Black Serpent Mansion — Main Hall

The soft rhythm of conversation faded as the girl walked in—striking in her confident posture, a smirk on her lips that screamed she was used to getting what she wanted.

“Jeon Jungkook,” she called out sweetly, stepping into the room as the others turned. “We need to talk.”

Jungkook looked up from the files in his hands. “You're early, Kyra,” he said coolly.

“I don’t waste time,” she said, eyes lingering a moment longer than necessary. “You’re the only one I trust to help take down my rival gang. No one’s got power like you.”

YN sat silently on the couch, her gaze flicking between them—not jealousy, no. But the girl’s tone was marked and intentional, brushing against her nerves.

Kyra’s eyes briefly moved to YN. “And you are?” she asked, laced with polite disinterest.

“Just another member,” Jungkook replied casually without looking up from his file.

YN’s jaw tensed.

Just another member.

Kyra smirked. “Hmm. Cute.”

The boys exchanged uncomfortable glances. Yoongi leaned closer to Namjoon. “She’s going to be a problem,” he muttered.

“She already is,” Namjoon whispered back.

Later in the War Room

Jungkook spread out a map, analyzing possible locations tied to the Wolf Syndicate’s key operatives.

Kyra leaned over him, almost pressing against his shoulder. “You work so hard, Jungkook. Don’t you ever take a break?”

“I don’t have time for breaks,” he said, brushing her off politely.

YN stood in the corner, arms folded. She didn’t speak—she didn’t need to. Her eyes told the story. Watching him waste time on another mission, getting distracted by someone who didn’t belong in this world—not truly—was grating.

The others noticed too.

“Yo, Jungkook,” Taehyung finally said, voice light but pointed, “you done playing Romeo? We’ve got real shit to handle.”

Jungkook glanced up at him, then at YN—who looked away.

He sighed. “Let’s finish this briefing.”

Nighttime — YN’s Room

YN stood by her window, looking out over the courtyard, mind spinning. She wasn’t mad. Not really. She didn’t care who Jungkook liked.

But she did care about delays.

She did care about watching another girl slide herself into the war path she’d bled to stand on.

This wasn’t jealousy.

It was disruption.

She clenched her fists.

Tomorrow, she’d talk to Jungkook. Whether he wanted to hear it or not.

Training Hall – Afternoon

Kyra leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, eyes following Jungkook as he spoke with Namjoon and Taehyung across the room. But what caught her attention—again—was the fleeting glance Jungkook gave YN when she entered.

Not cold. Not professional. Soft. Familiar.

Kyra’s jaw clenched. That glance said more than words ever could.

Later, when she caught YN alone near the back corridor, she moved like a predator.

“Oh, look who’s here,” Kyra said, fake sweetness lacing her voice. “The little puppet the Black Serpent boys are obsessed with.”

YN didn’t respond. She walked past, ignoring the bait.

But Kyra stepped in front of her, blocking her path. “Do you think Jungkook actually cares about you? Don’t be stupid. He just keeps you around because broken things like you amuse him.”

YN’s expression didn’t shift—but her fingers curled into fists.

“And you think you’re better than me?” Kyra scoffed, tilting her head. “You parade around like a silent queen, acting cold—but you're just a slut trying to seduce him in a new way. Guess what? You're not even special.”

That word.

That one word snapped something inside YN.

Her head slowly turned to face Kyra. Her voice was a whisper—but laced with venom.

“Say that again.”

Kyra smirked. “Sl—”

Crack.

YN’s fist landed straight across Kyra’s jaw, snapping her head sideways. She stumbled, eyes wide. Before she could react, YN gripped her hair in a brutal clutch and dragged her down to the ground.

“You think I’m like you?” YN snarled, crouching over her, voice like ice. “You think I want him like that? I’ve seen monsters, Kyra. Slept in shadows darker than your worst dreams.”

Another punch. A cry.

“You call me a slut again, and I swear you won’t walk out of here. I don’t give a fuck who you are or what you want—you don’t try me.”

Her voice dropped lower, more dangerous. “I’m not scared of girls like you. You're the parasite here, desperate to belong. I don't care about his likes or dislikes, but you? You care too much. That's why you're weak.”

Kyra whimpered, bloody lip trembling as YN released her, tossing her head to the side.

Jimin clapped slowly from behind. “Damn… That was hot.”

Taehyung let out a low whistle. “Guess she forgot the part where YN nearly burned down a warehouse full of traitors last year.”

Yoongi smirked, arms crossed. “Should’ve warned the poor girl. YN’s cold... but never soft.”

Jin, Namjoon, and Hoseok stood nearby, eyes wide—half impressed, half worried.

“She definitely cracked her nose,” Jin muttered.

Just then—

“What the hell is going on here?!”

Jungkook’s voice echoed through the hallway as he stormed in, eyes scanning the chaos.

Kyra was on the floor, bloody lip, crying and gasping.

YN stood above her, chest heaving slightly, but her face was a blank mask.

Jungkook looked between them—then at YN.

His eyes narrowed. “YN… what did she say to you?”

YN didn’t answer.

Kyra scrambled up, limping slightly. “She attacked me! Out of nowhere! She's unstable, she’s crazy—!”

“Finish that sentence and I’ll break your jaw next time,” YN said coldly without even glancing at her.

Jungkook turned his eyes on Kyra. And for the first time since she met him—he looked at her with nothing but disgust.

“Get out,” he said simply. “Now.”

“Wh-what? But—”

“I said out.”

Taehyung stepped forward with a grin. “Need help finding the door, princess?”

Kyra stared at Jungkook one last time, hoping for softness. But he was already walking to YN, his eyes on her with unreadable intensity.

She left.

Now only silence remained.

Jungkook stood in front of YN. “You okay?” he asked softly.

She didn’t look at him. “Why do you care?”

And with that, she walked past him—head high, heart cold.

But Jungkook watched her with something fierce in his chest.

Not just care.

Possession.

Later That Day

The heavy sound of boots echoed down the corridor. Jungkook’s face was blank, but the rage beneath it was unmistakable.

He entered the meeting room where the others had gathered.

Namjoon stood first. “We didn’t interfere because—”

“I don’t want excuses,” Jungkook cut in, his voice sharp.

Taehyung leaned back casually. “You should’ve seen it. Kyra picked the wrong storm.”

“She provoked YN,” Yoongi said simply, arms crossed. “Called her things she shouldn't have. YN didn’t throw the first punch out of nowhere.”

Jin sighed, looking tired. “We knew something like this might happen. That girl was trouble the second she laid eyes on you.”

“She tried to touch me before,” Jungkook muttered darkly. “I told her I’d kill her if she did.”

“You should’ve told her to leave then,” Hoseok said. “The moment she started making things tense with YN.”

“She crossed the line,” Jungkook murmured, jaw tight. “And I didn’t see it coming fast enough.”

Namjoon stepped forward. “She’s gone now, Jungkook. But what about YN? She’s not the same girl we first met. She was already carrying her trauma—and today? She just reminded all of us who she really is.”

Jungkook nodded slowly.

“I’m going to her.”

Training Room – Late Evening

YN sat in the corner, wrapping her hand—the one she punched Kyra with. She didn’t flinch when she saw Jungkook walk in.

But she didn’t look at him either.

“You hurt your wrist,” he said, walking closer. His voice was calm. Too calm.

“I’ve had worse.”

He sat down opposite her, silence stretching between them like an unspoken war.

“She deserved it, you know.”

YN looked up slowly. “That doesn’t change the fact that I lost control.”

Jungkook’s eyes darkened. “You kept control better than I ever could have.”

She didn’t reply. He could tell she was trying to pull the wall back up again. That cold, emotionless shield.

But he wasn’t having it.

He leaned closer. “YN.”

She looked away. “I don’t need your sympathy.”

“I’m not giving you sympathy,” he said. “I’m giving you truth.”

She glanced at him, wary.

“You think you’re the only one with demons?” he asked. “I’ve killed people for looking at me wrong. You think I’m not haunted? But then you came in, asking for vengeance like your soul was already burning. And I knew—if I let you walk through this fire alone, you’d disappear.”

YN looked away quickly.

“You’re not weak,” Jungkook continued. “You're the strongest person I’ve met. But strong people fall too. And today, when you snapped? That wasn’t weakness. That was you protecting yourself.”

A pause. She whispered, “I didn’t do it for me.”

He frowned. “Then who?”

She finally looked at him, fire in her eyes again. “For Annie. For my parents. For the people I lost. For the broken girl I once was who let people talk to her like that without doing a damn thing.”

Jungkook smiled faintly. “Then I’m proud of you.”

She blinked.

“What?”

He reached forward gently, brushing her knuckles with his thumb. “I said, I’m proud of you.”

A silence passed—soft, warm, not heavy like before.

Then, without thinking, she whispered, “I thought you didn’t care.”

“I never said that,” Jungkook said, voice low. “I just didn’t want you to see how much I care.”

The dull echo of her footsteps bounced off the walls as YN entered the hall. She expected another round of sparring, bruises, and sweat.

But Jungkook stood there waiting—arms crossed, no gloves, no pads. Just a laptop, a map, and a timer on a table behind him.

“You’re not training today,” he said.

YN raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“You’re done with physical training.” He walked toward her, his tone flat but eyes sharp. “You’re already stronger than most of the people I’ve trained in years.”

She opened her mouth, but he held up a finger.

“Now, you need to sharpen this—” He gently tapped her forehead, “—because in this world, strength won’t save you if your mind is slow.”

Behind him, Namjoon entered, carrying a folder and several rolled maps.

“She’s ready?” Namjoon asked.

Jungkook nodded. “More than ready. But we push her now. No sympathy. No leniency.”

Namjoon’s usual calm smile faded into a serious expression as he laid out papers in front of her.

“Let’s begin.”

To be continued...