Kim Namjoon - Rivals

Chapter XIX

Chapter 19: Shadow's of the past

The following days passed in a whirlwind of anxiety and preparation. With the evidence we had collected, the tension between us and Karina had reached a boiling point. Every step we took felt like walking on a tightrope, balancing between exposing her and keeping ourselves safe.

Despite the success of our mission at the industrial building, Namjoon's silence weighed heavily on my mind. It was as if he had vanished completely, cutting off any communication. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but I also knew confronting him without more information could put us all at risk.

Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo, and Rosé were doing their best to keep things normal, or as normal as they could be under the circumstances. Our lives were in a delicate balance—working, planning, and watching every shadow for signs of Karina's next move.

One evening, as I sat in my room reviewing the recordings we made at the industrial building, my phone buzzed. I glanced down, surprised to see an unknown number. My pulse quickened as I hesitated before answering.

"Hello?"

"Y/n," came the voice on the other end. It was low and shaky but unmistakable. Namjoon. Relief washed over me, but it was quickly overshadowed by concern.

"Namjoon, where are you? What's going on?"

There was a pause, and I could hear him take a deep breath. "I need to talk to you. Alone."

"Alone? Namjoon, after everything that's happened—"

"I know. But this is different. Please, Y/n. I need you to trust me. Meet me at the park near the old library in an hour."

The line went dead before I could respond. I stared at the phone, uncertainty gnawing at me. Something was off, but I couldn't ignore the urgency in his voice. Whatever was happening, I needed to find out.

I grabbed my coat and headed for the door, only to be stopped by Jennie's voice from the living room. "Where are you going?"

"Namjoon called. He wants to meet."

Jennie's brows furrowed in concern. "Are you sure that's a good idea? What if it's a trap?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But I have to go. He wouldn't hurt me."

Jennie looked at Lisa and Jisoo, who had overheard the conversation. "We'll go with you," Lisa offered.

I shook my head. "He asked to meet alone."

"Then we'll stay close by," Jisoo said firmly. "Just in case."

I couldn't argue with that. I nodded, and together, we headed out into the night.

The park was quiet when we arrived, the only sounds being the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the distant hum of traffic. I scanned the area, searching for any sign of Namjoon. The others stayed back, hidden in the shadows, as I went to the designated meeting spot.

After a few tense minutes, I saw him. Namjoon stepped out from behind a tree, his face partially obscured by the dim light. He looked tired, worn out, and more conflicted than I had ever seen him.