by Con Template
“It’s winter and you’re showing more skin than I’ve ever seen on you,” he continued with a chuckle. His warm body felt like a furnace against hers. “I would be an idiot if I allowed this once-in-a-lifetime sight to be covered by an ugly sweater and grandma looking pajama pants.” He grinned at the frown that overtook her face. He allowed his fingers to trace teasing circles on her bare thighs. “You know you love it when I touch and tease you,” he murmured, seduction swimming in the gaze he held on her. He lifted his lips close to her ear. “Give in, stubborn one. I promise I won’t bite—that hard.”
“Your lame attempt to use your sexuality as a weapon, while making it seem like you’re a harmless and innocent ex-boyfriend, makes me want to barf out my imaginary red velvet cake.”
Tae Hyun blinked, offended that she not only resisted his charms, but that she also insulted him in the process. “Did you really just say that?”
Yoori nodded proudly.
He smirked. He heaved a prolonged sigh that was a telltale sign of his strained patience.
“You’re lucky your deliciously plump ass stole my heart or else I would have given you a grand punishment for that insult.” His voice held a mixture of bitterness and lightheartedness while he caressed the skin of her leg. “I mean, let’s see,” he started, counting off with the fingers on his free hand. “You fucked up my precious Mercedes right after I gave it to you . . .”
Yoori pouted at the reminder. Her precious baby was still in the shop.
“You always ruin the moment when I try to get us in the sexy mood . . .”
Yoori smiled like a rebel.
“You kicked an animal that I’ve adored since I was a kid . . .”
Yoori rolled her eyes at the mention of the dumb ducks she hated.
“And you even chucked a snowball at my head.”
He laughed at the last point while Yoori sighed dreamily at the remembrance.
“If anyone else did that, I’d have them wishing for hell, but since it’s you, all I require is that you tease me with some skin. Is that so much to ask?” He sighed dramatically. “Maybe I should re-think trying to win you back as my girlfriend. You’re pretty prudish, weird, high maintenance, and you only attract trouble.”
Yoori laughed at his careless comment. She got up and sat comfortably on his firm stomach. She stared down at him with confidence that only a woman could give to her boyfriend when she knew she had him in the palm of her hand.
“Girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, or BFF, you know you can’t live without me and my quirkiness, so you shouldn’t even try.”
There was no witty retort from Tae Hyun. There was just a smile of agreement as he stared up at her with adoration.
“Plus, it wasn’t my fault with the Mercedes,” she added. “I didn’t know I was about to be attacked.”
The words spilled out of her chest and before she could help it, a tense silence devoured them. All jokes and senseless arguing aside, they always knew when to get serious.
“How are you doing today?” he asked, the once playful tone vacating his voice.
Worry marked his face once he was reminded of the attack and every other horrible circumstance that found a home in Yoori’s life.
“Better,” she said genuinely.
Yoori smiled, recalling her appreciation for him. Since their reconciliation, Yoori had finally been able to release her problems to someone and that someone was Tae Hyun. The weight of guilt from her past sins had yet to disappear (she was nearly certain it would remain forever), but the weight of the world did lift and that meant a lot to her. With Tae Hyun’s help and encouragement, she had even been able to visit Chae Young without breaking out into sobs. She actually felt like she was being a good friend again. Although things were far from perfect in Yoori’s life, things were definitely looking up and it was looking up because of him.
“Thank you for being there for me,” she told him, meaning it with all her heart. “I really appreciate it.”
“I wish I could’ve done more for you,” Tae Hyun responded, his fingers caressing the bandage wrapped around her thigh. It was a touch of regret, not seduction. “I wish I could’ve protected you better.”
The feel of his delicate touch on the wound reminded her of his assassins.
“How are they?” she asked, remembering that they shot their thighs twice as their punishment for attacking her. Others may not worry about the well-being of their attackers, but Yoori couldn’t help but feel guilt and concern whenever they drifted into her mind. Her past self did a lot of horrible things to them and even after being mercilessly attacked in the club, she found it difficult to begrudge them.
A frown covered Tae Hyun’s face. “Healing,” he said simply.
Yoori wasn’t sure if he was frowning because they were still healing, which meant that they were still in pain, or frowning at the reminder of their attack on her. She suspected it dealt with both reasons.
“They’re anxious to find Jin Ae in order to rejoin the gang,” he shared, concealing any worry he had for them. “But I have something else for them to do today and already gave them the orders to stay put for a few more days. They are not a hundred-percent yet. I told them I didn’t want any fuck ups because of their injuries. There is only one chance for a snatch and it has to be a success.”
Jin Ae came to mind and anger lit inside Yoori. Since she couldn’t go after Jin Ae, Yoori was anxious for his assassins to go after her instead. In that merciless moment, she didn’t care if the Cobras were still healing. They were the ones who could give her the vengeance she wanted; they were the ones who could bring her Jin Ae’s head. They should not be resting. They should be out looking for Jin Ae.
“They’re your best assassins though,” she instigated casually. “I’m sure they can handle it.”
Given how they impersonated cops, blocked off roads, and orchestrated the entire attack to lead her to the club, she knew that they were exceptional. Their execution may not have come to fruition because their boss figured out their plan, but their abilities were to be envied nonetheless. If not for Tae Hyun, then they would’ve achieved what they wanted—her dead. They were the perfect group to capture Jin Ae.
“They may be highly trained, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best.” At the expression of curiosity on her face, Tae Hyun elaborated. “Think about how they were with you. They killed innocent people. They were so consumed with the need for vengeance that they fucked up trying to kill you. My assassins are loyal, but their anger has made me question their rationale. They allowed their emotions to get in the way and that’s just as bad as letting an inexperienced group plan an abduction. Hopefully they can capture Jin Ae effectively because they have no emotions toward her. However, I won’t allow them to do it unless they’re fully healed—both physically and mentally. Jin Ae is not just another girl in the Underworld. She is Ju Won’s niece. Her capture will not be easy. If it goes wrong, the casualties will be insurmountable. I’m pissed at them, but I won’t let them risk their lives. They will only go when I deem they’re ready, when I deem they can come out alive.”
She nodded slowly, accepting his reasoning. Regardless of how impatient she was, Yoori agreed that her agenda would only work if everything went according to plan. They only had one chance to do this right. She couldn’t foil that chance with her impatience.
Her thoughts ventured on. She recalled the name of the missing Cobra they wanted to avenge—the one Soo Jin killed.
“Who was Kimmy?” she asked quietly.
Poignancy entered Tae Hyun’s eyes at the mention of her. “Kimmy was the youngest of the Cobras. They all grew up together and loved each other as if they were blood siblings. This is why they have such loyalty for each other. In the group, if you say that Mina and Ace were the most experienced ones, then Kimmy was definitely one of the most inexperienced ones.” He exhaled sharply, visibly upset over the loss of his youngest Cobra. Yoori felt her stomach clench when she noticed the pain hidden in his eyes. “
She was no match for An Soo Jin. None of them were.”
“I deserved what they did to me,” Yoori stated, truly believing her own words. She swallowed past the remorse rising through her. It hurt her to see Tae Hyun in pain, especially over something her past self did. “Just like those gang members in the alley deserved what I did to them, I deserved what your assassins did to me. An Soo Jin’s mistake is my mistake. An eye for an eye, right?”
“I don’t care what reasons anyone has,” Tae Hyun stated inflexibly. “No one can touch you if I’m around.”
Yoori smiled guiltily at his prerogative. Her mind wandered before eventually migrating back to Jin Ae.
“I want Jin Ae—soon.” She did not blink when she said this. “Just like those gang members in the alley, she deserves to be punished.”
There was no concealing the remorse Yoori felt for all the despicable things Soo Jin did. There was also no hiding the anger that spread through her whenever she was reminded of what Chae Young went through. Yoori might not be able to capture Jin Ae herself, but she would be damned if anyone else punished Jin Ae.
Tae Hyun nodded. “When the Cobras capture her, you can do what you want to her. But anything dealing with the chase, you’re waiting in the back and letting my people take care of it. When it comes to being invisible while abducting someone or gathering information, those nine are the best for the job. I could follow their trails, but I doubt anyone else can.”
Yoori bobbed her head absentmindedly, allowing the silence to shroud them. Her mind mulled over a disturbing thought before she voiced it to Tae Hyun.
“Does this side of me scare you?” She stared into his eyes, genuinely curious. “I never had a chance to ask what went through your mind when you came into the alley that morning and saw that I had killed eleven men. And now you’re listening to me talk about wanting to punish Jin Ae.” Yoori exhaled uncomfortably. She had changed drastically since their first meeting in the diner. It was no secret that a part of Soo Jin was alive inside her, and this acknowledgement scared her. Her heart wrenched at the thought of it scaring Tae Hyun. “Do I scare you?”
His smile was reassuring, unwavering. “There’s no other society that’s as cruel and heartless as this one.” He lifted his hand up and traced it over her cheek. “I’ve seen things that no human should see and I’ve done things that no human should do. Killing people has become such a habit that the thought hardly provokes a reaction out of me. But the mere thought of someone touching you makes me want to kill, the thought of you hurting makes me ache, and the thought of you leaving me makes me want to punish the world. You’re the only thing that’s been right in my life and you’re asking if you scare me?” He smirked, his eyes staring at her with adulation. “You scare me more than you’ll ever know, just not in the sense that you may think.”
Yoori smiled as she held her hand up and rested it above the hand that caressed her cheek. She kissed his caressing fingers and listened as he went on, warming her heart further.
“But to answer the specific content of your question, no, you don’t scare me. I could see the pain in your eyes when you speak about those eleven bastards. I could sense the pain as you spoke about wanting to punish Jin Ae. A monster wouldn’t feel any of that pain. A monster wouldn’t feel pain, remorse, or trepidation. You do not take joy in hurting them; you resent them for forcing you to punish them. I’ve seen atrocious things in this world, and you will never be one of them.”
“I wish I forgave you sooner,” Yoori lamented, leaning forward again and laying her chin on his chest. She hugged him tightly, wanting nothing more than to feel his body heat. “I wish I never left you because those three weeks were hell. It was a mistake that I won’t make again.”
“It was a mistake to let you leave, but I’m not letting you leave again,” he assured her. “Never again.”
“Good,” Yoori replied, refusing to tear up because of how sweet he was being.
“I want to open up to you now,” he went on, his hand stroking her cheek with care.
Yoori looked at him oddly. “Isn’t that what we’re doing right now?”
“I want you to see every part of me,” he clarified. Tae Hyun sat up and gently laid her across the bed. He supported his head with one arm and leaned over her. His free hand continued to caress her cheek. He stared down at her with conviction. “You’ve seen the ‘human’ side of me, but I want you to see the other side. I want you to see the side that’s the King of this world.”
Yoori looked up at his handsome face in curiosity. “What do you want me to see exactly?”
“I want you to see how the initiation for my world works.”
The puzzlement did not leave her face. “I already saw how the initiation works.”
“The initiation into my gang.”
Yoori paused. She sat up abruptly and shot him a wide-eyed look. “I thought outsiders weren’t allowed to see that?”
“You are no longer an outsider,” Tae Hyun told her, sitting up as well. He cupped his palm over her cheek. “You are part of my world now—a very important part. And I want you to see this.”
Yoori was stunned. She was used to Tae Hyun being secretive with her. This concession floored her. “Are you sure?”
He chuckled. “Unless you don’t want to see it.”
“I do,” she whispered, sitting closer to him to express her eagerness. Her heart raced at the thought of finally being welcomed into Tae Hyun’s secretive world. “I want to see it.”
He smiled softly. A tinge of wariness rippled in his eyes. “Don’t judge me too harshly.”
Yoori laughed quietly. What a silly thing for him to say. “Why would I?”
The poignancy in his demeanor did not relent. If anything, he looked more serious. It was like he was trying to prepare her for the worst. “I did not get into the position I am in today by being a morally just person. When you see everything . . .” He swallowed tightly. “Don’t judge me too harshly.”
“I was An Soo Jin in a past life,” Yoori told him gently. She held his hands and smiled reassuringly. He was finally opening up to her. The last thing she would do was judge him. If anything, it would only make her adore him more. “I am in no position to judge anyone.”
Tae Hyun favored her with a relieved smile and nodded. He laid down on his pillow and pulled her down into bed with him.
“Get some sleep then,” he said, tugging the comforter over them. “Because when we leave in a few hours, we will have a long night ahead of us.”
“May their demise dictate your choices in life.”
08: A King’s Memory Lane
Yoori couldn’t keep her eyes off the ever-changing foliage.
The beginnings of an infantile sunset had settled over the world as they drove through the hilly road leading up to Tae Hyun’s Serpents’ estate. Tae Hyun was driving his Jaguar and Yoori was sitting beside him, mesmerized by the view outside.
Trees upon trees surrounded them. Everywhere Yoori looked, she saw plants of different varieties standing parallel to the road, each holding secrets to the different acres of land they sat on. It had been a while since she saw so much greenery, and she had missed it. The vibrant sunset streamed over the land, covering everything with a golden hue. This vision reminded her of the splendor of the lake house community she had visited with Tae Hyun weeks back. Yoori smiled at the reminiscent thought. Anything that could evoke such wonderful nostalgia was a beauty in her book.
“So, this is the infamous Serpents’ estate?” she asked wondrously, basking under the sunset’s rays. She still couldn’t believe she was going to see how the inner workings of the Serpents’ initiation worked. It felt like she was about to learn the answer to one of life’s greatest mysteries.
“One of them,” Tae Hyun stated casually.
“One of them?” Yoori echoed, spinning around to face him.
He nodded, his eyes still on the dirt-paved road. “After I became the King of Serpents, I bought a second estate.”
“Because this is not necessarily my favorite one.” He grinned at the reproving look on her face and started to explain the reason for his two estates. “Traditions dictate that all Serpents must be initiated here. I keep this place as a means to uphold my family’s traditions. This estate is for their initiation. The second estate is for their training and our gatherings.”
Yoori briefly averted her attention to the ever-changing scenery. “Didn’t you grow up in this estate?”
He nodded. “Yes.” He pointed at a tall tree they were nearing. The tree had a long rope hanging down from it. “That was where I first broke my leg.”
Yoori exploded in laughter and faced him in interest. Her long black hair, which was curled today, moved over her white dress. “How?”
“I was eight and my older brother was trying to jumpstart my training into the Underworld. He told me that when he becomes the King of the 3rd layer, he wants to make sure I become the King of the 1st layer as well.” He laughed. “He had started his Underworld training already, so he was able to expertly climb that tree. I was jealous and wanted to climb it too. I made it about halfway up before I lost my footing and fell.”
Yoori had to smile. Despite what ended up happening with Ho Young, it was still nice to hear this endearing story from Tae Hyun’s childhood. “I assume you were out of commission for a while?”
He confirmed with a chuckle. “But when my leg healed, my father brought us back and made me climb the tree. He told me that we are not defined by how far we’ve fallen, but how far we rise after we fall from grace.”
Yoori nodded. She liked that saying. It was fitting for every aspect of life, not just the Underworld. “Did you successfully climb it?”