Entranced

Trust Versus Mistrust

She acted quickly.

Dragging him out of Kyungsoo's sight, she almost ran, hauling Jiho with her in tow, down the street, until they fell against the rough brick wall of some other unknown club that she wished had more people to disguise them. It was empty outside, and the music was not loud enough to hide the fear that simply screamed out from inside her.

He collapsed against the wall, almost down to the ground, and she caught him just in time.

"Jiho!" she cried, as he staggered backwards. It was too dark to see where it had hit him, but she knew for a fact that it did, because she could hear Kyungsoo laughing victoriously amidst the slight distance.

"I'll find you!" he was shouting, in between laughter, "I'll hunt you down!"

Hyejeong, not realizing it, had bitten her lip until it had drawn blood. Her pulse was all she could hear, her own blasting of beats inside her head, blocking all rational thought. She was grasping at it, trying to remain as calm as she could even though her mind was in hyperdrive and she knew it all too well.

Jiho clutched his side, grunting from the onslaught of the surprise attack. His veins protruded in his neck as he gasped, struggling to stay sane and standing. "You," he choked out, pressing the left side of his stomach, "Gotta...be...fucking...kidding...me!"

Hyejeong stared at the dark streaks on his hand as he pressed on his stomach, and watched, almost transfixed, as it dropped to the ground.

One drop.

Two drops.

She looked at it, staring, before she hurriedly took off her jacket, pushing away his hand and pressing it against his side roughly.

Jiho swore every single curse word he could as she tied it around his waist tightly and he hissed in pain, grabbing her arm in resistance to her effort. "It freaking hurts!" he whimpered, imploring with her.

She looked up, meeting his tortured eyes. His hair was slick and wet, clinging to his sweating face, and all the blood was gone from his cheek, making him look sickly pale.

I'm sorry Jiho.

"They might be able to track us," she pressed, tying the jacket securely and took his bloodied hand, slinging it over her shoulder, "We have to get out of here, okay? The truck's just down the road!"

Jiho swallowed his rising nausea, shaking his head as he staggered beside her. "No..." he gasped, pulling her closer to the sides of the building, "No truck...too risky..."

He was lighter than she expected. Or maybe it was the adrenaline rush. "JIho, we have to get away from here!" she insisted, surging forward as fast as she could. But Jiho was pulling her in the opposite direction, pointing at some unknown street.

"That...way..." he grunted, his fingers digging into her shoulder as he kept the pain in. "Hyejeong...please..."

There was a screech of cars just around the corner, and Hyejeong whirled around, her blood rushing in her ears. They were here.

She could hear Kyungsoo kicking away the garbage bags, and the sounds of clicks, almost as if he were reloading. Maybe he hadn't planned on a killing spree. Maybe he was cocking his gun for the kill.

She could hear him laughing some more, then the sound of car doors being closed, and voices murmuring in the background as she strained her ears to count just how many assailants were on their tail. But if she thought she would be successful, she would have been wrong.