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

The Truth Comes Out Eventually (Andrew's POV)

After Dami elbows me in the face, I grab her again and yank her back, yelling at her that it was me. I see the scary fire in her eyes fade as she hears me. She looks at me, and her eyes widen.

Dami: Andrew?
Me: Yes, Dami, it's me.
Dami: What the hell happened to you??
Me: It's a long story, and that story is gonna have to wait until we get home.
Dami: But-
Me: Just please trust me on this.

I pull Yoohyeon off the ground, and she's surprisingly still conscious. She decides to spit blood in my face, and I spit back in hers.

Me: I wouldn't try me if I were you. You should already know better. Now, where are the other five, and where is Blackpink.
Yoohyeon: Oh, my sisters are inside the house. Blackpink, on the other hand, I know nothing about.
Me: Then why did you try to act like Rosé before, and why did you stop the sheriff from doing his job?
Yoohyeon: Because I needed you to come with me. I needed your help.
Me: My help? With what?
Yoohyeon: To get my sister back so I could apolog-
Dami: Save your breath! I'm no longer your sister. You made that super clear to me eight years ago, remember?
Me: So that's why Dami lives on her own. So Yoohyeon, why did y'all leave Dami all alone at such a young age?
Dami: I can tell you-
Me: No, I wanna hear it from Yoohyeon. Why, Yoohyeon?
Yoohyeon: Because I felt like she was isolating herself from us. The rest of us tried for so long to get her to open up, but to no avail.
Dami: You're ly-
Me: Quiet, Dami! Go ahead, Yoohyeon.
Yoohyeon: And I couldn't deal with it anymore. I left with my other sisters.
Me: I don't think that was all. Dami must've had a really good reason to hit you so much.

She tears up as she continues.

Yoohyeon: I told her that her voice was really annoying, she can't sing, she sounds like a guy, and she really isn't pretty. She tried to beg us to stay, telling us that she's been trying to be prettier, sing better, and such, and we still just left. My dreams have haunted me about that ever since.

Dami: Good!

I glare at Dami.

Yoohyeon: I've been coming back every year since on that date, mourning over my sister, knowing that I did an unforgivable act to her. I know that I don't deserve forgiveness, but I was hoping that someday she would come back. I've been wanting to apologize for so long, and I haven't been able to find her. She knows how to keep herself hidden so that no one can possibly find her.

She finally finishes speaking, and I nod, understanding how she's feeling. I look over at Dami, who is in tears, and beckon her over, and she steps slowly towards Yoohyeon. Yoohyeon spreads her arms invitingly, and Dami rushes into them. Suddenly, gunshots can be heard from up the hill.

Me: It's them! I knew it! Get inside!

The three of us run inside to meet the other sisters, and we duck for cover.

Dami: Yoohyeon, remember the stash?
Yoohyeon: Of course.
Dami: Show Andrew where it is. I'll help barricade down here.
Yoohyeon: Okay.

Yoohyeon grabs my arm and pulls me upstairs. She goes to a trunk at the foot of one of the beds, opens it, and waves me over. As I see what's in there, my jaw drops. It's a vault disguised as a regular household item, and it is filled with guns galore. There are pistols, shotguns, rifles, scopes, bows, arrows, revolvers, and so much ammo that this house was like a nuclear explosion waiting to happen. I can't believe it. I choose a bow and a sniper rifle (with scopes on both, of course) as my weapons, along with some arrows and AK-47 ammo, then I help Yoohyeon carry some weapons down for the other ladies. We pass out the weapons and ammo, and Yoohyeon calls to Dami.

Yoohyeon: Get out of here, Dami! Take Andrew, and get out of here!
Me: No, I'm staying to fight! If anyone should leave, it's the seven of you. Y'all have no idea what we're dealing with here.
Yoohyeon: And you do?
Me: Unfortunately, yes.
Yoohyeon: Then you should fill us in.
Me: Actually, I shouldn't. I don't want y'all involved any more than necessary. All I can say right now, though, is 71245.
Yoohyeon: How did you know the code?
Me: Code? I don't know anything about a code, but that number is a lot more dangerous than a simple code.

I look at Dami and see the dawning realization in her eyes.

Dami: This is the final location... Oh no...
Yoohyeon: Final location? What the hell are you talking about?
Me: There's no time to explain.
Yoohyeon: Then make time. I need to know why random people are shooting up my childhood home.

I look at Dami, and she understands, pulling up her research on her phone to show her sister. As Yoohyeon and the rest of the sisters look at it, Yoohyeon is the only one who doesn't get a grave expression. On the contrary, her lips curve up in a smile, and she laughs.

Yoohyeon: I can't believe you expect me to be scared by this. I mean, seriously? Who would go to that much trouble, and why?
Me: Well, I know a few people that would, and just because they're evil like that.
Dami: I also know some people that would go to that much trouble.

She was glaring at Yoohyeon. Apparently, Dami hadn't completely forgiven her sister, but accusing her sister of something like this is quite a bit farther than I would've expected Dami to go with her hatred. Yoohyeon apparently thought the same thing because she laughed heartily at the accusation.

Yoohyeon: Oh, I see. So you think I did it, huh? Wow, sister, you truly are naïve, aren't you? In fact, so are you, Andrew.
Me: And what is that supposed to mean?
Yoohyeon: I just hurt people with my words and use their minds against them. I don't ever do physical stuff like this.
Dami: I wouldn't-
Andrew: Wait, Dami. Let me take care of this. There is a reason I'm here after all.
Dami: Wha-
Me: Yoohyeon knows why I came with her, even if she doesn't wanna admit it. Wow, ignorance really can be bliss. Until the truth comes out, that is. Yoohyeon, how dare you? You've been having your sisters do your dirty work, and you haven't even told them why. What a sister you are. I know you didn't kill those people physically, so where's your puppet?
Gahyeon: Yoohyeon, what is he talking about?
Yoohyeon: I-I don't know...
Me: Seriously? You wanna keep lying to your sisters? For real?

I face Gahyeon, Sua, Jiu, Handong, and Siyeon.

Me: Yoohyeon is not as innocent as you make her out to be. She's the mastermind behind all the kills around the country, and y'all have been the ones doing them.
Yoohyeon: What about you then, huh? What about your past? How many people did you kill?
Me: That was self-defense. You were committing cold-hearted murder to innocent people. Plus, I moved here to LA to start fresh and get away from my old life. I have been striving to do better and be better.
Yoohyeon: Start fresh? How did that work out for you? You still couldn't leave it alone.
Me: Wake up, Jiu! You're the hyung! Wake up!

Her eyes start to flicker, and Yoohyeon pulls her gun on me. However, I'm close enough to be able to disarm her, which I do quite easily.

Me: Dami, get to the car.

She starts heading there. Yoohyeon tries to tell her puppets to go after her, but I pull a loaded crossbow out of my boot and point it at the five of them, causing them to stop. I enjoyed seeing the shocked expression on Yoohyeon's face.

Me: Yeah, you're not the only one with stashed weapons.
Yoohyeon: So what now?
Me: You, and you alone, are gonna have to stay here at this house, just like you left Dami here years ago. Dami and I are gonna take the stash of weapons with us so that you can't shoot us as we leave.

I look at the other five ladies.

Me: Please go get those for me.

As they get the weapons and ammo and load them in the vehicles, I handcuff Yoohyeon to two sturdy wooden beams. Then I go help pack the rest of the stash and lead the five remaining sisters outside to the Camaro. They get in while I go back to the front of the house to get the SUV. As I turn on the engine, I hear gunshots again, so I floor it to the back yard to meet up with Dami, who is ready to go. She's looking quite hot driving that Camaro. I shake my head to clear it and tell her to meet me at the you-know-where. She nods and peels away as I go back up front again and shoot down every sniper in my way. Once I finally get away from there, I go meet up with Dami and her five sisters.