The Gift

Chapter 12: Finale

You stare at the Chairman, shot dead on the floor of your home office, struggling to wrap your mind around the fact that he is dead. He is dead and you saw it happen. You stay low to the ground, afraid to stand or to be anywhere near the windows. There's a SWAT team or something outside your house and they shot the Chairman dead... in front of your eyes. You don't know what to think or how to feel... you think this is that thing they call shock.

The Chairman had you at gunpoint! He was literally going to kill you, but then Taehyung saved you. He appeared like an avenging angel. Somehow getting to your house before you. Somehow laying in wait. Somehow knowing that you would need him.

Your life was in danger. The Chairman threatened to kill you, but he's the one who's dead.

That's when you hear it, "What are you doing here?" asks Taehyung, his voice harsh.

You hear him, but you also hear a dozen approaching footsteps. People are coming and you have no idea who they are or what they want.

"It's my home," you tell Taehyung, looking back at where he stands in the middle room unafraid of the gunman outside or the approaching footsteps.

Does that mean the approaching footsteps are friends? You've been through too much over the last few days to pretend that you believe you're safe. You believed you were safe several times this week, only to learn the hard way that you aren't. The last time you heard footsteps approaching you were kidnapped and thrown into a trunk.

"Not anymore," says Taehuyng, his voice dripping with finality, frustration with your name on it, and male dominance.

"What?" you ask, still half-listening to the approaching footsteps and possible danger.

Taehyung leans forward, grabbing your full attention as he looks into your face, dead in your eyes, and says, "There is nothing on earth that will make me leave you here."

You're about to question him when the door bangs open and a bunch of armed law enforcement agents comes into the room. You recognize their gear as the same people who rescued you and Taehyung two nights ago from the Chairman's people.

They're followed by Park Jimin who looks quickly between you and Taehyung, before pulling you into a bone-crushing hug.

"I was so worried when I heard you left the hospital," Jimin tells you. "I'm going to put a bell around your and Taehyung's necks. This way I'll know where you are all the time and that you're safe."

You laugh because that's funny and you're also shocked that Jimin cares this much. There was so much emotion in that hug. So much fear and relief. You don't know what you've done to deserve this much caring from Jimin and it hurts you that you don't seem to have it with Taehyung. He didn't care that you were scared, just wanted to yell at you for leaving. You know it was stupid and you should have waited for permission from the authorities in charge of this case, but you couldn't. Even now you look up at V to find his face drawn down and anger in his eyes. He's unhappy with you. You hate it.

He says nothing as the same Lieutenant from the other night comes into the room, takes one look at Taehyung and Jimin, and lets out a heavy sigh. "I told you both to stay put and here you are in the middle of my crime scene."

"Sorry, Lieutenant," Jimin says with a smile that says he's not sorry at all.

The Lieutenant sighs again and then takes charge of the scene. They bag and tag, the Chairman's body, taking him out on a stretcher. Your heart stutters at the sight of his body and the fact that it could have been you. If it was up to the Chairman, you would be the one leaving in that body bag and it's all because of Taehyung that you're not. The same Taehyung who probably wouldn't care that much. No, not Taehyung, V. You have to remember that to you he is V and nothing else.