She sat in the dimly lit room, the only illumination coming from the desk lamp that cast a pale glow over the stack of papers sprawled in front of her. Her hands trembled as she clutched the freshly printed report, her eyes scanning the text in disbelief. The words blurred together as tears pooled in her eyes, but the meaning was all too clear. Negative. The DNA sample didn't match.

Her chest tightened, and a muffled sob escaped her lips. She dropped the paper onto the desk and buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she let the despair consume her. Another dead end. Another shattered hope. Another girl who wasn't Cherry. Her Cherry!

For years, she had clung to the fragile threads of hope, piecing together fragments of her memory and searching for her sister she barely recognized anymore. Every time she met someone with the slightest resemblance—a girl with the same bright eyes, the same naughty heart-warming smile, or even the same lilting name—her heart would leap.

For a moment, she could almost feel the warmth of her sister's tiny hand in hers, hear the giggles that once filled their shared room. But reality had a cruel way of snatching that hope away, leaving her emptier each time.

She leaned back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling, her mind spiralling into a storm of what-ifs. What if Cherry hadn't survived the fire? What if its just my delusions to think she is out there somewhere, waiting for her Maria to find her? What if she isn't even there? What if she was never there... The last thought tore through her like a blade, and she clutched her chest as though she could physically hold herself together.

The reports this time felt like the last shred of hope. She had paid extensively for rushed processing, checked her email every hour for updates, and when the envelope had finally arrived, she had dared to dream. But now, as she looked at the cold, clinical rejection of her hopes in black and white, she felt another part of herself crumble. She had no idea how much more it will take before she crumbles completely.

Every time I see her face in someone else, I hold my breath... like maybe—just maybe—this time it's her. But it never is. It never is!

How many times can I break before there's nothing left to shatter? I keep picking up these broken pieces of hope, and they cut deeper every single time.

I remember her laugh. God, I remember it like it's stitched into my soul. But I can't remember the sound of her voice anymore. What kind of sister forgets that?

I tell myself I'm strong enough to handle it... but when its time to open these mere pieces of paper, I collapse. Like I'm chasing shadows and the light keeps slipping away.

I'm so tired of searching. So tired of hoping. But if I stop... if I stop, it feels like I'm leaving her behind all over again. And she's screaming for me to reach out to her just like that night!

I can still see her tiny hand, stretched out for me. She trusted me to keep her safe. And I failed her. I failed her when she needed me the most.

What if I never find her? What if she's been gone this whole time, and I'm the fool who keeps running in circles around a ghost?

I pray. I beg. I bargain with anything that will listen. Just one sign—one sign that she's out there. But all I ever get is silence. Please God, don't be so cruel to me, I have no other reason to keep going! Please don't test me with what I can't bear!

The silence mocked her. Her desperation was a relentless tide, ebbing and flowing but never receding. She had sacrificed so much—her sanity of all—on a quest that felt increasingly futile. Yet she couldn't stop. Even as her hope dwindled, extinguished a little more with every failure, some stubborn part of her refused to give up. Because if she did, what would be left of Cherry? Of the little girl who had once clung to her, trusting her big sister to protect her from the world?

I thought I could handle this, but the truth is... I'm terrified. Terrified that one day I'll wake up, and I won't remember her face at all.

She's not just my sister. She's the part of me I lost in that fire. And until I find her, I don't think I'll ever feel whole again.

Maria's tears slowed as she reached for a worn drawing on the desk, a sketch of a child, smudged blackness against the pale texture of the paper, the sketch of her sister she had got inked onto the paper, the edges frayed from years of handling. It was the only picture she had left of her. The child was grinning, her front teeth missing, eyes twinkling with the essence of life, innocence and pure joy. She traced Cherry's face with her finger, her heart aching with a love so fierce it threatened to undo her completely.

"I'll find you" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "No matter how many times I fail, I'll find you." But even as she said it, a small, traitorous voice in the back of her mind whispered, What if you don't?

Worse, what if you do and she doesn't want to be a part of you anymore? What if she's better off without you? What if she hates you for failing her that night....

Maria shoved the reports aside, her resolve flickering like a fragile candle in the wind. For now, all she could do was keep searching, keep hoping, keep enduring the heartbreak. Because giving up wasn't an option—not when Cherry might still be out there, waiting.

---------------------

The door swung open with a violent force, slamming against the wall with a resounding thud. "That bitch, I swear I'll make her pay for this..." Jimin's words were punctuated by gritted teeth as he stormed into the room, his hood snatched back from his head in frustration.

Meanwhile, Jungkook trailed behind him, veering off into the kitchen as Jimin stomped towards his room, paying no mind to the four pairs of eyes that followed his every move from the TV lounge. Caging himself within the confines of his room, Jimin shut the door, leaving the four onlookers to exchange glances.

"That's what's wrong with him..." Hoseok murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Who knows..." Taehyung's gaze remained fixed on the closed bedroom door, his brows furrowed in concern.

"This kid's got some serious anger issues..." Seokjin sighed, shaking his head in dismay.

Meanwhile, Jungkook emerged from the kitchen, snatching up a water bottle as he went. With each gulp, he seemed to be drinking away his own worries.

"What happened to Jimin, Guk?" Hoseok inquired, his tone laced with concern.

"Just a bad day" Jungkook wheezed, coughing slightly as he spoke.

"Hey, why are you squeaking? What's wrong with your voice?" Jin's curiosity was piqued by Jungkook's unusual tone.

With a heavy sigh, Jungkook slumped down onto the beanbag chair. "Let's just drop it..." he muttered, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"No, tell us..." Taehyung insisted.

Jungkook let out a heavy sigh. "Hyung ran into a crackhead like himself. She poisoned his drink with salt, but somehow I ended up with the salty surprise instead. And apparently, it was all payback for who knows what. Why do I always find myself in these situations?" He sighed again and sank further into the couch.

"Who was this person? What drink? Give us the full picture, mate" Hoseok's curiosity was evident in his furrowed brow, but Jungkook kept his eyes closed.

With another sigh, Jungkook began recounting the entire chain of past moments. A moment of silence hung in the air until... Laughter erupted from everyone except Jungkook, who rolled his eyes and rubbed his throat, still feeling the effects of the prank.

"Oh my God, she did that?" Taehyung collapsed back, laughing uncontrollably. Yoongi, who had been quietly typing away on his laptop, let out a snort of amusement.

"I kind of admire her audacity" Taehyung remarked, clicking his tongue.

"Speak for yourself after tasting that poison, Lord" Jungkook shivered. Laughter filled the room once more.

"But seriously, it's hilarious. Did Jimin confront her about it?" Hoseok inquired.

"She was gone by the time he got there. The manager said her shift was over" Jungkook replied, sounding somewhat disinterested.

"Do you think Jimin will let it slide?" Jin asked, tilting his head in thought.

"She better skips town" Yoongi remarked, fingers still tapping away on the keyboard.

"Oh, you're alive. I thought you'd died typing away in that little piano box of yours day and night," Taehyung quipped, rolling his eyes. Yoongi's gaze snapped toward him, and Taehyung felt a shiver down his spine, but he quickly averted his eyes.

Better let the old man in his own bubble, yeah!

"Jimin won't let it slide, I'm sure," Jungkook chimed in, still reclining with his eyes closed.

"Well, he—" Hoseok began but was interrupted when Jimin emerged from his bedroom, holding up his phone. "Duty calls," he announced, striding toward the exit.

"Ah man, at this hour? Geez, I'm tired" Jungkook whined.

---------------------------------

A stack of pictures crashed onto the table with a loud thud, causing heads to snap up in alarm.

"What the hell is this?" Namjoon roared, his hair disheveled and veins bulging from his temples. "Can you believe this?" He jabbed a finger at the photos, his frustration palpable. "This...!" Namjoon ran his hands over his face, trying to compose himself but failing miserably. "What on earth is going on here? I demand an explanation!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the room.

The six figures leaned forward, their brows furrowed as they peered down at the disturbing images before them.

"This... It's impossible," Taehyung murmured, his eyes widening in disbelief. "She can't be here, she is at my house, locked up."

"Does this look like a joke to you?"

"She's supposed to be in my house, this is... No, it can't be..."

"Well, Taehyung, as you can see, she's clearly not where she's supposed to be..." Namjoon glared at Taehyung, his frustration was evident.

"But, I have her at my house-"

"YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG GIRL, KIM TAEHYUNG, One simple task... Taehyung, just one task, and you..." Namjoon trailed off, pulling at his hair in frustration.

"No, hyung, look at this... Look," Taehyung exclaimed, unlocking his phone and tapping rapidly. A picture flashed on the screen, and he placed it on the table among the others.

Namjoon clenched his teeth even harder, the disparity between the images glaringly obvious.

Taehyung licked his lips nervously, his gaze shifting between the photo on his phone and the one on the table.

"I-"

"I asked for Raven, Taehyung, and what you brought, you risked a civilian and now we can't even let her loose, more specifically, we needed that data Taehyung and now it's gone, forever"

"Hyung, I..." Taehyung struggled to find the right words to express his regret. What a foolish mistake he had made. He ran his hand through his hair and licked his lips nervously, searching for a way to rectify the situation.

"Please, give me a chance, Joon, I can set this right" he pleaded, lifting his gaze to meet his brother's.

Namjoon let out a scoff. "And risk us all? No, Thankyou your majesty. What I needed is gone because you can't keep it in your pants and focus on work. That bitch is ruining us... We are falling below our standards, we need to capture her before she officially ends us from the market"

"Yeah, you're right," Hoseok chimed in. "Everyone down there knows Raven is good at her work. They trust her more."

"Her work is impeccable," Jungkook added.

"Well, it was all fine until she started overshadowing our reputation," Jimin interjected.

"We have to take action, Joon," Seokjin urged, looking to Namjoon, who gripped the corners of the table tightly. "We're in deep trouble... We'll be out on the streets if that woman stays on loose, mark my words" Namjoon declared, turning away and running his hands over his face in frustration.

"I'd be a fan of that wonder woman if she weren't in rivalry with us" Hoseok chuckled but soon covered it with a cough not to earn a whole ass lecture for himself. "Sorry"

"Give me another chance, Joon, I promise I will-" Taehyung pleaded, but Namjoon's expression remained stern.

"Leave it. Jimin will handle it next," Namjoon spoke sternly, cutting Taehyung off mid-sentence. He turned around, fixing his gaze on Taehyung. "Execute the girl and focus on your work."

"Meeting dismissed," Namjoon announced before stepping away from the table. Jimin, Hoseok, and Jin rose to attend to the tasks assigned, while Yoongi and Jungkook began discussing their assignments. Taehyung bit his lip, feeling disappointed in himself for not fulfilling his duty. He glanced at Namjoon, whose stressed face only intensified his feelings of inadequacy. Slowly, Taehyung rose from his seat, grabbed his phone, and silently exited the room, his head hung low.

His steps were now directed towards his house, where someone was struggling to get herself loose and became quite successful.

Straining against the ropes, Cherry gritted her teeth against the stinging pain in her bruised wrist. With each twist and squirm, the bindings loosened just a fraction more, giving her a glimmer of hope to finally escape this hell hole.

Unaware of the approaching footsteps ascending the staircase toward the apartment's main door, Cherry continued her struggles. Little did she know what lay in store for her—whether fate would grant her a successful escape or she would fall right back into his hands, the man who captivated her. Life for her, it seemed, was the mischievous performer, keeping its pawns guessing with every twist and turn.

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ℑ𝔶𝔞𝔫𝔨𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔳𝔬𝔱𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔡𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔰.
𝔜𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯
𝕍𝕍
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