Jackson's penetrating hard stare was making Yoongi feel extremely uncomfortable.
They stood at the Death Ring, face to face, and the usual shouting and wild cheers of the underground fight club were nowhere to be heard. The room was empty, since Jackson wanted their friendly match to be exclusive to themselves.
As soon as Yeonjun returned from the church to tell him that Yoongi declined the fight, disappointment was not even a close enough word to describe his emotions. Moreover, when Yeonjun revealed that Black Swan was the most wanted, most feared, gang leader in the country and that Shadow, the new champion of the Death Ring, was none other than Min Yoongi himself, it was inescapable that Yeonjun received a vicious beating from Jackson. He was angry, of course, that Yeonjun chose to hide this important piece of information from him.
Yoongi shifted his feet from left to right, clearing his throat to end the awkward silence between them. "I want cars," he began saying, "the fastest, most expensive cars in the world. Bugatti. Rolls Royce. Ferrari. Ten of them."
"Granted." Jackson replied within a heartbeat, no questions asked.
If Yoongi wasn't taken aback at the slightest, he would be lying. His head nodded slowly, eyeing Jackson with amusement.
"I need weapons." Yoongi said next, "shotguns, grenades, AK47s, rifles, knives, crossbows, machetes, tracker devices, the whole lot."
"Granted."
"I also want a private jet."
Jackson shook his head, closing his eyes briefly. At this point, Yoongi took a deep breath, waiting for Jackson to turn down his outrageous request. But instead, Yoongi had to curl his lips into his teeth to stifle his laugh.
"Of course," Jackson sighed, "that's only fitting for royalty like you and Choi Soo-ji."
"I want money. Billions of won."
"However much you want."
"I want-"
"Whatever you request, it's a yes!" Jackson practically yelled out across the Death Ring. Grinning, Jackson fixed his stare on his new champion just as he tightened his silky boxing robe around his waist.
"Ten minutes." Jackson beamed excitedly, now securing the straps of his boxing gloves around his wrists. Yoongi, on the other hand, declined the offer of boxing gloves from Jackson and chose to wrap boxing tape around his bare hands instead. To Yoongi, it was much more gratifying, much more rewarding, if he could feel his opponent's flesh and bones crunch under his fists.
"Any rules?" Jackson asked, bouncing on his feet.
Gradually, the corners of Yoongi's lips curved upwards into a smug smirk. "Just don't wet yourself."
"Huh?"
And the fight finally started.
The Death Ring lit up like dynamite.
At lightning speed, Yoongi stepped forward, sliding on his knees under his opponent's outstretched arm just as Jackson's padded fist whooshed past his head by a millimetre.
As expected, Yoongi knew Jackson's fists saw his head as its target. But Jackson didn't see it coming, making the ultimate stupid mistake by turning his back to his rival, and couldn't escape the inevitable kick to the groin from Yoongi behind.
Jackson doubled over to the floor, clutching his balls in excruciating pain. He was in so much agony that tears exuded from the corner of his eyes.
In amusement, Yoongi couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Did he feel bad? Not really. But was it hilarious to watch the boxing champion rolling around the floor like a cockroach writhing around on its back? Yes.
"I think a bit of piss seeped out of my cock!" Jackson cried out, now fully understanding what Yoongi meant by 'don't wet yourself' earlier.
Yoongi sussed out his weak spot very early on. His opponent was a boxer, where kicking was forbidden, and so while Jackson might be as equally skillful as him, his foot work might not be the best trained. After all, his fist and punches were the main focus.
By the time Jackson finally managed to stand back up, the five minute mark had gone. His groin area was sore and stinging, he even questioned whether it was broken, but he still forced himself to complete the match.
Jackson was much more vigilant and observant now, making sure to keep his eyes on Yoongi's every movement. They tested each other next, jabs and blocks, with neither successfully landing a good hit. They each held their own, staunchly defending each other's blow.
Gradually, they were both growing tired. Jackson tried keeping up with his quick and sharp punches, but still couldn't break past Yoongi's defence. Sweat slid down Jackson's face as he was getting impatient, desperate, frustrated that he had yet to land his first hit.
And then there was an opening. A split second chance where Jackson feinted, slamming a powerful punch into Yoongi's ribs. The punch was so forceful that it knocked Yoongi off his feet but before his legs gave way, Yoongi returned the favour, a hook to Jackson's cheek so strong that sent Jackson himself toppling to the ground.
Ding ding ding!
Time was up.
The two men laid side by side, catching their breath. The front of their shirts soaked wet from sweat, and the up and down movement of their heavy panting chests only made the fabric glisten under the light.
The silence that followed was calming their rapidly beating heartbeats. And if it wasn't Yoongi who broke the silence, one would've thought both had fallen asleep then and there.
"No backing out of our deal now." Yoongi lazily opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling.
Jackson chuckled. "You really think I'm giving you anything you want because I admire you and Choi Soo-ji like celebrities? Please, I'm not naive like Yeonjun."
Yoongi's head, heavy and pounding, slowly lopsided towards Jackson. "Then?"
Jackson turned his head towards Yoongi too. Meeting his eyes, Jackson grinned at him. "I'll give you and Choi Soo-ji anything you need to beat the fuck out of Kim Chung Ha."
And in that moment, where a mutual understanding formed between them, a friendship was born. They had a common enemy and if there was anyone who had the capability to kill Kim Chung Ha, Jackson had no doubts that it would be none other than the Hope Gang.
***
Tomorrow was the day.
The day where Taehyung, Jungkook and Yoongi would be heading to the rich side of the city to save Chanyeol. The church was solemnly quiet; it was as if everyone was enjoying possibly the last night together as one.
Taehee was understandably upset that Taehyung would be leaving her and Hobi, and as much as she was putting on a brave face by smiling all night long, the worry and fear could be clearly seen in her eyes. It was unspoken, but she mentally prepared for Taehyung to never return.
Soo-ji felt the same way. Only that she wasn't pretending to be happy like Taehee.
She sat on the porch steps alone, admiring the gentle night. The Hope Gang had lived at the abandoned church for quite a while now and it was a shame to say that Soo-ji never really fully appreciated the tranquility and calmness until now.
Perhaps it was because she knew an imminent storm was coming, that they would be thrown into a world of unpredictability where today's goodbye might be the last. The stillness of the ocean would be interrupted, and there would be no way in stopping the ripple effects of death, chaos and violence. Soo-ji could only hope that this would all be worth it, that her strike out against injustice and inhumanity would send forth a ripple of hope among the people, that her beloved gang would be safe once again.
Her thoughts were interrupted then, when Yoongi joined her on the porch steps. He looked ahead, eyes lingering on the gravestones ahead.
"You'll be alright, won't you?" He asked, sensing her silence and withdrawal as a sign that she was not entirely okay.
"Yeah," Soo-ji answered in a small voice, "will you?"
Yoongi gave her a little nudge of the shoulder, a smile gracing his pinkish lips. "Of course."
Oddly enough, Soo-ji couldn't bring herself to smile back at him. She looked down at her hands placed above her knees, hiding the sombre expression on her face.
"You have to come back alive." Was all she said to him.
Yoongi laughed, turning his body round to face her completely. "Is this another one of your orders?" His smile dropped slightly, however, when he saw that Soo-ji wasn't laughing along with him.
"Promise me..." She took a deep breath, "that you will come back to me unharmed."
Yoongi swallowed hard. He held her stare, hers eager for the reassurance from him that he would come back to her in one piece, his regretful because he couldn't give her the comfort she so desperately wanted.
"I promise I would do everything in my power to not make you cry." He told her. He couldn't quite bring himself to promise her to come back uninjured, or even alive, but this was the least he could do in that moment. "I made you cry enough times already, I just want you to be happy from now on."
"Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?" Soo-ji's strained voice cracked, thinking just how ironic that she was about to cry when he only promised her a minute ago that he wouldn't make her shed any more tears.
Taking her hand in his, Yoongi let out a laugh. He ruffled her hair, shaking his head at how silly his Soo-ji was.
"If... if we make it to the end... if we win this war, what do you think will happen?" He asked her.
"What do you mean?"
"I've been thinking..." Yoongi started, adjusting his fingers to intertwine with hers comfortably, "if we kill Kim Chung Ha, there will just be another leader taking her place. It'll be an endless cycle. The KSI has taken over the country now. When a new leader comes along, we'll go back on the run, this whole mess starts again. I just thought... this war is never gonna end unless..."
"Unless..."
Yoongi looked her straight in the eye, "unless you become the KSI's leader after Kim Chung Ha."
"That is absurd." Soo-ji scoffed, looking away from him.
"I know," Yoongi laughed again, "everything is so confusing right now. I just thought... only you can stop this country going down in deep shits, only you can put a stop to all of this. You're the only person who can protect everyone. I just think that... if we never really get back together after all of this, that's okay too. As long as you allow me to be by your side, protecting you, that's my way of showing that I love you."
He paused, taking a loose strand of her hair in front of her eyes before tucking it behind her ear. "Wherever you go, I'll go. I'll always be your shadow, for as long as you allow me to be."
Thump thump...
Thump thump...
The heavens granted their last wish. Everything became still, time had stopped between them.
Yoongi prepared the worst case scenario, that he would not return to her after tonight, and he accepted that. But he had to let her know how he felt, that he was hers completely and wholly, for as long she allowed it, however the circumstances might change. At least, he thought, in these times of uncertainty, there was one thing for certain, and that was how he felt about her.
What surprised him, however, was that Soo-ji was sure about something too. It was as if the stars aligned above them in that particular moment, their souls met, she became his sun in the day and he became her moon in the night.
"Yes." Soo-ji said with certainty.
"Huh?"
Soo-ji gulped. Feeling her thrashing heartbeat urge her to continue, "last time you said... you want to start things over. And all I have to do is say yes."
She held his stunned stare.
"I'm saying yes now. I want to give us another try when all of this ends. So you have to come back to me. I'll be waiting, no matter how long this takes."