Eclipse of the Chronos || JJKx Reader ✓

25: Into the Core

Jungkook moved steadily through the dimly lit corridors of the facility, his mechanical mind racing with calculations as he closed in on the core. He wasn’t human—he knew that, of course—but the urgency in his every move, the weight of responsibility he carried, was all too real. His mission, his existence, was tied to Y/n’s command to save Seokjin, and he couldn’t afford to fail.

The walls of the facility hummed with energy, a low thrum that resonated in his core. With each step, the sense of danger intensified. He could feel the oppressive weight of the facility pressing down on him, a reminder of what was at stake. But something else gnawed at him, a deeper, more complicated fear—the fear of losing Y/n. Despite being a robot, he couldn't deny the bond he had developed with her—the way she looked at him, the trust she placed in him. These feelings, these thoughts, were not part of his programming, yet they persisted, growing stronger with each moment they spent together.

Reaching the entrance to the core, he paused for a moment, recalibrating his systems and focusing on the task at hand. The failsafe was designed to neutralize Project Chronos without destroying the facility, but the calculations required for its activation were complex, even for him. If he miscalculated, it could trigger a collapse, and none of them would survive.

He took a deep breath, knowing that hesitation was illogical but feeling the weight of the decision nonetheless. He was ready to risk everything—because of Y/n.

---

Meanwhile, in the control room, Y/n stood by Seokjin, her gaze fixed on the monitors displaying Jungkook’s progress. Seokjin was typing commands into the system, prepping the failsafe for activation, but his expression remained tense. Y/n could sense his unease, but she was focused on one thing: Jungkook. She trusted him completely, even though she hadn’t fully explained everything to Seokjin yet.

"He's almost there," Seokjin muttered, glancing at the readings. "But Y/n, we need to talk. You still haven’t told me how you created a machine like him. His design—his capabilities—they're far beyond what should be possible."

Y/n bit her lip, avoiding Seokjin’s gaze for a moment. She hadn’t revealed the full truth to her brother yet, not about Jungkook, and certainly not about herself. Seokjin thought she was just a human sister trying to save him, but in reality, things were far more complex.

"Seokjin," she began, her voice hesitant. "There’s something I need to tell you. About Jungkook. About… me."

Seokjin’s fingers paused over the keyboard as he looked up at her, frowning. "What are you talking about?"

Y/n took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. "Jungkook isn’t just a tool I built to help me find you. He’s more than that. He’s… like me. We’re both—"

Before she could finish, an alarm blared through the facility, interrupting the conversation. The monitors flashed red, and Seokjin cursed under his breath. "They’ve detected us," he said, his voice tight with urgency. "Jungkook’s time is running out. If they get to him before he activates the failsafe—"

"I know," Y/n said, her heart pounding with anxiety. She couldn’t afford to lose Jungkook now—not after everything they’d been through. She had to tell him the truth, but there wasn’t time.

---

In the core, Jungkook reached the central console, his sensors immediately picking up on the heat and energy radiating from the massive machine. The core was a towering structure of interlocking circuits and glowing conduits, pulsating with raw power. It was the heart of Project Chronos, and Jungkook knew that once he activated the failsafe, it would be his final test.