A heavy boredom surfaced over her when she stepped outside of the mall and into the busy streets. She consulted her watch. It was only 7:06 P.M. Surely she couldn’t return to Tae Hyun's apartment as of yet, especially after making such a big deal about feeling like a "caged bird."
Her bored eyes wandered over the street she was slowly becoming cemented to. She was looking for a distraction, anything to keep her occupied.
As if on cue, a beautiful looking red convertible Mercedes manifested across the street. Yoori was gearing up to leave for her next unknown destination when it arrested her attention. It was a bad habit. You see a nice car and you have to see if the owner is as hot as the car.
This particular car and its owner both passed the test in terms of being easy on the eyes. Midway with continuing with her walk, Yoori spared another glance at the owner who was getting out of the car. He wore a dark blue dress shirt with a loose black tie, dark faded jeans and stylish looking aviator sunglasses. Yoori found herself feeling some familiarity toward the guy.
"Who is that?" she breathed, lost in a momentary trance. “That looks like Lee Ji Hoon," she said absentmindedly, the impact of her own observation not yet hitting her.
Her gaze lingered on him.
It was only after the guy took off his sunglasses that Yoori's eyes bloomed in recognition.
Shit!
It was Lee Ji Hoon!
Instinctively, Yoori flung herself into hiding behind a big pot of plants that embellished the sidewalk. She winced in pain when her left arm made impact with the unforgiving concrete. Brushing the pain away, she rolled up into a little ball and silently prayed that Ji Hoon didn't catch sight of her.
For the last several days, she had been so preoccupied with being angry at Tae Hyun that she neglected to focus a lot of time and energy into thinking about her strong resemblance to the Scorpion girl. Seeing Ji Hoon at that instance reminded her about the other areas of her fucked up life. She could only imagine how screwed up she'd be if she had to talk to the guy. He was always the bearer of bad news.
Her breath held in and her eyes glued shut, she was almost ready to nix the idea that Ji Hoon saw her. The street was pretty crowded and she did disappear out of sight pretty quickly. The guy could easily have bad vision and–
"Well, aren't you the prettiest little stray cat I've ever seen."
Aw, crap.
She knew the voice belonged to the one and only Skulls leader. She squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe if she continued to ignore him, he'd get the point and wander on.
"Yoori," he started, his voice suppressing the urge to laugh out loud. "Honestly, I'm this close to picking you up myself and taking you home if you don't stop ignoring me."
That was all he needed to say to convince Yoori to quit with the immature act. She didn’t need another gang leader to hold her captive in his home. She opened her eyes. Peering up at the handsome Skulls leader, her fears were confirmed. She was going to have to talk to the guy.
"Funny seeing you here." She laughed uneasily, lamely trying to pretend that she didn't see him. She stood up awkwardly and crossed her arms, gazing at him cautiously. Oh how she wanted to make another quick exit.
A grin spread across his mouth. He stifled a laugh when his eyes ventured onto the top of her head.
She looked at him strangely. What was he laughing about?
"What?" she asked, offended that he found her to be so comical.
He raised his hand, his fingers approaching her hair.
She instinctively slapped his hand away and took a step to the side. "What the hell are you up to?"
"Yoori," he said, not in the least bit offended that she spoke to him with such hostility. "There's something in your hair."
She paused. "What?"
Was it a bug?
He reached his hand out again and picked out a stray leaf that fell onto her head during her little hideout session.
She gaped at the leaf in his hand. A spasm of guilt clawed at her. "Thanks," she muttered, feeling horrible for having such a short fuse with him.
It couldn't be helped though. Being around him reminded her of all his past actions that pissed her off. From sleeping with Tae Hyun's sister and chronicling the entire thing on voicemail, to threatening her and Tae Hyun in the warehouse, to sleeping with Jin Ae and finally, the one that pissed her off the most, lying to her about Soo Jin.
He flicked the stray leaf away. "Was it really necessary to hide from me?"
Of course, she wanted to shout out. Instead, she laughed uneasily. She didn’t want the meeting to be more dramatic. "I wasn't hiding. I just tripped."
He nodded, clearly not wanting to call her out on her idiocy. “Ah, I see.”
Her awkward stance persisted. Though his presence was obviously no threat to her, the simple fact that he stood there reminded her about her unfortunate resemblance to a particular evil gang leader. She didn't like the discomfort that came with being around him. She was adamant with making herself more comfortable.
"Anyway, um...I should go. Bye." Before even waiting for his response, Yoori managed to push past him.
"Yoori, wait."
Yoori made it exactly three steps past Ji Hoon before she felt him grab hold of her free hand, anchoring her from her exit. She tried unsuccessfully to keep her frustration at bay. The try-to-leave-but-someone-holds-onto-your-hand trend was fast becoming an annoying occurrence.
She whirled around. She looked at his hand and then looked up at him with hardened eyes.
Sensing her irritation, Ji Hoon released her from his hold. "Sorry about that," he said, placing both of his hands in his pockets. His face grew almost angelic when he smiled at her. "It's just that we haven't seen each other in awhile. We just ran into each other and I was just thinking about you. Do you really have to leave so soon?"
Her eyes softened. A pang of guilt speared into her when she heard the anxiety in his voice. God, she hated seeing his disappointment, especially when it came to conversing with her. "I..."
"At least give me another 10 minutes," he compromised eagerly, desperation now present in his voice. He smiled hopefully at her.
She looked at him, dumbstruck. She was still reeling from their last round of 10 minutes. Did he really think she'd go for another round?
She shook her head, caution clearly visible in her eyes. "To be honest, I think that's a really bad idea, for my own sake. I haven't fully recovered from our last 10 minutes."
He crossed his arms. "I suppose bringing up Tae Hyun's dirty little secret could have been done with more grace on my part."
"There's no graceful way to share something like that." Her gaze on him became scrutinizing. "And you knew that."
Discontent molded on his face. "You're not pissed enough to stop seeing him, so I guess my plan for telling you didn't work out as well as I hoped."
Yoori opened her mouth to refute that statement. She was giving Tae Hyun the cold shoulder now, and if she wasn't contractually bound to him, she probably would have left him already. She didn't allow the words of rebuttal to flow out of her mouth though. Ji Hoon didn't need the satisfaction of knowing that his plan worked out perfectly.
Instead she said, "Tae Hyun and I are working it out. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't throw anything else at me. I'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment."
He nodded. "I promise, I won't bring up Tae Hyun. I hate it when we talk about him anyway. This round of 10 minutes will be solely dedicated to us. Me getting to know you."
She shook her head.
He took a step forward, reached for her hand and herded her to a nearby bench.
"Come on, Yoori." He sat down and gently tugged at her hand for her to sit down beside him. "We're just talking. There's no harm in that, right?"
Staggered by Ji Hoon's bold move, Yoori took a moment to steady her beating heart while staring at him with a dumbstruck expression. She had been holding back on these feelings for some time now, but she couldn't help but be flattered with the atten
tion he bestowed on her. He was a master with getting people – particularly girls – to let their guards down.
Biting her lips as a way of chastising herself, she was abruptly reminded of Tae Hyun and the unfavorable situation she was put in. She pulled her hand away from him. "I really shouldn't be speaking to you.”
Though his face remained as kind as ever, she could tell by the veins appearing on his forearms that he wasn't happy with her retort. It was no secret that Ji Hoon was not fond of Tae Hyun. Obviously any hesitation on Yoori's part because of Tae Hyun was a big annoyance for him.
"I see," he said carefully. "Going against Tae Hyun's commands really isn't ideal for you?" Though his question sounded understanding, Yoori knew he purposely posed it in a way that would make her jump up and attack.
Regardless of knowing his motive for posing the question in such a manner, it did not stop her from turning into her hotheaded self.
"Commands?" Fire brimmed in the edges of her eyes. She didn't like Ji Hoon insinuating that she was afraid of Tae Hyun. She was being considerate. There was a big difference. "No. He doesn't own me. I can talk to whoever I want."
"Then why is 10 minutes like pulling teeth?"
She shot him a distrustful look. "Because you're hitting on me every time you open your mouth."
"I disagree with that."
"Oh yeah?"
"I'm hitting on you as I'm staring and smiling as well."
Yoori stifled a scoff. "You see the predicament we're in? Tae Hyun doesn't own me, but I'm still with him regardless. Talking to you is asking for trouble."
He smiled and rose from his seat. It took him less than two steps before his six-foot self towered before her. He raised his hand up to her and rested the back of his right index finger on her cheek, causing her to freeze while her cheeks tingled. The tingling sensation only worsened as Ji Hoon tenderly ran the back of his index finger down her cheek, and then to her jaw, chin, and neck. Bending his index finger to form a pointy curve, he ran it back up her neck and used it to prop up her chin so her lips were more visible for him.
"I'm only trouble," he started smoothly, his eyes resting on the fullness of her pink, pouty lips, "if you want me as much as I want you."
No longer able to resist the temptation of her mouth, Ji Hoon lowered his lips to meet with hers.
Yoori's eyes grew wide as she, with the quickest of reflexes, snapped her head back to avoid the collision with Ji Hoon's lips. He missed her by mere millimeters.
"I don't want you like that," she replied, faintly out of breath.
Clearly disappointed that he didn't get his kiss, Ji Hoon tried to appear composed. He straightened his back and crossed his arms in amusement.
"Good, then there's nothing to worry about here. You don't care and I'm chasing. I'm essentially harmless."
She gave him an “are-you-serious” look.
A harmless gang leader?
There was no such thing.
"Okay, just harmless to you," he corrected. "So what do you say? 10 minutes?"
Yoori considered the proposition. If she gave him a few minutes, it would be over before she knew it. It would certainly be less of a headache than spending seven minutes not giving him his 10 minutes.
She nodded, crossing her arms. It was just 10 minutes. It couldn't hurt. Well, actually, she was sure seven minutes had passed since he last asked.
"Three minutes," she said decisively. "Go."
He gave her an incredulous look. "Wait, what? Only three minutes?"
"Yes, we spent the last seven minutes deciding whether or not I should give you 10 minutes."
"But I didn't – "
"Tick-tock," she said impatiently, tapping her watch.
He sighed in resignation. He paused to look around. "Can we talk somewhere else? It's really crowded here."
Yoori surveyed her surroundings. Go somewhere else and lose all of her witnesses and protectors? How about no?
"It’s here or nowhere."
Ji Hoon tilted his head and smiled at her in disbelief. "Seriously Yoori, I'm not going to kidnap you or do anything bad."
"I don't know that."
A hearty laugh escaped from his lips. "I swear, sweetie. These low opinions you have of me are starting to break my heart. If this keeps going, I might actually turn into the bad guy and take you home for the heck of it."
Yoori scowled at his joke.
His smile only grew stronger. "Trust me. The last thing I want to do is get on your bad side."
“Trust me.”
Ji Hoon really shouldn't have said those words to her.
The fact of the matter was that the entire ordeal relating to her resemblance to the Scorpion girl had been bubbling as soon as she saw Ji Hoon. It only took two simple words from him to finally release everything that she held captive – temptation for more knowledge about the Scorpion girl being one of them.
A one-night stand.
His previous lie to her about who Soo Jin was echoed profoundly in her head.
She really didn't want to get into this, but it couldn’t be helped. Learning more about An Soo Jin was much like a heroin addiction for Yoori. She knew that learning more would equate to bad consequences for her, whether it meant more headaches or irrevocable evidence that she may actually be the infamous serial killer. Yet, in the same degree, learning more could also help provide her with more confidence that she really wasn't the heartless gang leader. Ultimately, as much as she didn't want to be associated with An Soo Jin, she wanted to know as much about this mysterious gang leader as she could. It wasn't healthy, but it was reality.
Anxiousness coated her features. "Will you tell me more about Soo Jin if I give you your 10 minutes?"
She expected Ji Hoon's expression to grow despondent at the mention of his old love, much like his previous reaction when she first met him. To her surprise, he was better with his composure this time around. As if he practiced this countenance many times before, the amused expression on his face remained.
"Soo Jin?" he asked, pretending to be oblivious. He leisurely folded his arms across his chest. "I already told you, she was a one-night stand. I don't know anything abo – "
"Don't lie to me," Yoori said inflexibly, her eyes on him unblinking. "I know who An Soo Jin is. Or who she was."
He took a moment to gaze at her silently. Whether he was staring at her guardedly or staring at her with hilarity, she wasn't sure. His face was an assortment of composure and caution. He appeared to be debating about whether or not he should venture into this topic with her. After several seconds, life returned to the eyes of Lee Ji Hoon.
"Choi Yoori, what do you know about An Soo Jin?"
"I know that she was the Scorpion girl. And I know that you two were together before she died. That you loved – "
"Love," he corrected her at once. His eyes bore into hers. "I haven't stopped."
Yoori nodded, ruffled by his stern interjection. "That you love her," she continued. "And that I resemble her."
His brows creased together like her last statement was the most irrational thing he’d ever heard. "Haven't we already established the fact that you do not look like her? At least to me."
"There are others that – "
"No. No, there are subtle similarities, but you do not look like her. Whoever has been feeding you this crap is off their hinges. If you truly looked like her, do you think I'd stand by and watch as you run off with Tae Hyun?"
"Why do you keep insisting on talking to me then?" she voiced with anguish.
Things were more complicated now. So now there was only a subtle resemblance?
"Yoori," he intoned gently, sensing her anguish and confusion. "In all honesty, when it comes to getting girls, I have no trouble in that department. It takes a lot to impress me – to mesmerize me." He assessed her favorably. "There's something about you that fascinates me. I've taken an obvious liking to you. There's no more to it. I like you. I want to get to know you better. There's no harm in that, r
ight?"
"There's so much more to what you're telling me right now,” she stated confidently, feeling a migraine ensue. “You know that."
"The sole fact that you're Tae Hyun's girl may have sparked this interest, " he admitted slowly. A muscle twitched in his jaw at the mention of Yoori being Tae Hyun's “girl.” He shrugged. "I haven't figured it out yet, but does it really matter now?"
A small part of Yoori didn't believe his explanation, but the bigger part of her liked his explanation. She liked that he was interested in her solely because he wanted to compete with Tae Hyun. She liked that he said she didn't resemble An Soo Jin. She liked his explanations because they helped to further her belief that she couldn't be the Scorpion girl. With her desperation in hand and gut instinct in the backburner, she accepted Ji Hoon's explanation as the truth.
He smiled at her hopefully. "What do you say? Can't you give up another 10 minutes?"
"I want to know more about An Soo Jin," she demanded, not giving up on her unhealthy addiction.
Ji Hoon sighed once more. He stared at her like she was a lost cause before a sudden twinkle appeared in his eyes. "Fine, Yoori. If you want to learn more about An Soo Jin, then I'm happy to oblige."
She beamed prematurely, thinking she was going to get her way right at that moment.
He raised a hand as his way to interrupt her. "But that conversation will take place at our next meeting – which would require an hour of your time."
Her jaw fell. "An hour?"
He lifted his shoulders to confirm.
"W–what happened to 10 minutes?" she stammered, confounded with his proposition.
Ji Hoon exhaled dramatically. "If you're going to make me relive the pain of talking about my ex-girlfriend, then you'll have to spare enough time to comfort me in the end."
Another internal battle commenced inside her. She wanted to learn more about An Soo Jin, but an hour with Ji Hoon? No matter how tempting the proposal, this was a bad idea.
She peered at him silently, not knowing what answer to give him.
"Think about it," he coaxed, as if knowing that she'd give in sooner or later. "Have a good night, Yoori."
Welcome to the Underworld (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 1) Page 25