[3] Code: REBIRTH || KTH

Ch6: His Secrets To Keep

Third Person POV

Seol tightens her grip on the steering wheel as she drives her car, glancing at Taehyung sitting beside her from the corner of her eye. He sits silently, staring at the window with dazed eyes. After the snowstorm has calmed down, Seol decided to pay Namjoon and Sarang a visit. She hasn't seen them since Sarang was let out of the concentration camp, but Namjoon had told her over the phone that she is doing better than before.

Much to Seol's surprise, Taehyung said he wanted to tag along and she has no idea why.

"Have you met Namjoon before?" She asks out of curiosity.

"Only three times," He says, leaning his head on the window, "The first time was when he got me out of the police station that day. And the second when I took you to his house."

"And the third?"

He hesitates, his eyes darting towards his lap, then back to the window before deciding he doesn't want to tell her. It's one of those things he isn't quite proud of. Not anymore.

Seol realises he'd rather keep it a secret, so she doesn't ask anymore as thoughts race in her head.

How many other secrets does he have? First the letter in his bedroom now this, she thinks as she takes a turn. Yet again, she knows he doesn't owe her anything.

They're his secrets to keep, but why does he know everything about me while I don't know any?, she slows down, nearing Namjoon's place, Do I talk too much? Maybe I should be more discrete. But why doesn't he tell me anything? Does he hate me that much? Then why did he kiss me that day before he left? Why did he save me? Why is he back?

She parks the car before turning to Taehyung.

"Get out," She says with a straight face as he looks taken aback, but he doesn't say anything whatsoever and leaves the car silently.

Seol takes in a few deep breaths before leaving the car and making her way to Namjoon's apartment with Taehyung trailing behind her.

Namjoon greets her with a warm smile, but it fades away once his eyes land on Taehyung.

"It's been a while," Namjoon says calmly, his face expressionless.

Taehyung merely nods back, and Seol stands in the middle, watching the tension rise.

"Umm, uh, where's Sarang?" Seol asks, trying to break the ice.

"Oh." Namjoon finally looks at Seol, "She's in the bedroom."

"Is she sleeping? Did I come at the wrong time?"

"Not at all." He smiles, his dimples showing, "She's actually waiting for you."

Seol follows Namjoon to the room as he gently knocks the door then walks in, announcing to Sarang that Seol's here. Taehyung stays behind Seol the whole time, following silently.

Seol takes one look at Sarang and feels her heart sink in place. She's sitting up on the bed with pillows supporting her back. There's a cast around her right arm, and her hair had grown out, black roots at the top of her head, contrasting the bright purple of the rest of her hair. Her eyes look empty and dull, as if life was sucked out of them. But what stands out the most is the scar on the side of her forehead, stretching from her hairline to her temple.

"Hey," She says with a small smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

"Hi," Seol replies, reaching forward and wrapping her arms around Sarang.

Taehyung watches as they exchange greetings and have small talk, his eyes focused on Sarang. So this is what happened to the hybrids in the concentration camps, he thinks to himself.

"Hanseol," Namjoon says, gesturing towards her, "A word, please?"

"Sure." Seol nods as she follows Namjoon out of the room, leaving Taehyung and Sarang alone.

Taehyung stands in place silently, mulling over his thoughts for a few seconds. There is something he wants to tell her, a question at the back of his mind that he can't quite put a finger on. Or maybe he's too scared to ask.

"You were his friend, weren't you?" Sarang says out of the blue, her eyes staring at space.

"Seokjin," She adds. "You helped him with it. The riot."

---

A/N: reminder: when Taehyung mentions that Namjoon helped him out of a police station, he's referring to the first book, Code: RED, chapter 8

And when he took Seol to Namjoon's house, he's referring to the second book, Code: RIOT, chapter 18