Shadows of Deception-KTH

Chapter 2

The drive was silent, save for the rhythmic sound of rain against the car's windows. Taehyung's hands gripped the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. Y/N sat in the passenger seat, her eyes darting out the window as the city lights blurred into streaks of gold and silver. The tension between them was palpable; the silence too thick to be comfortable.

"Why are you really doing this?" Taehyung finally broke the silence, his voice calm but laced with suspicion. "You showed up out of nowhere, claiming you want to help. But why would you risk your life for a relic no one even believes exists?"

Y/N's gaze shifted from the window to Taehyung's profile, her eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing her words. "I have my reasons," she replied, her tone guarded. "And trust me, they're good enough to risk everything."

Taehyung's jaw clenched. "That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting right now," she said sharply. "Why do you care, anyway? You don't even know me."

"Exactly," Taehyung shot back, glancing at her before returning his focus to the road. "And I don't like being blindsided by someone who could get me killed."

There was a beat of silence as Y/N's gaze remained on him, her expression softening just slightly. "You're not the only one with secrets, Taehyung," she said quietly, as if more to herself than to him.

The rest of the drive continued without another word. It was clear that neither of them was ready to trust the other, yet fate had forced their paths to converge. Whatever the reason, they were in this together now, and that alone was dangerous.

The car finally came to a stop in front of a small, rundown motel on the outskirts of the city. The neon sign flickered weakly above the entrance, casting a dim red glow across the wet pavement.

"This is where we lay low for the night," Taehyung said as he turned off the engine. "We need to plan our next move."

Y/N nodded, opening the door and stepping out into the rain. The chill in the air seeped into her bones, but she hardly noticed it. There was too much on her mind. As they walked towards the motel entrance, a thought nagged at the back of her mind-a warning she had brushed aside for too long.

Inside the motel room, the air was stale, and the décor was a faded memory of what once might have been. Taehyung tossed his jacket onto a chair, pulling out the scattered documents Ji-hoon had provided back at the warehouse.

He spread the papers across the small table. "These are the leads we have so far," he said, his voice steady but edged with frustration. "The map we're looking for is supposed to be in three pieces, scattered across different locations. If the intel is right, the first piece is somewhere near Hwaheon."

Y/N's brow furrowed as she scanned the documents. "Hwaheon? Why there?"

"It was an old site for artifact trading centuries ago," Taehyung explained. "Rumor has it, some relics were hidden there to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. The Shroud's map was supposedly one of them."

A moment of silence settled between them before Y/N spoke again. "You're really certain this is real, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," Taehyung answered without hesitation. His eyes met hers, and there was a spark of conviction behind them. "This map is the only thing that can lead us to the Shroud. And the Shroud is..."

He trailed off, his expression darkening, as though revealing more would cost him dearly. Y/N caught the shift in his demeanor but chose not to press further.

"Then we head to Hwaheon tomorrow," she said decisively, folding the map in half. "But I'll need to make a quick stop on the way. There's someone I need to see."