Episode 1
“My lady.”
Now, I gazed into the drooping corners of my father's eyes, now in his forties. For some reason, I felt like I could see all the hardships he'd endured. Did my father always look this tired? My childhood memories of him were of a strong father who would do anything to protect me, a tiny child. Now, I've grown up, and he's become someone who simply watches over me.
"....yes"
“You’ll soon be a sophomore in high school.”
“......”
“I know you were going through a lot of emotional distress after your mother passed away, so I’m sorry I forced you to forget those memories.”
“.....”
“While you’re at it, how about living alone?”
"....yes?"
“I’m now 40 years old, and more than anything, my job seems to be giving you a hard time.”
“....No. I’m not having a hard time.”
“It won’t be difficult right away, but other organizations will often come in to try to take this place.”
“......”
“I am old now and can no longer protect you.”
“.....Then can’t we give that seat to someone else?”
“They say that the position of boss always has a path of betrayal.”
“.....”
“So if I were to hand over this position to someone else, everyone would surely try to kill me. And the person I’m handing over to, too.”
“......”
“Even if she becomes my daughter.”
"....dad."
“Please, this time when I die, I don’t want to show you how I die.”
“.....”
“So, I suggest you live alone….wouldn’t that be okay?”
My father smiled at me with a look of resignation, and I just had to lower my head and leave the room. As I left, everyone was staring at me. They stared at me as if I were a circus animal, as if they were part of the audience.
“.....Why are you looking at me like that?”
Finally, when I spoke, people turned their heads and started playing on their phones. They weren't even trying to protect my father anymore. Even though he was the boss of South Korea's number one organization. Instead of protecting him, they were just playing among themselves. Could I protect him? No, I wondered if I would die.
"miss."
"why."
“The boss of the JK organization came to see me, saying he wanted to see the heroine… What should I do?”
"me?"
"yes."
All the people who come to me every time, and all the people who try to use me to seize power from my father. I've worked hard to avoid being their pawn… How come they come to me in the same way every time?
My face hardened at the mere mention of the JK organization. It was the only organization that could rival ours. The only slight difference was that the JK organization's boss had been replaced, and the organization had been reorganized even more thoroughly. Perhaps they came to me because it was my father's only weakness. Perhaps it was because they always came in the same way. For some reason, I was getting bored.
“.....Tell them to come to the meeting room.”
"yes."
Jimin, the only member of my organization I could trust, greeted me and turned around to walk away. I headed in the opposite direction to the meeting room. Jimin would probably escort him there. I fiddled with the dagger in my arms, my mind filled with the thought that I shouldn't rush to the worst-case scenario. Arriving at the meeting room, the room was filled with warmth. I sat down on the brown leather sofa. I checked the gun behind my sofa, checking the time, and as I thumped the sofa with a trembling heart,
“Sorry, I’m late. I’m Jeon Jungkook, the boss of the JK organization.”
Was I wasting time like that? Suddenly, the door opened and a handsome man came in. He introduced himself as the boss of the JK organization. I was surprised, but instead of showing any surprise, I smiled and greeted him.
“Hello. I am Lee Yeo-ju, the daughter of the boss of Organization Y.”
“Oh, nice to meet you.”
So he sat down on the brown leather sofa opposite me, and as he swept the sofa, his eyes fixed on the floor as he continued speaking.
“I heard that Yeoju’s father is now 40 years old.”
“.....”
“So who will be the successor now?”
“Isn’t the person who says something like that to someone they don’t know at all a retard?”
When I spoke with a smile, he looked surprised, as if he was surprised by my answer, and I laughed back at him.
“Originally, other women would tell me everything because they were scared of me... but you are different, aren’t you?”
“Those women are the ones who are retarded. I used to be so good.”
“Haha! You really are different.”
He covered his mouth and laughed, and I fiddled with the gun hidden on my body in some inexplicable fear, and he laughed, then suddenly became serious and came closer to me.
“Um…then….”
“What?”
“Could you please put that gun away?”
“.....!”
“Do we need a weapon to have a healthy conversation?”
He quickly snatched the gun from my body and threw it to the floor, and I stared at him, my body stiff.
“....What are you doing now?”
“What are you doing? I’m just clearing out unnecessary things.”
“.....”
“Okay, shall we get to the main point?”
He returned to his seat and sat down. He held a dagger in his hand, which he had taken out at some unknown time, and twirled it around in his hand.
“....What is the main point?”
“Just keep it simple, hand this organization over to our organization.”
“You are talking nonsense in a nonsense way.”
“I’m asking you seriously, but… if it doesn’t work out.”
“There is no other way than to take it by force.”
“Huh? By force?”
“Yes. By force.”
“Even if you are the boss of a powerful organization, if you look down on our organization, you will be in big trouble, right?”
“So, I’m asking you this.”
“It’s strange that people pass over.”
“Then, let’s set a condition.”
“What are the conditions?”
“If you have my organization, I will guarantee your life.”
“What about my father?”
“Of course I have to kill him.”
“If it’s killing, I don’t like it.”
“....Why?”
“You say my father is someone you should kill, but to me, he is family.”
“.....”
"therefore."
"Fuck it."
So I said with a smile. He blanked out for a moment, then smiled. I nodded at him, then walked past him and grabbed the door.
“Then, let’s consider the deal as never having happened.”
After saying that, I opened the door and put some force into my hand. Suddenly, a dagger stuck into the wall to my left, and my forced smile finally froze.
“Did you just throw the dagger?”
“Because my story isn’t over yet.”
“I clearly said no?”
“Then let’s change the deal.”
“What?”
“You and I are in a contract relationship.”
“.....What did you say?”
“If I can guarantee your identity as my ‘girlfriend,’ then of course your father’s safety will be guaranteed.”
“.....”
“Instead, you hand over your organization to me.”
“Um…can I say something?”
“Yes, please speak.”
“You don’t like it?”
".....yes?"
"I don't want to hand this organization over to you, and you're suddenly asking me to be your lover, a complete stranger? You're being unreasonable."
“.....”
"I've seen people like you many times. Thinking they're so great, they ask me for deals."
“......”
“But they’re all so-so. Including you.”
“....You don’t regret it, do you?”
"Of course I don't regret it. So, could you please just get out of here? I don't like having someone like you in my house."
“....I'll give you a week.”
"under?"
“If you don’t come to me by then.”
“......”
“Your father will be dead in front of you.”
“If you’re going to threaten me like that.”
“.....”
“You might as well threaten them with money.”
“.....”
“Do you think I can’t protect my father?”
“.....Are you going to be that relaxed?”
“Leisure is a piece of crap.”
"hmm…."
“Get out of here.”
“.....”
“I don’t even want to see your fucking face.”
“Okay. See you next time.”
“I told you to just get out?”
He came in front of me, smiled, said hello, patted me on the shoulder, and left the room. I swore at him, calling him a worthless brat, and left the room. I walked towards the room with a hardened expression when I saw him not in the hallway, not knowing when he had disappeared.
Arriving at the room, I untied my hair and entered. Inside, there was a white bed and a wooden desk.
“.....”
So I roughly threw off my outerwear and collapsed on the bed. Sleep gradually came over me, so I blinked to wake up. After lying still for a few minutes, there was a sudden knock on the door.
"miss."
“Come in.”
So Jimin Park came in quietly, and I sat up in bed. I sipped the tea Jimin Park handed me.
“.....What did the JK organization boss say?”
"What do you think? It's obvious. Hand over our organization."
“.....”
"I'm sick of it now. My dad's trying his best to run this organization, so I'm staying quiet. If he hadn't, I would have run away with him in no time."
“.....”
“But… I don’t think I can run away now.”
“...Are you okay?”
“No, that sucks.”
“......”
“I don’t know how to get rid of this feeling.”
“.....”
"jimin park."
"yes?"
“Want to spar after a long time?”
“....Are you okay?”
“It’s okay. I’ll make a bet to change the mood.”
“Of course it’s a call.”
“Okay. Then what do you want to do?”
“Um… how about shooting?”
“Wow, that’s disadvantageous to me.”
“Then I’ll take the rifle. You take the pistol.”
“Oh? Yeah, that’s fine.”
I woke up feeling refreshed and stretched, and Park Jimin was smiling too. I released my grip and picked up my phone. It said 7 p.m.
“Whoever has the most points by 8am gets to buy ice cream?”
"call."
“Then let’s go.”
So I opened the door and stepped out, and Park Jimin followed. As we descended into the training grounds where countless members of the organization were training, countless members stared at us both. As I reached for my pistol, ready to fire, one member blocked my path.
“Miss, this gun is dangerous.”
“Huh? Are you worried about me?”
“I’m afraid you might get hurt.”
“Why am I hurt?”
"....yes?"
“When I was about 10 years old, didn’t you shoot all the members of your organization to death?”
“...When was that story? You’re so grown up now…”
“Oh, I guess I won’t be able to shoot well when I get old?”
“That’s not it,”
“If you can’t shoot as well as me, shut up and get out.”
After I spoke savagely, I loaded my pistol. Park Jimin did the same, and the gangster sighed and stepped back. I counted to three inwardly before firing. The bullet pierced the center, and Park Jimin's too.
“Oh? It’s pretty good?”
“Didn’t you lose to me by one point when you were ten? So you must be good.”
“Huh. I’ll destroy that statement right away.”
So I loaded my gun and fired four shots in quick succession. Park Jimin fired five shots. I looked at the target in the distance, released my grip, reloaded, and fired five shots this time.
“Oh, your skills aren’t dead yet?”
“Are you ignoring me now?”
"no."
“Wow, it’s already been 10 minutes. Let’s hurry.”
"yes."
Smoke rose from where the bullets had ricocheted, and as I continued firing, my eyes sparkling, Park Jimin stared at me blankly and continued firing. And so the sun began to set.
“As expected, the young lady’s skills are still there.”
“....Are you kidding me?”
“But wasn’t there still a 5 point difference between us?”
“No, you shot so cowardly and mercilessly… and now you’re disappointed that you lost by 5 points?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“.....”
“It’s a lie.”
In the end, I won, but for some reason, I felt uneasy. This was the look in her eyes that said she was completely ignoring me... I gnawed on my Melona with my teeth and groaned, while Park Jimin felt his heart flutter.
“Oh, but what about the deal this time?”
“Oh, drug dealing?”
"huh."
“Um… I’m having trouble because the V organization isn’t moving the way I want.”
“.....Do I really have to do that drug thing?”
"miss."
“......”
“There’s no other way, right…. We have to do everything to survive.”
“......”
“Even if it means selling drugs.”
"....okay."
As I sucked on Melona sullenly, Park Jimin looked at me quietly, smiled, and continued speaking.
“You put it in your mouth.”
"what?"
“The hard drive melted and got all buried.”
“.....Does it look dirty?”
"no?"
“Ahh….”
As I roughly wiped the dirt around my mouth with a tissue, Park Jimin rested his chin on his elbows and stared at me intently.
“You are still cute even when buried like that.”
“Shit.”
“It’s true…”
“Shut up and go to the training ground quickly.”
“Again?”
“You have to practice.”
“Have you fired enough shots?”
“What do you want me to do? Then you won’t do any other exercise?”
"....no."
“Then go quickly.”
“Yes, take a rest.”
So, Park Jimin walked towards the training ground, and I walked around the yard, roughly throwing the hard shells I had eaten into the trash can in the already darkening sky, and I quickly went into the house, trying to hide the loneliness I felt for some reason.
"miss."
".....why?"
One of the housekeepers, a woman of a certain age, approached me and tossed something in front of me. She smiled and crossed her arms, and I looked down to see what it was.
“Oh, sorry. The floor was so dirty that I dropped the mop.”
“......”
“I’m sorry. Oh, but my back hurts right now. Could you please hand me a rag?”
“.....Then pick it up with your feet.”
"yes?"
“If you pick it up with your toes and then raise your leg, you can go up and grab it with your hand.”
“No, I don’t need to go that far-”
“I have no obligation to give it to you just because you have a sore back.”
“....Can’t you just pick it up once?”
“Ah, my back hurts a little.”
“.....”
"thanks for your effort-"
I smiled and passed the housekeeper, ignoring the yelling and going up to my room on the second floor.
Shoooooo-
So, we arrived at our room. Thunder and wind blew through the window, and I lay down on the bed, thinking it was a good idea to come in now. Ignoring the pounding rain and wind, I slowly closed my eyes. The room, growing increasingly cold, forced me to wake up.
“...You didn’t turn on the boiler?”
The room, which had been warm until I went to the training center with Park Jimin earlier, had become utterly cold. I cursed inwardly as I walked over to the boiler. It was completely broken and off.
“.....Are you taking revenge in such a petty way?”
I tried to turn on the electric blanket, but it was torn and damaged. Cursing, I pulled the down comforter up to my head and forced my eyes to close. As my eyes slowly closed, I drifted off to sleep.
“Fuck….”
“You have a high fever, Miss.”
“I know. I thought you were falling asleep because it was cold.”
“Didn’t you turn on the electric blanket?”
“Yeah. Some punk broke the electric blanket and I can’t turn it on.”
“....Wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit today?”
“If I don’t go to school again, the kids will tag me and I’ll have to go.”
“What does it matter if I get caught? Your health is more important.”
“It’s okay. I’ll just go to the infirmary as soon as I finish my performance evaluation today anyway.”
“....Be careful.”
"okay."
I regretted walking to school, which wasn't far away, but since I was already there, I decided to just walk. I packed my bag and opened the front door. For some reason, a colder wind hit my skin, and I stood there for a few seconds before briskly walking to school.
“What the heck….”
As I arrived at the school, which was a few minutes away, the students from the leadership team suddenly appeared in front of me.
“Senior, can I have your student ID?”
“Oh, shit… I didn’t bring it, and you’re not late right now, are you?”
“It’s 8 o’clock now?”
“Until 8:10, you idiots.”
“.....”
“Do your work with some knowledge.”
I passed the leaders who were blankly staring at me. They didn't catch me. "Yeah, just don't touch me. My head hurts so bad I'm going to pass out." I swore at them and went straight to the infirmary instead of going to class. The infirmary door was locked, and I had to hold back my swearing again and go up to class.
“Huh? Jju!”
"why."
“Huh…? What’s wrong? Why does our Jju’s face look like this?”
“I have a cold, yikes.”
“Huh? You didn’t sleep with the electric blanket on?”
“No, some crazy bitch broke my boiler and electric blanket.”
“Huh? What kind of crazy bitch?”
“I don’t know, I’m going to sleep, so don’t touch me. Wake me up during the performance evaluation.”
Joohyun said he understood and sat down in front of me. I lowered my head, covered my face with my arms, and closed my eyes. I could hear the children's loud laughter and chatter, but I forced myself to ignore them and barely managed to fall asleep.
“Hey!!! The transfer student is here!!”
At one child's words, the children all screamed in unison, and I held back my swear words and remained silent. Then, a boy shouted, "Let's go to the teacher's office." The children rushed out and hit me hard.
“Oh shit!”
Eventually, a boy slammed a pencil case on my head, and I got up, swearing. The kids looked at me in shock, and I snickered and yelled at them.
“You little shits, be quiet. Can’t you see I’m sleeping?”
“No…then you should have been sleeping.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Can’t you see I’m in pain?”
"We were all noisy before. And if you're sick, go to the infirmary."
"The infirmary door isn't open, and if you just make a lot of noise and leave, I won't say anything. But then some punk dropped his pencil case on my head really hard and left."
“......”
“Come out. Who are you?”
"me…."
“Ugh… I’m a bit sick, so let’s take it easy.”
“.....”
"I'm sensitive right now because I'm sick. But don't make a fuss about getting your period again. Please, even if you go out loud, don't bother your friends. Please."
"sorry…."
“Ugh… I’m sorry. Anyway, go. I’m sorry for getting angry.”
"huh."
The kids left, looking sullen, and I lay down to sleep, shaking my head. Suddenly, there was another noise outside, and the kids came in.
“Okay, everyone sit down!”
The children became noisy with the teacher, then sat down quietly again. I was trying to suppress my anger and fall asleep when the teacher called my name.
“Yeoju, you don’t even raise your head when the teacher comes?”
“......”
“Anyway. As expected, a child without a mother… has no manners and no manners.”
“....What did you just say?”
“Oh my, what did I say?”
Now, the mere fact that I was being constantly scolded by my teacher was irritating. I raised my head and let out a hollow laugh, then stood up and walked towards my teacher.
“Are you hitting the pad right now, teacher?”
“Oh my! What is this, so rude?”
“The teacher hit the pad.”
"Huh! When did I ever do something stupid? Ask the kids! Did I ever do something stupid?"
“Don’t let the kids interfere.”
“Oh my? Since you have the title of teacher, you’re going to ask the kids!”
“This is a problem between you and me, sir. Do we really have to do this?”
“I can do that because I am a teacher!”
“You are abusing your power severely.”
“What kind of abuse of power is this!”
"teacher."
“Oh, okay, tell me. Let’s go all the way.”
“My head hurts like it’s going to explode, and I have a cold, too.”
“Why is that?”
“So, please don’t touch me.”
"her?"
“Because it really pisses me off.”
“Oh my gosh! I…!”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“I’ll tell your father that your attitude towards life is like that, so reflect on it!”
“Then I will tell my father that you scolded me.”
“This is really the end!”
I smiled and greeted the teacher, then returned to my seat and lay down. I kept my eyes closed, trying to sleep without listening to what the teacher was saying. Suddenly, the tone of the teacher's voice changed.
“Come in~”
Perhaps a transfer student had arrived. But I didn't raise my head, forcing myself to sleep. I kept my eyes closed, but eventually, a voice kept me awake and I had to open my eyes.
“Hello, I’m from Jeongsan High School.”
This is Jeon Jungkook.
As soon as I heard the name, my whole body went numb. Could it really be him? Along with my wild imagination, I heard the shouts of girls and the muffled voices of boys. I held my breath and focused on the voices.
“Um...so where should our Jungkook sit?”
“Ah….me.”
I remembered his voice. Yes, it was that voice. Not a similar one, but an exact match. I was surprised that something I'd never imagined was real, and annoyed that I was cowering like this. Yes, there was no reason for me to hide. So I tried to raise my head. I heard footsteps.
Step by step.
I held my breath at the sound of footsteps approaching me. The wooden desk felt unfamiliar. The light shining through the gap between my arms suddenly dimmed. Finally, I raised my head to confirm it was him.
“I’ll take the seat next to this kid.”
He was standing.
My head was spinning. I suddenly felt a cold coming on. I looked at his face. My head suddenly started to hurt. He smiled at me.
Thump-
My heart ached. He placed his bag next to me, then came closer, smiled, and whispered in my ear.
“Nice to meet you, girlfriend-to-be.”
All the blood rushed back to me, and my eyes became clouded. Everything seemed dark, and in that darkness, there was nothing but me. Sweat suddenly broke out on my back. I felt a cold creeping up on me. He looked at my blank expression, then made a strange expression and placed his hand on my forehead.
“Are you sick…?”
“......”
“What if you’re already sick?”
".....you…"
“What can hurt you.”
“......”
Have you forgotten that you only have me?
Eventually, I collapsed, seeing his stern expression through my blurry vision.