My hands were awfully cold and sweaty. Many seconds had elapsed and I was still waiting for the unidentified sensation to spread throughout my entire body: the cold bullet penetrating my skull. If a further move was made, was it truly going to happen? I made an effort to estimate all the potential outcomes, but I wasn't sure what the repercussions of these choices would be.
Everyone appeared incapable of doing anything out of fear of doing something incorrectly. I perfectly understood the situation. One small assumption of progress, and it could be over for me.
I'm not sure if I should be relieved that my pleas went unanswered. Maybe it was for the best that they cast it aside. I couldn't tempt anything else, but there had to be another option to bring me to the other side of the field, even if there was no way something could grab their attention that mattered more than me right now, nor was there anyone who could persuade them to reconsider their plans.
Their boss, whoever this man was, was trying to expand his empire into new territories, and they were prepared to do anything to achieve their objective of joining the elite world. This was why I was here, and it all made perfectly sense. My father was the one who tried to prevent it. He had it all, and he was able to achieve it because he was powerful, because he was a member of the elite circle. And they knew exactly how to stab him and rub salt into his wound to get where they wanted. This was the reason I had begged him to let me go: to not find myself in this position of being the victim. Of course, he believed it was a bad idea to let me go since he wouldn't be able to observe every move I made to ensure my protection. That's why he'd hired those two gangs: to keep an eye on me. And it was miraculously advantageous for him if I was friends with one of the gangs.
"I can't believe you'd be so damn stupid to show up here." Heesung said this while straightening his back slowly and stretching to his full height, as if it would have a more important impact. Despite having a couple extra inches on most of my friends, it didn't make any difference.
I reached my breaking point with all of this. It appeared that there was no hope of rescue. Pull the trigger. Just fucking pull the trigger and end this. The outcome didn't matter because I was the one they wanted to hurt to reach my dad.
"Heesung, what is it that you need from my father?" Somehow, saying out loud his name had a nefarious effect on me.
"See? She's visibly willing to help us." The tension was indescribable.
"Stroke a nerve? Or is it the fact that she's choosing us after realizing where true power lies?" What on earth was he talking about? He was insane.
"I don't choose power. I'm never gonna choose to be on anyone's side if that isn't clear for you." I said.
"Shut it!" He screamed, startling me. I forgot for a second that I couldn't let him get under my skin and let out my anger.
"You're awfully confident for someone being threatened by a man with a gun." Mingi exclaimed.
"If you were going to shoot me, you would have done it the second I stepped out of the building. Oh, but of course, it's impossible." He looked at me and shook his head, as if he understood what a bad situation this was. But then he continued.
"Turns out you're like your old man. He always hesitated to pull the trigger, too." That's true. If there was one thing I could proudly admit about my father, it was that he never purposefully hurt or killed innocent people.
"If we pull this trigger, we're no better than you." San said. I shook my head slowly. "No better than every other member of the circle."
Heesung didn't reply to that. It seemed like he carefully analyzed his words.
"It seems like we have no other choice. Give her to us, and we'll provide you the information you require." Wooyoung's impatience was to be sensed, but it meant nothing good for right now.
"Wooyoung! What the fuck are you doing?!" Hongjoong turned to face his friend, his large eyes bulging with angst.
"Do you have any alternative options?" Had he simply lost both his hope and his mind?
"Wooyoung..." I whispered loudly enough for him to turn his head in my direction.
He says nothing, and I felt the anxiety in his heart, and I know how badly he tried to find a way out of this.
"But what if I say that I'd only think about agreeing to it if the proposition came from Lee Felix? I believe he likely knows much more than you do." Sunoo laughed when he heard his friend's words.
Shit. This was bullshit. Why were they thinking this was how they'd reach Felix to get the information if they couldn't reach my father? I had lost my hope and started to believe he had gotten out of the affair. Didn't they see that a girl like me would not matter to a man like him? We were different; we had chosen different paths; we had nothing in common. He would never care for me. All of the things he said and promised to me were just lies, and I cannot blame myself for believing him because he was a good actor. Only money and position mattered to him because he was part of the elite group.
Then I was caught by surprise as an unexpected voice started to speak. He couldn't be here. I was imagining it because there was no way this could be real. I was sure that it was probably the lack of food that caused it.
"That's twice in as many days that you've violated the treaty. Even if I were willing to look the other way on the first, the Eighteen won't ignore this attack. They'll howl for your blood."
His voice. There is no way it was him. As I turned my head to my left, to where the sound was coming from, I saw his figure stepping out of the shadow. I did not see this one coming. My heart started thumping. It was a wild heartbeat, and I was convinced that if it continued this way, my heart would eventually try to exit my body. Incomprehensible but as he slowly but confidently steps forward, I feel myself to feel relaxed. I couldn't comprehend this strange emotion in my body. I should be angry, but no, I felt at ease at his sight, and I didn't have any explanation for it. Wasn't this what you wanted? For him to come to you? I could deny and try to bury that fact, yes. And that's exactly what I attempted to do. But deep down in me, I knew I was only lying to myself.
"Is that so?" Heesung allows himself a fierce grin.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Sunoo added afterwards, completely losing it, it seemed.
"He really shouldn't have sent his men after Kang Hoon's daughter." Heesungs tsks. Felix had to be talking about their boss.
"Cut off half the drug... You know how powerful the eighteen are." Felix continues, and Sunoo goes still, surprise widening his eyes.
I had no idea what it meant for them, but if there was one thing I knew, it was who the mentioned number represented. The eighteen. He was talking about my father's circle. The elite circle was split up into a few smaller groups, and each group's name was based on how many members it contained. One of the groups, which had eighteen people in it, included my father. As far as I was aware, certain circles were adversaries. Anyone would go to extremes in order to enter one of them. That was all I knew.
"That wasn't part of the plan." Heesung said.
I sensed Felix trying to fight back a laugh. It seemed like he couldn't help his dark amusement at how thoroughly they'd undermined him and the circle.
"You're not here for justice." He sneers. "You're here for revenge."
"That's a bit true, actually. I'm not only here for her but because I want to punish you for the things you've done to me and my members." He smirked, sending chills down my spine.
Without hesitation, Heesung lunged for Felix, faster than he had any right to, and grabbed the gun. He was stronger than I expected, too. Even though Felix tried to wrench away, Heesung maintained his grip on the boy's arm. He pulled the trigger reflexively, but the shot got wide. I let out a scream, but Sunoo instinctively covered my mouth with one of his hands and turned me around so I couldn't see anything, and I automatically turned my head around to see the scene. Heesung jerked Lee closer, still trying to get his hand off the gun. The look in his eyes spelled death.
I don't know how it happens, but I don't have any time to register what occurs next when I pass out.
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Honestly I truly enjoyed writing this chapter even if this is not usually the style I write. I hope that anyone who's reading this is enjoying this story as much as I'm enjoying the writing process.
Thanks again for reading the story!
Stay safe and healthy <3