Be Mine

Chapter 19

I checked myself for the umpteenth time in the mirror. Dressed in a cream no-shoulder gown coupled with pearl jewellery, and hair styled to a perfect wavy texture, the more I looked at myself in the mirror the more sweaty my palms became. I nervously walked around the room, getting as used as I could to the white pointed heels I was wearing.

In 30 minutes, I would be heading out to my first dinner party. Never been to a dinner party, you ask? I have, but none of them was so formal that you had to dress up, and no influential and powerful mafias and businesspeople were ever present in them. I was told that my attending this dinner was mandatory, not only because I had to get used to such stuff, but also because some families really close to the Mins were going to be present. I had to get myself acquainted with them.

"Madam, we are about to leave," the person sent to pick me up spoke through the door after giving a small knock.

"Coming."

~ x ~

Stepping out into the garden, I noticed a pair of eyes following my movements. I blushed. Yoongi looked absolutely stunning in that suit.

~ x ~

A-Yeong raised an eyebrow at her son. They were waiting by the car, discussing about the dinner party, when he paused to look somewhere. A-Yeong followed Yoongi's gaze to see what had caught his attention. A chuckle escaped her lips when she did. She didn't fail to notice Yoongi standing stone-still in his spot, transfixed on the person walking up to them.

Yin approached A-Yeong and Yoongi with a smile. "You look gorgeous, dear," A-Yeong said brightly, waiting for Yoongi to continue. He was still staring at Yin, but much to A-Yeong's dismay, said, "Let's get going now, it's late."

Yoongi got into a car with A-Yeong while Yin boarded the one standing behind theirs. He raised his eyebrows when he saw his mother pout, "What?"

"Must I tell you everything?" A-Yeong sighed. "I suggest we focus more on the event ahead," Yoongi replied.

~ x ~

I got out of the car, walking up to Yoongi and linking my arms with his. A-Yeong weirdly sent me a text asking me to do that when I was in the car, but I didn't dare question or disobey her. I found myself grateful that I didn't. The action made Yoongi smile. That was the first time he had smiled at me. I blushed once again as a smile crept onto my face.

I didn't notice the hall's decorations. The events which followed as soon as we entered the hall left me completely speechless.

The crowd of people present in the hall stood up to greet us, parting to give way as we walked through them to the upper floor. I could feel Yoongi smirk at my surprise.

We made our way to a room on the upper floor. It was a huge dining room, with an ebony dining table in its centre. The table was big enough to seat 18 people. A chandelier hung from the ceiling in the middle, the light from which brought to view five people who had been seated there getting up to greet us.

They first greeted Yoongi, who acknowledged them with a nod. Then they turned to me.

"Good evening, miss Vynyla. My name is Kim Seokjin, I am Black Bird's right hand. Cartels in the northeastern provinces of South Korea are under me. It is a pleasure to finally meet you today."

"Good evening, miss Vynyla. I go by the name Kim Namjoon. I am Kim Seokjin's younger brother. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Greetings to you, miss Vynyla. My name is Park Jimin. I am the youngest of everyone present here. The dealings in the southern provinces are under my control."

"Good evening, madam. My name is Im Si-Woo. I am the head of the Gold River chain of hospitals."

"Greetings, miss Vynyla. I am Jeong Yoo Joon. My job is to supply armaments to the gentlemen present here."

I bowed slightly to each of them as an acknowledgement. To be addressed so respectfully by people like them was exciting, but it still gave me the chills. I was in the presence of criminals after all.

Yoongi seated himself at the head of the table while I took a seat to his left. Seokjin sat on his right, followed by Namjoon. Jimin sat a seat away from me, Si-Woo and Yoo Joon following him.

Dinner was served and we ate mostly in silence, one or two sentences spoken only when someone was reminded of something important. After we finished, Yoongi asked me to enjoy the party downstairs. I gladly stood up and exited the room, giving everyone a polite bow before leaving, which they acknowledged with a smile.

~ x ~

The party hall, unlike the dining room, was bursting with activity. People joked and laughed in one corner, while in the other they were serious and discussing business matters. Some people wore masks, while some just showed up in lavish outfits. Some danced to the music, while some focused on getting themselves drunk. I walked through the sea of entertainment, taking in the commotion and wondering what to do. Now and then someone crossed me, and they took a minute to stop and greet me with a small bow. Never have I ever received so much respect, and it made me feel both nervous and on top of the world at the same time.

I strolled absent-mindedly, bumping into someone. "Sorry," I began, looking up at the person. A tall man who looked like he was in his 40s grinned at me. His very presence made my skin crawl. "I wasn't watching where I was going, miss, but I am glad I bumped into you," he hummed. I took a step back. First, he didn't greet me like the others, and it hurt my pride. Second, he was an absolute pervert. I tried to leave but he grabbed my arm and pushed me to a wall. My eyes widened in shock and anger but before I could react, a fist landed on him in a powerful punch and I found him on the floor, his mouth bleeding. Gasps sounded in the hall as the music came to a stop.

Yoongi pulled me to him, wrapping his arm around my waist as he gave the man on the floor a deathly glare. "Stay in your limits, Baek Hyeon, if you don't want to lose your life," he warned. I glanced at the people staring at us. To say they were shocked would be an understatement. It dawned on me just how much Black Bird was feared and respected as a mafia. "You're a weakling, Black Bird," Baek Hyeon snarled as Yoongi's men pulled him off the floor and disarmed his bodyguards, "The only thing you have which I don't is your reputation as a powe-"

Baek Hyeon earned a punch before he could complete.

"I'll deal with this," Seokjin walked up to us. I finally noticed that the five people I had met earlier had come down as well. "All right. If anyone dares to pity him..."

"He'll be taken out," Seokjin nodded.

Yoongi led me out of the party hall. "Who was that?" I asked as we got into one of our vehicles. "A rat I gave too much power," Yoongi replied. A-Yeong joined us after a few minutes. "Are you all right?" she looked worriedly at me. "I was the one who punched him," Yoongi mumbled. I suppressed a giggle. Yoongi looked cute when he was jealous. "I'm fine," I replied.