Aftertaste | J.JK

Taking Risks and Chances

"I'm going."

I hiss as he looks at me expectantly, already bouncing on his feet in impatience. It was obvious what he wanted me to do— go back to the  I house, keep myself safe.

But how could I possibly do that when I knew that everyone else was in danger?

"Elle, please." He pleads, eyes already tracking the path towards the Arena. "It's too dangerous. I can't let you—"

"Let's go."

His eyes narrow as I cut him off, trying to cool off the anger that's threatening to bubble up my throat. Didn't he get that he was making me feel more useless than I already was?

"Elle."

I stop in my tracks, my back still facing him. Tears sting in the corners of my eyes as I brace for what he's going to say next, do next.

Would he drag me home by force?

Say something harsh and cold and then drag me home?

My hands begin to tremble, to the point where I need to clench them together to stop it from showing. It would just be so pathetic if he saw.

Then shock flits across my face as Jungkook grips my shoulders, easily hoisting me over his back so I'm left to instinctively wrap my arms around his neck.

"Jung...Kook?"

"Elle, you don't even know where to go." He says, flashing a soft smile at me as he presses a firm palm against my back. A surprised squeal escapes my lips as my body crushes against his.

"Hold on tight."

Even though he'd warned me, it still makes me gasp in surprise when he breaks into a run, eyes flickering silver when he opens them.

He is fast.

It only seems like a second has passed when he sets me down in front of a cavelike tunnel, a hand curled firmly on my upper arm to prevent me from losing my balance.

"Whoa," I breathe, trying to stop the pounding in my head as I take in the huge entrance. Darkness fills the other side, and I can't help but marvel at just how majestic it all seems.

"Don't get distracted," He whispers, so lowly that I nearly miss the meaning. "Keep your eyes forward, and run if there's danger. You need to promise me, Elle."

I nod to a promise I'm not sure if I'll end up keeping.

Our footfalls are silent as he leads me through a confusing array of twisting hallways and stone corridors, silver echoing the once darkness in his eyes.

Once we get to a small opening, he stops and pulls me inside.

What I see amazes me, in both horror and scale.

There's an entire stadium in here. An entire battleground— a Colosseum, both unrivaled in size and sheer magnificence.

And the vampires are gladiators.

"Stay here," He tells me, and I nod. Being stubborn in this situation wasn't going to help him, or the ones he was trying to save. And I knew I'd only slow him down.

A relieved smile blossoms from his lips.

"Good girl," He says as he turns to leave. Then all of a sudden, watching him, watching his back turn on me to run off to somewhere filled with danger and ones trying to kill him—