A piercing gust of wind slapped her in the face, jolting her awake to face the cold nature of reality. The scene before her was predictable to such an extent that it was almost pitiful. As per usual, it was a stereotypical abandoned warehouse, along with the materialised form of its associations. She detected a stinging sensation curling around her wrists, steadily suffocating the smooth layer of skin that lay beneath.

“Finally awake, are we?” an amused croak vibrated throughout the spacious hall.

A corner of the girl’s lips threatened to twitch upwards. Her eyes marched towards the unfamiliar figure hovering above her, and bore into it, completely unfazed. Instead, she poured all her attention to the peaceful sound of raindrops dancing on the old tin roof. They were tasting the joys of freedom she could only ever dream of, in such a carefree manner that made her heart pang from jealousy.

Rhythmic footsteps steadily circled her entrapped body, mimicking the eager movements of a predator. He could almost smell it on her, the thick wad of cash that would soon land in his dirty, greedy hands. After craning his neck towards her he let out a series of gleeful chuckles, immediately revealing tobacco stained teeth, and a foul stench that had been held hostage inside the walls of his mouth.

“Not a big talker are you, little girl?” his eyes twinkled with excitement, “Don’t worry, it’s not you I’m interested in. It’s the nice sum of money you’ll fetch me.”

A hearty round of laughter escaped his dry, chapped lips. The deluded man was joyfully basking in a ray of happiness, unwaveringly confident in his flawed plan and judgement. He had underestimated her, just like all the other lowlife kidnappers. Or perhaps disgusting and pathetic excuses for a human being would be a more appropriate term to describe them. She was a girl, yes, and not a physically strong one at that. However she was clever, perceptive, and most of all, she held the title of Baek Minhee, daughter of B. S. Corporation, and that was all she needed.

Words were unnecessary. The look in her eyes said it all: You’re doomed.

The brief glint that had surfaced upon her face didn't leave. Eerie silence engulfed them both, causing his unkempt eyebrows to furrow into a tight ball. Heat crept up his face and dissolved through the veins. There was a moment of absolute stillness. Pearls of perspiration started to form as he stared at her, properly this time, and carefully observed her lack of movements. Something wasn’t right. The girl was calm... far too calm.

“You-” he froze, “What are you up to? You better tell me now before I do something, and I will, okay? I’ll hurt you. You don’t want that now, do you? So tell me. Come on, tell me before I rip that smirk off your face!”

“Oh I don’t believe anything of that sort will be happening anytime soon - my pride simply will not allow it,” a deep, male voice emerged from the dark shadows. The man was shoved mercilessly to the ground, before he even had the chance to register the sudden attack.

Echoes of desperate protests sliced through the damp air and bounded off the worn down building. The girl followed the familiar figure’s effortlessly swift movements, and traced along the outlines of his lean body. Defined muscles teasingly protruded through the restrictive piece of fabric, causing a fluttering feeling to stir inside of her. He was blocking off the man’s amateur attacks with ease, and with a level of fluidity that never failed to amaze her. Her mesmerised eyes grazed past a defined jaw line and paused when they met someone else’s.

He was like a black hole that her in, and she hated it. She hated how she always found herself staring at him. She hated that he was beginning to make her feel something, when she really didn’t want to – after all, he would never be hers.

“Minhee, I know I’m a handsome guy but you can stare at me some other time,” a playful smile plastered itself on his face.

She chuckled without missing a single heartbeat, “You’re late, Oh Sehun. What kept you?”

“Hey, don’t be a disrespectful brat. You should call me ‘Oppa’, especially since I took the effort to deliver him your message,” a haughty scoff followed. The latter part of his speech triggered her lips to purse together into a firm line.

A quiet whisper of hers accompanied the noisy splashes surrounding them, “And what did he say?”

The absence of his words spoke more than enough. A flash of disappointment couldn’t help but fall across her eyes, and in that exact moment, clear liquid started leaking through scattered holes of the broken shelter. Drip, drop, drip, drop. The soft rain had barely managed to plant kisses on her milky skin when they were shielded away.

“Come on,” he urged, “Let’s go home.”

Home, she thought bitterly.