Four | BTS ✓

26

Jin glances over at the door to the cell block again, biting his lip as he frowns.

"He lasted longer than I thought he would," Namjoon says, taking a sip of coffee.

"He'll be here," Jin says through a sigh. "He doesn't seem like the type to run away from things. He's a tough kid."

Namjoon sets his coffee mug on the table. "Don't blame yourself for any of this, Jin. You know Kennedy and how she is. This was bound to happen at some point. She's not okay with being docile for a long period of time."

"I just don't understand why Senator Min can't just listen to my ideas and take them seriously," Jin huffs. "I'm here every second of every day. I know all four of those prisoners better than she ever could and I know what is best for them. Why won't she listen?"

"She's sadistic, obviously," Hoseok's temporary replacement chimes in as he rolls his eyes.

"Hongjoong's right," Namjoon shrugs. "She obviously has something wrong with her if she's okay with just letting this stuff happen right under her nose. That makes it her fault, not yours."

"Maybe," Jin says, staring down into his half empty coffee cup.

The door to the office opens and Jungkook walks through, adjusting the collar of his shirt.

He stops short when he sees the three men staring at him, a mix of emotions on their faces as his hands fall limply to his sides.

"Hi," Jungkook says, sending them a weak smile and Jin manages a small laugh.

"Like I said," he says through a smile. "Tough kid."

"I would've run for the hills," Hongjoong says, laughing. "The only reason I'm still here is because I'm normally working security on the grounds. No interaction with the four, thank goodness."

"I made a commitment," Jungkook shrugs as he makes a beeline for the coffee. "I can't just walk away when things get hard. I'd never forgive myself."

Jin smiles encouragingly at the young guard as he sits down next to Namjoon, taking a tentative sip of his coffee.

"What's the plan for today?" Jungkook asks, holding the mug between both of his hands.

"If you think Kennedy can come out of isolation, you're more than welcome to do that. I'll leave it up to you since you're in charge of her," Jin says.

"That's a big decision to make on my own," Jungkook says, his eyes widening slightly. "You trust me with that?"

"You're good at this job, Jungkook," Namjoon interjects. "You know what is best. Just trust your gut."

"I think if we don't bring her out soon, she'll start to resent us and then she'll start to stew in it if she's left for too long," Jungkook says, biting his lip. "I honestly think her seeing me so furious shifted her perspective a bit. At least for a while."

"You think if we leave her in there any longer, she'll do something to retaliate against us as soon as we bring her back to her cell?" Jin asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Definitely," Jungkook says, confidence apparent in his tone.

Jin shrugs. "Then it's settled. Bring her in. The last thing we need is a retaliatory Kennedy Carter. Other than that, I think today can just be another day where we try to recuperate and gather our thoughts. Maybe tomorrow they can have some yard time if everyone behaves."

"I'll go get Kennedy then," Jungkook nods to the other three, standing up and leaving the other three guards.

As he makes his way down to isolation, he wonders how Kennedy has been doing by herself. Part of him wonders if they should just keep Kennedy down there all the time so she will stop breaking out, but another part of him doesn't like the idea of permanently separating her from everyone else.

He remembers how much she protested going into isolation when he put her there on his first day, and he realizes that she must not like the idea of being completely alone. At least in the cell block, the other prisoners are there and the four guards who watch over them. Down in isolation, she only has Wooyoung and occasionally Jungkook when he needs to go and do a check on her. Other than that, she only has those four walls and a door that she can't escape out of to wander around. But underneath everything, he wonders what the purpose is of having a prison that doesn't even control the prisoners. He thinks of Hoseok's suggestion the day before but quickly pushes the thought away because the implications of it are just too dangerous. For all of them.

Jungkook involuntarily shivers as he gets closer and closer to Kennedy; his body is remembering the ghost of her touch from the last time he saw her.

"Ah, Jungkook," Wooyoung says, looking up from the book he's reading. "You're back."

Jungkook sits down next to Wooyoung on the bench just outside the isolation cell. "I am. How has she been?"

"Quiet," Wooyoung says, a sad smile etched on his face. "She usually talks my head off about anything and everything because she loves having the attention on her, but she's barely said a word the past three days."

Jungkook tries to ignore the twinge of pain in his heart as he nods and stands again. "I'm putting her back in her cell."

Wooyoung nods and stands as well, placing the book on the bench as he places his hands behind his back.

"Thank you," Jungkook says before he can talk himself out of it. "For watching over her."

"It's my job," Wooyoung says, laughing a bit. "I'm happy to help though."

Wooyoung turns and picks up his book, nodding one last time to Jungkook before leaving the area.

Jungkook looks at the cell door, wondering if he's making the right decision. Maybe she should stay down here. Maybe this is the safest place for her to be.

Jungkook shakes his head, clearing his doubtful thoughts as he unlocks the heavy door. As soon as he steps inside, Kennedy immediately meets him at the doorway, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face into the side of his neck.

Jungkook freezes, completely caught off guard as Kennedy hugs him.

"I thought you left," she whispers against his skin.

"No," Jungkook says in a low voice as he braces his arms on either side of the doorway just in case Kennedy tries to run out of the isolation cell. "I'm still here."

"I'm glad," she says, pulling away and smiling up at Jungkook.

A small smile spreads across Jungkook's lips as he lets himself fall into the temptation for just a moment. His arms slowly move away from the door frame and encircle the girl, holding tightly. He's not sure if he's holding her so she can't run out of the cell, or for another reason altogether.

"Me too."

The two stay like that for too long, but Jungkook can't find it in himself to let her go just yet. He decides that, just for this moment, he will let his heart win over his rationality. He knows he can't deny the feelings he has for Kennedy, but he also knows he can never fully act on them, either. There is no future for the two of them, so Jungkook is living for this moment in the present - however fleeting it may be.