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hanjisungs-bigtittyg0thgf · 2 years

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Thank you...

changbin x fem reader

Trigger warnings: battery and unwanted advances, mentions of blood and fighting

Content warnings: he calls mc pumpkin. this is really just kinda soft but part two is gonna get a lil 👀

Summary: you’ve been head over heels for your brother’s best friend and your heart aches more when he comes to your rescue.

Word count: 5232

A/N: so this one was actually like the fourth thing i wrote around the holidays. i wanted to make it into a miniseries but it may end up just being this part and the next, it depends on if i can find the drama i’m looking for without being stale and cliché. anyways, send in your hard thoughts! as always, consider giving me a follow here or on my main and consider turning on those post notifications so you know when i upload new content. also, check out my ko-fi, where i’m now taking commissions! thank youuuuuuu <3

Tags: @hyuckilstan @jasirii @yeosanghwas @sxnshineskzx

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Story below the cut

Changbin was a constant presence in your life. He’d been friends with your brother, Chan, for ages and he was always visiting. It was a surprise he even knocked, your parents adored him and probably wouldn’t have thought twice if he just walked in like that one fish from SpongeBob. Now, with you and Chan sharing an apartment while you’re in college, Changbin didn’t have a key, which kind of surprised you since he practically lived there with the both of you.

He was a couple years younger than Chan and a couple years older than you. He was really quite the dork and you loved that about him. In stark contrast with his almost untouchable appearance, he was just weird. Not that mouth-breather brand of weird, just that goofy, loud brand. Sometimes his laugh was funnier than the joke, which always ended with you and Chan searching for an inhaler.

He was also undeniably hot and you couldn’t help but stare from time to time. He’d beefed up in the last couple years and he was no longer a skinny kid with a pointy chin. The man was short and thick. Sometimes you wondered what it would feel like to sit on his muscular thighs. Or to have his strong arms wrapped around you. Your sexuality was buff men in tight tees that showed off the inside of their upper arm with they raised their arms and your mouth had watered more than a few times seeing Changbin lounging around your home.

Basically, he was the ideal man. He was beautiful and a joy to be around and your family already loved him. The hangup? Chan had gone into protective big brother mode the second he discovered Changbin liked you and made it clear you were off limits. You didn’t know this though and you constantly felt like Changbin was giving you mixed signals. You craved his attention and sometimes he’d indulge you but other times he’d completely blow you off and it honestly hurt.

So your friends, who’d noticed you’d been a bit bummed recently, decided you needed to get out and meet someone. They’d invited you to the club in the hopes that you’d find some hot stranger to go home with. “After all,” they’d said. “The best way to get over a man is to get under another.”

So there you sat, alone in a cramped bar, some shitty edm track blaring over the speakers. The stench of sweat and stale beer permeated the air and you found yourself breathing through your mouth. The only thing that interested you at the moment was the round of kamikaze shots you’d ordered after your friends disappeared into the crowd upon seeing a group of guys they knew. They’d said to join them once you had your drinks but you didn’t intend to. You planned to toss back the six shots on the bar in front of you and people-watch.

You’d made it through four shots when you felt a hand on your waist. You looked over your shoulder to find a man maybe four years older than your brother, something about the way his gaze raked over you leaving an unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach. He was tall and lanky, sporting some hipster flannel and a greasy black mop of hair. He had enough stubble to look unkempt instead of having the five o’clock shadow look you were sure he was going for. He was creepy. “Can I help you?”

You hated just how soft your voice sounded. You’d never been good at being firm with people, much to your dismay, and it seemed tonight would not be the night that changed. “Hey, baby. Saw you sitting here looking pretty all on your own. Thought I’d come over and have a drink with you.”

Alarm bells started sounding in your head and you gave an uneasy smile as you shook your head. “No, thank you, I’m about to join my friends.” You laughed nervously, turning back towards the bar, where the bartender had placed a napkin over your drinks. You flashed her a thankful expression as you moved to pick up your fifth shot.

“Oh, come on, baby, I’m not gonna bite.” His arms snaked around your waist and you instantly tried to push him away but to no avail. “Unless you want me to…” you quickly shook your head again as you desperately tried to remove his hands from where they’d wandered to your thighs. “I bet I can make you feel real good, baby. You’re already squirming. Whaddaya say we head back to my place?”

You felt a wave of panic wash over you as you tried to wrench his hands away, shaking your head violently. It was dark in the club, save for the flashing of the strobe lights, so no one could really see what was going on. Was he about to kidnap you? As soon as the thought crossed your mind, you felt yourself jerked back slightly as his grip on you vanished and you almost fell off the barstool where you were perched.

You couldn’t hear anything over the music and you couldn’t bring yourself to look back just yet. When you did finally pluck up the courage to look over your shoulder again, you were met with broad shoulders blocking your view of the rest of the room, rising and falling with visibly labored breaths. You weren’t sure who the man was but you felt a lot safer with him between you and that creep so you craned your neck up a bit to peek over the shoulder of your hero and saw the lanky man on the floor with a bloody nose.

Security was breaking through the crowd and you watched as they hauled both men out of the establishment. But you needed to know who your hero was so you chased after them as fast as your stilettos would allow, gasping for the umpteenth time that night as the cold air whipped around your legs the second you stepped outside. It was almost freezing out and you were in your skimpiest number, a black bodycon dress and a baby pink fur coat. Not the brightest idea given it was early November.

You noticed the lanky man already making a break for it as the security guards returned to their post at the door. Your hero’s back was still to you but under the light of a street lamp, you quickly recognized the broad shoulders and small stature. “Changbin?” Your brows furrowed as you stepped closer.

He turned to you with murderous eyes and you froze in your tracks. But his expression softened as he walked towards you and placed his hands on your shoulders. “Y/N…” he sighed as he looked you over. You weren’t sure if you were trembling from the temperature, the scare you’d just had, or the way his eyes took all of you in. “Are you okay?” He asked gently as his gaze locked back on yours.

“Physically.” You nodded and bit your lip as the reality of what could’ve happened had he not stepped in began to hit. You felt like your legs were about to give so you surged forward into his arms, holding onto him for dear life as you tried not to cry. He was stiff at first but quickly wrapped his arms around you, holding you to his chest.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He assured you, his large hands rubbing your back and smoothing your hair down. You took a steadying breath but didn’t step away, still not sure if you were about to break down or not. “Do you wanna leave?” You nodded instantly and let out a pathetic whimper. “I’m parked right around the corner. Do you wanna wait here while I get the car or walk with me?”

You slowly pulled away from him and patted your coat pockets, realizing you left your phone and keys at the bar. “I need to go back in for my things and tell my friends where I’m going.” You murmured as you tried again to swallow the lump in your throat. You flashed him a smile despite your current state and gently pushed him. “Go get the car. I’ll be here when you pull up.”

You could clearly see he was hesitant to leave you but he still did as you asked and you waited until he disappeared around the corner before heading back to the door. Security stepped aside to let you back in after you explained you just needed your things and you made a break for the bar. You felt panic rise once more when you didn’t see your drinks or your belongings where you’d left them but the woman behind the bar caught your attention. You walked to where she was and she held out your keys and phone. “I looked up and you were gone so I put your stuff back here. Was that your boyfriend?” When you shook your head, she gave you a concerned look while you pocketed your things. “You okay? Do you need a ride?”

“No, it’s okay. I’ve got one. Thank you, though.” You offered a small smile and she nodded before getting back to work, rolling her eyes as a customer whistled for her. You quickly turned to the crowd on the dance floor and scanned the area for your friends. Once you spotted them, you pushed your way through sweaty bodies that swayed violently to the beat. You explained yourself and you didn’t miss the exasperated look you received from your best friend when she heard who was taking you home. Then you were back out the door and waiting on the bench for Changbin to pull up.

You were shaking like a chihuahua in a blizzard by the time you saw his car and you pouted a little as you stood but he threw on his hazards and met you halfway. “God, you’re gonna get yourself sick like this, y/n.” He shook his head as he opened the car door and helped you in before draping his coat over your bare thighs. You looked down sheepishly and mumbled a small thanks as you buckled yourself in and slipped your heels off. He rounded the car and a moment later he was pulling off from the curb. “The seats are heated. Push that button.” He instructed as if you’d never been in his car before. To be fair, you’d never been in the front seat.

After a few minutes of silence while you tried to calm yourself down again, you looked over at him as you brought your knees up to your chest. His knuckles were bruised, you noticed as you took in the way he gripped the steering wheel. You let your eyes take everything in, not missing the way his jaw ticked with annoyance. Had you annoyed him? You felt like you were annoying him. You should’ve called a cab. Your arms wrapped around your legs and you quickly turned back to rest your forehead on your knees, breathing in his comforting scent that wafted from the jacket covering your legs. “Thank you…” your voice was almost a whisper and it was a surprise to you that it could be heard over the sound of the wind rushing around the car.

“What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t protect my best friend’s kid sister?” He said nonchalantly and your heart ached. His best friend’s kid sister. The reminder that that’s all you were to him kind of really stung. How silly of you to think you were anything more to him. Of course, you were, you just didn’t know it.

He absolutely adored you and he didn’t just jump in because his best friend just so happened to be your big brother. His jaw had tensed when he saw you with another man but when he realized you were uncomfortable with the interaction, his blood boiled. Yes, you were his best friend’s sister. But you were also the girl he’d liked for two years now. He couldn’t just watch as you were harassed.

The drive to his apartment was short but you appreciated the brevity. If it had been much longer, you would’ve combusted from the awkward tension in the vehicle. Changbin’s apartment was a two-bed townhouse connected to a three-bed unit and it had assigned parking right out front. You also appreciated this because the walk to the door was only a few yards.

You let out a soft sigh as he parked, unbuckling and reaching down to pull your shoes back on. He noticed your reluctance to put on the uncomfortable heels and chuckled softly. “If it weren’t for the dress, I’d give you a piggyback ride, little miss pouty.”

Your cheeks heated up and you shook your head. “It’s fine. And I’m not pouting.” You quickly stuck your tongue out at him before finishing with your shoes. “Let’s go. I’m already getting cold again.” You mumbled as he shut off the car.

You both got out and you handed him his coat when you met in front of the sleek black car before heading up to his door. You found yourself huddling close to him as he unlocked the door, your body gladly absorbing the heat pouring off him. As soon as you stepped inside, you took your shoes back off and reached your arms above your head, stretching out every muscle you’d bunched up in his car. Your limbs ached from the adrenaline rush and you let out a little whine but before you could ask for any painkillers, he was taking off into the unit.

He took off like a shot when you stretched yourself out, forcing his eyes towards the ground. Your dress was short and he kind of really liked your legs. He knew he’d pop a boner if he stuck around any longer so he busied himself with gathering some things for you. Your soft whine only made his heart thud louder.

You watched as he entered the kitchenette and filled a glass with water before grabbing the bottle of painkillers. He brought that to you and before you could thank him he headed to his room. You trailed after him, standing in his doorway as he pulled out a pair of sweats and one of his compression shirts. “Go put these on and drink that water. I’ll fix up the guest room.” You nodded at his instruction and walked through his room to the bathroom, leaving the water on his desk.

The bathroom opened both to his room and the hallway since it was the only one in the unit so you made sure to lock both doors, not that he’d peep on you anyways. You quickly shucked off your coat and hung it on a hook on the door before slipping your dress off. You felt like a schoolgirl again at the realization that you were about to be swamped by his clothes. This led you to eagerly dress yourself in the soft joggers and comfy shirt.

You were surprised at how well everything fit. The pants were a little too long so you pulled them up as high as possible and rolled the waistband until they hung low on your hips. The shirt managed to conform to your body despite Changbin being larger than you and you couldn’t help but admire how the tight top looked on you. You’d never thought yourself to be anymore than a seven but you were aware you were relatively attractive so you knew how to appreciate the way certain things fit. You’d put that dress on for the sole purpose of admiring yourself. How unfortunate that it garnered unwanted attention.

When you came out of the bathroom with your clothes in your hands, Changbin was lounging on his bed with one hand behind his head while the other scrolled on his phone. The view made you dizzy. “I fixed the guest room up for you. There’s a charger in there and everything. Go get some rest and I’ll take you home in the morning. I’ve already talked to Chan.”

You appreciated how he was taking control of the situation without teasing you. You weren’t in the right frame of mind to handle the playful bickering tonight. “Thank you, Binnie…” you said softly and picked up the water before heading off to the guest room.

————————————

Two hours later, you were still wide awake in Changbin’s guest bedroom. You’d heard him settle in shortly after you left his room and now his soft snores were ever-so-quietly serenading you through the thin wall that separated the two of you. If your mind hadn’t tricked you, you were currently head to head with him through the wall and that thought wasn’t helping you fall asleep any faster.

Finally you let out a frustrated huff and crawled out of bed. It was too quiet here and after everything that had happened, you needed to be reassured you were safe. So you left the guest room and snuck your way into his room, rubbing your sleepy eyes as you closed the door gently. You padded over to where he was fast asleep and took a moment to appreciate his sleeping form as the moonbeams cast a soft glow over his tan skin. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and that almost scared you back to the guest room but you doubted you would sleep at all either way so you decided to make yourself comfortable.

He stirred as you joined him in bed, gently forcing your way into his arms. You froze halfway when his movements made it seem like he was awake, his soft snores coming to a halt. You told yourself you were doing this because you were afraid but you knew that was only part of it. He was warm and inviting as you wrapped yourself in his arms.

Changbin’s eyes opened halfway and you wouldn’t have known he was actually awake had he not let out a small hum and pulled back to look at you. “You okay?” His voice was deep and laced with sleep and your heart skipped a beat as he pushed a stray lock of hair away from your face. You didn’t respond, just giving him your best doe-eyed expression. He seemed to understand and nodded, pulling you into him. “I’ve got you. Nothing can happen to you here.” He whispered as you tucked your head under his chin.

He was mentally kicking himself for not putting on a shirt to sleep since you were in the house but he couldn’t have known you’d come curl up in his bed. He could only pray you didn’t notice the way his heart raced as your warm breath fanned over his bare chest. He wasn’t sure if he’d survive having you in his bed. He’d thought about it more than a few times, for sure, but the fact that you were currently wrapped in his arms, pressing against his body was making his brain short circuit. His thoughts were racing just as fast as his heart but he was pulled back to reality when he heard your tiny voice.

“Binnie?” You called quietly, your gaze refusing to leave his chest as you picked at the skin around your thumbnails. When he let out a hum of acknowledgement, which sounded more like a grunt, you continued. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. And I’m sorry you got hurt because of me. I know you only stepped in because Channie would tear you a new one if you saw his baby sister getting harassed and didn’t help, but I really appreciate it. I don’t wanna think what would’ve happened if you hadn’t stepped in to play hero when you did. Especially if his wandering hands were anything to go by…” you shuddered as the sensation of the spindly fingers caressing your thighs made itself present in your memories again.

“Don’t.” His voice was barely above as whisper as his fingers tangled in your hair. “I can feel you getting tense, y/n. Don’t think about what he did.” His free arm draped itself over your waist, pulling you as close as he could get you as you fought back the urge to cry. “Yeah, I saved you cause you’re Chan’s sister, but not because he would’ve beat my ass if he found out I saw and did nothing. I couldn’t have just sat back and watched even if I wanted to. We’ve known each other for years, you’re a precious person to me. Just as much as your brother. Yeah, he probably would’ve beat me up if something had happened, but I would’ve beat myself up worse. I couldn’t watch you struggling against him anymore.”

You let out a soft sigh, your eyes drooping as he massaged your scalp. You felt the tension leaving your body and it seemed he noticed this too because he let out a soft chuckle. “You like having your hair played with, pumpkin?” The name made you smile to yourself and you nodded, letting out a small sound of appreciation. With this knowledge, he began to lull you to sleep.

————————————

The next morning, you woke up alone in Changbin’s bed, the sunlight pouring into the room making the sheets an unbearably warm cocoon. You quickly flipped the sheets off your body and let out a sigh as cool air wrapped around you. You didn’t like that you were alone but you couldn’t have expected him to stay. You stood from the bed, wincing at the dull ache in your skull as you made your way to the guest room to grab your phone.

You thought you were entirely alone until you heard the faucet turn on in the kitchen. You felt giddy as you retrieved your phone from the nightstand in the guest room and headed towards the kitchen. His back was to you as he rinsed off the pan he’d just used to make breakfast and you almost pouted when you saw he’d put on a black wifebeater. He looked good in it, no doubt, but you wanted to admire his shirtless form again.

He could feel your eyes on him and he smiled to himself as he put the pan in the dishwasher. He turned to you with a soft sigh and picked up the two plates he’d assembled, joining you at the breakfast bar. “How are you feeling?” He asked quietly as the two of you began to eat.

He didn’t strike you as the type to make elaborate meals but you certainly weren’t complaining as you munched happily on the omelette he’d placed in front of you. “My head kinda hurts but I’m okay. Less shaken up than last night.” You sighed and took a sip of the coffee he’d placed before you. “I know I keep saying this, but thank you. I really thought you’d just drop me off at home for Chan to take care of me but you took it upon yourself to care for me.” He shook his head and was about to speak but you flashed a small smile. “I’ll have to get into trouble more often if it means you’ll cook for me.”

Your teasing tone drew a soft laugh from him and he nudged you with his elbow, shaking his head. “Don’t get yourself into trouble just for my food. I’ll cook for you anytime.” You lit up at that and he rolled his eyes. “Using me for my food…” he grumbled in mock annoyance, drawing a soft giggle from you.

After several minutes of comfortable silence as you texted your friends, all of whom had forgotten where you said you were going and had blown up your phone all morning, you looked over at him. “You said you talked to Chan while I was changing right?” He nodded and you let out a hum of acknowledgement as you turned back to your nearly-empty plate. “Just wondering since he usually texts me a billion times if I don’t come home before four. Did…does he know what exactly happened?“

“I told him.” He says before wiping his mouth with a napkin and dropping it on his empty plate. “I told him how my friends had just left and I was about to head out when I saw you at the bar. Honestly, I thought you were gonna go home with that guy until I saw you trying to push him away. When I realized you needed help, I decked the son of a bitch.” He sighed and pushed his hair back with rough hands, telling himself to calm down. He was hoping you didn’t catch on to the fact he was watching you after he realized it was you. “I told Chan all of that and that I was taking you back to mine so you could get some rest and that I’d take you home in the morning. He wanted you to come home last night after he heard everything but I told him I’d take care of you since he had to be up for work this morning. He wasn’t happy.”

You nodded slightly and sat in uncomfortable silence with him for a moment before getting up and taking both your plates over to the sink. “He’s never happy when a guy wants to do something nice for me. But he’s also never happy when guys treat me poorly. He needs to make up his mind.” You rolled your eyes. You knew he meant well, but your big brother scared off every man who’d ever tried to get close to you.

“I can see why he wouldn’t want just anyone getting close though.” He hummed. “I mean, even though I’m younger, I’m still protective over my sister. I love her and I don’t want anyone to hurt her so I feel like I have to screen every guy she meets.” He shrugged as you turned back towards him. “I can only imagine he feels even more strongly about it with you since you’re his baby sister and you look like that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You made a face of confusion and upset, much like you did when Chan complimented you. Your tone sounded a little too defensive but he quickly shook his head.

“It’s not a bad thing, I swear! You’re the last person I’d ever say bad things about. I promise, that wasn’t supposed to sound mean!” He scrambled to correct himself, his cheeks going a soft pink. “I just meant that like you’re really pretty and I can understand why he wouldn’t want just anyone trying to get with you. I didn’t mean you’re ugly or anything. Cause you’re not. You’re definitely not.” He babbled on, both of you growing more embarrassed by the second. “I’m sorry. I should not continue speaking. My brain has left the chat. That sounded mean. I’m sorry.”

After a few seconds of awkward silence, you let out a laugh. It was quiet at first but it grew louder as your mind processed the absurdity of him apologizing for calling you pretty. It was his turn to look confused and a little offended but you shook your head, reaching across the bar to place a hand on his arm as you laughed. “Binnie, you’re fucking precious. You saved my life last night. Or at the very least, my dignity. I know you didn’t mean anything rude. Please don’t think that offended me.”

The confusion still showed on his face but he nodded slowly and kept his eyes down. His gaze was locked on your hand gripping his wrist as you calmed down. You looked so soft and small compared to him and he wanted nothing more than to hold your hand. He’d gotten to hold you in his arms last night and he wanted to maintain contact.

As your laughter died down, you realized you were still holding onto him and started to let go when he placed a large hand over yours, holding you in place. You looked up to meet his eyes, still wearing a small smile even as your face heated up. He was sporting a soft blush and half smile too, setting off the butterflies in your stomach.

His heart was racing once again as the two of you made eye contact. He wanted to hold you again. Wanted to tell you everything he’d ever wanted to tell you. Chan would be pissed though. He’d made it clear in no uncertain terms that you, his baby sister, were off limits. Fuck it. “He’s gonna beat my ass for this.” He muttered and your brows furrowed in confusion before you realized he was diving over the bar towards you, crashing your lips together.

You didn’t move a muscle, not even to draw in a breath. Were you still asleep? This had to be a fever dream. Maybe you’d drifted back off, still wrapped up in the oven he called a bed. But then how come you could taste him? You shook yourself out of your thoughts as his hand left it’s position of holding yours in place, instead moving to tangle in your hair.

A tingle of pleasure ran down your spine from the way his fingers ever so gently tugged at your hair. He wasn’t trying to pull, he just wanted to hold you in place, but you pressed forwards into the kiss and his fingers got caught behind your loose ponytail. You couldn’t hope to stop the mewl of pleasure that slipped out involuntarily. The pull felt delightful and he tasted equally as wonderful.

His lips were plump and firm against yours and despite having just finished breakfast, you could taste the mint from his toothpaste. You wanted to fly into the sun the second he sucked on your bottom lip, nibbling slightly and drawing out another whine. But his lips left yours all too soon and he chuckled as you tried to chase him before pouting.

His hand moved from your hair to your cheek, his thumb caressing your cheekbone as he watched you slowly open your eyes. Reality quickly slapped you in the face and you wanted to look away but his other hand came to your other cheek, holding you in place. He was about to say something sickeningly sweet when his phone buzzed, drawing his attention away from you.

“We should get you home. He’s already asking where we are even though it’s not even nine.” He sighed, retracting his hands and sitting back down on the barstool he’d leaned up from. “Why don’t you go gather your things while I get dressed? You can keep those and just give them back later, I’m sure you don’t wanna put that dress back on just to go home.”

You nodded and reluctantly righted yourself, both of you heading towards the bedrooms. You parted ways and as soon as you were alone in the guest room, you brought your fingers to your lips, smiling and fighting back the urge to squeal. In the next room, Changbin was in a similar state, but with added anxiety that Chan would somehow know and kick his ass for making a move.

#stray kids #stray kids smut #stray kids x reader #stray kids changbin #changbin x reader #changbin smut #changbin #this part isnt actually smut #but the next is pure filth #so were tagging this to go along with part two #alura’s works

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just-come-baek · 3 years

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the road to hell is paved with good intentions

Pairing: military official!jaemin x geisha!reader + mentions of doyoung x reader

Word count: 22.4k

Summary: 1948. The country is on the verge of collapse. You, out of all people, have a proper skill set to aid the unstable national situation. Though you expect to fail your assignment, you pull through. Unfortunately, your act of heroism brings you more harm than good.

In other words: Jaemin threatens you to help him out, and although you succeed, this one thing alone completely changes the course of your life, putting you through one hell of an adventure.

! Disclaimer: do NOT proceed with the story if you find any of the warnings triggering and/or uncomfortable

A/N my entry for love and debauchery collab. check out other entries, too!

read the warnings before reading further

25th of September 1948, Saturday

“Psst,” you heard a strange hiss coming from a dark, narrow alley. You were in one of the most dangerous parts of the neighborhood, so you decided to ignore the weird noise. You knew too many stories about women who got hauled into the shadows and murdered. It definitely wasn’t the route you wanted to take.

As soon as you wanted to run back to your apartment, you heard the stranger call out your name. It immediately made you freeze in your tracks. You were startled immensely. You had no idea you had any reputation within this district.

“Who are you, and what do you want?!” You shouted at the alley shade, remaining in your spot. Though only a few people were roaming the streets this evening, you concluded you had more chances of survival if you stuck to the main path.

“I just want to have a friendly chat with you,” the man answered as he pushed himself off the wall and emerged from the shadows. He was wearing a military uniform, but due to lack of knowledge, you had no idea what rank he was or what the insignia on his shoulder translated into. For all you knew, he could be an imposter.

You were living in dangerous times – criminals used creative tactics to lure their victims, and you concluded a military uniform wasn’t that bad of a tactic to pose as a trustworthy person.

“I am Captain Na Jaemin,” he introduced himself, but you remained skeptical. You were just a geisha, not even a particularly good one at that. It was beyond you what kind of business he wanted with you. “I need to speak to you about your patron, General Kim Doyoung.”

At the mention of Doyoung’s name, you started at the captain with your jaw ajar. Maybe it wasn’t confidential information that Doyoung was your client, but only a few people knew about it, and that short list definitely did not include Jaemin.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Good night, sir,” you nervously answered, sending him a bashful smile before storming away. The fact that Jaemin approached you was bad news. Your okiya mother needed to know about this.

“Not so fast, doll face,” Jaemin voiced as he ran up to you and hooked his arm around yours. From a bystander’s point of you, you looked like a couple on a romantic late-night stroll. Unfortunately, it was not the case. A military official just approached you, asking for your patron. You were about to get involved in a political scheme, and it made you anxious. “Let’s talk somewhere more private, shall we?”

“It’s pretty private to me as it is now,” you argued, trying to wriggle out of his grip. Jaemin held you firmly, and you winced in pain when you failed to set yourself free. Though you knew your way around the basics of self-defense, you were no match against Jaemin’s skills.

“You know it is a felony to assault government officials, right?” Jaemin warned you as he sensed you were trying to stomp on his foot and kick him in the nuts.

“I would never…” you mumbled sheepishly, trying to play it off cool.

“Let’s go,” Jaemin started, pulling you along with him. You doubted he would let you go after the chat, but you gave in. You didn’t want to make your situation even worse. Maybe if you obeyed his orders, he would kill you quickly. “I know a pub nearby that is not operated by the commies,” he added, wrapping his arm around you, holding you close.

Jaemin guided you into a shabby establishment not that far away from the main street. It didn’t look expensive like the restaurants Doyoung often treated you to, but at least it was clean. With his hand on the little of your back, Jaemin led you to a secluded table, pulling a chair out for you, posing as a real gentleman.

“What did you want to talk about?” You inquired as soon as you both sat down. You were sitting on the edge of your seat – your knees pressed together, your hands resting on your thighs. You were tense, and you were failing at keeping it a secret. Jaemin read you like an open book.

“You’re truly beautiful,” he mused as he sat back, resting his back against the back of the chair. His demeanor was confident and relaxed – a complete opposite to your fidgety posture. “You know… when someone’s given a compliment, one should thank,” Jaemin added, staring at you as if he tried to imagine what you looked like underneath your clothes.

Typically, you would thank for the compliment. However, right now, you wanted to know why Jaemin brought you here. You were sure he didn’t do it to flirt with you. He had a specific motive, and you couldn’t wait to discover it.

“What do you want?” You asked as you folded your arms across your chest, trying to muster up some courage. You hoped you looked intimating, but Jaemin’s dominant aura didn’t falter.

“You’re pretty feisty for a geisha.”

“So I’ve been told,” you added boldly, waiting for Jaemin to cut the chase. You didn’t have time for his bullshit. The sun was about to descent beyond the horizon, and it was dangerous for women to roam the city after dark.

“What can I get you two?” A beautiful waitress in a revealing uniform approached your table, leaning toward Jaemin to get your order. She was practically shoving her breasts in his face, but surprisingly, his eyes remained trained on you.

“We’ll have two gin and tonics,” Jaemin spoke, maintaining eye contact with you.

Smiling awkwardly, the waitress straightened her posture and walked away to get your order.

“Can you tell me already what you want from me, sir?” You asked, addressing him properly in a poor attempt of sounding less fed-up. Any other captain would probably beat you up for your attitude, so you concluded you were a crucial puzzle piece in Jaemin’s scheme.

“You mustn’t tell anyone about this,” he stated as he took off his captain hat and gently put it on the wooden table. “If anyone finds out about this, the both of us may get killed,” he warned, and you swallowed hard, having no interest in hearing the rest.

Jaemin’s careful and measured tone betrayed the gravity of his words.

“You must’ve heard about the National Assembly that is going to take place next week,” Jaemin whispered, and you denied his words, gently shaking your head.

Though you were educated in many fields, no one allowed you to take an interest in politics. Women didn’t have a say in government issues, so you never bothered going out of your way to learn a thing about political affairs. Instead, they had taught you foreign languages, geography, and many ways of entertaining men, such as dancing, singing, or playing various instruments.

“It’s a gathering of important military officials. Many important matters will be discussed, and rumor has it a new political system will be introduced,” Jaemin explained, and you nodded, slowly wrapping your head around the subject. You still had no idea what role you played in that scenario, but you were sure Jaemin would enlighten you soon.

“General Doyoung has joined the radical communist party recently, and if by any chance, many follow his example, it will undoubtedly lead this country to ruin. We barely made it through the war, but if we don’t stop Doyoung now, we might be preparing for the next one,” Jaemin clarified, and you remained silent, having way too many thoughts on the matter.

“I think you’re talking to the wrong person about it. I can’t see any connection to how it’s any of my business,” you replied politely, wishing to end this conversation soon. The more you knew, the more dangerous it was for you.

“The general must be stopped, and you’re the only one who has a chance to take him down,” Jaemin declared, and you covered your mouth, trying to hide your chuckles. It wasn’t a proper reaction, but that’s what you did in stressful situations.

“No way. It can’t be true,” you chuckled as you gripped the edge of the table to protect yourself from falling onto the floor. “Right?” You inquired to double check, but Jaemin didn’t reply. “I am just a geisha. Why don’t you ask, hmm… I don’t know… an assassin maybe? Or literally anyone else. I am pretty sure they have more chances of succeeding.”

“Trust me, doll face. Many have tried, and every single one of them failed,” Jaemin confessed, and you opened your eyes wider in shock. How could Jaemin think you were fitted for this job? “I have watched him for a while now. Doyoung has guards who protect him at all times except for –“

“Except for times when he’s with me,” you finished as soon as you added two and two together. Now, it made complete sense. Doyoung, being such an important figure, always had plenty of guards around him. However, whenever he arranged dates with you, he would always send them off. Doyoung liked to keep you only to himself.

The realization overwhelmed you.

It was a lot to take in. Jaemin had explained everything and wanted you to help him out. It wasn’t a friendly favor – it was treason. Though it sounded ridiculous, Jaemin just practically assigned you to assassinate one of the most significant people in the country.

You were so deep in thought you didn’t even register what the waitress said to the two of you when she returned to your table with the drinks. She probably flirted some more with Jaemin, but you paid her no mind as you were still trying to process the newfound information.

“If you don’t help us kill Doyoung, we may face a civil war within the next six months,” Jaemin added when the waitress walked away as if you didn’t already have enough on your plate.

Of course, you didn’t want a war to commence. You weren’t principally satisfied with how the government operated, but you concluded it could always get worse. If Jaemin was right, the country would fall apart if more people follow Doyoung in the polls. According to Jaemin’s research, you were the last chance to stop the nation from collapse. Maybe it was time to show some patriotism and save many people’s lives.

“What if I refuse?”

“We will leave the establishment,” Jaemin started off calmly, playing with the liquid in his glass. “Then, I will slit your throat and ditch your body in the bushes,” he added, and you reached for your drink, pouring it all down your throat.

“Both options are equally appealing,” you jested as you cleared your throat, hoping it would calm the sensitive tissue of your throat after the burn.

“What is your final answer?” Jaemin egged you on, and you cursed yourself for leaving your apartment. If only you had stayed at home, maybe none of this would happen. Unfortunately, you were stupid enough to leave the safe confinements of your humble estate, and now, you had to pick the lesser evil. Would you rather have Jaemin kill you now or die trying to assassinate your patron?

“I need time.”

“Meet me here this time tomorrow,” Jaemin ordered as he stood up, picking up his hat in the process. “Don’t try running away, doll face. I will find you,” he added as he tossed a few notes onto the table to cover the bill.

26th of September 1948, Sunday

You were in a tough spot.

Jaemin wanted you to murder Doyoung, and even though it was not something you were qualified to do, he left you no choice. You were most likely going to die in the process, but that perspective at least gave you a slimmer of hope for survival. The odds were not in your favor, but it still offered you room for fantasy.

It was stupid of you, but you decided to try. You had a few conditions, though.

Although Doyoung was good to you, his political views were a threat to many citizens. You really thought he was a righteous person, but apparently, you were deceived. In the higher-ups’ world, he was a bastard who would sacrifice many people for his own personal gain.

Jaemin wanted to meet you at the same time as yesterday, but due to your anxiety, you showed up an hour earlier. You really convinced yourself you would arrive extra early to calm down before you would have to confront him.

Unfortunately, you couldn’t foresee that Jaemin would be already waiting for you, casually sipping his gin and tonic, obnoxiously flirting with the waitress that was seated on the table with her legs dangling a few inches above the ground. She was shoving her round breasts right in Jaemin’s face, and you could tell he wasn’t indifferent about her advances. Jaemin liked the attention he was getting.

“I’ll do it,” you blurted the moment you approached him, snatching the glass of gin and tonic out of his hands, downing it in one go. You were about to agree to the stupidest idea in your country’s history, so you might’ve as well used some liquid courage.

“Leave,” Jaemin told the waitress as he forced her off the table, shoving the empty glass into her hands. “Bring us two flutes of champagne. We’re celebrating,” he added, and you rolled your eyes before you sat in the chair on the other side of the table.

“I have a few conditions, though,” you said, standing your ground, and Jaemin cocked his eyebrow, intrigued by your statement, impressed even. He thought he had scared you to the point of mindlessly agreeing to anything he wanted, but apparently, he was mistaken.

“I am all ears,” Jaemin smiled, entwining his fingers together as he rested them on his thighs, letting you speak. His day was pretty mundane, so he chose to let you entertain him.

“I want 20 thousand dollars. Doyoung is my exclusive patron, and without him, I am penniless,” you frankly said, and Jaemin nodded his head, taking into account your conditions. He was getting paid way more than that. Your share was only a percentage of what he was offered for assassinating Doyoung; he might’ve as well given you that tip.

“Five thousand dollars after the job is done,” he haggled, carefully watching your reaction.

“Ten thousand dollars. Five thousand now, and the rest when I finish my… assignment,” you negotiated, looking for a proper word to describe your task. “Take it or leave it.”

Jaemin liked a good challenge, and he found you full of surprises. You intrigued him.

On one side, you were timid, wanting to bolt out of the bar. However, sometimes, your brave side was showing, and it impressed him. From a scared little bunny, you could turn into a strong lioness. Maybe you weren’t cut out to be an assassin, but there was determination and bravery to you that could help you push through any obstacle. You were a survivor.

“Deal,” Jaemin smirked, biting on his bottom lip as he watched your reaction. He would have agreed to fifty thousand if you were going to succeed. However, since ten thousand was a satisfactory amount to you, he’d gladly keep the rest to himself. “Any other requests?”

“I need fake documents,” you firmly added just as you had rehearsed in your chamber. “Whether or not people approve Doyoung’s regime, I am committing treason. I’ll be needing fake documents and a safe passage abroad.”

“I am impressed. You’ve thought everything through,” Jaemin mentioned with a lopsided smirk, awed by your thorough preparation. His eyes were trained on you; he didn’t even turn his head to peek inside the waitress’ cleavage when she leaned forward to set the champagne flutes on the table. “Let’s do it your way. I will drop off the money and fake documents tomorrow evening. I need Doyoung gone by next Sunday.”

“I’m meeting him on Friday. He’s taking me to a horse race and to a festive banquet. Later, we will go to my place where we will be alone. I’ll do it then,” you explained, staring down at the champagne flute, too scared to look into Jaemin’s eyes. After all, you’ve made a deal with the devil. This Friday, you, a mere geisha, were about to change the course of history.

“Perfect,” Jaemin hollered as he clapped his hands, drawing lots of unnecessary attention. “Let’s toast to it, doll face.” Jaemin stood up, grabbed the flute, and gently clinked it against yours before downing the bubbles.

“Don’t call me that,” you mumbled, looking away as you drank your alcohol. You had a name, and it irked you whenever Jaemin addressed you with that pet name.

“But it fits you so well,” he added, and you rolled your eyes. You were disappointed but definitely not surprised. “Anyway, how are you going to do it?” Jaemin asked, raising his eyebrow in question. You were not a killer, and it interested him what kind of weapon you were planning to use.

“I am not sure. Something quiet.”

1st of October 1948, Friday

To say you were anxious was the understatement of the decade.

Thoughts of Doyoung and what you were about to do to him circulated through your mind from dawn to dusk. Even when you tried to fall asleep, you tossed and turned in your bed as these horrible images haunted your dreams as well. It was the only thing you could think about, and it gave you severe anxiety.

It didn’t go unnoticed by the people that approached you. They would ask you what’s the matter, and each time, you would brush them off, blaming it on your hormones. Thankfully, no one dared to question it further.

You were following your daily routine on autopilot, appreciating your repetitive schedule.

Just as Jaemin had promised, you received half of the money, the fraudulent documents, and a few instructions for you to follow on the day of Doyoung’s assassination.

In order to receive the other half of your earnings, you needed to go to the motel room where Jaemin would be waiting for you. Only then would he give you the rest of the money, and first thing in the morning, he would help you find a safe passage out of the country.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Shortly past midday, you went to your okiya mother which was already waiting for you when you stepped through the threshold. She was the one who arranged your meetings with Doyoung and got you all dolled up for them.

“Doyoung is a very generous patron,” she commented as she looked at your face in the mirror’s reflection, gently combing your hair. “Maybe, if you keep it up, you’ll be able to pay off your debt in two years,” she added, and you bit your lip, trying to resist the temptation to reveal how it’s your last time slaving for her.

“I’ll try my best to keep him satisfied,” you spoke with determination to sound believable. Fortunately, you had trained your entire life to lie to cater to other people’s expectations, so you effortlessly nailed that part.

It took a few hours to complete your look. Your hair was elegantly styled, your makeup was captivating, bringing out your best features, and your body was wrapped in the best ropes you owned. You looked like a goddess, and admittedly, you felt like one.

“Your carriage is waiting,” the mother announced as she followed behind you as you made your way out of the okiya. “You better be on your best behavior.”

“Of course,” you replied out of habit, sending her a reassuring smile. With your head high, you entered the carriage, not turning around to face her. You were about to commit treason. You would not only bring disgrace to your okiya but also to your country. However, you knew you were doing the right thing – the communist regime would lead this nation to ruin. Your image would suffer, but overall, you could stop your country from destroying itself.

Once you arrived at the location, you bowed to some high officials as you sought for Doyoung in the crowd.

Doyoung was sitting in a chair in the best section for the most influential people. It was an eight-people white table with a chair next to him vacant. Quickly, you made your way to him, not even trying to remember the names of the high-ups who were seated with him, chatting.

“Good afternoon,” you spoke as you approached their table and bowed politely to Doyoung’s acquaintances. On cue, they greeted you, and Doyoung stood up to pull the chair out for you. “Thank you,” you added in appreciation for his chivalrous gesture.

When you participated in such events, you nodded your head attentively and spoke only when you were spoken to. Regardless of how competent you were in many fields, you were there only as arm candy. To all these men, you were just a beautiful object, and it was fine with you. You considered them terrible people you wouldn’t be interacting with if you had a choice not to.

Doyoung was different.

Though you were just a girl to keep him company, he treated you with respect, always making sure you didn’t feel left out. Doyoung was polite, always talking to you as if you were equals. Sometimes, you even liked to entertain yourself that he might’ve genuine feelings for you. He was a great man, and it was disappointing to know him harboring romantic sentiments with you was just a beautiful fantasy.

“Which horse should I bet my money on?” Doyoung whispered to you as he took a few bills out of his wallet.

“I don’t know anything about horse races. You don’t want to lose your money because of me,” you replied with fake modesty, hoping Doyoung would drop the topic. You were no expert, and you didn’t want to be the reason why he lost his money.

“I don’t know anything about horse races, either,” he chuckled, counting the bills. “Come on, which one do you like the best?” Doyoung asked, tilting his head toward the tracks where horses were about to start the race.

He really wasn’t going to let it go. With a deep sigh, you shift your gaze to the horses. You had no idea what to look at nor what to consider, so you went with your gut.

“Number eight,” you said with a smile.

“Now, it wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Though horse races seemed like good entertainment to all rich men around you, you found it incredibly tedious. You were trying your best to stay focused and display no signs of boredom, and after two hours of pretending, you were exhausted. Hopefully, the party that Doyoung was going to take you to later was going to be more exciting.

You were bored out of your mind, and thankfully, Doyoung rescued you. He already talked to everyone that he wanted to, and there was no one keeping him here.

“Whose party is it anyway?” You inquired as you and Doyoung sat comfortably inside his vehicle. His driver was operating the heavy machine as he drove across the city.

“My good friend’s,” he shortly answered as he grabbed your hand and put it on his thigh. “We go way back when I was just a mere sergeant. If it wasn’t for him, I would probably die during the war,” Doyoung whispered as he leaned in, kissing the sensitive skin of your neck.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the party to be over to do this?” You asked, trying to push him away. Though he wasn’t forcing on you, it made you uncomfortable anyway. His driver was watching you, and you weren’t that kind of lady to do anything in front of an audience.

“You’re absolutely right,” Doyoung agreed, pulling away, resting his back against the backseat. “I am sorry. You look so breathtaking today I can’t keep my hands to myself.”

“Patience is a virtue,” you added, biting your lips seductively. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to tease him further, but you did it anyway. Doyoung liked you, after all. You knew his limit, and it would take much more than this little mischievous jab to actually anger him.

“If you’re going to keep up with your antics, I believe we would have to leave the party early,” he warned you, and you only batted your dark eyelashes at him, faking innocence.

The ride was rather short. Not even thirty minutes later, Doyoung’s chauffeur parked the vehicle in front of a grand mansion. Though you often accompanied General Kim, you had never been to such an elegant and luxurious location before. Without any doubt, Doyoung’s friend was one of the wealthiest people in the country.

Holding your hand, Doyoung led you inside, introducing you to the other guests. They didn’t care about your name, and you couldn’t care less about theirs. To you, they were just filthy rich higher-ups. On the other hand, to them, you were just a beautiful ornament, shining brightly next to Doyoung.

While Doyoung talked business to his acquaintances, you were zoning out, admiring the interior. The combination of gold and marbles and silks made you a little dizzy. Whoever owned this mansion was basking in riches and owned it.

“And then he says who are you?” One of the filthy rich men said, and everyone within earshot laughed as if it was the most hilarious thing they heard in their lives. You let a dry chuckle, too, acting as if you knew what this inside joke was about.

“Let’s get something to drink, shall we?” Doyoung offered, and you sighed in relief when he pulled you away from his friends. Your mouth was slowly beginning to hurt. You had no idea how much longer you could keep up with your fake smile.

Halfway to the buffet, someone bumped into you, nearly spilling his drink on your fancy outfit. Thankfully, the man managed to regain his balance before he’d make a mess.

“Pardon me, beautiful lady,” the man spoke, and you instantly recognized the voice. It was Captain Na Jaemin. “I was blinded by your beauty and didn’t see where I was going,” he explained, and you fought the urge to scoff at him.

What the heck was he doing here?!

As far as you could recall, Jaemin had no knowledge of this party. Maybe Jaemin had a high rank within the military structure, but he didn’t belong to the elite.

Doyoung didn’t appreciate Jaemin’s compliments almost as much as you did. Acting out on his slight jealously, he protectively draped his arm around your hips, pulling you closer. Smirking, Jaemin followed Doyoung’s possessive movement with his eyes, finding it amusing.

“Let me introduce myself,” Jaemin started as he gently grabbed your hand and pressed a delicate kiss on your fragile skin. “I’m Captain Na Jaemin,” he said, and you rolled your eyes, not even trying to play along. Doyoung was too jealous to even look your way to notice your sour expression upon bumping into Jaemin.

“You haven’t changed one bit,” Doyoung stated through gritted teeth, glaring at Jaemin. “Charming as always,” he muttered, disguising his anger with politeness.

“It feels like a sin not to compliment such a phenomenal woman,” Jaemin added, sending you a flirtatious wink that almost made you gag. Tonight, Jaemin seemed like a completely different person when Doyoung was around. You couldn’t believe he was the same person who had told you he would have had to slit your throat if you rejected his generous offer.

“One thing you must know about Jaemin is that flirting comes to him naturally like breathing,” Doyoung told you, and you giggled at his words. “Don’t fall for that,” he warned, and you nodded your head, agreeing with him. Doyoung was right about this one.

“Would you grace me with a dance?” Jaemin asked, batting his beautiful thick eyelashes at you. Though you hoped for Doyoung to deny on your behalf, someone approached the three of you, pulling Doyoung away.

“I’ll be right back,” Doyoung hollered as he was getting dragged away by one of his friends.

“What the hell are you doing here?” You whispered in an angry tone as Jaemin yanked you to the dance floor, twirling you around.

“What do you think I’m doing here? I’m making sure you’re keeping your side of the deal,” Jaemin whispered into your ear as he pulled you closer, resting his hands slightly above your hipline. “It wasn’t easy to get an invite, you know. I had to pull some strings and give away some favors,” he added, and you sighed, having no interest in that topic.

“Eat dirt, Jaemin,” you deadpanned, counting seconds for Doyoung to return and snatch you away. You were stressed enough without Jaemin breathing down your neck. You needed him gone now if you were going to go through your plan.

“It’s rude to talk to your friend like that.”

“We’re not friends,” you answered innocently, sending him an artificial beam.

“Ouch, that one hurt,” Jaemin said, pressing his open hand against his heart, being dramatic about your jab. “You broke my heart in half,” he added, almost sobbing for theatrics.

“If you don’t remove your hands from my ass in three seconds, your heart won’t be the only organ you’ll have broken,” you threatened, and Jaemin instantly moved his hands upwards.

“You’re hot when you’re thinking you have the upper hand,” Jaemin whispered, staring down at your face, admiring all beautiful details about it. “It’s cute,” he hesitated, thinking of kissing your lips. “Don’t forget I call the shots here, doll face,” he added as he leaned in, his breath tickling your skin.

“I knew I should have never left you alone,” you heard Doyoung’s voice from behind you. On cue, you took a step back. Finally, you could breathe. You felt as if you were suffocating around Jaemin, and you were glad that Doyoung came to your rescue.

“You can’t blame me, chief. I had to seize the opportunity,” Jaemin said politely, smiling at Doyoung. “She’s a great dancer. I’d kill to have another waltz with her,” he added, and you hoped he was only joking.

“Keep dreaming, kiddo,” Doyoung advised before he dragged you away to the buffet.

Though Doyoung didn’t say anything, you figured he was upset with Jaemin. You wondered if Jaemin’s flirtatious remarks were the stem of Doyoung’s anger, or maybe there was already something going on between them.

“You should have some grilled shrimps and deviled lobster tails. They’re delicious,” Doyoung recommended, and you took a tiny bite of the seafood that was on your plate.

“Who’s Jaemin to you anyway?” You casually asked, hoping your question wouldn’t raise any suspicion. You already figured they knew each other, but you wanted to discover what their relations were like. Their interaction a while ago made you curious as hell.

“He was a part of my division when I actively served in the military. Jaemin was a second class private when I was a sergeant,” Doyoung started, and you listened to him, slowly chewing the delicious food. “Back in the day, we fought together side by side. He’s the last one from the team who’s still alive. He’s almost like a son to me. A disobedient one but still a son.”

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. From what you gathered, Doyoung was basically a mentor or a father figure to Jaemin, and now, Jaemin was plotting with you to assassinate him.

“Jaemin’s a great soldier, but I don’t really approve of his frivolous lifestyle,” Doyoung carried on, and you resisted the urge to snort. You could tell Jaemin was a playboy, but it was still rich coming from Doyoung. After all, you were getting paid to entertain him.

For the rest of the party, you followed Doyoung as if your life depended on it. You knew Jaemin was around keeping a close eye on you, but you decided not to think about it. Your plan for the rest of the night was to wait until Doyoung’s social battery would run out.

Around two o’clock, the guests began slowly to leave the party.

“I want you,” you whispered into Doyoung’s ear when the man he was talking to excused himself. “How much longer until I can have you all to myself?” You questioned, trying to persuade him to leave.

Thankfully, Doyoung found your yearning irresistible.

Not even ten minutes later, you were helping Doyoung enter his car. You were not sure how much whisky he had drunk throughout the evening, but it was enough to turn him into a mumbling creature.

His driver took the two of you to your place.

“I’ll take it from here,” you spoke, smiling at the driver. It wasn’t the first time you had to assist tipsy Doyoung to climb the stairs to your apartment. “Good night,” you added before you smashed the vehicle’s doors shut.

“Are you an angel?” Doyoung asked in amazement as you helped him sit on the edge of your bed. With utter admiration, Doyoung started at you as if you were one of the Seven Wonders of the World. “I’m seeing an angel.”

“Wait here,” you ordered, making sure Doyoung was sitting still. “I’m going to change into something more comfortable and join you. Give me five minutes.”

Here goes nothing.

The inevitable finally came, and you were not ready to proceed. You locked yourself in the bathroom, knowing you were out of your mind to actually try to kill Doyoung. The dagger felt heavy in your trembling hands as you stared down at it. The silver blade shone under the light of your bathroom lamp.

Right now, Doyoung was such an easy target. He was waiting for you on the other side of the wall, unsuspecting. Doyoung was drunk – he wouldn’t even feel a thing when the blade cut him open.

These thoughts made you sick, but it was too late to back out.

Quickly, you stripped yourself to your lingerie. You didn’t want to stain your precious robes with Doyoung’s blood. You knew it was the last time you wore your silk shackles, but you figured the fabric was too valuable to get ruined.

Staring at your reflection in the mirror, you washed off your thick make-up.

Now or never.

You tightened your grip on the dagger before you unlocked the bathroom doors, powerfully swinging them open. Your haste moves took Doyoung by surprise. His reflexes were too slow to even notice when the blade pierced through his flesh.

With your eyes closed, you stabbed Doyoung’s chest, feeling his warm blood splash around the room. At first, he groaned in pain, but you didn’t stop your frantic attack until his limp body fell on the bed.

You did it.

You really did it.

Everything felt surreal to you. Your hands were shaking as you stood up and dropped the dagger onto the floor. You were in shock. Doyoung was lying lifelessly on your bed, and you just stared at him, trying to ignore the ringing in your ears.

You had no idea how much time passed until you recovered from your stupor. Tears were dripping down your cheeks as it finally dawned on you what you had done.

You took Doyoung’s life away. You murdered him. Maybe, you had a good reason for it, but it didn’t make you any less of a monster.

Wiping away your tears, you stormed to the bathroom, hopping under the stream of hot water. The blood you were covered with felt like acid against your skin, and you tried to scrub it off as if you were a deranged person.

In haste, you put on a clean set of clothes. Though your hands were still shaky, you somehow managed to do all the buttons of your white blouse. You put one of your polka dots skirts and tied your hair in a high ponytail with a cute red ribbon to complete your look.

You tried your best not to look in Doyoung’s direction as you walked around your bedroom, packing your suitcase. You wanted to get out of there as soon as it was possible, so you concluded to travel light. You only took two sets of underwear and a set of clean clothes. You would buy the rest of the necessities abroad.

Having thrown the money and fake documents into the suitcase, you picked it up and left your flat. Quickly, you turned off the lights and left, not bothering to close the doors behind you.

You reached the point of no return, and it was time you left your old life behind.

2nd of October 1948, Saturday

Without much trouble, you made your way to the address that Jaemin had written on a piece of paper. According to him, it was a safe place where you would wait until you could take a safe sailing trip.

It was a shabby pub that offered rooms for people who had too much to drink. Jaemin was already waiting for you when you entered the establishment. He was sitting at a tiny table at the back, surrounded by half a dozen needy women who were ready to fight each other to have their way with the young captain.

Slowly, you shuffled over to his table, dropping your suitcase onto the floor. With a deep sigh, you sat down on the other side of the table, reaching for his glass, drinking whatever alcohol was inside of it.

“Beat it,” Jaemin ordered, shooing the women away. All the ladies looked at you in envy, but you were sure their reaction would change if they knew the whole story. “Is he…?” Jaemin asked, leaning forward.

“Yes,” you answered quietly.

“Bravo!” Jaemin hollered, giving you a round of applause. “How did you do it?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” you whispered, but Jaemin didn’t pay any attention to your words, shouting at the waitress to bring a bottle of champagne.

“Come on, tell me. I’m curious,” Jaemin egged on, and you rolled your eyes before you gave in, providing him with a brief summary of what had happened at your apartment. Talking about it made you uncomfortable, but at least you didn’t fall into another immobilizing shock. “Here,” Jaemin reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulled out an envelope, and slid it across the table.

“When can you escort me out of the country?” You asked as you finished counting the bills. Jaemin gave you the money, but you still needed him to provide you with a safe passage through the border.

“The ship leaves the harbor tomorrow at noon. It will take us to China. From there, you’re free to go wherever you desire,” Jaemin announced, staring at you, carefully studying your reaction.

“What do you mean us?”

“Well… yes. I have to keep a low profile for a while before I can safely return,” Jaemin explained, and you huffed in irritation. You didn’t want Jaemin to follow you. “Come on,” he smiled, “aren’t you excited for our little adventure?”

“No.”

“You’re breaking my heart again,” Jaemin confessed, and you rolled your eyes, keeping your focus on the waitress who approached your table with a bottle of champagne and two flutes. Ignoring Jaemin’s presence, you reached for the bottle and took a few sips, not giving a shit about etiquette.

Good manners were the first thing they had taught you at your okiya, and it was liberating for once not to follow them. You felt like a naughty girl, and you liked it.

“You’re nothing like the other geishas I’ve met,” Jaemin commented as he leaned back in his seat, watching you in admiration. “What made you become one? I am curious.”

“Bold of you to assume I had a choice,” you asserted before taking one large gulp of the bubbles. “When I was about 12 years old, I was taken by the soldiers to work in their barracks along with other young girls from my village,” you started, trying to control your tone. It was still a sensitive topic to you even it happened many years ago.

Jaemin didn’t need to hear more as he already had a suspicion of what you were about to say.

“I got lucky because one of the soldiers figured I’d be worth more if he sold me away. While I ended up getting shipped away to start my training as a geisha, all the other girls faced even worse fate,” you choked, trying not to think what kind of hell your young female peers had gone through. Your knowledge about them was scarce, but you were sure this fate was worse than death. “I really hate war.”

For a while, Jaemin remained silent. Maybe he wasn’t the most selfless person on earth, but he still could sympathize. Nobody had it easy during the war, and Jaemin understood the pain.

“I understand,” Jaemin started, and you wanted to bark at him that he had no right to say anything like that. You were sure he did not understand, but before you managed to open your mouth to argue with him, Jaemin explained. “When the war was declared, my dad was first to draft, leaving me and my mom alone. One day, a bunch of soldiers broke into our house. They did despicable things to her and snapped her neck once they were done. I was just a kid then, but on the next day, I drafted, too.”

You didn’t expect Jaemin to open up in front of you like that. You’d much prefer if he maintained his playboy one-dimension image in your eyes. Now, you knew he was just a person who suffered an immense amount of pain. Although you two could consider yourself lucky for surviving the war, you just couldn’t carry on as if you hadn’t witnessed all of the cruelty which had been thrown your way.

“You should take some rest,” Jaemin proposed after he cleared his throat. The playful and flirty atmosphere was gone, and he didn’t feel like trying to force it back. Not after the two of you shared your deeply repressed past. “This is the key to your room. I’ll come to get you in the morning,” he added, sliding the key to your room across the table.

“See you in the morning,” you answered as you stood up, leaving Jaemin alone.

The room was tiny, but you were in no place to complain. You had a single bed and a desk at your disposal, and it was way more than you deserved.

Quietly, you lay down and crawled under the covers. Though you barely slept for the past few days, you didn’t feel particularly tired. However, since there was nothing for you to do, you were staring at the ceiling until your body finally gave up, allowing you to fall asleep.

You woke up when it was already bright outside.

Unhurriedly, you packed your belongings and went downstairs to check out. With a meek smile on your face, you handed the receptionist your key, asking for Jaemin. You didn’t like the answer which you received from the man at the desk.

“What do you mean he checked out at dusk?” You yelled, clenching your fists in fury. “This fucker,” you cursed, taking the man by surprise. He did not expect such an elegant lady to use such foul language in front of him.

You should’ve seen it coming. You already did your part, and Jaemin really didn’t see how it would benefit him to uphold his part of the deal. After all, you had no power to bring Doyoung from the dead.

“Thank you for letting me know,” you whispered to the man, trying to figure out a plan B. It was already past noon – your ship had already sailed. Thankfully, Jaemin didn’t steal the money he had provided you with earlier. It was going to be more difficult without his aid, but you could fend for yourself. You didn’t need him.

Heaving a confident sigh, you left the establishment. You needed to buy a ferry ticket and bolt from this damn place. Soon enough, they would discover Doyoung’s body and send bounty hunters for your head. Right now, you were a persona non grata in the capital – you had to disappear.

You decided to take a bus to the harbor. It would’ve been way easier than going there on foot. However, once you entered the vehicle, other passengers were staring at you as if you had grown a third head. You knew something was up, so you got out on the next stop.

You had no idea what was going on, but as soon as you saw the newspaper booth, everything became crystal clear to you.

On the front page of the daily newspaper was your photograph. Thankfully, they used a picture of you wearing a thick layer of make-up, so people would need to take a closer look to recognize you.

The police were searching for you for third-degree murder and treason.

Fantastic, all your worst suspicions were correct.

Quickly, you lowered your head, staring down at the pavement as you roamed the streets, looking for shelter. If you wanted to make it alive, you needed a solid plan.

Having run out of options, you threw your suitcase over the fence of the abandoned building. The property was heavily damaged during the war, and no one bothered to renovate it. It was a collapse hazard, but it was your last resort.

“What did I get myself into?” You wondered out loud as you sat down on your suitcase, wrapping your arms around your bent legs, hoping it would provide you with warmth.

Your situation seemed helpless.

You sat in the same position until you could no longer ignore your grumbling stomach. The last meal you had was at the party, and you already felt your body weaken.

Having hidden the suitcase with your belongings, you left your hiding spot to hunt for food and perhaps other necessities.

Three blocks away, you stumbled upon freshly washed laundry. Cautiously, you stole a pair of trousers that seemed your size and a flat woolen cap. You felt sorry for the teenager that you robbed, but you had no other choice. You had to try your best to conceal your identity, and you figured no one would suspect a woman to wear pants.

In your disguise, you roamed the streets with more ease. No one was giving you a stinky eye, and you concluded it was a sign that your camouflage was working.

You found an inexpensive tavern and ordered a meal. Though you didn’t have a vast offer to choose from, you got a bowl of soup, some grilled chicken, and fried rice. It wasn’t a fancy supper you had got used to, but you were way past beyond the point where you needed your food tasty. Under these circumstances, you would be happy with stale bread and water.

A moment after you finished eating, you felt someone tap your shoulder. Alarmed, you turned around and saw two men standing behind you. You didn’t know them, but they were staring at you as if they knew you.

Before you managed to say anything, they showed you their police badges.

Fantastic.

Here goes your excellent escape plan.

“We don’t want to make a scene. Please follow us outside,” one of the police officers said, and you jumped off your barstool, having no energy to fight back. It was time to give up and accept your fate. The police caught you, and you were going to be executed for treason.

3rd of October 1948, Sunday

Though the police arrested you in the evening, they waited until morning to properly interrogate you. The night you spent at the precinct wasn’t pleasant, but you still considered it an upgrade. At least, the police station wouldn’t crumble down if the wind blew too strongly.

At 9 o’clock, you were escorted into the interrogation room. When you arrived, the cops from earlier were already waiting for you.

“A breakfast would be nice,” you spoke in response to their threatening gaze.

“I am detective Moon Taeil, and this is my partner, younger detective Lee Donghyuck,” the policeman introduced himself and his coworker, ignoring your lame ice-breaker. “We’ve brought you here because you’re the main suspect in our case of slaughtering General Kim Doyoung. His body was found yesterday morning at your apartment,” Detective Moon read from the file before he looked up at you with smoldering intensity.

“Is that a definite no for that breakfast? I thought that people get breakfast around here,” you blabbered, having no filter. You were stressed, and you couldn’t control your fidgety blather. “I am craving apples. Do you perhaps have any? I could use some vitamins,” you carried on, digging an even deeper grave for yourself.

“Enough of this bullshit,” Donghyuck yelled, smashing his hands against the metal table, trying to intimidate you. If you weren’t already stressed, balancing on the verge of fainting, Donghyuck’s harsh tone would most definitely work on you. “Why did you do it, huh?”

There was nothing else for you to do but tell them the truth.

“It’s not like that,” you started, raising your hands as if you were at gunpoint.

“How is it like then?” Donghyuck asked, cocking up his eyebrow in question. He hauled a chair, making it unpleasantly screech before he sat down with you by the metal table.

You could tell they were professionals. With ease, they could read a person and conjecture if they were trying to bullshit their way out of the mess. Thankfully, you had been mastering the art of deceit your entire life at the okiya. You were faultless when it came to telling men exactly what they wanted to hear, and you shamelessly used it to your advantage.

“General Kim paid me to accompany him to a horse race and a party at his friend’s mansion,” you began, staring at the policemen in front of you. They were nodding their heads, comparing your statement with the evidence they had gathered.

“General Kim’s driver confessed he dropped the two of you in front of your apartment. What happened then?” Detective Moon asked, and you sighed, ready to deliver your part.

“Just like any other times, we went to my place to fuck. Doyoung was waiting for me on the bed when I was getting freshened up in the bathroom. Suddenly, I heard Doyoung talking with someone, so I peeped through the keyhole.”

“Who was he talking with?” Taeil inquired, writing a quick note in the files.

“It was captain Na Jaemin,” you confessed, watching Taeil scribble Jaemin’s name in the files in beautiful cursive. “We met him briefly earlier at the party. Plenty of guests may testify that Doyoung and Jaemin didn’t have a friendly chat. They were glaring at each other. The way they talked… it was… hmm… very hostile.”

“We’ll have to check it out. Can you perhaps tell us their names?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know their names. I didn’t personally talk to any of them,” you spoke truth for the first time since the beginning of your interrogation, quite pleased with the way you fed them your lies. Jaemin had it coming for betraying you like that. You couldn’t wait for him to get caught and sit in this chair during his questioning.

“What else did you see through the keyhole?”

“Jaemin and Doyoung were arguing. I don’t remember their exact words, but they were talking something about the National Assembly. Then, when Doyoung said he would never do what Jaemin wanted him to, Jaemin pulled out a dagger, and –,” you paused, faking a sob to make your Oscar-worthy testimony even more dramatic.

“And?”

“And then, Jaemin stabbed Doyoung a couple of times,” you disclosed, wiping off the tears that started to run down your cheeks. “When Doyoung’s body fell onto the bed, Jaemin looked around and rushed to the bathroom. Acting on my survival instinct, I jumped out of the bathroom window before Jaemin managed to kill me, too.”

“Why didn’t you go to the police?” Taeil asked, wondering why you ran away in the first place if you were innocent. You had nothing to fear, yet you still chose to run away.

“I was scared,” you shortly answered, trying to show them your vulnerable side. “I was running in my underwear late at night with a dangerous man possibly chasing me,” you added, hoping your story made sense. You didn’t want to make a mistake and get caught. “I stayed the night in a run-down building. When I calmed down a bit, I stole some clothes and cash and went to have a warm meal.”

“And then, we found you,” Donghyuck finished, already knowing the end to your story.

“Yes.”

“Thank you for complying,” Taeil announced as he grabbed the files, standing up.

“Wait! What’s going to happen to me now?”

“We’ll verify if your statement checks out. If we find evidence pointing at captain Na Jaemin, your charges will probably drop. Until then, you have to stay in custody.”

“What about that breakfast? I’m really hungry,” you added, but they already left the room.

5th of October 1948, Tuesday

Taeil and Donghyuck certainly took their precious time to painstakingly investigate your case.

You had to look at the bright side of your current situation, though. You had a roof under your head and a warm meal two times a day, so you couldn’t complain. Although you were in a tough spot right now, it wasn’t as bad as you initially thought. It was actually bearable.

“What kind of geisha are you? Aren’t trousers like… forbidden to wear?” Donghyuck mocked you through the bars, staring at your outfit. You were lying on the bench in your cell, minding your business, but Donghyuck decided to use his lunch break to bother you. It was annoying as hell, but you took a deep sigh, trying to remain calm. After all, he was a law enforcement officer, and you didn’t want him to charge you with an offense.

You had enough on your plate as it was.

“Can you stop pestering our suspect?” Taeil hollered, trying to make Donghyuck stop. Unfortunately, the younger policeman didn’t plan on leaving you be any time soon. It seemed you were the only source of entertainment to him at the moment, and you hated it.

“How much does it cost to hire you anyway?” Donghyuck asked, staring down at his sandwich. “We were at your okiya. Your mother said that General Kim was your only patron. We’ve also been to your apartment. You’ve lived a fancy life. So… how much do you charge? Your hmm… services can’t be cheap.”

“Can you please shut the hell up?” You angrily asked, making Donghyuck jump a bit away in surprise. He did not expect your tone to be so frightening and well… impolite. “Thank you,” you added when Donghyuck didn’t say anything for three consecutive seconds.

Though your eyes were closed, you sensed that Donghyuck wanted to continue his conversation with you. You barely knew the guy, but you could tell he didn’t know the appropriate moment to stop his annoying antics.

Just when Donghyuck was about to open his mouth and spit more nonsense in your direction, the landline rang. Quickly, the policeman turned around to answer the call, but his partner beat him to it, picking up the phone.

“Who was that?”

“Our boss’s boss,” Taeil announced calmly.

“Well… what did he want?”

“He talked to the higher-ups who were at the party last Friday. Her statement checks out, and we gotta release her,” Taeil explained, and you smiled, feeling a wave of relief wash through you. You actually managed to twist the truth to secure a walk-out-of-prison-free card.

You didn’t want to pose as too enthusiastic about your release, so you repressed your smirk. Taeil and Donghyuck might’ve found it too suspicious and came with a different bullshit excuse to keep you in custody.

It was obvious they weren’t ecstatic to let you out. That much you figured out. Thankfully, they had to listen to their superior and set you free.

“From now on, we will be looking for Captain Na Jaemin. Don’t leave town, in case we have more questions throughout our investigation,” Taeil ordered before he unlocked the doors of your cell, stepping to the side, making enough room for you to walk out of your little prison.

“Can I return to my apartment?”

“It’s a crime scene,” Donghyuck said, but it didn’t answer your question because you had no idea if you could or could not stay at your place. “Do you even want to come back to that place?”

“Actually, I don’t,” you answered without much hesitation. Donghyuck made a point. You were sure your apartment still reeked of death, and you didn’t want to return there just yet. “You’re right. I’ll just stay at my friend’s before I figure out my new living situation,” you added with a polite smile.

You took a deep breath once you stepped out of the precinct. It was the first time you were actually stripped off of your freedom, and once you were given it back, you could fully appreciate it. Though your past was a series of unfortunate events, you realized your life was worth living.

Despite all the terrible things happening in the capital, you found the city incredibly beautiful. Maybe it was autumn, but the day was sunny and actually warm. The streets boasted with the noise of local sellers and buyers haggling prices. You could even hear birds chirping in the background.

You had nowhere to go, but it didn’t worry you much. You had lots of money hidden away. As soon as you’d find someone to take you across the border safely, you were all set.

You will be gone forever.

You were strolling the streets with your head held high and a bright smile attached to your face. The passersby were giving you a stinky eye for wearing trousers, but you couldn’t care less about them. You just stuck your tongue out at them, hoping they’d start minding their own business. Trousers were comfortable, and you weren’t going to change because some men told you it was weird.

You stopped by the small kiosk as you reached for the newspaper, staring at the headlines. There was an article about Doyoung, and what a pity it was to lose him. Apparently, he was the party leader who wanted to end the current regime and stop the communist party before they would do any more damage to your country’s economy.

What the hell?

It made you confused as hell.

The article completely contradicted what Jaemin had told you about Doyoung’s political views. You were told that Doyoung supported the rapidly growing communist propaganda. However, in reality, he opposed it with his entire being. You were sure you were helping to fight the faulty system, but apparently, you slowed down the transition process.

You were starting to panic.

Hopefully, your entanglement in these political matters could be easily reversed back to its normal flow. You wished that one of Doyoung’s good acquaintances from the party would just step in and handle the situation just fine.

Although you were kept out of the loop of how the government operated, you still hoped the damage you had done wasn’t as severe as the press was trying to make it seem. Doyoung was just a person – he couldn’t be that important of a public figure to shake the entire country.

Right now, there was only one thing you could do – act as if none of that ever happened. You decided to stop thinking about it. Maybe the situation within the borders was difficult, but you were to start pretending these problems never existed. After all, you were just a mere geisha – one stupid mistake on your part couldn’t change the course of history.

Right?

Ignorance seemed to be your only way of coping. You still felt remorse for what you had done, but you were sure this feeling would dilute with time.

Having absolutely no money on you, you decided to take a stroll to your hideout. The day was beautiful, and you could use some fitness after spending three days in custody. Later, in the evening, you’d go out to find a ferry and take the first cruise abroad.

You were on your way to the crumbling building where you had hidden your money.

Suddenly, you felt someone creeping up on you. Whoever sneaked up on you caught you off guard, covering your mouth with an open hand, hauling you in a narrow alley. You were panicking. The police didn’t set you free to get pulled to the side and murdered.

You were screaming for your life, but since your mouth was covered, no one could hear you and come to your rescue. You tried wriggling, but you were too weak to fight off your offender.

“I’ll let you go if you stop shouting,” you heard a male whisper into your ear. You recognized Jaemin’s low voice in a heartbeat.

It didn’t calm you down, though. You figured Jaemin knew it was you who sold him out to the police. It was your imaginative statement that began the chase after him.

“Relax,” Jaemin cooed, letting his timbre voice tickle your ear. “I’m not going to kill you, although I should, considering what you’ve done,” he added, and you decided to trust him. You had no real reason to believe in anything he said, but since he didn’t strangle you yet, you figured there was still a slimmer of hope.

When you stilled, Jaemin released you from the tight grip he held you in. Quickly, you turned around and pushed him harshly against the brick wall. You were still mad at him for crossing you a few days ago.

“I didn’t know you like it rough, doll face,” Jaemin smirked, staring at your unusual outfit. “I must admit, I like your new style. I was following for a while, and I must tell you your ass looks amazing in these trousers,” he complimented you, and you just rolled your eyes at him, even though it was nice to receive praise for your attire instead of the patronizing frown.

“What the hell do you want?” You barked, folding your arms across your chest, waiting for your well-deserved explanation. You thought you two had a deal, but Jaemin failed you.

He had better have a good excuse.

“I’m not particularly fond of what you told the police.”

“I wasn’t particularly fond of you, standing me up the other day, either,” you answered, acting stubborn as ever. “As if you’re forgotten, you betrayed me first,” you challenged, but Jaemin only sighed, not giving you a proper response. “And you lied to me! How could you trick me like that? Doyoung supported the change, not commies!”

“I didn’t have much of a choice!” Jaemin yelled at you, unable to control his frustration any longer. “I’m not as high in the food chain as you think I am,” he clarified, staring softly at you as if it was supposed to make you go easy on him.

“Whatever, I don’t care,” you spat, shrugging. “What do you want from me anyway? I thought we were done.”

“The entire police department is chasing me,” Jaemin announced, and you hummed, trying to figure out how it was any of your business. “The person who gave me an order to assassinate Doyoung has turned his back on me.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that. If only I knew how it feels,” you sarcastically mocked, having no sympathy for Jaemin. It would be a lie if you said you didn’t enjoy the way Jaemin was about to taste his own medicine. He had stabbed you in your back, and now, karma got to him.

“When they caught you, I concluded you’d tell them the truth. Curiosity got the best of me, and I asked my friend for a favor. When I read the file, I was impressed,” Jaemin started, and you smiled, glad that Jaemin enjoyed your testimony, “and also furious. I wanted to strangle you when I discovered what kind of shit you accused me of.”

“You shouldn’t have messed up with me first,” you remarked, reminding Jaemin it was him who had wronged you way before you made the statement at the precinct.

“But then, I realized we could help each other out.”

“How so?”

“You need my skills and knowledge to leave the country,” Jaemin confidently stated, and you groaned, knowing it was going to be easier with his aid.

“What do you get out of it?”

“I get to spend time with a beautiful and kind woman,” Jaemin deadpanned, and you rolled your eyes, sick and tired with his relentless flirting in inappropriate moments. “The police are looking for me. It’ll be less conspicuous to travel with a companion. We’ll easily blend in and escape this hell hole under their radar.”

“You could’ve asked anyone. I can bet plenty of women would agree to help you out. I can’t tell what they see in you, but they basically throw themselves at you.”

“I know, but then I decided it is better to keep you by my side. That way, you can’t feed the cops any more lies,” Jaemin confessed, and you had to agree with him. At this point, you might’ve told Jaemin to refer to you as a deceit master.

“Ok, fine. What’s your plan?” You gave in, and Jaemin smirked at you, excited to share his faultless ploy with you.

“We take the night train to Gwangju. It’ll be safe for us to wait there for the ship to Shanghai. It sails every Saturday,” Jaemin proposed, and you hummed. It seemed simple, and you had to admit his plan was better than your improvised one.

“If this plan flops, I’m going to murder you,” you warned him, but Jaemin just scoffed, knowing you had no means to kill him. However, Jaemin also knew nothing would stop you from trying.

“Doll face,” Jaemin softly spoke, caressing your cheek as he stared at you fondly, “if this plan flops, we’re going to die anyway.”

Sadly, he was right.

If anything goes wrong, you two either end up dead or serving a death sentence.

“So what now?”

“We’re going shopping. As sexy as you are in these trousers, they need to go. They attract way too much attention,” Jaemin giggling, seizing the opportunity to check out your ass once again. “When we’re alone, you get to wear whatever you want. Or you don’t need to wear anything. I am fine with both,” he added, and you rolled your eyes, walking away from him.

Jaemin had to stop his annoying flirting. If he kept throwing thirsty compliments in your direction, god forbid, you might start to enjoy them.

6th of October 1948, Wednesday

According to the schedule, the train to Gwangju was leaving at half-past midnight.

Having shopped and gathered all necessities, you and Jaemin arrived twenty minutes before the departure. There were a couple of policemen at the railway station. You and Jaemin, however, didn’t seem to raise any suspicion as you walked hand in hand, looking all lovey-dovey. Your heart was beating rapidly, but Jaemin held your hands tightly, rubbing soft circles against your skin to calm you down.

Quickly, you boarded the train, looking for your compartment. Since it was an overnight drive, each compartment consisted of four berths. Once you found yours, two beds were already occupied by an elderly couple. Soon, you discovered they were going to their youngest son’s wedding.

“What brings you two to Gwangju?” The elderly woman asked as she watched Jaemin put your luggage carefully under his berth.

“We’re not going to Gwangju,” Jaemin politely answered, staring at you as if you were the apple of his eye. “We’re going on our honeymoon to Jeju. Once we arrive in the morning in Gwangju, we will have to board the ship which is gonna take us to the island,” he mused. You smiled, silently accepting this scenario, too fed up to add any detail yourself.

“Honey, did you hear that?” The woman cooed but didn’t get a proper response since her lovely husband was already asleep on the bunk bed above hers. “Pardon him. He’s so stressed about this wedding – he barely slept these couple of nights.”

“It’s alright. We’re pretty tired, too,” Jaemin spoke, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows at you. “Our wedding was last Friday, and we haven’t managed to get proper sleep since then,” he added as he yanked you into his arms with a lopsided smirk upon his face.

“Oh my god,” you groaned, not too pleased with the way Jaemin decided to display his artificial affection. “Behave,” you reminded him, trying to push him away.

“You are adorable,” the woman commented, finding your interaction with Jaemin oddly cute. “Actually, you remind me a lot of my husband and I in our youth. We kept teasing each other all the time,” she giggled, reminiscing of her beautiful past.

“Tickets and documents, please,” the train conductor ordered as he opened the doors to your compartment. In haste, the woman handed him a couple of tickets. Quickly, Jaemin reached into the pocket of his jacket and followed the conductor’s order.

Still being in Jaemin’s arms, you avoided eye contact with the conductor, burying your face in Jaemin’s chest. Keeping up your act, Jaemin wrapped his arm around your shoulder and nuzzled his cheek against the top of your head.

The conductor inspected the documents, finding nothing suspicious. The moment he handed the papers back to Jaemin and wished you a pleasant trip, you sighed in relief.

It was the first stage of your ingenious plan, and you hoped the other steps would go just as smoothly.

“Take your hands off me,” you whispered into Jaemin’s ear, pinching his side. The conductor left, and the show was over. You didn’t want to be near him more than it was necessary.

“Let me help you, love,” Jaemin mused, flashing his playful smile as he wanted to assist you to hop on the upper bunk bed. You cursed him and his entire bloodline under your breath as you turned around to climb the short ladder.

“You’re gonna regret this,” you warned him through gritted teeth when you felt his hands on your ass. Jaemin quietly chuckled, underestimating your threat.

Once you were lying on your bed, tucked under the covers, Jaemin stood on the second step of the ladder, looking down at you. “This old hag is still watching us,” he whispered so you were the only one that could hear him. “Dream of me, love,” he cooed, squishing your cheeks in artificial sweetness. “I’ll wake you up in the morning when we arrive at Gwangju,” he added, pressing a chaste kiss against your forehead.

Even though this time around, Jaemin was more dependent on you, his statement still left a sour after taste. Instantly, you remembered the situation at the motel where he used similar words to reassure you. It didn’t calm you down. You didn’t trust Jaemin, so even if the terms of your deal changed, you decided to sleep with one eye open in case he’d try to backstab you again.

“There’s so much passion between you two,” the old lady commented, and you concluded she wasn’t wrong. She definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. You passionately hated Jaemin because of what he had put you through.

Jaemin talked to the woman some more about your beautiful relationship with him. Thinking about Jaemin as your man made you nauseous, and you decided to consider their conversation as an annoying white noise that lulled you to sleep.

7th of October 1948, Thursday

Surprisingly, Jaemin didn’t ditch you. He woke you up just in time when the train was slowly approaching its destination, giving you enough time to get ready to leave. Moreover, Jaemin was the one who kept answering the old couple’s question, giving you peace of mind.

“Have fun on your trip,” the elderly man hollered when you and Jaemin exited the compartment.

“The air here is so fresh,” Jaemin took a deep breath, enjoying the morning’s breeze. “It’s nothing like the air in the capital. You should try it,” he advised it, and you inhaled, letting your lungs fill with the air which you were not accustomed to. Admittedly, it felt cleaner.

“What are we doing now?”

“We’re going to find a car,” Jaemin casually said as he threw his backpack over his shoulder, strolling out of the railway station. Without question, you followed him. “I asked my good friend a favor, so there should be a car waiting for us right outside.”

“And then what?” You inquired, bumping into Jaemin’s back when he abruptly stopped.

“I know a place where nobody will be looking for us. We should be safe there until we can board the ship to Shanghai,” Jaemin said, and you sighed in relief. The plan seemed solid, and you finally felt some sort of stability. Things were looking good.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” You enthusiastically hollered, hooking your arm under Jaemin’s, ready to find the car and drive to your hideout.

Having thrown your stuff in the back seat, you and Jaemin entered the car and drove away. Though you still didn’t leave the country yet, you could full freedom was near. In a few days, you would be on a ship to China from where you could go anywhere.

“Should we make a quick stop to have breakfast? I’m starving,” Jaemin spoke, successfully obtaining your attention. For the past hour, you two were sitting in complete silence. Jaemin was driving the bumpy roads while you were admiring the beautiful scenery.

“I’d kill for some food, actually,” you seriously mused. You didn’t even remember when you had your last proper meal. You had gone through some rough days, and you deserved a feast.

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Jaemin smiled, turning the vehicle around to go to the small family diner you had seen on your way.

Entering the restaurant with Jaemin’s hand on the little of your back felt strange. Almost as if he was slowly becoming your friend despite all the bad things he had you roped in.

An old lady greeted you and escorted you to a secluded booth inside.

“What do you want? It’s my treat,” Jaemin happily announced, skimming through the menu. Frankly, it was a bit odd to see him this happy, but you concluded he was already in a celebratory mood. The most difficult part of your journey was already past you, so you figured it wasn’t half bad to party a little.

“Everything looks delicious,” you commented, having a dilemma choosing.

“Alright then,” Jaemin answered, making you confused. Was he going to decide for you? Rude. “We’re ready to order!” He hollered, summoning the waitress to your table. “We’d like a little bit of everything on the menu,” he announced, and you choked on air, not suspecting this kind of generosity.

“But sir-“

“We’re celebrating,” Jaemin started, lying through his teeth, reaching to hold your hand, which rested idly on the table. “You see… we just got married, and my wife can’t decide what she wants, and I just can’t deny her anything, so we’d like to try a little bit of everything.”

Though the waitress was a bit troubled and taken aback by Jaemin’s request, she left with a polite bow, ready to serve your table.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you spoke, trying to nag him for carelessly spending so much money. “If you gave me a minute, I’d have made my mind,” you carried on, but Jaemin brushed you off with an eye roll.

“It’s nothing,” he reassured you, sending you a big smile. God, you hoped it was genuine. “Consider it as a thank you for helping me out. Without you, I’d have got caught.”

Following Jaemin’s order, the waitress kept bringing dishes to your table. You had to share them with Jaemin, but it didn’t make them any less mouth-watering. You could swear each meal tasted better than the other. Without any doubt, you gained the weight you had lost over the past few days.

“What do you want to do once we finally escape?” Jaemin asked as he leaned back, staring at you in curiosity. Frankly, he had no idea what he wanted to do after the successful disappearance. However, he wondered if you had something in mind.

“I want to buy a house by the beach,” you said dreamily, slipping into your beautiful fantasy. “I’ll read books on the porch. I’ll get a dog. I’ll ride the bike. Oh, and I’ll learn how to cook!”

“Sounds great.”

“What about you? What do you want to do?”

Jaemin sighed in deep thought. He had plenty of money which could grant him lots of opportunities. However, he didn’t feel particularly enticed about them. “I’ll buy a house next to yours. And I’ll be playing with your dog when you’re reading books. And I’ll get us a tandem bike. And I’ll volunteer to try all the food you’ll make.”

Though his response was to make you laugh, you read it as a threat. Quickly, you stood up and leaned in over the table, pinching his arm, warning him not to interfere with your plans. It was fun dining with him, but you couldn’t let him be a part of your future.

“Don’t you dare,” you warned with your forefinger, making him chuckle.

“What? I’d be a perfect neighbor,” Jaemin added in his defense, but you only glared at him, and he had no other option but to apologize for his unfunny jest.

Jaemin told you to wait in the car while he left behind to pay the bill for your abundant breakfast. Having smiled at the waitress, you left the establishment.

Jaemin’s hideout happened to be a small house in the rural area a few hours away from the city center. He didn’t lie when he said it was a good one – no one would come this far to look for a couple fugitives that were hiding in the middle of nowhere.

Jaemin parked in front of the house and grabbed your stuff, while you started at the estate in front of you. It was a modest-looking, one-storey house. Although it was undoubtedly old, whoever lived there kept it neat and tidy.

“How did you even find this place?” You asked as you opened the doors and walked inside, studying the interior. There were plenty of appliances inside that made the space look cramped and small, but you didn’t complain. At least, it was clean as if someone had tidied it before you and Jaemin arrived.

“My grandparents lived here. They died a few years ago. I called my friend to get someone over here to clean this place up and do some shopping. We don’t need to leave until Saturday,” Jaemin explained, and you nodded, registering the information.

“What are we going to do here all this time?” You asked with a sigh, checking the titles which were standing proudly on the bookshelf.

“I have an idea,” Jaemin smirked before he bit his lip, checking you out from head to toe.

“Pervert.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Jaemin argued, acting as if he had never had a naughty thought. “You’re the one with a filthy mind, doll face,” he added, making sure to include his favorite pet name in his statement. “Just admit you want to fuck me, so we can get it over with.”

“Pfft, in your dreams, loverboy,” you scoffed, turning away in embarrassment. It wasn’t a nice save, but it was good enough to get Jaemin off your back for a short while.

Once you two settled inside the house, you left to freshen yourself up. You desperately needed to take a bath and change into more comfortable clothing. Thankfully, Jaemin left you alone, giving you enough space and time to have a relaxing bath.

Having filled the bathtub with warm water, you poured some flowery-scented soap before you got inside. It was a feast for your senses – the aromatherapy which you really needed.

Idly, you lay in the bathtub until the water got cold and your skin got all wrinkly like a dried plum. It was more relaxation than you deserved, but you still greedily took all of it.

Quickly, you put on a clean set of underwear, looking at your reflection. You could barely recognize yourself. Your skin didn’t look as healthy as before, your hair wasn’t shiny anymore, and your eye bags were evidence of all the stress and anxiety you experienced.

Carefully, you began your religious hair care routine, which your okiya mother had taught you. No matter how time-consuming it was to maintain your hair long, you had no choice but to abide by the rules. On autopilot, you squeezed the excess water out of your hair, trying your best not to tangle it.

Then it hit you.

What the hell am I doing, you thought to yourself as you dropped the towel onto the floor. You were no longer a geisha – you were a free woman, and you could do anything you wanted, and that included making decisions about your appearance.

Rummaging through the drawers, you found a pair of old scissors. You stared at them for a while before you raised them, pondering if you really wanted to go through it. You could wait and have them professionally cut, or you could try it yourself in a poorly lit bathroom with rusty equipment.

It was a tough choice, but you made your mind. Even if you fucked up your haircut, there were no men who you had to appease or impress. Now that you were free, you couldn’t care any less about men and what they thought of you.

Quickly, you raised the scissors and cut through your luscious hair. Earlier, your braid reached the middle of your back, while now, it was shoulder-length. Though your hair looked more chopped than trimmed, you were content with the outcome.

In haste, you cleaned the bathroom and reached for a set of clean clothes. No one was going to see you anyway besides Jaemin, so you chose comfort over fashion – a white cotton button-down shirt and a pair of trousers.

When you got out of the bathroom, Jaemin was nowhere in sight, so you looked through the window, hoping to find him outside.

Jaemin was sitting on an old swing outside. There was a wine bottle in his hand, from which he occasionally sipped the alcohol while admiring the sun, which was slowly descending beyond the trees.

Though it was chilly outside, you decided to join him.

“I forgot how beautiful the sunset is here,” Jaemin whispered when you sat down in the swing beside him. “I used to run around and play with other kids until it’d get dark. I loved spending summers with my grandparents. These were good times,” he added, offering you the wine bottle, which you gladly accepted.

You were safe in this rural sanctuary, so you figured it was alright to have some fun. You didn’t expect Jaemin to share his childhood memories with you, but now that he started, you were curious how he lived before he got drafted. Especially when you never had a carefree childhood on your own. Even before you were abducted, you always had to help around the house, being the eldest daughter of your father.

“Are you still in touch with your childhood friends?” You asked, and Jaemin softly smiled.

“Only Jeno is still alive,” Jaemin stated, accepting the wine, which you passed back to him. “He’s the one who left the car by the station and got a maid to clean the house before our arrival,” he added, and you hummed. “I really neglected our friendship, but when I called him asking for help, he agreed in a heartbeat.”

“He’s a friend with a heart of gold,” you stated with envy, wishing you could have a friend like Jeno in the future.

“Now, I keep thinking how my life would look like if I didn’t join the military at such an early age. Jeno and I kept joking we should become primary school teachers.”

“I can’t imagine you as a teacher, sorry,” you snorted when you heard Jaemin’s nostalgic statement. Though you didn’t know him well, you just couldn’t imagine him as a pedagogue.

“What about you? Who did you want to become?”

His question caught you off guard. It wasn’t a difficult one, but you genuinely didn’t know what to reply. When you were little, you were too busy busting your ass off to think about your future. Even if you had any specific goals, now you didn’t remember them.

“I don’t know,” you confessed, staring at the colorful sky. While orange and pink were making a beautiful palette on the horizon, you could see them getting swallowed by navy blue. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m about to start my life from scratch anyway,” you added with a shrug, tearing the wine from Jaemin’s arms.

“I can see that,” Jaemin commented as he finally looked at your properly, smiling like an idiot, studying your change in terms of visuals. “Short hair looks good on you,” he added, and you quickly looked away, not expecting such a genuine-sounding compliment from him.

Typically, Jaemin tried to make you frustrated with sexual innuendos or shameless flirty remarks. Often, he’d even send you a naughty smirk, or a mischievous eyebrow wiggle, or a playful wink, or god forbid, all three at once. Soft-spoken, unadulterated praises didn’t suit Jaemin’s mouth.

“I had no idea such an unpretentious compliment would get you this frustrated,” Jaemin smugly remarked, pushing the swing with his feet to the side, so he could poke your shoulder.

Sometimes, you didn’t get Jaemin. While you didn’t expect any man to appreciate the change in your appearance, Jaemin seemed to thoroughly enjoy the transition. He was blown away by your beauty without you even trying to impress him.

“It didn’t,” you tried to argue, but Jaemin didn’t believe you.

Honesty, you were confused. When you first met Jaemin, he was a complete jerk you hated with every fiber of your existence. However, now, when he was stripped off of all titles, he seemed like a decent human being. Too bad it took him to lose everything he had earned in his entire life to exhibit commendable personality traits.

Though you’d never admit it, you were slowly starting to tolerate him.

“Come on! Admit it,” he nudged you on, and you groaned with a roll of your eyes. “Or better yet, don’t say anything. Just give me a kiss,” Jaemin carried on, obnoxiously puckering his lips.”No need to be shy, doll face.”

“Keep dreaming.”

Quickly, you turned around, taking Jaemin by surprise. Taking advantage of his slowed-down reflex, you tore the wine bottle from his hands, making him lose his balance. Being uncharacteristically clumsy, Jaemin stumbled backward, falling right on his back.

“It was just a joke,” Jaemin chuckled as he stood up and dusted off his pants the best he could.

“Well… I didn’t find it funny,” you remarked, taking a large sip, finishing the bottle.

“There’s more inside. Let’s go,” Jaemin offered, and you followed him inside the house. After all, it was pretty cold outside; you wanted Jaemin to pour you a glass of wine and hand you a thick blanket you could tightly wrap around your body.

8th of October, Friday

It was already past midnight, and you and Jaemin were sitting in the living room, chatting. Each of you had their respective wine bottle, which you slowly sipped as you talked, jumping from one topic to another. Someone, who didn’t know how twisted and complicated your relationship was, might’ve thought you were good friends.

“Why did you leave me behind in the motel?” You suddenly asked, having no filter. Although you had a foggy idea why Jaemin had done it, you still wanted him to give you a proper explanation. “I felt like an idiot when I went downstairs to look for you and was told that you already left without me.”

“Sorry,” Jaemin whispered, staring blankly at the floor in deep thought. “It wasn’t my intention. You really saved my ass then. If Doyoung didn’t die that night, I’d have ended up with a bullet between my eyes.”

“Why?” You asked, unable to control your cracking voice. Maybe it was alcohol in your system, but this conversation quickly became very emotional. Although it wasn’t going to restore your trust in Jaemin, you still needed to sort it out.

“It’s a long story,” Jaemin started, but you shrugged, letting him know you weren’t tired to hear him out. Even if it was to take a whole night, you wanted to discover the truth.

Jaemin told you everything.

Two years ago, Jaemin was captured by the enemy army and tortured until he agreed to betray his own government. Since then, he would infiltrate the officials and spy for the enemy without any chance to stop.

Most of the time, Jaemin had to gather sensitive Intel and report it back, but recently it changed. They would assign him more dangerous tasks, which included assassination. Jaemin couldn’t bring himself to deny them, accepting the hefty rewards they were giving him. The handsome paychecks he received each time were just too good to be refused.

His last assignment was Doyoung.

Jaemin tried to kill Doyoung himself multiple times, yet he failed every single time. The foe chiefs were growing impatient with him. Doyoung, on the other hand, began to suspect something was off with Jaemin.

The night Jaemin approached you, it was his last chance. Jaemin put his career and life on the line, and somehow, you managed to complete the task. Even though you helped Jaemin succeed, his chiefs didn’t approve the means he used to fulfill his assignment.

At once, they cut their ties with Jaemin, leaving him alone to face the consequences of their ruthless orders. Jaemin was in a panic – he had a few hours to prepare for his ultimate downfall. He knew it was just a matter of time until someone would rat him out.

It was hard to comprehend Jaemin’s words. It was a dick move to abandon you, but if he had told you everything back then, you would’ve understood, or at least tried to understand.

“Fuck,” you cursed when Jaemin grew silent, “sucks to be you,” you added, making Jaemin chuckle. You weren’t particularly sympathetic, but you knew there was nothing you could say to comfort him. The milk was already spilled.

“Yeah,” Jaemin agreed with you, taking a few large chugs from the wine bottle. “One bad decision led to another, and before I could comprehend what I was getting myself into, it was too late.”

“You just tried to survive,” you hummed, understanding why he did all these things. Maybe your situation wasn’t identical, but you knew how it felt. After all, Jaemin threatened you to help him out.

For a short while, you and Jaemin sat in silence, trying to collect your thoughts. It was a lot to take in, and you needed time to sort them out.

“What is it like to be a geisha?” Jaemin asked, staring into your eyes in genuine curiosity. Although he knew a few geishas, he never took a break to ponder what it was like, and now, he hoped you would tell him more about it.

“You’re trained your entire life to appease men, who rarely have any respect for you,” you started, remembering all condescending looks you had been given throughout your life. “Most men think geishas are essentially overpriced prostitutes. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about these filthy men since Doyoung was my exclusive patron.”

“How was Doyoung… you know… in bed?” Jaemin asked shamelessly, the curiosity getting the best of him.

“Selfish,” you summarized your sexual history with Doyoung in one word. After all, your relationship with him was never about your pleasure. You were getting paid to serve him, to please him, and that’s what you did. “I knew how to keep him satisfied, and that’s what got him coming back.”

“So… you’ve never…” Jaemin insinuated, and you firmly shook your head.

“Doyoung tried once, but it was so embarrassing I faked my orgasm to make him stop,” you confessed, laughing under your breath as you remembered this one instance.

“I could make you come quite easily,” Jaemin challenged, a smug smirk plastered to his face.

“Yeah, right,” you scoffed, rolling your eyes, finding yourself entertained by his bold statement. It’s been a while since the last time he blatantly flirted with you, and you wondered when his flirtatious side would resurface again. Now, you had your answer.

“Why don’t you come over here and see yourself,” Jaemin prompted, rubbing his tensed thigh with his palm to invite you to sit on his laps. Honestly, right now, leisurely seated on the couch, Jaemin looked hot. You really felt tempted to accept his invitation.

“I know your type. You’re all talk and no action,” you teased, smirking at Jaemin devilishly.

“What are you waiting for? I know you want me,” Jaemin urged you, and you looked at him with a cocked-up eyebrow. Did you want him? You weren’t sure. You most definitely found him objectively attractive. His personality, on the other hand, even though you could see a couple of redeeming qualities, seemed rotten.

Jaemin was offering you a night of pleasure. What did you have to lose? The worst thing which could happen was another disappointing night. You experienced plenty of them, so one more didn’t make a difference.

Hesitantly, you rose from the armchair and approached Jaemin. Having his eyes locked with yours, he grabbed your hand and guided you to sit astride on his laps.

“Have I ever told you how perfect your ass is?” Jaemin whispered in a seductive tone as his hands landed on your ass, kneading it, securing you from falling off him.

“Yes, at least half a dozen times,” you deadpanned matter-of-factly, entwining your fingers behind his nape. His sparkly eyes were admiring your facial features. You could see passion and desire in his beautiful orbs, and it somewhat intimidated you. Jaemin’s intentions were clear – he was going to ruin you, to fuck your brains out.

“I meant it every single time,” he confessed, and you believed him. Jaemin was staring at you as if you were the most beautiful woman on Earth, and you were starting to feel like one. “Kiss me,” Jaemin ordered, and you slowly leaned in, meeting his lips halfway.

Though it started with a smile peck, Jaemin quickly moved his mouth, stealing your breath away. With your eyes closed, you gave in to the sensation, letting Jaemin mold your fragile body with his yearning touch. His hands roamed all over you – they moved from groping your butt to massaging your thighs and caressing your breasts.

“Your tits are perfect, too,” Jaemin breathed out, ready to shower you with compliments. “You have a body of a goddess,” he added, taking a short break to marvel at your curves before he leaned forward, leaving wet kisses all over your jaw and neck. “I can’t wait to see you fall apart when I make you come.”

“You’re seriously all talk and no action,” you teased, giggling, curious to see his reaction.

“Patience, doll face,” Jaemin warned, pulling you closer, having your heat pressed tightly against the growing tent inside his pants. “You won’t be walking straight when I’m done with you,” he threatened, but you just smiled excitedly, hoping Jaemin would keep this promise.

Whenever you were in bed with Doyoung, you tried to give him the pleasure he was looking for and leave. Right now, when you were with Jaemin, you enjoyed his ministrations, expectantly waiting for more. You were taught sex was about man’s pleasure, and it excited you to be on the receiving end of Jaemin’s attention.

With his mouth on yours, Jaemin fiddled with the zipper of your trousers, trying to slip his hand past the soft fabric. His skillful fingers quickly found your sensitive bud, making you moan into his mouth when you felt the first spark of pleasure. You had never been touched like this before, and it made you eager to get more and more of this sweet pressure.

“Do you want me to fuck you with my fingers?” Jaemin asked, but you only hummed in reply, too afraid your mouth would say something that might’ve made him stop. You had no filter around Jaemin, always speaking your boldest thoughts. Under these circumstances, you didn’t want to offend him nor discourage him from touching you. “You would like to come around them, wouldn’t you?”

When Jaemin pushed his middle finger inside of your core, you sucked your breath in. Though it was all new to you, you loved the way you were feeling right now. Slowly, Jaemin added another finger, stretching you out.

“Do you like the way I make you feel?” Jaemin inquired, staring at your face, waiting for your honest response. Although he could see you were enjoying the way he pumped his fingers inside of you, he still wanted to hear you. As much as Jaemin loved showering you with compliments, he was also a sucker for receiving praise in return. “Come on, doll face. Answer me, or I’ll stop,” he threatened, slowly pulling away, giving you enough time to react.

“Please, Jaemin. Don’t stop,” you begged, squirming under his measured touch. Though his fingers were still buried deep inside of you, Jaemin made no effort to please you until you confessed. “Your fingers feel amazing. Please, fuck me,” you cried out, thrusting your hips forward, trying to feel any sort of friction.

“I can give you much more than my fingers,” Jaemin taunted you, undoing the buttons of your blouse with his free hand. While his digits curled inside of you, making you tremble, Jaemin leaned it, peppering your bare cleavage with kisses, nibbling on your sensitive skin.

“I’ll take whatever you want to give me,” you blurted out, and Jaemin smirked, content with the way you submitted yourself to him entirely. With a little bit of affection and care, he got you wrapped around his finger.

You were burning up. You were entirely under Jaemin’s charm. It started with a tiny spark in the pit of your stomach. In no time, the heat spread through your entire body. Your muscles were all tensed in anticipation. You were to explode around Jaemin’s fingers in a matter of seconds.

Unfortunately, Jaemin read your expression flawlessly. Just when you were about to experience your orgasm, he quickly removed his hand, denying you the sweet release. In an instant, you groaned at a sudden loss and hit his shoulder.

“Why did you do that, asshole?” You yelled, but Jaemin only laughed, finding your reaction amusing. In his eyes, it was cute how you took orgasm denial.

“Relax,” Jaemin murmured, leaning back against the backrest of the couch, staring at your bare cleavage covered with his tiny love marks. Soon enough, he lifted his gaze to your swollen lips, pleased with his artwork. “We have a whole night ahead of us.”

You were staring at Jaemin, waiting for him to continue. He promised you orgasm, and after you got a little teaser of how great it could feel you were greedy. Unfortunately, Jaemin wasn’t nearly as impatient as you were.

With his eyes on your beautiful face, he rubbed his fingers together, smearing your essence.

“I can bet you’re as sweet as a peach,” Jaemin whispered before he licked his finger, moaning when he tasted you. “I can’t wait to eat you out,” he confessed, and you looked away, too aroused to look him in the eye. Just the thought alone of his sinful lips between your thighs got you light-headed.

“Can we carry on? I tend to be a little bit annoying when sexually frustrated,” you spoke, trying to convince him to touch you again.

“What are you talking about? You’re annoying all the time,” Jaemin argued, kicking his head back, loudly chuckling. Quickly, you smacked his shoulder, and he wrapped his fingers around your wrist, so you wouldn’t hit him more. “Don’t worry, I like that about you,” he added, pressing a chaste kiss against your forehead, taking you by surprise.

You were speechless. Though you seemed immune to Jaemin’s shameless coquetry, your brain happened to malfunction every time Jaemin displayed any sort of innocent behavior. When humble remarks slipped through his filthy mouth, your heart skipped a beat.

“Jaemin,” you whined, rubbing your heat against his clothed erection, hoping it would make his patience run thin. Unfortunately, Jaemin seemed to be a master of self-restraint.

“Let’s go,” Jaemin hollered, suddenly standing up, hoisting you up. His muscular hands held you tightly as he made his way to the bedroom. “You’re so hot moaning my name like that,” he added as he stopped in his tracks, pressing you against the wall, attacking your neck.

Completely giving into the kiss, you shut your eyes close and ran your hands through Jaemin’s soft locks, tugging it ever so slightly.

“I’m going to ruin you,” Jaemin whispered in a low voice as he twisted the knob, opening the bedroom doors open. Carefully, Jaemin put you on the bed, admiring your body. “Why don’t you undress for me,” he mused, and you bit your lip before you tossed your blouse onto the floor.

Maintaining eye contact with him, you unclasped the hooks of your bra. Jaemin enjoyed your little performance, but what really turned him on was your confidence. You sat on the bed proudly, letting him worship your beauty.

“Let me help you with these,” Jaemin offered, yanking the trousers off your legs in one fluid motion. Now, you were only in your panties, yet you still felt overdressed. Eagerly, you tossed them aside, waiting for Jaemin to join you on the bed and wreck you. “Lie down,” he coaxed you, and you obediently fulfilled his request.

You were lying on your back, waiting for Jaemin to take care of you. Leisurely, he got on top of you and pressed his mouth against your neck, making sure to leave some marks. Tonight, you belonged to him, and he couldn’t stop himself from making you as his.

Taking his sweet time, Jaemin worked his way downwards, kissing each and every inch of your delicate skin. Jaemin groped your breasts, making you writhe under him in anticipation.

When his mouth finally reached your abandoned clit, you breathed out in relief. His slow tempo felt like torture, but at last, he touched you where you needed him the most. Gently, his lips nibbled and pecked your sensitive bud.

“Jaemin,” you whimpered his name, slowly giving in to the pleasure that was building up. His hands held your thighs apart as he tenderly ate you out. Jaemin was teasing you, wondering when you’d demand him to afflict more pressure.

“You’re so sweet,” Jaemin murmured when his tongue licked your drenched folds. You were slowly losing your mind. Jaemin was playing with you, and although you didn’t get your gratification yet, you loved every second of the game.

“I need more,” you pleaded, not expecting Jaemin to listen to you. At this point, you were sure he would let you come when he wanted you and not a second earlier.

Jaemin flattened his tongue against your clit, making your convulsing walls tighten around nothing. You tried to raise your hips and press them against Jaemin’s mouth harder, but his grip kept you still on the sheets.

“Don’t do that,” Jaemin gave you the first warning before he returned to his sinful ministrations. “Don’t be impatient. I’m gonna make you come soon enough,” he promised, and you nodded your head, willing to wait some more. You were sure Jaemin would reward you accordingly if you managed to obey him.

You tried your best to relax. With your eyes closed, you lay still, letting Jaemin touch you the way he pleased. Though you could already feel sparks, you patiently waited for Jaemin to provide you with more affection.

“Good girl,” he praised you, showcasing his mischievous smirk. Jaemin greedily sucked on your clit as he abruptly pushed two fingers inside of you, curling them, sending you into overdrive.

With all the attention Jaemin was giving you, you couldn’t control your reactions. His attentive touch was too much for you to handle. You were going to reach your peak any second now. Hopefully, Jaemin wouldn’t deny you of your well-deserved orgasm again.

“Jaemin,” you moaned his name at the top of your voice when his fingers brushed the sensitive spot, setting your entire body aflame. “Fuck,” you cursed, throwing your head against the pillow, letting Jaemin’s digits guide you through your orgasm.

When Jaemin felt your walls strain around his fingers, he smiled smugly, increasing his pace, watching you come undone right under him.

“How was it, doll face?” Jaemin asked as he lay on the bed beside you, admiring your post-orgasmic glow. Though he didn’t think it was possible, you became even more gorgeous. “Did I blow your mind?” He egged you on, caressing your delicate skin, letting you come back to your senses after the bone-shattering orgasm he had given you.

“Thank you,” you breathed out, staring at Jaemin fondly. Because of him, you finally got to taste what heaven feels like. And to think you teased him earlier, thinking he would fail.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Jaemin interjected, “it was just a warm-up, and you’re in for a marathon,” he snickered, leaning in to steal another kiss.

“Oh my,” you giggled in excitement. Jaemin really got you hooked. “Are you gonna fuck me with your cock now?” The filthy words left your mouth, contradicting your innocent tone.

Wiggling his eyebrow, Jaemin stood up, slowly undressing. With fascination, you watched him strip, adoring his sturdy built. A plethora of scars, cuts, and marks decorated Jaemin’s muscular chest. For a short while, you wondered how he got them. After all, it was visible evidence that Jaemin was just a human.

The moment Jaemin’s veiny arms reached the belt, you sank your teeth into your bottom lip, waiting for the big reveal. The way Jaemin oozed big dick energy made you wonder what size he was in reality. The tent he sported inside his pants gave you an idea, but you wanted to see his erection in its full glory.

Jaemin’s hand moved up and down his shaft, giving it a few strokes. Carefully, he smeared the precum across his length.

“Whenever you’re ready, doll face,” Jaemin whispered, patiently waiting for your permission to wreck you with his cock. Looking him into the eye, you sat up, propping your upper body on your elbows which were pressed against the mattress.

At first, you felt tempted to tease him, to watch him slowly lose his patience. Regardless of how intriguing it was, you ultimately decided not to test him. You didn’t want to risk receiving the same treatment from him in return.

“Fuck me, Jaemin,” you stated, spreading your legs across the bed, giving him easy access to wreck you. “Show me what you can do with your cock,” you coaxed him, knowing there was no in hell he would deny your invitation. Not when you were sprawled out on the sheets, looking irresistibly sultry.

“Finally,” Jaemin hollered before he quickly positioned himself between your legs. Stripped of remains of his patience, he aligned his throbbing erection with your entrance, ready to fuck you into oblivion.

“Mhmm…” you let out a loud moan when Jaemin pushed his length inside of you, deliciously stretching you out. Despite your preceding orgasm, you were still tight around his cock.

Giving you no chance to adjust to his size, Jaemin began his rapid movements, snapping his hips back and forth. You spat his name among other profanities each time Jaemin bottomed out, sending you into a frenzy of joy.

“You’re taking me so well,” Jaemin whispered before he leaned in to capture your lips. Despite his crazy tempo, he still wanted to show you some sweetness, giving you passionate kisses.

“Slow down,” you begged, and Jaemin instantly adjusted his rhythm to your liking.

“Where do you want me to come?” Jaemin asked, staring right into your eyes as he slowly moved his cock inside of you, feeling the way your walls were enclosing around him.

“Where do you want to come?” You challenged, letting him decide where he wished to finished since you had no preference. Doyoung would always try to come on your face, but with Jaemin, you were open to suggestions. “You can come anywhere you want.”

“Don’t say things like that when I’m balls deep inside of you,” Jaemin reprimanded you, but you only giggled, finding his reaction amusing. It was weird for you to only realize it now, but Jaemin was a pretty funny guy.

Jaemin’s thrusts were now slow and precise. His erection stoked your walls, lazily getting you worked up. With his shaft buried deep inside of you, you felt full. Jaemin was so close to making you come again. There was already fire within you, waiting for a signal to ripple through you. You reached to touch your clit, but Jaemin swapped your hand away.

“Keep your hands to yourself, or else I will have to tie you to the bed,” Jaemin warned you before he reached down to flick your responsive bud. “You’re so selfish, doll face. You’ve got your release already. Don’t you think it’s only fair if it’s my turn to come?”

Despite the reprimand Jaemin gave you, he focused on your pleasure only. His erect length hit all the right places while his thumb rubbed circles against your clit. You were writing underneath him, moaning his name as if your life depended on it.

“Jaemin,” you hissed, pressing your head into the pillow when the blissful feeling washed through you, breaking you apart into million pieces.

Still pumping his twitching cock inside of you, Jaemin helped you ride out your second orgasm. It was extremely difficult for him not to come inside, but the thought of shooting his load on your breasts kept him motivated to last longer.

“How many times can I make you come tonight?” Jaemin asked, wondering what it would take for you to reach your limit. Now when he started this train of thought, the prospect of overstimulation couldn’t leave his mind. Regardless of how proud he became when you moaned his name in bliss, he’d like to hear you beg him to stop.

When you came back to your senses, Jaemin was still buried deep inside you. He was completely still, yet you still felt every inch of his twitching cock between your walls.

“I don’t know,” you answered truthfully, tempted to empirically test how many orgasms Jaemin could squeeze out of you tonight. You already felt oversensitive, but it didn’t bother you that much yet. You could handle more, but maybe after a short break. “I’d love to suck you off if you’re up for it?” You questioned shamelessly, surprising the both of you.

It was the first time when you wanted to put your mouth around a man’s cock. You were told you give amazing head, but it always felt like a task. You had never sucked someone off because you wanted to. Jaemin was the first man who pleased you, and you wanted to return the favor and help him come.

“How can I say no to that?” Jaemin grinned, pulling out, falling on the bed beside you. “I knew you liked me. You’re just really crappy at showing it,” he added, looking at your beautiful face. His hand ran up and down his length, waiting for you to take over.

“Keep dreaming,” you retorted as you sat on your calves, placing your hand over his, giving his shaft a few measured stokes.

The tip of his cock was red when you wrapped your mouth around it, giving it a few gentle licks. You could make him come under two minutes, but you decided to savor his release. If Jaemin wanted instant gratification, he’d have already come inside of you.

Your hands were on his balls, squeezing them lightly, just hard enough to get a reaction out of him. Jaemin was very vocal, and you enjoyed the filth he was spewing out. Slowly, you lowered your head, licking his length along the prominent vein.

“Doll face,” Jaemin moaned, fisting a handful of your hair, keeping your head still. “You’re so good at this,” he praised, releasing his grip, allowing you to continue.

You bobbed your head up and down his cock, from the tip all the way down to the base, deepthroating him. Jaemin was losing it. Any second now, he’d come on your tongue.

Jaemin stretched his slim arm to push your hair out of your face as he watched you take all of him. Your nose was pressed against his pubic bone when you choked on your cock. It took all of his self-control not to push upwards, forcing his erection even deeper.

“Stop,” Jaemin shouted, giving you a warning. Quickly, you pulled away with a loud pop. In an instant, Jaemin grunted, shooting his load on your face, neck, and breasts. You felt dirty, but at the same time, you were satisfied.

As soon as orgasmic sensation subsided, Jaemin stood up to get a clean towel to clean you up. Though a proud smirk never left his face, Jaemin gently wiped his release off your body.

You and Jaemin were both spent. However, regardless of how exhausted you felt, something was keeping you awake. Jaemin held you tightly by his side, tracing different shapes across his skin, seeming insatiable.

“Is me, being your neighbor, still a hard no?” Jaemin whispered, wondering if you were still opposed to seeing him more than necessary. The both of you had done bad things, but there was no point in denying that you had great chemistry together. “I don’t have to be your neighbor. What about roommates?” Jaemin added, hoping not to cross the line.

“Ask me that again tomorrow,” you murmured, and Jaemin perked up. While you could tell him to fuck off, you didn’t. You didn’t have to admit that Jaemin was slowly growing on you – Jaemin figured out this one by himself.

Around two o’clock in the morning, you fell asleep, tangled in the sheets.

9th of October, Saturday

At fucking last, you thought when you woke up before sunrise.

It was Saturday – in a couple of hours, you would be on the ship to China. You could finally leave this country, which only left you with scars and trauma, and seek refuge abroad.

When you tried to get up, you winced. Having spent the last twenty-four hours in bed with Jaemin got you sore. The pain you felt was a phantom of yesterday’s pleasure, but in all honesty, you enjoyed it more than you were willing to admit.

Unknowingly, you smiled as you indulged in sinful recollection of past evens – how you rode him, how he made you sit on his face, how he came inside of you when you were on your fours, and many more.

It felt as if you squeezed wedding night and honeymoon into one day.

Jaemin fucked you in every way imaginable, and memories alone got you reflexively purring.

“We should get ready,” you murmured, staring at the ceiling, hoping Jaemin was listening.

“Good morning to you, too,” Jaemin voiced in his raspy morning voice as he turned to the side to plant an innocent peck against your collarbone, only to try to drift back to sleep. “We could always wait one more week,” he added in his half-asleep state, having no intention to leave the bed anytime soon.

You pondered over his proposition, and as much as tempting it was to stay, you knew it was reckless. The faster you could leave the country, the better. You and Jaemin were already pushing your luck here, staying in one location for way too long.

“You know we shouldn’t,” you firmly said, choosing the long-term solution. The cops could raid the place and arrest you two anytime. Regardless of how good Jaemin’s dick made you feel, it could wait until it would be safe for the two of you to let your guards down.

“I know,” Jaemin quietly agreed with you, turning around to lie on his back. “You’re worth a life sentence, though,” he remarked, giggling to himself. Jaemin was telling the truth, but you chose to ignore his confession, brushing it off as another cheesy dalliance.

“Disgusting,” you frowned, trying not to throw up out of pure repugnance. Though you happened to enjoy some of Jaemin’s flirty remarks, this comment was way too sentimental. “Get your head out of the gutter. We’re leaving right after the breakfast.”

“I hate it when you’re right,” Jaemin nagged as he watched you walking around the bedroom, looking for clothes. He just couldn’t deny himself the pleasure of seeing your bare body one more time. “You go shower first,” he added, wanting to nap some more.

In record time, you washed yourself up and put on an inconspicuous outfit. You chose a expensive-looking dress that would help you blend in with the crowd, providing you with a crucial sense of invisibility.

When you returned to the bedroom to pack your things up, Jaemin was sleeping soundly. Though he looked rather cute in this position, you decided to wake him up. Noiselessly, you approached the bed and slapped his butt, making him abruptly sit up.

“I am starting to think you want to purposely make us miss the ship,” you stated as you watched him ruffle his soft locks, making no effort to get ready. When Jaemin didn’t give you a proper reply, you realized his silence must’ve been indirect confirmation of your suspicion.

“It wouldn’t be nearly as bad as you’re trying to make it seem,” Jaemin added with a flirty eyebrow wiggle, which quickly faded away when he noticed your deathly glare.

“Get ready,” you ordered, trying your best to sound intimidating and authoritative. “I’m going to leave you behind if you keep this up,” you warned before you left the room with all your belongings stuffed inside your backpack.

Fifteen minutes later, Jaemin was all cleaned up and packed.

“We could grab something on our way to the harbor,” Jaemin proposed when he looked at the modest breakfast which was lying on the dinner table. A glass of orange juice and a couple of sweets couldn’t possibly get him through the day.

It was your last day on this soil, and he figured a nice steak wouldn’t be half bad as last meal within the borders. Surely, it sounded better than sugary leftovers you had on the table.

You sighed, ready to give Jaemin a piece of your mind on that matter, but before words managed to leave your lips, you heard a series of strange noises.

At first, you had no idea what was going on, but once Jaemin pushed you onto the floor and landed on top of you, you finally realized what this was all about.

It was a machine gun.

“What the hell is going on? Why are they shooting?” You asked Jaemin in panic as you had no idea why you were under attack. After all, Jaemin was just a suspect. It wasn’t the correct order in which the police ought to solve this case. They needed to bring Jaemin for questioning, not try to kill him.

The shattered glass was everywhere. Thankfully, it didn’t cut you – Jaemin was still on top of you, successfully protecting you from getting hurt.

“They must’ve found out about all the other shady things I’m guilty of,” Jaemin concluded as he looked around, trying to come up with an impromptu plan to escape this unfortunate situation. “I wouldn’t be surprised to find ‘wanted dead or alive’ bounty posters scattered all across the country.”

The thoughts of your death circulated in your mind, immobilizing you. Though similar scenarios haunted your head before, now you felt the gravity of the danger. There were people outside the house with machine guns – you knew you were breathing your last breaths now.

“What should we do?” You asked Jaemin, hoping he knew a way out of this situation.

You were fucked.

You couldn’t shoot back.

You didn’t have the means to run away unnoticed.

You had nowhere to hide.

“You’re gonna do exactly what I say,” Jaemin started, and you nodded, willing to follow his orders. “Take this.” Jaemin handed you a revolver which he fished out of his backpack. “You’re gonna hide in a recess in the wall behind the cabinets in the kitchen. In case someone finds you, aim for the head,” he explained, pulling a gun for himself, and you nodded.

“What about you?”

“It won’t fit two people,” Jaemin announced, and you looked at him with disbelief. No, it was impossible. Jaemin, the same person who had stabbed you in the back, was to sacrifice himself for your sake. “They’re looking for me anyway. You’re just caught crossfire because I dragged you here with me.”

“Are you out of your mind? I can’t let you go there alone!”

“I’ll try to fight them off, but you have to hide,” Jaemin ordered, not particularly fond of arguing with you right now. “I’ve survived worse,” he lied through his teeth, hoping his bold statement would give you a sense of security. “I’ll come back to get you.”

Jaemin’s words pulled your heartstrings.

“Be careful,” you whispered before you pressed a quick kiss against his beautiful lips.

“Don’t worry about me, doll face,” Jaemin answered, opening the doors to the cabinet, helping you hide. “They’ll regret going after me.”

Giving you one last smile, Jaemin closed the cabinet doors. Even though he specifically told you not to, you still worried about him. You knew he was armed, but it did nothing to help you even out your rapid heartbeat.

With your eyes closed, you listened to your surroundings. Shots were being fired one after another, shattering everything within their reach. It was a lethal hymn that was going to echo in your ears until your last moments.

You had no idea how much time you sat there in the nook behind the cabinets, but the moment the gunshots stopped, you became awfully alert. You readjusted your grip on the pistol in your hands, ready to fire if someone found you.

Your ears perked up the second you heard a creak of the floor. Someone entered the house and was snooping around. Trying to not make a single noise, you held your breath. The intruder strolled inside the kitchen, dropping something heavy onto the tiles.

“It’s me, doll face,” you heard, instantly heaving a sigh of relief. There was only one person who called you like that. Admittedly, you never thought you’d feel pleased to hear it. In haste, you crawled out of the recess straight into Jaemin’s arms.

“Don’t ever leave me like that, asshole,” you nagged, hitting Jaemin in his chest, completely ignoring the red stain on his shoulder.

Jaemin chuckled at your threat, finding it rather cute.

“Can you get me a first aid kit? I’ve been grazed,” Jaemin asked as he undid the first three buttons of his shirt, revealing his wounded shoulder.

“Where is it?”

“The top cabinet over the fridge,” Jaemin told you, and you quickly pulled a chair to help you reach it. You found it without any problem, kneeling in front of him, ready to apply a dressing to his scrape. “The other guys look much worse than I do,” Jaemin stated as he watched you patch him up with utter concentration.

Although you were no expert, you knew how to properly disinfect such a minor injury. The bullet barely touched Jaemin’s skin, yet he was groaning and hissing as if you were trying to amputate his limb.

“Stay still; I’m almost finished.”

“Whatever you say, doll face,” Jaemin smiled, blowing you a thankful kiss.

Once Jaemin’s shoulder was tightly wrapped in an elastic bandage, you handed him a clean shirt to change into. You needed to leave this place this instant. Who knew when more dangerous men would come here to finish the job?

“I can’t drive in this state,” Jaemin remarked, and you frowned after you threw your belongings into the backseat. You had no experience driving a vehicle, but you watched Jaemin do it, and it didn’t look complicated.

“Okay, fine. Move,” you ordered, confidently taking the driver’s seat. “How do I do that?” You asked, and Jaemin thoroughly explained how to shift the gear. Reversing the car was a hurdle, but once you reached the road, you seemed to get the hang of driving.

“We’re really unstoppable, right?” Jaemin wondered out loud when he remembered how much you had survived the past three weeks. “We make quite a duo,” he added proudly, but you refused to celebrate prematurely. There were still a couple of steps ahead of you to escape this hell.

“Should we really board that ship?” You voiced your concern. These people managed to find you all the way in Gwangju. You were sure the police were already waiting for you at the docks. “Maybe we should wait out the storm, or at least find less conspicuous means of transport. How about we pay some fishermen to help us cross the border?”

You threw all your questions at him, but Jaemin didn’t even bother to answer you, finding the landscapes more interesting than a conversation with you. His rude behavior made you really angry – he needed to reassure you that everything was going to be alright.

“You should board that ship alone,” Jaemin whispered, surprising you.

“What?”

“I appreciate your help, but I just can’t bring you down with me,” Jaemin quietly started as he looked at your beautiful face. “I’m a dead man either way. You, on the other hand, can escape and live the life you choose for yourself.”

You were conflicted. Showing this selflessness didn’t match Jaemin’s nature.

“Don’t joke like that. I won’t make it on my own.”

“You’re stronger than you think.”

For the rest of the drive, you and Jaemin kept arguing, both too stubborn to let the other one have the last word. You both had valid points, yet there was no way to reach a consensus.

“If anyone’s going to kill you, that would be me,” you barked the moment you stopped the vehicle not that far away from the docks. Plenty of wealthy people stood in a queue, waiting for their turn to board the fancy cruise ship.

“Can you see that? They barely look at the documents,” you spoke as you observed the man who was sloppily doing his job, letting everyone with a ticket enter the deck. “We’re good to go,” you added, but Jaemin still thought it was too risky to travel with him.

“I hate you,” Jaemin confessed, but his statement didn’t discourage you. Better yet, it made you grin. You knew he didn’t mean it.

“Great!” You cheered as you got out of the vehicle, pulling out your luggage from the backseat. Lazily, Jaemin followed suit, throwing his backpack over his healthy shoulder.

Nonchalantly, you wrapped your arm around Jaemin’s waist, keeping him close. It was the first time when you initiated skinship with him, and it got him smirking.

“It feels nice when you try to feel me up,” he added when he put his arm over your shoulders, pulling you even closer. “I could get used to it,” Jaemin confessed, kissing the crown of your head as if it was second nature to him.

Patiently, you waited in the queue for your turn. A woman in her mid-thirties occasionally turned to talk to you, and you joined in on the small talk. After all, you wanted to blend in.

“Tickets, please,” the man mentioned to you as you finally reached the end of the line. With a polite smile, you handed him two tickets, holding the forged passports in your hand, ready to provide him with the documents if he wanted to see them. Thankfully, he didn’t. “Enjoy your cruise,” he added, stepping to the side, letting you board the ship.

“I can’t believe it worked,” Jaemin whispered into your ear as you two made your way to your cabin to leave your belongings.

Although this cruise was for stupidly rich people, it still provided three tiers of luxury depending on the price. You and Jaemin chose the middle option, not wanting to attract too much attention. When you entered your cabin, it took your breath away – it was bigger than your entire apartment.

Having locked the doors, Jaemin turned to you with a mischievous smirk dancing across his face. “How about we have some fun?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrow suggestively.

“I see you feel all better now,” you commented, faking amazement. “It must be a miracle. Your wound must be all healed right now,” you added with a frown.

Needless to say, you and Jaemin stayed locked up in your cabin until late at night. There was a grand banquet on the sundeck, and it felt like a sin not to participate.

Though you didn’t feel like you belonged among them, you went up with the flow, acting as if you were a part of the elite. For years you watched rich people, and it wasn’t difficult to blend in.

Having eaten plenty of delicious food and danced a little, Jaemin led you out of the crowded center of the party. You both held champagne glasses as you stood by the railing, marveling at the beautiful scenery.

The ebony water was shimmering like diamonds, reflecting the light from the stars. The sky was a different shade of black, yet it looked just as mesmerizing.

“Have you changed your mind?” Jaemin asked, and you creased your eyebrows, not being sure what instance he was referring to. You had plenty of opinions on many matters – Jaemin had to be more specific if he wanted to hear an answer.

“Have I changed my mind?”

“You know…” Jaemin started as he placed his hand on top of yours. “About us… hanging out sometimes? Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Are you asking me out?” You asked, smirking.

Just when Jaemin was to answer you, you heard someone clear their throat. In an instant, you and Jaemin turned your heads to look at the intruder. Much to your surprise, the person who burst your little bubble you and Jaemin were wrapped in happened to be carrying a gun, pointing it at you.

“I can’t believe you thought we would let you flee,” the man stated, staring down at Jaemin in a condescending manner. “You can’t just murder your general and us the party not to haunt you down,” he added, and you felt goosebumps creeping up all across your skin.

“Who is he? Is he from the police?” You whispered, nudging Jaemin’s arm.

“You wish I was from the police,” the man sneered, letting his finger hover over the trigger.

“I must admit it took you faster than I expected,” Jaemin announced, and you looked at him in confusion. What was the meaning of this?

“It’s not like you can run away after what you’ve done,” the man said, smirking like a maniac. You watched the two of them stare at each other, cursing for getting caught in crossfire again. “Any last words?”

You were in complete panic.

No, it couldn’t end like this. You and Jaemin had survived so much shit; you just couldn’t let this man with a gun stop you from your happy ending. You had to do something.

“Let her go,” Jaemin begged right before the man pulled the trigger. As soon as the loud shot echoed in your ears, you turned to see Jaemin. Although he was still smiling at you, you could see blood seep through his blouse over his heart.

You burst out crying.

You could see Jaemin’s soul leave his body. However, right before Jaemin would fall onto his knees, the man shot him once more, the speed of the bullet tipping Jaemin’s body over the railing, straight into the water.

“What did you do?!” You shouted, unable to control your emotions.

“Jaemin was a threat to our party’s success, and all enemies should be eliminated,” the man spoke, pointing his gun in your direction. Instinctively, you raised your hands, hoping it would help you survive. After all, it was Jaemin’s dying wish for the man to spare you.

“Please,” you choked out, begging for your life. “I’m just a –“

You didn’t even get to finish your sentence before the man fired his gun again.

Oddly enough, you didn’t feel any pain. One might’ve thought it hurts like a bitch, but you felt nothing when the bullet pierced through your skin, penetrating your heart. You just heard a loud noise, followed by a deafening ringing in your ears.

Abruptly, you dropped to your knees.

“See you in hell, wench,” the man whispered before everything turned to black.

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