Dealing with the Mafia

Choi Dea rolled her eyes.

'What? Did I hear him correctly? Is he complementing me or teasing me?'

   Sung-ho snapped his fingers idly and instantly the bodyguards knew that meant he wanted to talk with Miss Choi alone. They walked front without saying a word and a female bodyguard swiftly gestured at Myung-dae to go outside.

'Ah-heh. Is this woman saying me to leave them alone? Why isn't Boss telling something either? It looks like she and Brother Jeong are participating a staring competition, not even glancing at me!'

   Myung-dae eyed his boss and his Brother Jeong nervously, not understanding if he really should leave them alone for talking. It was true that he had a good feeling about the Mafia, but who knew what he would do to her if he left the room. Choi Dea usually lost her patience easily, if they both started fighting each other a second later the door was closed, he wouldn't be surprised.

"Out," the female bodyguard uttered, stepping dangerously close to his body.

"Okay, okay," Myung-dae jerked his head off, then looked at Dea. "Miss Choi, I'm.... leaving you two then. I will be outside."

  Choi Dea responded by a small nod. She tried to read what this Mafia Boss was thinking about. He was looking at him like she was some kind of interesting creature sitting ahead of him, giving him the sources of entertainment. Seeing that, she broke the stare again and fought the urge to clench her fist hard.

"Miss Choi, please take a seat," Sung-ho sensed her uneasiness, so he spoke softly.        

      He was wondering what kind of female CEO she was. As she was the top officer of a reputed makeup company at such a young age, he guessed that she must be pretty brilliant. She and Myung-dae came here too early, he neither got a chance to examine her biography, nor to deny the appointment. Myung-dae was simple and kind hearted, though they didn't know each other for too long, Sung-ho could understand his good behavior and intentions. That's why he had decided to meet his friend.

    Since the past four decades, the Jeong family had been running their Mafia business in another big city. From the inner circle, one of their assassins betrayed his father Jeong Shi-woo for a specific purpose, because of that they had to leave that city. Then now in his father's absence, Sung-ho had to become the Mafia boss in this new city, not because he wanted to be. He had seen from his childhood that their business often contain violence and cruelty, but he wanted be a different a Mafia boss.

"Do you know know my name, Miss Choi?" He leant to his chair, still observing her.

Choi Dea pulled the chair front and closed the gap between them, now she seemed to return in her true self. "I know your name, Jeong Sung-ho. And I would like to tell you something first, Mr. Jeong," she sat a half feet away from him, intertwining her hands.

'Why is she acting so serious? Did I fail to impress her by my handsome look?'

Sung-ho coughed. "Ahem. Sure. Say it whatever you want to say, Miss Choi."

"Stop staring at me," Dea snapped.

     Sung-ho widened his eyes with surprise. No woman had ever talked to him like this before. When they heard that he was a Mafia, it was common for him to notice them shiver uncontrollably. He assumed those women were all chickens. From the moment this women entered in this hall, she had been trying to stab him by her piercing eyes. Surely this woman was brave and obviously she wasn't a simple person.

'It's okay. I like feisty anyway,' Sung-ho made a puppy face at her and smiled sweetly.

'Gosh. How annoying," Dea thought. 'I guessed this Mafia would be old and a cold mannered and dangerous looking person just like the movie gangsters. Who knew that he would be this young aged and even making a puppy face at me!'

"Can I know your real name, Miss Choi?"

"Mr. Jeong, don't you think we're wasting both of our times by having a normal talk?" Dea felt lightly concerned about her company, she hurried the urge to settle this deal quickly. "Let's talk about business."

Sung-ho's smile disappeared from his lips. "What business, Miss Choi? Myung-dae said you wanted help from me about your company's downfall. It's you who should be talking about business," he tensed a little if he was being harsh to her.

  Dea inhaled deeply and cursed some mental voodoo towards Myung-dae. Was he really the Chief Operating Officer of her company? Who told him to say about their business loss to this weird Mafia? That fool was even calling him Brother Jeong!

"You want help from me," Sung-ho softened his voice. "That's why I need to know what exactly happened with your company."

     Although pride was peeping from her conscience inside her, she felt a bit relaxed watching his soft gesture. For the first time in her life, she put aside her ego away and began to explain the situation in a serious voice. She informed him about the untrue rumors about their products and the masked impersonators who had been spreading them. Normally, these rumors could be solved by taking down that website or holding a live conference by Choi Dea to clear this up, but it was difficult since their company stock share had fallen. Earlier when she had discussed their financial matter with CFO Seo, she came to know that their earnings from the cosmetic markets had been decreased by six percentages. People believe false news so easily, trusting those edited videos, some of them stopped purchasing makeup products from their brand Dream Shade.

"So you want my help to find these frauds?" Sung-ho asked when she finished talking. "I understand why you're not taking any help from the police. Looks like you got some big fishes after you. By the way, um, do you suspect someone from your company?"

"No," Dea shook her head confidently. She was certain sure that her employees would never do something like that. "The companies of the makeup industry we're competing with.... I don't know, perhaps it were some people who have a rage against me."

"A rage against you," Sung-ho mumbled quietly, having a feeling that she's hiding a thing. "Are you sure that you don't suspect anyone you know?"

'I do. But she could never do that just by herself. I need to know who the people behind her are,' she sighed, because she couldn't tell Sung-ho about that person.

"No," Dea simply lied.

"Okay," Sung-ho moved his hand and picked up a file from the small tea table beside him, suddenly noticed the coffee pot and cups.

'Shit. She has been sitting here almost half an hour, I haven't offered her coffee yet. What kind of man am I?'

"Urm," he looked up at her, feeling embarrassed. "Would you like some coffee, Miss Choi?"

"I afraid I can't drink cold coffee," Dea chuckled softly. "Thanks anyway, Mr. Jeong."

   It was the first time Sung-ho saw her smile. He involuntarily moved his head forward to her face and couldn't help stare at the dimples her cheeks were showing. Her face looked pure and innocent when she smiled, shining with her straight white teeth. His gaze fell on her red full lips, loving the way she was pressing them together.

"Do we have to talk about the contract right now, Rachel Choi?" he smirked. 

    His voice was huskier than usual, Dea couldn't help but swallow inside of her mouth. He was gazing at her eyes with so much intensity, she suddenly felt stuffy, as if there wasn't enough oxygen in the room. She could feel her face becoming warm and red, watching his burning green eyes moving closer and closer to her.

"I think we should talk about the contract," Dea murmured, blinking at him.

   Sung-ho placed a hand at the handle of the chair near her waist, barely touching her coat. His another hand was casually put on her knee, like nothing was happening. He wet his lower lip and slowly, sexily bit it down by his teeth and looking up at her, "Are you sure about that, Miss Choi?"

'Why is he moving so close? Why can I feel my pulse racing wild? God, what is this Mafia trying to do? What should I do now?'

Dea broke his ardent stare for the third time, her eyes went down at his chest where his white shirt was unbuttoned. Her breathing became heavy, like she couldn't control it, her eyes followed the line of his neck and jaw. She needed air to fill her greedy lungs, his warm minty breath was falling on her face.

'Isn't he too close to me?'

Before any words could leave from her mouth, Sung-ho captured her bottom lip by his lips.