chapter 7.
"Where have you reached now?" Arisu asked Jian for the thousandth time.
"How many times are you going to ask me the same question? I told you: I am perfectly fine walking alone. It's not the first time, so stop treating me like a kid," Jian scolded him.
"I am really sorry, Jiji. I couldn't make it today."
"Hey, chill. I told you I am okay. I know your ass is really tight. Stop apologizing. Besides, it's just 10:20 p.m., and everything is fine."
"It's 10:20 p.m., Jiji! Just try to be faster and reach home quickly. In fact, you can even fly," Arisu suggested.
The streets are not safe at night. He wanted her home safely, even though he knew she was a fighter and could at least take care of herself.
"Oh my God,Ari! Are you crazy? Now hang up," she said.
"No way, Jiji! I'll hang up when you reach home, so try to fasten your steps.
"Whoa!I guess you have much airtime on your phone! Recharge mine, too!" Jian joked.
"You wish! For that, you'll have to work in my office because this is the office's line, not mine!"
"Lucky you."
"How far are you now?"
"20 minutes more. I have taken a turn and am currently on the Mafiosi Road. You know what? This is really ridiculous. I'm going to kill you when I get home."
"I am waiting for that too, miss!" he replied sarcastically.
They talked for a while until Jian noticed a figure in the dark.
"Well, that looks weird!" she said.
"What looks weird?" he asked, getting anxious. "First of all, this place is totally empty, not even a dog in sight, and there's this thing here... I think it looks like a car! Yeah, it is a car. Wooo! a luxury one!really pretty"
"Stop falling in love, Jiji, and speed up."
"Hey, I have no wings, I am walking as fast as I can! But you should have been here! The car looks amazingly awesome!" She exclaimed.
As she came closer, she could see someone leaning on the car's door. As she approached the figure, she soon noticed the person leaning at the car, standing securely. It was a man. She couldn't see his face well, but she could tell he was way too handsome and cool; his gesture was enough to say.
She lowered her gaze and realized Arisu was continuously talking to her. She lifted her head and her gaze unconsciously went towards the person. Seeing his face, which was clearly visible from where she was, she froze in her tracks. Her heart raced, and she couldn't decipher what to do.
"Jiji, are you there? Where are you now?" He asked politely.
"Aah, Ari. JJJ-Jin….Jinman is here! He's here. W…..wa…what..should i…I..do now?" she asked, while stuttering horribly.Her body seemed to stop working now.
"What! Jinman? Karan?" Arisu couldn't believe what he heard. "What the hell is that mother'scunt doing there Jiji,listen! He's probably here to kill someone. Maybe that's why he intentionally cleared the street, and unknowingly you fell into the trap.
"So... What now?" She started freaking out more.
"First, calm your nerves down! Take a deep breath, Jiji, and run! Just run as fast as you can!" he said.
"RUN"the simple word was too difficult for her to understand in the moment. She tried to run, but her limbs denied any movement.
She saw him coming her way. His eyes followed her every step, making sure she didn't run.
"If you are so scared to take another step, then I should probably help you out,Love !" He said to himself.
She noticed him coming her way, and as if hit by lightning, she took a sharp turn and ran. Her adrenaline rushed through her body like a flood, forcing her legs to move faster than she could.
"Run, Jian, you can do this!" she kept encouraging herself.
Her phone was still in her hand, and Arisu could clearly hear the noise of her running.
"Wrong move, Love, you didn't have to run!" Jinman thought
She caught sight of the road's gentle curve ahead and felt her tension ease. But her belief was short-lived when she saw a fleet of sleek black cars. Their luxurious gleam unmistakable—blocked the road. She was no stunt woman to jump over then.The sight alone was enough to scare her witless.
"Ari! this is a trap! I am trapped here!" she almost shouted into the phone.
Arisu couldn't understand what was happening! What possible interest does Jimman have in Jian? Is it for money? Sex? Yes, it's probably for money. He was too handsome to get any woman he wants, so it's definitely about money.
"Listen, Jiji. If he catches you, then don't say anything. Be mute. Just nod to whatever he says. Don't address him by his name. Call him "Sir", and give him all the cash you have on you and..."
Arisu was about to say some more when a deep, husky voice interrupted them.
"Why did you run, Love?" Jinman asked, standing right behind her.
She froze, and tears started forming in her eyes. "I am going to die!" she thought as she turned slowly to face him. Her phone was still near her ear.
"I-iiiii—-oo"She stammered, not knowing what to say
Jian remembered all that Arisu had said. She quickly lowered her head, trying not to look at him in the eyes. Her fingers were trembling.
"Forget it. Don't you wanna know why I am here?" He asked softly.
"To kill me". She thought.
When she didn't say anything, he sighed. "I know we are not dumb, love!"he said with a smirk
"Again, love?Maybe that's how he addresses women he's ready to kill". She thought irrationally.
She, still didn't say anything. Since he has a nanosecond of patience, his hand automatically went towards his gun, taking it out, just to make her speak. He had no intention of harming her. He could make people do whatever he wanted by threatening their lives.
"I hate to do this, but it seems you won't say anything without the sight of the gun, love?" He said in a low voice, conveying a threat. "Now! Are you gonna open your pretty little mouth or do you want me to use this?!" He said in a deep, serious voice, conveying a threat.
Jian seemed to gain some sense on seeing the gun. 'Fuck you, Arisu. Either I speak or not, I'm going to die.'
"What... what do you want to know, Sir?" She pleadingly asked, her gaze remaining on the gun.
"Good girl! If only you had spoken to me earlier this whole drama wouldn't have been necessary, So next time, don't ignore me, okay?" He said softly.
"Next time?go to hell", Jinman, I am never gonna meet you again. She thought.
"Yes, Sir!" She said.
"Don't address me that way. I am neither your teacher nor your boss. Oh! Sorry, we didn't meet properly. I am Jinman Karan and am... well, you know who I am." He said in a cocky manner.
"Yes, Sir!"
"I told you, don't call me Sir. Call me Jinman."
"Oh, okay," She said. A tiny spark of satisfaction flared within her. She'd cleverly dodged mentioning his name. But Jimman understood what she was trying to do. He wasn't an easy one to fool.
"Say it," he ordered.
"What ... S-Sir!" She said and instantly regretted it.
He just asked her to say his name, and she disobeyed. Her heart started beating again. "You are so dead today, Jian". She thought to herself.
His patience was about to run out, but he controlled himself. He didn't want to scare her off. She was special.
"This is the last time I am asking you, or my gun will be talking next time, Say my name." He said too seriously.
"'Jij... Jinman!'" She said, more like asked. his name felt strange to speak.
Jinman felt special,hearing his name from her. It was quiet then. No one said anything. Jian was wondering whether she should go. Her gaze was at the gun with which he was playing this whole time. She was expecting her brains to be blown out any time soon, but it never came.
She looked towards him and saw that he was staring at her seriously. Seeing his gaze, she quickly lowered her gaze again.
He got angry at her insistence on running away from him again.
"Ca…can I go home?"she asked way too softly.He got angry at her insistence on running away from him again.
"'No!'" He snapped. His tone made her flinch, and he instantly regretted his action.
"'I am sorry. I didn't want to speak like that. Why do you wanna go home? What's wrong?'" He asked. He was shocked with himself, as he had never apologized to anyone, not even to Eunji, his sister. But he knew this girl will make him do things he never thought he would.
"'I... um... it's getting late!'" She said sounding like she was asking.
"'Do you want me to drop you home, love?'" He asked, smiling as he thought she was asking him to drop her...