"What do you want me to do?"

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, Ms. Song. I don't want you to do anything. I just want you to understand that Jimin cares deeply for you. I'm aware that he's with me, but he still holds a special place in his heart for you. I've heard about your predicament. He gave up an important project to prevent Taemin from spreading your photos. He's willing to go to great lengths for you. The question is, what about you? Would you do anything for him?"

Her question struck Y/N deeply, causing her to reflect on her own feelings and actions.

"Ms. Song, if you don't want Jimin, there are plenty of women eager to have him. Including me..."

Y/N narrowed her eyes. "Are you suggesting that I should be with Jimin?"

Lisa blinked. "Am I? If that's how you interpret it, you're mistaken. Jimin is deserving of love and admiration from any woman. How could I ever leave him for you?" She smiled.

Y/N fell silent, gazing out of the window, deep in thought.

"I hope this is the last time Jimin goes to such lengths for you. It's endangering everything he has worked so hard to build, including the company," Lisa continued. "If you're uncertain about how to love a man, then just allow me, Lalisa, to love him."

Y/N's heart tightened, her breath quickening.

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention," Lisa said casually. "I'll be getting engaged soon. You could consider it our official engagement."

Lisa couldn't help but notice Y/N's previously darkened expression grew even gloomier. Y/N's hands tightened together, and Lisa continued to observe her reaction in silence as she drove.

They finally arrived at the Song residence, and Y/N thanked Lisa before getting out of the car. As Lisa prepared to drive away, Jimin called her. "What's going on? How did you know I was taking Y/N home?" Lisa rolled her eyes.

"What did you tell her?" Jimin asked.

"Nothing much. Just mentioned that I'll be getting engaged soon," Lisa replied innocently.

"Lalisa!" Jimin said with exasperation, placing his fingers on his forehead.

"What's the big deal? I didn't lie to her. I'm helping you out here."

"You can't just drop something like that on her..."

"Do you know about ostriches? When they're hurt, they bury their heads in the sand. Y/N is a bit like that," Lisa chuckled. "You can thank me later."

Jimin sighed, feeling torn about whether he should trust Lisa's handling of the situation or not. As for Y/N, he remained unsure about what to do. Perhaps Lisa's approach could help him in some way.

After hanging up, Jimin went to Joon Min's room. He gazed at his son, peacefully asleep in his bed. Joon Min's progress had been remarkable since being with Y/N; he rarely threw tantrums anymore.

Jimin's thoughts couldn't help but drift back to Y/N. He couldn't shake the fear that she might not want to hold his hand, that he wasn't important enough to her, and that's why she kept pushing him away.

This time, he resolved to let her take the initiative. He wanted to see her come to him and reach out for his hand.

-

Taemin had given Jimin a mere two days to complete their agreement. It was an incredibly short timeframe, but it would have to suffice. Taehyung managed to locate Yoongi, realizing that everyone had a weakness, and in Yoongi's case, it was his little sister.

Upon hearing the news from Taehyung, Yoongi willingly sought out Jimin. He believed he had made the right choice in not taking Y/N to the hotel, opting instead to bring her to his house. There, he had not touched her, only taking pictures to deceive Taemin. Now, he was prepared to tell Jimin the truth in exchange for the safety of his little sister.

"Mr. Park, where is my sister?" Yoongi inquired, his voice quivering with anxiety.

Jimin maintained his piercing gaze, motioning for Yoongi to sit. "For now, she's safe. But understand this, if you don't cooperate, I can't guarantee her safety. I'd rather not harm a child, but when it comes to Y/N, I'm prepared to do whatever it takes. So, I hope you're willing to cooperate."

Yoongi nodded fervently. "I understand, Mr. Park. Please, don't harm my little sister. I'm ready to cooperate." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I also have something important to tell you."

Jimin's eyes bore into Yoongi's with a mix of suspicion and anticipation. "What is it?" he asked tersely.

Yoongi cleared his throat. "Nothing happened to Y/N that night," he began, his voice trembling, "she was just being photographed..."

Jimin's expression grew deadly serious. "Continue."

Nodding, Yoongi continued, "That night, President Lee drugged Y/N and ordered me to take her to a hotel where several men were waiting for her. I understand the implications of what he intended to do, but at the last moment, I decided to take her to my house instead. I didn't touch her; all I did was take two photos of her. When she woke up, she was naked, so she believed..."

Jimin abruptly put his cigarette away. "Do you have any evidence to support this?"

"Yes."

Yoongi came prepared and handed Jimin a CD. "Mr. Park, I recorded everything that night. You can verify the time of recording if you suspect any tampering. I also have the original video on my laptop in case you want to view it. I did this as a precaution in case things took a turn for the worse. With my sister's life at stake, I couldn't take any chances."

He took a breath before adding, "Despite the compromising photos, there was no assault on Y/N. This serves as evidence of her innocence."

Jimin played the CD on his laptop and meticulously checked the file's date and time. He then watched the video, which confirmed Yoongi's account – he had merely undressed Y/N and took pictures, ensuring she was covered afterward.

Yoongi was anxious to gain Jimin's trust and further explained, "When President Lee arrived, I pretended to be interested in Ms. Song to divert his attention..."

As Yoongi spoke, he noticed Jimin's intense gaze fixed on him. "So, you looked at Y/N's body."

Fearing Jimin's reaction, Yoongi attempted to clarify, "Mr. Park, I had no choice. If I hadn't done it, she would..."

Jimin interrupted, "Had you not disclosed this information, you should understand that I wouldn't have let you go. But I'm grateful that you made this choice." Jimin acknowledged the dire circumstances that had driven Yoongi's actions.

At that moment, Yoongi hadn't had the heart to harm Y/N, especially after what had been done to her son. But his primary motivation was to secure an escape route in case Jimin won their dangerous game. He hadn't expected it to turn out this way, where his choice might save his little sister from harm.

"Yes, Mr. Park, I understand," Yoongi replied tentatively. "That's everything I needed to tell you. Nothing happened to Ms. Song. So, will you let my sister go?" Yoongi carefully phrased his question, fearing that he might inadvertently provoke Jimin's anger.

"No need to be worried," Jimin reassured him. "I just need those photos. Do you know where he keeps them? Find and delete them, and I'll release your sister afterward." Jimin allowed Yoongi a moment to contemplate this proposition.

"That time, he had the photos saved on a USB drive. He forgot about it when everyone thought you were dead, but then he found the USB and sent a copy to the reporter you caught. I don't think he has another copy anywhere else," Yoongi explained.

Jimin leaned forward, asking, "Can you find that USB?"

Yoongi hesitated, his loyalty to Taemin warring with his concern for his sister's safety. "I'm sorry, Mr. Park. I'm still President Lee's employee. I took the initiative to help Y/N that night to prepare a way out. I don't really want to betray him. If I give you the USB to delete the photos, then Taemin will come after me."

His hesitation was rooted in the knowledge of Taemin's capabilities, gained from being his assistant for so many years.

"So you choose your loyalty to him over your little sister's life?" Jimin questioned, his tone heavy with disappointment.

Yoongi's face dropped. "If I give you the USB and you let my sister go, President Lee would come and find us. Then it would be over for us too."

Yoongi knew that every choice on the table would only bring disaster.

Taehyung, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly went to Jimin. "President Park, I have a way."

Jimin stared at him. "Tell me."

Taehyung whispered his plan to Jimin. After all, the photos were on Taemin's USB. How could he let go of destroying that?

Jimin looked at Yoongi. "Is the USB in the office?"

"Should be," Yoongi replied. He knew Taemin only kept important things at his house and stored other items in his office.

Yoongi panicked, not knowing what these two people were planning. "Mr. Park..."

"I won't make things hard for you because you helped Y/N," Jimin assured him.

Yoongi breathed a sigh of relief. "Then my little sister?"

"Don't worry, I will do everything as I promised. As long as you delete the photos, I will let your sister go."

Jimin was known for keeping his promises, and this assurance provided some comfort to Yoongi amidst the chaos of the situation.

After his meeting with Jimin, Taehyung sensed there would be a significant problem ahead. He contemplated leaving Seoul, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Taemin might already be suspicious of him.

Jimin took the CD and got into his car. Taehyung watched Jimin through the rear-view mirror. "Are you going to see Y/N now?"

After learning about this, shouldn't he inform Y/N? But it appeared Jimin had a different plan in mind. He held onto the CD tightly. "Even with this CD, would Y/N still let go of my hand?"

Taehyung was left without words, realizing that Jimin had something else up his sleeve.

Jimin believed that Y/N needed to break free from her pattern of emotional retreat. Whenever she faced emotional turmoil or hurt, she had a tendency to push Jimin away, creating a barrier between them. Jimin yearned for Y/N to open up to him, to share the pain and vulnerabilities hidden within her heart. He wanted to offer her his love, his protection, and make her recognize his irreplaceable place in her life. Jimin's intentions went beyond the immediate problem at hand; they were centered on building a deeper connection with Y/N, one that could withstand the challenges they faced together.

-

Taemin's shock and paranoia grew as he received the call from his employee and witnessed the news of the fire in his company's top two floors. This incident felt far from coincidental to him. It was as if Jimin had orchestrated this event, possibly to destroy the USB containing Y/N's compromising photos.

The fire, despite being contained by the firefighters, had caused significant damage and raised many questions. Taemin couldn't help but wonder if Jimin had the resources and intent to carry out such an act, especially after learning about the photos. This incident intensified the already dangerous game between the two, and Taemin was left grappling with a newfound sense of vulnerability.

Jimin must have assumed the photos were in Taemin's office, leading him to set the entire floor ablaze. Taemin's face grew cold, and in a fit of rage, he hurled his glass at the TV, screaming in frustration.

He had stored the photos on the USB in his office and didn't have any other copies. The photos on his phone were deleted by Jimin when he snatched it from him. Was everything over now? Taemin felt trapped, unsure of what to do next. His leverage over Jimin was gone, and he had no means to threaten him or regain control of the project.

Taemin had underestimated Jimin's determination and resourcefulness. He was now left to ponder his next move, with his once-solid footing in this dangerous game now crumbling beneath him.

Taemin, growing increasingly anxious, called Yoongi in a hurry, hoping he might still have the photos. But Yoongi informed him that he had indeed deleted them. Taemin stayed silent for a moment, feigning calmness.

He questioned Yoongi, "How could you not have them? How did Jimin know I stored the photos in my office? He wouldn't have dared to provoke me if he wasn't certain they were there. Don't you find this strange?"

Yoongi, aware that Taemin was doubting him, kept his composure. "Maybe Jimin couldn't think of any other way. He tends to lose his rationality when it comes to Y/N. It's not that unusual."

"Is it, though?" Taemin's suspicion lingered, but Yoongi couldn't discern whether he believed him or not. "President Lee, Jimin just keeps making mistakes..."

Taemin abruptly ended the call, not wanting to hear any more. He reclined on his pillow, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. He instructed his people to inform Jimin that he wanted to meet with him.

When Jimin received the call, he didn't show surprise. He calmly drove to the hospital. Upon his arrival, he found people tidying up Taemin's room, which was in disarray due to his earlier outburst of rage.

Jimin greeted him with a smile, asking, "Why so angry?"

Taemin responded with a smirk, his eyes boring into Jimin. "You can keep pretending, Park Jimin. You know exactly what you're doing. It seems I underestimated you. You even set my office on fire. So, did you find the photos before you burned my office?"

Jimin remained silent, his intentions unclear.

Taemin sneered with his cold expression. "What's the point of finding it? You think I saved them on my computer?"

Jimin calmly folded his hands, still maintaining his silence. Taemin continued, "Do you think it will be over just by burning my office..."

But Jimin interrupted him. "Then what do you want?"

Taemin chuckled, his tone cold. "Park Jimin, are you testing my limits? Okay, this time you've succeeded in provoking me. I won't delete the photos just by handing over that project to me. You need to pay for burning my office..."

"Do you still have Y/N's photos?" Jimin inquired, his tone steady.

Taemin responded with a smile, "What do you think?"

Jimin remained calm. "Then show me. If you can show me, then I will do anything you want."

Taemin's face immediately darkened. He didn't have any backup; where could he find Y/N's photos now?

Jimin approached Taemin, his voice unwavering. "Taemin, this time is still my victory. You said you want to play, so let's play. I want to see your ending, so prepare yourself for another defeat because, from now on, I will win every game."

With that, Jimin smiled and left the room, leaving Taemin to contemplate his next moves.

Their ongoing battle was a testament to their well-matched strength. Taemin wielded the power of the Park company, while Jimin had the backing of Manobal International Inc. The outcome of this high-stakes conflict remained a mystery, shrouded in uncertainty.

-

A/N: Hi, how are you liking the story? I noticed that some of you can't stand either Jimin or Y/N, but there are a lot of things coming so prepare yourself.

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My favorite face 🫶🏻

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