The Next Day

Rose's hands were shaking so badly, she could barely drive. The road to Ansal hill seemed darker and spookier than usual. She swerved, thinking she saw something darting out in front of her car, but when she glanced in her rearview mirror, there was nothing. Barely any cars passed her going the other direction, but all of a sudden, as she was cresting the hill not far from her destination, a car pulled out behind her. Its headlights felt hot against the back of her head.

Calm down, she thought. It's not following you.

She glanced in her rearview mirror. The car was still there. She took a deep breath and eyed her phone, considering calling someone. Officer Wilden? Would he come down here on such short notice? He was a cop—he'd have to. She reached for her phone when the car behind her flashed its brights. Should she pull over? Should she stop?

Rose's finger was poised over her cell, ready to dial 911. And then, suddenly, the car veered around Rose and passed her on the left. It was a nondescript car—may be a Toyota—and Rose couldn't see the driver inside. The car moved back into her lane, then sped off into the distance. Within seconds, its taillights vanished.

Before you wonder where she was going, 

-LAST NIGHT-

Rose tapped her fingers on the table, something she would do often when she is nervousness takes over her system. This was getting out of hand, it had been months since they all have been going through this. And then suddenly, a message popped up

Rose sighed, can someone make an action movie with her as the protagonist at this point. She had no choice, she had to get Somi justice. She wanted to end this, and probably this was the time.

------CURRENT TIME-----

Telling your mom that you are going to sleepover at a friend's house when you are actually going to a closed factory seems like an actual dare. Probably not everyone can do it until you have some friends who could cover you up within a single text message. She looked at her wristwatch, 9:41 pm. It was still a 10-minute drive, keeping her foot on the race accelerator, she started to speed up. 

But then, that same Toyota showed up behind her, she looked at the rearview mirror, trying to look at the driver, too far to see. She continued to race up, not wanting to slow down. But the Toyota did too. 

It's following you, she thought. And not so later, she finally caught the glimpse of the driver. 

Eunwoo. She clearly didn't need to think about who told him about this chase. 

Her breathing hitched, but her foot on the race accelerator didn't. Taking a sharp turn at the road, she maintained a grip on the steering with her right hand, trying to dial one of her friends with the left. 

But then her phone couldn't catch any signal, driving at such a heavy speed on a hill wasn't the best way to get the network connection. The factory soon came into view, his car was slowly getting out of the scene. A Toyota can't surely get ahead from a BMW. 

Another look at her watch, 9:58. She parked the car on the gate, the door of the factory was open with a slight gap. Her shaking hands meddled with the door, opening it as she ran inside. Before she did, she glanced behind, he had parked his car too. She looked around, only a chair. Keeping it with the door, trying to keep it close even for a small amount of time, she stared everywhere. Where the hell is XOXO?

She could hear the door's hinges moving. The lights were barely on, the place was dim. Totally faint, small machines lied on the corner with a lot of stuff along with them. The door would open anytime, what if Eunwoo hurts her? What if he kills her? He didn't think twice before murdering Somi, why would he do now? 

XOXO wasn't here yet, he probably just lied to her and wanted her dead. Before she could of anything more, she spotted the dark gloomy stairs. Running towards them, she could hear the door open too. The stairs made a creaking sound, as they were not used for years. 

"Chaeyoung, stop where you are," She heard him shout, but she clearly didn't.

The first floor, the second floor, the third floor, and the fourth. She panted for breath, she almost ran out of oxygen. But she could hear him follow. The staircase ended, this was a dead end. Tonight either she would die, or he. And from the current scene, it looked like it was her. 

She ran on the floor surface, as far as she could. There was nothing big to hide behind. But then she saw it, a blade lied on the floor. Picking it up, her back hit the cold wall. She could hear her breathing, her legs would give up soon. Her eyes were already paining enough because of the soft cries, her hands shivered, tonight she would really die. Either because of him or the pain she herself is suffering. 

And then her eyes spotted him, he had caught up. "Stay where you are," she shouted, her voice cracking because of her parched throat. 

"Listen to me, she didn't give me a choice, I had to kill her, she learned every dark thing about me, she was trying to be in an unfair relationship, I had no choice," He said, pathetically, giving an unwanted explanation. 

She curled against the wall, her heart beating so fast that it would burst and she would die. "You are still a murderer, you need to be in prison," she cried out, holding the blade tighter, so tight that it touched her skin and probably cut her as she could feel a warm liquid go down her skin. 

"I told you that I didn't have a choice," he said, rather aggressively. He came way too close now, she held the blade, ready to stab him, she had to save herself, no matter what. But he was faster, a grip on her wrist, throwing the blade away and pushing her on the ground. Her head hit the wall, tonight is her death, she believed it now. 

"You don't understand sweetie, you shouldn't dig up so much, it's better for some things to stay as secrets," he said, his hand on her hair as the tears streamed down her cheek. 

He sighed, but then said, "I am sorry Chaeyoung, but I don't have a choice instead of killing you too, you know too mu-" 

He couldn't finish his sentence, and then a black hoodie with a black mask came into view, pushing Eunwoo hard, way too hard. Eunwoo felt himself lose his balance, his foot stumbled upon a thing lying on the ground, and then the staircase. His back arching at it and he felt the hoodie person's hand around his throat. 

Chaeyoung had her eyes closed, she thought Eunwoo would kill her, but when she heard another person in the scene, she opened her eyes, straining them open. Not so distant, stood XOXO, only his back visible, choking Eunwoo to death as the next thing she saw was Eunwoo falling down from the fourth floor, with a loud thud. 

She forced herself to stand up, but her body no longer supported her. She couldn't stand it, she saw the hoodie disappear, forcing her bloodshot eyes open. She looked on the ground, her phone lied there. Weakly getting it, she dialed the group chat. She needed each one of them right now. 

They all picked up that very minute, probably the only good thing that could happen. "Chaeyoung," Jennie spoke, and then Chaeyoung cried out, finally, "Guys, please, p-pl-please come here, take me, I can't eve-even s-st-stand," 

"Chae, you okay? Where are you?" Jungkook shouted in the phone, "Where are you Chaeyoung?" Jisoo asked

"KSP Factory, please guys," she cried out, closing her eyes. She didn't have the will power to keep them open. 

A half-hour later, still in her senses, Chaeyoung felt some presence around her, feeble sounds. "Chae, please open your eyes," she could hear Jennie's cry. I can't, she thought, but when she heard all her friends, she forced her wounded eyes open. Her friends stood there, that very place, in a circle, looking at her bruised body. 

"Chae," Jungkook muttered before pulling her into a hug when he saw her eyes open weakly. She needed this, and then the tears finally came out, silently. She didn't have the energy to hug him back, but overcoming the pain, she wrapped her hands around his body. 

"Are you okay Rosie?" Taehyung asked as the other three girls could feel their eyes getting teary too. Chaeyoung nodded, before pulling away from Jungkook's hug weakly. He helped her stand, Jennie immediately came to her side, helping her too. "Chaeyoung, why did you do this alone?" Lisa asked, her voice hoarse. 

Chaeyoung stayed silent and observed their faces. They all said one thing, they saw his body lying on the floor, lifeless. Chaeyoung looked at Jungkook's face, he looked sadder than her, it isn't easy to see your cousin dead. God knows what he is suffering through. 

 "Somi's killer is dead," Hoseok concluded as they all closed their eyes at the statement. 

"and XOXO killed him," Rose added catching everyone by the shocking confession. For the next 15 minutes, Rose dictated every single thing, her voice was too weak, her body was too tired, but she had no choice. 

"He didn't think twice before pushing him off the staircase, it was horrific," She said, the tears flowing down once again as Jisoo tried to calm her down. 

"But guys, it's over, the mystery of who killed Somi is now solved, finally," Yoongi said, as they all nodded, hesitantly. The silence took over for the next few minutes

Until their phones buzzed, and so they read it out together

(A/N: Not an expert at action so spare me, and omg yay! this chap was WILD)