“we need to talk Romeo.” the red head commented when she approached him. The smirk vanished, but there was gleeful joy in her eyes. Her unexpected appearance alarmed him. This meant she knows him, knows how to find him, and probably knows that he was looking for Sowon.  

the girl was a head shorter than him, almost as tall as Sowon, her facial features were soft and feminine. She was pretty, and had she not had an air of defiance and unbecoming confidence around her, he’d described her as innocent looking.  

She was neither of those, and he felt it in his gut that she was not to be trusted. Nevertheless, she was the only lead he currently had to Sowon. So, he let her lead him to the park on the other side of the road, past the tree she leaned on.  

They’d walked for ten minutes, when the red head turned right into the narrow uncemented path that led to an open wide soccer field. They stopped at the picknick tables that were stationed on the side of the fields, and sat opposite one another to discuss what the red head was here for.  

“Seokjin, my name is Yuju. I’m sure you’re happy to meet me!” She teases him. Her velvety voice and melodic rhythm were too sweet for her true intentions. Yuju knew of his recent actions to find Sowon, and the question was meant to poke fun at this. However, it did not garner a reaction from Jin. Instead, he continued to stare at her with intensity and weariness.  

She sighed when she realizes that she could not play with the innocent man, and decided to go straight to business. “Jin, what do you want to do with Sowon?”  

It was not a question Jin expected. What did he want to do? “I don’t know yet, but Sowon is a person I care about. I want to know if she’s alright, and if she’s in danger. If she is, then I’ll do everything in my might to save her.”  

Yuju arches her brows ‘Everything in my might to save her’, those are some pretty bold and determined words for a man who barely knows anything of the situation. His foolish loyalty towards sowon will be the death of him, and she noted this as both his best and his worst strength. She smirked; it did not matter anyway. It could only serve as a way to get what she wants.  

“So, here’s what I’m offering you, Kim Seokjin. I’ll help you with sowon, but in return you’ll do something for me. I can’t tell you what you have to do, but you don’t have to do it soon. However, when the times comes, you’ll do it.”  

Jin frowns, whatever he had to do must be so outrages, for her not to disclose it with him. Yuju was not to be trusted, and the deal that she just purpose asks a lot of trust on his part. There is no way in hell that he was going to take it.  

“you’re being unfair here Yuju. You did not even tell me if she was okay or safe, yet you’re proposition indicates that she’s in need of help. How would you help me? And how dangerous is the thing I have to do?”  

Yuju pursed her lips, carefully wording her next sentence. “Sowon is not in danger. However, I wouldn’t say she’s safe either. If you want to help her, you have to safe her from the situation she’s in. I’d like to help you get her out of there.” 

“Where is she?”  

“I can’t tell you. In fact, I can’t tell you anything about her. It’s even dangerous for me to talk you right now.” Yuju purses her lips, fearing she already said too much. “if you take the deal. The first thing I can do for you is give you hints to the bigger picture. You’re already determined to help her, but I must warn you. The scale is big.”  

Jin went over her words again. It’s dangerous for Yuju, the scale is big, and He’ll have to do something in return. They all have one thing in common: danger. He’s entering unknown territory, and it will only get riskier from now on. He looks calm, but his legs were trembling with fear. For the first time since he saw Sowon, he’s deliberating if searching her is a wise decision. But he shakes it off.  

“this whole thing is vague. You’re willing to help me.” He glares at her “but you will only give me hints. You want something in return, yet you don’t want me to know what I have to do. I don’t even know how dangerous the task is. I will not agree with this arrangement until you give me something more concrete.” Seokjin hisses in indignation  

The look he gave her would intimidate most people. Only hardened, confident, or experienced negotiators managed to endure the intense stare, but it did not upset or frighten Yuju at all. In fact she was amused by his attitude.

“fair enough, you do have a point.” Yuju paused and looked at him with determination as she rephrased the deal with a small change in detail that’ll have big impact in their future partnership. “In the near future, you’ll do something for me without a question. In return, I’ll be on your side until Sowon stands in front of you safe and sound.”  

Jin frowns “Is that supposed to ease my decision to accept the deal?”  

“You have no idea how lucky you are to have me on your team.”  

‘There are a lot of things I don’t seem to know’ he wanted to say, but he realized that he was the one with the short end of the stick, and her confidence shows that she knows that too.  

“Fine, I’ll take the deal. But I promise, I’ll find a way to get you back If you screw me over.”  

To this Yuju broke down in laughter. “Oh jin, don’t threaten me. It never ends well for the guys that do.” her laughter dies down and she leans forward, face serious. “Besides, if you know what I know, you wouldn’t trust the police.”