Kim Namjoon
Two Hours Later
We arrived back at the mansion and the maid and I helped Myung to go to the bedroom. I watched as the maid helped Myung remove her shoes before she stood up and turned towards me. The maid nodded at me as she left the room, closing the door behind her. I watched Myung as she sat down, breathing evenly but I could see she was somewhat shaken up.
Myung is a strong woman having grown up in this world. I’ve always known that she is more than capable of taking care of herself. She’s killed before and she’s fought before. She has always held her own and never let anyone put any dirt on her nose. She was never a push over but right now; she is rather vulnerable due to her pregnancy and losing her guards who were also her friends must be hurting her.
I approached her and knelt down in front of her as I placed my hands on her knees. ‘Are you okay baby?’ I asked and she nodded. ‘Are you sure? What about baby Joon? Did he get hurt love?’ I asked again as I placed my hands on her belly where I could feel my son move about. I did not want to press her and I knew that if she was hurt, she would tell me but I could not help but worry about her and our little one.
‘Not really,’ she said as she rubbed at her wrist. My gaze followed to where she was holding. I removed her hand slowly and I felt my body growing cold with anger. I could feel the muscles in my body tense up and she seemed to notice too. ‘It’s just a bruise,’ she said.
‘I still hate it,’ I replied, as I kissed her bruises. ‘What even happened babe?’ I asked and she frowned.
‘We came out of the mall and got into the car. I dozed off and then we were being chased by another car. Before I knew it, we were being shot at. They… they tried so hard to protect me Joon but they ended up dead in order to protect me,’ she said.
‘Babe I know you feel bad and I feel horrible too. All three of them were really good at their job and beyond that, they were good friends but they also knew what their job entailed,’ I explained.
‘I know Joon,’ she replied. ‘I um, I’m heading to the showers, okay?’ she asked and I nodded. I reached closer and kissed her head.
‘Okay love, I’m going to hold a meeting with the boys and hopefully talk to that mystery woman,’ I said and she smiled a bit.
‘Joon she saved my life. She’s no ordinary girl. She’s a Scarlet,’ she said and I nodded. I had recognized the sword as she cleaned it. ‘I may be wrong, but I like her.’
I left the room and hurried to the meeting room where I found all the boys waiting for me there. The moment Jin saw me, he slid over a glass of whiskey and I nodded in response. I took a sip from my whiskey as my hand held the glass tighter.
‘That was a close one today hyung. We need to figure out who they were and who sent them,’ Taehyung commented while I nodded my head.
‘I know Tae. It was too close. If it weren’t for that woman, they would have taken her and we lost four good people,’ I said with a frown.
‘Who is she though? Namjoon, you know I trust you wholeheartedly but are you sure it is a good idea to have brought her here, in your home?’ Hoseok asked.
‘She saved my wife and unborn child Hoseok,’ I replied drily. ‘The least I could do is offer her a warm meal and a shower. Besides, I need to know what happened and why she was there,’ I said just as the door opened and she walked in.
All eyes fell on her as she strutted in. She was wearing her leather pants and a black tank top but she had not bothered with her jacket. Her hair was up in a tight ponytail just like earlier. My eyes fell on the rose and sword tattoo on her forearm which seemed to look even more powerful. My eyes then went to her sword which she held tightly.
‘You really ought to lower your voice when speaking Namjoon,’ she said as she made her way to the chair. She had a certain arrogance about her but also power that was intriguing. It was almost her very own presence demanded attention.
‘You really ought to speak to our leader with respect,’ Jin chided but she took her sword and instantly, I saw everyone tense up. She laughed as she placed her sword on the table.
‘Your leader, or shall I say brother, owes me his life. He said so himself so I will talk to him as well as I damned please Seokjin,’ she replied cockily. She was testing him, perhaps even challenging him.
‘Yo—you know who I am,’ Seokjin replied and she smirked wider as she put her feet up on the table. I recognized those movements – her play for power. She knew she was in a room with seven people who did not hesitate to kill. Yet, after what I saw, I know she won’t either and she won’t need a gun or bullets to do so. As good as we all were, I knew that her being a Scarlet meant she was good, really good at what she did.
‘Of course I do. I know who all of you are, just as I know this place and where everything is. After all, I did help out your father once when I was nineteen,’ she replied as she looked slightly around the room. Her eyes landed on my father’s portrait before she looked back at me.
‘You’ve been in this house before?’ Taehyung asked as he looked at me. There was curiosity in his eyes but also a lack of trust and uneasiness. He was worried.
‘Yep! Your father and I, well, let’s say we worked on something together. It’s been a long time, but I have very good memory,’ she said before she turned to me. ‘You wanted me to tell you what happened. I was passing through when I heard the commotion. I saw a pregnant woman being manhandled and I approached closer. I won’t lie and say I didn’t recognize her but that didn’t matter. I intervened and killed the four of them and then you came,’ she said as if that was the most normal thing in the world. Then again, it is in our world.
‘Why would you help a woman you don’t know?’ Yoongi asked, looking at her curiously. ‘You’re an assassin,’ he added, challenging her back.
‘It’s not exactly the first time you helped someone, is it Yoongi?’ she asked, making the older guy smirk. He tilted his head, liking the challenge.
‘You seem to know a lot about us,’ Jungkook began as he inched closer. ‘How?’ he asked. I wasn’t sure if he was being careful or curious but it dot seem to matter to her.
‘I do know everything about you. For example, I know that Kim Namjoon became leader of Bangtan five years ago. I know that the other six people here are his most trusted people that form his inner circle. I know that two of them, Seokjin and Taehyung are his brothers. I know he is a man of principle, albeit scary when crossed,’ she replied as she crossed her arms against his chest.
‘Jungkook asked you how you know so much about us not what you know,’ Jimin interceded. He was studying her, like a predator studied its prey.
‘I am a Scarlet. We always know what is going on around us. It’s how we survive,’ she responded, not going into the details. I was sure there was more to it than what she was saying.
‘Do you expect us to believe that this was all a coincidence? That you so happened to be there when Myung was attacked?’ Hoseok scoffed. ‘I think the whole thing is some sort of trap,’ he said.
Her smile vanished as she turned to him. Her eyes became smaller as she stared him down. The look on her face could make even a mafia leader like myself shudder. ‘I do not have to answer to you Jung Hoseok,’ she replied.
‘Listen here little girl,’ Hoseok said but her hand was quick to grip the sword. In one swift movement she was next to him, her sword against his neck. The others stood, guns raised.
‘Call me that one more time and I’ll drop you dead,’ she said through gritted teeth. There was a certain venom in her words, her previous cool exterior shattering. Hoseok smirked as he tilted his head. I could see his mouth ready to speak but I slammed my hand against the table.
‘Enough, both of you,’ I ordered. She scoffed as she sat back down on the chair. She put her sword back in her sheath and I motioned at the others to put away their guns. ‘Hoseok she is a guest not someone we are interrogating,’ I said, partially scolding him. He simply nodded and fixed himself, yet, I saw him subtly touching his neck, right where the sword had been placed. ‘As for you, we do not draw weapons at each other in this house,’ I said.
‘Fine but do not, do not call me by that name,’ she said somewhat angrily. I found myself wondering why the term “little girl” bothered her so much. Perhaps someone who hurt her used to call her that. Maybe she simply thinks it is degrading or mocking.
‘Then what do we call you? What’s your name?’ Yoongi asked and she smiled a bitter smile. She looked to the ceiling for a moment before she took a deep breath and turned to us.
‘They call me Domina Umbra,’ she responded.
'What kind of name is that?' Jungkook asked with clear curiosity.
'It means Shadow Lady or Lady Shadow in Latin,' she replied.
‘I meant your real name,’ Yoongi clapped back but she scoffed.
‘That name died the moment I became a Scarlet, along with the girl I was before I became a Scarlet,’ she replied, no emotion on her face. I felt a wave of pity for her. What kind of life has she known? Was her life merely a live of servitude towards the league? How long had she been a Scarlet?
I’ve heard of how some of the Scarlets came into the group – some were discarded orphans, others taken from their homes while others were simply sold. I wondered which category she was in. I had also heard how the Scarlets broke the new recruits. There was no love and affection – just obedience.
‘I don’t like it,’ Jimin said as he leaned forward. ‘I think I’ll just call you Cherry,’ he said. She raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
‘I’ve never been called that so that’s a first, but you can call me whatever you want. It won’t make a difference, I won’t be staying here,’ she said with a shrug.
‘Domina Umbra?’ Taehyung asked as she nodded. He turned to me, eyes wide. ‘I’ve heard of her before hyung. She’s a runaway Scarlet. She’s been hunted by them for the past year. She betrayed them and then ran away,’ he explained.
‘So you’re a traitor to your own family,’ Hoseok said and she laughed and nodded, almost as if she was taking pleasure in this.
‘Yes, I am. Why? Are you going to take out your gun and put a bullet in my brain? Because I thought Bangtan did not kill people unless they have to. Or maybe you want to deliver me to the Scarlets and get the reward they have for my head?’ she taunted.
‘No offence Cherry, but you’re not exactly trusted material, are you?’ Jin asked, tilting his head. She just shrugged at him.
‘But she did save noona. We can’t forget that and I think we owe that to her,’ Jungkook said.
‘Could be a trap Kooks,’ Yoongi said even though he did not look too convinced.
‘Yeah, that’s what I’ve been saying. She cannot be trusted. Anyone who betrays their family, cannot be trusted,’ Hoseok said a little angrily. She ignored him and played with the sword as he fingers danced on the sheath.
‘Enough,’ I yelled which seized the clamoring that had aroused. ‘Leave us,’ I said.
‘Hyung you can’t be serious. We can’t leave you with her,’ Taehyung said, alarm in his voice but I shook my head.
‘I said leave us. She won’t do anything,’ I said, tilting my head to the side as I fixed my eyes on her. She smirked and looked at me before the members started departing. I heard the door close behind them and she sighed.
‘What makes you so sure that I won’t just kill you here and now?’ she asked.
‘If you wanted to kill us, you could have done that while we were all here. I know how skillful Scarlets can be,’ I said and she nodded to herself. ‘Can you tell me why you betrayed the Scarlets?’ I asked.
‘Let’s say, they wanted me to kill someone innocent and I refused. They don’t take well to disobedience,’ she said. ‘I’m lucky to still be alive,’ she whispered.
‘Or maybe you’re skilled enough,’ I said as she looked at me. ‘I have a proposal for you,’ I began. I saw her raise her eyebrow in response. ‘I want you to stay here, with Bangtan as my wife’s personal guard. She likes you and in return, I’ll offer you protection from the Scarlets,’ I offered.
‘You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into Namjoon,’ she said, raising her voice slightly. She looked actually concerned for a moment but she hid it quickly. ‘You’ll be bringing war, death and destruction to your door. They can tear apart Bangtan before you can lift a finger to stop them,’ she said.
‘You know a lot about us so you know how powerful and influential we are. Please, I want you to consider this,’ I said.
‘This is a terrible idea. I thought you were a smart leader, smarter than this. Do you know what you’re doing? You literally want to harbor someone with a target on their back, not just any target, a Scarlet target,’ she said.
‘In exchange of you protecting my wife and child,’ I said but she shook her head.
‘No, Namjoon. This is a terrible idea. Even if I wasn’t targeted, your boys, they don’t trust me. It will cause unnecessary tension,’ she said but I smiled.
‘Do not worry about that. You may know about Bangtan but you do not know the relationship and trust the boys and I have. If I say you will stay, then they won’t oppose,’ I explained.
‘I still do not know Namjoon. I don’t think you understand what you’re getting yourself mixed into. You’ll make an enemy out of them, is that what you want?’ she asked.
‘I have a lot of allies and a lot of enemies like you saw yourself. I think you can be a powerful ally of mine. Give me one week and if you don’t change your mind, I’ll help you disappear. I’ll give you money and help you reach whatever destination you want but give me one week,’ I said.
She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose before she looked at me. ‘One week,’ she said and I smiled and nodded.
‘Deal,’ I said as I stood up and extended my hand. She stood and took mine in hers. Her grip is tight and strong as she looks at me.
‘Why are you choosing to trust me?’ she asked, still holding tightly to my hand.
‘Do you believe in instinct?’ I asked and she smiled a bit.
‘Instinct has saved my ass a couple of times, so I guess, yes,’ she replied.
‘Good. Then that’s all you need to know,’ I said as we broke the handshake. ‘You should go to your room and rest or go take a tour of the house and see what you remember. I need to talk to the boys,’ I said.
‘Good luck trying to convince them this is a good idea based on instinct alone,’ she said as she grabbed her sword and left the room quietly. I rubbed my head, knowing I was in for a very, very long conversation.
Second chapter is up. Tension is a little high. Some members don't trust her, others are more willing to do so. There is a reason why Namjoon is the leader and he has quite the good instincts. Hoseok and her seem to but heads the most too and in fact we've already had her aim her sword to his neck. I am so happy to see everyone so excited. I love you guys and I look forward to your comments as always. - Tae's Misfit
"I never thought love was worth fighting for but then I looked into your eyes and I was ready for war."