✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Minghao was stunned by Seungcheol's sudden appearance and stood still at the entrance, his head empty.
"What do you mean, hyung?" he asked, his voice strained as he attempted to mask his inner turmoil.
He couldn't afford to show any signs of distress, not when Jisoo's safety hung in the balance. He had made a promise to Mingyu, and he was determined to keep it at all costs.
Seungcheol scrutinized Minghao with a frown, analyzing every nuance of his demeanor, even the cadence of his breath.
"Who's with you, Minghao?" he asked, his expression hardening as he pressed for answers.
"I had a friend over. Is that an issue, hyung? Why the sudden interrogation?" Minghao retorted, his tone laced with feigned innocence as he tried to divert Seungcheol's suspicions.
Without uttering another word, Seungcheol brushed past Minghao, forcefully bumping his shoulder against his as he shot him a piercing glare.
He stepped into the apartment, his eyes darting around every corner, scanning for any sign of Jisoo. His gaze swept over the room, searching every nook and cranny with a sense of urgency.
Minghao hurried after Seungcheol, his heart pounding in his chest as he noticed the absence of Jisoo in the living room.
His plan had succeeded. By engaging Seungcheol in conversation at the door, he had bought Jisoo enough time to hide, effectively keeping Seungcheol occupied and 'unaware' of her presence.
Seungcheol turned to face Minghao, a glower etched onto his features as he found the living room empty. "Where is she?" he growled, his voice low and filled with simmering frustration.
"Who are you referring to, hyung?" Minghao asked, his tone carefully neutral as he met Seungcheol's intense gaze.
"Don't play dumb, Minghao, and answer me. Where is she?" he pressed, each word dripping with intensity and determination.
Minghao sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Hyung, I have no idea what you're talking about. Who's 'she'?"
"Fucking hell," Seungcheol exclaimed, his steps quickening as he closed the distance between himself and Minghao.
In one swift motion, he grabbed Minghao's collar, pulling him closer until their faces were mere inches apart.
"You think you can pull the wool over my eyes? Where the fuck were you last night when the shipment went down? Right at the same time Kim Mingyu decided to pull a stunt and take Jisoo from my place. You three think I'm fucking blind to your little games, huh? That I wouldn't catch on?" Seungcheol growled, his voice laced with anger as he stared fiercely into Minghao's eyes.
"Take my words for granted, Minghao. If I find that girl in your apartment right now, I won't hesitate to shot your brains on the wall, and I won't give a single fuck about our friendship. You know how much I despise betrayal, and if you dared to go through with this knowing the consequences, then so be it," he continued before releasing Minghao's collar with a forceful shove.
Without hesitation, he began to search the apartment once more, his anger fueling his determination. Meanwhile, Minghao cursed under his breath, praying that Jisoo had found a safe place to hide.
Seungcheol searched every corner of the kitchen with a fervor before storming towards the bedroom. With a resounding crash, he ripped the door open, his frustration boiling over.
He scanned the room, his gaze narrowing as he approached the dressing room. Unknown to him, Jisoo was hidden within, tucked away in a small cabinet concealed by Minghao's clothes.
The moment she heard his voice, Jisoo wasted no time hiding herself. Now, she held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she feared Seungcheol might hear its frantic beats.
His footsteps drew nearer, causing Jisoo to close her eyes in fear. Her heart raced as he stopped right near where she was hiding, but she dared not open her eyes, paralyzed by the fear of being discovered.
Just as Seungcheol was about to open the cabinet, a voice interrupted him. "Hyung!"
He turned to see Minghao standing in the doorway, looking somewhat agitated. "Kira...she's back," he continued, causing Seungcheol to freeze in place.
"What the fuck are you saying?" Seungcheol asked, taking a step back from the cabinet, causing Jisoo to release a breath of relief.
"Dino just called me," Minghao explained to Seungcheol, who wasted no time in leaving the room immediately.
As the apartment door swung open and slammed shut with a resounding thud, Minghao released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Jisoo?" His voice rang out, a mixture of concern and relief, as he stepped into the room, ensuring to secure the door behind him with a decisive click.
Aware of Seungcheol's cunning nature, Minghao couldn't shake the feeling that this might be part of his strategy.
He stayed on edge, considering the possibility that Seungcheol hadn't truly left but was instead hiding within, poised to burst into the room at any moment.
Jisoo wrestled to free herself from the confines of the cabinet, her movements desperate and frantic.
Sensing her struggle, Minghao swiftly approached her side. "It's okay now, let me help you," he murmured gently, crouching down to help her.
"Are you alright?" he inquired as soon as he managed to get her out her from that cramped space.
"Yes. I'm sorry Minghao. It's my fault, you might be in trouble-"
"Hey, it's okay. It was my decision to help and I couldn't care less about his threats. Loyalty has its limits, and this crosses the line," Minghao interjected softly, meeting her gaze with a reassuring look.
"But he's dangerous," she whispered, her voice tinged with fear.
"So am I," he smiled, a hint of confidence gleaming in his eyes.
Jisoo smiled back, her expression a mix of gratitude and uncertainty, unsure how to process Minghao's unexpected revelation.
"Who's Kira?" Jisoo inquired after a few moments of silence, sensing Minghao's somber mood as he responded with a soft sigh.
"Just a problematic woman," he shrugged off.
Jisoo furrowed her brows, silently urging for more details as Minghao caught on to her expectation.
"She's his first love."
"Kim Mingyu, you're in big trouble!" Mr. Kim's voice boomed as soon as his son entered the office, the sternness in his tone leaving no room for misunderstanding.
"Am I in trouble? You literally sold your daughter to that fucking bastard, dad! What were you thinking?" Mingyu shouted back, his voice filled with anger and accusation, punctuated by the sharp sound of the door slamming shut behind him, echoing through the entire building.
"You have no idea what you're saying!" his father erupted, rising from his desk, his hands slamming down in anger, the force making objects on the desk tremble.
Mingyu scoffed ironically, running a hand through his messy hair. "Is that so? Then care to explain to me what the fuck happened and how Jisoo ended up in that man's house?" he shouted, his demand for an explanation ringing through the room.
"I had no choice!" his father confessed.
"Cut the act, dad. You had no choices when you gambled everything you owe?" Mingyu spat, his eyes reflecting his deep disappointment in his father's actions.
He sighed heavily, his hands pressing down on the desk for support. "Mingyu, please, listen to me. You must take Jisoo to Seungcheol's house within the next two hours. I promise I'll fix things, but I need time," his father implored, his tone tinged with desperation.
"I will never do that. And I won't let you do it either. No one can touch Jisoo as long as I'm here," Mingyu declared firmly, his resolve unyielding as he stood his ground.
"Mingyu—"
"I won't do it, dad! Jisoo stays with me. I won't let anyone take her away," he shouted with fierce determination, his voice echoing his desperation to protect his sister at all costs.
"But you have to! Otherwise, she'll end up in even more dangerous hands than Seungcheol's!" his dad shouted back urgently, prompting Mingyu to furrow his brows immediately, his expression hardening in an instant.
"What?" Mingyu froze, his heart sinking.
"The man who owns the gambling club wants her. He's involved in prostitution, Mingyu. Taking her back to Seungcheol is the safest option now," his father explained urgently, but Mingyu remained rooted to the spot, his body gripped by shock and disbelief.
"How could you?" Mingyu whispered, his voice heavy with disappointment and disbelief, his trust in his father shaken to its core.
"Please, Mingyu. I need to do this to keep Jisoo safe. If I don't cooperate, Choi Dongyul won't help me anymore, and I won't be able to pay off my debts. And if that happens, he'll take her. Please, just go and take her to Seungcheol's place as soon as possible," his father implored, his voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.
"My sister...Is she just a toy to you? Is she just a toy to that bastard? Or to the one who wants her so he can sell her body? Dad, she's a human being! How could you even fucking dare to gamble with her life?!" Mingyu shouted, his entire body trembling with a mix of anger, anguish, and disbelief.
"I know, Mingyu...I've made an unforgivable mistake. But please, let me try to fix it. For now, just take her to his house," his father continued to plead.
Mingyu ran his hands through his hair in desperation, pacing back and forth in the office. He felt the weight of the decision pressing down on him, knowing he was being forced into a situation where he had to choose between his sister's safety and his own principles.
How could he do this to his little sister? How could he willingly put her in danger with his own hands?
"Gyu, where are we going?" Jisoo asked, sensing the heavy silence and the tension radiating from her brother, Mingyu, who drove with a clenched jaw, on the verge of breaking down into tears.
He remained silent, acutely aware that even a single word would shatter the fragile composure he desperately clung to.
He couldn't bear to meet her innocent gaze, fearing it would unleash the flood of emotions he struggled to contain.
She stood in the passenger seat, dressed in one of his oversized hoodies, the fabric engulfing her petite frame, accentuating her vulnerability.
"Gyu? Are you okay?" Jisoo asked with furrowed brows, concern etching her features as she observed her brother's silence.
He hadn't uttered a word since returning and hurriedly prompting her to get ready, leaving her unsettled by his unusual behavior.
He simply nodded, his grip on the steering wheel tightening until his knuckles turned white.
As Jisoo glanced out the window, she began to recognize the familiar landmarks along the road. Suddenly, her heart started to race, and a lump formed in her throat, a sense of foreboding creeping over her.
"Mingyu? Why are we here?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.
He clenched his jaw, fighting to maintain his composure as he sensed her growing agitation.
"Mingyu! Please, what's happening?" she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.
She caught sight of Seungcheol's mansion, and desperation flooded her being.
In an instant, she turned to her brother, her voice trembling with anguish. "Please, don't. Don't do this to me," she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks as she witnessed Mingyu's own tears staining his cheeks.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible, his lip trembling with emotion, overwhelmed by the weight of the situation and his inability to protect his sister.
Jisoo stood frozen, her hand releasing its grip on his bicep as she continued to stare at him, her eyes filled with a mix of confusion, fear, and hurt.
Mingyu kept his focus on the road ahead, unable to bring himself to meet her gaze, consumed by his own pain and regret.
He brought the car to a halt right in front of the mansion, his face still turned away from her eyes.
"Why?" she whispered, a sob escaping her lips, her voice laden with heartbreak and confusion.
Mingyu closed his eyes, allowing the tears to flow freely down his cheeks. Jisoo's nails dug into her palm, the pain a mere distraction from the overwhelming emotions coursing through her.
"Why are you abandoning me?" she asked, her voice barely audible, a plea laced with heartache.
Mingyu broke down at her question, sobs erupting from his lips as the weight of his actions and the pain overwhelmed him.
"I'm s-sorry," he could barely speak, his hands covering his face as sobs wracked his body, consumed by guilt and sorrow for what he had done.
She covered her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably. Unable to bear looking at him any longer, she turned to open the door, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere and gasping for air as she felt as though she couldn't breathe.
Mingyu raised his face from his hands, watching her leave.
She took long and ragged breaths, her hand clasped tightly to her chest, feeling as though she couldn't draw in enough air.
With each step away from the car, she felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her, making it increasingly difficult to breathe.
Two bodyguards approached her swiftly, their actions devoid of remorse as they clasped her arms and forcibly led her away, out of Mingyu's view.
His cries intensified, echoing in the confines of the car as his fist pounded on the steering wheel relentlessly, the pain in his knuckles a distant sensation compared to the agony in his heart.
Inside, Jisoo continued to struggle to breathe, allowing herself to be carried by the bodyguards as she lacked the strength to remain on her feet. Each labored breath felt like a battle against suffocation, her chest tightening with each passing moment.
She was led into the living room before the bodyguards roughly shoved her to the ground with a forceful shove, leaving her sprawled on the floor, disoriented and vulnerable.
And then, she suddenly caught the scent of his strong cologne, a familiar yet unwelcome presence that sent a shiver down her spine.
Her eyes rose to meet his, and she found herself staring into his intense gaze.
He stood tall and intimidating in front of her, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity as they locked onto hers.
"Welcome back to your nightmare, princess."
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
to be continued...