Shadow Dancing | K.TH

One Day

"About Jungkook— he's okay, right?"

At my tentative question, V looks up. His lips part to give an answer when the door flings open, thudding against the wall behind and leaving me looking like a deer caught in headlights. My eyes widen as a darkened shadow darts from the open doorway and instantly lunges for me.

A short, terrified scream escapes my lips when the person slams into me, arms wrapping around my shoulders and carrying such firmness yet gentle with the touch.

I instantly recognize Jungkook when I see his crinkled eyes glint in the moonlight, his face lifted with excitement.

"I'm fine, Noona."

Jungkook says happily, his face practically glowing with the emotion as he gestures at my back. The bright smile suddenly dissipates as the flickers of memory flash across his face.

"You got stabbed."

"It's fine now," I reassure him, trying not to show the continuous ache the wound had been giving me since I woke up. Lifting my casted arm to his bruised cheek, I pat his head like an adult would do to a child.

"Are you okay? I know it's hard at the first time."

His lips curve into a saddened pout as he remembers the beatings, and I suddenly feel guilty. I shouldn't have brought the subject up— he seemed like he wanted to forget about the event entirely.

"I'm okay."

"Perfect timing, Kook." V remarks, clearly aiming to avoid the sensitive topic. "You heard her coming?"

"Yeah!" He says, bringing his hands together as he looks at me. "Tzuyu Noona has this particular footstep sound— it's soft and barely audible. I knew it was her when I heard it."

"What is V's like?" I ask, my face showing amusement as Jungkook describes how I walk.

"I've never heard hyung's footfalls before." Jungkook replies, and I nod, able to relate to his observations. "It's just too silent—blends too well into the background noise. No one ever hears him coming."

In the corner of my eye, I can see V shrug with nonchalance. Then all of a sudden, I remember what I'd been trying to ask him all along.

I grip V's hand, trying not to obsess over how soft it feels under my touch.

"Did you take the cure?"

"We both took it." V says, and I notice how the dull in his eyes before is completely gone, replaced with something else that makes his face glow. My heart jumps with joy as I learn that he is no longer plagued by his disease, and neither was I.

My father's crazy, insane genius intellect had been good for something after all.

"No more fading!" Jungkook exclaims as he motions at my arms. But then the boy's look turns thoughtful as he remarks truthfully. "But I actually did think that it was really cool. And it came really useful at times."

That was true. If it hadn't been for my fading, these people I'm talking to would've been killed at the first assignment I'd ever accompanied them to. Not to mention I never would've gotten to Jungkook in my father's compound, or many other things that I couldn't recall off the top of my head.

"How did you break through?" I ask V, my expression mystified. Even though I'd had my own advantages, they didn't have anything that allowed them to walk through walls and casually brush past patrols swarming all over the place.