Far Cry | JJK x OC

Chapter 69 // The Temple

Leah frowned as she walked down the corridor toward Ella's office. She recognized her voice and Jungkook's.

"But that means he can go home," he insisted.

"He is physically and emotionally exhausted," she argued, and Leah recognized she was losing her patience. "He needs a bit more time."

"For what?"

"To make sure there's no hidden surprises. I can understand that you want to find your friends, but he's too debilitated. He shouldn't fight."

Her tone was almost gentle but when Leah got to them and stood by Jungkook, she immediately knew the posture he was taking, "Fight?!" Leah placed a hand on his arm to try to calm him. "He's not fighting, ever!"

Leah was about to interfere, but Ella sighed in relief, "Okay, good. So let's agree that he stays for the day, and if he manages to eat a bit more, then tonight you can take him home."

He cursed and Leah finally spoke, "That sounds good. He needs time," her voice was gentle. "Maybe we could train a bit today."

He looked out of the corner of his eye, then rumbled something as he walked away, "I'll go tell him."

Both women let him go in silence, and then Leah spoke, "I'm sorry if he said something off." Ella shook her head and Leah continued, "He doesn't want his friend to fight, he just wants him to be safe."

Ella raised an eyebrow, "He doesn't think he's safe here?"

"He does, but as long as he's here, he's not healthy and okay, you know? And he takes that to heart."

Ella sighed and got around her desk to sit down, "Well, he needs to take what he can get. His friend is safe and recovering, there's nothing else to do now."

Leah nodded as she glanced over the papers on the desk, "I think it's his way of dealing with having no news about the others."

Ella's expression was stern until she heaved a deep sigh again, "Yeah, I get that. You guys should be ready to go out at any moment, though. The more time passes, the higher the chances of finding them. Dead or alive."

Leah tried to ignore the bitter taste in her mouth, "I thought it was the other way around."

"No. The island is limited and people get desperate. They'll eventually ask for help or get caught. Trust me, you'll have news soon."

Leah wasn't in the mood to argue or to think about it; she just nodded and said her goodbyes. She headed to Hoseok's room and was surprised to find him asleep. There was a scribbled note on the bedside table to inform him about coming to pick him up later, but nothing about where Jungkook would be now.

It was a bit irrational, but her jaw and fists still clenched as she hurried outside the clinic and looked around. There were no signs of him and the more her heartbeat picked up, the more she remembered the last time he had just vanished like that without a word.

She rushed home to get her things, and noticing his gear was gone didn't ease the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She reminded herself that she suggested training, so she'd head straight there.

That was where she was going when someone called out to her. She stopped in her tracks, relief finally spreading through her and easing the tension tightening her whole body.

"Where are you going?" Jungkook asked with a smirk that quickly transformed into a pout when he got close enough to raise his arms around her.

He meant to be playful, but the way she heaved a deep breath and raised her hands to his chest to soothe herself had his brow creasing.