Narrator

 

 

The Incheon warehouse of Park Industries blew up yesterday, around 5pm in the afternoon. The cause is still being investigated, but as of now, the number of casualties is rising.

A representative from Park Industries relayed that the company will be covering all the expenses of the casualties, as well as additional investigation services for the blast’s cause. In addition, they strongly believe that this is not a case of their employees’ or warehouse’s doing, but a planned attack from the outside.

Mr. Park lowered down the volume. He looked around the room to see all the troubled faces. Sera was still in her pajamas, hugging her knees as her forehead creased. His wife was mindlessly stirring her cup of coffee, looking out the window. Namjoon was pinching the bridge of his nose, a habit he does when he was anxious or stressed.

To be honest, he didn’t know why everything was happening. He just wanted it all to end. If that meant losing the company, then he’d go for that. He’d trade anything than see his loved ones in this state.

“Let’s settle this… Namjoon, can you personally handle the assistance for the ones affected? I want them to not even spend a penny. Let’s cover everything, okay?”

“Yes, samchon.” Namjoon mumbled and got his phone.

“And… I was planning…”

All heads turned to him.

“I was planning on selling the majority of our shares.”

“No!” Sera stood up in defiance. “You can’t do that, Appa!” She said with such force, her fists balled. “This is our company, and we will protect it at all costs. This is exactly what they want! We won’t give in.”

“I want to protect my family, Sera. If I need to give up the company to assure that we are safe, then I will do that.”

The room fell silent. Tears were already lining down Mrs. Park’s cheeks. Sera was biting her nails, and Namjoon was leaning on the wall, feeling his head throb.

“Give me some time, Appa. Please.”

Mr. Park walked to his daughter and held his shoulders. “You are too young to be targeted like this, honey. I… I shouldn’t have exposed you to the public. I made you the target. Now I want to correct that.”

“Appa…” She searched his eyes. “I wanted this. I have been preparing my whole life for this. So please, don’t give up yet. We will fix this. Please.”

Namjoon exhaled and stepped forward. “She’s right, Samchon. I’d be lying if I say that this is not serious and that this will just pass, but I believe in us. I believe in Sera. We just have to endure this.”

Mr. Park looked at the two. His heart swelled of pride and love for them. He reached out an arm for Namjoon, who walked towards him with a small smile. He embraced the two kids with a heavy heart. “I’m sorry for putting you two in this situation.”

“Not your fault, yeobo.” Mrs. Park wiped her tears and joined the embrace.

 

 

Sera heaved a sigh as she sat down on her office chair. When she walked through the doors of the company, she felt how everyone felt.

Anxiety. Everyone was anxious to know if the company was going to be okay after all the events. The cumulative impact was something that cannot be denied.

They were slowly falling apart.

“I heard about what happened.” The door opened slightly, Jungkook’s head poking through the space. Sera smiled a little and motioned for him to come inside.

He stepped inside and smiled. “Actually, I’m not alone.”

“What?” She looked behind him to see no one. “What are you talking about?”

He took her hand and led her outside. “They are all waiting for us at the lounge.”

 

“Sera!” Junghyun beamed as they entered the room. He hugged his big make frame back, chuckling as he ruffled her hair. “I’m glad you two sorted things out!”

Sera blushed and looked at the floor. “What are you…”

“Oh, shush.” Junghyun teased and slung an arm sound her. “No need to be shy, we all knew there was something more to being ‘engaged’.”

“Hyung, will you stop harassing her?” Jungkook groaned. Junghyun let go and smiled widely. “I’m sorry, I’m just glad.”

“Well you tend to overreact when you’re glad.” Haena shook her head. Sera smiled upon seeing her and gave her a brief embrace.

The elder female squeezed her shoulder encouragingly. “We heard about the warehouse, Sera. We’re so sorry.”

Sera just replied with a small smile. Jungkook noticed her sadness and playfully socked her shoulder. “Come on, we should go inside. The elders are waiting for us.”

She shot him a glare as they walked behind Junghyun and Haena.

He just shrugged and pulled her closer to him. “I know, I know. I’m too handsome.”

“Just shut up, will you?” She hissed, and he chuckled, gently intertwining her fingers with his.

 

 

Kai closed his laptop and groaned. He did not expect that this is what he was entering into. He bit his lip as he looked at the email copy he just printed.

It was a detailed list of Sera’s schedule for the whole week. The places, the time, and even the bodyguards assigned were all stated. Below was a message for him.

I just want you to know how resourceful I am. I really want to help you, but if you do something against me, I can easily hurt her. Just know, I am watching you.

He sighed as his jaw clenched.

 

 

Jungkook smiled as the waiter repeated his order. He was watching Sera scrutinize the menu, and he couldn’t help but be happy over the mere thought that they were eating out together. The little things mattered.

She looked up and gave him a quizzical look. “Why are you staring?”

“I was wondering… why don’t you just order everything? You’re taking too much time on that menu.”

She rolled her eyes and gave the waiter her order. When they were finally left alone, she lightly kicked his leg under the table.

“What was that for?!” He whined. She stuck her tongue out. “For you being a jerk.”

“Sera? Park Sera?”

Both of them looked up to see a young man standing before them. He was about their age, wearing a light blue dress shirt and black pants. He was beaming at Sera, who had her head tilted as she looked at him. “Uh, who…”

“Oh don’t tell me you forgot about me! I’m your savior in uni!”

“Jackson?!” Sera jumped up her seat and embraced the man, to which Jungkook flinched a little at the sight.

What the hell? His brows furrowed as the man embraced her back, her back as he did so. He couldn’t help but tap his fingers on the table. Who is this guy?

Sera pulled away and tapped the man’s cheek. “I almost didn’t recognize you! What brings you to Korea, Wangkongie?”

“Oh you know,” Jackson shrugged. “Business as usual. I’ve been hitting the gym, honey. Look at my muscles.”

Jungkook’s eyes widened as Jackson flexed his arms. Sera poked his biceps, smiling like a little child. “Wow wangkong! I never expected you to be like this.” Jungkook cleared his throat and Sera looked at him.

“Oh!” She went to his side of the table and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“This is my… friend, Jungkook.”

“Jungkook, this is Wang Jia Er, or Jackson, a friend from the US. We were classmates in uni.”

Jackson grinned and extended his hand, to which Jungkook politely shook.

“I should get going, honey. Hit me up on facebook, okay?”

Sera nodded and they both hugged briefly before Sera went back to her seat.

“So…” Jungkook started. “I’m your… friend?”

She looked at him sheepishly. She honestly didn’t know what to say earlier. “You’re… not?”

He shrugged and looked away. She noticed how he was not talking so she lightly kicked his leg once more. He looked at her, a hint of agitation on his face.

“Did you know, Jackson used to be so thin. He also was very—“

“I really don’t want to know.” He muttered, playing with his phone. She bit her lip and watched him focus on his game instead on her.

“Jeon.” She transferred and sat beside him, poking his cheek. “Are you… mad?”

He glanced at her. “What? No.”

She hesitantly looped her arm around his. “Are you sure?”

Jungkook froze on his seat. “S-sure.”

They remained silent for a few seconds before he regained his composure. “Why are you so touchy with him?”

She smiled a little. “He’s naturally like that. Are you jealous?”

“What?” He snorted. “You’re delusional.”

“Okay.” She smiled knowingly and stood up to go back to her seat, but he held her wrist and sat her back beside him. “Hey!”

“I’m more than your friend… right?” He muttered, not looking at her. She suppressed a grin and watched him fiddle with his fingers like a little child. When he noticed that she wasn’t responding, he hesitantly looked at her and met her stare.

She looked away, a bit flustered. “You know the answer to that.”

“I want to hear it from you.” He mumbled, and she sighed. “Of course you’re more. Now let me go back to my seat.”

He encircled an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Later. Stay here until the food arrives.”

 

 

Sehun walked in the room, carrying a bag of chips and drinks. He handed it to Namjoon who gladly rummaged it.

“So, any work from Jongin?” He asked, munching on some chips. Sehun shrugged and took out his phone. He was also waiting for Kai to call him. He wondered if Kai knew what he was doing. Engaging himself with whoever was behind all this was too dangerous.

The door opened and the two boys looked up.

“Hey.” Kai smiled and jumped to the couch. The two were looking at him expectantly, to which he respinded with a sigh. “I… I backed out. I ignored the following texts.”

Sehun sat down. “Why?”

“I figured that it was too dangerous, Hun. Here, look.” He handed him the piece of paper he printed earlier. Namjoon grunted upon seeing it, and Sehun’s fist balled.

Kai watched the two mutter curses under their breaths.

“How could they know too much?!” Namjoon kicked the couch, raking his hair. He already doubled the security following Sera around, but even that was known to whoever was behind all this. He felt like he was losing, quick.

The door opened and Haena hesitantly stepped inside. The boys straingthened up and gave her a small smile.

“She’ll be helping with the investigation.” Namjoon explained to the two. Haena smiled and sat down beside Kai. She saw the paper on the coffee table and gasped.

“I recognize that…” She muttered. Kai turned to her, head tilted. “W-what do you mean?”

Haena breathed heavily. Her fingers fiddled with the straps of her bag in a frantic manner. “It’s all the same… It’s… It’s… repeating.”

“What is happening, Haena?” Namjoon knelt beside her, taking a firm hold of her arm. She met his eyes and bit her lip. It took her a few minutes before she could talk. “That kind of message, well, I received it too. I-I received a detailed list of Junghyun’s schedule, and there was a threat that I should leave him and cancel our engagement if I wanted him to be safe.”

“Oh for ’s sake.” Sehun hissed.

“This doesn’t go back to Sera. This goes back to the Jeons.” Kai mumbled.

Haena nodded as her eyes faltered.

“Does Junghyun know about this?” Namjoon asked, and she shook her head. “No. I didn’t tell him. Please don’t…he’ll overreact and do rash things.”

“I’m sorry, but they have to know. Someone out there does not want to marry off the Jeon siblings. They failed to scare you off, Haena-ssi, but now they’re targeting our Sera. We can’t let them do that.”

She nodded hesitantly. “I… I understand.” She opened her bag and took out a small folder. “I already asked our agency to look up the company who made the delivery to the warehouse that was… targeted.”

Sehun took the folder and gave her a small smile. “We appreciate your help, Haena-ssi.”

“I…” She started to speak again, “I strongly believe that the company has nothing to do with it, though. I think they just have been used as a cover, they have nothing—“

Sehun abruptly stood up, the paper in his hands. Namjoon, who was confused, took it from him. The former remained unmoving, his face stoic.

“Seolgi Manufacturing?” Namjoon asked, reading the paper. He scanned until the very end, gasping as he read the last line.

Seolgi Manufacturing. Incorporated 2009. Direct subsidiary of Daesan Group. Owned and managed by Jeon Group.

 

“J-Jeon Group?” He whispered.

 

 

 

 

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Hi guys im sorry for not updating really quick im currently out of town hehe i don't have a laptop with me pls bear with me byeeeee