Damn Jung Hoseok for uncorking that bottle.

Taehyung was in a rather delicate state this morning after drinking too much champagne, and the injury neighbouring his spine ached from sleeping on a foreign mattress. He winced when he sat up in bed, reaching over to guzzle a glass of water while grabbing the brand-new smartphone left at his request.

Switching the device on, he relaxed against his pillow with a twisted grimace and waited for it to boot up.

Upon arrival yesterday, the uninspiring decor of the penthouse had left him aloof, but it was nothing a renovation couldn't fix. Naturally, the rightful owner was outraged when they'd barged in uninvited, but not quite as outraged as Taehyung seeing blood splattered across the walls after Hoseok put a bullet in his head.

Such a mess.

Alas, the penthouse would suffice for the time being. It was also the closest thing to comfort he could find because - where he came from - it had once belonged to him. His first investment before he'd snuffed Jimin out and purchased the Parks' family estate.

Starting a new life - or a secondary one, in this case - had its perks, but with those perks came teething problems. It came as no surprise to discover that they were completely cut off from their world, and having no access to the business he'd spent years building was a bit of a burden.

Still, Taehyung understood that he would have to start afresh. He was already one step ahead with the legal documents he'd collected, and now that he had a functioning phone, he could create the same accounts and email addresses used for his organisation at home.

Jimin would no doubt try to cause trouble in his absence. He would search for the lovable Jinnie, but his men were under strict instructions to hide their prisoner if they so much as caught a whiff of a rescue attempt. They were also, under pain of death, not to kill Jimin or any of his friends.

Satisfied with the set up of his crucial accounts, Taehyung slid out of bed and padded butt-naked to the bathroom to switch on the shower.

It was imperative that he refresh himself after an ample amount of champagne. Gaining access to another man's life was a great matter, after all.

He was already halfway there with the identity. Sharing the exact same face as Tae - minus the scar - would benefit him significantly. His passport sat with the rest of his paperwork, but he intended to pilfer Tae's official I.D.

Once he had this, he could gain access to his personal accounts and infiltrate the House of Cards using his name. Bank details would need to be switched, removing Jimin's records and replacing them with his own, and all company information and ownership details would need to be altered, too.

With the club deeds in his possession proving that the business belonged to him, and a death certificate stating that Park Jimin was deceased, it would be difficult for anyone to lawfully argue his claim. The record of death would also be used to purchase Jimin's mansion, and if the man had not yet written a will, the house would be placed on the market by default.

Stepping into the shower, Taehyung savoured the steaming hot water spraying over his throbbing back as he mentally recapitulated the next stages of his venture.

As soon as he had his foot in the club door, he would pick up his usual criminal pursuits, illegal endeavours that would double his current income. But there was another specific industry he hoped to delve into.

An important deal had been broken, and taking back what was rightfully his would be the icing on all cakes. Before he did that, however, he would need to ensure the Russian tycoon inhabiting this universe was of the same mind.

A thrill of excitement prickled Taehyung's nude form when his thoughts drifted to the exquisite creature that was Hahm Yunhee. There was a time when he'd almost pawned her off to Alexander Volkov, but he'd been a fool to consider such a ghastly prospect.

The woman had fascinated him from the beginning. In the café a decade ago, in the bar two and a half years ago. The evening he'd found her snooping around his club.

Every encounter left him tingling with interest. He found himself hanging over the edge of a precipice when in her presence and fighting a battle of what to do with her. He could never quite comprehend why she captivated him and why his instincts told him to keep her close.

Perhaps he would never truly understand. Perhaps it didn't matter. When he was with her, that euphoria he'd longed to taste since he was fifteen, it was within reach. And it was enough for him to change the course of her fate.

Taehyung was eager to learn what Yunhee had been up to since falling away from him. Did he haunt her the way she haunted him? Had she reunited with her ex-boyfriend? With a few aesthetic changes, would it be easy to take his place?

Perfecting Tae's character was vital, an act that could not be achieved without observation. Stalking the couple would give him the opportunity to not only gauge the man's behaviours and traits, but keep a close eye on Yunhee until he could swoop.

Finishing his shower, Taehyung dried himself off and dressed in the bleached shirt and grey trousers he found in the closet. He buttoned his cuffs as he walked into the living room, his damp locks falling into his unimpressed eyes as he took heed of the couple conversing on the sofa.

Hoseok wore his trademark smirk, while Heiran giggled like a school girl, her painted nails touching his knee as she batted her clumpy lashes at him.

'Why are you still here?'

The authority in Taehyung's voice was enough for his second in command to stand to attention and for Heiran to quit her vexatious tittering. Interesting that Hoseok believed they had time to play when he still required a car and a befitting wardrobe.

This eyesore of an outfit would simply not do.

'Sorry, boss,' Hoseok scraped indelicately as he threw on his jacket and brushed past him.

Not appreciating the man's attitude, Taehyung snatched his arm, stopping him before he could make his exit.

'No distractions. That includes her.' He briefly caught Heiran's eye before meeting Hoseok's charred gaze, the fading scratch marks on his cheek a constant reminder of how feisty Yunhee could be when pushed to her limit. 'Bring me something classic.'

Shrugging out of his hold, Hoseok hiked a bag of cash onto his shoulder and slammed the penthouse door on the way out. Taehyung remained in place, his lips snaking into a roguish smile as he glanced at the woman perched on the couch.

He could see the cogs turning in Heiran's pea-sized brain, a barrage of shallow questions he had no aspiration to answer.

Will you buy me some Prada shoes?

Can I have a manicure?

Will you please fuck me?

'How long until I get to meet Tae?'

Taehyung rolled his eyes, turning his back on her to walk back into the bedroom.

Heiran would get her wish and meet his double when the time called for it, but if she didn't work her magic and unleash the fiendish devil lurking within the man, then she could kiss her pitiful existence goodbye.

*

So, this was their home.

A reasonably furnished living space with two moderately sized bedrooms, a respectable bathroom, and a tidy kitchen fit for two people. It was adequate, Taehyung deduced, but the drab colours were too safe for his liking.

Pale ash, iron, stone. Shades that left him with an urge to splatter a can of red paint across the plaster.

The open fireplace and antiques belonging to his father, on the other hand, were an exception, the familiar homely touches telling him that he and Tae shared a similar style, despite living two vastly different lives.

Taehyung found himself in their bedroom doorway, his eyes perusing the wardrobe and drawers while Hoseok snooped through the trinkets scattered over the dressing table.

Scarves and hats were slung over a coat stand in the corner, a potted fern with limp leaves on the windowsill, while the white bed sheets lay crisp and undisturbed.

This room, Taehyung thought as he breathed in through his nostrils, simply won't do.

How could any man allow a valuable woman to sleep in such inadequate conditions? It required a fireplace of its own, historic windows and a terrace, along with a sitting room filled with books and rope chords attached to each bed post-

'You should have seen the DB15, boss,' Hoseok croaked as he tossed a necklace aside and yanked open a drawer. 'She was an absolute beaut. If we had more cash, I'd have bought her, too.'

'Hmm,' Taehyung murmured, thinking about his new Aston Martin as he glanced around the distasteful room.

After Hoseok had returned to the penthouse with a new set of wheels and an array of Gucci apparel, they'd locked a cranky Heiran in her room and left for Daechi, but their journey had been tiresome, his right-hand man failing to understand why Taehyung avoided flashy vehicles.

It wasn't quantum physics. It was either a contemporary car modified to his unique taste, or a vintage model such as the DB5 parked outside.

'Forgive me for my unusual taste in motors and the fairer sex,' Taehyung droned as he stepped into the room and ran his fingers along the bedpost.

The outcome was disappointing, a thick layer of dust confirming exactly what he feared.

Yunhee was all over the apartment, cute photos of the happy couple in silver frames, her personal belongings and the oversized clothing she loved to wear strewn over sofas and chairs, but the fridge was empty, and there was too much dust for Kim Taehyung's liking, let alone any woman's.

Yunhee no longer lived here, and by the looks of it, neither did Tae. The prospect didn't sit well with him, and it displeased him to learn that he would have to alter his strategy if he wanted to find them.

'Where do you think they are, boss?'

In a brooding state of mind, Taehyung moseyed to a bedside table and picked up a picture of Yunhee and Tae. A pair of round glasses rested on the tip of his nose, his golden-brown hair touching his thick brows while his twinkling eyes gazed wondrously at the breathtaking girl sitting on the bench beside him.

Is there where he would have found himself had Jimin sent that text message? In a photo frame beside the bed in a fairly satisfactory abode?

What a terribly uncomely idea, Taehyung thought with a sniff of disapproval.

'Boss?'

Looking up from the image, Taehyung was unsurprised to see Hoseok waiting for an answer. He placed the photo frame precisely where he found it, his apathetic irises sweeping over the bed where "he" and Yunhee had lain.

'They're not here. Let's move.'

*

Taehyung's shoes crunched over rust-coloured leaves as clouds gathered and sharp air whisked around his expressionless face.

Yunhee's neighbourhood was charmingly bohemian. Even the classic DB5 in the distance painted a perfect postcard beneath a withering maple. If he were a poorer man, he could see himself living here.

No doubt the woman he craved would prefer a peaceful existence in a tranquil setting, but once she'd had a glimpse of his affluent life, she would not want to return.

Reaching the light blue car, Taehyung opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. His vigilant eyes inspected the pretty street lined with trees, his mood so drenched in dissatisfaction that he paid little attention to the vehicle pulling up outside Yunhee and Tae's apartment.

Not until he saw her.

Taehyung slapped his hand on Hoseok's arm before he could start the engine, transfixed on the woman with bobbed hair and doe-shaped eyes climbing from the car. Following his line of sight, Hoseok released an uncharacteristic breath of surprise before removing the key from the ignition and sitting back in his seat.

It was the first time Taehyung had seen her since she'd escaped him, but nothing had changed. If anything, Yunhee was more delightful than ever, but that tantalising pull he felt whenever he thought of her was stronger.

Seeing her made it almost impossible to remain in place.

Taehyung watched in awe as she stretched her arms above her head and made her way towards the apartment steps beneath the blue door. He was too wrapped up in her unexpected appearance and the stimulating emotions she awoke in him to grasp that she had company.

Not until a tall, dark man got out of the car and stopped her by the arm.

'Who the hell is that?' Hoseok spat ferociously, voicing not only his own thoughts, but Taehyung's as his face dropped like a ton of bricks. 'That's not you!'

'Obviously,' he responded through tight teeth, leaning forward to take a closer look at the guy speaking to Yunhee.

A spark of recognition ignited in Taehyung's chest; he knew that face. Were they acquainted? He looked awfully familiar, but something was strangely off about his appearance, his glossy hair a rich shade of raven when it should have been...

The realisation struck him faster than the lightning that opened the portal, and Taehyung became morbidly enthralled by their visual differences as he and Yunhee conversed on the steps.

'It's Kim Seokjin,' he uttered.

'What?' Hoseok screeched, shooting forward to peer through the windscreen. 'Fuck me, so it is! His hair's black, though!'

Taehyung didn't give a rat's arse. He was more interested in why Seokjin had rolled up with Yunhee. Were they living together?

No, no; that was categorically wrong.

'This is so weird,' Hoseok spluttered, sliding his phone from his back pocket to take a few shots. 'I mean, I knew these doppelgängers existed, but seeing one in real life. Sheesh! The man's locked up in your basement, but also here talking to Miss Hahm! I wonder what I look like-'

'Shut up,' Taehyung ordered before studying Seokjin closely.

The man was different alright. There was not a single trace of lilac on his head, and he held his chin an inch higher than the fella they'd recently kidnapped. Not only that, he carried himself with an air of authority similar to Jimin's, his astute gaze checking the vicinity as Yunhee flapped her hands in his face and chided him.

Taehyung couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could read their body language from afar. Seokjin did not look impressed, his arms folded and his stance rigid as he listened to her rant. He retaliated with a few choice words of his own, but when Yunhee's face contorted and she stamped her foot, Taehyung became distracted and smiled.

Remarkable. The spirited lass was insolently headstrong. He was unquestionably going to have his hands full.

'God, she's feisty,' Hoseok chuckled, locking his phone as Seokjin threw his hands on his hips in exasperation. 'Whoa, wait a second. Is that...?'

Taehyung had seen it, too. A gun holstered to his torso. Not just any gun, a Goddamned 5" Barrel Smith & Wesson M2.0. There were only two ways to obtain a weapon like that. Through law enforcement, or the mob.

This was Park Jimin's man.

As far as he was aware, Tae and his buddies did not get along with Jimin and his men. The same family war existed, but what Taehyung witnessed that morning made him question those beliefs.

Yunhee and Seokjin were bickering, but there was nothing hostile about their behaviour. They looked like a pair of friends in the middle of a debate, comfortable enough to give each other what for.

No, she was not in danger. Their relationship looked amicable and troublingly solid.

Troubling because if Seokjin was sworn into the mafia, Yunhee was protected.

'Blyad!' Taehyung hissed, startling Hoseok with his foul use of Russian. 'Get me closer.'

Hoseok shifted the DB5 into gear, the tyres scraping the asphalt when he locked the wheel to the right, but when the engine rumbled and the duo glanced their way, Taehyung ordered him to stop.

Neither Seokjin nor Yunhee could see them, the Aston Martin hidden behind another four parked cars, but he clocked the change in her demeanour, the way she kneaded her temples as if she suffered from some unsettling headache.

Taehyung was acutely aware of the curtain of desire clouding Yunhee's eyes, the same desire that cloaked him as she took a hesitant step in their direction. She took another, but a heady groan left his throat when his vision suddenly began to sway.

Unable to fight the dizzying sensation encompassing him, Taehyung doubled over and heaved in a lungful of air, his fingers gripping the dashboard as the interior of the car smeared like an oil painting and flung him into a wholly divergent environment.

Cotton candy and arcade stalls.

Bright lights and screams from whizzing rollercoasters.

Beads of water tickling his neck from a diving log flume.

Taehyung circled on the spot, marvelling at the spraying fountain sitting in the centre of a courtyard as loved up couples and hysterical kids hustled by. Beyond the water feature was a colossal stone archway with a funky emblem reading Crystal Kingdom.

It was a theme park, and someone was clutching his wrist, giggling and tugging him deeper into the electrifying mayhem. Taehyung glanced down, amazed to see his fingers intertwine with a delicate, feminine hand as it slipped into his palm.

'Come on, grumpy!'

The woman's voice was distant and muffled, but Taehyung recognised it, his breath fastening to his parched throat when he lifted his head to glance at her.

'Yunhee...wait, stop!' he heard himself saying.

'No, it'll be fun!'

The smile she sent over her shoulder was intoxicating, that wild hair dancing around her warm irises and freckled cheeks as she pulled him into a blinking photo booth, but Taehyung felt oddly disconnected from the scene.

He was present, yet a million miles from what was happening. It was another man Yunhee ushered onto the spinning stool, another man protesting as she balanced on his lap and inserted money into the coin slot.

And yet...they sounded exactly the same. That rich bark of objection at having his photo taken. That rare, elated hilarity ringing in his ears as she wriggled her bottom and curled her arms around his neck.

Taehyung had lost all functionality. He was a puppet on a string with an invisible master controlling his every move, his every whim, and the lips that touched Yunhee's temple while she smiled cheekily at the camera.

It felt alien, but heavenly, and he couldn't stop his eyelids from fluttering closed, nor his arms from squeezing her tiny waist as the claustrophobic space lit up with a blinding flash.

A countdown ticked away on the monitor, and Yunhee turned her head to catch his lips in a swift kiss as the booth took a second picture, while the third and fourth consisted of them goofing around.

As they waited for the images to develop, Yunhee filled the slot with another round of coins and then drew him in for a fervent kiss that knocked Taehyung aslant. A ravenous hunger exploded inside him when she straddled him, his senses going haywire and all logic flying out the window.

Taehyung knew that he didn't belong here, his thoughts mingling with those of Yunhee's boyfriend and those of his own as her sweet tongue caressed his lips. And those starved moans of hers, spurring him on as the camera captured their moment of undisclosed passion.

A guttural growl left Tae's throat - his throat - and he found himself panting for air when Yunhee wrenched her mouth from his to rid herself of her shirt and bra.

There was a mole on her left breast, and like a moth to the flame, his mouth closed over the pretty brown spot before she grasped his hair and moulded her bare chest to his.

With her back to the camera, Yunhee teased the arch of his neck, egging him on by adding pressure to his stiff cock as both Taehyung and Tae groaned in pleasure.

This was the elixir he sought.

Tilting his head for her, Taehyung rested his chin on her shoulder, his lips coiling into a satisfied smirk as he looked directly into the lens for their final photo.

Precious...

The moniker he'd given to Yunhee echoed in Taehyung's mind as he was jolted back into the Aston Martin. It was jarringly quiet after the commotion of the amusement park, and some inexplicable part of him wished he was back in the photo booth as he tried to catch his stolen breath.

'Boss? You okay?'

Taehyung wasn't listening, he was staring at the woman on the sidewalk like she was some unfathomable mystery he needed to unravel.

Yunhee was closer now, and Seokjin was holding her arm, speaking to her with a concerned frown as he tried to coax her away from the DB5.

After a few seconds, Yunhee snapped out of her daze and sighed, allowing Seokjin to guide her back to the apartment steps while Taehyung watched in a trance.

What the hell had just happened? He couldn't get the taste of her lips off his tongue, the feel of her fingers tracing his jawline, nor could he shift the image of her leading him into the booth and boldly removing her clothes.

The intimacy felt incredibly real, the setting extraordinarily familiar...

A trickle of wonder stirred Taehyung's curiosity and he pulled out the photo that Hoseok had found in Yunhee's purse. He'd kept it close ever since, intrigued by the attractive couple and where they were that day.

Looking at it now, he noted the mischievous grin on her face, the same one he'd seen when she was seated on his lap inside the booth. Not only that, but she was gazing at the camera while Tae's lips were glued to the side of her forehead with his eyes screwed shut.

'What...?' Taehyung blinked at the private snapshot with a glazed expression.

This was the same day, the same theme park, the same encounter. Had he just experienced one of his doppelgänger's memories?

'Crystal Kingdom...?' he pondered, wondering if the rest of the erotic prints were hidden in the apartment a few doors away.

'Um, boss?'

Taehyung still wasn't paying attention to his right-hand man. He wanted to know what had transpired between them afterward. Had they fucked in public knowing that any moment they could have been caught? Had they gone home? Perhaps they'd spent more time at the theme park before-

'Taehyung!'

'What?' he snapped, finally sparing a glance at Hoseok.

'What do you mean, "what"? You completely zoned out and started moaning like a dying animal,' Hoseok said with an aghast visage. 'Did you take your meds this morning?'

Stuffing the photo back into his shirt pocket, Taehyung sniffed arrogantly and straightened his lapels. If not for the fact that he was recovering from a gunshot wound and needed Hoseok to drive, he'd have broken his nose on the steering wheel.

He focused on Yunhee instead, watching as she retrieved a spare key from under a rock and disappeared into the apartment with her overprotective companion.

'You wanna grab her?'

Taehyung considered the question for a moment, weighing up his options as he tapped out a beat on the dashboard. Now was not the time, and this was not the way. There were pieces he had to put in place first, and he was adamant in getting closer to Yunhee and garnering her trust.

'No.'

Hoseok scoffed as if he thought the situation was absurd. 'You still want to pretend you're her boyfriend with that geezer on the scene?'

There it was again, that disapproving tone, but Taehyung put it down to jealousy and being unable to obtain the things he wanted. Like that red headed beauty, Byun Mee.

'Boss?'

'Yes,' Taehyung eventually replied, 'I do.'

'What do we do in the meantime, then?'

Dragging his gaze from the blue door, Taehyung settled into his seat and closed his eyes, hoping to be transported back to Crystal Kingdom as rain began to patter on the windshield.

'We wait, and then we follow.'

*

The downpour passed, but Taehyung's psyche was a dizzying cyclone of funfairs and kisses.

Sitting idly in their concealed car, he watched Yunhee and Seokjin depart the warehouse. He had no idea what they'd been doing inside for the past two hours, but of one thing he was irrevocably sure.

Seokjin knew about the vortex and the world that he came from.

'What's with all the water?'

Following Hoseok's line of vision, Taehyung was befuddled to see the towering gentleman stride across the yard and toss a bunch of plastic bottles back into the trunk, but when Seokjin assisted Yunhee into the passenger seat, an insufferable jealousy swept over him.

He wanted to know what had materialised between them. He needed to know if Yunhee was living in Pyeongchang-dong with Seokjin.

It made his blood curdle. The prospect of her being alone with him, being alone with any man. Was Yunhee fucking him? Would Jimin's loyal companion betray him in such a despicable manner?

Taehyung could not rid himself of the putrid idea.

'You want me to keep following?' Hoseok asked quietly as Seokjin started the engine.

Taehyung nodded, waiting patiently as their car manoeuvred out of sight.

'Go.'

Hoseok did not need telling twice. He steered the Aston Martin out of the yard, splashing through puddles and pursuing at a safe distance as the vehicle ahead sped towards the Seoul Ring Expressway.

Taehyung expected them to take the bridge and drive north towards Pyeongchang-dong, but when the car took a right and joined the southbound highway, he knew intuitively where they were headed.

Yunhee was going back to her grandma's beach house on Jebu-ri Island.

Deciding he'd seen enough for one day, Taehyung ordered Hoseok to drive them to the penthouse. He needed to feed the woman who'd been locked in her room all day, for there was no way he could sit and conspire with a hangry Heiran complaining in his ear.

But sit and conspire he would.

Tae was inconveniently absent, and Yunhee was not approachable because she'd teamed up with a man who would prove to be a worthy and somewhat difficult opponent. Seokjin was not only an obstacle, but a clever and tactical member of the mafia who would kick up a ruckus if he caught wind of their trail.

Without reinforcements, Jimin's right-hand man would be an even match. Taehyung was going to have to take extra precautions and hire some witless beef who could be silenced with money.

First and foremost, he needed to track down his doppelgänger and establish the current status between him and Yunhee. Taehyung could locate the man tomorrow and make the switch, but something told him that she would not come running into his arms so easily.

Park Jimin was not the sole reason for Tae's glaringly obvious absence.

Yunhee was avoiding him.

With a smug sneer, Taehyung reclined in his seat and admired the sunlit city glittering on the river as they raced over Gimpo Bridge.

Oh, how he loved a challenge.

***

Okay, who's freaked out? I am. For real. My antagonist is a fucking CASE.

So, Taehyung had his first memory! Muhahah. And this 'force' between him and Yunhee is getting stronger. What do you think it is?

As always, I love to hear your thoughts and theories.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, HAHMBURGERS!

24th December 2020