• cards | nct 2018 •

ten || sadness

the emotion everyone holds deep inside themselves.

"johnny. what do you have to report?" the deep voice questioned, expecting an answer.

"nothing of use, sir." johnny responds, resolute, as he kneels before a translucent curtain.

the only thing that separates their master and himself.

"nothing of use, you say? well then, what about your work in that school? is that girl there?" he pressed hard on his words.

johnny momentarily pursed his lips.

"no, sir. she is not, all i have seen are blackjack recruits." there was a silence after that. he couldn't help but be nervous.

he gulps as the deep voice starts to speak again.

"very well. you may take your leave, johnny."

he lets out a slow, but steady breath and stands up, bowing. he turns around to leave, but the voice starts to say something.

"don't forget your reason of going to the school, johnny. you work for me, and nobody else. the same goes to taeyong, and everyone." johnny balls his hands into fists as his palms felt damp.

he takes slow steps out of the door. it creaks open, and he steps out of the room, sighing heavily.

the atmosphere in that large room was suffocating.

"johnny hyung?" a slightly confused voice calls out to him, and he turns towards it.

"jungwoo." he pushes himself off the door and walks to him, the sound of his shoes echoing with each step he takes.

to jungwoo's surprise, he doesn't stop in front of him. instead, he passes him to walk deeper into the building.

"where are you going?" puzzled, he asks.

johnny doesn't reply. he doesn't hear him.

"aren't you going home?" jungwoo asks again, this time somewhat worried.

he was new to the team, and he knew the hierarchy well. but part of him wanted to get closer to his team members. he found johnny the hardest to understand.

perhaps they had different ideals.

johnny hears his question this time, loud and clear. he scoffs.

"home, you say?"

jungwoo frowns.

"what a joke. there's no such thing." he sounded cold. again, jungwoo couldn't understand.

"why not?"

"you'd better not talk about this with anyone else. after all," johnny glances back at him. "not everyone is fortunate like you," he doesn't respond to his question.

"everyone...has lost a loved one," he whispers wistfully. "and that is the price we have to pay." he walks off, the sound of his footsteps gradually fading away.

jungwoo watches as he does, his frown deepening with every second passing.

especially when he looked back at him. he noticed an emotion in johnny's eyes he had never seen before. neither did he ever expect to see it.

sadness.

____________________

mark p.o.v

the door to the headquarters of ace opened with a soft click. the click echoed throughout the silent room, and i looked up from my stack of documents.

the others had after school activities, so they shouldn't be back this soon.

furrowing my brows, i waited as the door slammed shut, a girl with dark hair stepping into the room.

she looks at me with a smile.

i widen my eyes in surprise. "lee hyeji...? why are you..." i trail off, flabbergast.

"nice to meet you once again, mark. i'm your newest addition to your team." her eyes creases into crescents, and she walks to the seat beside me. she sits.

"what?" i involuntarily exclaim.

"sorry for not telling you earlier." she laughs, as if trying to ignore my surprise.

my mind immediately trails back to what taeil said about the new member being a..full blood.

i started to open my mouth to speak, but was stopped by her words.

"you said you hoped the next time we meet, I'll be able to provide some answers..." she trails off, picking up a photo frame from the desk in front of her. it was donghyuk's.

her eyes glaze over the photograph that sat in it. if I remembered correctly, it was taken on donghyuk's 17th birthday two years ago.

it was before ace was formed.

the corners of her lips twitched slightly, as if she was stopping herself from breaking into a smile.

she then gently placed the frame down and then looks up at me.

"would you like to have some of your questions answered?"

__________________________