3 years ago

Taebaek, Gangwon – Korea, Year 2020 (Summer)

“You absolute idiot,” you hissed, reaching your hand out as you yanked the elder boy by his shirt. Covering his mouth with one hand, you dragged him backwards, hiding him from the view you as watched the guards walk off, your heart beating wildly beneath your chest.

Shrugging your hand off, the boy smirked as he tilted his head to one side, judging your expression with a taunting expression on his face. The crooked smile upon his face irked you as you resisted the temptation of slapping him across the cheek. Settling for smacking the back of his head, you frowned, your eyebrows furrowed as you glared at him.

“Do you have a death wish? Do you possess a brain in that thick skull of yours? Why do you never learn?” You snarled, raising your fist to punch him again as he dodged, catching your fist in his palm as he pushed it down, chuckling softly.

“Were you worried for me?” The elder boy mocked as you just rolled your eyes, annoyed at his jeering tone. The two of you had been tasked to steal supplies from the guard as the amount of clothing and supplies were getting low. Somehow, Baekhyun decided it would be fun to prance in the middle of the corridor with the stolen goods for all the guards to see.

You couldn't find a word suitable of cursing him with. The frustration and annoyance you felt being paired up with him for such a simple task, made you wonder how someone so calm and gentle like Chanyeol, could handle being in this devil’s presence for the past seven years they had known each other. You concluded, that Chanyeol must have been a saint, or having saint-like qualities in the very least.

“I’m telling Lu ge and Minseok oppa,” you snapped, giving up as you your heel, heading back to the room, thoroughly pissed off. As you turned, you caught the elder boy’s face turning a ghastly white as you smirked to yourself in satisfaction.

If there was anyone Baekhyun feared, it was Luhan and Minseok, the eldest pair in the group. There was something about Luhan which made Baekhyun shrink in fear, the cold and unfeeling expression Luhan displayed whenever Baekhyun continued with his antics, made chills run up your spine. On the other hand, Minseok remained calm and indifferent about whatever transpired, and would only frown, giving a few sweeping sentences here and there to conclude the argument.

“Hey, hey, hey. That’s totally unnecessary,” he jested, a glimpse of worry and fear flitting through his voice as you just ignored him, marching forward towards the room, which was at the far end of the camp, only reachable after numerous winding corridors.

“You should have thought of that before you decided to joke around with our lives on the line. You know what they do to thieves and yet… Is everything a joke to you?” You concluded abruptly, too wound up to finish what you wanted to say as you tightened your grip on the bag containing a few sets of clothes and a first-aid kit, which you reckoned would come in useful someday.

“Eunkyung.” An urgent whisper came from your side as a hand tugged urgently at the hem of your shirt. Whipping your head around, annoyance flashed across your face as you stared down at the elder boy.

“What is it – oh gosh,” you got cut off mid-sentence as you followed his eyes, staring at the small red drops, which dyed the grey dusty floor. Following the trail with quick but light footsteps, your eyes widened in shock as you knelt quickly on the floor, looking around your surroundings before directing your gaze at the shocking sight.

Under the stairwell, there were two boys, who seemed to be around your age. The two were huddled together, hidden from view as they trembled visibly, clutching onto each other in fear. Reaching out a kind hand, you grasped the arm of the boy nearest to you as he hissed, recoiling immediately as he clutched on tighter to the other boy who hissed in pain at the pressure exerted.

“Are you alright?” You asked softly as the boy lifted his head, his eyes meeting yours through his thick bangs. “Are you injured? You seem to be bleeding.” You pressed on, trying to spot for a wound in the dark lighting of the stairwell. The boy scrutinized your expression, probably judging how trustworthy you seemed.

“I won’t hurt you, I promise,” you said, raising your hands in surrender as you saw his shoulders relax significantly. “Is there something wrong?” You asked again, wondering why the smaller sized boy remained unmoving in the tight hold of the other boy through the conversation. Hearing a rustle of clothing, you felt the air shift as Baekhyun knelt down next to you.

“Help him, please. Please help him, he’s dying,” the boy said, his voice quavering as he trembled, tears b in his eyes as you raised your eyebrows slightly, crouching into the stairwell as the other boy transferred his companion into your arms carefully. Wrapping you arms around him securely, you let him rest his head in the crook of your neck as you stared at his face. He was unconscious, his face a sickly white as cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Feeling a sticky sensation on your right palm, you looked down, shocked to see your hand covered in blood.

“Baekhyun, he’s bleeding,” you said in hushed tones, your voice laced with worry as Baekhyun crawled in next to you, taking a closer look at the wound on the boys stomach. His reddish-brown hair was matted against his forehead, wet with sweat and as you peeled off his shirt lightly to have a closer look, he flinched as his arm reached out, hitting yours away weakly.

“Dae, You’re awake?” The boy asked worriedly, his eyes widening as he scrambled closer, clutching the boy’s hand in his. The boy lying in your arms opened his mouth as if to speak as he chest heaved. Coughing out, his hand covered his mouth in reflex as you felt a drop of warm liquid on your arm.

“Baek,” you cried urgently as the elder boy nodded, bending down in that small area as he waited for you to drape the boy across his shoulders. Carefully, he stepped out of the stairwell as he righted himself, standing up as he adjusted the boy on his back before walking off with quick steps.

Grabbing hold of the stolen goods, you pulled the other boy up as you shushed him, gesturing him to follow the two of you as you hurried back to the room, watching your surroundings carefully as you trailed behind, pushing