[Dara]

  Okay. I should gasp.

  "Whoa." I breathed out, my mouth hanging open at the sight of the glitterly- no - neon lit exterior building in front of me. I'm pretty sure that with the way this place of glimmering, its probably plated with 24k solid gold and then encrusted with diamonds. I gulped, swallowing down my awe as I clutched the box of that mafia boss's shoes closer to my chest. Despite the fact that this place looked MORE like an arab palace than a bar which he mentioned in his message, *geez, he has my number!*, the signboard with "HARDROCK BAR" was slammed right smack above the entrace of the building in pale neon electric blue.

  A limosine drove up to the entrance and I side stepped away quickly to avoid being crushed into juice. This is definetly not a place for me. If that guy and his friends were really part of the mafia, shouldn't they be hanging out at some shanty or shady old bars away from the public eye instead of this- I glanced up again at the shimmering building with dulled out beats pumping out from behind the expensive looking soundproof, transparent doors- this presidential like high-end nightclub?

  But then again the fact that this is their place to chill meant one thing.

  These guys are probably huge. 

  I groaned inwardly. Why did I have to offend that guy? Dragging my feet forward, I came up to two burly looking bouncer that each stood on either side of the door. 

  "Uhm, hi." I chuckled nervously.

  Their eyes remained looking straight ahead.

  "HI." I tried again, this time louder. 

  They looked down at me. Gosh, these people look like they can flatten me with a stomp of their feet- they're giants! WELP! Where's Bom when I need her!!!

  "Member card?" One of them asked, raising a brow at me. I looked down at myself, my toes peeping out from my sandles. Alright, I admit a cardigan and a lilac skirt isn't the best look for somewhere filled with people dressed in flambouyant gowns or skimpy bodycon dresses and suit, ha. ha, but hey it's not like I'm !

  "I don't have one." I said blankly, blinking. 

  The bouncer shook his head and then stared up ahead again, looking like oversized robots.

  "I'm here by invitation!" I said, "Look, I'm here to meet the- the" Oh no, I didn't even ask for his name! What did Bom said his code name was again? uh- uh-

  "The Dragon!" I recalled excitedly. 

  "What?" The bouncer asked, scrunching up his face at me. Now I got his attention.

  "I said, I'm here to see the Dragon! You know? The Mafia guy??" I almost shouted as the doors open, and my voice was nearly drowned out by the crazy loud music.

  "I'm sorry miss, but you're not going in without any-" The bouncer began, but someone came out from inside the hardrock bar and stopped him with a pat on his shoulder.

  "I think she's here for us." A deep, heavy bass-like voice sounded out and I looked up to see the most good looking man I have ever set eyes on.

  The bouncer stepped aside and bowed a little, revealing that stranger's full body. He was tall, a little tanned with a chiselled face, clad in a black suit with a clean white shirt with the top of it ed. Thick brows, sculpted nose and wait- he's smirking! Oh my god, I think the heavens have descended!

  "You're Park Dara?" He asked.

  Reply him! 

  I swallowed. He's perfect. I think I found the guy to marry.

  "You're not?" He raised a brow. More like he lifted his brow up into a flawless arch. 

  "Yes," I answered. Don't sound so breathless!!! "Yes I am. I'm Dara Park." I said dreamily. I bet my cheeks are furiously red now, but that's alright because I'm going to run away with this guy.

  "Oh," My new husband said, "The guys said you're going to come. Did you brought Jiyong's kicks?"

  Ah, so Dragon's name is Jiyong..... Well I wonder if this guy is a mafia like Jiyong as well.... If he is I suppose I have to start learning how to rob a bank. Hehehehe.

  I followed my new husband into the bar. The dubstep music inside was deafening. This is more like a nightclub, with people grinding themselves on whoever that they can find everywhere. People- women with smokey makeup and crazy killer heels as well as party-going men gawked at me, or it could be my cardigan, but those that were in the path of the guy who had led me in here cleared out a path for him to walk without him saying so. Whoa, I guess I really am new to Itaewon. Everyone here really does seems to know them. The Mafia.

  We navigated through the people and into the private suites up the stairs, where it was significantly quieter but the music was still loud nonetheless. Handsome hubby pushed open one of the platinium doors to reveal the same guys whom I met in the afternoon, all dressed in suits now. The young blonde guy seated by the end of the couch, playing rock-paper-scissors with a beautiful lady in a scarlet short dress. The other one who was with the blonde in the store this afternoon looked up and smiled. Another one, whom I haven't seen before, look on interestedly. And then my gaze landed on the cute guy in the afternoon. The one who has his brown hair combed back, popping the peanuts on the silver plate disinterestedly into his mouth. The one who I demanded a payment from.

  The Dragon.

  That reminded why I was here in the first place. Welp. This suite gives me bad vibes. They could chop my fingers off inside and no one would care. Nope, I did not study medicine for years for my hands to be severed by some unsanitised and bacteria filled knife. I'm not staying here, not even for my handsome hubby-to-be. Sorry, we're divorced, for now.

  "Get in here." The obvious leader of the pack, or who handsome hubby called Jiyong, said. 

  I stepped in quickly at his command.

  "Why is she with you, Seunghyun hyung?" The blonde asked curiously. 

  Ah, so handsome hubby is Seunghyun.

  "Went to take a cigg and saw her trying to get in. Assumed she was the spunky one who dared to stand up to the Capo that you guys were talking about." Seunghyun said with a grin, plonking himself back down on the couch.

  The Caporegime straighten up as he surveyed me with an amused look on his face. 

  "They let you in? Dressed like this?" He commented. His pack chuckled.

  I laughed along with them nervously. Somewhere on the table beside the plate of nuts there was a silver pistol... and my bright yellow name card. GAHHH!!!!! SOMEONE SAVE ME!! I'M SURROUNDED BY MEMEBERS OF AN ILLEGAL UNDERGROUND ORGANISATION.

  "Hyung, looks like she realised who you are." One of them, with really small eyes, observed. 

  "So are you still going to collect that 300 bucks?" Jiyong asked. The two guys that were there with him in the afternoon snorted with laughter.

  "No, ofcourse not." I mumbled, clutching the shoes very tightly. HELP! Oh, right! His shoes! I'll just give him his kicks and leave.

  "Here's your correct shoes." I squeaked. He took over the box from my hands and opened it up, peeled the packaging away and held up the pair of high cut designer sneakers in his palms.

  "Nice." He grinned.

  Great, I'm glad you're happy captain. "Well then I'll take my leave first. I apologise for the misunderstanding." I said, slowly retreating until one of them stopped me again.

  "Hey new girl in town! Shouldn't you apologise with a drink or somethin'?" The blondy called out playfully.

  I turned back around and the rest of them were looking at me expectantly with a bemused look on their faces. Even handsome hubby. Nooo. The capo had placed down his shoes gently on the table filled with alcoholic drink and folded his arm across his chest, with the corner of his lips lifted lazily upwards. 

  Well uh. Sure.

  "I'm so sorry." I repeated again, and picked up the nearest glass that is half filled with an amber colored liquid on the table. There was a 'wait' somewhere but I downed the glass in one shot, trying to look like I wasn't a push over. 

  The strong bitter taste hit my mouth and seeps into my throat. In reflex, my burning mouth pushes the fiery liquid down my gullet and in the haste, some of them almost went up into my nose. I spluttered the liquid out, coughing and wheezing with my hand clutching on my chest.

  Was that a drink or was that gasoline??????????

  I straightened up a good minute later after my body was pretty sure that whatever alcohol that wasn't already in my stomach was promptly coughed out. With my eyes stinging, I looked up to see the four mafia members with their lips in, looking like they're trying very, very hard not to laugh.

  The Capo was glaring at me.

  Bad feeling.

  "First, that glass you used was mine." The Capo said quietly. The rest looked like they were going to double over any minute at the horrified look on my face. The hostess that was with the young blonde dude was staring at me as if I had committed adultery.

  "I know you can't tell, lady, but this hyung is saliva conscious." The blonde managed to choke out. The sniggering got louder.

  "Secondly," The Capo pointed out, ignoring his friend's comment, looking seriously pissed. "YOU spit the drink, all over me."

  They roared with laughter.

  What have I done??? Jiyong undershirt was obviously stained and oh no- was that the drink in my mouth dripping from his CHIN????

  "Finally,"

  There's more????????????

  "You ruined my shoes." 

  I looked down, my jaws hanging open, at the new sneakers on the countertop. They're all wet.

  "Boom." Seunghyun said airily.

  With the way he had inspected those new shoes so adoringly, I guess its safe to say that I'm probably not going to get out of here alive.

  "Please don't kill me." I squeaked, backing away with my fingers twisting nervously until my back hit the door.

  Capo Jiyong squinted his eyes together dangerously. 

  "How're you going to fix this?" He asked.

  "I'll pay you!"

  "You think I can't afford these?" He asked, frowning.

  "I'll wash them." 

  "I don't wash them." He hissed.

  Oh, gross.

  "You," The Capo said, leaning back against his seat, "are going to order a new pair of the exact same one, pay for them," - I thought he just said that he could afford another himself- "and until the new pair arrives, you, new girl, are going to be my personal assistant."

  ?

  ?!

  ?!?!?!??!?!

  "A personal assistant?" I gawked. Why would a gangster need a P.A?? "But I don't know how to be one, I mean- I can't do anything!"

  "Oh we'll find stuff you can manage." The small eyed guy grinned, waving my concerns away. "This is going to be interesting."

  But-

  "You're free to go, for now." The Capo said sourly.

  let's leave the buts for later. Hearing that, I sunk into a bow that almost reached my feet to the suppressed laughter of the mafia guys and immediately left the room. Oh my god, is it time for me to pack and flee the town???? But I only just got here!!!!

  I had barely reached the exit of the nightclub when the same suited guys brushed past me. How are they this fast????? The Capo walked past without a word and I caught a whiff of his cologne mixed with alcohol. I swallowed and allowed them to pass first. The rest of his followers gave me some sort of aknowledgement. The guy with small eyes smiled and patted me on my head, making me shrink away. The second one winked.

  "You know you're kinda cute with how confused you look all the time." The blonde one laughed.

  I swallowed, I'm sure he didn't mean that in a good way.

  Finally, as Seunghyun walked past, he said "I hope you know Jiyong's definition for P.A is something similar to the concept of slavery." He said, making me anxious. "But its alright, just brace yourself for some rough time ahead." He gave that godly smirk again and pushed the door open behind his gang.

  Am I doomed?

.

.

.

  "Yes." Bom concluded, as I told her the entire story over the phone after I had reached home, now sitting on the bed with my hair wrapped in my tower turban. "This is it, bestie."

  I groaned, sinking my face into the pillow, letting out a muffled yell.

  The door of my room burst open and I shrieked, thinking that its the mobsters here again to finally claim my life. But it turned out to be just grandma.

  "Supper?"

  "Grams." I whined. 

  Now I hope someone would ask me how's your new life in Itaewon because instead of hearing the usual cliche 'It's going well', I'm going to say that its pretty screwed up at this point. The smell of carrot and potato stew wafted into my room.

  Hmmmm, if I'm going to die, might as well eat as much of that supper as I can now. 

Was a long wait!

Sorry for the late update, was finally able to squeeze out some time to write today.

Do remember to subscribe, upvote and comment if you liked the chapter!

Seeyas!