Jeon Jungkook stood tall before Hyein as she gawked back at him, startled.

"Ms. Hyein Lee. Am I right?" Jungkook asked in a tone that was warm and polite but had the slightest hint of ice that was enough to chill her bones.

"Y-yes, you are right, but how did you know my name?" Hyein asked, finally regaining her composure.

"I've heard from my employees about you." He replied, "And first of all, let me apologize for the way I behaved last time we met." It took her a few seconds to recall what had happened. Of course, he had ignored them. Then why the sudden interest. Something about her dubiety must have shown up on her face as Jungkook suddenly replied, "I just wanted to talk to you. Alone. Both of us." He said gesturing towards himself and her with his thumb.

"Um," Hyein forced her face into a polite smile, "Why don't we just...talk here." Hyein can be stupid but she wasn't dumb enough to be left alone with Jeon Jungkook.

"Heh!" Jungkook scoffed. No, it wasn't a scoff. It was a laugh. Cold, humorless laugh. "Sure, if you insist. I just wanted to check something, it won't take long." He assured, but something in his voice left an unsettling feeling in her gut.

"Why did you do it?" He asked. Hyein blinked back, her expression blank as she asked, "What?"

"You and Taehyung, what are you planning to do? He should know such petty tricks won't work on me."

To say Hyein was confused would be the grossest understatement ever in history. "I.....don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Jeon Jungkook."

Jungkook didn't seem to buy it as his eyes swept over her whole being and involuntarily Hyein's hands went up, folding over her chest defensively as she stared back with equal ferocity. He was trying to intimidate her. She knew it. Still, Hyein gulped from nervousness. She was a little bit scared.

"Either you are telling the truth or you are a skilled liar," Jungkook concluded softly, the menace in his eyes shining evilly. Suddenly, as if a switch was flipped on, Jungkook's entire demeanor changed as a polite smile lit upon his face. All the while, Hyein stared back at the latter confused and a little scared, like a lost lamb. The guy was highly intimidating. Even Taehyung couldn't intimidate her and it was saying something. There was something in his whole attitude that just screamed danger and caution that gave her the chills.

He lifted one of his hands, placed it on her shoulders, and gave her a gentle pat, nodding his head, "I'll see you around then." He then walked away leaving Hyein but then he suddenly turned, "Oh, and your phone's been lighting up for some time." He indicated gesturing towards the object she clutched in her hands.

"Ah, well.." He didn't wait for her to complete before he strode away, hands in his pockets whistling a tune to a classical piece Hyein had heard somewhere. He is suspicious...

Hyein thought to herself as she diverted her attention back to her phone which had over 20 messages from Arrogant Jacka**.

Lee

It was another trap!

The room at the end of the hallway.

Come quick!

8:07

Hyein

Pick up the phone.

8:09

Please

Help me

"Help me?"

Something was wrong. Something was not right.

Hyein pressed the call button and phone rang. It kept ringing but there was no answer.

"Pick up the phone, pick up the phone, pick up the phone..." Hyein nervously muttered as she bit down on her thumb. The phone kept ringing and everything around her seemed to slow down as Hyein nervously kept begging someone to pick up the phone. Please....

Please be okay.......

The ringing ceased and Hyein frantically placed it towards her ears, "Hello? Mr.Kim? Are you there?"

"....huff....huf...H-hye......aahh-"

Beep beep beep.

___________

Taehyung walked towards the secluded hallway of the mansion. All he could think about was the note on the invitation.

Love the Irises.

Taehyung pushed open the door at the end of the hallway and it creaked open towards the large dark room. It was one of his most favorite rooms when he was younger. The gallery room.

It was where they kept all the paintings and collectibles his mother had collected.

Mother.... The word left a bitter taste in his tongue.

Taehyung walked along the walls of the gallery, taking in the view as some of them brought back bittersweet memories to his mind. Taehyung pushed them back with a shake of his head as he stopped before the largest painting in the room.

Irises by Van Gogh

It was one of his favorites, but now it only reminded him of his past self. Taehyung particularly hated his past. He was naive, trusting. A coward...

He should have known sooner. He should have never trusted anyone. He should have never trusted her. Taehyung blinked back his tears.

But then there was a creak and his eyes shot towards the door, which suddenly slammed shut. Oh no...nononono...

Taehyung mentally cursed as he ran towards the door. He gripped the door handle and it was locked. Oh no, this not happening right now. He pounded on the door.

"Open the door! Open the door!" It was of no use. There was suddenly a pop and a weird sound accompanying it. It seemed to be coming from one of the corners of the room. Taehyung looked back frantically. What was that? Some kind of white smoke seemed to be filling one of the corners of the room and it smelled weird. His eyes widened. Poison gas.

"IS THERE SOMEONE OUT THERE! OPEN THE DOOR! QUICK!"

No one was coming. Of course, no one would hear him. He was at the very end of the hallway after all. No one would bother to look for him this far into the house. No one. Except...

Taehyung fished out his phone. Scrolling through the emergency contacts he found the number he was looking for. Not so close Hyein.

Taehyung pressed the call button. The phone rang. She wasn't picking up. She must have put it on silent mode. Quickly scrolling through his apps, he found messages. Pressing on Hyein's name he typed in his message.

The message was delivered successfully and Taehyung waited with bated breath for her reply. It wasn't coming. She hadn't even seen it. The gas was slowly making his head spin. Taehyung shook his head forcefully and dialed her number again.

Ring...ring...ring...

(Turn on the media and scroll on for an immersive experience.)

She wasn't picking. Where was this girl when he needed her? Taehyung went back to the text messages and typed in another message, hoping that she would see it this time. Time was running out. Taehyung couldn't hold his breath anymore. Hyein... please...

Taehyung waited and waited. What was taking her so long? His eyes were getting blurry and dark spots appeared at the corners. Tired he slid down the door onto the floor. It was getting harder and harder to breathe and Taehyung needed air. Quick. He tried one last time.

Please

Help me.

That was it. He was reaching his limits. His head felt like it weighed tons and he couldn't keep it up. No...Taehyung, you can't give up. Stay Awake.

Taehyung mentally urged himself to keep waiting. She'll come. She'll surely come.

His vision was getting more and more blurry as his head lolled to the sides. Taehyung desperately inhaled for oxygen but it wasn't enough. Briefly, he glanced back at the painting through the smoke-filled air. The reminder of his past. The reminder of his naive self.

Was he too trusting? Will Hyein not come?

The dark spots danced in his vision and he didn't know if the cloud of smoke that filled his brain was the poison gas or the fogginess of his brain.

She will come.

Won't she?

Taehyung felt his phone buzz against his hands and his eyes shot open. Slowly, painfully he pushed his finger against the phone's surface.

"Hello? Mr. Kim? Are you there?"

Maybe it was because his head was spinning or maybe because he felt that it was the end, Taehyung felt that the voice sounded sweet. Because Taehyung would never think so when he was in his right mind. He smiled at the thought. With a gargantuan effort he forced himself to say something, ".....huff....huf....H-hye....aahh-"

The cell phone fell out of his hands.