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Currently, you were in the living room of your shared apartment with Doohwa. According to him, his father had returned home after spending the past four weeks flying from one country to another and Doohwa wanted to take this chance to introduce you to his father, to build a closer connection and relationship.

You had never met him before back when you were dating. According to your fiance, his father was a busy man—with his career being a freelance architecture.

You don't know much about that specific industry but what you do know was how the man was highly regarded and respected, due to his talents.

You had finished getting dressed and was now waiting for him to come and pick you up after he was done with work.

As time passed, your eyelids gradually felt heavier. Before you knew it, you had fallen asleep on the couch…

EIGHT MONTHS AGO...

You had finished your final examination and as per the standard culture you and your small group of friends shared—it was time to party. After all, you didn't spent the past two to three weeks cramming, inhaling energy drinks and further ruining your already ruined sleep cycle for nothing.

As much as you loved partying like your life depended on it, you wanted to get good grades so you can graduate without regrets.

You were the first to arrive at your usual place—a bar called Hidden Eve that's located on a few streets away from your campus. It's a cozy place with the drinks both being good and are at an affordable prices, especially in today's society.

You stood outside, hugging your thick coat around you, shivering involuntarily when a strong gust of cold, chilling wind blew past you. Winter wasn't even here yet but you were already bundled up like a walking rice-ball.

Thankfully, you didn't have to wait long as your friends had arrived. One of them laughed when they saw how red your nose had became.

"Looks like Rudolph the Reindeer has some competition," she teased, causing the whole group except for you to burst out laughing.

You light-heatedly rolled your eyes, knowing they were merely joking. "Haha. Very funny. Now let's go in and drink before i can't feel my hands and legs anymore."

With that, all of you entered the bar. The small bell hanging on top of the door made a 'ding ding!' sound as it was pushed open.

Warm amber lights glowed from vintage sconces along the brick walls, casting the space in a soft, honeyed haze. Low wooden beams crossed the ceiling, darkened with age while trailing ivy and dried floral curled lazily around iron fixtures.

The bar counter stretched along the left side, polished oak worn smooth by years of elbow and spilled confessions, its shelves covered with glass bottles that shimmered like jewels under the dim lights.

For once, the place was crowded.

Voices overlapped in a constant hum—laughter, murmured conversations and the occasional clink of glasses with customers toasting to something. Every seat seemed to be occupied, bodies packed close together and strangers brushed shoulders without apology.

The air smelled faintly of citrus, alcohol and something smoky beneath it all, grounding and intoxicating.

Jazz music played low and steady from hidden speakers, a slow, sultry rhythm that seeped into your bones rather than demanding for attention. It made the bar feel alive, pulsing, as though it was breathing along with the people inside it.

To you and your friends, this was home.

You followed them as they moved to the counter on the right with ease while chatting and laughing with one another. Thankfully, there were some space enough for the four of you to squeeze in together.

You weren't listening to what your friends were talking, absentmindedly nodding your head here and there as your eyes aimlessly drifted, scanning the sea of faces around you.

And that's when you saw him.

You knew he's a staff, with how he came out from the back door and was dressed in black from head to toe, the kind of uniform meant to blend in and go unnoticed.

It failed for him.

The fitted black shirt clung lightly to his frame, sleeves rolled just enough to expose his forearms as he adjusted the cuff with practiced ease. A slim apron was tied around his waist, hanging low against dark jeans that perfectly further accentuated his long legs. You swore at first glance, his legs would make up half of his height.

He wore accessories—a simple double pair of rings hanging on his earlobes and his hands were decorated in silver, glowing rings. It glimmered like jewels underneath the dim lights, drawing attention to his long and slender fingers. His midnight-black hair was slightly damp, as if he had just washed it, stray strands falling carelessly over his forehead. He pushed them back once, distracted, before reaching for the towel draped on his shoulder.

You pretended you didn't choked on air when you saw him running his hand through his hair, unable to tear your eyes away from him as you watched. You weren't sure why but there was something mesmerizing about the way he moved—efficient yet unhurried, every motion was deliberate.

He slipped behind the counter, exchanging a few words with his co-worker and immediately got to work, hands busy as he prepared glasses and checked bottles, like this was all second nature to him.

He hasn't noticed you yet.

And you decide to change that.

Ignoring your friends, you walked around them and approached him with a sudden burst of confidence. Maybe it was the aftereffects of finishing your examinations. Maybe it was the way he carried himself but whatever it was, you wanted him to notice you.

Every step you took reduced the distance between the two of you and you stood before him, with the high counter being the only thing hindering your way.

Thankfully, he had his back facing you as he was busy preparing drinks for an order. Which gave you a front-row seat of staring (or drooling because you're only human) at his broad back, the way you can see his back muscles moved whenever he shook the mixture in a Boston Shaker, only for it to paint a… different image in your mind.

You rapidly shook your head, getting rid of the indecent thought, clearing your throat to muster the remains of your courage left.

"Excuse me, I would like to order," you called out, ensuring to raise you voice a little to make yourself heard.

Your words were a mix of half-lie and half-truth. After all, it would be foolish of you not to order anything when you're a regular at Hidden Eve. He raised his head and turned, looking at you over your shoulder.

And then, he fully turned to face you and oh god, he looked devastatingly handsome.

He had the kind of face that made people paused without realizing why. Sharp yet youthful. Every featured was carved with an almost predatory elegance. His eyes were the first thing you noticed—dark, intense and puma-like, heavy-lidded with a quiet intensity that felt instinctual rather than learned.

There was something watchful in them, something that made you felt seen even when his expression remained unreadable.

His nose was straight and defined, giving his profile a clean, striking line. His lips—full, thick and plump, rested in a neutral curve that made you wondered how it'll feel when pressed against yours.

It also made you wondered if he was a good kisser or not. His jawline was sharp and unforgiving, the kind that catches the light whenever he tilted his head slightly, shadows tracing along the hollow of his cheekbones.

"What do you want to order?" He asked, setting down the shaker as he gave you his fullest attention, cocking his head to the side. The movement caused his earrings to sway side to side.

Your mind blanked out. Even though you had been here many times, it's like the menu you had long remembered by heart had been erased from your memory. You opened and closed your mouth, resembling a gaping fish out of water.

At this point, you were making a complete fool of yourself by standing there, head empty with not a single thought in it.

"…Can I order you or are you only available for dine-in?"

Fuck.

The words slipped out of your mouth before your mind could processed it. Thankfully, the people around you were either busy getting drunk or chit-chatting with their friends to pay you any mind—something you were immensely grateful for.

You gulped and fidgeted with the hem of your coat, twisting and pinching the fabric between your fingers.

After what felt like eternity, the guy chuckled, lips curved upward. His shoulders shook as he laughed. Even though it was crowded and noisy, your ears could only registered the sound of his amused chuckle—the sound low, deep and husky.

You never felt like this before—the effect a complete handsome stranger had on you, but you weren't complaining one bit.

"You're funny, I'll give you that but no, I'm not. Sorry to disappoint," he answered, looking at you with his head tilted to the side, amused.

"But if you want, I can make a drink for you. Call it a personal recommendation from the best bartender," he continued. "So? What do you say?"

You couldn't trust your voice at that moment, wordlessly nodding your head in a daze. He noticed it. Of course he does but he didn't point out loud. Instead, he hummed and began moving about with experience and confidence, like he knew what he was doing.

You watched as he reached for a glass without hesitation, fingers long and steady as he inspected it under the lights before setting it down. Ice followed—measured and deliberate, the sound sharp and clean against the hum of the bar. He moved like he had done this a thousand times, muscle memory guiding him for every step.

Bottles came next.

He selected them with utmost care, only briefly reading labels before uncapping them, the soft clink lost beneath the music. A pour of something dark and smooth, followed by a lighter spirit that caught the light as it flowed.

He didn't rushed. Didn't overthink. Each motion was precise, practiced and almost intimate—like the drink wasn't just being made, but considered.

Every now and then, his eyes flicked up.

Just for a second but enough to check if you were watching.

And you were.

Right from the very start.

He added a twist of citrus, fingers pressing the peel just enough for the liquids to mist over the rim before dropping it in. The scent reached you first—warm, sharp and addictive. He stirred once and twice, then slid the drink across the counter toward you.

"There. Not on the menu," he said, meeting your gaze again.

The glass was cold beneath your fingers when you took it, condensation already forming. One sip was enough to tell you everything—you didn't know what it was called, but it was smooth, layered and deceptively gentle before the heat bloomed low in your chest.

He watched your reaction closely, eyes narrowing slightly, waiting expectantly. When your expression shifted from surprise to reluctant approval, the right corner of his mouth lifted.

"Told you," he murmured, pleased with your reaction.

"I won't be too confident if I were you. I'll have you know that I'm quite picky with my drinks," you retorted, internally wincing at how weak your words and voice sounded.

"Right," the attractive stranger—bartender, drawled. "I'm sure I can impress you with skills so I am pretty confident."

Huh. Never thought you have a thing for confident men but here you are, attempting to shoot your shot on someone who you just met for the first time.

It also made you wondered why you haven't seen him before in your previous few trips to Hidden Eve, but you simply shrugged it off that he was a newly-joined staff.

You rested your elbows on the bar with your half-drank glass resting before you, flashing him a coy smile. "Well, color me impressed then. Wanna get out of here?"

The stranger blinked.

Once. Twice.

He let out a laugh, the sound light-hearted and kind. It was the kind of tone where you knew this was going—not according to your plan.

"Bold, but no thanks, I'm good. Nice try though," he politely shot down your offer.

You parted your lips, wanting to say something but a large group of people entered the bar. He glanced at you, almost like he was hesitant on whether he should still tend to you or move to help his co-worker in making the large order.

Seeing this, you flashed him with what you hoped was an reassuring smile and waved him off. No words were exchanged.

He nodded, glancing your way one final time before speeding off, easily reaching his co-worker in less than ten large strides and began to help him make the drinks. Now that you were left alone, you decided it was time to regroup with your friends.

It was easy to spot them. They managed to find themselves a table, either half-drunk or completely drunk with no in-between.

"Look who's here to bless us with her presence!" One of your friends shouted at a loud voice, unaware of the startled looks she got from the people around her.

Your face burned as you sat down, placing your drink down on the table. "Shut up, I wasn't gone for that long."

Another one who was sober the entire time, giggled as she playfully nudged her elbow against yours. "Don't think we didn't saw how you were flirting with the bartender back there. He's cute too."

You smiled unknowingly, only to realize it a few seconds later. Your friends wasted no time in teasing you. Some even made the loud and immature kissing sounds, much to your embarrassment.

You flipped them off but despite your reaction, you were already laughing, feeling the waves of their happiness and the current moment you had with them.

"You guys are so annoying," you complained, giggling at how your friend threw an arm around your shoulders and pulled you in to ruffle your hair.

"We love you too. Now drink! We're not leaving until you're shit-faced!"

The second time you met him was at Hidden Eve again, which wasn't a surprise since he is working there. Except you went alone, without your friends. They had decided to go on a shopping trip for the whole day and that was something you couldn't handled.

You didn't have the stamina nor energy to spend your day walking around, browsing at countless shops and feeling your wallet getting lighter and lighter.

Besides, you were on a mission. A mission to get to know the bartender.

After that first encounter with him, you were very determined to have him. No matter what. And if there was anything about you, it was the fact that you can be a persistent person when the situation called for it. Said situation meant now—with you wanting the bartender's number, name and if possible, to sleep with him.

It was close to six-thirty when you entered Hidden Eve and with how they had opened thirty minutes ago, there was only a few people in there, drinking to their heart's content.

You stood near the door, letting your eyes scanned the surroundings while trying to locate a certain someone, unaware that your presence was noticed by one of the bartenders.

"Looking for someone?" An amused voice asked, scaring you.

Your head snapped to your right, startled.

A man stood just a few steps away behind the bar, one elbow leaning against the counter as he wiped down a glass with an unhurried ease, like he has all the time in the world.

He looked relaxed, like someone who had seen all kinds of customers walking through Hidden Eve's doors and could read them within seconds.

His lips curved into an amused smile, eyes flicking from your face to the door and back again, clearly entertained by the way you had been caught red-handed.

"Woah, easy. Didn't mean to scare you," he said lightly.

You swallowed, fingers tightening around the strap of your bag as you tugged it closer, to protect yourself. From what? You weren't sure. "I—"

The word died before it could became anything else.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing and then glanced around the bar once more—empty stools, quiet corners and only a handful of patrons nursing their drinks.

"Let me guess, you're looking for someone," he said, stating it like it was a fact. Like this had happened before.

Heat crept up your neck. You hesitated, debating whether to lie. But your eyes betrayed you, instinctively darting toward the counter, the hallway behind it, anywhere but him.

That was enough for him to know your intention.

He let out a soft laugh. "You've got a terrible poker face."

Your embarrassment must've been obvious because his smile softened, losing its teasing edge. "Don't worry, you're not the first who came back looking for him. Won't be the last either."

Before you could asked what he meant or who exactly he was, he set the glass aside and nodded towards the narrow corridor beside the bar. "If it's him you're looking for, he stepped out a few minutes ago."

Your breath caught. You knew who he was referring to without his name mentioned.

"He does that sometimes before he starts. Smoke break. Clears his head, or so he says," the bartender went on casually, eyeing you with an unreadable look on his face, his doe-like eyes focused on your figure.

You opened your mouth, question after question piling up this time but again, no words came out. The man noticed. Of course he did.

"He won't be long," he added, tone almost reassuring. "Back door's past the storage room. Just follow the hallway and you'll be able to find it."

He gave you one final knowing look before turning back to his work, like the interaction had already ended. Like he had told you something that was probably, against a stranger's violation of privacy.

Left with no choice and no excuse to linger, you took a breath and moved past the bar. Your shoes echoed softly against the floor as you slipped into the narrow corridor.

The warmth and low music of Hidden Eve dulled with every step, replaced by cooler air and the faint, unmistakable scent of cigarettes drifting from somewhere ahead.

Your pulse picked up.

You didn't know why you were nervous. You barely knew him. And yet, here you are, pushing the back door open as your eyes looked around and then, you saw him.

He stood a few steps away, leaning against the wall with one foot propped up behind him, posture loose in a way that suggested this was familiar to him.

A cigarette rested between his fingers, glowing faintly as he took a slow drag, the ember brightening before dimming again. Smoke slipped past his thick lips in a steady exhale, rising and dissolving into the night air.

His other hand held his phone, thumb scrolling absently as if whatever was on the screen couldn't captured his attention. The soft light from it cast subtle shadows across his face, sharpening his features—the sharp and deadly line of his jaw, the slight furrow between his eyebrows and the way his eyelashes lowered as he focused.

Even when he's dressed in black, sleeves deliciously and sinfully rolled up, he looked effortlessly out of place but perfectly at ease, all at once. There was something private about the moment, something you felt like you had stumbled into by accident.

You froze at the doorway, unsure whether to announce your presence or retreat.

As if sensing you, he paused mid-scroll. He lowered his phone slightly, eyes lifting from the screen and landing on you. The surprise was brief, barely there, but you caught it. His gaze lingered—assessing and curious, before the corners of his mouth tugged upward in the faintest hint of a smile.

"You lost?" He asked, voice roughened a little by the cigarette.

The question itself was casual but the way his eyes stayed on you wasn't.

"N-No," you answered, wincing at how you stuttered over that one, singular word.

You fiddled with the hem of your right sleeve as you stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

He didn't looked away, eyes locked onto you like a sniper locked onto their target. "You're the girl from before. The one who tried to hit on me," he pointed out.

A part of you wanted to giggle out loud. At the fact that he actually remembered you—a random, nameless strange. Another part of you wanted to crawl into a hole and bury yourself. At how he remembered you as the girl who tried to hit on him. Sure he wasn't wrong but he could have said something else, other than that.

"It'd be great if you could remember me as anything else but that," you replied and your words made him chuckled.

You watched as he took another puff of his cigarette, exhaling it through his parted lips with his head tilted back slightly. And fuck, the sight instantly made your mind drifted—to how good he'd look with you straddling his lap as you ride him. If possible, you want him to blow you the smoke from his mouth, somewhat like a kiss.

He took one, final puff before dropping it onto the dirtied ground, extinguishing it by crushing it with his right shoe. You watched as he dropped his left foot onto the ground, pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and moved to your direction.

You stood there, staring at him with wide eyes until he stopped before you, leaving some distance between the two of you.

"So, you here for a drink or trying to hit on me again?" He casually asked, the calmness and how easily he asked you made you choked on air.

"Don't get too cocky now. Not everything's about you," you weakly retorted but deep down, the both of you knew you were lying.

He didn't believed you. He arched an eyebrow and since when such a simple, meaningless action looked this attractive? He slowly nodded his head, lips pursed in a thin line. Something pink poked out from his lips and your eyes instinctively flicked down before snapping it back up.

However, he had noticed it. Of course he did.

"Sure about that? No one other than Heeseung knows I'm back here. Which meant he was the one who told you where I am," he said.

Heeseung? That must be the other guy's name.

You nervously swallowed. "..What would you do if I say yes?"

"Nothing, it's not like I can kick you out of the bar when you didn't do anything wrong. Besides, you're not the first person who tried to hit on me," he shrugged his shoulders, shifting to the right so he can head for the door, opening it and moved to the side.

"After you. If you want, I can make another drink for you. Except you need to pay this time, can't keep giving drinks away for free," he smirked.

And like the whip fool you are, you obliged and stepped in with him hot on your heels. The bar was still quite empty, considering how it was close to seven, which meant today will be a slow day.

You moved to the bar as he slipped behind the counter, throwing on the apron to tie it around his waist. You sat on the nearest vacant high-stool, placing your bag on your lap as you stared at the menu, pondering over which drink to order.

"What are you planning on getting?" He asked.

You continued to scan the menu, eyes landing on a drink name that piqued your attention. "The Elden's Fall."

He hummed, leaning in slightly to see what you had picked. "Bold choice. Sure you can handle the heat?"

Before you could ask what that meant, he had already looked away and got straight to work.

He moved fast—too fast that it startled you for a moment. A clean glass appeared in his hand out of thin air, like it was summoned by magic. Ice shortly followed, the sharp clink echoing softly beneath the music from the speakers.

He reached for bottles without hesitation, fingers wrapping around them with practiced familiarity, pouring with a precision that spoke of long hours and muscle memory.

You watched, mesmerized by the show he put on.

There was no wasted movement. No second-guessing. He worked like he trusted himself completely, measuring by instinct rather than sight, switching bottles, shaking and straining. Each step flowed seamlessly into the next. The shaker rattled briefly in his hands before he set it down, already reaching for a garnish.

In less than a minute, he slid the glass towards you, the liquid catching the warm bar light. The color was rich in color and deceptively inviting and alluring.

"Here. Elden's Fall," he announced.

You blinked. "That was… fast."

He smirked. "When you've worked here for a while, you can pretty much make anything even with your eyes closed."

You wrapped your fingers around the glass, feeling the chill seeping into your skin. The first sip surprised you—smooth at first, then warming, with a subtle bite that lingered pleasantly on your tongue. Riki watched your reaction closely and like before, waiting with an expectant look on his face.

When you raised your eyebrows slightly, he nodded, satisfied. "Told you."

"Do you do this with every customer you talked to?" You asked as you placed the glass down on the counter with a soft, inaudible 'clink'.

"Do what?" He asked. Whether he was acting innocent or oblivious, you weren't sure.

"Whatever," you gestured to the both of you, "this is."

He chuckled, drying his hands on a nearby towel. "What? Talking to a customer and preparing their drink? It's part of the job."

You rolled your eyes but the way your lips twitched upwards say otherwise. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Do I?" He cocked his head to the side, a faint smile still playing on his lips as he leaned against the counter.

You hummed, unconvinced. "Funny. You didn't look this attentive the first time I saw you."

The bartender was unfazed, arching an eyebrow. "That's because I was busy and it's peak hours."

"And now?"

"Now it's quieter and from the looks of it, the pace won't change until it's closing time," he answered calmly. His gaze dipped to your glass, then rose again, lingering this time. The way he looked at you sent shivers down your spine. You felt seen—a rare feeling.

The air between you shifted. It was subtle, almost imperceptible but you knew something had changed.

You took another sip, buying yourself a few more seconds. "So what, you just choose to spend time talking to me instead of working? Wonder what your boss will say."

"Heeseung doesn't really care as long as I get my job done. Lucky him, I'm fast on my legs and hands," he shrugged off your words with a dismissive flick of his hand.

This time, it was your turn to arch an eyebrow. "Heeseung's your boss? The one who snitched on you?"

He chuckled, nodding. "Yup, that's him. He's like a older brother to me and was nice enough to offer me a job when I needed money. Flexible working hours. Having your friend as your boss, being able to make different drinks and," he paused—deliberate, with a sly smile that made heat pooled in your stomach, "talking to pretty customers like you is a bonus."

You set the glass down again, fingers absently tracing the condensation. "Careful. That almost sounded like flirting."

"Almost? You're the one who came in looking for me. If anyone's flirting, that'd be you," he pointed out.

You opened your mouth to argue, then stopped.

He let out a soft laugh, quieter this time. "Relax," he said, despite how his expression said anything but that. "If I flirted with every customer, I'd never get any work done."

"And yet, here you are. Not working," you countered.

"Break's over," he said, eyes flicking briefly to the bar clock then back to you. "But I don't mind taking my time."

Your pulse betrayed you, quickening at the unspoken implication. He straightened, reaching for another glass as someone down the bar waved him over. Before turning away, he looked over his shoulder and added, "Finish your drink. If you want another… well, you know where to find me."

He walked away, leaving you sitting there on the stool, with your heart racing like you had ran a marathon, flustered and breathless. It was only when you left an hour later did it hit you that you didn't get his name.

Again.

The third time you bumped into him was once again, at Hidden Eve. This time however, you weren't alone. Your friends wanted to come along, stating that they wanted to see you fumble for the third time and how they will do anything but to support you.

Which brought you to your current situation—you and your friends managed to find a table for yourselves while looking at the menu, wanting to try something different instead of ordering the usual drinks.

And then, someone approached your table, gaining your attention.

"Looks like you ladies are struggling and thought I could help," a familiar silky smooth male voice spoke up, making himself heard through the music playing from the speakers.

All of you looked up and everyone except you were confused, not knowing who he was.

"Are you Heeseung?" You asked warily and your friends snapped their heads to you at lightning speed that it was a miracle they didn't dislocated their necks.

The man—Heeseung, blinked twice and then recognition appeared on his face. "Oh, it's you. You're the one who came over last week. I remember you."

"You what?"

"So the reason why you abandoned the all girl's day was because you came here? To flirt with your boyfriend?"

"Damn, so how did it go?"

Your friends wasted no time in bombarding you with questions until you weren't given the chance to defend yourself. But then, why do that when they were merely speaking the truth.

Your cheeks and ears turned red as you averted your eyes, unable to look at them. Heeseung, on the other hand, was having the time of his life laughing at your current situation.

"Oh, I'm glad someone find this funny. Are you here to make fun of me or helping us?" You scowled, throwing him a light-hearted glare.

Heeseung raised his hands in mock surrender. "Woah, calm down. Looks like somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Let me know if you want something light or heavy then we can start from there."

You and two of your friends went with light, not wanting to get drunk while the rest went with heavy. Heeseung didn't asked for more questions.

Instead, he turned and walked away, heading to the bar like a man on a mission. You and your friends shared a confused look as you watched Heeseung moved like he owns the place.

And he does.

After all, he is the owner.

It took him less than ten minutes to finish making the drinks. He placed them on a round, circular-shaped tray, balanced it with his left palm like an experienced waiter as he approached your table. A charming smile was stretched on his face as he stopped before you and your friends.

"Hello ladies, here are your drinks," he announced, setting all of the glasses down.

Two of them were in a beautiful shade of white and blue. The other three had the same shade of bold and dark red mixed with yellow and orange. The two different colors left trails behind, making the drink looked like it had three different layers. All of you took your very first sips, making the same amazed expressions in unison.

Heeseung smiled, obviously proud and satisfied with your reactions. "What do you think? It's good, right?" He asked, trying to fish for compliments.

Your friends giggled, hooked by both his charms and his notably good features. "Yes, it's better than what we had so far."

"Hey, those drinks were personally selected by me. Please be more mindful of your words or you're hurting my oh so fragile heart," Heeseung protested, resting a hand on his chest with a faux hurt look on his face.

You rolled your eyes, choosing to observe from the sidelines as the bartender talked to your friends while you took a few slow sips here and there. You weren't sure how much time had passed. It could be minutes or hours.

"Hyung, there you are. Stop flirting with the customers and get your ass back to work. We got a huge order to make."

That voice.

Your body stilled. Your fingers tightened its grip around your glass. You didn't had to look up to know who had approached your table. To know who was standing beside Heeseung, talking to him in such a familiar manner—like they had known each other for a while.

However, your body betrayed you, choosing to go against your mind and heart, despite how they were yelling at you to not look his way.

Your eyes drifted up and there he stood. Dressed in the same, standard all black uniform from head to toe with an apron tied around his waist. Nothing about him had changed since you last saw him, which was two weeks later. But god, he always looked good to the point where you found it extremely unfair.

His eyes jumped from one face to another, lingering longer than usual on yours—long enough for you to catch it. But he looked away when you blinked, making you wondered if your eyes were playing tricks on you or you were hallucinating.

"Right, I'll be there," Heeseung answered his co-worker and turned to you and your friends with an apologetic but charming smile, "sorry but seems like work calls. Enjoy the drinks and no, it's not on the house."

Your friends dramatically booed and giving him the thumbs-down gesture as he walked away with his co-worker—the very same bartender who you tried to hit on. Not once but twice.

Your eyes unconsciously followed him, trailing after his tall figure as he moved through the sea of people until he slipped out of your sights, leaving you to sigh under your breath.

There goes my final chance.

Shrugging the thought aside, you decided to focus on enjoying the current moment you have. The moment with your friends while living in temporary happiness.

"That's the spirit! Bottoms up, everyone!" Your friend on your right hollered.

This went on for the next two to three hours. As time passed, more and more people entered Hidden Eve until it was packed with people. It was in full swing, with the sound of customers laughing as they chatted among themselves, along with the clinking of glasses as they made a toast to something.

Three of your friends who had chosen the heavy option had long passed out after making a complete fool of themselves—shouting nonsense at the top of their lungs while fighting against your poor, futile attempts of getting them to calm down.

You were the only sober one left as your two other friends—the very same two friends who chose the light options, were lightweights. But thankfully, they were easier to handle and were now passed out by the table.

You had long finished your drink and one glance at your phone told you the time was close to one in the morning. You decided it was time to go home but here comes the most difficult part—waking your drunk friends up while calling a cab for them.

You managed to wake the two of them up and after sobering them up with water, the three of you half-carried and half-dragged your other friends out of the bar.

You barely managed to take more than three steps before you tripped over someone's foot. The floor was about to welcome you with open arms with how close you were about to face-plant into it when a familiar, firm and warm hand grabbed your right shoulder, both stopping and rescuing you in the nick of time.

You glanced over, choking on air when it was none other than the attractive and handsome bartender.

"You good? Looks like you need a little help," he asked, steadying you with both hands. You ignored how you could still felt his warmth emitted from his palms when he withdrew his hands.

"Uh, I think I can manage," you answered, readjusting your friend who had buried her face in the crook of your neck while mumbling something inaudible under her breath.

He hummed, looking over your head, lips quirked upward in an amused smile when he saw the similar states they were in. "Right, I think I should help you before one of your friends dropped someone. Won't want that to happen, do we?"

"I—"

He didn't wait for your response, already moving before you could finished your sentence. You watched as he tended to you. Not your friends but you. He easily threw your friend's right arm around his shoulders with one hand supporting her by the waist—always above the waistline of her jeans, high enough to tell he was a respectful man. Unlike those kinds of men.

When he noticed that you were simply staring at him with a dumbfounded look, he arched an eyebrow. "What? Is there something on my face?" He inquired.

You coughed, averting your eyes to anywhere else but him. "N-Nothing. I'll open the door and call a cab."

You were quick to flee, ears faintly registering his amused chuckle as you opened the door wide enough so him and your other friends were able to half-walk and half-stumble out of the bar.

The moment the door closed, silence engulfed all of you with the music now reduced to a muffled hum in the background. You pulled out your phone and much to your relief, you were able to hail a cab.

"Alright, the driver's coming in seven minutes," you announced to your sober friends, who nodded in acknowledgment as they went to sit on the nearest bench, giving the two of you privacy.

Silence took over the space.

Until he spoke up, breaking it with his low voice.

"Did you gave up?" He asked.

You blinked. "On what?"

He shot you a knowing look, looking downright amused. "You know, I've been waiting for you to shoot your final shot but you didn't. What a shame. Can't believe you left me hanging for the whole day and you're already leaving when it's only one."

You made a noise that strangely sounded like a strangled animal. "I—I didn't want to disturb you, not when you were busy with your job. And besides, it's not like I'm the only one who tried to hit on you."

You couldn't helped yourself with the last sentence and with how petty you sounded. The words slipped out before you could stopped yourself.

It was only when you finished speaking was when the realization and mortification hits you at once without warning. The bartender, however, burst out laughing at the sight of your flustered face.

The sound was warm and unrestrained, spilling out of him in a way that caught you completely off-guard. It wasn't fake—it was real, full-bodied and dangerously charming.

The kind that made your ears flushed red and your heart stuttered at once.

"Is that jealousy I hear?" He teased when he finally calmed down, eyes still crinkled at the corners as he readjusted his grip on your friend who was now using him as a standing lamppost to support herself. "Didn't know you're the jealous type."

"I'm not—" You protested, only for you to stop when you realized what he was doing, with how his grin stretched wider across his face. "I didn't mean it like that."

He hummed, unconvinced but didn't prod further. "Relax. I like it."

What the fuck does that even mean?

The conversation flowed easily after that, like something had finally clicked into place. You talked about nothing and everything—the origin of Hidden Eve, your academic life and your lazy, useless group-mates in your previous group projects and so on.

Talking to him was easy. Like you had nothing to worry about. Like he had somehow eased your burdens without you knowing.

However, you were brought back to reality when a car stopped before you and you recognized the plate number as the cab you had booked.

"Oh, my car's here," you reluctantly said, hesitant.

"Guess it is. C'mon, I'll help you and your friends in getting them in," he said, being the first to open the backdoor as he easily and gently placed your friend in the backseat.

He even helped your other two friends and shortly after, three sleeping girls had fully occupied the backseat. Your two friends took the middle row and you were about to walk around the cab, so you could sit in the passenger seat when the bartender grabbed your wrist in a gentle grip.

Like he was giving you an option to push him away.

"Hey, you don't have to, you know," he murmured, stepping closer while tugging you towards him.

Your breath hitched. "What?"

He leaned in slightly, close enough for you to smell his lingering cologne and the faint smell of cigarettes lingering on his body. "I'm off soon. My place isn't far. We could keep talking… somewhere quieter."

It wasn't a demand or an suggestion.

It was an invitation.

And you would be a fool to turn him down.

You didn't get the chance to remove your shoes or take in his apartment, for you were immediately pressed up against the nearest solid surface—the wall on your left. Your startled gasp was swallowed by a intense, dizzying kiss.

You didn't pushed him away, hands reaching out to grip onto the front of his shirt to pull him closer until you're squished chest-to-chest, not wanting to be separated from him.

Your knees buckled when he sensually ran his tongue along the seam of your lips. You obliged, parting your mouth, whining when he gave a light, teasing nip on your bottom lip.

It was hard enough for it to sting but not hard enough for it to bleed. His hands moved like it had a mind of its own, touching and mapping you greedily.

Goosebumps formed on your skin at how cold his hands were—the effects of the current chilling weather.

"Your hands are cold," you murmured against his lips, eyes half-lidded with him looking right at you.

"Really? Didn't noticed. Guess you need to help me warm them up," he drawled and you couldn't hold back the light giggle at his words.

"That was corny," you pointed out.

"Hey, god forbid a guy from trying to be corny," he retorted, faux hurt evident in his voice but you saw the teasing glint in his eyes.

He was about to kiss you again when you slapped your hand over his lips, causing him to furrow his eyebrows in confusion.

"Before we continue, you still haven't told me your name. And I'd like to know the name of the man who I managed to charm, thank you very much," you said.

He stared at you.

Blinked once.

Twice.

"..You can't be serious."

You solemnly nodded. "No, this is a serious matter to me. I treat this very seriously."

The bartender snorted, muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "cute" under his breath.

His hand slipped under your chin, forcing you to meet his eyes. You gulped at how his eyes darkened in unrestrained, pent-up desire and lust. The desire to take you right there and then.

"Listen up, doll. Name's Nishimura Riki. You better remember it because I'll have you screaming it when I'm done with you."

Beep beep!

The sound of a car horn going off made you got up from the couch. You looked around, mind still half asleep and that's when it hit you—Doohwa was already waiting outside.

You quickly rushed to freshen up—rinsing your mouth, ensuring your make-up wasn't smudged and your appearance was decent enough to be acceptable.

Satisfied, you grabbed your small bag and left after locking the door behind you.

Doohwa's face lit up at the sight of you as he pushed himself off the car, pulling you into a warm and loving embrace when you got close enough. You laughed, returning the gesture while letting him pressed multiple kisses on your cheek.

"Hi, sweetheart. You ready?" He asked, pulling back so he could see your face.

You nodded, flashing him a smile of your own. "Yup. Ready as I'll ever be. I hope your dad would like me."

Doohwa chuckled as he opened the passenger door for you. "I've told you before, he's a nice and understanding man. Besides, you got nothing to worry about. If he ever says anything weird, just tell me and I'll beat him up for you."

You let out a surprised laugh, watching as he walked round the car and slide into the driver's seat. "What? That's your father, Doohwa. You can't just beat him up."

Your fiance merely shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just doing what anyone would do."

You chose not to say anything else, not wanting to prolong the conversation any further. Doohwa drove off, leaving a trail of smoke and dust behind in his wake.

The drive to your destination took you an hour and a half off as his father stayed in a well-off area and you weren't surprised to find yourself in the city.

After parking the car, the two of you got out. Doohwa lead the way to a house with you lingering behind. You fiddled with the strap of your bag as you stood on the porch while he went to knock on the door twice, firm and resolute.

Knock knock.

Doohwa moved back until he was standing beside you, shoulder-to-shoulder. Your ears registered the sound of a pair of approaching footsteps that gradually grew louder and louder until the door was opened from inside.

Your eyes widened. Breath hitched in your throat. Heart stopped—more like it slammed so hard against your ribcage you thought it might have shattered them.

The man standing in the doorway was not a stranger.

He was taller than you remembered, broader shoulders with the sharp edges of youth smoothed into something colder, more dangerous and more tempting.

Time had carved authority into his features, lines at the corner of his puma-like eyes speaking of years lived without softness. His hair was dyed black, except for a specific part that was in the shade of silver or gray, looking like a streak of moonlight.

He may have changed but you can still recognized him.

Nishimura Riki.

Older. Grown. Devastatingly familiar and still fine as always, aging like fine wine.

For a brief moment, his composure cracked. His eyes—those same eyes that once traced every inch of you, flickered with unmistakable recognition. Shock passed through them so quickly but was immediately buried beneath a mask of control so practiced that it terrified you.

"Doohwa." he greeted his son calmly, voice deeper than before, steadier. "You're early."

His gaze shifted to you.

The air turned suffocating.

You felt Doohwa's shoulder brushed against yours again, unaware of the way your body had gone rigid, unaware that the man in front of him had once known the exact sounds you made when you fell apart, letting him broke you down—part by part. A private and exclusive performance put up for him.

You didn't know how to react, not when Riki's eyes lingered on your parted and lipstick-coated lips a second too long—just long enough for the past to surge violently back to life.

Nothing was said. Nothing had to be.

He moved to the side, allowing the two of you to enter his home.

Riki's apartment opened up into a spacious living area, immediately striking in its quiet luxury. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined one side of the room, sheer curtains pulled back to reveal reveal the city stretching out below with glass and steel reflecting everything beneath you. The view alone spoke of money, of success earned and sustained.

Everything inside was deliberate.

Muted tones dominated the space—charcoal, warm beige, deep wood and was balanced by clean, white lines. A low leather sofa was in the middle, placed on top of a textured rug, facing a sleek entertainment unit that was seamlessly built into the wall.

There were no unnecessary decorations and no clutter. Everything placed in their respective positions was done with both purpose and intentions.

Your gaze aimlessly drifted further as you stood there, the hushed conversation between father and son turning into white noise as it blended into the background.

This place didn't belonged to the Riki you met at Hidden Eve. The bartender dressed in all-black and making drinks faster than you could blinked.

No, this apartment belonged to a man who had built a life out of stability and control, a man whose success was etched onto every possible surface.

The current Riki standing a few feet away from you—his broad back and taller figure was different. Seeing both father and son together was when you realized you had been a fool.

How could you not noticed the way they looked similar? Your fiance shares some of his father's features—his unfairly tall height, slightly build figure and the way he carried himself. With nothing but confidence and silent attention.

The kind of attention that drew people in without them knowing. Which was how Riki got you wrapped around his thumb.

But what happened in the past was done. There was nothing you could do to return to it.

"(Name)? You alright?"

You blinked, snapping back to reality when Doohwa called out your name and noticed both men were now looking at you but the way they looked at you was different. One was worried while the other was amused.

Amused like he knew the exact thoughts running through your mind. Like he knew that you were trying to remain calm and not lose your mind.

Like he knew that you felt ashamed of yourself for hooking up with his father back then.

"(Name)? Do you wanna head home instead?" Doohwa asked in a softer tone as he approached you, checking your temperature with one hand pressed against your forehead.

"You don't have a fever, do you?"

You shook your head, forcing yourself to look at him while ignoring Riki's heavy and intense gaze that was boring holes into your head. You flashed your fiance a smile.

To make yourself feel better and definitely not to send a message to Riki, you rested your hand on Doohwa's wrist. From the corner of your eyes, you saw the way Riki's jaw tightened.

Good. Let him see.

"I'm fine, don't worry. I'm just a little tired from the drive," you answered, playing the role of the polite and well-mannered daughter-in-law.

Doohwa nodded, thankfully buying your lie. He then turned to his father with a oblivious smile on his face. "So, do you need help in making dinner?" He asked.

Riki scoffed and rolled his eyes. He pulled the long sleeves of his gray sweatshirt up, revealing his lower arms. You hated how your eyes immediately zoned in on the newly revealed skin, even though you had seen it before. Riki subtly smirked when he caught you staring.

Of course he did.

"No need, just make yourselves at home and it'll be ready soon," he waved off his son's offer and words, pointing to the couch and walked into the kitchen without waiting for his response.

This is going to be a long night…

Riki ended up making seafood pasta for the three of you. At first, you didn't want to eat as you weren't hungry but your stomach chose that moment to betray you by grumbling out loud, much to your embarrassment and horror.

The two men glanced at one another before they burst out laughing, leaving you standing there while trying to resist the urge to jump out of the nearest window. Eventually, the three of you settled down by the dining table and begin eating.

It was quiet for the first fifteen minutes, with none of you uttering a single word and the occasional clink-clanking of your utensils against your plates. You pointedly avoided Riki's gaze, able to feel him staring at you from across the table.

To make matters worse, you were seated directly opposite of him while Doohwa was completely oblivious to the thick and tense silence between the two of you.

That was until, Riki broke the silence by asking a harmless, almost seemingly innocent question.

"So, mind introducing your girlfriend to me?" He asked, eyes flicking to your direction for a quick, fleeting second. It was so fast that you wouldn't have caught it if you weren't already looking at him.

Doohwa paused mid-bite, fork frozen in mid-air. He glanced at you and you nodded, resting your hand above his underneath the table—the very same hands that wore the matching rings. He swallowed his mouthful of food, nearly choking on it and placed the fork down on his plate.

"Uh, actually, she's not my girlfriend," he started off.

You resist the urge to facepalm. Riki, on the other hand, arched an eyebrow and waited for his son to finish speaking. He leaned back in his seat, his long legs stretching out before him.

You flinched when he purposely knocked his feet against yours, causing you to grip onto your dress with your free hand. Riki didn't looked at you, like he knew the effect he had on you, even though some time had passed.

Doohwa raised your intertwined hands, proudly showing off the rings wrapped around your ring fingers. "We're engaged."

Silence.

Riki didn't moved at all, like he had been frozen. He furrowed his eyebrows, not in confusion but in something sharper—calculation. The proud ease he had carried moments ago was gone, now replaced by a carefully curated blank expression that doesn't reached his eyes.

His eyes flicked down to your intertwined hands, zeroing in on the rings that caught the lights.

His jaw tightened. Such a subtle reaction, the kind of reaction that only someone who knew him well or had once known him intimately, would notice. The muscle in his cheek flexed once. Twice, as if he was biting back the words threatening to slip from his tongue.

"Engaged."

He said quietly, testing the word and how it felt on his tongue—like it was foreign to him. He looked up, finally meeting your eyes and there it was.

Recognition.

Not of the situation but the sheer irony of it all. Of the past violently colliding with the present. You saw the way his eyes darkened, the way his breath slowed just a fraction too late. He looked at you like he was seeing you for the first time.

Except now, it was layered with years, choices and consequences.

The rest of dinner passed in a blink of an eye, with both father and son catching up on what they had missed out. You weren't listening as you stared at a random spot of the table, your empty plate staring back, almost like it was mocking you.

Laughing at how cruel fate was—for you to now be engaged to the son of a man who you used to sleep with. It's a miracle that Doohwa didn't knew about your past, as he didn't asked back when he was dating you.

But now, here you are, sitting there, it made you wondered: should you have told him? If you did, how would he react? Would he call off the engagement immediately? If yes, how were you going to explain to your parents and friends?

You could imagine their reactions—horrified and disgusted if they were to find out. Worst case scenario was how they will refuse to acknowledge your presence and kicked you out, leaving you to fend for yourself.

"…me), hello? Are you still there?"

You snapped out of your trance, raising your head to see that they were looking at you. Your eyes instinctively landed on Riki's face first before you looked away, forcing yourself to maintain eye contact with Doohwa.

"Yea?" You asked, grateful that your voice didn't cracked or stuttered.

"I was thinking if you're fine with staying over the night," your fiance. He was quick to slip in another sentence when he saw the mild confusion on your face. "That is, if you don't mind, of course. But if you don't want to, then we can just drive home since it's already getting late."

One look thrown in the clock's direction told you it was close to ten and at this time, the streets were completely empty and dark. Not that great for driving. You hesitated, chewing on your bottom lip.

The last thing you wanted was to stay in the same roof as Riki but you didn't want to be that one fiance who tried to stop their partner from spending quality time with their family.

Or single parent, in this case.

Which was why you ended up nodding your head, although reluctantly. "Fine, we can stay over."

You pretended not to notice how Riki's lips curved upward in a faint, knowing smile. Not wanting to be in the same room as him for another second, you quickly stood up from your seat, startling the two of them.

"I—I'll go and wash the dishes," you muttered under your breath, quickly grabbing the plates and fled to the kitchen, like your life depended on it, leaving a confused Doohwa and a quiet Riki behind as you disappeared from their sights.

You silently washed the dishes, scrubbing every inch of the plates with the sponge to buy yourself more time. You were so engrossed in your current task that you didn't registered another presence, who had entered the kitchen without you knowing. Which was why you nearly dropped the plate into the sink when he spoke up.

"You always know how to pick the right ones."

You spun around on your feet, staring at Riki who leaned against the fridge with his arms loosely crossed. He chuckled at your wide eyes and startled reaction, his eyes shamelessly scanned you from head to toe. His gaze was intense enough to make you squirmed on the spot.

"What are you talking about?" You asked.

Pushing himself off the fridge, the older man shortened the distance in no more than six large strides. You leaned back, wanting to stay as far away as possible but it was futile when the cool surface of the counter dug into your skin.

You could feel your dress getting soaked in the water near the sink area, causing you to shiver as the now cold fabric clung onto your skin.

Riki chuckled, bracing his right hand on the edge of the counter while the other confidently rested on your hip—like he knew exactly where to touch you to make you all putty in his grip. He leaned in, not close enough for him to kiss you but close enough to make you ached for it.

"You know what I'm talking about. Could've just said you missed me," he murmured, angling his head to the side so he could whispered into your right ear, his hot breath grazing against your skin with every word he spoke.

"Tell me, does he fuck you better than me, hm? Does he know you like your hair being pulled? Does he know you like being edged until you're a begging mess?"

His sudden crude and filthy words drew an involuntarily whimper from you. Shame hit you like a tidal wave when you realized what just happened.

"Stop," you protested but the way your voice came off weak only made Riki continued, wanting to push you over the edge.

The hand that was braced at your side moved to cup your chin with his thumb resting against your bottom lip. You knew you should pushed him away, that he shouldn't be touching you like this—like he owns you.

But you couldn't. Couldn't moved or do anything. Instead, you let him do as he pleased.

Just like the good old times.

Riki smirked, tilting your chin up. Your breath hitched when he leaned closer. Now, he was close enough for his lips to graze against yours in the lightest kiss. Only either one of you had to lean in and you would be kissing already.

"You say stop but look at you, already letting me do what I want," he purred, voice low and velvety smooth.

His eyes darted down to your parted lips, looking like he was about to cross the final, invisible line.

"(Name)?" Doohwa called out your name.

The sudden appearance of his voice felt like someone had delivered a slap to your face. You jerked your head back, freeing yourself from his grasp and managed to shove Riki away, ignoring how a part of you wanted him to come back, already missing his warmth.

You couldn't find it in yourself to look at him, blindly walking past him as you left the kitchen and headed to the living room—the direction of where Doohwa's voice came from.

"Hey, there you are—woah, are you alright? You looked a little red," he said, only to stop when he saw how your cheeks were slightly red.

"I'm fine, just tired. Why did you called me?" You shook off his concern, relieved that he had saved you without him knowing.

"Ah, right. There's a guest room available for you, so you can take it," he said.

You blinked. "Wait, what about you?"

Doohwa sighed. "I need to head to work. Got a sudden call from my boss and he said he needs me to come in."

"What? But it's already late! And it's a Saturday too," you pointed out.

You didn't want to be left alone with Riki, not after what nearly happened back then.

"I know, but this is the kind of risk I have to take when it comes to being a lawyer. I'm really sorry. I'm not sure how long I'll be away so if I'm not back tomorrow morning, you can ask my dad to drop you off," he apologized, stepping closer to pull you into a soft and loving embrace as he kissed your forehead.

Sighing, you leaned into his chest and returned the gesture. "..Fine, text me when you reach and when you're done. Don't make me worry about you."

"Can't promise that—ow! Did you just flicked my forehead!?"

Rolling your eyes, you shooed him out of the apartment after kissing him on his lips and closed the door. This time, you could sensed his presence without turning around.

"Don't even think about it," you said as you turned around, crossing your arms as you glared and scowled with your entire might at Riki.

"I didn't even say anything," he pointed out, looking offended like you had thought the worst of him.

And you did.

"I don't trust you," you muttered under your breath but he caught it.

"Oh, that's rich coming from someone who ran away the moment it gets too much," he retorted.

His words which contained the harsh, brutal truth made you flinched. It was also the way he said it—with venom seeping into his voice, how his shoulders tensed up and how he narrowed his eyes.

From where you stood, you were gravely reminded of that fateful night. The night when Riki wanted to be something more. Something that involved you having to tie your life with his. Something that required you to commit.

You remembered how you refused, how the two of you ended up arguing and how you stormed out of his house, ignoring how he shouted your name—with both anger and hurt laced in his voice. How Riki had no choice but to watch your retreating figure until you were out of his sight.

After that night, you had cut ties with him—blocking him everywhere and avoided him like the plague. At first, it was hard since you were so used to having him in your life that you felt lonely. But you didn't went on one-night stands. You couldn't focused on anything and it was a sheer miracle that you even graduated in the first place.

And now, here you were—trying to hold your ground as your past had came back to haunt you.

"I told you that I don't do relationships," you croaked out.

Riki barked out a cold, bitter laugh as he approached you, closing the distance with every step he took. "You say that but don't think I didn't seen the way you looked at me," he fired back.

"What are you talking about?" You frowned, confused but you didn't moved, standing where you are as the man gets closer and closer.

"Don't play dumb with me, (Name). I've seen it, every time when you think I'm not looking," he said, voice low and edged with something dangerously close to resentment. "The way your eyes lingered. The way your breath changed when I get too close. You don't get to pretend none of that means anything."

You weakly scoffed, shuffling your feet about on the spot as if that could buy you time. "You're imagining things."

"Am I?"

Riki stepped closer, close enough that you could feel his warmth, his presence pressing into your space the same, effortless way he used to.

"Because this feels a lot like before. Late nights and stolen looks. You acting like it's nothing while I'm the one left wondering where I stand."

"That's not fair," you replied, your voice trembling despite yourself. "I was honest with you from the start. I told you I didn't want more."

"And then you stayed!" Riki snapped, having lost the last few shreds of his patience and self-restraint. You flinched at the sudden loud volume of his voice.

"You kept coming back. You let me touch you like it didn't mean anything. Like I didn't mean anything. Like I was just someone for you to use," he continued, not giving you any room to speak.

The words hung heavy in the air. You couldn't looked him in the eyes any longer, letting your gaze dropped to the floor. "I left because it was getting complicated."

Riki went silent, staring at you with an incredulous look before he chuckled. But the sound contained no emotions. It was simply exhaustion and frustration.

"No. You left because it was getting real," he corrected you, not feeling any form of remorse when you cowered underneath his gaze.

"You disappeared without looking back. No goodbye. No explanation. Just gone. And now you're here, engaged to my son, telling me you don't do relationships like that's able to erase what we had!?"

"I didn't ran away. I chose a different route," you whispered but deep down, the both of you knew that was nothing more than a pathetic excuse.

Riki sharply exhaled, like he had reached the end of his restraint.

"I've had enough," he muttered, more to himself than to you.

Before you could react, he was in front of you, one hand on your waist while the other tilted your chin up, forcing you to meet his eyes. His face was inches away now, breath warm against your skin, eyes searching yours with something raw and unguarded.

He leaned in and then stopped.

It was like time froze. He stayed there, forehead resting against yours. You knew what he was doing. He was giving you time. Space and a choice. The choice of pushing him away and telling him to stop.

But you didn't.

Your silence was enough to act as a response.

Something dark and resolved flickered across Riki's face before he took the leap of faith, closing the distance.

His lips crashed against yours with force. Not reckless but desperate. Like he had been holding back for years. Like he had been dreaming about this.

Wanting to feel the intoxicating feeling of your soft lips against his. The kiss was deep and consuming, all of his pent-up frustration and unfinished words was poured into the kiss.

You let him tilt your head to the side while deepening the kiss. You had done this before—kissing but this? This was different. Unlike the old times when you kissed just for the sake of it, this felt more real and raw.

You obediently parted your lips, granting him entrance and just like before, Riki ran his tongue along the seam before exploring your warm, wet mouth with one slow and thorough lick.

The sensation was enough to make your head spin and ears burned at how the loud lewd sounds echoed in the living room. Your knees buckled, threatening to give way but Riki was faster.

In one smooth and fluid movement, Riki had blindly maneuvered you to the nearest wall surface that was located behind you. You gasped into his mouth when your back landed against the firm, cool surface of the wall.

With Riki's taller frame completely hovering over you, you had nowhere else to run.

Not that you wanted to run in the first place.

"W-Wait—" You protested but your voice died in your throat when Riki lifted you up, leaving your feet uselessly hanging in the air.

You squeaked; startled and out of pure instinct of the numerous times you had done this, you wrapped your legs around his waist. Riki grinned into the kiss—something you purposely ignored.

You knew he will be smug about it, about how things haven't changed and how you still reacted the same way, back when you were younger.

The way Riki kissed you was completely different from Doohwa. Unlike your fiance who treats you gently, with such care, love and devotion, Riki was the completely opposite. He kissed you like he wanted to claim and devour you, both inside and outside.

Your mind spun, hands now gripping onto the front of his sweatshirt to ground yourself into the current moment.

You flinched when he nipped at your bottom lip, the sharp and stinging sensation making you let out a whimper that was greedily swallowed by Riki. Without you knowing, your hands began moving like it had a mind of its own.

You moved to grab a fistful of his abyssal-like hair, tugging at it which elicited a low groan from him—the sound sending shivers down your spine and heat pooling in your stomach.

You couldn't even crossed your legs with how they were wrapped around his waist. After what felt like forever, Riki broke the kiss. He rested his forehead against yours as the both of you spent a few minutes catching your breath.

You couldn't looked away from him and with how close he was, you could see nothing but pure desire and lust behind them.

The sight of it was so overwhelming that you turned your head to the side. But Riki didn't liked that.

"Ah ah, look at me," he murmured, voice low and raspy as he grabbed your chin and turned you back to him.

To Riki, nothing could compared to how you looked before him. Your eyes were wide and dazed. Your lips were swollen and the lipstick you wore was smudged around the corners. He was certain that his lips was probably stained as well, but he didn't cared.

Riki's eyes darkened as a dark and twisted smile stretched across his face, resting his thumb on your bottom lip while he pressed down on it, watching how you obliged him by letting him do as he pleased.

"You have no idea how long I waited for this," he cooed.

He then moved back and placed you back down onto your feet. He steadied you when your body swayed slightly. He raised his hand, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind your right ear.

The smile on his face was anything but soft and loving. No, it looked almost dark, twisted and something else. Something that made him seemed like he knew something you don't.

"I'll stop here for now. But next time," he paused briefly, leaning down so he could whisper into your ear, "next time, I won't stop."

Riki didn't wait for your response, turning to walk away while leaving you standing there as reality gradually sink in of what you had just done.

~

Needless to say, you didn't slept well that night. You spent the entire night tossing and turning on the bed in the guestroom. Riki was generous enough to leave a spare set of clothes on the bed when he showed you to the guestroom.

You ignored how the clothes belonged to him and how they completely engulfed you with the black sweatshirt reaching your thighs and how you had to pull the strings of the sweatpants until it's tight enough so it won't dropped.

Every time you closed your eyes, your mind went back to the kiss. To how Riki kissed you effortlessly and to the way he looked at you with that glint in his eyes.

But most importantly, you couldn't stopped thinking about the things he said before he kissed you. How hurt and frustrated he was with you back then.

Somehow and someway, you managed to catch some sleep. When you woke up and checked your phone, it was already close to ten in the morning. You got out, headed to the guest bathroom where there was an extra set of toiletries for you to use.

Once you were done with your morning routine, you left the room and headed to the kitchen, mouth watering at the fragrant smell of bacon, coffee and scrambled eggs.

Riki glanced up at the sound of your approaching footsteps. The way his jaw clenched and how he had to physically hold himself back at how good you looked, dressed in his clothes didn't went unnoticed by you.

"You're awake. I made breakfast. Doohwa told me to drop you off later," he said, gesturing to the table.

You silently nodded as you took your seat and helped yourself to the food. Riki sat opposite of you but unlike you, he didn't eat. Instead, he stared at you. To say it was nerve-wrecking would be an understatement. It felt like you were a prey and he was the predator, watching you while hidden in the shadows before making his move.

And he did.

"So, did you sleep well?" He inquired.

The sudden question made you stilled.

To anyone else, it would had been an innocent and harmless question. But you knew better. You knew the meaning behind it. Riki knew the effect he had on you. He knew you didn't slept at all. He knew you couldn't stopped replaying the kiss in your mind, over and over in an endless cycle.

He knew you were starting to have doubts.

You gripped onto the chopsticks, eyes staring at a random spot of the table. You wanted to lie, to tell him that "yes, I slept well" but this was Riki. Someone who had known you better than you knowing yourself.

Which was why you placed your chopsticks down with a silent 'thud' on your bowl.

"We need to talk," you started, mustering the most serious look on your face, not wanting him to see you lose your composure.

Riki arched an eyebrow, cocking his head to the side. He leaned back in his seat and threw an arm onto the back of the chair situated on his right. The way he portrayed himself—laid-back and easy was enough to make your left eyebrow twitched subtly in mild annoyance.

"Oh? What about?" He asked, having the audacity to act like he was innocent. Especially after the bold move he pulled yesterday.

You swallowed down the tempting urge to just yell at him, knowing that will bring you nowhere. "You can't do that again, Riki. It's highly inappropriate and if Doohwa were to know, he—"

"Woah, why are you making it sound like I'm the bad guy here. If I remember correctly, you kissed me back too."

You opened and closed your mouth. Riki smirked, knowing you couldn't say anything. Not when he had you cornered and when he was merely speaking the truth.

You awkwardly cleared your throat, bringing a mixture of bacon strips and scrambled eggs into your mouth as you chewed, anything to buy yourself more time while your mind struggled to find a response.

"Regardless of who kissed who, it's still highly inappropriate, Riki. You need to understand that I'm engaged to Doohwa now," you forced yourself to speak, because you wanted him to understand that you had moved on. That your life no longer revolved around him.

Riki stared at you with an unreadable expression on his face. And then, he rose to his full height and walked round the table, heading to your direction while remaining uneasily calm. You pressed yourself against the chair, gripping onto your utensils for dear life, like it could protect you from him.

The walking definition of sin and temptation.

When he was close enough, Riki placed one hand on the back of your chair while the other smoothly slid under your chin, holding your face on his index finger.

Your body betrayed you. Your breath caught. You found yourself leaning into his touch before your mind could processed it.

"You say all that but the moment I laid my hands on you, you're all quiet," he taunts you, leaning down until the tips of your noses brushed against one another.

"Admit it, you still love me," he demanded in a soft but authoritative tone, enough to make you squeezed and rubbed your legs together.

Both of you didn't do anything at first, merely having a staring competition while daring the other party to make the first move. To let their guard down and give in to the temptation.

Clink clink!

The sound of your metal utensils dropping to the table pierced through the silence. Your hands shot out, grabbing a fistful of Riki's hoodie that had no right in making him looked more attractive than he already was. You caught the faintest flicker of surprise in his eyes as you roughly tugged him down to smash your lips against his.

Riki froze for a few seconds but when he realized what was happening, he eagerly reciprocated it and easily took the lead. He moved to stand between your legs while resting his right knee on the empty space on the chair, dangerously closed to your clothed cunt.

You had to tilt your head all the way back and you knew you'll be getting a horrible neck cramp tomorrow. But right now, you couldn't find it in yourself to care.

"Is this your way of saying yes?" He chuckled, mumbling the words against your lips, refusing to pull back like the distance could kill him.

"Shut up. You piss me off, you know that?" You snarled, refusing to acknowledge his question and cut off his laughter by kissing him again.

Unlike before, Riki's hands began greedily tracing the outline and silhouette of your body—trying to figure out how much you had changed. He boldly slid his large, warm hands underneath the sweatshirt—his sweatshirt, smirking into the kiss at how you subtly arched into his touch when he slid his hand up your spine, slowly and teasingly.

"You look hot when you're pissed. Maybe I should piss you more often," he joked and before you could retort with something snarky, he pulled back from the kiss, leaving a visible trail of saliva that snapped into half and sank to his knees.

You watched with bated breath, both hands gripping onto the edge of the chair you were seated on. Your breakfast was long forgotten at this point.

Riki tapped on your thigh twice and you obeyed, slightly lifting your hips up, aiding him in the removal of your—well, his, sweatpants. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed you didn't worn anything underneath it.

"No panty? Dirty girl. Did you touched yourself last night?" He questioned you, not bothering to remove the sweatpants and letting it pooled around your ankles.

Riki threw your right leg over his shoulder, grabbing onto your thigh to tug you forward. You let out a surprised sound when your body slid down and lurched forward until you were in an awkward position—half-kneeling and half-sitting on the chair.

Heat crept up the back of your neck at how focused Riki was as he stared at your bare, throbbing and aching cunt that fluttered while being on the receiving end of his puma-like gaze. He didn't asked for permission or warned you, diving in like he hasn't eaten for months. His tongue darted out, licking from the opening up to your clit.

To tease you and further pushed you over the edge, he gave a light, fleeting suck that drew a loud and high-pitched broken moan from the depths of your throat.

"F-Fuck, Riki," you moaned, head tilted back until it's bent backwards over the back of the chair as you canted your hips forward, craving for more.

The older man paid you no mind as he alternated between slow, flat stripes and quick, kittenish licks, the rapid change giving you whiplash. You couldn't keep up, mind blanking out with how good he was. Not even Doohwa had gotten this far with you, even though you were already engaged.

Riki glanced up from where he knelt—between your legs, like he was a loyal worshiper. His eyes lingered on your facial expression—how you bit down on your bottom lip, how your eyes were squeezed tight and how you furrowed your eyebrows as you struggled to hold back the noises.

That won't do.

Determined to hear it, he buried his face deeper and with his other hand, he spread you apart with his middle and index fingers. You let out a strangled whine as he pushed his tongue in, moving past your wet, soaking folds.

Heck, you could even felt his nose bumping against the hood of your clit just right.

"Fuck, look at you. Riding my face like that. Has my son not done this before?" He groaned.

If Riki could, he wished to spend an eternity between your legs, having his mouth on your pussy—eating it for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper. He couldn't get enough of how sweet and addictive you taste.

The indirect mention of Doohwa's name made you let out a weak mewl, mind already too far gone as you continued rocking your hips against the sharp outline of his nose. Broken moans, gasps and chanting of Riki's name fell from your lips like a sacred prayer.

"Riki.. oh god, d-don't stop.. fuck, pleasepleaseplease," you pleaded, voice dripping with such neediness that it made his cock twitched against the loose restraints of his sweatpants.

Riki moaned, the sound muffled and the vibration against your pussy was enough for you to reach your climax. Your legs spasmed out as your entire body trembled from the overwhelming and intense feeling.

You would had kicked him right in the face if he didn't held you down by your waist firmly.

Riki didn't stopped, tongue still lapping away while ensuring not a single drop had gone wasted. Eventually, he pulled away with the bottom half of his face covered in your slick. His plump lips looked even more irresistible than it already was, making you dryly swallowed. Riki didn't broke your eye contact, wiping your slick away with the back of his right hand.

What he did next nearly made you jumped on him, right there and then.

He brought his now soaked hand to his mouth and licked your slick up, like a cat greedily lapping from a plate of milk. You couldn't looked away, like your body had betrayed you as you stared at him, in both disbelief and something else you refused to acknowledge.

Something else that is related to you wanting to kiss the living life out of him, like a vampire. As if knowing what you're thinking, Riki smirked and stood up.

"Thanks for breakfast," he simply said before walking away, leaving you seated on the chair with your sweatpants still around your ankles as you struggled to wrap your mind around the mere fact that you had crossed a line and was now in a very dangerous territory.

What's worse was the fact that you wouldn't mind doing this again.

~

Whatever happened afterwards was a blur to you. You don't remembered finishing the remains of your breakfast, washing the dishes and changing back to the dress you wore yesterday. You don't remembered getting into Riki's car as he drove you back to you and Doohwa's home. You don't remembered him sneakily slipping something—a neatly folded piece of paper into your purse before you noticed it.

At first, things were normal. Both you and Doohwa were focused on your respective work life and the never-ending list of responsibilities that came with it. Doohwa had to spend more time in the office—reason being was his company had shortlisted him for an upcoming promotion. When he told you about it, you were on cloud nine and you went all out.

You made his favorite dishes and even going the going extra mile of pulling out the bottle of red wine that was given to you from your parents as a housewarming gift. The two of you spent the entire night drinking and chatting to your hearts' content.

Things were normal, until they weren't.

"I'll get going now," you announced to your co-worker, who nodded and bid you farewell.

"Bye and have a good weekend!" She said and you smiled, throwing her words back at her as well.

You stepped out of your company, already searching for Doohwa's car when you came to a stop. Your eyes landed on a certain tall figure, who casually leaned against his car with his arms loosely crossed across his chest. There were a few passerby who did a double take when they saw him, no doubt flustered by his looks. Some even giggled and whispered among themselves, wondering whose boyfriend or husband does he belonged to.

They were completely oblivious to the truth.

You swore your face turned as pale as a ghost. As if sensing your presence, he looked up and easily located you from where he stood. Riki arched an eyebrow, watching you. It's obvious he was waiting for your next move, curious to see what you would choose: fight or flight? If this was the old you, you would had immediately turned and bolted.

But now that you had grown up and became a young woman, you chose fight. Holding your head high while ignoring how every step you took only made your heartbeat quickened, you approached him and stopped before him.

"What are you doing here?" You asked, not bothering to sound polite or even greet him. "And more importantly, how do you know where I work?"

Riki was unfazed with your bluntness and merely smirked. "Doohwa called me. Asked if I could give you a ride home. Told me he won't be coming home tonight since he needs to work hard for his promotion."

You blinked and then narrowed your eyes at him. "And why should I believe you? How do I know you're not lying?" You asked, eyeing him warily.

Sighing, the man reached into the pocket and pulled out his phone. He unlocked it, opened the Messages app and turned it to show you the messages his son had sent him. You had to squint your eyes to get a clearer look at it.

Doohwa: Hey dad, could you help to pick (Name) up after work? I won't be able to do it since I'll be working overtime… Here's her company address: XXX-XXXXXXXX.

"That piece of shit. He could've at least called me," you muttered under your breath as you moved back when you realized you were standing too close to him.

"He did. But I think your phone died. He tried calling you too but all of it went to voicemails, which was why he came to me instead," Riki answered, tucking his phone aside and pushed himself off the car he was leaning on.

"Get in, we can grab something to eat then I'll drop you off," he said, opening the passenger door for you.

A part of you wanted to walk away, stating that you don't need him to drive you home but another part of you wanted this. You ended up getting in and he closed the door after you. Riki walked round his car and got into the driver's seat. One quick scan of the black, sleek and polished design of the interior of the car told you enough.

"Looks like someone's earning a fortune," you pointed out, unable to hide the sarcasm that managed to seep into your voice.

"Oh, thanks. It's all part of the job," he casually answered and somehow, your left eyebrow twitched with how causal he said it. Like he was better than you.

You swallowed the rising and tempting urge to lose your temper and asked another question. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

You scoffed as you hugged your work bag close to your chest, like it could shield you from him. "Don't tell me you're kidnapping me or something."

Riki glanced at you and something akin to mischief twinkled in his eyes. "Relax. If I do that, we'll be heading to my place in no time."

Your cheeks burned at the implication behind his words, making you tightened your grip around your work bag. "You're disgusting."

"You say that but you literally let me eat you out."

"Riki!"

Out of all places you had in mind, you didn't expect for him to pull up in front of a familiar place. A place where it all began. You got out of the car after Riki parked it, staring at the bar with a bewildered look on your face. Footsteps approached you until he stood beside you, hands shoved into his pockets.

"What do you think? You like my surprise?" He asked, unable to hide the wide grin stretching across his face.

Your eyes darted between the name and his face. You barely managed to conceal the surprise that had already made itself known, awkwardly clearing your throat. "Don't tell me you're feeling nostalgic and decided to bring me here for a memory refresh."

He chuckled; amused and shook his shoulders. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows."

You frowned, clearly disliking how he's being vague. "You—"

"Ah ah, stop arguing with me. If you hate it so much, you can walk away right now. I won't stop you," he interrupted, watching you with a knowing glint.

He knew you wouldn't walked away. He knew you would stay with him. He knew you would let him do as he pleased—like what happened before. When you said nothing or didn't walked away, Riki smirked and gestured for you to walk ahead of him. You shot him a glare and if looks could kill, he would have died on the spot as you walked past him, even purposely bumping your shoulder against his, just because you're petty.

Riki said nothing as he followed you, purposely brushing his shoulder against yours. He opened the door for you, allowing you to enter and when you did, you had to pause, stand by the doorway to take in everything.

It was still the same.

There were no major changes done. The lighting, the atmosphere, the furniture and even the interior was exactly the same. You were so caught-up taking in your surroundings that you weren't even aware someone standing behind the counter spotted the two of you.

"Yo, what the—(Name)? Is that you?"

You snapped back to reality when someone called out your name over the music playing from the speakers. Before you knew it, Lee Heeseung had appeared in your sights. One look at him told you that he had aged well, just like the man currently standing beside you. Heeseung pulled you into an embrace without warning. You stilled for a few seconds but returned the hug and patted him on his back.

What you didn't know however, was how Heeseung playfully stuck his tongue out at Riki over your shoulder, causing the younger man to scowl. Heeseung broke the hug and smiled down at you, briefly and respectfully scans you from head to toe.

"Looks like adulthood's been treating you well. You grew up to be a fine woman, with all due respect, of course," he complimented you.

And you laughed for the first time today, waving off his words with a bashful smile on your face. "Stop it. You and your sweet words."

Heeseung chuckled. "What can I say? I'm a natural sweet-talker. You guys can grab yourselves some seats and if Riki wants, he can make the drinks as I'm kinda busy," he continued while pointing at his ex co-worker.

"You sure that's allowed, hyung?" Riki teased.

His ex-boss rolled his eyes. "I'm the owner of this place. What are they gonna do? Fire me? Hah, I'd like to see them try. But seriously, just do it if you want to. I need to go. Maybe we can talk again later."

Heeseung ruffled Riki's hair—much to the younger's annoyance. He gave you a friendly smile before disappearing into the sea of people. Your eyes scanned the place, managing to find an empty table and sped-walked towards it. You were the first to sit down, placing your work bag on your lap as you stared at the menu that was placed on it.

Riki, on the other hand, plopped down in the opposite seat of yours as he observed you with an unreadable look on his face. "You two look awfully cozy back there," he commented.

You didn't glanced up, scanning both the food and drinks sections. "Heeseung? Yeah, we became good friends after he made me and my friends drinks. Too bad they weren't on the house though."

"Yeah, and he's also someone who couldn't keep his hands to himself," he grumbled under his breath.

"Did you say something?" You asked, raising your head.

"Nothing. What are you planning on getting?" Riki immediately changed the subject.

You eyed him for a while but didn't brought it up, choosing to go with the flow instead. "I was thinking of getting the steak and probably something non-alcoholic for the drinks," you answered while pointing at the dish you mentioned.

Riki had to lean forward to get a closer look, his shadow being cast across both the menu and table when he does so. "Non-alcoholic? Didn't take you as the boring type."

"What's that supposed to mean?" You glared at him for the unknown time.

Seeing your reaction, he smirked—knowing he had you right where he wanted you to be. "I'm just saying. Non-alcoholic on a Friday? C'mon, it's a Saturday tomorrow. You need to loosen up a little. Unless you're scared."

The last word nearly made you see red.

"Scared? Oh, I'll show you what scared really looks like," you retorted.

Riki smirked as he stood up. "That's my girl. Be right back. I'll make your order."

Before you could say anything, he headed backdoor to where only staff was granted access, leaving you seated by the table, cheeks flushed at how he had called you his girl.

~

"Wait—!"

You weakly protested but your voice died down in your throat when Riki moved abruptly.

Bam!

The door slammed shut behind you as he used his weight to pin it closed. The sound echoed throughout the quiet and still apartment. His hands grabbed both sides of your head as he maneuvered you backward until your back was against the wall, trapping you there—not hurting or rough but desperate. His breathing was uneven now, chest rising and dropping fast as his forehead briefly dropped to yours, like he was fighting to control himself.

To control himself.

"Don't. Don't say anything," he said in a hoarse voice.

And he kissed you.

It was frantic, nothing like the controlled restraint he had shown before or the way he kissed you back then. This was different. More intense. More needy. More desperate. His mouth moved hungrily against yours, like he wanted to swallow you whole. Like he couldn't bear the thought of watching you letting someone else that's not him talking to you, making you laughed and smiled freely.

Riki's hand slid down to your jaw, thumb pressing there with poorly contained tension as he deepened the kiss, angling your head to the side, like he knew exactly how to steal your breath. Your palms were sweating profusely, mind spinning from the remaining alcohol in your veins and you felt unusually warm.

But, you couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why.

You tried to break the kiss, tried to stop him but Riki was stubborn. He growled, impatient and frustrated when you repeatedly delivered light whacks to his shoulders.

"Do you have any idea how hard it was? Watching you smile at Heeseung like that? How you kept entertaining him?" He murmured against your lips between each kisses, voice low and rough, sending shivers down your spine and the all-too familiar sensation of heat pooling in your stomach.

It's like your body only reacted this way when you're with Riki and not Doohwa.

You barely had time to process it before he kissed you again, slower this time but the intensity behind it remained the same, enough for you to openly and wetly pant against his lips. It felt possessive now, more deliberate—like he was reminding the both of you who was here first. Who still remembered.

His other hand rested at your waist, grounding and anchoring you to him, like he was afraid you will disappear the moment he loosened his grip.

"Every time hyung talked to you, you looked at ease. Like it was nothing. And I was right there, pretending it doesn't get under my skin," he continued quietly, jealousy bleeding through despite his best, futile attempts to keep it buried.

He rested his forehead against yours, your breaths mingling as you two breathed in the same space. You couldn't looked away, not when his eyes were dark and searching. Searching for any signs of you not wanting this, before it was too late.

"But it did. It got under my skin," he admitted.

"Ri—!"

You didn't managed to utter out his full name as he kissed you once more—not rushed or frantic, but full of weight and meaning, like a confession he could no longer keep inside. You couldn't keep up with him, not when your legs threatened to give way. You would've toppled to the ground if Riki didn't steadied you in the nick of time.

And then, your vision was tilted to the left.

Riki easily carried you in his arms bridal-style and headed to the bedroom—not the guestroom but to his own bedroom. Instead of placing or throwing you onto his bed, he pinned you against the wall the moment you stepped foot into the room, kissing you until you're breathless and your lips were swollen. You let him removed your clothes—the black blazer you wore to protect yourself from the cold, leaving you in your inner, plain black blouse and loose, black pants.

With lots of self-control behind it, he broke the kiss, chuckling at the disappointed whine you made at the sudden distance. He stopped you when you chased after him, causing you to furrow your eyebrows at him, confused with his intention.

"Get on your knees for me, doll," he demanded, voice firm and authoritative—leaving no room for objections.

Not that you were planning on going against him in the first place.

You compiled, involuntarily shivering at the usage of the pet-name—the very one he used back then. Your clothed knees hit the carpeted floor of his bedroom, sweaty palms resting on your lap as you looked up at him. Riki looked down at you and seeing you like this—willingly on your knees while batting your eyelashes at him, unaware of the effect you have on him.

"Fuck, you look pretty like this," he breathed out, resting his hand on top of your head as he grabbed a fistful of your hair with his fingers.

"Go on, I don't have all day," he drawled, cocking his head to the side as he looked down at you expectantly.

Your eyes darted between his face and the visible bludge in his pants that's right before you. To test the water, you raised your trembling hands. Out of excitement or nervousness, you weren't sure and you pulled the zipper down slowly. The sound of it being tugged down was loud, echoing throughout the four walls of the room, a foreshadowing of what's to come.

Riki didn't moved, watching and letting you pulled his pants and Chrome Hearts boxers until it's low enough, finally freeing his hardened cock proudly standing upright. Riki shivered at the light, fleeting sensation fo the cool wind brushing against his sensitive cock. Precum formed at the tip. You had to pause for a moment, unable to conceal the surprise that appeared in your eyes at how… well, huge he had gotten.

The last time you had sex with him, he wasn't even this big yet. It's times like these where you get reminded that the man standing before you now was longer the same as before.

Glancing up at him through your eyelashes, you scooted forward on your knees, so you can get closer without having to strain your neck. Instead of wasting time with foreplay or teasing him, you jumped right in. You swallowed him in one go, your gag reflex being non-existent. You slacked your jaw, pushing forward while ignoring the way your throat convulsed around the thick grith of his cock.

Riki groaned, head falling back to reveal his neck with his veins popping out. "Fuck, your mouth's still so good."

You moaned, the sound muffled and sending vibrations down the length of his cock, drawing a curse from the man above you. You began bobbing your head, hollowing your cheeks as you traced the protruding veins along the sides of his cock. You even reached out to caress his heavy balls, grazing your nails against the outline, causing his thighs to twitch at the mere contact.

With borderline shaking hands, Riki managed to pull out his phone from the pockets of his pants. What was supposed to be an easy task of unlocking the device and opening the camera app proved to be a difficult task. Especially with how warm and tight your mouth felt. He couldn't stopped replaying the image of you taking him whole without gagging in his mind, like it was on loop.

"Fuck," he hissed through his gritted teeth and clenched jaw at a particular harsh from you.

You chose that moment to pull away, making an audible "pop" sound and pressed your lips against the mushroomy tip, lips curled up in a smile at how it visibly twitched in your grip.

"What's wrong? Can't unlock your phone?" You cooed, teasing and taunting him. "Need some help?"

Riki paused and looked down at you, phone held in his left hand. The next thing you knew, he roughly tugged you forward by using your hair as the reins, until the tip was pressed against your lips, but you refused to let him in, stubbornly keeping your mouth closed. His eyes hardened at your disobedience.

"You forgot you're not the one in-charge here, doll," he snarled, giving another tug of your hair as your head jerked backward at an awkward angle where you're forced to look at him.

"Open up. Or else," he warned you.

Your mouth instinctively opened and this time, Riki was well-prepared. He held his phone before him, the camera app already opened. He clicked the record button and the timer went off as he filmed him shoving you down on his cock. His sudden action elicited a muffled, choking sound from you. Your eyes widened with tears prickling at the corners, blurring your vision slightly but Riki didn't cared.

He thrusted into your mouth, not giving a damn about your comfort as he used you as a fleshlight while chasing after his pleasure. He didn't cared that you were drooling as well, with it trickling down your widely-stretched mouth. Some even rolled down to his balls. The temperature difference of your warm and thick saliva against his cool and tight balls sent shivers down his spine.

Riki couldn't tear his eyes away from the video as he recorded your fucked-out facial expression—your half-lidded teary eyes, your lips obscenely stretched wide to accommodate the thick grith of his cock in your mouth and how he could even see the outline of himself down your throat at every snap of his hips. You could barely breathed, having to inhale and exhale through your nose.

He didn't warned you as he spilled hot and thick cum down your throat, painting it in the shade of white. You weren't even fazed with the salty taste in your mouth, letting it rest on your tongue, waiting for his permission for you to swallow it. Riki pulled his now limp cock out of your bruised, swollen lips with a loud "pop" sound. He tilted your face up with his thumb on your chin, zooming in with two fingers until it's focused on your mouth.

"Open your mouth. Let me see it," he cooed.

You obeyed him, opening your mouth as wide as you can and then, he shoved two fingers down your throat without hesitation. You audibly gagged on it, your throat tightening around the sudden intrusion. This time, tears rolled down your face as he dipped his fingers into the mini pool of cum resting on your tongue before spreading it over your entire mouth, ensuring every inch was covered in it, like he was spreading butter on bread.

Satisfied, Riki withdrew his saliva-coated fingers but instead of wiping it clean, he returned to his previous position—thumb on your chin. You still had your mouth opened, looking at him with wide and innocent eyes.

Except you were anything but innocent.

You thought he'd asked you to swallow but he moved, bending over at waist level with his phone angled out of the way but he was still recording you. You let him further tilt your chin back and then—

Spat.

Your heart stopped beating. Riki had just spit into your mouth. He knowingly smirked at your reaction—how your brain malfunctioned on the spot. He tapped twice on your bottom lip with his index finger—the very same finger that was in your mouth a few minutes ago.

"Swallow it," he demanded.

And who were you to say no?

You obeyed, making a show of you swallowing everything—his cum and his saliva. When you did, you parted your lips to show your now cleaned mouth and he nodded, satisfied. Riki stopped the recording, pocketing his phone. He pulled you up to your feet to capture your lips in a intense, feverish kiss, not caring that he's able to taste himself on your lips which only further intensified the feeling.

He turned you around and made you moved backward until your knees knocked into the side of the bed. You fell backward onto the clean, neat and tidy sheets with a 'thud' sound. Riki was quick to be on top of you and trailed kisses down your neck, drawing a soft and pleased sigh from you. You tilted your head back, eyes closed in bliss with your chest pressed against his.

"Can I take this off?" He asked, voice unusually soft despite the rough way he manhandled you a few minutes ago.

You blinked but nodded your head. "Y-Yeah, you can."

Your ears turned red at how you stuttered but thankfully, Riki didn't comment on it. He finished unbuttoning the rest of the buttons of your blouse and you lifted yourself up from the sheets, allowing him to slide it off until the fabric is brunched around your elbows.

He quickly made quick work of his clothes, stripping until he's naked. Your eyes flicked down and you saw it—a red kiss mark tattoo on the side of his stomach. Your eyes lingered longer than usual but you forced yourself to look away. However, you knew you were caught red-handed with the knowing smirk Riki sent you.

"Like what you see?" He asked, voice low and deep.

You couldn't helped yourself, pushing yourself up to get a closer look. You reached out but your hands froze mid-air, looking at him, waiting for permission. Riki nodded and you took that as your sign, resting your right palm above the tattoo. You traced the outline of it with your fingers, ears registering the sharp inhale from Riki.

"You… When did you get this?" You murmured, voice soft.

"I got it when we were still…" His voice trailed off but you knew what he wanted to say.

When we were still having that friends-with-benefits relationship.

Riki awkwardly cleared his throat, resting his hand above yours—completely covering your hand from his view.

"What do you think? Do you like it?" He asked. If you were to listen closely, you could detect shyness behind it—like a young boy seeking approval from his mother.

You didn't answered him verbally, choosing to answer with your action instead. You gently pried his hand away from the tattoo, able to feel his confusion but it vanished when you leaned forward, pressing your lips against it, in the exact same position and angle.

The mere contact of your plush but still swollen lips against the kiss mark tattoo made him visibly jolt. Riki's breath hitched in his throat, eyes widening with genuine surprise at your unpredicted and bold action. You let your lips lingered against it for a while before pulling away. Riki snapped back to reality and cupped your face, kissing you with neediness that it made your head spun.

You let him pushed you back until you were laying on the bed. Riki broke the kiss, taking in the sight of you laying beneath him with your hair spread out like a messy halo. Feeling flustered with his gaze, you covered the bottom half of your face with the back of your palm, eyes averted to the side. But Riki clicked his tongue in disapproval. He reached out, grabbed your hand and pinned it on your left, smoothly intertwining your fingers together.

"Don't hide from me. You're beautiful," he reassured you, eyes filled with nothing but utmost sincerity.

You stared at him, taken aback by how honest he was. You didn't know how to respond and merely meekly nodded your head, not trusting in your voice. Riki chuckled, amused with your reaction. He didn't completely removed your blouse, leaving it hanging around your elbows as he made quick work of your pants, now leaving you in your matching set of underwear—a plain, black set of bra and lace panties.

Riki tossed your pants onto the floor, eyes zoned in on the evident wet spot, right over where your pussy was. He rested a finger on the wet spot, moving it upward with his eyes on your face—observing your reaction. He faintly smirked at how you gasped, hips canting forward, craving more of it.

Tugging the soaked and thin fabric aside, he let out a low and impressed whistle at how your pussy was drenched, with visible, thick and sticky strings of your arousal being stretched to the side, along with the movement.

"Look at you, already drippin' for me," he breathed out, amazed with how wet you are as his finger inched closer, now fully touching your bare pussy, savoring the little and soft whimpers spilling from your lips.

"Too bad that useless son of mine doesn't know how sweet you taste."

The moment he finished speaking, Riki dived in. He flattened his tongue as he ran it along your puffy, dripping folds, collecting your slick that couldn't stopped dripping. The sheer contact of his rough tongue against your sensitive pussy drew a loud and shameless moan from you.

Your back arched off the bed, legs now tightly wrapped around his head, locking him in place. You were worried that you were suffocating him but the thought flew out of your mind when he pushed not one, but two fingers in until he was knuckles-deep in.

Riki had to control himself when he felt how tight you were around his fingers, making him wonder: would you be able to take his cock? But as the saying goes, 'if there's a will, there's a way'.

The double penetration of his tongue and fingers made you see stars exploding behind your eyelids. Riki easily located that delicate spot located against your gummy and velvety walls. He expertly curled his fingers in just the right angle, drawing more angelic sounds from your lips.

"Ngh—F-Fuck, Riki, oh god," you moaned, throwing all ounces of shame and self-discipline out of the window at how he pressed his thumb down on the hood of your clit before moving it in a slow, circular motion in clockwise direction.

You weren't even aware that you started fucking yourself back on his fingers as he pumped them in and out at a steady interval. The bedroom was filled with your moans and the lewd sounds of him eating you out like there's no tomorrow. You couldn't registered what you were saying. It could be his name or you blabbering anything that sounded suspiciously like please and more.

Whatever it was, it seemed to have an effect on Riki with how he audibly moaned into your pussy, burying his face deeper like he wants to die between your legs with his tongue tasting your slick, treating it like sweet nectar from a sunflower.

"G-Gonna cum," you panted, warning him while trying to push him away but Riki was persistent. He ignored your weak and feeble attempts to shove him away as he continued to abuse your poor pussy.

All it took was for him to move his fingers in a scissors-like motion, spreading you opened and a slow, teasing flick with the tip of his tongue for you to come undone. Your stomach muscles tightened from the orgasm as overwhelming pleasure washed over you. Riki still didn't moved away, relentlessly eating you through your climax. It was only when you went pliant against the sheets was when he finally let you breathe.

He pushed himself up onto his knees, his pink tongue darting out to lick at the wetness coating his thick and plump lips. "Fuck, have you had sex with Doohwa before?" He asked.

The sudden question right after he gave you the most intense orgasm of your life made you stared at him, like he had spoken in a different language. It took you a few seconds for your mind to catch up and you shook your head, still in a daze.

"No, we didn't. We only kissed and made out, that's all. Never gone further than that," you admitted, oblivious to how your words made something in Riki twitched.

"So, he hasn't touched you here before?" He asked, scooting closer and boldly cupped your bare, overly-sensitive pussy, drawing a soft whine from you at the sudden contact.

Again, you shook your head but he wasn't pleased with the lack of verbal response.

"I needs words, doll. Answer me," he instructed, pushing the tip of his index finger back in, watching as how your head fell backward.

"N-No, he didn't—nonono!" You cried out at how he pulled his finger out, ignoring the way you pathetically clenched down on him, attempting to make him stay.

Riki lets out a dark and low laugh at the crestfallen look on your face and let out a faux coo, even furrowing his eyebrows in faux concern and pity. "Aw, poor baby. Sure you want my fingers?" He asked, chuckling at how you eagerly nodded your head, eyes half-lidded.

"Are you sure? Thought you want my cock instead," he continued.

The way your eyes widened and lit up at his words nearly made him laughed, if it wasn't for the mood of the current situation. Riki moved you upward until your head was resting on a pillow.

He placed another pillow underneath your hips as he situated himself between your spread out legs. He couldn't get enough with how sinful you looked—laying there while looking at him with wide and doe-like eyes, ready to take him.

Ready for you to become his.

Riki forgo the condoms as he didn't have them anymore. Not after he had Doohwa with one of his one-night stands. He reached over the bed, picking up his phone. This time, he was able to easily unlocked it and opened the camera app, pressing the record button.

He tilted the phone down, ensuring to capture the angle of him aligning himself against your weeping entrance but instead of pushing in, he rubbed the tip against your folds, collecting your slick as he coated it over his cock, acting as temporary lube.

"Beg for it, darling. Wanna hear you beg," he said, the recording perfectly capturing everything.

You whined, fingers gripping onto the pillow beneath your head with your nails digging into it. You tried to cant your hips forward, hoping he could just slide in but Riki held you down by your hips, his strength easily overwhelming yours.

"I say beg for it. Show me how much of a desperate woman you are, wanting someone else's cock instead of your fiance," he taunts, his crude words drawing a pitiful and needy whimper from you.

"P-Please, wan' you," you begged, frustrated tears burning in your eyes but Riki didn't gave in.

Not yet. He wants to push you further.

"Try again. You can do better."

You sniffled pathetically. At this point, your mind was no longer intact within your body. Which was why you barely comprehend the words that slipped from your mouth, like it was nothing.

"Please daddy, wan' your cock," you pleaded and fuck, the way you addressed him. That one singular word struck something deep and feral in Riki.

He didn't dropped his phone or stopped the recording. Instead, you felt his hard, thick cock pressed up adjacent in your cervix in a singular shove, his chest heaving up and down erratically as desire gleamed in his dazed eyes.

You felt the air being punched out of your lungs with how deep his cock was. You swore he could hit the entrance to your womb—something you didn't know was possible.

Until now.

"Shit, you're so tight," he cursed, zooming in to capture the lewd moment of your pussy lips stretched obscenely wide around the grith of his cock.

"Ki, move, please" you whispered.

Riki raised an eyebrow. "No, that's not what you called me just now."

You looked at him, mind struggling to process his words and that's when it hit you. Riki hummed at your hesitation.

"Guess you don't want it then," he shrugged his shoulders, pretending he was about to pull out but as he expected, you stopped him.

"No, don't!" You protested.

"Yes? What do you want, doll? Use your words," he coaxed you, ensuring that your face wasn't captured in the recording.

You paused for a few seconds, trying to pluck up the remains of your close to non-existent courage. "Please fuck me… daddy."

Riki audibly groaned at the last word, his cock twitched inside of you. He pulled out until his tip is still inside you and then pushed back in, slamming his hips against yours.

His balls slapped against your ass cheeks with every deep and harsh thrust from him. The older man grit his teeth at how you tightened around him.

He changed the angle slightly, easily finding the same spongy spot and wasted no time in abusing it, the tip of his cock kissing it with every thrust.

The new change of angle drew more high-pitched and breathless moans from you as you lay there, body shuffling up and down.

The bed-frame kept smacking against the wall with a series of loud and heavy thud, thud, thud.

You weren't even sure if Riki's neighbors were around but you hoped they weren't. Not with how loud you were being.

"Takin' me so well. You're made for me, aren't you?" He groaned, tossing his phone aside but he didn't stopped the recording. It landed camera down on the sheets and now, it was merely recording the loud, lewd sounds of skin slapping against skin.

Riki looked down, smirking when he saw a ring of white, thick liquid forming at the base of his cock. He reached out, hand spreading your fat pussy lips apart, watching as you took more of him.

"Ngh, d-daddy—hah, please, moremoremore," you chanted, eyes rolling up to the back of your head.

Riki lets out a breathless chuckle, leaning down so he can whisper into your ear, hand still spreading you apart for him. He didn't slowed down, still maintaining the ruthless pace he set earlier.

"Bet he won't fuck you this good, would he? Maybe I should show him the clips, hm? Show him how much of a slut you are, letting his dad fuck you. Begging for an older man's cock when you're engaged," he downright sneered, his words drawing a needy mewl from you and he continued.

"If you didn't walked away, you would had this a long time ago," he murmured under his breath, almost like he was talking to himself.

Riki's eyes trailed down to your stomach, able to make-out the faint outline of his cock. He watched as the bump moved up and down, along with him.

Seeing your stomach having a bulge because of him made his mind spin. Thoughts start to creep in—how would you looked carrying his child? Would it be a boy or a girl? Would they have your eyes, your smile and your laugh?

Just the thought of you being pregnant with his child is enough to give him a newfound motivation. The motivation to knock you up and doing this behind his beloved son's back only made it even more tempting and sinful.

"You'd like it, don't you? Carrying my kids, pretending you aren't getting fucked by his own father," he taunts, words dripping with nothing but mockery. But to you, it felt good, in a way you couldn't described.

You couldn't speak, not when you felt the all-too familiar sensation of your stomach tightening. Riki knew you were close, with how your breathing grew more ragged and heavier. He buried himself up to the hilt and you tipped over the edge.

Your mouth dropped open, forming a silent 'O' shape as your pussy convulsed around his cock, milking him dry as he followed suit—spilling thick and hot semen, painting your creamy walls white.

Marking you as his.

You laid on the stained sheets, mind too far gone and too exhausted to move your limbs or even raised a single finger. Riki, on the other hand, didn't pulled out. His cock was still inside of you. The only form of warning you got was him flipping you over until you were pathetically on your hands and knees, that were trembling, barely able to contain your weight.

Riki draped himself over you, his chest pressed against your back with his chin resting on your shoulder. His hand trailed down, gently running his hands along your pussy lips, savoring the way you shivered and how you unconsciously leaned into his touch.

"Don't think I'm done with you yet, doll. We need to make up for the lost time," he whispered into your ears and that's when you knew, you were in for a long, long night.

~

You told yourself that would be the final time you do… whatever this is with Riki. But no matter what you were doing—be it working, spending time with Doohwa or planning your wedding ceremony, your mind couldn't stopped thinking about him. Couldn't stopped thinking about the way his hands touched your body, knowing exactly where to touch, to make you crumble before him, reducing you to a flushed and pliant mess.

To make matters worse, Doohwa was constantly away—due to him gradually spending more time in his office while desperately chasing after his promotion. This only gave you the perfect excuse to keep this up. While your fiance was busy working with his life put on the line, you were busy… well, getting the best fucking of your life.

You should feel guilty for doing something as unforgivable as cheating on him. But then again, whenever you looked at Riki or when the two of you are alone in the same room, it was like gravity had pulled you together. Clothes were hurriedly removed, like they were nothing but nuisances and were getting in the way.

You had ran out of fingers and toes to count how many times Riki had you moaning his name. As far as you were aware, he had taken you on every possible flat surface in his apartment—the kitchen counter, the many walls he has, the dining table and the list goes on. Heck, you even found out that you were quite flexible too, with how he had you in a mating press or with your ankles nearly pressed against your ears as you were forced to take his cock, over and over again.

Time slipped past in a blur and before you knew it, the day had officially arrived.

The day of your wedding.

Normally, the bride would be thrilled or over the moon at the thought of finally being wedded to their fiance—who will soon be their husband. However, you were feeling anything but joy. You couldn't hear the compliments thrown your way from your family or friends. You couldn't hear the well wishes that fell from their lips and how some were borderline tearing up.

Currently, you were in the bridal suite after spending the past two to three hours letting the make-up artists and stylists making you as beautiful as possible, until you couldn't recognized the woman in the reflection. You stared at yourself, like you were looking at a complete stranger. The make-up wasn't bad in any way but what they didn't know was the sea of emotions in your heart and mind.

"You look gorgeous."

You instantly snapped your head to the door and there he was, standing there with his hands shoved into the pockets of his black pants. Just like everyone else, Riki had wore a tailored-made suit but somehow, he was able to pull off the look effortlessly, making him looked like he was a model ready to walk the runway soon.

And of course, he chose today to wear the glasses. A pair of black-rimmed glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose. The very same glasses that made you lost your mind when you saw him wore it for the first time, resulting in you eagerly sinking to your knees when he was having an online meeting as you unbuckled his pants and—

"You're not supposed to be here!" You exclaimed, rising from your feet, pulling your long wedding dress up to not trip over it as you approached him.

Riki chuckled, not moving from his spot. "It's fine, I'm not the one you're marrying so the rule doesn't apply to me," he paused briefly, letting his eyes roamed down your figure without any ounce of shame and he stepped forward, causing your breath to hitch.

"And besides, I have a very special surprise for you," he murmured, lowering his head to brush his lips against yours, approval glimmered in his eyes when you didn't pushed him away.

You nervously gulped. "…What kind of surprise is it?"

Riki straightened himself and stepped away. "Now telling you will ruin it. But don't worry, it's not something bad."

He sniggered at your bemused expression and bid you farewell as he left the suite, gently closing the door behind him.

After the guests had taken their seats, the ceremony kicked off. The doors opened, revealing your father, wearing a suit, on the other side of the door. He stared at you in shock before his eyes softened—which only made you felt even worse, like you were about to vomit right there and then. Still, you mustered the best smile you can, slipping your hand around his arm as the two of you—father and daughter, began walking to the room where everyone was waiting.

Everyone with Riki included as well.

Soon, you arrived before a closed pair of doors. You tightened your grip on your father's arm, who rested his hand above yours, giving it a gentle squeeze to reassure you. The staff took that as their sign to open the doors and countless eyes instantly snapped to your direction. The guests rose from their seats, clapping and some even started throwing flowers as your father walked you down the aisle.

You looked to the front—seeing Doohwa wearing a suit and from the looks of his face and glossy eyes, he was on the verge of bursting into happy tears. You instinctively looked towards Riki, who stood a few feet away and the sight of his expression—calm and knowing, made you felt unsettled. His words replayed in your mind and you quickly looked away, pretending to not noticed the way he smirked at your reaction.

You reached the end of the aisle and robotically climbed up the small flight of stairs, with the staff helping you by lifting the back of your long dress and veil up. And then, you found yourself standing before Doohwa with the officiant now making his appearance as he stood between the two of you, a smile on his face.

"Today, we are gathered here to…"

You tuned out the rest of the wedding vows. Physically, you were looking at Doohwa while holding his hands but mentally, you were thinking about someone else. Someone who was not him, your future husband. The man who you were supposed to spend the rest of your life with. Your eyes flicked down to your stomach, resisting the urge to touch it as you didn't want to draw any attention to it but you knew something had shifted inside you.

Something that was related to you possibly being pregnant with Riki's child.

"..you agreed to take (Name) as your wife?" The officiant asked, directing the question to Doohwa, snapping you back to reality.

"I do," he answered without missing a beat. Without hesitation and you envied him.

"And you, (Name), do you agreed to take Doohwa as your husband?" He asked.

Everyone waited for your response, practically at the edges of their seats.

"I—" You opened your mouth and then, Riki made his move.

The screen on your right, which was playing a simple but romantic backstory of how the two of you met turned into a black screen. The crowd was confused as they murmured among themselves. At first, they assumed it was a techinal difficulty and that's when you saw something that made your heart dropped.

It was an audio.

The sound of skin slapping against skin, moans—your moans and Riki's grunts played from the speakers. Everyone in the room went still, unable to believe what they were hearing. Some of the parents rushed to cover their children's ears, to protect their innocence. Some were downright revolted as they quickly connect the dots, their previous happy expressions was now replaced with disappointment and resentment.

You couldn't find it in yourself to look at Doohwa, not wanting to face him after the secret you had hide with you for so long, was now revealed to the public. The audio went on for a few more seconds before it was cut off.

Silence.

Doohwa turned to you, his hands slipping from yours.

"What…?" His voice cracked but he regained his composure, expression now cold and void of any emotion. "Explain yourself."

You couldn't say a thing. Your vision blurred, the white of the ceremony, the flowers and the guests. Everything melted into indistinct shapes. You were now at the center of attention but for the wrong reasons. The echo of the audio still rang in your ears, like it was mocking you.

"I asked you something! Explain yourself," he demanded, taking a step closer, his shoulders trembling as he seethed with rage.

When you still didn't speak, his disbelief was replaced with something else—anger and just like the crowd, disgust.

"You slept with him. You fucking slept with my father," he spat out, each word sharp enough to draw blood if he were to mold it into a weapon.

Gasps rippled through the room. Whispers turned into murmurs and murmurs turned into silent but hostile judgment.

"You dare to stand in front of me, promising me forever and letting me put a ring on you, knowing you're with him," he continued, voice cracking the more he spoke and you were tempted to say something, anything.

But, what could you possibly say when all he said was the truth?

This time, tears freely rolled down your cheeks, not caring that your make-up was smudged. And until now, you didn't know what you could say to defend yourself.

"How could you!? How could you cheat on me? How could you do this?" He was shouting at the top of his lungs now.

And his outburst was a signal to the crowd, allowing them to freely voiced their uncensored thoughts.

"Shameless."

"How vile."

"She trapped him."

"No morals at all."

Each word struck you harder than anything else.

Your chest felt tight, breath shallow. You could feel the walls gradually closing in as the weight of every stare and every words bore down on you, until your legs were trembling below your dress. Someone laughed—short and derisive. Someone else cursed under their breath. Someone pulled out their phone, no doubt recording the whole thing.

You couldn't breathe.

"I—I didn't—" Your voice broke. "It wasn't—"

But no one wanted to hear it. Not when you had been painted as the villain.

You turned and ran. Your heels echoed sharply against the marbled floor as you fled down the aisle that was meant for vows, past the flowers, past the life you were supposed to have. Insults followed you like a swarm of angered bees—spatting words at you, anger, betrayal and disgust. The doors burst opened as you shoved through them, cold air hitting your face as you stumbled out, lungs burning as you gasped for breath.

And then—

"Did you like my surprise?"

You stilled, knowing who it was without turning around. But still, you slowly turned around, like how a ghost would be in a horror movie. Riki stood a few feet away from you—as cool and collected as always but this time, there was something dark and twisted in both his eyes and expression. Like he had planned this. Like he knew this will happened.

"You… You ruined my life," you accused while pointing at him.

The man merely blinked. "Don't put all of the blame on me, doll. You agreed to it. You were the one who willingly came to me too, so you don't get to act innocent."

You flinched, physically recoiling like a hostile cat. "I—"

Riki barked out a cold, humorless laugh as he closed the remaining distance, invading your invisible and personal line. He cupped your face, tilting your head back, forcing you to meet his eyes. "How about this: you come with me and we move to another country?"

"What?"

He let out a condescending sigh, like he was talking to a child. "Since you're no longer wanted here, you should come with me. We can move to Australia. I have a job offer there where I'm needed to work on a long-term project. Come with me and I can take care of the both of you."

Your breath hitched at the word 'both'. "How did you—"

"Did you think I'm someone who does things without planning them?" He cuts you off, getting the front-row seat of watching as realization hits you.

Your eyes widened, lips parting as you stared at him in horror and disbelief. "You… You planned all of this from the start? You made me carry your child and now you want to kidnap me? Taking me away from the people I love?"

Riki had the audacity to roll his eyes. "People you love? Oh please, they don't even loved you anymore. Not after what they just heard."

You clenched and unclenched your fingers, teeth grinding down on one another so hard that you would have shattered a tooth. "…What do you want from me?"

"Simple. I want you to come with me. And once you do, you won't regret it," he said, resting one hand on your waist.

You swallowed hard.

Your eyes flicked past him—to the now closed doors that you were facing thirty minutes ago, before your life flipped upside down. The whispers hasn't stopped. You could still feel them crawling under your skin, rewriting you into something ugly and unforgivable.

"I can't. There's nothing left for me if I go with you," you whispered but you didn't freed yourself from his grasp.

He leaned in, close enough for him to whisper into your ear. "There's nothing left for you if you don't come with me."

The last thread snapped. You thought of Doohwa's eyes when he looked at you a few moments ago. Of the ring that now felt heavier than before. Of how the word love had been stripped of meaning in front of everyone you knew.

And most importantly, the public humiliation you just suffered.

You laughed, hollow and broken. "You sure I won't regret it?" You asked, despite knowing his answer doesn't matter, not when he had you in the palm of his hands.

Riki didn't hesitate, just like Doohwa. "I swear."

You nodded.

The moment you did, his grip tightened. It wasn't painful but it was full of certainty. Possessive. Like he knew all along that you will say yes. He guided you away from the room, hand still holding your waist as he dragged you to the backdoor, where his car was intentionally parked there.

You didn't look behind you.

As you disappeared into the car with him, the door closed with a final and resolute thud, only one thought quietly echoed in your mind:

For alphas, they are known to have short-temper, a high tendency to claim their respective territories and the list goes on. It doesn't help that most of the alphas are males. But, that doesn't mean female alphas doesn't exist. And that's how you come about—one of the few, extremely rare female alpha, was born into this world.

Safe to say, your parents were extremely disappointed when they heard the results after your check-up. They have the old, traditional mindset that females shouldn't be born as alphas or even, betas. They should be born as omegas—the perfect role for them as it allows them to get pregnant, carrying the alpha's child and being able to carry on the legacy as well. At first, your parents tried to force you to learn and adapt the ways of an omega but you were stubborn, refusing to budge an inch.

It didn't help that your older brother: Nishimura Ni-ki, a famous model that every brands fight to get their hands on, was hellbent on protecting and defending you from your parents' antics. However, the amount of power and influence your parents had was way higher than your brother.

This resulted in you being one of their pawns and there was nothing Riki could do to save you from them. At that time, he was only seventeen while you're fifteen. The last thing he remembered was you screaming at the top of your lungs, struggling to free yourself from your father's grip while you were being dragged away. The way you begged your brother to save you, to free you constantly haunts him, even till this day.

"Good morning, Ma'am."

Your staff greeted you, bowing at ninety-degrees sharp as you walked past them, ignoring their greetings. It wasn't because of any petty reasons. No, you were borderline fuming. The last thing you want is for you to unleash your pent-up anger on someone who clearly doesn't deserve it. You headed to your office, slamming the door shut behind you, startling the living lights out of your employees. But they were smart enough to pretend they heard nothing.

Bam!

You slammed your hands down on your desk, causing your keyboard and the other things to momentarily shoot up from their respective spots. You were busy drowning in your anger that you didn't registered someone entering your office, without permission or bothering to knock.

"Did something happened between you and that husband of yours again?"

You raised your head, unamused with your personal assistant's question. Remaining where you are, your eyes tracked his movements as he stopped before you, placing your standard to-go cup of coffee on your table. Scowling, you snatched it up, stabbing the straw through the small hole and sipped from it.

"What else is there, Choi Beomgyu? I swear, I hate him so much I just want to—" You paused, wildly waving your free hand about, imagining yourself choking your said husband.

As someone who had seen you at your worst and best, Beomgyu was unfazed. He merely hummed, sipping from his respective cup of coffee, "Well, that's not what you told me a few days ago. When you mentioned how and I quote 'good-looking in his uniform'—"

"One more word and I'll fire you," you threatened, pointing your left index finger at him.

Your assistant smirked; smug. "Yeah right. If you fire me, who's going to tolerate that temper of yours? Your husband?"

"Choi Beomgyu!"

After that, the two of you had just finished your meeting with the board. The meeting is scheduled on a monthly basis—a simple check-in on how the business is doing. At least, that's what they want you to think.

You knew the board disliked you ever since you took over the company. It's due to one simple reason—you're a woman.

To them, having to listen to someone of the opposite gender hurts their ego and pride. It's already hard for you to deal with your husband at home and having to watch your back at work.

Clearing your throat, you leaned back in your seat with your left leg elegantly crossed over your right leg. You rested your chin on the palm of your left hand, eyes jumping from one face to another. Beomgyu sat on your right while the rest of the seats were filled with members of the board. You can tell from their eyes that they wished it was anyone else but you sitting in that seat right now. The thought nearly made you smirked.

"So, now that today's meeting has ended, does anyone else have anything else to share? If not, we're done for the day," you said, opening the floor to them.

As expected, one of them raised his hands and you nodded, giving him permission to speak.

"Ma'am, while we acknowledge the… effort you've put into the company, perhaps certain decisions require a more experienced hand. One with, say… deeper understanding of the history."

The words he chose were carefully measured, but the unspoken meaning wasn't lost on everyone. He wasn't questioning the decision—he was questioning you. And it's directly toy our face. You remained calm, merely arching an eyebrow in response. Another board member took this as a chance to add in, being the brainless fool they are.

"And of course, we really do appreciate your… boldness. But boldness and recklessness are separated by a very thin line."

A few chuckled under their breath, not bothering to conceal it. You kept your chin resting on your palm, expression unreadable. Beomgyu squirmed uncomfortable beside you, clearly sensing the hostility and how the air shifted.

"So what you're really saying," you replied smoothly, voice calm but laced with steel, "is that numbers and profits don't matter. The growth we've seen in the past quarter doesn't matter. Why? It's because I'm the one leading the company."

A ripple of unease passed across the table. Some pointedly avoided your gaze, having the audacity to look guilty. Some smirked to themselves, as if to think she finally admitted the truth. A man at the far end scoffed, leaning back in his chair.

"Don't twist our words, Ma'am. We're merely suggesting that perhaps your methods don't align with the traditions this company was built on."

Traditions.

A pretty word they loved to hide behind. But when in reality, it was nothing more than just a mere excuse to allow them to have and taste power. To let them conquer and no one else should touch them. You couldn't helped but let out an amused snort. The sound immediately gathering everyone's attentions. You slowly uncrossed your legs, leaning forward with both elbows resting on the table, eyes sharp as they cut through everyone like a blade.

If looks could kill, they would've been dead on the spot.

"Let me make this crystal clear. If you have a problem with my leadership, that's your burden to carry. Not mine. I was placed in this position because I was the most capable and not because of your approval. And as long as I'm here, the only thing that matters are results—something I've constantly delivered. The rest of you, on the other hand, chose to sit back and enjoy the show while waiting for me to show the first sign of weakness."

The man who had spoken first shifted in his seat, his smugness faltering under your sharp gaze. You tilted your head slightly, letting a small, knowing smile curve your lips.

"And if you're truly desperate for 'tradition', perhaps you should remember one of the oldest traditions in business: adapt or get left behind. Now tell me, gentlemen—do you really want to risk being the ones slowing the company down, especially when your salaries allows you to live your luxurious lives to the fullest?"

Your assistant smirked from his seat, clearly enjoying the way with how the board aren't able to reply.

"Good," you said, rising to your full height with effortless grace. Beomgyu was quick to stand as well, holding his iPad tightly in his left hand. "Then unless someone here has the courage to admit they're against the company's success, this meeting is over. Have a good day, gentlemen."

And just like that, you walked out, heels clicking against the floor as you left them in stunned, furious silence.

~

"Hello, this is your pilot speaking. We've officially touched down at Incheon International Airport. The weather for today seems to be fantastic, not too hot and not too cold. Temperature's ranging from twenty-five to twenty-nine degrees. To foreigners, welcome to Seoul and I hope you enjoy your time here. To the people of Seoul welcome home."

The plane came to a stop as the airport staff get to work on latching the transportable door to the plane while getting the luggage out. In the cockpit, two pilots remained where they were. They did a quick but detailed check on the plane's systems, ensuring everything isn't out of place or anywhere in the danger zone before stepping out, once all of the passengers have alighted the plane. Jay couldn't help but snort at how some of the air stewardess' faces fell when they noticed the silver, glowing wedding ring snugly wrapped around his friend's ring finger.

Jungwon glanced at his fellow co-pilot and friend from the corner of his eyes, bemused. The two were the last to alight from the plane, their respective luggage being dragged behind them. "What's so funny, hyung?"

"Thought I've gotten used to seeing you crushing every woman's dreams of marrying you, but turns out I'm wrong. Their reactions are priceless," he wheezed, reaching out to comfortingly rest his hand on the younger's left shoulder.

Jungwon rolled his eyes, "The hell are you talking about, hyung? You know our marriage isn't like that."

Jay hums, a knowing look glimmered in his eyes, "is it, though? But whatever, I'm just jealous that you get to marry the Nishimura (Name)."

Jungwon chose to remain silent, lips sealed shut as they smoothly passed through customs without any difficulties. They had finished their final leg of the day and are free for one week before they have to fly again. Being a pilot means spending most of your times traveling around the world. It was also his dream since young. To him, the thought of being able to fly to different countries—exploring their cultures and witnessing how different people lived different lives, it's an life-changing experience. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

However, his family doesn't have the same view as him. Jungwon comes from the Yang family—a family lined up with promising and talented doctors. His parents are the owners of a major chain of hospitals, with a promising group of staff that are able to perform feats that were deemed impossible.

Jungwon was supposed to follow his father's footsteps—taking over the business when his father retire. But, he didn't want that. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life wearing the white coat, conducting surgeries after surgeries and spending the rest of his life on solid ground.

He wants to be free, to be able to do whatever he wants without anyone holding him back.

The pilot returned to his shared apartment with you. It was only four in the afternoon, which means you won't be home until three to four hours later. This means Jungwon has the whole house to himself for the time being. The thought of that was enough to put his mind at ease. He made quick work of his uniform, tossing them into his laundry basket that was placed beside yours before stepping into the bathroom to take a much-needed shower.

Once he was done, he stepped out shirtless with a pair of comfortable, gray sweatpants and a towel draped around his broad shoulders. Jungwon didn't bother wearing a shirt, heading to the kitchen while drying his hair. Only for him to pause at the sight of you returning home.

"You're back early," he commented, leaning against the wall.

"Shut up, I'm not in the mood," you retorted, dumping your bag on the couch as you stormed to the kitchen, nearly ripping the fridge's door off with how aggressive you were.

Jungwon rolled his eyes, "You're always not in the mood. Makes me wonder how did you even become the CEO of your own company."

You froze, looking at him over your shoulder as you poured yourself a glass of water. "Excuse me? Yang Jungwon, I dare you to say it again."

He didn't backed down, didn't flinched when you fully turned to face him with the nastiest scowl on your face he had seen. "What? Are you deaf or something? I said, makes me wonder how did you even become the CEO of your own company."

He sneered, words dripping with disdain and continued, "Omegas like you shouldn't even be allowed to run your own business—"

You slammed the glass down on the kitchen counter with a harsh, abrupt force. It gave a sharp crack before bursting apart with a violent crash, water exploding across the surface. You didn't cared that your hand was bleeding and how the floor was getting soaked. You were too furious to care about the lingering, numbing pain.

"Yang Jungwon, may I remind you that I am where I am now because of my hard work and dedication. Unlike you, I didn't have to kiss my way up."

This time, it was Jungwon's turn to narrow his eyes, jaw tightening. "What are you talking about?"

You returned the sneer with equal amount of pettiness, "you know damn well what I'm referring to. I bet it's thanks to your parents' influence that lets you become a pilot. Must be nice to have a family who supports you."

Jungwon's eyes darkened and you smelled it before you sensed it. The way he lost control of his pheromones. It was feral, raw and impossible to ignore. The kitchen thickened with the scent—musky and wild, laced with something sharp that clawed at your lungs. It was the kind of presence that can make someone's instincts go on high alert, causing invisible alarm bells to ring. Most would have cowered on the spot, tail hidden between their legs and bowed their heads—a form of submission.

But, you weren't like them.

Your gaze never wavered. You met his eyes head-on, steady and unyielding—a silent challenge sparked between the two of you. Jungwon sighed, regaining control of himself and calmed down. His pheromones were gone, vanishing into thin air as he pushed himself off the wall, ready to walk away but he paused, turning his head towards you.

"You know, you're awfully brave for an omega. But you should think twice before you speak, unless you're asking to be punished," he said and left you alone in the kitchen without waiting for your response.

~

It has been three days since that brief and intense argument with Jungwon. Both of you simply refused to speak to one another, acting like two immature children, despite how you're literally two mature, grown adults.

You had told (more like ranted) to Beomgyu about how infuriating, how annoying and how tiring it is to deal with him for the past one hour or so. The two of you are on the way to a work event—to attend a fashion show that your company had taken part in. After all, it was only right for the owner herself to make an appearance.

"..I just don't get it. Would it kill him to serve his duty as my husband just for a single fucking day?" You spat, furiously tapping your finger on the armrest of your seat as you watched everything moved past you in a blur.

Beomgyu sat beside you, humming while his fingers flew across his screen at lightning speed. You turned to him, snatched his phone out of his grip, much to his dismay.

"Hey, give that back!" He exclaimed, reaching forward with the intention of taking back what rightfully belonged to him.

You merely moved away, raising your hand behind you, "Nuh uh, as my personal assistant, it's your job to listen to your boss when she's talking to you."

Beomgyu scoffed, "Please, I'm not getting paid enough to listen to you whining about your marriage problems. I already have enough to deal with."

Smack!

"Ow! What was that for!?" He yelped, rubbing his upper left arm—the very same spot that you had smacked him at.

"That was for disrespecting your boss," you retorted, finally handing him his phone when the car came to a stop, arriving at your destination.

Beomgyu muttered something inaudible under his breath as he got out, walking around the car to open the door for you. You accepted his hand, allowing him to help you out of the vehicle as you wrapped your hand around his right arm. Blinding cameras flashes greeted you the moment you were out, nearly making you see white with how bright it was, despite how you had gotten used to it. Your assistant, on the other hand, made a strangled sound at the back of his throat, caught off-guard with the flashes.

Plastering a professional smile on your face, you leaned closer to him so you can whisper to him, "Please smile for the cameras or I'll kick you in the balls."

"…Isn't this work abuse?"

After having your pictures taken, you were guided to the venue where the event was held. Or more specifically, where you have to spend the next hour or so mingling about in the crowd as you talk to different guests and celebrities who were invited. Everyone's eyes were on you the moment you entered, making your grip tightened on Beomgyu's arm. The way he lets out a pained, startled hiss went unnoticed by you.

"Well, look who it is! Nishimura (Name) has blessed us peasants with her royal presence!" A familiar voice caught your attention. A voice that instantly made your shoulders sagged with relief.

A young woman dressed in a black, glimmering dress approached you with a wide, friendly smile on her face. She opened her arms and you accepted her hug offer, allowing yourself to be embraced by her. You were the first to pull away, hands resting on her shoulders as your eyes scanned from head to toe.

"Hey Karina, good to see you. How was Europe?" You asked, laughing at the way she rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her frustration.

"Ugh, don't remind me about that. It was a pain in the ass. Imagine having to spend two weeks in a foreign country where their staple food is bread, bread and bread," she bemoaned, acting as if she's about to faint.

"I see you're still the drama queen you are," Beomgyu commented, approaching the two of you with three glasses of cocktail held in his hands.

Karina accepted one of the glass with a playful scowl, "I see you're still employed," she paused to turn to you, "if you need another assistant, I'm available."

"Yah! Don't steal my job," Beomgyu protested, his eyes widening as he handed you a glass of cocktail, to which you accepted it while laughing at your friends' antics.

Karina and Beomgyu go a long way back. The three of you have known each other since college, despite taking different majors. It was thanks to some common modules that you took that made you befriended one another. The three of you are glued to the hip but despite that, they were clueless about your secondary gender, assuming that you're an omega. There were times when you secretly envied Karina, as she too, is also a female alpha. Unlike you, she didn't have to hide.

Beomgyu's a beta—something that shocked you and Karina but he wasn't upset about it. He had even made some jokes, about how he didn't have to deal with Karina 'stinking up the whole place when she's in rut', leading to her delivering a well-deserved smack to his poor shoulder.

"As much as I wish to keep talking, I need to walk around and talk to other people," you sighed, reluctantly pulling yourself away from the conversation.

Karina whined, hands grabbing onto your wrist—a poor attempt to stop you, "Are you sure you need to?"

You flashed her a what you hoped was an reassuring smile, nodding as you gently pried her hand away from your wrist, "I'm sure. Gyu can stay with you. I can handle this myself."

Your assistant arched an eyebrow but nodded, "If you say so, boss. But let me know if if you need help."

You hummed before turning to walk away. Being a CEO means you have to maintain your current business relationships and at the same time, build new relationships too. It's all part of survival—one of the basics you had learnt and how your company was able to survive and reached where it was today.

"Excuse me, you must be Yang (Name), right?" An unfamiliar male voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

You looked over your shoulder, to see an unfamiliar man wearing a customized Prada suit. Still, you didn't want to come off as rude—not in a place like this where one wrong move means it's the end of your career. Which was why you plastered on a fake, professional smile as the man stopped before you, leaving some distance between the two of you.

"Hello, and you are…?" Your voice trailed off, unsure of how to address him.

"Ah, I'm Minjae. I'm here on behalf of my father's company. Here's my business card, if you're keen to collaborate in the future," he introduced himself, reaching into his breast pocket of his suit to pull out his name card that contains his contact information and hands it to you.

You accepted it with a thankful smile on your face, bowing slightly. "Thank you. I'm sorry but I didn't bring my card with me."

Minjae laughed, waving off your words with his hand. "It's fine, don't worry about it," he paused, shoving his free hand into the pocket of his pants, "I've heard a lot about your company. People say you're difficult to impress, but I think they are wrong."

You returned the smile but it doesn't reach your eyes. "Well, I'd like to believe professionalism isn't the same as being difficult, Mr MInjae."

He chuckled in, leaning in as if he's about to tell you a secret. "Of course. Still, you seem…different in person. Warmer and more…human." His gaze lingered, eyes scanning your features in a way that had your shoulders stiffening.

You shifted slightly, taking a step back but Minjae was quick to follow, closing the distance by stepping forward. “You know,” he continued, voice dropping low, “it must be exhausting, holding up such a perfect image all the time. Don’t you ever get tired of it?”

"Thanks for your concern, but I can manage on my own," you replied, tightening your grip around your own glass of half-empty cocktail.

He smirked, amused by your reaction, and leaned closer still—close enough for his cologne to mix with the faint tang of his pheromones. “You don’t have to hide it with me. I can tell there’s more to you than the CEO mask. I can almost…” He tilted his head, his nose brushing dangerously close to your hairline, “…catch your real scent.”

"…(Name)?"

Your body went as still as statue at his voice. The practiced smile you wore slipped. The voice was painfully familiar, one you haven't heard in years but one you could recognized in a heartbeat. You turned, body moving on autopilot mode and there he stood. Nishimura Riki, your older brother. He was older, taller and sharper now. Unlike before, he was dressed in designer clothes from head to toe—a sign he had achieved his dream.

For a split second, the memories came rushing back—the way he stood there, watching without lifting a single finger, the way he remained silent when you needed him most and the way he watched as you were dragged away by your parents. That was the last time you had seen him. And now, here he was, at an event, calling out to you as if those years of abandonment and silence didn't exist in the first place.

Your brother's eyes flickered between you and Minjae, only for them to narrow when he noticed how close the man was to you. Riki closed the distance with six large strides, shoving himself in between the two of you. He protectively stood before you, shielding you from Minjae's view.

"I'll suggest for you to walk away and leave my sister alone," he snarled, losing control of his pheromones for a split second. But it was enough for the people nearby to pause in whatever they were doing, subtly listening in on the conversation.

Minjae scoffed, stepping back—no doubt intimidated by your brother. He didn't spared you a second glance and walked away, leaving you with yoru brother.

Your grip on your glass tightened. The professional facade you wore wavered, threatening to crack at any moment. Every instinct screamed at you to keep walking, to pretend you didn't hear him. But his eyes—your brother's eyes—were pleading, begging you to stay. You nearly laughed out loud at the irony. At how the tables had turned. You snapped back to reality, tearing your eyes away from him and turned, ready to walk away but Riki was faster. All it took was six large strides to close the distance.

He grabbed your wrist, his fingers touching, "Wait, please," he begged, voice cracking at the end.

You couldn't turn to face him. Or maybe, you didn't want to. You squeezed your eyes shut, pointedly looking ahead. "…Riki, let go," you demanded, your voice soft but audible enough for his ears, fully aware of how some people were watching.

"No, I'm not making the same mistake again," he insisted, his grip tightening slightly, enough to elicit a pained hiss from you.

"Oh, really? That's what you think this is? Just another mistake?" You barked out, spinning around to fully face him. Your cocktail spilt from the glass but you ignored it, focused on your brother.

Riki faltered. "No, I—"

You did a quick scan of your surroundings, sighing and grabbed his wrist with your free hand, tugging him forward. "Come with me."

He tripped over his feet as he matched your pace. "Wait, where are we going?"

"Somewhere quiet so no one can see me beating the shit out of you."

You ended up dragging him to the open-aired garden located behind. Thankfully, there weren't anyone around as most were enjoying their time in the part. Most except the two of you, that is. You released your grip on Riki's wrist once you were certain no one's able to eavesdrops on your conversation. Your previous glass of cocktail was returned to a passing waiter and now your hands are free. Crossing your arms, you cocked your head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

"Well? Start talking, I don't have all day for this," you snapped, tapping your left foot impatiently on the ground.

Riki scratched the back of his head. "..I'm sorry for everything. I really am."

You scoffed, "That's it? After all those years, that's all you have to say for yourself? You think one lousy apology is going to fix anything? To make up for what you had done?"

His hands curled into fists, the familiar restlessness he always carried visible in the way his shoulders shifted. “I know I should’ve done more. I should’ve protected you. I should’ve—”

“You should’ve been my brother!” you snapped, the words tearing out of you before you could stop them. Your voice cracked, but you didn’t let it falter. “Do you know how pathetic it felt, begging you over and over to say something, to stand up for me? And every time, you just—” you laughed bitterly, “you pushed me away like I was a burden.”

Riki's jaw tightened, guilt flickered across his face. "I thought if I distanced myself, they won't keep targeting you anymore."

You shook your head, feeling your anger rising. "You weren't protecting me, Riki. You were protecting yourself. And you left me alone in the house with them while you get to walk away and live your life, forgetting about me completely."

His lips opened then closed. Like he wants to say something but he didn't know what to say. Like words had failed him.

"I don't accept your apology. You don't deserve forgiveness from me, not when you came waltzing back into my life, like nothing happened."

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. "Just… go back to your world, Riki. And leave me to mine. We're already strangers and it's best to keep it this way."

And just like that, you walked away without waiting for his response, leaving your older brother there, in the shadows where he had chosen to stay the entire time.

~

You regrouped with Karina and Beomgyu as it was time for everyone to take their seats, due to the fashion show about to begin.

They frowned when they saw your expression, knowing something had happened the moment you left their sides. But before they could say anything, you silenced them by shaking your head, not wanting to talk about it in public, where anyone and everyone can hear. All of you took your respective seats by the runway. Karina had to sit at the front with her boss while you and Beomgyu sat at a few seats down the first row.

The lights dimmed, a hush falling over the audience as the first beats of music pulsed through the venue. You elegantly crossed your right leg over your left leg, back straight—giving the impression that you were calm, cool and collected, despite how you had shouted at Riki a few minutes ago.

The spotlight shifted, illuminating the first model striding down the runway in the upcoming season's most anticipated pieces. The audience shifted into soft murmurs of approval, flashes from cameras scattered across the catwalk. You couldn't help but leaned forward slightly, the faintest trace of satisfaction curled in your chest. This is your world—where you rightfully belonged, where you can breathe freely without anyone watching your every movement.

And then your breath hitched.

The next model to appear was none other than your brother. From where you sat, as the audience, you were finally able to understand why Riki was one of the most sought models in the industry. It was the way he carried himself, with full confidence. It's the type of confidence that demands people to look at him, to have their eyes focused on him—like he's the main attraction of the show. It was the way he walked—like he owns the runway.

You went still when his eyes landed on your face for a split moment as he stopped at the end of the runway. You were the first to break eye contact, unaware of how your action made your brother's heart ached as he walked back, disappearing to the backstage. The rest of the event past in a blur of an eye and soon, it was time for you to head home. You didn't say anything, resting your head against the window while Beomgyu drove you back. You thought he won't say anything but you were wrong.

"..Did you talked to him?" He asked, voice soft and laced with concern.

"Depends on who you're referring to," you dryly replied.

Beomgyu sighed. "You know who I'm talking about. Your brother."

You visibly flinched, like the words were poison. You parted your lips, wanting to protest or lie but one look from him tells you otherwise. "He's the one who approached me first. He told me he wanted to apologize for not keeping in contact and is asking for forgiveness."

You let out a bitter laugh under your breath at the end of your sentence. You could feel the way your friend and personal assistant eyeing you with concern. Beomgyu knew about your rocky relationship with Riki. But there wasn't much he could do, not when he was considered an outsider and doesn't hold the Nishimura name.

It didn't took you long to reach home and you paused when you saw Jungwon seated on the couch, his laptop resting on his lap. He wasn't dressed in his pilot uniform, now dressed like he had been home for a few hours. He wore a comfortable, grey long-sleeves shirt with a pair of black sweatpants. There was a pair of rimmed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. You were able to see he was typing an email, due to his glasses reflecting his laptop screen.

"What happened to your flight?" You asked, removing your high heels, groaning at how you were finally able to touch solid ground as you padded, barefooted to plop yourself down on the other, empty couch.

"It got cancelled and moved to next week," he answered, eyes never leaving the screen.

You hummed, not bothering to voice out your response as you remained seated—

"…What's that smell on you?" Jungwon asked, voice unusually cold and laced with something else. Something you couldn't quite put your finger on.

"What are you talking about?" You answered, bemused.

Snap!

It seems like your response had rubbed him the wrong way. Your husband closed his laptop with a loud, resounding snap that echoed in the living room. Setting his laptop aside, he got up and slowly approached you. Jungwon stopped until he was standing before you, between your parted legs. Your breath caught when he leaned down, resting one hand on the left of your head while the other rested on the armrest—blocking off any possible exits.

With how close he was, you were able to get a whiff of his pheromones—woody mixed with faint vanilla and… baby lotion? You blinked, taken aback by the unexpected discovery. But you didn't get a chance to bring it up, not when Jungwon was looking at you like… that. Like he was actually looking at you.

"Don't play dumb with me," he murmured, voice lowering an octave and oh, you've never heard him speak in such a low tone before. Just hearing it made your heart skips a beat. You were tempted to close your thighs and rubbed them together for some form of friction—but you couldn't. Not with him standing in between your legs.

His eyes trailed painfully slow down your neck, lingering longer than usual on where your scent gland was located before it went up to your lips and then last but not least, your eyes. "You reek of it."

You frowned. "Reek of what? Stop talking in riddles."

Jungwon's jaw clenched, eyes narrowing into slits. You could tell the alpha residing in him was slowly stirring to life and he's fighting against it. For now. "Someone else. Someone else who's not me, managed to lay their hands on you," he spat, venom evident in his tone.

The tension in the air thickened and you could smell his pheromones being unconsciously released into the air. It invaded your senses, just enough to make you feel light-headed and for heat to start pooling in your stomach. You were sure if you're an omega, you'll already be leaking and dripping over the couch. You dryly swallowed, trying to ignore how your body was all tingling and fuzzy.

"I was at a event. People brushed past me. It happens," you explained, trying to maintain an even tone. But the way your husband's eyes darkened tells you he doesn't believe it.

"You expect me to believe this—" His hand flexed against the armrest, knuckles turning white and you swore you saw the muscles in his arms moved, "is from someone who was just brushing past?"

You parted your lips but he was faster. He leaned in closer, ducking his head to brush his nose against the outline of your jaw. You couldn't help the gasp that left your lips when he audibly inhaled your scent. "It's too strong," he growled, "too deliberate. Like he was too close."

You went still, heartbeat pounding in your ears.

"And I don't like it."

Out of pure instinct and habit, you stood your ground and flashed him your signature smirk—taunting, coy and sly. "And what are you planning to do about it?"

Instead of answering verbally, your husband chose to reply via actions. His hand moved, gripping your chin, tilting your head in just the correct angle for him to crash his lips against yours in a intense, fiery kiss. You gasped, taken aback as Jungwon pressed you further into the couch until you had to tilt your head back, with how pushy he was. Your husband rested his right knee on the couch, eliciting another gasp from you when he moved his knee closer to your clothed core.

"You piss me off so much. Walking around like you own everything," he growled against your lips, his hands now moving like they have a mind on its own, struggling to get rid of your clothes.

"But I do and that includes you," you retorted and flames of anger ignited in his narrowed eyes.

In one smooth, fluid movement, Jungwon flipped you over and forced you down to your knees.

Your mind spun, unable to comprehend that a few seconds ago, you were seated on the couch. He gripped onto your chin, nails borderline digging into your skin with his thumb resting on your bottom lip. He tugged it down, smirking in approval at how you let him do what he pleased. Your husband stretched out his long legs, leaning further back into the couch with his free hand resting on the couch.

"Since you like to act bratty and smart, why not put that mouth of yours to good use, hm?" He cocked his head to the side, lifting an eyebrow—challenging you to take the leap of faith.

You paused, looking up at him with your hands clenched in fists, resting on your lap. You didn't expect him to snap but something about the way he looked, the way he sat and the tone he used made your stomach tighten. Your ears turned red when you realized that your panties were already wet. And you can only pray that Jungwon won't be able to notice. You felt him moving his hand up, tracing your face and then—

He tugged you closer, until your face was squashed against his cock. You were able to feel the outline of it, hanging thick and heavy between his legs. The thought of him filling you up, splitting you into half made you clenched down on nothing and your panties were sticking onto your damp pussy, like it's your second skin.

Your eyes darted up, to see him waiting with an expectant look on his face. Ignoring how your face was heating up, you raised your trembling hands, about to pull the zipper down when he tugged at your hair, drawing a pained yelp from you.

"Ah ah, I didn't say anything about using hands, did I?" He clicked his tongue.

You were almost tempted to tell him off, to say something snarky but the look in his eyes made you think twice. Hence, you dropped your hands, leaning forward and used your mouth to nip onto the edge of the zipper. Your eyes flickered up, seeing how he didn't stopped you as he watched, gaze unblinking and unwavering.

You slowly moved your head down, the soft sound of the zipper coming undone being the only thing heard in the spacious living room. You subtly gulped when you saw the visible bludge, his cock poking against the restraints of his boxers. There was even a dark stain on it.

"Go on, take it off," Jungwon commanded in a soft, firm tone and it was only right for you to obey.

This time, you were given permission to use your hands. He lifted his hips off the couch, aiding you in removing his boxers and pants, leaving them to pool around his ankles, not bothering to toss it aside. You were immediately greeted with his hardened cock standing upright. The tip had already turned a ferocious shade of red.

You decided to test the water first by giving kitten licks to the mushroom tip, causing Jungwon to sharply inhale at the mere contact. He tightened his grip in your hair, nails digging into the couch as he fight against the urge to rock into your mouth.

"Shit, your mouth," he groaned, tilting his head back to expose his neck. You had to tear your eyes away from how his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down.

Filled with newfound determination to make him crumble, you took him whole without stopping. Warm, salty tears prickled the corners of your eyes as you fought to adjust to the grith and size of his cock. But you were rewarded with him gasping and choking out your name. His thigh muscles flexed and unflexed. You made a gagging sound when you felt him hitting the depths of your throat, the vibration making him let out a low moan, causing goosebumps to form.

"Wonder how the public will react if they see you like this. On your knees and sucking your husband's cock, like the desperate whore you are," he sneered, tilting your head back slightly, chuckling at how your eyes had turned glassy with a singular tear droplet trickling down your cheek.

Jungwon used his thumb to rub it away—the action so sweet despite your current situation. However, it ended as fast as it started. He tugged you closer, spreading his legs further apart until he feels the faint burning from his thighs muscles. He couldn't take it anymore, fucking into your mouth as he greedily chased after his incoming climax. You had no choice but to sit prettily on the floor, slackening your jaw as much as possible and wary to not let your teeth accidentally graze against him.

The usual quiet living room was filled with the lewd sounds of his cock sliding in and out of your mouth—almost as if he's actually fucking your pussy. Just thinking about it made you whimpered, the sound muffled and sending a wave of vibrations that made him moaned.

"You're gonna let me cum in your mouth, don't you?" He groaned, his thrusts growing sloppier as every second passed, feeling the invisible rubber band threatening to snap into half.

You subtly nodded your head, tilting your head up to look at him with teary, doe eyes and Jungwon swore, spilling down your throat. He pulls out with a soft 'pop', forcing you to open your mouth and smirked, satisfied when you had swallowed his cum without wasting a drop. He gently patted your left cheek, treating you like you're his pet.

"Good girl, guess you've found another usage of your mouth," he croons, pulling his boxers and pants up while tucking his now soft cock back into his boxers. Jungwon ran a hand through his hair as he rose to his full height.

Your hand shot out before your mind could think, grabbing onto his wrist. He looked down at you—still kneeling on the carpeted floor. "Yes?"

"W-What about me?" You stammered, swallowing your pride and dignity.

Your husband blinked twice and laughed. Leaning down, he cupped your chin with one hand, tilting your head up to look him in the eyes. "If you really think I'm gonna help you, you're wrong. Do it yourself."

And just like that, your annoying, infuriating and good-looking husband retreated to his room, leaving you in the living room, desperate for some form of release for your pent-up state. You had to wobble your way back to your own room on trembling legs. And if you spend the next one hour or so fingering yourself even though it can't be compared against the real thing, then that's only for you and your room to know.

~

"What's up with you?"

"Huh?" Jungwon blinked, snapping back to reality when his fellow co-pilot asked.

They were already in the cockpit of the plane, ready to embark on their first and only leg of the day. Normally, Jungwon would prefer to spend a few days in another country but this time, he chose to take a flight back to Seoul instead. The pair have completed their required check of the plane's systems, ensuring everything was in top condition and are now waiting for passengers to board the plane. If Jungwon listened closely, he can hear the crew greeting them one by one while giving them directions to their seats.

"You've been spacing out lately. Please don't do that when we're flying later," his friend and co-pilot pointed out in a half-joking tone, an attempt to lighten the mood.

The younger rolled his eyes as he leaned back into his seat. "I won't, don't worry hyung. I'm just…" He paused, hesitating on how to finish his sentence and that got Jay's attention.

"Just what?"

Jungwon lets out a long, heavy sigh as he ran a hand through his blond hair. "..There's something weird about (Name)."

Jay arched an eyebrow, faint curiosity seen in his eyes. "Oh? What kind of weird are we talking about here? Does it involve the bedroom?"

His cheeks turned red as he shoots the older a glare. "No, it doesn't, get your mind out of the gutter. But seriously, we've been married and lived under the same roof for a while now but I realized she's never been in heat."

Silence.

"Isn't she an omega?" Jay questioned and Jungwon nodded without hesitation, chewing on his bottom lip while he's deep in thought.

"Yea, she is. But I don't get it. The way she acts is more of an alpha rather than an omega," he replied, thinking back to the way you stood your ground, never bowing or showing any signs of submissions to him and that only intrigued him further.

Jay hummed, glancing at a screen to see that the door had been slammed shut—a sign that all of the passengers had boarded and are ready for take-off. The two immediately got to work, pressing on buttons and moved the plane down the runway.

"I won't think too much if I were you. Right now, I need you to focus," the older commented, slipping on the headphone that has a mic connected to it, hovering near his mouth.

Jungwon rolled his eyes as he does the same. "Yes mom."

"Don't call me that!"

~

While Jungwon was about to embark on his flight, you have spent the past two to three hours coped up in your office.

Being the CEO of a company means you have countless reports to read through, documents to sign and approve and many, many unnecessary meetings to attend. As it was a new month, the monthly meeting with the board will be happening in an hour from now, after lunch. But with the way piles of papers kept appearing on your desk, you knew you won't have the time to head out to grab a bite.

"I knew you'll still be here."

Beomgyu deadpanned, barging into your office without bothering to knock. You didn't have the time or luxury to even retort, eyes glued to your monitor as your fingers flew across your keyboard at lightning speed. He dumped a takeaway plastic container right in front of you, ignoring the annoyed glare you thrown his way.

"Gyu, seriously?" You practically hissed like a cat.

Your assistant was unfazed, plopping down in the chair opposite of you and pulled out a container for himself. "What? I'm feeding you so stop looking at me like you wanna kill me. Now eat, before I shove food down your throat."

He threatens, a dangerous glint in his eyes. His words made you remembered how he had done something similar, back when you were in college. That made you gulped, fearing for your life for a moment and you obediently dug into your food, feeling the flavors exploding in your mouth with every bite you took. The two of you ate in silence until Beomgyu broke it by him awkwardly clearing his throat.

"By the way, your brother texted me."

You choked on your food at his words, repeatedly whacking your chest with your closed fist. Beomgyu cursed, rushing to your side and patted your back while aiding you to stop choking on your food. He handed you a plastic bottle of water, to which you gulped it down without hesitation. Coughing, you wiped your mouth with some pieces of tissue papers.

"What did he text you for?" You asked, wincing at how hoarse your voice sounds.

Beomgyu swallowed his mouthful of food. "..He wants to talk to you, (Name)."

You sighed, about to say something but he cuts you off. "No, I know what you want to say. I get it, you have every right to be mad at him but look, give him a chance, please? There's no harm in hearing him out."

"But—"

He shots you a pointed look and that's enough for your shoulders to slump in defeat. "…Fine, I'll hear him out."

"Great!" His face lit up and the drastic change of his behavior gives you whiplash.

Once you were done with lunch, it was time for you to head to the meeting room. You and Beomgyu were the first to arrive and while waiting for the board, you chose to scroll through your phone, only for you to freeze when you see a message from Jungwon. It wasn't rare for him to text you but you weren't sure why your heart stopped beating when you saw his name in your notification. You clicked on it and the text was sent a few hours ago. You can only assumed he had sent it before he flew off.

Jungwon: We need to talk when I'm back. It's important and it's about you.

You nearly dropped your phone when you read the message. It was simple and straight to the point. You couldn't help but wonder just what he wants to discuss and how it was related to you. Putting your phone away, you tapped your fingers on the table as you bit down on your bottom lip.

Unless.. No, it couldn't be. He doesn't know about my secondary gender yet.

The board chose that time to enter as they take their respective seats and soon, the meeting begins. But you couldn't find it in yourself to listen to a single word of what the speaker was saying. About fifteen minutes into the meeting, you were starting to sweat. You were also starting to grow restless, unable to stop fidgeting in your seat—a rare occurrence for you as you're perfectly capable of sitting still while pretending that you're paying attention to the meeting.

"…Before we continue, Ma'am, do you have anything to add?" One of the board turned to you, apparently taking note of your current state.

Everyone's eyes were on you. Normally, you were able to keep your cool and reply smoothly but today, something was wrong. Your mind wasn't working as it should be. Your body was tingling all over, mind spinning slightly and your clothes were starting to stick to you. Your breathing was ragged and haphazard, fingers curled into tight fists with your nails digging into your palms.

The board however, were mildly amused with your dilemma. "Ma'am, is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Your face's unusually red."

They asked, faux politeness laced in their tone. You snarled before you could control yourself.

Silence.

The meeting room went silent and everyone went still, not even the sound of breathing was heard. The board shared a quick look among themselves and invisible alarm bells rang off in your mind. You knew they were up to something when one of them begin speaking, clearing his throat.

"Ma'am, forgive us if this is a rude question: are you an alpha?"

Your throat tightened. Every instinct screamed at you to keep your facade up, to continue playing the act, the role you were forced into. Because once the truth is out, there is no going back. The damage done to you, your hard-earned reputation and the future of your company will be washed down the drain in a blink of an eye.

You forced out a sharp laugh, cocking your head to the side as if the words hadn't made your stomach churned in anxiousness. "What kind of question is that? Are you questioning your boss?"

But the edge in your voice betrayed you. To make matters worse, it was your body that was betraying you—heat prickled beneath your skin, your pulse racing as the telltale haze of rut was beginning to cloud your mind. You could feel it pressing against your control and if this were to drag on any longer, you feared you might lose control of yourself, right in front of the board.

And you knew they have been waiting for a chance to overthrow you. Right now, you were practically giving them a rare opportunity that's served on a silver plate.

"I'm clearly not—" The words caught, your breath coming out even more uneven than it already is. The weight of the board's gaze pinned you down onto your seat, like a pack of hungry wolves, waiting to pounce on you.

Before the silence could begin again, Beomgyu pushed his chair back with deliberate force, the scrape against the marbled, polished floor resonated among the walls. "That's enough."

The board members flinched at his tone, their murmurs dying instantly. He straightened himself, his expression calm but his eyes were dark, holding an unspoken warning that none of them have the courage to go against or disobey. "We'll continue when the boss is in a better condition. The meeting is over."

He didn't wait for a response, already guiding you out of the suffocating room with a gentle grip on your arm. The heavy doors shut behind you, muffling the whispers that immediately erupted the moment you stood up. Beomgyu managed to bring you back to your office and your composure shattered. Your chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, hands trembling as you clutched at your blazer.

"Gyu—I—I can't," your voice cracked, panic clawing at the edges of your heart, voice and mind. The rut was coming too fast, and the humiliation of it happening now, when you're at work, made your vision blur and head spin.

Cursing, Beomgyu steadied you while gently forcing you to sit down on the couch. He knelt before you, hands firmly resting on your shoulders. "Hey, hey, look at me. Breathe with me. You're not alone in this. You got me, alright?"

You frantically shook your head, eyes looking at the floor. "They know. They're going to use this against me—Fuck, I can't—I can't breathe—"

"I know," he said quickly, tightening his grip just enough to anchor you but not to hurt you. He will never hurt you. His eyes did a quick, calculative scan of your office and then he swore under his breath. There was only one person who could help you through this, even if you hated the thought.

He pulled out his phone with his right hand while his other hand continued resting on your shoulder, punching in a familiar string of numbers—numbers that belong to someone you have never contacted before.

The caller immediately picked up on the second ring.

"Riki, it's your sister. She needs you. Now."

It only takes the model approximately fifteen minutes for him to reach the office. He stormed into the room, slamming the door open with intense force that it banged against the wall that startled Beomgyu. His usual cool composure was nowhere to be seen. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on your seated, trembling figure on the couch. The next thing he knew, your brother was immediately by your side.

"(Name)," he murmured, crouching low, his voice edged with something akin to urgency. "Hey, your rut's starting, isn't it?"

Beomgyu, who was silent the entire time, blinked in disbelief. "Wait, hold on. What do you mean by her rut's starting? That doesn't make any sense. She's an omega and omegas can't—"

Riki shot him a sharp glare that's efficient in silencing him. "That's because she's not an omega."

The words dropped like a bomb. He froze, mouth opening and closing, like he wants to say something but he doesn't know what to say. Beomgyu looked down at you, taking note of how you were trembling like a fallen leaf, how you're trying to regain your composure.

"Then, is she—"

Riki nodded and that was all Beomgyu needed to know. "But, why didn't she tell me?"

The younger sighed, moving to carry his sister in his arms, letting you buried your face in his chest as you inhaled his scent to calm you down. "Because it's safer this way. I'm taking her home."

He didn't wait for the man's reply, already leaving the office as he headed to the car park, where his car was parked and where no one was able to see him and your current, vulnerable state.

By the time you reached home, you were tempted to rip your clothes off. Just the mere feeling of the fabric touching your skin is enough to give you the irk. Your rut was pressing down harder, your thoughts blending into instincts, shredding your usual self control to scraps. You pressed the heel of your left palm against your temples, groaning as you attempted to block out the heat that has been crawling under your skin for the past few hours. But your efforts prove to be futile.

"Sis, stay with me," Riki said firmly, placing you down on the couch. Your pheromones flared wildly, flooding the spacious living room with a sharp, dominant tang that made even he himself shift uneasily.

Riki could feel his pheromones acting up as well, out of pure instinct. But he didn't want a repeat of last time. He didn't want you to be alone again. He's grateful to Beomgyu for contacting him but this was as far as his assistance could go. Which was why he pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts list before tapping on a certain contact.

The line rang once, twice and then it's connected.

"Jungwon," Riki's voice was low and urgent, eyes never leaving your figure as you clawed at your own blazer, ready to tear it off your body. "It's your wife. She's in rut and she needs you, now."

There was a pause on the other line, followed by what sounded like an announcement in the background. Then Jungwon's voice came through, clipped and cut through. "I just landed."

Riki heaved out a sigh of relief, comfortingly rubbing circles on your back as you cling onto him like he's your lifeline. "Good, now get your stupid ass here before she loses it. And hurry, you don't have much time left."

~

The wheels of the plane barely kissed the runway when Jungwon's phone started buzzing in his pocket. He didn't think much of it, that was until he checked the Caller ID. Frowning, he answered it, remaining seated while waiitng for the plane door to be opened from the other end.

"Hello? Riki?"

"Jungwon, it's your wife. She's in rut and she needs you, now."

Hearing those words was enough to make his world flipped upside down. Right now, the pilot's currently stuck in the immigration. He kept checking his watch and then his phone, to see if there was any update from Riki. But all he got was silence. He tip-toed, checking the line of people ahead of him to see and then, he acted without thinking. He pushed his way through, ignoring the startled, offended gasps thrown his way as he bumped shoulders into the people around him.

He knew he wasn't acting professional but thankfully, he wasn't wearing his uniform so no one knows he's a pilot. He shoved his passport to the officer, ignoring how his hands trembled when the officer stamped and returned it to him. Jungwon was already sprinting down the concourse, weaving past the crowd as he headed to the pick-up point and practically leapt into the first cab he sees, slamming the door shut.

Jungwon gave the driver his address, hands curled into fists as they rested on his knees. "Drive, now."

When he reached home, he was greeted with your pheromones. It was so sharp, intense and heavy that it nearly knocked him off his feet. He could practically taste your pent-up frustrations and desperation and how you had been holding them back, for who knows how long.

"(Name)!" He called out your name, stopping a few feet before you. He scrunched his nose as every step he takes, your raging pheromones merely grew stronger in return.

Riki was crouched by the sofa, trying and failing to restrain you as you writhed, hands clawing at your own skin as though trying to tear the fire out of yourself. Sweat dampened your hair, your eyes blown wide and glassy, lips parted in broken, delirious gasps.

"She's about to be in her rut. Hyung, I trust you with her," Riki said, voice rough and strained.

Jungwon felt his chest tightened. You were already well past the point of reason—your actual rut had already started and had already engulfed you completely. He moved without hesitation, closing the distance in five large strides as Riki moved away. Woody warmth laced with vanilla filled the air—steady and grounding as it fights against your own scent.

The effect was instant. You stopped struggling, your frantic gasps caught in your throat as you raised your head, revealing your silted, hazy eyes. "J-Jungwon.." You called out, voice borderling trembling and fuck, the way you said his name made his breath hitched.

Riki's eyes flickered between the two of you before awkwardly clearing his throat. "I'll leave you to it. Just.. remember to use protection or else I'll kill you." The model patted the pilot's shoulder before scurrying out, not wanting to spend another second breathing in the same, suffocated air any longer.

He wasn't sure who was the one that closed the remaining distance but your mouths met in the middle, in a ferocious, intense and filthy kiss. Although, it can't be considered as a kiss, not when the both of you are fighting for dominance, trying to turn the tide to your advantage.

Jungwon wasted no time in sweeping you into his arms, carrying you bridal-style as he brought you to the bedroom, swallowing your startled gasp. You cling onto him, thighs subtly rubbing together to get some sort of friction at how he was able to carry you easily, like you weighed nothing.

He tossed you onto the neatly-made bed, tugging his knotted tie free with one hand and climbed over you. He grabbed your wrists, pulling them over his head and wrapped the fabric around your wrists, tying them into a tight knot. It's not tight enough to hurt but it's tight enough for you to know that you shouldn't disobey him.

He made quick work of your clothes, flinging your clothes over his shoulder until you're bare beneath him. You whimpered when he shoved his clothed knee in between your legs. A low groan was heard from Jungwon as you shamelessly grinded down on him, soaking the fabric of his pants wet with your slick.

"Look at you, pathetic little thing, grinding down on me and soaking my pants. Who'll have thought the confident and well put together (Name)'s just a needy little slut for her husband," he croons, voice dripping with faux sweetness.

Jungwon clicked his tongue when you attempted to hide your face. He reached out, cupping your face with his left hand with his thumb resting on your bottom lip. He gently tugged it down, satisfaction curling around the edges of his heart when you obeyed—parting your lips in pure submission.

And then, he spits into your opened mouth.

"Swallow it," he demanded in a firm, soft tone. Jungwon watched with pure fascination at how you obliged, your throat bobbed up and down as you swallowed. He tapped your cheek with his index finger and you opened your mouth. He tilted your head side to side, humming with approval written all over his face.

"Good girl," he purrs, noting the way your body shivered at his praise.

You mewled, tears prickling the corners of your eyes. "W-Wonie.." You called out his name, not even aware that you had used one of his nicknames instead of his full name. He chose to let it slide, knowing you're saying things due to your current state.

"Yes, baby? C'mon, use your words and tell me what you need," he coaxes, his free hand moving like it has a mind on its own, sliding his hand underneath the obstacle of your clothes. He's able to feel how hot your skin feels the moment his palm came into contact.

“W-wan’ more..” you begged, doe eyes full of pleading and want. You just wanted to feel his thick cock slide in and out of your velvety walls, filling you up—why does he have to be so difficult, damn it?

A low chuckle reverberates deeply in his chest at the view of how fucked out you already are simply by a few feather-light touches from his ice-cold fingertips against your warm skin, reminding him how he practically has you all wrapped around his finger without even trying. Jungwon’s calloused palms crawl their way up to the swell dip between where your breasts lay, fingers tapping against the heated skin provocatively, eliciting a sigh of frustration from the capsule of your pillowy lips.

“Come on..” you roll your teary eyes in annoyance, already fed up with his mean antics and to just get it over with.

“So bossy, where are you manners, missy?” He dramatically raises an eyebrow, forehead sightly wrinkling as a knowing grin etches across his stupidly attractive face that you wanted to rip off so badly.

“I think you need to be reminded who’s in control here,” his voice was laced with disappointment and amusement by your brattiness, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. You were about to murmur out a complaint when his fingertips finally caressed your nipples, immediately hardening at the soft brush to them.

“See?” Jungwon said matter of factly, as he began to proceed with his excruciating but pleasureful torture of twisting and pinching at your sensitive nub, whines and moans leaving the tip of your tongue as you writhe and spasm underneath him—red imprints appearing on your wrists by the tight bondage.

"F-Fuck you," you stammered through your snarky remark, flinching as he gave a mean, light pinch to your hardened nubs. You squirmed about on the sheets but there isn't anywhere for you to run or hide from him, not when your tied down.

"Yea? I'm sure you'll want that," he sniggered, shuffling down the bed to support his weight until he's situated between your legs. You attempted to close them, cheeks turning red with embarrassment at how Jungwon was looking at your dripping, throbbing pussy.

He lets out a low, breathy chuckle. "Are you sure you're an alpha? With how you're dripping like a faucet, I'll think you're an omega."

"You—ngh!" You snarled, your pheromones flaring up for a moment, only for it to die down when you felt a wet, rough muscle delivering a slow, fat stripe up your cunt. Your legs instinctively shot out, nearly kicking him in the face if Jungwon didn't held you down by your hips.

He rested his thumb on your clit, gently pressing down on it before rubbing it in slow, lazy circles. You swore you could feel his nose directly poking at your leaking hole as he gave kitten licks to your pussy, which flutters at every lick. The bedroom was filled with the lewd sounds of him eating you out and your moans that sounds nothing more than music to his ears.

"Fuck, should've done this a long time ago if I knew you taste this good," he groans, voice muffled with how he buried his face in between your legs. Every word he spoke sends vibrations down your body, drawing breathless whimpers from your bruised, swollen lips.

"Hah, t-too much," you moaned, struggling against the bondage. If your hands were free, you could have easily pushed him away but it wasn't, leaving you no choice but to take what your annoying husband is giving you.

You weren't even aware that Jungwon had released his grip on your hips or how you started grinding against his skillful mouth, back arching off the bed with your head tilted backwards, exposing your unmarked scent glands and the clean, unblemished skin of your neck. You panted, feeling a imaginary rubber-band slowly being stretched past its limit as Jungwon worked his magic on your pussy.

"G-Gonna cum, fuck," you moaned and then—

He pulled away.

You couldn't hold back the pure needy whine that left your lips at the loss of his slimy muscle that was pressed adjacent to your creamy walls. Your body twitched and convulsed in displeasure as the coil lies deep in your stomach gradually fades away, with every second that passes.

"N-No!" You protested, desperate for any type of release as your hips jerked upwards. Your throbbing, drenched cunt glistened and shines due to the sheer amount of slick dousing the dirtied, stained bedsheets, mixed with his spit—creating a filthy combination.

Jungwon barks out a low, mean laugh. His eyes twinkled in a dark, twisted satisfaction. "Needy little thing, aren't you? Not satisfied with my tongue?"

His words made you whined out loud, your pussy clenching down on nothing but thin air as a thick glob of slick trickled down your core. While you were too busy squirming and begging for his mercy, you weren't aware of how he had hopped off the bed, how he had headed to the bedside drawer, opening and closing it once he found what he was looking for. Fat, salty and warm tears droplets rolled down your cheeks as you sobbed, annoyed and aroused at his rough treatment—

Bzzt, bzzt.

And then, you heard a faint buzzing sound.

The pink vibrator that you swore you had hidden it well enough to avoid curious eyes and prying hands was now held in your husband's hand, standing tall and proud too. You stared at it for a moment, eyes darting between his face and the toy. Your mind immediately connects the dots, knowing what his intention was.

You hurriedly shook your head, squirming away as you moved up the bed but there wasn't much room for you to run to. "W-Wait, don't—"

Jungwon ignores your weak protests, now sitting on the edge of the bed. Grabbing you by your ankles, he tugged you towards him, eliciting a squeak from you. Jungwon hovers the vibrator directly over your dripping clit, drawing a loud, whorish moan from you—something you never thought you're capable of, as it vibrates against your swollen nubs.

He grinned, watching as you spasmed about. You attempted to close your legs but he was faster. Jungwon hooked his left leg over yours, firmly locking it against the edge of the bed. He pressed the vibrator more firmly against your clit, cooing at how you were reduced to a moaning, squirming and flustered mess.

"Fuck, if only you can see yourself right now," he breathed out in awe, drawing invisible horizontal lines on your bare ankle. "Imagine how the board will react if they were to see their boss like this," he paused, increasing the speed. His action made you cried out loud, the vibrator nearly entering your gaping pussy.

"Moaning and crying like an omega in heat, desperate to cum," he sneers, emphasizing on the words and kept increasing the speed until it reached the max.

"J-Jungwon—c-can't!" You whimpered, thrashing your head side to side when you felt the familiar feeling coming back. But this time, it was much more intense.

"Yes, you can. You wanna cum, don't you?" He coaxes, sounding like a siren as he hypnotize you to do his bidding and obey his words.

"P-Please!" You wailed, looking at him with your doe-like, hazy and clouded with lust eyes.

"Then cum," he demanded and you whined, blabbering words that sounded like 'thank you' and some curse words as you greedily and shamelessly rocked against the vibrator. Just when you were about to tip over the edge and all you needed was one final push—

Jungwon pulled the vibrator away.

You swore you have never felt this frustrated before. You raised your head, mustering the remaining strength you have left in your already pliant body to glare at your smirking, attractive husband. But the effect wasn't as effective as it would be, not with how you were sniffling and sobbing. Jungwon cocked his head to the side, acting all innocent and coy. He tossed the dirtied, soaked vibrator that's covered in your slick to the side.

"I did say cum but would you rather cum on that shitty pathetic excuse of a toy or," he grins, tilting your chin up to face him, "would you rather cum on my cock?"

Hearing the last two words was enough to make you nod your head at lightning speed. It's a miracle that you didn't dislocate your head from your neck. Jungwon chuckled, not bothering to fully undress himself as he only tucked down his pants and boxers, low enough to reveal his already hardened and neglected cock. It stood tall and proud, upright against his shirt, leaving a stain of precum on the pristine, white clean shirt.

Jungwon pushed you back, moving to his knees. He didn't bother grabbing the condom nor did you bother reminding him. All you could think about now was how you want to be filled on his cock. You watched, biting down on your bottom lip as he aligned himself against your entrance—

But, he didn't push in.

Instead, he rubbed his tip along your folds, collecting your slick as a lubricant. "Don't even need lube when you're fucking dripping all over my cock," he groaned.

"W-Wonie, please.. just.." Your voice trailed off, squirming as you attempted to move down so he could slide in but he clicked his tongue, raising his eyebrow—a silent and unspoken warning. You have no choice but to stay still, pouting and huffing your cheeks.

"Please what? Use your words, darling."

The sudden usage of the pet name makes your mind spins. "Please.. just fuck me already."

As much as Jungwon wants to keep teasing and edging you, he was reaching his limits. The moment you opened your mouth, about to retort with something was when he chose to enter in a solo plunge. Your overstimulated pussy reflexively squeezed around him at the painful but delicious stretch, earning an approved snarl that rumbled deep from his chest.

Your mouth dropped open, forming a silent 'O' shape at how you were being split apart. You swore you could feel his cock hitting the entrance to your womb. You mewled out loud at how his tip was pressing against that one spongy spot that's located against your delicate walls. Jungwon, on the other hand, felt like he was in heaven with how your gummy, velvety walls were clinging onto him with a vice-like grip, not wanting to let him go.

"Shit, you're so fuckin' tight," he groaned, ducking his head and bury it in the crook of your neck. His lips hovered right over your scent glands, causing goosebumps to form. One audible inhale from him and your sweet, aroused scent washes over him. It's so strong that he nearly cum right there and then.

Jungwon moved his hands, resting them on your hips to stabilize himself, starting off at a harsh, unrelenting and unforgiving pace. A breathless but loud moan was ripped from the back of your throat—needy, carnal and downright erotic. Your pussy was comically stretched wide around his member to accommodate the unusually large, girth size. The coil in your stomach enlarges as every second passed, by how heavenly full you felt, as he slides in and out of your soaked core.

As your wrists were still bound above your head, you could only lay beneath him, taking what he's willing to give you. His hips aggressively snapped against yours, balls slapping against your ass cheeks with every deep, harsh thrust from him. Jungwon grits his teeth, feeling them grinding down at how you tightened around him when he hits that one spongy spot, making you let out a gasp.

He wasted no time in using the newfound information to his advantage—changing the angle a little and threw your right leg over his broad, sturdy shoulders. The bedroom was now filled with the loud sounds of skin slapping against skin. You were certain that you could be heard all the way from the living room or the kitchen too.

"Look at you, taking me so well. It's like you're made for me, don't you?" He groaned, eyes trailing down to how your pussy lips are spread apart and how you easily take him in with no form of resistance. He smirked when he saw a ring of white, thick liquid forming at the base of his cock.

"Ngh, J-Jungwon—hah, please, moremoremore," you chanted, your rut taking over your mind, words and senses as you demand for more from your husband. And who was Jungwon to say no to his pretty, submissive wife?

With a growl, he threw your left leg over his shoulders as well, practically bending you into half. "You want more? What, this not enough for you? Maybe you should quit your job and stay at home, so I can fuck you anytime I want."

He lets out a breathless chuckle when you mewled at his crude words, cheeks red. "You like that, don't you? I'll have you spread out on any surface in the house—the dining table, the kitchen counter, anywhere I want. You'll let me eat this sweet little pussy of yours anytime I want, won't you?" Jungwon's left hand trailed down to give a mean pinch to your clit, laughing at how you visibly twitched at the sudden sensation.

"Jungwon!"

You whimpered, eyes rolling to the back of your head as his cock kept hitting the same spot, over and over again until you were seeing stars. "G-Gonna cum, p-please."

At first, you hesitated—having been denied your much-needed orgasm twice but unlike before, Jungwon didn't pulled out. Instead, his thrusts were growing sloppier and more erratic as he chases after his incoming climax. His hand moved to fondle with your poor, red and overstimulated clit, drawing high-pitched, hoarse moans from you.

"Then cum for me."

At his words, you cum with his name spilling from your lips, smooth like water. Jungwon was quick to follow suit, delivering one final, sharp and hard thrust that buries himself deep to the hilt as he spills thick and hot semen while painting your creamy walls white. He looked down when he felt something wet landing on his shirt, only for him to realize that you had actually squirted. The thought of him making you squirt made his cock twitched, even when he's still inside you.

You, on the other hand, was already long gone. You laid on the stained sheets, body twitching violently in aftershocks—blissfully unaware of the thoughts running through your husband's mind. The only form of warning you got was him flipping you over until you're awkwardly forced onto your hands and knees. You squeaked, knees trembling as you struggled to support your body weight.

"Jungwon—hngh!" You protested, but the words died down in your throat when he rocked his hips against yours.

He leaned down, mouth grazing against the shell of your left ear. You shivered when you felt him spreading your pussy lips apart from underneath. "If you think we're done here, then you're wrong. We're only done when I have you screaming my name until your voice's gone."

~

It has been one week ever since you had your rut.

One week for you to recover and regain your strength. One week was enough for things to change between you and Jungwon. This time, you were able to tolerate being in the same room as him. An prime example would be the first day after your rut was over, was when you woke up to his presence behind you. You looked over your shoulder, going still to see his sleeping face. This is the first time the two of you have slept on the same bed ever since you got married.

Your legs are intertwined underneath the sheets and one quick glance down your body tells you that you were dressed in one of Jungwon's shirt. The article of clothing was so big it completely engulfs your body, the hem reaching your thighs as it keeps slipping off your right shoulder.

You weren't sure why but you couldn't tear your eyes away from his face, shamelessly drinking in his features. With how close you are, you could literally see how long his eyelashes are—something most women envies. In a trance, you reached out to cup his right cheek with your right hand, breath hitching at how smooth his skin feels underneath your palm—

"What are you doing?"

You flinched, jerking your hand back but Jungwon was faster. He grabbed your wrist in a gentle grip as he stares at you with half-opened eyes. His voice was lower than usual, slightly rough around the edge, enough for you to squirm about, flustered.

"N-Nothing," you stuttered, internally cursing yourself when he chuckled. Not breaking eye contact, he pulled your wrist towards his lips, turning it to press a kiss on your palm.

Your face heats up, a sound that's a mixture of a squeak and a squawk left your lips at the sudden display of affection. You could feel him smirking against your palm, amused with your reaction.

"Y-You—!" You stammered, your mind lagging.

"I what? Cat got your tongue?" He interrupts, a devilish glint in his cat-like eyes. "You weren't this shy yesterday night."

At this point, you were certain your face had turned as red as a tomato and out of reflex, you grabbed the pillow underneath your head and threw it at him. And since this is Jungwon, he's able to knock your pathetic excuse of a weapon out of your hand before you even get the chance to throw it. He laughed at your reaction, pulling you closer so he could bury his face in the crook of your neck. You automatically stiffened up when he brushed his lips against your scent glands.

"You know, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I won't judge," he murmured, hands sliding underneath the shirt to draw circles on your hips.

You knew what he was referring to, despite how vague he was. "..No, I need to tell you—"

Knock knock.

The two of you went silent when you heard someone knocking on the locked door.

"Uh, hello? Are you two still alive? God, I can fucking smell the stench from here. You're gross," Riki's voice was heard from the other side of the door.

The moment you heard him, you shot up from the bed, attempting to throw on some clothes, only to get tugged back by Jungwon. You squeaked when your back hits a firm chest. "Don't make a sound," he murmured, sending goosebumps down your spine when he teasingly planted kisses down the expanse of your hickey-covered and marked skin.

"W-Wonie, he's outside—ngh," you harshly whispered, only to whimper when he bit down on a spot that made your mind blanks out.

Your husband hummed, forcing himself to pull away even though you tried to tug him back. "C'mon, you should get dressed and talk to Riki. He's been worried about you."

You averted your eyes upon hearing the last sentence but obliged nonetheless, getting out of bed with trembling legs. It's embarrassing with how you had to hold onto the wall to stabilize yourself. Seeing this, Jungwon snickered and you sent him a glare over your shoulder.

Knock knock knock.

"I swear, if you're still fucking, I'm gonna—"

"Oh my god, can you just wait in the living room!?" You cut him off, ears turning red as well.

Riki didn't replied but you managed to hear him mumbling something along the lines of how he's going to kill Jungwon as he walks away until you were greeted with silence again.

"So, I take it it went well?" Riki asked, jumping straight to the point as he leaned back, making himself comfortable on the couch with his arms crossed and his annoying long legs stretched out, like he owns the house.

You sat beside your husband, who merely shrugged his shoulders. "Well, we're able to tolerate one another now without having the urge to throw hands. So that's that."

You resist the urge to facepalm at his words. Your brother arched an eyebrow. His eyes flickered between the two of you, trailing down and he grimaced when he saw how you failed to hide the hickies on your neck. "Oh yea, for sure. I can tell there's a huge mosquito here too."

"Ni-ki! Why are you even here?" You hissed, attempting to change the topic.

Your brother's eyes lingered on your face longer than usual before he sighed, running a hand through his blond hair with a rather grim and solemn look on his face. "..I'm here because I think Jungwoonie deserves to know the truth."

You went still, feeling your husband's curious eyes moving to your direction for a moment.

"What do you mean? I only know she's not an omega but she's actually a alpha," the pilot pointed out, furrowing his eyebrows.

Riki nodded, "You're right about that. But there's more to that. And I know my sister will rather not bring it up, which is why I'm here, so she can tell you about it."

You narrowed your eyes, realizing this was his plan the entire time. "Ni-ki, you—"

"(Name), please. Just tell him," your brother begs you, his voice softening as he looks at you pleadingly. You were hit with a flashback of how he had looked at you the same way, back when the two of you were young.

You dug your nails into your palms, bitting down on your bottom lip. "..Fine, but this will take a while."

Jungwon nodded, "It's fine. I have time."

You inhaled, taking a deep breath and begin explaining.

~

You were nine when you realized something about you was different. You were unique and you're in another league, as compared to the other kids in your class. Your fellow classmates had started presenting—delicate little omegas praised for their softness, precocious betas encouraged for their balance.

You, on the other hand? You were restless, sharper.

Your instincts didn’t crave protection—they screamed dominance. You already knew what the results would be and the same can be applied for your parents. However, you could tell they were in denial, not wanting to accept the truth. Not wanting to accept the sheer fact that their daughter will be given a different fate, different than what they have planned for her.

But when the test results confirmed their worst fears and greatest nightmares—Alpha, your parents' faces went rigid and void of emotions. Just that one, single word was enough to turn their pride into something cold, ruthless and clinical.

"Alphas are reckless. They are unrefined and unfit for the image of our company. It will be a disgrace when the public finds out you're an alpha once the company's been handed to you," your mother had said, her voice clipped as she smoothed the wrinkles on her skirt.

Your father didn't disagreed. Instead, he simply ordered the doctor to change your medical record, to erase all signs of the results and to provide a fake version instead. To prove that you're an omega. The moment you got home, it was drills after drills.

They hired and assigned you many different instructors—lower your gaze, soften your tone and keeping your pheromones sealed tight until your glands ached. Every form of instinct you had was crushed under the heavy weight of rules, punishments and constant reminders of what you should be and must become, no matter what.

To make matters worse, Riki had witnessed it all. He had seen the way you cried yourself to sleep at night after hours of 'training', how you had clawed at your palms until they bled just to maintain your soft-spoken, delicate composure. Just for you to become someone you're not.

"O-Oppa, please.. help me.." You begged through your tears. Your small, trembling hands gripped onto the edge of his pants as you looked at him with your child-like, wide and teary eyes.

"Help me, Oppa. I.. I don't want to do this anymore.. It hurts…" You sniffled, weakly tugging at your older brother's clothes, hoping he will be able to help and to protect you from your parents.

Instead, you were roughly shoved backwards. You landed on the floor, watching from where you sat as Riki didn't spared you a second glance—like you're not worth his time as he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

~

Your throat was burning and you were fighting the urge to break down right there and then when you finished recalling. You didn't dare to look in Jungwon's or Riki's direction, forcing a watery, bitter and broken smile on your face.

"They forced me to play the role of a perfect omega. To be soft-spoken and submissive—when everything about me is the exact opposite of what they wanted. I tolerated their torture until I was in college, where I met Karina and Beomgyu. That was also when I decided to move out and stay on my own, freeing myself from the prison I was thrown into. And Riki…"

You paused, raising your head slightly to look at your brother, who had nothing but pure shame and remorse written all over his face. "He didn't contact me after the day he pushed me away. The next thing I knew, he was already on the plane, flying to another country."

Jungwon narrowed his eyes. There was anger and something else you couldn't name, burning in those eyes. "So all this time.. you were alone?"

You let out a long, heavy sigh. "I was."

Riki's jaw tightened as he finally looked at you, but when he finally spoke, his voice was quieter than you had expected. "You think I didn't care. That I had abandoned you," he paused, letting out a shaky breath as he stared at the ground, "but that's not the truth."

~

Riki was twelve when he first realized just how brutal, heartless and cruel your so-called 'trainings' was. He had came home from school, walking past a room with the door not fully closed, allowing him to have a sneak peak inside.

Only for him to stop on the spot when he saw his precious younger sister, who was only ten at that time, curled into a small ball on the marbled, polished floor. Seething with rage, he had barged into the room without hesitation, protectively standing before his sister as he snarled, hissed and threatened to sink his fangs into the instructor.

"She's just a kid! Leave her alone!"

The instructor was frightened, fleeing from the room without bothering to put up a fight and Riki brought you to your room, hugging you close to his chest as he noses at your scent glands, scenting you to calm you down. That night, he had sneaked into your room when your parents were asleep, giving you food to eat that he had made in the kitchen. He knew you haven't had a proper meal for a while, considering how you are always spending most of your life 'training'.

Ever since that day, your brother took it upon himself to be by your side—he took your place, letting him be punished instead of you, argued with tutors and even fought with some of the people who dared to mock you. It was only a matter of time when his father demanded to see him in his office.

The room was dark, lit only by the amber glow of a desk lamp. The man didn't bothered raising his voice—he didn't need to. For his words were cold and loud enough to demand nothing but pure obedience.

"Do you want to throw your future away for her, Ni-Ki?"

He had stood still, fists tightly clenched as his shoulders trembled with rage. "She's my sister. You have no rights to—"

"No rights? I should be saying that to you. Now listen carefully, this is how it's going to go," his father cuts him off, leaning back in his seat with the faintest smile on his face, "if you're going to keep meddling and keep protecting her, you can kiss goodbye to your modeling career. I know you've worked hard to earn an internship with Prada. I'm sure the last thing you want is for them to revoke their contract with you, all because you couldn't stop poking your nose into someone else's business."

At that point, Riki was already eighteen. He stared at the man who he can't believe is his father, his own flesh and blood. "…You'll do that, all just for her to live a fake life?"

The other barked out a dark, humorless laugh. "Son, you don't know the harsh reality of the outside world. But, I never expect you to understand it. So, what will you choose?"

Riki felt nothing but pure fury burning in his chest. As much as he wished to do something, anything, he was too powerless to defy the weight of those words. Hence, he wordlessly nodded his head and the older man grinned in approval. He remembered entering your room late at night, seeing you fast asleep with dried tearstains on your cheeks. All he felt was nothing but regret, threatening to swallow him whole.

Which was why three days later, he had booked a flight and flew out of Seoul, unable to face you in the eyes anymore.

~

Riki swallowed hard, his eyes glossing with something dangerously close to regret. You were stunned as you have never seen him acting like this before—openly showing his feelings to you and what he had gone through on his end, without you knowing.

"I never wanted to abandon you. So, when I heard you started your own company, I was really proud of you. I told the people around me that that's my younger sister right there, that she built her own empire with nothing but her own blood, sweat and tears. I wanted to reach out to you," he paused, letting out a choked laugh. Just hearing the sound was enough to make your eyes teared up.

"Gods, I really did wanted to but I was scared. What if you don't want to see me anymore? What if you had pushed me out of your life, not wanting to talk to me forever? When I was invited to attend the event, I had a feeling you would be there. And, it turns out I was right."

He sniffled, not bothering to wipe away the singular tear droplet that trickled down his face. "It really killed me. Watching you suffer when I couldn't do anything and having to live with the rest of my life, knowing you had thought I didn't care about you."

Your nails dug crescent-shaped wounds in your palms but you couldn't stop the tremor in your chest. Everything Riki said—his point of view, the memories spilling out—it had cracked the walls you spent your entire life building. You had told yourself that he didn't care, that he had abandoned you and chose to live his own life, cutting ties with you. Back then, it was way easier to hate him as compared to now. Now that the truth was finally out, he was placed in the same position as you.

Your throat burned as the first sob tore free. You pressed your hand over your mouth but it was futile. Your vision blurred, shoulders shaking as the weight of everything came crashing down. Before you could think twice, you stumbled forward, throwing yourself at Riki as you wrapped your arms around his figure.

"O-Oppa—I thought you didn't care about me anymore. I'm so—"

"No, don't apologize. You shouldn't be saying that to someone like me," he cuts you off, voice muffled as he clutched onto you tightly, as if he's afraid that you might slipped from his grasp for the second time.

For a long moment, the two of you just held each other—siblings who had once been torn apart by fear and control, clinging together like you could bridge the lost years in a single embrace.

After that, Riki spent the next few hours catching up with you while you updated one another about your life. If you were to tell your younger self that you will find yourself chatting and laughing with your brother, you were certain that your younger self would have scoffed, calling you insane about how easily you had forgiven him. Eventually, it was time for Riki to take his leave and he hovered by the door after slipping on his shoes.

"You should talk to Jungwon," he murmured, hands shoved into his pockets.

"..There's nothing to talk about," you muttered, fiddling with your fingers as you avoided eye contact with him.

Your brother chuckled, reaching out to ruffle your hair, drawing a squeak from you as you light-heartedly whacked his shoulder. "Sure sis, if you say so. But seriously, talk to him and besides, I think he had already won you over with all of…that." He pointed at your neck and you scowled, shooing him out of the door while ignoring his laughter.

Once he was finally gone, you headed to Jungwon's private office, knocking and only entering once you were granted permission. There your husband sat, by the desk with a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He glanced up, only to do a double take when he realized it was you and straightened himself in his seat.

"Did Riki left already?" He asks, leaning back in his seat as you stopped on the other end of the table.

"Yea, he said that we need to talk," you mumbled.

Jungwon sighed, gesturing for you to move towards him with two fingers. You gulped, walking around the corner and when you got close enough, he pulled you over. You would have made a complete fool of yourself if he didn't steadied you in the nick of time, allowing you to straddle his lap. Your hands awkwardly landed on his broad shoulders.

"Jungwon—"

"Shh, let me speak, princess. I'm not mad at you for hiding the truth from me. I feel bad for being harsh to you when we got married," he paused, resting his warm hands on your hips as he looks at you with a soft, loving smile on his face—something you never thought you'll be able to see.

"I remembered being furious when I was told I'll be marrying a woman who I've never met before. Which was why at first, I tried to push you away, to see whether you'll be able to listen to me. But, you didn't. Instead, you stood your ground and fought back. You looked at me, eye to eye and time and time again, you never fail to impress me with your courage. I know you had gone through horrible times during your childhood and the last thing you wanted was for an arranged marriage with a stranger."

He inhaled and then exhaled, leaning forward to rest his face against your stomach. You flinched, wanting to pull away but was stopped when he silently tightened his grip.

"You know, I actually respected you when I went to did some research. To see you managing to come this far with nothing but your own effort, that makes me see you in a different light. When Riki called me, telling me about how you needed me, I felt my world turned upside down. I had to shove my way through lines of people, forcing my way through immigration, just to get to you."

You were rendered speechless, listening to what he said. Jungwon raised his head, pulling you closer and closer until your practically breathing in one another's air.

"I thought I had lost you before I even had the chance to get to know the real you," he whispered, his hand lifting to cradle the back of your head. His thumb drew small circles on your cheek, grounding you in the current moment. "Seeing you like that… it broke something in me and I never want to feel that, ever again."

Your breath hitched in your throat, emotion swelling so thick that you almost choked on nothing but thin air. All the years of restraint and hiding—they were beginning to loosen, just a little, under his utmost sincerity and heartfelt words.

"Jungwon…" You breathed out, your voice barely above a whisper.

That was all it took. His lips was pressed against yours, in such a sweet, gentle kiss that you thought it was a dream for a moment. You melted into him instantly, fingers curled into his shirt as you clung onto him like an anchor. The kiss deepened but unlike before, there was no usage of tongues. Unlike the previous kisses you shared when you were entangled between the sheets, this was full of unspoken promises—of safety, of acceptance and most importantly, a love that goes beyond duty.

When you finally pulled apart, foreheads resting against one another, Jungwon was the first to break the silence.

"I got you. Today, tomorrow and for the rest of your life. And that, is a promise I intend to keep, until my final breath."

Sunoo blinked once and twice. You can tell he's surprised, with how he widened his eyes temporarily, taken aback with how confident you were. Just like everyone else, he knew who you are the moment he arrived at the cafe. After all, anyone would be a fool if they didn't recognize you, not when you're the daughter of the influential families in Seoul.

"If I want you to pay for my uni fees, will you do it?" He asked.

"Sure, if that's what you want."

"What about paying for my driving license?"

"That's easy."

"Will you say yes if I ask you to sponsor a three months vacation?"

"Yes, why not?"

Sunoo paused, taking the chance to sip his beverage, only speaking when he was done.

"I don't get it. Why are you asking me? Why not ask someone from your fan club? Surely someone is happy enough to take on the role. Why go through the trouble of downloading an dating app, creating a profile and matching with strangers?" He asked, bombarding you with a series of questions.

Instead of being offended or brushing him off, you chuckled. "That's for me to know and for you to find out, Sunoo."

The man scowled, shooting you an annoyed look. "Being vague won't help you, (Name). But fine, I'll do it."

You blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah, I don't see any harm in accepting this contract. Besides, there's nothing interesting happening in my life and I've always wanted to see how people like you live. It must be nice to have everything handed to you on a silver plate," he answered, shrugging his shoulders.

His words made your heart tightened. You let out a soft, barely audible chuckle under your breath as you looked out of the window, watching as people of all ages walked back and forth.

"Trust me, you'd be disappointed once you know the truth," you muttered to yourself.

"Did you say something?"

You snapped back to reality and shook your head, straightening yourself. "Nope, just talking to myself. Let's lay some ground rules, shall we?"

Sunoo groaned, shoulders slumping slightly. "Seriously? We're just fake dating. It's not like we'd fall in love or something."

~

Six months.

Six months was all it took for you to realize the painfully, horrifying truth. The truth that you have fallen in love with Kim Sunoo. If the past you were to see your current state, you're certain the past you will be wheezing until your face turned red. It's one thing for you to pretend you didn't feel anything towards him. But it's another thing for him to give you mixed signals.

The way he looked at you, like you're the only person he sees, even in a room packed with people. The way he ran his thumb along your knuckles as he stood beside you, engaging in a conversation effortlessly with strangers. The way he held a hand at your back while directing you through the crowd, his touch possessive, warm and lingering.

It didn't help that your parents had stopped bringing up your engagement with Hajoon. They had told you the engagement was placed on hold indefinitely, which was what you aimed for, since the beginning.

That's the reason why you agreed to fake date in the first place.

And yet, why does your chest feel so unbearably heavy? Almost like you didn't want this to end at all.

The cafe was unusually quiet for a Friday evening, save for the soft hum of chatter drifting from nearby tables. Sunoo sat across from you, stirring the melting whipped cream and ice in his drink with a plastic purple straw. You, on the other hand, haven't taken a sip from your mug, boring holes into it like it had personally offended you.

"So…" He started, glancing up at you, "your mom called me this morning."

You swallowed dryly, able to see your reflection in the warm tea of your mug. "Oh, did she?"

He smiled, all sweet and happy, like he truly meant it. "Yup. She asked if I'd be able to join your family's charity gala next week. Sounds like she really wants me there."

Your heart sank. That was exactly the problem. You continued looking down at your tea, countless thoughts running through your mind at the speed of a bullet train. How every day passed meant it's a step closer for your parents to discover the truth. The truth that your relationship was an lie.

And if they did, you wouldn't be able to protect Sunoo.

"…Sunoo."

"Hm? Are you feeling alright? You looked a little pale," he asked, reaching out to touch your forehead but you jerked your head back, ignoring the pained look in his eyes.

You swallowed the lump in your throat, fingers curling around your mug. "I think it's time we stop this."

Silence.

The previous carefree smile on his face dropped instantly. "…Stop?"

You inhaled and exhaled. "I meant, we should stop our relationship."

He released the straw, letting it go limp in his drink. "What? Why?"

"This has gone on long enough and the engagement's been called off. My parents aren't pushing it anymore," you replied in a steady tone, forcing yourself to meet his eyes.

"So?"

You swallowed the rise of frustration, wondering if he's playing dumb or he genuinely doesn't know where this conversation is heading.

"So, we don't need to keep pretending anymore," you concluded in a firm, resolute tone.

Sunoo frowned, crossing his arms. It's times like this where you get reminded that apart from the sweet, soft and glowing side of him, there's also a more… sensible side of him. The side where he's able to read your mind like he has a secret ability and you didn't like that one bit.

"You're not telling the truth," he said after a few seconds of silence, eyes locked onto your face.

It took all of you to not flinched at his sharp observation. "It is the truth. Sunoo, you're free now. You can go back to being a uni student and finished your studies. I'll transfer the agreed amount later."

He barked out a cold, humorless laugh. The sound was enough to pierce through your heart.

"You really think I did this for money? Do I look like that kind of person to you?" He scoffed.

No, of course not. You've never seen me as (Full Name) of The Family. You've never treated me like some sort of royalty. You see me as who I am.

You remained silent, unable to say a word. Not because you didn't know what to say. But because you couldn't. How could you, not when you're this close to blurting out the truth? The truth that somewhere along the journey of your fake relationship, you've fallen for him? That you're scared? That you're doing this to protect him?

Sunoo stared at you for a long moment, his sharp and fox-like eyes searching every inch of your face for an answer you refused to give. But your intention was clear—you've locked it up and tossed the key aside.

"So this is it? This is how it came to an end?" He asked, voice sharper and colder than before.

You looked away, unable to face him any longer and that was more than enough.

"…Right, I guess this is it then," he said quietly, rising from his seat and the chair was pushed back, it's four legs scrapping against the floor much louder than he intended.

"I hope that whatever reason you're hiding is worth losing me over," he said quietly, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

Hearing this, you snapped your head up, ready to protest but your voice died down in your throat when you saw his expression. How there's nothing but sadness glimmering in his eyes. How the smile he had doesn't reached his eyes. How there's a small part of him still waiting for you to tell the truth.

But, it's clear you have long made your decision.

Sunoo spared you one final glance before leaving, walking out of the cafe. He didn't care that it's raining cats and dogs, simply walking in the rain with the hood of his jacket pulled up to shelter his head.

You, on the other hand, remained seated in the cafe, fingers still curled around the mug. Something warm and damp trickled down your cheeks. Your vision blurred. It was only when you raised your hand to touch your right cheek was when it hit you.

You're crying.

Crying because you're heartbroken. Crying because you've pushed someone away, all because you're nothing but a coward. Crying because you've pushed the one and only person who has brought you happiness in your seemingly dull and still life.

perm tag list [always open]: @lolliloopsy, @kristynaaah, @lac4ygal, @sacrificemuraa, @strawberrywonnie, @hoonguin, @enhaxlhs, @ryulshot4sho,

Every time someone walked past or entered the cafe, his eyes darted to the door's direction instinctively. He couldn't helped but feel a pang of disappointment when the person wasn't you but rather, a random stranger. After what felt like forever, you finally arrived. Riki can sense your presence the moment the door was pushed open.

He watched, breath hitching in his throat as your eyes scanned the cafe, searching for him. It took all of him to not outright flinch when they landed on him.

He saw the way you pursed your lips, an unreadable expression on your face as you approached him until you sat opposite of him. For the first few seconds, it was awkward. None of you said a word—Riki avoiding eye contact while your gaze was boring holes into his head.

He wasn't surprised when you made your first move, having known you're the brave and confrontational type.

"So?" You asked, arms crossed and arched an brow while cocking your head to the side, "are you planning to talk or what?"

Riki chewed on his bottom lip. "…I'm sorry."

You scoffed under your breath, the sound barely audible but not to Riki. Not when he had paid close attention to you ever since he first saw you.

"Sorry for?" You echoed.

He swallowed, eyes focused on a random spot of the table. "..For lying to you. I know the general stereotypes of people doing… this kind of jobs. Some people is fine with it while some isn't. I didn't dare to tell anyone about this side job, other than my two friends. If the school were to find out, everyone will view me differently. They won't see me just as Riki. They'll see me as Riki, the student who's a fucking cam boy."

A brief silence.

At least, that's what he thought.

Seconds bleed into minutes until Riki was certain it's been a solid five minutes of awkward and tense silence. He plucked up his remaining courage, lifting his head to look at you. He expected all form of reactions—anger, disappointment or even worse, nothing. What he didn't expect however, was how you were—

"..Why are you smiling at me?" He asked, the words slipping before he could stopped himself.

You chuckled. "Why not? Did you expect me to be mad or something?"

He blinked owlishly. "Uh, yea? I mean, I did lie to you and any normal human will be angry or disappointed."

You shrugged your shoulders. "I'm not normal in the first place. Look at me, I have a long record of dating questionable men with questionable behaviors. You being a cam boy is the least of my worries. It's not like you're committing a crime."

He blinked once. Twice and one more time, to ensure he wasn't hearing things. When it's clear you weren't going to lash out at him or do something violent, his shoulders sagged with relief. The boy even heaved a long and heavy sigh. It's the kind of sigh that spoke volume. Heck, he could even feel the weight on his shoulders significantly decreasing too.

"Thank god, you have no idea how worried I was for a moment. I thought you were planning to kill me," he joked.

You flashed him a closed-eye smile and Riki sworn he felt the temperature of the cafe dropping an notch. "Oh, I might do that if you do this again."

He swallowed, his palms starting to sweat. "Yes, mam."

"I'm serious, Riki. This is the only second chance you're getting. Don't screw this up," you continued in a rare serious tone.

He stretched his hand across the table, placing it over yours and gave it a reassuring squeeze. To his relief, you didn't pull away or showed any negative reaction to his touch.

He smiled, all soft and genuine. "I won't screw us up again, trust me."

You snorted but returned the action, squeezing his hand back. "You better remember what you said, Nishimura Riki."

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