Horizon || ATEEZ Space AU

Chapter 4: Launch Sequence

Mingi is already half awake when a shadow moves across his vision. The first night in a new place is always difficult, full of turning restlessly back and forth and missing his own bed pod and the neighbouring snores of his parents. Not that Jongho is a bad roommate, he's just a bit standoffish and intimidating and currently tiptoeing out the door.

Currently tiptoeing out the door?

Mingi nearly catapults himself out of bed from the shock before deciding to take the tactical approach and follow covertly.

Jongho creeps down the hall and takes the stairs instead of calling the elevator, Mingi following behind at just the right distance that he can't spot him or hear his footsteps. What his roommate is even doing sneaking out is beyond him. He checks his wristband for the time as he gets on the tram in the car behind Jongho's and it's just after 4 A.M. Too early for all this spy business.

As the lab buildings come into view, Mingi begins to realise what's going on here. Jongho's trying to break into the restricted facilities.

Even as he gets off after him, he's baffled that this is how his first night as a Horizon team member is going.

"Hey!" He whisper-yells, catching up with Jongho. The younger boy turns where he was hanging back to avoid cameras and gives Mingi an annoyed look. "Why are you following me?"

"Why are you trying to break into the archives?" Mingi counters, crossing his arms and trying to replicate that you're-in-big-trouble-young-man look his mother does occasionally. "Are you trying to get kicked out?"

"I am trying to get answers," Jongho responds, and from the look in his eyes he's completely serious. This is no joke. "The Project was just a means to an end. I'm here to find out what happened to my grandmother."

Mingi furrows his brow. "Who was she? You think IPF archives can tell you?"

From Jongho's panicked expression, Mingi realises he must have forgotten to whisper. "She was a very famous diplomat on one of the first Horizon Projects," he answers, moving closer. "And if you're going to help, I suggest you lower your voice."

"Who says I'm going to help?" Mingi scoffs, still quiet compared to before because, however skeptical he is about all this, he doesn't really want Jongho to get arrested. "How are you even planning on getting in there anyway?"

"I was thinking on my feet," Jongho admits. "Mostly I just came here to scout out the security."

"At least they don't have guards," Mingi begins to laugh before hearing footsteps and grabbing Jongho, yanking him into an alcove and eyeing the tram tube. Another one should be here soon, right?

"Okay, they do have guards," Jongho huffs. "So you can make a distraction and then I can—"

"No, hang on," Mingi objects, resisting the urge to raise his voice at his roommate's presumption. "I'm not helping you!"

"Then what do you propose we do?" Jongho deadpans.

"Go back to the dorm and back to sleep," Mingi whispers, pausing when Jongho goes to roll his eyes. "And you can come back later if you absolutely must. I won't say anything."

Jongho stares at him for a moment, eyes reflecting the artificial glint of the rings lighting the tunnel that connects the trams to the archives, and finally nods. "I can't promise I'll go back to sleep, though."

"You know, it's only fair if you tell me who she was," Mingi says quietly on the ride back, when Jongho's focus on the silently sleeping buildings wanes and his eyes become clouded over from a lost train of thought. "I've studied all the old astronauts, especially the diplomacy missions. Your grandmother was probably one of my heroes."