Insight into the chapter

"You found a secret doorway in his room... What could be behind that door?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked through the hidden doorway and as I peered inside, my jaw went slack.

"OH MY GOD!"

My heart skipped a beat when I heard your voice behind me.

"Piccola!"

"You have a hidden room?! Do you sit in there with a bunch of nerds pretending to be an elf? Or... this must be hidden sex dungeon for sure. Is it?"

You chuckled nervously as you moved in closer, giving a quick kiss on my lips. As you pulled back, I noticed a slight tinge of red on your cheeks. When you tried to speak, words momentarily failed you.

"You would like it if that was a hidden sex dungeon, wouldn't you? Sorry to disappoint, but this room is for slightly... nerdier purpose. I guess since you got to know about it... Let me show you what this actually is."

Taking my hand, you led me into the neon-bathed room, revealing a gaming room the likes of which I have never seen.

Neon accent lights adorned the walls, and I caught the sight of a massive desktop computer and its built-in lights. The desk was festooned with multiple monitors and sleek accessories.

That must have not cost a small fortune.

You chuckled as you noticed my eyes were drawn to the neon glow of your computer.

"You ah... like the computer, Piccola? I built it myself."

"It's... amazing!"

"Hang on... you really like it?"

"Of course, Jungkook! I am actually a huge game nerd. This sort of thing is my jam."

You raised your eyebrows in surprise and a smile formed on your face.

"Eun Jeong... a huge game nerd?! You really are full of surprises."

"So... what can it run?"

"Just about anything. I have played Swords of Arcaina 3 at ultra-high settings without dropping the framerate. RPGs aren't my go-to games though. I mostly play online competitive stuff."

"I have always heard that Swords of Arcaina is a CPU burner. It's insane that you can run it on ultra-high resolution."

I would have never expected something like this from him. This setup is just too cool. And nothing that I could ever imagine the heir of a mafia family empire would have hidden away in his room.

"What do you typically play?" you asked.

"Well, on my console I play shooters. Always shooters."

"That's my favorite too!"

"Really! It's such a good stress reliever. After a long day, I just crash on the couch and maybe have to hit of gun toting power fantasy."

You laughed as you walked to a couch pushed back against the far wall and collapsed down on it. You reclined back, one leg jauntily stretched out over the armrest.

Okay, but even when he looks like some kind of lazy, boyish goofball, he is still really hot. 

I sat down beside you, careful not to wrinkle my dress. You leaned in close, the neon danced playfully in your eyes.

"Okay, so... Since you like video games too... How would you feel about a little friendly competition? We could pull the couch up to the monitor and I have some controllers here. You know, just play games and unwind... together."

Your eyes glanced towards the monitors quickly, then back to me. Your grin was infectious, and I found my heartbeat hastened with your excitement.

This could actually be really fun. Just two of us spending time together like normal people. No gangsters, no ulterior motives. I feel like I never get to just bond with someone over the same interests that I have. And I really would love to spend more time with Jungkook.

"Let's do it. Fire up those controllers and let's play."

You eagerly pulled the couch closer to the monitors and started hooking up the controllers to the PC.

"I was so hoping you would say yes!" you exclaimed in happiness. "Would a quick PvP round of Run & Gun be okay?" you asked.

"Sounds good. I am familiar with it."

After a moment of setting up, you handed me a controller and we both plopped down onto the couch with our bodies pressed tightly together.

"I hope you are a graceful loser, Eun Jeong."

"I don't know about that. You see, I don't typically lose."

After navigating through the screens, you set up a PvP map and moved to the character loadout screen. My avatar popped up, ready for customization.

Oh yeah, everyone picks a starting bonus. Forgot about that. Alright... let's give me an edge with a speed power up.

As you selected the damage power-up, you raised an eyebrow at my selection.

"A speed power up? You think you can outrun bullets, Piccola?"

"I don't need to outrun bullets. I just need to outrun your abilities to aim."

"Right... Let's just get this match started, Eun Jeong!"

The game flashed the loading screen, then suddenly, my avatar dropped onto a map of a tropical island, a countdown timer was running in the corner.

Within seconds, our avatars were shooting at one another across the map, moving to different positions. While running from your avatar, I spotted a chest in a small cave.

"Ooh, a loot chest. Perfect! I will just grab the master blaster 3000 laser rifle!"

"Oh shoot!"

Suddenly, the tables turned as your avatar flee, the rapid-fire shots of my laser rifle burning through your armor and making you escape to regenerate health.

"Ha! Got you!" I celebrated.

"Oh, don't you worry. The game isn't over yet, Piccola."

Several minutes of our cat-and-mouse game pass with me and you taking potshots of each other around the map. However, neither of us were able to take down the other.

"Come on... Come on," you yelled.

He is really in it to win it. I don't really give a damn about this game, but spending this time with Jungkook has been incredible. Maybe if he wins well... maybe we could do this again sometime. Time is running out. I guess I will just let him win.

The countdown timer ticked closer to zero, and both avatars flited in and out of cover, firing their weapons at each other. I snuck a glance at you, who was biting his lip in concentration.

"What is the matter? Am I making you nervous, Jungkook?"

"Nope... I have got you right where I want you."

Another peek at the timer and ten seconds remains.

Okay, Jungkook. Let's finish this thing.

My aim went wide, missing your avatar entirely as I popped out of cover. Using the misfiring, you landed a few solid hits, downing my character. A 'Game Over' banner flashed.

"Your aim was a little off, Piccola. Looks like I won."

"Shoot! You beat me fair and square. I guess I..." As I tried to speak, my words were interrupted by a wide yawn.

"Getting sleepy, Piccola? Come here."

Setting the controllers aside, you wrapped your arms around me, pulling me into a warm embrace.

"This is nice."

"Agreed. I hope you are not too upset about losing."

"I don't know. I could actually use a little bit of consoling. Maybe you can console me by... a kiss."

Chuckling slightly, you pressed your face between my head and shoulder, planting slow, warm kisses on my neck.

"I am just so sleepy..."

Nestling against your chest, my eyes grew heavy, and the scent of your body slowly lulled me to sleep.

The next morning, I gently woke up from slumber as sunlight filtered into your gaming room. You stirred next to me with your arms still wrapped around me.

You smiled sleepily. "Good morning, Piccola. Did you have fun last night?"

"I had an amazing time."

"I also had a great time. You know, Eun Jeong. Thanks for staying here with me last night and hanging out. I haven't---" you stopped yourself, as if measuring your words. A sad faraway look crossed your eyes. "Nobody has played games with me like this since my Mumma died. Sofia never liked them."

His mother? That's right, he said Ji Woo was his stepmother. I just assumed divorce.

"I remember being really little. Mumma got me one of those old game consoles. You know the one with the faux-wood paneling on it? We used to play Space Raider together.

"What was her name?"

You closed your eyes, head hanging lower. "Her name was Jina... Jina Jeon."

"How long has she been gone? What happened to her?"

"A car accident... She..." you trailed off, then caught yourself, straightened up a bit and tried to ease the sadness from your features. "I am sorry, Eun Jeong. I would really rather not discuss this any further."

"Sure... sure. It's okay if you ever want to confide in me. You know that, right?"

"Yeah."

A moment of silence between us pressed.

"I have some work to attend to. Perhaps you should head back to your room and get ready for the day. Let's meet up later for the gala?"

"Yes, that sounds perfect."

You escorted me to your bedroom door and gave me a quick peck on the cheek as you left. After a short walk, I arrived at my room.

Once I was in my room, I took a quick shower and dressed myself. My thoughts drifted as I finished applying my makeup and put on some jewelry.

Okay, so I will probably have most of the day to myself. This is good. Maybe I can walk around the house and get some good recon in. Even better, nothing is happening right now, so if someone catches me, I have plausible deniability. Just have to be the 'poor dumb girl who got lost'. Idiot bodyguards always fall for it.

As I finished prepping up, there was a sharp knock at the door.

"Come in!"

The door opened and John entered with a small trolley holding covered dishes and several kettles.

"Good morning, Miss Park. Might I interest you in some tea and a light breakfast?"

"That sounds wonderful. Yes, please."

John pours the tea, and prepared a plate of some fresh fruits, biscotti, and a slice of Ciambella. After assembling everything, he gently hands the plate, cup and a saucer to me.

"All this looks so good. So tell me, John, do you like working here?"

John seemed momentarily taken aback by the question, then paused to think.

"Well, I do quite like working here. I would hope so after being Don Chan Yeol's employee for nearly thirty years. In truth, the best part of me has been watching Master Jungkook and Miss Yu Jun grow up. Don Chan Yeol has high expectation of... of his children. And it has been a privilege for me to watch them grow into intelligent and curious adults."

I could tell that John really love Jungkook, but he almost seems... fatherly? I guess? I suppose when you are a mobster's butler you can't stick your neck out too far though. Years of lectures and berating over dinner, that must have been hard to watch from the sidelines.

"Thank you for the food and the tea, John. I don't want to keep you from your work."

"Of course, Miss Park. Please let me know if you require anything else, anything at all."

I have got to hand it to John, he is an excellent secret keeper. He knows way more than he is telling, but it's a start, I guess.

Taking a short, stiff bow, John left my bedroom with the trolley. As he left, Yu Jun excitedly bebops into my room before the door had a chance to close.

I swear to god... my room is busier than Union Station, and not in a fun way.

"Good morning, Eun Jeong!"

"Hi! Aren't you in pretty good spirits today?!"

"It's just a beautiful day today!"

Well, she is just a god damn ray of sunshine. Does Jungkook ever get like this?

"Actually, I came by to see if you would want to go shopping with me today. I need a dress for the gala tonight, and I was hoping you would come with me. I haven't really had a girls' day out since I have started college and I really don't want to go out alone."

"You want to go out on the town with me? Are you sure you want to go out with a boring adult like me?"

"My brother does not gravitate towards boring people. He has good taste. And I bet you have got hella fashion sense."

I am not sure how much Yu Jun knows about her family's business, but this could be a golden opportunity to gather more information... And maybe learn a little more about Jungkook too.

"Okay, Yu Jun. I am in."

"Yay! Get whatever you need and let's go!"

I quickly grabbed my purse and a few other things, then followed Yu Jun down the hallway and a flight of stairs to a motor pool. Before I knew it, I was being chauffeured to the Oak Street District.

I settled into my seat as the building rushed by. Yu Jun puts some music on over the speakers, and out of the corner of my eye I caught her beaming at me.

"Is everything okay, Yu Jun?"

"Sorry, was I staring? It's just... that you seem really great, and just like, an amazing match for my brother."

Is she kidding with me? Is she trying to charm me or something?

"Well, that is really sweet of you to say. So, a question for you: I know I am going as Jungkook's date for the gala tonight. Will there be anyone there for you? Maybe some friends?"

"Well... no... not really. I will be honest; I don't exactly have too many friends. And I definitely don't have a boyfriend."

Huh? I am not sure what I expected from her, but it definitely wasn't that.

"Really? You look like someone who would be friends with everyone!"

As I said that, Yu Jun shrugged sadly and looked out the window.

"Making friends isn't the problem. It's keeping them that's the issue. Dad never lets me hang out with people or have friends over. Everything is always 'kept in the family'. I love my family, but I want something outside of that, you know. But at least it's nice that I get to go out with my brother's girlfriend and just do something normal."

Damn, kid. If you are looking for normal, you came to the wrong woman. If I had not been trained to kill, would I have turned out like Yu Jun? Alone and sad? I feel like I interact with people better than she does but then again... am I actually being normal, or am I just going through the motions hiding in plain sight until I have to kill again?

"We are going to have a good time, Yu Jun. I promise you that."

My reassuring words coaxed a bashful smile from Yu Jun, brightening up her face. Her eyes caught the star pendant around my neck.

"I like your necklace."

"Thank you. It was a gift from my dad."

Yu Jun took a flower petal brooch from the pocket of her romper with a wide smile on her face.

"This belongs to my mom. When she died, John convinced Dad to give it to me."

A little outside the scope of your job, isn't it, John?

"Why don't you wear it then?"

"I like to hold it in my hands. Besides, I don't want to lose it. That's the only thing I have from mom."

"Do you remember your mom? Jungkook mentioned her, but he did not say much."

"She was the kindest person ever. She always had a hug for everyone. Dad was always really tough on her though. I remember seeing him shouting at her about different things. I didn't and still don't understand why he would criticize every little thing she did."

Yu Jun looked down at the brooch, nervously plays with the pin and traces the edge of the flower petal shape.

"Still... I am glad we were able to save this piece of Mom. Would you like to see it?"

"Sure!"

Yu Jun fumbled with the pin on the back of the brooch and then suddenly the car hits a bump in the road, causing Yu Jun's arms to jolt.

"Shoot!"

The force of the bump and Yu Jun's shifting grasp broke the pin on the brooch, sending it tumbling to the floor and the piece of the pin disappears beneath the car seat.

"No, no, no, no!"

She picked up the brooch, turned it over in her hands, and looked it over. The pin was completely missing.

"Shoot, it's broken! What am I going to do?" she cried.

"Let me fix that for you."

She cautiously hands the brooch to me, her big doe eyes, just like yours, were looking at me with hope.

I went through my purse and realized that there was a small piece of wire from an old lockpicking kit stowed away in it.

Assassin Rule Number 1: Always come prepared.

Working carefully, I thread the wire through the spot where the pin had been, gently bent it into a loop on one end. I tested it with the latching mechanism and found that it clasped again.

"That... that was amazing, En Jeong! How did you do that?"

"Well... I am pretty good with hands."

"No kidding! I would have spent all week trying to do what you did in seconds! Thank you for having the magic touch, Eun Jeong. I am so glad you were able to fix it. You might just be the nicest person I know."

I really wish that was true, Yu Jun.

I handed the brooch back to Yu Jun, who turned it over in her hands before gingerly clasping it back onto the front of her romper.

"So... My brother..."

"What about him?"

"Well... How much do you actually know about him? Because I know what he is like. Sometimes it's just like talking to a brick wall."

"What are you getting at?"

Yu Jun giggled and reclined back in her seat. A conspiratorial grin appeared on her face.

"Well, now that we are friends and all... I can give you all the juicy details. Especially the embarrassing stuff."

"Yu Jun, tell me ALL of Jungkook's little secrets."

Yu Jun immediately sat up in her seat, eager to share details.

"Well, where do I start? Let's see... Okay, so Jungkook loves eating... I mean, he just loves. There is nothing he doesn't like. But if he liked something very much and don't want to spend more money, he will try to distract the person next him and take a big bite from his/her food and will act as if he did nothing. And he is so good at acting that the other person doesn't even notice that his/her food is now half of what it was before."

"Really!? That is cute. What about his favorite color?"

"That's easy. Black."

"Okay then, something a little harder... What is he like in private? Away from guards?"

"Very quiet. He might not seem like it, but he keeps to himself and just likes to lounge. There are some days that I don't even realize that he is at home because he doesn't leave his room."

"Okay, so I found out that he likes games. Do you know if he has a favorite?"

Yu Jun rolled her eyes as she thought about it.

"Oh jeez... the one plays all the time is called something like... Run and Gun, I think?"

"Okay, that makes sense. We were playing that last night."

"Oh really... But I think for a while that he was REALLY into one called something like Tower Of Power... or something like that?"

"Tower of Eldritch Power?!"

"Yup, that's the one!"

"Okay, final question. Any previous girlfriends that I should know of?"

"Actually... no. I have seen him leave to go on dates, but honestly, he has never had anything that lasted more than two or three dates. You are the only one he has ever actually called his girlfriend!"

As I mulled over all of the new information about you, the car began to slow down.

"Oh! Looks like we are here!"

The car stops near a boutique clothing store, Lane & Co., and Yu Jun clambered out of the car with me falling close behind.

I weaved my way through the crowd, following her, when a face in the crowd caught my attention.

Hey... Wait a minute.

As the man passes by, I got a better look of his face, realizing that he was one of the men who attacked you at the massage parlor!

Holy cow! I need to follow him!

Suddenly, Yu Jun took hold of my wrist, pulling me gently toward the shop.

"Are you coming, Eun Jeong?"

"Oh, yeah! But give me a minute. There is something I need to do really quickly. I need to pop into the coffee shop down the street. I need my caffeine."

"Oh, okay! Can you grab one for me too?"

"Sure. Not a problem. I will even pick up something for us to snack on too."

I anxiously glanced back over my shoulder, worried about losing the man in the crowd.

"You go on into the shop, Yu Jun. I won't take long, I promise."

"Okay, well. I guess I will meet you back here then!"

As soon as Yu Jun walked into the shop, I walked quickly down the street, eyes on my target. After a few turns, he was in a quite alley. Just as I turned the corner, I heard a gunfire.

The moment, I heard the gunfire, I took cover behind a dumpster at the entrance to the alleyway.

Damn! I walked into a god damn shooting gallery!

I pressed tightly behind the dumpster, adrenaline pumped as I listened to the gunshots, I realized I was hearing two separate guns going off.

Wait... two shooters? are they both aiming at me... or each other? 

TO BE CONTINUED

29th March, 2023