Connected

A Complication

An eyebrow rose, but I pushed on avoiding the questions that were forming in his head. "They want me to create a new bug. Or rather change the coding. They want something that can tell the internet what time it is, not just stop time."

I slid my legs back down into a cross and settled my hands in the middle of them. "With that, they can access hundreds of websites that use specific timings as an additional security measure. Like banks, stocks, government sites, and so on."

"That is really messed up."

I nodded, keeping my eyes at a spot slightly above his head. "Currently with the internet not recognizing time, accounts are semi safe. But, once this comes into play it could hinder cyber responses, since it will only affect certain websites and the people using those websites.

"So you want me to do what, exactly?"

"I am going to make the bug... as they want it." My eyes flicked down to meet his, and I could already see the anger rising.

"You can't be serious," he said through gritted teeth.

Then he scoffed, clearly making up his mind already, "Of course." He leaned back against the wall. "After all of this, you just want to keep adding to everything you've done? That adds, what, 20 years to your eventual sentence? Do you just want me to be a witness to all of it?"

"Of course not," I said back rather harshly. "I want you to stop it."

I threw the phone at him. My anger made me not care about how hard or fast I had thrown it. I didn't even really care if it shattered on the floor, but when he caught it with ease, I was relieved. He looked down at his hand then his eyes came back up to me, anger melting into confusion.

"Call Changbin and Jisung. Tell them they need to be here the day after tomorrow." I stood up, ready to be done with this conversation.

"If I'm calling them, why do you still need to make the new bug?"

I took a deep breath. "When you're done, you can come upstairs. The main room." I turned and began walking out.

"Y/N?" When I turned back he was on his feet and only a few feet away. I needed a redo, we all did.

"I have to protect my family. Just like you do." He didn't make a move towards me as I continued walking away from the cell.

I avoided the main stairs again, electing to go around to the new set. I heard his voice on the phone as I set my foot on the first step. I paused, listening to him talk to Changbin and Jisung, who had obviously been worried about him. His tone told me that he missed them, and he laughed several times.

He reassured them that he was fine, then began explaining what was going on. I continued up the stairs when he began convincing them that they had to wait a bit longer to come rescue him.

I left the door open at the top of the stairs and found Jeongin in the foyer when I got there. His back was to me and he startled when I wrapped my arms around him in a big hug.

"I guess Noona is still more sly than the Fox is." I smiled and his arms came up to hold my arms.

"Noona, the stairs are really creaky. I heard you the whole time."

I laughed, "Ok. Sure you did."

He turned around and hugged me back. My mind wandered through what our lives would have been like if we weren't involved in any of this. Would we still be this close? Would we all still depend on each other the same way? What path would we all be on if they were still...

"Noona?" Jeongin's voice brought me back.

"Hmm?"

"You going to let go any time soon?"

I laughed again, and squeezed him tighter. "I guess if I have to."

I let go, but held him at arm's length. "When did you get so tall?"

"Noona, you literally saw me and Seungmin a few days ago when you said the same exact thing. I haven't grown that much in only a few days."

"Feels like it." I sighed. "Ready to go in?"

He nodded but his eyes settled on something behind me. I turned and watched as the Captain came up from the stairs.

He smiled when he saw us and pointed to the open room behind us. "In there?"

I nodded and Jeongin and I watched as he walked past us into the room.

Jeongin looked back at me. "Who's that?"

I patted his arm, "A complication."

"Oh." He held his arm out for me to take. "Does the complication have a name?"

I took it, "Captain Bang Chan of Seoul City Cyber Division."

"Long name." We didn't move and I looked back up to Jeongin's face. It was scrunched up in thought.

"Are we going in Jeongin?"

"Oh, yeah. Let's go." He walked me back into the meeting room.

Seungmin and the Captain were both looking at the blood stain on the couch. Lee Know was sitting in a different chair holding a cup of brown liquid up to his head. He moved his head slightly when I walked back in. Seungmin glanced up smiling at me and Jeongin when we walked in. The Captain didn't look up, his eyes stayed on the stain as he said something low to Seungmin.

Jeongin let go of my arm and went over to join the Captain and Seungmin. I watched as they excitedly began talking about something all together. All of their faces filled with genuine happiness.

Lee Know stood up and walked over to join me in the entryway. "They seem to get along well."

I nodded, still watching them. "That's what I was just thinking."

"I'm sorry about earlier."

The apology caught me off guard and I turned to face him as he continued talking. "With all of this being added on, I let my stress get the better of me. I went way too far trying to prove that I was in control of the situation."

I patted his arm. "Way too far."

I looked back over to the other three boys. They were now laughing about something that the Captain had said.

"Do you plan on telling the Captain too?" My eyes never leaving them.

"I will, once this little gathering is over. I figure I should at least tell him that if we are going to be working together the next few days."

"Thanks Lee Know."

He stepped forward, "Should we get started?"

Jeongin and Seungmin looked at him, but the Captain's eyes looked at me.

I looked away first, "Everyone take a seat. It's a long story."