Deception || BTS AU

7

Hoseok's POV

"I'm really sorry you had to go through this. Ever since the outbreak, Busan—or what was left of it had been pretty chaotic. People had gone mad, everyone had turned against one another. Fortunately, my family had managed to round a group together and eventually we made a community of survivors," Mrs. Chen gazed at us with innocent puffy eyes. She wasn't acting like before. It was strange, how a person said to be a little off could act so nice to others. She is lying.

It wasn't hard to see past her lies, she was bad at it. With the squint of her eyes to the way she aggressively throws in hand motions every five seconds, I had a hard time thinking if anyone of her people see the truth.

I never felt cautious of someone in my whole life, the feeling of her piercing eyes looking at mine were nerve racking. I grew quiet as the woman in front of us continued to speak, her story being muffled out by sounds of more gunfire from outside. All I could imagine is more blood, more people dying by hands of survivors alike. I was told actions speak louder than words, but sometimes I wished it wasn't like that because of what happened now-every chance they could get, they shoot. No more peace, like as if the wars of the past had never taught people from today. I guess it was due to the virus-something that was caused by us.

I felt a nudge at my right, facing them slowly as I directed my gaze off of the woman. Jimin held the same look as I did. He was not falling for her tricks so easily.

"Are any of you hungry? I have tea prepared for everyone, it's good for the body," Mrs. Chen chuckles, her dry throat could be sensed even from a couch across. The sound of her forcing out a cough sent chills down my spine as if she was trying to curse us. She leaned in, trying to say something but stopped as if someone else was in the room with her. The wrinkles in her face matched with her frail pale hands. They looked a little worn, but the grasp was strong.

A few people entered the room with bowls of soup and tea. They didn't have any particular emotions showing, their blank stares finding the ground more amusing than the view of meeting someone else's eyes. They looked scared, which told me how truly menacing Mrs. Chen really is behind the facade she displays with the rest of the people in Busan. Hesitant, but confident to set the items on the glass pane table in front, the maids-I assume-scurried away like flies, possibly being ordered again by other higher-ups like her.

The aroma of tea began to invade the room like the warm breeze of summer. For once, I could smell something more pleasant than the constant iron smell of blood and the rotten decaying body of the dead. However, wishing for something so simple was harder than killing someone else these days. Tea had not really been important in surviving in the dead cities, so they were often thrown away and no one really grew tea plants in these situations.

I let my hands reach for the warm glass cup, my fingers lacing with the handles as I leaned in to take in the fresh aroma. I close my eyes only for a second, and surely the image of my sister came to mind. I remembered how she would take me out when she had time off work, her gentle smile that I missed will never be seen again. But I suppose it was my fault.

"Second in Command Song is a little paranoid recently. She falsely accused me of things and whenever I try to clear things up she just runs away," Mrs. Chen sighed, but I notice it wasn't fake like before, "I can't blame her however, it is also my fault for making her think that. I told her to take a day off or two, stress had clouded her mind and I'm really worried. Do you not see the dark circles under her eyes? She didn't get enough sleep when she found out that people had started going missing. She's way too young to be worrying too much.

"I know G had become one of the reasons the city of Busan was safe, her talent of being a born leader is the reason why I trusted her to help me with the place. But, I really can't help but grow worry over her health. Most of the time during our meetings, she just mumbles things and nobody knows what she's saying. I have a feeling she's going to keep having contact with you guys, so please if something is off about her, tell me," She finishes. I noticed her voice a little strained, as if she really is saying the truth. The lies in her eyes from earlier disappeared like snow being melted away to reveal the growing plants, showing her real emotions. I couldn't help but be a little guilty for assuming things too early. G was a little bit stressed out earlier. Only now did I notice the tired look in G's eyes, I was too focused on what was happening around us.