The flowerbed - Aespa's Giselle x M!Reader

The next level

"So what do we do?" Ningning's voice cracked. "We can't just leave him there!"

"Maybe..." Giselle started, but a sharp knock at the door cut her off.

We all froze, hearts pounding in sudden silence.

Another knock, harder this time.

"Did anyone order food?" Ningning whispered.

The way Karina's face paled told us all we needed to know.

No one had.

The knocking came again, more insistent now. Demanding.

And somehow, we all knew exactly who was on the other side.
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The knocking grew more insistent, each thud making the door frame rattle.

Giselle grabbed my arm suddenly, her grip tight enough to bruise. "Winter, the USB. Give it to me."

"What? Why-"

"Trust me," her eyes held a fire I hadn't seen since before Y/N left. "I know what to do."

Something in her expression made me reach for the drive without question. But before handing it over, I caught her hand. "Stay safe, unnie. Please."

She squeezed my fingers once, then was moving - fast and silent toward the window that led to the fire escape. There was a second exit through the kitchen that connected to a different hallway. Smart. They wouldn't expect that.

Another bang on the door, wood splintering now.

"Giselle-" Karina started, but she was already gone, Y/N's jacket still around her shoulders as she disappeared.

The door burst open with a crash that made Ningning scream. Choi stood in the entrance, a gun held with casual menace. Behind him, Jung and his brother crowded the doorway like vultures in expensive suits.

"Ladies," Choi's smile was all teeth. "Have a seat."

We moved slowly to the couch, Karina subtly pushing Ningning behind her. My hands shook slightly but I kept my face blank, channeling everything Y/N had taught us about staying calm under pressure.

"Now then," Jung stepped forward, eyes scanning the room. "Where's the missing member?"

"Probably still out crying over your failed manager," his brother supplied with fake sympathy. "How tragic."

I caught Karina's minute head shake. Don't react. Don't give anything away.

"Search the place," Jung ordered, and Choi started moving through our home like he owned it, gun never wavering.

Please, I silently prayed, let Giselle get far enough...

Giselle's POV

The night air hit my lungs like ice as I ran, bare feet silent on pavement. My heart thundered so loud I was sure they could hear it back in the dorm. But I couldn't think about that. Couldn't think about leaving the others.

A cab's headlights approached and I flagged it down with shaking hands.

"Gangnam," I managed, giving an address a few blocks from where I actually needed to go. "Fast as you can."

The driver must have seen something in my face - fear or desperation maybe - because he just nodded and hit the gas.

Seoul blurred past the windows, neon signs and streetlights melting together. The USB drive felt like it was burning a hole in my pocket. Ten minutes. Just had to last ten minutes.

Don't think about the others. Don't think about Y/N, bleeding in that video. Don't think about anything except the next step.

The cab dropped me at a random apartment complex. I waited until it turned the corner before running again, this time toward the building I actually needed. Five stories of quiet residential units, looking exactly like a thousand others in the city.

My pulse roared in my ears as I punched the elevator button. Every second felt like an eternity. What if they'd followed me? What if they'd hurt the others? What if-

The elevator dinged and I practically fell inside, jabbing number 5 repeatedly until the doors closed.

"Come on, come on," I whispered, watching the numbers climb with agonizing slowness. 1... 2... 3...

Was that footsteps in the stairwell? Real or just paranoia?

4...

My heart felt like it might explode.

5.

I burst out of the elevator, sprinting down the familiar hallway. Unit 507. The numbers had never looked so beautiful.

One ring. Nothing.

Two rings. Still silence.

"Come on, please be home, please-" I started hammering the bell frantically.

"YAH! Do you know what TIME it is?!" An angry voice shouted from inside. "I swear to god if this is another drunk-"

The door flew open and there stood Chaewon, hair a mess and clearly ready to fight whoever had dared disturb her beauty sleep. Her eyes widened as she took in my state - barefoot, wearing Y/N's jacket, probably looking half-crazy.

"Unnie," my voice cracked. "We need help."

Y/N's POV

Blood dripped steadily onto concrete, each drop echoing in the empty room. My head hung heavy, every breath sending fresh waves of pain through my ribs.

They had gone after them. After...

"No."

I forced my head up, ignoring the way the room spun. They were in danger. Nothing else mattered. Not the pain, not the zip ties cutting into my wrists, not-

Then, i spotted it.

There, on a dusty shelf barely visible in the fluorescent lighting: scissors. Old and rusted, probably left over from when this was actually used for storage. Just within reach if I could...

I rocked the chair carefully, testing. Pain exploded through my shoulder as I moved, but the chair legs scraped concrete. Good. Not bolted down.

Gritting my teeth against what I knew would hurt, I threw my weight sideways. The chair tipped, crashing onto its side. Stars exploded behind my eyes as my injured ribs hit the floor, but I was closer now. Just a little more...

"Hold on," I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I was talking to myself or them. "I'm coming."

The scissors glinted dully overhead, like hope made metal.

Time to remind Jung exactly who he was dealing with.

To be continued..