𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑫𝒚𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒚

𝟑𝟏

Ryujin shot Rosé a stern look before continuing. "I'm not saying we have to trust them blindly. But consider the situation we're in. EXO is coming after us, and we don't know what their next move will be. We need all the help we can get, whether we like it or not."

Rosé crossed her arms defiantly, her eyebrows raised. "And we should just trust BTS after what they did to us? They've proven they can't be trusted."

"Rosé has a valid point. We have good reason to distrust BTS. They've wronged us in the past, and trust is earned, not given freely."

Ryujin nodded in agreement with Jisoo's statement. "I get it. But we're facing a bigger threat here. We need all the resources we can get, and BTS is one of those resources, whether we like it or not. It's not about trust, it's about strategy."

Jisoo nodded, her expression thoughtful but still wary. Her hands, which had been clasped together on the table, now fidgeted slightly, revealing her inner turmoil.

Meanwhile, Rosé shifted her weight slightly, her arms still crossed defiantly. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed in a stubborn pout.

Chaeryoung, who had been quiet during the argument, suddenly spoke up. "That's a good point. Where is Lia?"

The room fell silent as everyone turned towards the door, awaiting Lia's entrance.

Jisoo furrowed her brow. "Lia should've been here by now. It's unlike her to be late without notice."

Lisa, who had been silently stewing in annoyance, finally spoke up. "Maybe she's stuck in traffic or something. Or maybe she decided to slack off and go shopping."

"No, she didn't slack off. She went outside the office to finish some tasks and gather intel."

Lisa rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced. "Yeah, sure. Like she needs alone time for 'intel gathering.' More like she's avoiding us."

"No it's not like tha-"

"We're in a tight spot and Miss Lia conveniently 'goes outside to gather intel.' What a load of bullshit." She slammed her hands on the table and walked away, mumbling under her breath.

Jennie, watching Lisa storm away, exhaled softly."She's not entirely unjustified," she said, a hint of resignation in her voice. "After what BTS put us through, she's got every right to be frustrated with them."

Jennie, her shoulders slumped slightly, followed suit, walking away from the table. As she left, Rosé, also showing signs of irritation, fell into step behind Jennie, her eyes reflecting frustration.

Jisoo, who was left standing with Chaeryoung, Ryujin and Yeji, glanced at the departing members. She turned to Chaeryoung, pursing her lips.

Chaeryoung exhaled deeply and looked up from her computer screen, her eyes meeting Jisoo's. "Unnie, we need to make them understand the severity of the situation."

Jisoo nodded slowly, her expression contemplative. "I know, Chaer. But it's not going to be an easy task, convincing them to work with them after everything that's happened."

Chaeryoung's fingers danced across the keys of her computer, her eyes focused on the screen. "We need to appeal to their survival instincts. We need to make them see that we have no choice but to work with BTS if we want any chance of coming out of this situation alive."

Jisoo considered Chaeryoung's words, her gaze shifting to the empty chairs where Jennie and Lisa had been sitting. "You're right."

Just then, the door burst open, and Lia appeared, a stack of files in her arms. She looked harried, her cheeks flushed and her hair disheveled.

"Sorry I'm late, everyone," she said in a rush. "I had to run around all over the place to gather intel."

Yeji eyed Lia skeptically. "And why was that necessary? We have countless people working for us who could have done it for you."

Lia dropped the files onto the table, her hands shaking slightly from exhaustion. "It had to be me. The information I gathered was time-sensitive and highly confidential. I couldn't trust anyone else with it. "

Jisoo studied Lia's state, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You look exhausted. Did you even think about your own well-being while running around?"

Lia shrugged off Jisoo's concern, her focus on the files spread out on the table. "I don't have the luxury to think about myself right now. The intel I gathered could be crucial in dealing with EXO."

Yeji stepped forward and began flipping through the files on the table. "And what exactly did you find out that's so important that you had to run yourself ragged to get it?"

Lia, joining Yeji in examining the files, explained, "I learned the location of one of EXO's secret headquarters. It's well-guarded and heavily fortified, but it's also their key base of operations. If we can infiltrate it, we might strike a major blow against them."

Ryujin, who had been silently listening until now, spoke up. "And how do we know this information is accurate and not a trap set by EXO?"

Lia pulled out a single file and handed it to Ryujin, a hint of conviction in her voice. "I personally checked the information multiple times, cross-referencing it with various sources. I can guarantee its authenticity."

Ryujin flicked through the file, her eyes scanning the documents inside. She remained silent for a moment before looking up at Lia, a serious expression on her face.

"Alright, let's say we believe you. How do we approach the BTS members with this information? They're not exactly eager to work with us after our previous encounter."

Lia furrowed her brow, considering the possibility. "What if they are interested in working with us? It's not impossible. After all, they also have a score to settle with EXO."