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

by Template, Con

  Her eyes landed on Tae Hyun. He was still standing in front of her, his breathing intact.

  Yoori gasped when she observed that Tae Hyun wasn't shot either. Had the bullet missed them? Her eyes prowled the warehouse. She didn't understand what happened. The guy had a direct aim. How could he miss?

  She craned her neck over Tae Hyun's shoulder. She peered in the direction of the shooter. Yoori made a strangled noise when she took in the scene around her. Instead of finding the shooter standing before them as she had anticipated, his body was instead sprawled across the floor. There was a pool of blood around him.

  Her eyes focused on Ji Hoon's men. The Skulls gang members still had their guns pointed at them, but their attention appeared to be elsewhere. Shock and dismay sprawled across each of their faces. She followed their gaze and her eyes fastened on Ji Hoon. Her face soon mirrored the expressions of Ji Hoon's men.

  The image of Ji Hoon standing before her with his gun outstretched in the direction of the fallen shooter caused her to cover her mouth in shock.

  He just saved them.

  Ji Hoon's furious eyes remained on his horrified gang members. Lowering his gun, he said, "Lower your guns.”

  Yoori was stupefied. Lee Ji Hoon was actually helping them.

  One of his gang members doubtfully spoke up. "But boss – "

  "I said lower your guns!" Ji Hoon thundered, cutting off his confused gang member.

  Sounds of shuffling could be heard as each man swiftly lowered his gun. The look on their faces said it all: what had gotten into Ji Hoon?

  He kept his murderous expression on them. "Never point a gun in her direction again," he enunciated dangerously, every word threaded with ire. "If I ever catch any of you pointing a gun at her again, I will make sure each and every one of you eat a bullet. Understand?"

  His men nodded quickly, fear spreading throughout each of their eyes.

  Ji Hoon returned his attention to Yoori and Tae Hyun. His eyes grew guarded when they focused on Yoori. He was finally piecing everything together.

  "Who are you?" he managed at last.

  Yoori turned to Tae Hyun, her eyes questioning whether she should answer Ji Hoon.

  Tae Hyun nodded guardedly. He looked unsure as well. He repositioned his stance in front of her, as if telling her that whatever occurred next, she would still be under his protection.

  She turned back to Ji Hoon cautiously. He was staring at her with a small ounce of hope in his dimly lit eyes.

  "Choi Yoori," she finally answered.

  Upon hearing her answer, the small ounce of hope vanished from Ji Hoon’s eyes. He took an unsteady step back. He looked like he had the wind knocked out of him.

  "Choi Yoori," Ji Hoon repeated faintly, staring at her with a wounded visage.

  After what seemed like forever, Ji Hoon finally inhaled deeply. It occurred so fast that Yoori was almost uncertain of what was happening. He finally took his eyes off her.

  Within a matter of seconds, his demeanor changed. He no longer looked pained or agonized. The once vulnerable countenance on his face was replaced with a powerful one. The vulnerable Lee Ji Hoon had made his exit and the King of Skulls had returned in his place.

  His potent gaze landed on Yoori once more.

  "I'm sorry, Yoori," said Ji Hoon, the air of his charm and vibrancy racing back into him. "I thought you were someone else."

  Confusion worsened the pain pulsating in her head. Yoori wondered what triggered the abrupt change in Ji Hoon's behavior. One moment he was this vulnerable, confused guy who had mistaken her to be someone else and now, he was this emotionless gang leader apologizing for his mistake. Something wasn't right.

  Tae Hyun laughed disbelievingly. "You've been with that many girls to mistake her for someone else?"

  Ji Hoon swiveled his attention to Tae Hyun. Though the vibrancy was still present within him, he was a little less charming to Tae Hyun than he was to Yoori.

  "This is a new one for you, Tae Hyun," Ji Hoon said unexpectedly, ignoring his retort. He flickered his gaze to Yoori and shook his head. "Using a pretty girl to distract me."

  "She's not here for you," Tae Hyun replied darkly.

  "She's not here for me? That's a shame..." Ji Hoon stared at Yoori adoringly. "I told you that if you lifted up your head and let me see how beautiful you were, I'd let you and Tae Hyun go." He repositioned his gun behind his back. His smile grew. "You really are beautiful beyond words. Since you did your part, it's time I did mine." His eyes landed on Tae Hyun. "For her, I'll keep my word. You may go."

  Tae Hyun chuckled insultingly. "Don't make it appear as if anything drastic would’ve happened if she wasn't here. You know you wouldn't have had the balls to do anything. Ju Won's favor is a good motivator."

  Ji Hoon's smile remained. "You're right. I probably wouldn't have done anything – Ju Won's favor really is a big motivator.” His eyes locked onto Yoori for a second. He returned a challenging gaze to Tae Hyun. "But I'm afraid I'm after something else now.”

  Yoori held her breath. So that was his new plan. He wanted her.

  She watched uneasily as Tae Hyun's body hardened upon hearing Ji Hoon's second remark. When it appeared as if Tae Hyun was ready to bash Ji Hoon’s head in, Yoori took possession of his hand.

  "Tae Hyun.” She gently formed a grip with his hand, silently telling him to not overreact. It was obvious that Ji Hoon wasn't going to hurt her, but she knew he was waiting for a reason to hurt Tae Hyun.

  She stiffened when she saw that Ji Hoon had his eyes lowered to where her hand held Tae Hyun's. A muscle twitched in his blank face. It was clear he didn't like her touching Tae Hyun like that.

  The tenseness in Tae Hyun vanished when Yoori's hand held his. Though she couldn't see his face, she knew he had suppressed his urge to pummel the living hell out of Ji Hoon. She released her hold, silently praying that Tae Hyun would be calm and sensible. The only important thing now was to get out of this warehouse alive.

  Although Tae Hyun's grim expression remained, he soothed his need for violence. "The only reason why you're breathing right now is because of Ju Won," he began calmly. "Heed my warning, Ji Hoon. If you don't stay away from her, I will make your life a living hell when the time comes."

  An amused expression overtook Ji Hoon's face. "Your sister is out of the picture." His eyes locked with Tae Hyun. "And it is not because I'm afraid of you."

  Yoori only stared at him in response. As handsome as Ji Hoon may be, she was actually getting more and more irritated with him. He was definitely not the prince she once thought he was. He had no respect for his dead girlfriend. This was the guy who slept with Jin Ae, slept with Tae Hyun's sister and left a voicemail about it. This was the guy who had mistaken her to be another one of his many girlfriends. Her gaze graduated into a glare. She didn't like him already.

  Her glare was fleeting when she started to become lightheaded. The pain throughout her body was gradually becoming worse.

  "I wasn't just talking about her," Tae Hyun countered. He appeared more angry and protective this time.

  At this point, Yoori was no longer listening. The throbbing state of her body stole her attention. The room felt like it was spinning. She tried desperately to keep from blacking out. All she needed to do was hold out for a little bit longer.

  "Of course you weren't." His eyes shifted to Yoori for a succinct second before returning to Tae Hyun. He, like Tae Hyun, was oblivious to what was happening to Yoori. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. I always get what I want."

  Tae Hyun smiled challengingly. "We'll see how true that is. I always get what I want as well."

  Ji Hoon nodded, accepting that challenge.

  If Yoori wasn't so pre-occupied with her bout of pain, then she probably would have taken into account what – or who – these two gang leaders were challenging each other for.

  She steadied herself to keep from falling backward.

  From her head to her toe, everything was hurting. She was onl
y able to take her mind off the pain when she became aware of Ji Hoon raising his hand in the air, a gesture to his men to make their exit.

  Taking a couple steps back, Ji Hoon kept his firm gaze on Tae Hyun. "Take good care of her for me."

  Yoori stared at him questionably. What? Was he talking about her? Or Tae Hyun's sister? Or Jin Ae? Who's her?

  Another small smile outlined Ji Hoon's face when his eyes held Yoori’s. "It was nice meeting you, Yoori. I look forward to seeing more of you in the future."

  Slightly bowing his head, he finally made his exit with his men in tow.

  A shortness of breath assailed Yoori after she watched Ji Hoon disappear out of the warehouse. No longer being able to withstand the horrible pain she was experiencing, she started to shake as a spell of faintness poured through her.

  Oh no, she thought. Not again...

  She felt Tae Hyun grab her before she stumbled to the ground.

  "Yoori!" he called, lightly shaking her. "Are you okay?"

  He gently brushed her bangs away from her eyes. Yoori’s heartbeat escalated as she stared off into the distance.

  "Wh – where," she stuttered, regaining her balance and pushing him away from her. She found it hard to breathe normally. Everything in this warehouse was suffocating her. "Where’s the bathroom?"

  "In the back," he answered dubiously. He stared at her pale visage. His face was full of concern.

  Yoori nodded absentmindedly, making her way to the back of the warehouse. She stopped when she felt him grab her wrist.

  "Choi Yoori, do you need me to help you walk –”

  "I can walk by myself," she answered quickly, releasing herself from his grip. This was all too much. She had to get away from him. She had to get away from this warehouse. She had to be alone so she could think. "I'll be right back."

  Before giving him a chance to say anything else, she rushed to the back of the warehouse. She pushed the bathroom door open, stumbled in and closed the door at once.

  Breathing harshly, she leaned against the wall of the bathroom. She took a moment to stare at her reflection in the mirror. She brought her hand to her chest. Her heart thumped rapidly. She felt another shortness of breath when she raked her fingers through her hair. It felt like a bomb went off inside her head. The pain was killing her.

  She looked around the bathroom. Anxiety inundated her senses. The walls of this warehouse felt like they were closing in on her. She had to get out. Her eyes rocketed up to the window in the bathroom. She stared at it pleadingly. The nausea was becoming unbearable. She was literally suffocating. She had to leave.

  Making up her mind, she strategically used the bathroom sink as a foundation to thrust herself up to the window. She carefully climbed out of the window and jumped onto the ground outside. Then, Yoori felt her legs take off.

  She wasn't too sure what she planned to do after she was done running, but none of it mattered at that moment.

  She ran faster.

  All that mattered was that she had to get away.

  She had to get far away.

  “You’d end up destroying yourself.”

  16: The Bad Guy

  The journey back into the city was a long one for Yoori. Her adrenaline wore off and she began to feel the drawbacks of running on injured legs. While limping through the streets, she couldn't refrain from cursing her current predicament.

  "Why the hell is this happening to me?" she whispered, exhausted.

  Yoori inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh air. However aggravated she was with the pain shooting up and down her legs, she was actually more grateful for the walk. The escape allowed her time to recollect her thoughts. Her mind drifted back to what took place at the warehouse. The constant concern and protection Tae Hyun gave her...the strange interest Ji Hoon showed her...the unexplainable emotions that roiled inside her when she was around them... She didn’t understand it nor could she explain it. Everything that happened at that warehouse was just so crazy and weird.

  She turned the corner of a familiar street. Yoori's traffic of thoughts took a backseat when her eyes shot up in relief. A couple more blocks and she would be back at her apartment. Home sweet home. Her relief was fleeting when Tae Hyun drifted into her mind. She grimaced to herself. He must be searching for her now. She felt awful for leaving the way she did but she couldn't handle being in that warehouse any longer. It was just so…suffocating.

  She peered at the street ahead of her. She knew that Tae Hyun would search for her at her apartment before going anywhere else. This thought made her feel a little bit better. He’d find her. He’d eventually find her here and when he found her, she'd explain why she left and then she’d return with him to his apartment. After returning to his apartment, they could talk about what happened in that warehouse, because in all honesty, what happened between them was damn strange – considering their normal, bickering interaction and all.

  It confounded her.

  Yoori wanted to pick his brain. Maybe if she understood what happened from his point of view, then perhaps she could understand what happened from her own perspective as well.

  She came to a stop when she detected footsteps behind her. From the corner of her eye, she spied the silhouette of a tall shadow. She closed her eyes in relief. She thought right away that it must’ve been Tae Hyun following her. Having the forefront to anticipate his temper (especially when this was her second big “escape”) she turned around in haste. She was ready to explain herself.

  "Look, I – " Her words jammed in her throat when she observed that the person she addressed wasn't Tae Hyun.

  The air vacated from her as she stared at the person before her. No. It definitely wasn't Tae Hyun. The person standing before her was the exact polar opposite of Tae Hyun.

  "Hi Yoori, " Ji Hoon began gently, a ghost of a smile materializing on his handsome face.

  Butterflies began to form in her stomach as she stared at him silently. She wasn't too sure if it was good or bad butterflies. She was about to find out.

  "We didn't get to really talk earlier. Can I have a moment with you?"

  Yoori clamped her mouth shut.

  "No, Lee Ji Hoon, you cannot have a moment with me. Who do you think you are following me and requesting such a favor?" This was what Yoori wanted to say to him as he awaited her reply. Much to her dismay, her lack of a spine did a wonderful job of preventing her from saying such a retort. Instead, she blinked at the Skulls leader with trepidation.

  If she had more energy and her legs weren't so cramped up, then she would have left him. Tragically for Yoori, she had no leftover energy. She had no option but to stand there and awkwardly stare at him.

  Her eyes appraised his smiling face for the first time in broad daylight.

  The dim lighting in the warehouse really didn’t do justice to the perfect features that he possessed. Yoori was almost sure that Tae Hyun had fast become one of the most handsome guys she had met in her life. Now, with a distinct adversary standing in front of her, Yoori admitted that Ji Hoon really did rival Tae Hyun in terms of looks. These crime lords were quite possibly two of the most handsome men she had seen in her life. They were close to perfect. The only deterrent being that they were both crime lords, of course. That mentality in mind, her cautious stare on him remained.

  Ji Hoon promptly raised his hands up in midair. "I'm unarmed,” he said affably, the smile never leaving his face. “In case you're worried."

  "You don't have to be armed to be a threat," she uttered without thinking. She mentally slapped herself for being such a smart aleck. Who did she think she was talking to him like that? Did she have a death wish?

  Laughter issued from his lips. He lowered his hands. He didn't seem to mind her less than filtered retort. "You're right. Being unarmed really doesn't eliminate any threat." He took a step closer to her, his gentle brown eyes holding their gaze on her like she was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. "Trust me when I say this though, I will never be a threat to you." />
  "How comforting," she said, taking a step back.

  Judging by how he looked at her, she was positive that he would probably abduct her at any given moment. Hot or not, being kidnapped by someone was no fun.

  "If I wanted to take you home, then I wouldn't be wasting my time with small talk," he replied, reading her mind. A devilish smirk manifested on his face. It appeared as though he may have caught himself in a little white lie. "Granted," he continued slickly, "I do want to take you home, but I'll muster up some self-control."

  The temperature rose inside Yoori. She tried hard to quell the warmth that rolled over her. She really did. She hated to admit that Ji Hoon's charismatic personality was really magnetic. Something about him attracted her. There was an air of arrogance about him that she found to be aggravating and simultaneously appealing. The simple truth was, regardless of her ill-feelings for him in terms of all the things he had done, he was still that “prince” in the story that had her fascinated with the Underworld. This meeting was much like meeting a celebrity. It was not only a surreal moment – it was also an intoxicating one.

  She steadied her breathing, determined to not allow her fascination with Ji Hoon to cloud her judgment. There was a part of her that told her he was harmless, that he would never hurt her. However such a part was overturned with the common sense pounding away in her mind. Trust is foolish. Especially with someone like Lee Ji Hoon who was a glorified crime lord and someone she hardly knew.

  "How long have you been following me?" she inquired sternly, trying to sound stronger than she was. She didn't want Ji Hoon to know that he was getting to her. It was best to have her guard up at all times with this guy.

  "Since the warehouse. Pretty girl like you shouldn't be walking alone."

  Yoori scoffed, ignoring the added compliment at the end. "An offer for a ride back into the city would’ve been nice. That was a long walk, you know?"