“Get up”

No response

“Get up!”

No response.

“GET THE HELL UP!”

Still no response

“Seriously how long were those two at it if they’re too tired to even open their ey-“

Before he could say another word Chanyeol had his hand gripped tightly around the neck of his doesang without even opening his eyes.

“Shut it Kai, we’re not all as disgusting as you”

Releasing him he snuggled back into the warm embrace of Roe and snoring ensued literally moments later. Sap who had been watching Kai and Suho’s attempts to wake the sleeping pair up couldn’t stand to watch their struggling anymore she quickly kicked her sister who after entering the room had collapsed into a ball on the floor and pointed towards them.

“They won’t get up”

Clutching her pounding head, Mink left the room only to return moments later, a bottle of water in her hand. Without hesitation she had emptied the entire contents onto the sleeping pair, placed the lid back on the bottle and had tossed it into the waste basket and left. Suho and Kai stared open mouthed, even they were shocked; although not as much as the spluttering figures of the two on the floor as they dealt with the shock.

“You two have been volunteered to go the store to get some stuff for the coordi noona” Sap announced, seemingly unbothered by her unni’s harsh wake up call.

“She needs vitamins and stuff” Added Kai, after regaining his senses.

“Why have we been volunteered?”

“Well Kris hyung said that two groups were heading out but the fighters should be separated so both are safe, your group would be better to go to the pharmacy then the other place” Explained Kai further.

“Why?”

“Well we’ve already checked it out and there aren’t any infected in that area that we can see so, you two, Krystal, Xiumin, Luhan and Sehun are going there”

“Where’s the other group going?” Completely forgetting their earlier horrific wake-up call as their curiosity got the better of them.

“I don’t know Suho won’t tell me” Kai threw a sideways glance towards the elder who simply stared back. “All I know is that Mink, Sooyoung, Suho, Tao, Kris are going while the rest of us have to guard the house. They’ll be gone for a couple of days.”

“A couple of days?”

“Yeah. Apparently 2-3 days depending on if they get whatever it is they’re looking for”

“Suho Hyung” All eyes flicked to the leader “What is going on?”

“Nothing you need to be concerned about at the moment”

“Well…let me come too. I can be of help to you guys”

“Chanyeol no”

“But Hyung, I-“

“Chanyeol I said no!”

Chanyeol looked at his friend, hurt clearly visible in his eyes. Catching himself Suho’s gaze quickly softened into that of a parent who was forced to discipline their child. His voice was a lot softer when he continued to speak.

“Look Chanyeol your needed here, with both Kris and I gone we need a strong presence to guide the guys and the group in case…” He paused, not quite wanting to utter the words “… In case we don’t come back”

This seemed to placate Chanyeol; understanding the tough position the other was in he accepted the explanation and smiled back towards him. But the whole conversation seemed to only rile up Sap.

“That’s fine but why won’t you tell us where you’re going?”

“Because I can’t”

“Why not?”

“Because the others and I decided in the meeting”

“WHY? If there’s a chance my sister could die doing this I want to at least know why”

Suho turned to the young girl, tears threatening to spill from her uncharacteristically sad looking eyes. Everyone seemed to forget that she was still only 15. 14 where she came from, no matter how old she looked or acted, she was still barely a teen.

“Hey, if anyone is going to survive this mission I swear to you, I will make sure it’s your sister”

“But why can’t you just tell me? She would tell me if you hadn’t made her promise not to”

“She’s the one who suggested keeping you guys in the dark”

“What?”

 Sap couldn’t believe her ears, Mink always told her the truth… always! She never lied or kept anything a secret from her. Every question Sap had asked, Mink answered honestly, even the embarrassing ones when like, When they were in school and she called out to her asking if she still had a crush on that blonde guy in her class, or when she’d asked her if she used Tampons or Pads in the middle of a MacDonald’s cue, even the time when she asked her if she’d lost her ity the morning after Mink snuck out to her boyfriend’s house the night before and stayed out all night.

“Sap… You know she never keeps anything from you. So this is obviously a case of trying to protect you as well as the rest of us” Roe said comfortingly seeing the betrayal flash across her doesangs’ eyes; she was like a little sister to her, as well as the rest of the group and so they all felt a sense of responsibility for her. “I’m guessing you’re not telling as there’s a chance it might not work and you don’t want to get our hopes up?” She directed the question towards Suho.

Suho could only nod.

“See. Just try to understand, your sister… she goes through a lot, and would do anything to stop someone or something hurting you” Roe inhaled “Even if it means hurting you herself”

Sap nodded. She understood, it still hurt but she had worked so hard to get the others to see her as a valuable member of the team and not just some kid they were stuck babysitting. She couldn’t keep acting like a baby. Turning her attention back to Suho she looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“Promise she’ll come back”

The eldest felt his heart pull as he heard the desperation in her voice, the others may be like sisters to Sap but Mink was her sister. At the moment she was the only person this little girl had in the entire world, the only thing keeping her sane. She needed her.

“I promise” Suho wrapped his pinky gently around the Sap’s and smiled his usual grandpa smile at her.

“If you want to eat I suggest you guys hurry up and get ready. The others are leaving in like 20 minutes” Called Luhan, leaning his head into the doorway.

The three dry figures left the dripping twosome scrambling for clothes in their desperate rush for a chance of food.

*************** Exactly 24 minutes later***************

As the two groups stood at the doorway, all goodbyes said, all hugs given and all promises of return made, it was time for them to separate. Hopefully the pharmacy group would be back in 2-3 hours at the most, the other 2-3 days, if not they were instructed to wait exactly 2 more days after that, then, and only then could the managers say which direction they went into and after that only 2 days of searching; if they weren’t together again by that time… it was time for them to move on.

The teams departed at the same time, both softly calling farewells to the others until they could no longer be heard and for some time even after.

Those left within the house set to work on keeping themselves busy, if this was going to work they couldn’t allow themselves to think of where the Kris and the others were or what they were doing then the tears would flow and once Luhan started crying it was game over.

The pharmacy team stayed to their plan and returned 3 ½ hours after they left, met with a lacklustre thanks from the noona the house seemed empty without the others there. No one spoke of it and they weren’t exactly miserable or bored but… it just wasn’t the same.

********************************************

The next 3 days passed in a similar daze, it wasn’t until the sun set on that evening, with the sky tinted with a rose coloured haze that something exciting and different happened and broke the spell. And when it happened, the location of the other group for the past couple of days was pushed to the back of their minds when they saw what they’d returned with.