Just as the game of charades was about to kick off, I found myself hesitating. My mind wandered back to Yunjin's visit a moment ago-her composed, almost too-perfect demeanor. There was something that had been gnawing at me for a while now, something I hadn't had the guts to mention.

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the nervous energy coursing through me. But before I could stop myself, the words came out.

"Hey, can I, uh... tell you guys something?"

Everyone paused, turning their attention toward me. Jungkook tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowed in concern, while Nari and Jimin exchanged a glance. Namjoon looked curious, though he kept quiet, waiting for me to continue.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, trying to find the right words. "It's just... it's about Yunjin."

There was a shift in the room. Yoongi's eyes flickered with quiet intensity, and Nari raised an eyebrow. "What about her?" Namjoon asked, his voice even.

"I don't know how to explain it," I began, "but lately, I've been getting this... vibe from her. Like something's off. I know it sounds strange, but every time she's around, I feel like there's more to her than what she's showing us."

Jungkook frowned, arms folding across his chest. "What do you mean? Like she's hiding something?"

I shrugged, feeling self-conscious. "Maybe. It's just... she's always so put together. I get that she's our mentor, but it's almost like she's watching us. Not just guiding us, but really observing us, like she's keeping something from us."

Nari chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair. "Sena, that's Yunjin. She's always been like that-calm, collected. It's kind of her job to watch us, isn't it?"

"I know," I said quickly, "but the way she acts... it's too perfect, like she's constantly calculating. Earlier, when she came in? It felt like she was gauging something. Not just overseeing, but making sure we weren't catching on to anything."

Jimin let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "You're probably just overthinking it. Yunjin's always been intense. But, I mean, she's been in this line of work for years. That's how she operates."

There was a moment of silence as my words settled in. Namjoon scratched his chin thoughtfully but didn't seem too concerned. "I get what you're saying, Sena, but I think that's just her being... well, Yunjin. We've all had mentors like that. They're tough, but they're on our side."

Yoongi finally spoke up, his voice calm. "You might be reading too much into it. I know Yunjin seems distant sometimes, but she's always been about business. If she was hiding something, we'd have noticed by now."

"Yeah, I guess..." I muttered, suddenly feeling silly for bringing it up. Maybe I was just overthinking things. "It's just... a feeling."

Jungkook gave me a reassuring smile, his eyes softening. "You're probably just stressed. We've been dealing with a lot. It's natural to get paranoid sometimes."

"Exactly," Nari said, nodding. "I've had moments where I thought Yoongi was secretly plotting against us because he's so quiet all the time. But it's just his vibe. Nothing to worry about."

Yoongi gave her a look but didn't argue.

I couldn't help but laugh a little, the tension easing in my chest. Maybe they were right. I had been on edge lately, and Yunjin's aloofness had always been part of her personality. I was probably just projecting my own stress onto her.

"Yeah... you're probably right," I said, feeling the weight lift slightly. "I guess I'm just paranoid."

Namjoon smiled, giving me a supportive nod. "We've all been there. It's normal to question things, but let's not jump to conclusions. Yunjin's got our backs."

Jimin raised his cup of coffee. "Here's to hoping we're all just tired and paranoid," he said with a grin.

The others laughed, and I couldn't help but feel a bit lighter. Maybe I had been worrying over nothing. Yunjin had always been serious, but she was on our side... right?

Jungkook nudged me gently with his shoulder, a small smile playing on his lips. "Don't stress too much. We've got enough on our plates as it is."

I nodded, smiling back at him. "You're right. Thanks."

The conversation shifted back to the game, and everyone slowly fell into their usual playful banter. But even as I joined in, there was a small part of me that couldn't quite shake the feeling entirely. Still, I convinced myself it was probably nothing-just my own nerves playing tricks on me.

For now, at least, I could let it be.

TIME SKIP

"Back to work, everybody," I said, clapping twice, earning a chorus of groans in response.

"I bet we'll end up staying in the dorms again tonight," Namjoon remarked, clicking his tongue and shaking his head as he walked back to his desk.

That's probably true. We had been staying in the dormitories provided in Block-A04 for the past six days. I hadn't even been home, except to drop Nuri off at my sister's place and grab a few sets of fresh clothes. The dorms were standard-plain white walls, light-wood bunk beds, two bathrooms for the six of us, a mini fridge, and a microwave. At least we had each other's company, so we weren't completely alone.

TIME SKIP

The day had been long, filled with endless digging into leads and dead ends. Jungkook and Sena were sitting close together on the couch, both leaning back, exhausted but too wired to sleep.

Sena rubbed her temples, the dim light making her headache worse. Jungkook, noticing her discomfort, shifted slightly and gently reached over to rub her shoulder. "You okay?" he asked, his voice low enough that the others didn't hear.

Sena smiled at the warmth in his gesture. "Yeah, just a headache. Long day, you know?"

Jungkook gave a small nod, his hand lingering on her shoulder for a moment longer than necessary. "You should rest more," he said quietly, his tone soft, almost caring.

Before Sena could respond, Namjoon, sitting nearby with a tablet in hand, glanced up with a curious smile. "Everything alright over there?"

Jungkook casually pulled his hand back, leaning into the couch as if nothing had happened. "Yeah, just checking on Sena."

Jimin, seated across the room, gave a half-smile, his eyes glinting with subtle amusement. "You sure you're just 'checking' on her?" he asked, his voice light, though not as teasing as usual.

Sena chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Can't a guy be nice without you all reading into it?"

Jimin, who was lounging beside Nari, grinned but didn't push the teasing too far this time. "Of course, but when it's Jungkook, it's a little different, don't you think?"

Jungkook gave Jimin a look, though there was no heat behind it. "You really want to start right now?"

Jimin held up his hands in mock surrender. "Nope, not starting anything. Just observing."

Sena glanced over at Jungkook, their eyes meeting briefly before she looked away, the warmth in her cheeks rising again. Despite the teasing, there was something unspoken between them-something neither of them had fully acknowledged but seemed to understand.

Namjoon, who had been watching quietly, spoke up with a soft smile. "Hey, we all need to stick together. If Jungkook's looking out for you, that's not a bad thing."

Sena smiled gratefully at Namjoon, appreciating his attempt to defuse the situation. "Thanks, Namjoon."

Jungkook shifted slightly closer, his knee brushing against Sena's as he glanced at the others. "You know, sometimes I wonder if you all have way too much free time for your imaginations," he said with a grin.

Nari chuckled but stayed focused on his tablet. "Maybe. Or maybe we're just good at noticing things."

The conversation turned back to the case, but even as the team discussed leads and theories, Sena couldn't stop thinking about Jungkook's brief touch, the quiet concern in his eyes, and how the room seemed to feel warmer when he was near.

Eventually, as the group settled into the rhythm of work again, Jungkook leaned over and whispered just for Sena to hear. "Next time, I'll make sure to get you some painkillers before we sit down."

Sena smiled softly, appreciating the little things he did without making a big deal out of them. "Thanks, Jungkook. I'll hold you to that."

As the night went on, the tension of the day seemed to ease, but that lingering warmth between them-quiet, unspoken, and just a bit shy-stayed.

----------------'

Felt like we needed a soft, cute interaction between our two Protagonists <3
And with a few chapters, things will get a Lil' more practical cuz for the next 1 chapter, I'm just doing fluffy shit 🤗