Min Yoongi's Point of View
As the clock struck two a.m., I left my small apartment and fled to my true home, where my family was waiting for me. When I say 'family,' I mean it as my force, my people working with me in the dark.
My mansion was only a twenty-minute ride from the apartment, more profound to the rural parts of the city hidden by the woods, and beneath it hides my hidden truth and my people waiting for me to discuss matters, precisely the current situation I brought upon us.
The gates automatically opened ㅡ they knew I was coming ㅡ, allowing my entrance using my black motorcycle that blended so well with the darkness of the night. Its matte finish made it less visible in the dark. If not only for its lights, it would be too difficult to see me in the middle of the dark and deserted path leading to my truth.
The incident from earlier alerted my army, especially me. After all, it was sudden. On top of that, the information about my tenant was more alarming, making me question my decision to put her under my protection. But I had no choice. I couldn't take in nor imagine abandoning a maiden who was a victim of sexual assault from a man notorious for human trafficking in the underground scene. When I heard her being harassed, it fueled the fire in me to protect her.
I firmly closed my eyes and saw her profile in the Tiger's Eyes when I told Taehyung to put her in the system as if it was that moment when I ordered it. I was contemplating at this very moment, and I am beginning to question if I had put my people in danger just for protecting a woman who I thought was only a victim of the Lees.
The "Tiger's Eye" was our protection list. May they be aware or not, if we deem it extremely necessary to protect them, they will belong to that list — however, the spot there isn't permanent and may be revoked immediately if deemed necessary.
Gyul's profile was too plain to suspect. There were no traces of anyone or anything involved in the illegal industry, and I am beginning to question Taehyung's ability to trace people. I can sense that there's something deeper and darker in her.
Who really is Park Gyul? Her identity is a mystery, and now she is a mystery that I need to unleash aside from protecting her against being a victim of the Lees.
Taehyung is my trusted man when it comes to anything technology-related. He is a hacker, and he can hack any system and find out any information to our desire, but his inability to know how deeply connected Gyul was to our world is making me question him. Still, I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. After all, the Lees are one of the leading gangs in our nation; hence, they undoubtedly have great men, too.
But not great enough for them to withstand Taehyung's hacking skills.
I parked my vehicle on the front and entered the mansion's enormous door. The butler greeted me, and I acknowledged him with a nod. Then, I went to the Library of the mansion and pushed one of the shelves that unleashed the hidden path behind it, leading to the secret basement where all of our illegal business was being planned. This is our hideout and meeting place, but only my closest men can be here. The rest are on our other base, where the shooting range and other training facilities are kept.
Upon my entrance, I was greeted by my other men on my way to Taehyung's workroom to check up on his search after my command.
"Any new information?" I asked the man with dark brown locks while looking at the picture of Gyul on his computer.
"Still the same, hyung," he said, disappointed.
I took in a deep breath. "There's gotta be something. Gyul was Taemin's fiance."
"What the..." Taehyung trailed off. He was surprised by the information.
"Park," I blurted out her surname. Is she, perhaps, connected with the Parks group? After all, the Parks and the Lees have been working closely for years.
"She's a Park, yeah, and I know what you're thinking, and I've already checked. The information I have for the Parks says they don't have any of her name at all. I've also viewed the Lees' system and the people they have exploited, but her name did not appear. I also checked on her parents' profiles, but they were wealthy individuals with no illegal backgrounds. Again, those are it, nothing more."
"Then why is Taemin after her?" I asked, wondering and not for Taehyung to answer. We both have no clue, not a single hint at all.
"Whatever their intention is to Gyul, I think we aren't safe anymore," Seokjin joined the scene and keenly looked at his secretary's face on the monitor. "She isn't what we thought she was after all." He sighed.
Kim Seokjin, my cousin and second in command ㅡ the underboss. He is the one responsible for handling my business in the light. But of course, behind his work and decisions, I am also there.
It's surprising how the world was small. Before I could even inform him of Gyul, he had already accepted her application, not that I didn't want her to work for him, too. It would have been best to inform him before his decision. Nevertheless, Jin is satisfied with her work, and I am pleased.
Park Gyul, the woman that we all thought was just a victim of Taemin's human trafficking agendas, was more than that. Way more than that. We only wanted to protect her because we are against what the Lees are doing, and it's our oath to protect these people if we could after some of our members' female relatives became their victims, one of whom was related to another trusted man of mine, Hoseok's sister.
It began because of him. He used to be with the Lees, not as their ally but as a barrower. They took everything from him, including his sister, whom they have exploited to pay his debts. The young Hoseok came to my father for help in exchange for his sister's revenge, but my father didn't want to start a war, and Hoseok understood. Still, my father protected them, but he had to work as a soldier in exchange.
Unfortunately, his sister passed away. Being a captive and being exploited contributed to her choice of ending everything. My father may have protected her from them, but he had no control over her and couldn't protect her against herself.
Hoseok eventually became my bodyguard, and we formed a bond. I was beside him when he mourned her death, and so I made a promise to him to help him get revenge, but we found that in a different way.
When I got the position after my father's passing, I still didn't want to start a war, so we found revenge by secretly rescuing their victims by buying them and/or just setting them free, and if they would like to, they work under me.
We don't get anything in exchange for it but ataraxia or additional people in our team, but the latter is, again, based on their choice. At least, from all our wrongdoings, we also do something good.
Hoseok is no longer a soldier. He is now a dealer, and he is excellent at it. He can easily convince people to buy from us or sell something to us, making us known internationally in the market. I owe our successful transactions to him through the years.
Speaking of the man, he entered the scene and looked at the woman on the monitor.
"She was Taemin's fiance, but by force," I added to the information I gave to Taehyung. "She said her parents sold her to them."
My eyes caught the clenching of Hoseok's jaw, indicating the rage building within him. Of course, he would. These cases are very personal to him.
"Still the same old Lees," he said bitterly.
"But how is she doing after what happened?" That one who asked was Jimin, Hoseok's partner in the dealerships. But he specializes in conning people whenever Hoseok's strategies don't work.
"Traumatized?" It came out to me more like a question. "I'm not sure. She seems to be coping well with what happened, but I could tell how his first attack still haunts her to this day." The fear in her eyes when he talked about him earlier told me so. The raw and intense trauma of when he almost took her purity and dignity away, she didn't even want to recall that day.
I could still recall that day and could only sympathize with the woman. No one deserves that, not even the lowest human being one could ever classify.
"What do we do now?" Jin asked.
"We observe for the meantime. The Lees didn't identify us, did they?" I looked over to see if Jungkook, who was in the scene earlier, was here.
"Where's Jungkook?" I asked, and just then, he entered the room.
Jungkook, the Capo and the best among all of my soldiers. He commands them, like their captain, if we were to be in the military.
"Here!" He said and then bit into his apple while walking towards us.
"Eating at this time?" Jin judged, and he received a glare from the younger.
"I had to fight the Lees earlier spontaneously, then immediately accompany Namjoon after. Give me a break," Jungkook complained.
"Were the Lees able to identify us?" I asked, calling his attention.
Jungkook shook his head. "Not one bit of our men." He chuckled. "Unlike the Lees. They're so recognizable. Their arm tattoos and small symbols are so stupid," he mocked. "But yeah, we're safe, don't worry," he continued, biting his apple again.
"Still, you must keep a closer eye on Gyul from now on." He was pertaining to me and Jin. "The Lees may trace her at Sugums or the apartment complex, and they might end up uncovering our cover, Yoongi cover. We should all be cautious from now on, especially when she is around."
"What's the commotion here?" Namjoon's voice made all of us look over the door upon his entrance. He was still in his black suit, like Jungkook, because they had just arrived after their mission. They had just returned from a product exchange with an international mob group.
He stood behind us and looked over the monitor where Gyul's profile was still seen. "Oh, it's her. What about her again?"
"She was Taemin's fiancee. But not like that fiancee. She said her parents sold her to him," Taehyung explained.
Namjoon bit his bottom lip as his brows knitted together. "Damn, what a revelation."
"How was the transaction with the Pendletons?" I asked him, changing our topic for a moment.
"Smooth like butter." He smiled, his dimples digging into the flesh of his cheeks.
I could only smile at that. Even without his answer, I already knew how it went. He wouldn't look so fresh and clean if it ended up bad.
Namjoon is my consigliere and the pretend boss in the physical scene in the dark. If Seokjin is in the light, Namjoon is in the dark side. Both their image are my covers, and my cover is Suga, the noodle shop and apartment owner. It may seem like a cowardly move, but it helps our security and protection. It had been, especially as a protection against the Lees. But still, at the end of the day, I am in control. They follow my orders because I am the mastermind.
I am the Mafia Boss.