Jimin

I jolted up and gasped as I was covered with sweat. I looked around the dim room and realized everything was unfamiliar and as I frantically roamed my gaze, it finally hit me I was taken by the Red Circle and remembered Minjeong getting shot which probably triggered the dream I just had. Not knowing her condition just made me sick to my stomach but I didn't want to think that something worst had happened to her. Minjeong was strong, a single bullet wouldn't stop her and I knew for a fact she wouldn't leave me just like that. I knew she was okay. She needed to be okay, so when I returned, I wanted her to welcome me with open arms. With a renewed hope, I jumped off the bed and scurried towards the door with a frantic heart and tried to open it and as expected, it was locked.

"Help! Anybody!" I shouted, pounding the door at the same time, hoping someone would hear me or get some attention. I shouted again and again for help but it was for naught. I had no idea where I was but looking around, I got the feeling that I was in a hotel room or something.

I turned to my back and instantly saw light behind a thick curtain. I ran towards it, promptly pulling it aside revealing a sliding glass door leading to the balcony. I felt the hope inside me deflated as I slid the door and stepped out the balcony, scanning the surrounding highrise buildings.

"This can't be happening," I weakly mumbled as I walked towards the railing, looking down at the busy street beneath me. There was no way I could get out of here easily. Yes, I was still in the city but in a room on the top floor of a hotel which was not I expected. I thought they would put me into some abandoned warehouse or somewhere isolated but clearly I thought wrong.

I didn't want to think that last night would be the last time I got to see her. I refused to believe that this was where it was going to end.

I need to get out of here, fast!

It wouldn't be easy, but that was a good thing, as I didn't like easy. Taking a deep breath, I went back inside and took the metal chair before heading to the door. If breaking down the door would give me a chance to escape then I would gladly do so. Lifting the chair higher, I readied myself to strike and when I did, the knob turned at the same moment causing me to stop halfway and immediately stepped back, readying myself to attack whoever was behind the door.

The door swung open and to my surprise, a familiar smiling face greeted me.

"Hello Jimin." she greeted mischievously.

"Elle," I said through gritted teeth. Her smile broadened as she stepped inside, "Is that your way to greet your bestfriend?"

"You're not my bestfriend," I let go of the chair with a thud, "You never were."

"Right. You never treated me as one, instead, you treated me like I was your lap dog. If it weren't for my mission, to get close to you, I would have killed you already." I would have shivered hearing her say that but now I wasn't surprised anymore. I knew she was capable of killing me.

"What happened to you Elle? How did you become like...that? I remembered how you were back then. You used to be this shy and smart girl but you changed. Why?" remained close, her expression stayed the same as she strode to the sofa and sat on it.

"I suppose I could tell you, I don't have something to do anyway. You mind taking a seat?" I reluctantly took a seat across her but I didn't let my guard down, thinking that she might do something funny.

I eyed her warily as her eyes became distant, looking at an empty space. 

"Have you ever felt out of place? Like you don't belong somewhere," she started. I slowly shook but I understood where this was going. 

"I thought so," she continued.

"I was like a wallflower back then Jimin. It hurts when students made fun of me, and they didn't stop, no matter what I did, they kept on coming onto me. But you know what's worst?..." I gulped the lump forming on my throat as I stared at her.

"...Knowing that no one was there to save me from them, to comfort me when I was breaking...no one Jimin."

"What about Red? Or your parents?"

She snorted bitterly, "My parents? They're dead. And as for Red, we were separated while we were on the system, until she found me two years ago. Simple as that."

"Did she make you join the Red Circle?" I assumed.

She chuckled, "No Jimin. I was the one who forced her to let me join the organization. You could say I was desperate," she said smirking. The way she looked right now, it was as if she was proud of what she became.

"How could you throw your normal life just to be a killer Elle?" I retorted.

I may not know the kind of life she lived then but I knew she made the wrong choice of joining the Red Circle.

"Oh that's easy. I just hate my old life. I wanted people to notice me, I wanted them treat me more than I deserved. That's what I want and the Red Circle made it possible for me, I couldn't be more grateful."

"And in exchange, you kill for them. Elle, you're delusional."

Her lips twitched at my statement.

"You don't get to say that Yoo. You don't know what it's like to live my life. Red Circle changed me for the better and if I have to kill for them, so be it."

She is hopeless.

"I may not know what it's like living your old life Elle, but one thing's for sure...if I were you, I wouldn't want to be a killer and throw the normal life I have." Her expression instantly turned grim as she clenched her jaw, staring down at me. What I said probably hit a nerve on her.

"I think this conversation is over Jimin," she stood up

"Have fun on your own," she added bitterly. With one last glare she threw on my way, she turned her back onto me and strode to the door. With her back turned, I grabbed the small vase from the center table and followed her. I stopped in arms-length and struck her down without delay. The vase shattered the same time Elle dropped down to the floor.

"Sorry." Taking the opportunity, I walked past her but before I could reach to the door, I felt a tug on my foot causing me to fall on my stomach. I groaned in pain and looked over my shoulder where I saw Elle slowly lifted herself up.

"You're not getting out of here Jimin." she stated as she stood in her two feet.

I got up despite the subsiding pain and faced her.

"We'll see about that," I replied confidently although I wasn't certain I could defeat her, knowing she was more experienced than me. She didn't wait any second as she made her first move. I ducked down as her fist hit the empty space and managed to block her second punch. I countered a punch to her but as expected she blocked it.

"Not so fast," she commented, smirking. 

I growled at her taunting expression and threw a fist in her way but she quickly avoided my punch and closed the gap between us. Before I could comprehend what she was going to do, her knee connected to my gut which caused took my breath away. She didn't give me any time to catch my breath when she pulled me and threw me over the sofa. I rolled from the sofa to the floor, the move adding to my pain. Clutching my stomach, I coughed and groaned trying to get up.

"You're...worst than your sister," I managed to say while I was kneeling down.

She chuckled, "I get that a lot."

I forced myself to stand upright, wobbling a little as I turned to her.

"You're sick and delusional," I taunted.

"You'll regret saying that," she threatened before she kicked me causing me to stumble back and crashed to the glass center table. The impact made me shudder as shooting pains shot from my back to all the parts of my body. I could feel the prickling pain on my back and arms as tiny broken shards stuck on different places of my skin.

I didn't move for a minute as I tried to regain the control of my body. Everything hurt and as much as I wanted to lay still, I knew I shouldn't give up trying. I slowly and gently moved to my side, groaning in pain as every move caused shooting pains everywhere.

"Pathetic," she mumbled peering down at me. Oh how I loved to erase that smug grin in her face but sadly, I couldn't do it anytime soon.

"You...just got...lucky," I retorted while I was laying on my side, trying to ease my swirling vision. Her boots appeared on my line of vision seconds after and I forced myself to look up to her. 

"Nice boots," I added.

She smiled, bending down and held a fist of my hair. I gritted my teeth to stop me from shouting in pain as I forced my body to go along to where she was dragging me by my hair. With just a short distance where I was laying in, she let go of my hair and I fell helplessly to the floor. My body was too exhausted to move and I just laid on my back while throwing glares at her. It was what I could only do at the moment.

"Look at you now Jimin. Helpless and weak."

I smiled, ", atleast I'm nota killer." Her smile instantly vanished and curled her hand into a fist. She bent down and was about to throw a punch at me but stopped just inches from my nose when a voice erupted in the room. I quietly sighed in relief while I stared at the fist closed on my face.

"That's enough Eleanor." Elle pulled away and stood up and I looked to the source of the voice. Red was standing in the doorway, smiling. I never thought I would be thankful for her presence ever because if she hadn't stopped Elle, my nose would be broken by now.

"Thanks for ruining the mood sister," Elle said sarcastically.

"You're very much welcome. Now tie her up."

"Why?" Elle asked clearly confused.

"Because I said so," answered by another voice. My brows arched as I tried to search where the voice came from and as if on cue, a woman appeared from behind Red, wearing a long red tight dress. She was probably in her forties but damn she looked beautiful and when I clearly got a good look at her face, my mind suddenly clicked. She was that woman who appeared guns blazing at Junsu's when Ningning was kidnapped.

"Oh I'm so sorry Mother," Elle apologized and slightly bowed her head. It looked to me that she was acting like a lap dog right now.

"Mother? Elle, you said your parents are dead," I asked confused. I heard a soft chuckle making me snap my gaze back to the beautiful lady.

"You're funny for a Yoo, Jimin." she said and in any way, her voice was soothing.

Red smiled before clearing . "Jimin, meet the Red Circle's leader, The Mother." 

My jaw dropped, surprised by officially meeting the leader of the organization that was after my family.

"Now Elle, tie the Yoo girl for we are going to have so much fun."

Oh boy!

***

Minjeong

I woke up with an intense pain on my back and slowly lifted myself to sit up. My mind was clouded, I was disoriented at first, even I couldn't remember the events last night, how I ended up here in my bedroom in the white house, until few seconds later, the memory came crashing down on me. I remembered we were attacked by the Red Circle, Jimin was taken by them and I ended up getting shot.

I groaned when I was reminded by the stabbing pain of my bullet wound. As I thought of last night, seeing a gun was pointed at Giselle nearly stopped my heart, and between Jimin and her, I knew I had to save her first. I may be angy at her but I couldn't stand if something would happen to her. I still cared about her even if she lied to me big time.

My mind drifted to Jimin and how she looked so frightened as the lackeys forced her inside the van. I could vividly recall how I saw her gazed at me as if asking me for help and it pained me how I just let her go like that. That was why as of this moment, bringing her back would be my top priority and I wouldn't waste any minute as it would expose her to even more danger. I knew The Mother wouldn't kill her because she would use Jimin to get to her parents. All I was worried about was that she would probably hurt her to get information about their whereabouts.

It would be a matter of time before the Red Circle could get their hands on the Yoos.

Slowly getting off the bed, I treaded carefully to the door, not to strain too much to avoid more pain. Halfway through, the door suddenly opened, causing me to stop moving. Giselle stood on the doorway, glaring daggers at me while she crossed her arms. I had no idea what she was mad about but I didn't want to deal whatever it was as I didn't want to argue first thing I woke up.

I sighed defeatedly, "Look Gi, I don't want to ar-..." 

She didn't let me finish my sentence when she unexpectedly engulfed me in a hug making me bit my lower lip to keep the pain within and reluctantly put an arm on her back.

"Don't ever do that again Min babe," she mumbled as she started to sob. My forehead creased in confusion, trying to think what she was talking about.

"Don't ever take a bullet for me again," she added.

I let out a breath, "I had to. You could have died if that bullet hit you Gi."

She pulled away and stared at me with her tear-stained face. "So could you Minjeong. Do you have any idea how worried we were? You shouldn't have done that. You hate me remember?"

"I may be angry but I don't hate you Gi. Sure you hurt me for lying but that doesn't mean I have to let you die."

She breathed, "God you're...impossible."

I smirked although I didn't know in what way I was being impossible.

"Okay, let's get moving. We have to find Jimin," I said as I walked past her but she held my wrist making me turn to her.

"I found her, she's in a hotel..." I was about to ask her how she managed to locate her but she beat me to it,

"...Remember the necklace you gave her?"

Oh, right!

"But why in a hotel?" I queried as I knew Giselle knew The Mother. She arched her brows momentarily.

"Let's just say she likes to be classy."

"Well then let's not waste time." I promptly turned my back to her and walked out of the room.

"You can't be serious. You should be resting," she called from behind and then I heard a huge sigh as I slowly descended the stairs. She caught up beside me in silence which I was grateful for until we reached the base of the stairs. As I looked to the living room, I immediately spotted Ning peacefully sleeping on the couch.

"How is she?" I mumbled as I tilted my head to the couch.

"She fainted when she saw your blood in the parking lot and came around on the way here. She was worried sick about you and stayed all night looking after you. She just got her good night sleep." As my heart constricted for causing her s