Jimin
*Two months later*
I walked into the gym room along with Jungkook and Taehyung. I pushed the door open only to be welcomed by the sound of swords clanging together. The sound made me shudder as we walked into the room and found Hanuel training with Yeonjun.
‘Wah look at that. He’s gotten so much better, hasn’t he?’ Jungkook exclaims, almost sounding proud of the kid.
‘I’m not exactly surprised when it’s her training him. She doesn’t allow room for mistakes,’ Taehyung commented with half a laugh.
‘Definitely, she’s a harsh teacher, but then again, it’s for his own good. He really has improved though. His posture improved and so have his stance and grip,’ I said, observing the technical aspects.
‘Just as has his confidence,’ Taehyung said with a smile as we reached them and decided to watch. Yeonjun seemed to notice us as he stopped to greet us.
‘Hi hyungs, wh—OW!’ he yelled as Cherry hit him in the arm, causing him to turn around and rub at this arm. ‘Yah! Noona why did you do that? It will bruise!’ Yeonjun said as he almost pouted at her while she rolled her eyes.
‘You can’t get distracted Yeonjun,’ she said rather sternly. ‘Go drink some water and get a shower. You stink,’ she said with a mischievous smile.
‘Only because you worked me so danged hard,’ Yeonjun whined but one glare from her was enough to make him straighten up and lose the teasing look. ‘I meant, yes ma’am. Of course,’ he said as he chuckled before he returned to the bench.
Ever since that whole ordeal with Domina Rosa, their relationship changed a lot. At first, during the first three days, Cherry and Yeonjun were barely talking. Yeonjun did try but she had seemed to close off all over again. She had disappeared and then reappeared with Hoseok. After Yeonjun got hurt and their parents got murdered, they both started healing together and as they did, their relationship grew closer. It felt good seeing them acting like brother and sister and not two strangers.
‘Aren’t you pushing him too hard?’ Taehyung asked as she shrugged, seemingly unbothered by his accusation.
‘You can never push anyone too hard when it comes to training in this world. You train to stay alive,’ she said just she watched Yeonjun grab his things and leave the room.
The room fell into silence for a while until I cleared my throat, uncomfortable with the silence. ‘Is that why you’re training him with a sword? Just in case Scarlets come after him?’ I asked.
She sighed but nodded before she looked down. ‘I… I might not always be there to protect him,’ she said and I felt as if my heart just got squeezed a little.
‘What’s that supposed to even mean Cherry?’ Taehyung asked with a slight frown. I could tell he was annoyed with that comment. Jungkook’s eyes had gone slightly wide at her comment as well.
‘Several things. I’m not always by his side. I’m mostly with you while on deals and if not, I’m with Myung and Logan and,’ she stopped and took yet anther deep breath.
‘And? What noona?’ Jungkook probed. She closed her eyes for a moment before she looked back at the three of us.
There was a certain look in her eyes that I did not quite understand and it worried me. It was almost as if she was talking about death as if it was her old friend and she was ready to welcome him with open arms whenever he came.
‘And, the life we live, it’s risky and dangerous. It would not exactly be a surprise if something does happen to me and I die,’ she said.
‘Stop that. Don’t even talk like that Cherry,’ I said a little angrily which only caused her to sigh loudly. ‘Yes, it might happen, to anyone of us but I’d rather not think about it,’ I said, this time more calmly. I did not want to cause an argument – especially knowing she is not lying.
‘Not wanting to think about it does not make it any less real Jimin. I still have a target on my head, remember?’ she challenged and I frowned.
‘It’s been three months since you joined us. I’m pretty sure they would know you’re here with us. If they wanted to attack or come for you, wouldn’t they have done so already?’ Jungkook asked.
‘Scarlets are very patient with their revenge,’ she said with a shrug.
‘This patient? I don’t know but hasn’t she waited long enough against this so called vendetta against you?’ Taehyung asked.
‘‘Domina Vindicta can wait and bide her time until she gets to know all about my weaknesses and use them against me,’ she said.
‘That’s what has been scaring you so much, right? The reason why you still keep those walls high,’ I said and she shrugged.
‘Maybe,’ she said. ‘Anyways, are you here to train or talk?’ she asked and I smiled, trying to hide the turmoil she started in my mind.
‘Not so quick,’ I heard Hoseok say as we turned around to face him. He was not smiling and he had a hard look on his face. *! Did he hear our whole conversation? I wondered to myself.
‘What is it?’ Taehyung asked, tensing up and straightening. ‘Is everything okay?’ he asked again before Hoseok could speak. Taehyung has always been so protective of our family and even more so of Namjoon, Jin, Myung and now Logan.
‘Namjoon is calling for a meeting,’ Hoseok said before he turned to look at Cherry. ‘What was that bull* you were just talking about?’ he hissed at her, causing her to roll her eyes.
I could have sworn these two were like frenemies or something. Either that, or there was a lot of underlying sexual tension going on, which would not exactly be surprising either. One moment, they would be at each other’s throat, the next, they would be comforting or protecting one another. They loved to tease each other but never hurt one another.
‘It is what it is Hoseok,’ she said as she picked up her sword. She twirled around in her arm as if she was twirling a pen. I smiled a little, having always been amazed by that move.
‘We won’t let Scarlets get to you. You should know that by now,’ Hoseok said rather angrily which made me remove my smile. The last thing I needed or wanted was Hoseok angry at me. Cherry smiled as she put her sword in its sheath.
‘I know you and I trust you but you, Hoseok, don’t know the Scarlets like I do,’ she said as she began to walk away. I heard Hoseok scoff angrily before he started stomping away just behind her. We could hear Hoseok yell something back but I turned to look at the other two who were frozen in their place.
‘What the * was that?’ Taehyung asked, smirking a little. I shrugged and smiled.
‘That, my dearest Taehyung is Hoseok and Cherry finding their way to one another,’ I said as I made a kissing motion.
‘Ew! You disgusting pervert!’ Jungkook said as he punched me across the arm as the three of us made our way to Namjoon’s office.
Namjoon
I sat in my office along with Mr. Hun, my wife and child as well as Jin and Yoongi while we wait for the others to show up.
‘Mr. Kim,’ Mr. Hun began as I tilted my head to look at him. He looked almost nervous as he wanted to ask something that made him uncomfortable.
‘Go ahead Mr. Hun. You know you can ask your questions. I won’t bite,’ I said with a laugh. He laughed but nervously as he nodded.
‘True but I do not wish to be disrespectful, especially when I have just come to ask you for your aid,’ he said.
‘Just ask away Mr. Hun. The worst that can happen is us telling you to mind your own *ing business,’ Yoongi said with a smirk.
‘Yoongi!’ Jin scolded before he pointed to Logan who was busy playing with his mother.
‘It’s not like he’s going to start talking now, you know?’ he taunted back which made me sigh.
‘Mr. Hun, what did you want to ask?’ I question as said man shifted on his chair.
‘Is it um, well, true that you have a Scarlet working for you?’ he asked. My smile faltered a little as I straightened myself in my chair. ‘I mean no offense but Scarlets, they’re…they’re dangerous and unpredictable. They’re nothing like Bangtan,’ he said. He seemed nervous.
‘You know Yoongi, maybe you might want to say that after all,’ Jin said as he crossed his arms across his chest.
‘You don’t know her Mr. Hun so we appreciate it if you do not pass comments based on rumours or stereotypes. You of all people should know better,’ Myung said, starting to get angry. I placed my hand on her knee to calm her down.
‘I apologize for upsetting you. It was not my intention but I was truly curious as Domina Umbra is known as one of the dangerous ones. She was next in line to probably inherit the Scarlets before she betrayed her organisation,’ he explained.
‘You seem to know about her a lot more than you are letting on. Are you trying to say something?’ I asked. He gulped, hearing the clear displeasure in my voice.
‘Nothing much, except that, maybe you ought to be careful with her. She betrayed her own, what’s to stop her from betraying you?’ he asked.
‘Mind your *ing tongue if you value it!’ Hoseok said as he suddenly appeared into the room with the others. Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook were glaring at him while Cherry was smiling, shaking her head from one side to the other.
‘Oh come on Hobi, go easy on him. After all, he’s not the only one to have thought that before knowing me,’ she said with a wink. Hoseok almost winced at her words as he gulped but remained looking, or rather, glaring at Mr. Hun.
‘Still, we don’t like it,’ Yoongi said with a huff. She laughed as she came in front of Mr. Hun.
‘Don’t mind him. He’s just scared I’ll make good on my promise,’ she said and I watched as Mr. Hun gulped.
‘Umbra, you and I had a deal. You cannot back down from it,’ he said, sounding even more nervous.
‘You two know each other?’ Jungkook asked as they settled sitting down. Mr. Hun’s forehead was beginning to get covered with sweat.
‘I was barely sixteen when I saved his ass during a raid but he saw my sword, recognized me as a Scarlet and shot me,’ she said.
‘He did what?’ Hoseok said, his voice slightly raised as his face hardened even more. She shook her head and laughed a little.
‘I… I did not know you… you were well, different,’ he said.
‘So you shot her, after she saved your life? That makes perfect *ing sense!’ Hoseok said.
‘I was young. I did not know that my predecessor, Chief Nah worked with Scarlets and people like you. I was just a rookie police officer,’ Mr. Hun said, trying to defend himself.
‘He’s right. He almost *ed himself when he saw me drawing my sword at him,’ she said. ‘But bygones be bygones. I told you back then that it was forgiven,’ she said. ‘Why are you here now?’ she asked.
‘As you know, I’ve been named as the new Chief last year,’ he said and I nodded. ‘The Chief told me about all the underground deals to help get rid of the real bad guys. There is going to be a container full of women and possibly children who are being trafficked for sex. I… I need your help to stop them,’ he said.
I looked at my own team as they all gave a single nod. ‘We’re in. Let’s talk plans,’ I said.