Til Death Do Us Part / LEE TAEYONG ✓

I Don't Know What's Going On And I'm Not Sure I Like It

[JiU, Phantoms (2 lines), Taeyong, Haechan (1 line), ]

JiU met my eyes, an unspoken horror paralyzing her face.  Her sunglasses were still perched on her head, sliding off to one side.

"Let's go," I hissed.

I grabbed her hand and ran towards the back exit, an escape route Taeyong had put into the plan specifically for this.

As we ran, I chanced a glance backwards at the standstill at the front door.  All I could see were The Dragons' backs, tensed and ready to spring at any moment; many were pulling masks over their own faces.

Looking back was a mistake.

One of The Phantoms met my eyes and his own eyes widened.  "She's getting away!" he yelled, in a hoarse voice.

A Dragon pulled their trigger and a bullet exploded through the air.  One Phantom fell back.

As both sides opened fire upon each other, I turned back and dragged JiU away faster.

JiU screamed as loud cracks and bangs shook the restaurant floor.  A couple stray bullets pinged the walls and tables around us.  One dug itself into the wall right in front of us, through a poster of a fish, straight through the eye.

Behind us, several male voices yelped in pain and I desperately hoped it wasn't any of The Dragons.

JiU and I stumbled out into a dark alley, lit by a singular orange streetlamp.

"Where are we going?" JiU asked.  Fear laced through her voice like gold cracks in Japanese Kintsugi.

I pulled her farther down the alley.  "There's an opening at the end of the alley to the street.  Someone will be there to pick us up."

"'Pick us up?'  What is happening, Mingyue?!"

"Trust me," I said, trying to stay calm for JiU's benefit.

JiU's breath was coming in short, scared bursts as we ran.  "Hold on, my heels."

"Take them off," I ordered, impatiently.

I kept watch of the alley behind us as JiU pulled her pumps off.

"I can't believe any of this," she muttered as we continued down the alley.  "How do you even know all of this?"

"Don't worry about that right now," I replied.

I could see the street in front of us, where a black car was parked.

JiU panted for air.  "Who's that?  Please tell me we're safe."

"We are now," I assured her.

The window of the car rolled down and Taeyong sat at the wheel.  He flashed his badge and unlocked the rear doors.  "I've just sent for back up," he said, disregarding JiU completely.  "Come on.  We're going to your apartment."