"why should i trust you?"

"because when they told you we're the only way you can get home, they weren't lying. i don't know how you got here, but i know damn well you aren't from here and you aren't the first either. i've had to do this before."

nari gulped whatever was left in her mouth to fix her dry throat. she couldn't imagine any reason this woman had to lie, and at this point she was so desperate to fix whatever they got themselves into, it was hard to say no.

"...okay. we have a deal, only if you tell me what will happen to yangyang and shotaro when you get to them."

the woman narrowed her eyes once again. "they'll be locked up. along with the rest of the unfound when we find them, and then we can begin the process of getting this world back to normal. we're not gonna hurt them, don't worry. however, i cannot have them out and about anymore."

there shouldn't have been any reason for nari to feel as guilty as she felt. she hardly knew those two boys, and she felt like she owed it to her friends to get them back home to their lives, even when hers was so shitty. her shoulders relaxed in relief when the woman explained to her that they'd only get locked up as their punishments.

she offered to give nari a meal, and a fresh pair of clothes. nari accepted the clothes but denied the meal, as her stomach was twisting too much and she was afraid she'd throw up whatever went into it.

she couldn't stop thinking about how they'd react knowing she helped these people catch the wanted. there was no telling if this was the right decision, she just crossed her fingers and hoped for the best.

there wasn't much for nari to do anymore. all she had to do, was show them where the others were hiding. it was so simple, but she was practically sweating at this point. once she finished changing, she left the room she was showed to. the door had barely gotten a chance to close when a hand wrapped around her mouth and she was pulled into a different room.

darkness surrounded her once again. she began kicking and muffled screaming was heard through the hand as she tried to free herself from the tight grasp.

"nari—nari, it's me," a somewhat familiar voice said through the dark room. she was released from the grasp and a light was flickered on, giving her a chance to see the face that belonged to whoever just manhandled her into a room.

"what—yangyang? what the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, brushing hair out of her face. yangyang looked taken aback by the tone, expecting her to sound relieved.

she didn't know what it was. she didn't know if she was angry for him lying to her, or scared that she was soon to be out of that building to go searching for him. in all honesty, she was hardly expecting them to get to her, especially not as soon as they did.

"um, i'm getting you out of here. the others are waiting, c'mon," the boy had his hand on the door knob, grabbing onto naris wrist, gently tugging her in the direction of the exit, but she didn't move.

he looked at her, frowning. her expression was something between worried and disappointed. "yangyang... have you been lying to us?"

the boys face went soft, lips slightly parting. the answer was yes, and he knew that, he just didn't know how to deliver the truth. he knew she'd find out the moment she was taken, and apart of him was hoping she wouldn't believe them. he wanted her to find out from him only, but it was too late.

he looked down, unable to hold eye contact as the guilt was starting to catch up. "i'm sorry. i'm so, so sorry—"

"why... why would you lie? did you know that, the truth could put all of us in danger? why would you do that?"

"i wanted a second chance, and i thought this was the perfect opportunity to start over. i'm so fucking sorry, nari. to all of you. that was selfish of me, and i swear i was planning to explain everything eventually."

"eventually? eventually?" the harshness and the slight rise of her tone made her stop completely to take a breath. "just... take me to the others."

yangyang nodded quickly, not wasting another second and turning to walk out the door, nari following close behind. he brought her just down the hall, turning the corner to where the rest of them were hiding.

jaemin was first to notice them arrive, not hesitating to pull the girl into a hug. nari was slightly taken aback, not realizing how worried he was, wrapping her own arms around around his torso. he buried his face in her hair, blowing out a relieved sigh that brushed over her shoulder.

after a minute, he finally pulled back, putting his hands on either sides of her face. the way he was looking at her, was a way she never saw him look at her before. she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but his eyes scanned over her face before letting her go.

"we need to go." yangyang then said. although nari didn't fully trust him in that moment, she listened and followed him out.

jeno gave a gentle pat to nari on her shoulder. "i'm glad you're okay." to which she gave him a sincere smile in response.

the group had no idea of the agreement nari made with these people, and the thought of what would happen if they made it out of here safely made her grow anxious. she may have been giving the situation too much of an optimistic view, because they couldn't even get to the door before they were caught.

"shit," nari heard yangyang curse, backing up slightly at the three large men standing in front of them.

it wasn't long until the same woman from earlier came following up to the men, her heels clicking against the hard floor. there was almost a sigh of relief from her when she saw yangyang and shotaro. it was already too late to make a run for it.

"i knew i wouldn't have to go that far, but this is closer than i thought," she half joked, "props on you six for even getting in here in the first place. sadly, i can only let five of you go."

the men trudged over to shotaro and yangyang, getting firm grips on them and pulling away from the group. nari was almost surprised at the fact that they didn't fight back, and the other four couldn't understand why they had to be taken away.

the two felt so guilty they couldn't even look the others in the eye. "you're just not gonna tell the truth to your new friends?" the woman taunted.

when they still didn't say anything, jaemin spoke up. "what is she talking about?"

"just let them go home." yangyang mumbled, avoiding the question.

nari absolutely couldn't stand seeing them like that. she felt betrayed she was lied to, but she was starting to think that whatever they did, still doesn't justify what's going to happen to them and all of the other unfound.

"alright, follow me—"

"wait." the girl said, not allowing the other men to move her from her spot. "i don't think this is right. they wanted a second chance, and they deserve one."

"sweetheart, you are in no position to decide what they do and don't deserve."

"and you are?"

the womans eyebrows perked up as a gasp escaped her lips. "i'm doing you a favor. you want to go home, don't you? stay out of this."

"nari," shotaro called, "just go. it's okay."

nari wasn't able to get another word out before those men began to escort the five of them away while they were brought somewhere else. she turned her head and watched until they weren't in her sight anymore.

"what were they lying about?" jaemin whispered to her.

she kept her eyes ahead of her, still trying to process what happened. "i'll explain when we get back."

without second thought, they were put into another room with once again, nothing but a bed. before the door was shut behind them, the woman stood at the doorway.

nari stood in front of her. "you're not gonna hurt them, right?"

she looked at nari as a smirk formed across her lips. "since i have them, it's kind of hard not to."

"you swore you wouldn't—"

"i swore i wouldn't if you brought me to them. they walked themselves into this."

rage began to fill the girls body. she was starting to regret everything, and wishing yangyang and shotaro never came in the first place. they may have lied, but they seemed to have been laying low and avoiding problems. the woman was right. nari didn't get to decide on what they do and don't deserve.

without thinking, nari pushed passed the woman and began running down the hall towards where they left yangyang and shotaro. she heard the other four screaming her name, and heavy footsteps behind her, but she didn't care. she was gonna make this right.

a pair of arms wrapped around her body before she could reach the two. she punched, kicked, screamed, anything to release herself but there was no use.

"let me go, let me go. yangyang!" the boy could hear her shouts and screams even though he couldn't see her, and it hurt him. he believed that everything was fully his fault.

"shotaro!" she shouted again. tears welled in her eyes and she broke down in sobs. she felt like she failed them, maybe they really wanted a second chance in the world, and now they weren't going to get it.

nari began to feel dizzy, and with just a blink of an eye, she collapsed on the floor and everything went black.