Chapter 25: The Fallout

The events of the previous day hangover YN and Seokjin like a dark cloud. The office, once a bustling hub of activity, now felt like a pressure cooker ready to explode at any moment. The police had arrived shortly after they fled, and the entire incident was plastered across every news outlet by morning.

Seokjin sat in his apartment, his hands still shaking from the sheer adrenaline that had coursed through his body. His knuckles were bruised and swollen, and the dried blood on them served as a harsh reminder of what he had done.

The door opened slowly, and YN stepped inside, her face pale and drawn. She closed the door behind her and stood there for a moment, simply looking at Seokjin. The silence between them was heavy, laden with unsaid words and unresolved fears.

"Seokjin," YN finally spoke, her voice soft yet trembling. She walked over to him and knelt beside where he sat on the couch. She gently took his hands into hers, examining the bruises and cuts that marred his skin. "You need to get these treated."

But Seokjin didn't respond. His mind was far away, replaying the scene over and over again. The rage, the violence, the helplessness—he had never felt so out of control.

"Seokjin," YN said more firmly, squeezing his hands. "Please, look at me."

Slowly, Seokjin raised his eyes to meet hers. The pain and confusion in them mirrored her own. "I didn't mean for it to go that far," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I just... I couldn't let him say those things. I couldn't let him touch you."

"I know," YN replied, her own voice breaking as tears welled up in her eyes. "You were protecting me, and I am so grateful for that. But we need to face what's coming. The police, the media... They're going to come after us."

Seokjin's eyes darkened at the thought. "I'll take the blame," he said firmly. "I won't let them drag you down with me. You’ve already been through enough because of me."

YN shook her head, her tears spilling over. "No, Seokjin. We're in this together. We’ll face whatever comes together." She paused, taking a deep breath. "But we need a plan. We can't just sit here and wait for everything to fall apart."

Seokjin nodded, though the weight of what lay ahead felt overwhelming. "What do we do?"

"First, we need to get ahead of the story," YN said, thinking quickly. "We have to control the narrative. We can't let them twist it into something even more damaging."

Seokjin looked at her, his admiration for her strength and intelligence growing even in this dire situation. "You’re incredible," he murmured. "Even now, you're thinking of how to fix this."

"I have to," YN replied, her voice tinged with sadness. "We have to survive this, Seokjin. And I won't let anyone tear us apart."

Just then, Seokjin's phone buzzed, breaking the momentary silence. He glanced at it, and his heart sank as he saw the name on the screen. It was Han Beom Seok, the company's head of public relations.

"We're already out of time," Seokjin said grimly, showing YN the screen. She nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"Answer it," she urged, squeezing his hand for support.

Seokjin hesitated for a second before he answered the call. "Han Beom Seok," he greeted, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Seokjin," Beom Seok's voice was urgent, laced with concern. "I need you and YN to come to the office immediately. The board wants to see you both."

Seokjin's heart skipped a beat. "The board?" he repeated, glancing at YN, who was already beginning to pale at the mention of them.

"Yes," Beom Seok confirmed. "And they’re not happy. We need to handle this delicately. I’ve been trying to keep the media off your backs, but this situation has escalated far beyond what we can control. You need to be prepared for the worst."

Seokjin swallowed hard, his mind racing. "We’ll be there soon."

He hung up, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. YN looked at him, her eyes filled with determination despite the fear that lingered."

They're going to try to tear us apart," she said quietly. "But we can't let them. No matter what happens, Seokjin, we have to stay strong."

Seokjin nodded, pulling her into a tight embrace. "We'll face this together," he whispered into her hair. "I won't let them break us."

But as they left the apartment and headed toward the company, both knew that the battle ahead would be their toughest yet. The stakes had never been higher, and they would need every ounce of courage and love to overcome what was to come.

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