#daechwita fic

[soft-pxachy]

⤷ ❝sex hotline❞ — myg (s.m) pt. 2

➤ Pareja: yoongi x lectora!fem

➤ Recuento de palabras: 17.4k

➤ Género: sexo telefónico! smut y obscenidad!

➤ Resumen: La idea de tener tu primer orgasmo hablando con un extraño atractivo a través del teléfono te asusta muchísimo, pero tal vez no sea tan malo como crees, después de todo, Min Yoongi era el mejor en su trabajo.

➤ Advertencias: 18+ | lenguaje maduro y explícito | sexo telefónico | diferencia de edad (edad legal) | charla sucia | masturbación (ambos) | dom!yoongi sub!lectora | la lectora deja de ser vírgen | elogios y ligera degradación | Yoongi es coqueto y sabe lo que hace y dice | sobreestimulación | semi-exhibicionismo | mucha tensión sexual | muchos besos | sexo oral (r.lectora) | sexo con protección | sexo romántico (solo poquito) | Yoongi tiene un gran pene! | Jungkook hace una pequeña aparición sorpresa. ➤ Si no eres mayor de 18 años, POR FAVOR, no leas. Si lo haces es bajo tu propia responsabilidad, ten en cuenta las advertencias.

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Delight no siempre había sido una empresa reconocida y tolerada por mucha gente. La primera vez que lanzaron su sitio web, la gente se sintió intrigada por esa llamada "línea directa de sexo telefonico", y era esperarse que muchos se mostraran escépticos y disgustados por la idea general de su concepto.

Pero no hasta que una persona, alguien que no había sido bendecido con el premio gordo de la vida, decidió intentarlo y solicitar el trabajo. Y eso cambió todo.

A Yoongi simplemente le importaba un carajo que la gente lo señalara por postularse para ser un operador de sexo telefónico. Estaba ganando dinero desde la distancia sin esforzarse tanto como una persona promedio lo haría en un trabajo mediocre, ¿Quién no querría el tipo de trabajo que él tenía?

Y fue entonces cuando apareció el nombre 'Suga' en la plataforma, convirtiéndose en una demanda popular de los clientes por encima de otros empleados.

Y Yoongi lo había disfrutado, demasiado, sabía de antemano que él había sacado a flote una empresa condenada al fracaso y que ahora era quién la mantenía viva, él y su afilada lengua, muchas veces fue glorificado por su trabajo y su jefe nunca dudaba en decir eso frente a los otros empleados, ganádose solo los celos y la envidia de los demás empleados por ser considerado el favorito del jefe.

— Que se jodan.— Yoongi respondía de forma arrogante cada que escuchaba las quejas de sus compañeros de trabajo sobre la supuesta injusticia laboral que sufrían.— Deberían ser mejores en su trabajo.

Había estado viviendo los mejores momentos de su vida sin duda alguna, disfrutando con el hecho de hacer que las personas se retorcieran de placer a kilómetros de distancia de él con unas simples palabras que lograban desatar todas sus fantasias mas oscuras, había disfrutado de esa sensación de poder, atención y halagos que recibía por su buen trabajo, pero bien dicen que lo que fácil llega, fácil se va.

Ahora sentía como si todo lo que había logrado en Delight hubiera sido un solo momento de euforia que ahora se había acabado, porque ya no se sentía igual que cuando comenzó con este trabajo.

Ya no sentía esa sensación de adrenalina correr por sus venas cada que escuchaba el tono de llamaba de su número de trabajo, era como si esa sensación de satisfacción y poder se hubiera reducido a nada, como si la rutina de cada día lo hubiera consumido por completo, ya sin siquiera hacerlo sentir placer con lo que hac��a, y odiaba admitirlo, pero se sentía como si solo fuera combustible de fantasía para los clientes que pagaban por escucharlo.

Era su trabajo, sí, pero mentiría si dijera que ahora se sentía como una tarea que debía cumplir.

Había una distancia entre él y los demás que de alguna manera detestaba ahora.

Antes, Yoongi encontraba esa desconexión como un consuelo, creía que podía ir y venir cuando quisiera. Se divertiría con los demás en una proximidad lo suficientemente segura como para perder el tiempo sin temor a contraer sentimientos serios y poder mantener su trabajo. Era un plan sólido, hasta que dejó de serlo.

Todo lo que Yoongi anhelaba ahora era esa chispa entre él y otra persona, tener alguien con quién hablar de cosas banales sobre su día y no solo tener que escucharlos gemir a través del teléfono. Y cuanto más tiempo pensaba en eso, más se daba cuenta de lo solo que estaba.

Los ruidosos gemidos al otro lado de la línea lo hicieron formar una mueca y alejar considerablemente el teléfono de su oído, eran tan ensordecedores, mucho más exagerados que si estuviera viendo una película porno, y esa simple situación estaba agotando su paciencia poco a poco. Podía haber sido lo que él quería antes, la distancia, la capacidad de mantenerse inalcanzable, pero ahora se está convirtiendo en algo molesto.

— Relájate bebé, no querrás que tus vecinos te escuchen ¿verdad? — Habló por lo bajo en una sutil amenaza cubierta en una voz ronca, agradeciendo internamente que los lamentos de su clienta al otro lado del teléfono se detuvieran casi por completo.

Y lo siguiente que vinieron fueron los mismos halagos de siempre, agradeciendo haberle hecho pasar un buen momento y rogando su atención de nuevo para la próxima llamada, pero todo lo que pudo hacer fue forzar una amplia sonrisa y encogerse de hombros ante sus palabras justo antes de que toda su máscara se desmoronara cuando terminó la primera llamada de la noche.

Su teléfono se deslizó por la mesa en el centro de la sala cuando lo lanzó sin cuidado, elevando ambas de sus manos para frotar su rostro y suspirar con frustración como lo había hecho en los últimos días, su mirada se desvió hacia su entrepierna y bufó aún más molesto. ¡Ni siquiera habia tenido una jodida erección!

Era realmente divertido como las cosas habían cambiado en un mes, hacer la misma rutina agotadora cada vez le costaba más, después de dos años de estar trabajando para Delight estaba considerando seriamente renunciar al trabajo en el que ya no podía volver a encontrar el mismo placer que sentía antes. Y sabía muy bien que el que estuviera considerando esa idea tenía mucho que ver con una persona, específicamente con T/n.

Supo que estaba completamente jodido desde el primer momento en que se dio cuenta que no podía dejar de pensar en ella, en la forma tan inusual en que llamó a su línea de trabajo,y en cómo se escuchaba tan avergonzada después de que lo supo, había sido lindo, demasiado para hacerlo sonreír después de mucho tiempo de no hacerlo.

Pero lo que simplemente no podía olvidar era su suave y dócil voz con la que lo llamaba y el título que había utilizado para él, era como si aún pudiera escuchar su respiración agitada a través del teléfono, sus gemidos, el simple hecho de recordar que él había sido el primer hombre en hacerla sentir bien, y en lo dulce que se escuchó cuando la hizo tener su primer orgasmo.

Sabia que eso simplemente había alimentado por demás su ego, pero habia algo más y él no podia comprenderlo del todo, T/n tenía algo mas que lo hacía quererla sólo para él, lejos de la forma tan adorable en que ella le había preguntado si podian conocerse en persona, lo entusiasmada que se escuchaba con la simple idea lo seguía atormentando por las noches, sintiéndose como un idiota por la forma tan cobarde que huyó de ella y de algo que él tambien quería.

Y ahora aquí estaba, mirando con desdén el sobre grueso y blanco con su paga mensual por su trabajo y con la mente llena con el recuerdo de T/n, sabía que estaba en las mismas circunstancias, porque sí, joder, la quería, la deseaba y necesitaba, pero sabía que había arruinado todo y que tendría que vivir con eso desde la última vez que habló con ella hace un mes.

Volvió a gruñir frustrado mientras se ponía de pie del sofá donde estaba para servirse un poco de Whisky y ponerse de buen humor para sus próximos clientes, sabiendo que incluso el mínimo requería un cierto grado de esfuerzo y él ya se sentía más agotado que otros días.

Pero su línea se reabriría de nuevo en diez minutos y debía cumpir con su trabajo mientras se preguntaba cuáles podrían ser los interés de su próximo cliente, qué podría hacer para complacerlo y qué podría decirle, estando seguro que al final tendría que conformarse con una paja mal hecha que intentara llenar el vacío dentro de él.

T/n se arrepentía de muchas cosas en su vida.

Cómo no haber organizado una grandiosa fiesta de cumpleaños número dieciocho para celebrar su legalidad, cómo no socializar lo suficiente como para tener un gran círculo de amigos que la sacaran de vez en cuando de su encierro en su departamento. y de cómo había tirado el trozo de papel con el número de teléfono de Yoongi hace unas semanas.

Mentiría si dijera que no había estado tan avergonzada después de todo lo que había pasado con él, podía sentir un nivel de humillación que no creía que un ser humano pudiera sentir. Pero ella lo sentía.

Qué estúpido de su parte habia sido pedirle que se concieran en persona. ¿Para qué? ¿Para que la pudiera follar? ¿Estaba tan caliente que permitió que sus sucios deseos tomaran control sobre ella?

Sí, bueno, había sido una completa tonta con sus palabras, pero lo que aún le seguía dando vueltas a su cabeza fue lo que Yoongi dijo justo antes de terminar la llamada.

"Lo pensaré."

¿No era esa una buena forma de decir "no"?

Pero aún así, no había forma de que volviera a hablar con él y pedirle una explicación o aunque sea disculparse por dejarse ver como una urgida. Su teléfono no habia guardado su contacto y queriendo olvidar todo lo que habia pasado, simplemente tiró la tarjeta a la basura.

No sabía si culparse a sí misma por querer escuchar su voz una vez más, por querer revivir los sentimientos que tenía cada vez que Yoongi le hablaba con esa voz tan sensual, incluso si era simplemente para poder disculparse, T/n anhelaba ser cautivada una vez más con su voz.

Se encogió de hombros mientras desconectaba su computadora de su escritorio para pasarse a su cama sin darle muchas vueltas al asunto.

— Soy una perra desesperada, pero está bien.— Habló sarcásticamente mientras abría el navegador, respirando profundo para tomar algo de valor.— Todo lo que tengo que hacer ahora es disculparme. Eso es todo.

Se sentía incluso más nerviosa que esta tarde cuando decidió que debia ponerle fin a todo esto que tuvo con Yoongi y tratar de buscar la empresa en la que trabajaba para disculparse y poder dormir en paz por las noches, sus manos sudaban mientras escribía en el buscador "línea directa de sexo", inmediatamente apareció un sitio llamado Delight como el enlace superior y cuando le dio clic al texto resaltado en azul se sorprendió aún más.

— Dios…— Resopló de forma temblorosa preguntándose cómo era que a las 7 p.m de un domingo se encontraba desplazándose por este sitio web.

En la página principal podía ver una línea directa etiquetada como "perfiles de operador" y cuando dio clic alrededor de 10 perfiles de operadores se desplegaron ante sus ojos, cada uno en orden de acuerdo al puntaje de estrellas que recibían de los clientes, y el primer perfil era el de Suga con una calificación de 5 estrellas y con cientos de opiniones de diferentes clientes; hombres y mujeres por igual.

Le fue imposible no sonrojarse viendo una que otra de las opiniones donde halagaban sus servicios, sorprendiéndose con lo abiertos que eran los usuarios de la página, pero de igual no podía negarlo, Yoongi era realmente bueno en su trabajo, lo había comprobado por sí misma aunque no hubiera sido una clienta como tal, y sintió su corazón latir con fuerza en su pecho mientras marcaba en su teléfono cada número que estaba en la plataforma, sin saber si estaba mental y físicamente preparada para lo que estaba a punto de hacer.

Yoongi ya iba por su segunda copa de Whisky de la noche, y agradecía internamente que fuera demasiado tolerante con el alcohol para decidir seguir trabajando con los clientes que tenía en espera en lugar de mandar todo a la mierda e irse a dormir.

Suspiró pesadamente mientras le daba un último vistazo a la gran vista de la ventana hacia la ciudad nocturna debajo de él, viendo el bullicio de los vehiculos y de la gente vivir sus vidas en paz antes de volverse hacia su sofa y tomar asiento, ya estaba sin camisa y solo vestia un par de pantalones negros, las luces de la sala era tenues y la musica sonaba de fondo, lo que ayudó a construir una buena atmosfera como lo hacia cada noche.

El tono de llamada volvió a resonar en toda la habitación y dejó el vaso de cristal en la mesita frente a él mientras respiraba hondo, como si su cerebro encendiera un interruptor su actitud arrogante y sensual regresó a su cuerpo en un abrir y cerrar de ojos mientras levantaba el teléfono para contestar.

— Buenas noches cariño.— Respondió por lo bajo, haciendo todo lo posible por entrar en personaje, y no pudo evitar fruncir el ceño cuando el otro lado de la línea se quedó en silencio.— ¿Hola? ¿Puedes oírme claramente, querida?

Y aún así, el silencio seguía predominando.

Yoongi no estaba sorprendido por eso, e involuntariamente sonrió al recordar que así fue como conoció a T/n, se rió por lo bajo de eso y cuando estaba a punto de hablar, lo siguiente que escuchó lo tomó por sorpresa antes de que pudiera pronunciar alguna palabra.

— ¿Yoongi?

Y con eso se quedó boquiabierto cuando se dio cuenta de que el cliente sabía su verdadero nombre, entró en pánico, sin saber si alguien se había entrometido en su privacidad o si era un acosador espeluznante.

Ahora, fue su turno de quedarse sin palabras.

— Yoongi... soy T/n.

Y Yoongi sintió una puñalada clavarsele en el pecho. Había estado intentando olvidar lo que pasó entre ustedes dos durante las últimas semanas, sin poder dejar de pensar en ella, y ahora de repente todos esos recuerdos le volvieron a inundar la mente.

Ya había cometido el error de huir de ella cuando le preguntó si podían verse, pero con lo siguiente que dijo fue como si estuviera actuando solo por impulso y con la sorpresa del momento.

— ¿T/n? — Balbuceó de a poco, aun sin poder creer que estaba hablando de nuevo con ella.— T/n, ya te dije...

— ¡Escucha! — T/n respondió de inmediato, sin darle oportunidad de que volviera a alejarse.— Sé que probablemente este no sea el momento adecuado, pero quiero pedirte perdón por...

— Sí, T/n, ahora no es el momento.— Yoongi la cortó de repente, inclinando la cabeza hacia atrás y desplomándose sobre el sofá.— Estoy tratando de trabajar.

Y tan pronto como dijo eso ni siquiera pudo luchar contra el impulso de querer golpearse el rostro, ¿de verdad había dicho eso? Después de estarse quejando de su trabajo durante semanas, ¿lo había vuelto a poner primero antes que ella?

Con eso solo volvió a corroborar que era un idiota, y se sintió así aún más cuando escuchó a T/n murmurar un pequeño y debil “lo siento” a traves del telefono, era como si pudiera imaginarla encogida en su cama y con un puchero en los labios por sus palabras disculpandose por haberlo molestado, cuando él era el que debia disculparse con ella por todo lo que habia pasado.

— Esta bien bebé, lo entiendo…— Comenzó a hablar despacio mientras se pasaba una mano por su cabello negro.— Y yo también lo siento, lo último que dije la otra vez fue un movimiento idiota, solo estaba pensando en mi trabajo.

Y con eso T/n se permitiò escucharlo atentamente, asintiendo a sus palabras como si él pudiera verla, sonriendo al escuchar ese bonito apodo brotar de sus labios y sintiendo como su voz tan calmada y serena viajaba por su cuerpo como si fuera una manta cubriendola y haciéndola entrar en calor, sin poder evitar admitir que había extrañado demasiado esa sensación.

— Pero, dijiste que pensarías sobre eso…— T/n murmuró poco después sintiendo como el entusiasmo volvía a ella y atreviéndose a mencionar eso de nuevo con la pequeña esperanza de que él también lo quisiera tanto como ella.

Y aparentemente estaba en lo correcto, porque una sonrisa felina se dibujó en los labios de Yoongi al escucharla, y decidió llevar la llamada por una ruta diferente, viendo si podía usar esto a su favor para hacerlos pasar un buen rato ahora que se daba cuenta de cuánto había extrañado hablar con ella y queriendo aprovechar esta llamada al máximo.

— ¿Cuánto tiempo has estado pensando en mí, bebé? — Preguntó con su voz volviéndose grave y ronca, ensanchando su sonrisa al escuchar un leve suspiro al otro lado de la línea.— ¿No me digas que ya has dejado de pensar en lo que puedo hacerte?

Y ante eso T/n tuvo que morder su labio para intentar reprimir los pequeños gemidos que amenazaban con salir de su boca, siempre iba a estar sorprendida del increíble poder que tenía su voz en ella, de cómo se derretía ante sus palabras y de cómo su respiración se aceleraba con solo escucharlo.

Yoongi era como ese néctar de placer al que siempre quieres regresar para poder disfrutar un poco más, y por supuesto que no negaría sus preguntas, todas las noches después de sus calientes encuentros por medio del teléfono se encontraba sobre su cama y con la mano entre sus piernas intentando volver a sentir lo que sintió con él hablándole al oído, pero como era de esperarse, ninguna de esas veces lo logro, y eso solo la hacía desearlo aún más.

Yoongi solo sonrió aún más al no recibir una respuesta de ella, solo disfrutando con el sonido de su acelerada respiración, casi pudiendo imaginar que era lo que T/n debía estar sintiendo en este preciso momento

— A decir verdad, T/n, yo no podía dejar de pensar en ti. Si tan solo supieras lo horrible que me sentí cortándote así.— Yoongi volvió a hablar, usando esa voz tan sensual y sabiendo perfectamente el efecto que tenía sobre ella solo para ver hasta dónde podía llegar.

— Supongo que ambos somos culpables de algo, ¿eh? — T/n respondió de igual forma, todavía tratando de acostumbrarse a escucharlo después de tanto tiempo.— Pero eso es todo lo que tengo que decir. Yo... puedo dejarte con tu trabajo ahora, supongo que tienes toda una fila esperando por ti.— Agregó con calma y su voz se desvaneció al final de su oración.

Y esa fue la señal que Yoongi esperaba, una bombilla apareció en la parte superior de su cabeza, con una idea nadando en su mente sobre lo que podía hacer con ella, no podía dejar que esta llamada se desperdiciara, sin saber si esta podría ser la ultima vez que hablaría con ella y que escucharía su dulce voz.

— ¿Crees que voy a dejarte ir así? — Yoongi murmuró roncamente después de escuchar sus palabras y solo para agregar en medio de un gemido ahogado.— ¿Sin hacerte pasar un buen rato? ¿Qué dices, bebé?

Era como si con con cada palabra Yoongi le estuviera hablando como si fuera la primera vez, y T/n pudo sentir como los latidos de su corazón se volvieron más rápidos y acelerados, estaba volviendo a usar esa voz que tanto adoraba en secreto y simplemente dejó que su mente se sometiera a sus deseos y que sus fantasías hicieran lo que quisieran con su cuerpo.

— Aw, sé que quieres, T/n. No seas tímida, sé que ha pasado un tiempo desde que escuchaste mi voz. ¿No quieres que te hable sucio? — Yoongi volvió a provocarla, pero era como si los efectos estuvieran actuando de forma contraproducente en él porque todo su cuerpo se calentó en un santiamén cuando la escucho soltar un rápido y silencioso gemido por lo bajo, haciéndolo sonreír de forma arrogante y sentir como toda la adrenalina volvía a apoderarse de él.— ¿Mhm? ¿Ese pequeño gemido es un sí? ¿Quieres que te hable sucio y te ayude a correrte, bebé?

T/n suspiró temblorosamente mientras se acomodaba mejor sobre la cama, apoyando su cabeza en las almohadas solo para cerrar sus ojos por un breve momento, estaba aquí, ésto estaba ocurriendo de nuevo, y no había un solo nervio en su cuerpo que quisiera detenerse, así que se obligó a cerrar sus piernas juntas por la necesidad de sentir un poco de fricción ahí abajo con lo siguiente que dijo.

— Sí, por favor.

Yoongi chasqueó su lengua al otro lado de la línea al mismo tiempo que inclinaba su cabeza hacia un lado en señal de molestia.— Niña mala. ¿Ya has olvidado cómo llamarme?

— No, lo siento señor.— T/n se corrigió de inmediato, sin poder evitar arrastrar su pijama hasta sus rodillas para poder acariciar la parte interna de sus muslos de a poco, sintiendo su piel caliente y ansiosa.

— Joder, me encanta que me llames asi.— Yoongi soltó un gemido de satisfacción después de escucharla, dejando caer su cabeza hacia atrás sobre el respaldo del sofá y sintiendo como toda la sangre de su cuerpo se concentraba en su entrepierna.— Siempre tan obediente y educada conmigo, creo que necesitas saber cómo tu dulce voz hace que mi polla se ponga dura por ti.— Y con eso volvió a escuchar otro gemido manso brotar de sus labios, instandolo a continuar hablando con una sonrisa arrogante.— Me imagino lo desesperada que debes de estar por sentir mi polla follando tu pequeño y apretado coño, porque eso es lo que quieres ¿verdad?

— Sí, señor…— T/n suspiró esas dos palabras mientras su mano subía por sus piernas, llegando al lugar deseado solo dejar que sus dedos se deslizaran lentamente por encima de su núcleo vestido, sintiendo un escalofrío recorrer su cuerpo cuando escuchó un gemido gutural brotar de él seguido de un profundo suspiro.

¿Él tambien se estaba tocando? Joder, si estaba en lo correcto T/n pudo jurar que sintió como si una oleada de calor la hubiera golpeado de repente, todo su cuerpo se sentia extremadamente caliente y necesitado y le fue imposible no enredar sus dedos en el borde de su blusa para quitarsela, arrepintiendose casi de inmediato cuando escucho a Yoongi chistar molesto.

— ¿Ya te estás desvistiendo sin que yo te lo haya dicho? — Yoongi se burló con un tinte de advertencia en su voz que rápidamente fue remplazado por una neblina de deseo al imaginar todo su cuerpo desnudo, con sus senos al aire libre y sus bragas empapadas mientras lo esperabas tendida en su cama, y fue esa misma imagen mental la que lo hizo comenzar a palmearse su pene medio duro por encima de sus pantalones.— ¿Puedes hacerme un favor y jugar con tus tetas, bebé?

Yoongi pidio en medio de un suspiro tembloroso que hizo que T/n obedeciera de inmediato a su orden, poniendo su teléfono en altavoz para elevar sus manos hacia su pecho, jadeando con fuerza cuando deslizó la punta de sus dedos alrededor de sus duros pezones, amasando cada uno de sus senos con la presión perfecta haciéndola arquear su espalda; prácticamente retorciéndose sobre su cama y apretando sus muslos juntos, sintiendo como el calor en su entrepierna aumentara incontrolablemente, obligándose a morderse el labio inferior para tratar de ocultar sus vergonzosos gemidos y fallando olimpicamnete en el intento.

— ¿Alguna vez te tocaste pensando en mi, bebé? — Yoongi pregunto después de unos segundos queriendo saber si ella había pasado por lo mismo que él; disfrutando en silencio de su respiración laboriosa y sus suaves gemidos, jugando consigo mismo debajo de sus pantalones, con sus largos dedos frotando fácilmente toda la circunferencia de su pene erecto aún atrapado en su boxer.

— Lo intenté…— T/n susurro a medias, con su mente volviendo a esos momentos en los que Yoongi la hacía sentir increíblemente húmeda con solo su voz cuando hablaba con él, aun cuestionandose como era posible que un hombre detrás de un teléfono tuviera tanto efecto en ella.— Lo intenté, pero no era tan bueno…

— ¿En realidad? ¿Prefieres que yo te ayude?— Yoongi sonrió ante tus palabras y ante el bonito gemido que se escuchó al otro lado, haciéndolo sacar su pene de su confinamiento y viendo su erección salir disparada hacia arriba y golpear su abdomen ligeramente, sin poder evitar morderse el labio ante la vista, hacia tanto tiempo que no tenía una buena erección y ahora T/n lo había logrado tan fácilmente.

— Joder, sí…— T/n respondió con su voz temblorosa y mientras arrastraba su mano por toda su entrada, jugando con sus pliegues humedos por encima de la tela; ejerciendo un poco de presión sobre su clítoris solo para que sus caderas se sacudieran con placer y haciendola respirar con dificultad.— Mhm ¿puedo tocarme, señor?

Y Yoongi gruño a través de su labio inferior mordido, con sus cejas fruncidas y con sus dedos moviéndose con más fuerza sobre su dura longitud, eras una chica tan buena para él, y lo ponía duro como una piedra concebir que una chica tan linda como tú pudiera someterse fácilmente a una de sus charlas sucias, solo haciéndolo esparcir el líquido preseminal que brotaba de la punta de su pene por todo lo largo, imaginando que era tu humedad la que lo cubría.

— Ow bebé…— Yoongi bromeó con arrogancia y solo escuchandola quejarse por lo bajo de sus burlas.— ¿Quieres tocarte ahí abajo con mi ayuda?

— Sí, sí…— T/n respondió rápidamente, casi jadeando mientras las puntas de sus dedos se movían entre sus pliegues, chillando por lo bajo sin tener una fricción real donde más lo necesitaba.— Por favor, señor. Por favor…

— ¿Y qué te hace pensar que te mereces mi ayuda, hm? — Yoongi preguntó con su voz áspera, deteniendo los movimientos en su pene y escuchando el susurro confundido brotar de sus labios.

— P-pero…— T/n balbuceó sin entender sus palabras, sintiendo una serie de fuertes escalofríos recorrer su cuerpo una vez más.

— Puedo dejarte aquí, ahora mismo, terminar esta maldita llamada como si hablar contigo nunca hubiera pasado.— Yoongi habló con desdén riendo por lo bajo de la forma en que la escuchó removerse sobre la cama y dejar escapar otro gemido lastimero ante sus palabras.— Eres como una pequeña gatita, siempre lloriqueando en lugar de decir lo que diablos quiere.

¿Cómo se habia vuelto tan degradante de repente?

La mente de T/n estaba haciendo todo lo posible para pensar en una respuesta a su pregunta anterior, y, afortunadamente, Yoongi espero paciente.

— He sido buena, señor…— Respondió poco después, no queriendo hacerlo esperar demasiado y que se molestara por eso antes de sobresaltarse sobre la cama al escucharlo reír burlonamente.

— ¿Buena? Claro, has sido una buena niña.— Yoongi reaccionó arrogante ante su respuesta soltando el agarre en su miembro y viéndolo rebotar levemente sobre su vientre.— Me he encontrado con muchas de ellas en el pasado, cariño. Todas estaban llenas de palabras, pero no podían soportar ser jodidamente obedientes. ¿Cómo puedes ser diferente, eh? ¿Cómo puedo saber que no me estás mintiendo?

T/n quería golpear una pared por la forma en que se estaba burlando de ella, y su espalda se arqueó sin darse cuenta, reprimiendo un grito de frustración al escucharlo reír sutilmente ante su reacción.

— Sabes, escucharte toda ansiosa y necesitada, escuchar las sábanas debajo de ti moverse mientras tu cuerpo se retuerce es música para mis oídos, será mejor que no te toques, T/n. ¿Quieres ser una buena niña? Entonces espera mis instrucciones, ¿entendido?

— Sí, señor.— T/n respondió en un santiamén a sus palabras, alejando sus manos por completo de entre sus piernas.

Oh, Yoongi nunca se cansaria de escuchar la forma en que decias esas dos palabras.

— Más fuerte.— Demandó endureciendo el tono de su voz.

Otro jadeo tembloroso dejó los labios de T/n al escucharlo, sabía muy bien que Yoongi estaba en su estado más dominante y eso solo la hacía querer darle todo lo que pidiera, y le encantaba, jodidamente que le encantaba.

— Sí, señor.— Expresó una vez más, más fuerte que la anterior.

Yoongi no solo estaba cautivado con ella y con su afán de querer complacerlo, sino que se sentía diferente cuando hablaba con ella a comparación de otros clientes y no podía negar que sentía un cariño especial, era como si estuviera hablando con alguien personal para él, y no solo con un extraño, todo era mas intimo con ella.

— Muy bien…— Murmuró poco después, mientras que con uno de sus dedos trazaba la longitud palpitante de su miembro; provocándose desde la base hasta la punta, impaciente por escuchar sus encantadores gemidos, pero aún así se las arregló para seguir hablando.— Sabes, T/n, quiero saber más sobre ti.

— ¿Oh? ¿A qué te refieres? — T/n preguntó un tanto confundida, casi sintiendo como su excitación inicial se iba esfumando de su cuerpo.

— Tienes que decirme lo que te gusta, cariño. Lo que te excita, las fantasías que tienes almacenadas en esa sucia cabecita tuya.— Yoongi habló con una voz tan baja, tan profunda y tan sensual que T/n ni siquiera pudo evitar sentir como una descarga de adrenalina corría por sus venas y como el familiar cosquilleo se acentuaba entre sus piernas una vez más.

Inmediatamente su rostro se sonrojo y su respiración se agitó al darse cuenta de lo que estaba pidiendo, esta era la primera vez que un hombre le preguntaba cuales eran sus deseos y, si era completamente sincera, T/n tenia las fantasías más oscuras y sucias para alguien que nunca antes habia tenido sexo.

— No puedo ayudarte si no me lo dices, bebé. Vamos, dime lo que te gusta y tal vez…— Yoongi volvió a hablar justo antes de hacer una pausa y morderse el labio inferior ante lo que siguiente que dijo.— Tal vez podemos hacer que cobren vida.

Y T/n pudo jurar que casi jadeó al escucharlo, sus cejas se arrugaron dándose cuenta de lo excitada que estaba de nuevo y sus caderas se agitaron sobre la cama necesitando un poco de fricción en su clítoris, la forma en que Yoongi hablaba solo alimentaba aún más su deseo de él, y sabía que si no podía tenerlo pronto se volvería loca.

— ¿Cobren vida? — T/n preguntó retóricamente mientras pasaba la punta de su lengua por sus labios, sonriendo con complicidad queriendo escucharlo decir lo que tanto necesitaba.— ¿Qué está insinuando, señor?

Yoongi podía sentirla sonriendo al otro lado de la línea mientras decía esas palabras, haciéndolo sonreír de la misma forma; contento con la repentina confianza en su tono de voz generalmente manso que tanto adoraba.

— Niña, estoy insinuando que vengas para que finalmente pueda hacer que mi lengua pruebe tu dulce coño.

Y con eso T/n ni siquiera pudo evitar jadear con fuerza, sintiendo como si con esas palabras hubiera activado un botón de deseo duplicado dentro de ella, y haciendo que Yoongi sonriera aún más al escucharla.

Completamente seguro de que él quiso decir cada palabra que dijo.

Él la necesitaba, y ya le importa un carajo todo lo demás.

T/n no podía hacer que sus pies se quedaran quietos mientras rebotaban constantemente bajo el escritorio, sus ojos miraban el reloj sobre la pizarra cada minuto como si pudiera hacer que el tiempo avanzara mas rapido. Quedaban diez minutos antes de que terminara su última clase, irónicamente con la profesora Kim, y con eso ya habría terminado con sus clases del día de hoy, y eso significaba que finalmente conocería a Yoongi.

Nunca pensó que terminaría así, una chica universitaria virgen que anhelaba a un hombre que nunca antes había visto, pero Yoongi lo había logrado, había logrado que se enamorara completamente de él con solo su voz.

T/n no dejaba de pensar en qué aspecto tendría Yoongi, si su voz era tan profunda y erótica en la vida real o solo lo era a través del teléfono, pero en lo que más podía pensar era en cómo se sentirían sus manos en sobre ella, apretándola contra su cuerpo mientras se encargaba de murmurar todas esas palabras lascivas contra su oído, haciéndola temblar con cada sílaba que pronunciara como tantas veces había soñado. Esa simple idea hacía que su cabeza diera mil vueltas, solo haciéndola sentir cada vez más ansiosa y desesperada.

— Oye, no hagas eso.— Una voz al otro lado de ella la hizo salir de su torrente de pensamientos sucios sobre Yoongi, y cuando se giró hacia la izquierda para mirar al dueño de esa voz se encontró con un chico de cabello largo y negro, mirandola con ojos de gacela con sumo cuidado antes de volver a hablar.— ¿Estas bien?

— Si, lo siento.— T/n musitó por lo bajo deteniendo el movimiento de su pierna y encogiéndose en su asiento con vergüenza como si el hombre al lado de ella supiera cada uno de sus pensamientos.— No quise molestarte.

— No, no, no es nada. He leído en alguna parte que mover la pierna continuamente es un signo de ansiedad... o algo así.— El chico sonrió mostrando sus dientes antes de resoplar nerviosamente.— Soy Jungkook.

Esto era tan aleatorio. T/n había estado sentada al lado de este chico durante toda la clase sin haber cruzado ni una sola palabra y ahora se estaba presentando a ella.

— Soy T/n, un gusto conocerte.— Respondió cortésmente al mismo tiempo que la campana de final de clases se escuchaba por toda la escuela, regresando los nervios a su cuerpo y haciéndola ponerse de pie para recoger todas su cosas y salir lo más pronto posible, evitando más interacciones con Jungkook.

— Oye…

Su voz la detuvo de nuevo justo cuando estaba a punto de bajar las escaleras hacía la salida de la escuela, y cuando T/n se dio la vuelta hacía él casi estuvo a punto de suspirar por lo increíblemente guapo que era viéndolo pasar una mano por su cabello espeso; peinandolo hacia atrás antes de hablar.

— ¿Tal vez podríamos conocernos algún día?

Yoongi.

Tenía que ver a Yoongi.

—Uhm bueno…— T/n murmuró evitando el contacto visual con él, recordando que Yoongi la estaba esperando fuera de la escuela.— Lo pensaré, Jungkook.

Y antes de que pudiera decir algo mas T/n prácticamente salió corriendo hacia la puerta, frunciendo lo labios al darse cuenta de que acababa de rechazar a un hombre como Jungkook, pero ahora en todo lo que podía pensar era en Yoongi.

Yoongi le había enviado un mensaje de texto para que se encontraran en la biblioteca justo afuera de su universidad, y ahí estaba, sentando en uno de los bancos fuera del lugar con las piernas cruzadas mientras jugueteaba con su teléfono.

Al igual que T/n, él también se preguntaba cómo se vería ella, y sin embargo, él estaba seguro que sería tan hermosa como lo era su voz, y tenía ese pensamiento mientras escaneaba la multitud de estudiantes que salía de la universidad, tratando de adivinar quién eras en esa masa de personas.

Le envío otro mensaje con un simple "Te llamare”, y en cuestión de segundos, su corazón comenzó a acelerarse mientras caminaba hacia la biblioteca marcando su numero para llamarla, sabría instantáneamente dónde estaría T/n tan pronto como se llevara el teléfono a la oreja, y efectivamente así fue.

— Estoy justo aquí, bebé.— Yoongi habló a través del teléfono centrando su atención y su mirada en T/n quien juró que sintió una ola de mariposas revoloteando en su estómago al escuchar su voz resonando a través de su cuerpo.

Se dirigió de a poco hacia donde estaba sentado, viéndolo todavía con su teléfono contra su oreja y con sus ojos enfocados en ella sin dejar de mirarla con una sonrisa arrogante en todo su rostro, y T/n estaba rezando porque no se diera cuenta de la forma tan vergonzosa que su cuerpo estaba temblando de los nervios.

¿Realmente era él?

Dio unos cuantos pasos más hacia adelante hasta que estuvo prácticamente a medio metro de él, su mirada estaba clavada en ella y parecía que todo lo que la rodeaba la hacía aminorar la marcha.

— Yoongi…— T/n susurró por lo bajo, y él escuchó el suave sonido a través del teléfono.

— Mhm sí, ese soy yo.— Yoongi afirmó formando una sonrisa sin apartar los ojos de ella antes de levantarse bruscamente del asiento.— Acércate.— Demandó con el teléfono todavía presionado a su oreja, y T/n hizo lo que dijo, cerrando la brecha entre ustedes dos lentamente.— Más cerca.

Y mientras la veia acercarse mas a él Yoongi ni siquiera pudo evitar escanear su cuerpo de arriba hacía abajo con sus ojos, observando atentamente la forma en que sus curvas resaltaban bajo su ropa, era solo un poco más pequeña que él, sus ojos de muñeca dejaban de mirarlo con asombro y los de Yoongi se perdieron por completo en sus labios que se veían tan suaves, de repente sintió el deseo abrasador de poder besarlos para poder comprobar su teoría y las palmas de sus manos comenzaron a picar con la necesidad imperiosa de poder tocarla.

— Hermosa.— Yoongi susurró poco después, con su voz ahogada y lo suficientemente alto como para que T/n lo escuchara, haciéndolo ensanchar su sonrisa cuando noto como apartaba su mirada avergonzada de él.

La llamada terminó cuando estuvo finalmente frente a Yoongi y cuando él le extendió su mano para que la tomara, todo era diferente esta vez, esto estaba sucediendo en la vida real y T/n ya no estaba en la comodidad de su habitación hablando con él, Yoongi estaba con ella, físicamente presente, a punto de recibir su toque, como tantas veces había imaginado.

— No me dejes con la mano estirada, bebé.— Yoongi habló divertido y con su voz ronca, ensanchando su sonrisa hacia ella.

Oh, Dios. Su voz sonaba mucho mejor que por teléfono, tenía esa misma profundidad, ese tono que siempre hacía que su cuerpo temblara y se agitara de lujuria, y T/n se obligó a sacudir todo tu nerviosismo antes de tomar su mano y estrecharla con la suya.

Podría haber mentido, pero T/n estaba completamente segura que sintió una descarga eléctrica recorrer todo su cuerpo tan pronto como su mano tocó la de él, y se quedó procesando esa sensación mientras Yoongi la acercaba más hacia él, casi demasiado para poder notar la forma en que su mirada estaba pegada a sus labios, lamiendo lo suyos a cambio, y de alguna manera, era como si los dos se estuvieran tomando su tiempo para sumergirse en la presencia del otro entre las personas que seguían caminando a su alrededor.

— ¿Está bien si envuelvo mis brazos alrededor de ti? — Yoongi ronroneó examinando su rostro en busca de una respuesta, desechando su creciente ego al notar que sus mejillas se ponían más rojas a cada segundo.— ¿Hm? — Instó mientras con su pulgar acariciaba sus nudillos con calidez y, con cada roce, T/n sentía su corazón latir más rápido a cada segundo.

T/n no respondió, más bien tomó su mano y la guío hacia su cintura, como si estuviera pidiendo en silencio que la tocara, y él gustoso lo hizo, envolviendo su mano alrededor de su cintura.— Puedes abrazarme, Yoongi.

Y sin dudarlo Yoongi usó ambas manos para acercarla por completo a él, presionando su cuerpo contra su pecho y eliminando por completo cualquier distancia entre los dos casi con urgencia.

— No sabes cuánto te he imaginado diciendo mi nombre, joder.— Murmuró con su voz baja, mirándola con avidez al mismo tiempo que frotaba sus pulgares en su cintura enviandole pequeñas descargas de placer por su cuerpo.— Eres tan jodidamente impresionante, bebé.

T/n prácticamente tuvo que reprimir un gemido que amenazaba salir de sus labios al escucharlo, sabia que no podia hacerlo en publico, pero era casi imposible no querer derretirse a sus pequeñas atenciones.

— Eres más de lo que esperaba…— Yoongi volvió a hablar mientras apoyaba su frente en la tuya, ajeno al hecho de que ambos están en público, mostrando afecto como si fueran un pareja, la estaba mirando profundamente a los ojos como si se conocieran desde hace mucho tiempo sin detener sus caricias en su piel.

¿Por qué lo haría después de todo cuando se moría por ponerle un dedo encima desde que la conoció?

— Eres un chica jodidamente hermosa.— Arrulló con su voz ronca al mismo tiempo que una de sus manos viajaba hacia arriba para sujetarla por su nuca con dureza, casi a punto de besarla de una buena vez.

— Aquí no, por favor…— T/n sollozó por lo bajo, abrumada con su imponente presencia y apartando su mirada de la de él; completamente sonrojada con sus palabras.

— Esa es la voz que me gusta escuchar.— Yoongi habló en medio de una sonrisa arrogante.— No puedo esperar a escuchar más de eso pronto.— Agregó separándose de a poco de ella para tomar una de sus manos y besarla suavemente bajo la mirada sorprendida de T/n.

Aún no podía comprender que esto realmente estaba sucediendo. Nada de esto hubiera ocurrido si T/n no hubiera recogido la nota de su profesora ese día con el número de teléfono de Yoongi. En cierto modo, sentía que le debía mucho a la profesora Kim, una parte de ti estaba contenta de que fueras tú quien experimentara el toque de Yoongi y muchas más cosas y no ella.

— Hay un bar a un par de cuadras de aquí. ¿Qué dices? — Yoongi habló mientras abría la puerta del pasajero de su auto para que pudiera entrar, pero antes de que pudiera tomar asiento frunció los labios hacia él.

— No estoy vestida para eso…— T/n murmuró por lo bajo, queriendo esconderse de su intensa mirada.

— T/n…— Yoongi chasqueó la lengua, sonando un poco decepcionado.— Eso no es un problema, lo sabes.— Agregó al mismo tiempo que con sus dedos aplicaba la cantidad correcta de presión en su barbilla para elevar su cabeza hacia el.

T/n lo miro con ojos grandes sin saberlo, y eso solo hizo que la mente de Yoongi funcionara con varios pensamientos. Pensamientos que no correspondían en este momento y se mordió el labio inferior por un momento antes de regresar a la realidad.

— No tienes que disfrazarte. Solo tienes que verte bien para mí, y en este momento…— Murmuró bajando el tono de su voz, inclinándose sobre su cuerpo para estar más cerca de ella, tanto que sus rostros casi se tocaban.— Te ves jodidamente deliciosa, especialmente con esta falda corta tuya. ¿Está permitido usar un material tan corto en la escuela?

— Está bien, está bien.— T/n exclamó suspirando mientras sentía como todo su rostro se calentaba una vez más antes de subirse de inmediato a su auto sin pensarlo dos veces y haciendo reír a Yoongi.

Era la primera vez que lo escuchaba reír así, casi aireado y con hipo, lo que le pareció realmente adorable; ese era un contraste total de la personalidad habitual que había visto en él, y creo una nota mental para poder hacerlo reír más a menudo.

Era como si Yoongi encajara perfectamente en el bar como si fuera allí cada vez que podía. Su atuendo era completamente negro y se ajustaba perfectamente a su cuerpo bien formado, y complementaba el aura tenue y sensual del bar.

T/n era todo lo contrario, y era ridículo: la imagen de ustedes dos caminando dentro del edificio y lo diferente que se veía a su lado, pero tan pronto como pensó en eso también lo olvidó cuando sintió la mano de Yoongi en su espalda baja, guiandola con firmeza por el bar cuando entraron y cuando fueron recibidos con música r&b retumbando por todo el lugar, T/n prácticamente tuvo que morder el interior de sus mejillas al sentir como sus dedos rozaban su piel expuesta de su cintura, imaginándose como se sentirian si subieran un poco más, y rápidamente salió de su burbuja de fantasías cuando volvió a hablar.

— ¿Tomas? — Yoongi preguntó tirando hacia atrás el taburete para que pudiera sentarse sin apartar su mirada de ella.

— Algunas veces.— T/n respondió tomando asiento y tirando de su falda hacia abajo cuando subió un poco más por sus piernas, y formó una mueca arrepintiéndose por habérsela puesto hoy, pero cuando elevó su mirada volvió a atrapar a Yoongi observando cada uno de sus movimientos con atención.— Deja de mirarme de esa forma.

— ¿O si no qué, hm? — Yoongi farfulló con arrogancia en su voz y sonriendo al verla suspirar, joder, acababan de entrar al bar y él ya le estaban dando ganas de correr a su casa. 

Antes de que T/n pudiera decir algo más el bartender se acercó a ustedes dos con un brillo particular en sus ojos, e instantáneamente fijó su atención en ella, la comisura de su boca se levantó en una sonrisa sugerente mientras se apoyaba sobre el mostrador donde estaban, y casi por inercia los ojos de T/n se desviaron a sus brazos, viendo la forma en que las curvas de sus bíceps se marcaban aún más gracias a su camisa de vestir blanca y apretada. 

Y por supuesto que Yoongi lo notó, pero opto por no decir nada.

— ¿Qué puedo conseguir para ti…

— Dos latas de cerveza.— Yoongi respondió antes de que pudiera decir algo más y haciendo que el bartender lo mirara solo para poner su mano derecha sobre tu rodilla expuesta.— Para mi niña y para mí.

Dios.

T/n apretó sus labios mientras agachaba su mirada hacia abajo, completamente sonrojada por la forma en que se refirió hacia ella, y solo pudo ver de reojo como el bartender enderezaba su postura mientras tosía incómodamente.

— Entendido, en un momento traeré su pedido.

Y tan pronto como se fue volviendo a dejarlos solos Yoongi acerco su taburete al de T/n, sus rodillas quedaron rozando las de ella mientras T/n seguia mirando hacia abajo.

— Mírame.— Yoongi ordenó poco después tomándola por su mentón para obligarla a mirarlo  cuando se encontró con su rostro su mirada se poso de inmediato en sus labio entreabiertos,, casi a punto de mandar todo a la mierda y besarla ahí mismo.— ¿Nerviosa, bebé? — Preguntó con voz ronca mientras frotaba con su pulgar la suave piel de su mejilla sintiendo de inmediato como el calor se acumulaba en su palma.— No tienes porque estarlo, estamos aquí para divertirnos ¿no es así?

Y cuando finalmente T/n lo miró a los ojos a pesar de su nerviosismo entendió rápidamente que a Yoongi le gustaba tener un contacto visual con ella, seguramente disfrutando mientras la veía esforzarse para mantener su intensa mirada, porque realmente era así, a Yoongi le gustaba ver cómo su respiración se agitaba cada que estaba cerca y se excitaba terriblemente al verla tan perdida en sus iris oscuros.

— Eso es, buena chica.— Yoongi murmuró por lo bajo al mismo tiempo que deslizaba su pulgar hacia sus labios, acariciando sensualmente su labio inferior, haciéndolo sonreír al verla suspirar de forma temblorosa ante sus caricias.— Eres mi buena chica. De nadie más.

— Yoongi…- T/n hablo a medias, sin saber exactamente si fue un susurro o un gemido ahogado.— N-no…

— ¿No qué? — Yoongi demandó saber con aire de suficiencia.— ¿No quieres que te toque en público?

Y T/n simplemente pudo responder con un pequeño asentimiento, ��pero le importó a Yoongi? Por supuesto que no, porque colocó su mano disponible sobre su pierna; arrastrandola por su piel desnuda de una forma tan lenta, pulgada a pulgada, las puntas de sus dedos rozaban su piel suavemente haciendo que todo su cuerpo se estremeciera y se removiera sobre el asiento al sentir el frío metálico de sus anillos, y Yoongi volvió a maravillarse con lo receptivo que era su cuerpo a él, solo invitándolo a avanzar.

— Odio decírtelo, bebé, pero me gusta verte temblar cuando te toco.— Yoongi farfulló antes de que la mano que estaba sosteniendo su mejilla se moviera hacia atrás para sostenerla por la parte posterior de su cuello.

Los ojos de T/n se abrieron de repente cuando lo sintió tomar un puñado de su cabello y tirar de su cabeza hacía atras lo suficiente para que su cuello quedara expuesto a él, sin poder lograr ocultar el pequeño gemido que amenzaba con salir de sus labios, y en cambio soltó un sonido lascivo reprimido, solo haciendo que los oídos de Yoongi se animaran en cuando lo escuchó.

Él empujó de su taburete para que estuviera más cerca, y lo logró, su rostro quedó peligrosamente a centímetros de la curva del cuello de T/n quién tembló al sentir su caliente respiración abanicando su piel tan sensible, la repentina proximidad y el ambiente sensual del bar estaban nublando la mente de Yoongi, quería tocarla por completo, quería tener sus manos por todo su cuerpo después de tanto tiempo de bromas, arrepintiéndose internamente de haberla llevado a un bar en lugar de conducir directamente a su casa y poder tenerla para él solo.

Su mano comenzó a jugar con el dobladillo de su falda, casi de forma burlona al principio, y solo haciendo que T/n dejara escapar una respiración temblorosa al sentirlo y rápidamente se apresuró a sostener su muñeca, sin aplicar ninguna presión, pero sí lo suficiente para recordarle su presencia, y al sentirlo los labios de Yoongi se curvaron en una sonrisa, acercándose más a ella para burlarse un poco más de su estado con lo siguiente que dijo.

— ¿Qué pasaría si te meto un dedo en el coño, aquí mismo, ahora mismo? — Ronroreó con esa voz rasposa que T/n tanto amaba contra su oído, los bordes de sus labios eran como fantasmas alrededor de su oreja e inconscientemente su interior se apretó alrededor de la nada, teniendo que morderse la lengua para ocultar un gemido vergonzoso ante sus palabras.

T/n tuvo la tentación de cerrar los ojos para poder perderse en sus sucias fantasías, pero su cerebro le recordó que la gente en el bar podría estar mirando, e inmediatamente su mirada escaneó el lugar en busca de posibles ojos al acecho, pero casi todos estaban borrachos o se ocupaban de sus propios asuntos como si hubieran visto cosas peores.

— Mira mi mano, T/n.— Yoongi ordenó refiriéndose a la mano que descansaba sobre su muslo, y su mirada rápidamente se posó en ella, suspirando de forma agitada al ver lo jodidamente sexy y grande que era, las venas se resaltaban sobre su piel y los anillos solo la hacían temblar y desear poder sentirlos un poco más arriba.

Mierda. T/n podía sentir el cosquilleo aumentando cada vez más entre sus piernas, podía sentir a la perfección la incómoda humedad manchando su ropa interior, solo haciéndola removerse en el asiento cuando sintió a Yoongi meter su mano debajo de su falda, la tela cubrió sus dedos casi por completo y con eso ni siquiera pudo evitar no sacudir sus caderas más hacia su mano levemente; rogando silenciosamente que subiera más, y por supuesto que Yoongi se dio cuenta, permitiéndose sonreír arrogante cuando sus ojos se volvieron a encontrar.

— Sé que quieres sentir mis dedos dentro de ti…— Yoongi susurró con su voz ronca sin dejar de frotar sus dedos en el interior de sus muslos, burlándose de ella cuando la escucho gemir suavemente mientras lo miraba con ojos necesitados.— Sé que quieres que te toque mientras estamos rodeados de toda esta gente.

T/n podía jurar que se estaba poniendo más y más húmeda mientras él seguia hablandole de esa forma en publico, donde existía la posibilidad de que la gente escuchara todo, y ahogó una maldición cuando su dedo índice apenas y rozó su clítoris por encima de la tela de sus bragas, mierda, esto era mucho mejor que estar hablando con él por teléfono.

— ¿Te gustaría eso, bebé? — Yoongi volvió a preguntar, sabiendo ya la respuesta.

Volvió a sonreír de forma arrogante cuando la vio asentir frenéticamente incapaz de articular alguna palabra justo antes de hundir su mano por completo entre sus piernas para presionar sus dedos directamente en su clítoris, haciendo que T/n diera un pequeño brinquito en su lugar y soltara un gemido ahogado ante el impacto del placer que viajó por sus nervios, haciéndolo reír mientras se alejaba por completo de ella; dejándola completamente sonrojada, caliente y sin aliento.

— Oh, mira…— Habló agarrando las dos latas de cerveza frente a ustedes dos antes de agregar con falsa inocencia en su voz.— Ese pobre mesero debió haber visto todo mientras no estábamos prestando atención, ¿no lo crees?

Él abrió una lata para ella, mientras T/n solo podía mirarlo boquiabierta, apenas procesando lo que acababa de pasar, ¿Realmente la estaba dejando así como si nada hubiera pasado?

Pero al contrario de sus pensamientos, Yoongi también estaba teniendo dificultades para controlar su creciente erección debajo de sus jeans, sintiendo como se presionaba más y más contra la tela casi de forma dolorosa, pero disimulando bien mientras se aclaraba la garganta.

— Salud, bebé.— Habló divertido chocando su lata con la de ella; haciendo un 'tintineo' silencioso antes de que su mirada volviera a oscurecerse cuando volvió a mirarla.— Cierra esa boca tuya, T/n. Antes de que le ponga algo que la llene.

Y con eso último T/n no pudo evitar volver a sonrojarse, e hizo todo lo posible por tratar de olvidarse de los que acababa de ocurrir mientras Yoongi comenzaba a tener una conversación normal con ella, pero era difícil tan difícil hacerlo cuando aun podía sentir sus manos sobre ella, y por supuesto que Yoong estaba disfrutando de esto, estaba disfrutando de su tiempo con ella, finalmente solo estaba inmerso en todo lo que tuviera que ver con T/n, sus ojos nunca se apartaban de los de ella y no podía evitar sonreír cada que la veía agachar su mirada avergonzada cuando decía algo lascivo.

A cada segundo que pasaba mas le gustaba estar con ella, le gustaba ver como sus ojos se iluminaban con ese brillo de inocencia cada vez que lo miraba y era como si quisiera que este momento no acabara, pero habia algo que lo regresaba de golpe a la realidad, la unica regla que Delight tenia para cada empleado seguia grabada en su mente, podia sentir como su cuerpo se tensaba cada vez que su consciencia pensaba en esa regla que justo ahora estaba rompiendo, y no sabia como decirle que lo que estaban haciendo en este momento estaba prohibido en su trabajo.

Pero de cierta forma, deseaba que alguien de su trabajo lo viera en este preciso momento, de ser posible su mismo jefe, joder, deseaba que lo despidieran ahora mismo para volver a tener una vida normal, no era un secreto que Yoongi no había tenido una relación seria en mucho tiempo, había tenido una que otra aventura de una sola noche, pero no románticas, eso no era lo suyo, pero ahora que estaba con ella era como si quisiera estar con ella de todas las formas posibles, la deseaba, la quería y la necesitaba y aún no podía entender porque, lo unico que sabía era que nunca había anhelado algo tanto como ahora, como a T/n

— ¿Alguna vez, eh, has hecho esto con alguien más? — T/n preguntó por lo bajo mirándolo de reojo y rompiendo un poco su burbuja de pensamientos.

— ¿A qué te refieres? — Yoongi cuestionó de igual forma, inclinando su cabeza hacia un lado con una sonrisa astuta en su rostro.

— No importa…

— ¿Estás preguntando si alguna vez he salido con alguien? Cariño, si querías saber mi número de citas podrías haberme preguntado…

— ¡No! ¡No es así! Bueno, quiero decir, sí, pero no quería preguntar directamente…— T/n respondió rápidamente sin saber donde esconderse de la vergüenza que sentía por sus palabras.

Y Yoongi simplemente sonrió mientras dejaba escapar una risa ronca antes de elevar su mano para pellizcar su mejilla enrojecida por el alcohol de forma divertida.

— Está bien. ¿Quieres saber si puedo hacer las cosas que te prometí por teléfono, eh? — Habló regresando a su sonrisa arrogante que había tenido todo este tiempo.— No te preocupes, T/n. No soy una estafa.

Y con eso T/n solo pudo morder su labio inferior inconscientemente, sabía que la estaba molestando con sus palabras, pero su mente solo podía actuar por sí sola, imaginando como se sentiria estar debajo de él con su calor cubriendola por completo y su cuerpo presionandose contra ella, sujetándola contra la cama y haciéndola gemir su nombre.

— Pero sinceramente…— Yoongi volvió a hablar, con seriedad ahora, y T/n se preguntó cómo era posible que pudiera pasar de su tono burlón a uno tan serio en un abrir y cerrar de ojos.— No tengo muchas relaciones en estos días, solo me enfoco en el trabajo.

— Oh, ¿entonces no tienes sexo? — T/n preguntó como si nada levantando sus cejas hacia él.

Y Yoongi se contuvo increíblemente de soltar un comentario sarcástico. No quería ir allí todavía.

— ¿Es asunto tuyo, querida? — Respondió con un tono bajo, como si fuera una pequeña advertencia hacia ella.

Y T/n se encogió en su asiento no del todo satisfecha con su respuesta, sabía que no estaba en lugar para saber eso, después de todo, ese era su trabajo, excitar a la gente y llevarlos al orgasmo, y tal vez ella solo había sido afortunada.

— Oye, creo que ese tipo te conoce.— Yoongi habló de repente casi con fastidio mientras miraba un área detrás de ella.

— ¿Qué? ¿Qué chico? — T/n preguntó frunciendo su entrecejo antes de darse la vuelta en su asiento, mirando hacia todos lados, mirando más allá de toda la gente bebiendo y charlando tratando de encontrar una cara familiar hasta que con un movimiento su atención se centró en el mismo chico de hace horas, mirándola con sus ojos abiertos cuando se dio cuenta que lo había notado.

— ¿Quién es ese? — Yoongi preguntó con el mismo tono de voz mientras se removía en su asiento.

— Un chico que conocí en clase antes. Dios, espero que no me esté acosando... oh, aquí viene, ¡Oye, Jungkook! — T/n respondió rápidamente y sorprendiendose cuando lo vio caminar hacia los dos.

— ¡T/n! Me sorprendió verte aquí.— Jungkook habló con una sonrisa en su rostro antes de inclinar su lata de cerveza en dirección a Yoongi.— Con un buen compañero, por lo que veo.

— Así es, ella tiene buen gusto, ¿no lo crees? — Yoongi respondió descaradamente formando una mueca de disgusto antes de tomar otro sorbo de su cerveza, y T/n se apresuró a golpear suavemente su rodilla mientras fingía una risa.

— Espero que no me estés siguiendo, Jungkook.— T/n habló lo más alegre y amigable posible.

— ¡Oh, no, no! Todo es solo una coincidencia. Lo siento si te hice sentir incómoda…

— Bueno, a mi sí me hiciste sentir incómodo mirándola durante demasiado tiempo, Jungkook.— Yoongi volvió a hablar con dureza mientras se ponía de pie antes de tomar la mano T/n y hacerla levantarse también mientras Jungkook observaba todo con una mirada atónita en su rostro.— Nos vamos.

Todo pasó demasiado rápido cuando Yoongi comenzó a caminar por el bar directo hacia la salida que T/n apenas y tuvo tiempo de mirar sobre su hombro y murmurar un pequeño “Lo siento” a Jungkook.

— ¡Yoongi! — T/n habló en medio de un chillido mientras salían del bar, el aire frío de la noche golpeó su cuerpo y la hizo temblar detrás de él.— Eso fue muy grosero…

— Oh, no dirías lo mismo si hubieras visto la forma en que te miraba.— Yoongi se burló sin gracia de sus palabras mientras llegaban a su auto

— ¿De qué hablas? No conozco mucho a Jungkook pero no creo que él…— T/n habló confundida antes de sobresaltarse cuando Yoongi se giró hacia ella de repente; acorralandola contra su auto y cubriendo su cuerpo por completo con el suyo.

— No quiero que ningún otro hombre te mire de la misma forma que yo.

Y con eso T/n ni siquiera tuvo tiempo de procesar sus palabras, porque tan pronto como Yoongi las dijo su cuerpo se presionó con el de ella, juntando sus torsos y estrellando sus labios en un beso teñido de desesperación pura.

Pasionales, fluidos, húmedos, ansiosos.

Esos eran los labios de Min Yoongi mientras se movían sobre los de ella.

T/n no supo descifrar si fue ella, o Yoongi, o ambos los que suspiraron aliviados contra los labios ajenos, pero lo hicieron, y era entendible, después de tantas bromas y de tanto tiempo era de esperarse que reaccionaran así, sus manos se apoyaron en sus anchos hombros y las de él se ajustaron en su cintura, pasándolas por su espalda baja para lograr apretar su cuerpo mas con el suyo haciéndola jadear contra su boca y sentir que sus piernas temblaban, casi amenazando con hacerla caer de rodillas ahí mismo de no ser porque Yoongi la apoyó contra su auto mientras su lengua ávida acariciaba su labio inferior en pequeños toques, y cuando T/n entreabrió sus labios Yoongi se apresuró a insertar su lengua en la de ella, haciéndolo gemir roncamente y a ella jadear completamente abrumada, sus grandes manos estaban por todo su cuerpo, acariciando cada porción de piel a su disposición y queriendo abarcar todo de ella en menor tiempo posible; apretó su cintura, acarició sus mejillas, sus brazos, clavó sus dedos en sus muslos y enganchó una mano en el interior de su rodilla, elevando su pierna y haciendo que rodeara su cintura con ella.

El chasquido casi obseno de sus lenguas la hicieron temblar entre sus manos y no supo descrifrar si fue por una rafaga de viento o porque estaba increíblemente excitada a este punto, ahí en medio del estacionamiento los dos eran un lío de manos, saliva, lenguas y respiraciones densas.

Una de las manos de Yoongi se había ajustado a su cuello para no dejarle escapatoria, cuando él sabia muy bien que no iba a huir, las de T/n se trasladaron a la parte trasera de su cabeza donde enredó sus dedos en su cabello negro y rebelde; apretándose más contra él y escuchando un quejido gutural salir de sus labios antes de sentirlo envolver un brazo en su cintura para apretar su pelvis contra la de ella sin desantender sus húmedos besos, y en esta oportunidad, ambos soltaron un quejido al unisono sobre la boca del otro antes de tomarla por sus mejillas y separarse de ella, tirando un poco de su labio inferior en el proceso.

— Dios…— T/n jadeó entrecortado apenas separándose levemente de él, sintiéndose un tanto aturdida por la falta de aire y ahí Yoongi abrió sus ojos mientras suspiraba pesadamente cuando tuvo una vista exclusiva de sus pupilas dilatadas, sus mejillas rojas y de sus labios hinchados y resbaladizos con su saliva.

La mano de Yoongi se elevó para tomarla por el mentón con firmeza y sonreír de lado, inclinándose sobre ella para rozar sus labios de los cuales salían exhalación tras exhalación caliente.

— No, soy Min Yoongi.— Decretó de forma engreída apoyándose sobre la puerta de su auto con la otra mano, buscando presionarse mas contra ella como si eso fuera posible.

T/n negó con su cabeza sin evitar sonreír ante sus palabras dándose cuenta de lo bien que encajaban sus cuerpos juntos y del abrumador calor que la inundaba por completo.— Eres un presumido.

— Tengo cosas para presumir, así que puedo hacerlo bebé…— Yoongi explicó con altanería acompañando sus palabras con un certero empuje de caderas contra ella, presionando su erección en su vientre bajo y haciendo que su espalda chocara contra la puerta; arrancándole un quejido ahogado que emergió de sus labios.

Sin pensarlo mucho los labios de Yoongi volvieron a unirse a los de ella, sabiendo muy bien que tarde o temprano siempre volvería a caer en ellos, eran como una de las peores drogas, de esas que solo te bastaba probarlas una sola vez para querer más y más, y se encargó de devorar su boca con la suya, sus labios se abrieron para darle paso una vez más a que deslizara su lengua y que pudiera explorarla como tanto ansiaba, las manos de T/n se sostuvieron de sus hombros y el rodeó su cintura con su brazo, pegándose a ella por inercia.

La necesitaba tanto, necesitaba descargar todo lo que había contenido por días, necesitaba perderse en ella como había imaginado una y otra vez, en sus sueños, e incluso despierto.

El corazón de T/n latía con desenfreno en su pecho y la temperatura en su cuerpo se elevó con facilidad, pero simplemente no podía luchar contra la forma en que su cuerpo respondía a cada uno de los toques de Yoongi, en cómo sus lenguas se entrelazaban con afán la una con la otra, e internamente agradecía el hecho de que no hubiera gente donde estaban, y se lo hizo saber cuando movió sus caderas hacia él; restregandose suavemente contra su pelvis y contra la dura erección que podía sentir a través de sus ropas, solo ganándose que Yoongi gruñera sobre sus labios mientras apretaba el agarre en su cintura, arrepintiéndose casi al instante de su acto cuando lo sintió deslizar sus labios hambrientos por su mejilla y su mentón, hasta llegar a la curvatura de su cuello donde comenzó a besar y lamer su piel cuanto quiso.

— Yoongi…— T/n musitó con un hilo de voz, sus manos se engancharon en su cabello, disfrutando por completo de la calidez de su aliento y la humedad de su boca, mordiéndose el labio cuando lo sintió encontrar ese punto dulce detrás de su oreja que ni siquiera sabía que tenía, dejando rastros húmedos de besos hacia abajo, para luego volver a subir y dispersarlos por toda su piel, y era plenamente consciente de la forma de la humedad en sus bragas aumentando cada vez más.— ¿Vamos a tu casa o a la mía?

Y por supuesto, Yoongi ignoró su pregunta por completo, cada nervio de su cuerpo estaba monopolizado con un apetito sexual que nunca antes había sentido y que solo era potenciado por la forma en que T/n se escuchaba a sus oídos, tan sensual y dulce al mismo tiempo, y toda su mente se quedó en blanco con lo siguiente que escuchó.

— Señor, por favor… te necesito tanto.— T/n lloriqueo por lo bajo mientras empujaba sus caderas hacia él un poco más fuerte esta vez, haciéndolo consciente de la necesidad latente entre sus piernas, buscando de nueva cuenta sus labios para depositar cortos y repetitivos besos sobre ellos, sintiendo sus mejillas arder aún más al ser consciente de la forma en que lo había llamado.

No sabía si era buena o mala señal que Yoongi se hubiera quedado estático ante sus palabras, pero tampoco podía pensar mucho en eso, no cuando su todo su cuerpo estaba ardiendo en calor, y cuando hizo un nuevo intento por mover sus caderas hacia él una de sus manos se apretó en su cintura, manteniendo su cuerpo quieto cuando sus ojos se encontraron con los de él y ni siquiera pudo evitar no temblar en su lugar cuando notó su mirada oscura antes de sentir como la tomaba por el mentón con fuerza.

— Sube al maldito auto. Ahora.— Ordenó con su voz ronca y con su mandíbula tensa, su pecho subía y bajaba en respiraciones tranquilas, como si estuviera haciendo un inútil intento de controlarse sin dejar de mirarla y solo aumentando la excitación en ella, quería estar tranquilo, pero el bulto en su entrepierna revelaba que no lo estaba y menos pudo ocultarlo cuando la vio relamer sus labios y sonreírle con descaro antes de asentir levemente; como si fuera una niña que acababa de conseguir lo que quería.

Bueno, tal vez debería quitarle esa actitud.

El viaje a la casa de Yoongi estuvo lleno de tensión y T/n simplemente no podía entender cómo era que se había contenido de lanzarsele encima para besar su cuello, pero decidió no hacerlo porque era un peligro para la seguridad, además de que él había tomado alcohol, pero Yoongi le había dicho que tenía una alta tolerancia y que la cerveza no le afectaba en absoluto, aún desconfiaba un poco. 

Y además, todo era mejor cuando había un poco de tensión.

Cuando llegaron a su departamento T/n quedó sorprendida con lo monocromático que era todo, pero lo estuvo aún más cuando se dio cuenta que cada rincón del lugar estaba lleno con el aroma de Yoongi, esa colonia que la había hecho suspirar más de una vez en lo que iba de la noche y que ahora se colaba por su nariz como si se tratara de un afrodisiaco, solo alimentando más su deseo por él, y ahora que estaba en su casa esa sensación se había duplicado diez veces más.  

— No t-tienes…— T/n balbuceó de a poco, queriendo abofetearse por tartamudear cuando lo miró recargado sobre el marco de la puerta; inspeccionando su cuerpo de arriba abajo, y fue suficiente para que su mente se quedara en blanco.

Yoongi dio unos pasos más cerca de ella, llegando hasta donde estaba para quitar su bolso de su hombro y dejarlo car al suelo con un ruido sordo.— ¿Mhm? ¿Estabas diciendo?

Su voz se había vuelto mucho más profunda, más relajada, y era un tono que la hacía querer derretirse frente a él, obligándola a tomar una respiración profunda antes de hablar. 

— ¿No tienes trabajo o algo así? — T/n preguntó por lo bajo, pensando que tal vez su línea estaba abierta y tenía clientes esperándolo. 

 Las manos de Yoongi serpentearon por sus brazos con calma hasta llegar a sus caderas, colando una de sus manos debajo de su blusa, lo suficiente para tener contacto directo con su cintura donde frotó su piel en lentas caricias; enviándole pequeñas ondas de calor por todo su cuerpo y haciéndolo sonreír cuando la vio suspirar suavemente y relajarse de a poco, su otra mano jugó con un mechón suelto de su cabello antes de curvarlo detrás de su oreja y responder con su voz una octava más abajo de lo usual.

— No. Estoy trabajando contigo esta noche.

Y tan pronto como dijo eso, guiado por el frenesí del momento, sus labios volvieron a chocar contra los de ella una y otra vez, su mano mantenía el agarre en su mentón y Yoongi se encargó de devorar su boca como si se tratara de un hombre hambriento de ella y anhelante de su sabor, y T/n apenas y podía seguir su ritmo tan demandante sobre sus labios, dejándose caer sobre una pared detrás de ella que, para empezar, ni siquiera sabía que estaba ahí, pero a la que que Yoongi pareció guiarla desde el principio sin que se diera cuenta. 

Una especie de ronroneo se derritió a través de su boca al sentir su luengua jugando con la de ella y todo el deseo aumentó de sobremanera cuando sus lenguas chocaron entre sí, casi dejandola sin aliento y derritiéndose por completo al escuchar los gruñidos de Yoongi contra su boca, había soñado tanto con esto, había reprimido todo lo que sentía, y ahora todo finalmente estaba cobrando vida y sólo queria hacer todo lo que alguna vez le había prometido por telefono. 

En un arrebato Yoongi guió su agarre a su nuca para mantenerla quieta, y T/n olvidándose de cualquier rastro de pudor enredó una de sus piernas en su cintura sosteniéndose con la otra una vez más, un nuevo gemido ahogado escapó de sus labios cuando Yoongi movió su pelvis contra ella, frotándose en un toque apenas perceptible pero a la vez notorio que le hizo saber de la dureza que estaba encerrada en sus pantalones, sus lenguas se enredaban con afán y todo el cuerpo de T/n tembló cuando sintió a Yoongi tomar su lengua entre sus labios, succionandola con suavidad una y otra vez, haciéndola gemir suavemente y aferrarse a él con más fuerza, moviendo sus caderas de igual forma, frotándose el uno con el otro y sólo aumentando el calor en sus cuerpos casi de forma alarmante. 

Y cuando Yoongi soltó su lengua con lentitud ignoró el hilo de saliva que colgaba entre sus bocas, solo enfocándose en la belleza y el placer en todo su rostro en su máxima expresión. 

— Estás segura, ¿verdad? — Yoongi preguntó poco después, con su voz ronca y su respiración agitada sin dejar de mirar sus labios hinchados y rojizos mientras se encargaba de acariciar su pierna suavemente en movimientos ascendentes y descendentes. 

T/n lo miró con sus ojos muy abiertos mientras respirando por la boca y con la esperanza de que le hiciera saber de su necesidad de manera no verbal cuando movió sus caderas sutilmente hacia él, en una clara invitación. 

Pero Yoongi no quería eso, él quería escuchar sus palabras, quería escucharla pedir por él, y se dio cuenta de eso un poco más tarde. 

— Sí, señor…— Respondió en un murmullo entrecortado mientras deslizaba sus manos por su pecho que bajaba y subía en densas respiraciones hasta llegar a su desordenado cabello, acercándose a él para darle un delicado beso, apenas perceptible antes de continuar.— Lo quiero tanto…

Y con eso Yoongi se permitió sonreír ladinamente, hundiendo su rostro en la curva de su cuello y haciéndose espacio para sumergir sus labios en su piel y comenzar a salpicar besos húmedos por toda la zona, ensanchando su sonrisa cuando la escuchó jadear y estirar su cuello para darle más espacio.

— No te preocupes, seré amable…— Yoongi masculló contra su piel, frotando su la punta de su nariz contra su oreja, vertiendo su aliento agitado y caliente sobre ella antes de subir y encontrarse con sus ojos y pupilas dilatadas una vez más, y sonreír con lo siguiente que dijo.— Por ahora…

Lo único que T/n pudo atinar a hacer fue soltar un quejido cuando sintió a Yoongi agacharse lo suficiente para tomarla por su trasero con seguridad y alzar su cuerpo en el aire de un salto, haciéndola soltar una risita vergonzosa a la vez que envolvía sus piernas en su cintura y sujetarse de sus hombros antes de que despegara su cuerpo de la pared para comenzar a caminar hacia su habitación, y a pesar de saber el destino, se dejó envolver por sus labios suaves y dulces una vez más.

Las manos de Yoongi subieron por su espalda baja, y despegando momentáneamente sus bocas que seguían devorándose como si no hubiera un mañana, depositó su cuerpo con suavidad sobre el colchón de su cama, todo lo estaba haciendo con suma delicadeza, y T/n no sabia si era para disfrutar más el momento o para alargarlo. Las dos opciones le parecían perfectas.

El cuerpo de T/n se hundió en las sabanas y junto sus piernas frotandolas pausadamente la una con la otra, formando una pequeña sonrisa cuando vio a Yoongi deshacerse de la chamarra de cuero y cuando pensó que también se quitara su camisa, su mano grande y caliente separó sus piernas para hacerse su debido espacio entre ellas, hincando sus rodillas en la cama y acarició sus piernas desnudas con calma antes de subir al borde de su blusa, el cual tomó para tirar hacia arriba y T/n le ayudó estirando sus brazos para quitarse la prenda por completo.

La mirada de Yoongi oscureció aún mas cuando le dio un repaso a todo su cuerpo y ni siquiera pudo luchar contra el destello de timidez que la atravesó, e intentó cerrar sus piernas para cubrirse aunque sea un poco, pero antes de que pudiera hacerlo Yoongi la sujeto por su cuello, elevando su cabeza hacia él para volver a besarla.

Dieron inicio a una nueva sesión de besos desesperados por parte de ambos, dejando que sus lenguas volvieran a unirse una vez más, todo su cuerpo ancho y fornido se presionó contra el de ella y T/n dejó que un gemido saliera de su boca mientras sus manos se pasaban por su cabello para demostrarle cuan a gusto estaba, y Yoongi soltó una especie de ronroneo mientras chupaba su labio inferior, dejándolo ir con un chasquido húmedo antes de que una de sus manos se deslizara por su torso, acariciando con calma la piel que tenía a su disposición, sintiendo el cuerpo de T/n temblar y agitarse debajo de él cuando frotó su pulgar contra uno de sus pezones endurecido, aún por encima de su sostén y solo logrando que soltara un débil gimoteo.

— Quiero besarte entera.— Yoongi murmuró con su voz ronca sobre su boca y T/n supo que hablaba realmente en serio cuando sus labios bajaron por su mentón hasta llegar a su cuello para besarlo todas las veces que quiso; marcando un camino de saliva desde la curva hasta sus clavículas repitiendo esa operación una y otra vez mientras el agarre en sus senos se apretaba suavemente, tarareando de gusto mientras masajeaba uno por uno; dándoles la misma atención a ambos y un pequeño gemido salió de los labios de T/n cuando lo sintió atrapar el lóbulo de su oreja para succionarlo con ansia haciéndolo sonreír ladinamente cuando se separó un poco de ella; notando su cuello marcado y mojado por él, y la simple vista lo hizo trasladar sus manos hacia su espalda y soltar el broche de su sostén en un rápido movimiento encontrándose con sus ojos.— Quiero saber cuan dulce sabes.

Y con eso último T/n ni siquiera tuvo tiempo para reprochar porque en un santiamén los bonitos labios de Yoongi se envolvieron alrededor de uno de sus senos, tomando un gran bocado de su piel y comenzando a repartir besos húmedos en toda la zona, su lengua se movía con maestría y jugaba con su pezón tan lenta y dolorosamente que solo hizo que T/n soltara un fuerte gemido al sentirlo, su caliente respiración erizaba su piel y sus manos viajaron a su espeso cabello para tirar de las hebras sin mucha fuerza antes de arquear su espalda hacía su boca, y él gustoso aceptó el ofrecimiento, gruñendo guturalmente sobre su piel antes de elevar sus manos hacia sus senos; acunando ambos con sus palmas y apretandolos suavemente justo antes de su lengua saliera para lamer sus pezones uno por uno, intercalando entre ellos mientras la miraba con su vista nublada por sus dulces expresiones de placer.

— Yoongi…— T/n maullo sin aliento sintiendo sus besos seguir bajando por su vientre, cubriendo cada porción de piel a su alcance y todo su cuerpo se tensó cuando sin darse cuenta sus manos se encontraron con el inicio de su falda tirando de ella hacia abajo por sus piernas, dejándola demasiado embelesada con sus dedos tocando sus muslos para darse cuenta que se había llevado consigo sus bragas, sino que fue hasta que sintió un repentino escalofrío recorrer su cuerpo y su centro húmedo que se dio cuenta que estaba desnuda frente a él.

Cuando quiso hacer amague por cubrirse solo atino a lloriquear por lo bajo cuando Yoongi se alejó de su cuerpo rápidamente, enderezando su espalda y clavando sus rodillas en la cama para quitarse la camisa por su cabeza y los ojos de T/n se perdieron en su piel blanquecina, en las líneas de sus músculos; desde sus bíceps hasta sus pectorales que subían y bajaban en respiraciones acompasadas, todo su cabello caía sobre su rostro y cuando se lo echó hacia atrás, casi tuvo que obligarse a sí misma a no jadear ante la simple imagen, y por supuesto que su mirada no pasó desapercibida por Yoongi, quien formó una sonrisita arrogante mientras sus manos viajaban hacia el botón de su pantalón, desabrochándolo con calma mientras sus ojos seguían cada uno de sus movimientos.

— ¿Estás esperando una invitación? — Yoongi farfulló bajandose de un solo tiron sus pantalones hasta la mitad de sus muslos, quedando sólo en unos boxer color negro que enmarcaban a la perfección el contorno de su dura y tensa erección atrapada en ellos, su mirada subió a su rostro y sonrió con malicia cuando notó su mirada confundida.

Su cuerpo volvió a inclinarse sobre el de ella, la boca de T/n fue sellada una vez más con sus labios, chocandolos de manera repentina en un demandante y posesivo beso, tomando el mando y ladeando su cabeza con vehemencia, succionando su labio inferior y solo ganándose un adorable quejido cuando se alejó de ella dándole un sutil tironcito.

— Tócate, cariño.— Yoongi murmuró sin dejar de mirarla con ojos oscuros, como si se tratara de una fiera; a punto de devorarla por completo.— Tócate como lo hacías cada que vez que escuchabas mi voz. Quiero verte.

Y ante eso T/n ni siquiera pudo luchar contra la bruma de vergüenza que sintió con sus palabras, y cuando elevó su mirada hacia él todo su cuerpo tembló cuando se encontró con sus ojos nublados en lujuria mirándola con atención y que solo la hicieron obedecer sus palabras, su mano se movió precaria por sus muslos hasta llegar a su entrepierna y un suspiro agitado salió de sus labios cuando sus dedos entraron en contacto con su clítoris, tocándose con cuidado y comenzando a estimularse con suavidad recordando todo lo que alguna vez llegaron a hablar por teléfono y solo haciéndola gemir y mover sus dedos más rápido sobre su botón de placer, cerrando los ojos con fuerza un tanto por el placer que sentía recorrer cada rincón de su cuerpo y otro poco para intentar esconderse de su intensa mirada.

— No sabes cuantas veces te imagine así…— Yoongi susurró con voz ronca contra su oído viendo su cuerpo temblar y mover su mano más fuerte sobre su entrepierna haciéndolo sonreír antes de acariciar su mejilla con su mano, viéndola jadear ante otro movimiento y aprovechó eso para meter dos de sus dedos dentro de su boca, sus pestañas se desplegaron hacia él y una sonrisa se formó en su rostro cuando sintió su lengua comenzar a chuparlos una y otra vez.— Te ves tan jodidamente bonita tocándote, bebé.

Y tan pronto como dijo aquello sus dedos dejaron su boca en un chasquido húmedo y obsceno, deslizandolos por su cuerpo y marcando un camino de humedad hasta que llegó al centro de sus piernas, quitando su mano en un rápido movimiento para reemplazarla con la suya propia, y en un abrir y cerrar de ojos, sus dedos se presionaron con fuerza contra su clítoris y el destello de placer la hizo soltar un fuerte gemido; frunciendo sus manos en las sábanas y tirando de ellas mientras sus caderas se movían hacia sus dedos.

— Shh, shh, déjame cuidarte…— Yoongi arrulló apretando su mandíbula al mismo tiempo que movía sus dedos en círculos suaves sobre su pequeño clítoris, escuchándola gemir en cada movimiento, y aún más cuando presionó suavemente la punta de su dedo contra su entrada un par de veces antes de volver a subir lentamente y frotar su punto de placer, sonriendo al verla dejar caer su cabeza sobre la almohada en puro placer junto a un adorable gemido que coreó toda su habitación, haciéndolo sonreír antes de deslizarse por su cuerpo hasta que su respiración abanicó su entrada y que su boca se envolvió alrededor de su clítoris reemplazando sus dedos y haciéndola gemir con fuerza.

Todos los sentidos de T/n estaban al mil, apenas recuperandose de sentir sus dedos en ella cuando de un momento ya tenía su boca entre sus piernas, su cabello negro le cubria ligeramente sus ojos y su lengua se deslizaba entre sus pliegues húmedos de arriba a abajo una y otra vez antes de chupar y succionar su clítoris como un hombre hambriento, sujetando sus piernas con fuerza y gruñendo una maldición contra su piel mientras su sabor llenaba todos sus sentidos sólo haciéndolo tomar todo lo que pudiera de ella, llenando el espacio con sonidos húmedos y lascivos, ahí descubrió que Yoongi no solo sabía usar su boca para hablar sucio, sino que tambien era muy bueno oralmente e imaginó que él estaba orgulloso de lo que su lengua podía hacer, en todas las formas posibles.

Podía sentir el nudo en su vientre apretándose cada vez más; anunciando su pronto orgasmo, los gruñidos de Yoongi contra su entrada sensible solo enviaban ondas de placer por cada nervio empujándola más y más al borde del éxtasis, su nombre comenzó a brotar de sus labios en jadeos entrecortados como si se tratara de un mantra, pero Yoongi no la escuchó, él ignoró por completo la forma en que sus manos tiraban de su cabello y el sonido de su respiración laboriosa, solo se concentró en sus caderas moviéndose contra su boca, haciendo que su lengua jugara con clítoris haciéndola sentir un placer tan abrumador, que cuando sus piernas temblaron a cada lado de su cabeza y cuando orgasmo la inundó de repente solo pudo cerrar los ojos con fuerza y lloriquear por el placer al rojo vivo en cada parte de su cuerpo mientras se removía contra el firme agarre de Yoongi, sintiéndolo lamerla sin querer desperdiciar ni una sola gota de su orgasmo.

— Maldición, hubiera hecho esto mucho antes de saber que sabias tan delicioso.— Yoongi murmuró en una sonrisita y relamiéndose los labios, todavía degustando su sabor en su lengua mientras volvía a subir por su cuerpo, encontrándose con sus ojos entrecerrados y su respiración acelerada.— Oh bebé, ¿Estás cansada? ¿Quieres parar…?

— No, no…— T/n se apresuró a responder apenas saliendo de su bruma de placer, sintiendo todo su cuerpo arder aún más que al principio.— Te necesito…

— ¿Me necesitas? — preguntó con voz ronca, acunando su mejilla con una de sus manos y acariciando suavemente su piel.

— Si, por favor Yoongi, fóllame…— T/n pidió por lo bajo, apoyándose en su toque y mirándolo con ojos necesitados, notando como su rostro se deformaba en una mueca que no supo descifrar del todo.

— Podría lastimarte…— Yoongi murmuró más bajo esta vez, temiendo que realmente pudiera hacer eso.

— Entonces hazme daño, no me importa, solo…— T/n volvió a pedir por él antes de hacer una pausa y elevar su mano para frotarla suavemente contra el bulto en su boxer, sintiendo la longitud y dureza de su miembro palpitar en su mano, elevando su vista hacia el y verlo morderse el labio ante sus movimientos; dándole la última pizca de seguridad.— Por favor…

Y Yoongi simplemente no pudo evitar sonreír al escucharla, suspirando pesadamente al sentirla trasladar sus caricias hacia la punta de su pene e hizo todo lo posible por no mandar todo a la mierda y castigarla ahí mismo por su pequeño y astuto movimiento sobre él, estaba demasiado excitado para que fuera real, eso era cierto, así que verla pedir por él, con ese tono de voz tan dócil que siempre le había encantado solo hacia que su deseo por ella aumentara, casi al punto de ser doloroso y cuando volvió a mirarla algo oscuro comenzó a nadar en sus ojos.

— Hazlo mejor.— Yoongi habló poco después, trasladando su mano hacia abajo para envolver sus dedos alrededor de su cuello con la cantidad perfecta de presión, viéndola parpadear hacia él y respirar agitadamente.— Muéstrame lo buena chica que eres y súplica apropiadamente.

— Señor, por favor fóllame…— T/n respondió en un pequeño jadeo sumiso y necesitado cuando la mano de Yoongi aplicó más presión en su cuello, haciéndola agitarse y mover sus caderas hacia él en una muda invitación, completamente desesperada por sentirlo.— Por favor, lo necesito tanto…

Y antes de que pudiera decir algo más, lo labios de Yoongi volvieron a estamparse con los de ella, esta vez con una voracidad duplicada, T/n reprimió un gemido cuando la lengua contraria no espero ni un segundo en salir en busca de la suya, acariciando con la punta todo lo que estaba a su paso y arrancándole cada uno de sus suspiros en busca de aire, sus grandes manos recorrieron todo su cuerpo con dureza; como si quisiera memorizar cada curva de él, sintiendo su piel estremecerse con anticipación y haciéndola soltar un gemido ahogado cuando sintió la punta de su pene deslizarse entre los pliegues de su entrada y rozar suavemente su clítoris sin saber muy bien en qué momento se había desnudado, pero tampoco pudo pensar demasiado en eso cuando su pelvis comenzó a moverse contra ella, creando una deliciosa fricción entre sus intimidades, sintiéndolo tan grande y pesado presionando contra ella haciéndola acompañar sus movimientos con sus caderas, solo para escucharlo gruñir contra su boca mientras volvía a besarla un par de veces más antes de separarse escuchandola jadear de disgusto.

Yoongi podía sentir sus ojos seguirlo cuando alcanzó el cajón de la mesa de noche, del cual tomó un condón con rapidez, obligándose a respirar para intentar controlarse cuando regresó su vista de nuevo hacia ella, pero era prácticamente imposible hacerlo con la imagen de su cuerpo desnudo y su cabello alborotado que le gritaban que la tomara a como diera lugar, sus constantes jadeos no eran de mucha ayuda tampoco, pero tenía que mantener la cabeza en calma, por ella.

Sus manos se engancharon en el interior de sus rodillas, tirando de su cuerpo hacia él sobre las sábanas, sonriendo al escucharla reír levemente, y se apresuró a rasgar un costado de la envoltura y sacar el condón para deslizarlo por lo largo de su erección, y T/n ni siquiera pudo evitar no relamerse los labios ante la imagen; haciéndola estirar su mano para rodear la base de su miembro duro a lo alto, haciéndolo gruñir guturalmente cuando movió su mano de arriba a abajo, los músculos de Yoongi se endurecieron ante la estimulación y a T/n no pudo gustarle más la imagen de él, le gustaba ver su cabello enloquecido, le gustaba ver sus abdominales marcados por la excitación, le gustaba ver el sudor correr por sus sienes, sus labios hinchados y rojos, le gustaba escuchar su voz ronca y ver su miembro duro por ella.

Su revelación se vio interrumpida cuando de un movimiento, Yoongi se acomodó mejor entre sus piernas, haciendo que soltara el agarre en su erección palpitante, sus manos tomaron sus muñecas y con firmeza a cada lado de su cabeza y sus ojos se conectaron, transmitiendole todo el júbilo y el deseo que parecía sentir y un jadeo tembloroso la abandonó cuando sintió la punta de su pene rozar su abertura; solicitando su debida entrada con cuidado.

La expectativa se acumuló en su estómago cuando Yoongi se acercó a su rostro, tocando su nariz con la de ella suavemente antes de besar el puente de la misma, y T/n no podía entender cómo podía sentirse tanta dulzura y deseo al mismo tiempo, pero Yoongi parecía hacerlo posible con su beso esquimal y su longitud apretándose contra ella al mismo tiempo.

No supo en qué momento soltó sus muñecas pero se dio cuenta cuando comenzó a hundirse dentro de ella con lentitud, las manos de T/n salieron disparadas a su espalda y reprimió un gemido de dolor al sentirlo, todo su cuerpo estaba temblando y trató de concentrarse en los ojos de Yoongi quién estaba estático y que la miraban con atención, como si estuviera estudiando su rostro, se veía preocupado y parecía estar sufriendo en el fondo por controlarse, y otro quejido salió de sus labios al sentirlo volver a presionarse mientras ella luchaba por tomar su circunferencia.

— Ah, Yoongi, d-duele…— T/n lloriqueo por lo bajo, tensando su cuerpo y tirando de las sabanas con fuerza, Yoongi era más grande de lo que esperaba, y la punta de su pene ni siquiera estaba del todo adentro.

— Shh, lo sé, cariño. Pero tienes que ser una buena chica y relajarte para mí o de lo contrario nos detendremos aqui.—Yoongi susurró apretando su mandíbula de la misma forma antes de morder su labio inferior y empujarse un poco más, deslizándose paulatinamente, centímetro a centímetro hasta llenarla por completo y T/n volvió a cerrar sus ojos gimiendo con fuerza; sintiendo como Yoongi volvía a quedarse inmovil, dejando que se amoldara a su longitud ahora más caliente que nunca.

Sus labios fueron rápidos en amortiguar otro nuevo gemido quejumbroso de T/n, tomando su boca con la suya en una nueva oportunidad, una de sus manos se movió hacia su mentón donde acarició suavemente su labio inferior con su pulgar que cuando la vio jadear ante un sutil movimiento dentro de ella; metió su dedo en su boca, haciéndolo suspirar cuando sintió su lengua envolverse alrededor de su dedo y cubrirlo con su saliva.

— Eres muy hermosa, T/n. Muy hermosa..— Yoongi arrulló suavemente y ella abrió sus ojos ante sus palabras, encontrándose con su mandíbula marcada y sus labios entreabiertos; mirándolo sin dejar de chupar su dedo y dejando escapar un gemido amortiguado cuando movió sus caderas hacia él, en un muda invitación a que continuara, el dolor estaba siendo reemplazado por un peculiar ardor y cuando sintió que Yoongi estaba a punto de retirarse por completo de repente volvió a hundirse dentro de ella hasta tocar fondo.

Repitió esa acción una y otra vez, moviéndose dentro de ella con toda la calma del mundo, no entrecortado, sino que se deslizaba con una exquisita facilidad y T/n se dejó relajar debajo de él; intentando acompañar sus movimientos con sus caderas sintiendo como todo el placer comenzaba a consumir todos sus sentidos.

— ¿Se siente bien así? — Yoongi preguntó con su voz ahogada aún conteniendose y comenzando a marcar un ritmo lento y superficial, apretando su mandíbula y luchando por mantener el control.

— Mhm-hu… sigue Yoongi, sigue…— T/n gimió dulcemente esas palabras, rodeando su cintura con sus piernas aferrándose con fuerza a él, todo su cuerpo se agitó cuando sintió a Yoongi deslizarse hacia afuera y antes de salirse por completo la penetró en una firme estocada que la hizo retorcerse debajo de su cuerpo.— Oh, Dios…

— No, soy Min Yoongi.— Repitió socarron esas mismas palabras que había dicho antes ajustando sus manos en su cintura para darle estabilidad a sus nuevas penetraciones que se volvían mas firmes y acompasadas; empujando su cuerpo una y otra vez sobre la cama.

— Deja de decir eso, creo que se te esta subiendo a la cabeza.— T/n quiso amonestarlo pero lo terminó diciendo en medio de una sonrisa delicada que rápidamente se deformó en una mueca de placer al recibir otra rotunda embestida haciéndola arquear su espalda hacia él.

— Eres la única con la que me siento especial, T/n.— Yoongi murmuró acercándose nuevamente hacia su rostro, sosteniendo su mirada y T/n se sintió más que capaz de devolvérsela, los dos estaban igual de sumergidos en lo que sea que fuera esto, sabiendo muy bien que él también se había vuelto la única persona con la cual podía sentirse especial.

Un nuevo gemido brotó de los labios de ambos ante otra profunda penetración, los movimientos de Yoongi eran exactos y precisos, iban tomando cada segundo un ápice más de velocidad y T/n no podía hacer más que gimotear con cada nueva embestida que tocaba aquel punto especial dentro de ella, y es que todo era tan nuevo, tanto placer que no podía sostenerlo ella sola por mucho tiempo mas, todo el juego previo la había consumido, sus manos ansiosas subieron por su pecho hasta llegar a su cabello y jaló de él intentando llegar a sus labios y el mayor se dejó hacer, tomando una vez más el control del beso, mordiendo chupando su labio inferior, sus jadeos combinados con los de él junto a sus repetitivas penetraciones dentro y fuera parecían ser un impedimento para mantener sus labios unidos, pero no les importó.

T/n se sentía drogada, flotando en una nube de placer donde ni siquiera el sudor acumulandose su frente ni el calor abrumador que los envolvía se comparaban al placer latente que sentía en cada parte de su cuerpo, Yoongi se sentía tan bien dentro de ella, su pene la llenaba tan bien y tocaba todos los puntos correctos que solo la hacían gemir entre cada embestida, sus pieles ardían con cada bombeo constante mientras él seguía con sus duras embestidas que sacudían su cuerpo y que hacían que la cabecera de la cama chocara contra la pared una y otra vez, sintió a Yoongi apartar los mechones húmedos de su cabello fuera de su rostro antes de que su boca caliente volviera a devorarla con besos húmedos, comiéndose sus gemidos sin dejar de deslizarse dentro de ella cada vez más fuerte y salvaje, y es que él no estaba mejor que ella.

Estaba cerca, el inminente orgasmo estaba tocando la puerta, pidiendo salir cuando el cosquilleo y las vibraciones de su cuerpo hacían que sus estocadas se volvieran inestables y torpes, no podían culparlo, Yoongi simplemente no podía apartar la mirada de ella, de su cuerpo desnudo y cubierto de sudor debajo de él, de su rostro sonrojado, sus cejas fruncidas y sus labios entreabiertos dando bocanadas de aire entre cada beso hambriento y desesperado que le daba, podía sentir su interior apretándose imponente a su alrededor, podía sentir su cuerpo temblar con cada golpe de su pelvis dentro de ella. Habían estado sedientos durante semanas el uno por el otro, y sabía que se merecía esto y mucho más.

— Yoongi, estoy a punto de…— T/n lloriqueo cerrando sus ojos y apoyando su frente contra su hombro, abrazando su espalda y buscando un punto de apoyo sintiendo como el placer se volvió demasiado para su cuerpo.

— Si, bebé. Yo también. Córrete para mí, vamos…— Yoongi murmuró contra su oreja, dejando un rápido beso mientras aumentaba la velocidad de sus movimientos para alcanzar su placer también.

Y esa luz verde de su voz ronca y ansiosa fue suficiente para empujarla por completo a su orgasmo en medio de un fuerte y agudo gemido; sus piernas temblaron y su interior se apretó con fuerza contra su pene, jadeando ante la sensación tan deliciosa y placentera que llenó sus ojos de lágrimas mientras se aferraba a él con fuerza. A Yoongi solo le basbastaron otras tres penetraciones duras y profundas para derramarse dentro de ella; soltando una maldición entre dientes contra su cuello y un gemido aireado antes de dejarse caer sobre ella llenando el espacio solo con sus respiraciones densas y aceleradas mezclándose entre sí.

Con sus palpitaciones al mil y completamente jadeantes Yoongi trazó un camino de pequeños besos desde el hombro de T/n hacía arriba; pasando por su cuello, mejillas, hasta llegar a su boca, la punta de su lengua delineo sus labios para después soltar una sonrisa que se confundía con dulzura y travesura.

— Buena niña.— Farfulló divertido ensanchando su sonrisa al verla apartar su mirada de él completamente avergonzada, sin perder detalle de lo hermosa que lucía, incluso luego de su orgasmo, toda desalineada, jadeante y sonrojada, se veía preciosa a su ojos, y fue ese mismo descubrimiento el que lo hizo volver a buscar sus labios, más lento y suave esta vez solo para permitirse degustar su sabor una vez más.

El pequeño instante de paz fue abruptamente interrumpido con el sonido repentino y alarmante de un teléfono que se escuchó en la habitación; asustandola y haciéndola separarse de sus labios solo para ver a Yoongi apretar su mandíbula y murmurar una maldición mientras se separaba de ella haciéndola apretar sus labios ante su ausencia, y seguir sus movimientos mientras se recostaba a su lado para quitarse el condón.

— ¿No vas a contestar? — Preguntó por lo bajo removiendose sobre la cama

— No, no voy a contestar.— Yoongi respondió

— Pero, ¿y si es importante, o de tu trabajo…?— T/n volvió a insistir antes de que fuera interrumpida por su voz.

— Me importa una mierda si es del trabajo, no voy a contestar.— Yoongi espeto molesto girandose hacia ella; viendola sobresaltarse y mirarlo sorprendida ahogó un gruñido y se apresuró a subir de nuevo a la cama a su lado.— Escucha, T/n, yo… actúe como un idiota la vez que preguntaste si podíamos conocernos porque no quería perder mi trabajo, tengo esta regla donde no puedo tener ninguna relación con algun cliente y…

— Esa es una regla estupida.— T/n lo interrumpió con esas palabras, haciéndolo reír levemente.

— Sé que lo es, y yo pensé que quería eso, pero cuando no podía dejar de pensar en ti supe que lo que realmente quería era estar contigo, quiero estar contigo, no me importa que me despidan…

— Pero… es tu trabajo, no dejaré que te despidan por mi…

— No me importa, me di cuenta de que tú vales mas que ese trabajo y ese jodido dinero.— Yoongi volvió a asegurar con voz firme y sin dudar mientras acunaba su rostro con sus manos, casi perdiendose en sus ojos.— Quiero que empecemos de nuevo, que nos conozcamos, que vayamos a citas y hagamos todas esas cosas cursis y que no se quede solo como una llamada accidental de sexo telefónico entre nosotros.— agregó sin dejar de mirarla notando su sonrisa avergonzada ante el recuerdo haciéndolo sonreír también.— Estoy hablando enserio, quiero estar contigo T/n.

Y eso una vez mas demostro cuando podían afectarle sus palabras, solo que esta vez no eran vulgares ni lascivas, eran suaves y sinceras, y solo le revelaron algo que ella también sentía, quería estar con él, con nadie más.

— Me habías dicho que no eras romántico…— T/n habló con calma; mirándolo con ilusión y solo ganándose una sonrisa ladina de Yoongi sintiéndolo ajustar sus manos en su cintura para mimar su piel con calma.

— Cariño, te di un beso esquimal mientras estaba duro, por supuesto que puedo ser romantico.— Yoongi farfulló divertido sonriendo genuinamente cuando escuchó a T/n reír ante sus palabras, haciéndolo arrastrar sus manos por su cuerpo hasta llegar a su rostro para poder besarla una vez más.

Se volvió a adueñar de sus labios con puro fervor, ronroneando de gusto al sentirla enredar sus dedos en su cabello mientras se aferraba a él; invitándolo a besarla con más entusiasmo cuando el molesto sonido del teléfono volvió a escucharse, pero tampoco les importó mucho que digamos.

*Unas semanas después*

— Bebé…— La voz de Yoongi se escuchó desde el otro lado de la cocina, haciéndola dejar de hacer lo que sea que estuviera haciendo con lo siguiente que dijo.— ¡Tenemos nuestro primer suscriptor!

T/n rápidamente corrió hacia donde Yoongi estaba sentado en el taburete para mirar por encima de su hombro, con su cabello aún goteando y la toalla apenas envuelta alrededor de su cuerpo.

Después de que Yoongi dejó su trabajo y que decidieron mudarse juntos, ustedes dos habían encontrado una manera de ganar dinero juntos y divertirse mientras lo hacían, así que lo vio abrir la aplicación de OnlyFans en su teléfono y leer el nombre de la primera persona que amablemente se suscribió a su cuenta compartida.

— Jeon... Jungkook.

Ese nombre sonaba familiar.

— Wow, me pregunto cómo se topó con nuestra cuenta.— Yoongi reflexionó mientras la tomaba por sus brazos para acercarla a él y darle un pequeño beso.

T/n apenas y respondió, quedándose inmóvil en puro desconcierto, probablemente luciendo tan ridícula con la boca abierta y con el cuerpo cubierto de gotas de agua. ¿Podría ser él?

— ¿Qué estás pensando, bebé? — Yoongi preguntó mirándola con cuidado

— Nada, nada…— T/n respondió negando con su cabeza y arrojando ese pensamiento al fondo de su mente.— Supongo que será mejor que hagamos más contenido ahora, ¿no lo crees?

Y Yoongi simplemente sonrió ante eso, dejando su teléfono en el mostrador para poder envolver sus brazos en su cintura y abrazarla, sin importarle mucho que su camisa se estuviera humedeciendo con su cabello.— ¿Estás emocionada?

— ¿Por trabajar contigo? — T/n preguntó girándose hacia él y sonriendo de la misma forma antes de inclinarse y volver a besarlo.— Por supuesto, bebé.

————————————————————————

N/A: ¿Alguien más aparte de mi necesitaba que estos dos se comieran de una buena vez? Lo siento pero yo ya no podía con la tensión que se tenían

Espero que hayan disfrutado mucho de esta pequeña historia y que les haya gustado igual o más que la primera vez que la leyeron

Gracias por todo su apoyo titis ♡

taglist: @guvgguk @lessuwu @cometaart @AnnieKCV @darysnowflwr @nunubly @choco-linny @wtffktt7 @minmin-cat @18fernanda @ariggukie @Katherine Murillo @lizxz @onixbae02 @piligt @youtis @tessacereza @aavacaf @holiwui032

[melancholy-of-nadia]

Distraction (m) | myg

title: Distraction pairing: yoongi x f. reader rating/genre: m ; smut ; Agust D Universe (AgustDverse?) specifically in the Haegeum Universe ; Gang Leader / Mafia AU summary: After a series of circumstances leads you to be the assistant/right-hand woman of Bangkok's local thief/gang leader Min Suga, you're diligent in fulfilling your role in helping him take down Detective (& Underground Mafia Boss) Agust D. What you didn't expect in this role, was to catch your own boss reading p*rngraphic material during his free time and finding out there are consequences to distracting him. warnings:  dirty talk, hair pulling, slight riding, fingering, breast play, nipple sucking, slight body worship if you squint, COCKWARMING, orgasm denial kinda, she's being punished, There's two Yoongis and Thief ver. is Suga/Yoongi while the Mafia Boss is Agust D IM PUTTING A WARNING FOR THESE MEN ARE DANGEROUS note: this is my first time ever writing a bts fic AND smut in a fic. I've written fics 10 years ago for different fandoms and i never thought I'd be doing this again but I got too stuck on this idea that I needed to LET IT OUT. shout out to my beta reader @daegudrama for beta reading and being a great supporter. Idk if I'll ever expand on this fic but here it is. FEEDBACK & Comments are much appreciated !! total word count: 3.6k drop date: july 1st 2023, 12:00pm pst CROSS POSTED ON AO3 here (honeyjamjoon is my user on there) - -

You stood at the entrance of Suga's run-down, yet aesthetically-looking office in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown.

After an abundance of incidents, you begun working as his assistant and right-hand woman in his underground operations to take down Asia Pacific Police Detective Agust D, who moonlights as a mafia leader on the down low. A mafia leader who looks exactly like him. Someone you used to be acquainted with at some point.

As you pushed open the ornate wooden door slightly, you found Suga lying down on the sofa, engrossed in an erotic women's magazine. His face adorned with his signature mischievous smirk as he turned a few pages. Men, you thought to yourself while trying to prevent a scoff from coming out your lips.

"Yoongi," you called out, your voice cutting through the silence of the room. Since you two were closer compared to his other men, you called out to him by his real name often.

Startled, Yoongi quickly closed the magazine and tossed it aside, his expression shifting to one of mild annoyance. "Hey doll, can't you knock? I was in the middle of something." Doll, his endearing nickname for you always made you feel some type of way. 

You raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence as you crossed my arms. "Oh, I'm sorry, Boss. I didn't know reading Playboy magazines was part of your daily agenda." you commented sarcastically, rolling your eyes in the process.

Yoongi's cheeks flushed slightly, caught red-handed by his sharp-witted assistant. He cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. "It's...research. Yeah, research on...current trends."

You couldn't help but chuckle at his unusually flustered response. You sauntered closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, Boss, if you're done 'researching,' perhaps we can focus on more pressing matters?"

Yoongi let out a deep sigh, realizing he had been caught in his moment of leisure. "You're right, doll. Let's get down to business.” He moved from his position and straightened up his posture, all business-mode Suga once again. “What's the latest update on Agust?"

As you provided a detailed report on Agust D’s actions, you couldn't help but notice a twinkle of amusement in Yoongi's eyes. He had always been a man of few words, but his gaze held a silent appreciation for your wit and fearlessness in this line of work. Since meeting Yoongi, your professional relationship with him had always been one of mutual respect and trust, despite the dark world you both inhabited.

"You've done well, doll," Yoongi finally acknowledged at the end of your report, his voice laced with admiration. "I appreciate your dedication in doing this. This isn’t easy work, especially with so many eyes and ears working for Agust."

Your heart swelled with pride, knowing that your efforts were recognized by your boss, your leader. However, you know you can’t be feeling a certain type of way over his innocent comments.  You took a step closer, your voice lowering to a whisper. "Boss, may I remind you that there are eyes and ears on you too? It's crucial to maintain a certain level of decorum and professionalism."

Yoongi's lips curled into a sly side smile, his gaze locking with yours. "You're absolutely right. We should be more careful, especially when it comes to our private activities."

Your eyes widened in realization, understanding the underlying meaning in Yoongi's words. He can’t be trying to insinuate something, right? Being the brat you are, you decided to play along with his statement . A playful grin spread across your face as you sat on the opposite side of the sofa, crossing your arms once again. 

"Well, Boss, if you're looking for some 'private activities,' you could always start by hiring a proper assistant to keep you entertained."

Yoongi's eyebrows shot up, surprised by your audacity. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes as he leaned back on the sofa. "Is that so? And who would you recommend for the position?"

You pretended to ponder for a moment, "Perhaps someone who knows your every move, can anticipate your needs, and can effortlessly keep you on your toes…”

“Someone like… you?" Yoongi smirked as he leaned closer, his voice filled with mischief. Your cheeks flushed with a mix of shyness and shock that he played this far into your game. "Well, in that case, I suppose I'll have to interview you for the position."

Damn, he got you cornered. Was this a dream, you thought to yourself. Usually when you’d have playful banter with Yoongi, he’d edge you on with his words and then immediately move onto business. But right now you’re left speechless. 

“Cat got your tongue?” He chuckled. Funny words coming from the same man who looked and acted like a cat himself at times.

“N-No..just.. dumbfounded.” You stumbled on your nervous response before giggling, “You got me good, Yoongi.” And this is where the game ended, or so you thought.

Yoongi locked eyes with you as he reached out and gently grasped your trembling hand. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through you, causing your breath to hitch. He tugged your hand gently, coaxing you to move closer to him.

"Doll," he said softly, his tone laced with a mix of authority and tenderness. "There's no need to get so shy around me all of a sudden."

Feeling a mixture of panic and excitement, you allowed Yoongi to guide you closer until you stood right in front of him. In a swift yet gentle motion, Yoongi pulled you onto his lap, your legs straddled him. Your heart pounded in your chest as you found yourself nestled against him, his arms wrapped protectively around your waist.

Yoongi's voice, now filled with a soothing warmth, resonated in your ear. "You may act bratty and shy, doll, but I can see through your facade. I know you're into this” He used one hand to brush a strand of hair behind your ear, “And I'm more than happy to oblige."

Your eyes widened, breath catching in your throat at his bold words. Yet, you couldn't deny the exhilarating truth behind them. A mix of embarrassment and desire coursed through your veins as you looked into Yoongi's eyes, your own filled with a mix of uncertainty and longing. You’ve been waiting for a moment like this for so long, but it felt silly to even believe it could happen one day. Let alone on a day where you catch Yoongi looking at porn. Sounds too good to be true.

In that moment, Yoongi tightened his hold on you and gently lifted you up a little. He glanced at you wholly, taking in the sight before him. He had always thought you were beautiful since the first day you encountered him in the night market while he was being chased by Agust D’s men. He too, didn’t imagine he’d have you to himself, but somehow the sexual frustration of not having time to pleasure himself pushed a button in him to try to make a move. 

He continued his movements by sliding his hands above your waist, approaching the peaks of your breasts. The soft touch sent shivers down your spine, and a blush crept across your cheeks. He looked at you to see if you were okay with moving further, to which you locked eyes with him and nodded your confirmation.

He began fondling your breasts slowly, tracing patterns of desire along your trembling flesh. His large hands on you felt so good it elicited soft gasps of pleasure from your lips. But you craved more. You wanted to feel him closer, and it seemed that he felt the same. He moved his hands to unbutton your sleeveless button front shirt from the top to bottom and then removed the garment completely. 

Under the shirt revealed a white floral lace bra with a cute pink ribbon in the center. "You know, doll," he murmured, his voice husky with desire, "Your bra is surprisingly cute." The sudden comment from Yoongi made your cheeks flush even more with a mix of embarrassment and pride. “It contrasts your workaholic demeanor. It’s nice to see a new side to you.”

Flushed and with a playful glint in your eyes, you mustered the courage to break free from your momentary shyness. With a teasing smile, you looked at Yoongi and whispered, “Shut up and just keep going,”

To which he smirked up at you and did just as you commanded. He went ahead and removed your bra, exposing your breasts to the slightly colder room temperature causing your nipples to pebble slowly. Yoongi groaned, squeezing your breasts together, and sucked a nipple between his lips. 

Mesmerizing sounds left your mouth when he flicked your nipple with his tongue and gently bit down. His tongue swirled around your sensitive areola, teasing it to a stiff peak as he cupped and massaged your other breast with one hand. Holding yourself steady with your fingers weaved through his pretty, long dark hair, you leaned back and arched your chest in toward his face.

You craved more besides these touches to your delicate breasts, but fearing changes in your ‘boss and right-hand man’ relationship with Yoongi had you hesitating further. You moved your hands to the top of his shoulders to push him away from your chest. “Maybe we shouldn’t keep going, Yoongi.” You looked at him, before deciding to look away and continue speaking, “We’ve been focused on taking down Agust D, and if we do this… it might get in the way of our goals.”

Yoongi let out a deep chuckle, “You know goals are one thing, but you think I haven’t noticed the way your body language radiates when you’re around me.” 

Your eyes widened, “W-What do you mean?” You weren’t being that obvious about these underlying work crush feelings, have you?

“The way you carry yourself when we tease each other? When you sway your ass in your little skirts to get me riled up?” He lifted a brow up inquisitively, hands drawing circles on your thighs to carry his point home. “I know you too well to know you want this too.”

You scoffed, “Hah? Yoongi, I think all the porn mags and hentai mangas you’ve read during your free time has gotten to your head.” You cupped his face with your small palms (in comparison to his large hands) and looked at him intently. “Maybe it’s time to ease up on that, sir.”

“I’m serious, doll.” He grabbed your hands away from his face and stared harshly, “I'd rather have you in my arms, feeling your warmth against me, than flipping through those Playboy magazines during my free time."

Literally, no words could release from your lips. You’re just awestruck that this carefree man who threw witty and sarcastic remarks on a daily basis could have conjured such a confession to you. You found it endearing in a way, knowing his exterior is just a facade and inside lies a compassionate soul named Min Yoongi. 

At this moment, you decided to surrender, allowing yourself to be consumed by the passion growing between the two of you. Embraced in the untamed fire that blazed in Yoongi's eyes. “Then, keep going. Waiting to see how you’ll keep me entertained.”

Quickly, Yoongi's lips descended upon yours, the kiss ignited an unknown sensation inside of you. The taste of anticipation lingered in the air as your mouths melded together in a fervent fight. His lips, soft yet demanding, explored every contour of yours, coaxing forth sighs of pleasure that escaped each others’ entwined breaths.

Feeling a bit assertive, you gently bit his lips as a signal for him to allow your tongue to intertwined with his, to which he smiled and let you in. Both your movements synchronized, a blend of dominance and tenderness. However, which each stroke of his tongue, he claimed your mouth, marking you as his own in a surge of possessiveness that sent shivers cascading down your spine.

As your bodies pressed closer, the intensity and eagerness to have him inside you grew. You once again let your fingers find solace in the soft strands of Yoongi's hair, tugging a bit which he responded to with a groan. Breaths mingling with the heady mix of desire that filled the room. Your hips meet Yoongi’s hard cock, visibly straining against his demin jeans, as you begin lightly grinding against him, needing to relieve yourself of this feeling blooming in your abdomen.

However, unbeknownst to you, Yoongi had other plans in mind. He suddenly held down your thighs to prevent you from moving further. You whine at him, frustrated. 

“Doll, I’m not gonna fully give you what you want right now.” The mischievous glint in his gaze betrayed his desire for retribution. He saw an opportunity to playfully punish you for catching him indulging in the guilty pleasure of his magazine. “Since you interrupted me earlier, I’m only going to let you sit on my cock as punishment. No riding.”

“Are you serious right now–” You paused, Yoongi lifting an inquisitive brow up in response. If you kept arguing with him, his stubborn self will deprive you of everything at this moment, his desires be damned. The thing you didn’t need right now was for him to command you to watch him jerk off or leave the room and go find someone else to fulfill his needs. “...Fine, Boss. Your wish is…my command.” You sighed, gripping his shoulders.

“Condom?”

“No, it’s okay. I take birth control.” He eyed you intently. “NOT for what you think. I take it to regulate my cycle.” You responded, annoyed while he chuckled. Not like you had the time to be fucking people left and right in this high stakes job you had. You take your role very seriously, mind him.

He lifted you so he’s able to lift his own hips up to pull his pants down. He pulled his dick out and you stared at how it sprung up against his stomach, almost to full hardness already. It’s so thick and fat, you thought to yourself. You had imagined how he’d look underneath his clothes, but your thoughts never compared to the [reality of his] pale pink dick with small drops of precum at the top of the head. Yoongi took note of your glances and exhaled harshly. He slid his hands up your thighs to the hem of your skirt and pulled it to where your pink striped panties came into his sight. 

“You’re seriously so cute, you know that?” You mumbled a shut up as your cheeks reddened from his continued compliments. He pushed your panties to the side, placing two fingers teasingly at your entrance, collecting the wetness that you already displayed. "Do you need to be prepped more? Or can you take my cock without it?" He locked eyes with you as he slipped his two fingers easily in, quickly causing your walls to tighten around his digits.

“I-It’s fine, Yoongi,” You moaned his name quietly. You knew you were wet enough from the previous motions that you could do without it. “Just put your dick inside me already so we can call it a day.." He raised his eyebrows at your commanding attitude. "P-Please..”

Chuckling, he pulled his fingers out and grabbed your hips again. He took his throbbing dick in his hand and lined it up to your entrance. He sunk you down, slowly taking him in inch by inch, the thickness stretched you out more than you expected. You moaned out as quietly as you could, still struggling to fit all of him inside you. Yoongi kept a hand on your hips to guide you down, while the other caressed your back in reassurance.

"Keep going, love." Love? A new nickname? "You’re doing great." He praised, while trying his best to hold in beautiful sounds of his own.

With his encouraging words, you took a deep breath and moved down until your pussy had swallowed him whole, his head right against your cervix. "Just right…you did it," Yoongi cooed. He cupped your cheeks and made you look at him. "How does this feel?"

You’re starting to lose composure already, "I-It feels g-good…" you stammered, dragging out the last word while letting your eyes roll to the back of your head. 

"Great, but..” He stretched out to grab the D-Grayman vol 22 manga lying around on the table “Don’t you dare move. I’m gonna read." 

“I can’t believe you… you sick, sick man.”  His laughter rolled through him, which involuntarily  created a ripple of pleasure building within your cunt, a warmth growing again and spreading through your every nerves. Besides the fact that his warm cock was snug within you, filling you more completely than a dildo of yours could ever, you couldn't recall another moment where you’ve felt so content. While at first you were scared of crossing a line in your relationship, you can’t deny this feels just right.

He wrapped his right around your waist, while using his left to hold his book and flip the pages. Perks of having big hands, you wonder what else they could do. You laid your head on his right shoulder, eyes slowly squeezing shut. Maybe you should take a nap. 

However, while Yoongi seemed to be nonchalant and relaxed, he was struggling a lot more than you to not say fuck this and fuck you roughly in a cowgirl position. Because just as you were relaxing, suddenly his cock fucking twitched. You gasped, your cunt clenching involuntarily and wrapping tighter around his length. A shiver shot up your spine as you instinctively pushed back on him, taking him even deeper into you from a higher angle. 

“Yoongi, I swear..”

“Sorry. That was on me, doll.” He went back to reading before adding on a few minutes later, “I’m tempted to fuck you, but I’ll save it for another time. If I give in now, I’ll probably want to fuck you everywhere and anywhere we go. Want to teach you a lesson.” 

“Yoongi!” Your eyes widened and you smacked his back. He chuckled lowly. Pisces men really are lowkey sex freaks. You don’t know what you’d do if this man asks you if he can tie you up with ropes or vice versa. Let’s hope he’s just into vanilla shit for the sake of your sanity,

For the rest of the time, he stayed true to his word and remained resilient. At some point, you drifted off to dreamland, feeling so comfortable and cozy sitting on his dick. You faintly felt a kiss on your temple, though you’re not sure if you dreamed it, or if Yoongi actually did it. You didn’t bother thinking too much about it now.

The next thing you know, you woke up later that afternoon, laying down on the sofa with a blanket covering you. You glanced around to find Yoongi, but he was nowhere in sight. You checked your phone on the table and saw text messages from 35 minutes ago

Yoongi: Hey doll, got a call from joon saying he found the drug operation Agust D is hiding above that one good noodle shop in chinatown. I had to go with him and some of the guys ready to bust it down. I’ll be sure to to get you a bowl of noodles when I’m done. 

Yoongi: Extra beef and very spicy, right?

God, you’re actually gonna fall in love with this man. He really does pay attention to the little details about you more than you realized. 

You text back knowing he’s probably not going to be back for a bit longer.

Y/N: Yes pls! Don’t forget to bring some chopsticks.

Yoongi: 👍

Not long after, before the sun sunk underneath the horizon, he arrived back to the office holding a bag of take-out food from Asian Beef Noodle shop. “Sorry to keep you waiting. We got everything taken care of.”

Your eyes lit up with admiration as you sat up on the couch, your lips curling into a grateful smile. "Great job, boss."

Yoongi's gaze softened as he placed the tray of noodles on the coffee table in front of you. He took a seat beside you, his shoulder brushing against yours. "I appreciate your support, doll. So, I brought these noodles as a small peace offering."

"You're forgiven, I suppose,” You chuckled, voice filled with soft warmth. “Noodles are easily the best way to my heart."

Your playful comment sent a spark of anticipation through Yoongi. He grinned, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Well, I’ll make it up to you later, for being so good. Look forward to tonight," he whispered, his voice laced with a sultry tone.

Your cheeks flushed at the promise in his words, your gaze meeting his with a mixture of desire and excitement. “You’re making me embarrassed,” you sighed, replying further with a sultry voice with anticipation. “But, you better not disappoint. I’ll leave your side!” You joked, both of you laughing at the silliness of this conversation

Despite the fluttering emotions from earlier reawakening from his words, you two continued to share a comfortable silence, the aroma of the noodles filling the air. With a newfound sense of closeness, you two dug into the delicious meal, savoring the flavors and basking in the afterglow of their earlier passion. It was a moment of shared contentment, where the chaos of both your lives momentarily faded away, leaving only the warmth of connection and comfort of each other's presence.

[cherrysoulth]

MADNESS

💕Pairings: Female reader X Daechwita! King AgustD-1 // Female reader X Daechwita! AgustD-2

📝Summary: When the sound of Daechwita vibrates in the internal battle between the royal family twins. A king and a lover. Lust, Love and Betrayal are on rampage. You need to make a choice- Love or saving the trust. And your choices will have consequences...

✏️Genre: angst and fluff 

✏️Rating: PG-18

⚠️Warnings: Mentions of sex, violence, cheating/affairs

Hii! Welcome to my work. I'm new in this platform but been posting my writing for four years now in AO3. English is not my first language, so please if you find grammar mistakes, let me know. :)

Chapter 1: UNDER THE VEIL OF SILENCE

Chapter 2: A NEW BREEZE

Chapter 3:

Chapter 4:

© 2018-2024 Cherry Soulth, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind, translations, or unsanctioned adaptations are not allowed.

[sweetestofchaos]

Blackthorn Ch 15 | M.YG

Pairing: Crown Prince Dragon!Yoongi x Crown Princess Impundulu!Keena  Genre: Soulmate AU | Arranged Marriage AU | Fantasy AU | Fluff | Angst  Word Count: 9.9K  Warnings: Magic | Physical Violence | Shifting | Blood | Flashbacks Of The Past | Murder | Talks of Reincarnation | Crying | Depictions of Betrayal | Kissing Rating: NC-18

Forgive Me - In another lifetime, Agust knew what happiness was.

a/n: As always thanks to @sailoryooons for making the banner and being my beta. Shout out to @theharrowing for being another set of eyes!

a/n 2: like before there will be ⚠⚠⚠ to show where murder starts and stops, if you want to skip that part

Character asks and the taglist for Blackthorn are always open! Minors do NOT interact with my work, please and thank you. Also, this is cross posted on ao3, under the same username sweetestofchaos.

Taglist: @thickemadame @loisje123

Series Masterlist | Masterlist

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Silver and gold, two colors that had not existed in the same space in eons, met silently. Agust’s body was frozen as glistening tears spilled from those all too familiar silver pools. A single drop of blood plopped down from the ceiling and splashed on Ceyeh’s cheek. A small river of tinted red streamed down her face, yet she made no move to wipe it away. Agust stepped forward with a hand raised and Ceyeh’s arm shot out with a startled gasp as she took a quick step backwards. The distance wasn’t much, a handful of footsteps, yet Agust felt that there were whole continents between them.

“My moon?”

Ceyeh’s silver eyes narrowed into thin slits as she glared at the animal spirit that spoke to her. Her lips curled over her teeth and the feathers on her shoulders bristled. Agust felt his forked tongue turn to lead. He couldn’t form any words, the hatred in Ceyeh’s eyes was a harsh reminder of their past. 

A water drop from his hairline, tinted grey, slid down his face and seeped into the open wound by his eye. Agust hissed, his right eye slammed shut as the pain blurred his vision. Ceyeh took the moment to flee and ran out into the rain. Agust growled, his chest rumbling violently as he spun on his heels and took chase.

Black leathery wings sprouted from Agust’s back and carried him through the rainstorm. The chilled winds and icy rain threatened to freeze the strong appendages, but Agust refused to lose Ceyeh. He would chase her to the end of the Earth, and further still, if he had to. 

The town flew by in darkened colors and distorted shapes as he followed the scent of rotten tangerines. The scent was a searing reminder of his past mistakes. Agust growled as he caught sight of brown and grey as Ceyeh darted around a corner. He flapped his wings harshly, just once to propel himself upwards over the houses. Below him, Ceyeh hid against a wall, the roofing created a small awning that shielded her from the rain but not from his sight.

Agust wasted no time, he had chased Ceyeh long enough. Pushing his soaked hair out of his eyes once more, Agust dived in the air and dropped right in front of Ceyeh. The bird spirit's feathers ruffled and she swiped at Agust with her talons. Agust easily caught Ceyeh’s wrist with one hand - the attack was half hearted. Afterall, he was in the body of the very man that Ceyeh’s host loved. He pressed himself into Ceyeh’s space and loomed over her smaller frame as he took shelter from the endless rainfall.

The two of them were soaked, a couple of drowned rats if anyone saw them. Ceyeh’s heart beat harshly as it drummed against Agust’s chest. She moved to push him away, she hated that he was so close. Her eyes were nearly glowing, bright and wide like the moon trapped in the sky. Agust narrowed his eyes and snarled in warning. He wouldn’t hurt Ceyeh but he would not accept her running from him again. 

From this distance, what little there was, Agust was reminded of the past once more. The rancid scent that filled his lungs, the blood on his hands, the uncertainty in Ceyeh’s eyes, it all reminded him of the times long gone. The memories raced to the forefront of Agust’s mind and drowned out any coherent thought as he was confronted with his past.

The air was chilled as the night clung to the dark. Its bleakness was all-consuming, a muted reminder of the light that was bound to come. In the far distance, a single tree sat atop of a hill, its silhouette nearly invisible as shadows wrapped around it. The shiny stars above twinkled and gleamed, and the moon casted a silver halo on the land. Nighttime in the spring was peaceful and filled with the songs of tear crickets.

A low rumble broke the silence and the sound of large wings cutting through the air echoed faintly. An enormous shadow covered the land, darker than the night as it soared past the fading moon. A melodic chirp called after the large winged being, and soon a smaller winged creature was by its side. Together the beings glided through the air. Feathers and scales were kissed with moonlight, iridescent and soft.

Day slowly pushed through the darkness of night. Black and deep blue gave way to ruddy red and warm orange. The clouds sprinkled a harsh shadow against the new backdrop as the sun started to rise. Stars glittered to a faded memory as the moon dissolved into the mellow yellow and lighter blue of the day. As the sun crested over the horizon, the two shadows in the sky were bathed in a pleasant bloom of light. Onyx scales shimmered and tiny rainbows were thrown onto misty white clouds as strong wings carried the body of the dragon higher and higher. Brown and silver wings fluttered in the air, gleaming as the sun warmed the body of the lightning bird.

Side by side they flew until they reached the hill with the single tree. The dragon swooped down first. His large body took up most of the space, and he curled his long spiked tail in front of his feet as he sat upright. He lifted his face towards the sky and grumbled a warning as the bird above hovered in the air. The dragon snapped at the air and thumped his tail once; the large limp shook the very ground he sat on. A teasing chirp filled the air and the bird flouted down closer and closer to the dragon. Silver eyes shined as they looked into swirling gold and the dragon started to shrink.

In the air the bird started to shift, and feathers rained down upon the dragon. A woman’s giggles followed the breeze as she danced in the air, wings sprouted from her back. Below, the dragon was not large like before but the size of a man who stood well above six feet. Both were nude but there was no discomfort as the woman allowed herself to sink into the awaiting arms of her lover. Her own ebony arms wrapped loosely around the man’s tanned neck as her wings folded against her back and were absorbed into her body.

“Looks like I beat you, my moon.”

The woman scoffed and tangled her fingers into the man’s long raven black hair.

“I let you win, mpenzi.”

The man huffed a laugh and blew out a plume of smoke through his nose as he lowered himself to the ground. He leaned his back against the tree and cradled the woman in his arms as she sat on his lap.

“Shall we test your theory?”

“I will be the victor everytime.”

The man shifted with a growl and trapped the woman underneath him, pinned to the ground by her arms and hips. The man had a smug smirk on his handsome face and the woman sucked her teeth. Willing the wings on her back to shoot out, she propled herself upward and sent the man sprawling onto his butt. She hovered above him, her foot pressed lightly against his chest as she smiled down at him.

“It is as I said, mpenzi.”

Agust blinked as his vision started to blur. The pain in his right eye had started to throb consistently, no longer a dull irritation as dye tinted water ran down his face. 

“My moon, you must stay by my side.”

“I am fine, mpenzi.”

“Ceyeh-”

“Agust.”

Agust huffed as Ceyeh walked ahead of him in a crowd. Snow crunched underneath their feet and Agust cringed. He was not accustomed to wearing shoes, nor was the amount of clothing acceptable, but he refused to let Ceyeh suffer alone. They were in an unfamiliar part of the world, up north to meet with humans that had requested their aid. 

It was colder than the land in the southwest but it wasn’t anything that really bothered Agust. He was a dragon and his blood naturally ran hotter than most creatures. Ceyeh, however, had a hard time. She lived for the warmth of the sun and the cool moon on her bareskin. Having to wear such thick clothing was unusual and made her itch. 

There were many layers to her garb while in the north. A tan linen dress with a rounded neckline was the base and worn over top was another dress made from wool, dyed a deep brown with white crisscross squares embroidered down the whole length of the front. Ceyeh’s shoulders and head were kept warm by a brownish-black woven cloak with a geometric design stitched throughout. The hood was adored with cowrie shells around the hem and white fox fur was on the inside to keep the wearer warm. Brown leather booties covered Ceyeh’s feet and cuts of fox fur were wrapped around her ankles with thin leather straps.

Agust thought Ceyeh looked lovely. The colors complemented her darker skin tone along with the tan and silver feathers that never left the creases of her eyes or cuffs of her ears. As a warrior, Ceyeh always stayed half shifted in case she ever needed to protect herself. Agust followed her lead, allowing his golden eyes to be framed in tiny black horns and his black scales lined his jawline and collar bones before they appeared in five inch patches along the rest of his body. Except at the small of his back and hips where the scales covered the skin fully and grew sparse as they went lower towards his inner thighs. When Ceyeh felt playful, she would teasingly compare Agust’s scales to that of a naga since their hip placement was similar.

Agust wore dark brown wool breeches with a tan linen round neck tunic. Over top he layered a brown cross collared wool coat with a brown-black woven cloak that had a tan and white swirl design stitched along the hood and hemming. His feet were covered with brown leather turnshoes and tan handwoven leg wraps. The darker tones made his honey tanned skin stand out, and his scales glistened.

“Ceyeh!” Agust called after his lover as she got lost in the crowd. He hurried his steps, ducking and dodging in between people as he followed the scent of warmed tangerines and sweet honey. He found himself in the town square in front of a large stone statue of who he assumed to be the land's first ruler. A flash of tan and brown flickered in the peripheral of his left eye and he pivoted on his heels. 

“Cey-”

Whoosh!

“Ack!”

Agust stood as still as stone as children’s laughter filled the air. His eyes were closed and his mouth was filled with an icy substance that melted on his tongue. He spit something out on the ground and wiped his face with his hand. As he looked at the ground, he saw the remains of a ball of snow.

"Ni nini maana ya hii?" Agust asked as he glared at the children, his anger pulled his native tongue from his lips, and Ceyeh appeared with a small child no more than three in her arms.

Ceyeh laughed, her face bright as she hiked the child up higher on her hip, “They call it a snowball fight!” 

Agust was at a loss for words. A snowball fight? He looked at the broken ball of snow and licked his lips. 

“Is it a declaration of war?” 

“Wema!” Ceyeh laughed as she shook her head. “A game, mpenzi.”

The discomfort was clearly displayed on Agust’s face. His lips pursed into a frown, a pout half formed as he brows pulled together. One single word bounced in Ceyeh’s mind as she looked at her ex-lover: Pallas. Ceyeh’s hand shook as she reached up to push away the strands of hair that dug into the open wound. Agust’s whole body tensed and Ceyeh stared unblinking as she tucked the uneven hair behind his ear. Some of the dye had started to melt away, patches of blond shined here and there.

The cut was deep but thankfully not jagged, it would heal in due time. Ceyeh was sure that it would scar and she felt something buried inside tremble in worry. She swallowed and grabbed Agust’s hand. Most of the blood had washed away from the rain, now his black clawed fingers were cold to the touch, his palm the only warmth. They stared at each other, chests rose and fell without a sound. The rain pelted the ground and mud splashed onto the bottom of their clothing.

Ceyeh tugged at Agust’s hand as he squeezed her fingers and she pushed against his chest. Agust didn’t move an inch and Ceyeh narrowed her eyes as a frown formed on her lips.

Ceyeh’s hand was laced with Agust’s as they walked through the town. Humans and creatures alike all placed their fist over their hearts and bowed their heads. Agust returned the gesture while Ceyeh smiled wide. Her hair was plaited into micro braids with small gold hoop rings looped into a few that framed her face.

Ceyeh wore a teal asymmetrical skirt with a white and gold brocaded chest band. A thin rope with red, white, and yellow beads rested against her waist with a single pixie crow’s feather attached at the center. She wore no shoes and walked with black feather anklets that brushed against each other if her steps were too small.

Agust was shirtless and wore a simple pair of white trousers that bunched at his knees and hung loose on his thighs. He too was barefoot and wore a single gold anklet on his right leg. Large golden earrings hung from his ears and his long dark hair flowed freely, his bangs pulled back and braided before they were wrapped together with golden twine. 

The market today was said to have beautiful goods and Agust was on the hunt for the perfect gift. Ceyeh had lost the last torment in her village and her spirits were a little low. She smiled and laughed, but it never reached her eyes. Agust couldn’t stand to see his lover down, and as he came upon a foreign vendor, he saw just what he had been looking for. 

Agust tugged on Ceyeh’s hand and pulled her towards the vender with a toothy grin. The sun reflected off the scales on his collarbones and casted a multitude of mini rainbows against Ceyeh’s chest as he turned towards her. The smile on her face was soft and true, endeared as she leaned into Agust’s chest and wrapped her arms around his waist as best she could. The dragon was large, even in human form. He kissed the top of Ceyeh’s head before he rested his cheek against her for a short while. They were in a world all their own as they basked in each other’s love, and when Agust pulled away, Ceyeh’s eyes were a pale silver and shined like freshly plucked pearls.

“I love you,” Agust breathed as he cupped Ceyeh’s face in his hands. Her fingers wound around his wrists and she smiled, melting into his touch. “Come now, pick your gift.”

Agust placed a warm, tender kiss upon Ceyeh’s lips and a high-pitched whistle slipped into his mouth. A mating call that never failed to make a sensual flame churn in his gut and threaten to consume him whole. Agust broke the kiss with only a few centimeters in between their lips. He smiled as Ceyeh chased after him and shook his head softly, teasingly.

“Pick what you will wear while I ravage your body again and again, my moon.”

Ceyeh pushed at Agust’s chest again and stepped forward, shoving them out into the rain. The water was startling and forced the clotted blood on Agust’s face to loosen and run red. Agust hissed as the rain stung the wound and he bared his teeth, unimpressed with Ceyeh’s actions.

Ceyeh pointed in the direction of the palace and Agust understood what she had wanted. He allowed for Ceyeh to lead the way. She walked with a purpose and Agust stared at the expense of her bare back where her jeogori had been ripped, showing off dark scarring that resembled ice crystals in the shape of wings. The mark of the lightning bird made Agust’s steps falter as he realized that the wings were just scars. There were no fully formed wings with sleek tan and silver feathers.

Agust closed his fingers into a fist and pulled his arm down at his side. He caught himself in time, he hadn't even noticed that he had raised his arm to touch Ceyeh’s back. Now, halfway to the palace, the rain had lightened and the bleeding cut on Agust’s face continued to sting as raindrops continued to bombard the deep wound. Wanting to get out of the rain as fast as possible, Agust pulled Ceyeh’s hand back harshly which made her stumble backwards into his chest. He was quick to scoop her into his arms and in the blink of an eye, his wings had sprouted from his back once more.

Ceyeh scowled at Agust’s wings, the large black appendages made her want to give him a matching gash over his left eye. Agust tightened his hold on Ceyeh and took off into the air with a single flap of his wings. Agust flew above the houses, only a foot above the roofs to avoid detection from guards and the village folk. Ceyeh watched as the world passed underneath her unknowing. A deep longing radiated in her eyes and as she looked away from the ground, Agust caught sight of the tears in her eyes.

Agust rumbled in his chest, a purr of sorts meant to comfort the woman in his arms as he flew closer and closer to the palace. Ceyeh closed her eyes, she didn’t want to see the view from above anymore. It was a mocking and painful reminder of what she had once had…before it had been stolen away.

Mid-spring in the northwest was humid at best. Full, fluffy clouds of white and blinding rays of sun glared down at the land from above and begged anyone to find shade. The lightning birds worked hard during the humid months and Ceyeh was no exception to the rule. In the middle of the day she would fly to the tree on top of the hill and wait until the sun was the highest in the sky. As she sat parched on top of the branches, she whistled a song that forced cool winds and heavy clouds.

A mild clash of nature created a low rumble as clouds rolled in from the north and filled the sky. The rumbling grew louder and at the first roaring crash of thunder, rain poured down from the Heavens. Thin, steamy vapors raised from the ground as it greedily drank in the refreshing liquid. Sometimes Mother Earth wasn’t fast enough in her gluttony and she choked on the water, sputtering so much that emptied river beds overflowed and villages flooded. It was as much a curse as it was a blessing.

The lightning never came, and Ceyeh sighed as she flapped her wings. Today would be a taxing one and she stopped her singing. The feathers that covered her body started to glow with a dim halo of blue silver, watery like the moon’s reflection on the rivers. Ceyeh’s eyes were a liquid pool of rolling clouds and endless skies. She flew high above and gave a mighty cry as she circled the sun seven times. Lightning cracked, a white-grey tree root in the sky before the electric light followed the rumble of the thunder. Ceyeh hovered in the air, her eyes focused on the flickering light that grew farther and farther away.

Satisfied with her work, Ceyeh turned back to her tree and chirped at the sight of Agust’s human form standing under the cover of the leaves. She flew to him and shrunk in size as she got closer. Agust smiled as Ceyeh landed on his shoulder and nuzzled into his temple.

“You did very well, little bird.”

Ceyeh’s wings ruffled at the teasing lilt to Agust’s voice and he laughed, golden eyes bright and gleaming. Ceyeh headbutted him and nipped at his hair, flapping her wing as she made sure to soak him.

“You will pay for that, my moon.” Agust laughed once more, his gravel-like voice softened at the edges with love. He pecked Ceyeh’s head and stroked the smooth feathers along her back.

“Shall we head home?” 

The palace wall came into view and Agust flew towards where the trees were the thickest. He blended in well enough with the cover of the clouds but he wanted to make sure no one saw Ceyeh in such a state. There was only one place that Agust knew they would be safest, and he flew into the seventh garden. He passed the lunch clearing, ignored the Blackthorns and flew right to the man-made water pool. As his feet touched the ground, his chest filled with strong flames and he blew them out onto the top of the water. The flames touched the stone waterfall and the runes turned a yellow orange before the water started to steam.

Ceyeh kicked her feet and Agust set her on the ground, a hand kept close to her lower back if she needed help. She stepped away from Agust and he resisted following her every step. Here in the cover of the trees, no rain fell down around them. 

Agust’s wound still bled. It throbbed and the pain spiderwebbed down the length of his face, just below his jaw. Ceyeh refused to look at him, her back turned as she crossed her arms over her chest. Agust’s clenched his teeth, now that they were alone and hidden from the rest of the world completely, he couldn’t seem to untangle the memories and feelings within his heart.

Bodies littered the ground, blood watered the grass, a mass grave had been built and it kept growing in size. Fire and smoke spread to destroy the land. It burned everything down until nothing but ash was left. 

In the carnage of it all, Ceyeh and Agust stood face to face. Agust’s eyes were ignited with hatred as he glared at the woman he once loved and trusted with his life. Ceyeh’s eyes glowed as sparkling tears littered her face like glitter. 

How had this come to be? What had turned her lover against her and her people? What had gone so wrong?

Agust lunged with a growl and tackled Ceyeh, who in turn used Agust’s momentum to flip them over. She pinned him to the ground, her forearm dug into his neck while her wings pressed into his shoulders.

“Yield!” Ceyeh demanded with tears in her eyes. “Agust, please? Stop this madness!”

Agust snarled, snapping his jaws while spit started to foam in the corners of his mouth as he tried to shake himself free. She had betrayed him and his people, the humans were here for their hoards and their scales. They knew too many secrets about dragons and the leader of the humans had given Agust one name.

“I will kill you!” Agust seethed, his eyes were large and bulbous like a wild boar as he honed in on Ceyeh.

“Agust!” Ceyeh begged as she tried to talk sense into him. She didn’t understand what had happened, and in truth, seeing Agust like this before her was soul-crushing.

She tried to smooth his hair from his face, tried to touch him gently but that only seemed to anger Agust more. He lashed out, stronger than Ceyeh had been prepared for and sent her flying onto her back. He pounced, caged her underneath his legs as he sat on her hips.

His smile was misplaced, something Ceyeh has never seen directed at herself before. It was wicked and cruel, taunting as Agust cupped her face gently. His claws pressed into the meat of her cheeks and drew blood. He hummed deep in his chest and turned her head away from him as he leaned forward.

“You did thisss to ussss, my moon,” Agust’s voice was warped, a hissing growl as he lost more and more of his control.

“Did what?” Ceyeh demanded, her voice full of tears as Agust licked the sweat and dirt from her neck.

Agust growled as he nuzzled into the softness of her throat, the vein pulsed quickly as she tried not to panic.

“The sssweetessst ssscents hide the worst sssecretsss. I wisssh not to hear anymore of your liesss!”

⚠⚠⚠

Ceyeh opened her mouth to speak and screamed. Blood filled her throat and lungs as Agust sunk his teeth into her neck and ripped out her vocal cords. Blood covered his mouth, it was bitter and as Ceyeh gurgled underneath him, Agust finally let his tears fall. Ceyeh’s hand shot to her neck as she tried to stop the bleeding but she knew it was pointless. She managed to pull herself out from under Agust and rolled onto her stomach. Blood spilled from the gaping hole in her neck and she wheezed, a sound choked by bloody bubbles. 

Wings sprouted from Ceyeh’s back, shining silver and warm tan, a sight that always made Agust purr. Now he scrambled to his feet as Ceyeh tried to fly away and his chest burned as he heaved a great billowing flame right at her back. 

Ceyeh dropped six feet from the air, her body hit the ground with a heavy thud and laid a yard away, unmoving. Agust was panting, his chest ached but he chose to ignore the reason why. He took careful steps in Ceyeh’s direction, his eyes watched for a hint of movement but he saw none.

As he stood a foot away, he saw that Ceyeh had fallen onto her face. The beautiful wings that he had admired so much were gone. Now, singed into her back were fresh burn marks that resembled ice crystals. Agust drew closer and kneeled at Ceyeh’s side, her wings had melted into her skin as they protected her. From the lack of blood and movement, Agust knew that Ceyeh had died before she hit the ground. His eyes stung as they blurred with more tears and he carefully rolled Ceyeh onto her back.

He had seen countless dead bodies, he knew the horrors of war, and yet the sight of his lover, the one he killed with his own two hands… Agust dry heaved. Fat tears poured down his face and he cradled Ceyeh’s lifeless body to his chest. Her blood stained his hands, his chest, his pants. He bent forwards and pressed his lips to Ceyeh’s forehead before he closed her eyes and scooped her into his arms. Agust rose slowly to his feet and carried Ceyeh through the flames that grew around them. 

⚠⚠⚠

Humans, dragons, lightning birds, and firebirds alike all froze when they saw the sight of the mighty Agust carrying a body in his arms. The birdfolk knew who it was and they all dropped to their knees in tears. The dragons roared in mass agony at the loss of what they called a soulmate. The one soul in the whole world that reflects yours, a balance of light and dark. One could not be without the other. Agust carried Ceyeh all the way to their shared nest and laid her in the center. He crossed her arms over her chest and placed one final kiss to her cold lips. 

Pire, the leader of the firebirds, appeared outside of Agust’s nest. The elder was a tall and narrow slip of a man. Withered with age yet strong from decades of battles and knowledge. He climbed into the nest and sat beside Agust silently as he studied the lifeless form of Ceyeh. Her throat had been ripped out and he could smell the stench of burned feathers and skin. He sighed heavily as his eyes flushed with tears.

“You are not welcome in this land. I banish you and your kind from henceforth.”

Agust didn’t fight against his punishment, he had let his anger get the better of himself, he had lost control. He had felt so betrayed and the anger in his heart had turned it black. He should have listened to what Ceyeh had tried to say.

“I cannot bring her back, you have killed her.”

Pire placed a hand on Ceyeh’s face and smoothed her braids from her dull eyes with a frown.

“I will grant her final wish…” 

Pire slid his hand to Ceyeh’s forehead and closed his eyes. The tears in his eyes slid down his face and dripped onto his robes. His hand had started to glow a pale yellow-red. The color of a starting flame. The light grew brighter and brighter and slowly spread from Pire’s whole body as it covered Ceyeh’s. Agust fought to keep his eyes open but the light was too bright. He closed his eyes and a moment later a tiny chirp was heard.

Agust opened his eyes and Pire was no longer in his human form nor was he a full grown firebird. In his place a tiny yellow chick with red ombre wings rested on Ceyeh’s chest and flapped its wings. Another firebird appeared, Dagan, younger than Pire before he turned younger. Agust stared at the chick confused.

“What was her final wish?”

Dagan picked Pire up and cradled the tiny chick to its chest. “To meet you again in another life.”

Agust’s eyes felt like they were made of fire from the tears he cried once again. Agust wiped at his face and nodded his head. Dragons were not immortale. They lived and died, unlike the firebirds, a phoenix, the humans later came to call them. Agust looked to Dagan beside him, he wanted to ask a favor but he knew he would receive no help from those he hurt.

The chick chirped away in the Dagan’s hand and the young firebird spoke up once more.

“Pire says our fates are intertwined by a red string. As the world falls into place around us, your story will continue to be told. This is not the end…that is his promise to you.”

Agust rose to his feet, placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head. He cast one last look at Ceyeh’s body and roared, a call to all the dragons to leave the land that would later be known as Escistan.

“Nitakupata tena, mwezi wangu."

Agust watched as Ceyeh stepped towards the water’s edge and peeled the ruined clothing from her body. She stood before him, nude in a body that wasn’t her own and Agust felt the Prince as he stirred in his mind. He was silent as Ceyeh stepped down into the heated water, submerging everything except her shoulders and head.

The pale silver of Ceyeh’s eyes reflected off the water’s surface, and Agust blinked slowly. Was it truly Ceyeh’s reflection or the moon’s? She stared at him in silence. She raised a hand and water droplets fell back into the pool before she tilted her head in a silent question. Agust carefully removed his clothing and joined Ceyeh in the heated water. His body relaxed from the warm temperature as the chill of the rain slowly faded little by little. 

“Ceyeh,” Agust’s voice was shattered glass, rough and sharp but he swallowed and tried again. “My moon…”

Ceyeh watched as Agust got closer to her, the sight of the cut on his face made her wince. The young prince had such a handsome face. She thought that it was lucky that the scar wouldn’t take away from his beauty, but added to it. It would harden his soft features and strike fear into those who looked upon him. She reached out and cupped Agust’s face with wet hands, her thumbs brushed away the blood and dye, and soothed the tender skin. 

Healing waters, that is what the runes turned the pool into, and yet Agust wondered if the Princeling even knew. He was sure that the gardener knew, but he pushed that thought from his mind. Agust focused on the way Ceyeh’s hands touched him, gently, slowly…lovingly. He leaned into the caress, one he had missed the moment he lost it, and purred loudly. 

He guided Ceyeh to the water’s edge and sat on the steps with her in between his legs. His arms wound themselves around her hips and he pulled her closer. His face smushed into her bare chest and Ceyeh flinched. Her body tensed and Agust purred louder as his fingers slid up and down the skin of Ceyeh’s hips.

“I have wronged you and yet you still care for me?”

Agust inhaled deeply as smooth honey coated his mind and ripening tangerine trickled down his throat. His mind slowly grew quiet, crickets played their song and night birds sung along. His body felt heavy as he started to float in the water, held in place by Ceyeh’s caring hands. 

In the palace courtyard, Hoseok and Aga stared at the sky as the rain slowed to a gentle drizzle. The clouds lost their darkened grey hue and glided through the sky in wispy white stokes. The lightest of colors against the darkened night. There high above all, the moon held its place among the stars. A glowing reminder that the young royals were still unaccounted for. 

Hoseok’s eyes lost the spark that swirled in his iris like twisted flames and Aga leaned against one of the support beams of an arch way with his arms crossed over his chest. He knew that the young royals were safe by the way the rain came and went. He worried that they could be hurt but he trusted Ceyeh to keep Keena safe, and he knew that if it came to life or death, Agust would protect the Prince at all costs. 

“We have to tell them,” Hoseok sighed as he kicked at a pebble in front of him. 

Aga agreed with Hoseok, but he knew that the young ones needed time to figure something out. The air was charged with a power that he had not felt in quite some time. The tides were changing and Aga couldn’t tell if that was for the best or not. Hoseok groaned as he rolled his shoulders and looked back at the moon.

“There is only one place we have not looked.”

Hoseok whistled and Ussik, the black eagle, flew down from above shortly after. Aga stared at the bird as it cocked its head to the side and nodded impressed.

“The Min Empire continues to show its strength it seems.”

Hoseok raised an eyebrow confused by Aga’s words.

“Black eagles are extremely hard to tame. They have a warrior’s heart and usually don’t do well working with anyone who doesn’t possess a bird spirit.” Aga explained slowly with a blank expression on his face. Hoseok nodded his head to show that he understood and turned his attention to the Ussik.

“Find Yoongi and Keena. Report back to me straight away.” He spared a glance at Aga and quickly added. “Make sure no one sees you.”

Ussik took off and soared through the air silently. Beady onyx eyes scanned the landscape of the palace grounds and listened for the familiar vibrations of the Prince and Princess. The sound of muffled tones caught Ussik’s attention and the bird flew over the seventh garden. The treetops were dense, sprinkled with shimmering drops of rain that glittered in the moonlight. Ussik slipped through the leaves and landed on a branch three yards away from the Prince and Princess. 

The black eagle easily blended into the shadows, its eyes seemed nothing more than two bugs stuck on the bark. Below, the young royals stood face to face, the Prince had the Princess caged between himself and the stone wall, their forms distorted by the waterfall.

Ceyeh had tried to get away from Agust, his grip had become too tight, his face too close to her throat. He had scared her and as she ran, he trapped her beneath the waterwall. The water was deeper here but a single stone bench allowed for both of them to stand on their feet. 

Agust had a hand wrapped around Ceyeh’s throat, the grip wasn’t threatening, lighter than he would hold anyone else’s; this thumb resting on her chin. Ceyeh scowled at him, her eyes misty pools of thickening fog. Their noses touched as Agust leaned in closer. His eyes flickered down to Ceyeh’s lips and she flashed her blunt teeth. A silent warning that made Agust’s lips quirk up into a half smirk as he huffed out an amused snort.

The cut on his eye wasn’t fully healed, pink and raw, but it no longer bled, and the pain had faded to a dull heartbeat. Easily ignored with the woman he loved in front of him. Agust loosened his hold even more, his hand slipped and he held both hands up in the air in surrender. The way Agust’s obsidian eyes softened slightly was enough for Ceyeh’s body to untense. The feathers that lined her ears bristled and Agust licked his lips, his fangs gleamed ever so slightly.

“You hate me that much?” Agust mused as he stared at Ceyeh. “Would ripping my throat out make you happy, my moon?” Agust bared his neck in all its smooth and unblemished glory. “My life is yours to do what you would please.”

Ussik observed silently for a moment longer before it flew off to find Hoseok. Ceyeh stared at the unprotected area. How easily Agust had offered his life, it made sparks sizzle in Ceyeh’s eyes. Lightning struck down one of the trees with the seventh garden. Smoke rose into the sky quickly and Agust lowered his head. They stared at each other in silence. Neither one made a move until Agust’s eyes fell to Ceyeh’s lips once more.

He moved slowly as he reached for her face with both hands. She didn’t flinch, only blinked owlishly. Agust’s forehead rested against hers, his words were his final warning.

“Kill me.”

Ceyeh’s own hands grabbed at Agust’s shoulders and he braced himself for death but it never came. Cool lips pressed into his, smooth, and soft. An April shower filled his heart and washed away any doubt in his mind. Ceyeh had still loved him even when he didn’t deserve an ounce of it. Agust dropped an arm to Ceyeh’s waist and pressed her farther into the stone wall. The kiss grew hotter. A desert with a single oasis hidden within many mirages. All optical illusions that Agust’s mind had made up. 

Agust nipped at Ceyeh’s bottom lip as he requested permission to taste her. As her lips parted, Agust growled deep in his chest, the vibrations made goosebumps appear on Ceyeh’s arms. Agust was drowning. He drowned in the first rain of the spring, the first snow of winter; that first scoop of sweet and gooey honey. Agust’s body burned with the simmering fire that laid dormant for how long? The two horns at the center of his forehead started to grow outward and he groaned as he pressed into Ceyeh’s soft body more. 

The plushness of her thighs called him home, he lifted her wordlessly and she gasped as her ankles locked behind his back; a habit from their past. The heat between her legs was maddening, Agust wanted to take and take and take as much as he wanted to give. He pulled away from Ceyeh’s lips and moved towards her neck, he needed to smell her as the scent of her arousal was washed away by the water around them. 

Ceyeh tried to speak. Her lips parted but no sound came as Agust’s teeth nipped at the sensitive skin of her throat. She shoved at his chest, as tears blurred her vision, the past was too close in the forefront of her mind. Her throat throbbed, searing pain made her whine and Agust pulled away at the sound of distress. His chest heaved, his eyes liquid gold as he nosed at her chin. Bitter tangerines, long forgotten in the sun burned his nose and Agust growled. Ceyeh was scared of him. Ceyeh pushed him away sharply and shook her head as he released her.

“N-No! N-Noooo!”

The words were choked, whispered out harshly as Ceyeh forced herself to use vocal cords for the first time in all of her three reincarnations. Agust froze, the voice was the Princess’ but it was sharper, a hard shelled candy with a nutty filling. A voice that was both the Princess’ and Ceyeh’s mixed together. A sound that Agust felt himself submit to easily. He backed away from Ceyeh and kept his hands where she could see them. His clawed fingers twitched as Ceyeh wrapped her arms around herself, seemingly holding everything together all alone.

Agust wanted to hold her tightly, assure her that everything would be okay, but as the smoke from the struck tree grew thicker, Agust knew their time together was short.

“Come,” Agust held out his hand and looked towards the water’s edge. “The guards will be here soon and I’d rather not slaughter those that the little royals are so fond of.”

The critical look that Ceyeh gave Agust made his shoulders ease and a smile pulled at his lips. Ceyeh placed her hand in his and he wrapped his fingers around hers tightly.

“I have had quite some time to think about my misdeeds,” Agust spoke as he led Ceyeh to the edge of the water. “I would like a moment of yours if you would grant it so?”

From behind, Ceyeh took in the expanse of Agust’s back. His shoulders were wide and thick, the muscles that twitched under the skin made Ceyeh bite the inside of her bottom lip. Agust had always been strong, but here in Prince Yoongi’s body, his strength wasn’t clearly seen nor was it shown off. The large black dragon tattoo that covered his back was intimidating, and from how the Prince acted, Ceyeh wondered if it was Agust who craved the bold design. Agust lifted himself out of the water just in time to see Hoseok and Aga break through the bushes. 

“That is far enough!” Agust hissed, golden eyes reflecting the flames of the fire on the tree.

 “Give me your shirt, bird of fire.”

Hoseok’s brows were furrowed in concern the moment he saw the Prince’s face. His right eye looked damaged and Hoseok feared that it was worse than it looked. He took note of the way the Prince’s hair was dyed and cut short with some blond peeking through…he would have a few choice words with Prince Yoongi once he regained his control. 

It was clear to see that Agust had shifted, patches of black scales covered his body, his horns were fully formed, and he spoke with that unsettling snake-like lisp. From the silence that came from behind him, it was safe to assume that the Ceyeh was present as well.

Aga dropped to one knee with his hand over his heart and bowed his head, “Mighty Impundulu have you been-”

Agust bristled at the show of respect and narrowed his eyes. 

“Your shirt,” he repeated as he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked Aga up and down before he licked his lips in thought.

“What right do you assume you have to gaze at my moon? Off with your shirt as well.”

Aga removed his shirt without a second thought and threw it to Agust while Hoseok frowned. It was still lightly raining and he really did not want to let the cool water touch the rest of the body. He had just put on a dry cape. As Aga rose to his feet, he raised an eyebrow in Hoseok's direction and Hoseok sucked his teeth. Wordlessly, he removed his cape but kept his shirt on before he tossed it to Agust. 

Agust turned his back on the men in the clearing and focused on Ceyeh. He lifted her out of the water and used the cape to dry her off before he carefully dressed her in Aga’s shirt. It was big enough to fall past her thighs and Agust nodded his head in approval. He wrapped the black cape around his waist wordlessly. It was damp from the rain and drying Ceyeh, but better than his wet and bloody clothes. 

Aga watched as Ceyeh hugged Agust around the waist and nuzzled into his chest. Agust stroked a hand over her hair and lifted her face upward by her chin. He spoke softly enough for Aga and Hoseok not to hear his words before he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. 

Hoseok gasped and Aga’s jaw clenched. Aga knew there was history between them and that at some point in time the two had been happy with each other. To see Ceyeh willingly kiss Agust was disturbing, but with how the Prince’s face looked, Aga was sure that the flame they once had reignited over shared trauma.

Ceyeh left Agust’s side and walked right over to Hoseok, she motioned to her eye and Hoseok nodded his head. He knew that the Prince would need medical attention right away. Turning her attention to Aga, Ceyeh walked over the guard and he wordlessly lifted her into his arms bridal style. Agust hissed, fangs flashing and ready to strike, but Ceyeh threw him a look that screamed behave, and he settled. Aga left the seventh garden with the Princess and went right into the palace.

Hoseok stood with Agust and rubbed a hand over his face, “Are you going to behave?” 

“Have I not killed you yet, fire bird?” 

Hoseok rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest, “What happened tonight?”

“It seems that the rat you spoke of has a pack.”

Hoseok’s eyes hardened and his jaw ticked, “We will discuss this later inside…for now, I need the Prince immediately.” 

“Something happened while we were away.”

It was a statement, one that Hoseok very much wished he could deny. For the first time in a long while Agust felt…well it did not matter what he felt. Whatever had happened while the foolish Princeling had snuck out had nothing to do with him. 

“The Little Prince cannot handle this pain. Fetch the doctor and meet me at the Princeling’s chambers. I will protect him for now.”

Hoseok was weary of Agust’s mocking words, but he didn’t have much choice. He needed Yoongi to come back to his senses and fast. Hoseok nodded his head and whistled loudly for Ussik. Once the eagle was on his shoulder, he relayed the message for Hyungwon and sent the bird off into the night. 

Before they left the seventh garden, Hoseok placed his hand on the flaming tree and absorbed the flames. His eyes twirled alight with the new flames and he frowned at the sight of the charred tree. He wondered how long it would take for Namjoon to notice.

As they left the seventh garden, Hoseok crushed a starstone in his hand and blew it onto Agust before he led the way to the Prince’s chambers unseen. He politely declined any conversation with others as he made his way into the palace and Agust thought it strange. What had happened while the Princeling was frolicking about in the night? Once inside the Prince’s chambers, Agust headed right to the washroom and Hoseok followed behind him. Agust stripped himself of the cape and stepped into the hot water with a sigh. 

He sat on one of the stone benches and rested his arms on the edge of the bath. His head fell back and he closed his eyes as the scent of lavender and teakwood filled his lungs. His body appeared as the starstone washed away. The horns in the center of his head start to shrink and his scales fade little by little. The points of his claws shortened into rounded blunt nails, the black gone from his fingertips.

Agust was tired. It had been quite a while since he last fought to the death, and he would not admit it to anyone, but his skills were lacking. The world had evolved around him, those who were weak were now able to stand toe to toe with the stronger warriors. Magical weapons gave power to those who didn’t deserve it nor need it. Agust thought back to how the Princess was able to be captured and he growled, his head shooting up as his irises twisted with something wicked.

“I think it’s time for an execution.”

“That is not your call to make, Agust.”

Hoseok sat at the edge of the large tub and dunked a dried washcloth into the water. He had a plan to get the Prince’s body clean and back to the way it should look. First was to wash out the remaining dye used to color his hair black. Once that was taken care of, Hoseok would scrub the Prince’s body nearly raw before he had Hyungwon come to take a look at the cut on his eye. 

“Keep your eyes closed.” Hoseok ordered before he folded the wet washcloth and placed it at Agust’s hairline. He grabbed a small bowl and filled it with water before he poured it over Agust’s hair. Two times he did that before he started to scrub at the scalp and strands to remove the dark coloring. As more and more of the blond started to show, Hoseok saw that the Prince’s hair had been poorly cut.

“Who did this to Yoongi’s hair?”

“Bandits,” Agust hissed, his eyes still closed as he allowed Hoseok to wash his hair. “Chopped it clean off with a dagger while the boy was fading. He wouldn’t relinquish control and fought me.”

Hoseok made a noise in the back of his throat in response. Bandits did all of this? His mind went over a list of who he thought was the rat inside the palace and he shook his head. He would make no judgment until all the facts were laid out. Once all the black color was out of Agust’s hair, Hoseok started to wash his body.

“It’s a pity the Min’s are born with blond hair. I quite liked having my natural color back.”

“You had black hair?”

Agust hummed with a slight nod of his head, “Long black hair. Ceyeh made it her duty to style it anyway she pleased when we were younger.”

Hoseok took a moment to think over his next words before he spoke, watching as the small horns that lined Agust’s eyes retracted back into the skin. Most of the scales were now gone and Hsoeok wondered why Agust was giving up control so easily. 

“You never share information about your past.”

“What is there to share? I lived and I died, five times now. I have found my soulmate in this life and those before me have granted me a chance to atone for my misdoing.” Agust sighed and peaked open his left eye. “Everything else is meaningless.”

Hoseok opened his mouth to counter Agust’s words, but Hyungwon bursted into the bathing room with his medical supplies floating behind him. His face was flushed and he was panting. He clearly ran all the way here and Agust raised an eyebrow at the good doctor.

“I-I-” Hyungwon folded over in half and inhaled deeply before he straightened up and exhaled. “I have come as requested.” 

Now that Hyungwon had gathered himself, his eyes widened at the sight of the Prince’s face.

“Your Highness!!”

“Easy, Hyungwon,” Hoseok warned as the doctor hurried over to the bath. “The floor is wet and His Highness isn’t fully with us…”

Hyungwon froze at those words and he looked at the Prince. He saw it now, the difference in those golden eyes. Even when the Prince got angry and his eyes shifted colors, they never held such ire and turmoil. Agust was in control, and with how the Prince’s eye looked, Hyungwon was thankful.

“Forgive me, Agust. I didn’t realize it was you.” Hyungwon bowed his head deeply and lowered himself to the floor. “May I treat the wound?” 

Agust grunted and waved for Hyunwon to move closer. The doctor took his time as he examined the damaged area. The cut was deep enough to scar, that much was clear, and when Agust closed his eyes, the lid was thankfully missed. However, upon further inspection, Hyungwon gulped.

“I-It seems that some first aid has already been applied and in this case, I am thankful. The cut looks to be an inch in depth, though since the area is partly healed, it is hard to tell. The lid is still intact and with a regrowth serum the eyebrow’s hair can go back to normal.” 

Hyungwon licked his lips and rubbed the back of his neck before he spoke again.“My greatest concern at this moment is the eyeball itself. There are signs of trauma and I fear that His Highness’ sight may be affected.”

“His sight?” Hoseok repeated, his face horror stricken.

“Agust will you allow His Highness to join us? I need to see the full extent of the injury.” 

“I will be near if you so need me,” Agust informed Hoseok before the Prince’s body went limp.

Hoseok and Hyungwon were quick to grab the Prince by his armpits and pulled him out of the water. Laid out on the floor, Hyungwon reached into his bag and pulled out a small bottle of smelling salt. They didn’t have time to wait for the Prince to wake up, and Hoseok understood that. He held Prince Yoongi down by his shoulders and nodded his head for Hyungwon to wake him up. Hyungwon swiped the bottle underneath the Prince’s nose and by the third swipe, Prince Yoongi woke with a choked gasp.

“Easy! Easy, Your Highness!” Hyungwon ordered softly and Hoseok applied light presses to his shoulders to keep him down.

“You are safe, Yoongi.” Hoseok spoke with a tight smile.

Prince Yoongi groaned with a wince. His whole body hurt, it felt like a whole herd of horses had trampled him. His vision faded and blurred like he had just come up face first from the sea. He blinked a few times, and as his vision cleared in his left eye, Prince Yoongi’s pulse started to race when no images cleared in his right eye.

“...Yoongi?” Hoseok’s voice was on edge, his grip on his shoulders tightened and Yoongi started to sweat.

His stomach swooped and tumbled as he tried his hardest to focus but nothing changed. Something was wrong, and Prince Yoongi was hit with a wave of nausea as he recalled the events of the night. They were attacked, ambushed! And—

“The Princess!” Yoongi pushed Hoseok away from him and sat up, nearly crashing his head into Hyungwon’s chin, who was dabbing at his face with a damp cotton ball.

“She is safe. Yoongi, Princess Keena is safe.” Hoseok reassured his friend as he forced him to lay down once again. “Aga and the other guards are with her. She is safe, I promise.”

Yoongi groaned as Hyungwon pressed a cold cream against his right cheek. It stung as much as it soothed the burning skin. Yoongi tried to focus on the doctor but he couldn’t see him clearly. Hyungwon’s image was distorted, an opaque film thrown over him and scribbled over with a gray and black hue. A faded shadow with diffused edges and unclear shapes. Even the coloring was off, muted at best if Prince Yoongi had to describe it. It reminded him of the time he got muze dust in his eyes and everything was fuzzy for two days.

“Your Highness?” Hyungwon pulled him from his thoughts and nodded to Hoseok. “Let’s get you up now, slowly.”

Hoseok and Hyungwon carefully supported the Prince’s back and helped him sit upright before Hyungwon pulled back a little.

“Your Highness…how many fingers am I holding up?”

The Prince starred in Hyungwon’s direction and licked his lips, “Four.”

“Very good, Your Highness. Now please cover your left eye.”

The Prince covered his left eye, Hyungwon’s figure was clear as day and he stared at the two fingers in front of him, “Two.”

“Good. Now your right eye, carefully.”

The Prince switched to the right eye and flinched as the skin of his palm brushed against his cheek. He frowned. Hyungwon’s figure was-

“Your Highness?” 

Prince Yoongi blinked hard, four times as he tried to clear his vision. His pulse rushed in his ears and he struggled to answer the simple question.

“Yoongi?” Hoseok’s voice was strained as he watched tears collect at the corners of his friend’s eyes.

“I-I can’t…I can’t—”

The hand that covered the Prince’s right eye fell into his lap and he shook his head. He refused to meet Hoseok or Hyungwon’s gaze. The two shared a look with each other and Hoseok nodded his head, his face blank as he patted the Prince’s shoulders.

“Okay. We can take care of it, Yoongi.”

“Yes, I will not give up, Your Highness. I will find a way to gain your sight back.” Hyungwon promised, and the Prince nodded his head. 

He started to rise, and Hoseok was quick to help Prince Yoongi to his feet. Hyungwon handed the Prince a towel and the three of them headed into his sleeping chambers. Hoseok left the Prince’s side and grabbed a black cross wrap v-neck shirt, the material was light and breathable with a pair of matching sleep pants that fit loosely around the legs for him to settle into. 

Once the Prince was dressed with a blended black silk robe with butterfly sleeves and golden waves pattern over top to keep warm, he sat with a cup of tea in his hands, now in the sitting room. Hoseok sat across from him on the smaller couch and ran a hand through his hair.

“Yoongi?” 

“Say whatever has been on your tongue, Hoseok.” 

The Prince’s face was paler, his right eye wrapped in clean white bandages and his hair hung around his ears messily. Hyungwon had started to comb the Prince’s hair, the strands pushed back and out of his face before he bowed and left.

Hoseok sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face before he looked at his dear childhood friend.

“Your mother has requested an audience with you and the Princess.”

“Can it not wait until tomorrow?” 

“If you had been within the palace, you would have heard the news by now.”

“Hoseok, please. I do not have the patience for your word games. What has happened in my absence? Why has mother requested an audience at such an hour?” 

Hoseok raised to his feet and stared at his friend, his face pinched as the words left his lips in a rattled croak.

“T-The Emperor…he is ill.”

[star-my]

born as a tiger

Pairing: Min Yoongi (Mad King) x OFC (Lee Hoyeon)

Rating: T | WC: 5.8k | Ao3 | My Fics Masterlist | Masterlist |

AU: Daechwita AU, Arranged Marriage AU, Historical AU, Royal AU

CW: implied unhealthy/abusive parental relationship, OFC has Trust Issues & implied C-PTSD, Yoongi & Yoonji star in this fic, Namjoon cameo, Jackson Wang shows up (does not throw a party but is cause for one), Jackson goes by Gayi, empty threats of violence but as a love language, sword fighting but friendly, I think that's it, lmk if I should update this

Summary:

Lee Hoyeon trembled at all the thoughts flashing through her head as her carriage pulled up in front of the infamous Changdeokgung palace. Peering out through the window, she was unsettled to see how clean the stone courtyard was, the cool taupe a far cry from the dripping red she’d half-expected after tormenting herself with thoughts of her fiance’s atrocities. All the gossip she’d heard from the maids and guards back home in Dongjak Kingdom was now front and centre in her mind.  The carriage slowed to a gentle stop and the door opened, courtesy of the footman. Hoyeon took his hand, hoping hers wasn’t trembling too noticeably, and took her first step on the grounds she would be empress of in three weeks.

A/N: - this idea lay dormant for a year and a half and suddenly resurrected in the middle of reading a webtoon at 10 pm so here I am answering the author’s call of nature 😭 (*spongebob voice* fOuR mOnThS lAtEr: bless the ATZ hyperfixation for me wanting to get something out of my brain to make more room for the ot8 brainrot and this WIP was the sacrifice it chose)

I did some research for this fic, such as the Changdeokgung palace truly existing (of which I used in my moodboard), the chrysanthemum tea vs plum tea debate, and Yoongi’s sword apparently being called a hwando, etc. Any inaccuracies are mine and I apologize. Please feel free to point them out :)

There was supposed to be some smut but the muses refused. I may add it in the future or post it in a second chapter.

Thanks to the lovely @lunarelles for betaing! Any remaining mistakes are my own <3 Enjoy! 

D-22

Emperor Min Yoongi of the Dalseogu Empire was a force to be reckoned with. His subjects trembled in fear when he was whispered about–even his fellow rulers kept a wide berth around him when they met at diplomatic events. He’s a monster, they said. His reign was written with the blood of his subjects. He was nicknamed the Mad King for a reason–not that anyone would say his unofficial title to his face.

The day after the seventh emperor of the Dalseogu empire was crowned, he killed half of his court. Only a select few officials remained unscathed from the Mad King’s bloodbath. Even the families of the officials he killed were not all exempt – wives, concubines, and children being wiped out by his sword. The Dowager Empress and the Second, Third, and Fourth Prince had all died that day, making it the second most bloody day the Empire had seen since its inception.

Lee Hoyeon trembled at all the thoughts flashing through her head as her carriage pulled up in front of the infamous Changdeokgung palace. Peering out through the window, she was unsettled to see how clean the stone courtyard was, the cool taupe a far cry from the dripping red she’d half-expected after tormenting herself with thoughts of her fiance’s atrocities.

All the gossip she’d heard from the maids and guards back home in Dongjak Kingdom was now front and centre in her mind. 

The carriage slowed to a gentle stop and the door opened, courtesy of the footman. Hoyeon took his hand, hoping hers wasn’t trembling too noticeably, and took her first step on the grounds she would be empress of in three weeks. 

A contingency of guards marched out from the front gates of Changdeokgung, a swish of brightly-coloured silk in their midst. Bowing to Hoyeon, they stepped aside, revealing the silk as the crown princess, the Mad King’s twin sister, Min Yoonji.

“I’m glad you made it here safely, Princess Hoyeon,” greeted Crown Princess Yoonji familiarly, as if this was their hundredth meeting and not their first. “The emperor was out often the past couple weeks ensuring the bandits would not attack the carriages. I imagine you’re rather thirsty and tired. Would you like some tea?”

“Tea would be lovely, thank you, Crown Princess.”

“Please, call me unnie, we are to be sisters in a few weeks.”

“As you wish, Crown Princess.” Hoyeon followed the princess to the quarters prepared for her stay before she wed the emperor. 

This whole situation was most bizarre. The crown princess had been rumoured to be a fierce warrior–much like her brother, the maids had gasped as Hoyeon eavesdropped. Yet here she was, dressed in silks like any other respectable lady of the court and pouring the fragrant tea with a natural elegance Hoyeon had practiced for days to attain.

“So, are you excited for the wedding?” asked Yoonji, refilling their cups with the most delicious blend of tea Hoyeon had ever drunk.

Hoyeon nibbled on her lip, debating how much would be prudent to tell the crown princess. She was lovely and welcoming, but she was also the emperor’s sister. How was she supposed to say she was scared out of her wits and had been for the past several days, since her father had announced her engagement to the Mad King at a state dinner with no warning whatsoever. That she’d tried to learn what she could about her new empire and husband-to-be, but all she had gleaned was that she would be lucky to survive six months as the empress? What could she say, I almost looked forward to this when my father first announced this, so that I had a chance to finally be free from his tyranny, but now I wish I was back with the devil I know?

Deciding the last train of thought had the most truth she could pluck from and spin into a plausible half-truth, she replied, “I was surprised when my father mentioned the alliance to me, but I am pleased to be able to support my kingdom in this way. I will do my best to be a good empress to Dalseogu. I noticed the absolutely beautiful scenery as I made my way here, and it is a lovely empire.” Just ruled by not-so-lovely people, she thought, then ignored the stab of guilt at the mental insult to Yoonji, who’d been rather good so far at calming her nerves.

Yoonji smiled at the compliment to her empire. “I’m so glad you think so! I know it can be a bit…sparse, to some, but I think there’s a wild beauty to the land.”

One of her maids stepped forward to whisper in her ear. Yoonji looked at Hoyeon apologetically. 

“Duty calls, I’m afraid. I’ll leave you to rest now. I know my brother was looking forward to greeting you, but something came up that he couldn’t ignore. He’d like you to join him for tea tomorrow afternoon.”

“Of course, I will be there. Thank you, Crown Princess…unnie.”

Yoonji’s glare softened at the casual honorific. “Lovely! Rest well, Princess Hoyeon.”

The crown princess and her entourage left, leaving only Hoyeon and her maid, Jina. 

“That seemed to go well, Miss,” offered Jina as she began to unpack and brush out Hoyeon’s nightclothes.

Hoyeon groaned, collapsing onto her bed with her hand flung over her eyes. “Appearances can be deceiving, Jina. I can’t afford to trust anyone here, no matter how nice they are–especially the emperor’s sister!”

“I hope she can be a true friend to you here, Miss.”

“Thank you, Jina.”

D-21

“It’s a pleasure to serve you, Princess Hoyeon,” bowed the maid provided by the palace, named Sora. 

“Thank you. I’m sure Jina will appreciate your help in navigating the palace until she becomes accustomed to our new accommodations.”

“I’ll do my best, Princess.”

Sora and Jina chattered away, becoming fast friends, as Hoyeon chewed anxiously on her thumbnail in the corner. 

She learned that Sora had a younger sister, Soha, whom she was very proud of for having recently become a full-fledged palace maid. The head maid was tough but caring once a maid proved herself, and Sora was sure Jina would win her over in no time. There were a couple guards who were insufferable flirts, but they were still respectful. Jina’s best course of action would be to ignore any flirtations and not respond to the provocations. 

Hoyeon finally jumped up from her seat, startling the maids from their conversation. “What time should I be prepared to go for tea with the emperor?”

“If we start now, you should arrive just after the emperor’s meeting finishes, Princess,” replied Sora. 

The maids did their best to dress Hoyeon up in her favourite hanbok, pinning her hair with a gold hairpin the emperor had gifted her via her father, and using cosmetics to accentuate her features.

“You’re a little pale,” commented Jina as she patted some pink onto Hoyeon’s cheeks. 

“Do you blame me?” she retorted. “Sora, is there anything I need to be aware of when I greet the emperor?”

Sora paused from folding a discarded robe. “I don’t think so. Emperor Min doesn’t insist on many formalities if it’s not a formal event. I believe Soha will be serving the tea, so if you need anything, you can ask her to find me, Princess.”

“Thank you, Sora.”

Jina and Sora fell in behind her, Sora quietly directing her through the maze of corridors to the room the emperor was waiting in for her.

She smiled at the guards outside the doors. “Is the emperor available?”

“Unnie!”

Hoyeon turned to see a girl bearing a tea tray. She bowed to her before turning to Sora.

“Unnie, the emperor is still occupied.”

“Do you think he will be long?”

“I don’t think you will wait long,” reported the girl, who Hoyeon assumed was Soha. “Princess,” she bowed again before entering the room.

A loud voice escaped the open door, followed by the distinctive sound of a slap.

A minute later she ran out, tears flowing down her face as she passed Hoyeon and her maids.

Hoyeon stared in trepidation at the girl. What had happened to make the emperor slap her? She’d barely had time to do anything. This didn’t bode well for her.

“Show Princess Lee in,” called a voice. The guards opened the door.

Hoyeon took a deep breath and stepped forward, keeping her eyes on the next step she was taking.

She paused when she reached a low tea table, droplets of tea scattered across its surface. She could see the emperor’s robes across from her and a tea set shattered on the floor to her right.

So that was why Soha had run out. Why was it broken?

“Your Majesty,” she bowed, hoping it was low enough.

“Your Highness,” he greeted in response. “You may stand.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Her eyes flicked up to his face quickly, then back down to hide her surprise.

He had a scar across his right eye, from his eyebrow to his cheek. She’d thought the rumours were just that–rumours. Who had ever heard of a king with a scar?

She supposed with a reputation like his, he didn’t have to worry about naysayers attempting to depose him.

She’d been so surprised at the scar and hadn’t wanted to be caught staring that she barely remembered his other features.

She chanced another glance and found him staring at her.

“You can look at me, Princess Hoyeon.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She peeked up under her lashes.

Was it possible for a scar to heighten his appeal? He had shockingly blond hair pulled back into the typical sangtu, thick brows, a nose that she couldn’t believe the first adjective she thought of was ‘cute’, and pouty lips. Overall, he was rather attractive. 

The benefit to marrying a young emperor was that he was surprisingly handsome, but it also meant he was less likely to die soon. In all honesty, Hoyeon expected him to outlive her.  

She hadn’t met his eyes–his look had been far too calculating. If there was one thing she knew about court politics, it was to never show your fear when someone was around. 

“You arrived much quicker than I expected, Princess Hoyeon. I hope your travels were smooth.”

“Yes, thank you. We had no trouble at all. My father said it was better to arrive sooner lest we be waylaid and made late.” He was just thrilled he could finally get some use out of his useless only child.

“Crown Princess Yoonji said that you were an interesting companion at her tea yesterday.”

I knew she’d tell him about me.

“As was she, Your Majesty. I look forward to getting to know her–and you–better.”

“Good,” said the emperor, clearly pleased. “The crown princess is pleased to be able to help you become accustomed to the Dalseogu Empire. I will be busy with all the things that must be finished before the wedding, so I imagine you will be seeing her often.”

“I’m pleased to hear that, Your Majesty. May I ask you a question?” Better to find out now how lenient he will be towards my impertinence.

“Go ahead.”

“Why did you approach the Dongjak kingdom for an alliance?” Why me?

“It is advantageous for both our lands to have the trade deals this alliance will forge. Dongjak and Dalseogu have not always been at peace, so this was a good way to cement it.”

Slightly surprised that the emperor had actually given her an answer, she nodded. She hadn’t had the slightest shred of hope that he would give her some secretly romantic explanation, such as he’d seen her at some event and been so taken by her that he had to have her. All she was good for was strengthening her kingdom’s ties as one of its most important representatives. 

The guards opened the door and let in Sora, carrying the replacement tea set.

She poured the tea quietly and served their cups to them, then retreated to the side, assuming an at-ease position.

“Please sit,” directed the emperor, settling himself on his cushion. Hoyeon followed his example, making herself as comfortable as she could sitting opposite an unknown volatile man no one could rebuke.

The tea was delicious, stronger than what she was used to back in Dongjak, but she found its tart flavour pleasant. 

“This is exquisite tea, Your Majesty.”

He inclined his head. “It is plum tea. I believe Dongjak more commonly uses the chrysanthemum flowers for their tea.”

“You are correct, Your Majesty.”

Tea with the emperor went fairly well, although Hoyeon caught his considering gaze upon her several times. It unnerved her, wondering why he was taking so much interest in his political bride. 

She didn’t like it.

D-20

Hoyeon giggled, finally somewhat relaxed around the crown princess as the older girl spilled stories about her maids’ and guards’ dramatic dynamics and relationships. 

“Don’t tell the head maid I told you this,” Yoonji leaned forward, finger to her lips. 

Hoyeon’s eyes widened as she bit her lower lip, nodding quickly in agreement. She knew that the maids were one of the biggest and best ally teams she could have on her side in the palace, and she wouldn’t dare do anything to harm her chances of gaining connections.

“So, what do you think of my brother, after your tea with him yesterday?” Yoonji relaxed onto her cushion, pouring herself another cup of what Hoyeon wasn’t completely convinced was just plum tea. 

Her teeth dug further into her lip as she considered how to answer. The siblings appeared fairly close for being possible throne rivals–especially considering that Yoonji had survived the Mad King’s bloody beginning–and she couldn’t speak freely. The princess was a skilled politician, however, and would surely catch on if she lied and began praising the man.

“I find His Majesty…intimidating,” she said slowly, gauging how Yoonji took that ambivalent opening.

Yoonji nodded, motioning to continue with her finger. “He certainly knows how to make himself understood.”

Understatement of the dynasty, thought Hoyeon. 

“He’s…rather good looking. I was surprised,” she mused. Realising Yoonji had raised her eyebrow at her, she went on hastily. “Just that I hadn’t heard anyone speak about that when they discussed the emperor! I had very little information on His Majesty to go off of. I suppose the men that met the emperor were more focused on his character than his countenance,” she snorted, a little self-deprecatingly, glancing up to see if Yoonji would take the bait and either consider her a little simple and romantically-minded or expound upon her open-ended question to know more about her fiance’s personality. 

“Well, I suppose I agree that my brother is rather good-looking,” Yoonji mused, sipping her tea. “I’ve been told often that we appear quite similar.”

“Indeed, that was one of the first things I noticed. You’re both attractive and there’s certainly a family resemblance between you two. By the way, is there anyone you think is good-looking, unnie?” she asked curiously, hoping she wasn’t overstepping.

Yoonji shook her head. “There are several tolerably handsome ministers and princes around, but their personalit-”

A knock sounded at the door to the crown princess’s tea room. Yoonji nodded at Hoyeon in apology, excusing herself to speak quietly with the maid waiting at the door, bringing a message from the emperor. 

Yoonji’s brow furrowed slightly, then smoothed as she turned back to Hoyeon. “The emperor has requested an audience with me, and he wishes to see you after my visit. Would you like to come with me now?”

Hoyeon nodded, setting her tea down and getting to her feet. She still wasn’t entirely sure she had the palace layout memorised, and Jina was currently being interviewed by the head maid, leaving Hoyeon friendless and ally-less if Yoonji also left her behind. 

“I’d be honoured to join you, Your Highness.”

The two young women headed as briskly as nobles could to the emperor’s throne room, where he remained after a meeting with his ministers earlier. 

The guards saw the duo’s approach and opened the tall doors in anticipation of Yoonji’s entrance. Hoyeon chose to remain outside, though the doors remained open, giving the siblings privacy and taking advantage of the moment to prepare her nerves to see her fiance again. She’d relaxed in Yoonji’s quiet company, but reverted to her stiff princess behaviour on their walk here. 

Shaking her head at her rapid closeness with the princess, she straightened her skirts anxiously. For all she knew, the siblings were in there right now discussing her pathetic surface-level attraction to the Mad King and how quickly she’d come to confide in the princess.

Shifting on her feet, she cursed her father once again for removing anyone who’d appeared close to her, making her a prime target for spilling her innermost thoughts when she met someone who appeared to listen. Reminding herself it had only been two days and Yoonji had not yet proved if it was safe to trust her, Hoyeon twisted the jade ring on her finger as she waited.

A loud cry came from Yoonji, giving her deja vu. With an inner sigh, she inched forward, straining her ear to make out what the siblings were arguing about. 

Silently, she watched Yoonji, who appeared unafraid to talk back to the emperor. Was it because she was his sister? He wouldn’t retaliate? Something else? She needed to know everything she could.

“I’m getting married?!” cried Yoonji, clearly. “In two weeks?! Without you telling me first?!”

Hoyeon froze. Her newest ally and possible future friend would be leaving the palace? Was it because they were becoming close? Had Yoonji done something warranting being sent away? No, it was probably just another business transaction, like her marriage was to be. 

Calming her anxious thoughts, Hoyeon shuffled a little closer, wondering who the groom was.

“No, you are leaving Dalseogu in two weeks. You are getting married in a week to Emperor Wang Gayi.”

“You arranged a marriage for me? With the Wang Emperor?!”

“Yes, I did, and you will marry him. That’s an emperor’s order, Min Yoonji.”

“You gave me no choice? I’m so mad that you interfered with my relationships,” Yoonji said flatly, turning and exiting via the hall behind the throne area. 

“Your groom will be here by tomorrow morning,” the emperor informed her, barely raising his voice. Facing forward once again, he motioned Hoyeon to approach him. 

“Good afternoon, Princess.”

She bowed. “Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”

“Good afternoon, Your Highness. Would you like some tea?”

“No, thank you. I just came from having some with the crown princess. I suppose she will be busy now with her wedding preparations, so I am grateful that I could have these past few days to get to know my sister-in-law.”

“I apologize if you feel that my sister’s wedding takes precedence over ours,” the emperor said, surprising Hoyeon. “I wished her to wed soon and thought that now would be best since most of the preparations for ours are already complete and can transfer to theirs. Emperor Wang has to return to Kowloon soon and I wanted him to take Yoonji with him.”

“I am not slighted at all, Your Majesty. I wish the royal couple all happiness and longevity. May I ask why you requested to see me after the crown princess, Your Majesty?”

He stretched languidly, rising to his feet and sauntering down the steps to his throne. “Am I not allowed to wish to see my fiancee?” he asked, approaching Hoyeon. 

“Y-you are, Your Majesty.” Biting her lip, she forced herself to remain standing tall and not move back.

He paused two arm lengths away from her. “I would like to see you every day before our wedding, if you are available.”

“I believe I will be, if that is what you wish.”

He tilted his head, scanning her head to toe. She lowered her gaze to his feet, hoping she hadn’t mussed her clothing since Jina left her at Yoonji’s tea room. 

“You seem rather nervous.”

Who wouldn’t be, being the focus of one of the continent’s most dangerous men?! Hoyeon shrieked internally. Well, it appeared the emperor was more perceptive than her father, so lying was off the table. “I suppose I am. We have only met once, and I am unchaperoned. I do not wish to cause any damage to either of your kingdoms if there were negative repercussions from this event, Your Majesty.”

He hummed, taking a step back so that his black-clad feet were no longer in her vision. “The doors are open and there are plenty of guards and other staff around, Princess. But, if it would make you feel better–Chief Advisor Kim!”

Barely repressing the flinch at his sudden shout, Hoyeon turned to see who the emperor had just summoned. A tall, handsome man rushed in, arms full of scrolls and books, a pair of spectacles sliding down his nose. He pushed them up, a scroll fluttering from its precarious spot under his elbow. 

Hoyeon stooped without thinking, catching the runaway parchment and handing it back to the man, who flashed a thankful smile at her, dimples appearing in his cheeks. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Princess Hoyeon, this is my most trusted advisor, Kim Namjoon. He will be our chaperone,” the emperor said shortly. 

“I’m honoured to meet you, Princess. Congratulations on the wedding.”

“Thank you,” she nodded at him and turned back to her fiance, not wanting to spend his patience with her over another man. Still, his behaviour was unlike anything she was used to. The Mad King was her enigma, and she only hoped it wouldn’t take too long to figure him out. 

D-17

The sound of metal hitting metal drew Hoyeon’s attention from the flowery bushes she was admiring, turning towards the walled courtyard ahead of her.

Jina stopped by her side, both somewhat behind one of the pillars by the entrance, watching the two men in front of them slash at each other, silver swords glinting in the sunlight.

The emperor’s distinctive blond hair gave his identity away, and Hoyeon watched his graceful power with an open mouth, seeing first-hand her fiance’s prowess with a blade.

The other man was about the same height, with short brown hair and a slimmer sword than Yoongi’s. He held it with a careless ease that belied years of training, evenly matched with his opponent. 

Their blades clashed, sun rays reflecting off their entwined blades and blinding Hoyeon. She sneezed unexpectedly, interrupting the men’s moment. They bowed to each other, sheathing their blades and walking in different directions–Yoongi towards her and the other man towards Yoonji, whom Hoyeon just noticed was standing at the other side. 

Hoyeon bowed, greeting the emperor. He nodded back at her, taking the damp cloth his attendant held out to him and wiping his face and neck down. The neckline of his black robe gaped a little, affording Hoyeon a glimpse of smooth pale skin and subtly defined musculature. She blushed red, glancing away quickly to watch Yoonji, who had attained her own sword. 

The emperor followed her gaze, leaning his hand carelessly on his hwando pommel. “That’s Emperor Wang,” he confirmed her suspicion carelessly. “Would you like to make a bet with me?”

“A bet, Your Majesty?” Hoyeon flicked her gaze to him in confusion.

He nodded towards the couple. “On who will win their spar, Yoonji or Gayi.”

“They will spar?” Crown princess versus emperor, fiancee versus fiance?

The two moved towards the now-open sparring area in the middle of the yard, raising their blades to the opening position. 

“They have both trained for years. I’m curious myself about the outcome. So, what do you say, Princess?” The emperor leaned towards her, breath brushing her cheek. “Will you bet with me?”

“Very well, Your Majesty. What are your terms?”

He leaned back, studying her in mild surprise. “Hm…you must answer three questions I ask of you fully and truthfully, when I wish.”

That’s all? Like I could lie to you anyways. “Alright. I will hold the same terms, for the sake of fairness. I bet that the emperor will win.”

Hoyeon felt the weight of his gaze on her. “Not my sister?”

She shook her head. “I saw some of the emperor’s prowess when you two were fighting. I have not seen the princess fight, and the emperor surely has more experience, being on the battlefield.”

“But he will be tired since we were fighting before this,” Yoongi pointed out. “And I have fought with the princess. So, our bet. We each bet three complete, truthful answers about any topic we are asked about by the other if they win–you if Emperor Gayi wins, myself if Crown Princess Yoonji wins.”

“I agree to your terms.” Hoyeon shook the emperor’s hand, feeling his long fingers and calloused palms against her bare skin for the first time. He was warmer than she had expected; somehow she’d anticipated a cold-blooded, rigid man. 

He let go of her hand and she swiftly tucked her hands into her sleeves, feeling the ghost of his palm against hers. Focusing on the duo facing off in front of her, she did her best to ignore the warm presence brushing against her side. 

Yoonji was better than Hoyeon had expected, never having seen a female warrior before. Some of her moves looked similar to the emperor’s, but some were distinctively hers. She seemed to be having fun, however, a large gummy smile forming on her face as she parried the emperor’s strikes and danced into his space, making it more difficult for him to evade her attacks. 

Her opponent also seemed to be having fun, a smile growing on his face as they sparred. 

Hoyeon was glad the two were getting along, albeit in a more violent way than she was used to. Given what she knew of the crown princess’s personality, she was curious how the couple’s relationship would progress.

“The princess is quite good,” she said without thinking.

The emperor hummed in agreement. “I trained with her often. She is one of my best generals.”

Hoyeon whipped around in surprise. “The crown princess is your general?”

He nodded, dragging his eyes from the fight to her face. 

“Then why–” Hoyeon bit her lip, realizing her curiosity could be taken as insolence.

“Continue,” the emperor prompted her curiously. 

“Then why are you marrying your general off to the Kowloon Empire?” she asked quietly. He still appeared to have heard her, as he replied.

“The emperor and my sister have been in love for a while now. I will be saddened by my best general, advisor, and companion’s absence, but it is beyond time for her to have her happiness.”

Hoyeon blinked. Was the emperor…sentimental? And what was that about the marriage argument the other day?

“But…I understood the princess was against the marriage?”

“Not at all, she was being sarcastic. ‘How dare you marry me to the love of my life? Alas, I am ordered to spend time with the only man who makes me happy.’ Like that.”

“Oh.”

“Are you slandering me behind my back, Your Majesty?” Yoonji approached the two, her fiance behind her, carrying their swords.

“Is it slander if it’s true?” he retorted. “It seems my bride has not yet grown accustomed to your strange sense of humour. Now tell me, who won? I have a bet on the line, here.”

Realizing she’d been too distracted by the emperor to see who won, Hoyeon looked to Yoonji, who had what she now realised was a faux-betrayed look on her face. 

“You had better have bet on me, brother.”

“Of course I did,” he replied smugly. “So, I won the bet?”

Yoonji’s fiance spoke up. “No, your lovely fiancee did. Congratulations, Princess.”

“Damn, I should have bet on Gayi.”

Yoonji smacked her brother’s arm for his comment. “You are lucky I’m leaving the palace, Your Majesty.”

Hoyeon watched the siblings banter with wide eyes. The emperor was so relaxed and unlike his Mad King persona today. Which was the real one?

“It’s okay, Princess,” commiserated Emperor Gayi. “No one understands these two’s strange relationship, either.”

“I can behead you, you know,” threatened Yoongi. 

“You better give me his empire if you do,” Yoonji poked his stomach.

“Not if you keep touching me, I won’t!”

“OR,” interrupted Gayi, “you can not behead me and Yoonji can begin her reign over my empire peacefully as my empress!”

“But then I’d still have to hear you talk about my sister,” pointed out Yoongi. “It would be a lot quieter if your head was removed from your shoulders.”

“Say something!” Gayi looked at Yoonji, who sighed.

“Yoongi, don’t kill my fiance. It wouldn’t be a lot quieter because you’d then have to hear your sister talk about how much she missed her dead fiance instead…and your fiancee wouldn’t like you to kill her new ally, I guess.”

Yoongi looked at the bewildered Hoyeon. “Hm. It’s better to remove two nuisances at once, I suppose. I shall endure this next week for the princess’s sake, I suppose, since she won our bet.”

“How generous, Your Majesty,” Gayi and Yoonji bowed formally after the emperor, who left with an eye roll at their antics. 

Yoonji straightened once he was gone and turned to Hoyeon with a smile. “Do you want me to show you to the archery range?”

D-13

The wedding of the Emperor of Kowloon and the Crown Princess of Dalseogu went off without a hitch, which relieved some of Hoyeon’s worries. It was exactly the same as it would be for her and Yoongi, so she had a chance to mentally prepare. There wasn’t too much that could go wrong, thankfully, so as long as she didn’t faint next week, she should be in the clear.

Spending time with her fiance the past week and a half, as well as with his sister and her fiance, helped relax Hoyeon. He was courteous, surprisingly soft-spoken in private, and less menacing than she had been prepared for. Slowly, she began to wonder if the rumours had been exaggerated, as royal rumours tended to be, and if she might in fact be safe in the Dalseogu empire. 

Then came the day of her wedding, and all Hoyeon’s nerves returned full-force. Yoonji had left for Kowloon with Gayi, unable to stay for the wedding, and only Jina was there as someone she could rely on.

Her father had sent a witness to his only child’s wedding, too concerned over possible attacks to come himself. Hoyeon snorted as she read the letter his delegate had handed to her, dropping the paper to the table carelessly.

So he could send his daughter to live in the empire, but couldn’t come in person to celebrate her nuptials, the entire reason he would be safe visiting? Well, it wasn’t like she’d expected anything from him, but it still pinched in her heart. 

Jina brushed her robes out smoothly, stepping back and giving her a reassuring nod. “It’s time, Your Highness.”

D-Day

The entire ceremony was a blur, Hoyeon too focused on not making a mistake to take in anything else. She had the vague sense that the atmosphere was overcast, but nothing more than that.

The celebration feast was similarly unfocused, for slightly differing reasons. Yoongi, her new husband (what a strange thought), was right beside her at the head table, paying rather unnerving attention to her. 

Small bites were all she could choke down under his scrutiny, though he did his best to keep her dishes full. Hoyeon was a little confused when he kept adding delicious-smelling dishes to her immediate reach. Any other day, she’d be happy to try the new and intriguing dishes, but with the nerves in her stomach and the eyes on her chopsticks, she couldn’t choke down more than a few bites, something she bemoaned.

Toasts and cheers were continually offered by the celebrating ministers and nobles filling the hall, gallons of alcohol flowing freely. 

Hoyeon grabbed her goblet, draining the dregs in a couple gulps, coughing a little at the afterburn. Yoongi’s scrutiny became heavier, his warmth overwhelming her as he leaned even closer to whisper in her ear. “Are you alright, Your Majesty?”

Hoyeon hiccuped. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Just thirsty.”

His expression told her he didn’t fully believe her, but he leaned back, letting her breathe easily again. She turned away, patting her burning cheeks with the back of her hand. 

It really should be illegal for someone to look that handsome up close. She considered her previous fears that he would behead her within six months and revised it to worry that she’d be overcome by his beauty within six months instead. 

A sudden weight on her hand made her look down from picking up individual grains of rice with her chopsticks.

Yoongi’s hand rested on hers, his thumb caressing her pulse point. Her heart skipped a beat at the simple touch. He didn’t look at her anymore, thankfully, but his hand stayed on hers the rest of the feast.

Her eyes darted between his profile and her chopsticks several times. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad being his empress. 

General taglist (open): @bangtanwritershq @kayleefriedchicken @otome-wandering + (@moni-logues you seemed intrigued when we sprinted so I hope this is okay :] )

Divider by @bunnysrph | Moodboard photos from Pinterest/Google, edit is mine :]

[liveyun]

KING!YOONGI FIC POLL

choices to make, options to choose

edit : i accidentally posted the poll for a day instead of a week. i’m sorry if you couldn't vote then, but please feel free to drop your choice by the replies/ask box (; + anons!)

uh, hi. you may or may not know me. hello, i write for bts occasionally, and here's something i’d want you, yes you, to choose.

since...i think i’d need to articulate a bit more on the fact that we'd be getting little to no updates from yoongi himself till june 2025 which is explained further in this post .

i think to somehow help us releive the pain, i’d be posting my yoongi piled up wip’s soon which i’m working very hard on :(

but for now, i have two joseon!era i.e, king!yoongi wip’s inspired by OG daechwita. count me as the biggest king!yoongi simp, please. i’m not going to begin on the details of the fics, but i really need you to help me choose on which should i work as my priority.

they're both roughly written drafts which will be rewritten and edited. but a thing they have in common is both are somehow an assassin au too, and that's all i can tell you for now, because what's the fun in spoiling? ;)

so finally...

[kithtaehyung]

Hey ryen (⁠ㆁ⁠ω⁠ㆁ⁠) Dropping by to say that the cinematography of daechwita and haegeum with that style of colorization, lighting and all if how I picture 3tan in my head (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠) that style of films and videos also happen to be my favorite style too (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) and I think I mainly start to picture it that way cause the original 3tan yoongi is daechwita!yoongi and it is so easy visualize with your writing it feels like I'm watching a series in my head with the same cinematography as the music videos (⁠人⁠ ⁠•‌⁠ᴗ⁠•‌⁠) idk if this makes sense since it always feels like it comes out weird whenever I try to explain how I see things in my head (⁠*⁠﹏⁠⁠*;⁠) hope you got an idea at least hehe Anyways have fun at the concert and scream extra loud on my behalf (⁠＾⁠∇⁠＾⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♪ I'll be enjoying from the videos in my room (⁠个⁠⁠_个⁠) And stay safe and take care ^⁠_⁠^ -🍯

HONEY HELLO🥹💕 that’s damn amazing for you the visualize the series like these?? because it’s so colorful and delicious and i remember you like imagining them like anime so it would totally track. And I love making these paragraph cuts like anime/show scene cuts, so I’m glad it easily lets you see things in your head🥳 that’s cool as shit! Now we have actual visualization of him in Haegeum and I don’t even know what to do with myself🫠

I’m gonna lose my gd voice omfg I’m gonna scream loud for all of you!!!

[ugh-yoongi]

hi jewel, just wanted to let you know that i've reread she by proxy and i'm still insane about it

hi bb first off thank you for reading multiple times!!

second — i, too, am still insane about it. do you want to form a taegi brainrot support group with me 🤲🏻

[lilprincegoo]

consign me not to darkness by bellamees

yoongi/jungkook

Inspired by Daechwita (Music Video), Alternate Universe - Historical, King Min Yoongi | Suga, Blood and Violence, Enemies to Lovers, more like enemies to more enemies to enemies to have sex to lovers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Porn, First Time, Concubine Jeon Jungkook, lots and lots of kissing

38k words

rating: E

“jungkook,” it seems too soft, his name, on his lips. “do you fear dragons?” “no. i’m not afraid of you either.”

[violetsiren90]

This was a BTS chapter fic I read quite early in my fanfic journey over on AO3.

I reread this masterpiece after discovering it here, and it was like experiencing a scent that takes you back to a person or a place that you cherished...

...And let me say that this particular scent is heady, and intoxicating, and perfumed with night-blooms, and musk, and the costly sweetness of forbidden love.

My absolute favorite historical AU fic I have ever read.

These characters will break and mend your heart over and over again.

So much love for this fic and its characters, author!! Thank you for creating and sharing this beautiful story!!

P.S. I can never see blond king Yoongi without thinking of this fic. Daechwita Yoongi is forever "Jeonha" to me. <333

Moonlit Throne | Masterlist

“do you… trust me?” it’s a low whisper, soft lips pressed against the stuttering pulse in your throat. but you think, or maybe you hope, the implications are trying to delve much deeper into your heart. regardless, your answer has never wavered. 

“yes.”

pairing: joseon king!yoongi x reader genre: smut, angst, fluff parts posted: 45/45 words: 68k contains: drabble series, historical au, royal au, romance, drama, the very definition of “it’s complicated,” inspired by daechwita. a/n: please pay attention to the dates, but read in the order that the drabbles are listed, not in chronological!

historical context/references. | fic playlist.

february 1869 {m} - your king takes care of you and his business, no matter who is watching.

Keep reading

[melancholy-of-nadia]

the a(myg)dala (explicit) | myg

title: the a(myg)dala (explicit) pairing: mafia leader/detective! agust d x right handman! f. reader ; gang leader! yoongi x right handman! f. reader rating/genre: explicit (18+) ; angst , thriller , smut ; haegeum au , my agustdverse summary: You wake up in a lavish bedroom with no recollection of memories of who you are. The only person who holds the key to this mystery is the owner of the house, Agust D, a mafia boss masquerading as a police detective. He claims you’re his right hand (wo)man and that he needs to protect you from someone who’s after you, as well as a treasure he’s searching for. With danger lurking and your memories a blank slate, can you trust Agust D to uncover the truth, or is there more to his story than meets the eye? note: i have been planning this in my head (like the delusional girly i am) since daechwita came out in 2020, but it wasn't until 2023 with the haegeum mv that it truly solidified me wanting to put together my thoughts to create this. i started out with Distraction and Infatuation as test one shots to gauge at the interest, and now it has lead me to create the first actual chapter of this series. this series is dedicated to my bestie the biggest yoongi smut luvr i know @daegudrama and to my favorite yoongi fic writers @jcoles and @theharrowing. also this is kinda unedited i apologize for any mistakes sndksfjladsafbjka i will edit later on. warnings: the following series is intended for a mature audience and may contain graphic language, graphic violence, weapons (guns/katana swords/chopsticks), blood/wounds mentions, drugs, alcohol, gambling, murder, gang activity, memory loss/amnesia, sassy and on guard reader, unreliable characters, haegeum!agust d, haegeum!yoongi, tale of two MYGs technically, LMAO, TEAM SUGA! appearances as mafia men, assassins, slow burn, fight sequences, power imbalance, future smut scenes that may contain some bdsm elements, multiverse implications, tattoos, etc. drop date: october 29th, 2024, 9:00pm pst word count: 5.5k – –

The world slowly comes into focus, the haze of unconsciousness lifting like a dissipating fog. You blink, your eyelids heavy as if weighed down by lead. The room around you is unfamiliar, dimly lit by a lamp on a nearby table. The scent of damp wood and something herbal lingers in the air. You try to move, but a sharp, throbbing pain in your head forces you to stay still.

Panic surges through you. Where are you? Why can’t you remember anything?

You glance around, the room’s details gradually becoming clearer. It is small and sparsely furnished, with wooden walls and a single window covered by a thick, faded curtain. But the strangest part is that you can't recall how you got here or what happened before. Your mind is blank, a void where your memories should be.

Well, almost blank.

Two things are certain in your mind: your name—whatever comfort that brings—and the image of a man, his face marked by a prominent scar, entering this very room. Yet, in the memory, the man looks different—his features more vivid, his clothing distinct. He is wearing a green jacket. You cling to that detail as if it were a lifeline in the sea of confusion.

Your thoughts are interrupted by the creaking of the wooden floor. You turn your head—slowly, cautiously—and see him. The man from your memory stands at the doorway, his expression a mix of concern and relief.

“You’re up? You’ve been asleep for a couple of days now.”

His voice is deep, carrying a warmth that contrasts with the sternness of his appearance. The scar on his face is unmistakable, and yet something about him seems off, like a piece of a puzzle that doesn’t quite fit.

“Who are—” you start to ask, but the words catch in your throat as a sudden, stabbing pain shoots through your temples. You wince, pressing a hand to your forehead as you try to steady your breathing.

The man’s eyes narrow, his concern deepening. “Easy, doll, don’t strain yourself. You’ve been through a lot.”

Doll?

His tone is soothing, but it only heightens your unease. Why does he look so familiar? And why does the memory of him in that green jacket feel so significant?

“I... I can’t remember… why can’t I remember?” you whisper, your voice trembling with the weight of your fear and confusion. “I can’t remember anything, except your face. But you looked different... the green jacket...”

The man frowns, clearly troubled by your words. He steps closer, his movements slow and deliberate, as if trying not to startle you.

“Listen,” he says gently, grasping your cheek. “You’ve been through something traumatic. It’s normal to feel disoriented. But you’re safe now, alright? We’ll figure this out together.”

His reassurance does little to ease the growing tension in your chest. As he speaks, you can’t shake the nagging feeling that there’s something he isn’t telling you—something important that lies just beyond your grasp.

But for now, with your head pounding and your body weak, all you can do is nod and hope that the answers will come soon.

His phone rings, the sound slicing through the uneasy quiet of the room. The man glances at you briefly, his expression unreadable, before pulling the phone from his pocket. He answers it without a word, his face hardening as he listens to the person on the other end. After a tense moment, he turns away, stepping out of the room.

The door creaks shut behind him.

You wait, the minutes stretching into what feels like an eternity. Ten minutes pass, then thirty, and still, there is no sign of his return. Your unease grows. Why hasn’t he come back yet? What was that phone call about?

The room feels smaller, the walls closing in as your anxiety gnaws at you. You try to stay still, but the silence is suffocating. You need to get out of bed.

With some effort, you swing your legs over the edge of the bed, wincing as your body protests the movement. Every muscle feels sore, as if you’ve been through something physically draining. Your feet touch the cool floor, and you slowly stand, swaying slightly as the room spins for a moment. Steadying yourself, you look around, eyes settling on the door.

You have to investigate. You need to understand what is happening.

Just as you take a step toward the door, it swings open with a soft creak. You freeze, your breath catching in your throat as a new figure enters the room.

It is a woman, dressed sharply in a tailored black suit that contrasts her bright orange bob cut. She moves with an air of quiet confidence, her eyes locking onto yours with a steady, calm gaze. She seems close to your age, though something about her presence feels more mature, more composed.

“Hello,” she says, her voice smooth and professional. “My name is Adora. Apologies, as Mr. Agust had to step out unexpectedly, but he kept me up to speed with everything going on and told me to help care for you in the meantime.”

You blink, taking in her words, still processing the situation.

Mr. Agust? That’s his name?

Adora approaches the small table by the bed and sets down a neatly folded bundle of clothes. “I’ve brought you some clothes,” she adds, gesturing toward the bundle. “I imagine you’d want to change into something more comfortable.” She glances at you, wearing a white spaghetti-strapped nightgown. Yeah, you need to change out of this.

“Who… who is Mr. Agust?” you ask, your voice hoarse from disuse. The question has been burning in your mind ever since you woke up.

“Oh! The man who was just in here before me. Agust D,” she says happily. “He’s been looking after you since… well, since the incident.”

“The incident?” you repeat, confused. “What happened to me?”

Her smile fades, and a shadow of concern crosses her features. “I’m afraid that’s something only Mr. Agust can explain to you. He’ll be back soon, I’m sure.”

She steps back, giving you space, and nods toward the clothes again. “Go ahead and take a shower before changing. I’ll wait outside if you need anything.”

And once again, you are left alone.

You grab the bundle of clothes, the fabric soft under your fingers as you unfold them. A white, long-sleeved collared shirt, a plaid skirt, and knee socks—an odd combination. Your brow furrows. Is this a school uniform? The thought seems out of place, considering everything else, but you push it aside. Right now, getting cleaned up and dressed feels like the first step toward reclaiming some control.

There is a small door beside your bed that leads to a bathroom. You open it and are greeted by a modest, clean space. The tiles are cool beneath your feet as you walk toward the shower. Your mind feels murky, still clouded by the lack of memory, and every detail around you seems both unfamiliar and strangely mundane at the same time.

As the hot water sprays down from the rain showerhead on the ceiling, you stand still for a moment, letting the warmth wash over you. It feels good, the steam wrapping around your sore muscles, loosening the tension that has built up since waking. Slowly, you begin to move, running your hands through your hair, watching the water swirl around your feet. You glance down at your body, your movements still careful, as though you fear something is waiting beneath the surface of your skin.

And then, you notice them—bruises. Small, fading marks dot your legs and arms, some yellowing at the edges, others still dark purple. Scrapes, too, healed over but unmistakable, mar your skin. You gently touch one on your forearm, wincing at the slight sting.

What happened to you? Frustration bubbles up inside you, making your throat tight. Every mark tells a story, a piece of the puzzle that should be obvious. But all you have are fragments, and none of them make sense.

You close your eyes, trying to summon any trace of a memory, something that could explain the bruises, the scrapes, the pain in your muscles. But there is nothing. Just emptiness.

Your hands shake slightly as you rinse off, the water turning from soothing to overwhelming. You finish quickly, the hot steam doing little to quell the storm of confusion and frustration rising within you.

Stepping out of the shower, you catch your reflection in the small, fogged-up mirror. You wipe it with your hand, staring at yourself, but the person staring back looks just as lost. No answers. No clarity.

With a sigh, you turn away and dry off, pulling on the strange outfit—first the crisp white shirt, then the plaid skirt and knee socks. The uniform fits well enough. Did you used to wear this before as well? You're left wondering too many things...

After slipping into a comfortable pair of slippers that you find beside the bed, you step out of the room for the first time. The hallway greets you with a soft, dim glow, revealing that evening has settled in. Shadows dance across the walls as you cautiously make your way forward.

Adora is sitting in a chair by your door, casually scrolling through her phone. At the sound of your footsteps, she looks up, her orange hair catching the light.

“Miss! All done? Do you need anything?” she asks, standing up swiftly with an attentive smile.

“Yeah, all done,” you say, trying to keep your voice steady. “I just... want you to show me around. I’m having a little trouble recalling some things.” You hesitate, wary of revealing too much. If people know about your memory loss, they could use it against you. But surely Adora had been informed by Agust D beforehand, right?

Adora’s eyes softened. “No worries, Mr. Agust did mention this detail to me.”

You’re correct.

“I’ll show you around and get you updated on the things I’m cleared to inform you on,” she adds.

Cleared? The word hangs in the air, making you wonder just how much is being kept from you. Still, you nod. “That’s fine.”

Adora leads the way down the hall, and your tour begins. The mansion is far larger than you anticipate. As you move from room to room, it becomes clear that this place is no ordinary home. The architecture is grand, with high ceilings and long corridors lined with dark wood paneling and expensive-looking art. Every room seems carefully designed, exuding luxury and power.

Your bedroom is relatively simple compared to the rest of the mansion—modest in size with muted tones, though the bed is large and soft. Across the hall, Adora points out Mr. Agust’s room. Unlike yours, it is locked, and she makes no attempt to open it. The door itself is dark wood, with intricate carvings around the frame. You can only imagine what is inside.

Next, she leads you to his office. It’s a spacious room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a grand desk made of polished mahogany, and a large window overlooking a courtyard. Papers and files are neatly stacked on the desk, though Adora makes no comment about what they contain. The room has an air of importance, almost like a command center.

The kitchen and dining area are expansive. The kitchen, spotless and gleaming, is staffed with a few workers who nod politely as you pass. The dining room is more formal, with a long table capable of seating at least a dozen people. Crystal chandeliers hang overhead, casting warm light across the room.

The living room is one of the most impressive spaces—a large, open area with plush leather sofas, a marble fireplace, and a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. The windows here are larger, revealing a darkening city skyline.

“Where are we?”

“We’re in Bangkok. Thailand.”

Bangkok? You know what that place is, but it’s not a location you expected to be in.

As you explore, you begin to notice more people moving through the mansion—mostly bodyguards, dressed in black and stationed at various points. Most of them seem to be Korean, their stoic expressions and quiet movements blending into the background. It’s strange to see so many of them here. A mansion in Thailand, filled with Koreans—it doesn’t add up.

Your curiosity gnaws at you, but you know Adora isn’t the right person to ask. Whatever this is, it feels delicate. You’ll have to wait for Mr. Agust.

After what feels like hours of walking through corridors and staircases, Adora finally leads you to the dining room, gesturing for you to sit at the long table.

“I received word that Mr. Agust has just arrived,” she says, offering you a gentle smile. “You’ll meet him here. The staff has set out some tea and desserts for you while you wait.”

You look at the table. A silver tray holds a pot of tea and an assortment of small pastries. The aroma is sweet and comforting, but the anticipation makes your hands tremble slightly as you reach for a cup and serve yourself some tea.

“I’ll come back to join you two, along with some of the other guards,” Adora continues. “Mr. Agust will be here shortly.”

Interesting. You’re not sure what to make of this situation.

The dining room grows quieter as you sit alone with your thoughts, nibbling on a cookie to stave off the nerves.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoes through the hallway outside the dining room. You freeze, your pulse quickening as the door swings open. A group of men enters, all dressed in dark suits, their expressions stern and composed. They move in unison, fanning out to take seats around the table, but one man stands out from the rest.

Agust D

He strides in with a commanding presence, his sharp eyes surveying the room as he walks. There’s an air of authority around him that makes the space feel smaller. His dark hair is slicked back, his expression unreadable as he takes the seat at the head of the table.

The sleeves of his shirt are stained red… You don’t want to know if that’s blood, but it’s the only thing you can assume.

 Adora re-enters the room soon after, gliding in with her usual grace. She takes her seat across from you, her calm demeanor unwavering as she folds her hands in front of her. The tension in the room is thick, though it seems invisible to her.

Agust turns to you, his gaze piercing but calm. "I hope you’re feeling a bit more settled," he says, his voice low and even.

Yeah, sure, settled, you think, fighting the urge to laugh. Settled is the last thing you feel in this... “house.” 

You nod slowly, feeling the weight of the room pressing down on you. “Yeah, I suppose,” you mutter, unsure how to respond. You reach for a cookie from the tray in front of you, more out of nervousness than actual hunger.

“I know this place might be overwhelming,” Agust continues, leaning back in his chair. “This is no ordinary home, as you’ve probably gathered by now.”

You swallow hard, the cookie crumbling slightly in your hands. No ordinary home is an understatement. The size, the guards, the secrecy—it all screams something far beyond the normal.

“To formally introduce myself, my name is Agust D. I’m the chief detective for the Asia-Pacific Police Force here in Bangkok. Comprised of officers from all Asia investigating international crime,” he says, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of his mouth as if daring you to believe him.

You nod slowly, though something about it doesn’t sit right with you. “That’s... interesting,” you begin carefully, “but I don’t think that’s all. There’s something else, isn’t there?”

“Smart girl. You’re sharp, I’ll give you that.” Agust’s eyes gleam, and a chuckle rumbles from his chest. “No, that’s not all.”

He leans forward slightly, his gaze locking onto yours. “I am a leader of this mafia family you’ve been seeing.”

Your hand freezes mid-bite, the cookie slipping from your fingers and falling onto the table. Your heart skips a beat. Mafia? Your mind races. Organized crime? How the hell did you get involved in something like this? Fear snakes up your spine as your hands begin to tremble slightly. You can feel your throat tightening, your body responding to the panic rising inside you.

Agust’s eyes soften just a fraction, as if sensing your fear. “Relax,” he says, his voice calm, almost reassuring. “I’m not going to hurt you... you’ve been working for me for quite some time before all of this, after all.”

“Working for you?” you echo, incredulous. None of this makes sense. You shake your head, unable to comprehend. “Me? I... I don’t think so. I mean why would I–”

Agust’s smile returns, and he leans back in his chair, his hand disappearing beneath the table. “It is you,” he says firmly, interrupting you. Without warning, he tosses something across the table.

You flinch, instinctively reaching out to catch it—your hand closing around the handle of a heavy object. What the— A sword? Its weight is oddly familiar in your grip. You stare at it, eyes wide, your breath catching in your throat. The scabbard is intricately decorated with a blossom pattern that triggers something deep within you, something familiar.

You’ve seen this before... You’ve used this before.

Grainy and fragmented memories burst through your mind of a time when you’d used this. “Go ahead,” Agust says, his voice quiet but commanding. “Try it out.”

As if under a trance, your fingers move on their own, sliding the blade free from the scabbard. The polished metal gleams in the low light, its sharp edge whispering of battles fought and blood spilled. Before you realize what is happening, you have gotten onto the dining table, moving with fluid precision toward Agust that startles even you.

The bodyguards around the room react instantly, rising from their chairs and drawing guns, all pointed at you. But you don’t stop. You can’t stop. Your body moves on its own, and within a second, you are standing over Agust, the tip of your blade mere centimeters from his throat.

The room is dead silent. Agust doesn’t flinch. He merely raises a hand, a calm gesture to his men. The bodyguards look at him in hesitation, but slowly lower their weapons, keeping their eyes trained on you.

A chuckle escapes his lips. “Did that jog your memory?” he asks, his eyes gleaming with amusement, as if he has been waiting for this moment.

You stare down at him, your chest heaving, adrenaline coursing through your veins. “I... only a little…?” you admit, your voice barely above a whisper. The weight of the sword in your hand feels so familiar, so right, but your mind is still a blur of confusion.

“So much bloodlust you’ve got hidden in those eyes. Are you going to cut me down this time, doll?” he asks, his voice teasing, yet there’s a glint of seriousness behind his eyes.

This time? What does he mean by “this time”? 

Despite the odd question, your heart skips a beat.

“W-What?!” you stammer, not understanding what he means. You pull the blade away, stepping back and lowering it to your side. Your hands are still shaking.

Agust smirks but says nothing more about it. Instead, he leans back, seemingly unfazed by how close he has come to death. “So, do you want some of the answers I can provide?”

Enough of this cryptic stuff.

You blink, still trying to process what just happened. “Are you actually going to answer me this time?” you ask, your voice sharper than intended.

Agust chuckles, clearly enjoying this more than you are. “That depends on what you want to know.”

“Hmm…” You hesitate for a moment while Agust signals his men to sit back down. They sit down, resume their positions, and the tension in the room seems to dissolve as if nothing happened just moments ago.

“Now tell me, doll,” Agust says, leaning forward, his eyes locked onto yours with a predatory intensity.

“First of all, who am I? Why do you keep calling me ‘Doll’?” you shoot back, your tone sharper than intended.

Agust lets out a deep breath, almost as if your question bores him. “You don’t have a name, as far as I know, so I call you doll. It’s cute, isn’t it?”

You give him an exasperated roll of your eyes, and he chuckles, as if he expects nothing less. “But besides me, everyone else calls you ‘Dove’—your code name.”

“Why am I here?” you press on, hoping for a more substantial answer.

Agust’s grin grows wider. “Great to see you moving on to this point,” he says, resting his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers. “I’m protecting you. Your life is at stake, actually.”

You scoff. “Protecting me from…?”

“Someone.” His tone is vague, and your irritation flares at his refusal to offer more.

“Could you be any more vague?” you mutter, rolling your eyes again, daring him to give you something concrete. “Who is it?”

Agust’s expression shifts, his jaw tightening slightly. He clearly isn’t used to being questioned like this. Just as he opens his mouth to respond, one of the bodyguards at his side, a man with sharp features and an intense gaze, speaks up.

“I don’t think you should ask that right now,” he says firmly. “Just for the sake of your life.”

“Yijeong,” another bodyguard—a much older man with long black locks of hair—warns in a low voice.

Yijeong shrugs, his eyes unwavering. “I’m just looking out for her safety.” It doesn’t sound sincere, to be completely honest.

Agust gives a subtle nod, silencing the exchange with a single glance. Then he turns back to you, his gaze slightly softened. “Anyway, it’s exactly as I said,” he continues, his voice smooth, almost practiced. “As part of my daytime role, I’m a detective. And I’m also an underground mafia boss.”

You stiffen, feeling the weight of his words settle over you like a shroud. He isn’t done. “The person after you wants something that you hold the key to—something that we both want.” His tone is steady, a faint glint of ambition in his eyes. “I met you a few years ago and decided to let you live here, by my side, in hopes of finding it.”

You take a shaky breath, your mind reeling as you try to process this. “And I’ve been here ever since… as your right-hand man?”

Agust leans forward, his voice low yet intense. “That’s right. You were essential to our operations. I need you back in action, though. There’s a lot at stake here. We need to find this thing as soon as possible and get rid of this other person trying to kill you.”

You try to wrap your head around the idea that you’ve been living a life entrenched in the shadows of the criminal underworld, working closely with Agust and his organization—yet you can’t remember any of it. The weight of it presses heavily on you, disbelief twisting in your gut.

“So, you’re telling me,” you begin, your voice slightly unsteady but determined, “that I’ve been involved in this… mafia life all this time and now, because of some freak accident that you won’t disclose, I have not a single memory of it?”

“Precisely.” His eyes are fixed on you, unwavering. “Once you start easing into things again, I’ll tell you,” he says, his voice gaining an edge, “but now, I need you to decide.”

The frustration bubbles up within you, and without fully realizing it, you blurt out the most pressing question in your mind. “And what if I refuse?”

“Refuse?”

“Yeah, I mean, this sounds great and all… but I’m not about this mafia life and fighting whatever gang rival you have. Maybe you are mistaken about me.”

“Then…” A dangerous gleam flashes in Agust’s eyes, and before you know it, his hand moves beneath the table. In one swift motion, he pulls out a sleek, polished handgun, the metallic click echoing as he cocks a bullet into the barrel. You flinch, eyes widening as he aims it in your direction, his expression dark but laced with amusement.

“I’ll just kill you right here.” He pauses, letting the threat hang in the air before he lets out a dry laugh.

Holy shit.

What the fuck is that switch-up!?

You knew this man is insane, from the moment he handed you a katana and nearly let you cut him down.

He chuckles softly, an unsettling sound that made your heart race even faster. “Honestly, this could work in my favor anyway.”

Agust tilts his head, eyes narrowing as he keeps the gun trained on you. "Then he will never get his hands on you. Ending it here sounds like a fine choice, doesn’t it?” His tone is almost casual, as if he were discussing nothing more consequential than the weather.

Your throat feels tight, but you hold his gaze, refusing to back down. His words hang in the air, blending with the heavy silence of the room. The other men seated at the table look on, stone-faced, while Adora remains calm, her eyes studying you carefully. You can tell she’s a little worried for you.

“You really think you can just kill me off?” you manage, trying to mask the tremor in your voice. “All this talk about me being your right hand, about me holding the key to something you need. If I’m that important, you can’t just get rid of me. Then you’ll never find what you’re looking for.”

Agust’s lips curl into a smirk. “Oh, doll, I like that fire,” he says, lowering the gun ever so slightly but keeping his gaze locked on yours. Great, just what you need—a compliment from your potential murderer. “You’re right. I can’t just let you go that easily.”

He leans back, his gaze unwavering as he places the gun on the table, almost within reach yet tantalizingly out of yours. “Let’s make something clear,” he continues, his voice softening yet holding that sharp edge. “You’re right. You’re valuable to me, too valuable to throw away—at least for now.”

For now? That’s comforting. What does ‘for now’ even mean in this context? You thought you were friends for a long time by now. Doesn’t sound like it from this.

The tension in the room lessens slightly, though your pulse is still racing. Agust’s words feel like a reprieve, but only just; you know there’s always another game behind his every sentence, and the stakes are dangerously high.

“Alright,” you reply, forcing a bit of calm into your voice. “Then tell me more. You say I’m the key to something… What is it exactly?”

Agust shrugs, crossing his arms, his expression unreadable. “For now, let’s say it’s a treasure—one that’s extremely valuable to both me and… other interested parties.” He gives a small, almost lazy wave of his hand, brushing off the details as if they’re minor inconveniences.

“Other interested parties?” you press, sensing he’s holding back. “Like the person you’re supposedly protecting me from?”

Agust’s eyes narrow slightly, as though debating just how much he wants to divulge. He sighs, running a hand through his dark hair, and gives a curt nod.

 “Yes, exactly like that person. But don’t worry about…them,” he says, his voice dipping lower, almost like a threat wrapped in reassurance. “With me around, you’re safe. They won’t touch you. Besides, doll, you led them on quite a chase right before the accident that happened to you….And now, they know better than to mess with one of the biggest mafias in Bangkok, especially one that has the police wrapped around its finger.”

The words settle over you like a heavy blanket, the weight of the implications sinking in. You haven’t just ended up here by chance, nor is this some benevolent offer of protection. The people after you aren’t merely rivals—they’re people who chased you, people you evaded in the past. And now, you’re under the protection of not just any organization, but a criminal empire with authority woven tightly into Bangkok’s very fabric.

“Wrapped around your finger?” you echo, incredulous but with a hint of fascination you can’t suppress.

He smirks, leaning back in his chair as though he’s merely recounting a successful business venture. “Yes, Bangkok’s finest wouldn’t dare cross me. I’m a chief detective, after all. It’s all very convenient, don’t you think?”

Right, because every girl dreams of being involved with a chief detective who moonlights as a mafia boss. What’s next? A romantic comedy?

You feel your pulse throb in your temples in disbelief. “So that’s why they won’t come after me here?”

“Exactly,” he replies, his tone almost smug. “To come after you here would be a death sentence for them. And they know it.”

You mean, you can’t argue with that logic. Guess you’ll have to stick around this madness for a while.

You slowly slide off the table, feeling the lingering tension in your limbs as you settle back into your seat at the far end of the dining table. Agust watches you with that familiar smirk, clearly pleased with the subtle shift in your demeanor. Once seated, you exhale, steadying yourself before meeting his gaze again.

“And if you continue to stay here,” he begins, his tone softer but laced with intent, “there’s a chance your memories will eventually come back, piece by piece. Trying to leave and figure it all out on your own would be… risky, to say the least.”

He’s giving you an out, it seems, yet he isn’t. The faintest hint of a choice dangles in front of you, a chance to regain who you are—or escape before you learn too much.

Agust’s gaze never wavers. “If you want answers—if you want to understand what’s locked away in that mind of yours—staying is your best option.”

Adora’s gaze is unwavering as well, as though silently urging you to take Agust’s offer. You glance at the others around the table, all of them still and watchful, a powerful, immovable force surrounding you.

“And if I don’t stay?” you ask, your voice barely above a whisper.

He sighs, though his eyes hold the barest glint of amusement. “Then I suppose you’ll be putting all that fire to good use. Running from a lot of people… including me.” His smirk softens, but his words are as sharp as ever. “The most dangerous game. It’s your choice, doll. But remember, what’s waiting for you out there isn’t likely to be as welcoming as here.”

Nice way to put it. A warm welcome with care followed by a bullet?

You lean back, trying to process everything. It’s surreal—being told you’ve been living some double life as the right hand to a mafia boss, that you’ve led people on a chase through Bangkok, and now, because of all this, there are people actively out to get you. Just yesterday… well, whenever “yesterday” is, you have no memory of this life. And now, Agust is offering you a choice. Either stay here and trust him to help you find yourself again, or leave and risk everything on your own.

You look down, hands fidgeting on your lap as you think it over. Realistically? You don’t have a lot of options. Even if you leave, where would you go? How would you survive with no memory of who you are? Just the idea of stumbling around Bangkok, a city you barely even remember, trying to outwit… whoever is after you seems like a suicide mission.

Besides, there’s something oddly reassuring about Agust, even if his methods are a bit terrifying. He doesn’t look like he’s about to pull any punches, and for some reason, that makes you trust him more. He isn’t hiding who he is or what he’s capable of, and he isn’t sugar-coating the risks. The entire mafia thing is insane, sure, but something in you stirs with a strange familiarity when he speaks about it. It’s as if you’ve known all along, buried somewhere deep down.

You steal another glance at him, noting how he’s watching you, calm and expectant. He isn’t pushing you, just waiting for you to come to a conclusion.

Finally, you sigh and look up, meeting his gaze. “Fine,” you say, exhaling as if to release the last bits of resistance. “I’ll stay. You protect me, and I… I’ll do whatever I did before and help you get what you’re looking for. If this is my best chance at getting those memories back, then I’ll take it.”

A satisfied smile curves Agust’s lips. “Good girl. I knew you’d come around.”

Adora, who’s been watching from across the table, gives a small and excited nod, and the other bodyguards exchange glances. The tension in the room eases, like the whole crew has been waiting for your decision.

“All right, then,” you say, half to yourself. “Guess I’m back to… whatever this is.”

Agust chuckles. “Welcome back to the family.”

–

–

➸ let me know what you think OR join the taglist for this series! ➸ a(mygdala) pilot one shot #1 - distraction and one shot #2 - infatuation ➸ all fics masterlist

a/n: thank you so much reading! apologies for the very dialogue heavy first chapter in this series as I needed to set up the vibe and expectation of reader and Agust D. We'll get more into the mafia bitty gritty in the next chapter as well as eventual smut in later chapaters for these two before shit goes down hehehehe im sorry it'll be a bit of a wait since it's slow burn... but there will be a ton of charged up tension leading into it heheheheh

i had planned to release this earlier this month but after a very intensive job hunt for the past year + 7 months, i finally found a new job! yay! cries... so future updates will take some time. but please please feel free to send me your thoughts or suggestions on things you'd like to see in this series in the future and i will make sure to incorporate it. :) until next time!

[cherrysoulth]

ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇꜱꜱ - ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 2: ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ʙʀᴇᴇᴢᴇ

💕Pairings: Female reader X Daechwita! King AgustD-1 // Female reader X Daechwita! AgustD-2

📝Summary: When the sound of Daechwita vibrates in the internal battle between the royal family twins. A king and a lover. Lust, Love and Betrayal are on rampage. You need to make a choice- Love or saving the trust. And your choices will have consequences...

✏️Genre: angst and fluff 

✏️Rating: PG-18

📝Word count: 3493

⚠️Warnings: Mentions of sex, violence, cheating/affairs

Hii! Welcome to my work. I'm new in this platform but been posting my writing for four years now in AO3. English is not my first language, so please if you find grammar mistakes, let me know. :)

Big thanks to @moonleeai 💚

<<<𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 1 | 𝕸𝖆𝖎𝖓 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙 | 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 3>>>

The hot breeze makes its way through again as you fan yourself, and you take a shallow breath, already done with the weather. Although the shade of the trees next to the lake protects you from the sun's merciless rays, the heat is in the air like a furnace. Inside the palace's walls, the rooms are more chill and there's barely anyone outside who knows any better but you find yourself coming here every day, today too, regardless of the temperature, looking at the water's reflection mirage. The same your memories have seemed to turn into.

One of your ladies-in-waiting comes over with a servant to take the task, apologetically, having missed your leave, now that you can roam around almost freely. She's genuine, new, but growing fond of you by the day. The other ladies, full grown women, and some already married, seem to find her endearing, although they scold her into learning the manners of her status. You know the oldest, the prime minister's wife, has to have sent her after you when she went to the sewing room without you.

A little scrunch marks your nose as you give her a naughty expression and she looks at you with her doe eyes. She definitely takes after her brother and you can't avoid smiling at the thought. Far too early to tell but you are sure she'll have lots of suitors when she comes of age. Boys already look at her, taken by her beauty.

Unable to stand the heat any longer, despite the servant's efforts to make wind around you, you stand, startling the youngster slightly. The image of the water had her captivated as much as it did you; just for very different reasons.

You motherly caress your slightly swollen tummy over the white and red hanbok again, uneasy now that you are on your feet. But it's starting to become a common thing as the days go by. This pregnancy feels different, you feel like your belly has started to swell too early. Everything feels odd around it but you can't really place why.

The walk back to the centre of the palace is quiet, as servants surround you to cover your head with an umbrella and fan you from different directions. You enter the rectangular patio leading to the throne room and walk inside as the guards on sight open the door for you.

Yoonsuk raises his eyes from the scripts and stands at your sight, your two boys run to you from their place next to him where they are being taught some of their ancestor's history by their tutor. Although you know they are smart, Yoonguk, who is only three, is probably not learning much in this class. However, Yoonhyung, at the age of six is already able to write in Hangul the simplicity of thoughts he can have at his age. You are proud of them, such good and well-behaved kids deserve it.

"How is the little one behaving?" Yoonsuk wonders, approaching as you do, leaving your ladies at the other side of the open door, as they to the kong. "Ladies, you may retire, thank you. Kim Namjoon-nim, you shall continue the lessons in the library. The Queen and I have matters to attend." he orders as you stand from hugging your sons and the tutor politely bows to the both of you before leaving with the two beautiful boys. The guards close the door and you hear the metallic sound of their spears as they get in front of it.

The King hugs you from behind, breathing on your neck. "I've been sweating a little bit, dear husband. You may not wish to do that," you warn him, caressing his hands over your stomach.

"Nonsense," he says, kissing at the crook of your neck, leaving a soft bite that makes you turn around. "Guards! Make sure we are not disturbed!" he orders before pushing you by the same shoulder down; a nonverbal order you know way too well now. He seems to get off on the fact that you do it in this room, somehow. You reach into his pants to free his shaft, stroking him when it springs out. "I don't fancy you doing that now, get on your back," he says, grabbing your wrist and not letting it go as he gets on his knees, kissing you as you obey.

His hand sneaks under the hem of your skirt until he places it over your stomach, able to see the little swelling on your belly. He caresses the area that he can only watch with pride. "This is the last time I'll ask you to do this here. It has been fun but I owe you the comfort of our bed now that you carry for me again," he says as he lowers the fabric creating a cushioned form covering your stomach before his thumb circles on your bud. "You've been so obedient these last couple of months … Being my beloved wife, my queen… my lover… my concubine… So obedient, yes." The rubbing is the only one to blame for the way you start to get wet since the words only imply his ratification of his ownership over you. "My love," he whispers as he leans over, fingers working into sliding slowly into your depths.

You remembered that was exactly how you conceived the new crown prince or princess. Just like this, he leaned with his body over yours pulling out his fingers and pushing himself slowly in, as he had the habit of. It was never a warranty of him being soft or gentle, just that he didn't want to hurt you.

When he slid in, you wrapped your legs around his waist raising your hips as he thrust in you carefully, you felt his weight and warmth. That time he leaned over your body completely, now he’s careful and uses his elbows to make sure he doesn’t crush you. He feels good inside of you and although you had been stepping away from him emotionally before your affair was broken, now you feel even more conflicted than before.

He ignored you for the length of seven weeks, or mostly so since he would still sit down to eat with you. The bedroom was your prison, feeling the coldness of the bedsheets as he wouldn’t even step foot inside the four walls.

He spoke to you in short sentences and didn’t share any information with you as he used to. You felt for the first time, despite how he had been so sexually inactive months before, how it must have felt to be in an arranged marriage in which your husband didn’t want you. Missing the comfort of Yoongi’s words and love, drove you insane. You had never felt so lonely, even with the company of your ladies.

After that period, when the doctor corroborated that there was no pregnancy since you had bled twice. He had shooed your ladies out of the room, he had ripped your clothes and fed with your body his lust.

He made you moan and cry in all the ways he had learnt to love you for the previous seven years. All, while muttering all the changes that would be made in your lives to sort whatever had been breaking your marriage in the first place. Followed by a death threat on any chance you could take to have a lover again, right after he had spurted his seed inside of you, with the first lights of the sun turning the sky purple.

Since then, and without chances to know if Yoongi was alright or even breathing, you adapted and assumed your destiny. Yoonsuk is right, you are the perfect wife, even if you miss Yoongi. Even on the nights, you don’t share a bed with your husband, you cry in silence for the sorrow of losing him.

“Your Majesty!” shouts one of the servants at the other side of the door when Yoonsuk tries to angle better and starts hitting your sweet spot, making you moan against his collarbone, at the same time eliciting a grunt from him.

“How do you dare to disturb me!” growls Yoonsuk, before rising on his thighs and putting your knees against his chest, closing your legs and angling in a way that makes you have to muffle your sounds with your sleeve.

“Your Majesty, it’s important!” says the servant with a cracked voice.

“Speak!” Yoonsuk growls as you get closer to your orgasm. He forgets your knees raising you by the hips, still thrusting, raising your lower back from the floor.

“Your Majesty. There’s a group of bandits making their way down to the capital… But… But they-” the servant doubts to speak.

“They- what?” he growls once more giving the last thrust that sends you over the edge with the muffled sound of a scream against his palm.

“They are raising a rebellion, Your Majesty…” the man says and you can hear the tremble of his voice through the sense of your own body shattering, making it stop suddenly.

You feel Yoonsuk start to soften while he clenches his jaw, eyes locked on the door. He lets you down carefully and arranges your skirt before putting his wet member back inside his slacks. He stands and helps you up gently before holding you in a hug, kissing your forehead and you surround his well-formed abdomen with your arms.

"Tell the councillors to come here. We'll discuss this," orders Yoonsuk. "Take a seat with me, my queen," he offers, pointing with his hand to his throne where there's another one slightly lower for you.

You walk your way to it while correcting your hanbok, and as you sit down you feel your own drip staining the inner layer of it. Which makes you shift in your seat a second enough for Yoonsuk to guess why and smirk at you as he sits too.

“I’m not done-” he says facing the other extreme of the room but side eyeing you.

“I know. After this, in my room?” you question, tilting your head his way, but then he tilts his to look at you.

“My room. Tonight,” he says and you suddenly feel a weight lift from your chest, although you hadn’t realised it was there at all.

Being truthful to yourself and stopping to excuse his behaviour, he’s been truly using you when it comes to that matter. He has been taking you anywhere, any time, for the last three months, like a haunt does a bitch and you have let him. Yoonsuk is a generous lover and sleeping with him isn't a sacrifice, but the humiliation of being treated like that has probably been something you’ve taken for the sake of repaying for his damaged pride. Maybe because you know the consequences of your transgressions, your betrayal, should have ended with your two sons being motherless. Instead, your husband whom everyone, including you, thought crazy; gave you a second chance and has used your body to show you where you belong; at his side, like it always was. You feel like even if your inner self has wanted to tell him otherwise at the beginning, your acceptance has made things easier for everyone.

Those two sentences, what he’s said right before taking you on the floor of the room that represents his power, means he’s finally moved past your punishment and you two are one again. The image of Yoongi looking at you with his smile hits you for a moment and you have to push him away once more, not without your feelings betraying you in the form of a tear falling over your left cheek.

“Does that make you happy?” wonders Yoonsuk, tilting his head to look at you again as the guards open the door and you dry off the tear.

“Thank you,” you whisper and you feel the bile rise in your throat, from your lie. You don’t feel thankful, that's not it. Internally, you still wish you could get out and find your way back to Yoongi but there’s simply nothing you can do to change your circumstances. You see he’s raised his eyebrows in surprise and presents you a gummy smile, a second after, when you look at him from your position. Something in his smile makes your stomach bubble and you feel the butterflies of the love you thought lost.

Maybe you should really, truly, accept that this is your life now. That you can still love the man you used to, even if he’s a monster. What else is there for you to do?

When the ministers and counsellors take their places, some look at you, though just a second. You know it's a second guess to having seen you as they entered, probably surprised.

Your affair was shut down to anyone who had knowledge of what was going on that night. The fear of the king is bigger than their need to gossip. But the lack of your presence in the throne chambers and the lack of either of you visiting your sleeping ones soon raised discomfort.

What in the past was looked forward to; the king losing interest in you (in order to gain favour through their daughters becoming the king's concubines), was now feared.

Taehyung, the prime minister and long-time friend, had openly asked his wife about the matter. She dared then to translate the discomfort everyone who was highborn had with the events, but you were unable to answer. Feeling shame for the first time.

However, the king waited, not taking anyone publicly to his bed. The idea he could mortified you so much, that you dared to speak it out loud during one dinner, where you ate alone.

Aware of your appetite's lack of appearance while the matter rounded your head, the king spoke: "Is that all you are going to eat?" his eyes were on you like daggers. Four weeks into his distancing could mean this was the first sign of you carrying what he was sure would be his brother’s child, not his. Although he had slept with you too. "Not feeling your appetite I see," he mentioned taking a sip of his drink, "feeling nauseous maybe?" The vile raised in his throat as much as it did in yours.

"I have things on my mind. That is all," you said, not daring to keep your eyes on him longer than to acknowledge what he was starting at.

"And what is that then?" he questioned, placing the cup over the table with a clang. If he thought you were missing or even thinking about Yoongi his blood would boil immediately.

You dared to stare at him longer, after watching the motion and he raised an eyebrow, "what do you care?" you hissed. The solitude was finally weighing on you and your well-hidden resentment towards your husband decided to show.

"What do I care?" he chuckled humourlessly. "What about my wife, the mother of my children, who I have loved dearly, yet decided to betray me but still has her head? What about that?" he pointed, slamming his palm over the table, standing.

"How fair is that when you can go around court sleeping, unpunished, with everyone's daughters or wives?" you muttered, vile in your words. "And I, just the wife, have to look away."

His eyes were bulged and his lips parted too, then his face composed as he gripped one edge of the table. His eyes showed lust. "Is that jealousy?" he asked with what seemed like a purr, you got flustered. "So it is true. You did it because..." his eyes bulged again, "you thought I was sleeping with another," he instinctively surrounded the table when you looked away. There was a partial truth to it, just as you confesed the night you got caught, though you don't know if it was just what gave you the courage. Would you have done that if you never suspected him? Or was it truly because he was making you grow distant in the heart through his actions? Or both? He kneeled next to you and grabbed your chin for you to look at him. "As I already told you, I never did. Not once." His face was the one of the man you bowed to spend your eternity with, sincere but also hurt, staring at you, the woman he loved and a tear rolled down to soon be followed.

His lips were on yours, forgiving, loving, intense, and soon your back was against the cushions you were sitting in. He was feeling you against his body differently, unguided by lust but tenderness, yet you could feel him hard against your thigh.

Soon the kiss escalated and he was breathlessly trying to remove his clothes and yours, unorganised, a knot from you, then his, a naked shoulder, a raised layer of your skirt, then he seemed to look at the moon through the window and think, stopping abruptly. He then separated from you and put everything in your clothes back into place, doing the same with his before going back to his seat to eat in silence. Leaving you completely stunned. You didn't, however, dare to ask why and somewhere between hurt and horny, you stood to leave the room. He didn't say a thing or looked at you.

He kept even more distance after that and with that prospect, you were sure he would never take you back as his wife. That you had even given him the idea of taking concubines to hurt you, which froze any hopes you had to have at least some sort of comfort at his side.

Then a second period came and the doctor discreetly notified you and him that would ensure there wasn’t a baby to be expected. Yoonsuk nodded and dismissed him.

He then grabbed your head softly and planted a kiss on your forehead, "Thank the goods," he whispered and then walked out of the room. In the days following, you caught him staring at you constantly when you shared the same rooms or came across at the patios. So did the whole court, like the prime minister confided in his wife.

After that week, in the afternoon, before the sunset, your husband, the king, walked his way to your rooms with his servants at his talons. With everyone at court that day seeing it. Then you got to know and understand the truth.

He placed a hand over your belly in his bliss and pronounced, "I'm sure my seeds will flourish soon," with a smile as he looked at the moon again, almost full, and you could only stare at him. "It has worked twice," he added, kissing your forehead. Your eyes bulged as he looked at you from above. "If I had slept with you the other day, a month ago… I wouldn't have trusted anything growing in you," he muttered, sincerely.

Your new baby was indeed conceived in that moment although you hoped it didn’t. Not after the things he had muttered between growls.

"I'll kill any man who dares be less than two feet away from you."

The voices around you seem to quite abruptly and your husband's hand on your arm sends you back to reality. You realise everyone is looking at you, and meet his eyes.

"Are you feeling unwell?" he asks, worried in his tone.

"Uh? Oh, no, no, I'm all right. What were you asking?" you respond, having overheard the punishment for following the bandits should be thirty whips at the centre of the traitor's town, to make an example.

"I asked if you needed anything?" He keeps his tone low, only for you to hear and the others keep their respectful silence. "The prime minister eloquently pointed out that you look affected by the heat. Do you need something to drink or eat?"

"Just a fan and some water." he gestured for one of the servants waiting against one of the columns to approach and gave the order.

"Let's continue."

"If I may," asked Chancellor Jung Hoseok. The King nodded for him to speak. "I know maybe now won't be the best time but reducing the taxes and making things a little less tight has always worked to keep the people content and loyal… Maybe we can prom-"

"Your Majesty," interrupted the chancellor's words as Captain Kim Seokjin rushed into the room and bowed humbly.

"What is it, Seokjin-ssi?" Yoonsuk speaks with more patience than he shows to any of the others.

"I have news of who is leading the rebellion." You can automatically tell Seokjin doesn't want to say it, that it's going to anger the king.

"Go on."

"It's the traitor, Min Yoongi, Your Majesty," Seokjin says, looking at the floor instead of the monarch, probably as scared as anyone else.

The whole room gasps, including you, and you can feel the eyes of your sovereign on you.

Thank you for taking the time to read my work. I would really appreciate if you let me know if you liked it, either with a kudo or a comment. It encourages me to keep writing!

[sweetestofchaos]

Blackthorn Ch 14 | M.YG

Pairing: Crown Prince Dragon!Yoongi x Crown Princess Impundulu!Keena  Genre: Soulmate AU | Arranged Marriage AU | Fantasy AU | Fluff | Angst  Word Count: 10.6K  Warnings: Mentions of Terminal Illness | Kidnapping | Attempted Rape | Physical Violence | Shifting | Murder | Blood | Prince Yoongi Gets His Scar Rating: 21+

My Gift To You Part 2 - The young royals sneak out of the palace and go to the night market.

a/n: Like before I will put a warning where the violence/ar starts and ends with ⚠⚠⚠. The fighting and Yoongi's eye injury will be described but I will not go into too much detail about the attempted rape.

a/n 2: As always thanks to @sailoryooons for making the banner. Thanks to @theharrowing for being the beta this chapter.

Harrow and Hali both took time out of their lives to listen to me rant and overthink about different parts of this. I made things 10x harder for myself and they both just said "stop. take a minute and rethink this. do you need shit to be this complicated? can you simplify it?" and guess what? I damn sure could and I did. So thank you so fucking much to the both of them!

a/n 3: @minisugakoobies, my darling Sunny is heaven sent! She helped me with the fight scene. So huge shout out to her!!

a/n 4: The awesome scar free Yoongi edit in the banner is made by @colormepurplex2. Character asks and the taglist for Blackthorn are always open!

Taglist: @thickemadame ​​@loisje123

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Prince Yoongi held out his hand and Hoseok placed something in his palm. He walked to the Princess and took her outstretched hand in his own before he kissed her knuckles. She still wore his rings on her left hand and he grinned since her right hand was bare. Silently, he raised his hand and slipped a gold ring onto the Princess’ ring finger. Her eyes widened and Prince Yoongi winked as he released her hand. She looked at the ring in awe, it was a plain gold band that split into tiny branches that held an emerald-cut smoky quartz gem the size of a lima bean.

“Shall we, my gem?”

Hidden from the eyes of the crowd, Prince Yoongi stood with Princess Keena at the base of the steps leading towards the arena. Aga and Hoseok were on high alert as the cheers from the townspeople reached the high heavens. Music played loudly, and the Princess could feel the beat in her bones. The Prince squeezed her hand lightly, brought her fingers to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

“We will part for only a moment, Princess. Two blinks and you will be back by my side where you belong.” The Prince explained with a soft smile on his face as his thumb brushed over the rings on the Princess’ fingers. 

“You have nothing to fear.”

Princess Keena nodded her head and allowed for Yoongi’s hand to pull away from her own. Their fingertips bent to catch each other’s and the Prince smiled reassuringly. As his hand dropped away from the Princess, Aga and the other guards crowded around her, barricading the space with their bodies. Yoongi held his head high as he ascended the steps, his face void of emotion as the crowd's sounds and chatter became louder. 

The music switched, signaling the entrance of the Prince and once more the crowd fell silent as the eunuch spoke loudly.

“His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince Yoongi!”

The sun above caressed the Prince’s face as he emerged from the shadows, the bold colors warmed his skin as they absorbed the heat from the rays and the scales on his jaw caught in the light. A vision of raw power and perfection, just as a Prince should be. A few bodies in the crowd leaned in and whispered to each other in the stands about the Prince’s attire. It was bright and unfamiliar, a style that many (if not all) had never seen before.

The Prince stood before his parents and bowed to show his respect. The Empress’ eyes flashed gold and Prince Yoongi stood in front of his throne with his back facing it. Emperor Min motioned for his son to take his seat and cleared his throat before he stood to address the people.

“The sun shows us favor by shining us with its light! It is a most joyous day in the Min Empire, my dear subjects!” Empire Min clapped his hands together once before he folded them within his robes and smiled. “Today marks a new era for the Min Empire!”

All around everyone started to cheer, a new era meant an increase in imported goods and money. A new era was good health and longevity to all. A new era was something none of the commoners in attendance were expecting. Emperor Min sat back down and nodded his head to the eunuch to continue on.  Standing tall, the eunuch unrolled the scroll in his hand a little more and held it out in front of himself, making sure not to block his face as he read the written words.

“His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince Yoongi is to be wed in the seventh month as in accordance with the unification to the land to the east, the Escistan Kingdom. As peacetime reigns over our lands, war rides the coattails with an unrelenting force.”

The news of the Prince’s engagement was cause to celebrate. There would be a Princess in the palace, the likes of which no one has ever seen before. She was from the Escistan Kingdom, a land unknown to most of the common folk. However, at the mere mention of war the crowd started to grow uneasy. News of the West’s plight against the Escistan Kingdom was common knowledge. The foreign land had many sought-after resources, magical and null alike. An alliance with the Escistan Kingdom would open up a new trading route and bring in more wealth for the people of the Min Empire. 

“Standing beside our allies of the Escistan Kingdom to show a united front in the face of an impending war-” the eunuch paused for dramatic effect and Empress Min laughed to herself. 

“To show those in the West that we stand strong, Her Royal Highness Princess Keena has accepted His Imperial Highness’ hand in marriage!”

Upon hearing her name, Princess Keena took a deep breath in and gathered her skirts in her hands. The wind picked up and flower blossoms rode the breeze by the entrance from which the Prince first came. The Princess rolled her shoulders back and held her head high as she took the steps one at a time to reach the balcony of the pavilion where the royal family all sat. Dogwood petals danced around her as she stepped into the light and the eyes of every person burned deep in her heart. If the Prince was a vision of power then the Princess was that same vision wrapped in beauty and elegance.

The Princess squeezed her skirts and relaxed her hands before she allowed the material to fall loose. The sun greeted her with open arms while a cool breeze pushed her towards the waiting royal family in a spotted blanket of petals. In front of the Emperor and Empress, Princess Keena crossed her arms over her chest and bowed. Empress Min smiled softly at the show of respect from the Escistan Kingdom. She is proud that Keena is willing to incorporate her nation’s practices into what she has been taught during her stay in the Min Empire. 

Emperor Min bowed his head and the Princess turned on her heels to face the crowd. Prince Yoongi rose to his feet and strode over to stand by the Princess’ side while the eunuch continued his speech. He listed off the Princess' credentials, the status of her homeland, her role within her nation, her achievements, and much more. By the end of the speech, the crowd was impressed.

The Princess of the foreign nation was a woman for the people and within the Min Empire that attitude would take her far. As the young royals stood side by side, everyone took in their appearance. The Prince’s attire complemented the Princess’ in style and color. The unknown style of some of the garb was contributed to the Princess’ homeland of Escistan. A few of the women in the crowd wondered to themselves if the fabrics and styles would be something they would see sold at stalls in town at some point. Maybe not as bold in color but the style was in favor, the skirt of the Princess’ outfit looked easy to walk in.

“I give you, His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Yoongi and Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Keena!”

Princess Keena did not miss the change of her title, the new power suddenly granted to her as the arena ruptured into loud cheers and claps. People shouted their joy and excitement as they watched the royal family all sit together. Dancers and musicians went back into the center of the area and put on a show. The Princess was surprised to see Ellarian and Kwangseon in the mix of bodies. Ellarian took the lead as she leapt and twirled with the other women while Kwangseon kept the tempo on his Janggo. Princess Keena tapped her fingers to the beat and when the Prince noticed, a smile pulled at his lips.

He leaned over and whispered in the Princess’ ear, “Are you enjoying yourself, my gem?” 

The way the sun kissed the scales on the Prince’s jaw, a mini rainbow appeared on the Princess’ neck and the Prince smiled as he nuzzled his nose underneath her ear. So close to the gland at her neck, the Prince inhaled deeply and smirked as goosebumps rose on the skin underneath him. The sweetened tang of citrus doused in honey blanketed the Prince’s mind and he purred, his inky eyes swirling with gold as he tried to pull himself away. Princess Keena rested her hand on top of the Prince’s and laced their fingers together.

“Behave, my Prince.”

The Prince growled as the Princess squeezed his hand lightly and she turned her head to face him. His nose skimmed her cheek and pressed into the corner of her mouth, she was thankful that no one was truly focused on them. Without a word, the Princess kissed the Prince’s nose and snuck a quick kiss to his lip. Ginger, spicy and warm, surged around the Princess and Hoseok coughed from somewhere in the distance.

“Focus, young ones.” Empress Min’s voice was as firm as it was teasing, just enough to pull the Prince from his muddled headspace.

“Apologies, mother.” Prince Yoongi muttered and pulled away from the Princess but he refused to let go of her hand.

The announcement celebration came to its end soon after. The royals took their leave, the Emperor and Empress arm in arm while Prince Yoongi offered his hand to the Princess. Hoseok resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his friend's display of affection while Namjoon and Seokjin giggled with each other. Aga shared a knowing look with Hoseok as the two followed the family downward. At the bottom of the steps, out of the people’s sight the Emperor and Empress embraced the young royals.

“Welcome to the family my dear,” Empress Min cooed as she cupped the Princess’ face lovingly. “You will bring a new chapter to this world and I am eager to watch it unfold.”

“Easy, deartheart.” Emperor Min placed a hand on his wife’s lower back as he stood by her side. “They still have much to learn. Let us not rush the process and-” A sudden cough interrupted the Emperor's words and he quickly covered his mouth as he fell into a fit. Empress Min rubbed his back and motioned for guards to step in.

Daehyun came forward and helped support the Emperor before Hoseok pulled a starstone from the jumeoni at his hip. He crushed the stone and blew the dust over the Emperor silently. Empress Min gave everyone a tight smile.

“Worry not, His Majesty is fine. The pollen in the air is heavy today.” 

Princess Keena nodded her head and squeezed the Prince’s hand when he didn’t respond to his mother’s words.

“Give His Majesty our regards and rest well,” Princess Keena bowed her head and the Empress smiled before she took off to her husband’s chambers with guards behind her. 

Prince Yoongi watched as his mother disappeared with a frown on his lip. A gentle pressure wrapped around his fingers and he glanced down to see that the Princess had placed her hand in his. Her fingers were so small compared to his own and he sighed as the frown melted from his face. Raising her hand to his lips, Prince Yoongi kissed the tips of the Princess’ fingers and smiled.

“Shall we walk in your garden, my gem?”

The Princess stared into the Prince’s dark eyes and squeezed his hand lightly before she tugged it down to their sides.

“It is as much mine as it is yours, my Prince.”

The grin widened on the Prince’s face and he nodded his head silently. Together, arm in arm, the young royals strolled the pebble paths, crossed the bridges over gurgling waters, and admired the colorful flowers as they walked from the palace front to the eastern wing. The place where the seventh garden, filled with Blackthorns from the Princess’ homeland, created the perfect picture of peace.

The sweet almond scent from the blackthorn blossoms filled the air and intermingled with the flowers scattered throughout. The faintest echoes of rushing water hid in the canopies of the trees and the Princess felt herself breathe for the first time today. 

All worry vanished from her body the moment she stepped foot on the lush green grass of the garden. She loved this place more than anything in the whole palace (excluding the Prince). This was a place of silent devotion, filled to the brim with a tenderness that only the young royals could truly appreciate together.

Hoseok and Aga spaced out the other guards in the garden, making sure to give the simulated couple their space. If the Prince sat on the ground with the Princess between his legs, arms wrapped around her waist as they shared whispered words, the guards turned a blind eye.

Aga gazed up into the sky and inhaled the scents of his homeland. His chest ached for a short moment before he closed his eyes and drank in the warmth of the sun. Once the Princess was wed to the Prince, Aga would go back to Escistan. He would leave the Princess to Hoseok, who in Aga’s eyes was more than capable of protecting her. He would leave Mingi as the head of the Princess’ guards and put Chan as his right hand. Together with the rest of the guards, the Princess would be safe. Standing by the Prince’s side, the Princess would be happy.

"Rete tann mwen, mon amour. Jis yon ti tan ankò." 

Aga opened his eyes at the sound of movement from his right and Hoseok was making his way over. Aga rolled his shoulders and glanced at the young lovers, lost in their own world, hidden from the many eyes of the palace.

“We must head back soon.”

Hoseok’s voice was soft and low as if he spoke any louder he would disturb the atmosphere that the Prince and Princess had created. Aga nodded his head in agreement. A luncheon was scheduled for members of the council to pay their respects to the young royals. It was within two hours and the couple parched under the tree needed to freshen up before they stood before the council members. 

Grunting, Aga made his way over to the young couple and offered the Princess his hand to help her up. The Prince stayed close by the Princess’ side as they traveled back to the palace arm in arm. They spoke in hushed whispers and the Princess’ suppressed giggles made those around them smile. How light the palace had become since the Princess’ arrival. A true breath of fresh air and eased the worry of most servants. 

Outside of the Princess’ chambers, Prince Yoongi lifted their clasped hands to his lip and whispered tender words that made a wide smile pull at the Princess’ lips. Heat warmed her face and she was quick to slip into her room, a hurried wave over her shoulder as her handmaid swarmed her. The door shut with a firm thud and the Prince sighed.

“Let’s get this over with, Hoseok.”

Prince Yoongi nodded to Aga and the other guards before he disappeared into his room beside the Princess’ two yards down. Once in his room, the Prince freed his hair from its bun and Hoseok pulled it into a low ponytail that rested against the Prince’s back. They sat on the settees and couches in silence, letting the events from earlier play in their minds.

In the Princess’ room, she was stripped of her clothing and led into the warm waters of her bathing room. Hyejin used a loofah to exfoliate the Princess’ skin before she washed away the light layer of sweat and makeup. Sweet almond and mint oils were mixed into the water creating a soothing aroma that made the Princess sink into a peaceful headspace. The Prince’s words from the garden played in her mind and she smiled to herself.

“Wait for my word. You will know when it’s time.”

For the next few hours, Princess Keena was pampered by her handmaids and dressed in a beautiful rosewater and lilac bazin brocade boubou. The sleeves were wide and flowing, creating a wing-like appearance as the Princess moved about her chambers. Her braids were piled into a high crown-like bun on the top of her head with two single braids framing her face at the sides. Butterfly and daisy-shaped meori-kkoji were played in her hair for added splendor before rouge was brushed onto her cheeks and lips. The Princess’ eyes were lined in black kohl, elegant wings drawn at the ends.

Prince Yoongi wore deep blue baji with a thick golden band at the bottom with a matching jeogori. Two four-toed dragons were stitched into the shoulders of the jeogori. The Prince’s long blonde hair wrapped and pinned at the top of his head in a black sangtugwan with his golden dragon donggot to bring attention to the two dragons that gleamed on his shoulders. Gold hoop earrings rested in the Prince’s ears and many chunky gold rings decorated his fingers. He was ready and with one final touch to her outfit, so was the Princess.

In the hall when the young royals stood before each other, the Prince smiled at the sight of his betrothed. She was a vision, pure and sweet in colors that pulled an angelic hue from her skin. The side of Prince Yoongi’s lips lifted as he noticed the familiar norigae that hung from the Princess’ hip. The white moonstone and golden tassels complemented the softer colors of the Princess’ garb and a low rumble crept from the Prince’s throat.

“Your beauty never ceases to amaze me, my gem.” 

Prince Yoongi spoke calmly as he offered his arm and Princess Keena rolled her eyes playful as she slipped her arm in the crook of the Prince’s elbow.

“I could say the same for you, my Prince. Blue is a handsome color on you.”

Hoseok cleared his throat and the Prince frowned at the interruption. Smiling, Hoseok motioned for the couple to move along.

“We need to go now, your Highness.” 

On the way to the luncheon General Daehyun informed Hoseok that the Prince’s parents would not attend the luncheon but gave their best wishes. As acting host, the Prince sat proudly in the Orlilurth Throne, and when Princess Keena moved to sit beside him in a beautiful hand-carved throne that was smaller but no less regal looking, a deep growl echoed in the hall.

The Princess stood unphased in front of the smaller throne and all eyes were on the young royals. Prince Yoongi’s eyes started to swirl with gold as he rose to his feet and took a few steps to stand in front of the Princess. Wordlessly, the Prince grabbed the Princess’ elbow lightly and guided her to the Orlilurth Throne. His hand slid down the length of her arm and their fingers linked together loosely. The command was silent, a deadly dare for those around to voice their concerns. No one moved and no one breathed as the Princess sat in the Orlilurth Throne and crossed her hands in her lap. 

Prince Yoongi huffed out a thick plume of smoke from his nose and motioned for someone to take the smaller throne away before he sat beside the Princess. After the show of dominance, official after official stood and bowed to show their respect. The vein in Hoseok’s temple was throbbing but he stayed quiet and watched as Prince Yoongi kept his face blank while Princess Keena sipped her tea. She smiled politely and listened to the spoken promises and superficial wishes of good health with tender eyes.

The people before her were not the ones who would sit in power once Prince Yoongi took the throne. Their sons, nephews, and cousins would take their place and pledge their loyalty to Prince Yoongi’s reign. For now, the young royals played their part and accepted the endless praise. Aga and Hoseok kept a close eye on everyone in the room, with so many new faces before the Princess, Aga felt on edge. His time spent in the palace consisted of training guards, war meetings, and watching over the Princess. There were many in this room that Aga had yet to meet and they could be a threat. 

Green-lentil jelly, pancakes, and sashimi were shared with the council members. Along with honey glazed duck, spiced jams, sweet breads, flan, pork dumplings, somen noodles in a tasty and creamy sesame miso soup, and much more. Dancers in elegant peony pink and baby blue hanbok performed a feather dance and kept the council entertained while musicians played music. The meeting hall soon filled with laughter and loud voices as the council members started to relax and enjoy themselves. 

Prince Yoongi paired a slice of beef with gat kimchi and cleared his throat softly, “My gem?”

The Princess pulled her eyes from the dancers and the smile that graced her face made the Prince’s neck heat as he stared at her. He held his chopstick in his hand, the end pitched a nice mouthful of food and he leaned closer to the Princess.

“Try this, I think you will like it.”

Princess Keena made sure that her sleeves were out of the way before she leaned forward and allowed for the Prince to feed to her. The meat was tender and melted on her tongue while the gat kimchi held a slight crunch before it slid down her throat. The Prince stared at her expectantly and she smiled.

“That was not the kimchi I’ve had before.”

The Prince grinned, pleased to see the Princess reach for more of the beef and gat kimchi. He informed her that it was the Emperor’s favorite type of kimchi and that his mother, the Empress, disliked it very much.

“And you, my Prince?” 

Prince Yoongi took a sip of his water and looked at the kimchi before he turned to the Princess to see that she had her own hand held out towards him. He licked his lips and leaned in, not once taking his eyes off her. As his lips wrapped around the beef and gat kimchi he winked with thin golden bands circled around his irises. Swallowing down the food, Prince Yoongi allowed for himself to move closer to the Princess, their thighs touched as his nose brushed against her temple and he purred low in his chest.

“I can think of something far superior.”

The side-eye from the Princess wasn’t missed by the Prince and he chuckled as he pulled away, his face pleased and smug as one side of his mouth turned upward. Princess Keena slowly turned to face the Prince and clicked her tongue before she spoke.

“There is a saying in my land,” Princess Keena lifted a cup to her mouth and sipped her tea. “Silans, tou, se yon lang.”

The Prince’s brows pulled together in confusion and the Princess smiled as she motioned for Aga to come to her side. “Silence, too, is a language.” 

As Aga reached the Princess’ side, she rose to her feet and bowed her head.

“I will retire for now, Your Highness. I must check on Cookie.”

The Prince watched as the Princess was led away and he laughed to himself. He could smell the Princess’ arousal the moment he invaded her space. Sitting upright, Prince Yoongi looked out at the council members and motioned for Hoseok. 

“Yes, Your Highness?” 

“Have Seokjin take over in my stead. I have prior engagements I must see to.”

Hoseok stared at the Prince for a while and sighed when his emotionless expression gave nothing away.

“As you wish.”

The Prince rose to his feet and everyone in the room quickly scrambled to their feet. He cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back as he looked out at the council members.

“Enjoy your meal and drink to your heart's content. This feast was a great honor to spend with all of you here today. As the great ones before me, I wish you all a good time. I must take my  leave for now.” Prince Yoongi spoke clearly and watched with dark eyes as everyone in the room bowed. He smirked in amusement and turned on his heels before he left the meeting space with Hoseok at his side. Seokjin sat at the bottom of the stairs where a chabudai table and chair was placed. The throne was left empty and as everyone took their seats, Seokjin smiled and raised his cup as a silent toast. 

Since the announcement in the morning and during the luncheon, the Princess’ maids and other attendants have moved most of her belongings into her room within the palace. The butterfly house was still the Princess’ cherished getaway but now that her title had changed, she was expected to stay in the palace with the other royals even with Agust’s recurring appearances.

At the butterfly house, the Princess sat outside and watched Cookie as he chased a butterfly. The boubou from earlier was replaced by a cream blouse with wide sleeves and a scoop neckline that had a soft geometric pattern. A peach wrapper sat on the Princess’ hips, an overall simple look compared to what she wore during the announcement ceremony. 

San and Kai are on guard. The pair shared a knowing look as they watched the Princess admire the flowers that Namjoon had planted.

San was nervous and excited for tonight. Together with Kai and Minho, the three made sure that everything would be perfect for the Princess’ first unofficial visit into the town. The night market was a major event in their town. Merchants and entertainers came from all over to share their goods and stories. There would not have been a better time than tonight to sneak the Princess out of the palace.

Footsteps crunched on the walkway and Princess Keena looked up, a smile spread wide on her face.

“Seokjin!”

Seokjin was dressed down from what he wore in the early morning like most of the palace staff that held positions of power. A white cross-collared shirt dropped into a white skirt with a thick pale grey silk belt wrapped around his waist. He wore a scalloped seashell-colored open cross-collared jacket over top that had pale grey and cream rumen flowers stitched along the wide sleeves. His dark bangs framed his face while the rest of his hair was pulled into a high half bun, half ponytail style that had a good portion of his hair cascading down behind his shoulders.

A wide smile took over Seokjin’s face as the Prince called his name and he continued his way to her. Once in front of the Princess, Seokjin bowed and clapped his hands.

“You looked stunning on that stage, Princess. You looked regal and elegant, a true blood born leader.”

“You flatter me, Seokjin.”

“Nonsense, Princess. You had everyone on their toes. The women of the court have yet to shut up about your attire. They are already requesting the style.”

Princess Keena felt her face warm at the news and shook her head softly. Seokjin jumped at the sudden weight on his foot and when he looked down, Cookie was sitting on his toes. Bending down, Seokjin scooped the tiger cub up with a huff. 

“He has gotten bigger since I last saw him.” Seokjin spoke as Cookie head butted his chin. “Soon none of us will be able to carry him.”

“I’m sure my guards will be able to handle Cookie. He’s just a big baby.”

The Princess reached out and scratched behind Cookie’s ears as she spoke and smiled at Seokjin.

“What brings you to the butterfly house?” 

Seokjin set Cookie down and offered his arm to the Princess, “Since His Highness is busy with his own tasks, I thought I would offer to keep you company.” Seokjin explained as the Princess slipped her arm into the crook of Seokjin’s elbow. “I really must apologize for not taking the time to visit more often.”

“You are a busy man, Seokjin. Why should I fault you for doing your job?”

Seokjin’s cheeks flushed at the Princess’ words and he started to walk along the path through the garden.

“You are too kind Princess. Your gentle candor is refreshing.” Seokjin watched his steps as Cookie ran around them in circles. “His Highness was blessed by the ones before us to have you intertwined into his life. Together, with you by his side-” Seokjin grins and chuckles, “I see a long and beautiful union for all of us.”

Seokjin had spent a few hours with Princess Keena. At some point Kai left his post by the Princess’ side; he felt unwell. Minho took his place and San knew that it would soon be time for the night’s operation to begin. 

Conversation between the Princess and Seokjin was easy. As the sun started to sink in the sky, the Princess voiced that she had felt unwell and when Seokjin offered to escort her to her chambers, Minho and San took over. They reassured him that the Princess would be okay and that he need not worry about her care. Seokjin watched as the trio walked back to the palace and he chewed on his bottom lip in worry.

In the palace, Hoseok and Aga were informed of a sudden council meeting to discuss the ongoing war and strategies to ensure an overall victory. When Hoseok left his post, Kai slipped into the Prince’s room with a small bag hidden within the belt of his outfit. Prince Yoongi sat alone in his chambers behind his desk with a scroll in front of him. Upon Kai’s arrival, the Prince rose from his seat and motioned for the guard to follow him into his bed chambers. 

In the room, Kai removed the bag from his belt and laid the contents out on the Prince’s vanity. Charcoal and commoner clothing were bundled together neatly and the Prince was impressed. Kai helped the Prince strip out of his regal clothing and carefully dressed him in the simple hanbok before he removed all the jewelry. He sat in front of the mirror and watched as Kai came up behind him. In his hands was a small cup of water and he set it on top of the vanity before he grabbed a brush and detangled the Prince’s hair. 

Once the Prince’s hair was knot free, carefully Kai pressed the charcoal stick to the blonde hair. Again and again, Kai repeated the process before he ran a fine toothed comb through the Prince’s hair to fully cover the hair. Gone were the blond strands, now replaced with flat ink black. Prince Yoongi was fascinated as he turned his head from side to side to get a better view of his dark hair. Kai pulled it into a high bun that sat on top of the Prince’s head with a simple black cloth tied around to keep it in place.

As he stood from his seat, the Prince smoothed out his hanbok and gave Namjoon a tight-lipped smile. 

“How do I look?”

Kai eyed the sand-colored jeogori that hung from the Prince’s shoulders. The matching baeja was simple enough with a white trim along the hem. The beige baji paired well with the straw jipsin shoes. The dark strands of hair really made all the difference and Kai nodded his head, pleased with the Prince’s disguise.

“I would give you a few coins if you asked.”

A smile stretched across the Prince’s face at Kai’s words and he laughed. 

“Everything else is ready for tonight?” 

“Yes, Your Highness. I recruited the help of Byulyi to assist the Princess in dressing.”

The Prince narrowed his eyes as he frowned, unimpressed with the news of Byulyi now knowing about his plan. He didn’t want more people to know about his whereabouts, but it couldn’t be helped. The Princess did indeed need help to get ready and that was a fact that the Prince had not accounted for.

In the Princess’ chambers, Byulyi helped her into the hanbok that the Prince had gifted to her a few nights ago. The other handmaids were dismissed by the Princess in fear that she would get them sick as well. Byulyi had been the first to speak up about staying behind and passed a note to the Princess while she clasped her hands tightly. The Princess agreed with little to no argument and the others left with low bows.

The sand-colored jeogori with its thick beige cuffing fitted the Princess loosely and the beige pleated chima swayed around her feet. The cognac colored norigae was carefully attached to the Princess’ skirt by Byulyi before she was led over to the vanity. Byulyi pulled the Princess’ braid to the back of her head and twisted them into a single plait that rested against her back. The cream silk ribbon with gold larch and lupine flowers embroidered at the ends was tied to the bottom of the plait to complete the look.

As the Princess walked over to the tri-view mirrors, she smiled at her overall appearance. Her makeup had been removed and replaced with a simple neutral smokey eye and a rose tinted balm to her lips. The only jewelry that she wore were the two rings with thin gold bands and three white scolecite gems on each that the Prince had gifted to her. The engagement ring was tucked away with the rest of the jewelry for safe keeping. Princess Keena had been reluctant to remove the precious gift but Byulyi had reassured her that it would be safer to leave it behind.

Out in the hall, Wonho and Jooheon stood guard. They were determined to make sure that the Princess wasn’t disturbed while she rested and recovered from her sickness. Inside the Princess’ chambers, Byulyi lit a candle and walked over to the closed window. As she opened it quickly and stood with her back facing the Princess. Silently, Byulyi covered and uncovered the flame six times before she blew out the candle and walked away from the window. The Princess was confused but Byulyi gave her a knowing smile.

“Be safe tonight Princess and have a wonderful time.”

Byulyi draped a dark cloak around the Princess’ shoulders and carefully lifted the hood over her head.

“Where am I going, Byulyi? His Highness didn’t tell me anything.”

“You will learn in due time, Princess.”

A soft knock at the window made the two women turn around and Princess Keena was surprised to see San standing in the window; his calcite eyes glowed in the darkness. 

“Time to go, Princess.”

Byulyi and San helped the Princess climb out the window and Byulyi wished them luck once more before she closed the window and covered all the sunstones for the night. Princess Keena stayed close to San’s side as he led her through a series of twists and turns until they reached a small cluster of trees. It was dark and grew darker still. As they approached, shadows started to move and the Princess’ steps faltered.

One of the shadows stepped out of the darkness and as it was bathed in silver moonlight, the Princess’ mouth dropped open in awe. There stood the Prince dressed in clothing that did not befit his status and his blond hair was gone. Dark inky locks gleamed in the moonlight, and the Prince’s lips were turned upward as he extended his hand outward towards the Princess.

"Ann ale."

Colors. So many colors, sounds, and scents surrounded the Princess as she walked beside the Prince in the busy streets of the town’s night market. The main market was lit up with sunstones that were strung up high from stall to stall. A web of lights encased in handcrafted lanterns of different colors. Hand-carved and painted signs with the names of products and pricing covered all the stalls while some had no signage. Minho and San kept ten paces from the young royals as they explored the wonders of the night market.

“Ddeokbokki! Fresh ddeokbokki!”

“Bindaetteok! Nice hot, bindaetteok!”

“Samgyupsal! We have samgyupsal!”

In the distance, a pansori told the story of how the Min Empire came to be while another one sang about the war in the West. People moved to and fro, stall to stall with baskets filled with goods. It was exciting and the Princess took it all in. The Min Empire at night was beyond her wildest dreams. Intoxicating scents of perfumes and oils danced in the air and mingled with the sweet aromas of the food. The floral and spicy scent led lonely and stressed women and men alike to the middle of town where The Vine, a prosperous inn known for its more carnal pleasures, resided.  

The building was three stories high with thick wooden posts painted a deep blue out front to hold up the impressive nameplate. The whole building was a mix of blues, creams, and golds. Splashes of brighter colors were hidden away in the rooms reserved for private use. A group of four, two women and two men, stood outside of The Vine to entice those who passed by. Their grabs were soft muted tones of pinks, reds, purples, and blues. Their necks were exposed and if their robes slipped from their shoulders, a helpful hand would fix it.

The Prince had spoken with San and Kai about The Vine, he knew to avoid that area and the walkways were wide enough to do so. Princess Keena pulled at the Prince’s hand and he allowed himself to be dragged to a vendor that sold norigae. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back as the Princess asked the merchant questions and silently inhaled the sweet tang of honey-dipped tangerines. The satgat on top of his head hid his face from those around him, only showing his mouth when he lifted his face enough to speak to different vendors. 

Prince Yoongi felt himself cross his eyes for a moment as a norigae was suddenly shoved in his face. He blinked a few times and carefully took the knotted silk in his hands. The craftsmanship was impressive and the colors were complementary to a few of his darker outfits in the palace. Red and gold silk rope was woven together in an intricately knotted design with three hanging tassels at the bottom, red on one side and gold on the other.

“The little lady has an eye for the best!” The merchant praised and Yoongi raised an eyebrow as he turned his attention to the Princess.

“My wife finished that one this afternoon, it took all month to make.”

The Prince reached into the waist of his hanbok and wrapped his fingers around his jumeoni that held his money. He asked the price and paid for it without blinking an eye. Princess Keena leaned into his side and the Prince swallowed down a pleased rumble in his chest. The merchant placed the norigae into a small wooden box and wrapped it in a tan cloth. Before he could hand it off, Prince Yoongi gave the merchant a nameplate and asked to keep it on hold. Anything that was purchased in the night would be picked up later on in the week to avoid any suspension. 

Princess Keena slipped her hand into the Prince’s and together they walked to a stall that made the Price smirk. He recognized the name of the stall, it was the vendor that sold the sweet treats. He had a few tables set up for people to sit down and enjoy their food to which Prince Yoongi pulled the Princess in that direction. They sat across from each other at a table and the Princess looked around excitedly. Her eyes were wide as they bounced from place to place. The light of the sunstones reflected in her eyes and the Prince found himself reaching his arm out across the table. 

Princess Keena grinned down at his hand and cupped the back of his hand in hers. Using her other hand, she traced invisible shapes into the Prince’s palm with the tips of her blunt nails. A pleasant shiver crawled down the Prince’s back and he carefully removed his hat, placing it on the seat beside him. He made sure to choose a table that wasn’t in the direct light of the sunstones so that he could enjoy this moment.

“Are you enjoying yourself, my gem?”

“There are no words to express my gratitude...Yoongi.”

The Prince’s fingers wrapped tightly around the Princess’ fingers and he purred. He brought the Princess’ hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips one by one. He never took his eyes off hers and smirked as silver started to quiver to life in the darkness.

A waiter came over to take their order and the Prince rattled off a few different treats. Everything was picked with the knowledge that he had gained over the time spent with the Princess. Hotteok, danpatjuk, yakgwa and manju with a pot of tieguanyin tea on the side.

In the palace, Hyungwon and his assistant Yunho, a dwarf cyclops, tended to the Emperor as he laid in bed. Empress Eunkyung sat at his bedside, eyes bloodshot and puffy from her endless crying. The Emperor was ill and his sickness incurable. From Hyungwon’s examinations and tests, Emperor Chungho had three months to live; six at the most. It was a sickness of his lungs and from what Hyungwon saw, they were slowly withering away bit by bit. The blood that the Emperor coughed up was proof of his lungs' degenerative state.

The news was swiftly delivered to Hoseok and Aga as they exited the war meeting together. They decided to tell the young royals together in hopes that they would be able to comfort each other. Prince Yoongi wasn’t in his chambers, the guards at his door informed Hoseok that the Princess had fallen ill, so His Highness had gone to stay by her side. Aga bristled at the news but kept his thoughts to himself. They made their way to the Princess’ chambers where Chan and Jooheon stood guard.

“Why was I not informed of the Princess’ state?” Aga glared at the two guards and Chan stood his ground.

“Byulyi said that she sent word to you already. Had she not?” 

Aga and Hoseok shared a look before they pushed open the doors of the Princess’ chambers. Byulyi scrambled to her feet and bowed to both Aga and Hoseok.

“It seems to be some miscommunication, Byulyi.” Hoseok didn’t take his eyes off the maid as he spoke. “Word of the Princess’ illness had not reached us and yet the Prince is here with her?” Hoseok clicked his tongue and took a step towards the bed chambers.

Byulyi stepped in his way and crossed her arms over her chest. “I was giving strict orders from His Highness to not allow anyone to disturb his and the Princess’ slumber.” 

“Oh?” Hoseok raised an eyebrow and took one step forward to crowd Byulyi’s space. “And will you take responsibility for my important notice being ignored for the sake of beauty sleep?”

Byulyi’s gaze wavered. What news did Hsoeok speak of? Could she risk it? It had only been a few hours, two at the most since the young royals left the palace. She wanted them to enjoy their freedom a little longer. Squaring her shoulders, Byulyi narrowed her eyes.

“I will.” 

Hoseok huffed, annoyed but impressed. He licked his lips and glanced over his shoulder to Aga who stood by and watched the whole encounter. He nodded his head with a sigh and turned his attention back to Byulyi.

“Forgive me, my dear.”

Before Byulyi could react to Hoseok’s words, he had dug his fingers into a pressure point and caught Byulyi’s limp body in his arms. Scooping her up, he carried her over to the couch and placed her down gently. Aga opened the door to the Princess’ sleeping chambers and the squawk that left his mouth made Hoseok cringe. Aga stepped out of the room and charged to the front of the room. He ripped open the doors and grabbed Chan by his shoulders. Chan hissed in pain as he was slammed into the stone wall.

“Where are they?!” Aga’s voice was an airy mix of whistles,  a song of death that only came from the lips of a citron crane.

Jooheon moved to pull Aga off of Chan when Hoseok held him back. The heat that seeped through his robes and singed his skin was uncomfortable. Flames danced in Hoseok’s amber eyes as he glared at Jooheon.

“Answer the question, kid. Where are the Prince and Princess?” 

The beat of the drums rang throughout the night. Armed guards filled the streets of the night market and stopped anyone who had their face covered. The Prince and Princess were missing from the palace. Any other time, Hoseok would have searched for the young couple without a fuss but with the news of the Emperor’s impending demise, he had no time for subtlety. Minho and San were easily recognized by the other guards and led back to the palace. They both thought to put up a fight but feared the young royal’s cover would be blown. 

In all the commotion, Prince Yoongi pulled the Princess away from the main street and ran between buildings, back towards the palace. The backways were dark and some smelled of waste and spoiled food but the Prince paid no mind to it once he heard additional footsteps echo around him. Someone, maybe three people from the missteps, were following them and Agust coiled himself tightly around Yoongi’s heart. Slowly a gold ring brightened around Yoongi’s iris and his hold on the Princess’ hand tightened. 

A body suddenly dropped from the rooftop followed by two more and Yoongi growled in warning. Footfalls from behind made his back stiffen and he shoved the Princess closer to the wall beside them. His satgat had fallen off his head and hung at his back thanks to the beaded gatkkeun that was attached to it. Prince Yoongi narrowed his eyes and bared his elongated fangs as the footsteps behind him came to a stop. They were surrounded and the Prince wondered where Minho and San were.

“Hand over the girl and we’ll let you live, boy.”

From the accent that the words were spoken in, the Prince knew that these bandits were not from town. As he took in their garb, he noticed that they were dressed in darker colors and wore black leather trousers but what stood out was the scabbard on their waist. The hilt was an ivy white while the sheath was black with golden metal plating. The craftsmanship reminded the Prince of a dagger that he once saw in a book about the West. He narrowed his eyes and positioned himself between the men, ten he counted, and the Princess.

“If you want to leave with your pathetic lives, leave now!”

The men all laughed and drew their swords and daggers all at once. Prince Yoongi cursed for not arming himself with any weapons for the night. Princess Keena pressed herself closer to the wall to shield her back and watched as the men all readied themselves to attack. 

One man lunged and the Prince sent him flying into the building across from them with a single kick to the man’s stomach. His skull hit the wall with a loud crack before he slumped to the ground. Another charged at the Prince and threw a punch that the Prince caught. He pulled the man in closer and sent his knee into the man’s chest three times before he shoved him away.

Prince Yoongi settled into a fighting stance and two men charged at once with their swords. He  shifted their attention to him as he moved out of the way so that the Princess wouldn’t be hurt. He blocked their attacks with his forearms before he kicked them away and smirked. Three out of the four men were groaning on the ground and slowly picked themselves up. A taller man, the leader, if they had to guess, narrowed his eyes and spit on the ground.

“Kill ‘im.”

⚠⚠⚠

Four of the men rushed in and the Prince was caught off guard for a moment. He thrusted his arm out to catch the wrist of the closet man, twisting the man's arm at an awkward angle for the sword to drop. The sickening crack of bone breaking made the Princess wince and cover her mouth as the food from earlier threatened to come back up. The man staggered back, holding his injured arm while the Prince fended off the other three men with the stolen sword. Another man snuck against the wall and kept to the darkness as he crept towards the Princess. 

The clinking of swords echoed in the night and Hoseok’s ears were ringing. The market was a mess with thugs and lowlifes attacking vendors for their goods. It was chaos and Hoseok was worried for his friends. He had not seen any trace of the Prince nor the Princess and something deep in his gut felt wrong. The sky above came to life, stars snuffed out by thick wafts of clouds. The air smelt of petrichor, dense and electric as thunder rolled about. 

A sudden squall of wind, chilling for the warmer night sent a shiver down Hoseok’s spin. A storm was coming and it wasn’t natural. Hoseok gathered the Princess’ guards, even though he felt like everything was their fault and motioned for them to follow him.

“Circle back to the palace! Split up and check the backways!”

The Prince was panting as he punched another man in his face. His fist hurt but he ignored the pain as someone came at him with two swords. Prince Yoongi grunted as he blocked the double blades and fought to keep his balance. The man before he was larger but the Prince remembered his training with Aga.

He let the man gain the upper hand by letting his arms give out before he kicked out his leg and swept the man’s feet out from underneath him. Using that same momentum, the Prince thrusted the blade forward right down into the man’s stomach and yanked it upward, like he had gutted a fish.

“Yoon-!”

The Princess’ voice caught Yoongi’s attention and he saw that she was now surrounded by three men. He hadn’t realized that the men he had fought had put such a distance between himself and the Princess. He took a step in the Princess’ direction and two more men attacked him. As he fought, one pulled a dragger from his hip and lunged. Yoongi was able to block the sword but the dagger was longer than normal and gave the other man the chance to get too close. The blade striked the Prince and his vision blurred, scarlet red. A sudden warmth with a stinging undertone, radiated along the right side of his face.

The Prince gripped his face with one hand. Blood seeped through his fingers and trickled down his wrist as he swung his sword blindly in the other, staggering backwards. He tripped over one of the fallen men and before he could catch himself one of the men grabbed his head from behind and smashed it into the closest wall. 

What little vision he had blurred even more and the Princess’ scream echoed in his ears. He struggled to stay upright and the man behind him slammed his head once more into the wall. Black spots entered the Prince’s vision and as he crumbled to the ground, he felt Agust’s claws as they sank deep into his heart.

Worry not, Princeling

Three men were left behind to check on the well-being of the others that were injured by Prince Yoongi. They paid no mind to the broken body that laid battered and bruised, bleeding out onto the dirt. If they had known who he was, they would have run long before they dared attack. Now? Now it was too late. Obsidian was flooded with pure gold, inky black iridescent scales covered more and more pale skin in larger patches and the pink tongue was now indigo and forked.

One man passed over the Prince’s body and spit at the ground in front of him. He noticed that the Prince was still breathing and glowered at the younger man. He squatted down before the Prince and pulled a dagger from his hip. He moved the satgat out of the way and grabbed the topknot that kept the Prince’s hair out of his face with a sneer.

“Enjoy living in disgrace,��� the man sniggered and chopped the Prince’s topknot off without a second thought. 

The bun was clutched in the man’s fist and he laughed loudly, pleased with himself. However, the victorious joy was short-lived once he noticed the black scales on the Prince’s neck and face. With the satgat no longer blocking the Prince’s features, the man saw small black horns, almost like thorns that framed the Prince’s eyebrows and two thick black horns that weren’t there before. He swallowed thickly and dropped the topknot on the ground before he scrambled to his feet.

An iron-like vice gripped his ankle and he froze. Long, pointed nails seemingly dipped in tar pierced the skin and the man groaned in pain as he felt his muscle and bone rub together. The bone snapped and the man cried as he fell to the ground. The other men, now four in total, rushed over. They watched uncertain, swords raised in defense as the Prince picked himself up off the ground. His black hair hung around his ears unevenly and stuck to the bloody mud on his face. 

This was not the same man they had tried to kill. This, this was a monster.

Agust grinned at the men before him; his pointed teeth gleamed a wicked red from the flood that trickled into his mouth. He licked his lips and spit the bloody dirt on the ground. He rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers a few times, his pointed nails glossy and soaked in blood. 

He blinked once and he was in front of the men, nearly nose to nose. He growled as he grabbed one man by the throat and threw him through the wall of the building nearby. The other men dropped to their knees and begged for their lives. Agust squatted down in front of them, setting his elbow on his knee before he rested his chin in his palm.

“And why sssshould I ssspare your livessss?” His words were strung together with a hissed lisp that encased the men’s heart in pure dread.

“T-The girl!” One blurted out to save himself. “I-I know where they took the girl!”

Agust’s eyes narrowed into tiny slits and he lashed out without a word. The man’s whole body went rigid and he looked down slowly as he started to shake. Agust’s arm, up until his elbow was in the man’s chest. His heart beat dully in Agust’s bloodied hand that stuck out his back. 

The other two men watched in horror as Agust ripped his hand out and squished the man’s heart right before his very eyes before he died. He turned his gaze to the other men left and they begged for their lives. Agust enjoyed ripping them limb from limb. The only other survivor was the man who had the crushed ankle and Agust dragged him by the front of his shirt.

“Ssshow me where they took my treasssure!”

A downpour drowned out the muffled shouting that came from inside a storage room behind The Vine. The building was surrounded by lilac and clematis flowers with a cluster of yew trees that casted eerie shadows against the walls. 

Inside the tree men from the alleyway argued with each other about what to do with Princess Keena. They had tied her hands together at the wrists, behind her back and had her knelt on the cold hanji paper-covered floor. Water dripped from her hair and dripped onto the floor. A puddle had started to form where she knelt in silence.

They had not expected the man she was with to put up such a fight and cut their numbers down so quickly. The leader of the group was sure that the man was dead by now but he required a greater sum of money for the inconvenience of having to replace two of his men.

Money was heavy on his mind but as he looked at the Princess, unknowing of her true value, he licked his lips. The hanbok she wore was soaked through. The light beige color had darkened to a brown and clung to her body. The Princess kept her head down, her eyes closed as she willed Ceyeh to slowly come to the surface.

Princess Keena knew a bit more than the very basics of fighting. She could hold her own well enough against one person, but not three. Ceyeh had been a warrior in her time and knew how to protect the Princess at the cost of someone else’s life. It was a price she was willing to pay if need be. 

Behind closed eyes, silver curled and spread through the irises of the Princess. Ceyeh pushed the Princess’ conscious state of mind behind her. Warm brown and soft grey feathers wrapped around the Princess’ subconscious and held her tightly. 

“Not gonna scream for help, girl?” 

Ceyeh ignored the voice that spoke to her as she controlled her presence. No feathers sprouted from her skin and she focused on the shift of her nails. The nail bed turned a deep grey and the rounded tips grew into pointed talons. 

The leader of the group grabbed a fist full of Ceyeh’s hair and jerked her head up. The watery blue silver of her eyes caught him off guard and he grinned wickedly.

“A shifter? Never had a taste of one before.”

The man’s breath was rancid, teeth rotted and many missing. He gripped Ceyeh’s face in his hand harshly and turned her head every which way. He examined her and watched as goosebumps rose on the exposed skin of her shoulder.

“A nice consolation for the death of my men. It has been some time since I’ve last touched someone so-” 

As thunder roared overhead the trees outside hit against the building. Lightning lit up the sky and casted their shadows against the wall. Ceyeh glared up at the man and he looked over his shoulder at the other two men in the room.

“Did you hear that?” 

The men looked at each other confused.

“The thunder?” 

The man in front of Ceyeh spit on the ground and threw her body to the floor. He had heard something in the thunder.

“I think our men are back. Shall we give them a show?”

Ceyeh silently sliced through the rope that bound her hands as the man above her talked. If it was a show they wanted, it was a show they would get. Ceyeh caught the rope in her hands and dropped them on the ground before she made her move. The leader moved faster, he had her pushed onto her stomach and straddled her waist. He leant down and chuckled in her ear as he held her head down against the floor.

“Nice try girlie.”

He licked the side of her face, the warmth of his saliva cooled quickly as he pulled away with a pleased hum. 

“Hold her down!” He ordered his men and they moved quickly. Both men grabbed one of Ceyeh’s arms and pinned them down while the leader pulled his dagger from his hip and cut into the fabric of her hanbok. Ceyeh struggled as she tried to pull herself free but the men were surprisingly much stronger. It had been a long time since she last had to defend herself like this.

“Oh ho!” The man sneered as he looked at the markings on Ceyeh’s back. “What filth is this?” His rough fingers touched the raised marking on Ceyeh’s back and Ceyeh fought harder to get free. “Such a pretty face for a disfigured body.”

A hand pushed the skirts of her hanbok up and Ceyeh clenched her teeth. Feathers started to sprout along her ears and corners of her eyes. Her leg shifted as she dug her talons into the floor and readied herself for the pain she was about to inflict on herself. Brown feathers started to grow from her shoulders.

As they hardened, a crash filled the air as a body dressed in the men’s garb went soaring through the only door of the storage room. The body smacked into the wall, a single hole held the limp body in place by its smashed head. Blood dripped down the wall and splashed onto the floor in crimson pearls.

Through the petrichor, as Agust encroached on the storage house, he smelt the fermented and sour scent of the Princess. She was in danger and Agust growled as he heard a man’s voice over the rain. He dragged the man from the alleyway through the mud, not once caring that his broken ankle was jostled about. He broke the man’s jaw to keep him quiet and once the storage house was pointed out, Agust snapped his neck without a moment's hesitation.

⚠⚠⚠

As the scent of tangerines turned sharper and grew more bitter, Agust had enough. With no warning, he chucked the man in his hands through the doors of the storage room with such force that he became one with the wall. A grand improvement in Agust’s eyes, though before he could voice his musings he took in the sight before him. Princess Keena was pinned to the floor, her skirt was pulled up past her thighs and a man was straddling her from behind. As the man jumped to his feet, Agust caught sight of the off-colored markings on the Princess’ back and thick black smoke spilled from his mouth as fire burned in his chest.

Screams echoed in the night, suffocated by the howling winds and cherry-sized raindrops. Blood dripped from the ceiling and pooled onto the floor under torn limbs. Agust blinked once, twice, thrice before the sweltering heat in his chest settled into a dull flame. Golden eyes shimmered in the night, reflective as light flashed outside. His hair was plastered to his face, wet from the rain and blood that had started to clot. 

Agust cracked his knuckles and wiped his hands on his blood soaked trouser before he ran a semi-clean hand through his hair.  The choppy strands irritated the cut on his eye. The sound of shuffling caught his attention and he turned on his heels sharply with a growl in his throat. 

Silver and gold, two colors that had not existed in the same space in eons, meat silently. Agust’s body was frozen as glistening tears spilled from those all too familiar silver pools. A single drop of blood plopped down from the ceiling and splashed on the Ceyeh’s cheek. A small river of tinted red streamed down her face, yet she made no move to wipe it away. 

Agust stepped forward with a hand raised and Ceyeh’s arm shot out with a startled gasp as she took a quick step backwards. The distance wasn’t much, a handful of footsteps yet Agust felt that there were whole continents between them.

“My moon?”

[star-my]

BTS Fic Recs ☆ Tumblr (i)

These are all available on tumblr as of April 2024. Some are likely crossposted on ao3 as well.

~Ao3 RECS HERE~ ~Recs (ii)~ ~Recs (iii)~

Almost all are complete works, those with “+” after WC are incomplete. Most are BTS x (F!)Reader.

Most of these are Mature or Explicit (usually because of smut) ~ mdni ~ italicized titles rated G or T ~ Please read responsibly

If any authors tagged here wish to be removed/untagged, please lmk! | Shoutout to @ggukkiereads who does an amazing job creating rec lists, which helped me find many of these fics

F2L = friends to lovers ; E2L = enemies to lovers ; FE2L = frenemies to lovers ; R2L = rivals to lovers ; BFB = best friend's brother ; BBF = brother's best friend etc

OT7/Multi

☆ BTS Reactions by @dreamescapeswriting | SFW + NSFW |

☆ BTS Scenarios by @btsjfans | SFW + NSFW |

☆ BTS Scenarios by @bulletproofwhalien | NSFW + SFW |

☆ BTS Scenarios by @salvejoon | SFW + NSFW |

☆ BTS Scenarios by @sunshine-and-bangtan | SFW + NSFW |

☆ Desperado Series by @heartbeatan | Mafia AU | PJM, JJK, KTH (in progress) | 60-160k(+) each

☆ The Company series by @btsmakesmehappy | Agent AU | 25-37k(+) each (in progress)

☆ Mafia BTS Reactions by @ninetailedfoxmanchi | Mafia AU (+Yandere AU) |

☆ #CodeBTS series by @yminie | Mafia AU | 1-12k each

Kim Namjoon

☆ The Ghost in Apartment 1403 series by @notsoguiltykpop | Ghost AU, Supernatural AU, Roommate AU? | ?k

☆ beauty & the bookworm by @jungshookz | E2L Library AU, Uni AU | 20k

☆ la vie en bonsai by @jungshookz | S2F2L Neighbours AU, Baker AU | 38k

☆ The Seven Nights series by @theunknowncryptid | SMAU, Mafia AU | 13k

☆ real magic by @heretobbtstrash | S2F2L Single Parent AU, Coffee Shop AU, Coworkers AU | 17k

Kim Seokjin

☆ {Unavailable}

Min Yoongi

☆ Take One by @untaemedqueen | Pornstar AU | 24k

☆ The Deal series by @untaemedqueen | Mafia AU | ?k

☆ suit & tie by @jungshookz | CEO AU, Office AU, Coworkers AU, PA AU | 21k + drabbles

☆ hellish by @jungshookz | E2L Demon AU, Roommate AU | 22k

☆ strike a chord by @snackhobi | S2L Pianist AU, Bar AU | 16k

☆ straight shooter by @snackhobi | F2L/E2L Cyberpunk AU, Dystopian AU | 14k

☆ devil with the mint hair series by @theharrowing | E2FWB Brother's BFF AU, Stoner AU | 11k+

☆ a wager of lords and love by @hisunshiine | S2L Historical AU, Arranged Marriage AU | 7k

☆ daechwita by @chemicalpink | Daechwita AU, Assassin AU | 10k

☆ stay by @luffles424 | Daechwita AU, Assassin AU | 3k

☆ daechwita by @se0kie | Daechwita AU | 4k

☆ make me proud by @moonscriptsx | Established Relationship AU, Canon Idol-verse | 6k

☆ by its cover by @kittae | S2L Cat Dad AU | 2k

☆ misfortunately, yours by @sor-vette | S2F2L Dark Fae AU, Dark Fantasy AU | 32k

☆ mixtape by @jungblue | F2L Uni AU, Radio AU | 15k

☆ cyberslut by @kimnjss | SMAU, Uni AU, Fboy AU | ?k

☆ alive aha fxck by @softyoongiionly | F2L Neighbours AU, Vampire AU | 43k

☆ a brew of wings by @inkedtae | S2F2L Dragon AU, Witch AU | 10k

☆ fury of their scales by @kpopisthereasonihavenolife | Dragon AU | 18k

☆ inheritance series by @jincherie | Hybrid AU | 21k

☆ tuxedo series by @whatifyoulivelikethat | Cat(-shifter?) AU, Roommates AU | ft JJK | 49k+

☆ Assuage series by @btsqualityy | Omegaverse AU, Werewolf AU | ?k

☆ show by @httpjeon | Pw/oP ft BTS | 2k

☆ drip by @here2bbtstrash | Pw/oP | 5k

Jung Hoseok

☆ midnight confessions by @snackhobi | BFF2L Coworkers AU, Office AU, Buzzfeed Unsolved AU | 27k

☆ the bride of ashmedai by @jeonggukingdom | Demon AU, Arranged Marriage AU | 13k

Park Jimin

☆ The Bird Cage series + The Lion's Den series by @untaemedqueen | S2L Mafia AU | ?k

☆ Set It Off series by @btsqualityy | Mafia AU | ?k

☆ the hunt by @httpjeon | Shifter AU, Fantasy AU | 8k

☆ lovebug by @httpjeon | Hybrid AU | 12k

Kim Taehyung

☆ Pied Piper by @untaemedqueen | Mafia AU, Established Relationship AU | 10k

☆ maybe i do series by @chateautae | Arranged Marriage AU, Chaebol AU, CEO AU | 410k + drabbles

☆ kinda hot by @kimnjss | BFF2L SMAU, Uni AU, Fboy AU | ?k

☆ nip it in the bud by @opaljm | Brother's BFF AU, Piercing AU | 10k

☆ heatwave series by @curly-bangtan | F2L Roommate AU | 12k

☆ under the covers by @jessikahathaway | Agent AU | 23k

Jeon Jungkook

☆ heavy lifting by @snackhobi | Coworkers AU | 13k

☆ Miss Vagabond by @bubblesuga | F2L Gamer AU | 8k

☆ blizzard by @curly-bangtan | S2L Roommates AU | 16k

☆ Sparkle by @btsmosphere | F2L Roommates AU | 3k

☆ Hands-On Learning series by @ladyartemesia | Uni AU | 5k

☆ kiss it better by @jincherie | Uni AU, Sports AU, Cheer AU | 12k

☆ ghosts just wanna have fun by @sugaxjpg | Ghost AU, Supernatural AU, Uni AU | ft MYG + KTH | 20k

☆ tell me your secrets (i'm all ears) by @jinpire | Uni AU, Hybrid AU | 7k

☆ under the bridge by @jincherie | Hybrid AU | 11k

☆ Swipe right by @ppersonna | BFF2L Tinder AU | 9k

☆ overtime by @cupofteaguk | CEO AU, Office AU, PA AU, Coworkers AU | 12k

☆ I won't stop you series by @imsarabum | Vampire AU, Fantasy AU, Office AU, Coworkers AU, CEO AU, PA AU | ?k

☆ life eternal by @jungkookiebus | Fae AU | 9k

☆ hotter than hell series by @chateautae | Demon AU | 136k

☆ Hellblazer series by @jungkookiebus | Demon AU, Constantine AU | ?k

☆ agent of love series by @ppersonna | SMAU, Agent AU | ?k+

☆ strawberry kisses series by @kimnjss | SMAU, Brother's BFF AU, Tinder AU | ?k

☆ drag me down (to hell) series by @kimvtae | Mafia AU, Single Parent AU | 58k (abandoned)

☆ Concealed Weapon by @gimmesumsuga | Mafia AU, Husband AU | 10k

☆ hate sex by @yeoreos | FWB Pw/oP | 4k

Overall Favourite Authors (If I recc'd all their works like I want to/more than I have, I'd have to make this series even longer >.<)

☆ @bonvoyagenoona's masterlist

☆ @chateautae's masterlist

☆ @flowerwrites06's masterlist

☆ @here2bbtstrash's masterlist

☆ @hollyhomburg's masterlist

☆ @icyhobi's masterlist

☆ @jungshookz's masterlist

☆ @justcallmenikki7's masterlist

☆ @kpopfanfictrash's masterlist

☆ @ladyartemesia's masterlist

☆ @luxekook's masterlist

☆ @magicalsalamander's masterlist

☆ @yminie's masterlist

☆ @yoonia's masterlist

[breezybangtanbebe]

My Sexy Monstrosities ;)

Masterlist of my Monsta X and BTS content. The majority of what is here is intended for MATURE audiences. So no one under 18, please :) love you tho... Updates are sporadic. No requests at this time but maybe in the future if anyone would like to.

BTS

Sweet Stuff

OT7

Seokjin

Yoongi

Hoseok

Namjoon

Jimin

Taehyung

Jungkook

Silhouette

Spicy Stuff

OT7

Seokjin

Yoongi

Give it to me💋

Hoseok

Namjoon

Chocolate Wings💋

Jimin

Taehyung

For Us 💋

Fluidity💋

Taste💋

Jungkook

Fluidity💋

3D💋

Mine 💋

Rain Rain Rain…You cant fake it 💋

Ongoing Series

Daechwita

Synesthesia : MegJoon Fic💫

Drabble/shorts

ExBoyfriendNamjoon: Come Back to Me

ExBoyfriendJungkook: Done With Me?

ExBoyfriendYoongi: Drive Me Crazy

Monsta X

Sweet Stuff

OT7

Daddies💕💭

Shownu/ Hyunwoo

Got My Number Part 1 ❤️

BabyDaddyHyunwoo

Wonho/ Hoseok

Minhyuk

Kihyun

Hyungwon

Jooheon

Under The Influence

IM/ Changkyun

Spicy Stuff

Ongoing Series

Killas (Coming Soon)

OT7

Head ❤️‍🔥💭

Favorite Position❤️‍🔥💭

Underwater: Hyung Line❤️‍🔥

💭❤️‍🔥Boyfriends💭❤️‍🔥

Shownu/ Hyunwoo

Play it Cool ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Voyager❤️‍🔥

Bad Liar❤️‍🔥

The Aloof Boyfriend💭❤️‍🔥

❤️‍🔥The Unseen: Part 1❤️‍🔥

Wonho/ Hoseok

Devil❤️‍🔥

Eye On You❤️‍🔥

Aint About You❤️‍🔥

The Gentle Giant Boyfriend💭❤️‍🔥

Minhyuk

The Best Friend Boyfriend💭❤️‍🔥

Kihyun

Voyager❤️‍🔥

Bad Liar❤️‍🔥

Bad❤️‍🔥

The Wholesome Boyfriend💭❤️‍🔥

Hyungwon

❤️‍🔥Caramel Kisses❤️‍🔥

❤️‍🔥The Unseen: Part 1❤️‍🔥

Jooheon

Sambakja❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Love U ❤️‍🔥

Play it Cool❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Tattoo❤️‍🔥

IM/Changkyun

Sambakja❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Rush❤️‍🔥

Heaven ❤️‍🔥

God Damn❤️‍🔥

Drabbles/Shorts

BabyDaddyHyunwoo: Home

[captain-joongz]

Abraxas; Act 1, ch. 1

Pairing: mafia boss!Min Yoongi x police officer!reader

Genre: angst, humour and some fluff, investigative, dark themes, sloooooowburn, enemies to lovers, eventual smut

Chapter summary: As a new addition to the organized crime unit after a huge corruption scandal burnt through it, it definitely wasn't easy to seamlessly fill in and join the team. Tasked with menial shit and kept away from the actual investigation, my patience ran out after meeting the one man the unit was after, Min Yoongi, thus leading me to getting myself involved with one of the most dangerous men in the whole of Korea.

Everything is fair in love and war, isn't it? And this was war.

I would take him down, no matter what.

Word count: cca 26k

Warnings: reader is somewhat innocent and naive (in a sense that she's very idealistic), there will be brief reader x OC, but worry not, Yoongi is endgame, nothing much here, workplace sexism, some slight discussion of illegal stuff, description of the boys as criminals, reader is just a tiny bit obssesed with taking Yoongi down, some slight stalking (illegal tailing and stake out)

Series masterlist | Next Part

A/N: welcome to the first chapter of my new series! i have a ridiculously soft spot for mafia yoongi fics, so this is a child of me watching daechwita and haegeum too many times drooling over min yoongi himself, i hope that you stay with me throughout the entire ride and enjoy yourself as much as i did when writing this <3 i will attempt to update this every month, the semester is starting soon again but i'll be having less classes so i should be able to do it, take this love letter to long-haired yoongi <3

"That which is spoken by God-the-Sun is life; that which is spoken by the Devil is death; Abraxas speaketh that hallowed and accursed word, which is life and death at the same time. Abraxas begetteth truth and lying, good and evil, light and darkness in the same word and in the same act. Wherefore is Abraxas terrible."

- 3rd sermon, Seven Sermons to the Dead, Carl Jung

Winter, first year in the force

“Minjoon, for fuck’s sake! Move it!” the booming voice of Senior Inspector Park rang out through the station as the poor man in question scrambled to put on his jacket, grab his badge and gun and ran after him. When he was passing by my table, he sent me a little sympathetic smile and then hurried to catch up to our superior before he left to make the arrest without him.

I sighed heavily and then sulkily returned to filing away some old hand-written cases. It’s been 3 months since I’d been assigned to the Organised crime unit, fresh out of academy and full of hope to change the world for the better. The second I got my badge I sent in my application to SMPA, hoping to make it to violent crimes. Instead, I was pushed to this division. The official reason was because they were lacking manpower, which wasn’t exactly wrong, after what happened. But I knew what they were really trying to do – clean up after a huge scandal that broke through this unit just a few months before my joining, when several young policemen were caught tampering with evidence and reselling confiscated drugs. After a few tough rounds of investigation, three men were fired from this unit and several others from affiliated places.

That meant that when I walked through the door, all rosy cheeked and wonder eyed, excited to start my career, the reception was more than icy. Senior Inspector Park, who was in charge, barely ever spoke to me except for barking out orders, and I was almost never allowed to do any actual work, always confined to the office and left with tasks that no one else wanted to do. My colleagues were ranging from cold and reserved to actual full-blown assholes, happy to take advantage of young blood knowing I couldn’t say anything in return to my seniors. Except for Minjoon, who actually made effort to be cordial, everyone in this hellhole was insufferable. Thus, I pissed away my days filling out forms, cleaning out cabinets, cataloguing files and putting old files into the system.

I looked wistfully out of the window and just caught the sight of our team’s van leaving the parking lot of the station. It was an arrest pertaining to our current leading objective – an informant was finally able to gather enough evidence for us to be able to interview one of the higher standing members of a gang this unit was currently focusing on. They knew we most probably wouldn’t be able to keep him long, after all it wasn’t that substantial at all and his boss always found a way out of any arrests, but it was better than nothing – we’d annoy him at the very least. That’s what Park always said anyways – never let them forget you’re hot on their trail, even if it meant being a little petty.

I walked over to my computer and sat down. All I could do was wait.

It was a surprisingly short amount of time until Senior Inspector Park came barrelling through the door with three men hot on his tail dragging a tall, handcuffed man with them. Unlike what you’d expect from an arrested man, he had a serene expression on his handsome face to a point he almost looked smug, lazily walking and letting himself get pushed around by eager officers, not a hair out of place and his expensive suit looking absolutely pristine.

They briskly walked through the office space to the back hallway where the interrogation rooms were situated, not sparing a single glance to anyone still sitting by their computers. By the disinterested short glances of the present colleagues, it was obvious that this wasn’t that unusual here. I myself was a witness of similar arrests of members from this gang, but this was my first time seeing someone this high up. This wasn’t just anyone. It was Kim Namjoon.

With careful peeking around to see if anyone was looking my way, I made sure the coast was clear, and then curiously moved after them into the hallway. I walked to the very back and lingered for a moment by the door, gathering courage, before grasping the handle and confidently walking into the listening room. Park was sitting there with a senior detective by his side, watching as Minjoon and his partner prepared the computer to start their interrogation while Mr. Kim sat there looking bored. Park looked to the door and did a double take when he noticed it was me. A disapproving look etched itself onto his face and he was just about to say something when I beat him to it.

“Please, sir! I’d never been able to watch my colleagues during interrogations, I want to learn,” I pleaded with him, “I’ll be totally quiet, you won’t even know I’m here!” I clasped my hands together in a praying motion and gave him my best puppy eyes. He looked at me and it almost seemed as if he was considering my words, but then his face closed off again. My heart was beating against my chest as I waited for him to shut me down.

“Don’t you have anything to do?” he asked, and displeasure oozed out of him in suffocating waves. I shook my head. “I was just putting the files I’d been working on away when you returned.” He was just about to speak again when Minjoon in the other room suddenly cleared his throat and began talking to the eerily calm man, asking him basic questions about his personal information and occupation. That sufficiently claimed Park’s attention and he just waved at me and said “whatever, just be quiet”. I bowed to him even though his back was already turned to me but didn’t even dare to mutter a thank you in fear he’d throw me out for speaking.

When I was first assigned to this department, I was warned that this particular unit unfortunately was a sausage party – no female officers in sight. While my colleague’s distaste of me never really felt overtly sexist, I knew some of them doubted my capabilities as a female detective, and Park was definitely one of them. He didn’t shy away from speaking out about how he’d always worked only with men and male officers and how a woman in a unit full of men would only bring trouble and unnecessary drama. He never got over the fact that they pushed me on him and didn’t listen to his bullshit.

 While none of them ever asked me to make them coffee or bring them lunch, I knew that they kept me occupied with work that they viewed as “softer” and “more suited for a woman”. It infuriated me to no end, but I just needed an opportunity to showcase my skills. I didn’t need their approval; I just wanted to fully do my job and not be stuck at a desk all day.

I knew one day I’d get that. No matter what it took, I would make it happen.

I was brought out of my reverie by a shockingly deep voice that struck me to my core as I was wholly unprepared for it. Kim Namjoon, who was completely silent until now and only nodded along or hummed, had finally started talking. I didn’t catch the question and I barely made out what Mr. Kim said in answer, but my attention zeroed in on him in a second and refused to let go. I knew who he was very well, after all, his picture along with several others was hanging on our wall in the meeting room, all connected to each other with strings, intel and many, many cases we were trying to push against them. I’d see him every morning when I walked in, every time I went to the toilet or for lunch and every evening when I was leaving.

But in his picture, he looked very different – hostile and angry, with a face full of fresh bruises from a recent fight, miles away from the suave self-assured man currently occupying the room in front of us. He had a domineering aura to him and even if he was supposed to be here as a suspect, he gave off the vibe like he wanted to be here more than anywhere else. In a sick twisted way, he fascinated me to no end. I’d seen mobsters before, petty thieves and drug dealers, tatted up, with foul mouths and hands dirtied by crime, but this man was a whole different class with his sharp eyes and sneering mouth, dangerous in a way that made the hair on my arms stand up. He knew how to mask his violence and that made him even more terrifying.

“I see that you have a law degree,” said Minjoon cooly and I saw Mr. Kim subtly roll his eyes, “Is the work you do for him pertaining to that?”

“We talk about this every time we see each other,” he answered coldly, “You know I have a degree. You also know that I currently work in accounting. You have my file memorised to a point that you probably know my measurements better than I do. Let’s not waste time with pointless bullshit.”

“Accounting is a very broad concept,” Minjoon didn’t let himself be intimidated and matched his indifferent attitude, “I want to know what exactly your line of work is.” Mr. Kim looked at him and put on the fakest smile I’ve ever seen.

“I’m sorry, officer, what is my arrest pertaining to exactly? Why are these questions relevant to whatever you brought me here for?” he said in a professional voice, his eyes glinting in challenge.

I stayed there and watched their back and forth for whole two hours. The whole time Minjoon drove hard questions about the exact nature of Mr. Kim’s work while the said man played hot and cold with him, teasing him with little remarks and then returning to cold professionalism or prolonged periods of confident silence. I learnt that the intel they’d been delivered this morning was a vague allusion to certain tactics of tax evasion that were closely related to his boss’s smuggling activities. But all these were easily deconstructed by Mr. Kim in a matter of seconds.

It seemed that everyone involved (even Mr. Kim himself) already knew that though and judging by Park’s intense focus on Mr. Kim’s mannerisms and speech, this was about something completely different. As I found myself splitting my attention between the lawyer’s fascinating dance and my own superior’s complete interest, I realised that he was studying him. He was learning him. And for the first time, since this was the first time I saw him in action, I felt real respect towards the older man and his dedication to his work. This wasn’t even about being annoying, it was a purely academic endeavour. I found myself lightly laughing at the revelation.

Behind the glass Mr. Kim was running the two officers in circles, never surrendering any new information and only regurgitating bits and pieces we already knew in different context, and I could see how exhausted Minjoon was becoming.

I was stepping around by the door, alleviating a certain leg to ease the pain and discomfort of standing for such a long time, also nearing my limit, when Park leaned closer to the mic, pressed the button and said: “take a 10, let’s talk”. Hearing that, Minjoon and his partner stood up and with unfriendly smiles thanked the clever lawyer for his cooperation. They left the room and in a minute they were pushing into the listening room.

When Minjoon stepped in and saw me, he looked surprised for a split second and then gave me a kind smile, which I returned, while his partner stared rather impolitely. Park didn’t pay attention to any of that, eyes never leaving the sole man in the interrogation room, who was now leaning back on the chair and picking his nails in a bored manner.

“As expected, as a lawyer he’s skilled at this,” Park muttered, “What a talented prick, if we didn’t know it already, I bet we wouldn’t be able to get even his name out of him.” The officer sitting next to him finally spoke for the first time.

“Still,” he argued, “this is the first time we’ve managed to actually get him to the station. It means something. Min’s gonna be pissed.” At the mention of the name, Park smiled animatedly and nodded quite happily. I tried to blend into the wall while I watched the men converse and try to come up with a new strategy.

“It’s clear questioning him leads nowhere,” Minjoon added to the convo, “He doesn’t even seem bothered by it. Just look at him. He has all the patience and time in the world.” He motioned to the glass and the man sitting calmly behind it.

“I’m not surprised, he’s had years of experience dodging the police like this. Fucker’s barely thirty and yet has already spent more than a decade covering up his boss’s mess. That’s more than I’ve spent in academy and the force combined.” We all turned to look at Minjoon’s partner, officer Hwang, who was dispiritedly leaning on the doorframe. He was right, but Park didn’t seem to be put off by that.

“That’s how it works here in this unit,” he said firmly, “You sometimes spend years just to get a chance at arresting someone. We’ve been working on this for almost a year and we’re already starting to get somewhere, but this is only the beginning. We need to learn how they work and that takes time.” No matter what my personal opinion was on him, I could see that Park was truly an experienced detective when it came to organised crime. I made a mental note to myself to pay attention to what he says carefully and learn.

They talked for a little while longer when suddenly a commotion was heard back in the office space of the station. We all looked at each other, some more surprised than others. Park got up and pushed his way out into the hallway. As he was passing me, I heard him quietly mutter “here we go” as if this was the main point of the evening. And I quickly realised why.

When I also pushed my way into the hallway and peeked over Minjoon’s shoulder, I was able to see a man confidently making his way through the station flagged by two others. Before I had a chance to gasp at the sudden appearance, he’d already stormed all the way to us.

Just like with Kim Namjoon, seeing his face on a picture on our wall every day could never prepare me for the experience that meeting Min Yoongi was. I was beginning to curse the people who chose the pictures, because they were clearly dangerously understating these men’s aura. With longer black wavy hair, sleek black jacket, black tee and ripped jeans, standing there looking both incredibly angry and incredibly bored, was one of the most dangerous men in this city and the man Kim Namjoon called master. As did half of the city’s criminals. To an ordinary person he was just a businessman, an owner of a few clubs and, recently added, a hotel in the posher area of Seoul, but to us he was a leader of a gang that rose in power and ranks so rapidly it was like witnessing a wildfire. The blink-and-half-the-forest-is-gone kind.

I’d never met him before, and judging by officer’s Hwang flabbergasted expression, I wasn’t the only one, but the man in question barely paid any of us attention. He walked up to Park as if they were old friends, cruel annoyed smile on his face.

“Here I am!” he proclaimed in a faux sweet voice and threw his hands into the air, “That what you wanted? You come into my house and steal my things when I’m not looking now?” Park returned his smile in a similar manner. He was extremely pleased at having pissed off the man to this extent.

“Mr. Kim was lawfully retained due to suspicions of illegal activity,” he answered the man, “He was arrested in one of your clubs.” Min Yoongi’s eyes minutely flitted over to me and there was a tiny spark of surprise and then interest.

“Huh, you’ve got fresh blood here?” he asked all jokes and games, “How come I’ve never met her, isn’t that like a rite of passage here? Coming to see Uncle Yoongi?” He waved at me and laughed like he was encountering a cute animal in the wild. I felt the anger coursing through me, but I knew this wasn’t the situation to lose my cool, so I just scoffed and turned away from him. He fake pouted and then put his attention back on my senior, suddenly turning all serious again. Watching his moods swing was like trying to keep up with a bouncy ball in an empty room.

“Whatever, just release my man,” he said firmly, “You know that anything you came up with to get him here is bogus, so just let him go and I’ll let this slide.”

“How gracious of you,” Park gritted through his teeth. Tensions were beginning to brew between them, and the more annoyed Min Yoongi was, the more teeth showed in his wolfish grin. Just when I thought the whole building was just going to combust, Minjoon stepped in.

“We are legally allowed to keep him here for eight hours at the minimum,” he said calmly, “It’s only been two and a half.” The man’s whole attention shifted to my colleague and, standing behind him, I saw how all-consuming it was to be at the centre of Min Yoongi’s focus. His intense stare and dangerous smile only deepened having noticed just how much he was throwing me off balance. I knew he was getting off on intimidating people and I tried to not give him the satisfaction, but suddenly coming face to face with him, I wasn’t prepared to withstand it, especially since he was so intimately familiar with our entire force that a new face stuck out to him like a sore thumb.

“I know that,” he retorted sharply, “But he wasn’t brought here to be questioned. He was brought here because he-“ Yoongi pointed in Park’s direction “-wanted to know how long before I showed up to bail him out. So, here I am. Release him.” Minjoon looked at our superior with questioning eyes, but he only nodded.

“Let Mr. Kim go, we got everything we needed from him,” he smiled pleasantly in Min Yoongi’s direction, “Have a nice day Mr. Min.” With that he moved back into the office. Mr. Min’s attention once again shifted to me and Minjoon, watching with rapt interest as he moved towards the interrogation room, and I followed him like a loyal shadow. The moment the door opened, Mr. Kim was already hallway outside, coming to his boss and giving him a half hug. Neither of them said anything, they just shared an amused smile at our expense and then turned around to leave with cheeky smiles. As Min Yoongi was rounding the corner, he winked my way. Absolutely flabbergasted by his behaviour, I couldn’t get the encounter out of my head for the entire rest of the day.

While much of Min Yoongi’s childhood was a mystery to us, we had a pretty good idea of what his life was like since around he was 16. So, a good decade of criminal life. As a young teen, he started an apprenticeship as an underling of one of the former ruling gang’s top men, and basically was brought up by him into the man he was today. While the old royalty was torn apart in succession wars after the old master died and his four sons all decided they should be the sole heir, Min Yoongi started up with his own few loyal followers, all who today are his most trusted closest subordinates. With cruelty, tenacity and violence, he took the city by the storm and before they knew it, he was ruling most of it. Too caught up in trying to kill each other, neither of them reacted fast enough to stop young Yoongi’s rise to power. Today, with the original gang wiped out, his was undoubtedly the one at the top of the food chain.

He started with one club and now he owned several of the most prestigious clubs in the city, making enough money to buy him a hotel and finally catapult him into the sphere of honest business. In hindsight, it was pretty stupid of me to show up to one of them to “scope it out”.

Peeved by our last (and first) interaction and driven by the need to prove myself to my unit, I’d decided that the way to go was start right on his turf and dig around. I’d believed that with how much business he had to take care of, both legal and not, there’s no way I’d show up at the right club at the right time to actually meet him there. How foolish. They did always say that he stayed at the top by working endlessly, stupid of me to not actually take that into account.

I didn’t even know how I managed to actually get into the club, considering the long waiting list and lines outside, it was a miracle one Friday evening I found myself sitting inside Dynamite, one of his clubs, watching everything go on like a hawk.

I knew this was something that was rarely accomplished by the people in our unit. Maybe a few months ago they had the liberty to sneak onto his territory, but currently he knew very well about our interest in him, and everyone associated with our unit quickly got blacklisted from half the establishments around the area, owned by Yoongi or not.

I knew that anything pertaining to illegal activity would definitely be taking place in the VIP zone with private booths and waiters, so getting there was the actual challenge. Somewhat foolishly I decided to just try my luck and think of the plan as it went. Little did I know just how easily I’d manage to get invited in.

I was just sitting there minding my own business when I felt a presence next to me. At first, I thought nothing of it, thinking they’re probably just trying to catch the barman’s attention, but suddenly I felt them press into my personal space. I sighed, annoyed, turning around to send whatever sleazy flirt that was trying to get into my pants to hell, when my breath caught in my throat. Sitting next to me, leaning on the bar with a million-watt smile was none other than the owner himself. I cursed every god in existence and three generations of their ancestors and steeled myself for what was coming.

“Didn’t expect to see a police officer letting loose in one of my clubs,” he drawled out playfully, “They all know which ones to avoid. I suppose you’re either stupid or up to no good.” I rolled my eyes to him and turned back to look onto the dancefloor.

“My friend insisted we go here,” the lied slipped through my lips easily, but by Yoongi’s smirk I knew he didn’t believe me one bit. “Oh, and where does this friend happen to be right now? As far as I could see, you’ve been just sitting here glaring,” he laughed at me lightly, as if we were just two friends teasing each other.

“Do you have a habit of watching partygoers like a creep?” I bit back at him, annoyed at being sniffed out so quickly. What are even the chances of him being at this exact club the night I decided to snoop? Something not of God was on this man’s side to arrange a coincidence like that.

“No,” Yoongi answered with a teasing lilt, “But I do happen to remember faces very well. Two weeks ago, you’d slip right by me, but now I know you’re an officer.” I cursed under my breath, and he laughed again. Then he stood up and turned to me. Suddenly a hand was offered to me.

“Come on,” he said, this time a little more serious, “Let’s talk.” I ignored his hand but stood up to follow him. He snickered and started in the direction of the VIP zone. We were currently on the ground floor, which was the general area with a dance floor dominating the centre of the room. The VIP zone was situated on a little gallery overlooking the ground floor.

The flashing lights, bass boosted music and mass of moving sweaty bodies made it difficult to orientate myself in the space, but I kept my eyes on the back of Yoongi’s head as he leisurely made his way through the crowd like he had no worry in the world. He led me to stairs that were cordoned off by red velvet rope, with two very big and very angry men standing on each side. When they saw Yoongi coming near, they both put on professional smiles and bowed wordlessly. He didn’t react to them in any way, just waited till they let him through patiently. As I walked in behind him, they both stared me down as if I was about to jump on Yoongi and stab him right in front of them.

I knew this was probably my only and last chance to get a look around this place, since after being found out I’d definitely get blacklisted just like all the other police officers, so I hungrily scanned the VIP zone and tried to take in all the details. It was very dark there; some booths were out in the open while some had curtains and it was surprisingly packed with people. Waiters were busily buzzing around, serving drinks and appetizers, hum of conversations and laughter carried through the space comfortably. At first glance, you couldn’t see anything wrong or illegal going on, just young people having fun, but I knew better than to trust that.

I followed Yoongi through the area all the way to the back, where one corner was similarly cordoned off. The couches and tables were situated in a way that allowed a little more privacy and separated the space a little from the rest of the people. This must have been his personal lounge.

He made himself comfortable smack in the middle of one of the couches and I timidly sat on an armchair right across him, with a small table between us. Immediately waiters descended onto the space, bringing in plates of appetizers, most probably assuming all kinds of crazy shit since Yoongi brought a woman to his personal zone. The man in question was nonchalantly asking for some cocktail and acting as if this was a completely normal situation and I wasn’t the police. I declined his offer for alcohol and just uncomfortably sat there, watching him settle in.

He gestured to the food and said: “Do you mind if I dig in? I haven’t eaten the whole day.” I gave him a polite smile and told him to go ahead. Yoongi started filling his plate, sharp eyes watching my every move while offering me various food items with annoying courteousness, smirk in place on his lips cause he knew just how much he was pissing me off. It was absolutely crazy – here I was, small-talking with a man I was trying to get behind bars.

Then I had to sit there while he enjoyed himself with his appetizers. When the silence stretched enough to become awkward, I started losing my patience.

“Have you brought me here to watch you eat?” I barked out annoyed, crossing my arms in front of my chest and leaning back into the chair. He looked up from his plate with a little amused smirk. Then he finally put it down.

“Why exactly are you here, officer?” he got straight to the point, “What are you hoping to accomplish?” He mirrored me and leaned back into the couch, his form slouching comfortably with hands laying on his thighs.

“Isn’t that obvious?” I answered, sudden insecurity taking a hold of me. Why was I supposed to explain myself to this guy? He smiled and this time it wasn’t as ferocious.

“I fail to see how this helps in your divine plan to put me under.”

Truth is, I didn’t know either. I was angry and frustrated that nobody was taking me seriously, the encounter with him last week only serving to push me further over the edge. I didn’t know how this was supposed to help, I just knew I needed to do something. Anything. It was better than just endlessly sitting behind a computer typing away. I had to do something that would put me on the radar in my unit and if it involved humbling Min Yoongi a little bit, I was all in.

Truth was, no matter how much I didn’t want to admit it, I was shaken by him. Seeing in flesh this fabled monster, having him stare and smirk at me while he shamelessly strutted around a police station as if he was untouchable, it took everything in me to hold up under his scrutiny. But now, sitting across from him and returning him the favour, I felt some control slowly trickling back into my hands and it calmed me.

He was watching me contemplate with rapt attention and suddenly I was reminded of the prickly feeling of having his eyes trained solely on you. They were dark, so much darker than in the bright daylight in the middle of a police station, and all-consuming in a way I’d never encountered before. It felt as if he was reaching straight into the centre of my being and pulling, pulling something out of me. I shook my head subtly and looked away.

When I failed to answer him or defend myself, he sighed.

“Look, I’m saying this, because you seem like a really naïve genuine person,” he started, “Take this advice to heart – don’t bite off more than you can chew just to stick it to some old guy. This is a dangerous place for people like you, don’t get pulled under.” Now that made me angry. Somewhere deep down I realised that my stubbornness actually was putting me in danger and that I was stupidly jumping headfirst into things that could be my end, but I was so done with getting treated as a fragile little thing.

“Whatever do you mean by that?” I answered him prickly and sat more defensively. Yoongi looked at me and for a moment I could see a glint of something almost melancholic there, but then he was all wild grins and suave demeanour again.

“Let me speak frankly for a moment,” he said and winked conspiratorially, “You decided to single-handedly take down a whole gang, allegedly, that controls half the city, allegedly, because your superior is a sexist pig, that doesn’t seem like biting off more than you can chew to you?” Every time he said the word “allegedly” he smirked a little and I could see he was having fun playing around with me like this. I smirked right back at him and leaned forward until I had my elbows resting on my knees.

“Who said anything about single-handedly? That’s what teams are for,” I whispered teasingly, “Why do you even assume it has anything to do with Senior Inspector Park?” I tried to mask the genuine emotion, but he still must have realised that one was actually spot-on.

“I’ve known Park for quite some time,” he explained and leaned forward as well, “Heard about him a long time ago, been seeing him here and there for years and then been in personal contact with him for about a year now. He’s an excellent policeman, no doubt about it, but even I know he’s a shit person. He lives for his work, but in personal life he’s a jerk.”

“He’s a jerk at work too,” I couldn’t help myself and muttered. To that Yoongi laughed lightly, eyes gleaming at me. “Should I be asking how you even know about his behaviour outside of work?” I quipped in quickly.

“I’d be stupid if I didn’t run some basic checks on people that are hell-bent on making my life difficult,” he answered me with a dangerous glint in his eyes, but quickly relaxed again. I found myself tensing up and relaxing alongside with him. The realisation that talking with him was like constantly walking on ice and hoping that even though you hear cracks you won’t fall in, hit me square in the face and put me off balance again. He kept effortlessly flip-flopping between joking and being serious and I was starting to get whiplash from it. I decided to leave this subject behind.

“So, what is your advice exactly?” I returned to the previous topic, “To just let you go and leave you to your little crime syndicate? Live happily ever after knowing you’re out there?” He snickered at that.

“No, you can do whatever you want,” he said, “I’m just warning you to be careful. This, this space right here, it has its own rules. It’s very easy to end up badly.” It didn’t feel like a threat even though it may have been worded like one, imagine my shock when I recognised actual genuine emotion behind his words. Instead of shying away from it, I bored my eyes into him just as intensely as he did to me.

“Rules or no rules, no one is above the law, not even you, Mr. Min,” I told him prickly. He smiled at me sardonically and then sighed again, but this time it was more amused.

“Since you’re someone that spent most of their life studying the law, I’m surprised you still haven’t realised that it’s quite useless,” he laughed and I could see the switch in him, becoming meaner and smiling cruelly, “The only thing that law does is fuck over those who are already in a bad place and benefit those who are already in a good spot.” He laughed mirthlessly and continued. “No one is above the law? Oh, my dear, many people are above the law. All you need is money and power and not even God can touch you on this mortal plane.” I took full offense to his words, feeling the anger overpower my instinct trying to tell me this man could potentially be extremely dangerous.

“Spoken like a true criminal,” I spit out venomously, “That’s a load of bull.” Yoongi’s eyes flashed minutely and then he relaxed into the couch again with a lazy smirk full of sharp edge. His hand suddenly pointed somewhere behind me. “You see that guy? That one in the striped shirt?” he asked.

For a moment I debated whether I should turn my back to him or not, but my curiosity overpowered me. Steeling myself for potentially getting attacked from behind, I turned and searched in the crowd of people. There, a little to my left, was sitting a group of young men. Each of them had a girl or two by their side, they drank and laughed and looked exactly like the kind of company I’d never want to find myself in. One of them, sitting on the far edge of the couch facing me, was wearing a horrible unfashionable striped shirt. I turned back to Yoongi with a queasy stomach.

“Yeah, I think I see him,” I told him suddenly quietly, unsure of where the conversation was going. Yoongi leaned forward to me again as if he was about to tell me a great secret.

“He could walk over here, steal your gun, then walk outside and shoot someone straight between their eyes in front of a street full of people, and you wouldn’t be able to charge him with anything. You wanna know why? His father sits in the parliament. Before you knew it, he’d be skiing in the Alps while you faced losing your badge because you crossed a politician.” Yoongi smiled at me triumphantly and my stomach swooped again.

“This kid comes here four times a week, each night breaking at least five different laws at a time,” Yoongi continued meanly, “and the most trouble he’s ever gotten into with the law was a parking ticket his father took care of for him.” He waited for a moment to see whether I’d react, but when I stayed silent, he went on. “Go ahead and arrest him, officer. Go over there and pull out your badge and bring him into the station with you. If you test him now, you’ll probably find every drug that’s available on the street in his system. But I guarantee you, you won’t be able to keep him there longer than two hours before you’ll be steam-rolled by his family’s lawyers.” He threw his arms into the air in a pompous gesture.

“Look around here. This place, it doesn’t work because I came here and brought crime with me, no. I sprung up here, because they needed a space to do rank shit in. You could bring me out back, shoot me in the head execution style, and tomorrow you’d be sitting back in that chair talking to the same clown in different clothes. The way this goes is that you find a spot that works, and you grab onto it, and you hold on for dear life until someone either kills you or puts you away. I’m like mold, darling, wherever there’s a place damp, cold and dark enough, there I will grow. I’m a product of the people. Not the other way around.” I felt bile in my mouth as I looked around the area and saw the little evidence of illegal activities. Girls too scantily clad and flirty to not be working, powdery smudges on the tables, prints of guns under jackets. Behind me, Yoongi kept going on in his spiel.

“You put me behind bars, and tomorrow there’s going to be the same guy doing the same shit in the same place. The people will keep coming here and they will keep doing their thing here, it doesn’t matter to them who runs it, as long as they can fuck and get high in here.”

I turned back to him, and he was just sitting there like a king of the underworld, sardonic grin on his face while he looked over his hard work. He was beautiful and terrifying at the same time and there was something demonic about him in this dark lightning with shadows dancing over his face and cruel lips curved around sharp teeth. I felt my throat close up as panic seized me, shaking hands gripping onto the armchair to attempt and get some stability. My stomach was protesting, and I feared I might throw up if I stayed there a second longer.

“You’re disgusting,” I whispered. He smirked.

“And you’re naïve.”

I got up, turned around and left without looking back. Still, I felt his eyes burning into me all the way home.

I was soullessly staring into the computer, hopelessly trying to focus on my work, but instead I kept coming up short. My mind was elsewhere, unable to comprehend anything that was written in front of me. The fateful meeting with Yoongi had already happened a few days ago, but I still haven’t shaken off the effect of it.

His words, as cruel and self-righteous as they were, I knew there was truth to them. And I knew I had to do something about it. I had to do something about Min fucking Yoongi and his empire. So, as shaken as I was by the encounter, it also served to make me more determined. I’d help to bring him down, no matter what.

I stood up from my table and made my way across the office to the meeting room. I wouldn’t be able to do any work anyway, not right now when I was too pumped with adrenaline to focus on anything. I walked in and bee-lined for the back wall, which was covered in pictures and papers. Dominating in the centre was a picture of Yoongi. He was younger there, with short, bleached hair and face still a little plump from adolescence, but I could already see the signature smirk forming on his lips. Under him there were six more pictures, one of them Kim Namjoon which I had met for the first time a little over a week ago. Those were those closest to him, his friends who each monitored a different part of the gang’s activites.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much information on them beyond a few years back. Yoongi himself emerged out of nowhere when he was 16 and made a dent out for himself. At that time, he already knew Namjoon, God knows how. Together they quickly climbed the ranks of the Song gang, which was ruling over Seoul at that time. Back then, they were already notoriously known for their violence and determination, which made them favourites of the gang’s higher ups. They were also quite liked by the underdogs and quickly a group started forming around them. They were Yoongi’s loyalists and this… this was most likely the moment he realised he can soar even higher.

When the Song gang was falling apart, just like war strategy dictates, it was a matter of knowing whose side to take. Between four sons, two were on par, one knew he could only survive by hugging the thigh of the strongest and one was barely hanging on. If Yoongi chose his loyalties correctly, he could gain a lot. If he chose poorly…

But he didn’t. He took Namjoon and their dogs and together they stormed an “enemy” club – it was recently acquired by one of the brothers. He won the fight of course, and then brought the keys to Song Hwan, the weaker of the two winning brothers. He wormed his way in – offered his intel, his expertise and whispered poison in his ear. Every win he got for Hwan was actually a win for Yoongi himself and through Hwan he started laying base for his own road to power. Long before Hwan fell, most of the gang was already following Yoongi’s lead.

When the war ended and Song Hwan stood victorious, Yoongi murdered him and stole his throne. He went on a bloody rampage against everyone that didn’t support him and from the blood and fire emerged a new gang, a stronger gang, and at its centre – the devil himself with his six. That was seven years ago.

It wasn’t all sunshine and roses at the beginning though. His territory was contended often – others saw it as an opportunity to steal turf right from under his nose, and it took a long time before his gang was respected in the scene. They thought him to be a child that won by pure luck and love for killing, that he’d be easily taken down, either by one of them or one of his own. But he stood his ground and time and time again he proved himself, until there wasn’t a single person in this city that didn’t know he owned it. These were Min Yoongi’s streets, painted with blood, sweat and tears.

That’s when he started coming up on this unit’s radar until he gradually became the sole focus, the main purpose, the goal.

I stared intently at the mess of strings all connecting together people, events, news and crimes. Missing persons, corruption, arrests, murders, intel, dirt. It was all there, black on white. I reread the headers of the articles, the names of files and the accusations until I was dizzy and could barely make any sense of it.

After what felt like hours, I was brought out of my reverie by the sound of the door opening. I jumped a little and turned around quickly, an excuse hot on my tongue, but relaxed once I realised it was Minjoon.

“What’s up? Jae said you’ve been standing here just staring at the wall for whole 40 minutes,” he said in lieu of greeting and I blushed with embarrassment. So they saw me, I thought nobody here was paying attention to me. I peeked over my shoulder where some of our colleagues were curiously glancing our way. I frowned. Should have closed the blinds, I thought to myself.

“Just… catching up, refreshing the information,” I explained lamely and sat down at the table, still with a perfect view of the cursed wall. He hummed and leaned his back on the table. For a moment we just quietly existed there, side by side studying it.

“What’s with the sudden interest?” he asked a little hesitantly, “Not that I want to discourage you.” I sighed.

“It’s not sudden,” I muttered a little petulantly, “I’ve been coming here from time to time, I just mostly did it when no one else could see. Felt like I wasn’t really allowed to look at it.” He smiled a little at my attitude and went around the table to sit at my side.

“Why not? I think it’s great you’re outwardly showing interest.”

“Just- You know, it doesn’t feel like I’m welcomed here, I didn’t want to overstep.” He hummed again, but kept his eyes trained in front of us.

“So, what’s changed now?” he asked the question of the hour, fingers drumming a pattern into the table.

“I’m done with that,” I said firmly, glancing his way, “I am part of this unit, I’m staying and I’m solving this fucking mystery. I’m taking Min Yoongi down and I’m gonna be looking straight in his eyes the entire time I’ll be tearing his life apart.” Minjoon next to me chuckled, amused by the sudden turn of attitude.

“That’s quite charming,” he hummed again and finally turned to look at me. We both grinned at each other.

“You know… I understand,” he started hesitantly after a moment of silence. We both focused back on the wall and Yoongi’s picture in the centre of it was like a magnet – no matter what you did, you found yourself drawn to it. With slight reluctance I tore my eyes away from it to look at Minjoon questioningly.

“I mean… this, I understand this,” he stated more firmly and gestured between me and the wall, “I was also quite distraught the first time I met him face to face. He has a way of messing with you. It’s a mix of everything, I mean, you go months hearing about the atrocities of this one man, and then suddenly he’s there, right in front of you. And he just stares and stares and stares while talking calmly, too calmly for the crimes that he’s being investigated for. It’s unnerving. So, I understand.”

I knew exactly what he meant. It was the same feeling I had with Namjoon too – you know what they’re capable of, you’ve heard of their crimes and when you see them, you can almost feel the danger in the air, but the violence is hidden just beneath the surface. Sometimes you see it peek out momentarily in flashes of sharp teeth and slanting eyes, but then they reign it in and just play with you again.

“Well, yeah, meeting him was jarring,” I conveniently omitted having met him just a few days ago too, “but it’s not just about that. I just don’t want to be underestimated anymore.” He smiled at me, a real genuine smile, and it warmed me knowing at least someone here was on my side.

“But you joined the team before the whole Yoongi thing, no?” I asked suddenly. For a moment he was confused where this question came from, but then brightened up.

“Just barely,” he answered earnestly, “You joined like three months ago? In early September, right? For me, a one-year anniversary is actually coming up, I joined in December last year. It was just as all the shit was going down. They were investigating mainly this mid-size gang in Incheon that was wreaking havoc in the harbours and steadily rising in power. There was a lot of corruption in that area, and they managed to snatch control over some ports. The unit had been working on it for about two years and were super close to an arrest, but it went bust. The guy fled, a question about the corruption in the force rose and an investigation into our guys started. That’s when I joined.” I hummed in sympathy. That must have been extra rough. I told him as much and he gave me a thankful smile.

“It wasn’t easy. When I asked to be transferred, I thought everything in this department was okay, then I walk in and suddenly I’m in the middle of a botched two-year operation, forever lost suspect and a lawsuit waiting to happen,” Minjoon kept talking, “Within few weeks, the three guys had been suspended and a more in-depth investigation was promised. The case was lost, the boss had managed to flee somewhere south, most likely Malaysia, so it was put on a backburner and instead an open case that was sitting on someone’s table, slowly piling up more evidence, was brought forth. That was the Min gang. Two teams had already been tasked with looking into it and when it was confirmed that the previous case was dead, they made it a priority.”

I jumped in quickly to ask more questions. I’d never asked Minjoon about his time in the force before and till today I didn’t even know he was here only a year. He was always Park’s first choice to everything concerning Min Yoongi and he relied on Minjoon and his partner Hwang a lot, so I assumed he must be one of the more experienced members of this unit.

“Where were you stationed before?” I asked curiously and put my attention on him instead of messing with the wall.

“I was part of the drug prevention team,” Minjoon clarified and gave me a grin, “I was one of those fools they dress up nicely and send into schools to warn kids. It’s still a part of the force, but it’s a dead-end spot and you don’t actually do much, at most you here and there deal with some petty criminals selling weed on the street. It’s usually where older policemen go when they want to have some peace and quiet before retirement, it’s not the best place to start your career. But thanks to that I was able to make it here, cause my expertise on illicit substances was a big plus.”

“I see,” I laughed, “You’re right, that is pretty much a dead end. I didn’t even know they assigned youngsters there.”

“Well, they try to, because kids are nicer to them and they take it easier from someone closer to their age,” he explained, “Some graduates actually do ask for the position, but I was trying to get here and didn’t make the cut.” He was still smiling kindly and occupied himself by playing with the string on his hoodie.

“I was actually trying for the violent crimes unit,” I confessed quietly. I’d never told that to anyone here. Besides the fact that they absolutely weren’t interested in such information, I was also kind of scared they’d be acting even more hostile since I “clearly didn’t even want to be here”. “I got sent here because of understaffing problem,” I continued.

He looked at me and didn’t react in any way, just leaned back and said: “Oh yeah, we do work with them quite often. Can’t have organised crime without violent crime. If you survive it here for some time and make a little name for yourself, I’m sure it would be easier for you to transfer. But a lot of people strive for violent crimes, so it’s kinda cutthroat to get there.” I relaxed at his words and finally smiled back fully.

“Yeah, maybe I could make it there if I help with Yoongi,” I muttered and focused back on the wall, “I’m sure, considering his reputation, that violent crimes have their hands full with him.” Minjoon stood up and walked over to it. He raised his hand softly tapped on a poster of a missing man.

“Actually, unfortunately it’s more about missing people,” he said, “He has a great clean-up team, it’s super messed up.” His hand moved downwards and this time he tapped on a picture of two men. “You know these guys?” he asked absentmindedly.

On the photo, there were two incredibly familiar faces. One man a bit taller, with wide shoulders, dressed in a nice suit, his perfectly sculpted face in a neutral expression and framed by light brown hair. By his side there was the second man – a bit shorter but with much fiercer displeased expression. His hair was cut into a mullet and the hair just about touched his shoulders; he was clad in a fitted black turtleneck that gave away his strong lean muscles.

Of course I knew them. In this whole building there most probably wasn’t anyone who didn’t know them. Actually, I’d argue that in this entire city only a few people had the pleasure of not knowing.

“I’d be an embarrassment of a police officer if I didn’t,” I joked at him, “It’s Kim Seokjin and Jung Hoseok, they’re part of Min’s six.” Minjoon smiled approvingly.

“Tell me everything you know about them,” he challenged, teasing, “Shoot.” I gave him a wolfish grin as excitement coursed through me. He was giving me a chance to show I’d really been studying this case. I sat on the table and made myself comfortable.

“Kim Seokjin studied medicine and has a degree. He poses as the main seven’s personal physician, but the assumption is that he most probably deals with all wounds of anyone from the gang that were sustained during any illegal activities that cannot be taken into hospital. He owns a house up in Gangnam, just a few streets from Yoongi himself, and has a clinic there. He’s the second son of a pretty wealthy family, his record’s completely clear and it’s unknown how exactly he came to know Yoongi or became involved with crime.” I looked at Minjoon from the corner of my eye and he was just humming, but there was a pleased smile on his face. That gave me courage to continue.

“Jung Hoseok on the other hand, has been arrested several times for assault or causing bodily harm while getting into fights, but never prosecuted. Then he went off radar only to reappear a few years later as a part of illegal fighting rings. He quickly rose through the ranks and was a champion for three years straight. But that also means he most probably killed a lot of people, since these fights only end when one of the two fighters drops dead. It’s presumed that’s where he met Yoongi and became familiar with him.”

Minjoon nodded along and patted my shoulder. “Good job, newbie, you really did spend ungodly amount of time here,” he joked, but I felt the praise anyways. My cheeks heated up and I couldn’t help but feel intense satisfaction.

“It’s mainly Hoseok that’s in charge of clean-up, but Jungkook also participates. They do both clean-up of unwanted people and clean-up of unwanted evidence. Sometimes those two cross over. In other words, they both murder and get rid of it,” Minjoon spoke, his face serious, “I mean, that’s our theory anyways. If we were able to catch them murdering and disposing of a body, they’d already be rotting in jail. But the point stands – there’s a huge number of missing persons tied to this, mostly petty criminals or people known to be associated with enemy gangs. No bodies though.”

My eyes flitted to the picture of the mentioned younger man. Jungkook’s picture, for me, was really hard to look at, because unlike all the others, he was just a kid in his. It was an old photo, most likely taken from a yearbook, with his serious face still round and cheeks full of baby fat, dark hair cut short and styled neutral, but it still hit too hard. Especially when my eyes slid lower to a more recent photo, which depicted Jungkook standing on a balcony smoking, all hard edges on his emotionless face, long hair blowing around and blurring out his tatted-up fingers holding a cigarette and black shirt bulging with muscles. He was the youngest and it was also a mystery about how he became involved with Yoongi, the most we knew about him was that he came from a lower middle-class family and led an unproblematic school life as one of the top students. Where he met Yoongi, or even how he started to involve himself in illegal activities, no one except for them knew.

“The rest of them, as I’m sure you’re already well familiar with,” Minjoon continued talking, “are trying to look more legit. Kim Taehyung and Park Jimin oversee some of his clubs and help him with the hotel and restaurants too. They try to seem like stand-up men with no ties to the underground to grant him an air of an honest man. And Namjoon, well, you’ve already met him. He’s in charge of the finances and that’s exactly where most of the crime is the most visible.” I nodded at him and gestured for him to continue.

“Yoongi’s smuggling in insane amounts of goods, everything from luxury items and artifacts to alcohol, exotic foods and ingredients, to drugs. He sells it to himself, supplies it to his own clubs and restaurants for dirt cheap and then makes crazy money on selling it to clients. If you ask for VIP treatment, you get it deluxe – you don’t have to lift a single finger, Yoongi supplies everything. You want a unicorn? He finds a way to smuggle it in. You ask, he delivers. Namjoon’s job is to make all this look legit, so that he can’t be busted.”

It was so much to take in, but I was finally starting to make sense in it all. Even though I’d been reading the files and trying to catch up on the happenings, there were things I was confused about, things that were lost in context or just lightly referenced without more information, and I had no way of fully understanding it until someone properly explained it to me and filled me in. I was waiting for it to happen in the first few weeks, even asked about it once, but I was shut down and quickly realised that no one was planning on talking to me about it. They rather kept me busy with petty stuff and didn’t let me get in on the operation. I was eternally grateful to Minjoon for taking the time to properly explain what they’ve been doing the past year.

“So that’s why you’re currently breathing down Namjoon’s neck,” I mused out loud, “You want in on whatever magic he’s working to make Yoongi appear as an honest businessman.” Minjoon nodded and added: “And that’s why Yoongi appeared immediately when we brought him in. Park wanted to get a feel of the man. See how he’d behave when interrogated and to test out how strong of a bond they have.” I hummed.

“They’re tight,” I stated, “And Namjoon’s impenetrable.”

We both sat there for a moment, taking in everything that’s been said. I was wracking my brain for a game plan. There had to be something I could do.

“Are you doing stake out missions?” I wondered. He looked at me a little surprised which quickly turned into embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I had no idea you were this much out of the loop,” he said quietly and rubbed the back of his neck. Now it was me who got embarrassed. I was about to stutter out some excuse or an apology, but he started talking again.

“Not currently no, there used to be some in the early stages, before Yoongi caught wind of the efforts. Now that he knows us and knows that we’re interested in him, it’s practically impossible to do stake out missions, unless you just want to annoy him and show him we're there. Not to mention it takes a lot of manpower which we do not have. We’re trying to crack down on the lower levels of the organisation. You know, take in some common mobsters selling substances, threaten them with a sentence and then try to get intel off of them. Some do agree to talk, but somehow Yoongi always manages to sniff them out and they don’t tend to end well. He has a tight hold on everything, despite the size of his empire. Mainly what we gathered is that he is an incredibly paranoid man, he most probably does very frequent inspections and doesn’t hesitate to get rid of anyone just slightly suspicious.”

“Well, in some way, it’s to be expected,” I pondered out loud, “A man that has accomplished this much, it doesn’t surprise me that he’s basically become omniscient.” Minjoon hummed in agreement and flicked some of the pictures around absent-mindedly.

“There was even an attempt to infiltrate,” he said quietly, “We did manage to get in, but it went bust pretty quickly.” I could feel it was definitely a sensitive subject and I didn’t want to pry, but the implication here was absolutely devastating.

“Did he…?” I couldn’t even bring myself to finish the question, but thankfully Minjoon understood. He smiled sadly, shook his head and said: “Thankfully not, but he did end up in a hospital for like two months. They messed him up. He didn’t even return to the force, wouldn’t be able to anyway due to some injuries. When I went with Park to confront Yoongi, he just straight up laughed in our face and told us we’d better feel grateful that he wasn’t interested in becoming a cop killer, because rats in his organisation usually end up much worse. It was the most we’d ever heard him admit out loud, but we didn’t even manage to record it or anything, we were too upset to think straight and missed an opportunity.” He sighed again. I was just glad that the officer ended up okay. At least Yoongi was aware that if he’d killed a cop, he’d become the most wanted man in the eyes of the entire force. There wouldn’t be a moment of rest for him.

Somewhere deep down I felt a little bit of shame though, because I did the same mistake just a few days ago. Yoongi didn’t end up saying anything even remotely that damning, but he still talked to me pretty openly.

I was just about to open my mouth to try and dispel the awkward silence that took over, but Park chose that moment to burst into the room loudly. He didn’t even spare us a glance, too focused on a folder in his hands. I’d jumped off the table in panic and straightened up, but he barely paid attention to anything else. Slowly our colleagues started filing in and taking seats. When after a while no one said anything about my presence, I sat down next to Minjoon, who gave me a reassuring smile.

Park closed the file and slammed in onto the table, then made his way over to the most interesting part of the room – the wall.

“Alright, emergency meeting,” he started, “we just got new info from violent crimes about the disappearance from two weeks ago.”

As I sat there and half listened to the information presented, a plan was starting to hatch in my head. Although Yoongi knew about me, could even pick me out from the crowd, I had to figure out a way to tail him. And when I did, I had to find out more about what Hoseok did. And where. And how. While my unit focused on Namjoon and worked from the bottom, I had to learn about the most criminal aspects of this gang to cover all the grounds. I had to catch a killer.

I’d never been on a stake out mission before. That was one of the few things they didn’t teach at the academy, and I had to figure it out all on my own, while trying to tail a man that probably knew even how many pieces of ham I put on my toast that morning (it’s always two).

Once I pulled information about Min Yoongi’s probable whereabouts, all I had to do was jump in my car and go find him, which was easier said than done. I’d decided to do this in my free time, since asking for the permission to tail him would most definitely not be met with much excitement in the department, especially since they themselves have given up on it.

Now, here I was, sitting in my car at 4 am on a Friday, intently watching a posh house in the middle of Gangnam, hoping that Yoongi is either already in there or soon to return. Since through my snooping I was left with several addresses all ranging from clubs, restaurants and a hotel through factories and warehouses to offices, I figured my best shot would be to catch him while leaving his house rather than running through half of the establishments in Seoul. I also pulled information on the other six, but quickly found out that we had working addresses only for like four of them, so no luck staking out Hoseok’s house or anything.

I was desperately trying to keep myself from falling asleep, the fact that I only slept 3 hours catching up to me, my head drooping and my eyes barely staying open. The house was dark, and I figured at this time he either had to be getting up soon or coming home to rest.

The next three hours were absolute hell. I was so tired, fighting sleep and frustration, I had gotten extremely hungry because I ate through my snacks in boredom, and I was losing my mind. Nothing was happening. Not even a shadow moved on his property. The fact that Yoongi was now probably sleeping happily in his bed, not a care in the world, was pissing me off beyond belief. And another thing – I was freezing my ass off. Duly noted – tailing for dummies: don’t do it in winter.

I had just begun losing hope that Yoongi’s even home, when suddenly a light came on somewhere in the house. My heart jumped with excitement, and I was so happy I could cry actual tears. It seemed that he started his day around 7 am. I wrote it down into my journal and ignored the rising feeling of being a total creep, keeping records on someone like this. This was a professional endeavour. I was doing it for the greater good.

I watched as the lights slowly moved downstairs to the ground level where Yoongi must have been messing around in the kitchen. At 8 o'clock the door opened, and a lady walked out, turning around presumably to say goodbye only to be narrowly missed by Yoongi immediately slamming the door shut behind her. She started shouting something and banged on the door for a little bit, screaming expletives and other interesting comments, before calling it a day and sulkily walking away. I took a look at her as she was walking by and winced. Damn, I definitely didn’t envy her the walk home in those heels. Godspeed, sister.

When the clock hit 8.30 am, a car rolled to a stop in front of the house and Yoongi himself walked out in all his glory. This time he was wearing a classic black three-piece suit with a white shirt, hair slicked back behind his ears, phone in one hand and a to-go cup of coffee in the other. He didn’t look around at all, just sped all the way to the car, got in and in a second, they were on their way god knows where.

I took a moment to check my own reflection. Compared to the sleek mafia boss, my hair was messy since I barely even brushed it that morning, my face puffy and unkept and I had an old, stained hoodie on. I was almost embarrassed. Almost. After a moment I’d decided I gave them enough space and pulled out of my spot.

I had the list of potential addresses sitting out on my passenger seat and as we began weaving through the city, I was trying to guess where they could be going. My mind was constantly on keeping enough of a distance to not look suspicious but be close enough to not lose them in the morning traffic. With my heart beating out of my chest and damp clammy hands tense on the steering wheel, I managed to follow the car up to one of the clubs.

The car had just stopped when Yoongi briskly jumped out and jogged to the entrance. He disappeared inside for about 20 minutes and then he emerged again, a briefcase in hand and a smile on his face. I jotted it down into my journal and then we were on our way again.

I spent my day like that. Yoongi had always rolled up to a club, for a moment went inside, then came out again, sometimes holding something and sometimes empty-handed. Once I even managed to catch a glimpse of one of his six seeing him off. Based on the head full of soft blond curls, it must have been Park Jimin.

Gradually as I went after them, I relaxed, setting into my new role. My journal was getting packed with information, mostly useless things about where we stopped for now. I would be able to put it to more use once I had more stable and reliable info about his routine.

Around 2 pm he went into one of his offices and stayed until 9 o'clock, after that he went back to the club where he met Jimin. I was all cramped up from sitting in my car the whole day, my back absolutely killing me. I was hungry out of my damn mind, and I’d run out of water an hour ago. I just wanted him to go the fuck home and stay there, but he stayed until midnight. When I finally saw him walk back into his house, 1 o’clock in the morning, I was done and tired, but regretting nothing.

That’s how my life went on for a few days. I’d spent full three days tailing him, showing up at his house at around 5 am (I’d given myself an extra hour, but I didn’t want to risk missing him leave) and then drove around the city jotting down all the places he went to and all the things he did. Currently my journal contained everything from the various items he carried around his clubs to his order in Starbucks (which I wrote down very reluctantly, but I figured since I’m already there, I shouldn’t half-ass it). When it was time to go back to work, I’d taken the journal with me and discreetly wrote down any kind of new information that my team brought in.

It was my fifth day of stake out when it all crashed down. I was feeling good about myself, thinking maybe I’ve managed to actually dodge his attention, but I also realised I knew nothing about the kind of scoping out his bodyguards did. When Yoongi moved about, he either had some stone-faced strangers I’d never seen before with him or there was Jungkook by his side, and I quickly came to the conclusion that his job must have also entailed keeping Yoongi safe. It seemed that I never actually popped up on their radar, I’d never noticed any suspicious glances around, no one from Yoongi’s squad had ever even looked in my general direction, so I thought I was good. I wasn’t.

I was sitting in my car, leisurely eating a subway sandwich. It was 4 pm, which meant Yoongi was going to be in his office for another few hours at the very least (that’s how it’s been for the past four days). My car was parked a little off to the side some distance from the main entrance, monitoring who came in and who came out, while the car in which he came few hours earlier was still parked in the same spot and some of the guys were standing around, smoking and talking. Jungkook was with Yoongi today and they went in together, so they most probably had some free time until Yoongi needed to go somewhere again. It had begun snowing a little while ago and everything felt quiet and peaceful.

Then suddenly my passenger door opened, and a person filed in, settling on the seat with a loud exclamation of “god, it’s so cold outside, isn’t it?”. In a split second my hand went for my gun, but I ended up grabbing empty air – I wasn’t on duty, I didn’t have a gun currently. Panicking I turned to the side, prepared to fight, only to come face to face with a smugly grinning Yoongi. The fear immediately all drained out and instead frustration burst through me like a grenade.

“Fuck!” I screamed and hit the steering wheel. I managed to get the horn and in the distance I saw Yoongi’s bodyguards perk up at the sound, immediately checking their surroundings with hands on what one could only assume were their concealed guns. Out of the corner of my eye I also saw a face peek in through the passenger door window to check on the situation, and realised Jungkook must be standing outside the car. Yoongi was just sitting there, completely unfazed, watching me with amusement.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I growled and glared at him.

“I could be asking you the same thing,” he drawled out, playing with his fingers unbothered, “Though I do have to praise you, we didn’t know about you for full two days. Guess we’re not used to having to worry about that anymore.” I closed my eyes and attempted to calm myself down. I didn’t need to embarrass myself further by throwing a full tantrum in front of them.

“How did you find out about me?” I gritted through my teeth and willed myself to relax more into the seat, stubbornly keeping my eyes in front of me and not looking over at Yoongi.

“You’ve been tailing me for days, of course we’re going to notice,” Yoongi replied cheekily. Then he gave me a once over. “No gun and no badge,” he hummed, “not on official business, then? Am I so charming that you just have to see me all the time?” He smirked at me playfully when he saw me peeking over, now starting to play with my little journal. It was closed, but I was still tensely watching him whether he’d decide to open it. By his smug expression, I had a feeling he knew what he was holding in his hands, and when he decided to put the journal down with a little playful wink, it was very pointed.

I cleared my throat. “It is official business,” I said, and really, I wasn’t even lying.

“Oh, is it?” he hummed noncommittally, “Because right now you just seem like a crazy stalker.” I looked over at him annoyed and he seemed to be very amused. A disembodied hand knocked on the window. Yoongi looked over and suddenly became more serious. It only lasted a second though, and then he was smirking at me again.

“All I can say is, I’m quite impressed, Y/N,” he winked at me, “Good job. Try a bit harder next time, though.” With one last amused smile he opened the door and clambered out. One hand leaning on the open door, he bent down at the waist to look in and contemplated for a moment what to say. Behind him I could see a hulking black mass as Jungkook immediately moved closer to safeguard Yoongi.

“See you around, officer,” Yoongi settled on in the end and then finally moved away from the door to slam it shut. I was left in there alone with all that cold air he let in and an unsettled feeling. I watched him cross the street to his own car, watched him as he turned around one last time and waved to me, then got in and sped away.

Only when I was left staring at an empty curb, I realised he’d called me by my name.

So… a change of tactic it is. Even though he didn’t say much, I didn’t think Yoongi had gotten into my car to threaten me. Quite the opposite, he seemed almost suspiciously encouraging. He most likely wanted to know whether I’d been assigned on this task or not.

Well, I learnt a few things at the very least. First, tailing everyday with the same car when you don’t want to be discovered is a big no-no (honestly kind of stupid on my part not to have realised that). Second – Jungkook was like Yoongi’s shadow and Yoongi’s bodyguards were all most likely under him too. He must be doing some intense scans of the surroundings, given the fact that after two days they realised a car was tailing them. After that they most probably just entertained me to see what I was doing and took the time to run a background check on me.

So, I had to find a way to be more inconspicuous. I was on their radar now; they would look out for me, and they knew more about me. Renting cars would get too expensive too quickly, it would also make me look very suspicious. My car was out of the question since they already knew it.

Honestly, I was surprised they let me tail them for that long when they already knew about me, but this might be the one time someone underestimating me would actually play into my cards. Because my goal wasn’t to aimlessly shadow Yoongi. It was to get closer to information about Hoseok. And I got a little tiny snippet.

When I sat at my computer at work the next day and stared mindlessly into the wall, I was wracking my brain on how to recuperate from this fumble. The previous night I had been going through my journal for hours, trying to come up with a way to keep a surveillance on Yoongi without letting him know I was following him, when I realised it.

Through the five days, I’d been catching glimpses of the other six. Of course, I saw Jungkook the most, but here and there I’d see Kim Taehyung’s shoulder as he was chatting with Yoongi outside of a club, Namjoon calling someone and smoking in front of the office building, Kim Seokjin coming out of Yoongi’s house, Park Jimin’s profile in the darkness of an alleyway by Yoongi’s car. They were all extremely close to each other and their lives were intertwined rather finely.

And I’d seen Hoseok too. It was for a split second, just a flash of the man’s face through a crack in a warehouse door, but I’d seen him. I had written it down, just mindlessly jotted down “door might have been opened by Hoseok”, and that was my chance. All I had to do now was start investigating that warehouse and move from there. Tonight, I had to go there and scope out the surroundings to see whether there was a place I could comfortably watch the area from.

The door to Park’s office suddenly slammed opened and I jumped in my seat, heart almost lurching out of my chest. I glared at my superior’s back and cursed his habit of storming into rooms as loudly as possible. He walked over to Minjoon’s table and started quietly telling him something. My curiosity won over and I couldn’t help glancing their way. Minjoon caught my eye for a moment and smiled, but mostly kept his attention trained on Park.

After a while of mumbling and several hushed okays, Park briskly walked through the station out to the parking lot and Minjoon and his partner both stood up and started gathering their things to follow him. I mournfully watched them get ready and grumbled behind my computer, but as I was about to petulantly grab some files and put them back into the cabinets, Minjoon came over to me and asked: “You wanna come with?” I stared at him for a moment, completely flabbergasted. He waited patiently until I got my wits about me again and then smiled when I started very enthusiastically nodding. The others in the station were also surprised, but I wasn’t about to give them my attention as I also grabbed my badge and a jacket and followed Minjoon out.

“It’s 7 pm on a Saturday, which means Yoongi’s at the Pied Piper,” he explained while leading me to the service car. Pied Piper was Yoongi’s most successful club, one that sat smack dab in the middle of Itaewon and drew attention with its fancy exterior and sleek interior. It was a hotspot for both locals and foreigners, and young trust fund kids often bragged about being on the VIP list, having the privilege to just come and walk in instead of having to wait endlessly in the line. “That also means that Namjoon’s currently sitting alone in the office. Park’s been tirelessly working on obtaining some insider info and he wants to go have a chat with the lawyer while he’s on his home turf.” I nodded along as we filed into the car and started on the journey.

I was a little nervous around the mysterious calm man. I could handle Yoongi’s endless banter, but Namjoon unnerved me with his silence and sharp eyes. It was as if he was slowly uncovering every little dirty secret you had deep within you just by looking into your eyes, he didn’t even need to say a word and you just wanted to spill all your sins. He was a dangerous man, an intelligent one that knew how to use it to intimidate others.

“Our job,” Minjoon suddenly spoke up after focusing on the road, “is to go to Pied Piper and annoy and distract Yoongi, so Park can have a peaceful uninterrupted moment with Namjoon. He doesn’t want Yoongi to even text him anything, so we have to put on a proper show.”

“I see…” I replied finally, the reality of the task setting in. I was a little relieved I didn’t have to confront Yoongi’s right-hand man, but unexpectedly I felt embarrassment flood me. I’d been having some truly awkward encounters with the man, and he seemed quite fond of teasing me. I was a little afraid he might blab about what I’d been doing in my free time and put a mark on my back within my own unit. I knew he definitely wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to put me in a difficult position.

The whole ride over I was preparing myself for dealing with the jokester again and potentially having to stop him from spilling some secrets. So, when we walked up confidently to the bouncer and Minjoon showed him his badge, I was full on panicking, nervously picking on my scarf with shaking hands. While we waited for the bodyguard to relay to Yoongi the police were here, Minjoon must have misunderstood my nervousness as fear of facing the mafia boss again.

“Actually, this is why I wanted to bring you with me,” he said quietly so nobody could overhear, “I wanted you to get over the first meeting, so you could continue with this task. Once you meet him a few times, the novelty wears off and he’s just an annoying dude that commits crime in his free time.”

No, yeah, I already knew that. I could cry inside, that wasn’t why I was nervous at all. But it was better he thought that than knowing I’d actually met Yoongi twice more already and he seemed to be getting quite interested in making my life difficult back. So, I just nodded and smiled at him gratefully, thanking him for bringing me along.

“Alright,” the bouncer suddenly came back to us, “right this way.” With that he turned around and made his way inside the club. I scrambled to follow after him through the crowded area, wading through partying youngsters. I could barely hear anything over the pumping bass of the music and with the flashing lights and crowds I couldn’t even really see what the inside looked like. I saw some dark grey walls, some mirrors and flashy patches of silver met with dark stone, but the rest was covered up with smoke and dancing bodies.

Similarly to the club I’d been to some week and a half ago, we were led to a staircase and up onto a gallery overlooking the ground floor, but it seemed that Pied Piper offered completely private rooms that were in a corridor off to the right, while left side was occupied by a bar. Surprisingly, it seemed that the VIP area also served as a sort of a restaurant, as I saw several couples and groups enjoying a dinner. The sound of the music wasn’t as overbearing up here and it created sort of a constant hum in the background, lending the space some added privacy from eavesdropping.

I expected getting led to a cordoned off little corner somewhere like before, but instead we walked through the entire area all the way to the back, and then up another, albeit a little smaller, staircase to a sort of a half balcony hanging over both the ground floor and the VIP area.

There on a velvet red couch, was sat Yoongi, greeting us with an amused smile. His pitch-black shirt and dress pants were popping with contrast to the vibrant red, just as his pale skin and long black hair was. For a moment I was so consumed by the vision that was Yoongi, that I didn’t even realise there were two other men present.

On a couch to our left, Kim Taehyung sat in all black suit, all spread out with legs wide open and arms resting on top of the couch, wavy dark hair framing his curious face, mischievous expression slowly taking over as he watched us grow more and more restless. And finally, leaning on a wall behind us, was Jungkook. He was expressionless as always and almost blended into the wall with his also pitch-black t-shirt and cargo pants. What was visible of his arms was heavily tattooed and definitely served as make-shift camouflage in this dark space.

I snickered and before I could stop myself, I was speaking. “Did we crash a funeral or what? What’s with the fits?” I glanced at all three of them amusedly. Taehyung started giggling while Yoongi full-on laughed. His face was coloured by surprise at my words and once again, I’d managed to catch his full attention. The nerves I felt combined with my annoyance at the man helped me put up a more confident front than I was feeling and I needed to take full advantage of that.

“Well, personally I think I do look quite ravishing in black, darling,” Taehyung drawled out seductively, righting his posture to lean closer to me, “Don’t you agree?” Minjoon looked between us confusedly and I made a mental note to make some excuse about why I wasn’t a complete wreck in the face of the three men.

I ignored Taehyung’s words and instead sat down on a chair straight across from Yoongi and Minjoon, who finally came out of his stupor, sat down next to me.

“So, tell me, officer,” Yoongi asked noncommittally, “What are you here for this time?” Even though he aimed the question at Minjoon, he was looking at me the whole time and I knew he was also experiencing the same déjà vu as me.

“You know, just checking that everything’s fine here,” Minjoon replied cheekily, watching me out of the corner of his eye, “Weekends can get pretty rough. We wouldn’t want a fight to break out.” Yoongi just scoffed and gestured to the general area.

“You don’t have to worry that head of yours, Mr. Jang,” he replied with a snark that I’d never caught from him before, “We have quite the few very strong and very professional bodyguards and bouncers around here. People know not to mess with them.” He looked back at me and then added: “Would you like something to drink or eat? I must say the appetizers are absolutely stellar today.” With a swipe of his arm, he gestured to the table between us that was decked with food. From my left, Taehyung giggled and leaned in to grab a few grapes.

To be honest, it felt like we were two stupid little lambs that wandered straight into the wolf’s den. And the fact that they were all around us didn’t help. It was finally starting to catch up with me and I nervously rubbed the top of my thighs with my clammy hands. I gulped and looked at Minjoon, expecting him to lead the conversation. I wondered how Park was fairing at the office and whether he’d already met Namjoon.

“Well, it’s our duty to look out anyway,” Minjoon shot back, “Serve the public and all that. Just making sure nothing naughty is going on. People tend to get a little crazy on Saturdays after all.” He was rewarded with a toothy wild smirk, all sharp edges and dangerous glints.

“Yes, they do tend to do that. If I see anyone being naughty, you’ll be the first one I’ll tell,” Yoongi laughed and gestured at the bodyguard at the stairs. He immediately turned around and left. I was on high alert, trying to track him from the balcony and see where he was going. The conversation between the men continued as they traded thinly veiled insults and passive aggressive remarks, while I was frantically searching the crowd.

I only relaxed when he returned to the balcony – a tray of drinks in hand. Each of the men took one – to my horror even Minjoon accepted a glass that was clearly meant for him and took a tiny sip. I gave him a pointed stare. He was the one that drove us here, for fuck’s sake! Not to mention there should be a golden rule about not eating or drinking anything given to you by a gangster in a club he owned.

The bouncer made his rounds, and the last glass was suddenly thrust in front of my face. It was a sex on the beach. It was the single cocktail I ordered and sipped on not to look too suspicious at Dynamite the other week. I shot the man in question a half surprised half horrified look. He was watching me from behind the rim of his own whiskey glass, eyes dark and curious for my reaction.

In the end, I took it because I’d started to feel awkward with the bouncer just standing there with his arm outstretched, but I immediately sat it down on the table, intent on not drinking it. I shot Minjoon another look, trying to signal to him he should do the same, but he was cooly sipping on his and only subtly shook his head at me. I pointedly ignored Yoongi’s gaze hungry for attention. I would not give him the rise he so wanted to get out of me.

“You see, right now I’m only trying to figure out in what club is your partner currently wreaking havoc, to have you here distracting,” Kim Taehyung suddenly joined the conversation, his silky deep voice catching me off guard every time. I jolted, but Minjoon kept his cool.

“You guys know us too well, this is getting a bit repetitive, isn’t it?” he joked back and drained his whiskey glass in a single big gulp, “Guess you’ll have to find out yourself. But entertain me here for a moment, otherwise you’ll just embarrass me in front of my boss and the newbie.”

Suddenly, four pairs of eyes were on me, and a wave of goosebumps ran through my entire being. I met Yoongi’s black eyes again and this time didn’t divert the eye contact. He leant forward, until he was leaning on his knees, and even though there was an entire table between us, it still felt dangerously close.

“You have been quite uncharacteristically quiet, officer,” he said and drawled out the nickname with a deep voice. I was afraid of what else might come out of his mouth, so I quickly butted in.

“What do you mean? You don’t know me at all,” it was both a warning to shut up and warning that we’d just begun, and he really did not know what I was capable of. My eyes were throwing daggers at him, but I tried to keep on a fake polite smile.

“Well, for someone who waltzed in here calling it a funeral and dissing our clothes, I was expecting some more smart comments out of you,” Yoongi explained, and I was relieved he was entertaining my threat to keep our previous conversations secret. He was looking thoroughly amused though.

“You’d have to be saying something smart, for me to have smart remarks.”

Kim Taehyung laughed out of surprise and pointed at Yoongi, who was fighting back his own grin. “She got you, hyung, you’ve gotta admit that,” he teased him good-naturedly and it was almost surprisingly wholesome to see them interacting as friends.

“There’s rarely anything smart said when talking to cops,” Yoongi retorted and it was more of a dig towards Minjoon than me, who stiffened next to me. It must have been a sore subject coming from Yoongi, which I understood with how hard he was making everything for us. Unfortunately, as a cop you sometimes did feel like the criminals outsmarted you… and then hearing them tease you about it, I’d be mad too.

“Okay, okay, we can sit here and call each other dumb the whole evening,” I mediated the situation before it went sideways, “Tell me then, Yoongi, what smart things do you want to talk about?” I spit out his name as if it was a curse, but I saw his entire being perk up at hearing it, a smug smirk tugging at his lips. I ignored it and waited for him to answer.

“Oh, I’ve got many things to talk about, one more interesting than the other,” he said dangerously, and I quickly realised we were nearing a no-go zone again. I suddenly understood why he was so interested in this, in letting me so near and never reprimanding me, playing with me like a cat does when it’s hunting for mice. He was getting off on knowing there was something I desperately needed him to stay silent about. At that moment, he was holding something over my head, something that could get me in a lot of trouble with colleagues that already didn’t like me, and if he threatened to press charges for harassment and stalking, he could most likely even boot me out of the force. But to him, it wasn’t about destroying my life. It was about amusing himself knowing I’m depending on him for something so important when I’m hellbent on taking him down. That way, he still remained in control of all of our meetings.

But I didn’t think he had the intention to truly rat me out. It was too much fun for him, and he seemed the type to let things play out. Ultimately, he must have believed once I became bothersome, he could shoot me down no problem, so why not amuse himself while the opportunity was there? So, I took a gamble. He wanted a challenge, maybe I’d give it to him. Maybe that’s why he encouraged me to do better and chase after him more.

“Yeah?” I said and trained all my attention to him, just as he always did to everyone around him, “I’m all ears.” He looked me straight in the eyes and I fought myself not to flinch away. The longer we stared, the more prominent the amused smirk grew on his face. He tested me, how long it would take me to break the eye contact and back down, but I steeled myself, squeezing the armrests with my nervous shaking hands, keeping the fear at bay by attempting to look as fierce as possible while falling apart with panic on the inside. Finally, it was him who looked away, but it didn’t feel like he ceded. It felt like we both won.

I released a breath I didn’t realise I was holding in and slumped a little into my chair, the tension suddenly draining out of my body in one fell swoop, leaving me almost boneless. Only now I started noticing the tense awkward silence the whole space sunk into, the other three men watching us with very different expressions. Jungkook as stoic as ever but with a hint of something in his eyes, Taehyung hungrily taking in the exchange with open curiosity and a playful grin, watching me as if I successfully tackled some kind of a challenge, and finally Minjoon, his face both confused and alarmed. I really had to think of some good excuse on the way back home.

Yoongi’s phone was buzzing on the table, but he barely paid it any attention. Instead, he gulped down his whiskey and gestured for the bodyguard to get him more, before turning to Minjoon once again.

“I’m sorry, but you seem kind of boring compared to the balls on this lady,” he mocked him, “this is the most fun I’ve had dealing with you guys.”

“I’m not here to amuse you,” I growled through gritted teeth. He flashed me a smile and said: “Oh, of course not, I know that. You’re here on a super secret, super important mission. But I am having fun, which normally doesn’t happen with these guys.” Minjoon snickered next to me, and his next words somehow felt like a punch in the face.

“I should have known that a pig like you would get off more on having a female detective grill you,” he muttered, fully aiming to insult Yoongi, but I stiffened next to him. I couldn’t figure out why, but his remark really didn’t sit well with me, putting me out of my comfort zone way more than anything the three gangsters did the whole evening, and Kim Taehyung’s first words to me were shameless flirting.

“Only a pig like you would only see the fact that she’s a woman and not that she’s just more interesting than you,” Yoongi retorted almost instantly, spitting out the whole sentence in a single breath, leaving Minjoon speechless with the quick comeback. Then he rolled his eyes, trying to stay as calm as he was when he came in.

“That’s not what I said, stop trying to spin this on me,” he said, clearly annoyed with the turn of the conversation, “We’re talking about you here.” I stayed silent and for the first time that evening yearned for taking a swig out of the now melting cocktail still standing on the table in front of me.

“Right,” Yoongi drawled out, running out of patience dealing with the officer, “And I’m a pig why exactly? Last time I checked that’s what people called the police. Not me. And especially not after I’ve just-“

“Shut up, both of you,” I jumped in, annoyed and not interested in whatever Yoongi wanted to say, “You can measure each other’s cocks when I’m not around. Act like adults.” Taehyung off to the side giggled again, thoroughly enjoying himself watching this all go down. I chanced a glance at Jungkook, who was attempting to hide an amused smirk by looking out of the balcony. I didn’t want to look at either of the men I had just reprimanded, but my attention was drawn to Yoongi when he cleared his throat and said: “Of course, I let myself get carried away. Sorry ‘bout that.”

I had been afraid he’d take it badly, but he was laughing when I looked at him. Minjoon looked angry, but stayed silent, instead he petulantly looked to the right, away from all of us. I guess I’d be reaping the consequences of that later.

The awkward silence was broken by the man I was least expecting to speak up. “They’re with Namjoon hyung at the office,” Jungkook briskly informed Yoongi from behind us. When I turned around, he was just putting his phone to his ear walking out of the space.

“Well, I guess the cat’s out the bag now,” my attention turned back onto Yoongi, who still wasn’t checking his periodically buzzing phone. I also pulled out mine to check the time. 7:43 pm. We’d been there for a little longer than half an hour, but it felt barely like ten minutes to my shock.

I looked at Minjoon again, seeking his advice on how to tie up this situation. He finally shook out of his embarrassed silence and was more or less back to his previous self.

“Well, thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Min,” Minjoon said, still a little strained and refusing to look at him for too long, “It was truly a fruitful evening.” Yoongi chuckled.

“Right, I feel like we all learnt a lot of things about each other,” he retorted mysteriously, giving me a grin and then turning to Taehyung, “It seems we both lost the bet. I said it would be The Rose and you betted on the hotel.” The Rose, another one of Yoongi’s clubs, was currently managed mainly by Park Jimin and situated on the other side of the city centre. It was another one of his high-profile entertainments, but most of the time it hosted the filthy rich and honed in on the feeling of privilege and prestige. That was definitely a club you couldn’t just get into from the street, no, you had to be invited in or taken by a member, that’s why the police were so interested in it.

“You were betting on us?” I asked surprised. Minjoon looked at me and grinned. “They do that quite often, actually. We do our best to try and keep them on their toes.”

I glanced at Yoongi, who as the entire time, was watching me closely. I hummed and pretended to think about it for a moment, and finally said: “Honestly, The Rose is a pretty good guess. Keep ‘em coming, I’m sure with an intuition like that, you’ll get it right once.” He laughed heartily and leaned in.

“I know it’s a good guess,” he whispered, “I get them right most of the time. I know you people, more than you think.” I shuddered and pulled away, hitting the back of the chair. With a slight flush of embarrassment at my earlier comment, I scrambled to get up and go on our merry way. That had made him even more amused, and I cursed both him and myself. I should really learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes.

Yoongi didn’t bother standing up as we were leaving, he didn’t even bother to check his phone, that had gone suspiciously silent. He just stared at me from across the room as the bouncer started leading the way back out and Taehyung waved at us with a little wink, looking annoyingly pleased and relaxed. I rolled my eyes at him one last time and then disappeared down the stairs. If I strained my ears, I could almost hear him laughing loudly at my antics.

Outside of the club, back by our car, Minjoon suddenly stopped in the middle of the empty quiet parking lot. I staggered to a stop as well, looking at him confused and slightly worried something happened. What if Park hadn’t managed to have that talk with Namjoon and was waiting for us mad at the station? Panic flashed through me, but I was surprised when Minjoon looked at me with worried sad eyes and started apologising.

“Hey, I’m really sorry about before,” he said and I could finally see the full extent of his embarrassment, “You’re right, we were bickering like a couple of little boys. It’s just- He always gets such a rise out of me. I try and not react, but he always does or says something that just pisses me off.” I softened a little at his genuine shame and a little awkwardly patted his shoulder.

“It’s okay, I understand,” I replied quietly, “He got a rise out of me too. Don’t worry about it.” He smiled at me, a little lighter and less sad, and I returned it. When we returned to the station, Park didn’t say anything about us or our mission and just launched right into his spiel about Namjoon’s behaviour at the office. I considered that a win.

Later that night, sitting in the empty meeting room, Minjoon turned to me and said: “I didn’t get a chance to say it earlier, but you fared surprisingly well tonight. I wasn’t expecting you to be like… that. It was amazing.” I blushed both from his words and his gentle embarrassed gaze and played with the edge of my sleeve to escape his eyes.

“Thank you… When I get nervous, I just start blabbing out the first thing that comes to mind,” I replied with a half-truth half-lie. He didn’t need to know I’d been getting some practice with dealing with the infuriating man in my free time. That would stay between me, Yoongi and the devil.

The next time I saw Yoongi was actually a few weeks later – in January of the new year. As I promised to myself, I took the time to scope out that one warehouse where I caught a glimpse of Hoseok. I had been staking it out carefully for almost a week, losing my mind with boredom just watching harbour workers milling about, when I came to the conclusion that he actually wasn’t there. The one time I’d seen him there clearly must have been a fluke, because he didn’t come at all the entire week. It was a pretty easy to scope out location, and when I continuously didn’t notice any evidence of Hoseok’s presence, I had to face the reality that this just wasn’t one of his spots.

So, that sent me back to following Yoongi around. And I had to figure out how to outsmart the literal king of snakes.

One day, when I was walking through the station, it hit me in a form of a single simple leaflet pinned to a noticeboard. I stopped so fast I almost tripped over my own feet and then hobbled back to the board to take in the huge bold FREE MOTORCYCLE TRAINING FOR OFFICERS FROM THIS PRECINCT. I had to stop myself from laughing maniacally right in the middle of the station and immediately saved the contact information into my phone. It was time to learn some new skills.

While I started taking lessons to be able to get a license for a motorcycle, I had to hold off from tailing Yoongi. Rolling up to his house in a car he already knew would be just embarrassing to me and explaining to someone else why I needed to borrow their car to drive around Seoul for 24 hours straight would be too difficult and, not to mention, extremely weird. There aren’t enough excuses in this world to borrow a different car every night and I didn’t even know enough people to achieve that.

Sometimes I would snoop around his office building or clubs when I knew he either was there or wasn’t, depending on what I was trying to achieve. I also still periodically dropped to the warehouse, just to chance whether maybe Hoseok showed up that time. But no luck. It was like he got swallowed by the earth itself. It did make sense for Yoongi to keep him in the shadows, considering what we suspected he did in the organisation, but I didn’t expect for him to be this hard to spot.

Here and there I would go through the other buildings Yoongi owned and tried to figure out where he could be spending most of his time, but there were just too many. Thus, one night I ended up buying a huge and very detailed map of Seoul that took up almost all of my bedroom wall and got to work on that. First, I marked all of Yoongi’s properties including his house in red, then I added properties that were known to be in possession of his six each with their own colours, and then marked with different colours who I spotted where. Finally, I added post it notes with details of when I spotted them or when Yoongi went there.

As I stood in my bedroom, proud of my hard work, a realisation of what I was doing hit me. There was no going back now, and whoever entered my house and found his way into my bedroom would be positively creeped out. I myself had to admit that sleeping next to a huge map detailing the whereabouts of a certain individual that I acquired through illegal means wasn’t ideal, but I had to do what I had to do to help catch him.

And like that, Christmas came and went and suddenly New Year was here, and I found myself sitting in the meeting room, first thing in January, going over new findings and strategies. I was barely holding my attention to what was said, itching to supervise Yoongi again and trying to come up with ways to check on what he’s doing.

“We’ve made contact with a new informant,” Park said suddenly, “He’s willing to pass info to us, he’s fairly confident that he can dodge the safety checks since he’s seen people fail them quite often. He knows very well the consequences he faces if he gets caught and agreed to help anyway.”

“Which faction does he belong to?” one of the officers present asked him. Faction, that meant under which member of the six he worked. Since they all had such different areas of coverage, a lot of the time the personnel under them was directly employed to them and not necessarily to Yoongi himself, though he owned the umbrella corporation. These groups of employees directly belonging to a certain member of the gang we called factions or squads.

“He works around the clubs and the hotel, so he’s Taehyung’s, but he mostly gets into contact with Jungkook,” Park answered readily, “But, and that’s most important, he gets his fare share of time with Namjoon. He runs a lot of errands for him and Taehyung when they’re together. Which is often.”

Suddenly Minjoon leaned closer to me and whispered: “Namjoon spends most of his time at the office building, but he does go to the clubs and checks on their offices and bookkeeping periodically. Taehyung’s and Jimin’s responsibility is making sure that everything is ready there for him.” I nodded at him and gave him a grateful smile. I thought back to the five days I spent sitting mostly in front of the office space and I did see him a lot. He seemed to be an avid smoker and spent a lot of time standing by the side of the building smoking and shouting something into his phone. Maybe he was like Yoongi and went to the clubs in the morning and then spent the afternoons there.

I leaned to him and whispered back: “It’s almost unfair how much information we have on them and still can’t legally even give them a parking ticket.” Minjoon smiled sympathetically and patted my shoulder.

The meeting droned on and as I sat there, I decided that parking tickets actually didn’t sound half bad. Next time I went out after him, I should take some just in case. I vowed myself to be the most annoying menace he’s ever come across and I fully intended to hold up to that.

About a week later I was once again sitting at my table punching some useless information into the national police database, trying to stay awake as I’d been spending the nights crawling around the industrial parts of Seoul checking out warehouses and the surveillance around them, when Park, as was his habit, stormed into the room letting his door bang loudly into the wall. I’d stopped flinching at this point, no one in the room was even fazed, all of us have heard it so many times it wasn’t even surprising anymore.

As usual when something happened with Yoongi, he went straight to Minjoon and Hwang, his partner, gesturing for them to grab their things and follow him out. I tried to catch Minjoon’s eye, hoping he’d take me with them again, but he just shook his head at me gently. When both of the other men left, he made a stop at my table and in a hushed voice explained: “I’m sorry, not today. Something happened at a warehouse that’s on Yoongi’s turf, probably some kind of fight with a rival gang or something. The police officers from the area are already there, but they’re waiting on us to see. It’s a pretty ugly and bloody scene.” With that he ran out of the door, barely managing to wave goodbye as he rushed to the scene.

I looked at his retreating back in disappointment, not understanding his reasoning behind leaving me out of it. What was he worried about? That I’d be upset if I saw a little blood? That I shouldn’t witness violence? Determination rose in me as I got angry at the perceived discrimination. I checked the clock. 4 PM, Wednesday. I scrambled out of my chair and quickly grabbed my badge and jacket and ran out as well.

As I gripped my steering wheel like an insane person and drove through the centre, I was hoping that his schedule was as solid as I assumed, even though I didn’t follow him for long. In a few minutes, I was parking in front of his office building and charging my way inside like a storm. There was a lady sitting at the reception and when she first saw me walk in, she attempted to talk to me, but quickly gave up and lost interest when I just brushed past her.

I’d never been inside but I hoped that all the movies and series didn’t lie, and his office would be on the top floor, so I flagged down an elevator and pushed the highest button. Now finally standing here, I started getting nervous. I once again acted before I thought about it and standing in an elevator taking me to Yoongi’s office, I didn’t even know what I’d say to him. If he even was here. I had nothing to talk to him about except for inquiring about the disturbance at a warehouse, but I doubt he’d ever tell me anything about it, not that I even had any closer information to ask about. This was reckless and stupid.

The elevator slowly rolled to a stop and the door opened. I self-consciously walked out and took a look around. It was a nicely furnished hallway lined with dark wood and deep scarlet details. At the end a huge vase with white lilies stood, right next to an abandoned desk of who I assumed must be Yoongi’s secretary. To my left, straight in the middle, was a black double door, no doubt leading to the man of the hour.

I loitered outside for a while, gathering courage and thinking about how I should explain my sudden appearance. Right as I moved to the door, it opened and a black-clad figure backed out, both of us colliding between the open doors. With surprisingly quick reflexes he turned around and grabbed onto my elbow, stabilising me before I embarrassed myself in front of Yoongi again.

“Oh! Sorry about that!” a cheerful high voice rung out through the corridor, “I gotta watch the road more.” He ended it with a melodic laugh and his other hand grabbed onto my shoulder, finally shaking me out of my stupor. I looked up to thank him, the cheerful personality putting me at ease a little more, but as soon as I laid eyes on him, the words died in my throat on an embarrassing half choked sound. I froze up and just stared at him for a moment, until I could see confusion paint his face.

It was Jung Hoseok. Hoseok was standing in front of me. Laughing and joking around, hands still holding me upright.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked, suddenly a little more serious, watching me with concern.

“She’s fine,” a voice from the inside supplied, “Maybe she’s just stunned with your beauty, with finally meeting you in person after staring at your picture for months.” All confusion and concern disappeared from the man and he started laughing again.

“Oh, so you’re the police officer,” he announced with a smirk and something a little more teasing crept into his voice. He finally released his hold on me and watched me with amused eyes as I stumbled away from him with red burning cheeks. So much for not embarrassing myself. It didn’t help that he most definitely was beautiful, almost unfairly so for someone who was allegedly a stone-cold killer. Damn these men to hell, what was it about being a mobster that attracted the good-looking guys.

“Thank you for catching me,” I gritted through my teeth, already staring daggers into Yoongi, who was leisurely sitting behind a huge dark desk in the room behind us, watching us with a lazy smirk.

“Don’t mention it,” Hoseok replied almost instantly and winked, “Well, I gotta get on my merry way. Have fun you two! Bye bye~” He waved at me cheerily and walked out. Then he backed into the room again and pointed at Yoongi in a teasingly reprimanding manner and added: “Not too much fun though.” With that, he was gone.

I walked into the room, completely flabbergasted by his surprising character. Yoongi watched me like a wolf, waiting for me to sit down on a chair on the other side of his table, as was our tradition by now. I could see the anticipation rolling off of him in waves, so I took the time to properly soak in the room. There was a lot of dark wood and grey tones with splash of colour here and there, but the darkness was offset by a huge three-piece window in the wall behind Yoongi. Right now, I could see the beginnings of what would soon turn into a sunset.

I knew I couldn’t win in a battle of will against him, so once I dragged it out enough, finally I moved over to the table to take a seat. Immediately, Yoongi had a cordial smile on his face, as if he was greeting an old friend and not a police officer. Speaking of that, I remembered something – I took the time to bring it for the sake of our second meeting.

Yoongi wordlessly watched me rummage in my pockets until I finally found what I was looking for. A second later, my hand slapped my badge on the table between us. I nodded towards it and muttered: “That official enough for you?” He looked at it shocked for a split second and then he was laughing.

When calm enough to speak to me, he said: “I see that whatever I joke about with you, you’ll take it to your heart. I’ll have to think about my words a bit more carefully from now on.” He stared at the badge for a moment and then thoughtfully hummed.

“Now, that reminds me, I should probably check whether you’re recording this talk,” he joked with me, “I won’t stop you of course, just watch my mouth.” Annoyed, I reached into my other pocket and this time I slapped my phone on the table. I went the extra mile of showing him it wasn’t calling anyone or recording anything, and then glared at him in challenge, all under his amused gaze.

“So, can we talk?” I bluffed, pretending like I showed up here for something specific. He made himself comfortable in his chair across from me and motioned for me to start. I took a moment to think about how to start. With no idea what I wanted to achieve here, it was hard to just start up a conversation. But it seemed I was worrying for nothing.

“Actually, I don’t need you to start,” he stated matter-of-factly, “I know why you’re here. With your colleagues currently running around in the docks, it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. But it’s not their usual MO, they’ve never sent here someone while they were investigating.” I stuttered under his piercing eyes, and he smirked. “So… not that official, is it.”

“It still is, though, I’m here during work hours regarding an on-going police investigation,” I defended myself somewhat petulantly, following his figure with my eyes when he suddenly got up and moved to a small bar in the corner behind me. With his back to me, mixing up cocktails, I realised I’ve never seen him from this angle, always had to face him head on and fight for everything I was and everything I did. This felt as if we were supposed to be relaxed in each other’s company and I didn’t like it.

He hummed again and turned around, whiskey in one hand and pink gin and tonic in other. He motioned for me to move and sit at a small green sofa in the other corner of the room, and I mindlessly listened to him. To my surprise, he situated me on the sofa and pushed the gin into my hand, while he himself made himself comfortable on the fluffy carpet, leaning on the table. The sofa wasn’t super high, but I still found myself looking at him from above for the first time ever. It was putting me off – he had to be planning something. Why else would he behave this way?

I put the glass on the table and gave him a reprimanding glare. “I told you, I’m on duty and I drove here.” He scoffed and sipped on his own drink, ignoring my words.

“And the things you’ll learn here, you’ll share them with your colleagues? You’ll go back to the station and divulge your findings?” he asked seemingly innocently, but there was a dark glint in his eyes. It was the most serious I’ve ever seen him. I didn’t know whether I should lie to him or not. I knew I wouldn’t share it, at least not until a little later, when there was an opportunity for me to showcase my knowledge in the most impactful way. And it seemed that he was aware of that as well. And the longer I took to answer him, the more obvious the answer was. So I chose to be honest.

“When the time comes for it, yes,” I said, and the words felt like ash on my tongue. I could barely look at him in that moment. I was doing something wrong, I was aware of that, I was putting my career on the line and bartering the information for my own gain and putting it out into the universe somehow felt like a curse. But Yoongi didn’t seem to care. He nodded and took a sip again, humming. I regarded him with suspicion.

“Is that why you came here to find out the information your own colleagues wouldn’t tell you?”

His question hung heavy in the air, and I froze completely. I was embarrassed that I couldn’t even disprove it, even though I didn’t think that’s why I came there. They really didn’t tell me anything. I would find out eventually when it was important for me to know. Or if I was lucky, I’d pull it out of Minjoon when he’d come in tomorrow. But I was angry and frustrated. I spent a lot of time studying Yoongi’s warehouses trying to find Hoseok, and he didn’t even give me a chance to tell him and ran. Didn’t even tell me a reason why exactly I wasn’t supposed to be there. So, I went and did something foolish.

But I still had to play my cards right.

For some reason, Yoongi seemed to be suspiciously eager to let me in on some of his dealings, from speaking to me openly that one time in Dynamite, to letting me tail him and even entertaining my clumsy attempts at distracting him or getting information out of him. Whether it was because he didn’t see me as a threat or because he was trying to play a game of his own with me, I had to use this to my advantage. As long as he was this willing, I had to try and milk this situation.

“Just trying to get all the points of view,” I answered cooly and tried to put up a strong front. I hoped that Yoongi had enough decency not to point out my obvious frustration and would take my words at face value. Which, thankfully, he seemed to do. He flashed me a smile and said: “Ah, I see. Just being a good cop.”

He looked at me for a moment and then suddenly got up. I was about to also get up, but he gestured for me to stay seated. He walked over to the table and leaned on it with his hip.

“I can’t tell you much more than what you’ll eventually find out about it,” he said, and it felt both like a ceding and a challenge, “But whatever happened there, we had nothing to do with it. A petty criminal allegedly affiliated with a group attacked another petty criminal allegedly affiliated with another group and it didn’t go as well as he hoped.” I wished I knew more about the situation to ask additional questions, but I knew this would be all I’d be getting out of him either way.

“Well, that’s not much,” I couldn’t help the dig and he scoffed. “Don’t complain when I’m being this gracious,” he retorted jokingly and pointed a finger at me much in the same manner as Hoseok did to him earlier.

I was about to retort too, when the door flew open. For a moment I almost thought it’s Park and my heart jumped into my throat, but the panic disappeared as quickly when I recognised the man as none other than Kim Taehyung. He waltzed in straight to me, paying Yoongi no mind and sitting down on the sofa next to me.

When I moved to stand up, he quickly caught my hand and gave it a swift kiss. “We haven’t been formally introduced yet,” was the first thing that came out of his mouth, “My name is Taehyung, but feel free to call me Tae.” I raised my eyebrow at him as he gave me a million-watt smile and slowly settled back into the couch.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Kim,” I replied, deadpan, and pulled my hand free. Somewhere in the room Yoongi laughed, but before I could turn to look at him, Taehyung spoke to me again.

“How mean,” he fake pouted and slumped into the sofa, only to spring up again immediately, hands going for the pink gin and tonic, “Is this free?”

“Yeah, knock yourself out,” I replied, stunned. I could have stayed silent though, as the glass was already halfway to his lips and there was no stopping him. He gulped down half the glass in one go and then offered me to take a swig too. I was so surprised by his erratic behaviour that I subconsciously grabbed the drink thrust into my personal space and froze.

“Come on, just one little sip,” he goaded me, seemingly all in good spirits, but I knew listening to whatever gibberish he had to offer me was a one-way ticket to hell. I pushed the glass back into his hands and said: “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it much more than me.”

Taehyung suddenly leaned into my personal space and seductively whispered: “If that was right, then I would be doing it wrong.” With his suggestive words hanging between us, obviously no longer talking about alcohol, I blushed so aggressively I might have combusted on the spot and pushed him away until he was squished into the other corner of the sofa.

Alarmed at his words I instinctively searched for Yoongi, holding out hope that he would sort out his friend and school him on how to act in front of a detective and a woman, but I found him half sitting on the armrest of the chair I previously sat on, attentively watching us with a light amused smirk.

“Sorry about that,” he muttered cocky, “He still hasn’t been house trained.” There was a whiny “hyuuuung” coming from somewhere behind me, but I was done with this conversation. I had just had enough of interacting with these lunatics, so I got up and started getting ready to leave.

“Oh, don’t be embarrassed,” Taehyung teased, “I’m just joking around, I always try this on new people to see how they react.” I huffed, slightly angry but more humiliated. “You mean new women.”

“Actually, he doesn’t care about that at all,” Yoongi answered for him, “You should have seen him when he first met your boss and the other cop, Jang. He almost got arrested for public indecency cause he made them so angry.” I turned to look at Taehyung to gauge the truth to this statement, only to find him properly embarrassed and almost as red as me. The image of Taehyung shamelessly flirting with a seething mad Park while Minjoon watched completely horrified entered my mind. I snickered at him and relaxed again.

“I should have known that cops have no sense of humour,” he muttered for himself, but then quickly shot me a wink and added: “No offense.”

“Don’t worry,” I replied, “That’s the least offensive thing you’ve said to me today.” Taehyung only smiled at me sweetly, as if he was the picture of sainthood and not whispering naughty words to people he barely knew on the regular.

I went to check the time and with a start realised I’d left my phone and badge just laying on the table when I earlier moved to the sofa. After quickly grabbing them, I walked over to the door and turned around. Both men in the room were looking at me curiously. I gave them my own wolfish grin and said: “Thank you for your cooperation.” With that I was gone.

So, that wasn’t the most fruitful thing I’ve ever done. I found myself even more confused about the strange behaviour of a man with such a reputation as Min Yoongi. For a moment teasing, for a moment dangerous, for a moment honest and genuine? I had no idea what he was doing, what he was trying to do and why was he letting me get away with so much, but everything about him and every one of our encounters was extremely suspicious.

Well. Even though it disappointed me a little, I knew that it was most likely because he kept underestimating me. So, I had to change that.

A week later I’d finally gotten a license for a bike. I was spending so much time there that I even became somewhat of a running joke between the lectors, but I couldn’t explain to them I was in a time press because I had a gang to dismantle and a mafia boss to humble. That would have made things real awkward real fast.

But now, with a license and slightly used black bike, I was virtually unstoppable. At least in my mind. From there I slowly got back into my routine of tailing Yoongi. During the month and a half I was out, I had been spending a lot of time staring at a map of Seoul and embarrassingly enough, I’d started to remember the streets to a point I could have become a cabbie. Maybe one day when I’ve inevitably lost my badge because Yoongi snitched on my unprofessional misconduct, I’d give it a shot.

I was absolutely sure to him I was just some cute little animal that sometimes barked and growled a little but would never do much worse than piss on the floor, but the moment I’d actually bite a nerve, he wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of me. I had to work quickly, before I became too much of an eyesore to him.

Speaking of which, Yoongi didn’t stray from his routine too much. In the mornings he would alternate between visiting the clubs, restaurants and his hotel, then he would either stay at the hotel’s office or move to his office building. In the afternoons he sometimes went to certain warehouses, but from what I could gather, it was mostly Hoseok, Jungkook and surprisingly Namjoon, who came to him with information about these places. The weekends he’d spent in his office until the clubs opened and then went either to Pied Piper or The Rose, both in which I wasn’t able to enter again.

Sometimes I would let Yoongi sit in the office and move to the warehouses. I alternated between them, checking on them to see who was where, and saw Jungkook and Namjoon very often. Hoseok stayed ever so elusive he might as well have been a ghost, but I was absolutely sure he must have been actively communicating with Yoongi.

I even tried to tail Jungkook, but the man was impossible to track down. No matter what I did, I’d always lose him after a few minutes, and I never managed to stay on him for longer than a few streets. I’d become so good at taking all kinds of back streets and alleys to keep out of sight that his ability to just disappear was truly mind-boggling to me.

While when I tailed Namjoon, I quickly realised that he moved in a very constricted area between the offices, some of the clubs and some of the warehouses. He never lingered for long when he was out but was capable of sitting for hours upon hours in the office building, so that ultimately also went nowhere.

The map in my room was quickly becoming crowded with differently coloured strings and post-it notes, in the evening (or sometimes early morning) I’d come home and add another new little thing and I was feeling like an obsessed stalker a little more every day. From Yoongi’s point of view, I most likely was. But it had to be done.

It had to be done.

It was one regular Tuesday when I chanced upon gold. I was sitting on my bike, bored out my mind, stuffing my face with fast food watching Yoongi laugh about something with Jimin and Taehyung outside of one of his clubs, when a black car with tinted windows pulled up. It was a car I sometimes saw with Jungkook, so I more or less knew to expect the young man, but when Hoseok in all of his glory jumped out and walked over to hug the two youngsters, I was so surprised I almost choked on a hot dog and fell off my bike.

Jungkook came out of the car right after him and immediately started looking around, so I ducked and started pulling my bike a little more behind a corner. The five men conversed for a moment and then Hoseok waved and started walking towards a different car. I watched him full of anticipation, my fingers flexing on their own, eager to try my best at tailing Jungkook if it meant I’d get to find out where Hoseok worked. But to my absolute elation, Jungkook wasn’t following. Hoseok was leaving alone. Fucking jackpot.

I was so happy I almost passed out. I didn’t know what sort of luck this was, but I wasn’t about to complain.

Hoseok walked over to a sleek silver sports car and sat in the driver’s seat. I was getting ready as if I was about to run the marathon, my sweaty hands nervously fidgeting with the handles of my bike, body taunt as a bow. He stayed still for a moment, a moment that felt like hours to me, but then I heard the faint sound of a running engine. He waved to the others again, and then he was off. I pressed myself into the building as he was passing me and then quickly followed.

I’d never been that nervous about tailing someone, not even when I first went after Yoongi almost two months ago at the beginning of December. This was most likely my only shot for a long time, there was no telling when I’d be able to spot him again.

He drove to one of the many docks that were under Yoongi’s control. In this particular area, they owned a whole three warehouses that looked over some of their ships and imported goods. I was here a lot when I was trying to find Hoseok on my own, I figured this was such a hotspot, if he went somewhere, it would probably be here, but I never caught sight of him. Now I was proven right but felt annoyed that I missed him so many times.

The reason for that turned out to be quite simple. The biggest warehouse, situated closest to the water, had another door that I haven’t noticed. It was in the back and blended into the wall so well I almost thought for a second Hoseok’s just loitering in the back banging on the walls. When a patch in the wall suddenly opened and he disappeared inside, it was like unlocking a whole new world in my mind. No wonder I’d never seen him, the whole time he was coming in from the other side.

I admit, it was a bit reckless to pour my attention here after a single sighting, but I was willing to risk it. I took the time to scope out the area while Hoseok was inside (if he was anything like the others, he’d be spending hours there anyway).

A little ways to the left was a small building, but right behind it I saw an abandoned half constructed concrete monstrosity, most likely a leftover of attempts to redevelop this part of the capital city that crashed and burned on the involvement of gangs in the area. I made my way to it.

It was fenced off, but a little probing here and there, I was able to break into one of the fence gates. Inside I apologised to whoever owned this building, but it was very obviously uncared for, so I justified myself in that way. I probably wasn’t even the first person that broke in, I told myself as I made my way up the stairs. I swallowed the sour sensation that left me with and trudged on.

Within an hour I found a perfect spot to stake out. It was high and secluded enough to see the warehouse and its surroundings without a problem if I used a telescope, while I wouldn’t be risking being seen by the people on the street. It faced the second exit, which must have been used by Hoseok enough to escape my notice the first time around. In two days, I’d return here and watch.

It almost felt like things were looking up, like I could finally stop mindlessly following Yoongi around and move forward with this case, and for the first time after a long time I felt some sort of joy and relief.

I reached into my pocket to take out my phone and take a photo of the number on a nearby column, so I’d be able to find it easily again, but found it missing. For a hot moment of panic I thought maybe I had dropped it somewhere around Yoongi’s club, which would mean he now no doubt had it and I’d have to go get it from him, and it would be extremely embarrassing. But then I realised I must have left it at my table at the station that morning when I stopped by to hand deliver some documents to Park. I looked around to find something that would immediately catch my eye upon entering, but in the end I decided to just luck it out and left.

On my way home I’d stopped by the station for the phone and ended up having a coffee with Minjoon. For a brief moment, when I sat in a cafeteria, drank that shitty coffee and laughed at some story Minjoon was telling me about his first few months in the force, I found myself thinking I wish all my days were this nice.

I should have known it wouldn’t last, though.

Due to the fact that it was still January, I was absolutely freezing my balls off on stake out the next few days. Sitting in an open room in minus temperatures staring into a telescope the whole day turned out to be a pretty bad way to spend one’s time and quickly I was turning very cranky. I was hungry, cold, thirsty and even though Hoseok turned up and took the back entry, he just sat there for the whole day and didn’t come out until evening. I was mostly just watching some of the low-tier mobsters mulling about, moving about crates, caring for the ships and continuously walking in and out of the warehouse. Which was something I had already seen when I was staking out here before.

It seemed that the reason Hoseok was so hard to find was because he spent literal days holed up in that metal building, doing god knows what.

On my fourth day I was absolutely losing it. I spent the morning at the station and then went straight here. Hoseok’s car was already present, but other than that there was no other trace of his existence, just like the other days. He didn’t even come outside to smoke like Namjoon would. Not one of the other boys came here either, which was weird since they always seemed to be in close vicinity of each other. I was tired and frozen and I could feel the beginnings of a nasty cold and I was getting nowhere.

My day got exponentially more interesting though, when Yoongi’s black car rolled up to the back exit. It was the first time in the four days he came here, and the first time since I’d started tailing him that he came to this exit. That should have been my first warning.

I watched as Yoongi walked around free of all troubles, wide smile on, and if I wasn’t currently more than 100 metres away from him, I’d punch him in the face. The door opened and Hoseok stepped out to greet him. I could cry with happiness at the first appearance of the man in days. And also punch him in the face. Together they disappeared inside, and I was left with the same sorry view as before.

Impatiently watching the clock, I saw the minutes drift away into two hours of silence and no movement in the back. Just when I thought about just slipping into a coma to escape this hellhole, I heard movement outside my little spot. Instantly alerted, I quickly stood up and pressed myself closer to a wall where I wouldn’t be immediately noticeable from the entrance into the room. My whole body was stiff from coldness and hours of just sitting, my muscles protesting and painfully pulling until I was barely able to hobble away.

The steps got closer and closer until a figure clad in all black stepped in. For a moment I thought it was Jungkook and was a second away from wailing in frustration, but it wasn’t him. It was a young man, based on his clothes he must have been part of Yoongi’s security, but I didn’t remember his face from before.

He located me in a second – after all, there weren’t many places I could be hiding in a completely bare concrete room. Without a word he thrust his hand to me. My eyes slid down to see a take-out coffee. When I wasn’t taking it, he impatiently moved his hand, trying to get me to relieve him of this definitely extremely bothersome task.

I did take it, mostly because I didn’t want to annoy him more when Yoongi was already doing such a good job of it and sighed in defeat. How the fuck did he even sniff me out here? The guy looked at me and then said: “Boss wanted me to tell you that he truly thinks it’s admirable how hard you work in such cold weather.” His face was completely unreadable, but I knew he must have thought this was such a laughable situation.

I wanted to feel angry, I really did, but I didn’t even have the strength to do it. Instead I sighed and pinched the root of my nose between my fingers. Frustration coursed through me and now I was annoyed with Yoongi too. Did he become omnipotent or what?

I returned the poor guy’s gaze and said: “Please send a message back. Tell him that he’s annoying and I hate him.” He nodded and left, no expression on his face. A true professional.

From then on, whenever I got closer to them, Yoongi would send me a subtle message that he knew about me. Either he would send me food or drinks or just stand in my line of sight and wave in my direction. Sometimes when I knew he could see me too I returned the gesture by flipping him off, to which he always laughed. Taehyung also caught on and to any birds sent their way he sent back a kiss and a wink.

It took me embarrassingly long to figure out that they planted a tracker on me. One night in a mad fit to find it I turned upside down most of my apartment. At 3 am I was standing on the street, pawing at my bike like a crazy person, attempting to stuff my fingers to all the nooks and crannies. A passing woman looked at me as if I was sexually harassing my own vehicle and after that I rather returned back home, not interested in getting the cops called on me.

Every time I went to stake out, I would leave home an item, just to try and narrow down where it could possibly hide. I decided to trust that my bike was tracker free and I bought myself a set of completely new clothes even though I thoroughly checked the old ones. I would wear different shoes, even if I knew there was no way they got to them. One day I even chanced moving about without my wallet. They still found me. And that’s how I realised what the only thing that I had on me all the time, no matter what was. My phone.

I thought back to the day I stormed into Yoongi’s office, distraught and upset, how he acted strangely nice and comfortable. Taehyung’s strange behaviour and my phone. Lying on a table, away from me, but close to Yoongi wandering around. He was messing about that table even when I stayed sitting on that damned couch.

All I could do was laugh at his craftiness. At how easily I fell into a trap of his softer demeanour because I was surprised he sat on the floor and talked seriously, how I let Taehyung completely consume my focus by flirting and teasing me. I had to applaud them, really. It was brilliant and I walked right into it. I was so stupid, I let him fool me even though I was suspicious of him the entire time.

At first I feared he was tracking me through the phone itself, but when I inspected it closer, I noticed a little bump under the case. When I took it off the phone, there it was. A tiny little tracker attached to the plastic.

I wondered what Yoongi was trying to accomplish. He put a tracker on me, but then also made it obvious that he knew more about my whereabouts than he was supposed to. He was quite literally giving it away. Therefore, knowing about the tracker didn’t necessarily put me at an advantage since I had no idea what his goal was. I decided to keep it there until I made up my mind about what to do.

But I was petty. Really petty. And as impressed as I was with my ability to fall for Yoongi’s cheap tactics, I was also peeved. That’s how one day I found myself at our station, loitering around an office where the IT guys had their stuff. When one of them rounded the corner, I immediately took my chance. It took a lot of persuading and lying. A lot of “I’m from this department” and “I was tasked with getting one for the next mission” and such, but twenty minutes later, I was leaving the room with a tracker of my own. Was it technically illegal? Yes. Would Yoongi find the tracker within the first 24 hours and then triumphantly return it to me while telling me to try better next time and I would return it right after before anyone noticed I ever had it in the first place? Also yes. No harm done, just a little revenge.

After that, every day for a week I went straight to Yoongi’s office. Whether I was on duty or not, every afternoon I was sitting on his stupid little sofa, grinning at him mischievously and sipping on tea that he started offering me instead of stiff drinks. I would find anything to talk about, I joked and played and asked stupid questions I knew he’d never answer.

And I could see it on him, he was trying to figure out where this was going. He would look at me, intrigued and confused, his head just whirring with ideas of what my new plan could be, and I was enjoying it so much. Sometimes he’d just stare at me in that way he did to people, and I’d stare right back at him and I was able to laugh. For the first time it felt like we both were trying to catch the other off guard, and not as if I was just mindlessly walking straight into his traps. For a few brief moments, the scales were balanced, and I liked that I was able to keep him in suspense. But I also had to move on from this.

At first his eyes would follow my every move, sharply watching me interact with things he had in his office, but once he'd become used to my presence, become used to how I hovered over things and examined the décor and played with the little trinkets he had on display, I was sometimes able to slip his attention. And then, on the seventh day, when he left the room for a split second to call for Jungkook down the hall, I slipped the tracker into a little tear I had noticed on his jacket, along with a little surprise for him, when he found it (which would be soon).

I walked out of there without saying much, wearing a mysterious smile on my lips when both men turned to watch me leave. Once outside, I took the tracker off my phone and slipped it into the bag of a random guy passing me by on the street. Let’s see how long before they figure that one out.

The game was on.

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A/N: thank you so much for reading this! i hope you enjoyed yourself, feel free to interact, i will be grateful for comments or asks of all sorts :)

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