Conscience & Consequences.

Laira was bitterly amused by her disappointment. That was The Park Jimin she was roaring to, and she should consider herself lucky that he opted for walking away when he could've done worse.

There was no reason to feel disappointed because Laira was right, somebody had to make him realize the monster he had become, who else if not her?

Laira should be proud of herself for standing her ground. She did the right thing. But then why was she worried about how his lightening sharp gaze had dimmed out at her words?

Why did she feel guilty to see that look on his face moments before he fled?

He fled. He left her alone on the dance floor. He could have done much more. He could have kicked her out of his clan, pushed her into the wall, and told her to take back every single word she said, but he left. And something told her that was the worst.

She gathered a slight of her gown in her hand before taking steps toward the seats. Jungkook and Taehyung were gone, probably somewhere dancing or drinking. Each face she passed on her way was as unremarkable as the gaze they threw at her. If they didn't care or just didn't show was a question she kept flipping in her head and the answer she got resembled a coin.

Like a coin; both at the same time.

Her gaze involuntarily searched for her clan's leader, but as far as she could see, the crowd was a deep ocean. Is this what it felt like to be at a party? Like a dimmed-out star wandering amid dazzling bright lights. Perhaps it was too late to attempt to be a part of the world that never belonged to her.

She was startled out of her exploration when a hand made its way to clamp her mouth and harshly pulled her back. Her struggle and squirming to set herself free was to no avail. Those hands pulled her to the darkened area, outside the ballroom, and then to the back exit.

As a fact she knew, nobody cared. But for this single moment, she wished they did because whoever had the tight grip on her, didn't seem to have good intentions. She desperately needed the unwanted attention.

She had danced with Jimin earlier and for certain the said man did not lack enemies. There were a number of people who would harm her just so they could harm him.

She steadied her breath once she stood in the dark backyard of the Grace's hall and a freezing breeze welcomed her. She felt the hand across her mouth slowly slide down, and her breath hitched when she turned on her heels to face what seemed like the consequences of her bad decisions.

*

Jimin's stern gaze tore apart the crowd as he searched for Namjoon who had vanished in mere seconds. He had to leave Laira alone in the ballroom when he saw Namjoon send a signal of emergency, but when he made his way out the trainer had disappeared into thin air.

He wondered what possibly could have gone wrong, and if it was right of him to leave Laira alone in the middle of so many of his loathers. Although it was absurd to worry about his well-trained assassin, strangely he found himself in a hurry to return to her.

"Looking for someone?" A voice called out and the smugness in his tone was not unnoticed by Jimin.

He spun to face the arrogant assassin who he was sure was under the alcohol's influence. "Jungkook-sii," he smiled, "it's new to see you alone like this."

Jungkook returned the tight-lipped smile. "Tae must be around somewhere." He shrugged. "Not like we are attached to the hip."

"Of course," he nodded. It was new for him to talk to the young assassin whereas it was always the long-haired one who would dare pass a comment if they encountered.

"A dance is all you're allowed with Laira," Jungkook spoke, slurring a few letters here and there.

"And why is that?" Jimin didn't stop the question from leaving his lips.

"Because we protect her," he lifted his face to focus his eyes on Jimin, "because you are not good."

Jimin took a sharp breath, keeping his offense and anger at bay because Jungkook was drunk.

Does that make it less of a truth?

"You are drunk," he stated to the boy, both a reminder and a warning. "Your leader wouldn't appreciate you getting yourself in danger in this state."

Jungkook chuckled. "That's true."

Jimin stood there for a few moments, looking at the face of one of his enemies in his vulnerability, and saw how easy it would be for him to make both of them disappear from the crowd's eyes.

That reminded him how easy it would be for someone to harm Laira.

"Chole is missing," Namjoon called out, appearing from the stairs. "I have looked for her everywhere. It's likely Hoseok and his men."

Jungkook stood up from the chair, lifting his pointer finger at Namjoon. "We don't abduct the innocent!"

Namjoon glared at him. "You would rather stick to your partner if you were sober, kid."

Jungkook scoffed. "Are you threatening me? Whatever. We don't have your girl."

"Then do you have a fight in you?" Namjoon asked, stepping closer.

Jimin pulled Namjoon back. "Get our men to look for Chloe and keep an eye on Jung Hoseok."

"Didn't I just say we don't abduct people!" Jungkook shouted in pure hurt.

Something about his words hit Jimin like thorns. We don't abduct people. He couldn't say the same for himself.

Namjoon rushed to pass the orders while Jimin decided to search for Chloe instead of heading back inside. Strangely, he didn't want to see Laira anymore. Whether she carried out his order or not, he didn't want to deal with that at the moment.

He realized even when the opportunity to hurt his opponent stood in front of him, vulnerable and alone, Laira's words rang in his head "You are the villain, Park Jimin."

But what did she know?

He swore to himself that her words didn't have an impact on him. How could they when she didn't even know him? The only reason why he was forbearing to harm JK was because he was drunk out of his mind. Or else, he would have been delighted to be the cause of Hoseok's misery tonight.

He wanted revenge, greater than physical harm. Revenge for everything Jung Hoseok did to him.

Laira was not right.

The revenge I want is not meaningless.

"Just where are you headed?" Jimin questioned in a rush, stopping a stumbling Jungkook from exiting the door.

"To look for your Chloe." He blew the falling hair out of his hair. "We didn't take her. I will prove it."

Jimin caught his smile before it could slip on his face. "The only thing you currently need to look for is your protection. Your other enemies would not have the conscience to spare you due to your half-conscious state. Go inside and find your friend."

"I don't take your orders." Jungkook fixed him an unfocused gaze before he forced his way past him, bumping his shoulder against him intentionally.

Jimin was left amused. That was the first time one of The Knights had shown such daring to his face. Usually, they played the puppets to Hoseok's script, not openly challenging him like this. He was not offended, but very much entertained.

He watched as Jungkook walked away. He is not my responsibility, he reminded himself and decided not to follow him.

*

Laira felt like her breath was knocked out of her lungs because what stood before her eyes was not an illusion. She was sure that the look in his eyes was not her imagination, and she couldn't help but take a few steps back, curling herself in the corner.

Her nightmare didn't let her get away from him. He stepped closer to her, pinning her against the wall by her shoulders. She stared into his eyes in horror and wished this was just a nightmare.

"How could you do this to us?" he seethed. His fingers dug into her shoulder with each word.

"What do you mean?" she asked, hoping her gut feeling was wrong.

"I want a bloody explanation!" He stomped his fist on the wall, a few inches from her face. "Why are you doing this?"

"Tae-Taehyung."

"Tell me, were you not here to kill me?" he questioned, and for a moment, his anger was replaced with grave hurt.

"Yes, that was the order, but I wouldn't have- Taehyung, I could never harm you!"

A bitter laugh left his mouth. "Yeah? Do you think I will trust you again? Think you deserve it?"

"Please! I wasn't going to do anything-"

His eyes narrowed in disgust as his fingers pressed deeper into her throat. "You are a traitor," he said venemously. "Do you know how devastated Jungkook would be to know this?"

"To know what?"

Laira flinched upon hearing Jungkook's voice.  The same shock reflected in Taehyung's eyes when he found his partner standing next to them.

"To know what?" Jungkook spoke again. "Let her go."

"Kook, go inside." Taehyung gently said. "Let me handle this."

"Handle what?" Jungkook locked his eyes with her. "Laira, tell me what's going on."

Taehyung returned his attention to her, cupping her jaws tightly. "She wouldn't tell you anything. She can't. She is Tsuki clan's assassin."

Jungkook looked at Taehyung as if he was ridiculous. "I'm not that drunk anymore, Tae. Stop with that nonsense and let go of my apprentice right away!"

Taehyung scoffed. "She's not your apprentice. She never needed us to teach her anything. Isn't that right, Laira? Did you have fun using our kindness against us all this time?"

"Just because she danced with Park Jimin doesn't make her his assassin," Jungkook said incredulously.

"It's not that Jungkook," Taehyung turned his gaze to his mate, "Yoongi hyung's back, and he found out her real identity."

Laira's eyes narrowed in confusion. There's no way anyone could have found out about her past. Jimin had told her that he had erased everything, all her documented connections to the Tsuki clan were gone.

"I don't believe it, Tae. Something's wrong. She would never do that to us." Jungkook said with silent desperation. "Remember, we stole their trainee's information, but Laira's name was absent."

"Her name was nowhere in the Tsuki clan's records, but Yoongi hyung broke into Park Jimin's office, and guess whose name was written among the names that had special access to his office?"

Special access to his office? Why would Jimin give her special access to his office?

"Laira," Jungkook sounded breathless, "Tell me it's not true."

"I'm sorry," she desperately called out. "I'm sorry. I wasn't going to harm any of you. I- wouldn't"

"Talk to me!" Taehyung yanked her head against the wall. "Stop trying to cage him in your lies. Tell me what were your full orders? What is your leader's plan?"

Laira felt buzzing pain in the back of her head and on her face from his tight grip. She couldn't think of a way to escape his hold and accusing eyes. Her survivor's instincts were shoved aside by her guilt rendering her frozen in her place.

"You want to know my plan?" Jimin's voice cut through the buzz in her head.

In a swift movement, she was freed from Taehyung as Jimin had pushed him away from her. Taehyung pulled the sword out that had been attached to him the whole evening. A clattering sound of blade against blade rang in the backyard as Jimin matched his strikes with his silver blade.

Jungkook, who was weaponless, walked towards her. "How could you?" he asked. And for the first time since she was abducted from her home and dragged away from her parents, she felt like she lost her family.

Laira caught her breath. "I'm sorry," was all she could say. Her tears bore so much pain that she just wished her decisions were different, that her conscience had told her to hate Jimin when it was necessary because it was necessary.

And now, heartbreak and guilt embraced her as the consequences.