Checkmate | Seongjoong

XVII (Edited)

Chapter Seventeen

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As the bustling restaurant gradually calmed down, Hongjoong and San found a moment of respite, albeit one filled with an intense discussion that caught the attention of onlookers. Hongjoong's incredulous reaction echoed through the space. "What?! No! Absolutely not!" He raised his voice before San rushed to quiet him, mindful of the prying gazes directed their way. In hushed tones, Hongjoong vehemently rejected the idea, dismissing the notion of adopting an undercover persona for intelligence gathering.

"I am not doing one of those undercover, double-agent spy type things just to help you get information on these guys," Hongjoong insisted, his voice tinged with exasperation and disbelief.

San, however, persisted, urging Hongjoong to consider the prospect. "But just think about it for a minute!" he pleaded, quickly redirecting his attention to attend to a waiting customer. "Just think about it. And don't tell the others."

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With their evening shift done, the quartet gathered around the bar counter, mulling over the recent developments related to the citywide lockdown. Wooyoung leaned in, his curiosity apparent in his posture. "Has the VEU said anything more about the lockdown?"

Yunho, the bearer of news, pulled out his phone and scanned through the latest updates, the others huddling in to catch a glimpse of the details.

"It is advised that small businesses nor non-government-funded businesses should be open past sundown," Yunho read aloud, his brow furrowing at the gravity of the announcement.

"There will be a curfew in place every night at 8 pm and will be lifted every morning at 5 am," he continued, each word hanging in the air with a weighty implication.

"It is mandatory that VEU agents check on every business at closing for any unwanted behaviour," he recited another critical point, the seriousness of the situation becoming increasingly evident.

"And those who were at the attack site are required to come in for questioning," Yunho concluded, his voice tinged with concern for their safety and the escalating nature of the situation.

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The weight of the silence seemed to press down on Hongjoong, amplifying the tension in the room. Each passing second felt like an eternity as he anxiously waited for a response on the other end of the line. His heart raced in anticipation, and his mind buzzed with a thousand thoughts, each more daunting than the last.

The prolonged silence after the ringing ceased became suffocating, almost unbearable. Hongjoong's nerves were frayed, his grip on the phone tightening with each passing moment. His breaths became shallower, mirroring the uncertainty that loomed in the air.

Then, a sudden click, and a voice, crisp and composed, echoed through the receiver. "Hello?"

The moment Seonghwa's voice echoed through the phone, Hongjoong found himself momentarily tongue-tied, his thoughts jumbling in his mind like a chaotic symphony. San's animated gestures prompted him to speak, but his words stumbled out in a hesitant rush.

"H-hello," Hongjoong stuttered, mentally berating himself for sounding so unsure. He glanced at San, who was practically conducting a sign language symphony from the couch, urging Hongjoong to continue.

Seonghwa's voice came through again, tinged with concern, "Hongjoong? Everything okay?"

Hongjoong felt his pulse quicken, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. "Oh uh- I-I-I-... Hi," he stammered, fumbling over his words in a display that made him inwardly cringe. "Do you... maybe want to meet up?"