“Are we really just going to walk for the rest of the time?” Jisung complained again in what must've been the third time in… five minute or so?

 

“At this rate, I’d rather get murdered by aliens than hear you again,” Donghyuck said, only to feel a light punch on his arm. “Ow! What was that for?”

 

Mark wrapped his arm around Donghyuck’s waist, hugging him tighter. “You’re making me anxious with all your death comments.”

 

Jeno shrugged. “Could be foreshadowing-”

 

“Literally why in the world would you say that?!” Jisung yelled at him. “Are you trying to get us killed??”

 

The six conscious teens (and one unconscious teen - yeah, Xiaojun, was still knocked out, unfortunately) had been walking for about ten minutes on the road, thankful not to have had any run ins with any aliens right now, but you couldn’t blame Jisung, it was tiring, after all the stuff they’ve been through. 

 

Unfortunately, they had been separated from the main group, but they didn’t know where they were at; all they could do was hope that they were okay and being the badasses they were. 

 

Donghyuck set his head on Mark’s shoulder. How many steps of dating have they skipped through today? “I’m scared, Mark,” he whispered. 

 

Mark glanced at Donghyuck, brushing a hair strand away from his face with his free hand, the other still wrapped around his love’s waist. “I’m sorry, Haechan,” he said, using the latter’s nickname. “I’m starting to wish Doyoung, Lucas and Johnny didn’t find us, it was better thinking there was a serial killer outside of the classroom.”

 

“Yeah, and we had our snacks,” Donghyuck said, pouting. “All because of karaoke- holy I didn’t even get to sing Marina and the Diamonds today!!” he screeched. “I hate life!!"

 

“Mood,” Jisung said. “What’s the point of living if I can’t have a cake pop.”

 

While they kept complaining about their lives today, Chen Le tapped on Kun’s shoulder, the latter walking ahead of them, unconscious Xiaojun still in his arms. How was he not tired? “Kun-ge,” he said in Mandarin. “Not to quote Jisung over here, but how long do you think we’ll walk?”

 

Kun didn’t glance at Chen Le, still staring straight ahead. He’s been a bit spacey for a while, Chen Le noticed. “Should be a while,” he mumbled. “But we have to get there.”

 

Chen Le nodded in understanding. “Yeah, you need to get treated for your stab wound,” he pointed out. “It must hurt.”

 

“What stab wound- oh, that,” Kun muttered, looking at his arm where Doyoung had stabbed him earlier. “I forgot about that.”

 

“How do you forget about that??” Chen Le asked him, confused. “Doesn’t that hurt?”

 

Kun shrugged. “Not much, to be honest. Maybe it’s the way Doyoung stabbed it, I don’t know.”

 

Chen Le tilted his head, still confused but dropped it, already asking the next question. “Do you like Xiaojun?” he asked Kun. 

 

The two stopped walking for a brief second, letting the others behind them catch up to them; Haechan and Jisung were now having a heated debate about chocolate, while Jeno clutched onto Jisung and Mark covered his face in shame. 

 

“I’ve only known Xiaojun for, like, two weeks,” Kun said, the two of them still speaking in Mandarin.

 

Chen Le squinted his eyes. “You didn’t answer my question,” he said. 

 

Kun sighed. “But you already know the answer.”

 

“I know!” Chen Le exclaimed. “I just want to hear your answer.”

 

At that moment, Xiaojun stirred a little in Kun’s arms, startling the two of them - it’s been a while since Xiaojun moved. 

 

After making sure he was asleep again and couldn’t hear him, Kun spoke up. “It doesn’t matter whether I like him or not.”

 

“Ah, Christ, you sound just like Mark every time he complains about his love for Donghyuck for- how long has he been in love with him?” Chen Le asked, scratching his head. “A few years? I don’t know, but let me tell, that gets tiring real quick.”

 

“That’s different, though,” Kun pointed out. “Mark’s an idiot, it was obvious Haechan liked him as well. Hell, even I knew that and I don’t know them that well.”

 

Chen Le shrugged. “Yeah, you have a point,” he muttered. “But Xiaojun’s nice, I don’t think he’ll reject you."

 

Kun thought of how embarrassed Xiaojun looked earlier when Kun accidentally said he liked him while being worried for the latter. “No, I doubt it.”

 

“Why?”

 

Time to take a trip down insecurity lane, he supposed. “Because- well- he has an ex, first of all,” Kun said, remembering what Xiaojun told him. “A guy who is liked by everyone and is strong and an athlete and who knows what else while I think my arms are about to fall off any second now,” Kun said. “And Xiaojun can get any guy one hundred times better than that , and again, he’s only been in this school for two weeks and at this rate we’re all going to get ing traumatized by these stupid aliens.”

 

“But you like him,” Chen Le pointed out again. “And maybe he likes you too!”

 

“Okay, well, why don’t you try that logic with Jisung over here?” Kun said, pointing at the teens behind them, who instead of catching up to them, also decided to stop, and now Jeno and Jisung were talking about Mark’s watermelon addiction with Mark trying to defend himself. “Maybe he likes you.”

 

Chen Le frowned, crossing his arms. “Not funny.” 

 

“No, serious, we all know you like Jisung, and that he likes you back,” Kun explained. “Why don’t you confess?”

 

“Because he probably thinks I’m stupid,” he said, sighing before poking at Xiaojun’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

 

“He’s what now-“ Kun looked down at his arms to see Xiaojun, his eyes half-opened, smiling. “Xiaojun- hey, are you okay?”

 

“Hmm? Oh yeah, I’m good- oh boy, have you been carrying me?” He asked, embarrassed as he tried to worm his way out of Kun’s grasp. “I’m- ah , I’m so ing sorry, I-“

 

“It’s fine, Xiaojun, you fainted earlier,” Kun said, helping Xiaojun stand on the ground. “We’re just walking, nothing’s happened yet.”

 

Chen Le pouted. “Sadly.”

 

Xiaojun held onto Kun’s bicep tightly as he struggled to stand still. “My head really hurts,” he whispered, wincing in pain. 

 

“, it could be blood loss,” Kun said, turning around to face the others behind them. “Can you guys stop arguing and let us get out of here??”

 

“It’s not my fault Mark is being an idiot,” Jisung said, trying to defend himself on whatever conversation they were having now, Kun lost count.

 

“It’s not my fault I have to defend Mark since he’s my boyfriend even though he’s an idiot,” Donghyuck said as well. 

 

Mark placed his hand over his heart. “Haechan, you wound me, you know that, right?”

 

Donghyuck rolled his eyes, pointing his blade at Kun’s direction. “I wound you? I don’t think you should joke about wounds here, Kun’s going to be your .”

 

Kun frowned. “Why would I do that?”

 

“Because you have an actual stab wound?” Donghyuck reminded him. “Though I would prefer that over heartache any day.”

 

“Mood,” Jisung said.

 

“What do you mean I- oh, right, I forgot I had a stab wound.”
 

***

 

“Let’s say we were in a kpop group,” Soonyoung was telling Jihoon. “What would be your position?”

 

Jihoon shrugged, swinging his leg. Soonyoung, unfortunately, was still carrying him, bridal style in his arms. “I don’t know. Don’t really care.”

 

“Ah, come in, this has to have crossed your mind at one point,” Soonyoung said. “Come on, Woozi, we’re in Korea, there’s idols here everywhere.”

 

“You’re the reason why Koreaboos come to Korea thinking there’s a Yunho in every corner,” Jihoon scolded him. “That thinking needs to stop.”

 

Soonyoung pouted. “Jihoon, come on, you’ve never thought of being an idol?”

 

Jihoon shook his head. “No, not really. I don’t listen to Korean music anyways, just some Tablo or Jinsil here and there.”

 

Soonyoung didn’t say anything for the next couple seconds, staring off into the abyss deep in thought as he continued to walk through the forest. “Well, I think you would have a vocal position. Maybe even a leader in vocal, don’t you think?”

 

“Oh, god no, there is not a single parallel universe where that is a thing,” Jihoon denied. “I can’t sing for .”

 

“You’re a liar, I’ve heard how you sing to Marina and the Diamonds,” Soonyoung pointed out. “You would be a great singer.”

 

“No.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“No, I really wouldn’t.”

 

“.... well, then you would be the visual,” Soonyoung said. 

 

Jihoon opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, Soonyoung said, “no, you have to pick a position. You can’t say no to both.”

 

“You- why are we even arguing about this,” Jihoon mumbled under his breath. “Kpop is so overrated anyways. Imagine staying up all night writing lyrics or starving or- if they ing deny me my shredded cheese, I would have a BIG problem, you don’t even know the half of it.”

 

“My mozzarella sticks,” Soonyoung whispered to himself. “And- MY MARINARA! MY CARBONARA FETTUCINE-”

 

At that moment, they heard broken branches behind them, following a screeching. 

 

“, , ,” Soonyoung swore under his breath, turning around to see an alien behind them. “Jihoon- ah, !”

 

Jihoon pulled the blade from his pocket as the alien started lunging towards them. “Soonyoung, run towards it-”

 

“JIHOON, ARE YOU INSANE-”

 

“JUST RUN TOWARDS, KWON SOONYOUNG!” Jihoon shouted in English. “I’LL FIND SOME OTHER STUPID WAY TO DIE!”

 

“THAT’S NOT FUNNY AND YOU KNOW IT!” Soonyoung yelled back at him as he lunged towards the alien, Jihoon’s arm outstretched with the blade to successfully stab the creature, the two not yet noticing the other aliens closing in on them from afar. “REMEMBER THE PIZZA ROLLS, JIHOON, THE PIZZA ROLLS!”

 

***

 

Before anyone could warn about the figure behind Yuta and Si Cheng, the creature lunged forward and speared Yuta’s right abdomen. 

 

Yuta’s eyes widened seeing the metal go through him. “What the -”

 

Without thinking, Si Cheng back kicked the alien away from them. “Yuta, whatever you do, DON’T pull it out-”

 

At least three members in the group started screaming. Jaehyun was pretty sure one of them was Renjun, but none of that mattered at the moment as he let go of Jaemin to sprint towards Yuta. “Someone kill that alien before he pulls any other !”

 

“Oh , I think I’m gonna faint-” Yuta said. “Oh , Si Cheng was only my boyfriend for a day-”

 

“Can you, like, NOT worry about that right now?!” Si Cheng screamed, pining the alien on the ground with the sole of his feet. He was so sure he heard some ribs cracking (hold on, aliens had ribs now?). “STAY THE DOWN!” he said in Mandarin, along with a few curse words. 

 

Doyoung appeared by Yuta’s side, leading him away. “Oh , what the are we going to do-”

 

“Si Cheng, wait,” Taeyong said, standing next to Si Cheng who was pushing more weight on the alien beneath him. “Don’t you notice?”

 

“Notice what?” Si Cheng asked, looking back at Yuta. “Yuta, I swear to god if you die-”

 

“Let’s not talk about death right now, I have a spear on my side,” Yuta said, laughing nervously. “Not to mention we can’t call 911-”

 

“911, , we’re in Korea,” Johnny reminded him, only to be hit by Yangyang. “Ow, what the ??”

 

“HE’S ABOUT TO DIE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO REMIND HIM WHAT A LOSER HE IS!” Yangyang yelled. 

 

Yuta choked, spitting out what looked to be like blood in the dark. “ExCUSE me? Did you just call me a loser??”

 

“Oh my ing god,” Taeil said, stumbling backwards. “I’m going to faint-”

 

“Did you just spit out blood??” Jaehyun shouted. 

 

Doyoung hit Jaehyun’s head as well. “Good job, captain obvious-”

 

“No, my candy just exploded in my mouth,” Yuta said, spitting out what was actually candy, not blood. “It’s from China, I stole some from Kun.”

 

“Where’s Kun when you need him,” Ten muttered. 

 

While everyone continued to argue over Yuta, the latter remaining calm (to be fair, being shock can do some… shocking things to you while under the stress of hormones), Taeyong pushed Si Cheng’s foot off from the alien, ignoring the vulgar language coming out of his mouth. “Look at it, Si Cheng.”

 

“At this piece of murdering my one-hour old boyfriend???” Si Cheng shouted over the group’s screams.

 

“No, Si Cheng! He’s not screeching or anything!” Taeyong pointed out. “And his face looks more human.”

 

“Now we got serial killers in the forest to deal with as well?!” the two of them turned around to see Jaemin behind them, eyes wide in shock. “We’re going to die, aren’t we?”

 

“Wait a second.” Ten appeared behind Jaemin, pointing at the guy on the ground. “He looks like the janitor who went missing, I know because he found me and Johnny-”

 

Si Cheng clamped his hand over Ten’s mouth. “I swear to god, Ten, now is not the time to hear about you and Johnny’s life-”

 

“I am a , thank you very much!” Ten said. “And I was going to say making out! But anyways, that’s him, I know!” 

 

“Why would a janitor be missing from school only to stab Yuta in the woods on a Friday night with a SPEAR??” Jaemin pointed out. 

 

The alien or guy or whatever underneath Si Cheng’s leg started laughing, startling the lot of them. “You humans really are one of a kind,” he said in a scary human voice. “Your race will die out soon-” 

 

“SHUT UP, BOOMER!” Hendery pushed past them and started hitting the alien with a- hold on, where did Hendery get a shovel? “You can’t hurt me, I have crippling anxiety!”

 

Taeyong grabbed Hendery and pulled him back. “Hendery, wait.”

 

“Why do you know so much about us humans anyways and why do you look like one?” Si Cheng practically growled at him. “And what the does that have to do with stabbing Yuta??”

 

“All I had to do was murder one of your kind and extract what you guys call DNA,” the thing said, sneering. “And then I could transform. Cloning lifeless copies to overtake this world wasn’t that hard in our travel pod, anyways. You beings are marvelous, idiotic creatures, we might keep some of you guys as pets when we’re done with your planet-”

 

Without missing a beat, Si Cheng pried the shovel from Hendery and slammed it into the thing’s neck, successfully decapitating it.
 

***

 

For the second time during their walk, Jeno tripped over some branches, falling onto the ground and scrapping his palms. 

 

“Oh, no, Jeno-” Donghyuck bent down and helped Jeno get up, the latter starting to silently cry. “Are you okay?”

 

Jeno didn’t say anything, bringing his knees closer to his chest. 

 

“Here, let me help you,” Chen Le said, grabbing Jeno’s hand. “We should just take a break if you want.”

 

“I just want to go home,” Jeno mumbled. 

 

Jisung sighed, immediately sitting down on the concrete road. “Me too, I hate high school.”

 

Mark’s eyes widened. “Holy , you’re a freshman-”

 

“Yes, thank you for reminding me,” Jisung said, wincing as he tugged the bandages on his arm. Surely being stabbed is a better feeling than getting burned. “I might have to get these bad boys amputated at this rate.”

 

Xiaojun let go of us grip on Kun’s shoulder and slowly sat down as well. “I could really use a break, I think my legs are going to bail any second now.”

 

Donghyuck and Chen Le managed to get Jeno sitting up. “Tell me about it,” Donghyuck said. “My really hurts and I just want to die now- oh .”

 

Everyone’s eyes widened at the realization of Donghyuck’s statement. 

 

“Um, what I meant was- I- uh- Mark Lee, help me here,” Donghyuck harshly whispered the last part at his equally-embarrassed boyfriend. “Mark!”

 

“He kept falling,” Mark stammered out quickly. “Um- ah, , Johnny would know what to say in this situation-”

 

“Hold on, you guys-” Jisung laughed. “You guys are making it seem like you too- like you too…”

 

Jisung trailed off when, despite it being dark, could see their flushed faces. 

 

“Had… ?”

 

Mark raised his hands up in defense. “I have nothing to say about this.”

 

“What the do you mean you have nothing to say, you’re the one I had with, idiot!” Donghyuck yelled at him. 

 

“You guys had WHAT?!” Chen Le screeched. “I thought Johnny was joking and that you guys were really making out or something!”

 

“Oh, we did that too-”

 

“Mark.” Donghyuck said. “You’re not helping.”

 

“Wait, didn’t they find you guys in Mr. Park’s classroom?” Jeno asked, confused. “Where did you guys even have anyways?”

 

Mark and Donghyuck remained quiet. 

 

“Oh my ing god, no wonder you guys never came back with the candy!” Jisung said, throwing his hands up in the air, wincing. “We all joked about it but we didn’t think you’d do it for REAL-”

 

“To be fair, I thought there was a serial killer outside of the classroom,” Mark said rapidly. “And- and we sort of confessed and it all happened too fast and- and we weren’t thinking, okay?!”

 

Donghyuck frowned. “Wait, what?”

 

Mark turned around to look at him. “What?”

 

Donghyuck didn’t look at him. “I didn’t think you’d regret it so quickly,” he said softly. 

 

Mark’s face turned red again. “No, Haechan, I didn’t mean it like that-”

 

Kun sighed. “Guys, why don’t you all go to sleep for a bit, I’ll wake you up in a bit.”

 

“I don’t want to go to sleep,” Chen Le argued. 

 

“Fine by me!” Jisung said, laying his head across Chen Le’s lap. “Wake me up when we’re all dead.”

 

“Oh no, I can’t die when I’m asleep,” Jeno said, biting his nails. 

 

“No! More! Death talks!” Kun reminded them. “We're all going to sit or lay down and take a nap! I’m pretty sure too much adrenaline can kill us, anyways.”

 

Xiaojun stretched out his legs. He was getting more pale by the second, though it was hard to notice in the dark. “I miss my watermelon sheets,” he whispered in Mandarin. “I miss my mother.”

 

“Me too,” Chen Le said. “To think this is my second Friday in high school makes it even worse.”

 

Mark tried to wrap his hand around Donghyuck’s shoulder, the latter refusing as he scooted away, wrapping his jacket tighter around himself. “Haechan-”

 

“Not now, Mark,” Donghyuck muttered. 

 

By the time five minutes passed, most of them had fallen asleep- well, okay, just Jisung. They were all pretending to be asleep and okay.