a/n: look at this amazing cover by soraMel
!!!
you guys are so incredible, I love you all so much ♡
[ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ]
Jungkook sat in the cell, twiddling his thumbs in boredom. After Hayeon had left the night prior, he felt the boredom hit him in a suffocating wave. Normally boredom didn't bother him; he was certainly used to it but, after meeting a certain someone, time seemed to go much slower when she wasn't around.
He thought back to their conversation yesterday night.
You don't like it here! You want to leave just as much as I do!
She hadn't said agreed but, in all honesty, she didn't need to. Jungkook was good at reading emotions and her expression screamed for help. Like him, she wanted to get out of here even if she didn't want to admit so.
After a while of doing absolutely nothing, Jungkook decided to grab his sketchbook and flip through his old drawings and reminisce. He had done a lot of sketches in the book, so many that the book was almost bursting at its seams and each of them all had a small part of his heart. Most of them were of his hyungs or the landscapes of their old hangouts but, the most prominent feature in the book, was the odd girl who liked to keep him company. Sometimes he wondered if Hayeon was a gift sent from heaven.
He smiled fondly and carefully thumbed the corners of the pages. Just as he was going to grab the pencil and start a new piece of art, he heard a scramble outside his door.
He titled his head as he warily stood up from his bed. There was another bang from the adjoined room and he cursed that damned one-way window. If only he could see what was happening out there.
He didn't have to wait long before a figure appeared, out of nowhere, in front of him.
"Tae?" He questioned, his mouth dropping open as the body of his friend stood in front of him. He couldn't believe that this was happening. He shook his head to try and get rid of the hallucination but the boy remained, flashing him a familiar boxy smile.
"Jungkookie!" Taehyung shouted, pouncing on his friend and wrapping him up in a tight hug. "I've missed you so so so much."
Jungkook couldn't even raise his arms to return the display of affection. He had waited for this moment for an entire year and suddenly it happened out of nowhere. Surely, Hayeon would have told him about any new plans?
He couldn't worry about that at the current moment though as Taehyung's tight hug was constructing his airways. "I can't breathe," he laughed, tears appearing in the corner of his eyes.
Taehyung jumped up and giggled. "We've come to take you home?"
"What! Really?" Jungkook heart soared in his chest. "How did you get in here?"
"Hoseok's just outside and he managed to lower the soldiers' heart rates and keep them calm and I duplicated through the door." Jungkook scanned Taehyung's body and now that he looked closely, he could see the shimmer of a illusion. Taehyung must be using a lot of energy if this 'fake' body was corporeal. "You just need to break it down."
Taehyung's eyes crinkled and Jungkook felt a laugh jump up his throat. He hadn't felt this much relief in a long time.
Jungkook strolled up the door and didn't hesitate to start pounding and kicking the door. It took a while, considering it was reinforced steel, but he eventually managed to rip the door from its frame. Waiting behind, both grinning, were Taehyung and Hoseok.
They both let out a large squeal and Hoseok rushed forward to wrap Jungkook into an affectionate embrace whilst Taehyung did a happy dance in the background.
The moment was bittersweet though when Hoseok announced that he needed to leave. Seeing Jungkook's panicked gaze, he ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, it's all part of the plan. I'm going to go help Namjoon and Taehyung will escort you to the exit. We'll meet up again in less than half an hour. Okay?"
Jungkook couldn't even nod because Hoseok had already left the room and Taehyung had began to drag him along into the deserted hallway. "Where is everyone?" He asked, his eyes flitting around.
Tae smirked cheekily. "Yoongi and Jimin are dealing with it."
That frightened Jungkook slightly. Yoongi wasn't known for self control- at least Jimin was with him.
"What about Hayeon?" Jungkook asked, his brows pulled close together.
Taehyung waggled his eyebrows and send the younger a playful look. "Don't worry Romeo, we're going to meet up with her."
He pulled them into a small storage cupboard and Jungkook wondered if he had ever been as confused as he was in that moment. Why were they in a cupboard? This wasn't a cliché high school romance, they were literally escapees on the run.
"I don't understand what's happening hyung,"
"Yoongi sent Hayeon a message to meet us here. Him and Jimin are distracting the majority of the soldiers to give Namjoon and Hoseok time to disable the cameras. Jin's waiting in a van on the outskirts of the lab. Any questions?"
Jungkook shook his head and blinked up at his friend. He still couldn't believe it. Taehyung was still as handsome as ever but, in the past year, he seemed to have flourished more. His hair was much longer and his jaw much more sharp which stole some of his childish looks but, nonetheless, he still looked amazing. "I missed you all."
"I know, Kookie." Taehyung gave him a side smile, laced with a distant sadness, and his upper lip quivered slightly. However, when he checked his watch he quickly felt as though something was up.
"She should be here. Somethings gone wrong, we have to move." Taehyung pulled Jungkook out the room and began to advance quickly down the hall.
"What do you mean?" Jungkook asked, pulling back. "Are we leaving? We can't leave her!"
"Look Kookie," Taheyung said, flashing him a look of pleading. "I promised Jin hyung that I'd get you out of here. I can't do that if we stay behind for a girl."
"I'm not leaving without her hyung," Jungkook said, his arms crossed and a frown on his face. Hayeon had done so much for him and he wasn't going to simply leave her.
Taehyung's lip fell into a straight line as he looked at Jungkook's determined look. There was no way he'd get him to budge, that boy may look weak but he was too strong for his own good. There is no way he'd leave without trying. With a shaky breath, he flashed the younger boy a steely look. "Do you know where the south exit is?" Jungkook nodded. "We'll split up and in ten minutes, if you have or haven't found her, meet me there."
It took Jungkook a lot of effort to agree to that deal knowing that Hayeon could be anywhere in the lab and there was a slim choice that he would find her but, what else could he do? He wouldn't abandon her.
As Taehyung traipsed in the opposite direction to Jungkook, he couldn't help but curse under his breath. Jungkook was too soft-hearted but, in the end, it was the reason why he was so was so treasured amongst the gang of boys. They'd missed his forgiving and positive attitude to life.
As he wandered aimlessly, looking for a pretty girl (he'd seen her Instagram picture and was surprised at Hayeon's looks; he expected all scientists to look like evil hags), he noticed something above his head. He hardly had chance to move before the roof fell through, flames peaking through.
"Dammit Yoongi," Taehyung swore, knowing that the older had messed up the plan. Jin has given him strict instructions- no fire under any circumstance.
With a shake of the head, he found a staircase and made his way to the bright flames. He knew the fire wouldn't target him, and walked at a steady pace as he strolled through the hall seeing if he could see Yoongi and give him a good old telling off. Unfortunately, he couldn't find the boy and when he looked down at his watch, he saw that it was time to meet up with Jungkook again. Just as he turned to head back down the staircase, he heard a scream.
He spun round and blinked, trying to see through the grey smoke. Laid helplessly on the ground, was the body of a girl. Hayeon.
Taehyung rushed forward as she whispered his name. This was her- he recognised the face. He shouted her name when he noticed that she began to slip in and out of consciousness but the lack of oxygen was definitely becoming a problem for her. There was no choice; he had to get her out of here even if it meant carrying her.
He cradled her in his arms like a bride and began to race down the hall and the stairs, pleading that Jungkook had followed his instructions and waited for him. He got to the left exit, pushed open the door with his side and fell into the open air.
He let out a breath of relief when he saw Jungkook waiting for him.
"Hayeon!" Jungkook gasped, running towards the limp body in Taehyung's arms. He quickly took her body from his friend's arms who had began to falter from effort and looked down at her soot-covered face and burned palms. The flames had certainly done a number on her.
"Jungkook we need to get her to Jin, she was struggling to breath."
They began to ran across the gravel ground, not pausing once. Jungkook couldn't even focus on the fact that he was escaping. Actually escaping. All his mind could think about was the deteriorating condition of the girl in his embrace. Taehyung pointed to a black van parked on the side of the road and knocked a complicated rhythm on the back door.
The doors instantly swung open and there was a large roar of cheers and screams and a wave of boys jumped down and welcomed their old member. None of them noticed the sickly girl until Jin pushed forward.
"Jin hyung, you have to help her!" Jungkook cried in distress, pushing forward and placing the girl over a double seat. Jin's face became serious and he threw his car keys at Jimin and ordered him to drive as he pulled up the sleeves of his long T-shirt.
He scanned over the emotionless face of the sleeping girl and ran a smooth hand over the skin of her arm, summoning the power from within. A cautious but comforting hand was placed on his back. "Hyung are you sure you can handle this?" Hoseok asked as the truck hurtled forwards and began to move. Jungkook looked up in alarm and Taehyung quickly jumped in to wrap him in a warm hug.
"I'll be fine," Jin shrugged, feeling the power swirl within his bloodstream.
He looked up at Jungkook, the boy who he had cared for since he was a little boy. He smiled lightly. "We'll all be fine."