Warning: this chapter will include some disturbing scenes. Feel free to skip the flashback part if you are uncomfortable.
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Fear mocked courage proclaiming,
"I can work smoothly even if I'm doped with you, but.."
He laughed out loud.
"But you can't act if you are doped with me."
"I'm superior in all forms."

Author's pov

Yn stood frozen. Her grip on the car door slacken. With each step of the person, Yn pushed her body toward the car unconsciously. Her throat got arid but with trembling lips, she uttered the name which was the nightmare of her life.

"Mrs Choi," her voice came shakier than what her body felt.

How can she forget her? Her childhood tormenter if you say in a decent tone her stepmom. Because of her torments, Yn turned into a vulnerable child who used to be so cheerful. After Yn's dad died her stepmom never let her live peacefully, she never provided Yn with the things she wanted but instead, make her do household chores and hit, and verbally abused her whenever she wanted to take out her anger.

Because of her, children made fun of Yn and ridiculed her for coming to school so shabby, she was traumatised and weak, and couldn't fight back. Yn was strong but Mrs Choi sucked all her courage and liveliness.

Her eyes were fixed in Yn's direction while crossing the way. Did she recognize Yn?

Mrs Choi's face held the same scorn she had on her face years ago making Yn more terrified. Mrs Choi's lips curved upwards into a dismal smirk as she kept gaping in Yn's way. Yn turned around not able to see her past infesting her present.

Yn looked through the mirror and saw her crossing the road trying to reach her.

The mirror reflects your present appearance if you look at it but today it reflected Yn's past. History repeats indeed! Before she used to stand trembling and enchanting her stepmother to not torment her.

but there's a difference today. It was past and now it is present. But what about fear? Blemishes might heal with time but do fear fade away? An emotional ocean full of Strength is nothing when there is even a drop of fear mixed in it.

Yn closed her eyes tightly making more tears fall out her eyes. Her body completely crouching on the car.

She squeaked loudly when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"P-please..go away. Don't hit me. Please..p-please,"

"Noona,"

"Please,"

"NOONA!"

Jungkook yelled, at last, resulting in Yn turning around and she saw Jungkook was the one who was behind her not Mrs Choi.

She gaped at Jungkook for a second then held his hand in a tight grip.

"J-Jungkook, she...s-she was-" Yn couldn't bring herself to utter something, her voice came out shaky making Jungkook worried sick.

He was baffled because when he went she was all fine but out of a sudden what happened? He came out of his thoughts when Yn sobbed loudly. He hugged Yn and caressed her back.

"Shh...Noona, calm down. I'm here." Jungkook spoke softly still confused over the whole thing.

Yn broke the hug and pointed her finger at Jungkook's back.

"S-she came again. S-she will kill me!" Yn spoke roaming her eyes all over the street terrified. What if she is watching her?

Jungkook turned around and scanned the area but there was no one. He turned to Yn and felt helpless seeing her having a breakdown.

He tried moving his lips to ask what she meant but sealed his lips coming up with the conclusion to know it after reaching home. Calming her down felt more needful for him right now.

"Don't worry, Noona. I'm here no one will harm you. Let's go home. Hmm?" Jungkook assured.

But still, she was scouring her teary eyes all over the place. Jungkook sighed and held her hand gently making her sit inside the car.

While Yn sat numb making Jungkook fear her condition. With that, they drove away.

They left the place unaware of the fact that Mrs Choi was keenly observing them with her cunning eyes. She grinned watching them leave.

"Aww..my daughter is scared. Tsk..What will be her reaction when she gets to know I'm turning psycho?"

Mrs Choi giggled creepily while gazing their way.

"I wanted to meet you or at least follow you but I have to prepare things to confront you on the day when you will lose your life and I will gain my everything. Till then take care, sweetie."

She shook her head and hummed a creepy melody while vacating the place. Surely, people might have feared her behaviour if it was a rushed area.

****

Yoongi's pov

A throbbing pain erupted from each nerve of my brain as if someone knocked me hard with a hammer. I tried closing my eyes but the pain kept stifling my will to sleep and escape from it even if it was just for a while.

My stomach growled, and a squeal escaped my lips when I felt my stomach tightening as if swallowing its content to fulfil its hunger. I'm hungry for one day. I sobbed hard, I'm a child, I can't anymore, I need food. I didn't get proper food for a week that's the exact period I had been abducted here in this abandoned place inside a small room not bigger than a cell.

The smell of rotten food entered my nostrils making me peek through my knee cups which were red and bruised from yesterday's torture and exposed as my clothes were torn enduring all the torture. I was leaning on a wall with my bruised body not even treated. I wandered my eyes and caught the sight of a food dish kept on the corner. I felt like throwing out watching the food. No, the word food is not suitable for it.

Tears of helplessness and disgust escaped my eyes. How can I eat it? Even animals aren't given such food. They had been doing this. Whenever Appa quarrelled with them, they never gave me proper food and beat me till the darkness itself embrace me.

I flinched hard hearing someone wailing in agony as if a scream of death. I clutched my ear, I can't hear it anymore. I pushed myself more into the wall.

"Ah!" But a low scream escaped my lips as in the process of shifting back my bruised body brushed against the damp, cold ground. Even my throat gave up on me after screaming and pleading with them to not hit me yesterday.

"I'm not satisfied yet,"

My body jolts up with fear after listening to their conversation. I know they are intentionally speaking out loud just to frighten me more. They enjoy seeing me shivering in fear and then abusing me. A shiver run down my spine thinking tonight will be added to those nights where these black walls, stained with blood resonate with my screams and pleads, and the ground thrives its thirst with my blood.

I could hear stillness on the other side not even a single scream of someone who was tortured. This means they k-killed him! I heard the other door being shut and faint footsteps and with each second those noises got louder.

Which means they are coming over here. No, please, God! Save me..save me. I will die, please.

I tried standing up on my feet but fell. My legs are numb from being on this cold ground for a long. I again tried but this time my body completely contacted the ground.

I was laying in grief ready to be tormented by those abusers once again when my eyes fell upon the sharp object lying on a corner.

I dragged my body towards it. Appa, remembering him fat tears escaped my eyes. He didn't come to save me. They are torturing me and even letting my father know and hear my outcries. But he? I thought he loved me! But for him, his ego and respect are more important than his son. He left his child exposed to these sick people.

Be happy Appa, I don't need you anymore nor I can survive this. I extended my hand and gripped the object and kept it near my stomach.

I have to! No one will come here, no one will save me. I pressed it more on my skin and heard the door getting slammed.

"AHHH!"

I jolt up with wide eyes, my breaths irregular, and my body bathed with sweat. I wiped the sweat beads from my forehead. An F-flashback of my past?

I need to visit a therapist soon. Medicines are not effective in keeping in my painful past. They are breaking the walls of my unconscious mind.

Thankfully, I didn't scream. No one got disturbed!

No one? This made me scan the place where I am. It's Hoseok's bedroom, I shifted my gaze on my body, my legs were bandaged again. Also, my hand was treated and dressed. But my Angel's pained face is hurting me more than this.

I sighed heavily and decided to get myself prepared to put up with the mess I created. I don't regret doing it.

I smiled bitterly remembering when once Angel called me a flower. Indeed I'm! A rose whose petals are red, and colourful to give brightness and happiness to my Angel and have thorns of past which I will in every possible way keep away from my Angel. Those are only for me. I will wrap my Angel with my coloured petals of happiness to the extent that she never looks at those thorns.

I shook away my thoughts and kept my leg on the floor. I felt less pain, maybe I was given painkillers. I took my slow and careful steps to the door.

I vacated the room but before I could enter the living area I heard some noises as if someone having a conversation. Getting curious I took a few more steps and stood still behind the wall when the voices were clearer.

But frowned listening to Hoseok and kookie.

He was supposed to be with Angel but why is he over here?

"What should I do Hyung?" Kookie asked in a restless voice. Are they talking about me?
"I don't know kookie! Only Yoongi can calm Yn but he is not in a condition to do that." Hoseok spoke making me more curious and scared to know what happen.

Is my Angel okay? Is it because of me?

"Are you sure, kookie?" Hoseok asked.

"Yes, Hyung. Noona said that she saw her stepmom." Kookie spoke making my eyes enlarge.

Her stepmom? My Angel needs me. I still remember her snuggling onto me in fear whenever she saw a nightmare of her stepmom torturing her.

"I'm worried Hyung, Noona is crying uncontrollably since the moment she saw her and she isn't talking to anyone."

That's it! My Angel needs me. I don't care if she is upset with my today's behaviour. She can curse me, hit me but I won't let her push me away.

At last, I entered the living area. I saw Jungkook looking at me sadly, I know he is hurt and I will make up to him soon. I saw Hoseok trying to speak something but I walked past both of them and rushed to the door.

I could hear them calling me, but it doesn't matter for now.

I could feel a gush of pain in my leg due to my harsh steps, but it doesn't matter for now.

What matters is only my Angel.

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I know it was a short chapter but I'm stuck with completing my assignments since the deadline is nearer T_T

So how was the chapter? It was all about, 'when the present meets the past.' I know there isn't much action yet but trust me there's a lot on the way.

Btw, I wanted to know and discuss a few things.

Do you feel the characters are overreacting to what they are facing right now, especially regarding the past?

Or things are being dragged too much?

I will tell you from what perspective I'm writing. I'm trying my best to bring it into a psychological way and yes, what the characters are doing is logical in terms of psychology.

Don't think Yn or Yoongi are too weak in the book. It's a psychological aspect that a person who had gone through a hideous thing in the past which affected their mental health severely (which happened with both Yoongi and Yn) will have an emotional breakdown (crying, panicking, having nightmares, getting the past disorder symptoms again) whenever they are exposed to such things again in future.

So psychologically their behaviour is acceptable.

Also, according to personality theory, a person's childhood plays an important role in what his personality will become in future.

I guess things are more clear. No one asked me about this but I felt an urge to share this since their emotions are at a peak. This will help to drown in the characters feeling more deeply (anticipate more crazy things from them in future T-T)

Okay, that's enough. I feel like I'm lecturing you all as a teacher now, lol. My bookworm side is hyped up.

Take care!

Borahae 💜