√ 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 // 𝐻𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝐻𝑦𝑢𝑛𝑗𝑖𝑛

thirty two.

     Tiny glass shards flew into Nari's shoeless feet, stinging as they embedded themselves in her skin. The mild pain roused her, and the scream she had been building up tore out of her throat, her feet stumbling back as she struggled to pull Jeongin away from the intruder.

     "Jeongin, run!" she cried, tearless sobs of panic wracking her chest.

     The intruder, who turned out to be a man, stepped through the floor to ceiling window, his knees brushing the edges of the frame, causing stray glass to tinkle down to the floor.

     He hefted the knife in his hand, an eyebrow going up as he took in Nari and Jeongin's presence. His features as he walked into the light were prominent and dark, his face just as harsh as the display of strength he had just shown.

     A low rumble left his chest as he laughed. "I know I came to find a traitor, but I didn't expect a treat to fall into my lap as well."

     Nari sobbed again, tugging aimlessly at Jeongin's arm to no avail. He was stiff as a rock, unyielding to her begging.

     The man suddenly stalked forward, startling Nari. There was a certain light in his eyes that chilled her blood, and she couldn't bear the thought of him touching Jeongin.

     Nari shoved the boy behind her, fanning her arms out meekly as the man looked over her. Jeongin fell to the ground, still in a trance like state. The man seemed amused by her attempts to protect the bigger boy, and chuckled. One of his hands shot out, fisting in Nari's hair to bring her face closer to his.

     Nari shrieked, hands scrabbling over his hold on her. As his mouth got close to her ear, she grunted in effort to reach something at her hip.

     "You seem feisty," he snarled, tightening his grip on her hair, curling his fingers though the strands. "How exciting. I wonder, how would you look if - "

     A resounding bang shocked the room, and Nari fell from his grasp, thumping down with a huff. She scooted backwards toward Jeongin, watching with venom filled eyes as the man yelled in pain, awkwardly falling to the ground to cradle the foot she had just shot.

     "You bitch."

     His seething eyes found hers, and the pure rage that filled them, the unrestrained bloodlust, scared her more than words ever could. Nari grasped Jeongin's hand once again.

     "Jeongin, run," she urged, desperation creeping into her voice. "Please."

     But the boy's mind was gone, and he stared blankly ahead, eyes not focusing on anything in particular. Nari's hands fumbled for the pistol again, having dropped it when she fell.

     The man beat her to it. His deft fingers slipped over the cold metal quickly, whipping it up and knocking Nari's forehead back with the barrel.

     She grimaced, tears leaking out of her eyes as she waited for him to pull the trigger, for the bullet to enter her and end her life. The feeling of the metal shifting over her skin was actually kind of comforting, a solid sensation on the brink of darkness.

     Nothing happened.

     Nari opened one eye, peering around the weapon to see why the man hadn't pulled the trigger already.

     His tongue was poking a corner of his mouth, and he appeared to be in thought, some of his teeth glinting as he smirked. Carefully, the man stood, gazing lazily down at the girl.

     "I was going to kill you for pissing me off," he started, inspecting the gun leisurely as he spoke. "But I have something worse in mind."

     Without warning, the man swung the butt of the gun around and down onto the back of Nari's head. Pain exploded through her skull, and she collapsed onto her back, moans of pain leaving her lips.