I want to apologize that I haven't updated in such a long time!! I lost my account, and I just found it!!! When I read through all of your comments, I legit started crying! I was so overwhelmed and happy. I promise I will start posting at least once a week. I haven't given up this story, so don't worry!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!!

“Tae?” Jungkook spoke quietly into the device, “Tae, can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear,” Tae’s voice answered slowly after a few seconds of crackling silence.

“Did you find them?” Jin leaned in anxiously.

“Yes-” JHope spoke abruptly, “We can’t go any further, though. There’s- !” he cursed suddenly and the distant clattering of their footsteps shook the speakers of the walkie-talkie.

“Hoseok-” Namjoon frowned slightly, tightening his grip around the device in worry, “What’s-”

“-A guard!” Tae’s voice was barely audible through the speakers, “Caught on our tail- hasn’t seen us though-”

“Abort the mission!” Jin hissed frantically, “Don’t-”

“How do we get out?!” JHope panted, “The door- I can’t find the door-”

“Oh my god,” Yoongi massaged his temples, “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“Shh!” everything fell silent as JHope’s breath became shallow and held, “He’s around the corner- don’t- Tae, stop-”

“What are we going to do?!” Jin stared at Namjoon in worry, “They’re going to get caught-”

“…”

“We should have never let them go in the first place.”

“Oh my ing god,” Yoongi struck the wall with his fist angrily, “This-”

“Shut up!”

“They’re going to die… they’re really going to die…”

“Guys-”

“EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP FOR A SECOND,” Namjoon’s voice roared over the worry and chatter. All fell silent. Taking a deep breath, he spoke quietly into the device, “JHope, can you hear me?”

There was a pause, and then- “Yes.”

Exhaling slowly, he continued, “Look above you. Are there any vents nearby?”

Another pause.

“Yes- it’s further down the hall, but I think we can make it,” JHope spoke anxiously, “I don’t think- ! He’s over there!”

“Over where?!” Namjoon’s jaw tightened.

“The vent- the guard’s by the vent-”

“Find a different one then!”

“I know, I know- oh god… oh holy- Tae! Come on- oh holy Jesus-”

“What-”

“He saw us!” Hoseok’s voice became faster and less audible as his pace quickened down the hallway, “The motherf- oh god. He saw us- the bastard saw us- oh -”

Namjoon ran his hands through his hair, “Hoseok, I swear to god, if you ever get out of this alive, I’m gonna kill you.”

“Hold on, hold on- there-” JHope’s footsteps suddenly reached a halt, “The stairs- we found them- there should be a vent somewhere near here or-”

“Is he still following you?” Namjoon rubbed his temples irritably.

“Yes- we lost him back there,” Tae spoke in a low voice, “I don’t think-”

“Shh!” JHope hissed, “He’s coming-”

“The vent, JHope, the goddamn vent!” Namjoon’s gaze was so focused on the device in his hands that it seemed as if lasers were searing through his eyes.

“I know, I know- , why won’t it open- dammit-” JHope cursed under his breath, “He’s coming- oh holy Christ he’s coming- Oh-” there was a sudden clanging of metal, and the breath that no one knew they were holding was released, “Okay- we’re going we’re going- - he saw us- Tae go faster!”

“Oh. My. Freaking. God-”

“He saw us going through the vents,” JHope spoke hurriedly, “But he’s not following.”

“Good-”

“We’ll be with you in a moment- once we figure out where exactly we are-”

Namjoon squeezed his eyes shut, “You’re never doing this again, got it?”

“Believe me,” JHope laughed quietly, “There’s no way I’m going through that another time.”

***

How Hoseok and Taehyung managed to find their way back to the “Free Time” room without being caught within the constraints of an hour was beyond him. By the time the doors had opened, the pair already reunited with the group as if nothing had happened. Honestly, he was just glad it was over. The mission was aborted, but they were back safe.

Hoseok lowered his voice as a group of surly guards rushed past him, “As I was saying, we should be able to make it down there tonight.”

“You said it was room..?” Jin frowned, nodding his head slowly.

“347,” Tae replied, “Right?”

“Yeah, I think so,” sighing, Hoseok stretched his arms out in front of him, “Man, did they look awful… I don’t think they’ve eaten in days.”

Namjoon pursed his lips grimly, “We can’t just send whatever down there… if they eat too much all at once it could make their situation worse.”

“They’ll definitely need water,” Eunnie piped in, “If they haven’t been eating, I doubt anyone’s given them much water either.”

“And blankets?” yawning, Frida glanced at the piranhas eyeing them from a distance.”

“Where are we going to find those?” Jin frowned, “They won’t be in the kitchen, and we can’t just search the whole building. We’re short on time.”

“What if the guards see them with all the things we brought?” Eunnie bit her lip, “They’d get in more trouble, right?”

Hoseok shrugged, “What’re they gonna do about it?”

“I doubt they’ll be too pleased, but they’ll probably just brush it off. Another guard could’ve been the one to ‘donate’ the items, you know?” Namjoon nodded, “Besides, it’s not like they’re watching the cell 24/7. Guards have lives too.”

“But do they?” Hoseok rolled his eyes, “I mean, come on. Look at Mr. Sampson. He spends all his time swooning over Ms. Park.”

Tae snickered, “And practicing his flirting skill,” he dropped his voice to a nasally drawl, “‘Oh, Ms. Park! How ravishing you look this afternoon. Too bad you didn’t agree to sleep with me when you had the chance! Look at my fancy new badge!’”

Hoseok grinned, “Don’t forget the flowers!”

Yoongi rolled his eyes, “You do know that he’s standing over there, right?”

Falling silent almost instantly, both boys peered cautiously over the shoulders of their friends to catch a glance at the weary officer at the end of the hallway.

“You really got him good,” Jin let a slow whistle.

“We didn’t mean to,” Hoseok retorted.

“Fate just wanted him gone as much as we did,” Tae nodded his head innocently.

“You’ll be dead if he recognizes you,” sighing, Yoongi shook his head.

“I doubt it,” Namjoon cast another glance over his shoulder at the guard down the corridor, “Look at the bruise on his head!”

“You’re really scary sometimes, you know?” Eunnie giggled, unable to hold back a grin.

“Scarily handsome,” Hoseok waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Hey,” Jin snapped in annoyance.

“You don’t think anyone will turn us in, right?” Hoseok asked after awhile, “I mean… the whole camp kinda saw us come through the vents so…”

“You’ll be lucky if you come back alive, idiot,” Namjoon rolled his eyes, “Just keep your heads low the next couple weeks.”

“By the way, what day is it?” sighing, Eunnie brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

“It’s Wednesday, right?”

“I thought it was Tuesday.”

“No, I swear it was just Sunday.”

“Isn’t it-”

“It’s Friday,” Jin cut the group off.

A wall of silence and dread held the tongues of every member, and all the energy that had once flowed so easily through their smiles had become strained. It was that day. Again. Everyweek.

Jungkook swallowed hard, as the group entered the cafeteria. The normal bustle of campers struggling to get food seemed tenser, yet it was only to be expected. No one ever got enough to eat, and it was almost amazing see how people were still able to survive under such conditions. Of course, it could have been worse. Namjoon’s stories of larger camps across the country only left him praying that he’d never end up in one. Barrack Twenty-Three was bad enough.

“Do you know who you’re gonna chose?” Namjoon yawned as the group seated themselves in their usual corner.

“Nope,” shaking his head, Hoseok propped his chin up on the heel of his hand, “I’m trying decide between Lin or Marie.”

“Ouch,” Namjoon cringed slightly, “Are you sure you’ll be able to handle it?”

“I won’t be able to handle another week of them nagging me if I don’t choose one of them,” rolling his eyes, Hoseok focused his attention on the lunch line close by.

“True,” Namjoon shrugged, “I already promised Amy, so I don’t exactly have a choice, you know?”

“What about you?” JHope nudged Tae slightly.

“Probably Dani,” Tae leaned back to stretch his arms.

Namjoon nodded in approval, “Good choice-”

“Listen to you,” Frida scoffed, “It’s disgusting.”

“We don’t mean it that way,” Namjoon sighed, “It’s just-”

“Conversation,” Eunnie rolled her eyes, “Yeah, we know.”

“Couldn’t you objectify our gender less, though?” Frida continued, “It sounds like you’re just ordering food off of a menu.”

“Food doesn’t talk,” JHope retorted.

“And it’s not annoying,” Tae nodded.

“Just- ugh,” Frida turned away, shaking her head.

“Can we just change the topic,” yawning, Yoongi raised his head slightly off the table to speak.

“Whatever,” Namjoon sighed.

Jungkook watched in silence as the conversation flitted from song lyrics to food, sports to sleep, anything really. Yet as the sentences droned onward, he couldn’t help but notice the piranhas across the room gradually turning their attention towards turned backs of his group. Everyone once in awhile, one would perk her head up to peak at the boys, and it wasn’t before long that the whole group began staring one by one. As much as their little actions irritated him, he couldn’t help but find their expressions somewhat amusing. It was almost as if they were ogling at an elephant at the zoo.

“You’d think they’d get tired after a while,” Hoseok sighed, nodding towards the piranhas.

“But they don’t,” shaking his head, Namjoon scoffed, “I think they’ve broken their own record for awkward staring.”

“Wow,” Tae clutched his chest mockingly, “I’m wounded!”

“You’re awkward, but not that awkward,” Jin pointed out.

“Excuse me,” Tae slammed his fist on the table, “I am the King of awkwardness!”

Jin shook his head, “There’s no way you beat them.”

Nodding in agreement, Namjoon smirked, “I hate to break it you, mate, but you’ve got so learning to do.”

Tae’s mouth dropped in protest, “No, I-”

“Why are we arguing about this in the first place?” Yoongi groaned.

“I-”

At that moment, the cafeteria doors flew open, and a hoard of government officials in white strode inside. The chatter quickly died down as the head official stood before them, guards flanking either side of her. She held an electronic tablet between her two hands, and a stern expression pulled at the corners of .

“Thank you,” she announced coldly, “As you all all know, today is Friday, which means most of you will be out tonight.” Clearing , she continued on, “I will call each of you up by table, understood?” She didn’t wait for an answer, “Table 1!”

“Here we go again,” Namjoon muttered under his breath while rising to his feet.

Jungkook stood towards the back of the line, watching in silence as each member and friend mumbled a name to the woman before hurrying back to their seats. She took a moment or two to insert the name suggestions in her tablet before looking up at the next person.

“Yes?” she stared at him as he shifted uncomfortably.

“Uh…” he glanced nervously around the room.

“Name, please?” she pursed her lips impatiently.

“Oh- um… Jeon Jungkook,” he answered hastily.

“Okay… and preference?”

“Um…” he bit his lip anxiously, “Random?”

“Would you like to know her name before then?” the woman didn’t look up from the screen.

“No,” he shook his head, “I don’t.” With that, he returned to his seat, heart sinking low in his chest.

***

The sky had grown weary of the sun as the stars began to slowly peek between the dark masses of clouds. Shivering against the sheer cold seeping through the cracks of the window, Jem gazed out upon the quiet camp’s grounds. His pulse began to slowly race faster as the seconds ticked by, and every now and then, he would glance at the door.

“Ugh,” Tae groaned, staring up at the ceiling with an odd expression on his face, “This is taking too long.”

“Shut up,” Yoongi mumbled through the comfort of his pillow, “I’m trying to sleep.”

Scoffing, Tae turned back to the ceiling, “I chose random again… is that a bad thing?”

Jungkook shook his head slightly, “I did the same.”

“I think they said her name was Jenni… or Jane? I don’t know,” he sighed, “I’m forgetting a lot a things these days…”

“At least you haven’t forgotten your morals,” Yoongi muttered.

“I don’t even know what those are anymore,” squeezing his eyes shut, Tae let out a long sigh, “They can’t exist here… you know?”

Jungkook nodded slowly, watching the door.

“I don’t even know what the point of this is anymore…” a tear trickled down the corner of his eye, “It’s too much.”

“Just bear it,” Yoongi spoke quietly, “It’ll be over soon.”

“I-”

A sharp rapping upon the door caused all three boys to jump in surprise. The door swung open, and three, large, burly men strode inside. “Mr. Min Yoongi?” the largest drawled as the turquoise haired boy rolled off the bed.

“Alright, alright…” Yoongi rolled his eyes, sauntering out of the room.

“Mr. Kim,” the second guard nodded curtly as Tae walked past him.

“Mr. Jeon,” the third and final guard ushered Jungkook out of the room, snapping the door closed behind them. Yoongi and Tae had already disappeared with their own guards, so the odd pair were left to their own navigations, “You’ll be in room 589 tonight.”

Jungkook gave a silent nod of recognition.

Keys jangling at his side, the guard flung the door at the end of the corridor open and started down the steps, “Careful. The steps are steep.”

The faint humming of air conditioner and water trickling down the pipes was the only sound in hall, and the shadows stretching across the walls seemed to tug on the corners of his mind little by little as he descended down the steps. Thoughts raced through his brain, as his eyes grew accustomed to the dark.

“Here we are,” the guard spoke suddenly, flipping on the light switch. The lights flickered on one by one, and by the time they had reached the end of the hallway, the guard was fumbling for his keys.

“These aren’t the girls’ wards?” Jungkook frowned.

“No,” the guard grunted, “But it just so happened that your girl landed herself in a prison cell.”

Alarmed, Jungkook’s eyes widened, “A prison cell?! But-”

The door flung open to reveal the very person he wanted to see most and least at the same time. His heart plunged to his stomach as her voice rang out in the darkness.

“Kookie!”