2008
The air was cool but tense as a group of people met in the safety that the night offered. There was a stillness as the two sides faced one another. If anyone was to look, they would think it’s a frozen picture as they stood as still as statues. The place itself was eerie. It was the old, abandoned train station that rarely anyone visited. Yet, tonight was a special night, at least for most people.
A sudden breeze made the woman’s hair move slightly and the little girl could hear the windchimes that were left hanging from one of the train cabins. She shivered, both from the coldness of the air and the fear running down her spine. She did not like the way the woman was looking at her, almost as if she was studying her.
‘Is there really no other way? Please, she’s my daughter,’ a middle-aged man asked as he looked at his twelve-year-old daughter who kept glancing at him and the women in front of her father. There was a certain pleading in his voice but the women were unmoved. Begging did nothing but amuse them and they knew no mercy.
The little girl looked at him with wide eyes, unsure of what is going on. She felt scared but she did not want to show her fear. Still, she could not control the way her body was trembling. Something was wrong and although young, she knew that well enough. She’s seen the men her father had gotten involved with.
‘You know there is no other way,’ the female in front responded, her voice so cold it felt as if she blew out ice. She was tall and she stood very straight. Her long hair was pulled into a tight ponytail. Her face was half-covered by a black mask. On her neck, the man could see the sword and rose tattoo decorating her skin.
She tilted her head and he could have sworn he heard her chuckle slightly. She moved slowly but enough for him to see her sword sticking out at her back. After all, she was no ordinary woman. She was a Scarlet – an assassin by profession and a killer by nature – as were the two women behind her.
They were not that different. They all wore the same black, leather outfits and black masks. There was nothing distinguishable between them. They were there for one reason and one reason alone. The woman in front took a step closer to the older man and smirked.
‘Mr. Choi, we had a deal. We get rid of those loan sharks you’ve been dealing with in exchange for your daughter,’ she said without hesitation.
‘Please. We can figure out another way,’ the man said but she just laughed. She reached for her sword and pulled it out slowly. His eyes grew wild while his daughter gasped, not liking where this was going.
The woman moved calmly as she placed the sword against his neck. ‘No! Appa!’ the girl cried, making the woman tilt her head.
‘Little girl, do you want to save your Appa?’ the woman asked and the girl simply nodded. ‘Your Appa got involved with really bad men and we got rid of them for your family. You’re our payment so either you come with us or I slit your Appa’s throat,’ she said.
‘Please…’ the man begged again as the woman looked at him. She pressed her sword hard enough to make the smallest of cuts but not enough to do any damage. He lets out a ragged breath before he turns to his daughter. ‘Sweetie, I had no other choice,’ he says.
‘Appa,’ the girl cried, her tears now falling. The woman in front nodded at her companions who both took a step forward towards the girl who screamed. One held her while the other put a black bag over head.
The man cried as he watched his daughter being taken away while the woman remained with her sword to his neck. ‘You gave your daughter a new life Mr. Choi. She will become a Scarlet – an assassin like no other and with her already evident skills, she will flourish as a Scarlet,’ she said.
The man fell to his knees, his hands covering his face as he sobbed loudly. He could no longer hear his daughter’s screams or cries but his sobs were loud enough. His heart broke, knowing his decisions were what brought all this. How could he ever face his wife and son now? How could he ever lay his head on a pillow and sleep? How could he ever face himself in the mirror? He felt disgusted with his own self.
‘I never wanted this for her,’ he says among the sobs that did nothing to impress the Scarlet in front of him. If anything, it amused her as she chuckled bitterly.
The woman knelt down on knee and grabbed his face with her fingers. ‘We don’t always get what we want and what we want is not always the best for others. You chose your son’s health, borrowed money from the wrong people and then you could not pay which resulted in them threatening your family. They won’t bother you again, but you will never see your daughter again either. That is the price you pay,’ she said before pushing him into the dirt.
The man lowered his head, his fist banging against the ground as he sobbed and screamed while the woman strutted forward, her heels clicking. The woman reached the car and went inside of it. The girl was still crying, her hands bound.
‘You will stop crying little girl if you know what is best for you,’ the woman threatened, a smile on her face. ‘Be a good girl and your life will change. You will no longer be weak and you will never be discarded like thrash. We are your new family now Umbra,’ the woman said to her.
2021
The young girl, now a twenty-five year old woman, stood in front of the cheap motel mirror in her bra and underwear. She grabbed her black, leather pants as she shimmied into them. She turned towards the mirror as she put on a simple olive tank top.
Her eyes fell on the sword and rose tattoo on her forearm. She stopped as she ran her hand over that tattoo that marked her for life. She scoffed as she sat down on dingy bed and reached for her combat boots. She laced them up quickly and stood back up.
She put on her trusty, worn-out, leather jacket which had become like second skin to her. She looked at the mirror once more as she tied up her hair in a tight ponytail. She put on her black cap and mask and then went towards the bed once more.
She smiled as she picked her sword and although she had seen it so many times, she still took it out of its sheath to admire it. It was a sword forged out of carbon steel with an intricate handle. There was a design along the top of the sword, next to the hilt while the sheath was a beautiful scarlet with a beautiful design.
‘How many have fallen to this sword?’ she asked herself before she put the sword back in its place. She attached it to her back, in her usual place. It did not attract a lot of attention in the way she held it, but if anyone looked properly they could probably see it. She did not care about that as long as it was easily reachable.
She looked around and made sure she did not leave anything behind before she climbed out of the window and scurried down the fire emergency exist. Her movements were swift and flawless after years of practicing moving in the shadows, as if she was a shadow herself. In a way, she was.
It was still before dawn, the streets dark and empty which meant she could move a little more freely. Yet, she still moved cautiously. She did not want anyone to see her. It wasn’t the hardest task for her for she knew the shadows just like she knew the back of her hands. It’s how she survived.
She smiled to herself as she took off to her next destination. It was time to leave Busan and go to Seoul.
Prologue is out. You probably can tell that there is a different feel to the story. I did something differently too. I don't usually give out a lot of the past (although there is more) from the start but I felt this time around, it was good to see where she was coming from. I can't wait to see your initial reactions to this story and see you showing some love to Hobi. - Tae's Misfit
IMPORTANT NOTE: In this story we will see BTS as criminals so to say. I, in no way justify the actions being done in the story but for the sake of the story, we'll forget morality and focus on the characters and their choices. Also, we will be seeing other groups. I will be using other groups as rivals or alleys. This does not mean I support them any less. I love all Kpop groups and respect all of them but in many stories such as this, they would use other groups too. This would also make it easier for me than to keep inventing names all the time.
"I never thought love was worth fighting for but then I looked into your eyes and I was ready for war."