Array
(
[text] =>
_______________________
Another hour had passed, and they were nowhere closer to finding them then they had before.
Morale was at an all-time low and Geon-woo was one word away from exploding, Woo-jin was set off by the most random of things, Da-min was not helping with her sarcasm and whips and Hyeon-ju was on the verge of grabbing her taser and finding Nari herself. They didn’t realise how much Nari was keeping the group together. To see she was the glue keeping them from falling apart and without her they were doing just that.
“I think-“Da-min went to intercede when suddenly Geon-woo’s phone lit up. They all sprang from their seats and Geon-woo nearly jumped the table as he lunged for his phone. Mr Oh’s name flashed on screen and he spared his friends a wavered glance until Woo-jin gently swiped answer and placed in on speaker.
“You dumbass punks” Myeong-gil came into view. They couldn’t make out where exactly he was but it was nowhere pleasant judging from the grime on the widows, mold on the walls and the one light swinging dangerously in the middle of the room. ” Why do you not listen?“
“Myeong-gil” Geon-woo hissed and the man in question lit up.
“Ah Geon-woo how you been kid. You’re looking a little rough around the edges there” he said, voice crackling over the phone. “But I must say you are looking way prettier than your girlfriend here. Yikes” he inhaled, his face twisting and then grinning.
“Where is she Myeong-gil?” he fumed but the man just shrugged.
“Look, kids, this whole thing has blown out of proportion. Nothing had to have gone the way it had if you guys had just listened. We wouldn’t be in this situation alright. But then you had to go and burn my safe and beat my men and I was forced to retaliate” he said.
”Myeong-gil” Geon-woo called his name forcefully, his voice betraying his anger.
”Jeez kid, when did you become so hard“‘ Myeong-gil muttered. ” You were such a softy when we first met but now look at you. All angry and demanding. Look at that glare. You should thank me honestly. I made you stronger” he said and then laughed. “But this needs to stop now” he simmered and a serious look passed over his face.
“I already took care of Gang-yong and his cronies. I promised to come after your mother too, but I think this will finally give you your resolution” he smiled, and shuffling was heard along with a grunt until the camera panned away from his face.
The air from their lungs vanished when Nari came into view. Geon-woo’s knees felt weak and he had to hold onto the table for stability. Hyeon-ju swore, tears in her eyes while Da-min looked away. Woo-jin flushed in anger but Geon-woo couldn’t tear his eyes from the woman he loved.
She was beaten down to blood and bones. Bruises littered her body and her shirt was crinkled with dirt and blood. She was tied to a rickety chair, squirming with hair mattered to her head. She had a mouth gag and they could tell she was probably slewing Myeong-gil from behind it. Her eyes were sparked with rage and Geon-woo suddenly felt ill.
“You seeing this?” Myeong-gil taunted as he came into view again. “If you guys don’t stop this nonsense I’m going to grind her and Oh In-muk up into tiny bite sized pieces and feed them to the fish. ” he warned and Da-min made the mistake of glancing up just when Myeong-gil panned the camera to her grandfather. So they were together. Da-min turned and rushed to the bathroom, her empty stomach retching.
“You son of a bitch!” Woo-jin yelled furiously.
“ah ah ah” Myeong-gil tittered and then he lifted his hand to brush Nari’s hair from her face. She lurched away and Geon-woo could’ve snapped a piece of the table off.
“Don’t fcking touch her” he spat so venomously, it sent a shiver down their spines.
“Will you listen this time?” Myeong-gil said and Nari disappeared from screen but shuffling was still heard faintly. ” Or will I have to make an example of what happens when you cross me for the final time with your girlfriend over here” he smirked.
“What do you want?” Geon-woo finally caved.
“Come to the fish farm in an hour. If you call the cops this time I’m going to kill Oh In-muk and then I’ll draw out her death until there’s nothing for the police to identify. But I don’t want that, I’ve grown fond of her threats and spirit. But I’ll do what I must” he concluded. ” I’ll see you there”
And then the call ended, and Nari was left glaring daggers up at Myeong-gil who simply grinned.
“You make everything so easy” he said and patted her cheek twice. ” And you’re going to get them killed the way you did the others”
Nari screamed behind her gag, shoulders writhing in an attempt to lunge at him but Myeong-gil just laughed and made his way out the door as four men each grabbed at her and Mr Oh’s arms and lugged them out. Mr Oh went willingly or rather defeatedly but Nari was thrashing so violently, her hair whipping across her face and legs kicking and flailing that she didn’t realise Nam-bok, looking a little too excited, managed to slam the handle of his bat into her temple and her eyes rolled back into her head and the men heaved her limp body into the car.
Tension had never been thicker amongst the group as they barrelled down the highway, Geon-woo driving well over comfort, his fingers locked around the steering wheel and foot pressed on the gas. None of them had ever seen him so angry. They could practically see the steam rolling of him in waves and when the call ended it had taken Woo-jin physically to pull him outside to calm him down to discuss their plan of action.
Geon-woo had never felt anger like this. It was so raw and so consuming. Seeing Nari like that had snapped something within in and he was on a warpath, and nothing was going to stop him.
The basking city of Seoul soon faded back into the familiar country side and Da-min had got off, a little bit farther out of reach for safety in Woo-jin’s opinion but scepticism in Geon-woo’s. The three of them pulled up to the tented fish farm, Hyeon-ju grabbed her taser and baton, Woo-jin and Geon-woo putting on their gloves and then they were off.
Geon-woo was going to kill Kim Myeong-gil for ever laying a finger on Byun Nari.
They entered the main tent, eyeing the men who stalked towards until they settled their eyes upon the group of people at the end. Myeong-gil was sat on a chair, grinning and laughing at his phone with Kim Jun-min at his side. He had a wide white bandage on his neck and it seemed he could barely raise his voice above a whisper which explained the megaphone hung around his arm. But then his eyes trailed to the figures at his feet.
Nari was brought to her knees. Her arms were still tied behind her back but her gag was replaced by a thick strip of tape and her eyes were sealed shut too. She looked even worse up close. His vision danced and he wanted to lunge for her but with all the eyes on him it would’ve been impossible and risky and he was not about to put her life in more danger. Beside her, sprawled on the ground was Mr Oh, in a much similar position.
He was struggling to keep himself under control.
Jun-min was glaring at them and then he slowly raised the megaphone to his lips and the order came out squeaky and rough. Kill them. And then they attacked,
Hyeon-ju, Geon-woo and Woo-jin all darted in different directions, all fuelled by anger and hate as they ploughed through the men.
Nari could hear the grunts and groans even splashes of water from where she sat. Her knees were aching so badly, and she was tired, but they were right there. They had come for them and she’d be damned if this was how she ended. Nari didn’t like missing out on the fun.
The sound of more men dropping caught her attention and she didn’t hear Myeong-gil mutter something to Jun-min and unsheathe his knife until the tape around her eyes was ripped from her face followed by the one covering her mouth. Nari couldn’t process the bright light and stinging over her mouth when a cold blade positioned itself across her neck. Everyone went silent and after having blinked multiple times everything finally came into focus.
Hyeon-ju, Geon-woo and Woo-jin all froze in their spot. The men were either limp on the floor or in the containers groaning and trying to get to their feet. But no one moved when Myeong-gil furiously called out.
Nari’s eyes flickered to each of theirs. They were all looking from her to Myeong-gil in what she could only decipher as fear. For her safety. Her head was tilted back, one hand gripping her hair so tightly, she had to conceal her wince while the other pressed the knife deeper against her throat. He silenced her with a tug of his hand.
“Myeong-gil!” Geon-woo yelled, his eyes like daggers.
“If you come closer, I’ll slit her pretty little throat” he pressed down harder for emphasis.
“Aww you think I’m pretty” Nari croaked out and Myeong-gil furiously gripped her hair tighter.
“Shut up for once you insolent brat” he warned.
Geon-woo wanted to retaliate but the knife at her throat left him conflicted. If he attacked, Myeong-gil wouldn’t hesitate to slide that knife clean across her throat. If he didn’t, he may do it as well.
Nari sent him a glance, her eyes softening and she could tell her disappearance had not been easy on him. She wanted to apologise for causing him so much hurt but her heart was heavy. She had just wanted some air.
Nari noticed movement upon the railing, her eyes followed the figure, and she grinned when she saw the familiar girl hidden beneath the shadows with a bow and arrow.
”What are you smiling about bitch?” Myeong-gil hissed in her ear and Nari laughed. She laughed- which caught everyone by surprise. Captors don’t laugh they beg for their lives, they cry and scream, but they definitely don’t laugh.
Woo-jn, Hyeon-ju and Geon-woo all shared a glance, thinking maybe Nari had finally gone insane but then Nari smiled at her boyfriend, so adoringly he melted on sight.
”Hey babe” she called and sent him her familiar charming smile. ” Duck” she said and then a louder voice called from behind.
Nari smirked as they all dropped to the ground, an arrow whizzed in the air and embedded itself into Myeong-gil’s shoulder. The man staggered back with a cry as arrows continued to fly. Jun-min grabbed at his boss and Nari flung herself forward to grab the knife that had fallen. Everyone immediately threw themselves back into battle but Jun-min was ushering a seething Myeong-gil out the back of the tent for safety.
Nari managed to manoeuvre the knife in her hands and despite how her fingers were straining, she managed to cut free the ropes. They fell and she breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing her wrists that were raw and sore and bleeding before helping Mr Oh to sit up. He shuffled, thinking she may have been someone who wanted to hurt him but she managed to guide him up with a coax. He sagged in relief at her voice and she promised to help him just as soon as they finished. He barely managed a nod.
Nari turned, swaying on her feet and she realised just how tired and hurt she actually was. She had been running on pure adrenaline and now it was seeping into the drain like the blood on her body.
Nari spotted her boyfriend who was dropping men faster than they could stand before she noticed Hyeon-ju a little while up ahead struggling as three men swarmed her. Nari picked up a fallen rake, twirling it in her hand, and made a beeline for them.
Hyeon-ju was overwhelmed. Her baton cracked against the ribs of one but then two more would get up for every one she dropped. Her taser zapped in her hand but she was being cornered. Then there was until a familiar flash of raven hair that blurred past and two men dropped to the ground.
“Nari?” Hyeon-ju guffawed and the woman gave her a smile, leaning against the rake with her teeth stained red on display. She huffed and ran her hand to her hair and brushed it out of her face.
“Phew I couldn’t let you guys have all the fun” she said and Hyeon-ju felt her eyes soften and then she jumped into her friend’s arms.
“I’m so fcking sorry for everything Nari” Hyeon-ju confessed, clutching onto her friend and Nari recalled the slight animosity between the two but the kidnapping made her realise it was trivial and that she had longed for her friends more than ever. So after a beat, a moment too long, Nari sagged in her friend’s arms and curled herself around the short woman and pulled her closer.
“It’s okay” she told her and squeezed Hyeon-ju back.
“But let’s finish this yeah” Nari said and Hyeon-ju stepped out of her embrace with a nod and a smile and the two girls felt powerful again, joint at the hip and stronger than ever. They stood back to back and unleashed hell.
Nari swerved and then managed to land a liver shot to one of the men. She had began stumbling over her feet, her energy draining faster than she would like, her vison fading along with it. She was staggering and her movements were getting sloppy and it wouldn’t help that her damp hair began getting in the way. Nari exhaled, shakily and she wanted to curl into a ball and sleep for the next week but there were still men who needed to be taken down.
Nari had been brushing her hair from her face when she suddenly cried out as a force slammed into her back. She turned on impact and a groan of disgust left her lips when she recognised the figure before her.
“Really! You can’t just give up can you” she grumbled at Nam-bok who was spitting angered words at her.
“I’ll kill you” he spat and then swung again. Nari swerved, her back arching as she dodged his swing. He swung again and this time she moved and the bat rattled against the pillar.
“Yes, yes. I’ve heard the speech. But you won’t be the one to do it okay” she said and he roared in fury but Nari slammed her heel against his chest. He stumbled back and the bat dropped at his feet. The last few men dropped to the ground in pain and Nari went to jab at him again when suddenly he collapsed to the floor, Geon-woo’s fist driving clean across his nose with a force that sent a couple of teeth flying out of his mouth.
“Ew” she muttered when Geon-woo turned and the last man fell with an arrow protruding through his arm. Nari’s face softened at her boyfriend.
They stared at each other, taking each other in as if seeing each other for the first time. It had only been a few hours but it had felt like eternity with the two of them. Geon-woo mulling over every agonising second while Nari wanted nothing more than to see her boyfriend’s beautiful self once again. And then here they were. Standing less than feet apart but the distance felt worldly.
Geon-woo muttered her name softly as if she’d disappear. He felt as if she was a mirage, an object of all his desires and the world would cruelly rip her away as it did twice before. He didn’t want to to be third time lucky. He muttered her name again and then took a step forward and Nari nodded and that’s all it took for him to crash into her.
He pressed her closer into him, his arms securing her back and he pressed her head closer into the crook of his shoulder. His hand ran through her hair, making sure she was real as he buried himself into her.
“I’m so sorry” he kept whispering but Nari shook her head, her eyes filling with tears and everything she had experienced came flooding back and all she wanted to do was stay in his arms forever.
“It’s okay” she whispered. “I’m here”
”Nari” his voiced broke at her name.
“Geon-woo” she whispered back and she slightly pulled apart to glance at his face. His tears fell freely down his cheeks and she raised her hands to cup his face, her thumb brushing away his tears with a tender flick.
Nair’s lips parted and then closed and she couldn’t find the words to say but she knew how to express it. She brought his head closer and pressed her lips against his, desperately, needlingly. She needed to feel him. Geon-woo reciprocated with equal vigour and he pulled her by her waist until they were pressed impossibly close to each other. He deepened the kiss and his hand came to rest against her cheek to try and pull her closer.
Nari separated first, flush and his brows crinkled in confusion.
“Sorry. I’m dirty and-” his lips attached to hers, silencing her worries of bloodied lips and bruises. He didn’t care about any of that, he just cared about her. She was back in his arms, she was here, she was alive. He kissed her with everything he had, and he hoped she could feel his relief, his terror and desperation. A tear slipped down her cheek and Geon-woo hesitantly departed, keeping her close and wiped the tear from her eyes and pressed a kiss in its spot. He then lightly traced over her bruises and cuts and his heart broke when her eye twitched over a wound.
“Forgive me” he whispered and she nodded and rested her forehead against his.
She just wanted to hold him a little longer.
I love them sm
[text_hash] => c8e3a687
)