Jimin's world felt like it was shrinking. The weight of the personal guarantee, the contracts, and the looming shadow of Ms. Hae pressed down on him with every passing hour. He had chosen the path of ambition, but now that he was on it, he realized how steep and unforgiving it truly was. The days blurred together—endless meetings, calls with investors, and pressure mounting from every direction.
Jungkook had distanced himself even further, his absence felt more like a betrayal than a choice. Sooyoung's warnings continued to echo in Jimin's mind, but there was nothing he could do now. He had crossed the line, and now, all he could do was keep moving forward, no matter how much it felt like he was losing himself in the process.
The door to his office opened, and Sooyoung walked in, her eyes immediately searching his face. The sight of her made Jimin's chest tighten. She had been the one constant in his life—the only one who had truly cared. But now, he wasn't sure how to face her.
"Jimin," she began, her voice soft but carrying a weight of concern. "How are you holding up?"
Jimin forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine. Just busy."
Sooyoung didn't buy it. "You don't look fine. You look like you're about to crack under the pressure. I told you this was a dangerous game you were playing."
"I know," Jimin admitted, his voice lowering. "But I couldn't back out. I need this."
"You need it?" Sooyoung's voice hardened, frustration creeping in. "Or do you just want it? There's a difference, Jimin. This obsession with success is going to ruin you."
Jimin's mind was spinning, but he stayed silent, unwilling to engage in another argument. Sooyoung's words hurt, but deep down, he knew she was right. Yet, it didn't matter. It was too late for second thoughts.
The next few days were a whirlwind. The AI startup was moving forward with the kind of speed Jimin hadn't anticipated, thanks to Ms. Hae's influence. The team was growing, the pressure intensifying, and every step seemed like a race against time.
But as Jimin sat in the conference room with the rest of the team, a nagging unease tugged at his gut. The numbers on the board were impressive—growth projections, funding figures, development timelines—but something didn't sit right. It was all too clean, too perfect. The kind of perfection that had a cost, even if he couldn't see it yet.
The phone buzzed on his desk. It was a message from an unknown number. "You've made a deal with the devil, Jimin. You won't get out of this unscathed."
Jimin's stomach churned as he stared at the words. He didn't recognize the number, but the message hit him harder than he expected. Was it a warning? A threat? Or just someone trying to scare him?
Before he could dwell on it further, his assistant knocked on the door, interrupting his thoughts.
"Mr. Park, Ms. Hae is on the line. She's requesting a meeting with you tonight."
Jimin nodded, his mind already moving to the next thing. "Tell her I'll be there."
At night:
The penthouse suite was even more imposing than before, with its sleek design and panoramic views of the city that stretched out like a vast empire below. Ms. Hae was waiting for him as usual, calm and composed, her eyes sharp as she looked him over.
"I hope the deal is progressing well, Mr. Park," she said, her voice cool but with an edge of something more. "I trust you're keeping up your end of the bargain?"
Jimin sat down across from her, trying to mask the discomfort creeping up his spine. "Yes. Everything is on track. But I wanted to discuss something."
She raised an eyebrow, her attention fully on him. "Go on."
"I've been receiving… messages," Jimin said, his voice unsure. "People are warning me. About you. About the deal."
Ms. Hae's lips curled into a small smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sure they are. People always talk when they feel threatened." She leaned forward, her voice lowering to a whisper. "But you and I both know this is about more than just business, Jimin. This is about power. And power always comes with consequences."
Jimin's breath caught in his throat. He had suspected as much, but hearing it from her made it all feel too real. Too dangerous.
"You're not here for just money, are you, Mr. Park?" Ms. Hae continued, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that was almost predatory. "You're here because you want something more. You want respect, recognition, a legacy. That's why you agreed to this deal. Because you believe in your own potential to reshape the future. But don't forget—everything has its price."
Jimin swallowed, the weight of her words sinking in deeper. "What's the price?"
Ms. Hae's smile deepened, her gaze never leaving his. "We'll see, won't we?
By the time Jimin returned home that night, he was exhausted—physically and mentally. He dropped his briefcase on the floor and collapsed onto the couch, staring at the ceiling as his mind raced.
He had known, on some level, that he was stepping into something dark and dangerous. But now that he was in it, it felt like the walls were closing in. The people around him—Sooyoung, Jungkook—had tried to warn him, but it was too late. He was already too far gone.
Suddenly, his phone rang, breaking the silence. He glanced at the screen. It was Jungkook.
For a moment, Jimin hesitated, then answered. "What is it?"
"Jimin, you need to stop. I'm not the one you should be afraid of," Jungkook's voice was low, urgent. "You don't know who you're dealing with. Ms. Hae… she doesn't just want your success. She wants your soul."
Jimin froze, the words sinking in. He could hear the genuine concern in Jungkook's voice, but it wasn't enough anymore.
"I'm already too far in, Jungkook. I can't stop now."
"You can still back out," Jungkook pressed. "Before it's too late."
"I can't," Jimin said quietly, his voice almost a whisper. "I've made my choice. There's no going back."
Jimin ended the call and sat there in the dim light of his apartment, feeling the weight of his decisions settle like a lead anchor in his chest. He had chosen this path, and now, he had to walk it—no matter what it cost.
The message from the unknown number flashed in his mind again: "You've made a deal with the devil."
And for the first time, Jimin wasn't sure whether he was the one in control, or if he had already sold his soul to someone far more dangerous.
The game had only just begun, and the consequences were already starting to unfold.