23

I tried to co-operate.

I really did.

But the second Jungkook sent the fear in, it was like ants had climbed into my pants. My ass was being needled and I wanted was to get out of that fucking taxi.

Fuck the slightest chance that I was wrong. I could be right and end up dying. I wanted to live to see the shock on Jong Suk's face when I moved on with a hot hunk with the fashion sense of the eighties. Or cut out the fashion part. A hot man would do just fine.

"Ma'am—"

"I said stop the car!" I shot, my heart beating in my ears. All I could feel was this unstable gong against my head, telling me I was about to die if I didn't take drastic measures.

As soon as Jungkook had hung up the call, I shared with him my location. For the first few minutes, I glad-handed the driver—tried to get it done nicely and to look like I didn't already know about the kidnapping plan. Then, sirens went off and I did exactly what a smart woman would never do. I began yelling at the driver to stop the car.

I launched a kick at the back of the driver's seat and he sucked a gasp. Cursed a few times but drove steadily. Good driving—really.

Good for him.

"We're on a highway! Ma'am—please—I can't stop!"

Can't stop? Hah. That's what a kidnapper would say.

"You think you can pick anyone up? I just got a call from my boyfriend that the driver's still there, looking for me!" I tried to shake his seat. Our eyes met in the rearview mirror. He looked terrified, trying to drive straight. "Well, my—my boyfriend works for cybersecurity! You won't get away with this! He's already tracked you down and will be here any moment now!"

"That must have been because I cancelled the booking." He hastily added. "I think the app called another cab because I cancelled. I swear, I'm just a normal driver picking you up! I'm just trying to earn a living—"

"Really?" I tilted my head, confused that this logic fit into my head. It made sense. Like a block fit in my head. I pulled my mask off my face, trying to breathe steadily. "Stop, stop the car quick if you're just a normal driver!"

"Wh—I could be fined, Ma'am. Please, I'll stop as soon as this highway ends!"

"You better!" I held the back of his seat, my eyes on the road ahead.

My heart. It was beating in my ears and I could feel the sweat above my lip. T-zone for the loss any day. I fucking hated this mixed skin type issue. I couldn't even wipe my sweat with the back of my head because I was scared out of my mind trying not to be held hostage. Nobody was even going to pay for me if I were abducted. My family didn't even have it in them to get me back.

My dad? He might just take a loan under my name to pay my ransom. Because if that was the case, I'd rather get kidnapped and join an underground organisation instead of trying to run away. Maybe even lead a life of black money and filth but still have a chauffeur to drive me anywhere. At least I'd be safe from these cheap criminals.

Wait. Why the fuck was I diverting in a situation like this?

I checked for the windows, my instincts telling me the most craziest shit to do to get away.

I was about to yell into the air outside for help but the cab rocked to the right. My body thrashed into the door to my side.

It was like an action sequence. Except that it wasn't fun. My back itched like someone was about to grab me.

As soon as the car halted, I jumped into action.

I hoisted myself up and kicked the door when it clicked open and I ran. I ran like a headless chicken.

I ran into the street at the same time that a black sports bike cut in my way. I could have toppled over but I didn't. I just landed on the front of it.

What? What the—

Recognition flashed in the biker's eyes and mine. Together.

Jungkook pulled his helmet off, agitated. He threw it aside as he got off it so fast that my body lunged backwards. I suddenly couldn't tell what I was flinching from, the taxi driver or Jungkook.

His eyes found me. They widened.

A second of pause.

And then his hand jammed into the collar of her driver in a lightning beat.

"Mr Jeon!" I tried to call, confused about what was wrong.

"You hit her? You fucking hit her? I'm calling the police right now."

"Sir—" the man was pushed against the car and my blood ran cold.

What the fuck was wrong with this man?

"He didn't hit me!" I tangled my arm in Jungkook's hook and pulled. He allowed me to pull him away, even though something told me that he could have sent me swinging away, too. He just chose not to.

"Then what's this on your face?" He pointed at my cheek.

I clutched my cheek reflexively. The slap?

Oh goodness, I had forgotten that I still had a mark on my face.

And I did take my mask off. So yes. It was visible.

"It's not from him!" I yelled at him. "Don't just go lunging at people! You gave me the cab number and how could you say he's some stranger?"

Jungkook whipped around to look at the cab number and then the cab driver.

"Sir, I cancelled the ride with Madam's permission." The driver tried to explain, fixing his shirt with shaking hands. I felt like a bitch all of a sudden. "Just so that she can pay me directly and I won't have to incur charges. I think the app booked another cab and the driver called you. It is a misunderstanding, I swear."

Something broke. Jungkook's chest heaved and he looked back at me. I knew that face. He had fucked up. He just realised that. Well, claps, you bastard.

"Okay." I pushed Jungkook to the side and stepped towards the cab driver but he flinched like I was a wifebeater. "You can leave. I'll pay the charges for the ride."

"That's fine. I'm going to drop a ban request for this man!" He pointed an accusatory finger at Jungkook and then spun around to flee the scene like he was about to be murdered.

"Jesus, Haerin!" I heard Jungkook snap.

I turned to him, frowning.

"If he was innocent why the hell did you not call and tell me?" He stepped forward, hands on his hips.

My eyes lowered to his heaving vest. He was still dressed for business and it was fucking awkward for this to happen on the road.

"I didn't know either!" I yelled back at him. "You just told me to get out of the cab and I was on the highway! I had to throw hands at him to get away!"

"Really? Seriously? You tell me you attacked him without checking?" He spat, annoyed more than he should have been. "I was just fucking worried that I sent you away in that state to someone dangerous!"

"I was the one in your delusional danger, though?" My fists closed. "Do you know what that sounded like to me in the cab? You could have gotten away because you weren't even here but if this was really a serial killer or rapist in my cab, I would have died a painful death! Not you, Jeon Jungkook! I didn't have time to check."

"Do you think I didn't think of that? Fuck—I thought—"

I snapped my finger at him, "You put me in danger that wasn't even there.   I hate you, Jeon Jungkook! I'm probably going to be banned from ever getting an online cab!"

"Yeah, right." He smirked. "I shouldn't have fucking followed you here. And with a busted cheek, what do you think it looked like to me? I had to throw hands for your safety! There's not an ounce of gratefulness in you, Miss Kang."

I was taken aback. My chest tightened and I glared at him with murder in my eyes. This asshole.

"Gratefulness for what? This delusional shit you just did? You should be the one who is sorry!" I cried back. "Instead of apologising like a decent person, you choose to make me the culprit?"

"I'm not making you the culprit!" He waited to address his rising voice and clutched his hair. Pulled once. As if that would calm him. "Why the fuck would you let someone cancel the ride? The app tracking serves a purpose, Miss Kang. Do you know what could have happened if this were really a bad man?"

"Do you think I don't know? You as a man know it, but I fear it." I crossed my hands at my chest, my eyelids burning. "And he really seemed like a nice guy until I jumped him!"

"Now, did you?" He bent lower, mocking me at my height. "I could have lost my fucking job for keeping your panic attack a secret. And you cancel cab rides on your way home to make it a national issue."

A pause.

"You're all like this." My voice cracked.

Oh fucking no. Oh hell no. Waterworks. Fucking waterworks!

"All?" He hesitated, catching the shake in my voice rather too quickly.

"You're not even asking me if I'm okay. You're just yelling at me for doing it wrong but I was scared too!"

There it went!

Tears began rolling off my fucking face.

I hated this situation. I hated everything.

"I'm supposed to take responsibility for my own safety, I know but I just trusted him because he seemed nice. He didn't seem like someone who would hurt me. And I was thinking about him for once! What did I do so wrong that I have to be treated this way?"

I winced when my tears poured salt into the bruise on my cheek. My shoulders trembled and I probably looked like I was a fucking fool but I couldn't control it anymore. A dam had broken loose.

My knees wobbled again but my breath stuck in my chest. I tried to gasp it out as more annoying tears oozed out of my lids. My vision blurred. I gave in to crying like someone had died.

Maybe I was going to die in front of this dickhead.

This pathetic assessment freak had frozen now—least expecting this spiral from me.

The look of shock on his face was priceless, though. He didn't even have a mark like me but he looked like I had slapped him. Hard. Ruthlessly.

I could take a picture of it and frame it in his own cabin to avenge myself.

Frozen. Confused. Shocked. You could name it and the man was experiencing it.

But I didn't even have time for it because my taps were open. "You could have waited for me to tell you something. You didn't even think about what it would look like to me. I was all alone. You knew that!" I wept, my knees slowly lowered until I was on them. The hot tar road burned into my jeans. My heart was about to burst. "I'm so scared of being alone!"

I don't know why I cried like that. I just did. But I did know that Jungkook wasn't the one I was crying for. It was something entirely different.

For a second more, Jungkook stood there. Then, he crouched to his knees. Not touching. Just—there. Watching. Awkward and probably calling me beeping words in his head.

I planted my palms on the ground, trying to hold the exhaustion. My jaw hurt and so did my head.

This was terrible.

Why was I like this before him?

Then I heard his irritating voice, "I'm not yelling. I won't. Are you okay—Miss Kang?"

I hung my head between my shoulders, nodding shamefully.

"Do you have water in your bag?"

I sniffled, nodding weakly as I let my handbag go from my arm. My phone clattered on the road too. He picked it up and put it in the bag.

He procured the bottle and opened it. I thought he wanted to drink it. But he held it to my mouth. I clenched my eyes shut and shook my head. What was water going to do for me?

My head was fucked up. Someone was beating a hammer against it. Maybe my guardian angel who was probably smoking a cigar now.

I gasped for a breath, but then more tears splattered on the road, and I began weeping again. It was just so hard to stop once it started.

My chest was pulled by anchors into the tar road. I could land face-first, it was so heavy.

I sobbed in bits, trying to suck it in, my eyes blurry.

"How can...you do this to me?" I mumbled, my head already spinning. "I really trusted you. I—" My breath choked when Jungkook forced me to look up—the back of his hand under my chin.

His eyes weren't soft.

I'd have expected him to look guilty and soft or something like that. But they were hard, dark and intense. Like he was debating if he wanted to kick me aside and go back to Neureva on his bike or stay to make sure he saw the complete foolery. Washed by the sun, golden and speckled with black designs in his iris. He looked pathetically aesthetic in that glow.

"Drink. You'll feel better." He insisted, his voice polite and cushioning.

I put the bottle's mouth to my lips and chugged some water.

When I moved my face away, his fingers stretched around the bottle as if he were holding something heavier.

He understood my gesture and closed the cap, putting it back in my bag.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, finally returning to my damned senses.

Jungkook's hands hovered around my shoulder, careful of any touch as he kept a restrained distance. He was probably getting confused about whether he was allowed to touch me or not. I staggered up to my feet and looked away.

Because shit. Shit, Haerin. Why did you cry in front of this man?

"I—I'll drop you home." He offered and I shook my head. I slowly staggered towards his parked bike and leaned against it.

I reached for the handbag and pulled my phone out. I knew who to call to come pick me up in this situation. Only one person knew this.

Jo Bo-Ah.

She answered on the third ring, as always.

"Hey. What's up?" She answered, her face turning chalk when she saw my expression on the video. "What the hell? Did that bastard come back or what?"

"Bo-Ah." I sterned, realising that Jungkook was towering over me, listening. "I'm not feeling too well. Can you pick me up?"

"Yes of course where the fuck are you?!" She hollered. "Location. Send me the location!"

"I'll send you..."

"Is someone with you? Are you alone?" She continued and I nodded.

"Mr Jeon is."

"That bastard? Is he giving you hell?"

My eyes snapped up at him. He tilted his head and frowned. My eyes flicked away and I cleared my throat.

"You're on speaker and he's right here and bye," I said and cut the call so quickly that the phone almost slipped from me. He caught it expertly before it met the ground.

Jungkook folded his hands on his chest, "Is that my nickname?"

I rolled my eyes. "My friend just curses a lot. She probably thought you were harassing the assessment out of me."

"No, because I can confirm that I was in fact born within the wedlock of my parents." He smirked. "I'm no bastard."

The way that rolled off his tongue. Weirdly nice. Did people always sound so good when cursing? Maybe it was his voice.

Somebody slap some sense into me. What the fuck even was that?

I leaned against his bike.

"That is not my point of interest, Mr Jeon," I said, my voice crackling like a strip of wafer. My eyes settled on the phone in his hands. "I need to send her my location. Please give me my cellphone."

His fingers around my phone looked way too...elegant. There were veins crawling all over them. In his hand, it looked like it belonged to him.

Shut up, Haerin. Please.

"Appreciate that." He nodded, offering it to me with both hands like it was sacred. Well, what would be sacred would be me kicking his nuts.

I took it back and sent my tracking to Bo Ah. Once it was done, I pushed my chin up.

He didn't say anything. Only blinked. His eyes were still the same. Dark. Confused and examining my face like he was trying to find a good spot to punch.

Another moment passed, then he spoke first. "And who touched you like that?" He gestured to my cheek with his eyes alone.

Warmth climbed over my face, my fingers ice cold.

"It's none of your business..." I muttered, refusing to look him in the eye.

He released an unsatisfied sigh. I saw his fingers flex into a fist and then open again. His throat bobbed.

"Is this how it is? High and mighty to me and low and weak to everyone else?"

What?

My eyes snapped up to him. What the hell? I scowled.

"Don't cross any lines here. It's my face. I'll decide what to do about the marks on—" My words knotted up when his open palm lifted to my face. He measured my face, his thumb brushing my chin and his middle finger somewhere near the back of my head. He had huge hands because what the fuck?

I pushed his wrist off me.

"That's a pretty huge hand if it struck you, Miss Kang. Did a man do it?"

My jaw parted. How did he know? Was the mark that apparent? Did he measure it seriously? What the hell?

"You're too close for comfort, Mr Jeon. I suggest you step away." My voice tightened, embarrassment flooding me.

He didn't miss a beat. He stepped back obediently. Then he bowed short as if to apologise.

"I don't intend to intrude," he continued, "but if it was a man that touched your face, I hope you closed contact with him."

He was serious.

I blinked at him. Then scoffed.

"Or woman," he added. "People who strike such small faces have to be a different kind of monster."

I looked away, my mouth short of words. My head spun and it pissed me off because somewhere in my stupid head I knew that he was right.

He was right. I was wrong.