𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 || 𝐕𝐊 ✔

Fifty three: Breath

Eerie darkness had completely swallowed the island. The stale sulfurous smell emanating from the sea made Jungkook's mouth feel parched. It took them over three hours to reach the island by speedboat. The rescue mission was led by six spy agents and eight police marksmen.

Aurora is docked right in front of them, along the lines of empty boats. The white hull of the small cruise vessel gleams against the pitch black night. Not even a flicker of light coming from inside. Nothing to suggest that anyone is around.

Nevertheless, Jungkook proposed to check the ship. Claire threw a gun at him to catch as soon as he stepped onto the wooden pier. "Only for self defense."

With a tilt of his chin in agreement, Jungkook tucked the gun under his belt. Claire and three other agents headed towards the ship while the rest of the team members trudged to the shore.

The ship has four decks, and they pass by the main deck's passageway, which houses four staterooms. The team uses the light mounted on their rifle to illuminate their path. Upon finding the cabins empty, they agree on splitting up.

Using his penlight, Jungkook flashes a beam of light across a metallic artwork in the lounge area. The trepidation in his heart was making him move fast, eyes darting all over. Glancing back, he sees Claire skulking about the dining room and gallery.

Jungkook sidled past the chairs and tables set up across the bar and lounge area. The sleek surface of every table is spotless and empty, except for one. Dried blood is spread across the table and resting atop of it is taehyung's lily necklace, cracked in two pieces.

A great sense of terror descended upon him, causing his hands to tremble as they inched close to grasp the chain. As he did, the blood clung to his fingers, sickening him to the stomach. Denial brewed inside him, forcing him to let go of the necklace and recoil at its brief clink. He brushed aside his ominous thoughts and wiped his hands on his pants.

Down to his booted feet, defiled pearls were scattered over the floor, besprinkled with blood and seemingly marking a way to the stairs. A cacophony of hue and cry erupted from the shore, briefly distracting him.

Through the foggy window, they saw a swarm of villagers ambushing the team on ground. More were rising up from the shadows of tall trees and dense thickets, uproarious with wooden fire torches in their hands.

"Do not engage. Do not engage." The cops were shouting at one another while trying to control the unruly villagers.

"Why the fuck are they attacking us?" A spy agent grumbled, as confused as they all are.

"He drugged an entire village." Claire groaned. The men dart out of the ship to assist the team on the ground, concluding that the ship is empty and Heebong is most likely hiding inside the island's village.

Jungkook was told to follow but he hastened up the stairs, ignoring Claire's protest from behind. He climbs onto the top deck, his short breathes trailing off his mouth like tiny wispy clouds. He can't see anything beyond darkness. Even with the penlight, he can barely figure out his way ahead. As if a lightening struck on the vessel, the hull of the ship is lined with white light, followed by the top deck.

His confused gaze stray until he hears the sonorous voice of Heebong from behind. "There he is."

Jungkook turns around, shock and dread biting his throat from both sides. Heebong is reclined on a long couch, his left arm slung over Taehyung's shoulder. A shaky breath leaves taehyung's mouth, a weal covering his left cheek while his bottom lip is busted. Their eyes meet in a sense of relief, to finally see each other, and pain of being too close yet forced apart.