by Con Template
She smiled wider, giving a pissed off Tae Hyun a stare that told him she would be fine. She turned back to Ju Won while Tae Hyun closed his eyes in defeat.
Dong Min chuckled approvingly while Ju Won smiled in victory.
“Well, that settles it then!” Ju Won exclaimed, grinning at Tae Hyun, whose expression was guarded with worry. “I won’t go far. I’ll speak to her on one of the patios. When you’re ready, you can come and find us there.”
“Uncle,” Tae Hyun voiced politely, brushing past Ju Won. He stopped when he was arm-to-arm with him. “I trust that Yoori won’t be upset when I come back for her. It would definitely dampen my evening if she was anything but comfortable.”
The contents of his words were respectful, but the deliverance dripped with warning.
“Spoken by a true King,” said Ju Won, unperturbed. He took a step to the side to allow Tae Hyun to pass. He faced Yoori and extended his arm to her. His expression radiated warmth when he said, “Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be outside if you need anything.”
With a nod of goodbye and a brief expression of worry from Tae Hyun, they soon parted ways. Although she was with one of the top sharks in the Underworld, Yoori felt no fear. Yoori knew Ju Won wasn’t looking to harm her tonight. As long as she didn’t cause too much trouble, Nemo was safe from all the sharks for the time being.
She apprehensively took his arm and walked with him. Yoori felt sick to her stomach while she walked arm-in-arm with Ju Won. Being this close to someone so evil made her nauseous, to the extent where she wanted to run away. Albeit she was revolted, Yoori kept a pleasant expression on her face. Appearances were everything in this world and there was no one better to practice this with than the master himself.
There were three sets of patios that adorned Ju Won’s mansion. The one in the west overlooked the vastness of the hills they were on. The one in the east held the view of the city in all its glory and the gargantuan one in the center led into Ju Won’s majestic garden. For their meeting together, Yoori and Ju Won headed in the direction of the west patio, the one furthest away from the life of the party and the one secluded enough for muted conversations.
“Is Jin Ae here, sir?” Yoori blurted while they swept across the dim ballroom. She didn’t know why she asked, but she had to get the question out. She had been at the party for a while now and she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of Jin Ae. She was beginning to wonder if the girl was even here.
A smile broadened his lips. “After what happened during your initiation, I didn’t feel it was necessary for her to make an appearance when you’re in attendance. I do hate it when my guests feel uncomfortable.”
“That was very considerate of you,” Yoori voiced when they approached the patio doors.
They stepped onto the marble foundation of the patio. She detached her arm from his. She briefly wondered if Ju Won knew the things Jin Ae did to Chae Young. Yoori concluded that Ju Won must’ve known what Jin Ae did. This was why Jin Ae wasn’t present tonight. The thought made her blood boil. Her hatred for Ju Won grew exponentially. It was no surprise that a bitch like Jin Ae would have an uncle like Ju Won.
The cool air greeted their walk toward the railing of the patio. Since it was considerably cold, everyone was mingling inside, leaving Yoori and Ju Won with the patio to themselves. The only breath of warmth came from the heating lamps that were scattered on various parts of the patio.
As the world inside the mansion continued without them, a sudden curiosity hit Yoori.
“You said that you didn’t feel it was necessary for Jin Ae to be present while I was in attendance.” She eyed Ju Won while they walked side by side. “How did you know I was coming?”
“I knew that you wouldn’t miss this party for the world.” He smiled to himself. “Masquerade balls have always been your favorite events.”
Yoori broke eye contact and looked at the world outside the mansion. Her eyes roamed over the panoramic view. Ju Won’s infinity pool spilled into the dark horizon that was bejeweled with distant skyscrapers and twinkling lights. Even though she didn’t enjoy her company, she had to admit this patio offered the most spectacular views.
“You mean masquerade balls were Soo Jin’s favorite events,” she corrected silently, almost defensively.
“I know about your meeting with Jung Min,” Ju Won said coolly. His eyes wandered over the panoramic view. “There is no need to beat around the bush. It’s just us. No one else is here. You don’t have to hide your curiosity about her. It is okay to hate her and be fascinated with her. There is a reason why this world hasn’t forgotten about her.”
Yoori tightened her jaw. She did not say anything to refute his words because that was exactly what she felt: hatred and fascination with An Soo Jin. Albeit he was correct with his words, she would not give him the satisfaction of her verbally confirming it.
He smiled at her silence. “Do you not wonder about her past? About the Queen behind all the legends?”
Yoori swallowed tightly again. She allowed the silence to sweep past her. Curiosity gnawed at her, but she kept it contained. She knew why Ju Won was doing this. He wasn’t intent on reminiscing about Soo Jin; he was intent on trying to trigger her memories. Yoori was determined to not walk into this trap. She had to keep Soo Jin at bay.
“Tae Hyun told me that you throw a charity event every year in your daughter’s name,” she launched, changing the subject and breaking the small silence that perused between them. “That’s very admirable.”
Yoori wanted to vomit at her own words as she stared out into the distance. “Admirable my ass,” she thought, sickening clouds storming her mind.
Ju Won chuckled bitterly. He did not look deterred with her blatant disregard for Soo Jin’s past, but he did look perturbed by her words. As if reading her thoughts, he said, “I am one of the longest living crime lords this world has ever known. There’s nothing admirable about throwing a charity event once every year for my daughter.”
Ju Won, like most of the crime lords she had met, wasn’t in the mood for her bullshit. Evidently, the art of beating around the bush was not a valuable virtue for any of the crime lords in the Underworld.
He went on, his voice growing icier. “I do my part because I love children and I love my only daughter even more. There’s no need for admiration. I think you know that I, of all people, don’t deserve any admiration.” He cast a sideways glance in her direction. “I know you have a lot of animosity for me. Let’s address it, shall we?”
Yoori smirked, relieved that she was able to lose it with the geniality. She would give him credit for being charitable every year for his deceased daughter’s sake, but she would give him no more than that.
“Fine, we’ll cut the bullshit then,” she began severely. Her ice-cold eyes pulsed with warning. “I’m sick and tired of you trying to pull me and Tae Hyun apart. You may have a hold over Soo Jin, but you have no hold over me. I know you requested that both Tae Hyun and Ji Hoon stay away from me because I’m a distraction, but I’m not with Ji Hoon, and I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my relationship with Tae Hyun. Just because he wants to be with me doesn’t mean he’ll lose sight of the power he seeks in this world.”
Ju Won kept his tranquil eyes on the view ahead. His arms behind his back, he continued to look unfazed by her hardened words.
“Behind us is the gathering of some of the most powerful people the world will ever know. The majority of the people in there are so high up that they could strike fear in government officials and silence the world as they please. At the top of that magnificent pyramid are Tae Hyun and Ji Hoon.” He turned to her, unreadable poignancy teeming in his eyes. “Do you not see it, my child? Even crime lords from other countries are flocking here to meet them—both of them. They want to meet them because they want to know who the next potential Lords are.” He held his father-like gaze on her, his voice growing gentler. “You may not understand it, but everything that is being done right now is done for your ow
n good—for all three of you. Love gets in the way of everything and the three of you shouldn’t fall victim to it, especially not with all the talent you have. You’re better than that.”
“So planting seeds of doubt in us, instigating, and pitting us against one another is for our own good?” She exhaled patiently, wondering if it was possible for Ju Won to see the steam coming out of her ears. She was so angry. His words were pure bullshit. “You’re not helping any of us, Ju Won,” she confronted fearlessly, a foreign part of her giving her the strength she needed to talk back to Ju Won. “All you’re doing right now is entertaining yourself because you know your death is near and your glory days are over.”
Her insult snapped the last shred of his patience.
“You ungrateful fool!” Ju Won gritted through his teeth. For the first time since Yoori had met him, Ju Won finally displayed anger. “How dare you speak to me that way? You think just because you have the young Kings in the palms of your hands that I’d be afraid to do anything to you? Think again,” he spat, his eyes burning with rage that scared the living hell out of Yoori.
Ju Won noted the fear in her gaze and instantly subdued the fire in his eyes. It was only then did Yoori experience a déjà vu of sorts. Ju Won scared her when he was composed, but he scared her—and the Soo Jin buried deep within her—even more when he lost his temper.
He took in a deep inhalation and averted his gaze unto the horizon. The coolness in his voice returned. “You have so much to learn. Power is fleeting in this world. All those people in there may adore and admire Tae Hyun, but this is a cruel world. Behind their smiles, they are waiting to find out what the great King’s Achilles’ heel would be.” He sharpened his eyes onto her. “Soo Jin was the Achilles’ heel for Ji Hoon and he was knocked down a notch from power because these people saw his weakness. Do you think you won’t be the same downfall for Tae Hyun?”
Tenseness occupied his wrinkled face. “I’ve faced two disappointments already. Ji Hoon had his moment to shine after your death, after his power was at its highest and just before Tae Hyun came into power. But he fucked that up because he allowed his affections for you to cloud his judgment. And you . . . I told you that night when I initiated you that I had always favored you. I favored you because you were the one I trained directly, because your father was like a brother to me, and because you were the one who reminded me of my daughter. But in the end, you became the biggest disappointment of all. Now, it is no secret that Tae Hyun is the pride and joy of this world. As the top Advisor in the 2nd layer, it is my duty to mold the first true Lord and make him the best this country has ever seen.” His voice vibrated with raw, unfettered determination. “Tae Hyun will be that mold, and I’ll be damned if you stand in the way of that.”
Overwhelmed with all that he was telling her, something snapped in Yoori.
“Why was Soo Jin such a disappointment?” she bit back, unable to ignore the elephant rampaging in the room. There was no point. No matter how hard she tried to keep Soo Jin at bay, it was inevitable that Yoori would drown in her. Now that the forbidden floodgate was opened, she might as well lead this conversation on to the topic she wanted to address. “Because she didn’t complete the ‘task’ you assigned her?”
Ju Won studied Yoori’s face. Mockery began to surface in his gaze. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Give me the answers I want, Ju Won,” she snarled, her right hand gripping on the railing so hard that if it were someone’s neck, that person would’ve suffocated instantly.
“You’re not asking for answers,” he told her, taking inventory of the wrath she was exuding on to the railing. “To truly want answers, you’ll ask for the equations in which the answers derive from.”
Yoori scoffed. “You’re speaking in riddles.”
“Because you don’t even understand the question you’re asking.”
“You wanted her to do something before she committed suicide,” Yoori went on loudly. “Whatever it was you had her do, it messed her up to a degree where she tried to kill herself. What did you need from that family, Ju Won? What did you need from the Hwangs?”
A spark of astonishment lit his eyes. He faced her. “You know about the Hwangs?”
Yoori could not decipher the emotions spreading through his face. Was he surprised or pleased that she knew this? She could not tell. She only knew that she had claimed his undivided interest.
“I know who they are and I know you had something to do with that massacre,” she told him confidently. She squared her shoulders in hopes of intimidating him into giving her an answer. “I just don’t know what power you held over her and her brother. What was so important, Ju Won? Why did you have them murder that family?”
Just as she poured it all out, a professional looking man in his forties appeared at the door. He wore a black suit and had white gloves on. He bowed at Ju Won. “Sir, it’s time for your speech. Are you ready?”
A lingering silence moved between them as Ju Won stared thoughtfully at Yoori. He peered inside the ballroom and then to the man at the door.
“Yes, go set it up. I’m ready.”
He nodded as a gesture for the man to proceed ahead and that he would follow soon. He returned his cold gaze to Yoori. He gave a slow smile, his expression unwilling to divulge in any secrets that he may or may not know.
“I gave you back your gun as a reminder for you to finish what you started that night,” he told her instead. “Dong Min has lost hope in you, Jung Min is on the fence, but I still have some hope. Though I must admit, I’ve been more than disappointed with your shortcomings in the last three years. Perhaps you can figure out this conundrum and prove yourself.”
Yoori shook her head. “Whatever it was you wanted me to do, I won’t do it now.”
“Then, Choi Yoori, you’ll die and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an entire Underworld waiting for me.”
With that, he left just as the MC announced that Seo Ju Won was about to give a “thank you” speech for everyone in attendance. Yoori watched him disappear into the ballroom, a round of applause commencing.
“Then, Choi Yoori, you’ll die and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.”
Ju Won’s words ricocheted in her mind when Yoori rested her elbows on the patio railing. She buried her face into her hands. What a waste of time. She risked coming outside with him and came out learning little to nothing about what he wanted from Soo Jin. All she got were more questions. This was no doubt an epic failure on her part. She couldn’t be more disheartened.
“I was counting down the minutes for him to leave so I could have a few moments alone with you,” a familiar voice whispered just as Ju Won’s amplified voice saturated the ballroom.
He was thanking everyone for coming and for their generous donations.
“Ji Hoon,” said Yoori, releasing her face from her hands once she saw him step foot onto the marble patio. He was dressed in a black tuxedo with a white dress shirt underneath a red tie. Much like Tae Hyun, the tuxedo did him a world of good and made him look more handsome than ever.
“You’re the belle of the ball, Yoori,” he noted favorably, approaching her with a kind smile on his face. He looked extremely happy to see her. “Even when you’re only wearing a mask, all eyes of the men ate you up as you walked into the ballroom. It was like this entire event was made for you.”
Yoori smiled bashfully at his compliment. She had just got done with one intense conversation; she was definitely not looking for another one this evening. Tae Hyun was right. She did attract trouble.
“I was with Tae Hyun,” she said, bringing up Tae Hyun right away to dissuade any impressions he may have that she was available. “I’m sure I received the runoff of the attention because everyone was wondering who this new girl hanging around one of their Kings was.”
“If only they knew it was the Queen herself they were looking at,” he replied, his face hardening faintly at the me
ntion of Tae Hyun. “I must admit, I’m very surprised that you and Tae Hyun are back together already. But I guess regardless of what happens, it’s difficult to stay away from the one you love.”
Dread overwhelmed Yoori when he said those words. She knew it not only applied to her and Tae Hyun, but it also applied to herself and Ji Hoon. Or, perhaps not her, but it did apply to Ji Hoon and Soo Jin. He was in love with Soo Jin, and she wasn’t Soo Jin. That was all the reason she needed to know that she should not be around him a second longer.
“I imagine you didn’t come to this event alone. You should go keep your date company.”
She hoped he would take the hint and let her be.
Ji Hoon was not the type to give up easily. “You’re above any date I bring tonight,” he replied, getting so close to her that Yoori had to back away from him in cautiousness.
Hurt drenched his gaze at her actions. He sighed at her overt show of displeasure with merely being around him. “I just want to speak to you for a few minutes, Yoori.” Concern teemed in his eyes. “It’s not safe for you to be here alone. Let me watch you until Tae Hyun comes back for you. I just want to make sure you’re alright.”
Yoori’s heart ached at the distress spilling out of Ji Hoon. She knew he was worried about her. His only intention was for her to be safe. She appreciated his genuine care for her. Nevertheless, she couldn’t heed his pleas. There was too much at risk.
“If Tae Hyun sees you with me, he’ll toss you into the pool without hesitation,” she said flatly. “I know the two of you. I know you’ll get into a fight the first chance you get.” Resolve palpitated in her voice. “I can’t have that happen. People are already looking at me as a distraction for both of you. I’ll be damned if the two of you get into a fight here. Thank you for wanting to keep me safe, but I’ll find Tae Hyun by myself.”