ALWAYS You: Swan's Shadow [YOONGI] (Book 3)

Chapter 1

"Sorry, the number you have dialled is currently unavailable. Please try again later."

The same automated voice irritated Soo-ji like no other. She sighed, bringing down the phone from her ear with a heavy heart.

For the past few months, she had been trying to call Chanyeol but his whereabouts remained unknown. Miyoung and In-ah tried locating him on their laptops too, but their information was limited.

As far as they knew, the XV Club was ambushed by the KSI after Soo-ji and Yoongi were spotted having dinner there with Chanyeol. The XV Gang was given a choice - to be killed or join the KSI and it was safe to say that they all chose the latter. As for Chanyeol, he wasn't part of the name list of members joining the KSI and there were no accounts that he had been killed. His name was nowhere to be found on the KSI system; it was like he simply vanished into thin air ever since that night.

"Soo-ji ah! We're starting!" Miyoung called behind her, waving her arm in the air.

Soo-ji looked behind her. In a tattered blue dress flowing to her toes, Miyoung stood by the church door. She gave Miyoung a nod, "coming!" She shouted back in a happy voice to hide her worries from her beloved gang members.

She brushed a hand down her pink gown before bending down to pull the hem of her long dress up. Tucking the phone next to her gun and switch knife in her thigh strap, she stood back up, looking directly into the five unmarked gravestones in front of her eyes.

"Even you guys are here, but Chanyeol is nowhere to be seen." She muttered in disappointment at the gravestones belonging to both her and Yoongi's parents and Hoseok's.

The abandoned church that Yoongi brought her to visit years ago when he first told her about his parents was now their home.

In the last few months, things changed drastically. Long gone was the peaceful society with law and order. The KSI appointed a new leader called Kim Chung Ha, and her regime was much more ruthless and unforgiving than Lalisa Manoban.

As soon as Lalisa Manoban was killed, she wasted no time in looking for the Hope Gang. First by ambushing the XV Club and Chanyeol as that was where Soo-ji and Yoongi were last seen. She invaded every home in the city in search for them, setting fire to every house and killing all innocent men, women and children who dared come in their way. She quashed all uproars brought by Soo-ji's protest and never hesitated to put a bullet in the 'rebels'' eyes. In a desperate attempt to capture the Hope Gang, she even locked down all entrances and exits to the country, forbidding anyone from leaving the descending nation.

It was sickening to watch all of this before Soo-ji's eyes. Did she feel guilt? Yes. Did she want to give herself in to end of all of the suffering that she couldn't help but think she caused? Absolutely. But in the midst of the chaos, Yoongi reminded her that she was now not only the leader of the Hope Gang, but she was also the leader in a lot of innocent civilians' eyes. And if she wanted to help them, giving herself in was not the solution. Because that would only mean Kim Chung Ha won. Soo-ji was the strongest person anyone had seen in this whole mess. She represented their hope, their light and fire. And seeing her give up would be the end of everything they ever fought for. That was why, in their haste to escape for a best chance of survival, they made the ultimate decision to leave Seoul behind for the time being and take cover in the abandoned church.

The abandoned church was perfect for them - located on the outskirts of the city, hidden by acres of fields and tall grass, surrounded by large dense trees. No one ever knew of its existence and it was as if nature decided to come together to help conceal the gang.

Taking one last look around the calm surroundings, Soo-ji picked up the bottom of her dress and ran towards the church where everyone awaited.

"There she is!" She heard Yoongi say to everyone as soon as she stepped through the heavily chipped wooden doors.