Survival Instinct // Namkook

chapter 12 - a faint glow of hope

After what felt like an eternity of stumbling through the cold, dark tunnel, Jungkook’s heart leaped when he saw it — a faint glow up ahead. It wasn’t much, just a thin sliver of light breaking through the darkness, but to Jungkook, it was everything.

His breath caught in his throat, and he felt an overwhelming urge to bolt toward it. His muscles ached, his feet were sore, and his entire body screamed for relief, for warmth, for fresh air. The sight of that light made his chest tighten with desperate hope.

Finally, an end to this torture. He turned off the flashlight to get a better look at the light in the distance. He wasn't mistaken! There was the end of the tunnel!

Jungkook’s legs tensed, ready to break into a sprint toward the light. He didn’t care what was on the other side — the sunlight, the sky, anything was better than this suffocating darkness. But before he could take a step, a firm hand grabbed his arm, pulling him back. He stumbled, surprised, and looked up to see Namjoon staring ahead, his expression tense.

"Don't," Namjoon hissed, his voice low, almost a growl.

Jungkook blinked in confusion, his body still wired from the excitement of seeing the light. "What—?"

Namjoon didn’t let him finish. He jerked his hand forward covering Jungkooks mouth, signing toward the light with his chin, his grip on Jungkook’s arm tightening slightly. “Someone’s there.”

The words sent a chill down Jungkook’s spine. He strained his eyes, peering through the shadows toward the distant glow. And then he saw it — a faint silhouette, just beyond the light. It was subtle, almost hidden, but once Jungkook noticed it, he couldn’t unsee it. A figure, lingering at the edge of the light, barely moving.

His heart dropped into his stomach.

Namjoon’s hand slowly slipped away from Jungkook’s mouth, but the hand on his arm lingered. They both stood there, frozen, staring at the figure. It could’ve been anyone — a scavenger, a survivor, or something worse. Jungkook’s mind raced with possibilities, each one more terrifying than the last. Whoever it was, they didn’t seem to be moving, just standing there, watching the tunnel’s exit.

“What do we do?” Jungkook whispered, his voice shaky.

Namjoon’s eyes never left the figure. His jaw clenched, his mind clearly working fast. Jungkook could practically feel the wheels turning in Namjoon’s head, calculating their options, their chances. The older man had always been quick on his feet, able to assess situations in an instant, but even now, Jungkook could see the tension in him, the slight hesitation that meant this wasn’t an easy call.

“We wait,” Namjoon finally muttered, his voice quiet but steady. “See if they leave.”

Jungkook nodded, though his heart hammered wildly in his chest. Waiting was the last thing he wanted to do. Every second spent in this darkness made him more anxious, more desperate to escape. But he trusted Namjoon’s instincts, even if he didn’t fully understand them. Namjoon had proven to keep calm and calculated in every situation — there was no reason to doubt him now.

They crouched down in the shadows of the tunnel, far enough back that the figure wouldn’t be able to see them if they moved. The air felt thick, every breath Jungkook took filled with tension. His eyes flickered back and forth between the silhouette and Namjoon, waiting for some kind of signal, some sign that it was safe.

Minutes passed. They felt like hours.

Jungkook’s nerves were fraying, the anticipation gnawing at him. The figure still hadn’t moved, standing in the same spot as if waiting for something — or someone. Jungkook couldn’t shake the feeling that they were trapped, that this person knew they were there, hiding in the shadows. His imagination ran wild, making up worst-case scenarios where they were ambushed the moment they stepped into the light.

Namjoon, on the other hand, was still eerily calm. His eyes remained fixed on the figure, his body still, waiting for the right moment to act. Jungkook wished he could have that kind of control, but every fiber of his being screamed to move, to escape.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the figure shifted. Jungkook’s breath caught in his throat as he watched the person slowly turn, their movements deliberate but not rushed. They lingered for a moment longer, scanning the tunnel entrance, before walking off behind the left corner, disappearing in the light.

“They’re gone,” Jungkook whispered, relief flooding his voice.

Namjoon didn’t respond immediately, his eyes still glued to where the figure had been. After a long, tense pause, he finally nodded. “Let’s go. Quickly.”

They didn’t waste any more time. Jungkook followed closely behind Namjoon, his heart racing as they moved toward the light, their steps cautious but hurried. The relief of seeing daylight again was almost overwhelming, but Jungkook kept his focus on Namjoon’s back, trusting him to guide them out safely.

As they slipped into the light running up the staircase back onto the city streets past the tunnel’s exit, the cold morning air hit Jungkook’s face, making him shiver. But he didn’t care. He could finally breathe again, the weight of the darkness lifted from his chest. The city stretched out before them, broken and desolate, but it was better than being trapped underground.

Namjoon paused once they were clear of the tunnel, his eyes scanning their surroundings before turning to Jungkook. “We can’t stay here long. Keep moving.”

Jungkook nodded, his body still buzzing from the close call. As they walked, the image of that figure lingering at the tunnel’s edge stuck with him, a reminder of how quickly things could go wrong in this world. He didn’t know who that person was, but it didn’t matter.

They were lucky, this time.

He stole a glance at Namjoon as they moved deeper into the ruins, feeling a strange mixture of gratitude and unease. Namjoon’s quick thinking had probably saved them, again. But the older man’s unreadable expression, his constant calm, left Jungkook wondering. He still couldn’t fully figure Namjoon out, couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on beneath that cold, composed exterior.

But for now, they were alive. And that was all that mattered.