Fuming, I hold Jimin back as he starts to walk in the room.

This is In Su, the reason Jimin went to jail and we had our big falling out.

I glare at the man handcuffed to the table. "We'll be right back." I tell him through gritted teeth, pulling Jimin back outside so I can fill him in privately.

He looks at me, surprised, when I move us far enough out of earshot. His face shifts to confusion when he sees my rage-filled face.

"Jimin. That guy is In Su, the supposed spy that said he worked against the Sparked Mafia." I tell him hurriedly, tears starting to form in my eyes knowing how connected that handcuffed man is to all my problems.

His face morphs to match mine, anger filling his dark eyes. "Well, fuck this. How do you know?!"

I look back towards the open doorway and glare at it. "I've seen him with Dong Yoo before. It has to be him."

"I'm gonna go back in there and beat his ass. This little fucker has the audacity to come into your apartment with a gun after he put me in jail-"

"Listen, I'm as angry as you are but we need to be tactical about this." I remind him calmly. "Chances are, we won't get any information if we go straight into it exposing him. Besides, I'm not sure a murderer will listen to empty threats."

I stop as I take in the words I just uttered. The man we're about to talk to is most likely a murderer. He wanted to kill me. He wants to kill me.

"Hey, don't freak out on me now, for all we know the gun was just a scare tactic." Jimin reassures me as if reading my thoughts.

I nod, swallowing. I sigh. "Let's just make sure we go in there calmly. We need to make sure he knows we aren't intimidated by him."

Jimin swiftly grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze in agreement before letting ago. I clutch onto the ghost of his warm palm as we turn to walk back into the room containing the man that's caused so much trouble.

We walk in the room to see his smug expression. He knows we know who he is, and makes it clear: "Surprised to see me, Kyung Mi?"

I don't break my glare as I kick the chairs facing him away; we're going to confront this ass standing, above him.

In Su chuckes. "Ahh. Scary."

Go in calmly. I internally sigh at the scene I've caused. I already went against the plan. "I wouldn't be so self-satisfied if I was in handcuffs." I spit at him.

"Oh really?" he says, leaning in to accentuate the cuffs on his wrists and looking up at me mockingly. "This self-satisfaction has a justified origin, you know."

"Yeah, attempted murder, great reason to feel good about yourself." I mutter, clenching my fist. His eyes immediately dart to the action.

"More like knowing everything is going according to plan. Ridding the world of an insignificant creature is nothing if that creature's bounty is high enough." He grins disgustingly. "22 year old millionaire has a ring to it, no?"

"Millionaire?" My gut start churning as I think back to that haunting night two years ago that ended with me bleeding in the sink, Hye dabbing at my scarred palm with a towel. "If your boss or whatever has enough money to generously pay for my death, why did you want 3 million from my dad like you said in that first threat letter?" I have to stop the shudder threatening to overcome me at the thought of my murder. Aka what could've very well happened when In Su came with a gun to my apartment.

He laughs out loud at that, leaning back into the chair to assume his apathetic posture from before. "Do you really think everyone in the Sparked Mafia is some sort of psychopath?"

I look at him to find something glinting in his eye. "Incentives, Kyung Mi. Life is a power struggle, as you must've realized by this point, and joining an elite group boosts your rank in society. It's basic math, really."

I clench my jaw, blood boiling at this point from my intense anger. "You'd really be willing to kill people for power?"

"People are just tools in the overall picture. And just imagine how much easier your life would be if you were guaranteed a place in society along with financial stability, so long as you take care of a few things along the way."

"'Taking care of a few things' just for money...you're pathetic." I don't bother hiding the disgusted look on my face.

"Am I, though? Humans are naturally selfish. We're willing to do anything it takes to secure any sort of power. You know, it wouldn't hurt the Sparked Mafia to have a tenacious character like you among our ranks."

"Are you fucking serious?!" I pound the table, processing the immediate step forward the guards take. "You want to convert me to your damn hellhole after your group is the reason I have insomniac nights? You think I'm going to abandon all morals for a shitty source of money? I can't believe Dong Yoo accepted your filthy ass as a friend."

Jimin has stayed silent throughout our exchange, almost to the point of me forgetting he was there, but now he subtly puts his hand on the small of my back and rubs it assuredly. He agrees but is attempting to give me calm.

The man handcuffed to the table lets out an amused noise. "Well, I tried anyway. I can say that."

"You don't want to mess with me, In Su. My father's place in society, which was legitimately earned by the way-"

Nothing stopped the goosebumps covering my body at his laughter. His raw, emotionless, cold laughter that pierced through my threats and completely disregarded them.

"Your father." He says it almost as if he was going to continue, but instead follows up with another fit of laughs. A hollow feeling enters my chest.

"What the hell did you do to my dad, In Su?" I demand with short breaths.

"Me? Oh, I didn't do anything, rest assured." More snickers.

"That's it I'm ending this meeting right now!" I look to the closest guard on my right. "Be sure to lock this maniac up. Don't be afraid to close his handcuffs too tight." I add muttering.

As soon as we're out of the room, I fumble to take out my phone. I need to do it. I need to call him. I need to make sure he's alright. Fuck, please let him be alright.