He his lips as he remained eye level with the glass in front of him. He stared intently at the liquid inside and his throat shook as a small tremor traveled from the back of his mouth downward, all the way to the pit of his stomach. He wanted more than anything for it to change. For it to instead be a tint of yellow instead of transparenct. It would be his second day drinking regular water. He already craved it. His throat yearned for the burning sensation he had submitted it to every morning for ten years. He sighed as he realized he would have to live without it from now on.

“Wolfsbane on the brain?”

U-kwon looked up to the person who had just entered the kitchen, Zico. U-kwon looked away, back towards the glass of water in front of him as he rested his chin on the counter of the kitchen island.

“Remember when we used to burn ourselves picking the stuff?” He started, only to discover that Zico was rummaging through the fridge, not at all paying attention, “Wolfsbane I mean.” That’s when Zico’s head peeked over the fridge door, an amused smirk on his face.

“How could I forget? Taeil practically sneezed non-stop back then. He took to the whole allergic to it part quite literally. Hell, if it weren’t for the old man, we would’ve still been picking it with our fingers and Taeil would’ve been Rudolph with how many tissues he’d have had to use.” Zico laughed though U-kwon didn’t catch a glimpse of him as he once more ducked down into the fridge, on the hunt for food once more.

“I’m sure we would’ve figured out we could just use gloves sooner or later.” U-kwon mused as he focused once more on the drink in front of him. He honestly couldn’t believe he could even gone one day without Wolfsbane, let along live to see the second day. The plant grew in abundant amounts near the foot of the mountain range that surrounded Springfield. Mostly near small streams where water had run off. And ten years ago, all up until yesterday, he was used to drinking it. Back then, they didn’t know better and tried to gather it with their hands when they first saw it.

Why were they trying to gather it in the first place?

Because they were given a choice.

Or more specifically, Zico was given a choice.

And it was a big one, right after Jaehyo joined them. The old man, their savior, asked them if they wanted to fight against or embrace what they were. U-kwon had no idea what he wanted back then. He was thanking the heavens then that it wasn’t on him to make the decision. It was on Zico.

And Zico chose to fight it. Maybe because he always had a personal vendetta against what they were being the main and only thing that caused their lives to go to in the first place. That’s how he put it anyway, in almost the same words, as he told the old man he’d fight it. That they’d all fight it. That they wouldn’t become monsters. That they wouldn’t be monsters. Not anymore.

And at first, it didn’t go so well. The old man told them about Wolfsbane, what it could do and how to use it. They had heard stories, sure, but they never experienced it until then. Until they spent the night grinding it up in the same blender that was sitting on top of their kitchen counter beside the stove right at this very moment. They mixed it with tea because apparently, it dulled the pain. A lot of good that did.

After U-kwon took that first sip, he wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Just that one sip. That was all they drank that day and they spent that entire night writhing in their beds. Back then, U-kwon wanted to punch the living daylights out of Zico for subjecting them to that. For making a decision that caused them all so much pain. It was Kyung who held him back from it then. Told him that Zico was right.

The two always did have the same mindset on almost everything.

And if his younger self saw how he was acting now, ten years later, as he followed Zico, his childhood friend, with the utmost respect and trust, he’d call himself crazy. 

“I was half right back then.”

Zico appeared from behind the fridge door with two apples in his hands. He turned to the kitchen sink and rinsed them off, absentmindedly listening to U-kwon, “Were you?”

U-kwon let his eyelids fall and took a deep breath as he reminisced, “Yeah, it really was funny as hell watching you lead us all this time.”

Zico turned off the faucet and turned, his eyes narrowed, “Funny, huh?”

U-kwon’s eyes fluttered open to find Zico gesturing towards him with one of the apples in his hands. He nodded and sat up, catching it after Zico tossed it to him. He looked down at the red, slightly wet surface, “Yeah, but everything turned out much better than I thought it would. I’m glad you became our leader, Zico.”

Zico bit down into his apple and spoke mid-chew, “You getting cheesy on me?” U-kwon shook his head at Zico’s antics, a smile on his face. Since they had been together for so long, he had grown used to it. In fact, Zico wouldn’t be Zico if he didn’t act in his usual sarcastic, cocky manner. Zico twirled his apple in the air, “Wait, what was that last thing you said again? Remind me if you would.”

U-kwon reflexively turned to his right, his lips parting to speak. That’s when he realized that there was no one sitting next to him. That it was simply empty space. “Ah, I forgot.” His smile faded, “She’s not here.”

Zico’s smirk disappeared within an instant as he saw U-kwon dismally sigh again. “She always was hanging around with you, wasn’t she?” Zico could never manage to get you alone during down time. You were always with U-kwon. P.O., Taeil, and B-Bomb would hang around with you sometimes, even Jaehyo and Kyung every so often as time went on, but the simple fact remained that U-kwon was always by your side. Zico laughed, drawing U-kwon’s attention, “Or was it the other way around?”

U-kwon couldn’t help but laugh in response, but it was forced and his smile threatened to fail on him any moment. “I’ve become spoiled,” he whispered softly. He was too used to it. To you being right next to him whenever Zico would be his usual self. And he would turn to you and you would glance at him, giving him that look that you knew exactly what he was trying to say without him even saying it. It was the inside joke the two of you shared about how ridiculous Zico could be at times. He had become spoiled. And it had only grown worse with time, his addiction to being by your side. Nowadays, he would forget that you weren’t there. That you weren’t always going to be there. He voiced out his thoughts as he stared at the glass of water in front of him once more, “She’s not always going to be here.”

Zico scoffed, “Says who?”

U-kwon looked up slowly and found Zico nonchalantly taking another bite out of his apple.

U-kwon could not and did not mask the disbelief in his tone as he spoke again, “How are you so sure? So sure that she will?”

Zico spun his apple in his hand, inspecting it as he decided which part he would eat next, “Because I’m going to do what I do best.” Once he found what area of the apple he wanted, a grin spread across his face, “Catch her before she gets away,” and without hesitation, he took another bite.

“Well then are you ready to start running?”

U-kwon turned and Zico looked up to find Jaehyo leaning against the doorway of the kitchen. He reached into his pocket and produced from it his cellphone, a grin spreading across his face.

“I’d like to run alongside you if you don’t mind.”

 “The real question is,” Zico laid his apple onto the counter and looked from U-kwon to Jaehyo, then back to U-kwon, “can you all keep up?”

“And I assume you’re sure we can trust that message?”

“I do.” Hoya answered B-Bomb’s question as the two sat side by side on a branch, high up in the treetops of the forest. “And Sunggyu does too. That’s why we’re here.”

“So does Zico apparently.” B-Bomb answered back as the two watched over the forest floor. They had set out earlier than the others with the intent to look at the situation from above while the others followed behind soon after. B-Bomb honestly didn’t think Hoya would be up for the task. He was used to it, leaping form tree to tree like this. He was usually the lookout during the used to be full moon battles, which hadn’t taken place since he joined up with the Sunggyu’s pack. But Hoya was built, and from what he saw during their fights with each other, he was the strongest when it came to brute strength. Therefore, he never thought he’d be able to do it.

The tall Sungyeol, sure, but not Hoya.

The rustling of leaves in front of them signaled the entrance the tallest werewolf, alongside him was U-kwon. The two were going on ahead while B-Bomb and Hoya took up the rear.

“There’s nothing there.” Sungyeol reported as he came to a stop, using an outstretched tree branch to grip on for support as he squatted on another below it.

“We even went a good hundred meters past it in every direction. There’s nothing, just more forest.” U-kwon dismally reported as he took a seat down on the branch Sungyeol was squatting on. “What are we even looking for?”

“Myungsoo. It has to be about Myungsoo.” B-Bomb ran his fingers through his hair, utterly frustrated about what he was supposed to do. About what any of them were supposed to do now.

It had to be about Myungsoo, that message the mayor’s daughter, Minah, gave them. And if it was about Myungsoo, it was about you as well. And if it was about you, then it was also about Woohyun. Sure, he was biased towards you more so than Woohyun and Myungsoo but Myungsoo was his friend while Woohyun most likely would have been as well if not for him being the only one to take the chance no one else did. The chance to reach you. And he respected him for that.

“Hey, did you guys find anything?”

A voice yelled from below. The four of them looked down to find Dongwoo, Jaehyo, P.O., and Taeil below them.

“No, there’s nothing here.” Sungyeol responded as a discouraged U-kwon leaned backwards, sending himself falling back as he hooked his legs around the branch he was sitting on. His bangs flipped back as he hung upside down. A clear indication to all of the hunters present that he was not all too happy with what his and Sungyeol’s look ahead turned up.

Taeil looked down, pulling his cell from his pocket as he checked the time, “It’s literally five o’clock on the dot.” He announced out loud.

“Which means there’s still time before whatever is going to happen, happens.” B-Bomb didn’t like this at all. This waiting for something to happen. It made him anxious. It made everyone anxious.

Hoya was the one who spoke up next, causing everyone to once more focus on the task at hand, “Well, where’s everyone else?” He yelled downwards.

“Kyung and Sungjong had a spat. It’s causing their group to lag behind. They should be here soon though.” P.O. answered and his deep, husky voice echoed throughout the forest. There was silence once more among them. Not because they were thinking about what in the world was going on, no. But because of something else.

Something that Jaehyo was the first to point out, “Did anyone else hear that?”

It was a click. A small, subtle click.

Then, another sound.

A sound that sent B-Bomb, Hoya, U-kwon, and Sungyeol pressing forward through the branches of the trees above. A sound that caused Dongwoo, Jaehyo P.O., and Taeil to go sprinting forward followed by Sunggyu, Zico, Sungjong, and Kyung who were not far behind, just as P.O. had said before.

What was the small sound they had heard? The sound of a gun cocking back. What was the sound that followed?

The sound of a gunshot.

And the time at the current point in time was 5:01.

It didn’t take long for you to reach the door Tablo had showed you and Woohyun before again. Now that Myungsoo was with you, fully briefed on the necklace, and now that the necklace was where Woohyun said it would be best protected, around your own neck, there was no reason to stay here. There was no reason for any of you to stay here. Tablo included.

But what was he going to do now? In all honesty, you wanted him to come with you. He couldn’t stay here anymore. There was nothing left for him here.

You kept your eyes on his back, staring at his frame as he began to unhinge the door in front of the four of you. Once he finished, he turned back, glancing at you.

“Hyunjoo.”

He called your name. It was the first time he had done so. And it drew you out of your thoughts.

“Your name is Hyunjoo?”

You had never introduced yourself, but it probably wasn’t hard for him to guess your name with how many times not only Woohyun but surprisingly Myungsoo had called it whilst the three of you were down here. You nodded in response and he shifted his feet, turning his body towards you.

He slid his fingers onto the handle of the door, not gripping it tightly as though he were hesitant. “What should I do now?”

He was asking you? You didn’t know how to answer. What should he do now that he would be leaving this place? Did he even know if he wanted to leave or not? There were many things you could have said. Many options you could have provided him. He could go anywhere now, do anything he wanted to. And with that, you now knew what to say to him.

“It’s your choice. Not mine or anyone else’s.”

Then, he did something you couldn’t have ever imagined him doing. He smiled. He smiled as though your answer was exactly what he wanted to hear. And in that moment, you felt someone grip onto your hand from behind. You turned, finding Woohyun looking at you with a pleased smile on his face. And then, you looked to your left and to find Myungsoo silently standing there.

He locked eyes with you and you got lost in them for a moment. As you always did. And you didn’t feel like you had to look away. If this was only one week ago, you would have scowled and turned away, figuring he was once more yelling insults in his mind directed towards your most recent troublesome mistake. But now, you were more curious than ever about him. About who Myungsoo was in the past. And you felt as though once the four of you left the Containment Zone, if you asked him about it, he would actually tell you.

Unbelievable to picture just a little while ago, but that’s how you felt. And as his lips parted to speak, out came from his mouth a single mumble of a word.

“Hyunjoo.”

And it was different from how Tablo called you. It was different from how he called your name all the times before whilst the two of you were together. You couldn’t put your finger on it. You couldn’t understand it. But you wanted to. And after everything was settled, after all of this, you would figure it out. After you got out of here, got back to Sunggyu, to Dongwoo, to Sungyeol, to Hoya, to Sungjong, to Taeil, to P.O., to Kyung, to Jaehyo, to U-kwon, to B-Bomb, to Zico, to your mother, and to the outside world at long last, you would figure it out. You would have time to sit down and think things through in peaceful silence.

“Let’s go.”

Myungsoo finished, taking steps past you towards Tablo who gripped down onto the door handle and swung it open.

Firstly, you smelt grass for the first time in ages and you finally understood the excitement Sungjong and Sungyeol had back then. The afternoon rays of red and orange sunlight shone down on your face, blinding you for a moment as your eyes adjusted. The sun shone over the horizon, and a fog had set in. It was beautiful. Seeing something besides concrete, dust, and dirt was beautiful. And then, you felt a pang in your heart.

This is what the werewolves who were locked in the Containment Zone so long ago longed for. For direct sunlight, shining down on them, warming them amidst the cold, dry Springfield air during the winter. For the grass to so vividly make itself known through its smell and the sound of it rustling lightly in the wind. Yet they never saw this sight again. Never lived to see it all so richly presented before them as it were in front of you now.

And without realizing it, tears started to stream down your face. Your throat quivered slightly and you silently cried as you continued to take in the trees and their colors, their evergreen leaves still clinging to the branches. Despite the bitter weather, they lived on. You promised yourself to not forget. To never forget how precious life was. To never forget the resilience a single person could have. To endure all of this through its bitterness as Tablo had.

You turned to him, to Tablo, and took in the sight of his black clothes shining a vibrant red color under the sunlight. Then to Woohyun, who was looking upwards as he took a deep breath of the clean air, soaking in all of this with a smile on his face. Then to Myungsoo, whose hands were in his pockets and whose eyes were closed as his chin was titled upwards slightly, towards the sky.

Finally, finally the three of you were out. And whilst it seemed as though nothing could happen, as though nothing could disrupt this moment of liberation the four of you were experiencing, something did.

A single sound that echoed through the forest.

A single sound that caused the birds to go dispersing immediately.

A gunshot.

Followed by something black out of the corner of your eye falling to the ground.

Tablo. 

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A/N:

What's going to happen next? I'll see you next week when we find out. 

Short author's note is short for overall effect of chapter.

I anticipate the comments to come.