Tangeled in shadows | Min Yoongi

Chapter 15: In the Quiet of the Night

The room was bathed in silence, broken only by the steady beeping of the machines and the soft breaths of Yoona’s crew. Jisoo, Seulgi, and Jungkook had finally succumbed to exhaustion, slumped in uncomfortable chairs around the room, their faces drawn with worry. They had been watching over Yoona for hours, but sleep had claimed them all, one by one.

Yoongi stood in the corner, his gaze fixed on Yoona’s still form. The steady rise and fall of her chest was the only reassurance he had that she was still alive. The medic had done what he could; now, it was just a matter of time.

He had stayed away, giving her crew their space, but the pull toward her was stronger than he’d anticipated. He found himself drifting closer, his footsteps slow and careful as he approached the bed. Her face was pale, almost ghostly, but there was still that fire in her even in sleep. He could feel it, that stubborn refusal to give up, even with death so close.

Without thinking, he reached out, his fingers brushing against hers. The moment his skin touched hers, something inside him stirred—something he hadn’t felt in years. His hand closed around hers gently, his thumb tracing the soft skin of her knuckles.

Yoongi wasn’t the kind of man who believed in weakness. He had spent years building walls, keeping people at arm’s length, but with Yoona, something was different. The walls he had constructed so carefully had begun to crack the moment he had seen her bleed, the moment he had realized he couldn’t bear to lose her.

He didn’t know when the hate had turned into something else, something far more dangerous. All he knew was that, somewhere along the line, Yoona had stopped being just an enemy. And that terrified him.

Yoongi sat down on the edge of the bed, still holding her hand, his gaze never leaving her face. The emotions swirling in him were unfamiliar, and he didn’t know how to deal with them. For so long, he had been taught that attachments were a weakness, that caring for someone made you vulnerable. But here he was, vulnerable in ways he never thought possible, sitting beside the woman he had once sworn to destroy.

He exhaled slowly, leaning back slightly but never letting go of her hand. His mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts. He wanted to protect her, but he didn’t know what that meant for the rest of his life—for his empire, his alliances. What if her gang couldn’t accept this? What if his crew turned against him for caring?

But right now, none of that mattered. Yoona mattered.

Yoongi’s eyes grew heavier with each passing moment, exhaustion catching up to him. He fought to stay awake, but the long hours and the stress of the night had drained him. Without realizing it, his head dipped forward, and sleep claimed him.

He didn’t let go of her hand.

---

The morning light filtered into the room, casting a soft glow over everything. Jisoo was the first to stir, her eyes opening groggily. She blinked a few times, trying to shake the remnants of sleep from her mind. As her vision cleared, she noticed something that made her sit up straighter, her gaze narrowing in disbelief.

Yoongi was slumped over, sitting at the edge of Yoona’s bed, his hand still clutching hers. He was fast asleep, his head resting near her shoulder, the lines of worry from the night before still etched into his face.

Jisoo’s initial reaction was one of surprise—seeing him, the infamous Agust D, in such a vulnerable position was something she hadn’t expected. She had never seen him like this before, and she certainly hadn’t imagined he would care this much about Yoona. But here he was, watching over her all night, only to succumb to his own exhaustion.

For a moment, Jisoo just watched him, unsure of what to make of the situation. She had been ready to hate him, to blame him for everything that had happened, but now she wasn’t so sure. His actions didn’t align with the ruthless reputation he had built. If anything, it seemed like Yoongi cared for Yoona far more than he would ever admit.

Jisoo sighed softly, rubbing her eyes as she settled back into her chair. She didn’t want to wake the others just yet. There was something strangely peaceful about the scene in front of her, and for now, she wanted to let it be.

---

Hours passed, and the room remained quiet. Yoongi stirred first, his hand instinctively tightening around Yoona’s before he blinked his eyes open, he sits up from the awkward position. His back ached, and for a moment, he was disoriented, unsure of where he was.

Then he remembered.

He looked down at Yoona, still unconscious but breathing steadily. Relief flooded through him, and he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. When he glanced up, he caught Jisoo’s gaze from across the room. She was awake, watching him with an unreadable expression.

“She made it through the night,” Jisoo said softly, her tone surprisingly neutral.

Yoongi nodded, his voice low. “Yeah.”

The tension between them was palpable, but it wasn’t the hostility from before. Something had shifted, and while Jisoo still didn’t trust him completely, there was a mutual understanding now. They both cared about Yoona, and for now, that was enough.

“You really care about her, don’t you?” Jisoo asked after a long pause, her voice barely above a whisper.

Yoongi looked back at Yoona, his expression unreadable. He didn’t answer right away, but the silence between them spoke volumes. Finally, he nodded, just once, the admission hanging in the air.

Before Jisoo could say anything more, a soft groan broke the silence. Yoona shifted slightly, her hand twitching in Yoongi’s grasp. Both of them turned their attention to her, their hearts racing as they watched her slowly come back to consciousness.

Yoona’s eyes fluttered open, blinking against the harsh light. She took a deep breath, wincing as the pain from her wound flared up. Her gaze was unfocused at first, but then her eyes landed on Yoongi, who was still holding her hand, his expression full of concern.

“Yoongi?” she croaked, her voice hoarse from disuse.

Yoongi squeezed her hand gently, leaning closer. “I’m here, Smoke.”

Yoona blinked again, trying to process what was happening. She glanced around the room, seeing Jisoo, Seulgi, and Jungkook, all watching her with relieved expressions. Then her gaze settled back on Yoongi.

“You… stayed?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

Yoongi’s throat tightened, but he nodded.

Yoona closed her eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by the emotions coursing through her. She couldn’t understand why he was here, why he had saved her. Everything between them was so complicated, so tangled in the mess of their past.

But as she lay there, her hand still in his, she realized that maybe, just maybe, things didn’t have to be so black and white anymore.