GROUND ONE • LEE DONGHYUCK •

twenty-three.

SAGE SAT IN THE SAND BEHIND THE BEACH, HOLDING THE STUDY IN HER HAND.

The Sun had began to rise, hints of purple and pink scattered in the sky. She hadn't been able to sleep at all since they had arrived to the beach house. Sage had made sure that Donghyuck was sleep before leaving the room.

Taeyong walked up to her and sat down, staring at the four pieces of paper in her hand. "What'd you find?" he asked, a bit hesitant as he looked at her puffy eyes.

"Apparently my mother was the first experient of Ground One back in 2008," she laughed out, trying to hold back the tears that dared to come out.

Taeyong sighed. "Was she..." he trailed off, not wanting to say it.

"Abusive?" she asked. He nodded.

"I don't remember a time where she wasn't. I remember when she would lock me in my room when my dad was away for a business trip. She told me almost everything how much she wished that she didn't have me. She started to um..." Sage began, her voice cracking.

"Sage you don't have to tell me," Taeyong reassured. She shook her head. "She began to hit me when I turned 13. My dad wouldn't notice because I would cover it up with long sleeves and pants everyday. When I was 17 she tried to kill me because me and my dad had decided to secretly move away once I finally got the courage to tell him."

A few tears escaped her eyes. "She died that day. She did it herself actually. Told us that she hated both of us and then stabbed herself in the heart," she finished.

"I'm so sorry Sage," Taeyong softly said.

"It's okay. I'm just conflicted with myself," she said as she handed him the papers. "I don't know whether or whether not I still hate her. I saw how the injection made Kai act so whatever she did wasn't herself."

"Kai?" Taeyong questioned.

"He was someone I was kind of close with in Ground One. They gave him the injection and he began to taunt me. Hell, he tried to kill me three times. It wasn't like him at all. That injection changes people and leaves them with no sympathy. Just anger and violence."

Taeyong nodded, reading the study. "It says here that your mom's experiment was a fail. If it was, then why does Kai act the exact same?"

"I think their goal might've changed along the years," she concluded.

"I'll try to research this tomorrow morning. We have to make a move on Ground One before they ambush us again. Get ready to train with combat alright?" Taeyong told her, standing up. She followed his actions, brushing the sand off of her.

"Taeyong?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we keep the fact that she was my mom a secret as of right now? I don't want them to know what she did right now."

Taeyong paused. "That's risky Sage." She sighed. "I know but... I just can't handle it."

Taeyong placed his hands into his pockets. "I won't tel them right now but, you need to within the next week because they need to hear it from you and not someone else's mouth."

"I got it."

☾

Sage messed with Donghyuck's hair as he cuddled her. His face rested her chest and his arm was swung over her torso. She found it cute that he would end up most nights being the small spoon. The woman still hadn't got any sleep but it didn't matter, it was now morning and she had training so there was no way she would be able to get sleep anyway.

Donghyuck stirred in his sleep, moving his head towards her neck. He nestled against it before letting out a groan. She smiled and tapped him softly. "Get up Hyuck."

"You're warm," he mumbled before squeezing her waist. She softly laughed.

"And to think you were intimidating..." she said, pulling him off of her. He glared at her playfully.

"I am intimidating."

"Uh huh."

She didn't listen to his protest against her statement as she walked towards the bathroom— leaving the door open. He followed close behind her— pouting like he always did. She grabbed her toothbrush and Donghyuck did the same, the two brushing their teeth together. It was simple moments like this that Sage always seemed to enjoy.

After they finished brushing their teeth and washing their face, they made their way to the kitchen downstairs where the boys gathered. Taeyong's other team was there also with a certain someone. Her eyes widened and she immediately cowered behind Donghyuck at the sight of the man with the eyebrow slit. Donghyuck furrowed his eyebrows and watched as her face heated up.

"What are you doing?" he asked, turning to face her.

"You two come meet Taemin," Taeyong called. "Even though you've already met him Sage."

Sage felt awkward considering the fact that she had to basically seduce him in the mission from Ground One. She peeked out from behind Donghyuck and walked up to Taemin, slightly bowing before him. "Sorry about the other day," she mumbled, Taemin waving her off.

"It's fine Sage. Not like you had much of a choice to."

"You two met?" Jaemin asked, Sage nodding. "When Ground One gave us me my solo mission he was the club owner there," she explained. "I had to sedate him to get the file," she said more softly.

"And seduce apparently," Taemin said, Chenle spitting out his water across the counter. Jeno grabbed paper towels quickly, helping his friend out.

"I said I was sorry!"

"I'm just messing with you," Taemin smiled.

Donghyuck raised one eyebrow at her but she only pushed him, knowing that he was teasing her. "Sage you'll work with Yuta today in training. After that you can go with Jungwoo to go over a few skills if you have energy," Taeyong instructed.

"If?" she asked.

Taeyong looked at Yuta, the man smirking. "Yuta is one of our most skilled fighters. You're in good hands."