cryptic | Mark Lee

1

Cold.

The storm was one of the worst Seoul has seen in decades. Most people were sheltered inside trying to avoid the harsh rain as much as possible, except for NCT-127.

No, NCT were on a mission.

As a part of the most notorious mafia in Korea, a little bit of bad weather wouldn't be enough to stop them from completing a mission.

"We go in at 02:20." Taeyong announces.

Mark who had been standing guard with his sniper at the top of a nearby building checked his watch seeing the seconds tick by.

"Next time we plan to rob an arms manufacturer can maybe not do it in the pouring rain?" Haechan asks.

A ghost of a smile forms on Mark's lips hearing yet another complaint from the younger boy. Nobody wanted to be there, but they had been informed about a security check being done the next day on the warehouse. Meaning all the cameras and security locks would be shut off for about 10 minutes to reboot before the check. They had to take this opportunity.

"Tell you what, you can stay with Dream next time." Johnny remarks. "You're acting like a child anyways."

"You guys do know I'm here too right?" Mark asks tapping his in ear so they could hear him.

From where he is positioned he can see Taeyong chuckle, followed by the beeping of his watch going off.

Time for work.

-/-

02:10. The perfect time to revise for an exam.

Zhang Aera takes a sip of her coffee looking out of her window as rain droplets begin to drip down. The moon looks so bright tonight.

Unlike most people she adored this kind of weather. The cold winds, the feeling of rain hitting her skin, the emptiness of the roads from people avoiding going out; she loved when winter came around.

Call her shy or secluded but she didn't care.

She had been alone for quite some time now, so to her it felt comforting rather than isolating. Before moving to Seoul she lived on her own for 2 years, it wasn't by choice, but she eventually got used to it now preferring the silent walls of her bedroom to the noises of the active and loud apartment she lived in.

Though she'd never admit that to her roommates. They were her family, well technically only one of them was blood related, but she knew that didn't matter.

Blood of the covenant is thicker than water of the womb after all.

"Wow I should not drink coffee this late." she laughs to herself. "I just quoted a German proverb, why am I not this smart during school?"

She slightly pouts, the physics book in front of her was beginning to look like a different language and she took that as a sign to take a break.

02:17

Nothing happens at 2 am. What can she do to pass the time that isn't sleeping?

Reaching for her phone she unlocks it delighted to see a text from one of her friends from school. They weren't close, but they had the same physics class so she had texted him about how much she hated it.

Aera
hyuck I think the physics book is turning into a different language

donghyuck
aera-
it's 2 in the morning
and we don't even have a test tomorrow

Aera
yes we do
do you think I wouldn't remember a planned test?
how do you think I have the highest marks?
also you're still up too

donghyuck
i'm older than you
it's too late for fetuses to be up

Aera
you're 3 months older

donghyuck
sush child
oop gotta go
ttyl

She locks her phone before throwing it on her bed. What could he be doing this late at night? She was in desperate need of a distraction, and the only one who was up was Donghyuck.

The clock ticks as her fingers run over the bumpy cover of the book she should be reading. Maybe she'll just get up early and study then? The test will barely affect her overall grade anyways, why is she stressing herself out over a single concept?

"Ugh, i'm just going to sleep. This isn't worth it." she declares before packing her papers in her binder and setting it next to her book bag.

She changes into some comfy pajamas and turns off the lamp that had been the only source of light in her room.

She opens her comforter, slipping into the cold bed and closes her eyes finally feeling the first moment of comfort in hours. Nothing could ruin this mome-

*ring*

*ring*

*ring*

"Nooooo." she groans. "I just got comfortable."

Without opening her eyes she answers the call putting the phone to her ear.

"Who is this, why are you calling, someone better be dead." she says in a monotone voice.

If someone's calling in the middle of the night there better be a good reason for it.

"Aera, you live close to the warehouse off Eulji-ro right?" a frantic Donghyuck basically screams into the speaker.

"Yeah why?" her voice and mind suddenly becoming more clear and awake after hearing the boy.

"We need help." she's not sure if his voice is shaking from the cold or from fear and she doesn't like either of those choices.

"Who's we?"

"Go outside."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Restarting this book:/

hopefully now it'll be more what I envisioned in the first place.

have a good day!