Jae was driving the car through the city, the night sky overhead was illuminated by the occasional flash of lightning, hinting that a storm might be brewing. He glanced briefly to his side where Jia, sat in the passenger seat, her normal grace and poise replaced with a drunkenness that made her actions and words comically exaggerated which was purposely disturbing him.
Suddenly, Jia reached forward and played a song, cranking up the volume button on the radio, causing the familiar tune of "Bella Ciao" to blast loudly from the speakers.
"What the-" Jae muttered to himself, shaking his head in annoyance. At the same time he wondered why in Jackson's car there is this playlist with this Italian song on the first. He leaned forward and reached to turn the volume down, but Jia, in her drunken state, quickly turned it back up, laughing drunkenly.
Jae sighed in resignation and focused on the road ahead, trying to drown out the sound of the speaker. However, it was tough to ignore when combined with Jia's continuous silly antics. She was mumbling the lyrics of "Bella Ciao" but her slurred speech made it impossible to understand the words. She was also making exaggerated hand gestures as if she was singing the song passionately.
Despite his irritation, Jae couldn't help but be amused by Jia's antics. It was cute, in a strange way. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, watching her flail her arms around and sing incoherently. As they continued driving, the rain outside started picking up. It pattered against the Windows of the car, creating a rhythmic sound that almost seemed to match the beat of "Bella Ciao."
Jia immediately noticed this, and her antics became even more exaggerated. She began to move her head back and forth in time with the raindrops hitting the windows, as if she was trying to dance in the car. Jae couldn't help but chuckle, secretly entertained by her drunken antics. But he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that he was enjoying this. He tried to feign a serious expression as he focused on the road, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching upwards in a suppressed smile.
As the rain outside intensified, the car's headlights cut through the slight darkness, casting shadows on the road ahead. Although on the road there were streetlights available but were not giving enough light that one could turn off their vehicle's headlight. Along with them, many other types of vehicles were running on the city road.
As Jae continued to drive, he started to notice something unusual in the rearview and front window mirror. He couldn't be sure at first, but it seemed like there were several cars behind them that were following them closely, making him alert.
His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he tried to keep his cool. He casually continued to drive, but his eyes never left the rearview mirror, keeping track of the cars following him. His mind was racing as he was predicting their moves. And suddenly, loud gunshots rang out, and bullets started ricocheting off the back of the car. In a split second, Jae reacted instinctively. He quickly grabbed Jia, pulling her down with him, and ducked down low in the seats, avoiding the shots.
The music of the "Bella Ciao" continued to play in the background, almost comically contrasting with the dangerous situation they were in. As they ducked down, Jae started processing the situation in his mind. He knew they were being targeted, but how and why then a sudden realisation hit him that the attackers didn't want to attack them but Jackson because the car which Jae was driving at the moment belonged to Jackson and the attackers were trying to attack them thinking about Jackson.
And Jae had to act quickly to get them out of this predicament. The attackers had caught him off guard, but he wasn't going to let them get the upper hand. Without a moment's hesitation, he took control of the car, swerving and speeding up, trying to lose to the attackers in the winding city streets. The car's engine roared as he pushed it to its limits, speeding through narrow alleys and around sharp corners, trying to outmanoeuvre the attackers. Jia, despite being drunk, was laughing and exclaiming in excitement, treating the entire situation like a rollercoaster ride.
"This is so much fun!" she slurred, her words slightly garbled due to the alcohol. "It's like we're in some sort of action movie or something."
Jae gritted his teeth in irritation, his full focus on losing the attackers. "This is not a game, Jia," he said through clenched teeth, weaving the car around a sharp turn.
Jia was unfazed by his tone, giggling drunkenly. "Oh come on, have a little fun, my Cure. This is exactly like a scene out of my movie."
Jae didn't reply, his eyes scanning the road ahead, trying to find a way out of this dangerous situation because he wasn't alone. Jia was also with him in this dangerous situation and he was not ready to risk her life even a little bit. He could see the attackers' cars in his rearview and front window mirror, still following them closely, their headlights cutting through the slight darkness.
"Faster, Jae!" she shouted. "I want to see if we can outrun them!"
Jae manoeuvred the car with expert precision, skillfully avoiding collisions with other normal people's vehicles and pedestrians, while still maintaining enough speed to keep the attackers at bay. He glanced to the side at Jia, who was giggling and cheering, drunk on the excitement of the chase.
Despite the danger he was facing, he tried to keep her safe, constantly checking on her, shielding her with his body and taking her head down whenever a bullet came too close while also keeping an eye on their surroundings.
Suddenly, their car approached a tunnel. Jae glanced at the attackers' cars still hot on their trail. He made a split-second decision, driving into the tunnel, the darkness of the structure engulfing the car. Fortunately there were less normal people's cars.
The tunnel was filled with literally dim lights rarely giving any light, one could say 90% dark, the only source of bright light coming from the car's headlights. Despite the lack of light, he seemed to know the tunnel well, manoeuvring the car through the twists and turns with surprising ease.
The attackers' cars were struggling to keep up, the darkness and narrow passageway hampering their pursuit. As the car continued to race through the tunnel, the attackers started firing into the darkness, the flashes of their guns momentarily illuminating the surroundings. Jae swerved the car to dodge the bullets.
He could see the exit of the tunnel approaching, the light at the end casting a faint glow on the road ahead. He immediately volume down the Bella Ciao song playing in the car which he should've done earlier, and turned off headlights of the car.
Finally, the car burst out of the tunnel, the dim light of the city replaced with the natural darkness of the rainy night sky and the forest just outside the city limit. Jae had successfully lost the attackers' cars in the darkness of the tunnel, and now he was speeding through the quiet forest rough ground, the sound of the attackers' gunfire finally silenced. In the distance, the sound of police sirens could be heard. It seemed like the attackers' reckless actions on the city roads had attracted the attention of the police.
Jae allowed himself a moment of relief as he continued to drive through the forest, getting further and further away from the chaos of the chase. Jia, meanwhile, was still giggling in her drunken state which now was gradually getting lower, blissfully unaware of the danger they had just escaped. Jae kept a watchful eye on the rearview mirror, making sure they were truly safe.
Now the sound of the police sirens faded into the distance, replaced by the quiet of the forest. Jae eased up on the gas pedal, slowing the car down to a more reasonable speed then finally stopping it with a brake. The faint sound of the Bella Ciao music was still audible in the car. He glanced over at Jia, who was now slumped in the passenger seat, her drunken state starting to take its toll.
Jae shook his head with a mixture of frustration and affection. He was wondering who the attackers were and how they managed to find Jackson and his car in the first place. But he was relieved they had managed to shake off the attackers by his skillful and stylish performance and was more relieved at her being safe, but he still had to deal with an inebriated Jia.
He reached over and unbuckled her seat belt before making her sit on his lap and gently placing her head on his shoulder and wrapping her one arm around his neck, like a kid clinging to its guardian. While she was mumbling incoherently. Jae sighed, knowing she was far from sober. He started the engine again and continued to drive, the car's headlights cutting a path through the darkness of the forest.
▪▪▪▪▪▪
Jae was carefully lifting her in a bridal-style carry. Despite her drunk state, she felt soft and delicate in his arms. With a careful step, Jae started making his way up the stairs, each step taken with caution to avoid tripping under her weight.
Due to the Jia's earlier abduction by Myung, he had relocated his residence, fearing further risks associated with the leaked address. Although he generally preferred solitude, he had taken the extra precaution of stationing numerous guards around his new home solely for Jia's safety, ensuring maximum protection even during his absence.
He glanced down at her, who remained in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder. With each step, Jae's grip on Jia tightened, his mind filled with a mixture of protectiveness and determination to get her safely to their room. Despite the night's events and the adrenaline still coursing through his veins, he couldn't help but feel a sense of tenderness towards her vulnerability.
As they reached the top of the stairs, the soft glow from the hallway lights illuminating their path.
Finally reaching the bedroom door, he paused for a moment, taking in the sight of her in his arms once more.
The light from the hallway spilled into the bedroom when he opened the door, casting a soft glow on the spacious room. He stepped over the threshold and carefully laid Jia down on the bed, his arms gently unwrapping from around her.
He remained standing beside the bed, watching as Jia's body relaxed into the soft sheets. She looked so innocent and vulnerable, like a little lost lamb that needed his protection. He stood there for a few more moments, simply looking at her, feeling a mix of tenderness and responsibility towards her.
Then he carefully removed Jia's heels, his movements gentle as he slid them off her feet and set them aside. And while doing this he was remembering the moment when he told her not to wear heels because they were going to ride bike but she didn't listen to him and did what she wanted and for that he also didn't force her to not wear them. He pulled the blanket up over her, covering her body with the soft fabric.
With a final glance at Jia, making sure she was comfortable, Jae headed to the adjoining bathroom to take a shower. Jae stepped inside and closed the door behind him before turning the shower on. He removed his clothes and stepped into the cold spray, letting the water wash over him, cleansing both his body and mind. As the water cascaded over his muscled physique, Jae couldn't help but replay the events of the night in his mind, the images of the attack and their escape still fresh in his memory.
Such attacks were very common for him, but for the first time he felt fear, a strange fear regarding Jia. What would have happened if even one bullet had hit Jia? Although this wasn't possible because his skill of saving and dodging was highly praiseworthy, now he wasn't able to get rid of this strange fear feeling. The thought about how the attackers found Jackson was also roaming in his mind.
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The clock ticked closer to 3 AM, and Jae was still awake, his head propped up in his hand as he lay next to Jia on the bed. He was watching her, listening to her steady breathing, and feeling the warmth of her body next to him. His upper body was bare as he was only in his grey trouser. Despite the late hour and the exhaustion from the night's events, he couldn't shake the feeling of worry and anxiety that had settled in his chest.
He kept replaying the attack and escape in his mind, and his thoughts kept returning to the fear of what could have happened to Jia. Just as his mind was about to slip into a state of more anxiety, he noticed that Jia's breathing had changed. She stirred slightly, and her eyes fluttered open, revealing her half-lidded gaze in the dim light of the bedroom.
Jae remained motionless, his expression unreadable but his eyes were gleaming with adoration as he saw Jia wake up, her gaze dazed and unfocused. She shifted her body towards him, her movements slow and clumsy due to her semi-drunken state. She looked at him, a small, disoriented frown on her face, and mumbled something incoherently. At first he could see the confusion in her eyes but suddenly it turned into something else, the aftermath of her intoxication still playing on her facial expressions.
Jae listened intently as Jia mumbled, her words incoherent. He tried to understand what she was saying, and why her words suddenly seemed to be tinged with anger and pain.
"You knew," Jia slurred and a little frown appeared on his face. Suddenly, there was a rush of movement as she unexpectedly pushed herself onto him, climbing on top of him and pinning his body down, making him surprised.
She started speaking in a tone of determination and frustration, her words laced with a hint of drunkenness "You knew everything, right from the time we were in Japan. You knew about my past, my parents' murderer, my sister before I even told you. And you forced me to marry you under the threat of killing my parent's murderer? How cruel it is. You knew it all, but you didn't tell me. You're terrible."
Jae remained silent, his expression still unreadable. He could feel her breath hot against his neck as she loomed over him. And slurring all the words, she suddenly lost her balance and fell forward, her body collapsing onto Jae's torso.
"How could you?" Her words trailed off into a drunken slur, and she rested her head on his chest, her body going slack.
Without thinking, Jae instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and holding her in place. He could feel the warmth of her body against his, and the steady rise and fall of her breathing as she laid on top of him. He could still feel the residual anger and frustration in her body, but he didn't move or speak. He just held her close, his arms encircling her protectively, as once again she slowly drifted into an alcohol-induced slumber.
He had already understood at the dinner party that Bella must have told everything to Jia. And suddenly a suppressed smile appeared on his face as he remembered the moment when she revealed about their marriage to everyone, dropping a shocking bomb to everyone's head.
○○○○○○
The morning sunlight streamed into the balcony, casting a warm glow on Jae's figure as he stood by the railing, dressed in a sharp suit that made him look even more handsome than usual. He held the phone to his ear, the other hand resting on the rail, his jaw set in a tight, angry line as he spoke with Jackson.
"What the hell were you doing, Jackson?" Jae snarled into the phone. "Why did the attackers want to attack you? What negligence did you commit that they came to know about your car? But they attacked us because they thought you were in the car."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Jackson's voice came through, laced with concern and confusion. "I had no idea that someone recognised my identity and came to know about my car and…and a group of attackers would try to attack me."
"That's why I'm asking, what kind of negligence did you commit? Jia was also with me, she could have been seriously hurt. Or worse." Jae's voice was tight with strictness and frustration.
"I know, I know," Jackson said, his voice betraying a hint of worry. "And I never wanted anything to happen to either of you. I hope you both are alright. But I have no idea who they were or who sent them."
Jae let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing his forehead with his free hand with a sudden hint of concern about Jackson. "You will have to be careful about yourself from now on. You can be attacked again anytime and from anywhere."
"I understood"
Suddenly the conversation took a more serious and suspicious turn. Jackson's voice came through the speaker, his tone tense as he revealed a startling piece of information.
"I've heard from some people in the undercover world that there's a rumour going around that…I'm the Shadow." Jackson said in a hushed tone.
Hearing Jackson's words Jae frowned in bewilderment and suspicion at the revelation. They both went silent for a moment, their thoughts racing as they processed to connect the last night incident with this information.
"What do you think this means?" Jackson spoke up first.
"This means that last night the attackers wanted to attack the shadow which is me but they are thinking that you are the shadow and want to kill you. And last night, even though they thought they were attacking you, but they indirectly attacked the real Shadow." Jae uttered while making sense of the information Jackson just gave and the last night attack.
"And no one else except the Omnipotent Mafia group can attack the Shadow or the Mafia king, even if there is a mistake in identifying the Shadow, they will definitely want to kill." Jackson added.
"Find out more about this right away." Jae commanded.
"Understood." Jackson's voice was resolute, and he sounded just as determined as Jae to get to the bottom of this.
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Two days passed.
Jia was desperately walking back and forth in the dining room, a sly smile playing on her lips as she waited for Jae. Tonight was the night that she had decided to put her plan into action. She had ordered a lavish meal online, and she couldn't wait to present it to Jae as her own creation. She had been practising her lines and rehearsing the lies, and she was ready for the performance of a lifetime just to get some praise from him.
Soon, ending her wait, Jae entered the room, his hands were inside his trouser's pocket as he was wearing a baggy t-shirt and trousers, his eyes scanning the surroundings with his usual calm and composed manner. They made eye contact before as always he silently made his way to the kitchen to make dinner for Jia. But she immediately stopped him and made him sit on the dining chair, making him confused. Then she herself also fidgeted in her seat, her anticipation and excitement barely concealed.
"I've been waiting for you," Jia said, her voice soft and sultry as her eyes met his. "I have something special to show you tonight."
Jae raised an eyebrow, his expression maddeningly unreadable. "And what might that be?" he asked, his voice smooth and collected.
"Well, I know how much you want to eat food cooked by me," Jia began, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "So, I decided to surprise you with a special meal that I personally cooked just for you."
Jae's eyes narrowed imperceptibly, but he remained silent, his expression still giving nothing away. He settled back into his chair, his gaze steady and unflinching as he waited for Jia to continue.
"I've been planning this for a whole day," Jia continued, her voice taking on a note of pride. "I worked hard to make sure that everything was perfect, just the way you like it. And I even made it extra special by using only the finest ingredients."
Jae's eyebrow quirked upward again, his eyes flickering with the hint of a knowing look. He didn't say anything, but Jia could see the corners of his lips twitch, as if he was fighting back a smile.
"And the best part," Jia went on, "Is that I did it all by myself. No help from anyone else. Just me, in the kitchen, cooking up a storm."
Jae's gaze flickered for a moment, a subtle hint of amused disbelief flitting across his face before he quickly regained his composure. "Is that so?" he said, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Yes, that's so," Jia replied, her confidence growing with each word. "I spent hours in the kitchen, chopping and stirring and mixing, to make sure that this meal was exactly to your liking. It's a labour of love, just for you."
"Well then," he said. "I'm looking forward to trying it."
Jia's smile widened, her confidence growing with every passing moment. "Yeah, it's great," she gushed. "I've put my heart and soul into it, and I know you're going to love it."
Jae merely nodded, and started to watch as Jia began to arrange the various dishes on the table, each one looking more appetising than the last.
"There," Jia said, satisfied with the arrangement. "Everything is ready. Now try some."
This time, Jae couldn't resist a small smirk before trying the meal while creating a suspense for her as standing beside him, she was looking at him intensely waiting for his comment on food.
"What do you think?" She asked, looking at her impatiently. As he gulped the first bite of the meal, then looked up at her with an impassive expression.
"Earlier I used to think that you know how to cook but you just don't cook, but now it seems that you don't know it at all." Saying this with an impassive tone he stood, dropping her jaw while innerly he was smirking, totally enjoying her lies. "You eat it yourself, I am not hungry, anyway I don't eat outside food at home."
He made his way towards the exit casually, knowing well these dishes were ordered through online because he was informed about it by his man who was the one to pick up the order from the location Jia set up for the delivery, far away from their actual location.
While hearing his last sentence, Jia's face fell, her confidence vanished, but she still quickly tried to recover. "Wait..what are you talking about?" she said, a note of defensiveness in her voice. "This is my cooking. You're being paranoid." Standing there, she tried to defend herself but he didn't stop and went away, ruining her plan completely.
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In the dim light of the bedroom, Jia was lying in bed, her eyes closed. She had been tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable on the bed, her mind still half active despite the late hour as she was semi asleep. But due to the lack of comfort and feeling restless, she had been struggling to fall asleep properly, her attempts to find comfort in the softness of her mattress proving futile. And eventually her eyes opened, the room was pitch black, except for a faint slit of light coming from the closed curtains and slightly opened balcony door. But she closed her eyes again to sleep again, but now her sleep was not coming easily back to her.
Suddenly, she felt the absence of Jae beside her on the bed and once again, she opened her eyes and looked over to the other side of the bed. However, instead of feeling concerned, she remained calm. Glancing up at the ceiling, she kept her eyes open, knowing where he could be at this hour of the night. After a while, she got out of bed and walked towards the balcony attached to the room.
The balcony was spacious, with a couple of cushioned chairs placed at one end. As she stepped on the balcony, as expected she found Jae sitting there on the cushioned chair with legs spread, looking up at the moon with stars filled the night sky. His mind appeared to be lost in thought as he was staring at the moon. The atmosphere was calm, with a cool breeze gently blowing and the light of the moon and stars illuminating the night.
The balcony itself was a cosy space, designed for relaxation and contemplation. There were potted plants placed strategically around, adding a touch of nature to the environment. The cushioned chair where Jae sat seemed comfortable and inviting, and it provided a perfect spot to gaze out at the night sky.
She wasn't surprised at all to see him sitting on the balcony and watching the moon in silence. As if it was his habit of looking at the moon at night when the entire city was asleep, a strange habit indeed. Whenever he would get up from the bed at night and went to gaze at the moon, she would unconsciously start feeling restless and unable to sleep, and she would always come to him to watch and read the moon with him that what was in it that he keeps staring at it, as if her inability to sleep without him had become a habit that she did not want to break.
She always wondered what memories or connection he had with the moon that compelled him to stare at it in silence. However, whenever she asked that question, all she heard was silence in return. She took some calculated steps towards him and sat on his lap comfortably, resting her back against his front body.
While not considering her presence as a disturbance, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her protectively. After a few moments of silence while looking at the moon, she opened her mouth and asked out of curiosity.
"What are you feeling?"
Even after she asked the question, the silence continued for some time and she too started waiting patiently for his answer while looking at the moon.
"Exhaustion,"
She was taken aback by his response.
"Exhaustion in everything, in doing something, in speaking something, in thinking something, in feeling something….exhaustion in everything."
She could hear the literal exhaustion, pain and mystery in his tone which made her concerned, curious and bewildered about him.
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Jia took a deep breath as she entered the beautiful, modern bangalow. She took a moment to appreciate the architecture, feeling a sense of familiarity as she had been here before for a dinner party. Walking in the entrance hall, she glanced around, searching for a sign of Daisy, but there was none to be seen. Suddenly, her ears catched the melodious voice of Daisy.
"Jia, what a nice surprise! Come in, come in." Standing at the entrance of the living room, Daisy welcomed Jia in pleasant surprise, leading her to the living room and making her sit on the sofa.
As Jia took a seat next to Daisy, they started a friendly conversation, catching up on each other's lives since they last met. However, Jia couldn't help but notice Daisy's smile and cheerful expression, very beautiful. Her golden hazel eyes and long straight intense copper coloured hime cut hair were making her very majestic and somewhat her facial features seemed familiar to her as if she saw someone with the same features as her. And she wondered why Daisy's features were not similar to Jae even slightly when Jae was her real younger brother.
After a few minutes of small talk, Jia finally broached the topic hesitantly that she had come here to discuss.
"I want to talk to you about something,"
They both paused, Daisy was looking at Jia's face with a warm smile and carefully listening expression.
"I want to know about Jae's past from you, I am sure you know everything. Being his wife I have the full right to know about his past as well, a past which he doesn't share but it seems as if he is living in the past and not in the present. Please I want to know if something had happened which changed him into an almost like beast who kills people without thinking too much or was he always like this? It seems as if he carries a mystery within himself, even reading it is difficult but as much as I have been able to read it, I know that there are some hidden words there." Her voice was firm but gentle as she requested.
Hearing her, Daisy's expression changed, and an understanding and knowing smile appeared on her face.
"Do you really want to know?" She asked directly and softly while Jia nodded in determination. Jia couldn't help but suddenly notice Daisy's smile was belied by the underlying sadness and bitterness in her eyes. Daisy smiled and stood on her feet.
"Then wait a minute." Saying this with a smile, she went somewhere, leaving Jia curious waiting for her. After a few moments Daisy came back with a thick old Diary in her hands, she sat next to Jia.
Seeing the Dairy, Jia felt a magnetic and mysterious pull towards it and she started feeling uneasiness. On the other side, Daisy's heart was beating rapidly and her hands unnoticeably shaking as she was holding the Dairy in her hands. There was a smile on Daisy's face but her eyes were betraying the hint of sadness and pain. She handed over the old diary to Jia, her movements slow and deliberate.
"Here," she said, her voice soft. "This belonged to Jae. It contains all the information you want to know about his past, although in the beginning it has spelling mistakes but you'll understand. He had buried it years ago as if he had ended the pages of his life. But I took it out of the buried place and since then it is with me."
Jia's heart raced as she took the diary, her eyes wide with anticipation. The cover was made of a dark, leather-like material, and it was worn and faded in some places, giving it an air of mystery and antiquity and a look of relic from a bygone era. Despite its age, the cover was clearly well-made, with intricate designs and symbols embossed into the leather. A thick elastic band was looped around the diary to keep it closed, adding to its old-fashioned charm.
It had a comfortable weight in Jia's hand. The diary, indeed, was the key to unlocking the past and she knew that once she started reading, there would be no going back and she might dive into a different perspective of the world.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Daisy asked, her voice cautious. "Once you read this, you'll know everything about Jae's past, for better or for worse."
Jia nodded, her determination unwavering. "I want to know," she said firmly. "As his wife, it's my responsibility to understand him completely."
Daisy reluctantly nodded, knowing that there was no convincing Jia otherwise. Suddenly Daisy stood on her feet before making her way towards the huge glass window of the room and standing by it, looking outside through the big curtain gaps with a bitter smile.
Jia was looking at every move of Daisy with intensity and her mind and ear were open to listen to Daisy as she was predicting by her movements that Daisy was going to say something important.
For a moment there was a small intense silence which was immediately broken by Daisy's confusing and shocking words.
"Jae's birth name Is Jay Martin and the real Jitoku Jae Is someone else. Someone, whose presence was like heaven."
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