SOLDIER // VKOOK

Chapter 21

He moved forward and examined the box again. He pressed another plastic button, and it played another song. He was excited, figuring out something new so quickly. He grabbed the mysterious box and slipped out of bed, getting out of his room and wanting to find Taehyung about his new discovery. He got into a nearly empty hallway and scampered towards a door that was slightly ajar, the light was seeping through the gap.

The white light was pouring out and he was about to reach out for the handle when someone grabbed his shoulder. The soldier flinched and turned, only to see a man with silver hair behind him. The dark haired man was about to retaliate as he had no recollection of whoever was touching him, but the stranger placed his fingers on his lips and dragged the soldier into another room. The soldier tried asking questions, but he was met with a loud hush by the other man. The man slammed the door shut and leaned against it, sliding against the heavy material. He pushed his silver hair back and readjusted her uniform before looking at the soldier.

The dark haired man still had the box in his hands, he was feeling slightly disappointed that he didn't get to find Taehyung. He was a little annoyed that someone was there to restrain and stop him. Was he that dangerous to the outside world? He stood there silently, head hung low as he stared at the multi colored buttons on the box.

"It's best for you not to go out and roam around without Taehyung." The man warned, his voice was quite high pitched, but commanding in a way. The soldier looked up and noticed how he was nervous as well, his fingers trembling slightly as he rubbed them against each other, thinking of words to say. "Jung kook, right? Taehyung talked a lot about you."

Right, his name was Jung kook.

"I... I figured." Jung kook replied, setting the box down onto the ground as he plops himself down onto the carpeted ground. He balanced his head on the heel of his palm as he traced the carpet with his fingers.

"Sorry, Min Yoongi isn't in a good state right now... none of us are. It's because of that..." he trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

"It's because that I am here?" Jung kook tried to finish for him. He always felt that way, ever since Taehyung brought him here, he could see the war in everyone's eyes as they go near him. Even Taehyung, who claimed to be his best friend in a life he never remembered he had. There was always that uncertainty when the brunette would reach out for his face.

"No... it's because of your stubborn friend. His mental state isn't going too well for any of us, he could barely see Arrowway without crumbling into nothing or have a system break down. His mind isn't wiped as clean as we had hoped before." The man explained, brushing a strand of silver hair away from his forehead. Jung kook noted how the other moved with ease and without any friction between his joints. "Project Red Star... this initiative is what started from him. Taehyung was the first ever successful subject."

His eyes went from the man's figure to the red star on his arm. The ugly symbol that represents how he was made into this... thing.

"We are trying our best to get him back on track before but... but his immense guilt was crushing him to the bone. He is terrified about everyone. His mind was sending off signals too loud for Hoseok to even handle." He explained.

Jung kook caught a name that he did not recognize. Who was Hoseok? Can't he help Taehyung to recover?

"But why? Why was he so... guilty? He explained he never caught me but I don't understand why would he be so guilty. I was dead." Jung kook said. He turned and looked at the man again. This time, the silver haired man was shocked. His eyes wide and eyebrows pulled downward.

"How... How can you say that? He was guilty because he saw someone he loved and cared fall into a snowy abyss! He loved you! Why can't you see that? Why can't you remember something so crucial to him?!" He hollered, standing up and balling up his fists. "When he woke up from his coma, the first thing that he thought about was you! Decades of memory and he thought about you! After that? When he brought you here, he passed out... and woke up thinking of you!"

Jung kook bit back an insult and stood up as well, his figure towering over the man in front of him. He left the musical box on the ground and placed one foot forward, the man immediately got into a fighting stance, one arm forward and eyes trained on Jung kook's every move.

"That's when I don't understand, why does he care?" Jung kook asked. He felt his heart did a painful flip.

"He cared about you because he loved... no... he still loves you! He didn't care about his own teammates when he woke up! He instantly thought about you! That's f*cking selfish since we helped him get into this day and age and you just think so lowly of him like this?!" Jimin shouted, his ears turning red.

He still love you.

Think so lowly of him.

Jung kook wiped something away from his eyes, something wet and warm on his cheeks. He did not know why he was crying at all, why? Why does his chest hurt and why does his body burn? Why does everything seem so red around him and why does water pour out of his eyes like a waterfall?

"If you think you don't worth sh*t, you are so f*cking wrong. He hurt himself and would not open up until you came, you practically helped him get back up. If another mental blow like this he wouldn't be able to stand up like that any longer."

Wouldn't be able to stand up like that any longer.

"How long has he been... been like this?" Jung kook asked, trying to hold back the tears that pooled in his eyes.

"Since he found out Cipher is still running. And Arrowway is the one who was running it, using 'Yoongi's death' as the main key point to help him rise into power." The man explained. Jung kook clenched his fists and moved forward, wiping the wetness from his face with the back of his hand.

"If he is the man that's causing this, we might as well kill him." Jung kook suggested.

"We... can't". He settled with that difficult answer.

"That's not an excuse. I am leaving." Jung kook said finally. He brushed past the man who went on to grab his shoulder again, but Jung kook just tanked his hand away harshly and ran towards the open area and looked for the sign that was labeled as "holding rooms". He caught it at the corner of his eyes and ran towards it, keeping his head low as some agents walked past him slowly. He was going to reach the doors when a wisp of blue light rushed past his arm.

Jung kook skidded to a stop, his heel squeaking against the ground as he saw the previous man blocking his way, his arms fanned out the either side of him as he blocked the door with his body.

"Move." Jung kook growled. The man still stood still at his post.

"This is not just for your own good, you have no idea what is going to happen."