I breathed heavily as I ran, my lungs burning with every gasp of air. Fear clawed at me, cold and suffocating. I didn't know where I was going—just that I had to keep moving.
What was I thinking, agreeing to cover the night shift? The most dangerous part of South Korea, Neo City, was infamous for its mafias, gangs, and criminals who roamed freely under the cover of night. And tonight, I'd stumbled right into their world.
I should've taken the long way home, like I always did. Should've avoided the dark alleys. Should've ignored that gut feeling that something wasn't right. But I didn't—and now I'd seen something I wasn't supposed to: a murder.
My legs burned, my lungs screamed for air, but my stamina was giving out. I ducked into a narrow alley, hoping to catch my breath, but the sound of footsteps closing in made my blood run cold.
BANG!
Pain exploded in my thigh, sharp and searing. I staggered, barely catching myself against the cold brick wall as I looked down. Blood. So much blood. It seeped through the tear in my jeans, soaking into my shoes.
A deep, mocking laugh echoed behind me.
"When I say don't run, you don't fucking run," a low voice drawled.
I turned my head to see a tall figure stepping out of the shadows, the gun still raised. His smirk sent a chill down my spine.
"Now look what you made me do," he chuckled darkly. "But hey, at least now you can't run anymore."
His words sent a wave of panic through me. "Please," I stammered, my voice trembling. "Leave me alone. I didn't see anything—I swear. I won't tell anyone!"
The man cocked his head, eyes narrowing. "Who knows? Maybe you're with one of those gangs, trying to play innocent. Don't worry—I'll find out."
He motioned to the two men behind him. "Get her."
They stepped forward, and I limped further into the alley, desperate to escape. The pain in my leg was unbearable, but fear kept me moving. I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, trying to muffle the whimper of pain threatening to escape.
"Pathetic," one of them sneered as he lunged at me.
I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the worst—but it never came.
Instead, I heard the sound of fists connecting with flesh, followed by angry grunts and the heavy thud of bodies hitting the ground. My eyes flew open, and I saw five strangers taking down the men who had been chasing me.
But before relief could set in, one of the attackers grabbed me, yanking me back against his chest. A cold metal barrel pressed against my temple.
"Any closer," he snarled, "and I'll blow her fucking brains out!"
I froze, trembling as my captor began backing us deeper into the alley. The five men stopped, their expressions dark and calculating.
"Stay back!" the man shouted again, his grip tightening on me. But before he could say more, a loud crack echoed through the alley.
The man holding me crumpled to the ground. I stumbled, disoriented, but a strong arm caught me before I fell. I looked up, dazed, into the face of my rescuer—a tall man holding a rifle.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice steady and calm.
I nodded weakly, though my vision blurred from the pain in my leg.
"Guys, she's bleeding bad," he called over his shoulder. "Think we should let Taeil take a look?"
"Why the hell would we do that?" another man snapped, stepping into the moonlight. His sharp jawline and stormy eyes made him look both beautiful and terrifying.
"We helped her. That's enough. Her injury isn't our problem."
"She's bleeding out, you moron," another argued. "By the time she gets home, she'll have lost too much blood."
The tension between them was thick, but the man holding me sighed in exasperation. "We'll take her. Taeyong's not back from Busan yet, and he won't know."
The others hesitated, but finally, someone muttered, "Fine. But if this backfires, it's on you."
I barely registered the words before I was lifted off the ground. My vision swam, but I managed to glance at the man carrying me. His features were sharp and striking, but his eyes held no warmth. I tried to stay awake, but the pain and exhaustion were too much.
The last thing I remembered was being placed in a car before everything went black.
____________________________________________________
I woke to the faint smell of antiseptic and the soft hum of a fluorescent light overhead. My head throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the dull, throbbing ache in my leg. I sat up cautiously, wincing as my muscles protested.
The room was pristine, painted stark white with medical supplies neatly arranged on a counter. My gaze dropped to my leg, now wrapped in clean bandages. My jeans had been cut away at the thigh, but someone had taken care to preserve my modesty.
Before I could process anything further, the door creaked open, and a man stepped in. He looked calm, with soft eyes and a gentle demeanor that immediately put me slightly at ease.
"You're awake," he said with a small smile. "Don't worry, you're safe. I'm Taeil—I treated your leg. You'll be fine, but try not to put too much weight on it for a few days."
I nodded, still trying to piece together what had happened. "Thank you," I mumbled, my voice raspy.
Taeil returned a polite nod and opened a drawer to retrieve a small packet. "Here. These are painkillers. Take one if it starts to hurt too much."
Before I could respond, the door slammed open, and another man walked in with an air of irritation. His long hair fell loosely over his face, but the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Taeil," he said sharply, "are you done with the girl? I'm taking her back before Taeyong finds out."
Taeil sighed, clearly used to this man's demeanor. "Yuta, that's hyung to you. And yes, I'm done. But she'll need some clean clothes first."
Yuta rolled his eyes but didn't argue as Taeil handed me a pair of black sweatpants. "You can change behind the curtain," Taeil said gently.
I hobbled behind the divider, grateful for the privacy. As I changed into the loose sweatpants, I listened to their conversation.
"Don't forget to get rid of all the evidence," Yuta muttered, his tone low but firm. "Taeyong notices every fucking thing in this house."
"I know," Taeil replied, his voice clipped. "But don't swear—it's unnecessary."
"Whatever," Yuta shot back impatiently. "Girly, let's go!"
I stepped out from behind the curtain, bowing slightly to Taeil. "Thank you for helping me," I said softly.
Taeil offered me a kind smile. "Take care of yourself. And remember—don't put too much pressure on your leg."
Yuta gave an exaggerated sigh of impatience, already heading for the door. "Move it," he called over his shoulder.
I followed him through the house—or rather, the mansion. The sheer size of it was overwhelming. Grand hallways with high ceilings stretched out in every direction, and the furnishings were luxurious enough to make my jaw drop.
"Stop gawking," Yuta snapped, breaking my trance. "Just keep moving."
"My leg hurts," I mumbled, barely keeping up with him.
"Not my problem," he replied bluntly.
Eventually, we reached a sleek black car parked outside. Yuta opened the passenger door for me, muttering under his breath about wasted time.
I climbed in, letting out a relieved sigh as I settled into the seat. "Thank you," I said quietly, though I wasn't sure he even heard me.
"Just tell me where to go," he said flatly, starting the engine.
I gave him my address, leaning back against the seat as exhaustion weighed heavy on me. My leg still ached, but the painkillers Taeil gave me were starting to dull the worst of it.
When we finally arrived at my apartment, Yuta stopped the car but didn't turn to look at me. "Listen up," he said coldly. "You don't tell anyone what you saw or heard. Not a word. Got it?"
I nodded quickly, my heart pounding.
"Good," he said, smirking. "Because if you do, there'll be consequences."
Without another word, I climbed out of the car and limped into my apartment, shutting the door behind me. Only then did I let out the breath I'd been holding.
My tiny apartment was a far cry from the mansion I'd just left, but it was home—barely. I didn't even bother changing out of the sweatpants as I collapsed onto my bed, my thoughts racing.
I didn't know who those men were or why they had helped me. All I knew was that I'd stepped into a world I didn't understand—and I wasn't sure I'd be able to escape it.
