𝗠𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘆|| 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗼𝗼𝗸

- The calm before the storm -

That evening, the underground fight arena was eerily quiet as Suyeon and Jungkook stood in the back room, waiting for their signal. The tension was suffocating, and every second felt like an eternity.

Their plan was simple but dangerous: use the chaos of the fight to draw Minho out, isolate him, and take him down. They had rallied their most trusted allies, people who had suffered under Minho’s reign just as they had, but no plan could account for every variable.

Jungkook paced the room, his jaw clenched in thought. He was always calm under pressure, but tonight, there was something different in his demeanor—an intensity that Suyeon hadn’t seen before.

“We’re ready, right?” Suyeon asked, breaking the silence.

Jungkook stopped pacing and looked at her. “Yeah, we are. But that doesn’t make it any easier. Minho won’t go down without a fight, and I don’t want to see you hurt again, Suyeon.”

“I won’t get hurt,” she replied, though she wasn’t entirely sure of her words. She had been reckless before, and it had nearly cost her everything. But this time, things were different. This time, they had each other.

Jungkook stepped closer, his gaze softening as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “I mean it. I don’t think I could handle it if something happened to you.”

Suyeon could feel the weight of his words, the vulnerability he was showing. For all his strength, for all the battles they had fought together, there was a part of Jungkook that still feared losing her. And that fear had only grown stronger since the accident.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered, her hand resting on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. They had both been through so much, and the road ahead was uncertain, but in that moment, all that mattered was that they were together.

Jungkook leaned down, his forehead resting against hers. There was an unspoken understanding between them—a promise that they would face whatever came next, side by side.

“Whatever happens tonight, just know... I’m with you, always.” His voice was low, but the conviction in his words sent a shiver down her spine.

Suyeon closed her eyes, letting herself be enveloped by the warmth of his presence. It wasn’t just a promise for tonight, but for every battle they would face in the future. They were bound by something deeper than their fight against Minho—something that couldn’t be broken, no matter how dark things became.

Jungkook sat beside her, his knee barely touching hers, the air between them thick with unspoken tension. He stared ahead, his jaw clenched tightly. “I don’t like this,” he finally muttered, his voice low but filled with concern.

Suyeon sighed, knowing what he meant. The fight, the danger, the uncertainty—it weighed on both of them.

“Neither do I,” she admitted softly. “But we’ve prepared for this. We just need to stick to the plan.”

Jungkook’s eyes flicked to hers, dark and intense. “Plans don’t always go the way we want. If something happens to you—”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me,” Suyeon cut him off, reaching for his hand. Her touch was firm, grounding him in the present. “We’ve got each other’s backs. Remember?”

For a moment, the storm of emotions in his eyes calmed. He nodded, squeezing her hand gently. “Always,” he whispered.

But the unease lingered.