WILTED | SEOKSOO FF

PART 12

The moment Soonyoung ended the call, he turned back to the others, his expression cold, calculating. "Minghao and Jun are taking him in." His voice was quiet, but it cut through the thick tension in the room like a knife. "He'll be safe there."

Jeonghan exhaled sharply, his hands trembling at his sides. Relief warred with hesitation in his chest. "How the hell are we supposed to get him out of the country without Seokmin finding out?" His voice was tight. "That bastard is watching us."

Soonyoung didn't blink. "Minghao already handled it."

Jihoon frowned, arms crossed. "What do you mean?"

Soonyoung's gaze darkened, his voice dropping lower, more lethal. "Jun has connections. The kind that make problems disappear. He pulled some strings, got Jisoo a fake Chinese citizenship. As far as the airport is concerned, he's always been a Chinese citizen. No passport. No security checks. No trace."

Silence.

Seungcheol's grip on the back of the couch tightened, knuckles turning white. "You're serious?"

Soonyoung nodded once. "Dead serious. We don’t have time for legal routes. Seokmin has eyes everywhere. If we want Jisoo out, it has to be now."

Jeonghan turned to his brother. Jisoo had been quiet the whole time, his fingers curled protectively over his stomach. There was fear in his eyes—but something else, too. A quiet, burning determination.

He wanted to leave. He needed to leave.

Jihoon exhaled sharply. "When’s the flight?"

Soonyoung checked his phone, his face grim. "Tonight."

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

Jeonghan barely found his voice. "Tonight?"

Soonyoung met his gaze with unwavering certainty. "We can’t risk waiting. If Seokmin finds out, we’re screwed."

Jisoo's hand trembled against his belly, but then—he nodded. "I’ll go."

The drive to the airport was a silent warzone.

Seungcheol gripped the steering wheel like he wanted to rip it off, eyes flicking to the rearview mirror every few seconds. Soonyoung sat next to him, tension coiled in his muscles like a spring ready to snap.

In the backseat, Jihoon and Jeonghan flanked Jisoo like bodyguards, their gazes sharp, their bodies rigid. Jeonghan sat next to Jisoo, gripping his hand so tightly their knuckles turned white.

No one spoke. No one dared.

As they neared the airport, Soonyoung finally broke the silence. "Once you’re through security, there's no turning back." His voice was edged with warning. "Jun’s people will be waiting in China. They’ll get you to Minghao’s place immediately."

Jisoo nodded, his fingers tightening around Jeonghan’s. "I understand."

Jeonghan turned to him, voice thick. "The moment you land, call me."

Jisoo forced a small smile, though his lips trembled. "I will."

As they pulled up to the terminal, Jihoon’s eyes swept the surroundings, scanning for any sign of Seokmin or his people. Nothing. For now.

"Move fast," Seungcheol muttered, his jaw tight.

They stepped out, surrounding Jisoo in a protective formation. Every step toward the departure gates felt like walking a razor’s edge, like Seokmin’s eyes could appear at any moment.

But then—nothing.

Just as Soonyoung promised, there were no questions. No passport checks. No suspicious glances.

Jun’s reach was terrifying.

Jisoo turned at the last second, his eyes shimmering. "I’ll come back."

Jeonghan pulled him into a fierce hug, pressing a kiss to his temple. His voice was barely above a whisper. "You better. I wanna see my nephew or niece."

And then Jisoo was gone.

Disappearing into the sea of passengers.

Jeonghan’s breath hitched as he wiped his eyes with trembling fingers. His voice cracked as he whispered, "He’s gone."

Soonyoung exhaled deeply, eyes locked on the departure gate.

The hum of the airplane engines was a dull roar in Jisoo’s ears, but his heart pounded louder. He sat by the window, his fingers curled so tightly around the armrest that his nails dug into the plastic. The seatbelt felt too tight, pressing against his stomach, as if reminding him of everything he was leaving behind.

Jeonghan’s tearful face flashed in his mind. His brother. His home. His country. His entire life.

And yet, he had no choice but to run.

Jisoo stared blankly out the window as the city lights below flickered and faded, swallowed by the endless darkness of the sky. It felt surreal. Just hours ago, he had been in Jihoon’s apartment, hiding, trembling, listening to Seokmin scream outside the door.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN KEEP HIM FROM ME?"

Jisoo squeezed his eyes shut, his breath catching in his throat. The memory was too raw, too fresh. Seokmin’s voice had been filled with rage, but worse than that—obsession. A sick, twisted devotion that made Jisoo’s skin crawl.

"I’LL BURN THIS PLACE TO THE GROUND IF I HAVE TO!"

Jisoo’s chest tightened, and for a second, he forgot how to breathe.

"I WILL DRAG THIS WHOLE DAMN PLACE INTO HELL WITH ME!"

His hands instinctively moved to his belly, cradling it, grounding himself. He could still hear the pounding on Jihoon’s door, the splintering of wood as Seokmin tried to force his way in. He could still see Jihoon’s clenched jaw, Soonyoung’s frantic fingers dialing the police, Jeonghan’s eyes wide with terror. And thise tiny scared and uncertain eyes of Dino.

All of them had risked themselves to protect him. To save him.

And now… he was alone.

A shaky breath escaped him. He was free—at least, that’s what they told him. But why did it feel like he was just drifting? Like at any moment, Seokmin would appear in the seat next to him, smirking, whispering that this was all for nothing, that he’d find him, that he’d never let him go?

The thought made Jisoo feel sick.

He curled further into himself, as if making himself smaller would make him disappear. His fingers brushed against his stomach, and the reality of it all sank in deeper. It wasn’t just about him anymore.

There was a life growing inside him. A tiny, innocent being that hadn’t asked for any of this. A baby that would one day open its eyes and look at him, rely on him.

What kind of world was he bringing this child into?

Tears burned in his eyes, but he forced them back. He couldn’t break down now. He had made it this far. He had to keep going.

His phone vibrated in his lap. He glanced down. A message from Jeonghan.

“I love you. Text me the moment you land.”

A fresh wave of emotion hit him. He swallowed hard, his thumb hovering over the screen before he typed back.

“I love you too. I’ll text you as soon as I can.”

Another breath. Another moment of silence.

Jisoo turned his gaze back to the window. The sky outside was vast and endless, stretching into the unknown.

He was flying toward a new life, away from everything he had ever known.