Parting the slats of the horizontal blind covering the large storefront window, Namjoon took a quick peek at the disaster-struck street outside. He caught sight of a couple of infected in the distance, but figured that they were fine as long as none of them knew that he and the others were inside. He left the window after checking outside and went around the first couple of shelves to where the others were resting, returning just in time to hear from the portable radio that the entire city had just been quarantined and its border security was currently turning back the vehicles of those who had initially intended to evacuate after several infected almost made it out of the city. These people were now being directed back to the safe zones they came from.

“I guess we’re going to be stuck in the city for a while,” Namjoon commented to Jin, taking a seat. “It’s going to take a lot to get everything back to the way it was even after they get this outbreak under control. You think they’ll let us out when they clear the streets of infected?”

Jin gave him an amused scoff. “Thinking of going somewhere? Maybe back to appa and umma’s farm?”

Namjoon nodded contemplatively, and then smiled. “That’s actually not a bad idea. The three of us haven’t been back there in a while. We could stay there till things get sorted out here.”

The older laughed. “That’ll be a pretty long time. Tae would hate us.”

“Why? You don’t think he misses home, and the both of them?” Namjoon asked with an eyebrow raised.

Jin looked over to the younger two, who were out cold on the floor beside them. “He was kind of a lonely kid back at the farm. I mean, sure, I remember him being rather moody when he first moved in with us, but it’s been years since then. Outbreak or no, this city is his home now, especially with the genuine friendships he’s made here. I’m sure he’d want to stay with Jimin and Jungkook, and any other friends of his who aren’t, you know, dead by now.”

Namjoon rolled his eyes. “You just had to finish with that, didn’t you? But I get you. Tae did start cheering up when he entered university. I’d understand if he’d want to hang around until he and his friends can resume their studies. What about you, hyung? Would you go back?”

Jin thought for a moment. “It would be nice to pay a visit, but to be honest, I’ve gotten used to having just you and Tae around at home, and of course the occasional guest we have over.”

“By that, you obviously mean either Hoseok or Jimin.”

“Exactly.”

A sudden loud crash coming from outside then made them both flinch in shock while causing the two who had been fast asleep to stir awake. The fluffy Pomeranian in Taehyung’s arms bolted up anxiously at the abrupt noise, and he petted the animal with one hand as he propped himself up with the other.

“Hmm? What was that sound?” Taehyung asked drowsily.

“I’ll go take a look,” Jin announced, quickly getting up and heading to the window.

Peering through the blind, his eyes widened at the alarming sight outside. A large vehicle, which looked like a tour bus, had run right into a street lamp in front of the pharmacy. Infected individuals were pouring out of the wrecked vehicle’s broken doors and windows. He and the rest would have still been fine where they were despite this, except that the base of the lamp had been damaged by the impact and it was gradually tilting towards the store.

Panic built up within Jin as he processed what was about to happen, and he cursed under his breath, running back to the others. “Clear away, now!”

The head of the lamp crashed through the storefront window, shattering the glass and ripping down the blind covering it. It fell against the first shelf, causing it to topple into the one behind it and starting a domino effect with every shelf in the row collapsing one after another. The older two each grabbed one of the still-sleepy boys and dragged them to either side just in time before the shelf in front of them fell right on top of them. Needless to say, both were fully awake after the near escape.

They had thought it unnecessary for any of them to risk being seen by stepping out of the store to lower the shutter over the storefront window, figuring that they were safe as long as they were hidden from sight. That decision now proved to be a huge mistake as the infected from the bus and the surrounding area, drawn by the activity, were entering the store through the broken window.

Namjoon and Taehyung, who was still carrying Yeontan, were fortunate enough to have a light promotional board topple over them as they scrambled to one side, hiding them from the infected spilling in. However, Jin and Jungkook, who were on the other side of the collapsed shelves, were immediately spotted. Jungkook swiftly reached under the fallen shelf that had been in front of them and swiped his hockey stick before he and Jin dashed behind the counter and into the supply room, slamming the door against the horde clambering after them.

With the infected distracted at the door to the supply room, Namjoon and Taehyung quietly tossed the board aside and proceeded to sneak out of the pharmacy through the storefront window. As Jungkook had just done, Taehyung grabbed his baseball bat from under the shelf before leaving the store with Namjoon. Assuming that Jin and Jungkook were going to exit the supply room through its back door, they quickly went around to the back of the store, only to run into another swarm of infected wandering around there.

Now also spotted by the savage creatures, Namjoon and Taehyung had no other option but to turn and run away as there were too many to fight off. The swarm chased them down the street, and they knew that they could not keep running for long, especially in broad daylight. Up ahead was a noise barrier separating a construction site from the street, and built into the barrier was a gate located right where they were running towards. The two turned to each other and nodded, both knowing what they were going to do next.

Namjoon reached the gate first and put a hand through its bars to slide the large latch on the inside from its catch. He was grateful that it was not padlocked, and threw the gate open just as Taehyung ran up with Yeontan. He ushered the younger through before stepping in himself and latching the gate again just a second before the swarm pursuing them slammed against it. They backed away, watching the infected they had just locked out reach through the bars of the gate in an attempt to grab them. However, they then turned around to realize that they were still far from safe.

Another horde of infected ambled amidst numerous lifeless corpses within the construction site, and the nearest one had just caught sight of them, letting out a screech which alerted the others within the radius of the newcomers. They frantically took off again, speeding along the barrier and into an unoccupied site office, where they shut a rather shaky door against the swarm and proceeded to barricade it with a couple of nearby desks. They then made their way slightly further in and hid behind a cabinet standing in the middle of the office. Listening to the ferocious shrieks coming from outside and the violent pounding on the door, they knew that it was only a matter of time before the infected broke in.

After the two caught their breath, Taehyung urgently turned to Namjoon. “What now, hyung?”

The older jerked his head towards the window right opposite them on the other side of the small container. “I’ll see if we can get out through that.”

He stood and went over to check, but found it lock shut, to his frustration. It looked like they were going to have to break out of there.

“Tae?”

“Yeah?”

“Pass me that bat of yours, will you?”

Taehyung immediately tossed the baseball bat to Namjoon, who caught it and started to work on smashing the window. The former glanced around, seeing if there was anything lying around that he could use to help with that, but found nothing appropriate. Not knowing how long he and Namjoon could hold out for, he then put Yeontan down and took his phone out to call the only person he could currently think to reach out to.

His call was quickly answered. “Tae? Is everything alright?”

“Well, no… Wings Pharmacy was breached, so we had to run again. W- We’re kind of in big trouble and I don’t know if we’re going to-”

“What?! Tae, no! Don’t say that! Where are you?!”

“We’re at the nearby construction site, in one of the containers. We’re basically trapped here, I don’t know how long we-” Taehyung was cut off by a crash in the background. “They’re almost in… hyung! Oh my- I have to go.”

“Tae?!”

Dread hit Jimin when Taehyung cut the call, and he hopped off the ledge of the loading dock before anxiously running to the back of the jeep.

“Jimin?” Hoseok called after the younger in concern, knowing that something bad was taking place on Taehyung’s end. “What happened?!”

“Yoongi hyung!” Jimin yelled into the jeep’s rear compartment, as Hoseok came up behind him.

Yoongi, who had been asleep in there, jolted awake. “Ugh, what the heck?”

“Our friends, we have to help them! They had to run from the store so they’re in danger again and I don’t know if they’re going to-”

“Woah, okay… deep breath, slow down…” Yoongi stopped him as he climbed out, slightly aggravated by the sudden wake-up call. “So your friends had to run from where they were, correct? Do you know where they are now?”

Jimin calmed himself, and answered the older. “One of them called me. He said they were at the construction site near the pharmacy.”

“Oh, must be that new apartment complex they’re working on,” Hoseok chimed in. “I know where that is.”

Yoongi nodded and headed over to the roller shutter’s switch. “I guess we’re heading out. Hoseok, would you drive us?”

“Gladly,” replied Hoseok, getting into the driver’s seat of the military vehicle.

After raising the shutter, Yoongi returned to grab his rifle from the rear compartment and then gestured for Jimin to get in while he made his way to the passenger’s seat. The latter was pleasantly surprised by his prompt willingness to help out, and expressed his gratitude to him.

“Thank you so much, hyung.”

“I said, don’t call m-” Yoongi cut himself off, changing his mind, and gave the other a light smile. “You know what, kid? You’re welcome.”