15. "There's really nobody here, okay? Do you need me to show you around to prove that to you?" -Jaehee
You were petrified. Ever since you had discovered that the apartment was compromised, you couldn't focus. Emails were piling up on you, and you had been avoiding the chatrooms, much to everyone's concerns, especially Jaehee's who had seemed to show the most concern for you, in a practical way anyways. It was nerve wracking, to think that your life had meant so little, that you hadn't even been told about the bomb. You knew you couldn't think like that, and you needed to calm down, but how could you? If you moved, you feared for your life.
You jumped when your phone began vibrating, and you nearly threw it, a wave of panic rushing over you, but when you saw it was only Jaehee calling, you relaxed for a second. You watched her face on your phone, and suddenly felt guilty. Everyone was worrying about you, and you were ignoring them. You picked up the phone and answered.
"Oh thank God you answered." Jaehee said, sounding much more flustered than normally. Though she was worried, her mannerism had been a sort of comfort towards you, since it meant that someone with some actual sense cared about you. But now you could see the extent of her fear.
"We've been trying to reach you all day, Luciel said that you hadn't been active on your phone, and you hadn't entered any of the chatrooms today, and he said the security cameras were showing you hardly moving, which made him believe that they were hacked and on some sort of loop. We've all been so worried about you and I-"
"Jaehee I'm okay." You interrupted her, but she wouldn't hear it.
"Let me finish. I was so worried about you, I called Jumin. He's going to convince V to get you out of there." She said, to which you immediately rejected.
"No! We have to have the party Jaehee, this is so important to everyone." You said, shaking your head.
"You're important to everyone!" Suddenly, there was a loud thud, and it grew quiet.
"Jaehee?" You questioned, suddenly worried now.
"Jaehee, Jaehee?" You yelled into the phone, but there was suddenly whispering, and you could barely make out two voices, and, to your utmost relief, you recognized them to be Jaehee's and Jumin's.
After a moment of whispering that you couldn't make out, Jaehee's voice returned, a quiet familiar tone you suddenly longed for.
"What happened?" You asked.
Jaehee cleared her throat, she sounded hoarse and flimsy. She wa crying.
"Mr. Han says that V cannot get you out." She said, and your heart sank. That meant you were going to have to stay here…
"I am so scared, I don't know where to place my faith right now." The women spoke softly, and you held the phone close.
"A part of me wants to believe Luciel will protect you, or that V know what he's doing, or that maybe this is all a dream, but I know the latter to be false." She said, her voice hitched, and you could feel your own lump forming in your throat.
"Please don't worry about me." You begged her, but how could she not?
"I can't. You are the only person for whom I care for this much. I can't calm down, I have to know you are safe. I wish I could just, o to you!" Her voice had gotten louder suddenly, and you nearly jumped, never having heard Jaehee yell before. You closed your eyes, your own tears falling now.
"Jaehee." He whispered, to which she sighed.
"I've upset you." She spoke softly, her words barely audible. "That wasn't what I wanted to do."
"I know." You said. "But how can I not be upset? My life is on the line, and my best friend is hurting."
Jaehee grew quiet a moment, but suddenly, you could hear her crying silently, and your heart nearly broke.
"Please don't cry-" You begged her, but she chuckled slightly.
"These are happy tears." Jaehee assured. "I know they are pretty inappropriate considering the circumstance, but hearing you call me your best friend…" She trailed off, and the thought of her words made you smile.
"It's true! Jaehee, I care more about you than anyone." You told her, and the other woman laughed again.
"This isn't fair, I should be cheering you up." Jaehee argued, but you merely smiled, and closed your eyes.
"Talking to you does cheer me up." You promised. The woman was silent for a moment, before you heard some shuffling around. You listened to try and figure out what she was doing, but she returned before you got the chance.
"I've got my phone on the charger. I will stay with you all night." She said. You smiled brightly, and blinked away the tears.
"I'd like that."