Chapter 20

I can't recall what happened next; it's all a blur. The last image etched in my mind is Chris's face before my eyes fluttered shut. I believe I must have fainted into his arms, as I recall the sensation of a warm embrace enveloping my shoulders.

I never wanted anyone to discover my actions... but it seems my attempt wasn't even successful. She was alive this whole time? How? How is that possible? What happened after my escape? It's unbelievable she survived such a substantial fall. I'm consumed by nervousness, fearing she might seek revenge when all I did was act to protect myself. None of this would have took place if she hadn't tried to pin the blame on me.

"You're awake."

I turn over to find Chris entering the room, a glass of water in hand which he sets delicately on the nightstand before settling into a chair beside the bed. Surveying my surroundings, I realize I'm still in Chris's room.

Sensing my unease, Chris addresses it. "I couldn't risk moving you to your own room." he confesses, his hand absently rubbing the back of his neck, his expression serious. "It would have raised suspicions and they would have asked too many questions."

I nod, comprehending his caution. Yet, the thought of anyone else knowing about this weighs heavily on me. It's unsettling that Chris is aware, but how did Seungmin discover the truth? Did he witness my desperate attempt to end thirty-six's life? But that doesn't add up... If I remember correctly...I unintentionally collided with him during my escape, and he was headed in the opposite direction.

"Seungmin says he's got it handled." Chris interjects, pulling me from my thoughts. "So try not to dwell on it."

My eyes widen in sudden shock as they meet Chris's. Does Seungmin really just claim to have everything under control? He's always been a mystery to me, seemingly knowing everything about everyone. And now, my attempted crime is somehow exposed.

"And about that chip..." He leans back, a hint of discomfort evident in his demeanor. Momentarily confused, I then recall the chip in my ear. Gently touching my earlobe, I still feel uneasy about it. "Yeah...?"

Avoiding my gaze, he looks down. "Well..." He pauses briefly before meeting my eyes again, sitting up with confidence. "We have to remove it manually."

I gasp instantly. The thought alone sounds excruciating. It never occurred to me...but why do they need to remove it in the first place? "By hand?!" I exclaim in horror. Are they going to tear open my ear or something?!

"Yes." he confirms with a slow nod. "We must destroy the chip immediately...and the only way to do that..." He looks away momentarily like a thought is taking over but then returns back to me. "Is to remove it from you first."

Nervous tremors run through me at the mere thought of having the chip removed. Just yesterday, I was oblivious to its existence...and now today, I'm listening to Chris explain how the once-nonexistent chip must be manually extracted.

"But wouldn't that defeat the purpose of destroying the device then?" I ask, my confusion clear. In three days' time, they plan to return to the underground mansion and succeed in destroying the device meant to manipulate society. If they destroy the crucial chip, wouldn't disposing of the device be illogical?

He shakes his head gently, a serious expression etched on his face as he narrows down his eyes. "Another chip will simply be manufactured."

I'm taken aback by the revelation...another chip?

"True, it will take much longer..." He continues, running his hand through his hair as he leans back in the chair. "But no one is safe until we eliminate that device." His gaze intensifies as he locks eyes with me. "And who knows what lengths that cruel maniac man will go to in order to obtain information when creating the next chip."

It dawns on me now. Despite the inevitable creation of another chip, the master will stop at nothing, even putting lives at risk, just to recreate it...I understand now that this is the only logical course of action.

"Even so, we can't rest until we see that man behind bars." Chris's voice pierces through the tension. "He should be held accountable for multiple counts of illegal activity."

I absorb his words, nodding in agreement. Master will finally face punishment for his crimes: manipulation, human experimentation, and the creation of a device to control even more people because those already under his control were not enough. Master will continue to pursue me as long as I possess this chip and master will continue to hurt others as long as he's still running freely.

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As evening descended, the moment arrived unexpectedly. I hadn't thought of it happening so soon. The knowledge that thirty-six was still alive had already set my nerves on edge, but now, the prospect of entrusting someone to remove a chip from my ear only intensified my anxiety.

Entering the living room, I find everyone already gathered, their expectant gazes fixed on me. I swallow nervously, feeling their collective scrutiny weighing heavily upon me.

"Shall we get started?" Changbin speaks up, nodding towards I.N, who holds a sharp blade in his hand. My eyes widen in alarm as I instinctively take a step back. "Wait! He's going to do this?!"

The realization that it's I.N who will be wielding the sharp object near my ear fills me with even greater anxiety. Sweat beads form on my brow as apprehensive thoughts flood my mind, haunting me.

"He's the only one qualified." Han explains, a hint of confusion evident in his tone at my sudden fear.

But couldn't Chris do it?

Even Changbin seems like a safer choice.

What makes I.N more qualified?

"Here." Minho says, pulling out a chair and positioning it between them all. "Sit."

I exhale deeply, my entire body trembling as I approach the chair at a snail's pace. When I finally sit down, I.N steps in front of me, blocking the view of everyone else. He brandishes the blade with a grin. "This will only sting just a bit."

I instinctively try to push the chair back, desperate to be anywhere else but here. "Do we really have to do this?" I gulp nervously, my voice trembling. "Can't I just live with this chip inside my ear forever? What's the harm?"

Ignoring my pleas, I.N narrows his eyes. "Quiet." he commands. Gently, he places his hand on my chin, and I flinch, closing my eyes tightly as he turns my head to the side with his grip. Oh God...here it comes...

Clutching my hands into fists, I hold my breath in terror. This is it...I remain frozen in place, not daring to move a muscle or even breathe. With my eyes shut tight aggressively, I wait as I feel him draw nearer, the sharp object hovering just behind my ear. I remain utterly still, trapped in fear. Not a single breath escapes me. I sit there, leaning back just a little bit as I can feel it almost touching my skin...

.

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I awaken with a startle, gasping for air on the couch as I scan every corner of the room. My hand instinctively reaches for my ear, but to my surprise, there's nothing there...as if nothing had happened.

"You were out cold for quite a while." a voice breaks through my haze as I regain my senses. I sit up, spotting I.N across the room, busy examining and cleaning his knife on the other sofa across from me.

"What...happened?"

His gaze remains fixed on the knife, a pause stretching before he finally glares at me. "You passed out."

I narrow my eyes in irritation. "Well I know that much!" I retort, rising from the couch and placing my hands on my hips. "I mean, what happened before I passed out?"

He chuckles to himself, setting the knife down and turning to face me, one leg crossed over the other. "Well." he begins, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. "You fainted before the needle even touched you."

I experience a sudden realization, causing my eyes to widen. So that's why I don't feel a thing. I must have been so terrified that I didn't even wake up during the crucial moment. "So, where is the chip?"

He nods toward a corner of the room, his attention returning to the knife. "Over there."

I follow his gesture, walking over to a small desk where I spot the square chip. I pick it up. "So this small thing has been hiding inside my ear this entire time..."

It's surreal to think that this tiny object was essentially living inside me. This tiny thing is the reason for the master's favoritism. This tiny thing makes me a target.

"You know, I always knew you were weak..." I.N trails off, glancing over at me with an amused expression as i'm baffled by the chip. "But I didn't think you were this weak."

My attention shifts from the chip to him, rolling my eyes in irritation. "I only passed out because you were the one removing the chip!" I retort, my voice raised before lowering it to a sarcastic tone. "Excuse me for being scared."

He snickers at my words, and though I'm annoyed, I can't help but feel a slight sense of relief that he's not speaking to me with such obvious built up anger anymore. Perhaps I did manage to get through to him.

"You don't have a scar on your ear." he remarks amusingly. "So it seems like I did a pretty good job." Leaning back on the couch, he holds his knife up above his face, examining it as if it were a mirror after wiping it crystal clean. "Almost like nothing even happened."

I suppose he's right. I don't feel anything at all. He must really know what he's doing. I guess they were right to say he's qualified enough.

"Well-" I begin, but before I can finish, I trip and stumble forward, falling right into his arms on the couch. My eyes are closed, so I don't realize what's happening until I lift up my upper body and open my eyes, meeting his gaze. My heart races as his hands slowly slide off my waist, uncertain where to place them. We're both stunned by the sudden and unexpected closeness, rendered speechless. This is the second time this has happened to us, but the first time was intentional. I.N shifts back on the sofa, unintentionally bringing us even closer, blinking slowly in shock. I have never seen such a confused and calm expression from him before.

As I take one small breath, a voice breaks the silence, snapping us out of our slow and  stunned moment.

"Hey, guys, dinner's-" Hyunjin appears from around the corner, his hand resting on the wall as he swings around but freezes mid-sentence in embarrassment, taking in the scene. "Did I interrupt something?"

Unconsciously, both I.N and I gasp, swiftly turning to meet Hyunjin's gaze simultaneously, our bodies still uncomfortably close.

"NO!" We both shout in unison, horrified and annoyed.

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