The sun is well up in the sky by the time they find somewhere safe to stay. It’s by a small lake, with dozens of pensions for rent. The owners and customers are nowhere to be seen, and neither are there tracks or remains of the beasts.

“We’re nearly out of gas,” Chanyeol says, voice exhausted as he stumbles out of the driver’s seat. The signs on the highway say they’ve just entered Gangseo-gu, a small province near Gimpo.

“We’ll have to try to make it to a gas station. But we’re close enough to start walking if we have to,” Jongin retorts as he and Sehun carry the still unconscious Kyugnsoo out of the now blood stained car.

They take refuge in the largest pension. Chanyeol magically finds the lock to the air conditioning in the owner’s home, and soon, they’re sprawled out in different rooms or taking a most needed shower. They decide to leave tomorrow morning as everyone is dead by now. No one complains.

Naeun and Chorong go to work on Kyungsoo. They clean his wounds first with water, then with antiseptic. Kyungsoo’s face springs into grimaces and light groans escape his throat. With a sterilized needle and roll of thread they find at the owner’s home, Naeun stitches up the wounds as best as she can. Then they apply the only medicine they can find and bandage him up and put packs of ice wrapped in towels on his back to numb and ease the pain.

It’s a miracle, how magically the boy becomes clean with a new set of clothes, also from the owner’s house. Both Chanyeol and Sehun pat Naeun’s back once she’s done, and even Soojung admits to her excellent work.

“Go and get some rest. We won’t wake you anytime soon,” Jongin says, also lightly patting her on the shoulder. With a nod, she heads to the room where Sulli seems peacefully at sleep, and curls up to the girl.

Chorong doesn’t leave Kyungsoo’s side, and Baekhyun is there by her, staring blankly at his sleeping friend. 

“You guys should rest. He’ll be alright,” Chanyeol tries at them. Chorong just shakes her head and Baekhyun makes an effort to smile.

Soojung washes the grime and Kyungsoo’s blood from her body. She ties her wet hair up and discards her old clothes, while pulling on a large shirt—the only thing she and Chanyeol could find in the owner’s home.

When she steps out of the bathroom, both Chorong and Baekhyun have fallen sleep; Chorong holding Kyungsoo’s hand, and Baekhyun, curled up beside her. Chanyeol and Sehun are also napping a few feet from the trio, limbs everywhere, and mouths agape with dirt on their clothes. Jongin seems to be the only one alert, staring out the large doors to the veranda. 

“Not tired?” she asks, stepping into his point of view. His eyes travel from her eyes to her toes, and then he turns away again.

“I am, but not as tired as the rest are,” he mumbles. 

Soojung takes a spot in the corner where the last blanket lays untouched. She wraps the thin material around herself and leans into the wall, eyes dropping almost immediately. But the backs of her eyelids are stained with pictures of Sooyeon and Kyungsoo’s fresh wounds, and soon, she’s opening them again. She wonders how anybody else sleeps.

Shedding her blankets, she excuses herself and steps outside. It’s cooler out because of the trees dotting the bank. She sits at the small porch and watches the branches swaying in the breeze and the sunlight filtering through the leaves.

“Nightmares?” 

Soojung watches as Jongin takes a seat next to her. His eyes look sleepy, but they always look sleepy. He props his arms on his knees and admires the landscape.

“I don’t see how anyone else sleeps,” she confesses, not meeting his eyes. She traces the cracks in the pavement to the edge of the water and back.

They both sit and bathe in the comforting silence. It’s as if nothing’s wrong with the world. As if they’re not fighting for their lives. As if her sister would appear just across the bank and wave to her, fingers laced in with Kris’. 

Soojung imagines what it would be like. She imagines herself sitting with Sooyeon, joking about random things and smiling, laughing. She sees Kris walking from afar with a tall figure that she doesn’t recognize at first, but she realizes it’s Chanyeol. She thinks they would have been good friends. 

There’s a cluster of laughter from the banks and she cranes her neck to see Kyungsoo, Chorong, Baekhyun, and Naeun attacking each other with water guns. She didn’t see Jongin before, but he’s there too, sitting beside her like he is now, but smiling instead of scowling and she thinks he looks good like that—happy.

When she opens her eyes again she sees the same place, except it’s empty. No Sooyeon, no Kris, and Jongin is still scowling, staring blankly at the ground. 

“Again? Why don’t you two just tell us you’re dating instead of doing this in secret?” 

Soojung turns to see Chanyeol, squinting from the sun. His hair is ruffled and there’s a string of dried saliva on the corner of his mouth.

“We’re not dating,” Jongin speaks first. Soojung watches as he stands and goes back inside, leaving her with the giant.

Chanyeol chuckles and takes Jongin’s spot beside Soojung. She doesn’t see how he’s so smiley all the time when she’s always haunted by her sister’s face and her past life. 

“You’re going to ask me how I do it, right?” It’s as if Chanyeol can read minds. She nods.

“It’s easy.  My life before this? Worthless. Mom passed away when I was a kid. I don’t really remember her. Dad? He was an alcoholic and he was abusive. My uncle paid for my education until he passed away when I was in middle school. I got a part time job and the money in my dad’s bank had me going through high school.” 

Soojung suddenly feels terrible. Chanyeol is like Jongin. No good memories, nothing to be sorry for.

“I was top in our whole county. I got a full scholarship to university. Met some good friends like Naeun. I don’t have anything to look back to, so I don’t miss it.” 

Soojung doesn’t know what to say until the grin comes back to Chanyeol’s face as he states, “Well, maybe except for the parties.”

It gets a smile back onto Soojung’s face. She thinks back to her daydream, and can really see Chanyeol being good buddies with Kris. 

“What do you think is waiting for us at the end of this road?” His voice seems deeper and it sends shivers down Soojung’s spine. She suddenly thinks about her sister, Kris’ solemn face, and all those people back at the camp.

“Hope. Life. A way for us to get back on our feet again?” she sounds old and wise like her grandfather when she was little. He would always talk to her in rhymes and large words that she didn’t understand before. 

“Maybe.”

The day goes downhill when a large storm cloud gathers overhead and starts pouring rain. When they finally change out Kyungsoo’s bandages for the second time that day, he’s conscious, from the pain, but trying to smile nonetheless.

“You’re an idiot,” Chorong says, the corners of her eyes pooling with tears again. Kyungsoo peers up at her and manages a dry laugh which turns to pain. 

“I’m always an idiot, and you love me for that.”

Soojung eyes the way Chorong never lets go of Kyungsoo’s hand, and the way his thumb rubs circles on the back of her hand still, sending her reassuring smiles. She’s reminded of how Kris used to do the same thing when Sooyeon was worried. He’d pull her close and rub circles in her back or hands. He’d send her smiles and whisper small things.

The night comes rapidly, and soon, Soojung hears the faint sounds of the night ; mewls, howls, and other rasping noises. They cut off the lights and share what they find in the refrigerator that’s still miraculously working. Jongin sets up those black candles all around the pension and Soojung feels somewhat safe again.

Everyone seems tense, as if they’d get ambushed again. They eat silently, sitting together in a huddle, candles burning at their feet. She sees Sehun for the first time all day. He seems refreshed, calm even. Kyungsoo and Chorong are off to the side, Kyungsoo sleeping again, trying to regain some energy.

They’re planning to set off again in the morning, but it seems impossible with little resources, almost no gas, and Kyungsoo unable to walk, or even get up. Jongin’s face is tense, as well as Naeun and Chanyeol. They’ve been discussing amongst themselves for some time, leaving Soojung with a hunched over Baekhyun and Sehun and Sulli, who always seem to be in their own world.

“You’ve known them for long?” Baekhyun asks, lifting his head. Soojung meets his eyes for the first time and is surprised. They’re bright with a mischievous glint, but sad also. She shakes her head in response.

“No. Not long at all. Two weeks, maybe? Or, maybe not even that long? I can’t tell. Time isn’t really a thing anymore,” she says, lips tilting up into a smile. 

“Then what made you want to be with them? I mean, there’s a safe house somewhere, right? Why not just stay there?” His eyebrows are raised, and Soojung doesn’t really know how to answer the question. She stalls for a second and holds back a laugh. “I really have no idea.”

Baekhyun seems to contemplate her words in his brain, making various expressions. He furrows his eyebrows and tilts his head, then sighs heavy and long. She wonders what he’s thinking about; why he’s making those expressions.

“We’ll figure something out.”

Soojung catches the last of Jongin’s words before they’re all gathered around again. Baekhyun still looks contemplative and Chorong looks dead, almost. Sehun and Sulli finally gather too but for the first time, Soojung doesn’t see the two holding hands.

“We’ve decided to stay for just one more day. We’re going to go scavenging for resources and maybe a van if we can find one. Hopefully Kyungsoo will be able to mobilize somewhat by the next morning, then we’ll start moving again,” Jongin explains. Everyone nods, not saying much. Shifts are set for the night watch and they break to rest up.

Soojung has third watch with Baekhyun. It would’ve been hard to get up, but she hadn’t fallen asleep yet when Chanyeol gently tapped at her shoulder to take watch in the place of him and Naeun. She sits up against the wall and gazes around the room. Chanyeol takes a spot in the middle of the room and quickly falls asleep. Naeun seems to have passed out inside of a cocoon of blankets. Chorong and Kyungsoo sleep peacefully side by side, fingers touching and facing each other. 

“So you’ve never had a boyfriend, huh?” Baekhyun’s voice comes softly from across the room. Soojung shakes her head, a smile forming on her lips. 

“Well, you’re not missing out on too much. Although, the couples in this new world seem to love each other to no ends,” he states, glancing toward the sleeping figures of Kyungsoo and Chorong.

“And you’ve dated before?” she asks. 

“A couple of times. Never anything serious like these kids,” Baekhyun answers. Soojung sees the Baekhyun that she saw on their first night at the bank. His sassy, confident, and slightly ego-centric self. She likes this side more than depressed and agonized Baekhyun.

“You should talk more. You’re better at talking than sulking,” she states. The smile that lights up his face is the reward she’s given. 

He talks about his boring life and family, about his older brother and being the third wheel to Kyungsoo and Chorong. It’s animated, his life, really. And she tells him about the safe base back in Apgujeong. About her family. About Sooyeon and how Kris is running the safe base. 

She doesn’t remember when they fall asleep, but when she wakes, it’s to the lightening skies, the aroma of food, and a weight on her leg. She’s stiff from sleeping against the wall, but she doesn’t move because Jongin’s head is in her lap.

He looks peaceful when sleeping, almost like a carefree teenager. She runs her fingers over his jawline, feeling the smoothness of his sculpted face, and draws her hand back, scared he might wake. She hasn’t seen him sleep. Ever.

“If you want to move, you can gently stick a pillow under him,” Chorong’s voice comes as a whisper. Soojung looks up to see Chorong in the midst of the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

“No, I think I’ll just stay here for a while; until it gets too uncomfortable. He doesn’t sleep much, I don’t think. He needs this sleep. I didn’t even see him during the night,” Soojung replies, fingers itching to run them through his hair.

“You two. You have something. Something special,” she says, flipping some pancakes. Soojung takes one last look at Jongin’s peaceful face before gently laying his head on a pillow and getting up to help Chorong.

The breakfast is American style because all Chorong finds is flour, eggs, milk, and butter. They scrounge around for syrup, which they do eventually find in the last cabinet, and finally, breakfast is served. 

Chanyeol and Sehun wake up first, dogging down their pancakes rapidly. Naeun seems to be in a daze as she runs her fingers through her hair when she wakes, then she takes a seat beside Chanyeol and starts picking at a pancake. 

Sulli shows up minutes later and eats politely while thanking Chorong with a wide smile. Baekhyun comes last, sitting beside Naeun. He takes a plate and wildly starts shoving food into his mouth, making Naeun freeze beside him and Chanyeol cackle loudly. Kyungsoo doesn’t show any signs of waking, and neither does Jongin. 

Hey guys! It's been a few weeks, hasn't it? Well, I've been writing a bit now-a-days and it has been kind of hard because of where the story goes and I wasn't ready for it, but my hands just write whatever they want...it's been pretty hard. But, I think there's been a good transition to the story and a good lengthy progress...and I think I'm rambling now. Well, thanks you guys all for reading! 

Also, any B.A.P fans out there? Well, an aquaintance of mine has started writing a new story and I promise it's really good -- just a bit angsty.
The story is called Playlist and if you click on the title, it'll take you there! Please go check it out and give some support! ;)

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