#readerxjimin

You shook your head feeling something angry bubble in the pit of your stomach, “I thought we made decisions together.”

“They’re agreeing to give us fifty percent of Gangnam. That’s an offer I can’t refuse.”

“So you roll over like a bitch?” You snorted, “And now I have to fucking marry one of them?”

Your brother tugged a hand through his hair, pinching the bridge of his nose, the way he always did when he was angry.  You waited for his reproach; some kind of biting remark intended to force you to crawl back into yourself. 

But it didn’t come.  Instead his eyes seared straight through you. 

“Y/N.  Things haven’t been going as smoothly as I’d like since my transition to capo.  An alliance with Bangtan could be just what we need.” “Min Yoongi killed Chanyeol.”  You spat out bitterly, trying to remind your brother of the kind of people he wanted to deal with, “They’re monsters.” “So are we.  We’ve all killed in cold blood.  And according to Yoongi, Chanyeol was planning on raping his wife.  I would have done the same thing.” 

You couldn’t believe what your brother was saying.  Chanyeol had been his best friend.  Was he willing to forgive his death so easily, just for a measly fifty percent of Gangnam?

“Xiumin-” “All’s fair in love and war, Y/N.  They did what they had to do.  As did we.”  His eyes were like steel - cold and frosty.  You knew this conversation was over, “And now we must move on to the next chapter.” 

There was a long beat of silence.  You stared at your brother, trying to collect your thoughts. 

He’d raised you to despise Bangtan, the same way your father had raised him to hate everything Bangtan stood for. 

You’d always viewed them as the enemy and you thought Xiumin had shared that sentiment.  Now it seemed, things were different.  

“So what do you want me to do?” You asked eventually.  There was no room for argument - when Xiumin was like this, that was how things were.

As much as you liked to view yourself as a team, the truth was Xiumin was the boss.  He was the capo of EXO and as vital as you were to him, when it came to it, his decision was final.  It was something you’d hated growing up, but it couldn’t be helped. 

“You’re to be married to Park Jimin.”  Xiumin answered, passing a manila file to you, “The wedding will take place at the end of this month.  But Taehyung and I have set up a meeting prior to that, so you can officiate your engagement.”

“Park Jimin.”  You knew exactly who that was before opening up the file.

Park Jimin was Bangtan’s silver tongue.  He dealt with the rich and elite.  He was the best in the business.

Everybody who was anybody knew who Jimin was.  

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” You flicked through the photos Xiumin had given you, “Isn’t Jimin one of the ‘special seven?’” 

The special seven was the term you used to describe Bangtan’s innermost circle of members.  It was the people Taehyung trusted with his life. 

“He is, that’s why this is important Y/N.  I’m giving him one of my own, and he’s doing the same.” Xiumin assessed you carefully, “I need you to make this work, okay?” 

You knew what your brother was insinuating.  Xiumin had tried to marry you off in the past, but every time had failed.  You had reminded him time and time again that you were not to be trifled with; most women in the mafia were used to a life of being told what to do.  But you refused to be that way.

You hated to admit it, but you knew that the fact you were Xiumin’s sister had a lot to do with the way you lived your life.  But you refused to be a wilting wallflower, despite what others expected of you. 

“Isn’t it enough that I’m agreeing to this marriage?” You answered gruffly, shoving the file on Jimin back to Xiumin, “What else do you want me to say?” “You’re not agreeing to anything, Y/N.  I’m the Capo, and my word is law.” You glared at him for a moment, and then decided it wasn’t worth it.

“I’ll make it work.”  You told him eventually, “But you better warn him that I’m not a welcome mat to be walked all over, and I will not be treated as such.” Xiumin nodded, and sighed heavily, “This is the right thing for EXO.” 

You stood up quickly, throwing your leather jacket back over your shoulders and clicking your tongue, “I sure as hell hope so Xiumin.  You better be right about this.” “The meeting is set for next Monday.  Wear something nice.” You rolled your eyes. 

This was going to be anything but easy.

//

 The first time you met Park Jimin you were surprised.

In the photos you’d seen of him, he seemed softer than anything you could have imagined, and yet now there was a hardness to him that seemed to emanate from his skin.  His eyes were dark and stoney, and he was almost inhumanly handsome.  Something about him seemed to be dangerous, but you couldn’t put your finger on what. 

“Jimin.  This is my sister, Y/N.”  You were sat at a restaurant, awkwardly staring at each other from across the table. Taehyung seemed to be observing the situation carefully, and your brother was no better. 

“Hello Y/N,” Jimin spoke after a moment.  His voice was smooth like honey, “It’s nice to meet you.” “The pleasure is all mine,” You answered, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. 

Taehyung’s eyes narrowed at you, and your brother nudged you painfully. 

He’d warned you on your mouth before today’s meeting, but it seemed you couldn’t help it.  Jimin didn’t seem upset or surprised by your contempt.  

“Are we happy with the deal, then?” Taehyung spoke after a moment, directing his question to your brother.

You bit your tongue.  You weren’t happy, how could you be? It wasn’t that you wanted to marry for love; it was that you didn’t want to marry at all.  Least of all to someone like Park Jimin.  He seemed about as willing to fight as you were to love.

“Fifty percent of Gangnam.”  Xiumin took on his business voice, “And an heir for Park Jimin.” You wanted to pull a face at that part, but decided against it.  The truth was Jimin was attractive, and you imagined sex with him wouldn’t be utterly repulsive. 

You could give him a child. 

“Then it’s agreed.”  Taehyung turned to Jimin and nodded, “The wedding will happen at the end of the month.” 

You watched Jimin carefully from across the table.  You couldn’t tell what he was thinking, despite how hard you tried to read him.  It was something you had always prided yourself in; your ability to figure people out, and yet Jimin was like a puzzle to you. 

“Do I have a say in anything?” The question slipped out of your mouth almost unintentionally, but you weren’t embarrassed or mad at yourself. 

Taehyung turned to you, and despite yourself you had to admit his glare was intimidating.  He rose a dark brow. 

“Excuse me?” 

You tried to calm your hammering heartbeat.  It didn’t matter how strong you thought you were, this was the capo of Bangtan you were dealing with.  Kim Taehyung was one of the most nefarious criminals in Korea.  His nickname V came from the fact that he enjoyed carving the letter into the chests of his enemies. 

“Isn’t the bride supposed to have a say in her own wedding?” The words tasted like acid on your tongue, “Or am I expected to just let everyone else do it for me?” 

Your brother glare was burning into the side of your face, but you set your jaw determinedly.  You’d told him you would make it work, but that didn’t mean you weren’t going to raise at least a little hell. 

“Sure.”  This came from Jimin, surprisingly.  You turned to him and he shrugged, “If you want to organise it then it’s all yours.  But that’s less than a month, you know.  Weddings are stressful affairs, believe me.” When he smiled, you cursed him for how attractive he looked.  It was like he was glowing.

“I want to choose my own dress.”  This was the condition you had set yourself when you’d agreed to Xiumin’s proposition, “I don’t care about anything else.” 

Taehyung’s eyes were dark and brooding, and you avoided his stare.  He was probably angry at you, but you wanted to show that you weren’t a walkover.  You wanted to show you had at least some strength. 

After a moment, Jimin nodded, “Alright.  You can choose your own dress.” 

There was a long stretch of silence.  You felt uncomfortable, but your eyes wouldn’t move from your future husbands face.  

“There will be an engagement party at the end of this week.”  Xiumin stated, and your gaze moved to connect with his, “At the Hilton.” 

“Great,” You smiled sarcastically, and bit your tongue when you brother kicked you under the table, “Can’t wait.” 

But despite the anger you felt boiling in the pit of your stomach, there was something undeniably attractive to you about Jimin.  You convinced yourself it was because you can’t read him; you couldn’t place him, and therefore he was interesting to you.

Like a plaything. 

You couldn’t look at him any other way.  Feelings were dangerous in your world, and you knew this better than most. 

And things would only get a whole lot more complicated. 

//

The evening of your engagement party, you found yourself locked up in your bedroom, hoping against all hope that things would fall through.  You’d had a few days to get used to the idea of being Mrs Park Jimin, but nothing seemed to soothe your wild imagination.

You didn’t want to marry him.  You didn’t want to marry anyone let alone your sworn enemy. 

Xiumin had told you countless times that this was the way things were.  You couldn’t argue with him, and you hated that.  So what if he was the capo?  Wasn’t he your brother first? 

But it didn’t matter how many times you tried to convince him out of it, your marriage to Park Jimin was going forward whether you liked it or not.  And tonight you would have to parade around on his arm, and allow yourself to be treated like a fucking trophy, just so his ego could be inflated. 

That was what men in the mob were like; angry, cold and above all egotistical. 

You knew men like Jimin.  Despite what he might have wanted you to think - that was hard to read, that he was different - you knew that ultimately they were all the same.  Callous and indifferent.

But you refused to get burned.  

“Are you ready?”  Xiumin asked from the other side of your bedroom door. 

You stared at yourself in the full length mirror, rolling your eyes at the make-up your brother had insisted you wear. 

Your maid, Rose, had wrapped you up in a tight, blue dress and you felt almost like you couldn’t breathe.  The skyscraper heels on your feet were uncomfortable to say the least, and you had complained that you weren’t used to this kind of thing - you were much more comfortable in jeans and combat boots - but Xiumin wouldn’t listen.

You had to look every part the doting fucking wife, whether you wanted it or not. 

“Yes.”  You grumbled, tugging a hand through your sleek hair, “Coming.”

You unlocked your bedroom door and stepped out, watching as your brother appraised you.  He smiled when he met your eyes.

“You look good.  Rose did a good job.”  He gestured towards the front door, “Now let’s go.”

The ride to the party was quiet.  Your brother drove and you sat yourself in the passenger’s seat, trying to ignore how your dress kept riding up your thigh.  

“This is stupid.”  You grated out after a moment, “Why do I have to dress like this?” Xiumin rolled his eyes, as if he had been waiting for your complaints, “Because you are going to be the wife of a very important man, Y/N.  You need to look the part.” You hated how backwards the mafia was.  How they expected you to look and act a certain way, even though that wasn’t who you were.  

“Couldn’t I have at least worn sneakers?” He chuckled at that, “C’mon.  You look nice, Y/N.  Honestly.  It’s a posh party, we’ve all had to dress up.” You had to admit, he had a point there.  Xiumin himself was in a tux, and the guards escorting you to the party had been in suits as well. 

“I’m going to miss you,” You said after a moment, feeling a lump in your throat form at the genuine affection that rushed towards you.  Despite your bickering, you loved Xiumin.  He was the only person in your life who had ever shown you anything close to love.

“Yeah.”  He cleared his throat uncomfortably, “Me too.” “Everything’s going to change.” He shot you a quick look, “For the better Y/N.  Believe me.” 

You weren;t convinced, but the car pulled up to the Hilton, and you didn’t have time to discuss things any further.  You climbed out of the car, and tucked some of your hair behind your ears.  

“This is it,” Xiumin whispered to you as he moved to stand beside you, “Let’s do this.” You slid your arm through his, and let him guide you up the marble staircase, trying to calm your sizzling nerves.  You didn’t know why you were so nervous.  You’d killed men before, stared them in the eye before plunging knives and bullets into their hearts.  You were ruthless when it came to EXO, you took no prisoners.

And yet now with the prospect of an engagement party looming over your head, it seemed you couldn’t calm yourself down.

As you passed through the double doors of the hotel, you were surprised to see another member of the special seven waiting in the lobby, a very pregnant woman holding onto his outstretched arm.

Jung Hoseok’s bright smile was not something to be trifled with.  His innocent demeanor hid deeper rivers, and you had heard the horror stories about the kind of man he was.  The rumors of his dishonourable discharge from the Korean army had not fallen on deaf ears. 

And yet, stood in front of you, helping the pregnant woman climb the ornate staircase towards the conference room, you had to admit he didn’t look very scary at all. 

“Hoseok,” The woman grunted, “This is your fault you know.  You put this fucking child in me.” Hoseok laughed at her grumbling, “You weren’t complaining about this nine months ago, baby.”

The woman, who you now recognised as his wife, rolled her eyes, “You’re an idiot.”

“I told you not to wear heels.”  He pointed at the contraptions on her feet, “Take them off baby.  I’ll carry you.” “Don’t be stupid.”  She shook her head, “Just help me up these fucking stairs.” Hoseok laughed again, and after a moment his wife started giggling too, when the two of them spotted you and your brother.  The laughter cut short, and Hoseok’s glare darkened. 

“Xiumin.”  He grunted, and then his gaze moved over to you, “Y/N.”

“Hoseok.”  Xiumin nodded stiffly, “It’s a pleasure to see you again.  Good evening, Mrs Jung.” His wife smiled wryly, and you watched as she tightened her hold on her husband’s arm. 

“We’ll see you in there.”  Hoseok said shortly, shuffling his wife up the stairs quickly. 

Your heart dropped.  That woman had been frightened of you.  Not just of Xiumin, of you too.  You didn’t know why you cared.  You were a cold-hearted killer after all.  And yet… the look in her eyes - the way she’d frozen at your entrance… something in your chest caught uncomfortably.

“Let’s get this over with,” Your breathed out heavily. 

The two of you entered the conference room, and immediately you felt the divide between the members of EXO and the members of Bangtan.  It was like an invisible line had been drawn right through the middle of the room and neither side dared to cross over. 

“Xiumin,”You recognised Baekhyun’s voice - one of your brother’s most trusted friends, and a high ranking member of EXO - and looked up to find him travelling across the room, “Y/N.” He smiled at you and you returned the gesture. 

“Well this isn’t awkward at all,” You quipped, eyes scanning your surroundings quickly.

Baekhyun laughed and rolled his eyes, “Right?  It’s kind of frosty in here.” You chuckled as well, but your brother seemed less than amused. 

“Jimin is over there,” He nodded towards your fiance, who was stood by two doors that led out into the balcony, scrolling through his phone,  “I think you should go talk to him.  It’s proper etiquette.” You wanted to tell your brother where to shove his proper etiquette but decided against it.  The truth was, he was probably right, and you could tell he wanted some time alone with Baekhyun.  Probably to discuss your upcoming nuptials.

“Fine.”  You answered shortly, whipping away from them and making your way across the room.  You ignored the way other members of Bangtan watched you critically, and kept your eyes locked on Jimin.

He didn’t notice you until you were right in front of him.

“Hi.”  He cocked his head to one side, “I didn’t see you come in.” “Well that would be because your more interested in your phone,” You replied shortly, crossing your arms. 

Jimin smirked and quirked a brow, before slipping his phone into the pocket of his jacket.  He shrugged. 

“Do you want to join me on the balcony?” You grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing waitress and then turned back to Jimin.  He was waiting for an answer, and you rolled your eyes, “Fine.  Let’s go then.” 

Jimin pushed one of the glass double doors open and waited for you to pass through.  You hated that he was so polite - it didn’t really suit his mafia persona - and scoffed. 

“What, is it the 1800’s?  You know women can hold their own doors open.” “Well that’s the last time I do anything nice for you,” You couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but you didn’t care. 

Perhaps your attitude was a bad idea - after all, you were going to have to spend the rest of your life around this man, it probably wouldn’t hurt to try and be nice to him.  And yet, you resented everything he stood for.  You resented the fact that you’d had no say in this marriage. 

“You know I don’t want to do this,” You turned towards him sharply, and gestured between the two of you, “Get married.  I never wanted to marry anyone, certainly not a member of Bangtan.” Jimin raised a brow.  He licked his lips, and despite yourself, you couldn’t help but notice how plush they were.  You shook those thoughts away. 

“This is what is best for both of our families, Y/N.  Are you going to spend the entirety of our marriage making my life a living hell?” You shrugged, and knocked back the glass of champagne you were holding, shoving it into his hands, “Probably.” 

The air was fresh on your face, as you stared at him, waiting for a barbed response; something that would fight the fire you felt burning so strongly in your chest. 

“So what, is this a part of your whole ‘act’?” 

You clicked your tongue, “Act?” “Yeah.  Your tough girl act.  Don’t think I haven’t noticed,” He tugged a hand through his platinum blonde hair and sighed heavily, “You think this will somehow scare me away?  Make me not want to marry you?  Have you forgotten who I am, and the kind of people I deal with on a daily basis?” 

The knowing look on his face pissed you off so much.  Why was he pretending that he knew anything about you at all?  You were strangers.  

“So you’ve got me figured out, is that what you’re trying to say?” You snorted, shaking your head, “Typical.” “Excuse me?” “Mob men - you think you know everything.”  You felt your throat clamp up - not from sadness, from anger - and you had to bite it back almost viciously, “You think I haven’t had to fight for my right to anything, my entire life?  I don’t want to be another Bangtan wife… or EXO wife… I want to be a free fucking agent.  I want to live my life the way I like, without having some egotistical prick lording over my every movement.” 

“I see you’ve already decided you know everything about me,” Jimin was cool and collected and you hated that, “Guilty of the same crime.” 

“You don’t know what it’s like to be a woman in this world.” He nodded, and you saw a flash of softness in his eyes - but it was gone before you even properly registered it. 

“You’re right, I don’t know.”  He fixed the lapels of his suit jacket and shrugged, “But that is how it is in our world.  I didn’t have much choice in this matter either, Y/N.  Taehyung didn’t ask me if I wanted to marry you - he told me I was going to do it.” You hadn’t thought about that before.  You bit your bottom lip.

“I hate this,” You said honestly, “I really do.  This whole fucking thing’s a joke.” Jimin’s face was unreadable, and it annoyed you.  Why couldn’t he show you something… Anything that would make you feel less crazy?  Why were you the only one getting upset? 

“Well that doesn’t matter, unfortunately.”  He told you honestly, “We’re getting married at the end of the month, whether you like it or not.  And you will have to provide me with an heir.” You glared at him. 

“Doesn’t mean I have to fucking like it though.”  You answered bitterly, sweeping away from him angrily, and stepping back into the conference room. 

You felt something angry catch in your chest.  You knew you’d probably fucked up - after all, your brother needed this, and you’d promised him you’d make it work.  And yet… something about your inability to understand Park Jimin had pissed you off.

How dare he stand there and act like he was better than you!  As if you were acting like an insolent child…

You hated feeling powerless. 

“Y/N.” 

You turned at the sound of your name, and rolled your eyes when you noticed it was Jimin.

“What do you want?” 

He smiled - so sweetly you knew it was fake - and passed you the empty champagne flute you had tried to leave him with, “You left this behind.” 

Despite the anger you felt fizzing in your veins, you didn’t want to make a scene - not in here, not with your brother watching.  So you took the glass without a word, glaring at him hotly. 

Before you could say anything else, Jimin reached a hand up to your face and tucked some of your hair behind one of your ears.  You felt yourself freeze at the action. 

What the hell was he doing? “Relax,” He whispered, smirking, “It’s all a part of the show.  Right?” You wanted to push him away and tell him to leave you alone.  Who the hell did he think he was?

And yet… his eyes were so warm.  And his hands were soft against your cheek.  You hated yourself for it, but were you enjoying this?

“I’ll see you soon… Fiance.” 

And then, without another word, he pressed a kiss against your forehead.  You tried to ignore the thumping of your heart as he pulled away and winked. 

“You’re going to regret this,” You grunted, when he turned away from you and floated towards Taehyung, who had apparently been watching your interaction very carefully. 

It was at that very moment you decided that you hated Park Jimin.

God. 

This was going to be fucking tough.

“Alright.” He nodded gently and came towards you, placing a hand on your shoulder and pulling you in for a hug, “I’m sorry Y/N.  I know how tough this is for you but… you’re going to do great.  You always do great.”

The words melted over you slowly, and you let yourself settle in his embrace.  You could count the times Xiumin had hugged you on one hand so you appreciated it.

He moved away from you and though you’d never dare mention it, you noticed a mistiness in his eyes, “I’m proud of you.  I love you.” He’d only ever said that to you once, the day your parents died.  It was all you’d needed, and you never asked for reassurance again.  

“Thank you Xiumin.”  You cleared your throat and wiped at the tears, “I love you too.” There was a moment of softness between the two of you and you found yourself smiling, despite the discomfort in your chest.  

“I’m going to miss you.” He nodded, “Me too.”

A knock at the door broke the two of you out of your reverie, and you watched as it opened.  Kim Taehyung was stood on the other side, as dark and intimidating as always.  

“It’s time.”  He told you both, eyes carefully assessing the situation, “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”  

“Come on, then.” 

You and Xiumin shared a final look, as Taehyung led you to the back of the church silently.  You could hear your heart thrumming in your ears, and you felt so completely out of your depth.  You were so used to violence and anger and carnage.  But this?  This was something completely different to you. 

Everybody in that church was going to be staring at you in a moment.  Everybody was going to be judging you - and soon you would become Mrs Park Jimin.  

“Good luck,” Taehyung muttered quietly, as he slipped through the stained glass double doors and took his seat at the front of the church. 

And then, after a moment, the music started.  You turned to Xiumin and he nodded. 

“You’re going to do great,” He told you, “I promise.” 

The double doors swung open, and you were revealed to the entire church - all four hundred guests.  The left side was spilling over with members of EXO, and as Xiumin led you down the aisle, your eyes found Baekhyun’s.

He was smiling at you warmly, and that gave you some encouragement. You felt yourself relax slightly, before your gaze moved to connect with the grooms. 

Jimin was standing at the front of the church, looking as completely dazzling as always.  You hated how handsome he was - hated that despite everything you knew about him and his kind he still caused your heart to trip over itself. 

He wasn’t smiling at you, but he didn’t necessarily look upset.  His eyes were neutral, two dark pools of chocolate boring straight through you. 

When you reached the front, and Xiumin handed you over to him, Jimin’s lips quirked up slightly at the side. What was he playing at? You refused to return the gesture, working on keeping your face as stony as you could.  But you weren’t as good at keeping your emotions in check as Xiumin was, and you knew that Jimin could probably tell how nervous you were. 

A few minutes into the service, you felt him squeeze your hand.  You raised a brow and he nodded gently.

“You’re doing great,” He whispered to your surprise, “Just relax.” 

You didn’t know why he was telling you that - and in any other circumstance you might have even been annoyed at him for assuming you needed encouragement - but at that particular moment you were grateful.  Despite yourself, you felt the side of your mouth shoot up gently.

“Thanks.” 

The rest of the service continued on, and eventually you could feel your nerves sizzling out.  You hated yourself for it, but Jimin’s reassurance, and the fact that he was here, with you, kind of helped. 

It didn’t change how you felt about him of course, but it made things a little easier. 

When the words, “You may now kiss the bride,” were finally said, you felt a huge wave of relief crash over you.  It was over. 

Jimin smirked and pulled you towards him.

“Sorry about this,” He whispered, before pressing his mouth against yours in a hot kiss.

You’d only ever been kissed by a few men in your lifetime - most of them sloppy kisses behind bars, drunk or high.  But this kiss was like electricity.  You hated yourself for leaning into Jimin’s lean chest, but you felt yourself doing it almost unconsciously, enjoying every moment of his lips on yours. 

He tugged a slender hand through your curls, and after a moment, when he pulled away, you felt yourself gasp for air a little bit.  You knew you looked dazed, but you couldn’t help it.

That kiss had been ridiculous. 

And he wasn’t sorry at all.

He smiled teasingly at the look on your face and bit his bottom lip, “Welcome to the family, Mrs Park.” 

What the hell had you gotten yourself into? //

“Don’t pretend you didn’t like it.” You glared at your husband, “Shut up.” You hated the fact that you had to sit beside him, whether or not it was your stupid wedding reception.  Everybody kept congratulating the two of you, and you forced a fake smile onto your face, pretending not to listen to Jimin’s stupid remarks.

“Just admit you enjoyed kissing me and I’ll shut up,” He told you after a moment, looking at you over the rim of his wine glass. 

“My mother taught me not to lie,” You grinned sarcastically, “So no, I won’t admit anything.”

The truth was, of course, Jimin was right.  But you couldn’t help that your body had responded to him.  And you would never ever admit that to him.  

“You know we’re going to spend the rest of our lives doing a lot more than kissing,” He raised a brow and chuckled slightly, “So you might as well start to enjoy it.”

The remainder of your wine was gone as you knocked it back quickly, feeling the warmth of the alcohol buzz it's way through your system.

“God.  Don’t remind me.” 

You stood abruptly, rolling your eyes at the smirk on Jimin’s face.  He seemed to almost enjoy pissing you off. 

“I’m going to go and dance.”  You informed him sharply, “I’m tired of listening to you.” “Not without me you’re not,”  He stood with you, smile widening at the glare you set on him, “Oh come on.  We’re the bride and groom.  I can’t leave my beautiful wife all alone to dance on her wedding day, right?  What would the neighbours say?” You hated that he was trying so hard to make peace with you.  That despite the fact that the two of you had been forced into this marriage, he seemed to want to make it work. 

That was not what you wanted, and you’d made that clear to him on several different occasions.  You wanted to remain angry.  That was much safer. 

“Whatever,” You grunted, making your way to the dancefloor and groaning when the song changed to something slow.

“This one’s for the bride and groom!”  You knew the DJ was probably only trying to help, but at this very moment in time you wanted to claw his eyeballs out.

“C’mere,” Jimin whispered, grabbing your hand and pulling him towards you.  He wrapped his arms around your waist, and begrudgingly you looped your own over his shoulders. 

“Have you ever done this before?” He asked after a moment, noticing immediately how awkwardly you seemed to be moving with him.

You rolled your eyes, “Is it that obvious?” His answering chuckle confirmed your fears. 

“Don’t worry about it.  Just follow my lead.” You did as you were told, but couldn’t stop yourself from at least biting back something snarky. 

“It’s not like slow dancing is at the top of my things to do,” You told him gruffly, “I have other important stuff that take up my time.” You wanted him to understand how different you were to most of the women in the mafia.  Xiumin had assured you that he was aware; that he knew you were capable and strong.  And yet, you felt like you needed to make the point yourself.

“Are you trying to intimidate me?” The smirk on his face annoyed you more than was humanly possible, “Y/N, I knew the kind of person you were when I said yes to marrying you, okay?  You don’t have to try and prove your dominance to me.” 

You licked your teeth and clicked your tongue, “Yah!  That’s not what I’m doing…” “The angry glares, the swear words… the sarcasm.  That’s all intended to make a point, right?  I get it, you’re not going to just roll over and do my bidding.  I would never want that kind of wife anyway.” 

You raised a brow, “Really?” “Really.  Contrary to popular belief, most men enjoy a woman with a personality,” He rolled his eyes, “And frankly, your surprise at that is insulting.” As you opened your mouth to bite back with something angry, you heard the clinking of glasses.  Oh shit.  You knew what that meant.

“They want us to kiss again,” Jimin smirked. 

You wanted to wipe that stupid smile off his stupid (handsome) face. 

“No.” “We have to give the people what they want,” He winked at you, “C’mon.  It can’t be that terrible.” 

You hated that despite your best intentions, Jimin seemed set on melting the ice around your heart.  You hated that as you looked behind him, you watched a sea of people ‘oooh’ and ‘ahhh’ at the ‘lovely young couple.’  You hated this vulnerability, and you wanted it to stop.

“It is.” You groaned, as Jimin dipped his head towards you and stopped a breathe shy of your lips. 

“Don’t lie, Y/N.  You’re not very good at it.” And then he pressed his lips to yours, and despite the anger so clearly coursing through your veins hotly, you felt yourself lean into his warm touch.  There was something about him - he was complicated.  Funny but serious.  Warm but cold.  Distant but close.  You weren’t sure what any of that meant… all you did know was that he kissed better than anybody else you’d ever had the misfortune of kissing. 

When he pulled away, you knew that you looked dazed. 

“That wasn’t so bad, huh?” He smirked, and you wanted to punch the look off his face. 

“I’m going to have to burn my lips off with acid,” You retorted, rolling your eyes, “You’re gross.  And that is the last time you ever kiss me again in public.  Got it?” Jimin pulled away from you and nodded, “Of course.  Anything for you… Sweetheart.”  

You wanted to give him the finger, but you knew you couldn’t.  Not here with everyone watching.

So you resigned yourself to moving away from him and trailing back to the wedding table.  Jimin didn’t follow you, and you thanked your lucky stars for that.  He was such an enigma to you - so different to every other mob man you had encountered.  

And God he could kiss.

You blinked harshly against your thoughts and tried to knock yourself back onto your feet.  One kiss from a relatively attractive man and suddenly you’re forgetting everything Bangtan stands for? 

You steeled yourself against whatever warmth had settled into your chest and downed a glass of wine. 

You refused to go down without a fight.

//

Seven glasses of wine later, and you and Jimin rolled into the ridiculously expensive hotel room EXO had shelled out an enormous amount of cash for. 

“Anything for their golden girl, right?” Jimin muttered as he took in his surroundings.

You were drunk of course - the wine you’d consumed was coursing quite angrily through your blood - but you still heard him.

“Fuck off,” You grumbled, “Smartass.” Jimin turned to you and rose a blonde brow.  You hated the smarmy look on his face already. 

“How much did you have to drink?  Jesus.”  He pulled a face at the way you stumbled over to the King sized bed, “I’m guessing you can’t handle your drink.” You wanted to tell him to fuck off again, but the world was spinning so quickly you had to shut your eyes to stop yourself from puking.  You were still in your wedding dress, but you couldn’t be bothered to move.

After a moment, you felt the bed shift. 

“Seriously.  Are you ok?” Your eyes blinked open blearily and you rolled over carefully, searching Jimin’s face.  He was lying down next to you a comfortable distance away, but he was still too close for your liking. 

“Get away.”  You shoved at his shoulder and stuck your tongue out at him, “Leave me alone.  This is my bed.  My brother paid for it.” 

“I am not sleeping anywhere else but this bed.  So save it.” 

Jimin’s eyes were playful, but you knew he was serious.

“No funny business,” You muttered, sitting up clumsily and reaching for the zipper of your dress.  After a few misses, two warms hands came to still your palms.

“Let me,” Jimin whispered from behind you, his hands moving to pull the zipper down.  

You felt a shiver crawl up your spine and you absolutely detested yourself for it. 

What was happening to you?  Park Jimin was your mortal enemy.  What, just because he could kiss and he was kind of nice to you, suddenly you were fawning all over him like some lovesick teenager?

But you were drunk, and you didn’t care enough to stop yourself from reacting to his touch.

“There.”  

He moved away from you and you felt a hot blush bloom across your collarbones.  God.  What was happening to you?

“Thanks,” You grumbled, despite yourself, standing up and moving to the bathroom blearily.  

You shut the door and leaned against the surface, pressing a heart against your beating chest, and trying to calm yourself down.

You weren’t completely inexperienced in the bedroom - you’d indulged in your fair share of experimentation - but the truth was, when it came to the actual deed… You were a virgin.  It wasn’t that you’d never had the opportunity to have sex… It was that you’d never wanted to.

And yet now… despite yourself… you were hot all over, just from the thought of Jimin wanting to fuck you.

Pathetic.

Your hands shook as you pushed your dress down your body and stepped out of the skirt, running a hand through your hair and groaning at the stupid frilly underwear you had been forced to wear.

So fucking embarrassing.

You stared at yourself in the mirror.  White frilly french panties, and a transparent balcony bra.  It wasn’t anything ridiculous - not at all like the horror stories you’d heard from some of the other girls in EXO who’d also been married off. - but you hated seeing yourself like that.

Weak… almost viriginal. 

Your eyes moved to the door and you rolled your eyes when you spotted a white lace babydoll nightgown hanging off the back. 

You assumed that was supposed to be what you wore to bed tonight?

Well.  It was better than sleeping in this ridiculous underwear, you supposed.  So without trying to think about it much more, you grabbed the nightgown and threw it over your head, cringing when it barely reached the top of your thighs.

This wasn’t you goddamn it.

After you gave yourself a moment to calm down, you opened the bathroom door and slipped out.  When Jimin looked up at you, you felt your mouth dry instantly.

He’d taken off his suit, and was currently in just a pair of black briefs.  They hugged his hips tightly, and you had to rip your eyes away from the muscular outline of his thighs.

Shit.  

“Oh fuck.”  In your drunken haze, whatever weak filter you’d had was gone, “You’re naked.  Almost.” He smirked, “You too.” There was a charged moment between the two of you.  You wondered if he was going to make a move, but he didn’t, instead turning back towards the bed and making his way underneath the plush covers. 

Your pupils dilated, as you thought about those thighs wrapped around you. 

Shit…

It had been so fucking long since you’d had the time to even think about men.... 

“I’m a virgin.” Jimin’s eyes moved to meet with yours.  He quirked a brow.

“I’m not like… A complete virgin.”  You corrected, and despite yourself, you felt an angry blush paint your cheeks, “But I’ve never… You know.  I’ve never actually done it.” You cringed internally at how utterly childish you sounded.

“I know you probably think I’m not, because I try to come across so tough,” You were rambling now, but you couldn’t stop yourself, “But I am.  Really.  I’ve never really been in a position to lose it.  Y’know.” Jimin’s face softened at your revelation, and you wanted to kick yourself for the butterflies that were gnawing so anxiously up the pit of your stomach.  He shrugged.

“That’s alright.  We don’t need to do anything tonight.” You stared at him carefully.  You should agree with him, right?  You barely knew him… And you were supposed to hate him.  So, why were you suddenly so warm? Why did the thought of Jimin not want to touch you make you angry?

“I want to.”  You answered thickly, “If you do.”

You hated this.  All of it.  It was far more vulnerable than anything you were comfortable with.  If Jimin rejected you, you would be so fucking pissed off.  At yourself mostly, for even putting yourself in this position to start with… But at him, too.

Because he’d flirted with you earlier.  And kissed you.

He’d made you think that he wanted you.

And despite all the complications, you were pretty sure you wanted him too. 

“Just sex.  No feelings.”  You added on, as clarification, “Please?”

At some point during your ramblings, Jimin had stood up, and now he was in front of you, eyes darker than the moon.  He stared down at you, and you felt yourself tremble.

God, what had you been reduced to?

“No feelings.  Got it.” And then his lips were on yours again.  You groaned against him, not caring that it probably made you sound far needier than you wanted to be.  Because damn it did he know how to kiss.

You felt the flames in your stomach being stoked to life, and soon Jimin was leading you towards the bed.  He laid you down carefully, his lips moving towards your collarbone and sucking harshly at the skin.

“Wanna make you so wet babygirl.” The endearment came as a surprise to you… and so did the dirty talk.  But you knew you liked it when you arched up into him.  He smirked against your skin and pulled your nightgown off, eyes blooming with lust as your lingerie was revealed.

“For me?”  He licked his plush lips, “Oh baby, you shouldn’t have.” “Shut up,” You growled, moving your hips towards him, “And help me out.” He chuckled wickedly, and helped you shimmy out of your underwear, “All in good time, princess.” The pet name should have annoyed you.  Princess?  But still, you whined, feeling yourself grow wetter at his words. 

“C’mere.” And then he was moving down the length of your body, pressing hot, sloppy kisses wherever he could, and painting your skin the colour of indigo.  You knew you would be mad at yourself in the morning for letting this happen, and for letting him mark you, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

And then, his head was between your legs and fuck you were gone.

Jesus.  Nobody had ever gone down on you like that before.

“Jimin…” You moaned, feeling your head expand, and your body tremble under his touch.

He licked you like he was a man starved, “Yes baby?”  He didn’t move away from you, vibrations causing you to arch your back further.

“Fuck, that feels good.”

It didn’t take much longer for you to finish, and when you did, it felt like stars were exploding behind your eyes.

“Shit,” You rasped, as you came down from your high, “That was good.” Jimin was beside you in a moment, eyes darker than anything you’d ever seen before.  Obsidian black.  You felt his touch on you like molasses sticking to your skin, and you groaned.

“Fuck me already, then.”

“Your wish is my command, princess.”  

You rolled your eyes at the nickname but said nothing else, waiting as he pushed his boxers down and lined himself up with your entrance.  His eyes softened for a moment.

“It might hurt,” You told you sincerely, “If you need me to stop, say.  If you need me to slow down, say.  Okay?” The genuine concern in his face threw you off.

“Fine.”  You wiggled against him, “Now go.” And so he did.  He pushed into you slowly, and you felt yourself gasp against him.  He was right.  It did hurt.  But it wasn’t unbearable.

“Are you okay?”  He whispered against your face, eyes searching your own carefully.

You nodded, “Yeah.  You can move.  Please.” He started thrusting into you slowly, and despite everything feeling too tight, you let him.  It wasn’t terribly painful, but you knew you weren’t going to come like this.  And yet….

The feeling of having Jimin so close to you was something indescribable.  His eyes were locked on you as he fucked you, despite yourself, you used one hand to push some of his blonde hair out of his eyes, so you could see him better.

The gesture was soft and gentle, and Jimin slowed down, moving inside of you carefully.

“I’m not going to last much longer,” He grunted, and you nodded.

When he finished, you wrapped your arms around him, pulling him closer so that he could ride out his orgasm.  You weren’t sure why you’d done it…

Or why you’d even felt the need to have sex with him in the first place.

But once he stilled inside you, you groaned.

“You’re suffocating me.” He pulled back, and your heart turned at the twinkle in his eyes.

“That’s for next time, sweetheart.”  He pressed a kiss against your lips and pulled out carefully, wincing when you cringed, “Are you ok?” “As I can be.” There was a pause.

“It will be better next time.” “Here’s to hoping.” Another pause.  This time, you moved to grab your nightgown and pull it over your head.  Jimin cleaned himself up and offered you a tissue, which you took. Once you were ready, you climbed back into bed and turned away from him, suddenly angry and embarrassed with yourself by your behaviour.

Why had you let him in like that? You had promised yourself that you would only let yourself hate Park Jimin.  And things had to stay that way.

So despite everything that had just happened, you steeled your heart against any warmth that was blooming towards your husband.

“Y/N?  Is everything okay?” 

You scooted a little further away from him, “Goodnight, Jimin.”

The final pause.  This one longer and harsher.

“Goodnight, Y/N.” That night as you fell asleep, all you could think of was the fact that your husband, Park Jimin, was by far the most dangerous man you’d ever met.

Because when you were in the mafia, matters of the heart, was deadly.

"I agree with your mother... you haven't dated anyone in years." Jimin's eyes widened hearing that news, your face just went into a slump. You didn't need or want to be reminded of that factor, now that Jimin knew you wanted to just crawl into a ball and hide your face from him. "There's a reason for that... " You muttered under your breath, not even your parents knew about that. It was a secret that had been kept between you and Jimin, but you wouldn’t of been surprised if the members knew as well. "I should be going... I have to get back to dance practice." Jimin suddenly made up an excuse which was something you were internally grateful for, since it was a chance for you to escape as well. "I'll walk you out since I'm going as well." You say, bowing briefly to your parents and saying your goodbyes. Leading Jimin out of the house into the chilly night of Seoul. There was an unsettling silence between you both as you reached the front gate, "Long time no see. How have you been?" Jimin whispered, you both stopped on the pavement beside your parents house in the night. It felt awkward and you were partly uncomfortable. You hadn't spoken to each other in two years, so for this to happen now... you were suspicious of your parent’s agenda. You had never introduced Jimin to your parents, he had introduced you to his but it was too late. You had already broken up before both of you had a clear enough schedule to meet them. So in general, your parents never knew that you had dated him. It made you wonder if someone had said something to your parents about who would be a good person to set you up with. "I've been good. How have you been? You don't really have to go to dance practice do you?" You ask him, feeling a small smile creeping up onto your face and onto his. He used to be your best friend, so you couldn't help but smile whenever you saw him. "I've been the same. We were but I had a call from your parents and we were on a break so I came over briefly. I wish I could of met your parents when we were dating, they seem like good people" Jimin and your parents must of talked before you arrived, you wondered a little what they talked about. 

Looking down at your watch it was 9:32 PM, now you weren’t surprised. You could remember Jimin always trying to sneak into the apartment while you were sleeping. It never really worked. "Preparing for your concert right?" You weren’t too sure, it was either their concert or comeback. You hadn't even decided if you would attend their concert, if there was even any tickets left. You would probably be recognised as Jimin's ex-girlfriend and not for being a writer. 

"No. Our comeback which is in 2 days, the concert isn't until next month." Jimin replied, you had noticed some dark circles under his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping again. He needed all the sleep he could get if he was practicing for his comeback. He worried too much about the fans opinions. You sighed a little worrying how Jimin was going to cope, you didn’t like to see him in this state. "Ah..." There it was again... the awkward silence again because you didn't want to get into an argument for the first time after two years. You felt the cold air of Seoul brush against your cheek as you turned towards your car. "I have to go... make sure you get some rest." Starting to walk to your car, you felt a small tug at your wrist which turned you back around to face him. “Wait,” Jimin whispered, you were pulled into his warm masculine scent. You could feel your heart start to beat a little faster like it always did, when you were with Jimin. You hadn’t felt it in so long that you missed it as well as him. “I miss you so much.” Neither of you wanted to leave. You both felt contempt, you missed the days where you could be in his arms the whole day. It was the thing you craved the most when you broke up, you weren’t able to sleep for the first few weeks. You still couldn’t sleep even now. “Jimin... I have to go.” You whisper pulling away from him. “Right.” You heard him grunt, he wasn’t happy. That made two of us you thought to yourself. You started to turn away yourself, you hated the lingering feelings you still had for him because you knew that in your heart you were scared it wouldn’t work out between the two of you. 

The next morning you walked into the company, a yawn passed through your lips as you wished the weekend would come sooner. You noticed a few whispers around you as you walked to the writers room, you decided not to ask what it was because sooner or later you would know too.  “You're here at last.” Hye-ah sighed. A friend of yours, that was also a writer here as well. You were a little confused, this was the normal time you came to work every morning. You wouldn’t of minded if you could come in later on some days.

“I’m here but I have to go again. The CEO wants to speak to me.” You say, it was a little unusual for you to be going to speak to each other personally. Since normally one of you would be busy so if it was a business matter, you contacted each other through emails.

“Just look at this!” she handed you her phone, you were confused at what you were supposed to be looking at since it was just a list for things trending. The first thing that was shown as trending was the name Park Jimin.

“So? It's Jimin name.”

She sighed a little but clicked on the article for you, since you were moving at a slow pace. You had no reaction to the news. A bunch of photos started to pop up, showing you and Jimin talking together last night.

Even the one where he had hugged you briefly was there. You cursed silently under your breath. Photographers would follow Jimin around trying to pull a story on him. Your life had now become more involved Jimin’s, which made you sigh even more. You weren’t even surprised at all, even before you went to your parents house you had a bad feeling in your gut that you shouldn’t of gone.

You stood there gripping the phone in your hand when Hye-ah whispered “What are you going to do?” You thought for a minute or two coming up with a plan which just sounded really bad in your head. The only thing you could do was get through it.

“Me? Nothing. I’ll keep myself busy.” Pulling yourself together, the first thing you had to do was go to your meeting with the CEO. That was more important to you than the Jimin incident. “I’ll be back later.”

Walking along the corridors you kept to yourself thinking about the many things you should of done to avoid that incident. You should've done this or that to hide your face, but it couldn’t of been helped. You couldn’t of expected people were following Jimin, now that you had been caught. You were going to make sure you stayed off the radar now. Reaching the office, you smiled briefly to the assistant. You walked straight through since she gestured for you to go in.

You walked into his office, it was always a warm atmosphere in there. It was open and spacious but had the classic business style. “You wanted to see me.” You say, he was sitting at his desk looking through some documents. Looking up at you he smiled, he treated you like his own daughter. He treated everyone like his own family. It was the reason you could feel at ease while having a meeting with him.

“I did. Thank you for coming. It’s nothing bad but I have some job changes for you.” A jolt of pain went through you. It was job related it meant something bad, even if they say it isn’t bad. You wondered if he had read the story on you and Jimin, you wouldn’t of been surprised if he had. The CEO was known for keeping up with the latest news stories.

“What about my job?” You kept silent as the thoughts ran through your head on a continuous loop, without a stop button.

“One of our writers has been asked to join Big Hit Entertainment, it’s a opportunity that I think you are worthy of since you would be a senior writer.”  You forced your face to keep composed as he said the company name, the company that knew you well. Jimin’s company.

“Did I unintentionally do something wrong to you?” You ask curiously, you almost stopped yourself from saying it but you needed to know reason otherwise you would of been left wondering.

“No. I was against sending you, but you are the one that is more than qualified for this job position.” You nod your head silently, you weren’t sure what else you could say. You were about to become more involved in the lives of  BTS and Jimin.

“When do I start?”

“Today. Don’t worry they know that you’ll be in and out of the office.” At least they knew that, it would be a little awkward if they didn’t know you were going to be missing for a few hours at a time.

“I'll miss working for you, goodbye.” You say briefly, since you had no more business in this company. You thought it was best to get to the next one quickly, you had met the writers before. They were all very kind and sweet, they even wanted to hire you when you visited. You guessed it was there lucky day.

You heard the CEO grunt at his desk before he started to speak again, “Also Y/N. I hope it works out between you and Jimin.” You sighed wanting to bang your head on the door. He had heard. You started to question whether he had sent you to Big Hit on purpose now, since you couldn’t ask him now because he would probably lie. You would ask him later.

The bass reverberated through your entire body, the sound of the music was deafening, and you brushed against sweaty skin and cheap fabric as you made your way through the club. The place was packed, but the crowd parted smoothly for you as if they could hear your 6-inch heels on the worn floor, and you pretended not to notice the occasional nervous glance from both patrons and staff. Likewise, you ignored the slurred advances from men and women alike as you were walking further into the club – you were not here to play. Or rather, the game you were playing was out of their league.

And your opponent had already been decided on.

You were used to the bad air, the loud beats, and the faint smell of alcohol and desperation in the air. You were used to the sights and sounds; the bright laughter in your ear and slumped over figures in dark corners. Dozens and dozens of people who all had their own reasons for escaping the sober and unforgiving day and seeking protection from the dark cloak and hushed secrecy of the night. You had seen it all, and you had seen them all, and were willing to accept the harsh reality of neon-lit joy and terror lurking in the shadows.

You had grown up in the light, but the night was your home now, and you knew every blacked-out corner and blanketed secret under the starless sky of Seoul. Your asset was knowledge, your most valued skill the fact that you belonged anywhere, everywhere, so long as there was darkness, and despair wearing the mask of fun.

When humanity left the building, that’s when you made your entrance.

The information on the target you had been sent was mostly unnecessary, most details about him had long since reached you through the rotten grapevine – he was young, barely twenty-one. Once a dancer, he now made most of his livelihood selling drugs for a minor cartel that had been a thorn in your boss’s side for months now. You weren’t sure why it had been decided to target this rookie dealer first, but maybe it had something to do with the way he charmed kids from good, wealthy families and pulled them into the abyss of the night.

A few of them had been found dead in alleys or bathroom stalls in the twilight of gray Sunday mornings, and the good, wealthy people of Seoul were at a loss. They did not know of the boy with a smile brighter than the sun and the pitch-black soul.

We need answers, names, your boss had said on the phone. You had half-heartedly complained that you were not in the mood to deal with dumb kids and their moron overlord, but you had known that the task would fall to you – Ace was on assignment in Monaco, and Joker supposedly had not been heard of since her failed mission in Abu Dhabi.

A smile crept onto your face. The rumor that the target in that case, young billionaire Kim Taehyung, had recently filed for – an obscenely expensive – divorce was another secret of the night that you were determined to keep.

The security guards stepped aside when they saw you approaching and mumbled a greeting as you walked past them and onto the stairs that led to the VIP area. There were less people, but the air was even more filled with the scent of immoral expectations. Young girls were sitting at tables with middle-aged men who gladly pulled out their thick wallets to strike up lewd, unspoken deals. In passing, you saw one man with his hand up the skirt of a clearly unconscious girl who couldn’t have been older than nineteen. You made eye contact with the nearest club staff, who had been watching you anxiously, and made a subtle gesture towards the scene you had just witnessed. Immediately, the wait staff started talking into the microphone clipped to his vest, and when you turned the next corner, he and two bulky security guards were half-escorting, half-carrying the girl towards the exit.

They may not have cared about the girl, but they knew better than to cross you.

The room you had been heading towards was at the end of a narrow hallway. Despite it’s inconspicuous door, you knew that behind it lay a luxurious, private space with lush furniture and a wide window that overlooked the dance floor, but looked like a mirror to the not so very important people on the outside. The clicking of your heels echoed from the walls over the muffled sound of music, and the guard in front of the door looked up with a bored look on his face when he heard you approaching.

“Move, please,” you ordered before he could so much as open his mouth.

“Who the fu-” he started, but then his eyes rolled into the back of his head and a rattling sound escaped his mouth when you stabbed him in the throat with two fingers and crashed his skull into the wall behind him.

Stepping over his body, you opened the door to the VIP room and stepped inside without any warning. Staying with your body close to the frame, you took in your environment – three girls on one sofa who stared at you with wide, fearful eyes, a waitress in a tiny uniform – no doubt a special request – standing in the corner to your right, and on another couch, opposite from the three girls, a handsome, young man, pursing his plump lips as he looked you up and down without the slightest bit of surprise or shame.

“Out,” you said, throwing the waitress a glance. You had seen her before, but not here – she had a day job at the coffee shop where you often got your caffeine fix after rolling out of bed at 2pm.

Within the blink of an eye, she had zipped out of the door, leaving you to stare at the other three girls with open annoyance.

“I said,” you growled, pulling the small gun from its holster on your thigh and pointing it at them, “Out.”

The room cleared instantaneously with only a few rustling sounds and panicked whispers, save for the boy who was still sitting on the couch, his arms outstretched on the backrest, completely unbothered by you or the small caliber gun in your hand. He merely followed the girls leaving the room with his eyes and pulled a face when he saw his bodyguard on the floor.

“Did you kill my friend out there?”

“No.”

“Can you do that thing with the gun again?” he asked with a leering smile and his gaze glued to your thigh.

“No.”

You kicked the door shut behind you, walked over to the seating area, and took a seat on the couch across from him. Putting the gun on the table between you, you locked eyes with him and rested your forearms on your knees.

“Park Jimin. We need to talk.”

Jimin held your gaze for a moment before the complacent look on his face disappeared and his expression hardened.

“About what?”

“Your work. I want some answers.”

Sensing that he could get some leverage in this conversation, the smile reappeared and Jimin leaned forward, causing a strand of his gaudy red hair to fall down his forehead. His eyes twinkled in amusement, and you could see the muscles under his thin, black tanktop flex when he reached into the pocket of his equally dark jeans.

“I don’t talk,” he explained and presented two white dice. “But I play.”

“This isn’t a game, Park Jimin,” you replied coldly, trying to ignore the way his lips puckered into a fake pout at your words.

“Well then.” He grinned widely and rolled the small objects in his hand. “No dice.”

You almost laughed at the bad pun, but reminded yourself in time of where you were, why you were here, and who you are. You had not come this far by playing the games of little boys with too much time on their hands, and no respect for the night.

Then again, something in the way he looked at you told you that he was not going to back down – it infuriated you, but you hadn’t had a good challenge in a while, so you slowly sunk back into the cushions and heaved an exaggerated sigh.

“Fine, brat. What’s the game?”

“The first game is easy. If I roll the higher number, you call me Jimin.”

“What if I win?”

Jimin looked at you from under a few more silky, crimson strands that had joined the first one, his dark irises piercing into yours.

“Then you can call me whatever the fuck you want.”

“Deal.”

He won 10 to 7.

“The second game,” he continued with surprisingly little ado, “is a bit more fun.”

You frowned – you did not like the sound of it at all, much less his predatory grin or the way his fingertips grazed your hand when he put the dice into your palm.

“Doubles – we answer any question the other asks. Odds, we take a shot. Evens – we take off one piece of clothing.”

Jimin grinned even wider when you slammed the dice so hard on the table that it made your gun jump a little.

“No way in hell,” you hissed and watched with anger as Jimin chuckled and shrugged.

“I think it’s only fair, sweetheart. After all, you threw out my entertainment. You owe me.”

You hated him. You hated his innocent yet smug face, you hated the superiority in his voice, you hated how he acted like he owned the place and had you eating out of the palm of his hand. But just like this was nothing but a game to him, this was nothing but work to you, and you had a duty to find out the information your boss needed – all means necessary.

“Okay, I’m in.”

“Oh?” Jimin chuckled in badly concealed surprise and looked on as you closed your fist around the dice and rolled.

Odd.

Jimin pulled a bottle of tequila from the cooler next to the couch, but you shook your head.

“I don’t drink that.”

Slowly, you got up from the couch and walked over to the intercom with deliberately swaying hips. You ordered a bottle of scotch, the usual, and returned to your seat.

“So what’s your name?” Jimin asked while you were waiting for the waiter to arrive. You quirked up an eyebrow.

“You didn’t roll, Jimin.”

He chuckled again, obviously pleased that you were finally starting to accept the rules of this game – his game – and stared blatantly at you while a male wait staff put a scotch bottle and two glasses on the table before hurrying out of the room again.

Casually, you poured yourself a shot and emptied the glass quickly. You nodded at Jimin.

“Your turn.”

Even.

“Of course,” he laughed and bent down to take off his shoes and socks. You contemplated commenting on his apparent urge to take off as much of his clothing as possible, but decided against it.

You didn’t want to engage him.

Wordlessly, you grabbed the dice and rolled.

Double.

“How do you find your clients?”

Jimin shrugged and opened his arms out wide. “Clubs. College parties. Sometimes they find me. I’m a little bit of a celebrity in the nightlife scene, you know.”

“Of course you are,” you mumbled under your breath and rolled your eyes at his clueless pride. It wasn’t a matter of age; he was a kid and in way over his head.

Even.

“Just my luck.” Without inhibitions, Jimin took off his shirt and casually ran a hand over his abs, and you tried not to stare at how his muscles danced when he gestured for you to throw.

Even.

You thought for a second. This was moving way too slowly, and you couldn’t rely on your luck with the dice to get you the answers you needed. Jimin was trying to act suave, but you had noticed how his gaze shot between your thighs every time you changed the position of your legs and the short skirt would expose more skin. Maybe it was time to catch some flies with honey.

Finally, you stood up and pulled your dress over your head, standing in front of Jimin in only your black underwear, your high heeled boots, and the holster still strapped around your thigh. Jimin visibly gulped as you sat back down, and reached for the dice.

Odd.

He took a hurried shot and you had to suppress a smile when you could see the veins on his neck pulsating and his biceps twitching nervously as he played with the glass in his hand.

“Jimin,” you said, and his head shot up at the softness of your voice. “I’m here because you’ve stepped on the toes of the wrong people. You’re in trouble, and it will be hard to get out of it, but maybe I can help you.”

“I’m in trouble either way.” Jimin’s expression had returned to what it was before – hard and conceited – and he looked at you with dark eyes as he set down his glass. “Might as well make some money on the way to hell. Your roll.”

Odd.

Pouring yourself another drink, you studied Jimin’s face briefly – he certainly had the looks to attract and charm people, but somehow you didn’t see the darkness you had suspected in him. When you looked into his eyes, you didn’t see the abyss of depravity and cruelty you were used to; all you saw was a front, a wall, a mural of confusion and contradiction.

In a world of darkness, Park Jimin was trying hard to hide his light.

“How did you get into this business?” you asked, but Jimin ignored you in favor of the game.

Odd.

Jimin took a shot and his whole body shook. Only now did you notice that most of the tequila was already gone, and you had to wonder if his three companions had helped him with it at all.

“Roll,” he ordered.

Double.

“What will you do if I win this game?”

It wasn’t the question you had meant to ask, and your own surprise was mirrored in Jimin’s eyes. For the first time, his attention did not divert from your face when he looked at you; for the first time he seemed to see the person in front of him and not just a form of entertainment, an interchangeable playmate. He tried to mask this sudden hint of scruple with a sassy smile.

“You’re a bit dangerous, aren’t you?”

“What will you do?” you repeated firmly. Jimin squirmed under your incessant stare.

“I don’t know.”

You sighed and handed him the dice.

“Your turn, Jimin.”

Double.

Without hesitation, Jimin grabbed the tequila bottle and took a long sip. You were about to protest when he put down the bottle and exhaled loudly.

“Can I kiss you?”

“What?” Involuntarily, you crossed your legs and held your arms in front of your chest.

“Can I kiss you?” Jimin repeated and you scoffed.

“If you have to ask, that should be answer enough.”

“I wouldn’t know.” Jimin grinned almost shyly. “I never have to ask.”

“Jimin, please be serious, we’re playing a game here,” you retorted. Unfortunately, you didn’t notice how silly that sounded until the words had already left your mouth.

“I am serious. I am done playing this game, and you are crazy beautiful. You win. I will tell you anything you want to know. Just please kiss me.”

“Anything?”

“Everything.”

Your brow furrowed. All means necessary. Joker had always been so extreme in everything she did, but maybe she had a point.

Hesitatingly, you got up and walked around the table until you stood in front of the couch Jimin was sitting on. His eyes had followed your movement, traced your every tentative step, and a soft smile was playing around his lips when he looked up at you. He hooked one finger into the band of the holster and pulled you closer while his other hand gently ran up and down your naked thigh. His hands were surprisingly strong and rough, and you shrieked when he suddenly yanked on the strap and made you fall into his lap.

Steadying yourself on his shoulders, you allowed him to shimmy you into a comfortable position on his legs, and couldn’t help the goosebumps forming on your arms when his warm palms rested on the small of your back.

“I used to use myself,” he suddenly said, and it took you a moment to realize that he was answering your earlier question of how he had ended up here. “I owed some people money, so I agreed to start selling for them. Turns out some debts can never be paid off.”

Jimin smiled up at you and when you looked into his eyes, you saw the sadness and the longing for a life in the light, a hope that was flickering but not yet extinguished.

“You’re surprisingly easy,” he teased and placed a quick kiss on your jaw.

“And you’re unsurprisingly hard,” you shot back, rolling your hips against his. Even through his tight jeans, you could feel his erection, and he groaned when you repeated the motion.

“Why do I have a feeling this is going to get me into even more trouble?”

“And what kind of trouble would that be?” You leaned your forearms on his shoulders and started playing with his fiery hair.

Jimin didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned up and pressed his soft lips against yours, cautiously at first, but soon his hand was on your neck and pressing you against him as if he could not get enough of you. The taste of tequila mixed with the sweetness on your own lips, but he didn’t seem to notice any of it. He was busy kissing and licking and teasing, and you found it embarrassing how much his skilled kisses and feathery touches turned you on. The way his muscles moved and twitched under your own hands, and how his soft, pleased moans filled your ears did not help at all.

You didn’t try to move when Jimin brought one hand between you and him; at first palming himself through the painfully tight denim, and then carefully pressing his hand against your clothed center. Jimin chuckled when you gasped into the kiss, and he pulled back to look at you.

“You’re even more beautiful like this.”

“Like what?”

“So – soft and sweet.” He grinned. “Like a princess.”

You laughed a bright, clear laugh and cupped his face. It was as if with the distance between you, all the acts and games had disappeared as well. Before you sat a young, innocent boy who had once had a dream, but was now trapped in a nightmare.

“Who do you work for, Jimin? I need names.”

“Hm.” Jimin frowned, but then he bucked his hips up – making you moan in the process – and pulled a wallet from his back pocket. He opened it behind your back and pulled out a few business cards, throwing them onto the table carelessly along with the wallet. “That’s all the ones I know.”

“We will take care of them.”

“’We’,” Jimin repeated. “You really are a little bit dangerous, aren’t you?”

“Not if you know your place,” you replied colder than you had intended, but Jimin didn’t seem to take offense.

“Well, I am very comfortable with being under you.” He winked and you laughed again, only stopping when he pulled you into another kiss. Running your fingers through his hair, you were fighting a losing battle with yourself – you had what you had come for, you had what you needed.

But you suddenly found yourself wanting more.

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you started grinding against Jimin harder and faster until he had to break the kiss, gasping for air. Unceremoniously, he lifted you off his lap and lay you down on the couch before fiddling with his belt and pants button until the jeans and his underwear came down in one swift motion. You cursed internally when you felt yourself blushing at the sight of his perfect physique – the chiseled abs, the strong arms and legs, the round ass, and his rock hard dick straining his stomach.

You may have played games with a boy, but it was obvious that as a lover, Park Jimin was a man.

Despite the fact that his erection seemed almost painful, Jimin took his time kissing his way along your body and taking off your underwear in the process. His thick lips wandered from the inside of your thighs over your pelvis and up your stomach, and you moaned when they closed around one of your hardened nipples. Gently, his right hand pushed your legs apart just enough for it to stroke along your already wet slit. Jimin pressed his thumb against your clit as he carefully dipped two fingers inside you, halting to wait for your reaction.

“Jimin, please” you whispered, urging him to continue. He pressed a kiss on the skin of your chest and buried his face in the crook of your neck.

“I want a re-match,” he breathed and started to move his fingers inside of you, causing you to grip his biceps at the sudden sensation radiating from your core.

“You want a fucking what?”

“I want another game.” Jimin lifted his head to look at you as you writhed under him pleasure. “And if I win-” He bit his lip when you gasped, your arousal clearly already having you in its tight grip. You whined when he pulled his fingers from you and shifted so he was fully on top of you. Softly, he brushed the hair out of your eyes and kissed your forehead.

“If I win, I want you.”

Before you could answer, Jimin aligned himself with your entrance and used one hand to guide himself into you. Instead of words, a long, blissful moan escaped your lungs and when he was all the way in, you pulled him down into a feverish kiss. You wrapped your legs around his waist and bucked your hips to meet his thrusts; slow and languid at first, but he quickly picked up pace. As he was pounding into you, you let your hands trail over his arms and chest, enjoying how the muscles danced under your fingertips and how Jimin seemed to lean into the contact.

You loved it. You loved the way he felt inside you, you loved the way his salty skin tasted and how his smug look had been replaced by one of pure sincerity and adoration. You loved the way he moaned and cursed and gripped your thighs hard enough to bruise. You were a creature of the night, but his touch was warm like sun kisses and his voice like rays of light sprinkled on soft ocean waves.

“I’m close.” His raspy voice right by your ear tickled you skin, and you turned your head to capture his lips.

“Okay.”

Jimin groaned and reached his arms around your body to press you close to him as he pumped into you with even more vigor than before, making you see stars. Your reflex was to move away from him when oversensitivity set in, but he was still holding you close, and still thrusting, until his hips finally started to stutter and you could feel his warmth spread inside you.

Breathing heavily, he collapsed onto you, and you wrapped one arm around his back and ran your other hand soothingly through his hair.

“That was fantastic,” you sighed, truthfully, and peppered soft kisses onto his forehead and cheek. You angled one of your legs and reached into your boot, careful not to alert him to what you were doing behind his back.

“You really are dangerous, princess,” Jimin mumbled and you laughed.

“Jimin,” you said. “Can I kiss you?”

He lifted his head with a wide grin and immediately kissed you passionately. You savored the moment for as long as possible, then you jammed the needle in your hand into his shoulder and pressed the clear liquid into his body. Jimin’s eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, they slowly fluttered shut and he lost consciousness.

You carefully rolled him off of you and pulled on your underwear which had been lying next to the couch. After slipping into your dress, you dressed Jimin up as much as possible and grabbed his wallet and the business cards from the table.

You really did catch more flies with honey.

After you had fixed your hair, you took a sip from the bottle you had ordered – apple juice; you never drank alcohol, and everyone in Seoul knew that.

Or at least everyone in your world.

You felt bad for Jimin. He was a child of the light, and he had been completely swallowed by the darkness. Then again, this was how the night worked – fun, wealth, status – all of those were fake beacons; illusions created to keep the moths from flying to the light.

But in the end, everyone would have to pay for their own sins.

When you opened the door, your men were already waiting – with no sign of Jimin’s bodyguard.

“Get rid of him,” you commanded and walked past the two giants who would have no trouble taking care of Jimin’s much smaller body. Behind them, someone was leaning against the wall, and although you had never seen him in person, you had a good idea who he was.

“Are you here to spy on me like you did on Joker?”

“I’m nobody’s spy,” the man replied. “I have to uphold my end of the bargain, so your boss will do the same.”

“Whatever. It’s done. I’m leaving.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

You shot him a hostile look and started towards the stairs. With every step the bass became harder, the sounds louder, and the air got thicker with fake smoke and fake promises of tonight. Soon, your steps could not be heard over the music anymore, but people still made way for you as you headed towards the exit.

The still very young memory of Jimin’s sweet smile and saccharine words made you laugh dryly – you had seen right through him, but you had no idea what he saw in you. All of this had been a game to him; he had thought he was a big name, that he could reign over the business and the scene with nothing but a pretty face and a bit of luck. But he hadn’t known that you decided who rose and who fell, that you held the strings, that you knew everything; because the neon lights told you all the stories, and the shadows whispered all the secrets in your ear.

No, you were no princess.

You watched over the darkness and all its hopeless souls. You preserved the balance, but held all the power; and sitting on your throne of broken dreams and one night promises, you ruled the night.