9

Jimin and Hoseok stood before their father, still and quiet. Deputy Park was sitting behind his desk, staring at them closely, ready to detect the slightest emotion on their faces. In the living room on the first floor, Kang Min-Ah was drinking the tea served to her, with trembling hands. Jimin knew that his half-brother only wanted to leave this office and take Min-Ah away from here. Unlike Jimin, who had tried to see his family through a filter of lies, Hoseok had always been aware of how dangerous their father was.

"How did this happen?" Deputy Park finally asked.

His sons didn't answer.

"Should I ask Kang Min-Ah to explain?"

"Min-Ah is pregnant with my child" Hoseok answered.

"Were you trying to prove something by impregnating your brother's fiancée?"

"No, I'm in love with Kang Min-Ah."

"Love doesn't matter; if it did, I would never have encumbered myself with Lee Yoo-Jin's presence."

Jimin shuddered.

"Hoseok, are you sure this is your child? A woman who can sleep with her fiancé's brother can sleep with anyone without shame."

Hoseok clenched his fists.

"It's my child, Min-Ah has never been with anyone but me."

"So take responsibility and get rid of it."

Hoseok's gaze turned icy.

"Lee Yoo-Jin is in hospital because she threatened my family" Hoseok said. "Do you think I wouldn't be able to stand up to you?"

Deputy Park's lips twisted into a menacing sneer. He stood up and walked around the desk. With every step he took towards his eldest son, the dark consequences of disobedience became palpable. Hoseok remained calm. Deputy Park slapped him once. It was the first time he had ever raised his hand to one of his children. He slapped him a second time. His eldest son's indifference prompted him to change his approach. Deputy Park grabbed one of his golf clubs.

But the blow that landed sent Jimin tumbling to the ground. The pain took his breath away.

"You don't care about your own pain, so Jimin will take the blows for you."

A second blow landed and a tear of pain rolled down Jimin's cheek. He was petrified. Hoseok remained completely silent. Jimin knew his brother was not going to help him. They had never been close, because at a very young age they had been terribly aware that they were not equal. When it came to their father, Hoseok came before Jimin. If Deputy Park had to seriously injure his other son to make Hoseok bend, he would. Jimin was only a pawn in his father's life, and even the most beloved pawn was still a pawn.

When the third blow landed, Jimin tried to get to his feet. It was Hoseok's words that sank him back to the ground.

"Kang Min-Ah's child is the only heir you'll have, Dad. Jimin will never be able to sleep with a woman. I know you were wondering about his sexuality. He's a gay man."

The fourth blow was much harder than the previous ones. Jimin heard the office door slam. Hoseok had just left him alone with their father. He had turned the tables so that his faults would be forgotten, overshadowed by those of his little brother.

"If you hadn't existed, Hoseok would have been my heir."

Jimin knew that the next blow would be the strongest, the one that might knock him unconscious. He closed his eyes and waited. The blow never came.

"Kim Namjoon is at your door" the voice of his father's secretary said.

Jimin hadn't heard him come in.

"The owner of "Her"'s newspaper?" Deputy Park asked .

"Yes, he answered your call. He seems ready to negotiate the publication of future "Her" articles."

Deputy Park dropped the golf club and followed his secretary outside. Jimin remained motionless on the floor, unable to get up. A few minutes later, someone entered the office.

"Forgive me, Jimin" said Hoseok.

"You stabbed me in the back, twice" Jimin replied.

"You would have done the same to save Yoon-Gi."

"Never speak his name, ever."

Hoseok lifted him onto his back.

"Go far away with Min-Ah, it's the only way your child will survive. It'll be easier to stop hating you if I never see you again."

Hoseok laid him on his bed.

"Farewell, Jimin."

The bedroom door closed.

***

A few hours after receiving Namjoon's call, Taehyung rang the doorbell of the Park mansion. As the director of the Jungkook documentary, he had been asked to speak to Deputy Park and not to tell anyone about the meeting. This confirmed Jimin's father's involvement in the singer's dark fate, but Taehyung still didn't know just how involved Deputy Park was.

The door opened onto an empty hall. A middle-aged man came to meet him and greeted him briefly.

"I'm Deputy Park's secretary" the man said, "Please follow me."

Taehyung's heart missed a beat. That voice...

"She'll rest when she's dead." The man from behind. That voice haunted Taehyung's nights. The man from behind was Deputy Park's secretary. He clenched his fists. There was nothing he could do, and it was killing him. Step by step, he fantasized about beating the man, inflicting on him a hundredfold the pain he'd caused Jung Eun-Chae, whom he'd raped again and again. It was also he who had sealed Jungkook's fate. He pictured himself killing him. But they had already arrived in the living room where Deputy Park was waiting. Two cups of tea sat on the coffee table. Jimin's father smiled at him. Taehyung shivered with disgust. This was the man who had whipped Yoon-Gi to a bloody pulp. Behind that bright smile and benevolent gaze lurked a demon. Knowing the monstrosity of the secretary, one could only imagine the monstrosity of his employer.

Taehyung smiled lightly and sat down in front of his cup of tea. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, hoping to unravel the mystery of each other's thoughts.

"Kim Namjoon told me a lot about you, praising your journalistic skills."

Namjoon had paved the way well. Thanks to him, the wolf had entered the henhouse.

"I understand that you are the director of the documentary on singer Jeon Jungkook."

"Yes, I was."

"During the live broadcast you directed, a name was mentioned that I'd rather not have heard. Min Yoon-Gi."

Taehyung acted surprised.

"Min Yoon-Gi is the son of our precious cook and we all wish to live peacefully without the spotlight on our home because of a cook's son."

Taehyung smiled at him.

"I understand" Taehyung said.

The deputy smiled back. They seemed to be getting along.

"I'll make all mention of Min Yoon-Gi disappear. His existence will be forgotten as quickly as it was revealed."

"In exchange, I'll be very generous. I am kind to my allies."

"Do you have any other requests? It would be a pleasure for our newspaper to satisfy you fully."

"Do you know "Her"'s name?"

Taehyung shook his head in disappointment.

"I don't even know if Kim Namjoon knows it."

"Is there any way of contacting her?"

Taehyung hesitated. He leaned towards Deputy Park, establishing a relationship of confidence.

"If Kim Namjoon finds out, I'll be fired... Can I count on your discretion?"

Deputy Park's delighted expression pleased Taehyung. The young man turned to the secretary.

"Do you have a pen and paper?"

They brought him what he'd asked for and he wrote down the e-mail address they'd created for especially for Deputy Park. He gave him the paper.

"How can I be sure that "Her" herself will read my message?" Deputy Park asked.

"Personally, I've never dared use this e-mail address, but the person who gave it to me told me that "Her" knows all about us. If she thinks doing business with you will benefit her, she'll tell you something about you or your entourage that the public doesn't know."

Deputy Park looked intrigued. He handed Taehyung an envelope.

"I'll give you a lot more once I've checked the accuracy of what you've just told me."

Taehyung smiled in gratitude. Deputy Park was paying for the construction of his own scaffold.

"I'll be going now" Taehyung said.

"Yes, go back to work, the documentary needs your full attention."

Taehyung bowed to Deputy Park and left the huge mansion. His eyes immediately lost their cheerful glow and turned black. Down the street, Namjoon was waiting for him in the car. Taehyung's phone rang a few dozen minutes later when he received the email they were waiting for.

"I heard you were "Her", and I'd like to make a deal with you. If you like the idea, can you send me proof of your identity?" Deputy Park had sent him.

"I am "Her". As for my identity, it will be confirmed by the information I'm about to give you. Jung Eun-Chae was raped several times by your secretary with the complicity of Kang Sin-Ik." Taehyung replied.

Several minutes then passed.

"If you agree to give up revealing the truth about Jung Eun-Chae, I'll give you enough to bring down the Lee Cosmetics empire."

"You're willing to sacrifice your reputation by bringing down your wife. The information I have on Jung Eun-Chae's case is powerful enough to make you give up your dream of joining the presidential race. The exchange doesn't seem fair to me" Taehyung replied.

"In addition, I'll grant one of your wishes."

"Turn your secretary over to the police and make sure he spends the next decade behind bars. If you don't keep your promise, the complete list in Jung Eun-Chae's handwriting will be published."

"I accept. Here is the information on my wife and her lover. You'll hear about my secretary's arrest and prison sentence in the coming days."

Taehyung carefully read all the information Deputy Park had been able to gather against his wife. The pictures made Taehyung wince. He dialed Jin's number after having Namjoon read his exchange with Deputy Park. Namjoon ran his hands over his face.

"One of "Her"'s most important rules is not to get personally involved a case" Taehyung said when Jin picked up. "You went to investigate our country's elite. Why is it that the first we've heard from you in two years is that you're Lee Yoo-Jin's lover?"

Jin remained silent for a few moments.

"I screwed up, Taehyung."

"Deputy Park wants us to expose your relationship to bring down Lee Cosmetics. In exchange, we have to drop the case against Jung Eun-Chae."

"Follow Deputy Park's request to gain his trust" Jin finally tells him. "I've given Na-Eun the information I've gathered. It will compensate for the information you won't be able to divulge about Jung Eun-Chae. The same heads will roll. I have no problem with falling for this information. Yoo-Jin and I will rise together. Don't worry about me."

"Do you love Lee Yoo-Jin that much?" Taehyung finally asked.

"Yes, I do."

"You should leave before "Her"'s article appears."

"I hope we meet again, Taehyung."

"Stay alive."

"Be carefull" Jin told him before hanging up.

Taehyung clenched his fists.

""Her" has to bleed too if she's to win" Namjoon told him. "Jin will make it. He always does."

"Drop me off in front of Min Yoon-Gi's building" Taehyung told Namjoon.

"Jungkook moved in there today, didn't he?"

Taehyung simply nodded.

One of "Her"'s most important rules was not to get personally involved. Jin was going to pay dearly for breaking this rule. Taehyung was all too aware of the risks. But that evening, he couldn't stop his heart from beating faster when Jungkook opened the door of his new apartment. The singer's happy smile made Taehyung both infinitely sad and infinitely happy.

Jungkook invited him inside and closed the door behind them. Taehyung followed him into the living room. They sat down side by side. Taehyung finally lay down, resting his head on Jungkook's lap. He closed his eyes as the singer began to stroke his hair.

"I've missed you" Jungkook whispered to him.

Taehyung was all too aware of the risks he was taking by doing this, by getting emotionally involved with Jeon Jungkook. But missed Jungkook too, missed him so much...

He stood up and took Jungkook in his arms. The young man's warm breath in the hollow of his neck made him shiver.

He didn't know what would remain of their budding love once "Her"'s war finally came to an end. He didn't know if their feelings would last once Jungkook's life was saved.

All he knew was that he had missed Jungkook and was unable to live with that.

"Her" lived with the weight of the future, but Taehyung wanted to live with the exhilaration of the present.

"I missed you too" Taehyung said.

He felt Jungkook's smile against his skin and it was all he needed to smile sincerely. He entwined their fingers.

"Stay with me tonight" Jungkook asked. "I can't sleep alone in this huge, empty apartment."

"I'll stay with you tonight."