Taehyung's unyielding presence was becoming a bit of a dilemma.
In an ideal world, Yunhee would have made a mental note of the six-digit code Hoseok entered into the keypad, but the persistent fingers stroking her hip left her with no control over her actions and staring at the front door wondering how in the damnation she got here.
One minute, she was griping on the warehouse floor after landing with a heavy thump, the next, riding through the sweeping hills of Pyeongchang-dong in a stylish car. Then she was standing outside her "new home" waiting to cross the threshold like some virgin bride of Satan.
Run. Don't run.
Argue the toss out of the situation. Be a good little girl.
Kick Taehyung in the gonads. Kiss him to within an inch of his life.
Conflicting thought after conflicting thought muddled Yunhee's head, but one thought stood out above all. Taehyung had made it clear that Jinnie was his prisoner.
Somewhere within Yunhee lived the strong woman in love with Park Jimin who had the ability to fight The Dark Energy, but that willpower was moot. If she didn't do as Taehyung bid, Jinnie would die.
'Are you going to stand there all night?'
Fuck this man and his rascally eyebrow. The entrance was wide open, Hoseok was walking through the foyer with the briefcase, while Taehyung swept his palm over the threshold and waited for her to step inside.
'Preferably,' Yunhee mumbled as she shuffled through the doorway and looked around.
It was a far cry from home, but the warm ambience felt welcoming after standing outside in the chilly air. She was never in a gazillion years going to admit that to the crazy zealot that followed her in with a hand resting above her backside, though.
As per Jimin's mansion, the grand staircase lay directly in front of her with the farmhouse kitchen and living room to the left, and the library, safe room and sitting room to the right.
The rear of the property held a maze of additional rooms, but the ballroom where Taehyung had gathered twenty-three women under the pretence of a masquerade was what piqued Yunhee's interest.
Meeting Alexander Volkov and being whisked onto the dance floor still loitered in her mind like an unpleasant smell, but the function room was home to a volley of escape routes in the form of windows and balconies.
How easy would it be to sneak out while avoiding the shrewd owner who had eyes in the back of his head was the big question.
'Do you wish to eat before bed?' Taehyung asked as he slipped the pea coat off her shoulders and handed it to a butler who looked like he'd risen from the grave.
Bed?
Hell no.
There was a stinging remark on the tip of Yunhee's tongue, but when the door slammed behind her, she jumped out of her skin and swivelled around.
The entrance, now her exit, was locked, mercilessly trapping her inside and sealing her fate.
Weeks, months, years. Yunhee had no idea how long she would be here. She just knew that she was doomed if she didn't keep her wits about her.
'You didn't answer my question,' Taehyung said as he dropped his compelling hands from her body to unhook the satchel.
'No. How's that?'
Unbuttoning his coat, Taehyung studied her face with a quizzical smirk, but the lack of contact gave Yunhee time to think, her senses crashing back down to the irate reality of what had transpired at Crystal Kingdom.
'Are you happy now that Tae's dead?' she hissed as he removed his coat and gloves and chucked them at the butler. 'Does it fulfil your ego to know that you're the only one?'
'Why are you upset with me?' Taehyung retorted as he picked up the satchel and draped it back over his shoulder. 'I saved your life.'
'Don't do that. It's not going to work,' Yunhee bubbled at his manipulation techniques as he cockily licked his lips. 'Where's Jinnie? I want to see him.'
Instead of answering her question, Taehyung twitched his head towards the west wing and strode away without speaking a word.
There was no doubt that the tempestuous bastard expected her to keep up, and hoping that he would take her to Jinnie, Yunhee gave chase along the hallway. Frustration shrouded her, however, when he stopped outside his study, unlocked the door, and waited for her to enter.
Yunhee remembered the first time she'd naively - albeit unwillingly because of The Dark Energy - walked into the same study with a severe case of verbal diarrhoea. She'd blurted her mouth off about the mysterious stone, which eventually led Taehyung to the vortex.
Tonight, she was mindful of her conundrum, and stepped inside with a little more caution.
There were no logs of wood crackling in the fireplace, the hearth was unused and lifeless after several weeks' absence, but the interior remained the same, filled with middle-eastern fabrics and antique ornaments.
Bookshelves lined the walls, a tub chair sitting on a Persian rug next to the suite where Taehyung had audaciously asked her for one night in his bed in return for calling off his hunt.
Too bad she'd stolen an incriminating document and fled to save her virtue instead.
'Are you sure you're not hungry?'
The sudden question brought Yunhee back to the present, and she whirled around to find Taehyung detaching a vintage painting from the Victorian wallpaper.
'I'm sure,' Yunhee muttered while staring at the hidden safe he'd just revealed.
Of course, Taehyung's first port of call was securing his insurance. The first piece lay in a janitor's building in the middle of an abandoned theme park a million light-years away. The second in the leather satchel he'd just propped against the skirting board.
Yunhee had prayed to The Greater Good that she would be unable to unearth the sister stone from the warehouse floor when ordered, but The Dark Energy was evidently working in Taehyung's favour, for it had slithered free without Jimin's aid, and was now in his possession.
'Are you always this obstinate?' Taehyung breathed through his nostrils while entering the passcode.
'Uh huh,' Yunhee quipped. 'If you don't like it, you could always let me go.'
'Hmm, let me think about that...' Taehyung droned as the keypad beeped and the locking mechanism released.
After opening the door, he spun around and crossed his arms, but instead of finishing his equally sarcastic statement, he glimpsed at the satchel and jerked his head towards the hole in the wall.
Yunhee didn't need to be a mind reader to understand his instruction. It was loud and clear.
Be a sport and put the stone away.
With a weary groan, Yunhee removed the rock from the bag and slid it into the embedded steel box, while her captor observed her with a fanatical fascination that made her skin feel like it was being pricked by a hundred thorn-covered roses.
Conscious that Taehyung was too close for comfort, she hastily grabbed the safe door to close it off and retreat, but his palm caught the back of her hand when he too tried to shut the hatch.
A jagged intake of breath from Yunhee and a staggered grunt from Taehyung, and the world around them shifted from traditional décor to dripping lamp posts and bright moonlight.
Sodden autumn leaves cluttered the street gutters, rain clouds clearing to frame a starry sky as a young couple dawdled on a doorstep.
How could she forget this night?
The way her heart hammered like a drum as she scuffed her feet because she was unable to meet the gaze of the attractive man towering over her. Yunhee had no idea why this Kim Taehyung dude had asked for her number in the first place, let alone called her up the next day to ask her out.
'I'd invite you in for coffee,' the words spilled from Yunhee's lips as she nervously fidgeted with the strap of her purse, 'but...'
She was ashamed of her one-bedroom apartment. It was too shabby, she hadn't done the dishes this morning, and she would kick herself in the teeth if she saw dissatisfaction in his eyes.
'Don't worry,' Tae's deep cadence startled her out of her insecure thoughts, 'I've no intention of coming in tonight. It'd be rather ungentlemanly of me.'
'Oh, okay,' Yunhee exhaled in relief, mustering up the courage to peep at his face.
Golly gosh, God had been generous when creating him. Features sculpted like Adonis, hair that matched the scattered leaves, eyes that danced with mischief, and a cupid's bow that begged to be kissed.
Get a grip, Yunhee reprimanded herself, he's probably going to call it a day, anyway.
'I should head in,' she blushed. 'Thank you for the wonderful eve-'
'Can I see you again?'
What?
'Yes!' Yunhee spluttered excitedly.
How embarrassing. She was certain she'd just spat on his jacket, but his devastating smile had the ability to make her as flustered as a hen in a cock pen.
'I mean, only if you want to. I understand if you'd rather not. I tend to talk a lot and have one too many freckles.'
Shut up, shut up now.
'On the contrary, you're quite lovely. Freckles and all,' Tae chuckled as he caught her waist and slowly drew her in. 'I really want to see you again, Hahm Yunhee.'
It was surreal, anticipating the thrill of their first kiss while being acutely aware of the hurt Tae would soon cause, but the heartache of their relationship melted away like rain on a balmy day when he cupped her cheek and brushed his mouth across her bottom lip.
Tae's kiss - though soft and feathery light - fired a Catherine wheel of sparks through Yunhee's veins.
There was more.
Yunhee remembered coiling her arms around his neck when he deepened the contact. She remembered the disappointment when he broke away and pecked her cheek to bid her goodnight. The diminutive yet promising wave he sent from the sidewalk as she giggled and let herself into her apartment.
But the street lamps and stars were waning, bringing with it the musky aroma of Taehyung's cologne and the sense of being squashed between a sweltering body and a hard wall.
Long fingers palmed her cheek, another set clutching her waist as breathless wisps of air heated her face.
No...
Easing her eyes open, Yunhee found herself face-to-face with Taehyung, his panting mouth hovering inches above hers. Like it couldn't get any worse, her hands were tangled in his dark curls, gripping his scalp as her swollen lips throbbed with a life of their own.
No, no, no.
'You know, I can give you so much more than he ever could.' Taehyung's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as his hooded eyes flickered open. 'You're more than lovely. Freckles and all.'
Yunhee felt nauseous as she tried but failed to slide out from where Taehyung had her ensnared. She hated that he'd witnessed her first date with Tae, hated that they'd subliminally kissed and that it made her insides burn with unwanted desire.
This was not supposed to happen to Taehyung, not when he'd returned to his own world. The Dark Energy had to be working its magic, shrouding them in treasured memories during an intimate kiss and tainting the unique vision she and Jimin had shared at the beach house.
'I already told you,' Yunhee said while flattening her palms against his chest, 'what you feel isn't real.'
'It was real when I walked you home and kissed you on your doorstep,' Taehyung purred as his fingertips grazed her jaw. 'Why didn't you let me in, precious? We could have had a whale of a time-'
'You didn't walk me home and kiss me on my doorstep. Tae did,' Yunhee objected. 'I also had a choice.'
'Did you?' Taehyung challenged. 'How do you know The Dark Energy wasn't at play that night? In the long run, meeting Tae led you to me.'
Oh, this crackpot.
Once again, he was twisting the story to suit his whims. It was delusional bullshit. Tae may have returned from Busan the night Jimin and Yunhee were murdered, but Yunhee was as sure as the sun rose that he'd been sent by The Greater Good.
She'd chosen to go on that date. Just like she'd later chosen to be with Park Jimin. And no matter how much The Dark Energy tempted her with this devilishly attractive pawn, she refused to be so easily coerced.
'You're wrong, sweetheart,' Yunhee taunted with a scornful smirk. 'Meeting Tae led me to Jimin so that we could destroy you. When are you going to get that into that thick fucking skull of yours?'
A menacing canopy of threat shadowed Taehyung's eyes as he gripped her jaw. 'Don't-'
'Or what? You'll strike me? It wouldn't be the first time, would it?'
Taehyung's face swept through a gamut of conflicted emotions; the annoyance brought on by her provoking words intermingled with the spellbound soul who wished to cherish her for an eternity.
'I don't want to hurt you,' he rasped, earning a disbelieving laugh from Yunhee as he let go of her chin.
To hell with his bipolar disorder.
Yunhee was extremely grouchy after a strenuous journey, and she missed Jimin like a squirrel missed its nuts.
'What a sight to behold. The ruthless tyrant who's harmed scores of women, pained by the idea of hitting me. What about all those you packed off to Russia? How many of those were hurt?'
'Stop-'
'Are you still in league with Alexander Volkov after we broke your contract? Or perhaps you intend to start anew with his doppelgänger-'
'I said stop!'
Yunhee yelped when Taehyung whacked his hand on the wall, the razor-sharp slap leaving a hollow ringing in her ears as he dipped his head and struggled to get his ragged breath in check.
Fuck.
There was a fine line with this Mafia King, and if she wanted to get out of here in one piece, she needed to ease up on antagonising him.
Taehyung was a dangerous breed, controlled by The Dark Energy like a puppet on a string. If its sole purpose was to keep her and Jimin apart, who was to say she would survive?
Dead or alive, it would destroy her. And in turn, Jimin.
'I'm sorry,' Yunhee whispered.
Regaining his cool demeanour, Taehyung nodded and wandered to the safe.
'It's been a long night,' he grumbled while sealing the stone away. 'You need to sleep.'
'What about Jinnie?' Yunhee beseeched as she peeled her backside away from the wall. 'Just tell me he's alright, please.'
Taehyung sighed, looking as tired as she felt as he withdrew a smartphone from his bureau and switched it on. 'Seokjin is unharmed. You have my word.'
'Okay.' Yunhee took a deep breath, hoping that striking a bargain would benefit her before he picked her up and carried her to bed. 'If you let me sleep on the living room sofa and see Jinnie tomorrow, I promise not to kick up a fuss.'
'My bed is much more comfortable,' Taehyung muttered distractedly as he thumbed a passcode into his phone.
Rather than retaliate and start a blistering war that may end with her confined in the basement, Yunhee cast aside her plucky attitude to think rationally. Pretty pink pigs would fly before she willingly shared a bed with Taehyung, but he didn't have to know that.
'I'm sure it's very comfortable,' Yunhee reasoned, 'but...don't you think it's a bit too soon? Perhaps we should wait...'
The flexibility of the question hit its mark and finally captured Taehyung's attention. Lowering the phone, he swirled his tongue around his mouth and regarded her with keen interest before lobbing it onto his desk.
'Alright, how about a quid-pro-quo?' he said while flashing her his classic box-grin. 'You can choose any room in the house if you promise to join me for breakfast in the morning.'
'And Jinnie?'
Taehyung folded his arms and steadily edged closer. 'I'll think about it.'
The urge to shrink against the wall when his overpowering presence blanketed her was second to none, but Yunhee held her ground, tilting her chin to glance up at him with false confidence as she weighed up her options.
She wasn't getting out of here tonight, that was for sure. Perhaps it would be better to lie in wait with a wardrobe across the door. Being away from Taehyung would also buy her time to think clearly and come up with a plan.
'Deal,' Yunhee agreed with a stubborn nose wrinkle. 'Now, get out of my way before I change my mind and maim your other cheek.'
Nudging the amused man aside, Yunhee marched out of the study and made a fast getaway to the staircase.
Plaguing whispers followed her along the hall, increasing in volume until Taehyung was only two paces behind and his scorching eyes burned a hole through her spine. But Yunhee did everything in her power to ignore him as she ascended to the first floor, peeking left then right when she reached the split landing.
'Hmm, decisions, decisions,' Taehyung mockingly pondered when he caught up.
The jackass wasn't wrong.
In the west wing, there were three guest rooms to choose from, but they were too close to Taehyung's master suite, which simply wouldn't do.
The east wing, on the other hand, provided a further four bedrooms, one of which held a private living area and large en suite.
In her world, the lodgings belonged to Jin.
Decision made, Yunhee scraped past Taehyung and hurried along the upper east floor until she was scrambling for the door handle. Before she opened the bedroom, however, she hesitated and turned to the man nonchalantly strolling to catch up.
'Whatever it is you're seeking, you'll not find it. Not with me.'
Twisting the door knob with unsteady hands, Yunhee scurried into the spacious quarters and slammed the door in Taehyung's face. She heard his velvety chortle on the other side as he said goodnight, but she kept her ear pressed against the wood, not budging until she was positive he'd gone.
When his footsteps faded to nothing, Yunhee's brave façade withered like a dying leaf, taking with it so much energy that she sagged to her knees with a painful thud.
The choked sobs came thick and fast, her heart mourning for the loss of Tae and Suga as she aggressively wiped her lips to rid herself of Taehyung's sinful taste.
At least it muffled her cries. She didn't want Taehyung to hear her despair. She didn't want him to bear witness to the rational fear that lived inside her. He could turn on a dime and beat her black and blue, but that's not what petrified her.
It was the obsession in his eyes when he gazed at her.
Along with The Dark Energy's ability to make her tumble head first into the same pit of infatuation if she wasn't careful.
*
A good plan violently executed now was better than a perfect plan executed next week.
That, and relieving himself of his doppelgänger's Godforsaken clothing before a long hot shower.
Triumphant was how Taehyung felt as he towel-dried his hair and changed into a pair of Burberry bottoms and a white tee. He'd missed his tasteful wardrobe and the prominent scar on his cheek. He'd missed his true reflection, but it was a modest sacrifice to make during his extended vacation.
Discarding the wet towel, Taehyung picked up the wrinkled paper from the nightstand, sucking on his teeth as he reread the catalogue of activities Tae had provided. His premature death was unexpected no thanks to his hot-headed right-hand man, but he was confident he could get by without the ex's input.
Yunhee was upset with him, but a little time and persuasion was all the spirited minx needed. Now that she was where she belonged, they could make their own memories. An exciting prospect, particularly after that tantalising kiss during a shared vision.
Chuckling wickedly, Taehyung screwed up the list and launched it into the bin.
Poor Park Jiminie. He was sure the pillock was running around like a headless chicken this very second. If the farewell note he'd pinned to the safe room wall didn't rattle him, then Min Yoongi's cracked skull certainly would.
A week, maybe two. That's how long they had to wipe their tears before Taehyung returned to overthrow Jimin.
Pleased with the outcome of his latest plans and happy in the knowledge that Yunhee was only a few doors away, Taehyung idled out of the master suite and padded downstairs into the living room.
As expected, Hoseok lounged on the sofa, sparing his boss a brief glance as he sipped on a glass of old malt and scrolled through his phone.
'Do you have wind, boss, or is that a legitimate smile?'
Taehyung's features sank into a concrete scowl as he whipped past his comrade to pour himself a drink.
'Next time you shoot a detainee without consulting me first, I will make the remainder of your pathetic life an orchestra of torment.'
'Sounds like my kinda party,' Hoseok sniggered.
Taehyung banged the whiskey decanter onto the tray and stared blankly at the brocade green wallpaper.
Every day, it became easier. The impulse to throttle him. Hoseok skated on thin ice.
In no mood for an argument in the early hours of a new dawn, Taehyung abandoned the drinks cabinet and dropped onto the upholstered two-seater.
'Do you have the necklace?'
Hoseok grouchily rolled onto his side, not taking his eyes off his phone as he blindly accessed the briefcase and handed over a black velvet box.
Dying to see the bespoke gift he'd ordered from Graff, Taehyung flipped open the lid to reveal the stunning results.
The necklace was extraordinary, an heirloom-quality chain encrusted with hundreds of colourless diamonds and twelve Burmese rubies fit for a Queen. No woman in her right mind could resist such a timeless jewel, and he anticipated the night he would see it on Yunhee's delicate neck.
'You still need this?'
Taehyung glimpsed up, vexed to see Hoseok waving Hahm Sook's diary in the air as he continued to play with his phone. Snapping the velvet box shut, he rose to his feet and snatched the journal from his hand before the idiot could damage it.
The priceless item was yet to be presented, but the time to prove that Yunhee's family was alive grew near. This knowledge - combined with their strong connection and the ruby necklace - would see her forever by his side.
Popping his glasses on, Taehyung absently flicked through the dated pages while lazily tasting his whiskey. 'Did you check on our guest? How is he faring?'
'Not bad,' Hoseok responded through a loud yawn. 'Apparently he's been raving about the food.'
Taehyung grinned. Good old Kim Seokjinnie.
'Did Jimin look for him in our absence?'
'Yeah, he and Namjoon were seen sniffing around the mansion a few weeks ago. Oh, and,' Hoseok sat up, sliding a piece of paper from his pocket to pass to his boss, 'security also found this pushed under the cell door.'
Don't panic. It's Jiminie & Joonie. Push note back if you're in there.
Aw, how sweet, Taehyung thought as he crumpled the note into a ball and tossed it over his shoulder.
Too bad security had been under strict orders to move his prisoner should a rescue attempt take place.
'Are you going to let her see him?'
'That's none of your business,' Taehyung sniffed as he skimmed through the excerpts of Sook's journal.
'Which room did you put her in?'
Prying question after prying question, but this one gave Taehyung pause and made him look up over his reading glasses with raised eyebrows.
The sex pest could easily locate Yunhee within the house if he wanted to, but would he dare be so bold and try it on with her again?
Hoseok still showed signs of a bust nose, but if he so much as glanced at Yunhee while under his care, Taehyung would not hesitate to tie the lech up and set him on fire.
Still, the man was frustrated after weeks of non-stop work with little opportunity to dip his wick in a pliant woman. If he was not careful, Hoseok's addiction would rear its ugly head and the only female in the house would be on the receiving end if and when Taehyung left to tend to business.
What Hoseok needed was a distraction.
'Invite as many whores as you like,' Taehyung suggested as he settled into the comfy suite and resumed browsing the diary. 'I don't care as long as you stay out of the upper east wing.'
***
Dun dun DUUUUUNNN.
22nd May 2022