I felt myself swaying. I was feeling happy and pleasant; I didn’t want the swaying to disturb me. A heat was emanating towards me; I wanted to stay that way longer. But still, the swaying continued, shaking my whole body ever so slightly, growing in intensity. Soon, the movements turned too harsh and I had no other option but to open my eyes.

First thing I saw was a shirtless, pale, worried YiXing. He managed to smile once he saw me wake up. He asked if I was okay. I nodded, still trying to remember what had happened in the last few hours… Ohh right, Kai! I lookd to my left, and lying next to me was a sleeping JongIn, still taking a hold of my hand. I smiled at the baby and then at Lay. I told him to help me get up, and so he did. He got scared when I panted and grunted due to the pain, but I told him not to worry. I took another look at Kai; he seemed so tired, and I was glad he was finally getting some well deserved rest. I looked back at Lay and took a view of his whole body, trying to see if he was hurt.

MJ: Oppa, does anything hurt? Kris left some healing salts for us to use. I need to make sure your injuries are not…. Infected…

I looked at YiXing’s left ribs, where I had stabbed him the first time we encountered, and they were as ugly as Kai’s shoulder. It was all a big scab with a mixture of red, white and purple.

MJ: Holy ! You need to lie down! I’ll take care of you right now. OH MAN! HaeRi’s leg must be starting to get infected too!

I bent down to take the vial and faced Lay again. I told him to get laid next to the others. But first, he helped me get the rest of the needed materials. Once ready, he sat on the ground, me kneeling in front of him. I repeated with him the same procedure I had done with Kai. Lay moaned when the salts touched his ugly injury, making a hurtful expression.

I finished up with his wound and prompted him to show me his arms, where the rash had started. It was starting to fade, still I wasn’t taking any chances. I swabbed the area with salts too, making sure YiXing was out of any harm. I told him to eat and drink plenty of water. He smiled and nodded, getting up towards the stash area. I then moved unto HaeRi. She was sound asleep, so I was extra cautious to treat her with care so she wouldn’t wake up. I looked at her left leg, and the injury was still healing, showing no sign of infection. Still, I did the same again. As I planted the salts on her, she seemed to shiver in her sleep, breathing heavily. Poor baby girl has gone through so many things… I finished her up and moved on to LanFang. Well… this was disturbing. Looking up close, while sleeping LanFang KIIIIIND of looked like a girl.

Anyways, that wasn’t the problem right now. I had to cure his cut…I mean hers. I looked at her ribs and chest; apparently one of the other guys had wrapped her in a piece of cloth, preventing the wound from bleeding any further. Still, she needed medication to prevent her from what the others were going through. I removed the fabric and cleaned the injury with clean water. Afterwards I passed a handful of salt all over the long cut coming from her left ribs to the right side of her chest. As I rubbed it she began to breathe hard and eventually shake. She arched her back and grunted loud. YiXing saw I was having a hard time keeping her calmed and came to help me. Her wound was way to recent; the salts were going in, burning her from the inside. She was grabbing onto her face while raising her legs as if to ease the pain. Lay took her hands and I tried to finish the job, but she eventually woke up from her unconscious state. She came forth, sitting, while grabbing her side when the pain really hit her. Besides the hurting she stared at me with a lost gaze, until she began to recognize me.

MJ: LanFang, it’s me, MinJeong! Don’t be afraid; I’m just curing you…see?

I showed her the salts and cloth. She looked around and found YiXing kneeling behind her, eyeing her with worry. She looked down at herself and found the bleeding wound, besides how she was shirtless and just in her small double A bra. She stared at me once again, this time with surprise.

MJ: Don’t worry, we get the idea. No need to feel sorry or nervous. We accept everyone as they come, so just relax okay? I need to finish this before it gets ugly. Just lay back and lemme finish.

I smiled, trying to reassure her that her little secret wasn’t going to affect anything in between us all. She did as I told her, and I finished wrapping her up. Meanwhile, Lay had gone to pick some food and water for the girl. After I finished, I helped her seat up. Lay then told me to go on with MinSeok; he would take care of LanFang. I thanked him and went up to Mr. Bun. He was covered in black and blues, pretty much like everyone else. He just had a few scratches here and there that weren’t anything serious. I think besides his cute exterior, MinSeok has a powerful attack; when in peril he’ll transform. I cleaned his wounds and made sure nothing was broken in him. Apparently he was ticklish, and began to smile in his sleep as I passed my hands around him. He eventually woke up due to his own laughter. I greeted him with a smile.

MJ: Nice to see you’re alive, Mr. Bun!

He smiled back, but soon after it changed into a frown. He was staring at the horrible color blend at my torso, seeing the results of all the damages I had suffered in the battle.

MJ: Don’t worry; I’ll be fine…I hope. I just need to know if you’re okay. Anything that hurts Oppa?

The man thought over it for a moment, and apparently remembered something. He touched the back of his head and upon looking at his hand found blood. My eyes opened up with fright.

MJ: Hold on… (I kneeled in front of him, lowering his head and taking a better look in between his stained hair). MinSeok… does it hurt? (I touched the area, slightly tapping it; he shook his head). How about now? (I touched even harder right on top of the cut; he shook his head again). MinSeok, you have to tell me how this happened!

The now worried man was trying to explain the event. Since he wasn’t use to me yet, he didn’t know how to express himself in a more simple manner. After a while trying to take everything in, I finally could make out what happened.

MJ: During the boss battle, while you were fighting one of the Exotics, another one attacked you from behind with a metal rod. THESE PEOPLE! My Lord! MinSeok, listen to me. This isn’t something serious…yet… which is why I’m a little concerned. You see, the fact that you can’t feel the area, beside the big open wound you have in your scalp, means that your nerve died. The nerve in that particular area died. And well, that doesn’t affect you much, but the strike must have been very hard to cause this damage. Which means that it could have caused other damages such as head trauma, skull fracture, clog dispersion, and shock to other facial organs like ears and eyes. So whatever you feel, anything weird in you, YOU….MUST…TELL ME! No buts, no fears, no nothing! You tell me right away!

The man was now as pale as a paper; if I knew any better I’d say he would cry out of fear. He nodded with his big eyes staring at me. I told him to sit still while I took care of his wound. I got behind him to make the process easier and repeated the “Healing Salts Ritual”; it already needed a name since I’ve done it so many times in such a small period. He didn’t feel any pain or burn like the others; he told me he felt only a slight heat around the area. At least other parts of his head were still okay; that eased my worry a little. I told him I had finished and instructed him to eat and hydrate himself. He turned around and smiled, mouthing a “thanks”. But something else caught his attention… after all this time curing him, now is when he notices I don’t have a shirt on. He covered his eyes with both hands, still taking a peek between some fingers.

MJ: Please oppa, you’re not gonna make me believe you haven’t seen a girl in a bathing suit before. Imagine its one. Besides, we’re fighting for OUR LIVES! I could see you all and I wouldn’t feel the least moved… so I hope you all do the same. Drastic games call for drastic measures.

The man lowered his hands, yet still couldn’t take his eyes away from my exposed chest. Uuuhhh you little nasty! I knew were this was going… it usually does…

MJ: Yes, their mine. I didn’t get them done…. Or are you just admiring my pretty strawberry bra? Now… scram! Go eat!

The man got up fast, trying not to feel tempted to look back again. He hurried to the stashed to pick out what I had told him. I softy laughed at his reaction… men…

Now that I had cured everybody, I think it’s time I did the same on myself. My left hand wasn’t exactly infected, but it was still partially opened. I did the procedure on myself, trying to withstand the pain the salts brought on me, and finally bandaged it. I walked back to Lay and Lan; apparently they were having a nice conversation. MinSeok was sitting next to them as well. I sat next to them all, and decided to make the most out of this quiet and tranquil time.

MJ: So, are you all feeling better? Please take plenty of rest, water and food. We need to recover to the max before going on; if not our chances of survival will be below zero.

The 3 of them nodded, giving off a pleasant smile. It felt like they were being grateful for how I treated them… I have to accept, mothers know best!

MJ: Well, we should get to know each other a little better. MinSeok Oppa, LanFang Eonnie. Mind introducing yourselves?

MinSeok and LanFang looked at each other. Minseok signaled to Lan, motioning for her to go first. She sighted and began explaining. She tried to go slow so I could understand her, still there were some thing I couldn’t make out and she simply gestured to YiXing in their own sign language. Little by little I pieced together the information.

LanFang Johnson: 20-year-old daughter to a Chinese mother and an American father. Knows English, Chinese, and Korean. She played the game for herself, when the Exotics went to look for her in the States. It’s been almost 2 years since she lost and was taken as a prisoner. She was usually confused as a boy, so she has stayed in both the women and men dungeons, which is why she knows both es’ hand language. She has been assigned different areas in each passing game; in this case she was put in EXO Tower’s surrounding area.

MJ: Wow…I’m impressed Eonnie. So many languages… and OMO! You had to live with men! But still, I don’t think you’re THAT boyish… I mean… You have a beautiful face! And your smile is really cute… You should let your hair grow…

LanFang sneered. She seemed kind of…offended? She gestured something out that it was impossible to not understand.

MJ: WHAT!? I’m not saying you’re a lesbian! On the contrary, I’m complimenting your femininity. Don’t get me the wrong way either, okay? I’m just telling you the truth. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that before?

She seemed to think about it thoroughly, slowly getting embarrassed about her sudden reaction. I just smiled at her. I kind of understand her. Being in between both men and women, it must have been hard being accepted in either group due to her appearance or her way of acting.

MJ: I’m sure you’ll get use to it. With us around, compliments will never stop pouring down. You see… (I huffed on my right hand nails and then polished them against my shoulder)… Mama Jeong is in charge of praising everyone, even if it’s just your way of eating… ISN’T THAT RIGHT MINSEOK?!

I looked at the chubby-faced oppa, who had his cheeks filled with fruits. I pinched his left one, making him grumble. We all laughed.

MJ: Sorry oppa. You just looked so tempting. Well, it’s your turn now to tell us about yourself.

The man finished munching down his fruits and began to move his arms. I was having a really hard time understanding him. He had to repeat some things a few times, plus mouth a few words for me to understand him. At some point he got tired and just told Lay so he could interpret it for me.

Kim MinSeok: 22-years-old, full Korean. Knows Korean, and Chinese. Likes to be called XiuMin. Played the game to save his younger sister, which he hasn’t encountered since her disappearance a little over a year ago. Likes to eat a lot, yet the only thing that grows are his cheeks. Is usually assigned at prairies, but this time was taken inside EXO tower.

We laughed at his little cheek joke, but then everything went silent. Remembering the past always brings pain to our hearts. Remembering the good times that might never come back… Recognizing that people have been lost and only God knows if their still alive… It all hurts…

MJ: I see we all have our sufferings to bear with… I know it’s hard for us all… to talk about the past… But it’s the only way to remember ourselves about our true mission. If it weren’t for those we love, we wouldn’t have a purpose to win this stupid game… Yet, we know people’s lives depend on us… Our parents await us far away from this place…  A brighter future is just at our fingertips… that’s why we need to go on… I believe we can do it, we just need to trust ourselves….and trust each other. If we don’t put ourselves in one another’s shoes, we will never understand why we fight side by side… That’s why we need to become closer… be a family…feeling each other's blood in us… That way we will protect ourselves till the end, making sure we all make it out…alive!

They all eyed me with care, trying to take in all the information.

MJ: I’m not bluffing when I say this. I really mean it. And not only that, I also BELIEVE IT! I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Teamwork is the key to survival in here. That why I’m not afraid to tell you all how much I appreciate your work and dedication… but above all, I love and respect you as humans, just because you give me an opportunity… And opportunity to help each other… to know us better…. to become friends… Thank you… Thank you ever so much for just being yourselves… I’m proud of you all…

The guys were just smiling, looking as friendly as possible. My motherly instincts just had to come out. I felt the need to tell these people how I really felt about them. I get attached to people very easily…. It’s a defect I have… But I don’t regret it at all! Hugs and kisses were my energy source, and I didn’t care if people thought it was weird; it all made me happy. That’s why I threw flying kisses towards them. They chuckled. XiuMin then gestured me to talk about myself. LanFang seemed interested in the proposition as well.

MJ: Oh! So you two wanna know my story?... let’s see… it started a few months ago when I noticed my fiend LuHan was skipping school…

I began the long and tragic story; before and after entering Exotica. They seemed to feel my pain and worry; it was nice to feel understood. Now that we knew ourselves enough, and that no one felt left out, it was time to make a plan for what was coming ahead…

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello there honeys!  I have a confession to make...... DEAR LORD! HOW DO I SAY THIS!.... While writting this chappie... I....HAD.... AMBER FEELZ! OMAGAWD! LESBIANest! (Lets be honest!) SHE'S FIRKING HOT! WAE R U NOT A BOY!?!?!

That would be all for now~! See you on the next update~ Share the love~! xoxox