BEHIND THE SCENE: ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴍʙʀᴇʟʟᴀ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ || 𝗧𝗨𝗔

Chapter 16

Five's brow furrowed in irritation as he stared at Katherine, who was pointedly avoiding his gaze. They were both in the living room of the Umbrella Academy, and the atmosphere was heavy with tension.

"Katherine," Five began, his voice laced with annoyance, "care to explain why you're ignoring me?"

Katherine continued to focus on a random spot on the wall, refusing to meet his eyes. A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she finally responded, "Oh, I'm sorry. Were you talking to me?"

Five's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "Yes, Katherine, I was talking to you. Why are you giving me the silent treatment?"

She finally turned to him, her expression innocent but her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Oh, I thought we were playing a game of 'Who Can Pretend the Other Doesn't Exist'?"

Five's jaw clenched as he fought to keep his frustration in check. "Cut the sarcasm, Katherine. We need to talk."

"Do we?" she replied with a raised eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I mean, who needs communication when we can just exchange meaningful glances and telepathic messages?"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "This isn't funny, Katherine. We're a team, and we need to work together."

"Teamwork, you say?" Katherine's voice oozed fake enthusiasm. "Well, forgive me if I didn't get the memo about the 'Silence is Golden' team-building exercise."

Five's patience was rapidly dwindling. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper under control. "Look, whatever issue you have, let's address it and move on."

"Oh, I don't have an issue, Five," she replied casually. "I just thought I'd try out the 'Selective Hearing' technique for a change."

He clenched his fists, his frustration now palpable. "You're being ridiculous."

"Am I?" Katherine tilted her head, a smug smile playing on her lips. "Well, it's a good thing we have a resident expert on the subject right here."

Five was about to retort when he realized her tactic. She was baiting him, pushing his buttons with her sarcastic remarks. He took a moment to compose himself, refusing to let her rile him up further.

"Fine," he said through gritted teeth, his voice dangerously low. "If you want to play games, Katherine, we can play games."

She raised an eyebrow, her smirk still in place. "Oh, I'm all ears. Enlighten me, Master of Games."

Five leaned in, his expression calculated. "How about we see who can keep silent the longest? You know, a real test of endurance."

Katherine's eyes narrowed, a challenge accepted. "You're on."

And so, a standoff ensued. Five and Katherine stared each other down, the room growing eerily quiet. Minutes turned into an uncomfortable silence, neither one willing to back down. It was a battle of wills, a contest of stubbornness.

But as time ticked on, both of them began to crack. Katherine's lips twitched, threatening to break into a smile. Five's gaze wavered, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

Finally, Katherine let out a soft chuckle, unable to hold back any longer. "Okay, okay, you win."

Five's lips curled into a triumphant grin. "I knew you couldn't resist."

Katherine rolled her eyes, her mock annoyance evident. "Congratulations, Five. You've successfully cracked the 'Great Silent Treatment Showdown'."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I have my ways."

As their playful banter filled the room, the tension that had been present earlier dissipated. Despite their sarcastic exchanges, it was clear that beneath the teasing, there was a strong bond between them. In the end, their ability to navigate both serious conversations and lighthearted moments was a testament to the unique dynamic they shared.
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"As I told your son earlier, any information about the prosthetics we create is strictly confidential. Without the client's consent, I simply can't assist you unless... I get to spend a night with that girl over there," the doctor stated, eyeing Katherine who stood behind Five.

Five growled, gripping Katherine's hand tightly, his possessive nature on display. "We can't obtain consent if you don't provide us with a name, and there's absolutely no chance I'd allow you to lay a finger on her, not even a single strand of her hair," Five snarled, glaring daggers at the doctor.

"Well, that's not my concern, considering I can't gather anything from her," the doctor retorted, giving Five a smug look, then shifting his gaze back to Katherine, making her move closer to Five due to the discomfort caused by his stare.