JJ blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean…" She tossed her hair over her shoulder dramatically. "I'm beautiful. Maybe they want to ask for my number."
JJ nearly had an aneurysm. "Have your brains finally boiled over?! Is this the result of untreated stupidity?!"
Unfortunately, fate didn't give him time to scold her into next week because a black car abruptly swerved in from a side street, cutting them off.
Tires screeched like an angry banshee on rollerblades.
JJ's reflexes kicked in just in time, and he jerked the steering wheel hard, narrowly avoiding another crash. He immediately turned to Yeri. "Are you alright?!"
Yeri groaned, rubbing her forehead. "Almost got up close and personal with the dashboard, but yeah."
They both turned to look outside.
Men in tailored black suits spilled out of surrounding vehicles like synchronized dancers in a mafia-themed flash mob. They didn't speak, didn't blink, didn't even sneeze—just stood there, stoic and ominous, like action figures waiting to be unboxed.
Then came the final boss entrance: the car in front of them rolled to the side, making way for a sleek, arrogant Lamborghini Alston that looked like it came with a built-in growl.
From the passenger's side emerged a man who could have been sculpted by ancient gods in a particularly vengeful mood—impossibly tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome enough to cause international incidents.
His expression? Thunderclouds with a side of smite-you-where-you-stand.
Yeri shrank slightly in her seat. "Brother... I think they're lunatics. Let's skedaddle."
JJ was frozen for a beat. Her words snapped him out of it. He hissed, "We are surrounded. Don't say anything, you have no idea who those two are!"
"You know them?" Yeri squinted at the scary men.
"That's Shin Keir," JJ whispered, checking his surroundings like a man preparing for espionage. "And the other one's Tristan Felan."
"The names sound like a designer perfume and a rogue vampire," Yeri mused.
"We're in a construction site," JJ muttered, scanning the eerily quiet surroundings. "If this goes south, no one's going to hear you scream. Stay here. I'll talk to them."
"Wait, what?! Brother! This has nothing to do with us, we just pass by!"
JJ disagreed. The truth was, like most overachieving students and aspiring billionaires, he admired Shin Keir—a prodigy in tech, a legend in business, and now apparently a terrifying, real-life antagonist.
Not exactly how JJ dreamed of meeting him.
As he approached the duo, the air grew heavier, almost as if Shin Keir's glare came with its own gravitational pull.
"You got a death wish?" Shin asked coldly, cigarette smoldering between his lips. "If you can't drive properly, don't play Uber."
JJ flinched. Perhaps they got caught in some territorial disputes?
"I—I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional. Uh...right, the barricades. How much for the barricades? I'll pay! Cash, credit—"
Tristan barked a laugh, clapping Shin on the back. "Since when did you start selling roadblocks? Do you offer coupons?"
JJ's brain short-circuited. Did he just insult Shin Keir?
"No! I mean—I'm serious—it was a misunderstanding!" JJ said quickly, sweating enough to water a garden.
Shin's expression didn't soften. If anything, he looked more insulted. "A misunderstanding," he repeated slowly, his eyes narrowing.
He suddenly turned his gaze toward the car. Yeri had poked her head out like a squirrel assessing danger.
"Why don't we ask your sister to clarify things?" Shin said darkly.
"Sister-in-law's here!" Tristan added helpfully, smirking like the devil's best man.
'Sister- what?!' JJ's eyes bugged out. "I only have one sister and she's not married!"
"I will never marry you!" Yeri shouted from the car.
The air stilled.
Shin: "…"
Tristan: "…"
JJ: "…"
What. The. Hell.
JJ swiveled around and hissed, "Did you read before entering a chat group? What did I say?! Are you a ghost now? You just float in and start flinging marriage declarations?! Do you have any idea who you're provoking?!"
Yeri huffed. "Brother, I have a perfect hearing. It wasn't nonsense."
JJ looked like he might cry. "Your hearing is the least of our worries!"
"Actually, it's my fault for dragging you into this," Yeri softened a little. "There's something I didn't tell you. I, uh, kinda... know Shin Keir."
JJ blinked. "What?"
"I met him recently. This has nothing to do with you. I'll talk to him and promise you won't tell Dad, okay?"
JJ looked like he aged ten years on the spot. "What are you pretending for? You saw handsome men and just leapt into their world?! Absolutely not! Go back to the car before I glue you to the seat!"
Yeri glared at him. Blind, idiotic brother.
Shin was watching them with growing disdain. These two were supposed to be distant cousins—but their braincell seemed to be on perfect, mutual synchrony.
And did she say she wouldn't marry him?
Well, he didn't want to marry her either! That's mutual rejection, right?
Still, it stung. Why? Don't know.
He clicked his tongue. "Right, it was just about a week, too early to talk about—"
"We are friends." Yeri belted out with full-on manic jazz hands.
Shin blinked. "...Are you having a stroke?"
Yeri smiled sweetly. "Hello friend!"
Tristan was laughing so hard he had to brace himself against the car. "I've never met someone who couldn't wait to deny you."
Shin appeared indifferent, "Yeri Zhi."
"Yes, my friend." Yeri shot a thumbs up. "By any chance, did you bring these audience just to scold someone?"
Shin "..."
JJ's jaw dropped. "So...you really know Young Master Keir?!"
Yeri sighed dramatically. "Believe it or not...He is an acquintance."
Three seconds of stunned silence.
Shin: "…"
Tristan: "Did your status just degraded. Again?"
JJ: "…"
Yeri, unfazed, gave a dazzling smile. "Okay, it's late. Let's all call it a day."
"We have to talk." Shin grabbed her arm.
JJ felt the malice from Shin Keir and he panicked. "That. She's sometimes unwell and not herself from too much medication. If there's any, you can discuss it with me."
Yeri scowled. "I am not insane!"
Shin replied with a dismissive tsk, leaning in with a voice low enough only she could hear, "So that's how it is."
Yeri's eye twitched. Just you wait!
If she didn't hack him back tonight, she might as well cancel sleep permanently.
Jj stood like a decorative vine—tangled and unmoving—until a tall figure finally stepped forward.
It was Tristan Felan, who'd been unusually silent until now. With the confidence of a man who knew his face card never declined, he offered a dazzling smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet the beautiful you. I'm Tristan Felan, Shin's cousin," he said with a wink so charming it should've come with a warning label.
Yeri blinked. "Oh…"
She was on edge because of Shin Keir, she hadn't even registered Tristan earlier. But now, up close?
Well, damn. This guy was handsome too.
Cousin? Of course. The villain's entire bloodline is genetically engineered to model for chaos and perfume commercials.
In comparison, Shin had sharp, severe features—hawk-like eyes, a mouth that always seemed one syllable away from villainy.
Meanwhile, Tristan exuded summer on a yacht energy, all warm tones and casual decadence. His eyes sparkled like he sold emotions at a premium. Frankly, he reminded her of Jj.
Shin, aka The Villain, interrupted her wandering thoughts. "Yeri Zhi, if you keep staring at impurities, you'll develop cataracts."
Tristan: "..." I'm the impurest thing here.
"You—!" Yeri's eyes flashed, people have eyes to appreciate the gift of beauty, what is he cursing her for?!
Beside her, Jj was silently having an internal crisis. His innocent baby sister—was openly admiring a man notorious for changing girlfriends like seasonal jackets.
Still, he consoled himself. She's an adult now. She's allowed to be... curious.
"Yz," Jj whispered, "I have an even more handsome friend. I think you two would vibe. I'll introduce you next time, okay?"
'I can hear you!' Shin was still holding Yeri's arm, very much within whispering range and five seconds from combusting.
Before his patience could give out entirely, Tristan came to the rescue—fully aware his cousin was about to unlock his unreasonable persona.
"Kid, your car's toast. Come with me," he said, grabbing Jj by the back of his collar like an errant puppy.
"I'm 20 going on 21! I can walk! Let go!" Jj flailed with the dignity of a cat shoved in a bath.
Tristan chuckled, but didn't release him. Saving innocent sheep from Shin's emotional rampage was a full-time job.
Yeri, meanwhile, barely noticed. She was now horrified to realize everyone had left. That left her with Shin.
Alone. In a dark, parked car corner.
They stood in silence.
Yeri eyed the surroundings. One wrong angle and this whole scene screamed forbidden midnight rendezvous.
Shin strolled back to his car, leaned against it, and lit a cigarette like a noir detective. "Follow me," he commanded.
Follow him?
What is she, a golden retriever? You say "come" and she's supposed to trot after you wagging her tail?
Yeri snarled silently. 'No, Yeri. Be mature. For the sake of your skincare routine and eight hours of sleep, be civil.'
She took a breath. Fine. Time for a diplomatic breakup.
Sure, she'd agreed to date him because she didn't want to offend him. But now? Now she knew better. Shin Keir wasn't just trouble—he was an entire subscription to chaos.