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"Because of lack of evidence proving otherwise, we are assuming that the Lees are fully informed about the plan and layout of this city," Jungkook said, hands spread apart on the table before him as he leaned over the map sprawled over the tabletop. "They know where we are for now, and we have a window of only a couple of days to move."
I didn't want to leave. I was aware that the cul-de-sac position of my house made it a bad base, but the I didn't want to leave the comfort and familiarity of it. I'd been to the racers' safe houses in Seoul—all of them dead, quiet houses, looking like no one had ever lived in them and didn't want to. Granted, they probably didn't have safe houses in this city, but I was still skeptical about their choice of lodging. Something nondescript, probably, hidden and shadowy and cold.
No, I didn't want to leave at all.
But I didn't offer any resistance as he continued to explain their plans, throwing in terms and names I was not acquainted with, and I drifted further and further away from the discussion. Well, it wasn't really a discussion, but more of an unofficial briefing.
"We'll rotate every few days, spread out defenses, but not too thin." My ears perked at the word 'defenses' in alarm. Jennie noticed, giving me a look that was her definition of reassurance before continuing, "For that, we will have to send some people off to scout the areas we have in mind. According to Ken—" this was the name the informant we had met earlier, Lee Jaehwan, went by— "the Lees are mostly concentrated at the heart of the city. That should make it easier for us."
"Even if they probably have killers scouting this area for our weakest points?" This was Yeeun, not exactly more cynical and practical than most of the audience, but definitely more vocal about her opinions. "It's best if we take her with us."
Eleven pairs of eyes turned to me. Ordinarily, I would have shrunk under that weight, but I was used to this. My expression was as dry as bone, even drier, if possible.
My father eyes weren't one of these eleven pairs, the owner having chosen to stay away from the session. He had become even more distant recently. Not cold, just distant. When we had first moved here, I had thought that it would bring us closer, being partners in escapade and all, but that wasn't the case. Our lives had gone two very different ways, like a zip opening when you pulled at the zipper. With our busy schedules, it wasn't hard to feel that we barely lived in the same house.
But it wasn't the same now. Before the racers had returned, we had interacted in different ways. Even if we didn't talk to each other directly, we always felt each other's presence. Eye contact over the table at breakfast. Exchange of the house keys when I came back from college. Now it was just a frigid silence, like we were trying to pretend that the other wasn't here. We just didn't want to face the fact that the other was as much a part of this mess as us.
