17: THINGS ARE NEVER EASY

"Dance," by offonoff

                “Are you seriously crazy?!” shouted Naeil, yanking her hand away.

                She pulled a little harder than she had intended, and Yoongi stumbled backward. He would have fallen to the ground, if not for Namjoon and Hoseok, who jumped up from their chairs to catch him. The exertion had almost made Yoongi pass out again. Looking at his face, somehow even paler than his usual pasty white, Naeil felt a pang of guilt. But she took another step backward, anyway.

                I should get out of here while I can.

                Naeil was about to take the chance and leave while they were distracted with Yoongi (apologies could come later), but Namjoon’s voice stopped her before she could step outside.

                “Wait! Naeil-ssi—that’s your name, right?”

                She hesitated at the door. “Yeah, that’s my name. Ji Naeil.”

                With the others working to get Yoongi back in bed, Namjoon stood up and approached Naeil. He looked cautious.

                “Look, we…we’re not just joking around with you. We’ve been where you are before. These are some bad people. They’re probably swarming around Seoul looking for you and Yoongi right now. You saw those men. Do you think we’re just making this up?”

                Naeil’s brain hadn’t completely registered the reality of the situation yet. Everything that had happened was almost too real to process. Those were real men across the streets, with real scowls and real guns and—

                Naeil gasped. “Sungchul!”

                “Sung-who?” said Taehyung, confused.

                “My—my opp—friend,” Naeil explained, fumbling through her pockets to pull her phone out. “The friend who came with me!”

                There were eleven missed calls from Sungchul. She smashed the call button, tugging on her lip anxiously as she hoped the ringing sound would be interrupted by the sound of Sungchul’s voice.

                “Yoongi-ssi said he was fine but…”

                “Naeil-ah?!” came Sungchul’s excited voice.

                “Oppa!”

                Hoseok raised an eyebrow, leaning over to Taehyung. ‘Oppa?’ he mouthed.

                “Naeil-ah!” His voice was fuzzy but loud, loud enough that others in the room could hear. “I—God, I was so worried, Naeil-ah! Are you okay?”

                “Me? What about you?! I heard a gun go off!”

                “The first one was aimed at you.”

                “They missed.”

                He sighed into the phone. “I hoped so. Thank God.”

                “What about those other shots?”

                “One of them shot at that guy that showed up. He shot back and nailed one in the shoulder. I don’t think it killed him but it knocked him down. I managed to wrestle the other thug to the floor. But what about that guy that helped us? I thought he got shot too, but he seemed to be running just fine. He said he was going to go get you, but neither of you came back.”

                Naeil hesitated, looking up from the phone at the couch where Yoongi was lying, out again. Shallow breaths came from his open lips. The other boys were looking up at her now. Something in Naeil’s gut stirred uncomfortably.

                “Yeah. Yeah, I guess he did run just fine. But you’re right, he got hurt. I think he’ll be okay though. Some friends of his took care of him.”

                “Some friends of his? Not the hospital?”

                “Well…I guess…”

                Why hadn’t they gone to a hospital? Wasn’t it because…it wasn’t safe to stay in Seoul?

                “Naeil-ah?”

                “Oppa, did you call the police?”

                “Actually, I did, but…something seemed weird about it. I mean, I waited at the church with Pastor Lee for hours, but no one ever showed up.”

                “Oh…I guess…I guess that’s…”

                “Naeil-ah? Yah, Naeil-ah, where are you, anyway?”

                Taehyung’s head shot up. He had heard what Sungchul asked, and was shaking his head vigorously, telling her not to say.

                “Um…wait a sec, oppa.”

                Naeil put her finger on the phone receiver and held it away from .

                “Look, guys—”

                “What happened?” asked Jimin, looking around impatiently.

                “He wants to know where she is,” murmured Taehyung.

                “Who?” asked Jimin.

                Namjoon looked at Naeil, locking eyes with her. “Please. This is the only safe place we have.”

                “But I’ve got to say something. Everyone will be worried.”

                “Do you still not understand the extent of what’s going on here?”

                Naeil sighed. “It’s just—I hardly feel comfortable here, by myself with five guys that I barely know. No one else knows where I am.”

                “Hyung just saved your life,” cried Namjoon. “Do you really think we’re the sort of guys that would hurt you like that?”

                Naeil hesitated. Yoongi had saved her life? It was true, wasn’t it? She hadn’t even stopped to think about that yet. She and Sangchul would—they would be dead right now if he hadn’t shown up. Her eyes wandered back over to the couch where Yoongi was sleeping. Why had he done that? She was still so unsure of anything when it came to him, but…it had to mean something that he risked his life…didn’t it?

                “Naeil-ah? Naeil-ah? You still there?”

                “Yeah,” said Naeil slowly, still looking at Namjoon and the other boys. “Yeah, I am. I…we ran away pretty far and I couldn’t make it home. So I’m staying with a friend tonight. I’ll see you at church next week, okay?”

-------------------

                Naeil wasn’t sure if she was asleep or awake. At some point, she had stopped feeling the rough fabric of the blanket Taehyung had given her, or the vague scent of male musk mixed with the saccharine sent of laundry detergent, or the hardness of the floor through the thin mat. But somehow, she was still vaguely aware of the soft breathing and growly snores reverberating through the house. Then, the sound of a door, creaking slowly open. Her eyes fluttered but did not open.

                “Yoongi …” she heard someone whisper. And again, “Yoongi-yah.”

                Feet padded past her mat and to the couch behind her.

                “Yoongi-yah, are you asleep?”

                A snort. “Not anymore, idiot.”

                Someone stirred, pushing sheets aside.

                “Aigoo, you really got shot, then?”

                “Shhh. Who told you?”

                “Taehyung.”

                “You shouldn’t have come, hyung. Don’t you have classes tomorrow?”

                “Doesn’t matter, I’ll be fine. I’m glad to see you’re not dead.”

                “Yet.”

                “What about the girl?”

                “What about her?”

                “Is she…okay, too?”

                Silence.

                “Well?”

                “Hyung, you know things are never that easy when it comes to Sa Hyeo Pa.”

                “So it really was them…”

                “I thought I was finally done with them. But it looks like it really is impossible to escape. And now she’s caught up in this mess, too. I just don’t know how she’s going to take it. I just…I don’t know.”

Author’s Note

Brownie points to anyone who can guess who the last person was (it should be fairly obvious I think, process of elimination).

So, I have un question, if you guys could (pretty pretty pretty pretty) please let me know, because I’m trying to figure it out myself……………….

How are Naeil and Yoongi interacting as characters? Do you think they have an interesting dynamic, or do they seem flat, unnatural, etc.?

I really value and rely on your feedback. If you've been around then you know I'll take it seriously and change the direction of my story/characters when I get helpful critique :)