The silence in Jeonggukk's mansion was as dark and vast as the corridors themselves. Jiwon's footsteps echoed as she walked, each step carrying her deeper into his lair. She had been summoned—not in any formal manner, but with a brief message: Room at the end of the east wing. Be there. No reason given. No explanation. But that was Jeonggukk's way.

The training room in Jeonggukk's mansion was bathed in shadow, a room secluded from the rest of the world, designed to test endurance, strategy, and sheer will. The dim lights cast a metallic glint over an array of weapons displayed along the walls—knives, swords, brass knuckles, all hanging like silent promises of violence. The room exuded a weighty silence, a place where the line between life and death had been crossed countless times.

Jiwon's gaze swept over the weapons as she stepped into the room, her back straight, her chin raised defiantly. She could feel the energy of the room itself, the way it seemed to pulse with tension. And she could feel him watching her, his presence heavy behind her, like a dark storm that was biding its time.

He closed the door behind him, the sound echoing in the stillness, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. This was no ordinary summons, no mere conversation. She knew, without needing him to say it, that he'd brought her here for something specific, something she wasn't going to like.

He closed the door behind him with a soft click that echoed in the silence, and she fought the urge to turn, to watch his every movement. She didn't trust him. Not here. Not in his domain. But pride and determination held her still.

"Why did you bring me here Mr.Jeon?" Jiwon asked, keeping her voice steady, her gaze fixed on the weapons instead of him.

Jeonggukk wants to see her raw strength and, perhaps, to intimidate her into submission. But Jiwon's refusal to yield only makes her more alluring, sparking intense chemistry. This exercise becomes both a challenge and a revealing encounter, where physical and psychological boundaries are going to get blurred.

Jeonggukk didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked past her, reaching toward the wall to select a blade—a short, slender knife with a wickedly sharp edge. He held it in his hand, almost casually, examining it with a dark intensity before finally looking at her.

"Catch," Jeonggukk said, and before she could process the word, he tossed the blade toward her, the metal gleaming as it spun through the air.

Jiwon's reflexes kicked in, and she snatched the knife from the air, her fingers closing around the cold metal handle. She looked up at him, suspicion flickering in her gaze.

He smiled faintly, an expression that sent a chill down her spine. "I'm curious," he said, his voice dangerously raw and laced with a hint of mockery. "You talk a lot about strength, about how unbreakable you are. I want to see if that's true."

Jiwon's jaw tightened, a flare of anger sparking within her. She didn't know what he intended with this "test," but she refused to back down. If he wanted to see her fight, then she'd show him exactly what she was capable of.

"Fine if that's what you want to see," Jiwon replied, her tone laced with defiance. She gripped the knife, her stance shifting as she prepared to face him. "Let's get this over with."

He inclined his head slightly, that faint cunning smile never leaving his handsome face, and took a step back. "Show me Ms.Park. How unbreakable you're."

Without another word, she lunged forward, her movements quick and precise, aiming for his side. But Jeonggukk sidestepped her easily, his movements fluid and unhurried, as if he were merely toying with her. Jiwon twisted, adjusting her angle, and struck again, but Jeonggukk deflected her with a swift, practiced motion, his hand catching her wrist and twisting it just enough to send the blade clattering to the floor.

The blade's clang against the ground seemed to echo in the silent room.

"Is that all you've got Ms.park ? I thought you were different." Jeonggukk taunted, his voice soft, a whisper of a challenge.

Jiwon's eyes flashed, her muscles tensing. She reclaimed her stance, her breath coming faster, the anger boiling in her veins. She wasn't used to being overpowered, and certainly didn't want to be by him. Her pride was ablaze, demanding she try again, demanding she prove herself.

But he was already looking at her as if he had won.

Jiwon moved forward again, faster this time, aiming low to catch him off-guard, but he anticipated her. As she swung, he stepped forward, catching her arm and spinning her, twisting her back against his chest, his grip around her wrist like steel. Their bodies touching so close to each other the warmth of their skin could be felt against through the fabric of their clothing.

The world seemed to tilt as Jiwon found herself pinned against him, her back pressing into his chest, his arm locking her in place. She struggled, her breath coming in short, angry bursts, but his hold was unyielding, his grip so tight that she could feel his heartbeat against her spine.

"Why are you fighting so hard to prove yourself?" Jeonggukk murmured, his voice a low, dark whisper against her ear. "What are you afraid of Jiwonah?"

The words cut through her defenses, slipping beneath her anger and touching something deeper, the way his lips rolled of her name so sensually it gave her chills over her skin, did something to her heart, something she didn't want to acknowledge. She grit her teeth, refusing to answer, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd struck a nerve.

"Let go of me Jeonggukk," Jiwon hissed, her voice low but trembling with fury.

Instead of releasing her, he tightened his hold slightly, a warning. Jiwon could feel the heat of his breath against her neck, the faintest hint of amusement in his voice as he replied, "Make me."

A shiver ran down her spine, an involuntary reaction that infuriated her, yet there was something intoxicating about the weight of his hold, the dark strength in his voice, the steady beat of his pulse against her back. Jiwon could feel her heart pounding in her chest, could feel her own breathing coming faster, and she hated it—hated the way her body seemed to betray her resolve.

With a burst of strength, she twisted in his grip, managing to break free. She stumbled back, reclaiming her stance, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps. She glared at him, her eyes blazing with defiance.

"You think you can intimidate me?" Jiwon spat, her voice thick with contempt. "You think this is enough to break me?"

Jeonggukk's wicked smile widened, his dark gaze simmering with something she couldn't quite read. "Oh, I know this isn't enough to break you," Jeonggukk said, his voice as smooth as velvet. "But it's enough to make you falter."

"Perhaps I can be much more than evil wouldn't want you or any other woman to see that side of me. I may be a monstrous demon what they call me. But I've my  own morals, don't tempt me to make you an exception Jiwon." Jeonggukk took a slow step toward her, and she felt her pulse quicken, her body tensing with the urge to either fight or flee. She wasn't afraid of him. She refused to be afraid. But the space between them felt charged, electric, and the air seemed to thicken as he moved closer, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Tell me," Jeonggukk murmured, his voice dropping to a soft, dangerous whisper, "why do you keep resisting?"

Jiwon held her ground, meeting his gaze with fierce determination, but the intensity in his eyes made her heart race, made her feel as though the ground beneath her feet was slipping away.

"Because I don't trust you," Jiwon replied, her voice low, every word a deliberate challenge.

His gaze darkened, and he moved closer, closing the space between them until they were mere inches apart. She could feel his breath against her skin, could see the faint stubble along his jaw, the hard line of his mouth. His hand came up, his fingers brushing against her jaw in a touch that was both possessive and gentle, his thumb tracing along her cheek.

"Maybe that's your mistake," Jeonggukk murmured, his voice low but carrying an edge that made her heart pound.

Her breath caught, her mind a chaotic mess of emotions she couldn't fully understand. The anger, the defiance, the thrill—it all blended together, leaving her feeling exposed, vulnerable in a way she hadn't expected. She wanted to pull away, to break the spell, but her body refused to listen.

"You don't know anything about me," Jiwon said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

A faint, humorless smile flickered across his face. "I know more than you think," Jeonggukk replied, his gaze intense, unwavering. "I know you're strong. But I also know there's something you're hiding. Something you don't want me or anyone else to see."

Jiwon's chest tightened, and for a moment, she felt the urge to let go, to surrender to the tension between them. She could feel his hand on her jaw, the warmth of his body, the steady, unyielding force of his presence.

Without thinking straight, she leaned forward, her lips hovering just inches from his. It wasn't intentional, wasn't something she'd planned. It was instinctual, driven by the pull between them, by the raw, magnetic force that seemed to draw them together.

But before jiwon could close the distance, before she could give in, he moved, his lips brushing against hers in a touch so light it was almost a ghost, a barely-there whisper of a kiss.

It was enough. But even Jeonggukk wasn't sure why for the first time even his own control got slipped away into thin air, why did he lean forward ?

Jiwon's heart stilled, every nerve igniting as Jeonggukk's mouth pressed against hers, soft and unyielding, the barest hint of pressure. The kiss was slow, tentative, as if he were testing the boundaries, as if he were waiting for her to pull away.

But she didn't. She couldn't.

Jiwon felt his hand slide up, tangling in her hair, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss until it was no longer soft, no longer tentative. It was consuming, an unspoken claim, a challenge and surrender all at once. Jiwon felt the walls around her crumble, felt her own defenses shatter as she gave in, her body leaning into his, her hands finding their way to his shoulders, pulling him closer.

And then, just as quickly as it had begun, Jeonggukk pulled back, his breathing ragged, his gaze dark and intense as he looked at her. The silence that followed was thick, heavy with the weight of what had just happened. As image of a particular soft bubbly choco angel popped in his mind startling his senses, why did Jangfei's face flashed in his mind, it was sudden and unexpected was the demon's heartless heart and mind playing games with him?

For a long, suspended moment, neither of them spoke, neither of them moved. They simply stood there, inches apart, their breaths mingling, their hearts racing.

But then the reality of the situation crashed down around them, the gravity of the moment settling in, and Jiwon felt her chest tighten with a mix of anger and regret. She always wanted to kiss Jeon Jungkook for once her ultimate newly developed crush but instead ended up kissing his twin brother it was Jeon but the only and huge big difference was that it was Jeon Jeonggukk instead the demon.

She turned, her face flushed, her voice steady but brittle. "This doesn't change anything," Jiwon said, each word a deliberate effort to rebuild the walls he had so easily torn down.

Jeonggukk's gaze lingered on her, a faint wicked smile playing at his lips, but his eyes held a depth she hadn't seen before, something dark and unyielding.

"Doesn't it?" Jeonggukk replied, his voice carrying a challenge she couldn't ignore.

Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room, her heart pounding, her mind a chaotic mess of emotions she couldn't begin to untangle.

And as she left, she knew that whatever lay between them had only just begun.