Ch1: Off The List

                                    

                                          
⚠️The prologue is important and contributes heavily to the plot. If you skipped it go back and read it⚠️
                          
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It's silent.
                          
The outbreak of Seoul's Code: RED Shelter was followed by many others, starting with Daegu's C.R.S., then Busan's, Andong's, Ilsan's, Jeju's, and in the span of three days, all Code: RED Shelters in the whole country were empty, with escaped hybrids and many many dead bodies.
                          
There were even rumours about the same outbreaks in Japan and neighbouring countries, but it was never confirmed. Then it came, the announcement.
                          
My friend whom I've known for far too long, whom I would've never thought would do harm to anyone, was the leader of and the mastermind of it all.
                          
Seokjin. Wolf hybrid.
                          
My eyes are still wide in surprise when the screen finally goes black, my fists clenched on my lap.
                          
I gulp, slowly turning my head to Taehyung, standing at the entrance of the living room and watching with crossed arms. His eyes fall on mine when I look at him, face blank.
                          
"You should've seen it coming," He says with a low voice, tilting his head to the side.
                          
My heart beats fasten as I furrow my eyebrows.
                          
"Did you know about this?" I ask.
                          
The smile that adorns his face sends a shiver down my spine as he speaks, "What do you think?"
                          
I inhale a sharp breath, turning my head back to the blank screen. The sound of his footsteps makes me gulp before he kneels down in front of me, looking me in the eye.
                          
"Listen," He starts, voice calm and steady, eyes now softer, "We won't hurt everyone. Jin and I have a list of humans we won't includeㅡ"
                          
"Jin and you?" I interrupt, "You know each other?"
                          
He doesn't reply.
                          
"How long have you been planning this?"
                          
"Years."
                          
I purse my lips, looking down at my lap. "A list of humans you won't include? In what? You'll kill them all?"
                          
"Listen to me first," He says, putting a finger under my chin so I look at him. It takes him by surprise when I flinch back, frowning in disapproval.
                          
"You're on top of the list," He says, looking away, "And a few others. But that's only if you help us."
                          
I blink, finally looking at him. "You want me to help you kill and enslave my own people?"
                          
"Who killed and enslaved mine."
                          
I shiver again, averting my gaze somewhere else. "Tae, please, you don't have to do this."
                          
"No, we do. We have to."
                          
"And what if I don't agree to help you?" I look at him. "Will you kill me, too? Or... put a collar around my neck?"
                          
Taehyung doesn't reply again, face void of emotions, and before he finally opens his mouth to speak, my phone rings.
                          
"Don't answer," Taehyung says once he reads my brother's name on the screen.
                          
"You don't tell me what to do," I reply in a whisper and press the phone to my ear, watching Taehyung's eyes darken the slightest bit.
                          
"Seol, we're screwed," Yoongi says from the other line.
                          
"He's on the list," Taehyung says.
                          
"Yoongiㅡ"
                          
He cuts me off, "I knew something was off. Jin hasn't been home in a couple of days and isn't answering my calls. Holy shit, I didn't see that coming. We're dead meat."
                          
I open my mouth to speak, but Taehyung grabs the phone from my hand.
                          
"Seokjin is giving you the opportunity to live if you help us or else we kill you," He says into the mobile in one voice, eyes still in mine.
                          
I hear Yoongi's voice from the other end, but I can't decipher what he's saying. 
                          
Taehyung hums. "So you're off the list."
                          
He ends the call and hands me the mobile.
                          
"What do you mean off the list?!" My voice comes out higher than expected. "You're going to kill him?"
                          
"Not only him, but everyone. Including you if you don't comply. I'll give you an hour to think. Be quick, we have somewhere to go."
                          
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Taehyung!" I scoff, "I can't help you kill people."
                          
He groans. "You don't understandㅡ"
                          
"No, you don'tㅡ
                          
"I don't want you dead!" He growls, "And if you don't join us, I won't be able to protect you!"
                          
His eyes soften. "Seol, pleaseㅡ"
                          
"I can't," I cut him off, pausing for a second as I get lost in his eyes, "I just can't."
                          
He goes quiet, and I suddenly feel heavy, as if a huge weight fell on my shoulders. And when I see his eyes soften even more, eyebrows coming closer together in... sadness?, tears bimmer in my eyes unknowingly.
                          
"You're strong," He says in a whisper, his hand coming up to touch my cheek and I don't pull away, "You're brave. Promise me you'll stay that way."
                          
"Taehyung?"
                          
"Wait for me, will you?" He caresses my cheek with his thumb, my heart fluttering at the action. "I promise I'll come back."
                          
He reaches forward and plants a kiss on my forehead, staying there for a few seconds before he pulls back, and giving me that one gorgeous smile that I saw only once or twice before.
                          
I stay still, shocked and unable to comprehend what he just did. I've never seen him this caring, never felt this much love radiating off of him, making me warm from the inside. It makes me want to hold him, maybe even repay the kiss, but when I'm finally snapped back into reality, he's already by the door, throwing me one last glance before walking out.
                          
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A/N: Updates every Tuesday