Chapter 4: Collision

The café fell into an uneasy silence. Conversations stopped, spoons clinked against half-empty cups, and every pair of eyes darted between the two men standing at the center of the storm.

Park Jimin stood tall, his body tense, his aura dark and suffocating. The quiet warmth he had shown moments ago was gone, replaced by the cold mask of the mafia prince.

Facing him was Cha Eunwoo, his rival, his smile sharp as a knife. His presence was just as commanding, but where Jimin’s power was calm and terrifying, Eunwoo’s was reckless, burning with arrogance.

And caught between them, trembling yet determined, was Rose.

“Step back,” Jimin said, his voice low but lethal, his eyes fixed on Eunwoo. “She’s not yours to approach.”

Eunwoo chuckled, sliding his hands into his pockets as if mocking the weight of Jimin’s words. “And since when do you own her, Park Jimin? Last I checked, Rose isn’t a trophy in your mafia games.”

Rose flinched at Eunwoo’s words, her heart racing. She looked up at Jimin, silently pleading for him not to escalate—but Jimin’s gaze never wavered.

“She’s under my protection,” Jimin said, each word cutting like steel. “Touch her again, and you’ll regret it.”

Eunwoo’s smirk widened. He stepped closer, leaning in as though daring Jimin to strike. “Protection? Or possession? Tell me, Jimin—are you protecting her because she’s your childhood friend… or because she’s the only weakness in that ice-cold heart of yours?”

The words hit their mark. Rose’s breath caught, and Jimin’s fists curled so tightly his knuckles turned white. He could handle insults, betrayals, even death threats. But dragging Rose into this world—Eunwoo had crossed a line.

The café owner stammered nervously, “S-sirs, please, this is a peaceful place—”

“Get out,” Jimin commanded without raising his voice. Instantly, the owner and the customers rushed out, leaving only the three of them in the suffocating tension.

Rose grabbed Jimin’s sleeve, her voice trembling. “Jimin, please, let’s just leave—”

But Eunwoo caught her wrist before she could step away.

“Rose,” he said softly, though his grip was firm, “why stay near someone who lives in shadows? With me, you could have safety. Light. A future.”

Her eyes widened in fear and anger. “Let me go!”

Before Eunwoo could respond, Jimin’s hand shot forward, grabbing his arm in an iron grip. His voice was low, controlled, but deadly.

“You shouldn’t have touched her.”

In a single motion, Jimin twisted Eunwoo’s wrist, forcing him to release Rose. She stumbled back, clutching her hand to her chest, her heart pounding.

For a moment, Eunwoo winced, but then his smirk returned. “So the rumors are true. The mafia prince isn’t completely made of stone. He bleeds… for her.”

Jimin’s eyes flashed with a silent warning.

“This is your first and last warning, Eunwoo,” he said. “Stay away from Rose. Stay away from me.”

Eunwoo leaned close, his voice a whisper only Jimin could hear. “We’ll see how long you can keep her safe, Prince. Because the moment you slip… she’s mine.”

The doors swung shut as Eunwoo left, the echo of his laughter lingering like poison.

Rose turned to Jimin, her hands shaking. “What… what was that? Who is he?”

Jimin stared at the door, his jaw clenched, his chest rising with restrained fury. He wanted to tell her everything—that Eunwoo was his rival, that her life was in danger just by being near him, that his own world would swallow her whole.

But instead, he simply turned to her, his voice softer now but firm.

“From today… you don’t go anywhere alone. Not without me.”

Rose’s lips parted in shock, her pulse quickening. “Jimin…”

He looked at her then, truly looked, and the cold mask slipped just enough for the boy she once knew to shine through.

“I promised to protect you, Rose,” he whispered. “And I don’t break promises.”

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