The Hidden Card || NCT MAFIA

Chapter fifty-two: In time we hate that which we often fear*

Kun had ran down the stairs so fast he had almost crushed into poor Jisung who was climbing up with a plate of cookies in one hand and a bottle of banana milk in the other.

Kun was in such a hurry that he didn't even apologize to the youngest member, already taking a sharp turn at the end of the hallway to finally reach the infirmary.

To his relief, Taeyong was still seated next to Jaemin's bed, his back facing him.

"Kun?" The leader called, turning around as his brows furrowed when the loud sound of the door being slammed open interrupted his conversation with Jaemin.

"Gone," the Chinese unit's leader breathed, his eyes wide open. "They're gone."

"Who's gone?" Jaemin asked, confusion written all over his bruised face.

"The girls, they're not in Iseul's room."

Taeyong got up so fast his chair almost fell back. "Have you checked the rest of the house?" he asked.

Kun's face paled, and his drawn features suddenly eased up a little, "I- uh, no, I haven't."

Taeyong seemed to relax as well, "Well maybe they were hungry and didn't wait for us to get them food. They probably went to the kitchen to try and find something to eat," he shrugged.

"I thought you told Iseul to stay in her room and not to go out," Kun said.

Taeyong sneered, "And since when does she listen to what I say?"

"I- yeah you got a point," he admitted. "Fine, I'll go check the kitchen, then."

"I'll come with you, we'll cover more ground if we split," Taeyong offered, joining Kun at the door.

"Hey," Jaemin called from his bed, "What about me?"

"You stay there, get some rest, and shut your mouth about out little conversation," Taeyong ordered, "Clear?"

Jaemin let out a sigh but nodded nonetheless, letting himself fall back on his bed as he watched the other two walk out the door.

"Let's hope we find them before anyone else does," Kun mumbled, heading to the kitchen.

Kun and Taeyong combed through the entire house, but after an hour of searching in vain, they had to face the truth; the girls had disappeared.

"Shit," Taeyong groaned, running a hand through his hair.

"They're nowhere to be found, what do we do?" Kun asked.

"Who's nowhere to be found?"

The sudden voice made them both turn around.

Johnny was standing in the hallway, hands in his pockets as he narrowed his eyes at the two.

"What are you hiding?" he asked again when neither one of them replied.

Just as Kun's brain was trying to come up with an excuse, a ringing noise filled the room.

Taeyong cursed under his breath as he reached for his phone in his pocket. The name displaying on the screen made him go pale.

Johnny was too far away to be able to read it, but Kun was close enough to Taeyong to know what was wrong.

He shot him an anxious look before looking at Johnny nervously. Taeyong was never nervous. Something was wrong.

"Maybe we should let him take that call," Kun tried to suggest, but Johnny didn't budge.

Taeyong's phone was still ringing in his hand, and he was still contemplating whether he should answer.