Sempiternal: • Contaminated • || BOOK 3#

22. NPC

"Harder!"

Jiana takes a deep breath, raising her fists again and going towards Jungkook to attack him. He has no problem at all stopping her, punching her abdomen and then knocking her to the ground. Before striking her face, he stops his fist millimeters from her face. The girl gasps and moans in pain on the mat. Jungkook stands up and unties hIS sweaty hair. Seventeen others mutter to each other.

"You must hit harder Put all your energy into it! Your life literally depends on you doing it!" states Jungkook with slight annoyance, with the feeling that they're not taking it seriously. "They're not going to get another chance out there if YOU don't make it."

"What if we have some weapon? Like a knife or a pipe?" proposes a high school student. Jungkook shakes Jiana's hand to stand up and retreat silently in pain.

"It won't be enough if you don't have strength to imprint on that. It can hurt, yes, but if you don't destroy the head what good is it going to do you?" retorts Jungkook and there is concern across the board. He ties his hair back up. "Anyone else want to try?"

Regardless, most try to have a hand-to-hand fight. It's pretty cool that those older than fifteen in general want to give it a try. Jungkook can tell the idea of being unprotected out there is terrifying, not to mention they intend to help and if they know how to fight, it will be more timely. Jungkook delivered what he promised: to be the fighting instructor.

He didn't complete his boxing lessons, but he did enough to remember the stances, how to defend himself and how to handle his body. He'd say that along with dancing are things he couldn't forget even if he tried.

"I think he's pretty good at it," opined Hoseok watching from the window in the doorway. "With some luck, he'll forget Jimin with this." Yoongi rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"You're getting your hopes too high on something useless" Confirms the man with a pout. "He's going to go on with the same thing until there's some direct proof."

"We can manufacture one."

"Like what?"

"I don't know...it'll just...help to stop him from being stuck don't you think?"

Yoongi sighs. If only it were as easy as that.

~ * * * ~

"Namjoon how long have you not slept?"

"I really have no idea" Namjoon replies exhaustedly, keeping his eyes open and not reading the book in front of him despite trying. "Yoongi and Kookie... Did they manage to bring the furniture I asked for?" Jin answers with an affirmative. "I think we can use them now. I already have a better idea or... something like that." Getting up he gets dizzy.

"Namjoon, you must sleep" Jin insists forcing him to sit up. "And if you'll do it using books as a pillow, it serves me well enough."

"I'm fine" replies Namjoon stubbornly. "I want that furniture. It'll do for the living room on the second floor."

"You're not an interior designer and what would that do for us?" Jin has done his best not to ask anything. That way they both get along better. Deliberately ignoring other people's sufferings for lack of eagerness to tell them. However, it costs a lot when Namjoon puts together plans and doesn't explain anything about them.

"Believe me it will be useful. That's all. Let me get-"

"Not until you sleep for at least an hour."

Namjoon gives a groan of annoyance.

~ * * * ~

"Tae-nim" The Idol turns towards the door, leaving the bird inside its cage again. "Noona asked me to tell you that there's someone weird at the school entrance."