Underworld

"You have talked about all the brighter sides of love, but one should not forget about all the pain, sacrifices and struggle that one faces in love"

"Even Shakespeare said, Love is merely a madness"

He nodded reluctantly in agreement, with me.

"Why are you acquiescing?" I asked

"Maybe, because I am mad in love" he said while looking at me.

"If you love me that much then why do you hang out with Yeji?" I ruined the whole lovey-dovey atmosphere by asking this.

"Why? Are you jealous?"

"Come on.. why would I be?" I said in an overdramatic way.

*He laughed* and said "I never hung out with her, by the way"

I scowled at him because I know he is lying.

"Don't give me that look, it's the truth" he protested.

"Oh! then what was that hug? And that day in the club?"

"Do you wanna come to my house? I have a lot to show you." he stood up as he said this.

"But what about school?"

"As if you were going to attend it, after missing half of the classes"

"Well that's true" then he helped me in standing up and booked a cab for us to leave.

.....

Once again, I am here at this beautiful place. Ji Hoon's house. But this time I am not in his room, unlike the last time when I was here.

"Ji Hoon where are we going?"

"You'll know"

Then we, got in the elevator and it started moving downwards.

"Basement?" I asked

He nodded.

"Is it any kind of secret tunnel or what?"

He just smiled.

"Whatever it is, I am excited as it's way too fascinating. It feels like I am in some kind of action movie, where I am the lead"

"I'll make your life a movie" his laconic remark made me blush.

*Ting* it was the sound made by the elevator when we reached the basement.

"Let's go!" Ji Hoon ordered.

I clenched my fist and nodded with a firm determination, as if I am on some kind of mission.

It's completely dark out here, I can't see a thing.

"Are you following me Ha Na?"

"Ji Hoon.. wai.t.."

"What happened?"

"My foot is injured and I can not even see, how can you expect me to walk that fast?"

"Oh!" he exclaimed then suddenly held me up on his broad back.

"Now you don't have to worry" and he kept moving forward.

After walking some distance in darkness, when we finally got exposed to light, our eyes flinched.

I tried to open my eyes and then Ji Hoon slowly helped me in getting off from his back.

Now, everything is clearly visible and all I can see is computer screens all around me, hanging on glass walls.

There are more than hundred men working on those computers, and they are wearing all black.

They all came forward and bowed down all together in front of Ji Hoon.

"Boys get to work!" these words of Ji Hoon, made my jaws dropped.

I never imagined, he holds this much power. Now, It really feel like a movie. How can this be real? Am I dreaming?

All of my doubts disappeared when I heard a familiar voice "You should be at school right now"

"Noona!"

"Unnie!"

"O my god! Look, who's here. Our Ha Na" unnie scurried towards me and hugged me lightly.

I hugged her back and then my eyes met Ji Hoon's, his eyes doesn't look like his anymore. It looks different here, more fierce and.. and.. dangerous, maybe.

"Noona, you should rest as much as you can or else you'll harm that baby who is inside your womb. What are you even doing here?"

"Here goes your nagging.. blah blah" unnie liberated me from her hug and asked "So you two are finally dating now?"

"Not yet..haha" I tried to give a superficial smile.

"Ji Hoon, you said you'll show her this place after getting in relationship. What's this? Huh! You're not a man of your words. All men do is lie"

"Things happened, but we can talk about it later on, you go and take rest, don't work or even come here"

Unnie rolled her eyes but then left after whispering to me "See you later"

Ji Hoon is really a caring brother, I adore this side of his.

"You all shouldn't let noona come here, until she give birth to that child" he announced and rest of the men assented to it.

Then we both moved further and finally reached at the central office.

I sat on a seat across Ji Hoon's seat and there is a large table made up of glass betwixt us.

I stood up in an overdramatic way and said "Ji Hoon, I can't understand a thing what's going on here, couldn't you just tell me everything before bringing me here."

"I'm scared.." I whispered.

He looked at me dumfounded because that's not something Ha Na would say. That was so un Ha Na.

"I am not scared of this place or anything that's going on here, but I'm scared of you"

He again looked at me and more dumfounded than he was before.

"I never thought you were this different. I knew something was weird with you but this much.. I never imagined this."

"Now you don't feel like that Ji Hoon, I used to know. It feels like I'm with a whole new Ji Hoon, a complete stranger."

"What should I do? I didn't mean to obscure these things from you. Whatever happened, happened inadvertently. Try to keep yourself in my shoes and tell me what have you done in my place?"

"I.. I .. d..don't know" I faltered.

"Same, even I didn't know.. That's why, you're surprised or scared right now"

I nodded, as now I can understand him.

The Ji Hoon whom I lost for a brief moment is back to me.

"Can you elucidate, what really are all these things? And what exactly is this place?"

"Ofcourse!"

"This is my underworld!" he exclaimed

"Underworld!?" I repeated