✪21✪

Yoongi’s POV

The previous night

“Hey,” Sarah whispered and poked my back harshly. I grumbled under my breath and turned around, her lemony smell filling my nostrils. My breath shuttered at how close we were; there was no place in the house for eight people and while five had retired on the floor, three were stuck on the rickety bed, cramped together- Sarah, Hoseok and I.

I looked into her twinkling blue eyes and sighed. “What?”

“Have you thought about what you will do once all this is over?”

I closed my eyes at that. I didn’t want to give myself false hope that I’d be able to go home. The acceptance of Ingenium was deteriorating so badly that it was becoming a crime for us to just live.

“Hey,” she muttered again, poking my pale cheek. “It will be over,” she promised.

“No,” I snapped, pushing her palm off my face. “No, it won’t. I have been on the run for three years and I can safely say, this is not getting over, so just stop with the hopes and aspirations for a non-existent future okay?”

She glared at me before turning her head away. “You really suck, Yoongi.”

I sighed. Enough with tantrums already! She wasn’t the only one stuck in the never-ending loop of running from one place to another and if she thought she had a chance at surviving, okay. Good for her. I didn’t. It was as simple as that. I heard her sniffle.

Oh, come on! I never knew what to do when girls cried.

I hesitantly patted her head. “There, there.”

“This is not funny,” she said finally.

“I didn’t say it was.”

She turned once more and opened one very wet eye. “You didn’t have to. Dying is not some joke!”

“When did I say it was?” I muttered defensively.

“This is why you were a cold and unfriendly asshole. Because you are under the impression that just because you have some kind of hidden fantasies about dying, we do to. We don’t. We want to live and we believe we can.”

“I don’t want to die!”

“Yeah? Doesn’t seem like it, seeing as your whole blo.ody life is centred around running away.”

“My life isn’t centred on running away,” I snapped.

“Then tell me what you want to do once this is over!”

“I don’t know!”

“And that is exactly why your life is centred around running away. You haven’t even thought about what you want. It doesn’t have to be career related. Just something that you want to do!”

“I. don’t. know.”

She shook her head at me and turned away. “It’s hopeless talking to you.”

I roughly grabbed her shoulders and made her face me. “Don’t say that,” I hissed at her. She gritted her teeth and forced my body away from hers. “Get lost.”

“Why are you getting so angry?”

“Because I have been around enough dying people to know that I don’t want to do anything with another to-be-dead person.”

“Who says I’m going to die?” I asked softly.

“You have nothing to live for. You’re mentally dead and at this rate, it is clear you’ll be physically dead too,” she snapped bluntly. “Why have you even fought this long? What have you fought for? You don’t want to go back home, you don’t want to settle down, you don’t want to travel the world, you just want to keep. On. Running.”

“I have fought because I want to live.”

“And why? Why do you want to live? What is holding you back from surrendering yourself?”

“I don’t know! Why can’t I just want to live because that's the right thing to do?”

She didn’t answer my question, instead she replied with something worse. “It just shows that you’re simply the shell of a person that is waiting for the correct moment to die.”

I wasn’t waiting for the correct moment to die! Or was I? All I thought about was death, over and over and how I wasn’t going to survive.

“Joan wants to be a doctor, Jin wants a normal boring job that he can complain about like normal people, Taehyung wants to play his instruments in a choir, Jimin wants to experience a normal childhood where he can get hurt and stay hurt like other children, Hoseok wants to go to a coffee shop to drink coffee, Jungkook wants to visit his family and I want to walk into a supermarket and buy a weird toothbrush with Spiderman on it and have people judge me for that and not because I’m Ingenium,” tears started flowing down her face freely as she spoke. “Why don’t you want anything? Why don’t you want to do anything?” She prodded my chest. I didn’t reply.

“So that’s it? You’re just going to stay quiet like always? I tried to convince myself that maybe you weren’t telling me because your plans were private but you really don’t want anything from life? Nothing? No family?”

“I do want something. I want a lot of things. I just don’t want to find out that I can’t get any of them.”

“Why can’t you let yourself feel hope? What is so wrong about thinking about your life after all of this is over?”

“I want to see my parents too. I want to find my brother. I want to look at the girl I like and kiss her knowing that both of us will survive the night. Can you promise me that will happen? Can you?”

“...No.”

“And that is exactly why I don’t want to think about a time when I’m not suffering. There is a high possibility that I won’t get to do any of the things that I wanted so badly and I don’t want to die knowing that all my dreams remained unfulfilled because of one measly bullet or knife. I’d rather pretend I have nothing to live for and just carry on living because that is the right thing to do and because I can’t fathom a life different from this. This is what I am, Sarah. What we all are and there's nothing we can do about it.”

I paused and stared at the glistening tears. “Are you happy now? That’s what you wanted right? To make me reveal that yay, I’m not a feelingless monkey?”

“Do I look happy to you?”

“I don’t want to leave you. Any of you.”

“What?” she whispered, rubbing her nose with her sleeve until it resembled a tomato.

“I want my life to involve everyone in this room forever. But everyone has their own hopes and wants as you so correctly put it and clearly, no one wants to stay with the group of friends they found. Once this is over, we will all go separate ways. I don’t want that. That’s why I don’t want to let myself think about anything but running because while being chased after sucks, at least I get to be with the few people I want to be with.”

Sarah’s mouth opened slightly and then she closed it again Great. Now she was going to think that I was some kind of dude who was so pathetic that he wanted to be with his friends forever.

“I don’t think it makes you any lesser to want to be surrounded by people you love. In fact,” she drew closer and placed her slim palm on my face again. “I think it’s amazing.”

Did I say that I thought myself to be pathetic out loud?

“You didn’t have to say it,” she laughed softly. “You think you are an expressionless dumpling but your eyes speak volumes. You’re the easiest person in this room to read.”

I gave a small smile. “Is that so? Did your oh-so-amazing face reading abilities tell you what I want to do right now?”

She smirked at me. “Judging by the way you have slowly been inching closer since our conversation began and the fact that you are looking at me like I am some kind of shining star, I’d say you want to kiss me.”

My mouth opened in surprise as my face flamed; that was exactly what I wanted to do. She grinned, brushing her lips on my forehead. “Open book, babe.”

“I take control,” I blurted out as her mouth traced my jawline.

“Do you?” she hummed. “Doesn’t seem like it.” Her teeth tugged on my top lip.

“Yes, I do,” I muttered desperately. She pulled back and smiled. “Then show me how you take control, you pussy.”

I narrowed my eyes and pounced.

***

“Someday,” I whispered into the crook of Sarah’s neck. “I’ll take you on a tour around the world.”

Her fingers stroked my ear. “You will? How nice.”

“I’m not kidding,” I looked up at her seriously. “I have always wanted to go on a world tour with my girlfriend. Obviously, you will pay, but it is the gesture that counts.”

She laughed pulling me in for a kiss again. “I’d like that. Seeing the world with you. Tell me the route,” her eyes shined brightly.

“Well first,” I kissed her fingertips. “Maybe Africa.”

“You do know that when we go on a wildlife safari or something, I won’t shriek and cower, don’t you?”

“I think that is one of the reasons I’m taking you.” I kissed the top of her knuckles. “Because you are fearless.”

“Cheesy,” she giggled. “But nice. Proceed.”

“Then,” I kissed her nose. “I’d like to take you through Asia, maybe show you my parents.”

“Ooh.”

I laughed and kissed her cheek. “Try to sound less excited,” I muttered sarcastically.

“I am excited,” she promised. “Then what?”

I kissed her neck. “Backpacking through Europe is a must.”

“It is on my bucket list.”

“Then I will cross it out for you.”.Ew gross, that was the cringiest shit I'd ever heard someone say-

“You are sounding like Jin,” she snorted. “All lovey-dovey.”

“Would you rather I not?”

“Oh no, no, no,” she brushed my nose with her fingers. “Be all mushy. I like it.”

I sniggered. “Only for today. If you tell Joan about our discussion, I will disown you.”

“Fair enough,” she laughed. “Alas! It was too good to last.”

“Huh?” I looked up confused. “I can go on until sunrise.”

“I know you can. I want to sleep.”

I snaked my hands around her waist and rubbed the soft skin with my knuckles. I closed her eyes and pulled her closer. “Then sleep.”

Present:

I stared at Sarah’s body on the floor, unmoving and cold and I pushed past the crowd of people that had accumulated and knelt down next to her. “Jimin,” I croaked, feeling for her pulse.

Nothing.

“Jimin!”

No pulse, no heartbeat, no movement whatsoever.

“Jimin,” I started crying, tears blurring my eyes. Jimin sat down next to me, his face covered with tears too. “Heal her!”

He closed his eyes and kept touching her chest.

Nothing.

“Jimin, please!”

“I’m trying,” he wailed. “But it is too late-”

I punched his nose in anger. “Don’t say that!” Blood spurted out for a few seconds and fell on the polished marble floors before then the nose healed itself. I stared in horror as Jimin backtracked away from me.
“I’m sorry,” I pleaded, shaking his arm. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, help me, please!”

“I don’t- I can’t- Yoongi, she is dead already, can’t you see!”

Fresh tears poured out of my eyes. We were going to go on a world tour. We were going to see my parents. She was going to buy a crazy toothbrush and now… nothing?

I felt empty.

I felt dead too.

“Please, Yoongi, get up,” Jimin begged more gently. “We are surrounded and you can’t die too, please.”

“I-I just,” I rubbed away the snot coming out of my nose. “She’s gone. I-she’s actually gone. I can’t leave her here!”

“We’ll take the body,” he promised. “Help me lift her up.”

I tried to move and I slipped over a puddle of her blood and fell straight on her. “What was wrong with you!” I yelled. “We had planned so much and now you fu©king leave me here alone! I hate you! I hate you so-” Taehyung and Jimin dragged me up and I continued to scream at Sarah’s body but she didn’t reply.

She didn’t reply to me.

“You are surrounded,” I heard a deep male voice plead. “Let me help you!”

“Move!” Hoseok snarled at the boy who was standing in between the main government official and us.

“I can disapparate!”

“What the hell is-” Jungkook started.

“Disapparate, disapparate!” the boy waved his hands in exasperation. “Have none of you read Harry Potter?”

“It means disappear from one place and appear in another,” Joan muttered tiredly. “I can’t believe I’m travelling with a bunch of illiterate goons.”

“Yes, thank you!” The boy exhaled. “I’m Namjoon.”

“No one cares!” Taehyung shrieked. “If you can get us out of this place, then do it!”

Jin grabbed Sarah’s body and I felt a sudden uneasiness creep up on me. Wasn’t he already carrying another body? Someone yanked my arms and I was pushed into the centre of a hurriedly formed circle.

Joan.

He was carrying Joan because Jimin hadn’t healed her yet and she still had bullets in her shoulder. Jin was breathing deeply next to me and realisation dawned on him a little too late.

His eyes widened and we both craned our necks just in time to see a couple of men drag Joan away.

“Stop the-” Jin screeched but everything disappeared and we found ourselves outside a huge mansion.

Without Joan.

***

Joan’s POV

The dimpled boy had been watching us for a long time, up until I was convinced that he was the kid we were looking for. After some deranged girl screamed at me that I was responsible yet again for the death of one of her family members, things became a little blurry. I heard something which sounded faintly like a gun shot and then Yoongi scream, so I think he was the one that got hurt, but I heard him talk again later so it wasn’t too bad. Hopefully.

Then an unknown boy who was probably the same dimpled boy started pleading that he could get us out of the place and I couldn't see clearly and I was feeling so withered that I would have happily gone with him. I didn’t remember when, but at some point Jin had stopped supporting me and I found myself lying on the floor with a bunch of smelly feet under my nose. The male voice said he could disapparate and I couldn’t stop myself from explaining the meaning of the word when none of the idiots that I came with knew what it was.

And none of them blo.ody realised that I was on the floor.

I watched them gather into a poorly shaped circle and then a pair of hands lifted me up from behind and pressed a queer smelling cloth to my face and I understood that, huzzah! I was being kidnapped.

To endure so much and then end up being kidnapped because my dumb boyfriend forgot to catch hold of me before I fell down. Unbelievable.

My head lolled around and I resisted groaning out in pain.

I was in some dumb car and a man in his early forties was watching me quietly. I raised my fingers in mock salute before I became drowsy again.

***

Hands, more gentle than I thought were carrying me somewhere. “I know you are awake,” the man whispered.

“Yippee,” I grumbled half-heartedly and his face twitched.

“How is my son? Is he eating well? He looked happy,” the man breathed anxiously.

“Your…son?”

“Yes. He ran from home when he was six. Not exactly ran, but stayed in one of my houses in another country with a small girl. Away from me.”

“Jin,” I muttered, surprised. ‘Your son is Jin?”

“Hm yes, Seokjin. Beautiful boy with an even more beautiful heart. I’m assuming you are the girl that stayed with him?”

“Yes. I am Joan. Thank you for paying for my education,” I said finally.

“It was nothing,” he airily waved his hands. “Don’t mention it.”

“Do you love your son?”

“What kind of dumb question is that!” he exclaimed, aghast. “Of course I do! My flesh and blood.”

“Then why,” my nostrils flared. “Why exactly are you one of the government officials?”

“Oh. That,” he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I wanted to see Seokjin.”

“So you joined hands with the group that wants to murder him?”

“I didn’t think, okay! They just came around recruiting and I missed Jin so badly that I decided to go along with them and that if he ever got caught, I’d be able to help him escape.”

I shook my head in amazement. “You could have just called him.”

The man pouted. “Seokjin doesn’t pick up my calls.”

“And he tells me that I shouldn’t cut out family,” I glared at the man’s sweatshirt.

“Is he happy?”

“With me? Yes. With me kidnapped? No.”

He chuckled deeply and I gave an involuntary grin. “I’m helping you to escape, Joan, irrespective of whether you make my son happy or not.”

“Oh. Um- thank you, sir.”

The man sighed and examined my bullet wounds. “Nam-Jung will do just fine. You can’t walk, can you?”

“With all due respect, sir, my wounds are in my shoulder, not in my legs. I can run if you want me to.”

“Can you now?” his eyes twinkled cheekily. “I do recall picking you up from the floor because Seokjin forgot to hold you.”

I turned red. “I slept in the car. I’m just peachy now!” He laughed. “I’m carrying you, young lady, and that is final.”

“Thank you,” I pouted reluctantly. “Where are the others? Have you contacted them?”

“The other officials? I ran away from them a while back. It’s just you and me now.”

“Oh. Do you know where you are going?”

“Not really. I was hoping you would wake up and call Jin.”

“I can do that. My phone?”

He groped around in his back pocket before removing the device. “Put it on speaker,” he instructed.

“Hello?” I groaned into the phone as my shoulder bumped into Mr. Kim’s chest.

“Joan? Is that you?”

“You didn’t check the caller ID before picking up?”

“Joan, oh my God, where are you? I’m so sorry, I’m so so sorry, I didn’t realise, I shouldn’t have let you go, I’m so sorry, can I come and get you? Where are you? Joan please, don’t strain yourself, I’ll get Jimin, we’ll heal you, okay? We’ll heal you, don’t worry, just stay put, oh no, I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I let you get kidnapped and if you don’t want to do anything with me after this, I’ll totally understand. Like I’d be devastated because I love you so much and I can’t lose you, but it is your decision if you want to leave me, I’m so sorry!”

I turned red as the man holding me smirked before cooing happily into the phone. “Hello Seokjin.”

“D-Dad? What are you- why is- Joan?”

“Your father –um- rescued me and now he wants to get me home but we don’t know where home is, so –um- where are you?”

“I- Where are you?”

“Just passed Rodney’s on street 16,” Mr. Kim replied.

“Oh, we are not that far. Keep walking North, I’ll come get you in twenty minutes.”

“Okay.”

“Joan?”

“Yes?”

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s not your fault,” I promised as Jin’s father grinned playfully at me. “We’ll talk later.”

“Bye baby.”

“Baby?” Mr. Kim mimicked his son. “Ooh,” he laughed naughtily as my cheeks flamed once more.

“Please shut up, Sir.” He guffawed before pinching my nose. “Go to sleep, Joan. I’ll hand you over to the rescue squad later.”

***

“Shush!”

“I can hear you,” I complained hoarsely as I felt myself be transferred
from one muscular hand to another. A pair of arms wrapped securely around me and I snuggled into them, recognising the broad frame. “Hello, Seokjin,” I smiled into his neck and I felt him swallow. Without warning, the tears started flowing and I drew back in shock. Jimin gave me a small smile from the seat next to me and then leaned froward and poked my back. I felt the torn skin stitch itself and the bruising around it disappear.

“I’m so sorry,” Jin gulped as his body shook. I dabbed with the hem of my shirt and wiped the soggy mess and half a second later, more tears came.

“Jin, come on,” I muttered softly, pressing my palms on his cheeks, tilting his face upwards and making him look at me. “I said it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” he cried. “They would have killed you!” I rubbed my hands over his red cheeks and wiped the tears from his flaming face.

“But they didn’t.” More tears flowed freely over my hands and then I pulled him closer and tucked his head under my chin. I moved my hands up and down his back in a soothing fashion. “You had a lot on your plate with getting us out of there safely and Yoongi getting hurt-”

“Yoongi didn’t get hurt,” Jimin interjected. His face was filled with sorrow as he gazed levelly at me.

“No?” I challenged. Jimin shook his head. “Then…?”

He hesitated and I felt Jin freeze beneath me, his sobs on a temporary hold.

“Sarah. Sarah got shot.” Sarah? But she was invisible! I was pretty sure she wasn’t even around when the rifle was fired.

“Oh. But you healed her right? She is fine now?”

Jin turned his head and Jimin and he exchanged miserable glances. “She is fine now, right?” I repeated more forcefully. Slowly Jimin shook his head again.

“She got shot in the chest, Joan. There was nothing I could do.”

┻━┻┻━┻┻━┻┻━┻┻━┻
A/N_

An update after six million years lmaoo

Also no hate for Sarah okay
I know she might be coming off as forceful and stuff but she's really I sweetie I swear and plus cuz she's dead *sniffs* don't be mean

Any comments which go like "I hate Sarah she deserved to die" etc etc will be deleted💅

Das it lmaoo

I cry everytime my characters cry that is not good now is iT-

Wish me luck my history prelim paper is tomorrow and there are like seventeen chapters🗿

Bye piggies♡