Chapter 1 : Of Music, Athletic Training and Forest Hopping

12 Warriors of Exordium

CHAPTER 1 : Of Music, Athletic Training and Forest Hopping

 

[INTRO; CHAPTER 1]

A few, chosen students of Seoul National University didn't know what fate have planned for them- but they were to know. Soon.
It was a destiny marked permanent ever since the chosen ones have crossed each other's path- a fate that could change the balance of the world- good or evil, it was for them to decide.

On an odd day, all the students were called into the gymnasium. The PE instructor decided to announce a special activity before the winter break- something that would greatly contribute to the change that will happen the next day.


[#KYUNGSOO]

Kyungsoo tried to shrug off his weird dream and the weird tall guy earlier, concentrating and trying to remember his next schedule as he walked down the path.
Scratching his wrist unconsciously, Kyungsoo hums and nods to himself. Yes, he remembers he had to attend a meeting and a welcoming for the newbies before the winter break and the culminating activity of the music club. 
I wonder if we get more singers.. Clutching his books to his chest, the small male's mind wanders off, his feet stopping right in front of the music room.

Am I late? He worries but then grumbles a bit when he can't get in since there is something- no, someone- blocking the door. 
He thought it was a board of a sort but he noticed the long legs- and the board he saw was no board, but a broad back of a tall person.
Fixing his glasses and his sleeves, Kyungsoo mumbles a soft, 

"Excuse me.. Can you move-? I am a bit late.."


[#CHANYEOL]

Chanyeol kept on dusting off invisible dust on his clean white uniform. And when the taller saw Baekhyun on the hallway, he smiled then jogged up to meet him while grinning.

But being the Baekhyun he was, the smaller latter bumped on the younger's chest with an ‘oof!’ while rubbing his forehead, trying to make the small pain wash away as if it was some kind of a weather condition, frowning.

“Yah, be careful!” There, greeting everyone he met with his warm morning smile but then Baekhyun greeted him with clumsiness, he chuckled lightly but brushed it off after.

Baekhyun half exclaimed then huffs, he forgot his violin in the Music Club's room and wanted the younger to go accompany him. “Of course!” Ruffling the smaller's head, he grinned jocosely.

Chanyeol was kind of shy and awkward with people at first, but when he got the chance to know them, he's cheerful and super friendly.

Baekhyun made his way to the music room's club so Chanyeol followed him, keeping up the pace. The people each sides were looking at them, like we were some kind of a perfect high school couple. Chanyeol grinned brightly; as bright as Mr. Sun outside, mentally noting himself not to look creepy nor awkward.

'There, the music club room', he thought and he decided to just wait his boyfriend outside while the other was getting his musical instrument inside. Minute or two, Chanyeol heard a soft velvety voice behind him. “Excuse me.. Can you move-? I am a bit late..” Chanyeol looked at the person behind and reminisced something, he gasped.

“You— You're the guy who I met just earlier right?” Chanyeol grinned to his 'new friend', but the smaller male just looked at him with his owl-like eyes that shows nothing but I-am-obviously-late look.


[#BAEKHYUN]

After meeting with the chinese guy name Luhan, Baekhyun goes out to the hall while hugging his violin bag to meet his boyfriend, Chanyeol as they texted earlier to meet. 

While walking through the hall, he suddenly bumped on the taller guy than him. "Oof!" Rubbing his forehead, trying to make the small pain away while frowning. "Yah, be careful!"

Looking at the taller man, Baekhyun huffed as he noticed that the violin bag is lighter than the usual. "I forgot my violin. Chanyeol, can you accompany me to the Music Room to get my violin?" He asked. "Of course!" The taller said and they quickly made their way to the Music Room.

Baekhyun quickly got in the Music Room to get his violin and his bow "Aish! Why did I even forgot my own violin?" Looking at his watch and he remembered they got PE class after this "Gosh! 5 minutes left." Baekhyun hurriedly went out as he brought Jongdae with him and just when Baekhyun and Jongdae was about to go out, Baekhyun's view was met with Chanyeol and friend, Kyungsoo. Jongdae looked and nudged him, chuckling.


[#JONGDAE]

Music was Jongdae's life. His family is inclined with the Music Industry. His father was a well-known musician, while his mother was a well-known theatre artist back in their old days. He literally grew up with music and here he is, the president of the Music club.

He smiled to himself while remembering these things. Jongdae heard Baekhyun enter the room and mumbling about his violin. He chuckled softly, shaking his head and murmurs to himself.

“I knew he’d forget his violin again.” He chuckles, plucking some strings of the guitar and hums to the tune of the guitar.

He looked around the room and noticed that one of his friends, Kyungsoo was not around yet and the band meeting would start soon.

“Where is Kyungsoo? I thought he’d be here early to meet the new members.” He scratches his head, putting down his guitar. “I guess it’s hunting time again.”

Jongdae got up and went outside to check for him. As he opened the door, he saw Baekhyun and a tall guy together, blocking Kyungsoo's way in.

"Kyungsoo-yah!" He called at his friend and peeks a little while waving his arm, and the male nods at him. "Sorry, I'm late." 

"It's fine, the meeting for the club activities hasn't started yet. You just missed the newbies." He smiled a little and his friend looked at the other two then glanced at him with a questioning look. 

"Ah. Kyungsoo- yah, this is Baekhyun. Our new violinist." He introduced the other male. 

"And this is?" Kyungsoo asked, then Jongdae looked at Baekhyun. "Oh. yeah. This is Chanyeol. My boyfriend." Jongdae nodded a little and hums.

"Oh a boyfriend. Wait… A boyfriend?! So he’s the one?” He blinks, a smile creeping up his face while Baekhyun nodded eagerly. 

“Oh my. Well I hope you two last long. I’m a little envious.” He pouts a little. “But anyways, shall we go in? The meeting's about to start. You can bring your boyfriend too. If that is, if he won't get bored." Jongdae crosses his arms, looking at the taller male.

"Oh really? Ya- Yeollie, let's go. It'll be quick" The tall male nodded and grinned at the smaller one. With that, he re-entered the room first, with the other guys behind him.

He started checking the attendance of the club and started discussing the projects that they will do for the school year. Minutes flew by so fast and he heard the school alarm starting to chime, signalling that their next classes are about to start.

He checked his schedule and saw that he has PE class next. Kyungsoo poked his shoulders. "Ya. Let's go to PE."

"Hey. You have PE too?" Baekhyun asked them. He nodded at him. "Chanyeol and I have the same subject too! Let's go together!"

"I guess I can go with you guys. So let's go" He smiles, grabbed his guitar and bag and they left for the gymnasium for PE.


[#KYUNGSOO]

After the meeting, (most of the time, Kyungsoo was jotting down notes, secretary duties) he holds and clutches his books again, pushing his glasses back up his nose before poking Jongdae on his shoulder.

"Ya. Let's go to PE."

"Hey," Baekhyun, the newbie, started, "You have PE too?"

Jongdae looked at him and nodded, while Kyungsoo blinked and watched.

"Chanyeol and I have the same subject too! Let's go together!"

"I guess I can go with you guys. So let's go." Jongdae smiles and then takes his guitar and his bag, before they all walked outside the music club room.

Walking down the hall, Kyungsoo felt a little uneasy. Was it because of the weird tall guy? Or was it because for the first time in his whole school life, he was late? Was he that bothered because of that?
Anxiously, he kept on scratching his right wrist, the skin red and irritated. Grumbling, he pulls back his sleeves properly to hide it, quietly walking behind the three.

"All students, please proceed to the gymnasium. All students, please proceed to the gymnasium."

The intercom blurted and he knits his brows. What's with this?
"All students?" The tall guy, Chanyeol, asked, while Baekhyun and Jongdae looked a little confused.
"But we have classes.."
"You know Mr. Go. He has a thing for surprise announcements."
Sighing, they went in before the gymnasium got more packed.


{At the Botany Class}

[#SEHUN]

 

Sehun yawned before trying to focus to his current class. 

"Shawty imma party till the sundown--" He started mumbling the song of his favourite band. 

"Mr. Oh, can you answer this question?" Asked the professor. Sehun blinked twice and opened his mouth to answer. 

"Sir-- I... Uhm-- well.." He was interrupted when the bell sound rang.

'JESUS CHRIST THANKS FOR SAVING ME AMEN' That's what he thought.

"I guess you'll answer this in next class, Mr. Oh." Said the professor before walking out from the class. 

-
The next moment Sehun walked out of the classroom and lead his path to his locker. He stuffed his bag inside and an announcement blasted through speakers. 

"All students, please proceed to the gymbasium. All students, please proceed to the gymnasium. I repeat all the students, Please proceed to the gymnasium."

'Eh-- Gymnasium? Like seriously, why?" Sehun thought. 'Wait- Where is that dorky kid-- Park Chanyeol!'

Sehun took his mobile out before sending a text to his dear bestfriend. 

"Park ing Chanyeol you better meet me right now in the lockers or I'm going to woop your ."

Sent. 

"Now let me wait." Sehun mumbled leaning his back against his locker.


[#CHANYEOL]

Baekhyun's friends tagged Chanyeol with them, knowing that they had the same subject. Then the speakers tuned an announcement around the campus. It must be the intercom speaking.

“All students, please proceed to the gymnasium. All students, please proceed to the gymnasium.”

What is this all about? “All students?” Chanyeol raises his brow in confusion about the sudden announcement. People around the hallways are getting nosy and busy moving to the gymnasium, just like how the intercom commanded.

The hallways haven't changed. It was still packed with students, moving around, talking nonsense, just like the cars honking outside the campus. Nothing unusual.

-

Chanyeol tried talking and getting along with Baekhyun's friends, but that guy Kyungsoo still bothering him. Not physically, tho.

His phone vibrated. Signalling that a message came.

Fishing his phone out from his front pocket, it was Sehun. But- 'What? 15 missed calls? Are you kidding me?' Chanyeol checked the calls and opened the text message Sehun sent him.

“Park ing Chanyeol you better meet me right now in the lockers or I'm going to woop your .”

Chanyeol gasped, too much profanities. Not good for young adult like him. He replied with a [I will be right there. Wait for me] and excused himself, Baekhyun, Jongdae and Kyungsoo turned around on him. “Hey, guys. Uh- I need to go and fetch my best friend. And,” Chanyeol turned towards Baekhyun with a soft smile painted on his porcelain face. “-I will meet you there, okay?”
“Okay, giant. See you later. Now, come on guys!” Baekhyun pulled his friends with him especially Jongdae. With that silly grin, he knew that grin.

Chanyeol heaved up a sigh knowing that Sehun will be nosy then headed to the lockers.


[#SEHUN]

A message was received from Chanyeol. 

[I will be right there. Wait for me.]

Sehun tapped his feet, crossing his arms waiting for his best friend to come. 

'You're dead, Chanyeol.' He thought. He looked at his wrist watch and heaved a sigh.

"Yo! Sorry for keeping you wait." Greeted a voice. Echoed in the corridor. Sehun tilted his head to the right side and saw his friend. Chanyeol. 

Sehun was so annoyed that he tackled his best friend using his trick. Where Chanyeol was completely struck, and he couldn't move an inch.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAS WAITING FOR YOU?!" Sehun shouted in anger before pushing Chanyeol away.


[#CHANYEOL]

Chanyeol saw a tall figure on the lockers, Sehun impatiently tapping his foot. “Yo! Sorry for keeping you wait.” He grinned as if he wasn't in danger, maybe later. Sehun's face was unreadable and he then started shouting at him with, “DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAS WAITING FOR YOU?!”

Blinking his eyes, Chanyeol held the maknae's shoulders and trying to explain everything. “Hey, I'm deeply sorry. I was with Baekhyun earlier. And we should go to the gymnasium now.” Chanyeol then pulled the younger with him, heading to gymnasium. But Sehun stopped on his tracks, like he saw some ghost.

“Is there something wrong? We're gonna be lat- oh.”


[#SEHUN]

After meeting Chanyeol, they both rushed to the gymnasium. Sehun stopped walking as he noticed a familiar face. He looked similar to the guy whom he met earlier. 

'Oh- What was his name?' Sehun thought. 'Lu- c'mon, Sehun.' He mentally scolded himself. The short guy approached them both.

"Can you guys help me? I'm new to this school and I don't know where the gymnasium is." The guy said.

"Sure!" Beamed Chanyeol. "We are going there as well. Right, Sehunie?" He nudged Sehun's waist secretly.

Sehun nodded with an awkward grin before muttering a 'yeah'.


[#LUHAN]


"Sure!" Beamed the taller. "We are going there as well. Right, Sehunnie?"

Luhan felt relief wash over him as he smiled and thanked the two gentlemen in front of him as he followed them to the gymnasium. It was lucky enough to get help albeit he did felt bad for feeling like he was imposing. After all, the Chinese deerling had yet to polish his clumsy korean. He followed behind quietly, looking around to make sure he remembered where to go after.

Luhan frowned as he felt another wave of pricking sensation around his wrist. This has been happening all morning in intervals and it was bugging him to no end. Maybe he should drink antihistamines. Although he was sure that he didnt consume anything that would trigger allergic reactions, it still wouldn't hurt to take them. It might take the weird sensation away.

He tripped and bumped into the smaller of the two as soon as they stopped. "Are we here?" He mumbled out in Korean with a weird accent, much to his embarrassment. They both nodded, leading him inside as throngs of students started crowding inside the place.


[#WUFAN]

Kris who is walking at the hallway of the school, right hand on his pocket and his left hand was holding the lollipop inside his mouth. And an earphone that is plugged in on his ear listening to some rock kind of music, catching the attention of the students and he sometimes approach the others.

He was on the way on his next class when he remembered that him and Kai- one of his friend- will go into a party tonight. He stops to call his pal, leaning his back at the wall and one of his foot was also leaning at the wall. "Hey dude? Where are you? Are we going to the party tonight?" He ask the lad as he continued to walk after, deciding weather to go into his next class or just ditch his class just to go to the party.


[#JONGIN]

Kim Jongin was in the parking lot of the school, about to ride his car when his phone rang while on his pocket, and he fished it out to check the caller. It was Yifan, his friend since he was a freshman. 

"Hey dude? Where are you? Are we going to the party tonight?" The older said from the other line with his rich, deep voice. 

"Kris hyung, of course we're going. I'm about to ride my car, actually. We can go together, if you want." The tan boy replied as he sat on the driver's seat, buckling up. He started the engine and was about to drive away but a sudden noise from the other line and the faint announcement from the school stopped him. 

"What did they say, hyung? I can't hear it clearly from here."


[#WUFAN]

"All students, please proceed to the gymnasium. All students, please proceed to the gymnasium."

"What did they say, hyung? I can't hear it clearly from here."

He was looking around and most of the students around the hallway were going towards the gymnasium. "The principal suddenly have a surprise announcement. Anyway, you need to be here in pronto." He ended the call and place his phone inside his pocket, walking together with the other students. 

He was at the entrance of the gymnasium when his phone vibrated and the tan lad guy texted him saying to wait him up. That's why the lad stay outside the gymnasium- hearing still the announcement inside. 

As he hears the announcement, his wrist became itchy that it became reddish because of the scratch-


[#JONGIN]

"But wh-" He didn't have a chance to ask, the call suddenly ended. Sighing in defeat, he unbuckled his safety belt and went out of his car. He texted Yifan to wait for him while he was walking to go to the gymnasium, where all the students would be gathered. 

While he was walking, he felt a tingling yet itchy sensation on his right wrist. And as a human's response, he scratched the skin until the itch went away. He never glanced at it though, he was focused on where he was going. 

Jongin was walking through the hallway when he saw a familiar figure from afar, and it seems to be going near him. 

"Hey, Junmyeonie hyung!" The tan male went to his older brother with a wide smile before draping his arm over the smaller's shoulder. "We should go to the gymnasium together."


[#JUNMYEON]

After hearing the announcement, Suho sighed internally. This was going to be a waste of his precious time when he could be making notes. Fixing his glasses, he shrugs and makes way towards gymnasium. While walking, he feels an itch on his wrist. Rubbing his long sleeved arm, he ignores the itch, blaming it on the fabric. Just nearing the gymnasium door, he hears a voice calling his name. Turning around he sees his little brother coming towards him. Resisting an urge to grimace, Suho waves at him.


“We should go to the gymnasium together”, Kai said, draping an arm around his shoulder. Suho pushes the younger’s arm down his shoulder in annoyance and retorts, “How many times have I told you not to do that, I’m your hyung, not your friend. You can be a pampered little brat for mom and dad, but here, I’m your senior and you are my junior.”


Saying so, Suho turns his back to Kai and makes way through the gymnasium doors.


[#JONGIN]

"You can be a pampered little brat for mom and dad, but here, I'm your senior and you are my junior," Junmyeon retorted before turning his back on him. 

Jongin was left with his mouth agape, he never thought his hyung would say it to his face. He knew Junmyeon hated his guts, but he does not know why. With a small frown on his face, he went inside the gymnasium and immediately found Yifan and their other friends waiting for him.


[#MINSEOK]

New semester, new faces. He could almost see he won't able to fit in so easily once again due to the fact he was anti-social and awkward.

-

Minseok rubbed his arms, not from his injury, but from what he witnessed after he bumped to that junior.
What had happened? Was it just a trick of the light or something? As far as he could remember, he didn't have supernatural powers.

'Yeah, I didn't.' He thought, suddenly wondering why he had those thoughts when he's not even a fan of those.
He shrugged the idea off, and immediately walked to the infirmary to get his elbow treated.

Entering the air-conditioned room, Minseok ran his eyes all over the place. Walls were painted with white, just white and boring. He led himself towards the empty bed and took a sit, feeling the velvety cover with his palm. Just when he's about to get his phone from his front pocket and call Luhan, a good-looking guy went inside the Infirmary, clad with his alabaster white suit. Visible dimple were bore on his cheek. He's younger than Minseok— his soft features told everything.

"Hey, I'm Yixing but you can call me Lay. I'll be your nurse for today." The latter dazzled Minseok with his cheeky smile, and respectedly bowed infront on him. He's weird.

"I am Minseok from S-" Minseok was cut off.

"Soccer team, I know." Yixing picked his tools from the cabinet, turned around and flashed Minseok a soft sly smile.

Their conversation went well while Yixing treated and cleaned Minseok's wound, the intercom announced in the whole campus.

“All students, please proceed to the gymnasium.” The intercom blurted out. “Well, seem like no class for today then?” Minseok who heard the male and frowned at the sudden announcement. “Come on, man. We can go together.” Minseok then nodded in agreement in silence. "Great! I'll just put my things away first so you can wait outside for me.” 

Minseok waited for Yixing who helped him stood up then slung an arm around his shoulder while leading him along the corridor and started a small chit chat, making their voices echo along the way.


{At the Gymnasium}

[#JONGIN]

The gymnasium held something more than just the number of students, something that could change and alternate universe. Something, or rather someone.

The school director is standing on the stage, holding on to a piece of paper filled with names of the students that have gathered in the gymnasium. With a serene smile, he announced, "I guess you know that our school holds annual camping trips that lasts for three days. The groupings are all jumbled, and I am sure all of you students do know the reason to why the grouping are being randomised."

"For the building of nice relationships within schoolmates," Jongin, including the students gathered in the gymnasium, answered in unison with boredom dripping from each word said. 

"Good." The director smiles again, nodding, satisfied at the answer, not caring that the students were not as enthusiastic as he is about the school camp and was basically there because they were forced to be there. “Now, these papers in my hands are the assigned group mates for the camping trip batch one. Your PE teacher will announce it, and you'll are going to have to remember your group mates' names before the day of the camp itself."

Here we go, another boring part of the week, Jongin thought to himself as he rested his cheek on the palm of his hand.


 

[#YIXING]

Needless to say the next morning went exactly the same. Yixing got up from bed and freshen up before heading to met up at school and checked if his group was complete before boarding the bus. Still, only a few of them actually exchanged greetings apart from Baekhyun and Chanyeol trying to hype everyone up for the trip. As everyone settled in their seats, causing them to divide into pairs, the attending teacher that will accompany them in the bus announced a few reminders. "As discussed yesterday, you all will be doing activities by group. Do not venture out alone or you might get lost. ALWAYS stay with your respective groups." Yixing sighed as some of the students groaned, bummed with the idea of them being stuck with their group mates for the whole trip. The teacher cleared his throat before continuing. "If need be, may it to excuse yourself to the bathroom or something, bring a teacher or at least ask permission and bring someone along with you. I repeat, do not go off alone. Let's establish a buddy-system so you won't get lost. That's all, and may we enjoy the trip!" Groans was echoed through the bus as it started to move, heading off to the direction of the camp site with unhappy campers in it. To where fate have different plans for the particular twelve students in the bus. 

Yixing decided to just stare out of the window and watch as the scenery goes by, with his forehead pressed against the glass window.


 

[#ZITAO]

Zitao walked to his assigned seat on the bus and sat down on the cushion before stretching his feet and hands out. Once the teacher finished saying the reminders for the trip, he fished his hand inside his bag and reached out for his book, his hand flipping to the page where he last stopped at. The bus was quiet awfully quiet, and even though Zitao loved a little bit of peacefulness and quietness, the bus was filled with awkward silences which made the boy shiver even under his thick jacket.

When he noticed that he couldn't focus on the book after reading a few words and getting upset when the words don't register in his mind, Zitao closed the book and placed it back inside his bag before looking out the window. His body frantically jerked upwards when he saw in the mirror, a reflection beside him and because his wooden stick was placed at the back compartment for 'safety purposes because anyone might step on it and fall', his hand automatically whipped backward to hit who it was. Earning a familiar groan from the figure, Zitao turned around to see his boyfriend, Yifan.


 

[#YIFAN]

The weather that day was bit cloudy. An inevitable portent; the feeling of it was also bizarre and not pecular. It will rain soon.

Yifan hopped in the bus and chose to sit behind Zitao— afraid that their teacher catch them getting lovey dovey during the whole trip. Jongdae, Chanyeol, Jongin and Baekhyun made everyone laugh by telling them corny and nonsense jokes just to lift the mood up.

Yifan noticed that the front row was very silent and he didn't hear Zitao laugh or talk. Maybe he fell asleep. The taller was about to check on the latter, then suddenly Zitao hit Yifan's arm, that left him astonished and cut off.

"What was that for? I was about to check on you because you were silent." Shocked expression still painted on his visage. "Oh! I'm really sorry, Kris. I didn't mean to hit you. My body just suddenly moved on its own." Zitao apologized and felt sorry towards the taller, rubbing Yifan's arm that he had hit. Yifan told his lover that it was fine and asked Zitao to just rest, which the latter followed after the small talk.

The trip was too long so Yifan went to sleep while the others are still talking, then it started to rain.


 

[#MINSEOK]

The bus ride wasn't entirely hyped up, but it wasn't entirely quiet either. And Minseok was actually glad that it wasn't rowdy unlike other school trips he have exprecienced.
"What did you bring?"
"I brought chips."
"I thought it was not allowed?"
"Shh!"
All kinds of quiet conversations were in the air- what did they brought for lunch, how big the tent they brought was, if they brought sleeping bags and all other kinds of things. Some students were catching a few z's, some listening to music and some just quiet, looking outside the window.
Minseok was already considering to take a nap as well, fixing his bag on his lap, but as he was just getting ready to sleep, they finally reach the camp site, the bus halting to a stop on the side of a dirt road.
Groaning, he turns to see the teacher walking up in front. Some students groan with him, others starting to stir from their sleep.
"Alright kids!" The teacher started.
Oh, great. Just when I was about to sleep. Dejectedly, Minseok sits properly and tries to listen to their teacher's so-called pep talk.


 

[#JUNMYEON]


"Alright, kids!" Was the last sentence that Joonmyeon heard before he stared out of the window, watching the scenery pass by him. He would have loved to take a nap however, due to the bumpy bus ride his head is hit against the window 90% of the that he gave up and decides to do some staring time.

He was in his own thoughts when he heard the teacher vaguely talking about how dangerous the woods is to be and that they should go further than 10 meter from their campsite. He just sighs and turns back to day dreaming. "Why are we even here...." He mumbles to himself as the teacher in charge had just announced that they have arrived at the campsite. He sits up right and looks around the buss, seeing each student shuffling their way to the entrance of the bus exiting the bus to the start of their torture camp of boredom.


 

[#YIFAN]

"I think we should have a leader. Someone who can lead us." The silent member— Minseok, suggested. 11 pairs of eyes stared at him, making him felt small but the other nodded in unison. Yifan uneasily looked at the other 11 boys since he do not know them very well, but he was fidgety about them choosing him as the leader, unlike Junmyeon.

"How about... we have two leaders?" Yifan flinched with Kyungsoo's sudden suggestion then he stared towards the latter. Nervous because he haven't tried being the leader of the group.

He couldn't help but noticed the others nodding, agreeing to Kyungsoo's suggestion, then he nodded as well. Everyone was also busy studying each others' faces, then broke into an awkward laugh.

"Well, I guess we should start voting." Zitao said then Luhan suggested to do like homeroom class voting.

"Alright, alright." Minseok broke the awkward silent, then the boys slowly became hyped up with Chanyeol being an extra and Baekhyun starting to act like the president of the class because everyone knew he's a good talker.

"Alright! The voting for leader number one is open!" Baekhyun announced and the members finally nominated names by names for running as the leaders.

Yifan was shocked when everyone voted for him and Junmyeon to lead their team. He's happy and worried at the same. Questions were flying inside his head like, what if I can't handle them properly? What if I fail as a leader? And what if something happened to my members?

His thoughts were distracted when Junmyeon gave his speech, thanking the members for choosing and trusting them to lead the group.

“I think we will be fine...”


 

[#ZITAO]

Tao felt like he was pulled into an alternate dimension. It was a setting from their trip, no doubt about that, but the scenario was the complete opposite. They were in a bus but the whole scene was in chaos, familiar faces of his groupmates where painted with distress, mouths opened as if they were screaming and yet no sound was coming out. Everything was still, everything was quiet.

As he reached the front part of the bus he noticed his boyfriend, Kris, was on the driver's seat instead of the previous seat they shared. He frowned, trying to asses the situation. His eyes drifted off to the other passengers who looked like they were screeching, frightened for what was about to happen. He saw a student, he recon his name was Jongin, stood up. His mouth opened widely, veins on his neck popping out as he seemed to made a gesture for yelling. With a look of horror, he pointed up front, straight past where Tao was standing.

Tao turned to look but everything went by in a blur when he gasped out, eyes instinctively closing as his body was sent flying back to the rear end of the bus.

"Tao!" He snapped out of his reverie, looking up to meet the worried look on his lover's face. "What's wrong?" He blinked a couple of times before looking around, hands touching himself and his surroundings. He gulped as he remembered the pain, the impact, and how it all felt real. Was it just a daydream?

"Tao? Is everything alright?"

His eyes shot back to Kris, before nodding hesitantly. "Y-yeah, everything's fine." He mumbled before looking around once again. Before Kris can ask anymore questions, he was cut off by the sound of Kyungsoo, Yixing, and Chanyeol's voice calling out to start dinner.


 

[#SEHUN]

Time passed by, the bus was travelling to their campsite. The students in the bus were doing their activites. 

"I'm bored!!!" Sehun started whining as Chanyeol covered his mouth with a tissue paper. "Shut up!" Chanyeol glared at him before continuing his job. 

Sehun throws the tissue down on the floor before crossing his arms. 

"Okay Students!! Listen here!". The principal said clapping his hands gaining the fellow students attention.

"Since our travel is way to long..and our driver wants to rest for a while since he is hungry too, we're going to stop in this nearby forest for a while and continue our journey. Okay?!". He shouted.

Some students groaned in annoyance and some students replied a boring "okay".

"That's good". The principal smiled.

The bus stopped in a nearby forest area. Some students got down one by one.


 

[#NARRATION]

After the camp had taken place, the students began to pack up and fix up all their tents. The boys got a little closer, though not as close, at least they were getting there. Batch two was coming up, and they had to clean up early so they could arrive home fast.
They would never reach home, though.

"Man!! I'm so freaking bored!" A student groaned.
"Let's have some fun then." His friend responded.
"How?" The other asked.
"Look at him." They three looked at Kris who was busy arranging his stuffs. "Since he is dumb. Let's dare him to drive the bus."
"That's a great idea!" The other cheered. "But what if something happens to us?."
"Nah,you don't have to worry about that because we aren't going to stay inside the bus anyways". He explained. The other two nodded and followed his lead.

The student went near Kris and sarcastically said, "Look who's here! Kris the coward!!" The other two started laughing. 
Kris, as the temperamental guy he is, grabbed his collar and pinned him against the seat. "What did you say?"
He's not a coward, he's just impulsive.
"Coward!! You're a coward and you can't do anything."
"Knock it off! I can do anything!" Kris gritted his teeth. 
"Really? How about driving the bus?" The guy smirked. 
"That's it?" Kris smirked and pushed that guy away before walking towards the driver's seat.

***

The students pushed each other as they hopped off the bus, some stretching and some finding a place to pee. The principal scratched his head as he hopped off, hands on his waist as he looked around.
"Where are we..". The principal scratched his head again as he was looking at the surroundings. They stopped in the middle of a dirt road, finiding their way out from the campsite, but they seemed to be lost. 
"Are we on the right track?" One of the staff asked as the principal the GPS. 
"I guess we are..". 
He typed the location and he found that they were in a wrong place. 
"!" The principal cussed and turned his way back to bus. But the bus was already long gone, the left students fighting around.
"Sir! Sir! The bus drove off!"
"And we're missing some students!!"
Kris drove the bus inside the forest, while Tao was arguing with him, Kai watching them in horror from his seat, before looking back at the clueless students sleeping on their seats.
"Seems like the journey started already." Kyungsoo mumbles before continuing to sleep, hugging his bag tightly, while Yixing's face was squished on the window beside him.


 

[#KYUNGSOO]


This was for sure- Kyungsoo's dreams are now turning into one of those books he was reading. 
He kept on dreaming about a kingdom, him standing inside a massive castle. The walls were lined with vines with various kinds of flowers. The floor was smooth and made from sand marbles, the ceiling decorated with enormous glowing flowers that acted like chandeliers. 
In a distance, someone was yelling, "Kyungsoo, wake up!"
Brows knitted, he turns around to see Yixing, face filled with panic.
"Wake up!"

***

"Wake up!" Kyungsoo jolts as Yixing kept on shaking him, the earlier clear windows of the bus now covered with droplets. It was raining.
"What- What?" He asks, sitting up properly as he looked around. 
It took him a second look to realize that there were only a few students with them inside. That wasn't the entire problem.
He saw Yifan driving, while the other Chinese guy, Tao, was standing beside him and furiously waving his hand at the taller. What happened? Why is Yifan driving..?
"What is he doing? Is he crazy? Why aren't we stopping?" He looks back at Yixing, who was looking dead worried.
"That's the thing. We can't stop. The brakes... They are broken."

***

"Can't you slow down, at least?!"
"You're impulsive as ever, Yifan. How could you drag us into this?!"
"Shut up, okay?! I know it's my fault, but that's not the problem right now!"
"Steer away! We're going to crash!" Everybody left in the bus was now piling up at the front, voices angry and scared. Yifan quickly steers away from a tree, the road getting bumpier and rougher as the time passes. 
"Everybody sit down and stay in your seats!" The tall blonde says and of course, nobody protested. It's either they listen or they die.
"The brakes are still broken?" Junmyeon asks while he sat just behind the driver's seat, trying to keep his cool despite the situation. 
"It won't magically repair itself." Kris grits his teeth, cold sweat dripping down his sideburns. The rain was only getting harsher, the temperature in the bus getting colder as the road was starting to get blocked with fog.
"Turn the headlights on. We'll lose gas eventually." Junmyeon says. It was a logical comment, somewhat easing everybody. 
But of course, the unexpected happens.
"Kris, tree!" Jongin warns and before Yifan could turn, they hit the tree hard, the bus spinning around and losing control, the windows smashed by other branches as the students inside held on the seats for dear lives.
"!"
"Make it stop!" Tao screams, and Yifan holds on the wheel tightly, until they stopped spinning.
Junmyeon catches his breath as he looked behind, checking the others but his eyes widen in alarm when he saw some missing from their ealier places.

Kyungsoo, groaning as he got up from the floor, blood flowing from his head while Yixing was unconscious. Sehun and Tao helping each other up, Baekhyun unscathed and helping Kyungsoo up. Junmyeon looked at his brother beside him immediately to check on his despite the fact that he hated his brother. Jongin was just staring disbelievingly in front, before he finally screamed a warning, pointing behind Tao. 
Tao, who was standing in the middle, turned around and Kyungsoo barely had the time to process everything when everything went black.


 

[#LUHAN]

Luhan groaned as he got up, mind fuzzy and disoriented. There was a silent ring in his ears, hurting as the world around him slowed down. Last he remembered was Kris driving, the bus skidding and himself along with a few of his friends practically slipping outside of the bus. With a blurry vision, he scrambled to his knees. Luhan tried his best to pull himself up as blurry figures around him was lying on the dirt, unconscious.

Bit by bit, everything picked up its pace and the once blurry figures got clearer. The silent ring in his ear were replaced with chaotic screams and bantering as his friends that were left inside panicked as the bus hung on the edge of the cliff, tipping as it was on the verge of falling off.

"T-The bus!" He mumbled to himself, looking beside him to see Minseok, Jongdae, and Chanyeol unconscious a few feet away from him. "Bus... falling... I've to d-do..." He picked himself up despite the aching in his shoulder. His heart raced as he heard the distant screaming of his friends.

He groaned as he limped to the bus, not noticing the trembling rocks around him. Every step he took the more things around him trembled.

A loud creak and crash was all it took to make him look up, eyes widened as he watched the bus slowly tip off the edge. With arms extended in front of him, desperate to reach the falling vehicle he screamed. "NO!"


 

[#JONGIN]

Jongin's brain cannot process what just happened. The first thing he knew is they were on the camping area but here they are now, just a few feet away from their death. The bus is slowly creaking and slipping as seconds passes, he cannot do anything but to pray for a miracle that somehow, the bus would stop from falling. 

He gripped the nearest metal to him and held onto it for dear life, glancing at his friends who are inside the vehicle. He lastly stared at his older brother for a while, and he can feel sweat rolling down his cheeks—are those tears?— He didn't know for sure. Jongin is terrified, he didn't know what to do. 

It didn't take long when they heard a loud creak and they felt the bus slowly tilting downwards, meeting their doom. He panicked, tears continued to flow as he tried to go near Junmyeon, holding his pale hands and whispering "we're gonna be alright, hyung, we're gonna survive" repeatedly like a mantra. But the vehicle kept on sliding downwards, so he closed his eyes and held his older brother's hand tighter. 

Little did he know that behind all his worries and fear, something clicks inside him. Before the bus falls completely, he found himself on a clearance with Luhan and the others, with a now pale Junmyeon on his side, shocked. He can feel his energy slowly leaving him, and he couldn't keep his eyes open no matter how much he try. Jongin heard someone calling his name, probably trying to keep him awake, shaking his body a little bit.

That's all he witnessed before he slid into unconsciousness.

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Ione_Wisteria
#1
Chapter 14: Was missing mama era and exodus era so I'm consoling myself by reading fics. I particularly miss TaoKai and TaoHun so I'm glad to read the tiniest bits of crumbs of their interactions even tho it's just fiction.
T̷h̷i̷s̷ ̷w̷o̷u̷l̷d̷'̷v̷e̷ ̷b̷e̷e̷n̷ ̷p̷e̷r̷f̷e̷c̷t̷ ̷w̷i̷t̷h̷o̷u̷t̷ ̷T̷a̷o̷R̷i̷s̷ ̷(̷h̷a̷h̷a̷ ̷i̷d̷k̷ ̷w̷h̷y̷ ̷i̷ ̷d̷i̷s̷l̷i̷k̷e̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷ ̷p̷a̷i̷r̷i̷n̷g̷ ̷( ̄▽ ̄)V

The plot is utterly interesting and I'd love (and hope 八(^□^*)) to read more.

P.S. I like your wide vocabulary and the way you intricately weave them.
kevinoppa
#2
Chapter 13: I gotta say the prologue was so beautifully written. That should be preserved in an EXO museum XD
anyway why did Baekhyun call Sehun senpai? I was just a bit confused and why do they always gotta bump into each other? HAHAHHA
vermouth_23
#3
Woah! The plot is good. You caught my attention <3