The line stayed quiet for so long that I almost regretted saying it.

Almost.

On the other end of the call, I could still hear him breathing faintly.

Not speaking.

Just there.

And somehow, that felt worse.

Because people don't go silent like that unless something matters.

I swallowed once, suddenly too aware of the photograph still resting in my lap.

The version of us in it looked... easy.

Natural.

Like there had never been a world where we didn't know each other.

Which made absolutely no sense.

"I shouldn't have said that," I muttered quietly.

"You should"

My head lifted immediately.

"...what?"

Another pause.

Then softly,

"Things start getting worse."

A chill ran through me.

I tightened my grip on the phone instinctively.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you should sleep somewhere else tonight."

There it was again.

That tone.

Urgent.

Controlled panic hidden underneath calm words.

I frowned immediately.

"I'm not leaving my apartment just because a celebrity with a tracking habit told me to."

A quiet breath escaped him.

Almost offended.

"I don't stalk you."

"You literally found my address."

"You gave it to me."

"I did what?! Since when?"

The faintest sound of amusement touched his voice again.

Not mocking.

Just tired.

"You did."

I sat up straighter.

"Kim Taehyung."

"Hm?"

"We have done all of these before?"

Silence.

Then quietly—

"We have."

The words settled heavily in the room.

Outside, the city hummed faintly beyond the apartment windows.

Cars.

Distant sirens.

A world continuing normally while mine slowly stopped making sense.

I rubbed a hand over my face tiredly.

"This isn't funny anymore."

"I know."

"You keep saying things that sound important and then refusing to explain anything."

"I told you already." His voice lowered slightly. "Knowing everything too fast is dangerous."

My chest tightened.

"To whom?"

"To you."

Something about how fast he said it made my stomach twist.

Not manipulative.

Not dramatic.

Automatic.

Like he'd learned that answer through experience.

Before I could respond, another sound echoed softly from outside my apartment.

Footsteps.

I froze instantly.

So did he.

The footsteps stopped directly outside my door.

Neither of us spoke.

Driven by pure instinct, I slowly stood from the floor.

"Don't move," — Taehyung said instantly, having heard the rustle of my clothes.

Too late.

Because then—

a shadow passed beneath the thin gap under my apartment door.

My pulse slammed painfully against my ribs.

Someone was still outside.

Watching.

A soft crackling sound came through the phone.

Then suddenly, his voice changed.

Not emotionally.

The connection itself.

Distorted.

Like static had started bleeding into the call.

"...shit."

"What?"

No answer.

Only static.

Then quietly—

far too quietly—

I heard a distorted sound underneath the interference, something cold and mechanical, rather than human.

"Signal located."

Every hair on my arms stood on end.

Taehyung cursed softly under his breath.

And for the first time since meeting him—

he sounded genuinely afraid.

"Y/N."

My throat tightened.

"...what?"

"When I tell you to leave— please leave immediately, I'm begging you!"

The lights in my apartment flickered violently.

Once.

Twice.

The photograph slipped from my hand onto the floor.

And for one horrifying second—

the image changed.

Not Taehyung and me smiling beneath streetlights.

Just...

Smoke.

Fire.

His hand covered in blood reaching toward me.

Then darkness.

The lights stabilized immediately.

The photograph returned to normal.

My breathing turned uneven.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Listen to me carefully."

His voice was sharp now.

Focused.

No softness left.

"They found you faster than I expected. "

A loud metallic sound echoed outside my apartment door.

Like someone trying the handle.

I stumbled backward instinctively.

"Taehyung—"

"You need to run."

"No, explain this to me first!"

"I CAN'T IF YOU DIE TODAY!" — "RUN!!"

Everything stopped.

My thoughts.

My breathing.

The room itself.

Again.

The words echoed sickeningly inside my head.

On the other end of the call, I heard movement.

Fast footsteps.

Voices shouting somewhere behind him.

Then—

"Taehyung-ssi!"

Another voice cut through sharply:

"Don't let him leave the building!"

My stomach dropped instantly.

He ignored them completely.

"Y/N, listen to me." His breathing sounded uneven now, like he was moving quickly. "Go anywhere crowded. Somewhere public. And whatever happens, don't trust anyone from MUSE."

Something terrifyingly close to exhaustion in his voice.

"No matter what I do..."

Silence.

Not long.

Just long enough to hurt.

"Every version of me fails to save you."

A violent bang suddenly slammed against my apartment door.

I screamed, instinctively stumbling back.

The lights went out instantly.

Complete darkness swallowed the room.

And through the phone—

I heard Taehyung say my name like a prayer.

Right before the call disconnected.

------------------------------AUTHOR'S NOTE---------------------------------

Since tomorrow-me will be dead busy, today-me is dropping this chapter early. Taehyung told Y/N to run, but I ran straight to Wattpad to post this chapter hehe 😁 Surprise, surprise! Who's shook? Bet you didn't see this coming, did you? 😉