Her fists curled as she looked behind her, Johnny was in pain. The guards were starting to check on Taeyong’s wounds.

She could already hear loud sirens from the ambulances, her lips quivered as she looked at Taeyong again.

“Taeri!” She heard Jaehyun calling for her, she felt someone pull her away just as two ambulances arrived.

“Noona, are you okay?” Mark called for her, Taeri looked up, her jaw tight.

“Cousins.” She breathed, Lucas made her face him.

“Are you okay?” He asked her, his eyes searching hers.

“They’ve done it. I’m not playing fair now.” She spat as she brushed Lucas away.

“Taeri,” Jaehyun warned, Taeri met his gaze evenly.

“Chan and Shownu are cousins. Before this, Chan called me up, he wanted to grab lunch together.” She exhaled.

“And I accidentally told him where I was going.”

Lucas halted, Taeri closed her eyes briefly.

“Agasshi, young master Lee managed to shoot the male too. It was probably his left arm.” A guard spoke, Taeri looked up and saw Mark get inside the ambulance, she could Taeyong being tended by the emergency response team.

“Good, Doyoung oppa?” She called.

“I’ll have all hospitals within in the area checked if they receive any gunshot wound patients.” He replied before taking out his phone, Lucas saw Lucas being wheeled in another ambulance.

“Somebody has to accompany Mark, please don’t do anything crazy.” Jaehyun faced her.

“Just go.” Taeri spoke, Jaehyun nodded and walked away from them, seconds later a black Mercedes Benz AMG was seen speeding away from the hotel.

“Taeri, he’s going to be fine. Hyung’s~”

“I don’t need to hear that he’s going to be fine. I need to know where those heads are hiding.” She snapped, Lucas paused.

“Taeri, don’t be~”

“They already hurt three of us. What do you want me to do? Be rational?”

“Any move you make right now may blow your cover, Taeri. So, let me do it.”

“ my cover, Lucas.” She hissed before walking towards her car.

“Any news on Taeri?” Jaehyun asked as he stepped in the suite, Johnny was still in the operating room, two bullets had hit him in the arm while Taeyong was grazed by a bullet on his waist.

“No, her phone’s off and she yanked out the locating device on her car, our men found it by a park.” Lucas nodded, he crossed his arms and glanced Taeyong again.

“This wont be good.” Jaehyun murmured softly.

“Taeri…the look on her eyes, hyung. It..was scary.” Lucas spoke.

“I don’t know if you heard but, Taeri is actually worse than Taeyong hyung.”

“I know, I figured that much when she had that truck delivered just to frighten the driver.”

“Whoever’s behind this, they might actually just die.” Jaehyun walked to the windows.

“What happens now, hyung?”

“You and Taeri will have to step up.” Another voice joined, Jaehyun glanced behind him.

Doyoung walked into the room.

“Johnny hyung’s okay now, his room is just down the hall. Mark’s watching over him.” He informed the two.

“I know you and Taeri are up to something. You probably know more than us.” Doyoung spoke, Lucas stilled.

“But I think it’s time we have clear things up. Set a meeting.”

Jaehyun nodded.

“And you, look for Taeri. You’re the only one who can reach her right now.” Doyoung said to Lucas before leaving the room.

Taeri let out a shaky breath and stared at the river before her. Han River was a little crowded today but it didn’t bother her. News of a shooting incident was already spreading like wildfire in the country and she knew that it was only a matter of hours before it will be wiped out from the Internet. That was how the mafia worked, details about the victims shall never be exposed. Especially when it came to the prime members.

“G—Go back inside, Taeri.”

She closed her eyes and crossed her arms.

“They’re cousins. Shownu is probably behind the drugs too.” She said to herself.

“But, why does this Jo Jinhyuk’s name always pop out?”

“You will probably find answers if you started talking with the hyungs.”

She glanced behind her, there was a hooded figure with a white baseball cap on making her way towards her.

“How are they?”

“Both are out of the operating room.” Lucas replied as he stood next to her.

“Good.”

Lucas glanced at her, his forehead creased before nudging her side.

“Why are you out here? It’s not safe.”

“Maybe if they already had my head this wouldn’t have happened.” She stated, Lucas sighed.

“We’ll probably kill them before they try.” He replied, she shook her head at him.

“I..could have stopped this, Lucas. But I made a mistake, I forgot…I forgot who I was talking with,” She choked, Lucas faced her and gently pulled the girl to his chest.

“This is all my fault. Yuta oppa, Johnny oppa and even my brother. I almost got them killed just because I wanted to snoop around my ex.”

“Taeri, it’s not your fault. They always wanted to fight. They just needed an opening, and they see you as a weakness. That’s why this is happening.” He explained, Taeri just pressed her forehead against his chest, he could feel the front of his shirt getting damp.

“But you’re not, you’re our hidden card. You’re our princess.” He said softly, Taeri looked up to meet his gaze.

“You’re the only one who can pull this off. That’s why we, I need you back.” He said as he cupped her cheeks, Taeri exhaled.

“I’ll them everything later.” She nodded softly, Lucas smiled.

“That’s my girl.” He said before pulling her back to the car.

“How did you get here?” She blinked as she noticed there was no other car around them.

“I rode my magic carpet, come on.”

“Not funny.” She deadpanned before getting inside the vehicle, Lucas gave her a wink before closing the door. Then he turned behind him, there was a black sedan parked right across them. He saw the driver get inside the car in a rush and it started to drive away.

“Idiots.” Lucas muttered under his breath before going to driver’s side of the vehicle.

Yuta glanced over his friends worriedly, there were still bloodstains on Mark’s shirt from earlier and Doyoung looked stressed out.

“Lucas and Tee are already on their way.” Jungwoo spoke.

“Well? What do we have?” The eldest asked.

“We haven’t been able to track down the shooter, but we are sure that Taeyong hyung shot him somewhere on his left side, probably his left shoulder.” Jaehyun spoke as he sat down and loosened his tie.

“This can’t go on, hyung. They’re attacking us one by one.” Jungwoo stated from his seat.

“We have to come up with a plan, we have to find out who’s~”

The doors opened, Taeri walked in.

“Taeri~” Jungwoo paused when the girl sat next to him and silently leaned against his shoulder. Lucas stepped in and sat down across Jaehyun.

“I..I have something to say.” Taeri spoke, Lucas bit his lip.

“That incident where Lucas was stabbed, in Bukchon.”

“It was a trap, right?” Doyoung spoke.

“Yes, we found out that District 9 was behind it. I asked Lucas to keep it from you guys, so, if you want to yell at him, don’t.”

The room turned quiet.

“Tee, if this is about Chan and~”

“I got back with Chan because I noticed something fishy. That’s why I’ve been sticking close to them, I needed info.”

“Taeri, what are you saying?” Yuta was confused.

“Oppa, everything…they seem to be connected.” She stated, Jungwoo looked at her.

“The driver of the truck, he works for Kihyun. Kihyun is one of Shownu’s friends.”

“The Southern gang.” Doyoung nodded.

“The driver said that it was Shownu’s orders to have someone track Yuta oppa and..harm him.”

“Tee, I don’t see how this is connected with District 9.”

“No, you don’t understand. District 9 has been funding Hong Gilbae to promote drug activity.” She stood up and exhaled.

“Guess who’s funding District 9?”

The room had gone still, Yuta sat up and winced slightly as he jostled his leg.

“What are you trying to say, noona?” Mark finally spoke up.

“Shownu and Chan are cousins. Does it seem connected now?”

Doyoung looked at Yuta, the latter was biting on the insides of his cheeks.

“It just dawned to me today, oppa. Right before the shooting happened.”

“Why did you run out earlier?” Jaehyun asked, Taeri bit her lip.

“Chan called me up earlier, I…accidentally told him I was meeting you guys…I—I’m sorry.” She stuttered, Mark sighed.

Taeri looked at her shoes.

“I’ll make this right, oppa. I’ll fix this.” She stated, Jaehyun stood up and shook his head.

“No, we will fix this, Taeri. You should stop meeting him now.” He said as he took her hands in his.

“We still have to check on one thing though.” She spoke softly, Jaehyun could see tears lining her eyes.

“What’s that?”

“Who shot Johnny and Taeyong oppa.”

The guys turned quiet, they all looked at Yuta.

“Arasso, we’ll assign that task to you.”

“What?” Lucas blurted, Jungwoo sent him a look.

“He’ll die in her hands!” Lucas protested, Taeri started to smile, pleased.

“There’s a small possibility of a motorcycle crushing an adult male.” Mark pointed out.

“We can always use the truck again.” Taeri shrugged before going back to her seat beside Jungwoo.

“Heol, I worked so hard to make dark Taeri go away, now they’re inviting her back.” Lucas grumbled to himself.

Taeri just playfully blew him a kiss.

“You catch bullets now.” Taeri spoke as she stood by the bed, her older brother moved slightly in his medicine induced sleep.

“We had to stitch his wounds, Taeri. But don’t worry, like young master Seo, they’re all pass the critical stage.” The doctor said politely.

“I know, uncle. Thank you.” Taeri faced Doyoung’s uncle and shook his hand.

“It’s hard running the family business, huh?” He asked as he gathered Taeyong’s records, all of their records were kept privately by the hospital.

“It’s challenging, uncle.”

“Be strong, Taeri-yah. If you need anything you know where to find me.” He patted her hand before leaving the room.

Taeri looked at her brother again, she bit his lip.

“I yelled at you so much, and yet you’d still get me out of trouble, what a way to make me feel bad.” She mumbled, then she placed her hand over his.

“I guess…I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being mean to you. Maybe, you were right. Bangchan is an .”

“But, don’t worry. Whoever shot you and Johnny oppa, I’ll make them chew bullets.” She said before leaving the room.

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