The Bouquet

Chapter 3

You could see your house coming up on the left, the lights were all still off. No one knew you were ever gone. You were sure, come sunrise, your tracks through the snow would be completely obscured and you could keep your secret safe. You tugged on Hoseok's arm, gesturing to your house. He came to a stop at your doorstep, unwinding your arm from his own. A sudden tightness settled in your chest, he was going to leave you alone there. Trapped again like a pathetic princess in the proverbial tower. You had to remind yourself, Hoseok was no knight in shining armor. He was the executioner.

"You remember what I told you, right?" He asked, trying to catch your eyes as your head remained turned to the side, your gaze locked on the front door in a stubborn child-like manner.

He huffed in annoyance at your behavior, gripping your chin with his long fingers and turning your head to face him straight on. His beautiful face was too close to you again, you could feel your breath catch in your chest. "Answer me." He demanded.

"Keep my mouth shut." You replied.

"Good." He whispered, his deep eyes scanning your face in thought. At that moment, you wished you could read his mind to understand what he was thinking.

You could feel his grip loosening as he began to pull away from you, taking one step back down the stairs behind him. Almost as if you were panicking, you lunged forwards and gripped his hands in your own.

"Please, don't leave me alone. Stay." You mumbled, the sadness creeping back up onto you, digging its claws into your back and taking root once more.

A confused look crossed his features, you were just so strange. You were interesting, to say the least. He had never met anyone quite like you, so fearless but so sad. He couldn't help but wonder what would make you want to be in the company of a killer versus the safety of your own home. But, he had already been gone for so long. He still had to report back to Namjoon, he still had a whole other day ahead of him. As much as you intrigued him, he couldn't afford to investigate the complexity that was you any further.

You were interesting, that was what he told himself, that was the only explanation as to why he even considered your proposition. Something was festering in the back of his mind, it was slowly making itself known amongst the blend of darkness that had already seeped its way through him. He could feel it whispering to him, urging him to stay. But he refused, this time he did not give in. He pulled his hand free from yours, surprisingly gently, and spoke to you once more.

"You're a witness to the murder I committed, do you really think I won't be watching you?" He laughed, but once more it held no mirth. "Sleep well." He said, before stepping away from you once more and slipping away into the shadows of the night.

And you couldn't deny the happiness that bloomed in your chest at the thought of him remaining with you, but just out of sight like some guardian angel. The scent of blood crossed your nose again and you winced. No, Hoseok was more like a fallen angel. He was stripped of his wings and baptized in blood, bound to the shadows as he watched you bathe in the light. Your own fallen angel sent to tempt you with the evil and darkness your mother feared you would fall victim to. Little did she know, you were a willing prey that wanted to bear your neck to the predator.

~~~~~~~

The rest of that early morning, Hoseok was plagued by thoughts of you. You, the impossibly innocent lamb sent to the lion for slaughter. He had replayed the events that had transpired only hours earlier, and he frustratingly found he couldn't shake the image of your small hands wrapped around his own, your doe eyes staring at him pleadingly with streaks of blood painting your cheeks. He had been so sure the first time he has seen you in the dark of that alleyway that he would have to get rid of you, that you would be joining the body of that waste of a human being in the dumpster, or that he would have to take you back and make you into a plaything for the rest of Namjoon's men.