🐓

The chill of the winter air had begun to settle in the forest, making you hug your jacket closer to your body. A bag filled with a few clothes and other necessities was clutch on your slightly trembling hand as you faced back and forth impatiently, the sound of your feet hitting the fallen leaves and annoying noises from the bugs the only sounds present.

You closed your eyes, shutting the impending unpleasant thoughts as well. They will come. You thought, more of convinced yourself while trying to calm the worry that had been haunting you since you walk away from Bangtan the day before.

As the minutes passed by, you thought maybe your guts might have been right all along.

The sun was alreading shining its radiant rays around the place but the coldness of the air remains. Yet their presence nor their shadows can be seen when they're supposed to be here before the sun rises.

Biting your lower lip, you can feel the tears threatening to spill. Deep inside you, you're already considering the thought that they will not come. And you had no idea whether to feel disappointed or worried at that.

Should you go home? Your mother will be awake in a few minutes. And you don't want any explaining to do when you go home looking like a failed runaway.

About to make another turn to pace, the sound of leaves rustling behind you made your heart leap a little and a smile to appear on your lips.

But the feeling turned to fear and your smile fell at the sight of who you thought was Bangtan.

It was your mother.

She was standing a few feet away from you, holding a long thick wood of some sort. The woman's cold gaze fell down to the huge bag on your hand before it went up to your face.

You felt something fell within you when she threw you a mocking look, making you want to puke despite having an empty stomach.

"Where do you think you're going?"

🐓

"Fucking let us go!" Jungkook yelled but his voice was muffled by the clothing tied on his mouth to keep him from talking.

The rest of Bangtan was trashing on the chair where they were tied on, trying their best to escape from the tight ropes that held them.

While still on their sleep the night before, the Tourniquet gang broke into their house, leaving them outnumbered and unprepared as they were brought and held captive in a warehouse not too far from their place.

The sunlight seeping on the small opening of a window was the only indication that they're already way too late to the meeting place and you're probably freezing waiting for them to come.

Bangtan can't help but blame themselves for what's happening. They should've been more careful. They should've planned better. And now they're losing their only chance to save you.

Jiho watched them lazily from atop the table he's sitting, a blue straw gritted in between his teeth as he played with it, the empty box of juice already on the floor as he threw it earlier at Jungkook who wouldn't shut up.

"Stop whining, you know no one here will let you go."

Jungkook yelled in response, but Jiho couldn't decipher his words from being muffled. As he was bored too, he instructed one of his men to take off the thing on the maknae's mouth so he could have a little chit chat with him.

Jungkook spat on the ground before glaring at Jiho. If looks could kill, he'd be already six feet under.

"Why the fuck are you doing this? I thought you were friends with (Name)?!"

Jiho chuckled amusedly before spitting the straw and jumping off the table. He paced in front of them with his hands stuffed on his jeans' pockets.

"I wouldn't have been doing this if you listened to me on that day." He replied, matter-of-factly. "Do you know that there were people from that women and children protection or some shit that had been following (Name) around?"

Jungkook didn't reply, the others just listened with utmost curiosity. So Jiho continued.

"(Name)'s mother has been abusing her ever since her dad started rarely coming home. She was like five. The bitch must have gone crazy or something. (Name) would always deny it. But obviously, people from her school inevitably figured it out and reported about her bruises to those people from the protection group. I heard her dad actually had a talk with them but made up excuses like her clumsiness and that the reason behind her loneliness and frequent stay on the rock was just her missing her friends." He motioned towards Bangtan when he said the last word.

"And so on that day you met me, (Name)'s dad actually sent me to mak sure you meet with her. The day that followed was the day that protection group would confront (Name) about her problems, they were in a car parked just few meters from the rock. And so I tried to be an angel for the last time and told you not to meet her. But you did otherwise. And then they saw you and the hugs. Long story short, those shitty idiots believed her father's reasons and so they left her alone."

"What?"

"I know. You're stupid. And they're stupid too for concluding the issue at that. I bet they got paid or something."

They fell in silence, filled with their thoughts. But disappointment at themselves and anger towards your father overpower any other feelings they had on that moment.

"Why did her father do that?"

"Well he's been wanting to get rid of his family. But couldn't since he has a name to take care of. So he looked for other ways, that would also benefit him in the long run." Jiho shook his head but his expression was blank. "He's actually going to execute the plan today, the reason you're here."

"What do you mean? What is he going to do with (Name)?"

Jiho hummed, still pacing. He pulled out a gun from his back pocket before scanning the object boredly.

"The same thing I'm going to do to you, assholes." He smirked, cocking the gun, ready to fire.

Bangtan's eyes widened at his reply. Instead of fearing for their own lives, they feared more for yours as what could be happening to you right now. They need to save you. They can't let you down for the last time.

Before they can do that, they need to survive the claws of death that were waiting to rob them off of the chances. But escaping death is a tricky and the closest to impossible job.

Jiho positioned the gun in front of Jimin who was the closest to his right, his finger ready to pull the trigger. His eyes were filled with nothing but wrath.

"Here's to my brother. Greet him hello in hell for me."

🐓

"What have you done?" The man asked in shock as he roamed his eyes on the blood scattered on the floor. At the realization, a smile tried to fight its way to his lips but he managed to control it.

"I didn't– I was just.." Your mother's body was trembling as she tried to get up from the ground and hold on to your father's leg. "(Father's Name), please. (Name)... she..."

Your father pulled his leg from her grasp before following the trail of blood and it ended in front of the old closet. The man fished something out of his pocket, a pair of gloves. He put it on before gripping the handle and pulling the door open.

He took a step back at the sight of a bloodied blue blanket covering what he assumed was your body. It layed there, unmoving.

Turning his back to face the woman, he shot her an accusing look. "You killed (Name)?"

"No!" She denied, strongly while furiously shaking her head, her cheeks wet with tears. "I didn't... I didn't mean to hurt her that bad. I was just... angry. She... she... she was trying to run away again. So I took her home. And hit her with the stick. And she... she cried... and screamed. She screamed for their names. I wanted her to shut up. But she wouldn't. So I..."

"So you killed her." He concluded for her.

The woman shook her head, crying loudly while covering her ears. "(Name).."

A disgusting smirk played on the man's lips before he started laughing along with your mother's cries. He couldn't believe what just happened.

"You just made it so much easier for me."

He walked towards her and crouched down so his face leveled with her. He pulled another thing out of his pocket, a gun, this time. He made her hold on to it, the woman obliged absentmindedly.

"You abused our daughter. To the point that you killed her. And now you're guilty."
Your father guided her hand holding the gun closer to her temple. She was just staring blankly at nothing with tears on her cheeks, her emotions finally drove her to extreme insanity.

"So you're going to kill yourself."

🐓

At that chilly morning of December, multiple triggers were pulled. People were robbed of their chances to live and to save people they care for.

Those who are deprived of a home tried to search one with the comfort of other people. Was it too much to ask for? Do they not deserve to have one for a reason? Or maybe the odd just wasn't on their side. Maybe the timing, the place, the people and the occurrence didn't match.

Breath and heartbeat were all they had. And maybe even if it was short-lived, they did find a home with each other's company before that one last thing they had was robbed off from them too.

🐓

A/N: One last chapter left. My finals week is ahead so I'm busy studying. ㅠㅠ

I'll try to update as soon as I can.

Thank you for reading this story. ❤