Plague 2023 (Plague 2022 Season 2)

Episode 40 [The final episode]

SEASON FINALE:

THE ART OF SUBTERFUGE: BENEATH THE WATCHFUL EYES

As soon as Jaeyeon, Sae Joon Hyun, Yon, and Hailey entered the room, Ha-ram locked the door behind them with a soft click. The sound resonated in the quiet room, a subtle reminder of the situation they were in—trapped, at least for now. The room was sparse, with little more than metal bunker beds lining the walls. Jaeyeon wheeled Sae Joon Hyun’s bed to a stop in front of one of the lower bunks. He knew moving Sae Joon Hyun too much could aggravate his wounds, but he needed to get him off the wheeled bed. With a gentle lift, Jaeyeon carried him in a bridal style, cradling his fragile body close before carefully placing him onto the lower bunk.

Jaeyeon then sat down beside Sae Joon Hyun’s head, leaning back against the cold metal pole of the bunk bed. The weight of the day pressed down on him as he closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Just as he began to settle, he felt a presence nearby and opened one eye, glancing sideways. Hamin was approaching him, his steps slow and deliberate. Jaeyeon’s gaze shifted subtly to the cameras positioned around the room. It was possible that the cameras weren’t just watching—they might be listening too. They had to be careful, very careful, not to reveal any secrets.

Without opening his other eye, Jaeyeon spoke in a low, even tone. “I haven’t forgiven you yet,” he began, “but if you want to talk to me, you can.”

“Yes,” Hamin replied slowly, carefully choosing his words. “I want to talk to you. I mean… I can’t talk to those twelve doctors only, right?”

The subtle emphasis on "twelve doctors only" was not lost on Jaeyeon. That slip, that deliberate grammar fault, conveyed something important: there were only twelve occupants in the building, a crucial piece of information that might otherwise have been missed.

Su-yeong, catching onto the conversation, joined in with a light mockery that was part of their act. “Look at you, getting old,” she teased Hamin. “There are two CEOs you could talk to as well.”

Hamin flushed, playing his part convincingly. “I can’t talk to CEOs. I couldn’t even talk to my teachers back at school.”

The conversation flowed naturally, each word carefully chosen to pass information without arousing suspicion. Yuri, sensing the direction of the conversation, chimed in, adding another layer to their coded exchange. “Right, right. This is so strange though. This is such a big place and all, but... where are the washrooms?”

Jaeyeon picked up the thread seamlessly. “They want our blood,” he said, his tone flat. “They want mine and Yon’s blood, apparently. But whatever, we can simply stay here under safety rather than out there.”

“Ah. Why do they need your blood?” Eunhye asked, playing along. The conversation had to sound casual, like they were just voicing their concerns aloud, but every word was carefully crafted.

Yon took over, the underlying message in his words clear to those who knew how to listen. “I don’t know. Maybe because we’re different. Strong physically or something.”

Sae Joon Hyun caught on immediately. “Oh, come on. Everyone here is strong.”

With that, the plan was subtly communicated to everyone in the room. They would use Hamin’s blood instead of Jaeyeon’s—an exchange that would hopefully go unnoticed by their captors.

Jaeyeon then stood up, stretching as if to emphasize his next point. “Ugh. I need to go to the washroom,” he announced. This was the final piece of the puzzle, signaling where the blood swap would likely take place. The washroom, a place that might be free from the prying eyes of cameras.