I grabbed Jimin's car keys and was about to turn the doorknob when a strong hand gripped my shoulder, forcing me to spin around. It was Yoongi, confusion etched all over his face. "Are you out of your mind?! Where do you think you're going at this hour?" he demanded, his voice sharp with worry.

"They're going to kill  him!" I cried, my breath coming in panicked gasps.

"Calm down, Jill. Who will kill whom? What are you even talking about?"

Without wasting time, I shoved my phone into his hands, showing him the text message. "We can't waste any more time!"

His eyes widened, then he rubbed his temples in frustration. "But going now is too risky..." he muttered, clearly torn.

Blood pounded in my ears, every second that passed only making me more desperate. "No man on this earth can stop me from going to save my brother! Did you hear me?!"

"Fine, then. I'm coming with you," he said, sighing in resignation.

"I'll be waiting in the car." I dashed outside.

I slid into the driver's seat, my heart racing as I waited for Yoongi. The clock on the dashboard read 11:30 PM. The street outside was eerily quiet, save for the occasional buzzing of insects and the distant whoosh of passing cars. The moon hung bright in the sky, casting shadows across the road.

I wasn't an experienced driver, but I had gotten my license last year, and at this moment, that was all that mattered.

"Hurry up!" I barked when I saw Yoongi approaching. He shot me a surprised glance when he saw I was in the driver's seat but didn't argue, sliding into the passenger seat without a word.

I started the engine, my foot pressing hard on the gas pedal. The car roared to life, and I tore down the road, the fear of losing Jimin pushing me to drive recklessly fast. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the steering wheel.

"Slow down! You're going to get us killed before we even get there!" Yoongi shouted, but I barely heard him. My only focus was on getting to Jimin.

Finally, we reached the location—the kidnappers had sent me the address to an old, decaying godown on the outskirts of the city. The rusted walls creaked in the wind, and the air reeked of oil and decay. The dim light barely pierced through the cracked windows, casting eerie shadows on the graffiti-covered walls.

We crept inside, moving quietly. Every step I took felt heavy with dread, my senses heightened as I scanned the building. Faint voices reached my ears from a distance, and I motioned for Yoongi to follow. His shallow breathing mirrored my own fear.

Abandoned barrels littered the floor, slick with grime. Puddles of stagnant water reflected the faint moonlight, and the occasional drip echoed in the eerie silence. The place felt abandoned, yet it buzzed with a sense of looming danger.

We approached the source of the voices, and my heart nearly stopped. Through the dim light, I saw Jimin. He was tied to a chair, just like in the video. His condition was worse than I had imagined—his face was swollen, bloodied, and pale. Rage boiled inside me, and I was about to rush toward him when Yoongi grabbed my wrist.

"Do you want us both to get killed?" he whispered harshly.

I forced myself to stop and surveyed the room. Jimin was surrounded by several thugs, all armed and alert. It wasn't just him I had to worry about—there was also a masked woman standing near him. She exuded authority; she was clearly the leader. Then, she took off her mask, revealing a face that made my blood run cold.

It was indeed Kasumi.

The question of why raced through my mind, but the answer seemed almost irrelevant compared to the situation unfolding before me.

"Do you even know who I am?" Kasumi asked Jimin, her lips curling into an evil smile.

Jimin chuckled darkly, despite his condition. "Oh, I know exactly who you are—the merciless murderer I once loved."

Kasumi's bitter laughter filled the room. "Loved? Yes, you loved me. And you still do, don't you?"

Jimin's gaze dropped to the floor, refusing to answer.

She crouched down to his level, her voice dripping with venom. "That's why I'm telling you to clear my name. Go to the police, take the blame for everything, and say you were the one behind it all. Can't you do that for love?"

Jimin's jaw clenched, his teeth grinding. "Never."

My blood boiled, fists clenching as I watched this nightmare unfold. Love? I could feel every muscle in my body tense with fury. I wanted nothing more than to put an end to her twisted game. How dare she tell Jimin to sacrifice himself for her crimes?

I barely held back a growl as thoughts of what I would do to her flashed through my mind. But I couldn't act recklessly—not yet. I had to wait for the right moment. Jimin's life depended on it.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind me. "What do you think you're doing?"

I flinched and spun around to find two roughly built men standing menacingly close. "Do you work for Kasumi?" I asked, trying to sound brave.

"We're not supposed to answer you. Now follow us like good children," one of them barked.

I tensed, ready to pounce, but Yoongi put his hand in front of me, blocking my way. He stepped forward protectively, positioning himself between me and the thugs. He tilted his head slightly, glancing back at me.

"Let me handle this," he whispered before turning to face the men. "What if we don't cooperate?"

"It's simple—you die," the second man replied coldly.

"Fine..." Yoongi raised his hands in surrender.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My jaw dropped at his sudden compliance, feeling a wave of disappointment. But then he blinked at me, and in his eyes, I caught a flicker of reassurance. Despite his surrender, I knew he had a plan. Trusting him, I followed his lead, trying to stay calm.

We walked between the two men, their presence suffocating. As we moved, I leaned closer to Yoongi and whispered, "Why did you give up? You should've beaten them black and blue."

"Jill, you need to know your limits. These aren't guys like Hyun Jae—they're far more dangerous," he whispered back.

He was right. In this situation, staying calm was the only option. One reckless move, and we could both be dead. I swallowed my pride and tried to rein in my temper. I just had to hope that Yoongi had a solid plan.

The men led us into a dimly lit room. My heart sank as I saw Jimin tied to a chair, his head hanging low. His clothes were torn, his face bruised and swollen, just like in the video—or worse. He hadn't noticed us yet, too lost in his pain.

"I'll ask you one last time," Kasumi's voice cut through the air like a knife. "Will. You. Obey?"

Jimin said nothing. His silence was defiance.

Suddenly, Kasumi grabbed me by the arm and yanked me forward. Before I could react, she pressed the cold barrel of a gun to my throat.

"JILL!" Yoongi screamed, jerking against his restraints, but the thugs immediately pulled their guns on him, forcing him to freeze in place. His eyes burned with rage and fear, helpless to stop what was happening.

Hearing my name, Jimin snapped his head up, and our eyes met. Tears instantly welled up in my eyes. His face, battered and broken, was a mixture of shock and terror.

"Remember, Y/N? The person who hit you that night—it was my bodyguard," Kasumi sneered, her voice filled with malice.

"How dare you!" Jimin's eyes flared with fury.

"Shut up!" Kasumi snarled, pressing the gun harder against my skin. The metal felt like ice, but the real terror came from the look in her eyes—completely unhinged. "This time it will be worse."

I saw the fear flash in Jimin's eyes, raw and unmistakable. He was powerless to stop her.

I needed answers. My voice shook, but I had to know. "Why did you do it, Kasumi? Why all this?"

"Simple," she said with a twisted smile. "Because you saw us that night. You saw me kissing Jimin. I couldn't let that slip—nobody could know about our... relationship. But this fool," she gestured at Jimin, "already told you, and before I could deny it."

Her words hit like a punch to my gut. Jimin had confided in me, trusted me with something personal, and now we were both paying for it. Guilt twisted inside me, but I couldn't look at him, not now.

"Fine..." she sighed, as if the whole situation bored her. "It seems he won't obey. Maybe I should just press the trigger and be done with it?"

"Kasumi, don't!" Jimin's voice was hoarse, a growl of desperation.

She laughed, a high-pitched, chilling sound. "How naïve! First, the brother who fell for me, and now the sister, tricked into my game... I thought you'd at least be smart enough to bring the police, Y/N." Her fingers played on the trigger.

"Didn't you mention not to come? Either way you would have harmed us." I rolled my eyes. I should get an Oscar for acting brave. My pulse rate almost dropped to zero seeing the muzzle on my head.

"Yes! Thanks for obeying me. You're better than your brother, you know?" She eyed Jimin, "Here is your reward—"

She was interrupted by a loud thud. Yoongi had knocked out one of the two men who were holding him. One punched him and his lips bled. More men hurdled over him. He struggled to get free.

"Yoongi..." I mumbled with teary eyes. It was painful to watch him get hurt.

I had the strength to get free but I don't think that would save us. Kasumi has the upper hand with that stupid gun. Plus, she might shoot Jimin or Yoongi instead. She is that dangerous. I am not going to let anything happen to them.

I closed my eyes tightly and surrendered myself to her. Tears escaped my eyes as I felt the trigger slowly pulled. "I'm sorry..." I whispered loud enough to be heard and prepared myself to breathe my last.

"NO!" The two boys cried together.

The time suddenly seemed to slow down. I counted my own heartbeats. The next moment I shall not be alive...

But I felt the gun on my throat loosen. I flew open my eyes to discover Kasumi with an evil smirk plastered on her face.

"Change in plan! I will first make you suffer and then kill you." She greedily looked at Jimin, "and making him suffer will be enough for you."

I lost my power to speak. What is she going to do?!!

"Guards!"

On Kasumi's order, the men around us swung their whips mercilessly at Jimin. The sound of the leather slicing through the air was sickening, and Jimin's pained groan cut through me like a knife. Every lash that landed on his already battered body made my heart twist in agony.

For a brief moment, Kasumi was distracted, perhaps savoring her twisted power. That was my chance. Without thinking, I lunged at her, shoving her aside with all my strength. The force caught her off guard, and she stumbled backward.

I didn't waste a second. I threw myself over Jimin, shielding him with my body. The moment I covered him, the men didn't stop. The next whip came crashing down—not on him, but on me. The sting of it was unbearable, a searing pain that shot through my back. My body jolted in shock, but I held onto Jimin even tighter, my arms wrapped desperately around his neck, trying to cover as much of him as possible.

"Jill, what are you doing?? Please get out of here. Save yourself..." Jimin's voice was hoarse, strained, but I ignored his pleas. How could I leave him like this?

The blows kept coming, each one worse than the last. My back felt like it was on fire, the pain coursing through every nerve. I clenched my teeth, trying to suppress the scream building in my throat. Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not now. I couldn't show weakness.

"Stop it," Jimin groaned beneath me, his voice breaking with emotion. "Please, stop... she's innocent!"

I tightened my hold around him, burying my face in his shoulder. I could feel his breath against my cheek, fast and panicked. His body was trembling beneath me, whether from pain or fear, I couldn't tell.

Another whip struck, and this time I gasped, my body shaking from the intensity of the blow. My vision blurred, but I held on. I couldn't give up. Not now.  I could hear Yoongi yelling in the distance, trying to stop the men, but his voice seemed so far away now.

"I'm not leaving you," I whispered weakly, my voice trembling. "No matter what."

The room was spinning now, my body on the verge of collapse, but I held on. Because Jimin was worth every ounce of pain, and I wasn't going to let him suffer alone.

I knew Jimin hated himself for being helpless. But his next words hit me like lightning. "FINE! I will obey you! I will tell all the blame on myself! But for God's sake, PLEASE STOP!!"

The blows stopped.

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