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୨⎯ jia ⎯୧

i'm training at the shooting range. i steady my aim, exhaling slowly as i pull the trigger. the gunshot echoes through the empty shooting range, the bullet landing dead center. perfect.

i reload, trying to focus, but my mind keeps drifting back to yesterday. it had been a lot - winning the bet, proving the vips wrong, standing my ground - but i was proud of myself. they had underestimated me, and i made them regret it.

still, something about it all bothered me. something made my blood boil more than anything else.

the front man.

he really had the audacity to threaten me with a gun. not once, but twice. first in the gym, then again in that after the game, like it was nothing. like it was fun for him.

i grit my teeth, my fingers tightening around the gun as i fire again. the shot is harder, sharper, more aggressive.

he thinks he can intimidate me, push me just to see if i'll break? he's wrong.

my phone vibrates, pulling me out of my thoughts. i lower the gun, exhaling sharply before glancing at the screen.

bora.

for the first time since i got here, i feel something close to relief. without hesitation, i pick up.

"took you long enough," she says. "thought you forgot about me."

i let out a small scoff, shaking my head. "not possible."

"good. because i need details. now."

i wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand, leaning against the table. "details about what?"

bora huffs. "don't play dumb, jia. you're literally surrounded by rich psychopaths, and you know i want to hear all the insane shit that's happening over there."

i hesitate for a second, glancing around the empty shooting range. bora doesn't know exactly where i am. she knows my father sent me on a business trip, but she doesn't know the truth.

i choose my words carefully. "it's... intense."

she hums. "intense how?"

i press my lips together, my mind flashing back to yesterday. the bets, the deaths, the front man pressing a gun to my back like it was a casual conversation starter.

yeah. no way in hell am i telling her any of that.

"just a lot of expectations," i say instead. "a lot of people waiting for me to fail."

bora clicks her tongue. "well, they clearly don't know who they're dealing with. you're jia lee. failing isn't in your vocabulary."

a small smile tugs at my lips. leave it to bora to hype me up, even when she doesn't know the full story.

"damn right," i murmur.

"exactly," she says. "now, tell me - any fun drama? or is it all just business talk and old men being annoying?"

i hesitate for a second.

drama? oh, there's drama.

but something tells me she wouldn't believe me even if i told her.

"there's this man," i admit, rolling my shoulders as i lean against the table. "he infuriates me."

bora immediately perks up. "oh?" her tone shifts, amusement creeping in. "infuriates you how? because if this is leading where i think it is..."