Duty and Death

The Storm Approaches

Another day in this rundown factory. The walls felt like they were closing in more and more with each passing hour. Despite the half-assed attempts to make this place feel like home, it was nothing but a prison we chose for ourselves. A temporary hideout from the bullshit outside. But no matter how much we tried to convince ourselves that we were safe here, I knew better. The storm was coming, and we had to be ready.
I was in the back room, loading up my gun when Hoseok walked in, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced with a look of concern. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching me with those sharp eyes that always seemed to see too much.
"Hyejin," he started, his voice low. "Can we talk?"
"About what?" I asked, not looking up from my task.
"About what the fuck we're going to do next. We can't stay here forever."
I snapped the magazine into place, the sound echoing in the empty room. "I know. But we need a plan, and we need it fast."
Hoseok ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "The others are getting restless. They're starting to wonder if we're doing the right thing by staying here."
I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "We don't have a choice. The cops are still out there, and if we move too soon, we'll be walking straight into their trap."
"I get that, but we can't keep them on edge like this. We need to give them something-anything-to keep their heads in the game."
I stood up, walking over to the window and staring out at the cracked pavement below. "Fine. We'll start scouting for a new place tomorrow. Something more secure, more hidden."
Hoseok nodded, relief washing over his features. "Good. I'll get the others ready."
Before he left, I called out, "Hoseok?"
He turned, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"Thanks," I said, the word feeling foreign on my tongue. "For always having my back."
He smiled, a rare thing these days. "Always. I'm your brother."
The next morning, we gathered in the main room again, the tension thick as hell. Namjoon was hunched over a map, pointing out possible locations for our next hideout.
"This one's the most isolated," he said, tapping a spot near the outskirt of the city. "It's an old warehouse, even more rundown than this one, but it's got potential."
Yoongi, who had been leaning against the wall, chimed in. "We'll need to fortify it. Make sure there's no way in except through us."
"Seokjin and I can handle that," Taehyung added, his expression serious.
"And what about supplies?" Jungkook asked, his arms casually draped over the back of my chair.
"Leave that to me," Jimin said, his tone distant. He hadn't been the same since I got back, and I could tell it was eating at him.
Jimin's eyes met mine for just a second before he looked away, the awkwardness between us thickening the air. It was clear he still hadn't gotten over what happened between us, and honestly, I couldn't blame him. Things had change-hell, I had changed. But that didn't mean we could afford to be distracted. We had too much at stake.
"Good," I said, my voice steady. "We all know what we need to do. We move tomorrow night. Get your shit together and be ready."
The group dispersed, everyone heading off to prepare. Jungkook stayed behind, his hand sliding down my arm until he was holding my hand, his thumb rubbing small circles on the back of it.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
I nodded, squeezing his hand. "I'm fine, Kook. Just tired of all this bullshit."
He pulled me into a hug, and for a moment, I let myself relax against him. His warmth, his scent-it was the only thing that felt real in this fucked up situation.
"We'll get through this," he murmured against my hair. "I'm not letting anything happen to you. Not again."
I pulled back slightly, looking up at him. "I know. and I'm not letting anything happen to you either. We're in this together."
He smiled, that familiar cocky grin that always managed to make my heart skip a beat. "Damn right we are."
Later that night, I found myself alone in one of the back rooms, trying to wrap my head around everything that was about to happen. The plan was solid, but that didn't mean it wasn't risky. We were putting all our chips on the table, hoping like fuck that it would pay off.
As I leaned against the cold wall, the door creaked open, and Jimin stepped inside. The awkward tension returned instantly, but this time, he didn't avoid my gaze.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," I replied, crossing my arms. "What's up?"
He hesitated, his eyes flickering to the floor before meeting mine again. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry. For how things ended between us."
I exhaled, feeling a mix of emotions I wasn't ready to deal with. "You don't need to apologize Jimin. We both know it wasn't going to work out."
"Yeah, but..." He trailed off, struggling to find the right words. "It's just, seeing you with Jungkook... It's hard, you know?"
I nodded, understanding where he was coming from. "I get it. But we've both moved on. There's no point dwelling on it."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. I just needed to say it, I guess."
"Thanks," I said, offering him a small smile. "For saying it."
Jimin returned the smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Take care of yourself, Hyejin."
"You too, Jimin."
With that, he turned and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again. It wasn't the resolution I'd hope for, but it was something. We had too much history to ever be completely okay, but at least now we could both move forward without any lingering regrets.
The following day passed in a blur of preparation and tension. Everyone was on edge, knowing that tonight was our last shot at escaping the cops' radar for good. As the sun dipped below the horizon, we gathered our gear and set out for the new location, nerves frayed but determination unwavering.
By the time we arrived, the warehouse was just as Namjoon had described-dilapidated and isolated, but with the potential to be a fortress. We worked quickly, securing the perimeter and setting up inside. This was going to be our new home, at least until the heat died down.
Jungkook and I ended up alone in one of the rooms, the adrenaline from the day's events still pumping through my veins. He pulled me close, his lips brushing against my ear, "We did it. We're safe."
"For now," I murmured, leaning into him. "But yeah, we fucking did it."
His lips found mine, and all the tension, fear, and frustration melted away in that kiss. We were alive, we were together, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like we had a real shot at making it through this.
But I knew better than to let my guard down completely. The storm might have passed for now, but I could feel it on the horizon-another wave of chaos down on us. And when it did, I'd be ready.