Then I Saw Her (Book 1 of the "K-Pop" Chronicles)

Break Down and Break Out

I'm contemplating everything that happened in Seoul, when suddenly, the Sheriff suddenly swerves sharply. I'm glad I had a seatbelt on.

Me: What just happened?
Jenson: I don't know, it's like my arms spasmed.
Me: What?
Jenson: Like I said, I don't know.
Me: Pull over.
Jenson: What are you - ?
Me: Gut feeling. Please pull over if you don't want that bullet to hit you.

That gets him to pull over. Well, more like swerve over. It works nonetheless.

Suddenly, an explosion occurs right behind us.

Jenson: Oh, sh-!
Me: Calm yourself, Sheriff! You're supposed to be able to be calm in these types of scenarios.
Jenson: What's going on?
Me: I don't know, but you have to get out of the car and let me go.
Jenson: I can't...
Me: Sheriff, you know I'm innocent! Trust me! If you wanna live, get out of the car, let me go, and run away.
Jenson: ...
Me: Please!

Another explosion happens right next to us. That convinces him.

Jenson: Fine, on one condition! Find Blackpink! I'm a BLINK myself, and I'm worried about them!

Me: I was already pondering on how to find them.
Jenson: Good.

He lets me go and runs for his life. When he gets to the other side of the road, blood suddenly flies out of his head.

Me: NOOOOOOO!!!!! HE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS!!!!! SHOW YOURSELVES NOW!!!!!!

My voice breaks as four people in all black appear out of the woods next to the road. One of them speaks; it's a woman's voice.

Woman: Are you alright?
Me: Am I alright?? It's not me that I'm worried about, only this sheriff you just shot in the head.
Woman: I'm sorry, I needed him to sleep for a while.
Me: Well, he's gonna be sleeping for way longer than "a while" now, since you killed him.
Woman: I didn't kill him. If I'd wanted to kill him, then I would've gotten you out of the car and had him stay in it. Instead, you told him to get out of the car and run.
Me: How did you-??
Woman: Who do you think planted that thought in your head. You have a very interesting mind, by the way. A crush on Rosé, huh? What potential.

Me: Get the hell out of my head, and stay out. I'm glad I know now that you were able to get in there. Thank you for telling me.

I start walking away, but someone blocks my path.

Woman: I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave. You and the sheriff must come with us.
Me: I'm going home. Bye.

I try to walk around the woman, but she blocks my path again. I try again, but I only get the same result yet again, so I start getting really mad.

Me: Get out of my way. Now.
Woman: No. You're coming with us.

She goes to grab my arm, but I pull away. She goes for the other one. I pull away again. Then she goes to tackle me. I grab her under her armpits and throw her. The rest of her posse start to move forward.

Woman: Stop! He's mine.

They stop, and I stand over her. I go to kneel down, and she headbutts me in the mouth. I stumble back, slightly dazed. She goes to grab my arm again and succeeds. My arm gets roughly twisted behind my back and up, and I yell in pain and frustration. I stick my hips back, grab her mask, and twist around to free my arm, yanking her mask off as I do so. She puts her head down, hiding her face in her hair. Wait, I know that hair.

Me: You've GOT to be kidding me!! I help y'all at your concert, and this is how y'all repay me?? You make it seem like I kidnapped you, then try to kidnap me yourselves??

Rosé goes to swing at me, but I block. She tries again, and this time, I grab her arm, swing her around, and take her down. My knee is on her back, and I'm holding her arm at 90 degrees behind her. She shrieks in pain.

Me: You don't know me, so you obviously don't know the kind of training I've received. Let me tell you. I've been taking boxing from a 5-time world champion female boxer, and some mixed martial arts as well. I'm not the one you wanna try to fight. Now tell me, why are you doing this??

Rosé: I was trying to get you to come back to South Korea, and I knew YG and the K-pop industry wouldn't be too happy with me about it. So I had to do something drastic to be able to see you again.
Me: And why did you wanna see me again?
Rosé: Because I feel like you understand me on a level that most people can't.
Me: Why didn't you tell me this in South Korea?
Rosé: Because I was scared to.
Me: And how exactly did you get all the way here without anyone seeing you?
Rosé: Cargo ship.
Me: Where were you gonna take me?

She tries to get up, but I dig my knee into her spine, causing her to groan and stop struggling.

Me: I asked you a question.
Rosé: I was gonna take you to our hideout.

Me: Your hideout? And who else is there?
Rosé: It's just the four of us.
Me: Okay. I'll go with you, but if anyone else is there, the four of you will never see me again. Or anyone, for that matter. Do you understand?

Rosé gives me a slight nod.

Me: I can't hear you.
Rosé: Yes, I understand.
Me: One more thing. Tell your girls to remove their masks.
Rosé: Okay.

I let her up, and she tells them to remove their masks. They do so reluctantly. There is something odd about the other three, but I let them lead the way to their hideout.

Get ready, Dami.