Paradigm | ATEEZ x Reader

CHAPTER FIFTY | PERFECT WORLD

August 28th - Day 8 Continued

"Woo, what did you guys write on his arm...?" You question. Your eyes narrow, trying to make out the distant scribblings plastered across Yeonjun's makeshift cast.

"Our names." Wooyoung says, mouth half full of food. "We thought it would help him learn them. But he's been calling Seonghwa, Hongjoong, for the past hour... Though, that could just be the concussion talking..." I bet Hwa's loving that. You laugh to yourself, taking a grape off Wooyoung's plate.

"Shortie..." Wooyoung starts, turning his attention from watching the reunited Choi family in the distance.

"Sorry, I ate too much of your stuff again, didn't I–"

"No. You're fine." He shifts in his seat, finishing off his bite. "I know you probably don't want to talk about it...but I feel like you're in the middle of all this...and talking with the guys about it without you feels wrong..."

"Woo, what's up?"

"I know we've got our exit plan worked out, but without our recorders...we don't really have anything to make our case to the police."

"Oh." You sigh, biting down on another grape. He's right. Without concrete evidence, we have no real way to get any police here to investigate...much less any non-Bermuda police... If only the head of the police force wasn't in Mr. Choi's back pocket. "I'm still holding out hope." You decide. Wooyoung doesn't press you on it any longer, and your attention drifts to the people around you.

Behind you, you can hear your friends whispering, subtly conversing about the night's plan that lies ahead. Yeonjun, Soobin, and Haeji crowd their father, Mrs. Choi pushed out. She opens her mouth to contribute, but words never follow, not like anyone would want to hear them anyways.

Sailors' chants erupt from across the dining hall, a drunken Kagero and friends to blame. Sana lets herself turn from her mother's conversation, stealing a glance at the man she knows will ruin it all. You think she might be praying that he never comes over, that this moment of peace with her mother will never be disrupted.

"Hey." San whispers. "We should get going." His gaze falls to Reem, who has finally arrived at dinner, giving all of you the green light. "Hongjoong wants us to leave in groups. He thinks it's best if we all go different ways." You nod in confirmation, rising slowly. Sana gives you a warm smile from afar, and you feel your anxiety lessen.

As if navigating around landmines, the group of you split, ensuring no one is looking your way as you make your exit. Thankfully, the boisterous dinner provides ample cover, and you all manage to make it to the familiar building unseen.

Its doors are loud when they open, scaring a distant bird into flight as you pull. The others follow behind you. You're the one who got them this far, after all. Single file, you make the climb up the steps, and soon you're face to face with the office door, the "Your Friend Insu" plaque still hammered into it. You take a deep breath, fingers bracing the door as you push it open. Relief fills you as you watch it leave its frame, the downpour of warm light a welcoming sight.

The room is still stuffy. A single window in the right corner of the back wall, the room's only ventilation, carries in the music from the dining hall as it takes its expected festivous turn in the night. The boys begin to dig through the room, Yeosang reminding everyone to leave everything just as they found it. You take a seat at the desk, shaking the computer mouse quickly, though the screen remains black.

"I think you have to..." Yunho says, reaching from behind you, his fingers pressing a clunky power button. He rests his other hand on the back of your chair, waiting hopefully as the screen goes from black to having a dim glow. A computer fan gets going, and a strenuous hum starts along with it.