a/n: can I just say that I love your comments so much. you guys literally make my day <3
[ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎 ]
"Are you okay?" Jungkook asked, sending me a sidewards glance. We'd been ushered out of the dining room, by Jin, who insisted that we had to go see Namjoon immediately and, as we walked down the hallway, I had noticed that Jungkook kept looking at me from the corner of his eye.
"I'm fine," I said, my voice croaking slightly. Not only did I sound like a hag but I probably looked like one, considering I hadn't even bathed since I arrived. He was probably observing how horrendous my appearance was.
"Good." We walked in silence for a while. It seemed that, now the tears had stopped, we had entered that awkward stage. Still, it felt good to be walking alongside Jungkook as friends and not as a scientist and her experiment.
Jin had given us directions to Namjoon's office and we dutifully followed his order, knocking on the red painted door he had pointed to.
I expected to hear the creak of floorboards or the turning of the brass door handle but the door ominously swung open instead. Damn, I kept forgetting that these boys all had powers. If I was Namjoon, I also wouldn't get up from my chair to open the door when my brain could do it for me. Still, it made my eyes widen in surprise as I stepped through the door frame.
Their was a chuckle and my eyes darted to the noise. Sitting on one of those spinning office chairs, was the famous Kim Namjoon that I had heard so much about. He was a rather lanky person with his long limbs and lack of posture, but he had this almost cheeky look about him. His hair was unruly and almost as long as Jungkook's and he had a pair of square glasses on his nose. He was rather cute in a geeky sort of way.
"Jungkook-ah." Namjoon stood up from the chair and ambled over to the two of us and wrapped the boy into an affectionate embrace. He scanned Jungkook up and down, tutted when he noticed the bruises on his arm but smiled. "It's good to have you back."
Jungkook smirked. "I've missed you Namjoon hyung."
"We've all missed you very much. Jin's been besides himself." Namjoon seemed to exhale as he rubbed his eyes sleepily. It was then when he seemed to notice that I was standing alongside Jungkook. "And Miss Kim, I guess we owe it all to you."
I blushed but bowed dutifully. "I really didn't do that much."
Namjoon waved his hands and ushered us further into the office where computer screens lined the entire room. If anything, it reminded me of the observation room and, by the wounded look of Jungkook's face, our minds had connected. I subconsciously found myself reaching down and grabbing his hand. He looked up at me in surprise but squeezed my hand gratefully in response.
"You're one of the only reasons that we managed to get Jungkookie back," Namjoon said, typing a complex password into the computer and bringing up a file. He clicked on several of them and I was faced with the multiple documents that I shared to him over the past month. From the list of fire exits to the familiar map of the vents, it was all displayed on screen.
"You did all this?" Jungkook asked in astonishment as he walked closer to the large screen, almost pressing his nose against it as he squinted to read the words.
"Truly, I did very little. It was all Jeno, really." I felt my heart pang. I would never see Jeno again. I'd ruined our entire friendship because I'd doubted his loyalty and was rude and inconsiderate towards him. I really was an awful person.
"Who's Jeno?" Namjoon asked curiously, not meaning harm.
I bit my lip and I could feel Jungkook shooting me another worried look. "He's just a friend. He's good."
Namjoon seemed to realise that I wasn't fond of the conversation and changed it very quickly. "I called you here to apologise for Yoongi's behaviour. It impacted you both negatively and it was totally uncalled for." I looked towards Jungkook, wondering if he'd heard about Yoongi's mishap, but he didn't look surprised so I assumed that Jin had told him earlier. "His intentions were good but he's an unbridled fool and I promise that all of us had every desire to get both Jungkook and you out of the laboratory."
I nodded gratefully. "It's okay."
It wasn't okay, in the slightest. Yoongi risked my life for a reason that he hadn't cared to explain. If it couldn't be worse, he hadn't even apologised. I could already tell that me and Yoongi were definitely not going to get along.
I wouldn't tell Namjoon that, though. There was no use putting up a barrier between the seven boys when they'd only just been reunited. This was something that I would have to deal with, alone and with much care. Yoongi truly was like a flame; add fuel to the fire and you'll get burnt.
"Jin managed to make you a temporary bedroom, if you wish to stay with us."
"What about my family?" My nerves seems to hit me like a tsunami as I awaited his answer. I wasn't in desperate need to see my family but it would be nice to warn them about what is going to come and that I'm safe and protected.
Namjoon paced for a second, the thoughts collecting in his mind as he pondered. He pulled a keyboard close to him and typed something in. "First things first, MediHeal will not hurt your family." He pinched his nose and leaned back in his chair. "It's not their style but, that doesn't mean to say that they won't have 24/7 sight on them. If we allow you to get contact, we are going to have to exceptionally careful." He typed into his computer again with pursed lips. "Give me a couple of days and I'll find an untraceable line."
"Thank you," I said, my head tilted back in relief. My mother was very worrisome and if she got word of my runaway from anyone other than myself, she'd go berserk. It was certainly something that I did not want to deal with.
Jungkook spoke next, still looking at all the maps and information displayed on the screens. "How long are we staying here?"
Namjoon already had a clear answer. "Three days, maximum. I've managed to get in touch with Si-Hyuk and he happened to find us a city apartment in Incheon. It's a bit of squash but better than nothing."
Jungkook's eyebrows raised and his mouth opened in shock. "You've been in contact with Si-Hyuk?" I remembered him telling me about this 'Si-Hyuk' and how he was a former scientist who had helped the boys escape and then had miraculously disappeared.
"He got in touch after you were captured. Alongside Hayeon, he's been giving us a lot of inside information." Namjoon seemed to soften his gaze. "Maybe he'll come and visit?"
Jungkook pulled an almost petulant look but nodded. "I'd like that."
I could feel the conversation coming to a close so I quickly asked a question, my words jumbling into one. "Are you sure I'm welcome here?" I couldn't help but feel insecure and worried that I was intruding. Yoongi already hated me and I didn't want the others to dislike me also.
Namjoon seemed to understand what I had uttered under my breath and fixed his gaze onto mine. "Miss Kim, if I may..." I nodded for him to continue. "You've already become part of the family. Yoongi hyung is one of seven and even he doesn't hate you." I went to argue but he held up a finger. "Trust me. I don't know if Jungkook told you this but I can control minds, it just takes an incredible amount of concentration and energy. If anyone could tell you an accurate description of Yoongi's feelings towards you, it would be me. Mind control is very, very personal but you find yourself learning more and more about a person without having to invade the privacy of their own thoughts."
That made sense and I found myself unable to sit still as I awaited Namjoon's next sentence.
"Yoongi is complicated but he'll warm up to you given the chance. And the others... well I'm sure you've found out what they think about you."
My mind flashed back to Hoseok's hug, Taehyung's eager and outlandish imagination about me and Jungkook and Jin's constant desire to check on my wellbeing. They all certainly seemed pretty welcoming and open to having a new recruit to their small band of escapees.
I felt Jungkook nudge me in the side. "You're one of us now. No escaping."
My heart soared. "I wouldn't dream of it."