THREE YEARS AGO

BANG CHAN : 17 YEARS OLD

SONG NAYOUNG : 16 YEARS OLD

I had been finishing my homework on the mahogany table of the library, frowning at one of the questions, when there had been a knock on the door. Chaewon, who'd said that she too was going to finish her homework, but had ended up falling asleep, didn't even move as our mother came in, worry evident on her features.

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

Her brows pulled together as a tight smile made its way on her face, attempting to look calm. "Your father wants to see you in his office, you should hurry,"

I gave a single nod, leaving my books before exiting the library, stopping when Mother placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Just... just listen to him," She whispered, her eyes fluttering shut, as though it was painful for even her to think about it.

The frown had returned on my face as I left for Father's office, wondering what on earth he could want. Normally, I didn't make that much trouble, neither did Chaewon. It was either Bitna or Junseo who'd be on the receiving end of his anger.

I rapped my knuckles against the dark mahagony wood of the door that led into his office, where a low "Come in," indicated my invitation inside.

I morphed my expression into something that was guarded. Father had always been very particular about how we acted and behaved, and I did not want to risk his rage when I was brimming with curiosity.

"Sit,"

I sunk into one of the leather chairs, back straight, arms neatly on my lap, awaiting news which could either go two ways.

"As you may know, each crime family in Korea is getting stronger," I tried not to let my confusion show. Mafia men often refrained from telling the women their side of the business, and it was rare for them to ever explain the details in which our world worked. "And there are other looming threats that we must begin to deal with,"

"Daegu has always been one of the more infamous families, but their strength and power begins to endanger ours as they seek out expansion into other territories,"

I refrained from scoffing. All of the mafia families in South Korea were infamous. Not one of us did any sort of good deed and our world breathed in sin. Yet, there was some truth in what Father had said. Daegu took it to another level.

"The feud and bloodshed between our families has gone on for many years, but in a time where there are other dangers, we must lay our guns aside and stand by each other,"

Peace? With Daegu? That was impossible. Our families hated each other like no tomorrow, and the last battle between them was still fresh, even fifty years later.

Father analysed me once more. "I had a meeting with Bang Chan yesterday,"

My blood went cold. At 17 years old, Bang Chan was the youngest Capo to have ever ruled a mafia in all of South Korea, and he was terrifying for multiple reasons. He had killed his own father, and took back the territory that had belonged to him, and he was known for getting what he wanted, even if that meant spilling unnecassary blood.

Father starightened himself, his cold eyes boring into my own. "You will marry Bang Chan, Capo of the Daegu Family, by the time you are 19 years old,"

My fingers gripped the leather arm rests of the seat, my expression as controlled and poised as it had always been, yet my insides were twisting with an inexplainable feeling.

"That gives me less than three years," I managed to choke out, to which his lips thinned.

"I was very willing to let the marriage happen sooner, but he insisted that the two of you be of age," 

I swallowed. My own father was ready to throw me to the wolves, even if that meant I was still deemed a child. 

There was a reason why rumours always circled the Daegu family. They were known as the monsters of Daegu, the kind of people that parents would tell stories about to scare their children into obedience. And I was marrying the monsterous of them all.

"When will we hold the engagement party?" I asked, trying to remain indifferent.

"In a month. We settled for the 12th,"

"And I can continue school until the wedding?"

"Yes, he was pleased to know that you attend an all-girls school,"

Of course he was. Men in our world were free to do as they pleased, yet if a woman even stepped a tiny bit outside the line, we would be attacked for our insolence and lack of conformity.

"Is that all?"

"Yes,"

I stood, dazed, leaving the room as though in a trance. I had turned sixteen only a while back, and for a few months, I had been excited. Yet now, there was nothing to be excited about.

...

"You can't marry him, he's a monster!" 

My sister, Bitna, hugged me as I sobbed, rubbing my back in soothing motions as Chaewon watched helplessly. She was only thirteen, and whilst she knew the ways of our world, there were some things that she didn't quite understand.

"Maybe you could ask Mother to ask him to change his mind," Chaewon piped up.

"Father would never let that happen," I shook my head, pulling back from Bitna's embrace. "He shook hands with Bang Chan, there's no way he'd back out of a deal now,"

"He's practically selling you!" Bitna bit the insides of her cheek. "All he cares about is his reputation and how he's going to look after the two of you marry, and the Seoul Family's standing,"

"Do you know what he looks like?" Chaewon asked, reaching for her phone, tapping in his name.

I had only heard of the Capo of Daegu in passing, not having a clue on how he looked, or what he was like outside of his cruel and brutal ways.

Chaewon came over to us on the chaise lounge, sitting in the middle as we looked through the photos of Daegu's Capo.

"He's only seventeen," Bitna muttered. "But he already looks like a man,"

She was right. He never smiled in any of the photos, always cold, radiating power and wealth and something darker. The articles called him the heir of Daegu's powerful corporate world, but nobody was stupid enough to write about his true dealings.

"He's been with a lot of girls," Chaewon mumbled.

"I'd rather they have him than me," I whispered.

"Maybe we should talk to Manseok," Bitna sat up. "He would know more about him than the internet,"

...

"It's true that he killed his father and his men," Manseok took a gulp of the beer that was always left out for him in the kitchen.

"What a brute!" Bitna spat.

"Oh no, you wouldn't say that after what his father did," Manseok said darkly. "Bang Hyunwoo was a terrible Capo, and an even terrible father. It made sense that Bang Chan would want to kill him,"

"But that was only a year ago," I stared at our bodyguard. "What about before that?"

The older man hummed. "I know he killed his first man at age 10, and because of it, they decided to initiate him early. But his father was - afraid of him, so he sent the boy off to Australia. When he learned that Bang Hyunwoo wasn't planning on giving him his territories, Bang Chan flew back and killed everyone associated with his father and fought for his city,"

Manseok paused. "The only other thing I know is that the people closest to him aren't his blood family, but that's not what you'd think when you'd see them. Apart from that, I'm not really sure. Daegu isn't my area of expertise,"

Something must have showed on my face, fear or anger, because Manseok scanned me. "Don't be afraid, Nayoung, it is good that you're marrying him. He's a Capo and you'll be well protected,"

"But who will protect me from him?"