Pandora Unleashed

Blindspot

He successfully bypassed the unknown intruder with Vanessa as his guide and safely reached her dormitory. He was confident they weren't followed but on the off chance they were, the security at the foyer wouldn't allow anyone, who didn't carry a valid student identification, to enter. He stood from a crouched position upon tying the laces of a pair of sneakers Vanessa stole from her roommate's male companion. She reassured him it was alright and that she would deal with the minor theft in the morning.
Nevertheless, the stolen sneakers were the last thing on their minds. She gulped when he queried her about how she felt; she visibly shook but was more distraught by the incident. Despite his well-intended reassurance, he couldn't deny his jitteriness about the situation as well. He had no clue what was going on and what Taehyung involved himself with, but it seemed Vanessa had an idea of what was happening; her expression, though bleak and colorless, displayed a hint of worry.

However, that disheartening look in her chestnut eyes faded when Taehyung appeared behind them. She rushed to him, frantic and with a cheerful gasp, and they embraced each other so tightly he worried they'd snap one another in half. He looked away when they shared a couple of kisses but briefly stole a glance and witnessed Taehyung's daunting expression; as though he feared he'd lose her.
Once they reassured each other of their safety, Vanessa discreetly handed Taehyung something and he slipped it into his black slacks. Though he didn't catch a glimpse of the item to identify it, he did notice its dark color. Vanessa then darted back to him and planted a kiss on his cheek, taking him by surprise as she tenderly smiled; grateful he brought her home safely.

➰

The drive to Taehyung's apartment was nothing shy of a monstrous silence, so ghastly quiet that he became antsy at each passing second. Taehyung needed a moment to process the ordeal, howling at him with an intense fierceness each time he tried to oppose a query. He'd never seen this side of his best friend, a great display of disconcertion filtered in his voice while a fury kept his jaw clenched; his eyes remained focused on the road while his knuckles whitened around the steering wheel. He mirrored him and exited the car once they reached the parking lot of Taehyung's apartment complex. His best friend stomped ahead and chose to climb the many flights of stairs instead of using the elevator. He panted heavily at the tenth-floor mark, marching behind his best friend until they reached the thirteenth floor.

"Fuck!" Taehyung hissed upon discovering his apartment door stood open.

Despite his protest, frightful that the perpetrators could still be in there, Taehyung ignored his warning and went in and he dashed after. He frowned at the spacious living room, taking in the sight of the scattered furniture as Taehyung trudged around the mess.
Unlike him, Taehyung disregarded the sight of his apartment and showcased an indifferent expression as he marched to his bedroom, but he decided to check every room and assure himself the intruders weren't hiding. Almost every cabinet in each room was flung open as though the perpetrators were in search of something. In the kitchen, some of the glasses and plates were shattered and in the bathroom, all of the items inside the cabinets were scattered on the floor.
However, when he reached the room Taehyung used as an office, he ambled past books, papers, and files that were tossed around. Some of the drawers were left open while others were on the floor, but he frowned at the tall closet that stood open. His best friend entered the office, scoffing at the sight as though it unfazed him that his safe was missing.

"Aren't you worried?"

"About what?"
Taehyung sauntered to the office table centered in the middle of the room with a shoebox that was stained and damp around some of the corners.
"There's nothing in it that could be useful to anyone." He informed and retrieved the dark item Vanessa had handed him, "What did you leave behind?" Taehyung asked suddenly, but his gaze remained on the item that appeared to be a cassette.