Tangeled in shadows | Min Yoongi

Chapter 2: The Viper's Strike

Tonight, she would strike.

Her father had always told her that vengeance was a dish best served cold. But Yoona had never been one for patience. For years, she had watched her family's empire crumble under Yoongi's rise, watched her father spiral into despair and helplessness. She had promised herself that one day, she would make Yoongi pay.

And now, that day had come.

She adjusted the small earpiece in her ear. "Are we clear?"

A crackle of static, then the voice of her closest ally, Jisoo, came through. "All clear. No snipers, no backup teams. It's just them."

Yoona smirked. Of course, Yoongi would come with minimal protection. He didn't believe anyone would dare to attack him on his own turf. The arrogance.

"He's probably inside the warehouse," Jisoo added. "We take out the men first. Yoongi's ours after that."

Yoona's heart pounded at the thought of finally facing him. The infamous Min Yoongi. She'd heard stories of him-his ruthlessness, his precision, the way he could dismantle a rival's empire without so much as lifting a finger. But tonight, Yoona would make him bleed.

She tapped the earpiece once, confirming her readiness. From her vantage point, she watched the men move in and out of the warehouse, unaware of the storm about to hit them.

Silently, Yoona pulled a small handgun from the holster at her side, her fingers steady as she took aim. A sharp breath in. Then she fired.

The first guard dropped instantly, the bullet cutting through the silence of the night. Chaos erupted below. The other guards scrambled for cover, shouting orders into their radios.

"Move in," Yoona commanded through her earpiece, her voice calm despite the pounding in her chest. She could already see Jisoo and the rest of her team descending from their positions, moving swiftly to engage the remaining guards.

Yoona didn't wait. She leaped from the rooftop, landing with a soft thud on the gravel below, and sprinted toward the warehouse's entrance. She navigated through the shadows, her knife gleaming under the faint moonlight.

As she slipped inside, the stench of damp concrete and rust filled her nose. The interior of the warehouse was as cold and unwelcoming as its exterior-metal crates stacked high, dim lights hanging overhead. But Yoona's focus was singular. Yoongi was here.

She could feel it.

She moved silently, her senses heightened. Her eyes darted to the side as she heard footsteps-two guards patrolling the narrow passage between the crates. Without hesitation, she darted forward, her knife slashing through the air. The first guard went down with a gurgle, the second barely having time to react before she plunged the blade into his throat.

Breathing heavily, she wiped the blood off her blade and continued deeper into the warehouse.

Where are you, Yoongi?

Her fingers twitched around the handle of her knife. The silence was unsettling now. No more gunfire, no more shouts. Had her team already dealt with the outside guards?

Yoona stopped, her instincts screaming at her that something was wrong. Too quiet. Too easy.

Suddenly, a voice from behind her. Low, cold, and far too calm. "Looking for me?"

Yoona whirled around, her heart leaping into her throat.

There he stood-Min fucking Yoongi, leaning casually against a stack of crates, his dark eyes boring into hers. He was dressed in all black, his hands casually resting in his coat pockets, as though he'd been expecting her.

"How-" Yoona started, but Yoongi's smirk cut her off.

"Did you really think I wouldn't know you were coming?" His voice was like velvet, smooth but laced with danger. "You've been making a lot of noise, Kim Yoona."

Yoona's grip tightened on her knife, her mind racing. How had he known? Her plan had been flawless-months of preparation, tracking his every move. And yet, here he was, completely unfazed.

"Drop the knife," Yoongi said softly, his tone almost teasing. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Yoona's blood boiled. "You think I'm afraid of you?"

Yoongi tilted his head, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You should be."

With a sharp inhale, Yoona lunged at him, her knife aimed straight for his chest. But Yoongi moved faster than she expected. In an instant, he sidestepped her attack, grabbing her wrist and twisting it until the knife clattered to the floor.

Before she could react, Yoongi had her pinned against the cold metal crates, his grip like iron. His breath was warm against her ear as he leaned in, his voice low. "I've been watching you for a long time, Yoona. You're good, but not good enough."

Yoona struggled against his hold, but it was no use. She was trapped, her chest heaving with frustration and fury.

"What's your plan now?" Yoongi asked, his lips curling into a smirk. "Kill me? Reclaim your family's empire? You're playing a dangerous game."

Yoona's jaw clenched. "I'll end you, Min Yoongi. I swear it."

His eyes darkened, the playful tone gone. "You'll try."

For a moment, neither of them moved, the tension crackling between them like electricity. Yoona's heart raced, her pulse thundering in her ears. She hated him-hated his arrogance, his control, the way he looked at her as though he was always ten steps ahead.

But there was something else there too, something she couldn't quite name. The way his eyes held hers, unyielding, like he could see through every wall she had ever built.

Yoongi slowly released her, stepping back as if to give her a choice. "Go home, Yoona. This isn't your fight."

Yoona stood frozen, her chest still rising and falling with the remnants of her adrenaline. She could feel the coldness of the knife still on the ground beside her, the weight of her failure pressing down on her.

This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

Without a word, she turned on her heel and left, her heart pounding with a mixture of fury and something she didn't dare name.