Rise Of The Fallen || KTH FF

Chapter 13: Secret Unravel

You and Yoongi step back into the dimly lit meeting room, where the group is still deep in conversation, sifting through the scattered papers and photos. Jimin is bent over the table, frustratedly tapping his fingers on the surface, while Taehyung stands off to the side, his arms crossed, scanning the documents with an intense focus. Lisa catches your eye and offers a small, reassuring smile as you rejoin them.

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. The secret of the photo still burns in your pocket, but for now, you have to keep it hidden. There's something else you need to know.

"Can I see a picture of Jeon Ha-joon?" you ask, your voice tentative as you look around at the group. "I just... I need to know what he looks like."

Everyone pauses. Jimin glances at Taehyung, his brow furrowing.

"We don't have a picture," Taehyung says after a moment, his tone apologetic but firm. "No one's ever seen him. There were no photos, no records, nothing solid. Just the name."

A cold chill creeps up your spine, making you feel even more unsettled. No pictures? No records at all? It's as if this man, Jeon Ha-joon, was a ghost—someone who operated in the shadows, leaving no trace behind. The lack of information only fuels the growing dread in your chest.

You glance at Yoongi, who meets your gaze with a look of quiet concern. He knows what you're thinking, and that silent understanding between you makes the tension even more suffocating.

"It doesn't make sense," Lisa says, her voice cutting through the silence. She flips through the binder in front of her, frustration clear in her expression. "A scientist this involved in the virus, but no one knows who he really is?"

"Or they're hiding him on purpose," Jimin adds, his voice laced with suspicion.

Your thoughts spiral, and the picture of your father tucked away in your jacket seems to burn a hole through the fabric. You clutch it tightly, trying to hold yourself together. If your father truly is involved, what does that mean for everything? For you?

"It's frightening," you admit softly, your voice trembling despite your attempt to remain calm. "To know so little about someone who's caused so much damage."

Taehyung glances at you, his dark eyes softening for a brief moment. He moves closer, standing just a few feet away, and the air between you suddenly feels heavier. His presence is comforting, but it also stirs something deeper inside you—something you've been trying to suppress.

"You're right to be scared," Taehyung says quietly, his gaze lingering on you. "But we'll figure this out. We'll find him."

The warmth in his voice is unexpected, and it catches you off guard. Your heart skips a beat, and for a moment, the room seems to fade away, leaving just the two of you in this tense, charged space.

You swallow hard, nodding, but the words you want to say are stuck in your throat. He's so close, and the intensity in his eyes is making it hard to focus on anything but him. There's a strange tension between you now—a tension that wasn't there before. His gaze flickers down to your lips for just a second, but it's enough to send your pulse racing.

You tear your eyes away, trying to ground yourself. "We need to stay focused," you murmur, more to yourself than anyone else.

Taehyung's eyes linger on you a moment longer before he steps back, the space between you growing again. But the tension doesn't fade. It clings to the air, like a secret you're both too afraid to acknowledge.

"Let's keep going through the files," Yoongi suggests, breaking the silence. He shoots you a knowing glance, as if he can sense the shift in the air, but he says nothing.

You exhale softly, grateful for the distraction, and return to the pile of documents. But even as you immerse yourself in the work, you can't shake the lingering heat from Taehyung's gaze—or the fear gnawing at your heart about your father's potential involvement.