⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧

The morning light filtered into the safehouse, soft but insistent, illuminating the edges of the room in a quiet, almost tender glow.

You lay still, your gaze fixed on Jungkook. He sat on the edge of the bed, adjusting his weight with a deliberation that made his every movement seem heavier than it should be. The nanite serum had done its job, the wound healing in ways that defied reason, but the ache it left behind was sharp enough to pull his attention back to his body with every breath.

You reached out without thinking, your fingers brushing the back of his head. "You don't need to rush it," you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper, careful as if speaking too loudly might fracture the fragile moment. "You've been through enough already."

His smile was small, and for a brief second, it was as though the pain had slipped away entirely. Vulnerability flickered behind his eyes, something too raw to keep hidden. He laced his fingers with yours. "If I've got to be stuck somewhere, I'd choose here. With you."

You leaned into each other, bodies close but not pressing, letting the stillness of the morning sink in. The world beyond the walls felt distant for a moment, the chaos of the past few days softened by the quiet intimacy of shared space.

When your lips met, it was slow, tentative—two people still testing the edges of what had once been something uncertain, now finding a thread of connection. Your heart fluttered when his tongue traced the seam of your bottom lip.

"Are you two coming? Breakfast isn't getting any warmer," Hoseok shouted, his voice teasing but with an hint of urgency.

Damn it, Hoseok.

Jungkook pulled back reluctantly, the moment slipping away. You pushed yourself off the bed, your feet hitting the floor with a soft thud. You two joined Hoseok at the weathered table, where you silently picked at your meal of canned food. The tension lingered in the room, unspoken and thick.

Finally, you broke the silence, you voice quiet but with an edge of something deeper, darker. You met Hoseok's gaze. "What is RM tech exactly?" You asked, the question sitting heavy on your chest, carrying the weight of more than just curiosity. "How does it even work?"

Hoseok's easygoing demeanor faltered, a hardness creeping into his features as he set his utensils down. "You know the biochips they implant in babies' brains?" he began, his words slow, measured. "The chips go into the superior temporal sulcus—a part of the brain that controls social functions, cognition. A way to stop mental decline, to monitor neurological diseases - at least, that's what they told us."

Jungkook leaned in, his eyes narrowing as the words settled. You could feel the tension winding up in his gut.

"OmniCorp hacked them," Hoseok muttered bitterly. "They turned those chips into a weapon. Now, they can project hallucinations. Images, sounds—anything. It's not just tricks; it's real for the people who experience it. They can make you see things that aren't there. Hear things. Feel things. It becomes your reality."

Your grip on the coffee mug tightened, the porcelain cool beneath your fingers. Your knuckles turned white, but you couldn't tear your eyes away from Hoseok as he spoke, the weight of his words sinking into you. You swallowed hard, a knot in your throat. "So they've weaponized it. They can make people lose themselves, forget what's real. Control them without them even knowing it."

"Exactly," Hoseok nodded, his gaze darkening. "Imagine how easy it is to control a person if they don't even know they're being manipulated. It's not just influence anymore. It's domination."

Just like inside the game, but much much worse.

Your breath caught in your chest. You looked at Jungkook, then back to Hoseok, your thoughts churning. You felt something cold and resolute settle in your bones. "Then the only way to fight them is to take it all down. Destroy the tech. If people can't see through the lies, they'll never be free."

The room went still. The words hung in the air, thick with the weight of what they meant. Jungkook and Hoseok both met your gaze, their eyes unreadable for a moment. The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken understanding. You knew what it would take. You knew the risks.

But we have no choice now.

You stood up and turned to the window, your fingers tracing the edge of the cracked frame as you watched the streets below. The city was waking up, the world outside oblivious to the storm that was gathering.

We can't stay here much longer. It isn't safe.

"We need to move," Jungkook's voice came from behind you, quiet but firm. You didn't need to turn around to know that he was watching you—watching for any sign of hesitation, any trace of doubt.

"I know," you responded, your voice steady despite the nagging uncertainty you couldn't shake.

It isn't just the risk of being found. It's what we will be walking into—what we have to do next.

Hoseok cleared his throat from the table where he was sorting through the meager supplies. "The safest place right now is the resistance hideout. We can regroup there, share intel, figure out what's next. We need to move before OmniCorp gets any closer to tracking us down."

You nodded, stepping away from the window. You had no choice but to agree. You were too exposed here, and you needed to plan the following steps carefully. "And the supplies?"

"Not much left," Hoseok grumbled, his voice tinged with frustration. "We're low on nanite serum, communication devices, drones for surveillance... and we could really use a few more stun guns."

You turned to face him, your brow furrowing. "We don't have time to sit around waiting for deliveries."

Jungkook was already grabbing his jacket, the leather creaking as he pulled it over his broad shoulders. His movements were quick, deliberate, but there was a certain tension in the air. He glanced over at Hoseok, a silent understanding passing between them.

"We'll handle it," Jungkook said, his voice low, not offering any room for argument. "You stay here. Keep a low profile. We'll be back before you know it."

⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧

A/n:
It's a double update, delulus!
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