Neo City: Underground

×-×Chapter.8×-×

(Mark's POV)

I waited for a while before slowly stepping out of the room, keeping my head on a swivel as I navigated my way towards where I had seen Shotaro's study.

He seems like the head person here, so if they had the files then they would most likely be in there. I thought, pressing my back to the wall when I heard footsteps walk past, the backs of Sungchan and Shotaro soon coming into view as they walked.

"Sungchan..." Shotaro said softly, running a hand through his hair. "Tell me he didn't actually say that? I don't even know of we'll be able to make Neo City one again.." I watched as Sungchan placed his hand on the older's shoulder. "Hyung, don't stress. He has a lot of faith in us, and is more than willing to help us out when we need to, someday Neo City will be one again, I just know it."

Shotaro nodded, letting out a tired sigh before they continued to wherever it was they were heading.

I let out a shakey breath from almost being caught, starting back on my way and reaching a door that said 'study' on the same soft silver that the door handles were.

I opened the door as quiet as I could and looked around the pristine room, soft red velvet couches and chairs set up beautifully around mahogany furniture.

I swallowed thickly, my heart racing as I shuffled over to a cabinet, immediately starting to go through the drawers and all of the neatly organized files.

----×-×----

It had been about half an hour when I heard footsteps approaching.

I quickly ducked up under the desk, covering my mouth and hugging my knees to my chest.

"I promise Haruto, don't worry too much about it okay? They're safe." I heard a huff, assuming it was Haruto. "Why are we even coming to your office?" He asked the older.

The door opening filled my ears, their voices no longer muffled.

"I forgot some papers in here on my desk, so I decided to grab them now rather than forget about them later." I heard a hum. "I suppose that's smart, but the guests might get a little suspicious." I heard a soft scoff-chuckle. "Why would they get suspicious of two brothers going off?" I could imagine Haruto crossing his arms. "I don't know! But they might!"

Shotaro's chuckle was very close now, and I could see his shoes from under the little crack on the desk.

The shuffling of papers was heard and then I saw his feet move away. "It'll be okay, there's no reason for them to be suspicious of us." I heard Haruto hum, their voices getting farther away before the door closed and their footsteps were muffled.

I slowly slipped out from under the desk and let out the breath I hadn't realized I was hoping.

I don't think I'm gonna find anything in Shotaro's office....maybe Sungchan or Haruto's have something that could give me a clue. I thought, sneaking out of the room and seeing two offices on either side of Shotaro's. Well...that's convenient.

I slipped into the one in my right, walking up to the emerald velvet clad chair at the dark wood desk.

I saw a picture and saw that it was Shotaro, Sungchan, Chaehee, and Haruto, all smiling and pointing at each other.

This must be Sungchan's office...I looked around seeing more pictures of Sungchan and Chaehee. Yep, definitely Sungchan's.

I stepped towards his filing cabinet, opening all of the compartments and seeing that nearly all of them were only about halfway filled. Maybe Shotaro is the one who does most of the work, or Sungchan and Chaehee split the work? Hmm...

I started to snoop through the files, finding information about all of our fathers. I shoved them back, letting out a shakey sigh when remembering how brutal mine and Grace's father was.

I looked over to the bookshelf that was pushed against the wall near a window just beside it, looking through it and finding a story book which held all of the old history of Neo City.

I slowly pulled it off the shelf, blowing the dust away and running my fingers across the dull golden calligraphy scrawled on the front. I don't think Sungchan would mind me borrowing this...

I held it close to my chest, deciding that his office was of no use to me.

I stepped back out into the hall, keeping my head on a swivel once more as I bolted over to Haruto's office.

I got in and stared in awe.

Everything was beautifully arranged, the furniture being clad in rich black velvet and surrounded by a dark wood that I couldn't quite tell.

Bookshelves were pushed against each wall, perfectly perpendicular and filled as much as they could be with books upon books.

A large window held it's proud place behind Haruto's desk, there being four different filing cabinets in his office.

I slowly let out a breath and started on my search.

----×-×----

It had been atleast an hour and I hadn't found a damn thing.

I groaned quietly in frustration and decided to search through the books on the shelf, hoping that maybe some kind of clue was hidden in the pages.

As I tried to pull off a dark blue one, it didn't fully come off and a click registered in my ears.

I stared in confusion as the bookshelf slowly moved back and opened up into a dark and spindly staircase.

I swallowed harshly, looking behind me before slowly entering, the door closing slowly behind me and leaving me in pitch darkness.

The torches along the walls started to light up, lighting my way down and into a large room of bookshelves and filing cabinets.

So this is where all their files are held....I need to look into getting one of these, damn. I thought, starting to go through all of the cabinets, all of them nicely organized, despite the room being a bit messy, files piled high on tables covered in dust.

I squinted at a few cobwebs that had taken home on the tops of shelves and in corners of the room.

A pile of files caught my attention, sitting by themselves on a plush couch. They looked new, as if they had just been brought down here today or the day before.

I slowly approached them, picking them up and seeing that the first one had the familiar 'Classified' stamped on the front.

Are...are these our files?

I slowly opened it and saw that instead of Dreamtopia, or City 127, or even the SuperM Divide at the top, it was instead, 'The Outlands, Land of Hearts.'

I slowly sat down, deciding to read through it.

----×-×----
(If you don't remember what the files said just go back to the profiles: the land of hearts :))

I stared off in shock.

Haruto...he...he seems so...so kind though...as if he wouldn't hurt a fly! I mean yeah he killed those wisps, but I thought that was just skill! I started to chew on my nails, getting caught up in my thoughts. What am I going to do?! Do I tell Taeyong?! Do I keep it to myself?! Oh god what if-

"What are you doing down here."