Kwon Jieun was busy staring at the metallic tissue box, complementing whether she should throw it to her brother or not when she arrived at his office before the monthly meeting starts – just for the sake of pissing his brother off and again, for doing things without her consent, but what’s new from any of that.

“Did you actually buy Park Jihoon and Bae Jinyoung’s contracts?” She asked first thing first, successfully grabbing Kwon Jiyong’s attention from his laptop.“I did,” Jiyong replied nonchalantly, as if it was the most obvious thing.

“Why? When I asked you to get them out, I did not mean for you to buy them?” Jieun sighed as she seated herself in front of his desk. “There is no way that is easier than money, Jieun, and I like to keep things simple,” Jiyong said. “And I know the consequences of it, I don’t just randomly do things, you know that,” He added.

“Well, next time you could give me a heads up, so I know what to say when a certain man came protesting about how I bought the contracts,” Jieun declared. “How many of them are now?” Jiyong asked instead. “Seven, four more to go,” Jieun responded shortly.

“Then go to Busan,” Jiyong stated out of the blue that made the latter raised her eyebrow cynically. “You know me buying the contracts pissed the hell of them, I like it, I like when they are triggered to show their faces in front of my face so I can destroy them for real for meddling into my business and for trying to steal from me from the very first time they created that camp,” Jiyong spelled out.

“Holding grudges is not good,” Jieun snorted. “Hey, I’m just trying to give those kids some justice and for myself too.” Jiyong shrugged nonchalantly. “So get to Busan, bring Daniel and the rest of them, I’ll take care of everything, just find Park Woojin,” Jiyong continued. “Say what again?” Jieun raised her eyebrow in reply.

“I never mentioned Park Woojin though, Jiyong,” Jieun added in amusement. “Stop underestimating me, Jieun, I have informants, I know who and what people want, and if they are targeting Park Woojin now then I have to get that kid first,”.

Jieun scoffed as she stood up from the chair and proceeded to walk out from the room. “Hey, Jiyong, by the way, who will take care of my cat when I’m gone?” Jieun asked lastly as Jiyong stared at her in disbelief – he thought that she would be asking more useful question than that. “There are pet hotels, pet daycare? I don’t know, Myungsoo? Why are you asking me this? And why do you think I care?” Jiyong snapped in annoyance.

“Just because.” Jieun shrugged before she closed the door, satisfied as she pressed the elevator’s button. The monthly meeting is the regular meeting for them to report from every district and section, also to calculate the net income and to discuss about new projects, shipping and clients – usually it was pretty fun, unless there were some troubles and they started to get heated, but nonetheless it was bearable for Jieun.

She stepped inside the huge meeting room at the third floor to find that it was almost full because it was pretty noisy inside with the members talking to each other, as she took a seat beside Daniel. “I think,” She said as she turned her chair to Daniel, who smiled at her right away. “We have to postpone the vet schedule,” She stated which made the latter knitted his eyebrow together in slight confusion.

“Why? Are you going somewhere?” Daniel asked as he tilted his head. “Yeah, more less.” She nodded in response. “We are going somewhere,” She continued.

“Look at them eye-ing each other,” Nam Woohyun announced as he laughed when Jieun glared at him, and Jieun was not the only person glaring in the room, Daniel thought that if one’s glare could burn then Chanyeol would have turned him into ashes at that point. “We were just talking,” Jieun deadpanned. “Am I not allowed to talk with him now, or what?” She added.

“You can, if you didn’t look like that you are ready to kiss him or something,” Sungjong snapped. “I did not look like that,” Jieun retorted. “Then why are you being so angry about it?” Kim Jongdae countered as he chuckled along with the rest. “That’s okay, maybe Jiyong hyung never intended to get you a bodyguard, he wanted to get you a damn soul mate,” Woohyun said again as Jieun glared at him, again, but before she could say anything, Jiyong entered the room.

“Jiyong hyung, do you hire Daniel to become Jieun’s boyfriend instead of bodyguard?”. Kwon Jieun wanted to kill Lee Sungyeol at that point, when Daniel was flustered by the question and Jiyong just raised his eyebrow. “Daniel’s not bad.” Jiyong shrugged nonchalantly as he took a seat and Jieun swore she just wanted to slam her head to the table when almost the rest of them cheered – some are actually busy paying attention to a certain Park Chanyeol.

“But, Kwon Jieun is still prohibited from dating without my agreement,” Jiyong stated which made Jieun to shot him a disbelief gaze. “What the is that?” Jieun protested right away. “You heard me, you don’t date unless I’m giving you the permission to do so,” Jiyong said as the rest jeered at his statement. “Hyung, she’s twenty two, let her live,” Kim Junmyeon commented with a slight chuckle.

“Nonetheless, she is still under my watch, so why don’t we start the meeting and drop the topic, shall we?” Jiyong shifted the discussion smoothly as the rest of the members started to open either their tabs or files. “Before that, I would like to make an announcement,” Jieun suddenly stated and made the rest focused their attention on her. “I’m taking a week day-offs starting tomorrow,” She continued as Jiyong stared at her for a good couple for seconds.

“Why?” Chanyeol was the one who asked the first time before Jiyong did. “I just, feel like I need vacation or something, I’ll be back to work after that,” Jieun exclaimed which Jiyong nodded. “Okay, anyone else?” Jiyong asked as everyone shook their head in unison.

“Then, Myungsoo will be Chanyeol’s partner at the new client until Jieun come back and Daniel,” Jiyong paused. “You go with her too, I would still like to receive report from you,” Jiyong stated and before leading to any protests and reactions, he decided to go straight to the main discussion without any more delay afterward.

Just about three hours later, they finally wrapped up the meeting as one by one got out from the building, including Jieun and Daniel, who were on their way to Jieun’s car afterward. “Mind to explain?” Daniel said when he started the engine. “We are going to Busan,” Jieun replied nonchalantly as Daniel raised both of his eyebrows in surprise. “When and why?” He asked. “Tomorrow, and just because,”. Jieun shrugged.

“You don’t really have to do that to ask me out on a date? I’m fine though just around Seoul,” Daniel joked instead. “You wish, Daniel, we are going to find Park Woojin, and we are going to bring the rest of your friends too so, it’s not a date.” Jieun grinned in victory. “How do you know that Woojin is still in Busan?” Daniel deadpanned. “Daniel, it seems like you keep forgetting that I am literally the source of all information,” Jieun replied flatly.

“I am not,” He snorted. “By the way, can we talk about last night?” Daniel asked. “About which part?” Jieun sighed. “I did not know you would be sober enough to notice me sleep-talking,” He muttered in low tone. “And you grind your teeth too,” She added with a small smile. “You did not do that when we first passed out on my couch,” She continued. “Yeah, I don’t really know the schedule, sometimes I did that and the other time I sleep like I was dead,” He answered nonchalantly.

“Did I say something embarrassing?” Daniel asked hesitantly. “It sounded gibberish actually,” Jieun deadpanned. “Ah, well, too bad, I can be really honest when I sleep talk though, you see, once I said that I would love to marry cats.” He grinned. “I’m tired that you are so full of nonsense, Daniel,” She snorted. “But, you like me alright.” He chuckled as he reached out one of his hands just to teasingly push her arms slightly.

“Sometimes, I wish I could just sell you back to your original –,”.“So, how is this going to be again? So, we will all go to Busan, to find Woojin-ie?” He snapped afterward immediately and made her smirk. “Yeah, more less,”.

---

Kim Minseok caught Park Chanyeol staring blankly at the television screen while Baekhyun was busy with his phone at their shared apartment. “Are you that stressed?” Minseok raised his eyebrow. “He is, don’t bother him, hyung,” Baekhyun snapped nonchalantly. “Killing people at this point is easier for him than actually have a chance with Jieun, you know?” Kim Jongin added but went away as soon as Chanyeol threw a pillow at him.

“Okay, get up, you huge crybaby, I have something to show you,” Minseok said before he signaled Baekhyun to help him as he grabbed Chanyeol’s arm abruptly and dragged him across the room to the workroom. “What is it, hyung?” Chanyeol whined as he curled himself into a ball at the small couch on one side of the room. “He’s so disgusting, I never want to be in love with someone like that,” Baekhyun exclaimed as he closed the door.

“First of all, Chanyeol, I am only telling you this because you are my friend and it depressing to see you like this too,” Minseok said as he brought his laptop and sat beside Chanyeol. “But, you have to promise me that you won’t do something stupid,” Minseok glared at the younger, which the latter nodded and frowned in response.

“So, earlier before the meeting, Junmyeon asked me whether Jiyong hyung is going somewhere because he found a ticket payment receipt with his name, but nonetheless he shrugged it off when I said I don’t know,” Minseok started to explain. “So, I kind of make Sehun to search for it, because I was somewhat curious, and just like I expected, we didn’t find his name on any record of any airline or KTX even,” Minseok continued.

“But Kwon Jieun name did show up, did it not, hyung?” Baekhyun snapped with a smirk. “And Kang Daniel too, same train schedule, same destination, to Busan.” Minseok nodded and that’s when Chanyeol got up and sat properly. “And this is before the meeting?” Chanyeol raised his eyebrow skeptically and Minseok nodded, again. “Okay, so basically – holy , Jiyong hyung actually sent both of them to Busan together? For a vacation?” Baekhyun concluded as he gasped.

“Maybe, but, it could also be Jieun asking Jiyong to do all of that, I mean, there is no way Jiyong suddenly agreed for her to take day off, she must’ve told him first,” Minseok reasoned. “And why would she wanted to go to Busan with that imbecile?” Chanyeol snapped in annoyance. “You know that Daniel came from Busan, right? I mean you can tell by his accent,” Baekhyun said and Chanyeol wanted to hit him right away.

“So, it’s like a date to my boyfriend’s hometown?” Chanyeol raised his voice. “You said it, not me, Yeol,” Baekhyun retorted with a shrug. “We are going to Busan,” Chanyeol announced afterward, which made Minseok palmed his forehead right away – this was the sole reason why he hesitant telling the younger about it at the first place.

“We are not going to Busan,” Minseok and Baekhyun said surprisingly in unison. “I thought you guys are my friends, friends support each other.” Chanyeol frowned.

“Friends prevent each other from doing stupid things, Chanyeol,” Minseok snapped nonchalantly. “How is this stupid? I just want to, observe,” Chanyeol defended. “Observe, my , Chanyeol, you will ing murder that boy if you ever saw them kissing or something,” Baekhyun said and Chanyeol glared in reflex. “Or something, I said, or something,” Baekhyun added immediately.

“I’m so ing helpless,” Chanyeol whined again as he leaned back to the couch. “Yes you are, if you keep weeping around like this.” Baekhyun shrugged nonchalantly as Chanyeol getting ready to counter him.

Minseok just silently watched both of them arguing and insulting each other, as he decided not to tell anything more than that – he thought that maybe that kind of information should just stay with himself for awhile, that the fact he noticed another name on the passenger list of that very same train Jieun and Daniel is taking. “Hyung, why are you so quite all of the sudden?” Baekhyun said out of the blue.

“Nothing,” Minseok said as he smiled to shrug it off. “Let me see the name list though, maybe there is more people we know,” Baekhyun said as Minseok handed him his laptop. “There is not much people here, hey, wait, this guy surname is funny, have you really heard of Ong as a surname?” Baekhyun chuckled at his founding. “Ong Seongwoo,” Chanyeol said suddenly when he took a peek to see the name Baekhyun was talking about.

“Nope, doesn’t ring a bell,” Chanyeol added afterward. “You know but I swear I ever heard of Hwang Minhyun somewhere,” Baekhyun commented as he pointed at a certain name on the screen. “Yeah, just like I ever heard of Lai Guanlin before,” Chanyeol snapped – Minseok know it was supposed to be a sarcastic remark but he couldn’t help it but startled for a second. “Hwang Minhyun is a pretty generic name though?” Baekhyun deadpanned.

“Hold up a minute though,” Chanyeol suddenly spoke up. “Isn’t Hwang Minhyun is name of the member of, what is their name again?” Chanyeol added hastily. “We know that team, Baek, I swear, we supply goods to them and the other team to sell for a good while when we were all just starting out but we were already in the Black League at that time.” Chanyeol suddenly tapped at the Baekhyun’s shoulder rapidly as he tried to think.

“It was a long time ago.” Baekhyun suddenly went into a deep thinking mode along with Chanyeol, leaving Minseok confused for a minute. “Well, there is a lot of Hwang Minhyun, you know, it’s a pretty common name like you said,” Minseok tried to reckon.

“But hyung, you might not know this, but I swear, I must’ve remembered something, what the ? How did we even forget about this, Chanyeol? Hold up a second,” Baekhyun prompted. “The leader, the leader, Baek, I remember,” Chanyeol gasped.

“Kim Jonghyun?”.

---

“We are going to Busan,” Jieun announced to the group while waiting for their food to come. “Now? When? Why? What?” Jaehwan was the first to react and basically representing the whole group’s confusion. “Moreover, aren’t we going out in such a crowded place like this and eating together, is actually a very risky move?” Jihoon raised his eyebrow skeptically instead. “Not now, tomorrow, actually.” Jieun dismissed Jihoon’s stare.

“And meeting at the crowded place is always a better option, Jihoon-ssi,” Jieun said afterward. “Why if I may know?” Minhyun asked again. “You guys have a member called Park Woojin, right?” Jieun replied instead. “You guys are going to find him there,” She added. “How do you know that Park Woojin is there? How can you be so sure that he is still there?” Seongwoo questioned.

“The real question is, how do you know that Park Woojin is the part of us?” Jihoon pointed out. “I actually mentioned it before to her,” Daniel replied. “So, we are going to Busan to find Woojin hyung?” Guanlin concluded. “That’s right, I already took care of everything, just go to the train station tomorrow,” Jieun stated.

“How long?” Minhyun asked again. “I don’t know, you guys decide on how long you need to find him, or at least to confirm that he isn’t there any longer,” Jieun deadpanned. “What if we don’t find him?” Jinyoung muttered. “Then take it as a short vacation for you,” Jieun said nonchalantly which the group responded with a silence.

“And, my brother actually offered a place for you guys,” Jieun suddenly stated. “Your brother as in the G-Dragon?” Seongwoo affirmed. “Yeah, that person is my older brother, apparently, and he thought it would be nice for you guys to have your own place,” She confirmed.

“Our own place, you mean like, a house?” Daniel raised his eyebrow – Jieun didn’t mention anything about it earlier that it kind of startled him. “More like his unused penthouse, he figured that you need a big place since there are eleven of you,” She elaborated. “Ha, that sounds cool though? I mean Minhyun hyung’s apartment is nice but you know, it’s kind of small,” Guanlin commented with an innocent grin.

“That’s a very kind of your brother though, but I don’t think we are in a place to accept it, we barely know him,” Minhyun said instead, shutting down Guanlin’s grin immediately. “Everyone else too, Minhyun-ssi, no one actually know my brother, so yeah.” Jieun shrugged. “Take your time to decide though, I don’t need an immediate answer, you can tell me whenever you feel like it,” She continued.

“You know, I’ve been wondering that if you could buy mine and Jinyoung’s contract then why don’t you just buy us, you know, from them? I mean, if you wanted to help us out so bad?” Jihoon blurted out all of the sudden, making Minhyun almost choked on his water and Seongwoo was that close to shut the younger’s mouth with his hand.

“Honestly Jihoon-ssi, I was wondering the exact same thing too.” Jieun shrugged instead, making the rest gasped.

“But maybe there is a bigger thing than that, right? There are bigger intentions than just owning you eleven,” Jieun continued. “Maybe because they never wanted to sell you again like they used to have in mind, how about making you weapon? Have any of you thought about that, actually?” Jieun raised her eyebrow as she crossed her arm in front of her chest as the rest stared at her with their upmost focus.

“They are rich enough if they can chase each one of you like right now, so I doubt that all they need is just money,” Jieun stated at the end. “We are always a weapon, Jieun-ssi, I am afraid we are aware of that since the first time we are made,” Seongwoo added with a bitter smile. “Yeah, but against who?” Jieun pointed out. “So, why do you think Jiyong stopped sponsoring the camp? Because he’s bored?” She deadpanned.

“You are saying that they never wanted to sell us from the first place? Wait, so you are saying that – wait what?” Daniel snapped. “So does that mean that they are basically going to make us work for them, from inside the other mafia houses?” Jihoon questioned in disbelief as Jieun nodded slightly. “That’s why you need to trust me when I said that not only Kwon Jiyong that will destroy you if you are involved with them again.” Jieun shrugged nonchalantly.

“Who the hell wanted to be involved with them again? We have a reason why we are running away from the very first place,” Jaehwan retorted in panic. “Yeah, but we don’t care, Jaehwan-ssi, if you are seen with the enemy then you are part of them, that’s just how mafia houses work,” Jieun replied. “We have to find Woojin soon,” Minhyun concluded in the midst of shock. “And the rest too, Jisung hyung, Daehwi, Seongwoon hyung,” He added.

“There you go, that is why we are going to Busan, tomorrow,”.

---

“You literally never once told me, or even mentioned a bit about anything you just said earlier,” Daniel protested first thing first when they separated from the group. “Why are you coming with me, Daniel? I can find my way back home alone,” Jieun replied instead. “Well, I mean, I’m still responsible to make sure that you are alive?” He said but quickly frowned afterward.

“Anyway, I would like to apologize for Jihoon’s behavior though, he’s actually a very nice and sweet kid, but he has his guard up the most, you know? That’s why he’s a little bit judgmental about everything.” Daniel sighed. “That’s okay, I understand anyway, it’s good to be a little more critical about everything.” Jieun gave him an assuring smile.

“But still, why didn’t you tell me anything?” Daniel raised his eyebrow. “I honestly thought you knew, that’s why it’s hard to trust you,” She replied nonchalantly. “I don’t know,” Daniel retorted. “I can see that.” Jieun sighed. “Well, can you trust me now then?” He tilted his head as he stopped her from her track. “Can you?” Jieun raised her eyebrow skeptically before continued to her walk on the pavement.

“Relationship should be built on trust,” Daniel stated nonchalantly as he caught up to her pace. “We don’t have that kind of ability so maybe there is no possibility of a relationship between us.” Jieun shrugged, which made Daniel frowned even deeper. “I thought we are best friends, that’s a relationship,” He declared. “Best friends don’t kiss each other,” She deadpanned.

“So, if we are not in the relationship and we are not best friends either then what are we?” Daniel raised his eyebrow as his lips curled up into a teasing smirk. “You figure that out, I have too much to think about other than that,” Jieun snapped flatly. “Like do I really trust Myungsoo not killing Peter when we are gone tomorrow?” She added nonchalantly. “I thought he has some experiences with cat?” Daniel knitted his eyebrows together.

“Kind of still feels like handing a child to him,” Jieun replied. “Did you just claim our cat as your child?” Daniel snapped in amusement.

“It’s kind of cold tonight, why did I park so far away?” Jieun shifted the topic right away when Daniel was busy grinning ear to ear as he suddenly put his arm around Jieun’s shoulder. “Then, we should stay close in order to keep both of us warm.” He shrugged nonchalantly as he pulled her head closer his body.

Daniel was smiling even wider when she didn’t retort or push him away – she just simply keep walking side by side with him until they both stopped their track at a certain shop. “Want to give that cute Wartotle plushy a try?” Daniel said as he pointed the glass machine with his chin. “Just once, Daniel, just once, I swear I keep crossing my principle since you came like how I keep playing this stupid game,” Jieun snorted as they both got in.

Nonetheless, Jieun should’ve known better than she has no talent at playing doll crane machine at all as she almost slammed the glass box after her eighth try. “I’m so done,” Jieun snapped before she turned around and rested her whole body on the machine, looking pissed as to Daniel.

“You are so lucky that I am good at this.” He grinned nonchalantly as he moved closer to the machine and started to move the claw, leaving the annoyed girl inside his embrace since she still hasn’t moved from her spot and letting Daniel pinned her body to the machine in order to play properly.

Daniel could feel her breath against his chest since they were so close and when she heard something being dropped down, she let out an irritated groan. “I hate you,” Jieun stated when Daniel bent down to get the Wartotle doll before holding it out in front of her. “I really think I should get some kind of a payment every time I get you one of these dolls.” He chuckled nonchalantly.

“Like what?” She tilted her head as she raised her eyebrow in challenge. Daniel acted like he was thinking hard even though he already has some ideas on his mind – so, he smiled mischievously as he tapped his point finger on his lips slightly – but, Jieun just stared at him with her infamous unimpressed look, so Daniel pouted slightly. “Fine, can we just –,”.

Just when Daniel were about to suggest the other thing, Jieun cupped his face and pulled him down slightly so they were on the same eye level as she planted a peck on his lips before pulling away immediately – Daniel needed a moment to register what just happened afterward since it all happened so fast before he finally came back to his sense as his lips curled up to the widest grin he has.

“You know what? We could stay here all night so I can get you every damn plushy you want if that’s my reward,”.

---

Park Chanyeol pulled over all of the sudden, making Myungsoo, who was focusing on his phone, almost jolted out from the passenger seat. “Chanyeol, I know you hate it the fact that I replace Jieun for this client and also the fact that I making you drive, but can you please chill and try not to kill both of us?” Myungsoo blabbered as he still focusing on the phone.

“ing look at that,” Chanyeol snapped as he tapped Myungsoo’s shoulder vigorously. Myungsoo must said that he almost choked when he saw how close Daniel and Jieun were and how the girl let the latter put his arm around her shoulder like it was nothing. “What the actual ?” Chanyeol gasped. “Oh, they are going inside the shop,” Myungsoo said as he pointed at the two figures before Chanyeol hastily moved his car to get the closer look.

“I swear if the doll crane machine is the answer to all my love problem then I would’ve have done it since a long time ago,” Chanyeol commented while they both were watching how Jieun struggle to get a doll – fortunately for them, most of the doll crane machine shops have a see through glass wall on the front. They both then saw how irritated she looked when she was unable to get anything.

Chanyeol almost went rampant and almost got out from the car if it wasn’t Myungsoo who was holding him back when Daniel literally pinned Jieun to the machine while he was playing. “, that’s harassing,” Chanyeol retorted. “Only harassing if Jieun reject it,” Myungsoo snapped. “She looked mad as ?” Chanyeol scoffed. “Because she didn’t get the damn doll, what the , Chanyeol?” Myungsoo raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

The next few minutes got them both in complete silence that Myungsoo almost thought that Chanyeol would probably has lost his mind and would also probably drive his car into the shop and destroy everything inside – Myungsoo just prayed that he would still be alive by the end of the night.

But all Chanyeol did was dialing someone’s number on his phone before waiting the person to pick up. “Baekhyun, tell Minseok hyung that I don’t ing give a about stupid movement,” Chanyeol gritted his teeth.

“We are ing going to Busan,”.