Exposed Truth | Jeon Jungkook

Chapter 27

Nari || Wednesday, June 24

It feels as if it's been a couple of hours, but neither Jungkook, Jimin or Lisa have gained consciousness, and Jennie is just sitting silently in the corner of the room. I want to cry and scream, but all I feel is numbness. I'm not even trying to do anything to free us from this place; all hope was lost as soon as Jimin and Lisa were captured too. I just want to go back home. I want all of this to end.

I don't how much more time has passed when I'm suddenly startled out of my thoughts by a dry hand wrapping around mine. He's awake. Tears of relief well up in my eyes when I notice Jungkook's eyelids slowly flutter open. He coughs and it takes him a moment before he fully opens his eyes and adjusts to the sudden brightness. I want to hug him, but I'm afraid of hurting him, so all I do is squeeze his hand.

"Oh my gosh. Jungkook," I say with slight shock and help him sit up beside me with his back leaning against the wall.

It takes a while for him to regain himself and steady his breathing. He takes in his surroundings and doesn't say anything for a while. He frowns when he spots Jennie who gives him a hesitant wave, then his eyes land on Jimin and Lisa. He turns back to look at me and he seems to want to say something, but all that comes out of his mouth is a raspy groan.

"Don't talk if it's too hard," I say as I brush his hair away from his face and gently wipe away the sweat from his forehead with my sleeve. "Are you feeling okay?"

Even though I have dozens of questions to ask him and I'm dying to know what caused him to look so injured, right now I'm just relieved that he's alright.

He nods slowly and I smile at him. I'm glad he's awake. The nerves and worry are gone. Although our situation is still very much troublesome, I'm happy that we're together and alive. Everything will be okay, I tell myself. Sooner or later, somebody would've noticed that one of us was missing and call the police. There's still a tiny bit of hope left. We won't be trapped here forever.

"Where are we?" Jungkook manages to croak out. "What happened?"

"I think this is the basement. You were knocked out for a few hours when Jay locked us up in here," I tell him.

He looks dazed when he scans my face as if trying to find answers, yet I'm just as confused as he is. I'm honestly not sure what Jay intends to do by locking us up in here. Does that mean he has something to do with Yuri's suicide? I wish I could know the answer to that, yet everything is just so complicated and unsettling. Why is Jennie here? It seems as though she was captured too, but why? She looks so forlorn and uneasy, I hope she's willing to tell us the answers to all of our questions.

I didn't even hear the footsteps coming from outside, but I make out a key rattle in the lock. I hold my breath and unintentionally move closer to Jungkook when the door eventually opens. Jay smirks at me when he sees my disheartened expression, then tosses two packaged sandwiches and two plastic water bottles towards me and Jungkook's direction, then another to Jennie.

He then comes towards us to untie the rope from Jungkook's hands. Jungkook twitches in pain when Jay roughly takes his hands and chains his wrists to the wall just like mine and Jennie's are.

Once he's done, Jay closes the door behind him and leans against it with his arms crossed as he says, "Aren't you going to eat? She's eating."

I gulp and remain quiet as I glance at Jennie and notice that she has already unwrapped the sandwich and has begun munching onto it. I swallow my saliva and lick my lips, it does look extremely appetising right now. I tell myself not to cave in to the temptation. I'm not going to listen to whatever Jay says. He can't control me. Besides, he might've poisoned the food.

"I'm not hungry," I tell Jay and he just laughs.

"Don't be stupid, princess," he says cockily. "You don't want to starve to death, do you? At least not until you find out what happened to your sweet sister?"

"Are you going to tell us then?" I ask.

"Only after the both of you finish your food," he says smugly.

I glare at him; not really convinced if he'll actually tell us. My stomach grumbles when I peek at the sandwich by my side. I glance at Jungkook, as if asking for his opinion and he nods. I sigh and give in as I take the sandwich and begin to peel off the wrapping. Jungkook does the same and we both take big bites from our sandwiches.

At this moment, the simple sandwich is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten in my entire life. The melted cheese and ham sandwich immediately relieves my hunger by satisfying my tastebuds and fulfilling my stomach. Jay guffaws when he sees the two of us demolishing our sandwiches like we're animals that are mere seconds away from dying of starvation. I ignore him and continue to devour the delicious sandwich and I nearly choke myself when I hurriedly gulp down the water. Finally, my throat doesn't feel dry anymore.

In no time, Jungkook and I have finished our sandwiches without leaving any crumbs and the water bottles are now completely empty. I immediately look up at Jay as soon as I'm done, and wait in anticipation for him to start talking.

"Good," Jay says as he takes the crumpled up wrapping and empty bottles from us, before turning to exit the room.

"Hey!" I shout before he can leave. "Don't you have something to tell us? You promised."

He remains expressionless then motions to Jennie as he says, "She can tell you."

Before I can say anything more, he leaves us in silence and locks the door.

I chew on my lip and glance at Jungkook who groans in irritation beside me and leans back against the wall. I turn my eyes to Jennie and watch as she takes sips from the bottle of water and slowly consumes her sandwich as if savouring each bite.

I'm not even aware that I'm staring ay Jennie until after she finishes eating and wipes away the crumbs from her lips, then says, "Instead of gawking at me, you can speak you know. There's no need to be so afraid of me."

"How?" I ask and she raises an eyebrow. "Tell us everything. From the very beginning."

I sit up straighter and all my focus goes to her when she sighs and sits closer to us, the chains on her bruised arms clinking together when she moves.

"It's a long story," she says.

"Well, we have plenty of time," Jungkook replies and waits patiently for Jennie to start explaining things.

Jennie sighs, "Okay... but prepare yourselves for what I have to tell you. There's a lot to take in."

Jungkook takes my hand and squeezes it lightly, and the two of us nod simultaneously. We've experienced so much these couple of days, there's nothing we can't handle. I have too many unanswered questions and hypothetical thoughts that have been lingering in my mind for far too long, I need to know the truth to all of this.

"We're ready," I say.