YOUMIN

I breathe calmly, brushing my fingers over the cool surface of the earbud. It helped me think clearer— knowing that Taehyung was always in reach.

There were two snipers on the other end.

And Taehyung had trusted me enough in my skill to put me down as solo— against two. Which meant that I had to do well enough to keep his decision.

I had to do well.

Narrowing my eyes, I squint through the scope. They could be anywhere— concealed in places I might never expect them to be.

Like that one.

A dark smile lifts my lips when I shift my gun down to a tiny crevice in the side of the building.

One breath.

Then he's dead, and I take my finger off the trigger as I check the silencer. It still hugs the gun tightly, and I lick my lips as I continue searching.

Ten minutes pass.

Where is he?

My heart's beating faster than the beginning, from my heightened senses and anxiety. Every second that I let pass, I was giving to the other sniper.

I'd already looked through the windows of the entire building twice.

Maybe there had been only one?

But Taehyung had told me two.

My hands start shaking on the gun, but I don't dare to move a single inch to fix my position. One motion could give everything away.

Where...?

Calm down.

But I find myself starting to lose myself in the extreme fear. I knew firsthand how fast a sniper bullet was— how fast it could kill me.

I wouldn't even know.

I wouldn't even know if other sniper found me first.

Struggling, I flick my eyes across the darkness of the walls. No signs of human— but I knew I wasn't seeing it.

There.

A shadow shifts. And only then I see— the faint outline of a man, blending into the black.

And we both aim our guns at the same time.

__________________________

I hit him.

And my body stiffens when I feel the bullet cross the air next, inches from my ear. He had been so close— but he'd missed his shot.

Relief.

I collapse backwards, breathing harshly as I lie on the cold ground of the inner structure. I'd nearly died today— but this thrill.

And the moment I'm given the call that the mission was over, I burst up to my feet and run down the stairs two flights at a time.

I was so excited to tell Taehyung.

I would tell him everything— how scary it had gotten as more time had passed, the sniper battle I'd had. We'd both found each other at the same time.

"V!"

But when I get down from the building, I don't find him— in the tent where he's usually waiting for me to come down. I search the infirmary tent next, but he isn't there either.

Instructor Namjoon is talking furiously with Instructor Yoongi.

I frown.

And I'm about to head over to ask quietly about Taehyung's location when someone crashes into me straight in.

Jungkook.

"N-Noona." He laughs awkwardly, and I just blink as he steers me away. "I'm glad you're safe. I..."

My eyebrow raises.

Why was he acting so unnatural?

"Do you know where Instructor V is?"

And it's confirmation when Jungkook's face pales even further. Something had happened to Taehyung, hadn't it?

"Where is he? You know."

My voice comes out colder than I mean.

But my heart's beating so hard.

"You know, Kook."

"I-I..." His doe eyes slant down to the ground. "Yoongi hyung said not to tell you."

Not...to tell me?

My expression shatters. And I turn away from him, running towards to some place— any place where I could be alone. And I click desperately at the only connection I have left to him.

Please.

Please.

I sink down to the ground, in the darkness as I tremble violently in my hands. The earbud drones, searching for the signal.

This isn't happening.

Then I flash up when it clicks.

"Taehyung?"

And I sound so fragile. There's a low crackling on the other end, and I nearly tear my knuckles from clenching my fists so hard.

Silence, until his quiet voice.

"Yes, Youmin."

And I almost cry when I hear the slight shake in his tone. He sounded faint— from a wound, or blood loss.

Both.

"W-Where are you?" I say, afraid to hear the answer. "Are you okay? You weren't—"

You aren't taken, are you?

"I'm fine."

He says that, when I know that he isn't. His tone is so calm— and I pull myself together from shattering when I realize this is confirmation.

Taehyung has been taken hostage.

"Please." I say, my forehead heavily pushing against the wall. "Please tell me the truth."

"You're hurt."

My breathing is harsh, compared to his. Any moment I'd lose the connection, from him going out of the ten mile limit.

This earbud couldn't be tracked. It only
connected us together.

"I...I am."

"How much?" I leap up to my feet, pressing my palm against the side of my head. "How much? How seriously? I think we can find you soon, me and Jin and Kook. I'll—"

"Don't come."

And my throat seizes. My voice starts to rise, words speeding up as I start losing myself.

"What are you saying? You think I'm just going to let you go through whatever they have for you? I'm going alone even if I have to, if they don't let me."

"Youmin."

His voice is bitter with pain.

"Don't waste your life for mine."

_________________________

Waste.

Waste?

Then the door creaks open, and I look up into Jin's twinkling eyes.

"Youmin? Jungkook said you were mad at him so I came to check on you instead."

I swallow.

"I-I'm not mad at him."

"You know he loves you like his older sister." He says, and I bite down on my lip— rocking back to the headboard of the bed. "He's guilting himself."

"It's not his fault that he was taken."

"I know. That's why you should make up with him before we can go and track your lover down."

I flash my head up.

"You're helping me?"

Then I realize what he'd put in that sentence.

Lover.

Taehyung doesn't love me.

Turning my head away, I ask in a quieter voice. I'd gone to Instructor Namjoon earlier, and had just been told to wait. But how could I wait?

"So you are?"

"Yup." He smiles, messing up my hair. "Jungkook too. He's just so scared of his Noona to come here to say it himself."

I sigh.

"He didn't do anything wrong."

"Well, he's right outside the door."

I look up at that. And I hide a smile when I see the flash of someone, the side of their head drawing quickly back from the frame.

Jungkook.

Climbing off of the bed, I make my way to the door and poke my head outside. He flinches when I do, the surprise soon changing into guilt.

I pat his shoulder.

"I'm not mad at you. How could I be?"

"You're not?"

I scrunch my features. "Kook, I can never get angry with you. You're like an innocent penguin and I don't get mad at penguins."

"Noona!"

"Squawk squawk." Jin smirks from the room, and Jungkook glares at the older. "I didn't know you could be a bunny and a penguin at the same time."

I press my fingertips together.

Even though it would be best if they helped me, I didn't want to force so much on them.

We were going against rules.

And we could pay for this with our deaths.

I hesitate.

"You little child." Jin suddenly interrupts my thoughts, tilting his head. "You really don't think that we don't know the risks?"

I lick my lips, staring at the ground.

"It's just... just so unfair to you guys if we get caught."

"Noona, don't be ridiculous. Instructor V saved me that day when those jerks were drinking alcohol. I didn't pay him back yet."

V.

What was happening to him right this moment?

".....okay."

"Meet here tonight."