Yeongjae's POV
I stopped walking.
She didn't.
Instead, she tightened her grip on my arm and gave it a playful tug. "Come on," she said lightly. "Don't tell me you're scared of me, like those people."
Then she stepped closer. Too close to my body. She rose onto her tiptoes just enough to study my face, her gaze so intense, piercing into my soul.
"Are you scared, Mr. Young?" she asked, a smirk tugging at her lips, right before she bit down on her lower one.
I swallowed.
Damn it. Is she seducing me?
Those eyes. Those lips. They hit like a spell I didn't sign up for.
What the hell is happening to me?
Is this what they were talking about? Does she actually have some kind of power that's hypnotizing me, or am I just losing my mind?
I cleared my throat and lifted my chin, forcing confidence back into place. "Scared? Me? Of course not," I said, flashing a sarcastic smile. "I'm just wondering where you're taking me. You're dragging me into a dark corner, and if there's one thing going through my head right now, it's that you might be working with someone and planning to rob me."
She laughed.
Not politely, not awkwardly, but with genuine amusement, like she was enjoying every second of this.
She turned and tugged me along again. "Don't be ridiculous. Between the two of us, you're the one who wants more money. Am I right?"
I hesitated, but then nodded.
"Good," she said, glancing back at me. "Because maybe I can tell you something about it."
Before I could ask what she meant, she pulled me into the back entrance of a covered tent tucked between stalls.
"There you are!" a woman seated behind a table greeted us. The setup looked… mystical. A salt lamp glowed softly beside crystals and scattered flower petals.
"Thanks for covering for me. I'll take it from here," she said smoothly. "I already got my first customer."
The woman winked at both of us and slipped away.
I stood there, suddenly unsure of my footing.
She set her bag against the wall, then slipped into a purple silk robe before taking the chair behind the table. The atmosphere shifted; it was mysterious, heavy, and a bit scary, to be honest. "Sit," she said, gesturing calmly.
I didn't move. "I'm your customer?" I asked. "What are you?"
She chuckled, clearly entertained, and motioned for me to sit again. "I thought you'd never ask."
She extended her hand. "I'm Sora Han, and this is my mystical booth for Halloween. And yes, you're my first customer today. Don't worry, it's free. This is my way of repaying you for earlier."
I frowned. "How is this supposed to repay me?"
Instead of answering, she picked up a deck of cards and began shuffling them with expert hands.
Hold on… Are those Tarot cards?
My gaze narrowed. I recognized them, the same card I had handed her earlier when we bumped into each other.
"You said men like you only want one thing from women like me," she continued casually. "I'm a tarot reader for tonight. I asked if you wanted more money, and you nodded. That's technically a yes." She smiled. "I don't have cash to give you, but I can help you get an insight how to get it. Or at least what to expect."
She spread the cards across the table. "Now sit. And pick three."
I stared at the cards, doubt prickling at the back of my mind.
I don't believe in this stuff. I never have. But for some reason… I sat down anyway.
Curiosity won.
I picked three cards from the spread and handed them back to her.
Sora flipped them over one by one, laying them neatly on the table between us. The soft light caught the reflective edges, making the symbols feel… mysterious, out of this world.
"The first card is your past," she said gently. "The middle is your present. The last one is your future." She glanced up at me. "Past, present, future. Shall we?"
I nodded.
She tapped the first card. "Knight of Swords."
Her eyes lifted to mine. "This card represents charging after goals without hesitation. Bold, fast, sometimes reckless. Acting before thinking things through, and facing consequences because of it." She tilted her head slightly. "Unfavorable ones. Am I right?"
I didn't argue. I couldn't because it's embarrassingly true.
"…Yeah," I admitted. "Go on."
Her lips curved into a small, knowing smile. Not smug, just quietly satisfied.
Was she actually reading something… or was she just frighteningly good at reading me?
She shifted her attention to the middle card.
"Eight of Swords." She turned it so I could see clearly. "The person is blindfolded. Bound. Surrounded by swords, yet not truly injured."
Her voice softened. "This is the card of feeling trapped, powerless, restricted, imprisoned. It means that right now, you believe you can't move forward. That something, or someone, is holding you back."
My chest tightened.
"But here's the thing," she continued. "Those bindings are loose. The blindfold can be removed. The swords don't actually block the path." She looked straight at me. "It suggests that what's trapping you is fear. Negative thoughts. Obligations you accepted without questioning. And the moment you decide to walk away… You can. Everything is really up to you. Fully your choice, your decision."
Goosebumps crawled up my arms.
She didn't know about the meeting earlier. She didn't know about my family, the expectations, the invisible chains tightening around my throat.
And yet, every word landed perfectly.
I stared at her, stunned. "Wow…" I let out a breath. "I don't believe in this kind of thing. I really don't. But hearing you say that…" I shook my head. "You're making it difficult not to."
She laughed softly, clearly enjoying my discomfort, and pointed to the final card.
"Now for your future." She turned it over. "Nine of Pentacles."
She pointed to the image. "See her? Confident. Independent. Secure. Successful."
She met my gaze again. "This card represents achievement, financial stability, and enjoying the rewards of your efforts. It suggests that the path you're considering, especially in terms of career or money, leads to prosperity. Comfort. Freedom."
My pulse picked up.
"It means that what you're thinking about right now?" she said with certainty. "You should go for it."
I crossed my arms, leaning back with a disbelieving laugh. "Wow. If that actually comes true, I might have to give you a bonus. Cash reward."
She gasped as if I'd just proposed.
"Then here!" She dove under the table and popped back up with a card. "My business card. If it comes true, don't hesitate to call me. I can also do a birth chart reading for you, absolutely free, of course, still as part of my thank you. We'll align your goals with your life purpose."
I stared at the card. Then at her beaming face.
This woman… She was unreal, truly unbelievable!
I didn't know whether to believe her or laugh it off, but her cheerfulness, her warmth, especially after everything she'd just gone through… it touched something inside me.
Maybe I didn't believe in tarot cards. But I definitely believed in her.
And if using tarot and birth chart readings was an excuse to see her again? I'd take it. I just... I just wanted to see her again, not by chance, but of my own will, just to feel that feeling again.
"Alright," I said. "What do you need?"
"Your date of birth, time, and place," she replied eagerly.
"My birthday is May 8—"
My phone rang.
Jiho…
"Hold on," I said, already heading out of the tent. "I need to take this."
The call was short, short enough to make my blood boil. And by the time I hung up, that familiar rage was already creeping back in.
I returned to the tent, forcing a smile. "Sorry, Sora. Let's do this another time. I need to go. I have your card, I'll contact you when I'm free."
Before she could respond, I turned and walked away.
And the moment I stepped out of the tent, my jaw tightened. I wanted to stay with Sora, to listen more to what she has to say. But fate just doesn't want me to enjoy life, even just for a moment.
I marched toward the address Jiho had sent, and my emotions were fueled by the pressure building behind my eyes. By the time I reached his office, my jaw was clenched so tight it ached. I didn't even bother knocking.
"What the hell do you mean we're canceling the plan because you suddenly have another one?" I snapped the moment I stepped inside. "Are you out of your mind, Jiho? You know I'm already against Grandpa's idea, and now you think you can just change things without even asking me?"
My voice echoed through the narrow office tucked at the very end of his shabby little company.
Jiho didn't react right away.
He was sitting with his back to me, spinning slowly in his chair like he'd been expecting this exact explosion. When he finally turned to face me, he seemed annoyed at my outburst.
"The woman you're looking for," he said casually, "is at the venue my team's heading to tonight. Reservations under her name."
I froze.
Before I could process that, something flew at my chest. I caught it instinctively; they were clothes.
"Put that on," Jiho continued, completely unfazed. "You'll join the group. That way, you can get closer to her."
I stared down at what I was holding, disbelief crawling up my spine. "Are you insane?"
"You," Jiho said, pointing at one of his men, "help him change when you get there. He obviously won't know what to do with that outfit."
Then, as if I weren't even standing there, he added, "Hurry up. You don't want to be late for the client. I don't want bad reviews. Make sure my cousin performs well."
He smirked. "Make those women happy. I am expecting multiple five-star reviews after you serve those women."
My blood boiled, knowing exactly what kind of business he is running.
"What the fuck, Jiho?!" I shouted, but before I could launch myself at him, his men were already dragging me out of the office.
As I stumbled down the hallway, clothes still clutched in my hands, one thought burned louder than my rage—
Damn it, Jiho. You're dead!