Welcome to the Underworld (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 1)

by Con Template

  On the third day, Yoori moved from sitting in front of the door to sitting on her bed with a laptop in front of her and the baseball bat by her side. As she opened her second box of unpaid cookies, doubt overcame her. She was beginning to think that Tae Hyun had used up all his resources to try and find her. He probably failed miserably in trying to locate her whereabouts.

  She suppressed a hopeful smile. She shouldn't be rash in thinking that going outside her apartment would be safe. Tae Hyun could be anywhere. If anything, she could never go outside again. In a desperate attempt to ensure some form of income, Yoori started searching for online jobs in hopes of being able to work from home. She posted her resumé everywhere. Sadly for Yoori, none of the jobs turned out to be legit.

  On the remaining four days to follow, as Yoori lay on her bed with her head hanging upside down, frustration began to mount over her.

  As the hours ticked by, she wanted desperately to call Chae Young. She had so much to tell her and she was going crazy with the lack of human interaction.

  Her rationality got the best of her though.

  She reasoned it was safer for Chae Young to not be involved in the gang activities that Yoori got roped into. To quell her friend’s worry, she sent Chae Young a text message telling her that she had a family emergency and that she was going to be out of town for an unknown period of time. Apart from leaving worried voicemails, Chae Young, much to Yoori’s relief, did not stop by the apartment to make sure Yoori wasn’t lying. What jerk would doubt someone when they said they had to leave because of a family emergency?

  Dressed in her pink floral pajamas, Yoori expelled a huge breath while she stared at the clock. Her entire body was stiff from the lack of physical activities. She was bored like hell and was beginning to doubt Tae Hyun would ever show up. Had he forgotten about her? Could she finally move on with her life? Her stomach growled when she finished her last batch of cookies. She hadn’t been out of the apartment for a week and she was not only running low on food supply, but she was also running low on her sanity. At this point, even imminent doom appeared more entertaining than staring at the clock.

  Where the hell was this crime lord? Was he coming or not?

  Finally, on the eighth and present night, as she rummaged through her handbag, Yoori took out the Blackberry Tae Hyun gave her. There were no missed calls. She gasped in disbelief and took a speculative glance around her apartment. It had been more than a week since she ran away from Tae Hyun and he had not even called to scream at her.

  A small smile graced her face. Could it be possible that he really didn't give a damn?

  Convinced of her safety and finally relieved, she threw the Blackberry onto her bed in glee and promptly grabbed the towel beside it. She waited all week for a showdown and her neck and entire body ached from the anticipation of something that would apparently never take place. Unexpected happiness aside, she needed a warm shower to massage her tense muscles and she needed one immediately.

  “Can't believe I wasted a week of my life fearing a gang leader who didn't even want to be bothered by me,” she mumbled sourly, grabbing a face wash and squeezing the soap out. She massaged her face with it.

  An uncertain and troubling thought hit her.

  This was all too easy.

  Though she had only known Tae Hyun for a few hours, he didn't strike her as the type of guy who would let her run off without chasing after her to get her back. Judging from the tone of his voice when he screamed at her, it didn't seem as if he would let go of the situation that easily. However, as much as she was beginning to doubt he would ever appear in her apartment, a big part of her believed he would come when she least expected it. She should be on her guard at all times, at least for the next few days.

  As she massaged her face, her fingers stroked her lips.

  Yoori’s thoughts ventured onto the stolen kiss she shared with Tae Hyun. Yoori recalled the softness of his lips when he pressed them against hers. As much as she hated to acknowledge it, Tae Hyun was a gorgeous bastard. One couldn't complain too much when he gave you your first kiss.

  Yoori grimaced upon remembering his observational review after kissing her. "It was kinda salty."

  Her face turned red again. Was there any worse insult? She chastised herself for wasting time with this. Did all of this really matter now? The way she figured it, if Tae Hyun hadn't arrived by now, then he more than likely wouldn't ever show up.

  After completely freeing her face of soap, Yoori plunged her head into the deluging warm water. She switched the shower off and gathered her hair, twisting the water out of it. Thoughts of relaxing in bed for the remainder of the night entered her mind. Excited for that prospect, she slid the shower door open and was greeted with a wad of steam. She struggled to see against the fog of steam and reached out for her towel.

  As the sensation of soft cotton grazed her fingers, Yoori grabbed the towel that was extended to her and started to mindlessly dab her body with it. When she was done drying herself, Yoori ended the sequence of actions by wrapping the towel across her chest. She was ready to step out of the shower when it occurred to her…who the hell handed her the towel?

  A jolt of shock electrocuted her body. Goose bumps materialized on her skin at the possible answer.

  Squinting her eyes, Yoori tried hard to acclimate her vision against the wad of steam in the air. Once the fog evaporated and her line of vision returned, panic sliced into Yoori. To her dismay, someone sat on the toilet seat cover.

  Gazing at her with a hand to his chin and a smirk on his face, the invader was none other than the infamous Kwon Tae Hyun.

  "Hi," he greeted casually, waving at her as if he was just passing by her through the streets.

  “AHHHHHH!” Yoori screamed at the top of her lungs, struggling to the corner of the shower. She shook, not in fear but from plain shock.

  "What are you doing in here?" she shouted irately, sitting down on one of the railings. She held on tightly to her towel. Questions hammered in her mind: How did he get in? How long had he been sitting there? And more importantly, how much did he see?

  Tae Hyun rose to his full height. He reached over and casually grabbed a pink bathrobe that hung off the railing of the shower door. He fixed the dark business suit he was sporting and took a huge stride into the shower. He lowered himself to her level and gazed at her with a bored expression on his face.

  Yoori’s heart raced a thousand miles per minute. Normally a bored expression would be a good thing, but when it was Kwon Tae Hyun who was bored, then you know you’re in deep shit.

  Yoori felt her throat grow dry as she tried to gulp her anxiety away. This was not going to end well.

  After observing the anxiousness in her frightful eyes, Tae Hyun finally parted his lips as he tossed the bathrobe at her. When he spoke, his voice was as smooth and enticing as death itself.

  "Get dressed. You...Choi Yoori, are in big trouble."

  ■ ■ ■

  Sitting there on her living room sofa, her hands clenched tightly on the fabric of her pink bathrobe, Yoori realized Tae Hyun had not uttered a single word since he spoke to her in the bathroom. She was astounded. She had anticipated that she would be convulsing in pain, bleeding incessantly from a brutal beating, or shot to death by now.

  Her eyes shadowed him when he returned to the living room with a suitcase in hand. After making his exit from the bathroom, Tae Hyun welcomed himself into her room to do God knows what. She sneaked a quick glance at the suitcase in his possession before averting her attention back to him. Tae Hyun's calm demeanor disconcerted her greatly. Yoori wasn't sure whether she should be afraid or relieved. It was uncharacteristic of him to keep the silence going for so long. It troubled her that she had no idea what he had in store for her.

  As if sensing her anxiety, a small grin edged his lips. He threw the suitcase on the floor and took a seat on the couch beside the sofa. He measured the apartment. She could tell by the boredom in his eyes that he was not impressed.


  "Choi Yoori, I need your advice," he managed at last. He turned his full attention back to her. His poignant eyes locked on hers, ready to get down to business.

  She looked at him in surprise, not expecting to hear that. What did he need advice for?

  "You see, I recently hired this girl to be my assistant. As the Underworld Kings before me did it, we clinked our glasses to have this employee-employer relationship. It is my understanding that the deal consisted of her promising me that she would be there for me when I called for her. That is of course what her position as my assistant entails. After roughly 2 hours on the job however, I find her telling me that she was quitting. She appeared to change her mind about resigning as my assistant, but then she proceeded to grab her belongings and essentially ran for it."

  Yoori played with her fingers uncomfortably. This story sounded dangerously familiar.

  He continued idly. "It is an understatement to say that I am upset. I mean, who has work ethics like that? Better yet, who has ethics like that? Backing out on your word after you made a deal with your boss. It's…disgusting." He faced her, a hint of fire scorching in his eyes. "So...Choi Yoori, I am asking for your advice. This girl has to be punished. How do you suggest I punish her?"

  No longer keen on participating in this shenanigan, Yoori decided to get straight to the point. She hated beating around the bush. "You can't really blame me!" she argued petulantly.

  He raised a challenging brow. "Oh, I can't?"

  "Look.” She repositioned herself on the sofa to face him directly. “I'm sorry, okay? Unlike you, we're not all born with superhuman powers. And unlike you, I happen to fear death. A LOT."

  "I told you that I would make sure nothing happens to you."

  "I'm sorry,” she said decisively. “But that's not good enough."

  Yoori could’ve sworn she saw a dash of disappointment appear on his face after hearing her last comment. A tinge of guilt surfaced inside her. She promptly shook it off. She may have been too blunt but she hardly knew the guy. How could she trust that he’d make good on his words?

  As a response, Tae Hyun stood up from the couch and sat down on the sofa, right beside her. Yoori tried to scoot to the further end of the sofa to avoid sitting too close to him. The plan backfired when the edge of the sofa blocked any future escape route. It also didn't help her situation when Tae Hyun drew closer, blocking her in from his end as well.

  "Look," he started, staring into her eyes while he slid a bit closer to make peace. "I'm ready to get past this. Can you come back to work?"

  Yoori gawked at him. After all that happened, he still wanted her back? Mystification assailed her. Did this guy need an assistant that badly?

  He stared at her expectantly, those enticing brown eyes holding her gaze. "Please?"

  "What is wrong with you?" she asked incredulously. "You still want me to be your assistant? I broke the most important rule. I wasn't there when you called for me."

  He gaped at her like she was crazy. "What are you talking about? I never called you."

  Yoori paused. That was true. He never did.

  "Why didn't you call me?" she demanded. After hearing her own voice, Yoori instantly regretted what she said. She sounded like a high maintenance girlfriend rather than his unwilling assistant.

  "I figured – "

  " – Probably figured I wouldn't pick up the phone, huh?" she interjected absentmindedly, empathizing with the pain and disappointment Tae Hyun must’ve felt when she left him. "You probably ran out of resources when you couldn't track me down those first seven days, right?"

  Tae Hyun flashed her a “what-the-hell-have-you-been-smoking?” look. "Choi Yoori, don't flatter yourself. I didn't come get you sooner because I was away on business. I'm not going to spend the manpower on having people search for you for seven days. Give me a break."

  Her cheeks burned with humiliation. Was she not worth using manpower? Was she that insignificant? She mentally reprimanded herself for thinking about these silly things. Why did she care so much about whether or not he used manpower to try and find her?

  "How did you find me then?" she inquired quickly.

  "I googled you."

  Her face went blank. Seriously?

  “Found your resumé floating around the internet with your address on it." His smile grew wider when he recited what she wrote. "‘Objective: To find a job where I can work from the safety of my home.'" He laughed, patting her head, obviously amused with her innocence – or stupidity – whichever came first.

  Yoori remained silent.

  This whole time, she assumed Tae Hyun had men searching the city for her and all he used was the internet highway? She started to get angry. She wasn't sure if she was angry because he didn't put more effort into finding her or angry because of the entire situation. She didn't know the cause for her bout of anger, but she knew she was pissed. Pissed at him to be precise. Who did he think he was, waltzing into her apartment and demanding that she return to her role as his assistant? What kind of medication was this guy on?

  "What makes you think I'll go back with you?"

  Tae Hyun hid a smile. He measured the apartment again. "Judging from the state of the dump you're living in and the resumé that I found, I get the feeling that you're low on cash…" He consulted his Blackberry and then glanced up at her, his eyes turning diabolical. "And on the account that you have just been blacklisted, I think you’re low on options."

  Yoori’s brows bunched together. "Blacklisted from what?"

  "That's right." He held up his Blackberry in triumph. "You have been blacklisted from being able to work in this city. My men sent the word out. If anyone hires you, they will find their business in flames within a day."

  Yoori gasped. "Tae Hyun, you have gone too far!"

  "Did I not tell you that you would regret taking off on me?"

  Yoori kept silent. The truth was, she did hear it. She knew something like this was going to happen. She shouldn't have taken off the way that she did. If she could go back, she wouldn't have ran. Yoori closed her eyes in agony. Now that she thought about it, if she could actually turn back time, she'd avoid being his waitress altogether.

  Tae Hyun stood up and buttoned his jacket. "I'm leaving now, assistant. If you're smart, you'll follow."

  Yoori eyed him with hatred. Resentfully, she stood up with him. Was there anything left to say in this matter? She’d been backed into a corner. She lost to Kwon Tae Hyun and his illegal, scheming ways.

  He extended the suitcase to her and she held it apprehensively. She irritably wondered if it was necessary for him to pack for her.

  He headed for the door, but stopped when he heard something. He craned his neck in the direction of her bedroom. “I think your phone is ringing."

  Yoori also craned her neck. Though barely audible, the phone was indeed ringing.

  "Be right back," she said, taking off in the direction of her room. She pushed the door open, placed her suitcase down and searched for her phone. It was buried beneath the waves of her blanket. When she found the phone, she gazed oddly at the screen.

  Caller unknown.

  Yoori flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

  A hoarse voice came from the other line. The voice was so soft, she could scarcely hear it.

  "Hello?” she prompted again. “Hello?"

  She turned to the doorway. Tae Hyun was there, pointing impatiently at his watch. He mouthed, “It's time to go!”

  She gave Tae Hyun a pleading look. Covering the mouthpiece of her phone, she said, "I'll be done in a bit."

  He nodded edgily. "Fine."

  "Is this a prank call?" she asked again, getting irritated with the caller. "Hurry and talk clearly before I hang up."

  "Boss?" the person on the other line finally whispered.

  Yoori stood up straight. She recognized the voice. Jae Won? So it really was him who called her “boss” in the alley. She looked around worriedly. How on earth did he get her number?

  "Boss
! Boss, don't react to anything I'm about to say. Just keep smiling."

  A smile appeared on Yoori's face as she looked at Tae Hyun. She then turned away in astonishment. Why was she listening to Jae Won? More importantly, why did he keep calling her “boss”? Did she miss the part where she became his boss?

  "Why are you calling me?" she asked nicely, smiling to keep up appearances with Tae Hyun.

  "Boss! Listen to me! Whatever you do, do not go anywhere with him. I repeat, do not go anywhere with him. He's dangerous."

  Yoori rolled her eyes. Did he take her for a fool? Of course Tae Hyun was dangerous. He was the leader of the Serpents for Christ's sake. Jae Won really did get punched too hard during his fight with Tae Hyun. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to call her with such urgency to only state the obvious. She was too tired to deal with another gang leader who appeared to have mental problems. Crazy. All these gang leaders were crazy.

  "Well, thanks for calling. Bye," she concluded brusquely. She could hear Jae Won protesting hoarsely when she switched off her phone.

  She feigned a reassuring smile at Tae Hyun, who was looking at her curiously. "Who was that?"

  "Telemarketer,” she answered at once, the fake smile never leaving her face.

  It was possibly a better idea to tell him that it was Jae Won who called. However, she didn't feel like it was necessary at the moment. Tae Hyun would probably use all his manpower to track Jae Won down and kick the crap out of him. All of this would only lead Yoori down another life or death situation. It was unnecessary drama at best and she planned on doing everything she could to avoid it.

  Tae Hyun regarded her with suspicion. She could tell he found her behavior peculiar. She could also tell by his tired expression that it was too late in the night. He was exhausted and didn’t want to deal with whatever she was hiding either. "Are you ready then?"

  Yoori bobbed her head. She bent down and picked up her suitcase. She actually wasn't ready to leave her apartment but it wasn't like she had a choice. She might as well pretend that she was leaving on her own accord as opposed to getting dragged out kicking and screaming. She followed his lead toward the door. She stopped when he came to a sudden halt.