Embarrassment ran through me once the maître-d led us into the dining area and I realized I was undeniably underdressed; something everyone informed me of as many of the dining couples already enjoying their dinner turned to stare after me when we walked past them; the looks of disbelief at my jeans and lack of proper heels and a dress had me bowing in apology and shame.

“Why are you bowing?” the deep, irritating, and amused voice asked from behind me.

I stopped and turned sharply to face him “You dragged me in here dressed like this?” I hissed a bit too loudly and blushed when an ahjumma at the table right next to our standing spot shot me an annoyed look at my informal words “Mianhamnida” I bowed “Please enjoy your meal” I apologized for interrupting her and was surprised when she hmpf’d and turned to whom I could only assume was her husband only to mutter that I was ‘such a rude young lady’. I had the sudden urge to hit Yongguk-sshi when he let out a soft chuckle after I’d turned back to follow an irked maître-d who had also stopped to wait for me to keep up with him.

“Here are your seats” he motioned and held the chair out for me to sit in before handing us our menu’s.

“Gamsahamnida” I thanked him, only receiving a raised eyebrow before he walked away after telling us our server would be with us shortly. Yongguk-sshi and I were enveloped in silence as I resigned myself to my hunger and read the menu that described delicious sounding foreign food.

“Annyeong Haseyo, I’m your waiter for this evening Taemin” a young man interrupted with a greeted, but my brows furrowed when I realized he had said that while staring right at Yongguk, completely ignoring me. I watched curiously as the two gave a slight, almost unnoticeable nod, to each other “May I get your drinks for you?” he asked breaking the shared look

“Just water for me” I ordered a bit cautiously

“For me as well” Yongguk dismissed him and went back to reading the menu

“Do you know him?” I asked curiously and bit my cheek tightly when I realized I had asked that out loud

He looked back at Taemin-sshi and then back to his menu “He’s….a friend of ours”

“Don’t lie” admonished causing his lips to breakout into a wide smile.

I ignored him and watched as the young man walked away, wondering if he, at such a young age, could be part of what Yongguk-sshi was involved in.

“So” Yongguk’s voice broke me out of my internal conversation “Your questions” he started “I hear you have some”

Crossing my arms in front of me, I set my steely gaze onto him; hoping that my actions would somehow deter him and his ridiculous ideas of me, but his amusement at my demeanor only told me I’d have to work much harder to seem even the least bit dangerous to Bang Yongguk “Will you answer them?” I wondered

“I said I would, didn’t I?” he prompted and looked at Taemin, who had come back quickly to set our glasses down, from the corner of his eyes, following the younger man’s movements until the man bowed and left us with our drinks after taking our menu’s and our orders.  

Rolling my eyes at this I pondered whether he would answer my questions or give me half-assed answers. “What do you want from me?”

He set his glass down after taking a sip “To date you”

Definitely half-assed “that’s bull, what do you want from me?”

“I told you already, I want to date you. Why else would I bring you here?”

Taking a deep calming breath I tried again “Whatever it is you want from me Bang Yongguk, I don’t have i-“

“I just want to date you” he reapeated as if I hadn’t gotten it the first time

“I don’t want to date you. I don’t want to be your untouchable; I don’t want anything to do with you!” I yelled and stopped my next words when I realized the whole restaurant had heard my words and were now looking at me in complete irritation, sending me warning looks; I spotted the same ahjumma I had apologized too glaring at me incredulously before turning away from me; I ignored the stares and turned back to Yongguk, leaning towards him, in hopes I wouldn’t embarrass myself more than I already have “Why don’t you understand that?” I continued “Why won’t you just let me go? You barely know me enough to know how to hold on.” I glowered at him

“I already told you KiYeon-“

“Stop speaking so informally with me!” I snapped

“You intrigue me” he said again, only adding to my aggravation as it built up within me. He must be blessed because Taemin saved him from a concussion when he interrupted us with our food.

Once the waiter had placed our food in front of us and the delicious aroma wafted through my nose I realized how hungry I was. Ignoring Yongguk-sshi’s grin at my obvious enjoyment of the food I started eating tentatively.

“Please” he interrupted and I looked up from the delicious plate to watch as he finished chewing a piece of steak “I like your redundant questions, keep asking them” he stated playfully before picking up his water, his eyes never leaving mine.

Clenching my jaw I tightened my grip on the knife in my hands and deciding to ignore him as I turned back to my plate. Immediately cursing him for being right about me enjoying the restaurant when I swallowed another piece of stuffed shell.

“You have to admit, you’re always asking the same questions” he stated

“shut up” I shot and chewed thoughtfully. Keeping my annoyance down, I suddenly remembered something strange and wondered if he would answer this question. Looking up at him, I waited until I caught his attention “What is it?” he asked with a quirk of his lips

“Why would a gang leader be talking to an official?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, remembering how smoothly his conversation with Officer Park seemed to go…as if they’d known each other.

His lips pursed as he glimpsed up from his plate at me for a second “The system is corrupt.” he stated simply

Though it shouldn’t surprise me, my eyes widened “Officer Park i-”

“So, how’s your dinner?” he interrupted me

“Don’t interrupt me; you said you’d answer my questions” I reminded him

“Not the ones you have no business of knowing” he replied unwaveringly as he cut his steak carefully

Biting the inside of my cheek, I took a deep breath, foregoing my informal remark when I caught the ahjumma sending me another warning glance before turning back to her conversation with her amused husband. “According to you, I have no business knowing anything since you won’t answer a single one of my questions” I retorted

He looked at me quizzically over his glass “I’ve answered all of your questions” he defended

“Not well” I picked at my pasta “And not all of them”

He cocked an eyebrow “There’s a correct way of answering questions?”

“Yes. It’s called giving proper information”

“And what exactly do you consider proper information?” he prodded

A bit annoyed at his constant banter, I rolled my eyes “Information that I need to know”

By his impish look I could tell he knew I was beyond irritated at him, and the bastard seemed to enjoy it as his lips quivered with his restraint in keeping them from forming his stupid gummy smile “But if I don’t give you an answer, then it’s something you don’t need to know” he reasoned unsuccessfully as my fingers itched to reach for my fork.

“I think I deserve to know why you decided to choose me as your ‘untouchable’” I mocked the word

Shaking his head “I really hate that word” he mumbled “And I already explained that you intrigue me Kwon KiYeon”

God, even the way my name rolled off of his tongue had my ire b “But what!-“ I snapped a bit too loudly and covered my loud mouth as the ahjumma turned to glower at me once more, along with other couples around us. I bowed my head and managed to kick Yongguk-sshi under the table when he let out a suppressed laugh “What is it about me that intrigues you? What have I done to intrigue you? I can’t possibly be so special that you could find importance in me.” I asked in a lower tone.

“Ahh” he nodded “See that is something you haven’t asked” he smiled

“Well?” I urged trying to ignore the look in his eyes, but his deep gaze held onto mine even when I tried to look away

“You’re beautiful.” He stated, his soft deep voice assaulting my ears and despite my effort to keep my blush down it erupted onto my cheeks

“There are a lot of beautiful women” I pointed out

Smiling as if he knew something I didn’t “Not like you” he replied

I shook my head “So I’m beautiful-” I broke off when I realized how I had just described myself, I was both a bit embarrassed and undeserving of the word “How could you possibly choose someone based on that? I could be the most horrible person, have the ugliest personality”

He laughed softly “But you aren’t” he denied my words “Because a horrible person wouldn’t do the things you do”

“What are you talking about?” I asked in exasperation “how could you possibly know anything about me?”

“I know more about you than you think”

“How very stalker-like of you” I rolled my eyes “Tell me then; what ‘things’ do I do?” I challenged

“Shouldn’t you know them better than I would?”

I had the sudden urge to reach over and tighten his tie so securely his face would turn red; he’s so damn infuriating.

Smirking, he took a drink from his glass before clearing his throat and turning his attention back towards me “You were sitting in the café at the university” he started suddenly, his voice low and soothing “Reading from this book; I can’t remember the title-“ he waved his hand to emphasize his words as his gaze captivated mine “It was fall and the whole scenery seemed to fit you, so calm…breathtaking …and beautiful-“ he described and my treacherous blush deceived me again “when this sm-“

“Stop” I said suddenly, wanting to hide myself from his eyes that seemed to look right into me at that very moment “I don’t want to hear that”

“You wanted answers” he said a little unbelievingly at my reaction of his first time seeing me.

Ignoring him as I tried to calm my blush I avoided his gaze until I was certain I wouldn’t fall into it again. He leaned back against his seat, watching my every moment before finally speaking up “I like the wall” he motioned around me with a renowned gummy grin

Blinking and raising a confused eyebrow, I wondered what he was talking about “Mwo?”

Brightening at my confusion he lifted his fork up to his lips “The wall you keep around yourself, I like it, it means you’re smart” he explained before slipping the food into his mouth.

I kept quiet; irritated that this man I didn’t even know could make me feel both flattered and irritated at the same time.

“But, I wonder” he continued with curiosity b from his eyes “Why do you hate me?”

Lifting the corner of my mouth lightly “A person can’t expect to be liked by everyone Yongguk-sshi. Especially not someone like you”

He chuckled lightly “That’s not what I’m saying” he replied “There are many people that dislike me” he continued “But you…you hate me.” He pointed out “Why is it that you hate me Kwon KiYeon?”

Scoffing, before reminding myself where I was when an the ahjumma looked at me with a sharp scowl at my unladylike manner, I looked at him unbelievingly “You mean other than you labeling me as property, sending your cronies to manhandle me, and having everyone stare and whisper about me wherever I go because of you? Was any of that supposed to make me like you?”

“I never labeled you as property KiYeon-“

“Oh, you didn’t?” I asked sarcastically

He kept talking as if I hadn’t interrupted “and as for my ‘cronies’ manhandling you…I didn’t know about that until you told me”

“So that makes everything better?” I asked

“No it doesn’t, but it doesn’t make it my fault either” he informed me “None of that matters KiYeon…because you hated me even before you knew my name” he stated

I’m sure my features hardened as I set my jaw at his correct analysis.

“Why is that?” he continued despite my angered expression

I tried swallowing as my fingers clenched within themselves. My vision  suddenly clouded with the past...

-Flashback: Twelve Years Ago-

I tried my hardest to keep quiet like my oppa had instructed before he’d closed the door to the pantry I had been shoved into. My hands pressed tightly against my quivering mouth as tears ran across them and dropped onto my night dress umma had dressed me in not even an hour ago.

A shattering of glass startled me and had me pressing my hands harder to keep from letting out a scream.

“Get out of my house!” Umma yelled at the top of her lungs “Leave my family alone!”

“Shut her up!” a man’s voice yelled before an echoing slap reverberated through the walls “I told you to shut up already! Do you want your family dead? Then keep your mouth shut!” he instructed

My tears rolled down like streams and I wondered where appa had gone? Wasn’t he supposed to be protecting umma? Why was he letting that man hurt her?

“Leave her!” oppa’s voice growled causing foreign laughter to echo through our house

“Be quiet JiYong!” my appa’s voice appeared making my body sigh in relief; he wouldn’t let anyone hurt us “Look Lee-“

“You dare address sunsengnim that way!” An angered voice exclaimed and then chaos ensured as my mother screamed again

“Let him go!”

“Shut up!” another slap

“You listen to me JungHyuk, we had an arrangement. You will pay me for all that I have done for you…for your family” the most spine-chilling voice silenced everyone

“I’ve changed my mind” my appa’s voice quivered

“It’s too late for that now” the same voice retorted “Unless you want to sacrifice your children” he threatened and I held my breath in, my whole frame shaking

“Don’t touch them! JungHyuk don’t let them touch them! Not my children!” umma cried and let out a pained sob when another slap was heard.

“Don’t you dare touch my children” appa replied

“Then you will come with us” the man said “won’t you JungHyuk?”the voice challenged

Appa hesistated and let out a soft “Yes”

“Good. I’m happy we’ve come to such arrangements. Now, let us leave this all behind”

“What…what are you doing?” appa’s voice asked in panic

The voice laughed “This is a warning JungHyuk. So you know that if you don’t follow everything we tell you…we will kill your son…and then your daughter…and then I will kill you” he explained and my heart dropped “Take the boy out. He will be leaving with us”

“No! No! umma! Appa!” oppa’s frantic cries grew farther and despite my want to help my body stayed frozen

“No! JungHyuk!” umma cried desperately

“You should step out JungHyuk” the voice instructed “Unless you’d like to do the honors…”

My heart clenched when the click of a gun sounded. The seconds passed like hours until umma’s voice came suddenly “I love you JungHyuk” and then my soul tore apart when there was a loud bang and a sickening thud seconds before the door slammed shut behind the men.

-End Flashback-

The silver of the knife handle dug into my flesh, reminding me of the present so suddenly I dropped the utensil and pushed my emotions away with a deep shaky breath.

“Because I know what you can do” my own whisper surprised me

He stared at me for a long time, as if knowing something was bothering me, but keeping his own questions to himself; something I was thankful for “And” he started softly “What if I prove you wrong?” he wondered “All of your judgments….what if I prove them wrong?” he added

Shaking my head and letting a humorless laugh escape me I stared right back at him “Impossible.”

-

A/N:

Hi! It's been so long! I'm sorry T.T But, I'm back now and I updated! and it's all Yongguk and KiYeon! with a little bit of KiYeon's past which I actually contemplated showing you and a tiny bit of waiter Taemin whom I threw in last minute though he will appear later on anyway.

So The little bit of KiYeon's past, does it clear up why KiYeon has this hatred towards certain people?

Thank you to my subscribers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter ^.^

-Kyute19