Love Candidate - Pro Rookie - Chapter 17

Tap. Tap. I groaned and lifted my head off the desk to find the new employee knocking on ajumma's desk with an enthusiastic grin.

"I brought you a drink," The guy smiled and placed the drink on the desk. I thanked him and glanced at the busy workers heaving the goods with a bored expression. Ajumma really hired new employees, and I was told to do nothing but sit at her desk all day. She even purchased five new trucks to distribute the goods, and the store was pretty much bustling all day.

"Aigo? What's the matter with you? You're not even working, but you look so sick," Ajumma asked as soon as she entered the store. I exhaled, got onto my feet to stretch my stiff body and turned to look at her.

"Ajumma... I'm retiring after today," I muttered in exhaustion while rubbing my itchy eyes.

"Oh? That's good news! Are you going to work at your boyfriend's firm, right? I shouldn't hold you back in this small store," She proudly patted my shoulder. I stared at her in guilt because I couldn't bring myself to tell her that I'll be jobless after leaving her place, but it was for the best. I don't want to receive pity money from her. I lied to ajumma and told her I was offered a place at the corporation but ended up staying at my house for a week after I quit working. It was peaceful at home, and I tried to keep my day busy with house chores.

"Are you really not going to work?" Jimin asked as he got ready for work in the afternoon. He works at night nowadays and sleeps in throughout the day.

"I don't have work," I muttered with my empty eyes trained on the television.

"Why did you suddenly quit? If you need a job, I'll talk with Taehyung," Jimin exhaled, sitting down beside me with a worried look as he examined my strained condition.

"Why would I work with him?" I mumbled without looking at Jimin.

"He's very generous. You're good at negotiating, so I'm sure he'll agree to strike a fair deal with you," Jimin shrugged at me. Tsk... generous? He paid Jimin 5% of his profit just to have sex with me. Am I the deal? Jimin sighed and left my house when I refused to discuss my situation with him. What do I want to do? I don't know. Well. I avoided everyone for as long as possible until Secretary Yoo showed up to convince me to return to the corporation. He said I shouldn't give up on my training even if I'm not with Seokjin anymore. So I agreed to attend the lecture with him at our usual time and left the corporation afterward. I'll keep myself busy until I figure out a plan.

"Annyeong," A familiar face sat at my table across from me in the corporation canteen.

"Annyeonghaseyo," I nodded, unsurely bowing at Hoseok as he beamed at me with a radiant smile.

"You really don't remember me? Lee Jiyoung?" Hoseok smiled. How did he know my real name?

"We met a few times-"

"Aigo! School council! Remember?" Hoseok laughed at me. I froze in my seat with a confused expression- OH! I blinked at him in shock and dropped my snack on the table.

"Sunbae?!" I gasped in disbelief. Hoseok smiled and nodded at me with a bright smile.

"Wah! I found you again! I didn't know you were adopted by the chairman after your father passed! I always thought you looked familiar until I found out recently! Sorry for being mean when we met earlier!" Hoseok smiled at me apologetically.

"It's been a long time! I can't believe this!" I grinned at him in excitement. I joined the school council after entering high school to participate in student-related campaigns. Sunbae was always helpful and kind while he was coaching us. He helped me with the school network, so I learned a lot from him. Unfortunately, he graduated the same year, and I haven't seen him since he left. I chatted with Hoseok to recall our old days, happily laughing at our memories when life was still generous to us. I bid Hoseok goodbye after talking with him and left the corporation to find Jimin waiting for me by the entrance.

"Wah~ You're really working at a large company," Jimin stared at the building. I smiled and walked by his side. Jimin wanted to treat me to dinner after receiving his paycheck, so I agreed to go out with him. We settled at the restaurant and were ordering food when another person sat down beside me. I stared at Taehyung in disbelief as he sat with his arms crossed. He's wearing sunglasses with a gray hood over his head. Why is he here?

"Oh- You're here..." Jimin muttered nervously when he noticed Taehyung's cold expression as he sat crossed legs on the cushion with us. What is he doing here?

"Jimin did you-"

"I heard you need a job?" Taehyung asked, turning to look at me with his sunglasses on. I frowned at his question, unsurely glancing at Jimin for explanations.

"No, I don't!" I firmly denied it. Taehyung snapped his head toward Jimin with a bewildered expression.

"You said-"

"She's jobless! Jiyoung, just talk with him!" Jimin scolded me. Wait a minute! Did he just set me up with Taehyung?!

"I don't want to work with-"

"Who says I will employ an ungrateful person like you!?" Taehyung rudely interrupted me with an annoyed expression. I glared at Taehyung and Jimin in irritation. Wah- This man!

"I'm leaving!" I snapped and tried to get up when Jimin grabbed my arm to hold me back and made me sit back down.

"Why are you two fighting like kids?! Just talk!" Jimin grimaced.

"Oh- Should we gun fight then?!" Taehyung scoffed at Jimin. I rubbed my face in distress and turned to glare at Jimin as well.  Jimin froze uncomfortably in his seat when he realized we were glaring at him.

"Let's just eat if you don't want to-"

"Are you guys still dating?" Taehyung asked.

"No?" Jimin blinked at him, dumbfounded by Taehyung's question.

"Are you sure? Not sleeping together anymore?" Taehyung leaned forward to study Jimin. It was hard to read his expression because his eyes were hidden by the sunglasses.

"We mutually agreed to end our relationship," Jimin nodded at Taehyung to confirm our relationship status. 

"Okay. You're dismissed," Taehyung nodded at Jimin.

"I'll see you at home," Jimin sighed and got up to leave us. What? Where is he going?

"What is this!? Did you just bring me here to see him?!" I gasped and stood up in shock to watch Jimin leave the restaurant without explaining the situation. The nearby table turned to look at me, so I glared at Taehyung and his annoying sunglasses.

"Sit down. I only wanted to talk with you," Taehyung sighed, finally taking off his glasses to reveal his bruised left eye.

"What's wrong with your face?" I questioned, unsurely sitting beside Taehyung to examine his swollen eyes.

"A mafia life is tough. The work is good money, but there are a lot of sacrifices. Are you sure you can handle a punch in the face?" Taehyung dawdled just as our food arrived, so I reached out to place the plates for him and poured our drinks.

"Does it hurt? Did you get your eyes checked?" I muttered without looking at him.

"Are you worried about me?" Taehyung weakly smiled as he leaned his head against his hand to watch me set the spoon and chopsticks for him. His eyes were partly hidden by his wild bangs but the injury was still visible.

"You need to mean a lot more to me for me to be worried about you," I laughed and lowered my face to stir my noodle.

"You haven't told me your father's death proposal yet," Taehyung exhaled. I gulped and turned to look at him. Is he serious? I can't kill my stepfather yet, or the corporation will blame Jungkook's family for accepting illegal funds. My stepfather needs to bear the consequences of his actions, so he has to stay alive.

"Are you going to kill him?" I doubtfully raised my eyebrows.

"Not yet, but I can do it. Namjoon needs to capture your stepfather alive first. And I'll finish him off afterward," Taehyung shook his head and turned to eat his food.

"Namjoon is really determined to expose all the corrupt men, huh? I still don't understand why Seokjin is willing to protect my family," I muttered.

"My brother loves to play with women. I bring women to my place and we get down to business right away... but my brother...? He plays with them first," Taehyung huffed, reminding me of Seokjin and our steamy moments. I cleared my throat to shut out intrusive thoughts and straightened my back awkwardly.

"Anyways. If I join your mafia... What kind of job... am I expected to fulfill?" I exhaled heavily to avoid the topic related to Seokjin. Taehyung smiled and turned to look at me.

"Join me? That easily? You have to prove yourself first," Taehyung chuckled, earning a sharp glare from me.

"It's really pointless to talk with you-"

"The scumbags and street dealers are switching suppliers. They're purchasing my rival's drugs instead. Get them back on my side, and I'll let you join me. It's your first mission," Taehyung blankly chewed his food. I paused and turned to look at him.

"Why do you care about the street dealers-"

"They might not be as beneficial, but 10% of drugs flow through them. I'll give you 2% of the profit we earn from them. Deal?" Taehyung averted his eyes to me.

"Give me 10%," I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Are you bargaining with me?! Yah! You know I can choose not to hire you, and you-"

"Jimin told me you're very generous. Convincing the street dealers is a tough challenge! They're very loyal to their supplier," I pouted, playfully cupping Taehyung's cheeks to tease him until his cheeks flushed red.

"3%," Taehyung muttered stubbornly. He's so stingy! I smiled and leaned forward to peck his lips. Taehyung didn't react and stared at me with his stern eyes.

"7%," I smiled, pulling away to smirk at him.

"Did you think you could scam me with just a kiss?" Taehyung scoffed as I held onto his face. I leaned forward to kiss him again. Taehyung panted against my face and slowly responded to me, so I wrapped my arms around his neck to deepen our kiss.

"5%?" I whispered, pulling away to stare at him with my tender eyes. Taehyung breathed heavily against my face, softly leaning in to meet my lips again as he slithered his arms around my waist.

"Deal," Taehyung whispered, pulling away to stare at me.

"Thank you, boss!" I grinned, pecking his cheek repeatedly, and turned back to my food. Taehyung stared at me in silence as he sat beside me.

"Did you just fool me with your kiss-"

"I did! You're so rich, so stop being greedy!" I chuckled, turning to smile at him.

"I thought you don't want temporary men? Did you change your mind?" Taehyung smirked and turned to eat his food.

"Nothing is permanent. I have accepted the harsh truth," I shrugged. I've hopelessly hoped for forever... the right love... the right man... but it's all just a fairy tale in dramas and books. I should just face my reality and live freely. Maybe I'll be happier. 

"I might not know what permanent is... but do you want to try with me?" Taehyung muttered. My chest thumped intensely, so I turned to look at Taehyung, but he was busy slurping his soup. Did he even realize what he said???

"What do you see in me anyways? You know it's creepy to claim you want someone when you know almost nothing about them?" I questioned him. Taehyung chewed his cold noddle and turned to face me as we sat side by side.

"Just like you. I don't know what permanent is. Everything in my life is temporary, and if I search for a perfect woman... they won't even look at me. I'm a bad guy in their eyes. You're just like me, so I figured we'll be a good match," Taehyung shrugged. I abruptly stopped chewing to study his expressionless face in silence.

"Are you saying I'm a bad woman?" I asked.

"Bad woman? Bad man? Bad people? It's a prejudice against people like us. People assume we're bad and evil... just because we violate the laws and commit illegal offenses. Do you think you're a bad person, Jiyoung-shi? No. Me too. I don't think I'm a bad man either, but people will never believe people like us. We want to be happy... just like everyone else. We want to be treated fairly just like everyone else, but it's impossible. We don't have the good image privilege to purify our dirty identity. I'm not saying you're a bad person... I'm saying I understand you," Taehyung shrugged at me as he stirred his bowl with his chopsticks. I stared at him with a strange feeling in my chest. Appa. You told me not to love bad men. But he's telling me... we're both not bad, but we're only misunderstood by people around us? Appa. My heart is racing for him.

"You're nothing like the mafias on television," I shook my head and turned back to eat my food. Dammit! He's tempting me to join the dark side again! Is it really a bad side? Or is it the side for unfortunate people... like us? The good people... they get to live in utopia, but us? The only way to survive is to do dirty work.

"I told you I'm not like the real mafias! I'm just doing this because I'm not good at anything else!" Taehyung cutely whines while shaking his head, making me smile at him. He's like a puppy... it's adorable.

"About that night... you seemed pissed," I muttered, turning to look at Taehyung nervously.

"Oh. Of course I was pissed. You kicked me out of your house right after you used me! I've never felt so used before!" Taehyung grimaced at me.

"You do that with countless women too," I shrugged.

"I let them stay over when I'm done with them... but they never stay," Taehyung frowned.

"Are you serious?" I laughed, turning to look at him.

"Oh. The moment I finished... I get up to get money for them, and they just rush away afterward. They're only with me for the money," Taehyung nodded.

"I should've given you money that night," I laughed, turning to smile at my food.

"You're so annoying!" Taehyung grimaced, turning to poke his bowl with an irritated expression.

"We both have a terrible love life," I chuckled, lightly nudging his shoulder with a weak smile. I'm growing fond of Taehyung. It's weird. Although I was very doubtful of Taehyung when we first met, we actually have good chemistry. But it's still hard for me to take him seriously.

"Oh? Jiyoung?" Jungkook suddenly appeared. I stopped eating and sat up in a panic when I found Jungkook standing before us with his girlfriend. I quickly grabbed Taehyung's sunglasses to cover his bruised eyes and turned to greet them.

"What are you doing here?" I smiled at Hyeri and Jungkook.

"We wanted to eat out together since it's Hyeri's day off," Jungkook nodded at me.

"Let's join Jiyoung!" Hyeri beamed and sat down in front of me, so Jungkook had no choice but to sit across from Taehyung, who was quietly eating his food.

"Who is this-"

"Kim Taehyung. Jiyoung's boss," Taehyung greeted Hyeri. Jungkook's eyes bulged open in shock when he recognized Taehyung and snapped his head at me for explanations.

"I'll explain later," I mouthed Jungkook awkwardly and turned to eat my food. Jungkook didn't look happy but kept himself composed with a slight frown.

"Actually! We are quite busy! I'll see you guys later!" I quickly got up and tugged Taehyung's arm.

"But I'm not done eating-" Taehyung whined. I pulled his arm harder until he got onto his feet with me.

"Enjoy your meal!" I waved at Hyeri and Jungkook before dragging Taehyung out of the shop after paying for our meal.

"Wah~! I'm not even full yet!" Taehyung groaned at me.

"Go home! I'm leaving now!" I shook my head at him. Jungkook can't know I'm seeing Taehyung! He'll kill me for agreeing to work with the mafia.

"Which home? My home or your home?" Taehyung turned to smirk at me. I paused to stare at his sleek sunglasses and glanced at the food stain on his lips, gently reaching out to brush the smudge off his lips, causing Taehyung to stiffen his body at my touch. Even with the sunglasses on... I could tell he was startled by my action.

"You promised five percent, so keep your words," I smiled and walked in the opposite direction to leave him by the store. He's like a child! I'm going crazy right now!? Do I really want to be with anyone, or am I just enjoying their attention because I have severe mental issues?! Taehyung isn't a serious person either, so he's playing along with me- but what about Seokjin? What about him? You broke up with him!

"Appa, can I just live the life I desire? You won't be mad, right?" I mumbled as I walked home but halted when I noticed a car by the gate, and someone was leaning against the fence with his arms crossed. Why is he here?

"Hey," Seokjin turned to smile at me with his hand in his pocket.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" I asked uneasily as I walked up to Seokjin. He turned to face me with an apologetic expression.

"About the fight... I have been thinking about it nonstop," Seokjin confessed, taking a step toward me. I stood in my place.

"I'm over it. But if you have something to say, then go ahead," I nodded. Seokjin furrowed his eyebrows at my response and reached out to hold my hand without saying anything. I glanced at our hands and back to Seokjin.

"I'm really sorry about everything. You have every right to be upset with me. I know you think I'm an unfaithful man who only wants your body to satisfy my pleasure," Seokjin exhaled as he held onto my hand.

"You are unfaithful, and you have been using my body, but I won't play the victim. I had fun with you. I'm just upset because I thought you had genuine feelings when we were together," I exhaled, tugging my hand out of his grasp. I won't blame him for taking advantage of me because it was consensual sexual intercourse.

"Jiyoung- I swear I like you a lot. I missed you. I really do, and I have been thinking about us and all of our moments together," Seokjin fired me an anxious expression.

"I have been thinking about you too," I replied. Seokjin suddenly stepped forward to kiss me without warning, so I gripped his waist and gently turned my face away to break the kiss.

"Give me one more chance. I promise I'll be better-"

"I might think about you but I don't want to be with you anymore," I sighed, taking a step back to maintain the distance between us. Seokjin searched my eyes with difficulty at my withdrawal.

"If you like me-"

"Just because I like you... it doesn't mean I want to be in a relationship with you. That's the real me. I don't commit because I don't believe in forever. I don't believe in second chances either," I admitted firmly. Everything in my life is temporary... so I've conditioned myself to appreciate the brief moments of happiness.

"If you didn't want to be in a relationship, then why did you agree to be with me?" Seokjin sighed, staring at me with a puzzled expression.

"Because I thought you'd be different. I thought we had mutual feelings between us-"

"Jiyoung, I like you. Why won't you believe me?" Seokjin impatiently cut me off. I stared at him in silence to gather my thoughts.

"If you liked me... then why was there a third person involved in our relationship?" I confronted him. He keeps saying he likes me when he's secretly sending flowers to another woman? How am I supposed to believe him?

"Yeona? She's dead," Seokjin clenched his fists tightly. I froze at his words and tilted my head in confusion.

"What?" I asked, blinking at him in confusion.

"She died years ago. I was sending flowers to her grave," Seokjin confessed with his stern eyes fixed on mine, and I suddenly didn't know how to respond to him. Yeona is dead? I didn't know that. What is this?

"Whether she's dead or alive... you're clearly not over her, and I don't want to be her replacement," I finally exhaled when I noticed how hurt Seokjin was. He might think he likes me because I'm making him feel better, but the truth is... I'm only a distraction.

"I stopped mourning her death. I have not seen any other women until I knew I was ready," Seokjin shook his head, reaching out to grab my hand again.

"How many women did you sleep with for you to choose me? The reason you chose me... is it because I was able to please you? If I couldn't please you, maybe I'll also be one of those women you use to numb your sorrow," I exhaled. I know sex is a normal part of a relationship, but I just can't help but feel exploited when I'm with him. All I remember about him is how good he is in bed. That's not love. That's lust. I walked past Seokjin when he failed to counter my statement and entered my house to avoid him. Yeona is dead? Why didn't anyone tell me? Maybe it's a sensitive subject? I slumped on the couch to grip my hair in distress. Jiyoung- no! You can't be with a man when his heart is with another woman! Even if she's dead!

Fast Forward

I pushed through the crowded corridor in the mafia basement, causing all the thugs to eye me with a loathing glare. I rolled my eyes and walked up the stairs in my boot, leather jacket, and ripped short pants before stepping into the elevator to press the seventh floor and walked up to the door. BUZZ. BUZZ. I pressed the doorbell a few times until I heard heavy footsteps rushing to the door.

"-Who the hell- What are you doing here?" Taehyung snapped as soon as he opened the door but halted when he realized it was me. He eyed my outfit up and down with a disapproving look as he stood shirtless in the doorway. So I pushed his chest and walked into his apartment without his invitation.

"Do you usually walk around naked in your apartment?" I questioned because Taehyung was holding a loose towel around his hips to cover his bare body, sweating excessively all over his torso.

"What are you doing here-"

"Taehyung?" A feminine voice called, so I turned to find a woman strolling into the living room with a thin blanket wrapped around her body. She halted when she noticed me and glanced at Taehyung unsurely.

"Get dressed and leave," Taehyung nodded at her and walked back to his bedroom with the woman. I sat down on the couch to watch the dark city sky with an unbothered expression. The woman appeared a moment later in her loose skirt and shirt, hurrying out of the apartment without looking at me. Taehyung appeared in casual clothes as he strolled into the living room.

"Can I drink the whisky?" I nodded at the glass bottle.

"What are you doing here?" Taehyung frowned, slumping down next to me. I reached over the coffee table to pour myself a drink before draining it in one go as Taehyung eyed me in silence. Ooh~! It's good! That's why Yoongi kept on drinking it!

"I'm here to collect my money," I smiled, turning to face him.

"Your money? You haven't convinced the street dealers yet," Taehyung frowned at me with a confused look.

"I just did. I visited my friends a few hours ago, and I know you count your turnover every day at midnight," I nodded. Taehyung scoffed at my dismissive behavior and turned to comb his hair with his arm spread over the headrest.

"The usual turnover from the street is 500 million won daily. Did you really believe you could exceed the benchmark a few hours after you dressed as a badass woman?" Taehyung questioned, skeptically smirking at me.

"Wanna bet? Increase the 5% to 10% if the turnover is above 500 million won tonight," I smirked and leaned forward to stare at him with my confident gaze.

"Fine, but if it's below 500 million won... I'll punish you, okay?" Taehyung leaned forward to intimidate me with his killer eyes. I kept my face neutral, slightly smiling at his thoughtless agreement.

"Deal," I nodded without hesitation.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to hear about the punishment?" Taehyung raised his left eyebrow, cockily smiling at me as he inched his face closer to mine, gently rubbing my black stockings with his fingers.

"I'm not worried at all," I smiled, pushing his head away and got up to look at the city view.

"I've only seen the good side of you before. It's interesting to see you like this," Taehyung bit his lower lips as he sat on the couch with an eager smile.

"I had to fit in on the street. I don't dress like this anymore," I shrugged when the door suddenly opened, and a few men strolled inside with heavy bags. They quickly dropped it in the living room and hurriedly left just as Yoongi appeared with Jimin.

"Oh? Jiyoung!? What are you doing here!?" Jimin gasped when he noticed me. He quickly walked toward me, so I opened my arms to embrace him since he's been away for a while now. Taehyung keeps sending him away!

"I'm here to collect my first paycheck!" I grinned as Jimin rubbed my back to comfort me. Taehyung eyed our interaction with a sour expression and turned to look at Yoongi.

"There was a flood of new supply requests an hour ago- Fuck I'm so exhausted!" Yoongi rubbed his face, reaching out to empty my whisky from the glass before slumping down on the couch to rub his nose bridge.

"What's the turnover today?" Taehyung eagerly turned to unzip the bags, revealing a suitcase full of money.

"750 Million won. The sales increased by 50% in the last two hours. They kept asking for discounts. Did you give them a discount?" Yoongi frowned at Taehyung.

"Discount?!" Taehyung scoffed at Yoongi with a cash bundle in his hand.

"The thugs told me it's your early bird offer, so I approved the discount," Yoongi shrugged and took a sip of his whisky.

"You gave them a discount using my name!?" Taehyung snapped his head towards me in shock.

"Only for one hour. Five percent discount for every batch purchased. I  informed a dealer with the widest network to ensure the rumor circulated quickly across the city. It's a flash sale!" I grinned at Taehyung as he stared at me in disbelief. He looks a bit irritated but dumbfounded at the same time. 

"Yah! How dare you-"

"It was a smart move. Our profit increased by 15%. Shin's group lost almost all of their customers tonight because everyone came to us. They must be upset with the sudden client loss," Yoongi turned to smile at me.

"Jiyoung. You're involved?" Jimin questioned, staring at me in surprise.

"It's my first mission. I get 10% of the total turnover. Mr. Boss promised me. Right?" I teased Taehyung as he stared at me with his mouth hanging open.

"10%?! You gave her 10%!? I worked my ass off for years, and you give me the same amount for every task!" Yoongi snapped at Taehyung, suddenly sitting up in disbelief.

"I only promised her 5%-"

"But we made a bet a moment ago, and I won. Give me my paycheck. Mr. Boss!" I politely placed out both my hands before Taehyung's face. He glared at me in frustration. Jimin laughed with his arms crossed while shaking his head at my playful actions.

"You earned 75 Million overnight. This is legendary! A rookie earning this much!?" Yoongi scoffed as he watched Taehyung count his money.

"She's not a rookie. You shouldn't have underestimated her capabilities. Jiyoung is the best negotiator out there on the street, and she knows all the main links," Jimin shook his head. Taehyung suddenly tossed a few bundles of Korean Wons at me. I happily stared at the money and stood up to bow at Taehyung.

"Thank you, Mr. Boss!" I jokingly bowed.

"I'm not hiring you! Go away! Aish!" Taehyung snapped, firing me a frustrated expression as I hugged the money with a wide smile.

"Why not!? You said I can join you if I accomplished my first mission-"

"You scammed me! This is absurd!" Taehyung grimaced, so I fired him a bitter expression in response to his rude accusation.

"I'm not desperate for a job anyways. I'm sure your rival mafia is very upset right now so they'll search for a competent person like me to help them recover all of their loss," I grinned and walked toward the door with the money I earned.

"You really let her fool you?" Yoongi chuckled, getting onto his feet to leave the living room. Taehyung kicked the luggage in annoyance and stomped away to enter his room. Jimin chuckled under his breath as he followed me out of the apartment.

"I only got five million for my first paycheck," Jimin sniggered as we stood in the elevator.

"You can have half," I handed him a few bundles.

"No. It's yours," Jimin shook his head, but I stubbornly pushed it into his hand.

"You invited me. Take it as commission money. I can always earn more," I smiled and placed the money in his hands. Jimin brightly smiled at me and accepted it. He got a bag to secure our cash and we went home together with my freshly earned money. I was oddly very happy that night because I finally got to be involved with my old way of living again. It felt really different... for some reason... I really enjoyed it. Maybe this is what I really want to do?

Fast Forward

"What is this?" I questioned when Taehyung burst into my house at around 10:00 PM with a few designer bags in his hands.

"Get dressed. I'm in a hurry!" Taehyung demanded, pushing the bags into my hands. I blinked in confusion when Yoongi suddenly appeared, and they were both dressed in stylish suits.

"This is your house?" Yoongi chuckled while examining the plain interior.

"What's going on? Why are you here?" Jimin asked, hurrying down the stairs in his pajamas.

"The Shin is hosting a meeting with their rivalries. I want to witness their irritated faces at the party, and Jiyoung is escorting me," Taehyung nodded.

"I'm not going! You said I'm not hired!" I shook my head, rudely tossing the bags on the couch. Taehyung turned to glare at my attitude, suddenly stomping up to my room by himself. Jimin turned to look at Taehyung with a baffled expression while Yoongi opened my fridge to grab a water bottle.

"Bring the bags!" Taehyung shouted from upstairs. I rolled my eyes and bent down to grab the bags before walking up the stairs after him. Jimin hurriedly followed me back to my bedroom, so I entered to find Taehyung sitting on my bed with his arms crossed.

"I'm going to speak with her in private," Taehyung signaled Jimin. Jimin unsurely looked at me and closed the door to give us the room. I dropped the bags onto the floor and crossed my arms, sternly maintaining a life-and-death eye contact with him.

"You can't barge into my room as if you own this place," I shook my head at him.

"You're hired, so get dressed. I got a few dresses for you. Pick whatever you like. Don't complain, or I'll tell your roommate boyfriend about our naughty moment on this bed," Taehyung nodded at the bags. I glanced at the bags and back to Taehyung after I heard his threat.

"I change my mind. I don't want to join you anymore," I shook my head.

"Fine. I need you on my side. I was just embarrassed when you won the bet. Is that what you want to hear?" Taehyung exhaled, easing his body to apologize for his mean actions toward me. I narrowed my eyes at Taehyung to make up my mind and slowly walked up to him.

"I'll work with you... under a few conditions," I stopped before him as he sat on the bed, looking up at me with his head tilted backward.

"Are you negotiating with a mafia boss?" Taehyung raised his eyebrow with his tongue pressed against the inner flesh of his mouth.

"It won't be much. I'll work for you in secret. I still want to work at the corporation, so keep this a secret from your family and my parents," I exhaled, sternly staring at him.

"You don't want my brother to know about it?" Taehyung scoffed.

"Yeah. Seokjin too. Is it acceptable?" I asked, lowering my face to press my lips against his. He softly breathed against my face and wrapped his arms around my waist as he sat on the bed.

"What about us? Why do you keep kissing me?" Taehyung pulled away to look at me. I searched his dull eyes in silence and glanced at his lips again.

"We're secret too. From Jimin and Yoongi. We're a secret," I whispered. Taehyung stared blankly as I hovered my face above his while I stood before him with my warm palm against his firm cheek.

"Why should I listen to you?" Taehyung smirked.

"It's either you agree with me, or I'm not joining you. It's your choice," I smiled and took a step back from him. Taehyung clenched his jaw in irritation at my withdrawal. I know he's really irritated with me. Ah? Have I ever told you I'm good at manipulating people? It's not something I'm very proud of, but I used to be an infamous scammer back during my wild days.

"Get dressed," Taehyung nodded in defeat.

"Deal!" I grinned and turned to dump the dresses from the bags. I eventually chose a fiery red sequin dress because he said it was a meeting with his rivals. I have to look bold if I'm going to be his partner.

"Are you seriously teasing me? Change in private!" Taehyung scoffed as he watched me slip off my shirt and pants before him. I halted and turned to find him watching me with a sore expression, so I glanced down at my bra before turning to pick up the dress.

"What? Are you shy? I didn't know you were such a gentleman?" I chuckled and walked into the bathroom with the dress because Taehyung looked as if he was about to devour me. I quickly pulled on the dress and hurriedly dolled up before the mirror before stepping out of the bathroom to meet Jimin and Yoongi in the living room.

"It's been a while since you're dressed like this," Jimin smiled brightly at my outfit as I strolled toward him.

"Don't I look good?" I grinned at Jimin, twirling around to show him my figure. Jimin chuckled and nodded at me with his thumbs up. This reminds me of my old days with him! Jimin told me to be careful before I left with Taehyung and Yoongi. We stepped out of the car at a famous club after a twenty minutes drive from my house. I followed Taehyung and Yoongi inside until I heard loud music booming all over the dark club packed with women and men in revealing clothes. I glanced at the liquor offered at the bar, turning to find both male and female strippers dancing at the poles. My jaws dropped when I felt my skin crawling at the thrilling sensation, and my heart started thumping with excitement. This is heaven!

"Disappointed? Do you prefer my brother's boring date over this? This environment isn't suitable for a good woman like you," Taehyung leaned in to whisper in my ear. He's wrong! I love this!

"What's my job here?" I turned to look at Taehyung eagerly.

"You're just escorting me," Taehyung sorely glanced around the club as we walked through the crowd towards a lounge filled with men and women dancing all over the place.

"There he is..." Yoongi dawdled, nodding at middle age man, and like Taehyung's claim, the mafia men are ugly. The leaders gathered at a dark lounge with drugs and cigarettes.

"Ah? Pretty boy!" The man waved, causing Taehyung's face to harden at the nickname. Taehyung doesn't like the nickname? Wae? Isn't it a compliment?

"You're hosting a feastful party after the unfortunate overnight loss," Taehyung mocked the man, earning a glare from him. The man smirked with a curious expression when he noticed me standing beside Taehyung.

"Who's this? You sure know how to find pretty chicks," The man licked his lips at my cleavage and turned to smile at Taehyung.

"She's no one," Taehyung replied without hesitation. I sideways narrowed my eyes at his thoughtless response. He could've introduced my name. No one? That's a bit harsh! Whatever! I really want to party! It's been a while since I had fun.

"No one? Interesting. Can I borrow her after you're done?" The man chuckled.

"Why would I want to be with a loser like you?" I accidentally blurt without thinking, causing the man's face to flush red in disbelief. Taehyung turned to frown at me, weakly smiling at my flustered expression before turning back to find the man glaring at me. Yoongi suddenly tugged my wrist, so I turned to look at him.

[Pss. Listen to BAAM - Momoland for the Club Vibes for this scene]

"Follow me," Yoongi bitterly beckoned and turned to walk away, so I followed him unsurely, leaving Taehyung alone with his rivals.

"Where are we going?!" I screamed as he led me toward the bar.

"Do you want a drink? We'll have to wait for Taehyung!" Yoongi yelled as he fought his way toward the bartenders. We sat down after securing unoccupied stools at the counter. Yoongi turned to order the drink from the bartender as I excitedly scanned the dark club.

"Double vodka shot, please!" I winked at the handsome bartender. Yoongi briefly glanced at me in surprise but didn't say anything. I immediately emptied a shot in one gulp, then turned to find Yoongi eyeing me uneasily when he noticed how easily I swallowed the liquor.

"Drink! Should we have fun!?" I smiled, raising the next shot.

"We need to stay sober! Taehyung is only here to meet his rival!" Yoongi shook his head. I pouted and drank the shot with a sulky expression. I pleaded for more and more and more until I felt my head swaying from the alcohol influence.

"Why are you drinking so much?! We're only here for business!" Yoongi scolded, but I refused to listen and drank a few more shots. I've been dying to be at a place like this! I feel so good!

"Wanna dance!?" I drunkenly grabbed Yoongi's wrist, making him jerk in panic.

"No!" Yoongi frowned at me and pulled his hand away. I pouted at him and started bopping to the beat as Yoongi stared at my unstable condition in disbelief.

"Are you shy~?" I giggled, grabbing his wrists to place his hands on my swaying hips while he sat stiffly on the stool. Yoongi seemed annoyed at first but broke into a smile when I wouldn't stop dancing in front of him. I did weird robotic dances until he chuckled, exposing his cute gummy smile. I lifted the next shot at his face and forced him to drink it while jamming to music. Yoongi shook his head after gulping the strong liquor with a troubled expression and pushed my hand away.

"I'm going to the dance floor! You're so boring!" I informed him, hurriedly scurrying towards the crowded dance floor just before the DJs dropped the beat. I shrieked in excitement and bopped with the crowd. I'm so happy! Appa! Please forgive me and close your eyes! Just this once! Just for tonight! I know you're disappointed in me right now, but I love this! The music and the alcohol! Ahh~ I giggled when I felt a strong arm slithering around my waist, so I wildly turned to find a stranger biting his sexy lips at me. I grinned at him and grabbed onto his shoulders as we danced to the rhythm.

"What's your name?" The guy asked, leaning into my ear as I rocked with him.

"Jiyoung!" I answered after encircling my arms around his neck, locking him between my arms with my interlaced fingers.

"I'm Geum!" He smiled cutely, gently massaging my waist. The crowd roared when the strippers began to tear off their clothes. My eyes bulged open in shock at the muscular male strippers, so I hurried toward the stage to cheer for them in excitement.

"AHAH! YOU'RE SO HOT!" I shrieked in shock when the male stripper noticed me staring at him. I screamed when he suddenly did a sexy hip thrust in my direction. I pretended to do a dramatic fainting gesture, making him laugh at my reaction. He crouched at the edge of the stage to get a closer look and suddenly pulled me onto the stage with him.

"Wanna join me?!" The male stripper smirked as he rolled his abs at me, making me blush. I covered my warm cheeks and turned away in embarrassment. 

"Sure!" I agreed, so he grabbed my hips and started grinding his sweaty torso over my body. I laughed out loud at his teasing movements. He smiled and pulled me closer to him.

"Dance with me," He encouraged. I turned to find the crowd below us jamming all over the dance floor and started swaying to the beat with him. I grabbed his shoulders when he firmly pulled me against him. I smirked and turned my body away to grind my butt against his jeans, making the crowd roar at my inappropriate movement. The stripper grabbed my hips with a lustful expression, gently rubbing his crotch area against my butt as I danced with my arms in the air.

"Stiff man! Mr. Boss! Come here!" I drunkenly beckoned them when I noticed Taehyung and Yoongi staring at me with a startled expression. They were standing side by side in the crowd, frozen in place with their speechless expressions. Taehyung was staring at me with his mouth hanging open, completely shocked by my untamed behavior as I rubbed my hands over the stripper's abs. The man slipped his hand down my back to place it on my bum and gently groped me. I grinned and leaned forward to hug the man when I felt someone tugging my wrist just before he kissed me, so I turned to find Taehyung staring at me in disbelief from the dance floor below.

"What are you doing!?" Taehyung snapped, signaling me to get off the stage. I pouted and stepped down with him.

"Having fun! This is so fun!" I screamed, staggering to the side when I felt my head spinning out of control. He gawked at me with a dumbfounded expression, so I grabbed his shoulders and made him dance with me as I wildly swung and swayed my flexible body to the upbeat music.

"Are you drunk!?" Taehyung questioned as he held my waist to stabilize me with his eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm still conscious, so I'm fine! Don't worry!" I smiled, pulling him into a crushing hug. Taehyung suddenly encircled his arms around my butt and lifted me off the floor. I shrieked in shock as he carried me over his shoulder to fight his way through the crowd.

"She's not supposed to be drunk!" Taehyung scolded Yoongi as he settled me onto an empty lounge.

"She said she wanted to dance! I didn't know she was this deranged!" Yoongi scoffed.

"She was twerking at the stripper!" Taehyung snapped, turning to glare at me as I chuckled on the couch. My body is burning~! Oh- I'm loving this moment! I grabbed a bottle of whisky from the table and chugged it like water before getting up to dance before them again.

"Dance with me boys! Swing! Swing! Sway! Sway! Move your sexy bodies~! Whooh! Whooh! Whooh!" I funnily danced before their unimpressed expression with the whisky bottle. Taehyung flared his nostrils at my embarrassing behavior with his hand on his hips. He screwed his face in irritation when I wouldn't stop bouncing around the lounge.

"Oh my god..." Yoongi grimaced, funnily watching me with an uptight expression, turning to rub his face in distress when I made smoochy faces at him.

"I was in the middle of taunting the bastard when I saw her pole dancing with a stripper! Watch her!" Taehyung shook his head in disappointment and walked out of the lounge.

"Dance with me, Mr. Boring man!" I laughed, playfully tugging Yoongi's shirt.

"Moh? Boring man!?" Yoongi fired me an offended look. I grinned and turned to twerk at him when he suddenly shoved me onto the lounge.

"Stop it, you crazy woman! Waaaah~! I'm going to get you water! Don't go anywhere!" Yoongi grimaced. I groaned on the couch after he pushed me away, weakly leaning against it with the whisky bottle in my hand.

"I'm just having fun! What's the point of coming to a club if they're going to stay sober?!" I whined in distress when a man walked into the lounge.

"I was looking for you!" Geum appeared with a bright smile.

"Hi! I lost you in the crowd!" I excitedly launched to my feet to greet him. Geum caught me in his arms when I suddenly stumbled forward. I smiled and turned to find him staring at my lips, and he suddenly leaned forward to kiss me. I giggled and drunkenly wrapped my arms around his neck as he held onto my waist. He suddenly pushed me onto the lounge while kissing me, so I laid back as he tilted his face to kiss my neck.

"Wait- My boss is here," I whispered, pushing his chest back to stop him.

"Do you want to go to a motel then?" Geum smiled over me.

"I can't! I'm here for business- AH~" I shook my head when he suddenly leaned down to kiss me again, hastily tugging my dress straps off my shoulders to knead my breasts. I moaned in distress as he held my wrists over my head to pin me in place when he suddenly toppled off me. I gasped in shock when I sat up on the couch to find Taehyung punching Geum in his face.

"Yah! Who are you-" Geum roared and tried to launch at Taehyung but halted in shock when he saw Taehyung's deadly stare.

"How dare you show up here? You scumbag!" Taehyung angrily threw a hard punch, sending Geum crashing into the glass table. I gulped in shock as I watched the man tumble on the broken shard. Yoongi suddenly appeared with a water bottle but halted when he found Taehyung hovering over Geum, who was bleeding on the floor.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know she was your woman!" Geum begged in fear.

"His woman? I'm not his woman!" I giggled funnily while sitting with my striking messy hair and dangling straps after Geum slipped them off my shoulders. Taehyung turned to frown at my unbothered reaction with an uptight frown. Yoongi hurried toward me and pulled his suit over my exposed upper body and bra.

"I'm sorry! I'll leave-"

"This easy?! What about the debt you owed!? You haven't even paid the interest yet!" Yoongi violently turned to kick Geum's chest, sending him back onto the floor. I gripped the liquor bottle in shock at the harsh impact.

"I don't have money right now! I'll pay back the debt- AH!" Geum whimpered in fear when Yoongi struck him across his face again. I gulped when I noticed the man's face was all bloody from being beaten up by Taehyung and Yoongi.

"I promise! I promise I'll pay it back next week!" The man begged on his knees as his arms bled from the deep gash. Yoongi tried to strike the man again when I leaped forward to shield Geum.

"That's enough! He'll die if you keep hitting him!" I screamed, protectively wrapping my arm around Geum's weak body. Taehyung widened his eyes at my interference in shock. Yoongi halted above us with a dumbfounded expression.

"I'm sorry! Please-" The man trembled against me when Taehyung suddenly grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the lounge with him. I turned to find Yoongi kicking the man in the lounge as I rushed after Taehyung through the crowd.

"My ankle hurts! Stop!" I screamed when I felt the painful stab on my heels. Taehyung refused to stop and hastily shoved the door open, roughly dragging me out, making me stumble after him in difficulty. I whimpered in pain and tugged him back. Taehyung fired me a deadly glare when I wouldn't stop resisting him.

"What!? I told you we're here for business work, and you're embarrassing me like this!? Look at you!" Taehyung screamed at my face in anger. I would be upset if someone yelled at me while I was sober, but I was too drunk to grasp the situation.

"I only wanted to have fun!" I pouted. Taehyung shot me an irritated frown when I kept on giggling at him. He forcefully pushed me into the passenger seat of his car and slammed the door shut.

"You're unbelievable!" Taehyung gritted as he started the engine, and the car suddenly jerked forward.

"Ah! Ow!" I gasped when my body flung forward at the abrupt acceleration, slamming hard into the side window in pain because my seatbelt wasn't buckled. The system alerted us about my unfasten seat belt, but Taehyung ignored it and raced forward until the car automatically slowed us down.

"Argh!" Taehyung slammed his steering wheel in frustration after pulling up to the side of an empty road as the car repeatedly alarmed us about my seatbelt.

"Why are you so mad? I was just having fun," I mumbled as I rubbed my face and slumped against the seat. Taehyung turned to glare out his window with his fist pressed against his lips.

"How can you let strangers touch your body like that? Aren't you ashamed!?" He turned to frown at me. I giggled at his frustrated face.

"People love to touch my body... I'm used to it," I weakly smiled at him and turned to rub my numb face. Taehyung sighed in frustration so I leaned against the seat when he stopped speaking with me. My eyes grew heavier and heavier until I fell asleep.

Third Person POV

Kim Taehyung tried to scold Jiyoung again but stopped himself when he turned to find her unconscious body in his seat. Taehyung glanced at Jiyoung's pulled-up dress and averted his eyes to stare at her loose dress straps. He rubbed his forehead when he felt his head aching with the trouble she caused. He leaned over her seat to buckle the seat belt in defeat, carefully pulling the hem of her dress down to cover her exposed thighs before fixing her straps. He drove calmly through the street until he reached his mafia building, got out of his car to open the other door, and slipped his strong arms under Jiyoung's frail body. He went up the elevator with her in his arms when Jiyoung stirred with an uncomfortable expression. He took her inside his apartment and gently rested her on his bed.

"Are we home?" Jiyoung whispered, lifting her head off the pillow with a dazed expression as Taehyung took off his suit and tossed it aside.

"Yeah. You're on my bed," Taehyung muttered as Jiyoung sat up on his bed to lean against the bed head with her weary eyes.

"How much did the man owe you?" Jiyoung hoarsely questioned as she scratched her head.

"He was groping your breasts, and you're okay with it?" Taehyung turned to frown at Jiyoung while unbuttoning his shirt because he was fuming in anger.

"Look what I got," Jiyoung giggled, holding up a shiny item in her hand.

"Where did you get it?" Taehyung frowned when he noticed she was holding an expensive watch.

"From that pervert. I took it off his wrist when I shielded him. This is a limited edition released a few months ago. It's worth 250 Million won," Jiyoung burped as she wiggled the watch in front of Taehyung with a smug smile despite being half out of her mind. Taehyung stared at her in disbelief until the anger inside his chest subsided, quietly watching Jiyoung's hopeless condition as she raised the watch at him. He sighed and slowly sat on the bed edge to stare at her flustered face with a curious expression.

"Does Seokjin know this side of you?" Taehyung questioned while examining her unstable state.

"Seokjin? No! Haha! I'm a good woman around him!" Jiyoung laughed, repeatedly shaking her head at Taehyung. He slowly reached out to withdraw the watch from her hand to observe it. She's right. The watch is worth millions.

"Were you always like this?" Taehyung questioned as he inspected the watch.

"Oh! I was always like this after I ran away from the cruel man! I committed illegal crimes because it was a good distraction! But I stopped and tried to be a good lady again. A lady my dead father would be proud of! I'm proud of my effort, but I love this life better," Jiyoung smiled at Taehyung. He slowly averted his eyes from the watch to find her grinning at him with a dazed expression.

"This? You mean... being harassed by strangers? Clubbing? Stealing?" Taehyung questioned her.

"It makes me feel good. I'm tired of being a good lady! Even if I'm a good woman- no one will ever love me! What's the point? Fuck it," Jiyoung chuckled, weakly nodding at Taehyung. He stared at her with an anxious expression until he noticed tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Are you crying?" Taehyung studied her bright facial expression even if tears were forming in her eyes.

"Oh? No! I'm just happy! I feel so refreshed!" She chuckled, quickly rubbing away her tears. Taehyung exhaled in silence and turned to stare at the watch again.

"How can you be this foolish...?" He whispered under his breath. Jiyoung suddenly straightened her body and scooted closer to Taehyung with her rosy red face.

"You're right. You and I... we're both lonely," Jiyoung whispered in Taehyung's ear. He pursed his lips and turned to stare at her tired eyes as she cutely chuckled at him. He was speechless and sat in silence beside her when Jiyoung bit her lips and leaned forward to kiss him. Taehyung didn't respond to her, so Jiyoung wrapped her arms around his waist while they sat on his bed and kissed him harder until Taehyung was out of breath. She gently cupped his cheeks, persistently kissing him until Taehyung surrendered and responded to her. He combed his fingers through her hair with one hand and pulled her body closer to his with his other arm to shorten the gap between their bodies. He gently laid her back onto the mattress as she gripped his hair to kiss him over the pillow when Jiyoung suddenly pushed his face away to stare at Taehyung.

"What?" Taehyung whispered when she kept on staring at him.

"Give me 10% of the watch after you sell it. I stole it for you after all, so I should get some commission," Jiyoung whispered with a serious expression. Taehyung froze at her words, suddenly breaking into a soft chuckle. He couldn't believe her words.

"You're still thinking about money in this condition?" Taehyung shook his head as he smiled at her. Jiyoung giggled at Taehyung's disappointed voice, so he bit his lips and gently leaned down to kiss her again. Jiyoung smiled against his lips and pulled him closer to her as Taehyung interlaced his fingers with hers to hold her under him in his dark bedroom.

__________________________

Yay! I finished another chapter! I'll be busy starting from Sunday onward so I really hope I can update Love Candidate as often as I used to! I'll try my best regardless of my packed schedule! I hope you're enjoying the story! Please stay safe and healthy! I love you guys and thank you for your endless support! <3

I wonder who's the real Love Candidate...? *Evil Laughter*