Savage || Lee Haechan

Chapter 16 | "the brave one"

Panic filled their eyes as the looked around and saw the boy missing. Minji's expression hardened as she grabbed one of their extra guns, checking to make sure it was fully loaded before turning around.

"Minji, no! You're injured." Taeyong called out from where he was sitting.

"Taeyong all of you are injured and at least mine isn't fresh." She replied, seeing the worry in his eyes as she looked at him, her expression softening. "I'll be fine, Tae, this is what I do, remember?"

"Minji, I won't let you risk your life again."

She felt an indescribable rage fill her at the leaders words, shaking her head rapidly.

"So what you want to leave him in there? We don't leave anyone behind. Period. That's not just some random person in there, that's Sungchan's brother, one of our members, and my friend."

"Minji I said no."

"I always do what you say, Taeyong, so hope you'll forgive me for disobeying you this one time."

"Minji- OW." Taeyong clutched his side, pain shooting through him as he helplessly watched her turn and disappear back into the building. "Please just come back alive..."

Minji ran back into the building, ignoring the sickening smell of blood as she looked around for any sign of her teammate.

"Jaehyun?" She called, running through the building. "Jae?"

"Here!" She heard a faint call, her eyes widening as she tried to locate it. "I'm here!"

She tore down the hallway, hearing the noise of panicked cried getting louder and louder. Once she was certain she was in the right place, she clutched her gun and broke down the door, running in to the dark room.

"I knew you'd come back, never one to leave your team behind, hmm?"

Her eyes darkened as she saw Jaehyun sitting in a chair, wincing in pain.

"Minho." She spat out, seeing the member of Stray Kids standing behind him, hands around Jaehyun's neck. "Let him go. Now."

She raised her gun, cocking it as she glared at the older boy. Minho narrowed his eyes at the girl, but, to her surprise, released Jaehyun and shoved him towards her. The two of them continued to stare each other down as Jaehyun ran over to her.

"Get out of here, Jae." She mumbled, not taking her eye off the boy across the room.

"But Minji-"

"You're hurt. Taeil's in the car with the others, I'll be right there. Go."

With a final glare at Minho, feeling the searing pain in his ankle, Jaehyun reluctantly limped out, leaving Minho and Minji alone.

"Lower your gun, Minji, let's talk. It's the first time I'm seeing you face to face." Minho smirked, leaning against the wall with a cocky smirk.

"I don't trust you."

"Well then you're not gonna get your questions answered." Minho raised an eyebrow, eyeing her gun.

With a sigh, she lowered the weapon, still clutching it tightly at her side.

"Good girl."

"Why are you doing this to us? What do you want?" She growled, seeing him let out an amused huff.

"You."

Her eyes widened in confusion.

"Me?"

"Yes, you." Minho pushed off the wall with a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest as he took a few steps closer to her. "We could care less about your dumb gang, you're our target."

"So kill me. Now's your chance, why don't you shoot me right here and then leave the rest of them alone." She said lowly, eyeing the gun on his hip.

"Oh always the brave one, aren't you Minji? Willing to sacrifice yourself for your gang? I would expect nothing less from you." He smirked. "But you still don't seem to get it. We don't want you dead, we want you alive, and fighting for us."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me right. You've got quite the reputation, little one, and we want you. With you on our team, we'll be unstoppable."

"I'll never fight for you." Minji replied stiffly, holding back the urge to shoot him.

"You say that now, but we're more than willing to kill off every single person you have ever loved to get what we want." He smirked as he saw the way her muscles tensed. "Unless you come with me right now. Join us. Fight for us. On our side. And your little gang will live."

She pondered the idea, an internal conflict going on inside of her as Minho watched with a smile.

Don't do it, Minji, he's lying. It's a trap. You know it's a trap.

"No." She said, shaking her head and hardening her gaze. "I refuse to join you and I'm not going to let you hurt any of them."

"Wrong choice." Minho growled lowly. "Remember this moment, Minji, when all of them are dead and lying at your feet. Remember that you made this choice. Your fate will be the same no matter what, you will join us, but just know that you could've saved them and you didn't."

He quickly raised his gun at her, firing a bullet into her shoulder, but she was quick too, shooting him straight in the side. She winced as she felt the small piece of metal pierce her skin, blood beginning to drip from the wound as Minho stumbled backwards.

He collapsed onto the ground, heaving labored breaths as the bullet buried into his ribs. She stumbled over to him, pointing her gun at him head with a pained smirk.

"Give your leader a message from me: you've messed with the wrong person. You threaten my gang, my family, and I will be coming for you. All of you. I'll personally take you out one by one. This is a war that you aren't ready for."

A bang resonated throughout the room before she put the gun back into her holster, walking out and leaving Minho groaning on the ground with a shot in the shoulder and ribs.