SOLDIER | K.TH

Lover and Friend

TAEHYUNG

He clicks his tongue.

"So we got you instead of the girl."

And I stay silent. The hearing aid is gone from my ear— taken, after being discovered.

I close my eyes.

"You're not touching her."

He laughs. Then he moves to the side of the room, and my eyes follow him to the wall. There are pictures on the wall— of everyone that he'd killed.

I turn away at the one of my sister.

"You'll join these soon." He smiles, and I make a noise deep in my throat. My side— the fabric there was soaked with my blood.

It doesn't matter anymore.

"I don't care."

"I expected you might say that." He muses, testing the point of a knife with his fingertips. "And you know how I am, Taehyung."

"I only kill people who fear."

"What bullshit." I murmur, leaning my head against the wall. I'd been trained enough times to know how a knife felt.

"Which is why this is useless against you."

He tosses the blade to the ground, lip curling in a dark smirk.

"In less than two days, I'll have that girl right here."

"You won't." I say, stopping myself when I feel my voice rising. And he laughs, like he's surprised.

"You really don't think she's going to come to save you?"

I'd told her not to come. I didn't think she wouldn't— because I hoped she wouldn't be that reckless to go against the rules and come for me with all the risks there were.

"She knows better."

He grips my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. And I stare back, unhindered.

Kill me.

His expression twists into fury. He sweeps the knife back up from the floor, gripping a handful of my hair and pushing his knee into my wound.

I gasp.

"I've always hated that look on your face." He hisses, pushing me roughly into the wall. The knife is inches from my lips.

I don't resist.

There was no use to.

And this was better, for Youmin. I had nothing to lose except for her, and if I died then she wouldn't put herself in danger coming here.

Because even if I'd told her—

I knew she would try.

"Be afraid." He snarls, and I glance up at him as he presses the knifepoint to the skin under my left eye.

"I won't hesitate to take half your sight." He says, cursing. "After I took half your hearing. You are afraid, Kim Taehyung. It's useless to hide it."

No.

There's just— nothing to lose.

"You take half of everything." I whisper, dark challenge in my eyes.

"Or are you just scared to take all of me?"

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