"Be my woman."

 

Jiyong pulled away and stared right into her warm, brown orbs. Yoona blinked and stared at him, not uttering a word. She could see her nervous and shocked expression reflected on his dark orbs and she took a gulp of her saliva, trying to stablize her heartbeat. She struggled out his grasp and he allowed her to do so, causing her to stumble out of the couch. She stood up and adjusted her blouse and had her back faced him, retying her messy hair. She counted her breathings and as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opening them again.

 

You're not like that, Im Yoona.

 

"I can give you an answer right now..." She turned around and found the courage to face him again. "My answer is no." 

 

Jiyong leaned against the couch and crossed his legs at the ankles, looking up at her, smirking away. He wasn't surprise of this answer at all. More than disappointment and frustration, amusement and admiration kicked in. 

 

"Fair enough. But what you'd done just now," he spoke evenly. "Was only enough to pay a third of the interest. I can even go to the extend of allowing that to be half since you did an amazing job but you're still left with half of it to pay off. Shouldn't you finish it up? Or should I go ahead and cut half of your dad's pinky?" 

 

He watched her bit her lips, trying to come out with a plan. Within a minute, her expression became clear as she leaned towards him, smirking. 

 

"I believe from your reaction just now, it's more than enough to pay this month's interest," she whispered, her sweet breath blowing against his features. "Go ahead. If you chop his pinky, then we'll never have to pay this interest anymore. I believe that's not what you want." 

 

Jiyong was shocked at her boldness. This girl was practically throwing him off the hook! Her sheer determination was doing her job and letting her get through her way easily. Before he could utter a word, she had once again straightened her back and about to walk off. He reached out and grabbed hold of her wrist. 

 

"I believe that wasn't your first time," he said plainly, knowing that he wouldn't let her have the upper hand the moment they just met. 

 

"It wasn't," she turned around and answered honestly. 

 

"I'm deeply interested in you now, Im Yoona," he shook his head, smirking away. "How about sharing your first experience with me and we'll call this month's interest off?" 

 

"It's not a pleasant one and I don't think you as a boss should make such a concession to your debtors," she answered and pried away, putting the few hundred bucks that she had in his hand. "I'm still going to pay whatever I have now. Farewell, Mr. Kwon..." 

 

She didn't wait for him to reply and went out of the room. Jiyong stood dumbfoundedly, watching her get into the lift and eventually disappeared from his sight. He took out his cigarettes and lighted one of them up, taking a puff as he stared at the pathetic amount of crumpled cash stuffed in his hand. He smirked.

 

"Miss Im..." 

 

This is first time that someone had walked out of him but you know it, there's nothing in this world that Kwon Jiyong can't get. 

 

Im Yoona included. 

 

∞∞∞∞∞

 

Yoona held her breath and not turning her head back to see if he had asked his subordinates to chase after her. She spurred herself on and got into the lift, closing the door behind. The lift started to descend and her legs finally gave way and she crumbled onto the floor, breathing out a huge sigh. Facing that boss was something! It practically drained out all her energy and wits. She might appeared to be bold and brave but only god knew how much she was trembling inside! The one she's facing is the mafia boss! It's practically like interacting with a wildlife tiger right next to you!

 

But thank god. Thank god she made yet another correct bet, playing a psychological warfare with him and managed to come out unharmed. Not exactly unharmed, but the injuries were kept to a minimum. She tapped on the fact that he was interested in her, her alluring beauty. But what worried her more than anything now wasn't the fact that she had to pay off her father's endless debt, but the fact that this mafia boss was interested in her. He didn't sound like he was joking when he asked her to be his woman. He seemed dead serious and she was afraid. 

 

She had never imagined herself to be associated with the dark. She had a bright future ahead of her; she was going to be a doctor, she was going to save millions of lives. Not here. Not being here, doing oral ministration on a mafia boss to pay off her father's debt interest and definitely not getting the interest and attention of the traids. She couldn't afford to play this game, she didn't want to either. 

 

But just now... The way he cursed and groaned when she pleasured him, the way he's speaking to her, the way he acted and his husky voice...

 

She slapped her flushed face lightly, waking herself up from her stupid hallucination. She wasn't going to be part of this whole crazy thing. She would pay off the debt with whatever it takes and ran away from him as far as possible. She would begin her new life, get settled down with a decent husband and have beautiful children. This black mark would never be exposed to anyone.

 

"I'm home..." 

 

She sighed as she entered the house, only to realise that her father had sunk into a peaceful sleep already. She approached him and his forehead, giving a bitter smile.

 

"Tell me... Tell me when can we ever get out of this mess..."

 

But deep down in her mind and heart, she knew that her walking away from him just now had opened the door of complications. She knew this debt, wasn't going to be paid off that easily. It's going to be a vicious cycle, an infinity one...

 

∞∞∞∞∞

 

"Wow, what did you do yesterday? Catching the thiefs?" 

 

"Literally. Those guys visited my house again yesterday." 

 

"What?! Omo! Are you hurt in anywhere?! You should have just called the police!" 

 

"I'm fine, not even a strand of hair gone," Yoona smiled at her overly-concerned friends. "You know police can't handle them either." 

 

"So how did you managed to get off the hook this time?" 

 

"Oh, you know, the usual," she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, lying through her teeth. "I negotiated with the boss."

 

"THE BOSS?! Are you for real!?" Her friends exclaimed. 

 

"Wow, the boss must be really benevolent. Usually bosses wouldn't even give a second thought about killing their debtors if they fail to pay on time."

 

The scene of yesterday played in her mind again and she shook them off immediately before a blush started to appear on her face. 

 

"Yeahs, he sure is..." 

 

"Right. Yoong, you know this isn't going to be working out. We're going to start our internship in the hospital soon which means that you won't be able to take up that much part-time jobs anymore. As much as the boss is being nice, he isn't going to write off the debt just like that. So what are you going to do with the payments?" 

 

He would write off, if I become his woman. 

 

But of course, she wouldn't tell them that so instead she sighed. "I know... But I just have to make ends meet no matter what..." 

 

As the group of girls sunk into deep thoughts, one of them exclaimed.

 

"Oh! I know I know! Yoong can go ahead and be a model for the arts student! The arts faculty is recruiting models for their arts student for their final project which is starting next month!" 

 

"Are you crazy?! They're looking for models!" 

 

"Oh please! Her assets would be covered up! You dirty-minded people! It's art!" 

 

Yoona sunk into deep thoughts as the other girls began to divide into two sides, debating on the morality and ethical issues. 

 

"Alrights people. Cease the fire," she spoke up after a few minutes of contemplation and turned to the suggester. "How is the payout like?" 

 

"You can't be serious Yoong!"

 

"It's a thousand buck for every lesson!" The suggester replied. "And it's going to be a 5-times lesson only. You'll be paid after the 5 lessons." 

 

She started pondering: 5 lesson and a thousand bucks for each lesson... Even though she wouldn't be able to pay off the principal amount, at least she could pay off a good few months of interest and not let the traid bother her. Those people are supposed to be barbaric but judging from the leader's demeanour, they didn't seem to be like the norm. And with the past history of interacting with them, it seemed like they wouldn't do anything rash and improper so long as she pays up. 

 

Yoona smiled, shaking her head and mocking at herself at the ridiculous inference she's drawing; she sounded as if she had known them for long. There were only two times she had interacted with the gang. First time being a huge commotion where she begged one of the subordinate which was the leader amongst them and second time, an-out-of-the-blue negotiation with the boss himself. Twice only but she thinks that's more than enough.