Hostage | 전정국

Five

Everyone began cowering toward the left side of the car, away from the masked man and the dead woman. Her blood stained the blue carpet, turning it an ugly purple color. Victoria and Jungkook stayed in front of the snack counter. It was almost as if they were paralyzed. At least, that's how she felt.

Jungkook was actively focusing on his breathing so he wouldn't have a panic attack or pass out. The masked man shouted something into his radio but Jungkook couldn't understand him because he spoke in Japanese. He let go of Victoria's arm and leaned down to whisper near her ear.

"What did he say?"

She blinked, pulled out of her trance, and turned toward him, away from the gruesome scene. "He told someone to come in here. Someone named 'Nine'."

"That's a weird name," he muttered.

The older narrowed her eyes at him. "It's probably a code name."

Jungkook seemed to think about it for a moment longer, head tilted slightly. "Do you think these are North Koreans?"

"No way." She turned around to glance at the man in the mask who was clearly waiting for his comrade. "The North hates Japan more than anyone. I doubt they'd ever learn the language."

"Or," he said, squinting. "They're trying to confuse us. Maybe they really are North Koreans."

Victoria had to bite her lip to keep from shooting back with an insult that would damage his ego. Fortunately, she didn't have to say much because another man entered from the other side of the car—the side everyone was cowering on. He was tall. Really tall. Must be Nine, she thought. He wore all black like the other one and also had a Venetian mask. It was similar to the first guys mask, but his had a distinct lavender tint to the gold lining around it. The people gasped and moved into the corner, away from both doors.

He spoke, his voice also being changed by a synthesizer. It was almost comical how high-pitched his voice was, but the circumstances prevented anyone from finding it amusing. Jungkook still didn't understand what they were saying, so he looked to Victoria once more.

"How did you learn to speak Japanese?"

She stared blankly in the direction of Nine while he began to cross the room. "My mother's mother was Japanese."

"You could've just said 'grandmother'."

Victoria's eyes flashed as they landed on him, but she didn't have time to scold his pestering because Nine stopped right in front of her. He looked down on her, the mask hiding any facial expression as he said nothing. Jungkook saw this and immediately pushed her behind him. He puffed out his chest and stood face to face with the man. She realized that they weren't that different in height.

He stared right into Nine's eyes, mustering all of the courage he could gather. "Pick on someone your own size."

A scoff seemed to come from inside the mask before the man pulled a large knife from a leather case hanging on his belt. Jungkook's eyes widened just as Victoria's did. She wondered how he managed to get on the train with a weapon of that size. How could he possibly conceal that? Her thoughts were silenced when Jungkook pushed her forward now, bending behind her.

"No, wait! I was kidding! Kill her instead!"

She huffed and turned her head to hiss. "You are such a little bitch!"

Nine chuckled and stepped back. His long fingers, concealed by a glove, clutched the end of the knife tightly as it slid back into his case. "I'm not going to kill you. You're clearly just a child."

"Hey!" Jungkook stood up straight, glaring at him over Victoria's head. "I will have you know that I am twenty years old!"

"Jungkook," she seethed. "Know when to shut up!"