Jeongin couldn't deny that he missed being a university student. He majored in computer science, a subject he despised. Jeongin had always yearned to attend an arts school to pursue fashion design. Unfortunately, his parents vehemently opposed the idea.
Every single day he spent at the university was a waking nightmare for Jeongin, but he knew that as much as he detested his studies, this government mission was infinitely worse. Their lives were on the line, far outweighing the fear of failing an exam. Jeongin recognized the danger of the mission, yet he couldn't help but feel it was somehow destined to be.
Jeongin firmly believed that fate had brought the eight of them together. "Jeongin, are you paying attention?" Captain Lee's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he nodded in response. She appeared skeptical but carried on with her briefing.
"This time," Captain Lee continued, "you'll all be equipped with Bluetooth ear devices to stay in contact with each other and with me." The eight of them nodded, each receiving their Bluetooth device from Instructor Choi and placing it in their ear.
"Additionally, you'll each have a watch," Captain Lee added, "which allows you to block out unnecessary noises from other team members' earpieces. You can choose whom you want to connect with." They received their watches, with their names listed as connection options.
"Alright, I believe you're all set now," Captain Lee said, guiding them out of the building. "Felix? A minute." She called out, motioning for him to stay behind.
Felix approached her, questioning, "What's the matter?"
"Stay confined to the van, Felix," she stated firmly. "Your safety is our top priority, and you know that."
"If I hadn't left the van the other day, Changbin would be dead," Felix retorted sternly, glaring at the Captain. He stormed away before she could say another word, joining the others in the van.
"What did she say?" Hyunjin asked as he came closer to Felix, and Chan started driving.
"Nothing important, just asked me to be safe," Felix smiled, not wanting to burden Hyunjin with the truth.
"Alright, love," Hyunjin returned the smile, gently resting his head against Felix's shoulder, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.
Felix intertwined his arm with Hyunjin's, and the van was filled with comfortable silence for the rest of the journey. This was what Felix yearned for—a peaceful, quiet, and comfortable atmosphere with all eight of them together. No worries or intrusive thoughts. Felix couldn't help but imagine how much he would enjoy their company if they had met under different circumstances.
For now, their relationship was bound by a contract. Felix didn't know if they would remain friends once this mission was over and they returned to their regular lives.
"We've arrived," Chan announced, breaking Felix's reverie.
Felix glanced to his left and noticed that Hyunjin had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He smiled sadly at the peaceful expression on Hyunjin's face, knowing that it would soon be replaced with fear.
"Hey, Hyunnie," Felix gently nudged him. "We're here. Wake up."
Hyunjin stirred slowly, his eyes opening slightly. "Already?"
"Yeah," Felix replied. "Come on, you need to get going."
"Hmm," Hyunjin muttered, stretching his arms as he stood up from his seat. "I guess it's time."
Felix stood up as well, holding Hyunjin back for a moment. "Promise me you'll stay safe."
"I promise, sweetheart," Hyunjin replied, gently holding Felix's face and caressing his cheeks with his thumbs. "You'll watch over me, won't you?"
"Of course," Felix reassured. "I'll watch over all of you."
Hyunjin smiled widely, recognizing the determination in Felix's eyes. He knew Felix truly cared about each and every one of them.
"Ahem," Chan coughed, interrupting their moment. Hyunjin released Felix and turned to face Chan. "We need to go, Hyunjin."
"Uh, yeah, I'll be right there," Hyunjin sent Felix a final smile before exiting the van with Chan.
Felix watched from the window as Jisung quickly set up cameras in every accessible area. Felix activated the surveillance cameras, granting him a clear view of everyone, thanks to Jisung's efforts.
They had learned from their past mistakes, ensuring that each of them wore bulletproof vests this time. They decided to follow the same plan as before, as it had proven effective.
But today was different. The villains had instructed them to meet at midnight, meaning they had to confront their enemies under the cover of darkness.
A familiar whistle echoed in the distance, drawing Felix's attention back to the cameras as he searched intently for any signs of the villains.
Soon, they emerged from the shadows, aided by the darkness of the night.
"We meet again," the leader spoke in his chilling robotic voice. It sent shivers down Felix's spine. He scrutinized each camera feed, trying to identify the villain who had aided them last time.
It was difficult to discern him amidst the masks and similar attire, but Felix had noticed that the villain was the tallest among the group that day.
Wait a minute. This time, there were only six of them. The villain who had assisted them previously was nowhere to be seen.
"We're not here to fight today. We want to speak to one of you," the leader continued, capturing everyone's attention. "In private."
Felix, like the others, was shocked and confused. They exchanged glances of bewilderment.
"And why should we agree?" Chan inquired, but his question was met with the leader's laughter.
"Well, you don't really have a choice, do you?" the villain taunted. "You're in no position to deny us."
Chan glanced back at his team, frustration evident on his face. In the end, they had no choice but to comply with the villains' demands.
"Okay," Chan acquiesced. "You can talk to me."
He began walking closer to the villains, despite his teammates' protests. However, the leader stopped him from getting any closer.
"We wish to speak with someone else," the leader declared. "Hyunjin... perhaps?"
Felix's eyes widened at the mention of Hyunjin's name. Everyone turned to look at him, equally shocked. Hyunjin stood frozen in place.
"M-Me?"
"Yes, you," another villain confirmed. "You're the mind reader, aren't you?"
How did they know? Panic surged through Felix as he internally fretted.
"How...?" Hyunjin was at a loss for words.
"We want to speak with you alone," the leader continued. "Come on, Hyunjin."
Hyunjin gulped and glanced at his teammates for a brief moment. With a deep breath, he started walking toward the villains.
"Hyung, no!" Jeongin called out. "Don't do it!"
"I have to," Hyunjin shouted back. "I'll be fine, trust me."
Felix was a nervous wreck. He hastily activated his Bluetooth device and pressed Hyunjin's name on his watch, desperately trying to reach him. "Hyunjin, please stop!" Felix pleaded, his voice filled with desperation as he watched Hyunjin draw closer and closer to the villains. "Please."
Hyunjin's startled expression registered as he heard Felix's voice. "Felix?"
"Turn back, please," Felix implored, his voice trembling. "Don't do this."
"I'm sorry, Lix, but I have to," Hyunjin responded, his voice filled with determination. He turned off his Bluetooth device, severing the connection between them, and continued walking towards the villains.
Felix sank into his chair, overcome with despair. Tears welled up in his eyes as he watched the live feed, his gaze fixed on Hyunjin's diminishing figure. Hyunjin descended further into the shadows with the leader, leaving the remaining villains and their own team in a state of eerie silence.
The leader led Hyunjin into their underground base, the air heavy with an ominous silence. They entered an empty room, devoid of any furniture or decoration. The only sound was the echoing of their footsteps against the cold concrete floor.
Once inside, the leader turned to Hyunjin and commanded, "Take off your earpiece and hand it over to me." Hyunjin hesitated for a moment but complied, removing the device and offering it to the leader. With a swift motion, the leader crushed it beneath his foot, rendering it useless.
As the remains of the earpiece lay discarded on the floor, the leader fixed his piercing gaze on Hyunjin. "Do you know what you've gotten yourself into?" He asked, his voice laced with a mix of curiosity and warning. "Do you truly understand the reason behind your fight against us?"
Hyunjin met the leader's gaze, and his expression resolute. "I do," he replied, his voice steady. "I've witnessed the havoc you've wreaked, the lives you've disrupted. We fight against you to protect innocent people and restore peace and safety."
The leader didn't deny the destruction caused by their actions but retorted, "No civilians were killed, only mildly injured. We never intended harm to any life. Our purpose runs deeper than what you perceive."
Confusion filled Hyunjin's eyes as he sought answers. "Then what is your reasoning?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity.
A chilling laugh escaped the leader's lips. "You'll find out soon enough," they cryptically replied, his eyes gleaming with a mysterious intensity.
With that, the leader gestured for Hyunjin to leave, granting him his freedom. As Hyunjin made his way towards the exit, his gaze swept across one of the rooms.
There, he locked eyes with the missing villain, unaware that this was the man who had assisted Felix during their previous encounter. Something about his gaze sent a shiver down Hyunjin's spine, and he realized that he wasn't able to read the villain's mind.
┈───────ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ
[A/N]
This chapter was a little insight into the villains. It may seem pretty vague, but I've actually left a ton of hints on their true motives.
Why couldn't Hyunjin read the villain's mind? You guys can ponder over it until the next update!