"Holy fucking crap!"

I smile as Rin runs into the frame of the door, her arms spread wide open. The inside of the house is even more beautiful than the outside.

"The Crystal Beach!" Rin yells as she flings her small bag down on the couch, her face pressed up against the clear window. The waves roll outside, shining the shade of ice in the sun.

I look around as she dashes off somewhere.

A dark, black screen. Something glittering a warm gold on the ceiling. And silver machines on the kitchen counter.

Everything that we'd need is already here.

"Rich bastard." I mumble to myself, as I sit on the cream-colored couch, eyes fixing blankly into the ocean view.

I had no bags. There was nothing I wanted to bring— nothing I really had to bring. Even back at the place I'd stayed for six years, I barely had anything to myself.

I had never seen this much sunlight before.

Then the doorbell rings. And my eyes blink open, when Rin suddenly runs out from a door. She calls behind her shoulder.

"I'll get it!"

I close my eyes again.

Until I hear a familiar voice, deep and alert.

"Who are you?"

It's that man. The one who had been with V.

"Who are you?" Rin says back, her eyes narrowing as I stand from the couch. "You don't look like guy—"

Tall, slender figure. There's a dark cap pushed low over his pale face, but it doesn't hide his guarded eyes. He only loosens the tension from his shoulders when he sees me.

"Miss Aeri."

I nod. "You're one of his. Who were you again?"

"My name is Jungkook." He says. Rin has her arms crossed over her shoulders, staring up at him with a clear frown. "He sent me to ask if you needed anything."

"No."

"And?"

He winces. "And he wants me to take you to the café just down the street. He's there, waiting."

I scoff. He couldn't make the way up here to come get me himself?

"I know which one you mean," I say, tugging my jacket over my shoulders. "You don't have to take me there. Rin."

She starts to slip on her shoes, ready to follow me.

The man named Jungkook purses his lips as he shifts to block her way. She looks up at him with a glare.

"I'm afraid it's only Miss Aeri." He murmurs, avoiding her fierce, tawny gaze. "I'm sorry."

"Great, then. You can take her somewhere and get her something to eat." I say, before I step out of the house. "Thank you, Jungkook."

Rin hisses.

"Aeri, you're going to leave me with someone who might just kill me and lay me out to dry?"

"It's alright. He's kind enough to bury you nicely if he does."

She glances up at me with shock. And I smile back at her, mouthing over Jungkook's shoulder. He isn't looking at me.

Give him a hard time for me, won't you?

She pauses. Then she nods, and I smile under my hood as I walk briskly towards that café I remembered seeing on my way up here. It had been a place that had been hard to forget.

I had seen something like this coming.

So for me, this was an opportunity.

I needed to make him fall head over heels for me.

I wasn't stupid enough to see that all of this— the fresh air lit with sun, the spotless pavements with gorgeous fountains— was everything that he held power over me with.

He could take this all away whenever he liked.

So.

My aim was to keep him— and his money— under my leash.

_______________________________

"This way."

I glance up at him as he leads me into one of the finest places I'd ever been to. Golden chandeliers, hanging over perfectly set tables. The air is free of the smell of garbage and rotting food.

Everyone here is dressed like people out of a movie. I was the only one here with a worn shirt and jeans, no jewelry around my neck and wrists.

Whatever.

I hide a smile as I follow him to a table, remembering what Aeri had said.

Give him a hard time for me, won't you?

This guy. Jungkook, or something.

I smirk under my breath as he stiffly pulls the chair out for me, before sitting in his. Such an uptight gentleman he was.

Maybe I could see just how far he could keep his cool.

I tuck a lock of my tawny hair over my ear.

Then I raise both my legs, sniffing as I slam the soles of my dirty shoes down on the pristine tablecloth. He freezes, and I smile as I cross my legs together.

Then I raise a playful brow.

"Such a nice place this is, isn't it?"

"Did you say your name was Jungkook?"

People are staring. I'd expected him to be embarrassed out of his mind, so a part of me is surprised when he fixes a steel gaze on my feet.

"Miss Rin. Please put your feet back on the floor."

"Why?"

There it is. The distaste— the scorn of rich people. I can see his eyes full of it.

"Because it isn't proper."

"I'm more comfortable like this, though." I say, flipping my hair over my shoulder. "Can you pass me the menu? I can order whatever, right?"

He breathes, passing me a gold-tinted booklet.

"Yes. Whatever you would like."

"Fantastic." I say, as I flip through the creamy paper. But then my demeanor slowly crumbles when I skim my eyes over the words.

Shoot.

I forgot the menus here wouldn't be in pictures.

I couldn't read this. I'd never been taught how.

"Did you decide?" He whispers, when the waiter comes. The waiter pinches his nose when he sees my legs crossed on top of the table as well.

Damn it.

"I'll just get whatever you're getting." I say, passing the booklet back to him. "And a coke. Thanks a lot."

I add a wink, to try and hide the nervousness.

Did he notice?

"Two steaks and a salad, please." He says, without a change in his expression. The waiter nods, and I'm about to turn in relief when he brings out a second menu.

"Dessert?"

He starts to pass it out to each of us. But then Jungkook shakes his head, his voice never losing his composure.

"We won't be needing the menu. The lady was very excited to try the Apple Crème here— and I can have the same."

He had noticed.

I struggle to keep a blush from rising to my cheeks.

Dammit again.

________________________________

Like Jungkook had said, V's already there by the time I get to the café.

He had dressed out of his usual dark clothing in the Underground. Now he looks like any of the rich guys up here— with a white shirt pulled up on his sleeves and sipping on a cup of coffee.

His eyes, fixed on an open book.

He doesn't look like the hooded figure with the tattoos and a cigarette between his pressed lips.

Instead, the cigarette is gone. And the tattoos are hidden underneath the white shirt, only the tips of the dark engravings visible on his neck.

I fix him a look as I drop down into the chair, arms crossed over my chest. His gaze flashes upwards.

"You could've come and gotten me. Not send one of your dogs to do it for you."

"Jungkook isn't a dog." He says, and for the first time, his tone is hardened. He closes his book, tilting his face towards me.

"He's a friend. And I thought you didn't want me anywhere near where you stayed, hm?"

Did I say that?

"I didn't mean it like that." I murmur.

"So I can come, whenever?"

"It's your place." I say, quieter. "I'm just in it."

"No."

"That house is now yours to do whatever you wish to do with it." He says, fingers tapping against the surface of the table. "Aeri, are you hungry?"

...mine.

Yeah, right.

"Not really." I say sharply, my head turning away. Only when I do that I remember about what I'd come here for— and wince.

I couldn't help but do this. Even when I knew I had to stay on his good side.

"You need to eat." V says. Then he smiles.

"Or not, if you're really not feeling hungry."

"Ice cream?"

My eyes fix on his. A part of me is furious for him saying that.

Ice cream? Did he still think that I was a child he could control? Did he even understand that I just completely wanted to erase my childhood from my memories?

"....."

But another part of me really does want that.

"Fine." I say, and he laughs quietly as I burst out of my chair. I feel his presence, trailing after me as I leave the café.

Don't laugh. Even now I'm using you, loser.

"Aeri."

"That would be the wrong way." He says, and I whip around as he points towards the opposite end of the street. "The place is down there."

Lo...ser.

"I know." I reply back sharply, wanting to tear his smile from his face as I change my direction and walk, even faster, down the street.

Idiot.

Always making me feel like such an idiot.