The Shadows of power

8

Chapter 8: The Encounter Unfolds

After Namjoon and Jin returned from the terrace, there was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. Jin’s puffy eyes caught everyone’s attention, but no one dared to ask, sensing that something deeper had transpired. Namjoon, calm as always, grabbed a glass of water and handed it to Jin, who silently accepted it. Both of them took their seats, blending into the conversation as if nothing had happened.

Breaking the silence, Taehyung nervously stood up, all eyes suddenly on him. "Hyung," he began, glancing at Jimin who was glaring daggers at him, causing him to stutter. "Actually... Hyung..." He fumbled with his words, clearly flustered. In an attempt to distract himself, he turned towards Yoongi. "Suga, can you display that picture... you know, the one with the girl I mentioned earlier?"

The screen flickered as Yoongi complied, displaying the image of the mysterious girl that Taehyung had been fixating on. But as the picture appeared, Taehyung again glanced at Jimin, whose glare had intensified, and quickly sat back down, tapping Jungkook's back.

"Jungkook, how about you explain? My throat’s been hurting for days," Taehyung muttered nervously, eager to pass the baton.

Jungkook, ever the hero, confidently stood up as if he were about to deliver a grand speech. But the moment he made eye contact with Jimin, who was still glaring at him, he faltered. His confidence deflated like a balloon. "Uh... Actually, Jimin-hyung will be explaining. He... knows her better."

Jimin stood up with a sigh, and everyone could feel the underlying frustration in his voice. "Actually, we three—Taehyung, Jungkook, and I—were in the same university as this girl." His voice was steady, but it carried an edge. "This girl... she was persistent. First, she proposed to Taehyung. After getting rejected, she proposed to Jungkook." He shot an annoyed glance at the two boys, who were now shrinking in their seats. "She wouldn’t leave them alone, always buzzing around like a bee after honey. Eventually, I had to yell at her to make her back off."

J-Hope, unable to contain his laughter, burst out, clapping his hands. "This explains why Tae and Jungkook looked like they were about to faint!" Yoongi snickered beside him, and the others, including Jin and Namjoon, joined in the laughter at the cuteness of the whole situation.

Namjoon, after his brief chuckle, cleared his throat. "But... what’s the connection with human trafficking?" He raised an eyebrow, steering the conversation back on track.

Jimin’s expression grew serious. "Hyung, she’s the daughter of the principal of our university. And something strange happened back at our farewell." He paused, his eyes darkening. "We were already here when it happened, but we got news that during our farewell, there was a bomb blast. No students were recognized afterward."

Namjoon leaned back, processing this. "I see. And what’s the connection with this picture?"

Yoongi, sharp as always, stepped in. "Namjoon, this girl’s photo... I found it on a secret website connected to that university. From the looks of it, she may be tied to the human trafficking ring. She survived that bomb blast, but the question is... why?" He clicked onto another image, showing the aftermath of the incident. "See this? There’s white smoke everywhere, but look closely. There's a shadowy figure leaving the room."

Everyone leaned forward, focusing on the screen as Yoongi zoomed in. "Watch how fast this figure is running. And look at the shape... it’s similar to the girl."

Namjoon nodded, his mind already calculating their next steps. "Suga, I need you to find her current location. After that, we’ll move forward with our plans."

With the discussion winding down, the room started to ease up. But just when everyone thought it was over, Jimin—ever the chaotic one—smirked and spoke up. "How about we do something different today?"

Jungkook, always ready for action, grinned. "Let’s get home first. Then we’ll decide what kind of chaos we’re going to stir up."

With that, everyone stood up, exchanging knowing glances as they prepared to head back. Each of them got into their respective cars, driving home with thoughts swirling in their minds—about the girl, the human trafficking ring, and, of course, what wild adventure awaited them next.