⚠️TW: Violence ⚠️
Y/N'S POV
Walking in our street is horrifying, especially at night. Streets have dim lights. Thugs/gangs occupy the sidewalks and roads. Lots of people get kidnapped or killed. Our neighborhood would smell like drugs, like weed. People smoke everywhere. Every house has its own security protection system from robbers. Crime rates are high. Most importantly, the police are far away from our neighborhood. And here I am, walking home to my small apartment at 8 pm.
I went to work late earlier this afternoon, so I had to adjust my time and go home from work late as well. I tried arguing with my boss to not let me stay when the sun goes down, but I failed to win the debate.
Terrified as hell, I embrace my bag tightly and walk fast. People are now staring at me due to the noise my stomps are making. Houses turn off their lights one by one, also frightened by the sight of the number of gangsters occupying the streets.
I start to walk faster and try to not have any eye contact with any people. I look straight, not minding the eerie environment.
The sound of my stomps attracts attention. No person would usually walk on these streets by this time unless you're one of them. My presence makes me a worm dipped in a pond full of hungry fish. I bump into a gang as they block my way. I tried to move back but they already surrounded me in a circle.
I tried to push them and make an escape but they didn't budge.
"Too loud, too soft." A guy with a black hoodie and a cigarette on his left hand spoke from behind me. I screamed at the top of my lungs but he quickly covered it with a towel with an acidic smell.
They tried to tie me. I tried to escape by throwing punches, kicking whatever went near me, and tried to scream for help. Nothing worked. I felt dizzy and my vision became blurry.
I felt weaker every second. I thought this would be my end until I heard a man shout and a gunshot. I was dropped to the ground. I looked around but no one was shot.
In front of us was an angry, masked man holding a gun up in the air.
"You just don't stop, don't you." He sighed. One of the thugs launched at him, which he easily dodged. Kicks, punches, grunts of pain were heard. A fight started between the thugs and the man, and I couldn't believe my eyes. I was witnessing a fight wherein one man beat a group of gangsters all by himself.
I saw him coming towards me and tried to untie me. Before blacking out, I heard him say that it was all okay, that I'm gonna be okay.
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I woke up with sunlight hitting my eyes. I felt my head throbbing. I got up examining the unfamiliar surrounding.
This isn't my house. I thought. I couldn't remember what happened the night before. I wasn't drunk, was I? I don't remember drinking alcohol. I couldn't remember anything at all.
"Ah good, you're awake." A man behind me spoke. He held a glass of water and placed it beside the table next to the couch. I stood up terrified.
"It's okay. I'm not a bad person to people who seem nice. I took you to my place because you almost got into a bad ending." And then it hit me. I was out very late with a gang trying to mess with me.
I sat down on his couch without still saying anything. I was speechless. But I should appreciate his action right?
"Uh, thanks," I spoke softly.
He smiled and moved the glass of water nearer to me. I took a sip before putting it back on the table.
"Suga-imnida. (I'm Suga.)"
"Y/N." He nodded as I stood up.
"I-I need t-to g-go." I stuttered before reaching for my bag and standing up. He nodded once again and escorted me home.
"Word of warning. Don't go out at night. Stay safe." He spoke and nodded for the last time at the front of my door. I bowed and said thanks before he walked away.
I went inside my apartment and went straight for my bed and laid on it. I reached for my bag to get my phone. If it's past noon I'm gonna get into trouble at work again. I looked at the time but then a paper was attached to the screen of my phone.
"Stay safe. Call me, I want to know you more. *phone number* -Suga 슈가" It wrote. I smiled. Hm, I guess I'm about to have a new friend then. I dialled his number and called him. After a few rings, he picked up.
"What?" He said rather coldly.
"Well, your note says to call you. You don't have to be so cold. Aish." I talked back.
"Ah, it's you. Hm, I did say that." He said. There was silence for a few seconds before he spoke again.
"Tell me where you work. I'll pick you up from now on. Just to make sure you don't get involved with another hellhole." I got a bit taken aback by his statement.
"Um, I barely know you. Why would I tell you where I work?"
"Understandable. Even if you don't tell me, I'll find out eventually. I have my ways." He said with a chuckle. I got goosebumps.
"What do you mean?" I was getting nervous, but I did my best to sound normal.
"Dearie, I'm a Mafia. I have men and I have my ways. And since, you got involved with me, and people saw us last night on the streets, you have no choice but to stick with me. It's the only way I can protect you and make sure you're safe. I have enemies everywhere, not to mention those thugs every night who bother me. I just wanna make sure you're safe. But, if you don't want to, I'm fine with that, your choice. But word of warning, it would be very dangerous from now on. Just ask the previous people who said no to me. Guess where they are now. Hint: they're no longer here on Earth." I gulped. I don't wanna be in danger, and obviously not ready to die yet.
"Is it really like that?" I asked.
"I'm afraid so. I apologize for this, you got involved with me when you literally had no connection with me. But, even though I'm a Mafia, I wanna believe I still have some goodness in me. I don't kill innocent people, so please don't be afraid of me. I hope you believe me." He said softer than before.
"Suga, I-I don't wanna die yet." I broke down.
"You won't. Just stick with me. I can help you." He said. I nodded even though he can't see me.
"*sigh* Alright. I work at the seafood restaurant as a waitress from 3pm-6pm."
"Noted. I'll see you later then." He ended the call. I couldn't help but think of our conversation and how the events turned around so quickly. All this is happening just because I went to work late yesterday, and now my life is in danger and I have a higher chance to face death? It's absurd.
Aish, I need to stop getting emotional. I need to get ready for work. No time for this at the moment, just get today's shift done and it will be okay.
I prepared for my shift and headed out to the restaurant. The usual day went by. Nothing crazy, or dangerous. Just normal. Or so I thought.
"Oi short girl." I turned around to see men eyeing me from their table. I walk closer to them since they are customers.
"Why don't you sit with us for a while eh? You look exhausted from serving. Stay with us eh... and have some fun." One of them smirked as the others laughed and hyped him up.
"I'm sorry but I have to do my job. Now, if you don't want anything else I'll be getting back to work." As I was about to turn around, one of them held my wrist tightly.
"Aigoo, Suga got one heck of a girl ey. Let's see what he does if I take her away from him." I gasped and tried to run away.
"What's going on here?" My manager angrily shouted. The man let go of me and I immediately backed off. Everyone in the restaurant was now silent and watching us.
"What's going on is that she won't be working here anymore." A voice from behind my manager was heard, a familiar one.
"Says who?" The manager faced him and crossed his arms.
"Says me." Just then he fired a gun to the ceiling and everyone scrambled to get out. They were shouting and running around to get away. Multiple shots were now fired but not by Suga. Those men were firing their guns at us!
Suga immediately grabbed me and started running away from them. He fired multiple shots back at them before we got to the exit and into his car.
He sped away at very high speeds since he got a sports-car. I was very scared and I didn't even know where we were going. I glanced at him and I could see him getting red due to anger. I didn't dare to say anything. I was scared and nervous, but somehow, I trust him that he won't hurt me. Anywhere's better than that place. I close my eyes and brought my legs closer to me so I can hide the tears in my face.
At some point, we stopped and the engine turned off. I slowly brought my head up to look around. I saw a huge, beautiful mansion. A beautiful place... in the middle of the woods?
"I'm sorry if I scared you." He broke the silence. I turn my head to him to see him handing me a handkerchief. I put my legs down and wiped my face with his handkerchief.
"So this is what you meant on the call huh?" I quietly asked. He nodded and sighed.
"Thank you." I said. He looked at me and nodded.
"If you weren't there I don't know what could've happened to me." I continued.
"No problem. I already knew there was gonna be trouble there earlier. That's why I came before your shift ended. My men alerted me that some of my enemies were there."
"Hm, yeah they knew you. They mentioned you awhile ago."
"Yeah. I heard." He said as he got out of the car and escorted me inside.
The place is so beautiful. It's nothing to what I could even imagine. It's very different. I could stare at this mansion for hours and still be amazed. Suga cleared his throat to get me out of my thoughts.
"I see you already like it here? Hm. Not surprised. I am after all a genius, I thought of this interior, and look how it turned out." I stare at him in disbelief.
"Wow. Very proud of yourself I see." I chuckled.
"Yeah yeah." He walked upstairs and showed me around.
"I have to keep you here at my place since they already know your location. My men already picked up all your stuff at your house. Hope you don't mind. Anyway, you'll have your privacy here since I'll give you your own room with a bathroom. Just pick whatever room you like and I'll send my men to bring your stuff there." He said as we walked through the hallway.
"I guess I don't mind. I'll have this one. The room across yours. Just so I can come to you immediately and for me not to get dizzy and confused by all the damn rooms and hallways you have." I said with a laugh.
"All right then. But please do knock when you wanna come to my room. Or else..." He pointed at his rug. It was a cat with its middle fingers up and has the words "go away" in it. I immediately nodded.
"I don't think this is where you brought me that night though? This place looks so beautiful and rich. The place you took me was just a simple but neat apartment?" I look at him.
"I own multiple apartments. I didn't lie when I said that was my place also. That was just one of the apartments close to your neighborhood." I nodded indicating I understood him.
As days and weeks and months went by, I grew a liking to his place, and even to him. He may be cold and savage sometimes, but he does care. He does have some goodness. We spent a fair time together; dinners together, movie nights when I wanted to, cooking together, and sometimes just chilling. He would sometimes joke around and be soft, which I loved. He would even come to my room to show me the cat videos he found on the internet. He also let me go to his room without knocking and moved the "go away" rug to his office instead of his room. I think that's something right? Or is it just me overthinking because I like him? But anyway, he even taught me how to defend myself and even how to use a gun.
"Aish, just look at the target and aim. Why do you keep shooting at the ground?" He said annoyed.
"It's not easy for me okay." I rolled my eyes and tried to shoot again. I aimed higher so it won't hit the ground. But, I still failed to shoot the target since I hit the wall above it.
"Aish come on, Y/N. How are you gonna be my Mafia wife if you keep missing the target? Aigoo." I looked at him surprised. I don't think he even knew what he said.
"Sorry what?" I lowered my gun and faced him. He turned bright red and looked away from me.
"J-just shoot the target." He stuttered. I shook my head and stood in front of him.
"Ignoring the question now are we?" I smirked. I could see how flustered he is.
"N-no. I'm training you, I'm in charge here and I'm telling you to focus." He said still not looking at me, but at the target.
"So you really don't wanna confess anything? Are you scared?" I teased him and crossed my arms. His face got even redder.
"Aish, you little coward, I like you too okay. I just wanted to hear it from you directly and clearly." I laughed and got back to my original place facing the target. I see his eyes widen as he slowly smiled.
"You like me too? I-I like y-, HEY I'M NOT LITTLE AND I'M NOT A COWARD! I WILL GET YOU!" I screamed and put the gun down and ran away. I tried hiding inside one of the rooms no one uses but he found me instantly. He pinned me against the wall for me not to escape.
"How dare you call me little?! I'm taller than you!" He whined and I laughed.
"You're more affected with that? I called you coward and yet what was inside your mind was calling you "little"?" I laughed hysterically as I see him pout. It's like the cutest thing I've ever seen.
"I guess I am a coward." He said softly and stepped back. I stop laughing and look at him.
"Y/N, I like you. Can I have a chance to court you and be your boyfriend?" He said with all seriousness. His deep voice ringing in my ears and repeating what he said over and over again. Without even thinking, I nodded and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you for accepting me." He said as he hugged me back.
"Thank you for helping me that night and for protecting me until now." I answered and hugged him tighter, not wanting to let go.