Lishi's POV
Shit. We are stuck with a snake and no way out. Yun us rocking back and forth in the corner absolutely in shock, Haneul and I have been trying to figure out how to escape but we couldn't wake up the snake further.
"He's deathly afraid of snakes." Haneul explained when I tried calming down Yun.
Haneul wanted to pick the lock which would've been great if it wasnt an automated one with a fingerprint scanner.
I hope Rae's day is at least going better than mine sigh.
Rae's POV
4 hours earlier...
Something about today feels off. I've been feeling cold all morning even with 2 cups of coffee and a sweater. Lishi didn't even come home last night with how hard she's been working so after this meeting I'm getting her some soup. Minjae seemed extra concerned once he heard I was going to be out of the office for 'a meeting'. I didnt even tell Lishi about this meeting because shed be even more worried. Minjae is too sweet to me sometimes, he made me breakfast and even helped with my hair which surprised me the most since its super curly. Sigh I can't believe I get attached to people so easily.
But hes seem every side of me, and it feels so refreshing to not have to hide the me that I am. I hope this feeling doesn't go away anytime soon.
I put on my battle face as soon as I entered the cafe. I was dressed in a grey sweater and skinny jeans. Yun made me put a bulletproof vest under my sweater "because you never know what could happen" and it truly felt like I was heading to war.
I entered 10 min ahead of time and ordered a tea latte. Better make myself comfortable, we haven't seen each other since the office mishap. I don't know what he'll throw at me but I have to be strong.
"Hey miss, we're out of the tea you wanted is Apple Tea okay?" The manager Sunyoul caught my attention, winking in the process. So he's the one who's part of the organisation. The apple question was a hint to his identity, Yun briefed me on what to expect so I knew he could be trusted.
"Apple is fine." I replied nodding towards him. He grinned and went on to make my drink.
1pm on the dot I heard the door open and the clicking of heels and leather shoes on the floor behind me.
"You brought a friend?" I spoke with some surprise. And here I thought it would be the two of us.
"Considering Yunseok is probably listening to every word we say I thought it would be fair to bring my own backup so to speak. And shes your friend too my dear." They walked into my line of sight to sit in front of me.
Seohyun and Seunghyun. Seohyun sat in front of me in business attire with long black pumps and not a single hair out of place in her bun. Seunghyun was immaculate as ever in a classic suit. They'd look like a power couple in a kdrama if this wasn't real life.
"Hey Seohyun the rents due soon so I hope you're covering your share." I replied nonchalantly sipping the apple tea in front of me. The smug look she was sporting as she came in slipped off as she noticed she wasnt getting a rise out of me.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" She huffed crossing her arms.
"Say what? You want me to get mad and be all like 'you betrayed me how dare you' do you want me to slam my hands on the table and throw a tantrum?" I leaned closer with a smile.
"You're a pawn, you're not fit for the big leauges so I suggest you sit there, shut up and look pretty like the trophy you are. You're not worthy of my anger. You're not worth anything." The final line seemed to have broke her because I could see her start to shake like she was about to cry. I sat back and Seunghyun was looking at us amused.
"Now that that's settled, I'll get to the crux of it." Seunghyun replied before flagging the counter girl and ordering a black coffee.
"I'd like to whats going on to, because I've personally done nothing to you yet you seem to target me constantly? Tell me are you a stalker of some sort?" Even I snorted at my words. He did act like one but one obsessed with my demise, not my heart.
"No no, not a stalker. But I do want you." I coughed almost choking on my tea.
He wants me? What the actual fuck? He doesn't seem to grasp the whole dont kill your love thing so I don't think he's relationship material. Also he's insane! He continued unaware of my internal freak out.
"Or more specifically what you're worth," Okay that makes much more sense, "Killing you before you realised who you were didnt work, so I'm here to offer an alliance. My company and your organisation together could lead the world in weapons manufacturing and protection."
He wants an alliance? After trying to murder me? I don't think a trip to a mental health hospital is going to fix this man in front of me.
"Now I know you're apprehensive considering I did try to kill you but think about it. We'd be on top of the world, and you get to enjoy luxuries beyond your dreams. And I could warm your bed every night, faithfully pleasuring you." Ew the image popped into my head and it made me almost violently vomit. He looked slightly offended at me gagging and cleared his throat producing some papers.
Contract. One that would tie us together forever.
"So what do you say?" He handed them to me.
"B-but what about us? You said I'm the one you're in love with?" Seohyun who had been silent had tears streaming down her face, distorting the cold beauty image and ruining her perfect make up.
"A man like him loves power. You're a way of getting to me. You should leave now, and create a new life whilst you can. You may be a traitor but I just pity you now." Seunghyun seemed unfazed by her breakdown as I continued to talk.
"As for you Seunghyun. Whilst the life I lead was hard, and it only gets more complicated from here, I'd rather end it before handing over the organisation to you. You see its wealth, but I see its people."
Lulu. Jaemin. Uncle Gi. And Yun. People I've lost and loved. To him theyre chess pieces. They're disposable. They're nothing....
Theyre so much more than that. And he's a fool if he thinks I'll align myself with him.
"I thought you'd say that, I believe this would convince you to join me." He sighed and smiled producing his phone from his suit jacket and sliding it across the table to me.
A video of Yun, Lishi and another guy stuck in a room with a snake was right before my eyes. Yun....he has a fear of snakes and I can see him shaking in shock. The guy next to him....i think he's an idol at my company shit.
"What did you do to them?" I asked my voice now steely cold. No wonder I didn't hear Yun at all, usually he would've spoken in my ear by now.
"Nothing yet. In 1 hour the automatic lock on the door will be opened and they'll be shot by my men, or be bitten by the venomous snake and die. Whichever comes first."
His voice. He seems so casual talking about human lives like that. No air of bravado or faking it.
He's a psycho on a mission.
"You underestimate Lishi. And Yun. Now leave, you're on my turf so unless you'd like to be shot first I suggest you go."
He stood up and walked towards without turning back as if he forgot something.
"You've got 1 hour to decide." And with that he walked out leaving Seohyun who was still crying by herself.
I need to save them in 1 hour. Uncle Gi is too far to reach me so who can I rely on for help.....
"Sunyoul is it?" He turned at me calling out his name.
"Yes?" He replied in a confused tone. I walked up to him and quietly told him my plans.
"You're a member of Poison Apple aren't you. What resources do we have that we can get immediately, I want them all. And in the meantime call for Uncle Gi." He nodded immediately at my words and shouted for the girl to lock up because of 'a family emergency'.
I looked back at Seohyun who was now blank faced but still looked like a mess. I shook my head in pity. Its a damn shame she was blinded by the idea of love, but betrayals....i can't get over it.
"Leave, move away from here. I won't even hold it against you. Just go." Her head popped up at my words and she nodded before heading out.
Now we're getting my damn friends back.
Less than 15 minutes later I had a team of 10 guys and 2 girls sat around me including Sunyoul who had changed out of his uniform into an all black outfit. The speed was impressive but its odd how they kept calling me Lady. It all feels very mafia like. Anyways back to focusing on my friends. It didnt take long to find Lishi because one girl, Hana had a laptop out and had somehow gotten into her bank records seen her transaction at a Food Factory and the rest was history. Slightly worrying how easy it was to get into but I won't question it.
She was currently tracking the movements of several armed men outside the building where Lishi, Yun and the guy who I now know as Hanuel were stuck in. Uncle Gi was informed and he was speeding down the highway with reinforcements for "clean up". So now we're figuring out how to contact them inside because we can't get a signal to their phones.
"Bulletproof windows, lead lined walls. Its a box of death just waiting for someone. Or some people in this case." Hana remarked as we brainstormed.
"We have 45 minutes before they shoot. It'll take us half an hour to get there unnoticed. We have exactly 15 min to take down the men and bust open the door. How do we open the door because the whole system is controlled by Seunghyun." I questioned. As soon as the shooting starts he won't let them go, its going to get bloody real fast.
"If someone could just stall him for 5 minutes I could hack into his computer and block his access to the doors. 5 minutes from the time the shooting starts."
I....i think I have a plan. And I'm not going to like it.
Lishi's POV
"Yun. You're okay, the snake won't attack you." Okay I don't know if it will but its better to calm him down first. I carry water in my bag so I gave the bottle to him so he could have a drink and calm down.
"We have company ladies and gentlemen." Hanuel replied pointing out the window.
I could see at least a dozen men with rifles and other guns. Oh god. Guns oh dear. There's no way we can go against guns. I tried seeing the logo they were sporting but they had their backs turned to me. It didn't look like Rae's family one, also if this was her doing it would be just one epically fucked up prank.
"Snake might not harm us but those bullets will." I replied sighing. Are they here to just trap us or....dispose of us.
"Oh that snake bite will one hundred percent harm us, its a Black Mamba. We'd be dead within the hour." Great thanks Hanuel just what I needed to hear.
"And how pray tell do we escape certain death?" I hissed at him.
Okay getting mad won't work but that thing is going to wake up soon and I don't want to be its next chomping target.
"Strike its head. And you need to do it in one fluid motion others that thing will bite. And you need a distraction if it wakes up because it can move at 5.5 metresper second." The words tumbled out of Yun's mouth and I almost didn't catch it.
"Okay.....whats the toughest thing that can crush its head." I don't want to kill an animal but its either him or me and I like being alive.
I looked around and on the desk to see if anythings big enough to smash it. I looked to the bookshelf and saw the bust of some old korean guy and snatched it. Sorry whoever you are but today's not your lucky day.
"Ill do it, I've got the better aim probably. Lishi you be the distraction if it wakes up mid smash." Hanuel took the decently heavy bust out of my hands and inched his way forward to the snake was sleeping on the wall.
He held up 3 fingers and begun the countdown and all I could think was 'please kill it in one go' repeatedly. Live bait isn't my strong suit.
As soon as he dropped the last finger he lifted the bust over his head and with some incredible force (and some incredible biceps) brought it down on the snakes head. Its blood went on the wall and I immediately threw up in the corner from the sight.
What surprised me was Yun got up with the water I gave him and handed it to me. I rinsed my mouth out and took a minute to breath and NOT look at the carnage.
"Its dead right?" Yun asked timidly approaching the snake carcass. Hanuel nodded. His arms were shaking from the force he used to make sure it was dead. Yun took the bust and started just hitting the snake repeatedly with it.
I mean thats one way of getting over your fear, and after a few seconds he seemed satisfied.
"That can kindly fuck off." And there's the Yun we know and tolerate.
"Good to see you back, we've got a dozen guns out there waiting to use us as target practice so lets figure a way out and away from them." Haneul patted his shoulder with some sympathy and pride. There must be a story there but that's for another day.
"Give me roughly 15 minutes I'll see if I can get into the doors auto system and hack it." Yun reached into his hoodie and pulled out some little tools to work on the door.
Definitely good to see him roughly back to normal, but like Hanuel his hands were shaking a bit this time from the shock earlier. He suddenly stopped and turned with the most grim expression of concern I've ever seen. Oh no what now.....
"If they have all this trouble for us....whats happening to Rae?"
Oh no Rae....I hope she's safe.