I took some time off to recover from the whole Seunghyun fiasco.
I spent that time self reflecting as well, and also to
think about the future of this story.

So,

after going missing for one eternity,
I think you guys deserve an update for still sticking around.

Enjoy!

---

[-]

  A line of Made men guarding the hallway bowed as Jiyong passed by them in long strides. The Underboss did not even nod, his eyes remaining passive as he took a turn down the end of the hallway to enter a private ward.

 

  "Jiyong." Youngbae greeted him first as he stepped into the suite.

 

  "How is he?" Jiyong asked, his stoic gaze softening upon seeing Seungri on the hospital bed. It's been a week since he got shot, yet he's still unconscious despite the doctors reassuring that all his vital signs are stable.

 

  Youngbae heaved out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "The same."

 

 They were at a private hospital, not the one that belonged solely to the Mafia family, but one that Jiyong had ties to. They couldn't risk leaving Seungri in a Mafia establishment without making sure that they won't punish him for his supposed 'betrayal'.

 

 It took Jiyong a week to convince the Family that Seungri was clean. The anti-virus that he developed in the USB worked in blocking out the Immortal Angels from the Mafia's cyber system. But that alone was not enough, there were still some Mafia officials that wanted Seungri's removal from the organisation.

 

  Not having any of that, Jiyong threatened to leave as well. And to his surprise, Ghost (Soo Hyuk) stood up in solidarity with him, putting his own rank at risk. It was only then that the Don made the final call to pardon the entire incident and to strengthen the hunt down on the Immortal Angels. The Family cannot function in this tumultuous time without their Underboss and Consigliere.

 

  "Hey buddy." The Underboss said quietly, nudging their youngest member gently on the arm. "Everything's settled. Wake up soon. It's been a week, and I haven't seen Daesung go about a week without breaking a smile." 

 

  Youngbae's lips curled up in a bitter smirk upon hearing the Underboss's words. 

 

  "Who's taking over your shift later?" Jiyong asked Youngbae.

 

  "Seunghyun hyung. He's probably on his way now." 

 

  The boys were taking turns to guard Seungri, least something happens to him. When it comes one another's safety, they couldn't trust anyone else to do it. Not even Jiyong's own henchmen outside.

 

  "Good. I'm going." Jiyong said, taking a last look at Seungri before getting up from his seat beside his bed. "It's Dara's first day at her new workplace today." 

 

  "Make sure you buy flowers!" Youngbae called out at Jiyong's retreating back as a smile formed on his lips. It feels great to see Jiyong care about something that isn't related to the Family. It's almost as if he's starting to have a life again.

 

---

[DARA}

 

  My pen... my pen.. where is it?

 

  I swallowed for the nth time, patting myself down until I feel the cold texture of my ballpoint pen in my pocket. There's only a minute to go until the academy bell rings, and then it'll be my first class. God I'm so nervous, what if the students don't like me? Do they already know of my haemophobia? What if I mess up and become a joke?

 

  No, that wouldn't happen. I hastily shoo-ed away those nasty thoughts and glanced again at my watch. Gah, only 30 more seconds to go. I've been here outside the lab for a good 20 minutes already but I don't think I can ever calm myself down!

 

  The bell rings and the professor who was lecturing the class walked out. "First day, huh?" She smiled kindly at me as I mustered a strained smile to hide my nervousness. "Good luck!"

 

  For the last time, I checked my reflection in the glass window and took in a deep breath. This is it, Dara. You can do it, lets go! Gathering up all my confidence that I do not have, I stepped into the lab and behind the lecturing podium.

 

  My heart was hammering loudly in my chest as I take a glance at all the students who are wearing their white medical coat, looking not much younger than I am, waiting expectantly.

 

  Okay, here we go now...

 

.

.

.

 

  The clock finally hits seven and I'm free to end my day. Despite being a nervous wreck, I'll admit that I'm exhilarated to be in touch with all these medicine stuff again! It feels almost as if I've refound myself, being finally back to my old trade. After the first lecture, the afternoon one was much easier to deal with. I then spent the whole evening in the staff office, following the old head professor around as he introduced me to each and every of the other professors and teaching assistants here. 

 

  As I walked out of the compound, I edgily returned the smiles of a few students who were leaving as well, feeling a little awkward. I guess it'll take a while more for me to get used to being treated as a teaching assistant, heh.

 

  My eyes fell on Jiyong who's leaning against his silver BMW, waiting for me in his black suit right after I stepped out of the main entrance. A grin immediately spread across my face as a small smirk spread across his. 

 

  Jiyong opened his arms and I immediately ran into them, jumping onto him giddily.

 

  "Hello, professor Park." Jiyong kissed the crook of my neck, "You got heavier."

 

  Tsk, can he go a day without teasing me?

 

  I slapped him lightly on the arm for the remark before adding, "I'm not a professor. I'm just a teaching assistant... for now."

 

  "There's no difference to me." He shrugged. "How's first day? Did you topple over while walking into the classroom?"

 

  "Jiyongggg!"

 

  "Okay fine, tell me about it." He stiffled his chuckles.

 

  Excitedly, I began to tell him all about the day, all the people I met and all the nervousness I felt. "I think the lectures went pretty alright, but I have one TINY regret, I mispelled encephalopathy during-" 

 

  I was cut off short when Jiyong began to make one of those annoying snoring sounds he always does when I turn on my nerd mode, making me roll my eyes.

 

  "You're so cute when you're mad." He pinched my nose. "Are all these your students?"

 

  I turned to look at the group of students that're leaving for home. A few of the female under-graduates that have exited the academy took second glances at Jiyong as they passed by us, whispering excitedly among themselves. I jerked my head abruptly back to Jiyong again, who didn't seem to notice the particularly alarming amount of attention he is drawing from my prubescent students.

 

  Just look at him crossing his long legs as he leans his slender frame against this posh car. Gah, his good looks are annoying me. 

 

  "Stand up straight." I hushed, trying to drag him up from this alluring position. 

 

  "Why should I?" 

 

  I huffed and crossed my arms across my chest, a dangerous look flashing past my eyes. Immediately, he kicked himself off the car and stood with his hands by his sides. What a cutie.

 

  "All better." I beamed. But no, all the girls are still gawking at him even though they're far down the streets.

 

  "How long do I have to hold his position, Professor Park?" 

 

  "Stop slouching so handsomely. Look, those little girls are all seduced by you." I said sourly. Jiyong tilted his head to catch a glimpse of them before chuckling playfully.

 

  "Aren't those your students? Should I go and tell them not to fall asleep when you're teaching?" 

 

  Wow seriously... I frowned and looked away, feeling really upset that my boyfriend is the centre of attention for so many girls. 

 

  Seeing the sour look on my face, Jiyong smirked and pulled out something from the passenger seat through the opened car window and omo, it's a small, fresh bouquet of roses...! I couldn't help but to let out a audible gasp.

 

  "For me?" I squealed, thoroughly touched by his unusually romantic gesture.

 

  "No, I intend to fill my bathtub with it later." He answered sarcastically.

 

  Not minding him, I took over the bouquet and held it to my nose, inhaling its scent. Kyaaa! This is the first time I received flowers from a guy! It feels like a thousand more roses have erupted open in my heart. 

 

  "Is this the kind of 'usual boyfriend' things that you like?" Jiyong asked fondly as he raised an eyebrow at me. I must be looking really stupid with happiness now.

 

  I nodded eagerly, my feet dancing on the spot in joy as I encircled my arms around his neck to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, and thank you for getting me this job. I love it!" 

 

  Without giving me an answer, Jiyong's stare softened as a weak smile tugged at his lips. His gaze made me conscious and I swallowed hard, willing myself not to blink away. A flush of heat was rapidly shooting to my cheeks.

 

  "Anything for you, baby." He said in a quiet voice, suddenly.

 

  His abrupt seriousness is stirring up flutters in the pit of my stomach as I look into his eyes, as if he's making me fall in love with him all over again. Even though the way he makes my heart race out of breath feels rather unbearable, I don't want him to ever stop... To ever stop looking at me like I'm his entire world, to ever stop saying these things that make me feel so secure in his arms.

 

  I am falling a little deeper for him every single day.

 

---

[-]

 

  "What's up your sleeve, Kris?"

 

  An angry hiss sounded from the end of the huge office. The young blonde leader of the Immortal Angels did not even flinch as the Once-Underboss of the Mafia, now his ally, approached the thick glass that separated his office from his beloved white shark.

 

  "Since when did you start making plans about attacking the Mafia without consulting with me first?" Cha Seungwon hobbled over to Kris. "Why exactly did you sent your men to the Mafia's HQ? You even killed their security guard and that damn cleaner. Do you know all these leave footprints that leads them back to us?"

 

  "Consult you?" A small chuckle escaped Kris's lips, making Seungwon narrow his eyes. "I didn't know you became the co-commander of the Immortal Angels."

 

  "Kris-"

 

  "Don't forget who lent you a hand when you were literally crawling, Seungwon." Kris turned to face the older man, the blue glow from the tank casting a eerie shadow on his face, accentuating his already sharp features. "Don't forget who gave you that cane." 

 

  Kris's eyes flickered to the polished cane that Cha Seungwon is using as a walking aid before continuing in a light voice.

 

  "I'm just carrying out what we both want. Revenge."

 

  "What exactly is your plans, Kris? What did your men do in that building?"

 

  Kris's lips pulled into a dark grin, looking insanely dangerous.

 

  "Tic toc, tic toc..." He hushed softly, edging closer to the ex-underboss's face. "Tic toc, tic toc... BOOM!" He screeched, howling in laughter as his partner jumped in surprise.

 

  "You left a bomb?" Seungwon squinted his eyes in disbelief as the young boss stifled his laughs and straightened up. "It wouldn't work... Logistically, you wouldn't be able to remotely set it off, the Mafia's compound network is unbreakable. Any external signals won't be able to connect. And so what if you set it off? You know they have the money to rebuild the damn building as easily as you blow it up." 

 

  "Tsk tsk tsk tsk..." Kris shook his head, grimacing at the shallow-minded senior. "Don't worry about the network... Remember when we hack into the Mafia's network with the help of our dear friend who's now still dead unconscious? I already established a connection. Those Mafians actually thought we were trying to steal their drug supply info, how cute...

 

  My target isn't the headquarters, Seungwon. It's the people who are going down with it. The Don, the Consigliere, the Caporegime, the entire board of directors that control that organisation."

 

  "You've got to be insane if you think we can get them all in the same place at the same time." Seungwon muttered, his mind still digesting the audaciously brilliant plan.

 

  "Oh, they will." Kris smiled, turning his gaze back to his shark. "We just have to get ourselves some bargaining chips when the time is due."

 

  

---

[-]

 

  The girl was clinging onto the Underboss's arm, her heart full and contented as they spent the entire night doing those normal couple things. They had dinner at a nice hamburger restaurant, roamed around the shopping mall and even had desserts. This is one of the best date she ever had with him, even though he kept his usual passive, emotionless expression on.

 

  Dara halted her step when her eyes fell on a retro neoprint machine booth. How long has it been since she saw one of those around? Excitement flooded her and she immediately started to stride towards it, tugging the boy along, only to be yanked to a halt by the guy's unmoving steps.

 

  "No."

 

  "But Jiyonggg, it was my dream to take one of those with my future boyfriend." Dara whined pitifully.

 

  "No." 

 

  "Pweaseee." Dara frowned, pulling together her best puss in boots eyes while batting her lashes. A reluctant smile tugged at the guy's lips as he rolled his eyes at the girl's antics. Dara quickly took the chance to drag him right into the booth with her.

 

  Whistling a tune, Dara ran a hand across the amazing machine that brought back sentimental feelings as she inserted a few coins to begin the photo taking. With ten seconds on the clock, she tried to hook arms with Jiyong only to swoop air before realising that he is standing behind her.

 

  "Come on Jiyong, you have to move further up front!"

 

  "No."

 

  "Fine, I'm going to stand here anyway." Dara shrugged, turning back to the camera with a bright beam just as the machine began its 5 seconds countdown in a cheery electronic voice. 

 

  A series of flashes later, they both exited the booth as Dara waited eagerly for the printed pictures to appear. She can't wait to keep that photo in her wallet so that if anyone ask her about her boyfriend, she can show them how good looking he is. And keeping their picture with her will let her gush about him in her own privacy without fuelling his ego. Keke.

 

  Dara blew some warm air into her hands while tapping her feet impatiently when Jiyong suddenly snatched her hands close to him. With ease, he wrap his own hand around both of her small ones easily, transferring his own heat onto her. With his other hand, he collected the photo that had just been washed out by the machine.

 

  A deep smirk started to form over his face as he looked at the picture, unsettling Dara. Suspicious, she snatched the photo from him and gasped. Behind the smiling her was Jiyong, looking handsome as ever, but with his black pistol dangling from his finger. GAHH!! How is she supposed to flaunt this to her friends now!!!

 

  "I thought this was a concept shoot." Jiyong yawned lightly, earning himself a flick on the arm. 

 

  "I wanted to show this photo around." Dara said disappointedly, glaring accusingly at Jiyong.

 

  "Show it then."

 

  Dara opened to retort but she shut it again, deciding that it is useless. Jiyong can be incredibly romantic, but insanely annoying. She's convinced by now that wrecking harvoc in her life gives him some sort of erted pleasure. 

 

  "Forget it, I'll just tell them I don't have a boyfriend."

 

  Jiyong's eyes narrowed dangerously. Dara chuckled when she felt a soft vibration in her pocket. She pulled out her phone to see a text from Donghae.

 

  Do you have some time now, midget?
  I feel miserable.

 

  Just as soon as she read that, another text came through. As if he already anticipated what Dara might say, the text was:

 

  I tried looking for Bom too but that woman is out of the country. 

 

  A surge of uneasiness well up inside Dara as her eyes scanned the two texts a few times. What possibly can be wrong with Donghae? A few worst-case scenarios ran through her mind and she quickly shut it off, turning her line of vision to Jiyong, who was absentmindedly starring at the people bustling about in the mall.

 

  "Ji?"

 

  "Hmm?"

 

  "Can I go look for Donghae for a while? I promise I'll be home before midnight!" Dara finished the sentence in one breath. She can already predict the Underboss's reaction and true enough, his expression turned dark.

 

  "Is this a question?"

 

  "Yeah, I won't go if you really don't want me to." Dara muttered, twisting her fingers together.

 

  "Alright. Don't go." Jiyong said flatly, his expression turning blank as he walked off, brushing past her. Seriously, is she asking him this to piss him off? Why would she even think he'll be okay with her going off to meet the Vanguard alone?

 

  Dara followed behind him, typing an apologetic text back.

 

  Sorry, Donghae. I'm with Jiyong right now. Are U OK? What happened?

 

  Donghae's response came quickly.  

  

  No problem, mate.

 

  The silence stretched between the couple as they reached his car. Without exchanging any words, they started on their way home. During the drive Jiyong stole a few look at the girl and she has been gazing out of the window, lost in her own thoughts with a small frown on her face. The look of her being worried for some other guy gnawed at his insides, threatening to hijack his brain with waves of fury. In a single swerve, he turned the car around and stopped it at the side of a street.

 

  Dara snapped out of her trance and glanced at the surrounding. Eh? Aren't they going back to Jiyong's place?

 

  She turned her puzzled gaze to Jiyong, who's staring straight ahead.

 

  "If it matters to you that much, go."

 

  "I'm fine. It's just that he doesn't usually ask for favors like this and I'm starting to think that something is really..." Dara trailed off, her eyes falling on his hands that are clenched tightly on the steering wheel. He's probably not even listening to her now. "I'm just worried as a friend, Jiyong." She sighed.

 

  "Cool. I'm sure he sees you as a friend too." Jiyong said dryly.

 

  "Donghae knows that I'm with you and I've always told him that we won't be anything more than friends." Dara answered exasperatedly. She didn't want a fight but the accusing tone in Jiyong's voice was irritating her too. 

 

  Her words almost made the Underboss want to roll his eyes. That dude has been into Dara for god knows how long and she seriously thinks that her being with him is going to change anything. Yes, he's aware that Dara rejects his advances but he couldn't help but to think of all the times that Donghae was there for her when he wasn't. That day Dara tried to throw away the shoes that brought them together, the Vanguard was the one who came to shelter her from the rain. Even during those horrible weeks where Dara was in the hospital after the car wreck, he was the one she sees when she wakes up.

 

  What if one day Dara realises this? Would her love for him waver?

 

  "I don't have anything to say." Jiyong murmured in a defeated voice. "Just go."

 

  Dara bit her lips and touched his arm lightly. "Okay, I'll be back soon." She said meekly. "Don't be mad."

 

  His lips twisted into a bitter smirk. Don't be mad, she said.

 

  "I'll see you in a while!" Dara called out into the open door after getting out of the car. She knows Jiyong is definitely furious with her when he remained unresponsive. She closed the door and immediately, he drove off, leaving her on the side of the street.

 

  Dara sighed. Better make this a quick one.

 

---

What do you think is going to happen next?