BLUE AND GREY

CHAPTER 12

The sun was slowly descending, casting a soft golden hue over the horizon as Taehyung and YN drove back from a long day of business meetings. The hum of the car engine was the only sound between them as they cruised down the quiet road.

It had been a grueling day, filled with negotiations, endless discussions, and the weight of decisions hanging over them. Both were exhausted, eager to get home and collapse into the comfort of silence.

Taehyung’s expression was as unreadable as ever, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, not out of tension but habit. YN sat beside him, staring out the window, lost in her thoughts. Her mind drifted back to the meeting, to the moments she had caught Taehyung exchanging words with Mia, the unease settling deep in her chest. She couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had followed her for weeks now, ever since Mia’s kiss. It clung to her like a shadow, lurking in the corners of her mind.The tension between them was palpable, but neither spoke. YN wasn’t sure if it was the exhaustion or the unspoken weight of everything that had happened recently. Either way, she kept her silence, lost in her inner turmoil.

But the quiet drive home quickly turned into a nightmare when, out of nowhere, a group of men appeared on the road ahead, blocking their path. Taehyung slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching as the car came to an abrupt halt. YN’s body jerked forward, and she gasped, her heart leaping into her throat.“What the—” Taehyung began, but before he could finish his sentence, the windows of the car shattered.The sound of breaking glass pierced the air, and shards flew everywhere, cutting into YN’s arms and face. She screamed, her hands instinctively flying up to protect herself as the world around her erupted into chaos.

A group of masked men surrounded the car, their faces obscured, their voices shouting orders as they yanked both of them out of the vehicle.Taehyung resisted, his body surging with adrenaline as he tried to fight back. He swung his fist, connecting with one of the men’s jaws, sending him staggering backward. But they were too many. Before he could land another blow, they swarmed him, beating him with relentless force.

“Taehyung!” YN’s voice cracked with fear as she watched in horror. Her body was frozen, paralyzed by the shock of what was happening. She wanted to help, wanted to scream, but the terror gripped her too tightly, rendering her helpless.

Taehyung grunted in pain as one of the men landed a hard punch to his stomach, followed by a kick to his ribs. He crumpled to the ground, gasping for air, but still, he tried to push himself up, his eyes blazing with fury.

They kept hitting him, blow after blow, until he could barely stand.

One of the men turned his attention to YN, a sickening grin spreading across his face as he approached her. In his hand, he held a knife, the cold metal glinting ominously in the fading light.“Let’s have some fun with this one,” the man sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

YN’s breath caught in her throat as he got closer. Her legs refused to move. She was paralyzed with fear, her heart racing wildly in her chest. The world around her blurred, and all she could see was the knife—sharp, deadly, and getting closer.“Please... no...” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The man raised the knife, his smile widening. YN squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the inevitable pain.But before the blade could touch her, Taehyung—bruised, bloodied, and barely standing—summoned the last of his strength and kicked the knife out of the man’s hand. The blade clattered to the ground, and in the next instant, Taehyung grabbed YN’s hand.“Run!” he shouted, his voice hoarse from the effort.

He pulled her along with him, stumbling as his injured body screamed in protest, but he didn’t stop.YN stumbled, her feet barely keeping up with his pace. Her vision was blurred from the panic, her breaths coming in short, shallow gasps. The world around her spun wildly, the adrenaline coursing through her veins making everything feel surreal, like a terrible dream she couldn’t wake up from.