Jimin

Chapter 1 – First Look

The Red Viper was everything A'Li hated: loud, smoky, full of drunks who thought they owned the world. The music thumped like a crazed heartbeat, the red and blue lights cast stark shadows on the walls of the place, one of the most infamous pubs in Tokyo and the owners.

A'Li made her way between the tables with the air of someone who knew she was safe. She wore bell-bottom jeans, a black top with red dragons, and a kimono, and a look that could put out a fire. She had grown up like this. Tough, cold, alone. Always defending herself, always on guard.

A'Li was a former Yazuka agent, the Japanese mafia, but beyond that, she had worked there long enough to know the kind of men sitting at the back tables. Mafiosi, unscrupulous businessmen, traffickers. Predators. That night seemed like any other. The same dim lights. The same loud music. The same dangerous people. Until he saw him.

Jimin. Sitting at the table in the back of the room, surrounded by his friends. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that name. Rumors about him were everywhere. Power, money, respect, and above all, coldness. A man who had it all and had never had to ask for anything. But in person, he was different.

Next to him were Namjoon, with his devilish smile and watchful gaze; Jungkook, silent but with the watchful gaze of a hidden predator; Taehyung, disconcertingly handsome, leaning back with one hand tapping his glass; Yoongi, who seemed more interested in the bottle than the others; Jin, elegant, with that princely way of moving; and Hoseok, laughing with a light in his eyes that contrasted with the darkness of someone who'd seen too much.

A'Li approached their table with a confident stride, as always. No emotion on his face. Just coldness. He pulled out his order pad and spoke without looking up. "Hey guys, what are you ordering for drinks?"

There was a moment of silence. But none of the seven answered. Not even Jimin. He was looking at her. When he looked up, his eyes met the blonde's dark, but above all cold, ones. Jimin tilted his head slightly, looking at her intently. "What's your name?" Jimin asked coldly.

A'Li barely raised an eyebrow, annoyed by his way of speaking; she'd never liked men like that, she'd rather kill. That implicit demand to have it all. It was a simple question. But from the blonde, it wasn't just a question, it was an order. The redhead looked at him calmly, cold as ever, and replied abruptly. "It's not on the menu," A'Li replied coldly.

There was a moment of silence. The others at the table also stopped talking among themselves. Yoongi raised an eyebrow. Hoseok was slightly surprised. Jungkook looked at her with an unreadable expression. Namjoon, on the other hand, was displeased. But it wasn't a kind smile. It was one of those dangerous smiles, the ones that portend trouble. The ones that let you know the game has just begun.

"Then I'll take what's there," Jimin said.

The young woman with scarlet hair lowered her gaze, her eyes clouded with a slight tiredness but still alert. With quick, agile movements, she read the surface of her order pad, carefully tracing the words. "So, a double whiskey on the rocks," A'Li whispered, her voice slightly hoarse and cold from the thick smoke wafting into her bar.

A'Li raised her face, meeting Jimin's gaze again for a tense moment, then slowly turned to the others sitting next to the blond boy. "And you guys?" he asked, preparing to write down the others' orders. "What do you want to drink?" A'Li asked firmly.