The following weeks after, Youngjae had fallen into a different pattern with the other members. He'd train with Jongup in the mornings after breakfast, come back in the afternoon, and help out with chores around the bunker (as Yongguk had stated "As much as we like you, we can't have you freeloading this entire time, man."). Duties rotated every week, but cooking stayed with Yongguk and Daehyun because, apparently, they were the only people who knew how to cook well.
 
Youngjae was going to do laundry—or was it cleaning up the rooms?—when Daehyun came up to him, patting his shoulder. Blinking, Youngjae turned to look, and smiled.

"Hey," Youngjae greeted. "What's up?"

"We gotta go to the control room, apparently," Daehyun replied with a shrug.

"Oh." Youngjae nodded. He turned a corner as Daehyun fell into step beside him. "Do you know why?"

"Nope."

"...okay."

The pair strode down the corridor with light steps, the soles of their shoes hitting the floor in unison. For some reason, though, Youngjae felt Daehyun watching him. He glanced to his right, catching Daehyun right in his peripherals, and found that Daehyun certainly was.

"Why are you staring at me?" Youngjae asked, shifting his gaze forward again.

"Have your shoulders always been that broad, Youngjae?" Daehyun suddenly asked. He fell back a couple steps, and Youngjae stopped, turning around to face Daehyun, but the other flailed his arms slightly. "No, no, stop! Don't move."

Feeling a blush creeping onto his cheeks, Youngjae stood awkwardly in the middle of the corridor as Daehyun inspected his back. "Are you done yet?"

"Yeah, I guess," Daehyun replied, his tone nonchalant. He began walking again, and Youngjae followed after him. "I think that training is doing you good."

"Thanks...?" Unsure whether or not if the statement was a compliment, Youngjae's reply came out sounding like a question.

"You're welcome."

Before Youngjae knew it, they'd reached the control room, and the rest of the members were gathered there already. They surrounded a table cluttered with papers and a holographic diagram of a map floated above their heads. Yongguk stood above the table with both arms supporting him. Himchan stood beside Yongguk with his arms crossed. Jongup and Junhong stood close to each other, talking in hushed tones about something. As Daehyun and Youngjae approached the table, the other members diverted their attentions to the two.

"What's going on?" Daehyun asked, filling in the gap at the table beside Jongup.

Not knowing what to do, Youngjae stood just outside the circle as Yongguk began talking.

"Youngjae, how are you supposed to get this information if you're standing all the way over there?" Yongguk asked, looking up from a paper on the table to Youngjae.

The other members shifted to make a space for Youngjae, who gratefully took it.

"We're running out of supplies," Yongguk announced once he was satisfied, taking a small remote out of his pocket. He stood up straighter, his stature immediately transforming him into somebody more authoritative. "Meaning we have to go on a supply raid."

"Wow, no ," Himchan remarked sarcastically under his breath, and Junhong let out a laugh, but closed his mouth after Yongguk sent him and Himchan a glare.

"Because of Youngjae, we're split evenly now. We'll be separating into two groups, three per group." Yongguk pointed the remote at the hologram, and with a flick of his wrist, brought up several formations. "Daehyun and Junhong, since you're our two recon men, you'll be going into one group each. Daehyun, Youngjae, and myself in group one, code named Warrior. Jongup, Himchan, and Junhong in group two, code named Hurricane."

On the hologram above their heads, two arrows moved from District 9 down separate paths. The blue arrow moved south through the middle of the country while the red arrow moved along the coastline.

"Warrior will hit Districts 6 and 7 for ammunition and perishables while Hurricane will go through  2 and 5 for canned food and miscellaneous items." Yongguk paused, changing the hologram. "Remember, if you think you can't get it, it's not worth it. Move on. Also, keep your wrists covered at all costs. If civilians can't see you, the Republic will have just as much trouble finding you. Any questions?"

The room was engulfed in silence for a good couple seconds before Yongguk continued.

"Okay. We leave tomorrow morning at dawn. Hurricane leaves first, then Warrior. Dismissed."

Almost immediately, the spell Yongguk had cast around the members snapped, and the room's atmosphere seemed to return to normal.

Junhong jumped up in excitement. "Man, it's been so long since our last raid! And, Youngjae, you're coming with us! This is gonna be great!"

"Especially now that you know how to fight," Jongup added with a proud smile.

Youngjae stared, almost trance-like, at the table before him, a familiar weight gathering in the pit of his stomach. He'd already grown so used to living peacefully like in the bunker with everybody else, he honestly thought it'd last forever. Of course, that was wishful thinking. Running out of supplies was natural. A supply raid was to be expected.

Only... Youngjae wished he didn't have to be thrown into another unpredictable situation.

"You alright?"

With a blink, Youngjae focused his eyes on the person in front of him. It was Daehyun. Behind him, Yongguk and Himchan were talking, but Himchan kept glancing over Yongguk's shoulder at Youngjae. It was then that Youngjae remembered the conversation he'd overheard between Yongguk and Himchan.

Was it really a good idea?

What if he betrays us?

"Youngjae?" Daehyun repeated, inching closer. He slowly reached out to Youngjae, but Youngjae took a step back. "Youn––"

"I have to, uh, use the bathroom," Youngjae hastily said, ducking out of the room.

The last thing he saw was Himchan's accusatory eyes.

//

"You know... Himchan really isn't that bad."

"You say that, but––"

"It's true."

Youngjae let out a sigh. His head hung over the edge of the bed, and he stared at Daehyun pack his knapsack, and it felt just like the District 8 incident again––except less urgent.

"I don't know how to say this, but...," Daehyun paused, seemingly unable to finish, and while Youngjae was eager to find out the source of Himchan's anger, he also somewhat dreaded it. "Himchan's got trust issues with new people. I think he just wants to protect the people around him from any threats. You just gotta prove you're not what he assumes you are."

Youngjae sat up again, facing Daehyun. "Make him trust me, in other words."

"Yes."

"Well, I guess I'm never going to get anywhere with that," Youngjae declared, hopping off the bed. Before Daehyun could say anything else, Youngjae grabbed his duffel bag sat in a corner of the room, clothes littered around it, and stuffed whatever was his into it. "What else do I need to bring?"

"You're pretty much set," Daehyun replied, closing his knapsack and throwing it by the door.

//

That night, Youngjae couldn't sleep. He laid awake in bed as Daehyun snored away beside him. He felt uneasy. He couldn't get comfortable. He was nervous. The way his stomach flipped made him sick.

What if they got caught? What if they died?

Youngjae shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. They wouldn't do him or the group any good.

Taking a deep breath, Youngjae got out of bed, carefully moving so as not to wake Daehyun. Luckily, he simply turned sides. Youngjae slipped out of the room, needing a quick breather. He found himself wandering the dim corridors, but the longer he walked, the more it seemed as though something lurked just behind him. Youngjae found himself throwing glances over his shoulder.

"Hey!"

Letting out a small squeak, Youngjae jumped about a foot in the air at the shout. He spun around, eyes wide and heart beating faster than he thought was possible, and found someone treading towards him.

"Why are you up?" That sounded like... Himchan?

Youngjae's suspicions were confirmed when he saw Himchan emerge out of the shadows. "I, uh...needed to use the bathroom."

Himchan narrowed his eyes. "The bathroom is the other way, though?"

Upon that realization, Youngjae let out a nervous laugh. "Oh, yeah... About that, um––"

"Look," Himchan interrupted, and Youngjae promptly closed his mouth, "don't do anything to put this group in danger. That's all I ask of you."

As Himchan walked away, Youngjae found himself staring in bewilderment. A plea was the last thing he expected out of Himchan. Youngjae expected a demand, maybe even a threat, but a plea? Youngjae didn't know what to do with that.

But... Youngjae swore he'd do his best, not just for his sake, but for Guernica too.

A/N: Whoa, two updates in a day???? I am on a roll. Although, I feel like this will pretty much be the only time you guys will see this odd phenomenon as it very rarely occurs in nature.

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