The Red Thread of Fate || Wen Junhui

➶ three ➴

I feel like a foreigner stepping into a new country.

I have grown accustomed to clean floors, bright overhead lights, and the smell of bleach meant to drown out the odor of blood. Everything in Seventeen's dorms are the complete opposite.

"It's not much," Sungcheol says as he leads us through a long corridor, "but it's—"

"Don't start with that cheesy shit." Jihoon mutters and ducks underneath a light bulb. "You do this every damn time we get somebody new."

"Home," Jisoo finishes for him, ignoring the smaller one. "It's not much but it's home."

Even though all I've seen is a simple hallway that stinks of sweat, I feel like I'm walking through a palace.

"Perfect." I say. "It's perfect."

Our feet squish against a navy carpeted floor covered in stains, some of them still damp. A row of six light bulbs hang dangerously low from the ceiling and illuminate the dust bunnies left over from a failed attempt at vacuuming. I can easily duck underneath because of my short height, but still have to place my hands on the cracked walls to balance myself.

The Facility was a dungeon; this is what's at the glorious surface. The cracks in the walls are the fancy two million dollar paintings, the stains on the floor are the patterned marble tiles, and the swinging light bulbs are the crystal chandeliers.

Each door we pass is painted a different bright color and has to be opened using a rusty knob. Little pieces of paper are taped onto each one, indicating who stays in there. A tiny design is scribbled next to some names. I think that these are the names of the other members.

"This is where we sleep." Jisoo confirms my quiet suspicions. "We normally share a room according to our units."

"Units?" I ask. "Like...teams?"

He nods ecstatically. "Exactly. There's three units in Seventeen. Sungcheol's going to explain all that after we're all gathered."

The closer we get to the end of the corridor, the laughter, idle conversations, and music becomes louder. My heart climbs its way up my throat in excitement and anticipation. I wasn't too excited in the car, but now that I am here, I am suddenly eager to meet the others. There's a slight skip in my step and the ghost of a grin blossoming on my dry lips.

"Stop here." Sungcheol says, motioning for me to stop. The feeling of elation pops like a balloon. He turns around and his eyes scan me up and down intensely. "Wait here. Jisoo, Jihoon, stay with her please. I feel like she's about to go wandering the second we turn our backs."

I furrow my eyebrows, slightly offended at his accusation that is true, but I still deny it anyways. "That is not tr—"

Before I can finish, he turns on his heels and swiftly marches down the rest of the corridor and into the room at the end.

"Units assemble!" Sungcheol shouts.

As soon as he jumps down a pair of stairs and enters the room, everything becomes immediately quiet. The only thing left in the wake of the boyish chaos are eerie echoes that dance down the corridor. I am able to catch only a second's glimpse of the other members scrambling to line up. It is a blizzard of multi-colored hair and bright clothes.

Jisoo steps around to stand in front of me, blocking me off from the other members.

"What?" I hiss in frustration. I try to peer around his shoulders and even jump, but I'm too short. "Come on! Let me see!"

Fuck this. Why couldn't the doctors have made me taller?

"Jesus Christ." Jihoon says. "Calm down. You're going to meet the others in a minute, just give Sungcheol some time to give them a heads up that you're here. You can't just waltz in there as you please. It's not everyday that a Rogue Soldier moves in with you."