011.

            The safehouse turned out to stood in a secluded area of Sinheung-ro.

            The car had to drove through curved, tight street with no lamp lights and a sight of another house. They had passed the last house Naeun have seen for quite some time. The street was flanked by massive trees, obstructing any line of sunlight. Although the sun hadn’t set yet, Jongin had to turn on the car light to drive comfortably.

            Jongin, however, adept to the curvaceous street, able to drive the car to a massive gate. An adjoining, considerable wooden gate blocked Naeun’s view to everything, like it was seemed to be built to prevent people from going inside. No house number, like it was meant to trick people thinking that it was only a dead end.

            Jongin rolled down his window and a deep comm voice erupted from his side. He confirmed his identity through an intercom in tedium. It took several seconds for the gate to open with a loud clang. It exposed an extensive stone road leading to a white two-level house. They were bordered by medium-sized gardens. As Jongin stepped the gas carefully, following the stone road, the car was led to a garage already filled with several vehicles. Naeun noticed Jieun’s car was already parked there.

            Jongin parked the car between Jieun’s car and a black SUV. While he pushed the off button to the car engine, Naeun spoke before she could stop herself. She tried her best to conceal the feelings that she had been holding. “Why don’t you agree right away?”

            Jongin leaned back to the chair. “Just bad timing.”

            “No, it is the perfect timing.” Naeun looked at her. Her eyes were seething with anger and despair. But, most of all: anger. She left her shattered heart at the Chung Food Express and filled the cavity with anger, renunciation, and flames. Jongin’s last words at the diner had replayed for so many times throughout the ride back. She even dug her nails against her own skin to feel anything but anger. The effort only left little crescent moons on her palms. She no longer able to contain silence. “Take me back and sold me like the monster you are.”

            He didn’t waver at the term. “Why?” He ridiculed. “You suddenly feel the urge to be the hero of the day?”

            Naeun kept a dreary face on Jongin, concealing her weakness to the dominant figure in front of her. But thick emotions overruled her. Her voice betrayed her expression as it began to shake. “I’m done playing by your game, Jongin.”

            Jongin looked back at her with the thick sound of his name. He tilted his head in amusement. His eyes glinted in the dark confined space. “You don’t have the privilege to choose.”

            “So, you’ll sell me out?”

            “If it sees fit.”

            “It?”

            “The circumstances.”

            Naeun couldn’t believe how low Jongin looked upon her. All she did was nothing but obeying and working hard. She did her job right. She managed to do well in every workload he put her. Naeun let him to make her the pet that she was, but she didn’t mean to be something so low in front of him. Naeun had seen him as a safety net. He felt like one. But, now that the truth was laid against her prejudice, she had seen him for what he truly was. Every string that she kept for Jongin slowly fell apart by its seams.

            “So you’ll keep me like a pig in the slaughterhouse?” She wanted to stick her dagger against his jaw.

            Jongin cocked a grin for an infinitesimal moment. He clicked his seatbelt and it swung to its rightful place with a thud. He leaned into Naeun, almost closing the gap between them. She could feel his hot breath tickling her jaw. She held her breath as if any exhale will cause her harm. Jongin set aside a little part of her hair and tucked it on her ear. “This is a madhouse, darling.” His voice dripped like poison. “You’ll have to play the game right to preserve your madness.”

            Naeun found herself spitting his venom back. “Don’t worry. I won’t be like you.”

            The glint disappeared. His eyes gleamed of something dangerous. It pushed Naeun to crawl back into the deep, black hole that she once was. A part of her was begging to curl up and surrender on the influence, but gallantry rose up somewhere within her and plucked out her dying wishes. She kept her eyes on his. And Jongin dropped his words like an overflowing poison on each word. “Fine, Naeun. I’ll show you the slaughterhouse you desire. I’ll show you your prejudices.” Like she would pay for it.

            A knock at the window shattered the thick menace between them. Jongin peeked behind Naeun and let out an exasperated grunt. He spent no more time to open the door and jumped out from the car. Naeun was breathing heavily from the sudden nausea. The tension between them still lingered around her, but her anger was still flowing against her own blood. So she shoved every piece of her anger and concealed them on her fists.

            She stepped out of the car and a body leapt against her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Jieun clung on Naeun’s neck and she felt her anger simmered down. She couldn’t help but hugged her back. Then, Jieun retreated a few steps and Naeun could see agitation tampered across her face. Her shoulder slumped down. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

            Naeun could only offered her a small smile. She couldn’t say the same to her.

            Jieun slung her hands on Naeun’s arm as she led her inside the house. “Come on. Everyone’s waiting for you.”

            Naeun looked around for a familiar sight of figure, but they were alone.

            They walked out of the garage and went to the terrace. There were several men with automatic gun striding back and forth on the terrace – a look out. Naeun had seen their faces around the headquarter. Jieun only gave them a slight nod to them before entering the house.

            As Naeun stepped into the house, a rush of warmth went pass her neck. It lingered and radiated throughout her body. The orange chandelier hanging on top of her head had radiated the warmth around the foyer. A pair of curved stairs stood on each side of the room, creating a second floor that led to a wooden archway. There were several paintings hanging around the hall, making the house even more alive. They were mostly of beautiful places she had never seen before. Her eyes travelled along the paintings carefully and stopped at the one placed in the middle of the room. Right below to the archway that seemed to led deeper into the house, A painting of a beautiful woman sitting on a dark wooden chair, in a red dress, smiling with her wine on her right hand. The seat was too familiar for Naeun, but she couldn’t pinpoint where she had seen it.

            “Ah,” Jieun stalked next to her. She stared at the painting like it was a bad thing. “I thought they have put down the painting.”

            “Why would they?”

            Jieun turned her heels to walk upstairs, into the archway. But Naeun managed to hear her murmur, “You wouldn’t want to know.”

            Naeun was reluctant to follow Jieun.

            The archway seemed to lead into a spacious living room. Naeun would be lying if the warmth on the hall would stop there. The living room was warmer, even with the unlit fireplace planted right in front of a long sofa that took up half the space. Two chandeliers hanging by the roof reflected deep faint orange throughout the room. Wooden bookshelves were built around the room. But that wasn’t even the most scenic sight on the living room. One side of the wall had been filled huge windows and glass door, feasting whoever’s eyes laid upon the living room with the scenery of trees and skylines. The picture was inviting him to walk near the window. As if it couldn’t get any better, there was a little balcony with a chair in it. It really is a perfect place to rest—a proper home.

            Naeun flipped her head to her left, about to mutter how beautiful this house was to Jieun. But there was no Jieun. To her left, it appeared to be another wide opening leading to the conjoined kitchen and dining room. The room was definitely smaller than the living room, but it was more intimate. Cupboards and counters took half of the room while the rest was occupied with a large kitchen island. A wooden door cut the counters to an end and what was left was a large kitchen island with stools. It was sitting in the middle of the room, inviting whoever to sit.

            There was only a bronzed-skin figure leaning against a wall. His eyes stared straight into Naeun. The eyes of ink black and betrayal. Naeun closed immediately as he saw Jongin. They were parted by distance, yet Naeun felt his coldness tingled through her fingers. She flexed her fingers and massaged them, her head looking left and right to see any figure of Jieun – or anyone but Jongin. She could bet she looked like a lost lamb and was acting very, very embarrassing. Then, she remembered about the skyline and began looming to the window, preoccupying herself. The skyline was as beautiful as she enjoyed the first time, but her brain malfunctioned and distracted by the sight of Jongin’s eyes in the car – or how he threatened her.

            She heard Jongin let out a soft jeer across the room—Naeun was sure it was meant for her—before calling out loud to the room, “Brother, we’re all here.”

            Not long after the invitation, Naeun heard a door being opened. She whipped her head around, revealing Suho, Erika, and Jieun coming from the wooden door in the kitchen. It apparently had summoned her from the other part of this house. Naeun had only seen three rooms, yet she already felt like the house was never-ending. How much more did Naeun have to see to journey the whole house?

            Suho came to the view first and sat on the stool before anyone else.

            Naeun caught Suho’s eyes in the process. He apparently had the same striking eyes as Jongin. Different base of emotion, but same eye color. The older brother held a calmer depth within his gleams whereas Jongin’s eyes gleamed like they were dark, dangerous, and poisonous, longing for your soul – to dug deep and stole it from its rightful owner.

            Suho gave her a thin smile before Erika came to the picture and sat next to Suho which broke their overdue stare. He wasted no time to kiss her head as she settled to sit. Naeun had known enough to point that every touch that they shared was genuine. They were practically too natural, too humane, and too frail to be feigned. And Naeun wondered why two mafia-born children could kill and vow a wedding bound and love each other, even after bloods they’ve spilt.

            Jieun hovered her hand to Naeun, beckoning her to sit, as she sat opposed to the couple. Jongin still stood in perfect triviality against the same shadowed corner of the room.

            Naeun walked slowly, still feeling the wariness surging against her blood. The moving picture of Mr. Lu bargaining of her body came to the forefront of her mind, and it continued with her last conversation with Jongin – how indifferent he was to the idea of her, a member of the Kim family business and his personal assistant, being sold to the enemy. She had the right to remain wary of her surrounding, she affirmed of this notion multiple times in her head.

            “Tell us the details, brother,” Suho began as Naeun arrived at the island. He looked behind, at the spot where Jongin stood with his glass of wine, and sighed in annoyance. “And for the love of God, would you please sit down and stop brooding.”

            “I’m perfectly fine right here.” Jongin answered.

            “I am speaking to you,” Suho looked at the empty seat in front of him. “Yet you’re not on my line of sight.”

            “Then, turn around.” Jongin shrugged with seamless ennui.

            “That would be highly inefficient and a waste of energy for nothing.” Suho narrowed his eyes. The aggravation in his tone was building.

            “Then, don’t.”

            “Holy Gods!” Erika voiced as she let out of her exasperation against the two brothers. “Stop bickering, you two.”

            Naeun watched Jongin cocked a smirk as he closed his lips against the tip of his wine glass. Then, his gaze fell upon Naeun and he pulled his lips infinitesimally apart. Hovering between his lips was his wine glass. The mauve liquid thrashed around the walls of the glass, impatient to be savored. As if he noticed that Naeun’s eyes held the same impatience as the liquid, he began to drink the wine slowly while boring his eyes, savoring the two with complete poised.

            Naeun didn’t realize how long she had been staring because an audience raised her voice. “Are you trying to be in a staring contest with Naeun or are you still trying to keep this meeting short?” Jieun rolled her eyes.

            Naeun broke away her eyes and stared at the ceramic surface of the island. She traced its marbles and tried to follow the pattern. She heard Jongin said, “It’s the Lu family. Zhuzi is Luhan.”

            There were sharp intakes of breaths among Naeun. The air in the room felt constricted to her lungs all of the sudden.

            “The Lu family wanted a pathway to join the affiliation to sell drugs in South Korea.”

            “Father would never agree to such terms.”

            “Precisely,” Jongin answered. “That’s why they are seeking another way in through our beloved friend, the Huang family. I believe Luhan found a loophole of this situation by taking advantage of our newly termination with Zitao and all it takes is Mr. Lu to play as a peace-maker in settling this matter to win Fuqin’s heart.”

            “This is messier than I expected.” Suho had propped his chin against his fisted palms. His eyes stared empty to the island’s surface, but his mind was elsewhere – working to riddle the case. Jieun buried her face in her hands. Erika kept her figure, but her manicured nails tapped constantly against the ceramic. Tick… tick… tick…

            “Does this mean he takes part on Father’s attempted murder?” Jieun opened her voice. The tone hinted in hopefulness, but Jongin wrecked any glint of hope in her face with his next answer.

            “He doesn’t admit to it,” He took a sip on his last portion of wine in his glass. “I thought he was bluffing, but he brings a piece of evidence that looks very convincing.” Jongin pulled out the same piece of paper that Mr. Lu had left in the table and put it in the middle of everyone. Naeun wondered when did he snatch the note from the table.

            The same piece of paper that shattered her disposition laid again in front of her eyes. They began to sting on the sight like they were allergic of it. Naeun looked away before her eyes could trace the words again. If she did, she would cry – begged, perhaps, to Erika to save her right here, right now. But then, she’d be weak. She’d prove Jongin that she was worth to be bargained away. These were the last thing she needed in the whole world. Instead of focusing on her feelings, she averted to the inflicting pain caressing her cuticle. Her other fingers clawed helplessly against it behind the island, making sure that no one would see it except herself.

            “He wants Naeun as a peace-offering to the Huang family.” Jongin filled in. Naeun’s finger clawed harder. “He wants the girl who is the cause of this mess.” Naeun summoned more pain in her pulp.

            “The mess is Zitao’s fault, and only him alone.” Jieun talked between the clenching teeth.

            Jongin didn’t answer.

            “Naeun’s been branded.” Suho picked up the paper, rereading it all over again. “There’s a law to it—”

            Jongin took a sharp exhale. “She won’t be needed for any manpower.” He told them like it was something of an absolute. Nobody dared to reply.

            Naeun wanted to leave the room. She didn’t know exactly what he meant of it, or what her assumed role that came along with the bargain. But she had a couple of guesses and none of them were kind nor humane. And with the ostentatious silence filling the whole room, she could assume that she got the right gist. But there was curiosity building up in , threatening to flow. She had been swallowing the feeling for a couple of hours, yet it didn’t submit to her conscious.

            “What will I become?” Naeun found herself tilting her head up, looking directly at Jongin. He was the storyteller and he owed the subject of his story an answer. When she met his eyes, he was almost unrecognizable. The harsh lines of his eyes were there, but an unreadable blaze cloaked the danger in his eyes. It shifted almost completely different. If she didn’t know any better, she would have called it tamed. But this was Jongin, the Right Arm and was willing to do just anything to protect the family business. She nonetheless waited for his answer. It never came.

            She wanted to yell her question. But when she parted her lips to do exactly just that, Erika broke the unbearable silence. “Death would be a kinder faith in this circumstance.” Erika paused. Jongin left the room before she could continue her sentence. Nobody complained at his sudden absence in the room. At Naeun’s empty line of sight, her eyes automatically diverted to Erika’s. The almost-brown eyes bore into her with resolution. “You’ll be a slave.”

            The words that flowed through Erika’s mouth had effortlessly dropped her glass heart into the surface and walloped what was left of it into more shards and into little dust. She wanted to yell – to throw objects against the walls. Her mind wandered to Papa, the sole reason why she was here in the first place. If he didn’t leave her alone in this cold, lonely road, she wouldn’t have to seek help to a mafia. If he would’ve just gotten over with it and died easy. She wanted to cry, but the pain in her thumb seized her emotion.

            When she looked down, her pulp had peeled off, revealing a layer of flesh and red, runny blood on her thumb. She hid her thumb by covering it with her left palm. She looked at the rest of the audience. All of them still searched her eyes with pity and she might need pity, but Naeun was so used to getting pitied all of her life that she started to see it as a repulsion.

            “Come on, I’ll show you to your room,” Jieun placed a gentle hand on Naeun’s shoulder and started to lead her out of the kitchen and into the door she had miraculously appeared earlier today. “You must be tired.”

            Indeed, she was burned out.

***

            They had let Naeun rest for a few days. Jieun visited her almost every couple of hours, Erika visited her once with Suho, and Jongin had none of his attention given for Naeun. She didn’t pay enough mind to it. But these few days had been the most reserved days she had ever gotten since her newly found life. She felt like a kid with no responsibility – a feeling that was stolen early in her childhood.

            As the only child of Papa, she was too busy keeping Papa alive. She knew the doses of Papa’s medicine earlier than she had to know about factorial tree. She knew her way around the house before she could ride her bike without training wheels. Her mother had left the picture long before she could first remember. When she racked her memory of her mother, all that left was just a faint back figure of her as she left the door. But it never really mattered much because she had Papa and that was enough for a while.

            Now, sitting in a room that felt so comfortable yet so novel, she felt truly alone. And heated.

***

            The city was gleaming under the isolated house of Sinheung-ro. Naeun had sat there before the night fell. Now, her eyes travelled to the polished skyline, illuminating half the dark sky above her. She could feel the roaming lives by the flickers of streetlight and irradiated buildings. They seemed to pay no mind to her hollow chest, even though it was all she could feel. She cried for so many hours, under the shower, then under her blanket until she had to use the other side of the blanket. She slept with the dagger under her pillow. She can’t sleep without her fingers curling against its hilt.

            Now, she only felt a dull ache above her temple. A reminder of her endless crying sessions. Her tear ducts had emptied today and she had not shed any tear – a new record of these past days.

            Suho decided that they would stay in Sinheung-ro until several matters were settled, but that was another word for giving Naeun space to reconcile. Jieun had talked to her, trying to fill her hollow chest with laughters and sweet foods that she brought from Seoul. Naeun appreciated her gesture and let out a couple of laughs just to see her eyes smiled in return. Then, her eyes softened and said, “Jongin said I could teach you a couple of Judo moves and a few knife-throwing sessions.”

            Naeun felt hope forming in her chest. “Really?”

            “Really.” Jieun had shrugged her shoulder and leaned on the headstand of her bed. “We can start whenever you’d like. The sooner, the better.”

            “Tomorrow?”

            “Yeah,” She had nodded. “And then every day of this month.”

            Naeun had hugged her, relief throbbing against her skin. “Thank you.” She had whispered.

            Jieun muttered words that made Naeun almost busted into tears. “Stay alive, Naeun.”

            She planned to do just that.

            Sitting in the balcony with the chandelier illuminating her back made her a lot more serene with herself. The cold breeze constantly grazed her skin. Lines of trees dancing on her sight, as if amusing Naeun with its movement. She could hear sounds of people talking from the back of her head. The glass vibrated every time a person raised a tone, or made a laugh. The quail had turned into a dull ache in her backbone, just sitting there – attending like a friend. But a tamed rage inside her was found, like a sleeping dragon. She hoped for no time to wake the dragon because it can push her into a beckoning abyss. She wouldn’t want to know what was in the abyss.

            “I’m glad you’re out of your room today.” A click of lighter erupted on her left ear. Erika came outside with cigarette between her lips. Her fingers fiddled with the lighter and as it emitted a little fire, Erika lit the cigarette swiftly and huffed it out. Smoke lingered in the air for a second before it united with the cold air.

            She eyed Naeun, not taking a step closer to her, persevering Naeun’s space. She was grateful of it. Her eyes flickered in question. Naeun gave a pursed smile, letting her know that it was okay for her to be here. She nodded and walked to the railing. Her elbows were propped against the iron handrails. The black dress she wore swept the floor like a little train as she flexed her body. The wind picked up her black hair, blowing it ever so effortlessly.

            Naeun didn’t move. Instead, she listened to her exhales and cracks of the cigarette as it was being inhaled. Every puff came with a thick smoke that sounded like a heavy current being released into the air. Curiosity piqued within her. “Does it help?”

            “What?” She turned around.

            “The cigarettes,” She beckoned at Erika. “With whatever you’re feeling right now?”

            She nodded. “Absolutely.” She looked at her cigarette, weighing something. Then, shrugged. “Not a particularly healthy coping mechanism. But it does the trick.”

            “Can I try?”

            Erika stopped waving her cigarette and looked at her, trying to cover the surprise in her face. She paused as if weighing her decision. She walked closer to Naeun, offering the cigarette slowly. Naeun examined the half-used cigarette. There was obviously a trace of Erika’s red lipstick on it. She didn’t know how to use a cigarette, but she tried to pick it up with four of her fingers awkwardly. She assessed the cigarette in her hands and turned it over as if looking for another instruction.

            “Inhale the smoke. As the smoke hit your mouth, try to swallow some of them slowly for the kick – then, exhale the smoke out.” Erika ordered. “Try to inhale a little since it’s your first time.”

            Naeun took the cigarette between her lips, inhaling them for the first time. Smoke curled up inside and she felt the burn in , then as she tried to swallow them, she felt her lungs protested against the foreign fume. She coughed hard in instant reflex. Erika laughed, taking back her cigarette. She inhaled the cigarette again, then blew in perfect form. “Stick to crying, Naeun.”

            A dull sting still lingered inside Naeun’s lungs. “I’m done crying.”

            “I’m not sure about that.” She cocked a smirk. She didn’t believe her statement and that set alight of something within Naeun. A repulsion, maybe. But the word didn’t seem to fit correctly to what she was feeling because she felt tired too. To be expected as the obedient dog of Jongin, or to be expected as someone so trifling that she was used as a bargaining item. For a feud she hadn’t hope to arise. For something that wasn’t her fault but everyone seemed to think otherwise and she was hoped to be a bystander of her own faith.

            Repulsion formed in effect of Erika’s words. “Don’t tell me what to do, Erika.”

            Erika let out a spoiling sound of laughter. She stubbed her cigarette against the handrail and the waste were carried by the wind. She leaned against the railing with her arms folded in front of her chest. Her eyes glinted. “You know,” She began. Her tone had stilled the blood in Naeun. “A new girl wouldn’t want to speak in that tone to the wife of the heir of this dynasty.”

            “Then, don’t patronize me.” Her eyes bore against Erika’s with a boiling rage. The cold weather suddenly turned hot on her skin. She remembered how Erika had pushed her buttons and the dragon inside of her recoiled in its sleep. “I’m done being a pawn to your game.”

            She scoffed in incredulity. She echoed. “My game?” She picked up Naeun’s front shirt, forcing her to stand up and closed the gap between them. Naeun’s blood stop running under her skin. Teeth seeped into her spine as the wife continued, “This is your game, Naeun. I simply continue what is must finished.”

            “Is pushing my buttons not part of your game, then?”

            “Oh,” She mused in dark amusement. “Is that why you’re in the edge, right now?” She growled. “Is my method working, then?”

            Naeun wanted to reply with vulgar terms, but curiosity still peaked inside her head. She needed answers and those won’t get her nowhere. So, she asked, “What is your game?” Naeun’s tone dripped the same as Erika, like an imitation. “Tell me why I should put up with your game, Erika.”

            Erika leaned into her ear, whispering words full of conceited truth. “Sooner or later, you must realize that this kingdom is not built upon foreigners. It is built upon bloodline and family.” The hair shaft in Naeun’s body lifted in biting cold. Erika brushed a couple of Naeun’s hair strands behind her ears as she continued with a proud tone. “We’re all lambs, Naeun. I’m just pointing it out.”

            Erika took a few steps back. The negative space between them formed again. Naeun was still processing her last words when Erika looked over her shoulder and clucked her tongue. She tilted her head as she leaned on the railing, setting herself in a vain position. Her eyes caught Naeun who was attacking her of questions through her gaze.

            The glass door slid open. Jieun was rushing to get between them. Her face was full of concern. She stood just between the women and crossed her arms. “What the hell happened?”

            “Nothing.” Erika answered in practiced tone. She even shrugged her shoulder.

            Jieun looked at Naeun, searching for the assurance of Erika’s statement.

            Naeun peeled her eyes from Erika. She blinked her eyes to release any remaining emotions before managing to pull casual shakes in her head.

            Jieun heaved a heavy sigh and looked around in exasperation. She assessed both figures in her presence and beckoned at the living room with her neck. “Come on. We’re being summoned by Father in the hospital.”

            “Oh,” Erika’s interest was thick in the vowel. “Whatever for?”

            Jieun’s eyes shifted into revulsion. “Gomo Rita returns.”

            “Ah, the wretched .” The words spat effortlessly against Erika’s lips.

            She expected for Jieun to correct the vulgar term, instead she cocked her eyebrows in agreement. She confirmed of Naeun’s assumption by adding, “She really is the nastiest you’d ever meet, Naeun.” Jieun pursed her lips and walked back into the room.

            Erika winked at Naeun before she could follow Jieun.

            Erika had shown her too many of her faces that she ever wondered if any of which were ever true.