Labyrinth: Chapter 17
LabyrinthWatching from her dorm, Haera breathed a sigh of relief when the Commanders walked through the gates in the evening. She wanted to go down and hug Junho for all it was worth but she knew it wasn't her place.
Something had gone terribly wrong, she could tell. Even if the boys didn't want to tell her, she knew L and Kyung couldnt have been kidnapped that easily. Whoever did this and was powerful no doubt. The question was, why?
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"What do we do?" Chansung whispered as he lay flippant across Junsu's lap.
Wooyoung sniffled but stayed silent. So did the rest of them.
"Jay..." Junho started, his voice breaking, "He wanted the best for us, wanted to get us out. Didn't want us to join. Th Commanders lost their battle and joined. Which would you choose?"
Jokwon, the only one besides Junho who had stayed cool and impassive crouched to his knees and broke into a round of tears. Junsu started up, frowning, "Kwonnie, don't. D-d-don't cry, we'll figure this out."
Seeing Kwon, the calm force within them crying made their eyes sting and water.
"Jay, our Jay hyung. Commander Sanghyun. I-I-I can't let it go just like that," Jokwon gasped between sobs. "I can't. I can't join them."
Khun rubbed his back soothingly, "Then we won't, Kwon. We always have a choice."
"You heard what the Commander said, we'll die. If not now, later. I can't have your deaths on my conscience," Kwon whispered.
"Everyone dies someday, Kwonnie," Changmin reasoned.
"Not like this," Junho stood up, shaking. "We've never had our choices stuck in this place. And we won't have our choices in the Circle. I'm sick of living like that."
They all stared at each other, their hearts sinking. Khun grabbed Wooyoung's wrist. "Tell me," Khun said slightly harshly. "Tell me what your choice is."
"Hyung, I-I-I cant," Wooyoung said, startled and a little scared.
"Tell me."
Everyone stated at Wooyoung who stared only into Khun's brown milky eyes. His eyes filled with fresh tears as he knew what was coming. "I'm joining the Circle," Wooyoung whispered.
Khun stared back at Wooyoung, not saying anything, his face betraying no emotion. Everyone held their breath. The relationship between Wooyoung and Khun had always been special. More than brothers, more than lovers. They were soulmates. Just like Hoya and Dongwoo.
Khun stood up and left the room, pushing Wooyoung's wrist away. Wooyoung's eyes filled with fresh tears.
"Who else?" He whispered.
Nobody answered until, "Me," Taecyeon said. "I'll join with you."
Junsu's face looked torn and pained, "I-I-I don't know Wooyoung."
"I'll go," Jinwoon said. "Kwonnie, I think it's best if you didn't join."
"What-?"
"I'm not joining because I want to. Some of BlockB and Infinite will definitely go with Wooyoung and Taec. They'll need me especially since Junho will be going with Khun."
Junho raised his eyebrow, "What makes you think I'm not joining?"
"Please," Jinwoon snorted. "We all know it's between Hoya or Haera. And we all know you'd rather Haera be sent to safety rather than face the apocalypse. You'll need to be by Hoya's side. And since you and Haera are ideals...yeah I think we can kinda grasp that you'll go with Khun.
This Circle thing...I don't know if it'll last. There's been a lot of planning but no testing. It may fail in the future and when it does, if the rest of you are still alive, we'll meet again."
"So Wooyoung, Jinwoon, Taec, who else?" Jokwon mumbled.
Changmin sighed and clutched his head, "Me."
Junsu and Seulong stared and each other before shaking their heads, "We haven't decided."
"We have to make the decision soon, we have to leave as soon as possible before somebody catches on again," Jokwon said.
"What about you, Kwonnie?" Chansung asked softly. "I'll go where you go."
Jokwon sniffled and wiped his tears away. He reached out and swept Chansung's bangs out of his eyes. "Decide for yourself, Channie. Only you know where you truly belong."
"While the rest of you decide, I'll need to go and tell Infinite about our situation. The rest can go through with the tests but those who aren't joining need to leave with us," Junho said curtly as he stood up.
Jinwoon stood up as well and clapped him on the back, "Let's go."
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How much it hurts to leave your brother, your comrade, your friend. Pain on pain on play, repeating. Pain in all it's glory, seeped through their blood. And yet, pain, undeniably, was their only friend.
The twelve boys sans the girl anxiously paced around the room, with Junho and Jinwoon sitting on the sofa calmly.
Sunggyu swore loudly, his small eyes clenched together as he paced around. Zico was muttering profanities under his breath at the thought of Kyung and L, injured and alone.
"Now everybody calm down," Jinwoon said soothingly. "We're not forcing you to do anything. But The Circle might, which is why we're giving you this option."
"Except for Hoya, the rest of you are free to make your decision," Junho said.
Dongwoo's face snapped up and immediately paled, "Why doesn't he have a choice?"
"Because we're sending Haera in his place. Only one of them can go," Jinwoon said.
Hoya raised his eyebrows but said nothing. It was Dongwoo who had a reaction. Fumbling with his words, he struggled, "Without letting him have a say?"
"Trust us," Junho snapped, "Hoya will have a better life out in the open rather than in there."
"Then why send Haera in?" Woohyun snarled.
"Watch your tone, soldier," Jinwoon made to get up but Junho shook his head and pulled him back down.
"The Circle is not a foolproof place. Hoya will have a better chance fighting out there than Haera. It is not in his nature to stay and merely be a vessel to provide ideal children," Junho stated matter-of-factly.
"What about Kyung and L?" Taeil asked.
"We think it's best for them to not join the Circle because we interrupted their tests. They might face a disadvantage when they join because of it," Junho said.
"Listen, you have until the end of the week to make your decision. This isn't one you can make rashly, think it through and make it," Jinwoon explained. He stood up and ran a hand through his hair, "And keep this to yourselves. Even Haera is not allowed to know. If anyone ever finds out, I'll stab a sword through you myself."
Jinwoon hesitated a little but then walked off. Junho sighed a little. Little Sungjong stood up and sat down in front of him. "Sir," he asked softly, "We're all going to be okay, aren't we?"
Junho stared, a little startled at Sungjong's tone. Of course he had known Sungjong to be the least outgoing and the softest among them, especially compared to people like Hoya. But he had always responded with ferocity and had never showed fear or insecurity.
Sunggyu, the oldest of them, had a pained look in his face and he shot a pleading look at Junho. In some ways, both their responsibilities were the same. Junho's eyes travelled from boy to boy, his heart sinking a little lower as he recalled what Mir said.
Try to keep all of you together.
His lips trembled a little as his eyes stung, "Sure Jongie," he said haltingly with never before seen affection. "We're all going to be ok."
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Maybe I'll update during the weekend but exams are coming again:(
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