"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.

"Jin hyung developed an explosive that could break through titanium like it was made of glass. It was intense, extensive planning— we didn't have any time to waste, since now you were on the line of risk as well."

V fidgets with his slender fingers as he moves the blankets towards the corner of the bed.

"Long story made short, Jimin took care of the electric in the barbed wire— it was child's play to climb over the thing after that. He also rigged a false message so most of the guards would be diverted to the other side of the compound."

"And then it was just the matter of time to get to you two." He continues, with all of mine and Jungkook's attention fixed upon the words from his lips.

"After I dropped the explosive that Jin hyung had given me..." His voice trails off, as if he was recalling the events that had taken place next. "Then you know what happened. Jin and Yoongi took Jungkook and I took you."

"Wow." I mutter, the word out of my mouth before I can stop it. "Namjoon planned all that in just a day or two?"

"I threatened him."

V murmurs, and I instantly turn to him— imagining the obvious.

"Not like what you're thinking." He says. "After I learned you were gone, I tried to leave. Jin hyung caught me— put the entire house on lockdown. I was angrier than I'd ever been in my entire life— I understood how Jungkook felt. But since I knew I could escape if I wanted to and they knew that they couldn't stop me, I made a deal."

He meets my gaze flatly.

"I'd wait a day. Twenty four hours, for Namjoon to come up with a plan. Or whether Jin hyung would initiate the rescue. Whichever one came up first. If the time ran out, then I'd leave by myself— I couldn't wait any longer than that."

I'm stunned into silence for a split second at how simply sweet that sounds. Even though some would settle on reckless or unwise, I knew that I would've done the exact same thing. Idling while someone I loved was in danger was just unthinkable to me.

Jungkook cocks his head as he does the math. "We were only in there for a day?"

I shared his confusion— it had seemed like such a long time. I'd been positive that it had been at least two days before we'd been rescued.

"All I could take." V confirms as he takes notice of Jungkook's drooping eyelids. Then he places a hand on the boy's shoulder, messing with the back of his hair. "Go to sleep, Kook. You need your rest."

"I'm fine," Jungkook assures as he lets V continue to mess with his locks. I knew Jungkook— sleep right now was probably the last thing he wanted to do, even though that didn't mean he didn't need it.

Underneath the blankets, I feel V's fingers find mine. His skin is cool to the touch, but has a note of warmth that makes me want to never let go. A pleasurable tingle runs up my spine as he brushes his thumb over my good wrist.

When he interlocks our fingers together, I instantly decide that I like this side of V. And a second later that I make that conclusion, I decide again that this was my favorite side.

Until another was shown to me, of course.

Jungkook catches the slight movement of the blankets and shifts his knowing gaze onto my eyes. He finally sighs and shrugs.

"Fine— I'll leave. I know you want me out of here, anyways."

"That's not true." I quickly defend as I reach for the pouting maknae. "You can stay if you want. It doesn't matter to me."

To be completely, completely honest, half of me wanted us to be alone. The other half scolded me that it wasn't right to let Jungkook off like this.

V's fingers slide away from mine as he shifts forward to tug Jungkook back onto the bed. His lips are drawn into a rare smile as he mutters agreement.

His smile is contagious.

Soon, the three of us are laughing so hard that we need to push at each other to quiet down and not wake the others. I have no idea what's causing us to laugh this hard— but it feels good to be like this.

It feels free to show that I'm happy.

But then any sign of our laughter dissipates when the door flies open, revealing a very pissed off Yoongi. His eyes are half-closed with sleep, but his voice is clear and annoyed as heck when he speaks.

"Can you stupid idiots shut up? It's freaking four in the morning! It's time for some damn sleep, not to sit and giggle like teenage girls!"

Then his eyes land on me, and only then does he seem to realize what was going on.

"Wait— you're awake."

"Yes, hyung." V remarks sarcastically. "You're very adept at observing."

Yoongi shoots a death glare at V as he hisses annoyingly. "Shut up. It's four in the morning, and I'm only down to deal with smart mouths after I get my sleep. Did you forget that I unfortunately share the room right next to yours?"

Jungkook looks wide-eyed as V shakes his head.

"I didn't forget, hyung."

"Ah— whatever. I need my rest, and if you make as much as a single noise, then I will hunt you down."

"Sweet dreams, hyung!" Jungkook waves, his face in a happy smile. Yoongi looks back at the childish boy with his eyebrows raised— as if he was contemplating if the maknae was being genuine or sarcastic.

After a few seconds of staring, he ultimately decides that this wasn't worth his time and shuts the door, giving us one last warning glance.