Chapter Text
Wonwoo knows the routine by now.
The only changed iteration is that he has to present the package at the gate without anyone noticing he’s slipped a note below it.
Piece of cake.
He wonders if the security guard will give him grief like he did last time. Jeonghan told him not to do it anymore, but Wonwoo can’t help himself. He genuinely believes this time it will be read, it will be understood, it will break the chain. It will set them free.
Wonwoo takes a huge breath of air, feeling the blinding warm sunlight on his head as he securely locks his bike on the side of the street. The lock combination is the same as it always been, no amount of timeline-hopping will ever erase it from his memory.
02110717
He checks that his messenger bag is secured around his body, noticing he scraped his right knee when he bent down. the bright purple bruise lightly dusted all around his skin. He hopes no one will notice.
He looks back to the large building, it’s towering cube-shaped monument asserts a cooperate presence that turns Wonwoo off completely.
The sea of suits and pricey shoes enter the building, giving the illusion of a busy life.
Wonwoo can feel the suffocating feeling of a collar tighten around his throat, despite wearing an airy sports shirt. He needs this plan to work.
It has to work, he determines as he walks in.
Walking through the rotating glass doors always sparks a little panic, as his body fights the feeling that he will be trapped mid-way. It's irrational but he's always scared his oxygen will become limited and the glass walls will close in on his body, crushing his bones in the process. Wonwoo doesn’t dare put his hands on the helpful handles that support children and elderly folks.
He prefers to hold something warm. He wishes he can hold someone comforting soon. It’s been too long, doesn’t he realize it?
He exhales shakily as he finally steps out of the revolving doors, and he steps into the wide and spacious lobby with blinding white marble floors and walls.
The reception area is locked behind a fortified security station. No seating anywhere. It's known that this place doesn’t accept walk-ins, and it certainly doesn’t tolerate bystanders. Rumor has it that if you’re not perfectly punctual here, it’s better not to show up at all.
Every surface of this place, wherever you looked, reeks of robotic, disturbing intentional design that reminds you are insignificant. Polished look that eats away the humanity of anything it touches. No comfort only consumption.
Fuckers, Wonwoo thinks to himself.
He takes a careful step inside the security’s chambers that stand dominating in the middle of the lobby. A watchful eye on every corner of the place. Gates on either side allow only a single flow of movement: Gate A allows the suits to enter, and Gate B allows the suits to leave. No exceptions.
Wonwoo can see a lot of suits entering, but he's never seen a suit leave.
And Wonwoo isn’t a suit by any means of the word. He resents them with all his might as they buzz around him to get to their floors.
Wonwoo places his hand on the screen in front of him, and it saves his hand-print. He sees the verification notice pop up, all green and welcoming. The security guard posted in front of Wonwoo doesn’t look familiar, but it doesn’t matter.
They always change, no one’s ever the same in the security chambers. Just like the messengers always change, never in the same place twice in a row. Wonwoo had to do several time-rotations to get here for months in a row. No one suspected a thing, but the clear visible frustration and fatigue will give himself away. At least that’s what Jeonghan warned.
But Wonwoo doesn’t care. Every time-iteration, Wonwoo feels like he’s getting closer and closer to seeing him.
“Why are you here?” the intercom above Wonwoo barks. The security guard has his undivided attention on him now.
He quickly unzips his bag and takes out a package, and keeping the hidden note tucked safely beneath it. “Delivery.”
“Put it in the slot.” The security guard presses a button and a chute slides open on Wonwoo’s side. Wonwoo swallows as he places it carefully inside.
It gets scanned and Wonwoo tries his best to not show his nerves. He balls his hands into fists, the messenger bag should feel lighter, but he feels heavy when he’s being watched.
“Are you new?” The security guard asks. They usually don’t do small talk.
Wonwoo doesn’t know what to say. He looks over beyond of the entrance gates, a small sliver reveals the elevator doors opening and closing, and he sighs.
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