Hoseok
It’s been a couple of hours since we all came to the hospital. This hospital is a private one, owned by Namjoon’s family for members of Bangtan. It was not just any clinic or hospital but there were sworn secrets that happened here.
As a front, the hospital ran like any other private hospitals, but the top floor was a secure floor for members of Bangtan only. Doctors and nurses here had sworn an oath to keep what happens here between the four walls of the hospital.
They always complied because they were paid handsomely every time Bangtan required their services but even more so – Namjoon often paid for surgeries of people who could not afford treatment. Namjoon may be the leader of a gang but he is not a cruel man unless he has to be. In fact, I would say he is actually kind.
I stand up and go to the counter. I switch on the kettle and grab a mug. I put in a spoon of coffee and another of sugar. I stirred while my mind kept wondering.
‘You okay? You look nervous,’ I heard a familiar voice saying. I turned around to find Jin.
‘I’m okay. Just a bit anxious because I know how painful childbirth can be. I saw my wife go through it,’ I reminded Jin. It was always bittersweet to remember that.
Over two years ago, I had been in this very same hospital with Ae-Cha as she gave birth to our son – Minho. I had been in awe of her strength as I saw her fight so hard to give birth to our baby boy. I still remembered her pained face, covered in sweat and tears. I still remembered the way the room had been filled with his little cries. I still remembered the way my heart beat so fast as I held him in my arms.
‘Hey, are you okay? What’s wrong Hobi?’ Jin asked again, pulling me away from my memories. I realized I had a tear running down my cheek which I quickly wiped away. ‘Yo—you were remembering about Ae-Cha and Minho?’ he asked quietly and I nodded.
‘It’s been two years but I still keep thinking about it. I failed them hyung,’ I said as I took a deep breath. ‘They deserved the world and instead, I failed them both,’ I said.
‘Hoseok, don’t talk like that,’ Jin said as he placed his hand on my arm. ‘You did your best. Nobody expected them to be targeted like that,’ he said.
‘I should have known. It’s not like we don’t have personal enemies along with gang rivals. I just wish I had the proof and find justice but all I know is that it was Scarlets doing,’ I said.
‘Cherry confirmed it?’ he asked and I nodded.
‘After she was kidnapped, I had stayed with her to apologize. I explained why I was acting that way. Would you believe it if I said that she actually said that she didn’t take it against me that I was acting like an * with her?’ I asked with a scoff.
‘That woman is a whole mystery to me. She cares so much but pretends that she does not. I don’t know if it’s because she thinks emotions make her weak or maybe because she wants to protect herself,’ he said.
‘Or maybe the ones she cares about. Remember when she told us about her first kill? How the Scarlets used her best friend to make her kill?’ I prompted and he nodded.
‘So she told you who did it?’ he asked and I shook my head.
‘Not exactly. She just told me Scarlets did the kill but that it was not her who killed them. I could see the honesty in her eyes and I guess, I felt the wall break down a little, you know?’ I asked and he nodded.
‘You felt relieved it was not her,’ he said and I nodded.
‘Yeah. I know she is still an assassin. I know she can still wipe us out as quick as she would say Amen but I guess, the reason why I chose not to trust her before became useless,’ I admitted.
‘So you trust her now?’ he asked with a smile and I shrugged.
‘Maybe not a hundred percent but definitely ninety-nine,’ I said before I sighed. ‘Now, I’m just scared that Namjoon’s family will become a target,’ I admitted and he nodded.
‘I am too but we have to get smarted now. Having Cherry here with us might help us even more. You saw the way she fights and is always one step ahead,’ Jin said and I nodded.
‘It terrifies me sometimes how good she is at what she does,’ I said, ‘but it also makes me sad. That girl, she suffered so much. She had her childhood snatched away from her. She never had a chance to play, to fall in love, to be a crazy teenager. It’s not fair,’ I said and he nodded.
‘I know. Every now and then, I keep remembering about what she told us and the scars on her back and it makes me so sad and angry at the same time. I really hope that now that she is part of Bangtan, she can be happy,’ he said and I nodded.
I looked at the clock as another hour has passed. Cherry came and sat down next to me as she brought me a mug of coffee. ‘Thanks,’ I said as I took it from her.
‘You’re welcome,’ she said as she took a sip from her own coffee. I saw her looking about, her eyes sticking on a nurse. ‘Hoseok, do you see that guy?’ she asked.
I followed her gaze to the nurse and nodded. He was leaning against the wall, texting away on his phone. ‘What about him?’ I asked her.
‘Something is odd about him. He’s been pacing around this area for the past hour without doing any work. It’s almost like he keeps checking things out and then goes to his phone,’ she said.
‘There could be many possibilities Cherry. Maybe he is early or on standby. This floor is specifically for Bangtan matters. He might be left of standby if God forbid there is a complication or an emergency,’ I explained but she shook her head, not convinced.
‘His scrubs are also different Hoseok,’ she said.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked, suddenly feeling anxious. I knew how good she is at this stuff and if she had worries, then I could not ignore them.
‘I mean that in this hospital, they use a colour code system. Each ward is given a colour and each nurse in that department has their own colour. The nurses here, their scrubs are light pink. His is light blue – from the emergency department,’ she said.
‘Hmm,’ I said as I stood up. ‘Tell Yoongi to search him up. I’ll go and do a little bit of research myself,’ I said.
‘Be careful Hoseok,’ she warned. I smiled at her genuine care in her tone of voice. I smirked and nodded.
‘I always am princess,’ I said with a wink to which she rolled her eyes. I walked towards the nurse and then pretended to trip. I made sure to spill the coffee over the nurse who yelled a little loudly.
‘YAH!’ he yelled as the two of us stumbled to the ground. His mask fell off and his shirt rode a little high, exposing his gun. She was right! I thought to myself as I stood up.
‘Ohh I’m so so so sorry. Here let me help you,’ I said as I offered him my hand. He gulped as he took my hand and let me help him. He nodded and went to take his hand away but I gripped it tighter.
‘Um, can you let go of my hand?’ he said, sounding uncertain. I tilted my head and smirked.
‘Sure, but,’ I began as I pulled my gun from my own hidden place. I pressed it against his forehead as he gulped, ‘first tell me why does a nurse have a gun?’ I said.
He went to move but Cherry was right behind him, her sword at his neck. He paled and his eyes went wide. ‘If I were you, I’d start talking,’ Cherry threatened.
‘Bangtan does not kill without having a reason to. I have done nothing wrong,’ he said but she just chuckled.
‘Well I guess you’re really unlucky. I’m not just a Bangtan member,’ she said. I felt my heart skip a beat as I heard her talk about herself as a member of our family. ‘I’m also a Scarlet. Does it ring any bell?’ she asked, her voice as cold as ice.
The “nurse” paled even more and I saw him starting to shake. She smirked as she pressed her sword even more, drawing a thin line against his neck while Yoongi approached us.
‘His name is Lee Chin-hae. He’s a low ranking member of the Scorpions,’ Yoongi said as Chin-Hae gulped.
‘Why are you here and what were you planning to do? This is the last time I am asking you,’ I said. He gulped and nodded.
‘Okay, okay. I’ll tell you. Domina Rosa… she’s our new leader. She killed the previous leader and became the new one,’ Chin-Hae said. I saw Cherry’s face harden at the mention of Rosa. After all, she had seemed to have disappeared after she left Cherry to be tortured by Taeil.
‘Get on with it,’ Jimin said as the rest of the boys also approached.
‘She sent me to… to kidnap the baby as soon as he was born,’ he admitted.
‘Is that so?’ Taehyung said through gritted teeth. His face was set, his eye twitching and his jaw hard and sharp. His eyes were cold and calculating. He was beyond furious and I could not blame him. His nephew was not even born yet and had already been in danger twice and now they wanted to kidnap him.
‘What do you want me to do with him Taehyung?’ Cherry asked. Taehyung took a step closer and I moved away, giving him space. Although Jin is the eldest of the Kims, everyone knew that Taehyung was the second in command after Namjoon. Jin preferred to be voice of reason and the healer.
Taehyung grabbed Chin-Hae by the cheeks, digging his fingers into the skin. ‘Listen to me and listen to me closely. I want you to go back to your little lady boss and tell her if she wants a war, she will get one and she will lose,’ Taehyung said as he removed his hands from his face.
Cherry removed her sword from his neck and pushed him to the ground. Her sword was still pointed at him as he scrambled up and nodded. He left, running like a hunted animal.
‘Do you think it was a good idea to let him go so easily?’ Cherry asked. Taehyung sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.
‘We don’t kill unless we have to. What honour is there in killing a man who is facing seven experienced killers?’ he asked and she nodded.
‘True enough, although you just sent him to his death sentence,’ she said. I looked at her and she sighed. ‘Scarlets hate failures. Rosa has gone insane with her thirst for revenge. As soon as she finds out he failed her, she’ll get rid of him,’ she explained.
‘We did our part. We gave him a chance. It’s up to him what he does with it,’ Jungkook said and I nodded.
‘You know what does not make sense?’ I asked as they looked at me. ‘Rosa is smart so why would she send a low ranking member to do something so important?’ I asked.
‘Maybe he was a decoy. Scarlets don’t usually make use of decoys but it has been done before,’ Cherry said.
‘We keep our eyes open at all times. We set up a perimeter and make sure they’re always protected,’ Taehyung said as we all nodded.
Well things are getting spicy even in the middle of the hospital. Cherry was quick to notice that something was odd and Hoseok instantly trusted her instinct, but, is it over? We don't know. I look forward to your thoughts 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."