Rise Of The Fallen || KTH FF

Chapter 18: The Weight of Silence

The days passed in a blur of exhaustion, fear, and the gnawing sense that something was terribly wrong. The voice that had echoed in your mind after the escape wouldn't leave you alone. Foolish girl... It was like a parasite, feeding on your doubt and anxiety, making you question everything you thought you knew.

No one seemed to notice how much the voice had affected you. Not Jimin, not Lisa, not even Yoongi. You kept moving, helping where you could, forcing yourself to focus on the mission at hand. But inside, you were unraveling.

Taehyung, however, saw through your facade.

He didn't say anything at first, but you caught his glances—the way his eyes lingered on you when you thought no one was watching. He was waiting, giving you space, but he knew. And when the weight of your doubts became unbearable, he was the one who reached out.

One night, after yet another tense meeting about the virus, Taehyung pulled you aside.

"We're going somewhere," he said, his voice calm but firm.

You blinked, too tired to argue. "Where?"

"Somewhere quiet."

He led you out of the shelter and into the night, guiding you through the deserted streets until you reached a small clearing, far from the noise, the chaos, and the zombies. It was eerily peaceful here, a stark contrast to the hellish reality you had grown used to.

The two of you sat on a crumbling wall, the moon casting long shadows around you. For a moment, neither of you spoke. The silence stretched, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt... safe.

Taehyung broke the quiet first. "You've been different," he said softly, his eyes searching yours. "You don't have to tell me everything, but... I'm here. If you want to talk."

You stared at the ground, your hands trembling slightly. The voice still lingered in your mind, but now it was overshadowed by something deeper—the crushing doubt that had settled in your chest ever since you'd heard it. Everything felt like a lie. Like you were spiraling into a darkness you couldn't pull yourself out of.

"I don't even know where to start," you whispered, barely able to meet his gaze.

"Start with what's been bothering you the most," he said gently.

You exhaled slowly, the words finally slipping free. "I don't know if any of this is real," you admitted, your voice trembling. "Everything feels wrong. Ever since... ever since that voice, it's like I've been questioning everything. My life. My family. My past. I feel like my entire life has been a lie."

Taehyung listened quietly, his expression soft but attentive.

You hesitated before continuing. "I... I called my mother a few days ago," you confessed, your hands clenching in your lap. "I needed to know if they were okay. If my father was still... normal."

His eyes widened slightly, but he didn't interrupt.

You took a shaky breath, the memory of that phone call replaying in your mind like a bad dream.

Flashback: The Call

It had been late, the room around you dark as you quietly dialed the number. The phone rang several times before your mother's voice crackled through the line.

"Y/N? Is that you?" she had asked, her voice laced with surprise. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom," you had replied, trying to keep your voice steady. "I just... I needed to hear your voice. Is Dad okay? Is he there?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Yes, your father's fine. He's here at home," your mother had assured you. "We're having another meeting with some of his colleagues, trying to figure out what's going on with the virus."

Relief had washed over you, but it was short-lived.

"Y/N," your mother had said, her tone growing more serious, "we've found something new about the virus."

Your heart had dropped.

"What is it?"

"The virus... it's not just a biological weapon," she had explained quietly. "It contains tiny chips, like microscopic controllers. Someone—whoever's behind this—can use a device to manipulate the zombies. They're not just mindless creatures; they're being controlled. And whoever has the controller can command them to attack... the government, or anyone they choose."

You had frozen, the weight of her words crashing down on you.

"Are you saying they're using the virus to create an army?" you had whispered, dread curling in your stomach.

"Yes," your mother had confirmed. "It's a way to control the chaos. Whoever has that controller could turn the tide of this entire war."

Back in the present, you shuddered at the memory, the overwhelming sense of helplessness returning.

"I don't know what's going on anymore," you whispered, tears pricking at your eyes. "My dad's involved in this, somehow, but I don't know how deep. And now with this virus... everything feels like it's slipping out of control."

Taehyung was silent for a long moment, processing everything you had just told him. Finally, he reached out, gently placing a hand on your shoulder.

"You're not alone in this," he said quietly. "We're all in this together. And we're going to figure it out. No matter what your father's involvement is, it doesn't change who you are."

You looked up at him, his words offering a flicker of comfort amidst the storm of doubt raging inside you. But the truth still loomed large—whoever was controlling the virus, controlling the zombies, had the power to end everything. And you weren't sure how much longer you could keep running from the truth.