CHAPTER 15 — TRAPPED TOGETHER
1234 Words
The first gunshot shattered the night.
Aarya flinched violently.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Another shot followed.
Then another.
And another.
The peaceful mountain cabin instantly transformed into a battlefield.
Outside, chaos erupted.
Men shouted orders.
Gunfire echoed through the forest.
Glass shattered somewhere downstairs.
The entire cabin trembled.
And beside her—
Jeon Jungkook became terrifying.
Gone was the man who teased her.
Gone was the man who sat beside her bed while she had a fever.
Gone was the man who looked at her as if she were the center of his universe.
Standing before her now was the king of the underworld.
And he looked absolutely lethal.
"They shouldn't be here."
His voice was ice.
Pure ice.
Aarya swallowed hard.
"What do we do?"
Jungkook's gaze swept the room instantly.
Calculating.
Analyzing.
Planning.
Every possible outcome.
Then his hand closed around hers.
Firm.
Protective.
"We move."
Another explosion rocked the cabin.
The lights flickered.
Aarya gasped.
Jungkook immediately pulled her behind him.
Shielding her with his body.
Instinctively.
Naturally.
As though protecting her mattered more than protecting himself.
The realization made her chest tighten.
Even now.
Even in danger.
His first concern was her.
The bedroom door burst open.
Several armed men rushed inside.
Jungkook's security team.
The leader looked grim.
"Boss."
Jungkook didn't waste time.
"Report."
"We're surrounded."
Aarya's blood ran cold.
The guard continued.
"At least thirty men."
Thirty?
Thirty?
Who the hell sent thirty armed men?
Jungkook's expression remained calm.
Terrifyingly calm.
The kind of calm only dangerous people possessed.
"They came prepared."
The guard nodded.
"Very."
Silence followed.
Then Jungkook spoke.
Three words.
"Protect Aarya first."
The room froze.
Every guard exchanged looks.
Even Aarya stared.
Because that wasn't normal.
The boss was supposed to come first.
Always.
Yet Jungkook hadn't even mentioned himself.
Only her.
Minutes later—
they moved through a hidden passage beneath the cabin.
Aarya never even knew it existed.
The tunnel was narrow.
Dark.
Cold.
Jungkook remained directly beside her.
Never more than an arm's length away.
Never letting her out of sight.
The gunfire above continued relentlessly.
Every sound made her jump.
Every explosion tightened the knot in her stomach.
Eventually—
the tunnel ended.
Leading into a hidden underground room.
Small.
Secure.
Safe.
At least temporarily.
The heavy steel door closed behind them.
The sounds of battle became muffled.
Distant.
Aarya finally exhaled.
Then noticed something.
Blood.
A lot of blood.
Her eyes widened.
"Jungkook."
He looked up.
"What?"
"You're bleeding."
For a second—
he looked confused.
Then glanced down.
A bullet had grazed his shoulder.
His black shirt hid most of the damage.
But not all.
Aarya's stomach dropped.
"You were shot."
"It's nothing."
She stared.
Actually stared.
The man was bleeding.
Actively bleeding.
And somehow he looked annoyed that she'd pointed it out.
"Sit down."
Jungkook's eyebrow lifted.
"No."
Aarya pointed toward a chair.
"Sit."
The irony wasn't lost on either of them.
Usually he was the one giving orders.
Not tonight.
For a moment—
they simply stared at each other.
Then surprisingly—
he sat.
Without arguing.
Without resisting.
The realization shocked her.
Aarya found the first aid kit quickly.
Years ago, her mother had taught her basic treatment skills.
Nothing complicated.
But enough.
As she cleaned the wound—
Jungkook remained silent.
Watching her.
Always watching her.
The room felt strangely intimate.
Dangerously intimate.
Her fingers brushed his skin accidentally.
His muscles immediately tensed.
Aarya froze.
So did he.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
Her heartbeat became uncooperative.
Again.
Why did that keep happening around him?
"Does it hurt?"
The question slipped out softly.
Jungkook's gaze remained fixed on her.
"No."
"You're lying."
A faint smile appeared.
Barely visible.
"Probably."
Aarya rolled her eyes.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The stubbornness."
His smile widened slightly.
A rare sight.
A dangerous sight.
Because every time Jungkook smiled genuinely—
she forgot how dangerous he was.
And that was becoming a problem.
A very serious problem.
After finishing the bandage—
Aarya stepped back.
"There."
Jungkook looked at the neatly wrapped wound.
Then at her.
"Thank you."
The simple words surprised her.
Because they sounded sincere.
Completely sincere.
For a moment—
silence filled the room.
Comfortable silence.
Which somehow felt even more dangerous than arguing.
Hours passed.
The attack continued above them.
Neither slept.
Neither could.
The underground room contained only one couch.
One blanket.
One source of warmth.
And unfortunately—
winter nights in the mountains were cold.
Very cold.
Aarya tried ignoring it.
For about ten minutes.
Then her teeth started chattering.
Jungkook noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
"You'll get sick."
Aarya groaned.
"Not this again."
His expression remained serious.
"Come here."
Her heart skipped.
"What?"
"The blanket."
Aarya stared.
Then at the couch.
Then back at him.
Absolutely not.
No chance.
No way.
Unfortunately—
another cold gust swept through the room.
And suddenly her confidence vanished.
Traitorous weather.
Five minutes later—
they sat on opposite ends of the couch.
Sharing the blanket.
The situation was awkward.
Painfully awkward.
Aarya focused on the wall.
The floor.
The ceiling.
Anything except Jungkook.
Unfortunately—
Jungkook wasn't making things easier.
Because he kept looking at her.
She could feel it.
Without even turning.
Finally—
she snapped.
"What?"
His lips twitched.
"You blush a lot."
Aarya nearly died.
"I do not."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
The familiar argument made something unexpectedly warm settle between them.
Normal.
It felt normal.
Despite the danger.
Despite the attack.
Despite everything.
It felt normal.
And somehow—
that frightened her.
Because she was starting to like these moments.
Starting to look forward to them.
Starting to look forward to him.
The realization hit hard.
Too hard.
Aarya immediately looked away.
Trying to hide it.
Unfortunately—
Jungkook saw everything.
Always.
"Aarya."
Her pulse jumped.
"What?"
His voice softened.
The way it only softened for her.
"Look at me."
She shouldn't.
She knew she shouldn't.
Yet somehow—
she did.
And instantly regretted it.
Because his eyes were different tonight.
No walls.
No masks.
No distance.
Just raw emotion.
Raw honesty.
Raw feeling.
Dangerous feeling.
"Aarya."
The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine.
Slowly—
he reached toward her.
His fingers brushing her cheek.
Gentle.
Careful.
Like she was something precious.
Something irreplaceable.
Her breath caught.
The room disappeared.
The attack disappeared.
Everything disappeared.
Leaving only him.
Only this moment.
Only them.
Jungkook moved closer.
Very slowly.
Giving her every chance to stop him.
Every chance to pull away.
She didn't.
Neither did he.
Their foreheads almost touched.
Their breaths mingled.
The distance vanished.
Aarya's heart felt ready to explode.
And for the first time—
she realized the truth.
She wasn't afraid of Jungkook anymore.
She was afraid of what she felt for him.
Because feelings for a man like Jeon Jungkook could destroy her.
And the worst part?
She wasn't sure she wanted to run anymore.
Then—
Jungkook's phone rang.
The moment shattered instantly.
Both pulled back.
Breathing hard.
Reality crashing back.
Jungkook answered immediately.
His expression darkened.
Danger returned.
"What happened?"
Silence.
Then—
something in his eyes changed.
Shock.
For the first time.
Actual shock.
Aarya's stomach dropped.
"What is it?"
Jungkook lowered the phone slowly.
His jaw clenched.
Hard.
Then he spoke.
Three words.
Words that changed everything.
"We have a traitor."
- Writer
