ALWAYS You: Swan's Shadow [YOONGI] (Book 3)

Chapter 11

"I can't find him in any of the surveillance in the Blue House."

"Track the live feed. Find out where it's coming from." Soo-ji ordered before turning to Taehee.

The muscles in Taehee's jaw were clenched in a tight lock. Her chin shook, but the tears brimming at the edge of her eyes was evident that Taehee was trying to remain strong in a situation like this. It softened Soo-ji's heart undoubtedly, to see her dearest friend like this, but Soo-ji knew Taehee wasn't the strongest person emotionally.

Soo-ji reached forward, embracing her best friend in a hug. Taehee quickly latched onto her, burying her head into Soo-ji's shoulder.

"I'll find him for you, I promise." Soo-ji whispered to Taehee whose body violently shook in response. Knowing that Taehee finally broke down, Soo-ji cast Taehyung a look, mentally telling him to be there for her.

Taehyung didn't need telling, of course. And it broke his heart to see the love of his life like this when there was nothing they could do at this minute until they ascertain Chanyeol's exact location.

After Taehee finally let go of Soo-ji, no time was wasted when Soo-ji decided to turn her attention to the tied up boy sitting beside Jungkook.

She stomped over to them, clenched fists at her side and fixed her glare at Yeonjun.

Stopping just before him, she reached forward, ripped the duct tape from his mouth with no care whether it would rip his lips off.

"OW!" Yeonjun cried, squeezing his eyes shut just as the first tear came rolling down his cheek.

Soo-ji didn't care. That one tear of pain from him didn't even compare to the tears from Taehee.

She reached forward, curled her fingers at the front of his shirt and pulled him upright to a standing position.

"You knew..." She seethed, barely able to get out a sentence, "you knew Park Chanyeol is captured by the KSI, that he is being tortured on live TV, and you never thought to tell me?!"

Yeonjun swallowed hard, the lump forming at the back of his throat was making it hard for him to breathe. He knew he would be in so much trouble if Soo-ji ever found out that he tried to hide it from her for this long.

"I was afraid, noona." He mumbled, "I was afraid to tell you because that meant you and Yoongi hyung wouldn't come fight at the Death Ring."

Soo-ji squinted her eyes at him, blinking fast as if she heard wrong. She looked at him closer, giving the few seconds of silence afterwards for his words to sink in.

"You're unbelievable..." She could only breathe out, shaking her head slowly. "You wanted me to fight in the Death Ring all the time because that meant more bets against my name. That meant more money for Wang's gang. More money for you! Every second we're wasting is at the expense of Chanyeol's life!"

Yeonjun looked down to his feet shamefully, unable to keep his gaze level with hers. "If I didn't bring people back to Mr Wang, he would beat me."

The silence in the small gap between them was suffocating. Soo-ji's breathing became harsh and sharp, almost like someone had dragged a broken glass down her airways.

Yeonjun continued, "in the poor side of the city, where everyone is weak, hungry and dying, where can I find good fighters for Mr Wang? Everyone who came through our doors couldn't even last two minutes, but you can last ten. Yoongi hyung even showed everyone he can beat a big guy twice his size into a pulp. Plus I knew you and the gang must have been hungry for you to keep coming back for food."

Soo-ji shoved him back down onto the bench. With regretful eyes where betrayal and hurt glimmered against the light, she grabbed Yoongi's switch knife and flicked the blade open.