Tangeled in shadows | Min Yoongi

Chapter 19: Battle Lines

The night was unusually still, the kind of silence that comes before a storm. Yoongi's warehouse sat on the outskirts of the city, a fortress surrounded by steel fences and armed guards. But tonight, it wasn't enough. The rival gang, bold and merciless, was closing in fast, and they were coming for blood.

Yoongi stood with his men, his expression cold and calculated as he scanned the perimeter. His mind was already racing through battle plans, but somewhere, beneath the surface, his thoughts kept drifting back to the safehouse where Yoona lay recovering. He hated the idea of leaving her behind, vulnerable, but he didn't have a choice. He had to protect what was his.

At the safehouse, Yoona sat on the edge of the bed, her body aching from the effort of trying to stand. She could feel the tension in the air, the unease of knowing something was wrong. Jisoo had updated her on the situation before leaving with the rest of her crew to help Yoongi defend the warehouse, but now Yoona was alone with one of Yoongi's men-Namjoon.

He stood by the door, his arms crossed, watching her closely. She didn't know him well, but she could tell he was loyal to Yoongi, which made him someone she wasn't sure she could trust. Still, he had been kind enough to stay behind, understanding that she was still too weak to fight.

Yoona's fingers clenched around the edge of the bed. "How bad is it out there?" she asked, her voice tense.

Namjoon's gaze flicked to her. "Bad," he said simply, his deep voice calm but firm. "The other gang is moving fast. They're trying to hit us where we're vulnerable."

Yoona's chest tightened with worry. Vulnerable. The word echoed in her mind, and she hated how it made her feel. She was used to being in control, to being the one in the fight. Now, she was stuck here, helpless, while her crew and Yoongi's men faced a dangerous enemy.

"What about Yoongi?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. "He's with them, right?"

Namjoon nodded. "He's leading the defense. He won't let them get through."

Yoona's heart pounded in her chest. Of course, Yoongi would be in the thick of it. He always was. But something about the thought of him out there, in the line of fire, unsettled her more than it should have. She shouldn't care-she couldn't care. He was still her enemy, still the man who had taken everything from her. And yet...

"He'll be fine," Namjoon added, noticing the flicker of concern on her face. "Yoongi knows how to handle these things."

Yoona exhaled slowly, trying to push the fear away. "And if they don't?" she asked, her voice quiet. "What happens if they break through?"

Namjoon didn't answer immediately. He just looked at her, his eyes serious. "They won't."

But Yoona could hear the uncertainty in his voice, the unspoken truth lingering between them. There were no guarantees in this world. The warehouse could fall, and if it did, everything would unravel.

She clenched her fists, the pain in her side momentarily forgotten as adrenaline coursed through her. She couldn't just sit here and wait for the worst to happen. She needed to do something. But before she could say anything, Namjoon's phone buzzed.

He checked the screen, his expression darkening.

"They've started the attack," he said, his voice low. "We need to be ready."

---

At the warehouse, chaos erupted. The rival gang had come in full force, and Yoongi's men were scrambling to hold the line. Bullets tore through the air, shouts and gunfire blending into a cacophony of violence. Yoongi stood at the center of it all, calm and deadly, directing his men with precision.