TARGET

마흔 일곱

A thud resonated in the hollowed enclosure.

Joshua jolted, a repercussion to the abrupt nature of the cumbersome box slipping from his grasp, accompanied by the specter of ache coursing through his forearm.

It had been a measly week since the decision to move, the hasteful nature of definity was attributed to Seungkwan's notion of renting out a bulk of the floor above them in their appartment complex. Of course, it was much more costly as it put residents through the triviality of a seemingly unrequited relocation, but none other than Chenle had offered them all free residence at a Penthouse suite under his name with monthly interest installments of 5 million won for a year. 

The commune promptly agreed.

And so Ursula was left with 3 apartments, enough to accommodate all of the boys and a supplemental storage complex.

Joshua planted a palm on a cocked hip, his latter hand intertwining digits through his honeyed mane. He had autonomously migrated the boxes for the room he had been assigned to unpack. The serene enclosure would harbor Ursula's perilous artillery, meaning they could cut transit to their bunker for each mission- but it also made for a grueling task for Joshua, for the ammunition undoubtedly seemed lighter while whizzing through the air in its alloy glory.

Reaching for the handle of the door leading out the room, Joshua was startled yet again by a familiar brunette he often caught peeking through a door frame,

"Jesus Dokyeom-"

"Sorry hyung, again, but Renjun made hotpot for lunch," 

A smirk danced at the curve of his lips, "Well we should get going while its still hot pot,"

"HOW DID YOU DROP CARDBOARD IN UR FUCKING BOWL JAEMIN-"

The Jaemin in question frowned at the visage, eyes tracing the floating piece of cardboard bathing amidst pork belly and steamed vegetables, "I'm not sure,"

Eyes nearly grazing the back of his cranium, Renjun groaned, "You're wasting rations, Nana,"

"Hyung, you made enough for 25 people," Chenle mused in between breaths in an attempt to cool the soup wading in his spoon,

"Your saying that as if you don't eat 5 servings on your own,"

Chenle took a drawn swig of Jeno's apple cider, murmuring amid the elder's protest, "Hmm...true true..."

Joshua pinched the bridge of his nose before folding his legs to sit around the new dining table in Renjun, Jeno, and Haechan's apartment. The three already became accustomed to the living space, with Jeno and Renjun sharing a room and Haechan with a room to himself. Cardboard boxes littered Joshua's line of sight, which was understandable, but equally perplexing on how Jaemin had gotten a singular piece of cardboard as a side dish to his hotpot.

His callused hands enveloped in warmth as he took the bowl from Renjun, nodding in thanks, he brought the ceramic to the two daintily parted petals; his eyelashes fluttered closed as he indulged in the warmth traveling down his chest.

It was an oddity, to say the least, to be able to wallow in a collective serenity, Ursula had few moments like that. Although it was only the recruits, Dokyeom and Joshua, the sense of concerted placidity reverberated.

"Hyung, if your done, I'll take your plate,"

"No no, Renjun I'll go wash my dish," Joshua unraveled his legs, blood rushing to his heels and taking the familiar numbing sensation through his limbs,

"Okay hyung, suit yourself... me and the others are going to meet with Seungkwan hyung,"

Joshua nodded after the brunette, "Okay, be safe,"

Submerging his hands into the murky bath of suds and sloshing dish water, he scrubbed his dish and set it adroitly in the washing machine.

Joshua averted his gaze to Dokyeom, who perched languidly against a crown of boxes replicating a makeshift couch, latched to his handheld device,

"Dokyeom, i'll be heading out,"

"Okay hyung, I'll wash my dishes and be right there,"

Turning the knob, water pooled in from the faucet, its current carrying the grime off of his plate.

He let the torrent run through the crevices of his limp hands, basking in the warmth that kissed the calluses that littered his palms. Dokyeom gingerly reached for the sponge that lay on the coast of the sink, pumping a fair serving of marine tinted dish soap and bathing the china against its suds. 

He hummed a soft tune that seeped from the seem his pursed lips, his adam's apple bobbing melodically to the warble of his riffs. The white noise merged into a serene symphony of nothings, resounding against the pearly walls of the abode. Strangely enough, it seemed as if the sound produced by the brunette was being accompanied by a soft murmur, as if the walls sung back to him.

His eye brows furrowed as he coiled the silver knob and the current of water thinned to a halt.

Shaking his hands dry, Dokyeom let his ears guide his steady saunter to the entrance of Jeno's room, where the aforementioned swayed with his phone held flush against his ear. Dokyeom observed through the ajar door, hiding in the shroud of the murky hallway.

"Yes...sir... that is fine but she doesn't- I'll speak to the others...."

The elder cocked his head inquisitively, listening more intently to the discourse,

"My mother..... yes yes I understand.... I understand, no worries..... I'm sure she is okay with that..... yes....." Jeno's inflections wavered as if nerves contorted his typically stable tone.

Silence.

"Understood, thank you-"

Dokyeom took that as cue to abscond, it seemed as if his phone call was coming to a close and he didn't want to seem as if he was eavesdropping (albeit he was).

It was just some phone call with an Ursula affiliate, he presumed- nothing out of the ordinary. He heard discourse akin to that frequently while lurking aimlessly around the dormitory.

Although, there was one small oddity that drew the tiniest bit unease into the pit of his stomach. Dk wasn't one to throw suspicions, but something definitely perplexed him:

Weren't the other recruits all orphans?

___

first upload back from my 7 month hiatus, miss me?