Jisoo's POV

I barged into Jennie's super (she had given me spare keys) and I immediately made my way into my office. There was no sound. I assumed she and Joohyun had gone out.

Feverishly, I logged on and started typing on the keys, concentration levels peaking. I don't think I have been ever so focused.

I was feeling light-headed but I made myself push on and scroll past the layers of code surrounding Seokjin's security system. Numbers and commands kept appearing until my head was swimming and I was seeing double. He was well protected but I was not finished yet.

If I only had some chicken to oil my rusty brain. 

Gritting my teeth, my fingers typed furiously, moving back and forth in a blur as they stabbed the keyboard. I squinted, searching for opening amongst the figures blocking my entry.

ACCESS DENIED.

"Not so fast Seokjin" I muttered, fingernails click clacking. I wasn't about to give up now.

A red bar indicated that an emergency system lock down would be initiated in 30 seconds. It had sensed me trying to breach Jin's mansion security mainframe.

30

29

28

I my breath and scanned through the numbers. There's gotta be an opening. I need more time.

20

19

18

Come on think Jisoo think. You hacked into his company's mainframe already this should be peanuts.

14

13

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For Jennie and Joon. And Joohyun.

10

9

Chaey and Chim. Lisa and Kookie. All of them.

8

An opening! Quick! Type it in type it in!

6

Am I gonna make it?

4

God make it work, PLEASE....

2

ACCESS ALLOWED

I fell back in my chair. I suddenly grew aware of my panting as though I had run a marathon, my heart knocking against my ribs. Perspiration ran down my face.

That had been the most intense hacking session I ever had. Jin had left no stone unturned to protect himself.

"Ok Mr Kim, let's see what you got" I smirked. Different rooms came into view, the screen splitting into segments to allow me access to every security camera in Jin's mansion.

I had planted the bugs right after I disabled the cameras and then returned them to circuit when I finished.

Last night had been a godsend, and thank heavens none of the bugs had been damaged in my little fistfight. It was also a miracle the sheriff didn't go through my pockets. But I think he caught sight of my badge.

Jin would never know. He was fast asleep, I could hear him snoring. He slept in the room where he tended to my bruises and gave me an apple.

That apple...

I stared down at my hands for the umpteenth time since I woke up a few hours ago. They were still shaking.

My knuckles had all but healed, new skin drawing up over the abrasions. The next shock was when I looked in the mirror and saw my panda eye had faded to a faint shadow. Someone would think I had applied very light makeup around my eye and then removed it to achieve the smeared effect. My face had returned to its slender smooth shape as before.

The final shock was the pain around my sides had disappeared and the angry purple bruises on my abdomen had faded to greenish yellow, the final stages of healing.

I could only stare at my reflection.

My body healed itself...overnight? Or was the process still ongoing?

Did it have to do with that strange apple I ate last night?

Rattled, I pushed that out of my mind when I got down to doing what I did best but now, last night's conversation caught up with me again.

Jin obviously prized those apples. The way he described them and talked about them so animatedly. The way he held it carefully and seemed to imply that it would help me heal. The apple's bitter taste, like medicine.

Was I reading too much into this?

It could be just a placebo effect. My body may have unconsciously sped up my metabolism to shorten this healing process.

But that was illogical--the human body doesn't just raise and lower the metabolism overnight with no tangible reason whatsoever.

So what was it?

Was this Snow White apple another potential clue in the tangled web of intrigue I found myself in?

Movement on the cameras I was monitoring drew me back to reality and I pulled myself closer to the screen.

Jin had gotten up and was checking his phone.

I watched him disappear into the bathroom and emerge bare chested, wet pink locks plastered to his head. His chest...dear Lord, his chest made me conjure lewd images and I had to slap myself in the face to focus.

I really was turning into a thirsty hoe these days but I couldn't help myself--those toned abs and rounded pectorals just looked like a whole Happy Meal.

I'm shameless, no wonder Jennie thought I was protecting him. Had he noticed the way he makes me feel when I'm around him?

Wait, was I salivating just now? And the image isn't even HD!

I watched him blend a couple of apples (the same kind we ate last night I noted) and then take his time downing it as he lounged in front of a plasma TV screen taking up one side of the living room. Multiple Jins from different angles were watching Good Morning America. The scene was kind of disturbing. I didn't like all those mirrors, and seeing myself scurrying through them, as if I were jumping from one plane to another, was unnerving.

He, on the other hand, stopped to gaze into many of them while travelling back and forth through out the rooms. He would comb his hair with his fingers, and flash that practised smirk....then do the same with the mirror next to it. And the one next to that. And so on...

I wonder how he gets to work on time. Does he wake up at dawn to squeeze in a smile for every mirror? I had no idea he was so...enamoured, with mirrors.

Today, due to it being a special day for the company, I learned that everyone takes the day off, like a bank holiday.

Speaking of which, I still have no idea what to wear later. Would Jennie help me?

Jin had also given me an invitation card for her.

"I'd like to be friends with Jennie again," he had said softly, "I know she blames me for what happened with Namjoon but...it was an unfortunate accident that I will regret till the end of time...."

I wanted to ask him about this accident but held my tongue. I'll wait just a little longer.

As for that invite...I decided not to show it to her. I am uncertain of her reaction if I gave it to her.

While I was still musing, I noticed Jin appearing in the kitchen again, apparently talking on his phone.

I zoomed in on that camera, silently willing him to go closer towards that glass sculpture on the shelf next to the sink.

To my delight, he wandered there eventually, the orange glass as he spoke absently with the other person.

"You said that weeks ago and honestly? I'm starting to doubt you actually know what's wrong, doc" He muttered. "I'm starting to wonder if I should still be entrusting you with this project...paying you with my money...to have you squander it...."

I cranked up the speaker until it crackled with each word he spoke.

"Oh but of course I know, you are a man of integrity, for sure. So was my father, until he was ratted out, "Jin snorted. He turned from the sculpture and opened the fridge. Staring for a moment, he kicked it shut again, his voice louder.

"You know what? I'm tired Dr. Bang! I'm sick and tired of your excuses! The apples are weaker than before, I can feel it! Whatever you're doing, stop, because it isn't working! I want you to go back to your previous batch and start over. You're wasting precious time and precious raw material trying to tweak the formula. I just want my apples to be like they were before, got that?"

And he hurled his phone across the room. It smashed into the white wall and glass littered the floor where it fell.

I sat dumbfounded as he drew a shuddering breath, running a hand through his hair then bringing his shaky hands in front of his eyes and examining them.

As if he were searching for blemishes on his perfect skin.

Shaking his head, he headed out to his office and settled there, still shirtless. He took phone calls and organised meetings and arranged papers.

I thought today was supposed to be a rest day but seems he doesn't know how to rest.

I spent till noon monitoring him and then Jennie came into the office, startling me.

"Oh, you're here" she said.

"Good morning to you too" I returned cheerfully.

"So I'm guessing things went well last night" she said coldly, folding her arms.

I could probably translate that as 'TRAITOR' but I brushed it aside.

"It did." I grinned, "come check this." I motioned her to my computer.

To my surprise, she tossed her head. "Well, great. Means you don't need me anymore."

"Jennie, what the--"

"Hey Jen I'm spending the night with Jin",she quoted," did you honestly stop to think how I would feel?" She glared at me, tears shining in her eyes. "I knew you'd fall for him eventually but I held out, I hoped you'd pull through for me. I thought we were friends Jisoo..."

"Jennie ok that was stupid of me now when you say it like that but I swear we didn't--"

"I honestly don't care what you did" she said harshly, "call me a drama queen, a pathetic loser, a brat: I don't care anymore. I trusted you to help me, to help me come to terms with everything...hell, I don't know how I managed all this time...."

To my horror, Jennie-the definition of proud and defiant- crumpled into a ball before me, face buried in her knees.

"You were never there" she wept, "every time I needed you, you were never there. Always with some pathetic excuse--"

"I really couldn't leave Korea back then, my visa was frozen--" I began but she ploughed over me.

"And now, I don't know my friend anymore. You've changed Jisoo. You're just like him. He made you like this."

I stumbled back against my chair. "No!"

I kept walking back, pushing her words away from me. "No No No..."

She had it all wrong, I didn't do anything, she can't honestly think that---

I slumped against the wall, sank to the ground, my breathing ragged.

"No" I croaked. Jennie was watching me sadly.

"Chu, when was the last time you phoned your mom?" she asked brokenly.

Eomma.

I started to sweat. I racked my brains. "Oh...uhm....."

"Two weeks" she whispered, "she called last night but you weren't here. And she told me you must be flooded with work, which was why you hadn't called. She was so understanding and kind. But she sounded so damn sad and lonely."

Two weeks?

"Jisoo" Jennie said, her face turned away, "I don't think this will work anymore. You...you should leave..."

My brain was still processing the bomb she had dropped and it wasn't ready for this one.

"What?" I said stupidly.

"I mean it. I'm sorry but...I just can't stand being in the same space as someone associated with that vile lowlife. Jisoo, wake up. He basically finished me. He finished every one of us just so he could march on and dominate, at the expense of everything. Wake up already!" she shouted.

I was numb. "But Jen...I...we didn't do anything.... believe me.. just calm down and let's talk this through...." I looked pleadingly up at her. 

She has to understand that no matter what, I wasn't going to abandon her.

"I don't trust you anymore..." she whispered, tears falling.

And I was sure she could hear my heart shatter into pieces.