CHAMPION | NCT

o43

C H A P T E R
F O R T Y - T H R E E

"Quick," Mark hissed in an urgent voice. "Get to the back of the house, hurry."

A sudden pulse. A rush of panic. My entire senses jolted in alarm, like a prey that's cornered by its hunter.

Chest tightening, I circled my hand around Yuta's wrist and pulled him upwards from his chair.

"You're coming with me," I told him aggressively.

The pride of his steel eyes demolished. He parted his lips as if to say something, as if to tell me that I wasn't holding his hand properly, but, in the end, he swallowed down his ego and let me drag him away from the kitchen.

Mark was saying something about an alternative exit that's located behind the headquarters. I told them that they should come too, but he declined.

"It's just a territory inspection, don't worry," Mark told me with a forced smile. "This also happened a few months ago. We know what to do."

A sudden feeling of sympathy sunk into my chest. I would stay here for their sake, but my concern was Yuta. He's terribly, immensely wanted right now. I couldn't risk any cyborgs— or humans— from outside to see him.

"Give me at least something to communicate with you guys," I said. "So I can assure that you're safe."

"You already have one, Sooji," Mark said, giving a soft pat on my shoulder.

The goggles.

I cast a skeptical look towards the other DRM members. I was assuming they could be trembling in fear right now; but instead, I saw determination and bravery in their expressions.

"You guys should get going now. We can handle this," Renjun said in a steady manner.

I started to grow anxious. "But—Jungwoo?"

"I'll stay here," Jungwoo said.  "I know how those cyborgs work. Maybe I could help. Mark and I were trained how to weaken their system when we were little."

"Have some little faith in us, Champion!" Haechan groaned. "You should be the one to look out for yourself."

I pursed my lips together, closed my eyes to process my thoughts, opened them back, and gave the boys a nod. "I believe in you guys," I breathed. "I mean it."

They nodded back in unison, straightening their bodies

Then, waiting on the doorway, Jeno was motioning for us to follow him. "Come. I'll show the way to the exit."

I tightened my grip around Yuta's wrist and followed Jeno. We passed by a flight of stairs that leads downwards. Then we turned to several hallways, left and right. Jeno was fast in his feet, jogging and sometimes jumping over the obstacles that came in the way.

There!, Jeno pointed over a door. The exit. However, out of a sudden, I felt Yuta twist his hand away from my grip.

We halted in the middle of the hall, where the door was literally at least three meters away from where we were standing.

Confused and annoyed at once, I turned around to face him.

"What—?"

"I need to go to my room," he said. "I need to get something."

"Are you out of your mind? No," I tried to reach out for him again, but he was quick enough to avoid my hand.

"I'll be back in a minute. I promise. Just stay here."