"I am not alone in this house"
***
She swallowed hard after saying it. The weight of her words settled in her chest like lead. Something was off—terribly off. She could feel it in her bones. They were here. Them. Again. Her memories came flooding back, uninvited and unkind.
No matter how much she tried to erase them, they lingered—burned into her like scars that refused to fade. She hated herself for it, hated how her mind betrayed her. Because despite everything, despite the horror they brought, they had once meant something. They had cared for her in a way so foreign—so opposite from their usual brutality—that it shook her.
A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of them.
And yet, as if her brain delighted in tormenting her, she found herself smiling. Pathetically. Wondering how they looked now. If their beauty still held that cruel, angelic sharpness. Those faces, perfectly carved, with eyes that could command or destroy. Their infamy was as famous as their looks—trained fighters with tailored suits, as elegant as they were lethal. She cursed herself, cheeks burning.
No. No. No. What the hell am I thinking?! Stupid, Miso. STUPID!
Shaking her head, she refocused on the file. She needed to find it. Now. Jimin had trusted her with it. Losing it wasn't an option—she would rather die than face him empty-handed. Whining under her breath, she tore through the room, searching every drawer, every corner.
Still nothing.
Frustrated beyond reason, she yanked at her own hair, tears of stress gathering at the corners of her eyes. Finally, she slumped onto the bed, massaging her temples. Her head throbbed with worry and confusion. Where could it have gone?
And then—crash.
A vase shattered.
Her eyes flew open, the sound reverberating through the mansion's empty hallway.
No one was supposed to be here. The maids were long gone. The guards had orders not to enter the house unless called. Her heart thundered in her chest.
She crept to the door, peeking through the narrow gap. No one.
Just the jagged shards of broken ceramic.
But before she could exhale, footsteps echoed.
Fast. Steady.
Without thinking, she darted toward Jimin's closet, slipping inside and leaving the door slightly ajar so she could see. Her breathing was rapid, and she had to cover her mouth to keep from gasping.
Then—gunfire.
One. Then another.
Chim's barking exploded from the garden. Desperate, panicked.
Then silence.
Her heart stopped.
No... Chim...
Her eyes filled with tears, her chest tightening. The sob caught in her throat as she curled into herself, pulling Jimin's clothes around her like armor. She slid to the floor of the wardrobe, legs drawn to her chest, trembling.
And she waited.
Hoping this was all just a nightmare.
*
(Earlier that evening)
??'s POV
"Hyung—we have to move. Now."
The urgency in the younger's voice cut through the tension in the room. Everyone felt it. The clock was ticking, and their window was closing fast. Delay meant defeat.
All eyes turned to him—the one they called their leader since childhood. A silent force, unshakable, unquestioned. He stood at the center of it all, pressure mounting, mind racing.
The team wouldn't survive this mission without his command.
Before he could respond, a sharp voice interrupted.
"Park So Hyuk left Seoul today. It's the perfect time to bring her in."
"But it doesn't really matter. She's clueless."
"She'll never understand what's coming."
"She won't be able to handle the truth when her father's mask finally slips."
"Maybe he planned his exit. He knew we'd come. The coward ran, hoping we'd spare her."
Laughter followed. Cruel, hollow.
"His daughter's no different."
"Just a spoiled brat hiding behind her father's name."
"He left her alone, thinking we wouldn't touch her—"
"Guess she'll have to pay in his place."
The leader didn't respond. He was lost in thought. And then—an idea.
His lips curled into a smirk, slow and sinister.
"Tonight," he said at last. "We strike tonight."
Twelve heads turned toward him, satisfaction gleaming in their eyes. The meeting was dismissed. They filed out, one by one.
All except one.
He lingered, hesitant, eyes flickering toward the leader still seated, fingers gently tracing the edges of a delicate photo frame in his hand.
The younger approached, gaze falling on the image. A soft breath escaped him.
"She has that effect," he whispered.
The leader didn't look up.
"She always did," came the quiet reply.
A beat of silence passed before the younger added, "Don't worry, Cheol. We won't fail you."
And with that, he left the room.
But the photo frame remained in Seungcheol's grip—held like it was the only fragile thing in a world ready to burn.
***

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𝓐 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓲𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓜𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 | 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘖𝘵_13
FanfictionWhat would happen when Asia's most ruthless mafia gang, reunites with someone very special to them? Being the kings of the underworld, they are known to be only cruel. Over time they get greedy for revenge. But no one knew that they will be falling...