A/N: Ahhh thanks for sticking with me! I know this is a bit late, I've been staying up till the early mornings to get stuff done and... it took all my energy. Here's the next update!
I'll try to write lots over the weekend so the next chapters will be on time. Much love 💜
~
"The next useful thing is knowing how to make an alarm," Namjoon says. "Some people can make the noise so loud and annoying that their opponent gets completely distracted."
"... like my alarm in the morning?"
Namjoon laughs. "Something like that."
With a variety of songs continuing to play in the background, Namjoon introduces new moves to me while working on more complex variations with Jungkook.
It's like learning choreography in a dance class. Different moves are for different things and each one has its own special effect.
Time passes seamlessly and, at the same time, not at all.
I was just working out how to channel the "One Eternity Later" voice from Spongebob when Namjoon decides to call an end to the training session.
Jungkook sighs in relief.
"What time is it?" I ask.
Namjoon glances at his watch. "Nearly dinnertime. You two can get washed up before then, there should be enough for -"
"Wait, wait wait wait. It's dinnertime?!"
"Yeah, I just said so -"
"So we missed lunch?!" I exclaim.
"I can't believe it!" Jungkook throws his hands up in the air, clearly siding with me. "No wonder I couldn't levitate myself up today. It's all because we missed lunch!"
Namjoon looks from me to Jungkook, speechless.
"I lost track of time," he admits. "I'll try to remember tomorrow."
"Hyung, you won't have to remember it," Jungkook says confidently. "I'll personally remind you during training tomorrow once I get hungry."
"And I'll personally remind you to go easier with warm-ups too," I add. "That must've been why Jungkook couldn't levitate himself today either."
"Yes definitely! Y/n is spot on," Jungkook nods enthusiastically.
I try to keep myself from smiling at our flawless teamwork, but I'm not sure how successful I am.
Namjoon rolls his eyes.
He gives us some final comments on our training progress and, soon enough, we're off. Namjoon stays back to revise his notes for tomorrow.
I don't miss Jungkook's cheerful grin when we crawl back through the tunnel together. He checks over his shoulder for signs of the leader and, seeing none, he turns back to me. "Awesome teamwork we had back there," he says.
"Oh definitely," I say. "Food is a priority."
"Always is. What's your favorite food?"
I think about it. "It used to be pizza."
"Used to be?" Jungkook tilts his head.
"Yeah."
"Then what's your favorite food now?
"Banana milk, of course!"
Jungkook snickers in approval. We manage to sneak in a high five before entering the living room.
~
Even after we both get washed up, there's still a few minutes left till dinner.
Jin makes food while J-Hope chats with him, Suga is still nowhere to be seen, and Jimin and Taehyung are on the floor playing a board game.
The atmosphere is nice and relaxing.
Jungkook takes me over to the blue couch. His hair is still wet from showering but unlike the drippy mess my hair always becomes, the water makes him more perfect instead.
"I have something to show you... not today, but in a few days," he says shyly. "I've been working on it for awhile and I think you'll like it."
"What is it?" Despite myself, my heart races.
"You'll see."
I groan. "Jungkook, you can't just tell me something like this and then leave me hanging!"
"Well, that's exactly what I'm doing," he says with a smug look.
Before I have time to think of a clever response and fire it back at him, Namjoon bounces into the room.
"GUYS! I figured it out!"
He nearly loses balance in the process, but he's too excited to notice.
"What did you do?" Taehyung asks.
"I figured out how to short-circuit the toaster!"
Silence.
"You WHAT?!" Jin yells from the kitchen.
"I short-circuited the toaster," Namjoon announces. "If it works, then it'll keep generating energy on its own, therefore powering itself, and we could save electricity!"
"You're saying that YOU had the toaster ALL THIS TIME?!" Jin marches over to the living room, armed with his wooden spoon and apron. "I was looking for it the WHOLE DAY!"
"Well at least it's upgraded now!"
"... it won't explode, will it?" Jimin asks.
"Nah, I tested for that specifically. The only bad thing is you can't touch the toaster itself or it might shock you."
"A toaster as a weapon," Taehyung smiles. "I like it."
"What? No!" Namjoon whirls around. "It's just for saving electricity! And toasting bread. Nothing more, really."
"Sure, sure," Jungkook says.
"I mean it!"
I'm in awe at how random yet natural the conversations are. Jungkook shrugs and smiles along with me, expressing his agreement, and when Jin calls us to the kitchen for dinner, we sit next to each other again.
The bickering continues until everyone bids goodnight.
~
The days start passing by in a blur.
It's a different type of blur from being in a getaway fight. Instead of intense speed with bouts of slow motion, it's a long, hazy, tiring blur full of... tiredness. We settle into a routine: get up, eat breakfast, train, eat lunch, train, eat dinner, chat and laugh with the group, sleep, repeat.
The second and third days are identical.
The fourth day comes and goes. Jungkook finally manages to levitate himself an inch off the ground.
The fifth day is quiet.
Three people are missing at lunch:
Suga, who's really close to finishing a new song and working on it nonstop.
Jimin, who I haven't seen the entire day.
And Jungkook, who disappeared after our morning training session with a brief "I'll be in the bathroom if you need me!"
So lunch starts with the remaining five of us eating quietly.
"Where is everyone?" Jin breaks the silence. "Suga I get, but Jimin and Jungkook don't usually skip food."
I look up. "Jungkook told me he'd be in the bathroom."
"Ah," Namjoon grins. "Then we don't have to worry about him. He's probably just trying to dye his hair again."
"Why?"
"We haven't told you?"
I shake my head.
"Oh! Well, we like experimenting with color. All of us have dyed our hair at some point, just for fun you know. I'm thinking of dying mine blue."
At the mention of blue hair, I recall Jimin saying something about that when he gave me a tour around the base.
"Blue would look good on you," I admit.
"You think so?"
"Absolutely."
Namjoon's smile brightens when he hears that. "Thanks so much."
"What color do you think Jungkook's going for?" Taehyung asks.
"I don't know, but it's definitely not purple. He did that last time and ended up going through a long lecture from Suga about how 'stealing other people's signature colors is a bad deed'. Which is really funny because one time -"
"HYUNGGG!"
The conversation stops and all of us turn around to the kitchen entrance where Jimin's standing, breathing heavily and holding a white envelope. He crosses the distance and gives it to Namjoon.
"A second letter," Jimin explains between breaths. "From Freedom Academy. About meeting up."
My heartbeat accelerates.
The previously cheerful atmosphere in the room plummets as new tension takes hold.
Namjoon quickly scans the papers. "Where'd you get this from?"
"The treehouse." Jimin doesn't hesitate. "I was putting up new pictures and I saw it sitting on the little window. It also came with this."
He hands Namjoon something else.
A mask.
I feel sick. It's the same mask worn by the soldiers who chased us down in the getaway fight, the same mask worn by guards that lurk in the hallways at school.
"Get the others," Namjoon instructs us. "Immediately."
Appetite lost, I run directly to the bathrooms to find Jungkook.
~
A/N: Why would Freedom Academy want to meet up? 👀