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..."
i let out a sharp laugh, already knowing where her mind is going. "don't even start."
"oh, i'm starting," she teases. "this is giving enemies to lovers energy. tell me - does he challenge you? get under your skin?"
i scoff, shaking my head. if only she knew. "you're out of your mind."
"am i?" she asks. "you do have a type, and-"
"bora, stop," i cut her off, rubbing my temples. "this is not that."
"uh-huh," she hums, clearly unconvinced. "we'll see."
i sigh. "i have to go."
"fine, fine," she says dramatically. "but don't be surprised when you realize i was right all along."
"bye, bora."
"bye, future lovebird."
i hang up before she can say anything else, shaking my head in disbelief.
me? feeling anything more than hate for that man? never.
just as i set my phone down, i feel a presence beside me.
i glance to my right, my muscles instinctively tensing.
the deer-masked vip.
he's standing there, calm, composed, holding a gun like it's an extension of his hand. he's older, but definitely younger than the rest of the vips. there's something different about him, something more aware than the others who just drink and place bets without thinking.
he doesn't speak right away. instead, he lifts his gun, aims, and fires.
the bullet lands cleanly near the center of the target.
i raise an eyebrow. without a word, i lift my own gun and fire.
dead center.
i sense his smirk behind the mask. he fires again and it lands closer to the middle.
i follow, my bullet perfectly splitting through his.
it turns into a silent competition. shot after shot, we push the limits, trying to outdo the other.
but in the end - i win.
he exhales, shaking his head slightly before lowering his gun. "well," he finally says, his voice smoother than i expected, "mr. lee really did raise a fighter."
i blow the hair out of my face, setting my gun down. "did you doubt that?"
he chuckles, shaking his head. "not at all. but it's nice to see you proving it."
i narrow my eyes slightly. his tone is... different. not mocking like before.
as the deer-masked vip sets his gun down, he turns slightly toward me.
"your father has always been... difficult to negotiate with," he starts, his tone smooth. "but you? i think you might see things differently."
i keep my expression neutral. "what exactly are you proposing?"
he exhales, like he was waiting for me to ask. "an opportunity. an alliance. imagine what we could accomplish together."
i tilt my head slightly. "and what exactly do you gain from this alliance?"
his lips curve under the mask, amused. "mutual benefit, of course. you'll find that in this world, partnerships are everything."
i hum, pretending to consider it. i already know better than to trust any of these men, but letting him talk gives me an advantage.
he steps closer, lowering his voice slightly. "why don't we discuss this properly over a cocktail?"
before i can respond, another voice cuts through the air.
"that won't be necessary."
i don't have to turn around to know who it is.
the front man.
his presence alone shifts the energy in the room, the easy confidence of the deer-masked vip stiffening just slightly.
i finally turn, finding him standing a few feet away, arms folded behind his back.
"am i interrupting something?" he asks, his voice laced with something dangerously close to amusement.
"no, of course not," the deer vip says smoothly. "we were just discussing a business offer."
"ah, yes," he muses. "i happened to overhear something about a cocktail. but unfortunately, tiger is already busy."
my brows knit together slightly as i glance at him. busy?
he doesn't give me a chance to speak before continuing. "she scheduled a drink with me."
i blink. excuse me?
i never scheduled anything with him. i would have remembered agreeing to something like that. but he says it so casually, so convincingly, that i almost second-guess myself.
the deer-masked vip turns to me, clearly disappointed but masking it well. "ah, my apologies," he says with a slight bow of his head. "i wasn't aware."
before i can say anything, he gives me one last look before stepping away, disappearing down the hall without another word.
the moment he's gone, i turn sharply to the front man, my arms crossing over my chest.
"what the hell was that?" i demand.
he stands there, unbothered, tilting his head slightly as if he finds my reaction amusing. "i was helping."
i scoff. "helping? by making up a fake meeting?"
he steps closer, lowering his voice just slightly. "i could tell you didn't want to take his offer."
i narrow my eyes. "oh? and what gave you that impression?"
his head tilts, and even through the mask, i can feel his smirk.
"your eyes," he murmurs. "they told me everything."
i roll my eyes, turning back toward the shooting range. without another word, i lift my gun, preparing to shoot again.
"your shooting isn't perfect." he says.
i pause mid-aim, my jaw clenching.
slowly, i lower the gun just enough to glance at him over my shoulder. "oh? and you think you can do better?"
he doesn't answer right away. instead, he takes a slow step forward.
i roll my eyes again and return my focus to the target, choosing to ignore him. but just as i steady my grip, i feel it.
his presence. suddenly, he's behind me.
before i can react, his hand touches mine.
his grip is firm but not forceful. "you're tensing up," he murmurs, his voice lower now
his breath is warm, brushing against my ear as he leans in slightly, and for the first time since meeting him, i feel something shift inside me - something unfamiliar.
i should pull away. i should tell him to back off. but for some reason, i don't.
"relax your shoulders," he murmurs, his voice too close, too warm against my ear. "stop trying to force it."
i inhale slowly, forcing myself to ignore the way his presence lingers around me.
"now," he continues, his fingers pressing lightly against mine, "breathe in."
i do.
"and shoot."
boom.
the bullet lands perfectly in the middle of the target, cleaner than any shot i'd taken before.
i exhale sharply, half in satisfaction, half in something else i don't want to name.
his hand stays over mine for a second longer before he finally steps back, his heat leaving me just as quickly as it came.
he says nothing. and i can't see it but i know he's smirking.
"now," he murmurs, "you really owe me a cocktail."
i scoff, finally facing him. "oh, do i?"
"seems like a fair trade." he says.
i roll my eyes, pretending to focus on reloading my gun, but i can feel him watching me. he wants to see if i'll challenge him. if i'll say no.
but the worst part?
for some reason, i don't want to say no.
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next chapter, jia and the front man are actually going to sit down and have cocktails together?? i am so ready for it.
vote if you need the next chapter asap 🌟