Jin checked the hallway before he quietly shut the door and turned to face me. I was sitting on the corner of his bed, watching his every move. My lips were still slightly swollen from the ferocity of how he'd kissed me earlier, but the wild lust had died down, and deadly seriousness had settled over the both of us.

"Jin," I said softly, and I could have sworn his whole body had reacted to that, to the sound of my voice saying his name. We hadn't seen each other for so long and it was like every pent up emotion that had built up over that space of time had just poured out of the both of us in that one moment.

It had taken flying halfway across the world for me to stop denying and realise just how much I had missed him, wanted him, needed him.

He moved quietly across the room to me, with the characteristic elegance and grace that came with being nobility before kneeling down in front of me, looking up at my face.

"(' ')," he murmured, softly, over and over like a prayer. His eyes were still haunted, glassy, grief-stricken, filled with deep self-loathing, and I wanted to make it all go away somehow. I reached out to stroke his cheek, to comfort him, and he took my hand with both of his, trailing his lips all over it, kissing each of my knuckles, my palm, my wrist.

"I just want to know why," I whispered, and our eyes locked. He nodded, deadly serious, and told me his story.

He told me all of it, from beginning to end, about how his father had blackmailed him into marrying Sooyoung, about how he'd done it to protect me and the others like me and I realised with dawning horror, that I wouldn't have done it any differently had it been me in his position.

By the end of the story I was in tears, but Jin wasn't. He'd shed his tears earlier, but the pain in his eyes was enough to know that he had been hurting just as much as I had.

I was so angry, at Jin's father, at the whole situation and at myself, for not realising sooner, for immediately thinking the worst. For thinking that he was anything like those monsters.

"Jin," I choked, attempting to wipe my eyes on my sleeve, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have- I shouldn't-"

Jin immediately covered my mouth and I froze.

"Don't you dare apologize," he said in a low voice, so uncharacteristic of him that it was almost scary. His eyes were dark with fury, but I was sure it wasn't at me, if it was anything like my own. He seemed to suddenly remember himself and averted his eyes, taking his hand away, "Just... don't be sorry. Please, (' '). You haven't done anything to be sorry for."

I took in a shuddery breath and nodded, and Jin gave me a weak smile before standing. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, looking... stuck, frustrated. I knew the feeling.

What're we going to do? I asked him silently, watching him.

He was married, and not to me. He had a wife, I reminded myself bitterly, but the word sounded foreign to me, like it didn't fit him at all.

Jin must of seen the mournful look on my face because he suddenly smiled at me, warmly, genuinely and it had an immediate effect on me, making my cheeks flush, making some of my cold go away.

He crouched in front of me again and took both my hands this time, pressing his lips to them gently and looking up at me. His eyes scanned my face, almost as though he was trying to memorize every small detail, like he was afraid he would lose me again.

"We'll figure this out, (' ')," he said quietly, but I needed to reassure him, to tell him I wasn't going anywhere no matter what.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said and dipped my head to press my lips to his, savouring the feeling of kissing him after so long.

The door opened and we immediately parted as Jin's wife stepped into the room, returning from the beach I assumed by the silver bikini she was wearing. She froze and regarded us with a cool, calculating gaze. I froze. She was even more beautiful than I remembered from the brief glimpse I had gotten of her all those months before. I immediately felt inferior.

I felt Jin squeeze my hand before he stood and faced Sooyoung, who lifted her cool gaze from me to him. His face was indifferent, suddenly emotionless. How had he done that?

"So this is her," she said; her voice was soft and musical, lovely like her appearance and I flinched when she crossed the room on long tanned legs to another door that I was certain opened into a dressing room. Jin nodded in reply.

"Yes," he said softly, "This is her."

Sooyoung's gaze returned to me, and the corners of her mouth lifted slight to give me an odd smile.

"You are lucky," she said, her eyes large and intelligent, "To be loved by Seokjin." And then she vanished through the door and I was left unsure of what just happened.

"Will she...?" I trailed off, still stunned and Jin shook his head. "No. She won't tell anyone." I felt relief course through me and exhaled.

"She is a good person," Jin noted, glancing at the door she had disappeared through, "This wasn't her wish either."

I nodded. I sensed that about her when she had looked at me, smiled at me. She seemed so... sad. It had surprised me.

I gazed at Jin and was reminded again of how much he had changed. He was rigid, stoic, grave. His voice had been cool, as had his gaze. He could switch off his emotions, become blank as easily as flicking a light switch. He had never been able to do that. He had always been so open to me, his emotions so easily read. But I realised that he had had to adapt to being here, to hide his true feelings from his father and the other nobles. They had forced him to become something he wasn't.

But then Jin looked at me, and his gaze softened, the hardness melted and I was left once again with the boy I remembered. Had he actually changed so much?

"Jin?"

"Yes, (' ')?"

"I love you."

He smiled and my heart melted.

"I love you too."

I got up and ran to him, throwing my arms around him.

"You're still awake, Seokjin," Sooyoung's voice was soft and Jin felt her touch his arm, a ghost's touch.

"Yes."

Jin turned to face her and saw that she was searching him; he could make out the largeness of her eyes in the dark.

"You seem different," she said and Jin frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"You're..." she paused, thinking about it before a small smile graced her lips, "beautiful now."

"Beautiful?"

"Yes," she said airily, "It's because of her, isn't it?"

Jin didn't answer but turned onto his back, and smiled.

"You should go to her. Be with her. Be there when she wakes up"

Jin sat up and looked down at Sooyoung with disbelief.

"Sooyoung, I- "

She silenced him by gently placing her hand over his mouth.

"She is the one you love after all."
She sighed, "I mean it, Seokjin." She gave him a tired smile and took her hand away. "You both deserve to be happy."

Jin didn't know what to say. What could he say? His wife was telling him to go spend the night with another girl. Even in his head the thought sounded weird. Sooyoung was incredible, so humble, so kind. And he had hated her at the beginning.
Jin only hoped that it would be possible one day for her to find someone that was to her what (' ') was to him.

He leant down and placed his lips on her forehead.

"Thank you," he murmured against her skin.

He felt her hand brush his cheek.

"You don't owe me anything, Seokjin."

~~

I stirred and frowned because something was restricting my movement; something warm was draped over me. I turned with a sleepy groan, wrapping my arm around something and burying my face in... hair? I inhaled deeply, a scent that was so familiar, so calming that a wave of euphoria washed over me.

Jin...?

I opened my eyes and it was Jin lying beside me, with his arms wrapped around me, breathing evenly in and out, in my bed. With me. Jin was in bed with me.

Jin is in my bed.

I held my breath. He had a wife. Wasn't he supposed to be sharing a bed with Sooyoung? What was he doing here?

But did it even matter?

Jin was with me. In my bed. He was actually with me. There had been a moment where I hadn't believed that that would be possible again. I thought I would never see him again.
I exhaled softly so as not to wake him.

"You're here," I whispered, stroking his hair and tracing my fingers down the back of his neck. He groaned softly and stirred. I froze and then Jin was looking at me sleepily.

"Hey," he said sleepily and I giggled. "Hey."

We shifted positions so that it was my head tucked under his chin and I trailed my fingers up and down the smooth skin of his back absentmindedly.

Then I realised,

Jin isn't wearing a shirt.

And I wasn't either since I always slept in a bra and gym shorts in the summer. I froze. We were both half undressed together, in my bed. But then again, why was I stressed about it? I had been completely prepared to have sex with him against a wall the day before. And I knew Jin would never pressurize me into doing something I didn't want; he would never try something unless he knew I was completely comfortable with it. And I doubted sex was even on his mind at that moment anyway, considering everything that had been going on in his life at that time.

There was no time for sex.

But the time will come...

I blushed.

Did I really just think that? I wanted to laugh at myself.

I released the breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding and snuggled closer.

"Jin, what if you get caught here," I murmured, and I felt his chest hum against my cheek when he replied.

"So what if I do?"

His voice was bitter.

I sat up and frowned.

"Hey. You can't just get careless now that I'm here."

Jin sighed, looking up at me before he also sat up.

"I know," he said gravely, running his fingers through his hair, no longer tired. "Believe me."

I did.

Scared that I had ruined the peaceful tranquillity that had settled over us, I leant forward and gently pressed my lips to his. His reaction was immediate; I felt all of his tension melt away and I was glad, because God knows when he last allowed himself to relax, even just for a little bit.

We parted, and I could feel the tension return to him. I ran my hands up and down his arms affectionately to ease the tension out of them.

"What are we going to do?" I asked softly and the grave solemnity returned to him. He turned away from me to throw his legs over the side of the bed, so that his back faced me. I took the time to admire the satin smooth skin, the flawless porcelain colour of it. I lightly traced down his spine with my fingertips and traced the delicate ridges of the muscles. I felt him shiver under my touch.

You're perfect, Jin...

He froze, as though he had heard my thoughts and I held my breath.

"(' ')," he breathed, suddenly straightening and turning to me. His eyes were wide and alight in a way that made my skin tingle with anticipation.

He cupped my face with both his hands.

"I know what to do."

~~

"That colour is the most flattering to your skin tone," Sooyoung ran her eyes up and down my body with approval and nodded to the tailor who hastily scribbled something down onto a clipboard.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked as the tailor proceeded with taking my measurements, my shoulders, my waist, making small noises of disapproval every time I accidently moved.

"Yes," Sooyoung said, slowly circling the platform I was standing on, her face concentrating, sharp eyes observing every little detail, calculating everything, "It is important that you look the part."

"I don't really see why I should be there."

Sooyoung gave me that same odd smile from before, "Why wouldn't you be there to celebrate his twentieth birthday?"

"I'll be the odd one out."

"No, I do not believe that will be the case." Sooyoung's eyes searched my face, "The nobility are not as different as we try to make ourselves out to be."

Even so, I knew I would never be as elegant, as graceful, as refined... I was from a completely separate world; they were brought up to be gods and goddesses.

"You are worrying too much," she noted and I blinked with surprise, "Shouldn't I be?"

"No," she said and offered me her slender hand to help me off the platform. I needed help because of the heels I had been instructed to wear. I had never needed to wear heels before, let alone own a pair. I hated them; they hurt my feet and it was a pain to walk in them.

"You may change now," the tailor told me and Sooyoung helped me make my way to the dressing curtain that had been set up for me in the corner of her enormous dressing room.

It was a relief to take the shoes off and I handed the silky lengths of fabric back to the tailor before he bowed to Sooyoung and left.

Sooyoung looked down at the ornate silver watch on her slender wrist.

"Seokjin won't be back from his meeting just yet." I nodded. She looked at me thoughtfully.

"Come with me to the beach."

My eyes instinctively widened; her face remained placidly cool.

"Why would you want to go to the beach with... me?" I tried to read her, to guess her motives; I couldn't. Her eyes searched my face, but for what, I couldn't tell.

"I find you... fascinating," she said, not nastily, not like anything at all and I had no reply for that.

"I'll go get my bikini then..."

The waves crashed pleasantly against the shore, just a few metres away from where Sooyoung and I were lounging in luxurious deck chairs in the sun. It was late afternoon, and because of the hotel's exclusiveness there was barely anyone else there on the beach.

A waiter stopped beside Sooyoung, carrying a tray, and she lightly took a brightly coloured cocktail in each hand.

She looked incredible.

Her tanned skin literally glowed in the setting sun's light, golden, and the black bikini she was wearing showed off her completely perfect figure. I fought the urge to shrink down into myself every time I looked at her, the urge to disappear because of the inferiority I felt basking in the glory that was Kim Sooyoung.

Kim...

She handed me one of the cocktails and I accepted it wordlessly. I brought it to my lips just as she started to speak. She was looking at me piercingly.

"To be honest... the reason I find you so absolutely fascinating is because of how horrifically jealous you make me."

I spat out my drink.

"What?!"

She reached out to wipe away some of the cocktail that had dribbled down my chin and I blushed, both slightly embarrassed and extremely confused. Her face gave away nothing.

"I truly envy you."

I looked at her for a long time, and she just stared back, cool and faraway and just... beautiful. I found my voice.

"How could you possible envy me? What could there even be to be jealous of?" I looked at her incredulously, "If anything, I should be jealous of you."

"But you're not, are you?" she said softly and I blanched.

Because she was right.

She was cold, sometimes almost robotic, kind, but sad and without a real purpose. She was a pawn to be played, for power, property and more wealth than both her family and Jin's family even needed. I had seen how Jin had changed...

"I..." I faltered and she smiled sadly.

"I wish I had been the daughter of commoners."

I opened my mouth to retort, to disagree, to prove her wrong but she cut me off.

"You live honest lives. You are free, loved," she turned her gaze out to waves, "I can't even remember the last time my father looked at me as anything other than a tool to acquire his desires, a pawn to be played in the nobility's deceitful games. My mother is always off visiting some part of the world."

She paused, and I released the breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding. She kept her gaze on the shore; the sunset reflected in her dark eyes.

"You know, (' '). I was already engaged to Seokjin when I was thirteen years old; our fathers just hadn't thought it the right time to tell us yet. I was told first naturally, the year before last. We would have been married sooner but..."

She turned back to me.

"He fell in love with you."

I felt electricity zap through me, igniting every inch, every particle that made up my being. I wanted to cry, to laugh, to do both at the same time, but I remained composed.

"Sooyoung..." I didn't know what to say.

"Honestly when I look at you it doesn't surprise me. Not even the slightest. Because you are everything I am not."

Her voice became bitter.

"I mean look at me. All the money in the world and I am still not... happy. I am empty, a hollow shell, a doll to be manipulated and played with. And you are none of those things."

The first tear slipped down her cheek, and a part of me broke, because so had her mask. Probably for the first time ever; the mask had broken, but her face remained blank, eerily so.

"I want what I can't have and I hate it," she whispered; the next tear fell; her face remained still, "I want to be loved by someone, not by Seokjin because that would be pathetic and cruel to the both of you. I just want to mean something to someone else. To mean something at all. But how can I do that, the way that I am?"

She shut her eyes and that was it. I threw my arms around her slim shoulders and clung to her, sobbing. I felt her freeze, with surprise, with disgust, horror? I couldn't tell. She would probably throw me off of her; we barely even knew each other after all.

But then... she hugged me back, tightly and we just stayed there like that for a while, crying and holding each other as the sun set.

"You're a remarkable human being, (' ')," Sooyoung said quietly as we made our way back to her penthouse, "Logically, you should hate me. After all the pain I have caused you." Her eyes were red, and only the slightest bit puffy. I was sure mine were much worse.

"None of that was you," I said, "You had as much choice in the matter as I did."

Sooyoung gave me that odd smile.

"How true."

Jin was standing by the window that faced the beach down below when we reached the penthouse. It was a part of the beach that was further down from where Sooyoung and I had been, so he hadn't seen the two of us, or what had transpired.

He turned when we entered and his eyes widened with surprise when he saw the both of us together.

"Hello, darling," Sooyoung said softly and moved to kiss him on the cheek. Even when her lips touched him, his eyes stayed glued on me, his face still stunned.

She gingerly fixed his tie and smoothed the collar of his blazer before she brushed back past me, to the dressing room just behind me, but I didn't miss her breath tickling my ear as she went, nor the words she had whispered:

"Thank you."

I watched her go from over my shoulder with a smile on my face, and then she vanished, and Jin and I were alone.

"(' ')." He looked awestruck.

I checked myself worriedly. Did I get cocktail on my bikini? Was there some on my stomach? I had spat some of it out earlier.

"What? What is it?" I demanded self-consciously, checking myself for flaws, for something strange.

"You look... incredible."

"What?" I looked up with surprise and squeaked when Jin's lips were suddenly locked on mine, and his arms were around my waist.

I melted and wound my arms around his neck sighing into the kiss and tangling my fingers in his soft hair. I felt bad that Sooyoung was still only in the dressing room, and could walk in on us at any moment, but all sense of thought vanished when his lips trailed down to my neck.

I gasped and then I was suddenly pressed against a wall. When had that happened? Not that I actually cared.

"(' ')," Jin pressed his forehead to mine, he was panting. "It's so hard to hold back when I'm around you."

"Then don't," I giggled, breathless and slightly giddy. He kissed me softly then, tenderly, sweetly and then pulled away.

"You just looked so... radiant just now. You were glowing. You looked happy and I-"

He paused and smirked down at me, a look so uncommon on him and yet so incredibly sexy that I felt even more breathless than before.

"And you what?" I breathed and he suddenly seemed to remember himself. His face turned bright red, his eyes enormous and it was the most adorable thing I'd ever seen. He hid his face against the spot between my shoulder and my neck, hugging me tightly and I wanted to laugh.

"I've never seen you in a bikini before," he admitted shyly into my ear and I giggled again.

"And... do you like it?" I traced the skin of the back of his neck and I felt him shiver against me.

"Yes," he breathed and I was amazed at the effect I seemed to have on him. I liked it. It made me feel good, in more ways than one... the breathless tone of his voice, the lust in his eyes, and that smirk from just now.

Jin and I aren't children anymore...

The thought was both terrifying and invigorating because maybe we hadn't been children for a while now. Being poor and having struggled and fought for most of my life had forced me to grow up a lot faster than I should have, and Jin... I knew his father and status had driven him to do the same.

I trailed my hands slowly down to his chest and he lifted his head to look down at me again. His cheeks were still flushed, but no longer from embarrassment.

"I have to go change," I murmured, playing with the collar of his blazer and feeling bad afterwards when I remembered that Sooyoung had previously smoothed it out.

"Will I see you later?" I asked, attempting to fix the collar again the way Sooyoung had done and Jin nodded with an amused expression.

"I just have one more meeting tonight with my father."

He kissed me one more time before he stepped back and allowed me to make my way to the door. I glanced at him one last time before I closed the door behind me.

As I wound my way through the corridors I wondered if I was being watched. Jin had warned me of that before. I didn't think I looked out of place anymore since Sooyoung had had my hair styled and the bikini I was wearing was an older one of hers from when she had been younger and short enough to be my height. I would have worn my own one but she had insisted, just as she had insisted about my hair. I needed to "look the part". And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. And I wasn't even sure if Jin's father even knew what I actually looked like, but it was always good to be cautious.

Today hadn't even looked suspicious. I had arrived at Jin's penthouse with his wife. We had walked back from the beach together, like friends. Surely that wasn't uncommon amongst the younger girls of the upper class?

I stopped myself from overthinking, remembering Sooyoung's words from earlier.

I'm worrying too much.

~~

Jin watched his father, a brandy glass in his hand. He had once hated the amber liquid, any alcohol in general, but had found himself turning to it during his darkest hours, for the same reasons Sooyoung had always visited the beach.

To forget.

But that had been before. Before he had gotten (' ') back. It was different now. He didn't need it, or crave it anymore. He set the glass down.

"You're not going to drink that?" his father asked and Jin shook his head.

"I'm not in the mood."

"I see," his father took the glass and downed the contents in one go before setting it back down again.

Jin said nothing. His father began walking slowly, circling.

"I assume you know what this meeting is about?"

"My birthday," Jin answered blankly and his father nodded approvingly.

"Correct. You will be turning twenty in a couple of days, which will finally make you eligible to inherit your share of the family inventory: property, wealth and industry."

"I am aware."

"You will also inherit everything that Choi Sooyoung has brought over from her side of the family. You then stand to inherit everything else once I have retired."

"Yes, father."

His father watched him, pausing his pacing to refill his own glass of brandy.

"You're finally starting to act like the son I raised you to be," he said, downing the glass's contents once more and Jin bowed his head.

A puppet more than a son, someone to manipulate...

"I am glad, father."

His father smiled with satisfaction before refilling the glass again and Jin wondered how his father always managed to stay sober.

"I just want to remind you of how big this share of yours actually is, Seokjin," his father said seriously, watching his from over the top of his glass. "You are my only son, the only heir to our family empire. I did not have to split anything up amongst siblings which means that it will all go to you."

"It is just over half of what our family owns. Do you understand, Seokjin?"

"Yes, father."

And Jin really did understand. He would share in more than half of his father's investments, would be equal to his father in power and status.

His father nodded again and this time moved to sit behind his enormous desk. His expression suddenly shifted into a bright smile.

"So how are things between you and your wife?"

Jin would have been taken aback by his father's sudden change of demeanour, if he hadn't been so used to it.

"We're happy," Jin answered emotionlessly.

"Do you love her?" his father narrowed his eyes expectantly.

Waiting for his puppet to dance...

Jin shook his head.

"No."

His father stared for a moment, silent, before he shrugged.

"It doesn't make any difference to me. Like I said; I never married your mother for love. That's just how the world works these days. Just so long as you both pretend otherwise."

"Yes father."

"Good. You are dismissed, Seokjin."

Jin stood and bowed.

"Thank you, father."

He closed the office door behind himself and exhaled, straightening before making his way back home from his father's new office tower.

Jin threw my bedroom door open, causing me to back up into the wall next to my bed with surprise before he slammed the door shut after himself.

"Jin," I stuttered, taking a few breaths to calm my furiously beating heart. He'd said he'd come, but I didn't expect him to arrive like this.

"Sorry," he muttered, leaning back against the door, eyes closed like he was also trying to calm himself. I frowned with concern, immediately forgetting my shock.

"Jin, what happened? What's the matter?"

I walked over to him and took his face in my hands, searching his face for an answer and he held onto my forearms tightly.

"Just who does he think he is?" he asked softly and I frowned again.

"What?"

"WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK HE IS!" Jin shouted, startling me again even though I knew his anger wasn't directed at me. I knew who it was directed at. I knew where he had just come from.

"He's wrong, Jin. Whatever it is, he's wrong," I murmured soothingly, wrapping my arms around his neck to comfort him. I stroked his hair and whispered soothing words in his ear until his breathing evened out.

Then I let go and gripped the front of his shirt instead. I started tugging him, towards my bed. Jin realised, and the look on his face changed.

"What are you doing (' ')?" he asked quietly, though he made no move to resist and I climbed onto the bed, kneeling on the edge, still holding his shirt.

"You know what I'm doing."

I knew Jin wasn't in the mood to get flustered or embarrassed this time as I slid the blazer from his shoulders and I tugged him towards me one more time so that our bodies met as the item of clothing landed on the floor behind him.

"Kiss me," I whispered and Jin bent his head, connecting our lips.

This kiss was different from the rest. This kiss was needy, hungrier, deeper, more intense. The atmosphere was different, because what we both wanted was different to whatever we had wanted before.

I knew Jin wasn't a virgin, but I was and I wanted him. I wanted it to be him.

I felt his hands under the hem of my shirt, gentle like they were touching something sacred, caressing the curves of my hips, my stomach. I lifted my arms instinctively and soon my shirt joined his blazer on the floor. I hadn't been wearing shorts underneath, so I was only in my underwear now.

I pulled away, panting, my hands laid out across his chest which was rising and falling quickly and looked him in the eyes.

His eyes were darker, with lust and desire, his pupils dilated and it made me feel heat in places I had never felt heat before. It was arousing.

I moved backwards, pulling him with me by his shirt, until I was lying with my head on the pillows and he was hovering over me, between my legs.
He was so close; I wanted him closer.
I tugged him down and our lips locked again. His hands were on my stomach, my hips... lower and my hands traced his abdominal muscles, each muscle shivering under my touch. I realised his shirt was annoying me.

"Shirt... off," I managed between breaths and Jin immediately pulled away, unbuttoning and then pulling the material over his head, discarding it before locking our lips again.

Our bodies kept getting more and more pressed together until 'something' pressed against my most sensitive area and sensations I had never experienced before made me suddenly grip his shoulders tighter and moan against his mouth.

Did I just...?

"(' ')," Jin breathed between kisses, "We could stop. You don't have to do this if you don't want to. You know I'd never pressure you into doing anything."

I wrapped my arms around his neck to draw him closer.

"I want this," I breathed back, gasping when I felt his tongue tracing firey paths along my collarbones.

I arched my hips upwards, against that 'something', wanting to feel those sensations again and for the first time, I heard Jin moan against my throat, but really moan, and it was the sexiest sound I had ever heard in my life.
I wanted to hear that sound again, wanted to hear him moan again, wanted to make him moan again, and I knew that I didn't regret my decision. I didn't regret anything. Because it was Jin.

I took his hand, guiding it further and further down to places where I had never been touched before but wanted to be.

"Jin," I gasped against his mouth when his fingers had finally found 'that' place, and I dug my nails into his back, moaning as a pleasure I had never experienced before enveloped me.

"I love you."

~~

I woke slowly with a sleepy groan and felt the arm that was slung protectively around my waist shift slightly as Jin stirred. His chest was pressed reassuringly against my back, his head resting on the spot between the back of my neck and shoulder.
It took me a little while to remember that I was naked, and that Jin was also naked.

Last night we...

"Are you awake?" Jin asked sleepily and I felt his cool breath fan pleasantly against my skin.

"Yeah," I answered. I felt the arm around my waist suddenly tighten its hold.

"Did I hurt you?"

The sudden worry in his voice, the anxiety made me want to shake him and laugh. I turned so that we were lying the same way we had when I had first woken up with him beside me.

"Did it sound like it?" I giggled and there was silence before I heard a muffled, "No." and Jin nuzzled my hair affectionately.

I stroked his back and tilted my face upwards to look at him.

"I was okay, right?"

Jin chuckled and brought his mouth right to my ear.

"Last night was the best night of my life."

I hummed and he gently kissed my forehead, drawing lazy circles across my back with his fingertips.

~~

"Damned shoes," I hissed and Sooyoung watched me with a strange expression on her face as she took a step back from me.

The past few days had been somewhat of a blur as Jin's birthday approached and they had passed quickly.

"At least you are able to walk in them on your own now."

She had insisted on helping me get ready for Jin's party because I really needed to look the part since only the highest and most prestigious families were invited this time.

I huffed and then looked down at myself anxiously.

"How do I look?" I asked self-consciously and Sooyoung gave me her odd smile. She turned and gestured to the mirror behind her and I walked to it. And gasped at the girl staring back, because she didn't look like me. She was too pretty, too noble, too elegant. The pale pastel blue dress hugged my waist and then flared out in long silken strands of fabric, it was sleeveless, gorgeous.
I couldn't remember ever looking at least remotely glamorous and yet my reflection would state otherwise.

"I don't... look like me," I murmured and Sooyoung appeared at my side. She was still taller than me, despite my heels because she was wearing heels of her own, even if the dress was long enough to hide them. Her pale golden gown sparkled where the light reflected off of it.

"I disagree," Sooyoung said nonchalantly, checking her makeup, "I doubt Seokjin would even see a difference." I wanted to laugh at that until I realised she was being serious.

"Shall we go then?" she asked, satisfied with her appearance and I felt my stomach tighten with nerves. I swallowed down my anxiety, glanced once more at the beautiful girl in the mirror and nodded.

"I'm ready."

I hope.

~~

"It will be more like a ball," Sooyoung explained as we stepped out of the elevator and onto the ground floor of the hotel, "It won't be like any of the birthday celebrations you would have experienced."

I nodded as we approached the grand ballroom I had remembered from the very first time I had set foot in the hotel. We passed the bellhop who had taken my bags and I smiled at him. He blushed furiously, but didn't recognise me.

"Don't do that once you are inside," Sooyoung warned and I looked back at her quizzically, "Don't do what?"

"Smile at those of a lower class to the nobles."

I felt my heart sink slightly.

"Oh... right. Okay."

The corners of Sooyoung's mouth lifted slightly.

"It's only for tonight, (' ')."

"Right," I nodded, my face determined as we stopped in front of the wide open double doors.

"Lady Sooyoung," the man at the door, dressed impeccably, bowed to her and then looked at me.

"Forgive me, but I am not sure I've seen you before."

"I-"

"A childhood friend of mine," Sooyoung interjected smoothly, and I looked at her gratefully.

"Lady (' ') from New York," she said coolly and the man nodded, bowing to me.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady."

Then we were inside, and I had to catch my breath.

Everything and everyone was so beautiful, so glamorous, so impeccably done up that I felt overwhelmed. Waiters carrying beautiful glasses or small cakes and pastries on shining silver trays wove their way expertly between the mingling guests.

I felt Sooyoung gently nudge my side.

"Don't look so awestruck," she whispered, "You need to pretend that you are completely used to all of this. Unfazed."

I blinked and adjusted my facial expression, composed myself to imitate Sooyoung's cool mask. I needed to remember that I wasn't just (' ') anymore. I was Lady (' '). From New York of all places. I wanted to laugh. But I didn't.

I looked around, surveying each pretty and done up face, looking for Jin. I wanted to see Jin. I hadn't seen him yet all day, and I wanted to see what he thought of my dress.

"There."

I followed Sooyoung's gaze, and found Jin.

His eyes found us, and he froze, eyes locked on me. But it was brilliant because anyone would have thought he was looking at Sooyoung, his wife. He started walking to us.

"His father will be watching us," Sooyoung warned and I nodded, feeling my pulse speed up like it always did when Jin was close.
He reached us.

"You look beautiful," he told Sooyoung, suddenly looking every bit as adoring and loving as a husband should and she blushed. He leant in to kiss her softly on the mouth and withdrew. I didn't say anything. I didn't even mind that he had just kissed the girl standing next to me because I knew it was all an act.

They're brilliant...

Sooyoung smiled at him.

"Happy birthday, darling. I don't think I need to introduce (' ')," she said quietly and Jin stepped closer to me and I felt his lips brush my cheek.

"You're beautiful, (' ')," his breath tickled my ear and I shivered.

"Thank you," I managed and Jin withdrew.

He looked like a prince, wearing a suit I didn't even want to know the price of.

"Happy birthday," I whispered and Jin smiled. Then he suddenly straightened up and I felt Sooyoung nudge me again in warning.

"Father," Jin said, bowing, and I froze.
Sooyoung turned, and turned me with her because I felt as though I had lost the ability to move my limbs.

This man. That friendly-looking, brightly smiling man.

Was the one who ruined everything.

I hated him.

"My lovely daughter-in-law, you look as impeccable as always," he kissed her hand and Sooyoung bowed respectfully, smiling sweetly.

The much-older-looking version of Jin turned to me and I saw his brow furrow slightly as he studied me. I held my breath, but kept the mask over my face.

"Forgive, my lady but have we met before?" His eyes were cunning, calculating like Sooyoung's and I shook my head, smiling as genuinely as I could.

"I do not believe we have."

"This is the Lady (' ') from New York," Jin introduced me, to my surprise. Just how well had he planned this? His father nodded approvingly.

"Forgive me," he smiled apologetically, taking my hand and kissing it. I resisted the urge to pull a face. "I am not so familiar with the American dignitaries."

I heard Sooyoung's quiet breath of satisfaction and felt awed once again by how intelligent she really was, her and Jin both.

Music suddenly started playing and the crowds of people slowly started moving away from the centre of the room, opening up a dance floor.

"I take it that you will give Sooyoung the first dance before going to mingle with the rest of your guests?" Jin's father asked, innocently enough but I didn't miss the warning command. He wasn't asking; he was telling Jin what to do and I felt sick when Jin bowed.

"Of course, father," he glanced at me once, an apology in his eyes, before gently leading Sooyoung away to the open floor, leaving me alone with his father.

"Well, my lady," his father extended his hand with a smile, "Would you do me the honour of-"

"Forgive me, sir," a boy who looked younger than me grabbed my arm, "But would you mind if I danced with her?"

Jin's father looked taken aback but smiled all the same.

"Of course, Taehyung."

Taehyung?

I looked up at my saviour as he led me away. He was younger than me, I could tell, but he was still a lot taller.
I gasped because I knew him. I knew that name.

We started spinning around the floor, his hand on my waist and mine on his shoulder. I'd seen him before; I recognised that face that was as pretty as Jin's, the dyed silvery hair that made him almost look like an anime character. But where had I seen him before?

"That was close, (' ')," he grinned down at me, "But you're not doing too badly, for a commoner."

He winked and then I remembered where I knew him from.

"You're one of,"

"Jin's friends?" he finished for me. He was the only one other than me that I heard call Jin 'Jin' instead of his full name that he hated.

Taehyung was one of Jin's only friends. Jin had six if I remembered correctly. But all were still finishing school, and were attending schools in other countries.

"I flew in from Germany yesterday," he explained, giving me a grin that showed both sets of his pearly white teeth, "The others flew in as well. There was no way we'd miss Jin's twentieth."

He must have taken time off of school to be here. But I guess that's something nobles can just do whenever they want.

"So he told you then," I murmured and Taehyung's expression darkened, it was equally attractive on him, but his bright cheerful expressions suited him better in my opinion.

"I'm so sorry (' ')," he said quietly, and I looked up at him incredulously.

"Why are you apologising?"

"Because I'm not like other nobles," he winked and spun me around.

The song came to an end and we were both giggling by the end of it. I learned that he was actually hilarious and incredibly strange, but strange in a good way.

Another boy approached us, younger still, still taller than me and really, really attractive. He ran his fingers through his light brown hair, so similar to the way Jin did and Taehyung let go of my hands.

"I want to dance with her too," the boy said and smiled at me, taking my hand and kissing it.

"My name is-"

"Jungkook," Taehyung said dryly, cutting him off, "Don't try and seduce her. That' Jin's girl. And besides; she's older than you."

"I've dated older girls before," Jungkook snapped back and I held back a laugh at the two boys' antics.

"You're fifteen."

"And your point is?"

I did laugh then and both of them looked at me. The next song started and Jungkook offered me his hand which I took. I smiled at Taehyung as Jungkook led me away to start dancing again.

"So are you going to try and seduce me?" I joked and Jungkook shook his head, an amused smirk on his mouth.

"As appealing as that sounds, I actually already have someone back in London."

I had noticed the faint British accent when he had spoken before.

Throughout the evening I had managed to dance with all six of Jin's friends: Taehyung, Jungkook, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon and Jimin, and I was beginning to feel worn out. My feet were killing me and all I wanted to do was throw off my heels and burn them.

I moved to go find somewhere to sit down when the next song started and I became swept up in the fray.

I was seized from behind and spun around to face my next dance partner, and when I looked up I gasped.

"Hey," Jin whispered, twirling me around and I felt my face light up in delight.

"Hey," I breathed back and winced.
"Your feet," he said, bringing us to stop. "I'll take you somewhere to sit down." I stopped him.

"I can deal with it. I just want to dance with you," I felt his thumb drawing tiny circles across the skin of my hand. And then we were spinning across the floor together again.

The music stopped and suddenly Sooyoung was at Jin's side, and so were the other boys I'd danced with. His father's voice rang loudly across the room, smooth and practiced.

"We have gathered here this evening in order to celebrate a coming of age: my son's twentieth. Happy birthday, Seokjin. My son."

The room was filled with applause as the guests all applauded Jin, and he bowed graciously.

"Now if you would please join me so that I may now bestow upon you your inheritance."
There was more applause as Jin was forced to leave our group behind to join his father at the far end of the room. His father handed him a framed piece of paper.

It was too far away for me to see it properly but I knew what it was, and my heart started hammering.

Freedom.

Jin's eyes locked onto mine, they were triumphant, alive, and so happy that I felt tears fill my eyes. I looked beside me at Sooyoung and she was smiling, genuinely smiling. She could have been acting, she was really good at that, but I was certain that for the first time, that smile wasn't fake.

~~

~ A week later ~

Sooyoung put her signature under Jin's and they were finally officially no longer husband and wife. Everything that Jin had inherited from her family, which was equal to what he had inherited from his own, went singularly to her and her alone, and so they faced each other, a powerful man and an equally powerful woman.
She smiled, and he smiled, and they both embraced each other tightly.

"Thank you, Seokjin," I heard her say over and over. They released each other and Sooyoung didn't hesitate before wrapping her arms around me as well.

She was different, had changed. She was so much more open, happy.

Free.

The coolness was gone, the coldness, the mask. I knew she could put it back into place whenever she wanted, but why would she? She didn't need it anymore.

The same went for Jin who kissed me passionately as soon as Sooyoung had released me.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"

The office door was thrown open violently and Jin's father stormed into the room.

"SEOKJIN!?" He bellowed, eyes wide with fury.

"Father," Jin caressed my cheek affectionately before turning to face his father calmly. Sooyoung stood at his side, equally calm. I stood at his other side.

His father surveyed the scene before him, like a predator choosing which of his prey to attack first.

"You divorced her," he stated in disbelief, looking at Sooyoung and snarling.

"And you consented, you bitch! What would your father say?!"

Sooyoung sniffed, but it didn't look like anything Jin's father said could actually faze her.

"I'm also quite curious to know."

Jin's father looked at her in horror and I smiled smugly.

That's another puppet lost, you asshole.

"What else have you done?" he growled, eyes glinting dangerously in Jin's direction.

"I gave her back her rightful inheritance."

Jin's father made a choking sound; his face was starting to turn red with rage.

"You- you," he stuttered. "How could you do this? I thought that you finally-"

"To be with me," I said loudly, taking Jin's hand and Jin's father rounded on me.

"And because it was the right thing to do. We are not puppets," Sooyoung concluded.

"You," he snarled, "I remember you. All along. You were actually that-"

"Peasant?" I finished for him with a smirk and his face turned from red to a deep shade of purple.

"I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!" he roared as security arrived and began dragging him through the door.

"YOU'D DEFILE OUR FAMILY'S NAME BY BEING WITH THAT FILTHY STREET URCHIN!"

"I will still make the family proud," Jin said calmly as the door closed and we could hear the muffled sound of his father being escorted out of the building.

"And so the puppets' strings were cut," Sooyoung said.

Jin squeezed my hand.

"And they were free."

~~

~ 3 months later ~

I grabbed my bag and basically ran across the campus to reach the entrance of the State University of Los Angeles, racing ahead of the others through the sunlight.

I took a breath of fresh air and smiled because it was the end of the semester. I was free for a month!

I looked around, my eyes searching the pavements until they settled on a single tall figure leaning casually against the bus stop sign in the shade and my smile grew wider.

I guess some things never changed.

I ran to Jin, passed the familiar strange and jealous looks, and jumped into his arms. I kissed him in greeting and he chuckled.

"A month huh?"

I smiled mischievously and teasingly ran my fingers up his arm.

"I can think of a few things we could do."

Jin laughed and kissed my forehead.

"I'm sure you can."

We started walking.

"How about I treat you to ice cream today?" Jin asked, glancing sideways at me with a strange expression on his face and I froze, looking up at him in amazement.

"You still remember that?"

"Of course I do."

We stopped at an enormous ice cream parlour, but sat inside at the very top floor this time. We sat at a table against the window; we were also the only ones seated at the top floor.

I had an enormous sundae in front of me and Jin raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"Will you even be able to finish that?"

"Don't underestimate me," I warned, raising my spoon heroically like a weapon. "But you know I'll ask you to finish it if I can't."

Jin laughed, took the spoon from me and scooped some ice cream into my mouth. I grinned at the sweetness and made an appreciative noise. He gave me back the spoon, his facial expression changing.

"I got something for you," he told me, producing a small ornate wooden box from his blazer pocket. I remembered that box. I smiled and put my spoon down.

The last time I had seen that box, we had both been eating ice creams at an ice cream parlour. He had given me a necklace.

I still had it too. It was one of my most prized possessions.

I took the box for him and opened it.

My jaw dropped. My breath stopped. My heart stopped and then started hammering painfully loudly in my ears.

It wasn't a diamond necklace this time.

Jin's hand moved carefully across the table until it found mine and I squeezed it like it was the only stable thing left in the world.

It was a ring...

~ End ~

SO THERE IT IS GUYS. I HOPE IT WAS OKAY. AS ALWAYS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT!
THIS WILL BE THE LAST HAPPY ENDING IN THIS SERIES. I REALISED THAT IT MADE MORE SENSE TO HAVE HAPPY ENDS FOR THE MEMBERS WHO DIDN'T DIE. FOR THE MEMBERS WHO DID DIE, THERE ISN'T REALLY A WAY TO COME BACK FROM THAT SO I'M IF SOME OF YOU ARE DISSAPPINTED BY THIS. I'LL BE STARTED MY NEXT SET OF SCENARIOS SOON. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! - YUKI