Road to Utopia - NCT

21 - To Therapy Or Not To Therapy (That's Not The Question)

"You what?" Kun asked in shock. We were back in Taeyong's office after Yangyang decided I was okay to not be on bed rest. It was all the leaders and Yangyang, but it felt a little cramped, even if his new office was twice as big as the old room. Taeyong was sat in his chair behind the desk, Kun was perched on the right side of the desk whilst the rest of us took a seat opposite Taeyong.

"I said, we should let Jisung go to one therapy session, get the drug and throw it back up so we can analyse it." Yangyang explained as if it was an obvious solution.

"No, absolutely not. If he was assigned a therapist for so long, I don't want to endanger him by sending him back into danger." Taeyong disagreed and took a sip of his seventh mug of coffee (there were six empty mugs also on the desk).

"Agreed. Yangyang, it sounds like a good idea on paper, but executing it comes with several problems." Kun added.

"You really want to research vomit-covered pills?" Mark asked.

"It's better than having inconclusive diagnoses when there's clearly something wrong with him." He turned to me. "No offence."

"None take, but what if I wanted to do it?"

They all looked at me in disbelief.

"Hypothetically, I mean," I added. I wanted to know the risks before deciding. "How would it work?"

"I think if we were to go ahead with it, we'd be close by, in the van. Just in case you need to leave suddenly." Mark started. "And did you have to book your last appointments?"

I nodded. "They'd also keep emailing me and sending texts if I didn't book one for the next week."

"Then you'll have to book one, we'll give you a burner phone for when you do it, and then I guess we'll put a mic on you and listen in." He suggested.

"And at any point where something feels off, we'll give a safety word and you run fast," Kun added.

"I still don't think we should do this. There are more risks than rewards out of this." The leader sighed as he noticed his empty coffee cup. Grabbing his phone, he sent a quick note to Winwin to make some more coffee. At this point, he was just like an intern, cleaning his desk, making coffee. What next, filing Taeyong's paperwork?

"But what if we find something?"

"Keyword is 'if'. There's a highly probable chance that there is nothing to be worried about."

Kun rolled his eyes. "Taeyong, what is the point of this group then? You know as well as the rest of us that the government is suspicious, despite their name. You know their pills aren't what they're claiming; we've analysed them enough times to know this. I'm 90% sure they gave Jisung something we haven't seen, and they're probably doing it to others too. Don't you want to help them...help Jisung?"

He paused before glaring at the man. "You really know how to pull on a guy's heartstrings. Whatever, go ahead. Even if I said no, you probably would have done it anyway."

"Wait, Jisung, do you want to do it? It's up to you; we don't have to do it if you don't want to." Mark asked.

"Why not? If it helps you guys in your research, then I'm willing to do anything." I shrugged.

"Yes!" Yangyang hugged me tightly. "Thank you so much."

"Just be careful, okay? Try to act like you did before you met us, like you don't suspect the government is doing anything." Taeyong warned. "We need this sample and you back in one piece."

"I'll try my best."

We made an appointment by calling them (luckily, I remembered the number for their building) and it was set: Next week, on Monday, I would be back at that hellhole.

All of us left afterwards. Yangyang practically skipped out of the room towards the basement, Kun went next door to his office and Mark and I made our way to our own rooms. I then fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

~~

He opened his phone and clicked on the boy's contact. After a few rings, the latter picked it up.

"Remember the plan? Do it tomorrow."

END

The ending was not supposed to sound as ominous as it does, I promise.

Shorter than usual due to this chapter being split as I have the next chapter as semi-filler (some of it is important).