Her singing came to an abrupt halt when something seized her attention, leaving her wide-eyed with horror. Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead and her heart raced frantically as suddenly Jae impetuously opened his eyes and took out the gun in front of her.
"Did I tell you to stop singing?" His impassive tone echoed, gun in hand, his other hand resting casually on the sofa.
Jia remained silent, trembling in fear as her tears rolled down her face unchecked. She broke into uncontrollable sobs, each one more heart-wrenching than the last. Hearing her sobs instead of answer, Jae shot a sidelong glance in her direction.
"Why are you crying seeing this?" He inquired, running his gaze over the gun.
Once again, he was met with nothing but silent sobbing.
"I've asked you something, haven't I?" He looked sternly into her teary eyes, his words demanding an answer.
She still didn't reply.
"Why are you disobeying me by not ANSWERING ME?"
His outburst and sudden change of mood from calm to anger made her flinch, fear written all over her face.
"I-I'm too afraid of guns." She finally managed to speak, her words trembling.
Suddenly, Jae began to wipe away her tears, his unexpected action catching her off guard.
"It's normal for people to be afraid of this," he stated calmly, as he held the gun in front of her face, making her even more scared.
"Except for you. You're my slave, and you have to become accustomed to the sight of this, as it's a part of me, always nearby." A smirk playing on his lips as he declared. "Look carefully at how beautiful it is, isn't it?"
"N-no, please, g-get it away from me." She pleaded, scooting backward, her every movement filled with fear. Her tears continued to flow, and her body trembled uncontrollably as she gazed upon him and his gun.
"Why? Hm? I reckon you should learn how to use it. And I'm fit to be your teacher, am I not?"
Frantically, she shook her head, standing on her feet, "I don't want to learn. Simply put it away from my sight."
In backing away, she inadvertently placed all her weight on her injured feet. "You're a killer," she protested. "And I don't want to become like you by knowing how to use a gun."
He advanced towards her, as he spoke, "Who says learning to use a gun is just about killing? We can consider it self-defense too."
Unaware of her surroundings, blinded by fear, she kept taking steps backward until her legs bumped into a cushioned chair, causing her to lose balance. Before she could fall, Jae swiftly caught her by the waist with one hand, his other hand still securely grasping to his gun.
"D-dont t-touch me," she protested, wrenching herself free.
"Shut up!" He grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face the outside view of the balcony. Her back now pressed against him, he held both her hands firmly in his, positioning the gun tightly between them. Her whole body trembled relentlessly beneath his grasp, the realization of what was in her hands amplifying her fear.
"Pull the trigger and shoot that." He leaned in close, his voice a low whisper near her ear, pointing at the streetlight outside his mansion. "C'mon, shoot that."
"J..Jae..."
"Call me master. How many times do I have to remind you? You're my slave, huh?" He snapped at her, his tone harsh.
"M…Master, p-please don't do this to me." She pleaded, sobbing desperately.
Her tears fell onto his hand, but his grip remained unyielding. He spoke in a calm, reassuring tone, "Don't cry, just shoot. Trust me, everything will be alright."
"W-what? E-everything will be alright? H-how? Y-you're the one who has c-caged me in your g-grip. Y-you're the one who is forcing me to do this. You're the one who is making me face my biggest fear without my permission. So how can you say that everything will be fine? A-and why am i d-doing all this? Why?" Her words spilled out in a frantic rush, her voice trembling with each word.
And In her fear and frustration, she unknowingly clutched the gun tightly, pushing him away with a forceful backward movement using both her elbows and back. Her reddened eyes now fixed directly on him.
Suddenly the realization dawned upon her that she was holding the gun. But before she could discard the gun, Jae quickly gripped her wrists again.
In an intimidating tone, he warned her, "Disobey my command, and there will be dire punishment. You won't be able to handle the punishment this time."
"This is a punishment like hell for me, which you're doing to me right now. And I can't handle it." She protested, her voice trembling despite her efforts to free herself. "Let me go…"
"Don't move, Jia... your finger's on the trigger."
"Just leave me," She strained to pull away, attempting to free her hands, but his grip was unyielding.
"No, I won't leave you until you shoot."
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE FORCING ME?" She shouted at him.
"Jia, I said not to move." His voice held a stern authority as his grip tightened, keeping the gun locked between their joint hands which looked like it was looking for a chance to get out of between their hands.
"You just leave my hands!" She screamed ignoring his words before pulling her hands away too fast than before.
Suddenly a gunshot sound filled the air and any other sound went silent.
They widened their eyes in horror looking into each other's eyes.
Jae released her hands from his grip.
And suddenly his facial expression changed as Victorious smirk plastered on his face.
"Finally. You did it…..You shot."
He took his steps backward and collapsed on the sofa.
She froze in place, her lips trembling uncontrollably as her wide, teary eyes fixed on him. Her heart pounded faster and faster, her breath coming in short gasps. She slowly turned her gaze to the gun, the sight of which propelled her into action. In a single swift motion, she tossed it away, her fear overcoming her.
Her vision started to swim, her surroundings becoming increasingly blurry.
"Master!!"
She ran towards him before sitting beside him. She covered his wounded right chest with both of her shaky hands to prevent any more bleeding, in which she shot him unknowingly. Both her hands were soaked in his blood which was non-stop coming out of his chest. Seeing his miserable state with her blurry vision she started crying harshly but the one thing she didn't notice was his facial expression which was not displaying any kind of pain or emotions.
His unblinking eyes remained locked on hers, seemingly unfazed. Suddenly, Jia started gently slapping her cheeks, due to which the blood got from her hands to her face as well.
She muttered to herself, "No…no..Don't faint, don't you dare faint now..." Her whispered plea seemed loud in the still air, reaching Jae's ears.
Without a moment's hesitation, Jae reached around her back, pulling her close, her head resting on his wounded chest. Caught up in her mental struggle to remain conscious, Jia didn't seem to notice that she was now enveloped in his embrace. Despite her desperate attempts to stay awake, unconsciousness eventually claimed her as she succumbed in his arms.
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After two days
"Until she regains consciousness, I can't ask whether she normally experiences panic attacks in such situations or if it stems from a specific trauma." Daniel fidgeted on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the figure opposite him.
"I TOLD YOU, IT'S ONLY GUNSHOTS THAT TRIGGER HER PANIC ATTACKS!" Jae shouted at Daniel in a fit of rage, making him flinch.
Daniel hurried to diffuse the situation, his voice soft and imploring, "Okay, okay I understand, Please calm down, Jae. Your wound is still fresh, and shouting won't help. Let's try to remain composed."
Jae clenched his fists, struggling to suppress his anger. Through gritted teeth, he made a surprising demand, "She's been unconscious for the past two days, so bring her back to consciousness."
Daniel furrowed his brow, confusion evident on his face at Jae's unexpected request. "Why are you saying such strange things? And you already understand that it's beyond my abilities to rouse her. We must wait for her to regain consciousness naturally."
"How much longer must I wait? I can't stand the uncertainty. I need her fully aware. Please heal her immediately." He was massaging his forehead gently, attempting to ease his discomfort, anger and tension.
"I'm administering complete treatment here. We must simply wait for her to wake up, as i explained before... .and what happened to you?? I have never heard you talking baseless before today." Daniel asked, his face displaying surprise.
"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY BASELESS THING ... .I WANT HER TO BE FULLY AWAKE, JUST AWAKE." He abruptly stood up, approaching Daniel aggressively and grabbed his collar tightly.
"UNDERSTOOD?" He asked looking into daniel eyes while daniel nodded as yes "Go and bring her back to her senses."
"You must understand that I can't–"
Impatiently, Jae interrupted, his voice lowered to a dangerous calm. "Are you intentionally not awakening her? Is that it?"
"No. Jae, what are you saying…"
"Then who the hell granted you the medical degree?" Jae's grip on Daniel's collar tightened and the tiny sharp blade part of his little finger's ring which opened on its own digging mercilessly in Daniel's skin, making his skin bleed immediately.
Struggling to free himself, Daniel implored, "Jae, please, calm down."
Suddenly, Jae released him, causing him to drop onto the sofa as in the background, a soft voice cut through, its impact momentarily halting Jae's actions.
"Master!"
Jae turned his head, surprised to see Jia standing at the foot of the stairs, her gaze fixed on him with childlike admiration. Without hesitation, she sprinted towards him, embracing him tightly.
Caught off guard, Jae's eyes widened in disbelief as he grappled with the sudden turn of events.
She apologetically began, her words muffled against his chest as she held on tightly. "I'm sorry master. I hadn't any intention of shooting you…I swear what I did was done unknowingly ... .because you were coercing me and accidentally the bullet went off."
Jae stood frozen in place, feeling uncertain of his next move. Suddenly, she broke the embrace and looked into his eyes, her own eyes sparkling with intensity. Tenderly, she took hold of both of his hands in hers, her touch tentative yet warm.
Her cheerful smile widened as she asked, "You've forgiven me, right?"
Jae remained silent, locked in an internal battle, his gaze fixed on her. He tried to decipher her intentions, their interaction leaving him both perplexed and intrigued.
"Oh no! I apologise to you on behalf of him." She uttered in a worried tone suddenly going towards Daniel who was trying to wipe the blood from his collarbone skin. While Jia quickly poured water into the glass from the jug which was kept on the coffee table before offering it to Daniel. "Take it."
"Thank you but it wasn't needed." He accepted the glass of water, but was surprised at why she gave him water and how his small wound could heal by just drinking water.
"By the way, if it's not a bother, could you please introduce yourself?" She addressed Daniel with a warm smile, asking tentatively.
Getting the glass back on the coffee table. "Certainly, it's a pleasure." He replied, before formally introducing himself. "I'm Dr. Daniel."
Jia bowed politely in response, a smile gracing her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jia."
"Yeah I already know about you, princess."
"That's great."
"Well, I want to ask you a few questions, can I do it if you agree?"
Jia turned to Jae, whose back was facing them as he was still frozen at his place. "Master, would it be alright if Mr. Daniel asks me some questions?"
Jae, taken aback, turned to face her, his confusion apparent. "Are you asking for my consent?"
"Yes!" She replied in a straightforward manner, but Jae remained silent, eyeing her with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. She returned his gaze, waiting for his response, her wide smile unchanging.
Daniel interjected, gesturing toward the sofa. "I've already obtained his consent, just take a seat."
"That's great." She enthusiastically pulled Jae towards the sofa, causing his eyes to widen in surprise as she settled down beside him, clinging to his arm like a tenacious piece of gum. She turned to face Daniel, her head resting gently on Jae's shoulder. Addressing Daniel, she urged, "You can begin now."
Daniel stared at the pair in disbelief, his eyes wide in astonishment.
"Aa-a yeah okay. My question is, do you get panic attacks simply from encountering the situation, or is it solely due to the sound of gunshot?"
"Only the sound of gunshot." Her response was firm.
Daniel followed up, his curiosity piqued, "Is there any particular reason behind it? Perhaps a traumatic experience?"
"Yes." Her affirmation prompted Daniel and Jae to exchange a glance, their curiosity now heightened.
"May I know, what is it?" Daniel asked while Jae looked at Jia to listen to her reply.
"I don't wish to disclose it." She tightened her grip on Jae's arm as she replied.
Daniel nodded understandingly and probed further, "Alright. Then let me know, when did these panic attacks first begin, and why didn't you seek medical attention sooner?"
"It all started after meeting Jae. You won't believe this, but Jae is actually the reason behind my panic attacks." She chuckled mockingly.
Jae and Daniel exchanged puzzled glances, struggling to reconcile her words with her expression.
"If you trust someone utterly, you can reveal your trauma and understand why panic attacks come after hearing gunshots," Daniel offered, then added, "Practice meditation daily and attempt to calm down yourself if you ever face another panic attack. Work diligently to fully overcome your trauma." he turned his eyes to Jae, "And Jae, please make sure to take your medication on schedule. Now I'll take my leave."
He rose to his feet, preparing to take his leave, eyes fixed on the pair.
"Wait! You need to apply some ointment on your wound." she abruptly stood up.
"Oh, it's just a minor injury, no big deal," Daniel dismissed. "I'll take care of it myself. I must go now."
Concern laced her voice as she reiterated, "I'm sorry again for this."
"There's no need to apologize."
"It's your nobility." She smiled.
"Oh, just to let you know, you can remove that splint from your feet now since your wound has likely healed considerably."
"Thank you so much." Gratified, she bowed respectfully. Daniel reciprocated the gesture. Suddenly Jae stood up and gestured for Daniel to follow him toward the exit door.
[Profile.
Name: Daniel Valente.
Age: 28.
Occupation: Doctor. But in the world of organized crime, he is a member of the Deadly Fangs, an organization led by Jitoku Jae. His skills encompass hacking.
Family: Wife, Daisy Valente, herself a part of the Deadly Fangs.
Relationship status: Married.
(Few individuals within the criminal underworld have witnessed Valente's dual persona as a mafia, the same as Jackson.)]
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"Is anyone here? Untie my hands and feet and remove this damn polythene from my face." His voice echoed through the grand living room, as he ceased his struggles. Suddenly he stopped moving when his attention was drawn by a sudden voice.
"Shushhhshshshshshsshshshshshshhshshshsshshshshshshhshshshhshshshshhshshshshshsh…." A person, in a rabbit costume perched atop the coffee table, muttering "shush" non-stop and gesticulating with his index finger pressed against the rabbit-shaped mask he wore over his face.
Without warning, someone swung a deco pillow, making contact with his head, silencing him. He quickly collected himself and cleared his throat before speaking.
"We haven't tied your hands and legs to open."
"Who are you? And why did you kidnap me?"
"Wanna see me?"
"I don't have any interest in seeing you but I still want to see."
After hearing the man's words the person gestured to someone to remove polythene from the man's face. As soon as the polythene was removed from his face, it could be seen that the man was none other than Samuel. Samuel's eyes opened, slowly adjusting to the light. Slowly, his gaze focused as he took in the three peculiar figures before him. Two in rabbit costumes stood on either side of the coffee table, their eyes fixed on him. The third individual sat in a squat position on the table top, also peering at him. Samuel's face registered confusion and disbelief.
He arched an eyebrow, "So all you have faces like rabbits huh?"
"Yes, do you have any problem?"
"What will you do if I say yes?"
"We will simply change our faces."
"What?? Are you all really kidnappers?" He inquired in suspicion.
"Indeed, do you have any doubt?"
"Yea— wait!" His eyes shifted to his surroundings, surprise evident. "Where am I exactly?"
"In the store room," the person said, only to be hit lightly by the two others with a simultaneous elbow nudge. "Aa..umm..No, in the basement," another pair of elbow jabs followed. After being hit twice the person sat properly and cleared his throat. "You're in our captivity."
"Oh, for goodness' sake! You abducted me from my own house, only to bring me back here. I can't fathom where the hell you were taking me in the car for so long. What damn destination were you searching for during that prolonged car ride?" Samuel uttered, clearly agitated.
"Shh, shh! Don't blabber too much. You're aware we're kidnappers, right?"
"Kidnappers huh? It's an insult to the entire kidnapping community to refer to yourselves as such." Samuel's irritation was palpable, his tone sharp. "You three lunatics have wasted my precious time."
"Don't insult us, do you even know who we are?"
"Why? Don't you three yourselves know who you three are?"
"We know who we are."
"Okay then who are you three?" Samuel asked with a bored face.
Suddenly, the second masked figure approached him, placing a foot on the sofa beside him. Catching his necktie, he yanked Samuel toward him, their eyes locking.
"We are Team Rabbit," A young woman, her identity confirmed by her voice, spoke with a hint of smugness.
Samuel's eyes narrowed, his suspicion heightened upon hearing her feminine tone.
"So have you guys kidnapped me for carrots?" Samuel asked, his expression bored.
"No." The second person replied.
"Aaaghh…the world's worst acting award goes to all three of you. I've had enough of these farcical theatrics. I've recognized you all, so enough with the charade now." He declared in annoyance.
"What?" She shifted her gaze towards the other two costumed figures, complaining in mild anger. "I explicitly told both of you to act properly. Now because of both of you, he has recognised us."
"It wasn't due to our actions that we got caught, but due to your voice." The third person retorted defensively.
"Yes, you should have changed your voice." The first person agreed.
"You guys are now blaming me? How bad you guys are."
Samuel's irritation flared again, as he demanded, "Oh, shut up, you lot of loonies. And Sarah, release my tie and untie my legs and hands immediately, or I swear I'll ruin you."
Sarah tightened her grip on his tie, challenging him. "Go ahead, ruin me all you like. I'm ready for it."
Samuel scoffed in frustration, exasperated. "When will you stop this absurd behavior?"
"As long as I keep loving you."
"Enough is enough! You've wasted my precious time long enough. Untie me this instant!"
"No, we won't be releasing you," the first person asserted, earning a disbelief shot from Samuel.
"It's great to see you both again Leo and Max after so many years, but I'm not at all thrilled to find you two engaging in such idiotic antics with this foolish girl, just as you used to do before."
"It's truly a pleasure to see you as well." Max embraced Samuel tightly, a smile on his face.
"Yeah bro…in the joy of reunion after so many years, I want to give you an expensive gift." Leo pulled off his bunny mask, revealing his face before descending from the coffee table. He planted a lingering kiss on Samuel's forehead, holding his head with both hands.
Samuel just sat there with a bored expression, silently watching the unfolding scene.
Max sat on the sofa comfortably, inquiring, "Now tell us, it's been quite a long time, but why haven't you fallen in love with our lovely and charming Sarah yet?"
"Because she's an idiot."
Leo protested animatedly, pointing an accusatory finger at Samuel while saying, "Hey, don't call her idiot!"
"Well, what name should I call her then?"
"Call her more than Idiot," Leo's remark prompted Sarah to strike him with a pillow in irritation.
Max interjected, pulling off his own bunny mask. "She's been madly in love with you since high school. Don't you remember all the things she used to do for you and still does for you?"
"Of course, she fell in love with you at first sight the moment she first stepped in high school," Leo commented.
"That's called attraction, not love," Samuel retorted, visibly annoyed.
Sarah interjected, discarding her bunny mask before fixing an innocent gaze on him. "Initially, it was mere attraction, but over time, it transformed into genuine love because of your humble nature."
"Yes, yes, yes." Leo agreed dramatically.
"Recall that rainy day when you didn't have an umbrella and had to rush home, but Sarah, despite only having one umbrella, selflessly offered it to you? This is solid proof of her genuine love for you." Max reminded him.
"Yes, yes, yes." Leo agreed again.
"Who said I didn't have an umbrella that day? It's just that I believed I lost it. And the umbrella Sarah brought was actually my own." Samuel responded.
Sarah started glaring at Leo, who leaned in close and whispered discreetly to her, just loud enough for her to comprehend. "I didn't know it was his umbrella, I simply picked one up at random and gave it to you. It wasn't my fault at all, so stop staring at me angrily."
"And that's not the end of it. After receiving the umbrella, we walked a short distance further, and Sarah pushed me into the mud as she attempted to shield me from a passing car. As I glanced back, I realized the car was so far away from us that even the entire Eiffel Tower could fit in the gap. That day, I arrived home soaked in mud, only because of her."
Hearing Samuel's words Leo and Max stared at Sarah disbelievingly, while Sarah grinned awkwardly.
"Okay, how about that day when a girl was giving you a hard time, and because she was a girl, you held back from retaliating? Sarah stepped in and saved you from the situation."
Samuel scoffed at Max's words.
"Let me clarify that the girl was actually my friend, and she wasn't bothering me, it was all just playful banter. Sarah didn't save me, but rather put me in a difficult position. Upon witnessing her unrestrained antics, my friend chose to end our friendship, perceiving Sarah that she was my friend."
Sarah fixed her gaze on Max, who stood up and moved closer and whispered into her ear. "I had heard that the girl was a bully and that her behavior towards him suggested she was bullying him. Thus, I relayed to you what I had observed. I bear no responsibility for this."
Leo moved on, suggesting, "Let's move past the past. Only the positive matters. Besides, that girl's friendship was never genuine, so it was only natural for her to end it. Let's focus on the happy memories instead. And now recall that day when you kissed Sarah."
Samuel seemed taken aback, exclaiming, "What? When did I ever kiss Sarah?"
Max asserted, "You kissed her in high school. She told us about it."
"Yes, yes." Leo agreed.
"Yes, yes ... .that's right, you invaded my dream without my permission and kissed me. How dare you huh?" She blurted, jabbing her index finger at Samuel while Samuel's facial expression changed into a done face.
Max and Leo stared at Sarah in disbelief. "What? In your dream?"
Sarah affirmed her statement with a vigorous nod.
Frustration grew within Samuel as he groaned, "Aagh... Sarah, cease your theatrical antics now."
Suddenly, Sarah shifted closer to him, her hands tenderly cupping his face. Her gaze intensely locked onto his eyes.
"Look into my eyes," she implored, her voice tinged with sudden gravity and emotions. "Do you see anything other than pure love for you reflected within these eyes?"
Samuel fell silent, his gaze fixed on hers.
"I love you more than anything, you know. Have you ever pondered the coincidence that our names share the same initial letter?"
"But the endings differ, which means that even if the beginning is together, it has to be separated in the end." Samuel countered with a pragmatic response.
Hearing him, Sarah released his face from her grasp.
A moment of silence passed before she abruptly ordered, "Untie him."
Without waiting for any response, with a poker face, she swiftly departed, leaving the men alone.
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