Seoul's terrible traffic ensured that it took no less than an hour to get to your destination. You parked at the entrance of what would appear to anyone else to be a fifty-floor luxury condo. Even in the heart of the bustling city, it still dwarfed the commercial buildings beside it. You'd barely stepped out of your car before a uniformed valet was beside you, extending a gloved hand for your keys. Evidently, you were being expected.

Wordlessly, you handed your keys to him and stalked up the marble front steps. Once you stepped through the revolving doors, you were greeted by a tall, slim young woman with short brown hair. Under normal circumstances, you might have been happy to see her.

"Sooyoung."

The woman grinned at you.

"Hey Jinnie! What's up with the face?"

You glared at her and stepped into the elevator, but she only laughed and followed.

"Chill, girl. Bossman only wants to chat a little. It's been a while since he saw the former gem of his collection. You're not the easiest person to track."

"Maybe he should realize that he should stop following me, then."

The elevator dinged, signalling that you'd reached the top floor. The doors opened to reveal a spacious sitting room, decorated with a handsome set of black leather sofas. A splendid fish tank covered one wall, in which colourful tropical fish were swimming. Opposite the elevator was a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling glass window, in front of which sat your brother and the man who brought him here.

"Pawn to E3. Hello Jinhye, it's been far too long."

"I'm not here for small talk, old man. What do you want?"

"Bishop to C6."

"That's too rash an opening, Jinyong," Lee Sooman chuckled and prodded a piece on the checkered board between them."Knight to C3. How have you been doing, Jinhye? I hope the owner of that shop you work at treats you well?"

You clenched your fists. Sooyoung placed a hand on your shoulder, which you immediately shrugged off.

"Leave them out of this and get to the point."

"Knight to F6," Jinyong's eyes flicked to you for a second, and you could tell that he was every bit as tense as you were. There was a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face, despite the heavy air conditioning. With a sudden jolt, you remembered his fear of heights. The old bastard.

"Straightforward as always, I see. Well then. I have a business proposition for you," he paused for a minute to examine the board. "Now look here Jinyong, you have to choices in your next move, see? Either you take my rook or I'll take your queen. That would be bad, wouldn't it? Rook to E5." He laughed and sat back in his chair, looking at Jinyong as he would a favourite nephew.

"But your bishop would be in check position."

"Yes, but it's better than losing your queen isn't it?"

You caught the undertone of his words perfectly. This wasn't a proposition. You had two choices, the latter of which he knew you'd never agree to. It was basically an order.

"What is it?"

"Well you see, my dear, the tracks have been severely lacklustre after you left. I was thinking of bringing in some new blood-"

You in a breath, while Jinyong glanced at you with an expression of barely controlled terror.

"Jinyong's not racing."

Sooman began to laugh as if the idea was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. 

"Of course not, sweetheart! I wouldn't dream of it!"

Liar. You've thought of it. You just know that I'd never agree.

Your eyes narrowed. "Then what do you want?"

"I'm putting together a new team, and I'd you to show them the ropes," he paused, and you cut in.

"Why me? You've got other racers with more experience."

"None that I can spare at the moment, unfortunately. They've got their own packed schedules." He shook his head with a remorseful sigh, as if he wasn't the person who arranged them in the first place.

"If I refuse?"

"Knight to F4."

"Bishop to D6, check." Sooman turned his eyes on you. You returned the look, but shrank back internally as you remembered why people feared this man. "You know your other option." His tone had lost all joviality; it was now cold, calculating, tinged with some sort of crazed ambition, daring you to choose the latter.

If it were any other day, you'd have told him to it and jumped on a plane to China or something, but Jinyong was still frozen in his seat by the window, determinedly not looking anywhere but the chessboard.

"How am I going to teach them, exactly?"

The smile came back to his face so quickly you were amazed he didn't get a facial whiplash.

"Not to worry about that! All your mods are still in perfect condition down in the garages-"

"If you think I'm going to teach them in any of my babies then you're actually delusional."

"I'll pay you triple the usual. Per person."

You bit your lip. The "usual" was nine billion won. He wouldn't throw that kind of money around lightly.

"So what are the conditions - I teach your new "team" how to race and provide my cars for them to practice in?"

"Not exactly."

Of course not, that'd be too easy.

"I'd like you to teach them how to survive the Seoul Underground, and eventually the Internationals, and I'd like you to provide them with the personalized means to do so."

Your jaw dropped. Survive the SU? He couldn't mean-

"You plan on putting rookies in the Arteries? Are you finally going senile?"

"Or you could always come back."

" you."

"Pawn to E3, check."

Sooman looked back at the board in surprise. "Oh, stalemate. How unlucky." He then turned back to you.

"I'm not asking you to guarantee complete success, dear. There are twelve of them, after all."

You almost snarled in fury. His utter lack of concern over human life hadn't changed a whit. If his attitude was still the same, it was probably best for these twelve unknown newbies that you be the one to train them. Their chances of actual survival would be higher.

"Fine. I'll do it. But I'm going to need new toys if you want me to customize ."

He grinned at the familiar language, while your expression remained stony.

"Consider it done, dear! I guess we'll continue this game another day, Jinyong. Don't forget what I taught you!" He stood and clapped your brother's shoulder . "Always protect your queen, eh?"

"Good luck Jinhye, I'm sure you'll do spectacularly."

You didn't answer. Instead, you stepped back into the elevator, your brother appearing by your side almost instantly. Sooyoung bowed to her boss and followed you.

She broke the tense silence after the doors shut.

"Well, it looks like we'll be working together again!"

You didn't answer, but continued your attempt to burn holes through the stainless steel walls of the elevator with your glare.

"Oh cheer up, Jinnie! You can come for coffee with me and Jess again! It'll be just like old times!"

Yeah, just like old times. Can't go anywhere without wondering when I'd turn around with a gun pressed to my head next.

"Wait till you meet the newbies, Jinnie. They're all so cute and hot."

You turned to her as you reached the main floor. "What?"

"The twelve boys you'll be teaching, of course! SM's new team!"

The three of you walked out to the front, where your car was waiting.

"What's with the sudden testosterone explosion? And why are you getting in?" you asked when Sooyoung slid into the driver's seat.

"Well, a lot of the new sponsors are female, so..."

You snorted. All about the appearance, of course. Young and handsome boys would definitely help rake in more bets. It was like SNSD's marketing all over again. "You haven't answered the second question."

"Oh, SM's provided you with a new place, closer to where you'll be working."

Controlling old bastard.

--

A note about the chess game. If you read carefully, everything that Lee Sooman and Jinyong says is relevant to the conversation between Jinhye and Sooman as well. Checkmate means that the king has nowhere to move, and being in check position means that there is only one way for the king to move. A stalemate is a situation in which the player whose turn it is to move doesn't have the king in check, but has no legal moves, hence creating a draw. 

The actual moves were completely arbitrary though.

Also yes, I do like Sooyoung very well. And I have nothing against SM personally. Wait until I portray YG. *snickers*

- Ace