Behind the Veil: A Captive's Tale

28

### Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Night of Terror

The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a pale glow over the mansion's grounds. Inside, the atmosphere was peaceful—almost deceptively so. The boys had gone about their nightly routines, and Hana was curled up in her room, reading one of the books Namjoon had given her. The soft light of her bedside lamp illuminated the pages, but despite the comfort of the setting, she felt uneasy.

Something was off.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was a heaviness in the air, a tension that hadn’t been there before. Trying to shake off the feeling, Hana focused on her book, trying to lose herself in the story. But her concentration kept wavering, and she found herself glancing at the door, listening for any unusual sounds.

Suddenly, the tranquility of the night was shattered by the sound of glass breaking. Hana's heart jumped into her throat, and she bolted upright, the book tumbling from her lap. She barely had time to process what was happening when the door to her room burst open, and two men she didn’t recognize stormed in.

Hana screamed, scrambling back on her bed, her heart racing with pure terror. The men’s faces were hard, devoid of any kindness as they advanced toward her. She recognized the logo on their jackets—her father’s men.

"You're coming with us," one of them growled, his voice rough and threatening.

Panic surged through Hana as she tried to resist, kicking and struggling as they grabbed her by the arms. But they were strong, far stronger than she was, and her efforts seemed futile. Tears welled up in her eyes as they began dragging her out of the room, her mind racing with fear. Where were the boys? How had her father’s men gotten in? What were they going to do to her?

Just as she was about to be pulled out of the room, a loud crash echoed through the hallway, followed by heavy footsteps. The grip on her arms suddenly loosened, and Hana watched in shock as the men holding her were violently shoved away.

Jungkook and Taehyung appeared in the doorway, their expressions dark with fury. Before the intruders could react, Jungkook delivered a swift punch to one of the men, sending him crashing into the wall. Taehyung grabbed the other by the collar, throwing him to the ground with a force that made the floorboards shake.

The room erupted into chaos. More of her father’s men appeared, but the rest of the boys quickly followed. Namjoon, Yoongi, and Hobi engaged the newcomers with terrifying precision, while Jimin and Jin focused on protecting Hana.

Hana’s world seemed to slow down, the sounds of fighting blurring into a distant roar as fear consumed her. She could barely breathe, her vision tunneling as she watched the brutal scene unfold in front of her. The boys, who had shown her nothing but care and warmth, were now fighting with a deadly efficiency, taking down her father’s men with lethal force.

Blood splattered across the walls, and Hana felt like she was going to be sick. This was a side of them she had never seen before, a side that terrified her. She stumbled back against the wall, her legs giving out as she collapsed to the floor, shaking uncontrollably.

The fight was over in minutes, though it felt like hours to Hana. The bodies of her father’s men lay strewn across the room, some unconscious, others… worse. The boys stood amidst the carnage, breathing heavily as they surveyed the aftermath.

Jin was the first to notice Hana, her small figure trembling violently as she curled up on the floor. His heart ached at the sight of her, so fragile and terrified. Without a word, he crossed the room, kneeling beside her. He reached out, his touch gentle as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

“Hana, it’s okay,” Jin whispered, his voice soft and soothing. “It’s over now. You’re safe.”

But Hana couldn’t respond. Her entire body was trembling, her mind unable to process the horrors she had just witnessed. She buried her face in Jin’s chest, her hands clutching at his shirt as she tried to ground herself in his warmth. Tears streamed down her face, soaking into his shirt as she sobbed uncontrollably.

The other boys gathered around them, their expressions softening with concern as they watched Hana. The sight of her in such distress broke their hearts. Namjoon knelt beside Jin, placing a reassuring hand on Hana’s back, while Yoongi and Jimin exchanged worried glances.

“We shouldn’t have let this happen,” Yoongi muttered, guilt lacing his voice. “We should’ve been more prepared.”

“We had no idea they’d attack so soon,” Namjoon replied, his voice tight. “But we’ll make sure it never happens again.”

Jungkook, who had been standing guard by the door, looked over at Hana, his expression pained. “She shouldn’t have seen this… It’s too much for her.”

Jin tightened his hold on Hana, his hand gently stroking her hair as he tried to calm her down. “Shh, Hana, it’s okay,” he murmured, his voice filled with a tender protectiveness. “We’re here. We won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Slowly, Hana’s sobs began to quiet, though her body still trembled in Jin’s arms. She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, her mind overwhelmed by everything that had happened. But despite her fear, there was a small sense of comfort in Jin’s embrace, in the way he held her so protectively.

She clung to him, not trusting herself to speak. The terror was still too fresh, the images of the violence she had witnessed replaying in her mind. She had known the boys were dangerous, that they had a dark side—but seeing it firsthand had shaken her to her core.

Jin continued to hold her, his presence a steady anchor in the storm of her emotions. “It’s okay,” he repeated, his voice a soft lullaby against her ear. “You’re safe with us, Hana. We’ll protect you, no matter what.”

Hana didn’t know how long they stayed like that, her body curled up against Jin’s as he whispered comforting words. Gradually, the terror began to ebb away, replaced by an overwhelming exhaustion. She felt like she could sleep for days, her body and mind too drained to do anything else.

The boys remained by her side, their concern for her evident in the way they hovered protectively, as if they could shield her from the horrors of the world. Taehyung sat close, his eyes never leaving Hana as he silently vowed to never let anyone harm her again. Jimin and Jungkook exchanged a look of shared guilt, while Yoongi’s jaw was set in determination—no one would touch her ever again.

As Hana’s trembling subsided, she finally pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face looking up at Jin. He met her gaze with a gentle smile, his thumb brushing away the last of her tears.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.

Jin shook his head, his expression soft. “You don’t need to thank me, Hana. We’ll always be here for you.”

Hana nodded, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite name. She was still scared, still shaken by what she had seen—but there was also a deep sense of gratitude, of trust, that had taken root in her heart. These boys, who had once been her captors, had become something more. They had become her protectors, her friends… maybe even something deeper.

As the boys helped her to her feet, guiding her back to her room, Hana knew one thing for certain—she was safe with them. And no matter what her father tried, no matter what dangers lay ahead, she had a family now. A family that would do anything to protect her.