ã€ŠTransmigration: The Narcissistic Cinderellaã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Transmigrated [1]

    Arrogant, pompous, dumb, and bully¡ª those were the words one would ?ssociate with Moon Jiwoo. Born as an illegitimate daughter to the Moon family, she was looked down by others and compared to her perfect sister, Moon Jimin. She was disliked by all.

    Nonetheless, Moon Jiwoo had no negative opinion on her sister and, therefore, was easily manipulated by her. Even during her death, Moon Jiwoo wasn''t aware of her sister''s actual intentions.

    Ahn Eunwoo was the man Moon Jiwoo had loved from the age of six, and her love for him led her to her ultimate destruction.

    The slit on her wrist caused her to bleed profusely and therefore, causing her death.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A sharp pain went through her head as if it was being split into two parts, and Moon Jiwoo let out a groan at that. As she sat up on the hard ground, Moon Jiwoo felt a ache go through her back, and she winced.

    Opening her eyes, Moon Jiwoo adjusted her vision and took in the surrounding around her. A plump woman dressed in cheap clothing stood in front of her, and the stench of her inexpensive perfume made Moon Jiwoo scrunch up her nose.

    The double chin and the black mole of that woman under her eye, coupled with curly hair, made her look absolutely ugly in Moon Jiwoo''s opinion.

    "You ugly woman, can you move away from my sight?" Moon Jiwoo voiced out¡ª irritation noticeable in her tone.

    "Yah! Mind your tongue, Shin Daerin! Whom are you calling¡ª"

    "SHUT UP! MY HEAD IS KILLING ME, AND NOW STOP SCREAMING LIKE A SHREW!" Moon Jiwoo yelled out.

    Running her fingers through her hair, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened in horror when she found her hair was rough to the touch and full of tangles. Moreover, when she reached the end, she found split ends, and her hair seemed shorter than usual.

    "BITCH! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!? DO YOU WANT TO GET BEATEN UP AGAIN!?"

    "T-This can''t be it. T-This c-can''t b-be my precious hair. This is a nightmare¡ª a true nightmare," Moon Jiwoo stuttered out.

    "You, Shin Daerin, what are you screaming about!? Before I beat you again¡ª"

    Before the woman could continue, Moon Jiwoo stood up immediately and held the woman by her shirt''s collar tightly. Her eyes stared daggers at the woman.

    Opening her mouth, Moon Jiwoo yelled, "Yah! You ugly woman! It was you, right? The one who ruined my hair!"

    The woman struggled in Moon Jiwoo''s hand and voiced out, "What are you doing? Yah! Leave me now or I''ll kill you!"

    Ignoring the woman''s threat, Moon Jiwoo tightened her grip around the woman''s shirt''s collar, making it difficult for the woman to breath.

    The woman tried to push the skinny girl in front of her away, but she remained unsuccessful. The fact that the malnourished girl in front of her had such strength shocked her.

    "Bitch! Let go of me! I''ll kill¡ª"

    Before the woman could continue, Moon Jiwoo directed a punch at the woman''s face, and her glare towards the woman grew intense.

    A murderous look sat on her face. Past couple of days hasn''t been going well for her, and now, a nobody like this ugly woman destroyed her hair. Moreover, the ugly woman even threatened her.

    Before the middle-aged woman could register what just happened, another punch was directed at her face, and the woman just felt as if her nose broke.

    Moon Jiwoo''s face showed disgust when she noticed the blood on her fist, and she knew that she had to immediately clean it.

    "H-Help!" The woman yelled, "Someone is trying to kill me! Help!"

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed.

    "You ugly woman, there is no one around to help you," Jiwoo stated before loosening her grip on the woman''s neck.

    The woman started to cough violently, and her face was made into a bloody mess. Falling back, the woman held her nose whilst a frightened expression sat on her face.

    Nonetheless, Moon Jiwoo didn''t care, and turning her back on the woman, she looked around for a source of water. Looking around the place, Moon Jiwoo found it looking unfamiliar, and a pain went through her leg as she walked around.

 Chapter 2 - Transmigrated [2]

    ''Was I kidnapped by this ugly woman? Fuck! Why do I get in one mess after other? If it wasn''t for that damned Eunwoo and Hyunae, I would''ve had a better life!''

    Looking at the wooden door in front of her, Moon Jiwoo walked towards it and turned the knob to open the door. The knob appeared to be stuck, and closing her eyes, Moon Jiwoo used more strength to open the door.

    The door opened, and Moon Jiwoo mumbled, "Cheap materials."

    Walking into the room, Moon Jiwoo scrunched up her nose at the stench and realized that this was the washroom. Holding her urge to puke, Moon Jiwoo spotted the mirror and stepped towards it.

    Mirror appeared to be dirty and blurry, and looking at it, Moon Jiwoo''s mood worsened than it already was. Creases formed between both of her eyebrows.

    "The old woman keeps things around her as ugly as she looks," Moon Jiwoo spoke out.

    Staring at her appearance in the mirror before her, Moon Jiwoo took a step back. Shock was visible on her face, and raising her hand, Moon Jiwoo touched her face.

    "N-No, this c-can''t be it," Moon Jiwoo stuttered to herself.

    Her long, healthy brown hair was replaced with short, messy dull brown hair. Her perfectly proportioned body looked skinny and almost malnourished.

    Moon Jiwoo trembled.

    In the mirror, it looked like as if someone else was standing in it. This couldn''t be her. Although the girl in the mirror wasn''t ugly, Moon Jiwoo did not like how she looked.

    Moon Jiwoo let out a scream.

    "Did that ugly woman do plastic surgery on me when I was out of consciousness? That ugly woman must have been jealous of my beauty!"

    Moon Jiwoo let out a frustrated sigh. She wasn''t going to leave the woman alone. Stomping towards the door, Moon Jiwoo was ready to put few scars on that woman''s face as well.

    Moon Jiwoo halted in her steps and looked around. There was no one around her, and taking the voice in her head as a mere hallucination, Moon Jiwoo ignored it.

    As she was about to exit the washroom, the same voice said, "Host 002, I''m here¡ª inside your head."

    Once again, Moon Jiwoo looked around, and there was no one around her. Feeling angered by the voice, Moon Jiwoo let out a scoff.

    "Do you take me for a fool? Show yourself or if I find you, I swear the consequences won''t be good! I''m not in the best of the moods currently, so don''t irritate me further," Moon Jiwoo spoke out.

    After how her life was going downhill recently, Moon Jiwoo had to deal with being kidnapped by an unknown woman and her hair being destroyed. Not only that, she even had her entire body changed.

    "No, Host 002. You really can''t see me, and I''m inside your mind. You''ve currently transmigrated into the body of Shin Daerin, and that''s why, you look like this. I''m here to guide you if you need help. You can call me Minnie," Minnie spoke out.

    Moon Jiwoo started laughing loudly, and mock was present in her tone whilst she spoke out, "Are you crazy? Do you think I''m dumb to believe this rubbish? Who hired you and that old lady? That Hwang Hyunae or that Oh Chaeyoung?"

    Minnie sighed.

    "Why was I ?ssigned with someone as dumb as you? You can clearly hear the voice coming from your head yet you claim for it to be from around you. You''re truly as stupid as the rumours say," Minnie vocalised.

    "How stupid are you? This is the last time I''m repeating this. I am inside of your head so I can''t show myself!" Minnie stated.

    "I''m not stupid! It''s you who is stupid, and how can you actually be inside my head? Find a four years old to tell your bullshit!" Moon Jiwoo retorted.

    "If it wasn''t for the fact that this was my job, I would''ve directly abandoned you." Minnie sighed again.

    "Think about it. You were in your apartment and have slit your wrist. Can anyone just barge into your apartment? Looking at the woman''s apartment you can see that she is not rich, and if she had kidnapped you, you would have been tied up.

    Back there, the woman even called you Shin Daerin, not Moon Jiwoo. Since that woman wasn''t someone rich, she doesn''t have the money to do plastic surgery or anything similar on you," Minnie patiently explained.

    "You do seem to have a point," Moon Jiwoo spoke out.

    Upon a realization, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "Could it be that I was cursed!? I have seen the actresses around me being cursed! Someone must have been jealous of my talents and cursed me!"

    "I''m pretty sure they will curse you because you''re vexatious¡ª not because they are jealous of you. Moreover, it''s you who is jealous of them most of the times," Minnie voiced out.

    "Me and jealous of them?" Moon Jiwoo sneered.

    "Really? Is that why you tried to destroy Oh Chaeyoung? Weren''t you jealous that she had your beloved Ahn Eunwoo''s heart," Minnie teased.

    Moon Jiwoo shivered as if she had heard something unpleasant.

    "Beloved and Ahn Eunwoo? Ew! I just wanted to ruin that bastard and Oh Chaeyoung for playing with me! That bastard took me as his fianc¨¦e and dared to be with other girls'' behind my back. How would it look if I left him unscathed?"

    Moon Jiwoo recalled what happened in the past few days. Her sister, Moon Jimin, had returned from abroad and was surprised when she learned Moon Jiwoo gave up on Ahn Eunwoo, her fianc¨¦e.

    At that point, Moon Jiwoo''s feelings for Eunwoo was purely platonic. However, when Jimin''s words struck her pride violently over and over again, Jiwoo decided to take separate the couple.

    After all, Ahn Eunwoo did not break the engagement with her yet dared to flirt around with another girl, and that Oh Chaeyoung was shameless for seducing an engaged male.

    On top of her sister, Moon Jimin, Hwang Hyunae¡ª someone who took Jiwoo to be her rival¡ª called her a loser multiple times, and since her pride was being stabbed, Moon Jiwoo challenged her that she''ll make Ahn Eunwoo fall for her.

    She tried plotting, begging, and even acted pitiful. However, at the end, her efforts were fruitless, and as a result, she had spent a night with that Han Minhyun.

    Although he didn''t hurt her, he was in the same room as her and made her sleep down on the floor. When she was being disobedient, he resorted to tying her up.

    In the end, when she tried to cook a meal for Eunwoo in order for him to end up with an upset stomach, Moon Jiwoo tripped and accidentally, slit her wrist with the knife.

    "You''re pretty stupid with your plots though. However, don''t worry. Since you''ve me to guide you, I''ll turn you smarter," Minnie stated.

    Moon Jiwoo gulped.

    Ignoring Minnie''s words, Moon Jiwoo questioned, "Was I really given a second chance?"

 Chapter 3 - Transmigrated [3]

    "Yes! Yes! Yes, you''re given another chance in another body! Are you happy about it? After that destroyed previous life of yours, you''re getting another chance to start anew," Minnie voiced out.

    ''Happy? That''s the last thing I''m feeling! I wasn''t able to make that gold-digger Chaeyoung or jerk Eunwoo suffer!''

    Moon Jiwoo felt anger within her rise, and frustration brewed inside of her. Recalling about how Eunwoo and Chaeyoung smiled right in front of her face, Jiwoo clenched hwr hand tightly.

    "Even if you stayed there, you wouldn''t be able to do anything. That gold-digger Chaeyoung and jerk Eunwoo has better luck and brain than you," Minnie pointed out, "So, instead of groaning about it, you should be grateful to me."

    "Wasn''t that what I just said inside my mind? Yah! You Weird Creature, are you able to read my mind!?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

    "Weird Creature? My name is Minnie, so call me that, and yes, I''m able to read your mind. So, instead of shouting like an actual idiot, speak to me internally."

    Before Moon Jiwoo could retort, she heard the sound of the door to the house opening, and wondering who it could be, Moon Jiwoo stepped towards the direction of the living room.

    Pain spread through her body with each step Jiwoo took, and it was difficult for to keep walking. Nonetheless, Jiwoo''s pride won''t let her fall weak in front of these people, and arrogance was displayed Moon Jiwoo''s face.

    "Shin Eunha and Eunhye are home. Both of them are Shin Daerin''s, now your, stepsister. Let''s talk later, and try to control your temper. Things will get really messy if you don''t," Minnie voiced out.

    ''Wait! Don''t leave me hanging! Yah! You Asshole, how am I supposed to deal with them by only having this little information!''

    Two young ladies, who looked to be around nineteen, walked into the apartment. Both of them were moderately beautiful. Shin Eunha was around three inches taller than Eunhye whilst Eunhye was somewhat fatter than Eunha. Other than that, both of them had similar light brown hair.

    Now that Minnie left her alone, Moon Jiwoo leaned against the wall to support herself and watched the drama in front of her unfold. Since that Minnie left her with no informations, she had to figure out what was going on by her own.

    Noticing that their mother was lying on the floor, shock and concern appeared on both of the twin''s face. Rushing towards their mother, both of them kneeled down on the floor.

    Scanning her mother''s body, both of them searched for all the signs of external injuries. Eunha and Eunhye held their mother''s right hand tightly.

    Looking at the scene in front of her, Moon Jiwoo did not understand what they acting so dramatic and sentimental about. The middle-aged lady was still alive, and the injuries on her body were nowhere close to serious.

    "What happened to you, Mom?" Shin Eunha asked¡ª worry noticeable in her tone.

    "Who did this to you, Mom?" Shin Eunhye questioned¡ª concern could be seen in her voice.

    Turning towards Moon Jiwoo, the middle-aged woman glared at her and pointed her finger towards Jiwoo. Anger was noticeable within her eyes, and both the twins turned at the direction her mother pointed at.

    "Her, Mom?" Eunha sniggered.

    "How could such a weakling do anything to you?" Eunhye rolled her eyes.

    Both of their voices held disbelief. Shin Daerin was weak and docile from a very young age. Never did she dare talk back at them, and, therefore, it was unimaginable for her to actually beat up their mother to this state.

    "That bitch did it! She held my throat tightly to the point I couldn''t breath and punched my face multiple times," The middle-aged woman stated.

    Hatred and rage could be clearly noticeable in her tone. Not only Shin Daerin was disobedient to her, she also called her improper names and beat her up. She wouldn''t be satisfied until she made the girl in front her cry for help.

    "How could that be possible, Mother?" Eunha questioned. Scorn was visible on her face as she turned to face Moon Jiwoo.

    "Are you done with this drama of yours?" Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows up.

    She then continued, "I''m starving. So, which one of you will be cooking?"

    Shock became present on three of their faces, and the twins turned to face Moon Jiwoo. How could the quiet and subservient Daerin get the courage to voice out such words? There was no way this was Shin Daerin speaking.

    "Heol! Why are you staring at me like that? I know I''m beautiful, and it must be hard for you to remove your eyes from me. However, it makes me uncomfortable to be stared at, so just look away," Jiwoo said. A smug smile sat on her face.

    Jiwoo''s words took three of them aback. No matter what happened to Shin Daerin to give her this much courage, the twins could not bear her insults any longer. Staring up, both of their eyes glowered at Jiwoo.

    "Clear that smile off your face," Eunha ordered.

    "And look down," Eunhye commanded.

    There was no sign of Moon Jiwoo feeling intimidated, and annoyed that some stranger was using such tones on her, Jiwoo stared at two of them with hostility. How dare someone as low in status as them use such a tone on her?

    "What if I don''t?" Moon Jiwoo challengingly voiced out.

    "Yah! Shin Daerin, mind your tone!" The middle-aged woman exclaimed, "Watch your position in the house!"

    Now that her daughters were back home, all the fright she felt from earlier disappeared. Even if Shin Daerin was able to overpower her earlier, with her daughters being present here, she stood no chance against them.

    Looking at the woman sitting on the ground, Moon Jiwoo smirked and voiced out, "Make sure you have enough money for plastic surgery. You won''t be spared that easily if you dare to be like this the next time."

 Chapter 4 - Transmigrated [4]

    "Yah! You Bitch!" Eunha exclaimed whilst extending her hand forward.

    As she was about to grip Moon Jiwoo''s hair, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes sharpened, and reflexively, she clutched Shin Eunha''s hand. Tightening her grip around Eunha''s hand, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes glowered at Shin Eunha.

    "How dare someone as lowly as you call me something like that?" Moon Jiwoo spoke out¡ª each of her word exuding an invisible pressure.

    Shin Eunha''s eyes widened in horror, and she attempted to move her hand away from Moon Jiwoo. However, her tries were fruitless, and her eyes showed shock. How did such a weak girl grow so strong?

    "Release me, Shin Daerin! If you release me now, I promise that the consequences would less or else I''ll make you cry terribly," Eunha spoke out, "You Bitch!"

    Moon Jiwoo felt an inexplicable rush of anger within her, and Shin Eunha''s words were like an insult to her. Moon Jiwoo increased her strength around Eunha''s hand, and leaning closer to Eunha, Jiwoo''s eyes stared straight at him. Eunha felt a chill go down her back.

    "What if I don''t?" Jiwoo enunciated.

    Feeling immense pressure on her, Eunha''s body shuddered. Taking in the strength Jiwoo applied around her hand, Eunha felt as if her wrist would crush any second now, and droplets of tears formed around her eyes due to the immense pain.

    "Let go, Shin Daerin," Eunha voiced out.

    Raising her leg, she was about to kick Moon Jiwoo. Her actions were not missed by Moon Jiwoo, and before Eunha could harm Moon Jiwoo, Jiwoo kicked Eunha''s leg away.

    All this happened before Moon Jiwoo could process what was happening; It was almost as if this body had an inert ability for reacting fast and fighting.

    Jiwoo released her grip on Eunha''s hand forcefully whilst pushing it back, and Eunha fell down on the ground. Losing her balance due to the sudden actions, Eunha''s head landed on the floor, and a sharp pain went through it.

    Shin Eunha ?r??n?d at it.

    Shin Eunhye, on the other hand, watched the scene from the sidelines and took no actions. Although she was not aware of what happened to Shin Daerin all of a sudden, she knew that it was better for her to stay away from Daerin''s path.

    Shin Eunhye did not want to end up like her mother or her sister.

    With her eyes staring daggers at three of them, Moon Jiwoo ordered, "I want my meal to be ready within an hour, and it better not be unsatisfactory."

    "And if you dare play any tricks, I don''t mind beating you all up again to show you your place," Moon Jiwoo warned before walking away.

    ''You inside my head, where is my room here?'' Moon Jiwoo ordered.

    "Look at the room with the smallest door out of all; That is Shin Daerin''s room," Minnie voiced out, "I told you to control your anger. They will be calling the police over you if you are violent. Why are you this dumb?"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Pushing open the door, Moon Jiwoo stepped inside the room. Staring at the room before her, Jiwoo found herself being dissatisfied and folded her arms above of her ?h?st.

    The room in front of her had a small cupboard, which had the paint peeled off in different sections, and a table with a broken edge was placed right beside the cupboard. Facing the table was a chair, and a mattress laid down on the floor. The room appeared to be quite small in size.

    Noticing that there was no bed, air-conditioning, or even an electric fan, Moon Jiwoo felt irritation rise within in. How was Moon Jiwoo supposed to live inside this room?

    ''Yah! You inside of my head, can''t you get me a bigger and better room? Even my storeroom was bigger than this! Where am I supposed to sleep? On the floor? How can you even think that someone like me can sleep on the floor!?''

    "Well, Host 002, you won''t be sleeping on the floor; You will be sleeping on the mattress," Minnie pointed out, "And stop calling me ''you in the head''. I have a name, and that is Minnie."

    Minnie laughed and said, "How dumb are you? I can''t get you a bed just because you want one, and if you find both of them same, then just sleep in the floor instead of the mattress tonight."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed.

    ''I won''t be sleeping on the floor or the mattress tonight regardless of what happens.''

    "Let''s see how long you can keep that up," Minnie voiced out.

    Moon Jiwoo closed down the door, and without giving any reply to Minnie''s words, Moon Jiwoo stepped towards the chair. Pulling the chair out, Moon Jiwoo sat upon it and crossed her legs.

    "Now, explain everything to me, You inside of my head," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "I''m Minnie, Host 002," Minnie said¡ª frustration noticeable in his tone. Being called ''you inside of my head'' was beginning to irritate her greatly at this moment.

    "Does it look like that matters to me? Now, tell me why I am in this body, and how I can get out of this body? On that Chaeyoung and Eunwoo, I still have to take revenge," Jiwoo voiced out.

    Rage was visible in Moon Jiwoo''s eyes. Thinking about that cheating man and gold-digger of a female made Jiwoo feel and inexplicable rush of anger, and the urge to take it out on someone intensified.

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and said, "Try getting cheated, and then, you''ll understand. Now, give me the answers!"

    "Don''t speak out loud, Host 002. The Shin family will take you to be crazy if you do," Minnie pointed out.

    "And, Host 002, you can''t go back; This is permanent," Minnie added.

 Chapter 5 - Her Missions [1]

    ''You are telling me that I am stuck in a body of a thirteen year old forever? Fuck! Do you even think I will accept that?!''

    Moon Jiwoo felt beyond angry. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and a frown sat upon Jiwoo''s face. Her hands were tightly clenched, and she desperately wanted to punch the nearest thing to her.

    "At least, you''re talking in your mind now, Host 002," Minnie mumbled.

    "You have transmigrated into the body of Shin Daerin¡ª a twenty year old, not thirteen. If you wish to go back, you''ll be dead anyway because remember, you died. Moreover, you can meet Chaeyoung in this life of yours if you complete the missions," Minnie voiced out.

    Hearing that, Moon Jiwoo''s temper calmed slightly and waited for Minnie to continue. As long as she got to meet Chaeyoung again, Jiwoo was alright with living as this Daerin person¡ª only if more luxury was provided.

    "After you have died as Jiwoo, you were chosen by fate to transmigrate into this body, and if you want to meet Oh Chaeyoung, there are three missions you need to complete¡ª Protect the heir to the throne, return him to his rightful place, and get him to be with his queen."

    ''Prince? Am I not in South Korea anymore!? Yah! How am I going to find Chaeyoung to deal with if I am not in South Korea?''

    "Just shut up and listen to me!" Minnie exclaimed¡ª her voice clearly showing frustration.

    ''Don''t you dare use that tone with me, You in my head. After ruining my life, you owe me an explanation!''

    Minnie scoffed. Knowing how Moon Jiwoo can be, Minnie decided to not argue any further with her for that is merely a waste of time.

    "Listen, Moon Jiwoo, you''re in South Korea, Seoul. You changed just occupied the body of someone else, and there are many things that are kept in dark. What I am going to explain to you is very important, so just silently listen without saying anything," Minnie vocalised.

    ''Fine.''

    "Humans are divided into three clans¡ª Red, Yellow, and Blue," Minnie started, "Each Clan differs from each other by a couple of traits, and you, Moon Jiwoo, belonged to Yellow Clan."

    Moon Jiwoo rolled her eyes.

    ''How much of a fool do you take me for? If something such existed, it would have been definitely taught in school. So, stop saying random shits, and get to the point.''

    "Moon Jiwoo, do you not listen properly!? I clearly mentioned on how this matter is kept in the dark, so how would you know about this in the first place?" Minnie vocalised.

    Minnie then added, "Your dumbness just astounds me."

    "Nevermind. Now, please, I beg of you to stay silent. Members of Red Clan, Yellow Clan, and Blue Clan differ due to their genetic material. I hope you know what that means."

    Jiwoo scoffed.

    ''Of course I know. I am not as dumb as you after all.''

    "That''s funny. Anyway, members of Red Clan possesses types of abilities¡ª which you might call as supernatural powers¡ª and heightened physical abilities.

    They require blood to survive, and their requirement depends on Class they belong to. Talking about Class, there are seven classes. On top of this is the King or the Prince, and your first mission is to protect this Prince.

    Leaders come second, and they take decisions over almost all the situation within the Red Clan. There are Seven Leaders currently with the following surnames¡ª Kim, Han, Min, Lee, Oh, Hwang, and Seo.

    The pure-bloods hold the similar position as the Leaders in terms of abilities. Pure-bloods are those who hold no percentage of Yellow Clan''s gene. The more the Yellow Clan''s gene a Red Clan''s member holds, the weaker the Red Clan''s member is and, therefore, belongs to a lower class. Percentage¡ª"

    ''Stop! Stop! Slow down! If you keep on dumping all of these like this, I will forget it. Do it one at a time!''

    The new information shocked Moon Jiwoo greatly. Jiwoo is not exactly a fan of the fantasy genre and has no interest in getting involved with such things. The only thing that mattered to Jiwoo is taking revenge upon Chaeyoung.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and she had to hold in the smile which was persisting to form on her face. The photographic memory is the only thing Jiwoo had liked about this body so far.

    Everything Minnie had previously said was vivid in Jiwoo''s mind, and she tried to absorb in all the information. Although few parts were confusing, she more or less understood almost everything.

 Chapter 6 - Her Missions [2]

    ''Carry on, Weird Creature inside my head.''

    Moon Jimin had her eyebrows furrowed as she leaned back against the chair. The entire setting sounded too much of a fantasy to Jiwoo to be real.

    Minnie coughed.

    ''As I was saying, the percentage of Yellow Clan''s genes determine a member''s abilities, which you might call supernatural powers. Amplified speed, hearing, sight, elemental attacks, and teleportation could be some examples.

    As you go along the missions, I will be explaining everything to do. It would be too difficult for you to entirely absorb all this now after all.

    One more thing, you have to know is higher classes can go on longer without having blood without the lower classes. When one of the members loses control over themselves due to lack of blood, they turn into Ferals," Minnie explained.

    ''Ferals?''

    "Ferals are ferocious and senseless creatures, who doesn''t stop. Regardless of what you say, they wouldn''t react to your words and go on a rampage because of Yellow Clan''s blood. Anything or anyone that stands in their way will be destroyed by them."

    "You need these information because you have to protect the Prince of the Red Clan and return him to his throne. Although it is a difficult task, it is quite honourable," Minnie voiced out.

    ''Not interested. Sounds too much tedious and troublesome. Change this.''

    "Missions can''t be changed. Moon Jiwoo, you''re chosen for this mission due to a reason," Minnie said, "You''re chosen by the fate to do all this.

    Many would happily jump at the chance to do this. Jiwoo, think about it. Think about all the things you can get after you save the Prince; The Prince is not someone ordinary."

    ''Cut that crap. If there was so many interested people, give it to them then. Neither do I want to break my nails or damage my hair.''

    "Moon Jimin, think about it in this way. The Prince is really rich, and after you save him, you will have lots of money as a reward. Shin Daerin is poor, and even if you work for your entire life, you wouldn''t get half the riches you had in your last life.

    After you protect him for couple of days, you''ll be able to get whatever you want, and you might be able to enjoy more luxury than you did in your original body. Not only that, you''ll be able to meet Oh Chaeyoung. Doesn''t the thought of Chaeyoung make you angry?" Minnie voiced out patiently.

    If she had to convince Jiwoo to do something, she had to remain calm with her. If Minnie became agitated and angered, Moon Jiwoo would definitely not listen to her.

    "That''s true," Jiwoo mumbled.

    "You don''t have to worry about your current skills. When you transmigrated into Daerin''s body, you unlocked all the powers and all the recessive characteristics had become dominant," Minnie voiced out.

    ''What kinds of power? Will those power make me look beautiful? This Shin Daerin person is too cute for my taste.''

    "I am afraid that''s not the case, Jiwoo. Your current sets of power include inhuman strength, heightened senses, and increase in speed and agility. There are more powers to be unlocked, but for that, you need to find him."

    ''Inhuman strength? Am I going to turn into some kind of monster? This ''inhuman strength'' doesn''t sound good to me. Change it.''

    Holding the irritation Minnie felt off his tone, Minnie expressed, "Imagine couple of people are bullying you¡ª for example, Daerin''s family members¡ª with that strength, you''ll be easily be able to beat them. Do you remember about how you defeated Daerin''s family members out?"

    ''Do you take me to be some idiot? Of course, I do! Well, since it felt sort of satisfactory beating them up, I will reluctantly accept this.''

    "However, there is a catch to it," Minnie said, "You must control your temper. Things might get messy if you lose control over it."

    ''Explain clearly instead of talking in bits. I don''t like that.''

    Minnie calmly voiced out, "Your abilities will heighten depending on your temper and desperation to use them. When you get angered, you might lose control over your abilities and actually beat someone up violently¡ª just like what happened at that room earlier."

 Chapter 7 - Her Missions [3]

    ''So, you''re telling me that if I get angry, I will lose control over myself and turn to a crazy monster?''

    Minnie face-palmed at Moon Jiwoo''s interpretation of her explanation. Putting in her best effort, Minnie attempted to hold in her anger.

    ''That makes sense. Even if I am angry over my hair, I wouldn''t be punching such an ugly creature and ruining my hand. I don''t like this part. What if I have to touch more disgusting things due to this?''

    Minnie calmly vocalised, "Unfortunately, this can not removed. This was added to you, so that, you can efficiently fight against those who comes after the Prince. However, if you learn properly, then you might be able to usw this to your benefit. At this moment, anger controlling level is minimum."

    ''You are really useless. You put powers into my body and expect me to learn it! Weird creature inside my head, since I am forced to do this, tell me what I will have to do.''

    "About that part, you''d have to find him to teach you, and to find him, you''d have to go to Seoul," Minnie vocalised.

    ''Wait! What? I am not in Seoul? Yah! Weird creature inside my head, where did you bring me to then? Aish!''

    "Host 002, you''re currently in Busan," Minnie said, "The best possible way for you to go to Seoul is through a train, and for that, you need money. The living expenses of Seoul isn''t cheap even at the most economical place, and for all of that, you need lots of money."

    ''Train? I am not getting into such a weird transport; I am going by a car¡ª the most comfortable and air-conditioned one. Those trains are creepy and disgusting.''

    ''Not enough money to buy a train ticket? How poor is that person? Even though those ugly sister of hers are dressed is fakes, those appear quite expensive. Don''t fool me!''

    "Her sisters have the money, but Daerin doesn''t. All the money Daerin earned previously were forcefully taken by her sister. Now, you have two options¡ª either steal the money from them, which wouldn''t be hard for you with your skills, or work part-time."

    ''Steal money? Me? Heol! Moon Jiwoo doesn''t steal, especially from some cheapskates!''

    "Moon Jiwoo, I know that you have pride. However, this is the only thing you can do unless or until you want to work part-time."

    ''Part-time? What type of it? Modelling? Dancing? Singing? I can make millions merely by standing there; It sounds easy.''

    "It indeed does except that those jobs are not available for you. Daerin currently works part-time at two fried chicken restaurant and grocery store. If you want the money, you can either work there or search for new place to work at. However, if you do the latter one, it would take more time, and who knows what disaster you might create until that point."

    ''Tch! Those jobs! They will turn this body more ugly than it already is. I''ll find something better.''

    "Host 002, are you listening to me? It might take time. Until you learn to control your powers, you wouldn''t be able to protect the prince, and as a result, you''ll remain poor forever."

    ''Host 002, this! Host 002, that! Is this supposed to be my new name? If that is the case, I am telling you that I don''t like it. It sounds too cringy. Call me Jiwoo.''

    "Yes, Jiwoo, you shall be addressed as Jiwoo from now on."

    ''That''s better, and about jobs, considering how talented I am, they will hire me anyway. After all, no matter which body I am in, I am Moon Jiwoo, and no one dares to reject Jiwoo.''

    Minnie sighed and mumbled, "Ahn Eunwoo did."

 Chapter 8 - Her Missions [4]

    ''I am sleepy at this moment. Tell me about the rest tomorrow, weird creature in my mind.'' Propping her face on her hand, Jiwoo found herself being in a deep thought. Everything felt like a dream to her at this point, and she was suspicious that she will be waking up, finding all of this is a dream. So far, what she had clearly understood was humans were divided into three, and three kinds possessed different types of characteristic¡ª all of which weren''t known by Jiwoo. One of that kind was known as the Red Clan, and it was her responsibility to protect the prince of that clan by using her supernatural powers. However, before that, she was needed to train her strength. Even if Jiwoo did not like the entire thing, she was aware that this entire situation was irreversible, and if she wanted to find Chaeyoung and get rich early, she needed to finish all of this missions. Those two thoughts were enough to motivate Jiwoo. After all, Moon Jiwoo was not someone who lost that easily. Jiwoo found it harder to keep her eyes wide open, and she let out a large yawn. Nonetheless, as Jiwoo had mentioned before, she wasn''t going to sleep at that mattress regardless of what happens, and if she laid on it, it will be going against her pride. "Stop being this stubborn, Jiwoo. Just go and sleep on the mattress; I wouldn''t be teasing you. Don''t make yourself suffer due to your pride." ''Did I give you permission to talk!? I am fine with being here, and don''t talk inside my mind unless or until I call you! You don''t know how annoying it is to have such an unattractive voice talk in my mind.'' Holding in her temper, Minnie decided that it would be for the best to not argue with Moon Jiwoo. Knowing how Jiwoo was, it would be never-ending until she was the winner. Although Jiwoo was tempted to go and lay down on the mattress, she knew that she couldn''t give in. After all, she, Moon Jiwoo, wouldn''t go against her word regardless of what happens, and moreover, she doesn''t want that Minnie to win. Soon enough, her arm gave out, and laying it flay on top of the table, Jiwoo laid her head on top of her arm. Closing her eyes, Jiwoo drifted off to her Dreamland. ¡ã¡ã¡ã Feeling a sharp pain go through her back, Jiwoo woke up, and an ache went through her neck as well. This was due to her sleeping position yesterday, and Jiwoo found it difficult to move her neck. Pushing her chair back, Jiwoo stood up and let out a wince. Irritation rose within Jiwoo due to the pain, and holding her back, she attempted to stand up straight. Looking around her, she realized that she was still in that tiny room of hers and let out an annoyed groan at that. It seemed like whatever happened wasn''t a nightmare. ''Yah! You weird creature in my mind, I hope you know that all this is because of you!'' Hearing no reply from the voice in her head, she felt more annoyed, and trying to move her neck around despite of the pain, she tried to get rid of the ache. Her stomach growled at that moment, and looking down at it, Jiwoo patted on it. Feeling hungry, she decided to go out to see if there was something to eat. Unless or until her stomach was fixed, Jiwoo wouldn''t be able to think straight. As Jiwoo was about to walk towards the direction of the door, the door in front of her was slammed open¡ª somewhat surprising Jiwoo¡ª and she took a step back. Standing in front of Jiwoo was the ugly woman she had punched the other day, and looking at her face, she could see the signs of that punch. Minnie was right; her strength really was amplified. "Yah! Shin Daerin, what are you doing by being asleep until this late!? Are you forgetting that you have breakfast to cook!?" The woman shouted whilst her eyes glowered upon Jiwoo Coupled with the current aches on her body, Jiwoo felt a headache building due to the woman''s loud voice, and feeling extremely irritated at this point, she glared at the woman in front of her. "Ugly Lady, have you forgotten what happened yesterday?" Jiwoo asked threateningly as she raised her fist.

 Chapter 9 - Shin Family [1]

    "Control your temper; You can not let the police be involved," Minnie reminded.

    Shin Yoona¡ª Eunha''s and Eunhye''s mother¡ª stared straight at her, and it seemed that she wasn''t pleased by Moon Jiwoo''s behaviour. Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows whilst a frown sat on her face.

    Taking in a deep breath, Jiwoo knew that Minnie was right despite of how much annoyance Minnie''s voice brought to her. As she still was in an unknown city, she did not know how things around here worked.

    "I''ll forgive you this time around for barging in. Go and cook breakfast for me. Bring it within next fifteen minutes or else be ready to learn your lesson," Jiwoo vocalized as crossed her arms over her ?h?st.

    Jiwoo''s tone made the Yoona in front of her clench her hand into a tight fist, and Shin Yoona gritted her teeth loudly.

    "Yah! Shin Daerin! What''s with that tone you''re using?! Cook for you!? Yah! Are you forgetting your place!? I am keeping you here and feeding you!? Shouldn''t you be grateful for that!? Now you expect me to cook for you?! Yah! You Bitch!" Shin Yoona exclaimed.

    Yoona targeted her fist towards Jiwoo with the intention of hitting her hard. However, Jiwoo''s eyes narrowed on Yoona''s fist, and before that fist could come in contact with her, Jiwoo moved towards the left.

    Losing her balance, Yoona tripped and fell on the floor. Her body came in contact with the flat ground, creating a loud noise, whilst Jiwoo let out a laugh.

    "You Ugly Lady, you should lose some weight. You really resemble a ball at this moment," Jiwoo commented before continuing to laugh.

    Jiwoo''s words made Yoona feel more angered, and pressing her palms on the floor, Yoona attempted to sit up straight. A sharp pain went through her back, causing Yoona to let out a groan.

    Jiwoo, on the other hand, had a hard time controlling in her laughter. Seeing Yoona trying to sit reminded her of a penguin, and imagining Yoona to be a penguin made laughter leave her mouth.

    Jiwoo''s tone showed how she truly meant her words, causing a shiver to go down Yoona''s back, and she didn''t show a hint of going back on her words.

    Daerin''s memory was really amazing in Jiwoo''s opinion. She recalled about how that voice in her head mentioned on Shin Yoona and her daughters using Daerin''s money, and decided to use that against Yoona.

    Shin Yoona finally managed to sit up straight. Coupled with the pain from yesterday, Yoona felt as if her back was close to collapsing. Holding on to Daerin''s desk, she somewhat stood up straight and leaned her back against the desk.

    "What do you mean your money? Everyone''s money is being used! So, shut up and go cooking! Eunha and Eunhye will be getting up soon for breakfast, and they have a big day in front of them!" Yoona yelled.

    Maybe Jiwoo had made couple of foolish decisions in her life. However, she wasn''t entirely a fool. Being doubtful towards what weird materials those three would put in her meal, Jiwoo decided to cook her own meal.

    Judging by how those three were, undoubtedly they would add something suspicious in her food and even poison her. Until or unless Jiwoo found that Chaeyoung, she could let herself die.

    "Nevermind; I will be cooking my own food," Jiwoo voiced out dismissively.

    Hearing those words from Jiwoo''s mouth, a small smile formed on Yoona''s face. Finally, the girl was listening. Even if she was starting to get rebellious, shouting at her was the most effective way to get her to do her job.

    "Yah! Why are you staring at me!? Now, leave! Next time, if you dare barge into this room, I will surely be breaking one of those bones of yours," Jiwoo threatened.

    Before Jiwoo could retort, Minnie said, "Although the apartment belongs to Daerin''s father, it''s better to say nothing now. You wouldn''t want to deal with some troublesome old ladies, right?"

    Minnie''s words were right, and as much Jiwoo wanted to show that Yoona her place, she did not d?s?r? to be involved with some old ladies, who could possibly be as ugly as Shin Daerin.

    Watching Yoona walk slowly, Jiwoo felt annoyance brewing within her as she exclaimed, "Yah! You Ugly Lady, stop waddling and walk properly!"

 Chapter 10 - Shin Family [2]

    Although there were b?r?ly any ingredients in the kitchen which Jiwoo preferred, she finally managed to cook up something for her.

    Although it wasn''t the best type of food she ate, due to the hunger, she could bear through the food.

    After eating the food, Jiwoo was resolute to go out and find a job for she did not want to taste the same type of food again. The instant noodles she ate few times was better than this.

    Nevertheless, as Jiwoo ate the food, she was glad that those Daerin''s family members were not present. If they annoyed her, then she surely couldn''t have held in her temper.

    Carrying a small backpack on her shoulders, Jiwoo stepped out of the apartment after unlocking the door with the keys she found hanging on the wall.

    Everything about this life of her frustrated her. The shoes were uncomfortable to the touch, and they even had scratches on them.

    Her clothing and accessories were not even from counterfeit brands, and they all seemed to be picked up from a trash can in Jiwoo''s opinion.

    Her backpack was torn at various parts, which seemed to be sewed poorly, and going out like this, Jiwoo felt merely embarrassed.

    Even after washing her hair for a while, she was unable to get rid of the smell from it, and nothing she tried in the morning could moisten her dry hair even slightly.

    The face appeared to belong to some thirteen year old and held certain amount of innocence to it. Jiwoo did not like how cute she appeared even if she attempted to put on a nonchalant expression.

    With that face, who would even think of her as a twenty year old?

    Even after pouring out her anger towards Minnie¡ª which Minnie remained silent about¡ª Jiwoo felt equally agitated as she did when she woke up. If not that, then she felt more angered.

    Closing the door behind her, Jiwoo locked it before heading down the stairs. Seeing how thin and steep the stairs were, her eyes widened. How was she supposed to walk on them without slipping?

    Judging by how dirty the railings appeared, Jiwoo immediately moved her eyes away from them, and taking in a deep breath, she slowly got down the stairs whilst trying her best to keep balance.

    She most definitely did not want to stain her dress more than it already was. After she had gotten down the last step, Jiwoo found herself being relieved.

    Fortunately enough, she did not trip down those series of stairs.

    "If I had forgotten to mention it yesterday, here it is now; Your stability is better than ordinary people."

    "Aish! You should have told me about it earlier. Then, I would not have to be this scared," Jiwoo mumbled, "You in my head, you''re really useless!"

    Walking over to the gate, Jiwoo extended her hand towards it, and realizing how it had stains over it, she drew her hand back. She did not have the courage to touch that.

    ''Yah! Weird creature in my head, open the door somehow! You can not expect me to touch that!''

    "Sorry, Jiwoo, but I can not do anything about it. You either open it or wait for someone to appear, who would be willing to open the door," Minnie vocalised.

    At that moment, Jiwoo heard footsteps from the other side of the gate, and raising her head, she looked towards the direction of the gate.

 Chapter 11 - Working Part-time

    Seeing the woman in front of her extend her hand to open the gate made relief spread through Moon Jiwoo. The woman seemed to be in fifties, and seeing the slight smile on her face as the woman looked towards her, Jiwoo took her to be someone friendly.

    "Daerin-ah, are you going for your part-time work?" The woman questioned as she held the open.

    Moon Jiwoo did not recognize the woman in front of her. Nonetheless, it seemed that the woman recognized the owner of the body, and as the woman seemed to be only pleasant person she had seen so far after being in this body, she made a note on asking her few questions.

    "Yes," Jiwoo answered, "I will be going then."

    With those words of her, Moon Jiwoo slightly bowed and was about to past the woman. Jiwoo could be polite towards people she thought deserved that according to her.

    As she was about to walk away, the woman said, "Wait, Daerin-ah!"

    This caused for Moon Jiwoo to halt in her steps, and turning back, Jiwoo gave the woman a confused stare. Wearing a smile on her face, the woman walked towards Jiwoo and held within the woman''s hand was a bottle of banana milk.

    "Take this before you go to work; Work can get tiring," The woman stated whilst extending her hand with the bottle of banana milk.

    Banana milk was something Jiwoo liked, and although the brand was not the same, she did not have a problem with it unless or until it tasted good.

    Accepting it from the woman''s hand, Jiwoo bowed and said, "Thank you for it, Ahjumma. How much do I need to pay for it though?"

    The woman in front of her shook her head and voiced out, "You don''t need to pay for it, Daerin-ah! This is a gift! Fighting!"

    Feeling awkward about the situation, Moon Jiwoo forced out a smile upon her face and vocalised, "Yes, fighting!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    She was desperate to get out of here. However, she had no idea on what to do to earn money. There was no entertainment company around here or upcoming audition.

    Moon Jiwoo let out a sigh.

    ''Yah! Find me some jobs. If I stay jobless, how am I going to earn money if I do not have a job?''

    "I told you yesterday that there are jobs¡ª the grocery store and two fried chicken restaurant. You would not find the entertainment jobs easily here in Busan, and if you deal with entertainment job, you do realize that you have sign a contract. Moreover, without being debuted, you would not be able to earn much."

    Those words from Minnie made Jiwoo come into a realization, and she realised that Minnie was right. Since the owner of the body was quite young, she could pursue her acting or idol career after being finished with the missions.

    ''Since I am left with no options, I will give the two a try. However, if they do not work out, you have to find me a new sets of jobs, which are better.''

    "Yes, yes, I will certainly be doing that," Minnie stated, "But try to at least cope up with the situation. This is not the richer part of the society after all."

 Chapter 12 - Working Part-time [2]

    Pink Chicken¡ª that was what the board in front of the Fried Chicken restaurant said, and the name caused for Jiwoo''s eyes to crinkle up.

    "What type of name is that? So tacky!" Jiwoo commented after she had read the name out with her decent English speaking skills.

    "Can you enter in now, Jiwoo-ah? You have been standing out for ten minutes straight now. Doesn''t your leg ache by now?" Minnie stated¡ª a hint of annoyance present within her tone.

    ''The restaurant smells cheap and looks like that as well. Who knows what type of disease carrying bacteria and virus is present there? What if I catch an incurable disease!? Right now, I don''t even have the money to cure myself!''

    "There are many people working at such places, but you don''t see them dying on news," Minnie vocalised.

    ''To correct you on that, weird creature inside my head, there are many people dying from incurable diseases, and most of them occur in such places with lack of sanity. Of course, those people are not aware of where they catch the diseases from.''

    "Wow! Surprisingly, you can be smart at times. Nevermind, since I can''t argue against that, there is only one thing I can say; Moon Jiwoo, you would not be dying for your immunity is stronger than before. What might be incurable for them would not be considered the same for you for the most part."

    Those words of Minnie caused Jiwoo''s eyes to brighten up for this was one of those things she liked about being in this body. Being hospitalized was not something that suit Jiwoo after all.

    ''Really? Is that true? If you are lying to me, Weird Creature in my head, I will make sure to get my revenge from you.''

    "I am not lying to you, and can you please call me Minnie? Weird Creature inside my head isn''t a name that I fancy," Minnie vocalised.

    ''Does it look like I care about that? I get to call you whatever I want.''

    Minnie let out a loud sigh and voiced out, "Nevermind, why did I bother about that in the first place? Now, enter in. Customers are standing behind you, waiting for you to enter in, and this won''t make them leave a good review on you."

    ''You don''t have to say that to me. I already know about it.''

    Holding her head high, Jiwoo extended her hand towards the knob of the door, and despite her reluctance to touch the stained knob, she managed to do it.

    As she opened the door, she was instantly greeted with the smell of oil and fried chicken. Not finding the smell at all appetizing, she instantly scrunched up her nose.

    "Lady, can you enter in? We have to go in and eat as well. We are actually busy," a masculine voice said with annoyance present in his tone.

    Turning back, Jiwoo was faced with a man who looked to be in his mid twenties, and slightly irritated by the tone he used, Jiwoo frowned.

    "Geez! I am entering in! Can''t you be slightly more patient?"

    With those words, Jiwoo turned her head forward and strutted into the restaurant before her. There was a faint smell of alcoholic beverages along with fried chicken.

    There were people of all ages inside the restaurant¡ª students, office employees, and old people. The place was quite crowded, and Jiwoo wondered on how this many people liked such low quality fried chicken.

    Seeing the crowd inside caused a headache to instantly to form within Jiwoo, and this implied that they was only more work for her.

    "Jiwoo, getting a job is really, really, really difficult¡ª at least with Daerin''s status and qualification. So, for the sake of her, please try to maintain it. I beg of you," Minnie pleadingly vocalised.

    ''Geez! I know! I know! I am not that foolish. Can you stop being such a worrywart?''

    "Why do I feel like I am raising my own kid?"

    "Shin Daerin, wow! Look who finally decided to show up! I am surprised that you even knew you worked at here!"

 Chapter 13 - Working Part-time [3]

    Turning her head towards the direction of the voice, Jiwoo saw a young girl standing before her. The girl before her had attractive features without make-up to enchance it, but the frown on her face left an unsettling enemy.

    As Jiwoo ran her hand through her hair, she stared at the girl before her and read the nametag¡ª Lee Chaerin. Growing up, she dealt with many trying to go against her and those who hated her.

    Jiwoo recognized the girl to be someone who hated the original owner of the body, and now that she has occupied this body, she had to take care of unpleasant enemies.

    ''Aish! At least you could have landed me into a peaceful workplace.''

    "Yah! Why are you staring at me in such a way!? Just because you were given a raise last time around doesn''t mean that you can treat this as you own place and come whenever you want.

    You are getting paid yet you do not show the slightest amount of professionalism. With your actions today, boss will definitely take away you bonus and deduct your payment," Chaerin scolded while her eyes glared at Jiwoo.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes clearly noticed the smug smile upon her face, and then, they fell on how everyone was staring at her. The displeasure on their faces could be easily seen.

    The girl in front of her was weak when it came to attacks, and she was not considered a threat to Jiwoo. Although Jiwoo were foolish, getting her provoked at her work place¡ª more when work place was rare found¡ª was not simple as one took it to be.

    "Geez! You Noisy Woman, no wonder you are jealous of me. At least I don''t shout and cause the customers to run away. With how you act, I am shocked that the Boss did not fire you," Jiwoo voiced out.

    There was a certain tone of haughtiness in her voice, and she carried herself with grace while she walked towards the direction of the kitchen.

    All of the customer''s eyes were back on their table, and Chaerin clenched her hand into a tight fist. She could not believe that she was humiliated in front of the entire crowd by that loser!

    Dealing with workplace bullies were not her concern, and Jiwoo had to concentrate on earning money now.

    As much as she attempted to practice self-control, she never managed to master the art of it. Whenever someone irritated her, Jiwoo, most of the times, found herself charging and pouring out her anger towards them; she found herself being really tempted to show them their place.

    Seeing how the consequences after how all of those actions would turn out to be, Jiwoo indeed regretted it although she would never admit it.

    In her opinion, whatever happened has happened, and she was not going to lower herself in order to correct them.

    One thing Jiwoo was proud of that, despite of the pain and humiliation she went through, she never bowed her head, begged anyone, and continued to love herself. Even her enemies did not have the p???sur? to see her break down.

 Chapter 14 - Working Part-time [4]

    As she entered into the kitchen, Jiwoo was greeted with a sight of a middle-aged man frying the chicken. Sweat dripped off of his face, and using his apron, he wiped that off of his face.

    The smell of oil and fried chicken felt nauseating to Jiwoo, but she managed to hold it in for the sake of the money.

    ''Just a week, Jiwoo; just a week. After that, you will be away from this place.''

    Noticing Jiwoo''s presence at here, the middle-aged man turned his head to look at Jiwoo and smiled at her.

    He then voiced out, "Oh! Daerin Dear, you are here. Get changed into your uniform quickly. It is a busy day, and you might earn a lot of tips today if you hurry up!"

    Moon Jiwoo guessed the man to be the boss, and seeing how he was treating her with an amiable person, Jiwoo''s determination to work there increased.

    As long as someone was nice to her, most of the times, Jiwoo did not have a problem with them and treated them quite well. However, once they got into her bad side, having them come over to her good side was close to impossible.

    Moon Jiwoo was stubborn and someone who held grudges.

    "Hmm, Boss," Jiwoo vocalised.

    Seeing that the girl before him was not smiling and seemed slightly annoyed, the boss was worried. After all, her family life was not peaceful, and at times, he felt pity for the young girl, who was stuck working at this restaurant instead of pursuing her dreams.

    Turning her head, Jiwoo turned to look at the direction of the door and took that to be fhe changing room. After a polite bow to the Boss, Jiwoo walked towards the room.

    "Wow! Moon Jiwoo, you can be civil if you tried. I was almost afraid that you were going to start yelling at the Boss of how stinky the entire place was," Minnie said.

    ''It is stinky, but these poor people can''t do anything about it. They have to stick with eating the stinky food. Quite pitiful I must say, and seeing them, I feel like being lenient.''

    "I know that you will later on make me regret the fact that I think you can be smart. Anyway, pretend this is a movie you''re acting in Jiwoo. Show how good at acting you are."

    Those words of Minnie caused Jiwoo''s cheeks to redden, and she mentally said, ''Shut up and don''t disturb me! I know what to do, so quit treating me like a kid!''

    "But you are a kid I am raising up though."

    "Jiwoo, what is the matter? Why did you suddenly stop walking?" The boss questioned.

    Turning her head, Jiwoo shook her head and voiced out, "No, Boss. It is nothing. Do you think it is possible for me to receive my payment in advance or work overtime? I urgently need money at this moment."

    Although Jiwoo''s voice held certain amount of pride and arrogance to it, for Daerin''s face looked naturally innocent and coupled with the pitiful image the boss had of her inside his mind, he did not notice that.

    "Sure, Daerin, I can give you your payment in advance, and if you would like, you can work overtime. Is everything alright with your family though? Just let me know if you need any kind of help," the boss stated.

    Moon Jiwoo nodded her head and said, "Thank you, Boss. I owe you one."

    "Wow! Moon Jiwoo, could you be two-faced by chance? You really know how to be docile! I thought this was not possible by you!"

    As she opened the door and entered into the room, the door behind her closed, and nonchalance covered Jiwoo''s face entirely.

    ''What docile? I was merely acting out a scene in the drama I once saw. Didn''t you say this was a show? I am really good at acting, and I will prove that to you, Weird Creature inside my Head.''

    "You are really gullible, Jiwoo. I can''t believe that it actually worked, but I guess this is a good news¡ª as long as you are in the right path."

 Chapter 15 - Workplace drama [1]

    The uniform fitted her poorly. However, there was nothing Jiwoo could do against it. As she walked out of the staff room, the boss immediately came to her, and within his hand was two tray fried chicken.

    "Hurry up, Daerin. Take this to the third and fourth table," her boss said, "Then, collect the payment from the eighth table."

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to respond properly to the situation, two trays were placed inside her hand, and understanding how busy the day was, Jiwoo decide to comply along.

    Such works were not done by Jiwoo before. Nonetheless, she was aware of how shameful it would be for her if she tripped, and Jiwoo determined to prove that.

    Trying her hard to maintain balance, Jiwoo walked towards the mentioned tables. Fortunately enough there was a number card placed in front of the tables, enabling Jiwoo to identify the respective tables.

    One of the trays was successfully placed on top of the table, and when she was about to go to the other table, something caught Jiwoo''s eyes.

    Her senses had sharpened by a huge degree; Jiwoo could definitely confirm that. If it was in her previous body, she would not have been able to notice the leg that was stuck out towards her.

    As her face clearly showed mock, Jiwoo did not show any type of hesitancy as she moved forward, and raising her leg subtly, she kicked at Chaerin''s ankle with her utmost strength.

    Being aware that this will cause the girl to lose her balance, Jiwoo instantly moved away from there, and putting on a nonchalant expression, she placed the tray in front the customer.

    As she was in the process of doing so, Chaerin lost her stability, causing her to fall down. The tray in her hand touched the ground as well, and the drink inside the glass¡ª which was on top of the tray¡ª splashed in different direction.

    Contents on the tray was splattered in different directions, and everyone''s eyes were on Chaerin at that moment. Annoyance became visible on Jiwoo''s face as some of that drink touched her cloth.

    Moon Jiwoo made no move to help Chaerin and stared at her with mock in her eyes. Chaerin found herself being embarrassed by entire situation.

    Raising her head, she looked at one who was responsible for this. Chaerin wanted to humiliate Jiwoo by holding out her leg for her, being well aware on how she would be falling.

    This trick of hers was something she used on Daerin multiple number of times and never got old; Daerin fell for it all the time.

    But today, it was her who had to go through the mortification. Reading the expression on Jiwoo''s face, Daerin understood on how this was a deliberate action.

    Anger instantly showed in her eyes. She could not believe that she was embarrassed twice by the weakling before her. Pressing her palm on the ground, Chaerin stood up straight and pointed her finger at Jiwoo.

    "Shin Daerin, what the hell? Why did you push me!?" Chaerin exclaimed.

 Chapter 16 - Workplace drama [2]

    The uniform fitted her poorly. However, there was nothing Jiwoo could do against it. As she walked out of the staff room, the boss immediately came to her, and within his hand was two tray fried chicken.

    "Hurry up, Daerin. Take this to the third and fourth table," her boss said, "Then, collect the payment from the eighth table."

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to respond properly to the situation, two trays were placed inside her hand, and understanding how busy the day was, Jiwoo decide to comply along.

    Such works were not done by Jiwoo before. Nonetheless, she was aware of how shameful it would be for her if she tripped, and Jiwoo determined to prove that.

    Trying her hard to maintain balance, Jiwoo walked towards the mentioned tables. Fortunately enough there was a number card placed in front of the tables, enabling Jiwoo to identify the respective tables.

    One of the trays was successfully placed on top of the table, and when she was about to go to the other table, something caught Jiwoo''s eyes.

    Her senses had sharpened by a huge degree; Jiwoo could definitely confirm that. If it was in her previous body, she would not have been able to notice the leg that was stuck out towards her.

    As her face clearly showed mock, Jiwoo did not show any type of hesitancy as she moved forward, and raising her leg subtly, she kicked at Chaerin''s ankle with her utmost strength.

    Being aware that this will cause the girl to lose her balance, Jiwoo instantly moved away from there, and putting on a nonchalant expression, she placed the tray in front the customer.

    As she was in the process of doing so, Chaerin lost her stability, causing her to fall down. The tray in her hand touched the ground as well, and the drink inside the glass¡ª which was on top of the tray¡ª splashed in different direction.

    Contents on the tray was splattered in different directions, and everyone''s eyes were on Chaerin at that moment. Annoyance became visible on Jiwoo''s face as some of that drink touched her cloth.

    Moon Jiwoo made no move to help Chaerin and stared at her with mock in her eyes. Chaerin found herself being embarrassed by entire situation.

    Raising her head, she looked at one who was responsible for this. Chaerin wanted to humiliate Jiwoo by holding out her leg for her, being well aware on how she would be falling.

    This trick of hers was something she used on Daerin multiple number of times and never got old; Daerin fell for it all the time.

    But today, it was her who had to go through the mortification. Reading the expression on Jiwoo''s face, Daerin understood on how this was a deliberate action.

    "Shin Daerin, what the hell? Why did you push me!?" Chaerin exclaimed.

 Chapter 17 - Workplace drama [3]

    "Ouch!" Lee Chaerin exclaimed, "Just because I mentioned about your mistake just now, you want to resort to violence, Shin Daerin? Wow! You are really too much!"

    "No, I did it because your hand was dirty," Jiwoo vocalised while trying her best to maintain on a nonchalant expression.

    The urge to punch Chaerin''s nose intensified within her, but she had to resist that for she did not want her fist to be covered with Chaerin''s blood. That sounded absolutely gross to her!

    "Dirty!? My hands!?" Chaerin scoffed.

    "Yah! What type of arrogance are you showing now? Do you think that you belong to some rich family? Let me remind you, Daerin, you have no qualifications. That''s why you are working here," Chaerin continued.

    "Your hands are greasy, and that counts as it being dirty. Now, I don''t want to see more of your stupidity, and if you actually want to earn some tips, shut your mouth. You can not expect them to give you tips when you are annoying them," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "Stupidity? Why does that sound so funny coming from you, Jiwoo? Nevermind, ignore me. I would not want to be reason behind the increase of that temper of yours. I guess, you are not that stupid after all. You are doing a good job!" Minnie vocalised.

    As much as Jiwoo did not want to let Minnie''s words affect her, she could find herself being happy after hearing those compliments from her; it lifted her mood up, and she was proud of herself.

    With that, maintaining a composed demeanour, Jiwoo was about to walk towards the kitchen to hand over the payment when Chaerin moved closer to her.

    Noticing how the customers were staring at her with discontent, Chaerin felt enraged and shot a glare in Jiwoo''s direction. It was because of the weakling before her that she was this humiliated. It would not look good for her if she did not reach Moon Jiwoo a proper lesson.

    Extending her hand towards her, Chaerin was about to pull away the money from Jiwoo. Her other intention was to take away the tip Jiwoo had received.

    Both of the women seemed to be from a family that was well off, and seeing the stack of money in Jiwoo''s hand, she was aware that their bill was not that much.

    However, Jiwoo was quick, and before the greedy woman was able to take the money away from her, she raised the stack of money up.

    "I will be make sure to bring the police here and report you for stealing if you try to grab the money from me. Boss will be handling this, and you better pay attention to your own work. Lee Chaerin, no wonder you are not able to get any sort of increase in your pay; you are really incompetent," Jiwoo stated before looking at the customers and bowing at them.

    "I apologise for the disturbance. Apparently, some of the staffs here are not properly taught, but we will be sure to take care of that, so you will not be disappointed in the future," she added before she continued to walk towards the direction to the door.

    Then, holding the handle to the door to the kitchen, she turned to look at Chaerin and vocalized, "What are you doing standing there? Don''t you have that place to clean up? If you continue to be this slow, I don''t see any hopes for your salary being raised."

 Chapter 18 - Scouted by the Prince [1]

    Moon Jiwoo had finally finished her work by five, and she had around half an hour of break before going off to her next place for work.

    After working overtime, Jiwoo found herself being tired, and she was reluctant to go over there. However, with Minnie constantly repeating encouraging words to her, Jiwoo was able to maintain on until this point.

    Staring down at her stomach, Jiwoo found herself being hungry. However, in that very moment, she had no money, and therefore, there was not anything she could afford to quell her anger.

    Thinking about that, her anger towards those family members of hers back in her home rose, and she clenched her into a tight fist.

    Before she left the place, the boss offered her to have some fried chicken, and the smell of it was enough to make her feel nauseous, causing her to refuse his offer.

    Jiwoo found the boss to be quite amiable. He treated her well, and she had no problem in acting polite in front of him. Because of her, he scolded Lee Chaerin, and after that, there were no problems created for her by Chaerin, except for the constant glares.

    Nevertheless, with Chaerin being present there, Jiwoo was well aware on how her days in Pink Princess would not turn out to be well.

    With hunger gnawing within her stomach, Chaerin walked through the busy streets and avoided bumping into other people.

    She could go back to her house for food, but seeing those three would cause her to lose her temper. That was not something she needed before her next work.

    That''s when, a man stopped her.

    "Wait up, Miss," he said.

    Hearing his voice, Jiwoo turned back and stared at him questioningly. As he moved closer to her, she took in his features.

    Although he was not dressed in branded clothes, his looks seemed to be something that would cause him to stick out of the crowd.

    His appearance was mesmerizing, and his voice sounded very much sweet to Jiwoo. Taking in his gentle expression as he walked towards Jiwoo, she raised one of her eyebrows at him.

    Standing in front of her properly, he voiced out, "Miss, you are really beautiful. I am an agent from RT Entertainment, and I would want for you to join our company. We will be debuting a girl group soon, and you seem to be the perfect match for it."

    ''Am I getting scouted? Wow! This is awesome! It is definitely a yes!''

    "Hold on to your excitement for a second. Moon Jiwoo, the man in front of is the Prince, and he will be one you will be protecting. Wow! This was really soon! Even I am baffled!"

    ''Wait! What are you saying? This dude in front of me is the Prince? He doesn''t even look like one.''

    Although the man before her was attractive, his dressing style was a complete minus for her, making her unable to believe Minnie''s words.

    ''Could it be that you all have interests for having such a shabby looking guy for your Prince? Is it a custom for your Prince to dress shabbily?''

 Chapter 19 - Scouted by the Prince [2]

    ''"That is because he doesn''t know about his identity and is an ordinary person. Now, accept this," Minnie vocalised.

    ''Are you foolish and forgetting how old I am? I am definitely too old to be an idol trainee. Although this body seems young, once he gets to know of my real age, it''s an immediate no.''

    "Well, that''s not a big deal. This is temporary, and as you belong to the Red Clan now, you will age slowly. I can forge a temporary identity for you.''

    "Really? It''s that simple!? Wow! Then, give my name as Moon Jiwoo. Shin Daerin sounds like Cinderella, and I don''t want to be like that pushover."

    "Moon Jiwoo, hmm. That is possible. As long as you are obedient to me, I can put your age as sixteen years old and name you Moon Jiwoo," Minnie said.

    After hearing those words from Minnie, she stared at the man before her and flashed him a small businesslike smile.

    She then excitedly said, "Omo! This is great. I always wanted to be an idol, and getting scouted was a dream of mine. Thank you."

    "Lower down your excitement; it sounds too creepy."

    ''Look who''s talking, Weird Creature inside my Head. Peeking through my thoughts is way creepier.''

    "Look at your retorts. Are you foolish or pretending to be one?"

    ''Yah! Whom are you calling foolish? I was never foolish in the first place; it''s the foolish you and stupid media that continued to call me that!''

    Extending his hand to touch the back of his head, he patted it softly and stated, "Oh! Is that so? That''s awesome! Although we are not that well-known of a company, hopefully, we will be able to rise."

    Reaching into his pocket, he took out a card from it, and moving his hand forward towards her, he held that out at her.

    Receiving the card from him, her eyes scanned through the contents of the card, and she mentally read out his name: Oh Sookyung. It seemed that he was an artist manager as well.

    The entertainment agency''s name did not seem familiar to her, and as someone who was involved with the industry for a considerable amount of time, she wondered how unpopular this entertainment company was.

    "Were there any idols under this company before?" Jiwoo asked.

    "About that, there were two boy groups¡ª MT5 and Thunder¡ª but none of them were that popular. So, it is understandable if you don''t know of them," he said.

    None of those names sounded familiar to her, and although getting into such a poor agency was not in her plans, she nodded for currently that wasn''t her goal.

    "Alright, thank you. I will be considering this," Jiwoo answered.

    "Give me a call within a week; I will be going back to Seoul on Thursday. You can come along with me then if you have decided on it," he voiced out.

    Jiwoo was not that foolish, and she was somewhat skeptical on whether or not this was a scam. Nonetheless, considering how he was the prince, she decided to follow along with him. Moreover, his card looked genuine.

    "Sure, I have to hurry up now. Bye," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "Hmm, bye. Sorry for the disturbance," he said before she turned her back on her.

    ''He is too dull and has no fun personality. Too think that this kind of person is the Prince makes everything boring.''

    "Don''t be judgemental. What if his character was worse? How would you have dealt with that? Boring is better than troublesome."

    ''I know that.''

    Watching the woman''s figure that walked away from him, Oh Sookyung took out his ringing phone, and receiving the call, he placed the phone beside his ear.

    Running his hand through his hair, his once neat hair turned ruffled now, and looking in the other direction, he began to walk.

    Opening the first bu??on of his shirt, he¡ª as annoyance was present in his tone¡ª said, "What is the matter? I already did my job, so don''t irritate me further! I have other work to attend to now."

 Chapter 20 - Dealing with the step-family [1]

    Inserting the key into the hole, she turned it and opened the door to the house. The boss at her second job was not as pleasant as the one in her first job, but he was bearable.

    Although he had a scowl on his face for most of the time, Jiwoo was able to work throughout the night for he did not make any attempt to talk to her.

    After a long period of time, she had worked his hard, and as she stretched her muscles, she stepped into the room before her.

    One advantage of being this kind was that tiredness did not come over her easily, and she still found herself being somewhat energetic.

    Her senses tingled at that moment, and she had an inkling that trouble awaited for her inside the apartment.

    Turning her back, Jiwoo closed the door and was about to lock it with the key when she felt something coming in her way¡ª thanks to her sharp senses.

    Instantly, she reached and jumped away from that position. A glass crashed against the wall, breaking into multiple number of pieces.

    One of the glass pierced scratched against her cheek, creating a small cut, and blood oozed out of it. Although a sharp pain went through her cheek, the wound healed within a second.

    Extending her hand towards her cheek, Jiwoo wiped away the remnants of the blood, and turning her back on the door, she harshly glared at the one who directed that glass towards her.

    "What''s wrong with you all!?" she exclaimed with anger noticeable in her tone.

    In front of her stood Shin Eunha and Eunhye along with their mother. Eunha and Eunhye had their hands folded over their ?h?st while their mother had her hand clenched into a tight fist. A glower was let out by them towards her.

    Jiwoo then took a step forward, and before anyone of them could say anything, a dangerous glint appeared in her eyes¡ª capable of causing chill to go down their back.

    "This time, I will be sparing you, but next time around, don''t think things will be going that smoothly for you," she threatened, appearing to look completely vicious.

    Not having any mood to deal with any one of their games, she walked towards her room. However, before she could open the door and enter into the room, a shout caused her to halt in her actions.

    "Stop! Where do you think you are going, You Bitch!?" the middle-aged woman yelled.

    Titling her head back, Jiwoo showed a grim countenance to them and voiced out, "Was yesterday''s punch not enough? Do you want to go against me once more?"

    Thinking that yesterday was merely a lucky day for Jiwoo, the middle-aged woman had no fear on her face and said, "Since you don''t know what mistake you have done, I think you need to be punished until you know about them."

    "Can you lower down the shrill in your voice, Ugly Lady? It really hurts my ear," Jiwoo vocalised, "About punishment, do you really think you have what it takes to punish me? Aren''t you dreaming way too much, Ahjumma?"

 Chapter 21 - Dealing with the step-family [2]

    "Yah! Shin Daerin, leave my house in this instant!" the middle-aged woman exclaimed, "Or else I will be calling the police to get you out of here. You have been way too much. We don''t require someone as ungrateful as you at here."

    A smug expression sat on three of their faces, and shrugging her shoulders, Jiwoo answered, "Fine, I will be leaving."

    Her reply shocked everyone. There was no sign of distress or anxiety over her face while she walked towards her bedroom.

    Before they could stop her, she mumbled to herself, so that it was loud enough for them to hear: "Oh! Man! I got rise at work today by 150,000 won and wanted to hand it over to Eunha and Eunhye. Too bad, they don''t want it."

    Their greed instantly showed upon their faces the moment they heard those words, and before Jiwoo could open the door to her room, someone placed her palm on top of Jiwoo''s shoulder.

    Feeling that, Jiwoo''s lips curved to form a small smirk, and she turned back. The arrogance on her face was clearly visible to Eunha, who had her palm on Jiwoo''s shoulder.

    "I-If you pay us some amount of money, we are willing to look past on how you did not wash our clothes, cook the breakfast, cleaned the house, and took the key away, and allow you to stay here," Eunha spoke out.

    "Money, hmm," Jiwoo stated, "How much do you need?"

    Eunhye coughed and said, "Nothing much. Just around 300,000 won. There is this bag I have been dying to get, and if you give us that amount of money, we will allow you to stay here."

    "I don''t want to stay here," Jiwoo replied, "I found a place I want to stay at. That''s why, I do not want to stay at somewhere as cheap as this. This place doesn''t deserve someone like me, so remove your cheap hand off of me. You stink."

    "Moon Jiwoo, you fool! What are you trying to do? Where do you think you will be staying if you leave this place? Just after about the 300,000 thing. Just say her that you will be paying her when you get your salary. After all, in few days, you will be leaving," Minnie vocalised in hopes of convincing Jiwoo.

    Paying no heed to those words of Minnie, Jiwoo said, "Although I have b?r?ly any clothing items, I have to start packing now."

    Hearing those words from Jiwoo made them three go into a state of panic. Those words were said by them due to how humiliated they have felt, and Jiwoo was akin to a money tree to them. They will be losing a maid and luxury if they let go of her.

    They expected for her to beg and cry when she heard about being kicked out. However, seeing how Jiwoo was adamant on leaving, they were nervous now. They had to stop her from leaving or else they are done for.

 Chapter 22 - Dealing with the step-family [3]

    Before she could put her feet into the room, she felt someone grip her hand and pull her back. Jiwoo did not resist against that force.

    Turning back while wearing a bored expression, she raised her eyebrows at Eunha as if questioning her purpose behind doing so.

    "Daerin, we were just joking. How can we allow you to leave? Mom was just angry on how you took the key with you, and we were unable to leave for work due to that. That was frustrating, and that''s why, we took out the anger on you.

    We are your family, so how can we ask of you to leave in the first place. You understand, right?" Eunhye vocalised with a sweet voice as she stepped forward.

    It seemed that Shin Daerin was getting smarter than before and growing guts. Previous methods won''t work on her, and as long as they got the money, they do not mind being sweet to her.

    Jiwoo asked, "You mean to tell me that there is only one key at this house. How poor are you? Damn! Is this how miserably poor people live? Is this why all of you''re this shrew?"

    Seeing the sparkle in Jiwoo''s eyes as if she had discovered something new and exciting made Eunha and Eunhye feel insulted. Clenching their hand into a tight fist, they kept on a calm face. They will be dealing with her later on.

    "We will make more pair of keys later today then, but the thing is that it takes money," Eunha vocalised, staring at the ground. A sigh left her mouth.

    "Of course it takes money. What''s new about that?" Jiwoo voiced out, "Although those purses of yours are fake, you can sell them for enough price to make a key. Send me one of the keys when it is done. I will not be leaving for the time being since all of you have begged me."

    With her eyes displaying arrogance, she turned her back on to them and stepped into the room, making sure to close the door with a loud sound. She hoped to break the door before the day she left.

    "I really underestimated you, Moon Jiwoo. You are capable of handling some people," Minnie commented.

    ''Geez! I always dealt with such idiots. What''s so great about it? I desperately need to sleep now. Don''t annoy me.''

    "Yes, yes, sleep tight. I will allow you to do that since I guess you have worked hard and smartly today. Hopefully, everything will go smoothly in the future."

    ''No, things would not be smooth in the future. That''s because I am the main character of the story, and things don''t go smoothly for the main character. After all, they are under the spotlight.''

    "Tone down that arrogance of yours. You will make enemies if you keep up with that," Minnie voiced out.

    ''I didn''t make anyone hate me today, so you are clearly wrong. Since that bitch Chaeyoung isn''t here currently, things will turn out to be way better for me. I know it.''

 Chapter 23 - Meeting with him [1]

    More or less her days have been going on peacefully during her stay with her step-family. Jiwoo perfectly showed them where they belonged to everytime she tried to cross the line.

    Fortunately enough, they were not all that stubborn, and she managed to subdue them with her level of smartness.

    Walking over to the caf¨¦, Jiwoo was greeted with the smell of coffee and cakes, and hunger gnawed within her. After the work earlier, she found herself being hungry.

    Nevertheless, she understood the value of money greatly in these few days and did not dare to spend even a won unwisely; most of this knowledge came due to Minnie''s contribution.

    From the corner of her eyes, she spotted Oh Sookyung sitting at one corner of the caf¨¦ while his eyes stared outside of the window.

    Those eyes of his held a hint of innocence, making Jiwoo more or less irritated. How can an ?du?t''s eyes hold such brightness? She found herself claiming that to be a pretense.

    Deciding to not ridicule the man in front of her further, she placed on a calm expression upon her face as she made her way to him.

    As she stood in front of him, he finally grew aware of her presence, and turning his head, he looked towards her. A wide smile spread on to his face, and his eyes held a glimmer to them. Such a bright expression after a tiring day was not something Jiwoo preferred.

    "Can you stop smil¡ª I mean, Mr. Oh, I am here," she voiced out, instantly pulling out a smile on her face. In comparison to him, her smile appeared to much dull and forced.

    Mentally, Jiwoo scolded herself for making a mistake. This was going to determine her entire career; she needed to control her tongue in order to get it to flow smoothly.

    Pulling out the chair in front of her, Jiwoo sat down, and the smile on her face disappeared in that instant. Nonchalance with slight arrogance could be seen on her face.

    "Would you like to order anything? Don''t worry! This is completely on me," he vocalised.

    At first, Jiwoo wanted to order something for it was free, but then, seeing Oh Sookyung''s garments, she took him to have b?r?ly any money himself as well. Having such a person treat her would not be reflecting well on her.

    "Well, no, I just ate food," she stated.

    "Ah! Is that so? Alright then," he said, picking up his cup of coffee and taking a sip out of it.

    The scent of his coffee annoyed her further, and Jiwoo prayed within her mind to not have her stomach growl at this crucial moment. Everything would be too embarrassing for her if that happened.

    The smell of the coffee was increasing the irritating feeling within her, and she decided to get over with everything here fast, so that she will be able to get away from the smell of all these food.

    Placing down the cup of coffee on top of the table, he looked towards Jiwoo and stated, "So, Miss Shin Daerin, I ?ssume that you have decided to accept my offer."

 Chapter 24 - Meeting with him [2]

    Moon Jiwoo nodded her head and answered, "Yes, from a young age, I have been dreaming of becoming an idol. Dancing and singing is something I very much like, and being given this opportunity means a lot to me."

    Moon Jiwoo was not used to talking in such a tone on a regular basis, causing for her voice to seem stiff.

    Looking at Sookyung''s expression, it was either that he has not noticed anything or else he was pretending to be clueless about it.

    Regardless of what it was, she was grateful that he had not made any comments on it or else the atmosphere between the two would turn out more awkward than it already was.

    Moon Jiwoo was not the social bu??erfly, and the only way she communicated with other people mostly was by ordering them around. This was quite explanatory for why she never had any kind of friends.

    "You seem very much enthusiastic over it, Miss Daerin," he voiced out, "That is a good quality. The path to being an idol is difficult. Therefore, you are required to have enough determination to overcome it. Only when you will be able to completely push through it, you will be at the top."

    "I understand your words, Mr. Oh Sookyung. Don''t worry; I would not be giving up. For my dreams, I am willing to do anything," Jiwoo replied.

    Clapping both of his palms together, he vocalised, "That is a good thing, Miss Shin Daerin. However, since you will be moving to Seoul, you will be requiring a huge amount of cash¡ª living expenses and food expense.

    Everything in Seoul is very much expensive, and currently, our agency is unable to provide that needs. It is not that the agency is unwilling to; it is merely that they are too broke to do so. So, I hope that you understand."

    Pointing at herself, Jiwoo spoke out, "So, you want me to pay for my expenses?"

    Moon Jiwoo was not unfamiliar to the entertainment industry, and she was aware of how the smaller agencies were unable to pay for their trainee''s and artist''s costs from their own pocket.

    Even though she had not dealt with such a situation in her last life¡ª since her agency was one of the biggest¡ª she understood about it and nodded at him.

    The living expenses in Seoul was something Jiwoo was very much familiar with, and if she had to provide for herself, she had no idea on how much part-time jobs she should do.

    "Sure, that''s alright," she stated, "So, we will be going to Seoul on Thursday?"

    She raised one of her eyebrows.

    Oh Sookyung nodded his head and said, "The faster we go, it''s better for us. Over there in Seoul, the company is already preparing for the debut, and it is going to be quite pressurizing for you as well since you have to debut as well within a short period of time."

 Chapter 25 - To the train station

    Wearing her backpack, Jiwoo walked over to the direction of the door. Today was finally the day she will be moving over to Seoul, and a bigger part of her was curious to see whether or not everything was the same as last time she had seen them.

    Before she could open the door, an annoying voice caused her to halt her actions, and a sigh left her mouth. Even when she was leaving, they would not allow her to have peace.

    "Shin Daerin, where do you think you are going? This few days we have quietly dealt with your rebellious and disrespectful behaviour, but if you think that we will allow you to leave this apartment, then you are wrong. Even if I have to tie you up, I will not allow you to leave this place. You¡ª"

    Turning her back on the door, she looked at the middle-aged woman before her and cracked her knuckles. The glare she shot instantly caused the middle-aged woman to shut up.

    "Ugly Ahjumma, when did I ask for your opinion? I want to leave this apartment, so I will be doing so. If you want to keep me at here, then I have no problem in calling the police."

    Shin Eunha coughed at that moment, and stepping forward, she voiced out, "Well, I can call the police as well. You have gone violent on us three during this period of time. But if you give us some money, we might stay quiet about it. Since you want live on your own, you definitely have lots of money."

    "Oh! Money? Is that what you want? I suppose, I can give you some. Although I don''t have enough money to fix that nose, jaw, and eyes of yours, I guess you still save them up to get it done later on," Jiwoo stated.

    Opening up her bag, she reached her hand into it and took out a banknote. Happiness instantly showed on three of their faces at the thought of getting more money from Jiwoo.

    Seeing the blissful expression on their faces, Jiwoo''s smirk became more evident, and after closing the zipper to her bag, she held out the banknote in front of them.

    "Do you want this?" she vocalised, "Then, I guess I can let you have it."

    With that, Jiwoo dropped down that banknote on top of the ground and placed her leg on it, making sure that her shoe will be leaving a mark on top of it.

    "Come and get it. Isn''t this the money you were begging from me for? I have more money to give you. Just obediently get on your knees, and accept this. Then, I will be giving you more money. Isn''t that what you wanted in the first place?" Jiwoo stated¡ª mock noticeable in her voice.

    Seeing the tone Moon Jiwoo was using with them arose anger within them, and it was not hard for them to notice how she was treating them like some beggers.

    "Shin Daerin, we are just asking you for some money since we are at a dire need of it. You don''t need to behave so rudely¡ª"

    "Blah! Blah! Blah! I don''t care. Do you think your dire reason matters to me?" Jiwoo asked.

    Without waiting for a reply from them, she opened the door and stepped out of it, ignoring their shouts towards her.

 Chapter 26 - To the train station [2]

    ''I was really good, right? I want to go back and deal with them again. Ah! That expression on their faces in completely satisfactory. Those losers, do they actually believe that they have chance to win against me?''

    "You have wasted money there when you b?r?ly have any. You are the foolish one at here," Minnie reprimanded.

    ''Geez! It was just a thousand won. Barely anything can be brought with that, and this amount doesn''t matter as long as it is fun. Now, don''t irritate me!''

    With a cheerful mood, Jiwoo skipped down the stairs, and a wide smile spread on her face. Starting to learn dancing and singing made her feel energetic.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    In order to save money, Jiwoo had to walk all the way to the train station, and at this point, she was overcome by exhaustion. Her legs were close to giving up, and she did not forget to let out some curses at Minnie for in Jiwoo''s opinion, all this was Minnie''s fault.

    Clutching tightly on to the straps of her bag, she entered into the building, and looking around, she tried to search for Oh Sookyung.

    Jiwoo was not aware of how things worked in the train station, and without his help, she would not be able to book a train ticket.

    When she was about to place a call at him, her eyes caught on to the figure of a boy, waving his hand at her, and a wide smile was on his eyes.

    Seeing the sparkling expression in his eyes, she let out a sigh and made her way over to him. Does he not get tired of being like this?

    "Miss Daerin, you are here," he spoke out.

    Moon Jiwoo nodded and expressed, "I am afraid I have never travelled by a train before, and therefore, I don''t know how it works. That''s why, I need you to guide me around."

    Her words caused his eyes to widen for a second before they were reduced back to their original state, and the smile on his face got brighter.

    "Don''t worry, Miss Daerin. You can entrust yourself with me," he spoke out.

    "Thank you," she replied.

    Looking down at the cup of coffee, Jiwoo was about to accept it when his hand slipped slightly, causing slight amount of coffee to spill on her clothes.

    A gasp left Jiwoo''s mouth at that, and she instantly took a step back. The stain was clearly visible on her white shirt.

    This ruined Jiwoo''s mood, and raising her head, she shot the boy a glare.

    "You! How¡ª"

    Moon Jiwoo bit her lips in order to prevent herself from speaking further. Since her career depended on the man before her, she had to try to hold in her anger towards the man before her.

    "Ah! Miss Daerin, are you alright? I am sorry; I am really sorry. I did not mean to spill it on you," he spoke out.

 Chapter 27 - To the train station [3]

    Holding in her rising anger, Jiwoo took a deep breath, and forcing out a friendly expression on her face, she vocalised, "I will be heading off to the washroom to get myself cleaned up."

    "Alright, I am sorry again," he voiced out, "I will be getting the tickets while you wash that up. You can give me your backpack. They would be a hassle for you. I will be waiting for you outside. You can get the directions from that board."

    Staring at the purse in her hand and her backpack, she removed them and decided to hand them over to Sookyung. Going over with them to the bathroom will be difficult for her.

    "Here," she said while he accepted them from her.

    Turning her back on him, then she began to walk towards the bathroom as a Sookyung''s lips curved to form a slight smirk.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Walking outside of the building, she looked at her either side and tried to search for Oh Sookyung. She recalled that her phone was inside the bag, and there was no way of calling him. She did not remember his phone number either.

    Spotting a man with a blue t-shirt, Jiwoo made her way towards him, taking that to be Oh Sookyung. He stood behind one of the walls, and she should b?r?ly make out his figure from where she was standing.

    As she was about to call for him, his voice caused her to halt in her steps, and since her hearing abilities have been amplified, hearing conversation from this distance did not come off as a surprise to her.

    "How much cash is inside that bag?" A voice questioned.

    Finding that voice to be unfamiliar, Jiwoo turned her head slightly to get a glimpse of that person. A man, seeming to be in late thirties, stood opposite to Sookyung, and his shaggy appearance made Jiwoo scrunch up her nose.

    Sookyung let out a sigh and voiced out, "Nothing much. Just couple of thousands of won. I can''t believe that she actually planned to travel to Seoul with such a small amount. This is a disappointment."

    "You have been fooled," Minnie commented.

    Jiwoo clearly understood what Minnie meant by those words, and as anger rose within Jiwoo, she clenched her hand into a tight fist.

    As she has been planning on entering into the entertainment agency with this, she felt disheartened at the news, causing this to increase her anger, and there was no way she was going to let of this matter this easily.

    The other man vocalised, "Well, it is more unbelievable how she handed you her bag so readily. Is she some idiot?"

    "Idiot or not¡ª that is none of my business. This was a easy task, and you''re not getting a single won out of this. Earn your own money," Sookyung said.

    "Hey! At least treat me to some drinks," the other man voiced out.

    "No way! This amount is already too less, and I am not sharing it with the likes of you. You are such a disappointment," Sookyung commented as he walked away from that place.

 Chapter 28 - Train to Seoul [1]

    After Oh Sookyung walked out, the first thing Jiwoo delivered was a punch at his nose. That action caught him by surprise and caused tears to well up at the corner of his eyes.

    The pain that spread through his nose rose up his anger, and as he rubbed his nose, he raised his head to look at the one behind this.

    However, before he was able to comprehend everything properly, he felt his hand being tightly gripped by someone, and with a great strength, he was pulled towards something. Due to shock and lack of strength, he was not able to resist that motion.

    Moon Jiwoo pulled Sookyung to the train, and seeing the door on the train in front of the almost closing, she made a run for it along with Sookyung.

    Her eyes did not miss the tickets on his pockets, and knowing that it was better to be not wasteful, she dragged him to the train.

    Although a punch was not enough to compensate for the humiliation he had put her through, it will make do for now.

    As they have entered into the train, the door in front them closed completely, and a sigh left her mouth.

    Snapping out of the trance he was in, Sookyung turned his head to look at Jiwoo and shot her a glare.

    Then, he, annoyed, questioned, "What are you doing, Miss Daerin?"

    Although that punch of hers was hurtful, fortunately, it was not strong enough to cause the nose to bleed, and the pain was slowly dissipating.

    "Shut up, You Thief!" Jiwoo exclaimed.

    Letting out a deep breath, she said, "Wow! I can not believe that I was actually fooled by someone like you. Where is the rest of the money, Thief?"

    "Thief?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Wow! Miss, you are now even accusing the innocent? I can report you to the police. You even forced me to enter into the train," he voiced out, "I am curious about what all the police will be doing to you."

    Jiwoo let out a chuckle and vocalised, "You are really brave, Thief; you even dare to call the police. Damn! You are a shameless thief."

    "Stop calling me thief or else I will be calling the police for defamation," he vocalised as he walked further into the train.

    The girl before him did not appear to be particularly smart, and he might be able to get rid of her if he acted smartly for a while.

    Walking behind him, Jiwoo asked, "If I don''t call a thief ''thief'', what will I be calling him?"

    "Think whatever you want, Miss, but please don''t disturb me. I do not have time to deal with brats like you. Don''t you have work to do?" he vocalised as he turned his head back to stare at Jiwoo.

    His actions caused Moon Jiwoo to halt in her steps, and as she kept looking down, he shook his head. Seeing that she is giving him no reply, he turned his head to look at the front and walk further into the train.

    Getting rid of her was surprisingly easy!

 Chapter 29 - Train to Seoul [2]

    Oh Sookyung thought wrong; Moon Jiwoo did not give up.

    When he got out of his room to get to the bathroom, Jiwoo advantage of how the surroundings were empty and knocked him out.

    This technique was taught to her by Minnie after some threatening, and since her body was when it came to such mechanism, it did not take her any practice.

    As Sookyung was out of consciousness, Jiwoo kneeled down and took the opportunity to search his body for the money.

    Her eyes then fell on the small bag hanging on his shoulder and presumed that to contain the money. This was completely easy for Jiwoo!

    Wearing a victorious smile on her face, she extended her hand towards the bag, and after removing the bag from his shoulder, she was about to open it.

    "You Idiot! Get out of there first. What if someone comes to check you?" Minnie vocalised.

    ''You have got to admit that I was cool now! The Prince of yours is such a weakling. It actually makes wonder who is the female and male in this. Are you sure he will be able to govern a country? Not only is he weak, he is also a thief!''

    "There must be a reason behind all of this. Since this is how he is, nothing can be done against it, and I would honestly ask you to teach him manners if it was not for how you are."

    ''You are full of nonsense, Weird Creature Inside My Head!''

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A sharp pain went through Oh Sookyung''s neck while he slowly opened his eyes. He was greeted with the sight of Jiwoo sitting opposite to him, and held within her hand was a piece of bread.

    Realizing that Sookyung had woken up, Jiwoo put on a cold expression upon her face and said, "Oh! You woke up? Seeing how you''re penniless, I decided to have mercy on you and brought you some bread. Although this bread is hard and stinks, it is still edible."

    Those words of hers resulted in his eyes widening, and instantly, removing his bag, he took a look inside of it.

    None of the cash could be found, and raising his head, he was met with Jiwoo''s eyes. He was very clear on who took that money from him, and a sigh left his mouth.

    It was unbelievable how he was tricked by someone as foolish as her; he really should not have underestimated her in the first place.

    "Thief, what are you looking for? If you don''t want the bread, I will have it then. I did not want to waste my money on you in the first place," Jiwoo stated, putting emphasis on the word ''my money''.

    "Miss Shin Daerin, I apparently seem to have all of my money stolen," he vocalised, "Since you are the person closest to me, I apparently have to check you, and if you don''t cooperate with me, I will be calling the police."

    "You are weird thief. Police and police¡ª do you have a fetish for them?" Jiwoo vocalised while her voice displayed annoyance.

 Chapter 30 - Train to Seoul [3]

    "No, that''s something I need to do when someone steals my money and defames me," he voiced out.

    "Sure, go ahead and call him," Jiwoo vocalised, "See if you have any proof."

    Hearing those words from Moon Jiwoo caused him to let out a frustrated sigh, and raising his hand, he brushed his fingers through his hair.

    Irritation rose within her, and knowing that there was no use in arguing with the girl further for a little amount of money, he stood up and said, "Well then, you won. I will be leaving then."

    But before he could walk away, Moon Jiwoo extended her hand towards him and gripped tightly on to his wrist. Then, catching him by surprise, she pulled him back.

    "No, you stay seated right here. I will be taking you along with me to the police station since you are that much eager to visit that," Jiwoo said.

    His lips curved to form a mocking smile while he spoke out, "Little girl, do you really think you can take me to the police station if I don''t comply."

    "Why won''t you comply? Don''t you have a fetish for the police station?" Jiwoo questioned, raising her head to stare at Sookyung and putting on a confused expression.

    The urge to strangle the throat of the girl before him intensified. The last string that was holding him off from doing so was his d?s?r? to not be locked up.

    "No, I don''t," he vocalised, "Now, shut up and let me leave!"

    Then, bringing his face closer to her, his dark eyes stared at her intensely while he added, "Little Girl, you really don''t know who you are going against. It would not be smart of you to go against me. Do you know what I can do to you at this moment?"

    Putting on a nonchalant expression upon her face, Jiwoo answered, "You are incapable of doing anything to me currently. All I need to do is move my hand slightly to have you lose your consciousness, You Weak Thief."

    "Do you know I can file a report against you for knocking me out without my permission?" he questioned, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "Do you have evidence?" she asked, folding her arms across her ?h?st.

    Then, scrunching up her nose, Jiwoo bluntly added, "Now, can you move your face away from me? Your breath isn''t that pleasant. What did you even eat to have such a bad breath."

    While his lips curved to form a smirk, he moved his hand towards her and placed them on her shoulder.

    After he leaned closer to her, he vocalised, "Why? Does this make you nervous? Little Girl, you don''t know how much I am craving for you right now."

    Although Sookyung was very much attractive, having him this close to her did not affect Jiwoo much.

    "You are calling me a little girl yet you use such disgusting words? Old Man, are you also a pervert along with being a weak thief who has fetish for police station?"

    "You Fool!" Minnie vocalized, "Like this, you will only get on his bad side. You need to make him like you more, so that he will allow you to be by his side."

 Chapter 31 - Train to Seoul [4]

    ''Like hell I am going to be acting politely to some damned thief! See how I straighten this thief up.''

    Letting out a sigh, Minnie voiced out, "Is that something you should be saying in the first place?"

    "Little Girl, you are idiotic, but you have a sharp tongue," he said, moving his face away from her and leaning back against his seat.

    "You are in no place to say that, Thief," she voiced out.

    Afraid that other people will be hearing her words, he forced out a smile on his face and vocalised, "Can you stop calling me a thief? We can forget about our past offences and both go on the different ways."

    Shaking her head, Jiwoo answered, "No, that can''t happen. Because of you, I am going to Seoul, and how do you expect me to live there without any support? It is your fault for taking me to Seoul. What if a beautiful girl like me gets kidnapped and murdered?"

    "You are the one who dragged me to the train in first place, and that''s why, that is not an excuse. You should have thought properly before entering into the train, Idiot," he said.

    "Yah! You thief, stop calling me an idiot! Do you actually think I entered into the train because I liked it? When I saw the train closing, I merely acted on impulse and pulled you into it. You can''t blame me for it."

    "Are you naive or pretending to be a fool!? Why are you sticking to someone who tried to steal from you? I might even try to sell your body!" he stated.

    "Oh! So, you admit that you have stolen from me?" she questioned.

    "That''s not the point here, Little Girl. Just buy a ticket from Seoul and go back home."

    "I can''t do that. That Ugly Stepmother of mine will be torturing me if I return back. She and those daughters of hers were always envious of my remarkable beauty, and it took me a great effort to escape from there. Since we are in Seoul, you will be taking responsibility for me," she said.

    Folding his arms across his ?h?st, his lips curved to form a smirk as he vocalised, "Oh! That''s interesting. What will I get if I agree to take responsibility for you? After all, I don''t do deals with disadvantages for me."

    "I will be protecting your weak self of course," she voiced out, "In exchange of protecting your life from all type of dangers, isn''t it a fair deal?"

    An arrogance showed in Jiwoo''s eyes while she leaned back against the material of the seat and crossed her legs.

    Letting out a chuckle, he voiced out, "I have no time to deal with your weird shenanigans. You have already cost me a loss today, and I have to make up for it."

    "What are you going to do now? Pick pocket people at this train now?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

    Before he could say anything, she added, "I will seriously protect you if you take me in. Trust me."

 Chapter 32 - Stay by his side [1]

    "Well, if you want to follow me along, there is nothing I can say against it. Just don''t bring me trouble, pay for your own stuff, and take care of yourself," he said.

    "Deal," she vocalised, "Anyone who backs out from this will be dressed as a monkey and then dance."

    "Sure, I will be looking forward to seeing you in a monkey costume," Sookyung spoke out.

    "Even in a monkey costume, I would be looking beautiful, but on the other hand, you will be rotting away other''s eyes," Jiwoo arrogantly stated.

    "Wow! You have managed to handle the situation so easily. I have truly underestimated you. Then, I will be trusting you to take care of yourself in the future," Minnie expressed.

    ''When did I even need your help in the first place? You are completely uselessless. Handling someone like Sookyung is not much of a big deal for me.''

    At that moment, Oh Sookyung''s phone began to ring, and he stood up. Taking out his phone from his pocket, he read the name on top of it, and his eyebrows had creases appearing in between of them. A frown formed on his face.

    The sudden change of expression on his face made Jiwoo curious.

    As he was about to walk away, Jiwoo stood up and decided to follow after him. Sookyung was not someone she trusted, and there was no way she was letting him go away from her sight for even one second.

    Turning back, Sookyung curved his lip to form a small smirk and voiced out, "Little Stalker, don''t tell me that you will be going wherever I am going now."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded and said, "Of course, I will be. Who knows whether or not you turn out to be a coward as well, and try to escape from this train in order to not dress as a monkey."

    Seeing the ringing phone in his hand, she raised one of her eyebrows and stated, "You are not going to pick up the phone?"

    "Is that any of your business?" he arched both of his eyebrows.

    "Certainly it is. Your ringtone is extremely unpleasant to listen to, and I am afraid that it will be causing damage to my ear. That''s why, either pick it up, shut your phone, or cancel the call," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "Well, I do not take orders from you, and therefore, I will be doing neither of them. Either you bear with this or leave," he voiced out.

    "Even though I am pretty, like hell, I am not going to dress as a monkey," she said.

    "Then, bear with it I suppose," he stated.

    Hearing that answer from him infuriated her, and she decided to deal with it in her own methods. Turning her head, she looked towards the window, and from the corner of her eyes, she could see that he was questioningly looking at her.

    Her lips curved to form a small smirk, and in a matter of second, she extended her hand towards him. Instantly, she grabbed the phone from his hand before he was able to react properly.

 Chapter 33 - Stay by his side [2]

    "Hey! What are you trying to do!?" he exclaimed.

    Before he was able to grab the phone away from her hand, she stood up on the seat, and staring down at his phone, she received the call. The number was saved under the name ''Noona''.

    "Hello!" the other side voiced out.

    Hearing that voice made Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened. That female voice sounded very much familiar to her. However, the fact that she was unable to pinpoint where she had heard it succeeded in irritating Jiwoo.

    "Noona, this is¡ª"

    Sookyung''s voice caused her to get out of her trance, and interrupting him, Jiwoo stated, "Hello! The owner of this phone did not want to receive the call. That''s why, I have decided to do so. This person stole my¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, Sookyung jumped up and took the phone from her hand. She noticed the glare he shot in her direction. Nonetheless, folding her arms across her ?h?st, she remained unaffected by it.

    "Her heart, Noona. I stole her heart. Sorry for being unable to receive the call. I have got stuck with this troublesome girl, and after I deal with her, I will be giving you a call, alright?" Sookyung vocalised before hanging up the call.

    "Stole your heart? Wow! That''s so gross and¡ª Ouch!"

    Before she was able to continue further, she raised her head, causing it to hit the top part of the train.

    Seeing that, Sookyung let out a chuckle and voiced out, "Wow! You are really short! How did you even fit in such a small place?"

    "It''s not as if I chose to be this short. If it was not for that ?sshole, I would have been taller. Thinking about her makes me want to stab her," Jiwoo said as she got down from the seat and sat upon it.

    Folding her arms across her ?h?st and crossing her legs, she questioned, "Does your sister not know of how you are a thief?"

    "Does that concern you? Even if you have a crush on me, you do not have the right to barge into my privacy," he spoke out.

    "Ew! That''s disgusting! Who even has a crush on you? Since I am following you now, every single business of yours are mine," she voiced out.

    "Which mental asylum did you escape from? I will take you back there. No, hold on a second! I will take you to a better mental asylum in Seoul," he expressed while the corners of his lips curved to form a smirk.

    "Before that, Thief, I will be taking you to a police station in Seoul. I know some top police stations there, and with your history, you can be held in prison for ten to twenty years," she said, "Of course, if you decide to be obedient to me, I will not be threatening you with anything."

    "Tch! It''s really funny how you think that you will be able to do anything against me," he stated, "Anyway, this will just be making everything fun."

    "No, it''s way more funny how you think that you will be the winner. This lady never lost, and she is not planning to do so because of a Thief like you."

 Chapter 34 - Follow him to the club [1]

    Soon enough, they have arrived at Seoul, and as they walked out of the train station, Jiwoo stared at her surroundings. This part of Seoul seemed unfamiliar to her, probably because of how she b?r?ly came to this place.

    "Where are we going now?" she questioned while she stared at him curiously.

    Turning his head, Oh Sookyung looked at the girl beside him. If it was not for her annoying personality, he would have found her cute, judging from her appearance.

    "Not saying you," he voiced out.

    Rolling her eyes at his response, she vocalised, "Well, wherever you go, make sure that place doesn''t bring any kind of inconvenience to me. You would not want to see me when I am at an angered state."

    Extending his hand towards her, he gripped on to her face, and while intensely staring at her, he spoke out, "If you want to be by my side, you need to tone down that arrogance of yours. It really makes me annoyed."

    His words caused her to furrow her eyebrows, and raising her hand, she slapped his hand away from her cheeks. His hold was not light, and even now, she could feel the pain from it.

    "How dare you use such words? I am not your slave, and having such a beautiful lady to accompany you, remember that you are very much lucky," he voiced out.

    "Little girl, I have murdered people as well," he said, "So, if you irritate me too much, I do not know when I might finish you off for good, and no one would even know."

    Staring at him with disbelief, she said, "Eh? Someone like you can also murder people and not get caught? I thought you need to be strong and smart for that, and you don''t have either of that qualities."

    "I will really be selling you to the human traffickers! Mark my words, Shin Daerin," he spoke out while he began to walk forward.

    Following after him, she stated, "Wow! You are really foolish to reveal your plans to me. I thought thieves tend to be smarter, but it appears that I have overestimated them."

    A groan left Oh Sookyung''s mouth before a small smirk formed on his face.

    As Moon Jiwoo stepped into the club before her, she looked at her either directions and scrunched up her nose at the surroundings. Everything around her stunk, and this was the first time she was at such a horrible club.

    Nonetheless, since it was her mission to keep an eye on Sookyung, she followed after him to enter into the club despite her reluctance to do so.

    Staring at her plain attire, she did not deem it to be proper for the club. Nevertheless, she was unable to do against it for her luggage was thrown away by Sookyung, and this was the only set of cloth she had at this moment.

    "Your taste in club is really bad! Next time, I will take you to a better one," she said once they have stepped into the club.

    Turning his head back to look at her, he raised one of his eyebrows and spoke out, "You know the clubs at here? I thought that this was your first time in Seoul."

 Chapter 35 - Follow him to the club [2]

    "Are you actually dumb? There is internet browser out there for a reason," she spoke out as she shook her head.

    Moon Jiwoo almost thought that she had made Oh Sookyung suspicious before this idea popped up inside her mind.

    Oh Sookyung made no response to those words and continued to walk forward. While Jiwoo went after him, multiple number of times people bumped against her.

    Once she had gotten someone to step upon her foot as well, and the stench of the sweat and alcoholic drinks was starting to overwhelm her at that moment.

    However, thinking about how horrendous she would appear dressed as a monkey, she was able to hold in her urge to stomp out of the room in anger.

    "Calm down, Jiwoo. Calm down; your anger is rising to the maximum level. At this rate, you would be doing something you might regret," Minnie said.

    Those words of Minnie did not bring any sort of comfort to Jiwoo, and on the contrary, she took them to be quite irritating.

    ''Shut the hell up! Can''t you see I am trying to hold it in!? I already know about it! So, you don''t need to lecture me!''

    Right at that instant, someone bumped into her, and her hands were itching to push that person harshly.

    She might have done so if she had not noticed how far Sookyung had moved from her, and pushing through the crowd, she ran in his direction.

    The music playing inside the nightclub was more or less to Jiwoo''s taste, and so far, that was the only thing about the nightclub she found herself liking.

    Following after him, she sat on the chair in front of the bar while Sookyung was seated beside her. The male bartender walked forward towards them and flashed a soft smile.

    "What would you prefer?" the bartender questioned.

    "I would prefer to have the most expensive drink at here and make it strong," he spoke out.

    Turning her head to face Sookyung, she curiously stared at her while she questioned, "Are you sure that a thief like you would be able to afford it?"

    Looking at her, Sookyung made no response to those words of hers and gave her a small smile.

    There was something about that smile that seemed off to Moon Jiwoo. However, she was not able to pinpoint it. As thinking hard hurt her mind, she decided upon not pondering about it for much longer and brushed away the thought at the back of her mind.

    Soon enough, the bartender returned with the drink. The multi coloured drink was placed in front of Sookyung, and the bartender stared at Sookyung with anticipation as if waiting for some kind of response from him.

    While Sookyung picked up the glass of drink, Jiwoo stared at it unimpressed and spoke out, "This is supposed to be the most expensive drink? Wow! I am really disappointed at that."

 Chapter 36 - Follow him to the club [3]

    Waiting for Oh Sookyung was starting to make her impatient at this point. After the man had three glasses of drink, he had rushed off to the washroom.

    Although around ten minutes had been passed since he had entered into the washroom, there were no signs of him returning.

    A sigh left Moon Jiwoo''s mouth, and she decided upon paying the man a visit. It could not be that he was trying to escape from here by keeping her occupied at her.

    Even though it was disgraceful for her to go to the men''s washroom, she was left with no choice at this point. If she lost hold of him, who knows how long it would be taking for her to find him again?

    As Jiwoo was able to walk away, a voice stopped her, causing her to turn back.

    The bartender voiced out, "Miss, the drinks¡ª they have not been paid for."

    Raising one of her eyebrows at the bartender, she questioned, "So?"

    While forcing out a smile on his face, the bartender spoke out, "Well, Miss, since they have not been paid for, you will have to pay for them."

    Rolling her eyes at the bartender, she said, "Is that really how you do business? By asking money from random people? I was right when I thought that this club lacked in quality. These poor clubs!"

    With that, she was about to go away, but that''s when, the bartender came towards her hurriedly, gripping on to her hand tightly.

    Instantly, a frown formed on her face at his actions. Being touched carelessly was not something she was fond of, and after all that happened in the club, it was considered natural for her to be in a bad mood.

    Using her other hand, she slapped away the hand of the bartender that gripped on to her, and her eyes glared him. Her gaze managed to cause a chill to go down the bartender''s back. Nevertheless, he knew that he had to get the money from the lady.

    That drink was clearly the most expensive drink at here, and he could not simply let her go without paying for it although it was her partner who had drunk it.

    "Are you waiting for me to sue you for s?xu?? harassment? Is that how the bartender here treat everyone? It''s your fault for being tricked by that thief. Don''t come looking for me now," she said.

    The seriousness held within Jiwoo''s eyes confirmed to the bartender that she was not joking, and this caused him to be more careful around Jiwoo. There was something about her that felt frightened to him even though she was a frail figure.

    "Miss, I do not know what have happened between that partner of yours and you, but since he had left it unpaid, you should be paying it. After that, you can freely settle the dues with him," he vocalised.

    "No, I don''t want to pay for him," she voiced out, "If you force me, I will be contacting the police and inform them on how you are forcefully trying to take the money away from me."

 Chapter 37 - Follow him to the club [4]

    If the police ended up arriving, things would not be ending well for the bartender, and he might even get fired by the club. It seemed that he had to give up on this customer.

    "You don''t have to appear so dejected. That thief went at the direction of the washroom, and you can look around there for him. You will be able to find him if you are lucky."

    With those words, Jiwoo walked away from the scene while a yawn left her mouth. The scenes that had occured today left her exhausted, and raising her hand, she stretched.

    While she went towards the exit of the door, there was no one who stopped her this time around, and despite the constant bumps, she successfully made her way to the door of the club.

    "Hey! Hey! Moon Jiwoo, are you actually leaving? Don''t you know that you have to stay here to take care of Sookyung? What if he goes somewhere else and you would be unable to find him?" Minnie questioned.

    ''No, I don''t want to. This is not fun anymore, and I am sleepy.''

    "Jiwoo, that is not the attitude you should show. This is not a game. You are bound to protect him, and if you get away from him, who will be protecting him?" Minnie tried to convince Moon Jiwoo.

    ''So, he will be dying without my protection? That''s great! Let him die then! I will be abandoning him from this point on.''

    "Moon Jiwoo, don''t forget the luxury you can get if you succeed in protecting him. After all, he is the prince, and you can not be that heartless. The situation is quite serious, and he needs your help to be protected."

    ''Alright whatever, I will go and search for him when I have the mood. At this moment, that low class man irritated me enough, and I want to rest. If you annoy me more, I will swear to never protect him ever.''

    "Sure, sure, I will be able to do that," Minnie voiced out, "Just remember your earlier words of whoever runs away should dress as a monkey."

    ''Of course I know that! Seeing how that coward attempted to run away from me today, I know that I will be seeing him dressed as a Monkey soon! This brings me immense joy!''

    "You''re not exactly at the place to say so, Moon Jiwoo. Any way, about where you will be residing at, do you have any idea?"

    ''Why can''t I stay at my previous apartment? Since I have brought it, it belongs to me, and I know the password to the apartment as well.''

    "Well, there is no problem with you staying there, Moon Jiwoo, but it merely that people will be starting to get suspicious of you. Just stay at a hotel for tonight, and search for the one who will be training you tomorrow. He would be able to provide you a place to stay at tomorrow."

 Chapter 38 - A thirst [1]

    Staying one night at the hotel was not cheap, and considering all the expenses, Jiwoo might would have to be on the streets within a week.

    Frugal lifestyle was not something Jiwoo had led before, and although her temptation to buy the better thing was great, she was able to hold it in.

    While she ate the cup noodles while sitting in front of the shop, a sigh left her mouth, and staring at the food, she wondered whether or not that would be satisfying her hunger.

    She had b?r?ly eaten anything yesterday, and even though she was used to dieting, she did not prefer starving herself without any cause.

    Moon Jiwoo craved for a full, hot meal, and she wondered when she will be getting the opportunity to do so.

    Although cup noodles was not something she was that fond of, the flavour was one of her favorite, and therefore, she was able to eat it. Moreover, hunger had ability to make many food taste good.

    While Moon Jiwoo concentrated on finishing her noodles, a small kid ran at her direction. Bumping against Jiwoo''s table, the small kid fell down, and cries erupted from her.

    A kid crying irritated Jiwoo greatly, and turning back to face the kid, Jiwoo was about to shut her up when something caused her to pause her actions.

    As the kid sat up, her knee had a scratch upon it, and blood flowed down of it. All of a sudden, it seemed that everything around her ceased to exist, and her focus was solely on the bloody knee.

    Jiwoo felt as if her body did not belong to her anymore; to her, it felt that she was being hypnotized by that blood.

    The red liquid appeared appetizing to her, and a burning d?s?r? to get it rose within her. A new type of hunger formed within her while she extended her hand towards it.

    Just a taste¡ª Moon Jiwoo was desperate to have a taste of that blood and wanted to check whether or not it tasted as good as it smelled.

    While Jiwoo got up from her chair, the little girl''s mother instantly ran towards her, and kneeling down, she looked at the little girl.

    "Omo! Yoona-ah, look what have happened! I have always told you to be careful. See, now you fell and got hurt. Doesn''t it hurt?"

    The woman before her irritated Moon Jiwoo, and she had the urge to push her away. The woman was blocking her way from that delicious red liquid; Jiwoo wanted to destroy anyone who laid on her path to that little girl''s blood.

    "Stop, Moon Jiwoo, stop! Snap out of it! You are not yourself! Don''t get controlled by your thirst for blood."

    Those words of Minnie drove Jiwoo back from her trance, and blinking her eyes couple of times, Jiwoo tried to process what had just happened. She almost lost complete control over herself.

    Staring at the cup noodles on top of the table, Jiwoo no longer found herself having appetite for it, and in order to not make a reckless decision, she instantly walked away from the scene.

 Chapter 39 - A thirst [2]

    ''Yah! Weird Creature inside my head, why was I behaving so weirdly back then? Is there something else that is wrong with this body? Ah! This is so troublesome.''

    Her annoyance was utterly visible upon her face while she walked through the streets, and raising her hand, she brushed her fingers through her hair.

    The sun shone brightly, and the heat irritated Moon Jiwoo further. Lately, everything had been out of control, and being kept at the dark about everything was not something Jiwoo particularly enjoyed.

    "Oh! That was normal! You will be experiencing such things more in the future. Since you are a member of the Red Clan, it is considered quite normal to crave for blood. That was what had happened earlier. Since you did not have blood ever since your awakening, you craved for that little girl''s blood," Minnie expressed, "Don''t worry. After you find that man, you will be able to have a sufficient amount of blood."

    ''Hold on! Blood? Am I turning into some kind of monster now? I have seen in movie how disgusting those Vampires turn when they crave for blood. Don''t tell me that I will be turning like those? I would rather die than look like that.''

    "Calm down, calm down. Don''t let that temper of your rise. Well, about turning like that, there is a chance for that, but it is not easy. For now, if you go without blood for more seven to eight days, you might turn into an ugly monster. That''s why, you need to search for that man within this period of time," Minnie vocalised, "See? Don''t you have plenty amount of time?"

    ''Yah! Only seven to eight days? Have you seen how big Seoul could be? How do you even expect me to find this man I don''t know anything of within seven to eight days? Asshole, I don''t even know where to begin the search from. I am desperate to stab you to death now!''

    "Geez! Aren''t you Moon Jiwoo? Although normal people would not be able to accomplish this, it would not be difficult for you to do this. Aren''t you extraordinary? That''s why, you will be finding that man. Moon Jiwoo, you need to know that some things are just fate; you can not force them," Minnie explained.

    ''Some things are just fate? Are you kidding me? So, if I am inside my hotel room or outside searching, it would not be making a difference, right? After all, some things are just fate.''

    Minnie could easily sense how Jiwoo was attempting to mock her with those words and voiced out, "Uhm, even so, Jiwoo, you need to put in effort. Let me make a correction. Some things require both fate and effort, and this is one of those things."

    ''So, if it is not fated, doesn''t this mean that all of the efforts are useless? Just like how it happened with that scum Eunwoo and me? I thought I could have that ?sshole''s love through effort, but that bitch Chaeyoung got it without any hard work. I am too tired now; I don''t want to put in effort when I know that fate would not be supporting me.''

 Chapter 40 - A thirst [3]

    In that instant, all the anger from earlier had dissipated, and Jiwoo felt melancholic at the moment. Her sudden change of emotions managed in bringing shock to her as well.

    However, she truly found herself being exhausted. Her last life was a battle, and deep inside, she was aware of how other people took her to be.

    Nevertheless, she thought that it would all be alright if it she kept standing tall until the end, not causing herself to break down due to other people''s criticism.

    However, in the end of the day, she was an ordinary girl, and despite of how she thought she had gotten used to it, new insults always managed to pierce her heart.

    She constantly thought on where she had gone wrong in her previous life. However, blaming herself and looking down on herself was not something Jiwoo preferred, and therefore, she decided to put the fault on everyone beside her.

    She was right; they were wrong. That was the principle she went by and only why she was able to hold her head high throughout everything.

    Since she was right, there was no use in trying to feel down about what they had said. Calling them jealous in her mind, Jiwoo did not find anything wrong within herself.

    When conflicting thoughts began to rise within her, she preferred to not think anymore. After all, that made everything simply more troublesome.

    However, after taking over Shin Daerin, Jiwoo had met with the warmth. Although it was not in her family, it seemed that Shin Daerin was a person liked by many, and that was why, at her workplace, many people adored her.

    Her inner thoughts conflicted at that moment, and she found herself becoming depressed. That was what happens when she is unable to sort out her thoughts and emotions.

    It was an usual for her to go by the motto that she is the best. However, now, she wondered whether or not she was being delusional due to that.

    That change of emotion within Jiwoo did not go unnoticed by Minnie, and Minnie was aware of how Jiwoo was struggling. However, fate was not something Minnie could go against.

    "Jiwoo, what are you thinking? You know that you can''t have such thoughts," Minnie voiced out, "Didn''t you say that you don''t want to become an ugly monster? For that, you need to drink blood, and only that man will be able to provide you with blood for now."

    ''I won''t become an ugly monster if I kill myself before reaching to that point. Don''t you think so? I don''t like the idea of being controlled, and all of this is too tiring for me any way. Would not all of this end if I kill myself or will you be making me live again?''

 Chapter 41 - Suicide Attempt [1]

    "Moon Jiwoo, have you lost it? What have gotten into you all of a sudden? You were just find a moment ago. What caused your sudden change of mood?" Minnie frantically spoke out¡ª her voice showing how close to panicking she was.

    ''I wonder.''

    With that, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the road before her, and her lips curved to form a small smirk. But her eyes were completely blank of any emotions.

    ''Should I run in front of that car? I wonder what will be happening? Will he stop the car or will he be driving it over me? Aren''t you curious as well, Minnie?''

    This was the first time Minnie had been properly addressed by her name from Jiwoo, and all of this felt weird to Minnie. She had thought she had Jiwoo all figured out, but it seemed that there were other deeper sides to Jiwoo as well.

    Minnie wondered on what triggered those sides of Jiwoo to appear today.

    "Moon Jiwoo, don''t do anything crazy. If that car manages to harm your harm in any way, you will be dead. Jiwoo, didn''t you say that you want to take revenge on Chaeyoung and Eunwoo? At least until then, you have to live on."

    ''Why don''t we let fate decide all of this? If I don''t get run over by that car, doesn''t that mean that fate wants me to live on? But if it is the opposite case, then¡­''

    Walking in front of the car, Jiwoo wore a bright smile on her face while Minnie was really close to losing her cool.

    "If this is what you want to go for, then I have no choice," Minnie voiced out, making Moon Jiwoo curious on what tricks that Minnie had up her sleeve.

    She was pulled back to the sidewalk, and raising her head, Jiwoo looked at the one who had done so. Instead of being appreciative, she glared at the man before her.

    The man''s eyes appeared to be cold and devoid of emotions, and while his eyes stared at Jiwoo, she found herself being completely exposed under him.

    There was something about his gaze that she found familiar. However, it was not possible for her to exactly pinpoint what it was.

    While she found herself being in a deep thought about it, the man turned her back on Moon Jiwoo and began to walk away.

    When Moon Jiwoo realized that, she raised her head to look at the man and go after him. However, it was too late for that. The man had already disappeared from her sight.

    The driver of that car and the people around her began to scold her for her careless actions, but remaining unbothered about it, Moon Jiwoo began to walk.

    All the sets of emotions she showed earlier disappeared instantly, and it was replaced with her usual arrogance.

 Chapter 42 - Suicide Attempt [2]

    "Yah! Yah! Moon Jiwoo, have you finally have lost your mind? How could you run in front of an incoming car? Are you seriously that eager to suicide? I almost had a panic attack back then!" Minnie reprimanded, "No matter how much unsatisfied you are, you can''t directly kill yourself."

    ''Kill myself? Huh, you Bitch, I got you fooled. My acting skills are top-notch, right? Do you actually think that I am fu?k?n? crazy to kill myself? What an idiot! I thought you knew how I was, but I guess I am disappointed. You are really gullible.''

    A smug smile sat on Moon Jiwoo''s face.

    Surely, Moon Jiwoo back then felt slightly depressed, but that was not enough for her to kill herself. A wicked idea to tease Minnie came in her mind at that instant, and she decided to implement.

    "B-Bitch? What''s with your language? And you are telling me all that from earlier was an act that you put on? Wow! I can''t believe you. So, you are really not depressed and all that. I mean, you can consult me if you are. I know a good psychologist who would be able to help you," Minnie voiced out¡ª still not fully convinced by Jiwoo''s words.

    ''If you have enough money to book a psychologist, then give those money to me. Geez! I can call you whatever you want and use whatever language I want. You are not my mother.''

    "Right, I am not your mother, but with the way you act, I feel like I am one. I feel like a mother who has a rebellious teen daughter," Minnie spoke out.

    ''Geez! You Old Lady, stop being so annoying. About that man I am supposed to be searching, do you have any clue about him? If I lose my interest, you can not even drag me to search for him.''

    "Well, all I know about him that he works as a fortune teller. Considering his abilities, he must be a top fortune teller in Seoul. Just visit all of them, and you will be able to locate him. Don''t worry about the money. I can send some money over to you if run out of them."

    ''Hold on! So, you are telling me that you had money from the first place? If that''s the case, then why did I have to suffer from the first place? You made me work in all that disgusting place, and now I am living in such an unpleasant hotel. I even starved myself for money. Seriously, you! I am really going to stab you to death once I meet you.''

    "Damn! I really should control my mouth. How can I let that information slip? Jiwoo, it is merely that I wanted you to be independent, and over all, wasn''t it a pleasant experience?"

    ''Weird Creature inside my head, if you find all of this pleasant, then why don''t you start working? Since you have money, I am not staying at that shabby hotel anymore. Lend some money to me so that I can book a better hotel.''

 Chapter 43 - More money [1]

    "Moon Jiwoo, I do indeed have money, but you should not be that extravagant and wasteful," Minnie said, "Take this as a big lesson for life. In the future, trust me, that you will be glad that you were not wasteful."

    ''Spare me with those bullshit, and give the money to me. You should have mentioned about this in the first place. Wow! Money! The thought of it just makes me excited. I don''t have to wear these horrible clothes, eat those horrible food, and stay at a horrible place anymore.''

    A wide smile formed on Moon Jiwoo''s face while she walked through the road at the thought of that. Living lavishly was also possible in this world.

    "Moon Jiwoo, I know that you need money, but that amount you''re asking for, it is not possible for me. I only have little money. That''s all."

    ''Fine, no money, then no work. If you don''t give me any money, I would not protect that so-called prince of yours, and when he is in danger, I will just be pushing him further into it. So, let''s make a deal for the sake of both of us.''

    "Fine, fine, I will give you the card, but don''t spend too much. Just use them on the necessity. This money doesn''t exactly belong to me, Jiwoo, and be careful with spending," Minnie spoke out.

    ''Geez! Stop nagging at me that much. When did I spend too much? I will be just spending appropriate amount of money. Who in Seoul dresses as shabbily as me? I look like someone from a countryside; I need to get rid of that beforehand.''

    "Here goes nothing, but now that the money is present this time around, Jiwoo, make sure to work properly. Do not slack off, and properly search for that man," Minnie voiced out.

    ''Aish! Don''t worry about that. As long as you please me, I will not be slacking off and do everything perfectly. You can trust me with that. After all, everyone knows how reliable and efficient I can be.''

    With the money involved, Moon Jiwoo found herself being at a brighter mood, and cheerfully, she walked through the streets.

    "Check in your bag," Minnie said, "The card must have appeared inside it. Once again, use it carefully. Don''t waste even a won."

    Paying on attention to those words of Minnie, Jiwoo instantly removed her bag from her shoulder, and with an eager mood, she opened the zip to the bag.

    ''Minnie, it would not be leaving a good impression on that man if I am dressed this horribly. First, let me change into a better attire, and then, I can look for him.''

    "No, no, no, you can''t do that. After you find him, you can do as much shopping you like then."

    ''Aish! You are annoying me now! Don''t panic too much! I will just be buying one set of clothing.''

 Chapter 44 - More money [2]

    Staring at the glass window of the shopping mall, she marvelled at the beautiful clothing items at the display, and her eyes sparkled at them.

    Gripping tightly on to the card inside her hand, she was determined to shop to her heart''s wishes. She had been through too much suffering after she had transmigrated, and only shopping at here was able to make up for all of that.

    Tears almost welled up in her eyes at the thought of it, and taking in a deep breath, she extended her hand towards the knob of the door.

    Holding on to the knob, she was about to turn it and open the door when Minnie said, "Remember that you have promised to spend moderately. Just two or three pieces of clothes. Nothing more, Jiwoo."

    ''Geez! You annoying woman, you have been saying to me over and over again for now. I get that part. I said that I will be spending moderately. It''s not like I am one of those spoiled brats who has no control over their spending. You need to trust me.''

    "The problem is that you are one of those spoiled brats, Moon Jiwoo. I know your spending habits," Minnie mumbled as a sigh escaped from her mouth. She had dug her own grave.

    Entering into the building, Jiwoo was hit with the relaxing cool air, and wearing on an arrogant expression, she removed all the signs of previous delight from her eyes.

    One of the saleswoman walked towards her and bowed at her. Then, looking at Jiwoo from top to bottom, the saleswoman judged her attire. Even Moon Jiwoo herself was ashamed of what she was wearing. However, she was not letting that show on her face.

    "Welcome, Miss. What type of clothing would you prefer?" the saleswoman questioned whilst trying her hardest to maintain on a smiling expression.

    "Show me the latest collection over here," Jiwoo voiced out, "I would prefer them to be colourful and bright."

    "Yes, I will be taking you over to them," the saleswoman vocalised, "But the problem is that those clothes lie on the costly side. We have the cheaper items, and those are beautiful as well. If you want, I can show those to you too."

    "Did I ask you for those or is it a thing at your shop to look down on some customers? Since I have simply asked for the latest model bring those up for me, and don''t try to go for the cheap ones," Jiwoo haughtily stated.

    Moon Jiwoo''s words left a bad impression on the saleswoman. However, Jiwoo''s word made the saleswoman unable to refute, and nodding at Jiwoo, she walked over to one side of the store.

    Pointing at the set of clothing before her, the saleswoman spoke out, "These are the latest clothing at here, Miss, and as for their price¡ª"

    Before the saleswoman was able to continue further, Jiwoo interrupted her and said, "The mention of price during shopping ruins my experience. So, refrain from doing that."

 Chapter 45 - More money [3]

    Staring at herself in the mirror, Moon Jiwoo was satisfied with the appearance. Although the type of clothing Shin Daerin and her previous body suited were completely different, Jiwoo found herself being pleased with it as long as she looked beautiful.

    Innocent beauty did not sound like that much of a bad idea to her. With this appearance of hers, she would be able to deceive many people out there with merely some tears of hers.

    "Wow! Moon Jiwoo, you look really beautiful with that cloth. I admit that, but now, can you get out of that store now? You have worn over ten clothes, and I think this is more than enough. We are getting late now, Jiwoo. You have to search for that man now. Remember that."

    ''Geez! Geez! Fine, I am already aware of that, You Annoying Lady. I will just have to come over later on it seems.''

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Coming out of the dressing room, Moon Jiwoo handed the clothing in her hand over to the saleswoman and spoke out, "These seven are the ones I will be selecting for now. Check them out for me."

    "Seven dress? Moon Jiwoo, yah! Have you seen the cost of them? They will be making me penniless. I am not as rich as you ?ssume to be, Jiwoo. This money¡ª I told you to spend it with care. Just buy four of them. Can''t you be satisfied with that much?" Minnie vocalised.

    ''I am already holding back my spending yet you dare to say that. Do you know how much tempted I am to buy twenty of those dresses from at here? I am merely holding back because of you. If you irritate me further, I will be spending ten time more money at here.''

    "Miss, would you be making your payment through cash or card?" the saleswoman questioned, appearing to be joyful.

    Before she though that Moon Jiwoo would not be buying anything from at here, but seeing the amount of clothing brought by her, the saleswoman''s bonus was surely about to go high for this month.

    "Through card," Jiwoo said, handing over her card to the saleswoman before her.

    With a smiling expression, the saleswoman accepted the card from Jiwoo and walked over to the counter.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    After Moon Jiwoo walked out of the shop with shopping bags at both of her hands, she found herself being joyful. How long has it been since she had last spend this much? The satisfaction she got from this was immense.

    Wearing a wide smile upon her face, she was walking forward when Minnie said, "No more shopping anymore, Jiwoo. Now, look for that man. If you spend even a won more, I will be cancelling that card."

    Being threatened that way instantly took away Moon Jiwoo''s pleasant mood. Nevertheless, she did not want to try challenging Minnie about it.

    ''I have already told you that I will be looking for that man. Can''t you put a little trust into me? If you keep annoying me that much, I might do something you regret due to anger. I would not look around anymore.''

    "You better keep those words of yours," Minnie vocalised.

    That''s when, her eyes fell on a certain shop before her, and they sparkled.

 Chapter 46 - Interrupting them [1]

    ''It has been a while since I have last gotten a haircut, hasn''t it? These hair of mine looks really terrible, and don''t you think that I need to fix them?''

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the hair salon before here, and touching her rough and uneven hair, she was aware of how she was at a need of getting a haircut at there.

    "No, no, no, how could you have come into that misconception, Jiwoo? Your hair seems absolutely fine, and you appear beautiful even without a haircut or treatment. I am telling you that you¡ª"

    ''You don''t need to flatter me with lies, Annoying Woman. I know when I look ugly, and these hair of mine are definitely unsightly. I don''t believe that I will be able to be in peace without fixing them. After all, beautiful clothes go well with beautiful hair.''

    "Moon Jiwoo, you promised to search for that man now. You can get a hair cut or treatment later on. I will not be taking that card away from you."

    ''Silly woman, how long can that take any way? You are acting as if all the time in the world is running out. Geez! At most, this will be taking merely twenty minutes. What loss will be happening in mere twenty minutes.''

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Twenty minutes? Twenty minute!? TWENTY MINUTES!? YOU TOOK DAMNED THREE HOURS IN THAT HAIR SALON! IT IS EVENING NOW! Moon Jiwoo, I want to strangle you now!" Minnie yelled.

    ''Geez! You are going to damage my brain if you keep on yelling like that. Isn''t it just evening? We can still search for that man now. For you, I stopped myself from getting that manicure and pedicure yet you''re yelling at me. Let''s go, and find that fu?k?n? man.''

    Holding onto the shopping bags inside her hand, she walked forward, and knowing that there was a fortune telling place at this shopping mall, she decided to go for that at first.

    However, before she was able to go there, someone particular caught her eyes, causing her to halt in her steps, and wearing a smirk on her face, Jiwoo stared at that man''s back.

    ''Weird Creature inside my head, don''t you think this is as important as finding the fortune teller?''

    Without hearing the reply from Minnie, she confidently approached the man before her. The man before her was walking beside a smiling woman.

    Walking in between the man and woman, Jiwoo placed her arm over the man''s shoulder, and turning her head towards him, she flashed him a wide smile.

    "Thief, is this the new woman you plan on tricking?" Jiwoo questioned.

    Her arrival caused surprise to show on both the woman''s and Sookyung''s face. Sookyung did not expect for Moon Jiwoo to appear in such a place. Nevertheless, despite her appearance, he kept on a gentle smile on his face.

    "Who are you?" the woman asked, appearing to be confused by the situation.

    "Shin Daerin-ssi, what are you attempting to do?" Sookyung questioned.

 Chapter 47 - Interrupting them [2]

    With her hand over Sookyung''s shoulder, Jiwoo turned her head to look at the male and spoke out, "Omo! You remember my name. Then again, considering how I tend to leave an impression, that is not exactly all that surprising I suppose."

    Before Sookyung was able to respond to her, she turned to look at the woman, and a certain object in the woman''s hand managed to catch her attention.

    Extending her hand towards the woman, she pulled away the card from her hand and brought it closer to her face. Scanning her eyes through the contents of the card, a small smirk formed on Soohyun''s face.

    "Omo! Isn''t this the same type of card you have given me, Thief? So, you basically use the same card to deceive everyone. Lady, a piece of advice for you is to not trust this dude; this is definitely a scam. Even I believed him in the first," Jiwoo voiced out.

    "Shin Daerin-ssi, I would appreciate it if you do not create any trouble at my work. Any problem you have with me are personal, and please do not bring them into my work," Sookyung vocalised.

    "You are showing that attitude to me? You should be grateful that I did not report you yet, You Damned Thief! Warning someone against a scam doesn''t have anything to do with a personal problem.

    What type of bullshit are you uttering now? Miss, it would be advisable for you to leave now, but if you want to be scammed, go ahead. It''s not like I am the one losing money in this," she said.

    "Both of you are really weird. Stop wasting my time with nonsense," the woman spatted before strutting away from there.

    "Weird? WEIRD!? Heol! Who is she calling weird? I swear helping someone against a thief is a crime these days," Jiwoo vocalised removing her hand from around Sookyung''s shoulder.

    Catching Jiwoo by surprise, Sookyung grabbed her shoulders, and glaring at her, he said, "Is this a game? Do you find it funny? Stop interrupting my jobs. I allowed you to stay by my side, but that doesn''t mean that you have the right to interrupt in my jobs. Remember that and know your position, Little Stalker."

    "Thief, as a lawful citizen, it is only right for me to stop crimes at where I see them, and what do you mean by I am stalking you? If I was not forced by that scumbag to follow you, do you think I would be interested in going after your pretentious ?ss?" she stated, rolling her eyes at him and folding her arms across her ?h?st.

    "Forced by that scumbag to follow me?" Sookyung repeated.

    "You Fool! Moon Jiwoo, could not you have controlled your mouth? Did you realize what you have just talked about? Damn! You are really a hopeless idiot!"

    Realizing what she had just said, Moon Jiwoo raised her hand and placed her hand before her mouth. This time this was truly her fault.

 Chapter 48 - Interrupting them [3]

    "What do you mean by those words of yours, Shin Daerin?" Oh Sookyung questioned¡ª confusion present in his voice.

    "Oh my! Would you look at the time?" She spoke out, "I forgot that I have an important task to do later on. Oops! Let''s catch up later on."

    With those words, she turned her back on Oh Sookyung and was about to walk away when she felt her hand being gripped by someone, causing her to halt in her steps.

    Surprised by his actions, she looked back and raised one of her eyebrows at him. She then questioned, "What are you trying to do?"

    "Who sent you to follow after me, Shin Daerin? Who are you?" he asked¡ª seeming slightly paranoid.

    "You really want to know the truth behind it?" Jiwoo vocalised while a small smirk formed upon her face.

    "Moon Jiwoo, I am warning you once again. Do not attempt to do anything reckless or I will be personally killing you. Remember that."

    ''Wow! You really got the courage now. You can kill me? Who was scared shitless when I tried to commit suicide before? I got the situation under control any way. Geez! Don''t you have any other job other than irritating me.''

    Oh Sookyung nodded his head.

    "Well then, help me carry this shopping bags, and once we reach my hotel, I will be informing you on everything. You will surely not have any problem with that," Jiwoo spoke out, extending her hands toward him.

    "Seriously, Moon Jiwoo, you are going for that? I want to strangle you now. Follow my instructions next. Using the brain is not made for someone like you."

    ''Weird Creature, if you don''t stop irritating me, I would not hesitate to check the limit of the credit card.''

    "Why should I be carrying your shopping bags? Now, give me the answer to that question, Shin Daerin. Who have sent you there?" he said.

    "Am I obligated to listen to you? No, absolutely not. But I am willing to listen to you if you carry those bags for me. Although I am stronger than you, my hands can ache as well," she stated.

    "Those shopping bags¡ª I am willing to carry those for you, but how do I know for sure that you are going to answer me after that?" he vocalised.

    "Are you actually doubting me? Look, I give you my word about this, and if you don''t trust me, then I can do this I suppose," Moon Jiwoo said, reaching into her pocket.

    Taking out her credit card, she held in front of him and said, "You can keep the possession of it; you can return it to me only after I give you the truth."

    "Moon Jiwoo, what are you doing? Are you actually giving this card to him after knowing what type of person he is? The bank is going to be completely run empty by him," Minnie stated.

    ''Shut up. That card was given to you by me, and now that belongs to me. That naturally gives me the permission to do whatever I want with it. Moreover, since he is your Prince, I don''t think there is anything wrong with him spending your money.''

    Staring down at the card, Oh Sookyung scoffed and questioned, "Are you that foolish and naive to give your card to me?"

    "The money inside is exactly isn''t mine, and I kind of hate the owner as well, so it doesn''t exactly bother me if you spend all the money inside it," Jiwoo vocalised.

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle, and extending his hand towards her, he took the card from her hand along with those shopping bags.

    "I hope that we will be having a pleasant cooperation," Sookyung vocalised whilst wearing a wide smile on his face.

    Although the way the girl planned it was utterly flawed, he decided to along with it for he needed an answer from her about that question.

    "Refrain from putting that smile on your face. That disgusts me," Jiwoo honestly commented.

    That smile of his reminded her of the hypocritic Ahn Eunwoo, and it brought disgust to her. Memories of those times was something she took to be a smear in her past¡ª an utter humiliation.

    "Is that so? That just makes me more happy about it then," he said while his smile became brighter, and a sparkle appeared in his eyes.

    "You are gross," she expressed, scrunching up her nose at him.

    She then added, "It really doesn''t flatter a dude to act all cute and innocent; it makes them look weak and pathetic. Then again, seeing how you were knocked out by me the other day, I guess both of those words can apply to you."

    "I was caught off guard that day, but that would not be happening always," he stated as a cough escaped from his mouth. Events of that day managed to fluster him.

    "What a loser!" she exclaimed.

    Her words managed to hit a nerve within him, and raising his hand, he slightly knocked on the back of her head, causing her to wince.

    Turning back, she glared at him and spoke out, "Yah, You Asshole! What was that for?"

    "Nothing, it is the duty of the elders to teach the kids manners, and that is what I am doing," he spoke out.

    "You are lucky that my shopping bags are in your hands or else I would have beaten you up to the point you would not be able to move for decades," she threatened.

    "Weren''t you send here to protect me? Are you actually allowed to say such words to me?" he questioned.

    "Although that scumbag forced me into this, I believe that she will be perfectly fine as long as you don''t die completely," she replied.

    "Oh! Is that so? Could it be that you knew me before I approached you the other day with the card?" he questioned¡ª changing his voice to a gentler tone.

    Turning her head to face him, she asked, "Why did you change your tone again?"

 Chapter 49 - Being Followed

    "Since the two of us as having this cooperation, would not it be better for us to get along with each other? Let''s erase whatever had happened in the past," Sookyung stated.

    A wide smile was placed on his face while his eyes sparkled. The aura around him currently had the ability to draw people in. However, Jiwoo remained unimpressed.

    "No, I don''t like being fake neither am I fond of fake people. That''s why, behave with me normally, and don''t try to put on that mask. I might truly get annoyed and punch you," she spoke out.

    Oh Sookyung chuckled at her words and said, "You are really a fool, but you are cute I suppose."

    "If you keep on acting like this, you will be reminding me of my ex, and that jerk is someone I want to break the nose of. That bastard had the audacity to exploit me before running away someone with equally fake personality as him," she expressed while Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist.

    "Ah! This is surprising. Even someone like you can have an ex; I am not surprised to see that person had turned out to be your ex. After all, you have no charm," he voiced out.

    "Do you think you have charm?" she retorted, "The only reason he became my ex because I dumped him before. I eventually got bored of that two timing jerk and left him. He even begged me to not break up with him, but there was no way I was getting into a relationship with that jerk."

    "What a lie! I would believe that the story is the other way around. That ex of yours found a better girl and wanted to be with her, but you begged him."

    Turning her head back, she glared at him for being so close to the truth; the only part that was like in that was the fact he found a better girl. In Jiwoo''s opinion, certainly she was a better option than that Chaeyoung.

    "Why are you being this slow with those bags? With those long legs of yours, you should be faster than me! Aish! You are such a disappointment as man!" she commented while she turned towards the front. Her annoyance was clearly displayed through her voice.

    Oh Sookyung''s lips curved to form a small smirk. Moving his hand slightly backward and forward, he swung the shopping bag in his hand. They came in contact against Jiwoo''s back.

    Before Jiwoo was able to face him and stare daggers at him, he stated, "Oops! Sorry, that was totally my fault."

    Holding in her anger, Moon Jiwoo decided upon letting that pass, considering the fact that she was a benevolent person¡ª at least that was how she portrayed herself to be in the situation.

    Once again, as the mischievous glint in Sookyung''s eyes became more evident, he swung the bag forward, causing it to hit Jiwoo''s back¡ª this time with the impact being harder.

    Moon Jiwoo tightened her jaw and was about to let out her anger at the boy before he spoke out, "I am really sorry about it. I am not used to carrying such heavy bags, so at times, I am unable to keep the control."

    ''It''s alright, Moon Jiwoo. You can hold it in. Be the bigger person in this¡ª''

    Before she was able to compose herself and continue her thought, the bags again came in contact with her, and the force used this time around was larger than the previous time.

    Being aware that he will not be quitting this unless she made it clear to him, Moon Jiwoo folded her arms across her ?h?st and stared daggers at him.

    "Yah! Thief, you are growing really courageous. This is my last warning to you. If this is continued, I would not mind snapping your hands into two," Moon Jiwoo threatened.

    Shrugging his shoulders, he spoke out, "I would not mind taking you to the police then."

    "There you go again¡ª taking about the police. It seems that the fetish of yours still remains," she said, "But then, I can also report you for s?xu?? harassment."

    "Sexual harassment? Those are some big words. Do you even have proof for that?" he voiced out.

    "I can just create some proof. What''s the difficulty in that?" she expressed.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    The fading light of the dawn illuminated the streets, and chilly evening breeze passed by Sookyung and Jiwoo. The atmosphere around then was serene, and eerie silence surrounded them.

    On both sides of them were closed shops and abandoned mansions. There were no signs of human lives around them.

    "Where are you going? Shouldn''t a little girl like you be afraid of such dark places?" Sookyung questioned.

    Oh Sookyung''s eyes wandered off the surroundings while his face remained expressionless. Moon Jiwoo, on the other hand, carried herself with pride.

    "There was an awesome hotel somewhere around here, but I can''t seem to find it," she spoke out, "Maybe it was around the corner or something."

    "You really speak as if you have been to Seoul before," he pointed out.

    "How does my personal affairs concern you?" she questioned.

    "I guess, it doesn''t, but I am naturally a curious person," he mentioned.

    "What do you expect me to do with that piece of information? If you''re curious, then be curious; it''s not like I wanted to know that," she vocalised.

    "You are really rude to the point I want to punch you, but I am courteous against females. So, you are lucky," he stated.

    "Liar, you hit me back at that shopping mall," she voiced out.

    That''s when, something caught her attention, and Moon Jiwoo instantly stopped her footsteps. Although it was subtle, she was able to hear the footsteps of someone following after them.

    Moon Jiwoo turned her head back in that moment, but there was no one standing behind her. Nonetheless, her ears could not have heard wrong.

    "Ah! So, you have finally noticed," he vocalised.

 Chapter 50 - Being Followed [2]

    A spike of panic went through Moon Jiwoo, and her nerves simmered at the thought of being followed. However, she did not let that translate into an expression upon her face.

    "Let''s go separate ways then," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "What are you talking about?" he questioned, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "What I mean is there are no way those people will be following me. It makes sense for them to follow a thief like you, and since I don''t want to be involved in your troubles, I will be heading away first," Jiwoo said.

    However, before she was able to precede him, he grabbed on to her wrist, and pulling her back, he expressed, "How are you so sure that they are following me? You could be their target as well, and didn''t you say that you are here to protect me?"

    "That''s right," she mumbled before a sigh left her mouth.

    "Since this is important, I suppose I can''t abandon you here," she added.

    Releasing her hand from his grip, Moon Jiwoo grabbed on to Sookyung''s hand instead, and without waiting for him to process everything, she muttered, "Run."

    Ever since she had transmigrated into this body, she was aware that she ran faster than average humans, and such a skill was truly advantageous at this moment.

    Moon Jiwoo glimpsed at Sookyung and exclaimed, "What are you trying to do by holding on to these shopping bags? They are just going to slow down your running."

    Moon Jiwoo did not have to mention that again before Sookyung dropped the shopping bags within his hand.

    Jiwoo turned her head slightly back and saw that three men were chasing after them. They were cladded in black from top to bottom, and their speed was much higher than Jiwoo''s.

    At this rate, they would be caught before even a minute passes, and such a situation made it difficult for Jiwoo to think of something. The area around her seemed unknown to her, and the surrounding had no such place that she could consider hiding at.

    "You are doing a poor job for someone who has to protect me. It will merely be taking them thirty seconds in catching us," Sookyung spoke out¡ª making a sharp attack on Jiwoo''s pride.

    ''Weird Creature, what type of situation have you gotten me into?''

    "I can get you released from this, but that''s only if you beg me and promise to be obedient. Think fast; you do not have that much time in your hand," Minnie said.

    ''Hell, there is no way I am begging you, and if the situation gets worse, I am abandoning that thief. After all, he is reason behind this trouble.''

    "Nevermind, Moon Jiwoo, and don''t think of doing anything. You will be surviving this, so don''t panic. If¡ª"

    Before Minnie was able to continue, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes sharpened when she noticed how one of the man was about to touch Sookyung''s shoulder.

    Jiwoo instantly grabbed the wrist, and while glaring at the man before her, she attempted to twist it. The strength that she currently had managed to shock her. Nevertheless, she did not let that faze her.

    "Just escape from here," Jiwoo confidently spoke out, "You will just slow me down at here. I am pretty sure I can take care of these creeps by myself."

    Moon Jiwoo never took interest in learning about fighting. However, the scene before her gave her a rush of adrenaline, and her lips curved to form a small smirk. All the nervousness from earlier had dissipated, and a part within her looked forward to beating the man before her.

    A fraction of her anger towards them came due to the fact that she had to abandon all those beautiful clothing of hers. After all the shabby clothing, she was looking forward to trying all of them. However, that would not be possible now.

    "No, I think I will be joining you in this fight as well. Being the damsel in distress is not my cup of tea," Sookyung vocalised as a glint passed through his eyes.

    "Then, don''t hinder me," she stated.

    Despite of not being bright, it was not difficult for Jiwoo to notice how those men''s target was Oh Sookyung, and they did not want to bother with her.

    Hearing the sound of something snapping, Jiwoo turned to look at the man she was holding the hand of and realized that she had broken his hand. This was the first time she had done something like this, managing to shock her.

    However, what managed to astonish her further was how that man was able to raise his hand as if nothing had happened and there were no signs of pain upon his face.

    "Shit," Jiwoo vocalised, "You got me into some deep problem now."

    When it came to dealing with those from the Yellow Clan, Jiwoo was aware that she would be able to handle their numbers without any difficulty. But as for the Red Clan, it was different, the opposite.

    Moon Jiwoo was self-aware of her extent of power currently and knew that she was not any match for those before her. Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows while she tried to think of something fast in order to defend herself and Sookyung.

    Oh Sookyung too was shocked by what had happened. He clearly heard the noise of the man''s hand snapping, but seeing the man move his hand effortlessly, it made him suspicious on whether or not he had heard wrongly.

    "Who are you?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

    However, those man appeared to be in no mood to answer her question for two of them extended their hand towards Sookyung.

 Chapter 51 - Being Followed [3]

    Pushing away all the negative thoughts at the back of her mind, Moon Jiwoo decided to face the situation with confidence. After all, the only solution to this is¡ª although it did not seem all that reliable¡ª is to give it all.

    Seeing how those two men extended their hands toward Sookyung, her eyes narrowed, and as creases appeared between both of her eyebrows, she gripped on to both of their wrists.

    Taking this opportunity, Sookyung grabbed on to their legs, and pulling those legs, he tried to make those men slip. But regardless of how much strength he used, it was not possible for him to move those leg slightly.

    Raising Sookyung''s head, he stared at the men dressed in black, and their lips curved to form a small smirk.

    After that, those two men flung their hands, and the strength caused Moon Jiwoo to lose her hold on their. With her stability being disrupted due to the impact, Jiwoo fell back.

    Her shoulders came in contact with the road, and pain permeated through the back side of her body. A groan left her mouth while she pressed her palm on the ground, attempting to sit up.

    Sookyung, on the other hand, scanned both of the men with his eyes, and when something caught his eyes, he clapped both of his hands together.

    When one of those men was about to grip his hand, he jumped back, and then, his eyes fell on to Moon Jiwoo.

    Judging from the way he was staring at her, Jiwoo had a ominous feeling rising within her ?h?st at that, and she stood up.

    The two men did not waste a second before making a move towards Sookyung. However, before they could catch him, Sookyung grabbed Moon Jiwoo and pushed her body on top of theirs. After that, he turned his back on them and began running away at this best speed.

    Since this action of his caught her by surprise, Jiwoo''s body collided against the two men slightly before she was able to compose herself.

    "Distract them for me, alright?" he yelled before disappearing.

    A sigh left Jiwoo''s mouth at that. Regardless of how much she was seething with anger due to his actions, it was her priority to protect him.

    A fiercesome look settled on her face while her determination to defeat them increased.

    The three men attempted to run after Sookyung, but Moon Jiwoo grabbed on to two men''s wrist while she kicked the other one on the knee with all the strength she was able to muster up.

    The one that was kicked on the knee instantly fell back as his hand gripped on to his knee while the other two struggled against her grip. However, unlike the last time, they were not able to get rid of her strength.

    The man that have been kicked down instantly stood up and began to run towards Sookyung. Seeing that, Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and she was out of ideas on how to stop them.

    Glaring at both the man before her, she was about to make move on them. However, that''s when, she noticed how both of them raised their hands, and claws extended out from them.

    Seeing that, she was caught by surprise, and a gasp escaped from her mouth. Before they were able to attack her, she removed their grip off of them and jumped a considerably large distance back.

    However, it seemed that this time, those two men considered her to an opponent as well. Moving forward towards her, one of them were about to attack her with his claws.

    Her eyes narrowed at that, and instinctively, she dodged his attack. But that''s when she grew aware of the presence behind her, and noticing how a pair of claw was about to attack her, she squeezed her eyes close.

    However, that attack never came for her, and Jiwoo found herself being pulled into a warm embrace. That sudden action caught her by surprise, and her eyes widened.

    Hearing sounds, Jiwoo raised her head from that embrace, and a familiar face fell into her line of sight. A man stood before her, and judging from her memory, he was exactly the same man who had pulled her from the road the other day.

    His appearance captivated her in that instant, and she found it difficult to move her eyes away from him. But when something warm touched her cheeks, she was pulled out of her trance.

    Raising her hand, Jiwoo touched her cheek, and bringing her hand in front of her eyes, she noticed the red liquid on top of her hand.

    Her eyes dilated in horror at that, and when she turned to her left, she noticed that their laid two corpse on the ground. The sight of that frightened Jiwoo, and she subconsciously jumped back.

    The attractive man let go of her, and Jiwoo staggered a few steps back. This was her first time experiencing something of this sort, and even now, her heart raced within her ?h?st.

    The man then turned to look at Jiwoo, and his cold eyes stared at Jiwoo. Before she was able to say anything to him, he disappeared into the thin air, causing shock to spread within her. Along with him, those bodies disappeared as well.

    Moon Jiwoo''s knees gave out then, and she instantly fell down on the ground. As her palm held on to her face, tears welled up at the corner of her eyes. Her body trembled as her bottom lip quivered.

    From this, she had gotten a clear idea on what she will be facing in the future, and the thought of that was able to make her shudder. Maybe she would probably have to kill a person in the future as well.

    "Are you done collecting yourself? I believe I deserve some answers now."

    Raising her head, she turned to look at the direction of the voice and realized that Sookyung was leaning against the wall. He folded his arms across his ?h?st while he had one of his eyebrows raised.

    "Wow! Judging from how you seem, this looks like your first time dealing with such a situation," he commented.

    Pressing her palms on top of the ground, Jiwoo stood up, and being ashamed of the tears in her eyes, she instantly wiped them away.

    In order to not let Sookyung see her shaken up self and ashen face, she instantly turned to looked at the other way. This was too humiliating for her.

    Not letting her voice crack, she spoke out, "Well, I am too tired today. I will be giving you the answers tomorrow."

    Moon Jiwoo was not able to ensure that she would not be collapsing today when she tried to give him details about the entire matter, and others seeing her weak side was something she took to be humiliating.

    However, before she was able to walk away, Sookyung moved forward towards her and engulfed her into a hug from behind. That action of his caught her by surprise, and her eyes widened.

    "Yah! What are you doing?" she questioned, struggling against his grip.

    "Hush! Don''t move," he said, "I don''t know what was it that gotten you shaken up, but everything is fine now see. You are safe, and I am safe too. If you want to cry out and let it out, you can; I am here for you, Daerin-ah."

    Upon hearing those words from him, Jiwoo instantly pulled away from the hug, and folding her arms across her ?h?st, she disapprovingly stared at him.

    She then vocalised, "What so you mean everything is fine? You fool, those men will be coming again, and next time, they will be stronger. I will abandon your ?ss next time around, and then say that everything is fine.

    And you expect me to cry? What do you take me to be? A weakling who cries and wh?n?s? That should be you! Moreover, don''t be there for me! I don''t need you for that. Just don''t trouble me, and I will be fine."

    At her words, a chuckle escaped from his mouth, and then, glaring at her, he slightly knocked on the top of her head, causing her to scrunch up her nose.

    "You really know how to destroy an atmosphere," he spoke out.

    "Shut up, You Coward! You should have seen how you have ran away from that situation while panicking after pushing me on to those men. It was totally hilarious! Are you even a man?" Jiwoo insulted.

    Raising his hand, Sookyung brushed his hand through his hair and said, "Only if I survive will I be a man, and at desperate times, I am forced to do such things."

    "You don''t have any girls falling for you, right, You Coward? After all, which girls will like a guy like you who will throw them into the danger and run away?

    Compared to you, the man that saved me was so much better. He was handsome, charming, and brave. He was skilled as well. You are really a disappointment!" she spoke out.

    "Speak for yourself. Can you see a guy falling for crude mouth and violent girl like you?" he questioned.

    "Crude mouth and violent girl!? Yah!" she exclaimed.

 Chapter 52 - The truth [1]

    "You are really suspicious," Sookyung voiced out while staring around the place.o0 The two of them were currently inside a caf¨¦ at the bottom floor of the hotel, where Jiwoo decided to stay at. The caf¨¦ appeared to be quite lavish, and tranquility surrounded the entire place.  At this time, only two of them were present. The soft smell of lavender and coffee wafted in the air, pleasing one''s senses.  He then added, "Previously, you b?r?ly had any money, but now, it seems that you grown wealthy overnight. What did you do?" Hi "That''s none of your business," she stated, "Now, state what all questions you have for me. Even though you did not protect those shopping bags of mine, I am still answering you due to how sweet I am." "Correction, you are the one who told me to throw them," he vocalised, "Why don''t you start from the beginning? Who are those guys? Why are you tasked to protect me?" "Those guys are some wannabe vampires. They are exactly like vampires and have almost as same powers as them, but they don''t sparkle or hates garlic. They are not s?ns?t?v? to sunlight either I think. So, basically, they belong to this Red Clan, and you are the prince of that clan.  Around ten days ago, I have received a mission to protect you," she voiced out, "That''s how the things are. If you have any confusion, don''t bother me about them, and your curiosity is none of your business." "Wannabe Vampires? Moon Jiwoo, are you actually insulting your kind? Those creatures called vampire were made to mock us," Minnie stated, "What''s with that explanation in the first place? I would be surprised if he doesn''t not call you a delusional fool after that." ''Shut up! If you are that great yourself, come and explain him yourself. This is none of my business in the first place.'' The shock in his eyes could easily be deciphered by him, and creases appeared between both of his eyebrows. Both of his lips were pursed together while he stared down at the table, tapping his index finger on top of it. Pushing the chair back, Jiwoo stood up, and wearing a nonchalant expression, she said, "I am sleepy now, so follow me to the room. Remember, the only reason I am letting you stay at here because of protecting you. That''s why, don''t try to steal anything." Before she was able to walk away, Sookyung extended his hand to grip on to her wrist, and a force had pulled her back then, catching her by surprise. Raising one of her eyebrows at him, she stared at him and spoke out, "What''s the meaning of this? Don''t try to casually touch me like this. It makes me disgusted, especially from a coward who threw off a girl to the danger and ran away." With that, she pulled away her hand from him harshly and fiercely stared at him. Now that everything was settled, she found herself being enraged by his action of pushing her off to those man and regarded her as a ''scum'' within her heart. Before he was able to open his mouth to say anything, she added, "I don''t like to listen to scum''s talk, and that''s why, I might seriously injure you if you open your mouth." A seductive chuckle escaped from his mouth, and he brushed his tongue over his lower lip, causing it to glisten. He then vocalised, "I apologise for dumping you there. Seeing how you are so affected by this, could it be that you have some feelings for me? Since you''re my bodyguard now, isn''t it normal for you to shield me at the cost of your life? I thought that was normal." He shrugged his shoulder. Moon Jiwoo did not what part of his words was that stuck her nerves. However, being quite irritated, she took the initiative to connect her fist with his stomach. "This is the pay back for the hit I took for you then," she voiced out nonchalantly as he grabbed on to his stomach in pain. ¡ã¡ã¡ã After they had stepped into the hotel room, Jiwoo placed the card on top of the nearby table and looked around the hotel room. Although it was not much compared to the top hotels, the condition of this room was much better than the rooms she had been previously residing in, and that was enough to cause a wide smile to form on her face. Coughing, she instantly removed that joyful expression from face, and turning her head, she stared at Sookyung fiercely. "You can stay at the couch at here, and my room is off limits to you. Remember that," she voiced out, pointing her finger at him. Walking over to the couch, Sookyung fell back on it and leaned against the soft material of the couch. A grin appeared on his face. "That''s cool with me," he said, "Since I am an attractive male, I hope you would not come to me at night and try to force to things. After all, you are stronger than me." "You Bastard! How dare you say such words? By the way, I am not interested in flower boy and two-faced type like yours. They disgust me," Jiwoo voiced out as she stomped off to her room. Staying in that room with Oh Sookyung was enough to drive her crazy, and she did not want to end up doing something crazy, knowing how weak her control over her anger was currently. Seeing her back enter into the room, a chuckle left Sookyung''s mouth before a dark look settled into his eyes, and he placed his hand into his pocket to take out his phone once Jiwoo had entered into the room. His phone was vibrating due to an incoming call, and reading the name on top of the screen, he received the call. Wearing a smiling expression on his face, he cheerfully spoke out, "Hello! Chaeyoung Noona, what''s the matter?" From the other side, Oh Chaeyoung nervously questioned, "How are you now, Sookyung-ah? Is everything fine?" "Noona, don''t you think I deserve some answers from you now? I am pretty sure you know what I am talking about," he vocalised¡ª switching to a serious tone. A sigh was heard from the other side of the phone, and Chaeyoung said, "That must have been difficult for you, Sookyung. Sorry for hiding everything from you, Sookyung-ah, but I wanted you to lead a peaceful life for as long as you could. But at this point, I don''t think it''s possible. I am sorry for everything. This is the last time I will be able to call you by your name I guess, Sookyung." Oh Sookyung clenched tightly on to the phone in his hand while he asked, "Are you free now?" "I am. It would be too dangerous for you to come at where I am. That''s why, I will come over to where you are," she voiced out. "Alright," he replied. ¡ã¡ã¡ã As Moon Jiwoo fell back on the bed behind her, bliss engulfed her instantly, and she was reluctant to get off of the bed. Finally, she was able to rest upon somewhere soft after all those days of hard mattress. "Wow! This is amazing! Just as I have thought before; money is truly is the best thing out there. Only fools will say that money doesn''t bring happiness," she voiced out as she rolled on the bed. All the worries had been driven out of her mind, and gradually, her eyelids began to become heavy. Letting out a yawn, she shut them and let the sleep consume her. After the events today, she was completely worn off, and she was desperate for a good night''s sleep despite of there being a certain type of restlessness within her. Nonetheless, her d?s?r? for sleep had blurred that. After she had completely fallen asleep, the door to the room was pushed open, and man had walked into room. Under the dim lights, Sookyung observed the girl sleeping on the bed, and a dry chuckle escaped from his mouth. Sookyung got closer to the bed and leaned down. Brushing off the hair from her head, his eyes moved down to stare at her neck. Moving his hand near to her neck, he softly touched it and voiced out, "My protector? What a joke?" Wrapping his hand around her neck, he applied pressure on it and added, "So vulnerable. It is too easy for me to finish you off." A groan was released from her mouth when he held on it tightly, and at that sound, he removed his hand off of her. "Since you seem to have your use now, I will not be finishing you off," he said, "You better change that naive and foolish side of yours. At this rate, it will end up with you dying fruitlessly." With a scoff, he turned his back on her and begab to leave the room.

 Chapter 53 - The truth [2]

    "So, Noona, what are you telling me that is I am the Prince of this Red Clan and currently, there are some people after my life?" he questioned.

    Oh Chaeyoung was seated beside Oh Sookyung, and the two of them were inside the lobby of the hotel. There were b?r?ly any staffs in sight, and other than the two of them, there was no one present at there.

    Chaeyoung had a tense expression upon her face while she nodded her head and said, "Yes, that''s how it is. Since that girl is sent to you, my time to protect you is up, and it is her duty to do so. Sookyung-ah, don''t make any reckless decision in this."

    "You are sending someone like that girl to protect me? Are you actually kidding me?" he scoffed before adding, "Whatever this position is, I am fine with it. That''s why, don''t force me into it, Noona."

    Extending her hand towards Sookyung, Chaeyoung placed her palm on top of the back of his hand in order to provide him with comfort.

    Giving him a small smile, she said, "Noona knows that this is difficult for you to accept and even might feel overwhelming for you. But this is your destiny. You are fated to be the King, and the King can''t escape from his position.

    There are lots of person hoping for you to be the next King. Watching you grow up, I never wanted you to go after this lifestyle, but this can not be helped. However, this is unavoidable. I hope you deal m?tur?ly with this."

    Oh Sookyung fell silent. A distant look settled in his eyes while he stared down at his knee. Raising her hand, Chaeyoung patted on his shoulder softly.

    "I believe in you, Sookyung-ah," Chaeyoung verbalised.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    The appetizing scent of the food attracted her attention and put her into a better mood. Last night''s ordeal made her skip the dinner, and patting on her stomach, she walked towards the living room.

    On the glass table was various kinds of food, and seeing the food packaging, it appeared that they have been ordered. The brand did not seem familiar to Jiwoo.

    Nonetheless, not minding that, she stared at Sookyung, who was eating his stir-fried noodles, and said, "Wow! I did not expect you to spend money on this."

    Bending her knees, she sat on the ground and picked up her chopsticks. Although Jiwoo liked being slim, this body was too skinny for her liking, and Jiwoo believed that she would be looking better if she fattened up slightly.

    Staring at the hearty breakfast before her, she could not stop herself from starting. Raising some noodles with her chopsticks, she placed it inside her mouth.

    "It''s absurd of you to think that I have used my money. When did I turn that generous? The money is obviously from you," he stated.

    "Wow! You are really a thief," she voiced out, "You better compensate me handsomely for all the trouble I am going through."

    "Is that why you are protecting me?" he questioned, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "Of course! That Weird Being told me that I will be getting wealthy after I protect you," she said, "Although the entire thing is troublesome, it will be over soon, and I can enjoy a lavish lifestyle."

    Curving his lips to form a smile, he vocalised, "Then, you treat me better. After all, if you end up upsetting me, I might not compensate you."

    "I will kill you if you don''t," she stated, "Do you know all the troubles I am going through to keep your weak ?ss protected?"

    She shot a glare at him before going back to devouring the food.

    Recalling about something, Jiwoo raised her head and vocalised, "Oh right! That Minnie mentioned to me about this person I need to search for. You will be helping me search for that person. After all, it is because of you I need that person."

    Making no retort to those words, Sookyung asked, "Aren''t I the Prince? If that''s the case, should not I be having some magical powers?"

    "Right? You should have them; that would be taking away half of my responsibilities, and I can easily abandon you. But that damned Minnie did not say anything about this," she voiced out, "So, I guess you are powerless now."

    "Who was that man from yesterday then? He seemed way more skilled than you," Sookyung teased, emphasising the word ''skilled''.

    He then added, "I believe that they have misplaced you."

    Taking in a deep breath, Jiwoo slammed the chopsticks on top of the table, creating a loud sound, and glowering at Sookyung, she said, "Why do you talk too much? Can''t you let me at least eat at peace!? After all, I am the one paying for this!"

    Sookyung shrugged his shoulders at her temper.

    Removing her hand from the chopsticks, Jiwoo''s eyes widened when she had noticed something. It seemed that due to her slam, she had accidently broken her chopsticks.

    Irritated, she hissed and angrily exclaimed, "Aish! This is really horrible! Ugh!"

    Seeing that caused a laugh to escape from Sookyung''s mouth, and he voiced out, "It seems that you have broken it? Do you want me to feed you with mine? There are no extra chopsticks."

    Slamming her hand on top of the table, Jiwoo stood up and said, "Are you insulting me? You thief, if it was not for you, I would not have gotten into this mess in the first place."

    Losing her appetite entirely, Jiwoo stomped angrily on the ground while she walked towards her room. The fury within her was something she was finding difficult to calm.

    Sookyung released a chuckle and placed a piece of beef in his mouth.

    "At least I have all of this to myself now," he commented.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Clutching on to the stand of the lamp, she raised it up and voiced out, "That bastard, I am doing this much for him yet he acts in such a way. Maybe I should kill him, so that I would not have to deal with him! Ugh! I really want to make scars on that face of his badly! That ?sshat¡ª"

    Jiwoo was about to throw the lamp in her hand down when Minnie vocalised, "Stop, Jiwoo, and calm yourself down. You can''t let yourself get this emotional over such a small matter. You know things get crazy when you get angry, and just keep that lamp down for safety purpose."

    "THAT FUCKED UP PRINCE OF YOURS! Who was in the right mind to put such a dude as the Prince? I sincerely want to provide him with help yet that ?sshole mocks me?" she vocalised, sitting back on the bed.

    "It''s not like I can do anything about it; this is just merely fated. Just like how I did not choose him to be the Prince, I didn''t select you to be his protector as well. You¡ª"

    Before Minnie was able to continue, she spoke out, "So, he did imply that he doesn''t need my help."

    "No, no, no, you are misunderstanding the situation. He is just a little immature and shaken up by the situation. That''s why, he reacted in that way. Moreover, you are just a little weak. But after you meet that Master, you will be really strong, and he will have to acknowledge you."

    However, those words of Minnie fell into the deaf ears, and she mumbled, "Right, so he doesn''t want my help. Well, that doesn''t matter to me. If he doesn''t want me to help him, then I would not be forcing as well.

    He can stay at this hotel alone. I will be leaving him, and let''s see how that jerk survives on his own. It''s not like I wanted to protect him in the first place. Since we went into a mutual agreement, it''s better that we don''t trouble each other."

    "No, Moon Jiwoo, wait! Don''t be this foolish!"

    However, paying no mind to Minnie''s words, Moon Jiwoo stood up and walked towards the door. Extending her hand, she clutched on to the door knob and pulled open the door.

    Brushing off the anger from her face, confidently, she strided towards the living room, and arrogance covered her face.

    Seeing that he was still eating those food, she smiled at him and voiced out, "Since you don''t need my help, let''s not trouble each other. You can stay at this hotel room until it is paid for. I will be leaving then. Bye."

    Turning her back on him, she walked towards the door before he was able to say something, and staring at her distant back, he shook his head.

    After she had closed the door with a loud noise, he voiced out, "Yes, yes, don''t come back. It''s not like I wanted you to protect me in the first place. Aish! So arrogant!"

 Chapter 54 - Her Instinct [1]

    "This is perfect! This is how life should be led without worrying about any trivial matters," she voiced out while she walked through the streets of Seoul.  Shopping bags were there in one of her hands while she su?k?d on to the lollipop. The cool breeze brightened up her mood further. However, this perfect moment for her was destroyed when she realized that the sky above her started to darken, and people around her¡ª those without the umbrellas¡ª began to scurry around for shelter. When couple of droplets of water fell on to her head, the realization that it would be raining dawned upon Jiwoo, and her eyes widened. Looking around, she instantly searched for a cover. "Shit!" she exclaimed. That''s when, a tent fell into her side, and immediately, she rushed in that direction. Before she could get more wet, she tossed off the lollipop into the nearest trash can, and pushing open the door, she entered into the tent. As she stepped inside, all of a sudden, the surrounding around her fell solemn. Other than the noises of the ran hitting the surface of the tent, nothing else could be heard by her. Nevertheless, the constant pitter patter seemed melodious and calming at the same time. She then looked at the desk, and behind that, an old man was seated. A dark, intimidating stare was given off by him, and there was something about him that made him stand out. Even someone as oblivious as Moon Jiwoo was able to notice that. Tarot cards were laid as a stack on top of the table, and raising his head, the man stared Jiwoo. All of a sudden, Jiwoo grew cautious of her surroundings and wondered whether or not the old man was someone suspicious. "Young Lady, would you want to get a reading?" he questioned. "No, not interested," Moon Jiwoo answered. Moon Jiwoo did not believe in superstitious things such as fortune telling, and the man in front of her felt strange to her. "Young Lady, aren''t you currently stuck in a dilemma? The world suddenly turned strange for you, and there are lots of answers you are searching for. It seems that currently you are looking for someone¡ª the one who can probably guide you," the old man spoke out while his lips curved slightly upwards at the end. "No, you have guessed wrong," Jiwoo vocalised, "It seems that your prediction was wrong this time around." As much as Moon Jiwoo was baffled by how he was able to guess it accurately, she was not willing to believe or acknowledge such a thing as fortune telling; it sounded way too unbelievable for her. "What if I tell you that I have a way to find that man you are looking for?" he asked as he tapped on the tarot cards. That offer sounded attractive to Moon Jiwoo. Nevertheless, composing herself, she folded her arms across her ?h?st and raised one of her eyebrows. Then she asked, "Why should I believe those words of yours?" "You would have nothing to lose if my words are wrong, but you will be gaining when I am correct," he pointed out. "I will be losing my precious time," she vocalised, "And there is no need for me to find that person because I decided to not take that path." The Old Man chuckled and explained, "You are young. That''s why, you think that like that. However, there are some responsibilities you can''t escape from. This is one of those." "I don''t believe that. I will not be protecting that damned ?sshole if I don''t wish to do it," she vocalised, "I will be escaping that damned thing called fate, and I will prove it." "It seems that you are really immature and have a lot to learn. Things would have been better if you''re the obedient and quiet type, but I guess, some things done by the fate will always be left as a wonder to us. You will be trained to become obedient later on and be able to do your job properly if you fix that temper of yours." Those words of the Old Man managed to raise fury within Moon Jiwoo, and tightening her jaws, she gritted her teeth. Stomping at the Old Man, she glared at him and banged her fist against the table. She then voiced out, "This is my life, and I am not going to devote it to protecting some damned Prince. I will stay just the way I am, and that''s why, don''t even think about¡ª" However, before she was able to continue further, she realized that the table had snapped into those parts, and it collapsed down due to losing it''s stability. The motion of the table falling down caused her eyes to widen, and she took a step back. She was shocked to see how much strength she used subconscious in that bang. The Old Man stood up and spoke out, "Although there is a problem with your attitude, you are really talented. Find me at this same place tomorrow. I will be training you." With that, the Old Man had disappeared into the thin air, and Jiwoo mumbled, "What was that about?" "Moon Jiwoo, you have incredible luck! You managed to find the one that will be teaching you this fast! This is great! You can start your training from tomorrow onwards! This is going perfectly," Minnie gushed on inside her head. "That rude old man is the one who will be teaching me?" She mumbled. ''My luck just can''t get worse. What do you mean by incredible? Didn''t you see how rude that damned old man was? I have a horrible attitude and become obedient? I have to devote my life to that damned prince? Hell! I am doing anything like that! I am priority.'' "Aish! Moon Jiwoo, don''t get this much angry about a trivial matter, and the rain had stopped already. I think you should check up on the Prince once. What if he had gotten into some serious trouble? A small check would not hurt you," Minnie said in hopes that he would be able to convince Jiwoo. ''Even if you say it so nicely, I am not going to check up on that ungrateful brat!'' ¡ã¡ã¡ã ''Listen, You Weird Creature, the only reason I am at here is because of how you forced me. That''s all. I absolutely did not want to be at here, but she to you annoying me, I am here. Geez! Thinking about that brat is pissing me off.'' Moon Jiwoo stood in front of the grand building of the hotel, where she stayed at previously, and her eyes stared up at where the room Sookyung was residing at was. "Yes, you''re absolutely at here because I urged you to although I have just mentioned it to you one time," Minnie said. ''You did not have to end the unnecessary part of one time!'' A sudden gasp left Moon Jiwoo''s mouth when she noticed something, and her eyes widened. A loud sound followed after it, and the sound of the fire alarm could be heard from the outside of the hotel. In that instant, Jiwoo''s mind went blank when she realized how there was a explosion inside the room Sookyung was at. The bright flames would be seen from the outside. Before she was able to process the entire event, she found herself running into the hotel room and towards the room. Her heart was beating rapidly within her while she started to panic. Her palms started to sweat, and she was not able to decipher whether that was for the nervousness or heat. The people inside the hotel grew instantly alarmed at the noise, and everyone started to run towards the exit. Pushing through the crowd of people, Jiwoo made her way to the staircase and started running through. Although she was currently at the dishevelled state, it did not matter to her at that moment, and as she continued to bump against people, the annoyance within her began to increase for she was afraid of being slowed down. The loud screams were let out by people all around her, but Jiwoo had muted all of it down. Scanning her eyes through the crowd around, she tried to search for any signs of Oh Sookyung, but there was none of that. The fire soon had started to spread out throughout the hotel, and if it was not for the fact that everyone was panicking currently, they would have shot weird gazes at Jiwoo for running further into the building. The fire had started to wear her down, and Jiwoo began to find her sight getting slightly blurry. The heat was difficult for her to bear, but for the sake of finding Oh Sookyung, she did not put her mind into it. As she had finally finished walking through the staircase and reached the hallway, she was about to go towards the direction of Sookyung''s room. However, the fire began to spread at her direction, and Moon Jiwoo''s body gave out in that instant. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed down on the floor. Tears began to form at the edge of her eyes, and slowly, her consciousness began to drift away from her.

 Chapter 55 - Her Instinct [2]

    That''s when, she felt a hand against her mouth and nose, preventing her from inhaling in any of that, and as a tear dripped down her eyes, she found herself being pulled. Raising her head, she took a look at the man protecting her; it was the same man that had saved her previously as well. In her half conscious state, Moon Jiwoo found herself being hurriedly pulled to the lower part of the hotel, and the further she was taken away from the fire, the better she felt. Moon Jiwoo was soon taken out from that hotel room, and the blaring sounds of the firetrucks reached into her ears. Her complete consciousness was gradually returning to her. She was soon brought further away from that fire, and even though the slight burning smell wafted into the air, it was better than before. The man stood beside her behind a tree, and as he released his hand from around her mouth, he disappeared into the thin air before she was able to say something. The breath she was holding in left her mouth, and she found herself wondering about the strange man. After that, she put her mind into what happened today, and her actions seemed more or less confusing to her. Even though her job was to protect Sookyung, whatever happened today was foolish and dangerous for her as well. She mumbled, "Moon Jiwoo, have you finally lost it? Why the hell would you even run into that fire to save that damned guy? You truly had become muddled! Don''t you know how dangerous fire is for you! You would have been done for if it was not for that man saving you!" Moon Jiwoo was well aware of how detrimental heat or fire was for those from Red Clan; it had worse affect than it had on those from Yellow Clan. After some coughs had escaped from her mouth and she managed to compose herself completely, she decided to take a walk back at the hotel in order to check whether or not he was live. "Moon Jiwoo, you were too reckless this time around! Your instinct to save the prince might cloud your judgement at times, but despite that, you still need to be careful!" ''Cloud my judgement? Instinct? Are you actually saying that I will be risking myself again like this to save that guy not because I want to, but because this is my instinct?'' "You can word it out like that. Since you are the chosen one, it is more or less your responsibility to save the Prince with your life, and today, you acted upon that instinct. Although that instinct of yours is strong, you need to smarter and more tactful!" Minnie vocalised. Walking over to the road, Moon Jiwoo halted in her steps and clenched her hand to form a tight fist.  ''So, I will be continuing to risk my life like that to save him? There is no ?ssurance that I will be surviving after this, right? Since this makes my thoughts all muddled up, I don''t want to continue this job anymore. Does anything else matter if I die?'' It was none of Moon Jiwoo''s business whether or not her actions were selfish. Although she was brought here and given another chance to protect Oh Sookyung, currently, her priority was to save herself.  The danger of this situation of hers was something she had become aware of after the incident today. This was a near death for her, and there would certainly be repetitions of it if she stayed close to Oh Sookyung. Death brought fear within her like many, and she was desperate to keep on living. For a man she b?r?ly knew, she was not willing to throw away her life. She was not some loyal servant under Oh Sookyung. Before Minnie was able to say something, Moon Jiwoo felt a palm on top of her shoulder, and as creases appeared between both of her eyebrows, she turned her back to see who it was. Oh Sookyung stood behind her while a small smirk sat on his face. He was the last person she wanted to see in this moment, and seeing that he was perfectly alright brought both relief and anger within her. The conflicting feelings within her managed to confuse her. That''s when, a thought crossed her mind. What if she killed her at that moment? Then, there would be no need for her to risk her life for him. As much as tempting the offer was, she brushed it away from her mind; getting rid of the evidences of a murder was too difficult. She did not want to spend rest of her life behind the bars if she was caught. "It seems that you went inside that fire. Was that for me?" he spoke out, extending his hand towards her, and wiping away the dark dust from her mouth. The teasing tone in his voice aggravated her further. She should not have held any expectations towards a man like him; however, seeing how the man she nearly lost her life for reacted, she raised her hand to deliver a punch at him. However, before that fist of hers was able to come in contact with him, her punch was caught by him, and an amused expression formed on his face at her glare. "What''s with that weak punch? I thought you were stronger than that!" he commented, "How are you supposed to protect me with such mediocre skills?" "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" she exclaimed, "JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP! Do you think I really want to be your protector? No, I don''t want to, but I damned have to be it. I don''t even want to lose my life for the likes of you, but it is apparently something I can''t change.  No, I will change it; I will not foolishly die because of you. B-but today, I wasn''t able to hold it in. My thoughts became all muddled, and I don''t want that repeating. I don''t want to protect you again!" It was not difficult for him to notice how the girl before him was trembling, and subconsciously, he found himself extending his hand towards her, pulling her into a tight hug. Moon Jiwoo appeared completely vulnerable before her, and this was the first time he had seen the girl be this way. It was as if something that terribly shocked her and frightened her. The girl did not respond to that hug neither did she try to pull away from it; Moon Jiwoo was completely still. Her heart squeezed painfully at the thought of dying like that, and suddenly, the future began to feel frightening to her. The fact that she had no control over her life had her shivering. "I don''t know what has you trembling this way, but you do realize that you should not leave yourself vulnerable in front of a guy like me," he stated, "You don''t know what I might do to you without your knowledge." Hearing those words of his, she moved back slightly and, raising her head, stared at his face. He gazed upon Jiwoo''s face while amusement played on his face. "I suppose, you can look decent when you have that mouth of yours closed," he voiced out, bringing his face closer to hers. In that instant, Moon Jiwoo found herself thinking that Sookyung was someone attractive, and she found herself being caught in awe. As he brought his face closer to her, his warm breath fell on her face. What was about to happen suddenly woke up all of her nerves, and raising her head, she bumped her head against his face. As a sharp pain seared through her forehead, his hold on her body loosened. Taking that opportunity, she quickly jumped back from the man, and glaring at him, she exclaimed, "Stay away from me, You Pervert! You are gross!" The thought of kissing Oh Sookyung made shudders go through Moon Jiwoo''s spine. Regardless of how attractive the man before her, she could not bear the thought of being kissed by him. A groan left his mouth as Sookyung rubbed his nose, and staring at Moon Jiwoo, who was standing defensively, he rolled his eyes. "What are you thinking about? I am not even interested in someone as flat as you," he spoke out, "Do you think you will be able to attract anyone with how you look? Tch! You are really narcissistic!" "Yah!" Jiwoo exclaimed while she moved forward. However, all of a sudden, she lost her balance and was about to fall back when Oh Sookyung grabbed on to her wrist and pulled her closer to him in order to prevent her from falling. Then, leaning closer to her ear, he whispered, "Is this your method of seducing me? So clich¨¦ and boring." He softly bit into her ear at that, and at that, heat rose up her face. Raising her hand, she pushed the man away from her while holding her ear. While Sookyung stumbled backward, Jiwoo stated, "You creep! Get away from me!"

 Chapter 56 - The Old Man [1]

    "Is this where that man lives?" Oh Sookyung questioned.

    After Moon Jiwoo had managed to calm down from the shock she had received yesterday, she decided that it would be for the best if he met up with the man.

    If Sookyung had skills, it would be better if he learned to use them. That would reduce the burden upon her, and maybe she would not need to give her life over him.

    After she had went to the place she met that man yesterday, she learned that the fortune teller had been changed, and the new fortune teller gave both of them some directions. Left with no choice, the two of them decided to follow the direction despite of how suspicious it seemed.

    Following the directions, the two of them ended up inside a forest, and the fear of meeting wild animals began to rise within Moon Jiwoo.

    There was a d?s?r? within her to get out of this wilderness. However, since they have made it so far, they could probably follow the directions completely.

    "I don''t know," she voiced out.

    "You Fool, could it be that you are tricked? How can you just trust stranger''s words this easily?" he questioned.

    "Geez! Stop calling me a Fool, and it''s not like I had any options. Now, this would not be fatal¡ª I think¡ª so let''s just follow this direction. If it were not for me, I believe that you would be dead meat, so shut up," she vocalised.

    "So, what are you saying is that now I owe you with my life?" he asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "That goes without saying," she said, "I risked my life to save yours, and that clearly means that you owe your life to me."

    "Wow! That''s truly an exaggeration. When did you risk your life for my sake?" he stated, "Isn''t it all for the sake of the money?"

    She scoffed at him and vocalised, "Money or not, you still owe me your life."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes then fell on the snake slithering on the tree top while it''s hissing caught her ears. Her incredible senses always managed to surprise her.

    Raising her hand, she gripped on to the body of the snake, and although it was more or less disgusting to touch it, an idea came to her mind.

    Bringing the snake from her back, she suddenly held it in front of his face and smirked at him. Moving the snake closer to him, she tried to frighten the boy.

    Oh Sookyung was caught off guard for a moment, and staring at the creature in her hand flash its fang, he took a step back.

    Getting nearer to Sookyung with that snake, she sneered and spoke out, "Are you scared of the snake? It''s not going to eat you. Pet it, pet it."

    As the giggles escaped from her mouth, the snake turned its head back and was about to bite into Jiwoo''s hand. That''s when, Sookyung took out a dagger from his pocket and drove it through the snake, killing it.

    The blood from it fell on to Moon Jiwoo''s hand, and she exclaimed loudly. She panicked and threw the snake in her hand forward.

    Unfortunately, Oh Sookyung ended up being the victim to it for the snake fell on his shoulder¡ª its blood staining his t-shirt while it slid down off of his body.

    Sookyung''s eyes widened when he turned his head to look at the red mark on his shoulder, and turning towards Jiwoo, he directed a glare towards her.

    Paying no attention to Oh Sookyung, she removed the backpack off of her shoulders, and opening the zip, she took out the hand sanitizer and handkerchief from her backpack. The blood in her hand felt extremely gross to her.

    "Yah! Shin Daerin!" he exclaimed, "After I have saved you from that snake, this is how you repay him!"

    Despite his loud voice, Moon Jiwoo''s attention was not attracted by his anger filled voice. Opening the cap of the sanitizer, she was about to apply the gel in her hand when he suddenly grabbed the bottle and the handkerchief from her hand.

    His actions resulted in her eyes dilating for a moment before a frown formed on her face, and creases appeared between both of her eyebrows.

    "What are you doing, You Thief? Stop stealing," she stated while jumping up in order to take them back.

    However, regardless of her words, Oh Sookyung did not return them back to her, and in fact, he tossed them further into the wilderness.

    While a look of innocence formed in his eyes, a gasp left his mouth as he spoke out, "Oops! My hand just left."

    Moon Jiwoo stared at horror due to what had happened, and her eyes went in the direction those two items was thrown off. Even with her enhanced vision, she was unable to see any signs of it.

    Then, turning her gaze at Sookyung, she glared at the man and punched on his shoulder. Then, she vocalised, "Yah! You Jerk, what the hell is wrong with you? You Bastard!"

    Pointing at his stained shirt, he said, "Since I am covered in blood as well, it would only be fair if both of us are stained. Don''t you think so?"

    "It''s none of my concern whether or not you are covered in blood. If that matters to you this much, you should have prepared earlier with an extra set of clothing. How can you throw off someone else''s things, Oh Sookyung!?" she exclaimed, having the urge to beat up the man before her.

    Taking in a deep breath, she prevented herself from doing anything reckless at this moment. The blood on her hand was very much disturbing.

    Stepping closer to her, he pointed his finger at her and scoffed before saying, "Heol! You should learn how to be grateful. I literally saved your life right now, and you tossed that snake at me! Now, you are yelling at me."

    "That actually sounds funny coming from you," she voiced out, "I don''t recall you being thankful to me for saving you."

    "Well, that was your duty and you will be getting paid for it, but in this, I am not getting anything in return," he stated.

    "Too bad, you did no saving this time around. For your information, that bite from the snake would not have killed me, You Loser!" she vocalised, extending her hand towards him and wiping her hand on top of his clothing.

    Moon Jiwoo had learned from Minnie on how she was immune to almost all thing that might seem deadly to human¡ª one of that was snake''s poison. Therefore, she did not worry much about getting bitten.

    With that, she turned her back and run away from her. However, Oh Sookyung reacted fast, and before she was about to leave, he grabbed on to her hand, pulling her back.

    Then, he pulled her into an immediate hug prior she was able to resist. The stench of the blood was strong on it, and scrunching her nose at the nauseating scent, she attempted to move away from me.

    "Get away from me, You Pervert!" she exclaimed.

    "Why? I don''t want to do that," he stated, "You are really comfortable."

    Heat rose up within Jiwoo at those words¡ª mostly due to her anger¡ª and she stepped upon his foot, causing him to release her. Jumping away from him, she stared fiercely at him.

    A chuckle left his mouth at that as he spoke out, "I just wanted to hug you; sorry, I had no intentions for that."

    Although those words left his mouth, his eyes showed a different story. Gritting her teeth, she clenched her jaws tightly.

    However, before she was able to come up with a retort, a sharp pain went through her forehead, and a gasp left her mouth. She found herself stumbling a few steps backward while she raised her hand to touch on to her forehead.

    As she took a deep breath, dizziness went over her, and her sight began to get blurry. Blinking her eyes multiple times, she tried to fix it.

    Her throat felt parched all of a sudden, and her eyes then fell upon the body of the snake lying on the floor. All of a sudden, her eyes flashed red, and she found herself reaching for it. Her ?h?st was throbbing painfully.

    "What''s the matter?" Sookyung questioned¡ª his voice being serious.

    Although those words of his reached into her ear, she found herself unable to register those words into her mind. That was none of her concern at that moment.

 Chapter 57 - The Old Man [2]

    "What''s with the commotion at here?"

    The loud voice brought Moon Jiwoo out of the trance, and blinking her eyes multiple times, she stood up straight. She realized what she was about to do, and her eyes widened at that. Apparently, she was tempted by the blood of that snake.

    Being slightly frightened by that, she turned her head back and saw that the fortune teller from yesterday was standing before her. While a frigid expression sat on his face, he sternly stated at the two of them.

    "Oh! You are the Old Man! Finding your house was such a hassle!" she commented.

    Looking at Oh Sookyung, the Old Man bowed and respectfully voiced out, "Your Highness, I apologize if it was an inconvenience to come at here, but I am required to stay at this place for a reason."

    "It was not that big of a problem, so you don''t need to do bow, uhm," Sookyung vocalised, not knowing how to address the man before him.

    "Call me Min Hyungwon, Your Highness," he spoke out, "I have been serving the Min family for years, and now, I am tasked with the honorable job of guiding you two. I can''t be more thankful for this opportunity."

    "Hyungwon-ssi, you don''t need to be this formal with us. I am really grateful for your help. I was really lost after finding out about everything, but fortunately, you are there to guide us," Sookyung spoke out, flashing the Old Man an innocent and bright smile.

    Looking at that expression on Sookyung''s face caused her to let out a scoff¡ª for she was aware that it was fake¡ª and she mumbled, "I wonder how much thankful you truly are, You Thief."

    The Old Man shot a glare at Jiwoo''s direction after those words left her mouth before saying, "Using such words against the Prince is disrespectful. You should be taught manners as well."

    Raising her head, Jiwoo curved her lips to form a smirk and questioned, "Why?"

    "Do I need to spell out the reason for you? He is clearly your Prince, and in that sense, you need to show appropriate amount of respect to him!" the Old Man expressed¡ª his voice showing anger.

    "Unlike you, I am not going to blindly show everyone who is supposed to be influential respect. Only when he proves to be worthy of it will I show it. At this moment, he is a scrawny boy who is an utter coward," she vocalised, "There is no attribute of him that deserves my respect."

    "How dare you use that tone!" He exclaimed, "He is clearly goin g to be the King, and you dare use such words for him! You need to be really disciplined! You ill-mannered brat!"

    "How are you so sure he is going to be the King? What if he is dead? What if I kill him before he is going to be the king? Then, what can you do? That''s why, don''t try to challenge me. My only part of the job is to protect him, not be his loyal citizen. Remember that, Old Man," Jiwoo vocalised¡ª staring at the man before her sternly.

    Moon Jiwoo was not the one to easily bow down get head, and there was no way she was going to fawn over Sookyung. Currently, it was him who needed her help¡ª not her needing his help¡ª and therefore, it should be the other way around.

    Before Hyungwon was able to let out his anger filled words at Jiwoo, Sookyung defended her by saying, "Hyungwon-ssi, I have no problems with how she currently is, so let it be. I will make sure to earn her respect."

    "But, Your Highness¡ª"

    "And just call me ''Sookyung''. The ''Your Highness'' thing feels weird to me. I hope you can understand," Sookyung spoke out.

    "Yes, Sookyung. Now, follow after me. There will be more beasts appearing. Let''s get out of here fast," Hyungwon voiced out before turning his back on them and beginning to walk.

    Oh Sookyung moved towards Jiwoo, and placing his hand over her shoulders, he stated, "I saved you this time around."

    As she started moving forward, she replied, "Yes, I admit that you have helped me from his nagging this time around, but we are not even until now. I might consider it being even if you protect me from that Old Man''s nagging the entire time around or else I will really end up beating him up."

    "Why should I be doing that? I derive p???sur? from seeing you being scolded by him, and I don''t want to let go of that," he vocalised.

    "If you don''t then, You Thief, I will really end up beating you up," she spoke out, "Those words of mine are not empty words. Remember that."

    As if he had heard those words of hers, Hyungwon turned back and shot Jiwoo a warning glance. She returned that will a roll of her eyes before glaring at Sookyung.

    "Fix those loyal subjects of yours. They are as annoying as you are, and if this ends up affecting my mood, your life will be in danger as well," she stated before moving his hand from her shoulder.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    After ten minutes of walk, the three of them stood before a decrepit mansion, and with a judgemental expression, Moon Jiwoo stared at the mansion before her, pursing her lips into a thin line.

    "Ah! So, this is where you stay, Old Man," she started out, "No wonder you are so cranky. I would be in a horrible mood after staying at such a place as well."

    Once again, ignoring her words, Hyungwon turned to look at Sookyung and stated, "Your Highness, this is currently where I am residing at, and you will be at the future as well. I apologise for the house''s current state, but it is a really good cover. However, the insides would not be disappointing you, Your Highness. I ?ssure you that."

    "How good the insides can be?" Moon Jiwoo mumbled before taking a step closer to the door.

    Noticing that the door was not locked, she turned the knob of the door and pushed it open. Her eyes widened at the interior of the grand mansion in front of her.

    "Wow! This is incredible!" she exclaimed.

    Although the mansion was completely empty and eerily silent, it was huge from the inside and appeared quite antique. Even the Moon Mansion in her previous life was incomparable to this.

    Without wasting a second further, she stepped into the mansion and began to scan everything with her eyes filled with wonder. Staying at a grand mansion was something she was very much fond of.

    "Hey, You Ill-mannered Brat! You should have at least waited for the Prince to enter in," the Old Man voiced out.

    Looking at the Old Man, she spoke out, "Oops! You should have mentioned about this to her further, and if the so-called Prince doesn''t mind it, why do you care about it so much? You are really annoying!"

    "Just ignore her, Hyungwon-ssi. I will apologise in her stead for everything¡ª"

    "Hold on! Why will you apologize in my place when I haven''t done anything? I am new to this, and that''s why, it''s expected for me to know nothing. The Old Man is being too irritating.

    If you keep this up, I am backing away from it. You are in my favour now, and if you think that you will be able to keep this Prince of yours safe without my help, then go ahead," she vocalised, folding her arms across her ?h?st.

    Realizing that she completely meant those words of her from her gaze, Hyungwon could only give up and said, "Fine, keep up with that attitude of yours, but you will be punished if you do something offending."

    "See, I won at the end, Old Man. You should not have tried to fight against me in the first place. Now, serve me some food. I am starved after the tiresome walk at here," she voiced out.

    "The food will be served to you in a while, and refrain from calling me an Old Man. I have a name," Hyungwon stated sternly.

    "Omo! You do? I am afraid I am not aware of that name of yours. You should have introduced yourself to me earlier if you wanted me to call you your name," she said.

    Min Hyungwon was clearly cognizant of how Jiwoo knew about his name, and this was her clearly mocking him. Nevertheless, he did not let his temper take him over, aware that this will only be ruining everything.

    "I am Min Hyungwon, Shin Daerin," he replied, "Do remember that name, and do not address me by Old Man."

    "I will try to keep that in mind, Hyungwon. But the thing is that I forget really fast, and at times, when I forget other people''s name, I use words that describe them to call them. I am sure you will be having no problem with that. You are not that petty, right?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

 Chapter 58 - Being Captivated [1]

    While Min Hyungwon blankly stared at Moon Jiwoo''s face, Sookyung let out a chuckle. Keeping himself from retorting at Moon Jiwoo, he looked towards Sookyung and questioned, "Your High¡ª Sookyung, would you prefer to have your meals now?" "Of course! Both of us are starving! It''s not you that had to walk through that dense forest and got almost bitten by a deadly snake," Jiwoo spoke out. Not paying any attention to Jiwoo''s words, Sookyung answered, "I am not that hungry currently, so Hyungwon-ssi, let''s discuss about some matters before having food." "Then, let''s do that, Your Highness," Hyungwon replied. Realizing how the two of them were disregarding her opinion, she scowled at the both of them and stated, "Hey! Are you seriously going to ignore my words!? I would not be in my right mind if I am not given food." "Your job is to accompany the Prince. If he doesn''t want to eat the food, that means you have to wait for when he has it either," Hyungwon spoke out. "Geez! You Bastard, after putting my life into risk for this, now, you are making me starve as well. You won''t feed me? Cool! But I won''t wait for that thief to start eating," she vocalised. "It''s not appropriate to address the prince in this way; maintain your manners," Hyungwon stated. "He did not shy away from stealing from me, so I don''t think he minds being called a thief," she said, "I can''t believe that I have to guard such a thief like him. He¡ª" Extending his hand towards her, On Sookyung placed his palm around Jiwoo''s mouth, and wearing a wide smile on his face, he said, "Hyungwon-ssi, I want her to be comfortable around me, so please don''t mind how she addresses me. This is something I am used to, so it doesn''t bother." ¡ã¡ã¡ã Moon Jiwoo had eyes in her direction, but she did not pay any attention to them. Tearing open the packet, she reached her hand into it and took out a cookie from inside of it. Laid on the table in front of her was more packets of snacks, which she was adamant on finishing. Fortunately enough, she had come prepared, and for this, she did not have to starve, waiting for Oh Sookyung to get hungry. "Shin Daerin, what do you think you are doing now?" Min Hyungwon asked¡ª his voice clearly displaying his anger. "Eating food," she answered, "Didn''t you have some important matters to discuss about? Go on about that." "Do you think it''s an appropriate moment to eat now?" the man questioned. "I told you previously that I am starving, and since you haven''t given me any food, I am eating my own snacks. If you have any more problem with me, I don''t mind leaving the room, so that the two of you can discuss about your things together. I did not want to be involved in this in the first place," she voiced out. "I think it''s okay, Hyungwon-ssi," Sookyung stated while extending his hand towards the packet of cookie.  Moon Jiwoo''s eyes did not miss the hand that was coming towards hers, and finding that hand to be unpleasant, she raised her hand to slap it away. "Stay away from my food. If you are hungry, say that devoted slave of yours to give you food. I am merely your bodyguard, not your food provider," she vocalised. "This is just some food. Do you need to be so rude about it, Shin Daerin? You are really uncultured," Hyungwon spoke out while his eyes glared at Moon Jiwoo. Moon Jiwoo noticed the small smirk on Sookyung''s face from the corner of her eyes, and she realized that he had done this on purpose in order to make her Hyungwon''s target. "I earned the food with my own money. Do you know how difficult it was for me? This money from me was what that Prince of yours wanted to steal from me. So, I believe he is the worst one for stealing other¡ª" Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, Oh Sookyung placed his hand around Moon Jiwoo''s face, preventing her from speaking further. "Hyungwon-ssi, let''s just ignore her¡ª whatever she says or does. She is a little too naive and unlearned about many things," he vocalised. Raising her hand, Moon Jiwoo gripped on Oh Sookyung''s wrist and pulled his hand away from her face. Then, turning her head to glare at him, she had creases between both of her eyebrows. "Didn''t I tell you before to not touch me? I feel disgusted due to it," she vocalised. Although Min Hyungwon was displeased by those words from Moon Jiwoo, after a glance from Oh Sookyung, he understood on how he should remain quiet. Clearing his throat, Hyungwon started, "Sookyung, as much as you''re aware of your current situation, I am pretty sure you know up to the point that you''re the prince to the Red Clan, and you have people sent after you in order to prevent you from being the next Prince." Oh Sookyung nodded. "Your enemy is the current King, Kim Namhyuk," Hyungwon stated, "He doesn''t want to give up his position to anyone. That''s why, your father, along with Han Minhyun¡ª that''s not his real name¡ª tried to protect you by hiding your identity and by ?ssigning Oh Chaeyoung to you until you reach an age to rule over." "Han Minhyun?" Jiwoo mumbled, "That name sounds awfully familiar." "So, those people were sent by the current King in order to ?ssassinate me?" Sookyung questioned, raising one of his eyebrows. Min Hyungwon nodded and spoke out, "Although this might appear to be overwhelming to you at this moment, it is not that difficult to take down the current King if you put in a lot of hard work. You have a lot of allies rooting for you as well." "Is there no way for me to back out from this?" Sookyung asked. "I am afraid not, Sookyung," Hyungwon answered, "You were ?ssigned to this by fate, and there is no way you will be able to run away from this destiny. If you want to go into hiding, it doesn''t matter. You will be eventually found out by the current King and be killed by him because he doesn''t care about whether or not you want to be the King. For him, you are an obstacle that he has to remove. No matter how your protector, Shin Daerin, might seem, she was sent to keep you protected, and fate had definitely chosen her for a reason. That''s why, don''t try to send her away, and keep her beside you at all times. As much as I don''t want to say this words in her presence, only she will be able to keep you protected. Her full potential is frighteningly powerful; she might even pass you in terms of her strength." "You better respect me more or else I will be using these powers of mine to destroy all of you," Jiwoo mumbled to herself¡ª feeling pleased deep inside after knowing that she had this much influence over them. "About my skills, when will I be able to use them?" Oh Sookyung asked. "Your abilities are being currently locked on, but don''t worry about it. I will be mentoring you on how to unleash your true potential, and as long as you keep working hard, you will be able to accomplish a lot," Hyungwon stated before standing up. He then added, "This is enough information for now. I have something to do now, so I will be coming here after. Do you have any problems with that, Sookyung?" Shaking his head, Oh Sookyung answered, "No, that''s absolutely fine. You can go and carry on whatever you want to do. Thanks for everything until now." Before a polite bow, Hyungwon said, "You''re really polite, Prince. This is merely my duty." "Polite? He is a wolf in sheep''s clothing, and thief, it''s his duty. He is not doing because he likes it," Jiwoo muttered. "I absolutely am fond my duty," Hyungwon stated.  Then, turning his back on them, Min Hyungwon began to walk towards the door, and opening the door to the room, he left the room. Looking at Oh Sookyung, Moon Jiwoo curved her lips to a small smirk and stated, "You are quite calm about the situation. I thought you will be cowering and crying in fear after this." Bringing his face closer to Jiwoo''s, Sookyung smiled at her and said, "I am good at coping up with different kinds of situations no matter how unbelievable they are." "Good for you then," she stated. Seeing that he was bringing his face nearer to hers, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and she attempted to move her head back. However, placing his hand on the back of her head, he prevented her from moving further. From such a distance, Moon Jiwoo found herself being captivated by his appearance for a second before she blinked her eyes. She definitely could not think in that way!

 Chapter 59 - Being Captivated [2]

    Bringing his hand closer to her, Oh Sookyung wiped away the crumbs of the cookie from the corner of her mouth while Jiwoo kept on staring at him¡ª unable to process the current situation. When she noticed how seductively Sookyung licked thoss crumbs from his finger, her eyes widened as the realization dawned upon her, and while her cheeks were getting slightly heated, she instantly rose to her feet. Pushing his backwards by his shoulders, she jumped away from him and stared at him warily. Then, she exclaimed, "Yah! You thief, what type of gross thing are you doing?" Winking at Jiwoo, Sookyung vocalised, "Girls always told me about how they like it when I do this to them. I am merely trying to please you." Coughing, Jiwoo attempted to compose herself and spoke out, "Those girls must be really plain. Someone as attractive as me would definitely be disgusted by this!" She then, in a loud voice, added, "I ALREADY TOLD YOU TO NOT TOUCH ME!" "If I had not removed those crumbs from your mouth, you would have looked like a joke. So, I helped you in this case," he pointed out. "You could have just told me about it. I am perfectly capable of doing this on my own," she justified, folding her arms across her ?h?st and glaring at him. "Are you a prude?" he asked. "Are you a pervert?" she retorted, refusing to answer his question. "I asked you first," he vocalised, standing up and taking a step closer to her. "Do you think I care about that?" she raised one of her eyebrows. "You would not expect to get an answer for your question without giving a reply to mine," he voiced out. "Well, the truth is I don''t need your reply; I know for a fact that you''re a pervert," she stated. "If that''s the case, then I believe that you are attracted to me as well. You did not push me away when you saw me coming close to you," he stated. His words were true and left Moon Jiwoo wondering on how she did not react fast at that situation. Nevertheless, she was well aware of it was not the appropriate time to contemplate about that. "I was just curious to see what antics you were up to. Who would have expected that you would turn out to be a pervert, who likes to indirectly kiss unwilling ladies?" she spoke out. "Indirectly kiss? Isn''t that a big accusation you are placing on me? When did I do that?" he vocalised. "Those crumbs touched my lips, and then, you out them inside your mouth. Was that your motive the entire time? Did you want to kiss me this badly?" she spoke out, staring at him challengingly and bringing her face closer to him. "Yes, yes, yes, I want to kiss you. What are you going to do about it?" Sookyung spoke out while the corner of his lips curved to form a small smirk. Upon hearing those words, Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle and took a step back. Then, flipping her hair back, she stared at him smugly. "Well, I am not surprised; after all, I am a charming girl. You can be in love with me as long as it doesn''t bring trouble to me." "Heol! How much ahead of yourself are you? I am not interested in little girls like you, and I was just doing this to tease you. Your foolish self actually believed my words." Oh Sookyung laughed and turning his back on Moon Jiwoo, he walked out towards the direction of the door. Clenching her hand into a tight fist and finding her pride being hurt, she exclaimed, "Well, if this is your way of pretending to not be charmed by me so that you don''t get rejected, I can say that you are acting quite decent." ¡ã¡ã¡ã "Hyungwon-ssi, I thought that the bodyguard would be someone intimidating and with a big build typically. I did not expect such a small and frail girl to be a bodyguard," Sookyung commented. Oh Sookyung and Moon Jiwoo were currently having their meals while Min Hyungwon stood at one side, watching them. Staring at the delicious meal in front of her, Moon Jiwoo did not waste a second before digging in and began to stuff herself with the food. However, those words from Oh Sookyung caught her attention, and raising her head, she stared at the boy, trying to guess what he was thinking. Before Min Hyungwon was able to reply to that, Moon Jiwoo added, "This actually doesn''t make sense. Whoever made me a bodyguard must be really heartless. Who can put someone as lovely as me to protect such a thief?" "Watch your words, Shin Daerin, and up until now, the fate had done lots of surprising things, so I am not sure of the answer," he vocalised. Sookyung spoke out, "I am just afraid that such a high maintenance girl like her will be holding us back. She is someone who can not bear any trouble after all." "Yah! What do you mean by hold you back? If I did not save your cowardly ?ss back then, you would have been dead meat by now," she stated, "You don''t know how many people begged me to save your cowardly ?ss, and that''s why, since I am kindhearted, I am here to protect you." Min Hyungwon was about to comment on Moon Jiwoo''s chosen words but held himself back against it¡ª afraid that it will be worsening her mood further and make her take impulsive actions. Regardless of how Moon Jiwoo was, she had qualities suitable for protecting the Prince even though she easily got annoyed. As long as someone used sugarcoated words on her, she will end up doing lots of things for them. In other words, even if her temper went off easily, she was very much simple and easily pleased as well.  "Shin Daerin-ssi, you will surely be compensated accordingly if you do the job properly," he stated, "That''s why, please don''t abandon your job." "Do I look like someone who will be doing something as cowardly as that? Just pray that the Prince of yours doesn''t go back crying on how he doesn''t want his post," she vocalised arrogantly before adding, "And make sure that compensation is not less. Moreover, after this is done, I don''t want to be involved with your damned clan anymore." "I make sure of that, Shin Daerin-ssi, so I will be placing the Prince in your hands," he vocalised. "Since he is leaving me in your hands, make sure that no harm comes to me. As I don''t belong to you, you can''t cause any harm to me," Sookyung vocalised. "As I am like a parent to you right now, I am pretty sure he would not mind if I discipline you. After all, you need to correct some habits of yours if you want to be the Prince," Jiwoo vocalised, forcing out a smile on her face. "Are you sure you are in the right position to say that? You have the ability to make other people instantly detest you the moment you meet them. I don''t want to learn how to quarrel," he vocalised, picking up his chopsticks and placing some of the meat inside his mouth. Those words of his managed to shoot an arrow at the her sore point, and taking in a deep breath, she tried to hold in her anger. "At least I don''t act as submissive as you. Doesn''t a king need to be all domineering? I don''t see any of that quality within you. Instead of you ruling, it will be other people ruling over you," Jiwoo vocalised, pointing her fork at him.  It was getting difficult for her to maintain her composure and not to attack him with the fork. The idea of that was very much tempting to her, but the bloodshed in front of the food would not be a pleasing sight to one. Noticing how the fight between them were getting worse, Min Hyungwon decided to interfere¡ª realizing how childish the two of them were. "Since it is important for the two of you to cooperate, it would be for the best if you don''t argue, and Shin Daerin, you need to learn to control your anger better. It seems as if you are only seconds away from stabbing the Prince with that fork," Hyungwon expressed. "You are really violent lady. How are you going to protect me with those tendencies of yours? You are the person I need more protection from," Sookyung spoke out, attempting to rile Jiwoo up further. Upon hearing those words from him, Moon Jiwoo found herself being provoked, and as she stood up, the chair behind her was pushed back. "Yah! You bastard, instead of saying those words, try to fight against me if you dare!" she exclaimed, extending the fork within her hand at him, while her eyes glowered at him.

 Chapter 60 - The Duel [1]

    Both Shin Daerin and Oh Sookyung stood at the forest clearing¡ª opposite to each other. While Shin Daerin stared fiercely at the man standing opposite to her, Oh Sookyung had a casual expression upon his face.

    The sun was beginning to rise, and the sky above them was tinted with various shades of colours. Cries of the birds could be heard, and the morning breeze blew by them.

    A yawn left Jiwoo''s mouth, and squinting her eyes, she turned towards Min Hyungwon, who stood at the right to her.

    "Why are you staying silent after bringing me here so early? Can''t we do this later on? I am really sleepy," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "The lack of sleep would not be killing you," he pointed out, "Since the two of you b?r?ly have any time, you will have to utilize all the time possible in order to practice."

    "Nice to know that the lack of sleep would not be killing me," Jiwoo sarcastically spoke out.

    The lack of sleep made her feel irritated, and raising her hand, she ran them through her hair. Although this seemed to be annoying, it was not like she was able to do anything against it.

    Ignoring those words from Jiwoo, Hyungwon spoke out, "The two of you will be on a duel at each other. Sookyung and Daerin, both of you will fight each other with all you got, and if you win, Shin Daerin, you will be getting a present. Sookyung, I have already unlocked your powers, and now, all of this depends on your determination to use those powers."

    Those words of Hyungwon caught Moon Jiwoo''s attention, and perking up her ears, she questioned, "Present?"

    "Yes if you are able to beat, Oh Sookyung, I will be more than willing to give you whatever you d?s?r?, but there are certain limits to it."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded and clapped both of her hands together as a wide smile formed on her face. She had already thought of one thing she wanted to get, and if she had to defeat Oh Sookyung for that, she was more than willing for it.

    "I can attack that guy in any way I want, right?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

    "Yes, as long as you don''t try to kill him, everything is fine," he stated.

    "Alright, I am ready for this. Oh Sookyung, I will be beating the crap out of you today," she vocalised.

    Letting out a chuckle, he said, "Aren''t you being too proud of yourself, Daerin? Since my abilities are unlocked, I have a fair chance of beating you."

    Hyungwon then vocalised, "Both of you will be fighting today without your powers. Later on, I will be teaching you two how to use those powers of yours. Currently, I want to see what parts of combat you need improvement in. It will be easier for Daerin, as it is an instinct for her, but for the Prince, it will be needing more effort."

    "Did you hear that? I am definitely winning this," she smugly spoke out, "You need to work hard while I am naturally talented."

    "No, this will be harder for you, Shin Daerin. Your instincts are to protect the Prince, and going against that is tough. It will lead you to make reckless decision, just like what happened at that hotel."

    Widening her eyes, Moon Jiwoo turned her head to stare at Hyungwon and questioned, "You were there, Old Man?"

    "You can say that. It is normal for your mind to go blank each time Sookyung is in danger, and as for the rest of the thing, you will understand once you fight with him," he vocalised, "Your instinct is much stronger than your will."

    "This is really crappy, but it''s not like I can fight against it, I guess," she vocalised.

    By this point, Moon Jiwoo had accepted that she would not be able to change whatever is going on, and that''s why, she should try to make the best of it. Although thinking optimistically might seem difficult in this situation, she was putting in her effort in that way.

    Extending his hand towards her, Oh Sookyung placed it on top of her head and rubbed it softly, catching her by off guard. Raising her head, she stared at him with widened eyes.

    "You have grown to become really m?tur?. I thought you would start to cry about this matter," he pointed out.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes then directed a glare at him, and raising her hand, she slapped his hand away. She then spoke out, "Are you some pervert who can''t keep his hand to himself? You really creep me out."

    "Are you some kind of violent monster, who can''t keep her hands to herself? You won''t be liked by others if you keep on picking a fight with others."

    "It''s funny hearing those words from a pervert. I thought it was normal to get violent with a pervert."

    "I can report you for defamation. I haven''t done anything perverted to you. Aren''t you thinking too highly of yourself? I have no such interest towards you."

    "As expected, you have a fetish for the police. You¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue, Hyungwon spoke out, "The duel did not start yet. Only then, both of you will be able to begin fighting."

    Looking at Hyungwon, she spoke out, "Old Man, I am starting to like you more now. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to beat the crap out of this man."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Can''t the two of you take this more seriously?" Hyungwon questioned as a sigh left his mouth. Raising his hand, he rubbed the top of his head due to pain that was forming.

    Oh Sookyung laid on top of the ground, and Moon Jiwoo was above him. She supported herself above him with her knee and palm.

    Sweat dripped down her face while she glared at the man before her and her other hand was around his neck. She wanted to use more strength and snap his neck, but something within her was stopping her from doing so¡ª probably the instinct Hyungwon spoke of.

    Oh Sookyung, on the other hand, gripped on to Jiwoo''s neck as well with one of his hand while his other hand was on her shoulder. The two of them used more or less similar strength at grasping other''s neck.

    "Yah! You bastard, if it was not for this bloody instinct, I would have fu?k?n? killed you!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed¡ª disregarding Hyungwon''s words.

    Oh Sookyung scoffed and spoke out, "Do you think you would have those abilities if you were not destined to protect me? You would have been a powerless little girl then."

    Squeezing into his neck tightly, she voiced out, "What do you mean by powerless little girl? I curse you to get betrayed and killed by your own subjects after you get to become the Prince."

    "You can''t say that, Shin Daerin! That''s treason!" Hyungwon exclaimed.

    However, his words or seriousness did not faze the two of them, and the two of them continued to glare at each other.

    "I curse you to single forever. All the boys you will be falling for will be dumping you for a better girl than you," Sookyung voiced out, catching her to be off guard for a moment.

    Seeing how she was caught in a shock for a second, he tightly grabbed on to her shoulder in order to flip her, and now that she was lying on the ground, he was on top of her with both of his hands on her shoulder.

    Those words of his reminded Moon Jiwoo of her past, and this managed to successfully anger her. Clenching her hand into a tight fist, she raised and directed it at his jaw.

    "I curse that you genitals will be rotten away, so that you will be able to have kids for your entire life!" she exclaimed, "And you would not be able to able to have s?xu?? ?nt?r??urs?!"

    From the impact of that punch, his face turned slightly to the left, and then managing to compose himself, he brought his face closer to her.

    As he opened his mouth to bite on to Moon Jiwoo''s shoulder, Hyungwon decided to intervene into this, and holding on to Oh Sookyung''s shoulder, he stopped him before he was able to make his move.

    The force that Hyungwon used was immense, and Sookyung instantly raised his head to look at Min Hyungwon, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "Stand up the two of you," he vocalised¡ª his voice holding authority.

    Instantly, Oh Sookyung got on his feet and brushed his hair with his hand in order to fix the current messy state. Moon Jiwoo, following after Sookyung, immediately stood up as well, and using her hand, she brushed off the dust off of her cloth.

    Although it did not effect her during the fight due to the rush of adrenaline, she found the dust in her clothing being disturbing currently.

 Chapter 61 - The duel [2]

    Both Moon Jiwoo and Oh Sookyung stood on the ground, and before them was Min Hyungwon. Both of them had dirt upon their clothing, and scratches and wounds can be seen upon their body, which was healing.

    "Are you two some elementary kid? Is this how you expect to fight when you meet your enemies?" Hyungwon questioned¡ª his voice displaying the anger.

    "Why? Can''t I fight like this?" Jiwoo questioned before adding, "I think this is perfectly fine."

    Letting out a sigh, Hyungwon looked at Jiwoo and spoke out, "Only you think that it is fine! You two need to be more serious and not fight as if you are kids. What would even other people think of you two?"

    "I don''t see anything wrong with this though. If it went on, I could have defeated Shin Daerin, and it''s alright as long I win, right? You didn''t give us any other rules," Sookyung pointed out.

    Before Min Hyungwon was able to correct the wrong in Sookyung''s words, Moon Jiwoo turned to look at him and glared at him.

    Glaring at him, she vocalised, "Yah! You loser! What makes you say that! I bet that I would have won if this was continues. After all, I made more attacks on you then you made me on me."

    "Well, probably you made more moves, but mine were more effective. I am more strategic than you, You Fool!" Sookyung spoke out.

    "Who are you calling a fool, You Thief? And my moves were more effective than yours admit it or not. I know better than¡ª"

    "Shut up, you two, and silently listen to me! Pardon my rudeness, Sookyung. None of your moves were strategic. How do you think it would look upon you, the Prince, if you fight like that?" Hyungwon voiced out.

    Shrugging his shoulders, Sookyung answered, "No idea, I am not into action movies mostly."

    "Ah! You are into teen romance, right? From there, you learned your fighting, right? You know, the ones between highschool females. You exactly fought like that; it brought back my highschool memories," Jiwoo commented as her eyes showed mock towards him.

    "Judging from how you fought today, I am sure you were involved in such fights in the highschool. I am guessing that you never had a boyfriend. No matter how girly you act, you are still too violent to date," Sookyung stated, "If I was in your highschool, I would have stayed away from you as well."

    "What are you¡ª one of those timid scaredy cats?" Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    "Ah! So, it seems that all of the boys in your school was timid scaredy cats. What a coincidence!" Sookyung let out a chuckle.

    "Yah! Oh Sookyung, do you want your nose to be in the same shape!" Jiwoo exclaimed, raising her fist.

    Her eyes clearly displayed her anger, and it showed how she would not resist to throw that fist at Sookyung.

    Arching both of his eyebrows, Oh Sookyung curved his lips to form a small smirk and vocalised, "Do you have the guts to throw that at me?"

    "Are you challenging me?" Jiwoo asked through her gritted teeth.

    As she was about to throw a punch at Oh Sookyung, she found her fist being grabbed by someone, and finding that force against her hand being disturbing, she raised her head to glare at Min Hyungwon.

    No matter how much she struggled, it was not possible for her to overcome Hyungwon''s strength, and at last, she let out a sigh while continuing to stare daggers at Hyungwon.

    "What? You don''t dare to throw that punch on me? You are really a scaredy cat¡ª like all of those boys in your school that did not want to date you! Shin Daerin, you are a loser!" Laughs escaped from Sookyung''s mouth.

    "Can you let go of my fist?" Jiwoo questioned sternly.

    However, Min Hyungwon shook his head. Aggravated by the two of them, Moon Jiwoo raised her leg in order to attack him. She managed to maintain her balance while she directed an attack at Sookyung.

    Instantly, noticing that, Sookyung jumped back an appropriate distance from her in order to prevent that.

    "Yah, you coward! Fight me if you can instead of running away!" she exclaimed.

    "I am not exactly running away. I am avoiding your attack. You don''t expect me to get attacked by you like a fool. Do you know how much of an idiot you seem like right now, Shin Daerin?"

    Moon Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist before looking back at Min Hyungwon. She was well aware of how she had to get him to loosen his grip on her fist, and she began to cook ideas in her mind to do that. However, against his strength, no possible things came inside her mind.

    "Moon Jiwoo, do you know how pathetic you look? You really are like a joke now! No matter how much you want to hurt me, you would not be able to do it because of your instinct! It''s funny, right?" Sookyung stated while wearing a smirk on his face¡ª his words chosen to provoke Moon Jiwoo.

    Anger rose within Moon Jiwoo, and at this point, she found it difficult to control within herself. Although there was an instinct in her, she found that blurring away at that moment.

    "Sookyung, you should not be exactly¡ª"

    Before Min Hyungwon was able to continue, his hold on Moon Jiwoo''s fist loosen, and within a matter of second, he collapsed on the ground. A jolt of electricity went through his hand in that instant.

    When the sound of his body touching the ground reached into her ear, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and her anger suddenly went down. She felt something radiating from her before he fell down although she was able to exactly pinpoint it.

    Nevertheless, seeing how he laid on the floor, she immediately drove that though at the back of her mind, and with concerned eyes, she looked at Min Hyungwon.

    On the other hand, the smirk on Hyungwon''s face disappeared, and a worried expression sat on his face while he moved towards the body laying on the floor.

    Staring at the unconscious man, he turned to look at Jiwoo accusingly and questioned, "What did you do to him?"

    Startled by his sudden question, she spoke out, "What do you mean I have done something to him? He was just gripping on my hand one second, and the next moment, he fainted."

    Oh Sookyung turned his head slightly to gaze at Jiwoo and could see the fright in her eyes. Seeing how she was close to panicking, he decided upon not pushing her further.

    Bending down to Hyungwon''s height, he reached his hand to his ?h?st and placed his hand there. Distinctly hearing his heart beats, he raised his head to look at Moon Jiwoo.

    He then voiced out, "I can perfectly hear his heartbeats. Let''s just carry him in and wait for him to wake up."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Both of their eyes were on Hyungwon who laid on the couch, and he had his eyes closed. Nervousness could be seen upon Jiwoo''s face as she paced around the room while she bit into her lower lips.

    As for Oh Sookyung, his eyes were upon Moon Jiwoo¡ª staring at her boredly¡ª while he said, "Stop walking around; it''s disturbing."

    Paying no attention to those words of his, she looked at him with worried eyes and spoke out, "What if he never wakes up? What do we do then? It''s already been four hours by now!"

    "If he doesn''t wake up, we can just abandon him at here and run away. It''s not like we did anything wrong in the first place," Sookyung vocalized.

    "How can you say that? Isn''t it too rude? Then again, I suppose abandoning him sounds the best option. What if he is already dead? Let''s get out of here," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "You are right. Let''s wait for about half an hour before running away. I don''t want to get in more trouble than I am already in," Sookyung stated.

    "Unfortunately, I am not dead yet."

    Hearing that voice, Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and she turned her head to look at the man on the the couch. Sookyung did the same as well.

    "You finally woke up! I was really scared that I will be taken in for a murder suspect," Jiwoo commented.

    "Aish! Shin Daerin, you should not say those words out loud! You will end up offending those around you," Sookyung spoke out.

    "What''s wrong with those word of mine? You were thinking the same as me as well," she pointed out.

    "If the police had come, I would have handed you over to them. After all, you were the last one he has a contact with."

    "Yah! I still owe you a punch and kick from earlier! I don''t mind delivering them to you right now!"

    "Shut up, You Two Insolent Brats!" Hyungwon exclaimed.

 Chapter 62 - Competition [1]

    Startled by the sudden voice, Moon Jiwoo turned her head into that direction, and her lips curved to form a small smile.

    "Ah! You finally woke up. I was starting to think that you are dead," she vocalised.

    Pressing his palms on top of the couch, Min Hyungwon sat up. He was about to scold Jiwoo but held his tongue back in order to not let any time go to waste.

    "Shouldn''t we call a doctor?" Sookyung questioned before adding, "At your age, it is not exactly healthy to faint. If you pass away, it will truly be disastrous for us."

    "There is no need for that. I have fainted due to Moon Jiwoo, more specifically her powers. Since you had provoked her, her will caused her powers to leak out, and since she was unable to control it, she attacked me with it."

    Upon hearing those words, a sparkle appeared in Moon Jiwoo''s eyes as they widened, and she spoke out, "Those were my powers. Wow! That''s so cool!"

    Then, curving her lips to form a smug smile, she folded her arms across her ?h?st, and continued, "Yah! You loser, did you see that? I am really, really strong now. The next time you try to provoke me, you are dead meat."

    Oh Sookyung let out chuckle¡ª which was filled with mock¡ª as he stated, "Can you do that? Too bad, no matter how much you wish for that, it would not be physically possible for you."

    "You weakling! Are you challenging me? Should I kill you off to prove that to you?" she exclaimed¡ª her eyes glaring at him while she raised her fist to point at him.

    Before On Sookyung was able to respond, Hyungwon shouted, "Two of you, can''t you even stay quiet for a couple of minutes and hear what I have to say. Are both of you some toddler?"

    "Are you a fool? Do you think a toddler can steal like him? They are too innocent to be compared to the likes of him," Jiwoo vocalised, pointing at Oh Sookyung.

    "Toddlers don''t aim to murder people at the every chance they get. Shin Daerin, are you actually an aspiring murderer?" he spoke out.

    A loud groan left Hyungwon''s mouth. No matter how much he yelled at them, getting the two of them to stop arguing was almost impossible for him.

    "Shut up!" he yelled, "If one of you says one word from now on, you will have to go on a day without food."

    As Moon Jiwoo was about to open her mouth in order to convey her words, Hyungwon placed his finger on top of his lips, causing her to throw away her words.

    Her bottom lips protruded forward, and turning her head slightly, she glared at Oh Sookyung. Folding his arms across his ?h?st, Sookyung smirked at her.

    The arrogance in his eyes managed to irk her, and extending her leg towards him, she stepped on top of his foot with all of her strength. Hyungwon mentioned no words to her on not getting physical with him.

    For what had happened at the clearing back then, he still owed her.

    Sookyung was about to retaliate when Hyungwon said, "Shin Daerin, your powers give you the ability to control the electricity. I am pretty sure you have felt a jolt of electricity when you used them on me earlier. Along with those powers, you have a weapon as well. As for unlocking that, it will still be taking you time."

    "What about me?" Sookyung asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "Tch! You will have powers lamer than me," Jiwoo mumbled. Nonetheless, those words were loud enough to reach into Sookyung''s ear.

    "About you, Sookyung, as you''re the prince, you have lots of power locked within you, but unlocking them completely depends on you. The current King had unlocked two sets of power.

    For Shin Daerin, unlocking her powers and weapon will be easy due to her protective instincts. But as for you, you are required to put more effort into it. Moreover, your powers were sealed for a long time and you did not have proper training in the childhood. At the end, this all depends on your determination," Hyungwon vocalised.

    A chuckle left Moon Jiwoo''s mouth while she spoke out, "You hear that! Provoke me the next time, and I will fry you with my powers. Maybe some wild creatures at here will be satisfied when I barbeque you."

    "Really? I am waiting for that. But you should know that, no matter how much you try, you will be unable to kill me. Such a waste of those powers you have. Moreover, I am your ticket to wealth; you would not be able to bear losing that," he spoke out, "Stop bluffing. On the other hand, I have more chances of killing you. I don''t have foolish instincts like you."

    "Those wealth become worthless at face of those wealth, and Sookyung, whatever those instinct I have, I will overcome them. I don''t believe that I am weak to those stupid instincts," she spoke out confidently.

    "Yes, yes, whatever you say. But whenever I get in danger, you will come running after me," he spoke out, "Isn''t that what had happened?"

    She scoffed and said, "What nonsense are you saying? Why will I be going there for you? I just wanted to get some things from that room! That''s all. Stop getting too ahead of yourself, You Bastard!"

    "Shin Daerin, I know that you are aware that you need to have a better control over your anger," Hyungwon started.

    Turning her head towards Hyungwon, Jiwoo voiced out, "Yeah, I know that. But I don''t want to control my anger now. It will be perfect if I suddenly lose control of my anger and kill Hyungwon."

    Ignoring those words from Moon Jiwoo, he stated, "Your anger is not something I can control neither can I help with it. I can just give you some tips. You have to do things on your own."

    "That''s great then! I will learn to not control my anger," Jiwoo expressed, "After I kill off this bastard, I will learn to control it."

    "Moon Jiwoo, I hope you are aware of how deadly your anger could be. You can end up committing a crime if things get much serious. When it comes to fighting, you don''t need much help from me.

    The only reason I was ?ssigned to you is to get everything under your control, and as for killing the prince, I can''t allow something like to happen. However, you can injure him as much as possible," Hyungwon vocalised.

    "How could you say that, Hyungwon-ssi?" Sookyung asked.

    "I am starting to like you better as more time passes by, Old Man. If this carries on, I can see that we will be close buddies in the future," she said while her lips curved to form a wide smile.

    "What is your favourite cake?" Hyungwon questioned.

    "Favourite cake? Why such a weird question? Well, I like blueberry and strawberry flavoured cakes mostly," she spoke out, "Red velvet is my favourite as well."

    "Alright then this is your mission for twenty four hours. If you are able to hold in your anger within this twenty four hours, you will be given those three cakes, but if you are unable to do that, they will be given to Oh Sookyung. Sookyung will try to provoke you as much as possible, but you can''t get angry at him," he vocalised.

    "Aren''t they just cakes? I don''t need them if I am able to kill Oh Sookyung. His death is more important than that," she said, rolling her eyes.

    Min Hyungwon curved his lips to form a small smirk and stated, "Are you admitting defeat that easily? Would not that make you the power? Sookyung will be winning then."

    The thought of her losing to Sookyung provoked her more than killing him off, and letting out a deep breath, she said, "Oh Sookyung, there is no way I am letting you have those cakes. Let''s see who wins. There is no way I am letting a weakling like you defeat me."

    He chuckled and stated, "Yes, yes, I am waiting for the impossible to happen. Getting you provoked is not a big deal for me."

    "Aren''t you getting too ahead of yourself?" she questioned.

    "What''s that? Do I sense anger in your voice? You are getting angry, right? It has already started by now, and you are losing to me this fast," Sookyung said as laughs left his mouth.

    Moon Jiwoo was about to shout at him when she recalled about the competition and held it in regardless of how tough it was for her. For the sake of not being a loser, she will be able to win against him.

    Forcing out a smile on her face, she said, "You can not expect me to lose this easily to a thief like you. There is no way you will be able to make me lose."

 Chapter 63 - Competition [2]

    At the sudden touch of the ice-cold water, Moon Jiwoo let out a groan and instantly sat up on the bed. The cold water seeped in through her clothing.

    If it was an usual situation, Moon Jiwoo would have yelled at Oh Sookyung for waking her up so harshly without caring about the challenge.

    However, as she was from the Red Clan, the cold water felt quite pleasant to her in the morning after all the heat, and the annoyance went away immediately.

    Turning to look at Sookyung, she smiled at the boy and voiced out, "I really needed that."

    Pulling the blanket off of her, she got down from the bed and placed her foot on the ground. Applying force on it, she stood up and took a step closer to him.

    There was a slight surprise in Sookyung''s eyes due to how joyful Jiwoo seemed due to it. Nonetheless, concealing that, she raised one of her eyebrows.

    "You idiot, coldness feel pleasant to those from the Red Clan," she spoke out, "She should have done more studying before coming at here."

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and said, "Oh! I will research better for the next one, shorty. I can''t disappoint you."

    Extending his hand, he rubbed the top of her head, and she clenched her hand into a tight fist. No matter how annoying he was, she could not slap his hand away; that would make her the loser.

    "I have to take a bath now, so leave," she spoke out¡ª trying her best to keep the irritation off of her voice.

    "You should try to be more polite," he vocalised.

    "That is not part of the challenge," she pointed out, "Now, leave and don''t ogle at me, You Pervert."

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and voiced out, "Aren''t you being too ahead of yourself? Do you think you have anything worth ogling? I am not interested in elementary kids."

    No matter how much irked she was, she attempted to keep that off of her face while she stated, "That''s a funny excuse you have given. Your excuse is not uncommon. It seems that you have watched a lot of drama."

    "It appears that you have delusional disorder. I have heard about how dangerous that could be, and if you want, I don''t mind contacting a doctor for you. That brain of yours need to be really fixed," he stated.

    "I don''t think that is any of your business. My brain belongs to me, and I can take care of it fine on my own. I don''t believe I will ever have the need to follow your advice," she spoke out.

    "Don''t be too stubborn. Narcissism can also be considered a disease at some point, and let''s just visit a psychologist. Your mental health is really unstable after all," he said.

    Taking in a deep breath, she held in her anger and did not allow creases to form between both of her eyebrows.

    "You are really a pervert, right? Or else why are you not leaving the room until now? Do you really enjoy this?" she questioned.

    "I am pretty sure I am calmly able to stay at this room until now is because how I feel that you are not a female," he stated, "But I guess, since you are a female genetically, I have to leave."

    Turning his back on her, he began to walk towards the door, and raising her leg, she kicked the air behind him¡ª finding it difficult to control the impact from touching his back.

    After he had left the room, Moon Jiwoo was on the verge of exploding, and holding the door, she slammed it close loudly.

    Realizing that this was caused due to her, Jiwoo mumbled, "Calm down, Jiwoo. You can do it. You can''t definitely lose to that bastard! Anger? You can''t let such a silly thing bother you. Just ignore that bastard!

    That''s all. Pretend as if he doesn''t exist. That will be easy. You are not a loser. Think about the inflated ego that thief will be having after you lose, and that can not happen."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    However, some things were easier sad than done.

    Resolutely, Moon Jiwoo managed to ignore Oh Sookyung''s presence until now regardless of all the annoying words she had spouted. She treated as if those words were not directed at her, and despite her growing irked, she believed that she was doing a decent job at this so far.

    But Oh Sookyung was not the one to give up this easily. Although Jiwoo was ignoring his presence, he had more ideas in his head in order to catch her attention.

    Holding the fork in his hand, he moved it towards Jiwoo''s plate and dug it inside her pancake. Noticing that, Moon Jiwoo dug her fork into the back of his hand, making sure that it pierced through his skin.

    A wince left Sookyung''s mouth.

    After that, she put her best acting skills to use¡ª although they were b?r?ly decent¡ª and let out a gasp while her eyes widened.

    Pulling back her fork, she said, "Oops! That was my mistake. You see, I have this reflex towards thieves, and I hope that you would not be minding this."

    A forced smile sat on her face, and retracting his hand, Sookyung let out a chuckle. The pain did not last for long before the bruise on his hand disappeared due to his accelerated healing abilities.

    Before Sookyung was able to respond, Jiwoo pushed her chair back, and standing up, she flashed a small smile at the boy.

    Then, she added, "If you want the pancakes, you can have them. I will be going outside for some fresh air."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes then fell on Min Hyungwon who was concentrated on his meal before turning her back and walking away.

    She did not let Oh Sookyung have an opportunity to say anything for she was afraid that it would not be ending quickly.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo stood at the same clearing from yesterday, and her eyes stared at her surroundings. The afternoon sun shine brightly from above her, and the heat was starting to feel unbearable for her.

    Although the heat was annoying, Moon Jiwoo still wanted to put in effort into practicing. She did not believe that her training with Sookyung will be efficient¡ª judging by how both of them argue¡ª and it would be smart of her to start practicing on her own.

    This was not due to her determination to protect. She had almost had a idea on how dangerous the situations can potentially get for her and wanted to keep herself safe. To stay alive, she was willing to go through the trouble of practicing extra.

    However, the problem with them was that she had no clue on how she did them yesterday. She merely wanted to attack Sookyung desperately yesterday, and that just happened.

    Now, she was stuck on that, and no matter what she tried to do, those sparks from yesterday did not appear.

    After ten minutes of standing under the sun and with no progress was making her annoyed, and opening her eyes, she let out a groan.

    Raising her hand, she slapped her warm cheeks and vocalised, "Concentrate, Moon Jiwoo! Fighting! You will be able to do it."

    Staring at the giant tree before her, she took that to be her target, and Moon Jiwoo slowly raised her hand towards it. Closing her eyes tightly, she attempted to let the energy emit out from her. However, nothing like that had happened.

    Creases began to form between both of her eyebrows as she bit on to her lips. Sucking in the hot air, she tried to do it again.

    "That tree¡ª try to imagine it as something you really hate, and then, using your determination to destroy it, release the power within you. Clear your mind of other thoughts; they will be merely distracting you."

    Upon hearing those instructions from Min Hyungwon, she nodded her head and did as she was instructed.

    Oh Sookyung''s face came into her mind in that instant, and at the thought of that, a rush of energy instantly went over her body. Feeling the sparks all over her body, she opened her eyes.

    Then, absorbing in the situation, she raised her hand and stared at her palm. Although she had just done it, the situation still felt strange and unfamiliar to her.

 Chapter 64 - Frustration [1]

    Wearing a wide smile upon her face, Jiwoo''s eyes held sparkle at them while she stared upon Hyungwon, and she voiced out, "Wow! This is easy!"

    Lowering her hand, she attempted to shoot another electric ball, and seeing how it touched the ground made her want to do more.

    "That''s enough. You will need to use your powers with care or else you will not be able to use them when you need it. Using powers requires energy, and it is not unlimited. I presume that you still haven''t had blood," Hyungwon vocalised.

    Raising her hand, Jiwoo ran them through her hair and spoke out, "No, I didn''t."

    "I have no clue on how much longer you will be able to hold on. When you get the ?h?st pains later on, be sure to let me know," he vocalised.

    Moon Jiwoo nodded.

    That''s when, Moon Jiwoo sensed the running figures that came towards her, and before she was able to turn back, she was engulfed into a back hug. The grip was tight.

    "Daerin-ah, I missed you so much," Sookyung voiced out, rubbing his nose in her hair.

    Irritated by his gesture, Moon Jiwoo raised her hand to grab on to his hand and flipped him over her swiftly. A gasp left Sookyung''s mouth, and before he was able to fall on the ground harshly, she reflexively grabbed on to his wrist.

    Pulling him closer to her, she grabbed on to his waist to secure him. Moon Jiwoo hated this new body of hers for protecting Sookyung. She would have been deeply pleased if his spine broke from this.

    "Omo! Are you alright? This is reflex towards the perverts. I hope you did not mind this," she stated, faking a concerned expression. The mock behind it was not hidden well by Oh Sookyung.

    Raising his hand, Oh Sookyung grabbed on to her shoulder and stabilized himself. Then, Moon Jiwoo let go of her hold upon his waist and took couple of steps backward.

    "My hands got dirty again," she mumbled, making it loud enough for Oh Sookyung to hear.

    "No, I am perfectly fine since you have protected me, Daerin-ssi. Your will to protect me is great," he vocalised, "You act fast."

    ''Stop! Stop! Stop! Moon Jiwoo, straighten your forehead. You can''t let that frown form on your forehead! You can not get irritated! He is a bastard, and you can not lose to him.''

    "Thief, you are currently unable to use your powers, right? You should stop slacking off and practice. Being a burden isn''t that fun and makes you seem like a loser," she pointed out.

    "I am not being a burden though," he spoke out, "And about my practicing, Hyungwon hasn''t mentioned anything about it, so I will be fine."

    "Sookyung, about that, unlocking your powers will be harder than the one for Daerin," Hyungwon vocalised, "I am unable to train you on that, and soon enough, someone will be coming to teach you. Currently, he is occupied with something."

    "So, until that person shows up, Oh Sookyung will continue to be a burden? Ah! That''s so troublesome!" she let out a groan.

    "Are you getting irritated, Miss Daerin?" Sookyung questioned¡ª showing mock in his voice.

    "No," she replied, "When did you see me getting irritated?"

    "You just did; you let out that groan. That is suppose to count as you getting irritated," he argued.

    "You have misheard. I did not groan," Shin Daerin lied.

    "Are you lying now? Wow! You are quite a sore loser! Your face clearly shows how angry you are getting," Sookyung insisted.

    Rage within Moon Jiwoo began to rise, and she clenched her hand into a tight fist. Regardless of how hard it was, she forced out a smile on her face.

    "Unlike you, I don''t have any interest in slacking off. I will go and practice," she said.

    Knowing that she would sooner or later blow off of she were to continue this conversation with Oh Sookyung, she turned her back on him and was determined to walk away.

    However, Oh Sookyung thought differently for he extended his hand towards her and placed his hand over her shoulder in order to stop her.

    He then said, "Are you running away, Shin Daerin? Are you afraid that you will be losing to me? Then again, I guess it is normal when your opponent is as capable as me. But don''t you think you are being too cowardly."

    Turning her head back¡ª her voice being louder than before¡ª she said, "I am not running away. Didn''t I say that I have training to do. I have someone''s lazy ?ss to protect, so I can''t waste as much as time as you."

    "See, you are getting angry. Did you hear yourself now? Geez! I got scared," Sookyung dramatically vocalised.

    "I told you that I am not getting angry! The sun is just making me sick, so leave me alone," Jiwoo stated¡ª her eyes glaring at Sookyung. She did not even attempt to conceal that.

    "You should look at yourself right now, Shin Daerin-ssi," Sookyung expressed.

    Bringing his face over to her ear, he whispered, "You have totally lost in this entire thing. You are such an easy opponent, Daerin-ssi. You make me disappointed, and I don''t think there was any thrill in this. You are really boring!"

    "Shut up!" she exclaimed¡ª rage dripping out from her voice.

    That''s when, jolt of electricity came out from her body and hit Sookyung at his leg. Oh Sookyung acted on his reflex and jumped back before it was able to cause more harm to him.

    The electric ball still managed to inflict harm on him, and as the clothing on his knee was torn off, a dark bruise was forming on it.

    A wince left his mouth due to the pain, and bending his back, he stared at the wound made on his knee. Blood oozed out of it, and extending his hand towards it, Sookyung touched the wound with his palm.

    Raising his head, he curved his lips to form a small smirk, and arching his eyebrows, he spoke out, "You have lost, Shin Daerin."

    Noticing how terribly his wound was bleeding, a stab of guilt went through Moon Jiwoo, but hearing his voice caused that to be instantly wiped away.

    Scoffing at him, she stated, "Whatever. It was a stupid match anyway. I don''t care about it. You are the one who ended up with a wound at the end while I am perfectly fine."

    Min Hyungwon made his footsteps over to Oh Sookyung and glanced at his wound before looking at Moon Jiwoo.

    "Attacks made by electricity takes time to heal even for those from the Red Clan, and judging by the intensity, it will take him at least three days before he is able to walk properly. You should have used your powers more carefully. Although he had provoked you, you¡ª"

    "Whatever," Moon Jiwoo said, tucking her hands into her pockets.

    Turning her back on them, she were began to walk towards the forest. Moon Jiwoo could not comprehend what she felt this irritated for, but there was a growing annoyance within her. Clenching her hand into a tight fist, she muted away all the words from Hyungwon.

    At that moment, the situation felt quite suffocating to Moon Jiwoo, and she desperately craved to get away from it. She did not understand what aspect of it made her uncomfortable; it was merely that she thought that she will be growing crazy with anger if she stayed here for more than a minute.

    Moon Jiwoo had no idea on where her destination was or what she was getting into. Her heavy heart and emotions made it hard for her to think properly.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo had no idea on where she was or how long she was walking for. Her legs were starting to get exhausted, and she would not be able to continue much further.

    However, the heavy feeling within her ?h?st did not disappear until now, and everything was starting to make her frustrated by now. On her way here, she attacked lots of trees with her powers in order to let out that annoyance, but no matter what she did, it was still there.

    Moon Jiwoo did not understand what she wanted, and that only amplified her irritation. Even after trying to think for a while and cursing Oh Sookyung, she did not feel comfort at all.

    A sigh left her mouth.

    Under the setting sun, the lake appeared to be beautiful and breathtaking. She found herself unable to take her eyes off of it and leaned down to sit beside it.

 Chapter 65 - Frustrations [2]

    Moon Jiwoo leaned down beside the lake and stared at her reflection at the water. Her hair was a mess, and dust particles could be seen on her face.

    Jiwoo''s eyes widened at that.

    Extending her hand at the lake, she cupped up some water with her hands and splashed some of that on her face. As the cool water hit her face, she felt refreshed.

    She continued to splash herself with water, and she did not know what it felt so addicting to her. After a while, she stopped doing so, and removing her hair tie, she tried to fix her hair.

    She then mumbled, "At this rate, you are going to turn to look like an Old Woman! No, that can''t happen. You need to take better care of yourself. You will be single forever if you get ugly."

    A sigh left her mouth.

    As Moon Jiwoo turned her head to the left, the small pebbles fell in her line of sight, and extending her hand towards it, she picked up some pieces of it.

    She threw them at her reflection and watched it being distorted. The ripples made her throw more pebbles at the lake.

    "Ah! This actually feels better! I don''t even understand why I felt so suffocated then. All of this is completely annoying. This must be due to the affect of being this strange. No, why does it hurt this much."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened when she realized that tears were starting to form at the corner of her eyes, and releasing her grip on the pebble, she raised her hand to touch the corner of her eyes.

    Feeling the droplets of tears there, she spoke out, "Yah! You Fool! What are you crying for? You are not that weak to start crying about something as silly as this. Geez! Stop being so pathetic. You are not this big of a loser."

    Despite of Moon Jiwoo saying those words to herself, a droplet of tears fell down her eyes, and sliding down her cheek, it stopped at her chin.

    As more tears formed in her eyes, Moon Jiwoo felt a tight squeeze inside her ?h?st, and a pout formed on her face. The d?s?r? to let out all of those suffocating feeling came within her.

    "This is bad! Really bad. Don''t cry! Stop! I am telling you to not cry. This is really embarrassing. What if someone walks upon me crying? Ah! You are not that weak, so stop this."

    "But this hurts, really hurts! I really want to go back! This is all too scary, and I don''t like how things are going! I don''t like Oh Sookyung; I don''t like Min Hyungwon either. I don''t want to be involved with this! I don''t want to give up my life for Oh Sookyung and want to lead a normal life.

    I don''t want to continue to do this anymore. I am working hard, but this is hard. What if I can never have a normal life after this? That is scary! I want to live normally. I don''t want to be involved that world. Will there be a turning point?

    I don''t know! This is frightening. I don''t know what I am getting into, and this thing is difficult. Everyone is so hateful. I don''t want to continue doing this. This is horrible."

    Moon Jiwoo began to throw more pebbles at the lake as she started to cry and poured out all of her feelings.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Jiwoo had no idea on how long she sat in front of the lake and lamented. Finally, she felt calmer at her heart and stopped crying.

    Raising her hand, she wiped away the remaining tears, and looking up, Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the sky before.

    It seemed that it was already night by now, and she pursed both of her lips into a thin line. Now that it was night, it would be difficult for her to find her way home.

    As she stood up, she stared at her surroundings, and that''s when, a realization came upon her. Everything looked more or less the same to her, and she did not know which way she had come from.

    The howlings of the animal and cries of owl reached her ears, and a chill went down her back. She hoped that there would not be any wolves at here or else she would be dead.

    "Are you done?"

    Hearing that unfamiliar voice, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes grew wider, and she whipped her head in the direction of that voice.

    A dark figure emerged from amidst the shadow, and she realized that he was the man that had saved her previously multiple times.

    A gasp left her mouth as she spoke out, "Ah! It''s you, but what are you doing? Were you spying on me the entire time?"

    He nodded his head.

    Moon Jiwoo took a step closer to him at that and stared at him sternly. Creases formed between both of her eyebrows.

    "Why?" she asked.

    That was the only thing that left her mouth. Seeing how he had saved her multiple times previously, she could not utter any rude words at him regardless of how rude it felt being spied at.

    Before he was able to answer, she added, "You saw what had happened earlier, right? I am telling you that whoever you are, I won''t hesitate to finish you off if you reveal these things. I hope you understand that part."

    "I had no intentions of revealing them," he voiced out.

    "You did not answer my first question. Why were you spying me? Are you a bad guy? No, that doesn''t make sense. Why would you reveal yourself and show yourself to me then?" she vocalised.

    "To protect you," he said.

    His words took her by surprise, and she took a step backwards. Her eyes showed disbelief as she stared at him.

    "Repeat that again," Jiwoo said.

    "I want to protect you; that''s why, I am at here. I was not ?ssigned to this. I want to do this on my own," he responded.

    She scoffed and voiced out, "Doesn''t that sound too dubious? Why would try to protect me? Both of us don''t know each other, and there is no reason for you to protect me. Whatever the reason is, there is no need for your protection."

    "Moon Jiwoo, I know what you are actually¡ª"

    Before he was able to continue further, she extended her hand towards him and grabbed on to the collar of his shirt. Pulling him closer to her, she glared upon him.

    "Who are you!? How did you know my name!?" she questioned.

    "That will be revealed with time, but, Moon Jiwoo, I am on your side. Whenever you want to cry or let out your frustrations, I will be there for you. That''s why, don''t hold it in all within you," he said, "If you feel all alone, just know that I am there for you."

    "Why are you saying such cheesy words? Are you con man as well? Anyway, you''re too suspicious to be trusted, and I don''t need you to cry to. I am perfectly fine, and remember that whatever you saw today was a mere illusion," she said.

    Although those words sounded nice, Moon Jiwoo could not bring herself to trust that man, and as for pouring out her feelings to some stranger, Jiwoo was too prideful for that.

    It would be horrible for her if the matter of her crying came out to the world, and she did not want to be looked as weak as the other. Today was too careless for her, and whatever happened today was not something she should repeat.

    "I promise you to be silent, so do trust me more," he stated.

    Releasing her hold from him, she spoke out, "Well, if you want to protect me, then protect me I guess. It doesn''t matter to me. Anyway, do you know the way back? I believe that I am lost."

    "That''s why, I was waiting for you," he stated, "I will take you back home."

    Reaching into his pocket, he took out a handkerchief and extended his hand towards her. Staring at the handkerchief in his hand, she accepted.

    Giving him a small smile, she said, "Thank you about that."

    "If you need anything else, do let me know about it. Although it doesn''t seem like it, I am there beside you all the time," he spoke out.

    "You sound too cheesy and suspicious," she pointed out.

    "I will be working hard to earn that trust of yours, and remember that, you have someone to care for you as well."

 Chapter 66 - Jealous Little Girl [1]

    After the conversation with that man, Moon Jiwoo found her mood improving, and recalling that she did not ask for his name, Jiwoo turned back once they were in front of the house. However, there were no signs of him, and it seemed that he had disappeared into the thin air. That was disappointing to Jiwoo. But that did not put her mood down, and wearing a soft expression upon her face, she made her way to the door. Even though she did not know the man from earlier, his words made her feel secure and less frightened. Knowing that she had someone in her side felt pleasant to her. Extending her hand towards the knob of the door, she turned it and opened the door to the house. After that, she pushed the door and stepped into the room before closing the door behind her. As she walked into the living room, the sight of Oh Sookyung fell into her eyes, and lowering her line of sight, she noticed the wound she had made on his leg was bandaged up. Beside him was Min Hyungwon, and both of them had their arms folded across their ?h?st. As both of them stared at her sternly, she raised one of her eyebrows. "Why are both of you staring at me like that? It''s weird," she spoke out. "Where did you run off to?" Sookyung questioned. "I don''t want to answer you," Jiwoo responded, displaying her tongue at him. Raising his hand, Sookyung ran then through his hair, and while frustration showed on his face, he vocalised, "Do you know how dangerous for you to run into that forest? Are you an idiot to run into that? Although you are strong, there was nothing you could do if beasts had attacked you, You Fool! Couldn''t you be more careful!?" "Who are you worried for¡ª myself or yourself?" Jiwoo questioned. Those words left Moon Jiwoo''s mouth before she was able to control it, and Jiwoo was scared to see how vulnerable she appeared at that moment. Before he was able to answer, she coughed and vocalised, "Whatever it is, you don''t get to lecture me. It is alright as long as I am fine at the end of the day. Now, don''t annoy me or else I will be burning up that other leg of yours." "Yah! Shin Daerin, how can you say that when I was worried about you?" Sookyung questioned as Jiwoo was about to run towards her room. His words caused her to halt in her steps, and she turned her head to look at him with disbelief. There was no way she was going to let herself be tricked by him. "So what? Do you think it matters to me whether or not you''re worried about me? Just concentrate on getting stronger than me if you actually worried about me," Jiwoo said. "You should stop challenging me like that, Shin Daerin," he stated, "After all, I did manage to beat you earlier." She chuckled and said, "I admit that I have lost, but you are the one who is unable to use his leg for days. Shouldn''t you be getting bed rest now, weakling? I really feel pity for you!" "You idiot, don''t you think that I would not be coming for revenge from you. Moreover, all of those desserts are mine, You Loser," Sookyung expressed. "Whatever, you can have them. I did not want to eat them and gain weight in the first place, You Glutton," she vocalised. "Is that so? Then, don''t get angry at me when I am eating them later on," he voiced out. ¡ã¡ã¡ã "You bastard! What are you doing in my room with those stinky thing? Get out of here!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed, attempting to push Sookyung off the bed with her hands. The man had entered into her room earlier with the slice of his cake, and sitting upon her bed, he was comfortably eating the cake as if it was his room. "Be careful with that, Daerin," he said, "I might actually drop the cake on you accidently if you keep on pushing me like that." "If you dare do that, Weakling, I swear that I will be finishing you off for good," Jiwoo spoke out¡ª instantly moving her hands away from him. She did not doubt him when he mentioned on how he could drop the cake on her. Knowing Oh Sookyung, he was very much capable of that, and getting dirty did not sound appealing to Moon Jiwoo. Moon Jiwoo was well aware on how Oh Sookyung wanted to tempt her with the cake and brush on to her face on how she had lost. Irritated by that fact, she wanted to kick the boy out of her room, but despite of what she did, he would not budge. "Why are you so adamant on pushing me away? Is it because you crave for the cake that much? I might give you a bite if you want it that much," he stated. Scrunching up her nose, Jiwoo put on a disgusted expression and voiced out, "Like hell I want to eat that cake! You presence makes me want to throw up, Thief. If you don''t leave the room in that instant, I will make sure to injure you to the point you would not be able to walk for a week." Oh Sookyung shrugged his shoulders and said, "Do whatever you want. If you like to take advantage of the weak, what can I do against that? I guess my luck is horrible at the end of the day!" "Yah! What''s with you trying to act that pitiful? You bastard, don''t think that is going work on me! I am not going to¡ª" Before she was to continue further, Oh Sookyung filled the spoon with some cake, and picking that up, he placed it inside her mouth, preventing her from speaking further. His actions caught her by surprise, and Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened. The sweet taste of the cake melted in her tongue, and she found herself being appeased by the taste.  She found herself craving for more. However, there was no way she was able to let Oh Sookyung know of that. It was too embarrassing for me. "You were doing that to get a bite from me, right? Rinnie, if you stay quiet, I might feed you with more of that cake. You can actually be cute if you don''t open your mouth," he vocalised. Moon Jiwoo coughed at that and said, "Yah! You forced that into my mouth! Who wanted that cake of yours!? It was a torture to eat that! It tasted disgusting and cheap!" "Don''t say it like that. I am willing to feed more to you as long as you act cutely, Rinnie," Sookyung expressed. "As if I am going to do something as embarrassing as that for a cheap piece of cake! Now, stop irritating me or else I might break that nose of yours! You are really hateful!" she exclaimed. "I wonder how you would react if I told you that both of us kissed indirectly," he mumbled. However, those words perfectly reached into her ears, and Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at the realization. She could not believe that she had overlooked that. Her cheeks turned red at that instant, and turning at him, Jiwoo glared at him fiercely. She then exclaimed, "Yah! You Pervert! You really look like the type that would take advantage of the girl in that way!" "You are too dense! You would not have noticed it if I had not pointed out to you! You are stupid to the point that you''re cute," he said as a chuckle left his mouth. His words managed to successfully trigger anger within Moon Jiwoo, and there was no way she was going to let her pride her trampled on in such a way by a weakling like him. That''s when, her eyes fell on the cake before him, and an idea came inside her mind. Extending her hand towards that cake of his, she clenched her hand into a tight fist and attacked that cake of his. As her hand came in contact with the soft substance, the impact of her punch caused the slice of cake to crumble down, and a wide grin formed on her face. Raising her fist, she licked the cream from her fist and let out a gasp. Staring at Oh Sookyung with widened eyes, she let out a gasp. "Oops! It seems that I have horrible control over my body. I really did not mean to destroy that cake of yours! Such a pity, right, Thief?" she raIws one of her eyebrows. Smiling at her, Sookyung spoke out, "It is quite alright. I don''t fight with jealous little girls, and strawberry is not a flavour I like." Jiwoo scoffed and said, "Why will I be jealous of a weakling like you in the first place? Did you look at yourself in the mirror once? You seem like a joke!"

 Chapter 67 - Jealous Little Girl [2]

    "Are you getting angry? Omo! Are you? This is really too simple!" Sookyung voiced out into her ear as two of them walked towards the dinner room. Around two weeks had passes since both of them have started staying at this place, and although this period of time has not been entirely pleasant, gradually, Jiwoo was starting to not mind this place. Everything was starting to feel more normal to her as time passed by. Over this period of time, both her and Sookyung had countless challenges when it came to angering Moon Jiwoo. Although she had faced couple of defeats, she had won at times as well. "No, of course not. I am perfectly fine. You are not worth missing the trip to the city over," she pointed out. Even though Oh Sookyung was quite annoying to her in the beginning, she was starting to get accustomed to living with him, and compared to before, her patience when it came to him expanded. Compared to before, she had grown to become more m?tur? under Hyungwon''s guidance, and due to the intensive training, her strength had amplified a lot from before as well.  One thing Jiwoo was most proud of was how she managed to make Hyungwon and Sookyung impressed by her progress. As for that man who always saved her, she did not get to meet him again or get the opportunity to get his name. Although she was disappointed about it in the beginning, gradually, she began to not mind about it much. Extending his index finger towards her, Sookyung poked at Jiwoo''s cheeks and spoke out, "Oh! Is that so? You have really gotten better at it. Wouldn''t it be better if you skipped the dinner for today? You should look at your cheeks; they have really gotten fatter. Weren''t you complaining the other day on how none of your clothes fit you?" Moon Jiwoo coughed and stated, "Quit making up baseless lies. When did I mention about that? I believe that I train enough, but the same could not be said for you. Thief, you are really lazy, and it is really disappointing. How can a Prince of a nation be as lame as you? You bring shame upon all the Princes girls dream of." "How would understand my pain? You are not the one who has to stay drowned in book for more than half of the day. Those books are terrible! It would be better if our positions were exchanged, but too bad, you are not as smart as me," he spoke out. "Is that the only thing you can say, weakling? No matter how smart you are, I can make you disappear at this instant. I already learned teleportation, and¡ª" Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, a sharp pain went through her forehead, and a gasp escaped from her mouth. Stumbling slightly back, she raised her hand and touched the corner of her forehead, rubbing it softly. But the pain that permeated through it was really strong and was starting to blur her line of sight. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes as her ?h?st squeezed tightly. Noticing her current state, Oh Sookyung''s eyes widened, and extending his hand towards her, he placed it on her shoulder. His eyes displayed concern as he questioned, "What''s the matter?" She managed to stutter out, "I-It h-hurts!" Moon Jiwoo felt as if her neck was being strangled by someone, and she found it difficult to breath in that moment. She did not know how long she would be able to keep standing without falling down, and she was losing strength in her leg too fast. Although she had gotten used to constant pains like this, this was stronger than anything she had faced previously, and as she pressed her eyelids shut, a droplet of tear fell down her cheeks. Before she was able to fall backwards, Moon Jiwoo felt her wrist being gripped by someone, and Sookyung pulled her closer to him. After that, he had carried her into a princess style. She coughed multiple times at that, and his actions caught her by surprise. She did not expect for someone like Oh Sookyung to attempt to carry her. However, at the ache that spread through her entire body made it hard to think straight, and a groan escaped from her mouth. Moon Jiwoo''s eyes then fell towards Oh Sookyung''s neck, and his pale neck appeared quite appetizing to her. There was a burning d?s?r? within her to taste the blood from that neck of his. As time passed by, the scent of Sookyung''s blood was starting to get stronger, and it took great self-control from her in order to not bite into his neck. Her fangs were already starting to extend, and to avoid biting into Sookyung, she bit into her lower lip, causing blood to flow out of it. Even though a sharp pain went through her lip, it felt dull compared to her rest of the body being in pain. Couple of groans left her mouth as sweat formed on her face, and her body was starting to feel hotter. "Just hold it in for a couple of seconds. We are already at here," Sookyung vocalised. At that moment, she could sense the warmth and concern in Sookyung''s voice¡ª something she took to be quite surreal¡ª and thought that her situation made her perceive it in that way. Carrying her in his hand, Oh Sookyung pushed open the door before him and stepped into the dining room. His eyes then fell upon Min Hyungwon, who was enjoying his food, and hearing the noise, Hyungwon raised his head to stare at Moon Jiwoo. Moon Jiwoo, on the other hand, had a wave of fatigue hit her over as her body was starting to go numb suddenly, and she was b?r?ly able to make out what was happening in her surroundings. Her eye lids were closing gradually, and she did not have the strength within her to keep them open. "I will get her the blood. Sookyung, you can''t let her fall asleep or else the situation might get serious," Min Hyungwon vocalised. Oh Sookyung nodded his head and stared at the girl at his hand. Hyungwon slid his chair back, and as it screeched against the floor, he stood up from his place before walking towards the kitchen. "Shin Daerin, are you sleeping? You heard what he said, right? You can''t sleep or else you will die. Want to make a bet? Let''s see whether or not you sleep. You will be the one to lose if you fall asleep, and the loser will have to be the winner''s faithful servant for a week." Seeing that Moon Jiwoo was not making any type of response to that, he added, "Yah! Are you already asleep? Doesn''t that mean that you have already lost to this bet? Cinderella, if you don''t open your eyes at the count of three, I will drop your body to the ground. You are too fat, and I don''t think I will be able to hold you on much further." Coughs escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth as she gradually opened her eyes and vocalised, "S-Shut up! You are annoying!" "So, you did not fall asleep? I thought you already died, and I had to prepare your funeral. How are you feeling? Does it hurt? Do you need to lay down somewhere?" Oh Sookyung''s voice did not feel at all irritating to her in that instant strangely enough, and she leaned her head against his ?h?st. Shockingly, she found his embrace being comforting. "No, b-be like this," she spoke out. "Geez! Good for you to enjoy this! My hands are on the verge on giving up! I already mentioned to you before on how fat you are. Shin Daerin, you better go on a proper diet after this is over," he vocalised. "Don''t talk," she said, "I-I w-won''t f-fall a-asleep." Moon Jiwoo could feel Oh Sookyung''s panicked heart beats and sense how panicked he was at that moment. It gave her a moment of joy. "You better not go back on those words of yours," he stated, "I know how you much of a loser you tend to be, so don''t you dare give up! I swear if you close your eyes, I will be taking you to the jungle in order to feed you to the wolves. Remember that you would not be given a proper funeral." "Sookyung, I believe that is enough. You will get beaten up too much for the words you had uttered such now. I am over here with the blood. Let''s get her to the living room, so that she is able to drink the blood properly," Hyungwon stated as he appeared into the dining room. Held within his hand was a glass of red blood, and as the scent of that wafted into Moon Jiwoo''s nostrils, a throb went through her ?h?st. She found her fangs extending further, and the d?s?r? to go towards it came at her.

 Chapter 68 - Get attached [1]

    A metallic taste went down her throat, appeasing her taste bud, and as it traveled down her body, Jiwoo felt as if her ?h?st was being quelled down due to the liquid. The pain in her body was suddenly stopping due to it, and all of the exhaustion in her body was being driven away.

    A groan escaped from her mouth as Moon Jiwoo opened her mouth slightly, and she realized that she was being fed something with a glass. Oh Sookyung''s hand grabbed on to a glass, and inside that glass was a red liquid.

    Caught by the surprise at that instant, Moon Jiwoo attempted to move back from the glass of blood, and noticing that she was conscious, Sookyung pulled the glass back.

    However, Jiwoo''s body was still weak, and before she was able to fall backwards, Sookyung secured his hand around her back, preventing that from happening. Both of them were seated upon the couch.

    Moon Jiwoo''s lips were slightly tinted in red dye to the blood, and her eyes went towards the direction of the glass. The smell of the blood wafted into her nose, and the d?s?r? to finish the entire glass awakened within her.

    As if reading her thoughts, Oh Sookyung raised his hand and extended the glass of blood towards her before saying, "If you are fine, you should finish off rest of the blood by yourself."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded.

    Certain amount of greediness showed in her eyes as she forwarded her hand to accept the glass of blood, and bringing it over to her mouth, she hungrily drank the content.

    Multiple times she had wondered on how terribly gross it would be to drink blood. However, in front of the real thing, all of those thoughts disappeared within a second, and her willpower was deemed to be weak.

    She found herself unable to resist or hate the liquid before her. As the liquid traveled down her body, she found herself craving for more of it.

    However, the blood in the glass was soon over unfortunately, and Jiwoo placed the glass on the table beside the couch. Couple of coughs left her mouth, and she licked her lips in order not let the blood go to waste.

    "How do you feel right now?" Oh Sookyung questioned, removing his hand off of her back.

    "I feel perfectly fine," Jiwoo answered, "I do remember you panicking over me when I fainted, Sookyung. I did not think you were that type of man."

    A chuckle left her mouth as a teasing smirk formed on her face.

    Although Jiwoo was exaggerating her words, she noticed how concerned Sookyung was for her that moment, and as much as happy she was from it, she had a greater impulse to tease him about that.

    Sookyung scoffed and vocalised, "There you again. Getting ahead of yourself. The only reason I panicked was because I was worried for my life. If you died back then, who would have taken care of me? Are you forgetting that you''re my bodyguard?"

    Raising her hand, Moon Jiwoo stared down at her nails, and with a bored expression on her face, she voiced out, "Yes, yes, whatever you say, but Sookyung, you are too transparent at this moment. It is clearly visible that you''re lying to me, but I will let go of you this time around."

    Sookyung extended his hand towards her forehead and flicked on it slightly, causing a wince to escape from Jiwoo''s mouth.

    Moon Jiwoo glared at Sookyung and exclaimed, "Yah!"

    "Yah? See, you have lost control over your anger again! I have won this time around as well. Say goodbye to your chance of being able to go outside."

    Upon hearing those words, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened. Nonetheless, there was no way she was going to admit defeat to Sookyung over this.

    "This doesn''t count. I just woke up, and my mind is slightly muddled. I did not lose control over my anger," Jiwoo voiced out in a softer tone.

    "Don''t be a coward and make excuses, Daerin. Admit it already. You have already lost this round as well, Loser Daerin," Sookyung stated, childishly sticking his tongue out at her.

    "I am not arguing with an idiot like you over this. I am sleepy at this moment, so don''t annoy me, You Thief. And remember that I did not lose in this time," she spoke out.

    With that, Moon Jiwoo pressed her palms on top of the couch and got down from it. Without bothering to glance at Sookyung once, she left the room, and staring at her back, Sookyung let out a chuckle.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Oh Sookyung sat opposite to Min Hyungwon, and both of them were in the older man''s office room. In front of them were two glasses of tea and few snacks.

    "Was there anything you needed me for, Hyungwon-ssi?" Oh Sookyung started, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "How is Shin Daerin feeling now?" Hyungwon asked.

    Upon hearing those words, laughter elicited from his mouth, and Sookyung answered, "She was extremely energetic. No one would think that she was on the verge of something dangerous couple of hours ago."

    "Sookyung, I would prefer for you to answer this to me honestly. What are your current feelings towards Moon Jiwoo? Don''t try to hide anything on this matter," Hyungwon vocalised in a serious tone¡ª emphasizing the importance of that.

    Those words left Sookyung wondering, and a deep look appeared in his eyes. Pursing both of her lips together, Sookyung tried to think a possible answer about it.

    About what he had felt for Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung never tried to give that a serious thought, and he was aware that his feelings towards her changed from when he had first met her.

    Maybe as she had mentioned it earlier, he was worried about the girl when she reached that state earlier¡ª not because she was his bodyguard¡ª and gradually, she was getting less annoying to him.

    "A little sister? That''s how she feels like to me like that moment although I don''t act like a decent older brother to her," Sookyung answered.

    Even though his answer was not entirely correct, that was the closest he was able to get to the real reason. Currently, he was unable to figure out his proper sentiments towards the girl.

    "Little sister, hmm. That''s too dangerous for you. Sookyung, the only way you need to treat her is as a tool," Hyungwon spoke out, "I know this sounds horrible and you might be reluctant now, seeing how close you''re getting to the girl. But treating her as a little sister is too dangerous. Remember in your mind that she is merely a tool for you to get the throne."

    Upon hearing those words, Oh Sookyung''s eyes widened, and he questioned, "Why?"

    Those words of Hyungwon shocked Sookyung, and his eyes widened. It left a bitter aftertaste within her.

    Although in the beginning he had merely treated the girl as a tool, that side of him changed over a period of time. Even though Moon Jiwoo was foolish and irritating, she had a side to her that he found endearing.

    "What I am telling you is for your own good. You will be the one who will be hurt if you get attached to her. This is sad, but that''s what you need to do. Sometimes, you need to think cruelly and he cold-hearted to achieve greater things. All the previous Kings were able to do this."

    "Why will I be hurt?" Sookyung questioned.

    He had the clue to what possibly could be the answer to this question, but at that instant, he was too frightened to hear about it. Sookyung did not know when such a fear began to emerge within him, but it felt very much real to her.

    "Because Shin Daerin is destined to die for you, and that is decided by the fate. Although everything else can be changed, this is one of those things that can not be altered regardless of how one tries.

    Either she will die from protecting you or you will be the one to kill her. The current King killed his protector on his own because he was too scared of his protector.

    The protector is stronger than the king, and in a place where the king is supposed to be the strongest, there is no proper place for the protector. The protector is merely a temporary figure to be disposed of later on.

    That''s why, she is destined to die. Don''t get yourself attached to her or else you will be hindered by unnecessary emotions later on. It is better to nip the problem at the root of it in order to prevent it from growing further."

    Sookyung''s hand trembled slightly after hearing those words, and he did not understand what he was that frightened about. Hyungwon''s words made sense to him, and he more or less had an idea on how Jiwoo would die protecting him.

    However, he thought that he did not care much about that; it seemed that was not the case.

 Chapter 69 - Get attached [2]

    The cold sensation on his forehead caused Sookyung to raise his head, and his eyes fell on Moon Jiwoo who held a can of beer against his forehead.

    "What are you doing?" he questioned.

    Oh Sookyung was seated outside of the house, and a serious expression sat upon his face. A frown was visible upon his features while creases were present between both of his eyebrows.

    Furrowing her eyebrows at his question, Jiwoo hit his head slightly with the bottle of beer and vocalized, "Is this how rudely you speak to someone who brings you beer?"

    Forcing out a polite smile upon his face, Sookyung sarcastically said, "Your Majesty, I apologise for my impudence. Hopefully, you will be able to overlook the serious crime I have created just now."

    "Omo! Since you are apologising this sincerely to me, I will accept it," Jiwoo said before winking at him.

    Oh Sookyung scoffed at her.

    Walking forward, Moon Jiwoo took a seat beside the boy, and raising her head, she stared at the starry night sky.

    "You appeared to be depressed, and I am in a mood to get drunk," she voiced out, opening the lid to her can of beer after she had placed Sookyung''s one beside him.

    "Not interested," Sookyung voiced out, about to stand up.

    Irritated by his behaviour, Moon Jiwoo extended her hand towards her, and as he was about to stand upon his feet, she grabbed his wrist in order to pull him back.

    As he collided against the ground, she threatened, "I will burn you into pieces if you dare to refuse right now. I took the effort to approach someone like you yet you are running away."

    Turning at her, he glared and stated, "I don''t want to stay near a drunk idiot like you. You are annoying when you are not drunk, and I wonder what disaster you will be creating once you get drunk."

    Curving her lips to form a small smirk, Jiwoo said, "I am sure that is just an excuse to cover up how easily you get drunk, and you are just afraid of doing something embarrassing when you are drunk. Such a loser!"

    "If you think that is going to provoke me into entering, Shin Daerin, then you are clearly wrong," he spoke out, "You can not make¡ª"

    Before he was able to continue further, she extended her hand towards him and shot a lightning ball beside his leg. A spot was made on the ground as the dirt flew upwards, and the sudden attack caused Sookyung to be startled.

    "Sookyung, you know how accurately I am able to shoot. Next time, I might not miss the shot like I did this time around," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "Wow! Shin Daerin, you are really incredible! I can''t believe that you are threatening me for something like this!" Sookyung spoke out, "But I can just call Hyungwon."

    "I will attack you before Hyungwon is able to come, and it''s not like as if you train like me. An injured leg would not cause much difference to your daily life. You just laze around any way," she said.

    "Cause no difference? Shin Daerin, you are really frustrating. Do you know how badly I want to kill you at times?" he spoke out.

    "What''s the use for dreaming for the impossible? Even if a weakling like you practices for decades and centuries, you will be unable to beat me," Jiwoo smugly vocalised, "Now, shut up! I don''t have much patience within myself."

    Clapping both of his hands together, Oh Sookyung said, "Since you are this eager to drink, let''s have a competition then. Let''s see who can drink the most!"

    "Cool! The loser owes the winner a favour. What about that?" she vocalised.

    "Fine with me," Sookyung answered.

    "Min Hyungwon, get us some more of the beer at here!" Moon Jiwoo yelled.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo had already finished off four bottles of beer by now, and her hand held on to the fifth can. As for Oh Sookyung, he was still on his first can.

    As Moon Jiwoo gulped to drink down the alcoholic drink in the can, Sookyung turned to look at her and questioned, "What made you want to get drunk all of a sudden?"

    "I am not telling you," she spoke out. Looking at him, she stuck out her tongue towards him.

    He let out a sigh and voiced out, "Seems like your drunk self is as much as annoying."

    She let out a chuckle and continued to drink the beer as if Sookyung''s words had not reached into her ear.

    After she was done drinking this can of beer, she gripped the can tightly and watched as the can squashed together. As she threw the can on the ground, a sound was created, and laughter escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth.

    "I feel so happy!" she exclaimed, "Ah! I want to sing!"

    "No, don''t sing. I swear that I will be tying you up if you attempt to sing in this moment," he threatened, glaring at her.

    "Why? Do you think my singing is bad? Don''t worry! It is not. I have¡­" Jiwoo vocalised before looking down at her fingers.

    Raising her fingers one by one, she continued, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...no, no, no, I have lots and lots of fans that can not be counted with my hands. They like my singing a lot! They say that I am legendary singer!"

    "What nonsense are you saying now? I knew that you are going to get problematic when you get drunk! I wonder what possessed me to agree with this," Sookyung vocalised.

    "You don''t believe me, right?" she questioned, "Should I sing to prove it to you? You will be impressed by my legendary vocals."

    Before she was able to stand up in order to demonstrate her vocals, Oh Sookyung grabbed on to her wrist and pulled her back.

    He then said, "No, there is no need for that. You can just drink."

    Seeing that, Moon Jiwoo stared down at the ground and obediently sat on the ground. A crestfallen expression settled on her face while a sigh was escaped from her mouth.

    Noticing how silent Jiwoo had gotten, Sookyung mumbled, "What drama is she planning to create now?"

    "You don''t like me singing to you, right? You know that I sing badly, right? That''s what all of those people say beside my back. It''s not like I want to sing badly on my own. I tried hard; I really tried my best to improve.

    But they did not care about that. They just criticized me, calling me an evil lady. What did I do so bad for them to hate me? I never tried to harm anyone and wanted to be friends with everyone, so why are they this mean to me?" Jiwoo spoke out.

    Oh Sookyung noticed the tears that had formed on the corner of her eyes, and his eyes widened at that. Although he vaguely understood those words of Jiwoo, he could see the pain she was in.

    As one of the tears trailed down her cheek, he found his ?h?st being squeezed tightly, and before he was able to process it properly, he extended his hand towards her, pulling her into a tight hug.

    Patting on her back softly, he said, "It hurts for you, right? I really don''t know how to comfort you in this. I will be bringing more tragedies in your life, and I am sorry for that. But I will try to prevent you from dying as much as possible."

    A sharp pain permeated through her forehead as Moon Jiwoo walked down the stairs, and the memories of the last night remained as blur to her.

    "Ah! Being hungover sucks!" she exclaimed.

    The last thing she could recall was that Oh Sookyung pulled her into an embrace, and other than that, she could not remember any of the contents of last night.

    It seemed that she was unable to control herself and let herself get too much drunk. Then, she recalled about the competition she and Sookyung had, and hoped that she was the winner to it.

    Owing Sookyung a favour sounded horrible to her. Thinking about what horrendous things the man could make her do caused chill to travel down her spine.

    Walking over to the dining room, she spotted Oh Sookyung at the corner of the room and questioned, "Yah! You thief, who won last night? If you dare to lie, I will be burning holes in that leg of yours!"

    After those words had left her mouth, she shifted her line of sight, and as her eyes fell on top of a certain figure, her eyes widened due to the shock.

    She then exclaimed, "Yah! What are you doing at here, You Bastard!?"

    "No, Jiwoo, stop," Minnie vocalised, but it was too late.

 Chapter 70 - Which era [1]

    Seeing the familiar masked man stand before her, Moon Jiwoo felt a rush of anger, and memories began to flood inside her mind. Unable to control herself, she strode towards the man.

    Extending her hand towards his shirt''s collar, she gripped on to it tightly and vocalized, "Ah! You bastard! It''s really good to see you again. Although I could not meet that annoying¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, Minnie spoke out, "Stop, Jiwoo, stop. You fool, did you forget that you are in someone else''s body now?"

    The realization dawned upon her after Jiwoo heard those words, and releasing her grip on the man''s collar, she took a couple of steps back.

    The man that stood before her¡ª Han Minhyun¡ª was someone she had gotten married to in her last life, and thinking of the treatment the man made her go through was enough to make her blood boil.

    Recalling about the countless number of times he had insulted her, she had the urge to strike the man.

    However, the risk was not worth it. Therefore, taking in a deep breath, she tried to hold in her anger although her eyes were being quite expressive of what she currently felt.

    Moon Jiwoo coughed and said, "It seems that I am still very much drunk and confused you to be something else."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo took a couple of steps backward, and that''s when, she felt a sharp pain permeated through the back of her head.

    Turning her head, she realized that Hyungwon had hit the back of her head, and glaring at him, she exclaimed, "What was that for!?"

    "Shin Daerin, you should be stopped from getting drunk. Do you know what kind of offense you have just made?" Hyungwon vocalised.

    Clenching her hand into a tight fist, Jiwoo arrogantly spoke out, "At least I stopped myself before I was able to punch him. What''s wrong with grabbing his shirt''s collar?"

    "You little¡ª"

    Before Hyungwon was able to continue further, Minhyun said, "Let''s leave it at that, Hyungwon-ssi, and discuss about the important matters. I can not be here for a long time. You must be Miss Shin Daerin, Sookyung''s protector."

    "You can say that," Jiwoo replied, letting out a yawn.

    After that, she folded her arms across her ?h?st and curtly questioned, "What are you here for?"

    "Shin Daerin, do you know who you are speaking to? Your rudeness¡ª"

    Turning to face Hyungwon, Jiwoo said, "I believe he can speak for himself. Is it your habit to interfere into everything?"

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle, and extending his hand towards her, he gripped on to his wrist. Pulling her wrist closer to her, he wrapped his hand around her shoulder and wore a small smile on his face.

    "Don''t mind her behaviour, Mr. Han. This is what she is usually like. It would be merely a wishful thinking to expect behaviour from him," Sookyung expressed.

    "Wishful thinking? Yah! I have manners as well. It''s just that in front of the people I dislike, I can''t hold it in," Jiwoo vocalised, stepping on Sookyung''s foot with all of her strength.

    A wince escaped from Sookyung''s mouth as he jumped backwards and removed his hand from around her shoulders.

    "What was that for? I was just trying to help you out of that situation," Sookyung vocalised.

    "Heol! Help me!? How much of a fool do you take me to be? You were merely trying to insult me, You Damned Thief!" Jiwoo expressed.

    "Since you have asked about it, I take you to be a complete fool, Shin Daerin. I am curious about one thing. Have you ever shown signs of being smart?" Sookyung stated, "The fact that you have survived until now feels like truly a miracle to me. Ouch!"

    Moon Jiwoo kicked on his knees, and the man let out a cry. Kneeling down slightly, he gripped on to his knee.

    "Shut up, You thief! Regardless of how much of a fool I am, at least it is better than a weakling like you. Without someone having to protect you, you are completely dead meat," she voiced out, "You weakling!"

    "Can''t you see that we have a guest at here? Can you two stop quarreling at this moment?" Hyungwon vocalised¡ª his voice clearly displaying how frustrated he was at this moment.

    "I am a guest at here too," she said, "Oh! By the way, I will be going to the city today as you have promised, so complete this fast."

    Standing up straight, Sookyung vocalized, "Hold on! You will be going to the city? Didn''t you lose to me yesterday? I did not expect you to be such a sore loser."

    Turning her back at Hyungwon to face Sookyung, Moon Jiwoo glared at him, and raising her fist, stated, "Do you need me to punch you!? I have obviously won yesterday! You are the one who had lost!"

    Nodding his head, Sookyung said, "As expected from you, you are a sore loser. What more expectations could I have from you? If you want me to admit defeat after using the violent methods, then sure, I have lost."

    "Yah! Stop being this dramatic. I haven''t started to beat you up!" Jiwoo retorted.

    "Well you haven''t. But I know that you will be. Isn''t that what you have mentioned on earlier?" Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Two of you! Don''t argue further, and Shin Daerin, you are allowed to go to the city, so quit this. Can''t you both act m?tur? for a moment?" Hyungwon voiced out.

    Moon Jiwoo mumbled, "I would not have argued with the idiot if you had said so in the first place."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    The four of them currently in the living room. While Moon Jiwoo and Sookyung sat next to each other on the couch, Minhyun and Hyungwon sat opposite to them. Snacks and tea were served before them, but no one forwarded their hand toward it.

    "This is Han Minhyun," Hyungwon started, "At least he is known as Han Minhyun, and Oh Sookyung, your real name is Han Minhyun. This man is living under your identity and pretending to be you at this moment. Only a selected few are aware of this. Remember this."

    Han Minhyun then vocalised, "Back then, it was too dangerous for you to stay at the Red Clan because there was a high chance of you being exposed. Unless you were of a proper age, it was not exactly safe for your identity to be revealed.

    That''s why, you were sent with Chaeyoung at here, and she was responsible for taking care of you until you are of a right age. That was indicated by when your protector arrived.

    The current King is paranoid of your existence, and that man is quite powerful. Killing him directly is not possible for us, and I suspect that he had already grown aware of your identity, seeing how you had two ?ssassination attempts.

    It is a matter of time since he finds out about how you are residing at here, and that''s why, although you have a protector, you need to learn to protect yourself. I will be responsible for training you since Hyungwon would not be able to do that."

    As Moon Jiwoo heard all of that, one word caught her attention¡ª Chaeyoung. Although there were chances of that Chaeyoung not being the one in her last life, it was too big of a coincidence for her to be connected with Han Minhyun.

    The situation from her last life and right now made Jiwoo quite confused, and there were couple of answers she sought after now. Since she was aware of how this was not the appropriate time to question Minnie about it, she remained silent and waited for this to be over.

    "Oh," Sookyung vocalised weakly.

    His response surprised Moon Jiwoo, and turning her head to face her, she raised one of her eyebrows at him. She had not expect for him to react in that way.

    "Since it is better to prepare early, I will be taking you along with me after three days," Minhyun voiced out before turning to face Moon Jiwoo.

    He then added, "I am not aware of what grievances you might have with me, but protect him wholeheartedly. Do not slack off at your job; the entire clan''s future depend on top of it."

    ''Tch! He still has that rude and arrogant way of speaking!''

    "Whatever," Jiwoo replied, "I knew that without you having to say that to me, so I understand you, Mr. Han Minhyun. It is truly surprising to see how such a scandalous man as you turned out to be someone from the Red Clan."

    "You knew him?" Sookyung asked, arching his eyebrows.

    Scrunching up her nose, Jiwoo had creases forming between both of her eyebrows and commented, "From which era are you? The gossip about him fills the entire web, and you don''t even know about him. Did you grow up in some village?"

 Chapter 71 - Which era [2]

    Both of them walked through the streets of the Seoul. A small smile sat on Moon Jiwoo''s face while Oh Sookyung had a nonchalant expression upon his features.

    "What are you thinking so hard about?" Moon Jiwoo questioned, turning her to face him.

    "When did you get perceptive enough to notice that?" Sookyung retorted¡ª his lips curving to form a smirk¡ª and his eyes had a teasing glint.

    "Are you trying to pick a fight with me here? Don''t think that I would not be beating you up outside. I have no problem in doing so," Moon Jiwoo warned while staring at him sternly.

    Raising both of his hands to together, he spoke out, "Woah! Woah! Calm down! I have no interest in picking a fight with you outside! It was just that I was thinking about that Minhyun guy."

    "About him? What is there to think about him?" Jiwoo asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

    "Rather than him, it''s the things he had discussed about. I will be going with him in a few days, and I don''t even know what type of things I will be encountering," Sookyung spoke out, "I guess my life feels more of a fantasy at this moment."

    "Heol! You have such thoughts as well," Jiwoo commented, "Well, just accept the reality. There is no reason in mulling over it. There is nothing you can do about it, and it''s not like you have to protect some jerk."

    Oh Sookyung scoffed and vocalised, "Your job is more or less easier than mine. At least you know what to do. But in the future, I have to maintain and entire nation. Are you aware of how difficult that is going to be for me?"

    Anger rose within Moon Jiwoo after hearing his words, and it was unlike the other times. This time around she felt more or less upset.

    Curving her lips to form a smirk, she scoffed at him and vocalised, "My job is easy? That''s funny! And why are you thinking about the things to do as a king when you are not even one yet? Aren''t you being too confident?

    At least learn skills to conquer the current King instead of studying on how to manage a nation. You don''t know even know if you will be a king yet you pretend like you are one."

    Her sudden outburst of words caused Oh Sookyung''s eyes to widen, and turning his back on her, Jiwoo began to walk towards the other direction. Seeing him at this moment made her feel unsettled.

    "Shin Daerin," he called out after her, but Daerin did not respond to his call.

    Hearing him call her job easy caused her to feel enraged. Moon Jiwoo was risking her life for someone yet he considered it to be a simple task. At least he would be reassured, knowing that there was someone on his back, but the same could not be said for her.

    Moon Jiwoo was completely alone. Although she had been alone her entire life and learned to cope with it, it was a different story at here. At this unknown situation, she wanted for someone to support and comfort her.

    Chewing on her bottom lips, she walked forward while glaring at the street. Tears burned at her eyes, wanting to come out, but she did not let them fall. It would be too humiliating if she cried at the middle of the street over Sookyung''s words.

    ''Stupid, Oh Sookyung! Why can''t that bastard just die!? Everything would be better if he had just disappeared! He is so infuriating! That son of an ?sshole! That¡ª''

    Before she was able to continue cursing at him inside her head, Moon Jiwoo felt someone grab at her shoulder, and as that person pulled her back, a gasp escaped from her mouth.

    Raising her head, she realized that Oh Sookyung stood in front of her, and a gentle expression sat upon his face. Knowing that this might be another act of his, she did not let herself to moved by that.

    "Are you crying?" Oh Sookyung questioned.

    Irked¡ª that was what his question made her feel like. Although she was shocked by his abilities to read her emotions at this moment, this was way too much humiliating for her. Out of all the people, he was someone she did not want to show her true emotions to at this moment.

    "What the hell are you talking about, You Bastard? Have you gone crazy? What would I cry about? You¡ª Eh! What the hell are you doing now?"

    As Moon Jiwoo exclaimed at him loudly, the man extended his hand towards her and pulled her into a tight hug. Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at that.

    "I am sorry about what I have just said. I know that your job is more stressful than mine. You are putting your life on the line for someone you completely hate, and you were forced into it.

    I, on the other hand, have a strong shield in front of her, and compared to you, I don''t have much things to worry about. I am well aware of that. So, I am sorry for my hurtful thoughts earlier.

    It was just that I was stressed about all that Minhyun had said earlier, and I babbled out some nonsense. The changes in my life felt horrible, and I suppose I am not as good as coping up with them as you are. You really have admitted things easily, and I feel envious of that," Sookyung vocalised.

    His soft voice caused her heart to beat faster, and she did not believe that he had it in him. For a second there, she doubted whether or not it was him.

    Pulling away from the hug, she stared at him with a questioning expression while folding her arms across her ?h?st.

    Raising one of his eyebrows, she stared at him with a serious expression and spoke out, "You can''t fool me with those words. What type of game are you trying to play at now?"

    "You don''t believe me? But I truly meant those words of mine. I really admire you at times and hope that I will be as strong as you," he confessed.

    His words caused her eyes to widen, and her cheeks suddenly heat up after she had noticed how genuine he was. Receiving praises from Oh Sookyung was rare, and Jiwoo could not recall the last time she had gotten one from him.

    "Whatever. This is common."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo turned her back on him and began to walk away while trying to hold in the excitement within herself. It would not reflect well upon herself if she had gotten this enthusiastic over some mere words from him.

    A chuckle escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth as he took a couple of steps forward, and placing his hand over her shoulder, he voiced out, "Are you being shy now, Daerinnie?"

    Hearing the name that he had called by her now lead to her eyes widening, and turning at him, she vocalised, "Yah! Don''t call me by that! It is too embarrassing! And keep your distance for me! It''s disturbing!"

    "Why? Does it disturb your heart? Are you falling for me, Shin Daerin?" Sookyung questioned, arching both of his eyebrows.

    "What kind of crap are you uttering, You Loser? Why in the hell would you disturb my words? I don''t even consider you a man," she vocalised, "Rather than that, I consider you to be a little child I have to protect."

    Maybe because of how she is responsible for protecting him, Moon Jiwoo never considered Oh Sookyung to be a man in that way. Although the man was quite attractive, looking at him in that light was not possible for her. Probably because her idea of man was a different thing.

    "Is that so? Since those words hurt my pride, should I show you how much of a man I can be?" he asked.

    At his words, a chuckle escaped from her mouth, and she said, "No matter what you try to show me, it will be overshadowed by the image of when you tried to push me off to those man who attacked you back then. How do you think I will be able to consider you a man after that? Sorry, but cowards are not my type."

    "Aren''t you too stereotyped? There is nothing wrong with protecting themselves," he spoke out.

    Dropping his octaves lower, he added, "And even with that memory engraved inside your mind, I believe in my abilities to show you how much of a man I can be."

    Before she was able to respond to those words of his, she felt a soft pair of lips upon her cheeks, and Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened. Her face heat up at that instant, while her expression showed how startled she was by that.

 Chapter 72 - Cordially [1]

    Sitting at the inside of a luxurious restaurant, Moon Jiwoo held on to a fork and placed a piece of steak inside her mouth.  In front of her was Oh Sookyung, who stared at the room they were currently in before looking at his meal and then Moon Jiwoo. "Aren''t you being too extravagant?" Sookyung questioned, raising one of his eyebrows. "What''s it to you? It''s not like I am spending your money," Jiwoo said, "This is my payment for protecting you, and be glad that I am treating. Moreover, the food at here is the best!" "You talk as if you have had food from here," Sookyung mumbled. "Geez! That''s what you have the online reviews for," Moon Jiwoo vocalised, "Now, stop being so lame and embarrassing." "When was I being embarrassing? Among both of us, it is mostly you who doesn''t know to conduct herself properly in the public," Sookyung commented. "Are you trying to pick a fight with me at here, You damned thief? I don''t mind beating you up at here," she threatened. "You are seriously boring. Is beating me up the only thing you can talk about? As expected, there is nothing fun to chat about with you," he vocalized, "Does this show how much of a stupid are you?" "Heol! Why do I have to take whether or not you are bored into concern? For your information, I fine with having such chats with you. Other than this, you don''t deserve other things from me," she retorted. "You never had any friends, right? With that attitude, I am sure you were the bully of your class," he spoke out. "Yah! That''s offensive! I was not the bully although I ordered around couple of students. But that doesn''t count as bullying. I did not exactly beat up people around me or torture them," she vocalised. Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and voiced out, "Do you know you cute you seem right now? But as expected, you were the class bully." Her eyes widened at those words, and slamming her fork on top of the table, she fiercely glared at the boy sitting in front of her. "I told you! I was not the bully. I merely ordered around some students, and it''s not my fault that they followed me like a coward. It''s their fault for not going against me. It''s not like I had a huge team of friends, so that they needed to scared of me," Jiwoo vocalised¡ª her voice lowering at the end. Although it had been lots of years since that had happened, her past was more or less sad for her to think about. Maybe it was because of her attitude or her standing, but she was unable to get along with anyone. Moreover, the only person that cared for her turned out to be scum! She then added, "Moreover, can you stop calling me cute? Frankly, I find it disturbing!" Seeing the deadpan expression on Moon Jiwoo''s face elicited laughter from Sookyung, and he said, "You really don''t seem like all that of a bad person. You entirely feel like a little kid to me who had been spoiled, but as long as you have a good heart, that''s alright." "Are you making fun of me right now? Good heart and me? That''s a huge joke! What do you mean by that? Aren''t you a little kid who hasn''t been taught that stealing is bad?" she pointed out. "See that attitude of yours is truly hateful. You need to change that side of yours if you want to make friends," he vocalised. "I don''t need things like friends. What will I be able to do with friends any way? Most of those people are not sincere, and dealing with those who fake is irritating," Jiwoo stated. "Why? Is it because that you are too naive and foolish that you get fooled by them each time around? Is that why you have become like this," he voiced out. "What are you trying to do today? Try to know me more? Let''s not do this alright. It makes me uncomfortable," Jiwoo bluntly said. "Wow! That sounded extremely cold. I did not know you had it in you, but since it makes you uncomfortable, let''s drop this. What else do you want to talk about? Silently eating a meal is too boring," he vocalised. "Speaking about that, there was one thing I was always curious about but never got the opportunity to ask you on. What caused you become a thief? You don''t appear to be someone who would starve without stealing, so why?" Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows. "Heol! I was not expecting a smart question as this from you. You really manage to surprise me! I thought you would ask me something stupid or insulting," Sookyung confessed. Raising the fork in her hand, she directed it at him, and while glaring at her, she said, "Do you need me to stab you with this?" A small chuckle escaped from his mouth, and he stated, "Alright. I will not be teasing you further, and ruin this rare civil chat we are having in between of us. About why I decided to pursue this path is because of the thrill. That''s all. You are right. I don''t need the money or I can get a better job. But seeing how my friends went to this kind of job, I wanted to give this a try as well. Although it was wrong, there was a type of fun to it as well." "Ah! So, although you had friends, there were all rotten," Jiwoo commented, "How can you steal money from a twenty year old and destroy someone''s dreams that easily? I would have followed you regardless of knowing whether or not you were a con man. But what if it was someone else other than me? Aren''t you directly destroying that person''s dream? Moreover, the money you are stealing might have been quite important to that person. Honestly, I loathe you for that side of yours. You are too cruel." Oh Sookyung let out a laugh and said, "Despite how you act, it seems that you are a nice person. Honestly, I have probably thought of those couple of times myself, but at the end, I did not find myself caring for it. As long as it was fun, I was alright with it. You could just say that how I am the worst kind of people out there." Jiwoo expressed, "You admitted that quite fast. I thought you will be reluctant or try to sugarcoat the words." "How can I do that when you have taken the chance to talk smarty and cordially with me? It was a rare opportunity, and I did not want to ruin it," he pointed out, "Plus you have managed to change me." "What type of nonsense is that?" she vocalised, scoffing at him. "I am not kidding. I have found out that spending time with you more thrilling than being a con artist," he stated, "Aren''t you happy at that?" "Was that supposed to be a compliment? If that''s the case then, I have found it quite¡ª" Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, a loud noise entered into her ear, catching her by surprise, and immediately she turned to face her left. The glass window had broken down into shards, and the shards flew into their direction. Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at that, and she reacted fast. Stepping up on her table, she jumped at Oh Sookyung and shielded his body with hers. As she held him down, she felt the shards pierce into her body, and the pain caused her to close her eyes tightly. Before she was able to get more attacked by the shards, Jiwoo found her wrist being gripped by someone, and instantly, she was pulled into Sookyung''s ??p. Instead of her, few of the shards fell on him, and after they stopped from falling, he vocalised, "You don''t have to protect me to this extent. I am not that much of a weakling." The wounds which had formed on both of their body was slowly healing away, and marks of it remained on both of their back. Seeing Oh Sookyung protecting her at the end rendered her to be shocked, and for a second there, her heart beat rate increased before she pulled herself back into the reality. Rather than this, she had something serious to deal with now. "Glad to know that," Jiwoo vocalised as she jumped up from his ??p. As her back touched the door, she stared at the broken window, and beside her was Oh Sookyung. Loud noises were created due to the breaking of the glass, and Jiwoo was afraid that would be alerting the owner.  The room before them was an utter mess, and if she was caught, there was no way she would be able to explain this situation. She had to get away from here before someone showed up.

 Chapter 73 - Cordially [2]

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes narrowed at the two man standing before her, and both of her lips curved into a thin line. Both of them were dressed in black from head to toe.

    "We need to transport out of here," Jiwoo vocalised.

    Oh Sookyung nodded.

    For Oh Sookyung, who b?r?ly had any training, transporting was not possible, and when it came to Moon Jiwoo, although she had not ever done it practically, she was taught on how it was done.

    Moon Jiwoo recalled Hyungwon''s words on how she will be able to transport if her willpower is strong enough. All she had to go was visualise the place she wanted to go at inside her mind and try to go there.

    Even if the first part was crystal clear to her, the second part was where she had difficulty comprehending. How will she be trying to there?

    "Let''s do this then," Jiwoo said, reaching out to hold Sookyung''s wrist.

    Closing her eyes, she attempted to visualize the place she will be heading to. On the alley because this restaurant seemed like a proper place, and she tried to concentrate on transporting there.

    But Moon Jiwoo was not able to do it fast enough. One of the men jumped forward with his claws extended and attempted to attack Moon Jiwoo. Crossing her hands before her, Jiwoo prevented the man from attacking her face, causing her to lose her grip on Sookyung''s hand.

    Raising her leg, Moon Jiwoo kicked on the shin of the man, and that''s when, the footsteps approaching the room caught her attention.

    Her eyes widened, and hearing the worried voices of the people outside, she knew that she had to deal with this fast.

    The impact of her kick sent the man flying away as his back crashed against the wall, creating a slight crack against it. She turned her head to face Sookyung and saw that he was struggling with the man before him.

    Seeing how that man had gripped on to Sookyung''s wrist, Jiwoo extended her hand towards him and shoot one of her electric balls. The attack caused a jolt of electricity to pass over that man''s body, and in a matter of second, the man''s body collapsed on the ground.

    Meanwhile, the other man came towards Moon Jiwoo, and taking out his dagger, he was about to attack her from the back.

    But that movement of his was noticed by Oh Sookyung. Moving his hands upwards, he instantly grabbed the hand of the man who was holding the dagger.

    Turning her hand back, she shot an electric ball at his stomach, and his body flew towards the wall immediately at that.

    Knowing how that there were b?r?ly any time left in her hand, she grabbed on to Sookyung''s wrist and pulled her over to the broken window. Staring down at it, she wondered whether or not it would be safe for them to jump.

    "Don''t even think about it. It would be too dangerous and stupid," Sookyung vocalised.

    Noticing the crowd which had gathered below, Moon Jiwoo understood his words and nodded her head. There were no option for both of them other than to transport, but there was not enough time for it.

    When Jiwoo closed her eyes, she could hear the man taking a step closer towards the door, bad hearing the distinct breathing of the people our, her heart started to beat rapidly within her ?h?st.

    Panic began to rise within her while sweat formed on her face, and Jiwoo was at a loss of idea on what to do. Any second now the door was going to be opened, and the situation in front of them will be too complicated to handle.

    "It will be fine, Moon Jiwoo. Calm down, and I know that you will be able to do it," Sookyung whispered to her.

    The door to the room opened, and three man walked into the room. Their eyes widened when they noticed the bright light flash before them, and two figures disappeared into that light.

    They gaped at the scene, unable to figure out what had happened, and that was when their eyes fell on the two men who laid on the ground.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A loud scream escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth as she fell on the ground, and her back hit the wall behind her. Opening her eyes, she noticed that she was at a dark alleyway.

    Noticing where she was seated upon, Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and pressing her hands upon the ground, she immediately stood up. Her eyes widened at how dirty her clothing must have been gotten.

    A foul stench was present in the alleyway causing her to scrunch up her nose, and looking around, she tried to search for signs of Sookyung. However, it seemed that he was not present around her, and her eyes widened at that.

    Could it be that only she had transported while he remained at that room?

    The enjoyment she felt from being able to transport was instantly drowned by that, and worry began to rise within Jiwoo. If that was to be the case, then things would turn terrible.

    Pursing both of her lips into a thin line, she reached into her pocket and took out her phone with the intention of calling Sookyung. Before taking any other decision, this would be the best thing to do.

    Couple of seconds had passed before the call was received by him, and a small smile formed on her face at that. It seemed that he was well, seeing how he received the call.

    "Yah! Shin Daerin, were you trying to kill me!?" he yelled.

    His loud voice caused her to be startled for a second, and her eyes widened as she retorted, "Yah! What are you yelling at me for?"

    "Shin Daerin, you transported me in front of a running truck, and if it was not for my fast response, I would have been dead. Fuck! The people around me were looking so startled, and it was a weird situation!" he exclaimed.

    "Oh! That''s a great situation! I am so proud of myself. Any way, where are you at? Those men will be coming after you again, so take care of yourself before I appear upon that place."

    "Hmm! I am in front of the restaurant at the¡ª"

    Before Oh Sookyung was able to continue, his voice came out to be muffled, and his words were no longer continued.

    Panic went through Moon Jiwoo at that, and staring at the screen of the phone, she realized that the phone was still ongoing.

    "Hello! Oh Sookyung! You there, thief? Hello!"

    Could it be that he had been taken away by those man?

    The thought of that made Moon Jiwoo anxious, and pressing her lips into a thin line, she tapped the ground with her foot.

    ''In front of the restaurant¡ª let''s look at there first. Oh Sookyung, wherever you are, just be fine! If you dare to get kidnapped, You bastard, I will be slaughtering you alive.''

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Standing in front of the restaurant, she looked around for the signs of Oh Sookyung, but she could not get any. The place appeared quite crowded, and she did not understand how he was able to be kidnapped at such a bustling place.

    Maybe those people had skills she was not aware of.

    Frustrations began to rise within Moon Jiwoo, and she did not understand what to do at this moment. The rational side of her mind was slowly decreasing, and Jiwoo was incapable of thinking properly when she was under pressure.

    That was when, something had caught Moon Jiwoo''s attention. A dark object laid on top of the ground, and narrowing her eyes at that, she made her way to that.

    After she had moved over to it, Moon Jiwoo bent down to pick up the phone, and staring at it, she realized that it had belonged to Sookyung.

    Han Minhyun''s name flashed in her mind in that moment, and she wondered whether or not to call him. He had informed her to call him if she was in need of any help, and this seemed to be such a situation.

    Although Moon Jiwoo should be blaming herself for the situation, she was not able to entirely do that. She put in her best effort into trying to transport out of there, and it was not her fault that she was lacking.

    Taking out her phone, she was about to dial Han Minhyun''s number when a voice reached her ear.

    "Oh! You are here."

 Chapter 74 - Gentleman [1]

    Hearing that voice, instantly, Jiwoo whipped her head back, and seeing Oh Sookyung stand behind her, relief spread through her ?h?st. Slight anger rose within her for his carelessness.

    "Where did you go?" Jiwoo questioned, folding her arms across her ?h?st.

    Holding his wallet and raising it, Sookyung voiced out, "Someone wanted to steal my wallet, but my reputation and pride as a con artist could not let that be successful."

    "I don''t care about your damned reputation or pride. You idiot! You should be more careful from the next time around. You are such a bother," she commented before turning her head in the other direction and starting to walk.

    Embarrassment bloomed within Moon Jiwoo for being worried about simply nothing, and biting the insides of her mouth, she scolded herself inside her head for being this panicked when it came to Oh Sookyung.

    This was not the first time they had been attacked, and in fact, everytime they came outside to the city, this would happen. At this point, it had become a habit of Moon Jiwoo to protect him.

    A chuckle escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth before he made hurried steps forward, and extending his hands, he pulled Jiwoo into a hug from behind.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened when she felt her back touch his ?h?st, and such a close distance between the two of them was starting to make her self-conscious. Although this was not the first time they had been this close to each other, the atmosphere this time around was quite different.

    "Were you worried about me, Daerin-ah? I am really sorry about the entire thing," he vocalised, "I should have been more careful about it, right? Please overlook this one for me."

    "What the hell kind of nonsense is? Of course I was not worried about it. It was that Hyungwon will be killing me if something happened to you," Jiwoo said.

    "Moon Jiwoo, you need to start to be more honest," he voiced out, "You are this transparent yet you try to lie."

    "It is none of your business whether or not I am honest, Bastard! Now, shut up, and let go of me! This is absolutely disturbingly, and stay away from me! You stink! How long had it been¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was about to continue further, he attacked her by placing his lips on top of her checks and pecked her. After that, he instantly released her and moved a safe distance away from her.

    Registering what had just happened, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened for a second, and as her cheeks started to flare up, she turned her head to face the man.

    Her eyes glared at him, and raising her hand, she was about to punch. However, before she was able to deliver that punch to him, her hand was gripped by him.

    Seeing that, she was about to move her other hand, but Oh Sookyung, being perceptive, wrapped his other hand around that hand of hers in order to prevent it from hurting him.

    "Yah! You bastard! Let go of me! I want to punch you and teach you a lesson at this moment! You are starting to become more and more of a pervert as time passes by, and I need to teach you lesson," she spoke out, "How the fu?k do you dare to kiss my cheek? I will seriously kiss you."

    "Geez! It''s not liked I kissed your lips. It''s just your cheek, and how much inexperienced are you? This can actually be even treated like a greeting. Which age are you from to be this infuriated over a peck? Are you a prude?" he vocalised.

    His words resulted in her temper rising further, and unable to hold the fury within her, she made sure to go for an attack at his nose, escaping from his hold.

    Although most of the times she would try to use her maximum strength on Oh Sookyung¡ª and it would be her body instinctively decreasing the impact¡ª this time around she found herself using less strength in her punch by herself.

    This was something she found to be quite strange.

    The impact of the punch caused Oh Sookyung to stumble backwards, and a wince escaped from his mouth while he grabbed on to his jaw.

    "Yah! You ?sshole, I will kill you next time around! I ?ssure you that!" she exclaimed.

    "You are really cute when you get angry," he said, "This makes me want to rile you up further."

    "You bastard, I am always cute; I know that. I don''t need compliments from the likes of you."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Opening the door, Moon Jiwoo stepped into Hyungwon''s house, and behind her was Oh Sookyung. His hands were wrapped around her shoulder as he followed her to the inside of the house.

    A small pout formed on his face while he spoke out, "Ah! This feels so good!"

    "What the fu?k! This is enough now, Oh Sookyung! Release your hands from around me! You are fat and suffocating! Plus you stink! I will throw up any second," she vocalised.

    Moon Jiwoo had no idea on what triggered the boy to be this clingy this entire day. Nonetheless, at this point, she was starting to get irritated and desperately craved to beat the boy up.

    Taking a step further, she walked further into the house, dragging Oh Sookyung along with her. That boy was a true hassle!

    "Hey! Don''t be this mean. I know that this amount of strength is not a big deal for you plus you smell so good! After a long time, I was able to smell a girl," he spoke out.

    "What the hell do you mean? We are together daily. Do you actually not see me as a girl, Oh Sookyung? You bastard, do you want me to beat you up!?" she exclaimed.

    "Of course I don''t see you as girl, Moon Jiwoo. I don''t raise my hands against the girls. Do you think I would have beaten you up if I saw you as a girl? But today you seem like a girl to me. Isn''t it strange? Maybe because of your scent. That''s why, let me be close to you," he expressed.

    An irked expression formed on Moon Jiwoo''s face at his words, and clenching her hand into a tight fist, she jabbed at his stomach with her elbow, making sure that it would be leaving a bruise at his stomach.

    Even though he had expected an attack from her after those words, the pain that came with it was unexpected, and his eyes widened due to it. Instantly, he removed his hand from around Moon Jiwoo, and clutching on to his stomach, he tried to ease the pain.

    "Wow! Moon Jiwoo, can''t you be a little softer? I thought that you liked me better now, and shouldn''t you go easier on me due to it?" he vocalised.

    "What the fu?k is wrong with you? When did I like you better? With each passing day, you''re turning more and more into a bother! Whether or not you treat me like a girl doesn''t matter to me because I don''t treat you like a man in the first place! You are too effeminate to be one, Bastard!" she exclaimed.

    Oh Sookyung scoffed, and after winking at her, he spoke out, "That''s because I was holding back on my charms. Once I expose my charms, it will be taking you a less chance than an hour to be head over heels for me."

    "What head over heels? You will be lucky if you don''t manage to infuriate me to death, You Bastard!" she vocalized, "You and charms? They are two words that don''t go together. Plus you don''t even have a girlfriend in the first place at this age."

    Raising his hand, Oh Sookyung ran his hand through his hair and flashed her a small smile before saying, "Alright. I will not be angering you further. Since we both have time in our hands, do you want to watch a movie together? It had been a long time since I have watched one."

    Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows after she had heard his words, and suspiciously, she stared at him. Her eyes clearly showed how she thought he had a motive behind those words of his.

    He let out a laughter and spoke out, "You don''t have to look at me like that. It is just watching a movie. At this point, I will start to think that you are too self-conscious of me."

    Hearing those words caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen, and she exclaimed, "Who the hell is self conscious of you!? It''s just a movie after all. I will be the one to choose it though. I don''t like your choices when it comes to the movies."

    Curving his lips to widen his smile further, he vocalised, "Since I am a gentleman, I suppose I can allow you to choose the movie today. Just don''t select something boring."

 Chapter 75 - Gentleman [2]

    "Moon Jiwoo, wake up!"

    The pleasant dreams Moon Jiwoo was having was disrupted by the loud scream, and startled, she woke up. A groan escaped from her mouth as she opened her eyes, and she stretched her hands upwards.

    "What the fu?k do you want so early in the morning?" she questioned as she turned her head to face Oh Sookyung.

    Her eyes were squinted, and creases appeared between both of her eyebrows while they were furrowed. The displeasure she felt was clearly visible upon her face.

    "You are really lazy, Moon Jiwoo. Quickly wake up from the bed and have breakfast. After that, we have lots of things to do together," Sookyung enthusiastically vocalised.

    "What the hell do you mean by things to do with you? I don''t want to do anything with you, so let me sleep," Jiwoo vocalised, closing her eyes tightly.

    A yawn escaped from her mouth while she let herself drift off to her Dreamland.

    However, determined to wake Moon Jiwoo up, Oh Sookyung made his way towards her, and wearing a smile on his face, he extended his hands towards her. Gripping on to the material of her blanket, he pulled it off of her and threw it towards the lower edge of the bed.

    Upon that motion, Moon Jiwoo sprung up and sat on the bed. Raising her hand, she ran it through her hair as her eyes glared at him.

    "Yah! What are you doing? Get lost before I beat you up!" she exclaimed before turning her head to face her blanket.

    Moving her hand towards it, Jiwoo was about to grab it when Oh Sookyung slapped her hands away from it and vocalised, "Geez! I am leaving after four days, and what you can think about is sleeping? We should spend as much as time as we can with both each other. You don''t know how long it will be taking for us before we are able to meet each other."

    "As if that bullshit matters to me. You can keep the blanket," Jiwoo said, falling back to her bed¡ª her tone being gruff.

    As her back touched the soft surface, she found the sleep enveloping her. Yesterday, she spent the entire day accompanying Oh Sookyung at his request, and after that, coupled with the intense practice, her body felt quite exhausted. She did not consider herself to be at a state to be able to get off of that bed.

    Seeing the stubborn girl who was laying on the bed, Oh Sookyung''s determination to wake her up increased, and treating this as a challenge, Sookyung had another idea in his mind.

    Sensing that she was being lifted up by someone all of a sudden caused a gasp to escape from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth, and opening her eyes, she stared at Oh Sookyung''s face with a startled expression.

    Noticing that she was carried in princess style by him caused a gasp to escape from her mouth, and she exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing, You Bastard!"

    "Seeing how loud you are being, it shows that you are completely awake. Despite being chat strong, you are not that heavy. You lean more to the lighter side. You should start to eat more," he spoke out.

    "I don''t care whether or not you think I should eat, but let go of me. I am still sleepy, You Bastard. It is not even time for breakfast yet," Jiwoo vocalised while she struggled at Oh Sookyung''s hold.

    "Oh! Don''t worry about that. I told Hyungwon to prepare the breakfast early, and stop moving around or else both of us will be falling down," he stated.

    Moon Jiwoo was no longer sleepy, but Sookyung''s actions managed to provoke her, causing her to be determined to go against him. She doubted she will be able to return to sleep if she laid on her bed, but at this moment, this was not her concern. All she wanted to do was win from Oh Sookyung.

    "Let go of me then!" she exclaimed, as she thrashed in his hold.

    Oh Sookyung''s back faced her bed while Moon Jiwoo tried to get him to place her down. She did not care if she will be getting injured by this; she merely wanted to get away from him now.

    "Jiwoo! Hold on! Don''t move around¡ª"

    Moon Jiwoo, on the other hand, laid beside him, and her head was top of his hand. Turning his head, Sookyung faced Moon Jiwoo and stared at her.

    Under Sookyung''s unwavering gaze, Jiwoo felt a certain type of nervousness rise within her, and she gulped. She could not understand his intention behind staring at her like that, but it was making her feel quite uneasy.

    Having Oh Sookyung make her feel like this sounded peculiar to Moon Jiwoo. She thought that she would feel irritated, but that was not the case.

    Even if she had slight amount of annoyance within her, in that moment, it was overpowered by some other emotion she was incapable of naming.

    His face appeared quite ethereal at that instant, and looking at him from this angle made him appear extremely attractive. Her eye began to take in every small features of his, and she had a hard time tearing her eyes off of him.

    Extending his hand towards her, Oh Sookyung touched her cheeks and trailed his hand down to her lips. His sudden touched caused her eyes to widen, and no words were able to leave her mouth.

    "Cute," Sookyung said as chuckle escaped from his mouth.

    Hearing his voice lead to her snapping out to her senses, and raising her hand, she slapped his hand away while her eyes glared at him.

    "What the hell are you doing, You Pervert!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed¡ª her voice sounding more high-pitched then she had originally intended.

    Sookyung''s eyes fell on how Jiwoo''s eyes were slowly turning red, and that made him want to do something reckless and impulsive.

    Bringing his face over to her, he parted his lips slightly and connected his lips with her reddened cheeks. After leaving a gentle peck, he moved his head backward and flashed her a smile.

    These days, he had been pecking her a lot. Oh Sookyung did not understand why he did that. Was it because he enjoyed her expression after everytime he did it or because he genuinely liked pecking her?

    Nonetheless, he found fun in the moment and did not try to think much further about it. Maybe that was because of how scared he was to find out the answer to it. He had an inkling that would cause many things to alter, and that''s why, he wanted things to be as they were right now.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at his actions before she yelled, "Yah! You pervert! I told you to stop doing that! I will really strangle you the next time you do this! Being kissed by you is really gross, and thinking about it gives me chills."

    "Even if you are saying that, you are blushing red, Shin Daerin. Your current expression is going to make me misunderstand the situation," he pointed out.

    "Fuck off, You Bastard! I am red with fury currently, and I am very close to breaking that nose of yours," she vocalised.

    "Aigoo! Don''t be so mean. Let me kiss you all I can right now. After I leave, it would not be possible for us to kiss each other. So, let''s compromise, alright?" Sookyung stated, flashing Moon Jiwoo one of his wide smiles.

    "What compromise? I don''t want to do anything like that with you, You Bastard, and now, quit irritating me!" she spoke out.

    "Oh well! At least you are wide awake now. I don''t believe that you will be able to go back to sleep in that state," Sookyung pointed out.

    Staring at the hateful man before her, she vocalised, "Even if I am awake or not doesn''t mean that I will be spending my entire time with you. Now, get lost. I have to wash up."

    "Shin Daerin," he spoke out in a soft tone, catching her by surprise. No words left her mouth after that, and she stared at him silently, waiting for him to continue his words.

    "I am sorry for being a burden to you, and thank you very much for protecting me the entire time. After I come back from the training, I will make sure to be strong enough, so that I don''t be a burden on you. I promise you that," Sookyung earnestly confessed.

    .

 Chapter 76 - Gentleman [3]

    "A cake?" Oh Sookyung enunciated, staring at the dessert placed in front of him.

    The strawberry cake was beautifully decorated, and it emitted a mouthwatering odor. One could easily see how meticulously it had been made.

    Curving her lips to form a smile upon her face, Moon Jiwoo nodded her head and said, "Yeah, for you."

    Her words caused Oh Sookyung to let out a chuckle and stated, "You made it just for me? Why do I find it so hard to believe? Is this a prank or something?"

    Shaking her head, Jiwoo answered, "Nope, this cake was made because of you since I wanted to celebrate you leaving with this. I wanted to originally have this on my own, but I will never be able to finish it. I did not want to waste any food."

    "You are clearly lying," Sookyung said, "You are so transparent. Since when did you even care about wasting food? But as it is made for me, I will be enjoying the cake. It looks great."

    "Of course it does. Who do you think has made it? Everything done by me is amazing, and b?r?ly anyone is allowed to have the privilege to eat anything I make. That''s why, you should he grateful for this opportunity," Jiwoo smugly stated, folding her arms across her ?h?st.

    Extending his hand towards her, he patted the top of her head and said, "I never had expected for you to know how to cook. Even if the cake tastes bad, I would not mind it since it''s you. It was decorated beautifully, and you get all¡ª"

    Before Oh Sookyung was able to continue further, Moon Jiwoo raised her hand and slapped his hand away from her. Looking up at Sookyung, her eyes glared at her.

    "Are you ?ssuming that the cake I made tastes bad? If that''s what you think, then there is no way in hell I am giving my cake to you. I would rather waste it," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "Silly, that''s not what I am saying," he stated, "I am saying that I will be satisfied even if it tastes bad because it is from you."

    "See, once again you are pointing out on how the cake might taste bad. I am telling you that there is no way my cake will be tasting bad!" she said, "You are clearly insulting my cooking abilities."

    "Alright, alright, you win. I won''t argue with you further. Let''s eat the cake now. I am starving," he vocalised.

    "Sure! But you can only have one slice. The rest are for me. Even if you beg me, I won''t give you more," Jiwoo vocalised while extending her hand towards the candle and lighting it up.

    "I can always steal it," he commented.

    "If you dare those ways of yours here, I will kill you," she vocalised, "Now, since it is for you, I will give you the courtesy to blow off the candle and make your wish."

    "Make wish? At which age are you to believe that?" Sookyung questioned as mock was present within his eyes.

    Hearing his words, Jiwoo raised her fist and voiced out, "You sure you want to get punched the day before you leave? I don''t have a problem creating some new bruises upon your face."

    Shaking his head, his face was adorned with a small smile while he faced the cake and closed his eyes. Although Sookyung doubted that this would work, he made his wish, listening to the childish words of Moon Jiwoo.

    ''Please let Moon Jiwoo be alive after all of this is over. I don''t want her to die for my sake.''

    He blew the fire off the candle then. After Oh Sookyung had opened his eyes, Moon Jiwoo stared at him with curiosity in his eyes and had one of her eyebrows raised.

    "What did you wish for?" Jiwoo asked.

    Oh Sookyung scoffed and stated, "What makes you think that I wished for something in the first place? This was utterly silly, and there is no way I am going to wish something on this. Even five year olds these day don''t believe in this."

    "Yah! You bastard, how can you not wish on it? Since you didn''t do it, I will light it up and make a wish on it," she spoke out, "You are really hateful, You Jerk!"

    As Moon Jiwoo was able to light the candle up again, Sookyung chuckled, and moving his hand towards her, he gripped her wrist in order to pull it back.

    "I am joking; I am joking. I really made a wish, but the contents of it is a secret. Don''t you know that your wish won''t come true if you let others know the content of it."

    Taking her hand back, Moon Jiwoo scoffed at him and vocalised, "And after that, you call me childish."

    Shaking her head, Jiwoo picked up the knife from the table and pressing the soft cake with the knife, she dug deeper into it. After that, she cut a slice of it, and raising it, she placed the slice of cake before Oh Sookyung.

    "Taste it," she ordered.

    Oh Sookyung nodded.

    Pulling the chair before him, Sookyung sat down on it, and picking up the fork before him, he cut a portion of the cake with it.

    As Sookyung placed the cake inside his mouth, Moon Jiwoo stared at him with anticipation and slightly tapped her foot against the ground repetitively.

    "How is it? Isn''t this the best cake you have ever tasted? Isn''t it good to the point that you want to start crying? I know how good of a cake I can make, so no matter what compliments you give me, it would not be able to make up for it," Jiwoo arrogantly stated.

    Placing on a stoic expression upon his face, Oh Sookyung turned to look at Moon Jiwoo and gave her a bored expression.

    He then said, "Wow! I am really disappointed. I knew that it would not taste all that good, but this is just way worse than what I had expected. Is this your first time baking or are you naturally bad at it?"

    Oh Sookyung''s words caused her eyes to widen for a second before Jiwoo stated, "There is nothing wrong with my cake. Your taste bud has a problem. I know that my cake tastes absolutely amazing."

    "Tch! Don''t you seem too much confident about it?" Sookyung asked.

    "If you don''t like it, then get lost. I am perfectly capable of finishing it on my own. I don''t even know what my stupid mind was thinking when I have invited you," Jiwoo vocalised¡ª her voice showing how upset she felt at that moment.

    Extending her hand towards the table, Jiwoo picked up the plate with the cake from it, and grabbing the fork from Sookyung''s eyes, she scoffed at the boy.

    Cutting a piece of that slice with her fork, she raised it up and placed it inside her mouth. The soft texture of the cake melted in her mouth, and she found absolutely nothing being wrong with it.

    Moon Jiwoo''s mood went slightly down when Sookyung mentioned on how the cake tasted bad and almost believed his words. But after having a piece of the cake, she could see how that was not the case, and looking at him, she fiercely glared at her.

    "I knew that there was nothing wrong with my cake, You Bastard!" she exclaimed.

    "Of course there was nothing wrong with it. I was merely kidding with you. But at least, due to this, we shared an indirect kiss. I am really happy for that," he vocalised.

    Realization dawned upon her after listening to those words of his, and after she stared down at the fork in her eyes, her eyes widened due to the shock.

    Then, glowering at Oh Sookyung, she exclaimed, "Yah! You pervert! How could you!"

    "Hold on a second! Aren''t you blaming the innocent? It was you who took the slice of cake and the fork before eating it. I did not hand either of them to you. I did not expect for you to be this sly, Moon Jiwoo.

    It appears that you have some skills as well. If you have such feelings towards me, I don''t have any problems on accepting you. After all, I find you to be a little cute as well," Sookyung confessed as a teasing smirk formed on his face.

    "What the fu?k are you saying, You Bastard! This was clearly a mistake!" Jiwoo exclaimed, "You teased me, and then, I just took it without a second thought. This is completely disgusting. I have to rinse my mouth hundred times after this."

    "Aigoo! Daerin-ah, you don''t need to act to this point. It''s normal to have such feelings towards me. After all, I am a handsome man, and I will reluctantly accept you if those feelings of yours run deep."

    His words caused the anger within her to rise, and raising the plate inside her hand, she slammed it upon his face.

    As the contents of the cakes came in touch with his face, she vocalised, "Die!"

 Chapter 77 - After an year [1]

    About a year and half had passed ever since Oh Sookyung had departed with Han Minhyun. It would be a lie if Jiwoo said that she did not miss him. Initially, without his presence beside her, things felt quite empty and out of routine. But eventually, she had gotten used to living a life without him.  Over this period of time, Moon Jiwoo''s life was a repetitive cycle, and she trained for most of the time. There was nothing other than that she was able to do. Walking through the streets of Seoul, Moon Jiwoo raised her head to stare at the sky before her, and judging by the condition of the clouds, it seemed that it would be raining today. An irritated sigh left her mouth at that. Both of her hands held on to bags of groceries, and there were much more she had to buy still. If it rained, things might turn out terrible for her. "Aish! That old man, this is the last time I am running an errand for her." An exasperated expression came upon her face when she felt a droplet of water hit the surface of her head, and her eyes widened at that. Raising her hand, Moon Jiwoo touched the top of her head, and more droplets of water fell upon her head.  Realization that it was raining now, a squeal escaped from her mouth, and looking around, Moon Jiwoo searched for a cover. Jiwoo was capable of teleporting out of here, but Hyungwon''s words were her concern. He clearly mentioned on how Jiwoo was not allowed to enter into the house without buying anything. Even though Moon Jiwoo was not the one to be that obedient, living with Hyungwon, she learned to compromise some of the things. Knowing how stubborn that man could be, she decided to follow along with. All of a sudden, Jiwoo were not hit by the rain any longer, and looking before her, she noticed that the water was still fell on the ground. Learning that she had a cover above her, she turned back and noticed that someone had held an umbrella upon her head. Seeing that person''s face caused a small smile to form on her face. "Min Shihyuk," Jiwoo enunciated. Min Shihyuk was the man who had protected her and Eunwoo couple of times before, and over this period of time, she had gotten quite closer to him. Since she was all alone in that house and had no friends to communicate with, both of them spent a quite an amount of time together.  Although Shihyuk did not have the habit to talk much and most of the times maintained a stoic expression, she still was fond of the man. He was one of those person who never managed to irritate her. "You haven''t seen the weather forecast again," he spoke out. "Ah! With how much that Min Hyungwon was nagging me, do you think I would remember to do that? I don''t even know why he needs all of this so urgently," she stated, "During this entire time, he b?r?ly cooked me a decent meal, and now, he asks of me to buy all this ingredients I never knew of." A chuckle escaped from Shihyuk''s mouth before he stated, "I will carry the bags for you. You can shop after the rain stops. Let''s go into some cafe now. You must be starving." "As expected, you are the only one who is considerate of me, Min Shihyuk. You are the best!" she voiced out while her face was adorned with a wide smile. Min Shihyuk took the bags from her hand. and both of them began to walk forward towards the cafe. Although Moon Jiwoo would be reluctant to admit it, she had to say that over this period of time, her personality had considerably changed.  Her patience grew more, and she learned how to be mindful of others. She knew how to control her anger better. Although those qualities of hers were not to the best level yet, she had made an incredible progress. If it was previously, Moon Jiwoo would not have put such effort into buying the groceries and maybe would have shouted at Hyungwon in anger. However, knowing that he is one providing her with meals and cooking them, she knew she had to contribute in some way. Moreover, he provided her a place to stay with and taught her about everything. This was her way of showing gratitude to him. Pursing her lips to form a thin line, Jiwoo wondered about something before asking, "Shihyuk, do you know why Hyungwon asked for me to bring all of this all of a sudden? Could it be that he is cooking all of this for me? No, that sounds impossible." Shihyuk vocalised, "No idea." "As if. Stop lying to me. You know about everything that happens," she stated, "Speaking about that, are you not an ordinary person? How do you always know about everything? You feel like some kind of surreal being to me. You are just too perfect." "Perfect? I am far from that word," he mumbled. "You are good at everything and appear whenever I need you. You even know everything. How are you not perfect?" she vocalised. Maybe Min Shihyuk was the only one she was comfortable chatting with in such a way. When talking to him, she naturally threw down her arrogance. Probably because of how she considered him to be a genuine friend of his. Thinking about the memories of her first genuine friend brought her to the memories she had with Ahn Eunwoo, and knowing how those made her feel pathetic, she refrained from thinking about them. "This cafe is fine, right?" Shihyuk asked. Raising her head, Moon Jiwoo glanced at his face for a sudden, and her eyes did not miss the glint that had passed through his eyes for a second. She wondered what had happened for the sudden change of emotion within him. Nonetheless, she quickly drove that thought away from her mind¡ª knowing that whatever it was, it was none of her business. "Yeah, it seems alright." ¡ã¡ã¡ã Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on Min Hyungwon''s back, and she noticed how he was hurriedly trying to cook all the food. By now, she was sure that someone was coming over. However, she had no clue on who it was. Over this one and half year, they rarely had visitors at this place. Even for those visitors, Hyungwon did not put such effort into cooking. Her eyes fell on the various ?ssortments of food cooked, and instantly, her mouth watered. She would be lying if she said that she was not tempted to try out the food present at here. Taking a step forward towards Hyungwon, she stared at the plate of cookies before speaking out, "Oh! What type of cookies are these? I have never seen them before." "These are a specialty of the Underworld, and didn''t I say you to stay away from Kitchen? You will be creating a mess at here if you stay," Hyungwon vocalised. Impulse came over Moon Jiwoo at that moment, and a smirk formed on her face as she stared at the plate of cookies. Deciding to act upon that emotion, Jiwoo extended her hand towards the plate of cookies and sneakily was about to snatch a cookie from the plate. "Don''t even think about it," Hyungwon warned. But not paying much attention to those words of his, she took the piece of cookie from the plate and jumped back, so that Hyungwon would not be able to touch her. Then, taking a bite out of the cookie in her hand, she vocalised, "Too bad that you are too late. You should have said about this to me earlier. This cookie tastes amazing! You should make more of this." "Now that you are done with tasting it, go back to your room," Hyungwon vocalised. "Geez! No, I don''t want to do that. I want to see what all you are cooking. It''s too boring for me to go back there," she spoke out, "Seeing how made me do all of those groceries, I think I deserve to steal some of the food here and there. It was really difficult for me to do that under the rain." "Shin Daerin, we have some important people coming at here, so behave," he vocalised. "Important people? If such people are coming, shouldn''t you change the meeting spot? This house is too shabby. Aren''t you embarrassed to bring them over at here?" Moon Jiwoo pointed out, raising one of her eyebrows. Before she was able to hear Min Hyungwon''s reply, she was caught by surprise. A figure leaned down on her, and looking down by placing his head upon her shoulder, he bit on to the cookie at her hand. Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at his presence, and it shocked her how she was not able to sense him entering. Could that be because she was too engrossed into chatting with Hyungwon? "This cookie is truly delicious."

 Chapter 78 - After an year [2]

    That voice managed to catch Moon Jiwoo, and her eyes widened. Turning her head back, she stared at the figure who took a bite out of her cookie, and a gasp escaped from her mouth.

    "Thief, you are back already," she voiced out, "That''s shocking! I thought it will be taking more time for you to train."

    Over this period of time, it seemed that Oh Sookyung had grown to become more m?tur?, and she could see how he had managed to gain some muscles due to the training.

    Raising his hand, Oh Sookyung flicked on his head and said, "Is that what you can say to someone you have seen after a year and half?"

    "Your Highness," Hyungwon enunciated before bowing.

    "Spare the formalities, Hyungwon," he stated.

    "Wow! You have become really manly now. Let''s go out and fight! I am really curious to see who is stronger now," Jiwoo vocalised, staring at Sookyung with a glint in her eyes.

    "Ouch!"

    A wince escaped from her mouth when someone hit her at the back of her head, and turning back to look at Hyungwon, she glared at him.

    "What was that for!"

    "Behave properly with the Prince. You can''t show him the same attitude that you had a year and half back. Respect him," Hyungwon expressed while staring at her sternly.

    Scoffing at him, she stuck out her tongue towards Min Hyungwon before voicing out, "No, I don''t want to. Why do you have so much of a problem with it when this thief doesn''t care?"

    "Thief? Can you actually call me by my name?" Sookyung questioned.

    Looking at Sookyung, Jiwoo stared at him from top to bottom and then, questioned, "What was your name again?"

    A chuckle escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth while he shoved his hand into his pocket, and shaking his head, he said, "You are as rude as always."

    Turning back, Sookyung walked out of the kitchen, and seeing his distancing back, Jiwoo found herself following after him while her mind was filled with countless questions towards him.

    Standing beside him, Moon Jiwoo wrapped her hand around his shoulder, and matching her pace with his, she said, "Don''t you have some stories for me? I want to know more about where you trained and what you did."

    "I did not expect for a day to come when we will be chatting about some matters. Surely I have gotten some stories, but why should I share them with you?" Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows as he stopped in his steps.

    Giving him a bored expression, she spoke out, "Why are you treating me like some reporter? If you don''t want to tell me about it, it''s alright. It''s not as if I wanted to spend with you in the first place. I will just go and enjoy things with Shihyuk."

    She removed her hand from around his shoulder and strutted forward when Sookyung grabbed on to her wrist, leading for her to halt in her steps.

    "Who is Shihyuk?" he asked.

    Looking back, she faced Sookyung and gave him a wide smile before voicing out, "My boyfriend."

    Hearing her words caused laughter to elicit from Sookyung''s mouth instantly, and a frown in Jiwoo''s face at that. Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows while she glared at the man before her.

    "You have someone you are dating? Are you sure its not a scam or something? You get fooled really easily for your information," he pointed out.

    "Do you want to get beaten up? No matter how much stronger you have gotten, you would not be able to beat me," she smugly said, "At this moment, I really want to beat the crap out of you."

    Raising both of his hands, he shook his head and stated, "No, I am gentleman, and I don''t fight against the women."

    A chuckle escaped from her mouth at that, and Jiwoo spoke out, "What''s with that you are trying to pull now? Being courteous towards women doesn''t suit you. But I swear if you let this quality of yours be a burden on me, I will beat you up to the point that no one will be able to recognize you."

    "Don''t worry. This quality of mine is reserved to only few, and you happen to belong in that few. Aren''t you happy to know that?" he said¡ª a sparkle appearing in his eyes.

    A sigh escaped from her mouth at that before she vocalised, "Why do I have to be included in the few? I really wanted to fight against you, Oh Sookyung, and let myself taste victory. I haven''t fought against someone else for a long time."

    "You actually sound disappointed, Shin Daerin?" he asked.

    "Well, there is no need for me to waste my time with you if you don''t want to fight against me. I will go and find Shihyuk now. Spending time with him is better than wasting it with you," she said.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Oh Sookyung had returned it seems," he spoke out.

    Turning her head, Moon Jiwoo turned to face Min Shihyuk. Both of them were seated on top of the log while they stared at the starry sky above them. the bright moon stood out in the night sky.

    "Yeah, he did. That just means that my peaceful life is over. Although I anticipated his return, I don''t want to be involved in the troubles. It''s not like I will be able to help it," Jiwoo said.

    "Do you want to run away from here and all of your responsibilities? I can help you with it," he vocalised.

    "Really? That sounds great, but I don''t think so I will be able to. I don''t know whether it is my instinct or I truly want to do it, but I don''t want to escape from this. Just doing this gives me a thrill, and I don''t find myself being as frightened as I was back then. I don''t know where I got my courage from," Jiwoo expressed.

    "You have grown up a lot, Shin Daerin," he stated, "But as I have mentioned, you are a precious person to me. That''s why, if it gets too hard for you, I can take care of it."

    "I am flattered, but you should not go around throwing those words around. I will fall for you sooner or later if you do that," Jiwoo vocalised as a wide smile appeared on her face, and she winked at Shihyuk.

    "Is that so?" he asked.

    "Yup! You are literally the definition for my perfect man," she stated, "Oh! Wait! Let''s chat tomorrow. Look at the time. It''s time for the dinner, and I will be missing all of those delicious food if I am late. That Oh Sookyung can be a huge glutton I am telling you."

    "Alright. I will let you go now. Take care of yourself," he voiced out, "And don''t get into too big of a fight with Oh Sookyung. Try to hold yourself back regardless of what happens."

    "What are you acting as if I will do something serious? I am better at controlling my temper than I was a year and half ago. You personally saw my progress. There is no way I am going to do anything foolish."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo threw the piece of tomato at Oh Sookyung''s face while her eyes glared at him. They held anger in them as Sookyung turned his head slightly and evaded the tomato.

    Moon Jiwoo, Oh Sookyung, and Han Minhyun were dining together. While Minhyun remained silent the entire time, Sookyung and Jiwoo bickered the entire time.

    "I have thought that you will learn to do something about that anger of yours, but it seems that I was wrong. Are you sure you even have a boyfriend and it''s not an imaginary character you have made up in your mind?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Asshole, what about you? I am sure no girls wanted to date you for sure! Who would want to date someone as pathetic as you? When there will be danger, I am sure they know that you will throw them into the danger before running away," she vocalised.

    "Can you stop bringing up that matter? It was a long time ago, and I b?r?ly knew about the things that happened to me back then," he said, "And you were supposed to be my protector. That''s why, there was nothing wrong with what I did."

    "You justifing that cowardly action of yours is foolish," she said, "I was as clueless as you, but you did not see me being as lame as you. I feel really ashamed to consider you to be the Prince."

    "Moon Jiwoo, didn''t you want to fight? Let''s go outside and do it," Sookyung stated.

    A wide grin formed on her face at that, and she said, "You want to do that? Sure, let''s go outside. I was waiting for this moment ever since you have walked in. I can''t wait to taste victory."

 Chapter 79 - Control her mouth [1]

    Despite of their words earlier, they are unable to go outside to fight¡ª seeing that how there was something important for them to discuss about. Moon Jiwoo, Han Minhyun, Oh Sookyung, and Min Hyungwon was seated inside the living room, and the surrounding around them was quite serious.   Jiwoo stared at the glass table before her while drawing circles upon it with her finger, and on the other hand, Sookyung¡ª who was seated beside Moon Jiwoo¡ª stared at the ones sitting in front of him with concentration. "For now, we have to wait for Kim Namhyuk, the current king, to make his attack. Only then we will be able to carry out our plans. At this moment, he is trying to increase the number of people in his force.  The other leaders don''t know about this, and even if they knew, they would not be able to support this due to their own reasons. You will be having the support from those under your father and me. But that is not comparable to the number of men under the Kim Family. Our only advantage is Shin Daerin. While our team has Daerin, their king doesn''t have anyone to protect them. Fortunately enough, this is not a battle of defeating each other''s army; you just have to finish off the king in order to get that position. Since you haven''t found your queen or the fated one yet, it would not be possible for you to get the throne through the normal methods, and right now, we can not afford to search for her. Time is quite limited, and Namhyuk can attack you any moment," Minhyun explained. "Although I have more power than the King when it is at the surface, but at the Underworld, the King is the strongest one regardless of how much power your father and I have." Hearing about the name Underworld caused Moon Jiwoo to perk up her ear. Thinking about Underworld made her curious, and she wondered how the place the Red Clan resided at was like. She had seen pictures of it couple of times and found it being absolutely ethereal with the white surroundings. She d?s?r?d to visit the place once in her life time. "So, currently, we just sit and wait for the King to make his move? What if he doesn''t make his move? What if he is waiting for us to make a move?" Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows. "No, that would not happen because the King is quite an inpatient man, and he would not sit around without doing anything for a long time. Moreover, he is afraid of you finding your fated one. That''s why, he wants to take actions as soon as possible." "Fated one is like a soulmate, right? I want to much further about this," Sookyung vocalised. Although he had a vague idea on what this fated one could be, it was b?r?ly enough, and having someone predestined to be with him felt uncomfortable to Sookyung. "Your fated one is your soulmate. All those who are bound to be the Leaders and King has it," Minhyun expressed, "You will know who they are from the first time you see them; there will be a connection which will let you know about that. Fated one could be called your weakness as well¡ª at least that''s how some people describe it as.  Everything of theirs is connected to you. That means, if they get hurt, you will be weak as well, and when they die, you will tend to lose a considerable amount of power. That''s why, most of times, the fated ones are kept hidden." Turning her head to face Oh Sookyung, she stared at him curiosity in her eyes and wondered how his fated one will turn out to be.  "What if someone doesn''t want their fated one?" Sookyung asked. "Many doesn''t want a fated one, but when they find their fated one, no one lets go of her. That''s because the fated one is their weakness, and their key to get into a higher level," Minhyun vocalised. "So, that means the current king has the fated one as well seeing how strong he is. Why don''t we take advantage of her?" Sookyung vocalised. Disapproval showed in Moon Jiwoo''s eyes after she had heard his words, and she slapped on his th??hs harshly. Glaring at him, she voiced out, "That would be a despicable act on our part. She is innocent. We can''t just involve her." "I don''t think so. It will be horrible, but it''s not like we are going to kill her or torture her. We will just be using her. You can''t afford to be that kind and fair," Sookyung stated. "Wow! That''s funny coming from you. You are supposed to be the king of a nation yet you say such words. What type of king will they take you to be if you spew such nonsense?" "What Shin Daerin says is right. Doing that will be bad. We don''t know what type of person the current queen is and using her will be a despicable act. A king should not resort to such methods. But right now, we have to look at the bigger picture. The queen is the only weakness of the current king, and I believe that with her involved, we will be able to achieve a lot of things.  However, we will only resort to this when the matters are desperate for us. If it is known that you tried to use the current queen to get your place, it will be reflecting terribly upon you," Minhyun stated. "How will they find us? I bet that they don''t know we are at this cottage. Would not it be better for us to go outside and roam around, waiting for them to send people after us?" Moon Jiwoo vocalised. "There is no need to worry about that. I believe that they will be finding about you soon enough, and that''s why, I think you should enjoy the peace for as long as you can, Shin Daerin," Minhyun stated, "Oh Sookyung''s entire life and a nation depends on you now, Daerin. Therefore, I want you to be careful with all of the decisions you make, and don''t do anything recklessly." Moon Jiwoo knew about the weight that lied on her shoulder, and hearing those words increased pressurising feeling within her. She was well aware of how they were putting it all, not for their own selfish d?s?r? but for the nation, and that gave Jiwoo the motivation to work hard. "You don''t need to worry about that," Jiwoo stated, "Protecting a weakling is not a big deal to me." "Who are you calling a weakling? Want to go outside and fight now. I am sure that you would not be able to beat me," Sookyung smugly stated. "I am not the one who needs babysitting; it''s you. That shows how weak you are, Loser," she retorted. "I guess, you are stronger than me in ways. Maybe that is to make up for the intelligence you lack," he pointed you. "I lack intelligence? Are you that eager to get beaten up by me? Why did you even return in the first place? I swear this place seemed fun without you at here," Jiwoo spoke out¡ª although she was bored without his presence at here. "Is that so? Well, I don''t care," he said, "Aren''t you like my slave or something? Since you are getting paid, you should listen to all of my orders." Extending her hand towards him, she wrapped them around his neck while her eyes glowered at him. She tightened her hands around his neck slightly¡ª her instinct stopping her from increasing the pressure. "I don''t mind snapping this pretty neck of yours now," she threatened. "Really? I dare you to do that then, but you probably would not be able to do that. You are too much of a coward for that plus it seemed that you have learned nothing. I thought it was mandatory for you to know how to control your anger, but it appears that you b?r?ly learned anything." Sookyung''s lips curved to form a smirk while a glint appeared in his eyes as if challenging her. As much Jiwoo wanted to finish him off at that instant, she was aware of how it would not be possible for her to do so. "Both of you stop fighting around. For this, your cooperation is needed yet the two of you are fighting around like little kids. The next time you fight, you will be punished. Remember that," Minhyun said. "It''s not like you will be around to see that, You Bastard," Moon Jiwoo mumbled. After those words left her mouth, Jiwoo released her hands from around Sookyung''s neck and noticed that everyone was staring at her with widened eyes.  Realising that she had expressed those thoughts vocally, Jiwoo wanted to bang her head against the table. She should try to take care of her mouth better.

 Chapter 80 - Control her mouth [2]

    "You scared me!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed as she took a step back.

    While she stood on the dark corridor, Moon Jiwoo raised her head and saw that Han Minhyun was standing there. His back leaned against the wall, and his dark eyes stared at her.

    As creases appeared between both of her eyebrows, Moon Jiwoo turned her back on him and was about to walk away.

    "Halt," Minhyun said.

    However, Moon Jiwoo had no d?s?r?s to listen to his words. Recalling about all that had happened in her previous life made her blood boil.

    As she continued walking, Minhyun asked, "What grievances do you have with me?"

    Upon his words, she stopped in her steps, and whipping her head back, she raised one of her eyebrows at him. It seems that he was as perspective as always.

    "What makes you think that? It is of course difficult for me to hate the mighty Han Minhyun," Jiwoo said¡ª her tone dripping with sarcasm.

    "Did I do anything?" he questioned.

    Curving both of her lips to form a smile, she asked, "What happened to Moon Jiwoo? Is she still alive?"

    This was the first question she wanted to ask him the moment she had met him. He was one of those few who was acquainted with Moon Jiwoo, and he is only one she would be able to get the answers from.

    Han Minhyun did not know much about her in her previous life, so it would make sense for him to not doubt the relationship between her and Moon Jiwoo.

    "Why are you asking about Moon Jiwoo? If you are concerned about that, I can tell you that she is alive," Minhyun vocalised.

    Moon Jiwoo had a smirk forming on her face, and folding her arms over her ?h?st, she said, "Is that so? Then, if she is alive, I believe that you have no problem with letting her meet me? You see, I am an old acquaintance of Moon Jiwoo, and the only clue to her I have is you."

    Moon Jiwoo did not believe the words of Han Minhyun. It was either that he was trying to hide the matter of her death or Minhyun did not know the current situation of her. That was understandable, considering how the man b?r?ly knew about anything when it was related to her.

    "No, if it''s about that, you will be meeting her sooner or later. Since she is married to me, it will be common for you to run into her," he vocalised.

    The confidence in his tone caused her eyes to widen, and she took a step back. His tone showed how Jiwoo was alive, and she found herself confused on whether or not to believe it.

    If she was alive as he had ?ssumed to be, could it be that her body was occupied by someone else? Who could that be?

    Moon Jiwoo coughed and said, "Alright then. I will be taking my leave, and don''t you dare lie to me about the entire thing. I swear I will kill you if that''s the case."

    In her last life, she was completely intimidated by Han Minhyun, and it was difficult for her speak more than few words in front of him. However, right now, she felt no amount of fear in front of him, and the deadly aura around him did not affect her at all.

    A wide smile formed on Moon Jiwoo''s face at that, and she felt victorious. The last thing she needed right now was getting nervous before Han Minhyun and stuttering.

    "Who is Moon Jiwoo?"

    As the cold breath hit her ear, she knew who the person was judging by his voice, and while On Sookyung leaned against her shoulder, Moin Jiwoo raised her hand to place it before his forehead, trying to push him away.

    "Get away from me! And that is none of your business!" she exclaimed.

    Oh Sookyung moved his head away from the nape of her neck, and standing before her, he extended his hand towards her to grab both of her hands.

    After glancing down at her hand once, she raised her head to stare at him with curiosity and arched one of her eyebrows. She wondered what he was up to right now.

    "Want to go on a date?" Oh Sookyung asked.

    Hearing his words caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to immediately widen, and she vocalised, "What?"

    The horror showed in Jiwoo''s eyes, and seeing that, Sookyung protruded his bottom lip forward, causing a pout to form upon his face.

    Looking down at the ground, he moved Jiwoo''s hand slowly and spoke out, "You don''t have to make such a expression. It hurts if you do. Daerin-ah, let''s go on a date."

    "No, no, no, no! There is no way I am going on a date with you. I don''t want to ruin my first date by going out with you. I want it to be perfect," Moon Jiwoo stated as she stared at Oh Sookyung with scorn in her eyes.

    This was not exactly Moon Jiwoo''s first date. However, this was indeed her first date in Shin Daerin''s body, and even though Jiwoo was not much of a romantic person, she wanted her first date to be perfect.

    Hearing her words caused a chuckle to escape from Oh Sookyung''s mouth, and as surprise showed in his eyes, he said, "Wow! First date? Shin Daerin, how unattractive were you to not have a man ask you as of this age?"

    "That''s because I want it to be completely perfect. The first date is the memory I will always recall, and I don''t want to be tainted it in any way. Both of us can hang out together, but there is no way in hell we are going on a date. The thought of going on a date with my own son is creepy," Moon Jiwoo expressed.

    Extending his hand towards her, Sookyung flicked on her forehead, and while an irked expression settled on his face, he said, "Your son? Is that how you treat me?"

    "Not exactly, but I do have motherly feelings towards you, seeing how my instincts are concerned with protecting you. You should try to call me mother in the future," she vocalised while a smug expression appeared on her face.

    "There is no way I am going to do that. Incest turns me off greatly, so don''t talk about me going into it," Sookyung said, pulling on a disgusted expression.

    "Incest? Wow! When did I pull you into something like that? I just told you to treat me like your mother and respect me," she stated.

    "Then, I would not be able to look at you in this way and do this," Sookyung said.

    As the look in his eyes darkened, he brought his face closer to Moon Jiwoo''s, and all of a sudden, his face caused her body to freeze.

    From this angle, she found his face being quite attractive, and it was difficult for her to tear her eyes away from him. She started to scan all of his distinct features, and something stirred up within her ?h?st.

    As Sookyung''s lips parted slightly, he brought his face over to her and planted those lips on her cheeks.

    After he had pulled away from her, she noticed how he licked his lips, and raising her hand, she brushed her index finger over her ?h?st.

    The realization dawned upon her, and her cheeks began tinted with red¡ª the reason behind which remained unknown to her. Raising her leg, she was about to kick upon his shin.

    That''s when, Oh Sookyung noticed the movement of hers, and extending his hands towards her, he gripped on to her wrist, pulling her body closer to his.

    As her body hit against his ?h?st, he wrapped his hands around her waist and said, "You should stop trying to underestimate me at this point. I have grown to become stronger now, so these weak movements would not be able to stop me. Next time you make such lousy attacks, I will take it that you don''t mind being kissed by me."

    Raising her head to stare at him, her eyes stared daggers at him while she questioned, "How horny are you right now? Why don''t you get an one night stand or something? I am pretty sure that there are no orders against it, and while you have s?x the entire night, I don''t mind guarding you."

    "What if the girl I want is you?" Sookyung asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

    Pulling on a bored expression, she responded, "You should stop having high expectations then. There is no way someone like you is able to date someone as beautiful like me. You should just go after someone who is up to your status."

    Laughter escaped from Sookyung''s mouth at that that, and pulling Jiwoo into a tight hug, he said, "This is why I like you this much."

 Chapter 81 - Friendless [1]

    "There is no way you can beat me. See, I won again," Jiwoo vocalised.

    Sweat dripped down her face while her hand tightly clutched on to a dagger. The sharp edge of the dagger was placed against Oh Sookyung''s ?h?st, and her lips curved to form a wide victorious smile.

    Oh Sookyung''s back laid on the ground, and Moon Jiwoo''s body was on top of his. Sookyung let go of his grip on the sword, and the sharp metal blade was there beside her.

    "You won, but I have made a considerable amount of progress. Don''t you think so?" Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows.

    "I guess you became stronger than before although you are still a weakling. But considering how you control two elements now, this is to be expected. Damn! With that, you should be stronger than me. Did you slack off at the training," Jiwoo voiced out.

    "What do you mean by that? It''s already an impressive feat for someone to unlock two elements within a year and half. I am a genius I am telling you," he smugly voiced out.

    "Even if you have two of your powers unlocked, your second power, the ability to control wind, is too weak. Get up! Let''s practice again," she vocalised.

    "Sure, we can do that, but why don''t you get off of me before something dangerous happens? That position of yours is quite suggestive," Sookyung vocalised, wriggling both of his eyebrows at her.

    "What suggestive? I really like this position of yours. I can easily kill you by driving this blade through your ?h?st. Thinking about it makes me feel pleasant," she stated.

    "You are such a narcissist at times yet you lack self awareness at times. You are really like a little kid, Shin Daerin," he voiced out.

    A sigh escaped from his mouth as he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her body closer to his. A gasp escaped from her mouth as she found herself falling on his ?h?st.

    Caught by surprise due to his actions, her face hit the hard surface of his ?h?st, and having her head collide with his neck, a sharp pain went through it.

    "What the heck are you doing!?" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed while a irritated groan escaped from her mouth.

    As she was about to raise her body, Sookyung pushed her body down upon his once again and said, "Now that you are on my body like this, Shun Daerin, you feel really small. What''s you height, Shin Daerin? Are you at least five foot?"

    Raising her head slightly, she stared at his face, and directing a glare at him, she exclaimed, "Shut up! At least despite my height, I am good at fighting!"

    Extending both of his hand towards her, Oh Sookyung stared at Moon Jiwoo and held both of her cheeks by his hand. The way he was gazing at her caused Moon Jiwoo''s breath to be stuck, and with slightly widened eyes, she looked at him.

    While his hand stroke her cheeks, she found herself frozen. In that instant, it felt that the soft smile Sookyung had on his face completely hypnotized her.

    These weird feelings she was starting to go towards Oh Sookyung¡ª Jiwoo blamed the reason behind them to be because of how he strangely treated her these days.

    Other than that, it did not make sense to her why she would be finding him pleasing to the eyes all of a sudden when she found himself annoying and ugly previously.

    "Daerin, you don''t have to worry about anything happening to you. I will be protecting you the entire time. You were my motivation throughout the entire training. It was because of my d?s?r? to keep you safe I was able to make this such of a progress," Oh Sookyung confessed.

    His words took time to register within Moon Jiwoo. She never thought that she will be ever hearing such words from Oh Sookyung, and the entire thing was too difficult for her to process.

    Nonetheless, a wide smile broke out on to her face as warmth spread through her ?h?st. Whether or not those words were completely true, Jiwoo found herself being pleased by those simple words¡ª maybe because of how unused she was to people behaving warmly to her.

    The smile on the face caused Sookyung''s eyes to widen for a second while his lips curved up slightly. Slight red coloured his cheeks as his heart started to beat at a faster pace.

    "Can I kiss you?" he questioned.

    Moon Jiwoo blinked thrice at the words he had just uttered before she exclaimed, "No way!"

    Springing up from his body, she jumped a considerable distance away from him and stared at him warily.

    Pressing his palms on top of the ground, Sookyung sat up, and releasing a chuckle, he raised his head to stare at Jiwoo.

    He then stated, "You don''t need to reject me strongly or stare at me in that way. I am not going to eat you up."

    "There is no believing that when it comes to you, and I believe that it would be better for you to stop fooling around. You already have someone determined to you by fate, and therefore, stop flirting with others."

    At those words, he said, "At least you have the choice to select your own partner. I wonder how this fated one of mine will be turning out to be; I don''t even have a say in this. I just wish that I never meet her."

    "Sucks for you, but I wholeheartedly wish that you end up with a horrible woman. You deserve someone like that," Daerin stated as a teasing glint appeared in her eyes.

    "You are being too rude now. I was politely chatting with you," he pointed out.

    "Well there is no reason for me to politely carry on this conversation with you. Now, stop slacking off and get up."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Are you drunk already?" Oh Sookyung questioned.

    Jiwoo''s vision got slightly blurry, and a giggle escaped from her mouth. Her head felt a little dizzy, but that did not affect her. Tilting her head, she looked at Sookyung and flashed him a bright smile.

    Shaking her head, Jiwoo said, "No, Jiwoo doesn''t get drunk that easily. Jiwoo is a strong girl."

    One word caught his attention, and Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows at that. Staring at her with confusion in his eyes, he questioned, "Jiwoo?"

    Heading that from Sookyung caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen for a second before a gasp escaped from her mouth. Raising her hand, Jiwoo pressed her palm against the mouth.

    "Oops!" she exclaimed, "You found out! Hush! You can''t say anyone or Jiwoo would be mad! You don''t want Jiwoo to get angry, right?"

    The fact that the girl before him was addressing herself as Jiwoo puzzled him, and as curiosity began to brew up within him, creases appeared between both of his eyebrows.

    He then asked, "Who is this Jiwoo person? Why are you calling yourself Jiwoo?"

    Blinking her eyes thrice, Moon Jiwoo broke out into laughter, and raising her hand, she planted her fist against Sookyung''s ?h?st softly before saying, "You silly boy, I am Jiwoo, Moon Jiwoo. You are such a fool you did not know that."

    "Aren''t you Shin Daerin?" Sookyung asked.

    "Oh! I am Shin Daerin too, and I am Jiwoo too! I am also Oh Sookyung and Min Hyungwon! I am everyone!" Jiwoo cheerfully exclaimed.

    Hearing the random words and giggles that escaped from her mouth, chuckle left Sookyung''s mouth, and bringing his hand closer to her cheek, he pulled on them slightly.

    "You get crazy when you are drunk, Shin Daerin," Sookyung stated, finding it foolish how he acted so strongly to the words of the drunk.

    "Ouch! It hurts, meanie! Let go of my cheeks before I blast you off. I am not going to get boyfriend at this rate. Leave my cheeks alone!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed.

    Seeing the tears that formed in the corner of her eyes, Sookyung moved his hand towards her and wiped the tears glistening on her eyes.

    "You are completely wasted. You will be really embarrassed when you wake up, Shin Daerin," he stated, "Say, Daerin, honestly say what you think about me. Don''t be mean to me, alright?"

    "Eh? Why? I don''t want to talk about you. I want to talk about myself. Do you know how beautiful I am, You Weakling? But why don''t I have any men chasing after me? Why don''t I have any friends? Am I not beautiful? Everyone is mean!" Jiwoo vocalised while her lips curved to form a pout.

    "You are just uttering nonsense now. How many times just your mood changes? No matter how much of a bad person you are, you can''t be worse than me, and don''t I already consider you a friend of mine. How can you be friendless?"

 Chapter 82 - Friendless [2]

    Waking up to find that she was hugging someone to sleep in her bed was surely a shock to Moon Jiwoo!

    The pounding ache that went through the forehead caused Jiwoo to wince, and creases appeared between both of her eyebrows as she opened her eyes gradually. A heavy weight was there on her hand.

    The first thing that fell into her line of sight was Oh Sookyung''s face, causing her heart to almost jump out of her ?h?st, and then, her eyes fell on how she wrapped her hands him.

    A scream escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth as she instantly pushed the man off the bed and sat up on the bed.

    Sookyung, who was deep asleep, fell on the ground from the impact, and as a sharp pain went through his body, he woke up. Sitting up instantly on the ground, he raised his head to look towards Moon Jiwoo.

    "What was that about!?" he questioned while both of them glared at each other.

    "What the hell were you doing in my bed? Why were you even hugging me? That''s so gross! I need to take an hour long shower now! This sucks, You Pervert!" Jiwoo voiced out, pulling on a disgusted face.

    Letting out a sigh, Oh Sookyung stood up, and leaning towards the bed, he brought his face closer to hers.

    Seeing that, Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows as she moved her head slightly back, and Sookyung extended his hand at her, pinching on to her nose.

    "What do you mean I was the one hugging you? Yesterday, you got completely drunk, and regardless of what I did, you would not let go of me. It was not possible for me to escape your iron grip. That''s why, I ended up in the same bed as you," he stated, "You get really clingy when you get drunk.

    Oh yeah! You were crying about how no one likes you and you just want friends. It was amusing to watch you do that!"

    "Shut up, and get away from me!" she exclaimed, "Get lost from my room now! It pollutes the air inside it with you at here."

    Oh Sookyung''s lips curved to form a smirk at those words of her, and falling on top of her bed, he turned his head to face her.

    "No," he replied.

    Seeing that he was not listening to her irritated Moon Jiwoo, and extending her hand towards her, she tried to push him off the bed. With Sookyung resisting, it was hard to get him to move.

    "Get off my bed, You creep. You should not lie on a girl''s bed that easily. Don''t you have any manners! Ah! Oh Sookyung, you bastard, don''t ruin my morning like this!" she spoke out.

    A chuckle escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth as he moved his hand closer to Jiwoo, and wrapping his hand around her waist, he pulled her body closer to his.

    His sudden action caught Moon Jiwoo by off guard, and her body collapsed against his ?h?st. Then, securing his hand around her waist, he prevented her from jolting up from the bed.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo''s keen eyes fell on how Oh Sookyung extended his chopsticks to take the food from the table, and picking up the pair of chopsticks, she extended her hand towards the food before Sookyung was able to do it.

    Like that, she prevented him from taking the food for six more times, and things were starting to get competitive between both of them. Regardless of what Sookyung reached for, she did allow for that to happen.

    Recalling about how Sookyung kissed her on the nose in her bedroom managed to infuriate Moon Jiwoo, and at the thought of that, it was enough to energize her to compete with Sookyung the entire day.

    "Can you both stop acting like little kids? This is quite irritating at this point!" Min Hyungwon exclaimed¡ª irritated by both of their actions by now.

    Shrugging her shoulders, Moon Jiwoo paid no attention to his words and looking down at the rice before her, she placed some of it inside her mouth.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    As Moon Jiwoo sat on the couch, the television played before her, and seeing how Oh Sookyung was walking towards her, she extended her leg slightly forward, hoping that he would be tripping on it.

    However, it appeared that Sookyung was not tricked due to this, and turning his head towards Moon Jiwoo, he curved his lips to form a wide smile.

    "I would quite appreciate it if you stop behaving like a child, Moon Jiwoo," Sookyung said, "I just kissed you on the nose, and it''s a habit at this point."

    Raising her head, she glared at him and vocalised, "You are asking of me to forget about all that had happened!? Certainly, I can not do that! How would you if a ugly frog kissed you?"

    Oh Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows after those words left her mouth, and bringing his face slightly closer to her, he said, "Is that what you think of me as? An ugly frog?"

    Moon Jiwoo nodded her head although that was not the case.

    She took Oh Sookyung to be quite an attractive man although he was not the type of man she would usually go after. Nonetheless, there was no way she could compliment him on his look before him! That would be quite unpleasant for her!

    "Well then," Sookyung said, leaning his face closer to Jiwoo.

    Parting both of his lips, he swiftly pecked on her forehead and right cheek before pulling back and smiling at her.

    "This frog will be kissing you more," he said.

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to attack him, his eyes widened, and turning his back on her, he made run from that place.

    Standing up, Moon Jiwoo shouted, "Yah! You bastard! Don''t you dare let me show that face of yours to me again or else I don''t know what I might end up doing it! Pervert!"

    Bringing her hand closer to her face, she wiped away the part he pecked her at as she felt the anger within her rise.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Both Moon Jiwoo and Oh Sookyung was on top of the couch. Sookyung laid on top of the couch while Moon Jiwoo''s body was above of his.

    Her hair was completely wet while her eyes glared at Oh Sookyung, and her hand grabbed on to his hair while he tried to push her away by holding on to her shoulder.

    "Oh Sookyung, I will seriously kill you for pulling such a prank on me!" she exclaimed, "How dare you even do that!"

    Smiling at her, Oh Sookyung voiced out, "You are angry most of the time, so I thought that you needed to cooled down for a moment. That''s why I did it. Believe me! I had good intentions! But it seems that instead of making you calm down, it made you angrier. I apologise¡ª"

    Before Oh Sookyung was able to continue further, a loud sound resonated through the room, causing Jiwoo''s eyes to widen.

    Looking at the direction of the ceiling, she noticed how the ceiling was about to fall down, and grabbing on to Sookyung''s shoulder, she pulled his body upwards.

    Both of them then jumped behind of the couch inorder to minimize the damage due to the ceiling falling on the ground.

    Noises went through the room as dust particles flew in the air, and peeking her head from behind the couch, Jiwoo noticed three man standing before her.

    Compared to the men before, they appeared to be much stronger, and hearing the footsteps, Jiwoo turned her head towards the door. Four more men came running into the room.

    Then, the seven of them stood before all the doors and windows of the room, sealing away all of their exits.

    Min Hyungwon went outside for a moment, and Jiwoo found herself slightly angered at the fact why this had to happen when Hyungwon was not present.

    Dealing with seven of them when they were quite powerful was not easy, and since they have corned the two of them, there was no way of escape for them.

    Taking in a deep breath, she spoke out, "Let''s do this, Oh Sookyung. If you think that you are going to be a burden on me, just stand back. This is already dangerous."

 Chapter 83 - A plan [1]

    Since dealing with this many people would be troublesome, Jiwoo thought of teleporting out of here. There was not a high possibility of them winning when they were surrounded from all sides by this many. "I have got a plan," Sookyung started, leaning closer to Jiwoo. At his words, Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows and turned back. Since those men was in no hurry to make an attack on them, Jiwoo decided to listen to what plan Sookyung had in his mind. Although she would probably never vocally admit it, Moon Jiwoo was aware of how Sookyung was smarter than her when it came to dealing with such situations. Jiwoo can at times take foolish decisions. "I will let myself be captured by them," Sookyung stated, "Someone needs to infiltrate into their basement to get the clue about everything, and since I am the Prince, it will be easier for me to go with them." "That''s a great plan except that I disagree against it. How will we know where they will be taking you? There is no way you will be able to relay a signal to us. This is completely flawed," Jiwoo spoke out. Sookyung let out a sigh and voiced out, "That''s right. What do we do now?" That''s when, something came inside Moon Jiwoo''s mind, and curving her lips, she smirked slightly. A rush of excitement went through her due to how she was able to come up with this. "Thief, I will let myself be captured," Jiwoo said. Hearing that, Oh Sookyung folded his arms over his ?h?st, and as a stern expression settled on his face, he shook his head. "That''s dangerous! How can I let a girl go through that?" Sookyung stated. Raising her hand, Jiwoo hit at the back of Sookyung''s head, and staring at him with a bored expression, she spoke out, "Since when did you treat me like a girl? You have really changed. Plus, I have a great plan in my mind.  Don''t worry! I am not that foolish to endanger my life. Listen I will start fighting them and clear a path for you," she said, "Since it would be more or less suspicious if you were the only one to teleport. After that, you can leave while I let myself be captured by them." "Wait, Shin Daerin¡ª" Before he was able to continue further, Moon Jiwoo rushed towards the front, and her hand was shining brightly due to the electricity. A purple ball of electric energy formed dun her hand as Oh Sookyung let out a sigh, and shaking his head, he decided to follow after Moon Jiwoo. With the electric ball in her hand, Moon Jiwoo attacked the man standing before the door by connecting her hand with his stomach. The attack sent the man stumbling backwards, and his body fell down. All the men from the other sides began to walk forward, closing in on them. Moon Jiwoo gripped on to Sookyung''s wrist while she ?ssessed her surroundings. Jiwoo was not that strategic when it came to fighting; she merely let her instincts do the work for her. Fortunately for her, her instincts were quite trustworthy and reliable when it came to this. The men charged towards both of them, and with a swift movement, Moon Jiwoo took out her weapon. Both of her hands gripped on to the daggers while a jolt of electricity went through them. On the other hand, Oh Sookyung''s weapon generated in his hand¡ª a large and shining beautiful sword. As for the men in black, their weapons appeared in their hands as well while they moved forward. Moon Jiwoo made sure to go slightly easy on them for she did not want them all passing out. That would surely be ruining her plans. Same went for Sookyung as well. Although Sookyung had grown to become considerably powerful, he too held back on his strength. Moon Jiwoo struck both the man before her with her dagger. Even though one was able to avoid it, the other hand had the dagger go through almost his ?h?st, and the impact caused him to fly backwards. Seeing that the exit that had been cleared before her, a wide smile formed on to Moon Jiwoo''s face, and turning to face Sookyung, she exclaimed, "Quickly! Run away!" After those words left her mouth, Moon Jeioo noticed how he was engaged into fighting with someone, and gripping tightly on to her dagger, Moon Jiwoo blocked the attack the man dressed in black made towards Oh Sookyung with his sword by the blade of her dagger. Taking this was a chance, Sookyung turned his back on Moon Jiwoo, and after a soft squeeze at Jiwoo''s shoulder, he ran away from the room although a large amount of guilt and worry weighed down his heart.  Reluctance filled him at the thought of leaving Moon Jiwoo alone, and glancing at that wrist of hers, he wanted to pull her back. However, he knew that she would not be pleased if that were to happen, and seeing how she was confident about this, he wanted to give this a chance as well. At that moment, the words of Min Hyungwon on how the protector was bound to die resonated through his mind, causing him to halt instantly. Clenching his eyes closed tightly, he hoped that no harm will be coming upon Moon Jiwoo from this. The thought of her dying was enough to make his knees tremble. Turning his head back, On Sookyung shouted, "Shin Daerin, you better come back alive! Don''t be a loser and die out there! I am waiting for you!" Those words of Oh Sookyung clearly reached into Moon Jiwoo''s ears, and a chuckle escaped from her mouth at his words.  She could see how worried he was for her, and Jiwoo felt pleased at that. How long had it been since someone had worried that much for her? Did anyone ever worry for her like this ever? Warmth spread through her ?h?st while her lips curved to form a small smile, and sensing how a man was coming towards her from back, Moon Jiwoo decided to ignore. The man targeted his sword near to her ?h?st, and seeing that how he had no intentions of killing her, Moon Jiwoo let him make the attack on her. Jiwoo thought that she will be frightened from this, but there was nothing like that within her. Maybe because of her instinct or that she was too brave; it could also be due to the fact that someone would genuinely be worrying for me, waiting for her to return. A pain seared through upper body while the sharp blade pierced her body, and a loud gasp escaped from her mouth. The blood stained her clothing red, and staring down, she noticed the amount of blood oozing out of her. Fortunately enough, she had a large amount of blood recently or else this could have become fatal for Moon Jiwoo. Before Moon Jiwoo was able to react to it, someone placed a hand on her shoulder, and a jolt of electricity went through her. Her ?h?st squeezed painfully at it, and she had a difficulty breathing. Being attacked by electricity, Moon Jiwoo finally understood how it felt for her enemy when she attacked them with her electricity although hers was quite powerful. After another wave of electricity went through her body, Moon Jiwoo found it difficult to keep her eyes open much further, and she found herself being very close to losing her consciousness.  Dizziness began to hit her, and knowing that there was no use in delaying further, Moon Jiwoo submitted to this, closing her eyes tightly. Shelet the sleep come to her. Seeing how Moon Jiwoo completely lost her consciousness, the man pulled back the sword from her ?h?st, and since there was no weight supporting her body, Moon Jiwoo''s body fell against the ground. ¡ã¡ã¡ã Anxiety contaminated Oh Sookyung''s mind as he opened the door before him, and his eyes widened when he noticed that there were more men standing before the door. However, seeing that did not cause him to become all that surprised. He had expected for these people to be arranged there, and escaping from them was a piece of cake for him. Seeing how Oh Sookyung was in a mood to let out his stress, he decided to fight against them instead of teleporting out of there. Taking his sword, he charged towards them while increasing his speed. As Sookyung was about to make his first attack, he felt as if something within him sank, and a sharp ache went through his ?h?st. This definitely indicated that Moon Jiwoo was severely wounded. The thought of that made Sookyung almost turn back and regret his decision. Taking in a deep breath, he decided on how he was incapable of doing it. As for how he will be dealing with the enemy, he will think about it later on. Turning his back on the men in black, he made a run towards the house.

 Chapter 84 - A plan [2]

    Oh Sookyung was too late.

    He had intended to not go through the plan¡ª for he did not find himself having a good feeling for it¡ª and changing his mind, he was about to rescue Moon Jiwoo.

    But upon reaching the room, Oh Sookyung saw how no one was inside the room, and on the floor was a small spot of red blood.

    The sight of that caused Sookyung''s eyes to widen, and a gasp escaped from his mouth. He internally cursed at himself for suggesting such an idea. If it were not for him, Moon Jiwoo would not have fallen into such a trouble.

    Turning back, he noticed that the men in black had followed him to the inside, and as they were about to make his move on him, Sookyung disappeared into the thin air.

    He had better things to do than dealing with them currently.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A groan escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth.

    Her body was overcome by fatigue as she gradually opened her eyes, and a pain went through her back when she realized that she was on top of the cold, hard ground.

    Her eyes widened when she realized that she was in a dark room and cold room. The dim lighting allowed her to take in the view of the room.

    Bars were placed before her, and enclosed with wall from three sides, this reminded Jiwoo of a prison. As Jiwoo attempted to raise her hand, she noticed that something had bound her.

    Looking down, she saw how silver handcuffs were around both of her wrist, and with a long chain, they were connected to the wall.

    All the events before Jiwoo had lost her consciousness began to flood inside her mind, and it seemed that she was held captive by the enemy.

    Knowing that staying at this dark prison would not be bringing in ant benefit to her, Jiwoo decided teleport out of here and look around in order to collect clues.

    Closing her eyes, Jiwoo concentrated on the place she wanted to go to, and after visioning that place inside her mind, she put her energy into teleporting to that place.

    However, when she opened her eyes, disappointment hit her. She was still at that to, causing her to be shocked. Not once did her teleportation failed after she had properly mastered it, and this had her panicking.

    Taking in a deep breath, she mumbled, "No, Jiwoo, you must have done something wrong. Try to do it again. You will surely be able to accomplish it this time around."

    After repeating the words of encouragement within herself, Jiwoo closed her eyes and single mindedly concentrated on trying to teleport out of there.

    Slight nervousness rose within her as she did so. But when she opened her eyes after a few seconds, Jiwoo had grown to become more disheartened. This time she had surely put in more effort compared to the last time. However, it seemed to have failed as well.

    There was nothing Jiwoo could think of she did wrong in this. Could it be because she was too nervous? That can''t exactly be the reason for she had teleported multiple times before despite of the nervousness.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    After countless number of tries, Jiwoo had finally decided to give up. It seemed that regardless of how she attempted to do it, teleportation was not possible at here.

    Those men might appear any minute, and after they did, Jiwoo was frightened to know what would happen to her. Before she could come, she had to escape from this prison.

    Staring at the shackles in her hands, Jiwoo decided to use her power to crack them. With that intention in her mind, she brought her hand towards the chain and tried to break it.

    However, no energy generated from her hand, causing Jiwoo''s eyes to widen. Surprise hit Jiwoo, and taking in a deep breath, she attempted to do it again.

    Seeing how this had failed, Jiwoo had reached into a conclusion. Whatever it was at here¡ª it managed to conceal in her powers.

    Frustration filled Jiwoo at that, and a groan escaped from her mouth. At this moment, she was completely helpless and had to wait for him to save her.

    The noise of the footsteps caught Moon Jiwoo''s attention, and raising her head, she turned to look at the direction of it.

    A man walked towards her prison, and from head to toe, he was dressed in black. His eyes held anger in them as he stopped before Jiwoo''s prison, and he appeared to be quite menacing.

    As his hand gripped on to the bars of Jiwoo''s prison, Jiwoo glared at him intensely and spoke out, "What the hell did you do to my powers, You Asshole?"

    "Sealed them away," the man answered, "As long as you have those handcuffs around your hand, you''re just like those from the Yellow Clan. Escaping from those handcuffs are impossible."

    "Well, even if you capture me like this, you would not be able to reach the prince," Jiwoo spoke out, "I hope you know how insignificant protector''s life can be when compared to the Prince. In order to protect the prince, they would abandon me here any day."

    Judging from the expression on the man''s face, Jiwoo realized that she had successfully managed to anger the man with her words, and her lips curved to form a smirk at that.

    The man gripped tightly on to the bars and let out a growl before saying, "I know on that! I should not have sent those idiots out there. They should have put in their efforts into kidnapping that Prince, instead of capturing someone as useless as you. But I guess with you here, the prince is much more vulnerable. This makes everything better."

    "Well, good luck with finding his next hideout," she spoke out.

    "Do you know anything about it? Give us the information if you do or we will be torturing you out of it," the man threatened.

    "That''s a stupid threat. The protectors would give their lives for the Prince, and you believe some torture would be able to extract the answer from me? You clearly do not know about the bond that well," Jiwoo said.

    Groan escaped from the man''s mouth at that.

    Raising her hand, Jiwoo added, "With these metal handcuffs around my hand, I believe I am of no danger to you all. Can''t you just let me out of this prison? Staying at this dark and cold room is quite boring."

    Hearing her words caused the man to shake his head, and he stated, "No, that''s not possible."

    With her request put through rejection, Jiwoo felt slight amount of anger rise within her. But not wanting to admit defeat that easily, she decided to put in more effort.

    "I bet you don''t have any girls around this place, and since I am a girl despite of how I am a protector and all that, I will be able to do a lot of things. I am guessing you know on what crazy things protectors can achieve when they get anger, and you never know; that might also include breaking free from these shackles.

    Staying at this prison would be ruining my mood, and I am guessing that it would not be pleasant for you to watch me explode. Plus what''s wrong with letting me out? I believe I am completely harmless, and you can always have someone to monitor me," Jiwoo spoke out¡ª in hopes that her words would be able to change the mind of the person.

    Sharpening her eyes, Jiwoo tried to read the expression of the man before her. It seemed that her words had sent him into a deep thought, and she desperately hoped for her words to work on him.

    Once she is out of this prison, Jiwoo would be able to search around for clues, and after she got sufficient amount of that, she will be able to run away from the place.

    A minute or two had passed before a sigh escaped from the mouth of the person before her, and he spoke out, "Fine, I can let you go as long as you do not create any trouble. If you are doing that, remember that you will be back in this room. Since the king hasn''t given out any orders yet, you will be kept at here. Remember that your life and death depends on him. I doubt you will be able to live."

    The thought of death caused a chill to go down Jiwoo''s back, and she forced out a small smile upon her face. At least she could roam around freely now.

 Chapter 85 - Come up [1]

    "That''s why, I have told you to not get attached to her."

    Oh Sookyung was standing on the balcony while his eyes observed the starless sky. A frown sat on his face, and regardless of how hard he tried, he was not capable of dimming down the anxiety that rose within him.

    Something about this caused an ominous to be left within him, and he wanted to go and rescue her. However, the only problem to this was that he was not aware of where she was held captive.

    Hearing the voice, Sookyung turned his head to look back and saw Min Hyungwon entering into the balcony. A serious expression clouded his face.

    "You have been restless throughout the entire day, and this was bound to happen sooner or later. She will die because of you, and that''s unavoidable, Sookyung," Hyungwon said, "You have been distracted due to this for two days, and by now, you have to move on from it. This is sad, but it was bound to happen."

    "You are talking quite pessimistically, Hyungwon, as if you believe she will not be making out it alive. But I don''t think so. Although I am worried, I think she will come out alive, and she won''t die that soon," Sookyung spoke out, "I will make sure of that."

    Creases appeared between both of his eyebrows as Hyungwon questioned, "What do you mean? Don''t tell me that you are thinking to do something foolish?"

    "I have just come into a realization that the position of a king doesn''t mean much to me when compared to Shin Daerin. I don''t know whether or not the reason is that I treasure Daerin greatly or that the throne holds little value to me.

    But if it is necessary, I might even hide her away in order to protect her. This is how I feel about the entire matter," Sookyung confessed as a deep look settled in his eyes.

    Although Moon Jiwoo''s personality was not likeable, he did not understand from when had he started to feel so deeply about her or the reason behind it.

    His words caused Min Hyungwon''s eyes to widen, and holding Oh Sookyung''s shoulder, Hyungwon pulled it to make Sookyung face him.

    Staring at Sookyung sternly, Hyungwon spoke out, "At first, although Daerin was disrespectful, I thought it was a good idea to have her as your protector; you will not grow attached to her. But it seems that I was wrong! I have always warned you about it.

    No matter what type of feelings you grow towards her, you can''t prevent her from dying, Your Majesty. Please drive away these useless thoughts for they would be a hassle for you later on. Maybe she will be surviving this, but there is no saying that she would not die in the future."

    Sookyung said, "Although there are huge chances of her sacrificing her life for me, there is a small chance that she would not be dying. About a thousand year ago, a protector of the king survived to an old age, and I think that will be possible this time as well. I will make sure of that!"

    Watching Oh Sookyung''s determined gaze, Hyungwon let out a sigh and stated, "These emotions you are carrying are unnecessary. The protector is not supposed to be your weakness; Shin Daerin is your shield. Remember that. Only after she is broken will you get harmed. That''s why, think clearly and drive away all that emotions, or maybe I need to take care of the entire thing."

    Hearing those words caused rage to rise within Oh Sookyung, and it managed to surprise himself on how protective he was over Moon Jiwoo

    Extending his hand towards Hyungwon, Sookyung grabbed on to his collar.

    Glaring at him, Sookyung questioned, "What do you mean by take care?"

    "I will ?ssume you know what that clearly means, Your Majesty. Other than your fated one, you should not be carrying these unnecessary emotions towards anyone, and since I can''t do anything to remove those feelings within you, I might as well make the people disappear."

    Those words managed to aggravate Oh Sookyung, and Sookyung pushed the man backward after releasing his grip on his collar. As Min Hyungwon stumbled a few steps backward, Sookyung glowered upon the male before him.

    "If you do anything like that, I will be giving up my position as the King. I will make sure to ruin all of your plans, so don''t meddle," Sookyung threatened.

    After a one last glance at Min Hyungwon, Oh Sookyung strode outside of the room, and his words caused a chill to go down on Hyungwon''s spine. The tone indicated that Sookyung meant each one of those words of his.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Three days had passed since Jiwoo had been released from that prison, and over this period of time, she was ?ssigned with cooking the food and doing the laundry.

    Despite the scorns and hatred she was given, Jiwoo was fine. She had not met with any kind of abuse, and there was no mistreatment. Other than the meal time, she was treated like thin air.

    Unfortunately enough, she was not able to gather any clues over this period of time, and knowing that she b?r?ly had time in her hands, she knew that she had to speed this up.

    Moon Jiwoo thought about sneaking about the place, but she had not found any instant to stay alone at their house. The handcuffs and the shackles made things much more difficult for her.

    After Moon Jiwoo placed the last cherry on top of the cake, she was done with baking the cake. Although strange, she had learned on how the men at here had a sweet tooth, and therefore, occasionally she made desserts after the meal.

    After that, she cut the cake into couple of slices, and placing the slices on top of the plates, she put the plates on the tray.

    Gripping on to the tray tightly, she raised it up, and carefully, she balanced it. With that, she began to walk towards the dining room.

    Curving her lips to form a polite smile, Jiwoo walked into the dining room, and her eyes fell on how the men were dining. Rolling her eyes subtly at how they lacked manners while eating, she placed the plates in front of each of them.

    Fortunately for her, none of these men possessed any perverted thoughts or else, considering how helpless she was, this could have turned out to be horrible for her.

    After she was done with handing over the cakes, she hugged the tray close to her ?h?st and proceeded to walk out of the room. However, before she could walk into the kitchen, something caught her ears, and she halted in her steps instantly while hiding behind the wall.

    "That Prince will be departing for the Underworld tomorrow, and I found the details of the portal they will be traveling through. Even though there is a barrier around it, his Majesty had found a way to break through that without alerting anyone. Hyunbin, tomorrow, you will be going there with Jaemin, and place the bomb at there. This is bound to destroy the Prince," one of the men spoke out.

    "I feel quite bad for the Prince. Due to the King''s greediness, he has to go through this, and it''s not like we can do anything against it."

    "Shut up! What are you talking about? Don''t you know that it forbidden to talk negative about the King? You would have had your tongue cut if someone else was here!"

    A subtle gasp escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth after she had processed what she had just heard, and understanding that Sookyung''s life was in danger, Jiwoo knew that she had to do something.

    Her heart was starting to beat rapidly within her ?h?st, and pursing her lips together, she tried to calm herself down. Panicking at this situation will not be doing any good to her.

    Turning her back on the kitchen, she proceeded to walk towards the main door in order to collect her thoughts and come up with a plan. Luckily, she was able to know on the entire matter before it was too late. There was still a day worth of time left, and she would be able to do something.

    Extending her hand towards the main door, she turned the knob and opened the door. After making sure that there was no one around her, Jiwoo took a step outside. Since they have guessed on how Jiwoo had no idea on where she was, they did not care much about her going outside.

    After being confident that her path was clear, Jiwoo closed the door behind her, and taking a deep breath, she walked towards a corner.

 Chapter 86 - Come up [2]

    "Min Shihyuk, come out," Jiwoo voiced out.

    Her back leaned against the wall of the house while her eyes stared at the starless sky before her. A solemn expression sat on her face.

    All of a sudden, a figure appeared before Moon Jiwoo. A handsome young man came out of the thin air.

    Shihyuk spoke out, "Are you ready to go back now?"

    Moon Jiwoo did not confirm the entire plan with Shihyuk before, and recalling Shihyuk''s earlier words on how he was there to always protect her, Jiwoo decided to believe him on that. Although that was risky, there were some that had to be taken in order to ensure a success.

    "Yes," Jiwoo said, "I was right to trust you."

    Upon listening to her words, Shihyuk lips curved to form a small smile and stated, "Let''s get those shackles of yours broken first."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded.

    Extending his hand towards Moon Jiwoo, he snapped both of this finger, and as a sound was created, the handcuffs around her wrists snapped in a matter of seconds.

    A loud sound reached into her ear as the metals hit the ground, and a wide smile formed on her face while she raised her head to stare at Shihyuk.

    "You are really amazing! How did you do that?" Jiwoo questioned¡ª her eyes brightening up in admiration.

    "These handcuffs are akin to normal handcuffs for me. Since your powers are restricted due to it, you are unable to rescue yourself," Shihyuk explained.

    "Alright. Let''s go to Sookyung quickly. We need to inform on this matter. We don''t have much time in our hands," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "Let''s do that alright," Shihyuk voiced out.

    Her eyes were widened due to surprise when Jiwoo felt someone grip her wrist, and she was pulled forward. With a swift movement, Shihyuk hit the back of her neck, and before she was able to process it, a sharp pain went through her neck.

    Seeing the girl go limp in his hand, Shihyuk said, "Sorry, Jiwoo, but some things are needed to be done."

    With that, he picked up the girl in a bridal style and disappeared into the thin air.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "We will be departing tonight? What about Shin Daerin then?" Oh Sookyung questioned while creases appeared between both of his eyebrows.

    The three of them¡ª Han Minhyun, Min Hyungwon, and Oh Sookyung¡ª sat on the couch while a serious atmosphere surrounded them.

    "Without Shin Daerin, winning would be extremely difficult for us, but considering how Sookyung''s power is almost at the level of the King''s, it might not be impossible. I will be sending my men to search for Daerin, but that''s all.

    The King''s true aim is you, so it was most likely for her to be spared even if she is your protector. I believe you can still feel her being alive, and since the King is in a hurry, he would not go intoworthless trouble by killing her.

    It was quite reckless of both of you to take such a decision, and since Shin Daerin had mentioned to you on how she will he escaping on her own, let''s leave that to her. She would not have taken that decision if she was not confident on it," Minhyun explained.

    "Even if she was confident back then, she could be quite an idiot, and it would not be a surprise to see her plan fail," Sookyung said, "I can not be at ease unless I see her being fine."

    Han Minhyun let out a sigh at that and stated, "Since you are just young, I would not blame you for having such sentiments. It was normal. However, there are some emotions which are better to be abandoned. This might sound heartless to you now, but you will understand it better at the future.

    Your position as the King is not something to be taken lightly, and in the future, you will be needed to sacrifice greater things. You can not let your emotions to be easily influenced by that."

    Han Minhyun''s words caused Sookyung to purse his lips into a thin air. He understood the meaning behind his words. Letting himself easily be influenced by the emotions might cause him trouble in the future, and therefore, it was necessary for him to learn to control them.

    But that was not as easy it was to be said.

    Despite of how he wanted to push the matter of Shin Daerin at the back of his head, he was not able to do it, and at the end, it began to plague his entire mind, making him continuously restless.

    "The emotions you are growing towards Shin Daerin should be removed¡ª both for your and her sake. Since it is not possible for them to do anything to do, Daerin will be exterminated if it is known to others," Minhyun spoke out.

    The cruel words from Han Minhyun caused Sookyung''s eyes to widen due to shock, and his heart began to beat rapidly¡ª most likely because of the fear.

    Everyday, he was getting to learn of how his position could be frightening, and although he was finding it difficult to cope with it, it was not possible for him to give it up at this point.

    "You don''t need to worry about it. Whatever I feel towards Daerin, I will be sorting it out properly," Sookyung said, "Let''s prepare for the things we will be doing later now."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A yawn escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth as she opened her eyes, and feeling the softness beneath her, a wide smile formed on her face. It had been a long time since she had such a peaceful sleep.

    Sitting up on the soft mattress, she stretched both of her arms, and as she looked at her surroundings, creases formed between both of her eyebrows when she realized that she did not recognize the place she was in.

    Then the memory before she had lost her consciousness began to flood inside her mind, and she recalled on how Min Shihyuk was the reason behind it.

    Confused on why Shihyuk would be doing such a action, Jiwoo got down from her bed, and remembering about how she had to inform Sookyung about the portal, a panic rose within Jiwoo.

    She prayed that she was not late.

    The door before her opened in that moment, and hearing the noise, she looked at that direction. A figure stepped into the room, and seeing Min Shihyuk, she made hurried steps towards him.

    "Moon Jiwoo, you are finally awake," he said, "It seems that you were quite tired."

    "What did you do that for? Quick! We don''t have time to waste. We have to inform¡ª Wait! What did you call me?"

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened when she realized that Sookyung addressed her as Jiwoo instead of Daerin, and confusion immediately appeared on her face at that.

    How did he come to know about that?

    "Oh! I did. Are you hungry?" he spoke out, "I just made breakfast, and I will be setting it up for you. The washroom is there, so you can come out after washing up."

    With that, Min Shihyuk turned his back on Moon Jiwoo and was about to leave the room. But before he was able to do that, Jiwoo grabbed on to his arm and pulled him back.

    Causing him to face her, she stared at him with a stern expression before questioning, "How did you know of that name?"

    Curving his lips to form a wider smile, Shihyuk answered, "As I have mentioned to you before, I know everything about you, Moon Jiwoo."

    Although Jiwoo had more question to ask on that matter, she did not want waste her time right now and said, "Let''s not have breakfast now. Oh Sookyung is in danger, and we need to quickly go and rescue him."

    "Is there a need for you to do that?" Shihyuk asked.

    His words caused for Jiwoo''s eyes to widen. She did not expect for him to be this indifferent on it. Although he did not have any involvement with Sookyung, this attitude of his was too cold.

    "What do you mean, Shihyuk? Of course, we need to do that or else his life will be in danger. We can''t turn our back on that," she said.

    "You are not exactly that fond of the Prince, and all the actions you have done to protect him was due to those instincts you have. Seeing how far you''re from him and since you don''t know about his situation, your instincts will not be having any affect on you.

    Whether or not he dies does not concern you, and only after he dies will you be able to live. Otherwise, sooner or later, you might end up sacrificing your life for him," he voiced out, "The Underworld doesn''t concern you either. There is no reason for you to help Sookyung."

 Chapter 87 - No luck [1]

    Staring at the pancakes before her, Moon Jiwoo had no appetite within her, and while she played around with the fork in her hand, she showed no signs of attempting to eat it. Moon Jiwoo could not find herself refuting to Shihyuk''s words back then, but now, she found herself being conflicted.  Anxiety bloomed within her at the thought of Sookyung being attacked, and bile rose her throat due to the increasing apprehension. This was enough to indicate that she cared about Sookyung, but she did not understand the reason behind it. There was no reason for her to possess such emotions, and if this was influenced due to her instincts, Jiwoo had to admit that it was quite strong. ''Just a day. After that, there will be no more Sookyung, and you will be free. You won''t even need to act on instincts now. You don''t know where the man is.  You can''t risk your life for him. After he is gone from your life, you will be safe. You never know when you might get yourself killed over him. Think rationally! Think rationally!'' Despite of constantly repeating those words inside her mind and trying to convince herself that was actually the way she felt about it, Jiwoo felt sick within herself. Even if she initially thought that she will be able to endure this, it was not possible for her eventually to do so. The time was running, and if something had happened to Sookyung, there will be no turning back. It was not confirmed that Jiwoo would be dying from this, but for Sookyung, this was deadly. Only she would be able to stop it. Pursing both of her lips together, Jiwoo let out a sigh and spoke out, "Aish! I hate being a good person! Shihyuk, I don''t think I will be able to do it. I want to go and rescue Sookyung." At her words, Sookyung raised his head and stared at her before saying, "I expected you to speak up any moment now. You were struggling to come up with that answer. Are you sure?" Moon Jiwoo nodded her head and said, "Since this is my job, I don''t want to be called irresponsible. That would not reflect well on me." "Is that so? I don''t want to help you with this," Shihyuk voiced out before looking down at his meal. Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened due to his words, and as shock displayed in her eyes, she questioned, "What do you mean?" "This is just as it is. If you want to rescue Sookyung, you can go and do it on your own. I will not be keeping you at here," Shihyuk vocalised, "Personally, I would think it would be for the best if he died. I despise him!" Without Shihyuk''s help, it would not be possible for her to rescue Oh Sookyung. She knew that he would not be at Hyungwon''s place, and it would not be possible for her to find his new place at this short period of time. Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows as she stated, "This is not a time to joke around, Min Shihyuk. I don''t know what enmity you might have with him, but isn''t wishing for his death too much?" Shrugging his shoulders, Shihyuk spoke out, "Nothing you say will be able to convince me. Even death would not be able to compensate the anger I feel towards him.  His father destroyed the lives of my parents, and now, I can''t let his father have the joy of having his son on the throne. I want that Han Sungmin to feel the pain of losing the greatest thing to him." Moon Jiwoo''s eyes sharpened at that, and she said, "So, you are going to have someone innocent killed just because of the hatred towards his father? Would not that make you as cruel as him?" "If that''s what I need to do in order to gain victory, maybe I will be doing it," Shihyuk said, "Like you, Moon Jiwoo, this is my second chance at life, and maybe I was given this chance in order for my revenge." Moon Jiwoo scoffed and stated, "Thank you for your help and rescuing me. Without your help, I would not be able to be free, so I won''t hold anything against you. Since there is no use in me pushing you, I will just search for him on my own.  Just remember about how many lives of the innocent you will be ruining from your decision. You know how the current King is, and if you want to keep supporting him, you are well aware of how the people will be suffering." Moon Jiwoo noticed how the man before her had his eyes widened. But being well aware that there was no use in wasting her life with him, she disappeared into the thin air. Even though she had no idea on where Sookyung could be, she had to at least work hard and try to find him with the little time she got. Maybe she would be lucky and able to find him. ¡ã¡ã¡ã Appearing at the place of Hyungwon''s house, Moon Jiwoo looked around, but there were no signs of them. The house was now at a broken state. Its ceiling had collapsed, and the doors were broken. The glasses from the window were scattered about the place, and it did not appear to be a place one would be able to reside in. Pursing both of her lips, Moon Jiwoo decided to enter in, in hopes that she will be able to find some clues. Since this was the only place she could think of, she had to give her best. As her heart beat rapidly within her ?h?st, she pushed the door before her, creating a opening for herself, and through that, she walked into the abandoned house. The lighting inside was quite dim, making it difficult for her to make out the things inside the house. From what she could see, Jiwoo noticed that everything was a mess. Hurriedly, she searched around the entire house, and as nervousness rose within her, she prayed to find something that would be helping her. Pursing both of her lips together, Jiwoo fell to her knees unable to keep her balance any longer. This situation was starting to give her a headache, and she had no clue on how to handle it. There was no place she was able to think of. Moon Jiwoo would have called him if it was not for the fact that she had lost his phone, and that''s when, it had hit Moon Jiwoo. She recalled his phone number. With that, hope began to rise within her. She remembered about how she had a photographic memory, and due to that, she had no difficulty in remembering his number. Clapping both of her hands together, Jiwoo said, "Why didn''t I think of this before?" Without thinking much further about this matter, she teleported out of the place. ¡ã¡ã¡ã Taking in a deep breath, Moon Jiwoo opened the glass door and walked into the telephone booth. She noticed how the sun was starting to set by now and realized that she b?r?ly had time in her hand now. Hurriedly, making her way into the booth, she made a call to the number that was stored in her memory and waited for the man in the other side to pick up the call. While anxiety grew within her, she tapped her foot on the ground, and while she waited, she prayed for him to receive the call. Seeing how he did not pick up the call, the apprehension within Jiwoo increased further, and she dialled in his number again. Tears of frustrations began to burn at her eyes as she became desperate for him to receive the call. "Oh Sookyung, you idiot! Where is your phone? Just pick this call up! What are you so busy doing!? I told you to keep your phone close to you, so why are you not doing it? Pick it up! Pick up the call! I am begging you! Please, please, please, just for a minute. Pick up the call! Ah! This is horrible!" A groan escaped from Jiwoo''s mouth when the call was not received again, and she tried again. Sweat began to form upon her face, and while tears formed at the corner of her eyes, Jiwoo found herself being utterly helpless. Her mind was out of ideas on what to do anymore, and gripping tightly on to the telephone, she squeezed her eyes close, waiting for a miracle to happen. She had tried around ten times, but up until now, she was met with no response. Her eyes fell on the sky outside, and seeing the sun that had almost disappeared, she stomped the ground on frustration. The hope within her was beginning to lessen every instant, and her ?h?st was starting to get heavier. Maybe she would not be able to save him at the end. "Still no luck with it?"

 Chapter 88 - No luck [2]

    On the barren field, Han Minhyun, Oh Sookyung, and Min Hyungwon were standing. A solemn atmosphere surrounded them, and before was a huge circle. Various coloured lights emitted from that circle.

    "Oh Sookyung, enter in through that portal," Minhyun said, "There will be someone waiting for you at the other side, and I will go to search for Shin Daerin."

    Sookyung nodded his head and spoke out, "Alright."

    "On that side, things are just going to get harder than they are right now. Take care of yourself, and don''t make any reckless decisions. Be careful, and keep all of your senses open," Minhyun advised.

    "I understand. Thank you for all your help until now," Sookyung politely voiced out.

    Han Minhyun''s line of sight fell on the portal before him, and looking at it, Sookyung knew what he had to do. Taking in a deep breath, he made his way towards the portal.

    However, as he was walking towards it, Moon Jiwoo and Shihyuk appeared out of the thin air. Her appearance caught the attention of the three of them, and Sookyung turned his head back.

    "Daerin," Sookyung said¡ª his voice showing surprise. Relief formed on his face, and with that, most of his worries diminished. He curved his lips to form a small smile.

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to say anything, she noticed how the circle behind Sookyung was expanding, and recalling about the words from those men, Jiwoo ran towards Sookyung.

    Sookyung''s eyes widened when Jiwoo harshly pushed him away from the circle by holding his shoulder, and the impact caused for him to stumble a few steps forward.

    Seeing that he was finally safe from the portal caused relief to spread through Moon Jiwoo; she had finally completed what she had come here for.

    When Moon Jiwoo had lost all of her hope in that telephone booth, Min Shihyuk appeared in that place and decided to help her. She had no clue on what changed his mind.

    Nonetheless, at that instant, she did not have the time to discuss on that matter, and overjoyed by that fact, she had him teleported here as soon as possible¡ª afraid that he will be changing his mind later on.

    "Watch out, Shin Daerin!"

    Hearing horrified cry that left Sookyung''s mouth, she looked at him and realized how his eyes had widened. The portal reflected in his eyes, and Jiwoo noticed how close the portal was to exploding.

    Seeing that, Jiwoo turned her head back, and a gasp escaped from her mouth when she saw how dangerously close she was to the exploding portal.

    Any second now the portal will be exploding, and she needed to get away from it. But overcome by panic at that moment, she found herself being rooted to that position, and there was no amount of strength within her to get away from that position.

    Hearing the loud sound from the explosion caused Moon Jiwoo to squeeze her eyes close as a scream escaped from her mouth. At that moment, Jiwoo found herself being engulfed by someone surprisingly.

    After processing the situation, Jiwoo opened her eyes gradually, and they widened when she realized that Min Shihyuk was hugging her. It appeared that he had shielded her from the attack.

    "Shin Daerin, are you alright?" Oh Sookyung questioned.

    However, she turned a deaf ear to his words, and seeing the pained expression on his face, she knew that he had blocked the attack for her.

    "M-Min Shihyuk," she managed to stutter out.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on his back, and seeing his entire back being covered with blood caused panic to go through her entire being. Raising her hand, she touched his back.

    Bringing her hand over to her face, she spoke out, "Shihyuk, you are bleeding. Your wounds are not healing. Get up quickly. You need immediate medical care. I am sorry; this is all my fault. But you have to get up now."

    Seeing the horrified expression on her face, he chuckled and stated, "My heart is already destroyed. I am already losing my life. At least I managed to complete the task of protecting you until the very end, Moon Jiwoo. This was to compensate for the all the harm I caused you in your last life."

    "What do you mean? What type of nonsense is that? You can''t give up! I will make sure that you don''t die. How can you die? You have to take further care of me," Jiwoo spoke out, turning her head back to stare at them with her pleading eyes.

    Moon Jiwoo was not ready to accept that. She believed that something could be done to protect him. There had to be something! He could not die that easily.

    A cough escaped from Sookyung''s mouth before he said, "Moon Jiwoo, listen, I have no time in my mind. I know you will be hating me if I let you know of my true identity, but I am Ahn Eunwoo. I was probably given this chance to make up for all I have done in my last life to you, and maybe I managed to make up for it. I am sorry."

    That word caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen, and she stated, "W-What do you mean?"

    Hearing those words, Han Minhyun''s face showed as much as shock as hers before he took a step forward, and staring at the bleeding man, he enunciated, "Ahn Eunwoo."

    Hearing Han Minhyun''s voice, Eunwoo tilted his head his direction and said, "Hyung, it is me, but sadly, I have to leave early again."

    Upon hearing those words, Han Minhyun fell on to his knees, and sitting beside him, Minhyun grabbed on to the hand of the bleeding man.

    "Eunwoo or Shihyuk, bastard or not, you can''t die. Do you always have to make me cry? You did not get repent for all that you did, so wake up, Ahn Eunwoo! I still need to get back at you," Moon Jiwoo said as tears continued to fall down her eyes.

    Moon Jiwoo did not expect for Shihyuk to turn out to be Eunwoo. Nonetheless, one similarity between both of them was that they provided her with warmth when there was no one around her to do that. They provided her with company when she was lonely.

    "I am sorry. I am so sorry," Shihyuk voiced out.

    "I-I don''t t-think t-that I-I w-will b-be able to hold on any longer. Let''s meet again¡ª"

    Before he was able to continue further, Min Shihyuk found his consciousness fading away, and seeing that his eyes had finally closed, a cry escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth.

    She had lost someone precious someone to her, and Jiwoo did not know how to cope up with that. Tremendous aches went through her ?h?st while tears began to fall down her eyes.

    She mocked at people for being attached to people and cry when they lost them. But now, she was exactly at the same place as them. Maybe this was the karma because she was not a decent person.

    Her grip on his body loosened, and Jiwoo prayed in her mind for him to wake up. Despite of how that not being possible, she still held on to that hope regardless of how foolish it was. Jiwoo was not willing to let go of him that easily.

    A part of Moon Jiwoo blamed herself greatly for what had happened. If she was slightly more cautious, this would not have happened, and at the thought of that, she wanted to punish herself.

    Moon Jiwoo felt someone touch her shoulder, and at that, she turned her head back. Seeing that Oh Sookyung was giving her a sympathetic look, Moon Jiwoo had more tears forming in her eyes. Regardless of how hard she tried, she was unable to hold them in.

    Extending his hand towards Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung pulled her into a hug, and wrapping his hand around her body, he patted on her back softly in order to comfort her.

    Placing her shoulder at the nape of his shoulder, Moon Jiwoo let more tears to escape from her eyes while her ?h?st throbbed painfully. Accepting that Min Shihyuk was gone was still painful for her.

    "There, there, everything will be fine, Shin Daerin. Don''t cry," Sookyung spoke out¡ª knowing that none of his words will be bringing any comfort to her. Nonetheless, he did not give up from trying.

    Seeing her like this brought pain to him.

 Chapter 89 - Lousy [1]

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes stared at the calm waves, and a small smile sat upon her face. In those eyes of hers were sadness, and beside her was Oh Sookyung. Both of them observed the sea together Other than two of them, there was not anyone present at this time of the night, and Jiwoo found herself liking that.  "When I was in my last body, that Ahn Eunwoo was my everything. I went to extreme extent in order to win, and the things I did baffles me now. I truly was a crazy girl in love. But in the end, I just gave up.  As much as I was desperate, I got tired of being one chasing after him, and that''s why, I got used to hating him. Then, it was not possible for me to completely do so. He was one of those rare people who interacted warmly with me, and in a way, it was me who ruined things.  But I never expected for him to die and to be reborn in this way. Fate is really a funny thing. This entire situation feels like a joke to me right now. One minute, my life was revolving around trying to get revenge upon Eunwoo for breaking me like that, and the next instant, I wake up to find out that I will be a protector." After the conversation with Shihyuk earlier before he had passed away, everyone had a clue on how she was reborn, and that''s why, Jiwoo decided to confess to Sookyung about something.  She did not find herself hating that. After such a long time, she really needed someone to confide into. Extending his hand towards her, Oh Sookyung wrapped it around her shoulder and pulled her body closer to his. His sudden action caught her by surprise, and raising her head, she stared at him. "From a young age, I knew that I was different from everyone else. I don''t know how, but I just had the intuition about it," Sookyung spoke out, "Chaeyoung Noona used to be really overprotective at times to the point I found it suffocating at times, and my life just had puzzles and gaps that did not make sense to me.  I always believed that my age is twenty two or something, but I recently just found out that''s not the case. Apparently, I am in my early thirties. That''s really crazy. Then again, that''s not a big deal since I know that my life span is longer than an average human. Moon Jiwoo or Shin Daerin, you will find your happiness soon. Just say that it is my intuition as a future King." Moon Jiwoo stated, "Probably if it was in the beginning, I would have grumbled on about the lack of happiness in my life, but now, I am satisfied. This is about finding happiness in the smallest of things I guess." Raising his hand, Oh Sookyung patted the top of her head, and smiling at her, he said, "You have learned a lot, Daerin-ah. This Oppa is proud of you." "Shut up," she responded, "Maybe once you are done ascending the throne, I will go on a world tour. That sounds great! Make sure to pay me a great deal of money." "Yes, yes, I will do that," Sookyung stated. Turning her eyes towards the sea, Moon Jiwoo spoke out, "Eunwoo-ah, thank you. You will always remain as one of the biggest part of my life." "What about me then? Am I one of the biggest part in your life?" Sookyung questioned, raising one of his eyebrows. "Sadly you are the one around whom my life revolved around right now," Jiwoo vocalised as a sigh escaped from her mouth. ¡ã¡ã¡ã Moon Jiwoo was seated on top of the couch, and while Han Minhyun was opposite to her, she drew circles on her knee, wondering whether or not should she be the first one to break the ice between them. Clearing her throat, Jiwoo decided to do that and spoke out, "So, you were Eunwoo''s brother. I never expected that with all those things that happened." The man in front of her was Han Minhyun¡ª someone she had gotten married to previously¡ª and facing him like this¡ª now that he knew that she was Moon Jiwoo¡ª was something she found to be awkward.  There was not many things Jiwoo found to be awkward. Nonetheless, she had no idea on how to deal with such situations. "Yes, before things happened and both of us happened to be separated," he voiced out. "Oh," Jiwoo said, "You mentioned earlier on how I or Jiwoo was alive. Why were you lying about that?" "About that, your body is alive, but the soul belongs to someone else. Someone who goes by the name of Lee Soohyun, and she is took over your body at the night in the club. She is also my fated one." "At the club? That''s weird because that''s not where I died. I am sure I died at the kitchen by accidentally slitting my wrist," Moon Jiwoo mumbled to herself. The only time Moon Jiwoo could recall about visiting the club with Han Minhyun was when she plotted against him and Oh Chaeyoung. It did not make sense for her to have someone possess her body at that time. "Two years ago, that''s when, you have arrived. Maybe your memories are slightly different," Minhyun said. ''Two years ago? Judging that time from now, isn''t that around when I have gotten married to Han Minhyun?'' "Hold on. That means that the time is different for both of us. Because I remember you forcing me to marry you and then you kept me in that mansion of yours. I still hold on to that grudge from then," she said, "Chaeyoung and Eunwoo even got engaged." "It seems that you''re from the future or I am from the past where Soohyun got into your body before everything of that could happen. The time got twisted a lot it appears, and it could be that you have the memories of the future," Minhyun stated. "That could be the case," Jiwoo spoke out, "All of this is completely twisted and messed up. The fate is really funny. By the way, will it be possible for me to meet my body?" "I guess you can," Minhyun voiced out, "After all of this is over, you can meet Soohyun. She will be really excited to see you. She is fond of such weird things." Jiwoo scoffed and said, "I never thought I would see a day with such a soft look in your eye. You are despicable and so cold. Even someone like you can fall in love. You hated me previously, so I wonder what type of charm this soul possessing my body has." "You are relatively calm," Minhyun commented, "Although I was not that acquainted with you, you were known for throwing tantrums that did not quite fit your age." "It''s the situation that made me grow up," Jiwoo spoke out, "You can say that I suppose. Even I am surprised at how much I grew up. My last just feels like a humiliating memory to me." "Maybe this was the purpose to have you reborn and give you a second chance," Minhyun said, "I have some things to deal with, and that''s why, I will be taking my leave.  We will be departing now. The last time was because of my carelessness, and if it was not for that, I would not have lost Eunwoo again. This is regretful, but I have a feeling that we will be meeting again. Maybe that''s what I want to hold on to despite of how foolish it must seem." "If he was reborn once, there could be a possibility that he will be born once again as well," Jiwoo stated, "Maybe this time for a purpose to live for himself. This fate is crazy after all." Han Minhyun nodded and stood up from his place. As he stepped out of the room, Moon Jiwoo stared at the ground, and a sigh escaped from her mouth. She was b?r?ly calm at this instant. It was just that she did not want to embarrass herself in front of Minhyun anymore and that''s why, tried to maintain on a cool front. Now, that he was gone, the only thing Moon Jiwoo was able to feel was shock, and absorbing in the situation for her was difficult for her. She could not believe that someone had taken over her body, and curiosity on how that person was grew up within her.  "What are you thinking so hard about?" Oh Sookyung questioned. His voice caught her by surprise, and turning her head back, she glared at him before saying, "Got almost scared me! Do you want me to die out of shock?" Oh Sookyung chuckled and stated, "Aren''t you supposed to be my protector? You need to be on guard at all times. You are really lousy."

 Chapter 90 - Lousy [2]

    "Oh my god! This is beautiful! Although I have seen snow before, this is just a view on another level," Moon Jiwoo commented¡ª her eyes showing a sparkle in them.

    Oh Sookyung and Moon Jiwoo travelled through the portal to appear in the Underworld¡ª the place where those from the Red Clan resided.

    Snowy fields stretched far into the horizon, and distant houses could be seen from where they were. The icicles that hung off of some of the trees and shone made the view more beautiful.

    "It''s hard to believe that this is all natural," Sookyung expressed.

    Both of them were told to wait at the place they travelled through the portal at and given clear instructions on how someone will be coming to take them.

    Moon Jiwoo bent down to her knees, and extending her hand, she touched the white snow. Picking some of them with her hand, she watched them slip down her hand.

    "It is cool to touch snow like that without feeling cold or getting frostbite," Moon Jiwoo voiced out, "I liked watching it snow, but did not like the snow itself because of how unpleasant the cold felt. I guess being from Red Clan solves that.

    "Do you want to play around? No one knows when that man might show up, and standing here would be just boring," Sookyung said.

    Upon hearing his words, Jiwoo raised her head to look at him, and as a sparkle appeared in her eyes, she nodded. A chuckle escaped from Sookyung''s mouth at how cute she appeared.

    "There are lots of things I want to do with the snow. I was not able to do it due to my dislike towards the cold," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "At times like this, you really resemble a kid," Sookyung expressed.

    Folding her arms across her ?h?st, Moon Jiwoo rolled her eyes and said, "It''s not my fault that this body of mine looks as if it is thirteen or fourteen."

    "That''s an exaggeration," Sookyung voiced out, "Let''s build a snowman first."

    "Yeah! Let''s do that! I never did it, so just guide me," Jiwoo voiced out.

    "Your arrogance really decreased from the first time we met," he stated, "It is surprising to see that we can have such moments as well."

    Glaring at the man before her, Moon Jiwoo questioned, "Do you want to get beaten up badly due to ruining the atmosphere?"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Too bad that we don''t have anything for its eyes, nose, and hands," Moon Jiwoo commented, staring at the snowman they made from top to bottom.

    "This is what you have to make do with right now. It is a foreign sensation to build a snowman without getting my fingers almost numb due to the cold," Sookyung spoke out.

    At that moment, a idea came inside of Sookyung''s mind, and his hand gripped on to the white snow. As his lips curved to form a smirk, he raised his hand.

    Noticing the snow in his hand, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and standing up clumsily, she stumbled backwards couple of steps, knowing Oh Sookyung''s intentions.

    "No! That would ruin my hair, Oh Sookyung," Moon Jiwoo stated, raising her hands.

    However, paying no heeds to those words of hers, Sookyung threw the snow at her direction, and feeling the coldness, anger rose within Moon Jiwoo.

    Raising her hand, she touched her hair, and feeling the remnants of the snow in them, a groan escaped from her mouth.

    "Oh Sookyung! You bastard, let''s¡ª"

    Before she was able to continue further, another pile of snow hit her face¡ª some of it getting into her mouth, which she had to spat out¡ª and Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist.

    "Are you trying to make me angry?" she questioned.

    An innocent smile formed on Sookyung''s face as he shook his head and said, "I am just playing around just like you said. Snowball fight is the best thing to do outside in the snow."

    "Even if it is, I don''t want my hair to be a mess, so let''s just stop this¡ª"

    "That does it," she stated, running her finger through her hair.

    Bending down, she grabbed some snow in her hand and targeted towards Oh Sookyung. Seeing the snow come in contact with his body caused a wide grin to form upon her face.

    "Shin Daerin, let''s see who can hit the other the most. This will be fun!" he spoke out.

    "Since my hair is already ruined, I might as well join on it. Oh Sookyung, I will make you lose for sure," she stated.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Two of them lied on the snowy field, and they were were covered in snow. A relaxed expression sat on their faces.

    Moon Jiwoo tilted her body to face Oh Sookyung and spoke out, "I believe that I have won this. Surely, I hit you more than you hit me. Does it even make sense for you win against me?"

    "Heol! How confident can you get, Shin Daerin?" he questioned.

    "This is self-awareness. I know about how good I am at this kind of thing, so it is natural that I am the winner," Moon Jiwoo stated.

    "Tch! For your information, the number was not counted, and there is nothing confirming that tog have won, Shin Daerin. Your ???ky attitude is irritating," he stated.

    "Isn''t it normal for you to lose against me?" she asked.

    "I really want to punch you now, Shin Daerin," he spoke out.

    "Why? Because I hurt your ego? Then, punch me. I will make to sure to deliver a punch hundred times more powerful than that," Jiwoo said.

    "Alright. I will be the better person since I don''t want a fight to break out at here," Sookyung stated, "But this was refreshing."

    "I guess that could have been said for it if you hadn''t ruined my hair completely. Do you know how mucb effort I even put into it?" Moon Jiwoo voiced out¡ª her tone showing her frustrations.

    "It''s alright. You look beautiful with however you look; didn''t you say that before?" Sookyung expressed.

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to respond, both of them heard footsteps, and at that, they abruptly sat up on the snow. Raising their head, they looked at the man who had appeared.

    "Hello! I am sorry for being late. Something came up, and this just slipped my mind for a second. I am Hwang Yejoon, and Minhyun Hyung told me to guide you both at here," the man said.

    Both Moon Jiwoo and Oh Sookyung stood up. Staring at the man from top to bottom, Jiwoo found the man being quite good looking, and he appeared to be someone easy to get along with that bright smile upon his face.

    "Both of us had fun in the snow anyway," Sookyung said, "I am Oh Sookyung, and this is Shin Daerin. Both of us are in your care."

    Probably noticing how on guard Sookyung was at, Yejoon let out a chuckle and said, "You can relax. I am on Minhyun Hyung''s side, but it can not be said for the rest at here.

    Just make sure to maintain a low profile, and you can''t let your identity to be leaked out. I will take you to a inn, and over there, the rest of the things can be discussed."

    Sookyung nodded.

    Then, turning to look at Moon Jiwoo, Hwang Yejoon winked at her and expressed, "And lovely lady, I am pretty sure both of us will be having a pleasant time together. Just let me know if you need any company, and I will be there."

    Instantly, Moon Jiwoo''s nose scrunched up to show her disgust, and she shook her head fervently before saying, "I don''t think I will be needing it."

    Sookyung let out a chuckle and spoke out, "Hwang Yejoon-ssi, she is not someone you can get along with that easily. With her temper, she will be too much for you to handle."

    "Yah! You bastard! What are you trying to make me into? I am perfectly capable of getting along with others," Jiwoo stated, "It is just that you who I despise."

    Yejoon chuckled and said, "Taming wild ladies are fun. I am looking forward to it!"

    "Do you both believe that I will be punching you to the point that you will be crying in pain if you don''t shut your nonsense? And Yejoon-ssi, it would be pleasant if you did not talk that way. I don''t know when I might lose control over my anger," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "I am pretty sure it''s not like anything I can''t handle, so it is alright," Yejoon expressed, "When I see beautiful woman like you, I am unable to control myself."

    "You are disgusting. Although I am attractive, I don''t need those words from you," Moon Jiwoo retorted¡ª staring at the man sternly.

 Chapter 91 - Challenge [1]

    Snacks of various ?ssortments was served before Moon Jiwoo. Although they appeared to be quite delicious, Jiwoo could not find herself having any appetite towards them due to the current situation.

    Three of them¡ª Moon Jiwoo, Oh Sookyung, and Hwang Yejoon¡ª was at a room in the hotel, discussing about the actions they will be taking.

    Jiwoo''s eyes stared at the snacks while Hwang Yejoon said, "Initially, we were planning to ambush the king and kill him from behind his back. But it seems that, Sookyung, you are not willing to go through that."

    A sigh escaped from Yejoon''s mouth after those words left his mouth. Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened as they stared at Sookyung questioningly, wanting for an explanation.

    However, Sookyung tilted his head slightly and remained silent about it. Finding the curiosity build up within her, Jiwoo made a note mentally to ask about it to him later on.

    "So, now, we have to resort to the other method," Yejoon spoke out.

    Raising one of her eyebrows, Moon Jiwoo questioned, "What is the other method?"

    "That is duelling. Oh Sookyung will challenge the current King to a duel, and the fight will be to death," Yejoon stated, "The one who survives will be the King."

    At Yejoon''s words, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened in horror while she stared at Sookyung. Challenging the current King to a duel and fighting him one on one was dangerous.

    While the king had years of experience, Sookyung merely started training and b?r?ly had any training. Fighting him head on¡ª although that was the right way¡ª was simply sucidal for Sookyung.

    "Are you crazy for choosing that? Do you want to die that badly?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

    Seeing how Sookyung shrugged his shoulders and avoided from giving her an answer, Moon Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist while she glared him.

    Maybe in this way, Jiwoo would not have to endanger her life, but that did not leave a good feeling within her; even Jiwoo was unable to puzzle out the reason behind it.

    "He is quite determined about it. There is no use in trying to talk him out of it apparently," Yejoon said, "About the duel, it will be held three days from now on.

    I have given the King the formal letter and informed everyone in the Underworld about it. Although this is crazy, Sookyung, you might be able to do it if you are lucky. At the end, the only thing you can look up to is fate."

    Slamming her hand on top of the table, Jiwoo said, "Like hell I am allowing Sookyung to go on a duel with that King. This weakling will die before he even gets to make a single attack on the King. It''s better to send me to a duel instead of him."

    Jiwoo stood up and stared at Yejoon with determined eyes. Moon Jiwoo did not understand herself why she was this protective over Sookyung¡ª probably because of her instincts. Nonetheless, she could not bring herself to feel calm with the thought of him going on the duel.

    "It''s already decided that I will be going," Sookyung spoke out, "So, stop saying unnecessary things, Shin Daerin. I am not that weak."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and stood up, not understanding why her mood ruined at that moment. Sookyung''s attitude towards the entire thing irritated her further.

    "Actually, do whatever you want. I mean, if you die, I suppose it is freedom for me. Maybe I should wish for you to die so that I can lead a peaceful life," Jiwoo said, turning her back on him and walking away as she clenched her hand into a tight fist.

    As Moon Jiwoo fell back on her bed, she bit her lips while instant regret filled her at the words she had uttered back at that room. In the moment of anger then, those words escaped from Jiwoo''s mouth.

    Moon Jiwoo ?r??n?d and scolded herself, "You are an idiot. Now I can see why people had called you that before. How could you even say that to someone who would go on a fight to death? Geez! You need to learn to control your mouth more."

    It was baffling to Moon Jiwoo how panicked she felt about the situation and her nerves were unable to calm down. At the thought of Sookyung going on that dangerous duel was enough to cause apprehension and anxiety to rise within her.

    It was almost as if she was worried about him; maybe she was truly worried about him. This time, it was not hard for Jiwoo to notice that this was not because of her instincts; it was deeper than that.

    At the thought of her sincerely worrying about him, Jiwoo found herself being shocked. It was hard for her to believe that she had grown such feelings towards Sookyung.

    "I should go and take a cold bath to calm myself down. This will be driving me crazy at this¡ª"

    Before she was able to continue, Jiwoo heard knocks on the door, and wondering who it could be behind it, she turned her head towards the door, saying, "Come in."

    The door was pushed open, and Hwang Yejoon had walked into the room. Seeing him, Jiwoo stood up from her place and, raising one of her eyebrows, stared at him questioningly.

    "Mind if I talk to you about some matters," Yejoon said, "Although you don''t appear to be quite pleased with me."

    ''Is that the impression I gave to him? It''s not like that I am displeased with him though.''

    "Yeah, you can," Jiwoo said, "It''s not that I dislike you. This is just how I am."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes stared at the ground while she found her cheeks heating up due to the embarrassment. This was the first time she tried to explain herself, and maybe Yejoon''s friendly eyes were the reason behind it. Although the man was quite a flirt, she could see that he was a decent and amiable man.

    Yejoon chuckled, and closing the door behind him, he stated, "You are quite a cute girl, Shin Daerin-ssi. If it was not for the fact that we are busy now, I would have courted you. Anyway, let''s talk about Sookyung''s matter."

    "About that boy''s matter? What else could I say other than he is completely suicidal? It so quite foolish how he thinks he will be

    able to overpower the current king and win over him. He is being overconfident; I am sure about that. That boy needs someone to knock some senses into him.

    Should I go and beat him to the point that he will not be thinking about the duel anymore?" Jiwoo stated, folding her arms across her ?h?st. Her voice showed how agitated she was.

    "I believe that would not be working. Oh Sookyung is quite a smart man, and knowing his character well, Shin Daerin, you know that he had taken this path after a deep thought.

    He is not someone who will choose to go after this merely due to his pride or the right path. Try to think of why he had done it. I am pretty sure it is quite obvious," Yejoon said.

    Hwang Yejoon''s words sent her to a deep thought. Taking foolish actions was not something Sookyung would do; it was rather her forte. But she was unable to think of a reason behind it. Sookyung was not a man who valued morals much, and he was not the one who would do it impulsively.

    "There is nothing that comes to my mind. Could it be that he got some kind of plans or something, like winning the duel with underhanded methods? That actually seems like something he would go for," Jiwoo said. That''s the only thing that came to her mind, which seemed reasonable.

    Hwang Yejoon shook his head and voiced out, "As much as pleasant as that sounds, Sookyung doesn''t have anything prepared from beforehand. There is another reason behind it. Think harder. Who will be the one to benefit from it mostly?"

    Jiwoo pursed her lips for a couple of seconds before speaking up, "The current King? He will be one to benefit the most since this will make everything easier for him. But that doesn''t sound like a reason. Who could it¡ª"

    A thought had struck her, causing Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen, and raising her index finger, she pointed at herself, finding that to be absurd herself.

    To her surprise, Yejoon curved the corner of his lips to form a smile, and he nodded his head.

    Seeing him reaction managed to baffled her, and she said, "No way! There is no way that could be the reason. Does it make sense for him to endanger his life for me? I mean, he could not care less if I died or lived unless I am able to protect him. He is not someone to get that emotional. I take back when I thought that he is smart; he is quite foolish."

    Shrugging his shoulders, Yejoon said, "You better discuss with the current King over this."

 Chapter 92 - Challenge [2]

    Hearing the loud sound, Oh Sookyung turned his head towards his door. His door was slammed push harshly, and as it came in contact with the wall, a loud sound was produced.

    Moon Jiwoo stomped into the room, and closing the door behind her, she approached him. Her eyes stared at him intensely the entire time.

    Sookyung, who was removing his shirt at the moment, was caught by shock at her actions, and raising one of his eyebrows, he questioned, "What are you doing?"

    Silently, Jiwoo gripped on to his wrist, and clutching it tightly, she pushed his back against the wall. Placing her hand on the wall, she cornered him.

    The end of Sookyung''s lips curved up slightly, and a twinkle appeared in his eyes as he commented, "Shin Daerin, you are really daring to do this."

    "Oh Sookyung, are you an idiot?" she questioned. In that voice of hers, anger could be perceived.

    "Not exactly if I am compared to you," he replied teasingly.

    "Who the fu?k told you to duel just because of my sake? Did I tell you to do that? Since when did you start making such decisions? Should I beat some senses within you? I don''t want you to take me into consideration!

    Oh Sookyung, I can manage myself well, so back out from that damned duel. Being impulsive doesn''t suit you," Jiwoo spoke out in one breath, and her tone indicated how angry she was.

    Sookyung folded his arms across his ?h?st and said, "Aren''t you getting too ahead of yourself? Who said that it is because of you? Attacking from the back is quite a shameless act for a King, and even not befitting. I am just doing this to be cool. That''s all. Don''t overthink."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed that and retorted, "Since when did you think about being honorable or shameless? You are best when you are a calculating coward. What the hell had happened to you?"

    "Calculating coward? Wow! Is that how you look at me in your heart? Any way, don''t worry. Believe in me. Taking out the current king would not be a big deal to me, Shin Daerin," Sookyung stated, "I have got tricks up my sleeve. I would not go to a battle where I would die."

    Raising one of her eyebrows, Jiwoo asked, "You sure?"

    Oh Sookyung nodded his head.

    "Then, I will believe in you. But if you nearly die in that duel, I will barge in order to rescue you. That''s why, don''t be scared," Jiwoo said, "But it doesn''t make sense for you to do something like that for me. You are not a good person. What motive do you have behind this?"

    Sookyung chuckled and spoke out, "What type of person am I inside your heart? I am just doing this is because you''re too interesting to die."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at his words as she stared at him with astonishment. Taking a step back, she lowered her hand¡ª which was holding the wall previously.

    Jiwoo could feel her cheeks warming up, and unable to face Sookyung that moment, she turned to look the other way. Sookyung''s words managed to give birth to joy within her, and she could vaguely feel her heart increasing its beating rate.

    Extending his hand towards Jiwoo, Sookyung patted the top of her head and expressed, "You are someone precious to me, and that''s why, I want to protect you as much you as protected me."

    Jiwoo coughed and said, "Finally you learned how to be grateful."

    Dealing with such situations was difficult for Moon Jiwoo for she did not face them often, and hearing such sweet words from Sookyung did not happen regularly.

    "Daerin, are you blushing right now? Your cheeks, ears, and now even your neck is red. Are you embarrassed? Touched? You''re really cute now," he spoke out.

    Turning her head to glare at him, she retorted, "Shut up, and get dressed! I will be leaving."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo was about to walk out of the room when Sookyung grabbed on to her hand and pulled her back. His actions caught her by surprise, and as her back hit against the wall, Jiwoo stared at the man questioningly.

    "Shouldn''t you be returning this favour to me? I don''t mind if you pay me with your body," Sookyung suggested.

    "Are you looking to get beaten up? Didn''t you say that you did it because I am precious to you? So stop asking for something in return," Jiwoo voiced out.

    "You are really not abashed while saying that," Sookyung said, "Then let me at least take this from you."

    When Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows at his words, he moved his face closer to hers and planted his lips upon her forehead softly. At the contact, Jiwoo could feel her heart skip a beat, and her breath was stuck.

    As the realization dawned upon her, Jiwoo''s raised her leg and kicked the man before her at his knee on reflex. Her action caused Sookyung to stumble backwards.

    "I expected that reaction," Sookyung voiced out.

    "What the hell, you pervert! I thought you stopped with that!" Jiwoo exclaimed¡ª her cheeks flushed red.

    "I wanted to, but, Shin Daerin, you are cute to the point that I am unable to resist you," he said.

    "Stop calling me cute! That is weird coming from you, and the next time you dare to do something like that again, King or not, I swear I will be burying you alive, Oh Sookyung," she threatened.

    "As long as you can dig me back again, I am fine with it, Moon Jiwoo," he responded.

    Scoffing at the man before her, Jiwoo knew that it would not be beneficial to her if she continued to argue with him, and turning her back on him, she walked out of the room after a one last glare at the man.

    Before leaving the room, she said, "You should train now instead of wasting time, Oh Sookyung."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo fell back on the couch, and in her hand was a cup filled with cold coffee. Lifting the cup, she took a sip out of it, and at the bitter taste, Jiwoo smiled softly.

    Her nerves were unable to cool down due to how panicked she was, and Sookyung was relatively calm. Due to that, it felt as if she was the one who was going on a duel rather than her. Maybe things would have been better if she went on a duel.

    Raising her head, Jiwoo stared at Sookyung who came out of the washroom. A towel was ground his neck, and his wet hair indicated how he had taken a bath.

    "Sookyung, don''t you think that it would be better if I duel with the King in your place? I can wear a mask in order to conceal my identity," Jiwoo spoke out, "That actually sounds more promising."

    "Should I be upset that you hold no trust in me or be happy that you are worried to the extent you are able to make such a sacrifice for me?" Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Stop with that nonsense, Oh Sookyung," she said, "I am trying to be serious now. I should actually go in your place."

    "I will truly be locking you up if you do that. That will be totally absurd, and since I am a man, how can I let you fight my battles?" Sookyung stated.

    "I should consider locking you up instead of you doing that, and can you stop mentioning how that has a connection to you being a man? You always did it, so at this point, it doesn''t even bother me," Jiwoo said.

    "If you keep this up, Shin Daerin, I will start to think that you have feelings for me," Sookyung spoke out, "You would not want that happening."

    Scrunching up her nose, Jiwoo''s eyes instantly showed the disgust she felt, and she expressed, "What feelings? I feel like a mother caring for her child. Can''t you differentiate such emotions?"

    "Are you really taking me to be your son? I don''t know whether or not to be happy at that," Sookyung responded.

    Walking over to Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung plopped down on the couch beside her, and raising his hand, he wrapped it around her shoulder.

    "Of course you should be happy. Not anyone can be my son. You should really be grateful for me because of how well I treat you, Oh Sookyung," Jiwoo stated.

    "But Shin Daerin, that''s not the type of relationship I want from you. I am sure at this point, you understood what type of feelings I have towards you. Won''t you be accepting them?" Sookyung voiced out.

    "Please stop," Jiwoo replied, "Even if I am irresistible, it would be quite disturbing if you have such feelings towards me, and quit flirting. It is disgusting coming from you."

    Sookyung chuckled at her words, and extending his hand towards her, he ruffled her hair while wearing a soft smile on his face.

 Chapter 93 - To end [1]

    Patting his shoulder softly, Jiwoo spoke out, "You will be just fine, Oh Sookyung. Don''t panic or get nervous! Just unleash your potential and blast him off."

    Sookyung chuckled and voiced out, "Rather than me, it seems like you are the one who will be passing out any second now. One would think that you are the one going instead of me."

    "If only you could understand how restless I am," Jiwoo stated, "I am still not alright with you going there."

    It was time for Oh Sookyung to depart to the fighting arena, and while the three of them stood before the door, the hesitation was shown in Moon Jiwoo''s eyes. Her ?h?st did not feel calm at the thought of letting him go.

    "If I somehow die, do keep me in your memory as a good person," Sookyung spoke out in a light-hearted manner, winking at her.

    "That''s a terrible thing to say before going. If you die, I swear I will do the worst thing possible with your corpse," Jiwoo threatened.

    "Alright. That''s it for the chitchat. If Minhyun Hyung had agreed to it, then this will be absolutely fine," Yejoon voiced out, "Oh yeah! From today onwards, you will be Minhyun, Oh Sookyung. You know that, right?"

    At that, Moon Jiwoo recalled on how ''Han Minhyun'' lead his life as ''Sookyung'' the entire time, and after today, Sookyung will be called as Minhyun.

    "Can''t I just keep my name as Sookyung? Changing my name when I am this grown up doesn''t feel pleasant," Sookyung said, "And I am quite fond of my name."

    Shrugging his shoulders, Yejoon spoke out, "After you become the king, changing your given name is so big deal I suppose."

    At that instant, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes sharpened, and a serious expression formed on her face before she said, "There are footsteps outside of the apartment. Twenty of them. They stopped in front of the door."

    Yejoon nodded his head and stated, "I have more or less expected this. Kim Namhyuk is not the one to play fairly. It would be for the best if Sookyung does not use his powers.

    Shin Daerin, do you think you will be able to take them on your own? I will teleport Oh Sookyung to that place and send someone to help you with the situation. I would not be able to teleport with you."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded her head and answered, "Yes, it will be all fine. You just head over to arena with Oh Sookyung. This much can not bring me down."

    "Be careful," Sookyung said, "I will be waiting for you, Shin Daerin, so you can not be late. I might lose if you don''t show up."

    Raising her head, Jiwoo ran them through her hair and stated, "What''s with those words of your They gave me chills! Any way, I will be showing up. Taking care this much is a child''s play for me."

    With that, Hwang Yejoon snapped his finger, and at that, both of them disappeared into the thin air. After they had teleported out of there, Jiwoo turned her head to face the door.

    "Let''s do this then, Shin Daerin," Jiwoo mumbled to herself.

    Walking over to the door, Moon Jiwoo pulled it open, and seeing the men standing before the door, Jiwoo realized that she had guessed right. There were indeed twenty of them present.

    "Hello!" Jiwoo greeted, "What do you¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, two of the men took out their swords and made their move towards her. Jiwoo''s eyes grew more vigilant at that, and she jumped a step back.

    All of the men stepped into the room, and they cornered her from all the sides. Although taking care of twenty men was possible for Moon Jiwoo, it was a different story of all of them attacked her at the same time. In that case, it might get extremely difficult for her to handle it.

    Moon Jiwoo''s sword appeared into her hand, and her surrounding shone as jolt of electricity went in front of her. Her eyes fiercely stared the men beside her as they came one after other to attack her.

    Starting to defend herself, Jiwoo noticed how they did not bother to go after Oh Sookyung. Maybe she was their target. However, it did not make sense to her on why they would be attacking her.

    Without Sookyung, it did not make sense for them to attack her unless there was a motive behind it for that. To take such an action, the king surely had something planned although Jiwoo was unable to figure it out.

    Even though Jiwoo managed to inflict the most damage, she had gotten some wounds over her body as well. The cuts closed up, and her hair was currently a mess as she flipped backwards.

    The men did not appear to hold back when they made their moves towards her, and with the strategy, Jiwoo was afraid that sooner or later she would end up being defeated by them. it appeared that she had originally underestimated them.

    That''s when, an idea to teleport out of this place came to her mind. Sicje she had not been out much, there was only a short amount of places she could visualize.

    One of them was the town''s street before the bakery, and since the bakery was quite a distance away from their hotel, Jiwoo decided to teleport there, hoping that she would not be messing up anything for she did not clearly recall the places.

    Taking her sword out, Jiwoo struck the ground with that and spoke out, "This was a pleasant fight, but I have to be somewhere now. Goodbye."

    One of theen moved forward and was about to make an attack upon Moon Jiwoo, but before that was able to happen, Jiwoo disappeared into the thin air.

    Running her hand through her hair, Jiwoo raised her head and stared at the small bakery before her. There were quite a number of people present around her.

    "Ah! It seems that I have arrived at the right place," Jiwoo mumbled to herself.

    That''s when, it hit Moon Jiwoo on how she did not know where to go in order to see Oh Sookyung. Earlier, Yejoon mentioned on how he will be sending someone. However, with her running away from that place, that would not be possible for Moon Jiwoo.

    "There had to be something that will be able to help," Jiwoo mumbled to herself.

    Looking around the place, she tried to find something helpful. As she pursed her lips, she realized how the people around her were staring at her, and creases appeared between both of her eyebrows at that.

    She wondered what the reason behind that could be. Was it because she looked weird after the fight?

    Nonetheless, pushing that thought at the back of her mind, Jiwoo turned to face the woman who was about to walk past her and decided to ask the woman for help.

    "Excuse me," Jiwoo started, "Would it be possible for you to help me right now?"

    The woman looked at Jiwoo and pointed at herself, causing Jiwoo to nod her head.

    "Yeah, you. You see, I am new at here, and I don''t know anything around here. I believe you know about the duel between the current king and the prince. Would it be possible for you to let me know of the directions to that place?"

    The woman nodded her head and spoke out, "Sure, call me Aera. I will be able to lead you to that place, but do you have the ticket? Without that, you would not be able to enter in, and it would not be possible for you to get one right now."

    "Ticket, hmm," Jiwoo said, "You can say that I will be fine without that, Aera-ssi."

    "If you say so, then alright. But don''t create a fuss at there or else things might get quite serious for you," Aera stated.

    "Is that so? Are you going to watch the duel as well, Aera-ssi?" Jiwoo questioned, raising one of her eyebrows.

    "Yes, I am a journalist and looking forward to getting some good piece of news from this," Aera stated, "It is not that we get such news regularly, so this opportunity is quite precious to us."

    "Oh! Who do you support then?" Jiwoo questioned.

    "Everyone is placing their bets on the current king. The prince is quite young, and it is understandable for them to not choose his side. As for me, I am on the neutral side. The prince would not have chosen to attack him if he was not strong enough. At the end, it''s just that I want the prince to win and for the current King''s reign to end."

 Chapter 94 - To end [2]

    Moon Jiwoo found herself being amazed due to the huge crowd standing outside of the arena Although they were not allowed to enter, they stood outside of the arena¡ª probably waiting for the results.

    The realization that Jiwoo was unable to get in dawned upon her. She did not have a ticket with her, and revealing her identity would be bringing too much of a trouble with her.

    Seeing how Aera handed over her to the booth, Jiwoo pursed both of her lips together, trying to think of something to do.

    Aera turned back, and smiling at Jiwoo, she said, "I will reserve a place for you inside."

    Moon Jiwoo nervously nodded as she watched Aera enter into the arena. If Jiwoo were to get into the arena, there was only one option left in her hand. She took in a deep breath.

    Making her way over to the booth, Jiwoo leaned closer to it, and her eyes fell on the man sitting inside of the booth. A stern expression sat on the man''s face, and the unfriendly look he wore made her feel more pressurized.

    Curving her lips to force out a smile, Jiwoo spoke out, "Excuse, for this, would those related with the King require a ticket?"

    Her question elicited a dull reaction from the man as if she had said something foolish before he answered, "No, the King''s relatives go in through the VIP route. Ticket?"

    "Ah! What about those related to the Prince? His protector? Do they need this ticket?" Jiwoo questioned enthusiastically.

    "Are you a news reporter? Certainly not. They would not come over to the commoner''s booth," the man spoke out.

    Widening the smile on her face, Jiwoo stated, "It''s not difficult for you to notice how different I am, right. This matter is a secret, but I am the current Prince''s protector. Due to a problem, I had to be separated from him. It would not be a problem for you to let me in."

    Creases appeared between the man''s eyebrows, and looking at Jiwoo as if she had lost it, he said, "I have more things to do at here. Don''t disturb me and get lost from here if you don''t have a ticket."

    Raising one of her eyebrows, Jiwoo questioned, "You don''t believe me?".

    "Ah! This is troublesome. I guess I have no option but to do this," Jiwoo added, running her hand through her hair.

    As Moon Jiwoo took in a deep breath, the air aaround her grew thicker, and the tension increased. An intimidating aura was let out by her, and electricity sparked outside of her body.

    "Is this enough of a proof for you or should I create a commotion at here to prove everything to you? I am pretty sure it is not difficult for you to sense how different I am," Jiwoo confidently spoke out.

    Moon Jiwoo had learned about how the aura around her was different from everyone, and she decided to use it to her advantage now.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Oh Sookyung and Hwang Yejoon outside of the arena. As Sookyung leaned against the wall and had his arms folded over his ?h?st, Yejoon placed his hand on Sookyung''s shoulders.

    "So, she is not here yet?" Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows.

    "No," Yejoon answered, "She had already escaped from the scene before the one I sent was able to reach the place. I looked around the arena as well, but it did not seem that she was here."

    Oh Sookyung released a sigh and said, "Ah! Where could she be at? Now, she is making me feel anxious before the fight. I really wanted for her to see this."

    Patting his shoulder, Yejoon stated, "Don''t let that affect your fight. I am still searching for her, and maybe we will be able to find her before your fight is over. Don''t worry! I am pretty sure she wants to see this more than you. She might find a way to this herself."

    "Daerin is not that bright, and more than her coming here, I am worried that she will get into trouble or start a fight with someone. She doesn''t even know anything or anyone around here," Sookyung spoke out.

    "She will be fine; Shin Daerin is not that helpless," Yejoon stated, "She will manage herself perfectly, so stop worrying about all this. You''re going to stake your life in this, and concentrate on it properly. More than anything, she would not watch you to lose."

    "I guess that''s the case," Sookyung voiced out, "I just wish that the luck will be on my side today."

    Yejoon gave him an understanding nod.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "It took quite a while for you to enter in. Did you get into trouble or something?" Aera questioned as Jiwoo stepped in.

    It appeared the commoner''s did not have any arrangements to sit at, and therefore, they had to keep standing.

    The crowd was irritating to Moon Jiwoo, and being squeezed by people was not something Jiwoo found pleasant. Nonetheless, this was better than nothing.

    Fortunately enough, Aera reserved a place for her closer to the front, and taking in her current height, Jiwoo knew that it would be perfect for her to watch the entire thing from that place.

    Standing beside Aera, she answered, "You could say that it''s something like that. It''s really hot at here compared to other places."

    "Yeah! That''s frustrating. Due to how it distracting it might get during the fight, they stopped the snow around the place, and that''s why, the temperature is higher. You really don''t know about anything around here. Where are you from?"

    Patting the back of her head, Jiwoo awkwardly said, "Yeah. I am not from here; I am from up there¡ª the surface."

    Her words caused Aera to widen her eyes, and as the shock she felt translated on to her features, Aera said, "Wow! Seriously!? This is amazing! What job have you been doing to be at the surface? Being at the surface is no small matter."

    Shrugging her shoulders, Jiwoo answered, "I just grew up on the surface. This is my first time at the Underworld, and everything is a long story."

    "Is that so? I am really curious about the entire thing. If you don''t mind, don''t forget to let me in on the entire story. I might be able to get a good piece of news from this," Aera enthusiastically voiced out.

    "Sure! That would be great," Jiwoo spoke out¡ª a small smile forming on her face.

    Not usually did Moon Jiwoo get to meet girls who were friendly to her, and having Aera behave that way to her made her unable to remove the joyful expression from her face.

    Turning to look towards the front, Aera said, "Oh! The fight will be beginning any moment now."

    At those words of Aera, Jiwoo turned her head to stare at the front. A man walked into the huge field before them, and Jiwoo took him to be the one hosting the fight.

    It took him couple of minutes to inform about the rules of the fight and introduce the details of both of the participants.

    "That''s Kim Taeseok," Aera stated, "His presence is really intimidating to the point you can feel it from this position. That''s because, he is one of the Leaders."

    Moon Jiwoo recalled about how Leaders held the most power after the King, and staring at the man before her, Jiwoo had to admit that he appeared to be quite powerful.

    However, when it came to feeling intimidated, Jiwoo was unable to relate to feeling such a thing. Although he was strong, she did not feel pressurized.

    "Oh," Jiwoo answered.

    After that, the door was opened, and a man strode into the room. The confidence and pride he carried himself with made his identity clear for Moon Jiwoo.

    The man walking in was Kim Namhyuk, the current king of the Underworld, and sharpening her gaze, she scrutinized the man before her.

    It did not take her long to make out how strong the man before her was. The expression on his face showed how he was not at all worried about this, and that was starting to make Jiwoo nervous.

    "That''s the king. The air around him is as menacing as always," Aera commented.

    Jiwoo could see what Aera had meant by that. The king did not let out a air that made him deem to be friendly. Then again, that could be because of his years as the King.

    After the King had stood at his place, another figure walked into the field. A small smile formed on Jiwoo''s face as she saw Sookyung step inside.

    Then, she noticed how Sookyung swept his eyes through the crowd, and because of the big figure standing before her, Jiwoo was aware that he would not be able to spot her.

    ''You can do it, Oh Sookyung! Fighting!''

 Chapter 95 - The winner [1]

    Nervousness brewed within Moon Jiwoo when she watched both of them starting the duel. While Sookyung appeared to be serious about it, a light-hearted expression sat on Kim Namhyuk'' face. "How strong is the King?" Jiwoo questioned, turning her head to face Aera. "About that, I have no idea; this is my first time seeing the King''s strength. I just heard about it," Aera said, "Although he doesn''t train much, the King is quite powerful¡ª more powerful than everyone. It''s a trait all Kings possess." "Oh," Jiwoo replied. The anxiety caused her to chew on her finger nails while observing Namhyuk and Sookyung go against each other. Namhyuk was the one to make the first attack. As he directed his sword at Sookyung''s direction, Sookyung took couple of steps backward and took out his own sword. The King disappeared from his place and appeared behind Sookyung. As if predicting that, Sookyung moved couple of steps forward and blocked the King''s sword by turning back with his. "One flaw with the King is that although he is quite strong, his moves can be quite predictable at times. If one learns his way of fighting once, it will be easier for them to go against the King second time because there are b?r?ly any changes in certain patterns," Aera explained. "I can see that," Jiwoo spoke out, "But still he has the skills to make up for that. I thought being old will be maKing him weak. However, that doesn''t appear to be the case." Aera chuckled and stated, "Being old does put him at a disadvantage, but it is up to the Prince whether or not will be able to use them to his advantage. There are lots of openings when it comes to the King, but you need to be skilled and perceptive enough to take note of them." For someone like Jiwoo, who naturally possessed the skills to fight, she could see what Aera meant. The openings she spoke of was easily spotted by Jiwoo, but as for Sookyung, Jiwoo did not know whether or not he saw them. ¡ã¡ã¡ã A gasp escaped from Jiwoo''s mouth she saw how the King made the attack against Sookyung''s ?h?st. Fortunately enough Sookyung was smart enough to disappear at the right time or else this would have been detrimental to him. Compared to both of their neat appearance when they entered into the field, the two of them were at a dishevelled state now and have incurred quite an amount of damages. Blood spilled from both sides and covered the fields. Sookyung appeared at the left of the King, and Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the huge slash on his ?h?st made from the attack now. As the wound was healing, the blood remained on his ?h?st. TaKing the King by surprise, Sookyung connected his fist against his waist before the King was able to face him. The impact from that caused the King to stumble a few steps backward before he fell on the ground. "That was amazing!" Jiwoo expressed as a wide smile formed on her face. Sookyung appeared to have more skills than she had originally thought. Maybe it would not be bad to get optimistic about it right now. "It seems that the prince is quite sharp," Aera said, "If this is maintained, he has a pretty decent chance of winning." Lifting his sword, Sookyung made his way towards the King, and looKing down at the King, Sookyung was about to make his attack on him before he was able to stand up. But the moment he was about to inflict the attack, a sharp pain went through his ?h?st, catching him by surprise, and Sookyung''s grip on the sword loosened for a second. TaKing this as a opportunity, the King stood up and raising his leg he kicked at Sookyung''s stomach. His attack sent Sookyung flying backwards. Before Sookyung was able to fall on the ground, he composed himself, and digging his sword into the field, he kept standing. Raising his head, he stared at the King when another wave of pain went through his ?h?st. It did not make sense to him on why would he suddenly be feeling this, and then, when his eyes fell on the smirk forming upon the King''s face, his eyes widened.  The pain was too high for him to ignore, and squeezing his eyes shut, Sookyung tried to stand up straight. But the pain in his ?h?st did not make that possible for him. "Oh no," Aera said, "The King must have used unfair methods." Furrowing her eyebrows, Jiwoo questioned, "What do you mean?" "It is exactly as I said. The King probably poisoned the prince. When it comes to the King, I suppose such methods aren''t new. Since he is the King, it is not like anyone can say anything against him." Fear began to rise within Jiwoo as she clenched her hand into a tight, and anger towards the King brewed up within her. The impulse to enter into the field and punch the King was there within her, but she held it in, praying that Sookyung will be alright. She hoped for a miracle to occur! TaKing this as his chance, the King moved forward, and a rush of wind came in Sookyung''s direction pushing him backwards. Sookyung''s back came in contact with the ground while he laid on the field. Sookyung let go of his grip on the sword, and by each passing second, he was starting to feel more and more weak. A slight dizziness went through his head, and the strength within his body was depleting. A victorious smirk formed on the King''s face as he held the sword against Sookyung''s neck and spoke out, "It was quite foolish of you to expect to win against me. Nonetheless, I am impressed by how foolish yet brave you are. Any last wishes?" Feeling a small pebble beside her feet, Jiwoo bent down to pick it up, and staring intensely at them, she shot the pebble at the King''s direction. The pebble moved at an incredibly fast rate, and before the King was able to dodge it, it hit his head. Caught by surprise, the King raised his head to stare at Jiwoo''s direction, and anger was clearly present in those eyes of his. Not only the King, everyone present at the scene was taken aback by Jiwoo''s action and turned their head to face her. A gasp escaped from Aera''s mouth before she mumbled, "Shin Daerin." Without paying attention to that, Jiwoo loudly spoke out, "Hey, Oh Sookyung! Didn''t I say that if you lose to that damned fat King I will personally make sure you don''t get buried properly. I will tear off all the limbs from your body and feed it to the dogs I swear.  How the hell are you so weak? It''s better for you to die at there since you will be only bringing embarrassment to me. If you manage to come out of that alive and defeated, I will show you how pain feels like. If you are going to lose, you better die at there. Why are you lying there until now? Didn''t you brag about how you will be winning!" "Shin Daerin, do you know the prince?" Aera questioned. Caught in the moment, those words left Jiwoo''s mouth before she was able to think properly, and finally noticing everyone''s attention on her, she awkwardly patted the back of her head. "Oh! I forgot to mention about it," Jiwoo said, "I am actually that Sookyung''s protector. Some mishap happened, and I was separated from him. If it was not for you, I would not be able to watch him be so miserable. He is a hopeless case." "Heol! I did not expect that," Aera spoke out. A chuckle escaped from Sookyung''s mouth as he voiced out, "Since she had mentioned about it, I can only imagine how scary it can be. I don''t think I would want to go through that." "That''s right, you better win if you are that scared of me," Jiwoo retorted. With that, Sookyung''s lips curved to form a smile, and raising his hand, he connected it with the King''s lips. Caught by surprise, the King''s lips parted slightly, and taKing that to his advantage, he pushed the pill in his hand inside the King''s lips. The King instantly moved backward, and placing his hand around his own neck, the King stared at Sookyung with widened eyes. "What the hell did you feed me?" Kim Namhyuk questioned as a burning pain went through his neck. Sookyung chuckled and spoke out, "What? Did you think that you are the only one with tricks up your sleeve? Tch! I just fed you a stronger dosage of what you have given to me." "You!" the king exclaimed, but the throb that went through his throat prevented him from speaking further. Taking advantage of this, Sookyung picked up his sword and pushed the king back with the sharp edge of the sword. ...tage of this, Sookyung picked up his sword and pushed the king back with the sharp edge of the sword. ...

 Chapter 96 - The winner [2]

    With their positions switched, Oh Sookyung stood above the current king now, and raising his sword, he was about to drive it through the king.

    That''s when, something fell into Jiwoo''s line of sight, and her eyes widened. Within a matter of second, Jiwoo vanished from her position and appeared in the field.

    A man was about to attack Sookyung from the back, and Sookyung, whose concentration was on the king, had failed to notice that.

    Nonetheless, due to her fast reaction, Jiwoo was able to take out her dagger and block the attack in time. Raising her head to stare at the man, she intensely glared at him.

    Her lips were pursed into a thin line while a dangerous aura emitted from her. One could easily see how enraged she was at that very moment.

    "What the hell are you doing!?" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed.

    With that, a jolt of electricity went through the body of that man, and the energy caused him to be pushed backwards. As his body came in contact with the ground harshly, the man found himself losing his consciousness.

    Turning his head back, Sookyung smiled and said, "Thanks. You have protected my back once again."

    Taking this opportunity, the king sat up on the ground, and although his body was quite weak, the king tried to reach out for his sword.

    Noticing that, Moon Jiwoo walked towards Kim Namhyuk, and curving her lips to form a wide smile on it, a glint appeared in her eyes.

    Before the King was able to reach the sword, Jiwoo raised her leg, and pressing her foot on top of his shoulder, she caused Namhyuk to fall down on the ground.

    Her bold actions caused gasps to escape from the people present at there and managed to elicit surprised reactions from most.

    "Why don''t you just stay on the ground and accept your death, You son of an ?sshole? You weakling, you don''t even know how to fight properly. That''s why, it is better for you to die and give the throne to someone else who is more capable than you," Jiwoo stated.

    Her actions shocked the people further. Although the King was at a weak state now, he still felt intimidating to the people here, and no one would be able to muster up their courage to utter such words.

    "You! How dare you¡ª"

    Before the King could continue with his anger filled words, Sookyung raised his sword and drive it through the King''s ?h?st.

    A scream escaped from the King at that motion, and blood splattered around the place. Moon Jiwoo scrunched her nose up as some of the blood came in contact with her, and a groan escaped from her mouth.

    "Couldn''t you have down it more neatly? You got me all dirty now," Jiwoo grumbled.

    Raising her hand, she drove it through her hair, and taking step back, she removed her feet from above of the King.

    A chuckle escaped from Sookyung''s mouth as he extended his hand towards her, and while his sword disappeared into the thin air, he wrapped his hand around her shoulder, pulling her body closer to his.

    Then, he arched his eyebrows and questioned, "Is that what you have to say to me after I won such a difficult fight?"

    "What should I say? The only reason you have won us because the king was not particularly strong, and I already guessed that you will be winning in the first place. There is nothing surprising about it or to compliment you on," Jiwoo said, placing on a nonchalant expression.

    Despite of her words, Moon Jiwoo found herself feeling extremely relieved at the outcome. For a moment there, she had thought that Oh Sookyung would be losing to the king. However, it appeared that the man had some tricks up his sleeves as well, and she felt proud of him at that.

    Lowering her line of sight, Jiwoo raised her hand and patted his back before speaking out, "Although it was not all that impressive, good job, Oh Sookyung. You managed to survive."

    Sookyung''s lips curved to form a smile at her words, and he nodded his head.

    A stern expression sat on his face, and Jiwoo did not miss the glare he shot towards Sookyung. Then recalling about he was the current King''s relative, Jiwoo stared back at him intensely and protectively stood before Oh Sookyung.

    Raising his hand, Sookyung placed it on her shoulder and said, "It''s fine. That man doesn''t mean any harm, Daerin. You¡ª"

    Before Sookyung was able to continue further, his consciousness drifted away from his, and his head fell on top of her shoulder. Feeling the sudden weight on her shoulder, Jiwoo was caught by surprise.

    Tilting her head slightly, she realized that he had fallen asleep on her shoulder, and raising her hand, she placed it above his head in order to support him.

    "Sookyung, Oh Sookyung? Are you alright?" she questioned¡ª her tone worried.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A groan escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth as he fluttered his eyes open, and as the light hit his eyes, he squinted his eyes slightly. After adjusting himself to the light, he turned his head to the left as he felt a weight on his right hand.

    Seeing how Moon Jiwoo was holding on to his right hand, a small smile formed on his face. It appeared that she had fallen asleep after accompanying him the entire time.

    His eyes fell on the strands of bangs that laid on her head messily, and extending his hand towards her, he pushed back those hair. As he was about to tuck in those hair behind her ear, she stirred slightly before opening her eyes gradually.

    The corner of her lips curved to form a smile as she spoke out, "Oh! You are finally awake. Apparently, the effects of the drugs that was fed to you was quite strong, and you remained unconscious for a week."

    "Is that so? You seem exhausted," Sookyung pointed out.

    "Is that obvious? I was just afraid that someone will be holding a grudge against you, and that was enough to make anxious to not fall asleep. I guarded you the entire time you were sleeping, so you better be grateful to me, Oh Sookyung," Jiwoo spoke out.

    A chuckle escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth as he stated, "You are overprotective of me. Not that it is bad, and I even like it."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed at that and said, "Who said that I am protective of you? It''s just that it would be a complete waste to let you die. That''s all. By the way, if you are feeling bad or something, just inform me. I will go and call the doctor."

    "There is no need for that. I feel completely healthy," Sookyung spoke out, "You appear to be quite tired. Why don''t you take a short nap while I watch over you? You might collapse at this rate."

    Giving him a bored stare, Jiwoo stated, "There is no need for that! How weak do you take me to be? Even without a month''s worth of sleep, I would not be collapsing."

    Sookyung laughed at her words and said, "You still just be exhausted."

    "Forget about that," Jiwoo voiced out, "There is one thing I am curious about. About that drug, how did you manage to get it? You haven''t told me about it beforehand, and I was completely shocked. Then again, you are not the one to play fair."

    "It was Minhyun''s idea to do so. He had already predicted for this to happen," Sookyung stated, "I thought that this entire thing would be quite strict, but in the end, none of the rules were abided by."

    "Yeah," Jiwoo said, "You were quite amazing there. I have to admit that."

    Sookyung chuckled and stated, "I clearly remember you mentioning that you were not impressed. What''s with the change in the opinion?"

    "Do you want to get punched?" Jiwoo threatened, raising her fist.

    Shaking his head, he spoke out, "I am glad that you could make it to there though. I was worried that you would be missing the entire fight and felt quite disheartened about that. But the moment I heard your voice, I felt relief wash over me, and I was really happy. It gave me a new type of joy."

    Pulling on a disgusted expression, Jiwoo stated, "Can you not use such cheesy words? Fortunately, everything ended well. Everything had finished yet started now."

    "Yeah," Sookyung spoke out, "Things still feel like a dream to me. We have managed to come so far."

    "Indeed we did," Jiwoo said, "But recalling about our encounter still manages to infuriate me!"

 Chapter 97 - A long vacation [1]

    Cool breeze blew in her direction as Jiwoo walked through the streets. Her hair was blown by the wind, and using her hand, she tucked her hair behind her air.

    "Daerin, wait up! You are walking too fast," a voice spoke out.

    Hearing that voice, Jiwoo halted in her steps, and turning back, she flashed a smile at Aera. Aera increased her walking pace in order to match up to Jiwoo''s.

    "I have already told you to not buy that much. You would not be able to carry those," Jiwoo voiced out, staring at the shopping bags at both of Aera''s hand.

    Around six months had passed ever since Oh Sookyung had ascended his throne, and now that he was a king, there was not much need for her to be by his side.

    Taking this as an opportunity, Jiwoo asked him for a long vacation for the time she had served him, and Sookyung had no problem agreeing to that.

    Seeing how staying at the surface alone could be awfully lonely for Jiwoo, she decided to bring along Aera with her¡ª someone who had never been to the surface.

    Learning about that, Aera was beyond happy, and she decided to follow Jiwoo along to the surface. Both of them got really well despite their short meeting at the arena six months ago, and since Aera was the first female friend she had made in a while, Jiwoo decided to treasure.

    "My time is almost up. I want to buy as much things as possible before I go to the Underworld. Ah! There are so much more things that I want to buy," Aera said.

    Finally catching up to Jiwoo, Aera stood beside her, and a groan escaped from her mouth. Jiwoo then began to walk again at a slower pace this time around.

    "Wow! I can''t believe that six months are over. Time went by really quickly!" Jiwoo commented.

    "It indeed did," Aera spoke out, "And I will be going back to the Underworld within a week. What about you? Will you be staying here or go to Underworld?"

    "Oh! Me? I guess I will go and check the Underworld once before deciding what I will be doing with my life. Sookyung will be finding his fated one soon.

    It would not be appropriate for me to stay beside him," Jiwoo said, "There are so many things I want to try, but I can''t decide which one would be the best for me¡ª the path that I would not be regretting."

    "Just join me, and be a journalist. You are going to get decent amount of gossip by that, and with your skills, I know that it will be helpful to us," Aera stated.

    Moon Jiwoo chuckled and spoke out, "If you don''t mind going out of business, then sure. Taking in my short temper, I would be the worst person to hire."

    "Right, your temper," Aera mumbled.

    "Anyway, Aera, you will be fine on your own, right? I have to meet up with someone," Jiwoo spoke out as her eyes fell on the watch in her hand.

    "Yeah," Aera answered, "I am pretty much used to everything at here by now, so I will be fine. Go ahead."

    "Glad to know that! I will be going ahead then, and just call me if you get lost," Jiwoo said, "Take these along with you."

    With that, Jiwoo pushed all the shopping bags in her hand into Aera''s, and taken by surprise, Aera caught on to them. After that, before Arts was able to say anything, Jiwoo ran away from the scene.

    "Yah! Jiwoo, come back at here!" she exclaimed, "I already can''t walk with the ones in my hand. How am I suppose to carry yours?"

    But Moon Jiwoo turned a deaf ear to all of that, earning a groan from Aera. A chuckle escaped from Jiwoo''s mouth.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    As Moon Jiwoo pushed the door of the cafe, the bell chimed, creating a noise to let the people inside know of her presence. The cafe did not have much people inside it at this time.

    Her eyes searched through the people present and tried to find a familiar figure. When her eyes fell on that figure, the corner of her lips curved to form a smile while nervousness bloomed within her.

    "Moon Jiwoo!" that person enunciated as Jiwoo halted in her steps.

    Seated before her was Lee Soohyun, who currently possessed her body. Meeting someone who had her body through someone else''s body felt weird to Jiwoo.

    Staring from top to bottom, Jiwoo noticed although that body belonged to her, there were many aspects of it that was changed.

    Compared to her, Soohyun pressed much more plainly and modestly, and styled causally without putting any special type of attention towards it.

    While Jiwoo''s sense of style managed to make her stand out, Soohyun tried to stay mostly inconspicuous. Jiwoo, who was always dressed glamorously, did not believe that she would be seeing herself in such a state one day.

    She did not know how to react to the situation.

    "You seem to be quite shocked. Is it the appearance?" Soohyun spoke out as her lips curved to form a smile.

    Every little action done by Soohyun was different than what she had usually did, and although Soohyun was in Jiwoo''s body, it felt like an entirely different individual.

    "Just a little taken aback," Jiwoo honestly answered.

    Pulling the chair back, Jiwoo sat down on it as Soohyun answered, "Yeah, I suppose so. Compared to you, I am more of a tomboy, and I don''t exactly know how to take care of myself. Trust me. It was worse in the beginning."

    "It''s kind of disappointing to see how all the care I put into maintaining my body have gone to waste, but I guess I can''t do anything against it now," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "As an apology, it is my treat today," Soohyun said, "Order as much as you want. I have no problem with that."

    Jiwoo nodded and questioned, "Since when did you start to occupy my body? Did you get ?ssigned to Minnie as well?"

    "You had to experience Minnie too?" Soohyun raised one of her eyebrows.

    Jiwoo nodded.

    "That just have been terrible. Yeah, I wake to find myself in the same bed as Han Minhyun, and then, I had Minnie talking in my head about all the missions. It was all too weird," Soohyun said, "During the entire time, she was b?r?ly of any help.

    I wanted to choke her due to her unreasonable requests at times, but at the end, I understood that it was all for the good. She even had the audacity to threaten me with my life!"

    "I woke up with a headache, and then, she mentioned to me about missions on protecting someone. I swear I was irritated to the point that I wanted to kill that brat, and once, I was ready to abandon it all.

    But the damned instincts within me did not let that to happen. On top of all that, the prince was a rude jerk in the beginning although he became a better person right now."

    Soohyun chuckled and voiced out, "I thought that you will be hard to get along with. But other than your temper, you seem like more or less like a decent person to me. I had to deal with a lot of struggles when I was in your body as well. I had a group of anti fans running after me and throwing things at me."

    Raising her hand, Jiwoo rubbed the back of her head and let out a chuckle before saying, "Those rumors tend to exaggerate themselves, and I am reflecting on my past as well. Although it''s late, I realized how horrible of a person I was."

    "As long as you know it," Soohyun said, "Last time around, your life was quite messed up, but seeing that you are getting a second chance to start over, do things carefully yet enjoy your life. You would not want to regret it again."

    Jiwoo nodded and voiced out, "Yeah! You are right! That''s how I plan to live on even though I have nothing planned for now. It might take me years before I find a dream to live for. But it''s okay. My life span had increased after all."

    "I know your passion for the entertainment circle, and since you are beautiful now as well, it is not too late for you to join in. You can easily pass in as a teenager," Soohyun expressed.

    Shaking her head, Jiwoo answered, "As much as I would like that, I am well aware of how my personality would not be suitable for that. Moreover, I want to lead a comfortable life this time around and not go fight around with jealous ladies."

    "I wish you luck then," Soohyun said.

 Chapter 98 - A long vacation [2]

    Moon Jiwoo was inside the palace only one time previously, and since that was due to official reasons, she was unable to roam around the palace for sightseeing.

    Earlier she had arrived in the Underworld with Aera. While Aera decided to rest in her house, Jiwoo thought about paying Sookyung a visit. It had been a while since she had last seen him, and she was curious to see how that man was being.

    However, once she had entered into the palace, Jiwoo found herself being lost. The inside of the palace was quite large, and having no clue on where Sookyung could be, she wandered around aimlessly.

    Moon Jiwoo thought about asking one of the guards regarding it, but she could not spot any of them close by.

    Letting out a deep sigh, Moon Jiwoo continued to walk through the hallways in hopes that she will be spotting someone soon. Even if the palace was large, sooner or later she was bound to find someone.

    Staring around the palace, Moon Jiwoo found the place to be quite empty and lonely, instead of intimidating. The air around the palace was quite cold.

    This made her wonder about what type of king Sookyung was. Over the period of six months, it was inevitable that the man had grown up, and maybe he would not be the same as she had met last time.

    The changes in him would be understandable. As a king, he would have lots of responsibilities on his shoulder, and in order to be successful, he was required to be different.

    Now that she did not have the task to protect him, she wondered if both of their worlds could collide together or eventually they will be turning different ways, becoming strangers to each other?

    Sooner or later, Sookyung would be having a life that would not contain her, and when that happened, the only thing she will be remaining to him would be a distant memory¡ª someone who he is grateful to.

    In midst of her deep thoughts, Jiwoo found her footsteps getting slower, and when her face collided against someone''s ?h?st, she halted in her steps. A sharp pain went through her nose as the impact caused her to stumble backwards slightly.

    "Are you alright?"

    Hearing that voice, Jiwoo raised her head. Before she was able to say anything, she was taken aback by how attractive the man before her was. Although she had been used to handsome men, the one before her was a different story.

    His appearance laid more to the angelic side, and Jiwoo found herself being captivated by the soft smile on his face. His brown hair neatly fell on top of his head, making him appear quite gentle.

    ''What a delicate beauty.''

    Realizing that she had been staring at him for more than necessary, an awkward chuckle left her mouth, and raising her hand, she patted the back of her head while cursing at herself mentally. Then again, she could not be entirely blamed; not everyday did she meet such an ethereal beauty.

    "I am fine," Jiwoo said, "Are you from the palace?"

    "Well, you could say that. I believe you''re his Majesty''s protector, Shin Daerin," the man spoke out.

    Nodding her head, Jiwoo answered, "Yeah, I guess you know me. Do you know where Sookyung could be? I have been searching around the palace for an hour now, and there has not been a clue of him yet."

    A chuckle escaped from his mouth. One word Jiwoo could use to describe that sound would be refreshing¡ª a feeling akin to having cold water on an extremely hot day.

    "Sure, I can take you to him. His Majesty was just in a meeting currently, but I think the meeting is over by now. I am Oh Jihoon," the man introduced.

    "Ah! Then, thank you, Oh Jihoon-ssi. You are life saver!" Jiwoo spoke out.

    "It''s my p???sur?," Jihoon stated.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    The entire walk had been completely silent¡ª not that Jiwoo had a problem with it for she observed Jihoon''s beauty the entire time and wondered how someone could look that angelic and harmless.

    One thing she had learned was that Oh Jihoon had a reserved personality and was silent. Despite that, he had an air around him that made others feel at ease and did not feel difficult to approach.

    Once he had halted in his steps, Jihoon turned back and spoke out, "We have reached the place. The King is there."

    Following the direction his finger was pointing at, Jiwoo''s eyes fell on Oh Sookyung''s back. Although he was dressed in their traditional clothing¡ª the one worn by the King¡ª she was able to recognize him.

    A smile formed on her face, and she nodded her head before saying, "Thanks for everything, Oh Jihoon-ssi. I will be able to handle it now by myself."

    "Alright," Jihoon said, "I had a pleasant time with you. Let''s meet again."

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to say anything, he disappeared into the thin air. After that, she turned her head forward, and seeing how there was no one was beside Sookyung in the hallway, she made large yet silent steps towards him in order to not alert the man.

    "Oh Sookyung!" she exclaimed, jumping on his back.

    Gripping on to his neck tightly, she let out a squeal. Her actions managed to catch the boy by surprise, and his eyes widened as he tilted his head slightly.

    "Shin Daerin, what the hell is wrong with you? What did you eat to be this energetic?" he questioned.

    "Just wanted to ride the King''s back one time. This will be a great thing to brag about in the future. Not many would be getting the privilege for this," Jiwoo pointed out before she got off from his back.

    After that, she took a couple of steps forward, and standing before him, she stared at him from top to bottom, scrutinizing him.

    "Why are you staring at me like that? Could it be that I have gotten charming to the point you find me irresistible? That would be understandable," Sookyung said, raising his hand and running them through his hair.

    "Geez that arrogance of yours! That is not the case. It''s just that you don''t have the aura of the king around you. Should not you be much more intimidating to the point that your presence makes others bow in front of you?

    Even Kim Namhyuk was able to make that happen. But I don''t feel anything like that from you. Geez! You must be getting bullied because of how weak as a king you''re," Jiwoo vocalised.

    Extending his hand towards her, he flicked at the top of her forehead and said, "This is just with you and not everyone else. It''s strange how you don''t feel intimidated by anyone''s presence. Could it be that you are too foolish for that?"

    "Just because you are the king doesn''t mean that I would not be able to beat you up, Oh Sookyung," she threatened, "It''s just because how I am stronger than everyone at here. It gives me a sense of superiority."

    "Aren''t you afraid of commiting a treason? I might remind you that I am your king now," Sookyung spoke out.

    "What king? Do you want to go and fight? Let''s see who wins, and it''s not like I am planning to stay at the Underworld for a long time, so it doesn''t even affect me," Jiwoo pointed out.

    Creases appeared between both of Oh Sookyung''s eyebrows, and he questioned, "You are not planning to do so?"

    Shaking her head, Jiwoo answered, "Of course not. Why would I limit myself to one small place? Now that I have the opportunity, I want to roam around a lot. Maybe I will become a photographer."

    "That''s not something someone as foolish as you should be doing. I can ?ssure you that you will be lost and crying within merely couple of hours," Sookyung said, teasing the girl.

    "Shut up! Whatever it is, it is better than you. Too bad, you are stuck behind these palace walls for rest of your life. Good luck with leading a boring life at here," Jiwoo retorted, folding her arms across her ?h?st.

    "You are right. I guess in that aspect you are more fortunate than me. I just wish the next Prince appears soon, so that I can give all of my responsibilities to him. I feel like dying with all the responsibilities on my head right now," Sookyung spoke out, "All those Leaders are a definition of headache."

    Jiwoo chuckled and stated, "Isn''t it too early for you to hope for that? You have to stay multiple more decades with that crown on your head. What about your fated one? Did you find her yet?"

    Letting out a sigh, Sookyung spoke out, "Don''t bring up that in front of me. Those old geezers have been torturing me the past days about finding my fated one, and whoever this lady is, I hope that she doesn''t appear before me!"

 Chapter 99 - The trip [1]

    "What''s with the preparation going around?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

    Her back leaned against the pillar as her hand held on to a lollipop. While she stared at Oh Sookyung, she popped the lollipop inside her mouth.

    Before her was the grand hall, and staffs were running around the place, arranging and decorating things inside the grand hall. The atmosphere was quite busy.

    Beside her stood Oh Sookyung, dressed in casual clothing. Exhaustion could be seen on his face as leaned against the same pillar as Jiwoo from different side.

    "The leaders decided to hold a ball for me, and all the young ladies in the Kingdom are required to join. I will be searching my fated one amongst them," Sookyung said, "This is so troublesome I swear, but I am wholeheartedly praying that I don''t meet this fated one of mine."

    Jiwoo chuckled and stated, "What are you? The prince from Cinderella? This Underworld is completely surprising. Well, you might not be finding your fated one, but you could get someone to fall in love with."

    Sookyung scoffed and voiced out, "I doubt I am the Prince from Cinderella. I don''t think I will be falling for someone at first glance."

    Nudging at the man with her elbow, Jiwoo spoke out, "It''s too early for you to say that. You might actually fall in love at first sight, and about the fated one, you don''t know how the connections work. What if you fall for that person in first sight?"

    "I don''t know how to feel about that, but I have a feeling that I would not be falling in love that easily," he stated, "What about you?"

    "Me? Why are you suddenly asking me about it? I don''t know if I want a love life this time around. I can get seriously crazy once I am in love, and last time around, I ruined my life due to it.

    That''s why, I guess I don''t want to fall in love with someone," Jiwoo vocalised, "Although I was not a decent person to begin with, love changes people to a scarier version of themselves. I don''t want to go through that or endure all those hateful gazes again."

    "Oh," Sookyung said, "But just because one turned out to be a fail doesn''t mean others will be, and even if you mess up this time around, I am there beside you. I will protect you."

    "I realized that I took the correct decision by protecting you," Jiwoo expressed, "Although you were annoying, you are really helpful now, and your personality a lot more better. There are lots of benefits by being with you."

    Moving forward to stand before Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung extended his hand towards her and grabbed on to her cheeks. A wince escaped from Jiwoo''s mouth as he pulled her cheeks, and a pout began to form upon her features.

    "What are you doing, Oh Sookyung?" she questioned¡ª her voice coming out strangely due to her cheeks being stretched.

    "Your cheeks had gotten to become really plump. How much do you eat regularly?" he commented with a hint of tease in his eyes.

    Seeing the glint in his eyes, she slapped away his hand away from her, and glaring at him, she spoke out, "Whose fault is that? The entire day you remain busy and there is nothing I can do other than eating or roaming around the palace."

    "Wow! So, now you are blaming me?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

    Nodding her head, she answered, "Of course I am. Who do think is responsible for this if it is not you?"

    "Fine, fine," Sookyung stated, "In order to make you feel at peace, I will be placing the blame upon myself. So, let me make it up to you. Do you want to accompany me to a trip? I ?ssure you it will be fine."

    "Trip, hmm," she said, "Sure, why not! I will be bored to death by staying inside this palace as well, and adding on the depression, I will probably be two hundred pounds before my death."

    At her words, laughs escaped from Sookyung''s lips, and the corner of his eyes crinkled up at that. In that instant, Jiwoo''s face went blank as she realized something¡ª Sookyung''s laugh was beautiful.

    This was definitely not the first time he had laughed before her, but this was the only time she noticed this about him. At that instant, she found herself observing every little features of his when he laughed¡ª how his eyes closed slightly, the creases beside them, and the tiny, b?r?ly noticeable, dimple that dent on his cheek.

    "Great then. Prepare for the trip then. We will be heading out in three days," Sookyung spoke out, "And stop staring at me in that way or else I will be misunderstanding the situation."

    Creases appeared between both of her eyes as she stared at Sookyung with confusion in her eyes, and remaining oblivious, she questioned, "What do you mean?"

    "Nevermind, just forget it," he said, "I had a great time now, but I have to leave. Work is calling for me unfortunately."

    "Oh," Jiwoo stated, "Thanks for accompanying me despite your busy schedule, Sookyung. I really mean it."

    Extending his hand towards her, he touched the top of her forehead and patted it softly as a wide grin formed on his face. He then voiced out, "You have really learned some manners, Shin Daerin!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Oh Sookyung had to halt in his steps as he saw a middle-aged man standing before him. The man carried himself with pride and had his hands folded over his ?h?st. He stood in Sookyung''s path, intending to block him.

    "Han Sungmin," Sookyung enunciated.

    Han Sungmin, the man before him, was his father. Despite of this, he could not feel any warmth from him, and over a period of time, he had grown to learn that, rather than caring for him, his so-called father cared more about his position as the King.

    Although it had sting him in the beginning, after a little while, it did not matter him anymore. Sookyung b?r?ly knew the man and had no sentiments towards him even if he was his father. Over all, Sookyung did not care about what the man thought of him because, at the end, he was merely a stranger to him.

    That was probably the reason he was unable to call him father. That, coupled with the fact that he did not do it for his entire life, made such a task impossible for him despite of how much he was urged by other people for it.

    The hint of anger in those cold eyes of his did not go unnoticed by him, and creases formed between Sookyung''s eyebrows as he had a guess that Sungmin will be once again lecturing him on some matters¡ª something Sookyung took to be quite irritating.

    "Is there anything you needed?" Sookyung questioned curtly.

    "How close are you to that protector of yours?" Sungmin asked.

    "About us, we are quite close, but I don''t think you stopped me in my steps in order to discuss about that with me," Sookyung pointed out.

    "You are right. I would not have a problem with your interactions with your protector if he was a male, but seeing how your protector is a she, maintain distance with her. Either you kill her or send her back to the surface," Sungmin stated.

    Hearing Sungmin''s words caused a grim expression to form on Sookyung''s face. He had already missed her terribly for six months and did not want to let go of her from his sight that easily again.

    "No, I don''t have any d?s?r?s to do that. I don''t see how that concerns you. About out relationship, I believe that I will be able to manage it well," Sookyung spoke out, "That''s why, I would appreciate it you do not interfere or try to do anything behind my back."

    "Even if you say that right now, do you think that your fated one will be able to endure seeing another woman close to you even if she is your protector? Killing her would not be a big problem since she was meant to die in the first place, and if you are unable to do that, send her away from your sight forever."

    "Once again, I am doing neither of that. About my fated one, she will have to accept all of this. I don''t care what she thinks about my relationship with Shin Daerin. Daerin is a treasured friend of mine, and I am not letting go of her just because of some woman I never met," Sookyung stated¡ª his tone showing how serious he was.

    "Although you are saying that right now, you will be regretting your decision soon enough. I ?ssure you that," Sungmin vocalised.

 Chapter 100 - The trip [2]

    "Oh my! There are already a lot of people at here, and they have just started to come. Seems like the entire kingdom wants to chosen by you," Jiwoo commented.

    Beside her stood Oh Sookyung, and both of them observed the scene from a dark corner. While Moon Jiwoo was dressed somewhat lavishly, Sookyung was in his casual clothes.

    Turning her head to face Sookyung, she questioned, "Aren''t you getting dressed? After all, those girls would prefer their King to be quite charming."

    Raising his hand, Sookyung ran them through his hair and spoke out, "I think I am charming enough like this. It would not good to have the entire ball distracted with my looks after I dress up."

    Punching on his ?h?st slightly, she spoke out, "Tch! What good looks? Even when I am dressed as a boy, I will be better than you."

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and retorted, "You dressed as a boy would be quite funny since I am pretty sure you will be passing as a middle school kid, or should I call it elementary?"

    "Seeing their King beaten up might leave a different impression of you in their mind, so go and get dressed up instead of babbling nonsense. Plus that father of yours is staring at here so much," she voiced out.

    "Is he?" Sookyung stated as he glanced at that direction before adding, "What? Does that intimidate and scare you?"

    "No, it''s not that. It b?r?ly has an affect on me, but it''s quite annoying. It feels as if each of my actions are monitored, and that is enough to make me enraged," Jiwoo spoke out, clenching her hand into a tight fist.

    "If you want to, go and face him if you are that annoyed. Maybe even swing your fist around if you are that enraged," Sookyung said.

    "Are you sure you should be suggesting that to me? Although you b?r?ly have a bond with him, he is still your father," Jiwoo pointed out, "Not that I care. If I want to punch him, I don''t require for your permission."

    "Geez, father or not, he is irritating and unreasonable. That man is just greedy for power," Sookyung stated.

    "Isn''t everyone greedy for that?" Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    "You are right," Sookyung spoke out, "But I guess I hate how controlling he can be at times. Over all, whatever the reason is, I choose you over him, Shin Daerin."

    Hearing those sweet words from him caused the temperature of Moon Jiwoo''s cheeks to rise, and a light pink blush started to coat her cheeks. In order to hide her burning cheeks, Jiwoo turned to look at the other direction.

    "Whatever, now go and get dressed! It will be too embarrassing if you are discovered now, and don''t you require an hour or two to get dressed. You will miss out a lot," Jiwoo said.

    "That would be for the best. I did not want to do this stupid thing and find my fated one in the first place." Sookyung rubbed his hand upon his forehead.

    Moon Jiwoo simply shrugged his shoulder.

    "And you? Aren''t you dressed way too much?" Sookyung questioned.

    His sudden words caught her off guard, and Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened due to confusion as she stared at him. She had one of her eyebrows raised, waiting for him to continue.

    Moving his hand closer to her, he clutched on to her chin and brought her face near to his. Feeling his cold breath upon her face caused jitters to go down her stomach.

    "I am supposed to be the main attraction of today''s ball, not you," Sookyung voiced out, touching the corner of her lips and pressing it, he slid his hand down until he reached her thin.

    "Even like this, you will be attracting many eyes. What do I do now?" Sookyung added.

    Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows as Jiwoo raised her hand and slapped his hand away. Taking a step back, she glared at him while anger was clearly visible in her eyes.

    "What the hell did you do that for? Oh God! You ruined my entire make up, and now, I have to do it again. This is annoying! Don''t tell me you did it because of how envious you were! I know I look better than you, but you are such an ?sshole!" Jiwoo expressed before turning her back on him and walking away.

    Seeing her distancing back, Sookyung did not bother with stopping her. Raising his hand, he ran them through his hair, and a sigh left his mouth.

    "What the hell are you doing, Oh Sookyung? Have you finally lost it?" he mumbled to himself.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Aera! You are here as well!" Jiwoo voiced out cheerfully as she spotted the mentioned girl.

    As Jiwoo stopped before her, Aera nodded her head and said, "Yes, all the ladies were required to come. I must admit that the King is quite charming."

    Upon hearing those words from Aera, Jiwoo found herself searching for Oh Sookyung. When her eyes fell on him, she realized that he was seated upon the throne while he observed everyone, and a bored expression was present on his face.

    He had changed into proper clothing this time around. As all the ladies observed him, some of them appeared to be shy while few of them did not care about him. Most of them let out giggles while stealing glances the King, and Jiwoo found herself shaking her head at how silly they were being.

    "I don''t even understand what they find this attractive about that ?sshole. The only thing I want to do the moment I see his face is to badly strangle him," Jiwoo spoke out, "Of course torture him before strangling him."

    "You should control that mouth of yours, Daerin," Aera commented, "You are going to get into a serious trouble for that."

    "What trouble? That Oh Sookyung doesn''t even care about it, so why should I? Let me tell you one secret. Actually, Oh Sookyung is quite a m?s??h?st. He likes it when he is treated in a rough way," Jiwoo voiced out¡ª her tone being quite loud.

    Those words of hers managed to reach the ears of many females present at there, and out of curiosity, they all began to turn their attention towards her.

    One of the females¡ª having vibrant red hair¡ª walked towards her, and having expected that result, a smile formed on Moon Jiwoo''s face.

    "How do you know about that? You should be punished for spreading false rumours on him!" the redhead stated.

    "You don''t know who I am? I am the current King''s protector, so there is nothing about him that I do not know," Jiwoo spoke out arrogantly, folding her arms over her ?h?st.

    "Is that so?" the redhead raised one of her eyebrows.

    "Of course that is the case. You don''t know about it? What do you stay under? A huge boulder?" Jiwoo said.

    At Moon Jiwoo''s words, the redhead coughed and voiced out, "If that''s the case, then I am really sorry. It''s just that I thought someone randomly was trying to defame the King, and I could not bear the thought of that. I hope you understand."

    "I guess it can''t be helped if you live under a boulder. Please leave if you have nothing else to talk on."

    "No, that is not the case," the redhead stated, "I really want to know more about the King. I am quite fond of him, and that''s why, please can you tell me more stories about him."

    Multiple of ''Me too'' was heard around the room while the ladies began to approach Moon Jiwoo. Their eagerness, desperation, and enthusiasm clearly showed in their eyes while they gathered around Moon Jiwoo.

    "Since our current King is a great man, it''s understandable for the beautiful ladies to d?s?r? for him," Moon Jiwoo stated, "That''s why, I will be helping you all."

    "Thank you," one of the lady voiced out.

    "Whatever I am talking to you about, please keep it a secret. These are King''s personal details, so it would be troublesome if they were to spread. Can you at least promise me with that?" Jiwoo vocalised although she would be happier with the news being spread around.

    All the women nodded.

    "Well, I don''t know how to actually say this. This is a really personal detail of his, but since all of you love him, you need to know this. Actually the current King prefers male over the females. Of course, he is alright with the female, but for his s?xu?? d?s?r?, he is fond of male over. That''s why, he is not approaching any lady today."

 Chapter 101 - Trouble in party [1]

    "What are you doing?"

    Hearing that voice, Moon Jiwoo turned her head to see Sookyung standing behind her, and he had his hands folded over his ?h?st. Judging from his expression, he had not heard about what she said.

    Jiwoo noticed how some of the females were lovestruck at the sight of him while the rest scrutinized him, thinking whether or not to believe the words that Jiwoo just told them.

    "Nothing, just making some friends, Sookyung. Shouldn''t you be hanging out with Yejoon? After all, he was the one who dressed this much for, and you really looked forward to meeting him. Things have been hard for you this few days since you were unable to see him," Moon Jiwoo spoke out, trying to insinuate at something.

    "What do you mean?"

    Staring at the confused expression on Sookyung''s face, she decided to grab him out of the scene before he exposed all of her lies. That would be taking out the fun out of it.

    Wrapping her hand around his wrist, she gripped it tightly and pulled him away, while she felt a smirk forming on her face. Doing something evil after a long time really felt pleasant to Moon Jiwoo.

    After they have reached one of the corners of the palace, Jiwoo smiled and asked, "Why did you approach me? I was having a pleasant time with the ladies, and you ruined it."

    "With so many ladies gathered around you, I am confident that you were only trying to create trouble. What''s with all the nonsense you uttered back then?" Sookyung had one of his eyebrows raised.

    Turning her gaze away, Jiwoo spoke out, "About that, it was because of you, Oh Sookyung. Those ladies would not have let go of you. That''s why, I had come up with something like that on the spot. Are you an idiot for approaching a tiger''s den without any prior preparation!?"

    Leaning his face closer to Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung said, "Why am I having this intuition that you are hiding something from me, Shin Daerin? You are acting really suspicious."

    Jiwoo had recently learned on how easily get face gave away her emotions, and not wanting for Sookyung¡ª who was surprisingly good when it came to figuring it out¡ª to decipher it all, she knew that she had to escape from the situation.

    Raising her hand, she touched his ?h?st and pushed him away little backwards. Then, looking down, she said, "Let''s talk about all of this later on. I have to rush to the bathroom right now."

    Without giving him a chance to speak about it, Moon Jiwoo turned her back on him and ran away from the scene.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Are you going to be his mistress?" a woman questioned.

    Moon Jiwoo was currently in the washroom, and standing before the mirror, she was trying to fix her make up when a woman stood in front of the mirror beside her.

    At the woman''s question, Jiwoo found herself being caught off guard, and raising one of her eyebrows, she turned her head to stare at the woman.

    "What do you mean?" Jiwoo asked¡ª creases forming between both of her eyebrows.

    "Are you pretending to be innocent or something?" the woman voiced out.

    In her last life, she was used to dealing with such situations all the time, but she did not think that she would facing it at here as well. The arrogance the female showed heightened up Jiwoo''s one as well.

    "How is that any of your business?" Jiwoo spoke out¡ª her eyes not hiding her anger.

    Dealing with jealous woman was something she detested even if Jiwoo had done some absurd things herself due to envy.

    The woman scoffed and said, "Look, I don''t care about all the protector bullshit. Maybe you have protected him and all that nonsense. But this doesn''t mean that you can keep him all to yourself. Tch! I don''t know what you are expecting by sticking to him like that. You are a pest to him right now."

    Moon Jiwoo chuckled and said, "What are you? A little kid for using such words? You are jealous of me? You want me to get away from Sookyung''s life?

    You are not even allowed to call him by his name yet you dare to act this arrogantly. Remember that I would rather kill him than let him go with you. Stop acting like such a bitch! It''s unattractive."

    Proud of how she maintained to successfully retort, Moon Jiwoo curved the corner of her lips to form a smirk, and turning her back on the woman, she was about to walk away from the washroom.

    Angered by Moon Jiwoo''s words, the woman clenched her hand into a tight fist before raising one of her hands and flicking her finger slightly. Due to that, Jiwoo''s back was suddenly hit with water.

    Feeling the cool water hit her back before she was about to leave the bathroom surprised Moon Jiwoo, and her eyes widened while she turned back to face the woman.

    "You!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed.

    "Oops! My mistake. I will be taking my leave. Good luck with trying to find something to get dressed into," the woman voiced out as she walked towards the door.

    The woman''s shoulder bumped against Jiwoo''s slightly, and gritting her teeth, Jiwoo let her rage show on her face clearly. There was no way she was letting go of this woman so easily!

    Gripping on the woman''s wrist, she flipped the woman suddenly, and caught by surprise, a gasp escaped from the woman''s mouth before she found her back crash against the bathroom''s floor.

    A sharp pain went through the woman''s back due to the strength Jiwoo used to throw her, and a groan escaped from the woman''s mouth.

    As the woman was about to stand up, Jiwoo walked towards her, and placing her foot close to the woman''s neck, she pushed her down. Looking at the woman''s face, Jiwoo face held disgust.

    "Tch! Don''t try to challenge me when you are this weak. You are really pathetic," she threatened, "Next time onward, you are not going to be let off this easily, bitch. I have no problem in snapping that pretty little neck of yours."

    Jiwoo''s threat managed to cause chill to go through the woman''s back, and nonetheless, the woman did not want to give that easily. However, before the woman was able to retort, the door to the washroom was pushed open.

    Hearing that, Jiwoo turned her back and saw a middle-aged woman step in. The woman''s eyes widened at the scene before she spoke out, "What are you two doing?"

    "What happened?" Sookyung questioned once he had walked into the room.

    His eyes fell on Moon Jiwoo, who was seated upon the couch. While Jiwoo''s back leaned against the couch, she had her legs crossed, and arrogance was clearly visible on her face. With her arms folded over her ?h?st, she had boredom shown upon her features.

    Seated beside her was a young woman, who appeared to be in a dishevelled state, and that was enough to give him an idea on what could have happened.

    Seated opposite to them was Sookyung''s so-called parents, Han Sungmin and Han Youngmi¡ª the middle-aged woman from earlier. Both of them had a stern expression on their faces.

    Walking over to Moon Jiwoo, he patted the top of her head and voiced out, "What trouble did you create this time around? You are really a handful!"

    At Sookyung''s words, Jiwoo raised her head to stare at him and glared before saying, "Do you think I really have time to pick fight with random bitches? That woman apparently likes you and wanted me to stay away from you. If you dare to show any interest towards her, I will seriously be burying you alive."

    Moon Jiwoo''s words managed to provoke Han Sungmin successfully, and slapping his hand on to the table before him, he stood up.

    While his eyes glowered at Moon Jiwoo, he stated, "What an impolite woman! I previously told you to great rid of her! I knew that she would be nothing but trouble!"

    Han Youngmi added, "Junghwa is a daughter of my close friend, and she was bullying her at the washroom! She was kicking the poor girl. You can easily see how scared the girl was! This definitely can''t go unpunished."

    Jiwoo turned to face Junghwa¡ª the one seated beside her¡ª and scoffed at her before saying, "What a chicken you are! You can''t fight me on your own. You are really pathetic! Try to fight me on your own if you can, loser. Even Sookyung knows how to fight his own battles!"

 Chapter 102 - Trouble in party [2]

    "How dare you address him in such a way? The king is not someone you can call that casually! You need to be taught properly! Someone as uncultured as you shouldn''t be allowed at here! It is shameful for us!" Han Youngmi stated.

    "If this is the nonsense you called me here for, then bye," Jiwoo said before snapping her fingers and disappearing into the thin air.

    Her sudden disappearance elicited surprised reactions from everyone inside the room, and a chuckle escaped Oh Sookyung''s mouth.

    When it came to Moon Jiwoo, he had more or less expected this to happen. At least she did not rebuke or lash out on them. Instead of finding her actions to be rude, he took them to be quite cute¡ª and quite foolish. Only she will have the courage to do this in front of all the important people.

    However, the other''s reaction were not same as his. His parents had obviously became angered from her actions while Junghwa stared at the ground, trying to be as pitiful as possible¡ª not that he had cared about either of that.

    The only reason he was here because he was worried for Jiwoo, but it seemed that she handled herself well without his help.

    "Get that girl out of the kingdom!" his mother exclaimed.

    Curving the corner of his lips to form a smile, Sookyung turned back to face the woman and spoke out, "Even if you have given birth to me, it is quite rude to speak in that way. Since you are my mother, I am willing to look past it this time. But next time, I would not be this kind."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "You can''t barge into a woman''s room like that!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed¡ª her eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Oh Sookyung.

    From there, Jiwoo teleported to her bedroom, knowing that it would only be bringing more trouble to her if she had gone back to that ball. After a minute or two she returned to her room, Sookyung appeared in the room as well¡ª somewhat surprising her on how he knew where she was.

    "Woman? Where? I don''t see one," he spoke out, trying to look around while a teasing glint was present within his eyes.

    "Do you want to get punched that badly, You Asshole? My temper isn''t at a good state at this moment, and I don''t know if I will be able to control myself!

    I don''t get the audacity of that Junghwa to claim that I see you in that way. That''s absolutely gross! Is that how everyone around me sees things? I am getting chills thinking about it. You are just like a son to me, and getting someone to¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, Sookyung clenched his hand around her wrist and pulled her closer to him. As her ?h?st collided against his, he touched her chin and raised it up.

    Staring down at her, he asked, "Do you really see me as a son?"

    As he licked his lower lips, a glint had appeared in his eyes, and his devilishly attractive appearance reflected in her eyes. Under this lighting, he seemed to be ethereal and quite sensual.

    "Are you trying to seduce me?" Jiwoo questioned with a nonchalant face.

    "With you looking at me like that, nevermind," he spoke out, releasing his hold around her.

    After that, Jiwoo took a couple of steps backward and lowered her line of sight to stare at the ground. She could could feel her cheeks heating up in that instant, and a strange sensation went through her body.

    Although she seemed as if she was not affected when she had answered him, it was a different case; it was merely that she was too fascinated to react in that moment.

    "It seems that you are really unaffected by what I do. This makes the entire situation even more troublesome. I will just have to¡ª or maybe not."

    Oh Sookyung''s eyes fell on Jiwoo''s reddened ears, and a chuckle escaped from his mouth before a soft smile settled on it. His eyes stared at her with fondness before extending his hand towards her and rubbing the top of her head.

    Caught completely off guard by his actions, she raised her head and voiced out, "Not my hair again! How many more times do you have to mess with it to be satisfied?"

    "It''s not my fault that your hairs keeps telling me to mess it up, just like how you do it subconsciously the entire time without you realizing it," Sookyung stated, brushing his tongue over his lower lip once again.

    "What''s that supposed to mean? My hair asks you to mess it up? I do it too?" she questioned¡ª confusion showing on her face.

    Sookyung chuckled and said, "If you don''t get it, then forget it. I guess you are too innocent in those matters."

    "What innocent? Wait! Oh Sookyung, you are really gross! Please don''t tell me that you don''t have such thoughts towards me," Jiwoo spoke out, taking a step back.

    Her eyes widened due to horror while she stared him and scrutinized his current expression for an answer.

    "What type of thoughts?" Sookyung questioned¡ª feigning obliviousness.

    "Bastard, you know what I am talking about? I know you can get horny and all that, but do keep me away from all of that. This is just gross!" Jiwoo said¡ª her eyes showing how serious she was.

    "I don''t think I can. You always brag about how beautiful of a woman you are. Do you think it is possible for me to ignore a beautiful woman?" he stated.

    "Oh Sookyung, if you continue with this strange act of yours, I have no problem with beating you up! This is seriously creepy!" Jiwoo vocalised.

    Letting out a sigh, Sookyung raised his hand and ran it through his hair before backing away from her in order to give her some space¡ª knowing that it would not be beneficial to him if he became too aggressive with her. He needed to use a softer approach with her.

    After that, he let out a chuckle and voiced out, "You are being too serious! I am just pulling your leg! You don''t need to look that troubled. Don''t worry. I don''t see you in that way even if you are beautiful."

    Relief spread through Jiwoo as her lips curved to form a small smile, and she said, "Then, I am glad."

    That smile on her face caught him by surprise, and Sookyung could feel his heart skip a beat at that. Although Jiwoo was always attractive when she smiled, this time it was different; very rarely he had seen her flash him such a smile.

    It was as he had previously thought. He wanted to keep her¡ª especially that smile of hers¡ª to himself.

    "This sounds sort of pathetic coming from me, but I really don''t like this kind of things. In my last life, you see that I was quite traumatized by it, and that''s why, such an approach makes me uncomfortable," Jiwoo spoke out, fidgeting with her fingers.

    Although not many liked Jiwoo in her last life, many men approached her with dirty intentions all the time¡ª mostly due to her looks¡ª and ever since then she found herself being disturbed by the ones who looked at her in that way.

    "Silly Daerin, why would I think of you in such a way? It''s really pleasant to see how you have been opening up to me recently; this makes me happy," Sookyung said, pulling the woman into a hug.

    Wrapping his hands around her, he added, "If there is anything that makes you uncomfortable, just beat me up, alright? You are precious to me, and I don''t want to hurt you!"

    Pulling back from the hug, she stared at him with a wide smile and spoke out, "Alright! You said it! But you can''t complain later on! I won''t hesitate to beat you up next time."

    Oh Sookyung clicked his tongue.

    "Ah! There is one more thing I need to say to you. Regardless of whom you get as your mistress¡ª a vampire, a fat lady, an ugly lady, or even a cat¡ª I don''t care. Just don''t take that Junghwa as your Mistress.

    I swear the sight of her makes my blood boil! Who does she thinks that she tells me to stay away from you? Next time onwards, I will stick to you like glue in front of her," Jiwoo stated, clenching her hand into a tight fist.

    "That''s alright since I was not planning to get a mistress in the first place, but a cat? Seriously? What type of person am I in your mind? I always wonder about that."

    Shrugging her shoulders, Jiwoo spoke out, "Well, people have strange hobbies."

 Chapter 103 - Possessive Side [1]

    Moon Jiwoo had a clue on how bad her breakfast would turn out to when Junghwa decided to step into the room.

    As Moon Jiwoo and Oh Sookyung was about to start eating their breakfast together¡ª which is something they did from the beginning¡ª knocks were heard on the door.

    Followed by Sookyung''s ''come in'', the door to the room was pushed open, and someone walked into the room. Having a bad feeling about that, Jiwoo turned her head back only to be shocked by the person standing.

    Junghwa held the door knob while a shy smile sat on the face, and her eyes stared at the ground. An air of innocence was present around her as she tried to be nervous.

    "Your Majesty, Aunt Youngmi told me to have my breakfast with you and bond together as it had been a long time since we were separated. If it is not a bother, then may I?" Junghwa spoke out.

    After that, Sookyung took a glance at Jiwoo, who was staring at him and begging him with her eyes to refuse Junghwa.

    The corner of Sookyung''s lips curved upwards to form a smirk, and he stated, "Sure, come in. You are welcome at here. I will get them to set up the table for you."

    Upon noticing the glint in Sookyung''s eyes, Moon Jiwoo had the impulsive to poke his eye with the fork in her hand. The fact that she had the maids and Junghwa watching her actions was the reason she refrained herself from carrying out something like that.

    The second thing that came in Jiwoo''s mind was to leave her breakfast at here and allow Junghwa and Sookyung breakfast together. She would have done that if Junghwa was someone she was fond of.

    Knowing that Junghwa will only be pleased with her leaving right now, Jiwoo remained seated in her place, and staring down at her breakfast, she decided to concentrate on it after shooting a glare at Oh Sookyung for one last time.

    A mischievous smile formed on his face.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Do you remember anything about us from the childhood, Your Majesty? I recall a lot of things," she said, "And I really treasure those memories with you, Your Majesty."

    "I wouldn''t say I do," he expressed, "My childhood memories are currently a blur to me."

    "Ah! That''s too bad. It seems that you have forgotten all the fun things we did; this is such a pity. If it is not a bother to you, Your Majesty, do you mind if we try to do those things again? Maybe you would be able to regain those memories of yours," she spoke out¡ª her eyes showing hope in them.

    "Your Majesty, do you mind if we try to do those things again? Maybe you would be able to regain those memories of yours and then let''s die together. It would be for the best," Jiwoo mimicked without looking up from her meal.

    Oh Sookyung, who was seated opposite to her, extended his hand towards her and flicked her forehead lightly before letting out a chuckle.

    "What the hell is that nonsense about? You should not easily talk about murders or else you will be considered the primary suspect if anything happens," he voiced out.

    Both of their interaction did not go unnoticed by Junghwa. Noticing the way Sookyung was staring at Jiwoo and treating her was enough to get Junghwa''s blood boiling.

    Clenching her hand tightly around the fork, Junghwa tried her best to keep off an ugly expression from her face. That would be ruining the impression she put on around him.

    Clicking her tongue due to annoyance, Jiwoo voiced out, "Whatever! Why are you talking to me in the first place? Go and keep that beauty accompanied! I don''t have anything to do with people who are fond of this Junghwa."

    Hurt crossed her eyes and was visible in her voice as Junghwa stared at Jiwoo. Tears formed at the corner of Junghwa''s eyes while she spoke out, "Must you really do this. Can''t you put back what had happened yesterday and try to be friends with me? Please, Daerin?"

    "Give me one good reason I should do that," Jiwoo stated, "You see, I am quite picky and don''t select all the trashes I find to be my friend."

    "Is that why you are treating me that way? You consider me to be a trash? What did I do to deserve such treatment from you, Shin Daerin? What will make you be fond of me?

    Since I am his childhood friend and you are his protector¡ª someone quite essential to him¡ª I thought that it would be great if we are able to get along. That would be making things easier for us each time we meet. Please tell me how I can make it up to you."

    "You want the answer to that?" Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    Junghwa nodded.

    The corner of Jiwoo''s lips curved to form a smirk, and staring at Sookyung, she ordered, "Give your hand."

    Upon hearing those words, he extended his hand towards her while gazing at her with amusement in his eyes¡ª trying to read what she was intending to do.

    Holding his hand, she raised it up slightly, and bringing her face closer to it, she parted her lips before placing them on his hand before pulling away.

    Her actions managed to catch everyone present at there by surprise, and Sookyung''s eyes widened while Junghwa gritted her teeth due to her growing rage.

    "It''s simple. Give up on Oh Sookyung, and let him to be together with me," she voiced out, "It would not look nice if both of us were to be friends and chase after the same man.

    That''s why, please allow me to have Oh Sookyung. After all, you said that you are willing to do anything to get along with me."

    The hesitation was clearly visible in Junghwa''s face before she replaced it with a smile. Despite that, she was unable to hide the nervousness she felt before answering, "I have no problem with you going after him, Shin Daerin-ssi, but shouldn''t that be a decision which depends on the king? If he agrees to it, then my opinion b?r?ly matters..

    Junghwa stole glances at Oh Sookyung and waited for the man to speak. Knowing that Sookyung would be saying some nonsense¡ª which would only be taking away Jiwoo''s fun¡ª Jiwoo decided to speak out in place of him.

    "No, don''t say that. Your opinion really matters since you are a childhood friend of Sookyung''s. I would not want to be the hurdle between your and Sookyung''s relationship, especially since how bumpy it is due to him not remembering a thing about you.

    Don''t worry! Although he doesn''t know you now, you will be able to grow a impression on him soon enough. And if he is unable to gain back those memories of his, it might take you ten to twenty years before he can consider you a friend of his. Since you will be alive for a long time, that amount of time doesn''t bother you, right?" Jiwoo voiced out, wearing a wide smile on her face.

    "Uhm, I don''t think I will be able to eat further. I feel slightly sick, so I will have to leave early. Sorry about this even though you have allowed me to eat with you," Junghwa spoke out.

    "That''s a pity. I would not be holding you here then," Sookyung stated, "You are always welcomed to have breakfast with us again."

    "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty," she spoke out before standing up.

    The chair slid back, screeching against the floor, and after a small bow towards Oh Sookyung before walking away from the scene. Opening the door, she exited through it, closing the door behind her.

    Once she had left, Moon Jiwoo slammed her hand on the table, creating a loud noise, and glowering at the man before her, she yelled, "What was that about!? How could you invite that bitch to have breakfast with us? I don''t even feel like eating anymore. I swear I wanted to rip off her hair back then."

    "Even if it was a little, I wanted to see you be jealous and possessive over me," he spoke out, "I guess I saw a little of that today, and now, this makes me want to do the same thing over and over again."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and expressed, "You are being sick right now! I want to toss you off to that Junghwa, but I don''t want to see her pleased. As if I will be letting her have you. Even if she betted her life on you, it would be impossible."

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and stated, "Is that so? I am really in love with your possessive side of yours. It makes me want to see more of it."

    "That''s surprising to hear. You are the first person to say that," Jiwoo confessed, "Everyone I knew before found it irritating."

 Chapter 104 - Possessive Side [2]

    "I am really envious of that person before I really want to experience it," Sookyung expressed.

    His words managed to make her blush, and as she found the temperature of her cheeks rising, she stared down at her food, finding herself slightly embarrassed. Nonetheless, a sort of joy bloomed within him.

    "I bullied a girl who my past fianc¨¦ was fond of," she spoke out, "It was immature yet horrible. So, stop with those cheesy words of yours. It''s really scary."

    "That fianc¨¦ must be really lucky to have you this possessive over you," he spoke out, "I wish it was me you were jealous for."

    "What''s with those cheesy lines all of a sudden? Do you want me to stab me with my fork?" Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    Moon Jiwoo did not know whether he meant those or wanted to try to make her feel better; nonetheless, she had a smile forming on her face hearing those words.

    Although she had no idea about it back then, she knew how cruel and terrible she had been in the past along with pathetically desperate. If it was not for her chasing Eunwoo, probably she wouldn''t end up in this World.

    Even if things were difficult in the beginning at here, she preferred this over her past life currently. Probably she had to give up on her dream of being a celebrity, but now, she doesn''t think she has that much of an interest towards it anymore.

    Unlike in her last life, where she was completely lonely to the point it drove her to craziness at times due to the realization, she had people caring for her at here.

    "I can''t exactly call you horrible," he voiced out, "If the one I love was cheating on me, I would lock her up and keep her to myself. I might be worse."

    "Wow! You really gave me the chills," she expressed, "Those thoughts did not come in my mind. Are you seriously going to that? That''s extreme!"

    He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Birds of the same feather flock together."

    Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she let out a chuckle and voiced out, "Seeing Junghwa reminds me of my past life. I was just like her. Tch! Pathetic."

    "About that, I would not be too sure; I am sure you were more obvious than her. Anyone can see how she is better than you when it comes to pretending, plotting, and winning other people. She is really cunning.

    You are too much of an idiot to be like her, so don''t feel down by comparing yourself to her," he vocalised, "And there is nothing about feeling pathetic at times. Everyone has those moments, so there is no big deal about me."

    "Oh Sookyung, are you trying to comfort me or insult me? Either way, that doesn''t makes me feel better," she spoke out.

    That was a lie because hearing those words from him had her mood lifted up. If it was from someone else, probably Jiwoo would be getting annoyed.

    However, since it was from him, she knew that he was trying to cheer her up yet tease her at the same time. Only with him will Jiwoo be allowing that because she could not imagine him in some other way.

    "Interpret it however you want," he voiced out, "Now, hurry up with the eating."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Oh Jihoon-ssi, hello!" Jiwoo cheerfully spoke out¡ª a wide smile forming on her face as she spotted a familiar face.

    There was only one Jiwoo had met with the man yet she found herself being fond of him. Most likely because of how he was one of those rare people inside the palace who did not look at her with scorn or fear in their eyes.

    Oh Jihoon, who was walking in Jiwoo''s direction, smiled at her and stated, "Shin Daerin-ssi, we meet again."

    Being a member from the Red Clan did make things more convenient!

    Even if Jihoon was dressed ordinarily, his charms did not lessen, and that contagious smile on his face was there. Indeed he was a refreshing sight to look at! His visuals were something she would never be getting bored of.

    She nodded and questioned, "Are you out here for work?"

    Shaking his head, he answered, "No, just came to visit a friend. That''s all. Now, I will be returning."

    "If it''s not a bother, would you mind hanging out with me? I still need someone to guide me, and I can ?ssure you that I am not someone boring to be around. Over all, this is just me making use of you. That''s all."

    "If you don''t mind it, then sure. I had nothing to do right now in the first place," he stated.

    From his words, no matter how much Jiwoo oblivious could be at times, she understood what he was trying to imply. The people around them shot scornful and hatred filled¡ª some fearful¡ª glances at Oh Jihoon.

    Even if she had no clue behind that, she did not try to pry further into the matter for they were not close enough to do.

    "Why would I be minding it in the first place? Since you have no problem with it, let''s go," she cheerfully spoke out.

    With a smiling face, he voiced out, "Sure!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Sorry that we were not able to go to lots of places because of me," he stated.

    Both of them were currently in a small bakery. The bakery was almost entry, and seated around one of the table were both of them. Two slices of cake was placed before two of them.

    Picking up her fork, Moon Jiwoo cut into the slice of the cake, and breaking a piece out of it, she raised it up. Placing it inside her mouth, she savoured the flavour of it. This was the first time she had eaten such a cold cake of this flavour, and she found it being quite delicious.

    "It''s fine," she spoke out, "I am pretty sure the progress would have been horrible if I were to go on my own. It seems that lots of people are afraid of me. I wonder what I did to make that happen."

    "You did nothing," he stated, "It''s just that you are much stronger than them. Since your strength is even more than the King''s, it frightens them. No one knows how different are you from them, and everyone is scared of the unknown."

    "I guess I can see where they are coming from. I am supposed to be someone who shouldn''t survive until this long, and if it was not for Sookyung, maybe I would have died in the first place.

    Then again, I wouldn''t have gotten involved in this if he did not exist in the first place. Oops! Did I say that outloud? Just ignore it."

    "Do you hate the current King?" he asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

    Moon Jiwoo hadn''t expect for him to shoot such a question towards her. In order to not let herself say something wrong again, she vaguely answered, "Hate or love would not be able to express my emotions towards me; it''s something more than that."

    One thing Moon Jiwoo had noticed was how the waitresses around the place were stealing glances at them. Although most of them were towards Jihoon, she was on the receiving end for some of them as well. Their gazes were not something she could not consider to be friendly, and it more or less had made her uncomfortable.

    "Does this place make you unease? We can go to someone better if you want," Jihoon voiced out.

    Shaking her head, she said, "It''s fine. No matter where you go, we will be having people stare at us that way. I think I need to get better at the art of ignoring and not being affected."

    "You don''t seem to know the reason behind why I am hated," he spoke out, "That makes me feel glad."

    "Why? Are you a horrible person although you look like an angel? You would be making billions alone with that face of yours alone if you were at the surface," she pointed out.

    "Horrible? I wonder," he mumbled.

 Chapter 105 - Dont get close

    "You are really brave to hang out with him or could it be that you are just oblivious?" Hearing that voice all of a sudden caught Moon Jiwoo by surprise, and as she turned back, she noticed a man leaning against the pillar. Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows as she eyed the man in caution. The mischievous glint in his eyes was easily noticed by Moon Jiwoo, and he did not seem to be someone pleasant to her.  There was something off about him although she had a difficult time pointing out what that was. Even if this was her first time meeting him, she knew that this man was not someone she will be liking. He let out a chuckle and said, "With the way you are staring at me, one would think that we are enemies. Don''t worry. We are on the same side." "I don''t know you," Moon Jiwoo answered curtly, folding her arms over her ?h?st. "Oh my! Is this your way of asking me for my identity? I must say that I really like this," he stated. "Interpret it in whatever way you want, but I am not interested in getting to know you. Mind your own business," Jiwoo said before starting to walk.  The man definitely seemed to be someone who would be bringing her trouble, and with her current situation, she did not want to add more on to her plate. Even if she was bored, this was not something she would opt for. However, she was able to move forward, he placed his hand upon her shoulder, stopping her, and spoke out, "Don''t get angry. I am Kwangsoo, Lee Kwangsoo. You must be bored and friendless in this place. If you feel lonely, I can be¡ª" Not allowing him to continue further, Moon Jiwoo gripped on to his wrist and removed his hand from her shoulder. She then spoke out, "If I feel lonely, I know that I will be able to handle on my own. Thanks for your concern, and now, I will be on my way." Moon Jiwoo strode forward, eager to get away from Lee Kwangsoo, but his next words caused her to halt in her steps. "Aren''t you interested in knowing more about Oh Jihoon? Why he is alienated and hated by everyone? Rather than brave, you seem to be oblivious. Aren''t you curious?" he stated. His words caused an internal battle within herself. Most definitely, there was a part of her that was inquisitive. However, there was a side within herself that argued on how this was wrong and probably had a catch to it. Even the foolish Moon Jiwoo was able to take smart decisions at times. "No," she said, "If it was someone else, then maybe I would have agreed. But it''s a ''no'' when it comes to you." "You are hurting me with those words of yours." Moon Jiwoo knew that she was being quite rude, especially to someone she b?r?ly knew, but his type of person was not something she was quite fond of. At times, she wasn''t able to control her words well. ¡ã¡ã¡ã "What''s the story behind Oh Jihoon?" Jiwoo questioned. Her curious side had managed to win over the righteous one, and with the words that it would not be a big deal since almost everyone knew about it, she convinced herself that there was nothing wrong with this. While Oh Sookyung worked on some documents inside of his office, Moon Jiwoo entered into the room and decided to inquire about the subject for he was the only person she could ask right now. Raising his head from the documents, Sookyung stared at Jiwoo. Moon Jiwoo was seated upon the chair opposite to him, and leaning her head against his desk, she stared at him eagerly for the answer. "So, you come to disturb me at my office while I am working just to ask me questions about some other male. This doesn''t feel pleasant to me," he spoke out. "Don''t tease me, and just answer me. I am really curious about this. I was outside with him earlier, and then, everyone around us were staring at him. Those gazes did not appear to be anything close to friendly," Moon Jiwoo stated. "I wonder how you haven''t heard about it yet but then I recalled about how you have no friends at here. That''s why, I guess it makes sense for you to be oblivious on such a big thing," he expressed. "Are you trying to pick a fight with me? Since a long time had passed after our last fight, I don''t mind beating some sense into you right now, Oh Sookyung," she threatened. "When will you be more ladylike? The only time you appear to be anything close to a lady is when you keep that mouth of yours shut. Maybe you should do that always, and more people will want to befriend you," he expressed. Successfully provoked by his words, Moon Jiwoo slapped her palms on the table, and glaring at him, she stated, "That''s it! I am really going to roast you with my electricity. I will burn you to the point that even your powers would not be able to heal you, Oh Sookyung. Are you really not going to answer properly?" "Well do whatever you want, but it would not be getting answer from me. I don''t want to answer you when you question me about other males," Sookyung expressed, shrugging his shoulders. Moon Jiwoo let out a groan and questioned, "What''s with this sudden childishness of yours? Do you need me to knock some senses into you?" "I don''t care," he responded. Taking in a deep breath, Moon Jiwoo said, "Maybe you are right. I should befriend some more people since my old friends doesn''t exactly seem all that reliable. Wish me luck!" "Wish you luck? Tch! As if I am doing something like that. I will curse you so that you would not be able to get someone to befriend you and you will be forever lonely," he retorted, "And that''s not exactly what I said. You need to see that mouth of yours completely in order to make some friends." "Jerk, with how lame and childish you are, this nation is doomed I swear. I feel sad for all the people who put their hope into you," she spoke out, "They are only doing it to meet with disappointment from you." Those words from Moon Jiwoo were harsh, and even she was aware of it. Nonetheless, she believed that Sookyung knew that she was just saying those at the spite of the moment. Before Sookyung was able to say something, Jiwoo stood up, causing the chair to slide backwards slightly, and as it screeched against the ground, she said, "Nevermind, I am just wasting time with you. I will go and find Oh Jihoon, and probably ask him about all of that. At least he will be answering all those questions better than you." Turning her back on him, she was able to leave the office when he called out for her, causing for her to halt in her steps and look back at him. Arrogance showed on her face, but behind that, the joyfulness was present. "Hold on! Don''t go. I will tell you about everyone. Just stay away from Oh Jihoon. It''s dangerous," he spoke out. "You can''t go back on your words or act childishly again. If you do either of that, I will make sure to destroy all of your works." Moon Jiwoo pointed her finger at him as those words left her mouth while staring at him sternly. Her eyes showed how she meant each of those words as she walked over to the chair. Sitting down at him, she looked at him with anticipation in her eyes. "More than two years, there was a battle between the Red Clan and the Blue Clan¡ª the enemy of the Red Clan who wants to eliminate it. Apparently, there was a mole during that time, and the mole was Oh Jihoon''s father, Oh Jaeho. No one knows Jaeho''s reasons behind committing this, and it is widely speculated that he did this to take over the position as the King. The consequences of the battle would have been worse if it weren''t for Jihoon murdering his father and stopping all of this." "Oh! Didn''t he do a good thing then? Why is he hated by everyone?" Jiwoo questioned¡ª confused by the entire thing. "I don''t whether or not you naivety is a good or bad thing at times. It''s just that he did nothing wrong and saved many lives, but no one knows whether or not he will be following the steps of his father in the future.  Even if he protected people, it doesn''t matter to them. He is looked at by them as the son of the betrayer, and some even think that he had involvement with his father''s plan. It was just that he changed his mind last minute.  That''s how ungrateful people are regardless of where they are from. Although this is selfish, I don''t want to get close to him. There is nothing wrong with it, but he has lots of people who wants to kill him. I don''t want you to be harmed due to that. So, please promise me this."

 Chapter 106 - Dont get close [2]

    The trip was one of the things Moon Jiwoo looked really forward to. Staying enclosed at the castle did not suit her taste, and following Sookyung, she came over to the northern parts of the Underworld.

    The entire Underworld was under one king with some places having exceptions, and one of the area at the northern part was counted in that exception.

    Their tribe was called to be Noran, and their customs were much different compared to the part under Sookyung''s rule. They had their own sets of rules, and the kingdom''s regulation had nothing to with them.

    From long ago, an agreement was established on how the King will not be doing anything to them as long as the Noran tribe provided them with enough resources¡ª something Jiwoo was not aware of¡ª and did not create trouble for them.

    However, the last King''s foolish decision caused the relationship between the kingdom and the Noran tribe to turn bumpy.

    Ever since then, the kingdom had been at a lack when it comes to the resources, and anyone who stepped on the Noran tribe''s land from the kingdom disappeared.

    Knowing that it would only be harmful for the kingdom of this had continued, Oh Sookyung decided to visit the tribe on his own and appease the Tribe''s leader.

    Moon Jiwoo could see how nervous Sookyung was as he stood in front of the grand mansion of the Noran tribe. Even if it was just a casual trip for her to take a breather, she knew that this was an important thing for Sookyung; this was his responsibility.

    Noticing how the male beside her was nervous, Jiwoo extended her hand towards him, and intertwining her fingers with him, she gave him a small squeeze.

    Her actions managed to catch Sookyung by surprise, and turning her to face her, the ends of his lips curved up to form a smile when he saw how she was encouraging him with her eyes.

    Even though the act she did was quite intimate, he was aware that Jiwoo had no such intentions, and she was just trying to comfort him. At that moment, he did not know whether or not to be happy about that.

    One of the guard stepped forward and pulled open the door to the mansion. Once the door was opened, a butler walked out and bowed at both of them.

    Even though he was treating them with respect, the scorn on his face showed how displeased he was with both of their presences at here.

    "King Oh Sookyung, Miss Shin Daerin, welcome to the Noran tribe. I will take you to meet our leader in a while, and please hand over your luggage to me," he spoke out, "Follow me please."

    Listening to his words, both of them nodded, and seeing how Oh Sookyung had become tense again, Jiwoo gave his hand a small, supportive squeeze once again.

    "It has been about five hours now, and I finished the cups of tea by now. Is this leader really not going to show his face?" Moon Jiwoo let out a groan.

    The butler from earlier led two of them into to a room and said them to wait for the Leader for a while as the leader was busy with some matters.

    However, almost five hours had passed, and the Leader sent no information about his whereabouts.

    As Moon Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist, the anger and annoyance was clearly visible in her eyes.

    Beside her was Oh Sookyung, and they were seated upon the couch. On the wooden table before them were two cups of tea along with various ?ssortments of snacks.

    "He just be busy," Sookyung spoke out, "Be a little patient."

    "Tch! I doubt that he will be showing up. He just called us at here and made us wait because of how he wants to make fool of us," Jiwoo mumbled.

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and said, "You better keep that mouth of yours shut or else you will be picking a fight with someone soon. People here do not have a favourable opinion of us in the first place."

    "That idiot Kim Namhyuk! If he had died, he should have taken all the problems with him," Jiwoo grumbled.

    The sound of his footsteps attracted Moon Jiwoo''s attention, and raising her head, she stared at the door.

    Moon Jiwoo was caught in awe when she noticed how tall the man before her was; it was quite difficult for her to calculate his height.

    His blond hair¡ª a characteristic that showed the tribe he belonged to¡ª was styled messily while Jiwoo found his blue eyes sparkling like the jewels. The garments and the clothing of the Noran tribe was different from the Kingdom.

    Arrogance was clearly shown on the man''s face as he leaned against the door, and folding his arms over his ?h?st, he stared at both of them. His countenance showed how he was displeased to be at here.

    If this were to be continued, Moon Jiwoo believed that she would be getting angry beyond what she can control and burst off in front of everyone. She did not understand why both of them had to deal with all the scorns when none of them had done anything wrong.

    This situation was definitely unfair!

    Moon Jiwoo wanted to shout at him to shoot such gazes at the previous King¡ª who was probably buried six foot under now¡ª but knowing how desperate Sookyung was for this to go smoothly, she held her tongue back.

    "Dad''s busy, and he can''t be bothered to deal with such measly matters. Whatever you have to discuss about, do it with me. I am in charge for this," the man spoke out.

    "You should at least try to look slightly more reliable for that," Jiwoo mumbled.

    "Sure, Mr. Kim Joohyun. Thank you for giving us a chance and allowing us to stay here. This means a lot," Sookyung spoke out, standing up and wearing a soft smile on his face.

    "My father declined to this initially, but I made him agree to it. To see the dogs crawl back to us is quite pleasant," Joohyun commented while a smirk formed upon his features.

    From the side view of his face, Jiwoo could see how irked Sookyung had grown to become at that comment, and clenching his hand into a tight fist, he tried to hold it in.

    While a part of Moon Jiwoo was proud of him for being able to hold in his anger, the other side within herself wanted him to be impulsive and break Joohyun''s jaw. That would be giving her true satisfaction.

    Jiwoo could easily perceive how difficult it was for Sookyung to maintain that smile, and the only reason he had not said anything in reply was merely due to how he did not want to utter anything potentially rude that would potentially lead him to getting kicked out.

    "You have quite a interesting way of treating your guests. Even dogs are better than you when it comes to taking care of the guests," Moon Jiwoo spoke out.

    At that, Joohyun''s attention shifted to Jiwoo. Seeing her small stature beside Sookyung while her eyes subtly glared at him caused him to let out a chuckle, which was filled with mock.

    "You are quite sharp tongued for someone who is this fragile. I am sure you don''t know what you are doing," he expressed.

    "You should prevent yourself from being this shortsighted and be a little more open-minded. Your narrow vision is going to be quite a hurdle in the future. It''s funny how I don''t know you and can easily see that," Moon Jiwoo retorted.

    "What are you trying to do? Amuse me with those words of yours? Maybe if you please me enough, I will be taking you as my concubine," the man haughtily stated.

    His eyes gave him off completely¡ª although he was not trying to be inconspicuous in the first place¡ª and hearing that, Moon Jiwoo turned back to shoot him a glare.

    After that, she faced Joohyun and spoke out, "Why should I be your concubine? Doesn''t it seem better for me to take you as one of my concubine?

    Wait! I don''t want to do that because even if you find me amusing, I find you quite dull. But since I have to appease you for now, I will try to hold back my tongue for now."

    "I apologise about her, Mr. Kim Joohyun. She tagged along with me and is not someone even I am able to control. Despite her words, she means no harm, so it would be great if you look past it," Sookyung voiced out.

 Chapter 107 - Kim Joohyun [1]

    "I find myself liking her more and more by each second. Using her as a collateral might make me agree to whatever you have for us," Joohyun stated.

    Not being fond of the way he was talking about her, Moon Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist and was contemplating the consequences of swinging that fist, so that she would be able to stop herself from doing anything impulsive.

    "If she wants to, I guess that''s fine. In front of her, even I am powerless," Sookyung expressed.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened due to surprise upon his words. Although Jiwoo knew that he would not be giving her off to Joohyun¡ªas he did not dare to do that¡ª she thought that he would be at least trying to tease her.

    Seeing him being this respectful managed to elicit a shocked response from Moon Jiwoo, and a small smile made its way onto her face.

    Warmth spread through her ?h?st at his words, and her heart began to beat rapidly within her ?h?st¡ª something that managed to make her feel dismayed. But considering it to be temporary, she brushed it off.

    "So, she is the so-called protector of yours I have heard about. As the rumors states, it appears that you are quite protective of her. This seems to be quite scandalous," Joohyun said.

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and voiced out, "You have guessed right. I never thought that you would be interested in the news concerning the Kingdom."

    "That''s needed to be done. After all, people from there are quite filthy. They know how to bite back the hand that fed them," he vocalised.

    "Saying biting back the hand that fed them is quite an exaggeration. Don''t you think so? After all, you have benefitted from this as well.

    Now, Mr. Kim, I want for you to deal with this civilly and m?tur?ly. Just because I have come to chat with you politely doesn''t mean that I am on the weaker side," Sookyung threatened.

    "It is said how the King is quite gentle and soft, but it appears that you can be quite intimidating when you want to," Joohyun voiced out, "You don''t appear to be someone who is trustworthy, and from your achievements, it is easy to see how sly you can be. You''re not better than that Kim Namhyuk. We have no intention of cooperating."

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and stated, "There are lots of things about me that you haven''t heard yet. One thing is that I am not as foolish as Kim Namhyuk, and I am quite ambitious.

    In other words, I will not be acting impulsively as him, and of course, it is as you state. I am not trustworthy and even worse than Kim Namhyuk at certain points.

    However, one thing for sure is that I would not be letting go of something that holds great use to me. That''s why, as long as you have something to offer me, we will be able to cooperate peacefully.

    I am quite determined for this, so you must understand that this is not the only method in our hands," Sookyung vocalised.

    Hearing those words from Sookyung''s mouth caught Moon Jiwoo in awe. It felt to her as if he had grown to become quite natural. Although it was natural for him to be so as his position, it still managed to shock her¡ª maybe because of how she was not used to this side of him.

    One thing she had learned about him was that the side of him he revealed to her was quite different from the one he shows to everyone.

    In front of her, he acts in accordance to how he feels while when it comes to others, there is a need for him to put on a facade.

    Jiwoo was not good with wearing a mask. Nonetheless, she understood how difficult it was for him to maintain that image.

    With how he hadn''t yet found his fated one plus his lack of experience and knowledge put him in a bumpy position, and there were many out there who wanted to test him.

    Thinking about that right now put a frown on Moon Jiwoo''s face, and she started to feel pity for the man. Surely, her position was more difficult than her¡ª since she had to put her life in line¡ª but that was for a short period of time, and she was completely safe.

    However, for Oh Sookyung, this responsibility will be remaining for decades.

    Kim Joohyun scoffed and stated, "Do whatever you want. I really don''t care."

    With that, Kim Joohyun turned his back on Sookyung and was about to leave the room. Irritation and anger clearly showed on his face from Sookyung''s words.

    "I heard that you are supposed to be the next leader," Sookyung said, "This makes me feel pity for the person residing here. I wonder how they will be able to live on if we declare a war on you. Wouldn''t the fault be your arrogance?

    Kim Namhyuk should be the object of your grudge yet you are involving all those people around you. You are really immature it seems."

    Shutting the door loudly, Kim Joohyun walked away from there, and both of them fell back onto the couch.

    "Heol!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed, "That man is really detestable."

    "It''s understandable for him to be like this. Although the fault was solely of Kim Namhyuk''s, it is right of him to hold anger towards us. Namhyuk''s actions caused many people from their tribe to lose their lives," Sookyung said.

    "Earlier you managed to surprise me though. Although this wasn''t the first time I watched you threaten someone, you were really charismatic and cool, just like from a movie. Where did you learn the tricks from?"

    "Is that so? Did your heart skip a beat then?" he questioned, bringing his face closer to hers.

    Placing a confused expression on her face, Jiwoo voiced out, "Oh! It was supposed to? My heart can be really disappointing at times."

    Oh Sookyung scoffed, and letting out a laugh, he voiced out, "You are really getting good at retorting. It seems that staying beside me is starting to make you smarter."

    "Geez! I was smart from the very start; it''s just that I did not display these talents of mine for a better effect. Showing all at once is not that thrilling after all," Jiwoo expressed.

    Extending his hand towards her, Oh Sookyung touched the top of her head and patted it gently before saying, "Stay away from that Kim Joohyun. I don''t know what he had seen in you, but he could be dangerous to you in the future. Just avoid him regardless of what he does or says."

    "Don''t worry! I know what to do. I had people chasing after me from a young age, and at this point, I have become a professional when it comes to handling those types," she bragged, "That Kim Joohyun is nothing special. It will be taking me less than a minute to handle him, and it would not even be requiring my special strength."

    Sookyung laughed and said, "Whatever you do, just don''t beat him up. I would not want to fall into another problem due to your violent tendencies."

    "Hey! Back then, I thought that you will happily hand me over to him or at least try to tease me by indicating that. But you did not do that," Jiwoo said, "Is becoming the king turning you to a better person?"

    "You are supposed to belong to me, so how am I supposed to hand you over to him? I wanted to draw a clear line between both of you, and the line is not something he is able to cross. Not even you are allowed to pass it. There is a thick barrier between two of you."

    "What''s with that childish tone again, and what barrier? You don''t own me, and I am free to do whatever I want, Oh Sookyung," Jiwoo voiced out, "But don''t worry. My taste isn''t that horrible to choose an idiot."

    "It takes one to know one," he commented.

    "Take that back, Oh Sookyung," she voiced out, "Surely I have done couple of foolish things, but I am sure that I am better than him."

    "Whatever you say, Dear," he vocalised.

    "Ugh! Why do I even bother? What are the methods that you are going to try if he doesn''t agree? I don''t want to get horribly shocked at the end," Jiwoo expressed.

    "Methods? What methods? I never had something like that," Sookyung said.

    "Wait! So, you had nothing planned after you bragged like that in front of him? Wow! Oh Sookyung, you are astonishing and one of a kind," Jiwoo sarcastically spoke out as she clapped both of her hands together.

    "We will just go with the flow. Since I am smart, we will be figuring a way out in the end. Don''t worry! You can trust me," bragged Sookyung proudly.

 Chapter 108 - Kim Joohyun [2]

    The corner of Moon Jiwoo''s eyes glistened with tears as she opened them. A yawn escaped from her mouth while she stretched her hand upwards. The entire night she was unable to sleep properly¡ª until her body gave up due to exhaustion¡ª due to how rough the bed felt.

    Even though pain lasted for Moon Jiwoo for a very short time, the backache she felt due to sleeping at such a bed hadn''t subsided yet.

    A funny smell reached into her nose as she sniffed into the room, and while a cough escaped from her mouth, she wondered where the stench generated from.

    Jiwoo got down of the bed, and as her foot stepped on something, she looked downwards. A duvet lied beneath her foot.

    Sleeping without one was not something Jiwoo was used to, but due to the smell it emitted¡ª coupled with the fact that it appeared as if it hadn''t been cleant for a year¡ª she kicked it out of her bed in annoyance.

    All of what had happened ever since she had arrived at here made her annoyance level to rise to the top, and Jiwoo knew that if it was to be continued¡ª without caring about cooperating with them¡ª she would directly be giving them a piece of her mind.

    She wondered what she had done in order to deserve this in the first place! This was the worst reception she had received!

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Jiwoo''s eyes displayed her lack of sleep as she walked towards the dining room. Raising her line of sight, her eyes fell on Oh Sookyung, who had a bright smile upon his face.

    After a terrible night and a morning, she found that being a complete eyesore, and letting out a scoff, she shot daggers at him with her eyes.

    "Oh my! You seem terrible," Sookyung commented.

    Clenching her hand into a tight fist, Jiwoo said, "Tell me about it! I seriously want to punch that Joohyun Bastard! I will drag him to the Kingdom and let him live at the horse''s stable."

    "There is no horse''s stable in the Kingdom, but I understand what you mean," Sookyung said while he held amusement in his eyes.

    "Well, if that''s the case, then I will knock him out and take him to the surface. I am pretty sure there are horse stables there," Jiwoo vocalised, "You seem all well though. Don''t tell me that your room was better than mine?"

    Shrugging his shoulders, Sookyung spoke out, "There was nothing wrong with my room. That''s understandable though. No one would directly dare to go after King despite of how much they hate them. That''s why, you were made into their target."

    "Now, I get why you brought me at here," Jiwoo said, "It is supposed to be revenge for all the times I have threatened you, right? Wow! Oh Sookyung, you are really cunning!"

    Going over to the dining table, Jiwoo pulled one of the chairs and sat down on it. The chair creaked slightly under her weight, and deep inside, Jiwoo prayed that the chair would not be breaking down on her. That would be utterly humiliating!

    "Wow! You have gotten smarter, Daerinnie! I am proud of you. How did you figure out my motive so fast?" Sookyung voiced out.

    "Tch! You bastard!" Jiwoo exclaimed.

    "If the conditions are that horrible, we can exchange bedrooms for the night. I am more adaptable than you I guess," Sookyung stated.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes brightened up at his offer, and while the corner of her lips curved to a bright smile¡ª seeing how this was the first good thing that had happened to her ever since she was in this place¡ª she clapped both of her hands together.

    "Really!? Thank you, Oh Sookyung! Then, I will trouble you to take my room," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "You are quite thick-skinned it seems. Normally, one would decline it, and I thought you would be more prideful about it," he pointed out.

    "Who would be an idiot enough to do that? And what''s not prideful about it? Only after I am able to sleep peacefully will I be able to think properly, and since it is you, Oh Sookyung, I have no qualms about accepting it," Jiwoo said.

    With that, she held on to the spoon which half immersed in the soup and twirled it slightly. Before she was able to raise the spoon, something fell into her eyes, and a loud scream escaped from her mouth, startling Oh Sookyung.

    Seeing the insects¡ª she couldn''t identify¡ª at the bottom of her soup, especially when they appeared to be that gross, managed to shock Jiwoo.

    Instinctively, she jumped backwards, and the action caused her knee to hit the table from the bottom. Her sudden action caused her chair to give up, and while it was about it break down, the table tilted at her hit. The soup slid against the table was able to fall down on her.

    But before she was able to get injured, Jiwoo felt someone grip on to her wrist, and she was pulled towards the left. Her head collapsed against someone''s ?h?st, and the smell of Oh Sookyung''s cologne floated into her air.

    Jiwoo''s heart began to beat faster while she rested against his ?h?st. Followed by that was the sound of the chair touching the ground and the bowl of soup crashing against the floor, breaking into multiple pieces.

    As the pieces spread across the room, Jiwoo moved her head away from his ?h?st and stared at the mess that had happened.

    Despite of her fast healing abilities, she would have been injured if that fell upon her. Turning her head to face Sookyung, she gave him a grateful smile.

    Before she was able to let him know her thanks, he voiced out, "Where the hell is your concentration? Shin Daerin, are you a little kid? Aren''t you always bragging about how strong you are? Then, why in the world you didn''t dodge?"

    "Are you scolding me?" Jiwoo asked.

    Oh Sookyung let out a sigh and spoke out, "What does it look like then?"

    "No, I guess I kind of was careless, but that doesn''t mean that you have to scold me like that. I didn''t expect for my chair to break and that soup to have weird insects inside it," Jiwoo pointed out, "Plus you are overreacting. This made my anger run away."

    "If this is continued, I will go and talk with Joohyun. Maybe we need to resort to other methods," Sookyung spoke out, "And you, once we return, you are going to have through the training again. It seems that your skills have been deteriorating!"

    "I need no such thing. Might I remind you that I am still capable of taking you down completely," she stated, "Didn''t you just mention that you had no other plans?"

    "You believed that, You Fool?" he asked before adding, "Of course, I would not be revealing everything to you since you have a knack for ruining things."

    Extending her hand towards him, she punched on his ?h?st and expressed, "And here I was going to thank you for saving me. I have learnt that you don''t deserve that from me."

    "You must be hungry," Sookyung stated, "Just go to my bedroom, and you will be finding some food at my bags. Although they aren''t much, make do with them for now. I will go and deal with that Joohyun."

    "No, I am not that hungry. I want to go with you and deal with that Joohyun as well. How dare that bastard put insects in my soup? Now, I will be growing a phobia of the soup," she spoke out, "What if I am unable to drink soup in the future? That would be terrifying! I would not feel at peace until I teach that bastard a lesson."

    "I will do that on your behalf," Sookyung said, "And it would not be proper for you to see what will be happening there. That''s why, just be obedient, alright."

    Jiwoo scoffed and vocalised, "What is it that I can''t see? And why do you need to do that on my behalf? I am perfectly capable of handling it on my own."

    "Geez! Can''t you listen to me for once? Now, go to my room. If you want to still beat him up, do it later on," he said, "This is a serious matter!"

    "The fact that you are trying to hide it this badly makes me more curious, Oh Sookyung. What is it that I can''t know? I thought we had no secrets in between of us, so why are you being like that? It makes me feel sad," Jiwoo vocalized as she stared down at the ground while a pout formed on her face.

    Extending his hand towards her, Sookyung patted the top of her head and expressed, "Sorry for making you feel this way, but Daerin, I really can''t let you know about it. However, one day, I promise I will tell you one day."

    "I guess I shouldn''t force you anymore."

 Chapter 109 - The dark air [1]

    "You are here quite early," Kim Joohyun expressed.

    Joohyun had his legs crossed as he was seated over the couch. A small smirk sat on his face as he leaned against the back pillow, and a smugness emitted off of him. He did not show any attempt to hide the hatred from his eyes.

    Oh Sookyung closed the door behind him once he had stepped inside the room, and the corner of his lips were curved up to form a guileless smile. However, one look at his eyes showed that things were not as simple.

    There was something threatening about the way he looked at Joohyun as he approached him, and it was not hard for Joohyun to not notice that. Even that was quite intimidating, he managed to maintain his composure.

    "Hmm," Sookyung answered, "I thought that I would be able to wait for a longer time. But it seems that I am quite impatient."

    There was no one in the room other than both of them, and looking around, Sookyung made sure of that as he did not want to create more trouble than it was necessary.

    "I am quite interested in seeing how you will be threatening us? By declaring a war on us?" Joohyun raised one of his eyebrows while he folded his arms over his ?h?st.

    The confidence in Joohyun''s eyes caused Sookyung to let out a scoff, and raising his leg, Sookyung placed it on the couch beside where Joohyun was seated. Leaning further, he brought his face closer to Joohyun''s.

    "No, that would be too troublesome," Sookyung said, "I am someone of a mild nature. That''s why, I am not quite fond of going at war. Plus there is a way more effective method which is easier."

    "Is that so? I am really curious about¡ª"

    Before Joohyun was able to continue further, he found his neck feeling choked, causing his eyes to widen. Even though nothing grabbed his neck, he felt as if it was being squeezed by someone, making it difficult for him to speak or even breath.

    Shock replaced his composure from earlier as he stared at Sookyung, and all the smugness from before was gone.

    Sookyung just remained rooted to his position with the smile on his face. His eyes turned darker by each passing second, and a chill went down his back at that.

    Then, Joohyun''s eyes fell on his leg, and his eyes dilated further. A dark mist appeared around Sookyung''s leg, and it flew upwards.

    One of the tentacles that extended from the dark mist was wrapped around Joohyun''s neck, and the force put around his neck increased by each passing second. This was starting to suffocate him greatly.

    However, more than that, Joohyun''s concentration was towards the power Sookyung held. The dark aura around him only reminded him of one thing.

    Raising his finger to point at Sookyung, he managed to choke out, "Y-You a-are u-using¡ª"

    Without letting him continue further, Sookyung spoke out, "Oh my! It seems that you are quite knowledgeable. You did not let me down. Now, you know what I am capable of, right? So, what do you say? Now that you are aware of what I can do, will you agree to it or not.

    I don''t feel like being good-tempered or patient right now, so you better not offend. I don''t know what would happen if I let go of my temper, and do something wrong."

    Joohyun clearly understood what Sookyung was trying to imply. Although he did not feel threatened by Sookyung when he was just the king, it was a different case now. Thinking about all that Sookyung would be able to do with abilities was frightening.

    "I-I agree. P-Please let go of me now," Joohyun said.

    "It''s nice to see that you are smart," Sookyung voiced out, "Since you are willing, there is no need for me to do this further. Now, I will be taking my leave. I hope we will be having a peaceful cooperation, and since you are smart, I know that you will not be leaking out this to anymore. Right?"

    Joohyun nodded his head.

    With that, the tentacle around his neck disappeared, and the dark air around Sookyung wasn''t there anymore. Sookyung removed his leg from the couch, and turning his back on Joohyun, he began to walk towards the door.

    A loud sigh escaped from Joohyun''s mouth once Sookyung had left the room, and wrapping his hand around his neck, Joohyun still appeared to be quite taken aback. His heart continued to beat rapidly within his ?h?st as he gulped.

    "He is dangerous," Joohyun mumbled.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "You are done fast. So, what did you do? Did you break his jaw or something?" Jiwoo questioned, raising one of her eyebrows, before biting into the bread in her hand.

    "Nothing like that, but don''t worry. He would not dare to do anything like that again, and he agreed to my request," Sookyung vocalised.

    "Oh! That''s great then! Can I still punch his face?" Jiwoo spoke out, "I still have to get revenge for what he had done to me earlier."

    Sookyung voiced out, "Do as you wish, but won''t you be getting labeled as a violent woman if you do that? I took enough revenge for your part. Don''t worry. I have scared him enough that he will never be able to disrespect it."

    At that, a wide smile formed on her face, and Jiwoo said, "That feels good and bad at the same time. It''s disappointing that I wasn''t able to take revenge, but having someone to defend me feels great!"

    "As long as you are happy. Anyway, did you really eat all of that? What are you? A monster or something?" Sookyung voiced out, scanning his eyes through the various ?ssortments of empty snack wrappers on the bed.

    Standing up, Moon Jiwoo glared at Sookyung and defended, "I think I should start eating more. This body is too short, and if I eat less, then I will only be short forever. That''s why, I will eat as much as possible to get taller. Plus it appears that I don''t gain weight fast as well."

    Sookyung chuckled and commented, "Grow taller? Aren''t you past the age for that? Aren''t you just trying to find an excuse to eat more?"

    "After I started to get fond of you, do you want me to detest you again?" Jiwoo asked.

    "Oh my! That''s surprising to hear! Is that a love confession?" Sookyung voiced out.

    Jiwoo scoffed and spoke out, "As if. Even if you are turning into a decent guy these days, falling in love with you is impossible. It''s just like wanting to go through a heart break."

    "Why?" Sookyung questioned.

    "You are really asking me that? Of course it is because you are already fated to be with someone," she vocalised, "Isn''t it too foolish to fall for you?"

    "So what if I say that I would not be accepting my fated one? Would that make you fall for me?" Sookyung said.

    Taking a step closer to Moon Jiwoo, he held a grim expression upon his face while he leaned closer closer.

    Finding his face to be too close for her comfort, Jiwoo pressed her palms on the bed, and applying pressure on the bed, she leaned slightly backwards in order to increase the distance between both of them.

    Letting out an awkward chuckle, she voiced out, "Why are you being like this? Are you alright? It almost seems as if you are desperate to be loved by me. That sounds so silly! That is definitely not the¡ª"

    "What if that''s the case, Shin Daerin?" he asked.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at that, and her heart began to beat rapidly within her ?h?st. She knew that she had to push him away before something wrong happened, but at that instant, he appeared too attractive to her in order for her to do that.

    As he brought his face closer to her, Jiwoo found herself panicking within herself, and her current emotions were clearly visible through her eyes. Although she wanted to push him away, she was wavering inside, and this made her want to bang her head against the table.

    "Geez! You don''t need to appear that terrified. I was just pulling your leg right now," he spoke out.

    "Just pulling my leg?" Jiwoo mumbled before adding, "That''s great! You almost gave me a scare, You Bastard! I know that I am attractive and irresistible, but please don''t be like that. It''s seriously creepy coming from you."

    Despite of those words leaving her mouth, an inexplicable rush of disappointment within bee, surprising her.

 Chapter 110 - The dark air [2]

    The moment Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the mirror before her after she had washed her face, Sookyung''s words from earlier came inside her mind.

    Although he mentioned to her on how it was only for the sake of teasing her, she could not quite bring herself to believe that.

    Pointing at herself in the mirror, she questioned, "Could it be that he has started to grow feelings towards me?"

    Nodding her head, she continued, "That seems to be likely. Not only am I attractive, but also capable. It''s absolutely understandable for him to fall for me.

    Recently, he had been more sweet with me and even flirts with me. He has been respecting my opinions and also wants my attention. If this doesn''t show that he likes me, I wonder what would! No wonder he doesn''t want to get a fated one. Because he likes me, he wants to be with me."

    Saying those words out loud caused Moon Jiwoo to feel slightly embarrassed, and cupping her face with her hand, she let out a squeal.

    The corner of her lips curved to a smile, and the rights and the wrongs were out of her mind at that moment. Being liked by Sookyung felt quite joyful to her.

    "What to do now? No, Moon Jiwoo, why are you this charming? Even when you tried to tune down your charms, you still have men falling at your feet. Ah! This is so troublesome," Jiwoo vocalised, "I never wanted to be this bewitching in the first place.

    Now, this seems to a great problem. I don''t to come in between of him and his fated one. Now, how do I charm him out? Ah! I don''t think that possible. There is no way for him to go back once he had fallen for me. This is seriously irritating! He is so pitiful."

    "What nonsense are you saying? Who is pitiful and fell for you?" he questioned.

    Oh Sookyung''s sudden voice caught her by surprise, and almost having her heart jump out of her ?h?st, she turned to face the door. Sookyung held the door open while he walked into the washroom.

    "You scared me! Why would you enter into a girl''s washroom so suddenly!?" Jiwoo voiced out.

    ''His case seems to be more serious than I have originally thought. No, it''s okay and understandable to have feelings for me, but he doesn''t have to come to the washroom to see me regardless of how desperate he is. Could it be that his love for me had turned him into a pervert?''

    "The door was open," he pointed out, "And you were saying some pretty idiotic shit, so I was curious to see what it was."

    Extending her hand, Jiwoo was about to place it on Sookyung''s shoulder, but then, recalling about he had feelings for her, she knew that it would not be proper to her to torture him like that. What if he is unable to hold back anymore once she touched him slightly? That seems to be probable.

    Jiwoo let out a sigh and spoke out, "I know that it is hard, but what can you do at this point? I wish you all the luck, Sookyung-ah, and sorry."

    Creases formed between both of his eyebrows to display his confusion once those words had left Jiwoo''s mouth, and raising one of his eyebrows, Sookyung questioned, "What''s all this about?"

    "It''s alright; you don''t need to pull on a facade anymore. This could not have been helped, and I guess I am to be blamed for this as well. Just try harder!

    This is not impossible regardless of how close to impossible this is. I mean, no one was ever able to overcome this, but I know that you will be able to. I believe in you," Jiwoo vocalised.

    A chuckle escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth as he expressed, "I am still quite lost about what you''re trying to imply. What should I try hard at? Is this one of those crazy moments of yours? What kind of thought did you have this time around?"

    "Look at how hard you are trying to deny it. It''s okay. There is no need for that. Even if I am not that smart, I understand what you mean.

    But if you want to feign obliviousness, I will not be stopping you from doing that as long it helps you. I don''t want to give you anymore trouble than already the amount I have given you," Jiwoo stated, staring at the boy with pity in her eyes.

    "I am glad to see that you know that. Since you are not smart, it is likely for you to misunderstand the situation. At least tell me about it," he spoke out.

    "There is no way I have misunderstood about something like this. My intuition is quite strong," she spoke out, "Fighting, Oh Sookyung."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    During the dinner, Jiwoo was unable to concentrate on her food due to Oh Sookyung. Knowing that the boy had feelings for her, she wondered how torturous it was for him to share the same dining table with her.

    Thinking about that made it difficult for her to place her entire concentration on to the food before her. As Jiwoo played around with her chopsticks, she stared at Sookyung''s food.

    Having a feeling that it would be too hard on him of she stared at him directly, she settled on staring down at his food. Seeing how slowly he was eating this food, Jiwoo once again felt pity for him rise within her.

    ''Ah! He likes me to the point that it is harder for him to eat before him. What do I do? It''s not like he will be able to work properly on an empty stomach.

    Should I just eat dinner at a different room from him? Maybe that will be helping him a lot. It is not good to torture someone, especially someone who holds such strong feelings.''

    Moon Jiwoo recalled about the quality of the food had gotten multiple times better, and her room was changed to a something that suited her taste more. Seeing how comfortable her staying here was made, she knew that Sookyung held a hand behind all this.

    ''He is truly smitten. I really want to accept someone who is this good to me, but unfortunately, feelings can''t be enforced. This is so sad for him.''

    "Do you want this egg roll?" Sookyung questioned.

    "Huh?" Jiwoo voiced out as she was snapped out of her daze.

    As she raised one of her eyebrows, he pointed his chopsticks at the egg roll on his plate and voiced out, "You have been staring at this quite instantly for a while. Don''t hesitate to ask if you want it. You don''t have to stare at that desperately."

    ''Look at how attentive he is towards me. If this doesn''t confirm his feelings towards me, I don''t know what would. I wonder how long had he been observing me. This really makes me sad.''

    Using his pair of chopsticks, Oh Sookyung picked up the egg roll, and raising it up, he placed it on top of her plate. Following his hand, Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the egg roll upon her plate.

    Regardless of how delicious the egg roll appeared, she wasn''t able to bring herself to accept it. This would only be giving hope to the poor man, and torturing with false hope wasn''t something she was fond of.

    Holding the egg roll with her chopsticks, she placed it back on his plate and said, "No, I can''t do that to you. You should have your own egg roll."

    Letting out a chortle, he voiced out, "Do you really need to overreact like that? This is just an egg roll. What''s the matter with you? You have been acting strange since earlier. What happened? Did you see or hear something?"

    "No, this is not just an egg roll," she said, "Anyway, nothing is wrong. Since you want to keep it that way, I will be able to do it as well. Let''s just move on from this. I don''t want to hurt you more."

    "Hurt me? I am will not be that s?ns?t?v? over just an egg roll. Anyway, whatever ideas you have gotten in that mind of yours will be going away quickly. By the way, do you want to come with me for sightseeing tomorrow? It will be fun."

    ''Isn''t this akin to him asking me for a date? I would have gone without a second thought if I did not know about his feelings. No, I can''t give him false hope by going along with him regardless of how much I want to leave.''

    "No, I will be fine with staying inside. I feel a little under the weather," she stated, "Go on your own. Yeah! That would be for the best!"

 Chapter 111 - The festival [1]

    "I should have gone with him! This is entirely boring!" Moon Jiwoo let out a groan.

    Other than walking through the hallway in front of her room, there was nothing she was able to do at this moment.

    Sookyung had left earlier this morning for sightseeing, and even though he tried to convince her to come along, Jiwoo remained adamant to stay at the mansion.

    However, now, she was regretting it. Without having anything to do, Jiwoo felt as if she was about to die out of boredom. There was no one at here for her to talk to, and the maids at here did not appear to quite friendly although they treated her well.

    Her mind was exhausted earlier from thinking about Sookyung, and therefore, right now, she preferred to avoid keeping him in her mind.

    "Are you free?"

    Hearing that voice, Moon Jiwoo instantly whipped her head back, and Kim Joohyun was standing before her. Creases formed between both of her eyebrows while she stared at him cautiously.

    Jiwoo cursed at herself for not noticing this earlier. It was probably because of how she was caught up in her thoughts. Then again, she wasn''t thinking of anything right now that hard, so it did not make sense for her to not notice his presence.

    There was something strange about this.

    Nonetheless, not mulling over this, she stated defensive while questioning, "Is there something you need, Kim Joohyun?"

    "You don''t need to look at me like that. I am not here to create any trouble," he said, "It''s not like I dare to do that anymore. Do you find going outside on a walk with me? There are some things I need to talk to you about."

    "Sure," Jiwoo vocalised, "But what things? If it is anything immoral, I am telling you that you can''t involve me in it."

    "It''s nothing like that," Joohyun said.

    "The fact that you have such a dull expression on your face makes it suspicious. Where is that usual smug look you wear?"

    "You have only seen me once before, so you are in no position to judge me," he vocalised, "And I am sure walking around in the hallway is not that enjoyable. If you don''t want to follow me, fine. I will go on my own."

    Seeing how he turned his back on her and was about to walk away, Jiwoo vocalised, "No, stop! I will go with you. It''s not like you will be able to do anything with me anyway."

    "You seem to be quite confident about that," Joohyun pointed out.

    Folding her arms over her ?h?st, Jiwoo bragged, "Of course I am! I am really strong, and taking care of you isn''t even a hassle for me! Even Sookyung can''t be compared with me when it comes to strength."

    "Can''t be compared with you? Are you feigning it or could it that you are oblivious?" Joohyun asked.

    Confused at his sudden words, Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows and spoke out, "Huh? What do you mean by that?"

    "No, nothing," he replied.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Seeing the various coloured icicles that hung above her head and shone caused a wide smile to form upon her face. Raising her head, Jiwoo stared at the icicles and watched her reflection at the similar shaped icicles.

    Beside her was Kim Joohyun, and while two of them walked through the streets, Jiwoo noticed how the streets were quite boisterous. Kids of all ages ran through the streets while cheerful squeals left their mouth.

    Desserts and street foods were sold at either sides of the road along with various events. From the corner of her eyes, Jiwoo spotted the clowns that were trying to entertain the kids, and a play took place at the theater couple of steps away.

    "Is there some kind of festival going on?" Jiwoo questioned.

    Crowded place was not something Jiwoo was quite fond of, especially when people bumped into her. The only thing about this place she was fond of was the beautiful icicles.

    Nonetheless, that would only be able to keep her attracted for a certain amount of time. With how people kept coming in contact with her, coupled with the loud noises, Jiwoo was bound to get annoyed with it soon.

    "Yes, you could say that," Joohyun said, "You don''t seem to be quite pleased."

    "This is not the type of place I am used to," Jiwoo replied, "Since you brought me to talk, wouldn''t have been better to go somewhere more calm and quieter?"

    "I thought that it would be impolite to not show our guest one of the most important festival at here. But since this doesn''t seem to be your cup of tea, let''s find somewhere more quiet," he voiced out.

    "No, there is no need to do that now. Let''s talk about the thing at here. Sookyung will be returning in a while, and he will be worrying if he doesn''t find me at the mansion," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "Alright. I had some questions about the current king," he vocalised.

    "Aren''t you being too obvious? If you are trying to tip me off and harm Oh Sookyung, there is no way I am siding with you. Don''t even try this because I can ?ssure you that nothing you do will be working. Regardless of how I appear like, I am quite loyal person," Jiwoo stated, pulling on a serious face.

    Joohyun let out a sigh and voiced out, "Hear me out first before interrupting me, and although we hate the kingdom, we have no d?s?r? of taking the crown.

    You are really clueless, but only the one selected can sit upon that throne. That''s why, any information you give me would not be helpful if I want to take that throne."

    "Is that so? It seems that I have overreacted. Anyway, as long as you don''t have any intention to harm him, I guess I can answer all of your questions," she voiced out.

    "About his powers, to what extent is his power?" Joohyun questioned as his eyes sharpened, trying to read every single emotion on Jiwoo''s face.

    "His powers? As much as I know, he has two elements unlocked, and I think he is working on the third one," she replied, "That makes him quite strong I suppose."

    "That''s all?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

    Nodding her head, Jiwoo spoke out, "Yeah, that''s all. Why? Were you expecting something else?"

    Scrutinizing her facial features, Joohyun could see that Jiwoo wasn''t at all lying or maybe it could be that she was good at hiding her expressions.

    Nonetheless, although he b?r?ly knew her, he could see that she was like an open book. Therefore, he did not find himself entirely doubting her words.

    "No, it''s nothing like that," Joohyun stated, "Did he practice any kind¡ª"

    Before Kim Joohyun was able to continue further, Moon Jiwoo felt someone grip her wrist and pull her back. A gasp escaped from her mouth at that happened as she was caught by surprise.

    Raising her head, she saw Sookyung standing behind her, and his presence there shocked her. Then, seeing the wide smile on his face made Jiwoo nervous.

    Although she was not able to pinpoint it completely, she could see that there was something wrong about the smile.

    "Oh! Daerin, what a pleasant surprise!" he commented.

    Noticing the hint of anger in his voice, Jiwoo pulled on a confused expression, and that''s when, it had hit her. Her eyes widened as the realization dawned within her.

    With the excuse that she was feeling unwell, Jiwoo stayed at the mansion and did not accompany him. But now seeing her with Joohyun definitely revealed her lies to him. Jiwoo wanted to bang her head against the wall for creating such a mistake.

    "Yeah, you could say that," Jiwoo said, "I really didn''t expect to meet you at here."

    "I know that without you mentioning about it," Sookyung vocalised.

    His tone caused a chill to go down her back as she found herself cowering. Jiwoo wanted to curse herself for finding someone like Sookyung fearful at that instant, but she was not able to help it.

    "Kim Joohyun, do you mind leaving us alone?" Sookyung asked.

    Nodding his head, Joohyun vocalised, "Sure, your Majesty. I will be leaving."

    With that, Joohyun turned his back on Sookyung and was about to walk away when he said, "I will look past it one time, Kim Joohyun. This shouldn''t be repeated."

    Sookyung''s words clearly indicated how he knew everything Joohyun was planning to do, and, nervous, Joohyun nodded his head.

    "I am sorry," he voiced out before going away.

    Once Joohyun was out of the sight, Jiwoo placed on a smile upon her face, and facing Sookyung, she said, "I am sorry. Can you look past it for me too? I want to come up with an excuse, but I am unable to do so."

    Without saying a word to Jiwoo, Sookyung tightened his grip on her wrist and pulled her along with him. Surprised by how she was unable to pull away her hand from him, Jiwoo followed after the man.

    "Wait! Sookyung, where are you taking me to?"

 Chapter 112 - The festival [2]

    Having her back being thrown against the wall or being treated this roughly did not please Moon Jiwoo. Irritated by Oh Sookyung''s actions, she raised her head to glare the man standing before her.

    Gripping on to her wrist tightly, he pinned it to the wall and cornered her. Regardless of how hard she struggled, she was unable to remove her hand from his grip. Creases formed between both of her eyebrows while she became confuses on when the male before her got that strong.

    "What are you trying to do? I know that you''re angry because of the way I treated you, but look, there is a reason behind it. You¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, a gasp escaped from her lips due to Sookyung''s next actions. Bringing her hand over to his mouth, he parted his lips.

    His fangs were clearly visible as they extended forward, and as the tip of his fangs came in contact with her wrist, a chill passed through her back.

    At that instant, Moon Jiwoo could see how dangerous Oh Sookyung was. Although she thought she had known all sides of Sookyung, it did not seem to be the case. Never had she imagined that he would be having such a bone-chilling side to him.

    Without wasting a second further, Sookyung drove his fangs further into her skin, and the sudden pain caused Jiwoo to let out a hiss. Seeing how he was drinking her blood, Jiwoo found herself being baffled.

    "Yah! Oh Sookyung!" she exclaimed, trying to pull her hand away from him, but it was of no use.

    His strange behaviour made many questions rise inside of her mind, and being unable to take it any longer, Jiwoo raised her leg in order to kick the man.

    However, as if predicting that move of hers, Sookyung pressed her leg against the wall with his knee. After that, he shot her a glare.

    Anger within Moon Jiwoo began to rise, and taking this a challenge, she was ready to get Sookyung off of her. Deciding to use her powers, Jiwoo took in a deep breath.

    Glowering at Oh Sookyung, she pushed him back with her utmost strength, and as the man took a couple of steps back, Jiwoo stared at the marks made upon her face.

    After that, she moved her gaze to Sookyung, and seeing how he was ???k?n? his lips, Jiwoo exclaimed, "Have you gone crazy!? Why would you do something like this!?"

    "This was your punishment," he said¡ª his voice being octaves lower. The tone he used showed how serious he was while a dark glint appeared in his eyes.

    "I know that it was wrong of me to lie to you and not go outside, but I have the freedom to do so. You don''t have to do something as outrageous as this just because you''re angry! Oh Sookyung! I want to kill you badly! You bastard!" Jiwoo vocalised.

    The situation surprised her too much to say anything more than this. Firstly, Oh Sookyung was remarkably stronger than her, and then, his weird punishment towards her made it too hard for Jiwoo to process the situation.

    "I wonder what excuse you have for going off with another man," Sookyung voiced out.

    "You ?sshole! It''s because I hate you! That''s why, I did not want to go out with you! And what another man? You make it sound as if I am cheating on you! What had gotten into you, Oh Sookyung!?" Jiwoo shouted due to frustrations.

    Bringing her hand closer to her face, she realized that the mark from his fangs hadn''t disappeared yet. Shocked by that, she rubbed the wound couple of times. However, although blood was not flowing outside of it any longer, the door did not disappear.

    "Any injury coated with the King''s saliva takes time to heal," Sookyung said, "Next time, you do something like that, you will be going through a worse punishment."

    "Heol! Oh Sookyung, is this some kind of revenge? I don''t think I have done anything serious by not going outside with you. It''s true that I wasn''t feeling unwell; I just did not want to go out with you!

    Does that hurt your pride that much that you need to make me go through this humiliation? Are you happy now, You Bastard? I thought we were getting along fine, but it seems that you are still an ?sshole."

    "Why?" he asked.

    "Why are you asking me? Why did I not want to go outside with you? Are you asking me that after you did all of this? If it was not for you having feelings for me, do you think I would have confined myself in that room?

    But now seeing how you are acting, I doubt you feel that love towards me. I was just mistaken. Oh Sookyung, let''s just avoid each other for the time being. I don''t know what I will do if I continue to see you," Jiwoo voiced out.

    Moon Jiwoo was angered to the point that she wanted to beat Oh Sookyung up. Nonetheless, she did not want to end up doing something she would regret.

    Regardless of how the situation was, Sookyung was the King and a person she treasured at the end of the day. The relationship with him was not something she wanted to let go of that easily.

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to disappear from that place, she felt Sookyung gripping her wrist, stopping her from teleporting out of there.

    Without a warning, he suddenly pulled her towards him, and as her head came in contact with his ?h?st, she raised her head to look at him.

    But not wanting for her to see his face, he pushed Moon Jiwoo''s head against his ?h?st. Being this close to Sookyung and having him hug her in such an intimate way caused Jiwoo''s cheeks to heat up all of a sudden.

    Sookyung then said, "If I got the second chance to do it all over again, I would be doing the same thing."

    "Yah! You bastard, are you trying to anger me further!"

    "It was your fault for trying to hide things from me. Yesterday, and even today, you acted weirdly. Do you know how worried I was about it? Shin Daerin, you don''t know what you mean to me.

    That''s why, this was your punishment for making me worry. Moreover, how could go out with Joohyun that easily? Don''t you know how he is dangerous!?"

    "How dangerous can he even be? Are you forgetting that I am perfectly capable of protecting myself?" Jiwoo voiced out, pulling away from him.

    Folding her arms over her ?h?st, she raised one of her eyebrows. Sookyung let out a sigh at her words.

    "Daerin, how many times do I have to remind it to you that just because of you''re strong doesn''t mean that you are going to win? Plus you are too dumb compared to that Joohyun. He is really cunning, so stay away from him. Seeing how dense you are, I really worry at times."

    "Oh! I forgot. I was supposed to be angry at you," Jiwoo voiced out, "Let''s both go our separate ways now that everything is dealt with. If you have anything else you want to say, I don''t care. I already wasted enough time on you."

    "Aigoo! It seems that my Daerin is angry at me. Why don''t I make it up to you? If I can make you have fun throughout the entire day, I am forgiven. Is that fine?" he questioned.

    The offer sounded quite tempting to Moon Jiwoo. If she has simply ignored Sookyung, Jiwoo knew that she would not be satisfied. Taking this as an opportunity, she should try to torment him as much as possible as revenge.

    Pulling on a poker face, Jiwoo said, "Fine, but I am telling you making me have fun is not that easy. In fact, it''s quite impossible for someone like you."

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and voiced out, "Well, we will be seeing about that soon. Let''s hurry up then. There are only couple more hours until the festival ends, and let''s not waste a second longer."

    "If you have the idea of making me have fun by taking me to the festival, then you are starting out wrong. I hate such places," Jiwoo pointed out.

    "What is it? I did not actually expect for you to help me. Could it be that you don''t want to stay angry with me any longer? Is it just because of your pride that you can''t let go of it?" Sookyung teased her.

    "Should I go back to the mansion?" Jiwoo asked.

    "No," he said, "I know that you would not be liking it. You don''t seem to be someone who will be fond of such things. That''s why, I want to make you like such places more."

 Chapter 113 - Haunted [1]

    "You seriously think that bringing me over to some haunted house is going to work? This place is so boring, to the point it is not fun. Like, everything is completely obvious. With my eyes closed, I know all that will be happening. You really lack in this. I can see that you will be failing," Moon Jiwoo voiced out.

    Both of them stepped into the dark cave. Other than their footsteps, there was only the noises of water falling down, hitting a hard substance. A cold breeze passed by them as they stepped further into the cave.

    Moon Jiwoo''s face showed no signs of fear as she walked forward. Folding her arms over her ?h?st, she wore a smug expression upon her face, and she oozed off of confidence. Jiwoo was sure that she would be able to walk out the cave without being scared once.

    Moon Jiwoo did not go in many haunted house. Nonetheless, for shooting dramas in her last life, she visited some, and other than the occasional jump scares, she did not find them being anything special.

    Jiwoo believed that, with her strong senses now, she wouldn''t be affected by anything inside the cave.

    "Oh! I think I forgot to tell you this, but once you have entered into this cave, you have become completely like those from the yellow clan. In other words, your senses are no longer than strong, and you are currently without those abilities of yours," Sookyung vocalised.

    Moon Jiwoo went silent for couple of seconds before saying, "Ah! Even without that, I know that I will not be letting out a single squeal. They say that girls are cute when they cry in the haunted house. Honestly, I don''t see anything cute about being wimpy. Things here aren''t even realistic. Aren''t they too foolish to be crying over that?"

    Without saying anything, Oh Sookyung continued to listen to the girl with a soft smile upon his features.

    Turning her head, Moon Jiwoo faced the wall, and going closer to it, she touched the bloody mask. The eyeballs moved slowly as they stared at her. Even if Jiwoo was a little taken aback when she saw them in the beginning, it wasn''t anything much.

    Looking at Oh Sookyung, she said, "See, no matter where you go, it''s the same. Although it is a little advanced at here, it doesn''t make much of a difference at the end. Seriously? Scary masks that aren''t even that frightening. What do they take us to be? Elementary kids? Even kids would not be frightened by this!"

    As Jiwoo looked back at the mask, her eyes widened when she noticed how the eyes of the mask had popped. Seeing how both the bloody eyes had fallen on to the ground, she was taken by surprise at that and jumped back.

    Fortunately enough, she was able to prevent herself from letting out a squeal. That saved her from a quite a lot of embarrassment. She looked at the eyeballs that rolled on the ground while her heart beagn to beat rapidly within her ?h?st.

    When she stared at Oh Sookyung, she saw the small smile that sat at the corner of his lips, and letting out a forced chuckle, she voiced out, "That was new, but it wasn''t innovative enough. I was b?r?ly affected by that."

    Moving his hand closer to her, he patted the top of her head and voiced out, "I know that you are brave, and this doesn''t affect you. But aren''t you talking way too much today? Could it be that you are really nervous?"

    Giving an immediate response to his words, she shook his head as she took couple of steps back. She then spoke out, "No, why would I even be nervous in the first place? At something as childish as this? Never!"

    "Let''s get going then," he vocalised.

    Extending his hand towards her, he held on to her hand, and intertwining both of their fingers together, he led the path. Moon Jiwoo was slightly startled at his actions.

    Nonetheless, thinking nothing much of it, she did not make any attempt to pull it away. Now, that she was confirmed with the fact that he did not love her, such contact did not bother her much. Moreover, they have done things more intimate than this.

    Both of their footsteps began to echo. Occasionally, things popped out in front of both of them. Nonetheless, Moon Jiwoo, who had prepared herself for this beforehand, did not show much reaction to it.

    Although at times she felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her ?h?st, holding on to the last strand of pride within herself, she forced herself to be nonchalant about it..

    After all that she had bragged about to Sookyung and her smug attitude, at the end, her confidence was slowly tearing away. Both of them hadn''t yet reached the mid path yet things were starting to get intense for Jiwoo.

    Deep inside, she prayed for things to pass hurriedly without causing her any mortification.

    "Wow! Oh Sookyung, you must be good at this. You''re not even flinching," Jiwoo commented.

    "Want to know the secret behind that?"

    Hearing his question, she turned to face the male, and with a spark appearing in her eyes, she nodded her head multiple times. The thought of knowing a secret really made her excited.

    "My powers aren''t affected at all," Oh Sookyung said, "They did not even lessen!"

    "Heol! I did not expect that. No, why are your powers there when mine are gone? This doesn''t make sense? Aren''t I suppose to be stronger than you? If that''s the case, then why are your powers there," Jiwoo voiced out¡ª confusion showing on her face clearly.

    "It seems that you did not notice it yet, Shin Daerin," he vocalised.

    Creases formed between both of her eyebrows as Moon Jiwoo asked, "What are you talking about?"

    "You can be really oblivious at times. You did not even notice how your powers were not there when you entered into the cave until I informed about it," Sookyung stated.

    "That was just a mistake. Now, what''s the matter? With all that suspense, you are starting to make me nervous now," Jiwoo vocalised as she gulped.

    "This is about your abilities, Shin Daerin. It seems that they are decreasing slowly," he said, "In other words, you are probably no longer as strong as me. This had started ever since I have ascended that throne. I wonder how you did not notice it yet."

    His words had taken Moon Jiwoo by surprise completely, and her eyes widened. Taking a step back, Jiwoo found herself unable to believe his words.

    The truth about losing her powers did not sound good to her.

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to contemplate further on the matter, she found the ground beneath her foot get softer and wet. Finding that to be strange, she looked down.

    A gasp escaped from her mouth when she saw how a hand emerged from the ground and clutched tightly on to her leg. Seeing the blood that dripped out of the hand as it gripped the ankles of her pant, Jiwoo knew that her clothing will be getting dirtied.

    That was one thing she extremely disliked.

    That''s when, the realization that the ground beneath her foot was turning muddy and watery hit her. Seeing how her shoes were starting to sink in the mud, she let out a squeal.

    Imagining how dirty she would be if she was pulled into that was enough to frighten Moon Jiwoo, and without a second thought, she jumped forward towards Oh Sookyung.

    Trying to bring her legs out of the mud, she wrapped her hands his neck. While she was successful in getting one of her legs out, the same could not be said for the leg that was clutched on to by that hand.

    Feeling how the mud was starting to cover that leg of hers, she vocalised, "Yah! Oh Sookyung! Just get that thing off of me! It is gross! If I get pulled into that thing, I would not be able to wash it off for forever. Please save me!"

    Oh Sookyung let out a humorous chuckle and voiced out, "Didn''t you say that you are not scared of anything? That doesn''t seem to be the case. And Shin Daerin, it appears that I quite like it when you are hanging off of me like that. What do I do now? It seems that I don''t feel like helping you."

    "Oh Sookyung, you got me into this mess, so you should help me out of it. What about it? I will owe you one favour if you get me out of this! Is that fine?" Jiwoo tried to negotiate.

 Chapter 114 - Haunted [2]

    Seeing the tears that twinkled at the corner of his eyes¡ª coupled with how Sookyung pressed his palm upon his face in order to compress his laughter¡ª caused irritation to rise within Moon Jiwoo, and she glared at the boy.

    "Stop! If you dare to do it, Oh Sookyung, I will make it that you will never be able to laugh again," Jiwoo threatened.

    Both of them were out of the cave now, and after Moon Jiwoo terrified reaction at the cave, Oh Sookyung found it difficult to hold his laughter in.

    The teasing glint in his eyes managed to anger Jiwoo further, and it reminded her know badly she had humiliated herself in the cave. Moon Jiwoo blamed it all on the mud, since she believed that she would have been successful without that interfering.

    Taking in a deep breath, Sookyung removed the hand from around his mouth and wore on a composed expression. The tears disappeared from the corner of his eyes.

    Wearing a small smile on his face, he questioned, "Is this fine?"

    But before Moon Jiwoo was able to nod to that, the male broke out into laughter and said, "Sorry, Daerin. I don''t think I am able to hold it in. Whatever happened was too funny!

    No, you were bragging on how haunted house are childish, and the next moment you were clinging on to me as your life depended on me. You can be seriously cute at times, Shin Daerin!"

    Looking at the male who was laughing loudly, Moon Jiwoo rolled her eyes, and folding her arms over her ?h?st, she voiced out, "I am pleased to hear that you find my embarrassed side cute.

    Then, since you''re having fun on your own, I am leaving. It seems that you have forgotten about your objective to make me laugh."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo turned her back on the male and was about to walk away from there when Sookyung, who managed to bring some control over his laughter, placed his palm above her shoulder to stop her.

    "No, wait. Sorry. I promise to seriously not laugh this time around," Sookyung said, "But admit it. It was fun, right? There is no fun in a haunted house if you are not scared."

    Placing a smile on her face, Moon Jiwoo faced him and vocalised, "No, I did not find a single amount of fun in being humiliated. But maybe I would have decently enjoyed it if you were the one being mortified."

    "You are really a stubborn one, right? Anyway, let''s eat something before continuing. What do you want to eat? It''s my treat," Sookyung spoke out.

    "In case you are forgetting, all of my money comes from you, so you treating me doesn''t make it special," Jiwoo pointed out.

    "Well then, just consider it to be a bonus," Sookyung voiced out, "There are lots of food I want to try out. Should we start out with their specialty first?"

    "You can have them on your own. I am not particularly fond of the street foods," Jiwoo stated, "They are¡ª"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Staring at Moon Jiwoo who took a bite out of the dessert in her hand, Sookyung smiled at her and commented, "For someone who doesn''t like street food, you seem to be enjoying this a lot."

    The tart in Jiwoo''s hand was quite cold and unlike something Jiwoo had tasted before. Although street foods were not something Jiwoo was particularly fond of, she could not bring herself to dislike the tart in her hand.

    Turning her head to face him, she retorted, "For someone who promised to make me have fun today, you are making me really upset today. Was that your true objection?"

    Sookyung chuckled and voiced out, "Aren''t you having fun by eating that tart? Look at how your eyes are sparkling and at that wide smile on your face."

    "That''s nonsensical! It''s not as if I particularly like the tart; it''s just that I am really hungry," Jiwoo stated, "I would have eaten it like this even if it was something else."

    "Fine, I won''t argue with you any longer. As long as you''re having fun, I am content with it. You don''t have to mention about it to me," Sookyung said, "And stop scowling and just smile. Don''t ruin the day by that!"

    Taken aback by his words all of a sudden, Moon Jiwoo stopped eating and said, "Why are you being so m?tur? and sweet all of a sudden? It puts me at an awkward position."

    "No idea," he stated before extending his hand towards her face.

    His thumb brushed against her cheek, wiping away the remnants of the cream, and Jiwoo found herself unable to move while her eyes followed after his thumb.

    Bringing over his thumb to his mouth, he licked it and spoke out, "That''s really delicious. I should have brought one for myself as well."

    Jiwoo was startled when she found her heart pounding rapidly, and finding Sookyung to be seductive in that moment, her cheeks started to heat up slowly.

    As she took a step backwards, she voiced out, "Oh Sookyung, why would you even do that!? That''s really gross."

    "It appeared quite tempting," Sookyung said, "You should get used to things like this so. If you blush everytime I do this, this will show that you are inexperienced."

    Finding those words to be insulting, Jiwoo vocalised, "No, I am not inexperienced! If you are forgetting, I had a fianc¨¦ before. Moreover, I even shot a lot of dramas with romantic scenes, and all the men there were more handsome than you.

    And what do you even mean by that I should get used to it? Why should I do that in the first place? This kind of thing should not be done casually!"

    "I believe that you are not inexperienced, but since you are blushing and reacting like that, it can only imply one thing," he stated.

    At his words, Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows in curiosity and waited for him to continue. A smirk formed on Sookyung''s face as he inched closer to the woman.

    He then whispered into her ear: "That you are starting to be attracted towards me."

    His sudden words caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen, and feeling strange after listening to those words, it took her some to process the sentence.

    Taking a step back, Sookyung smiled at her and waited for her reaction. Instead of her being provoked by those words, a grim expression sat on her countenance as she looked at him.

    "No, that can not be the case," Jiwoo said, "I was in love with Ahn Eunwoo, and around you, I don''t feel how I used to feel around him. This shows I don''t have such emotions towards you."

    "Geez! You don''t have to make such a face at it. You ruined the atmosphere with it and broke my heart. It would have been better if you shouted something else," Sookyung vocalised.

    "It did not make me annoyed though," Jiwoo spoke out.

    Sookyung chuckled and voiced out, "You usually get irritated at the smallest thing yet you''re unaffected by this. Daerin, you can be extremely strange at times."

    "Look who''s talking," Jiwoo retorted.

    "Anyway, you can''t be too sure that you don''t feel any attraction towards me. Maybe you do, and you don''t know about it," he said, "It''s impossible for you to not feel anything towards me after how attractive and caring I am."

    "I am used to faces as handsome as yours, and your caring part gets deleted from my mind the moment I see you tease me," Jiwoo pointed out, "There is no quality of yours to fall for."

    "Why don''t we test that?" Sookyung suggested.

    Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    "Let''s kiss. If you still feeling nothing after that, I will be sure. Kissing someone should not be a big deal to you since you''re experienced," Sookyung said.

    His words managed to tremendously shock her, and she spoke out, "What nonsense are you uttering? Why should I be kissing you? Even if I kissed thousands of handsome men before, it gives me no reason to kiss you!"

    "Why aren''t you calmly replying this time around? Seeing how strongly you are rejecting this, doesn''t this mean that you are afraid of feeling something? I guessed it correctly, right? Don''t worry! Even if you feel something towards me, our relationship won''t change."

    "Fuck off!" she exclaimed.

    Turning her back on him, Moon Jiwoo strode forward. She had no d?s?r? to oblige by Oh Sookyung''s ridiculous suggestion. Knowing that he was only doing this to anger her, she su?k?d in the cold air and composed herself.

    Running behind of Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung wrapped his hand around her, and hugging her from the back, he pulled her closer to him.

    "Aigoo! Is my Daerinnie being shy right now?'' he asked.

    Stomping on his foot, she glared at him and said, "Shut it or else I will seriously leave this time around!"

 Chapter 115 - Jenga [1]

    "Ah! I am completely tired," Jiwoo spoke out as she fell back on the bed.

    Nonetheless, the smile on her face remained. True to his words, Sookyung was able to make her have fun throughout the entire day, to the point Jiwoo wasn''t able to act stubborn anymore and ignore it.

    Throughout the entire time, they tried out various specialities of the clan, and the day ended with both of watching a play. Contrary to what Jiwoo had believed previously, the play turned out to be quite interesting¡ª or maybe it was Sookyung''s commentary throughout the entire time that made it seem that way.

    "Look at how brightly you are smiling," Sookyung said while he stood before. "I am really proud of myself."

    "I am baffled," Jiwoo stated, "I didn''t know that you had it in you, but thanks. I really enjoyed the day, and you were the first person to make me say, ''Ah! Such things can be fun as well!''. At this rate, you will make me really miss you the day we get further away."

    At that instant, Moon Jiwoo noticed the creases appeared between both of Oh Sookyung''s eyebrows while a frown formed upon his features. Raising one of her eyebrows, she wondered the reason behind his sudden change of mood.

    Oh Sookyung''s eyes darkened, and he said, "Why would you think that?"

    "Huh?" Jiwoo questioned, confused.

    Could it be that what she had just said dissatisfied him instead of touching him? If that''s the case, then it would be too strange and infuriating for Jiwoo for she did not do such things usually.

    Oh Sookyung took a step closer to her, and as Jiwoo stared at his face, waiting for an answer, he extended his hand towards her. Gripping on to her shoulder, he stared at her with a glint in his eyes¡ª something that looked quite dangerous to Jiwoo in that instant.

    "Shin Daerin, regardless of how much foolish thoughts that goes around in your mind, one thing you are not allowed to think of that we are going to get separated. I won''t let such a thing happen," Sookyung seriously said, "Why won''t you get this despite of how many times I have to make it clear to you?"

    Moon Jiwoo''s heart skipped at him, and at what his words indicated she could feel her cheeks heating up. Feeling tongue-tied in that moment, she did not know how to react. With a shocked expression, she kept on staring at Oh Sookyung.

    "If you keep that face up, I would not be able to hold back and kiss you. Stop being so defenseless before me. I am a man too," he vocalised.

    With those words, he got her cheeks to be completely red. Although it was puzzling to her on why he was saying such words to her, at the same time, she found them to be quite charming.

    This reminded her of a scene out of the drama¡ª a scene she really wanted to be in¡ª and now, that she was in it, Jiwoo''s heart was unable to stay calm.

    "Aren''t you being too weird this days? Even if you are joking around, this is going too far," Jiwoo said.

    Maybe if it was not for the fact that he already clarified about his feelings with her, she would have taken this in that way. But knowing that he did not see her as anything more than a friend, Jiwoo was aware that this was for the sake of only playing around.

    Nevertheless, as time passed by, Jiwoo found her heart being disturbed by him. Probably that was the reason why she disagreed that vehemently upon kissing him. She did not want to go through that hurt in the past all over again.

    If he continued this with her, it would not take her long to fall for him, and after that, the tragedy from the past was bound to repeat. That truly frightened Moon Jiwoo.

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and took a step back before saying, "I shall retreat for now, but remember that we will be always together regardless of what happens."

    "Even if you say that, nothing is for sure," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "I will make you think otherwise. Anyway, want to play Jenga?" Sookyung questioned.

    "What?"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "How did you even get one at here?" Jiwoo asked, clearly baffled.

    Both of them were seated upon the ground. While various ?ssortments of snacks were beside them¡ª for Jiwoo found herself being hungry again¡ª a tower wooden block placed before them.

    "I wonder," Sookyung said, "You know how to play it, right?"

    "Uhm, about that," Jiwoo voiced out, "I am not so sure. I have seen it before, but I never played it before. However, I will learn about it quickly. This looks easy enough."

    Sookyung chuckled and stated, "You seem completely clueless to this. I wonder what type of life did you lead prior to this. Anyway, it''s simple.

    You just pull out the block and say what it suggests. You put the block above the tower after you are done doing what it suggests, and this continues until the tower breaks."

    "We could have just played truth or dare instead of doing something as troublesome as this," Jiwoo mumbled.

    Nevertheless, deep inside, she was really excited to start it. Never did she have friends to play this with, and when she had seen other people do it, Jiwoo felt quite envious. However, now that she was about to experience this herself, although it was quite late, Jiwoo was happy.

    "Even if you say that, the smile on your face shows otherwise. I guess right when I thought that you will be liking this. I am glad," he said.

    At that realization, Jiwoo coughed and wiped that smile off of her face before saying, "Stop talking too much. You should go first."

    "Alright," Sookyung vocalised, "But promise me one thing. You can not choose to lie if you get truth."

    "Of course I won''t. I am not the dishonest one among both of us. It is more likely for you to lie," Jiwoo pointed out.

    Letting out a chuckle, he said, "It''s pleasant to see how you know me that well, Daerin. I promise to not lie, and this time my promise is trustworthy. Then, let''s get started."

    Moon Jiwoo watched the boy with eager eyes as he moved his hand forward and carefully pulled a wooden block from the left. Once he was done with that, Jiwoo snatched the wooden block from his hand before he was able to read the contents.

    "What''s the size of your und?rw??r?" Jiwoo read before expressing, "Boring."

    With that, she placed the block on top of the ground and stared at him with disinterest in her eyes.

    "Aren''t you curious?" Sookyung asked.

    "Not exactly," she answered, "But since you picked this block, just do it. By the way, shouldn''t you be at least slightly abashed? Do you go around, saying your und?rw??r''s size to everyone?"

    Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "I wonder if this is something I should be shy about. And about my und?rw??r''s size, let''s just say it''s¡ª"

    Before Oh Sookyung about to continue further, Jiwoo interrupted him and stated, "You know what, don''t say anything. This is too much for someone like me, and let''s move on."

    "Why? Didn''t you say that you are experienced? What are you being so shy for?" he teased.

    Deciding to ignore Oh Sookyung''s words, she looked at the tower, and extending her hand towards the tower, she pulled out one of the blocks. Seeing how she had successfully managed to do it, a smile formed on her face.

    "I did it," she spoke out.

    Turning the wooden block, she read the contents of the block, and seeing how Jiwoo''s face turned pale at the sight of it, Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows.

    "What is it?" he vocalised.

    "Can''t we just change it?" Jiwoo mumbled.

    "I guess there is no problem with that," he said, "But are you going to be a coward, Shin Daerin? I thought you were not as lame as that. I wanted to play this with you because I thought that you would be fun, but it seems that you are another one of those person who runs away from dates. Kind of disappointing, but it''s not like I can force¡ª"

    "How in the world do you expect me to kiss you on your lips then, Oh Sookyung?" she questioned before continuing, "I can complete all the dares other than this! This is too much!"

    Placing on a confused expression, Sookyung vocalised, "What''s wrong with that? Everyone kisses around these days. What''s there to act so shy and conservative about it?"

    "Are you trying to pick a fight with me? Anyway, there is no way I will be able to do this. I thought I made it clear to you earlier," Jiwoo argued.

    "Ah! So, Shin Daerin is a coward who can''t complete a dare. That actually has a nice ring to it. Plus it seems that you are not as experienced as you claim to be."

 Chapter 116 - Jenga [2]

    Acting on a mere impulse, Jiwoo did it. Even though she was scared about finding her true emotions towards the male, she too was curious regarding her feelings towards him.

    Maybe she would be regretting acting on impulse later on, but at that moment, she could not bring herself to care about it.

    Bringing her face closer to his, Jiwoo placed her lips on top of his and pecked him. The action lasted for only a mere second before Jiwoo moved back.

    While Oh Sookyung''s eyes were widened due to her sudden actions, Jiwoo''s face remained blank, and slowly, it was turning ashen. Jiwoo was shocked that she did not find herself detesting that.

    Instead after doing that, her eyes kept on getting drawn to his lips; it felt almost as if she was regretting the fact that this was small.

    ''Snap out of it, Moon Jiwoo! The only reason you are feeling this way because he is the only male that you are close to. That''s all! There is nothing more than that can be between two of us. Jiwoo, don''t dream for the impossible again! Get a grip over yourself!''

    "What''s with that face? Although you are the one who suddenly kissed me, you appear more shaken up than me," Sookyung voiced out.

    "No, it''s strange how I did not feel anything," Jiwoo lied.

    It was not that she did not feel anything; it was merely that she too frightened to comprehend the current surge of emotions within herself.

    "It seems that I have to try harder," he spoke out.

    With that, Oh Sookyung pulled another piece of wooden block and turning it, he read the content out loud.

    "Fulfill the wish of the person sitting opposite to you."

    "A wish?" Jiwoo mumbled.

    Sookyung nodded and said, "I will make sure to fulfill a wish of yours, so don''t hold back. What do you want?"

    "I don''t know. There are lots of things I want to ask from you, but I will just keep this chance for later on. After all, since this is a rare chance, I want to treasure it," Jiwoo voiced out, forcing a smile upon her face.

    Although Jiwoo''s inner emotions was in a turmoil, she did not let that show on her face. Knowing that she made the situation worse by thinking too much, Jiwoo decided to not opt for that.

    "You don''t need some block to have me grant your wish. I will do whatever you want," he stated.

    "That''s too good to be true," Jiwoo vocalised, "At least don''t be this obvious when you lie."

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and said, "Let me correct that then. I will do the most things you want. Of course there are some exceptions."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and expressed, "I highly doubt that."

    Jiwoo then pulled out a piece of block from the bottom. She felt the tower trembling slightly. Nonetheless, relief spread through her when she noticed that the tower hadn''t crumbled down. It would be a pity to let this end so soon.

    "Dream for the future," Jiwoo said, "Ah! Why do I have to get to deal with the difficult ones each time around?"

    "It''s just the second one, Shin Daerin," he pointed out, "And this isn''t hard at all."

    "That''s easy for you to say. You have a career planned out for you. As for me, I don''t even know. Should I start a business and be a CEO of it? That might actually keep me busy."

    Sookyung chuckled and vocalised, "Indeed that would be keeping you busy, considering how stupid you could be. You won''t success at business, but maybe you would be able to make some profit after working for hundred years."

    Slamming her hands on the ground, Jiwoo glared at him and said, "I know that I am not as smart as you, but do you always have to bring it in our conversation?

    You bastard, at least I am more attractive than you. I have decided. My dream for the future is to become a hostess, and I lure more men than the amount of female you attract. I challenge you to that."

    "What do I do? I can''t bring myself to agree to that," Sookyung spoke out.

    Curving the corner of her lips to form a smirk, Jiwoo wore on a smug expression and stated, "Why not? Are you afraid that you will be losing miserably?"

    Shaking his head, Sookyung said, "No, it''s just that I am quite a possessive man. Such a challenge is quite displeasing to me."

    "Tch! You are really disgusting!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Jiwoo pulled the block out from the tower. Around an hour had passed since both of them had started playing this game, and Jiwoo was impressed by how the tower was able to keep it fr breaking until now.

    Although Jiwoo had fun throughout the entire time, she had her fair share of embarrassing moments as well. Nonetheless, there was not anything she particularly disliked with the kiss being an exception.

    "What do you like about the person before you?" Jiwoo vocalised, "What kind of bullshit is this? I knew it! You planned to trap me with this."

    Shrugging his shoulders, Sookyung said, "Honestly, Jiwoo, I am really curious about the answer."

    Placing the block on top of the tower, she stated, "What''s there to say about it? It''s obvious that I hate everything about you."

    "You can''t lie," Sookyung spoke out, "Don''t tell me that you forgot that clause."

    "Aren''t you being overconfident right now? How are you so sure that I don''t hate everything about you?" Jiwoo questioned, raising one of her eyebrows.

    "Isn''t the fact that our relationship progresses this far proof enough? If you hated everything about me, you wouldn''t have come back to the Underworld," Sookyung pointed out.

    "You really have the nerve to say that I have come here because of you. Wow! I wonder where you get that confidence from," she said, "But I guess since I should not be lying, I guess I have some things about you that I like you.

    The best thing about you is your face. Regardless of what I might say, you are really handsome and also my type. Maybe that''s why, I came to the Underworld."

    "Just my face? That''s disappointing. I thought I was more charming than that." He let out a sigh.

    "Well, if you question me on what I like about you, it is difficult, because even I am not sure about it. That''s why, let''s not complicate things, and stick with your face," Jiwoo stated.

    "What''s with you answering that so m?tur?ly?" he mumbled before loudly adding, "Should I take it that you like everything about me?"

    "Not exactly. Although I don''t know what I like about you, I am clear about what I hate when it comes to you. Do I need to voice them out?"

    "No," he answered, "I believe I will be fine without knowing the answer to that."

    With that, Oh Sookyung decided to pull out a wooden block for his turn. But before he was able to do so, the tower crumbled down, and looking at that, both of them began to laugh.

    "Finally, it is over. If it continued for much longer, I would have broken it down on my own," Jiwoo spoke out as she fell back on the floor.

    The entire today felt unreal to her. Although she had been having a lot more fun these days, if she had to pick, today would be one of the best days in her life.

    The suffocation she felt her entire life disappeared these days, and her ?h?st was a lot lighter. This was the time in her life she wanted to tightly hold on to and not let go of.

    Copying Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung laid on the ground, and turning his head, he faced her with a smile on his face.

    "Say, Oh Sookyung, wouldn''t it be for the best if we stayed like this forever? Unchanged?" she questioned.

    "That wish of yours is something I desperately want to fulfill, but it''s not possible," he spoke out, "Time won''t allow me to."

    "If that''s the case, then I am satisfied with these staying the happiest memories in my life. Whenever I am facing any hardships, I want to think back to these, and be like ''ah, even I had happy moments''. I hope anything wouldn''t happen that would make me regret these memories. Just don''t let that happen, Sookyung," Jiwoo stated.

    Extending his hand towards her, he brushed back the hair which was before her eyes, and smiling at her, he voiced out, "If you say that with that expression on your face, how can I reject it?

    I will make you smile like this more in the future, so that you will be considering these moments to be insignificant. I promise you that. That''s why, don''t ever push me away. I might go crazy if you do that."

 Chapter 117 - Play around [1]

    After spending two nights at the place¡ª sincw the negotiation went by smoothly¡ª both of them were back at the Underworld. It was a pity that Jiwoo was not able to visit lots of place.

    Nonetheless, since Sookyung had promised to take her there next time around, she decided to wait for him to fulfill that promise of his.

    Seated inside one of the rooms in the castle, both of them were playing chess. While frown sat on Jiwoo''s face as she moved her pawn, Sookyung seemed to be much more relaxed.

    Once Jiwoo was done with hers, Sookyung moved his pawn to do the next move, and as it was a success, he wore a wide smile before exclaiming.

    "Checkmate!"

    Moon Jiwoo let out a groan before observing the game before her. Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows while she pulled her lips into a thin air.

    "No, what could be wrong this time around? I made each of the meticulously, and there were no open spaces. Are you cheating, Oh Sookyung?" Jiwoo spoke out.

    "Is that the only thing you can say everytime you lose? At this point, you should give up. There is no way you will be winning against me when it comes to this," the boy boasted.

    "I can''t do that. I believe that I will be beating you one day. It''s just that you have more experience than me! That''s all," she stated, "In a matter of a month, I know that I can make you lose!"

    "Sure. Playing with you is quite boring. Even though I left so many openings, you still are unable to win," he said, "The only thing enjoyable about this are the change of expression on your face. They are really cute."

    "Would it kill you to not spout these nonsense?" she asked, rolling her eyes at the male before her.

    "These¡ª"

    That''s when, the door to the room was abruptly opened, interrupting Oh Sookyung. At the sound, Moon Jiwoo turned back, and at the sight of the one standing beside the door, Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist.

    "Junghwa," she enunciated.

    The appearance of Junghwa was enough to ruin the good mood she had, and a scorn was placed on her face. Seeing the wide smile the female had on her face, Jiwoo felt disgusted and was desperate to rip that off of her face.

    "What are you doing here?" Oh Sookyung questioned.

    Junghwa bowed politely before saying, "Your Majesty, I will be staying over at the palace for some days since an emergency has come up at home. Uncle and Aunt had already given me permission, so I hope that you wouldn''t be minding."

    "I didn''t know that the palace provided shelter to the homeless people. The other day I saw some kids on the streets. Apparently they don''t have a place to go to. Should I be bringing them over as well?" Jiwoo stated as mock showed on her face.

    The corner of Junghwa''s lips curved to form a smirk, and raising one of her eyebrows, she faced Moon Jiwoo.

    "I thought you already knew."

    From that gaze of hers, Moon Jiwoo understood what the female wanted to imply. Feeling her anger rise at that, Jiwoo took in a deep breath and tried to compose herself, recalling Sookyung''s words on how the first one to lose the temper is the loser.

    "Shin Daerin, how many times do I have to tell you that this is not how we treat the guests at our place? When guests come over at your home, you need to be more polite," Sookyung voiced out.

    Having Oh Sookyung defend her in this managed to shock Moon Jiwoo. Nonetheless, a small smile formed on her face as joy spread through her heart. She liked how Sookyung implied that this was her home as well.

    Turning to face Junghwa, Sookyung added, "Have a pleasant stay at the Han''s quarters. It''s not a requirement for you to greet me or inform me about anything that happens there. Then, if that''s all, it would be great if you could leave. As you can see, both of us were busy."

    "Yeah, even if you are desperate, he won''t be liking you, so leave," Jiwoo voiced out, "As you have noticed, he loves me like his mother, and that''s why, he wouldn''t be obeying your order."

    "Love you like a mother? You have a strange way to put that, Shin Daerin," he said, not failing to glare at the girl.

    "I am so sorry for disturbing both of you," Junghwa stated, "About the Han''s quarter, I don''t know where it is. I don''t know much about this palace, so forgive me."

    "If you are apologetic, then leave. No one wants to see you at here," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "Ah, I will do that then. I am sorry again," Junghwa said, "I just wanted to make some friends at here, but that doesn''t seem to be possible.

    About what had happened previously, Daerin-ssi, it would be great if you could forget it and look past it. I must have said something wrong to you on impulse, and if there is anything about me that you dislike, I don''t mind changing it for you."

    "Why do I need to like you? No matter what you do, I will be always disliking you," Jiwoo expressed, "That''s why, stay away from me. My temper is quite bad, so I don''t know what I might do to a weak girl like you when I am angry. Even Oh Sookyung can''t stop me then."

    Junghwa bowed once while placing on a melancholic expression upon her face, and letting out a sigh, she turned her back on them before leaving the room. Once she had exited the room, Moon Jiwoo let out a scoff.

    "If there is anything about me that you dislike, I don''t mind changing it for you," Jiwoo mimicked before adding, "Honestly, she is so pretentious! I know the true side of her, and even you do, but I don''t see the meaning behind her acting that way. Does it feel good?"

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and said, "You can be really clueless at times, but I don''t want that side of yours to change. Just stay as you are."

    "You have been saying lots of things with vague meaning these days, Oh Sookyung," Jiwoo stated, "What are you trying to play at? I am really curious to know what you mean."

    "For that, you need to grow up a lot. Wait at least ten to twenty years more, and maybe you will be smart enough to understand the world," he spoke out.

    "I understand enough right now," Jiwoo voiced out, "By the way, about her staying at here, can''t you just kick her out or something? I mean, it would not be good if a murder happened in the palace?"

    "That Han Sungmin would kick a fuss if I do that, and that Junghwa doesn''t look like the type of give up easily. That''s why, Shin Daerin, try your best to get the pest off of me," Sookyung vocalised, as a smile formed on his face.

    "The smile on your face looks extremely vicious," she pointed out, "And what do you mean get her off of you? What do I look like to you? A servant?"

    "No, I just thought that you are too bored these days, and maybe playing around with her will be making you smarter," he said, "Regardless of what you do, I will be supporting you."

    "So, in other words, you are telling me that, even if I murder her, there wouldn''t be any problems?" Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    Sookyung let out a chortle and stated, "Let''s not go to there, but yeah, do whatever you want. For once, I want to feel that you''re jealous and possessive over even though that''s not the case."

    "As I have thought, you really say strange things at times, but don''t worry, I will take really good care of her," Jiwoo expressed, "But remember that you have to take care of me throughout the whole time. I will kill you if you abandon me."

    Evil ideas began to brew up within Jiwoo''s mind. As Sookyung had mentioned previously, she was indeed too bored at the mansion, and having someone to play around with her did not seem like a bad idea to her.

    A smirk formed on her lips as she clapped both her hands together, and she started to form ideas on how embarrass Junghwa. She wondered about how long Junghwa will be able to be at here before losing her patience.

    This might be too much of bothersome task for Jiwoo. Nonetheless, this would definitely be bringing in fun for her, and since she had Sookyung watching her back, it did not appear to be that bad of an idea.

    "You are doubting me about it. I thought we have already established how I am trustworthy guy," Sookyung said.

 Chapter 118 - Play around [2]

    "That one time was fine," Jiwoo complained, "But I don''t want to have breakfast with this unpleasant woman again. How can I have my food peacefully? Her stench¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, Oh Sookyung raised his chopsticks and placed food inside her mouth, preventing her from speaking further.

    Moon Jiwoo, Oh Sookyung, and Junghwa were present in the dining room. While two of them were having breakfast, Junghwa joined them with the excuse that she had no one to have breakfast with.

    Sookyung smiled and said, "Junghwa-ssi, this is a one time thing, right? You wouldn''t be repeating this again I believe."

    Even to someone like Jiwoo how Sookyung was pressurising the female with his words and stare. Although he wasn''t directly saying it, he showed how Junghwa was a nuisance with his actions and conduct.

    "I am sorry," she spoke out, "I will try not to do it again."

    "See, Daerin, that''s settled for now. Now at least try to bear with her for an hour or so," Sookyung stated, "And Junghwa-ssi, it appears that Daerin doesn''t like you, so can you not come at here? You see, when she is angry, she tends to create a lot of trouble for me."

    "Hey! What do you mean by that!" Jiwoo exclaimed, glaring at the male seated beside her. Nonetheless, seeing how he was taking me feelings into consideration caused heart to flutter.

    In such moments, Moon Jiwoo was always taken to be the evil lady due to her inability to control her emotions properly. Having someone to defend her was a first for Jiwoo.

    The corner of her lips curved to form a smile despite of how she attempted to appear pissed at the male.

    Junghwa simply nodded to that, but it did not miss Jiwoo''s eyes how she tightly clenched on to her chopsticks or her eyes showed a flash of anger.

    With that settled, Moon Jiwoo decided to concentrate at her meals until the breakfast time is over. There was no way she was going to allow Junghwa to keep her away from this delicious meal.

    Reaching out for her glass of water, Moon Jiwoo picked it up, and as she was about to take a sip out of it, she noticed how Junghwa''s chopsticks held on to vegetable. Realizing that Junghwa was about to place them on Sookyung''s plate, Jiwoo acted impulsively.

    Jiwoo blocked Junghwa from transferring that on to Sookyung''s plate with her pair of chopsticks. Skillfully, Jiwoo took the vegetable from Junghwa''s chopsticks with hers, and bringing them over to her mouth, she ate it.

    "It seems like that the maids hate you or else why would yours be much bland when compared to mine," Jiwoo spoke out, trying to act cool.

    Even Moon Jiwoo herself was shocked by what she had done, and both of their¡ª Sookyung and Junghwa¡ª widened eyes showed that they were caught off guard as well.

    Jiwoo did not understand why she had some something as mortifying as that. It was just that when she saw Junghwa doing something like that, she was unable to think straight.

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and said, "It seems that Daerin is the easily jealous type."

    Moon Jiwoo felt a slight blush forming on her cheeks at that, and turning her head away, she vocalised, "Who is jealous? It''s just that I did not want to give that Junghwa the satisfaction."

    Deep inside of her, Jiwoo desperately prayed this not to be something as petty as jealousy. Feeling that over Oh Sookyung was truly frightening to her.

    "Daerin-ssi really hates me. Your Majesty, do you mind taking a walk with me at the afternoon? Uncle had mentioned on how you will be free later on, and since I always wanted to see the garden at here, please take me with you," Junghwa vocalised.

    "Oh Sookyung, didn''t you promise to go to the town with me today? Don''t tell me that you will be breaking that promise just to walk at the garden with that?

    Isn''t that too boring for you?" Jiwoo vocalised, "You might not know about it since you b?r?ly know Sookyung, but let me tell you on all the things he likes. Walking through the garden is one of the things he hates the most.

    Going to the town and chasing after the females is the best thing for him. Of course being chased by females is something he detests. The reason both of us met was because how he was chasing after me like a pervert in¡ª"

    Placing a piece of meat in her mouth, he quietened her down and said, "Such information should not be easily spread, Shin Daerin. How many times do I have to remind you of that?"

    "If both of you are going to the town, please allow me to tag along. I have to buy some things in the town as well," Junghwa stated.

    "Why should we even take you with us? I am pretty sure you are familiar and old enough to go on your own. Plus the place we are going to is too private for an outsider like you," Jiwoo spoke out.

    A sigh escaped from Junghwa''s mouth at that, and lowering her gaze, she stared at the table. Wearing a melancholic expression on her face, she expressed, "I guess that can''t be helped. Since we have met after so long, I wanted to spend some time with his Majesty, but that doesn''t seem to be possible."

    "Of course it is not," Jiwoo said, "That''s why, you should be giving up early. Heartbreaks are terrible, and that''s why, you shouldn''t dream of someone who is way above of you."

    "Daerin, that''s enough," Sookyung stated, "You should concentrate on eating now. And Junghwa-ssi, I don''t want to beat around with you on this. I am not interested in you or will ever be.

    There is only one girl I have my eyes for, and I am someone who tends to be loyal. That''s why, before you humiliate yourself, I suggest you leave. Since you are a childhood friend of mine, I am showing you such patience, but don''t expect more for me."

    The way Sookyung threatened the female before him managed to cause chills to travel down Jiwoo''s back as well, and once again, it made her wonder how lucky she not to be on his bad side. Even with that smiling face, he did not seem to be any less frightening.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Will she give up after this?" Jiwoo questioned as both of them walked through the hallway.

    "I wonder," Sookyung said, "She is quite well-behaved¡ª at least on the outside. She doesn''t seem to be someone who would destroy her image that easily."

    "Really? You seem to be quite inexperienced with women because I know that is not the end of it," Jiwoo stated, "She seems to be quite a persistent woman."

    "Regardless of what happens, you don''t need to be scared because I am beside you," he voiced out, "And earlier, when you acted jealous over me, it felt really good. My heart really skipped a beat when you blocked that food from her for me."

    Taken aback at those words of his, Jiwoo did not want to doubt the sincerity behind those words, and smiling at him, she said, "It better. I don''t always do such stuffs for everyone, but I didn''t do it for you though."

    "You didn''t have to break my fantasies by saying that," Sookyung pointed out.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Junghwa''s face contorted due to anger as she punched her hand on to the wall. A small dent was created due to the force used by her, and before her stood a man.

    With his hands folded over his ?h?st, Lee Kwangsoo leaned against the wall while he stared at the woman before him seethe due to rage. Amusement showed in his eyes while he removed the lollipop from his mind.

    "It''s quite interesting to see you lose this badly, Junghwa," he stated.

    "Shut up! I can''t believe that I was humiliated by someone like her! She doesn''t know how to control that mouth of hers or act properly in front of others.

    She is detestable and ungraceful. Yet he chose to defend her over me! Does he need to go that far for her just because she had protected for a little while! No one would be able to like such a woman like her! He must be bewitched!" She angrily exclaimed.

    "So, what are you going to do now? Give up?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Give up? Like hell, I am going to do something as pathetic as this. It''s just time for me to move on to the plan B," Junghwa voiced out, "That idiot will be humiliated by me in a matter of time. The only reason she was able to make it out so far was because of his Majesty. That''s why, I just need to attack her when she is alone."

    Kwangsoo chuckled and commented, "Make it worthwhile for me."

 Chapter 119 - Impulsive [1]

    When Moon Jiwoo was passing by the hallway, she did not expect for Junghwa to appear out of nowhere and grab both of her hands.

    Nonetheless, thinking about it, it was not all that surprising. Junghwa tend to pop up from all sorts of places these days, and instead of chasing after Sookyung, it seemed that she was going after Jiwoo.

    Although Jiwoo was not able to figure out what the female was thinking, she knew that Junghwa was upto no good. There was no way that the female who picked a fight with her first was trying to make amends with her.

    Jiwoo planned to tell about Sookyung about Junghwa''s constant annoyance, but these days, he had been busy to the point they rarely met.

    Even though Jiwoo was rarely considerate, she could see that he was overworking currently and did not want to add more to his workload.

    If informed about this, Jiwoo was aware that he would try to get her out, and knowing that this would cause him to deal with both of his parents, this would merely cause trouble for him.

    Despite not having a clue on what Junghwa could be scheming, Jiwoo believed that it would not be too serious.

    After all, there were limited amount of things Junghwa was able to do against her, and as someone who had pulled jealousy filled tricks before, Jiwoo thought that she would be able to look past them.

    Raising her head, Jiwoo saw that smile on Junghwa''s face which seemed to be quite innocent¡ª one that Jiwoo had grown to hate¡ª and a sparkle was present in Junghwa''s eyes.

    "Daerinnie, are you going to the garden? Take me with you," Junghwa stated.

    Creases instantly appeared between both of her eyebrows, and Jiwoo instantly pulled her hands away from Junghwa.

    Staring at her as if she was a bother, Jiwoo said, "Why in the world will I be taking you with me? Just don''t annoy me right now. Leave!"

    Junghwa did not appear to be affected by Jiwoo''s outburst. In fact, appearing to be more determined, she extended her hand forward to grab on to Jiwoo''s hands again.

    "Please, Daerin, I just want to go with you. I am really lonely at here. I won''t talk to you or disturb you. Can''t you reconsider it?" Junghwa pleaded.

    "What the hell are you trying to play at!?" Jiwoo exclaimed, removing her hand from the female''s grip.

    A gasp escaped from Junghwa''s mouth at that moment, and Moon Jiwoo was taken by surprise when the female fell backward. Junghwa''s back hit against the wall, as she closed her eyes slightly and wince escaped from her mouth.

    One more thing Moon Jiwoo knew for sure was that she did not use enough energy to send the woman falling. That could either mean that Junghwa was weak or she fell on her own.

    Not understanding what Junghwa was trying to accomplish by that, Jiwoo voiced out, "You disgust me! Just stay away from me next time around or it will be more than this."

    Letting out a scoff, Jiwoo turned her back on the female and began to walk away. Junghwa, on the other hand, had the corner of her lips curving to form a small smirk.

    At that instant, Jiwoo was not aware of what trouble her actions would be leading her to.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Walking through the garden, Jiwoo stared at the beautiful flowers that bloomed throughout the palace. Most of the flowers were unfamiliar to her.

    Jiwoo could see how well taken care of the garden was. The scene before her seemed to be one out of a picture. Various coloured flowers complemented each other well while a sweet scent wafted off of them.

    A particular flower caught Jiwoo''s eyes, and making her way over to it, she bent down to sit before it. Extending her hand towards the flower, she touched the petals of the flower. Although the petals were cold, they felt soft to the touch.

    From its outward appearance, it resembled an iris somewhat. However, there were quite details about it that was different from an iris.

    "That''s Ereis. Although beautiful, it is quite a poisonous flower. Eating its roots can be deadly for the Red Clan."

    Hearing the familiar voice, Jiwoo turned back. Oh Jihoon stood before her, and a smile formed on her face at that.

    The flower field behind him suited him well, and that made him seem more like a Prince in Jiwoo''s eyes.

    "Oh Jihoon-ssi," she said.

    He nodded in acknowledgement.

    Looking back at the flower, she stroked the petals and questioned, "So, why is such a dangerous flower kept at here?"

    "His Majesty wanted to grow it here," Jihoon voiced out, "And only a selected few can enter, so it''s not that big of a deal."

    "Sookyung did? That''s surprising," Jiwoo vocalised, "I didn''t take him to be someone who would hold interest towards a poisonous flower."

    "Despite of that, the flower''s scent is quite comforting," he stated, "It feels as if all the worries are driven away."

    "It feels that way I suppose," Jiwoo voiced out, "I wanted to place some in my room, seeing how dull it is, but I guess I can''t do it now."

    "There are flowers that are safer," Jihoon expressed, "And more suited for that."

    "Is that so? Why don''t you give me a tour of the entire garden if you are not busy? Was I too straight forward? I would understand if this was a bother," Jiwoo said.

    Shaking his head, he spoke out, "I would be pleased to do so."

    Clapping both of her hands together, Jiwoo voiced out, "That''s great!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "We can a beautiful flower crown with this one. Too bad, I can''t make one," Jiwoo voiced out as she touched the petals of the purple flower.

    "The maids would know how to do it," Jihoon vocalised.

    "Maybe I will get them to one for," she said, turning back to face him. "They would look really good on you. You really suit flower. I would have scouted you if I worked in the entertainment agency."

    "I will take that as a compliment."

    "That was meant to be a compliment," she stated, "Even Oh Sookyung can''t come close to you when it comes to visuals. How do you take care of your skin?

    It makes me jealous to be a female and look incomparable to you. It''s not regularly that I compliment people like this, so consider this to be a huge matter."

    Jihoon chuckled and spoke out, "Hearing you say that sounds nice. I always had a complex about how I looked, and you are cute just as you are."

    Jiwoo chuckled and vocalised, "If you have a complex about how you look, I wonder what other people will feel about themselves. Being this modest isn''t good. Women would jump upon you if you were on the surface."

    "You are such a sweet talker," he commented.

    "Is that so? Next time, I will write an entire book on how breathtaking you are. Would you be liking that?" Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    At her words, Jiwoo could see that the smile on his face disappeared, and a much more serious expression settled on it. That made her wonder about his sudden change of mood.

    "It would not be proper of you to hang out with me. You will be made as a target by many people," he spoke out, "I am pretty sure you have heard my story, and although I look like this, I am really dangerous."

    Bringing his face closer to hers, he whispered, "I almost killed my own sister."

    Her eyes widened at his words while she was taken aback. Jiwoo found herself being unable to respond.

    After one last glance at her, he turned his back on her and began to walk away. Staring at the ground, Jiwoo did not understand on what to do.

    Clenching her hand into a tight fist, she pursed her lips into a thin line. Despite of those words leaving his mouth, she recalled the hurt and loneliness he showed on his face before leaving.

    This reminded her of the days when she was faced with the negativity and wanted someone to be by her side. She recalled of her past days after seeing his face.

    Raising her head, she voiced out, "Oh Jihoon-ssi, would it be fine for me to call you just Jihoon the next time we meet? It just feels too formal."

    Jiwoo noticed how he halted in his steps for a second before walking forward. Moon Jiwoo wanted to bang her head against the wall for her impulsive actions. Nonetheless, thinking about it, she would have regretted it more if she did not mentioned about this to him.

 Chapter 120 - Impulsive [2]

    "What do you know about Oh Jihoon?" she questioned, raising one of her eyebrows.

    Seeing how she was free, she decided to take the opportunity to visit the male at his study. Upon her visit, Sookyung decided to take a small break from his work.

    Seated opposite to her on the couch, both of them had a cup of tea placed before them on the glass table along with some snacks.

    "Why are you asking about him all of a sudden?" he asked. Lifting the cup of tea before him, he took a sip out of it before placing the glass down.

    "Just asking," she replied, "I am just curious. He looks like a friendly person, and I really like him. That''s why, I want to get along with him."

    "Personally, I don''t know much about him, but the rumors about him are not in favour. It''s best to stay away from him," he voiced out.

    "He mentioned to me earlier on how he tried to kill his sister but even someone like me could see how he was in hurt," she spoke out.

    "Do you know who his sister is?" he questioned.

    "No, he hadn''t told me about that. Why? Do I have to know about that person?" Jiwoo vocalised.

    "You will be surprised to hear that you are his sister," Sookyung voiced out, "In other words, Moon Jiwoo is his sister although that body doesn''t belong to you anymore."

    Spatting out the tea inside her mouth, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened as she began to choke on the tea. While she coughed, she was unable to comprehend the situation.

    Staring at Oh Sookyung with a baffled expression, she pointed at herself and said, "How in the world did I have a brother? As far as I can remember, my mom did not give birth to someone else other than me, and he isn''t even from the Yellow Clan. At least try to make your joke believable!"

    "Your father was Oh Jihoon''s father, Oh Jaeho," he voiced out, "As for rest of the story, it is something I am not quite sure of."

    "Wow! This is a major plot twist," she mumbled, "That means my mom cheated the man I thought was my dad, and I was actually from the red Clan from my birth. This is seriously unbelievable!"

    Sookyung answered, "But that has no connection to you anymore. After all, you are Shin Daerin right now. The current Jiwoo is one to deal with them."

    "I guess so. I wanted to find out about what happened to my family although there was b?r?ly any relationship between us, but I was too scared to do so.

    However, it is as you say, I am Shin Daerin now. Maybe I should throw away all of those unpleasant memories as Moon Jiwoo," she stated, "Since I don''t need to deal with them any longer."

    He chuckled and said, "That''s why, don''t try to sympathize with Oh Jihoon. I don''t want you to drag yourself into trouble."

    "Geez! I know what to do. Do I actually look like someone compassionate in your eyes? I will avoid him from next time onwards!"

    "Jihoon!" she exclaimed, "You are here again at the garden!"

    Although Moon Jiwoo had given her word to Oh Sookyung on avoiding him, when she saw the man''s back, she realized that she would not be able to do.

    Seeing how this garden could only be visited by the selected few, Jiwoo convinced herself that it would not be bringing her much trouble if they communicate only at here. After all, the chance of anyone noticing them here was quite low.

    With that thought in her mind, she decided to approach the man who leaned against the trunk of a giant tree. Petals dispersed in the air, making the scene seem ethereal.

    "Jihoon?" he questioned.

    "Yeah, didn''t I tell you yesterday that I will be calling you that? Although you didn''t say anything, I will be taking it as a yes," she voiced out, "Certainly, it''s a different story if you are against."

    "It will do you no good to be beside me," he said.

    "Even if you say that, I am not obeying you. Let''s just say that I have a motive behind staying beside you, and the more distant you try to grow, the more persistent I will." she winked.

    He let out a sigh and spoke out, "Suit yourself."

    Clapping both of her hands together, she gave him a wide smile and stated, "I was planning to do that in the first place. After all, I was never good at listening to other people. So, what should we do today?"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo let out a giggle as she walked out of the garden with Oh Jihoon. As she had predicted, the time with the male was quite enjoyable.

    Although Jihoon wasn''t as sweet as he was in the beginning and tend to be quite blunt, he was still really pleasant compared to those around her.

    "Jihoon, what are you doing tomorrow? If you are free, let''s hang out again," she spoke out, "I didn''t even realize how quickly the time passed by."

    "Despite of my current status, I am quite busy, so it will be taking me long to find some time to meet you," he voiced out.

    "Seriously I don''t understand what''s wrong with all those people for treating you like this, but just hang on," she said.

    He let out a chuckle, and before he was able to say something, footsteps were heard. Raising their head, they stared at the woman before them who was accompanied by two maids.

    "Oh! Daerin, here you are! That''s great! I was looking for you!" Junghwa cheerfully stated.

    Wondering what the female was plotting this time around caused creases to appear between both of her eyebrows, and staring at the woman sharply, she said, "What to you want now, Junghwa?"

    "I wanted to visit the garden with you. I heard about all the beautiful flowers that were in bloom, and I wanted to see them for myself," she vocalised, "But what are you doing with him?"

    The immediate disgust that showed on Junghwa''s face when her eyes fell upon Jihoon caused Jiwoo to clench her hand into a tight fist.

    Jiwoo tend to be quite defensive towards the people she was fond of, and knowing how s?ns?t?v? the male''s situation was, it made her feel angered.

    "Is there anything wrong with that?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

    "Daerin, his Majesty will be upset if he sees you hanging around with that? Don''t you know how¡ª"

    Afraid that Junghwa''s words will be affecting the male negativity, Jiwoo interrupted her by saying, "Sookyung has no problem with whomever I hang around with, and don''t worry. Regardless of how he is, I find him to be more bearable than you.

    And if it about you visiting the garden, aren''t you forgetting about your status? This garden is not a place someone like you can go to. Go to the one that you belong to. Don''t think that you will be able to use to enter into garden."

    "You don''t have to be that angry, Daerin. I was doing this for your own. That man''s father had already betrayed us, and who knows when he might to the same as well? A¡ª"

    Before she was able to continue further with the words, Jiwoo wrapped her hand around Jihoon''s wrist and said, "Let''s go. We can''t waste our time talking to some bitch just because she was bored."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Once both of them were out from that place, Moon Jiwoo let go of his hand and halted in her steps.

    "I swear to god I felt like ripping all of her hair back then," she spoke out, "That sweet tone in her voice makes my blood boil and gives me chills at the same time!"

    "You overreacted," he pointed out, "I have been bearing with this for a while, and those words of her wouldn''t have made any impact on me."

    "That''s a lie," she vocalised, "I have been through such criticism. Once I felt as if the entire world had turned against me, and despite of how redundant the comments were, they still hurt me equally. No matter how hard I tried, I wasn''t able to grow numb to them. Maybe this is why I am really fond of you."

    "I was already prepared for this," he said, "But having someone to pity me doesn''t feel bad."

 Chapter 121 - Mere Gossips [1]

    It all started with mere gossips.

    When Moon Jiwoo was able to take a turn to go over to her bedroom, she did not expect to hear the maids talk about her. Instinctively, hearing her name caused her to hide behind a wall.

    Wondering what they were discussing about, she leaned further and remained inconspicuous in order to not arise anyone''s caution. Although she was used to people talking about her, it did not imply that she wasn''t curious at times.

    "That Shin Daerin is such a bitch!" one of the maids exclaimed.

    Hearing those words caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen, and raising her hand, she placed it over her mouth to suppress in all the noise.

    The angry coupled with those words managed to shock Moon Jiwoo. She hadn''t done anything outrageous to evoke such reaction from the maids. Unlike Junghwa, she b?r?ly kept a maid around her.

    In her last life, she would have understood it if the maids gossiped negatively about her since she deserved that due to her behaviour. But right now, she hadn''t done anything like that. Therefore, it didn''t make sense to her.

    "Exactly! How can she be like that to Miss Junghwa!? Miss Junghwa was just trying to be polite to her yet that Daerin is trying to abuse her."

    "How can someone even bear to do that with someone as sweet as Miss Junghwa? She is completely delusional!"

    "The other day I have heard about how she bragged to Miss Junghwa on how his Majesty belongs to her. How nonsensical is that!"

    "True! Just because she protected his Majesty a little doesn''t mean that he is obligated to her! It''s most likely that she is forcing his Majesty about everything."

    "That haughtiness of hers will soon be going away when she recognizes her position. Leader Han definitely supports Miss Junghwa along with the mistress Han. There is no way his Majesty will be disobeying them."

    "That''s true. Miss Junghwa definitely won the support of both of them, and with that, it''s enough to ensure her position at here. There is no way that Daerin would be able to do anything."

    "The other day I saw her hanging around with Master Jihoon," a maid said, "Isn''t that completely disgusting!?"

    "I am pretty sure that they planning something nasty together. Miss Junghwa wanted to warn her about Master Jihoon, but that Daerin just pushed her away harshly."

    If it wasn''t for how shocked Jiwoo was, she would have confronted all of those maids and yelled at them. But currently, she was too baffled to move from her position.

    She wondered where things had gone wrong.

    It was understandable in her last life. She was rude to everyone to begin with, but over here, it was a different case. She made an effort to not arise the hatred of other people. Although she offended quite a few people, she didn''t think it would be this serious.

    About Junghwa''s case, Jiwoo could not see what wrong she had done. Moon Jiwoo didn''t like Junghwa, and that''s why, she did not want to hang out with her.

    In her mind, there was nothing wrong with that. Just because of Junghwa''s persistency, she was slightly harsh at times, but it wasn''t anything intense. She did not hold any faults.

    This was too complicated for Jiwoo to comprehend. She thought that as long as she behaved amiably with others, the results would be good. But it appeared that she was being too naive.

    Regardless of how many times she had repeated in her mind that she was numb to all of these, in the end, that wasn''t the case. She was still affected by the negativity.

    Jiwoo''s body trembled as she wrapped her hands around herself. Her knees were starting to get weak. Even though the maids were long gone from that place, she was unable to compose herself. Her mind was at a messy state right now. She was at a loss of idea on how to react.

    That''s when, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

    Taken aback by that, she turned back and saw Oh Sookyung behind her. Seeing how pale Jiwoo''s face was caused him to widen his eyes.

    Instantly, Moon Jiwoo pulled him into a hug. Surprised when Jiwoo wrapped her hands around him, he did not hesitate to hug the woman back, seeing how desperately she needed one right now.

    Slowly, he patted his hand on her back as if trying to comfort her. He wanted to say something but held back his tongue, not knowing the correct words for the moment.

    Very rarely did he see her break down like that, and faced with such a situation, he was at a loss on what to do. Nonetheless, his ?h?st squeezed painfully, and he wanted to take that pain away from her.

    "What''s the matter?" he questioned softly.

    Although he would not be minding it and might take care of the maids, Jiwoo did not wish to do that. Plus this would not be guaranteeing that the maids would not be gossiping about her.

    This would only be growing their hatred towards her, and they would be taking negatively behind her back in more of a inconspicuous position. There was no way to prevent them from talking about her.

    "No," Jiwoo said, "Nothing happened. Would you believe me if I say that I just felt emotional randomly?"

    Moon Jiwoo felt tears forming at the corner of her eyes. Hugs were really warm and comforting. In her last life, she had no one to hug her when the world turned its back on her. But this time around, that wasn''t the case.

    She trusted in Sookyung to be there by her side even if everyone hated her and the sense of security he provided her with.

    That''s why, she would be fine from this.

    "Is that so? Then, let out all of your emotions," he voiced out, "You don''t have to hold them in and suffer."

    "Promise me one thing, Oh Sookyung. That you will never be betraying me, and you can''t hate me regardless of what I do," she said.

    "Hmm," he vocalised, "That goes without saying. I promise you."

    "I will go crazy and kill you if you break that promise of yours," she threatened.

    "How little trust do you have in me?" he asked before adding, "You are so helpless without me. How can I even abandon you?"

    "You are not a trustworthy guy," she said, "You are what they refer to when they say that men can not be trusted, but I will believe you this once."

    Oh Sookyung could see how vulnerable and fragile she appeared as those words escaped from her mouth. Those aroused his protective instincts. He wanted to lock her away and protect her from everything in the outside world.

    "I thought that I already changed that image in your mind," he voiced out, "I have become a better man now."

    A chuckle escaped from his mouth.

    Moon Jiwoo pulled away from the hug, and although the corner of her eyes had tears shining, she stared at him with mock in her eyes.

    "As if I haven''t heard the rumors on how you lately deceived all those people. You are being called wolf in sheep''s clothing, sly fox, and worst things. Do I need to list all of your new nicknames?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

    "It''s nice to see that you are back to your normal state, and when one is as smart as me, they are unable to help it," Sookyung vocalised.

    "Smart has nothing to do with how cunning you have become. But at least all of them calls you a good king. Although you are a sly fox, you managed to win the heart of the people. That''s the biggest thing," she said, "I feel envious and proud of you."

    Bringing his hand over to her face, he wiped away the tears from her eyes and spoke out, "About winning people''s heart, it''s not a hard thing if you are smart enough."

    "Are you trying to brag at here?" Jiwoo rolled her eyes.

    One thing Jiwoo was completely aware of at that very moment was how quickly her heart was beating within her ?h?st and she was unable to tear her eyes off of him. Although he wasn''t doing anything special in the moment, he seemed to be completely mesmerizing to her.

    Without her knowing, his position in her heart was updated.

    "Is that how you take it to be? You have something to brag about as well¡ª about how you stole my heart away."

    She just scoffed.

 Chapter 122 - Mere Gossips [2]

    Nearly avoiding the flower pot that was able to fall upon her head made Moon Jiwoo relieved. Shock by the sudden incident, she could only be grateful towards her sharp reflex.

    Her eyes stared at the broken pot and the soil that had spread over the ground along with the flower. Instantly, she raised her line of sight and looked upwards.

    A figure of a maid running away fell in her eyes, and seeing that, she clenched her hand into a tight fist. Noticing how the maid was out of her sight, she decided to let it go past for this once and didn''t bother calling for her.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A sigh escaped from her mouth as she stepped into the garden. Finding this to be the only place with solace, she sat down under the tree and leaned against the trunk of the tree.

    The entire week was filled with her trying to avoid the schemes of the maids. From falling flowers to making her trip on purpose, coupled with much more intense tricks, she was tired of facing it throughout the week.

    Her muscles ached by now regardless of how quick her recovery was, and since Sookyung wasn''t in the palace for this complete time, she wasn''t able to complain to him.

    Moon Jiwoo wanted to deal with the maids on her own, but she was completely unsure of what to do.

    Once she tried to scold a maid after she had dropped a glass of water on her, but before Jiwoo was able to say anything, the maid disappeared from the scene.

    If this were to be continued, Moon Jiwoo knew that she would be losing the total control over her anger, and a bloody fight will be starting in the palace. She was only slightly away from causing that ruckus.

    Just now, she had escaped from a strange insect attack. Seeing how those insect was, she was still creeped out by now. Chills went down her back at the thought of them. Over her, the insects were worse than those on the surface.

    Lately, she hadn''t been able to sleep properly in her room since the maids were adamant on letting not have even slight amount of peace. Every night, they made sure to create as much as noise as possible outside her room to leave her sleepless.

    At moments like this, Jiwoo hated the s?ns?t?v? ears of her. If her ears were like before, she would have not ended up with the dark circles.

    "You look dead tired. Is everything fine with you?"

    Hearing that voice caused more anger to rise within Moon Jiwoo. Over this one week, she had grown to become quite familiar with the owner of the voice, and each time she heard the voice, an ominous feeling rose within her.

    "Lee Kwangsoo, You Bastard, what the hell are you doing at here?" she questioned.

    Along with Junghwa and the maids, this person took away the last thread of peace. Every time he got, he appeared before her after she got humiliated by the maids and tormented her by reminding her on how pathetic she seemed.

    What she had grown to learn about him was that Lee Kwangsoo was a sadistic bastard who was fond of throwing people into trouble and an expert at rubbing salt into other people''s wounds.

    Before he was able to come close to her, Jiwoo raised her leg and touched his abdomen with it. Then, glaring at him, she said, "Don''t think that I won''t wring your neck if you move a step closer to me, You Bastard."

    "Oh my! Did you make that my nickname? I have been hearing you frequently address me by that," he commented.

    "Yes, I think I must have. Got a problem with that, Bastard?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

    "No, it''s cute," he vocalised, "I heard that a little cute kitty got frightened to death by some mere insects. I am here to check up on her. I don''t mean any harm."

    "Fuck off, You bastard. No one needs you to take care of them," Jiwoo voiced out, lowering her leg.

    Seeing him at here, Jiwoo wondered about what tricks the male was up to this time around. Whatever it was, Jiwoo was sure that it wasn''t anything good.

    "You don''t need to appear that cautious in my presence. I am seriously have no bad intentions this time around," he stated, sitting down in front of her.

    Continuing to stare at him fiercely, she expressed, "Who allowed to sit down at there? Get away from here!"

    "The more you send me away, the more attracted I am towards you," he voiced out, "It makes me want to see your tear stained face more."

    Watching the man before her, she wondered what quality of hers had attracted the pervert and said, "You are seriously gross! Just go play around with someone else."

    "I wonder if I will be able to do that. No one can even come close to that charm of yours. Everytime I look at you, I am unable to tear my eyes away from you. I wonder how one person can be that mesmerising," he spoke out.

    Bringing his face nearer to hers, he stared at her intensely, and creases formed between both of her eyebrows at that. On a closer inspection, Jiwoo found his face being quite handsome.

    "Your lips look delicious," he said.

    Moon Jiwoo was completely taken aback by those words of his, and her eyes widened. She did not expect for the man to flirt at here. Any sarcastic, teasing, or rude remarks would have been more suitable.

    "What the hell are you saying?"

    "You seem nervous," he stated, "Could it be that you are tempted? I wouldn''t be blaming you if you are. Some say that I am like a drug. Would you like to try out this drug."

    "Drug?"

    He nodded his head, and before Moon Jiwoo was able to say something, he did something taking her by utter shock.

    Raising his hand, he displayed an insect in front of her face, and taken by shock, a gasp escaped from her mouth. Her eyes dilated due to horror, and seeing how scary the insect was, she squealed.

    As he brought the insect closer to her, she jumped back, and her head hit against the tree trunk. A sharp pain went through her head, and it seems that she had underestimated the strength she used to hit her head against the tree trunk.

    Her vision started to get blurry all of a sudden, and soon enough, her eyes closed shut. Coupled with how tired she had grown to become over the week, there was no way she was able to maintain her consciousness any longer.

    Feeling something heavy on her hand, Jiwoo let out a groan and slowly opened her eyes. The smell of disinfectants reached into her nose, and she wondered about where she currently was.

    Jiwoo found herself being slightly relaxed since it had been a long time since she was able to take a peaceful rest.

    Turning left, she noticed that Oh Sookyung was seated beside her, and it seemed that it was him who was holding her hand throughout the entire time. The though of that got her heart to beat rapidly.

    "How do you feel right now? When I first heard that you fainted, I did not believe it," he voiced out, "But then, I decided to check up on you. How could you have fainted? I thought that you knew how to take care of yourself well. But it seems that I can''t trust you with at least this much. What should I do next? Hire a babysitter for you."

    "You are talking way too much, and as you can see, I am fine right now. It''s just the fatigue that piled up right now, and this is your fault! Why did you suddenly disappear without letting me know about it? I won''t talk to you again for that!" Jiwoo vocalised.

    "Ah! I am sorry for that. I thought that it would be only for few hours when that Han Sungmin dragged me away, but who knew that it would be lasting for an entire week? I don''t want to be a king anymore. This is too tiring! But now I back for good."

    He let out a groan.

    Moon Jiwoo was able to inform him about all the mischief pulled at here, but she decided to stay silent this time around. The dark circles under his eyes were worse than hers, and the fatigue was clearly visible on his face. Despite that, he decided to wait up on her instead of resting.

    Now that Sookyung was here, the maids might not do anything outrageous, and she would be able to deal with the simple things.

 Chapter 123 - Precious [2]

    Junghwa was most definitely brought trouble to her ever since they have met. This was one thing she was confirmed about by now, and unless she got rid of the female completely, she would not be able to get away from the bad luck.

    The situation right now was one of the examples.

    After Moon Jiwoo was done with her lunch, she wanted to spend rest of her afternoon in peace, but that wish of hers was disturbed when she was called by Han Youngmi, Sookyung''s mother.

    Moon Jiwoo wanted to let Sookyung know about it and run away from the scene but decided against it since she did not want to seem like a coward.

    ''It''s just a old lady. How bad can it get?''

    Folding her arms over her ?h?st, Jiwoo wore an arrogant expression upon her features, and following after the maid, she stepped into the room. The maid bowed at the woman inside the room before leaving, closing the door behind her.

    Jiwoo stared at the woman sitting on the couch with scorn. She recalled how the very woman insulted her last time, and Jiwoo was known to hold grudge for a long time.

    "Why are you searching for me?" Jiwoo questioned.

    She wanted to get out from this room as soon as possible and did not want to get involved in any beating around the bush or sweet talks.

    Without paying any attention to Moon Jiwoo, the woman raised her tea cup, and bringing it over to her mouth, she took a sip out of it while a relaxed expression sat on her face.

    Seeing the woman''s attitude, Moon Jiwoo found herself being irritated. Nonetheless, she wasn''t crazy enough to attack an elderly woman regardless of how irritating she found them to be.

    Letting out a scoff, she turned her back on the woman and was about to leave. If the woman had no intention to talk to her, then, there was no reason for her to stay in this room.

    Before Jiwoo was able to touch the door knob, the woman voiced out, "How ill-mannered are you! I have called you at here yet you are leaving without my permission! You really need to be shown your position at here properly! You need to be punished!"

    Hearing the woman''s angered voice, Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle, and turning to face the woman, she raised one of her eyebrows before saying, "You say really funny things at times. Why should I even obey you at the first place?"

    "That''s because you are such a mere servant at this place in the first place! Just because Sookyung had treated you kindly, don''t tell me that you forgot it, You Imbecile! Your existence¡ª"

    "If you brought me here to insult me, I would rather leave," she voiced out, "I don''t how many more times I have to say about it, but I am not good when it comes to dealing with my temper.

    Servant or whatever I am, it has no connection to you, Old Lady. So, stay out of my business. I don''t care which bitches seduce Oh Sookyung. That''s why, keep me out of it. I am not someone who shows courtesy to old woman."

    Creases formed between both of her eyebrows as the woman stood up abruptly and began to make her way towards Moon Jiwoo. Jiwoo stared straight at the woman without showing any signs of being intimidated.

    Then, all of a sudden, taking Jiwoo by surprise, the woman raised her hand and planted it against Jiwoo''s cheek. A loud sound travelled through the room while a sharp sting went across her cheeks. Jiwoo stared at the woman with widened eyes.

    "How dare you, You Mere Servant! I will be responsible for teaching you your place at here! You have crossed your line a long time ago!

    You should have been dead yet my son did a great favour in keeping you alive. In return for that, you are showing such an attitude! You just defile this place! Either kill yourself or leave this place."

    Initially, Jiwoo decided to handle this without creating a ruckus, but by hitting Jiwoo, the woman had gone too far. Once the woman had done this, there was no way Jiwoo was able to hold in her anger anymore regardless of how elderly Youngmi was.

    Silently, Jiwoo made her way to the table and swiftly picked up the cup of tea. Seeing the tea inside the cup, she did not waste a second before spilling the entire liquid upon the woman''s head.

    As the wet liquid travelled down her head, the woman''s eyes widened, and a gasp escaped from her lips. Raising her hand, Youngmi touched the wet surface of her head before glaring at Jiwoo.

    Jiwoo threw the cup across the room, causing the cup to break into multiple pieces, and a loud sound spread through the room.

    "Next time you attempt something like this," Jiwoo threatened, "I will really not be sparing you. Just because I am tolerating this nonsense doesn''t mean I can''t go against you.

    And what? You are threatened by how Sookyung adores me. Cool! I will use the fact to make him reject all the woman you send after him or better, I will get him to marry me. After all, he did say that he is willing to reject his fated one for my sake. That''s how much enamored by me he is."

    "You bitch!" the woman exclaimed.

    Bringing her hand over to Moon Jiwoo, she was about to grab and pull them. But before she was able to do such a thing, Jiwoo grabbed the woman''s wrist, preventing her from doing so.

    Moon Jiwoo was proud of herself from being able to prevent from happening. One of the things she hated most in fighting was when someone touched her hair.

    Twisting the woman''s hand slightly, Jiwoo vocalised, "It seems that you don''t learn your lesson easily. You call me lowly yet aren''t you acting like an uncultured old lady right now? Do you enjoy being humiliated?"

    Before Han Youngmi was able to retort, the door to the room was pushed open, and Jiwoo turned her head towards that direction. Oh Sookyung stepped inside the room, and worry was visible upon his features.

    "Shin Daerin, are you fine?" he asked before his eyes fell on the scene before him.

    Moon Jiwoo let go of his mother''s hand, and nodding her head, she walked over to the male. Nonchalance showed upon her face.

    "Yeah, I am just fine," she stated, "It''s just that someone was desperate for my attention, so I have gifted her with that. You were late though. You weren''t able to rescue the damsel in distress."

    Oh Sookyung''s fell on something, and raising his hand, he touched the corner of Jiwoo''s lips. Although the wound had been healed, the blood remained on the surface.

    Oh Sookyung''s eyes darkened as he turned to face his mother, and he vocalised, "I don''t care about what you want to do, but don''t involve Daerin into them. I might not take them kindly from next time around, and about Junghwa, it''s my fault for not dealing with it earlier.

    If I see Junghwa is my part of the palace, I ?ssure you that I will be personally forbidding her from entering into the palace. Just because you are my mother, doesn''t mean anything."

    "But you can''t go against me for just some woman you recently met. I am your mother. How can you be like this with me?

    It''s definitely this woman who had done something to you or else why would you be rude to your own mother! She is not a good woman! You need to teach her a lesson properly," Youngmi stated desperately.

    "I respect you as a mother. That''s why, don''t cause me to lose that respect towards you. Even without me telling you about it, I am sure you are smart enough to see how you''re wrong in this. Right now, Daerin is more than a protector to me. Remember that."

    After shooting the woman a cold glance, Oh Sookyung placed his hand on Jiwoo''s shoulder, and turning the woman, he said, "Let''s go!"

    "Shin Daerin, regardless of what you do, I will make sure that you are not happy with this relationship! I will not allow for that to happen. My son will be leaving you soon, and that will be your punishment for being this arrogant!" the woman exclaimed.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Once both of them were further away from the room, Sookyung scolded, "You idiot, why didn''t you tell me about it? Do you know my heart almost jumped out of my ?h?st when I heard that Han Youngmi had called you?"

    "I thought I could have dealt it on my own, and I managed to do that as well although I got a slap," Jiwoo said, "And it hurts my pride, alright!"

    "You will be able to stay at here peacefully for the time being. I will make sure that Junghwa isn''t here anymore. Sorry for being incompetent before."

 Chapter 124 - Precious [1]

    Moon Jiwoo thought wrong because even with Oh Sookyung present at here, the maids'' tricks hadn''t gone down, and no longer Jiwoo was unable to bear with them.

    When Moon Jiwoo noticed how rock pieces were present inside her soup, she instantly slammed her hand on the table and called all the servants that was responsible for her meal.

    Currently, she was in the dining room, and while she was seated upon the chairs, she stared at the three figure before her¡ª two kitchen maid who were responsible for her food.

    While her eyes glared at them, she questioned, "Who ordered you to add rocks to my meal?"

    At her question and the pressure her presence emitted that instant, the maids quickly went down to their knees and bowed before her once.

    "Forgive us, Shin Daerin-ssi. We really did not intend to do something like that," one of the maids started, "It seems that we have created a mistake this once. Please spare us."

    "Why? Just so that you will be able to create such mistakes again. You do realize that the palace is not a charity organization. Incompetent people shouldn''t be kept at here. Maybe I should get Oh Sookyung to fire both of you.

    I might not be an important person, but what if you did this someone else? I am sure this would only be bringing shame upon Oh Sookyung. As his protector, it is also my job to protect his reputation. Make sure to pack up your bags and leave. That''s all."

    Both of the maid''s eyes widened due to the horror, and their face had grown pale. They had a difficulty comprehending what they had just heard. Although they had pulled a small prank, they did not expect for her to go that far.

    "Please spare me, Shin Daerin-ssi. I really had no idea about this. It was her who had done it. I swear I had no intentions behind this. Everything is her fault. How can I dare to scheme against someone like you?" One of the maids acted fast and vocalised.

    "How dare you? You liar, it''s you who have done. Although I knew about it, I am innocently, Daerin-ssi. Why would I try to plot against you? This servant doesn''t dare." The maid shook her head.

    "It seems that I am losing my touch because of how lenient I am being these days. I thought being sweet worked, but who knew that it only brought more trouble. I shouldn''t have tried to handle things in these lame ways. My previous ways were really the best.

    Be glad that I am kicking you out of here only, and not ripping every single hair of yours before doing so. If you d?s?r? to work so much at here, why don''t you go and talk to Junghwa bitch about it? Maybe if she has authority in this place, she will be able to do so."

    "Please don''t do this to me, Shin Daerin-ssi. I really have no connection to Junghwa-ssi. She might be close to her, but that''s not the same for me. I only favour you, Daerin-ssi."

    "Yah! Why are you lying this time around? It was you who worshipped Junghwa-ssi last time around when I told you stay away from her.

    Don''t listen to her words, Daerin-ssi. It''s me who is completely loyal to you, and about such a mistake, I will be putting extra care so that this doesn''t happen again."

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle in that instant, and raising her hand, she ran her finger through her hair. An amused look sat in her eyes while she neared her hand towards on of the maids and grabbed on to her chin.

    Pulling the maid''s face closer to her, Jiwoo smirked and voiced out, "Doesn''t those rumours call me a bitch? So, why don''t I become a real bitch? That would be making it a reality, instead of a rumour."

    Chills went down both of their backs at Jiwoo''s words and the look in her eyes. In that moment, they started to regret pulling such a prank on her.

    They thought that she was the easy to bully type, but her tone currently showed how that was not the case. It appeared that she was quite experienced with people like them.

    Moon Jiwoo let out a sigh, and removing her hand from the maid''s face, she said, "Fine, I will be kind for one last time. If you dare to lick my shoes one time, I will be sparing you. Who will be brave enough to go for that? If not, leave this mansion, right now!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Shin Daerin, you really created a disaster this time around," Sookyung voiced out once she stepped into his study.

    Oh Sookyung made his way over to the couch and took the seat opposite to the girl. A small smile was present on his face.

    "I was just playing around a little. Didn''t you say that I was allowed to do whatever I wanted at here? I was trying to abuse that authority. Why? Did you think that I have gone too far and now I am not allowed to create any ruckus?"

    Opening her eyes, she folded her hands over her ?h?st, and raising one of her eyebrows, she stared at him. A chuckle escaped from his lips while he shook his head.

    "No, I am wondering what reputation this palace will be having from now on. You made four maids bald, had two of them make out with each other, said four maids to sleep outside with the insects, and fired five of them. I wonder what all you have planned inside that mind of yours."

    "That''s all? I thought that I have done worse, but it appears to be merely my wishful thinking. I think this is not enough to scare all of those brave maids at here. Maybe I need to think for something much more extreme for the next time," she voiced out.

    "If you keep up with that, I am afraid that no one would be willing to work at the palace again," he expressed, "Why didn''t you tell me about it and suffer though, You idiot? I could have taken care of it with the snap of my finger."

    ''Because I didn''t want to worry and trouble you about the measly things when you already have both of your hands full with work.''

    "Isn''t that because of how cool it made me seem? You should have been now scared they have been. Ah! That feels really pleasing to me. I really missed this feeling of superiority!" she expressed.

    "Don''t be a that obvious when you are lying at least. You think that I am unable to see how hurt you are from this. You didn''t want to do this in the beginning.

    Isn''t that why you have held yourself? But you weren''t unable to do it any longer. You really got better at controlling your temper," he spoke out.

    Moon Jiwoo immediately lowered her line of sight, and staring down at the floor, she could feel her cheeks slowing heating up.

    She then mumbled, "Why are you this good at reading me, You Bastard?"

    Bringing his hand over to her, he grabbed on to both of her cheeks and pinched them before saying, "Isn''t that because we are meant to be?"

    "Liar. If that was the case, I would be able to read you as well, but you are really hard to figure out," she pointed out before mumbling, "It was better when you were that foolish kid. Now, it''s just feels that you are growing more distant to me. You said that I shouldn''t think of leaving you, but it seems that you will be one doing that. Isn''t that unfair?"

    "Aw! Is that how you feel right now? This is so cute," he vocalised, "My heart is almost about to jump out of my ?h?st right now due to how fast it is beating. Don''t worry!

    The last thing I will do is leaving you, and if me being a King burdens you, just let me know about it. I have no problem about letting others know about it."

    "You bastard, how can you say that this easily? Do you know all the troubles I went through to make you the damned king? All of this will be useless I''d you give up your position, and realistically speaking, it''s impossible for you to accomplish such a feat," she said.

    "You doubting my abilities hurts yet makes me enthusiastic at the same time," he voiced out, "Maybe I should actually do it to prove it to you."

    "Just don''t think about something as crazy as that, and forget about what I have said before."

    "How can do that? Every word from you is precious to me."

 Chapter 125 - His fated one [1]

    While both of them walked through the hallway, Moon Jiwoo faced the boy beside her and questioned, "What are you planning to do for later?"

    Raising one of his eyebrows, he voiced out, "I am free. Why?"

    "I want to go outside. It''s been a long time since I was able to hang out with you. Aera has been busy recently," Jiwoo spoke out.

    "I got no problem with that. Work had been taking up lot of my time recently, and at this point, I guess I am growing to become tired of this.

    I can''t bring myself to feel enthusiastic about it any longer," he stated, "It makes me want to give up this position. From the very beginning, I did not want to do this, but now, the feeling is getting worse. I wish there was someone to take my position."

    Pointing at herself, Jiwoo said, "If you don''t want to, give it to me then. I always wanted to try ruling over a country. This seems to be a perfect opportunity."

    Letting out a chuckle, he brought his hand over to her face and flicked lightly on her forehead causing her to let out a little winch. While glaring at him, she rubbed the surface that was slowly turning red.

    "I can feel pity for the people at here. That''s why, that wouldn''t be possible."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and vocalised, "I don''t think that I lack capabilities to rule a country. Who knows? I might even turn out to be better than you. You shouldn''t easily underestimate people."

    "I believe in miracles, Shin Daerin, but it would be taking more than a miracle to make that happen. Anyway, thank you. I guess it''s the thought that counts."

    "Tch! I was being serious. If you don''t believe it, you can try to test me. In one day, I will be cleaning the entire kingdom, starting with that Junghwa in the beginning, and put a rule that annoying will be leading to imprisonment."

    He chuckled and voiced out, "I can clearly see your intentions now for being a King. They¡ª"

    Before Oh Sookyung was able to continue further, something caused him to lose his voice for a second. He was surprised as he felt a presence, and while his eyes widened, he raised his line of sight.

    A woman stood before him, and that woman stared at him in the same way. Both of them were unable to take their eyes off of each other and found themselves making their way to each other.

    But realizing how Sookyung was looking at the woman, she found herself becoming silent, and all of a sudden, it felt as if something heavy fell upon her ?h?st. The scene in front of her was something she had a hard time watching.

    It was easy for her to see how both of them were mesmerized with each other, and even someone as foolish as Jiwoo was able to guess the reason behind it.

    As they stood close to each, he raised his hand, and the woman did the same as well. Both of them touched their palms and connected their fingers.

    Unable to watch it any longer, she looked the other way. Lifting her hand, she touched her ?h?st and wondered why it was hurting that badly. Tears stung at her eyes, but fortunately, she was able to control them.

    Oh Sookyung had finally found his fated one, the one he was fated to be with, and despite of his words previously, he was completely enamoured with the woman.

    Then again, Moon Jiwoo shouldn''t have expected too much. After all, Jiwoo was just an important friend to the man and satisfied with that.

    With a wink of an eye, Jiwoo immediately disappeared from the scene. The suffocation she felt in her ?h?st was starting to get worse, and she was afraid to find out how she would be reacting if she stayed at here a second more.

    Once Moon Jiwoo was gone, Sookyung realized of her lack of presence, and immediately breaking his stare away from the woman, he turned to face left, where Jiwoo was previously standing. But there was no sign of her currently.

    While confusion showed upon his features, he mumbled, "Shin Daerin."

    Moon Jiwoo fell back on her bed, and raising her hand, she placed it above her eyes. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

    Jiwoo was unable to understand her sudden change of emotions. It was normal for him to find a fated one, and she was already prepared for it. But why did it feel as if her ?h?st was being ripped into two?

    The instant Oh Sookyung looked away from her and locked gazes with that woman, Jiwoo found her heart slowly sinking. It was almost as if she was disappointed at him.

    This most definitely had to be something more than her pride being hurt.

    At the thought that emerged in her mind in that moment, she instantly sat up on the bed, and with her eyes widened due to horror, she shook her head frantically.

    Fear was visible in her eyes while she mumbled, "There is no way that can be happening. No, Shin Daerin, you are feeling that way all because you''re shocked back then. It''s just that you are a little sad that Oh Sookyung has someone else he will be more close to.

    That''s all. You feel this way because you considered him to be a very close friend of yours, and now, with him finding a fated one, he will not be able to give you as much as time as before. It''s because of this sense of loss you are sad.

    Other than that, you are happy for him. Now, no one will be criticising him any longer for being without a fated one. These feelings are temporary. They will go away when you make another friend, who will be closer to you than Oh Sookyung. My feelings for him doesn''t exceed that felt for a friend. That''s all!"

    Moon Jiwoo took in a deep breath and forced out a smile on her face.

    Clapping both of her hands together, she voiced out, "Yeah! You are all fine now, Moon Jiwoo! See, you are feeling happy! Let''s go outside now, and not think too much about it!

    After all, you need to still congrats, Oh Sookyung. He might be confused and even misunderstand your sudden disappearance. There is no way you will ever be able to feel that way for Sookyung.

    Although he can be sweet at times, he is a rude jerk who always likes to tease you, and his looks aren''t even your type. Jiwoo, you will be fine."

    At that moment, Moon Jiwoo heard knocks on her door, and immediately, she stood up from the bed. Walking over to the door, she turned the door and opened the door.

    Her eyes widened when she saw the male standing in front of her door. She was shocked since she didn''t expect for him to come looking for her. Nonetheless, she forced a smile upon her face.

    "What are you doing at here? Shouldn''t you be spending time with your fated one or else she might be getting jealous? Anyway, congrats! I am really happy for you, Oh Sookyung!" she cheerfully said.

    "You idiot, do you know how worried I was when you disappeared all of a sudden? I searched throughout the entire palace, but it seems that you are in your room. Didn''t you say that you wanted to go out earlier?"

    "Yes, I did say that, but that was because I didn''t think you would be finding your fated one. I don''t like being a third wheel. That''s why, I excused myself from there.

    Now that you are done checking up on me, go and meet up with her. It''s not like you are going to find a fated one everyday, you idiot! Do I even need to say that to you?"

    "That''s not even important," he spoke out, "Didn''t I already promise you earlier to hang out with you?"

    "What do you mean that''s not important? Do you want me to smack your head or something? It''s the plans we have made that is not important! That''s why, just go to her, you Idiot! She will be misunderstanding the situation and be hurt! I don''t want to be called names for this."

    "So, you don''t care if I go to her?" Sookyung questioned, raising one of his eyebrows.

    Moon Jiwoo noticed the slight hurt that was visible in his voice but brushed it aside, taking it to be her misunderstanding.

    "Why the hell would I be caring about something like that? Now, go and tell me all the gossips later on," Jiwoo spoke out, pushing the man out.

    Closing the door then, she leaned against the surface and closed her eyes. A drop of tear fell down her eyes while the smile upon her features remained.

    ''Just once. I will cry just this once. That''s all.''

 Chapter 126 - His fated one [2]

    "Is the tea to your taste?" Oh Sookyung questioned once he stepped inside the room.

    The woman who is supposed to be his fated one was seated upon the chair, and before her was a table. Various types of dessert was served on the table before her coupled with a cup of tea.

    She nodded.

    Lee Eunmi conducted herself with elegance while she picked up the cup of tea from the table and took a sip from his.

    Sookyung made his way over to the table, and pulling the chair opposite to her, he sat down upon it.

    "What are you planning to do about the entire thing?" she questioned, placing the cup back on the table.

    "I have to apologise, but I don''t think I can accept you as my life partner. There is someone I am in love with, and other than her, I don''t want to marry someone else."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Moon Jiwoo."

    Hearing that voice call her surprised Moon Jiwoo. It had been years since she heard Minnie last talk in her mind, and she managed to recognize her voice perfectly.

    She was quite shocked when she noticed that Minnie no longer bugged her about the missions. Nonetheless, after some time, she had gotten used to it.

    Despite of how much she called about to Minnie, the girl did not reply, and soon enough, she gave up as well, slightly happy that she got rid of the nuisance.

    But now that the girl had contacted her after such a long time, it made her wonder about the reason behind it.

    ''Wow! I am surprised to hear that you are alive; I thought that you were dead a long time ago.''

    "There is no time for jokes, Jiwoo. There is something important for you to handle."

    ''Oh! I have forgotten that the only time you contact me is when you have something for me to do. What do I do? I don''t feel like following your orders regardless of what it is. I am sleepy, so stop disturbing me.''

    "You idiot, do you know that you are starting to fall for Sookyung?" Minnie questioned.

    The determination to ignore Minnie went away as soon as that question left Minnie''s mouth, and Jiwoo''s eyes widened.

    Instantly, she shouted, "No way!"

    ''I mean, what the hell do you mean by that? Can there be anything as absurd as that? How do you even accuse me of such a thing? Me falling for Oh Sookyung?

    Can there be anything as more impossible for that? I am telling you that Oh Sookyung is not my type. That weakling is not at all attractive. I don''t even see him as a man, so how can I fall for him? You really know how to make good jokes, Minnie?''

    "Aren''t you overreacting right now? And there is no way who knows your emotions as much me. Isn''t the reason you are that troubled by the fact that he found his fated one because you hold some feelings for him?"

    Regardless of Minnie''s words, Jiwoo did not want to give her emotions a deep thought. Probably because she was afraid of finding something unpleasant, something she would be afraid of.

    Having such emotions for Sookyung was a possibility she wanted to delete and not think of. The more she thought about it, she believed that she will only be confused about it, and if that happened, she might reach into a wrong conclusion.

    That''s why, it was for the best to have the entire thing out of her mind.

    ''No, that was just because of how he will be spending much less time with me right now. All the girls feel this way when they have to share their best friends. He might not even be friends with me anymore. That''s why, I am feeling this way. You misread my emotion!''

    "I am not blaming you if you grow feelings towards him, Jiwoo, but it would only be painful for you to stay at here. Even if Sookyung is against it right now, sooner or later, he will be accepting his fated one. At that moment, it will be you who will be suffering.

    If he ends up not choosing her and goes after you, it''s him who will be hurt in that case. No one will be able to put their trust in him, and even his position will be threatened. The situation will only be getting worse for him."

    Listening and thinking about her words rationally, Jiwoo could see that Minnie made sense. No matter what, Sookyung had to accept his fated one or else he will suffer greatly.

    At the thought of him accepting his fated one, a sharp pain went through her ?h?st, and she did not want to bear through that. Although she wasn''t still done with organizing heremotions, she understood it when it was painful for her.

    ''So, what do you want me to do, Minnie?''

    "Avoid Oh Sookyung. Out of sight, out of mind. If you do that, you will be able to forget him and erase the current emotions you have towards him. You know how miserable unrequited love turned you in your last life, and I am sure you don''t want to go through that again.

    This time around, it''s completely forbidden. This will be much more painful than the last time around. That''s why, you should try your hardest to bury them before they get to emerge.

    As long as you are in the Underworld, you will only be reminded of him again, and it will be impossible for you to remove those feelings of yours completely. That''s why, travel to the surface for a short period of time.

    One year, two year¡ª as long as it takes for you to forget the feelings you have completely. After that, you can come back at here. Jiwoo, there is no one better than you who knows how hard you fall when it comes to love and you disregard yourself in love.

    Do you want to reach that pathetic state again? I have to go now, but think about the entire thing again. Just know that if you stay at here, a catastrophe might happen, and you will end up suffering the most in the end. Once you leave, the crazy King will have no choice but to settle down with his fated one."

    Once Minnie had left, there was no words Jiwoo was able to say to stop her. She found herself being in a deep thought, and pursing both of her lips together, Jiwoo wondered about what to do that.

    At this point, it was difficult for her to deny what Minnie had just said, and maybe it would be for the best for her to abide by what the girl had just said. Now, that she was from the Red Clan, two years did not make much of a difference to her.

    But a part of her was reluctant to part with Sookyung. It made her wonder on why she should be the one to move away, and it made her want to fight for Sookyung. That part of her desperately wanted to stay beside him regardless of what happened.

    That part of her also wanted to bully his fated one to the point that she wouldn''t dare to think of Sookyung again.

    However, this time around, she was aware of how ugly and vicious that side of hers was. This time around she did not want to ruin herself or other people just because of her selfishness.

    Shaking her head, she drove away all the cruel thoughts from her mind.

    Her last life was the clear example on how mean she could get in love. Back then, she had hurt innocent people due to her selfish love, and this time around, she was afraid of doing that.

    Although she would try her best to restrain herself from doing something like that, maybe she wouldn''t be able to control herself subconsciously. Probably she would end up doing something crazy, and then, that would cause Sookyung to stare at her with hatred filled eyes.

    The idea of that managed to give birth to fear within her, and that was something she desperately did not want to happen. She would not be able to bear it if he said that he was disgusted with her.

    Maybe she should follow Minnie''s words and go back to the surface. Roaming around the surface might help her to forget about the boy for the time being, and once she is back, she will be happily be able to accept both of them.

    However, her ?h?st hurt at the thought of leaving them alone and not trying to at least win him.

    Letting out a sigh, she fell back on her bed and mumbled, "Ah! I don''t even know what to do anymore! This is completely killing me! Why in the world do I have to deal with this again? Do I stab Sookyung and kill him so that I don''t have to go through this again? That bastard is probably happy that he doesn''t have to suffer!"

 Chapter 127 - Leave [1]

    Moon Jiwoo and Oh Sookyung was inside the dining room. While Sookyung concentrated on eating his food, Jiwoo glared at the boy while stabbing her food with her pair of chopsticks.

    "How long will you continue to stare at me that way?" he questioned.

    "Do I even need to give you the answer to that? That smile on your face is an eyesore. It makes me disgusted to the point that I want to throw up. Did something good happen?

    Oops! I forgot that you gave found your fated one. Aigoo! Aren''t you the lucky one? I am so happy for you? What should I do now? Bring you a wedding gift?" she vocalised while scorn was clearly visible in her tone.

    "By the way you are talking, one would easily think that you are jealous, Shin Daerin. Don''t tell me? You are actually jealous that I have found my fated¡ª"

    "Don''t you dare complete that sentence, Oh Sookyung! What will I even be jealous of? Is there something to be envious of? Tch! I don''t think so.

    It''s just that you are really ugly when you smile, and I want to see that while I am eating. That''s all," she said, "I am happy for you. At least you will be off my back finally."

    He laughed and voiced out, "I don''t know why, but I want to talk to you about something important later on after I am done with all my work at night. Don''t go to bed early, alright?"

    ''What? You want to talk to me about your fated one. As if I want to hear something like that! It doesn''t matter to me if you''re fated to be with someone!

    No, I am not at all affected that you are happy after finding your fated one! It doesn''t affect me at all. Who am I kidding? Moon Jiwoo, you are completely ruined at this moment!

    But it''s fine. There is way to save yourself from this. Just go to the surface, and you will be free from all of this pain! Minnie is right. There is nothing you can do other than go to the surface at this point.''

    "Why? Why in the world should I stay awake for you? I will be sleeping early tonight. That''s why, don''t come to disturb me. Whatever you want to say to me, just say it to me tomorrow. Your face gives me nightmares, and I want to have a peaceful sleep tonight," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "What are you so angry about? If you don''t explain it to me, I might end up misunderstanding the entire situation?

    I am sure that you wouldn''t be liking that, Shin Daerin, or could it be that you want to be that you want me to misunderstand? I will be understanding you if you want to play that card."

    "What the hell are you talking about right now!?" she exclaimed, slamming her chopsticks on top of the table.

    She then continued, "What do you want to do? Visit my room later at night? Fine! Just do that! Whatever you have to say, I will be listening to it, Oh Sookyung. That''s why, don''t forget to visit me late at night!"

    Opening the door to the room, she walked out through it before slamming close the door behind her. The loud sound resonated through the room.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Stomping her foot on the ground, she walked through the hallway and mumbled, "Stupid Sookyung!"

    "You must be quite displeased hearing that the king had found his fated one."

    Hearing that voice, Moon Jiwoo started to curse the fate for having her meet such an unpleasant person when her mood was already at a bad state. Was the fate so adamant on going against her today?

    Forcing a smile upon her lips, she turned her head to face the male and voiced out, "How in the world did you end up coming to such a conclusion? Can''t you see that I am really happy? I am sure that there can be no one as happy me!

    Finally, he had found his fated one! I know how hardly he had been searching for one, and now, that he finally found her, this certainly calls for a celebration!"

    "Are you being sarcastic right now? You don''t look that sincere," he pointed out.

    "What can I do if you don''t believe me?'' she questioned before adding, "At least now, all those fan girls of his will stop bothering me from now on!

    This makes me seriously happy! Anyway, don''t disturb me! Today is a happy day, and you ruin my happiness. That''s why, stay away from me!"

    "Oh my! I am quite hurt. I didn''t think that you take me to be that way. If you are happy about it, then that''s great! Everything is fine as long as there are no hard feelings, right?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Yes! That''s exactly it! Now that the Junghwa bitch has no reason to disturb me any longer, I feel really excited! Anyway, I have to leave now, and don''t talk to me ever again. Once again, don''t ruin my happiness."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo waved a bye at him, and turning her back on him, she began to walk away. She was afraid of giving away her emotions when she was with the male.

    Not only was he quite perceptive, he was good at tricking people as well. That''s why, she wanted to avoid holding a conversation with him as much as possible.

    She was scared that he will make her reveal about her true feelings, and knowing how she lacked in intelligence, that was very likely to happen.

    ''Minnie, I have decided. I will be going to the surface.''

    Moon Jiwoo was determined to do this.

 Chapter 128 - Leave [2]

    There wasn''t much preparations needed for Moon Jiwoo to do. Since she would be caught by Sookyung if she went through the normal way, she was suggested another path by Minnie.

    Jiwoo wanted to inform Sookyung before leaving, but Minnie told her to go against that, saying that the matter would get complicated.

    Although Jiwoo did not completely understand what Minnie was trying to imply, she followed her words.

    It wasn''t as if Jiwoo was going into hiding for forever, and she already left Sookyung a note in her room.

    He would probably be understanding her after reading that, and even if he tries to find her, by the time he will finish reading that note, Jiwoo will already be at the surface.

    Walking through the snowy fields, she wondered what her destination was. She didn''t know much about it and followed Minnie''s orders.

    This portal was b?r?ly known to anyone, according to Minnie''s words, and even if Sookyung searched for her, it wouldn''t be possible for him to find her, seeing how no one would expect her to know about this.

    "How far do I have to go, Minnie? Are you throwing me to some kind of trap? You are one of those person I can never put my trust in," Jiwoo mumbled.

    Since there was no one around her, she did not see the use of talking in her mind. Moreover, talking in her mind was something Jiwoo was more or less uncomfortable with. This way was much better to her.

    "Geez! There is a reason why no one knows about it. It''s because of how secluded it is," Minnie said, "And if anything goes wrong, you can just teleport out of the place. Now, hurry up your steps. Sookyung will catch up to you if you move this slowly."

    "I am already trying my best, you annoying brat! Try to come here and walk in such snow! You will know how I feel," Jiwoo voiced out, "My limbs feel as if they are going to break apart any second. Can''t there be a easier way than this? Even if I am from the Red Clan, I do have my limits!"

    "Stop complaining too much, and concentrate your energy on getting up further! There is a kilometre or so more left," Minnie stated.

    "A kilometre more? Are you trying to kill me? Let me take a rest at here somewhere before continuing. Ah! My legs are starting to burn," Jiwoo commented.

    "Don''t you dare sit down to rest, Moon Jiwoo! If you didn''t have those baggage with you, you would have been able to go further! Do you even have the need to take so many things with you? You would have been able to be cross through that portal if it wasn''t for them," Minnie vocalised

    Staring at the baggage in both of her hands, Jiwoo said, "No way! They are really important to me! All of them are limited edition. How can I bear to abandon them at here?"

    "I thought you would be all depressed due to leaving Oh Sookyung and your love, but it seems that you are too leisurely to worry about these limited edition of yours."

    "Of course, Oh Sookyung can''t compare when it comes to these limited editions! Do you know how hard was for me to get them? I almost had my hair almost pulled for one of these bags! How will you even understand the pain I had to go through?"

    If truth was to be told, Moon Jiwoo purposely kept herself occupied arguing with Minnie, so that she wouldn''t be thinking of Sookyung. Although it did not work much, she still did not give up trying.

    Thinking about Sookyung caused her heart to feel heavy, and she was afraid that she would be giving up this if she thought about him for a long time. That''s why, she complained through the entire way to keep her mind off of the man.

    "Oh! Minnie, this almost slipped off of my mind. Oh Sookyung mentioned to me on how my powers were slowly decreasing. I forgot to ask him about this, but what does it mean?" Jiwoo voiced out curiously.

    "It is how it sounds. I am sure you have noticed this by now, but recently, you get tired much more easily compared to before. Previously you were able to defeat Sookyung, but right now, it will be hard for you to go against a Pureblood.

    Gradually, you will be getting weaker. This is because of how the new protector is being born, and the power is being transferred to him or her. This is something I am new to as well, so I don''t know much about it.

    As you know, rarely does a protector survive, and a case like yours is even more rare. That''s because, you were supposed to die. That was what that was predicted, but Sookyung prevented that from happening."

    "Wow! I knew that there were high chances of me dying, but I didn''t think it was that much. You bastard, do you know how much I want to punch you after hearing that?" Jiwoo said.

    "Well, I do admit that you were used by us, and I am really sorry for that. I didn''t tell you about it because I was afraid that you wouldn''t take part in it. But it''s fine now, isn''t it? You are completely safe right now," Minnie voiced out.

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and vocalised, "It funny to see how casual you are about it. Do you know how much of a scum you are? If it was like this, I would have rather died as Moon Jiwoo than be born as Shin Daerin.

    You showed me all those hopes and dreams when there was no chances of me living. I was seriously a fool for blinding believing you back then.

    If it wasn''t for the fact that Sookyung considered me to be a friend, there was no way for me to survive. But I guess I will be an idiot if I hold on to this matter for much longer.

    Although I am too much of a fool to figure it out, I am sure that you have a motive for helping me with this. But I suppose I shouldn''t be complaining about it since I being advantaged, right?"

    "I am sorry; I am really sorry, Jiwoo. I can never make up to for what all I have done to you, but there is nothing I could have done. You are not the first person who have been used this way.

    But if things don''t go in this way, much bigger catastrophe will be created. I can''t bear to put one or two people into consideration."

    "So, in other words, you would sacrifice one people in order to protect an entire nation. There is nothing wrong with that, but it''s not something someone as selfish as me will be able to accept. I would rather have the entire nation die than me," Jiwoo stated.

    Moon Jiwoo knew that there was no use in talking about the past grievances. A lot of time had passed since then, but the wound will be forever remaining in Jiwoo''s ?h?st.

    Even though she was following Minnie''s words right now, she was scared that she will be falling into an another big trap laid out by Minnie.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Oh Sookyung stood in front of her door, and extending his fist towards it, he knocked on the door couple of times.

    "Shin Daerin," he called multiple number of times.

    That''s why, he decided to check up on her.

    Hearing no replies from the female, he took in a deep breath and voiced out,"I am coming in, Shin Daerin."

    With that, he held the knob to the door and turned it slowly to open the door. Taking a peek inside the room, he scanned his eyes throughout the room for signs of the said woman.

    But to this surprise, the room was completely empty. This made him wonder about where she possibly could be.

    As he took a step inside of the room, something caught his eyes. A pink note was stuck on the wall above of the nightstand, and wondering what it possibly could be about, he made way towards the sticky note.

    Standing before the note, he pulled it open from the wall and read through its contents silently. His eyes darkened as he did so.

    The note read, "Oh Sookyung, I will be taking a small trip to the surface for a while. For the time being, it is hard for me to stay at here, and I am pretty sure that you can guess the reason behind it. That''s why, please don''t look for me."

    Clenching the note in his hand tightly after reading through it, he vocalised, "As if I would be able to do that!"

 Chapter 129 - Psychopath [1]

    Seeing the portal before her glowing brightly, Moon Jiwoo clapped both of her hands together and enthusiastically spoke out, "Finally, I am at here! Luckily, my legs did not give out!"

    The corner of her lips curved to form a wide smile. All the efforts she had out in had finally paid off. At first, she threw the baggages in get hand through the portal.

    After that, she mumbled, "Here goes nothing, Moon Jiwoo!"

    With that, she extended one of her legs forward, and as she was about to enter through the portal, something prevented her from doing so.

    At the familiar presence, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and a gasp escaped from her mouth. The shock could easily be shown on her features.

    Before Jiwoo was able to go through the portal, Oh Sookyung hugged her from behind, preventing that from happening, and Jiwoo wondered about how he was able to catch up to her this quickly.

    "Where do you think you are going, sweetheart?"

    Hearing that sweet tone from Oh Sookyung caused chills to go down Jiwoo''s back, and without looking at his face, Jiwoo could guess how angered he looked at this moment.

    Her strength could not care when it came to Oh Sookyung, and as he pulled her back, the distance between her and the portal grew.

    Before she was able to enter her leg through the portal, but now, that wasn''t possible anymore due to how far she had gotten from the barrier.

    "Let go of me, Oh Sookyung. Yah! I don''t want to stay at here anymore! I want to go to the surface! Oh Sookyung, are you really not letting go of me? I will get angry if you don''t!" Jiwoo said.

    "Regardless of what you do, I am not letting go of you, Daerin-ah," he stated.

    "Yah! You are holding me against my will! You can''t do this! You bastard, it''s my free will if I want to go to the surface! You can''t hold me back," she spoke out.

    "I already told you that I will get angry if you leave me."

    "You make it sound like as if I am going away from you for forever! This is just a small vacation for a year or so. I will be back, so let go of me. I am tired of Underworld. That''s why, I want to explore the surface. That''s all there is to it, so let me leave!" Jiwoo desperately voiced out.

    "Liar," he said, "You are being a coward. You want to get rid of your feelings for me. That''s why, you are leaving."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes dilated further at his words, and letting out a scoff, she spoke out, "That''s nonsensical! It is nothing like that."

    "Stop struggling. It will do you no good. Just follow me back to the palace like a good girl," he stated, "And I will ignore you trying to do this."

    "No matter what the reason for me leaving is, you can''t do that to me, Oh Sookyung. You don''t rule over me, and I have the freedom to do whatever I want, You Jerk! Right now, I want to leave this place, and you have no right to stop me from doing so," she said.

    "It doesn''t matter to me whether or not I have the right. Even if I have to use force, I will prevent you from leaving this place, Shin Daerin. Mark my words," Sookyung vocalised.

    Right at this moment, Moon Jiwoo wanted to leave this place because of how he was hurting her pride, rather than her emotions.

    There was no way she was going to let him walk over her feelings and force her to stay at this place. Even if she did not have these feelings, she wouldn''t have been staying at this place.

    "You bastard, I will seriously hate you if you don''t let go of me in this moment," she stated, "You do know I don''t like it when I am being forced, Oh Sookyung! So, stop this."

    "You talk way too much," he commented before bringing his face over to her neck.

    His cold breath hit her neck before the pain came. Extending his fangs outwards, he drove them in through her neck, and a sharp pain spread through that area.

    A wince escaped from her mouth when Jiwoo exclaimed, "What are you doing, You Bastard? Let¡ª"

    Unable to hold it in for much longer, she let the sleep take her over and closed her eyes before mumbling some curses at Oh Sookyung.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    As Oh Sookyung walked through the hallway with Moon Jiwoo in his arms, he hugged her body closer to his.

    Spotting Sookyung passing through the hallway, Lee Eunmi approached him, and seeing her, he halted in his steps to face her.

    Staring down at the girl in his arms, Eunmi''s eyes fell on the fang marks on her neck, and she said, "Oh! So, she is the woman you like?"

    She raised one of her eyebrows.

    He nodded, and while a small smile formed upon his face, he answered, "Yeah. Although she can be handful at times, she is the one I want to be with."

    "Well then, although this will be definitely tough, I give you both all of my best wishes! The path is not smooth, but hopefully, you will be able to keep up with it.

    If you require my help with anything, please do let me know about it," Eunmi spoke out, "After all, I am lucky to be not bound to be you. I don''t mean to offend you, but I don''t like the idea of being with someone chosen to me by fate."

    He nodded and said, "If you put it that way, I am lucky that someone like you is my fated one. I know that things would have been troublesome if it was someone else, and if you need help with something, surely let me know about it, Eunmi-ssi."

    She nodded her head and answered, "I will make sure to do that."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A sharp pain went through her neck as Moon Jiwoo opened her eyes slowly, and she wondered why her body was feeling tired all of a sudden. The bright light from the ceiling hit her eyes.

    Jiwoo attempted to move her hand in order to stretch them. However, finding them to be restricted caused grown to form upon her features.

    "Ah! You are awake."

    Hearing that familiar voice, Moon Jiwoo turned her head to face left, and seeing Oh Sookyung stand before her, all the memories from before she had lost her consciousness began to flow inside her mind.

    She recalled about how she was about to escape from the surface, but Sookyung had caught her before she was able to do so. Then, he bit into her neck, causing her to lose consciousness.

    Maybe she should have listened to Minnie''s advise and tried to hurry up. Then, she wouldn''t have been caught by him.

    Finding something tight around her wrists, Jiwoo looked up to stare at them, and noticing that they were handcuffed to the bed caused her eyes to widen in shock.

    "Yah! You jerk, have you gone crazy!? What the hell are you doing, You Bastard? Let go of me right now! I will seriously kill you, You Jerk! Aren''t you taking a joke so far! Sookyung, You ?sshole! Aren''t you still not letting go of me!?" she exclaimed¡ª anger noticeable in her tone.

    "Sure, I can let go of you. There is no problem with that, but you have to promise to me that you wouldn''t try to flee once again," he stated, "I did say that you will see a scary side of me if you try to flee, Shin Daerin. It seems that you didn''t take my warning seriously."

    "Do you think I will be even be able to run away if you let go of me? You ruined a good plan of mine," she said, "And how am I supposed to know that you would turn out to be such a psychopath?

    How dare you even try to lock me up that way? Sookyung, you bastard, I didn''t think that you have this side to you! You are disgusting!"

    Moon Jiwoo''s body started to shiver slightly at his presence. This side of his wasn''t something she was at all expecting, and discovering this side of his made her feel scared of him. It was as if Sookyung in front of her wasn''t the same person at all.

 Chapter 130 - Psychopath [2]

    Seeing her face, it was clearly evident that Moon Jiwoo was starting to be fearful of him, and a sigh escaped from his mouth at that.

    Looking back to his actions, they were not that gentle, and he ended up showing one of his awful side to Moon Jiwoo¡ª something he never intended to do.

    However, when he read that message, he was unable to process the situation properly and ended up acting without thinking.

    Scared that Jiwoo would be leaving him, he acted with that sense of urgency and locked her up. Being locked in a handcuff wasn''t something she will be finding pleasant, and Sookyung was aware of it.

    That''s why, he wanted to do that to instill fear within her, so that she will never try to run away again. But seeing how scared she was of him right now, he did not find himself being fond of it.

    With a snap of his finger, the handcuffs loosened, and finding her hands to be finally released caused relief to spread through Moon Jiwoo.

    Staring at her wrists, she started to rub them while a little shock was visible upon her features. She didn''t expect for him to release her that easily.

    "I am sorry," he spoke out, "Due to how messed up my emotions became, I acted crazily, but Daerin, mark my words. Next time you run away from me, I will not release you this easily. Whether or not you like it, I will keep you beside me."

    Creases formed between both of her eyebrows, and Jiwoo stated, "Have you really lost it?"

    Although Moon Jiwoo had feelings for Oh Sookyung, it didn''t imply that she was going to endure this kind of behaviour from him.

    "Daerin, this is what you do to me," he answered.

    Before she was able to say anything in reply, he brought his hand closer to her and pulled her into a hug. While his hand gripped on to her shirt, Moon Jiwoo could feel how tightly he was holding on to her; it was almost as if he was afraid of letting go of her.

    By now, she could see that he liked her as much as she did, maybe even more, and this was the type of love she really d?s?r?d for. She wanted the person to want her more than she did.

    But the situation wasn''t in favour of both of them. She was afraid that Sookyung will realize that one day she wasn''t good enough for him and leave for his fated one. After all, both of them were fated to be together for a reason.

    "Shin Daerin, I know that you are scared of the entire thing, and it''s understandable for you to feel that. But please don''t try to leave again, Daerin-ah. I will resolve everything. That''s why, just trust in me.

    After all that you have gone through, it''s understandable for you to be protective of yourself, and be scared about it, but just believe me this once. I promise to not betray your trust."

    Moon Jiwoo''s hand started to shiver, and his words seemed really tempting to her. It made her want to give in, and her resolve was starting to give in.

    But then, reminding herself that she wasn''t that weak, Jiwoo voiced out, "I get what you are trying to say, but it''s not that I don''t believe in you. It''s just that I don''t want to suffer.

    The matter with Junghwa will be repeated. There will be greater opposition. It''s not even possible in the first place! No one ever did anything as crazy as this, and that''s why, maybe I am being a coward, but I don''t want to take this chance.

    Let go of me, Oh Sookyung. You will be moving on from this sooner or later. It will be same for me as well. Probably both of us grew these feelings because of how close to each other we are. Once we grow apart, we will learn to love someone else."

    "So, you are telling me that you are not willing to take the chance for me? That I am not worth the risk?" Sookyung asked¡ª hurt was present in his tone.

    As much Moon Jiwoo wanted to say ''no'', she knew that wasn''t the case. This time around, she wanted to put herself above this love and protect herself well from it. She did not want to end up regretting a decision.

    Very easily she could see the ending to this love, and therefore, she didn''t want to take the risk to something as impossible as this. For Sookyung, it wasn''t as risky as hers, and it was understandable for him to not get her position.

    "No," she answered, "I am sorry, but love isn''t enough for me to take such a big risk. If you are forgetting Sookyung, this is my second time living, and this time around, I don''t want to be reckless. I don''t want to get destroyed just because of love. With or without love, I think I can live perfectly."

    Oh Sookyung pulled away from the hug, and staring at Moon Jiwoo with determined eyes, he said, "But I can''t be like you. Maybe because of how this is my first time living, but I want to be reckless.

    I don''t want to live like an empty shell, and as cliche as it sounds, I want to follow my heart to live. That''s why, until you have those feelings for me, I will be keeping you here.

    No, that came out wrong. Even if you have no feelings for me, I will make sure to keep you at here and ensure that you grow feelings for me. There is no way out for you from this, Moon Jiwoo, regardless of what you do. That''s why, you better give up."

    "Yah! This is definitely kidnapping! You can''t be doing that, Oh Sookyung," Jiwoo vocalised.

    "Is that so? Then, let me abduct you for two months, Moon Jiwoo. Why don''t we make a bet? If I am able to fix everything within two months, then you will have to stay beside me forever, but if I remain to be unsuccessful, I will let go of you," he spoke out.

    "No, no, no. There is no reason for me to follow something as crazy as this. I will run away at the first chance I get, Oh Sookyung. Don''t think that I will be¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, Sookyung placed his lips on top of hers, shutting her, and Jiwoo''s eyes widened due to his actions. Nonetheless, her heart started to beat rapidly due to what he did.

    Pulling back from the kiss, he smiled at her and said, "I did say that I am abducting you. That''s why, you are free to run away. But I am telling you that there is no way someone as idiotic as you will be able to escape."

    "Yah! You Asshole! How dare you kiss me? You seriously don''t think I will be able to make it out of here! I am telling you that I will prove you wrong!" Jiwoo exclaimed.

    Extending her hand forward, she punched on his ?h?st while glaring at him. But that punch from her had no impact on him, and only caused him to stare at her with amusement in his eyes.

    Moving his hand closer to her, he patted the top of her head and said, "Yes, good luck with that, Jiwoo-ah! I am looking forward to it! Fighting!"

    Raising her hand, Jiwoo slapped his hand away and vocalised, "Don''t touch me! It makes me feel disgusted."

    For a second there, Jiwoo saw the hurt that appeared in his eyes from what she had done before he covered it, and it made her regret her words.

    Most of the words she was spouting was due to her pride being wounded, and in reality, she didn''t hate his actions as much as she made it sound like.

    It was just that she was scared to face the situation, and a part of her was happy because of him persisting. It just showed that she was worth fighting for.

    "I will be leaving then," he voiced out, "You must be hungry. I will go and bring you some food. Oh yeah! Don''t think about leaving the palace.

    I already send message outside on how you are wanted, and no matter where you go, you wouldn''t be able to escape. There is a huge sum attached to your head."

    Clenching her hand into a tight fist, she exclaimed, "Yah! Oh Sookyung, are you treating me like an criminal now, You ?sshole!? I seriously never wanted to kill you this much!"

    "If I am treating you like a criminal, I am pretty sure that many would want to become a criminal. After all, not everyone is able to get such treatment from the king himself," he boasted.

    "Die, you ?sshole!" she screamed.

 Chapter 131 - The plan [1]

    One thing Moon Jiwoo is sure of that acting impulsively or rashly wouldn''t be working, seeing how smart Oh Sookyung is. This time around, she had to act smartly.

    The security around the palace were increased, so that she would not be able to sneak out, and since Sookyung grew aware of everytime she used her powers, it would be entirely unwise of her to use her powers.

    As for how she learned it was because of how she almost was able to teleport one time before he caught her and informed about the entire thing. Apparently because of the bite mark he made on her neck, he was able to know about that.

    That bite mark brought more trouble to her than simply that. Because of that, the maids had been treating her more with respect, and they have been putting extra care into taking care of her. All the scornful gazes they shot at her before were nowhere to be seen.

    Thinking about it, Jiwoo found their behaviour when they ignored her better. Now, they were too meddlesome, and with their thousands of questioning, coupled with how they followed her around everywhere, Jiwoo lost her mind multiple number of times.

    Other than that, she had Sookyung who rubbed salt over her wound by saying how she wouldn''t be able to escape from here regardless of what she did. Apparently, the reason behind her was mainly her stupidity.

    This was what had made Jiwoo determined to escape from this place. She wanted to show him on how she will be able to accomplish that if she used her brain a little.

    Although her confidence was low when smartness was concerned, she convinced herself that she is able to accomplish anything as long as she puts her complete will to it.

    Thinking about how she grew feelings for someone as sadistic as Oh Sookyung managed to surprise her as well.

    If he loved her, shouldn''t he be whispering sweet words into her ear and coaxing her to stay at here instead of teasing and provoking her?

    Clenching tightly on to the pen in her hand, she gritted her hand and stated, "That guy is truly trash! He should be killed for real."

    Before her was piece of paper on which Jiwoo attempted to draw a map. Although the internal area of the castle was quite complicated, she tried to draw a map, thinking that it would be easier for her to make an escape plan with it.

    However, her drawing skills weren''t that good, and up until, she was b?r?ly able to make the map appear decent.

    Seeing the paper before her, she held the paper tightly in her hand and clenched. Throwing it into the trashcan, a sigh escaped from her mouth.

    This was her tenth attempt at drawing the map, but it wasn''t successful as well. Due to her photographic memory, she could remember the interior of the palace.

    But when it came to drawing it upon the paper, she was unable to do it regardless of how hard she tried. This was starting to get frustrating to her at this point.

    Letting out a loud groan, she threw the pen in her hand against the table and said, "Ah! This is terrible!"

    "What is making you upset again?"

    Hearing that familiar voice, it didn''t take her a second to guess the owner of that voice. The presence of Oh Sookyung behind her managed to irritate her further in this moment although he had b?r?ly said anything provoking.

    "Why are you asking something as obvious as this? If it isn''t you, who will be making me angry? I never thought that I will be getting kidnapped in my life.

    Do you know how much my freedom being restricted irritates me!? I am a free bird, and you shouldn''t keep me captured like this. What about my human rights?"

    Turning her head back, she glared at the boy, and her actions caused the corner of his lips to curve up to form a smile.

    "If you are forgetting, I am the king at here, so that means I make the rules at here. About your human rights, I get to decide them. Plus I have abducted you. I am sure kidnappers don''t think something like human rights," he pointed out, "It''s foolish of you to expect something like that from who abduct you."

    "Well, I don''t have the Stockholm Syndrome," she pointed out, "So, don''t expect me to hold any kind of good feelings towards you."

    "Even if you hate me after this, I will be fine, Daerin-ah," he said, "Because even then, I know that I will be dominating your mind entirely, and as long as that happens, it''s fine with me."

    Leaning towards her, he brushed away the hair from her face, and Jiwoo''s heart started to beat rapidly due to his actions. She cursed at herself for deeming this action of his to be charming.

    The glint in his eyes appeared attractive under this lighting, and as he brushed his tongue over his lower lip, Jiwoo''s eyes immediately went towards his red lips. A d?s?r? to connect her lips with his came over her.

    At the sinful thought, she was shocked. Even when she said that she will be resisting him with all her might, she was having such irritating thoughts.

    "If you want to kiss me, just do it," he stated, "It doesn''t suit you to be a coward or shy, Daerin-ah."

    She scoffed and vocalised, "Why in the world would I even want to kiss you? Aren''t you getting too much delusional? Tch! I feel irritated just by¡ª"

    "Your cheeks are warm," he commented while he cupped his hands around her cheeks.

    At his cold touch, Jiwoo''s cheeks started to turn redder, and she stated, "Isn''t that because of how angry you are making me? Don''t misunderstand me! There is no other reason for this behind it. There is no way that I will be warm just because you attract me or something. That''s bullshit."

    "You are too obvious, Shin Daerin," he spoke out, "To the point that it is cute."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes dilated further, and without saying anything further, he moved closer to her, placing his lips on top of hers.

    Instead of pushing him away, she started to kiss him back at the same intensity. Regardless of how much she wanted to run away from him, none of the time did she resist against those kisses of his. This was probably because of how she starting to get addicted to them.

    Moon Jiwoo blamed it on because of how much of good kisser he was although she would never verbally admit it, and thinking that it would be a shame to refuse such a good kisser, she just went with the flow¡ª at least that''s what she had convinced herself with.

    Pulling back from the kiss, he stared at her, and bringing his hand closer to her lips, he brushed her lower lip with his finger. A chill went down Jiwoo''s back while he did that.

    "I really wish that we were fated to be together. With Eunmi being my fated one, I can sense every single emotion of hers, and it makes me feel connected to her. It''s the same with her when it comes to me," he stated.

    "Then, just go and be with her. Who told you to come at here?" Moon Jiwoo vocalised while a pout was beginning to form on her face.

    Although she was ready to not pursue these feelings of hers, it didn''t mean that she will be feeling pleased about Eunmi, regardless of how that girl did not hold any kind of malice towards her.

    Raising his back, he knocked on her head lightly and said, "Stop being salty, and listen to me. Instead of her, I wish I was able to read your emotions.

    The fact that she can read mine and I can do the similar to her makes me feel burdened. Then again, it''s a good thing too since I can see that she is being sincere when she said that she will be allowing both of us to be together."

    "Don''t you talk way too much about her these days? It almost makes it seem like that you are starting to grow feelings towards her, not that I care about it," she stated.

    "You sound completely jealous, not that I mind it. It actually makes me quite happy. But don''t worry," he voiced out, "Although she is better than you in all aspects, it''s you that I like better."

    "You ?sshole, do you want to taste my punch?" she glared at him.

    "Nevermind," he answered, "You are better than her. Happy? Now, don''t be too jealous! Remember that it is you whom I love the most."

    "I AM NOT JEALOUS!"

 Chapter 132 - The Plan [2]

    After her patience and careful observation, Moon Jiwoo was able to come up with a perfect plan¡ª at least that''s what she thinks about it. Things might be difficult for her since she wouldn''t be able to use her powers, but without that, she believed that she will be fine.

    Putting in all of her efforts, she managed to find a balcony at one of the abandoned rooms inside the palace, and upon her inspection, she noticed that there were no guards outside of that balcony.

    Moon Jiwoo believed that it was quite careless for Oh Sookyung to leave such a spot unguarded. Nonetheless, she was proud of herself for succeeding to find such a place.

    As for getting away from her maids, Jiwoo just had to throw a tantrum¡ª along with some materials around her¡ª in order to get completely rid of them. Fortunately enough, Sookyung did not order them to be beside her regardless of what happens.

    That would have made the things much more difficult for her.

    Seeing how the coast was clear, Moon Jiwoo made her way towards that abandoned room. Extending her hand towards the knob, she turned it, and seeing how the door opened, a small smile formed on her face.

    Noiselessly, she entered into the room, and the dust inside of the room made her almost cough. But she had held that in.

    The room before her was dark, and she could see she furnitures around the room. Wondering what the room was used for, she walked towards where the balcony was located.

    Jiwoo had no time to waste around in useless things. She did not know when that Sookyung might come around, searching for her, since that man tend to be quite unpredictable and had a habit of sneaking up on her.

    The amount of times she was almost about to have a heart attack due to him was uncountable.

    This was one of the reasons to run away from here. She might suffer from serious heart disease and even die from it if she was near him.

    Opening the door to the balcony, she took in a deep breath and entered in. Her eyes stared at the empty skies before she looked downwards.

    As expected, there was no one below. Although this seemed too good to be true, it didn''t mean that she was going to be passing up on this offer. Maybe this was the result for her planning smartly and patiently.

    "See, Moon Jiwoo, even someone like you is able to do it if you plan perfectly. I knew that I was always smart. It''s just that I never got the chance to explore my potential, and that''s what I am doing right now.

    Too bad I wouldn''t be able to see how that Oh Sookyung would seem once I run away from here successfully. I bet he would be absolutely humiliated. That man underestimates my intelligence too much.

    Actually, I am not much idiotic compared. Maybe I am even smarter than him. See, I even able to outsmart him in this moment. Tch! That boy will truly be baffled. Oh Sookyung, sorry, but this is my victory, you ?sshole!"

    With a wide smile upon her face, Moon Jiwoo climbed up on the railing of the balcony and balanced herself upon it. Seeing how she wasn''t shaking on it made her feel successful about it.

    But that''s when something clicked within her. Although she had made plans of sneaking out, she never clearly thought about how to jump down from the balcony.

    Staring down from this position, she could see how much below the ground was from here, and it made her gulp. Although she was able to stand at here, it was a different thing to jump. Moreover, she wasn''t able to use her powers at this moment¡ª not that they would be helping much.

    "No, Moon Jiwoo, you will be fine after you jump. You might break a bone or two, and it might hurt. But you are forgetting that you will be healing quickly. Yeah! I can do it! There is no big deal with jumping from at here!"

    Right now, she was close to becoming one of the weaker member from the Red Clan, and maybe at the end, she would be completely powerless. This was totally embarrassing for her for she boasted at times on how she was the most powerful one. Now she is turning into one of the weakest one.

    Knowing that there was no use in thinking too much about it, she mustered up all of her courage and leaped forward. Even if it would terribly hurt her, she would go for it.

    However, before she was able to touch the ground, someone grabbed her by her collar and pulled her back, taking her by complete surprise. A gasp escaped from her mouth at the sudden action.

    Her back collided against a well-defined ?h?st as a hand wrapped around her stomach in order to secure her. She was pulled down from the railing, and now, she leaned against Oh Sookyung''s body.

    His familiar scent filled her nose while a sigh escaped from her mouth. Even though this was carefully planned, it appeared that he was a step ahead of her.

    "You Idiot! Were you really planning to jump from there? I didn''t release you so that you would go and do something as crazy as this! Should I tie you up again, so that you would be able to stop yourself from creating trouble? Is that what you are good at, You Idiot!" he exclaimed¡ª his voice holding anger.

    "I can do whatever I want, and it''s not like anything is going to happen to me if I jump from here. If you are forgetting, let me remind you that my wounds get healed as fast as yours," she stated.

    Letting go of her, he held on to her wrist and turned her towards him. Her eyes widened due to his actions, and raising one of her eyebrows, she looked at him with confusion in her eyes.

    "Your wounds heal as mine? Are you kidding me!?" he voiced out.

    Her eyes dilated when she noticed that he had made a cut on her skin, and seeing the blood that was pouring out of the wound, she shot him a fierce glare.

    "What the hell is wrong with you!?" she shouted.

    "Fifteen seconds. That''s how it took for a wound that is as small as that to heal for you right now. So, imagine how long will it be taking for your wound to heal once you jump down from their place?

    Getting a broken bone healed isn''t a simple matter for you anymore. It will definitely will take more than an hour or two for that," he stated.

    His words made her come into a realization. Her healing abilities were decreasing as time passed by, and maybe they will returning to the way when she was a member from the yellow clan at this rate.

    The thought of that was quite frightening to her.

    Lowering her line of sight, she stared at the ground and said, "So what? It will be me who will be getting hurt in the first place. I don''t see what it has to do with you! I don''t need you to care for me, Oh Sookyung.

    Why can''t you just mind your own business? Hold on! I am pretty sure you are finding this funny. You are probably laughing at how weak I am getting. I just seem pathetic to you."

    A groan had escaped from his mouth, and raising his hand, he held on to her shoulder. He pulled her, and his actions caused her to raise her head to face him.

    "Is that actually the opinion you have of me, Shin Daerin? Am I really that kind of person in your eyes? It''s because I am worried about you! You are no longer as how you used to be.

    That''s why, you should take better care of yourself, you idiot! You know about what type of feelings when it comes to you yet you are questioning me!"

    Seeing the hurt in his eyes caused guilt to fill Moon Jiwoo up, and extending her hands towards him, she pulled him into a hug. Tears started to form in her eyes.

    "It''s because I am scared. Everything just frightens me at here. I don''t want to be the weakest. I don''t want to feel this vulnerable. This feeling is terrible," she confessed.

 Chapter 133 - Crazy as this [1]

    "Idiot, who told you something as stupid as that you are vulnerable? By having me by your side to protect you, how in the world are you even vulnerable in the first place? Isn''t that nonsensical?" Oh Sookyung voiced out.

    "Stop saying such cheesy things. I am supposed to hate you at this moment," she stated.

    "That must be quite a difficult thing for you to do. I am often told that I am one of those person who is difficult to hate," he vocalised.

    "That''s a lie," she said, pulling away from the hug.

    Staring at his face, she added, "By the way, how did you know about this? I planned really meticulously this time around."

    Moon Jiwoo can''t recall where she could have possibly left a loophole after thinking about this matter for a while. The only possiblity was that Oh Sookyung had someone spying on her. If that was the case, then there were no chances of her escaping from this palace.

    "Yes, I know that. That''s why, I am proud and surprised at the fact that you were able to be patient for this long. I thought that you will be creating a ruckus, but no, you have dealt with this smartly. I am really proud of you, Shin Daerin," he voiced out, extending his hand towards her.

    Touching the top of her head, he patted it softly while wearing a wide smile on his face. Turning the other way, Moon Jiwoo moved away from his touch.

    "Are you avoiding to answer my question with this?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

    "My answer isn''t that something you will be finding yourself liking," he pointed out.

    "There are lots of things about you that I don''t find myself liking about you these days, but that doesn''t stop you from doing them. That''s why, just tell me about it, so that I would be able to hate you more," Jiwoo stated.

    "The bite mark on your neck helps me know wherever you are," he said, "Although the connection is much lesser than the one with the fated one, it still keeps me connected to you more or less."

    "You creep! How could you do that? You should at least give me some kind of privacy! How long will be taking for this to disappear?" Jiwoo stated.

    "No idea," he answered, "Maybe a year or more. You are the only person I did this to. So, I don''t have much clue when it comes to this, but I do know that it is supposed to last for a long time."

    "You ?sshole!" she exclaimed, raising her leg and kicking on his knee.

    Shrugging his shoulders, Sookyung voiced out, "I would not have done something like this if you hadn''t triggered me by trying to run away. It''s your fault for doing so even after I have warned you."

    "What''s wrong with wanting to have a little vacation?" Jiwoo asked.

    "There''s clearly a difference between a vacation and running away, and you were doing the latter one. You didn''t even know when you will be returning to the Underworld," he stated.

    "Well, vacations can be extended, so I wasn''t able to confirm that," she pointed out.

    Oh Sookyung let out a sigh, and Jiwoo''s eyes dilated slightly when she noticed the change of emotion in his eyes. There was a little hurt mixed in his eyes along with a hint of sadness.

    "Shin Daerin, am I really that unworthy of one little chance? I just want you to wait at here for two months. After that, I give you my words that I will be releasing you on my own.

    Please give me one chance to prove to you that this will not be bringing any trouble to you. I will fix everything and clear all the thorns in our path. That''s why, can''t you wait at least for two months. Is that too much to ask for?" Oh Sookyung stated.

    Moon Jiwoo could see how vulnerable Sookyung seemed as those words had left his mouth. It wasn''t as if Moon Jiwoo was unable to see how hard he was trying for both of their sake.

    Everyday he seemed more exhausted than the previous day, and she knew that it was because he was fighting for both of them to be together. Moreover, it did make Moon Jiwoo feel guilty at times for being useless.

    However, the fact that Moon Jiwoo was really defensive over herself acted as a barrier in this matter. No matter how hard she tried to put in her complete trust in Oh Sookyung, there were times that doubt build up inside her mind.

    She wondered about what would happen to her if she depended on him and he decided to take this as too troublesome and gave up on this. How will she be living on if something like that occured?

    Nonetheless, two months wasn''t a bad idea. Probably if she tried, she would be able to wait for this much amount of time. Moreover, from this two months worth of time, around fifteen days had already passed. Only a month and half was left.

    "It''s not like I have a problem with waiting for you for two months. It''s just that you provoke me each time. If you love me, shouldn''t you try to be sweet to me always? Everytime you see me, you tease me and make fun of me. Is this how you love me? I don''t need this kind of love," Moon Jiwoo voiced out.

    A chuckle escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth after he heard those words, and raising his hand, he covered both of his cheeks before saying, "Shin Daerin, you are seriously really cute! Do you know how adorable you seem by saying that?"

    "See, you are teasing me again, You Asshole!"

    "When was I teasing you? I was just complimenting you. I am telling you. You are really cute when you say something like this," he said.

    Bringing his hand over to her face, he cupped her cheeks and leaning closer to her, he added, "How should I show my love to you?"

    "Like this?"

    Bending down, he kissed on her left cheek softly, causing Moon Jiwoo''s heart to flutter in her ?h?st. Rabble of bu??erflies began to move randomly in her stomach, and her cheeks started to heat up.

    "Or like this?"

    With that, he pecked upon her right cheek. The temperature of her cheeks began to rise rapidly while they started to change to red. He continued to place his lips upon her forehead, chin, and nose before moving on to her neck.

    Giggles escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth as she said, "Stop, stop, this much is enough. Oh Sookyung, quit playing around."

    "It seems that you really like something like this. Maybe I should do it often," he vocalised, placing the kisses on her collar bones next.

    Raising her hand, Moon Jiwoo touched his shoulder and was about to push him away. But from his kisses, Jiwoo found her body weakening, and her knees seemed to be losing her strength.

    As if noticing that, Oh Sookyung wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her body closer to his in order to stablise herself. Raising his head to stare at her, he gave her a wide smile.

    "Shin Daerin, you seem to be really edible at this moment," he commented.

    "You are being too perverted at this moment, Oh Sookyung," she voiced out, "Unless or until anything is official between, we will not be going that far. Remember that, Oh Sookyung."

    "Oh my! That really gives me more reason to hurry things up, Shin Daerin. I don''t know how long I will be able to hold myself back from devouring you up completely," he stated.

    "Please refrain yourself from thinking something as disturbing as this," she said, "Although you are horny, this is disgusting."

    He let out a chuckle and stated, "You are being just shy, right? I am pretty sure you are anticipating for something like this as well. I am correct, right, Shin Daerin?"

    "Do you want me to run away again?" she questioned.

    "I can always catch you if you try to run away, Shin Daerin. Slowly, I am cutting off those wings of yours, Shin Daerin."

    Moon Jiwoo found it surprising how her heart started to beat rapidly at his words instead of being disgusted at them. Shaking her head at that, she drove away all the crazy ideas that formed in her words from his words. Surprisingly, it sounded quite sensual to her.

    "You are crazy!" she exclaimed.

    "Shin Daerin, I love you," he confessed.

    His words caught her off guard completely, and turning to look the other way, she said, "What is it? Why are you saying these things all of a sudden? Anyway, you know my feelings well. Although I hate you, I love as well."

    "I know, but it feels nice to hear from you."

 Chapter 134 - Crazy as this [2]

    After she had given Oh Sookyung her word to wait patiently for remaining of the two month, she hadn''t made another attempt to run away from here.

    Her heart fluttered till this day as she recalled about the events of that day, and it was difficult for her to want to escape. This time around, she was going to attempt her best to put all of her trust into Oh Sookyung.

    Regardless of that, facing Lee Eunmi was different thing. Although it was inevitable, confronting that woman was one of those thing she desperately wanted to avoid.

    Moon Jiwoo was well aware of how she did not have any malicious intent after Oh Sookyung had ?ssured her about it. But that did not mean that she would be comfortable with seeing him. This was just akin to meeting with the fianc¨¦e of the man she loved.

    There was nothing more awkward than that to her!

    Seeing how Lee Eunmi had called her for some tea and dessert in the garden, it wasn''t something Moon Jiwoo was able to decline.

    Taking in a deep breath, she stared at the door before her while the maid was opening it. Forcing the corner of her lips to spread, she tried her best to wear a smile upon his features.

    After all that Lee Eunmi was doing for them, it would not reflect well on her if she confronted the woman with a frown on her face.

    Moon Jiwoo was well aware of her actual feelings tend to translate on her face easily, and this was one of those things she was trying to avoid at this moment.

    Stepping into the room, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on Lee Eunmi. Although this wasn''t the first time she was seeing the woman, last time around she wasn''t able to concentrate on the female much due to how heavy her ?h?st felt.

    The woman carried an air of elegance, and Jiwoo had to admit that the woman before her was quite beautiful. Holding on to the tea cup, she gracefully lifted it up and took a sip out of it. Even as a woman, Jiwoo was left at awe due to her actions.

    However, one thing about that woman Moon Jiwoo had noticed was that she had a charm to her that attracted women more than the men.

    "Hello, Lee Eunmi-ssi," Moon Jiwoo voiced out.

    Placing the cup on top of the table, Eunmi smiled at Moon Jiwoo before her and said, "Oh! You are here, Daerin-ssi. Please do come and take a seat."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded, and following the woman''s words, she made her way over to the table. Pulling the chair in front of Eunmi, Jiwoo sat down upon it.

    Her eyes fell on the cup of iced tea before her along with various types of snack served. Everything appeared to be neatly arranged. The maids then left the room, providing both of them with privacy.

    "I must have surprised you by calling you all of a sudden, right? Was it a problem to you?" she questioned.

    Shaking her head, Moon Jiwoo voiced out, "It''s fine. There was nothing I was doing at this moment anyway."

    Hearing the woman''s speech, Jiwoo took the woman to be quite friendly, and she considered this to be a good thing. Maybe she would be able to get along with Lee Eunmi if that was how her character was.

    "I have heard about how you are supposedly locked inside of his Majesty''s palace. It must get overbearing at times, but it''s sweet to see how much he loves you.

    The amount of risk he is taking to make this work is incredible. You are really lucky to have his love," Eunmi voiced out, "But it can get unbearable at times I suppose. He seems to be the type who would be really forceful."

    Not knowing what to say, Moon Jiwoo continued to stare at the table. There are lots of things in her mind in that moment, but she was finding difficulty in voicing them out, afraid that she will be saying the wrong thing.

    "Oh my! Is it unpleasant that I talk way too much? I am usually not that talkative, but I like cute girls. That''s why, it would be great if we could become friends," Eunmi stared.

    Raising her head, Jiwoo looked at Eunmi and shook her head before saying, "No, it''s nothing like that. It''s just that this feels too awkward to me. I would have been able to handle the situation better if you cursed at me or blamed me.

    This is different from what I have expected. Sookyung told me on how you were alright with me. Even so, I thought that you will be holding on to some kind of resentments towards me. After all, this is a really big deal."

    Lee Eunmi let out a chuckle and voiced out, "Yes, I do admit that this is strange. But don''t worry. Although both of are fated to be each other, I can see that neither of us are attracted to each other.

    This seems to be odd, but two of us are not fitted to be together. The idea of being fated to someone just doesn''t suit me, and as silly as it sounds, I really want to find my love on my own. Plus being bound to one person for my entire life doesn''t seem cool to me.

    Moreover, being fated to someone takes away one''s freedom by a lot, and that is one of the things that I don''t want. I don''t want to be treated as a fragile treasure and keep locked at somewhere. That is quite suffocating," she stated.

    "But aren''t you Oh Sookyung''s weakness at this moment? If something happens to you, it is linked to him as well," Jiwoo said, "Now, that I have mentioned it out loud, the relationship between both of us seems even more impossible."

    A sigh escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth.

    "It seems that his Majesty hadn''t told you about all of it. Since he is not ready yet, I shouldn''t spoil it for him. Just wait for that day, and he will tell you about it."

    While creases appeared between both of her eyebrows, confusion was clearly visible on Jiwoo''s face before she questioned, "Say me about what?"

    "You will need to wait for him to give you answer to that. I am in no position for that. But don''t worry. Even if harm comes to me, nothing will be happening to him.

    Fortunately, I have no feelings for him or else I would have been met with a terrible ending. I am not kidding with that. He might have even killed me to end up with you."

    Hearing those words from her caused Moon Jiwoo to widen her eyes, and she spoke out, "That''s going to far, but I guess it''s nice to hear."

    Jiwoo had a small smile forming upon her features¡ª this time the smile being genuine.

    "I am not kidding! I am being serious. After you had disappeared on the day of our first meeting, you should have seen how he was glaring at me. It was almost as if he was ready to kill me; it was almost as if he had blamed me for your disappearance," Eunmi stated.

    "Are you badmouthing me in front of her?"

    Hearing that voice all of a sudden surprised Moon Jiwoo. Then again, thinking about it, she wasn''t all that shocked about it because she learned about how it was a habit of his to sneak up on her.

    Turning her head back, Jiwoo saw Sookyung standing behind her¡ª seeming as dashing as always¡ª and the sight of him managed to flutter her heart.

    Walking forward, he placed his palm over her shoulder, and taking one of the cookies from the table, he took a bite from it while a smirk sat upon his features.

    While a scoff left from her mouth, Eunmi voiced out, "Do you think that I am able to do that? I value my life a lot, You Monster. Shin Daerin, I don''t know how you will be leading you life with someone as crazy and possessive as him, but good luck with it."

    But now after listening to Eunmi talk, Jiwoo found herself being fond of the woman before her. She was quite amiable, and if nothing goes wrong, Jiwoo could see herself being good friends with her.

    "You are right it seems. So, what do I do with him, Eunmi-ssi? Should I dump him?" Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    Placing the cookie inside of her mouth, he spoke out, "As if I am letting you do something like that."

 Chapter 135 - Ruin the fun [1]

    Faced with Han Sungmin, Moon Jiwoo was unable to see a way out of it. Having a confrontation was something she desperately wanted to avoid. Looking back to it, there are lots of people she would rather avoid these days.

    Maybe she shouldn''t let the boredom get the best of her and make her come out. After all, if it wasn''t for the fact that she was unable to stay inside her room quietly, she would not have to meet face to face with Han Sungmin at this moment.

    After the man had reprimanded her for absolutely no reason last time around, she had no reason to have a good impression on him. Moreover, everytime, the man looked at her as if she was a thorn by Oh Sookyung''s side.

    "What are you shamelessly doing at here until now!? It''s because of you that Oh Sookyung has been doing crazy things recently! I advise you to stop pouring such ideas inside his mind and leave," he voiced out, "If you are not obedient, I can''t ?ssure you that I wouldn''t be crossing the line."

    Moon Jiwoo was about to avoid the man and silently leave, but now, hearing those words, there was no she was able to do something like that.

    ''Shameless? Old Man, it''s your son who is desperate to keep at here. It''s not like I wanted to stay at here in the first place.''

    "No," Moon Jiwoo answered, "Old Man, do whatever you want, but I am not getting away from here. You are really cowardly though. Just because you are unable to get Sookyung to remove me from here, you are coming and attacking me¡ª the weaker one.

    However, one thing I am telling you that is as long as Sookyung doesn''t tell me to leave this palace, I am not doing so. Instead of me being the shameless, aren''t you the one being so?"

    Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    Although the man before her was quite intimidating, Jiwoo did not understand where her all the courage had come from. Maybe it was because of how she was too idiotic to be scared of him.

    "How dare you use that tone on me? Are you actually aware of who I am?" he asked.

    "Can''t you stop using such a cliche line? Where do you think you are at? Acting at some kind of movie or something?

    About whatever is going on between Sookyung and me, why are you coming to me about it? Just go to Sookyung if you have the courage, Old Man, and quit bothering me! I don''t know why everyone has to approach me!"

    "It''s your fault for seducing my son, You Ill-mannered Brat! I don''t know what methods you have used, but don''t you have any shame for turning him against his fated one? How dare you try to create problems between both of them?" he questioned.

    "Don''t tell me that you are blaming me for being too beautiful and charming. Look, I am used to guys fall head over heels for me, and unfortunately, I am unable to do something about it. Seeing how attractive I am, it''s no surprise actually.

    What am I supposed to do if Oh Sookyung is this crazy about me? He will wreck havoc if I go away from here. That''s why, it is very crucial for me to be at here.

    Please give it a proper thought, Old Man, and you will find everything I am saying valid as well," Moon Jiwoo voiced out calmly¡ª proud of herself for being able to come up with such a comeback.

    However, before she was able to congratulate herself properly, a sharp pain went through her cheek, and her eyes widened while she found a cut forming at the corner of her lips. Her face showed how shocked she was from his sudden slap.

    Raising her hand, she touched her cheeks as she watched the middle-aged man before her. Anger could easily be differentiated from his features while he had his hand raised.

    "Did you just slap me? How dare you? What gives you the¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, a gasp escaped from her mouth when she noticed how Han Sungmin flew backward due to sudden movement of the wind. His back collided against the wall while a loud sound was created due to the contact.

    Taken aback due to the sudden action, she raised her hand to place the palm above her mouth while a wince left Han Sungmin''s mouth.

    "I have already told you to stay away from her. But it seems that I haven''t informed about it properly about it to you, seeing how you came to meet up with her. How dare you raise your hands against her? Do you know who you are or what your status is, You Filthy Old Man?"

    Hearing Oh Sookyung behind, she looked back, and his features fell into her line of sight. As he made his way over to Han Sungmin, she pursed both of her lips together and anticipated about what Sookyung will be doing to the man next.

    As he stood before the man, Moon Jiwoo was able to see how the air about Sookyung was different from the other times. It felt as if the temperature in the room had decreased by a couple of degrees, and a chill went down Moon Jiwoo''s back although his anger wasn''t directed at her in this moment.

    One thing Moon Jiwoo knew about was that she was too frightened to meet with his gaze at that moment, and she was able to discern that by solely looking at his back. The aura around him was too intimidating for her.

    "You are doing a big mistake from this. I just want to tell you about this," Sungmin voiced out, "Regardless of how crazy you have become, it doesn''t mean that you are able to accept someone else who is not your fated one. This¡ª"

    "You should know when to shut up, Old Man. Talking way too much isn''t good for you. Just because I have told you about this doesn''t mean that you are able to interfere in this.

    Remember that. This time I am letting you go with a warning, but if you or any of your men continue this, I will make sure to personally take care of this.

    Just because you are supposed to be my biological father doesn''t mean anything to me. Hopefully, that is made clear to you, Han Sungmin. I am the king at here, and you are a mere leader at here.

    There are only certain amount of times I will be able to endure you going out of the line," Sookyung expressed, "Now, scram from here, and don''t question my authority from next time onwards."

    Han Sungmin let out a scoff before disappearing into the thin air, and Jiwoo''s eyes continued to stare at Oh Sookyung as he turned back to face her.

    Gone was that anger filled expression on his face from earlier, and it was completely replaced with worry for her. Due to that, she had a small smile forming upon her features. Having him protect her like that had Moon Jiwoo''s heart fluttering.

    "You Idiot, why did you stand at here and get slapped by him? You should have just run away from here. Does it hurt?" he spoke out.

    "Not exactly, but it did wound my pride greatly. You let him go really easily. I wanted to beat him up before letting him leave," Jiwoo said, "What does he see me as? Someone who is easily to attack or something?"

    Shaking his head, Oh Sookyung vocalised, "You can do that to him the next time you meet him, alright? Although I have threatened him, I doubt that he will be abiding by that. It would be best for you to be careful."

    "Yes, I will make sure to that. Why is my luck that bad? It seems like that I always end up with the worst in-laws. This time around, it''s way more horrible than the last time." Moon Jiwoo let out a loud groan.

    "Who cares about in-laws when you have such a sweet boyfriend like me? I will give you all the love in the world, so that the last thing you will be feeling is deprived of love," he voiced out.

    "Wow! You are cheesy to the point that I get chills for real, Oh Sookyung," she commented, "And when did you become my boyfriend? Might I remind you that two months isn''t over and until now, you haven''t fixed anything."

    "Don''t you know how reliable I am? I am very close to solving everything," he spoke out.

    "You still haven''t told me about what you are planning to do, Oh Sookyung," she said, "Being left in the dark is not something I am quite fond of. I am sure that you are aware of it."

    "It will ruin all the fun if I tell you about it now."

 Chapter 136 - Ruin the fun [2]

    When Lee Eunmi approached her with the offer of going outside with her, Moon Jiwoo had no reason to decline the female. Staying inside of the palace felt too stuffed to her, and regardless of how large the place was, going outside seemed like a really good option to her.

    It would be a breath of fresh water to Moon Jiwoo.

    Although Moon Jiwoo had given Sookyung her word on how she will not be trying to escape from the place, he still doesn''t trust her enough to let her out of the mansion.

    Seeing that Eunmi was presenting her with such an opportunity, she was exhilarated. Moreover, now, rather than being alone, she had someone to hang out with when she was outside.

    Certainly, Oh Sookyung wasn''t ready to let her go out yet, and that''s why, Eunmi decided to sneak out of the palace with her. Although Jiwoo had no clue on the female will be doing so, she trusted her with it.

    One thing Moon Jiwoo was curious to know was how Eunmi found a way out when Jiwoo was unable to find anything after putting in all that effort into it.

    This once again showed to her how idiotic she was. Although she had a photogenic memory, that b?r?ly helped her in this life of hers, and it was quite frustrating.

    A smile formed on Moon Jiwoo''s face as she jumped down of the wall, following Lee Eunmi, and seeing how she was finally outside of the palace walls caused excitement to fill Moon Jiwoo.

    Turning to face Eunmi, she cheerfully vocalised, "Thanks a lot for this. This would be risky for you, but I am really grateful to you doing this."

    "It''s alright. I doubt that Sookyung would be able to do anything against it. Staying inside that palace might feel horrible to you," Eunmi voiced out, "Coming out once in a while will definitely be the best for you."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded at the female.

    "So, where will we be going?" Jiwoo questioned.

    "Why don''t we go shopping? I have heard from Sookyung how you are fond of that. That''s why, let''s go around the shops and look at them," Eunmi suggested.

    "That sounds great," Jiwoo spoke out, "I am curious as to how you found out about this place. I searched through the entire palace for a place to escape from, but even after days of careful planning, I was unable to do something like that."

    Eunmi let out a chuckle and stated, "Let''s just say that I came upon this place upon chance, and seeing how Sookyung has no guards around here, I am sure he didn''t expect for you to show up at here."

    Moon Jiwoo understood what Eunmi was trying to imply by those words. The place did appear to be quite dirty to her, and it didn''t seem to be somewhere she would come to look around, judging from its condition alone.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Ah! I am tired," Moon Jiwoo voiced out as a groan escaped from her mouth.

    Pulling the chair, she sat down upon it while Eunmi was seated opposite to her. Both of them were inside the caf¨¦, and a maid came towards them, placing their orders before both of them.

    "Yeah, that did take a lot of energy out of us," Eunmi spoke out.

    "It was really fun though. A long time had passed since I have last hung around with a friend. With all that drama that had been going around me, this truly felt really refreshing. I am really thankful to you for bringing me outside."

    "You don''t need to thank me. I also wanted to hang out around with someone. Even though I am friendly with you, I really don''t have any friends around here, and this something I quite wished to do."

    "I b?r?ly have any friends at here as well," Jiwoo said, "Due to Oh Sookyung, everyone looks at me as if I am their rival in love, and that''s why, I just get antagonized at here. No matter where we are, girls are always the same, not that I am one to judge."

    "Oh! I remember hearing about how you are from surface. Do tell me stories about how the things are up there. I have never been to the surface, and I am curious to see how things are up there," Eunmi voiced out.

    "Sure, I have no problem with that. Better than that, why don''t we just go to the surface? Let''s try to sneak out to the surface right now," Moon Jiwoo suggested, "Oh Sookyung wouldn''t be able to catch us if you are with me since it seems that you are able to outsmart him."

    Giggling, Eunmi expressed, "It seems that you are overestimating me. There is no way I will be able to accomplish something like that. Today was merely luck."

    "I doubt that," Jiwoo vocalised, "If you put your mind into it, I am sure both of us can run away to the surface. Let''s leave Sookyung at here, and do that."

    She chuckled and said, "You don''t seem to realize how tight his Majesty''s hold on you is. He basically knows where you are every second."

    "Well, he doesn''t know where I am right now. I am sure he would have dragged me back to the palace if he was aware of where I am right now," Jiwoo pointed out.

    "There can be some exceptions," Eunmi vocalised.

    "I guess so," Jiwoo stated, "I am really curious about what you and Sookyung are planning. He wants to keep this entire thing a secret from me, and I am not really fond of that.

    A part of me is afraid that he is doing something really dangerous. I guess although I am happy that he is willing to go that far for me, I feel anxious at times too and don''t want for him to do anything dangerous for my sake."

    "That man knows what he is doing. You don''t need to be afraid of that. You know how he is. Trust me when I say that, regardless of how hopeless the situation appears, he is one step ahead of everyone.

    I don''t know where he gets his idea from, but he is born to win at everything he wants. That''s the type of man Oh Sookyung is. I really admire him for that."

    "That''s a nice way to put how overbearing and selfish that man is," Jiwoo voiced out, "But are you really not telling me about what both of you are planning? I don''t even see the use of keeping this entire thing as a secret from me. Can''t you see that the curiosity is killing me?"

    "There is no use in acting cute with me. Sookyung already warned me about how you will try to get the answer from me, and he mentioned to me about how I will be dead if I inform you about everything.

    He says that you will be getting stupid thoughts in your mind if I tell you about that, and that is one thing that can not be done. His words, not mine."

    Moon Jiwoo let out a groan and spoke out, "That ?sshole! This sucks! I am starting to lose sleep over this already."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    After both of them were done with having their snacks at the cafe, Eunmi stayed up in order to chat with one of her acquaintances for a while as Jiwoo decided to wait for her downstairs.

    As Jiwoo shifted her weight from one leg to another, she stood outside of the cafe building, waiting for the girl to come out.

    While many thoughts went around Moon Jiwoo''s mind in that instant, she didn''t realize as someone pulled away the bag from her hand.

    When she felt that the weight in her hand was no more, Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and she noticed the figure that was running away with her bag in his hand. Jiwoo didn''t expect to encounter a thief at s place like this.

    Angered by the one who had run away with her bag in this hand, Jiwoo did not waste a second before making a run behind that man. Seeing how the streets were not crowded in that moment, she was able to run behind of that man.

    If it was before, Moon Jiwoo would have been able to catch that man without any difficulty. However, seeing how her powers were decreased, she had a tough time keeping up with the man''s speed.

    Seeing how the thief made a sharp turn towards the alley, Jiwoo did the same as well. Anger was clearly shown upon her face while she shouted after the thief.

    Seeing how the thief stopped once he was at the alley, Jiwoo was able to snatch her bag away from him.

    However, what happened next managed to shock her. The thief let go of her bag, and as the bag fell on to the ground, the man disappeared into the thin air. The strange actions of that thief caused creases to appear between both of Jiwoo''s eyebrows.

 Chapter 137 - Locked up [1]

    The moment Moon Jiwoo turned back, she found herself being in a panicked state. Three men stood before her, taking her by complete surprise. Both of her eyes widened as she took a step back¡ª out of ideas on how to deal with this very situation.

    Things would have been simple she teleported out of this place. But it had been a long while since she had last drunk blood, and due to that, it was too dangerous for her to get to teleport in that moment.

    She didn''t know what might happen to her if she went for that, but seeing how these men did not look at all friendly, she was well-aware of how she had to get out of this place unless she wanted something to happen to her.

    If this was before, she knew that it wouldn''t have been a big deal for her to deal with these men, but now, it was a different case. She had grown to become really weak, and she doubted whether or not she will be fight against one of them.

    Three was entirely a different matter.

    Jiwoo was doubtful about was why would they be cornering her like this, and, more importantly, how they were able to find out her location. Even Sookyung himself was unaware of how she went outside today.

    Staring at three of them, Jiwoo searched for a way out of this situation. But regardless of how hard she tried to look, she was unable to find a opening.

    "What do you guys want?" she questioned as her eyes glared at three men before her.

    One of the men wore smirk upon his features while he took a step forward and voiced out, "We were ordered to kill you, but seeing how cute you are, it would be sad to take your life without having you in the beginning. Why not we have some fun?"

    Letting out a scoff at that, Jiwoo vocalised, "Me and have fun with you all? Go and look at yourself in the mirror before saying something like that.

    I wonder how does someone as ugly as you even get the confidence to say something like that. Weren''t you taught to only wish for things that were possible? Go look for someone who suits you."

    It was easy to see how Moon Jiwoo''s words managed to aggravate three of the men from their clenched jaws and fists. But Jiwoo did not show any signs of fear in her eyes.

    Although Jiwoo knew that she was in danger, she stared at with confidence in her eyes. A part of her deeply believed in Sookyung, and she hoped that he will appear out of nowhere in order to rescue her from this.

    Moreover, sooner or later, Eunmi would be noticing her lack of presence as well. What Jiwoo needed to do was waste as much as time as possible before she was rescued.

    "How dare you talk like that!? It seems that you don''t know yet where you are at! But it''s alright. Feisty girls are more to my taste these days.

    I will have a fun time teaching you how to be scared and your place. Don''t worry! Once you learn about it, you will be having fun too as well."

    "Can you at least wipe your drool before you are talking? This is so gross I swear. At least try to appear decent before talking like this. I wonder which female will be having fun with you three.

    No wonder you pick random females at the street forcefully. That''s because no one wants to be with you willingly. You probably had lots of women throw up at you when you tried to go after them, right? You are really lame!"

    "You bitch! How dare you say that!" one of the men exclaimed, making his way over to her.

    Moon Jiwoo confidently stared at the men at his eye level without taking a step back while folding her arms over her ?h?st. The corner of her lips were turned upwards while mock was clearly shown upon her face.

    That action of her managed to anger the man further, and extending his hand towards her, he grabbed on to her hair. His actions caused Jiwoo''s eyes to widen for she hadn''t expected for the men to grab her hair out of nowhere.

    While a sharp pain went through her head, she grabbed on to that men''s wrist and voiced out, "What the hell are you doing? Let go of my hair, you ?sshole! I just had them done today, and you had to go and destroy them. Should I just kill you due to that? You fat ?ss, stop touching my hair!"

    "Bitch, it seems that you haven''t learned your lesson yet!"

    Seeing how he wasn''t loosening his grip around her hair caused Jiwoo to get pissed further. After a long time she was able to get out and get her hair treated. Moreover, she didn''t know when she will be able to leave that castle again.

    However, the man before her had to go and ruin all of that. There was no way she would be able to hold in her temper after that happened.

    Without holding back, Moon Jiwoo raised her leg and kicked him at the centre of both of his legs, making sure to attack his genital with all of her strength. Regardless of what clan the man was from, this was one of the most effective way of attacking them.

    "You are telling me that you lost Daerin?" Sookyung questioned, staring at the female before her.

    Both of Lee Eunmi and Sookyung stood on the streets. While guilt and worry was visible of Eunmi''s face, anxiousness and exhaustion was easily shown on Sookyung''s features.

    "I am sorry, Your Majesty. I didn''t mean to do anything like that. It''s just that I stayed inside to chat with one of my acquaintances, and Daerin went outside to stand for a while. But by the time I returned, she was no longer standing downstairs. I tried to look around for her, but I wasn''t able to find her anymore."

    Oh Sookyung let out a groan and vocalised, "I don''t know why you would want to go out when I put clear instructions on her to stay inside. This is my fault for not trying to do everything perfectly. Anyway, follow me. I will try to find out where she is."

    Eunmi nodded and said, "I am sorry. I really did not mean any harm. Daerin told me the other day on how she wanted to go outside, and that''s why, I wanted to sneak out with her for a little while. I thought I will be with her the entire time in order to protect her, but I didn''t expect for this to happen."

    He sighed and expressed, "You don''t need to apologise. I know that you had no negative intentions. It''s just that the situation is too terrible for her."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "Shin Daerin, are you fine?"

    Hearing that voice took Moon Jiwoo by complete surprise, causing both of her to widen. But then again, it was a norm for Oh Sookyung to appear out of nowhere. Up until now, he had done it countless number of times.

    Sookyung stared at Jiwoo''s appearance from top to bottom. Her hair was at a messy state, and creases appeared all over her clothing. Her clothes her covered in dirt while she appeared to be dishevelled.

    "Are you alright? What happened?" he questioned.

    "Well about that, I got cornered by three men, but who knew that they would be really weak. It only took me a few seconds to get rid of them. I was really cool back then. It seems that you have missed it," Jiwoo voiced out.

    It was true that Moon Jiwoo was afraid of dealing with those men in the beginning, but when she started to go against them, she realized that even though her powers had gotten a lot weaker, her skills still remained.

    Although she wouldn''t have been able to go against them if their powers were stronger, fortunately they weren''t, and she was easily able to defend herself against them due to all the techniques she had memorized.

    The men realized that they weren''t able to go against her anymore, causing them to disappear I to the thin air, and at the easy victory, Moon Jiwoo was quite proud of herself.

    Jiwoo''s eyes dilated a little when Sookyung took a step closer to her and pulled her into a tight hug. She could feel her heart beat rapidly against his ?h?st while he held her in his arms.

    "You idiot, do you know how worried I was about you? I really should have locked you up with those handcuffs."

 Chapter 138 - Locked up [2]

    Each passing second caused nervousness to rise within Moon Jiwoo, and intertwining both of her hands together, she took in a deep breath. Afraid of meeting gaze with Oh Sookyung, she stared down at the ground.

    Once both of them reached into the palace, Moon Jiwoo noticed how angered the male before her was, and it was to the point even she was frightened by it. She just hoped for this moment to pass away really quickly.

    "So, you went out?" he started.

    Not trusting her words, Jiwoo nodded her head.

    Trying to keep her pride, Moon Jiwoo out in her best effort in order to not appear intimidated before him, but up until now, she had no idea on how much she succeeded at that.

    "After all the warnings I have given you, you actually did go out. Should I tie you up at this moment? You idiot, do you even know how the entire day could have gotten dangerous for you? It''s just due to luck that you were able to come out without any big wounds today! Are you suicidal!?"

    Raising her head, she stared at him with determined eyes before voicing out, "Aren''t you going too far with those words of yours? How would I have known that I would be attacked the moment I go out?

    Plus didn''t I come out safely today? It wasn''t because of luck. This was due to how competent I am. You don''t need to scold me all that! I am strong enough to protect myself."

    "Are you still not admitting your fault? What would have you done if those people were stronger? I mentioned to you countless number of times previously on how your life was in danger yet you ran out despite of that! Shin Daerin, do you know how angry I am at you in this moment?"

    "You warned me before? Oops! It seemed to have slipped my mind, and I have been locked away in this place for a long time. This had grown to become suffocating for me. Even I want to go out at times," Jiwoo argued back.

    "Can''t you wait for two months? Is it that long for you? If I see you repeating your actions again, I will make sure that you are not allowed to leave your room! For the time being, listen to all the words I say without a question, and if you dare to disobey me, I won''t hesitate to punish you."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at that, and she spoke out, "You can''t do that to me. I need my freedom, and why should I listen to every word of yours? Aren''t you going too far with that!?"

    "Shut up," he stated, "After the danger you ran into today, you don''t get the right to act that brazenly."

    "Aren''t you just overreacting? It''s not as if your life or something was in danger," Moon Jiwoo mumbled to herself while lowering her line of sight.

    "I would have been less angry if it was my life that was in danger, Shin Daerin," he vocalized.

    Scoffing at him, she retorted, "What are you trying to do? Make my heart flutter in such a situation? This doesn''t mean that I won''t be angry with you."

    "Ah! You are angry with me right now? Could it be that you are pouting now?" Sookyung voiced out.

    Letting out a chuckle, he extended his hand towards her, and holding her from the side, he pulled her into a hug. At his contact, Moon Jiwoo''s heart started to beat rapidly within her ?h?st, and she could feel her cheeks getting warmer as each second passed by.

    His cold breath hit her neck, causing chill to travel down it, and letting out a cough, Jiwoo tried to compose herself. Regardless of how attractive he was in this moment, it would not reflecting well on her of she let herself be swayed that easily by him in this instant.

    "Aw! Don''t be angry! I know that I might have gone far with my words in this moment, but you know that it was because of how worried I was for you. I was almost about to have an attack due to how worried I was for you," Sookyung stated.

    "I just wanted to go outside. Staying inside of this mansion doesn''t feel fun to me, and at this rate, I feel like as if I will die out of boredom," she said, "But I guess that is better than being killed at the streets. That''s why, I will try to stay inside for the moment. However, after this two months period is over, I should be able to go outside, alright?"

    "I give you my word on that. That''s why, thank you for being patient. But Daerin-ah, this doesn''t mean that you are able to escape punishment. You were a bad girl today, and you need to be punished."

    Hearing Oh Sookyung tone and noticing the smirk that formed upon his face caused inappropriate thoughts to come inside of her mind, and while the blush on her face deepened, she shook her head to drive all of those thoughts away from her mind.

    Stomping on his foot, she said, "Shut up! There is no way I am getting punished by you!"

    "Or else you can be locked at your room. I am pretty sure you know which one will be better for you," he stated.

    "Wow! Are you blackmailing me at this moment? You know how much I hate that!"

    "Are you turning red now? Shin Daerin, you are getting hotter too! What are you thinking to have such a reaction, you Pervert? I didn''t think you would be like this, but thinking about it, this doesn''t seem to be a bad thing either. This is so¡ª"

    Before giving him a chance to continue further, Moon Jiwoo attacked the man with her elbow, causing him to shut his mouth, and she glared at him fiercely as she jumped away from him.

    He was truly detestable!

    Although things were probably visible from her face, it didn''t mean that he had to voice them out loudly like that. This only increased imagination further, and due to the embarrassment she was feeling in this moment, she was unable to look at him in the eyes in that instant.

    "You Asshole, it''s nothing like that! What are you even thinking about! Just get away from me, You Creep!"

    "I was going to go along with what you had expected, but since that doesn''t seem to be the case, I can''t do anything about it. I will back out from that then."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo didn''t understand why a sense of disappointment came upon her when she learned that her punishment was to massage his shoulder.

    Maybe, although she didn''t want to admit it, she was a pervert like Sookyung claimed to be earlier and wanted that.

    ''No, Jiwoo, that''s a misunderstanding! There is no way you are like that. It''s just that you are surprised by how he wants you to do something as normal as this.

    That''s all. Judging from how he is, you thought that he will be expecting something dirty from you, and now that is not the case, you are just shocked. There is no way that you are disheartened by this.

    There is no way you were expecting for him to kiss you or go further than that with you. See, that even sounds absurd to you.''

    "What are you thinking so hard about? Are you dissatisfied about massaging my shoulders? Do I need to punish you in some other way?" Sookyung vocalised.

    Oh Sookyung turned his head from his document while he looked at her and raised one of his eyebrows. Both of them were at his study room as he went over the documents for his work.

    Hearing what he had just said caused Moon Jiwoo to widen her eyes, and she instantly shook her head. Probably he would come up with something worse if she declined with this, and this wasn''t at all bad.

    "No, I am absolutely fine with this. You will see that I massage your shoulders in a way that you will be craving for me to do them for you forever. I was praised by hundreds of people before due to how good I am at it. Once you get massaged by me, you will be unable forget it! Trust me!"

    "Is that so? I don''t know why this makes me quite disappointed," Sookyung mumbled.

    Hearing those words caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen, and taken by surprise, she voiced out, "Huh? But didn''t you tell me to massage you? That''s weird."

    "I don''t exactly need you to massage me. Maybe I should entertain those perverted fantasies inside your mind."

    "What?" she vocalised.

 Chapter 139 - Passionate embrace [1]

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to react properly, she felt Sookyung gripping her hand and pull her forward. Taken aback by his sudden action, a gasp escaped from her mouth, and both of her eyes widened. Swiftly, Oh Sookyung pulled her over to his ??p, and sitting over his th??hs, she could feel the heat due to the contact. Heat started to rise up her cheeks while they started to turn a dark shade of red.  Sitting like this made it difficult for her to control her rapid heart beats, and finding it embarrassing if Sookyung noticed that, she tried to put in some distance between both of them. But as if noticing what she was about to do, he pulled her closer to him, causing her face to hit the nape of his neck.  A scent from his neck reached into her nostrils, and at this state, it was difficult for her to control the inappropriate thoughts from entering into her mind. Bringing his face over to her neck, he placed a soft kiss on her neck, causing chill to pass down her neck, and Moon Jiwoo grabbed tightly on to the material of his shirt. When it came to such situation, Moon Jiwoo found herself unable to react. Hiding her face in his neck, she let him do whatever she wanted to do. "Is this a punishment enough or should I go further?" he questioned. Moon Jiwoo found herself unable to answer that. As much as she liked him leaving such fluttering kisses on her neck, it was humiliating for her to answer yes to him. That''s why, she merely remained silent. "I will take that as a yes then," he vocalised before placing more kisses upon her neck. Moon Jiwoo''s grip on his shirt tightened as she found her heart almost about to leave her ?h?st. At the same time, she could feel his heart beat as well. Both of their heart beat at the same rate, and they felt really rhythmic together. "Having you like this in my arms makes me want to go further. If you don''t reject me, Shin Daerin, I won''t be able to stop myself. You don''t know how thirsty I am," he vocalised. "You are talking way too much," Moon Jiwoo mumbled.  Maybe Moon Jiwoo would be regretting this later on or she would be satisfied with it. But for now, she wanted to feel more of him. His scent at this instant was capable of rendering her senseless, and it was as if it took away all of her ability to think properly in that moment. Probably she was under a spell put by him on her. But that wasn''t something she was able to find herself caring about. This moment felt really amazing to her, and she d?s?r?d to feel more of this. Even Moon Jiwoo did not know that she had such d?s?r?s up until this moment, and this made her feel totally shy. Oh Sookyung raised his hand to grab her cheeks, and bringing her face in front of his, he placed her lips on top of hers. Before closing her eyes, Moon Jiwoo was able to have a glimpse of how the man was looking at her. His eyes held the same thirst for her¡ª exactly the one she felt in that moment¡ª and she responded his kiss with the equal fervour. Although Sookyung seemed to be taking the lead, she tried her best to keep up with his passion as well. As both of them pulled away from the kiss, he brought his hand over to her, and moving the hair from over her face, he voiced out, "Stop looking at me like this, Shin Daerin. You are really make it hard to control myself." "Is my punishment over so soon?" she asked. "If you say it that way, there is no way I am ending it this quickly," he stated. "Good," she replied before placing her lips on top of his. The passion in their kiss this time around was more than that of the last time, and it was as if both of them desperately needed to do this. In midst of this, Sookyung had long forgotten about the work he had to do. Both of them needed this equally, and none of them showed any signs of wanting to pull away. Finding herself unable to continue with the kiss further, Jiwoo pulled away, and her eyes showed to Oh Sookyung how much she wanted him in this moment. Caught up in this moment, Moon Jiwoo found a heat forming within her body that she would need Oh Sookyung to quench. Her ?h?st was burning up due to d?s?r? while bu??erflies moved around in her stomach, showing no signs of getting slower. This made Moon Jiwoo slightly afraid. Never did she imagine that her feelings for the man before her would be this strong. Even for Eunwoo, her feelings did not run this deep. If this continued on, there was no way that she would be able to survive without the man before her. The very thought of that managed to make her frightened, but right now, she was too drawn in him to give this much of a thought. Whatever that was happening between them right now was something she did not want any end to come to.  Maybe it would be great if both of them could be forever together without having anyone to disturb them. This increased Moon Jiwoo''s d?s?r? to monopolize the man before her regardless of how impossible that was. That felt more or less scary to Jiwoo as well. The thing that happened with Eunwoo was very much likely to happen right now, and she was scared that Sookyung would be disgusted with her after seeing how controlling Moon Jiwoo was able to be. Although she convinced herself that she would be fine if that occurs, right now, she wasn''t sure whether or not she would be able to bear that.  It was kind of terrifying how much weak hearted she was becoming when it came to Oh Sookyung, but it was one of those things she was unable to help at. "What are you thinking so much about?" Oh Sookyung questioned, raising one of his eyebrows. "I am scared," she honestly answered, "I am frightened that you will be seeing how ugly I will be getting and then abandon me. You don''t know how jealous or controlling I am able to get, Oh Sookyung.  Even though I am like this, my thoughts inside about you are disgusting. You say that you want to tie me up, what if I say that my thoughts are worse than yours? At times, I don''t even deserve to judge you." "If that''s what gets you to love me, I will be fine, Shin Daerin. I am ready to accept all sides of yours, and none of it would ever feel disgusting to me because it would just show to me how much you love me.  At this point, I am starving for your love to the extent that I will be able to accept anything from you," Sookyung voiced out. "Although you say that right now, you will run away later on. Being loved by me isn''t anything healthy. It might even get harmful for you. That''s why, Sookyung, please don''t do it half-heartedly." "You are saying me that being loved by you is harmful, but what if I say that I want to be harmed by you. Shin Daerin, I don''t want you to be scared and love me with all of your heart. I will be able to accept all type of love from you no matter how toxic it is." "Is that so? Then, don''t be friends with any female, don''t look at any women, and give all of your attention. I don''t want you to spend any time with your friends.  Will you be able to dedicate all of your time to me no matter what happens? I will even ask of more selfish wishes from you. I might even ask you to abandon those closest to you for my sake. Would you be able to do that?" "You idiot, that''s a silly question you are asking me right now. Is there anyone who is closer to me than you right now? That''s why, you are free to wish of whatever you want. Is that it or do you have more demands to make?" he raised one of his eyebrows. "I have to think of them, but you have to agree to them no matter what they are. If you run away, I will kill you. Even if I don''t look pretty, you have to love me, alright?" she voiced out. "Don''t worry. Even if you are the ugliest person on the earth, I will still be loving you, but if I am agreeing to your conditions, shouldn''t you do them vice versa as well?" he vocalised. "We can only negotiate on those when you are a perfect boyfriend to me. Right now, you don''t get the right for that," she retorted. "Alright then, I will try to become your perfect boyfriend by following your demands, and then, put in mine," he stated.

 Chapter 140 - Passionate embrace [2]

    Staring at the bean sprout soup before her, Moon Jiwoo picked up the spoon and took a sip out of the soup. A solemn expression sat on her face as she did so.

    It had been two days since she had last seen Oh Sookyung, and right now, she was terribly missing him. Moon Jiwoo was aware of how he was just busy with work, and that made it impossible for him to spare time with her.

    But that didn''t mean that her heart would be able to understand it. Moon Jiwoo''s ?h?st felt quite heavy, and staring at the soup in front of her, she did not have much of an appetite for it.

    Jiwoo wanted to pay the man a visit, but then again, that would make her seem too desperate for him. As much Jiwoo wanted to abandon her pride, it did matter to her more or less. It wasn''t possible for her to completely ignore that.

    Although bean sprout soup was something she was fond of, today, it felt quite bland to her, and after taking a sip out of it, she did not feel like tasting it further. Staring at the soup, she stirred it rhythmically while letting out a sigh.

    Many thoughts began to ran through her mind in that moment.

    She wondered about how she will be continuing further with rest of her life if she was this desperate over him right now, and this just seemed to be intensifying as seconds passed by.

    His image flashed in her mind in that moment, and that''s when, she was ready to abandon all of her pride. Maybe she shouldn''t think too much of her on pride and pay him a small visit.

    Oh Sookyung might be looking forward to meeting with her more than she does.

    ''Yeah, Moon Jiwoo, let''s do that. Just pretend that you have something important to talk to him about and pay him a visit.

    Then, he won''t be getting any reasons to tease you about it. Ah! I can''t believe that, I, Moon Jiwoo, am doing something like this. But I am sure this can''t be helped.

    Surely, Sookyung is missing me more than I am, and I guess, I have to be kind and grace him with my presence. After all, I have to be the bigger person in this situation.

    I really feel bad for the poor him. He wants to be with me this badly that he is driving himself to work this much. Maybe I should just take pity on him and visit him.

    Yes, that''s what this is about. I am not visiting him because I am missing him or worried about him. It''s just that pity. Yeah! There is no such thing as me being desperate for him. After all, I am Moon Jiwoo.''

    Regardless of how absurd those words sounded to Moon Jiwoo, she managed to convince herself with those words and decided to pay the man a visit. With that, maybe she would even give him a piece of her mind for not at least meeting him for her a second daily.

    He would have been able to manage that if he was as crazy over her as he claimed to be.

    That''s when, a sharp pain went through Moon Jiwoo''s ?h?st, and her eyes widened due to it. All of a sudden, she found it difficult to breath, and she started to cough vehemently. It felt to her as if something was stuck in her throat, making it hard for her to breath.

    While tears started to form at the corner of her eyes, she clutched on to her neck tightly, and creases formed between both of her eyebrows due to the ache that went through her forehead.

    Finding it difficult to bear this, she wanted to call out for help, but it was not possible for her to do so. With her losing her voice, she was only able to cough in that instant.

    She wondered why none of the maids in the kitchen was responding to her coughs. Although she wasn''t able to say anything, she was sure that the sound from her coughs was enough to alert them in this instant.

    This either meant that they were ignoring her or they were not present in the kitchen. The chances of both of that happening was odd since Oh Sookyung ordered them to pay special attention to her, but right then, Moon Jiwoo wasn''t at the state to think about all of that.

    She knew that she had to get help quickly.

    Although she was able to be b?r?ly stable in that second, she managed to grip on to the table with her shaky fingers, and even though her legs trembled, she tried to stand up. As the chair behind her slid back, she put in all of her attempt into standing up.

    However, it seemed that she wasn''t all that successful in accomplishing that. The plate filled with her food on the table slid down as she lost her balance, and along with her, it fell down on the ground.

    Moon Jiwoo continued with her coughs as she fell back on the ground, and all the food served to her fell above of her. A sharp pain went through her body while collapsed on the ground, and in that moment, it was difficult for her to maintain her balance while sitting up.

    More shock went within Moon Jiwoo when she noticed how blood started to flow out the moment she coughed, and red stained the floor along with her clothing.

    But she could''ve find herself thinking too much about it as a sharp ache went through her head, and dizziness passed through her. She found herself getting light-headed, and she wasn''t sure of how long she would be able to stay awake at this state.

    As much as strong her survival instinct was, Moon Jiwoo craved to give up in this moment due to the intense pain. Maybe surrending to it would be making the things better for her.

    The pain was too strong for her to persist further, and it didn''t take long for her to give up soon. Closing her eyes, she gave in to the sleep while hoping for someone to save her from this. There had been a lot of things she hadn''t been able to accomplish.

    The second she was able to lose her consciousness, Oh Sookyung''s face flashed in her mind, and there were lots of things she wanted to do with him. Without having to complete those things with him, there was no way she would be able to let herself die.

    She did not want to be filled with regrets and then come back as a vengeful ghost due to that.

    "Oh Sookyung, where are you?"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A sharp ache went through her head as Moon Jiwoo opened her eyes slowly. What greeted her was the white ceilings, and that left her wondering on where she possibly could be at.

    That''s when, she smelt the disinfectants, and she noticed that her hand was connected to a IV drop through a needle.

    That''s when, everything started to come back to Moon Jiwoo. She recalled about how she was poisoned back at the dining room and how close to dying she was back then. She could remember about how desperately she was clinging on to life.

    Seeing how she managed wake up like this, did this mean that she did not die? Relief spread through her ?h?st at that, and although the aches that spread through her entire body, she managed a smile upon her face.

    "Shin Daerin, you are finally awake! I got a big scare back then when you were discovered like this. How are you feeling right now? I will just call the doctor right now. This is a great miracle."

    Hearing Oh Sookyung''s voice beside her, she turned her head to face the man and said, "I am fine."

    Although her voice was hoarse and low, he managed to hear her words. It was clear to Moon Jiwoo on how relieved the man seemed, and it appeared that Oh Sookyung was completely worn off during this period of time.

    "I am relieved. I really relieved. Thank you for waking up, Shin Daerin. I was about to get a heart attack. I didn''t know what I would do if you didn''t open your eyes. Maybe I would have gone completely crazy. You don''t know how happy I am to see you open your eyes. I am really thankful. Thank you," he voiced out.

    "You''re overexaggerating," she stated, "There is no way something could happen to me from from something as small as that."

    "You idiot, don''t say something like that. It was my fault this time around for being inattentive. I will make sure that nothing like this happens again. I ?ssure you about that. I am sorry, Shin Daerin, about this."

 Chapter 141 - Nothing dirty [1]

    Leaning against the head board of the bed, Moon Jiwoo stared at the man who was seated beside her, and by now, he had been in that position for hours. Although she was fond of having him by her side, at this point, this was starting to give her a headache.

    "You don''t need to watch me this closely, Oh Sookyung. Just go back to your work or something or else I will be losing your mind from the constant staring," Moon Jiwoo commented, glaring at the man beside her.

    "I am too worried at this moment to leave right now."

    The remnants of the poison was no longer inside her body, and the effects from it had disappeared quite a while ago. Other than some soreness, she felt perfectly fine and was well aware of how she did not need anyone watch her that closely as Sookyung was doing right now.

    Instead of the poison, this was starting to give a headache currently.

    Fortunately enough for Moon Jiwoo, she only had the poison for a little amount, and that''s why, she was able to survive from it with b?r?ly any affects. If she had eaten anymore of it, this would have turned out to be deadly for her.

    Maybe the only thing she was able to thank right now was her lack of appetite. It would be disastrous if she was hungry and ate that soup up completely. Indirectly, she was thankful to Sookyung for not showing up before her within these two days.

    Thinking about what would have happened if she drank the entire thing caused chills to go down her back. There was no way she was ready to die this easily!

    However, this made her wonder about who would be able to smuggle such a deadly poision inside the palace. Killing the members from the Red Clan was no easy matter, and Jiwoo was able to guess how powerful the poison was.

    Something like that was illegal, and getting hands on it was nearly impossible. Unless someone powerful was behind it, there was no way for some simple kitchen maids to obtain something like that.

    Even someone like her was able to guess the person who was possibly behind her life. It was Han Sungmin without a doubt, and seeing how much of a frightening man she could be was starting to drop Moon Jiwoo''s confidence in this moment.

    She knew that this was because of what Sookyung was planning right now was something he considered to be quite dangerous for him, and that''s why, he knew that eliminating Moon Jiwoo would eradicate the possibility of her.

    Moon Jiwoo wasn''t lying when she started to reconsider the thought of staying at her for few more days. This time she was lucky, but it didn''t mean that she would be able to be this fortunate the next time around as well.

    Dying was one of those things she definitely did not want to face, and things right now was probably leading to that direction for her. Everything would be better if she just ran away.

    But one glance at Oh Sookyung''s face made her become weak towards her resolution, and she lost her will completely to run away from here. Maybe getting away from Sookyung would be much more painful than staying at here.

    Only few more days were left to two month, and maybe she would be getting lucky all this time as well. Moreover, Moon Jiwoo would just stay extra careful over this period of time.

    She had determined that this was worth the risk!

    "Oh Sookyung, do you know that this was the first time I have actually believed that you are worth all the risk for me?" Moon Jiwoo mumbled.

    Those words perfectly reached into Oh Sookyung''s ears, and his eyes widened due to that. Moon Jiwoo''s those words were not something he had ever expected to hear.

    While his heart began to flutter within his ?h?st, the corner of his lips curved up to form a smile. He was almost brought to tears by those words from her¡ª especially since that she had b?r?ly escaped from danger right now and he was afraid that she would be angry at him¡ª and this wasn''t him exaggerating his emotions.

    "Thank you, Shin Daerin. I am sorry for not being able to protect you after I gave you my word to do so. I apologise for slipping up. After how I scolded you for going outside the other day, it seems that my palace is no less of a danger than ou there.

    But this time around, I won''t slip up and betray that trust of yours. I failed to do this this time around, but I swear that this will not be repeating from me next time around."

    Moon Jiwoo was able to see how much affected from this Oh Sookyung was, and it seemed that he was possible more shaken up from the entire thing than her. This made her feel guilty deep inside, and she was well aware of how she had to comfort him.

    "It''s alright. You would not have been able to do anything against it. Anyone would have slipped up in this. That''s why, you don''t need to appear all that melancholic over it. I am fine right now, and isn''t that what matters?" she voiced out, raising one of her eyebrows.

    "I didn''t think you would be able to comfort me like this one day, but I suppose this is not bad," he stated, "You are right. There is no use in crying over spilled milk. I will learn from my past and be better at protecting you this time around. You can see how cool your boyfriend can be."

    "By the way, it was Han Sungmin, right? It was him behind all the poisoning and all that, right?" Jiwoo voiced out.

    Nodding his head, Sookyung answered, "Yeah. Although there is no proof against him, he was indeed behind all of this. Other than him, there was no one who would be able to get hands on such a drug.

    All the maids that were working in the kitchen have been punished, and the servants in the palace had been reduced to only the ones that can be trusted. Although it''s just few days, it is better to be as much as careful as possible. I don''t want to lose everything in the last moment."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded and then questioned, "What type of punishment?"

    Letting out a chuckle, Oh Sookyung winked at Moon Jiwoo and then answered, "That is one of the things that you are better off not knowing about."

    "Wow! I wonder how crazy this is," Moon Jiwoo commented, "But this just makes me more curious about it. Don''t worry! I have watched all type of gore movies, and I won''t be affected by it much."

    "Trust me when I say that it is worse than all of that, and isn''t it fun to leave things to imagination at times?" Oh Sookyung vocalised.

    "I am sick, but you are still teasing me! You are really mean!" she exclaimed.

    "See how loud you are being right now. No one would be calling you sick judging from this. A sick person should at least try to act like one," he pointed out.

    "That''s not funny," she retorted, "And why don''t you just go and have some sleep for now? You weren''t handsome in the first place, and right now, you look absolutely horrifying! I feel as if I would have nightmares just from staring at that face of yours."

    "Even if it is a nightmare, I would be happy as long as I am in your dream. So, I will stare at you like this as much as I can unless you get a nightmare then. Have a great time observing my face, darling," he vocalised.

    "Do you want me to kill you that badly? I am telling you that I am fine, and no one would just come to attack me at the infirmary. Go and get some sleep or else it would be me losing sleep, You Asshole. Get some sleep for my sake; it''s that disturbing."

    "You want me to sleep, and I want to be as close to you as possible. Moreover, this bed seems quite big. So, why don''t we rest together on this bed in order to satisfy both the sides?" he suggested.

    "There is no way I will be agreeing to that!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed.

    "I will keep watching you like this the entire night then," he argued.

    "You ?sshole! Fine, get in! But don''t do anything dirty!"

    "That was easy," he mumbled.

 Chapter 142 - Nothing dirty [2]

    Waking up next to Oh Sookyung was not something that had often happened with Moon Jiwoo, and therefore, she felt utter shock she opened her eyes only to see the man''s sleeping face.

    Her heart almost jumped out of her ?h?st, but fortunately enough, she was able to hold herself back from making a noise and waking the male up.

    Seeing how soundly he was sleeping, it would be a pity to wake him up at this moment, and she would be feeling guilty if that had occured due to her.

    The exhaustion that had piled up for him was quite obvious to her, and right now, seeing how that he was in peace caused a small smile to form on her face.

    Although she had initially believed that she would be regretting the idea of letting him sleep with her, it seemed that, in the end, she was quite happy with herself for giving him the permission.

    The entire night the male did not do anything more than holding her in his arms and sleeping. Sleeping in the comfort of others was something that she found to be quite odd and unfamiliar with, but when it came to Oh Sookyung, she did not find herself minding his warmth.

    Moreover, she believed that it was due to this that she was able to sleep more peacefully than the other nights. It almost fell as if all of her worries was driven away.

    Staring at his sleeping face, she deeply hoped that the time would be stopping right now. That would be for the best. If only they were able to enjoy each other''s warmth without anyone coming in between both of them.

    However, the chances of that happening was very much low and close to impossible. Nonetheless, that did not stop herself from dreaming one day.

    Maybe one day she will be able to get lucky, and this wish of hers will be truly coming true.

    Extending her hand towards him, she gave in to her urge of touching the man before her, and softly, she ran her hand through his facial features, finding it difficult to keep her hand off him.

    Deciding to be impulsive seeing how he was sleeping, Moon Jiwoo brought her face closer to her and placed her lips softly on top of his.

    Both of her cheeks started to warm up as she did something as bold as this. She was aware of how embarrassing it would be if Sookyung got to know about it. But this wasn''t something she was able to hold herself back from.

    The moment her lips came in contact with his, she immediately moved away from her, and staring at him with widened eyes, she shook her head immediately. Internally, she scolded herself from her lack of self-control.

    ''Hold yourself back, Moon Jiwoo! You don''t want to seem like a pervert!''

    In that instant, she noticed how Oh Sookyung let out a yawn, and in order to bring composure to herself, she let out a cough. Opening his eyes, he stared at her while wearing a smile on his face.

    Early in the morning, that smile of his felt quite bright to her, and she wondered how he managed to do that. Moon Jiwoo did not consider herself to be a morning person.

    "Good morning," he cheerfully said before adding, "Omo! What''s with that expression on your face? It seems as if you did something. What is it?"

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes dilated when she heard those words of his, and she wondered whether or not she was that obvious. Bringing her hand over to her face, she touched it, and her face showed how shaken up she was.

    There was no way Oh Sookyung was allowed to find out what she did at that moment.

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and voiced out, "I was just joking, but judging from your reaction right now, it seems that you have actually done something. So, what is it that did you do?"

    "That''s nonsensical! What are you even talking about!? Why in the world would I be doing something to you? What am I? A pervert or anything? Oh Sookyung, you are getting too ahead of yourself. How dare you tease me so early in the morning? Are you eager about getting beaten up or anything!? Huh!?" she exclaimed.

    "Aren''t you overreacting right now? Did you kiss me or anything? I won''t be having a problem if you did anything like that. In fact, I would he happy with that," he vocalised.

    Moon Jiwoo immediately began to cough at that. She did not expect for him to be able to guess that this easily. Seeing how vulnerable she was to him managed to baffle her. Did that mean that every time she lied to him in the future she will be caught easily?

    ''No, Moon Jiwoo, that cannot be happening. You need to get better at hiding your expression from Oh Sookyung. Moon Jiwoo, you need to stop yourself from being this obvious!

    Who am I kidding!? This is easier said than done. I swear Oh Sookyung is so good at reading me! How do I even stop this from happening? Should I ask someone professional about it?''

    "Have you gone crazy? Why would I even try to kiss you? Do you actually take me to be a pervert? Only those who are weird kiss others when they are sleeping. And if you are awake, why are you not getting off the bed. With you on it, it''s too stuffed for me at here.

    This is getting too hot! Get down from here, Oh Sookyung. Ah! Go and brush your teeth! Your mouth seriously stinks. This is so gross. My nose¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, he placed his lips on top of hers, preventing her from speaking further. Moon Jiwoo wasn''t able to distinguish whether or not she hated this method of him cutting her off.

    As much as she enjoyed it when the man kissed her, this was more or less disrespectful to her. Moreover, the man did it repeatedly to the point that she should be angry at him for doing so and tell him to stop with it.

    Moon Jiwoo knew that all of the recent kinks she was growing regarding Oh Sookyung was odd and wrong, but this was one of those things she was not unable to help herself against.

    That''s why, she had learned to accept them slowly no matter how difficult it was. Being in a relationship was tough, especially when it was with someone like Oh Sookyung, but Jiwoo believed that she was doing a good job so far.

    One strange thought had come to Moon Jiwoo when both of them pulled away from the kiss, and instantly, her eyes went towards his neck. His neck and collarbone was exposed.

    Strangely enough, it appeared quite appetizing to Moon Jiwoo regardless how she wasn''t liking it how she was attracted to his neck, and a strange d?s?r? to bite into it came upon her. The idea of having her fang marks upon his neck strangely excited her.

    "Why are you staring at me like a predator? I wonder what is going on in that mind of yours. Is it something perverted."

    Once again, Moon Jiwoo had forgotten how much Sookyung was like a hawk when it came to reading her, and she cursed herself from being this obvious in front of him.

    Then, she immediately looked away from his neck and attempted to drive all those naughty thoughts from her mind. There was no way she would be able to do something as shameless and bold as that. She would rather strangle herself than go for something like that.

    "Is that the only thing comes from your mind? Probably it''s you who is being perverted. Stop pushing that on to me. Do you think that you are enough to make me have those perverted thoughts? You are quite a narcissist!" Moon Jiwoo vocalised.

    "If you want to have me talk about the perverted fantasies I have about you, it would be endless, and I am pretty sure you wouldn''t be liking me talking about it. But if you don''t mind, I don''t mind talking about how I want to devour and love you at the same time," he stated.

    Moon Jiwoo coughed and expressed, "Well, keep your thoughts to yourself. I have no interest in them. And I already expected for you to have such thoughts about me. See how charming I am. It would be almost impossible for you to not think about me in that way."

 Chapter 143 - Crazy king [1]

    The palace felt almost empty to Moon Jiwoo right now, and it seemed that the guards at all the doorway was increased by triple the amount. To say that Oh Sookyung was going overboard right now felt like an understatement to her.

    There were b?r?ly any servants left, and it seemed that he was being honest when he mentioned that he will be almost clearing out all of the servants.

    Although Moon Jiwoo felt as if he was exaggerating the situation, it didn''t mean that she wasn''t grateful to him for his actions, and as much she wouldn''t be admitting it vocally, it managed to make her heart flutter.

    Where will she be finding a man who paid as much as attention to him as her? Although he was fond of teasing her a lot, he made up for that part by putting extra care on to it.

    Moon Jiwoo was well aware of how dismissing all of those servants was definitely not a easy task for him and definitely have cost some losses upon his side as well. But for the sake of her safety, he was willing to go through this extent.

    No matter how much she thought about it, this felt totally romantic and fluttering to her, and next time she saw him, she wondered how she will be resisting herself from him.

    Holding her cheeks with both of her hands, she felt them getting warm as she thought of what the man had done for her over this period of time, and while clutching on to her cheeks tightly, she let out a giggle.

    "I already told him not to go overboard for me, but it seems that he is not able to hold himself back when it comes to me. What do I do with such a man? It seems that he is totally enamored by me.

    What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? Aigoo! Why do I have to be this charming? Moon Jiwoo, when will you learn to play with men''s heart this badly? Ah! I feel so bad for Oh Sookyung for being this enthralled by me.

    If he likes me this much right now, I wonder how he will be going on the future. Aish! That man is making me feel bad for him. What can I do? It seems that I have to take care of him for the entire future.

    This is troublesome, but since I am kind, I don''t think that I will be able to leave him anymore. Geez! Who told that man to love this much? No, how can I blame him? This is all my fault for being this irresistible. Poor Sookyung," she mumbled to herself while wearing a wide smile on her face.

    Her facial expressions showed how happy she was in that instant, and it was difficult for her to not squeal right then. She wanted to jump around and shout about how much Oh Sookyung loved her.

    But due to the piece of sanity she had within herself, she prevented herself from doing something like this. Although the palace b?r?ly had any people around, it didn''t imply that it was completely empty, and in such a place, rumours tend to spread at a scary rate.

    "You tend to say really interesting things when you are alone."

    Hearing that voice out of nowhere caught her by surprise completely, and gasp escaped from her mouth as she turned backward. The smile and cheerful expression on her face was gone totally, and was replaced with horror.

    This was totally humiliating to her!

    Seeing Oh Jihoon over here was one of those things she never expected. It was not as if he wasn''t able to come at here. But with the tight security around, she believed that he would not be allowed to enter into the garden.

    But it appeared that the rules did not apply to him. Did that mean Oh Sookyung trusted the man or was it because of the guards around were slacking off?

    Either way, she did not hate seeing him at here. Moon Jiwoo did not know the reason behind it, but she found herself holding trust in the man before her although it was strange. There was no reason for her to do so, but she was unable to help that.

    Maybe his appearance had influenced her decision, but Moon Jiwoo did not care whether or not she was being shallow right now.

    If it was not for the fact that he had caught her in an embarrassing situation, she would have been overjoyed by his appearance right now for spending time with him was one of those things she looked quite forward to.

    "Ah! This is humiliating! Why didn''t you make any noise or anything? Can you delete all that from your mind?" Moon Jiwoo voiced out while red began to cover her cheeks.

    He chuckled and voiced out, "Don''t worry! I will try not to bring up about it again, but somehow this goes along well with your personality."

    "I am not sure whether or not should be taking that as a compliment. Do you mean that I am someone who does crazy things like this?

    I am pretty sure that I am off in the head after hearing that, but just think of this as me playing around. Of course, I b?r?ly do things like this. I was just caught up in the moment and really happy!"

    "No, it was cute," he spoke out, "And being a little crazy when you were too happy is nothing big. You don''t need to appear too embarrassed about it. I am pretty sure everyone has moments like this as well."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes started to sparkle at those words of his, and turning her head to face the man, she stared at him with expectation in her eyes. The corner of her lips curved to form a smile.

    She then asked, "Oh! Is that so? Does that mean that you have such moments as well, Jihoon?"

    "Well about that, that''s a difficult question to answer. I am pretty sure I had moments like this, but it''s just that I am unable to remember that. It must be because of how old I am right now. Although I look like this, I am pretty old you know. That''s why, it''s natural for me to forget them."

    "Forget it. I am pretty sure someone as perfect as you never had to go through something like this. No, everytime I look at you, I wonder how people can be this perfect. From head to toe coupled with your behaviour, is there anything you are lacking in. You are really a gem!"

    "You are really fond of praising me it appears, Daerin," he voiced out, "It feels pleasant to hear them from you. At times, I wonder about how good it to be to have a younger sister like you. Maybe I wouldn''t have felt lonely then."

    "You really snatched the word right off my mouth. I always thought how it would be like to have a brother like you. Since both of our feelings are mutual, consider me to be your younger sister from now on, alright? Omo! Am I being too straightforward? I was just being too caught up in the moment," she vocalised.

    He chuckled, and shaking his head, he answered, "I believe that I like that arrangement. Anyway, how are you doing recently? Things have been quite hectic, and the rumours of how you have been nearly killed recently spread all around the palace."

    "Fortunately, I am alive from it, and all I can saw that my life is quite hectic. I swear I am annoyed on how that Oh Sookyung had fallen for me, but I guess it can''t be helped. I am just hoping for everything to be over soon. I am impatient for the peace it appears."

    "He had been doing lots of crazy things recently at the palace though. I don''t know if I should tell you about it, but it appears that he is planning to do something grand. There is rumours on how he is planning to give up his position as the King or something like that."

    Taken aback by his words, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes dilated, and she questioned, "WHAT?"

    "Of course that''s just a rumour. Something like that is impossible. There is no way for him to give up his position, but since he is known as the crazy king currently, people are doubting the fact of it being impossible."

    "Ah! I am dying with curiosity. I seriously want to know all that he is planning, but it seems that he is adamant on keeping it hidden from me. I tried to sneak up on him and know about it, but he is too smart for that."

 Chapter 144 - Crazy King [2]

    The attack with the poision wasn''t the last of it. Even after that, there were many attempts to take her life, but everytime, Moon Jiwoo remained to be safe from all of those somewhat. Due to the tight security and smart working of the guards, there hadn''t been anything fatal yet.

    It seemed that Oh Sookyung wasn''t kidding when he said he will put in his utmost best this time around.

    However, that wasn''t enough to make Moon Jiwoo feel completely safe. These days she avoided leaving her room as much as possible, and for the most part, she stayed around her room, finding that to be the most secure place.

    As much as she wanted to visit the garden and calm her mind, she prevented herself from doing so.

    After seeing how Jihoon was able to enter that place, she doubted the security of the place. It''s not as if she held any distrust towards that man; it was merely that if he was able to go in, that meant that it would be possible for other people to go as well.

    Although less than two weeks were left, she hadn''t felt this anxious within this two months. As the time period kept on decreasing, the more frightened she had grown to become.

    Taking in a deep breath, she knocked at Oh Sookyung''s office. Although the man must be busy over this period of time, she still wanted to pay him a visit as she was too anxious to remain in her room all by herself.

    Moreover, Eunmi was present at here as well, and in the presence of both of them, maybe she would be able to feel better. At this rate, the headache forming was starting to get more painful, and she had an urge to throw up.

    Having people around whom she trusted might take away the nauseating feeling within her and may allow her to sleep peacefully at night.

    Hearing the ''come in'' from inside, she pushed open the door slowly, and knowing that Oh Sookyung will be worried after seeing the current expression on her, she placed on a smile upon her features.

    The sound she made from opening the door caused Oh Sookyung to hide the document he was going through behind some of the papers, and raising his head to look at Moon Jiwoo, he wore a smile upon his face.

    It was obvious to Moon Jiwoo on how he was trying to hide that, and she more or less had a clue on what that possibly could be about. Although she knew that he was trying to plan this as a surprise for her, that didn''t indicate that she did not feel pain when he tried to hide that.

    A sharp ache went through her ?h?st at the thought of keeping it secretive from her. It made a part of her question whether or not he actually trusted her.

    Although he hadn''t given her any reasons to have those doubts until now, it was if when one is completely anxious, many types of thoughts tend to go through their mind, and most of them are negative.

    Maybe this was one of those situations for Moon Jiwoo. Instead of seeing him making her feel better, it was starting to worsen her mood at this moment, and she desperately hoped for it not to be shown on her face even though he read her like a open book at times.

    She would seem too pathetic in his eyes if he got to know of all the worries she had in her mind, and that''s one thing she did not want for him to think.

    Already she was filled with way more flaws when it came to him, and she did not want him to discover more of her imperfections. Regardless of how confident and proud she acted, Moon Jiwoo knew how she had almost zero postive points.

    She was lacking in all the aspects, and no matter how much she tried, she wasn''t able to make herself a better person.

    Thinking about it right now, rather than him being unsuitable for her, it was quite the opposite. Judging from how he was, it would not be surprise for him to have a higher standard. Moon Jiwoo knew that someone with higher standards wouldn''t go for her.

    ''What the hell is wrong with you, Jiwoo? Why are you thinking of things like that? This is not like you. Yes, you are troublesome, but it was him who chased after you. Just calm down! This doesn''t suit your image!''

    "What''s wrong? Aren''t you going to come in?" Eunmi questioned, raising one of her eyebrows.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the woman sitting opposite to Oh Sookyung, and it was obvious to Jiwoo how she was helping Sookyung with the documents. It made her jealous that someone shared secrets with Sookyung.

    This made her feel as if Sookyung trusted her with secrets that he would not tell about Jiwoo, and probably he was consulting Eunmi about the entire thing as well.

    It was clearly seen how both of them held a trust towards each other, and they replied on each other. This was type of relationship Moon Jiwoo and Sookyung will ever be able to help.

    Jiwoo could never come close to helping Sookyung, and no matter how much she tried to convince herself that two of them did not see each other in that way, that did not stop herself from feeling insecure.

    Although Sookyung did not seem to be a type of guy to do that, she did not think that she would be able to tolerate if the man ever said in the future on how he would be better off with Eunmi. That would truly be killing her.

    Moon Jiwoo was pulled back from her trance when she felt someone shake her shoulder, and he eyes fell on Oh Sookyung fell who stood before her. Worry was clearly shown on his face.

    Moon Jiwoo realized about how often she made the man before her worry. What if it happens that the man before her gets bored and tired of worrying for her?

    "Are you fine? Did something happen? Were you attacked again or something? Hey! What''s the matter? Say something," Sookyung voiced out.

    Her ?h?st felt heavy, and Moon Jiwoo was unable to say anything. She was afraid that she will be breaking out into tears any second now, and seeing how Eunmi was here as well, it would be too humiliating for that to happen.

    Although he had reassured her multiple times on how everything around her was perfectly safe, she did not understand what she was feeling this scared for her. Her heart was beating rapidly within her ?h?st, and she had the urge to shut her mind completely.

    Moving Oh Sookyung''s hand from her shoulder, she took a step back and said, "I am fine. I just wanted to check up on how you were, but it seems that you are busy. Sorry to interrupt. I will be leaving them. Just get on doing with whatever you were doing. Nothing happened. Yeah, I am absolutely fine."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo turned her back on him and was about to leave the room. There was no way she was able to face him when she felt this sick within herself. This ugly side of hers was the one she couldn''t show to him.

    He can''t know about how much she wanted to attack Eunmi that moment and tell her to stay away from Sookyung even though she was a close friend of hers. That disgusting side of hers was close to coming to surface, and there was no way she was able to let that emerge completely.

    Everyone will hate her if that happened. Oh Sookyung will be shaken up, and everything will be ruined.

    Without wasting a second, she began to hurry up on her legs and began to run away from the place. She had to escape from that place as soon as possible. She could not let herself slip. There was no way she was going to let that happen.

    Seeing how Moon Jiwoo was frantically running away from him made the boy quite worried, and staring at her distancing back caused a frown to form upon his features.

    He called after her, but seeing how she was not making any response, he was about to run after her. However, before she was able to do that, he was stopped by Lee Eunmi.

    "You can go and comfort her later on. Firstly, go after this. You can''t postpone for this any longer, your Majesty, or else you will be having problems later on. Moreover, you have to meet that man in an hour."

 Chapter 145 - Be the m?tur? one [1]

    Just because the number of maids around the place had lowered didn''t mean that Moon Jiwoo''s chances of coming upon them gossiping would be zero. At least this time around they weren''t all that malicious.

    For the most part, they just seemed to be idle chat one did when they were bored, and it didn''t seem as if they had intention of looking down her or making their distaste for her obvious. In other words, this was totally harmless.

    The gossiping between them was something everyone usually did and not something one should easily be taking offense from.

    However, Moon Jiwoo did not consider them to be that light. Coupled with her mentality in that moment, it was understandable why she wasn''t able to accept them in a light-hearted manner and took them to be what it was more than that. Even the maids words did not mean as much as she was interpreting from them.

    When Moon Jiwoo was about to walk towards her bedroom, the mentions of her and Sookyung''s name reached into her ear. Curious about what it possibly could be about, she decided to listen in on it.

    Maybe she should not have done that at that point. It could have lead her to do a decision she might regret later on, but the curiosity she had in that instant was too strong to worry about that.

    Moon Jiwoo was concerned with public opinions really a lot in that moment. She wanted to know what everyone thought of her although she reminded herself to not care about it.

    One of the maids said, "That Shin Daerin is put into a really pitiful situation."

    "She was the one who got into it. It''s not anyone''s fault to begin with. These days his Majesty seems really close to Lee Eunmi-ssi, and let''s be honest, there was no cases of a fated one being abandoned.

    No matter how much his Majesty loves Shin Daerin, the position of Eunmi isn''t something she can take."

    "I was really rooting for both of them. It was really nice to see such romance. His Majesty is trying really hard for Shin Daerin, but this entire thing to be more is impossible. I don''t even know what Shin Daerin is hoping from this."

    "As much as it is good to be in a relationship with his Majesty, I would rather have freedom then he locked away in a palace with my life being endangered all the time. There is b?r?ly anything she is able to do, and in the end, this is not worth it. Imagine living your life being hid away."

    "That does sound displeasing, but the other party is the king. Someone like us won''t even be able to imagine ourselves with his Majesty. This is something out of a fairy tale, but I really see no future with this."

    "What I think is Shin Daerin should be smart and break this off for once and all. In the end, it''s obvious how she will be the abandoned one. Can''t she see how close Lee Eunmi-ssi and his Majesty had grown to become over this period of time?"

    "Thinking about it, you are actually right. I have seen them together the other day, and both of them actually look really good together.

    Regardless of what the King''s feeling is, it appears that both of them are really suitable for each other. Eunmi-ssi feels like a true Queen while Shin Daerin is just like a vase. She is more of a burden to his Majesty."

    "There is being talks about his Majesty giving up his position for her, and judging by how the things are going so far, that could truly happen. As much as romantic this is, this is disastrous! Imagine what would be happening to this world if he possibly gave up the throne."

    "Don''t tell that''s actually true! I have heard potentials thought of that happening, but there is no way that is true, right?

    We recently just escaped from a large trouble couple of years ago, and we will be doomed if the King leaves us this time around. The Blue Clan will be destroying us for real."

    "What I think that Shin Daerin should be sensible and leave. That would be the best decision for this time. It''s common for the Kings to have couple of Mistresses, but the love they have for each other is too dangerous.

    You know the sacrifices the king is making for us, and this actually makes me think she could possibly bring our nation to downfall. I know that they are in love with each other, but love isn''t everything."

    "Yeah, an entire nation is concerned with this, and I hope that they put people like us into consideration as well. Whatever they are going for is turning too selfish at this moment."

    "Whatever, let''s not gossip about this too much. We are bound to get caught, and there are lots of works to complete now that we are only maids around here. I swear the amount of work around this place is driving me crazy. Even I don''t know how long I will be able to endure this!"

    "You are being too loud. You don''t want to be caught by someone at here. The king doesn''t like anyone talking about his beloved like that, and getting fired from here would be terrible. The pay is really good!"

    "You are right! That slipped from my mind."

    Hiding behind the wall, Moon Jiwoo heard each of their words clearly, and after that, she found herself being at a mess of emotions. She was unable to process in those words for a while.

    Falling down to her knees, she leaned on the wall behind her, and hiding her face in her knees, she tried to calm down her rapidly beating heart.

    Her breathing was starting to get haggard, and her mind was a mess in that instant. Trying her best, she attempted to not get into a panic attack in that moment. That would only be making the thing worse than how they were right now.

    Everything was going wrong from this point. After hearing what the maids had just said, there was no way Moon Jiwoo would be able to be calm.

    As they have said, Moon Jiwoo was being too selfish by wanting to stay with Sookyung, and even Sookyung was being the same as well. What both of them were forgetting that there were lives of hundreds of thousands that were concerned with him.

    If Sookyung went to do something dangerous, it would be affecting the entire nation and probably that would be leading to downfall as well. Beading such a large burden wasn''t something she would be able to endure.

    Judging from Oh Sookyung''s attitude, he did not seem to be someone who would put much care into something like that. He was selfish, and Moon Jiwoo knew how he put himself before everyone even if it was nation filled with people who was looking up to him.

    But although Moon Jiwoo wasn''t a good person, she didn''t think that she would be able to bear herself being that selfish. She wouldn''t be able to live happily if something serious happened due to her.

    This wasn''t the first time Moon Jiwoo had heard about Sookyung wanting to give up his throne for her, and maybe it held the truth them. Although this was mere gossip, something like this would not be leaked around the place if there was no truth to it.

    It was Oh Sookyung''s responsibility to look after the country whether or not he liked, and this was something she shouldn''t distract him from.

    Maybe Moon Jiwoo should consult Oh Sookyung about the entire thing. Without discussing to him on the complete matter, it would not be wise of her to make a decision.

    Moon Jiwoo desperately prayed in her heart that Sookyung would not be making a decision to abandon his entire kingdom. If that had proven to be the case, she would not know how to handle this situation herself.

    But what she was aware of that in some of the situation, she had to be m?tur? as well. She could not leave everything up to Oh Sookyung. Although Sookyung had the potential to be a really good thing, he wasn''t a reliable one for he was quite selfish.

    Maybe Moon Jiwoo wasn''t the best person to judge him on that for she was worse, but in this, she wanted to be the responsible person. Maybe this country or nation had nothing to do with her.

    Feeling the tapping on her shoulder, Moon Jiwoo raised her head, and her eyes fell on Oh Sookyung. As her eyes met with him, she tried to conceal all of her emotions. There were high chances of him trying to ruin everything she was planning if he was able to guess them.

    "What''s the matter? You look to be in a terrible situation."

 Chapter 146 - Be the m?tur? one [2]

    Forcing out a smile upon her features, Moon Jiwoo said, "Nothing is wrong with me. I am absolutely fine. It''s just that I am tired of staying inside and doing nothing throughout the entire time."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo stood, and putting in her best, she tried to hide all that she felt from appearing on her face.

    Although Sookyung did not seem to be completely convinced by her, he still nodded, not wanting to push Moon Jiwoo further. It was not difficult for to notice how she was struggling, and he was scared of every little thing he did.

    He did not want to push her mistakenly and then lose everything. Only a few days were left, and this made him be more careful than anything.

    He just prayed that Moon Jiwoo would be able to be patient for those couple of days, and any mistakes wouldn''t be created by him.

    "Is that so? I am glad go hear that, but you know that you can come to me if anything goes wrong. I don''t want you to feel restricted at here. No matter how busy I might seem, I always have free time for you," he vocalised.

    "You are really cringy," she said, "It''s just that I want it to be ending soon."

    "Yeah, that will be happening. Now, why don''t we go and have dinner together? It''s been a while since we were able to eat together, and today, it appears that I have plenty of time in my hand. I took care of my work quickly because of you. Aren''t you happy?"

    ''I would have been happy if I didn''t hear the maids talk. That''s why people say that obliviousness is bliss. You don''t know how much I wish for myself to have known about the maids'' words. That would have just made everything easier for me.''

    "I don''t see how that is big of deal. Having dinner with or without you is just the same to me. Actually, I prefer to dine without you since you are quite irritating."

    "You are the cutest when you talk like that, Shin Daerin. Did I ever say about that?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Don''t know. You have called everything of mine cute that I can''t remember what all you mentioned," she stated, "At this point, I am starting to think that you don''t know how to compliment with words other than cute."

    "There is no other words that suits you as much as cute. Even your height suits the word cute. How tall are you even? Do you even reach 160 centimetres? I doubt that," he spoke out, teasing her.

    "Shut up, you ?sshole! Whatever my height is none of your business, and it''s just that you are too giant! Do you know how much it hurts my neck when I talk to you? Shouldn''t you be considerate of me and bend down talking to me? You claim to love me but this is how you act! I am seriously disappointed in you!" she said.

    The thing Moon Jiwoo was sure about that being with Oh Sookyung made her forget all about her worries. It was just like now. Although she had greater worries, it as if they were all driven away as both of them joked around with each other.

    Extending his hand towards her, he patted on her head and stated, "Yes, yes, I will try to do that from next time onwards, my short girlfriend."

    "Quit with picking on my height. If you can do that, I can do the same with you as well, you giant!"

    He let out a chuckle.

    "Say, Oh Sookyung, what you are planning to do isn''t dangerous, right? Like, you are not going to harm other people to do it, right?" Moon Jiwoo softly said.

    Even she was afraid of hearing the answer. Then again, knowing Oh Sookyung, there were high chances of him lying if he knew that the answer would be displeasing her, and there was no way she would be able to trust in his words. But she still wanted to try it out.

    Maybe she would be able to receive a peace of her mind in that way.

    "Why are you suddenly asking such a question?" he questioned before adding, "What if I say that is?"

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at that, and she stared at him with shock in her eyes. Her heart was starting to beat rapidly within her ?h?st, and what she felt in that moment was obvious to Oh Sookyung.

    Laughing, he voiced out, "I was pulling your leg. Don''t worry, it is nothing like that. You don''t need to seem to be that horrified."

    "It''s just that you are one of those man I can''t trust," she pointed out, "But please, I don''t want you to do anything dangerous for you or others."

    "When did my Daerinnie become so m?tur?? What caused you to grown up? I miss the days you used to act like five year old."

    "Do you want me to punch you? I never acted like a five year old. It''s just that you were a immature jerk, and I hated you. I think that I can be quite m?tur?, unless I lose control over my anger and something wrong happens," she pointed out.

    "I will my best to believe you. After all, since I love you, I am pretty sure that it is my responsibility to pretend to believe all of your lies in order to not hurt you. Don''t worry. Even if the entire world doesn''t believe in you, I would not doubt the fact."

    "Fuck you, Asshole! Why don''t you just go and fall I to a ditch!? I have changed my mind. I don''t want to have my dinner with you. It will just ruin my appetite and give me indigestion. I don''t want either of that!"

 Chapter 147 - Grow numb [1]

    Even Moon Jiwoo herself was shocked by how things easily went. That actually did not imply that she was pleased by it.

    Initially she had believed that finding the truth would be harder than this, but who knew that the luck would be on her side for this. This was surprise to her.

    However, Moon Jiwoo did not know whether or not to take this a good thing. Even her emotions at that moment was a mess over it.

    Moon Jiwoo never expected to hear Oh Sookyung and Lee Eunmi discuss matters as she was about to enter their office. No matter how many times she tried to listen in on both of them while they were in the office, it did not work for her.

    But this time around it was different. Both of them were loud enough for her to hear everything without her ear coming in contact with the door. It was if everything was going really smooth.

    Although Moon Jiwoo was scared of listening to the truth, it did not mean that she would be avoiding it completely. This was her only chance to get the information about everything, and there was no way she was willing to let go of such a precious opportunity.

    She was aware of how important it was for her to know about this. Since this was decided for her in the first place, she deserved to know about the entire thing whether or not Sookyung liked about it.

    She beared responsibility to make a decision for this!

    "I am really anxious about the entire thing. No one had ever done it before! Doing something this new and dangerous¡ª I have never imagined about it. But I can''t disagree with you. However, what if it goes all wrong? What if this brings in more harm than help?"

    "There is no way that will be able to happen. This was meticulously planned. Certainly there will be lots of objections and all that, but I know that both of us will be able to do that. And to be honest, soon enough, everyone will be onboard with this.

    I admit that there will be negatuve reactions because something like this haven''t been done before, but sooner or later, everyone will be accepting the fact that I am not the king.

    Giving up the throne hasn''t been done before but it doesn''t mean that it is forbidden or something. I have found something more important than this position, and I don''t want to give that up for something I didn''t even want in the first place."

    "Yeah, you are right. The rebelling and the public opinion might get harsh in the beginning, but it''s nothing that we won''t be able to deal with. Let''s just hope that I am alive by the end of everything like that."

    "You will do just fine," he answered.

    Moon Jiwoo found it difficult to believe what be she had just heard. As much as she wanted to deny it, there were no chances of her doing that right now.

    Everything was laid out before her, and by now, it was pretty obvious to her on how Oh Sookyung was planning to give up the throne for real. This wasn''t one of the things she was going to allow him to do.

    Yes, she was aware of how he didn''t want to be the king, but there was no one who was suited to be the King. Everyone put their trust on him, and they relied upon him. Moon Jiwoo did not want to take that away from them.

    This time around she will be thinking about others rather than her. Then again, even this time around, she was putting herself into consideration.

    The guilt would be too much to live with. Maybe she would be able to move on from Oh Sookyung one day, but the guilt of taking a king away was something that will remain with her forever.

    There are any innocent lives on this and even she wasn''t that cruel to be inconsiderate for all of that.

    Although it was tough, Moon Jiwoo put in her all into hardening her heart. She believed that she would be able to do it if she put in all of her effort.

    Taking in a deep breath, Moon Jiwoo began to walk away from that room. As she did that, tears started to fall down both of her eyes, and those tears started to wet her clothing.

    Her ?h?st ached terribly in that instant, and a headache was starting to form. Breathing was getting difficult for her, and continuing to walk was tough for her.

    But she knew that she had to bear through all of it. Continuously she repeated in her mind on how she was fine with all of those regardless of how that wasn''t true.

    She was convinced that chanting that would making her feel better, but that did not work up until now. It only continued to make her feel worse.

    She desperately craved to break down at this moment and let go of everything. She was tired of feeling all this sorts of emotions, and desperately, she craved to become numb to all of that. There was nothing that seemed better to her than that in that moment.

    ''Why can''t I just forget about everything? They get amnesia so easily in the movies, so why doesn''t it happen in real life? Should I hit my head against the wall to make that happen or something?

    Can I even get amnesia in the first place? My brain would heal the moment I attack it. Then again, I am not a doctor. Should I just try it? I might get lucky and manage to forget completely about Oh Sookyung.

    That would just be making the things best for me. Why did I have to fall for him in the first place? Why can''t I get a smooth love story? Maybe I should never fall in love in the future! This is terrible!"

 Chapter 148 - Grow numb [2]

    Moon Jiwoo decided to take a walk at the garden in order to refresh her mind. She had a clue on how dangerous it could get at there, but she could not bring herself to care about that currently.

    She felt too stuffed inside the palace, and the more she stayed inside, she would not be able to control her emotions. About the entire thing, she had to work fast.

    It was difficult for her to hold in her emotions, but she was willing to close them all off for now. After this was over, she could cry and regret as much as she wanted without anything being ruined.

    Her ?h?st beat rapidly within her ?h?st, and anxiousness started to build up within her. Although she was determined, she had few to no ideas on how she should be carrying out her plans.

    There was no way she would be able to get Oh Sookyung to let go of her efficiently, and she had to think of something quite effective. Last time around, she failed.

    But Moon Jiwoo more or less knew that was because of how half-hearted she was being back then. At that time, it was not as if she wanted to leave him for real. It was merely for satisfying her pride for the most part.

    But this time around her motive was different. This was something she had to do, and there was a sense of responsibility within her for it. That was enough to drive her to do it with full force this time around.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell one of the flowers on the garden, and she plucked it. Stroking the petals of the flower, she had a small smile forming on her face.

    However, she failed to notice her surroundings as her concentration laid on the flower in her hand, and thoughts began to consume her mind completely.

    The moment she was driven into realization of someone''s presence when she felt a sharp attack to her shoulder, and Moon Jiwoo immediately jumped back due to that.

    Both of her eyes widened, and she immediately let go of the flower in her hand. It was obvious to her on how she was attacked by someone right now.

    Her eyes fell on the man standing before her, and judging from the intensity of the attack right now, he was quite strong. That was to be expected or else he would have been able to pass through Oh Sookyung''s guard.

    That''s when a strange thought came inside of her mind. Wouldn''t things be over if she was killed at that instant? All the troubles of this world would be driven away, and more importantly, there would be no need for her to feel this excruciating pain.

    No matter what path she chose, Moon Jiwoo had to go through, and right then, the easiest path to escape from that seemed to be the death.

    Shaking her head, she drove away the sucidal thoughts from her mind quickly. This type of thing did not suit her, and although it was her fault for entering into the garden, she knew that she had to escape from the man right now.

    Moon Jiwoo''s attention was drawn to her shoulder, and she noticed the blood that was starting to stain her clothing red. The dagger had disappeared into the thin air.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the daggers he held in both of his hand, and without a wanting, the man targeted all of them towards her. Creases appeared between both of her eyes, and her eyes sharpened.

    Moon Jiwoo, on the other hand, was slowly starting to slow down due to how exhausted she was going. Over this period of time, she was b?r?ly able to take care of herself due to the anxieties, and coupled with her lack of sleep, she was at a horrible state right now.

    Moreover, the wound on her shoulder was quite deep, and it would be taking a while for that to heal completely. No matter how she looked at the situation, Moon Jiwoo was at the disadvantageous side, and she doubted that she would be able to muster enough energy to teleport out of here.

    Instead of wasting her energy on attacking the man before her, she was more or less concerned with defending herself. This would be saving her more energy, and she should try to best her postpone this until some of the guards or anyone notices.

    That was all she was able to do in this situation.

    Moon Jiwoo could try to run out of the garden, but this entire place was large and complicated. Moreover, she was quite deep into the garden. Therefore, she decided to not try for that.

    However, Moon Jiwoo''s enthusiasm toward this was let down when she felt a sharp pain go through her knee, and she noticed that dagger had pierced through her knee.

    A sharp wince escaped from her mouth while she fell on to her knees, and at the blood that had gathered around that place, both of her eyes widened. The wound seemed to be quite serious, and it seemed that she wouldn''t be able to stand up properly for couple of minutes now.

    Seeing how the man was able to attack her, Moon Jiwoo acted fast, and her sword had appeared into her hand. A sharp pain went through her ?h?st as she did so for it appeared that she was overexaggerating herself.

    Nonetheless, there was nothing she was able to do at that moment other than this.

    It appeared that the attack she had directed was successful. Although it hadn''t managed to leave that much of a damage, it still succeeded in piercing through that man''s ?h?st and sent him staggering backwards.

    However, that wasn''t enough to stop the man. He came back again to attack the female with his daggers, and this time around, Moon Jiwoo blocked them with her sword once again.

    But kneeling down to attack like this wasn''t effective, and this was most definitely a losing battle for Jiwoo.

    Soon enough, Moon Jiwoo found her sword being knocked out of her hand, and a gasp escaped from her mouth as that happened.

    Before she was able to reach out for the sword on the ground, the man acted faster than her, and he had driven the dagger in his hand through her hand, making it difficult for her to move her hand.

    The pain that seared through her hand made her feel as if her hand was being ripped into two, and a sharp scream escaped from her mouth due to that. Tears started to form at the corner of her eyes.

    With his other hand, the man tried to make an attack towards her ?h?st with the dagger in his hand, and Moon Jiwoo closed her eyes on reflex while fear began to fill her in completely. There was no way this was her last day on Earth!

    Luckily, Moon Jiwoo prays for someone to protect her came true.

    When Moon Jiwoo opened her eyes slowly after realizing that the pain never came to her, she noticed that Oh Sookyung was standing before her, blocking that dagger with his hand.

    The murderous intent in his eyes was clearly visible to her, and it didn''t seem that he would be sparing the man before him. As Oh Sookyung drove his hand through the man''s ?h?st, Moon Jiwoo closed her eyes as she felt the blood splash over her.

    Letting the man''s body fall on top of the ground, Oh Sookyung turned back to face her, and all the murderous intent from before was replaced with worry.

    "Are you alright?" he questioned.

    The wound on Moon Jiwoo''s shoulder almost healed, and with all other injuries on her bodies getting closed up gradually, she was starting to feel better.

    Oh Sookyung extended his hand towards her in order for her to take it and support herself on it. Staring at the hand for around couple of minutes, she b?r?ly made a move.

    Raising her head then, she glared at the man before her. Her sudden change of mood managed to shock him, and before he was able to ask on what the matter was, she slapped his hand away with all of her might.

    Her actions took him aback, and he wondered about what could have caused her to act like that. Then again, she had been under a huge shock right now, and it was understandable for her to be shaken up due to all of it.

 Chapter 149 - Get away [1]

    Moon Jiwoo''s hand hasn''t healed properly yet, but even with that, she managed to stand up. It was mostly because she needed physical pain to distract her from the emotional turmoil she was going through inside in that moment.

    Maybe she will be able to convince herself that the urge to cry she had in that moment was due to the immense pain.

    As Moon Jiwoo attempted to stand up on her own, she found herself stumbling backwards. As Oh Sookyung extended his hand towards her in order to help her, she moved away from it, avoiding it completely.

    "Are you alright?" Oh Sookyung questioned.

    Although it seemed that he was confused by her actions, that was overshadowed by the worry in his eyes. As long as she was doing fine, he could think about the other things later on.

    "I-I can''t do this anymore, Oh Sookyung. Let go of me now. I can''t wait for two months. I was almost about to die today. I would have died for real if you were a second late today.

    This is not the first time this had been happening. Do I have to live my life in fear now? Maybe few days are left, but that doesn''t mean it is not dangerous. I don''t want to die for your sake, Oh Sookyung.

    Everyday is making me anxious, and this is not how I plan to live my life. You already failed in protecting me couple of times despite giving your words to me.

    I get that love you me, but don''t put my life in danger because of your love. You are too selfish! Just fu?k?n? let go of me. Do you know how disgusting your obsession is?

    I don''t know what you are expecting me to do. I know that I have some feelings towards you, but do you seriously think I would love someone who is forcing himself on me? You are such a pathetic loser!

    The only reason I agreed along with this was because of how I can get rid of you after two months. But it seems that I can''t do it anymore. My life is literally in danger, and you are utterly incapable of protecting me.

    I don''t know why I should follow your words and stay here anymore when you have failed to keep yours and protect. I personally find you disturbing."

    It seemed that her words managed to take Oh Sookyung completely aback, and the shock was completely shown on his face. She could clearly see how much he was struggling to deal with the situation.

    But there was nothing Moon Jiwoo was able to do about it. This had to be done, and things would turn out for the best if she was crueler.

    She expected herself to break down in middle of saying those words, but it seemed that she was stronger than what she had originally thought. With a cold facade, she was able to say all of that, and unlike the previous times, she sounded dead serious.

    "You really don''t mean those words of yours, right, Shin Daerin? Look, I know that I have failed this time around as well, but just a week more. That''s how long you have to wait for. You have been really patient throughout this entire time. That''s why, don''t give up now.

    Shin Daerin, I know that I have failed your trust multiple number of times and you have reasons to be angry at me. But I beg of you to bear through this time. Please can''t you do that for me."

    Moon Jiwoo was able to see how desperate the man before her was. Before when she used to mention this matter, all he did was brush it off or treat it casually. But it appeared that this time around he was able to see how dead serious she was over the entire matter.

    It appeared that he truly knew how to read her. Maybe in all those times, she had b?r?ly any d?s?r?s to leave the man, but it was different this time. She had to leave, and she wasn''t going to let the man before her stop her.

    "Why should I? Don''t you get me? Two months or not, I still would not be choose to you. Why do you need to be this obstinate? This is pathetic. I had fun playing around with you, and now that my life is on the line, I don''t want to do this anymore.

    I am sorry, but you are not worth for me to give up my life on. Let''s deal with this m?tur?ly. If you still insist on keeping me locked at here, I can''t ?ssure you that I won''t be creating a commotion at here.

    I have played along with your love games long enough, and now, I have grown to become bored of it. You can''t even protect the woman you love. How do you even expect me to grow feelings for you?

    Maybe I will grow some feelings for you when you learn to do that. Now, don''t make a fool of yourself anymore. Why would you even want to hang around with someone who treated you like a toy?

    You are still a handsome face though. I might take you in if you come to later on and beg for me. But before that of course, I need all the danger to be removed. Now, let go of me, you loser."

    Moon Jiwoo was disgusted by how she sounded right then. Her tone was completely cold, and it was filled with mock towards the man before her contrary to how she felt.

    Moon Jiwoo had millions of people criticizing her acting skills in her last life, but now she believed that even they will be impressed by this. Even she did not have this much talent within herself.

    It was just as she had thought; she was able to do anything once she put in her effort into, just like how she was doing so.

    "Shin Daerin, please don''t say it like that. I know that you are hurt and confused. You are even scared, but please don''t do this irrationally. I know how you are feeling right now, but everything will be fine just like how they have been until now."

    "Everything will be fine just like how they have been until now? Who are you implying that about? Oh Sookyung, it''s not you who is in fear for your life. How will you even understand how I am feeling when you are this obsessed with me?

    I am hurt and scared. That''s why I want to get away from here. But I don''t think I am confused. In fact, I don''t think I have been more sure in my life. I am pretty sure you can read me perfectly and see that," Moon Jiwoo vocalised before questioning, "Are you sure that my life wouldn''t be endangered again?"

    Seeing how Oh Sookyung had gone to become silent at that, Moon Jiwoo scoffed and said, "See this, even you are not sure of it. One week may seem small for you, but it''s not the same for me. How can you even understand when it''s not you who is surrounded from danger all side?

    I made sure to protect you perfectly when it was my turn to do so, but it seems that you are incapable of doing something like that on your own. That''s why, do me a favour for those time and let me live.

    Already my life had been endangered due to you before, and now, don''t ruin it and make it dangerous again. There is a limit to how selfish one can be.

    Didn''t you say that you love me? Is this what your love is about? At this rate, I even doubt that you even feelings for me. You can clearly see that I am in danger because of you and how you can''t protect me yet you keep me close to you.

    Do you actually want for me to die, Oh Sookyung?"

    Moon Jiwoo was aware of how she was able to get harsher than this, but she was sure that she was able to hit all of his sore points with all of that. If this wasn''t enough to get him convinced, she had more to say to him although going that far would even make her greatly displeased.

    ''This has to be done, Moon Jiwoo! You can''t back down from this. You can do it, Moon Jiwoo. You have gone through worse. You were evil woman in other''s eyes always. There is nothing wrong with one more person thinking that.''

    Moon Jiwoo noticed how Oh Sookyung kept on staring at the ground, and it appeared that he was contemplating hard on the entire matter. Seeing how tensed he was made guilt rise up within Moon Jiwoo.

 Chapter 150 - Get Away [2]

    With each passing second, anxiety began to rise within Moon Jiwoo. Although it came off as a surprise to her in the beginning, it seemed that Oh Sookyung had agreed to her words after all those insults she had directed towards her.

    He tried to argue and convince her to stay at here, but seeing how adamant Moon Jiwoo was¡ª coupled with how she caused him to feel guilty¡ª he agreed along with her request in the beginning.

    Moon Jiwoo was satisfied and content with how the things turned out to be, but that did not mean that she was actually happy with it.

    It caused her heart to squeeze, and she was b?r?ly holding in the tears within herself. Knowing that breaking down right now would only put her efforts to waste, she put in her best to hold in.

    Wearing on a cold face, she confronted Oh Sookyung regardless of how much seeing the pained expression on Sookyung''s face tore her heart apart. After this, Moon Jiwoo was sure that Sookyung would be hating her.

    Making him feel guilty was one thing, but she had gone too far with the words although it was necessary for her to do so in that situation.

    She had mentioned to him on how she was merely playing with him and how pathetic he appeared to her. She literally stomped upon the love he held for her, and after this, there was no way she would not hold any resentment towards her.

    Moon Jiwoo clearly was able to see how the boy was feeling right now, but she knew that she was in no place to comfort him regardless of how much she wanted to do it. This was not her place.

    Hearing the knocks on the door, Moon Jiwoo raised her head to look at it, and she had already guessed on who it possibly could be. There is only one person who would be meeting her in this moment¡ª someone she hadn''t yet met with after taking that decision.

    "Come in," Moon Jiwoo said.

    She pulled on that cold mask upon her face, and mock was shown on her eyes. There was a slight haughtiness visible upon her features as the door before her opened.

    Seeing Lee Eunmi walk into the room came as no surprise to her for she had been expecting from the female to show up sooner or later.

    She must have heard about what had happened from Oh Sookyung, and after helping with the entire thing, Eunmi was surely curious to know why Moon Jiwoo was doing this.

    As much as Moon Jiwoo did not want to do this, she was aware that she had to face with something like us.

    After all that Eunmi did for her, Jiwoo wasn''t able to repay her for all of them, and now, she was letting all of the efforts she had put in to waste as well.

    Guilt stabbed her heart at the thought of that, but there was nothing that could be done in order to prevent. This was meant to happen.

    Lee Eunmi would surely be hating her after the entire thing, and it would be a lie to say this didn''t affect her mood. Having someone she considered as a friend hate her was something Moon Jiwoo desperately did not want.

    She hoped that she was able to say the girl before her about the entire thing, but that was not possible. As much she did not want for the girl to hate her, this was inevitable. This was one of those pains Moon Jiwoo had to go through whether or not she found in pleasant.

    Closing the door behind her, Eunmi stepped further into the room, and crossing her legs, Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows at the female before her. The corner of her lips were curved to form a smug smile.

    Although Moon Jiwoo tend to be arrogant at times, she did not come off as cold and haughty as she seemed now. This was something Eunmi found herself being confused about.

    "Ah! So you have heard about all that happened. So, what are you here for? Do you want to know about why I did all that? Are you here to question me? Too bad, I have no time for someone like you. Now, when can I leave? I don''t think I will be able to stay at here for a second longer. Ah! This is frustrating!"

    "Why are you acting this way all of a sudden, Shin Daerin? Did something happen or is it because of that attack? Is this the effect of you being scared? Look, I know that this palace might seem dangerous to you right now, but can''t you reconsider about the entire thing? His Majesty is¡ª"

    "Can you please not talk about all that? I already had this conversation with Oh Sookyung, and I don''t want to do this with you. This will just ruin my mood further. Yes, I want to leave this place because I am scared, but even without that, I was planning to leave in the first place.

    I can''t believe you all thought that I will be choosing Oh Sookyung. Aren''t you thinking too far? That''s why, you shouldn''t have high hopes. It hurts when the reality hits you."

    "Sorry. I know that you were almost about to lose your life in this, but aren''t you going too far with this? You have every right to be angry, but this is going too far."

    "I don''t need you to lecture me on this. I don''t care about whether or not I am going too far. Maybe you should try to hold on to Oh Sookyung instead of trying to act like some cupid. Honestly, you are so pathetic.

    Your fated one loves someone else, and you are accepting it so wholeheartedly. You think that I will be happy since you are doing all of this. I would have been happier if you tried to hold on to him.

    That would have taken a burden off my back. But it seemed that you too incapable. You weren''t even able to keep your fated one. I doubt that you will be able¡ª"

    "I can''t ?ssure you that I won''t be getting violent if you continue further. That''s why, it better for you to quieten down. Since Oh Sookyung would not be liking it if I attack you, I am holding myself back, but if you continue further, I won''t be care about you as well," Eunmi said.

    The anger in Lee Eunmi''s voice was clearly visible to Moon Jiwoo, and regardless of how painful it felt to her, she did not allow that to translate that upon her features.

    "Whatever," she replied.

    "I wanted to convince you to stay at here, but seeing how you are, I lost all the interest in that. His Majesty will not be coming to see you. I will take you to the portal."

    Moon Jiwoo felt as if knives stabbed her ?h?st as she had heard those words. She expected to see him for the last time before she left, but it seemed that would not be possible.

    It was understandable to her that Oh Sookyung would not be able to see her after all that she had done, but she still held on to the hope of seeing him at least one time more.

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and commented, "What a loser! I thought that he will be seeing me for one last time after how attached he was to me, but it seems that he is too much of a coward."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Seeing how Moon Jiwoo had disappeared into the portal, Lee Eunmi watched as the portal started to close off. A sigh escaped from her mouth as that happened.

    Oh Sookyung came out from behind of the tree, and she turned back to face the man. The pensive expression on the man''s face reflected how he felt in that moment.

    "I don''t know how things turned out to be in this way, but do you want to go out for a drink? You can curse her out as much as you like, and I will be pleased to hear all of them."

    "Thanks about that, but I think I want to be alone for tonight. I need to think about everything. This just happened all of a sudden, and I need time to myself," he stated.

    "You look better than I have expected. I thought that you will be breaking down completely, but you seem to be holding on fine."

    "I guess that the entire thing hadn''t sunk into me completely yet. It still feels unrealistic to me. You can say that."

 Chapter 151 - Total psycho [1]

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on the calendar, and she read the date on top of it. The corner of her lips curved upwards when she realized that around two years had passed since she had last moved at here from the Underworld.

    It would be a lie to mention that she did not miss him throughout this entire period of time. Everyday she was reminded of it, and the first few months had been quite difficult for her.

    She had a hard time without him, and everything just felt so unusual. Many nights she had gone to bed crying, and she suffered a lot in the first year.

    But then, as the time passed by, she started to get used to everything, and as that happened, things became much less painful to her.

    She wasn''t able to erase him completely from her life. That wasn''t possible for her yet, but she knew that she had made some improvements from the beginning.

    She was aware that Oh Sookyung was a man she could never stop herself from having feelings for, and there was no way she would be ever be able to forget about it. It was not as if she made effort to move on from him completely.

    It was just that she liked her life right now. The pace was just perfect for her. Everyday she lead a simple life and managed to find happiness in small things.

    Right now, she was able to smile and have fun every once in a while without being in pain, and that was enough for now.

    Although she was reminded of him and missed him, she treated the moments both of them had together as memories she was quite fond of. They were something she would like to grow old with.

    Sometimes it managed to hurt her, and she wondered how it had been for her if she hadn''t ce back at here on the surface. But it didn''t manage to keep her that occupied.

    Yes, there was so many things she wanted right now as well, but more than that, she did not want for anything to change due to the fear that everything will be getting scarier for her if that happened.

    That was something she did not want.

    She believed that she gone through enough pain for a lifetime, and that was one thing she did not want to experience again.

    "Daerin, where are you? I need help at here."

    Hearing that voice, Moon Jiwoo knew that her boss was calling for her, and she instantly turned her attention away from the calendar to look back.

    Over this period of two year, she worked at a flower shop. The flower shop wasn''t something she would consider to be popular, but it made enough for the boss to pay her a decent amount of salary.

    Working at a flower shop wasn''t something she ever imagined herself in, but now that she was in this place, she did not find it being bad. Moreover, working at here managed to lift her mood up at times.

    The boss at here was a middle-aged lady, Yoon Mirae, and for the most part, Moon Jiwoo could say that she was kind and friendly. Jiwoo felt as if the lady took care of her as her own daughter, and she was grateful to her due to that.

    Moon Jiwoo did not know many things about flower but wanted to work at here for she had grown fond of them after those walks at Sookyung''s garden.

    One thing Moon Jiwoo had learned was that the middle-aged woman was quite fond of the flowers, and she tend to get scary when Moon Jiwoo messed them up.

    "I am coming, Boss!" Moon Jiwoo voiced out.

    Walking over to where her boss was, Moon Jiwoo noticed that the lady was trying to organise some of the flowers, and seeing how she was having difficulty in lifting up a stack of flowers, Moon Jiwoo went to lend her a hand with it.

    Wearing a smile on her face, Jiwoo moved closer to the lady and helped her with lifting it before placing it to where Mirae pointed her at.

    She could feel that the stack of flowers had quite a weight to it, and it did feel heavy to Moon Jiwoo as well. Nonetheless, she managed to move it successfully without stumbling on her way.

    As Moon Jiwoo had expected, her power had decreased by a lot once she was at the surface. She wouldn''t say that she was completely powerless, but with all the abilities she had, she was close to a normal human, the ones without any power.

    Teleporting had become really difficult for her, and her healing abilities had gotten slower by a huge amount. She wasn''t able to run that fast or use electricity that effectively, and her combat skills have lessened by a huge percentage when compared to before.

    Moon Jiwoo did not have much of a problem with it. In fact, she found herself being quite content with it since this made her seem more like a normal human.

    The only problem she had was that she had to drink blood on a regular basis, and fortunately enough, Soohyun helped her with the supply of that. This was a thing she was really grateful to her for because Moon Jiwoo did not know what she would be doing without her.

    However, she rarely met up with the woman, and she hadn''t revealed about the entire thing to Soohyun. Soohyun must have heard of the part of the story from Sookyung, and despite that, she was happy that Soohyun did not back away from helping her.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    After Moon Jiwoo was done helping the lady around the shop, she clapped both of her hand together before her eyes went towards the door. The sun had already set, and it seemed that it was quite late at night, seeing the time on the wall.

    "This will be all for today," Mirae said, "You can go home for today, and be early tomorrow. There are some extra work that is needed to be done, and I have to inform you on something important."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded and stated, "Yes, I will be going then, Boss."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    As Moon Jiwoo was about to open the door to her apartment, she felt someone tap on her shoulder, and the sudden action caused a gasp to escape from her mouth.

    Turning her back on the door, she looked back with widened eyes, and shock was clearly visible upon her features. Her heart was beating rapidly within her ?h?st due to how she was caught by complete surprise.

    Seeing a familiar face before her caused her calm down considerably, and she voiced out, "Youngjae, you almost caused me to have a heart attack!"

    "That''s why, you have to pay more attention to your surrounding, Daerin Noona. I was standing there the entire time, but you still did not notice me."

    Im Youngjae was a boy she had gotten quite close to after coming back to the surface, and the intial meeting between them wasn''t that special.

    The boy just came to order flowers at the shop regularly, and as they held conversations together, they realized that they got along quite fine.

    From then on, they hang around together often, and this is how the friendship between them started. Up until now, it had been going quite well, and two of them did not have any major disagreements between both of them.

    Moon Jiwoo took the boy to be a cute little brother, who could get annoying at times¡ª not that she was that bothered by it much¡ª and he treated her like a older sister as well.

    "Who would even try to attack me in the first place? Now, what do you want?"

    "Yura is waiting for you at the restaurant opposite to your house, and I just came to pick you up. Let''s hurry up! She must be getting impatient, and you know, how cranky she gets once that happens."

    "You could have just called me instead of coming all the way here," Moon Jiwoo pointed out.

    "Well about that, let''s just say that she is in one of those mood swings of hers, and she actually threatened to throw those soju bottles at me.

    No, actually she was about to throw one towards me before I ran at here. I did a smart thing, right? I wonder if that girl is in the right mind most of the times. I am telling you. She is a total psycho!"

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle and said, "You should have acted smartly if you are this scared of her."

    "I didn''t even do anything much. I just commented on how she looked, and that''s all I promise."

 Chapter 152 - Total psycho [2]

    While Im Youngjae grilled the pork belly on top of the grill, he made sure to tease Yura from time to time. The only reason Yura held back was because of how he was paying for the entire thing and grilling the meat.

    Nonetheless, observing both of them for a while, Jiwoo was able to see that Yura would not be able to hold in her temper for a long time, knowing how the girl tend to be around Youngjae.

    "Here, Noona, enjoy them. You should try to eat more and fast or else a monster will be taking all of them from you," he spoke out with a cheerful smile on his face.

    Knowing that he was implying to her, Yura glared at the man and picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks. It took great willpower on her part in order to not stab that chopsticks into his hand regardless of how tempting that appeared to her in that instant.

    Moon Jiwoo nodded, and picking up a slice of the meat, she placed it inside of her mouth. As she savored the taste of the meat, a smile formed on her face.

    Turning to face the boy, she raised her thumb up and said, "This is delicious, Youngjae!"

    "Why are you complimenting him, Unnie? He is already too arrogant, and you are encouraging him more. Someone needs to burst his bubble and say how annoying he is plus that he is also such a loser," Yura stated.

    "It''s only you who thinks that way. It''s obvious how I am loved by everyone, and now, shut up. Be grateful for the free food, and quietly eat it," she vocalised.

    "You scumbag!" she exclaimed, raising her glass of alcohol and taking a sip out of it.

    As the sharp taste hit her tongue, a wince escaped from her mouth before she slammed her glass on the table, and staring at Youngjae, she ordered, "Pour me another glass, you scumbag!"

    It was obvious to both of them on how the woman before them was getting drunk, and two of them let out a sigh at that. This wasn''t the first time Yira got drunk in front of them, and knowing her drinking habits, they had a headache starting to form.

    "This was a bad idea! I shouldn''t have brought her along with me at here," Youngjae voiced out as a groan escaped from his mouth, and he poured her another glass of drink.

    Moon Jiwoo chuckled and said, "I am quite a boring person at times. That''s why, it is good that you have brought her along. Both of you really tend to brighten up the atmosphere. It feels refreshing. I must be getting really old to talk like this."

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chortle at her words and then, drank down the content of the glass before her in one shot.

    Jiwoo could see that her personality was getting calmer as time passed by, and maybe this was because of how she was getting older. It appeared that time did indeed changed people.

    These days she did not get irritated easily, and she was not that wasteful either. The past her would be completely shocked how she is right now. No longer did she acted recklessly.

    This made her realize about how she was starting to get old and wonder about whether or not her lifespan decreased as her powers faded by huge percentage.

    Moon Jiwoo could not see any major change in her appearance other than the fact that she had gotten much more solemn, and maybe she would live as long as those from Red Clan usually survived.

    Soon enough, Yura and Youngjae will start to look older than her, and when that happens, she wondered how both of them will be reacting to her.

    Currently, no one would see her as someone who was older than them by at least five years. Her face appeared as if she was twenty, and it was going to stay this way for around five to six years more.

    People around her will definitely start to find her strange slowly.

    "If you are old, I wish I could look as young as you. You should really let us know of your beauty tricks," Yura spoke out¡ª her words coming out to be b?r?ly coherent.

    Nonetheless, Moon Jiwoo was able to make out what she had just said, and smiling at the girl, she voiced out, "It''s the genetics. My mom looks as if she is in her thirties when she is in her sixties."

    "Wow! I am jealous!" the girl exclaimed, "I look really old! I look as if I am sixty when I am thirty."

    With that, tears started to form at the corner of her eyes, and seeing them stream down caused both Moon Jiwoo''s and Youngjae''s eyes to widen.

    Both of them could not say that they were that shocked by it though. Yura had the tendency to cry everytime she got drunk, and usually it ended after she had managed to cry for couple of hours straight.

    Her crying wasn''t something that was silently done. As time passed by, it got as loud as possible and managed to garner attention from the crowd everytime. In other words, it got really humiliating and annoying for Moon Jiwoo and Youngjae everytime she got drunk.

    Both of them tried their best to get the girl as less drunk as possible, but at times, they managed to mess up, like right now.

    Seeing how the girl was starting to cry, both of them shared glances, and instantly, they understood about what should be done in this moment. Without a word being spoken, they silently agreed on it while they nodded their heads.

    "Sorry, Noona, that I wasn''t able to treat you to much, but I am sure that both of us won''t be liking the situation if we had to stay at here for ten minutes more. I seriously will not bring her along next time around! Such a pain in the ?ss!"

    "Why do I look this old!? Yah! You jerk, Im Youngjae! You always tell me that I am ugly! Don''t you think that I don''t have feelings! It hurts me everytime! You ?sshole, I want to kill you everytime you do that! You pervert, I will reveal to Daerin¡ª"

    "Noona, will you be able to return on your own to the home? This girl is really troublesome, and it seems that I have to drop her off on my on. I am sorry that I have invited you, and things have turned this way," he voiced out.

    She shook her head and stated, "It''s fine. I had a good time today. Just take good care of her tomorrow. She is already pissed with you enough. You don''t want her to murder you tomorrow."

    "If she dares to show me her temper tomorrow after getting me into this, I swear I will¡ªOuch!"

    He exclaimed as the girl bit into his palm. A wince escaped from his mouth while he glared at the girl who was glaring at him.

    "Don''t touch me, you disgusting bastard! Your hand stinks, and stay away from me! Unnie will be taking me home! Not you! You are a mean person, and I don''t like you! You are disgusting! You a bad man, You Jerk!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    A chuckle escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth she recalled about how hectic things have gotten in the restaurant, and it was tough for the man to get Yura out of there. Recalling about all the drama that had happened at there lifted her mood up, and she shook her head.

    "Both of them are really cute," she mumbled to herself as she stood in front of the gate of her apartment.

    At that moment, she felt a chill travel down her spine, and she shuddered at that. It was strange how she reacted that way to the cold.

    Right then, a figure fell into her eyes, but that figure disappeared the second she saw him. A gasp escaped from her mouth at that, and she blinked her eyes.

    An odd thought crossed her mind right then, and letting out a chuckle, she voiced out, "No, Moon Jiwoo, there is no way it could it be him. You probably saw things wrongly just because of how you have gotten drunk."

    Shaking her head, she opened the gate to her apartment and stepped into the building.

 Chapter 153 - Anxious ?h?st [1]

    Before her work over at the flower shop started, she was fond of visiting the cafe around her place. She believed that starting the day with the coffee from this place was the best, and over time, this had become a habit for her that she must abide by.

    Having missed coffee one day from here results in her having a horrible mood throughout the day, and seeing how silly this was at times made her laugh at times.

    Digging her fork into the cake, she picked up a piece of the cake and placed it inside of her mouth. While the cake melted in her mouth, a small smile formed on her face. The day started off really nice today.

    "Oh! Noona, hello!"

    Hearing that familiar voice, Moon Jiwoo raised her head, and noticing Im Youngjae before her wasn''t a surprise to her. This cafe was closer to his University, and therefore, she encountered him occasionally at this place.

    "Hello, are you on your way to university?" she questioned.

    He nodded and stated, "Yeah, I had a little bit of free time, so I decided to come here for a cup of coffee and hoped to maybe see you at here."

    "Since you are really sweet, take this to be my treat and order whatever you want," she voiced out.

    "You sure, Noona? I might go after the most expensive thing at here. I am not good at holding back when other people say that they are treating me," the boy spoke out¡ª his tone holding a tint of tease.

    "Go ahead and try it. Do I look like a miser? Since I have given my word, I will be keeping it, and there is nothing expensive at here in the first place, you brat," she pointed out.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Holding his cup of coffee and slice of cake, the boy sat opposite to Moon Jiwoo, and with a smile on his face, he ate his food cheerfully. Seeing the boy eat with such a bright mood managed to make Jiwoo happier as well.

    She didn''t know what it was, but there was something about Im Youngjae that managed to lift up her mood. She was not able to pinpoint what that was about him that made her feel better, but she found his company quite pleasant.

    Of course, she was well aware of the age gap between both of them, and there was no way she was able to see him in that way due to it. He was most definitely a younger brother figure to her.

    After taking a sip out of her coffee, she stated, "How are things going over at the University? Yura mentioned how the exams will be coming up soon. You better study hard or else you will be regretting it like me when you get older."

    He chuckled and voiced out, "What''s wrong with you, Noona? I don''t think there is anything to regret. You got someone as cool as me in your life, and although Yura is annoying, she is there as well. Moreover, working at the flower shop really suits you. It is as if you belong among the flowers."

    "Look at you being such a sweet talker," he vocalised.

    "I was just being honest, Noona. Noona, what do you think about going on a camping? We have holidays after the exams, and both of us can go together. I guess we can bring along Yura as well.

    Although she is unpleasant, it''s not as if she will allow us to go together without bringing her along. She is such a headache I swear. Omg! I forgot! She took me to bring back an Americano for her or else she will be tearing up my textbooks."

    "Both of you are really energetic," she commented, "Your break will be ending soon. That''s why, you better hurry. You don''t want to end up in another problem just because you are late with her Americano."

    "Alright! About the camping, it''s a yes, right? I mean, even if you want to say a no, I will be dragging you along."

    "Sure, why not? Since both of you are busy, I can select the place and everything. I have been in one place for a long time, so it will be nice to have a change of place once in a while," she voiced out.

    "Alright, that''s settled then. Bye, Noona, I have to go," he vocalised, "I will come and visit you at the flower shop later on, so keep on waiting for me. I will try my best to not bring that Yura on me. She is really like a bug."

    She nodded as a giggle escaped from her mouth.

    Although he acted that way about Yura, it was obvious to her on how much he was fond of the girl, and no matter what happened, he was always there to lend a help to Yura. This made Jiwoo wonder about whether or not he liked Yura as someone more than a friend.

    Even though Moon Jiwoo was confused about Youngjae feelings towards the girl, she knew that Yura had romantic feelings towards the boy. That was quite obvious from the way she acted around her.

    However, it seemed as if Youngjae was dense to the entire matter although someone like Moon Jiwoo was able to see it. Maybe this was due to her experience and how she was starting to get older.

    One thing she was aware of that as a person gets older, all of sudden, the world starts to change for him or her¡ª or maybe that''s how the things are for Moon Jiwoo.

    Moon Jiwoo was caught by surprise when she noticed that the man before her had extended his hand towards her, and both of her eyes widened when he touched the corner of lips.

    "What''s the matter?" She questioned.

    Her reaction to him was not that strong. It was just that she was caught off guard. Since Moon Jiwoo did not see the man in that way ever, she could find herself being affected by this action of his.

    Bringing his hand away from her, he showed his thumb to her and voiced out, "You had this stuck at the order of your mouth. You eat like a kid, Daerin Noona."

    "Stop teasing me and get going now," she voiced out, shaking her head. "This happens with the ?du?ts as well."

    "Whatever floats your boat, Noona, but this side of yours is really cute. I have noticed this one thing. Are you naturally clumsy, Noona?" he vocalised.

    "I don''t think so. Just because I have got some cake stuck at the corner of my lips doesn''t necessarily mean that I am clumsy."

    "No, I beg to differ. I have been watching you for a long time, and I can see that you tend to be really clumsy at times, Noona. Should I mention to you the number of times you have made a mess inside of the flower shop? I am pretty sure I can talk the entire day if I get started on it."

    "Well, that happened because I was inexperienced, and that''s all. That''s why, don''t think too much about it, You brat!"

    "Stop calling me a brat! It''s not as if I am that much younger than you, and this makes me feel like a kid when I am obviously an ?du?t."

    "Maybe I will be stopping with that when you become much m?tur?, and in my eyes, you are just some immature kid, Youngjae-ah. That''s why, you will always be a brat in my eyes."

    "Noona, I promise you that I will be making you change that opinion of me. I will prove to you that I can be m?tur? as well, and that I am not a brat anymore."

    "Yes, yes, good luck with that, brat!"

    "Noona!" He let out a groan.

    As Moon Jiwoo walked out of the cafe, she recalled about the time she spend inside with Youngjae, and a chuckle escaped from her mouth. That boy was really cute.

    While she was moving forward, her shoulder collided against someone''s, and that sudden action managed to take her aback. Stabilizing herself, she took a step backwards.

    Raising her head to look at the person she bumped into, she spoke out, "I am sorry."

    One thing Moon Jiwoo felt after staring at that man''s face was that he appeared to quite familiar. Due to the fact that he was wearing a mask and sunglass, she was unable to see his face properly.

    He nodded.

    As he walked away, she drove away that thought from her mind. He was most definitely a celebrity or someone popular. It was not as if she knew many people, and therefore, it was unlikely for her to run into someone she was familiar with.

    However, something about this left her really unsettled, and a certain type of anxiousness started to brew within her. She was not able to pinpoint what started this.

 Chapter 154 - Anxious ?h?st [2]

    A strange premonition bugged Moon Jiwoo at that moment, and no matter how much she tried, she was unable to drive away that anxious feeling within her.

    It was starting to unnerve her at this point, and concentrating at her work was getting difficult due to this.

    A groan escaped from her mouth as she tied the bouquet of flower. The sinking feeling inside her ?h?st was increasing as time passed by, and at this point, she was confident that something was about to happen.

    As for what that thing was, Moon Jiwoo wasn''t that sure about it. Nonetheless, she prayed that nothing grand or dramatic would be happening.

    She preferred her life was now the best, and the pace was perfect for her. Having it change was one of those things that frightened her greatly, and she wanted to prevent that from happening at any cost.

    A wince escaped from her mouth, and Moon Jiwoo realized that she had cut her finger by mistake. Seeing the blood flow out of it, she let out a sigh.

    It seemed that her injury did not go unnoticed by the owner, and making her way over to Moon Jiwoo, the owner voiced out, "You have been distracted a lot today."

    Moon Jiwoo instantly bowed at the lady and spoke out, "I am sorry, Boss."

    "You have cost a lot of loss today by destroying all of those flowers. That''s why, I want you to take a break for today."

    "No, Boss. I am sorry for all that I did, but I will be careful from now on."

    "I don''t think that I will be able to afford anymore losses, and it''s fine. Just take a break. You have worked really hard without a break for months. That''s why, I don''t mind. Just do whatever you want to do for today. I will be able to handle the shop on my own, and I will just be closing the shop early."

    Seeing the owner was lighthearted about it caused relief to spread through Moon Jiwoo although she did feel a little guilty. Although nothing has happened to her, she was acting this way, and this made her angry at herself.

    It seemed that she hadn''t yet grown out of her habit on letting her personal emotions affect her work, and this was one that thing she needed to work on greatly.

    "Thank you, boss, for the little vacation. Once again, I am sorry for today. Something just happened, and I am really distracted due to that. I will make sure that I am completely fine tomorrow, and make up for all the losses."

    "It''s alright. Take your time coming back. You really pushed yourself hard these days, and that''s why, you deserve this. I am not in a hurry for you to come back."

    "No, I can''t possibly do that. You must be really busy these days, and I can''t do that. Don''t worry. Nothing that big had happened to me. It''s just trivial."

    "Is that so? Whatever it is, I hope that it gets resolved. You are at your best state when you''re smiling brightly. With that frown on your face, you are going to scare away all the customers. That''s why, only come back when you are able to smile that widely."

    Moon Jiwoo was touched by how the owner cared for her. At times, the owner did feel like a mother to her. Last time, when she was sick, the owner made sure to cook for her and send them to her apartment.

    She always managed to make Moon Jiwoo feel grateful towards her, and Jiwoo hoped that there will be a day she will be able to make up to the lady.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Walking around the town, Moon Jiwoo looked at both of her sides. There was nothing around the place she was able to do. Now that she was being a miser and due to her lack of money, she wasn''t able to spend on shopping.

    Nonetheless, it was not as if she found this unpleasant or boring. Although the roads were busy and the place around her was quite crowdy, she did not mind walking around.

    Moon Jiwoo did not have a destination in her mind. She just wanted to keep on walking on the same path until her legs got tired and to see where she will be ending up at last.

    Sometimes she saw couples go around by holding each other''s hand, and she would be lying if this did not make her envious. Maybe if things were meant to be between her and Sookyung, she would be able to do the same with the man.

    Nonetheless, although it caused her ?h?st to squeeze painfully, she did not let that show upon her face. It was not as if she was forcing herself to put on a joyful expression; it was just that she was tired to being upset at these small things.

    Turning to her left, her eyes fell on the dress on the mannequin, and finding it to be quite beautiful, she made her way over to it. Touching the glass before the dress, she wore a smile on her features.

    "I have really changed. I would have gone crazy to buy this in the past, but I guess it doesn''t seem that great to be enthusiastic over. Moon Jiwoo, you are seriously getting old to be talking like this. What had happened to you?" she mumbled to herself.

    With a smile on her face, she turned her attention away from the dress and continued to walk further. A strange thought than emerged in her mind.

    She wondered what the people from her past would be thinking if they saw her in this state. Most likely they would not be able to believe that both of them are the same person.

    Their reactions would be understandable for that was how Moon Jiwoo would have felt as well if someone told her she was going to change this much in the future. The change was totally perplexing.

    Looking back to it, she was aware of how much mistakes she had done in the past, and if she was able to go back, she would truly try to change them¡ª not because of how she wanted to lead a happier life but to make up to all those people she was guilty towards.

    As Moon Jiwoo was continuing further, her shoulder bumped against someone, and feeling something hot spill over her caught her by surprise complete. A gasp escaped from her mouth, and she took a jump backwards.

    "I am really sorry."

    Hearing that voice, Moon Jiwoo raised her head, and her eyes fell on the female standing before her. Seeing her at here was not something Moon Jiwoo had expected, and it was a great shock to her.

    Oh Chaeyoung was present before her. The very woman her ex-fiance was fond of was standing before her, and she wasn''t sure of how to respond to that.

    Speaking of her past crimes, Chaeyoung was one of those she really owed to. Thinking about all those times she tried to make her life miserable aggravated Moon Jiwoo.

    In beginning when she had arrived to this world, the only thing she held was hatred towards Oh Chaeyoung, but now she was aware of how immature that very thing was.

    She wasn''t able to know all that about Oh Chaeyoung from Eunwoo, but one thing she was aware of that she was the one who took care of Oh Sookyung all those years he was in this world.

    This was truly a strange coincidence.

    In her last life, she had heard of how she had a younger brother who she deeply cared for. But seeing how that brother was Oh Sookyung made Moon Jiwoo laugh at how funny the fate could be at times.

    Maybe one of the reasons she was given the task to protect Oh Sookyung was to make up for all the times she did wrong to Oh Chaeyoung, and thinking about it that way did not make Moon Jiwoo make displeased.

    She really owed a lot to the female, and if this was a way she was able to make it up to her somewhat, then Moon Jiwoo did not find it being that bad.

    "Oh! Aren''t you Shin Daerin-ssi? I have heard about you from his Majesty a lot. You must be surprised, right? I am Oh Chaeyoung¡ª his sister when he was in this world. I am sorry that for bumping into you. I wasn''t watching my steps."

    "No, it''s fine. The coffee wasn''t that hot anyway, and it''s my fault for not watching my surroundings properly. I know about you. It''s a great coincidence to meet you at here, Chaeyoung-ssi. Sookyung used to take a lot about you as well," she said with a smile on her features.

 Chapter 155 - Little Stalker [1]

    Moon Jiwoo found herself being at an awkward situation while she was facing Chaeyoung. Although Chaeyoung appeared to be happy, it wasn''t the same for her, and Jiwoo was unsure of how to react around her.

    Firstly, with all that happened in her last life, it would be weird for her to act all friendly and sweet with the person she hated the most in her last life.

    Moreover, she wondered whether or not Chaeyoung knew about what had happened with Sookyung and her back in the Underworld.

    Seeing how she was an extremely close person to Sookyung, after what Moon Jiwoo had, it would be likely for Chaeyoung to look at her with scorn in her eyes.

    However, not that she wasn''t clouded by jealousy any longer, she did not find the girl before her being that unpleasant. Maybe she would be able to get along with her if it wasn''t for the weird situation they were in.

    One thing Moon Jiwoo wanted to do was apologise to Chaeyoung for all that she had done in her last life, but she was aware of how that would be only making everything more confusing. Shin Daerin had no reason to apologise to the female after all.

    Both of them were in the cafe, and lifting her cup of tea, Moon Jiwoo brought it closer to her mouth to take a sip. Forcing a smile out on her face, she waited for the girl before her to start speaking.

    Faced with such situation caused Moon Jiwoo to be at a lack of words, and that''s why, she waited for the girl before her to take the initiative to do so.

    But seeing how Chaeyoung just kept on smiling at her widely throughout the entire time and staring at her strangely just made Moon Jiwoo more anxious. She wondered about what was going through the woman''s mind in that moment.

    Was she looking for the perfect moment to Moon Jiwoo?

    ''Or could it be that she swings that way and that she is mesmerised by you? Moon Jiwoo, are you crazy? What are you thinking right now? It''s definitely nothing! You are overthinking at this moment due to how nervous you are.

    I am sure that there is nothing wrong with the way she is smiling and looking at you; it''s just because of how nervous you are that the things appear to be this way to you."

    "Shin Daerin," Chaeyoung enunciated, "That''s a beautiful name you have."

    Hearing those words from the female before her caused Moon Jiwoo to choke, and she started to cough.

    "Yeah, thank you. You have a nice name as well," Moon Jiwoo awkwardly voiced out.

    Having a female to compliment her on her name, especially someone who took her to be a stranger, felt extremely odd to Moon Jiwoo, and this made her wonder what the female was up to.

    "You don''t seem comfortable with the situation. Is it because of me? You don''t have to force yourself to be with me if it is disturbing you," she voiced out.

    When Chaeyoung said it like that, there was no way Moon Jiwoo was able to agree along with her, and shaking her head, Jiwoo answered, "It''s nothing like that; it''s just that I am not good with strangers."

    "Strangers? Treat me as a friend of yours. After all, you are the very person who protected my Eunwoo, and I am like an older sister figure to him. That makes us have a deep relationship between both of us," she vocalised.

    One of the reasons Moon Jiwoo wanted to have nothing to do with Chaeyoung was that she was related to Sookyung, and she did not want to do anything with that man.

    Being with her will only be reminding her of Sookyung, and that was one of those things Moon Jiwoo wanted to avoid. She was done tormenting herself because of him.

    Moon Jiwoo nodded and stated, "Do you mind if we talk later on? I am sorry, but I remembered that I have something to do. Let''s meet up and talk later on."

    "Oh! Is that so? If you are busy, I will definitely not be holding you back. Sure, go on ahead. Let''s meet later on then.

    We have already exchanged numbers, and I will call you later on to arrange a time for both of us. Honestly, I would like to get to know you better."

    Moon Jiwoo was starting to regret exchanging her number with Chaeyoung earlier. She never thought that Chaeyoung wanted to be friends with her and get to know her better.

    ''Should I just block her number? It''s not as if we will be meeting again, so that wouldn''t matter that much.''

    Moon Jiwoo nodded and said, "Yeah, let''s do that then."

    "I can tell that we are going to be really close friends, Daerin-ssi. I am fond of your personality quite a lot, and it seems that you will be getting along fine with me as well."

    ''You b?r?ly know me and you are saying that? I am pretty sure the last thing you would want to do is stay close to me after you know who I am. Maybe you will come up to me for revenge or something.''

    "Is that so? That''s nice to know," she stated.

    "Yeah, if you want, we can talk about his Majesty when we meet up as well. I have lots of stories about him to tell to you. I am sure that you are curious about how he was a young boy, and I am perfect person for it. He used to be such a handful!"

    ''There is definitely something wrong with this! Is she trying to tease or test me? Maybe she is mocking me about the entire situation. That seems to be very much likely.

    There is no reason for her to bring up Oh Sookyung after all that happened between both of them. What an unpleasant situation you have gotten yourself into, Moon Jiwoo! You shouldn''t have walked into this cafe in the first place, you idiot!''

    "I am sorry, but I don''t think that would be appropriate. On the second thought, Chaeyoung-ssi, I don''t think that I will be able to be friends with you.

    It''s not like there is anything wrong with you, but I have a feeling that both of us won''t be getting along well. Thank you very much for today, and I am sorry if I offended you in any way. Then, I will be taking my leave."

    Getting up from her seat, Moon Jiwoo turned her back on the female and was about to leave the cafe. She did not care whether or not she was being rude to the female.

    There was no reason for Jiwoo to courteous to her, and it was not as if she was intending to meet her again. Somethings are better handled in a straightforward way.

    A chuckle left Chaeyoung''s mouth, and she said, "You don''t need to react like that. I mean no harm to you. You are just like how his Majesty described you to be. I was merely testing you for fun."

    Moon Jiwoo stopped in her steps, and looking back at the female, she vocalised, "Oh! Is that so? Well, it doesn''t matter to me. I will be leaving then, and thank you for the coffee, Chaeyoung-ssi."

    Opening the door to the cafe, she stepped out of the place, and Jiwoo found herself being proud for handling the situation in such a cool manner! A smile formed on her face at that.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "You can stop yourself from hiding now," Chaeyoung vocalised once Moon Jiwoo had walked away.

    "She was a really cute girl as you have said, but it seems that she is more m?tur? than what you have said," Chaeyoung added, "What are you going to do?"

    Oh Sookyung had a grim expression upon his features as he placed the menu in his hand down, and looking out through the window beside him, he touched the glass window.

    His eyes fell on Moon Jiwoo who was walking away with a frown on her face, and he then stated, "That''s none of your business."

    "Why? I am curious. Having my little brother pursue a girl is really cute. Why don''t I act as a wing woman for both of you?"

    "Stay out of this," he said, "Don''t do something like this again."

    "Why? Are you jealous that I got to meet you before her? You are quite pathetic for stalking her all these days. Just be a man, and face the girl! I wonder what she will look like once she meets you."

 Chapter 156 - Little stalker [2]

    As Moon Jiwoo was organizing the flowers around the place, she was called by the owner of the place. Placing the roses in her hand down, she turned back to face the owner.

    Wearing a smile on her face, she raised one of her eyebrows and waited for the owner''s words. Judging from the expression on her face, it seemed to be something important, making Moon Jiwoo curious on what it possibly could be.

    Nervousness showed on the owner''s face as she started, "As you know, Daerin dear, that I am recently in a need of money, and since this flower shop is the last thing I have, I decided to sell it.

    Luckily, I have managed to sell it for an incredible price, and that''s why, the owner for this place have changed to someone else. As for you, I have talked with the new owner, and he said that he had no problem with keeping the employees as long as they are component enough."

    Moon Jiwoo was aware of how the owner was searching for people to sell the flower shop to for a long time. Nonetheless, this was too sudden for her, and the shock was easily shown on her face.

    "But owner, didn''t this happen too soon? Did that man even visit our flower shop? When did you even discuss on the matters?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

    "About that, he paid a huge amount for this small shop, and he mentioned on how he had something important at this shop. Seeing how desperate he was, I have decided to sell it.

    Don''t worry! The boy seemed quite polite, and he will be treating you properly as well. Your salary will be kept the same. There should be no problems."

    "But what about you, boss? Will you be working at here or taking a break?" Jiwoo asked.

    "On that, I want to take a break for a while and then, come back to work after that. That is fine with the new owner. I have been tired recently, and a vacation sounds great."

    That caused worries to form within Moon Jiwoo. She did not believe that she was capable of running the entire place without the help from the owner, and her distress was easily shown on her features.

    "You will be fine, Shin Daerin. You are a quick learner, and I can see that you have quite a passion for flowers. That''s why, I know that you will be doing perfect without or with me being present at here.

    Moreover, these days it''s you who is handling the entire place. I am just here to look around the place that''s all. That''s why, have more confidence within yourself."

    "Even so, Boss, I am still not capable of looking around the entire place on my own, and without your guidance, it would be impossible. It would be better for you to hire someone better than me if you are going to leave, Boss."

    "Our shop isn''t anything grand, so you will be doing absolutely fine," the owner voiced out, "Also I have told the new owner that you are lacking in some parts, and he agreed to personally help you with this.

    Plus he is a handsome man. I am pretty sure working with him will be making you feel more motivated, and we might even get good news in the future. I am sure it will be better than working with an old lady like me."

    "What are you talking about, boss? Nothing can be better than working with you," she stated, "Now that everything is decided, I guess I can''t do anything other than working hard. I hope you have fun as well, boss, and so that, all of your trouble gets resolved."

    "Same goes for you, Dear. You have been suffering for too long. That''s why, I want you to move on. I am being honest though. The new owner is not that bad."

    "Boss, stop teasing me!" She exclaimed.

    Moon Jiwoo wasn''t exactly able to pinpoint it, but she was starting to have a negative feeling about the entire thing. Anxiety rose within her, making her feel sick inside.

    The reason to that wasn''t something she was able to guess, but maybe this was because something bad was about to happen.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Placing down the small colourful flowers on the shelf, she turned back, and her eyes fell on the male and the female who stepped into the shop. Seeing Yura and Youngjae at the place instantly caused a smile to form on her face.

    "Do you both need flowers?" she questioned, raising one of her eyebrows.

    "Unnie, these are really beautiful!" Yura exclaimed as she had sparkles in her eyes. "But the thing is that I am broke right now. I will buy some when I have enough money, alright?"

    "What a joke! You will never have enough money because all of those are spent on nonsensical things. Do all the things you buy even work?"

    "Shut up! Whatever I do is none of your business, You scumbag," she stated, "I am just testing them out for my Future YouTube videos."

    "Haven''t you still given up your childish dream to be an YouTuber? Are you dumb? That will never happen with you," he vocalised.

    As she puffed both of her cheeks, Yura wore a pout on her face, and she protruded her bottom lips forward. Extending her hand towards Jiwoo, she made her way over to the girl and wrapped her hands around the woman.

    "Youngae idiot is bullying me again, Unnie. Say something to him! He is so mean!"

    "Stop being so dramatic and accept the truth? Did people even subscribe to your channel in the first place? Give up your stupid dream, and do something useful for once. I can see how poor you will be in the future!"

    "You jerk! I will get popular! I will be proving it you! Everyone starts out, but they get popular eventually! That will be happening to me as well! I will laugh at you when I get popular, and you will be at the rock bottom then, you loser!"

    "Sure everyone starts out small, but what happens when you are the bottom after starting your channel for five years? Just accept the truth. Whatever you do is boring and outdated. It''s not as if you are pretty either. You can''t use your face to make money!"

    "Unnie, listen to him! I will get famous, right! Unnie, you watch my videos, right? They are fun aren''t they? You enjoy them, right?" she voiced out.

    "Your videos are amazing, Yura, but you should be a little realistic. You can''t lead you entire life doing this, and when you get older, getting a job will be tough. That''s why, you need to study harder at University."

    "Unnie, don''t worry about that! I will be an idol. I don''t need to study properly for that, and I can get rich as well by that way."

    At those words of her, Youngjae laughed and vocalised, "You sure dream big, don''t you? Idol? Aren''t you too old for that? Noona, instead of encouraging her crazy thoughts, you should hit her and bring her back to her senses. All she does is searches for excuses to not study."

    "Alright! Stop fighting both of you, and Yura, no matter what you do, study hard. What brings you two here though?"

    "We just wanted to meet you before heading home. I had some work around this place," Youngjae answered.

    "I just heard how the owner for this place was changed," Yura vocalised, "Also that the new owner is crazy hot as in the type to make you drop dead. Ah! I want to meet him badly. That''s why, I followed Youngjae to at here, but it doesn''t seem at the new owner is at here."

    "Yeah, he will be coming tomorrow, and since he is new at here, just don''t scare him, Yura, regardless of how he appears to be," Jiwoo stated.

    "You are starting to talk like Youngjae right now, Unnie! When did I scare people?" she voiced out, pulling away from that hug.

    "Noona, be careful. Since it''s a young man, no one knows what his intention might be. That''s why, stay careful around him. It''s suspicious already how quickly this place was sold."

    "Why should she be careful? It''s a hot guy, Unnie. Don''t miss your chance and seduce him!" Yura enthusiastically said. "I would have done that if it wasn''t for the fact that I am quite busy these days!"

    "Only you would be doing something like that, you fool! Noona, stay on guard all the time, alright?"

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle and voiced out, "You don''t need to be worried about me. I am capable of taking care of myself. Let''s have some drinks before going home. I will be closing up the shop."

    "Let''s do that then!" Youngjae cheerfully stated while the girl beside him nodded her head.

 Chapter 157 - New owner [1]

    "You two are early at here," Moon Jiwoo voiced out as her eyes lingered on to the two students who stepped into the shop.

    Nodding his head, Youngjae spoke out, "Yeah, we had no classes in the morning and decided to drop in to see your boss. After all, I have to check whether or not there is something fishy with him."

    "I wanted to see the hot guy," Yura stated, "I have been watching lots of crap these days and need to cleanse my eyes by watching a feast."

    "You''re disgusting," he said, "I should have left you back at University. I am sure you will be embarrassing me now."

    "Do you want to die? I am sure it is you who will be humiliating. Aren''t you being too protective over Unnie? She doesn''t even care about it, and you are being pathetic right now. I am sure Unnie would be jumping like me at the sight of a hot guy."

    "She is not crazy like you. Just because you can''t control yourself at the sight of hot guys doesn''t mean she will be same as you."

    "Shut up! You don''t like males, so how will you understand how I feel? I am sure you would do the same like me at the sight of beautiful woman. Stop being such a hypocrite."

    "I am sorry, but I am not as shallow as you, and I don''t lose my senses that easily. You need to be spanked and taught properly."

    "What did you just say, you jerk? Do you need to get beaten up by me, you scumbag?" she voiced out¡ª ready to fight the man.

    Seeing both of them reminded of how she and Sookyung used to be in the beginning, and at the thought of that, a chuckle escaped from her mouth.

    Is this how they used to appear in other''s eyes?

    "If both of you want to start a fight and create a mess, please do go outside. I can''t have the new owner firing me over how messy the place is," she said.

    "Say Youngjae to do that. He is such an eyesore. He acts as if he is your older brother or something, and it''s annoying."

    "What''s it to you?"

    "Then, why do you care so much whether or not I ogle at some dude? That''s none of your business as well!"

    "I am done with you, Yura. How low can your IQ drop? You are seriously an idiot!"

    "Unnie! See that he is insulting me again," she wh?n?d, turning her head to face Moon Jiwoo. "I am smart, right?"

    "Look at you crying about stupid things again. What are you? A five year old child? I don''t get why you can''t grow up by now. Everyday I feel like I am looking after a kid."

    "I dare you to say that again! I am not a kid! I am more m?tur? than you."

    "What a joke? Do I have to remind you on how many people you ran into and how you almost got ran over by a truck on your way here? You even got hit by the door. Is your head in the clouds or something? I wonder how you are surviving until now."

    Moon Jiwoo let out a sigh and said, "I told you to be careful, Yura. This is seriously dangerous. Didn''t I tell you to pay more attention to your surroundings?"

    "No, I was seriously careful, but then, something just distracted me. And about the truck part, I just wanted to pull away a kitten from the road. I didn''t expect for the truck to show up all of a sudden."

    "You will give me a heart attack one day over how clumsy you are, Yura," Jiwoo voiced out.

    "That''s what I am talking about. It''s a serious chore to take care of her. I had to drag her everywhere by her collar so that she doesn''t get into any kind of accidents. I don''t even know why I have to take care of her in the first place."

    Glaring at him, Yura exclaimed, "You jerk, I hate you! I am not talking to you ever again!"

    Yura stomped on his foot with all of her might, earning a wince from the boy, and she then struck out her tongue at him.

    Even Yura and Youngjae looked back, stopping their fight momentarily in order to see who the person was.

    "Welcome¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, her eyes fell on the male who stepped into the shop, and the smile on her face turned stiff. The shock was clearly visible in her eyes, and she gulped.

    Her widened eyes showed how she felt right then, and she clutched her hand into a tight fist. Sweat began to form on her forehead and palms as her heart started to beat rapidly within her ?h?st.

    She was distinctly able to hear the sound of her heart beating, and subconsciously, she found herself taking a step back.

    The situation right now felt way too unreal to her. She had no clue on how to deal with it, and immediately, she turned her head to look the other way, not wanting to accept the reality.

    Oh Sookyung stood in front of that door, and it was clear to on how the male b?r?ly changed over this period of time. He looked just like how he seemed in her memories.

    However, one thing that was different about him was those cold eyes of his. Never had he looked at her that coldly, and she could guess his reasoning behind doing so.

    It was right of him to hate her after all that had happened, and that caused her ?h?st to squeeze painfully. Although she wanted for him to hate her back then, it did not settle well with her.

    Even if she wanted for him to look at her with warmth in his eyes, she knew that wasn''t possible any longer after all that she had done. She treated the love and sincerity he showed to her like trash.

    Moon Jiwoo couldn''t guess why the man was right now, and having him stand before her was too intimidating to her. She had no idea on how to stare at the man before her or how to react to him. Her emotions were all a mess.

    There were lots of questions in her mind that she wanted to ask the man, but the courage wasn''t there within her to do so.

    She wanted to take another glance at the man, but she wasn''t able to bring herself to do so. Moon Jiwoo was trying her best to deny the truth, and looking at him once again would just confirm the reality for her.

    More than how much she wanted to see him, she did not want to meet him again. She wanted to avoid him as much as she wanted, but seeing how the man was here now, there was no way she was able to do so.

    Another realization sunk into her right then.

    It was the fact that he was the new owner to this place. That made sense, seeing how the shop was not open yet as she was waiting for the new owner, and it was about time for him to show up.

    Moreover, taking in how he matched the criteria for handsome and young, it was no doubt that he was the new owner to the place, and that just made her feel like more of a mess.

    She did not understand why would he be buying this place. Moreover, didn''t he have Underworld to take care of? Then, how did he find the time to do something like this?

    Judging from how he looked at her, she wasn''t able to see any signs of him trying to reconcile with her. From those cold eyes, she was sure that he hated her, and maybe there was a possiblity that he was here to hate upon her.

    Although slight, there were chances that she wasn''t the reason behind him purchasing this place, and he could have some other motive as well.

    "Are you the new owner to this place?" Youngjae questioned, staring at Sookyung.

    Sookyung stepped into the place and looked around the place. His eyes landed on Jiwoo for a second before staring at Youngjae.

    He nodded his head.

    Yura then stated, "Wow! You are really handsome! I feel like as if I am watching an angel. How can a person be this handsome?"

    At that moment, Moon Jiwoo mustered up all the courage she was able to and looked back to Oh Sookyung. The second she did that, both of their eyes fell on each other, and Jiwoo found herself growing anxious.

 Chapter 158 - New owner [2]

    Moon Jiwoo''s knees were starting to get weak, and the urge to run away from this situation increased within her.

    "Hello, I am Oh Sookyung, the new owner to this place," he introduced himself.

    Hearing his name and voice made the situation more realistic to her, and fear intensified within her, realizing that there was nothing she was able to do in that instant to escape from here.

    As the harsh reality hit her violently, Moon Jiwoo mustered up all of her courage and raised her line of sight. The moment her eyes connected with his she instantly looked towards the ground and bit her lip.

    Bowing down, she voiced out, "Welcome. I am Shin Daerin."

    After much thinking in her mind, she decided to treat him as a stranger. No matter what his purpose for being here at was, it was best for her to act as if she did not remember about him and show that she didn''t want to be entangled with the man again.

    The wounds she had received was starting to reopen. It appeared that she wasn''t as strong as she expected for herself to be, and her ?h?st clenched painfully at that realization.

    She was truly pathetic!

    While he was able to look all pathetic in front of her, here she was seeming all weak and vulnerable. She hated herself for not being able to maintain her composure before her.

    She wasn''t even able to stop herself from trembling!

    As if noticing how her voice had been shaky, Youngjae turned back and vocalised, "Are you fine, Noona? What''s the matter?"

    Moon Jiwoo raised her head and flashed the boy a small smile. In order to make others believe that she had nothing to do with Sookyung, she had to act as if everything was fine around everyone.

    "No, everything is fine. I feeling slightly dizzy. Now that both of you have seen him, why don''t you leave for University? I am sure I have to show the new owner around."

    More than how she did not want to be with Oh Sookyung, she did not want for the two of them to doubt the fact she and Sookyung were strangers.

    Unless or until she was able to come in terms with her emotions and fix them, she wanted to avoid meeting Sookyung before two of them.

    Yura nodded his head and said, "Handsome owner, don''t forget me! I will come to meet you later on, alright? I will be sure to take your number then! Since classes are about to start to start, I have to leave now regretfully. I really want to get to know you¡ª"

    Interrupting the girl, Youngjae grabbed her by the collar and pulled her before saying, "Well then, I will be taking my leave, and take care of yourself, Noona."

    As both of them had gone off, Moon Jiwoo turned her attention back to Sookyung, and placing on the professional smile she usually directed at the customers, she was proud of herself for finally being able to do so.

    "I apologise for the disturbance. Both of them are quite attached to the shop, and therefore, they wanted to check the new owner to this place.

    Should I offer you something to drink first or do you want to have a tour of the entire place although there is nothing much to look at?" Jiwoo spoke out.

    She was surprised herself when she realized that her voice did not crack in the middle neither did she sound shaky. It sound exactly the one she used with the customers at the place usually, and noticing how she was able to do so made her want to cheer loudly.

    It seems that this wasn''t as difficult as she had presumed for it to be in the beginning.

    "I suppose I will be going around the place first," Sookyung answered.

    There were no signs of confusion in Sookyung''s eyes, and she couldn''t see him mocking her in any way. Seeing how he was not mentioning the past, she reached into the conclusion that he must be wanting to ignore it as well although it was too soon for her to decide that.

    Thinking about it like that did give her a peace of mind.

    But a slight part within her was disappointed. Being treated as a stranger by Sookyung did manage to hurt some part within her, but she took that to be negligible.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "That''s all," Moon Jiwoo voiced out as both of them stepped into the front of the shop.

    She was done with introducing him with how things usually worked in this place and showed him around all the place. Throughout the entire time, she was able to maintain a professional air, which made her incredibly proud of herself.

    He nodded after a small ''hmm''.

    "Do let me know if there is something you want to change or any new rules that you want to add. If you want to hire anyone to work at here, just let me know about it. Since Boss will not be working at here anymore, I will be mainly looking after the things at here."

    "Are you competent enough?" he questioned.

    There was nothing particularly wrong with the question. As a owner to this place, it was normal for him to be concerned with the shop and ask such a question.

    But what managed to unsettle Moon Jiwoo was how his lips curved after those words left his mouth and the visible mock in his eyes. It clearly showed how he had no trust in her abilities.

    "Since owner had left this place in my care, I believe that I have enough capabilities to look after it, and if you have any problems with that, you can go ahead to test me. Of course, I am willing to leave if I am not capable of taking care of this place."

    "Well, it seems that you are not that confident of your abilities. Since it is too troublesome to hire someone new, you can manage this place on your own, but you need to get educated on the flowers at here more."

    "You don''t need to worry about that. I recognize all the flowers at here and can name them. I can fulfill all of the customer''s requests and make simple arrangements as well."

    "That was how things were previously. Since I am planning to expand this place, I need for you to be more competent. Certainly, I won''t be hesitating to fire you from here if you lack, but if you improve, you will get a raise in your pay."

    Losing work at here was one of those things she did not want. Getting a job that was able to provide for all of her necessities was difficult for Moon Jiwoo, and since this job managed to pay everything for her, she did not want to lose it.

    This was one of the main reasons she did not want to run away from Oh Sookyung.

    It goes without a doubt that it would be nearly impossible for her to find a job that would be paying this much, and hearing the name of the raise in pay made her more determined to stay at here.

    Maybe, like today, she would be able to put away her emotions when it came to work and be competent.

    Seeing how Sookyung acted, it appeared that he was serious about this place as well, and maybe both of them would be able to make it work.

    No, it was her who needed to work on her emotions since the man did not seem at all affected by her. Since he was all cool with it, she was determined to do the same as well.

    As a smile formed on her face, she said, "I will try my best to not disappoint you, Boss. As for what you need me to get educated on, do let me know about it beforehand so that I am able to prepare for it."

    Studying was one of those things that wasn''t difficult for Moon Jiwoo. With the brain she had got, she was able to memorize the things she had seen once, and due to this, she didn''t think that it would be possible for her to fail the requirements from her boss.

    "Follow me tomorrow to this place," he vocalised, "That will certainly help you."

    Although Moon Jiwoo wasn''t comfortable with travelling somewhere with him, she knew that this was for professional reasons. That''s why, mustering up all of her courage, she decided to agree with it.

    Nodding her head, she answered, "Yes, boss!"

 Chapter 159 - The garden [1]

    The place Oh Sookyung wanted to take her to was quite far, and therefore, both of them departed early in the morning.

    Although it was difficult for Jiwoo to wake up this early in the morning, she tried her best to not be late. There was no way she was going to let Oh Sookyung the benefit of looking down upon her.

    Moon Jiwoo drove both of them to the place, following the map. As Oh Sookyung was seated on the backseat, she was able to watch the male through the mirror before her.

    Fortunately enough, she seemed it important to take driving lessons and get a license after coming to the surface or else it would have gotten problematic for her today.

    An awkward silence surrounded both of them. Although Sookyung might have not seen it in the same way, this is what the air between two of them felt to Jiwoo.

    The atmosphere in the car felt almost suffocating to her, and being at such a small space with Oh Sookyung was one of those things she wasn''t comfortable with. But there was nothing that was able to be done regarding the current situation.

    She had to bear through it.

    It was tough for her to control herself and not to sneak glances at the man through the rearview. Knowing how sharp Sookyung''s senses were, she knew better than to give in to the temptation and stare at him.

    Moon Jiwoo coughed to ease the atmosphere a little, and she then mumbled, "We are almost close to that place."

    Shifting her line of sight a little, she glanced at the rearview in order to see the expression on Oh Sookyung''s face. There was nothing shown on that face of his, and it remained impassive.

    In that instant, his eyes met with hers through the rearview, and she had a feeling that he knew that she was staring at him.

    At the thought of getting caught, her heart started to beat rapidly while nervousness started to bloom within her, and hurriedly, she turned to look the other way.

    As much as she wanted to admire his features, she was somewhat scared. Although she was on board with the idea of being treated like a stranger, it did manage to make her feel afraid and insecure.

    Maybe this was because of how Sookyung currently did not seem like the one in her memories at all.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Once both of them reached the place, Oh Sookyung got down from the car and followed by Moon Jiwoo after she parked the car.

    Looking around the place, Jiwoo was able to see how this was a garden, and seeing how huge it was, she wondered who the place belonged to.

    She couldn''t help but gape at it. But realizing how mannerless she appeared in that moment, she fixed her expression and placed on a small smile on her face before anyone was able to notice it.

    This was her wonder about how Oh Sookyung was aware of this place.

    Following after the man before her, she stared at both of her sides and marvelled at the flowers. The scent of the flowers welcomed her, making her mood better.

    She felt slightly downcast due to this trip, but now that she was here, her mood was starting to get better until memories began to hit her.

    She recalled about how she used to wander at the garden in Sookyung''s palace, and thought of Oh Jihoon popped up in her mind because of that. She was b?r?ly able to meet the man before leaving, and she wondered how that brother of hers was doing.

    Although both of them managed to get close, because of her, they had to get separated sadly.

    Oh Sookyung''s steps came to a halt, and seeing him do that, she stopped walking as well, standing a step behind the tall man.

    Her eyes then fell on the middle-aged man approaching both of them, and this left her wondering on whether or not he was the owner to this wonderful place.

    "Oh Sookyung dear, you are finally here! I was waiting for you!" the man cheerfully voiced out, "And who is this lovely lady behind you?"

    Oh Sookyung nodded his head and introduced, "This is my employee, Shin Daerin. She is the one who will be helping you around the garden today, and please don''t hold back."

    Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows. She hadn''t heard anything about helping with the garden. He merely mentioned to her on how he will be educating her further on the flowers and all that.

    She couldn''t see how helping around the garden would be helping her much.

    Although the garden was filled with various sorts of flowers, she knew about most of them and also knew how to take care of them properly. Therefore, she wasn''t able to see the purpose of her learning from this place.

    "Excuse me?" she questioned, raising one of her eyebrows.

    Facing her, he curtly answered, "Didn''t you want to learn more about the flowers? Start from here."

    She nodded her head.

    Since he brought her to the garden and wanted her to help, there must be a purpose behind it. Probably there was a thing or two she would be able to learn from this place.

    After all, he would not be bringing her here without a reason and waste both his and her time. He wasn''t that immature in her eyes.

    Luckily, she was dressed comfortably for the day or else this would have become a problem for her. She was proud of herself for doing that.

    "Hello! I am Min Jaehwan," he voiced out, "The owner of this place. I am glad to have a help at here."

    Shaking her head, Jiwoo said, "I am also thankful that you are giving me an opportunity to learn, Jaehwan-ssi."

    "Do you want anything to eat?" he questioned.

    Before Jiwoo was able to answer to that, Sookyung stated, "She will be fine without that."

    Because of how she had to rush today, she forgot to have breakfast today and was quite starving. But seeing how Sookyung had already answered the man, it would seem too impolite of her to say in that moment.

    She just smiled at the man.

    It appeared that she had to deal with an empty stomach for now.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    It had been three hours since she had been working at the garden, and one thing she learned over this period of time was that working over at the garden wasn''t as easy as it usually appeared to the others.

    As she continued to plant the small flowers, she wiped away the sweat which formed on her forehead while a sigh escaped from her mouth.

    This was starting to get exhausting for her, and with her empty stomach, she already had a deficiency in energy.

    Jaehwan took a break earlier, and both him and Sookyung was resting under the shade. Staring at both of them made her envious, but there was nothing she was able to do about it.

    Although Jaehwan was the owner of the place, it was Oh Sookyung who ?ssigned her to work around her, and it seemed that he wanted to keep her as occupied as possible.

    Even though Jaehwan asked for him to give her her a break, Sookyung did not agree to it and insisted that she was fine.

    Despite of how much angry Moon Jiwoo was and wanted to give the male a piece of her mind, she wasn''t able to do anything like that. He was her boss, and she wanted to try to maintain an amiable relationship with her.

    She wasn''t the same girl as before who acted impulsively, and she was willing to show that to him. If she got angry with him, Jiwoo did not know what she might say to him.

    The control she had over her temper was better now, but once she had lost it, she herself wasn''t sure what she ended up blurting.

    That''s why, although it was difficult, she continued work by putting in all of her effort.

    ''Moon Jiwoo, fighting! You will be able to do this!''

 Chapter 160 - The garden [2]

    Moon Jiwoo did not know whether or not to curse at herself for being this clumsy or target it towards Sookyung for being this heartless.

    This actually brought her back to the memories of when she had first met the boy. At that time, she took the boy to be completely heartless and ungrateful before he began to get softer with her.

    That was a side of his she started to get used to, and due to that, she totally forgot about how he used to be in the beginning.

    However, although he was not a nice fellow then, because of how she had the upper hand at that time, she did not find herself being much affected by his antics.

    But this was a different case.

    This time around he was truly the superior one, and there was nothing she was able to beat him in. No matter how much she tried, she could not think of a way she would be able to dominate the male.

    Because of how she messed up some of the flowers, she had to stay and fix them during the time she was supposed to have her lunch. Therefore, this is how she got stuck with gardening while Sookyung and Jaehwan happily enjoyed their meal.

    Of course, believing that she was a m?tur? person, who did not take out her anger on others because of her mistake, she did not lash out at Sookyung when he mentioned on how she would not be able to have lunch unless she was done with all of this.

    Surely, he doesn''t have any personal grudge against her. This was only due to how she caused a mistake, and if it wasn''t for that, he would have allowed her to enjoy lunch.

    He was merely being a strict boss¡ª nothing Moon Jiwoo can''t handle.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    By the time it was ten in the night, Moon Jiwoo was still starving, and she was unable to take in a glass of water due to how busy she was kept throughout the entire time.

    When it was time for the dinner, Sookyung and Jaehwan dined alone without giving her a chance to say anything. Although the middle-aged man looked at her with pity in his eyes¡ª not that it helped in any way¡ª he was completely helpless against Oh Sookyung.

    Now, that she was finally done with all the work ?ssigned to her, she was about to inform Sookyung about the entire thing and see his reaction.

    But before she was able to approach the male, she heard the conversation between him and Jaehwan. Instinctively, she hid behind the wall at that.

    Seeing how she was hiding, she scolded herself. It wasn''t as if she did anything wrong; she couldn''t see the purpose of concealing herself from Oh Sookyung.

    But before she was able to bring herself out from the hiding spot, the snippets of their conversation reached into her ear, and seeing how her name was mentioned, she hid behind the wall again.

    "Aren''t you being too cruel that girl, Shin Daerin? She hadn''t eaten anything, and she must be starving. You shouldn''t be hard on such a small girl," Jaehwan started.

    Moon Jiwoo found herself agreeing with the words she heard from Jaehwan, and she nodded her head along with it while a small smile formed on her face.

    "It''s fine. Nothing will be happening to her. She will survive," Sookyung stated.

    "I guess, but can''t you see how difficult it is on her? It''s not as if I needed help with those things in the first place. Are you taking revenge on her for something?"

    Moon Jiwoo found her ears perking up due to those words.

    "I guess you can put it in that way. I hate her, and let''s just say torturing her like this pleases me," Sookyung vocalised, "I want to see her in more pain."

    Moon Jiwoo would be lying if she mentioned how those words of his did not affect her at all.

    Because in reality, they did manage to hurt her pretty badly.

    Jiwoo felt as if a sharp sword was driven through the ?h?st as those words of his reached into her ear, and for couple of seconds, she found it hard to breath.

    Raising her hand, she placed her palm against her mouth in order to prevent herself from making any noise, and it felt as if her ?h?st was being ripped into two pieces.

    Yes, she did expect for the man to be angry at her, and it was reasonable for him to be so. But being treated this way by him caused a part of her to be torn apart, and tears glistened at the corner of her eyes.

    But there was no way she was going to allow those tears to fall down. No matter how hard it was for her, Jiwoo was not going to let herself fall that weak.

    ''Fuck about him being a strict boss! He is a petty ?sshole that needs to be taught a lesson! He doesn''t have a personal grudge against me! Why did I even think that high of this son of a bitch!? Seriously! Does he need to be that immature about it!?

    Why can''t he just approach me and shout at me? Won''t that be making the things better? Why do you have to do this behind my back? You ?sshole! You sneaky bastard!

    Why can''t I just hate you after this? Why can''t I just slap you after this? How long do I have to blame myself and feel like shit?

    No, Moon Jiwoo, what are you thinking about? If he wants to take revenge on me, that would be great. In that way, I will be able to erase all the emotions I have towards the male, and he would be able to satisfy himself as well. In the end of this, I might hate him completely instead of feeling guilt!''

    With that, Moon Jiwoo started to think optimistically. Maybe instead of him treating her nonchalantly, this is what she needed. This would be the best for both of them.

    By this way, she would be successful in getting rid of her love and guilt towards him¡ª something she tried to erase for years but remained unsuccessful toward the very end unfortunately.

    With a smile on her face, she placed on a joyful expression on her face, and there was no way she was going to show any signs of sadness on her face. If he was happy with her suffering, then so be it.

    Gathering up all of her courage, she walked out of her hiding spot and walked towards the both of the males. Spotting both of the male, she bowed at them.

    Due to how suddenly she bowed at them, due to how exhausted she was, she felt slightly dizzy, and she stumbled little backwards. For that, she found herself feeling embarrassed as how she wasn''t still comfortable with others seeing her weak.

    "If you are done with the work, then return home on you own. I will be staying here," Sookyung voiced out.

    Moon Jiwoo was shocked at what she had just heard from this.

    She couldn''t believe that he was telling a young girl to return home on her own when that could be potentially dangerous for her. Moreover, Jiwoo was clueless on where this place was.

    ''Wow! You ?sshole! I will seriously hate you if things go this way! But this is for the best! If you think that things are going in your way, you are wrong. Actually, you are the one who is following my lead. That''s why, keep up with it, buddy!''

    Thinking about it like that took way most of her negative emotions from her, and a smile formed on her face at that. The sparkle in her eyes showed how genuinely happy she was due to this.

    This did manage to make the man opposite to her quite confused although he did not show that upon his features.

    Nodding her head, she said, "Well then, I will be on my way, Boss! Have a fun time at here! Bye! Jaehwan-ssi, have a good time as well! Doing this was great, and I hope that I will be having an opportunity to visit here again as well!

    If you need help here, don''t hesitate to call me again. One more thing, I got to learn a lot from you today, and thanks for that!"

    With that, she turned her back on both of them and began to walk away. The confusion on Sookyung''s face became more evident while he called after her.

    "Shin Daerin, wait up!"

 Chapter 161 - Drunk [1]

    Moon Jiwoo was starting to regret her decision of teleporting all the way back.

    Fortunately, she just had blood yesterday, and therefore, it wasn''t that bad. However, with all those exhaustion, it was a foolish idea for her to teleport all the way at here.

    But taking a cab would be only taking long, seeing how far that place was from her apartment, and therefore, although it was more or less risky, she decided to teleport all the way here.

    Falling back on her couch, Jiwoo leaned against the soft material, and all the muscles in her body ached terribly. All the joy she felt back then was erased while groans escaped from her mouth.

    Hearing her stomach growl, she extended her hand towards it and patted on the flat surface. Hunger was crawling in her stomach, and she better eat something before she collapsed due to the hunger.

    That''s then, her phone started to ring, and she wondered who the call possibly could be from. Raising her phone, she saw Youngjae''s name on top of the screen, and letting out a sigh, she received his call.

    "Hello," she voiced out, placing the phone beside her ear. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax herself.

    "Noona, are you back?" he questioned.

    "Yeah," she answered, "I just returned now."

    "Did you have dinner?" he enthusiastically asked.

    "No, I was about to have dinner. Why?" she questioned.

    "That''s great! Open your door, Noona. I am waiting under your apartment with dinner," he vocalized.

    Hearing those words of his caused her to open her eyes, and a smile formed on her face at that. She was starving, and there was no food in her house. She thought of ordering some food, but now that he was here with dinner, there was no need for that.

    "Oh! Really!? You didn''t have to do that, but I am really grateful! You are the best!" she exclaimed.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Picking up the glass of soju, she wondered for about a minute whether or not to drink it. Creases formed between both of her eyebrows she did that.

    There was a high possibility that she would be ending up with a headache, and seeing how she had to go to work tomorrow, that was most definitely not a smart decision.

    But then, today, she was too stressed, and she needed alcohol to release herself. Without the liquor, she did not think that she would be able to get herself to sleep.

    Now that Sookyung was here, she was starting to suffer from insomnia since she spent most of her night, thinking of the male, and that''s why, drinking alcohol might help her to distract herself from the male.

    Even if it was for an hour or so, she wanted to forget about the male although she might regret in the morning when it would feel as if pounds of bricks attacked her.

    "What are you thinking too much about, Noona?" he questioned. "Just drink it."

    "Right, I should just drink this. Let''s think about tomorrow later on. Even ?du?ts have the right to be irresponsible."

    With that, she gulped down the drink in her glass, and creases appears between both of her eyebrows as the sharp taste hit her tongue. She placed down the glass on top of the table and let out a chuckle.

    Soju in her system would surely make her feel better!

    Raising the green glass bottle, Youngjae poured some of the drink on the glass before her, and Jiwoo raised it, he asked, "Did something happen, Noona?"

    He then added, "You seem to be in a bad mood. Did anything go wrong during that trip?"

    Drinking that glass of soju, she vocalised, "It''s an ?du?t matter. A kid like you won''t understand, but thanks for the concern."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Around an hour had passed since both of them had started to drink, and by now, they have finished couple of bottles of soju.

    Tears streamed down both of Moon Jiwoo''s eyes as she slammed the glass on top of the table, and raising her head, she stared at Sookyung. A pout formed on her face.

    Moon Jiwoo was completely drunk due to the alcohol she had. Once she started to drink, she lost all of her control, and by now, she wasn''t sure of how much she drank.

    As for Youngjae, he was much more sober compared to her, and it seemed that he hadn''t lost his senses until now. With a smile on his face, he watched the girl before.

    However, seeing those tears in her eyes caused him to raise one of his eyebrows while he waited for the girl to start speaking.

    "He is such a scumbag. I know that it was my fault to leave him that cruelly, but I didn''t have any choice you know. It''s not like I wanted to leave him.

    I was ready to accept him being cold to me, but he is crossing the line now! He is being too mean, and I want to kill him so badly! He is such an ?sshole! Why can''t he just fu?k?n? die? That son of a bitch!

    Hush. You can''t say this to anyone, alright? It really hurts me when he looks at me like that. Why can''t he just normally talk to me? Why does he have to treat me this way? Is it bad for me to expect for him to love me after all that had happened?"

    More tears started to flow down both of her eyes, and it was clear to him on how the girl before her was heartbroken. All the pain she felt was clearly shown on her face, and in that moment, she was absolutely vulnerable.

    Standing up, Youngjae made his way over to the girl and sat down beside her. Extending his hand towards her, he held her shoulder and patted it softly. While a downcast expression sat on his face, he wore a small smile on his face.

    "Whoever that jerk is, I will beat him up for you, alright? Don''t cry," he voiced out.

    Moon Jiwoo raised her head to stare at him and stated, "Really? You will beat him up for me? Promise? You can''t go back on your word, alright?"

    "Yeah, I will do that for you," he answered.

    Giggles escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth once she heard those words from him, and tears stopped flowing down her eyes. A smile formed on her face.

    "Thank you, Youngjae! You are really the best little brother! Sometimes I feel as if both of us are connected by blood!" she enthusiastically said.

    "Little brother hmm," he spoke out.

    "Let''s drink more, alright!" she exclaimed.

    Seeing how Moon Jiwoo was about to touch the soju bottle, he extended his hand towards her and pulled away the bottle from her.

    Shaking his head, he voiced out, "No more drinking for you, now, Noona, or else you will be regretting it tomorrow morning. Now, get to bed. You look exhausted."

    "No, I am not exhausted. I can drink more. Give that to me," she vocalised while she was about to take the bottle from him.

    However, Youngjae raised the bottle, making it out of her reach, and noticing that, Moon Jiwoo stretched her back and hand so that she will be able to take the bottle from him.

    But her height was quite low compared to the male, and no matter how hard she tried, her hand wasn''t able to touch that bottle.

    However, before she was able to do that, she stumbled in her steps slightly, and as she was unable to maintain her balance, she fell forward.

    Noticing that, Youngjae''s eyes widened, and he grabbed her waist in order to secure the girl. But due to her weight, both of them fell towards the ground, and she laid on top of the male.

    A wince escaped from her mouth due to the pain, and as Moon Jiwoo raised her head, her eyes met with the ones of the boy''s. Seeing that, giggles was starting to escape from her mouth.

    "You are so cute, Youngjae-ah," she confessed.

    Her concentration was removed from the alcohol, and she continued to stare at Youngjae''s face. Youngjae did the same as well. Both of them did not move their gazes from each other before Moon Jiwoo let out a yawn.

    "I am sleepy," she commented before placing her head on his ?h?st.

    After that, she closed her eyes and let herself drift into the Dreamland while a smile sat on her face. Seeing how the things progressed managed to surprise the male.

    "Are you asleep, Noona?" He asked.

    Seeing how he wasn''t getting any response to those words of his, he ?ssumed that she had fallen asleep, and raising his head, he patted her head before saying, "Why can''t you forget that person and fall for me, Noona? I won''t give you any pain. I promise."

 Chapter 162 - Drunk [2]

    A terrible headache went through her head when as she opened her eyes and welcomed in the light. A groan escaped from her lips while her eyes fell on the bright light.

    The pain permeated through her entire head, and she started to scold herself for getting too emotional last night.

    With such a pain in her head, the last thing she wanted to do right now was go to work, but not wanting to be called irresponsible, she decided to suck it up.

    She was an ?du?t! Such an amount of pain shouldn''t stop her from doing anything.

    Pulling the blanket off of her, she sat on the bed, and while she was about to stand up, the door to her room was pushed open. Shocked that someone was in her apartment, she turned her head towards the door.

    Her eyes fell on Youngjae, and his smiling face caused relief to spread through her. Then, recalling about all that had happened last night, embarrassment started to fill her.

    Although she was the older one here, she ended up showing such a side of hers to him, and he probably had to end up taking care of her throughout the entire night.

    Moon Jiwoo knew how troublesome she could get when she was drunk, especially yesterday when her emotions was a total mess.

    After what had happened yesterday, she was sure that Youngjae''s opinion of her changed and did not know how to meet eyes with the younger boy.

    Last night, she had thought wrong when she ?ssumed that getting drunk would be making her feel better. Instead of that, it made her feel worse and want to bang her head against the wall.

    "Noona, you are awake! Hurry up after washing up! I made some hangover soup for you. You were really drunk yesterday; you might feel better after that," the boy said.

    Guilt was clearly visible in her eyes while she voiced out, "I am sorry for yesterday. It must have been hard on you, right?"

    "No, I did not mind it. In fact, I was really happy to see that this side of yours exists. You are so m?tur? all the times that it seemed unreal. But it seems that you can get angry and hurt as well, Noona. This was as if I figured out a new side of yours," he vocalised

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle and stated, "This makes me wonder about what type of person I was in your eyes beforehand, but I am glad. I kind of blacked out and don''t remember half of it. However, I just hope that I didn''t do anything terrible."

    "Noona, don''t worry. You were quite tame. I am used to handling Yura, and you know how terrible her habits are."

    Moon Jiwoo simply laughed.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Raising the spoon before her, Moon Jiwoo took a sip out of the soup, and as the content touched her taste buds, she wore a smile on her face.

    Staring at the male opposite to her, she spoke out, "Wow! This is really good! This is most definitely better than mine!"

    "Being acquainted with Yura for years is the reason behind this," he voiced out, "I don''t even know how many hangover soup I made for that girl."

    Moon Jiwoo let out a giggle and vocalised, "You really bring Yura into all of the conversations. Although how both of you are at each other''s neck all the times, two of you really care for each other. It''s cute. I wish I had a friendship like both of you when I was of your age."

    "It is nothing to be envious of, and don''t you have me right now, Noona? Don''t worry! I prefer you over Yura anyday," he stated.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Giggles escaped from Moon Jiwoo''s mouth at the joke the boy made while both of them walked into the shop.

    After Moon Jiwoo was done with breakfast, the boy decided to accompany her to the shop, and since she had no problem with it, she allowed the boy to follow her.

    As he opened the door before her, she let out a chuckle and walked into the place before saying, "Well then, go back to university now."

    He nodded and stated, "My phone will explode from all the messages from Yura if I wait a second longer. She is so troublesome! Bye, Noona!"

    As Moon Jiwoo nodded, the male turned her back on her after a wave and started to walk away. Smiling at his distancing back, Moon Jiwoo tilted to face the interior of the shop.

    That''s when, her eyes fell on Oh Sookyung. The male leaned against the wall while he had his arms folded over his ?h?st. A cold look was present in his eyes as usual while his jaws were slightly clenched.

    "You are late by a minute. Since this is the first time, I will be overlooking it, but from the next time onwards, a portion of your salary will be cut if you are late by a second."

    ''It''s just a second.''

    That''s what Moon Jiwoo wanted to say and roll her eyes, but she remained silent. Bowing at the man before him, she looked down at the ground while a docile expression sat upon her features.

    "I apologise, Boss," she voiced out.

    "You are already late. Don''t waste anymore trouble, and arrange all the flowers that had just arrived. After you are done for the day, follow me to this place," he ordered.

    Moon Jiwoo nodded her head.

    The instructions for the day was simple, but she wondered about the place she will be going with him. Since she was not still comfortable with him, it was one of those things she wanted to avoid.

    But now that he was her boss, there was no way she would be able to say something like that directly to his face.

    Although he wasn''t being professional¡ª at least with how things went yesterday¡ª she knew that she shouldn''t be dropping her facade.

    Moreover, she was determined to go through all of his torture and get herself to hate him at the end of it. Right now the anger she felt towards him wasn''t enough.

    She wanted it to be more than the one she had towards him during their early days together; she wanted it to be to the point that she wouldn''t regret it after killing him.

    "Where will we be going, boss?" She questioned.

    She was a young woman, and going late night with a male was most definitely not safe for her. After how she had teleported yesterday, it would not be safe for her to do so again at least for a week.

    It''s not as if Moon Jiwoo did not trust Oh Sookyung; it was just the fact that she thought that this was a question she deserved an answer to.

    No matter how much Sookyung hated her and wanted to make her suffer, she was aware that he would not be going that low no matter how his personality was.

    The most he would do to her is physically wear her down until the point she was unable to lift a finger or anger her with his words.

    "You will get to know when you are at that place," he stated.

    "I think I have the right to know," Jiwoo said, "After all, there were no talks about me working overtime, and since this is after work, boss, you should let me know about it. I can reject you if I want. This shouldn''t relate to work."

    Curving the corner of his lips to show mock, he said, "What to do? I am quite petty. Although this might not be in your working time, I will get angry if you reject me, and this will surely be affecting your work. Moreover, since I am the boss at here, I believe that I get to have the final say over all the rules."

    Seeing how Moon Jiwoo felt angered after listening to those words of his, she felt a sense of accomplishment go through her. This is how she wanted to feel.

    Although it wasn''t enough for her to land a punch on his face right then, it was close enough, and for that moment, this much would be the best for her.

    Biting the corner of her lips, she stopped the smile from forming and voiced out, "If you put it that way, there is nothing I will be able to do, Boss! Yes, I will follow you obediently after the work is done."

    "I will be leaving now," he stated, "One more thing, there are too many dusts at here. Make sure to clean it all up after closing up the shop. If you do it sloppily, remember that you will not be getting your bonus. In fact, clean the shop daily, and make it spotless."

    ''That son of a bitch!''

 Chapter 163 - Totally shameless [1]

    Although Moon Jiwoo''s anger for the male wasn''t to the level that she would be killing him, it was to the extent that she wanted to punch the male and lash out on him.

    For the past month, he made her overwork daily, and her weekends were not even relaxing due to his constant demands. He made her wake early in the morning in order to come to the shop.

    Moon Jiwoo had no clue on from where he was able to find so many customers, but due to them, the store was packed all the time without giving her a time to rest.

    She did suggest to him to hire a part timer, but he mentioned on how her salary will be reduced to pay the part-timer. That was enough to make her shut up, and she never suggested about that thing to Sookyung again.

    At this point, Moon Jiwoo did not know why should she be working this hard. It''s not like she is a m?s??h?st in the first place.

    All the guilt she felt was starting to diminish, and if things went that way, sooner or later, she is bound to be able to have the motivation to beat him up.

    But that wasn''t enough for her to maintain a cheerful mood today. Her muscles were killing her, and with the piled up frustration within her, she was aware that getting a drink in this moment would be perfect.

    As Youngjae grilled the pork, Moon Jiwoo and Yura raised the cup of beer and gulped it down in one sip. A wince escaped from their mouth after she did that.

    "I want the old boss back. Oh Sookyung is an ?sshole! He tortured me terribly over this month! I don''t think that I worked this hard ever in my life," Jiwoo said, letting out a groan while a sigh escaped from her mouth.

    The only reason she was able to find time to have drink was because of how Sookyung was out of town and luckily enough, he was smart enough to not take her along with him.

    Moreover, he did not ?ssign her with much task before leaving, and the customers today were less as well.

    After all the torture, Jiwoo considered the day to be a blessing!

    "I feel bad for you, Unnie! Look how thin you have gotten. Why do you even endure that boss of yours?

    Although he is drop dead handsome, he is terrible for making you work this much. If I was you, I would have broken all the flower pots on his head. Because of him, I am unable to meet up with you anymore."

    "You are right! He is terrible! That scumbag! I have no problem with working overtime and on the weekends as long as I am paid enough for it. But no, that jerk is not increasing my salary after making me work this much.

    Your idea is great! One of these days I will seriously throw those flower pots on top of his head and make him regret messing with him. That son of a bitch! Do I look like a pushover or something!?

    And what''s so handsome about him? Because of those looks of his, there are more customers coming in the shop! I don''t even know what those ladies see in him. He is so ugly! It would be great if there were no customers! It''s not as if my salary go down or up if that happened."

    After those words left her mouth, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on Yura and Youngjae, who were opposite to her, and the reflection in their eyes caused her to blink her multiple number of times in order to make sure that she wasn''t hallucinating due to being drunk.

    That''s when she felt a hand on top of her shoulder, and at the contact, a chill went down her back. She knew who that hand belonged to perfect and gulped because of that.

    "Daerin-ssi, that''s quite a wish you have. It''s nice to see someone as fresh as you. Very rarely would one wish for their workplace to make no profits."

    Embarrassment filled Moon Jiwoo after hearing those words, and she wondered what the man was doing at this place. She clearly remembered how he mentioned about returning tomorrow, and even so, he would not have been able to find her in this place.

    Forcing out a smile on her face, she looked back to face him and voiced out, "What are you doing here, Boss? About what you have just heard, I ?ssure you that there was seriously a misunderstanding."

    Before Sookyung was able to say anything, Yura added, "Yeah, Unnie wasn''t badmouthing you or anything. It''s just that this month had been terrible for her, and this was the first time she found working at the flower shop insufferable. That''s all about it."

    Moon Jiwoo did not whether to laugh or slam her head due to Yura''s words. Maybe she would have gone for the former one if it wasn''t for the fact how nervous Sookyung made her feel in this moment.

    Raising his hand, Youngjae hit Yura at the back of her head and stated, "You idiot, didn''t I tell you to talk as less as possible?"

    Turning her head to face the male, she glared at him and vocalised, "What did I do? I was just being honest!"

    Letting out a sigh, Youngjae raised his chopsticks, and picking up some piece of pork with them, he placed it inside her mouth before said, "Just don''t say anything and keep on eating. That''s the only thing you should use your mouth for."

    After scoffing, Yura continued to eat the pork.

    Moon Jiwoo, on the other hand, did not know how to fix the situation. Nonetheless, she did not find herself caring much about it. It was his fault for eavesdropping on her after all.

    Nonetheless, not wanting to make the air around them more awkward, she spoke out, "If that''s settled and you have nothing more to do, Boss, I will be going back to eating. Then, bye."

    As Moon Jiwoo was able to turn her head towards the food, Oh Sookyung grabbed her by the collar and turned her back.

    "Who said that I have nothing to do with you right now? Of course because I want something from you that I have come to this place."

    As much she wanted to give him a black eye¡ª although that would not be lasting with his healing abilities¡ª creating a scene at a restaurant wasn''t her cup of tea, and therefore, she held back her fist.

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to retort to that, Youngjae got up from his chair and made her way over to the girl. Wearing a smile on his face, he gripped on to Sookyung''s wrist.

    He then said, "It is not polite to hold a girl you are not close to by her collar, Sookyung-ssi. I am sure that you both are not in a position to do that.

    That''s why, I would prefer for you to refrain yourself. Moreover, since the time for her work is over, I don''t believe that she was any responsibility to report to you. What you are doing right now can be reported to the police."

    Hearing those words from Youngjae made Moon Jiwoo almost tear up. She was touched by how the male stood up for her, something that did not happen, and if it wasn''t for the situation, she would have given the male a hug.

    Nonetheless, that did not mean that she was willing to offend Oh Sookyung right then. She had to pay her rent and bills soon, and without the salary, it would not be possible for her to do so.

    That''s why, she had to keep this job unless she found some other job to replace it.

    It was not as if Moon Jiwoo did not consider job hunting. But the matter was that she was too busy to that these days. It was not as if she would be able to trouble Youngjae and Yura with something like this.

    Moreover, finding a job that paid as much as her current place was no easy matter and it was bound to take a lot of effort.

    Oh Sookyung let go of his grip on Moon Jiwoo''s collar, and noticing that, Youngjae released his hold on Sookyung''s wrist. A smile formed on Jiwoo''s face at that.

    "Since it would not be right for me to do that, I will be joining for dinner with you all. I ?ssume that you will not be having a problem with that."

    ''Wow! You are really shameless to intrude like this. You even know that no one will be able to reject you.''

    "No, it''s absolutely fine, boss," Jiwoo sweetly stated.

 Chapter 164 - Totally shameless [2]

    The current situation was much more annoying for Moon Jiwoo. Maybe she should have declined Oh Sookyung when the male wanted to sit beside her because the situation right now wasn''t something she wanted to deal with.

    With Oh Sookyung on her one side and Youngjae on her other, she could only stare at Yura to plead for help with her eyes. But it didn''t seem as if the girl got the indication until now or even if she got it, she was trying to ignore it on purpose.

    The temperature inside the restaurant was already high enough and with both of them seated beside her, she started to find herself sweating. Heat was one of those things she loathed, and she did not want to turn red due to high temperature.

    But it appeared that neither of the male was getting a clue to how uncomfortable she was or even if they got it, they did not care about how she felt at that moment.

    Both of them glared at each other subtly while eating the food while sitting in between of both of them was starting to make her nervous. If this continued, Moon Jiwoo believed that she would be exploding due to the anger blooming within her.

    What did the two of them take her as?

    Probably it would be wise for her to get up instead of both of them since neither of them was planning to stand. Since both of them preferred their company this much, it would be for the best if she did not interrupt and got up from there.

    But before she was able to do that, Youngjae picked up a piece of meat from the grill using his chopsticks and placed it on top of her bowl. Then, he flashed her a smile, and she was envious of him to be able to smile at this situation.

    "Noona, you b?r?ly ate anything. Don''t be so reserved," he vocalised.

    Moon Jiwoo wanted to correct himself and mention how it was not because of how she was reserved but rather due to how uncomfortable the situation was making her. However, since she knew how to be polite, she refrained herself from saying anything.

    As Moon Jiwoo about to eat that piece of pork after smiling at Youngjae, the male on her other side ordered, "Pour me some beer."

    As much as Jiwoo wanted to yell at him to do his work on his own, she wasn''t that fond of creating a scene, and therefore, placing her chopsticks down, she was about to do as he ordered her before Youngjae stopped her by gripping on to her wrist.

    Surprised by the male''s action, Moon Jiwoo turned her head to face him, raising one of her eyebrows.

    "Noona, you are forgetting one thing. You are currently not in your work place. That''s why, you can reject him. You don''t need to follow his words," he spoke out.

    ''Youngjae-ah, you do realize that you are creating more trouble for me. Seeing how petty Sookyung is, he will definitely take revenge for this at the work.''

    But those words did not leave her mouth. She knew that Youngjae was doing this out of his care for Moon Jiwoo, and that was something she quite appreciated. Therefore, she did not say anything to warn or stop the boy.

    After all, regardless of what one''s age was, being cared for was really an amazing thing.

    Oh Sookyung scoffed and poured himself a drink before raising his glass and drinking down the content in one gulp. His eyes glared at both of them while he did so.

    Moon Jiwoo wanted to point out how none of this was her fault, and it was not as if she declined on pouring him a drink. It should be only Youngjae that the male should be glaring at.

    But knowing that it would be too intimidating for the younger male to bear the fierce glare alone, Jiwoo, as an ?du?t, decided to share the burden of it as well with a smile on her face.

    A thought of how the night was too long went through her. There was no way she would be able to leave first with how the situation was. It would be too rude of her to leave her boss with two strangers.

    Moreover, she was careful about offending the male sitting beside her. After all, he was the one who held the final say to her rent for this month.

    There was only one thing she could hope for right now. That was for the owner to close the shop. She wondered what was wrong with the owner to this place today. Usually, the old woman was eager to close the store early, but she couldn''t see the sign of that happening today.

    Finding the entire world to be against her, Moon Jiwoo decided to drink away all of her grievances. About the mistakes she created when she was drunk, Jiwoo did not care about it. Then again, most didn''t think about the next day when they were this tempted to drink.

    Instead of reaching out for the glass, she went for the entire bottle and started to drink the alcohol. Maybe getting drunk would be able to calm all of her nerves down because there was no chances of that happening while she was sober.

    "Go easy, Noona," Youngjae said, "It is running away from you."

    She was very tempted to glare at the male and voice out about how she was discontent with him. But to the very end, she kept her lips sealed unless it was to take a sip out of the drink.

    ''You jerk, it is because of you that I am drinking in the first place!''

    No, this wasn''t supposed to be Youngjae''s fault. In fact, he tried to help her from Sookyung, and knowing how sweet the male was, she was sure that he did it because of Sookyung.

    Turning her head to face the male on the other side, she raised her hand and pointed her index her finger at him. As the figure in front of her seemed blurry, she blinked her eyes multiple number of times so that she is able to take a clear view of him.

    "You, Oh Sookyung, You bastard! I hate you! You son of¡ª"

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to continue further, she felt a palm on top of her mouth, preventing her from speaking further, and the contact made her feel quite displeased. Frowns formed between both of her eyebrows due to it.

    "Noona, as much as I want you to let all of your frustrations out, please don''t do something you will be regretting tomorrow," he stated.

    Moon Jiwoo let out her voice of protest, but it came out muffled due to his hand. That led her to turn her head and glare at the younger male. Being held like this was something she quite disliked, especially now that she had got a lot to say.

    Youngjae then continued, "Since Noona is completely wasted right now, it would be for the best if she went home now. Then, Sookyung-ssi, I will be taking my leave with Noona. You can eat at here for as long as you like, and you, Yura, follow after me."

    "So soon? I haven''t even ate properly until now. You know for how long I have craved for this," Yura vocalised while a pout formed on her face.

    "You glutton, you ate enough and you can eat it some other day. It is not as if you will never be able to taste it again," Youngjae said.

    Hearing those words of his caused a sigh to escape from the girl''s mouth, and looking down at the ground, she stood up. Her face showed how dissatisfied with how the things turned out to be.

    Holding the girl with care, he stood up, and wrapping his hand around Jiwoo, he balanced the giggling girl.

    But before he was able to start walking with Jiwoo, Sookyung gripped on to the girl''s hand in order to stop her.

    Noticing that, the male turned backwards and raised one of his eyebrows, waiting for an answer from Oh Sookyung.

    Sookyung then said, "You can stay here to eat with Yura-ssi. I can take her home. I am in no mood for me to eat here at the first place."

    At those words of his, the expression on Youngjae''s face became grim and he vocalised, "There is no need for you to do that, and I don''t think it would be proper for a strange to take her home."

    "This is not the first time I am taking her home, and I am her boss."

    A sparkle appeared in Yura''s eyes while she stated, "Yeah, he is her boss. There is nothing wrong with Sookyung-ssi taking her home. You are overreacting! Now I can stay at here and eat."

 Chapter 165 - Acting Skills [1]

    The cool air hit her face while she walked through the street. Although she was still drunk, compared to before, she was much more sober, seeing how she managed to walk properly without losing her balance.

    Beside her was Oh Sookyung, and the male stares straight while both of them walked beside each other.

    All the nerves that she felt other times she was beside the male was no longer there because of the alcohol and she was feeling much more brazen right now.

    There was no anxiety within her, and she felt as if she would be able to reveal about all of her deepest feelings towards him right now.

    The control over her mouth that she had currently was very low, and all the pent up frustrations was irritating her and wanted for her to let them out at the male beside her.

    Nevertheless, seeing how Sookyung did not say anything, she made sure to be silent as well and count each footsteps she took towards her apartment.

    There was an awkward silence between both of them, and the drunk Jiwoo was eager to break this. Maybe she should start the conversation.

    Without caring about the consequences, she vocalised, "You, New Boss, you don''t need to walk me home. It just makes the things terrible."

    "Is that so? Then, I will be leaving," he spoke out.

    His words took Moon Jiwoo by surprise. Although she was discontent with how he was the one taking her home, that did not mean that she would be satisfied if he left her at here. After all, she was a girl and drunk; it only seemed right of him to take her home.

    Noticing how the male turned his back on her and was about to walk away, Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened, and instantly, she grabbed on to the arm of the male in order to stop him from taking a step further.

    "You are leaving just like that? Aren''t you too rude?" she questioned.

    Raising one of his eyebrows, he turned his head back to face the girl and pointed out, "Aren''t you worse for being ungrateful to the person who offered to take you home?"

    "You are right about that," she said, "I want to talk to you. Why don''t you come to my house?"

    Seeing how Moon Jiwoo was swaying lightly as those words left her mouth, he commented, "Talk? I don''t think you are at a state to do that."

    As she felt the figure before her go blurry, she blinked her eyes multiple times in order to fix the view, and when she managed to see Sookyung clearly again, couple of giggles escaped from her mouth.

    "Ah! Then, let''s talk here, you petty son of a bitch!"

    "Petty son of a bitch?" he enunciated.

    Moon Jiwoo nodded her head couple of times before continuing, "Yeah, that''s what you are being right now. I know that you are doing all of this to torture me!

    Can''t you just grow up or something? I don''t even see the use of hanging on to the past and doing something like this. Does this make you happy, you ?sshole!? Aish! You jerk, talking with you infuriates me!"

    Instead of getting angered due to her words, he let out a chuckle, and his eyes showed how amused he was. But mixed with that was hint of mock that the drunk Jiwoo was unable perceive.

    "At least your drunk self is much more honest than your sober one."

    Ignoring that sentence from him, she spoke out, "I don''t know what games you are trying to play, but can''t you just leave me out of it? I seriously don''t like you anymore and wanted to stay away from you, You Dog!"

    "I can''t do that," he answered.

    This time it seemed that she properly understood his words, and finding herself being angry due to those words of his, she raised her leg to kick on his shin while her eyes started to glare at the male before her. She couldn''t believe that he had the audacity to say something like this.

    It appeared as if her attack had no affect on him, and he did not seem to budge from his position or flinch slightly. Then, she remembered about how weak she was compared to before, and that saddenned her.

    Before she was able to make the man cry out due to pain, but now, she wasn''t even able to hurt the man before her. It did make her feel pathetic.

    "Why are you doing this? Why? Is it fun to see me suffer like this? I want to hate you, but I can''t! Why? Why? Why? Why are you doing this to me? Why did you have to come and ruin my life again? Are you having fun from all of this?"

    Nodding his head, he replied, "Yes."

    Due to the frustrations, tears started to build up in her eyes, and the Jiwoo right now had enough pride to not show her tears to Oh Sookyung. She did not want to appear more of a loser in his eyes.

    With that in her mind, she let go of the man, and looking away from him, she voiced out, "I don''t want to talk to you any longer. Just do whatever you want to do. I guess, this is karma for everything."

    Moon Jiwoo then looked at the ground, and while a downcast expression sat on her face, she started to walk forward. A part of her hoped that Oh Sookyung would be stopping her, but seeing how that did not come, disappointment went through her.

    She was sober enough to scold herself mentally for holding such unrealistic expectations towards Oh Sookyung.

    What Moon Jiwoo was not aware of was that through her entire walk to her house, the male followed after her silently, and maybe because of how duller her senses were when she was drunk, she remained unaware of his presence behind of her.

    As Moon Jiwoo made her way over to the front of her apartment, she was unable to take a step forward, and with her sight becoming completely blurry, she decided to take a rest at here. Moreover, she did not have an ounce of energy within her to take out her keys and unlock her apartment.

    Letting out a yawn, she leaned against the wall beside her door and slid down. As her head leaned against the wall, she closed her eyes and let herself drift into the Dreamland. The tears stopped flowing down her eyes, and a small smile replaced the frown on her face.

    Oh Sookyung who stood before the girl stared at her while she fell asleep, and he shook his head at how careless she was being right now. Although she tried to act like an ?du?t these days, in his eyes, she b?r?ly changed.

    Then, all of a sudden, that coldness from his eyes disappeared, and the corner of his lips curved to form a smile. Leaning down, he picked the girl you, and his eyes scanned through every features of hers.

    He then voiced out, "How did you even survive until now, you idiot?"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Moon Jiwoo found herself on her bed once she had opened her eyes, but that wasn''t her concern at that moment. As the memories of last night began to flood inside of her mind, she started to regret everything like she did everytime she was drunk.

    Grabbing on to the material of her blanket tightly, she hit her head with her hand while cringing at herself for being like that yesterday.

    She recalled about all the words she had said to the male and how she ended the entire thing by crying. In Sookyung''s eyes, she probably seemed to be quite pathetic.

    Maybe she should just act as if she did not remember about anything.

    Although he knew about her drinking habits, probably he would be keeping along with her pretense as well. It seemed as if he was comfortabe with how the relationship between the two of them were, and she couldn''t see any signs of him wanting to ruin it¡ª other than how he wanted to take revenge on her.

    Definitely he would not be exposing her.

    Even if he did, she can still just feign obliviousness. She was proud of her current acting skills and believed that she wasn''t that transparent to him like she was in her earlier days.

    ''Moon Jiwoo, you will be able to do it. Although you were an idiot last night, this is not a big deal! You will definitely be able to solve something as slight as this! Have confidence in yourself! Fighting, Moon Jiwoo! Just use your amazing acting skills and you will be fine! Yeah, let''s do that!''

 Chapter 166 - Acting skills [2]

    After trying to remind herself continuously on being confident, she managed to head towards the shop. However, staring at the familiar door of the shop caused nervousness to come back to her, and she gulped.

    All the strength she had mustered up within her previously seemed to have disappeared all of a sudden, and she found herself being at a lack of energy.

    Staring at the knob of the door, she wondered whether or not should she pull it in order to enter into the room before her.

    However, even after thinking for couple of minutes, she wasn''t able to come into a resolute answer. All the confidence she had in her acting skills seemed to have disappeared.

    Her heart started to beat rapidly within her ?h?st while an idea came inside of her mind. She thought of skipping work today by coming up with an excuse, and she could only return when she had set her mind on something.

    But leaving the shop when she was the only one who is able to deal with it was too irresponsible when her reason was too simple.

    It was sad how Sookyung b?r?ly knew anything about the flowers although he knew how to perfectly how to order the people working at shop. She wondered whether or not he searched online about it.

    But it wasn''t the time to think about something as silly as that.

    Taking in a deep breath, she found herself reaching into a decision. It would be for the best if she left today and came back on some other day when she was ready. Since such a grand thing occured only yesterday, she believed that she deserved some time to pick herself up.

    But before she was able to go along with her plan, she felt a presence behind her, and as the scent into her nose, she knew who that very person was judging from the cologne. There was no one else who possessed such an unique scent.

    Maybe she should ask him the brand of his cologne when they were in better terms. Right now, this was one of those things she wasn''t able to afford to think about.

    His very presence behind her felt quite intimidating to her, and she had a hard time breathing. As much as she wanted her heart beat to be much slower, it appeared that she b?r?ly had any control over it''s beating rate.

    This was one of those times she hated how the beating rate of heart was involuntary.

    From this distance, taking in how good his ears were, he was definitely able to hear her heart beats distinctly, and he was probably able to see the sweat that formed on her neck¡ª something she had no control over as well.

    If the things were up to her right now, the first thing she would have done was to disappear from this very place. Unfortunately, she was too weak to do that right now.

    "Aren''t you going in?" he questioned.

    While his deep voice reached into her ear, she flinched, and Moon Jiwoo had a sharp feeling that he definitely noticed the small movement. Embarrassment filled her at the thought of that, and she believed he was laughing inside on how easily scared she was when it came to him.

    Since this wasn''t one of those things she was able to help, the only thing she was capable of was to lament at it.

    While sweat gathered on her surface, she gulped¡ª unfortunately, loud enough for the male behind her to hear¡ª and answered, "Y-Yeah, I am just going in. Sorry."

    Her words came out in stutter, and that added up to the reasons of why should she be feeling embarrassed. Things really did not go well for her when she was nervous.

    Probably things would be for the best if she was like before. She was really shameless and dense then. Maybe that''s why she was able to do lots of things without feeling slightly humiliated.

    Growing up wasn''t as much of a good thing one made out to be.

    "Then, what are you waiting for?"

    Seeing how there was no way of escape from this, Moon Jiwoo opened the door before her and entered in through it.

    Sadly enough, the scent from the fresh flowers today did not make her feel at all pleasant, and the only thing she could blame for this was her drunk habits.

    Why couldn''t just she forget about what happened while she was intoxicated?

    She really was envious of those who did not have to suffer through something as recalling the embarrassing memories which could potentially ruin their entire life. Yes, it was that extreme for Moon Jiwoo.

    "From next time around, prevent yourself from getting drunk. It is an inconvenience to those around," he vocalised.

    Seeing how the male was about to walk away, Moon Jiwoo extended her hand towards her, and gripping on to his wrist, she prevented him from taking a step further.

    Even she did not know why she did something like this. Since he did not want to discuss about the matters that happened last night, she should be satisfied with it. But a part within her did not want to leave the matters at simply that.

    "I am sorry about all that had happened last night. I was just stressed last night, and it was because of this that I ended up saying all those words. It would be great if you are able to forget about all those, and we are able to cooperate like before. Thank for taking me home yesterday, Boss," Jiwoo vocalised.

    Indeed she could have just left the things at where they were, but somehow she was dissatisfied. A part of her did not want the things to be how they were.

    No, she wasn''t expecting their relationship to go back to how it was before, but this ambiguity they had between both of them was starting to get uncomfortable for her.

    Maybe if both of them became completely honest with each other, everything would result in worst, and this was why she wanted for the things to be how they were.

    But the ambiguous situation they had was starting to irritate her, and probably Jiwoo should start taking chances now. Although things might turn out for the worst and it would only end up with her regretting, she did not want to deal with how suffocating things were right now.

    Probably what happened yesterday wasn''t a bad thing. It was just a first step she had taken to create a change she was quite afraid, and this was probably why she was acting so fearful of it.

    With that settled inside of her mind, she waited for the male to continue. She wanted to see whether or not he will be touching on the matter from yesterday. If he ignored, it would seem as if he wanted to keep the wall between both of them.

    Oh Sookyung pulled away his hand away from her and said, "I can pretend to ignore whatever that had happened yesterday, but on the condition that you will not be repeating it again. I might have to fire you if you repeat this disrespectful actions of yours again."

    As those words reached into her ear, Moon Jiwoo lowered her line of sight and stared at the ground. It appeared as if he wasn''t interested in brushing on the matter, and if that was the case, there was nothing she was able to do anything on it.

    Disappointment filled her, and the only she was able to do right now was sigh.

    It took a lot of courage on her part to bring up the matter like that, but it seemed that was completely useless. There was nothing that can be done.

    "You were already late today. Now stop wasting your time and get back to work. There will be important customers coming today, and therefore, I want the entire place to be spotless by afternoon," he voiced out.

    Right now, Moon Jiwoo did not find herself being at a mood to be working.

    Nonetheless, there was nothing she was able to do. She couldn''t let her silly feelings influence her work. She hated how vulnerable she was to emotions as she grew up, and at this point, she was starting to get tired of it.

    It was Oh Sookyung who caused her to fall for him in the first place, and now, while he was the one having fun the entire time, she was suffering. She shouldn''t have fallen for his sweet words!

    After all, unlike her, he was really good when it came to hiding his emotions.

    With resentment building up within her, she decided to start the work for the day.

 Chapter 167 - The prank gone too far [1]

    Moon Jiwoo was met with utter surprise when two familiar voices reached into her ear.

    Seeing how she had some extra work to do, Jiwoo went to the shop early that day, and upon her arrival, she did not expect for anyone to be inside of this place for it was quite early.

    Moreover, she was aware of the time Sookyung arrived at regularly.

    That''s why, she was shocked when she heard voices inside of one of the room inside the shop, and having her curiosity take the best of her, she decided to eavesdrop on the conversation.

    Usually, Moon Jiwoo wasn''t fond of eavesdropping on other''s conversation, but seeing how the other party was Oh Sookyung, the temptation was too strong for her to resist.

    Therefore, mustering up all of her courage, she made sure to create almost no noise¡ª knowing how s?ns?t?v? those ears of Sookyung were¡ª and leaned closer to the door.

    As her ear came in contact with the surface of the door, she tried to listen in on the conversation between both of them.

    "What are you doing here?" Sookyung asked¡ª his voice held on to some tint of annoyance.

    "I just wanted to meet up with her and see how you are torturing the poor girl," a female voice spoke out.

    She recognized that voice as Chaeyoung''s. Compared to her last life, Chaeyoung indeed did sound different right now. She had a hint of innocence to her and did not appear to be anything special.

    But now that she had met her again after being in this body, she found the lady being quite charismatic to her surprise, and she wondered why she was hiding behind that facade.

    "Geez! You are going to ruin all of my plans with your appearance. Already it is starting to get harder for me, and I don''t want you to destroy all that for me," Sookyung vocalised.

    Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows, and Moon Jiwoo was curious to know about the so-called plan of the male who was on the other side of the door.

    Since the plan concerned her mainly, she made sure to hear all of the next words properly so that she would be able to get a clue on it.

    Maybe she wasn''t smart enough to figure out all of it, but at least she was trying. Pursing her lips into a thin line, she waited for the two person present inside the room to start talking.

    Chaeyoung seemed to have let out a sigh before saying, "I don''t even know how much longer you are going to continue that silly plan of yours. If you continue it much further, just be careful. She might end up running away from you."

    "Even I wanted to stop, but I can''t do that," Sookyung stated before starting to laugh. "You should see how funny she is all the time I bully her. No, she changed so much that it is funny to see.

    It''s more like she did not change but is trying to be like the normal people. I have seen her get along with those people, and it is hilarious to see how she tries to act like an ?du?t.

    I swear she is so cute. How can I just stop being like this when she is so much fun? Moreover, this might is the only time I might get to boss her around. Who knows if I will be blessed with such a chance again?

    It''s funny how she manages to treat me like her boss until now when her facial expression gives it all away. She is seriously foolish."

    Laughter escaped from Oh Sookyung''s mouth after those words.

    Hearing those words have managed to make the girl angry, and Moon Jiwoo clenched her hand into a tight fist. She was starting to have mixed feelings about the entire matter.

    A part of her happy was that Oh Sookyung was not actually angry with her, that those cold eyes of his was merely an act; he was just playing around with her.

    But a bigger part of her aggravated. Her pride had been terribly hurt. Being played around like this managed to break the last amount of self control she had, and there was no way she was about to hold back this time around.

    If she entered the room right now, she believed that she would be gripping his neck and trying to kill him. That''s how angry she felt right now.

    She couldn''t believe that he was having fun while she was suffering through the entire time. While she was completely nervous, he enjoyed her reactions.

    Although she shouldn''t feel happy with the male in this situation, that''s exactly the emotion that went through the girl. She was more or less content with the fact that he was able to look through her; this just showed to her how observant to her.

    Nonetheless, this wasn''t enough to calm down the anger that formed within her. She wanted to do something in order to take out all of this anger within her, and that''s when, an idea came inside her mind.

    There was no way she was going to let herself be treated with a joke this easily!

    Taking in a deep breath, she walked over to the shelves where plants were kept. Her plans weren''t anything wicked and it was rather childish.

    But since she did not grow up in Sookyung''s eyes, she was not hesitant in carrying out that plan. If she was still immature in his eyes, then that''s how she was going to act.

    Glaring hard at the shelf before her, she raised the flower pots and started to throw them towards the ground. While they hit the ground, they shattered creating a loud noise, and the soil spread through the entire place.

    But that wasn''t the last of it. She started to throw around everything inside of the place in order to let out her anger.

    No matter what the consequences of today''s actions were, there was no way she was going to leave before destroying the entire place. She hoped that Sookyung would be having a hard time cleaning up the place once she left from here.

    The noises created soon alerted both of the person inside of the room, and it did not take much time for them to appear where Moon Jiwoo was.

    Then, lifting up a flower pot, she turned back and her eyes glared at Oh Sookyung who was before her. Her attention on Sookyung was strong to the point she failed to notice Chaeyoung who beside the male.

    "You son of a bitch, shall I throw this at your head or not? No, why am I asking for your opinion because no matter what your words are, I am going to throw this at you! I never thought that you would be this much of a jerk!

    Seeing your face right now disgusts me! Do you know how much I want to kill you? Wow! I was trying to be actually amiable with you, and what did you do? You played around with me?

    Yeah, maybe I did something horrible to you back then. But did you have to do this? I honestly can''t believe that I loved a guy like you once!"

    Oh Sookyung was shocked by her sudden outburst of words, and before he was able to say anything, she disappeared from that spot.

    Moon Jiwoo did not think that she would be able to stay at that place after all that had happened. She was currently quite embarrassed, and in such a state, she might end up hurting Sookyung with her words by saying things she did not mean.

    Although she was angry at him, it did not mean that she wanted him to be in pain because of words she did not mean. She did not believe that she would be able to go that far to hurt the man.

    Before Moon Jiwoo was able to disappear into the thin air, On Sookyung did not fail to notice the tears at the corner of her eyes, and at the sight of that, his ?h?st clenched painfully.

    "Good luck with that," Chaeyoung voiced out, "It doesn''t seem as if she was happy with how things are and judging by the state of things, it might take you long to handle the matters. You are regretting it, right?"

    Wearing a smile on his face, Oh Sookyung turned his head to face Chaeyoung, and winking at the girl, he cheerfully stated, "No, I have perfect ways to win back her heart!"

 Chapter 168 - Prank gone too far [2]

    There was no way Moon Jiwoo was able to go to her apartment after that happened. She had an idea that Sookyung would try to find her after she had disappeared on him like that, and the first place he would try to look for was her apartment.

    But after that outburst, she was totally embarrassed, and one of the things she desperately wanted to hide away from the male.

    Thinking about it for a while, Moon Jiwoo came out with the conclusion that, although it was wrong of Sookyung to play with her like that, she should have at least expected this much, seeing how rudely she acted with him back at the Underworld.

    After looking at that in such a way, Moon Jiwoo''s anger towards the male started to diminish. It was understandable from his position to seek for revenge, and even Jiwoo would do the same.

    Moreover, it was her fault for letting herself be played around by the man like that. She should have controlled her emotions better, and due to her inadequate effort in doing so, she got fooled by the man.

    The humiliation she felt right now was enough to make her determined to not see him for her entire life. Fortunately enough, he did not laugh in front of her in that instant.

    If he had done that, Moon Jiwoo would have been forever scarred.

    Left with no choices, Jiwoo decided to go over at Youngjae''s house. She b?r?ly had any friends, and fortunately enough, the male lived on his own. Therefore, she hoped that he would be able to give her a place at his apartment for a couple of days.

    Since her mind was not at the right state, she wanted to do the thinking part after a few days when she had managed to calm down considerably.

    She did not want to act recklessly and make a fool of herself once again.

    Standing in front of Youngjae''s door, she took in a deep breath, and extending her hand towards the door, she rung the bell, waiting for the male to respond from the other side.

    Nervousness began to form inside of Moon Jiwoo as she thought of what to say to Youngjae. Knowing Youngjae, she knew that he would not be able to decline, but intruding on him like this did not suit well with her.

    Moreover, she did not want to make him uncomfortable due to her.

    The door before her was pulled open, and she forced out a smile on her face while her eyes fell on a familiar face. Seeing Youngjae stand before her door, she turned back to show her bag to him.

    "Noona, did you come here with your backpack? What''s the matter?" the boy asked¡ª concern was clearly shown in his tone.

    "I am sorry for showing up like this out of the blue, but let''s just say that something happened. That''s why, I want to run away from home for couple of days.

    If it''s not a bother, can I stay with you for these days? But if you have a problem, it''s okay. I can always go and stay at the hotel."

    He shook his head and spoke out, "A hotel doesn''t sound that safe, and of course, you are able to stay at here. But there is a problem?"

    Raising one of her eyebrows, she enunciated, "A problem?"

    Before he was able to continue further, Moon Jiwoo heard a familiar voice, and her eyes fell on the girl behind Youngjae. Yura had her hand on his shoulder.

    "Oh! It''s you, Unnie! What''s the matter? What are you doing here?"

    "Noona wants to stay at here for couple of days. Just share your room with her for the time being, alright? There are only two rooms inside of the apartment, and that''s why, Noona, you have to live with her. That''s okay, right?"

    As her eyes moved from Youngjae to Yura, she vocalised, "Both of you are staying together? Then, I don''t think it would be right of me to intrude on you. I will be taking my leave now then."

    Turning her back on the male, she was about to leave, but before she was able to leave, she felt a hand on her shoulder, preventing her from doing so.

    Looking back due to the contact, her eyes fell on Youngjae, who spoke out, "Noona, I can ?ssure you that it is nothing like what you are imagining. It''s just that Yura had no place to stay at, and that''s why, I took her in. Just treat her like a stray cat at my place."

    "Stray Cat?!" she exclaimed.

    Raising her hand, she hit on the back of the male''s head while glaring at him and stated, "Yah! You are the one who is a stray kid! And, Unnie, you don''t have to mind us. I am perfectly fine with having you here. Plus I won''t be bothered by this brat if you are here with me."

    "Wow! Whom are you calling a brat?" He voiced out.

    Showing her tongue to the male, she just smirked at him childishly.

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle and said, "Then, thanks for letting me stay. Take care of me!"

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Taking a sip out of the beer in her hand, she started, "Now, how do I say this?"

    While she was seated on the couch beside Yura, Youngjae was on the ground, and his eyes were on Jiwoo. Even Yura stared at the older lady, waiting for her to start talking about everything.

    "Just be honest about the entire thing without leaving anything out, Unnie! I want to know the unfiltered truth," Yura spoke out.

    "Unfiltered truth, hmm," Jiwoo voiced out, "Well, Sookyung and I. Yeah, I mean, my current boss, both of us were dating few years back, but things happened. It was not possible for her to keep on dating, and I just ended up breaking up with him.

    He didn''t know of the reason why I broke up with him, and you could say that the way I did it was quite cruel. After what I did, it was expected for him to want to have revenge on me.

    I guess, that''s why he returned as my boss. He made me work that hard and started at me with those cold eyes. I thought that this was his way of taking revenge on me, but it appeared that I was wrong.

    His intention was not to make me suffer by making me work hard. It''s complicated to explain, but I guess you can understand. It''s as if he wanted to see how much of a fool I am."

    The only thing Yura was able to say after hearing the entire thing was, "Is he a sadist?"

    On the other hand, Youngjae went completely silent, and his eyes remained on the ground. But Moon Jiwoo was too absorbed in her thoughts in order to notice how the emotions of the male shifted.

    In order to make herself more courageous, she lifted up her can of beer and took a sip out of it, knowing that it would be making her feel better.

    This was the first time she was talking about what happened between her and Sookyung clearly to someone. Although she left out some details¡ª which wasn''t appropriate for either of them¡ª this was the only time she told about it to someone.

    After a while, Youngjae raised his head to stare at the girl and he then voiced out, "Do you still like him? Oh Sookyung?"

    "Oh Sookyung. I guess, I never stopped loving him after all these years. He was an important figure in my life and is one even to this day. No matter how much I hate him and want to kill him, I don''t think I will ever be able to stop loving him in this lifetime."

    "Oh, I see," Youngjae vocalised, "Why don''t you try to just move on from him and go after someone else? Who knows! You might be able to find someone better than him and will be probably be able to fall for that person."

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle and stated, "Trust me, I know that there are men who are better than him. I don''t even know why I love him that deeply. But it can''t be helped. There is no way I will be able to move on from him. I know about that without trying."

    "Still you can''t be too sure, and judging from your story, he doesn''t seem to be a decent dude. Why don''t you just try to give others who like you a try?"

    Shaking her head, Moon Jiwoo said, "You will understand about it when you are at my age."

    The entire time, Yura''s eyes were on the male, trying to figure him out.

 Chapter 169 - The crush [1]

    Hearing the knocks on his door caused Youngjae to lift his head up, and his eyes fell upon his door. He was currently seated upon his bed while his phone was on his hand.

    On his phone was a photo of Moon Jiwoo staring at the flower and smiling. Her eyes reflected her love for the flower, and before he had heard the knocks upon his door, his concentration was upon that photo of hers.

    Before looking at that picture managed to brighten his mood up, but he did not feel the same way about it right then. Instead of making him feel happier, it just caused his heart to feel heavy.

    Knowing how the love of his life had her captured by another and that another wasn''t even someone he was able to compete against gave him a major heartbreak.

    His heart ached when he recalled about how fondly she was talking about the male although she was hurt by him, and that''s when, he understood that he did not have a chance in the first place.

    He had no idea on when he started to like the girl, but as time passed by, he found it hard to keep his eyes off of the female. He found himself craving for her presence, and wherever she went, it seemed as if his eyes were following her.

    Soon enough, his entire mind was engulfed by her. He often thought of her. What was she doing? Did she eat yet? Was she laughing? Or was she crying?

    He was concerned with her always to the point it seemed annoying to him at times, and one day, he reached into the realization that he was truly in love with her.

    But that came with a sad reality. He was clear on how he wouldn''t be more than a younger brother to her. Even when he made moves on her, she seemed to be unaffected.

    There was no way he would be able to be something more than a brother and friend to her. No matter how much he wanted to change that, it wasn''t possible for him, and after a while, he gave up.

    Since he wouldn''t be accepted by her any way, he decided to stay silent of his feelings and wanted to stay by her side like that for life. For then, he was satisfied.

    But now, he wasn''t sure of it anymore.

    The one she loved had appeared, and there were chances of her accepting him. If both of them ended up together, it would feel to him as if she was stolen away from him although she was never his to begin with.

    Previously, most of her times were spent with him, but if she got into a relationship with someone she loved, he was sure that he wouldn''t be the first option for her any way.

    "Come in," he said, closing the screen of his phone.

    Immediately, he removed the depressed expression from his face and put on a serious one. Knowing who the person on the other side of the door was, he knew that Yura was bound to ask him countless amount of questions after she saw him in that state.

    The door to his room was soon pushed open, and Yura looked in through the gap before stepping into the room. The door was closed behind her once she had stepped in.

    Looking at how Yura was staring at her feet, he knew that she had something to say, but she was having a difficult time bringing it up. This made him wonder about what it possibly could be because very rarely does she show such a reaction.

    "Did Noona go to sleep?" he asked.

    Yura raised her line of sight to stare at the man before her before nodding her head. Biting her lower lip, she wondered whether or not she should be letting out her question.

    Nervousness began to form within her while she wondered about how she should be voicing out her question. It seemed that she was not able to find correct words to say it.

    "Quickly say what you have to say to me instead of looking like this. It''s annoying."

    She nodded her head before taking in a deep breath, and mustering up all of her courage, she asked, "Do you have feelings for Daerin Unnie?"

    Her question caused him to widen his eyes, and the shock was clearly visible in them. His face translated what he felt at that moment exactly.

    But knowing how he was obvious, he coughed in order to fix his facial expression, and letting out a chuckle, he voiced out, "What type of nonse is that? Why would I even like Noona? I guess I can be close to her at times, but it doesn''t mean that I have any such types of feelings towards her."

    It was not as if he did not trust Yura enough to let her know about his true feelings; he just did not want for the girl to look at him in pity.

    Moreover, knowing how the personality of the girl could be, he knew that she would try to interfere and help him to be with Jiwoo.

    That was one of those things he did not want. Although he would be more than happy if he got the chance to date Jiwoo, he was well aware of how Jiwoo would not be agreeing to that, and it will only be ruining the relationship between both of them.

    Creases formed between both of her eyebrows, and her eyes showed how she clearly did not trust the male''s words. There was no one else Youngjae was able to blame for this other than him for being this obvious¡ª that even someone as dense as Yura was able to notice.

    "Are you sure?" She questioned¡ª her tone implying her doubt.

    "Of course, silly! If I am not sure about it, then who will be? Now, stop asking such stupid questions and get to bed already. It''s already late, and I am sure you don''t want to be harshly woken by tomorrow morning."

    She nodded her head, and her face showed how she wasn''t fully convinced yet.

    "I don''t believe you for some reasons. It''s not that I am calling you a liar. Maybe it is just that you haven''t come to realize your feelings.

    One thing I am sure of that today you looked as if you had your heartbroken when you stared at Daerin Unnie. You seemed heartbroken. It was just like those scene from those dramas," she pointed out.

    "Are you judging by love life from the standards of your dramas now, Yura? You clearly need to stop watching them because they are just making you delusional, and the actors weren''t that good at acting."

    "No, they were really good, and dramas make me intelligent, not idiotic," she corrected.

    "How stupid are you that you need dramas to make you smart, Yura? You always seem to cross my expectations! I don''t know whether or not I should be happy at that," he said.

    "Shut up! I am smart; it''s just that I haven''t been able to show my entire potential yet. Anyway, I am sure that you feel something for Daerin Unnie, and it would just be that you haven''t come in terms with your feelings yet," she spoke out, "But don''t worry! I will try my best to get you two to be together.

    Now that, Unnie had gotten her heartbroken recently, it would be the best opportunity to strike. I know that you will be able to do it if you work hard, Youngjae! I will make you realize your feelings, and make her fall in love with you! Trust in me!"

    "That''s one thing I really don''t want to do right now, and I am telling you. Stop misunderstanding! I don''t have any feelings for Unnie! I know myself the best!" he agrued. "That''s why, don''t do anything unnecessary, Yura!"

    "Don''t worry! I don''t be doing anything unnecessary. Once this is over, you will be happy and grateful towards me! I promise you that," she vocalised.

    "I doubt that," he mumbled.

    But before he was able to say anything more, she stated, "Don''t look like that! I promise you that it will be a success. Now, get to bed early and wake up early. I will get to bed and think of some ideas. Then, I will be leaving. Bye!"

    Before the male was able to stop her, Yura opened the door and walked out, closing the door behind her after waving at him. A baffled expression sat on his face while he stared at the door.

    A sigh left his mouth while he ran his hand through his hair. Now that the girl was getting involved, without a doubt, this wouldn''t be peaceful anymore.

    Seeing how determined about it she was, he might have to resort to bribing her in order to stop her from doing this.

 Chapter 170 - The crush [2]

    Moon Jiwoo woke up to an annoying headache, and she recalled about what had happened. Due to the influence of alcohol, she was able to let out about her feelings to her closest friends.

    Having that out of her ?h?st did make her feel good and made her wonder why she did not do this earlier. Maybe now she would be able to ask them for advices¡ª although she was the one with most experience.

    After she was done with washing up, Moon Jiwoo wore a smile on her face before opening the door to the room.

    The smell of the pancakes reached into her nostrils, and her stomach let out a small growl upon she reached into a realization of how delicious the food could be.

    Since she slept without having dinner last night, she was starving, and having delicious pancakes was definitely a great way to start the morning.

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes fell on Yura who was seated on the table and devouring the pancakes. From her expression, Jiwoo could see how delicious those pancakes they could be.

    Beside her was Youngjae, and making her way to the table, Moon Jiwoo pulled out the chair beside him. Seeing the plate full of pancakes, she guessed that it was for her.

    Cheerfully, she said, "Thank you for this!"

    "Eat up, Unnie! They are really good! Youngjae rarely cooks although he is extremely good at it, and he did it for you today especially. You will never be able to forget the taste of his pancakes once you have them. It''s absolutely a shame that he doesn''t do it often," Yura spoke out.

    Glancing at the mentioned male, Moon Jiwoo nodded and stated, "I will enjoy the meal."

    With that, Moon Jiwoo raised her fork and cut into the pancake. As she placed that piece inside of her mouth, a smile formed on her face due to the taste. As Yura had said it, it was quite mouthwatering.

    She raised her thumb up while she looked towards the boy, and the smile on her face reflected how she felt after tasting that pancake.

    "Wow! This is amazing, Youngjae! Even I can''t make half as good as pancakes as you although I have practiced cooking for years," she confessed.

    "You are embarrassing me, Noona. They aren''t that good. They are just like normal pancakes," he pointed out.

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chuckle before continuing to eat. She wanted to savour their taste as much as she could before they turned cold.

    "Noona, if you want him to cook for you, just tell about it to Youngjae. He can cook absolutely everything. His spaghetti is the best! Why don''t you make spaghetti for dinner today, Youngjae? Just for Noona though since I will be out today. Both of you will be able to have alone time together."

    Fixing his gaze about the girl, Youngjae glared at Yura and with his eyes, he was desperately trying to tell her to keep her mouth shut. But seeing how dense the girl was, she was unable to figure out that Youngjae was trying to give her a signal in the first place.

    "I can''t ask of him to do that for me. I am already intruding enough on you both by staying at here, and now, I don''t want you to think that I am incapable of cooking for myself. That would be quite embarrassing!"

    Deciding to deal with Yura later on, Youngjae shook his head and spoke out, "No, don''t think of like that. I am really fond of cooking, and I don''t mind doing so for you at the night. You can just treat this as your own place."

    "Thank you, Youngjae-ah. I seriously don''t know what I would have done without you. What about I cook for you tomorrow in return? I will cook my special recipe for both of you tomorrow, alright? Since it is special, only those close to me were able to have it, and it is one of those rare, once in a lifetime, thing."

    "As much as tempting as it sounds, I will have to stay out of it, I am afraid. I am not interested in becoming a third wheel. By the way, both of you really look good together, and I hope that it will be going well¡ª"

    Before she was able to continue further, Youngjae shoved a piece of pancake inside of her mouth while confusion was clearly shown on Jiwoo''s face in order to reflect what she felt at that moment.

    It wasn''t as if she did not entirely understand was Yura was about to imply, but it would be too weird if she addressed this matter. The relationship between her and Youngjae was completely different from that.

    "Eat up more and keep your mouth closed. That''s the only way you look good. Since you were praising my pancakes that much have as much as you want. I wouldn''t be stopping you if you are able to keep your mouth shut the entire time. Don''t you even date to speak a word!"

    A pout started to form on the girl''s face while she started to chew on the pancake, and her eyes kept on glaring at the man before her. He was being too rude to her when she was just trying to help him!

    After she had swallowed it, she voiced out, "What was that about?"

    "I just don''t want to open your mouth unless it is for eating. I can see that you haven''t brushed your days now, and it actually stinks. That''s why, please refrain from ruining the atmosphere."

    "Ruining the atmosphere?! How can you say to me when I was just trying to help you!? And guess what? I just brushed my teeth an hour ago. There just be something wrong with those eyes of yours or that nose!"

    "What help? I don''t need any help from you! You are just misunderstanding and doing things on your own. It''s getting annoying at this point!"

    "You ?sshole, there is no way I am stopping after you have said. Mark my words! I will make everything I have said yesterday come true or else I am a cow!"

    "Wow! I am excited to see you act like a cow!"

    After exchanging glances between both of them, Moon Jiwoo managed to notice that both of them were silent for a while and questioned, "What are you both talking about?"

    Looking at her, Yura winked and spoke out, "You will be finding out about it soon, that is if Youngjae has the courage to open up about this to you. Then again, he seems to be as clueless as you."

    This did not manage to make Moon Jiwoo feel at ease, and moreover, it just seemed to have brought further confusion into her. Nonetheless, not regarding this as anything that important, she did not push the girl on the matter.

    She just shrugged her shoulders before placing her concentration back on to the pancakes.

    "You know what, Yura, sooner or later these days, I am going to kill you for real. I thought you will become better and grateful as time passed by, but it just seems as if you are getting worse. Why can''t you just keep your mouth shut for once?"

    "Wow! Are you trying to put the blame on me? I am trying to help you while you being nothing other than a jerk to me."

    He sighed and mumbled, "Why do I forget at times that there is no use in trying to talk to you? You just understand what you want to, and whatever I just say doesn''t get into your mind."

    A groan left her mouth after those words from the man reached into Yura''s ear, and she vocalised, "What do you mean by that? Honestly, I don''t see what problem you will have by accepting help from me? You act as if I have down something bad to you when I didn''t even do anything close to that to you!"

    "The thing is that I didn''t even ask for your help in the first place. Whatever curiosity you have us going to ruin everything, and I don''t need you meddling. I was doing fine without your help the entire time, and I don''t need you to interfere! I am alright!"

    "Liar! You are not! You were crying yesterday! Why would be crying when you are alright?"

    Moon Jiwoo had never seen the boy cry, not even when his grandmother died, and she had heard about how the boy was fairly close to the old lady. This made her worry about what could have happened to elicit such a reaction from him.

    But judging from the air between them, she knew that it would not sit well with anyone if she interfered, and therefore, she remained silent while hoping that two of them could reach into an agreement.

    "So what? You think you will be able to help if that''s the case. Think about all the time you were helpful to me. There were b?r?ly any moments like that! You create a mess! That''s why, stay away!"

    "Right! I create a mess! Fine! I will stay away from you! Just keep on crying in your room!"

 Chapter 171 - Fight [1]

    Insensitive was the perfect word to describe Moon Jiwoo right then.

    Although two of her closest friends were fighting, she was snacking on a packet of chips and swiping across her phone screen while feeling happy.

    It was because of how Oh Sookyung hadn''t managed to find her even though a week had passed. Having no confrontation with him did indeed make her pleased.

    Nonetheless, for this past week, Yura and Youngjae was not in talking terms, and the only time Yura was in this house at the midnight. She left before the sun was b?r?ly up.

    The reason that fuelled both of their fight was not known to Moon Jiwoo until yet, and wanting to give both of them space, she did not make an effort to ask them about anything. Neither did she try to reconcile them.

    Now, thinking about it, this did seem insensitive of her.

    Moon Jiwoo should have tried to make the effort to get them to talk together and discuss about the problem between both of them. However, she did not find any amount of energy or will to do so.

    She was most definitely the definition of a bad friend!

    While two of her friends were into a huge fight, she as the oldest one¡ª and the most m?tur? one according to her¡ª was just ignoring this matter.

    Both of them definitely noticed this and was probably cursing at her for being like this. It was not as if she blamed them because she would have thought the same about her if she was in their position.

    She hated the fact that she wasn''t able to bring herself to care about it.

    But today, she was going to change it. She felt guilt for ignoring the entire matter, and this was what driven her to help both of that. The concern she felt towards the situation was very close to none¡ª not that she would be voicing out about that to anyone.

    Taking in a deep breath, Moon Jiwoo shut down her phone and placed a smile on her face. This time, she was determined to make both of them talk, and as for the plan, she had none. Since she b?r?ly had any interest other than the guilt, she couldn''t get her brain to think of something smart.

    Letting out a sigh, she got down from the bed, and placing the phone on the nightstand, she decided to do something simple.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    One word Moon Jiwoo would use to describe this situation was awkward.

    The atmosphere currently was quite thick, and although she was the one invited both of them to have dinner outside in a fancy restaurant¡ª she spent a lot of money in order to reduce the guilt¡ª she wasn''t able to conjure up words due to pressurizing it was.

    Both of them simply glared at each other without paying attention to the spaghetti in front of them. As for Moon Jiwoo, she desperately wanted to take a bite out of the delicious food placed before her.

    She believed that her mouth would be starting to water soon literally if she did not dig into it.

    But she did not want to anything insensitive. Since both of them were not planning to open their mouth, it was up to her to talk and break the ice.

    After unable to convince her mind to be hungry for at least half an hour more, she decided to eat first before talking with two of them. After all, it would be embarrassing if her stomach growled when she was in middle of having a serious conversation¡ª that is she succeeds in getting them to do anything vocal.

    Picking up her fork, Moon Jiwoo dug them into her spaghetti, and picking up some pieces of it, she placed it inside of her mouth. A smile formed on her face as the food pleased her taste buds.

    "Both of you start eating. This place cost quite a lot. That''s why, I don''t want you to waste anything, alright? This is seriously delicious! You will be regretting it once it gets cold," she commented.

    Youngjae was the first one to make a move. Nodding his head, he spoke out, "Yes, Noona. Thanks for the food!"

    With that, he started to devour the food with a disinterested expression, and she could only internally sigh at that. Looking at him like that would only make her lose appetite.

    Then again, she had second thoughts about it once she took a glance at the spaghetti. There was no way she would be losing her appetite!

    "Thank you about it, Unnie," Yura voiced out.

    Compared to Youngjae, she seemed to be genuinely happy about the food indicated by the wide smile that formed on her face once the food touched her taste buds.

    Seeing how the girl was being honest with her expressions made Moon Jiwoo more pleased, and all of a sudden, the atmosphere was starting to feel less stiff.

    "How is it? Is it good?" she questioned enthusiastically.

    Without attempting to look at her, Youngjae nodded.

    Or maybe not. Youngjae had a way to make everything more awkward, and this was really out of character for him.

    The only reason she was able to get close to the boy was due to how comfortable she felt around him, and that was one of the last things she was feeling right then.

    Yura scoffed and mumbled, "You look pathetic right now."

    Her words managed to cause Youngjae to let out a chuckle, and while the corner of his lips curved to form a smirk, he commented, "That''s funny coming from you."

    Although Moon Jiwoo wanted for the male to show more expressions on his face, this wasn''t set she was hoping for. Something gave her a feeling that she had just made the situation worse, and it was even confirmed soon after.

    "I am not the one who doesn''t have the courage to confess to my crush. Honestly, you look like a joke right now. Stop acting as if you are cool or something cause it just looks pathetic."

    "I don''t know what you are trying to talk about but your attempt at getting my attention is pathetic."

    His words caused the girl to let out another scoff as she vocalised, "Your attention? What the hell? What would I even do with something as stupid as that? Say, maybe I want your attention, but don''t you want the same as well? After all, you replied to me when you could have just ignored me, Mr. Loser!"

    "Seeing how desperate for my attention you are, I knew that it would not have worked. One way or another, you would have gotten me to talk. And the only thing I want to say to you is to shut up!"

    "Blah! Blah! Blah! Blah! You don''t get to tell me to shut up! This is my mouth and I get to do whatever I want to do with it. I can curse at you and shout! It is none of your business."

    "Since it is a public place, I want you to refrain yourself from creating such a scene. Although you are pleased from doing this, do know that it is embarrassing as well! I don''t even know why I have to sit in front of you."

    "No one is holding you at this place. If you want to, you can leave. But isn''t it that you want to stay at here and eat with me? Loser!"

    "Don''t get too ahead of yourself! I just came at here because Noona invited me. If I knew that you were going to be at this place, I wouldn''t have shown up regardless of how expensive the treat would have been! And I don''t want to get up to disrespect Noona right now! This has nothing to do with you!"

    "Whatever you say!" she voiced out, "But you are really like a dog, following the order of the one you¡ª"

    "Can''t you just shut your mouth for once!?"

    "No! I can''t do that! Since I have found out about your secret, I will be spilling it to everywhere! I will make sure that get laughed at! I will ruin everything for you!"

    "I dare you to try that, Yura! Don''t forget that I have your secrets at my hand as well, and I wouldn''t be regretting spilling them as well."

    Yura''s eyes widened, and the shock was clearly visible in her eyes. It seemed that his threat managed to scare the girl.

    "You ?sshole, you would not dare to do that."

    "Think again!"

    What Moon Jiwoo was doing the entire time was peacefully eating her spaghetti after she had convinced herself that there was nothing she was able to do to save the situation.

    But what took away that happiness from her was a familiar voice that caused her to be in alert all of a sudden.

    "Shin Daerin."

 Chapter 172 - Fight [2]

    Moon Jiwoo all the nerves in her body becoming active after that voice reached into her ears, and there was no way she was able to be calm after hearing that voice.

    How unbothered she felt before was no longer there, and she was unable to enjoy the food before her anymore. The impulse to run away from this place came within her.

    Although it would seem weird to do something like this in such a place, she was left with no choices. She did not want to give people at here heart attacks and become a hot topic at the news after disappearing out of this place into the thin air.

    More than anything, she did not want to confront the male. She was sure of how she will only be making a fool out of herself by facing him and opening her mouth.

    She had already given him enough reasons to laugh at, and having to add on to that was one of those things she did not d?s?r?.

    Hearing his voice managed to attract the attention of Youngjae and Yura. It was the to the point that they decided to postpone their fight for later on, and they had their eyes on him.

    From his reflection in their eyes, she could see how the male looked. There was no longer than cold expression on his face, and instead of that, there was relief present.

    She was envious of him for being able to feel relief at this situation because that was the last thing she was able to feel right then. Her body stiffened while she contemplated on what to do.

    Maybe this was her karma for being too unbothered about both of her friends fighting. Since she had been enjoying throughout the entire time they have been fighting, fate decided to give her a suitable punishment for that!

    After a glance at Oh Sookyung, both of them shifted their gazes, and with so many eyes on her, she could relate to how an animal felt at a zoo.

    Moon Jiwoo was aware of how she would seem like a coward if she ran away from this situation, and this would just be giving him another reason to laugh. She did not want him snickering at her for being unable to confront him; she did not want anyone to think that she was afraid of him.

    Gulping, she took in a deep breath, and pushing the chair back, she stood up. Instead of wearing that friendly smile on her face that she had been showing him ever since he had appeared again¡ª except for some few times¡ª she wore a scowl upon her features.

    "Oh Sookyung, it''s a surprise seeing you at this place. What do you want? Be quick. The last thing I want to do is waste time with you," Jiwoo rudely vocalised.

    "Are you still sulking about it? I thought that your anger will be lessening by now, but it seems that it is not the case. I will come for you few days later then when your anger subsidies."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at how the male acted

    She couldn''t believe that he had the audacity to say something like this.

    Instead of trying to coax her, he just seemed so casual about it as if it was a norm and was a simple matter. It appeared as if that he was sure that without him making an effort, she will no longer be angry with him.

    Although she held no anger towards the make currently, there was no need for him to know that, and judging by the words he had just said, she could feel that her anger was rising.

    There was no way she was going to simply take in those words from the male.

    "What if my anger never ever goes away? What will you be doing then?"

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and stated, "Your anger? I know how you act when you are angry, and honestly, I don''t think you look anything close to angry right now. Your reactions when you are angry are too easy to discern. I told you that it is impossible for you to act around towards me."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed, and folding her arms over her ?h?st, she spoke out, "No, I am really angry. I don''t want to talk to you! You make me feel disgusted! I feel bile rising up my throat at the thought of you!"

    "You are acting cute now. You know that there is no need for you to be embarrassed over this simple matter. I have seen at your worse states, and I don''t recall you being this bashful over those. Stop trying to change so much," he stated.

    "Are you trying to be cool or something by saying those words? Let me tell you that those sweet talks would not be working with me!

    You still appear stupid in my eyes, and I haven''t forgiven you yet! Now, get away from me! I don''t want to talk to you! You are ruining my appetite!"

    "I don''t think you will have any mood to eat after this, and I will treat you to something delicious later on. Now, let''s get going," he vocalised.

    After that, his gaze fell on Youngjae and Yura before he added, "I am sorry but I will be taking her along with me. There are some important matters we want to talk about."

    "Hey! You can''t decide something like this without asking me! It''s my decision, and I have my freedom. And I don''t want to go with you right now! Now, get lost!"

    "She is a little stubborn, but we will be taking our leave now then. Bye," Oh Sookyung voiced out.

    Wrapping his hand around her wrist, he pulled her away despite of how much the girl resisted against his hold. He did not appear to be bothered by it.

    On the other hand, Yura''s eyes were on Youngjae for the entire time, and both of her lips were pursed into a thin line when she noticed how the male was staring at Jiwoo''s back.

    She could only let out a sigh.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Yura and Youngjae walked beside each other inside of the park. The cold air inside of the park felt comforting to both of them.

    As Yura''s eyes stared at the ground, she wondered about how to start the conversation between both of them without possibly hurting the boy beside him.

    She was aware of how much the boy loved Moon Jiwoo, and there was no way he was unaffected by what happened. It seemed that he was holding up on the outside better than she had thought.

    "This was because of how lazy you have been. I told you to work hard in the beginning. But now you have let the woman you love be stolen by someone else before you could even get the chance to confess to him.

    You are seriously pathetic! The least you could have done is stop her when she was able to be dragged away. You know, the thing those second male leads do in the drama."

    "Second male leads," the male enunciated.

    "Well, it''s your fault that you have turned into a second male lead. You should have worked hard from the beginning. You had a year with her. But what did you do? Nothing! That''s why, you are without the girl all this time! This way, you will forever have your woman be stolen away."

    "Are you trying to insult me when I am down?" The male questionined, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "Well, it was your fault in the first place. You should have just gone along with my plan in the first place, but since everything had just happened to go this way, it''s not like we will be able to do anything now.

    It''s not as if Unnie is the only woman in the world. You will be finding someone better than her in a matter of time, and first loves are always like this. I have read in a book on how first loves always end up in a heartbreak.

    Do you know the amount of person out there who has Suzy has their first love? But can they all end up with her? Even I had Baekhyun Oppa as my first love, but it ended terribly."

    "You don''t need to worry about me. I knew that it was impossible between both of us from the beginning. Moreover, I am not ready to leave you behind to date yet," he vocalised.

    Extending his hand towards her, he patted the top of her head, and lowering her line of sight, she stared at the ground with a blush on her face.

    "What are you talking about?"

 Chapter 173 - Reconcile [1]

    Oh Sookyung had dragged her off to a nearby park, and she was angry at him for doing something like this out of the blue.

    Although a walk in the park felt calming to her usually these days, that was the last thing she was feeling at that moment.

    Her nerves were all around the place, and she was unable to calm down her rapid beating heart. Constantly, she swallowed her saliva that seemed to form continuously.

    Taking in a deep breath, she let out a sigh and swung both of her hands while she walked by Oh Sookyung, waiting for the male to start talking.

    All of a sudden, she felt a cooler and larger hand clutch on to her other hand, and Jiwoo found her eyes widening due to how she was caught by surprise due to that.

    Turning her head, she looked at the male beside her with astonishment written upon her features clearly, and glancing at her, the male just smiled at her.

    Moon Jiwoo did not find herself hating his touch, and therefore, she did not try to resist it. Red blush covered her cheeks due to the small contact, and the beating rate of her heart started to increase tremendously.

    It has been a long time since she was able to take such a walk with Sookyung by her side, and slowly, she was able to find herself getting comfortable at his side. Her nerves were starting to calm down.

    "How have you been all this while?" Sookyung asked, destroying the silence that was between both of them.

    "After all this while, you are asking me such a question? No, I haven''t been fine because you ruined my days. I am sure you are very much aware of that, and do know that I haven''t forgiven you until now."

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and stated, "Come on, you got to move on from those by now. It''s not as if I have done something that horrible. It''s just that you have lost a lot of your stamina and I wanted to test you. It seriously seems that you have become a whole lot weak."

    "It''s not that I am weak or something. It''s just that I am delicate and fragile lady. I have to be more angry than this to you. You are lucky that I even agreed to go along with you."

    "Honestly, you deserved all of this. If you did not want to go along with those so badly, you should have just exposed us. But no, it was you who started to treat me like a stranger and boss. That''s why, I wanted to go along with that act. This is how I act to my employees."

    Upon his words, Moon Jiwoo stopped in her steps all of a sudden, and while her eyes stared at the ground, she slowly voiced out, "That''s because I wanted to hate you."

    "What was that? I can''t hear you!" Oh Sookyung vocalised while a smirk formed on his face. The cheerful expression was clearly visible on his features along with a tint of tease.

    Knowing how he was just making fun of her, she glared at him, and raising her fist, she hit him at the back of his neck.

    "Shut up! If you keep on being this annoying, don''t think that I won''t hesitate to leave. Don''t think that you will be able to stop me from leaving."

    "What a joke! You do know that you can''t stay hidden from me forever. No matter where you go, I will be finding you.

    Didn''t I just find you? No, I will make it that you never need to run away from me again. Trust me when I say this, Shin Daerin, I won''t allow you to run away from me this time."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and vocalised, "Didn''t you say that the last time around as well? But didn''t I end up running away from you at the end? Let''s be honest, you are not that good at keeping me."

    "There is a difference. You did not run away. I let you go for a short while to get fresh air before I capture you back into your cage!"

    "That sounded so wrong, and what do you mean by that? And why do you even think there will be something between us again? We have already broken up, and I don''t get together with my past lovers."

    "Are you actually playing hard to get? You are really cute when you try to attempt like this. But I don''t remember doing anything like breaking up with you, so don''t worry! You are not going against your principles."

    "That''s a lie! We clearly broke up. We are not dating anymore."

    "When did I say that I was breaking up with you? I just wanted to let you escape for a while since you were getting that restless at that place. I don''t want you to feel suffocated. There is nothing more than that!"

    "Liar! Stop twisting things like that. If you say it like that, it makes it seem as if you brought up the matter of me leaving the Underworld first. That''s not the case. I made the decision and convinced you let go of me.

    Moreover, aren''t you acting too casual about the matter? Shouldn''t you be hating me and cursing at me? I was the one who was cruel to you, so why are you back for me again? Didn''t I say how I just used you?

    I would understand if you are here for revenge, but that doesn''t seem to be your purpose. This is just so confusing!"

    Oh Sookyung giggled and said, "I didn''t think that you would think you are at the fault. Well, you are indeed at the fault, but it was wrong of you to believe that you are smarter than me. Do you think I would easily let go of you if you are that desperate?

    It''s funny how you didn''t find the entire thing suspicious. This just shows how much of an idiot you are! But at least you are cute enough to make up for it."

    His words caused Moon Jiwoo''s eyes to widen while she stared at him in confusion in her eyes. Although she clearly understood what he was trying to say, she wanted to know about what the flaw was and why he had let go of her.

    "Well, about the entire thing I had planned, I knew that it would be too dangerous for you to stay at the underworld, and it seemed that Han Sungmin was planning for something grand.

    That''s why, I schemed for the entire thing to be in a way so that you will want to break up with me and want to go to the surface. That''s just how the things went."

    Moon Jiwoo found herself feeling baffled at what she had heard. Throughout this entire time, she was played by the very man she loved, and it seemed that she was guilty for absolutely no reason.

    Oh Sookyung was truly a scheming man!

    Now, thinking about it, it was truly suspicious how the man had let go of her that easily. Knowing the man''s personality, he was supposed to be more persistent.

    But back then, she was too immersed in her emotions in order to notice details like that, and she wanted to curse at herself for never being able to be smarter than Oh Sookyung.

    "Wow! Now, I really hate you! You could have at least told me about the entire thing. But no you had to keep me in suspense and make me suffer throughout the entire time! Do you know how I felt? You are seriously horrible!"

    "Trust me. It''s not like I wanted to make you suffer on purpose. It''s just that there were eyes on us from all sides, and I didn''t know whom all to trust. Moreover, you are not the brightest, and that''s why, I did not want to take risk of revealing all of it to you.

    Immediately after I was done with handling the matters there, I came at here to surprise you and clarify about the matters to you. But you started to treat me like a stranger and your boss.

    That''s why, I wanted to play along with it and tease you. I thought you would have exploded sooner, but it seemed that you have gotten better at holding in your temper."

    "I don''t know I should be happy or sad after hearing those words of yours, and if you really were meaning to come back for me, why did you look at me so coldly back then? During our first meeting, you looked like as if I was your enemy! So, you are the one who treated me like a stranger first!"

    "Oh that! I was just playing with you. I thought that you will be getting angry at me. But who thought that you will be feeling intimidated instead of that?"

 Chapter 174 - Reconcile [2]

    "How do you think I should have reacted to that? You looked as if I was your enemy. It would be too awkward if I said anything, and I needed money.

    What if you have fired from that job if I managed to annoy you? You do know that I am not rich currently, and the job at the flower shop was precious to me."

    Oh Sookyung let out a sigh and spoke out, "I am sorry. This is all of my fault. But let''s not waste more of our time fighting, alright? Since both of us were able to be together after all this long time it separation, we should treasure our time together.

    Let''s not do anything we will be regretting in the future. Okay? I want to stay by your side all the time from now on. You agree with me on that, right?"

    Moon Jiwoo stared at the male beside her, and smiling at him, she nodded her head.

    She wanted to act petty and hold a grudge against him in the beginning, but hearing his words made her decide against it. Both of them had been away from each other too long.

    She missed both of them together tremendously, and she did not want to waste a second anymore. Since she did not know what would be happening tomorrow, she wanted to make most of today and be with him.

    Holding grudge and anger against him will be making her upset eventually, and she did not want to regret in the end for not being able to spend enough time with him.

    "You are such a smooth talker. I wanted to be angry with you longer, but all those emotions already dissipated," she stated.

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and commented, "This is how I have to be in order to make up for both of us. You don''t even know how to say any sweet words and lack when it comes to EQ. That''s why, I have to put in extra effort."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and vocalised, "Stop making excuses! Those wouldn''t be working on me."

    Without giving Oh Sookyung a chance to say anything in return, Moon Jiwoo extended her hands towards the male and pulled him into a hug. One of the things she missed terribly about the male was his embrace.

    An embrace from him was enough to make her feel excited yet comforted at the same time. Such a contact from him was truly addicting, and she did not want to let go of the man again.

    Now that he was in her arms, she did not want to lose him again. This time, even she will be fighting to keep him by her side. She will no longer allow him to fight alone.

    Both of their hearts started to beat rapidly, and Moon Jiwoo was distinctly able to hear it. Even Sookyung was able to feel it. That brought content to both of them.

    Standing there for couple of minutes, none of them showed any signs of wanting to move away from each other.

    Although they were in a public place and attracted a lot of eyes, two of them seemed unaffected by it. They just wanted to be like this without caring for the world for a long time.

    That''s when, something hit Moon Jiwoo, and she pulled away from the male. Curiosity was clearly visible in her eyes as she gazed upon the male.

    "It almost slipped from my mind. Due to all the commotion, I seemed to have forgotten about it. Since you are here, what about the Underworld? D-did you actually give up your place as the King?" she hesitantly spoke out.

    A part of Moon Jiwoo was afraid to hear the answer. Her heart started to beat rapidly while nervousness began to form within her.

    Regardless of whether or not it was Oh Sookyung''s plan, this was the reason she had left the Underworld for, and thinking about what could have happened back there was starting to make the girl anxious now.

    She hoped nothing bad happened at that place.

    "There is no need for you to worry about the Underworld. It is absolutely fine. It''s just that I am not the king to that place anymore, and I am satisfied with how things turned out to be. I wasn''t suitable to be the king in the first place.

    Back then, I just went with the flow and became the king to the Underworld. But after a while, I realized that not just everyone can become a king. I learned that I was incompetent for the position."

    Raising one of her eyebrows, she questioned, "Then, who is the king currently?"

    "It''s Eunmi. As much as absurd it may seem, both of us managed to convince that she would be a better fit for this position than me. Yes, it wasn''t easy for me to achieve something like this. But it was her effort that managed to make something like that possible.

    Since it was never unheard of in the past, it took longer than I had anticipated to make this happen. I was naive to think that it will be getting solved in a month. In the end, it took up more than a year.

    This is why I had to let you go. I was afraid that with all the fight that just happened after this declaration, things will start to get harder for you, and I didn''t want you to suffer.

    I also didn''t want you to blame yourself for everything. As long as you don''t know what happened down there, you will be fine.

    What I want to say to you is that you shouldn''t feel guilty for all that had happened. I wasn''t a good king for the place after all, and Underworld just got someone better for the position who knows to care for the people there. Over all, it is a gain for everyone."

    Wearing a smile on her face, Moon Jiwoo voiced out, "Although it was tough and took time, I am happy that things turned out to be this way, and you came back to me.

    If you hadn''t, I would have ended up being single with a cat for my entire life. Do you know how miserable that is?"

    "I didn''t know that you are that loyal to me," he vocalised.

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and stated, "Do you think that I want to be like this on purpose? It''s not my fault that I only seem to like only one person in my lifetime until my death. This is so lame I swear! But what can I do? This is how my heart works!"

    The male extended his hand towards her and pinched both her cheeks before giggling. He then said, "How can you say such cute words? You are going to make me blush if you keep on being like this."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and commented, "See, you are teasing me again when I am trying to be honest with you. This is exactly why I don''t like you."

    Sookyung then expressed, "I apologise for making you upset, Your Majesty. What can I do to make you happy?"

    Pretending to think for a moment, Moon Jiwoo smiled at the male brightly and confessing, "Well, since your list of offence is quite big, there are numerous amount of things that you need to do in order to make up to me. In other words, you have to be dedicate your life to me.

    That won''t be enough, but since I love you, I decided to give you a discount. So what do you think about it? Of course, you are not allowed to decline."

    "Since your Majesty wants me for her entire life, how can I even say no to that? Feel free to have me, and even without me owing to you, I was already yours to begin with. Now, won''t you give me a kiss to seal the deal? Or should I do it?"

    "Are you trying to take advantage of me?" Jiwoo said.

    "You can say it like that. Since I am a shameless one, I try to take advantage of my Majesty at every chance. Don''t worry! It wouldn''t be anything that you will be hating. I will be sure to make it pleasurable for both of us."

    "Is that so?" Moon Jiwoo asked.

    The male nodded.

    Without wasting a second longer, Moon Jiwoo decided to give into the temptation that grew within her from the moment her eyes landed on his perfectly shaped lips.

    Unable to hold it in any longer, she extended her hand to grab on to his tie and pulled the young make closer to her. Without a word more, she placed her lips on top of his and connected them.

    Closing her eyes, she started to kiss the male passionately while he returned it with equal fervour.

    Both of them were lost in the moment.

 Chapter 175 - First Date [1]

    "Oh! You scared me!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed the moment she opened her eyes.

    Moon Jiwoo was having a wonderful dream when everything broke apart due to the loud sound from her alarm, and letting out a yawn, she was about to turn to her left when Oh Sookyung''s face fell into her line of sight.

    Cupping his cheeks with his hands, he supported his elbows on her bed while he stared at her with a smile on his face. Not expecting this the moment she woke up, a squeal escaped from her mouth.

    Seeing him this early in the morning did feel unrealistic to her, and her heart started to beat rapidly¡ª she didn''t know whether it was because of the fright or for some other reason¡ª within her ?h?st.

    "Good morning," the man cheerfully said.

    Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows before she questioned, "What are you doing at here?"

    "I thought that you wanted to see me the first thing in the morning. That''s why, I woke up extra early in order to arrive at here. As a bonus, I was able to see you sleep. You are really cute!" he voiced out.

    Pressing her palms on top of the bed, Moon Jiwoo supported herself up and sat up on it. Removing the blanket off of her, she let her legs out of the bed. Standing up, Oh Sookyung proceeded to take a seat beside the girl.

    "You do know that you shouldn''t come to a girl''s house this causally. Moreover, what you did today could be taken as breaking in," she pointed out.

    "It''s fine. It''s not like I am doing this for the first time. Ever since I have arrived to this place, I have been watching you every night of course without you knowing.

    One time, you were about to catch me, but I managed to escape before that happened. I wonder what would have been your reaction if you caught me back then. You would have probably¡ª"

    Before he was able to continue further, the girl interrupted him by saying, "What do you mean? You were watching me everyday while I sleep."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes were widened while the shock and disbelief was clearly shown on her face, as she sought for answer from the boy.

    "Well, that every night part was exaggerated, but yes, I watched you sleep most of the times. I always hung around in your place and watched you. However, it seemed that you were never able to notice me. I wonder how dull your senses have grown to become," he vocalised.

    Picking up her pillow from the side, Moon Jiwoo hit the man on the face with it before exclaiming, "You creep! How can you even do that! I am a girl! I know that you can teleport, but can''t you just respect my privacy? I should get some kind of restraining order on you."

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and stated, "You know that wouldn''t be working on me, and what''s wrong with me watching you? You do know that there is no need for privacy when it is between both of us."

    Moon Jiwoo let out a scoff before vocalising, "Who gives you the right to decide that? I want to have privacy, and do respect it. I will break up with you if you don''t. Don''t think that I am bluffing. I am really capable of doing something like that!"

    Oh Sookyung started to laugh at those words of her before speaking out, "Privacy are between those who doesn''t know about each other. What is it about you that I don''t know in the first place?

    Any way, if you want me to maintain it, sure I will. But the thing is that I don''t know the meaning of privacy. So, do forgive me if I make any mistakes!"

    "Wow! You are terrible! How did you even learn to be this sly!? You are utterly shameless," Moon Jiwoo spoke out.

    "Say something new, dear. Now, get up from the bed and have breakfast. I will go and make it for you right now, so wash up quickly," he said.

    "What about work then?" she questioned.

    "Oh! You are remembering about work now. I thought that you have forgotten completely about the shop during the time you were taking a break without informing your boss, but it seems that it hadn''t slipped out of your mind totally."

    "Shut up! Stop teasing me! What have you done with the shop? Don''t tell me that you have made a mess out of that place," Moon Jiwoo said.

    "No, I just closed the shop for uncertain amount of time. It''s not like I am able to take care of those flowers in the first place. Since you have run away from the shop for a long time, don''t you think that I have the right to punish you as your boss?"

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened at that, and extending her hands towards the male, she pushed his ?h?st away while red started to cover her cheeks. Inappropriate thoughts began to fill in her mind at his suggestion, and she wanted to bang her head against the wall due to that.

    "You are disgusting!"

    Oh Sookyung chuckled, and in a teasing tone, he voiced out while a twinkle appeared in his eyes: "Disgusting? I had nothing like that in my mind. I was just thinking you making you work overtime or cut your salary for a while.

    But it seemed that you have other thoughts. You have grown to become truly dirty throughout the time I was not present. Don''t worry! If you want to, I have no problems with going along with what you have in that mind of yours. Don''t be shy to let me know of your¡ª"

    Not letting him continue further, Moon Jiwoo placed her palm in front of his mouth in order to shut the boy down. Right now, she did not even know if she was red due to embarrassment or the thoughts that began to come inside of her mind.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    After Moon Jiwoo was done washing herself up, she headed towards the dining room while the wonderful smell from the breakfast wafted into her nose. A smile formed on her face at that.

    Her eyes fell on the variety of dishes made for breakfast on the table, and this made her wonder about how early the man had to come in order to prepare all of that. He must have done the grocery as well since there was b?r?ly anything in her home.

    At his consideration, her heart fluttered, and she was more than excited to start the breakfast. Making her way over to the table, she pulled the chair and sat down on it.

    "You cooked all of them, right? None of them are store brought?" Jiwoo asked.

    Oh Sookyung shook his head and said, "All of them were cooked by your dear boyfriend. That''s why, dig in and let me know about your opinion."

    She didn''t need to be told about that twice.

    Without a word more, Moon Jiwoo started to eat. As she tasted each of the dishes, she started to crave for more, and slowly, the speed of her eating started to increase. Her appetite intensified due it how delicious the food made by him.

    The entire time she devoured the food, Oh Sookyung stared at the girl opposite to him eutb spark in his eyes, and as he watched her, his heart fluttered due to her cute actions. Although she wasn''t aware of it, she looked extremely endearing to him the moment she was eating.

    Oh Sookyung wanted to take a picture of this moment and relish it. But knowing that would only evoke an angered reaction from the girl, he decided against that.

    He wished that the time would be stuck right at this instant. He had everything he needed right then, and there was nothing more craved for than this.

    Moon Jiwoo raised her head when she realized that the man was staring at her silently for couple of minutes, and raising one of her eyebrows, she asked, "Aren''t you eating?"

    Oh Sookyung shook his head and answered, "No, you have them all. I have cooked it all for you after all."

    "You cooked this much all for me? What? Do you take me to be some monster or anything?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

    She was unable to keep the smile from forming on her face before she looked down at her food and started to eat again. One thing Moon Jiwoo wished for right then was to eat his cooking for her entire life.

    "I have to admit that you are better than me when it comes to cooking," Moon Jiwoo commented.

    "Is there anything I am bad at when compared to you?"

    "Do you want to die!?"

 Chapter 176 - First Date [2]

    "Amusement park for the first date? Aren''t you being too clich¨¦, Oh Sookyung? I thought you will be more creative," Moon Jiwoo voiced out while both of them walked in through the gates.

    Both of them held each other''s hand as two of them had their fingers intertwined. A smile sat on Moon Jiwoo''s face despite of the words that escaped from her mouth earlier.

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and stated, "I wanted to get creative, but I do know that you prefer the clich¨¦. That''s why, I brought you here. I don''t believe you are satisfied though."

    Oh Sookyung truly knew her well.

    It was always a dream of hers to visit the amusement park by holding hands with her lover. Although her abilities might be burden to her when it comes to enjoying the rides at here, she was enthusiastic to get started.

    Moreover, she knew that wherever she was with Oh Sookyung, things could get never dull. The boy possessed the ability to make even the worst moment for her the best.

    "So, what do you want to do first?" Oh Sookyung asked.

    "I don''t know. Since you know me that well, why don''t you try to guess what I would like to go on first. Of course, there is a punishment for you if you go wrong."

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and questioned, "What would be the reward for getting them correct?"

    "About that, anything you like," she said, "Since there is nothing much I can give you anyway. I am broke after all."

    Oh Sookyung chuckled, and turning to face the woman, he winked at her before voicing out, "I beg to differ on that. There are so many things you would be able to give to me. But the main question is whether or not you are willing to do so."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened due to his suggestive words, and raising her hands, she pushed him by placing her hands on top of his ?h?st while glaring at him. A small red blush covered her cheeks.

    "Can you stop being like this?"

    Oh Sookyung let out a chortle and stated, "As much as I want to call you cute and compliment you on how you appear while blushing, we have got a long day before us. So, let''s get started. As for the first ride, let''s go for the roller coaster."

    Moon Jiwoo nodded her head and said, "Not bad. Since it was the first one, I can say that it was a lucky guess, but let''s see about the rest of them. Although the plan of coming to the amusement park is quite cliche, that doesn''t mean my wish to ride will be the same as well."

    At that moment, Moon Jiwoo wanted to figure out what was going through his mind. That was her deepest wish. She wanted to be able to read the male as much as he was able to do the same to her.

    "I also want to be able to guess your thoughts. It''s not fair that I am such an open book to you, but you, on the other hand, are complete mystery to me.

    Although I am really lacking when it comes to the IQ department, at least I should be able to guess what you are thinking at times. But I am seriously unable to do that."

    Oh Sookyung just let out a chuckle and replied, "You will be able to read me. It has nothing to do with the IQ. It''s just that you love me less than I do to you, and when you love me that much, you will be able to see what I am thinking as well. It has got to do with how much we observe the other person."

    "Are you trying to tell me that my love towards you is lacking? I think I love you enough. Aren''t you selfish to expect me to love you more? I am sure this has got to do with IQ at this point. Moreover, it is me who loves you more.

    I don''t insult you as much as you do to me neither do I pick on you. You even started to tease me these days a lot. There are lots of flaws in that love you mentioned."

    "I do all of them because I love you, you know, and you don''t need to think hard about what is in my mind all the moment. Because everything that goes in my mind is about you most of the times."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and stated, "That was so cringy."

    Despite of those words leaving her mouth, her heart started to beat rapidly within her ?h?st, and the corner of her lips stretched to form a wide smile. As usual, Oh Sookyung was well aware of how to play with her heart.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Throughout the entire day, Moon Jiwoo had a lot of fun.

    It seemed that Oh Sookyung was able to predict what she would be enjoying for the entire day, and she wasn''t able to keep herself from smiling for his gestures.

    As he said, he knew her the best, and from the start to the end, he kept her entertained. She was really grateful for having such a man beside her side.

    Both of them started the day by getting on to the extreme rides in the beginning, and when they have managed to exhaust themselves considerably, it was already evening. The sun was starting to set, and therefore, they decided to roam around the shops for a while.

    After eating for a while, Oh Sookyung planned on taking her to the last ride for the day. Moon Jiwoo was curious to see what it was.

    Therefore, while cat ears were worn by her and Sookyung, she followed the man while curiosity was clearly shown on her face.

    Standing in front of the grand ride, Moon Jiwoo raised her eyebrow at the ferris wheel before. This was getting too clich¨¦. Moon Jiwoo wondered whether or not Oh Sookyung searched about it online before coming with her on the date.

    "A ferris wheel?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

    The corner of her lips curved at that, and she spoke out, "You got it all wrong then! I don''t like ferris wheel at all. Although they got the romantic vibe to it I guess, they are too boring for my opinion. And they move really slowly.

    I remember once I just fell inside of the ferris wheel. Maybe this is why the couples go inside of them. Anyway, they aren''t my cup of tea."

    "I have already figured that part out by myself. But I still want to go inside it with you. Maybe you will be changing your opinion of it this time around. Plus I want to recreate the moments from the movies with you inside the ferris wheel."

    Moon Jiwoo''s eyes widened due to those words of his, and a gasp escaped from her mouth while pink blush covered her cheeks. She did not expect for the man to flirt with her in this way.

    "Although it sounds cute coming from a girl, it is too disgusting when it comes from a full grown male like you. I am scared to know what type of fantasies you have in your mind."

    Although Moon Jiwoo was not at all fond of the particular ride, she wanted to know about how would it feel being at the top with Oh Sookyung and kiss him. Maybe it would be the perfect moment.

    Thinking about it like that, it did not make the ride seem that bad to her, and due to that, she had the slight d?s?r? to get on it. Moreover, if Oh Sookyung wanted to get on it, she did not mind at all.

    Throughout the entire day, he had been bringing her to the rides she was fond of, and that''s why, she wanted to end this with something he would be liking.

    Oh Sookyung said, "Aren''t you being too judgemental right now?"

    Moon Jiwoo shook her head and spoke out, "Let''s go on it if you like it this much."

    Oh Sookyung nodded his head.

    Both of them stood in front of the ride in order to queue for it, and he extended his hand towards her into to hold Moon Jiwoo''s hand. Soon enough, both of their turn came, and enthusiastically, they got on to the ride.

    The worker closed their door, and the ride started to move towards the top slowly. Seeing the speed the ride was moving at, Moon Jiwoo was starting to get bored, and a yawn escaped from her mouth.

    She turned her head towards the left in order to engross herself with the scenery, but it wasn''t something that had managed to excite her either. People commented on how the scene from the top of the world looked beautiful, but she wasn''t able to relate to that in that moment.

 Chapter 177 - Grant them [1]

    A sigh escaped from her mouth, and she mumbled, "I knew that this wasn''t going to be fun."

    But that''s when, she felt a pair of cold hand grip her cheeks, and taking her by surprise, her face was turned to face Oh Sookyung. As her eyes met with his, she raised one of her eyebrows.

    Before she was able to question what he was trying to do, he took her by surprise by placing his lips on top of hers¡ª a romantic gesture Moon Jiwoo had usually seen in the movies.

    She had believed that in real life, this was quite a cringy thing to do, but now that she was kissing Oh Sookyung, her thoughts were not the same anymore. Maybe it was because the other party was Oh Sookyung.

    Closing her eyes, she responded to the kiss with equal fervour as bu??erflies fluttered down in her stomach. Her heart started to beat rapidly while her hands grabbed on to the material of his clothing.

    Her cheeks were dusted in a shade of pink, but due to the low lighting, it was b?r?ly able to be seen.

    Her thoughts were no longer on boring the ride was. It was completely contaminated with the thoughts of Sookyung and the kiss. The man was truly sly to do something like this up here.

    Moon Jiwoo wondered whether or not this was the reason he was eager to get on to this ride so badly.

    After he pulled away from the kiss, he flashed her a wide smile, and that''s when, Moon Jiwoo noticed that the ride was almost landing. It seemed that time had passed much faster than she had expected.

    A strange thought on how she wanted to continue the ride for much longer and have Sookyung kiss her longer crossed her mind. Seeing how she was able to have such thoughts flustered Moon Jiwoo a lot, and she cleared her throat.

    "That was unfair!" Moon Jiwoo exclaimed, embarrassed.

    Knowing that Moon Jiwoo had very much enjoyed that despite of the reaction she was displaying currently, a chuckle escaped from his mouth.

    Soon enough, the ride landed, and the door was opened by the staff. Instantly, Oh Sookyung jumped down from his seat.

    Then, extending his hand, he held it out for Moon Jiwoo. As Jiwoo''s eyes fell on his hand, a smile spread on her face, and she grabbed it.

    With support from it, she got down from the ride and showed him a thumbs up for his good job.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    "So, what do we do for now?"

    Almost all of the rides were played by them, and there was nothing more Moon Jiwoo wanted to try out in the amusement park. After all the snack she had earlier, she wasn''t hungry either. No matter how much she thought about it, there was nothing much left for her to do at here.

    While both of them walked by each other''s side inside the park, Sookyung curved the corner of his lips while he tilted his head to face the woman before voicing out, "Why don''t we just walk around like this? The temperature is quite cool as well."

    He intertwined his fingers with hers and swayed their hands while he walked. As a slightly bashful expression sat on Moon Jiwoo''s face, she nodded her head.

    That''s then, something came in Moon Jiwoo''s mind, and as she wondered why she hadn''t asked something important as this to the male before, she questioned, "So what are you planning to do now?"

    Knowing that he wasn''t planning to go to the Underworld, she knew that he was planning to settle down at here. It couldn''t be possible that he wanted to manage a flower shop for his entire life when he did not hold a slight amount of interest towards it.

    "No idea," Oh Sookyung said, "I just want to tag along where you are and spend as much as time as possible with you. That''s all. I am rich after all, and I don''t need to work hard for money."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and commented, "If you are around me all the time, you will be easily bored."

    "That''s impossible! You are interesting to the point that you are capable of keeping me entertained for centuries," Sookyung vocalised.

    "Why don''t I feel happy after hearing something like that? Are you planning to torture me for centuries now?" Moon Jiwoo raised one of her eyebrows.

    Oh Sookyung chuckled and stated, "It hurts when you say it like that. This is just me showing my immense love towards you."

    "Love, my foot!" Moon Jiwoo mumbled.

    "Since we will be living for centuries any way, why don''t we just forget about work for now? We can think about all that when we get slightly older. Let''s go on a trip all around the World. Since I am rich, I will be able to afford it."

    "That''s crazy," Moon Jiwoo voiced out.

    "It is, but I don''t see you being displeased by it. I remember you once saying that it was a dream of yours to go all around the world, and I think it would be possible for us to do that," Oh Sookyung stated.

    Moon Jiwoo let out a chortle and asked, "Are you being serious?"

    "Does it look like I am joking?" he questioned, putting on a poker face.

    "I don''t know. The thing is that I am unable to tell whether or not you are joking or serious," Moon Jiwoo answered bluntly, wearing a smile on her face.

    "Right," he said, "I am being serious then. You should try to learn more about me."

    "Not interested in that, but isn''t that too impulsive of a situation? This isn''t anything you can decide on the spot or something. More consideration should be put before deciding something like this."

    "Really? Why? It''s not like both of us have any friends or families who would be waiting for us. Moreover, even if you have friends right now, how long you will be able to stay with them before you have to separate?

    In a matter of time, it would only look suspicious to everyone. That''s why, we can''t stay at a same place for life."

    "Are you meaning to tell me that I will be without friends for my entire life? That I have to be stuck with you always? This is such a horrible thing!" Moon Jiwoo let out a groan.

    Oh Sookyung extended his hand towards the girl, and pinching the bridge of her nose, he voiced out, "What did you just say?"

    As pain went through her nose, she moved back in order to avoid his touch, and sticking her tongue out at the male, she retorted, "I am not a dog. I am not going to follow your orders and repeat the words."

    "Wow! Look at you being disobedient. Don''t you think that you should be punished for these actions of yours?" he questioned.

    "Catch me if you want to punish me!" Moon Jiwoo challenged before turning her back on the male.

    With that, she stole a glance at his direction before turning her back on him and making a run for that. Seeing the girl''s childish actions caused a sparkle to appear in those eyes of his, and a chuckle escaped from his mouth before he ran after her.

    Moon Jiwoo turned back, and her eyes fell on how the male was running after her. Seeing how much speed was, both of her eyes widened, and she increased her speed instantly, trying to increase the gap between both of them.

    However, no matter how much she tried, it seemed that the space between them remained the same, and she could see that Oh Sookyung was trying to tease her.

    This was only starting to infuriate her. She did not know what to do against the male when he teased her in that way.

    "Stop playing around! Just catch me if you can," Moon Jiwoo shouted, glaring at the man who was playing around with her.

    "Are you sure that you wouldn''t be crying if that happens?" he questioned.

    "You Asshole, do you want me to chase after you instead!?" she exclaimed.

    At her words, it seemed that the make did not waste a second further before increasing his speed, and it b?r?ly took him a couple of seconds before he closed the distance between both of them. He hugged her from the back taking her by surprise.

    "I won again for the day. So, what is this reward you are planning to give me or should I just make two wishes for you to grant?"

    "You are really shameless, but since I am quite generous, you can have two wishes. State them," Moon Jiwoo voiced out.

    "Not now. I will do it later."

 Chapter 178 - Grant them [2]

    Moon Jiwoo had invited them all over to her apartment.

    On the couch sat Oh Sookyung and Jiwoo, and seated above the couch opposite to them was Youngjae and Yura. Throughout the entire time, Youngjae stared at the male intensely, showing no signs of removing his gaze from him.

    Noticing that, Yura let out a sigh, and raising her hand, she hit him at the back of his hand before saying, "Stop being so rude! It''s embarrassing!"

    Her words drove Youngjae out of the trance, and composing himself, he coughed before stating, "Nice to meet you, Sookyung-ssi. I heard that you are irresponsible boyfriend of Noona who left her in pain. Noona is really kind to take you back."

    His actions caused the girl beside him to give Sookyung an apologetic stare, and she stated, "I am sorry that Youngjae here is really rude. This is how his character is. Anyway, both of us wish you two happiness!"

    "Who gave you the right to talk in my behalf? I still don''t agree on this guy for Noona," he strongly protested.

    "Can''t you just stop embarrassing yourself? It''s not like Unnie cares about your opinion or something. Regardless of what you think, they are going to date," Yura stated.

    Youngjae just let out a scoff at her words.

    Yura then turned her gaze to Sookyung and voiced out, "Were you always this handsome? Did you go through plastic surgery or something? I swear I hard it find to believe that someone as handsome as you exists. You truly deserve to be among the flowers!"

    "Shut up! You are giving me the chills now, Yura! I thought you told me stop embarrassing myself, but can''t you see that you are being worse than me?

    Stop trying to flirt with a man who is not even interested in you. Do you think someone like him will even spare you a glance if it wasn''t for Unnie?"

    "Just because he is dating Unnie doesn''t mean that I can''t admire his beauty. So many idols out there are having girlfriends, but that doesn''t imply that their fans can''t fantasize about them.

    What would you even understand about all of that in the first place? You are totally dull!" she retorted, flashing her tongue at the male beside her.

    "Pft! I am really astonished by how shameless you can be times. Don''t you even get shy while saying these words?"

    "Do you want me to punch you? What will you been understand? Too bad that your looks are mediocre. Isn''t that why you never had a fan in all of your life? You are serious pitiful!"

    "Should you be talking about my visuals? I am sure with those looks of yours, you are undoubtedly worse than me."

    "What''s so bad about me? At least I have five guys to confess to me. What about you? Your last girlfriend even cheated on you. It''s because of how lame you are.

    I pity your girlfriend instead of you, and I am also impressed by how she was able to date you for that long. Don''t you think that her patience was impressive as well?"

    Raising one of her eyebrows, she waited for a reply from the male before her. But before that was able to happen, Moon Jiwoo interrupted both of them.

    "You should get started with the pizza first, and talk as much as you want later on about the people who had crushes later on. The pizza is starting to get cold," she pointed out.

    "Thanks for reminding, Noona! That Yura''s mouth is filled with nonsense. Everytime she opens her mouth, she contaminates the surrounding. I wonder how many people have lost her appetite due to her."

    "See, Noona, it is him who is bullying me right now! Can''t you just kick him out of your apartment?"

    Moon Jiwoo just sighed at both of them before looking at Sookyung and saying, "Why don''t you just get started with the food first? Both of them can be noisy, but when they see others eating the food, they get competitive and try to eat as much as possible."

    Oh Sookyung just chuckled and nodded his head. "I will do that then."

    "Did you just laugh at us?" Youngjae questioned, raising his head to glance at the male before him. His eyes obviously glared at him.

    "Why are you staring at him that way? Are you trying to scare him away with your horrendous face? Ah! He is so handsome! Even his chuckle is absolutely beautiful unlike you. You sound like a monster!"

    "Do you even know how monsters sound like, You idiot?"

    "Of course, I do. I have heard you chuckle in front of me thousand of times. Don''t you think I wouldn''t be aware of how monsters sound like by now? Not everyone is as stupid as you."

    At her successful retort, a wide smile formed on her face, and winking at the male beside her, she removed the top of the pizza box in order to pull out a piece from it.

    Taking a bite out of the food in front of her, she was unable to hide the glee from her eyes and said, "Wow! Sookyung-ssi, this is really delicious! Where did you even find this place from? I never heard of this! And it tastes expensive!"

    "A friend of mine recommended it to me, but I am glad that you like it. Do have more," he spoke out.

    "Wow! You are really polite! I won''t be holding back then! Thank you so much for this treat again! Someone should really learn some manners from you! Finding a gentleman these days is really tough."

    Moon Jiwoo who just took a sip out of the coke before her started to cough after hearing those words from the girl before her, and her eyes showed her surprise.

    "He is not a gentleman, Yura," Moon Jiwoo said, "Trust me on that. Moreover, just because he is buying you good food, don''t get lured to his side. This is his way of bribing you. He is a sly man!"

    "I knew that. He doesn''t look decent," Youngjae mumbled.

    "It''s fine. Sookyung-ssi, you don''t need to treat me to food next time to bribe me. Your face is enough to make me do whatever you want."

    "You are disgusting! You just gave me the chills!" Youngjae commented.

    "Fuck off," Yura retorted.

    "I will be keeping your words in mind, Yura-ssi."

    "By the way, how did the two of you meet? I realized that I never asked Unnie about that."

    "About that, I don''t think that it would be an appropriate thing to tell," Jiwoo said.

    "Why? I am curious. Don''t worry, Noona, I am really open-minded. I am sure that it was something really interesting since you are trying to hide it. So, what is it? I promise that I won''t be spreading it out, and if you don''t want Youngjae to hear it, I will kick him out of here."

    Sookyung started to laugh and stated, "It wasn''t anything special. I just scammed her, and it turned out that she believed me. She then pulled me into the train, and both of us ended up in the Seoul with no money or anyone to depend on."

    Hearing about their chaotic first meeting left Moon Jiwoo nostalgic, and a smile spread on to her face. She could clearly remember to this day how both of them encountered each other.

    Never did she expect to come this far with him back then. Seeing how things turned out to be was surprising to her to this day.

    Both of them had gone through a lot of things only to end up like this in the end. Nevertheless, she liked how the things were right now.

    When she had met him back then, he was one of those person she couldn''t bear to stand, and she knew that it was the same for him as well. But gradually, without them knowing, they have got to fall in love with each other.

    Although their road was bumpy, finally they were able to be with each other, and that''s what mattered to her right now. She just hoped that they could be together in the future as well.

    Both of them in front of her had shocked expression on their faces. They never expected both of them to have such a dramatic meeting.

 Chapter 179 - Good job [1]

    "Soohyun and Minhyun Hyung invited us for dinner at their place. Apparently, Soohyun is pregnant," Sookyung vocalised.

    Both of them were seated upon the couch while the television in front of them played a drama. His words managed to catch her by off guard, and as her eyes widened, she turned to face him.

    "Really?" she questioned.

    "Yeah," Sookyung answered, "Both of them seemed to be happy."

    "Ah! That''s good then. I am not good with kids, but I am excited to see how their kid will look like. Both of them are really beautiful although it''s weird to praise them somewhat," Jiwoo spoke out.

    Since Soohyun was in her previous body, it was still more or less weird for Moon Jiwoo when she faced the lady. Nonetheless, Jiwoo was aware of how different the two of them were.

    The way they carried themselves and their temperament was completely different, and that''s why, she was able to cope up with it a little.

    "I can only imagine how it must feel for you. It''s like facing your doppelganger, but at the same time, you don''t have the same face.

    It''s funny to see how things turned out to be way though," Sookyung said as a chuckle escaped from his mouth.

    "It''s more strange to face Han Minhyun. He was the man who forced me to marry him in my last life after I made fool of myself although he doesn''t remember anything of that since all of that was replaced by Soohyun.

    But it''s nice to see how both of them get along. I never thought that Minhyun would have this side to him. You might not be aware, but he was such a cold man. Everyone was afraid of him, and no one dared to get close to him.

    However, nowadays, he had become really warm. It''s almost correct to say that love does change person. You know, back then, everyone actually believed that he can kill humans and torture. That he was also ?ssociated with the mafia.

    But these days it seems that this rumours are dying down. Media potrayed him to be scariest man in Seoul. Can you believe that? Thinking back to all of that really makes me laugh."

    Extending his hand towards the girl, he wrapped it around her shoulder and brought her body closer to hers. As both of their shoulders touched, they laughed at the same time.

    "And, Chaeyoung, I used to hate her so much in my last life. I don''t think she knows that I am Jiwoo. There is this one time I was close to destroying her life. I was seriously vicious. Who thought that I will be ending up with her supposed to be younger brother?

    I did hear about you a lot of times, but we never met in my last life though although I met with Chaeyoung with many times. None of those meetings were pleasant though.

    I actually pulled at her hair once. I believe that it is a good thing that we did not meet in our last life or else you would have wanted to stab me with how I treated Chaeyoung."

    Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle and vocalised, "I am a sister complex, and it was not small, trust me. When Chaeyoung Noona started to spend less time with me due to all the work, I wanted her attention.

    That''s when, I turned to the bad things. I started to cause trouble and scam people, hoping that I would be caught one day. But unfortunately no one was able to catch me.

    This was my way of trying to get attention from Chaeyoung Noona, until you came up and that was the last thing in my mind."

    Moon Jiwoo commented, "I didn''t think you had such a motive behind scamming people."

    "You were really naive back then though. You were the easiest to scam, and I couldn''t believe that. I almost that you were tricking me, but that didn''t appear to be the case."

    "I apologise for being naive, but that was my first time getting scammed. You can''t expect me to know anything about it. You shattered my dreams though. I wanted to be a popular idol, but that got to ruin."

    "I did see your videos from the time you were an idol couple of days ago, and I can''t believe that you acted that cute. Can''t you dance and sing for me? I can be your only fanboy," he vocalised, raising one of his eyebrows.

    "I don''t think I am interested in being one anymore. That''s why, that is not going to happen any time. Honestly, I am lucky to have lived two times.

    Although it was tough, I got to experience and do lots of things ordinary people wouldn''t be able to do. At the end, it is the memory that remains, and everything just makes me nostalgic right now.

    I had a sister too, you know. She was called Moon Jimin. She was better than me¡ª smarter, more beautiful, and friendly. You can say that she was the complete opposite of me, and more or less perfect in other''s eyes.

    I didn''t feel envious of her though or maybe I was too oblivious to feel so. It could probably be because of how much vicious she was; it was almost like me. Throughout the entire time, I knew that she had a crush on Eunwoo and wanted to use me.

    But I didn''t care. I just followed what she wanted to do. It was because of how I was amazed by how someone like her wanted to get along with me. More than Eunwoo, I wanted to be sisters with Jimin Noona.

    I knew that wasn''t the way she felt, and in the end of the day, she wanted to destroy me. But back then, it did not matter to me. As long as Jimin Noona was happy, it was fine for me.

    My mother was weird. No, you can just say that she was the extreme version of me. She wanted to maintain her riches and beauty forever. Although she did not care about me much, I was happy during all the time she thought about me although it was for her advantage.

    My mom wasted her life trying to take down my father''s wife, and sometimes I wondered why he kept someone as loud as my mother around him. It''s not like he cared for me either. I was a bother, a taint to him.

    Thinking about it right now, I was really lonely and alone back then. But my arrogance and pride did not allow me to think about it in that way. I was too ashamed to find any faults within me. So, I never thought about it in that way.

    But it doesn''t hurt me now though. It''s like maybe I have gone through all of that to end up with you like this. Thinking about it like that makes me happy. Since all the hard times had passed by away, there is no need for me to concentrate on it anymore."

    Holding Moon Jiwoo''s hand, Oh Sookyung raised it up and placed a small kiss on the surface while wearing a small smile upon his face.

    "You have done a great job throughout the entire time. If you think that you are vicious, do remember that I am worse than you. Does it even matter what you did in the past? My past was way worse than yours," he revealed.

    Moon Jiwoo chuckled and stated, "Are you trying to comfort me? I thought that you will be trying to tease me or something. I will end up crying if you act that way."

    As soon as those words left from her mouth, tears started to form at the corner of her eyes, and they fell into Oh Sookyung''s line of sight.

    "Silly girl," he mumbled before moving closer to the girl, and softly he placed his lips on top her tears.

    Moon Jiwoo found her heart fluttering due to his actions, and her cheeks started to get red. Rabbles of bu??erflies moved around randomly in her stomach.

    Then pulling away from the girl, he brought his face closer to her again, and this time around, he placed his lips on top of her hers.

    At the contact of a soft material with her lips, Moon Jiwoo accepted and started to respond to the kiss with equal fervour. She wrapped her hands around his neck while the male deepened the kiss between both of them

 Chapter 180 - Good Job [2]

    Hearing his doorbell ringing, Oh Sookyung placed a smile on his face. and made his way over to the door. Standing before the door, he unlocked it, and opening the door, he stared at the guests staring outside of his house.

    Youngjae and Yura was present outside of his house. While an unfriendly expression and scorn was clearly shown on the male''s face, Yura wore on a bright face, and it displayed how excited she was to be at here.

    Youngjae leaned against the wall while he had his hands inside his pocket. His expression showed his lack of enthusiasm for this place; one would easily think that he was forced to be at this place.

    In Yura''s hand was a small packaging, and looking at Oh Sookyung, she lifted it up, indicating that this was a gift for him. Nodding his head, Sookyung accepted it.

    "I got this little something for you. I don''t know what your tastes might, but hopefully, you will be liking it," Yura voiced out.

    "It''s fine. You shouldn''t have brought anything in the first place. Come inside," he invited them in.

    "Of course I can''t do that. This is the first time I am visiting your place, and you can''t expect me to be as rude as Youngjae. He wanted to be late to your place on purpose, but I dragged him at here," Yura vocalised.

    Youngjae scoffed and commented, "Tch! You are getting quite warm with him!"

    While Yura just shot the male a glare due to his words, Oh Sookyung remained silent while he kept the smile on his face on. Seeing that, Youngjae managed to get himself irritated.

    That made him want to act up in front of him.

    From Moon Jiwoo, he had learned about how Sookyung''s personality could be, and he was determined to make him get angry as well. It did not seem fair to him that he was one getting annoyed throughout the entire time.

    Without saying a word more, Yura stepped inside of the room while Oh Sookyung moved away, and Youngjae followed behind of Yura before slamming the door close behind him. The loud sound due to his actions resonated throughout the room.

    Seeing that the male was behind it, Yura glared at the boy and said, "Behave yourself! What are you? A kid?"

    "Me? I have no idea. It''s just that when I am at a place that I absolutely loathe, I find myself acting up. I hope you can look past this, Sookyung-ssi. Of course I have no problems about leaving if you hate me being like this. You just have to say the word."

    "Make yourself at home. Since you are friends of Daerin, I consider you to be my friend as well," Sookyung politely spoke out.

    "What kind of joke is that? Just because we are Noona''s friend doesn''t make me your friend. I don''t think I want to be your friend ever. How creepy is that! I want to throw up at the thought¡ª Ouch!"

    Before he was able to continue further, Yura stepped on his foot with all of her might, causing the male to let out a groan. At least this caused him to shut up with his insulting words!

    Turning to face the lady, he glared at her, and Yura returned his gaze with an equal intensity. Raising her hand, she showed her fist, and her expression showed that how she would not be holding back if he acted like this again.

    "Fine! Fine! I get it! I don''t see what''s wrong with all of you people to side with such a trash like him. Is he handsome? I am pretty sure I am¡ª"

    Unable to hold it in anymore, Yura touched his collar and pulled his face closer to her. Her eyes threatened him while she stared at him intensely.

    "Do you want me to remove that truth? I don''t think I will be able to keep my mouth close if you keep on acting this way in the future," Yura warned.

    The male clearly understood what Yura was trying to imply by that. She was talking about revealing his feelings towards Jiwoo, and it seemed that she was being quite serious this time. He could decipher whether or not they were empty words.

    He gulped.

    There was no way he was willing to take the risk, and therefore, he could only swallow back all the words he wanted to target towards Oh Sookyung. He merely stared at his back fiercely, hoping that Sookyung would be able to get his anger towards him.

    "That should be quietening him down for a while."

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    As three of them sat in front of a table, various sorts of delicious food was served before them, and Yura''s eyes wandered off from one food to another. She could find her mouth watering, and she was unsure of what to try out first.

    On the other hand, although the food seemed to be quite appetizing to him, his eyes stared at disgust at the food and Sookyung, knowing that this was prepared by the him.

    "Daerin once mentioned on how my cooking will be able to win other''s hearts easily, and that''s what I am doing. I hope that I will be able to gain your approval after this," Sookyung stated.

    "You already have my approval, but thanks for the food. If Daerin Noona says that it is that good, I am sure it will be," Yura spoke out before lifting up her chopsticks.

    Raising some piece of noodles with it, she placed it inside of her mouth, and her taste buds were completely satisfied with the flavour of the food. She could taste how meticulously and carefully this had been made.

    "Wow! This is amazing, Brother in law. Brother in law? I can call you that, right? Sookyung-ssi feels too distant, now that we are almost like a family," she expressed.

    "Feel free to call me whatever you want," he said, "I am glad that you like it."

    "Before I used to approve of you hundred percent, but now it raised to one thousand percent. With you, Unnie will never be getting tired of eating. I used to think that Youngjae was a good cook, but compared to you, he is totally plain!"

    "Aren''t you going too overboard with your words? How good can they even be?" Youngjae expressed.

    Raising his own set of chopsticks, he decided to give the food in front of him a try as well, and as the taste spread through his tongue, his eyes almost widened at how good the food was.

    Nonetheless, knowing that he was in front of Sookyung, he concealed his expression and coughed a couple of times.

    "Nothing impressive, but it is decent I suppose," he said.

    "I know that you might be holding some amniosity towards me, and it''s understandable. Even I in the beginning felt quite jealous that both of you were able to spend time with Daerin that I lost. Although I was quite saddened by that, I decided to move on because I wanted to be spend the future with her happily.

    I hope that both of you will be able to accept me and allow me to prove myself. I promise that I will be taking care of Daerin well, and I will not be failing your expectations. One more thing, I am really grateful to you two for looking after her."

    Youngjae placed on a much more serious expression after hearing his words, and clearing his throat, he vocalised, "You do know that my opinion or acceptance would not be making a difference."

    "True, it wouldn''t, but I still want it. After all, both of you are her treasured friends, and Daerin rarely makes any kind of friends. That''s why, I want you both to be with her."

    "Noona was right. You are quite sly. You know how to please people. If Noona is happy, I guess I am fine, but I still need to keep you under my surveillance."

    "Now that is settled, Youngjae please don''t act like a kid anymore. It''s embarrassing," Yura expressed.

 Chapter 181 - Final

    Creases appeared between both of her eyebrows as she double-checked the location with her phone. It seemed to exactly the same one.

    Staring at the forest before her, she wondered why Yura wanted to meet her at this place. It seemed too suspicious to her. This didn''t seem to somewhere the girl would prefer to be at.

    Deciding to send Yura another message in order to confirm about the place, she opened her phone, but before she was able to send a message, she noticed that she had received another message from Yura.

    "Unnie, are you at the forest yet? Just come to the clearing inside of it," Yura''s message read.

    From this she was able to confirm that she wasn''t at the wrong place, and this caused confusion to spread through her.

    ''Why did she call me here?''

    It wasn''t as if Jiwoo did not try to get an answer to that question previously, but Yura remained tight lipped despite of her persistency. Therefore, Jiwoo just decided to follow along her lead.

    As Moon Jiwoo took steps towards the forest, memories began to flood her mind, and she recalled about how she used to train with Oh Sookyung at this place.

    A smile formed on her face when she remembered how they used to fight daily at here nonstop, and back then, it was her beating Oh Sookyung all the time.

    Who would have thought at that time that she would be the weaker one at the end?

    She wondered whether or not the old man stayed here anymore. Maybe the place was still there, and once she was free, she should try to check it out.

    Thinking back to how she was invited to this place by Yura, she wondered whether or not this place was popular. Even if it was, she did not see what she would be able to do here.

    For Moon Jiwoo, this felt like a trip down the memory lane. As she made her way over to the clearing, she could see how some of the things around here changed while other remained exactly the same.

    Although what was around her was nothing other than trees, due to her memory, she was able to differentiate between how things were now and back then.

    Her footsteps came to a halt once she was in front of the clearing, and her eyes widened at the sight before her. A gasp escaped from her mouth because she totally did not expect that.

    Youngjae and Yura was present on the clearing, and both of them wore a huge smile on their face. Raising their glass of wine, they held it up in her direction.

    But that wasn''t what managed to startle her.

    Her eyes fell on Oh Sookyung who stood in between both of them, and in his hand was a small box. It resembled the one rings were kept in.

    Dressed in a black suit, Oh Sookyung appeared to be extremely dashing at that instant. If it wasn''t for the fact on how she was startled by what was happening, she would have been left in awe on how he seemed today.

    Indeed the place wasn''t anything fancy and decor was quite simplistic, but this place meant a lot to both her and Sookyung. This was where both of them most of their silly memories.

    It was where they got close to each other, and maybe this was where they started to have feelings for each other.

    This is why she could see why he chose such a place.

    Although Moon Jiwoo was quite a materialistic person and she preferred extravagant things, one thing she was able to say that this was better than all of the place.

    After making sure that she did not tear up, due to his actions, she made her way over to the male and gave him her brightest smile.

    Her eyes clearly showed how touched and grateful to the male she was. It was completely filled with the love she had for the man before her.

    Seeing the girl stand before him, he instantly went down on his knees, and opening the ring box in his hand, he held the ring in front of her. The ring shone brightly in front of Moon Jiwoo.

    Jiwoo on the other hand just stared at it.

    Moom Jiwoo had been hunting on how she wanted to be a family with Oh Sookyung throughout the entire time, but the male pretended to be oblivious always.

    She wondered where he got the idea to do something like this.

    Nonetheless, having him like this caused her heart to beat rapidly within her ?h?st, and she could almost feel tears forming at the corner of her eyes. This time she was having a tough time holding them back.

    They were threatening to fall, and as the corner of eyes glistened due to the tears, Oh Sookyung cleared his throat.

    "Remember when you said that you will be granting two wishes of mine, I have thought of them. Firstly, I want you to accept this ring of mine and be with me. I don''t believe in things like marriage, but if you want it, I won''t hesitate to do it with you.

    I just want you to be beside me always and be happy. If you want to be married with me for that, then, we can get married today, right now.

    As for the second thing, no matter what happens, you are not allowed to remove this ring. Even if your finger rots away, you can''t get rid of this. For the rest of your life, you have to wear this."

    Moon Jiwoo scoffed and said, "I thought that you were going to be romantic, but you ruined it with your last sentence. But since I am someone who keeps promises, I will do the honour of accepting this ring from you."

    With that, the expression on Moon Jiwoo''s face had grown to become bashful while she had extended her hand towards the male before her.

    Seeing that, Oh Sookyung let out a chuckle, and holding her hand, he slid down the ring through her finger before raising it up.

    Placing a soft kiss on her finger, he vocalised, "Now you can never escape from me."

    "We will see about that," Moon Jiwoo mumbled.

    Yura started to clap enthusiastically while Youngjae was much more reserved when it came to clapping. Nonetheless, both of them seemed to be quite pleased with how things turned out to be.

    "Congratulations," both of them said at the same time.

    "Alright, now that we are done with this, shouldn''t you be treating us to a feast brother-in-law since it went all successfully? Take us to the most expensive restaurant in Seoul," Yura excitedly stated.

    "You idiot, both of them just got engaged. Do you think that they would want to spend time with you? Just stop interfering between both of them," Youngjae vocalised.

    Turning back to both of them after standing up, Sookyung smiled, and taking out his card, he tossed it towards them. Yura managed to catch it properly.

    "Both of you can spend as much as you want, but as Youngjae said, today I want to be with my dear," Oh Sookyung vocalised.

    Grabbing Moon Jiwoo''s wrist, he pulled the girl towards him, and as her head touched his ?h?st, he hugged her. As Oh Sookyung''s scent wafted into her nose, she blushed shyly and wrapped her hands around the male.

    "Thank you, brother in law! You are the best!" she exclaimed.

    Holding Youngjae''s wrist, she pulled him out of the place after winking at Oh Sookyung and Moon Jiwoo. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she disappeared from the place with Youngjae.

    "So what do you think we should do now, my dear wife?" Sookyung asked.

    "Who is your wife? It''s not like both of us are married yet?" she retorted.

    "Then, let''s get married now," he expressed.

 Chapter 182 - Bonus: Wedding

    The groom stood beside the priest, waiting for the bride to show up. There was no sign of impatience shown on Sookyung''s face while a smile sat on his face.

    His face clearly showed how pleased he was, and a hint of nervousness was visible in his eyes.

    But the same couldn''t be said for everyone present in the room. All of them had been here for a long time yet there were no signs of the bride until now.

    At that moment, the bridesmaid, Yura, ran across the church, attracting attention from the people around, and sweat dripped down her face while she hurriedly moved over to Sookyung.

    Seeing how the girl held sorry in her eyes, Sookyung raised one of his eyebrows while he curiously stared at her.

    As she signalled for him to bend down, she whispered, "There is a problem. Daerin Unnie says that she is not ready yet to come here."

    In his calm eyes, there seemed to be no ripples as he vocalised, "Tell her that this wedding is going to be postponed if she is much late."

    "To that, Unnie said that she would rather not marry than have her marriage imperfect. If the problem doesn''t get fixed in time, she wants to reschedule the wedding."

    Those words did not manage to surprise the male as if he had already expected something like this from the woman.

    Being with the woman for a long time, he would easily recall about how she wanted the wedding to be absolutely perfect and did not want any imperfections to hinder it.

    Knowing Jiwoo''s stubborn personality, he knew that mere words would not be enough to bring the woman over. It seemed that he had to move on his own.

    Facing the priest, he said, "Give me ten minutes. I will bring over the bride right now."

    After apologizing to the guests present, he made her way over to Jiwoo.

    ¡ã¡ã¡ã

    Inside of the make up room, Jiwoo was panicking over how the pair of shoes she meticulously chosen for this event was forgotten back at the shop, and now, she had to settle with a pair of converse.

    Shoes were something she considered to be a big part of the dressing, and with an I''ll matched shoe, she did not want to ruin her wedding. It would look awkward in the wedding photos, and in the future, everyone would laugh at it.

    Jiwoo knew that she was going overboard at some parts, but since this was her wedding and would only happen once in her life time, she wanted for it to be absolutely perfect.

    That''s why, she paid attention to paid all the details.

    So, that she would be able to smile widely and say that she had no regrets when she thought back to her wedding days in the future.

    Right now, a frown sat on her face while creases appeared between both of her eyebrows. One could easily see how enraged she was. The only reason she was holding in her anger was that she did not want to ruin more things.

    That''s when, the door to the room had opened, and the sound had attracted her attention. She had already sent someone to bring back those pair of shoes for her.

    "What''s the matter?" he questioned as he stood before her.

    Extending her legs forward, she showed him the pair of shoes on her feet and said, "Look how unsightly they look with this gown! I can''t believe that those pretty shoes were forgotten back at the shop. Didn''t I say you to pay special attention to everything?"

    "It must have slipped my mind, and I think that you look just fine. Moreover, it''s not like anyone is going to notice your footwear due to that long gown," Sookyung said, trying to convince the girl.

    "If you think that you can bring me to the altar with those words, you are wrong. I am not going until or unless I wear the right pair of shoes," Jiwoo argued.

    Letting out a sigh, the boy spoke out, "You leave me with no choice then."

    The next action carried out by the male took her by utter surprise. Grabbing her by her wrist, he pulled her up abruptly, and then, wrapping his hand around her waist, he picked the girl up. In a matter of seconds, she was in his arms, and he carried her in the bridal style.

    As her eyes widened, her cheeks started to heat up due to embarrassment, and punching her fist on his ?h?st lightly, she stated, "What are you trying to do? Put me down! I am telling you that you won''t be able to marry me if you carry me this way! It will be a forced marriage if you do it this way."

    While walking, Sookyung did not appear to be faxed by her words. The corner of his lips raised, and as a tint of mischief went through his eyes, he stated, "If you keep being this stubbornly, I will just go and marry someone else."

    Grabbing on to his collar, she glared at the male before her and questioned, "You dare to do that?"

    "See, that''s why you should just marry me earlier and make me yours. In that way, no one would be able to steal me away from you. As for your shoes, we can just Photoshop it later on. It''s in the trend these days."

    "You are unbelievable! How could you expect me to Photoshop my shoes on? Let go of me! Go and marry someone else! I don''t want to marry you anymore," Jiwoo protested as she moved around in his arms, wanting him to loosen his grip on her.

    Instead of that happening, Sookyung maintained his tight hold on her.

 Chapter 183 - Bonus: Heartbreak

    A young man was seated beside the bar, and a melancholic expression was in his eyes as he released a sigh. He held on to a glass filled with alcoholic drink and watched as the drink twirled inside of the glass.

    "Are you crying over your first love''s marriage?" a voice questioned.

    Hearing that familiar voice, Youngjae turned left to see that Yura pulled the chair beside him in order to sit. A small smile was visible on her face.

    "What? Want to laugh at me?" Youngjae raised one of his eyebrows.

    Letting out a chuckle, she said, "Of course! It has been years now, and you are still unable to let of go of your first love. Isn''t it pathetic?"

    Raising one of his eyebrows, he questioned, "Do you want to pick a fight with me?"

    At his words, Yura raised both of her hands and spoke out, "I have no intention of doing that. You can''t expect me to rub salt over your wounds when you are this depressed. But I clearly remember you saying how you had moved on from her, but it seems that you are close shedding tears due to her."

    "Last time," he vocalised, "This is the last time it will happen. Now that she is married, all of my hopes are extinguished, and I will be able to move on from her."

    His words caused the girl beside him to let out a gasp while she vocalised, "Don''t tell me that you had the plans to steal Unnie from brother-in-law the entire time. Wow! Youngjae!"

    He scoffed at that and answered, "It''s nothing like that. It''s just that I was waiting for her heart to be broken or her love for him to go away, so that I can make a space for myself in her heart. But I guess things doesn''t go the way you expect them to."

    "Of course they don''t," Yura stated, "Isn''t that why my crush is oblivious to my feelings after all these years? Do you think I should confess to him?"

    Her words managed to catch the boy by surprise, and after taking a sip out of the glass before him, he stared at the girl from top to bottom.

    He then questioned, "You like someone?"

    "You didn''t notice it until now? Wow! You are totally dense! Even Daerin Unnie was able to guess about it! Don''t you dare say that you know me the best after that," Yura joked as laughter escaped from her mouth.

    "Who do you love? Is he a decent guy? You have a tendency to get into trouble. That''s why, that guy just be verified by me before you can even get to be in a relationship with him. Remember that," Youngjae said.

    "You do know that you are not my older brother or something. I can protect myself well," Yura said although her heart was touched due to the concern he showed towards her¡ª even if it wasn''t in the way she wanted it to be.

    "What a joke! You relied on me for your entire life!" he retorted.

    "Anyway, this was supposed to be me comforting you for your failed love life. When did this become about me? Now, cry out your heart, Dear Youngjae! I will be the older sister for today, and I came prepared at here. I brought tons of tissues today," Yura vocalised.

    "You will need those tissues for yourself when I am done with you," he voiced out.

    "Are you being right now? There is no need for that. Both of us are close to the point that we don''t need to be reserved about everything. Now, start crying," she said, looking at the male with eagerness in her eyes.

    "It seems that you are really anticipating to see me cry. Unfortunately that wouldn''t be happening. If you want to truly comfort me about this, why don''t we just move on from this and talk about your love life? Who is this man you have crush on?"

    "Wow! You are really curious! Well, since you don''t want to talk on it much longer, fine. Why don''t you try to guess the man I like? I ?ssure you that you know him very well!"

    "I know him? Park Changmin?"

    "Are you kidding me? No way! He is a bully!"

    "Han Jaesuk?"

    "Of course not! He talks way too much!"

    "Kim Shihyuk?"

    "Absolutely no! He doesn''t even like girls in the first place!"

    "What does that got to do with you having a crush on me? Ryu Jeongin?"

    "Are you even serious!? He is twenty years older than me! How bad do you think my taste is to mention him?"

    "You don''t need to get this pissed. I was just seeing. Yoon Jaemin?"

    "He is too timid. He can''t even say a word without stuttering."

    "Im Jaebum?"

    "He has girls in both of his hands twenty four seven. Do you think my taste degraded that badly?" Yura raised one of her eyebrows.

    "I give up. These are all the man that I know are around you. Did you befriend someone without my knowledge? Could it be that you have feelings for Oh Sookyung?"

    "Are you crazy!?" she exclaimed, hitting on his arm while glaring at him.

    Letting out a sigh, she knew that there was no use trying to play this game with him any longer. There was no one who was possibly as dense as this male.

    "I can''t believe that you didn''t mention the most obvious option, and you call me an idiot! It''s you! Dumbass, you are the one I had feelings for from a long time.

    I can''t believe that you were unable to figure out about it after I was being so obvious to you. I can''t believe that you have the audacity to call others dense!"

    Those words of Yura managed to catch the boy by utter surprise as his eyes widened, and raising his hand, he pointed to himself after blinking his eyes multiple number of times.

    He couldn''t believe how the things progressed all of a sudden.

    "You like me?"

    The stupefied Youngjae caused Yura to let out a chuckle, and standing up, she stated, "Yeah! That''s why, now I will be making you fall for me!"