My eyes slowly flutter open. We've stopped.
"She's waking up. Do it." S.Coups' voice rings in my ears. "And, Jun? Don't stop until she's broken." I can feel him smirking without seeing his face.
Jun walks across the van towards me, whip in hand. "I've been waiting for this."
Even though I can only see his eyes, he still looks like a psycho.
He raises the whip.
Wait... Is that blood?
"Wait!" I call out. His hand remains still.
"What?" He scowls.
"There's blood on it. I'm not getting infected by a dirty whip."
Jun briefly glances at S.Coups, who waves his hand at him dismissively.
"I don't really care if it gets infected." He brings the whip down with a crack on my chest.
No. Don't cry. Don't let them see you fall.
I grit my teeth and bear the pain. Frowning, Jun whips me again and again, becoming increasingly frustrated with each lash.
Don't react. Just take it.
"This is what happens to people who get involved with rebels." He cuts ATEEZ's symbol into my wrist. "I must admit, I'm impressed. People would normally be screaming from a few lashes at most." "
I pass out.
"I'll get the first round, Taeyang. What are we going for today?"
"Just soju, all that fancy stuff is too expensive."
Hwa leaves and returns with a tray of shots.
"We'll do a taste test. I've got 2 of each flavour, not sure which is which."
I sigh, "But Hwa, we'll get drunk with this much!"
"That's the point!" He laughs.
I know what he's like when he's drunk. Adorable! Maybe it's better if we do get drunk. Just for one night.
"Ok then, I'll have..." I pick up a shot glass, "this one!"
Hwa picks up another one.
"셋..."
"둘..."
"하나!"
On one, we take our first shot.
"Pomegranate! Tastes like cough syrup." Hwa confidently announces. He checks the bottom of his glass, "yes!"
"And mine's citrus. I can taste the alcohol more."
I blink and all the shot glasses are empty.
"Hwa, are you ok?" I laugh as he leans his head on my shoulder, "you're very drunk."
"I love you, Taeyang..." He mumbles, alcohol slurring his words.
I can't help but blush.
"You... What?"
I look over at him again. He's asleep.
"I love you too, Hwa."
I wake up with a smile on my face. I'm not even going to try to hide it.
"What are you smirking about? I'll have to resort to something a little harsher."
Jun begins to make cuts on my arms and legs. Then he brings the knife to my neck.
"I'm not going to kill you." He purrs, "But I know how to make it hurt."
He draws the knife slowly and softly over my neck, enough to draw blood, but not dangerously so.
He's skilled, I'll give him that. Just a little longer. Don't show the pain.
"Stop." S.Coups raises his hand, "That's enough. Let her go. If she has any sense, this will warn her not to join ATEEZ again."
With a final nod from S.Coups, a few agents drag me into another alley.
"Another alley? Really? How original."
Ignoring my remark, they throw me unceremoniously to the floor, and get back in their van. Once they've driven off, I give up fighting.
Tears finally form in my eyes, and I just let it out. I cry, and cry, and cry.
I've been strong for long enough.
Yunho's POV
Seonghwa eventually falls to his knees on the street, too exhausted to continue.
"Seonghwa, that's enough. We've lost them." Yeosang crouches by him, his hand on Seonghwa's shoulder. He looks at Hongjoong, "So what's next?"
"We go back home. And then"
"We're giving up? Hongjoong, you know how much Taeyang means to me."
"AND THEN we'll discuss a plan. Give us chance to think. Alright?"
Seonghwa nods, and we walk back to our apartment.
Ugh, this place still needs a clean.
Wooyoung disappears into his room the moment we enter the apartment, his frantic typing audible from the hallway. Not long after, a triumphant shout comes from his room.
We rush in, and Wooyoung shows us his computer.
"I've got into the camera system in the van. It's s little blurry, let me just... There." He zooms in on the back seats, "Ok let's-"
There's blood on the seats.
"She's gone."
