Color Codes

Suho   Baekhyun   Chanyeol   D.O.   Kai   Sehun   Kris   Xiumin   Luhan   Lay   Chen   Tao

“What do we do now? I don’t see any new clues.”

“Me either... h-hey hyung, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, what’s up?”

“I was just wondering, before we started dating... did you like anyone?”

“Well yeah as it happens, I liked this really cute guy. He was 182cm, blood type A and utterly irresistible when he bites his lip which unfortunately for me is quite often.”

Blush gently at the elders comment, Kai shyly pecked D.O.’s cheek before inadvertently biting his lower lip as he mumbled.

“Hyung, you know what I meant.”

“I know but I couldn’t resist. Um, I guess one or two pretty girls momentarily caught my eye but nothing special.”

“Girls?”

“T-that was before we met.”

“So, there was never a guy who caught you interest?”

“Do I have to say it again?”

“I’m just curious...”

“Well no, you’re the only guy I’ve ever liked.”

Smiling slightly to hide his confusion, Kai let his eyes fall to the floor where he spotted something reflected in the plughole.

“Hyung...”

“Yeah?”

“The clue’s on the ceiling.”

Looking up at the card, D.O. considered how to get it down and sighed heavily as nothing came to mind.

“Where’s Chanyeol when you need him?”

“I’m not sure he’d reach that it’s quite high up. I don’t even think Kris would reach that.”

“...Come here a minute.”

“Why?”

“If you sit on my shoulders then you should be able to reach it.”

“A-are you sure you can lift me?”

“Yeah I’m sure, unless you don’t trust me?”

Trying not to show there was a good chance now he didn’t, Kai carefully climbed onto D.O.’s shoulders.

“Can you reach it?”

“Not quite... can you stand on your toes?”

“Not without dropping you.”

“Fine, do it!”

Stepping onto his toes before quickly falling back to the floor, D.O. scrambled to check on Kai.

“Kai... Sweetie a-are you okay?”

“...Ow!”

“I-I’m sorry I didn’t...”

“It’s okay hyung.”

“Are you sure?”

Smiling as he lifted the card, they both chuckled softly before D.O. helped Kai to his feet.

“What does this one say?”

“It’s important for the ulzzang to learn to sit still, how long before he cries?”

“Oh no, Sehun...”

“Okay, so he’s somewhere tight were he won’t be able to move?”

Thinking back to after they found Lay, Kai realized something he hadn’t fully registered before.

“Okay mister, can we stop with the spacing out and unreadable expressions it really starting to worry me.”

“S-sorry hyung, I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“Then talk to me, what’s wrong?”

“I think we’ve walked straight past him.”

“Well that wouldn’t be hard, Suho can run at record breaking speeds when he thinks Lay’s in danger it’s all we could do to keep up.”

“No I don’t mean that, I mean I think we literally walked past him.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Think about it, when we were walking through the gym to look for Kris, did you notice anything?”

“You were really spaced out and looked like you were about to collapse.”

“Hyung?!”

“...T-there was a soft banging, I thought it was just the train settling or something.”

Wearing a look like it sounded less silly in his head, D.O. thought for a moment before grabbing Kai’s wrist and heading back towards the gym.

“Ow, hyung you’re hurting me!”

Ignoring Kai’s complaining until after they had passed though the library, D.O. gently loosened his grip as the younger snatched his hand back.

“Not that I don’t want Sehun back but did you have to try to break my wrist?”

“Sorry I didn’t think it was that tight.”

Pouting at the elder Kai folded his arms trying not to hurt his wrist further in the process. Seeing this just made D.O. smile, Kai shifted his gaze past the elder and spotting something over his shoulder he walked past him over to the lockers. Finding one with a padlock on it, Kai gently tapped the door and whispered.

“Sehun, are you in there?”

“K-Kai... is that you?”

“Yeah it’s me, we’re going to get you out just hold tight okay.”

“...Okay.”

Turning back to find D.O. missing, Kai stood dumbfounded wondering what was going on. Heading back over to where they had been standing a few moments before, a wave of confusing relief swept over Kai as D.O. re-entered the car.

“Hyung!”

“Hey... first you’re mad now you’re hugging me, what’s going on?”

“I turned around and you were gone, I-I thought...”

“Oh Kai I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

“Where did you go?”

“Back to the library, I remembered seeing something fall out of Kris’ pocket when he ran to find Tao.”

“And?”

Holding up a small silver key, D.O. handed it to Kai as they quickly headed back to the locker.

“It doesn’t fit.”

“What? How could it not fit?”

“H-hey guys, it’s kind of claustrophobic in here...”

“Okay... um you’re going to hear a loud noise, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

“...What?”

Turning away from a rather confused D.O. and a worried sounding Sehun, Kai walked across the car and picked up a dumbbell.

“K-Kai, what are you doing?”

“Hey D.O. hyung, c-could you maybe not sound so panicked... it’s not helping.”

“Sorry Sehun, don’t worry everything’s fine.”

Watching Kai walk back over to the locker with the dumbbell, D.O. wanted to ask him what on earth he planned to do but didn’t want to worry Sehun any more than he already had. Hitting the padlock with one swift swing it bounced and rattled against the locker but remained in place on the door.

“W-what was that?”

“Nothing.”

“Kai, maybe put the dumbbell down.”

“Why does Kai have a dumbbell?”

Smiling sweetly at D.O.’s unreadable look, Kai removed the padlock and opened the door to have Sehun jump out and wrap his arms around his shoulders knocking them both to the floor.

“Omo, thank you!”

“Are you alright?”

“Mhmm... what’s wrong with D.O.?”

“I think he needs a hug.”

“I do not...”

“But?”

“How did... that shouldn’t have...”

“Riiight... while he’s piecing that sentence together, where’s Luhan?”

“Um... honestly, we don’t know.”

“What?”

“We haven’t found him yet, but I promise we will.”

“H-he’s missing? How do we find him?”

“There should be a clue to where he is somewhere in here.”

“I’m sorry, you must be fed up saying all this... who else have you found?”

“Suho, Lay, Kris and Tao.”

“No prizes for guessing the theme there.”

“It’s a little curious but as long as we get everyone back I don’t really care about the order.”

“Well lucky for us whoever is behind this seems too.”

“This isn’t helping us find the next clue hyung...”

“Ow!”

“What happened?”

“I-I don’t know, there was a sharp pain and now my hand’s bleeding.”

Letting Kai examine his hand while D.O. looked for what hit him, Sehun was reassured it was only a paper cut. Jumping slightly as D.O. sat next to them holding a peculiar green card, he turned it round to let them read it.

“After spending too long in-front of the tv, how long before he becomes more twisted than a rubix cube?”

“I have to say they’re getting lazier with these. The earlier clues were far more imaginative.”

“But less helpful.”

“...I suppose there is that.”

“Tv...”

“Sehun?”

“The three cars between the dining car and the rooms, the middle had a tv.”

“Of course, it was full of computer games.”

“Okay Sehun I want you to go to the rooms, Suho will have something to clean and dress your hand. We’ll find Luhan.”

“Kai I want to help.”

“You can help by making sure it doesn’t get infected.”

“But Kai...”

“But nothing, none of us want you getting ill so you’re letting Suho treat it even if I have to put you in-front of him myself.”

“But...”

“Do it for Luhan, you know it’s what he’d want.”

“...Fine.”

Swiftly returning to their feet, they quietly followed D.O. out of the gym.

“Hey Sehun, I-I’m sorry I was so blunt with you.”

“It’s okay, I know you were just looking out for me.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“Why would I be mad? You were showing that you care about me.”

Stopping to hug the younger tightly, Kai couldn’t help smiling as he rested his chin on Sehun’s shoulder. Catching a pained look swim into D.O.’s eye’s, Kai let go of Sehun as he knocked on Suho and Lay’s door.

“Hey Kai, what’s up?”

“Sehun had a little accident, do you have any first aid stuff?”

With a worried look quickly creeping onto his face, Suho reached for Sehun’s now blood covered hand.

“Um yeah I can clean this up, come on in.”

Turning to face Kai as he stepped back into Suho’s room, Sehun asked with tears slowly filling his eyes.

“You will find Luhan, won’t you?”

“Of course we will, you let Suho use the evil antiseptic spray and we’ll get him back.”

“W-why is it evil?”

“Well I dropped a steak knife on my foot and the antiseptic spray was the worst part.”

“Oh... that’s reassuring.”

Trying to hide the look of guilt as Sehun contemplated running, they both left before Suho had a chance to shout at them for scaring the younger. Hearing Lay close the door while Suho argued with Sehun, Kai fell quiet as the memory of D.O.’s pained look took over his train of thought.

“Hey hyung, h-have I upset you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw the look...”

“I wasn’t upset.”

“Hyung please tell me.”

“I was just thinking.”

“Thinking what?”

“...Could I ever make you smile like that again?”

Stepping in-front of D.O. and locking his arms around the elders’ ribs, Kai stood silently as tears ran down his cheeks. With a feeling of guilt sweeping over him, D.O. gently placed a kiss on the younger’s forehead.

“I’m sorry baby, I-I’m just scared I’m losing you.”

“...Me too.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to lose you either.”

“Hey, as long as a mysterious shadow doesn’t carry me off you won’t.”

“...Well played.”

Brushing the younger’s cheek with his thumb, D.O. was on the verge of tears himself as himself as he whispered.

“Hey, you’re smiling again.”

“Hyung can always make me smile.”

Lost in their own little world, the crash of a sudden downpour caught them off guard and swiftly brought them back to reality. Looking around the room slightly disorientated, they wondered where to start looking for Luhan.  Seeing nothing bar a few beanbags and shelves full of games they almost gave up when D.O. spotted a slight line where the stickers didn’t quite match up.  After ten minutes of clawing at the wall, two doors swung open to show a seriously contorted Luhan inside.

“Hyung... are you alright?”

“H-help me.”

Pulling Luhan out of the hidden cupboard, they fell to the floor with a loud thud.

“Ow... that is so much better, thanks guys.”

“Hyung can you remove your knee from my stomach please?”

“Oh, sorry Kai.”

“It’s okay, we have you back so it was worth it.”

“Aw that’s so sweet.”

“Well next time you won’t get off so easily.”

“You really won’t let that go will you? It wasn’t my fault, Kris tripped me!”

“I don’t even want to know what you two are talking about.”

“Uh... Hey just out of curiosity, why was I stuffed into a cupboard?”

“Well, someone has a warped sense of humour.”

“I don’t follow.”

“When the train stopped we found you guys missing and a note saying if we couldn’t find you before morning we’d lose you.”

“That’s horrible! ...W-wait everyone was missing?”

“Yeah?”

“Is... is Sehun okay?”

“He’s fine hyung, come on we’ll take you too him.”

Helping the rather confused Luhan to his feet, Kai closed the cupboard doors before heading to catch up with the others. Deciding to check in with Suho, Kai and D.O. left Luhan to uncertainly open the door to his room.

“Hello?”

“H-hyung?”

“Oh, Sehun I’m so glad your oka... what happened to your hand?”

“It doesn’t matter, I have my cute little prince back.”