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Amanda's POV

"Taehyung?" I softly pushed the hair strands away from his forehead, stroking his head thereafter.

He cracked open his eyes with great difficulty, squinting at the brightness of the pristine hospital room that was decked in boring, eye-stingingly bright, all-white furniture and drapes.

"Amanda?" He croaked in a horribly hoarse voice that sounded as if it had been rusted for a few years.

"Baby, yeah. It's me," I stroked his hair again. "You're at the hospital now" I dragged my stool closer to the bed he was lying on.

"It hurts" he winced and hissed pointing to his abdomen with his right hand. His left hand was connected to the I.V. line and was swollen a bit near the wrist.

I held his right hand in mine.
"Relax, Taehyung. It hurts because there are lots of stitches. Luckily, there is no peritonitis or fluid collection or any significant major organ damage," I stroked the back of his hand with my thumb, fighting my tears that threatened to fall.

"I thought I would die," he sighed, and his melancholic eyes met mine, glistening with tears.

My tears dripped down as I shushed him with my finger on his lips.
"Don't even say that, Taehyung," I removed my finger and cupped his jaw in my hand.
"Nothing will happen to you, okay? You're a strong fighter, and we will get through this and everything else. Together." I leaned in and kissed his chapped lips.

"I'm so sorry for getting you so worried. Please don't cry, Mandy" his tears streamed down his cheeks.

I smiled sadly and dried my tears and his tears.
"I won't. You too, okay?"

He nodded sadly.

"You have four stitches at the back of your head as well. Do you have any pain there?" I asked him as I elevated his bed using the rotating lever, bringing it to rest at a convenient slant.

"It hurts a bit, but not from the inside. My stomach hurts more," he scrunched his nose and winced, clearly feeling extremely uncomfortable.

I sighed helplessly, wishing there was some way to share his pain. Pouring out a glass of fruit juice for him, I brought it to his lips and carefully fed him, as he slowly took it in sip by sip.

The room door threw open, causing our eyes to land on the doorway. Yoongi and Jimin entered the room, carrying a few more bottles of fruit juice and a bag with some change of clothes for me.

"Oh, Jimin. Thank you so much. You really didn't have to bring it. Mom would've brought it this evening," I thanked him for bringing my clothes.

"It's okay, Amanda," he smiled and turned to Taehyung. "How are you feeling, Tae?" Jimin stepped closer and gently stroked Taehyung's head.

"Not great, but a bit okay. How's Sooya and Dr. Choi?" Taehyung asked him with a worried pout.

Jimin nodded a few times.
"They're okay. Sooya is mentally traumatized, and she's still recovering. Her father is staying home with her. They're both physically fine, mentally still getting there," he smiled sadly.

Taehyung nodded, letting his head drop.
"I'm sorry, Jimin-ah. I failed to protect her. I was weak and stupid... I couldn't even fight back. I feel so less of a man, useless and powerless," his eyes welled, and I rushed to hold his hand.

"Taehyungie...stop it. You almost got killed trying to save her. They were eight of them, all professional thugs, and you stood up against them. You really did your best. Thank you so much, Taehyung. We're really so lucky to have you back with us," Jimin sniffed, his nose turning red. "And thank the Gods that you're recovering. I felt like everything just came crashing down on my head. I'm the one who should feel useless. I wasn't even there to try and do something," he hung his head as his tears dripped.

Yoongi promptly stepped up and interrupted them.
"Guys, stop blaming yourselves. Nothing that has happened can be changed now. We should just be thankful that we had no fatalities or any other permanent physical damages," he turned to look at me. "I think you've been in here for quite a while, Amanda. Come with me, let's go get some fresh air," he held my hand in his, and from the troubled look in his eyes, I knew this wasn't just for the fresh air.

"Yeah, Amanda. Go for a walk with Yoongi. You really need it," Jimin smiled at me. "I'll be here with Taehyung" he nodded reassuringly.

"Okay. I'll be back" I smiled at Jimin and Taehyung, and they both nodded with soft smiles.

Yoongi led me outside the room, down the long hallway and out into the hospital garden that connected the University campus with the hospital campus. We got ourselves seated at one of the stone benches, shaded by a huge cherry blossom tree that wasn't bearing any flowers at the moment.

Inhaling in a whiff of fresh air, I closed my eyes and felt my mind and nerves calm down. I really needed this after having spent two full days without seeing a ray of sunlight or getting even the slightest bit of natural air into my lungs.

I opened my eyes and turned to look at Yoongi, sitting next to me with a pathetic look on his face.
"Thank you, Yoongi. I really feel better," I smiled at him, and he half smiled, nodding away a few times before letting his head drop with a defeated sigh.

"What's it?" I asked him worriedly.

"The case is dismissed" he let out in his deep voice and looked away into the distance.

My eyes rounded in disbelief.
"What? There are eye witnesses. How can they let it pass just like that?" I was furious.

"They used power, Mandy. They're fucking powerful!" He fumed and then inhaled sharply. "I'm sorry. But they're really too powerful for us. They closed the case since Taehyung came out alive. And there's no proof for anything having happened. They destroyed all the evidences," Yoongi's jaw clenched in fury.

"What do you mean they destroyed the evidences? Taehyung is living evidence for the damage he has done. Namjoon can't just walk free after doing something like this," I was beyond irritated now.

Yoongi let out a sad chuckle.
"They can commit heinous crimes and walk away as if it never happened. They can turn in other people in their place for punishments. They can pay off the victims, grab other's properties, burn down a building and bury people alive and still no one can do anything about it," the volume and intensity of his voice increased with each word he spoke, and his chest heaved in rage.

My jaw dropped when I realized how we were the weaker section of the fucked-up society that can literally be erased off the face of the planet by these superpowers, and still no one would be bothered to question them or punish them. I felt disgusted, and for the first time in my life, I regretted having been born into a useless regular family and leading a powerless layman's life. Yet, I wouldn't want to change a thing about it if getting powerful meant staining my hands.

"Is there nothing we can do?" I asked him, feeling hopeless anyway.

He shook his head.
"Not if the enemy is as powerful as him," Yoongi let out a long breath. "Namjoon has left the country. He has fled like a coward," he added and cracked his knuckles one by one.

"I can't believe that we're such stuck-ups. But you know what?" I turned my body to sit facing him, and his eyes lifted to meet mine. "I wouldn't want to live a life like him, if that is what being powerful is like. He's a criminal, and he might have gotten away this time, and I'm letting it pass too since no one that matters to me has left me. But he will get what he deserves some day," I nodded at my statement and turned back to face the small pond across the garden and let my eyelids draw shut for a brief moment, letting the swirling tempest of emotions wash over me.

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May 16, 2021

With my eyes still unable to recover from the deep slumber, I stroked the spot next to me on the bed.
"Taehyung," I mumbled, hoping to get hold of some body part of my husband, but all that my fingers could feel were just the tangled sheets.

I opened my eyes with great difficulty and looked around—Taehyung wasn't in bed, the bathroom door was closed and so was the bedroom door. Hoping that he got up earlier to surprise me with breakfast, I held the sheets against my bare body and walked towards the kitchen, ready to drop them at any moment and have him inside me.

But he wasn't in the kitchen. His tuxedo jacket from last night was lying on the island, my dress was on the counter, my bra on the tap, a few spoons and forks spilled on the floor along with Taehyung's clothes, and to top it all, my panty was perched on top of the fruit bowl. The entire kitchen looked like a crime scene.

Tying the sheet around my chest, I picked up all the garments that were scattered around the kitchen and put the cutlery stand back in its place. I headed straight to our room and placed all the clothes on the bed before picking up my phone to call Taehyung. I noticed that he had sent me a few texts earlier.

Bear:
Got an emergency call from the hospital.
Sent 1:21 am

Bear:
Baby is in severe distress and an emergency surgery might be needed. I'll get back soon.
Sent 1:21 am

Bear:
Don't miss me too much😘
Sent 1:22 am

I smiled to myself, relieved that he was away at work. However, it was a bit unsettling since he had left about eight hours ago and he hadn't sent any texts after that. After brushing my teeth, I called his phone, and it was unreachable. My mind began painting all the possible wrong scenarios, and the only person I could think of as the possible cause was Namjoon.

I fed a few pellets of fish food to Mac and Cheese and sat watching them while nervously waiting to receive a call or text from Taehyung. My phone never left my hand, and I had even turned on the ringer just so I wouldn't miss anything.

A few agonizing hours passed, and I got some cleaning done, but was nowhere closer to feeling comfortable. I called up Jimin, and he answered at once.

"Jimin, did Taehyung call you?" I asked him anxiously, yet with a small ray of hope.

"No, Mandy. Why? Is he not with you?" He sensed the panic in my voice at once.

"No, he isn't. He left a little after midnight for an emergency at the hospital, and he hasn't yet returned home. His phone is unreachable too," I spoke worriedly, grabbing my wallet and the house keys and making up my mind to directly go to the hospital.

"What?" He gasped. "It has been over half a day, Amanda!" Jimin was shocked, not helping my mood one bit.

"I know. That's why I'm starting to get worried. I'll go to the hospital now," I spoke hurriedly.

"Oh my God. I wish I was there. Sooya and I have come to visit my parents at my hometown," he sighed helplessly. "You keep me updated, okay?" Jimin said in a concerned tone, and I agreed and ended the call.

I booked a taxi for myself and headed to the hospital while calling Jungkook on the way. He answered my call after a few rings.

"Hey, Mandy" he sounded sleepy. "What's up?"

"Sorry, Kook. Were you in the middle of something?" I asked apologetically.

"Not exactly. What is it?" He asked, sounding more alert this time.

"Did Taehyung call you?"

"No, he didn't. I left early last evening, and I haven't seen him or heard from him after that. Why?" He quizzed me curiously.

I explained things to him, and he sighed and hummed in response.

"Alright. You check at the hospital and call me. I'll keep trying his phone. Do you want me with you?" He asked, and I heard rustling noises in the background indicating that he had gotten out of the bed of wherever he was.

"I'll let you know, Jungkook," I said, and we both ended the call.

Soon enough, the taxi arrived at the hospital, and I rushed inside, almost sprinting as I took the staircase up to the pediatric O.R. at the 4th level. Gasping and panting for breath, I marched straight to the nurses station, where the nurse stood up and greeted me with a warm smile once she saw me approaching her.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Amanda!" Greeted the nurse.

"Good afternoon. Is Dr. Kim done with the surgery?" I asked while still trying to regain my normal breathing.

The nurse's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she tilted her head slightly.
"Dr. Kim didn't have a surgery scheduled today," she opened her register book and began flipping through it, running her finger along the entries in the book. "The next one is scheduled for Tuesday," she looked up at me.

My heart began pounding wildly, and my hands were turning into blocks of ice.
"Was there any pediatric emergency last night?" I asked, sounding desperate and panic-stricken.

"No, Dr. Amanda. There was none," she added, causing all the blood from my face to flush out, and my hands and legs felt weak.

"But I guess he got a call from the hospital past midnight?" I asked her again, with a last ray of hope that she would give me a positive reply.

"I have been here on duty since last evening, and my shift ends in an hour. Dr. Kim wasn't contacted from this line. I could check with the E.R.," she said and picked up the intercom line and spoke to the E.R. nurse.

Ending the call, she shook her head at me.
"They didn't call Dr. Kim as well."

I swallowed hard, and my whole body was sweating and aching.
"Alright. Let me know if he comes here or if you come to know anything," I said, and she nodded in an understanding manner.

Walking out of the hospital building, I felt completely clueless, disoriented and distraught. And the majority of my brain cells told me that Namjoon clearly had a big time involvement in Taehyung's sudden disappearance.

I called Yoongi and Hoseok to check if Taehyung contacted them, and I wasn't even surprised when they replied in the negative. Walking into a nearby coffee shop, I sat thinking whether or not I should unblock Namjoon's phone number and call him. A cup of hot chocolate cleared my mind, and I decided to do it.

Unblocking his contact number, I placed a call to his phone with cold, trembling hands. Never in my life had I imagined that I would be calling him to ask about my husband. He answered the call.

"What a surprise, Amanda!" He remarked excitedly.

"Namjoon, tell me the truth. Is Taehyung with you?" I asked impatiently.

"Why? I'm not interested in men. I'd gladly take you and show you everything that I can do to you," he laughed, and I cringed at his untimely corniness.

"Shut the fuck up and answer me now. What did you do to Taehyung?" I raised my voice, causing the few customers in the coffee shop to throw curious glances at me.

He exhaled sharply.
"I have nothing to do with him," he paused a while. "Wait. So is he missing or something? Isn't that like the best thing I've heard in a while?" He laughed loudly.

My veins were ready to pop out, and I massaged my temples while waiting for him to finish his hysteric laugh.

He finally calmed down.
"Too bad that it wasn't me. I would've loved to bid him goodbye," Namjoon sighed.

Is he lying? Or is he serious?

I was confused, angry, scared and paranoid—all at once.

I abruptly ended the call with him and called for another taxi and headed straight to the Police Station while trying to reach Taehyung's phone on the way. As expected, it was still unreachable, and I made up my mind that it was high time the police got involved in this.

**At the Police Station**

"Alright, Dr. Amanda. The complaint is taken, and we will begin the search right away. Do you have suspicions on anyone in particular?" The officer asked me, and I was quick to answer.

"Yes. Dr. Kim Namjoon of the Kim Laboratories. He and my husband have some history together, and I have a strong feeling that it could be him," I added quickly.

The officer nodded.
"I get it," he typed in my husband's ID details into his system and retrieved his complete information along with his photograph, and his eyebrows knitted in confusion before his gaze floated over to me.

"Is this the same Kim Taehyung that was almost killed 7 years ago?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Yeah," I nodded desperately. "But that case was completely erased off the records. How did you know?" I asked him, confusion evident in my face and voice.

He let out an amused chuckle and leaned back in his seat.
"Such a small world. I was the officer who took Namjoon and his father into custody and sent your husband to the hospital," he sighed. "I was seeking justice for the victims and trial for the criminals. But all I got was a transfer to the suburbs because I tried to stand up against the formidable Kim JaeBeom of the Kim Laboratories" he smirked.

"You know what?" His hooded eyes lifted to meet mine. "I think it's payback time," he laughed and leaned back in his swivel chair.

My eyes landed on the name badge pinned to the vest sitting on his broad shoulders.
Kim SeokJin

Jin is here!!! Anyway, open to reader's theories at this point.

Published on : 10/18/2021