Be Mine

Chapter 20

I found myself looking into the mirror once again.

This time I was dressed in casuals, but I had to make sure that I was presentable. The Kim brothers and Park Jimin, whom we met yesterday, were family friends. They were coming to meet us today along with the rest of their family, to get better acquainted with me. I let out a sigh. Not pressurising at all.

My idea was that I would follow along with the Mins until Night Sky was defeated, and then look for ways to make them see how much of a burden the mafia life was, convincing them to give it up. Who would have expected that they had such a big circle of well-wishers and friends? If I was to persuade the Mins to renounce the mafia way, I would have to deal with all their family's objections as well.

~ x ~

I twisted the doorknob with determination.

"Hi hyeongsu!" the moment I stepped through the door, someone pulled me into a tight hug. "Taehyung! You're suffocating her!" I heard Seokjin yell, and the person released me.

I am barely 5 feet tall, and the man who now stood apologizing to me was at least 10 inches taller than I was. I took a moment to properly look at his face and register it. He referred to me as 'hyeongsu', which is what you call your elder brother's wife.

"Sorry about that, sinui. Taehyung was really excited to meet you," Seokjin walked up to us, glaring at Taehyung. "It's okay, Seokjin oppa," I smiled, "Hi Taehyung." Taehyung brightened up when I referred to him, making me giggle.

With a mood lightened up, I turned towards the others in the room. Jimin was there, and so was Namjoon, both waving at me, "Hi sinui!" "Hi guys!" I waved back before joining them on the couch. It was amazing how comfortable they had become with such short acquaintance. Taehyung sat down on a plush chair beside the couch. "Jimin and I are of the same age, hyeongsu," he began, "And I am confident my brothers never talked about me, so let me introduce myself. I am the youngest Kim brother, Kim Taehyung." "Nice to meet you, Kim Taehyung," I smiled and shook his outstretched hand, to which he replied with a cute boxy smile.

The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. Everyone was dressed in casuals and laughed and talked like we were out on a picnic. I remembered the first time I met them, which was just yesterday when they were contrasting completely to what they were now.

Normally when we think of mafias, terrible mannerisms come to mind - cruel people running underground operations, drug dealers, black market trade, human trafficking, and so on. But the people I was sitting with seemed to have kept their human side alive, even if it was reserved for select people. It was as if they were treating their mafia life as a 9 to 5 job from which they could come home and then go on with their personal life. This duality was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

"Sinui? Can you see me?" Jimin waved his hand in front of my eyes and broke me out of my thought cloud. "Yes," I laughed. Jimin grinned, "Great. You're going to need your eyes for the game-"

"Hi everyone!"

That voice, which sounded like a loud chirp, was something I was too familiar with.

"Mr. Jung!?"

Jung Hoseok, a well-wisher and friend who lived near Shop and Gift (where I worked as an attendant), strode into the room with Yoongi. Everyone turned to me in surprise, except for Yoongi who had a warm smile and Hoseok who presented an apologetic look.

"Sinui, this is a surprise! We didn't know you already knew Hoseok hyung. He and Yoongi hyung are best friends," Namjoon said. "Explanation please?" my eyes were fixed on Hoseok's and I did not have a friendly expression in them. "Um..haha..." he began and I saw Yoongi chuckle. I narrowed my eyes at Hoseok.

I met the Jungs for the very first time in a convenience store, way before I met Chelsea. I had just moved to Seosan, clueless about what to do next, and in the depths of depression from the loss of my family. The Jungs were very kind. They helped me settle down in Seosan, personally looking after me until I could put aside the trauma. I could never thank them enough. We became really close and I visited them often. Seeing Hoseok and Yoongi together shocked me on a whole new level.

Hoseok settled down with Yoongi on the couch opposite the one I was seated on.

Hoseok's and Yoongi's families had been next-door neighbours, thus good friends. They had pretty much lost touch after Min Si-Hyuk got into cartels, but A-Yeong saw to it that the kids still met up and spent time together. Eventually Yoongi became Black Bird and Hoseok remained clean, but they never abandoned each other.

"In fact, Hoseok is one of the major reasons we are engaged," Yoongi said.

"What!?" I felt betrayed now.

"Huh? Aren't you happy engaged to him?" Hoseok looked confused.

"That's not the point! Who do you think you are to play matchmaker!?" I looked at Hoseok with anger, pain, shock and disbelief. How could he have done this to me, knowing that I was engaged to Do Hyun?

"Hey!" Hoseok proceeded to argue but I cut him off, "Forget it! Just tell me, did you recommend me or confirm me after I was picked?"

"Confirmed you," Hoseok nodded his head.

I sighed. If that was the case, then I guess he could be spared. He would've definitely been dead meat if he had been the one behind this mess!

The rest of the day passed peacefully, with all of us talking and playing silly games. Yoongi was a completely different man the entire day. He wasn't at all aloof and serious like he usually was. He was fun and caring, not to mention laughing and displaying one of the most gorgeous gummy smiles I had ever seen in my life.

~ x ~

Yoongi and I saw the boys out before heading upstairs.

"So, what do you think?" Yoongi asked as we walked up the stairs.

"About the guys?"

"Uh-huh."

"Oh, they're very-"

The piercing sound of a bullet brought me to an abrupt stop. By this time we were standing on the upper corridor. I leaned on the railing, my eyes searching for the source of the sound.

This upper corridor connected all the rooms on the first floor. A living room sat between two staircases which led up to this corridor. I found A-Yeong seated on the main sofa in the living room, sparks flying from her eyes as the victim of her bullet lay lifeless on the floor. She calmly put her gun down as the man got picked up and taken to be disposed of.

Terror gripped my heart as I watched the man being carried away. I turned towards Yoongi, expecting some kind of reassurance or comfort. I couldn't have been dumber. Unlike me, Yoongi's hand rested calmly on the railing, his graveness back on him, no sign of surprise or shock whatsoever. Averting my eyes, I started to walk towards my room. I let myself forget that I was among criminals. Tears welled up in my eyes, but they didn't leave them. What should I be crying for? I have known all along where I was. I just hated myself for getting distracted by their sweet words and charms and putting myself off guard. I couldn't let this happen again.

Yoongi grabbed my arm when I stood 2 inches away from the entrance to my room, "There is one more person you need to meet."

~ x ~

The guy wore a black turtleneck and khaki trousers. One of those big guns which I had seen in the hands of most of Yoongi's men hung on his shoulder. He looked quite young, perhaps he was 25 or 26. "Greetings, miss. My name is Jeon Jungkook," he said, making a 90-degree bow. "He's your personal bodyguard," Yoongi explained.