MINJOO slowly opened her eyes as consciousness started creeping back. Everything was spinning. She couldn't even recognize anything that she saw. Her head ached like crazy. She wanted to keep her eyes closed but she knows she has to wake up. Her whole body was almost numb but she forced herself to move.

Her body felt heavy. Her memory was a bit hazy as well.

“What happened? Where am I?”

She asked herself as she tried to remember everything. She could see a lot of sculptures in that certain room and she could clearly tell that those are Yujin’s masterpieces. But she knows this isn’t Yujin’s place.

The memory of what happened started to come back to her and she immediately felt like throwing up. She has to move. She has to escape. But as she tries to get out of the bed that she’s in, she realises that her hands and feet are tied.

Then the doors opened as if on cue, sending chills to her spine. The sudden opening of the lights blinded her for a while and there she saw the man that she never wished to see ever again.

“Good evening, Minjoo-ssi.” Byungjin greeted her with a creepy smile on his face. “Sorry that I took a while. It took time for me to send off those greedy men that I hired. I had to shoot one on his leg so that they would just receive the money and then go.”

So, that loud noise that woke her up was the sound of a gun?

“Let me—” Minjoo’s eyes widened when she realised that there’s no voice coming out of her.

The man produced a surprised face but it soon turned to a sinister sneer. “I am really sorry about that. It seems that the inexperienced men that I hired drugged you too much.”

Minjoo tried to shout but there’s still no voice coming out. Tears started to well down from her eyes.

Byungjin laughed. “Even if you shout on top of your lungs, no one will hear you. I won’t have the courage to fire my gun if this whole house isn’t sound-proof. It’s useless, young lady.”

She watched as the old man took a stretch. “I didn’t know that Yujin would be throwing you away that quickly. I guess I still hold her in my hands. Brainwashing people is one of my best talents anyway.”

The girl froze after hearing his statement. So, he is the reason for Yujin's sudden change. He was there bringing up what he had imprinted on Yujin when she was young. He probably told her things that made her distance herself from Minjoo.

‘But Yujin…’ Minjoo thought as more tears flooded her face. ‘How come you just believe what he says?’

Byungjin went near her and with that sinister sneer, examined her face. He went to lift Minjoo’s head by her chin but Minjoo immediately shook his hand away. The only person that can touch her and look at her like that is Yujin. Yujin will surely be angry if she finds out about her letting a disgusting man touch her.

“Ohh…” The man was taken aback. His face is filled with amusement. “Still playing hard-to-get?”

Minjoo tried her best not to show her face to the Byungjin. She has to do something to save herself.

“Don’t be like this, Kim Minjoo-ssi. Don’t make a capable man like me more excited with this kind of play.” He stood up only to look down on Minjoo. His tone started to be more serious. “Don’t expect Yujin to come and save you. She doesn’t know anything. And even if she gets to know about this, she won’t come for you. She knows what happens to those who are against my wishes.”

He gave out a deep breath. “I can still remember that day when I shot her dog dead because she’s trying to go against my wishes. That was the time she finally learned about the meaning of the words obedience and submission.”

Byungjin smiled to himself as if he was proud of the horrible thing that he did. Minjoo just keeps getting surprised with each revelation. This person plays a vital role in what Yujin had become. He is one of the keys of her childhood. The monster of Yujin's childhood.

“Enough for that good, old memory. Shall we start now?”

The man then started to loosen his belt. Minjoo got alerted and struggled with her ties once more. At the very least she has to fight. She has to save herself!

Their attention was then caught by the ringing phone of the old man.

“F—I wasn’t able to put this thing in silent mode, huh?” He immediately pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at who was calling. His eyebrows met. “Why is this kid calling at this time?”

Byungjin answered the call. “Oh, Yujin! What made you c—”

He was silenced by the next words that he heard. Minjoo’s heart is put into a halt. Yujin called! Yujin must’ve found something out. She was finally seeing hope with her situation until she saw the sneer back on Byungjin’s face. He even put the phone on a loudspeaker so Minjoo could hear whatever Yujin is saying.

“You are right about your judgement about her, Hal-aboji. She went to meet her friend whom she knows has feelings for her. She went to meet her without my knowledge! And guess what, she even ran away when I was showing everyone who is on the upper hand.”

“Y-Yujin…” Minjoo called out but still her voice wasn't coming out. She kept on trying to swallow the lump on . Is she hearing it correctly? Is it really Yujin saying all of this? But there’s no mistake in it—it is clearly Yujin’s voice!

Minjoo’s head dropped back to the bed. There’s no hope at all.

“I should’ve listened to you earlier. She stays with me because she needs something from me. After that she would just leave me just like what my useless mother did to me and my father. You were right, Hal-aboji.”

The old man took a glimpse of Minjoo before laughing. “See, Yujin-ah. If only you listened to me then you won’t be broken hearted now. There’s no such thing as love in this world. The only love that exists is love for one self and that’s the only thing that would save you. That is why the Ahn Clan is one of the strongest clans on the face of the planet. A true-blooded Ahn like you should be the next clan head! Make sure to take your place from Hyunmi’s daughter who’s stained with disgusting Bae blood!”

Minjoo remained silent. It’s over for her. Yujin has already forsaken her. There’s nothing else that she could do. Everything ends right there.

“Hal-aboji…” Yujin called. “Can I drop by at your place for a moment? I just want to entertain myself just for a short while. Will it be fine?”

The smile on Byungjin’s face disappeared after hearing that plan from Yujin. If she drops by then that means his playtime with Minjoo will be postponed for a while. The whole day he was waiting and imagining about it but it just keeps on being moved.

“Alright, young one.” He sighed but he’s trying not to let Yujin notice about his disappointment. “Of course, you can come to grandpa anytime. Let’s go and have a drink while playing chess.”

Yujin took a while to answer. It seems that she’s driving.

“Okay. Wait for me. I will be there in a short while. Just wait for me…”

Byungjin gave out a challenging laugh. “Alright, alright. I know you are coming. But don’t expect you to beat me with chess—Hey, Yujin—The brat just dropped the call like that.”

The old man shook his head and then fixed his belt back. He went to smell Minjoo’s hair. “This is Yujin’s favourite scent, right? It must’ve hurt after hearing those words… Don’t worry, young lady. I will take good care of you.”

Byungjin then stood up and went towards the door. “But for now, I have to deal with Yujin. I have to secure the loyalty of the one who provides me money. And I think it would be more fun if you got your voice back when we play. See you later, Kim Minjoo-ssi.”

After that, Minjoo heard the door open and then closed right away followed by the sound of someone locking it from the outside. After ensuring that the man had already left, Minjoo raised her head, her tears having stopped from falling.

She looks at the door with her thoughts travelling to the last words that Yujin said before the call ended.

“Wait for me. I will be there in a short while. Just wait for me…”

With all the remaining strength in her body, Minjoo gave her best so she could sit up.

“Yujin-ah…” she whispered to herself. “I will be waiting…”

“WELCOME—”

Byungjin wasn’t able to finish his sentence when Yujin went straight inside the house. She already went to the table where the chess board, which she sculpted by herself, is located. She then immediately took the readied glass of wine in just one shot.

She’s already reeking of alcohol. It seems like Yujin has already drank not just a bit before coming to her grandfather.

“Yujin, you little brat…” Byungjin called out. “You shouldn’t drive while you are drunk.”

“It’s fine… I still can drive well even if I am drunk.” Says the one who couldn’t handle her heart whenever she drinks.

Yujin sat on the seat where the black set was. Her grandfather gave out a smirk. “It is rare that you don’t want to go first.”

The girl just shook her head and poured herself another glass of wine. “Go ahead. Take the first move.”

Byungjin then did what his granddaughter told him. He is obviously in a very good mood. He moved one of his centre pawns two tiles forward. “I am quite surprised that she just left you like that. You gave her almost everything that she needs. You were her lifeline.”

“I don’t care about it anymore.” Yujin imitated the move of Byungjin by placing a pawn right in front of the pawn that Byungjin moved. “At least, I understood now that I was wrong in trying to escape the Ahn ways.”

“That’s good then…” Byungjin didn’t hesitate to move a knight and place it at the right, back side of his pawn. At this point, he can capture Yujin’s pawn and rule the centre of the board.

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