Lost In His Gaze

'Did you really think you could escape me?'

You jolted awake, your chest heaving. Your mind was still trapped in the vivid nightmare-For a moment, you couldn't remember where you were, the remnants of your nightmare still gripping you. His piercing dark eyes, the way his shadow loomed over you, and the suffocating feeling of his presence-it all felt so real.

You shook your head, forcing yourself to look around. The soft morning light filtered through the curtains of your room in the small apartment you shared with Jia in the U.S. Far away from him. Far away from everything.

But no matter how far you'd run, the nightmares never truly left.

Sighing, you pushed the covers off and swung your legs over the side of the bed. "It's over," you whispered to yourself, though the words sounded hollow. It had been a year since you'd escaped, eight months since you'd started this new life, but you still couldn't shake the paranoia.

You made your way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on your face. Staring at your reflection in the mirror, you noticed the faint dark circles under your eyes. Sleep was a luxury you rarely indulged in these days. "He can't find me here," you murmured, as if saying it out loud would make it true.

The smell of coffee and pancakes greeted you as you walked into the kitchen. Jia was already there, humming a soft tune as she flipped pancakes on the stove.

"Morning," she said, glancing at you with a smile. But her smile faded slightly as she saw your face. "Rough night again?"

You nodded, grabbing a mug and pouring yourself some coffee. "The same nightmare," you admitted. "It's like he's always there, even when he's not. Yesterday........after party it felt so real , as if he had been standing right there, but in the blink of an eye, he wasn’t."

Jia sighed, setting a plate of pancakes on the table. "Y/N, you've been having these for months. Are you still going to therapy?"

"I am," you replied, sitting down. "Every week. But it's not helping as much as I hoped. The fear...it doesn't just disappear."

Jia sat across from you, her expression softening. "I get it. What he put you through-it's not something you can just forget. But you're safe now. Yoongi made sure of that. Jungkook doesn't know where you are, and he can't touch you."

You nodded, wanting to believe her. "I know. It's just hard to shake the feeling that he's out there, waiting."

Jia reached across the table, placing a comforting hand over yours. "He might be out there, but we're not going to let him get to you. You're not alone in this, Y/N. You have me, and you have Yoongi. You're safe."

Her words brought a lump to your throat, and you managed a small smile. "Thanks, Jia. I don't know what I'd do without you."

She grinned, squeezing your hand before standing up. "Well, you're stuck with me, so don't even think about finding out. Now hurry up, or we'll be late for class."

You chuckled softly, grateful for her lightheartedness. Grabbing your bag, you followed her out of the apartment.

The sun was shining, the streets were bustling with life, and everything seemed normal. But as you walked to campus, you couldn't stop yourself from glancing over your shoulder, just in case.

Author's note

So excited to share part two with you all! I can’t believe how much love 'Bound by His Gaze' received—it was my very first story. I hope you’ll show the same love here by voting, commenting, and supporting, my cuties!😁😍

Be prepared for some real mature themes in this story. It’s already marked as mature, so there won’t be any separate warnings.