Tangeled in shadows | Min Yoongi

Chapter 10: Ripples in the Water

The dimly lit room buzzed with quiet tension. Jisoo, Seulgi, and Jungkook sat around the circular table, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. Yoona had just left, her usual fire noticeably dimmed.

"She's stalling," Jungkook muttered, breaking the silence first. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the edge of his glass, his sharp eyes following the fading silhouette of Yoona as she disappeared through the door. "Something's off with her."

Seulgi, who had been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, nodded in agreement. "She's never hesitated like this before," she said, her voice quieter than usual. "Yoona's always been the first one to act when it came to going after Agust. Now she says we should wait?"

Jisoo frowned, leaning forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. "Whatever happened between them, it's messing with her. I mean... she's never talked about what went down when she had him in her sights. Why did she let him go?"

Jungkook shot her a look, his expression hardening. "That's exactly what I want to know. She was right there—had the perfect chance to end him—and now she's acting like she's waiting for something. This isn't like her."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the only sound coming from the ticking of the clock on the wall. They had all noticed the shift in Yoona's behavior—the hesitation, the uncertainty in her voice whenever Agust's name came up. It was subtle, but they weren't fools. They knew her too well.

"I asked her directly," Seulgi said, her tone clipped. "She just brushed me off, said it wasn't the right time. Since when does Yoona wait for the right time?"

Jungkook's jaw clenched as he leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "She's hiding something."

Jisoo, usually the calmest of the group, looked uneasy. "Or someone's getting to her. You think... Agust might be trying to manipulate her?"

The thought lingered between them, heavy and unwelcome. None of them wanted to believe that Yoona, the one who was always so focused and driven—could be swayed. But the signs were there.

Jungkook stood up, pacing the room. "He must be," he said darkly. "I don't care what's going on between them, but if she's compromised—"

"She's not compromised," Seulgi cut in, standing straight. "Yoona's stronger than that. But... she's different now. I don't think we can ignore it anymore."

Jisoo glanced between them, chewing her lip. "If she's hesitating, then something happened between them that she's not telling us."

Jungkook stopped pacing, turning to face the others. "Whatever it is, it's making her lose focus. We can't afford to sit around waiting while she figures it out. Agust's people are getting stronger every day, and we can't let this drag on because she's having second thoughts."

"You're saying we move without her?" Seulgi raised an eyebrow.

"I'm saying we watch her closely," Jungkook said firmly. "If she doesn't make a move soon, we will."

The group had always trusted Yoona's judgment without question, but this time, something felt wrong. They could sense it—the subtle distance she was creating between them, the way her fierce determination seemed to waver every time they were talking about Yoongi. It was as though she was no longer just their leader, but someone caught in a web they couldn't see.

Jisoo, usually quiet and reserved, was the first to break the silence again. "We can't go behind her back, not yet. But we need answers. Maybe I can get her to talk."

Selugi nodded. "She trusts you the most. If anyone can get through to her, it's you."

Jisoo exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the task settling on her shoulders. Yoona had always been like a sister to her, and the thought of doubting her was unsettling. But this was different. Yoona had been on edge ever since her last encounter with Agust, and Jisoo had noticed the change in her friend—the way she seemed distracted, her usual fire flickering in the face of something deeper.

"I'll talk to her," Jisoo said finally. "See if I can get her to open up."

Jungkook, however, wasn't convinced. "You think she'll tell you the truth? If she's been holding this back from us, what makes you think she'll spill now?"

Jisoo shot him a sharp look. "We're her family. If something's going on, she'll tell me."

Selugi remained silent for a moment, considering their options. "If she doesn't..." she began, glancing at Jungkook. "What's your plan?"

Jungkook's eyes narrowed, his voice cold. "If she's too close to this, I'll make the call. We take Agust down ourselves."

Meanwhile, in her own isolated corner of the city, Yoona was trying to come to terms with her own inner turmoil. The conversation with Yoongi earlier that night kept replaying in her mind, the raw vulnerability she had shown still gnawing at her.

Her phone buzzed again. Another message from Jisoo.

Jisoo: "Where are you? We need to talk."

Yoona hesitated before typing her reply.

Yoona: "I'll be back soon. I just need time."

Jisoo's response came instantly.

Jisoo: "Yoona, we're worried about you."

Yoona stared at the screen, her heart tightening. She didn't have the strength to face them yet—not when she wasn't even sure what she was feeling. How could she explain her hesitation when she didn't fully understand it herself?

She knew they were starting to question her. She could feel the suspicion growing with every delay, with every moment she faltered. But she couldn't move forward yet—not while Yoongi lingered in the back of her mind, haunting her every thought.

She closed her phone, her head sinking into her hands. What was she doing? She had spent years building herself into the perfect weapon, a force to be reckoned with, all for this moment—to bring down the man who had taken everything from her.

And yet, when the time came, she couldn't do it.

Back in the safe house, Jisoo pocketed her phone, exchanging a look with Selugi. "She's not coming back yet."

Jungkook scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Of course she's not."

Jisoo didn't say anything, but her eyes were clouded with concern. "I'll give her one more night," she said quietly. "But if she doesn't make a move soon..."

Jungkook finished the sentence for her. "We do."