Channel 17

She’s been a part of my life since I was six.

I remember playing in a sand pit at my neighborhood park. The sand was wet, courtesy of the rain the day before, so it was perfect for building sturdy sand castles. I didn’t have to worry about sharing the space since the park happened to be empty. The whole sandbox was my metaphorical oyster. My mom was on a nearby bench, reading her book, and my older sister and brother were playing on the swings. 

I was used to playing by myself growing up. Don't get me wrong! I actually enjoyed being by myself most of the time. I was more of the read-comic-books-alone-at-home type. Plus, I had a huge imagination, so I could entertain myself in a doorless, windowless, toyless room for hours on end.

I had just begun digging a moat for the sand castle (my best one ever, in my humble opinion) when a girl about my age appeared in front of me with her hands clasped behind her back. “I really like your sand castle,” she had said, a sweet, close-mouthed grin pushing up rosy cheeks.

The girl looked way too clean for a kid, especially one playing at a muddy old park. Her black hair was glossy without a single strand out of place and tied up neatly, topped with a blush pink bow. The sparkly dress she wore was the same color, and so were the flats that adorned her feet. She reminded me a little of my sister when we took our family photos last year.

I frowned a little, then shrugged before continuing to dig. “Isth ok, I guess.” You see, I had just lost not one, but both of my front teeth, so I talked with a slight lisp.

Barely a moment passed when the girl plopped down right next to me, getting sand all over her dress. I stared at her wide-eyed, and her dark brown eyes stared right back at me with a grin, now showing off her missing two front teeth.

“My name is (Y/N)! Can I play wif you?” I was confused as to why such a princess-ey-looking girl wanted to play in the dirty sand. All my sister wanted to do was play with her Barbies, nowhere near dirt. But I was a pretty chill kid, so I shrugged my scrawny shoulders again and replied, “Sure. My name is Soobin.”

We played for what seemed like forever in that sandbox. At one point, I noticed an equally polished-looking man in a suit speaking to my mom on the bench. (Y/N) told me that that was her  “assistant, Seunghyun.” I didn't know what that meant at the time. Neither of us knew what it meant that (Y/N) was an heiress, either, but it was apparently very important.

After that day at the park, my mom organized play dates with (Y/N) through Seunghyun, and she soon became my best friend. For the most part, I went over to her extremely large house, where she had a giant chandelier in the foyer that I was scared to walk under for the first couple of visits. I met her mom and dad, who both smelled and dressed a lot fancier than my mom and dad.

(Y/N) (L/N) was the heiress to the multibillion-dollar fashion conglomerate, CROWN. They weren't clothes that my family could afford at all, but people who were famous and extremely wealthy could wear them once and throw them away. Of course, our five and six-year-old minds didn't really understand just how important that was, nor did we really care. All we cared about was playing and doing things that best friends did together.

Nineteen years passed (yes, nineteen), and our friendship never faltered. We both watched each other go through different phases (including my secret crush on her when I was 15, but we don’t need to talk about that). We had fights, of course—never anything too serious, but they still happened. They typically always ended with me going to reconcile almost immediately after, but (Y/N) beat me to it with a phone call, wailing and crying about how much she missed me already. She was secretly very sensitive. 

As I grew older, I began to have this nagging feeling that (Y/N)’s parents didn't approve of our friendship. Less of a feeling, more of a knowing. Between scoffs at my casual, cheap fashion and upturned noses when I walked in the room, it wasn't hard to take the hint. After all, she was extremely rich and important. I was just….Choi Soobin. Normal, not rich Choi Soobin. 

(Y/N), of course, knew of my anxieties and was always quick to reassure me. “Soobin, we've been best friends since we were kids. Do you really think that I care if my parents don't like you? I like you, and that's all that matters!”

I was now 25, and (Y/N) was soon to be turning 24. I’ve since moved out of my family's apartment and into my own shortly after college, where I had earned an English degree and an “impressive” application that got me a job as an assistant at a small publishing firm.

(Y/N) had also moved out, but into an expensive penthouse. The major difference was that I made just enough for rent and the bills, while (Y/N)’s penthouse was covered by her parents. She tried to beg for something smaller (and further away), but “the heir to a multibillion-dollar business isn’t going to live in a hovel”, so that was the end of that argument. 

Instead, she became my non-roommate roommate. Weekends, I wasn’t caught up with overtime work, nor (Y/N) with a photoshoot or party, so we spent time on my couch with a popcorn bucket, fast food, and whatever shows we were feeling that day.

That's where I was today, sitting in my tiny Seoul apartment with (Y/N), watching the first episode of a new slice-of-life anime on Netflix. My head was in (Y/N)’s lap, fingers absentmindedly playing with my freshly washed hair as my abnormally long legs hung over the other arm of the tiny two-seater. A perfectly normal way for best friends to hang out.

Her ministrations suddenly paused. “Hey, Soob?”

I looked up and saw (Y/N)’s glowing colors flickering across her features, her eyes still glued to the TV screen.  “What's up?” 

She finally looked down at me and, when she saw my eyes on her, a small grin grew on her face.

“My cousin is getting married and I'm in the wedding party, so I need a date. You wanna pretend to be my boyfriend?”

Pause…WHAT?

 I would attempt to mask the shock, but that one came from completely out of left field. My eyes grew wide and I shot up from (Y/N)’s lap, just narrowly missing colliding with her chin. “I-I’m sorry. What?”

 She rolled her eyes. “Why are you so surprised? It’s not like we haven’t gone to a wedding as partners before. Do you not remember Sooah’s wedding?”

“(Y/N), we didn’t pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend at my sister’s wedding!”

“Jesus, Soobin. You’re acting like it’s going to be real.”

“-And another thing: That was a regular run-of-the-mill wedding. It’s like you’re asking me to attend the Met Gala.”

She blew out a humorless laugh, then finally paused the show (don’t ask me what the plot is). “Dude, you’re blowing this a little out of proportion. It’s just a wedding.”

I stared at her incredulously. Honestly, I was used to shocking things coming from her mouth. This was the girl that stood on the stage at a corporate event and air'd out reputation-ruining lies about her ex, who was in the room. She was truly filterless, but this? This sounded like it might be the most insane scheme she’s ever dragged me into.

I suddenly remembered something that left a bad taste in my mouth. “Wait a minute. What about Minho? Don't you want your actual boyfriend to be your date?” 

(Y/N) wrinkled her nose in absolute disgust and looked down at her perfectly pedicured toes, wiggling them a little. “I dumped him yesterday,” she muttered. Despite the situation, this lifted my mood tremendously, and I couldn’t help the smile that grew on my face.

Minho was the biggest tool I had ever seen. Definitely the worst boyfriend (Y/N) had ever had, and there had been plenty of bad boyfriends. Not a single good one, if you ask me. I never had the pleasure of actually meeting him, but I heard enough about him through daily texts and phone calls where (Y/N) just vented her frustrations about his latest shenanigans. Her boyfriend (well, ex-boyfriend) was notorious for drinking at parties to the point bad things happened. Once, he got into [REDACTED]. What’s even worse was he somehow always managed to charm the hell out of her parents.

“Oh no! Not Minho! Your parents are going to be devastated, (Y/N)-ie,” I faked concern. She met my eyes once more, a laugh bubbling out of her. 

“They’ll live. Or maybe they won’t, and this will be the thing that finally gets me written off the inheritance.”

We laughed a little, then stopped and looked at each other in comfortable silence. Her eyes suddenly averted, then she said, “Speaking of them…My parents aren’t going to be at the wedding! So the fake boyfriend thing will be convincing.”

I rubbed my face and sighed loudly in exasperation. “(Y/N)...”

She cut me off with fervor. “No, listen! I have to have a date. You know how these people are! I can’t show up single. What am I gonna do? Sit by the French champagne fountain by myself and drink myself into inebriation? Like a loser?” 

I tried to ignore how baffled I was at the “French champagne fountain” part, and instead shot back, “Yes! That’s what normal single people do at a wedding! Besides, (Y/N), what happens when paparazzi blast our faces all over tabloids? How are you going to explain the nobody holding your hand?”

She grinned. “No paps allowed, as per everyone’s request.”

“And the ‘nobody’ part?”

She shifted her position so that she was sitting on her heels, our knees now touching. I got a whiff of her expensive shampoo – jasmine and oranges. A smell I loved so much.

“First of all,” she points at me in admonishment, “You aren’t a nobody-”

“Be for real-”

“And that’s easy. We just get you a nice suit, give you a little makeover, and come up with some bullshit lie about how you’re some prince from a foreign country or something.” There was a fire in her eyes, one that gave me a sneaking suspicion that I wasn’t going to win this argument. This was absolutely absurd, and I was right: this is the craziest plan she’s ever roped me into. But… She was so close, and she was giving me that begging puppy look I have a track record of never saying no to. 

After a couple of moments of silence, I let out a long sigh, and she jumped off the couch with a cheer. Oh, God. I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?

“When is the wedding?” I asked once (Y/N) had ceased her little victory dance around my coffee table. She clapped her hands together and turned to me, her wide grin plastered to her face.

“November 30th. Two months from now.”

“You’re fucking cooked, man,” my friend’s tinny voice came through my phone speaker.

“Yeonjun! That doesn’t help,” I shouted, exasperated.

“Hey. I have to keep it real. What? You’re supposed to turn into this perfect, rich ‘boyfriend’ in less than two months? Why’d you even agree to this?”

As much as I hated to agree with Yeonjun, I had to. Cinderella is nothing but a fairytale, but I’m having to make it my reality somehow. And I know exactly why I agreed: because I’m a sap. Also, an idiot.

“She was persistent! Besides,” I dropped dramatically onto my couch, a loud creak emitting from the secondhand piece. “I can’t back out now…She’ll be devastated.”

A scoff was heard from the other end. “You’re double-cooked.” A pause. “Also, the second cooking is the fact you’re whipped and in denial about your feelings.”

“Wha- Yeonjun, no! I’m not! It’s not like that,” I sputtered. 

An image of (Y/N) popped into my head. Her smile when I agreed to go along with this plan, the sparkle in her eyes as she rambled off her ideas for my “makeover”. I felt my face begin to heat up. “She’s just really convincing! It’s always been this way. I’m also a people-pleaser! Also! Also- We've been friends forever. I just really care about her, like a sister!”

“Uh-huh…You’re shouting and talking fast. Why are you so defensive?” I could hear computer keys rapidly clicking, followed by Yeonjun cursing under his breath.

“Are you playing League?” I received an answer in the form of the telltale victory sound and Yeonjun cheering loudly. He was definitely going to get another noise complaint from his neighbors.

“Yeah, I’m hanging up.” I cut the call before tossing my phone on the coffee table and lying across the couch fully, letting out a long groan. Why do I even call him for advice?

Truthfully, I wasn’t mad at Yeonjun. That much was obvious. Though he’s typically annoying, the anger was misplaced because I couldn’t be mad at (Y/N). It wasn't anyone's fault but my own. It still didn't change the fact that I was utterly screwed and there was nothing I could do to get out of this.

I tried to distract myself from my imminent doom. Playing Valorant just pissed me off more, especially when the people I was teamed with had to have just started playing that day. Reading the new chapter of Dandadan (pirated online, of course) kept me busy enough. This chapter seemed shorter, however, so I was just alone with my stress again after five minutes. I tried doing my neglected laundry next, but when one of (Y/N)'s expensive-looking t-shirts tumbled out of the warm pile of clothes in my arms, I just about lost it. 

I needed some fresh air. Desperately.

When I stepped out of my apartment building, aggressive honking and the stench of the city filled my ears and nostrils. It was bright, the sun hitting my skin and warming me instantly. I slid my sunglasses on and stuffed my hands in the pockets of my sweats before setting off on the busy sidewalk.

Today was a Thursday, a day I'd normally be at work. My coworker begged me at the beginning of the week to give him my shift. Something about needing extra money for some new Nikes he wanted. I certainly wasn't going to say no. I'd have an extra day to laze about. But no. I was spending my day off stressed out of my mind.

As I made my way down the sidewalk to who-knows-where, the what-ifs just kept coming. What if we get caught? What if photos get leaked? What if her ex shows up and kicks my ass?

That last one, I’ll admit, was just ridiculous. I was an idiot. No, this whole thing was idiotic! Maybe Yeonjun was right. I really was whipped. But it’s always been this way. 

Not like that! I just really…care about her. That was all. I care about all of my friends and would thus do anything for them.

I was yanked out of my inner turmoil by my phone vibration against my leg. When I managed to fish it out of my pocket, I groaned out loud. Speak of the fucking devil.

“Hey, Soobie,” (Y/N)'s voice drawled. I cleared my throat before responding with a (not) smooth, “Hey, what's up?”

“Oh, nothing…I just wanted to talk to you! I missed you!”

I ignored the way my heart clenched. She sounded very suspicious. “Sure…(Y/N), you’re doing that thing with your voice you do when you're lying. What's happening?”

I could hear a loud, dramatic sigh on the other end, and I couldn't help the small smile that twitched its way on my face. “I hate when you do that. Can't you be unobservant? Like most men?”

“Sorry. I'm not like other men.” I bit back a laugh when I heard her fake gag.

“Don't ever say that again. ‘I'm not like other men.’ Shut the hell up, Soobin.”

I tried to speak, but (Y/N) went into a breathless ramble, another tell-tale sign she was hiding something. “Also, I did miss you! It's been like a week since we talked. I've been so-”

“(Y/N). Stop avoiding. Other than the fact that you ‘missed’ me, what's the real reason you called?” 

There was a long stretch of silence. I almost thought the call had dropped, but then I heard a long sigh. She begins to mutter something, but her voice is drowned out by the sound of a jackhammer. I had apparently stumbled upon a block corner that was being repaired without noticing until now.

“I'm sorry. Can you repeat that? I couldn't hear you.” I plug my other ear with my finger, then quicken my pace, trying to get away from the construction.

“...I said…My cousin is inviting paparazzi to the wedding.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. A man shoved past me, cussing me out as he went, but I barely noticed him. I didn't even know what to say. I just stood there, in the middle of that sidewalk, frozen.

“Soobin…Please say something.” 

“I…Don't even know what to say right now. Honestly.”

She burst into action, rushing to attempt to reassure me. “It's only for the reception! And the photographers are going to be more focused on my cousin and her fiancé, anyway! We can just avoid them!”

“What happened to ‘no paps allowed’? (Y/N), do you realize how bad this is? I can't do this!” I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to calm myself down. Jesus, it was always something with her!

“I know, Soobin. I'm really sorry.” I faintly heard someone call out to (Y/N) on the other end, but she was quick to dismiss them. It was now that I remembered she had a photoshoot for some makeup company scheduled for today. That must be where she was now.

“Let's just…talk about this later. Get back to your shoot.”

“But, Soobin…” Her voice sounded so small. I know she felt bad. I know she did. It made it so much harder to even be mad at her. So I just sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose,  attempting to collect myself. 

“Listen. Go finish your photoshoot, and we can talk about this later. I promise,” I managed to reply in a calm, reassuring tone.

“Alright…” She still sounded hesitant, but she knew not to push. “I'll talk to you later. Have a good day off, Soobin.”

The call disconnected, and I was left staring at the giant Banilla Co. billboard with (Y/N)’s face, wondering how I always get myself into these predicaments.

While in the clinic, I had the assumption that I was somewhere underground. I was correct, but I was a little surprised to find myself in something that looked like it came out of a history documentary.

Immediately upon exiting the clinic, Momo, Winter, and I were in a stone hallway lined on either side with old, heavy steel doors. Some were open, all were painted green with large bald patches, revealing years of rust buildup. Thick wires ran above me to who knows where, and old bulbs hung every couple of feet. It was oddly quiet, save for the quiet hum of the lights.

Winter’s voice and our footsteps echoed as we walked. “The Themis facility was previously an underground military base and prison for suspected enemy infiltrators. It was built during the war as one of many across the nation in secret, then abandoned and sealed off once it no longer served a purpose. We’re currently in the medical wing.” 

I was surprised by her short spiel, as I'd only heard rumors about places like this existing during the war. The government and military had vehemently denied any existence, but I never believed them. I don't think anyone really did, but what did it matter? Seeing this place now (if this were an old war bunker), I wondered what prisoners went through in here. I shuddered at the thought.

We eventually reached a door at the end of the stretch, similar to the others, but this one had a small window. “So how did-” I began to ask a question, but was interrupted by Momo.

“This is where we part. Winter will take care of you until you return.” 

I made a sound of confusion and attempted to protest. How was a Holo AI supposed to do anything helpful for me? Momo simply gave me an apologetic look, bowed, then set off back where we had come from. 

“Miss Momo has other patients to attend to. She doesn’t have time to accompany us,” Winter explained.

  I was surprised by this information, as I didn’t think anyone besides us was around. I eyed Winter with hesitance as the AI opened the door.

We were in what looked like a college dorm common room. The sound of low chatter filled my ears. Couches, tables, and chairs were scattered about, and occupying them were some of the first new people I had seen in days. 

There was a decent amount of men and women, some around my age or older, all with varying looks. A few intimidating-looking young women and men sat on couches, some talking happily and two reading book tablets. A few older men sat around a table and were playing from what I could guess was holo-poker or something of the like.

It seemed there were more people apart of Themis than I had originally imagined.

“This is the common area. It’s open for anyone to visit at any time,” Winter says as I take in the new environment. 

By now, a few people had noticed our entrance and were staring. Two women whispered to each other in a far corner as their curious gazes lingered on us. I slightly tugged on the hem of my clothing, suddenly feeling underdressed. 

A burst of laughter was heard from the group on the couches. A girl with icy, light-blue hair contrasting dark skin had her face screwed up in laughter, seemingly by something the hot-pink-haired man next to her had said. I thought back to what Yuta said—that everyone in Themis had a history of crime or wrongful accusations. I wondered how these people, who were labeled rejected by society, could be so comfortable and full of happiness.

Winter suddenly spoke and began walking away. “Please follow me. I will bring you to the technology research room.” I was filled with a little giddiness at this and rushed to follow her.

When I was still a college student at Neo Seoul Institute of Technology, I was pursuing my bachelor’s in technological development. All my life I have been fascinated with technology, even squirming excitedly at my desk when learning about the Neo Technological Revolution in high school. I had a natural gift in my field, or so my professors had frequently remarked. Before I was Red-Listed, I was working on my thesis: a pitch for a new invention that would further benefit neurologists with studying how the brain processes and stores memories.

We walked down a long hallway before stopping at a large pair of steel doors. Winter placed her hand on a panel to the side of the doors, which almost immediately flashed from red to green. A loud buzzing sound was heard, followed by a click, and then both doors quickly slid apart. A rush of cool air blew a few wispy hairs against my face.

I was becoming increasingly more impressed by this “small time” criminal group’s headquarters. My eyes widened as I took in the high-tech room: walls were lined with enormous computer towers flashing different colors, thousands of wires along the floor provided tripping hazards and ran all different directions, and digital beeping sounds came from all sides and filled my ears. In the corner to my right was a large, L-shaped desk that held a couple of large monitors, which all displayed varying lines of colorful codes and symbols. Nearby, a tall, cylindrical device that resembled a body scanner emitted a white glow.

In the center of the room was a large steel and glass counter that projected a soft blue hologram of unknown information. Carefully studying it were two tall men clad in white tech coats. They were so immersed in their work that they must not have heard us come in.

The man (or I should say boy) on the right appeared to be of high school age. He had short, cinnamon-brown locks with a soft wave to them and acne-free, peachy skin. His warm, brown eyes had a gentle, but sprightly appearance and were framed by long lashes.

The other man on the left was slightly taller and had a completely different energy from the other. Where the boy had a warm, approachable appearance, this man seemed a little more serious and thoughtful. If I had to be frank, this was probably the prettiest man I had ever seen. It was almost hard to believe he was a real person and not another Holo AI.

While he appeared to be in his early 30s, my gut tells me he was probably around my age or slightly older. He had a slight undercut, with the rest of his tousled, white hair reaching the middle of his ears. His skin was pale and poreless and his cheekbones lifted. Round metal frames were perched on a sharp nose and accentuated his dark and slender, fox-like eyes. All of this together radiated ethereal beauty.

“Ricky. Kai. I am giving Miss (Y/N) a tour of the facility,” Winter spoke cooly, and both men’s eyes snapped toward us. It was at this point that I realized I had embarrassingly been staring, slack-jawed. 

The hologram the men had been studying quickly disappeared, and before I could even blink, the boy was in front of me, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet. 

“Nice to meet you, (Y/N)! I’m Kai,” he said eagerly, both of his hands clasping one of my own and giving it a few shakes. “I heard you were an NSIT student. A tech major, too! That was my dream school.”

I was a little overwhelmed by Kai’s enthusiasm, but I was still endeared. He seemed genuinely kind, and it was a little refreshing after the past few monotonous days I suffered. The boy had one of those infectious grins that filled you with warmth, so it was admittedly difficult to be put off by the extra energy.

The older man had leisurely strolled over by this time, joining us with a soft, closed-lipped smile. He stuck his hand out, and then spoke with a gentle, deep timbre. “My name is Ricky. Ricky Zhang. It’s nice to finally meet you in person, (Y/N).”

I felt my cheeks warm slightly as I went to give Ricky a firm handshake. “Likewise. Both of you. I’m sorry, but this is my first time hearing about either of you.”

Kai waved a hand dismissively and Ricky’s smile grew a little. “No worries. You’ve been recovering and getting accustomed to the facility.” Then he frowned, moth opening and closing as if he was debating what he wanted to say next. “I’m…sorry about your sister. It must've been hard these past few months.”

I felt my heart stutter a little but quickly suppressed any reaction on my face. I shook my head a little and gave him a tight-lipped smile. 

Before I could reply, Kai suddenly quipped, “I lost my older sister, too. Granted, it was a longer time ago, but… I understand how you feel.” He then sent me a gentle, reassuring smile.

I averted my eyes. “Ah…Thank you both. All of this, I’m…Still getting used to.” 

I really hated it when people pitied me. Of course, any normal person would, given my situation. It didn’t make it any less embarrassing, didn’t make me feel any less weak.

“Of course. If you ever need anything, feel free to pay us a visit,” Ricky replied, and Kai nodded in agreement. 

There was a brief moment where none of us spoke and only the soft beeping and hum of machines could be heard. Not wanting the awkward silence to linger any longer, I quickly changed the subject. “Wow, it's been a while since I was in a lab like this. The one at the college wasn't nearly as fancy as this,” I gestured around the room, “But anyways, what kind of work do you guys do?”

Ricky grinned. “Kai and I are mainly in charge of anything Themis needs advanced tech-wise.” He headed to the table he had previously occupied and the rest of us followed. 

“Taking care of devices for missions, hacking into any databases, background monitoring, etcetera, etcetera. We also maintain the power supply for the entire facility.” He chuckles a little, then adds, “Though, sometimes Kai gets a little excited with his experiments and blows a fuse.” 

The boy in question smiles sheepishly, though I could tell Ricky was merely teasing him.

“That was only once! No…Twice. But- also, I'm not that great. Ricky is amazing! There’s nothing he can’t do. Did you know he created Winter all by himself?” Kai shared, eyes sparkling in admiration. I had almost forgotten the Holo-AI was even here – she had been so quiet this whole time. I briefly sent her a glance, but her expression remained neutral, as per usual.

Ricky seemed unfazed and simply huffed out a small laugh and ruffled Kai's hair. “So are you, kid,” he turns to me, “Kai just recently created a new communication device for a mission solely out of scrap parts we had lying around. The kid has started inventing earlier than I ever did.” 

At this, Kai puffed out his chest with pride. “Do you want to see it,” he asked eagerly, already running over to the L-desk in the corner, while Ricky looked on with fondness.

I could tell the two were very close. After all, I’m sure they spent hours upon hours together in this room. My heart ached a little in longing. I had a decent group of friends at my college. All of them were in my major, and we would frequently spend time in the campus tech lab in the off hours – tinkering with outdated tech, bouncing ideas for projects off each other, talking and laughing about our personal goings-on. It was something that kept me going, other than surprise days my sister would come home from work and take me out to dinner. I missed it all.

Kai returns with a round, metal device roughly the size of my pinky nail. It was unassuming, with no visible detailing, and slightly darker than my own skin tone.

“It sticks just behind the ear using nanocircuitry and uses vibrations to externally tap into the wearer's hearing so only they can hear the sound on the device. It also has tiny receivers so that we can even hear everything the wearer hears. Plus, I added interference blockers. They’re so strong that only someone with special clearance, like Ricky or I, can project from it.” 

The boy rambles this quickly, a wide grin plastered to his face. His eyes twinkle in a way that makes me feel as if I’m looking at a past version of myself. “I made it for Cheol, and he used it on a mission recently. Do you want to try?”

I couldn't help smiling. Kai’s high energy was truly infectious.

Before I could respond, Ricky’s hand fell on Kai’s shoulder. “Maybe another time, Kel. Let's let (Y/N) finish her tour of the facility.” The boy deflated, almost a little too dramatically. He looked like a sad puppy, and I rushed to reassure him.

“I’ll absolutely come back later! I’d actually love to hear more about your device, even other things you guys have created.” Kai perked back up at this and nodded eagerly.

“Sure! I’m almost always here,” he chuckled. “Maybe I can make something for you by the time you come back.” I briefly wondered how that would even be possible. Then again, it shouldn’t surprise me given what I’ve seen of the boy’s abilities so far.

“I will continue Miss (Y/N)’s tour, then,” Winter remarked. 

Then, she bowed respectfully before turning on her heel and walking away. I quickly thanked the two men before rushing to follow her out the door. When I looked back, Kai was waving, and Ricky had his hands jammed in the pocket of his lab coat, the soft smile still on his face. I noticed his eyes followed Winter’ form, holding something akin to what was…sadness? My brow furrowed a little as I turned around, and my thoughts lingered on Ricky’s expression as we walked down the hall to our next destination.

“So, Winter. Where to,” I ask. A strand of hair fell in my face, and I blew a puff of air to move it.

“Next is the physical training room. Afterward, I will take you to the canteen for lunch.” At the mention of food, my stomach growled. Momo and Yuta had fed me well in the clinic, which I was extremely grateful for. It was the most full I had felt in a long time. Still, I was beginning to grow tired of cream-of-chicken soup. 

When we reached the physical training room, shouting and loud thuds could be heard from the other side of the double steel doors. Unlike the tech room doors, there was no electronic lock, and the doors simply slid apart when we came close. 

The room was spacious, with only a back wall lined with weapons (both the training kind, as well as real knives and batons) and a large padded mat in the center. On the mat, a slightly muscular woman with red hair had a young, tanned man in a chokehold with her legs.

“Tap out! I’m not letting you win this one,” the woman growled, but the man just chuckled in response. “I already won, Jihyo. I’m having my head squeezed between your thighs. Besides,” he tilts his head back a little and smiles. “I have a pretty good view here.”

“Ew, Haechan!” Jihyo’s hold loosened just a little, but enough for the man, Haechan, to slip free and have her flipped and pinned to the mat in seconds. Panting filled the room and Haechan smirked. “I win.”

“Haechan and Jihyo, I apologize for interrupting your sparring session, but I have Miss (Y/N) with me. I am giving her a tour of the Themis facilities.”

Two heads turned to look at us, and the man’s face split into a grin. “Ah! It’s the new girl S.Coups brought in!”

Jihyo managed to free her arms and punched Haechan square in the chest. “Get off of me.” He yelped in pain and fell onto his butt. The red-headed girl rose to her feet and stepped over him, wiping her hands on her pants, and approached.

I finally got a good look at her face just as she extended her hand towards me, and I felt my blood run cold.

“Hi, I’m Jihyo! I’m happy to have another girl join the team,” she greeted with a gentle tone, much nicer than she was using with Haechan. 

I just stared, and my stomach flipped hard, like I'd had the wind suddenly knocked out of me. My heartbeat pounded in my ears like a drum. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. I was consumed by fear because I’d seen Jihyo before.

She was there the night my sister was murdered.

<< 02 || masterlist || 04 >>

40 years ago, there was a great war. World War III, to be exact. This war was far more devastating and life-altering than any other in history. 

New China (which was formerly known as China) and Russia decided they wanted more land, more control. So, they set out together to conquer nearby countries. The rest of the world opposed this, of course, and war was declared. All of the larger nations possessed powerful nuclear arms that wiped out entire provinces, entire nations. Technology also progressed to increase the amount of carnage.

In the midst of all of this, the citizens of certain countries that didn’t like their governments decided this was the perfect opportunity to revolt. With an international war and numerous unyielding civil rebellions, the entire world was thrown into chaos for 10 long years. 

In the end, when the peace treaties were signed and internal tensions suppressed, many countries came together and decided that there was simply too much power given to the citizens, too much leniency. Why else would their own people rebel against the government? 

Thus, Neo Seoul and many other cities like it rose from the war-torn rubble around the globe. The powerful new technology developed during the war was fully integrated, including the implantation of red-listed chips in all citizens. New laws and systems were implemented to make peaceful living and growth attainable. Neo Seoul, which I was taught previously had a high crime rate, became one of the biggest crime crackdown areas in all of New Korea. 

While civil rebellions were snuffed out by the passage of the Liberation and Welfare Act (more commonly referred to as LAW), it couldn’t completely eradicate the distrust and disfavor of the government. The luxuriously wealthy were only positively affected, while the livelihood of everyone else was turned upside down. The seething remained silent, of course, but it was no wonder that small crime groups began to pop up in the shadows. Themis was one of these.

The word means “law” in Greek, which was ironic given the group’s method of operation. Themis was full of all kinds of Neo Seoul’s misfits: mercenaries, hackers, petty criminals, you name it. Everyone here was red-listed. Whether or not it was rightfully so was up for debate.

Themis wasn’t the only ring. It was one small puzzle piece in an underground network of criminals and society rejects. What sets them apart from the rest is that they were one of the few groups that specifically fought against LAW, dreaming of one day uprooting the unfair legal system established so long ago with the creation of Neo Seoul. They tried to avoid any illegal dealings that specifically hurt people or broke the law just for the sake of doing it. Of course, this didn’t mean they didn’t associate with criminals who did. The Themis members weren’t really big threats, but did what they had to do to survive as criminals.

This long monologue was given to me by Yuta as his assistant, a quiet girl by the name of Momo, who did my routine vital checks. It had only been a couple of days since the day I awoke in the clinic. I hadn’t seen anyone new other than Momo, who would come in to help me use the restroom and change my dressings. Occasionally, Yuta would come in to do checks. Besides them, I mainly stayed alone in the room, sleeping, eating, and bored out of my mind. 

“So do you guys, like…kill people?” I really had to ask.

“Hmm…Sometimes, I suppose. Only when it’s warranted, really,” Yuta replied. “Sometimes we get in fights with mercenaries sent after us, some of our escapades get attention from the LAW, and we have to defend ourselves. Of course, I don’t see a lot of action. I mostly stay here.”

Huh. Well, I could get behind that, I guess. They had some morals at the very least.

“So…How much longer am I going to be locked up in here? Am I being quarantined or something?” 

“Patience, sweetheart,” Yuta smirked, to which I scowled a little. “You were pretty badly damaged when you came in here. You had to get fixed up. But actually now, I think a little walk around the facility might be good for you.”

I perked up at this. Noticeably so, as Momo smiled a little at me.

Winter then fizzled into the room, taking all of us by surprise. She greeted me politely, then turned to Yuta and said, “S.Coups wishes to speak with you. He’s waiting for you in the meeting room.” 

“Ah. Thank you, Winter. Tell him I’m on my way.” The AI bowed, then disappeared as suddenly as she arrived.

“I'd better go. He gets impatient.” Yuta then made his way toward the door. “Momo will finish looking at you, then you can call Winter when you’re ready for a tour.” With that, he waved and was gone.

It was now just Momo and I alone. She was preoccupied with her tablet, rapidly typing away. I assumed she was taking note of any medical updates. The room was quiet for a moment.

I was used to the silence with her, as the girl was never particularly talkative when she had come in to care for me. Not that she ever really stayed long enough for small talk. She only appeared for short periods, just long enough to help me undress or help me use the restroom (which was a little embarrassing). After her few small tasks, she would leave the room abruptly with only a mere nod.

She didn’t come off as cold to me, just someone who didn’t feel the need to say much. Maybe she was just shy. I wanted to talk to her a little. Perhaps I could get close to her, and become her friend. If I stayed.

“So, uhm…How long have you been here? In…Themis?” Momo glanced at me briefly, before returning to typing on her tablet.

“I came with Yuta. It’s been at least a couple of years, I’d say.” Her voice was cool and smooth.

“Oh! So you’ve known him for a while, then?” The girl nodded, then rose from the stool and pocketed her tablet. 

I watched Momo carefully as she removed the IV needle from my hand and cleaned up the area. Her straight, jet-black hair hung in her face as she worked, standing out against her soft, pale features. I was reminded slightly of a pre-war horror movie I once saw but waved the thought away with guilt. Momo wasn't scary at all. Just…silent. It made for a slightly awkward atmosphere while I waited for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, I pressed a little.

“Were you two friends? Colleagues?”

“Yuta was a surgeon in Tokyo. The best one. He was a genius, even graduated high school and college early. He had a lot of wealthy clients, he was very popular. He hired me to shadow him as part of my requirements for medical school residency. I learned a lot from him, and I was his only student since he typically didn’t like taking on student residents.” There was a small sparkle in her eyes as she spoke about Yuta. A little admiration, but also, a little of something else…

I wanted to know how she and Yuta ended up in Themis. The question scratched at my brain, but I was unsure if it was rude to ask. They both seemed like pleasant people, even though Yuta was slightly annoying with his smirks and flirtiness.

I decided to just go for it. “Can I ask what made you and Yuta join? Like…” The real question lingered on my tongue. She watched me for a moment, her expression unreadable.

“I think…That’s a story for another time. One you should ask Yuta about.”

Momo let me know I was good to get down from the bed. She offered her hand to help me, but I waved her off, insisting I could do it myself. She still hovered her hands near me in case I needed aid. However, I’d managed to make it down on my own with barely a stumble, and I shot her a small, prideful smile.

I thought about that look in her eyes again when she was speaking of her bold colleague, and asked, “Yuta. Do you like him?” 

Momo stumbled suddenly, her eyes blinking at me owlishly. “W-What? Why would you think that?” She stuttered, and I could see traces of a blush beginning to dust her cheeks and ears. I smiled and shrugged.

Before I could question her a little more, Winter appeared in the room. The AI held a neatly folded stack of gray fabric. “Miss (L/N), hello again. Are you ready to begin your tour of the Themis facility?” 

I cringed a little. “Just ‘(Y/N)’ is fine.” But, oh! I could finally see something other than this sad, sterile room.

I paused when I suddenly remembered: I was practically in underwear. Granted, the clothes I wore covered me decently. However, the thought of meeting more people this way made me feel exposed. I looked down at myself before moving my sheepish gaze to Momo.

“Is there…anything else I can wear?” Winter spoke up instead. “I have brought you a temporary change of clothes,” she held the stack of fabric out to me, which I graciously took. “I hope these will suffice.” 

I gently unfolded the simple, gray set, nodding before heading behind the privacy curtain at the other end of the room. “Yeah, these will, uh…‘suffice’. Thank you, Winter.”

There was a small mirror on the wall that I noticed almost immediately. It had been a little while since I had been able to see a clear reflection of myself. I took in my horrifically gaunt features: sunken cheeks from lack of consistent meals the past few months, though the fullness had slowly begun to return. My light skin was paler than usual, and my amber-brown eyes, usually bright with energy, were now dull and lifeless. The dark brown rat nest of hair atop my head made me cringe. I had taken pride in caring for my hair before everything. I always made sure to keep it tangle-free, and the neat-medium length tresses always pulled in some pretty style my sister would weave. Now it looked…wrong. 

My midsection was wrapped tightly in clean bandages, courtesy of Momo. Yuta had told me a laser bullet had pierced me just below my ribcage. Luckily, vital organs were only mildly scathed, but running with the injury as long as I did had resulted in severe blood loss. Hence why I passed out in that man—S.Coups’s arms.

I managed to pull my attention away from my reflection and focused on the garments in my arms. Both were charcoal grey, and the fabric was decently thick and soft to the touch. The top was sleeveless with a neckline that reached to the middle of my neck, and the bottoms were shorts that ended at my thighs.

My eyes fell to the large scar on my outer thigh, and I gently ran my fingers over the raised skin. It looked to be healing well, most likely from Yuta’s care, but it would surely leave a scar. It will remain as a reminder of the night everything began.

“(Y/N)?” Momo’s soft voice called out and jolted me back to reality. 

“Y-yeah! I’m coming out.”

<< 01 || masterlist || 03 >>

At this rate, I was going to be caught. I wasn't very athletic at all, and despite the adrenaline keeping my boots slapping the pavement, my lungs and muscles were screaming for mercy. It didn’t help that the wounds from the LAW officers’ light phasers were throbbing, and white spots were dancing in my vision. 

I skidded around a corner, nearly colliding with a group of drunk businessmen. The light bullets whizzing past my head were coming too close, and I instinctively ducked my head as I barreled on through the mass of people.

I had a normal life. I was a college student. The only things I had to worry about were catching the bullet trains and making sure my assignments were completed on time. When I walked into my house after class and saw that puddle of blood on the floor of my living room, none of that mattered anymore. 

Not when my mom came in shortly after and accused me of taking a sibling squabble too far. None of it mattered when my mom pressed the emergency button and I took off running into the streets of Neo Seoul. All I had to worry about now was staying in the shadows and evading the LAW. So far, it was working out fantastically.

The chase had led me to the south side of the city, and as I looked around, I noticed that upper-class civilians and familiar skyscrapers had dwindled. Scary-looking criminals in dark clothing, half of them with the signature “RED-LISTED” lettering floating above their heads, peered at me from the sidewalks. They were probably pissed I brought the cops into their neighborhood. Just great, I thought. If I were lucky enough to escape the officers hot on my trail, I’d still need to worry about the criminals coming after me. 

I rounded another corner, pumping my legs in hopes of giving me a headway from my pursuers so I could duck into an alley—and it worked. A look over my shoulder revealed only loiterers. I let out a short, breathy ha! and faced forward. My glee didn’t last for long.

Too quick to process, a hand grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me into a space between two buildings. Before I could let out a scream, a hand slapped over my mouth, and an arm went around my waist, pulling my back into a hard body. 

“Shh. Be quiet or they’ll hear you,” a male voice whispered in my ear. I heard a click and felt something sharp pierce into my neck. The alley was immediately swallowed by darkness, the glow from my “RED-LISTED” sign disappearing. 

I couldn’t move—the tight hands over my mouth and abdomen prevented that. All I could do was listen to the blood rushing through my ears and my thoughts racing. I was going to be killed, or even worse. I was sure of that. Right now, one of the criminals I saw earlier got me, and I was too weak to fight back. Whoever he was, he was insanely strong. 

“Stop moving,” the voice hissed in my ear again.

On one hand, I could stop struggling and let this unknown assailant drag me away and have his way with me. On the other, I could try to break free, only to run right into the LAW’s hands. 

After weighing my options, I stopped struggling and relaxed into the guy’s hold. I would let this guy keep me, but as soon as the officers were out of sight, I would break free and escape.

I tensed as multiple rapid footsteps echoed in from the street, paired with yelling and radio beeps. I watched in disbelief as the officers ran past the alley opening, their footsteps fading out. After a moment, a sigh of relief escaped my mouth, misting my assailant’s palm. I managed to escape again, but how long would that last me?

“I’m going to see if they’re gone.” 

His hands never left my body, and I was dragged to the mouth of the alley. The assailant peered his head around the corner and looked down the street. From the minimal lighting, I could only see his side profile for a brief minute. A murmur of, “Good. They’re gone,” escaped his lips, and the tight hold on me was released.

I didn’t even hesitate before attempting to book it down the alley. Savior be damned. I was only able to make it a few steps before two arms wrapped tightly around my middle, a cry of pain leaving my lips as he pressed into the wound on my waist.

“Will you calm down! I’m trying to help-” 

I fought desperately, finally managing to jab my elbow into his stomach. A painful grunt sounded from his lips, and he let go. Sharp pain shot through me, and I dropped, wincing when my knees collided with the hard concrete. Tears pricked my eyes, and only the sound of the two of us panting could be heard bouncing off the brick walls.

“Shit– you’re insane, you know that?” 

A small light surrounded me, and I slowly brought my head up, only for my eyes to finally meet with my crouched assailant. 

From what I could see, he was fairly attractive. He probably wasn’t much older than me, with short, black fringe lying over his eyes. Plump lips sat in an annoyed scowl on his pale face, glowing from the small electro-lighter in his gloved fist. His cold, sharp eyes narrowed at my figure.

“I was trying to hide you from the cops, and this is how you thank me? Beating the shit out of me and running off?” His voice was no longer in a whisper, but now an aggravated shout. I panted in response, unable to escape the tightness in my lungs and the pain from my injuries, which had now tripled.

“How was…I supposed to know…trying to help me?” This man had the audacity to call me insane when, only moments ago, he had grabbed me like a kidnapping victim. How the hell was I supposed to react? The unknown man sighed and stood up, taking me aback at how big he was. 

“What did you expect me to do? Walk out and be like, ‘Hey, come here! Let me rescue you!’ Be pissed at me all you want, but I saved your ass. If it wasn’t for me, you would’ve been nothing more than an imprint on the road.” I tried to push myself up but only managed to irritate my wounds further, making me collapse on my side.

The man quickly dropped down beside me, pulling my arms from my abdomen and spitting out a “Shit.” All I could do was whimper pathetically, squeezing my eyelids shut when black spots danced in my vision. “You're hurt. Bad. We need to get you help, or you aren’t going to make it.” I cried out again when I felt arms slide under me and jerk me upwards, cradling me into his chest. As he took off down the alley, my vision went in and out of focus. I was only vaguely aware of the man’s hushed whispers. “Just hold on a little longer. Don’t fall asleep.”

My eyes shut despite his pleas, the echo of his footsteps and words fading with my consciousness.

I was only able to get bits and pieces of the world outside of my unconscious state as I faded in and out. At one point, I thought maybe I was in a hospital. A harsh light penetrated through my eyelids, and a lot of muffled voices surrounded me, though I couldn’t make out what they were saying. The pain had gotten so immense at some point that I couldn’t feel anything anymore. I was probably dying. I just hoped that it would be done and over with soon.

When I fully came to, I couldn’t open my eyes. My entire body felt heavy, like only my gravitational pull had been kicked up. I simply lay there, taking in my sensory-deprived state. The steady beeping of a heart monitor filled the room as my hearing slowly returned.

 When I mustered the strength to peel open my eyelids, I expected to be greeted by some sort of hospital room. Instead of white walls and a holo-flower vase by my bedside, gray, cinder block walls surrounded me. The room was relatively dark, too. Probably due to the lack of windows. Despite this, it kind of looked like a normal room in a small clinic. Was I in some sort of basement?  I guess that guy sold me for parts. 

There wasn’t a soul around. Nothing but an empty chair in the corner of the room. Sitting and listening for a moment revealed the only sounds being the quiet beeping of the monitor to my left and my own heartbeat. No muffled voices outside the door, no steady hum of a security system keeping me locked in the room. Maybe I could escape. I looked at the IV tubes sticking out from my left arm and began yanking them out. I winced at the sting and waited for a moment for any sort of alarm to go off. Nothing. 

I hopped off the bed. It was now that I noticed that I was no longer wearing the torn and bloody clothes I last remembered wearing. Instead, I was dressed in a nude-colored monochrome set: a sort of high-neck sports bra-like top that had a zipper in the middle and skin-tight shorts that ended mid-thigh. The lack of covering allowed me to see the bandages that wrapped around my midriff and upper arms. My feet were bare, allowing the coolness of the concrete beneath me to seep in.

I only made it a couple of steps toward the door before a voice resounded behind me, making me jump.

“You still need rest.” 

I wheeled around to find a woman standing in the middle of the room. She seemed around my age, perhaps younger, with a pretty, slender face. Her skin was like porcelain, adding to her doll-like appearance. Blue eyes stared back at me.

What the hell? I was sure that no one was in the room besides me. The only door out was the one I had just tried to escape from, so where–

“Please come back to the bed. In the meantime, I will alert Yuta, the doctor, that you are awake,” the woman spoke again. It was now that I noticed a slightly electronic lilt to her voice, as well as a slight waver to her body. 

Ah, she was an AI-Holo. A very…interesting one, I might add. Most of the ones I've had the rare pleasure of seeing certainly weren’t as pretty looking as her. They definitely didn’t wear fashionable clothes, either. 

I remembered what she had said about “alerting” someone named Yuta, and I slightly panicked. “No! No, no, don’t do that,” I stepped towards her, waving my hands. “I just…uhm…” 

The AI pursed her lips and said, “You must have your vitals checked. Please have a seat. I have already alerted Yuta.”

Shit. Why the hell did this have to be difficult? Also, what kind of black market organ thieves have a Holo-AI? 

As far as I saw it, I currently have two options. The first was to take off running out the door. However, that came with a significant amount of risk. I had no clue what lay beyond that door. For all I knew, the entire crew of criminals could be out there, gathered around some bucket full of organs they stole off of other people (I have to admit, my overly active imagination was a tad dramatic). The Holo AI said it alerted someone, and that person was most definitely on their way. They could spot me and chase after me. I was certainly in no coNSITion to be running like a crazy person through a crime den.

The other option was to simply agree to the AI’s wishes and play along. To my annoyance, this was the option I would have to go with. Besides, I could already feel the pain beginning to come back. With a hesitant side-eye towards the AI, I slowly climbed back into the bed.

“Can I ask who you are? Or where am I?” She seemed to straighten at this, and I could almost see her programmed script running through her head.

“I am Winter. I am an AI Holo developed to assist with any task instructed to me. Currently, you are in a clinic room of Themis headquarters.”

“Themis? What is that?” 

Before Winter could answer me, a knock resounded in the room. The door was thrust open, and in stepped a man who looked like the farthest thing from a doctor. The man was clad in an all-black ensemble of jeans and a short-sleeved button-up with the top two buttons undone, allowing a sneak peek of tattoos on his neck and chest. I could almost make out a small, faded dragon peeking out of his shirt collar. More ink covered his arms, and if I had to guess, his entire body. Brownish-black hair was pulled back into a loose bun to reveal a face with strong, angular features. 

“That’s enough, Winter. You can go back to Ricky now,” The man spoke with a smirk and a shooing gesture toward the AI. Winter’s short, silver bob shimmered in the light as she bowed toward who I assumed was Yuta. She then turned toward me. “It was a pleasure to meet you,” she said, and with that, she dissipated. 

There was a moment of silence as I actively avoided looking at Yuta, though I could feel his eyes on me. I wondered what he was waiting for. I didn’t necessarily get evil, organ-stealer vibes from the guy, but I was obviously hesitant nonetheless. 

I heard a sigh, and he approached me, pulling out a tablet and tapping away. “So…You tried to make a break for it, huh?” I frowned. That damn snitch of an AI.

Yuta chuckled a bit at my expression. “What? You thought she wouldn’t tell me? Don’t worry, we aren’t trying to hurt you. I’m Yuta, by the way. Yuta Hirano,” He jutted out his hand for me to shake, which I ignored. 

He sighed once more, then swiped up on his tablet. A hologram of information appeared in the air between the two of us, my personal information.

“(Y/N) (L/N). 23 years old, Junior at Neo Seoul Institute of Technology, no body modifications or alterations. Currently at large for the murder of her younger sister.” I winced and turned away from the image of my sister to be met with him staring at me, eyebrow cocked. How the hell did he have all of this info? I was starting to wonder if I was instead in a government prison. How else would he have access to any of this? I glared back at him.

“So what? Do you work for LAW or something?” I bit, “Gonna kill me?” 

It hasn’t been long, but I was really starting to get fed up with all of this. The running, the judgmental glares, being treated like a criminal. All I had done wrong was not escape from my mother's clutches when I had the chance. If I’d just cut her off the second I went to school, none of this would be happening.

Yuta smirked. “Not at all, sweetheart. We’re all just like you.” The projection disappeared with a beep, and Yuta pocketed the tablet, finally settling his arms in a crossed position.

“So how did a smart little NSIT student end up becoming a cold-blooded killer?” 

“I didn’t do shit.”

“Relax, it was a joke. Of course, you didn’t. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” Yuta smiled with his teeth this time, a more gentle expression than what he had previously shown me. I was honestly a little taken aback. He had one of those smiles that, if I had seen under any other circumstance, would’ve made my heart skip a beat.

“Where exactly is here?” Yuta now strolled over to my left side and began to fiddle with the monitors. There were a few minutes of silence as he pressed a couple of buttons on the machine. When he noticed the IV tubes dangling, he tsked. I watched as he dug a packaged IV needle out of a drawer nearby.

“You’re in our little hideout. Hold still for a second.” I winced as he inserted the IV needle in the top of my hand, taping it off before gesturing for me to lie back down in the bed. 

“We’re a group of falsely accused and small-time criminals, all of us considered rejects by the so-called ‘perfect’ society. Ex-cops, mercenaries, hackers, you name it.”

He shone a small light in both of my eyes, then gave a satisfied hum. The tablet was pulled out once more, and he tapped away.

“You were unfairly red-listed, correct?” Yuta glanced up at me, and I nodded. “Then you’re just like us.”

I blinked back at him, and he laughed a little, his pretty teeth making a reappearance. “S.Coups brought you in here because he wants you to join us.”

S.Coups. What kind of a name was that? Was he the one that I had met in the alley? The asshole that yanked me around and made the whole kidnapping experience so… kidnap-ey. But he was admittedly the one who also brought me to a doctor. Regardless of whether that doctor was legitimate or not.

“Hold on. I never agreed to join…whatever you guys are doing–”

“We’re trying to take down Neo Seoul,” Yuta said. I laughed. When he didn’t join me and instead just stared at me with a steady expression, I stopped. 

“Oh my god, you’re serious. Yeah, absolutely not. Do you think I’m insane?” 

Yuta leaned back a little, hands going in his back pockets, and a small smile appearing on his face. “Why is it so crazy? I mean, when has Neo Seoul ever been a good thing? Well, besides the bigwigs making the fat stacks.”

I waved my hand, forgetting there was a needle in, it which tugged a little and made me flinch. “No, I’m not talking about that. Of course, ND is awful. Power to you guys who wanna take over the government and whatnot. I’m talking about me. I’m a normal freaking person. Not some,” I wracked my brain, “mercenary or whatever else you said.”

“You’re Red-Listed, right?”

“Well, yeah, but–”

“Then you’re not “normal” anymore. You’re one of us.”

I paused, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. “...But why me?”

Yuta shrugged at this. “S.Coups wanted you here. What S.Coups says kinda just goes.”

I took some time to process his words. A little crime syndicate, basically. That’s who had “captured” me. Though, from the sounds, and so far looks of it, they weren’t as big of a threat as I had initially imagined. That, and I was technically also a criminal. 

Still, I wasn’t planning on joining some little gang. I just figured I would be living the rest of my most-wanted-list life on the streets alone, scavenging for scraps of food, outrunning LAW officers, sleeping in boxes in alleys while the rain poured on me. Wow. Sounds like a bright future for me. 

But then again, what the hell could I offer to some little gang? I was just a (former) normal college student! I’ve never dabbled in anything even remotely crime-related. Why did “S.Coups”, whoever this guy was, want me in their little group?

Yuta could practically see the steam coming out of my ears as my brain worked in overdrive processing all the new information. He chuckled a little.

“Look, no one is forcing you to stay here. If you want, as soon as you’ve recovered, feel free to leave. I could always just…Look the other way.” He winked at me, then fiddled with the machine again. A teal liquid began to flow down the tube and into my hand. “I’m gonna give you some sleep juice. It’ll make the pain go away.”

“Honestly, though, S.Coups’s gonna be pissed if we wasted our meds on you and you just disappear. Again—no pressure.” Yuta smirked. I wanted to hit him, but damn, the medicine works quickly. My body was already feeling heavy. 

“It kinda sounds like you aren’t giving me a choice,” I muttered back instead. 

“I didn’t say anything like that, (Y/N),” Yuta replied to that. 

I really wanted to ask more questions. I wanted to ask more about their group, dig around, and try to figure out exactly why I was wanted. I definitely wanted to ask to talk to S.Coups, who was most likely the leader. The medicine was beginning to make it hard to think, though.

“I need more information. I’m not gonna join some anti-government rebel group just because I'm homeless and being hunted down,” I mumble, voicing my thoughts to no one in particular. My head felt like it was floating, and my eyelids were beginning to droop. “But…I guess I don’t have any other options…”

Yuta smiled at me, a look that made me feel like a mouse caught by a cat. It was the last thing I saw as I finally let my eyes close.

“Welcome to Themis.”

masterlist || 02 >>

You would never say you were a doctor. As much as you knew how to avoid certain herbs in case someone tried to poison you, how to brew concoctions and remedies, you could never truly diagnose someone.

That’s why at this moment, you were mad at Jihoon.

He had brought over to your shared home/office whose space could barely fit two people, a little girl whose bleeding left eye needed a specialist not a mere learning herbalist of medical plants.

- She needs the care Y/n, I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't sure you can handle it - while you were flattered by his words it also conveyed a little self-doubt given you barely knew how to keep people alive and how to heal some ailments, but you guessed you would have to act quick to help the poor child who did not deserve at all what happened to her.

And that’s how you found yourself going over the books you had stolen from a rebellious doctor killed by peacekeepers.

The book seemed to have more than 1000 pages and even if you were not an expert on how to treat eye ailings you really wanted to help her.

Finally you landed on the page you needed and tilting your head while turning to look at Jihoon you signaled for him to lay the girl on the small bed of your room that actually only fitted two persons so you had to move carefully to not startle her and not drop your herbs while you took your time analyzing the words to understand them better.

You put the bottles you were carrying on Jihoon’s hands and squeezed his hands turned fists to assure him of how important they were… and of course they were since inside of them were many ingredients essential for this specific concoction; sitting on your small desk you began chopping ingredients one by one signaling for Jihoon to put them back in place, then a while after giving your new patient a glass of water for her to drink as you put all of them together on a pot letting it boil with half a cup of water, adding on them a drop of another bottle you turned to look at the girl again but this time you saw the look on Jihoon’s face as well, he was staring at your little patient in an aloof way as if he was remembering something.

You couldn’t help but grimace. You knew what Jihoon was reminiscing, you woke him from his stupor touching his shoulder and indicating with a nod for him to take a seat by your side, as he sat, you moved to gently open her left eye and drop with a small dispenser two drops of the concoction you prepared.

"I'm here" Jihoon blinked and you made sure he looked at your eyes as you admonished him. "You are fine, I am fine" your hands were steady and your eyes never left his, your gazes were locked untilJihoon blinked again and sighed and let his head fall in the air.

"I know" he lifted his head as he signed "It's just" his hands were trembling "it's so unfair, she's only a child!" He signed quickly, which indicated how frustrated Jihoon felt.

"But you helped her" you squeezed his hands "she will be fine" Jihoon finally relaxed his posture and squeezed your hands back as he gave you a small smile. Jihoon didn't like touching people, but with you it was different, it always was.

It was fair to say that since meeting Jihoon and his father who worked as lumberjacks, your best friend Sunyoung and you were amazed by Jihoon's skills with the axe and soon the three of you became friends, while Sunyoung preferred to watch his axe skills and learn how to climb trees and create traps, and Jihoon knew how to defend himself with an axe you learned how to brew remedies.

It was hard for Sunyoung and you to read and be aware of your surroundings since at a young age you both had been beaten by a peacekeeper which ended up costing your abilities to speak and to keep balance and fully comprehend reading and writing, but soon Sunyoung and you learned how to ground yourselves through touching things, while Sunyoung always carried leave bracelets and anklets to ground herself by touching them you did the same but with a small chunk of wood. You would never admit it but it was one of the parts of the log Jihoon had once cut (also because you had fallen and spent a long while trying to get up as you felt you no longer had equilibrium).

You used it as a necklace and below your clothes, so that no one would try to take it from you.

"What do you think?" Sunyoung asked you as both of you were in her cozy room preparing to head out for work and Sunyoung was discarding what to wear that would not make the peacekeepers pay her any mind, right now she was wearing a new leather jacket she most likely had made for herself while you laid on her bed playing with her covers. As you pretended to ponder Sunyoung gave you a small pout which made you chuckle and in the end you gave her thumbs up in approval.

"It's good, you outdid yourself this time" Sunyoung grinned and with that you headed out towards the forest, you worked as part of the lumberjacking industry and helped move the wood logs to the factories. Since people older than 18 were no longer able to present as tributes, and therefore couldn't get more food according to how many times you wrote your name in the baskets, you had to work for Panem now to buy a little bit of food, though only the Capitol and the Privileged Districts truly ever got the gains of the labour.

Once you got to the forest you caught a glimpse of Jihoon as he was flexing his biceps to finish cutting a tree, before he could see your flustered expression you turned around to take the first logs to the factory as Sunyoung smirked at you teasingly while you rolled your eyes at her antics .

“Don't get lost admiring Jihoon’s muscles, focus on earnings money right now” she playfully moved her fingers “after all you can always see them when you two are together” that last statement which made you smack her arm as she cackled and your eyes popped up for her implication.

“Jihoon and I are just friends” you declared

“Best friends who want to kiss each other” Sunyoung attacked

“That's not true, and you better focus on your work if you want us to go back home without any punishments or beating” your hands were firm as you gestured with your eyes to the peacekeepers who were always eager to give punishments.” You warned her as the peacekeepers were looking at you

“Okay mom” she scoffed.

It was not as if you never fell asleep hoping to one day feel his lips on yours, of course not.

As you kept doing your part of the job: transporting piles of logs to the factory around 10 to 20 times per a day, you noticed the peacekeepers growing restless as they kept getting close to all the workers.

- I NEED YOU ALL TO LISTEN NOW! - One of the peacekeepers shouted when you were amid your 18th takeover making you still - There will be a curfew tonight, so when you are finished go back home immediately! There will be no considerations!- You looked around the area to catch Sunyoung but she beat you to it as she touched your elbow and then your shoulder.

"Don't worry about me, I will take the shortway, focus on going home soon". You wanted to argue and tell her you would take her but then her roommate Minghao approached you.

- It's okay Y/N, we will leave together, I won't leave her. -

Once you finished Jihoon and you got on his car to go back home and as soon as you arrived the two of you nodded, the agreement to bar everything and keep an eye on your weapons and the door, you held your revolver while Jihoon angled the rifle to fit between his toned arms... And wait, until the frequency in the radio finally changed. News about the Rebellion.

The rebels had found new ways to communicate indoors as protests and actions were done outside.

- We will mobilize from district to district- an off and cracky voice mumbled.

- You all need to keep this secret so listen carefully, start the journey towards District 13, grab maps to guide yourselves and take everything you need, but beware any peacekeeper, be as discreet as you can, District 13 will receive us as refugees, they have the power to end the Capitol from within, if we burn they will burn with us.-

Jihoon and you looked at each other, you would need to act carefully from now on.

The next day, as you were with Sunyoung you were tense, you felt as if the surveillance had increased by the amount of peacekeepers watching over you. There were 5 more than the usual 3. But even then, that didn't stop you from getting to quietly retreat further into the forest and find Sunyoung who was sitting in a wood log across Minghao, Jihoon and Seokmin. You waved at them and they returned it while Sunyoung acknowledged you with a nod as she turned to look at you.

"Did you listen to the radio last night? Many rebels are heading towards District 13 to join Katniss Everdeen" Sunyoung exclaimed. "We will need to leave in a few days - Seokmin looked around to see if there was someone close to you." The other day I heard a group of rebels who plan on making a trap to kill peacekeepers this week, it's risky but the distraction will buy us time to escape.

"It will" Sunyoung chuckled while grinning. "I helped creating it, it will give them a surprise in the mines"

"We can do this" Minghao signed, expanding his hands widely. "but we need to be discreet and gather everything we can, as soon as possible."

"I say we do this in a week, that will give us time once the trap is set."

"What do you think of this Jihoon?" You walked towards him to touch him with a wood stick as Jihoon looked at his shoes while leaning against a tree, he lifted his gaze to meet yours holding his head high to look at you and then sigh.

"We need to bring weapons with us “

...

As you had promised it, a week later the journey towards District 13 was set off. You were going to take different routes, Seokmin, Sunyoung and Minghao went together, with Jihoon and you then following 2 days after. It had been decided like that so you could cover for them in your shifts and deviate attention.

"Take care" were the last words Sunyoung said to you after hugging you tightly and leaving in the dawn.

After the trap set in the mine lands peacekeepers were less than before and that was an advantage and Jihoon and you started the journey then. However the already set beginning was delayed when the peacekeepers saw Jihoon getting into the forest when he wanted to get rid of the traps and beat him up, taking him to jail, he was only able to communicate with you by using the radio he always hid in his jacket.

-Y/n, in short words I'm in prison, they caught me when I was trying to destroy the traps, I need you to get me out of here. - when you listened to his words back at home you were horrified, remembering how creative the peacekeepers could get when it came to punishing citizens.

So here you were, sneaking into their District prison at night one week after he had been captured, wanting to memorize the place and know its weak points. You had managed to get in through a cord and a window and slithered until you saw the back of a peacekeeper. Slowly you got close to him and hit his head with a baseball bat, after taking his gun and his keys you looked for Jihoon, not minding the whistles from the other prisoners and when you saw his hair your waved your hand that was carrying the keys to him making him aware you were here for him. After opening his cell and hugging him you two went back home where you were attending to his wounds. As he hissed when you were cleaning a cut in his cheek you felt a little dizzy so you had to exhale and touch the edge on the little raspy gray sofa you were on to calm yourself.

“Sorry”

“Don't be sorry, I would still do it” Jihoon refused “if anything I'm sorry for worrying you.” he apologized

“Don't say that, I actually liked getting to hit a peacekeeper and taking his gun.” You chuckled at the sweet memory earning a laugh from Jihoon as well.

“You know with me escaping they will be looking for us, right?” he asked after some minutes but you two already knew the answer.

“Then we have to get everything ready for tomorrow.”

And that is how the next day you two sneaked through a barb wire border to avoid being seen by the peacekeepers. You were carrying a map and a dagger in your backpack alongside other tools, like binoculars, books, needles and lighters, while you were no warrior you knew a stab could be lethal and with Jihoon's guiding you at least knew how to hurt someone who tried to harm you, and he was carrying an axe alongside the gun you had stolen. Which was useful when you used one of the bombs Minghao designed to get rid of the peacekeepers of the border of the district.

The rebellion had started as all of you had seen how Katniss Everdeen had won the 74th Hunger Games alongside Peeta Mellark and displayed an attitude and compassion that soon became the symbol of resistance: Hope, in the form of the mockingbird.

The rebels had begun communicating through radios and in one moment, District 13 was able to communicate back and give instructions on what to do to defeat and overthrow Snow as well as indications about what to expect before the coup could be started.

Both Jihoon and you admired Katniss, after having to bury your last relatives due to starvation and the abuse of the peacekeepers, he was all you had left, and you wanted to protect him as much as possible. Even if you sometimes disagreed it was worth it as Jihoon had become your rock after all the years you spent together.

"Here you go" Jihoon gave you a piece of meat he had brought after hunting and you set a fire to heat yourselves as the autumn was starting to fade into winter. "It's deer meat, I hunted it, you should have seen me" He said with a smug smile.

"Show-off" you chuckled as you munched it and he laughed.

"Did you bring your concoctions?"

"Of course I did," you scoffed. "How else are we going to survive? I also brought my books in any case"

"That's good"

As you got up, you got dizzy and almost fell but you touched your shins with a hand while your dominant one went for the leaf necklace, tapping it three times to regain balance. Jihoon slowly showed you his hand, when you recovered you lifted your gaze and thanked him as he finally reached out for your hand and laid the dagger on your palm, squeezing your other hand which made you fluster but you hoped it would not be obvious with the little light of the sun in that moment that your cheeks had a garnet tone now as you lowered your gaze and walked hastily past Jihoon while he set the fire off and you continued marching.

As what you thought were 2 weeks passed you could conclude that the sky view was beautiful, getting to see the blue sky and the high mountains with no stop was a blessing and Jihoon and you frequently ended up admiring it, back home no one had the time and even less the idea of looking up to the sky, and even if the circumstances were not the best, you loved sharing these moments with Jihoon as you also admired his profile during the afternoons.

"How do you think the others are?" He asked you one night as you both stared into the fire lit in front of your mini camp.

"I hope they are okay, though probably Seokmin and Sunyoung must be talking a lot for Minghao" you said giggling at the thought of the two golden retrievers talking non-stop. Jihoon laughed and smiled at you as you settled into a quiet atmosphere, the flames were the only sound in the forest, letting you see the crisps in the air which made Jihoon's skin shine and in Jihoon's mind it made your russet skin glow as well.

You never admitted it since you were always focused on protecting the both of you, but you harbored feelings for Jihoon, it was love, which made you even more alert to any risks. You never thought about the possibility but the fact you two were doing this journey together made you realize even more how much you wanted to protect Jihoon.

“The sky looks beautiful this evening” Jihoon’s fingers emulated an explosion at his statement and it was true, it was a combination of orange, red and pink, secretly he thought that the colors in the sky made you look like an angel but that was a thought for himself as the red tones in the air and the forest gave you an air of a fairy in his mind.

“It is” you agreed, looking above as well and then your gaze shifted to look at him.

"Have you thought about what we will do when we get to District 13 Hoon?" You asked him with shaking hands hoping he doesn't see how you've suddenly gotten nervous.

"I guess" His fingers get fidgety "We can finally join the Rebellion and fight against Snow." You mentally palmed yourself at his answer, though you agreed with the plan, you meant what would happen with your lives after that.

"Yes, but what else will we do once everything is done?" Your eyes are focused on his. "We can get to live freely" He says after a while. "We could build a new house and have all the things we always wanted" you gestured quickly. "Create the garden you wanted and plant new kinds of plants." Your heart is beating fast as you look at him and gulp. "That would be nice" he says calmly as you keep staring at each other.

"We could still keep our weapons, just in any case" he chuckles, his eyes still on you. "Of course we can"

"And ... " He pauses, his lips trembling "get a new fresh start"

"You are right, for you and I" you wrapped up as you got closer to the fire to get more heat for your hands.

...

Three more weeks passed as you traveled when you came across a river whose current waters were flowing swiftly and gushingly fast in what seemed to be the border with District 9, and you had to think about how to cross it without damaging the radio Jihoon was carrying.

"You could keep your backpack and jacket above the water and in any case it gets wet then we put it into rice" you stated which made Jihoon hesitantly agree.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh

"Ready?" Jihoon asked as you both were about to dive into the cold water.

"Readier than ever" and then you jumped, the water splashing on the surface and then Jihoon jumped as well.

‘Splash! Splash!’

The current was strong, you could not deny it, and it was hard to advance but you could not give up just now, as you kept yourself floating on the backpack you turned to look at Jihoon who was focused on his own task and then noticed the zipper of his jacket on the backpack that contained the radio was open and you lowered your head to see that indeed the radio was flowing down the river, which made you discard your own backpack to dive further into the water to retrieve it.

Swimming below water was not easier either, but you had to try and were close to catching it but as soon as you got it in your hand pulling it close to your chest you let out a breath which made you swallow water prompting you to cough and sink more into the water, you tried to swim above but your strength failed you and you could feel more air leaving you; you cursed yourself for failing Jihoon and not being able to keep going and were closing your eyes when a gush of water came in your direction. Jihoon. He had stopped swimming when your backpack collided against him prompting him to look for you and then realize his jacket was open and the radio was missing.

As soon as he spotted you he grabbed you from your shirt and impulsing himself with strength but care as he swam the both of you above the water and towards your backpacks, tying them tightly to support your weight upon them closing the jacket zipper, your limbs were longer than his which made him keep a distance to not end up drowning the two of you; once you were finally on the other side and finally on the District 9, dragging you to lay on the soil he made pressure on your chest to make first aid and expel the water from your lungs, as well as doing mouth to mouth resuscitation which he was not sure about but thought maybe could help.

Jihoon sighed in relief when he saw your chest rising up but frowned when he saw your lips and nails were turning gray, and he then remembered that was a sign of hypothermia from what you had told him once, so he was quick to pull you out of your cold damp clothes and covering your body with blankets after he started a fire to keep you warm. Jihoon would not let you leave him, he would protect you.

As Jihoon pulled your clothes from you he turned around to respect your privacy and tried to do it as quickly as possible to then place you in the two warm blankets. The newly begun fire was warm enough for now but then he would need to go for more logs. Good idea to bring his axe. However, he wanted to make sure at first that you were okay as you had fallen unconscious after being able to breathe. While sleeping you looked peaceful, from your parted lips to your eyelashes and garnet cheeks and the glow of your russet skin. Admitting to himself that he was in love with you was already hard enough, Jihoon didn't want to lose more people he cared about after his dad had been murdered by peacekeepers for daring work when there had been a curfew years ago; you were the only thing he had left and didn't want to lose you over feelings he was not sure would truly work out in a relationship and then you two drifting apart and dying away from each other.

No, Jihoon was completely fine with denying his feelings if that meant you two stayed together alive.

...

{Jihoon and you had met when you were both kids, you were 7 and he was 5, and it seems your very first encounter had already determined what your future dynamic would be.

You had stolen a slice of bread from one of the peacekeepers who had actually taken it from your friend Sunyoung and had hit her in the head leaving her unconscious for a week and from thereafter mute.

Your plan was simple, you wanted to distract him by sending a dog to chase him while you took the bread. But you never counted with him coming back so quickly, in your defense you would say the 7 year-old you barely knew about the running time of an adult thus you were surprised when he yanked you by your hair to the floor before you could even truly go away, at the end of the day you learned how he had left Sunyoung unconscious as he hit you with a metal tube over and over again.

Sunyoung and you gained more scars for life and you knew you had to always check every detail now. It was during your unconscious days that Jihhon came into your life. Jihoon and his father worked as lumberjacks and he usually sold log charges to people, and when he gave a charge to your father he saw the state you were in, all sprawled over your bed in the living room, seeing you like that stirred something in Jihoon's heart and that led him to teach your dad how to place the logs in a way the fire would keep itself and draw heat towards your sleeping silhouette; that had been the same advice he had given to the family of Sunyoung before, when her parents had told you about the kind boy who helped keep Sunyoung warm during her most vulnerable moments had melted your heart, just like Jihoon did when your parents told him why it was you now who was unconscious.

When a month passed after you woke up and Sunyoung was visiting you with her parents, Sunyoung and you were seated resting and when your mother called your name you noticed there were 2 people with her, she told you Jihoon was the lumberjack who helped both of you to survive your unconscious slumbers each one, when Jihoon tried to give you a writing of his working technique he frowned at seeing neither Sunyoung nor you were truly reading, to you it was like the letters were there but could not actually make any sense of it, therefore Jihoon opted for teaching you through watching.

- This is what you have to do -Jihoon said while placing a log of wood on the grass of the yard of your house, as he tilted his head he looked at Sunyoung and you.

- You might need to step aside - as Sunyoung and you looked at each other you did as he told you.

CHOP

The wood log was now split in two logs, they had cuts on the edges from where Jihoon cut it, your eyes were widened in surprise, you had never seen something similar, and to you it was the coolest did ever which made you give Jihoon the widest smile you could master making him smile in the process as well.

Since that day Jihoon and you became friends and made the promise you would always keep each other safe, which eventually made the two of you develop feelings for one another.}

‘Crack crack crack’

The sound of a fire aroused you from your sleep and made you shift your weight on your left side, making you groan when you could no longer fall asleep and reluctantly open your eyes slowly, frowning when you saw the night sky and the forest and hear owls tweeting, you turned your head to the right side and then saw Jihoon asleep on his own mattress across the fire, as well as the radio put in a rice cup and your clothes drying themselves in the branches of some tree which startled you once you became completely self-aware at the realization you were only covered by a blanket and that must likely Jihoon had to do it, which then made you cover your face with the covers. Great. Now how would you look him in the eyes after this?

If Sunyoung was here she would never let you live it down by teasing you. You thanked whatever deity was up there for at least sparing you that shame.

But not enough since the deed was already done. What bothered you was the fact of how embarrassing the situation was and that you nearly could have put Jihoon at risk, it was not like you weren't grateful but you just wished the circumstances for you lying like this had not affected him.

A shiver in your back interrupted your thoughts though making you hold the blanket tighter and then you saw how there was a gray tone to your nails, you then realized Jihoon had acted quickly to keep you warm. You cheesily thought it worked as more warmth settled on your chest then. He really took care of you.

You really were lucky to be here with him, and with that new warmth on your chest you fell asleep again.

Once the dawn broke you felt a hand stroking your right cheek making you drowsily open your eyes as Jihoon's warm fingers quickly left your skin.

"Sorry" he fidgeted and quickly drifted his stare away making you chuckle.

“It's okay” you stretched a little and then remembered you needed to put new clothes on and moved your hand through the soil beneath you to catch his attention and when he did you gestured for him to pass new clothes to you.

“Yeah, sorry, I will turn around so you can change”

As a headache was beginning to form you focused on the tweeting of the birds and how the wind felt against your hair and skin while putting your clothes on, once you finished you got out of the blankets and finally stretched all your limbs which had been a little numb in the end groaning as your kneecaps rattled.

As you walked towards your wet clothes Jihoon turned around and grabbed your wrist earning himself a questioning glare from you down to his face as you felt his warm skin against your cold one and he picked up your fingers extending them enough so you could see your nails still were gray. You had hypothermia.

“We can not leave yet, you need to get warm enough to recover”

You tried to protest but Jihoon lifted a hand making you stop.

“You almost drowned and I had to resuscitate you so you could breathe so if I say we need to wait for you to recover then we do it.” He declared and above his deep stare you felt yourself complying, even if you did not want to admit it. And he felt the need to make you understand because he had been so scared, you almost died leaving him alone and that was an experience he did not want to repeat.

“But what will we do then? Our arrival will be late, our friends are waiting for us.” you exclaimed.

“That doesn't matter” he rebuked “You need to be healthy and I will not risk it” it was then that you knew Jihoon was being serious. “We will stay here until you are healthy enough”

Easier said than done.

While Jihoon could use your books to look at the plants and see the instructions on how to prepare remedies he was not an expert at cooking but during 3 weeks he did what he could which you thanked him for as he made the efforts to do this for you.

“Hoon” you signed the shortened version of his sign “I think we could try to keep going, I've gotten better” which was true, your nails and lips were no longer grey “we can keep marching and in any case stop to see a doctor in District 9.”

“I'm not sure y/n” he rebuked

“But I am sure Jihoon” you insisted, “we could find some more herbs, the entire district is big enough to hide and take care of ourselves” you pleaded looking into his eyes that it was fine and that you desperately needed to keep going. Shutting his eyes and exhaling Jihoon finally gave in and let himself fall into your arms and as you rubbed his back you deepened the embrace not wanting to let go of him.

“Okay, but I’ll let you know if something goes wrong then I will say I told you so” he scoffed as you grinned at him. Jihoon may not admit it but he loved watching you smile, maybe that's why Seokmin and Minghao always pointed at him when you did it.

And that's how you two started marching again in search of wheat, edible fruits and somewhere to stay while you measured the unguarded areas of the District.

“I think we can get to sleep in an abandoned house, what do you think?” You inquired

“That is if we ever get to find an abandoned house first, we need to simply find an abandoned alley” was his answer which made you roll your eyes.

You walked and walked, only stopping to pick some fruits “you never know, Hoon” you told him when he stared at you questioningly.

And you kept leading the way, it was not that boring, actually it was nice to look at the sky and walk side by side in silence and admire how the sunlight made the trees look redder and more abundant.

“The sunset looks beautiful, don't you think? You exclaimed with your back in front of him, and Jihoon held his breath, he couldn't see your face but looking at how your figure was embraced by the light and the breeze made his face heat. An adorable view, even more adorable when you turned to look at him.

“Yes, it looks beautiful” he signed quickly at you. Your eyes were connected and you could feel like you were drowning in his chocolate eyes, feeling as if they took the air from you.

“It is” you straightened your relaxed position “for the meanwhile we can start another fire to sleep here” it was an abrupt change of topic but you needed it.

“Sure” Jihoon answered, scolding himself for blurting out like that.

…

The next day after Jihoon slept on Heejin's couch and you on the floor, you inspected the map to guide yourselves in where to go now as you were eating breakfast on the table.

-You should go northeast - Heejin's voice woke you up from your focused state making Jihoon and you looked at her as she walked down the hall, she had seen you from the end of the hall struggling to understand the map while Jihoon rubbed your back and gave you water.

-If you are going to District 6 then you should march to the northeast, it's the least watched part of this District - She mentioned

-How can we be sure?- was Jihoon’s answer-question which made you frown at him.

-Just like I was sure I would trust you to stay with me, also, I have friends there who could house you, it's a green colored house with an apothecary, it's in a mountain next to a river, you would be arriving there in 2 weeks - Jihoon had to admit that was a good answer.

In the end Jihoon and you agreed to listen to her and started marching.

“She was cute” you told him once you spent 1 hour walking

“I think she was average” Jihoon quickly signed, dismissing your flattering of the woman.

“Okay, I guess we all have different opinions, but don't worry, you are handsomer than her if that's what worries you.” You chuckled as you saw Jihoon’s arms flexing as he stopped for a while to tie his backpack tighter, but at your words Jihoon suffered a shortcut at you thinking he was handsome. Jihoon knew he was an attractive guy but seeing you think the same hit harder than ever before.

You turned around when you saw he was not walking next to you, finding he was looking at you perplexed.

“I mean” you nervously shifted “you don't need to compare yourself to anyone, and trust me when I say you are handsome not only because I'm your friend but also because you are very handsome, stunning and strong” you felt you were digging your own grave as you just rambled in front of him hiding your face with your hands, uncovering it when you heard Jihoon's steps and semi-lifting your head.

-Thank you, you are kind y/n and I do believe you.”

At his words you gave him a small smile and hugged him, as his tiny frame was wrapped by your arms he felt himself smiling as well by how affectionate you were and the fact he loved having all your attention for himself.

When you separated from him you quickly composed yourself.

“Sorry, but also thank you for everything Jihoon, like saving me from drowning and having taken care of me.” you looked at your shoes.

“It's okay, I would do it again if I had to.” Jihoon would always make you swoon more than anyone else.

As the days passed you finally found yourselves in front of the house of Seungkwan, Heejin's friend.

Though Seungkwan was not amused with the idea of sharing his house.

-I'm not into sharing my things so keep your hands to yourselves and follow my rules: 1. You eat when I cook 2. You will share the guest room 3. You will help me with my plants while you stay here, that's the only way you will get wheat to survive once you leave. - even though it didn't amuse you either to follow so many rules you knew you had to follow them if you wanted somewhere to sleep plus food.

“Don't worry, it'll be over before we notice” Jihoon tried to comfort you when Seungkwan went back to his apothecary he noticed your distress over having to stay for more time than you anticipated at first but it was necessary if you wanted to survive the winter so you would stay here for at least 1 to 2 weeks.

“It’s okay, I guess this is a chance for me to learn how to harvest, right?” You mentioned, trying to lighten up the mood.

Entering Seungkwan’s apothecary was nice, there were so many kinds of plants, drawings and concoctions in his shelves, and many plant books in his battered table.

-What are you doing here?- you got startled at the sudden voice of Seungkwan but quickly grabbed your notebook to respond to him.

*I'm sorry, I just was curious about your apothecary.*

-Well go be curious somewhere else unless you seriously like apothecary- his words were blunt and dry but you beamed shrugging at the last statement.

-Do you really like plants?- Seungkwan questioned in surprise and you nodded with a smile.

-Ok then you can observe - Seungkwan hummed - but don't touch anything.- He warned.

-I won't - you typed down and resumed your activity of trying to identify the different kinds of plants around you, and tilting your head you tried to focus on the words on the book to comprehend what it said about harvesting and health. You truly would learn how to harvest now.

2 days later Seungkwan let you borrow one of his books and sows after pleading for hours with the condition of returning the book once you were done.

…

Spinach, radish and carrots were aplenty in his greenhouse, and if Seungkwan was going to give you some of his harvest to survive then Jihoon and you would return the favor by helping him harvest more, and of course you would take this opportunity to learn more about harvest and make concoctions.

-Remind me to always travel with you from now on- Jihoon whispered amazed at how many pots you had already sowed.(5 which in your opinion was low).

“No, this is nothing.” You replied unsure

-Are you kidding me?- He blurted out -this is awesome! You do have a green thumb y/n- simple flattery.

-He’s right- now it was Seungkwan too -you are doing well, your boyfriend is only telling the truth- Boyfriend? Did Seungkwan think Jihoon and you were dating?

-What?- Seungkwan asked when he saw how the two of you froze in your tracks -I thought you two were a couple, aren't you?- he arched an eyebrow

Why couldn't you answer? It was simple, you were not a couple, just friends.

-Well then, you two are just very close friends, never mind- and with that Seungkwan focused on his other pots to your left.

-So, uh, - Jihoon cleared his throat “This is a good job” He told you even though his eyes were not meeting your eyes.

“Thanks Hoon” you also didn't meet his eyes.

As more days passed you could slowly see the growing of the plants which delighted you, and in turn delighted Jihoon too.

Seungkwan was perceptive about your bond being a really close one, if it was one way or another he was happy for the two of you.

Later on after you ate dinner Jihoon and you were out in the forest hunting, as winter got nearer every day you would need coats to endure the cold weather.

“Hunting down a bear will be enough” you were nervous about doing this, but you needed to do this and Jihoon was here so you had faith he knew what to do.

Jihoon was crouching on the ground where he set a trap with goose meat and fish.

-Alright, this will attract them.- He stood up and walked further from the trap with your gun in his hands.

An hour passed before Jihoon and you heard a growl in the distance which made you both tense in awareness, and then the bear slowly got close as he smelled the goose and fish (Jihoon identified the bear as a male) and grunted, however he soon felt something was off as he lifted a big paw and growled once again coming close to where Jihoon and you were standing, Jihoon was ready to shoot if it came to it signaling for you to move away so you would not get hurt, but then the bear lifted himself in his rear paws and his growl made Jihoon slip and dropping the gun which alerted the bear eliciting more grunts and growls as he put his paws back on the soil and ran towards him but you whistled calling his attention and waving to him as you ran further from him making snarl and growl at you giving Jihoon time to take the gun and stand up once again shooting the bear in the back before he had the chance to attack you, however the blood still got to splash on your clothes which left you shocked staring at Jihoon.

-Do not ever do that again- He scolded you as you only could breathe out your relief.

Back at Seungkwan's house you received another lecture to both of you. To Jihoon for not paying attention to where his feet were standing, and to you for having been so reckless in drawing a bear’s attention towards you.

“I'm sorry but back at the moment I didn't know what else to do” you rambled and Jihoon was the one to translate to Seungkwan as you were in front of Seungkwan's house with the body of the bear.

-Be more careful next time, I don't want the death of 2 people in my subconscious. - Seungkwan bemoaned as he saw you two skinning the bear making him gag in disgust.

-Do not worry, if it ever happens again when we are with you we will be more careful then - Jihoon blurted out.

-Thank you, now don't make me regret having you guys here- Seungkwan mumbled as he entered his house to sleep the thought of your hand skinning the bear away.

That night after you went to sleep the events that occured that evening did not leave you alone, images of the bear getting to and slashing at Jihoon did not sleep at all, prompting you to wake up after you dreamt with the bear. From your position on the floor you saw Jihoon sleeping, and you sighed at seeing he was okay, he was still alive. You knew Jihoon was skilled in shooting but the experience of this day of seeing him face such a beast had shakened you but it seemed he was okay.

However Jihoon was not okay, he stirred in his sleep and woke up when he could not forget the memories of you putting yourself in danger to save him, he had hunted plenty of times before but this time he got so worried about you getting hurt that he did not fully register where his feet stood nor checked if the material was secured enough, and as he woke up he noticed you were up as well and sighed waving at you and you let out a breath you were holding.

“I'm glad you are okay” Jihoon said

“Me too, I will never doubt your skill with a gun ever again” You replied

“Wait, did you ever doubt me?” He questioned your reply, astonished.

“No” you quickly reassured him “but today made me see you can handle anything. I just got worried, but I'm glad we got to hunt today” Jihoon chuckled and you did as well.

“We make a good team, you can not deny it”

“True” Jihoon acknowledged it “let's just plan out any scenarios from now on, don't you think?”

“Yeah” You breathed out, taking in his face, you leaned your body towards him and Jihoon cupped your face, and in a matter of seconds his soft lips were on yours, you were breathing into each other and your lips engaged in a chase for each other, Jihoon gave you repeated small pecks and you caressed his cheeks. When you pulled away you stared into his eyes and smiled at him which he returned.

The next day however, Jihoon and you were happily pretending the kiss never happened, and were acting as if it was any other day and in a silent agreement you would never talk about it again dismissing it as a result of the adrenaline of the day. It was not because of feelings.

As the days passed soon Jihoon and you had gathered everything you needed to keep going, which meant it was time to say goodbye to Seungkwan.

-Thank you for receiving us and having left us sow plants to compensate for what we took from you- Jihoon was translating for you to Seungkwan as you thanked him for everything he had done for you these days. -Oh, and also thank you for not kicking us out after you saw us skin a bear- Jihoon snickered as Seungkwan scoffed.

-I’m still traumatized, you two owe me therapy, you know- Seungkwan whined but even then he could not hide his smile -Also, of you two are going where I think you're going then take this- he took from his pocket a mockingbird pendant handing it over to you - you are gonna need it- you couldn't say you were surprised Seungkwan was part of the Rebellion and that you two were part of it as well, clenching your fist you put it into your backpack, its meaning bigger than you could ever know about.

-Wait but- Jihoon grimaced - do you not want to come with us? - He questioned

-I have a duty to protect my parents’ house and my District, I do not judge you but my fight is here- Seungkwan answered and his answer made sense, he needed to protect his home.

-Either way, thanks for everything Seungkwan, it was a pleasure- Jihoon sincerely thanked him.

-It was an honor to have you here, minus the bear of course - you would miss his sass.

…

Jihoon and you had advanced enough now to get close to the train station of District 9 which transported wheat to the center of District 6. The plan was simple: you would have to jump to the train while it was moving.

Its reigns were moving quickly as the smoke of its motors flowed through the air.

“I go first” you commanded. Running backwards and then forward to gain impulse to then jump, your backpack softening your fall in the empty wagon. “NOW YOU!” You expanded your palms in the air quickly for Jihoon to do it now who was running and at your command he leaned into the side running and jumping towards you, his legs thudded as he fell, breathing hard but then relaxed letting his body rest besides you.

As the train moves, Jihoon and you opt to stay in silence and enjoy the rest from all those stressful days, aware you need to let off part of the pressure you’ve been feeling.

Jihoon and you were laying next to each other, his head resting on your shoulder as he slept and you looked at the view and his face, smiling at how peaceful he looked right now.

…

As the days passed, Jihoon and you were finally in District 6.

Now you would have to remain low, not drawing any attention towards you, so Jihoon and you were using hoods to hide your faces.

Unlike District 9, you would have to remain away from the people as there were so many factories that were guarded by peacekeepers, thus, you needed to lay low to survive while you were here and bought water, seeds, batteries, knives and two tents to sleep in with the little money you had and then go to the forest to sleep there.

“I have an idea” Jihoon informed you that evening while you two ate dinner in front of the fire. “One of us can sleep while the other one watches if a peacekeeper is close.” It was a great idea, since that way you could take care of him and vice versa while the other one watched over your little camp.

When your second turn of watching over the camp happened it seemed mostly calm, until you heard the snapping of branches in the distance, as well as circumference cuts in your radio.

‘SNAP SNAP’

You quickly turned around trying to make the minimum sound possible looking at all sides of the forest, turning off the radio and hiding it under a bush, and taking your dagger and two knives with you, the gun would make a lot of noise, as you saw from if Jihoon's tent was open you quietly sighed after seeing it was closed, and you got further into the forest trying to see where the sound was coming from.

‘SQUEAK SQUEAK’

Now you heard and saw some squirrels running around, and they rarely did so during winter. There was definitely someone else in the forest. You crouched trying to look where they were with the binoculars you were carrying. To your far right side you saw three peacekeepers, you looked at Jihoon's tent again and you knew you had to distract them from getting to him.

Quietly you went to where the fire was lit and grabbed a log, hissing in pain when the heat burned you but still kept it in your hand, leaving cinders fall when you were more into the forest thus drawing the attention away from Jihoon, once you were away enough, you whistled and hummed the mockingbird song and drumming in a tree to then move next to another one and do the same again and again; it took less than ten minutes for you to hear the sound of a gun.

‘CLICK’

Holding your breath and using your binoculars you attacked him, launching your dagger at his throat, the sound of the slash spreading through the air, treading carefully you took your bloodied dagger from his throat and his gun as well draping it around your shoulder, going for the next two.

…

‘SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK’

Jihoon shifted his weight on his mattress

‘SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK'

‘HOO HOO’

Jihoon stirred over his covers until he sat after having his precious sleep disturbed and rubbing his eyes as he got out of his tent, growing alarmed as he saw you were not there. Sure, as it was your turn watching over the camp you would have to walk around but he saw that the radio was flipped over a bush and turned off. Worried, Jihoon took his axe and tried to follow for any hint you might have left behind.

Indeed you did after he saw footprints in a corner to his left, but getting close to them he saw the size and width of the footprints were not similar to yours at all and when he turned around he saw a peacekeeper pointing his gun at him. And then he shot but Jihoon moved quickly running and hiding behind a tree. Breathing and gaining courage Jihoon screamed to his right side

-AAAGH!!!-

But Jihoon actually moved to the left and threw his axe aiming at a forest hoping to scare the peacekeeper, which he did and when he turned around Jihoon took his axe back and pressed it into the head of the peacekeeper. Jihoon breathed hard as he removed his axe and from the peacekeeper’s head and groaned when a little bit of his blood fell over his shoes. Great, Jihoon would have to wash them now. But now you were on his mind, Jihoon needed to find you, and with that thought he turned to his left side to keep looking for you.

…

The heat of the log was still burdensome and you feared the fire would eventually burn your head but you tried to ignore it as you were looking for the other two peacekeepers, your binoculars helping you see in the darkness, as you lowered your head you saw a liquid body on the soil, crouching to touch it you felt the iron smell that was now on your index and medium fingers: blood.

Looking ahead for a body you found a dead peacekeeper with a nasty wound on the head but as you looked at the edges you saw that it must have been the result of an axe. Which meant Jihoon killed him.

…

Jihoon got tackled to the ground as a peacekeeper had found him on his way to a nearby river hoping to find you. Jihoon had caught the peacekeeper off guard kicking him on the shin and was able to elbow him and take his gun, but his foil had grabbed him from his knees and tackled him and in the struggle Jihoon let go of his axe; smart move, Jihoon would have to give him that, but at least Jihoon was able to throw the gun into the frozen river, cracking the ice and falling into the water which made the peacekeeper yell at Jihoon in rage.

-AAAHH!!- And he then overpowered Jihoon grabbing his neck and squeezing it with astounding strength making Jihoon choke, feeling his vision go blurry but then a slash cut through the air landing in the side of the torso of the peacekeeper making him scream in pain. Jihoon then saw how the peacekeeper launch himself at you, making you let go of a gun and a lit log, but you responded by taking the log with your bare hands and pressing it into the peacekeeper's chest, rolling him over to the ground, though even then the peacekeeper was able to kick you in the stomach but you were also able to stab him with a knives in his shoulder blade.

As you were fighting Jihoon got up and with the strength he could master went for his axe and plunged it into the peacekeeper's back and then lifted him him up dropping him off into the ground and plunged the axe again into his head, his blood splashing into both Jihoon’s face and your face.

Letting go of his axe, Jihoon helped you get up and you covered his frame with his arms, embracing and smelling his hair and you tried to both explain and apologize for the situation.

“There were three of them, I'm so sorry Hoon, I should have been more aware” you sobbed but Jihoon shook his head. “No, no, don't apologize, we are fine now okay, we both are fine.” And with that you two hugged again.

The next day after you woke up you were cleaning your wounds in the river, though the contrast of the cold water with the burnt skin of your hands made you hiss in pain. You needed to do it but it was agonizing, it was then that Jihoon got into the river, taking your hands into his and letting the water do it's work as he let your head fall into his shoulder as you breathed in and out; once the pain subsided you let him bandage you and your stomach fluttered when he kissed your hands.

You looked into his eyes and melted at his eyes watching you with adoration and love, his left hand went to your cheek and then he stood on his toes to kiss you, expressing his love and longing for you with each peck, bite and caress of your lips; after Jihoon pulled his head to breathe you kissed his cheek which made him chuckle.

“I love you Jihoon, I always have” You confessed

“Me too y/n, I can't believe I let this go on unsaid for so long, I don't want to imagine a world in which you are not there, I'm afraid to lose you one day.” He signed in flowy movements.

“You won't” you promised, hugging him and letting his head fall onto your chest.

3 Weeks later you finally made it to District 13, your relationship with Jihoon having evolved, no longer concealed by dreams or avoidance you just let it be.

-S, S, M, Y/n and I are here.- Jihoon muttered to the radio as well as sending the Morse code of arrival.

-Got it J, we will go for you- Seokmin's voice flowed through the air, you missed hearing his voice.

1 hour and a half later an elevator from the earth lifted itself, revealing to be carrying Seokmin and 2 soldiers.

-Hi guys, sorry I got late, but needed to bring security and the procedure to come for you.- His smile was bright and it was nice since it was like seeing the sun in the winter and Jihoon seemed to share the feeling.

-It’s okay Seokmin, after all, we need to catch up, don't we?- Jihoon muttered and Seokmin’s eyes traveled to your joined hands with Jihoon, the surprise and glee in his eyes pouring out through his expressions.

-I agree Jihoon, I agree.- Seokmin beamed

However after Coin proved to be just as corrupt as President Snow , the Rebellion was torn if it was right to keep living in District 13 but Katniss Everdeen made a speech about the importance of the spirit of resistance and to live the life our lost loved would have wished for us.

And thus, Jihoon and you chose to stay in District 13 and live together in a better house. Soon Jihoon got to work as a civil engineer and bioengineer, flattering you when he said he got inspired by you with your knowledge, whereas you had become a healer and owner of your own apothecary, assisted by Jihoon and Sunyoung.

Sunyoung had teased you endlessly when she learned about Jihoon and you, having mentioned how she always knew it would eventually happen and that she expected to be your maid of honor in the wedding flustering you.

Jihoon and you were finally able to accept you could survive together if you were in a relationship and finally be able to simply live and give yourselves a better life because of it, and even considering the option to adopt a child in the future.

“We are happy, aren’t we?” Jihoon asked you one day when you were out in the forest, after it got treatment for sowings, enjoying the feeling of the sun now it was spring.