It's Hee's Lift Now | An ENHA + TXT Fic

Chapter 41: Bonus 11 [Soobin]: Something Just Like This

"I don't care about my name," Eunji mumbled, untangling a piece of rope from around Jin's leg. "I don't want Mei or Belift to think we betrayed them."

"They won't. Or at least, they'll know the truth soon." Jihun reached out to touch Eunji's arm. "Don't worry, Ji. A real family doesn't break apart that easily."

"What are you doing?" A cold voice sounded from behind them.

Soobin spun around, freezing at the sight of a woman standing in the doorway of the practice room. His eyes darted to the gun in her hand.

"On your knees," the driver commanded, staring daggers at Soobin. "I knew I smelt a rat in here."

"Do as she says," Jihun breathed.

"Yeah, I- I know." Soobin slowly sank to the floor, his hands held up by his head.

Jihun knelt beside him, their elbows brushing up against each other.

Soobin couldn't help but recall the last time Jihun had a gun pointing at him—they were on a beach in Busan, and Mei had been the one behind the trigger. He almost laughed at the irony. It was the same gun but a different handler that very well may end all of their lives today.

He kept quiet, allowing the driver to send him and Jihun to the opposite side of the room while she made Eunji redo the knots on Jin and Daniel. It was uncomfortable, being forced to stand with his back firmly planted against the wall like this, but the positioning was the least of Soobin's worries. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine that he was back on the beach in Busan, that this was just another scary situation that would turn out to be a friendly encounter.

But he couldn't.

Because this time, the woman holding the gun had every intention to shoot it.

And she did.

Twice.

***

Soobin couldn't believe that his first time wearing a bulletproof vest also coincided with his first time being shot.

Actually, he could.

That made sense.

What didn't make sense, though, was why he was still in so much pain despite the bullet never even touching his skin. He lay on top of Jihun on the floor, completely immobilized by the aching pain spreading all over his chest. There was so much blood around them—definitely not his—which meant one thing. Jihun had been shot too.

Soobin tried to get up, but a hand tightly gripped his wrist, holding him in place.

"Don't move," Jihun weakly whispered. "She thinks you're dead. Use it."

He subtly smeared his blood across Soobin's shirt before closing his eyes.

Soobin whimpered at the feeling of warm blood soaking into his clothes. He held his breath, laying still as the driver approached them from across the room.

Jihun.

She pushed Soobin off the older man with her foot. Soobin let himself roll like a limp ragdoll, hoping that Jihun's blood would be enough to convince her that both of them had been shot.

Jihun's dying.

The driver let out a satisfied sigh, chuckling, "Idiots."

She turned towards the exit, casually calling to Eunji over her shoulder, "See if you can save your friends. Or not. I don't care."

With that, she left the room.

***

"Jihun! Soobin!" Eunji raced to their side, her eyes wide with dismay.