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The fire crackled softly in the quiet of the early morning. The sun was still hidden beneath the horizon, casting the world in an eerie stillness. Most of the others had long since retired, but Y/N, RM, Suga, Sehun, Jin, and Taehyung remained by the fire. The cold bit at their skin, but none of them seemed to mind.

Y/N sat closest to the flames, her eyes fixed on the flickering embers as if searching for answers in their glow. Her posture was relaxed, but the weight of the day ahead pressed heavily on her shoulders. She could feel the others' eyes on her, their unspoken thoughts hanging in the air like the mist of their breaths.

RM finally broke the silence. "So... how long this time?" His voice was calm, measured, but there was a trace of hesitation, as though he wasn't sure he wanted the answer.

Y/N didn't look up. "One, maybe two weeks," she said simply, her tone devoid of any emotion.

A small shift among the group followed her words. Jin leaned back slightly, rubbing his hands together for warmth, while Suga's expression hardened, his brows knitting together.

"You're really not going to let us help?" Jin asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

Y/N finally tore her gaze from the fire, her sharp eyes locking on him. "I don't need help. You all have enough to deal with here."

Sehun sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "We're not helpless, Y/N. You don't have to do everything alone."

Y/N's gaze softened slightly as she looked at him, but her resolve didn't waver. "I know. But this is something I need to do."

The fire cracked again, the sound filling the silence that followed.

RM cleared his throat, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, if it's going to be two weeks, you better come back with something good."

Y/N chuckled softly, the sound breaking through the tension. "You know I will."

Suga leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Just don't make us wait longer than two weeks, okay? We're not exactly patient people."

"I'll keep that in mind," Y/N said, her tone light but her expression unreadable.

The group fell into silence again, the firelight dancing across their faces. The sun was still nowhere in sight, and the cold of the early morning seemed to deepen.

As the minutes passed, Taehyung glanced at Y/N again. He wanted to say something, anything to convince her to stay, but the look in her eyes told him it was pointless. So, he stayed quiet, holding onto the faint hope that she'd at least keep herself safe.

For now, they sat together, the unspoken understanding that this moment might have to sustain them until she returned.

The sound of approaching footsteps broke the quiet, and all heads turned toward the source. The firelight cast long shadows, making the figure harder to discern at first. Everyone seemed tense for a moment-except for Y/N. She smirked knowingly, leaning back slightly as though she'd been expecting this.

Hyungsik stepped into view, his expression a mix of amusement and mock surprise. His breath fogged the cold air as he stopped just at the edge of the fire's glow, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his jacket.

"Well, well," he said, his tone light and teasing. "Who do we have here today? A miracle in the making, perhaps? Or did her highness grace us with her presence just because it's Friday?"

Y/N rolled her eyes, though her smirk remained firmly in place. "Hyungsik, don't act like you didn't already know I was here."

Hyungsik raised a brow, pretending to be offended. "Oh, so now you're calling me predictable? I'm hurt, Y/N. Truly." He stepped closer, glancing around at the group still seated around the fire. "And what's this? A full council meeting at this ungodly hour? Or were you all too cold to sleep?"

Suga snorted. "Let's just say your timing is impeccable as always, Hyungsik."

Hyungsik ignored him, his attention snapping back to Y/N. "Seriously, though. What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining, of course. It's just... you've got a habit of vanishing for weeks on end without so much as a note, and now you show up like it's just another day. Should we be worried or thankful?"

Y/N leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees. "Why not both?" she teased, her voice laced with a playful edge.

Hyungsik chuckled, shaking his head. "Unbelievable. You never change."

Jin crossed his arms, looking between the two. "Okay, but are we just going to gloss over the fact that she's been missing for three months? Shouldn't we be asking what she's been up to?"

Y/N shot him a quick glance. "I've been busy. That's all you need to know."

Taehyung, still quiet, watched the exchange with a faint frown. Hyungsik caught the look and smirked. "Oh, don't look so serious, Taehyung. She's here now, isn't she? That's all that matters."

RM cleared his throat, cutting through the banter. "Alright, enough with the theatrics. Y/N, if you're here, I assume it's not just for a friendly chat. What's going on?"

Y/N straightened up, her expression growing more serious. "I'll explain later. For now, let's just enjoy the fire. It's been a while since I've had the chance to sit like this."

Hyungsik looked at her for a moment, as if trying to read her mind, then nodded. "Fair enough. But don't think you're off the hook. We'll talk later."

As he took a seat near the fire, the group gradually settled back into the quiet rhythm of the night, the tension easing slightly. Y/N glanced around at them, her smirk softening into something almost resembling gratitude. For now, she was here, and that was enough.

---

"Hyungsik's coming with me today," she announced, her gaze fixed on the fire but her words unmistakably directed at him. "There are things we need to discuss."

The words hung in the air like a spark igniting curiosity.

Hyungsik, who had just been about to tease, saw Y/N's serious expression and promptly shut his mouth. Instead, he gave a small nod, understanding the unspoken command: she meant business.

Sensing she wasn't going to elaborate, the others let the topic drop-for now. As the fire crackled and the night deepened, the group fell into a comfortable silence, their breaths visible in the chilly air.

After a while, Y/N's voice broke through again, lighter this time but laced with mischief.

"If I've got time today," she began, a playful lilt in her tone, "I might drop by your little sunbathing session at noon. After all, I'm not leaving until tomorrow. You might as well enjoy your peace while you can."

Her words had the intended effect. RM, Suga, Jin, and Sehun froze mid-motion, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief.

"Wait," Suga started, leaning forward, his brows furrowed. "How do you know about that?"

Jin blinked rapidly, nearly dropping the cup in his hands. "Yeah, no one told you about that. Right?!"

RM's frown deepened as he crossed his arms, his tone suspicious. "Y/N, were you spying on us?"

Sehun, sitting closest to her, scoffed and leaned toward her, his expression somewhere between exasperation and amusement. "Y/N, spill it. How do you know?"

Y/N's smirk widened as she glanced lazily at the fire, ignoring their demands. "Let's just say... I'm good at keeping track of things."

"Oh, come on!" Jin groaned, throwing his hands up. "That's not an answer!"

"Doesn't need to be," Y/N retorted with a chuckle, clearly reveling in their confusion.

Sehun, unable to hold back his frustration, reached out and gently guided her head to rest in his lap. She didn't resist, letting out a contented sigh as she closed her eyes. His fingers moved absentmindedly through her hair, his voice soft yet firm.

"You're impossible," he muttered, though there was an undeniable warmth in his tone.

The others weren't as forgiving.

"She's messing with us!" Jin exclaimed, glaring at her relaxed figure.

"Definitely messing," Suga agreed, narrowing his eyes. "I hate how smug she looks."

"Y/N!" RM pressed, his voice stern. "You can't just throw cryptic remarks like that and expect us to let it go."

Y/N opened one eye lazily, a smirk still playing on her lips. "I can, and I will."

Her nonchalant response earned a round of groans from the group. Even Sehun sighed, though his hand never stopped its soothing motions through her hair.

"You're lucky you're leaving tomorrow," Suga muttered. "Otherwise, we'd demand answers."

Y/N's expression softened slightly, though her smirk remained. "Enjoy your peace," she said quietly. "You'll miss it when it's gone."

For a moment, the group fell silent, her words settling over them like a heavy blanket. Even Hyungsik, usually full of quips, stayed quiet, his gaze flickering between her and the fire.

Taehyung, who had been unusually quiet throughout, watched her intently. He hadn't said a word, but the faint smile tugging at his lips spoke volumes. Unlike the others, he knew more than he let on. He wouldn't betray her secrets, though. Not tonight.

Finally, Hyungsik broke the silence with a light laugh, shaking his head. "You really do know how to keep us on our toes, don't you?"

"Always," Taehyung murmured softly, his voice barely audible over the crackling fire.

As the first hints of dawn began to creep across the sky, the group stayed where they were, knowing moments like this wouldn't last forever.

---

Y/N led Hyungsik into her townhall, her steps steady as she moved through the dimly lit hallway. Hyungsik followed closely behind, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. Her usual calm demeanor was more intense today, and he knew something was on her mind.

Reaching the central hall, YN moved toward the side where a sturdy wooden table was placed. It was a simple setup, but efficient. She bent down, retrieving her bag from beneath the table and placed it carefully on top. Opening it, she pulled out two thick files, their edges worn from frequent use, and placed them on the table with a soft thud.

Hyungsik stood back, observing her every move. The quiet intensity in her focus wasn't lost on him. She flipped through the pages of the first file without a word, her brows furrowing as she skimmed the contents. He could feel the tension rise, the silence hanging between them thick as she seemed to absorb every detail from the file.

Finally, after a few moments, she set the first file aside and took the second one in hand. Her fingers danced across the pages, each turn more deliberate than the last.

Hyungsik leaned against the wall nearby, a mixture of curiosity and concern in his expression. He could tell that she had found something, something important. The question was, what? And what did it mean for them?

"Do you have answers yet?" he asked softly, his voice cutting through the quiet, though his tone remained neutral.

YN glanced up briefly from the file, her eyes meeting his with a knowing look. She didn't answer immediately, instead continuing her search through the pages, as though her mind was already far ahead of the conversation.

"Wait," she murmured, still absorbed in the file.

Hyungsik didn't press further. He knew better than to rush her. She was on her own path, but it was one they all needed to understand. Every bit of information she uncovered could change the course of their future. He waited patiently, knowing that when she was ready, she would speak.

---

YN motioned for Hyungsik to sit beside her as she placed the file back on the table, looking at him with a focused expression. "Have you ever known anything about this? About the experiment or accident that happened while back then?" she began, her voice steady but carrying the weight of what she was about to say. "I found out about it from that bastard who drugged me three months ago."

Hyungsik's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed her words. He remembered the incident all too well-the way YN had been unconscious for five straight days, and how he'd been focused more on the immediate danger than her condition. But now, it was clear that what she was saying was more significant. She wasn't just talking about her state, but about something much bigger.

He nodded, indicating he remembered the man she was referring to. But he remained silent, watching her closely, waiting for her to continue.

YN paused for a moment, her gaze falling to the file in front of her. She then looked back at him, her expression serious. "When I woke up, I went straight to the treehouse with Saans. We thought maybe he'd gone out for some scouting or scavenging, but we were wrong. He was there the whole time. He ambushed us. But we managed to tie him down. He was clearly injured, beat up by the boys, probably from the last encounter they'd had. We kept him captive for a month, and during that time, I searched through his things, trying to get answers."

Hyungsik stayed still, his eyes narrowing as he listened intently.

"He didn't have much to say at first, but I kept pressing," she continued. "I found something in his old stuff, and that's when I learned about the lab. That's when I went to his previous hideout and found the files. This one," she pointed to the large file beside her, "has only a few things, but it's enough to understand that whatever happened back then, it went down in some kind of lab. Have you heard anything about it? Do you know where it might be?"

His expression serious as YN spoke, and then he leaned back slightly, processing what she had just revealed. "I've heard things," he started, his voice measured but laced with the weight of the words. "Over the years, when everything started to go downhill, there were rumors. Some said it came from the sea, some thought it was a fungus, others said it was something brought back by astronauts. Everyone had their own theory. But there was always talk about a lab... a lab where this all might began."

He paused, his gaze distant as he gathered his thoughts. "I'm not sure if the lab ever existed or if it was just a story to keep people wondering. Some swear it was real, others believe it was fabricated. The only ones who might know the truth are those who worked there-scientists, security, anyone with clearance. But the real details? They've never been revealed."

YN's eyes remained fixed on him, waiting for him to continue.

Hyungsik shifted in his seat, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "The people behind that lab, the ones running it-they kept everything under tight control. They were determined to keep their work a secret. The security protocols were off the charts-no one outside the lab even knew where it was, and not all of the staff working on the project knew either. Some say they were involved in something illegal or dangerously reckless, which is why they kept it so far off the radar-out of sight, to avoid being caught. Others believe the government is the one who hid it. Some even think it's buried in some remote corner of the world. But the real location? No one has any idea."

He looked at her, his expression a blend of concern and understanding. "It's like they designed it to vanish. The only people who might know where it is are the ones who worked there-if any of them are even still alive, which I highly doubt. And even then, I'm not sure they'd say anything. The secrecy surrounding it was so intense, it felt like it existed in a whole different world, or at least, that's what I heard."

As Hyungsik's words sank in, YN's expression grew more serious. She looked down at the files on the table, her fingers tracing the edges of the papers. "So, this is clear now," she said quietly, her voice steady but carrying the weight of her realization. "The actual thing that happened... it happened in that lab. That bastard, the one who drugged me, he told me about it. Said it was all tied to some lab-experiments, research, whatever you want to call it. But it all went down there."

She paused, meeting Hyungsik's gaze, her eyes sharp and focused. "He made notes. These files... they contain everything I found in his previous hideout. I searched his place, gathered what I could. Every note, every scrap of paper he left behind. I converted it all into this file." She slid the file across the table, her fingers brushing over it as she pushed it toward him. "Everything he had about the lab-it's all here."

Hyungsik took the file, flipping through the pages slowly, his brows furrowing as he read through the notes. He could sense the gravity of what YN was saying, the pieces finally starting to fall into place. The fragmented rumors he'd heard over the years, the secretive lab, the experiments-now it was all tied together. It wasn't just some random story or myth. It was real.

"So, you think whatever went wrong, whatever started this-this outbreak, this mess-it all traces back to that lab?" Hyungsik asked, his voice low, as if speaking too loudly would make the truth even harder to bear.

Hyungsik said, his eyes still fixed on the file, "These are the labs he traced and reviewed, searching for any evidence. This is more than I expected-some of these were major labs back then, before everything started to fall apart."

Y/N smirked as Hyungsik spoke, her gaze fixed on him, observing his every move. The realization dawned on him when he glanced at the other file still lying on the table where she'd placed it earlier. She could tell he was beginning to connect the dots, but the truth was far more intricate than he'd anticipated.

Leaning back in her chair, her eyes glimmering with quiet confidence, she lightly tapped the other file. "Now, here's the interesting part," she said, her voice calm yet commanding, "with all of his research and everything."

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