Hunted

14

"I'm sorry okay?" I looked back at him completely taken aback and surprised by how sincere his apology sounded and I found him staring at my eyes while I searched for anything in his that would prove me he didn't mean it. But he meant it and I was left totally shook. "I should have stopped when you told me to yesterday..."

I only kept staring at him, I literally forgot to blink for a while. He just apologized. And I didn't know what to say or do or if I should even take it seriously. I haven't heard the word 'sorry' in so long and I wasn't sure how to respond to it. So maybe I spent too much time saying nothing and thinking while my eyes never moved away from his.

"I mean it, I'm sorry." Jaemin smiled weakly and just maybe my heart skipped a beat which was a surprising reaction from me. I couldn't even keep staring at him anymore because of the sudden hotness that rose to my cheeks making them turn obviously pinkish.

I looked down in front of me mouthing a silent "Whatever." It was the first thing my mind came up with to stop him from looking at me that way with his shining smile that shook every single girl's heart like a leaf on the wind, mine wasn't an exception.

"Forgiven?" He asked hopefully, but I didn't replay anything for a few seconds, I didn't really plan to replay. I wasn't sure if I was actually angry with him or if there was anything to forgive. During the years I stopped recognising when should a person apologise and when should they be forgiven.

Luck was on my side at the moment. I didn't have to say anything more when the speakers echoed on the airport announcing our flight. I just got up and pulled my suitcase after me leaving Jaemin to walk after me, once again giving him his so called silent treatment which I didn't plan to drop any time soon.

• • •

The airport was full with people hurrying around and though it was air-conditioned, it was still too hot. The summer was ending but the weather was still too warm during the day and the busy moving crowd of people kept the temperature higher. I couldn't even imagine how hot would it be outside.

The moment I stepped outside the warm wind hit me like a truck making me want to go back inside despite the huge crowd of people. But I was still happy I was back in Seoul and I couldn't wait to arrive back home.

"Finally!" I yelled the second I stepped outside the airport and saw two familiar men waiting for me. Both of them leaned on the shining brown Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross probably awaiting my arrival.

I ran their way, pulling my suitcase after me, surprised to see the ash purple haired after so long. My eyes widened in shock and a wide smile rose to my face much happier than my usual forced one as I jumped in his arms without a single care if Jaemin might get the wrong idea.

I hadn't seen him in almost five months and I didn't care how I looked like letting out squeaking yelps on my way to him with wide spread arms. "Jaehyun!! You fucker! I missed you!!"

The said man laughed trying to push me off of him while I kissed his cheeks repeatedly like an overreacting girlfriend. "Well, lucky you, I won't be going back to America till the end of this year."

I pulled away and looked at him with a suspicious look while he gave me a sheepish smile with two deep cute dimples showing on both of his cheeks. "Hey, isn't that too long? You will become annoying if you stay for so long."

"You two! Enough dramatic reunions we don't have much time!"

"Right." Jaehyun nodded and I looked at the black haired slightly taller man next to him with a not so satisfied expression on my face that I changed fast, instead I plastered a smile across my face and headed to him just because I knew he hated me just like everyone else and I loved to use that to irritate him.

"Johnnyyy~~~!" I spread my arms wide, hugging him instead. "I missed you too~"

"Yeah? Well I didn't! Now let me go and say goodbye to your friend because he can't come with us, we have business to finish." I scoffed and pulled away, glaring at the tall man in front of me that stood emotionless as he stared back at my pouting rejected self.

I looked back at Jaemin that I almost forgot was here with me the whole time. I still wasn't sure if I should keep my cold attitude with him, but decided that it would be better if I at least acted like nothing had happened in front of Johnny and Jaehyun, so I forced an apologetic smile once I turned to him. "I'm sorry hon, but you'll have to go home by yourself..."

Jaemin chuckled, but it seemed weak and forced as well and he pulled me in a hug, wrapping his arms around me not too tight but enough for me to feel the warmth radiating from him making my body tense, but relax in his embrace shortly after. I started doubting for how long could I hold a grudge against him if I kept feeling so comfortable every time he would hug me. Then I heard his low voice in my ear saying "No problem love, I'll see you tomorrow." before he pulled away with a warm smile on his face.

I didn't know how to take it. I didn't even know when he would bring up the topic about the gang. Did he indeed feel bad after yesterday? Was he acting so good because we weren't alone? I couldn't understand him at all.

At the end, after a few seconds of silent eye contact I mouthed a "Bye..." with a weak smile before walking to the car and getting in the back seat of the jeep.

My mind split up in so many directions as I stared out the window while the car drove away from the airport. Maybe I overreacted, switching schools wasn't the best solution, maybe everything would settle down with time and all of us would get out unharmed. But I still needed to keep my guard up around him. I couldn't be sure when he would bring the gang up and what would his next threat sound like. I couldn't trust him just because he apologized for forcefully kissing me.

"Soji are you listening?!" I looked at the rear-view mirror, just noticing that Johnny had been talking something I wasn't paying attention to. I straightened up, turning my full attention to him and trying to look and sound interested in whatever he was about to say.

"You were sayin'?" I questioned, eyebrow raised just to look more curious, even though I obviously wasn't.

The ink haired man sighed deeply, stopping the car in front of the red light on the semaphore, obviously disappointed with me and annoyed by how unserious I was when I clearly heard him saying we had business to finish. He probably explained but even if he minded he had to explain once again.

"I said you're getting sold out tonight."

"What?! What do you mean?!" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. He didn't just say they were about to sell me to someone- like exchange, money for me, me for money. Again.

"You heard me!" I scoffed. "It won't be for long Soji! Don't be so dramatic! You will go with the man just so we could take the money and than you can do whatever you want to him, kill him, choke him, strangle him. I literally don't care." Johnny added casually.

"That's always easy to say, but I am always left alone among twenty men without anyone's help!"

"That's because you don't need help." He smiled innocently and started driving again. I groaned leaning back on the seat, rolling my eyes in annoyance and dissatisfaction. I couldn't believe I would be doing that again. It isn't easy to be a good fighter, shooter, flirt and manipulator at the same time.

It wasn't the first time I was sold, but every single time I ended up in the arms of psychopaths, though I never had any problems to manipulate them, there was always an army of people with them making it harder for me to kill without getting noticed and troubled. Besides at the end of the day I was always left alone to deal with them. Stress...

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To be continued. . .