“Hyungnim?”

The male looked up from the oven and smiled at Jungah, she had already changed for lunch.

“I was planning to cook for lunch.” She said as she walked towards him, she looked around the kitchen, confused.

“Young master Yoo arrived earlier, he had some food ordered, I am just reheating them.”

“Where are my Dots?” She asked with a frown, Minhyuk’s bloodied coat had left stains on the carpet.

“They’re..outside, young miss. You may proceed…with caution.” The male said carefully, she rolled her eyes and padded towards the garage, not bothering to put slippers on. She burst through the doors, and she instantly regret ever leaving the safety of the kitchen.

There were two males sitting at the center of the empty garage, Wonho was standing before them, looking unlike his usual sunny self. While a shirtless One Dot looked on, stark anger still etched on his face.

“How bad?” Jungah quietly asked as she reached Minhyuk, the bruise under his left eyes was already starting to darken, she made a mental note to get him ice as soon as they go back in the house.

“Three of our guys are in the operating room now, six are injured but are recuperating well.” Minhyuk informed her, she nodded while keeping her gaze away from One Dot.

“Baby Chae?”

“Already on his way here. He’s okay.”

“I’m assuming he..finished the rest who ran away?” Jungah asked, not wanting the specifics, Minhyuk’s smirk said it all. She was about to head back to the house when Shownu turned to her.

“Jungah,” He spoke, the girls scrunched her nose before meeting his gaze. Kihyun appeared from the garage doors, his brows raised at her.

“Y—Yeah, oppa.” She blurted out as she padded towards him, careful not to step on the blood. Wonho turned and smiled at her.

“They made claims about you. Threats as well.” Shownu spoke as she reached him, Jungah slowly nodded and looked at the two males, she paused.

“I…He was at the mall a few days ago, I remember he was asking about this art piece we had at the atrium. A local artist was hosting a,” She trailed off, keeping her eyes on the kneeling male, she noticed that three of his fingernails were missing.

“He was tailing you. Your guards knew about it.” Kihyun spoke, Jungah blinked at her cousin.

“We kept tabs on him, but suddenly he went off the grid, and know we find him at one of our safehouses. Trying to burn down the whole complex.” Wonho supplied as he walked towards the table and tossed the bloodied pliers aside.

“Oh.” She murmured, not knowing what to say.

“He has photos of you, and some of your personal details.” Shownu informed her as he inched closer to her, Jungah nodded back, debating whether she should move.

“So, we want you decide what to do with them, princess.” He gently said, Jungah was wide-eyed as she faced him.

“Me?” She blurted out, Minhyuk grinned.

“You’re letting this girl take over? Well, our boss’s efforts were useless after all. She will be the reason of your failure. Finally.” The other male wheezed, Kihyun sighed and waved his hand at them.

“I’m not going to watch this. Food’s waiting.” He said before heading back to the house.

“Yes, I don’t think they’re aware what you’re capable of.” Shownu offered her a small smile, the girl flinched.

“Oppa,” She frowned, Wonho hid his grin and glanced at Minhyuk.

“They had plans for you. Maybe they’ll be better off in your hands than mine.” He said to her, Jungah sighed and glanced at their guards, they seem tensed, worried.

“How bad?” She asked again.

“They wanted to take you. They had plans to kidnap you this weekend on your date.”

Her eyes widened, Shownu let out a shaky breath and nodded.

“I..I—”

“Date’s cancelled. Yes?” Shownu spoke again, the girl swallowed, she glanced at the two males again.

“Jungah,”

Her eyes went to him again, One Dot had a frown on his face as he stared at her.

“Yes?”

“Please?” Shownu spoke again, his tone soft, pleading.

“W—What?” She blurted out, suddenly realizing how close he was to her and that he was still shirtless.

“Cancel the date with Rowoon. Please.”

“O—Oh, y—yes, for sure. I—I’ll…text him now.” She said as she stepped away from him and padded back towards the house. Minhyuk and Wonho were both grinning as they followed the girl as well.

 

 

 

“You resigned?” Hyungwon said with a smile as he sat down across the girl, Jungah was in the middle of refilling her rice bowl.

“She did. I got a call from abeoji this morning, halbae is elated.” Kihyun supplied, Hyungwon chuckled and patted her shoulder.

“Good for you, princess.”

“I didn’t know that it was something to celebrate.” Jungah murmured as she leaned over to get some beef, Jooheon and Changkyun had arrived, and everyone was ready for lunch.

“How was it? Did you get hurt?” Jungah asked Baby Chae, the latter shook his head and scoffed at her.

“It was an easy mission, don’t worry.” He replied, Jungah was about to speak when Wonho and Shownu stepped in the room, both males have already showered and changed into a fresh set of clothes. All black clothes.

“We’re celebrating Jungah noona’s resignation.” Changkyun informed the two, Wonho chortled before taking his usual seat beside the girl.

“That’s good news, princess. Welcome to the club.” He chimed in as he pulled the bowl of stew towards him.

“That’s what we call it a now. A club.” Jungah mused as she looked around the table, Shownu followed her gaze.

“What’s wrong?” He spoke to her as he took his seat on her other side.

“I thought we were having seafood noodles too.” Jungah said, Kihyun grinned at her.

“I was going to make that for dinner. Do you want it now?”

“No, no, it’s fine.” She nodded back as she inched closer to Wonho, Minhyuk paused, his brows going up.

“Jungah-ya,” Shownu sighed, his fingers curled around the arm of her chair and gently tugged her back to his side.

“What?” She blurted out, Jooheon grinned while chewing.

“What is~”

“I cancelled my date with Rowoon!” She suddenly announced to the table, Shownu was about to speak again but the girl put her hand over his and gave it a small squeeze. As if to say, I’m okay.

“That’s great. Both good for you and the tall freak.” Minhyuk spoke, Changkyun nodded along while slicing his chicken.

“But I really thought I could get something out of him, you know.”

“How about you try asking around him and his father this Saturday,” Kihyun begun, Jungah blinked at her cousin.

“What’s this Saturday?”

“There’s this annual charity event, our companies are invited. It’s neutral ground, so, Kim Donghee won’t be able to do anything. Plus, there’s media at the event too, he won’t risk it.” Changkyun explained, Wonho nudged the girl to continue eating.

“That is..if you want to go.” Kihyun continued, the girl scrunched her nose, she was about to speak when her phone suddenly started ringing. Wonho looked at the screen and rolled his eyes.

She was about to tap on the red icon when the older male took the device from her and handed it to Minhyuk.

“Don’t~”

Minhyuk smiled prettily as he slid the green icon across the screen.

“Jungah, I’ve been trying to reach you.” Her ex-boyfriend’s voice resonated from the device, Shownu’s forehead creased slightly but he continued eating.

“You know, it’s good that we actually left you your hands so that you can still try to reach for things.” Minhyuk sweetly said, Jooheon chuckled heartily. From the other end, Seo Youngho turned quiet.

“If you try calling her again, no, if you even try reaching out to her again,” Minhyuk hummed as he fiddled with his steak knife, Jungah grimaced and look away.

“You know what we can do.” He finished, Kihyun took the phone from him.

“Jungah doesn’t want to talk to you again. I don’t know where you got the guts thinking she’d be okay with you after..what you did, so, stop. Leave her alone.” Kihyun stated, and without waiting for the male to speak, he ended the call.

“Thank you for being overbearing and nosey. I love it.” She mumbled as she let go of Shownu’s hand and picked up her utensils.

“So, charity event, princess?” Jooheon excitedly asked, the girl slowly nodded back.

“I’ll be there.” She promised, Kihyun smiled at her and nodded.

“Good, One Dot will drive you.” Wonho quickly said before shoving more rice in his mouth, Jungah turned to the male.

“But, he might have prior appo~”

“I’ll drive you. Eat.” Shownu nudged her before going back to his meal, Hyungwon and Changkyun high-fived under the table.

 

 

 

“I feel hurt. Betrayed.” Joon muttered as he kept up with the two women, they were already on their way to leave the building.

“I wanted to tell you but things got hectic and..I didn’t want to spoil the sleepover.” Jungah mused as she looped arms with the male as well.

“It was bound to happen anyway, this unnie can only hide for so long.” Haerin mused as they got off the escalator.

“What about your father? Does he know?” Joon queried as they reached the doors, Jungah pursed her lips.

“I am to call him tonight, although, I’m pretty sure my uncle has already informed him. I think…appa will be fine with it.” She shrugged, Jungah looked up noticing that her hyungnims weren’t around.

“Anyway, I have to go first. My girlfriend’s dropping by, have a safe trip home, noonas.” Joon excused himself before hurrying to his car.

“So, I’m..assuming things didn’t go well with Seo Youngho? I…I heard about…the other night, at the club.” Haerin carefully said, Jungah sighed and shook her head.

“He got..handsy, it was..disgusting, he was being….ugh.” She shuddered, Haerin frowned at her friend.

“I always knew he was trouble.” Haerin murmured just as a white Porsche 911 pulled up by the curb, Jungah shrugged and crossed her arms.

“I just hope he gets the message and keeps away, you know. I don’t want to see him again.” She continued, Haerin was watching as the car’s driver slid down from the vehicle. She started to grin at the girl.

“And, he thinks we’d get back together just because~”

“Jungah, it’s Mister Dark and Mysterious.”

Haerin started to pull away from the girl, Jungah tried to grab her back, but her friend was already hopping away from her.

“I see the hyungnims have been..dispatched.” She stated as Shownu walked to her, he was dressed casually, black jeans and a cream-colored hoodie. Jungah noticed how his hair was slightly damp.

“I went out for a swim.” Shownu noticed her gaze and ran his fingers through his hair.

“And, yes. Kihyun called them to run perimeters around a few of our warehouses and offices.”

“Are things okay?” She asked as they walked towards the Porsche, Shownu nodded at her.

“For now, they are.” He honestly said as he opened the door for her, Jungah raised her brows at him.

“You’re not wearing a skirt today.” Shownu smiled at her, recalling how she had complained about sports cars and having to get in them while wearing skirts or dresses.

“No, I don’t mean that. But, where are we going, oppa? I have some errands to run.”

“I know that. We’ll go where you need to.”

“I need groceries.”

Shownu nodded and opened the car’s door for her, Jungah was about to get in but the reached for her arm, the girl paused and looked at him.

“About…About quitting your job, are you sure?”

“What made you ask that?”

“Well, I know…a lot has changed ever since we..invaded your life, there’s a lot of changes that I’m sure you don’t like. I...I just,” Shownu trailed off, he scratched the back of his neck.

“Son Hyunwoo, just spit it out.” Jungah smiled at him, a stuttering One Dot was adorable.

“I don’t want you to feel pressured that you have to leave something you like just because of the things that are happening now. We can fix it, but it may take time. But that doesn’t mean you…you’re required to…adjust for us.”

Jungah titled her head and reached out to right the sleeve of his hoodie.

“I’m not going to lie, oppa. That thought did cross my mind, but that was way back. Maybe…the first couple of weeks when I got introduced to the family. But, trust me, my resigning from Galleria has nothing to do with anything that’s happening now. But, maybe only…like five percent?” She chuckled, but Shownu didn’t seem amused.

The girl sighed, she shut the car’s door before looping her arm around his.

“This isn’t about the whole mafia and Kim Donghee thing, Son Hyunwoo. I..just realized that it is time I join the Yoos, my mother’s side of the family. I’ve been dodging my responsibilities with them for years now. That’s…That’s what brought this.”

He turned his gaze towards her, and Jungah wanted to pull back, but she didn’t.

“Are you sure? Because, Jungah, you really don’t have to, I can take care of this. I’ll make sure that they won’t be able to get to you.”

“I want to and I know that, oppa, people should never cross you, ever. And besides,” She let go of him and stretched one palm forward, Shownu wordlessly dropped the keyfob onto her hand.

“Besides, what?” Shownu asked as he opened the door again.

“It’s not like I can escape you guys.” She shrugged as she got in the driver’s seat, Shownu let out a laugh and slid in the car as well.

 

 

 

“I’m happy, Jungah. I really am.” Kihyun countered as he walked in the private dressing room, Jungah was in the process of picking dresses for the party.

“Really? You don’t sound it.” She mused as she ran her finger across the silk.

“It will put eyes on you. That worries me.” Kihyun sat down and asked for some water before looking at his cousin.

“You always have eyes on you.”

“I’m not the one being targeted right now.” He muttered under his breath, Jungah glanced at him grinned.

“I kind of got over that, oppa. You should too.” She said as she picked out a midnight blue number and asked to get her measurements checked.

“How does..How are you not worried over that? Did we feed you something wrong? Maybe you should stop hanging out with Hyungwon and your knives.”

“No hating on Baby Chae. And the knives were from Wonho oppa.” She mused as two sales associates measured her waist and arms.

“Still.”

Jungah waited for the two women to leave the room before following them, Kihyun had one hand on her back as they walked through the doors.

“It’s time I help out, oppa. And, halbae has been…very expressive about..his only granddaughter not working with him.”

Kihyun laughed at the statement, the elder has been nagging them both all along.

“It means added security, princess.”

“I know.”

Kihyun sent her a look before nudging her towards the counter, he saw Jungah’s two favorite hyungnims standing by the doors and slowly shook his head. His cousin had really adjusted with them, her giving them random nicknames had proved that.

“Noona,”

Kihyun turned his gaze and saw Wonwoo approaching the girl, the older male chewed on his lower lip.

“Now, it’s him versus Son Hyunwoo. How.” Kihyun murmured to himself, he was being honest when he claimed that he really had no idea what was going in his cousin’s head. Or if she currently liked someone.

“Wonwoo, hey.” She sounded subdued, guarded even.

“I’ve been planning to call, noona. Rowoon mentioned you two were supposed to meet.” Wonwoo said, he didn’t seem to realize that Kihyun was nearby, and the older male stood behind one of the shoe racks.

“Y—Yes, but I had to cancel last minute. I’m sure you’ve heard about my recent…..move.”

“Move to another company, yes.” Wonwoo smiled at her, Jungah shook her head before taking her card from the counter.

“But, noona,”

“Hm?”

“Why did you ask him out?”

Kihyun paused, he grew worried. Wonwoo was Rowoon’s cousin after all, the male may have been a longtime friend of his cousin’s but still.

“Ah, I…I…wanted to talk to him. To..get to know him better.” Jungah answered, her guards were about to move but Kihyun sent them a look, the two stepped back.

“Ah.” Wonwoo said, his forehead creasing. Jungah paused, noticing his reaction.

“W—Why? Is something wrong, Wonwoo-ah?”

Wonwoo his lips and slowly shook his head.

“Wonwoo, what are you~”

“I guess I haven’t been that obvious, huh, noona?”

Kihyun grimaced and looked away. He wanted to make a beeline for the doors and wait with the hyungnims outside.

“Obvious with what?”

“Noona, I..”

“Wonwoo, I’m kind of in a rush, and I have to be back at the office in~”

“I like you, noona. I’ve liked you..for a long time now.”

 

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

a/n:

I guess this kinda means that I'm back to my regular schedule. :>

I hope you enjoy this chap.

-blue