driven ⁺ ᵗᵃᵉʸᵒⁿᵍ

18

The sky was a shade of purple when I woke up, carefully removing myself from Taeyong which was a slight struggle. Simple breakfast on the table, the boys started to wake up one by one and greeting their good mornings. Sicheng was with WayV and Haechan was with the Dreamies, ending with eight men but the leader was still asleep. Johnny volunteered to go upstairs to wake Taeyong up and he came down a little grumpy. His face obviously lit up when our eyes met and proceeded to sit down.

" I have an emergency meeting with Hyundo oppa and Eunbin unnie. Its scheduled this morning so I really should get going. " they all started acting like little children and I took the notice of each of their reactions. Jungwoo was cutely throwing a tantrum and everyone else was whining but Taeyong was quiet. Coming up with an idea, I went to his seat and leaned down his level.

" I'll be back, hun. Goodbye, love you! " planting a kiss on his cheek then heading for the door.

Meanwhile....

The boys had never seen Taeyong blush so hard but some of them were more focused on the fact that he was the only one to receive a kiss from Koruji. The female was already out the door when he realised what just happened, she just kissed him and muttered the L-word. Although he did not want to assume, to whom would she say that except for the person she just called "hun", right?

Doyoung admits that the sweet gesture was indeed flattering, however, he thinks Koruji was leading his friend on. For the rest of the day, he was planning on clearing things up with her when she gets back but he was also conflicted. What if something happened between them and he might be crossing the line? The look on Taeyong's face definitely bothered them in a good way but it was completely different for Doyoung who was worried.

Haechan came in the dorm in the afternoon and his guts was telling him that some shit was going on and it didn't fail him when Mark spilled the details. Last night was a shock for all of them and he barely slept because of the incident. He was even more shocked with the news but it put him in a good mood, rooting for the female to return his hyung's feelings. Most of the members were making fun of Taeyong while the rest were on to their personal business for the rest of the day.

Just like everyone else, Taeyong couldn't let the information sink in. He was wondering whether Koruji likes him or she's just being nice, it was difficult to make up his mind on what to believe. He wanted to let the day pass just like the other but the emotions he was experiencing made it impossible, doubts included. How was he supposed to face the lady when she comes back? Is he in position to be upfront or does he need more time for confirmation? Whatever his decision would be, he hopes things will go smoothly.

It was quite the twenty-four hours for the group so all of them gathered at 127's for an animemarathon and not so long into "My Neighbor Totoro", they were alseep. Their adrenaline for the previous hours wore them down, resulting to a sardine-like arrangement in the huge living room. Doyoung's dreaming was cut short when the revving of an engine reached his ears. Assuming that it was just Koruji from work, he went back to sleep.

They all shot up awake when the slamming of a door and smashing of glass were heard, a scream followed and they decided to take a look, leaving the minors behind. There was a trail of blood on the steps leading to Koruji's place and it stopped right in front of her door. Taeyong was alarmed and he took the courage to open it, revealing a trashed room. Pieces of glass everywhere and they were cautious with every step, the scarlet trail continued and it led them to the female's bedroom.

It was even worse in there. Knives and guns scattered on the floor, a katana dug on the back of the door, smashed windows, punch cracks on the wall, and a figure on the bed while bleeding profusely. Some of them couldn't spare another second inside the room so they went downstairs to clean while Taeyong, Doyoung, Kun, and Johnny remained to tend to Koruji. " Get out. "

" What happened? " Taeyong

" I said get the fuck out! "

" Koruji, calm down. We're here to help you. " Kun

They managed to get her to bathe where she stitched up the bullet graze wound on her left arm as the boys tidy her room. All dressed and composed, she sat down and told them what went on earlier that day.

Back to Koruji....

After the meeting with a few executives at SMent, I invited Hyundo and Eunbin for lunch. I gave a small gift to both of them as a sign of gratitude and they gladly accepted, unbeknownst to them, it was more than just a present. The watches I gave have trackers and mics implanted inside and all I had to do was be patient.

She suspects nothing, she's that naive. Now, let's get going before she knows more.

The voice was painfully familiar and I was straining to make myself believe that it wasn't who I think it is. Carried away by emotion, I sped to Sol's shop to tell him of my discovery and to ask for advice but when I walked past the rusty metal door, trouble followed. Everything was in slow motion, Sol going in front of me and shielding me from a rain of bullets. There were eighteen shots in total and it came from one direction, meaning there was just one gunman. The old man fell on the ground and blood seeped its way out of his body and onto the floor. I was shaking him, in hopes of waking him up but he laid there, lifeless.

I looked up and shot to the direction where the bullets came from and I heard the man groan in pain, three bullets made it to him. My attention returned to the corpse before me and a tsunami of emotions shook me. The only friend of my parents that I knew was dead and I was about to kill the killer. Casting light upon the tied man, he woke up and looked around. Fear caught up with him the moment I shoved my gun inside his mouth after I tortured information out of him, blood splattering on my face.

A life for a life.

With this, I fulfill my creed.

It was all too much for me to process. Clearing my head through driving didn't work and if it wasn't for a stoplight, I wouldn't notice the graze wound on my arm. I made it back to my place by night and things started to become clear for me, all of it one by one, tearing through the seams of my sanity. Letting out the anger, I threw things around with the strength left in me, I went upstairs just to do the same.

Of all the human beings alive, why does it have to be him. The one who I thought would shed light and hope upon everything, someone whom I trust was someone who wanted to ruin me all along. The truth was too much to bear and the agony was beyond imagination. Looking back at my life, I questioned what did I do to deserve all of this, to be born into a clan of killers, to be betrayed, and to be taken of people to love.

Am I my parent's fault?

Or is it just because I was born unlucky?

What reason could be there?

Is my life even justifiable?

I couldn't care less of the physical pain, all I wanted to do was be mad and break things until I run out of energy or blood. I laid down my bed and the next thing I know, Taeyong was letting me drown his shirt of my sadness. " Don't worry, darling, I'm here. " he said as his hands rest on my shoulders.

" I sent the others downstairs so you should let it all out. "

" I j-just did. "

" Okay, do you need anything else? " if I was honest, he was the only one I needed to get through anything but the sting in my heart constricted me, tightening my embrace around his waist.

What would I do without you, Taeyong?