Sunbeam

35.

December 7, 2019
Kim Manor, late evening

Namjoon rubbed his neck and leaned his head back, glancing down at the clock. Seokjin and Ari were quite late today. And Namjoon had warned her that they had a dinner reservation, this woman just refused to listen.

The door to his office swung open and a red-faced Seokjin rushed in, looking around. When he didn't find what he was looking for, his eyes settled on Namjoon, who was looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"Where's the little witch?" Jin growled and Namjoon tilted his head questioningly. “Izeul is with Mrs. Jiang…” Seokjin cut him off. "I'm asking about that little miss girlfriend of yours!" he snapped.

Namjoon stood up so fast that his chair hit the filing cabinet behind him, startling Jin, who took a step back. “Hyung, Ari was with you..” Namjoon started with a low brow and Seokjin swallowed at the menacing warning in his eyes.

“Wait a minute” Jin raised his hands in front of him as if to defend himself. “Ari came home a few hours ago, I stayed at the mall and…” Namjoon stood up fully, towering like the devil. "Seokjin, Ari didn't come home!" Seokjin blinked in confusion, but worry was clearly visible in his eyes.

"What do you mean I sent her home with two guards…" his eyes widened in horror. "Shit! I'm going to call the others, you try to contact her!" Seokjin stormed out of the office and Namjoon reached for his phone, trying to dial her.

His hands were shaking as he gave freely on the other end of the line, but there was no answer. "Come on, baby, pick up…" he whispered pleadingly and when the ringing stopped he tried again, feeling his stomach tighten.

Seokjin burst into Yoongi's room, startling him from his nap. "What…" Yoongi started sleepily. "Ari is missing!" Jin cut in and Yoongi jumped up completely sleepy. "How long?" he asked and Seokjin shook his head. "A few hours, call Hoseok and Taehyung, I'll find Jungkook and Jimin" the two of them went in different directions.

In less than ten minutes, everyone was in Namjoon's office, who was still trying to dial her. "Stop it, her phone will die and I won't be able to track him!" Hoseok snapped and Namjoon immediately hung up.

“Okay, she was at the mall last time, she left Mae and I, heading to the restrooms…” Seokjin stormed out of the office. "I'll track her phone, Taehyung and Jungkook, you check our informants, they might know something, Jimin, gather three groups of people, no more than 3 in a group so they don't attract attention" Hoseok ordered and Jimin walked out, Taehyung and Jungkook pulled out their phones, standing far apart so as not to disturb each other.

"Damn it, where is she?" Namjoon pounded on his desk. "We'll find her, calm down" Yoongi stood up. "I'm going out alone, if I find anything I'll call" he walked out and Namjoon closed his eyes trying not to think of the worst.

"Hobi, is it possible that someone from Kaesong has survived and is seeking revenge?" Namjoon asked and Hoseok looked up from his laptop. "Unlikely, but I'll check." he went back to his work and Namjoon stood up and started pacing nervously back and forth.

"What am I supposed to do?" Namjoon asked suddenly and Hoseok looked up again. "Think about if she mentioned a place or a person she might have gone to without warning" Hoseok replied calmly and Namjoon nodded slightly, but all he could think of was Mae.

And if Mae was with them and stayed with Seokjin, then they are out of the question. Ari wasn't one to get attached to a particular place, so he ruled that out as well.

"Damn it!" Hoseok growled and Namjoon looked at him. "Her phone shows she's still at the mall" Hoseok sighed. "Seokjin is probably back there, if she's still at the shops he'll find her" Taehyung put his phone down and looked at Namjoon.

"I've got a few more left but so far none of mine know anything" he added and went back to his phone. "Mine too, not even rumours" Jungkook sighed irritably and Namjoon gritted his teeth.

His phone rang and he looked at the name hopefully. "Hyung?" Namjoon sighed in frustration. "The mall is full of police, they found Ari's guard in the women's room. With their throats cut and stab wounds in their backs..." Seokjin's voice trailed off and Namjoon heard him take in an uncertain breath.

"I made sure they didn't connect them to us or her, but…" he trailed off again, his voice now visibly shaking. “Her phone is in her car, Namjoon, but there's no sign of her, no sign of her or the guards struggling…” Namjoon listened and with every next word, his heart skipped a beat.

"They're going to bring me the camera footage, but no one saw anything. Ari didn't leave the mall, at least not through the entrance. Our police people are on the lookout, but there's no evidence..." Seokjin sighed. "I'm sorry Namjoon, it's my fault, Ari left us because she knows I like Mae and wanted us to stay here to get to know each other..." Namjoon cut him off.

"Just find her, hyung, it doesn't matter whose fault it is, just find Ari, please!" Namjoon pleaded desperately and Seokjin hung up, swearing he would find her.

"Something?" Namjoon looked at Hoseok who just shook his head, followed by Jungkook and Taehyung. "Damn, who would dare…" Namjoon growled and ran a hand through his hair.

"Namjoon, go to Izeul, she's probably already looking for Ari and is upset" Hoseok suggested, hoping to distract him and let them do their thing. "And what shall I tell her?" Namjoon asked, looking uncertainly at the door.

"Tell her Ari is at a friend's house and she'll be back soon, calm her down, she's your daughter, follow your instincts" Hoseok waved at him, returning to his laptop. Namjoon started to say something but gave up and started for the door.

"Ah, Namjoon? " he stopped in the doorway. "What about the boy Ari dated a few times?" Hoseok asked and Namjoon shrugged. "He got a job offer he couldn't refuse, he's been out of the country for months" he answered and Hoseok raised an eyebrow.

“A job?” he tilted his head suspiciously. "I could have killed him after he was touching her, so…" Hoseok rolled his eyes and motioned for him to leave again. "Jealous idiot…" Hoseok muttered, continuing to shake his head.

“Hyung, I'm going to go help Jimin” Jungkook walked towards the door after Hoseok gave him a nod. "I'm going too, I can't do anything from here" Taehyung added and the two walked towards the door, Hoseok's gaze following.

Going back to their programs, Hoseok prayed that they would find her as soon as possible, before Namjoon's patience with waiting for results, ran out and he decided to look for her himself.

Because if that happened and they let the devil out of control, the very next day, Seoul would wake up in flames and no one would be able to stop them.