The sound of rain hitting the window filled the room, creating a calming yet sad rhythm that seemed to match the heavy mood around me. Outside, the clouds seemed to cry along with my sorrow, while inside, I felt stuck, battling a mix of anxiety and fear. 

For weeks, my step-parents had been acting strange, whispering to each other when they thought I couldn't hear, and giving each other nervous looks over dinner. Their voices would get quiet whenever I walked into the room. 

I tried to ignore it, convincing myself it was all in my head, just my worries getting the best of me. But deep down, I knew something was seriously wrong.

And now, in the heavy silence of that rain-soaked evening, everything came crashing down.

They sold me.

The truth hit me like a bolt of lightning, every word echoing in my heart with shock and pain. The people I had trusted, the ones who were supposed to protect me, had treated me like an object they could trade to pay off their debts. The deep sense of betrayal tore at me, and the memory of that conversation played over and over in my mind, painfully clear.

We had no choice," my stepfather had said, his voice cold and empty, like he didn't care about the decision he was confessing to. "You'll be better off with him. Besides, he's rich."

Rich. The word stuck in my mind, reminding me of how little they thought of me as a person. They talked about money as if it could replace the love and protection they once promised. As if wealth could make up for the terrifying fact that they had handed me over to a stranger. A mafia leader. The thought sent waves of panic through me, the word echoing in my head like a nightmare I couldn't escape.

My heart raced as I looked out the window, watching raindrops slide down the glass, moving fast, just like the fate that was speeding toward me. My hands shook, and a chill crept over me as a sleek, black car pulled up to the curb. It shined in the dim light, standing out against the dark, rainy scene. The car wasn't just a ride; it was taking me into a life I didn't know—a life filled with danger and fear.

The rain kept pounding against the window, a constant reminder of the storm raging both inside and outside of me. The mansion, surrounded by iron gates and tall, shadowy trees, was waiting for me. It felt like a place full of secrets and threats. 

My mouth went dry, and the bitter taste of betrayal lingered as the car door opened. A figure stepped out, hidden in the shadows, their intentions as dark as the night. I had been sold, and now I stood at the edge of a new and frightening world. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for what was coming.

The driver opened the door. I stepped out, my knees weak, but I forced myself to stand tall. I wouldn't let fear consume me—not yet. The door to the mansion opened, and there he was. I froze.

Those familiar eyes. That smirk.

"Yoongi?" My voice cracked, barely above a whisper.

His eyes widened for a split second, then his smirk returned, this time softer, warmer.

"Long time no see, Y/N."

I could barely process it. Min Yoongi, my childhood best friend, the boy I hadn't seen in years, was standing in front of me. And he... he was the mafia leader?

"Wait," I stammered, my heart pounding, "You—you're the mafia boss?"

He chuckled, the sound like a melody I hadn't heard in ages. "Looks like you've got some catching up to do."

Yoongi's POV:

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her standing there. Y/N. After all these years, after everything, she was the last person I expected to show up at my doorstep—especially like this.

I clenched my jaw as the anger simmered under my skin. Her step-parents were scum, selling her off like she was a piece of property. If only they knew who I was to her, maybe they would've thought twice before making that deal.

But a part of me couldn't deny the flicker of relief. She was here. Safe. With me. Not that I would ever let her leave.

"Come inside," I said, stepping back to let her enter the house. She hesitated, her eyes searching mine for answers.

"I won't hurt you," I added, my voice softer this time.

She nodded and stepped inside, her movements cautious, unsure. I could see the confusion in her eyes, the fear she was trying to hide. It hurt me, knowing she thought I might be like the rest of them—the people who'd abandoned her, betrayed her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked suddenly, turning to face me.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It wasn't something I could just bring up, Y/N. You don't exactly send a postcard saying 'Hey, I'm a mafia boss now.'"

She gave me a look, that same look she used to give me when we were kids and I tried to joke my way out of things. But this wasn't the same. We weren't kids anymore.

Y/N's POV:

I stared at Yoongi, trying to process everything. The boy who used to protect me from bullies, who shared ice cream with me on summer days, was now a mafia leader? It didn't seem real.

And yet, here he was, standing in front of me, his eyes darkened with a seriousness I hadn't seen before.

"Why am I here?" I asked, my voice shaky. "What are you going to do with me?"

His expression softened. "I'm not going to hurt you, Y/N. I never could."

"But... my step-parents... they sold me to you."

His face darkened again at the mention of them. "Yeah, and they're going to regret it. Trust me."

He took a step closer, and my heart raced. "You don't belong to them anymore. You're safe here. With me."

I blinked up at him, the reality of the situation slowly settling in. I was scared, confused, but somehow, with Yoongi standing so close, I didn't feel as alone.

"So, what now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smirked again, but this time it wasn't the cocky grin from before. It was something else, something more familiar. "Now, we figure this out together. Just like old times."

Y/N's POV:

Days passed, and the initial shock of seeing Yoongi again—under these circumstances—was slowly wearing off. But the awkwardness lingered. He wasn't the boy I remembered, yet there were moments when I saw glimpses of my childhood best friend in him. The way he smiled when I called him out for his lame jokes, the way he listened when I talked.

But then there was the side of him that I didn't know—the mafia leader. The power. The control. The danger.

I tried to adjust to the lavish mansion, the silent halls, the cold stares from the men who worked for him. They looked at me like I didn't belong, and maybe I didn't. But Yoongi—he made it clear that I wasn't going anywhere.

That afternoon, as I wandered into the vast library of the mansion, I found him there, seated on one of the leather armchairs, his eyes focused on some document.

"Yoongi," I called softly, hesitant to disturb him.

He looked up immediately, his expression softening when he saw me. "Y/N, come in."

I walked in, my steps cautious. "Can we talk?"

He nodded, setting aside his papers. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

I sat down across from him, unsure of how to start. The words felt heavy on my tongue, but I needed to know.

"Why didn't you come back for me?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended. "After you left... everything changed. You knew what my step-parents were like. You knew how much I needed you."

Yoongi's face fell, his gaze turning distant for a moment before he sighed. "It wasn't that simple, Y/N."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "What do you mean?"

He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he spoke. "When I left, it wasn't by choice. My family got involved in something dangerous, and I had to go. To protect you."

I stared at him, my heart sinking. "Protect me?"

He nodded. "If I had stayed, you would've been dragged into the mess with my family. I couldn't let that happen. So, I left. But trust me, I never stopped thinking about you. Every day."

The weight of his words hung in the air, and for the first time in years, I understood. He hadn't abandoned me. He'd tried to keep me safe. But it didn't stop the hurt from settling deep in my chest.

"You could've told me," I whispered. "I would've understood."

Yoongi looked at me, his eyes filled with regret. "I didn't want you to get hurt."

Yoongi's POV:

Seeing her like this—hurt because of decisions I made to protect her—made my chest tighten. She didn't deserve any of this. The life I'd been forced into, the dangers that came with it, and especially being sold like some possession by people who should've cared for her.

"If I could go back and change things, I would," I said, my voice low. "But this world... it's not safe, Y/N. Not for you."

Her eyes softened, but I could see the conflict there. She was trying to understand, but how could she? I had kept her in the dark for so long.

"And now?" she asked, her voice fragile. "What happens now?"

I stood up, walking over to the large windows that overlooked the mansion grounds. My reflection stared back at me, but my mind was on the past. On the days we spent together as kids, the innocent laughter, the way we promised to never leave each other.

But this was the reality now. And I had to keep her safe, no matter what.

"You stay here," I said, turning to face her. "With me. You'll be protected."

She looked at me, a mixture of confusion and disbelief in her eyes. "Protected? By you?"

I nodded. "No one can touch you here, Y/N. Not your step-parents, not anyone. I'll make sure of that."

She stood up, crossing her arms defensively. "Yoongi, I'm not some damsel in distress. You can't just lock me up here and expect me to be okay with it."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It's not about locking you up. It's about keeping you safe. The world outside this mansion—it's dangerous. And now that you're tied to me, it's even more dangerous."

Her lips parted in disbelief. "Tied to you?"

I stepped closer, my voice firm. "They sold you to me, Y/N. And as far as the rest of the world is concerned, you're mine."

She flinched at my words, and I instantly regretted the way they sounded. But it was the truth. In this world, that's how things worked. It wasn't fair, but fairness didn't exist in my line of work.

"I won't let anything happen to you," I added softly. "You're safe with me."

Y/N's POV:

His words echoed in my mind—you're mine. It sounded possessive, but there was something else behind his eyes. A protectiveness I hadn't seen before.

My heart raced. This wasn't just about being sold or debts anymore. There was something more between us, something unresolved from our past. But was I ready to confront it? To let myself be vulnerable again?

"You don't have to do this alone," I whispered, taking a step closer to him. "We can figure this out together, just like before."

Yoongi's eyes softened, the tension between us melting for a moment.

"I've missed you, Yoongi," I confessed, my voice barely audible. "I don't want to lose you again."

He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. "You won't. Not this time."

And for the first time in years, standing in his presence, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe this wasn't the life I imagined, but with Yoongi by my side, I wasn't as scared anymore.

The days that followed were strange—familiar yet foreign. I felt safer with Yoongi by my side, but there was still a distance between us, as if an invisible wall had been built during the years we were apart. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his life now, something darker, more dangerous than he was letting on.

And then there were the men around the mansion. They treated Yoongi with an unsettling amount of respect—fear, even. I'd catch their stares, hear their whispers whenever I walked by. "She's his now," I overheard one of them muttering. It sent chills down my spine.

But what really got under my skin was Yoongi himself. He would disappear for hours, sometimes even days, only to return with a hardened look in his eyes that told me he had seen things—done things—I couldn't even begin to imagine.

One night, I couldn't stand the tension any longer. I waited for him to return, sitting in the large study where he often worked late. When the door creaked open, I was ready.

"Yoongi, we need to talk."

He paused, surprised to find me waiting for him. His face was weary, dark circles under his eyes. "What's going on, Y/N?"

I stood, folding my arms. "You disappear without telling me where you're going. You're hiding something, and I deserve to know what's really happening."

He sighed, shutting the door behind him. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

For a moment, he didn't speak, and I could see the conflict in his eyes. Finally, he ran a hand through his hair and sat down across from me. "You want the truth? Fine. You know I'm the leader of a mafia family. That means I make decisions—hard ones—every single day. Some of those decisions aren't pretty."

My heart raced, but I didn't back down. "What kind of decisions?"

"Ones that keep me at the top," he said flatly. "Deals. Rivalries. People trying to take what's mine."

I shivered. "And what happens to those people?"

His eyes darkened. "They disappear."

Yoongi's POV:

I hated telling her the truth. The look on Y/N's face as I admitted just a fraction of what my life entailed—it broke something inside me. But I couldn't keep lying to her. She needed to understand that my world wasn't a fairy tale. It was brutal, and the deeper she got involved with me, the more dangerous it would become.

She stared at me, her eyes searching mine for some sign of the boy she used to know. I wanted to tell her I was still him, but the truth was, that boy was long gone.

"Is this what you want?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "To live like this?"

I clenched my jaw. "It's not about what I want. It's about survival. In this world, it's kill or be killed, Y/N. And if I don't play the game, someone else will."

Silence filled the room, heavy and suffocating.

"And me?" she asked, her eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. "What am I in this game?"

I got up and moved closer to her, my gaze locking with hers. "You're the only thing that's real, Y/N. The only thing I can't lose."

She blinked, and I saw the tears welling up in her eyes. "Then why do you keep pushing me away?"

I didn't have an answer. Not one that would make sense to her. So instead, I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly as if that would keep her safe from the monsters that lurked outside. Including me.

"I won't let anything happen to you," I murmured into her hair. "No matter what."

But even as I said the words, I knew I couldn't protect her from everything. Not from the people who were already watching us, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Y/N's POV:

For a while, I believed him. Yoongi's arms felt like a fortress around me, and in that moment, I wanted to believe that nothing could hurt me. But deep down, I knew better.

The next morning, I woke up to an eerie silence. Yoongi was gone again, and the mansion felt colder, emptier without him. As I wandered through the halls, trying to shake off the growing unease, I stumbled upon the men in black suits—Yoongi's men—huddled in the back of the house, talking in hushed tones.

"What do you mean, someone's after him?" one of them said.

I froze, my blood running cold.

"There's been chatter. Rival families don't like how much power he's been gaining lately. They're planning something big," another one whispered.

I stepped back, heart pounding in my chest. Rival families? Something big?

I needed to find Yoongi.

Yoongi's POV:

When I returned to the mansion, I could feel the tension before I even stepped inside. Something was off. As soon as I walked through the doors, one of my men approached me with urgent news.

"They know, boss."

I clenched my fists. "Who?"

"The Kim family. They know about her."

My heart stopped for a split second. Y/N. They knew about her.

"They're planning to use her against you," he continued. "They've been keeping tabs on her since she arrived."

I swore under my breath, my mind racing. This was exactly what I'd been afraid of. Y/N had become a target simply by being connected to me. I should've kept her hidden, far away from all of this.

Without wasting another second, I rushed upstairs to find her.

Y/N's POV:

I was in my room, pacing, my mind spinning with what I'd overheard. Just as I reached for my phone to call Yoongi, the door burst open.

"Yoongi—" I started, but his expression stopped me in my tracks. His eyes were wild, frantic in a way I hadn't seen before.

"We need to leave," he said, his voice low and urgent.

"What? Why? What's happening?"

"They know about you," he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the door. "The rival families. They're going to come after you, Y/N."

Panic surged through me, but before I could say anything else, the sound of gunshots echoed through the mansion. I gasped, my heart leaping into my throat.

Yoongi cursed under his breath, pulling me closer. "We don't have time. We have to go. Now."

And in that moment, I realized just how dangerous Yoongi's world really was—and how much danger I was now in because of him.

The sharp crack of gunfire filled the air, shaking me to the core. My heart raced as Yoongi yanked me down the hall, his grip firm and unrelenting. I barely had time to process what was happening before we reached a hidden door at the back of the mansion.

"We need to get you out of here," he said, his voice low and controlled despite the chaos outside.

I could see the tension in his jaw, the determination in his eyes. But there was something else too—fear. Not for himself, but for me.

"Yoongi," I gasped, my mind still reeling, "what about you?"

"I'm not leaving you," he shot back, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Before I could protest, he opened the door, revealing a dimly lit staircase leading down into what I could only guess was a secret tunnel. Of course, the mansion had one. This was Yoongi's world, after all—everything about it was built on secrecy and survival.

We rushed down the stairs, the walls closing in around us. The sounds of gunfire grew more distant as we descended, but the tension between us only grew. My thoughts were racing as fast as my pulse.

This wasn't just about me being sold off anymore. This was about power, about rival families, about a life I never wanted to be a part of.

"Yoongi, I can't keep running like this," I finally blurted out as we reached the bottom of the stairs.

He stopped, turning to face me, his eyes searching mine. "You don't have a choice."

I shook my head, trying to steady my voice. "Yes, I do. I can't live like this—constantly looking over my shoulder, constantly wondering if today's the day they find me."

His expression softened, but his resolve didn't waver. "You're not living like this alone, Y/N. I'm with you. I promised I'd protect you, and I meant it."

"But at what cost, Yoongi?" My voice cracked. "You're putting yourself in danger. And for what? Because my step-parents sold me? I don't want to be the reason you get hurt."

He stepped closer, his hand gently cupping my cheek. His touch was warm, grounding me in the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

"You were never just someone sold to me, Y/N," he said, his voice steady but soft. "You're not a burden. I'll fight for you—no matter the cost."

Tears pricked my eyes. I didn't know what to say. Yoongi had always been protective, even when we were kids, but this was different. He wasn't just fighting for me; he was willing to risk everything to keep me safe.

Yoongi's POV:

Seeing the fear in Y/N's eyes tore me apart. I hated that she was caught up in this, that my world had swallowed her whole. But there was no turning back now. She was here, and that meant I had to do everything in my power to protect her—even if it meant going to war with the people trying to take her from me.

I reached into my jacket and pulled out a small earpiece, placing it in my ear. "Jin, we're moving. I want all exits covered. Make sure no one gets close to her."

The voice on the other end crackled to life. "Understood, boss. Stay sharp. They're closing in."

I hung up, turning back to Y/N. Her eyes were wide, her breathing uneven, but she was stronger than she realized. She always had been.

"Yoongi," she started, her voice shaking. "Why is this happening? Why are they after us?"

I let out a long breath, knowing she deserved the truth. "The Kim family sees you as leverage. They think if they take you, they can control me. Use you against me."

Her eyes darkened with realization. "So this... it's all because of your position?"

I nodded grimly. "They see you as a weakness. And in this world, any weakness is exploited."

She clenched her fists, frustration flashing across her face. "But I'm not a part of this world! I didn't ask for any of this!"

"I know," I whispered, stepping closer to her, "but now that you're here, I'm not letting anyone take you away."

Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, the tension between us shifted. Despite the danger outside, despite the storm closing in around us, there was something unspoken between us—something that had always been there but neither of us had acknowledged until now.

"Yoongi..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Before I could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the tunnel.

"Go!" I ordered, pushing her ahead of me as I drew my gun.

Y/N's POV:

The tunnel felt like it was closing in on us as we ran, Yoongi's hand firm on my arm, guiding me through the maze of passageways. The footsteps were getting closer, and I could hear the men shouting orders in the distance. My heart pounded in my chest, every instinct screaming at me to run faster.

But then it hit me—Yoongi was the one in danger. He was the target. They wanted to use me to get to him.

I stopped dead in my tracks, causing Yoongi to pull back abruptly.

"Y/N, what are you doing? We need to keep moving!" he hissed.

"No," I said, breathless but determined. "They want me, Yoongi. They're using me to get to you. If I stay, they'll leave you alone."

His eyes flashed with anger, and he grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. "Don't even think about that. You think I'd let them take you? Over my dead body."

Tears stung my eyes as I looked up at him. "But you could die trying to protect me! I can't live with that."

He tightened his grip, his voice low and fierce. "I'm not losing you, Y/N. Not again."

Before I could respond, gunshots rang out, closer this time. Yoongi pushed me behind him, his gun raised, ready to fight. I could hear the footsteps growing louder, and my chest tightened with fear.

Just then, one of Yoongi's men appeared at the far end of the tunnel, yelling for us to follow. Without hesitation, Yoongi grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, sprinting toward the exit.

Yoongi's POV:

As we burst into the open air, I felt a surge of relief. The mansion was behind us, and my men were covering our escape. But I knew this was far from over. The Kims wouldn't stop. They'd come after us again—and next time, they'd be even more determined.

But as I glanced at Y/N, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her eyes wide with fear, I made a silent vow.

No one was going to take her from me. Not now. Not ever.

Y/N's POV:

The cool night air hit me as we emerged from the hidden tunnel. My legs were shaking, adrenaline still coursing through me. We had made it out, but for how long? Yoongi's hand was firm in mine, guiding me toward a black SUV waiting at the end of the driveway. His men surrounded us, guns drawn, watching for any sign of danger.

I couldn't help but steal glances at him—at the fierce determination in his eyes, the tight line of his jaw. The boy I used to know was still there, somewhere, but he was layered under years of hardness. The weight of his world was too much for one person to carry, and yet he shouldered it effortlessly.

I could hear his breathing—quick and ragged—matching my own as we reached the car. Yoongi opened the door, practically lifting me into the passenger seat before climbing into the driver's side.

"Are you okay?" His voice, low and strained, brought me back from my spiraling thoughts.

I nodded, though my heart was pounding. "Yoongi... what are we going to do now? How do we get away from this?"

He didn't answer right away. His hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles white. "I'll handle it."

The silence stretched between us as he sped down the road, away from the mansion, away from the chaos. But I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over. The Kims wouldn't stop. Yoongi couldn't just walk away from the life he'd built, no matter how much I wanted to believe he could.

"Yoongi..." I began, my voice trembling. "I can't let you keep doing this—fighting for me. I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

His eyes flickered toward me, a mixture of frustration and something deeper—something I hadn't seen in years. "You don't get it, do you?" he said quietly, his voice tight. "This isn't just about you. It's about us."

My breath caught in my throat. "What do you mean?"

He pulled over suddenly, the car coming to a stop at the side of a secluded road. The engine idled, but the world around us seemed to freeze in time. He turned to face me fully, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart race.

"Y/N," he said softly, "do you think I'm doing this just because I have to? Because your step-parents sold you to me? I could've let you go, let them take you. But I didn't. I wouldn't."

I stared at him, my mind racing. "But why, Yoongi? Why go through all of this? Risk your life, your empire—for me?"

His hands reached out, gently cupping my face. "Because you're not just anyone to me. You never were."

My heart skipped a beat. The sincerity in his eyes, the raw emotion in his voice—it was more than I ever expected to hear. I couldn't hold back the tears that welled up in my eyes.

"Yoongi... what are you saying?"

He leaned closer, his breath warm against my skin. "I'm saying that I've loved you for longer than I can remember. Even when we were kids. And when you were taken away, when your step-parents pushed you out of my life—I never stopped thinking about you. I never stopped wanting to protect you."

Tears streamed down my cheeks. "But you never said anything."

He smiled faintly, his thumb brushing a tear from my cheek. "I thought I'd lost you. And when I finally got you back, I was too scared to say it. I didn't want to drag you into my world, but now... now that you're here, I can't hide it anymore."

I didn't know what to say. The words caught in my throat, but my heart was speaking louder than my mind. I reached up, resting my hand on his.

"Yoongi," I whispered, "I love you too. I always have."

His breath hitched, and before I could say anything more, he leaned in, capturing my lips with his in a kiss that felt like it was years in the making. It was soft but intense, filled with all the unspoken words and emotions that had been building between us.

When we finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine, our breaths mingling in the stillness of the night.

"I'm never letting you go again," he murmured.

I smiled through my tears. "I don't want you to."

Yoongi's POV:

The kiss lingered between us, a promise of everything I'd been too afraid to say before. She was mine—had always been mine—and I wasn't going to let anyone take her from me. Not the Kims, not anyone.

But there was still one more thing to do. I couldn't protect her completely until I handled the threat. The Kims had crossed the line by coming after her, and they were going to pay for it.

"Stay with me," I whispered, pulling away just enough to look into her eyes.

She nodded, her hand still resting on mine. "Always."

With one final glance, I started the car again, driving toward the safe house where I knew we'd be secure—at least for the night.

Later That Night:

The plan was in motion. My men had been briefed, and we were ready. I wasn't going to let the Kims live another day threatening the people I cared about. They'd already gone too far.

But as I stood in the dimly lit room, preparing for what was about to happen, I felt Y/N's arms wrap around me from behind.

"Yoongi," she whispered, "don't do anything reckless. I don't want to lose you."

I turned to face her, my heart aching at the worry in her eyes. "I won't let them win, Y/N. I can't."

She stepped closer, her hands resting on my chest. "Just promise me one thing. After this, it's over. No more running, no more fighting. Just us."

I smiled, pulling her into my arms. "I promise."

The Next Morning:

The dawn broke over the horizon, casting a soft light over the city. The night had been long and brutal, but it was over. The Kims had been dealt with, and for the first time in what felt like forever, there was peace.

I stood by the window, watching the world outside, but my thoughts were with Y/N. She was asleep in the bed behind me, her breathing steady and calm. I couldn't believe we'd made it through.

A soft rustling behind me made me turn, and I saw her sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

"Yoongi?" she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.

I crossed the room, sitting beside her on the bed. "It's over. We're safe now."

She smiled, reaching out to take my hand. "So, what happens now?"

I squeezed her hand, my heart swelling with emotion. "Now, we get to live our lives. Together."

She leaned her head on my shoulder, and for the first time in years, I felt like everything was finally as it should be.