Chapter 12.

If love's elastic, then were we born to test it's reach? Is it buried treasure or just a single puzzle piece?

Jaehyun tried not to look at the broken railing as they crossed the bridge. Hansol and Yuta looked at it with wide eyes but said nothing, when they reached the other side and went into the shade; Taeyong took the compass and looked at the map. Jaehyun held the map and Taeyong matched the compass and the map and Jaehyun liked the silence and just working together without worrying. Not thinking of what to say and just doing what needs to be done.

Taeyong who held the compass walked either in front or beside Jaehyun and Hansol was close behind them. Jaehyun kept replaying the kiss over and over in his head and he accidentally stumbled once when his heart skipped a beat at the thought of Taeyong’s lips against his. How in the world was he still alive?
Jaehyun was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice the envelope hanging on a tree in front of them. Taeyong though cheered and ran forward with Yuta in his heels and Hansol patted Jaehyun’s back while following the two; making Jaehyun stumble.

Jaehyun beamed, their first envelope was found without much trouble. Taeyong eagerly opened the envelope and read the riddle.

  “What puts on clothes in hot summer and takes it off in cold winter?”

Taeyong’s face turned blank. “Who would take their clothes off in cold winter?”

The others shrugged. Taeyong continued to read a smaller text. “The answer is the thing you need to bring for this envelope.”

  “A stone?”

  “Hansol don’t be stupid.” Jaehyun hit the Busan boy and he smiled goofily. Yuta was looking around with a frown and Taeyong read the riddle aloud again.

  “What changes when it switches from summer to winter?” Jaehyun asked and Taeyong looked at him. The two shared a gaze as they thought of the answer. Taeyong hummed.

  “The leaves turn orange in September. The flowers stop blooming and… snow… the trees drop their leaves.”

  “Tree!” Yuta gasped. “You could say the leaves are its clothes!”

  “How the hell do we bring a tree with us?” Taeyong was the voice of reason again and Jaehyun found a small branch and broke it off.

Yuta released a small cry when he did it. “Not the trees...”

  “We’re just borrowing a branch, calm down, tree hugger.” Hansol said and Taeyong accepted the branch from Jaehyun and put it in the envelope. Jaehyun hissed when their fingers brushed. Taeyong looked up at him with eyes Jaehyun couldn’t read. Jaehyun folded out the map again and used that as a distraction from Taeyong.

  “Next envelope is north-east from this place.” He said and he looked at Taeyong who seemed to not expect Jaehyun’s attention. His eyes widened a little and he glanced around only to fish out the compass from his pocket a little clumsily. Jaehyun blinked and shared a gaze with Hansol. Yuta just asked if he should hold the envelope and Taeyong thanked him and gave it to him.

How much time passed with them wondering how the hell Soohyun and Jongsuk had gotten to these places, was not counted. Still it seemed as if they had been walking for hours and Taeyong suddenly demanded for them to take a break. Jaehyun who had been focused on where to go next looked up from the map and saw Yuta sit down and Taeyong do the same but with a groan. Hansol though walked over to Jaehyun and the two sat down beside each other and discussed the road they would take.

Jaehyun heard Yuta and Taeyong talk and while Hansol was talking about something. He listened to their conversation instead.

  “I really like hiking.” Said Yuta and Jaehyun could hear the smile in his voice.

Taeyong seemed surprised by this. “Do you do that a lot? I hadn’t noticed.” Taeyong said a little sheepishly and Yuta just chuckled.

  “Well you’ve been caught in your thoughts this past year.” He joked and Taeyong chuckled and Jaehyun glanced up only to see Taeyong moving his gaze to his and Jaehyun immediately looked down again. Hansol finished saying something about the road that went a little more north than west and Jaehyun just nodded in agreement and then decided to drink some water.

Taeyong cleared his throat. Hansol and Jaehyun looked up and Yuta was still wearing a small smile. Taeyong raised his hand which had gimbap in it, which was a food you often bought in convenience stores also called samgak gimbap. It was a ball of rice with different ingredients inside of it, wrapped in dry seaweed. These were homemade though and Jaehyun felt his mouth water at the sight. “I’m on all of the kitchen teams because I’m good at cooking.” He said with a humble smile and Jaehyun thought he had never seen this side of Taeyong. Taeyong reached out two of them to Hansol and Jaehyun after handing Yuta one. “I brought some for you.” He said and Jaehyun almost felt guilty for the yesterday and he accepted the food with both hands and Hansol looked like he was a bit shocked too.

The four boys ate and Hansol and Yuta started talking, being old friends that had stopped talking at some point, Hansol looked like he was really missing the times they had shared together. Taeyong and Jaehyun just watched them talk, not really wanting to break the reunion. They eventually decided to get going again and Jaehyun liked that now they didn’t walk in complete silence, but Yuta and Hansol were talking a lot while Taeyong and Jaehyun walked in silence. Yuta included Taeyong in some conversations, trying to make him talk more but Taeyong eventually stopped commenting on what they were talking about. Jaehyun wondered if it was because he felt like they were shutting Jaehyun out, because Jaehyun hadn’t really spoken. He didn’t know if there was anything to talk about? He didn’t think he had anything interesting to say and he was still quite unsure of how he felt with being with Taeyong.

More time passed and the boys found the second envelope. It was on top of a hill, there were some trees below them, looking like a blanket of leaves and an open view to look at the landscape around them. It was a mix of just forest and a rocky landscape since they were high up on the mountain. There was a breeze which Jaehyun enjoyed and Taeyong took the envelope again and read aloud.


  “What cries without shedding any tears?”


Not me. Jaehyun thought and looked at Hansol. The taller was about to say something but choked down a laugh. Jaehyun eyed him. “What?” Hansol shook his head.

  “Nothing.” He looked suspicious. Jaehyun huffed.

Taeyong sighed. “This sounds impossible.”

Jaehyun reached out and took it from Taeyong, wanting to read the smaller text but then he dropped it, he reached down for it but it swept off down the hill and fell down. Jaehyun went after it without much thought and grabbed onto a branch while wanting to slide down, but he only got to take two steps.

The ground beneath him vanished and he screamed when he fell into darkness. He landed harshly on stone ground on his feet and then on his behind. For a moment he was blind until he saw light from above stream down and faint light from a small hole in a wall, or was it a wall? Jaehyun heard the others above him and he heard Yuta call out Taeyong’s name. Jaehyun’s eyes widened and he stood up. He saw someone move into the light and he wanted to call out for them to watch out but it was too late. The person dropped down and landed on his feet first and then fell forward, crying out in pain. Jaehyun hurried forward and grabbed onto the person.

  “Taeyong are you okay?” He asked and Taeyong hissed when Jaehyun tried to get him up.

  “My ankle!” Taeyong cried out and leaned on Jaehyun with all his weight and Jaehyun and the other fell onto the ground again.

  “Yuta are you crazy, you can’t go that way!” Jaehyun heard Hansol yell and he looked up, holding Taeyong in his arms, the other leaned against his chest.

  “Hansol!” Jaehyun called out.

  “Are you guys okay?” Hansol called somewhere far off and Jaehyun winced at the thought of the two being stuck down there in what seemed like a cave. Jaehyun and Taeyong. Stuck in a cave. Jaehyun closed his eyes and felt Taeyong hold his hand and he cursed his heart for leaping. How could he ignore Taeyong and have fun when things like this happened?

  “No!” Taeyong yelled his deep voice booming and Jaehyun hissed once again, hating his life so much in that moment.

  “!” He heard Hansol curse. “Guys what do you see?”

Jaehyun looked in the direction of the light he had noticed earlier. “I’ll leave you for a second.” He said softly and slowly started getting up but Taeyong held onto his wrist that was around Taeyong’s torso.

  “Don’t.” The other pleaded and Jaehyun let his head drop to rest on Taeyong’s shoulder.

  “Why are you doing this to me?”

Taeyong didn’t reply. It had sounded more like a complaint than an actual question and that was what Jaehyun had meant it to be. He then heaved up in Taeyong who clung onto him. Jaehyun somehow got Taeyong onto his back and he carried him towards where he had seen the light. He felt Taeyong hold onto him as if he was some koala bear. Jaehyun reached out to feel the wall and pushed it a little, a sound of small rocks rolling down larger rocks reached him and dust fell from above. Were they caught in a collapsed cave?

  “Hansol I think there’s a mouth to this cave down the hill, but it has collapsed.” Jaehyun called out and Hansol cursed once again.

  “Is Taeyong okay?” Yuta cried and Taeyong pushed himself up on Jaehyun’s shoulders.

  “I’m fine!” He reassured the other.

Hansol seemed to be moving around. “Alright we’ll get down there somehow, which way does it go?”

Jaehyun took the compass from Taeyong who was trembling and he wondered if it was because it was way cooler in the cave or it was because he was cared. “South!” He called and Hansol gave out a reply that he would figure it out. Jaehyun walked towards the mouth of the cave and put down Taeyong and then he sat down as well. Taeyong’s face was dimly lit because they only had so little light, but Jaehyun could clearly see the fear displayed on his face.

  “Taeyong are you okay?”

He asked and reached out to take Taeyong’s hand it was shaking and his breathing sounded uneven. Jaehyun gripped onto Taeyong’s shoulders. “Taeyong!” He called because in the light that streamed across Taeyong’s face when Jaehyun pulled him closer, he could see that Taeyong’s eyes were distant. Jaehyun knew the other wasn’t breathing right and he could pass out soon. Jaehyun didn’t want to be alone in the cave and he couldn’t let Taeyong succumb to a panic attack. Jaehyun’s mind raced of what he could do and then he remembered something he had seen in a tv-show. People panicking needed to hold their breath for a moment to relax. Jaehyun thought he had to give it a shot and his hand found its way to Taeyong’s neck and he leaned in while pulling the other towards him. Taeyong’s eyes widened and then fluttered closed. Jaehyun breathed in and heard Taeyong inhale in shock when Jaehyun pressed his lips to the other’s. Taeyong’s hand found its way to Jaehyun’s wrist, loosely holding onto it.

He kissed Taeyong and he couldn’t help but relax into the kiss himself. It erased every fear and the only thing Jaehyun could think of was his lips against Taeyong's...

A/N:

Another one of these cliffhangers, don't you guys just love me? <333

About the horror story! I've uploaded the foreword for now and then I'll figure out if it's going to be a two shot or a chaptered story. There is a lot of characters that I'm following in the story and it seems like I write too much for it to be a oneshot. (I'm thinking of making it into a fic where I'll give you two choices at the end of the chapter and then your choices will differ how the story will go. ^^ (Which means that you may also lead them to their deaths :)))) I know I'm cruel)

BUT I'm fixing the poster right now, it turned out looking like it was in a bad quality so I'm trying to fix that.

LINK: When We Fall

Thank you guys for commenting once again <3 (and the upvotes and everything <3)

What do you guys think of this chapter? ^^

Love,
Emma. <3