𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺𝑰𝑫𝑬 | 𝐊. 𝐆𝐖 - 𝐱. 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠

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It came to her surprise when the boys pulled up to Mr Hwang’s sushi restaurant. Confused and slightly concerned, she gently unclasped herself from Geon-woo.

Did Mr Hwang and Mr Choi know each other or was it just a coincidence Mr choi chose the restaurant to meet with Geon-woo? She wasn’t sure about Mr Hwang’s relationship with Mr Moon nor how affiliated they were with one another. She only ever heard their interaction once on a phone call, so Nari  just brushed off her sudden scepticism by assuming Mr Moon recommended the restaurant due to his connection with Mr Hwang.

As she entered the restaurant, the bell chiming overhead, a weird feeling weighed in her chest. Something wasn’t siting right when Mr Hwang rounded from the corner. His stoic gaze briefly flickered to hers, and a flash of shock passed over his features. He hadn’t expected her to have been so closely affiliated with Geon-woo for her to attend this meeting. But he hid his resolve well.  Nari noticed how easily he slipped on his mask of indifference, shoulders squaring and chest puffed. It was hard not to be intimidated. And he sure succeeded as both Geon-woo and Woo-jin grew a few shades pallor.

“Kim Geon-woo” he said as the boy nodded, stepping forward as Mr Hwang directed him to a hidden booth at the back of the restaurant that concealed Mr Choi. Woo-jin took a step to follow his friend but Mr Hwang’s hand shot out faster than his boxing reflexes could handle and halted the boy in his tracks. Woo-jin’s happy go lucky grin faltered. Geon-woo who was reluctant , glanced over his shoulder at the pair. Woo-jin waved him off with a reassuring but disappointed grin and Nari sent him a smile of encouragement. With a deep breath he entered what awaited his fate.

“Nari, can we talk?” Mr Hwang said gruffly, and Woo-jin tuned to her in surprise but she didn’t break her unwavering stare on Mr Hwang. The feeling of deceit ripped through her heart. What was he hiding from her?

“You know him-“Woo-jin exclaimed as Nari nodded.

“He’s my boss ” she said and Woo-jin looked on the verge of a mental breakdown, his mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish as he scrambled for words.

“Have a seat Woo-jin, I’ll get you something to eat. “She told him before brushing past them both. Mr Hwang quick on her heel after shooting Woo-jin a glare that had his spine growing rigid.

The kitchen felt a lot colder as Nari pivoted, her arms crossed over her chest as Mr Hwang stood before her, his eyes holding some sort of apprehension.

Mr Kwan who was leaning across the counter suddenly stood, breezing past while slinging his rag over his shoulder but not before squeezing Nari’s in return, shooting Mr Hwang a sympathetic look before disappearing out the kitchen, leaving the duo for an exciting talk.

“I didn’t know you knew Mr choi? Nari started eventually.

“It runs deeper than just simply knowing” he told her before dropping his voice. Nari wasn’t sure she was supposed to hear what he said but she could hear the disdain in the words. Du-yeong’s going to kill me.

“What do you mean by that?” she said interrogatively as Mr Hwang released a sigh, his shoulders tense. There was a moment when his eyes met hers did she see a flicker of sadness or was it fear or maybe guilt. She couldn’t exactly pinpoint the flurry of emotions hidden by the man. But she was about to find out. 

“Nari, we haven’t really been honest with you” he said and Nari wanted to say she knew, that for a long time it felt like they’d been hiding something from her, but she didn’t know the extent in which they’d lie to protect her. So, she pursed her lips shut and let him talk. 

“Du-yeong wanted to be the one to tell you” he said. “I’m not exactly, the best..at putting things into words” he said with a grimace. The way he struggled to grapple with his thoughts was almost comical but Nari refrained with a stoic shake of her head. 

“But before anything you need to know we did it to-“

“What are you keeping from me?” she cut off. Her tone hardening. A wave of anxiety seemed to drown her and the breath in her lungs faltered. 

Yang-jung heaved a sigh and braced himself. 

“You know Mr Choi worked as a loan shark right, before he stopped.” He said and Nari nodded. He had explained it to her after she wandered into his bookshop in a desperate attempt to gather the pieces of her mother’s case. “Well, he needed people to help him, Du-yeong and I-“

Nari felt her blood run cold. She knew what being a loan shark entailed. “You worked as bloodhounds”.

She wanted to throw up when he nodded. “That’s why you’re so good with knives” she muttered terribly.

“Would you believe me if I had said I was just a sashimi enthusiast?” he said in a weak attempt to joke but Nari felt faint. She couldn’t grasp it. 

“Mr Kwan?” she said in a low quaky whisper. Nari had to grip onto the counter behind her when he nodded once. So they all were in cahoots. Mr Hwang, Mr Lee, Mr Kwan, Mr Choi, Mr Moon. All of them. 

” There’s more to it” she said when she saw his face. She didn’t even get to the worst part yet. Nari just wanted to roll into a ball and shy away from the world. 

“Our relationship isn’t coincidental Nari” he said. 

And just like that she felt like a bomb was dropped on her head.

“What-” she croaked. 

Hwang Yang-jung was an impassive man, he never wore his heart on his sleeve and had walls built so high it was almost impossible to get though to him. But when a girl was suddenly dumped into his and his best friends life, Yang-Jung hated himself for allowing himself to care, because standing before her, tears brimming in her eyes and betrayal coating her eyelashes that could only ever be directed to him. Yang-jung regretted his profession for the first time in his life. Pure and unimaginable guilt flooded his body. 

“Du-yeong, Mr Choi and I worked relentlessly to put an end to Smile Capital’s crusade. It got to the point of bloodshed and I lost a few of my men. Smile Capital went M.I.A, but when your mother, Areum, sought refuge with Mr Choi, Smile capital was placed back on our radar. It seemed they had been targeting vulnerable business owners discreetly. Your mother begged for a loan, afraid for her life and her family’s so Mr Choi formally requested we look after your mother and your family.” he explained as she bristled. 

” That night, we were alerted you and your brother were in danger, we had to make a decision. But it was a rouse to get us away from your mother. The time we arrived at the gym and we found you and her, we realised we were too late. “he said, his head lowering in shame.

He couldn’t look at her, not when tears were flowing freely down her cheeks and utter despair and duplicity shone through her eyes. “It was the first mission we failed. In fear they would come after you as a witness, Mr Choi placed us under strict orders to keep an eye out for you, your brother and father. Nari, it wasn’t a coincidence you got a job here, and it wasn’t by chance Du-yeong kept you so close.”

Nari couldn’t breathe. Raw and unfathomable hurt spread across her heart. “So it was all a lie-” she choked but Mr Hwang frantically shook his head.

“Nari we did it to protect you, to ensure you wouldn’t be in harm’s way. We, both of us, didn’t expect how fond of you we’d become. It may have started out as a contract observation but now, Nari you’re family.”

“Stop, stop, please” she cried as she clutched her hand to her heart. This was too much. Too cruel.

“We had to lie to keep you safe Nari. You couldn’t know about us, the life we live. Who we are” he said, trying to take step forward but Nari stumbled away from him.

They had lied to her for months, their whole relationship was built on duty. A way to ease their guilt for failing her mother. Du-yeong, Yang-jung. Liars. The lot of them. 

She needed out. She couldn’t be here. Not while he looked at her desperately, not as the air in her lungs seemed to vanish.

“Nari” Mr Hwang called out to her, his hand outstretched but she was already gone. Storming out the kitchen and into the restaurant where Geon-woo emerged with a bright grin, Woo-jin standing with his mouth puffed with sushi and Mr Kwan looking at her in concern and sadness. But she ignored them all. Staggering out the door, while their shouts and pleas of her name died on their tongues. 

My poor girl can’t catch no breaks😭

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