You squeezed your way through the crowd of dancing bodies, squeaking in annoyance as someone grabbed your ass on the way through. You had just cooled off and now you were sticky from the struggle of trying to find your friends amidst the hormonal college students. But if you knew your roommate, which you did, you knew she would be the epicenter of the hurricane that was that club.
And of course, you were right. She stood in the middle of your group of friends, halfway to drunk - town as she rolled her hips back against a guy you recognized from one of your classes. Yep, that was her without a doubt. You shook your head in amusement as you rejoined your friends, the incident at the bar forgotten for the moment. That was of course until it all came crashing down again, just like it always did.
You had been back on the floor with your group for maybe fifteen minutes before it started. You were dizzy, your vision blurring with each turn you took. You felt light, but also like you were on the brink of passing out. The feeling was a mixture between heaven and hell, you felt the utmost euphoria while also feeling like you were about to die.
From the corner of your eye you saw a flash of red circle the floor, but in your state everything was a blur. You were so confused, yet so high. You specifically remembered ordering water, you hadn't pregammed or had a sip of alcohol the entire night. But you were so caught up in the feeling, you didn't care. That was of course until you really felt like passing out. You stumbled your way out of the group, elbowing past couples and other groups that blocked your path. All you really wanted was some fresh air that didn't reek of booze and sweat and a place where the vibrations of the music didn't feel like they would swallow you whole.
A hand wrapped around your wrist and pulled you free from the crowd, tugging so hard you collided with a firm chest. You grunted in your deluded pain as your forehead rolled against the person holding you. The lights were becoming too much and the music was too loud sending you into a sensory overload.
"You're not looking too good, sweetheart." A familiar voice cooed, it was him again. "You look like you need some air."
You groaned in agreement as you clenched your eyes shut, trying to dispel the flashing lights above you. It felt like you were going to die from how dizzy you were. You slumped against his lithe form as he wrapped an arm around your waist, guiding you out of the club. You were so out of it, you didn't think twice as to what was going on. You could hear him gently mumbling something in your ear but you couldn't make out what. You whined in annoyance as he chuckled, slinging his other arm under your knees and carrying you like a child. You heaved as the dizziness intensified, it felt like your whole world had turned upside down.
His steps were quick and light as he hauled you away. To where you were unsure. The stars were visible in the clear sky, but they blurred, glowed, and twisted into a beautiful ensemble as your eyes desperately tried to focus. Your head craned back as you tried your hardest to keep your eyes open and look at the art that was hung in the sky for you. In your euphoria, it looked so much like "The Starry Night" you couldn't help but let a tear fall in fascination as your limp body was being carried away.
The man stopped at a black car with total tinted windows. He set you down in front of him, letting your weight lean back against his chest as he unlocked the backseat and opened the door. Your doe eyes stared up into the sky, trying your best to memorize a sight you never thought you would see. You felt his hands gently drop to your waist as he guided you into the car, you whined in protest as the sky was concealed from your sight. He laughed again, a low and amused tone as he laid you back into the seat. Your drowsiness won over you as you allowed him to lay you down. And for the first time that night, you caught sight of his face.
"Hoseok?" You mumbled, watching him freeze as you slowly faded and sank back into the arms of a deep sleep.
______________
When you woke up again you were in a dark room and your head was pounding far worse than any hangover. You groaned in annoyance and pain as you rolled over onto your side, weaving your shaky fingers through your hair to gently massage your head. Everything from the night before was a blur, your memory in fragments as you tried to recall the events from last night. The last thing you could remember was the blinding lights of the club and the flash of red hair circling the floor.
You slowly opened your eyes, sighing in relief as you took in the darkness of the room. You probably would have passed out if the curtains had been open. You froze as you took in the space around you, what had once been comforting quickly became disturbing. And the scent of those damn roses certainly didn't belong in your room. This wasn't your dorm room. No, this room was far too big and far too nice to be on your campus. Your heart plummeted as you realized what had happened, despite all of your planning and attempts to remain free he had gotten you. It was seven years in the making, and you shouldn't have underestimated his capabilities.
A swift knock on the door of the dark room had you stumbling out of bed, your stance wobbly yet defensive. Your hand gripped the nightstand as you prepared yourself for what was to come next. The door slowly creaked open, the slender figure of a woman entering the room. For a moment you were caught off guard, expecting the man who had claimed ownership over your life to come and collect his side of the bargain.
You squinted, the light from the hallway permeating the darkness had rendered your vision blurry. You raised one shaky hand to rub violently at your eyes as she entered the room fully, a glass of water in one hand and three tablets in the other. You noticed that she was rather pretty, but strange-looking as well. She had beautiful blue eyes but her blonde hair had been cut rather messily and was unstyled, falling just below her ears. You noticed the deep bruises beneath her jarring eyes, she looked like she hadn't slept in many nights.
She wordlessly stretched her hand out, holding the pills out for you to take. You looked at her wearily, trying to judge if you could trust her or not. All she did was nod, gesturing for you to take them. You complied, throwing back the tablets and chasing them with a large swig of water. The woman watched you the entire time, her haunting blue eyes analyzing you and making sure you had done what she wordlessly asked. You set the empty glass down and looked at her once more.
"Come with me." She instructed, you noticed her voice was rather quiet and meek. It was like she was afraid to speak.
She turned on her heels and made her way to the door she had entered from, pausing a few feet away from it to ensure you followed her. Those blue eyes never left you in the dark, coercing you to follow. You stopped a few feet away from her, caution clear on your face.
"You work for Namjoon, right?" You asked.
She nodded, her silence returning once more. You could see how uncomfortable she was, a distant fear still lingering in her tense form. You bowed your head as your suspicions were confirmed. You hadn't been able to escape him after all. Resigned to your fate, you faithfully followed her out of the room and into the blinding light. You blinked in frustration as you tried to become accustomed to the harsh light in the hallway. And as soon as your vision cleared, your heart broke. Stood in the hallway waiting by the door of the room you had exited was Hoseok and your brother. Hoseok sent you a sympathetic smile, his blaring red hair causing you to shift your gaze to your brother. He refused to meet your gaze, a guilty expression clear on his face. You had never felt more betrayed.
"You knew about the deal, didn't you." It was a statement, not a question. You already knew his answer before he even opened his mouth.
"He told me after you left." He answered, his eyes darting around and trying to settle on anything but you and your disappointed face. "If I had known what he was planning before, I would have never let it happen."
You could hear the guilt in his voice, it made your heart twinge with grief. You knew that some part of him wished he had never met Namjoon. If he hadn't, Namjoon would have never ended up in your basement with a bullet wound and your hands would never have been stained in blood. You would have grown up like a normal girl, your brother would have been there for you. But because he was a teenager, and because he made a stupid mistake, you were the one paying for it. Bad things always happen to the people that don't deserve it. That was the only truth you had ever known in the past seven years.
"Come on, we can't keep him waiting." Hoseok said, grabbing onto your shoulder again like he had the night before and guiding you behind the woman in front of you. So, they were here to make sure you wouldn't run. What a show of power that was, sending your own brother as an escort. It was like he was sending you off to the devil himself.
"Who is she?" You asked, trying to find some way to fill the silence and lessen your anxiety.
"Hm? Oh, that's Genevieve. We got her off a friend, his grandfather was well known in the underground. Sold some of the best product there was, he's been taking over as of late." He explained, his voice so calm when he was describing something so vile.
You weren't stupid, you knew what he meant by the "underground." It was trafficking, the black market, whatever you want to call it. It is what it is. She was a victim too, you shuddered at the thought of what she must have gone through. And you knew Namjoon's "business" had grown in the last seven years. While he was keeping tabs on you, you were doing the same. In the past few years, he had amassed a fortune that would make celebrities cry.
So many people feared a man who had risen up from nothing at the tender age of sixteen. He was a force to be reckoned with, and many had contracted him for his reliability and quality. In short, he was terrifying. He dealt with drugs, trafficking, weapons, and shady deals every single day.
He was the devil.
Genevieve came to a halt in the front of your group, her hand rising up to gently knock on the large set of wooden doors. Before she could make contact, the door flung open and almost collided with her small frame. She scampered out of the way as a man came flying out of the room, curses flying from his mouth faster than you had ever heard.
"Fuck you, Kim!" He yelled, stopping short to scream at the man still concealed in the room.
He looked flustered and irritated. He wore an expensive suit that screamed status, his pale skin flushed red in anger as his tongue darted out to wet his doll-like lips. You had never seen someone so mad before, it was jarring. He turned once more, his raven locks fluttering as he tensed his jaw and briskly walked away. It unnerved you to know that he was putting a lid on his anger, trying to stop himself from completely exploding. Your memory sparked suddenly, his attractive features resounding through your mind. You knew him, that was Min Yoongi. What business did he have with Namjoon?