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imfoive · 3 months ago

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The Youngest Son - Chapter 9

Minho x Reader (fem.) Genre: non-idol au!, Suspense, Angst, Romance, Mature Warnings: tw-descriptions of car accident, mentions of drinking, cursing, blood, implied & attempted m*rder, car accident, somewhat proofread WC: 7.8k A/N: Oh no! I dropped all my angst. oops... ALSO can you believe that this is the second to last chapter??? Feedback is always welcome, enjoy! ── MASTERLIST

Synopsis: The youngest son of the Lee family was stubborn, he was arrogant, he was conniving. Hiding it all behind the mask of a calm and collected man, the youngest son was a master at mind games. Playing a dangerous game where trust is a luxury and betrayal lurks around every corner. He had sworn once, to not let family ties or any feelings hold him back. Yet, against all odds, she had him completely wrapped around her fingers, and he had no desire to break free.

Missed a chapter? - Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8

CHAPTER 9 ────────────────────

The shareholder’s meeting arrived faster than anticipated. An unspoken tension in the room, two sides within one corporation.

While many conservative members sided with Jungshin, the eldest grandson, an automatic heir to L Corp., there were a select handful that doubted whether he had what it takes to make another impact like his Grandfather had once.

They turned to Lee Minho. The youngest of the family. At such an age he was able to make himself known, both internally and within the media. His name buzzed amongst society, on top of it all, was his engagement into the Park family. An automatic attention grabber for many of the executives and shareholders who were on the fence.

Within the grand presentation hall, everything was cordial. Smiles exchanged, nods and greetings, captured by the handful of reporters from major business news stations allowed in for an exclusive scoop of this meeting.

Both candidates exuded confidence as they took their respective positions in the room. The grand doors swung open, and Chairman Lee made his entrance for the first time in a long while. His smiling face surveyed the crowd, which stood in respect. The cameras and videographers were positioned at the back of the room to capture every moment of the presentation at the small stage where the contenders would present their plans.

Finally, Lee Jungshin greeted the audience with a polite smile and motioned for his younger brother to take the floor first.

“I’m very proud of my brother.” He began.

“Vice President Lee has come a long way, and I want him to know that this older brother of his supports him in everything.” He placed a hand over his chest and glanced toward Minho with a supportive nod, a twinge of sarcasm in his tone that only the youngest son could hear it seemed.

The crowd responded positively to his words, erupting with a breif applause as Minho stepped forward to the podium, taking the space Jungshin stepped out of. The older cousin gave him a friendly pat on the back before smirking and walking off the stage.

“I’d like to thank my brother for such a warm introduction.” Minho said, his gaze briefly meeting Jungshin before focusing back on the audience. “His support means a lot to me.”

With that, Minho launched into the presentation he had meticulously prepared over the weeks. He glanced back at the crowd periodically, gauging their reactions.

When it came to crowd work and presentations, the youngest son probably came out on top, surpassing all his brothers, no matter how seasoned they thought they were. It was something even Park Hyunmin admired in the young vice president. Ofcourse, his presentation went off without a hitch, and the old Chairman’s smile conveyed nothing but approval.

As Minho concluded his speech, his eyes gravitated towards the back, Secretary Kim stood by the door, sharing a knowing glance with his superior. A silent task assigned amidst the bustle of the large room. Minho stepped aside to allow Jungshin onto the stage.

“Nuh-uh, don’t leave just yet,” Jungshin said, halting Minho’s descent from the stage. He flashed a scheming smile at his younger brother before turning back to the crowd.

“Before I begin.” Jungshin addressed the crowd of suits and flashes.

“I’d like to bring forth some issues within L Corp. and explain why certain individuals are unfit to lead our esteemed company.” Jungshin clicked the remote, and the screen illuminated with information he intended to reveal.

“As you see on the screen, this is the dishonesty within L Corp.”

A collective gasp swept through the room as the screen displayed a compilation of international bank accounts linked to slush funds siphoning off company profits over the years. Corruption. The display of which made the journalists jump up. Flashes lighting up the room.

The name on these accounts was Lee Min—Jungshin.

The eldest grandson’s smile faltered, his eyes widening at the sight. He instantly shot a glance at Minho, who was barely containing a snicker behind the finger that pretended to swipe the tip of his nose.

The cameras flashed even more furiously as the audience reacted.

“Turn it off!” Lee Mooyoung shouted at the technician.

“Stop the reporters!” Another voice yelled.

Security struggled to contain the uproar as reporters, who were paid off to capture the downfall of Lee Jungshin by a certain chairman, scrambled to capture the unfolding drama. The room grew chaotic as the eldest Lee grandson stumbled in his attempts to manage the situation.

“You should’ve proofread your information, brother. An amateur mistake.” Minho taunted with a smirk.

Hearing the sinister tone in his voice, Jungshin lost his composure, lunging at Minho and grabbing him by the collar. The younger man made no effort to resist, and the reporters’ excitement only escalated. Even the shareholders intervened, trying to stop the cameras and get Jungshin off the stage.

“You fool, get out right now!” Mooyoung roared, pulling his son away from Minho.

Minho’s gaze shifted to the Chairman, who remained calm, his hands clasped around his cane. The old man’s smile suggested he was thoroughly entertained by the spectacle before him. By the joke of a meeting.

A good businessman doesn't give away his plans. But a conniving one knows just when to exploit an already dirty scheme.

Another lesson the Chairman had instilled into Minho.

The plan went awry somewhere. The slush funds opened to disqualify Minho were suddenly pinned on the older brother. As were more things.

Lee Jungshin became an scapegoat. Sacrificed to the media, the public. A punishment he deserved for his stupid action. Not only did he get heat for internal corruption, but for his reputation amongst the businessmen plummeted for his whistle-blowing.

Jungshin didn’t usually fall for such things. Blinded by envy and his ego. For the greed he didn’t realize he had. For Y/N who he didn’t particularly have any interest for, simply wanting to tear her away from Lee Minho.

Yet, he fell easily into the trap the youngest had laid out for him. Lee Minho had always been good at outwitting Jungshin.

And there went his competition.

───────────────────────

The heavy zipped duffle bag thudded against the ground, sliding to a halt. The young assistant looked up at the Chairman, who stood tall with his imposing presence, Secretary Cha behind him, cradling a bundle of Minho.

“It was money that you wanted wasn’t it? Take it, it’s your price for giving me a son.” Chairman Lee said, his voice carrying a note of disdain.

The young mother reached forward, her fingers working the zipper of the black bag, revealing wads of neatly bundled cash. Her eyes, that had scanned the money with a wide, gleaming gaze, hardened as she looked up, fury etched on her face.

“You think I’m selling you my son?” She spat, rising to her full height.

The Chairman regarded her with a faint smile, slightly amused at the sudden boldness in her demeanor.

“Isn’t that what you wanted? To be set for life?”

The young assistant fell silent, her gaze shifting to the baby, who had just been discharged from the hospital and was now making soft, innocent coos.

“You can take him. But you have to pay me every month.” She dared to demand, her gaze glaring, but voice trembling with a mix of defiance and desperation.

The motherly gaze in her eyes vanished. Sold to the temptations of money.

“Hah! Wasn’t that easy Secretary Cha?” Chairman Lee chuckled, as he glanced back at his secretary before turning his attention back to the mother of his child.

“Fine. Every month—”

“The same amount.” She insisted, cutting him off.

The Chairman hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a smile.

“Agreed.”

“And I’m not selling my son. I know he’ll be grateful for growing up in a wealthy home.” She muttered, turning back to the duffle bag, her hands trembling as she worked to close it.

The Chairman nodded as if he understood her words, though his gaze remained indifferent. As he prepared to leave, she stopped him once more.

“His name is Minho.”

The Chairman did not turn but remained by the door, his gaze fixed on the child and his secretary.

“You’ll get your payment for giving me Minho.” He said over his shoulder, his tone dropping.

As they exited, leaving the mother alone in the church aisle, the old man glanced at the baby in Secretary Cha’s arms.

“You’re a fighter, aren’t you, Minho?” He said with a chuckle, sliding into the backseat of his car as he took the infant into his arms.

“You fought so hard to survive, yet your mother abandoned you. Lured by the sight of a few stacks of change. You poor child.” The baby stirred in his arms, eliciting another chuckle from the Chairman.

A swelling in his heart took form. Perhaps he was truly getting old, becoming unexpectedly emotional over the glimmer in his youngest’s eyes.

“Sir, what should we do about her?” Secretary Cha asked, his eyes meeting the darkened expression of Chairman Lee through the rear-view mirror.

“Give all her payment at once.” The Chairman ordered coldly, his gaze shifting to the monastery that grew distant as they drove away.

“Every month. That wench must be kidding me.” He mumbled to himself, clearly irked by the thought, by the boldness in her gaze that could one day become a threat to him in the future.

It’s best to nip these kinds of things in the bud.

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Secretary Kim was only a rookie, yet he was doing tasks that no one on his level even heard of.

The young man didn’t think he’d be assigned to Lee Minho out of all the executives in the company.

Lee Minho was the Vice President of his department, just a few steps away from the President. And everyone knew that high-ranking executives like him had skeletons in their closets, and Minho was no exception. Yet, despite his newness and uncertainty, Kim Yongguk had found himself into some of those secrets, which his superior revealed with surprising candor.

Lee Minho was charming. And the young secretary was easily impressed.

Kim Yongguk took his tasks seriously, but still, wet behind the ears. Nothing compared to Secretary Cha who had eyes and ears everywhere. An extension of the founder of L. Corporation.

Secretary Kim hurried into Minho’s office, having knocked quickly on the door. Minho looked up from his desk with a narrowed gaze, taking in the sight of his young secretary who looked frantic almost.

“This was on my desk this morning,” Yongguk announced, handing over a long envelope. It bore no name or additional information, just a written label.

To: Lee Minho

Immediately the young vice president was able to recognize the handwriting that belonged to Secretary Cha.

Minho opened the envelope, revealing a resume. An outdated one from years and years ago.

His gaze froze at the headshot photo attached to the top corner of the paper. It was a photograph of an ordinary woman, nothing special, a darker haired woman, plain and simple.

But what caught his eye was the cross around her neck.

His throat felt dry.

Minho’s fingers tightened around the paper, his expression darkening. The Chairman’s message was clearly received. He had sent this information without any intention of hiding it was from him. Yet, this revelation only fueled Minho’s anger. The fact that his grandfather had chosen to reveal this now, and in such an indirect manner, was maddening.

For years, Minho had believed he was the product of an affair between Lee Doyoung and a maid who had once worked at their residence.

All his life, he’d paid the price of that.

That belief had shaped his actions, his quest for revenge, and the intricate schemes he had woven. Yet one simple piece of paper shattered that reality.

Everything stemmed from a big, fat lie.

He felt disoriented, infuriated, confused. Stuck in a maze that got more and more twisted at each new discovery.

Why was his grandfather going through such lengths to hide who he was, yet ironically chose to reveal it all now? It was as if the Chairman had purposely chosen this exact moment to pull the curtain back, fully aware that Minho, upon discovering the truth, would confront him immediately.

The timing seemed deliberate and strategic, designed to provoke a reaction, or perhaps to manipulate Minho’s next moves.

The double doors to the Chairman’s study burst open with a force that made the hinges rattle. Minho stormed in, his face a mask of fury, his grip tight around the envelope he had received. There was no need for formality or politeness, he was done with games and pretense.

He flung the envelope onto the table in front of the Chairman, causing it to scatter across the desk, its contents clattering against the ceramic cup and plate of the old man’s drink. The Chairman remained unflinching, his demeanor unchanged despite the storm brewing in front of him. Although inwardly, he was slightly taken aback by such aggressive behavior from the usual calm headed man.

Surely the grandson had the right to act out in such a circumstance, especially when the Grandfather himself had sent him the new information, luring Minho to him.

“Ah, I see you got the envelope.” The old man said casually, crossing one leg over the other as if the commotion were a mere inconvenience.

Minho hated that unreadable look in his grandfather’s eyes. The way he smiled like an absolute psychopath in a situation like this pissed him off even more.

“Grandfather.” Minho’s voice was edged with barely contained fury.

“I’m tired of playing this game. Please tell me, what does this woman have to do with me?”

The youngest son had already figured it out himself.

She was his birth mother.

But he wanted to hear it from the old man himself.

“Take a seat for this. I don’t like when we’re not speaking on the same level.” Chairman Lee said, gesturing toward the empty chair across from him.

The younger man, barely restraining his anger, pulled the chair back with an almost aggressive force.

“Aren’t you in search of your birthmother? You seemed like you were stuck, so I helped out a little.” The old man’s voice was even, nonchalant.

“If you knew, why couldn’t you just tell me from the get-go?” The response was cold and harsh, frustrations boiling over.

“You seemed like you were enjoying snooping around. Sneaky schemes you’ve cooked up unbeknownst to anyone. Besides, you never asked me.” Chairman Lee’s tone was dismissive, observing how Minho pieced together the new thoughts that arose in his mind.

The old man had always been quick to catch onto things, and somewhere deep down, Minho was aware there were chances he had already gotten caught. Snooping, sneaking.

Minho’s eyes narrowed, his voice low and cold. “Would you have told me?”

“Well I just did, didn’t I?” The Chairman laughed, his amusement barely concealed.

But of course the young man across from him was not amused in the slightest, his fists balled into tight clenches.

“That woman who gave birth to you abandoned you.”

The reveal of such a detail was something Minho had figured, his own conclusion he had come up with over the years of being degraded in the Lee family. Of not having a maternal figure watching over him.

“And Yoon Sooyeon? Why was I fooled into believing that she was my birth mother all my life?” Minho’s voice was a mix of confusion and betrayal.

The youngest son felt his face flush, skin hot from the sheer anger he felt overwhelmed with.

The Chairman sipped his drink calmly. “Ah, just a part of the story, to make it easier for you.”

Minho couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous that sounded.

“Story? Easier for me?” His tone was incredulous.

“Nothing was ever easy for me, grandfather. I spent all my life fighting for my place. Was it all just a means of entertainment for you? A story?” There was anger laced with every word that came out of the young man’s mouth, teeth clenching.

Finally, the old man’s smile faltered, seeing the look in his youngest’s eyes.

“I didn’t want it to be hard for you son, believe me. It was the best I could.”

Minho’s frustration reached its peak, repeating the words in a low tone to himself, still unable to process everything that he heard.

“The best you could do…” He bit his bottom lip, struggling to control his rage.

“I needed to do anything to get you into the family without anyone asking any questions. I couldn’t abandon you too, son. I didn’t want to be like your mother.”

At those words, the youngest son’s eyes darted back to meet the Chairman, freezing at the soft gaze he gave him.

Minho’s expression relaxed, confusion and disbelief flooding over him.

His mind worked automatically.

Yoon Sooyeon was not his mother. His mother didn’t have any relation to Lee Doyoung.

His mother was a young assistant that worked under Secretary Cha. An assistant who had ties with the chairman.

The pieces fell together like a complete puzzle.

His gaze wandered, getting teary on their own as he stared at the man across from him in utter disbelief.

With shock. In denial.

Yet, he finally understood.

The realization almost crashed down on him.

And it was not what he had anticipated. Not even close to anything he thought of.

“No...There’s no way right? T-that’s ridiculous.” Minho whispered, his voice cracking. The weight of the truth was almost unbearable.

He attempted to laugh, but it ceased almost immediately when he looked across at his grandfather.

No.

His father.

Minho pushed his chair back, it’s dragging, loud against the tiles, hand running through his hair. While The Chairman watched Minho with a mix of pity and frustration.

“You don’t have to beat yourself up over it. I’ve always been on your side. Nothing will change.”

His head swiveled up from his thoughts at the old man’s words.

“Nothing will ever be the same grand—” He stopped, unable to fully articulate the depth of his emotions.

At what to even address this man as.

The distraught Vice President didn’t even hear what the old man said next, his ears ringing.

It had always been a game for the old man, and he had happily gone along with it without knowing. Doing everything he was told by the same man who told him nothing.

The Old Man looked after him, supported him, and was always doting on him for his own selfish reasons. Minho was just a pawn and the chairman was just a senile old man who played puppeteer in this sick survival of the fittest game he controlled.

“You’re just like me. This little thing won’t be able to hinder you. You’re a Lee. You’re my son.” The Chairman said with a finality that was meant to be reassuring.

Meant to break Minho free of those useless emotions that held him back from truly embodying a greedy, corrupt, yet capable head of L. Corporation.

The perfect businessman.

But the old man didn’t realize just what kind of damage he had done to the young man sitting across from him. Minho’s whole world came crashing down, who he was, the driving factor behind his need to rise higher. The drive to take revenge against those who looked down on him.

And suddenly had no plan at all.

Minho was going to crash.

He was going to fall like he had feared. Perhaps losing everything he had put at stake.

The woman he loved flashed in his eyes.

He couldn’t crash. He didn’t want to lose the only thing that appeared to be true in his life.

Minho didn’t want to be a Lee.

“No.”

He spoke out in a whisper, his cold voice looking up at the face of his so-called father.

“I’m nothing like you. I never will be.” He leaned over the table, his voice low and filled with pain.

The old man’s surprise was evident as his youngest son glared into his eyes.

“You can take L Corp. and rot with it. From today, I’m no longer a Lee.” He almost growled before pushing the table back, its contents clattering, and storming out.

“Wait. Min—”

The door slammed to a close behind a furious Minho, who kept walking, the anger that resonated through his body driving his legs to take long strides out of the residence he never wanted to look back at.

By the time the Chairman’s son got to his car, his legs finally gave out, and he stumbled forward. His figure leaned against the cold of the vehicle, grounding himself.

Minho’s eyes got teary and he suddenly wanted to cry.

The youngest son of the Chairman didn’t think he would be this affected by the truth.

He didn’t think it would stop him from reaching his goals.

But he stood there. Disgusted.

By himself, by the chairman, by the things he had happily done at the command of the man who was the reason behind his misery.

He was disgusted by his birth-mother, the woman who folded to money, who didn’t even try to raise him.

His phone rang, and he fumbled with it, wondering why his hands were shaking, why his vision was blurry.

“Hi!” Y/N’s cheerful voice came through the speaker, and Minho’s heart ached even more.

“Y-Y/N…” His voice was barely a whisper, the tears finally falling uncontrollably.

In the study, the Chairman sat frozen, his mind racing. He had been wrong about Minho. He had thought he knew his son, that Minho would be unshaken by the truth.

That Minho was like him.

But the young man’s reaction had revealed a depth of vulnerability and disappointment that the old man hadn’t anticipated. The glare he’d seen in Minho’s eyes before he stormed out, flashed in the old father’s eyes.

His teary expression and his final words, made the old man hold his heart.

No.

Minho couldn’t abandon him. He wasn’t allowed to.

The old man’s heart pounded, a sudden pain gripping him.

His faithful secretary entered the room, with even more disappointing news.

“Lee Joohyeon has returned. And he’s demanding he be put in Jungshin’s position.”

Those pathetic fools. One didn’t have good timing, and one didn’t have timing at all.

“I can’t leave my company, my child, to any of those idiots. I’d rather do what Minho said and rot with it.” He muttered, his unease palpable.

The secretary, suddenly noticed the Chairman’s distress, slowly leaning in.

“Sir, are you okay?”

The old man looked up, a pained expression on his face. His voice was tinged with a mix of fear and confusion.

“Why does my heart hurt?”

───────────────────────

Y/N entered the apartment, the dim light of the setting sun filtering through the closed curtains, casting long shadows across the room. The silence was heavy, almost oppressive, as she made her way into the living room, her heart pounding with concern.

Minho’s earlier call had been brief, his voice wavering with an urgency that had sent her racing over, leaving her worried and anxious.

And there Minho sat. In the middle of the dark room. The only light came from the sliver of sunset peeking through the curtains, casting a glow on him. His posture was hunched, his head buried in his hands, as if he was lost in a storm of thoughts or trapped in his worry.

“Minho…” Y/N whispered, her voice barely breaking the silence as she drew closer.

She stood before him, her heart aching at the sight of him so vulnerable. Her presence seemed to rouse him from his daze, and he looked up at her, his eyes red-rimmed and cheeks glistening with drying tears. A sight that made her brows knit, expression contorting with concern.

Minho’s lips quivered as her presence. Without a word, he reached out, pulling her into a tight embrace. His body shook slightly as he buried his face into her standing figure, seeking solace in her warmth. Y/N didn’t say anything, a few seconds of surprise, before she wrapped her arms around him, her fingers threading through his hair, offering him the comfort he so desperately needed.

And they stayed like that. Settling into a silence so serene they were close to getting lost in it.

In the stillness, Minho’s cell phone, abandoned atop his discarded blazer, vibrated intermittently. The screen lit up with a cascade of missed texts and calls.

He sniffed, and Y/N gently pulled away, sitting on the coffee table directly across from Minho and edged closer. Her gaze, filled with worry, stayed locked on him. Minho wiped his eyes, struggling to regain composure, but his earlier distress still hung heavy in the air.

“What happened?” Her voice was soothing, her soft eyes searching his for answers.

He dropped his head for a moment before looking up.

“You know I’m an illegitimate child, don’t you?” He asked instead, his voice was low but clear, as if he hadn’t been crying at all.

Y/N blinked, her mouth slowly closing in silent acknowledgment.

Of course she knew.

She knew the moment she had witnessed his father strike him in what was meant to be a private moment. She knew when he had uttered those words of not choosing to be a Lee.

She had seen the shared looks between his brothers, the guarded expressions of his mother, sometimes tinted with disgust.

She noticed the forced smiles from his relatives.

But Y/N had never let it matter. She simply didn’t care.

Instead, she cupped his jaw with one hand, tilting his face up to look at her with an intense gaze.

“Does it matter?” She asked, her smile gentle and reassuring.

He managed a thin smile, his hand brushing lightly over hers. “It does to everyone else.”

He muttered more to himself than to her. Taking both her hands into his, he placed them on his lap and pulled her closer.

“...Would you still love me if I’m not a Lee?”

Confusion flickered in her eyes, as she tried to understand where this was coming from.

“Will you stay with me, even if I leave L Corp. and the Lee family behind?”

Y/N seemed to finally understand, her expression softened, and she smiled at him, nodding almost immediately.

“I won’t leave. I’ll love you even if you’re just Minho.”

Her words seemed to bring a sense of calm to him, and he smiled softly at her, his grip tightening in relief. But still certain worries lingered.

“It might ruin your reputation. Your family might hate it.”

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “My family doesn’t care about things like that.”

“They’ll tell me I have to leave you. They’ll hide you away.” He retorted, trying to make her reconsider.

That there was still time. That she could still get away from the mess of a man Minho was.

“You won’t get rid of me that easily.” She said with a full laugh instead, an attempt to bring back the cheery look in his eyes that she suddenly missed seeing.

“I’m scared I won’t let you leave even if you wanted to.” He whispered, his gaze fixed on their intertwined hands.

She leaned forward and kissed his forehead, her gesture just enough to tell him that she wasn’t going anywhere, not even if her father told her to.

But Y/N knew her father wasn’t that kind of man. He was one of the last people who would stoop to such low blows.

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Lee Joohyeon looked around, waiting for his grandfather. Instead, Secretary Cha emerged from the Old Man’s room.

“Chairman Lee isn’t feeling well. He’s gone to rest.”

“Well, did you tell him what I said? Jungshin lost his chance. Someone has to step up to clean up his mess.” Joohyeon spat.

The secretary inhaled deeply, then exhaled silently before stepping aside to let the grandson enter. Joohyeon did so without hesitation.

The old man, lying in bed while attempting to get ahold of Minho, didn’t even notice when Joohyeon had entered. But once he did, his face contorted with a scowl, his frustration automatically grew at the sight of his second grandson.

“What the hell are you doing here? Didn’t Secretary Cha tell you that I have nothing to say to you?”

The tough-guy act Joohyeon had put on in the hall, faltered in the presence of the Chairman. He looked at him pleadingly almost.

“Grandfather, I just need one last chance. I can prove to everyone that I’m worthy.”

The Chairman laughed, making Joohyeon blink in confusion.

“Worthy? That’s why you killed Jae?” The Chairman watched as Joohyeon’s desperate gaze shifted to shock.

His eyes widened in horror and disbelief.

“What? You think I didn’t know? Ha! You fool. If you really were worthy, you would have covered your tracks better.”

Joohyeon clenched his fists to stop them from shaking. His mouth opened as he stammered.

“Grandfather, I-I didn’t mean to. It-it all happened so fast—I didn’t tell anyone.”

The old man shook his head, leaning back into the grand headboard of his bed.

“You didn’t tell anyone, but it was easy for others to figure it out. Take me for example. I caught you right away from the dash cam footage.”

The mention of the car cameras left Joohyeon silent, struck by shock and realization. He hadn’t even considered that. He had been so preoccupied with the yacht CCTV and the threats he received about it that he overlooked Jae’s car as evidence. He had been lucky it was his grandfather who caught him.

“This fool. He had no idea… and he thought he was worthy.” The Chairman said coldly, more to himself than to the distraught grandson.

The old man’s sharp gaze scrutinized Joohyeon.

“Tell me, have you done anything about the person behind the messages yourself? Or did Minho handle it, like always?”

Joohyeon hadn’t realized the Chairman knew about that as well, but he should have expected it. Silence was his only answer, and the old man nodded as if he had anticipated that response.

“See? Do you see why Minho is more worthy than you?”

There it was again.

The comparison between Minho and Joohyeon was a sharp, familiar sting. Joohyeon felt his anger rise but remained silent, knowing better than to challenge the Chairman. Instead, his head hung in shame as he exited the room.

The door closed behind him, and he could hear the old man’s laughter echoing in the silence of the hallway. Joohyeon’s fists clenched tightly, turning red with anger.

Minho seemed to be the favored one, but Joohyeon was the legitimate Lee between the two. And if people were to find out…the media could make an opportunity for Joohyeon to be a wild card in the succession game.

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The youngest son wasn’t sure when he had fallen asleep. The sun had completely set, and the city was aglow with night lights and busy cars. The living room was quiet, illuminated only by a lamp in the corner. He sat up on the couch, still groggy, trying to figure out the time.

His phone, turned off and silent, rested on the coffee table where Y/N had sat earlier. Minho looked around for her. He heard her in the kitchen, the water running briefly before it was turned off. Glancing over, he saw her behind the kitchen counter, the dining table nearly set. She noticed him sitting up and watching her, and her surprised expression softened into a loving smile.

“You’re awake!” Y/N exclaimed, placing a pitcher of water on the white table before stepping down from the raised kitchen and dining area to join him in the living room.

Minho returned a smile, nodding. He reached an arm out to her, for her to take his hand. She grinned and did almost naturally, sliding onto the couch next to him.

“How long was I asleep?” He asked.

Y/N tilted her head, thinking for a moment, her gaze drifting to the ceiling. “Two, three hours? Not very long though.”

He nodded, understanding, and then looked at her with the same affection she had shown him. Her lips thinned into another soft smile, fingers tracing against his jaw.

“Should we get married?” She asked.

This time she wasn’t kidding, nor was there a hint of mischief in her eyes. Only a warm and determined smile on her lips.

“Let’s get married.” He answered, smiling back at her.

She moved to kneel on the couch, facing him, both her hands finally cupping his face in her palms.

“Tomorrow. I’ll leave work early.” She stated, confident he was as ready as she was.

And he was.

He nodded softly, wrapping his hands around her and pulling her into his chest.

“I love you.” He whispered.

Y/N melted into his arms, feeling at home, at ease. Her lips easily chased after his into a deep kiss that left them desperate for more. Fingers raking, tugging in attempts to sear marks and kisses. Excited for what was to come, for the long night celebrating.

Suddenly both of them couldn’t wait until the sun rose. Couldn’t wait until tomorrow afternoon.

The promised time was still hours away. And though they had to eventually part, their limb’s reluctantly untangling from one another’s warmth, the thought of their upcoming union made the youngest son nearly forget his distress, almost forgetting the secret of his origins as Chairman Lee’s illegitimate child.

Almost.

Minho stared at the missed calls from his “grandfather,” dozens of them. Clearly, the last conversation hadn’t conveyed his message. Leaning against the car door, parked just a few feet away from the marriage bureau where he was to meet Y/N, he pushed aside any irritation or stress from the Lee family’s demands.

Especially when Minho spotted his bride-to-be approaching him gracefully in a formal white dress. It wasn’t the grand wedding gown he might have imagined for her, the one she would’ve picked out as she walked down the aisle to him. Yet still, Y/N looked stunning. Absolutely breathtaking. It hugged her in all the right places, flowed elegantly with the wind, almost like in the movies. If she wasn’t standing right in front of him, giggling at his reaction, he might have thought she was an angel. Seeing his intense gaze on her, Y/N’s cheeks flushed, and she suddenly felt shy. The way he looked at her, as if she was the only person in the world, made her feel a mix of exhilaration and nervousness. She shifted slightly, a soft blush spreading across her face.

“I tried to look like a bride. Do I look—”

“Absolutely beautiful.” Minho cut in, smiling broadly.

Y/N’s smile only grew wider as she took her purse in one hand and reached for his hand with the other, their fingers linking together.

“Shall we get married?”

───────────────────────

Joohyeon anxiously shook his leg up and down, glancing repeatedly toward the entrance of the private restaurant room where he waited, taking another quick sip of water from the glass set in front.

The door slid open, and Joohyeon’s head snapped up, standing to his feet, his expression a mix of hope and apprehension. Park Hyunmin entered, his smile friendly but his eyes sharp. He gestured for Joohyeon to take a seat.

“Long time no see Lee Joohyeon.” The older man greeted, settling into his chair as Joohyeon sits across from him.

They are surrounded by an assortment of side dishes already set on the table.

“I appreciate you coming on such short notice, Director Park.” Joohyeon began, about to pour a drink for the man, before Park Hyunmin stopped him.

“Ah, I won’t be staying long, so let’s skip the drinks.” He lightly covered the glass.

Joohyeon nodded, trying to calm his nerves. “Sorry to drag you out here, but there’s something you need to know.”

Park Hyunmin raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.

“Yes, you mentioned it concerns my daughter’s…well-being.

Joohyeon took a deep breath and pulled out a brown paper envelope, sliding it across the table to Park Hyunmin. It doesn’t take long for Director Park to pull out the contents from inside, brows narrowed in confusion.

“Who the hell is this?” He asked, turning the photo toward Joohyeon.

Joohyeon braced himself, letting out a deep exhale.

“That is Yoon Sooyeon. Minho’s birth mother.”

A tense silence settled between them. Park Hyunmin’s face shifted from confusion to understanding, realizing the implications of the revelation, automatically understanding what that meant.

A lot of things were starting to make sense.

However, what didn’t make sense to the older man was why Minho’s so-called older brother sat here revealing such a well-kept family secret.

“And you’re telling me this because…?” Park Hyunmin’s voice was flat, as if he already suspected the information.

Joohyeon, taken aback, struggled to understand the older man’s reaction.

“Did you know that Lee Minho is an illegitimate son? A maid’s son?”

The director’s gaze moved to the alcohol. The situation called for a drink. But he controlled the urge, maintaining his composure.

“I didn’t know.” His tone was curt.

“If this information gets out, it could ruin your reputation. Think of your daughter.” Joohyeon strained.

The father fell silent as if he was thinking. But then erupted with a loud laugh that stunned Joohyeon, the sound echoing in the private dining room.

“This information is your family secret. I know I won’t leak it. Are you going to?”

Joohyeon’s face reddened with frustration, unable to come up with a suitable retort. And Park Hyunmin only sighed. He had once thought that Joohyeon was very capable, that he would go places. But here he was now, spewing nonsense.

He shook his head, clearly unimpressed.

“Also I must ask this.” Y/N’s father tossed the photo of the maid back into the pile of documents Joohyeon brought, raising a brow.

“Illegitimate?” He made a face.

As if he were disgusted. But it wasn’t because of Minho. But because of the man who sat in front of him.

“Do people still discriminate because of that?” He looked baffled, glancing at the baby picture of Minho amongst the pile.

“And just because his mother was a maid, doesn’t mean he’s incapable of doing a good job.”

Joohyeon’s expression was one of bewilderment as he listened to the older man. Park Hyunmin continued, his tone dismissive.

“Tell me this.” He leaned back into his seat, one leg crossing over the other, genuinely asking almost.

“You and all your other brothers are…legitimate children. Exactly what have you achieved?”

Joohyeon felt his cheeks heat up. Flushed in embarrassment. In anger. Yet he couldn’t even react, because what the man had said were true.

The other brothers. A dead druggie, a self-appointed outcast, a whistle-blowing thief, and…a murderer.

“My daughter might seem free spirited, but she’s a very good judge of character. Seeing as how she’s only stuck to Minho’s side since she met him, just shows he’s doing something right.” Park Hyunmin chuckled, slowly putting together the paper documents neatly back into the envelope.

“Also, it’s not a big secret family secret, nor that it matters, but I’m not a Park by birth. I was adopted, but look at me now.” Y/N’s father said with a wide grin, standing up and looking down at Joohyeon, who had dropped his head in shame.

“Let’s pretend we never met tonight hmm?” Director Park patted Joohyeon on the shoulder before making his exit.

Lee Joohyeon remained frozen, stunned and silent, drowning in his shame and confusion. In the anger that brimmed within him.

───────────────────────

The youngest son of the Lee family was possessive.

And he wouldn’t deny that either. Although he couldn’t say for sure when it took life, unaware of how the subconscious possessiveness surfaced.

Minho never truly had anything to call his own, so it made sense that he wanted to protect and claim what little he had.

The youngest son had to make sure others were aware that they had crossed him. Had messed with what belonged to him.

The sixteen year old felt desire for the first time.

He didn’t want to admit or even acknowledge that he felt attracted to the snobby Y/N Park.

There was no way.

He had always thought he was too good. Out of her league. Even though that was absolute nonsense. He denied it, and would do so for years to come, before his feelings had him cornered.

But the first time he felt protective of her was when he was sixteen.

Possessive of the girl he claimed was nothing but a headache. He had to admit that at least.

The boys in their grade loved to kiss up to her, try to befriend her, get on her good side. Of course, she was able to see past all that and didn’t entertain them one bit. An attribute of hers that Minho actually admired.

Growing up, the youngest son always maintained his mask. Had to make sure, no one knew the real him. But that began to crack the moment Minho met Y/N. And it continued to crumble away slowly.

Even without Y/N there sometimes, he had his weak moments. Those moments he needed to make sure the people who thought they could step all over him, knew that there were consequences they’d have to pay.

Minho stared at the class clown, the curly haired brunette that lived up to his title. The boy had stared back at him with a smug smile on his lips, unafraid of the number one in school. High and mighty.

Minho had overheard him talking to his group of friends. Bad-mouthing Y/N. Her looks, her status, her grades. The same ones who would kiss her feet if she asked.

It was a simple question.

“Can you say all that in front of her?” Minho’s voice was calm, but there was a steely edge to it that made the boys around him uneasy.

The clown had gotten a little offended, embarrassed in front of his friends. The school bell rang, punctuating the tension in the air, prompting the rest of the boys to scatter back inside. Minho laughed, but was pulled back by the brunette.

“You seem to care an awful lot about that bitch.” He retorted with a smirk, crossing his arms defiantly as he leaned against the rooftop railing, lower back flush against the metal.

Minho tilted his head, eyeing him up and down once before his demeanor shifted subtly, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.

A flicker of evil.

Without another word, he shoved the class clown, catching him off guard. Fear flashed in the boy’s eyes as he stumbled backward, teetering dangerously close to the edge.

“What the fuck! Pull me up. Pull me up now!” The boy’s panicked voice echoed against the concrete walls, carrying with the afternoon air as his feet flailed, dangling over the edge.

Minho’s grip tightened on the boy’s wrist, his voice calm yet laced with authority, slight groan. “I don’t like two-faced people.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry! Please! Please don’t let go!” The class clown’s voice trembled, desperation evident in his pleas as he clung to Minho’s arm, his sleeve.

“If you wanna dance and be a clown, go ahead. But quit saying shit that doesn’t make me laugh. Got it?” Minho’s brow furrowed slightly, both at his words and the strain he felt from the pull, his grip unyielding as he held the boy suspended over the rooftop.

“Yes! I got it! Please help me!” The boy’s voice cracked, his face contorted with fear and tears.

With a strained effort, Minho managed to pull the brunette back onto the rooftop, the latter’s legs shaking as he collapsed to the solid ground in relief.

But he only let out a shaky scream as he looked back at Minho, scrambling to his feet, his eyes wide with disbelief and fear as he rushed back inside without looking back.

Minho leaned against the railing, watching the metal door slam shut. His heart pounded with a mix of adrenaline and a gnawing sense of unease. He had acted impulsively, driven by a protective instinct he hadn’t fully understood until now.

He dangled some kid off a roof because he spoke badly about Y/N.

What would happen if someone had hurt her?

The answer chilled him to the core.

He’d probably kill them.

And he was okay with that thought.

───────────────────────

Y/N stared at their wedding bands on their ring fingers, the marriage certificate nestled like a cherished treasure in the transparent folder she held close to her chest.

“Is it truly that unbelievable?” Minho finally broke the silence that had enveloped them in the front seats of his parked car, gazing at his new wife with a mix of wonder and amusement.

Y/N had been admiring their hands side by side, admiring the wedding rings Minho had remembered to prepare, for the past five minutes, raised in front of them.

“I’m finally your wife. It actually is hard to believe.” She admitted, her voice filled with joy.

Minho smiled warmly, his right hand patting her head before his left intertwined his fingers with hers. Bringing them to his lips and giving her knuckles a soft kiss.

“You’re stuck with me for life, darling. Death is the only escape you have from me, I’m afraid.” He chuckled, teasing gently.

“I’ll haunt you even in the afterlife.” She laughed, with a roll of her eyes before leaning in to meet his lips for a sweet, sensual kiss.

As she pulled out of their kiss, her eyes grew big, as if she suddenly remembered something.

“I have to brag to Jihoon about this.” She exclaimed, fishing her cell phone out of her purse to snap a quick photo, Minho watching in awe, letting her pose their intertwined hands for a picture.

Satisfied, she hit send and glanced back at him behind the wheel. Y/N inhaled deeply, taking in the pretty sight of her new husband.

“Now what? Do we go consummate our marriage?” She asked, giggles bubbling in her voice, mischief in her gaze.

Minho chuckled at her words, shaking his head before starting the car.

“I have something to show you.” His happy expression darkened, mirroring the mischievous look she had just seconds ago.

His words easily piqued Y/N’s curiosity, making her sit up with a sudden excitement.

The car eased out of the parking spot and onto the road. Perhaps Minho should’ve attached a “just married” sign behind it so everyone was aware that Y/N Park was his forever.

A cheesy idea, the stoic man had never imagined he would have come up with.

“Is it a surprise?” His new wife prodded, turning to look at him, but he only laughed, his eyes focused on the road.

“Is it a place?—Oh! Is it a gift?” Y/N continued, tugging at the fabric of his blazer sleeve, her excitement growing.

“You’ll see when we get there. Be patient.” He chuckled, stealing a glance at her.

A glance was enough.

His eyes flicked past her, to the window behind her.

His smile fell.

“...Death is the only escape you have from me, I’m afraid.”

Minho had never truly considered the consequences of his shady deeds and schemes. The actions he took in the shadows with little thought of what came next.

He had lived his life with a sense of invincibility, convinced that his cleverness and quick thinking would shield him from any fallout.

But perhaps now, he was finally going to pay a price.

It happened so fast. Too fast for the new husband to have enough time to react.

All he could do was stare at the oncoming headlights before the collision reverberated loudly through the darkening sky.

Then, silence descended, eerie and unsettling.

The evening sky seemed darker than usual as Minho’s car skidded across the road, spinning violently before crashing into the metal guardrail.

The white vehicle that had struck them lay a few feet away, front mangled, but the damage to Minho’s car was worse, smoke rising ominously.

The silence, eerie. Ringing.

Lee Minho slowly groaned, his head moving slowly against the leather seat, feeling the warmth of blood trickling down his skin. A sudden stinging pain washed over his entire body. There was a metallic tang of blood filling his nostrils, on his tongue. His eyes turned towards the woman who had been smiling beside him just moments ago, hazy vision trying to focus.

Y/N lay unnervingly quiet, face turned away.

Her white dress was now stained a deep, dark red. A crimson seep into the now tainted fabric.

A color that didn’t quite match the new bride.

The sound of blood dripping onto the floor mats echoed loudly in the silence with a faint rhythm. Minho opened his mouth to call out to her, but his voice failed him.

“Y/...N?” He managed to croak, his voice a strained whisper.

She was still.

She was silent.

“Y/N…”

Again. No response.

He tried again, a desperate plea this time, his body wracked with pain as he struggled to move. Attempting to reach over but failed. Tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his cheeks unchecked.

His vision blurred, the edges growing hazy.

The other car, empty now, its driver vanished, stood abandoned at the scene. The sirens echoed in the distance, or perhaps they were closer, Minho couldn’t distinguish amidst the ringing in his ears.

No. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.

His eyes drooped shut, consciousness slipping away.

The night enveloped him in its darkness.

Was this truly the end?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ to be continued.

── ask to be tagged! - @minh0scat, @qwonyoung23, @tsunderelino, @thecutiepieme, @candyquokka

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t3kandson · 9 days ago

Text

Reunited in Death

Word count; 7,537

Fandom; A.C.E. & The Boyz

Pairing; Reader X Son Youngjae Aka Eric & Reader X Lee Donghun

Characters; Lee Donghun, Son Youngjae, Ji Changmin, Kim Byeongwkan, Bae Jacob, Lee Juyeon, Kim Sunwoo, Lee Hyunjae, Moon Kevin, Kang Yuchan, Kim Sehyoon & Park Junhee

Warnings; Sacrifice, Ghosts, The dead, crime, death, Oral, Giving, unprotected sex, Claiming kinks.

Notes; Set in 2034

The last part in Deathly Powers/Power Starved.

Please check out A.C.E.'s new song piñata

"You ok Baby Girl?” Donghun ask as he slips beside you as your watching a new movie, Mint Chocolate in hand. "Yeah," you mutter lost in the drama as Donghun tips the spoon to his mouth chuckling as you spin to look at him. "Lee Donghun, you thief," you splutter as he chuckles. "You can't eat this and not expect me to have a bite," he teases as you muffle your snigger before resuming back to the tv. "Are you not going to the temple?" He asks as you pause it to look his way. "Just you still dream about him, yet you normally take solace up there," he asks suspiciously. "Well ice cream and chaotic dramas, work just as well," you lied as he didn't look convinced. "Plus you told me to stay away from the spiritual world, the temple still is that world," you explain as he nodded understanding. "I get that just i get reassured a lot knowing your there safe, when me and Yuchan is away. I worry that some vengeful spirit will be lured by him to removed that from you," he said tapping your pendent. "Plus Sunwoo really misses you," he added as you chuckled his way. "I thought you didn't like me hanging with him," you scoff as he rolled his eyes. "I have no problem with you and Sunwoo, as long as he keeps his thoughts to himself," he groans. "I can still see you kissing him when ever I touch him," he said shivering for effect. "He was Eric," you reply as he closes his eye grimacing. "As if that makes it any better," he pouts. "Sorry," you wince as he half smiles your way. "I forgive you if you let me have a couple more mouthfuls of this," he chuckled swiping the pot of ice cream off you. "Hey," you grumbled as he playfully looked offended. "What so you don't want to be forgiven?" He teases bumping your shoulders. "Fine," you splutter. "It's a good thing I'm crazy in love with you," you say as he pauses the spoon towards his mouth. "You are?" He questions slightly off guard. "Yes silly, it's you that makes me crazy," you whisper as you place your mouth around the spoon. "I'm crazy in love with you too," he whispers completely besotted with you.

Waiting for Donghun to leave you pull out your laptop and your note pad. You had spent the last three months searching every piece of information of Eric and Minjae. They had been high school love sweethearts, marrying 13 years ago before buying the house that Kim Sehyoon now resided in. A House that you now knew was empty as Sehyoon had been living with Byeongkwan. Eric's encounter gifting him the talent himself. Donghun had taken him under his wing with Yuchan. October 31st 10 years ago Eric who’s real name was Youngjae was found standing over the blooded body of his wife Kim Minjae. He had proclaimed he found her, that a loan shark had killed her because of lack of payment. He was convicted of Murder, due to the life insurance he had got out on him and his wife six month prior. He was sentenced to life in prison. While a Mr Shin Hyunmin purchased the house, Eric had escaped prison taking his own life exactly where his wife had passed. But what was interesting was Mr Shin two years ago was arrested for money laundering. Your inkling when you focused on his picture was he was her murderer, and Eric's loan shark. But you needed to research where he was held, you needed to prove Eric was innocent so that Donghun would allow you to work to free him. But you wasn't as clever as Hyunjae with his research. Focusing on Mr Shin you decided to research him on the hope you would find him yourself. ------------------🔺--------------------

"Hi Ms Shin," you said standing to take the woman’s hand. After weeks of tracking down his Sister pretending to be a social media journalist, she agreed to meet. "Miss Kim," she said taking her seat. "Before we start know that any documentary you wish to proceed with, has to be checked with me before publishing," she said sternly as you smiled her way. "Well I would like to meet with your brother before we decide to go ahead. As I said on the phone we can decide to do it together, all three of us. You and Mr Shin will be navigating the agenda of how you both want the public to view this," you said as she thought heavily to herself. "I was looking into his case and found that there were many errors by the police. If I'm honest can I say I'm suspicious that someone in the police force framed him," you say calmly as she blinks in surprise at your support. "You think my brother was set up too?" She said leaning into listen to you further. "Yes, I believe he had somehow upset someone much higher up who decided to expose him for this," you say intently as you watch the excitement in her eyes. "You will work to free him?" She questions as you smile. "I can't free him Ms Shin, but what I can do is put this out there. I can get the birds whispering that will put pressure on the case and hopefully open it back up," you smiled as she thought deeply. "At least let me talk to your brother so i can lay this offer out to him, I won't force him to accept I promise you," you said sitting up showing some authority. "Can you let me think this over at the very least," she said sitting up as you nodded feeling a little disheartened. "Y/N," you froze hearing the voice calling you. "Thanks Ms Shin please let me know when you've come to a decision," you say hastily standing up, ignoring him as his hands found your shoulder. "I will do, I will let you know what I decide soon, i promise," she said holding her hand to shake before walking off.

"Who's that?" Donghun asked looking at you suspiciously. "Promise not to get mad?" You said pouting at him which made him look concerned. "What did you do Y/N?" He questioned. "He wanted help and I wanted to At least offer my research sources," you rambled as he shook his head. "Who Y/N? research I'm confused," Donghun said looking baffled. "Sunwoo said he bumped into someone whom was guilty of this, he wanted to show off to Jacob that he could be talented. And I wanted to prove I could Atleast do research," you explain passing him the document of Hyunmin’s crime hoping he wouldn't focus on the detail. "Y/N I thought we agreed you wouldn't do things in this world," he said gripping you tightly to him. "I'm sorry I just want to help Sunwoo this once, please my side involves humans not the dead," you said into his warmth hold. "Fine just this once," he groaned as you snuggled into him tightly feeling extra guilty. "Can you do me a favour though?" You said wincing up at him. "Don't let Sunwoo know that you know, I think he wants to prove a point to Jacob that he can do well. Yuchan so good it's hard to convince him he can do just as good," you said as he chuckled. "Yuchan’s better then all of you," he said with enthusiasm. "Ouch," you said playfully pushing yourself away. "Y/N, your retired," he said pushing a loose hair behind your ear. "Well you retired before you could run," he sniggered as you playfully slapped his shoulder. "Baby," you whined as he laughed harder. "It doesn't matter though to me you retired for me," he said placing his hand on his heart. "Good thing I love ya," you chirp as he holds on to your hands before kissing it. "Good, shall we get some lunch," he asks as you nod.

---------------------------🔺--------------------------

You looked at the prison while sitting in your car. You were relieved that Ms Shin had given details of her brother’s prison but also he had accepted your invite. Taking a deep breath you walked into the high secure prison.

His face was disheveled like he had given up, his eyes full of evil and darkness. "What ever this is, you won't be able to get what you want," he growls looking less friendly as his sister. "I explained to," , "I don't care, this is how it is, don't go fishing around in things you don't understand little girl," he snarled as you tried not to let him shake you off. "I'm trying to get answers, and maybe your life back," you continued as he chuckled.

Your body turning to ice in that second, that laugh you had heard it before. In the room seconds before the knife plunged in. "You really think you can, huh," he said leaning in, his breath hot in your face. "You can't even begin to imagine, so off you go home," he growls standing up. "I know you didn't do this, I know that you once had the police in your pocket and this," you paused tapping the file on the desk. "This came because you wasn't useful to them anymore," you said as he sat back looking amused. "You really think you know it all," he smirked intrigued. Hand falling around your pendent you pulled begging for some spiritual assistance. The Room darkened, several blooded spirits appeared angry and vengeful. "You don't think I can name them?" You bluffed trying to show you wasn't nervous. Eye contact being refused at the spirits by your side. "Inspector Kang," you said watching him nod smirking as you named Eric’s case inspector. "Prosecutor Kim," you continued naming Eric’s Prosecutor. "Y/N what do you think your doing?" You hear the voice you've been desperate to hear. "Hmmm let me think who else used and abused your services," you said sitting back finger to your chin hoping a spirit would answer. "Judge Choi," you hear the whisper as Eric comes to your vision. "Why you here? it isn't safe," he whimpers. "Maybe Judge Choi," you say eyes refusing Eric’s contact to take his. "Now I know your ass can see me," Eric scathes at you. The name being exactly that that wipes the smile off his face. "Assembly Moon," you said after another whisper name is given. "You think names thrown out will persuade me," he says trying to pretend he's unbothered.

Standing up your hands fall to his shoulder as screams, cry's, victims, many of them pleading for help. All his crimes flashing till you reach Minjae's. Hyunmin’s evil smirk when Eric sentenced. But worse was the image of Minjae asking him for Money to pay for fertility. Minjae was infertile, Eric didn't owe him money Minjae did. "Y/N," Eric whimpered as his hands held you still as your hands left Hyunmin. "I know every person you killed too," you whispered almost out of breath. "Yeah come on then name that list smart ass," he dared as you sat back down smirking his way. "Y/N lets go, put that necklace back on, go home to Donghun," Eric pleads in desperation.

"Kim Minjae," you said her name as his face half dropped. "Just like I know you abused a girl in love who just wanted money to start a family. Your jealous of that aren't you Hyunmin. Jealous that some woman would sacrifice herself for the man she loved. Not like your mother did that herself," you added as Eric stood backwards from you. "What? What are you saying?" He looked in shock and horror. "The guy who went down for her murder killed himself thinking he was responsible for the woman he loved death, he thought it was his debt," you said arms folded anger in your veins.

"What did you say?” Eric yells totally in shock with your words. "I can help you Mr Shin, I don't want names because I have them, I just want to work with you to clear you from this case," you said tapping the file. "What do you say?" You relaxed in your chair eyes never leaving his. "Y/N what are you doing, leave this prison, don't stay here for a damn second," Eric stammers in fear. "So sister right?" He smirks as you look puzzled his way. "I remember how she looked, how her body felt gasping with her last breath as I held her. You're her exact double image," he smirked as Eric pulled his hands to hurt him. But Evil couldn't fight a bigger evil then him he was powerless against him. "How do you know I'm not her, how do you know I'm even alive. Maybe I'm the ghost of your past to haunt you," you stood up walking to sit on the table as close to him as you could. "I don't believe in ghosts," he said amused. "You were waiting in the room for my arrival? Yanking my hair back as I cried for my husband, with my last breath I said," you paused to get close to his ear. "Please Eric save me," you said in the same whispery lack of oxygen whisper from that night. "You then ran from my bedroom by the window, that black cap with the initials KW on them," you said standing up to take your seat again noticing Eric had disappeared. "Believe in ghosts now?" You said smirking as you took your seat. "Halloween was weeks ago?" He said trying to pretend to sound unconvinced. "Well, what if I said I had the evidence of that actual event?" You questioned as his face dropped. "Confess to this charge, let both of them rest in peace. I will let this charge resolve itself and no one will know it came from you," you said as he laughed once more. "You see there is, what is your name?" You turned to the female Victim by his side her face looking like it was mauled. "Park Jisoo," she said as you repeated her name to him. "You see being dead myself I can do things to your family," you smirked as his whole facade dropped. "You think by protecting those people you're protecting your loved ones. But you're not, the dead can do a lot more, trust me," you said picking the file up and standing. "Let me show a little demonstration for you," you said standing up as he chuckled. "Go on then try it," he challenged as you laughed back. "Wait for the phone call," you pretended to show sadness before chuckling as you left him.

Heart racing you go to your phone turning the recording off. There has to be something there that could convince Donghun his innocent, even get Eric’s name cleared. As you get to the car your phone rings, Donghun's name flashing on the screen. "You took it off, in a prison full of multiple vengeful spirits, are you really stupid?" He shouts down the phone. "How did you know?" You ask despite knowing that some how Eric found a way to warn him. "Don't worry how I know, I'm on my way to the prison now, stay there," he demands. "No meet me at Park land Cemetery," you whittle back as he chokes out. "Why are you going there?" He snaps as you pull your files and phone to your chest. "Cemeteries are safe against vengeful spirits, aren't they?" You scoff. "So is the temple Y/N," Donghun reply's with annoyance. "Donghun please come to the Cemetery and please bring everyone else with you," you reply feeling ready to put everything in action. "Y/N I swear to god," you hear Donghun mutter as you turn the phone call off.

----------------------------🔺-------------------------

Driving the ten miles to the local cemetery it starts to darken with snow beginning to fall. Your phone continuously buzzing from them all trying to ring you. Parking up you grab your files placing them to your chest as you make your way. Hundreds of gravestones are marked up as you look frustrated at the gate. Hands falling to your arms you turn to find Eric stood there. "You really went and told him?" You cry out feeling a little betrayed. "Because I won't let you come to harm Princess," he said pulling you into him. "How? When you haven't been able to before?" You question as he pulled you back by your arms to look at you. "Sunwoo, he was already possessed by me before and thankfully he wasn't at the temple," he said looking pleased with himself. "So why didn't you use him before when I needed to speak to you?" You splutter as he chuckles. "I did Princess, but you ignored my calls and messages," he said cupping your face. "I was too busy proving your innocence," you replied as he smiled. "I know, I was with you the whole time watching you as you worked hard," he said stroking your hair. "But you should never have put yourself in danger not in a place like that, even if it's to prove my innocence. Now you're in danger with the living as well as the dead," he said showing pain in his face. "Eric you know I'm not Minjae right?" You questioned as he looked hurt nodding. "I didn't, but I do now. Forgive me, you look just like her from the way you smile, your laugh, even the mole under her ear," he smiled touching your birthmark blemish. "I chose to watch over you and then you got this talent, it was too much for me I got greedy. I needed you to be her and to remember. By remembering I remembered that I wasn't a peaceful spirit," he explained looking pained. "I'm sorry I caused this mess," he whimpered. "I'm glad you did, because I'm going to find a way to reunite you," you smiled holding his hand as he look bewildered your way. "You can't Y/N it's impossible," he said in fear. "She's here right?" You said turning to look at the gravestones. "Just tell me where, trust me," you said as tears started falling from his eyes. "It's by the smaller chapel on the right, look for her cherubs," he smiled. "I don't even know what it looks like now," he said hands on the shield stopping him entering. "I'm sure it looks just as pretty as it did then, when the others get here I will convince them to help your soul be at peace," you said pressing your hand to his shoulder. "You can try but I won't get my hopes up, first you won't ever convince Donghun and two I made a deal with the devil remember," he said turning to face you. "Have faith Youngjae," you say as he looked at you with surprise. "No one has called me that since we got married. I mean since me and Minjae got married," he says hand over his heart. "She never let you down so I won't neither," you said pressing a kiss to his cheek as you made your way to the graves in search.

The snow was beginning to flow heavier as you continue your search. You begin to wonder if it's been destroyed and looking in the wrong place. When you spot the familiar cherubs the stone covered in ornamental ivy.

Kim Minjae

14-06-00 - 31-10-22

A small photo is attached to the stone one of herself laughing. You smile recognising your features in her. "No wonder why Eric had an issue thinking it was you," you said as your hand pressed the cherubs. "You've seen Eric," you heard your own voice from behind you. Turning to face her you could see every inch of you in her. "Wow you look like me,” She questioned in equal surprise. "Yeah I been told that," you smiled at her. "You said you saw my Eric?" She questioned with bated breath. "Yeah, he’s not doing good, they think he," , " I know they think he killed me," she cuts you off looking sad to the grave next to her. "He turned bad didn't he because of that?" She asked as you nodded. "Have you never tried to search for him?" You asked as she shook her head. "Not since that day, when he," she choked up as tears started to fall. "You were there watching?" You asked as she nodded. "It was my home, my peaceful bubble of afterlife. Till then when I couldn't even enter or even get close to him. I've been here ever since," she said sobbing. "He found me and thought I was you recarnated," you added as she stopped her tears to sniffle a chuckle. "Well you do actually look like me," she said admiring herself in you. "The thing is I work with some talented spiritual guides. We're soul savers and for some strange reason only i can see him. They sense the evil, they see the deed and don't believe he's safe. They won't help him," you said as she looked hurt to hear your words. "That sounds so lonely he has no one,” She chokes. "He had me fighting his corner, I can prove he didn't kill you, but I need you to," "Kim Y/N," you hear Donghun growl behind you. "To show yourself to him to help me," you finish to turn around to find Donghun with Changmin, Byeongwkan, Jacob, Juyeon, Sunwoo, Hyunjae, Kevin, Yuchan and Sehyoon not far behind. "What the hell have you done," he shook you, tears falling down his eyes. "Donghun I have to, this is work," you said as he whimpered. "Eric is innocent Hyunjae, you're all wrong," you splutter. "Juyeon the crystal please," Donghun said impatiently as he made his way to you. "Fine I will, just let me have five minutes and then I will do what ever you ask me to do," You plead to Donghun as he holds his hand up to stop Juyeon.

"Tell them, find a way to tell them or I can't find a way to save him, he be alone for eternity," you plead with Minjae. "How?" She asks with sadness in her tone. "Can any of you see her?" You ask them as they all shake there heads. "Sehyoon have you got your pendent on?" You question as his hand reach to it. "Take it off please I beg you," you plead. "Don't it's not safe," Donghun demands as your eyes widen. "Touch, touch me you can see it through me right?" You question hands holding out. Donghun humouring you as he shrugged. "Nothing," he said looking annoyed. "Changmin please?" You plead, hand out, as he reluctantly took it. His eyes widening as he took her in. "You can see her right?" You question getting excited. "Their is two of you," he gasps as you grin feeling relieved. "Show him don't tell him he won't believe words, show him please," you turned to Minjae and begged. Pressing her hands to his shoulders he passes out as Byeongkwan goes to catch him. "Changmin," Donghun screeches slapping his face. "He's in her world now, proving that Eric didn't kill her," you stated as Donghun looked at you in rage. "Y/N this stops, it stops now, even if he was innocent and didn't kill her, he is evil otherwise he would make it to inside the temple or here. He can't because he's Evil we can't help him," Donghun splutters. "Then agree to let me work with him and find a way," you plead. "Why are you always asking for too much from me. You think it's been easy being with you while you have lovey dovey emotions for him. For heavens sake you even kissed him in Sunwoo's body in our relationship. You run to him all the time and when I told you that if you pulled that off then we would be over you still did it," he said with his vein in his neck showing from his anger. "I'm not enough for you clearly," he said throwing his arms in the air as Changmin came too whimpering. "You saw it right you saw it all please tell me you did?" You plead. He crawled to the grave next to him and brushed the dust and dirt.

Son Youngjae

22-12-00 31-10-24.

"Wait, he’s here?" You gasped. "Next to her," Byeongkwan said looking at Changmin. "Why would they allow it?" Jacob spluttered. "The guilty Inspector Kang Allowed it I saw it his funeral. He didn't kill her," Changmin said as you smile full of happiness. "Facts are still facts we can't save his soul, he's turned to the evil side. All we can do is send him to hell is that what you want?” Donghun splutters as you choke. "No, no, their has to be another way," you said trying to rummage your thoughts.

"There is a way," you hear a voice call out as you all see Sharman Park behind them. "You did it Y/N," he smiled at you as Donghun looked between you both. "Wait you sent her to do this?" He questioned with anger laced. "Work is work you leave the personal stuff at the door," he lectured. "You asked for help to Mentor her, I did just that. Now do I really have to tell you two how this can be done or can you both work it out," he said turning to Changmin and Byeongkwan. "Right his body is here?" Byeongkwan said excited. "Correct, he's taken no life so the contract he has with natures of evil at the moment isn't concrete. He just used it to live in the hate he has for himself," he states. "Wait so all we have to do is Set him free from that pain of self hating," Changmin adds as he nods. "Free him from his self loathing Y/N, and then bring him here," the Sharman says your way. "How do I do that?" You ask feeling overwhelmed. "Your figure it out my clever Y/N," he reply's. Your eyes take to Donghun who looks like he's sulking quietly. You remember Sharman Parks words that he would eventually come around to events.

Walking to the gate you find Eric looking frustrated walking up and down the pathway. His eyes find yours and his hands fall to the shield parting you. "Y/N what's going on?" He says eyes wide. "I don't really know," you said as you pressed your hands on his shoulders. "Why did he think I could do this?" You spluttered looking at them in the distance. "What's going on? Did you see her?" He ask as you nodded. "She's broken without you Eric," you said as he gasped. "She misses you so much and needs you to survive. She refuses to cross over till you come with her," you say as his eyes water once again. "I can't remember, evil," he said throwing his hands down his body. "The only evil you committed is to yourself Son Youngjae, you haven't killed a single person," you said holding his hand tightly. "I can't enter," he said looking to the shield. "I'm evil," he scathed at you. "Because you're punishing yourself too much, you refuse to love yourself," you state cupping his face. "But I killed her," he whimpered. "You didn't, you heard Mr Shin she went to him herself. It wasn't your debt that he was chasing," you said as he threw your hands off him. "I know why she's dead, I don't deserve peace," he spits out. "What about Minjae?" You screech out startling him. "Doesn't she deserve to be free, you throw around that Bullshit of you going to hell to protect her. Yet she’s right there waiting for you and all you have to do is forgive yourself," you rant at him. "Y/N I don't even know how to love myself," he whimpers lost. "Let Eric be evil and you be Youngjae, be her Youngjae. Be the Youngjae that made me fall for when I was in Minjae's memories. You were perfect, you loved so hard. If fate hadn't been on evil side you would have got there in time. You were on your way remember. I wish you could see," you paused as he sobbed. "I just have to make you have to see," you whispered to yourself. "Eric I can see thing sometimes when I touch you, or things that belong to you. Wait what do I have that my essence. Wait I know," you pause as you mind wracks around so much as you struggle to focus. "Wait here," you gasp as you dash towards the grave.

Throwing your lips around Donghun taking him by surprise. He's so desperate for your touch that he doesn't care to fight you off as your tongue and teeth clash in a frenzy. "I'm so so sorry I have to do this," you reply panting. "What?" He questions as you pull away. "If I told you you would probably scold me, you can do that later, right," you said as a couple of tears pricked your eyes. Grabbing Sehyoon's hands you drag him to Eric. "Y/N," he grumbled as you pull the necklace. "Jump in then?" You say impatiently as he looks over your shoulder that tells you Donghun’s standing there. "Hurry," you snap as he jumps into Sehyoon. "Now what?" He says with Sehyoon’s glasses sliding down his nose. You pull his hair slightly, exposing his neck.

"Y/N," Donghun and Eric says in unison. Your teeth bite into his neck as you suckle on him letting your own dna flood into him. But as you suckle on his neck you remember the flash backs. The way you loved him so much and was so besotted with him. You gave him every memory he had given you but from your perspective. Filling him the love that your sure Minjae had for him. You feel His hand fall to your waist, fingers digging in as you recoiled your experiences in bed with him. Lastly you showed him your own emotions. The one where you were so broken to see him dead and the relief he was with you even in spirit form. The desperation and determination to prove his innocence because you believed in him.

As you let go of him you looked up to him sobbing with the memories as he left Sehyoon's body. "Sorry," you whispered as he choked in with his sobs. "You're not evil Youngjae, you deserve to be at peace, back with her," you smile holding his hands. "I can see him," you hear Changmin say behind you. "Wait what," he says wiping his tears. "It means your not evil no more if he can see you," you smiled. "It means you can go to her Eric," you choke back your relief. "Really I can see her?" He says in disbelief as you nod. "She's waiting for you," you wiped your own tear away as he looks a mixture of nervousness and excitedness at the same time. "Do I look ok?” he asks nervously brushing his hair through as you chuckle. "Eric Sohn wondering if he doesn't look hot, well you did fall from hell," you tease as he looks at you with a smile. "Y/N you fall from heaven not hell," he says as you roll your eyes. "What ever, stop wasting time here with me and go to her," you said as he looked to her gravestone and made his way.

Your eyes briefly take to Donghun, his eyes tell you he's furious with you despite his sullen expression. "Donghun," you bit out towards him. "Don't, you chose him remember that," he said coldly as he walked towards the gravestones. "He will come around Y/N," Sehyoon said rubbing his neck from your bite. "Sorry by the way," you said as he half smiled. "Suppose it's expected in this field to be bit from your colleague," he said playfully. "Too right," you chuckled as you turned to follow them all.

Eric gripped her tight in his views as they both sobbed from their reunion. As you gave them there privacy. It was weird watching a version of you with him in a way that you had remembered. "You did Well Y/N I knew you could do it," Sharman park said as you looked up to him. "Why have I got a feeling you sensed him all along?" You questioned him as he smirked. "Well I didn't till you came to me broken in despair, I felt his essence that very second. His own despair covering you that he would never see you again. His prays to keep you safe I heard them off you," he said as you smiled. "I wasn't in love with him though and he wasn't in love with me," you said looking at them in a passionate kiss. "You both was, just it was for the purpose of this, to reunite them and for you to gain strength," he said proudly. "What about Donghun? He won't forgive me for what I did. First kissing Sunwoo and now biting Sehyoon. Well that's before the fact I ran to Eric so many times when he begged me not to," you said looking at Donghun deep in conversation with Yuchan. "Donghun loves you for you, the you who ignores and winds him up. If you change then the relationship’s over any way. He will see that eventually," he said gently tapping your shoulder.

"Are you ready?" Changmin said walking towards them as they nodded with puffy red eyes. "Thanks Y/N," Minjae said looking your way. "No problem, look after each other up there right," you smiled. "She won't need to because I will look after her every second of eternity," Eric said squeezing her hands. "Hey Princess, i can't thank you enough, but your miss me when I'm gone right?" He teases as you nod, tears falling from your eyes. "Of course I will, it will be dull not having a pain in the ass sidekick," you sob out. "Y/N don't cry, be happy for me right," he said coming to you to wipe your fallen tears with his thumb. "I just got so use to you being somewhere the last year and a half, that knowing I’ll never see you again it’s going to be weird," you admitted as you felt your heart heavy. "Where ever we are I’ll be there,” he pauses to touch your heart. “Whenever you're in danger call my name and I’ll send some people to come to save you," he teases. "Yeah that would be good," you whisper through your sobs. "But you don't need a army of mine though, you have him," he pauses to look Donghun’s way. "I'm sorry, I tried to take her away. I know your angry with her, but I saw her thoughts she loves you way more then she loves me. Don't punish her for too long. Well punish her for a while keep her on her toes," he teases as you playfully hit him. "Don't let this sweet natured girl get away," he adds wiping his own tear away. "Just promise me one thing?" He says sounding more demanding to you. "What?" You whisper. "Promise me that when he says wear that crystal, wear that bloody crystal. And stay away from Shin Hyunmin and those lot," he demands as you pause. "I have to clear your name Eric," you reply. "I don't care, the people who is important knows I'm innocent, that's all that counts. Don't let me be responsible for your death like I believe I was of Minjae’s," he said lowering himself to look you in the eyes. "Y/N, I won't let Donghun take you back if you don't promise me," he says with more authority. "I promise," you relent as he smiles. "Promise on my soul," he says eyes widening as you roll your eyes. "I swear on your soul," you reply as he nods contented. "Well then that's the goodbye done," he says looking at Changmin before looking to Minjae. "Let's do this?" She says excitedly kissing him.

Byeongkwan and Changmin speak their old Chinese as the couple refuse to look anywhere but themselves, content in their reunion. But before he leaves Eric turns to you and blows a kiss as you air catch it as he disappears. Your sobs fall a lot more harder now he's gone as your heart is heavy. He poured so much emotions in you that you still were struggling to adjust to every single feeling he gave you. You felt a warm arm pull you in by your shoulder and your surprised to see Donghun standing there. He's not looking your way but comforting you as you stand looking at their grave in silence.

"Well that was a complex case wasn't it," Sharman Park said as they all looked to him. "Let's go back to the temple and cleanse ourselves," he adds as he walks with them following. "It's ok Y/N, we're find a way to clear his name," Byeongkwan says reassuringly as he touches your shoulder. "I have some files and a confession that can help. But don’t ask me to do anything I promised him," you said looking at his gravestone. You felt Donghun’s body tense before he left you to follow. You knew those words hurt him, but to leave the world of Eric Sohn behind you had to At least give him something. --------------------🔺------------------

You spent a month at the temple, each day felt better as your mind cleared as Eric's emotions start to drip away. "You coming home?" Donghun asked like he asked every night as you nodded. "Ok well I’ll bring some of your, wait did you nod?" He said pausing to take your action in. "You want to come home?" He asks as you nod once more. "Yes if you will have me, I think we need to talk," you said as he nodded. "Well let's go," he said opening his hand to you. -------------------🔺-------------------

Arriving back home you pull the mint chocolate from the fridge taking it to the living room patting the couch between you. You pass him the spare spoon as he sit’s by your side. "I'm sorry I've hurt you so badly," you say as he takes his first mouthful. "I know I made you feel second best but that really wasn't it," you explain as he nods with his mouthful. "It's ok Sharman Park explained. He said that your talent is emotions, your truly an empath," he pauses to scoop some ice cream to pop in your mouth. "He said that as time goes your get use to what is you and what is spirit," he says smiling your way. "Is this why you stopped being angry and visited the temple often to check on me?" You asked as he nodded. “I'm sorry that for someone who works in this field that I acted like you was the crazy person," he adds as you peck him on his lips. "Is that all I get Kim Y/N, my amazing yet pain in the ass pupil," he says eyes looking flirtatious. "I'm too hungry to do much else," you say as you pop a spoon full in. "Food and then bed," he says with eager eyes. "You don't want to talk no more?" You question expecting it to be long and brutal. "You love me right?" He asked as you nodded. "You promise to let Changmin and Byeongkwan sort Mr Shin and those evil people out yes?" He questions as you nod once more. "You Promise to listen to me when I say it's dangerous," he demands as you shook your head. "If I did that then I wouldn't be me and you wouldn't love me no more," you said repeating Sharman Parks words as Donghun raised an eyebrow. "How about instead of treating me like a child we talk things through. That what ever happens we are responsible for our own safety. That we should trust each other’s judgement unless it’s through jealousy," you reply as he tsssk into the air. "Jealous I wasn't jealous," he Denys as you muffle a laugh. "Yeah sure sure you wasn't," you tease as he rolls his eyes. "Fine I suppose that’s a deal then," he smirks as you cup his face.

"How about I order dinner and we have dessert while we wait?" You say staring into his beautiful brown eyes. "Yeah sounds a plan," he says breathless. You sink to your knees as he looks at you agape. "Let me have mine while you order for us," you say with a wink as your hand falls to his jeans. Fingers fighting with the buttons you bring his member out. Missing his taste the last month, you envelope your mouth around him taking him as deep as you can. Moans escape him as he drops the phone hitting your head. "Fuck Y/N," he hiss as he enjoys you bobbing up and down him. Your hands finding his belly as you enjoy the warmth of his skin. "Shit slow down I won't last long like that," he pleads as his hand fall into your hair to pull you off. "I haven't released for weeks, please don't let me blow my load before I'm in you," he pleads as you smirk his way. "Well then I meet you in bed then," you smirk standing up and dashing to the room with him chasing after you.

Like he's possessed himself he jumps on you that you land on the bed, his heavy weight pinning you down. "You're my prey baby girl," he says as he peppers kisses along your neck. Hands fall to your bottoms as he pulls them off. His hands tuck under your breast to your shirt as he buttons them away. As he pulls them from your arms his knee at the bottom of your back keeps you flat. "I need you so bad you've left me so badly deprived," he growls like he's becoming lost at the sight of you. Leaning himself on to you, you enjoy the feel of his naked warm chest against your back. The warmth of his skin and his personalised scent intoxicating you. Your heat is burning with need of him to fill you and he waits no time being impatient himself. Sliding himself in he sinks his face to your neck still for a short while. Your walls taking the time to clamp around him as he hums against your neck. "Your mine Y/N," he demands as you wiggle your hands for his to lace which he obliges. Slow thrusts start as his lips never leave your skin, pressing soft kisses against them. His weight restricts you from meeting him as he increases his pace. The way his thrusts hit your body has your folds rub delicious on the mattress. Hands clenching with his you Moan as your high creeps up. "Baby wait for me," he whimpers behind you as his pace speeds. Teeth press to your collarbone but they don't dig in. "Bite me, mark me, make me yours," you plead as he moves his lips away. "Your already mine," he growls as your coil comes close to snapping. "I'm only yours, just yours," you cry out as your euphoria hits. Your left whimpering convulsing as you milk him to his own defeat. Teeth digging into your collar bone he bites through his own. "Fuck," you hiss as he leans against your back spent.

"He might have bit you to give you memories but I'm biting you as I fuck you," Donghun pants pressing small kisses to the bite mark he left in your skin. "I do love you,” You whisper to him as he refused to move from you. "You might have looked and been enticed by others but I'm the one who won you in the end," he said sniggering as you closed your eyes remembering Sunwoo and Sehyoon. "Oh god please don't remind me," you said rolling him off you. "Hey who say you could leave me," he pouts as you spread his arm, rolling yourself up to him.

"Minjae is Eric's destiny you are mine that's all that counts," you said smiling as you kissed him finally content. "Well if I'm honest he did help me out," Donghun said biting his lip. "What? How?" You said intrigued. "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have had the courage to let us be more then friends. I'm positive he came to make me man up," he chuckled pulling you in tightly. "Well let's never let each other go then, he might come back to haunt us," you smirk as he strokes his hand through your hair. "Well that's a pact then, what ever happens your mine," he says with his pinky finger out as you commit to him to finally let Eric go.

Full Masterlist

A.C.E. Masterlist

#kpop smut #kpopidol #fiction #the boyz smut #ace smut #lee donghun smut #son youngjae smut #park junhee #kim sehyoon #kim byeongkwan #kang yuchan #ji changmin #lee hyunjae #lee juyeon #moon kevin #bae jacob #kim sunwoo

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the-forest-library · 2 years ago

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November 2022 Reads

Longshadow - Olivia Atwater

Marmee - Sarah Miller

Dracula - Bram Stoker

Red, White, & Royal Blue: Collector’s Edition - Casey McQuiston

Scattered Showers - Rainbow Rowell

Ship Wrecked - Olivia Dade

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail - Ashley Herring Blake

The Man I Never Met - Elle Cook

Kiss Her Once for Me - Alison Cochran

Before I Do - Sophie Cousens

A Cosmic Kind of Love - Samantha Young

When in Rome - Sarah Adams

How to Excavate a Heart - Jake Maia Allow

Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory - Martha Wells

Foundryside - Robert Jackson Bennett

Maybe an Artist - Liz Montague

Ride On - Faith Erin Hicks

The Sea in Winter - Christine Day

So Much Snow - Hyunmin Park

Fry Bread - Kevin Noble Maillard

The Electricity of Every Living Thing - Katherine May

All the Living and the Dead - Hayley Campbell

It Didn’t Start with You - Mark Wolynn

Dickens and Prince - Nick Hornsby

The Future is Disabled - Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen - Sean Sherman

Waxing On - Ralph Macchio

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing - Matthew Perry

We Were Dreamers - Simu Liu

Have I Told You this Already? - Lauren Graham

Surrender - Bono

Bold = Highly Recommend Italics = Worth It Crossed out = Nope

Thoughts:

So, obviously the standout this month was Dracula - nothing could compare to reading this novel through Dracula Daily and the entire tumblr experience of it all. What an absolute treat.

This was a much better reading month than I remember it being. Although, I do remember absolutely loving Marmee. Little Women is my favorite book and hearing the story through the matriarch’s tender recollections was just lovely.

Also, if you haven’t read Olivia Atwater yet, make that a goal for next year. Longshadow has been my favorite read of hers so far, but they are all so comforting and cozy.

Goodreads Goal: 377/400 (this is a silly number - do not attempt this)

2022 Reads

#2022 reads #book reviews #book recommendations #books #booklr #bookish #reading #bibliophile

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jungsimjihq · 5 months ago

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Eeei modinhes! Gostaria de saber os MWM de vocês e dos jogadores!

Oi, então, a mod Columba mandou avisar que quer um Hoshi do Seventeen. Já a Andrômeda falou: MANNY JACINTO, NCUTI GATWA, Nicholas Galitzine, Seokjin do BTS e o Yoongi também (pode trazer todos do BTS, aceitamos, viu?). O mod Cassiopeia pediu Jung Haein, Paul Mescal e Kim Woobin. O Noctua preparou uma listinha do que ele queria ver, como: J.J. Jr. Mackenyu, Son Seoksoo, Seo Inguk, Park Seojoon, Lee Jehoon, Kentaro Sakaguchi, Kenshi Yonenzu, Inaki Godoy, Han Hyunmin, Phum Viphurit, Cho Guesung, Kim Dowan (se eu colocasse tudo ia ser quilométrico).

Eu, peço, encarecidamente, um Park Seoham, Cho Seungyoun (Woodz), Force Jiratchapong Srisang e quem sabe o Hong Dabin (DPR Live)? Hm.

Mas agora vendo como mais ou menos, o que usam na comunidade, tá faltando o Jake e o Jay do Enhypen, temos eles quase completos, tente ver alguns grupos que estão na nossa página de FCs Ocupados, às vezes, é mais rápido do que ir na masterlist, veja se gosta de algum dos que estão faltando na cmm e se combina com o plot que você quer.

Temos outra ask respondida sobre isso aqui, com mais alguns fcs que talvez você goste.

Aqui está o tweet do que os players querem ver na comunidade, espero que tenhamos ajudado.

#m!pyxis #a!respondidas #a!mwm #a!mwfc

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heizelnutlatte · 6 months ago

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💬 [24112022] Esquire Korea: Why Actor Ryu Kyungsoo, an INFP type A, always stays till the end at shooting parties." (Part 2)

An actor who is type A and INFP. He is shy but always stays until the very end at after-parties. He believes that acting is incredibly significant, just as every job in the world is, and that the process is as important as the result. We explore the sincere thoughts of Ryu Kyungsoo at the beginning of winter.

Q: The first part of Daemuga was performed a long time ago. As an actor, you might have wanted to reshoot it...

(Continuing) I did want to reshoot it. (Laughs) But the director was very determined. He really liked the outcome of the short film. He wanted to keep his work that way, and since I'm not the director, I couldn't change it. However, I think it would have felt different if we had reshot it. I'm in my 30s now, and I've been through various experiences, so I've definitely changed. I might have improved, but the 'han' (a deep, unresolved sorrow) that I felt back then wouldn't be present now.

Q: With the transition to a full-length film, there’s a new highlight where actors playing shamans have intense confrontations. Do you still learn new things on set?

Absolutely. Growth often comes from trial and error. When something doesn't work out one way, you learn to try another. I gain a lot of energy from the conversations I have with other actors, or simply from spending time together. I ask a lot of questions, and I did so while filming Daemuga, especially with Park Sungwoong and Yang Hyunmin.

Q: You ask a lot of questions.

Yes, I ask my fellow actors a lot. About their lives, how they think about acting. What I'm most curious about is whether acting is still fun for them. 'Even when they reach a master's level, is it still enjoyable?' It's probably because of my own fears. I'm scared that I might find acting unenjoyable someday. Fortunately, many actors respond that they continue to find it enjoyable.

Q: It seems you talk about acting even at shooting wrap-up parties. (Laughs)

I tend to stay till the end because I have so many questions. At those gatherings, there are senior actors whom I didn't know well before. I want to ask them various things, but I'm quite shy, so it's difficult for me. I also worry that it might be impolite to ask about acting when they just want to relax and have a drink. So, I end up asking a lot of questions to the people I meet while working.

Q: Actor Park Sungwoong, with whom you shot Daemuga, said this to you: "I wasn't as good an actor in my twenties as you are. But I'm not sure if you can be as good as I am now when you reach my age."

That was something he said over drinks.

Q: It does sound like something one would say while intoxicated. (Laughs)

(Laughs) The point was, 'You don't know if you can be as good as I am when you're my age, so always stay the same.' He said, "If you change, I'll come after you." I took it as him telling me to keep my current mindset and continue to work hard.

Q: What do you think? Are you confident?

Actually, I don't think there's such a thing as being better or worse than anyone else in acting. But I think I will be better than I am now. I will definitely be different in my forties. I felt different in my thirties compared to my twenties.

Q: So, you're confident about the essence of what Park Sungwoong said.

"Don't change but grow." Yes, I am confident.

Q: On the other hand, actor Hwang Jungmin, with whom you worked on the movie Hostage, commented on your face, saying you have a good face.

When I was in my twenties, I often thought about that. 'Would I have gotten more work if I were better looking?' But I'm thankful he said that, and now I like my face. It's ordinary. Having an unremarkable and neutral face helps a lot in portraying different characters. While you might think it's only about how well an actor performs, the face is important. I see it from the audience's perspective, too. Sometimes, the face conveys more than the acting. It's not about being good-looking or not; it's about whether you can give off a certain feeling.

Q: You have many villain roles in your filmography. Would you consider taking on villain roles again if offered?

It's the same as I said earlier. It just has to be fun and new for me. If a character has a similar tone and manner to characters I've played before, then I probably won't take it, regardless of what it is, because it wouldn't interest me. It's similar to how I feel when someone asks me to go surfing. It might be cold, and I'm not sure if it would be fun. But if there's a new feeling that seems like it could show something new, then I'm drawn to it. At that point, whether it's a villain role or not doesn't matter.

Q: Considering your pursuit of new characters and projects, I thought you might feel constrained by a villainous filmography since it tends to lead to similar roles.

That's why I often say in interviews that I want to show different sides and do new things. Once I've said it out loud, I have to be aware of it, right?

Q: (Laughs) It's like you've put a golden headband on yourself, like the one Sun Wukong wears.

Of course, I would have worked hard even without saying those words, but once you say something out loud, it makes you think about it more. It's like having someone constantly poking you and telling you to get up.

Q: Actress Lee Jooyoung, with whom you worked on "Itaewon Class," entrusted you with the lead role in her first directorial effort, "Left at the Door Bell X." Writer Kwang Jin also chose you for the leading role in his first full-length directorial project, "Cabriole." Why do you think that is?

I'm not sure. I never asked why...

Q: So, you're not the type to ask those kinds of questions.

Right. With Jooyoung noona, for instance, she just said, "I have this thing I’d like you to do," and I just said, "Okay, I'll do it." I've always been curious about Jooyong noona's career moves and thoughts, and the projects she’s involved in always have interesting aspects.

Q: Director Yeon Sangho has cast you again for his upcoming projects, "Jung Yi" and "The Bequeathed," following "Hellbound." Could we say this makes you part of the 'Yeon Sang-ho troupe'?

Director Yeon Sangho seems to dislike that term. He thinks it sounds too much like a power dynamic, and he feels that saying that might make it seem like he should keep working with the same people. I always enjoy working with Director Yeon Sangho; we have so much fun together, joking around to the point where it almost seems too much. His sense of humor is among the top five of all the people I’ve met. He has a broad sense of humor and really gets me laughing, and we mesh well in that regard. Someone once said, "Yeon Sangho seems to turn into a middle school kid whenever he's with Kyungsoo."

Q: Then, would it be accurate to call you 'Yeon Sangho's muse'?

I would love that. Whether as a member of his troupe or as his muse. It’s only him who dislikes the term, not me. (Laughs) He just doesn’t like to be boxed into something specific.

Q: Today, you seem quite shy, but you also seem to joke around a lot.

I am quite shy and a bit timid. I'm a type A and an INFP. But I do want to get to know people, so I’m happy when someone talks to me first. I love it when someone asks me to grab a meal. Once we start working together and I get more comfortable, I joke a lot. I really like joking around.

Q: Are you funny?

I like to try to be funny. I have a big desire to make others laugh.

Q: Is this a form of self-deprecation or modesty? Do people often burst into laughter because of what you say?

Well… sometimes they do. (Laughs) But it has to be the right match, right? I think I tend to attract friends who share my sense of humour rather than being universally funny.

Q: So, having a compatible 'code' is important to getting close to you.

Definitely. Since I'm quite shy, it usually takes time, but if the 'code' matches, things can progress quickly. Recently, this happened with Kwak Dongyeon on "Youth MT" (a TvN variety show). We became close in just three days. I even joined him when he was a special DJ on the radio, and that was really fun too.

Q: I’ve heard that some actors focus continuously on their roles even during breaks on set, but that doesn’t seem to be your style.

I prefer to make it fun.

Q: Fun?

Because the process is as important as the outcome. Life is tiring enough, and portraying a character and filming is challenging. Once you hear 'cut,' that's literally it. Then, you joke, chat, have meals and drinks together after. Of course, the outcome is important, but I think this part is crucial too. At least for me, I tend to remember the projects where I was happy during the process the most.

Ryu Kyungsoo x Esquire Korea, 2022

#ryu kyungsoo #interview #esquire #kdrama #korean drama #korean film

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yeoufic · 11 months ago

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Hey Sasha! Happy New Years! 🎉

I need some help finding a fc for an oc who is Yujin’s (IVE) older brother.. do you have any suggestions? Thank you so much!

hey nonnie! happy new year to you! 🌟 here are four face claim suggestions who could possibly portray an older brother of ive's yujin! i might have cheated a little since hyunmin would technically be a half-brother but he looks too good to pass on. 🤭

bang chan · stray kids · korean · 1997

park serim · cravity · korean · 1999

han hyunmin · model · korean + nigerian · 2001

kang taehyun · tomorrow x together · korean · 2002

#answered #anonymous #m: could be related #f: yujin #m: face claim #m: bang chan #m: serim #m: han hyunmin #m: taehyun

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cagliostrohq · 1 year ago

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RESERVED

Sobhita Dhulipala

Laura Harrier

Sabrina Carpenter

Brian Tyree Henry

Song Hye Kyo

The Renegade Knight (Skeleton)

The House of Vanitas (Skeleton)

The Eternal Merchant (Skeleton)

PENDING APPLICATIONS

Kotone Furukawa, The Wizards Automation Skeleton

Lee El, The Scorned Scholar Skeleton

Brian Tyree Henry, The Blacksmith’s Striker Skeleton

Nathalie Emmanuel, The Tested Follower Skeleton

Karthik Sivakumar “Karthi”, The Eternal Merchant Skeleton

Sabrina Carpenter, Head of Vanitas Skeleton

Sobhita Dhulipala, The Renegade Knight Skeleton

Halle Bailey

Jasmine Tookes

Nijiro Murakami

Megan Thee Stallion

Justice Smith

Pete Davidson

Ewan Mitchell

Alexandra Breckenridge

Jacob Anderson

Han Hyunmin

Lee Jong Suk

Im Jinah

Park Gyuyoung

Jung Eunchae

Han Jihyun

Crystal Reed

Hwang Minhyun

Lee Yoomi

Elizabeth Olsen

Joseph Quinn

Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs

Maxence Danet-Fauvel

Dilraba Dilmurat

Antonia Thomas

Ryan Reynolds

Kylie Bunbury

Kim Jiwoong

Sam Reid

Laura Harrier

#anime rp #appless rp #fantasy rp #mumu rp #oc rp #cag: reserves

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tsubomikrp · 2 years ago

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free to be roleplayed 🐝

Choi Yeonjun Ahn Heeyeon (Hani) Yoon Jeonghan Park Jimin Han Hyunmin Woo Jiho (Zico)

#krpnet #free to be roleplayed

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zheniakirsikkalove · 7 months ago

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youtube

❤❤❤❤❤ ^-^

[ENG SUB] Park Kwang Ho x Kim Sun Jae - Crazy vs Crazy (HUMOR)

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Tunnel / 터널 - Korean Drama (2017)

Choi Jin-hyuk (최진혁) / Park Gwang-ho

Yoon Hyun-min (윤현민) / Kim Seon-jae

#터널 #Tunnel #korean drama #kdrama #Choi Jinhyuk #choi jin hyuk #최진혁 #Park Gwangho #Park Gwang ho #Yoon Hyunmin #Yoon Hyun min #윤현민 #Kim Seonjae #Kim Seon jae #eng sub #Youtube

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imfoive · 4 months ago

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The Youngest Son - Chapter 4

Minho x Reader (fem.) Genre: non-idol au!, Suspense, Angst, Romance, Mature Warnings: mentions of drugs, cursing, murder, death, somewhat proofread WC: 5.7k A/N: I'm really wowed by how quickly I planned this out. Feedback is always welcome, enjoy! ── MASTERLIST

Missed a chapter? - Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3

CHAPTER 4 ───────────────────

Following the death of Lee Jae, the rest of the business circle remained oblivious to the secret project that Park Hyunmin had meticulously planned for quite some time.

Rose Enterprises.

Park Hyunmin was still young when he returned from Australia to embark on his entrepreneurial journey. Naming the company after his late Australian mother, who had passed away during his teenage years, held deep personal significance for him. Despite that he successfully transformed the Park family, who had initially started as hotel workers in Australia, into prominent figures in the hospitality industry almost immediately, even expanding into the restaurant business.

Hyunmin’s reputation and influence were unparalleled, any collaboration with the Park Family and Rose Enterprises promised to catapult an entrepreneur’s importance in their society. However, Park Hyunmin wasn’t seeking just any entrepreneur for this ambitious venture.

L Corporation had solidified its position as a major player in the industrial industry, with its name attached to some of the largest malls, resorts, hotels, and even bridges. They were known for their wealth, intelligence, and strategic business ordeals. They were a perfect fit for Park Hyunmin’s ambitions. However, despite their success, the director harbored reservations about trusting them completely.

Since Chairman Lee’s retirement and the subsequent takeover by his sons, there had been a noticeable shift within L Corporation. The once formidable leadership of Chairman Lee, who single-handedly managed client needs, was replaced by his less competent sons. And despite their shortcomings, they somehow managed to maintain L Corp.’s top position in the industry.

However, the next generation, the grandchildren, was a mixed bag. Only three out of six were deemed worthy of praise. Park Hyunmin saw potential collaboration with L Corporation as both an opportunity and a risk, weighing the benefits of their established reputation against the uncertainty of their internal dynamics.

The oldest, Jungshin. He was excelling, but mostly took care of their overseas branches.

Then came Joohyeon. He was always falling short, but still did well. He was once married to some mayor’s daughter, but even that didn’t last.

Jookshin was the only daughter of the family. She was married off early to another big name family in the medical field, she still did her part.

Jihoon was the oddball. He was never present for anything, people sometimes forget he was also part of the family.

Jae did somewhat of a decent job, barely hitting the line. The only time he actually hit, was women and drugs. Although he did have everyone fooled that he had changed.

Finally Minho. The youngest son.

He kept his life extremely private. He was always present, yet didn’t have any scandals to his name. It’s surprising that he was able to avoid being corrupted by the not so pretty deeds of his older brothers.

Minho was a frequent topic of conversation for Y/N. Despite being the same age, their personalities couldn't have been more different. Y/N, spirited and carefree, stood in stark contrast to Minho’s stoicism. This contrast intrigued Park Hyunmin.

As a young man, Minho often went unnoticed in rooms filled with older, more established figures. However, his capabilities became glaringly apparent during the press conference following Jae’s scandal involving drugs and an escort a few years back.

At just twenty-one, Minho had adeptly managed the fallout almost single-handedly, impressing Park Hyunmin with his poise and skill.

It dawned on Park Hyunmin then.

Lee Minho was their secret weapon in damage control. A role he seemed to excel in more with each passing challenge.

He was young enough to navigate situations with unnoticed ease, often slipping under the radar without drawing undue attention to himself. Minho maintained a reserved demeanor, always composed yet aware, easily finding solutions to various challenges and obstacles.

However, Park Hyunmin harbored a growing dissatisfaction with the amount of time his daughter spent in Minho’s company.

He noticed how Minho attempted to avoid Y/N’s advances at social gatherings, only to find himself inevitably drawn into her orbit. Despite his efforts to maintain distance, their paths seemed to cross frequently, leading to speculation and rumors about their dynamic.

The gossip mill labeled Minho as Y/N’s “boy-toy,” a rumor that had gained momentum over the past years due to their peculiar relationship. From Park Hyunmin’s perspective, there wasn’t even enough substance to define what they had as a relationship, adding to his unease about their closeness.

They were Business friends.

And everyone knew what that term meant. But he was starting to wonder if his daughter did.

A few months before the grand engagement announcement, during Park Hyunmin and his wife’s anniversary celebration, Y/N’s father had observed Minho being pulled away from a group and disappearing with Y/N onto the terrace overlooking the garden. It wasn’t an uncommon sight but it caught the father’s eye. Concerned, he found Minho later, getting some fresh air along the stairway, or so he claimed.

With a directness typical of him, the father posed a question to Minho that caught him off guard.

“Do you see yourself marrying my daughter?”

Minho’s bewildered expression was enough for Y/N’s father to discern that romantic interest was not the reason behind their closeness. So, he pressed further, pointing out the societal gossip surrounding them.

“Then what is it? Isn’t it a bit unusual for you two to always be together? People in this society talk.”

Maintaining his composure, Minho stood upright and faced Y/N’s father squarely.

“People in this society always talk.” He replied calmly with a polite smile.

“Y/N and I are simply classmates who have become acquaintances. It’s difficult to find trustworthy acquaintances in our circle. We’ve known each other for years, learned together, so it’s natural for her to seek me out. That’s all.”

Park Hyunmin took a sip of his drink, adjusting his glasses, he mused. “Acquaintances, huh?”

“Yes, acquaintances.” Minho affirmed.

They weren’t even friends.

Y/N’s father would be lying if he said he didn’t think of proposing for Lee Minho to get engaged with his daughter, especially when considering how Minho could be an asset in dealing with L Corporation. However, the conversation he had with Minho by the stairwell weighed heavily on his mind.

Besides, pursuing an engagement with Minho would mean entering into a deal with the second son of Chairman Lee, whose capabilities fell short in Park Hyunmin’s estimation. While both brothers had their strengths and weaknesses, and claimed there was no disparity between the sub families within the Lee line, Rose Enterprises’ grand project demanded the best, and the director was inclined towards the more competent option.

Everything had seemed to be going according to his plans, until it went awry somewhere along.

With Jae’s recent death and the sudden decision to delay announcing the broken engagement, Park Hyunmin’s ambitious “Rose Garden” project had to be put on hold.

Despite the circumstances, his daughter Y/N had to maintain the facade of being Jae’s fiancée, a role she reluctantly played for the time being. Other families offered condolences and sent gifts, but beneath the surface, they were all calculating the right moment to propose alliances for the hand of the sole heiress.

In the competitive world they inhabited, Y/N’s engagement had been seen as a significant social event, marking her availability for marriage. Now, as they awaited the appropriate period of mourning to pass, other families were poised to make their moves, eager to secure advantageous unions with the prestigious Park family.

Y/N scoffs at the gift that some no-name nobody had sent her in efforts to woo her. A token of sympathy adorned with pretty flowers and hollow offers of support. The messages always carried the same undertone “if you ever needed someone to talk to” they were always ready to listen.

It’s been six months since Jae died. Initially, it was all the news would talk about for weeks on end, trying to dig deeper, trying to come up with theories of how he died.

But then someone else in high society did something stupid and the media was all over that.

Y/N’s mother was another headache, who just couldn’t catch a hint. Surprisingly her nice mother hadn’t been corrupted, even after having lived in high society for over twenty-five years, but she was easily trusting. She was a simple woman really, who Park Hyunmin had met when he was still trying to make The Rose Enterprises bigger than it was. They had risen together, but that woman didn’t change.

However, Y/N found her mother’s continuous efforts to set her up with potential suitors exasperating. These men were often charming and polite in social settings, but Y/N saw through their facade, politeness merely a pretense to curry favor. But despite Y/N’s attempts to shut down these setups, her mother persisted in her well-meaning, but misguided approach.

“Isn’t Kim Seungmin the nice young man from the mall?” The mother read the gift card.

“Yeah, the one whose family owns the Star Mall chain.” She retorted dryly, clearly unimpressed by her mother’s matchmaking efforts.

The mother hesitated, then suggested, “What about giving it a chance? He seemed polite and well-mannered.”

“Really? Jae seemed like a good person too, until he attacked me in our own hotel parking lot.” Y/N countered sharply.

The mention of Jae’s actions visibly hardened her mother’s expression, acknowledging the truth in Y/N’s words even if reluctantly. It was truly a bad decision that her husband had made, blinded by ambition and the lies about Jae changing for the better.

There’s a knock on the glass door to her office, and a few seconds later Y/N’s father entered, brightening up at the sight of both ladies.

“Ah, what are you doing here?” He asks his wife.

“Trying to convince this one to meet someone for a blind date.”

Her father was used to her mother’s naivety, chuckling as he nodded and took a seat next to. His attention immediately drew to the colorful basket of flowers on the table. He picked up the card attached to it, glancing over its contents with curiosity.

“You know, having the Kim’s at our side isn’t a bad idea. They’re established and even have a few more small projects planned.” Her father begins to say, glancing up at her, cautiously.

“Just tell me if we’re already engaged. I seem to be the last one to find out about my own engagement anyway.” She muttered.

Her father glanced guiltily at her mother once before looking at her. His expression hardened.

“If you’re waiting in hopes that Lee Minho will suddenly take an interest in you, you can forget it.”

The mention of Minho’s name brought her attention automatically to look at her father. Brows narrowed.

“What do you mean?”

“That young man has a clear set of goals. And you aren’t one of them.” Her father’s words were stern, warning.

Y/N blinked back, taking in his words. She bit back, jaw tightening as she frowned angrily.

Just who did he think he was to reject her? She hadn’t even confessed.

As Minho sat in his office, engrossed in his work, the door suddenly swung open and his mother sauntered in, her gaze sweeping critically around the room.

“Love what you’ve done to the place. Very…minimalistic.” She remarked, her tone carrying a hint of judgment.

Minho stood up, setting aside his work with a slight frown.

“What brings you here?” He asked curtly, not eager to engage in an unnecessary conversation with her.

“That’s not of any importance to you.” She replied dismissively.

He couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic laugh, rolling his eyes in exasperation. It was clear she was here to babble nonsense, trying to get information or even a rise out of him.

“If you’re in the mood to waste someone’s time, I’m sure father is taking his lunch break.” He retorted, starting to walk back towards his desk.

“Y/N’s mother has been asking around for decent young men in our circle. Poor woman doesn’t realize we have no decent men in our society, bless her.” His mother continued casually, a smile playing on her lips.

She watched his stoic composure, leaning against his desk, unbothered, unsurprisingly.

“Does Y/N know anything about it?” She continued.

He turned to face his mother, his expression guarded. She was sharp and well-educated, yet she had a penchant for gossip like any other high-society woman.

“How would I know what Y/N is or isn’t aware of?” Minho replied coolly, sliding his hands into his pockets.

His mother shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, I assume you would, since you two are always together. Maybe she’d have mentioned it to you.”

“Y/N and I are not close.” Minho stated firmly, turning his attention back towards his desk, his fingers idly playing with the pens lined up.

“I have absolutely no interest in her or what she thinks. Her desperation keeps me entertained, that’s all. She’s of no importance to me.”

Just as he looked up, his expression suddenly fell, his eyes widening as they passed his mother and landed on the figure standing in the doorway.

There stood the woman who was of no importance to him.

───────────────────────

The memories of a first kiss are something that a person typically doesn’t forget. Whether it’s was a bad kiss, a fleeting peck, or a passionate embrace, the fluttering feeling in their hearts are etched into memory.

But for Y/N, her first kiss was with a complete stranger.

She dubbed him her “cross-chain kisser.” Amid the pulsing lights of the club, the only detail she could vividly recall was the silver cross pendant hanging from his neck.

Y/N had just turned nineteen, and her father had spared no expense in throwing a grand party at one of their hotels. It was his only daughter’s birthday after all. He always made a big deal out of her birthday, but this one was different. This was her first birthday back home.

Of course for a few hours of the evening she had to act prim and proper, dressed elegantly in a shiny dress to greet her father’s guests. They all wished her for her grand day, expensive gifts lining up that seemed more intended to impress her parents than please her. She forced a smile, something she still couldn’t get used to after spending the last seven years out of the country for her academics. She felt more like a show-piece standing in between her mother and father, smiling and absolutely tired from greeting all the unfamiliar faces that came up to her.

The Lee family arrived sometime into the party, each member eager to catch a glimpse of Y/N Park, the heiress to all of Park Hyunmin’s wealth. They showered her with the usual lines of compliments, praising her beauty and noting how she had matured into a proper young woman. That she would finally be able to help with the company and showcase her talent. They didn’t even know her well enough to know of her so-called talent.

She was bored, she was tired.

Until Lee Minho came forward, his father and mother in front of him, the older woman’s arm was linked around her husbands. Y/N’s gaze brightened up, smiling at the familiar face, dressed impeccably well in his black formal wear and not his school uniform. Y/N’s father was surprised to see Minho, unable to recall they even had a third son. Minho greeted the man, telling him he’ll make sure to leave an impression on him so he won’t forget next time. The birthday girl couldn’t help but smile at his remark, which had made both sets of parents break into a light chuckle.

A natural charmer, that one.

She saw the quick glance he gave her while their parents engaged in conversation. She waited for him to come forward, they hadn’t gotten a chance to meet after returning back from school. It had been weeks. Much too long for Y/N, who had gotten into a habit of bothering him for the past four years. But he didn’t come forward.

She frowned, refusing to give in and be the one to walk up to him. Y/N crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him and not hiding her displeasure. He looked in her direction, watching as she bites the inside of her cheek, her disappointed expression not leaving her face. With a sigh, Minho slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks before finally walking towards her. Y/N couldn’t help but smirk, her head tilting cockily, silently asserting her victory to the one-sided battle she was having. He didn’t really see what was so wrong in coming up to your greet your guests, but it was her birthday party after all, and he didn’t need her complaining. Especially if her complaints reached his parents’ ears, something he didn’t need right now.

Putting on his polite smile, the kind Y/N had learned to recognize after years of observation, Minho greeted her.

“Happy Birthday, Miss Park.” Minho’s tone dripped of formality.

The way he addressed her had irked the heiress, as if he was putting a distance between them, emphasizing to any onlookers that they were mere acquaintances.

“You clean up well.” She responded instead, her arms still crossed, eyes glancing over him.

He cleared his throat, muttering a low “hmm.”

“How do I look?” Y/N inquired, lifting one side of her dress slightly to show it off.

Minho watched the fabric shimmer under the bright lights before meeting her expectant gaze. Obvious, she wanted a compliment.

“Like a disco ball.” He coolly stated.

She rolled her eyes, expecting that sort of response from him. Instead she looked around, then stepped in closer. Her actions garner him to instinctively pull his head back stunned, watching her lean closer before glancing side-to-side, she starts speaking in a low tone.

“Some of the other kids and I are going clubbing later. They want to give me a big welcome back, join us.” Y/N whispered, smiling and nodding towards a group of young adults in their circle who were mingling at a nearby table.

“Have fun.” He said instead, making her blink back a little surprised.

Minho back in Australia would have said he’d be there if she pressed. He would have ultimately agreed to go together even.

Minho back in Australia wouldn’t have called her Miss Y/N.

He nodded politely and smiled, glancing briefly at his parents who had already moved on to socialize among the other wealthy guests. With a slight smirk, Minho took a few steps backward, his gaze and smile almost taunting her, before turning and walking away. As if he had won.

He did in fact not show up that night.

Y/N even wore a black dress, slit daringly higher than appropriate, but enough to tell everyone that she was an adult. A grown woman. But he didn’t show, like he had said.

She was upset.

More angry than upset really, not that she should have been because he had already declined the invite. His words were clear. But imagining his smug expression as he walked away earlier that evening, pissed her off even more.

The other kids kept offering shots. She downed them one after another, pretending to be a seasoned drinker while inwardly cringing at the burning sensation and bitter taste that threatened to overwhelm her, a taste she was not used to. She couldn’t let them see that, her brave face smirking confidently at every other shot and drink coming at her.

At some point in the night, Y/N found herself on the dance floor with someone’s arm around her waist, though she couldn’t quite distinguish whose it was. The dim lights and the haze of alcohol made faces blur together. It might have been Chunyang or Chaeyoung, she couldn’t remember and didn’t really care. Everyone was starting to look the same to her.

Y/N had never gotten drunk before, she didn’t know what being drunk felt like. But if the inability to stand still and the blurry vision were any indication, she was a little more than drunk. The guy and girl in front started making out on the dance floor, something Y/N almost looked at curiously.

Something she hadn’t gotten a chance of doing yet.

She was drunk, but her brain wracked. The kids here have so much more experience. They’d down alcohol like juice, kiss and dance like experts. The academy back in Australia was much more strict, she guessed.

Suddenly, Chunyang or Chaeyoung screamed something in her ear, which made Y/N flinch. It was something about throwing up, but she couldn’t quite grasp the details. She realized soon after that the group she had arrived with had dispersed throughout the nightclub. The couple that had been dancing and kissing intimately had moved to a different part of the floor, and the girl who had been dancing closely with Y/N had disappeared.

Squinting through the colored lights and the darkness of the dance floor, Y/N struggled to find any familiar faces. Eventually, she managed to squeeze her way off the dance floor and make her way to the bar. The bartender yelled something over the music, smiling as they handed her another birthday shot of whatever she had been downing all night.

Just as Y/N was about to bring the shot to her lips, another hand intercepted it, and he drank it without a word. Y/N watched his adams apple bob as he swallowed the drink, a silver chain glistened around his neck. Her eyes linger on the cross pendant hanging with a tinge of fascination. He almost slams the shot-glass down, bringing her back to reality.

A reality where he had drunk her birthday shot.

She frowned, her words slurred as she pointed at him.

Something along the lines of “why’d you drink my drink?”

He probably replied with “what are you gonna do about it?”

“You’ll pay for it.” She replied defiantly, brows furrowed in anger.

Y/N grabbed his collar firmly, pulling him close, their lips meeting in a sudden and unexpected kiss. In the haze of alcohol and emotions, she couldn’t recall the exact details of the kiss.

Did she perhaps lick his lips in a stupid attempt to reclaim her drink?

The thought made her cringe inwardly for weeks afterwards.

Or maybe it was a subconscious response to witnessing the couple on the dance floor earlier, a display of intimacy that had sparked something in her?

It was her first kiss, and her drunk mind thought kissing a stranger was a good idea!?

Another thought lingered, one that she still thought about from time to time.

Did he kiss her back?

Y/N woke up disoriented in the back of her car, immediately hit by the unpleasant sight and smell of vomit on one side of the seat. It made her gag involuntarily. Hastily fumbling with the door, she stumbled out, clutching her pounding skull in pain. Groaning loudly, she leaned against the car, trying to gather herself. The bright lights of The Rose hotel parking lot only made her headache worse.

Bits and pieces of the previous hours flashed through her mind, but the majority of it was a blur.

She was sure a designated driver service was called, dropping off what’s-her-face as well. But beyond that, the details were fuzzy. The irony of being at one of her family’s hotel did not escape her, but she was too busy staring mortified as she suddenly recalled something.

Embarrassment flooded over her as she tried to piece together the events, particularly the memory of kissing someone. Her fingers instinctively touched her lips, the sensation vivid against her fingertips. She blinked, wondering if she had truly been bold enough to act on impulse like that. Her heart beat rapidly.

A persistent thought in her mind whispered.

Call him.

Y/N didn’t even need to second guess her thoughts, she turned back to open the door, immediately backing away because of the vomit stench. She really had to do something about that. Clasping her nostrils with one hand, the other searched the back seat for her cellphone. Body half in, half out, she managed to fish it out from underneath the seat.

Her eyes hovered at his contact. It was 3:56 AM. She must be crazy. But the badgering thoughts in her mind made her heart beat faster at each passing second.

It rang, and she stood straight, foot tapping anxiously. By the sixth ring she was about to hang up, but the click on the other side made her freeze.

“Hello?”

His voice sounded groggy, as if he’d just woken him up.

“If you’re not gonna talk I’ll hang up.”

“No wait!” She shouted immediately.

“What do you want?” He muttered.

She bit her lip, nerves and a strange tingle of memory swirling within her.

“Did you come to the club?” She asked.

There was a pause on the other end, prolonging her anxiety.

“Do I look like the type of person to go drinking and dancing at a club?” He retorted.

She hated when he counter questioned her as a response, frustration bubbled within her.

�� “Hey! Did you show up or not?!” She snapped, her patience wearing thin.

“I didn’t.” He calmly responded.

Silence fell between them, Y/N sank back against her car, absorbing the revelation.

“Did I kiss you?” Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with uncertainty.

“You must’ve had a really wild night to call someone who wasn’t there at four in the morning to ask what happened.” He remarked dryly.

“Go back to sleep, jackass.” She shot back sharply, ending the call almost immediately.

Minho sat on the edge of his bed, still dressed in outside clothes, the cross necklace dangling around his neck.

He set his phone down on the nightstand and rubbed his face with both hands, letting out a weary sigh. Hearing Y/N’s voice had brought him a sense of relief, despite the chaotic night they both had.

She seemed oblivious to what had transpired, and Minho was grateful for that.

He didn’t want her to remember.

And he would continue to deny it. He didn’t want to get entangled with her, despite his unspoken desires. Minho didn’t want to be in a mess created by her.

But he always ended up in Y/N’s messes.

As he sat there in the dim of his bedroom, thoughts circled back to that fleeting moment under the colorful lights, one that he couldn’t easily shake off. Even if he decided he would deny it ever happening. He brought his fingers to his mouth, the phantom feeling of her warm lips against his left a tingling sensation.

Did she know he kissed her back?

───────────────────────

“I have absolutely no interest in her or what she thinks. Her desperation keeps me entertained, that’s all. She’s of no importance to me.” Minho’s words were cold.

Y/N stared at him, her hurt clearly visible. She had overheard his cruel words, which he had thought were shared in private, just between him and his mother.

The carelessness of his remark, her sudden appearance, and his fleeting remorse hung in the air.

Minho caught his mother’s glance from the corner of his eye and swiftly masked his regret, but Y/N saw the shift in his expression. His face hardening in the midst of the whirlwind of her emotions.

She looked at the older woman, who offered an awkward smile, clearly trying to pretend they hadn’t just been discussing her.

“Y/N, dear! What brings you here?” Minho’s mother greeted warmly, her arms outstretched in a practiced show of affection.

Y/N glanced between Minho and the suddenly quiet room, then focused on his mother.

“I was in the area and thought I’d share some news before you heard it from someone else.” She avoided Minho’s gaze, offering a polite smile to his mother instead.

“I’m going to New York for some time.”

Minho’s expression remained unreadable and Y/N didn’t care to decipher it this time.

His mother looked taken aback.

“Really? Why—I mean, so suddenly?”

Y/N smiled softly and touched the mother’s hand that rested on her shoulder.

“I just made the decision.” She attempted to keep her smiling composure.

His mother raised a brow.

“My father and I believe I need more exposure to learn how The Rose Enterprises work. I’m going to be in charge of it one day after all.” Y/N’s forced smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, masking the tears she had been holding back.

The older woman nodded in understanding, but the tension between Y/N and Minho was heavy. She looked back at Minho, who neither smiled nor frowned. His usual stoic demeanor made her roll her eyes, expecting nothing else. The mother turned back to the young lady close to her with a grin.

“Would you like to join me for lunch? It’s about time everyone steps out for their lunch break.” She glanced at her watch and then back at Y/N.

“You go ahead. I have a lot of preparations to make.” Y/N said, clearly intending to speak with Minho alone.

His mother nodded and, though she didn’t look back at Minho, she had caught on. She gave a final smile as she left, clearly amused by the situation.

The door closed behind her, and the room fell into a heavy silence. Minho and Y/N stood a few feet apart, but the distance between them felt far greater all of a sudden.

“I…” Y/N broke the silence, and Minho realized he had been holding his breath.

“I ran here to ask you something.” She said, meeting his gaze with a mixture of confusion and pain.

The forced smile she had worn earlier was gone, replaced by the hurt she had felt from his harsh words.

“My dad asked if I wanted to get married and take charge of his grand project, or go to New York and put his dream on hold.”

Minho’s expression hardened. He already knew what she had chosen.

“I thought, ‘Why marry some other jackass when I already have my eyes set on one?’” Y/N laughed bitterly at her delusions, struggling to hold back her tears.

“I’m not sure why I came here, really. I thought maybe you’d tell me not to go or you’d find some solution. You’ve always been good at that… But of course, I’ll never hear that from you. I forgot for a moment.” She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, they began to fall freely.

Her words pierced him deeply, yet he struggled to find the right response, staring at her with an intensity he had never shown anyone before.

“I’m glad you were entertained, Lee Minho. I’m glad that I got to hear what you really thought of me.” Her face contorted.

“My father was right. You have clear goals, and I’m not one of them.”

“Y/N—” Minho began, his voice just a faltering whisper.

“I knew you didn’t like me clinging to you. I know my behavior makes you uncomfortable sometimes. I’m even aware that I can be overbearing—But I didn’t know you hated me.” She finally broke down in a sob.

Minho felt his face flush with heat and his throat tighten painfully as Y/N’s words cut through him. Before he could gather himself, Y/N continued with words that made him stare in shock.

“Maybe I should accept what my dad had proposed, maybe I’ll marry that stupid Kim Seungmin.” She declared, her tone resolute.

His figure stiffened at her proclamation, eyes glistening with shock.

“Or I can just go to New York, away from you. Either way, you can rejoice. You won’t have to worry about how you can avoid me.” She muttered, her mind coming to her own unknown conclusion, expression hardening.

Y/N took a deep breath, wiping the tears from her chin with the back of her hand.

“I’ll hate you like you hate me.” She spat bitterly, turning away to leave.

Minho’s hand instinctively reached out to stop her, but he hesitated, paralyzed by his own conflicting emotions.

Like a coward.

The door closes behind her with a soft click.

Outside, the desks of Minho’s team, now deserted for lunch, mocked Y/N with their vacancy. The absence of witnesses should have been a relief, shielding her from the embarrassment of leaving Minho’s office in tears. Yet, she couldn’t shake the overwhelming sense of being so alone.

Her mind was in a frenzy, her walk to the elevator felt longer than it usually took, the silence of the halls was deafening.

How could she forget about Lee Minho?

It was a question that gnawed at her, as she struggled to comprehend when and how she had even fallen so deeply for him.

The realization cut deep.

Y/N couldn’t move on. Unable to fathom marrying anyone else while her heart still yearned for him.

Her eyes welled up again at the thought of Minho hating her. It was obvious yet she had always ignored it. She thought even if he didn’t like her like she did him, he would’ve at least gotten used to her constantly at his side.

So used to her, that he wouldn’t be able to see a life without her in his sights.

Pathetic.

The elevator’s ding shattered Y/N’s thoughts, abruptly pulling her back to the present moment. She looked up, hastily wiping away the traces of tears from her cheeks, suddenly aware that there might be others sharing the lift with her. But as the doors slid open to reveal an empty interior, a wave of emotion overwhelmed her.

Her lips quivered involuntarily, betraying the facade she struggled to maintain. There was no hiding her heartache now, no reason to pretend she was anything but defeated. With a heavy sigh, Y/N stepped inside the elevator, shoulders slumped with the weight of everything that just happened.

You’ll be happy right, Lee Minho?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ to be continued.

── ask to be tagged! - @minh0scat, @qwonyoung23

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