There's a bit of a trigger in this chapter. But don't worry, it's nothing too bad! It doesn't need to be rated 'M' yet, so just keep that in mind when reading this chapter.

“That would be me,” another deep voice all but purred. My knees buckled and I nearly fell to the ground, but the hands that rested on my shoulders quickly caught me around my torso, trapping me against a lean body.

The person holding me chuckled, his breath tickling my ear. “C’mon now, baby. Don’t lose your footing over me,” his voice sent shivers down my spine, which he no doubt felt—humiliating me even more. I would have found his voice rather attractive had it not been under such frightening circumstances.

I felt one of his arms leave my body and a rustling of clothes behind me. “W-w-what are you—?” I tried to say but was cut off feeling something cold and hard press against my back. My heart nearly stopped beating as my breathing quickened and tears prickle at the corner of my eyes. What was this guy doing? What the hell did I do!?

I heard him click his tongue and laugh, his lips brushing against my earlobe. His head was resting on my shoulder, I duly noted. “Why don’t we get outta here and go someplace a little less crowded? Have some fun, yeah?”

I whimpered and shook my head, my bottom lip trembling. I didn’t want to find out what kind of ‘fun’ he wanted to have. I had an idea and I don’t really consider that fun, especially when there’s a gun pushed in my back.

“Oh, baby girl,” the guy purred out, pushing the gun further into my back and causing me to hiss. “I don’t think you have much of a choice. Don’t worry, I’ll play nice.”

“Pl-please—!“ I once again tried speaking, but my kidnapper cut me off . . . again. Only this time he was speaking to someone behind him.

“P.O.!” he called out, shifting his face away from me to speak to someone behind him.

“Yeah?” the same deep voice that belonged to Mr. Tall-Guy-Deep-Voice replied.

“Get me that bandana over there.” Bandana? Why would he need a bandana? I mentally scoffed at myself. Why would he need a bandana, ______? Go ahead, ask yourself that again, stupid.

 “Okay,” he told him, apparently grabbing the object in question. “Want me to cover her eyes?”

“Yeah,” and then I felt him shift his head back in my direction, his lips against my ear once more. “And don’t worry, baby. It’s just an act to help excite you a bit more.” He directed that last part at me and I couldn’t help but give a shaky laugh despite the situation.

 “Oh really?” I told him, my voice thick with my obvious fear. “I don’t think it’ll do much to be honest. I never was into that kind of stuff.” I played along, hoping to at least get on his good side even just a little bit.

He chuckled and removed his head from my shoulder, “But it’s a necessity.” I then saw Mr. Tall-Guy-Deep-Voice—also known as P.O.— step out in front of me with the bandana, then he tied it around my head blocking my vision. Then I felt the guy behind me start tugging, pulling me back in an unknown direction. It was then that panic really began to settle in. And oh, did it settle in.

“P-please, I don’t know what I did,” I begged. “But I was only trying to find my friend!”

Sir Kidnapper pressed on the gun he held on my back a little more, making me cry out. Damn it, I wish he’d stop!  

“Shhh, just keep quiet, okay?” he told me. “Hey, Taeil, I’ll need you to drive, so follow me out.” He called behind him again. I heard a faint but cheerful ‘okay’ then a shuffling of feet behind me. How can someone be so cheerful when a girl was getting kidnapped?

I choked out a sob as I was eventually led to a vehicle and forced to sit, the guy still holding onto me with his arm around my shoulders and a gun pressed to my side. At least it’s no longer in my spine. I guess that’s a small bright side to this situation.

I couldn’t help the tears that bulked up and pored over, soaking the bandana covering my eyes. I honestly didn’t know what I did. This has to be some kind of gang. Did I step into their territory? I can’t think of a ing thing that I did to land me in this situation!

Then it hit me.

Oh. The bartender.

Maybe she was involved with these guys and asked them to take care of me because of how I spoke to her? That’d be a really petty reason to want someone dead!

I guess this’ll teach me not to piss of random people. That is, if I live through this.

My breath hitched as I felt the guy’s arms tighten around my shoulders, his hand giving my right one a squeeze. I suppose it was meant to be comforting, but it was anything but that. ”Crying is pointless,” he spoke next to me, and I couldn’t help but flinch. “I may hate seeing girls cry, but when they’re in your situation they only serve to piss me off more.”

“What-what did I do?” I choked out.

I heard him laugh. “Playing dumb also won’t help you.” Playing dumb?

“I’m not—”

“Just shut the up,” he hissed. My breath caught in my throat and my heart nearly stopped in my chest. His words scared the hell out of me even more, forcing me to do as he said.

“Zico,” another voice called out; it sounded like it came from the driver’s side up front, so I could only guess it was that Taeil guy. No one else was in the vehicle, at least to my knowledge. But then again, what would I know? I’m blindfolded.

“Yeah?” my kidnapper, apparently named Zico, replied.

“Don’t you think you’ve scared the poor thing enough?” Thank god! Hopefully I can get him on my side; it would be a one-up and hopefully it’ll help me out of this situation.

Zico scoffed. “I doubt it. She’s still playing the innocent role. In my mind I haven’t scared her enough.”

“She’s shaking.”

“She’ll be all right.”

“But—“

“Enough!” Zico scolded, making me jump beside him. His outburst was unexpected. “Just be quiet; I’m getting a headache.” He finished in a calmer tone.

I heard Taeil chuckle—bastard, he should keep speaking in my defense, not chuckle! “Sorry, Leader.” Leader? So this was some gang. That thought alone nearly had me pissing myself. What kind of did I just get myself dragged into?

I felt the vehicle stop . . . along with my heart. Not really, but I was fearful for my life. What was going to happen once I was out of this vehicle? What would Zico do to me? Part of me didn’t even want to know.

“Do you want to me to wait in the car?” Taeil asked. Yes. Wait—no! Come with us wherever we’re going! Hah. Fat chance of that happening.

“No, you can go do whatever,” Zico replied as he began pulling me out of the vehicle. I actually managed to stand on my wobbly legs. I figured I’d collapse as soon as I applied any kind of pressure to them. God knows how long I can put up with this.

“What are you gonna do with her?” Taeil asked on my behalf. Let me go perhaps?

“What I usually do with girls like her,” he vaguely replied. What did he do with girls like me? Apparently not let them go. Prick.

 I heard Taeil give out a sigh and a soft ‘alright’ before I heard the car pulling away. I almost wanted to cry out for him to stay. At least he seemed like he had a heart. Well, apparently not a very big one if he was going to let me get killed, beaten, or .

“C’mon,” Zico told me while tugging on my elbow. Gun on me or not, I obeyed, afraid of what would happen if I didn’t. I heard him open up a door, and based on the sounds of our footsteps echoing, I guessed we were walking down a hallway. We didn’t walk long and soon stopped at what I assumed to be another door, hearing him unlock something kind of gave it away. The creaking I heard when the door opened made my stomach drop and my body to freeze. I didn’t want to go in. I physically couldn’t go in; my legs were paralyzed with fear. I felt Zico lightly push between my shoulder blades, making the message clear. I know what he wanted me to do, but I could hardly stop myself as I turned around to face him (at least I hope it was the right direction) and beg for him to let me go.

“No, now move,” he hissed in irritation, causing a new wave of tears to swell in my eyes.

“Please!” I begged again, only this time I felt his hand roughly push against my chest, forcing me into the room and on my bum. Even though my fall stung, I ignored it and quickly ripped the headband off my head, glancing up at the loaming figure standing before me . . .

. . . And my breath caught in my throat. It wasn’t the fact that this guy was literally drop-dead gorgeous with his tan skin and blond hair. I couldn’t breathe because of the look he was giving me; a look of pure hatred. A look like I just seriously pissed in his cheerios. His stare was so cold—unfeeling—that it honestly caused my body to freeze on the spot. And I’m not speaking metaphorically like before, I’m being serious. I physically could not move. Nor did I think I would want to. I felt like any sudden movements would trigger a more violent side of him, and that was a side I wanted to stay locked way, way down where ever it was.

He stepped forward and slammed the door, making me flinch and finally get a reaction out of my body. The sound of the door locking caused me to cry out. I shrank back as he moved closer to me. I quickly glanced around my surroundings, noticing that someone must live here—most likely him. I was looking for something to defend myself with, but the only thing I found near me was a pair of shoes. So I threw one at him.

He dodged it and scowled at me. “in’ really?” he hissed.

“Yeah, and there’s more where that came from if you come any closer!” Really, _____? Is that the best you can come up with.

Zico apparently thought the same thing and rolled his eyes. “Oh, that sounds so terrifying.” Wow. Way to be a sarcastic when you’re scarring the hell out of an innocent girl.

“Just let me go!” I yelled at him, trying to sound brave but my voice only cracked. Great.

“Not until you tell me where ’s my money at,” he hissed. Money? What ing money?

“What are you talking about? I didn’t take your money!”

“Like hell you didn’t!”

“You’ve obviously got the wrong person here, genius!”

Zico laughed dryly and ran his hands through his short blond hair. “Don’t play dumb, you . Just hand over my money, tell C.A.P. he’s in’ dead, and we’ll call it a night.”

My face twisted up in confusion. Who was he talking about? “What do you mean? Who and what’s a C.A.P.?”

Zico sighed and pulled out his pistol and cocked it. I flinched at the sound. He his lips before speaking, “Look, I really don’t like threatening girls or hurting them, but I’ll be damned if I let some e steal from me. Especially a Teen Top .”

This time my face twisted up in disgust. Did he honestly think I was a e? Oh, hell to the no. I gave him the dirtiest glare I could muster up and hissed out between my teeth: “Listen here, you moron, you’ve obviously got your information wrong in that thick skull of yours—“

“You’re talkin’ pretty big for a who has a gun pointed at her.”

I snapped after that. My anger began overriding my fear of this guy. “Stop calling me that!” I screamed, causing him to scowl. “You’ve got your wrong because I don’t even know who this C.A.P. is nor am I a damn e! If you wasn’t so ignorant and blind-sided by whatever the hell it is, then you would’ve already noticed this by now. Now, stop this stupid, mindless bull crap and let me go!” Okay, maybe insulting my kidnapper and calling him names wasn’t the best way to go, but what would you do if you were accused of some crap like this?

Zico glared, twirled the pistol in his hand and began to walk closer to me saying, “All are perfect liars.” My heart skipped and my breathing became labored. Just the site of him twirling his gun like that nearly made me pee my pants. Oh, wait. I think I may have dribbled a little. Fan-ing-tastic.

The fear returned to the pit of my stomach giving me the motivation to scramble to my feet and try to run. Zico was quicker and had snatched me by my elbow and pulled me against him. I cried out and tried hitting him, but he pinned both my arms with his own. So I began to kick as he started pulling me through his house and into a room; all the while, I was spitting curse words like crazy at this guy. But everything I did was pointless. He was taller and stronger than I, so I was at a huge disadvantage. Jesus, why didn’t I take those taekwondo lessons when I was younger? I could have at least had a fighting chance to beat this guy! I could be whipping out some cool tricks right now if I hadn’t been so lazy back then.

He roughly threw me on a bed, making me bounce and twist, but I was quick to retaliate. As soon as he began to crawl up to me, I kicked at him, trying to land a hit somewhere. He tried grabbing at my legs, but I managed to kick him in his shoulder, causing him to hiss. I felt like I gained an upper hand, but when I went to kick him again both my ankles were caught in a bruising grip.

I cried out and tried kicking him off, but it didn’t work. Nothing was working! I screamed in frustration and fear, throwing my head back as he climbed on top of me. Tears burned in my eyes as a choked cry escaped my throat. I didn’t want this! Why did I listen to Que-Min and come out tonight!? I could have been watching my favorite drama at this moment instead of being in this situation!

“C’mon, you little ,” he hissed in my ear, his grip on my wrists tightening. “Since you took my money, why don’t I at least get my money’s worth back by you doing your job? Why don’t you be the perfect you are and pleasure me like you’re supposed to?”

Tears poured out the sides of my eyes as I squeezed them shut. “Pl-please stop! Just please sto-stop this!” Jesus Christ. My voice sounded so broken. I kept on repeating for him to stop, thrashing as best and hard as I could as well. I didn’t know what else to do other than beg for him not to do anything. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I didn’t do anything! I tried my best for the past few years to stay away from all the gangs here in Seoul, and here I was being accused as a e who stole from one. How did I even end up like this? Why did I end up like this?

Nothing was working. Why was I so ing weak?! God, I’m so pathetic. What would Que-Min think of me—what would my parents think of me? How would they treat me knowing that I was branded as a e and sullied in the process? How would they react to their little princess then? Probably hate me. I know I would. Giving up is the best option apparently, since nothing I do is working. What if he kills me tonight? What would happen to my family then? They would miss me, but I don’t want my parents having to go through the pain of burying their child.

I cried out again and just stopped. I kept muttering ‘please’ and ‘just stop’ but Zico just gripped at my shirt. Panic didn’t even seize my heart then; I guess I just came to terms about what was happening.

“Please, I didn’t do anything,” I tried—pathetically—again to get him to stop. My voice was just a whisper as I finished with: “Please.”

I never thought I’d find myself in this situation. I read about it on the news all the time, but never actually thought I would be in the same place as all those poor girls were. I guess tomorrow or in a few days I’ll just be another face on the television screen when they find my body. I was ignorant and thought nothing bad would happen; I was wrong, so very wrong. I wish I would’ve listened to Mom when she asked me to move back a year ago. I told her no because I was starting my new job at the pet store, that I was already living a comfortable life in Seoul. I would’ve had to put up with my annoying brother, but at least I wouldn’t be in this situation now. Or would I? This stuff happens everywhere all the time. We just normally brush it off because it never happens to us. It’s always happening to other people and other families, so we hardly ever think about it for more than a few seconds and then move on with our day. Wow, the world really is dark.

Wait—what? Did Zico stop too? I noticed the man in question was stock-stiff on top of me, so I cracked an eye to see what was going on. I couldn’t see his face because it was buried in my shoulder, but I could feel his entire body tremble. What could be up with him? Has he finally seen the error in his ways and is going to let me go?

I then felt his iron grip on me loosen then give way all together. He quickly made his way off of me and turned around, muttering what sounded like curses under his breath. I didn’t care what he was doing, as long as he wasn’t touching me. I quickly sat up and curled my legs up to my chest, watching him as he ran his hand through his hair several times. Despite nothing really happening at the moment, I couldn’t help the tears that still ran down my face. I wonder how pathetic I looked. But then again, I was in a very stressful situation.

He quickly turned around to face me, his face set in a hard stare as he looked me up and down. I didn’t know what his next move would be, but I kept my body ready for anything. If he lunged my foot was connecting with his face or his crotch. And maybe my teeth in his shoulder or arm. I was ready, , bring it. Him moving off of me gave me a little motivation to fight back. If he was killing me tonight, he wouldn’t leave scar-less.

But he did the opposite of what I thought. Actually, he didn’t really do anything, it was the look he was giving me; like he regretted what he did or was going to do. Good. Feel bad, you .

“You’re not a e,” he bit out. I don’t know if it was a statement or a question or even if it was rhetorical, but by the gods I still answered anyway.

“That’s what I’ve been tr-trying to tell you,” I choked out, my voice softer than I’d like for it to be. Hey, cut me some slack here. I hate being the damsel-in-distress just as much as you hate reading it.

Zico ran his hand over his face again and sighed. “I’m sorry,”

I nearly choked on my spit. He’s sorry? For everything’s he’s put me through? I felt the rage boiling from the tip of my toes all the way to the tip of my head, and then I exploded.

“You’re sorry?” I spat at him, feeling more confident that he wouldn’t kill me at least. “You’re sorry after kidnapping me, holding a gun to my side for what felt like hours, for dragging me here, for scaring me less, and for trying to me? You’re sorry!? Just ‘sorry’!?” I was nearly screaming by the end of my rant. Actually, I think I was. Yeah, I was screaming. During my rant, though, Zico’s face grew darker and darker, and my last comment made him actually look offended.

“I wasn’t going to you, you stupid girl!” Now it was my turn to be appalled.

“Then what the hell do you call this!?” I gestured to everything around me, but the message was clear. “Throwing me on a bed and telling me to pleasure you isn’t exactly a slumber party, dillweed!”

He threw his head back and groaned. “I was just trying to scare you! I thought you were a e trying to steal money from me for some people I have problems with.”

I drew back in confusion. “I’ve never met you! I’ve never involved myself with any gangs throughout my entire life! How the hell did you come to the conclusion that I was a damn e!?” By now I probably looked hysterical, but I didn’t care. I was confused, scared, and pissed off.

Zico’s jaw was set while he gave me a hard look. “Apparently someone has it out for you.”

Huh? “What do you mean?”

He sighed again and took cautious steps and sat at the edge of the bed before speaking again. “A member of my gang got a tip tonight that a e that works for another gang was trying to steal money from my gang. The description of the girl we have is damn-near perfect to what you look like.”

I shook my head. “You’re mistaken. I’ve never involved myself with anything of the sort.”

Zico rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone from his pocket. He brought up his message screen and showed me a text of the description of the girl he was looking for. I was shocked. Utterly shocked. Even though I just read the text, Zico still read it off: “163 cm tall; long brown, slightly wavy hair; pale skin; wearing black shorts and a white top. Looks to me like that’s you.”

I was breathless as I registered what he just told me.

What the hell am I getting in to? Who did I piss off enough to want me dead?