Jungkook’s head jolts upward, awakening to the sun glistening, it was blinding, and it hurt his eyes. His eyes grow wider, taking in the scenery, there was nothing, but a litter of discarded wrappings, broken glass, cans, boxes and plastic. His noised wrinkled at the strong stench that found its way down to his throat, making him want to gag. A mix of liquor and vomit, boiled cabbage and burnt meat, unwashed clothes, and rain and smells that was unrecognizable. A hot breeze caresses his cheek, a sensation he has never felt before. He quickly sits up,

“Where the hell am I?” he mutters underneath his breath.

“Finally, you’re up,” says an unrecognizable voice, Jungkook glances around, noticing about six other people, standing a few inches away, four boys and two girls. They looked around his age.

He stands up, feeling tired as if he took a bottle of tranquilizers, his muscles and bones ached.

“We thought you were dead,” says one of the girls with pitch black

“Where are we?”

“Beats us,” says one of the boys, with green eyes, “Damn, I think we were kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped? By who and why?” stutters Jungkook, puzzled.

“Dude we are as clueless as you,” says the boy with the green eyes.

“Wh-what-what’re we going to do?” says a girl in a mere whisper. She had dark black hair, her bangs covering one of her eyes.

Jungkook glances around, scanning the area, it was waste damp of some kind, but why would someone kidnapped them and dump them here? He sees a wall that was miles away, the wall was the same color as the wall that surrounded Project Zero, they were outside Project Zero? He wonders. On the other sides, a few feet away was buildings, run down and old, broken.

“I’m sc-scared,” says a girl, standing in the back, with long curly blonde hair, dressed in a mini red dress, “I want to go home.”

“We’re all scared,” says the boy with green eyes, “ I’m starving.”

“We need to calm down,” says another boy with brown eyes dressed in black jeans, shirt, and a vest, “If we’re kidnapped, this could be some kind of game.”

“Game? What kind?” asks the girl with the blonde hair.

“I’m not sure,” says the boy with the vest, “We need to stick together. Let’s start by introducing ourselves, my name is Takumi.”

“I’m Maki,” says the girl with pitch black hair.

“I’m Joon Jae,” with blonde hair.

“Max,” says the boy with green eyes.

“Alexis,” says the girl with the bangs.

“Crystal,” says the girl with blonde hair.

They all turn to Jungkook, waiting for him to introduce himself, he sighs. He was not sure what was happening but if they are really kidnapped and this is some sicko’s idea of a game, maybe getting attached is not a good idea but maybe sticking together is not a bad idea also.

“I’m Jungkook,” says finally.

“So, what do we do now?” says Crystal.

“Try to walk back, I guess,” says Takumi.

“That’s stupid,” says Jungkook, “We are in the middle of the waste dump, beyond that wall is Project Zero, how do you plan on going over it?”

“Well, good a better idea?”

“Let’s follow the buildings, buildings mean civilization, it’s possible we are in a city outside Project Zero.”

“Outside-outside Project Zero!” roars Maki, eyes wide, “That’s impossible.”

“Yeah, we still have our bracelets on,” says Max, “If we were outside the walls, the police would be here by now.”

Jungkook sighs, glancing at the bracelet around his wrist, he was right, if they were kidnapped, why would the kidnappers leave their bracelet on? Something else is going on here.

“Maybe-maybe this is a test,” says Takumi.

“A test of what?” says Jungkook.

“Our loyalty.”

“Loyalty?” says Crystal, scuffing, “That’s absurd, the city would never allow such cruelty.”

“How do you know?” retorts Takumi.

“Because I have never questioned the city. I lived my life by the book, followed the law,” she says, almost in tears, “I-I’ve never!”

“Alright, fighting is not going to give us answers,” says Alexis, “Let’s follow Jungkook’s plan, let's follow the building, maybe we can find someone who can help us. If not, we’ll try finding a way around the wall.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” says Maki.

 

As everyone agrees to the plan, they all turn to Jungkook, in silence.

“What?”

“Well, lead the way,” says Max.

Jungkook sighs. He did not want to seem like the leader of whatever this was. Since he was young, he hated being responsible for another people’s wellbeing.

, I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

***

As they walk, Jungkook exams the area, marking the pathway they took between the run-down buildings in his mind, in case they get lost. There was chitchatting among the others, but he was not interested in making acquaintance’s with any of these strangers, that he just met. How can they be so trusting of each other? he wonders.

 

They walked through the rubble and broken asphalt, through endless piles of dismembered buildings for what seems like an eternity. Their footsteps echoing in the ghost-like city. Jungkook comes to a halt, he hears chattering from a distant and the smell of fresh bread taking over the horrible stenches that were widespread around the city. His stomach growls.

“People,” says Crystal, increasing her speed. Jungkook watches as they all join her, filled with excitement and relieved.

“Are you coming?” says Maki.

Jungkook hesitates, wondering if it was safe to show up in the open like this? What if this city was just part of whatever was happening, wouldn’t they be walking into a trip? He sighs,

“I’m overthinking,” he mutters underneath his breath, taking slow steps.

 

He turns around the corner, joining the others as they arrive on a busy wide street with an outdoor marketplace. Jungkook’s widen, marketplaces did not exist in Project Zero, they had world-class shops and malls, but he had read about towns like this in the history books. He never thought they actually existed. Crowds of people flowed the street, filled with chatters, it wasn’t anything scary or horrible, even though Jungkook could not fight the gut-wrenching feeling. Something just does not feel right? Why were they brought here?

 

Following the scent of the bread, they come to a stop in front of the shop, where fresh bread was displayed. Eyes wide and mouthwatering, even Jungkook who stood in the back could not fight the hunger. The elderly woman who ran the shop smiles at them,

“Hungry?”

“Yes!” they say at the same time.

“Just fifty-cent for bread, “she says.

They exchange glances, checking their pockets, disappointed as their eyes filled with despair.

“We have no money,” says Max.

“No money?” says the woman, silent for a second, as they stared at her with hope and prayers.

“Well, I do have left over from yesterday,” she says, finally, “But just for today, next time come here with money, is that clear.”

Jungkook watches suspicious, how can people living in such poverty be so kind?

“Jungkook, don’t you want some?” asks Maki, as the woman handed them bread.

 

Remembering what happened at Mrs. Tiffany, he could not stomach eating anything. He did not want to think about Mrs. Tiffany having anything to do with what happened to him, even though deep down he knows now that the wine he drank was drugged. It had to be. But he was also hungry, it was late in noon and it was extremely hot, a heat he has never felt before in Project Zero.

Jungkook swallows watching the others devoured the bread they were given, shaking his head, ignoring his stomach.

“I’m gonna walk around,” he says, walking away.

“Hey, wait a minute,” says Maki, running after him, “We shouldn’t separate.”

“I’m not going far,” he says.

 

Jungkook walks around, having past a cloth shop, fruits, spices, jewelry of some kind, and many other kinds of shops. He comes to a stop at a narrow path, marking the end of the market, he was thirsty. He sighs, it was no use getting lost, but all that would be useless if he turns now.

 

The path leads him to an alleyway, then out of nowhere, a loud cry fills the alleyway. Jungkook stops, frozen, his dark brown eyes shone, suddenly narrowing at a high-pitched shriek that came again. A few feet down were a group of men, maybe six or seven were cowering over someone, on the ground, as they laughed. Jungkook gulps, watching with unblinking eyes, urging himself to turn around and head back before they noticed him.

 

As Jungkook was about to turn around, one of the men turned around, looking at him. !

The man says something to the others but Jungkook could not make out what and before he knew they were all standing facing him. Jungkook shook, and his heartbeat started pounding in ears, cursing at himself. The man glared at him with sinister looks, eyes darken and smirks.

He was about to walk away but noticed the woman on the floor, who was now looking directly at him, eyes wide open, tears streaked down her cheeks and the side of her face glowed red, eyes swollen and bleeding. Her eyes pleaded for help, his hand's curls into a fist.

“What the hell are you guys doing?” he roars, glaring at them. The man exchanged glances, grimace smile growing wider,

“What do we have here?” says one of them.

.

Jungkook’s eye caught the woman’s eyes, as she slowly got up, taking advantage of the situation to run away.

“She is leaving!” shouts of the guy.

“Let her be,” says another man, “We got ourselves a hero boy.”

 

Jungkook shifted, adjusting himself, realizing just what just happened and immediately regretting it as the man walked towards him with confidence and murderous eyes. His brain races for ways out, he takes a step back but before he could move, two-man went around him, standing behind him. He was completely surrounded. Everything as stood still, his eyes take in every detail.

“I don’t want trouble,” he warns.

The men laugh, “Well, we do,” says one of them.

 

Jungkook never backed down from a fight before, he stood up for himself when needed and occasionally defended the other kids at the orphanage, but he also has never fought on an empty stomach before especially against such huge man with nothing but darkness in their eyes. He was terrified. The best option was to run away but that was quickly out of the way as one of the men launched at him. Jungkook dodges the fist, coming up with his own, as his fist lands on the man’s jaw, forcing blood out of his mouth, as he fumbles and falls. The pain erupted from the point of impact, but he had no time to worry about it. In that frozen moment, it was now a standoff, Jungkook had made it clear, he was not going to back down. In an instant, they fly at him, but in two seconds, he was able to take down three.

 

With the adrenaline pumping and empty, Jungkook was starting to feel dizzy, his eyes starting to give out, he shakes his head. A mistake. Within seconds, he feels a blow to his abdomen. He falls to his knees, his guts smashed together, blood vessels bursting, chest rose and sank as he struggled to breathe. Before he could process the punch, another came, landing on his jaw, blood pooled into his mouth and he was down on the floor, vision blurry as he struggles to get back up, drawing in the shallow breath. Controlling his breathing, Jungkook stands up, lunched forward but the man caught his fist as the other stood by watching. The man grabs his neck, his muscles tighten, Jungkook studies the man’s grimy face, his grip tightening, he was strong. Jungkook’s vision was beginning to get blurry as he tries to think of a way to escape, his pulse was quickening, unable to breathe.

“Should’ve minded your own business boy.”

 

As Jungkook’s vision begins to die out, a loud whistle came out of nowhere. The man drops him to the floor, a loud thud fills the alleyway as he becomes one with the ground. Coming in and out of focus, he coughs, breathing heavily, unable to discern noises, screams fill the alleyway and then feet scattering. Unable to move, Jungkook laid still, eyes shut, the pain was unbearable especially on an empty stomach.

He hears footsteps getting closer, but his body had betrayed his mind. This is it? I’m actually gonna die here.

A tap on his shoulder brings him back, he felt confused and all his senses were distorted. The scent of Clementine flower sparkles, orange blossom, and water lily fill his nostrils.

“Smells so good,” he mutters, before blacking out again.