[Dara]

  Donghae sat opposite of me, drumming his fingers lightly with his eyes casted out of the glass window beside us.

  My phone virbrated on the seat beside me and I snatched it up immediately. In it was a message from Bom.
 

I'm sorry Dara! I know you have met Donghae before but hey, he's kinda hot isn't he? See, I wasn't lying there!
Besides, he really really wants to know you. ENJOY YOUR DATE!!!!!! ;)

  I nearly snarled at my phone. I should have known this! Of course! When has anything that Bom had actually planned for me turn out good?? 

  "Should we order?" Donghae began. I looked up immediately, my mind ringing with all sorts of alarm bell.

   I laughed nervously."I think there was some sort of a misunderstanding, I should-"

  "C'mon, Dara, do you hate me that much?" Donghae asked seriously, looking a little hurt. Here comes the guilt trip.

  I relented. Alright, its not like Lee Donghae has ever done anything to me other than the fact that he's from a gang and that he's a megaflirt. But hey, which boy did I met here in Itaewon doesn't belong to some sort of gang? Besides, he does knows grams. He can't be that much of a villian if Bom guranteed that he's nice.

  I grabbed the menu on the side and he grinned, knowing that the war was won. 

  "So, I heard you're a doc from Bom." Donghae began as soon as the waitress left after noting down our order. 

  "Not quite. I failed the last test during my internship." I answered. "My turn, how did you get to know Grams?"

  "Your grandmother single handedly fed all of us street kids since we were just pissy little teenagers." Donghae replied nonchalently. Upon my confused look, he added. "She was a social worker."

  Ahh, so Grams is that serious about community service. I thought she just felt sorry for kids like Mino. There seems to be much that I don't know about Grams.

  "Why did you fail your internship?" Donghae took his chance to ask.

  "I fainted." I said blandly. "The blood was too much." 

  Instead of feeling bad for me, Donghae sniggered. THE AUDACITY!

  "Why would someone with haemophobia even think of becoming a doc in the first place." He chortled. Beside us, the waitress has served our steaks, which I cut into angrily. I'm leaving after lunch!

  "That's why I gave up!" I said loudly before popping a piece of the food into my mouth. Good lords, the steak is marvellous.

  "It's good isn't it?" Donghae smirked, slicing into his own one. Forgetting his annoying persona, I nodded enthusiatically. "Are you intending to work with Bom for good? With your qualifications?" 

  "I'm waiting for a teaching position in a nearby junior medical school." I admitted. That's why I moved here in the first place, other than the fact that Dad probably hates me now that I lost a place in Seoul Hospital. Meh. "Tell me more about Grams."

  Donghae rubbed his chin and looked up, trying to recall. "You should see how much power your grandma has in this area." He said finally, winking. "You know two years ago she was almost mugged and that poor bastard was kicked up so hard by all the gangsters in the vincinity, he's got internal injuries." He chuckled, oblivious to my horrified blinks. Grams was almost mugged? But she had never called to tell Dad! "Anyway, she's almost untouchable in Itaewon."

  "Oh my god, was she hurt?" I asked urgently.

  "Do you think that mugger would be alive if she was?" Donghae answered casually, digging into his meal. 

  Seeing the dazed look on my face, he straightened up before leaning towards me from across the table. In a low voice, he whispered.

  "I've seen that dress on Bom before. I know its not yours, but thanks for putting in such effort to impress me."

  I widened my eyes at him as he leaned back chewing happily. My cheeks were burning and I felt it.

  GAHH! I AM SO LEAVING AFTER LUNCH!!!

[-]

  The untouchable team and their henchmen had themselves position on the carpark at the 19th floor. They needed to do some 'clean ups' for the Underboss and the Made Men are now all waiting for a single signal from the Caporegime. Jiyong checked the watch on his wrist. The Mafia is always early. They like to catch their prey by surprise.

  His phone vibrated and he pressed it to his ears. 

  "The CCTVs are disactivated. You're all clear for a good 15 mins, Capo." The computer analyst and hacking team reported.

  Jiyong hung up and turned to his team who's looking as leisure as ever. Daesung was toying his sniper which he perched near the opening of the carpark, ready to take down any reinforcements of their rivals that may arrive if things were to go wrong; Seunghyun was snuffing out his cigeratte on the floor while the maknae was looking through his phone.

  The boys were used to situations like these. They've been in the underworld for almost 10 years now.

  "Ready?" Jiyong asked.

  "Not quite." Daesung said suddenly, peering into his sniper scope. He straightened up a split second later with a look of ecstasy on his face. "You won't believe it, Dara Park in on a date!"

  Seungri kicked himself off the car and grabbed the sniper eagerly, checking for himself before bursting into a fit of laughter upon confirmation. 

  The four turned to look at their leader expectantly. Jiyong scanned through the waiting glances of s before snatching the sniper over himself to check the scene out. 

  It's true. The sniper scope allowed them a perfect spying view into the small restaurant Dara is in a building away.

  "Looks like your contract bride is seeing other men." Seungri sniggered as Daesung peeped into the scope again.

  Jiyong snarled at his childish friends. They have a serious business to settle now. "Don't be distracted." He snapped, before slapping the head of the sniper away from its direction, causing Daesung to protest as his view was abruptly cut.

  "And don't point this at her head." Jiyong added.

  "Boss, shouldn't the Mings be out by now?" One of their henchmen asked. 

  The Mings are a Chinese Underworld association based in Seoul that sabotaged one of the recent drug shipment of the Mafia. The Caporegime's team is here today as the Underboss ordered a retaliation.

  A shot sounded and one of Jiyong's men collapsed. The team wheeled around. They were being attacked from the rear. Behind them, a group of Ming members were carrying out a full assault on the Mafia team.

  ", we were double crossed!" Youngbae yelled, dodging behind a car. 

  The Ming leaders were supposed to come out from the front. They have information that they were having a meeting in the conference hall inside. There's no way that they would have caught wind of the Mafia waiting to ambush them here. Now, it is the Mafia that is ambushed instead. The situation isn't favorable to them at all.

  "What's new?" Daesung shouted back, reloading his sniper before taking down two men by their heads.

  With the thumb of his firing hand, Jiyong pressed on the magazine release of his M92 air pistol, catching it with his left hand before jamming in a new row of bullets into the boot of the gun. With the pillar as his fort, he emptied out his gun at their assailants. All 15 rounds of bullets found their targets.

  The gunshots rang on for a while before the Mings team were wiped out. The Capo team suffered 3 injuries but nonetheless no mortalities. 

  "What now?" Seungri asked, rubbing his forehead, his shirt stained with dirt. A gunfight in the public during broad daylight is never a good situation. 

  "We've got some rat extermination to do." Jiyong answered grimly.

  Dara stepped out of the restaurant and into the sunlight. The meal was better than terrific and it would have made up for her failed date if not for Donghae blabbering on and on about how the steak could've been better. Dara thought darkly that Donghae should use this self evaluation on himself instead.

  "Thanks for the meal." Dara turned around and said to her date-of-the-day, who's tucking the receipt of the meals into his back pocket. He flashed her a pearly smile in return.

  "Wait up!" He called after her, running to catch up. "Pass me your phone." He requested cheekily.

  "What for?" Dara asked, raising a brow.

  Seeing that she's already holding on her phone, Donghae grabbed it over, ignoring her gasp. Holding it out of her reach as she struggled to take it back, he keyed in his number in her speed dail.

  "Here." He passed Dara her phone back, tucking his fingers into his pockets. Dara puckered at the new contact in her contact list.

  It says 'The Looker"

  "Narcissist." Dara mumbled.

  "We're friends now, so you're under my protection." Donghae said, folding his arms behind his back.

  "Your what?" Dara winced.

  "My protection. I'm pretty big in the Traids. Besides, it keeps you safe in this messed up place. I know its different from the part of Seoul which you were from."

  Dara pulled her lips to her cheek. He's nice alright. But she's already caught in the whole Mafia mess by Jiyong. She doesn't want to get involved with anymore gang related stuff.

  "Thanks Donghae, but I should be quite safe here-" She began but was cut short as Donghae stuck his thumb on her lips before wiping over it. Stunned, she blinked at him.

  "It's stained." He said simply, flashing her another of his signature grin. "It's settled then! I'm out." 

  "Wait, I really don't need-" Dara called out but the young Traid member has already jogged a few steps far enough from her that he could deny hearing her protests. She sighs and turning around, left for home.

  Some distance away from her on the road, the Black Chevrolet that the Capo's in was stopped by the red lights. Nobody seems to see Dara's exchange with Donghae other than Jiyong in the front seat. The rest were too occupied over the events earlier and wondering how the Underboss would react to their botched mission. Upon seeing Dara Park's retreating back, the Capo rolled up the side windows.

  Tsk, Dara Park is finally having a date huh? It seems to have went well seeing the amount of skinship they have already. Jiyong thought pointedly. An unpleasant sensation stirred inside him and he dismissed it. 

  Whatever she does outside of their official 'working' hours doesn't concern or interest him in the slightest bit.

[Dara]

  I stepped out of the shower feeling great, toes flinching as I left the cold ceramic floor. Immediately, I leaped onto my bed which creaked omniously with my weight. It's an old bed afterall. Rolling over to my stomach, I snatched my phone off the table and towards me.

  Bom texted to ask how the 'date' went. PSH, she still dares to even ask. Recalling how Donghae saved his number in my phone in the afternoon, I sent Bom a quick reply before clicking into my contact list. 

  My speed dail currently holds only 3 numbers. The first one was Gram's landline and the second was Dad's. My smile faltered a little. It's been ages since we last spoke.

  And then you have my third one. Freshly added in the afternoon.

  I added Bom's number to the list so that it wouldn't look so pathetically empty. And then I added Judy's, even though I have technically never called her. Since now that I'm in Itaewon, might as well add the numbers of everyone I know here to my speed dail right? 

  My fingers halted over the contact name ALERT ALERT.

  Kwon Jiyong.

  Aish, lets just add him in for now.

  I rearranged it so that it's a bit more organised. Grams and Dad remains top 2, followed by Bom instead of Mr Looker, and then Judy, followed by Donghae, and finally Jiyong. Aha! Done!

  I glanced at the time. It's almost 10 but my hair isn't dried yet. Coincidentally, I've ran out of toothpaste too. Miserably, I grabbed my phone and my wallet before taking out fifty bucks, leaving just enough money for a tube of toothpaste.

  The night was dark but the streets were illuminated by street lamps. Thank godness the mini mart is only two blocks away. I reached the store in about 15 minutes and seized the toothpaste off the shelve. Great, now I'm left with 3 bucks.

  The roads were eerily empty when I out of the store, causing me to shiver slightly. I quickened my steps on the way back, wanting to make it home before 10.30. Every single horror movie that Bom has forced me to watch with her just has to appear in my mind. 

  I was getting uneasy. It feels like there's someone watching me but I'm probably overthinking and scaring myself. I gripped my stuff closer to my chest and attempted to hurry up. Okay, it's definitely a bad idea to get your toothpaste at this hour. Perhaps oral hygiene isn't all that matters in life.

  There was a small shufle behind me and I froze. It was faint but I heard it clearly. I'm too scared to look behind. What if whoever that's behind me just rushes up and knock me out? What if it's not even a person at all?????

  Silently, I began walking again, now slowly, as I unlocked my phone, holding it close to me so that if there was really somone behind me, he wouldn't see it. The shuffle behind turned into soft footsteps and I fumbled to reach my contact list. By now my hands are shaking and I punched blindly on Donghae's number. He said I should call him if I ever need protection. 

  "Please pick up, please pick up." I whispered. The footsteps got louder and I feel my tears stinging in my eyes. 

  "Help, there's someone following me, I-" I murmured into the phone quickly as soon as it got through, my voice trembling. I shrieked before I could finish as something grabbed onto the hood of my shirt, yanking me away from the road before pressing a hand on my mouth.

  The smell of his hand, reeking of alcohol filled my nose. I whimpered and squirmed against his grasp. In the darkness and the blind fear, I could see nothing except the man's dirty stubbles. 

  "Shut up." He commanded and I fell silent immediately, feeling my tears rolling out from the back of my eyes. "Hand me your purse."

[-]

  "What the heck?" 

  A figure muttered, glaring at his disconnected call with a confused look on his face. Park Dara actually called him on her own accord. That's new. But she was going on about something he couldn't even hear coherently before the line was cut. 

  Jiyong leaned back against the driver seat of his Mercedes. The Underboss had just flipped the top back at their HQ and he honestly don't have the time for funny girls like Dara now. He reversed the car to drive it out again, but it didn't even took him 10 seconds before he stopped it.

  It's not right. Why does she sound like she's begging? And what's with that high pitched thing at the back?

  He growled, becoming frustrated with himself. He really doesn't have time. He really needs to meet Soo Hyuk now and discuss their next step. He really have to-

  He cursed, trying to call Park back. No one is picking up. Annoyed, he pressed on a different number this time. His computer analyst.

  "I want you to trace a number for me." The leader commanded, and restarted his engine.

  "Are you kidding me?" The man breaths, holding up 3 dollars before tossing her valueless wallet to the side. 

  Dara could feel her heart pounding against her ribs as she hyperventilated. He's going to suffocate her with his hands. She struggled to shake her head, writhing against the strength of the robber. She has never done anything to him. Why is he doing this to her?

  He releases his grip on and she choked, gasping for air. 

  "Please just let me go. I didn't even see your face, I won't call the police." Dara pleaded, pressing herself to the wall behind her, trying to keep her sobs silent. 

  The robber pressed on his knuckles, shaking his head maliciously. 

  "I din' go through o' these for 3 bucks did I?" He slurred, advancing on her. With a rush of adrenaline, Dara dodged for the side but he was quicker to pin her wrist to the brick wall as she choke out a sob, murmuring a bunch of pleadings that he wouldn't hear.

  "Hey." A voice said quietly, sounding closer than they thought. The robber, distracted, turned around. 

  "I think that lady's worth more than three dollars, don't you think?" 

  The malfunctioning street light in the alley and casted a dangerous looking shadow over the Caporegime of the Seoul Mafia.

Hello new subscribers!!! WELCOME TO THE TOWN OF ITAEWON!

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PS: I'm sure theres 10 zillion typos in this chapter please pardon it while I'll ammend soon when I have the time!
Meanwhile, do look forward to some action scenes next week wink wink!