Continuum

스물 여덟

Despite the lackluster appearance of the outside of the building, the interior was incredible. Taehyung stared wide-eyed at all the scientific gadgets and apparatus around him as he followed the group through a large room filled to the brim with loads and loads of stuff. He wanted to look more closely at thing things around him, but he was concerned that he'd end up touching something, breaking it, and causing a massive explosion. Taehyung couldn't very well get home if he'd blown himself up. The scientist, who was currently full-on ranting about various things to anyone that would listen, was also preventing him from stopping, as he was walking so fast the boys that were politely walking close to him had to speed walk to keep up. With a smile, Taehyung realized that Yoongi was unsuccessfully trying to explain the situation on their part to the scientist, but the older man seemed to want to rant out his rage about anything and everything first.

Taehyung's jaw dropped as the scientist lead them into a huge, dark room with strange machines whirring and lights blinking. It looked straight out of a television show or movie, like The Flash. Even the other boys seemed amazed as they looked around.

"Sir, who are you-" an unfamiliar male voice cut itself off. Taehyung looked around to see a boy around his own age standing in the middle of a large doorway that seemed to lead into a different hallway than the one they had entered through. The boy had his arms full of what appeared to be books and documents. His eyes narrowed when he saw the group. "Oh," he said, obviously unhappy.

Taehyung sensed a change in the scientist's mood then. "Joshua," the man said cooly enough. Perhaps too cooly. "These boys are here for help."

"Help?" Joshua huffed, holding the many books up higher and storming into the room. "What kind of help would people like them want here?"

If the other boys hadn't been offended before, some of them certainly were now, judging by the skillfully controlled rage on their faces. Still, something happened that surprised Taehyung. Joshua stumbled forward, still looking angry, then just as he passed by, he tripped and the books and papers went flying. Whether it was out of actual concern or just force of habit, Yoongi reached out to catch the boy. The moment his hand touched Joshua's back, however, the boy seemed like he had been given an electric shock. He jumped away and yelled loudly, causing even the old man to pause and look at him.

"What is it now, Joshua?" he asked, obviously exasperated.

Joshua was glaring daggers at Yoongi, who looked like he was about to explode. "He touched me," Joshua said.

"Well then," the man said, "consider yourself lucky. Most people would have to pay for that."

The boy looked outraged, almost as much as Yoongi. He looked at the scientist and Yoongi, then stormed out of the room, leaving his books and papers a scattered mess on the floor.

The man almost half smiled as soon as Joshua left, then looked at the remaining boys with a far more pleasant expression. "Don't pay that idiot any mind, you boys." He scoffed. "I never even wanted that one around. The first one was far better and much less judgemental. And don't you boys worry about speaking formally to me, I don't really give a damn and I won't tell your bosses."

A few of them seemed relieved by this news, the others still looked angry. Taehyung was curious. "If you don't like him, why is he here?"

The man turned away with another scoff. "Oh, rich people, you know. You see, there were two candidates to be my assistant here. One of them was a middle-class boy. Very smart. Respectful. I liked having him around. But then His Royal Ass over there got mad and complained to his CEO father, and the next thing I know, I have to kick the first one out onto the porch and replace him with that one. Ridiculous, I tell you."