Morning arrived, painting the room in pale streaks of light. I shifted beneath the scratchy blankets, letting my eyes adjust. Across the mattress, the shapes of Namjoon and Jin lay tangled in sleep. A sigh escaped me as I spotted Jimin slumped at the table, rucksack still strapped to his shoulders. Relief washed over me – he’d made it home. He must be exhausted, not even bothering to shed the pack after whatever night he’d had.
I walked past him, stretching the stiffness from my limbs as I moved towards the fridge. The emptiness of the shelf glared back at me, a mental note forming: more food was needed. I pulled the last two packets of instant noodles from the cupboard. As the kettle began to whistle, I felt someone stir behind me.
“Morning, Jin,” I said.
“Morning, Y/n,” he replied, walking over. “Why noodles?”
“It’s all that’s left,” I explained. He tapped twice on the kettle, and steam billowed upwards. I walked over to where Namjoon lay, intending to wake him, but he rolled over, mumbling something about jam. A swallow caught in my throat. None of us had tasted jam in months, and even this meager breakfast would be stretched thin for four. A smile tugged at my lips; I considered letting him sleep, but it felt cruel. I wrenched the blanket from his grip and returned towards Jimin, ignoring his muffled protests.
I brushed a strand of soft blonde hair from his face. “Jiminie,” I murmured, shaking his shoulders gently. “Time to get up.” His eyelids flickered open. Jin walked over with the noodles.
“This is all we’ve got today, so no complaints,” he stated. A collective groan rose from the three of us, then my own stomach joined in. Jimin and Jin tried to stifle their laughter, while Namjoon howled with amusement. I flushed crimson, and Jimin and Jin gave in, joining the wave of laughter.
“Looks like we need more food,” Namjoon said between bursts of laughter.
After everyone had caught their breath, we began to eat, sharing a pot between two – myself with Jimin. It was gone within two minutes. The flavor was bland, but sauce was expensive, and even salt had become difficult to acquire. Suddenly, Jimin reached forward, his hand brushing my cheek.
“Y/n, you’ve got some on your face,” he said, wiping at the corner of my mouth.
“Thank you,” I mumbled, fighting to suppress a second flush.
Then Namjoon spoke up. “Why were you back so late last night, Jimin?” he asked.
“I was being followed,” he responded, his voice low. We all looked up. Jin opened his mouth to speak, but Jimin continued. “Not the Night-guards, either.” I turned to face Namjoon, but he looked equally confused.
“Then who?” I questioned. We’d been careful to maintain a low profile recently, so no one should have been tracking him.
“I don’t know, but he was tricky to lose. Good in the Dome, which was busy, but I don’t think he knew the area. I lost him in the Spiderweb.” I nodded. Losing him in the network of alleys and tunnels was a smart move.
“You weren’t close by, were you?” Namjoon asked.
“Not too far,” Jimin said. “But we should be careful.” Everyone nodded. We were all thinking the same thing. We needed jobs to eat, and careful wasn’t an option.
“I’ll head up alone then,” I said. They all turned to stare at me. “It makes sense. Whoever it is knows what Jimin looks like. Joonie, your magic is too unstable, and Jin, everyone knows you – you’re too friendly.” They weren’t pleased, but after some deliberation, they agreed. I was given one condition: stay below the surface level, and get home before four in the afternoon.
I picked up my rucksack, filled with basic potions to sell, and emergency supplies – bandages, clotting tinctures. I pushed the trapdoor open, and it groaned in protest as it revealed the street above. Just before I climbed the rickety ladder, I felt a hand close around my wrist. I turned to see Jimin.
“Get back in one piece.”
Then he let go.