Chapter 17: The Monster Within

The Game.

It’s tricky; once you become a player you will never be able to leave. It’s harsh and unforgiving; once you fall you will never be able to stand up again. It’s thrilling and addicting; once you get in you won’t even want to leave. It’s raw, dangerous and bloody; once you are in, your life will be on the line. And heavens help the rueful pawns who will be only exploited, used, abused and tossed away to die in their helpless misery.

Every single player is a monster.

*

The lobby bar was quiet and calm when Jongin and Sehun took their seats at one of the tables in a secure corner. The armchairs had high backrests so it was easy to disappear in them from curious eyes. Both men were shower-fresh, dressed in casual clothes, their hair damp and their faces sullen. Jongin held a glass of gin tonic whereas Sehun had once again settled for whiskey. They sat there in silence both deep in their thoughts.

“What do you think?” Jongin sighed. He glanced at the clock on the wall and made a note to himself that Da Hyun had been alone in the room for half an hour already.

“I don't know, man. I don't get her at all.” After a few sips from his glass, Sehun told Jongin about the discussion he had overheard and the latter told him what Sang Jin had told him after being arrested. 1. He was the one who provided unmarked money. 2. He worked for Da Hyun 3. She was behind the money laundering 4. Kang Jin Ki is her uncle.

“Do you think he is lying?” Sehun pondered aloud.

“A lot of things seem kinda off”, Jongin fell back in his seat and spread his knees apart while twirling his glass in his hand. “These gangsters are playing with us and I don't like it.”

Sehun sighed again, lowering his head. He was tired and frustrated, Da Hyun wouldn't talk, Mi Rae didn't know anything and he wasn't sure if they could trust Sang Jin or Shi Hoo at all. The latter refused to talk, he admitted being part of the money laundering and was willing to take the blame. The man seemed genuinely scared, he even begged them to keep him in the prison for his own safety. As if that wasn't suspicious at all...

“I just don't get what this is all about, anyway.” Jongin ran his hand through his hair. He glanced at Sehun who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, somewhat sad and desperate. “What are you thinking about?”

“There is something else we need to talk about”, the prosecutor spoke after a short silence. His eyes darted at Jongin, lingering briefly on his face before darting back at the whiskey glass. He was sitting with his elbows resting on his thighs.

“About what?” Jongin frowned. Whatever it was, it didn't seem like anything good.

“I'm sorry”, Sehun whispered, ruffling his hair.

“Sorry about what?”

“About what I'll say next.”

He lowered his eyes, pursing his lips together. He knew it was not the right moment to bring this kind of thing up, he felt awkward and burdened, but this discussion was long overdue, anyway. The settings weren't so bad, at least.

“So are you gonna speak?” Jongin asked impatiently.

“Let's end things”, Sehun avoided looking his friend in the eye. Jongin took a deep breath, also looking away. He wasn't sure how to feel, of course it hurt but at the same time it's not like they had ever dated properly. Somehow, he was even a bit relieved.

“And that's it?”

“I mean- I'm getting married and- I was- I... Oh God, I'm so sorry” Sehun covered his face with his palms and uttered a dry chuckle. “Man, this is harder than I thought.”

“Don't push it, I get it.”  Finally, a smile tugged at Jongin's lips, the look in his eyes softening. He had expected this to happen sooner or later. Another thing was... well, how easy would this be to carry out? They'd still be seeing each other every day. They'd still be buddies minus the benefits part. How does one simply end something like that?

“I know you are sorry.”

“I never wanted things to turn out this way... But everything just happened... I was stupid, you were stupid... we let it drag on for too long and now... everything is just a mess.”

“Let it go.”

“How can I just let it go?” Sehun looked up, his eyes narrowing at Jongin. “You said you love me how can I ignore that?”

“I'll get over”, Jongin shrugged. “It's simple actually.”

“I know how much it hurts so how can I just-”

“Then what else can you do?”

Pursing his lips together Sehun looked away, he couldn't face Jongin anymore. He didn't know how to. A short silence fell between them and Jongin his lips, an inappropriate question forming in his mind. Yet he hesitated to ask even though he was terribly curious.

“Why did you bring this up now?”

“Then when?”

“Look. I want to be honest with you because I care”, Jongin said decisively. “Are you really sure about this marriage?”

“Why wouldn't I be?” Sehun's voice grew tense again. “Why do people consonantly doubt me?”

“Because you give them reasons.”

“What reasons? I have known Eun Yoo for over five years already. Why would I even propose if I didn't want to be with her?” Sehun reasoned with a firm voice.

“Things change.”

“Yeah, well nothing has changed in my life”, Sehun said matter-of-factly. “I don't know what you are getting at.”

Jongin groaned inwardly. “Then what about Da Hyun?”

“What about her?” Sehun scoffed, feigning ignorance, but secretly his heart skipped a beat.

“What's going on between you two?”

“I hate her, she hates me. That's all”, Sehun brought his glass to his lips but coughed on the bitter alcohol upon hearing Jongin's next words:

“Is that why you kissed her? Is that why you made out with her?”

“How do you know about that?”

“I made her tell me. We were drunk, I told her a secret and she accidentally blurted that you are a good kisser and then I made her tell me.”

For a second Sehun thought that Jongin knew about what had happened earlier but it turned out he was talking about something else. A relieved grin spread on his lips. “A good kisser, huh?” he muttered, amused to hear something like this. She wasn't a bad kisser either.

Seeing Sehun's reaction, Jongin clicked his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest. “I bet you two have kissed more, haven't you?”

“So what? A kiss or two here or there...” Sehun commented indifferently. “You know me.”

“Do you think I am blind and stupid?”

Sehun rolled his eyes. “I don't really get you. Then what do you think is going on?”

“It's not that hard to guess”, Jongin answered sternly. “She has been on your mind since forever. Your life has particularly revolved around her since you were what, 5?”

“Geez, you are making me sound like some creep”, Sehun tried to joke it off but his face fell and he quickly lowered his eyes, as if guilty of something.

There was some truth to Jongin's words. After all, Da Hyun had been always on Sehun's mind through ups and downs. He had admired her, hated her, loathed her, wondered about her, dreamed about her, cried because of her... He had been through a lot with her on his mind. It was creepy and disturbing and he hated to be such a strange man but it was all true.

When he had it hard he would always think of her, he would become so angry knowing that she must have been doing great somewhere and that's what made him try harder. During his moments of despair, her name would flash through his mind and then he would be unable to give up. When everything was great he'd think about her and hope that she was miserable. He loved to hate her, but he wasn't sure if he hated to love her.

“Yes, you have hated her and blamed her for a lot of things but what do you think now that you have finally met her?” Jongin pressed on with unyielding look in his eyes. “I can honestly say that I like her. I'm not sure what is going on with her and I wonder if she even knows herself but I know that I like her. And if she intrigues me I can only imagine what she is doing to you.”

“And what are you going to do when you find out that she is someone you will have to-”

“Don't say that”, Jongin held his palm in midair. “Don't say that.”

“I mean, she got you pretty riled up back there.”

“It was my mistake. Look, I don't know. I don't think she is involved at all. I don't think she is lying about that, instead I think there is something else.”

“She has the tattoo and you were asking where she stands. Isn't it obvious?” Sehun's voice grew sarcastic. “What were you trying to get out of her, anyway?”

“She is after Kang Min, we are after Kang Min. Don't you think it would be useful to take her on our side?”

“Have you lost your mind?” Sehun asked in disbelief. “How do we know what these people are really after?”

“I know there must be more to this but I don't want to dig into it. This is dangerous and I love danger but this once I am having a bad feeling. I want to solve those two deaths and the money laundering, but that's where I am willing to stop. Taking into consideration who she is we shouldn't take her words lightly either. And you know what? Whenever I see that brooding look in her eyes I can feel the threat.”

“She keeps saying we are gonna die. I wouldn't be surprised if she one day takes out a knife and stabs me”, Sehun let out a dry humorless laugh.

“Then bang her while you still can”, Jongin blurted. Sehun gaped at him in disbelief.

“What?”

“Just one look and I can tell that you want her. Stop living in denial already. In my opinion you should do it before you either die or get married”, Jongin smirked wickedly.

Sehun's face turned sour but, strangely enough, his heart skipped a beat. “I don't know what you are talking about...” he muttered, abruptly bringing his whiskey glass to his lips and taking a long sip from it.

“And besides”, Jongin looked at him knowingly. “I think that she lusts after you just the same way.”

“Let's not talk about this”, Sehun cleared his throat, his cheeks growing warmer.

He didn't need Jongin to tell him what he wanted. He knew perfectly well himself, but he also knew that what he wanted would never be his. Who was he and who was she? It would be crazy to go after Da Hyun, it would be suicidal. He wasn't sure if he saw more in her than just a desirable woman but he sure as hell dreaded inappropriate contact with her because he was afraid to get hooked. He didn't want to feel any more guilty in front of Eun Yoo either. He genuinely cared about her, he could confidently say that he cared about her more. Da Hyun was just someone else. She was beautiful, intriguing and intimidating and it all turned him on but that's all. There was no deeper connection.

“Really? Whom am I kidding?”

“There you go again”, Jongin complained, falling against the backrest.

“What should we do with her, anyway? It doesn't seem like she will talk anytime soon or at all”, Sehun sighed. Just a thought about Da Hyun lying under the bed rolled up in a comforter made the corners of his lips tug upwards but he resisted the urge to smile. When Jongin didn't answer Sehun looked up and saw that the guy was looking at him dully.

“All I know is that you are in deep sh.it.”

Sehun flinched at his comment. “Don't pis.s me off.”

“You are so freaking stupid sometimes...”

“Yah…” Sehun's frown deepened. “Haven't you said enough?”

“I'm warning you babe, if you don't soon do something about yourself I'm going to waltz into the picture and confuse you even more. Just for the he.ck of it!” Jongin jutted his nose in the air. He gulped down the contents of his glass and slammed it on the table. In an instant, he was on his feet, towering over Sehun.

“What?”

“Don't forget”, Jongin smirked, his eyes sliding up and down Sehun's body. “I'm interested in her too. Maybe not more than in you but still...”

“You are gay”, Sehun blurted, his face turning sour.

“Has that stopped me before?”

“Don't touch her”, he warned.

“And why not?” Jongin raised a brow, a playful smirk twisting his lips.

Sehun bit his teeth together. “Just don't do it, you will only hurt her.”

“Now you are making me jealous...”

With a sly smile on his lips, Jongin stepped closer to Sehun, who was still sitting in his chair. The former grabbed the front of the latter's shirt and forced him to stand up. Being a bit shorter Jongin slightly angled his face up, his gaze sliding over Sehun's face as if something solid, grazing his lips and cheeks. The latter held his breath, his heartbeats intensifying, his face turning completely red now.

Counting to ten in his mind, Jongin devoured Sehun's beautiful face with his eyes, his heart throbbing painfully in his chest. If only he hadn’t been so stupid he could have this man all to himself now. Regret washed over him like never before, breaking his self-control into shards. He grabbed on Sehun's hair, angling his head to the side, and finally captured the latter's lips with his own, kissing him roughly and thoroughly. Sehun blinked, he stared at Jongin's face through hazy eyes and slowly responded to the kiss sort of subconsciously. But suddenly, Jongin's familiar warmth and scent left him and he was pushed back into the armchair. He looked up weakly his body now numb and his mind empty. His lips were on fire and a strained mewl threatened to spill from his dry throat.

“So what's the difference?” Jongin asked with an arrogant smirk. “When you kiss Eun Yoo, when you kiss me and when you kiss Da Hyun, what's the difference?” he his lips. Sehun didn't answer, those kisses were all different but he had never thought about how and what it could mean.

“Augh, you are impossible”, Jongin shook his head and chuckled. “Why are you torturing yourself like this?” he asked in a whisper. “Why?”

Those words pierced Sehun's heart and he knew that Jongin knew. Jongin must have known all along. Guilt, regret and resentment towards himself washed over him. He might have hated Da Hyun all his life but at the moment he hated himself even more. His brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. Any bypasser would have said he looked annoyed, even angry, but Jongin knew better. Jongin knew everything.

Without another word Sehun got on his wobbly feet. He faced Jongin his eyes dark and brooding, his lips pursed together. Jongin looked at him calmly, his eyes were gentle and kind like always, his lips twisted into a small kind smile. Raising his brows he encouraged Sehun to say something but the latter chose to keep silent like he always had.

In a swift movement Sehun his heels and stomped away. Million emotions mixed inside of him creating a storm of fury, it spread throughout his body and made his eyes glaze with ice. He was fed up with about everything. Living was nothing but enduring to him. Torturous feelings ripped his heart into pieces every day all over again and he wasn't sure how to be whole again. All he knew was that he was sick of it all, everything.

One day he found peace when he learned to love Eun Yoo and care about Jongin. Then life was normal for a while and he was even happy. But life was never the same like it used to be when it had been euphoric, when he had woken up in the morning with a smile on his lips and his heart full of bliss, when he had used to wake up next to Jongin, when it had been just the two of them and no one else. But it had been wrong after all, everything had been just a dream, a mere illusion.

In the end, he was too cowardly to ever confess and Jongin was too cowardly to be who he was. Now then... when his feelings were out there and Jongin was confident enough to kiss him in the public they could never go back to those carefree days.

Because those days were gone.

*

Da Hyun was eighteen and totally out of control, doing all sort of crazy things just because she loved the adrenaline spike that followed. She was addicted to danger, she was in love with it. No matter how much her mother scolded her or how many times her father warned her, she never listened. She was free like a bird in the sky until she finally realized that... not being scared of anything was the scariest thing of them all. The most beautiful smile was the one without a soul and the gentlest voice bore no emotion. Darkness didn’t scare her, it was fascinating.

“Whoa, whoa! This is so beautiful. What a baby!” Da Hyun gushed with excitement as she walked around the black shiny Audi, her palm sliding over the smooth surface. “Can I take it for a ride, can I?” She gave her father her cutest puppy eyes. “Pretty, please.”

“You don't even have your driving license yet.” The older man flashed a knowing smile. He looked young for his age, dressed smartly, his hair combed neatly to the side and round glasses resting on his nose. “So, no.”

“Aww, unfair”, Da Hyun pouted. She had just returned from school in her P.E uniform, her short hair in a big mess and a backpack hanging from her shoulders. “Bummer.”

“I'll let you drive if you get a perfect score on your next history test.”

She only groaned in response, making a face at him before skipping away. He sighed and shook his head in disapproval.

After taking a quick shower and changing her clothes, Da Hyun rushed downstairs, eager to leave the house. Her sisters were planning to throw a party and she didn't want to be involved in the stressful arrangements. As she was hastily putting on her converses she heard So Hwan's nagging voice in the background, already arguing about something with Mi Rae. Those two never stopped arguing!

“Where are you going?” Soo Young asked indifferently, before shoving another spoonful of ice cream into her big mouth. She had spotted her little sister in the hallway and, the curious person she was, came to ask questions. Da Hyun glanced at the cardboard cup in Soo Young's hands and then her eyes darted at Soo Young's face, her sister was helplessly addicted to ice cream.

“To hang out with Kyu.”

“Oh, so you won't come for the party? You are gonna miss out.”

Da Hyun raised a brow and crossed her arms over her chest. “Miss out on what?”

“Apparently there will be some really cool people.”

“Like?”

“Well”, Soo Young the spoon before flashing a wide smile. “Some years ago there was a legend-”

“Wait-” Da Hyun held up her palm. “Not again. I don't care about that nonsense.”

“But it's about a really cool guy.”

“Look at this face”, Da Hyun pointed at her own face while making a bored look. “Do I look interested?”

“Oh well”, Soo Young shrugged. “Whatever, I just heard that he is irresistibly handsome.”

“And that is the cool story?” Da Hyun uttered a laughter, giving her sister a look of pity. “Your life is so boring.”

“Yeah, but he is so attractive that at first sight-”

“Blah blah, whatever.” Da Hyun grabbed her biker style leather jacket and threw it on. “I'm outta here.”

“I can't believe she has a boyfriend”, Soo Young muttered under her breath as she watched the door closing. “Well, whatever! What was that cool guy's name again... Se something... I need more ice cream.”

Da Hyun had a scooter, it was pink and covered of stickers, rusty too, but she loved it. She had bought it with the money she had received for her 15th birthday, even though her father had been against it. But it's not like she ever listened to anyone, she was a rebel. With a pink scooter.

In 15 minutes she arrived at a small car repair shop and, leaving her bright red helmet on the scooter's seat, she peeked in through the open door. The radio was on and a catchy pop song echoed in the small hall, she spotted a pair of legs sticking from under an old Hyundai. A smile spread on her lips as she breathed in the smell of oil and metal.

“Boo!”

Da Hyun screamed when a pair of hands fell on her shoulders and someone's lips brushed her cheek. A loud thud followed and a long string of curses spilled from under the car. Instantly she spun around and swung her fist at whoever it was, but her wrist was grabbed and she found herself pressed against the wall.

“What's up, baby?” Hong Kyu snickered into her face, his eyes b with mischief. “Did I scare you?” He had recently dyed his hair into dark orange color and it suited him. He was still dressed in his school uniform, messy in a cool way with loosened tie and ed collars.

“Get off me before I castrate you”, Da Hyun spat as she pushed him off herself. She stepped away from him, hugging herself and shuddering.

“Awww, don't be mad.” Hong Kyu followed her, snaking his arm around her shoulders. “It was just a joke.”

“You two will be the death of me!” An older man had emerged from under the car, he was rubbing his head with a painful expression on his face. “You scream really loud, did you know that?” He flashed a smile at Da Hyun.

“It was him.” She quickly pointed at Hong Kyu, the latter scoffed.

“You scream like a woman.”

“It wasn't me... Hey! Seriously”, Hong Kyu looked between the two. “It was not me!”

“Whatever you say, hero boy”, the man winked.

“You are so childish”, Hong Kyu hissed at Da Hyun who was smirking at him. “But I still love you.” He smiled, ruffling her hair. She stuck her tongue at him, grinning from ear to ear.

“So did you two come to look at the car or act all lovey-dovey in front of an old single desperate man?”

Street racing was just another form of business involving fast cars, hot women, drugs, and money. There were certain people, certain circles, certain circumstances, certain rules, certain danger, and a lot of thrill. Everything related was illegal, hence fascinating and mysterious. There was nothing much dangerous to the race itself other than traffic accidents and unintended deaths of innocent bystanders. There was also a possibility of being caught by the police and being fined. However, the real danger lied within the racers themselves because some people didn't like to lose and if they lost to someone weaker than them, problems could follow. A lot of money was invested in every race, especially in those of higher caliber ones. Street racing was a whole new complicated world with different types of races and legends, it didn't exist within clans, it existed outside them.

If Clans were the darker side of the wealthy,

then street races were the darker side of the Clans.

“What do you think about the car?” Hong Kyu asked as he climbed to sit behind Da Hyun on the scooter. Once she was ready to go he inched closer and wrapped his arms around her waist, a satisfied smile spreading on his lips.

“Hmm, it's okay I guess”, Da Hyun didn't sound all that excited. She was thinking about something inappropriate but didn't bring it up just yet. “Anyway, what do you wanna do now?”

“How about playing pool?”

“Sounds like a plan.” She started the scooter and they moved. Wind played with Hong Kyu's hair since he wasn't wearing a helmet. He leaned his chin on Da Hyun's shoulder and took in a whiff of her scent. “My sisters are throwing a party tonight”, she blurted.

“Man, that's gonna be a mess.” He chuckled. “You wanna go?”

“Maybe later.”

Mi Rae and So Hwan were the party girls in the family, they were both extremely popular in their high school days and also in the University, dubbed as the beauties of the campus. No matter where they went people always admired and envied them. So Hwan was the elegant type and Mi Rae the wild one. Soo Young was something in-between but she was more interested in ice cream than being popular. She would always stick around for the parties because they were a good opportunity for rumor hunting. Da Hyun wasn't into the partying at all nor was she popular at school, except for being weird and scary. Kang sisters, everyone knew them for a reason or another.

“Whoa!” Hong Kyu heaved a laugh when he almost tripped over a mountain of shoes in the hallway. He glanced over his shoulder, at Da Hyun who looked bored already. She rolled her eyes as she kicked her Converses off and walked past him. The house was full of young drunks. What was there to be excited about? She walked past the people without giving them any attention, her gaze darting all around with Hong Kyu trailing behind her. His hand fumbled for hers and he intertwined their fingers.

“Look, there is hyung!” he exclaimed happily, tugging Da Hyun towards Mi Rae and her posse.

“Look who's here!” The handsome guy with brown hair and dark eyes smiled at the two, waving his hand. “My favorite dongsengs. Long time no see!”

“Hey, Jae oppa”, Da Hyun greeted lazily wondering if her sister was back with her on-off boyfriend yet? Mi Rae was busy chatting with some girl who looked like a bit.ch, like all of her friends.

“Why do you look so bored, eh?” Jae Hyuk scooped Da Hyun against his chest with one arm and her cheek came in contact with his fragrant shirt. The smell of cigarettes mixed with the freshness in a pleasant way and she took a deep breath while he ruffled her hair.

“She lost to me in the billiard. Twice.” Hong Kyu didn't let go of Da Hyun's hand while she was being tortured by the older male, he stood close by with a boyish grin on his lips.

“Ouch”, Jae Hyuk made a pained face and then laughed, finally releasing Da Hyun from his hold. Her hair was a total mess now, sticking in all sorts of directions. “Better luck next time.”

Da Hyun stuck her tongue at him before Hong Kyu pulled her into himself, running his fingers through her hair to arrange it better. She didn’t struggled in his arms, only leaned closer to his chest, clearly happy to be there.

“So are you”, Da Hyun glanced at the older male and then at her sister. “You know...”

An amused smile tugged at his lips as he glanced at Mi Rae too. “It's complicated”, he shrugged.

“Ugh, you two are so annoying”, Da Hyun rolled her eyes. “Hey unni!” she called out, catching Mi Rae's attention right away. “Guess what?”

“Oppa here loves you so much”, Hong Kyu finished for her, making a cute face as he nudged Jae Hyuk in the ribs with his elbow.

Mi Rae frowned, her lips tugging downwards. “Who the hell let two kids in here? Shouldn't you be in bed by now!” she yapped.

“Time of the month”, Da Hyun whispered at Jae Hyuk. “Just wait till it's over and she will run back into your arms during her weak days.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m serious, it really is that time of-“

“What are you whispering about?” Mi Rae shrieked, taking a step closer.

“Nothing”, Da Hyun made a serious face. “Kyu was just confessing his love here. Better watch out before Jae oppa is snatched away.”

“Pis.s off!”

“What do you see in that monster?” Da Hyun shook her head and Jae Hyuk only laughed in answer.

“Da Da!” Hong Kyu wrapped his arms around her shoulders and made a bored face. “Let's go get some punch.”

“That's right! Get outta my sight!” Mi Rae pushed them away and turned to Jae Hyuk, quickly hugging his arm, the jealous type she was. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and making her blush. They were so silly.

In the kitchen Da Hyun grabbed a fistful of popcorn and showed all of it into before grabbing a half empty vodka bottle from the counter and emptying it into the punch bowl. Without even tasting it, she knew for sure that it would be too weak and fruity. Hong Kyu followed her example and grabbed a fistful of popcorn too.

“Awww, I was thinking about body shots.” He picked up the empty bottle and shook it. “Do you have more?”

“Body shots?” Da Hyun raised a brow. “Then get .”

“Me? My body is too boring, but yours.” He smirked as he suavely moved into her personal space and placed his hands on her hips. She looked up with a pout and he pressed his forehead against hers. “How about it?” he whispered seductively, his breath smelled of popcorn.

“Only if you do it first”, she chuckled, placing her hands on his chest. He angled his head for a kiss, but she moved away with a teasing smile.

“Aish... you”, Hong Kyu heaved a laugh. He grabbed two cups and filled them with the sparkling liquid, handing one to Da Hyun. “So how drunk are we planning to get today?”

“How about?” Da Hyun made a pause, a smirk twisting her lips. “Wasted.”

He leaned in and pressed a light kiss on the corner of , his warm breath hitting her skin. “Deal.”

She turned her head, but he escaped her lips, sticking out the tip of his tongue. “Yah”, Da Hyun made a pouty face, but Hong Kyu ignored it so she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him lower, her lips finally pressing against his in a quick sweet kiss. He loved it when she was being rough; there was something irresistible about that.

“Gosh, you are so violent”, he smiled before pulling her into a deeper kiss, which lasted what seemed like an eternity, until they both had to pull away to catch their breaths. Da Hyun unwrapped her arms from around his neck and leaned against the table, downing her punch in one go and refilling her cup. Was it hot in the kitchen or was it just her?

“How about slowing down, hotshots?” Hong Kyu cupped her cheek, his eyes connecting with hers. “What have you been thinking about so hard all day?” He frowned slightly.

“You noticed?”

“Of course, I notice more about you than you know.” He winked. She had no idea how observant he actually was.

“Well”, Da Hyun bit her lower lip. “About that car.”

“Yeah?” He put his cup away and positioned himself in front of her, his hands moving up and down her sides.

“It's good but...”

“But?” Hong Kyu abruptly pulled her waist into his and she shivered at the contact. She loved that unyielding look in his eyes, full of lust and desire.

“I have a better car in mind.”

He hummed into her ear, his lips grazing her neck. Biting in a moan, she angled her head back so he would have better access.

“Dad's new Audi.”

Hong Kyu's eyes shot open and he abruptly pulled away, his warmth vanishing from her skin. “Are you crazy?”

“He won't notice”, Da Hyun's lips curved into a small smirk. “He will be on a business trip.” She took his hands in her own and scanned his face for approval. “It will be only this once. I want to try it so badly.”

“And what if he finds out?” Hong Kyu frowned. “You will be grounded like for the rest of your life and he will kill me.”

“He won't, I promise.”

“I don't think that's a good idea.”

“Come on, Kyu.” She smiled widely, tugging at his hands. “I promise to be good to you if you agree.”

He raised a brow, his lips forming a straight line, but he couldn’t be serious for too long. Not when it came to her. And he wondered if he spoiled her too much? Then again, how do you resist someone irresistible?

Being grounded was nothing compared to what was to come.

Drunk out of her mind, Da Hyun slid down on the floor and leaned her back against the kitchen drawers. Her lips were swollen from all the kissing and she was out of breath, her face helplessly flustered. Hong Kyu said that he was going to go somewhere really quick and come back, but she had already forgotten even though it had happened a few seconds ago. Or maybe she hadn't been listening, too busy admiring his handsome face. A goofy smile spread on her lips just at the thought that he was her boyfriend and that he had picked her over all other girls who were way prettier than she was. She couldn't help but feel all giddy inside, already missing the touch of his hands, his sweet voice and soft lips. He was the best boyfriend ever!

Her eyes landed on something shiny under the table and she frowned. Instantly, curiosity got the best of her and she crawled towards what turned out to be a small round earring with sparkling stones. It was pretty and she smiled at it in awe. “I wonder who your owner is?” she muttered under her breath as she crawled from under the table.

“Jesus fuc.ken Christ!”

Da Hyun looked up and her eyes opened wide when a huge body started falling right at her. It wasn't exactly huge as in fat, it was just a tall male with black messy hair dressed in ripped jeans, black collar shirt, and fit sweater. When he collapsed on top of her his weight knocked all air from her lungs and she gasped, he smelled of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and there was a whiff of expensive cologne, quite pleasant. She took a sharp shaky breath and slowly opened her eyes when everything became still. He was lying on top of her with his arms on both sides of her head and his face buried in her chest.

“G-get off me! ert!” She quickly pushed him off herself and crawled away, her back hitting the kitchen drawers. He sat up and rubbed his elbow, his face distorting from pain. His dark eyes scanned her, his lips curving downwards.

“Where the hell did you come from?” A frown settled on his rather pretty features. He was good looking, attractive in some unexplainable way. “Are you trying to kill people?”

“What?” Da Hyun clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowing at him. “It's you who came out of nowhere and stepped on me!”

“Cause you're a fu.cking shrimp...”

She scoffed, taking back all her thoughts about his good looks. “Then that makes you a fat smelly walrus!”

Her eyes widened in surprise when his palms slammed against the wooden surface on the level of her head, trapping her right there. A gasp left her lips and she tried to lean into the kitchen drawers even more when he brought his face closer. A light touch of eyeliner gave his eyes a dangerous vibe and it suited him. He was y, there was no denying.

“Careful”, he whispered, his breath hitting her lips. “Cause this fat walrus eats shrimps like you for breakfast. Hmm”, he angled his head to the side. “You kinda look familiar...”

As a self-defense reflex her fingers curled into tight fists and she was about to strike him wherever she could when suddenly his head hung low and he collapsed on her lap.

“Ewww”, Da Hyun groaned, quickly pushing him away. Because she was so drunk herself she failed to notice that he was even drunker. Maybe he was good looking but he was some weird a.sshole.

“What happened?”

She looked up and met Hong Kyu's concerned eyes.

“He was bullying me”, Da Hyun cried out, kicking the taller male away from herself. The latter groaned, rolling on his back and mumbling something about fried rice and shrimps.

“Did you hit him?”

“What? Are you worrying about him in this situation?” Da Hyun gasped in shock. Needless to mention she was offended. “I hate you!”

“Okay okay, I'll take you to your room first.”

The next morning when Da Hyun woke up in Hong Kyu's arms she hardly remembered what had happened the previous night. After snuggling against him to her heart's content, she finally got up, her eyes falling on a shiny object on the nightstand. “What's this?” She took the earring between her fingers and brought it closer to her eyes, her brows furrowing. However, she quickly lost her interest in it and tossed it away, not remembering where she had gotten it from.

The whole house was in a mess after the party and Da Hyun stepped over sleeping people while she made her way towards the kitchen. She found Soo Young there, fixing a huge sandwich for herself.

“Good morning.” The older female smiled knowingly, wiggling her eyebrows. “Did you have fun last night? Because I know Kyu stayed over.”

“Very funny”, Da Hyun uttered a dry laughter. “I had so much fun sleeping next to him.”

“Fine, keep denying... By the way, in the end Mi Rae and Jae Hyuk went back together.”

Da Hyun rolled her eyes, of course, they would get back together. They were engaged! “Oh right!” She blinked and slammed the fridge's door shut. “Did that legendary dude come yesterday?”

“Who?”

“The guy you were talking about. That he was so handsome blah blah.”

“Oh, that guy.” A happy grin spread on Soo Young's lips. “Yes, he came.”

“And he was really that handsome?” Da Hyun asked curiously.

“What do you care so suddenly?” Soo Young teased. “Could it be you saw him and fell in love?”

“No. I'm just curious.”

“To your information, he was”, Soo Young paused to make a dramatic face. “He was...”

Da Hyun raised a brow, taking a sip of orange juice straight from a tetra pack.

“Uni.”

The juice spluttered from Da Hyun's mouth and she quickly wiped her lips with her sleeve.

“What?” Soo Young asked innocently.

“He was what?”

“Uni...”

“Uni?”

“Well, and tall.”

“And that's all?”

“Not quite my style but I see what all the hype is about.”

“So he wasn't that handsome, after all...” Da Hyun scoffed. “I knew it.”

“No, he was good looking, extremely attractive but... you know my taste in men is kind of...”

“Oh right”, Da Hyun snorted, thinking about Soo Young's ex-boyfriends. “Sorry, I forgot that you like pigs.”

“Thank you very much”, Soo Young gave her a dull look but then her face brightened. “Hey, guess what I heard yesterday!” she gushed, eager to tell all the rumors she had managed to gather the previous night.

“Boss, there is a scratch on your new car.”

CEO Kang had always loved cars and car racing, he had his own sports car collection and he was proud of it. But he was not a racer himself and preferred to sit in the audience, there was enough danger in his life as it was. He allowed his youngest daughter to go to race tracks and he even provided her with a car. But she was not allowed to drive anywhere else, only on the tracks, only with Hong Kyu. And as a proud father who loved speed he loved to come and watch her when he had time. She was not a bad driver, only an innocent one.

A mere scratch on his new Audi didn't upset CEO Kang, that was nothing. The fact that his daughter had – once again – disobeyed him was not that upsetting either, he was used to her rebellious behavior already. The news about her taking a part in a street race was somewhat upsetting because he hated street racing, bunch of morons acting like Gods and causing havoc. Da Hyun getting into trouble after causing an accident during the race upset him because he was terribly worried about her. His wife had slapped him so hard he could still feel the pain, this was already very upsetting. But what upset him the most was that some retarded imbecile valued a car over a human life.

That was downright enraging.

Even though CEO Kang was known as a reasonable man he was anything but reasonable when it came to his family, that's when his instincts kicked in. He was sitting in his office going over the company related documents when he received a call from one of his acquaintances, hinting that his youngest daughter might have gotten herself into big trouble. CEO Kang had all kind of acquaintances and his phone was full of contacts, all divided into groups. And when someone from a group 'Them' called he knew to listen carefully because if he didn't he'd regret later. CEO Kang had set his priorities straight and family came always first, with no exceptions.

On the other side of the law, there is no such a thing as mercy. What is forgiveness in a world where people who you let off the hook, come hunting for your head once you turn your back? Forgiveness doesn't exist in such gloomy places. There is either you or me and death between us.

During street races accidents happened, it was normal and even expected. It's just that sometimes those who got into accidents became enraged, especially if they had to drop out from the race. Revenge was only part of the game, it was too bad if you got involved with someone you wouldn't be able to handle.

On that particular day Da Hyun had been on her way from school, when a black BMW had parked beside the roadside and two burly men had come out, capturing her and forcing into the car. The latest race she had participated in had been a success, she had come fourth which, for her, was unimaginable. But, it was also her fault that someone who had bet a lot on the winner had lost their money. And now, that someone was enraged. Their car had been ruined in an accident caused by the black Audi. Maybe they would have been able to swallow their defeat if the driver hadn't been a mere high school girl, barely of a legal age. That was simply unacceptable.

This is how Da Hyun ended up lying on a concrete floor in a corner of a warehouse, tied up and beaten. Coppery taste of blood spread in and tears of pain squeezed from the corners of her eyes, but she was strangely calm. It was shocking even to her,