I dashed downstairs, my heart continuing to pound. I had no time to lose.

I opened the door and ran my guts out down the street. I knew where they were. They were back at that stupid ing club, and doing who-knows-what to my little brother.

I will kill them. I will really kill them.

I was tempted to find Beast, but that would mean explaining my idiocy and facing their disappointment. And besides, they had MY brother. This was my fight. I couldn't let them get hurt because of this. I'll have to finish it myself.

Hyunseung would understand my feelings, I thought with a pang in my heart. I knew the danger I was rushing into. There was no telling I'll make it out alive. Once I save Baejun, I hope they'll forgive me.

The wind whistled in my hair, and my feet echoed off the pavement. I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands into fists, forcing myself to keep moving. There was no stopping now, even if I was rushing into my own death.

They will not get away with this.

************************

The red-light district was free of the normal es and such, since it was still daytime. However, the occasional gambler or drug addict was stumbling down the streets. They didn't even look at me as I passed them.

The club still had a bouncer in front of the entrance, even though there was no line-up. It was only four in the afternoon, for god's sakes.

As I went up to him, the bouncer smirked. "No entry allowed."

I punched him in the face. He fell to the ground, clutching his bloody nose, as I stomped inside, kicking the doors open like a true badass.

The entire club was completely empty. Except right in the middle of the dance floor was SHINee, waiting for me.

"Welcome back from your school trip, Red Lion-ssi," Jonghyun said, winking flirtatiously at me.

". You." I spat out. "Where is Baejun?"

"Who? That bratty kid?" Onew said in mock curiosity. He gave me a cheerful smile. "Hmmm, I dunno. Somewhere, I guess."

"WHERE IS HE?!" I screamed, losing my temper.

"Ouch, calm down, girl!" Key said, rolling his eyes. "So? Are you going to join us or not?"

"Are you kidding me?" I snarled, so angry I was shaking. "You hurt my friends, stressed me out for weeks, killed an innocent puppy, beat up my parents, and kidnapped my baby brother! THERE IS NO WAY IN ING HELL I WILL JOIN YOUR GANG!!!"

Minho sighed and took something out of his pocket. I froze when I realized he had just flipped open a switchblade.

Playing with the length of the blade calmly, he said, "Such a shame. Red Lion-ssi, you still don't realize the danger your friends and family are in, do you?"

I stared hard at the blade. "Did you hurt him?"

He rolled his eyes. "Quite dramatic, fire-hair."

"DID YOU HURT HIM??!!!"

"Maybe, maybe not." Minho smirked and pocketed the knife calmly. "You can go see him if you like." He pointed his thumb into the direction of the VIP room. "That is, if you can get through us alive."

I scowled darkly at them as they slowly surrounded me, aloof and calm as .

"Sorry about this, Red Lion-ssi," Taemin said in a fake apologetic smile. "But, you see, if you aren't willing to join us, we can't afford to have you around. If you joined up with the other gangs, we might be in trouble. But isn't it so much easier to just agree to be part of SHINee? Your friends and family will be safe and protected by us. We'll give you back your brother."

"I'll buy another dog for that girl," Minho added with a hateful smirk.

Jonghyun snickered and said in a mockingly sweet sing-song voice. "And I'll buy that other chick a new security system for her home."

They laughed and high-fived each other. I felt my anger reach boiling point.

I adjusted my gloves and took a deep breath, spreading my feet and keeping my gravity even.

"I'd rather die than join you tards," I spat.

Onew frowned in disappointment. "So be it, then. It was nice knowing you while it lasted, firehead." He snapped his fingers.

Instantly, they ran forwards. But I was ready.

Ducking down, I swung my feet and knocked Key off balance. He staggered, and I rolled out of the way as Jonghyun's foot landed on the spot my face was in a few seconds ago.

I pushed myself up and raised my arm to block a blow by Minho. I winced and felt a bruise well up where he hit. He was freakishly strong.

I felt something behind me and ducked just in time as Taemin swung at me. I was hoping he might knock out Minho himself, but Taemin expertly stopped his hand an inch from Minho's handsome face.

"Like people haven't tried that one on us before," Taemin rolled his eyes with a cute little laugh.

Something metal collided hard with the back of my knees and I lost balance, sinking down into a crouch. I looked up to see Onew casually spinning a baseball bat in his hand.

"We came prepared," he said with a smile.

"That's fighting dirty, you filthy gangsters," I snarled venemously. "It's already 5 men against 1 girl, and now you have bats? You should be ashamed of yourselves."

"We would be, if we were fighting a normal girl." He tilted his head to one side. "But since it's the infamous Red Lion......."

I dodged out of the way as the bat suddenly swung out at my face. I kicked at Jonghyun before he could reach me, but had to sacrifice my stomach to Key's blow. I gritted my teeth and blocked another punch from Minho. Taemin got my in the arm.

I had to admit, they were good. Better than any gang I battled in Pusan. With a sinking feeling of despair, I realized SHINee was right. In those years where I avoided fighting as much as possible, I was weak against the really merciless, cold-hearted ones. The gangsters back in Pusan were either underestimating my abilities because I was female, or they were scared less of me.

But SHINee.........they were smart. They didn't just fight as though it was a one-on-one battle, they worked together to land the hits. Key would distract me on the left, and Jonghyun would attack to the right. I would be so busy blocking Minho'S deadly punches, Taemin would slip past my defence. And then there was Onew, who could control that metal baseball bat as if it was an extension to his arm.

I started to lose energy. They were fast, strong, and merciless. Every single part of my body hurt, and I was certain every inch of skin was black and blue. I could feel something warm and wet trickling down my face, and I realized it was probably blood. Some was coming out of my mouth too.

I realized with a wave of panic that they were quickly gaining advantage. Five-on-one, baseball bat included. I couldn't go on.

I slowly sunk to my knees as all my strength left me. The pain was almost unbearable. The attacks ceased, and I could hear them laughing somewhere above me.

Jonghyun bent down and raised my chin. "Ouch, honey, your face looks bad." He tilted my head from left to right, as though he was inspecting the damage.

"Didn't we tell you?" Key sighed. "There was no way you could have beaten us."

"Are you sure you won't rethink our offer now, Red Lion-ssi?" Taemin asked, giving me an angelic smile.

I couldn't find any words. I wasn't even sure if my voice box was working. I felt nothing but pain, and my vision was blurry and dark. I felt like I was suspended in a pitch-black space, where I couldn't move anything. My consciousness kept flickering, but I refused to pass out.

"Well?" Minho said. "Join us, Red Lion."

I opened my lips and ran my tongue over hem slightly. They were dry and tasted like blood.

With a hoarse voice that could only speak above a whisper, I muttered, "Go yourself."

Minho sighed. "Onew hyung, guys, if you don't mind....."

"Sure." Taemin and Key grabbed my arms and hauled me to my feet. I sagged loosely due to gravity, without any strength or will to even try and stand on my own. Onew straightened up and raised the bat. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the inevetable impact.

Suddenly, there was a loud screeching sound. I opened my eyes and managed to turn my head towards the direction of the sound. Was that.........a car?

"What the --" Jonghyun started to say, before a car suddenly rammed through the club's window.

Sparks, wood, plaster, and glass shards scattered everywhere. I stared at the smoking, damaged car as the doors opened.

"Ringo!" I heard someone shout. Hyunseung?

"YOU ERS!!!" Was that Junhyung? What were they doing here?

"Beast?" Key narrowed his eyes at them. Jonghyun turned to me. "You ! You brought back up?"

I shook my head ever so slightly, my mind numb and my vision fading from black to normal and then back to black again. I stood up on my own two feet, my legs quivering. What were they doing here? How did they find me?

"YOU BASTARDS, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS!!!" And there was Yoseob, charging at the and pummelling the first person he saw.

And then it desolved into total friggin' chaos. SHINee was good, but Beast had the extra advantage. Not only that, they were working together just as much as SHINee was.

"Hold them off for a second!" I heard someone yell. My legs gave out, but a warm pair of arms caught me just in time. I focused my vision on Hyunseung.

"Hyun....." I managed to rasp out.

"Oh, god, Ringo, they hurt you so bad," he whispered, his beautiful eyes staring at me in concern. He gently placed me against a wall. "Just stay there and hold on, okay? We'll kill them."

He turned to leave, but I reached out to grab his sleeve.

"How did you............find me........?"

"Teen Top. They called us out. And Im Raehi filled us in. Ringo, how could you not tell us what was going on?"

I single tear fell down my cheek. "I'm......sorry....."

"We could have helped you, Ringo. We could have done this together." I felt his hand brush away my tear and a few streaks of blood off of my cheek. "You need to trust your friends a bit more, Apple."

And then he was gone, throwing himself into the fighting.

My consciousness was slowly fading, but my inside was as warm and fuzzy as a fireplace.

Friends.

That's right, they were my friends. How could I not trust them?

I guess I just didn't know how to say it. But I should have known. After all, the door opened for them a long time ago. Maybe it always has been open, yet I just couldn't find the words to invite them in.

I smiled softly to myself, before another thought entered my mind. I became fully conscious, and I slowly began to struggle towards the VIP room.

Baejun!

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