The girl still lay in that cold, windowless room, trembling as panic pressed down on her chest like a stone. Her breathing came in shallow bursts, her vision blurred by tears. The air smelled of damp concrete and iron, and her head spun as if the ground itself was tilting beneath her.
She tried to breath steadily- in, out, in, out- but every breath caught halfway, choked by the sobs shaking through her. Her body screamed for air that didn't seem to exist in this room. If only her broter were here, she thought desperatly. If only Sungchan's voice could cut through his darkness, she could hold herself together.
Then came the metallic groan of the door. Her head snapped toward the sound, heart hammering against her ribs.
"Well, well, well.... What a surprise!" a voice drawled, casual and cruel. Its tone made her stomach twist- too familiar, to calm for someoe capable of such things.
She didn't react- couldn't. Her body had gone rigid.
"I have to admit," he said, footsteps closing in, "I'm proud of myself. Such a perfect catch."
The warmth of his breath touched her cheek; she knew he was close now, too close.
Instinctively, she turned her face away, though the blindfold still sealed her world in black. Even unseen, she refuused to let him feel her eyes on him- refused to give him that satisfaction.
Fingers slipped through her hair, too gentle to be kind. The blindfold loosened. Light stabbed into her eyes as it was ripped away- and before she could flinch, his hand clamped around her chin, jerking her head up.
"Let's see that face," he murmured.His eyes scanned her like she was a broken toy he was deciding wether to keep or crush.
"Now that I can really see you..." he tilted his head, studying the redness in her swollen eyes- eyes full of panic and saltwater. "Yes," he whispered, a mocking smile forming. "There it is. The family resemblance."
She frowned, not understanding. Her throat tightened in silent confusion.
"I see that look. Confused, scared, maybe even hopeful," he said, voice dipping low. "Let's just say... I have my sources."
He crouched beside her, tilting his head like a predator observing prey. "Now that you're here, I'm torn," he murmured, his smile curving darker. "Should I be gentle? Or should I be the monster your brother created?"
Her blood run cold at his words- the word brother slicing through her thoughts like a blade.
She knew immediatly he wasn't talking about Sungchan- her twin could never. No, this was about Jaehyun, her oldest brother, the one who had always stood between her and danger. The one whose fury could turn men into gosts.
And that thought terrified her even more. Because if Jaehyun found her like this... someone would die.
Was he still alive? How did that man knew him?
Her brother was able to turn into a merciless fighting machine. She was surprised that he didn't killed someone yet, who used to bully her, even tho she was scared sometimes when she heard that. She never saw him being like that, her twin made sure.
"You know..." he drawled, his fingers tracing a slow line up her arm. She flinched violently at the touch.
"I want your brother to regret," he continued. "He made me what I am- so damn efficient, so damn good at what I do. But maybe I'll thank him for the inspiration. You've got that pretty, fragile look... makes it easier to break people like him." His hnd squeezed her shoulder, forcing her to look up. Her lips trembled under the gag.
"But maybe you're useful," he said, grin widenin. "You might know somethng your brother doesn't think you know. And if not, well... I have ways o geting people to talk."
