WHISPERED PROMISE || MIN YOONGI X OC

TRUTH

Trembling fingers reached for the file, pulling out a stack of documents. Newspaper clippings, police reports, grainy photographs - each piece of evidence painting a picture of a ruthless criminal, a man shrouded in darkness.

One photograph, however, sent a jolt through her. It was a younger Yoongi, a faint smile playing on his lips, a stark contrast to the hardened criminal depicted in the other articles.

Tears welled up in Alia's eyes, blurring the printed words. The man she knew, the man she cared for, the man who held her hand through her nightmares - could he be the same man who haunted the city's underbelly?

The betrayal was a bitter pill to swallow, a heavy weight crushing her spirit.

Memories flickered through her mind - the way Yoongi winced when she'd accidentally brushed against an old scar on his arm, the nights he'd come home with a faint scent of gunpowder clinging to his clothes. The pieces clicked into place, forming a horrifying picture she desperately wished to unsee.

A single, choked sob escaped her lips. Why? Why hadn't he told her? Was their entire relationship built on a foundation of lies? Doubt gnawed at her, eroding the trust she'd so carefully built.

As she sank to the floor, the weight of the briefcase a heavy burden on her lap, a single thought echoed in her mind -
A storm raged within Alia.

Tears had dried on her cheeks, leaving behind a trail of salt and a heart heavy with a disillusionment that felt like a physical weight.

The man she thought she knew, the man who held her safe, was a ghost himself - a phantom of kindness masking a ruthless reality.

The images in the file danced behind her closed eyelids. Yoongi, young and carefree, couldn't possibly be the same man who commanded a criminal underworld.

Was it all a lie? Every stolen glance, every shared secret, every comfort he offered - was it all a well-rehearsed performance?

The sound of the front door opening jolted her back to the present. Footsteps padded down the hallway, and a familiar warmth filled the room as Yoongi entered. Alia instinctively recoiled, her gaze flitting away from him.

"Alia?"Yoongi's voice, usually a comforting rumble, now sounded foreign, laced with concern. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Alia remained silent, the question a cruel irony. How could she be alright when the very foundation of their relationship seemed to be built on sand?

Every word she uttered would feel like a betrayal, a lie mirroring the one she believed he'd woven around her.

Yoongi noticed the briefcase lying open on the floor, his eyes widening in surprise. He knelt beside her, his presence a tangible weight in the air. "Alia," he said, his voice gentle, "what did you find?"

Alia wanted to scream, to hurl the truth in his face, to demand answers. But the words wouldn't come. The accusations stuck in her throat, choked by a mixture of anger, hurt, and a strange sense of fear.

Sensing her turmoil, Mrs. Kim entered the room. Her eyes, usually warm and knowing, now held a flicker of worry as she took in the scene. She understood the silent exchange, the unspoken accusation hanging in the air.

"Yoongi," Mrs. Kim said, her voice soft yet firm, "perhaps it's best to give Alia some space."

Yoongi hesitated, his gaze lingering on Alia's tear-stained face. A million questions battled in his eyes, but he knew pushing her wouldn't yield answers.

With a heavy sigh, he rose to his feet and left the room, the click of the door echoing in the tense silence.

💗