by Con Template
It will be the last time I see her, Soo Jin reasoned once she gave herself the concession of seeing Chae Young. She would see Chae Young and catch a glimpse of Hae Jin one final time before she cut them out of her life. She knew the weakness of her attachment to them was a problem, and Soo Jin was more than willing to reconcile that matter. But, for tonight, she simply wanted to be normal before she completely immersed herself with the darkness that was the Underworld. She had the rest of her life to be a God. It could not hurt to be human for a small part of this night.
“Well, let’s give them their alone time then, yeah?” Hae Jin uttered. Even though it was clear that she wanted to stay and talk to both girls, she respected the fact that Soo Jin may not want any interaction with her. Being the sweet person that she was, she put her needs aside and put Soo Jin’s first.
It was an act that grated Soo Jin’s insides. Hae Jin could have never known that Soo Jin’s purpose for coming here was to catch a final glance of her as well. She wanted Hae Jin to stay, but given everything that had transpired, this was not something she could voice.
Mr. Lee and Jae Won followed Hae Jin’s lead as they left Chae Young and Soo Jin alone.
Chae Young did not wait a second longer to greet Soo Jin. She ran to her, happiness beaming out of her like the rays of the sun.
“Ahh! Yoori, Yoori, Yoori!” she squealed ecstatically, pulling a laughing Soo Jin into an embrace. The fabric of their jackets clashed as Chae Young bounced up and down. “I thought you weren’t coming! I—” Chae Young stopped when she realized something. “Um, I can call you Yoori, right?”
“Yeah, it’s completely fine. Don’t worry about it!” Soo Jin appeased her worries, honestly not minding when it came to Chae Young.
Her heart warmed from merely being around Chae Young. She could not stop smiling as she looked at her. Since this was possibly the last moment she would ever see Chae Young, she wanted to treasure every bit of it.
“Look what I brought,” Soo Jin shared, handing the blue gift bag to Chae Young. “Happy Birthday.”
Chae Young grinned, accepting the birthday gift and thanking her. Once she placed the gift bag on the counter, she faced Soo Jin with a frown. “Why can’t you come to dinner? I miss you.”
Soo Jin’s heart dropped. Outwardly, she forced the smile to stay on her face. A part of her wanted to go. Nevertheless, a bigger part of her knew it was a bad idea. Seeing Yoori’s best friend for a brief moment was already a bad idea. Going out to dinner and encouraging the human emotions she was trying to eradicate was plain reckless. No, she would not go to dinner with everyone. She could not be that reckless.
“I’m really busy,” she lied with ease, “but I had to stop by to see you before things get crazier.”
Chae Young nodded sadly. She was smart enough to deduce that Soo Jin was lying, but also perceptive enough to not force the issue. She would take what she could get from Soo Jin.
“You know,” she launched, reaching out and holding Soo Jin’s hand with hers, “when Jae Won told me that you remembered everything and that you were actually the Queen of the Underworld again, I kind of envisioned you being snobbier, meaner, and bitchier.” She laughed, gazing at Soo Jin in the same way she would look at Yoori. There was nothing but love in her eyes. “It’s kind of weird, but I don’t think you’ve changed at all.”
Soo Jin maintained her warm smile, refusing to allow Chae Young to see how much she disagreed with her observation.
Chae Young did not know how much she had changed—that before stopping by the diner, she had singlehandedly amputated, tortured, and killed seventeen Skulls and Scorpions. Chae Young would never know, and for this, Soo Jin was grateful. Everyone in the Underworld knew what a ruthless person she was—it was nice to know that someone she cared about did not know what a monster she truly was.
Eager to veer the spotlight away from her, Soo Jin tilted her head and said, “How are you doing?”
She had not forgotten that eleven men raped Chae Young. She had also not forgotten the guilt and pain that ran through Yoori—and ultimately her—after the horrendous event. The simple fact that this amazing young woman was standing before her, smiling and staying so strong, amazed Soo Jin to no end.
“Good,” Chae Young answered. As she spoke, the only thought in Soo Jin’s mind was how much she was going to torture Ji Hoon for putting this kindhearted girl through such hell. “Been going to therapy . . . my dad and Jae Won are always there for me . . . Hae Jin constantly stops by to check up on me, hang out, and do normal girl stuff.” A spark of melancholy inhabited Chae Young’s eyes at the mention of Hae Jin. She looked over to Hae Jin, who was refilling water into a customer’s glass. “She doesn’t think that you like her very much now that you’ve regained your memories. I told her she was being silly. Maybe you should go say hi to settle her nerves?”
Soo Jin’s focus momentarily shifted to Hae Jin. “It’s probably best if I don’t talk to her anymore. I don’t know if you know, but her brother and I aren’t exactly best friends in this world.”
Enemies, she wanted to correct out loud. In this world, he was the only one who stood in the way of her throne and endless power.
“You really have no more feelings towards him?”
Soo Jin shook her head swiftly. Though the very nerves in her body were disagreeing with her actions, she said, “He means nothing to me.”
Chae Young swallowed quietly, accepting her answer.
Soo Jin wasn’t certain if Chae Young believed her, but it did not matter. In that moment, something more distressing occurred. As if knowing that the only reason why Soo Jin appeared tonight was to see her for one last time, Chae Young started to gaze at her with sadness in her eyes.
“It’s been . . . it’s been a long time since this sweet girl named Yoori bounced into this diner and harassed my dad for a job.”
The simple sentence ripped a wound in Soo Jin’s heart. Though her face was composed, Soo Jin knew that the end had come. She could no longer stay. She had to leave and permanently say goodbye to this type of life—a life that would always belong to Yoori, a life that would always be a dream.
“I want you to know how much I admire and love you,” she began as Chae Young’s eyes widened at the words she was saying. Soo Jin could not stop herself. If this was truly their last moment together, then she had to leave by telling Chae Young how much she admired her.
“You don’t know how to fight, you don’t wield swords with ease, and you don’t shoot guns with precision, but in all my years in this world, I’ve never met someone stronger than you. You have been through hell, and yet you still stand here, smiling, moving on with your life, and being an inspiration to any other women alive. You’re pretty much stronger and more resilient than any Advisor or crime lord I know—and God help me, I know a lot. I’m truly in awe of you, and I’m grateful to have you as a friend. If I could be half the woman you are, then that would be the most amazing feat a ruthless person like me could hope to attain.”
Tears started to mist Chae Young’s eyes. She inclined her head in confusion.
“What the hell was that?” she asked, her voice breaking slightly. She was deeply touched. “Where’d that come from? Why the hell are you calling yourself ruthless and saying all of that stuff?”
Soo Jin shrugged, her heart thumping wildly. It was time to leave. “I don’t know . . . If I don’t see you again, I just wanted you to know how amazing you are.”
“You loser-face,” Chae Young commented, clearing her throat to stop the impending tears. Always the cunning and smart one, she tried to use this to her advantage and guilt Soo Jin into staying. “How could you make me cry on my own birthday? Now you have to stay and make me stop crying.”
Soo Jin laughed, finding this to be a lot harder than it was supposed to be. “Don’t cry, you big baby.” She playfully pushed Chae Young to ease the tension. “Are you trying to make me look bad before I leave? Everyone already thinks I’m the world’s biggest bitch
, and now you cry while I talk to you?”
Chae Young breathed in deeply. “You’re right, you’re right.” She brought a hand up and waved it with a cheeky smile. “Stay? Please?” she whispered. She took in a deep breath and added, “I really don’t want you to leave.”
Soo Jin smiled sadly and was about to turn around to leave when the door dinged open, indicating that another customer had walked in.
“Hey son!” Mr. Lee’s voice greeted happily, evidently knowing this customer very well.
“Hi uncle,” the new customer greeted. “How are you?”
Soo Jin’s world froze as her traitorous heart thumped uncontrollably. It recognized the sound of the familiar voice it loved so much. Her once bleak reality exploded with color. There was only one person on earth who held the power to rock her world to its core.
She was afraid to turn around.
“Hi oppa,” said Hae Jin’s surprised voice. It was clear she didn’t expect to see him tonight.
“Hi little sis,” the voice greeted back, coming closer to Soo Jin.
No, it couldn’t be . . .
Seconds later, as a big smile danced across Chae Young’s lips, Soo Jin knew what she dreaded most had come to fruition.
“Yoori!” Mr. Lee called, confirming her worst fear, “Your boyfriend is here.”
“Hey babe.”
Crap, Soo Jin thought hatefully, too stunned to face him. Perhaps if she ignored him, he would disappear.
Although she could not see him, she could feel the sexy bastard smile as his cologne assailed her nostrils, reminding her of what took place the last time she was with him—reminding her of how much she wanted him.
“Hi Tae Hyun,” Chae Young greeted with a bright face. She eagerly circled around a frozen Soo Jin to hug him.
“Hey birthday girl,” Tae Hyun replied warmly, embracing Chae Young while eyeing Soo Jin, who refused to make eye contact with him. “Are you having a good one?”
“Yes,” said Chae Young, thrilled with his unannounced appearance. “I got a really good birthday present with Yoori’s sudden appearance.” She cast a glance at Soo Jin before smiling at him. “She hasn’t changed.”
He smiled and nodded. This wasn’t a revelation to him. “No, she hasn’t.”
Soo Jin was no longer paying attention. Her mind was too preoccupied with conjuring up a stealthy exit plan that didn’t involve the King of Serpents following her. She did not need another one of his epic “goodbye” kisses. She had been through too much in one night. The last thing she needed was for him to rock her already disjointed world. They were a few days away from their historic battle and she wanted to avoid him until then. She had hoped that by then, she would finally rid herself of all her human emotions and become the ruthless God she was raised to be.
“Does this mean you two will be going out to dinner?” Mr. Lee asked, hopeful that Tae Hyun’s appearance meant they would be able to join the group for dinner.
“No,” Soo Jin replied swiftly, finally turning around. Now that Kwon Tae Hyun was here, there was no way in hell she was going to dinner.
Afraid that one peek at Tae Hyun would lessen her resolve, Soo Jin made sure to avoid eye contact with him as she bowed apologetically to Mr. Lee. “I’m actually leaving right now.”
“Yeah,” Tae Hyun agreed from the back. He further boiled Soo Jin’s frantic blood when he added, “I just wanted to stop by and check up on my sister, but I’ll be leaving with Yoori as well.”
“I hate you, don’t follow me,” Soo Jin wanted to shout at him. She resisted the urge. The last thing she needed to do was make a scene, especially when the easiest solution was to leave.
Soo Jin gave Mr. Lee a meek smile and quickly headed for the door.
“Tae Hyun,” Chae Young called when Tae Hyun was about to follow Soo Jin out. “Can you come to the back with me for a second? I have something I need to give you.”
He looked at her apologetically.
“Can I get it later?” he whispered. His eyes lingered on Soo Jin, who was walking at a swift pace. She showed no signs of slowing down.
Chae Young smiled at him softly. Her eyes assured him that she would not delay him unless it was important. “I think this gift will mean a lot to you.”
Acknowledging that Chae Young would not insist unless it was important, he nodded slowly. Taking his lingering eyes off Soo Jin, he speedily followed Chae Young to the back of the diner.
Soo Jin thanked the fates for distracting Tae Hyun for her. She gathered her bearings and waved goodbye to Jae Won and Mr. Lee. She was a step away from walking out of the diner before she spotted Hae Jin in the corner.
Her heart thumped softly.
Oh, screw it.
Against her better wishes, Soo Jin ran over to Hae Jin and gave her a bear hug that only a big sister could give to her little sister. After that, she raced out of the diner, leaving a shell-shocked Hae Jin behind.
“Shit. Shit. Shit,” she muttered when she burst out of the diner like a bat out of hell.
The frostiness of the night attacked her skin as she power walked to her Lamborghini. She silently cursed herself for parking so far. She parked further away from the diner because she was afraid Mr. Lee would see the car and start asking her a million questions about how she could afford such an expensive vehicle. It was an interrogation that she did not want to be inundated with. She was initially proud of herself for coming up with such an ingenious plan. Now, as she continued to make her escape, she was beginning to regret the distance. The knowledge that Kwon Tae Hyun was in the vicinity unsettled her greatly. She had to hurry. He would catch up to her soon if she did not leave the premises now.
She was near her car and was almost home free when—
“Damn it,” said a voice from behind her. “Were you a cheetah in another life or something?”
“Augh!” Soo Jin growled out loud, infuriated that Tae Hyun was an equally fast cheetah. She knew she should have run, but she had too much pride. Although Choi Yoori ran often, Soo Jin refused for that to be her legacy as well. The most An Soo Jin did was power walk; she did not run from threats.
She turned around as he appeared out of the darkness and stepped into the light cast by the orange streetlight hanging over them. The corner of the street they were in was empty due to the cold. The only sounds that could be heard were the sirens in the distance, the muffled music from a nearby restaurant, and Tae Hyun’s soft panting.
Soo Jin looked at him up and down and immediately wished that she hadn’t. Even under the limited lighting, he was candy for her eyes. He opted for an all black attire tonight. The sleeves of his button-up shirt were rolled up to his forearms, and a few of the buttons were left undone, revealing a peek of his muscled chest. His face was flushed with color from chasing after her, and he looked devastatingly handsome.
Once he deduced that she wasn’t going to run away any longer, he bent forward slightly and rested his hands on his knees.
“What the hell, woman?” he complained breathlessly. He struggled to catch his breath. “You act like I’m some sparkling vampire out to get your blood or something. What are you running away from?”
“Go to hell,” she snapped. She was furious that this hot bastard was making her feel so pathetic in her own skin. When would this madness end? When would she finally regain her senses and become the ruthless Queen she once was?
“I swear I’ve never been abused this much by a girl,” he said with amusement, taking no offense to her unfiltered aggression. He stood tall after finally regaining his normal state of breathing. His warm eyes held her angry ones. “You’re really not happy to see me?”
Well, that was a stupid question.
“Why would I be?” she asked coldly, folding her arms in annoyance.
He smirked, taking note of the icy tone in her voice and the hostility of her body language. “I don’t know. Unless I dreamed it up . . . then I have to say that you gave me one hell of a kiss the other day. I thought you’d
be jumping into my arms the next time you ran into me—not run away from me like I’m a walking plague.”
She glared at him. Her blood simmered at the very reminder of her one moment of weakness.
“That wasn’t a kiss, Kwon Tae Hyun,” she corrected swiftly. “That was an attack on your part.”
“An attack?” The amusement left his face. In its place came an affronted expression. He didn’t like her denial. “Oh, I see,” he stated with mild sarcasm. “So ripping my favorite shirt off and running your fingers over my chest was your act of defense?”
Soo Jin opened her mouth with the intention of firing a clever comeback. When nothing but embarrassment enflamed her cheeks, she closed her mouth in silence.
“What do you want from me?” she asked seconds later, doing her best to retain any semblance of dignity she had left. “Do you want a sequel to that kiss? If so, then I’m not in the mood, and I’m not giving it to you.”
“It’s a nice night,” he placated, taking an assertive step forward. A heartbreakingly gorgeous smile graced his lips when he added, “we should go out.”
“I’m busy,” she rejected at once.
“With?”
“I just am.”
“Come on,” he coaxed with a laugh. “You and I both know the flexibility that comes with our ‘jobs’.”
Soo Jin smirked. She feigned deliberation with the tilt of her head and slowly said, “No.” When he laughed in disbelief, Soo Jin added, “You’re only doing this because of that stupid pride of yours.”
Tae Hyun canted his head in curiosity. He gazed at her with dubious interest. “You care to elaborate on that?”
“About three weeks ago, you said that before the month is over, you’d win me back. Well, we’re a week away from fighting each other to the death, and you haven’t won me back yet. You’re on a timeline right now. This is why you’re following me like a stalker. You haven’t been able to successfully woo me, and now you’re at the end of your rope. Your time is running out. This is your last ditch effort.” Her face held a resolve that appeared inflexible. “I won’t be part of your game, King of Serpents; I won’t have my time wasted.”