere between a tease and a complaint. “It makes me feel so painfully single.”
“Rei, you are single…”
“I know…” She sighed and let her head fall on the window with a thud. “I’m too pretty to be wasting my youth like this,” she mumbled to herself.
“Gosh, I love that Wonyoung finally has someone to take care of her.”
“We’re just best friends…” I insisted, but even I could hear how dumb it sounded.
“Oh, cut the crap,” Gaeul said, rolling her eyes. “If you could see yourself, you’d know how silly you sound. The way you look at her sometimes even gives me butterflies.”
“It’s okay, we all ship it. Don’t be embarrassed!”
I felt my face heat up, but none of them stopped.
“I’ve never seen Wonyoung actually sleeping in the car before, let alone on someone’s shoulder.” Liz said, cupping both hands on her cheeks. “She must feel so safe next to you. Wow…how romantic…our princess really found her prince…”
“Oppa…you do have feelings for her, don’t you?” Leeseo asked gently. “You can tell us. We’ll keep it a secret.”
I hesitated, then gave the smallest nod.
The four of them gasped, then squealed into their sleeves to keep from waking her. The van filled with muffled laughter, bouncing off the windows and into the quiet of the night road.
Gradually, the noise faded. The only sounds left were the steady hum of the tires and the soft breathing beside me.
I looked down at Wonyoung again. Her head had slipped slightly, resting closer against my neck.
Her fingers twitched once. “Does your arm hurt like this?” she asked in almost a whisper.
“No, but you’re holding pretty tight, you know.”
“Mm. So that you can’t leave.”
“Who said I was going anywhere?”
“Don’t. Stay here. Like this.”
“I will. Promise.”
She exhaled, sinking even closer. “Forever and ever?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, leaning my head against hers. “And after that, too.”
I didn’t realize when it happened, but everything faded to black.
***
“I’m the Black Ace now,” Wonyoung said, still licking her lips as she held her palm up.
Minju’s moans spiked right as Karina froze. She scowled and yanked the black collar from her throat, the leather tugging against her pale, sweat-slick skin. She didn’t look away as she forcibly handed it over—refusing to blink even as her chest trembled with a barely suppressed rage.
Wonyoung smiled, unbuckled the red collar from her own neck, and stepped in close enough that their breaths touched. Karina lifted her hair without being told, and Wonyoung wrapped it around her throat in a clean, decisive click; the new spiky crimson red collar gleamed where black had been before.
“Hm…your colors are all off now,” Yuna said, eyeing their mismatched lingerie while Wonyoung triumphantly slipped the shiny black one around her own neck.
“Fix it for us then,” Wonyoung said, her gaze pinned to Karina’s like she could leave a scar there just by staring.
“My pleasure.” Yuna reached behind Wonyoung and caught the hook with two fingers. The red bra loosened, straps sliding down her arms like warm syrup, and she gave her a long, slow kiss. “You still taste like cum. Yummy.”
She then turned to Karina, palms gliding up her sides as she slid a finger under the black strap. “Don’t frown, unnie,” she teased, locking their lips together for a brief moment. “You look pretty in red, I promise.”
Red peeled from Wonyoung’s hips while black fell from Karina’s. Yuna took her time, kissing the pale skin she revealed—Wonyoung’s hipbone, Karina’s ribcage—her hands moving back and forth between them. In under a minute they were both completely naked except for their new collars.
“Much better,” Yuna said with a satisfied smile, just as Karina’s strap-on dropped to the floor with a dull thud, the black silicone still wet with Minju’s juices.
Wonyoung smiled tauntingly. “Like I said, red suits you so much more than me.”
“Shut the hell up,” Karina growled, hands still shaking.
“Don’t be a sore loser, my dear,” the master said to Karina, stepping into the frame. “You’ll have a chance to win it back from Wonnie next time.”
“I hate her,” Karina snapped, but the words sounded soft and helpless. “She’s so fucking annoying.”
“Uh oh,” Yuna hummed, delighted. “Someone needs to be put in her place.”
“You dare speak to your Black Ace like that, Red?” Wonyoung asked, pretending to be shocked.
“Fuck off—”
Faster than the camera could even capture it, Wonyoung’s palm cracked across Karina’s cheek with a clean, sharp sound, forcing her head to turn; the red collar flashed around her throat. “Unnie,” she said softly, catching Karina’s jaw in one hand and holding her face steady. “Please behave. I’d hate to get used to doing that.”
Yujin gasped and turned to the screen. “I didn’t think Wonyoung had it in her to hit someone so hard.”
“Yeah? Pretty sure she held back on that one,” I said, my own cheek stinging from memory.
Tears welled up in Karina’s eyes as the words involuntarily escaped her lips. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t think you’re actually sorry yet,” Wonyoung murmured, her thumb brushing Karina’s trembling lower lip. “But you will be.”
“Now that the game is over, what should we do, Wonnie?” Yuna asked, sliding closer like her hands already knew the answer. “You won in less than 15 minutes. That’s gotta be a record.”
Wonyoung sighed, the black collar gleaming on her neck like a trophy. “We could’ve ended the night early,” she said, circling Karina like a lion toying with its meal. “But…bad girls deserve to get punished.”
“Ooh, you’re gonna love this next part, babe,” Yuna whispered, winking to Minju.
“Master,” Wonyoung said, eyes not leaving Karina even once.
“Yes, my love.”
“Can I make a request?” she asked, moving Karina’s messy black hair away from her drop dead gorgeous face.
“Of course. You’re the Black Ace, after all.”
Wonyoung leaned in so close that Karina would’ve had to hold her breath to hear it. “How about we fuck the life out of Jimin-unnie until she folds?”
Just the sound of her words sent chills through my bones.
“I’ve taught you well.” He chuckled as his hand settled at the nape of Karina’s neck. “On your knees,” he said, simply.
Karina obeyed, mouth falling open as if the command pulled it that way. The sound she made wasn’t angry anymore, just pure, raw submission. He stepped forward, and she immediately pressed her breasts together around his shaft, wetting him with spit as she coddled him between the softness, as if programmed to do so.
Yuna hummed aespa’s Supernova under her breath as she buckled Karina’s own strap-on to Wonyoung—tightening the belt a notch more than necessary. “There. Perfect.”
“Open,” Wonyoung ordered, and Karina obeyed, her lips parting around the glossy tip. “Clean Pink’s juices off.”
Karina sucked on the dildo obediently while her breasts wrapped the master’s length, her mouth and chest working in rhythm, saliva stringing between plastic and skin.
“Sunbae…master…I feel like I’m gonna explode…” Minju cried, her thighs trembling as her fingers worked fast, slipping in and out of her hole as she watched them without even blinking.
Wonyoung tilted her chin and met the master’s mouth over Karina’s bowed head. Their tongues wrestled for dominance as saliva dripped out onto Karina’s jiggling breasts. She swallowed more of the strap, cheeks hollowing as Wonyoung thrusted into her mouth; her breasts never stopped, squeezing his cock tighter, pushing him deeper into her cleavage.
“So nice and soft,” he groaned, pinching her nipples. “No one can replace your perfect tits, Rina.”
Wonyoung pulled the dildo out and slapped the spit all over Karina’s face. “Are you mute? Master gave you a compliment.”
“Thank you, Master.” Karina coughed, saliva spilling from the corner of her mouth. “My tits are yours to enjoy whenever and however you like.”
They continued, and eventually Karina’s elbows trembled—her body slipped, sliding down onto the carpet. He followed her, dropping to his knees and catching her by the hair.
“Open,” he ordered, and as her lips parted, he pushed his cock straight into her mouth, filling it to the hilt.
Karina gagged hard, eyes watering, palms flattening on his thighs. “Master—please—I—I’m not Wonyoung,” she choked out between breaths. “I can’t take it so deep—”
“Interesting...” Wonyoung moved behind her like a shadow. She spread Karina gently with one hand and gave a slow, deliberate lick from her clit up to between her cheeks, causing her to let out a loud yelp. “Pretty sure you said you were better than us at everything.”
Wonyoung lined up and pushed in—patient at first, letting Karina open around the glossy head, then deeper with each roll of her hips—while Master kept her mouth full, guiding her jaw and setting a steadier pace. Pinned between them on the rug, Karina surrendered to the rhythm as she took helplessly both at once for what felt like forever.
She gasped for air loudly as the master finally eased from her mouth, but before she could even catch her breath, Yuna shoved her onto her back and climbed over her face.
“Umph!” she shrieked through muffled flesh and juices.
“Sorry, unnie,” Yuna said, moving her hips unapologetically. “I just wanna see if your mouth is actually better than Wonnie’s—or if you’re just a lying whore.”
“I can’t take this anymore,” Yujin panted, pulling her shirt off. She climbed onto the couch, sucking on my neck like an animal as she shoved my cock right into her, not even bothering to watch the rest of the video.
The master slammed into Karina with a heavy, but steady rhythm that made the floor under them creak. Above her, Yuna rolled her hips in slow, punishing circles, pinning Karina’s wrists to the rug as Wonyoung sucked on her swollen nipples loudly, all while Minju watched helplessly, frantically rubbing herself as if her own climax could save someone.
Every scream turned into wet, muffled slurs. Karina’s body did all the talking—her breasts rippling with every thrust as her back arched against the weight of all of them above her. The sound that ripped out of her sliced through everything, like surrender was the only language left in her throat.
The rest of the video became a blur. Yujin rode me wildly, splashing her juices all over my skin as I watched him pull Karina upright just to ravage roughly her from behind. Her body braced against Wonyoung’s, as if begging for mercy from the one who carried out the sentence. Yuna firmly clutched onto Karina’s swaying breasts to hold them in place, pinching her nipples as the three of them shared a messy group kiss that sent Karina into a delirious rage.
“How does it feel to be ruined, unnie?” Wonyoung asked, her voice dripping with a cruelty new to even me. “Speak clearly so that Pink can hear you.”
“So good—fuck—”
“Tell me who’s inside you.”
“M-master’s giant cock—ruining my—my pussy—”
“And who stained your pretty lips?”
“Yuna—Yuna’s pussy—ruined my face—”
“Tsk tsk. Pathetic. So disgraceful.” Wonyoung snickered. “Are you not ashamed of behaving like this in front of Minju? Howling like a dog while Master fucks your brains out?”
“I’m—p-pathetic—a worthless fuckdoll—”
She slapped Karina firmly, sending a loud cracking sound straight into the microphone. “Who owns you?”
“S-Sunbae…” Minju held a hand out, unsure of who she was even calling to.
Karina’s ragged breaths tore through the room. “You—Won—Wonyoung—you own me—you’re my Black Ace, I’ll—serve both you and Master—”
“Do you know your place now?”
“Y-Yes—I’m sorry—please forgive me—”
“Beg.” Wonyoung’s palm kissed Karina’s cheek yet again. “Beg for mercy, whore.”
“Please—Wonyoung—I came so many times tonight—I can’t come anymore—please—”
“Oh my god…” Yujin moaned loudly and rode me harder, her body now completely damp with an intoxicating layer of sweat. “Wonbin….I’m so close…just a little more, okay? I’m really sorry for using you like this, but I’m really losing my mind. You’ll forgive me, right?”
Words couldn’t escape my mouth, but I replied with my hands and hips.
“Minju-sshi, come here,” Wonyoung ordered with terrifying authority.
“Y-yes, sunbae.” Minju obeyed like a lost puppy, her small body noticeably shorter than everyone else’s.
“Put your hand over her throat, just like this.” Wonyoung guided Minju’s fingers to Karina’s neck. “Don’t squeeze—just hold it there so she knows how worthless she is.”
Karina’s eyes widened as Minju’s lips parted nervously, splitting further by the second.
“Now tell Master to fuck her harder for me,” Wonyoung said, smirking.
“M-Master…” Minju said, fingers trembling violently around Karina’s neck. “P-Please fuck Jimin-sunbae harder…Wonyoung-sunbae demands it…”
His body moved harder, faster, turning Karina into a feral animal caught in a trap.
“Keep telling him what you want him to do, Minju,” Wonyoung said with a satisfied look on her face. “It’s all up to you now.”
Minju’s eyes widened, as if something had awakened in her that she never knew existed. “…Fuck her harder, Master…ruin her bratty cunt with your big, hard cock…”
“There you go,” Wonyoung sang, kissing her sweaty forehead. “Let it all out.”
“Make her beg more…and scream louder…while you use her…like a worthless fucktoy…”
“Just fold already, unnie. What are you trying to prove?” Yuna taunted, pulling Karina’s hair back from her forehead as she looked into her eyes that couldn’t stay open any longer. “They’re going to break you.”
“Paint her insides with your cum—” Minju’s pupils dilated as she stared hypnotically at Karina’s distorted face. “Destroy her—more—fuck her to dea—”
“Fold!” Karina’s whole body seized, voice cracking into a thousand pieces.“I fold!”
Everything stopped.
His hips stopped moving, and Wonyoung immediately yanked Minju’s hand off Karina’s throat. The room went quiet except for the ragged mess of Karina’s heavy breathing and the faint wet sounds of Minju still touching herself in tiny, guilty pulses.
Yujin dug her nails down my spine and gasped loudly, trembling against mine as the orgasm traveled through her sweaty body.
Wonyoung turned to Minju with a gentle smile. “See? We have to stop when she says ‘fold’. Those are the rules.”
***
“Every Ace has two safewords—the Fold to end the turn, and the Burn to end the game. Fold works like any other safeword, but Burn will immediately terminate their contract the moment it’s spoken. No retaliation, no fees, no blacklisting. But also no take-backs once spoken. Once you lose your Ace status, it’s gone. You can never get it back.”
The rain got heavier than before, or maybe it was just the storm inside my chest raging on.
“How would anyone ever know?”
“The society is always watching. Even Kings can lose their crown if they break the rules. Any hint of coercion and the Ace gets cut and the King goes down with them.”
I hadn’t noticed the last customer leave, or even the one before that. When thunder clapped, the room answered by going quiet—no clatter, no chatter—just a lone employee wiping down a table that didn’t need it.
“Why do you know so much about all of this?” I asked—when I really should’ve asked why a pocha was closing so early.
He looked at his phone and stuffed it in his pocket. “I was the Jack of Spades.”
“Was?”
“I helped Wonyoung make the deal with the King of Spades.” He stood up and swung his jacket over himself as lightning flashed behind him. “But I saw how much it destroyed her. Just like you, I couldn’t bear to watch anymore, so I convinced her to burn her card. And they burned mine first.”
I didn’t even bother to ask what a Jack was. I didn’t need to. Didn’t care to know anymore of their ridiculous terminology or their pretentious rules masked as righteousness. None of it mattered. None of it changed what I was going up against. A secret society operating in the shadows. A system of contracts, laws, and chains. A dragon so large, I couldn’t dream to cut off its head even if I gave up my life. Maybe the protagonist of another story could’ve had even a sliver of a chance, but not in this one. Not mine. Not me.
He stood and slid the check to my side as if it was payment for his secrets. “Take care of yourself, kid,” he said, but the words sounded more like a curse than kindness.
The bell over the door made a tired noise when he left. I stared at the metal bowl of untouched soup, and felt the sudden urge to hurl it at the wall—just to hear something break that wasn’t me.
But then my phone buzzed, right as the delayed thunder arrived.
For a second, I let myself believe it was Choi Mingyu again—perhaps one last, useful text. The kind of warning that saves a person five minutes before death. Something like don’t go home. Don’t answer unknown numbers. Don’t look up when someone says your name in a voice that sounds like yours.
But it wasn’t him.
Subject: Bad girls deserve to get punished.
I warned you to stay away.
You didn’t listen.
Now she pays the price.
punishment.mp4 (528mb)
End of Chapter 9.
How hard should Wonyoung be punished?
Mildly
Moderately
Harshly
Don't watch this video.
