TRIGGER WARNING
violence

This chapter includes some inappropriate/triggering events that may cause discomfort to some readers. Please proceed with caution.

**

"OH MY GOD, PLEASE STOP!"

Impulse always results in regrets.

Always.

Jisoo knew this after she regretted not shutting up her mouth. Now, everyone else in the place is glaring at her. Yes, glaring and not looking. If their gazes are not sharp enough, they at least look at her with indifference or contempt.

Being in a dangerous place like this and having everyone else mad at you is not the best situation to be in.

The fighter who was in the ring dropped his spiked bat, creating a loud thud and furrowed his brows while scanning her appearance. He moved away from the scrawny kid before he started to walk towards her direction. She felt her body run cold.

Jisoo instinctively took steps backwards slowly. Her eyes stared at the big guy in fear, he locked eyes with her.

She didn't even move far when she was stopped by someone from the back who held her by her shoulders.

Slowly, she looked up to the stranger. He has long, messy hair in a man bun. He had tattoos from his arms until his neck. He laughed at her maniacally and she couldn't help but notice his pierced tongue.

The man pushed her forward and she stumbled before she could regain her balance. However, the moment she looked up, the fighter who jumped down from the ring was already in front of her. She took a big gulp.

"You're not part of this underground place," the man's voice boomed, the whole area silent. The people are in it for the show as they watch her.

"You don't belong here, little one," he added and grabbed some strands of her hair, examining it. He was about to sniff it but Jisoo pulled her hair away and walked backwards.

"Uhm... I was..." she felt her heart thumping, almost forgetting how to breathe. The man looked at her face. His eyes are blank.

"How did you find this place?" He asked, moving closer to her.

Just below the boxing ring, the spectators formed a semi circle giving space to them in the middle. Jisoo looked around in agitation. She doesn't feel safe under the stranger's eyes and she wants to avoid his creepy gazes.

"I... I got lost—" she fumbled on her sentences while he interrupted her.

"Yeah? How unlikely that is," he gave out a chuckle, one that sent shivers down her spine. He had his muscled arms over his chest, looking at her in slight amusement, "Lost in a place like this? Very convenient."

Then he began walking to her again.

"Say, do you take us as fools?" he asked, gesturing to the crowd watching who, in turn, laughed at his query.

"N-no sir," Jisoo mumbled. Her hands fidgeted and she was frozen in her spot as he closed their distance.

The man patted her on the head, "Good answer," he took out a pocket knife from the back of his ripped pants and bent down to her level.

He brought the knife closer to her cheeks as Jisoo's eyes welled up with tears, she closed her eyes shut when he moved his arms and spoke, "But someone like you going here is... stupid—"

"Stupid who, motherfucker?"

She felt a warm hand on her waist and heard the familiar voice.

Taehyung.

He held the hand of the man holding a knife.

Jisoo looked up at him and quickly gripped on his shirt, moving a little to his side.

Thank God, he showed up.

She almost cried right then and there but did her best not to. They are still in the middle of a big trouble she cannot even fully understand. But at least he's here now.

She felt way safer with him.

"Oh," the man dropped his hand and exchanged his looks between them. He smiled as his eyes lingered on Jisoo for a few more seconds before staring at Taehyung with meaning.

Jisoo hid her face on his chest as he held her head gently in place. His eyes remained on the man in front of them. The latter laughed in disbelief and grinned at him.

"If it isn't V?" he spoke in a condescending way.

V? V what? Who? Taehyungie? Jisoo glanced at him who hasn't even looked at her yet.

"Pick upon those on your level, coward," Taehyung answered coldly to the stranger. Remembering the situation they are still in, she moved closer to him as she could feel him caressing her hair softly, attempting to calm her a little.

It did, somehow.

The guy's smirk grew bigger, "So you wanna fight me?" he prompted.

Jisoo's eyes widened and she pulled the hem of his shirt. Taehyung finally looked at her. She frantically shook her head in disapproval. He sighed and pushed her head towards his chest again, as if preventing her from seeing their surroundings.

"Nah," Taehyung replied to the thug,"I meant that scrawny boy over there," he said, motioning to the poor kid trying to get down from the ring.

"Your level, right?" Taehyung added with spite and arrogance.

The man's smirk turned into a frown, "Talking big, huh," his voice now more serious, "Because your princess is here, is that it Romeo?" he remarked sarcastically.

The guy's eyes traveled to Jisoo again, giving her goosebumps, "I can say you have a good taste," he playfully commented as he checked her out from head to toe. Jisoo held onto him tightly, "Don't be a brat, even just once. Share her with us."

Taehyung's expression darkened, he clenched his jaw and did his best not to slam the man's face on the concrete or break his bones instantly.

Not now. Not when she is here.

He took on a glaring contest with the guy, "Too bad," he said in a low tone. His eyes pierced against the stranger and he told him in a warning tone.

"I never share."

Taehyung pulled Jisoo away.

But before they could leave, the man spoke again, triggering him.

"Just one touch of her soft skin—"

He pushed Jisoo to the side and in a blink of an eye, he went straight to punch the guy. He fell on his back and the audience cheered.

Taehyung didn't give him time to recover as he hovered on top of him and threw consecutive jabs on his face. The man, however, locked his legs on his waist and flipped them over, Taehyung landed on his back harshly.

Jisoo gasped at what she saw.

The bald stranger quickly put him into a headlock as he struggled to get out of his hold. Taehyung held his opponent's arm tightly before heaving a deep sigh and giving him a suplex.

The man groaned at the impact of his back hitting the ground and it gave a chance for Taehyung to stand up. He kicked the guy on the side with force.

Jisoo covered her mouth and looked away. She is sure she heard a rib breaking.

The thug was hurled on the other side. Taehyung lunged at him but the latter pulled his pocket knife.

Jisoo screamed, she almost ran to him.

Good thing, Taehyung held it as it almost reached his face. They fought for strength in holding the blade. The guy hit him in the chest so he was sent backwards, losing the upper hand.

The man got on top of him and tried to stab him but he swiftly rolled to the side. With a slight opening, Taehyung sweeped his feet, making the man lose his balance as he landed on his face. He grabbed the guy's arm and firmly locked it, twisting it for him to drop the knife.

The man let go of the blade in pain. Taehyung grabbed it in an instance.

"When I said I never share, I mean it," he whispered in the ear of the guy he was knocking down on the concrete. He stabbed the space beside his face, making the latter flinch under him.

He hit the vital spot of the man in the nape to leave him unconscious.

Taehyung stood up and looked down on the defeated guy, "Not even the slightest touch, fucker."

The crowd rallied in the hype of the fight. But he ignored it all.

His eyes landed on Jisoo.

Earlier he was facing a knife, almost stabbed and barely escaped a possible death.

Yet he wasn't the tiny bit scared.

But in her blank eyes right now.

He felt fear creeping throughout his whole body.

Taehyung knew, what's about to happen.

And it might kill him more than all the brutal fights he has ever been to.

**

Author's Note:
Not too late but I know this is shorter than usual. This is supposed to be the last part of chapter 18 but I decided I needed to breathe so I divided it again into half. I need time for the later confrontation because... '(ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

Also, I'm not confident with this chapter and especially my narration of the fight scene so please forgive me, I tried hngg. Anyway...

There will be part 3! We'll close the arc next chapter and be on to a new progress! Hope y'all stay hehe :D