Chapter 5

Did he just...? Did Luhan just...? Okay, okay. Sooyoung, calm yourself down. Somehow this could all be a dream. I can do the pinching thing that people always do to snap themselves awake. Okay, here I go.

Ow, that hurts!

Alright, Sooyoung. On the count of three. One... Two...

I snap my eyes open to find myself still in that mini dress. Still watching Luhan... This isn't a dream. It's reality. But a reality that I cannot believe. What the hell is Luhan doing?! First, he's nice to me. Extremely nice. Then, he wants to train alone. Away from me. To kill me. Now, he says he likes me?! As in, 'like, likes' me. Does he like confusing me that much?! Oh, how I want to go up to that stage and snap his little neck.

Top seems pretty surprised too. "Ah... Yes... Tough luck, Luhan." Top pats Luhan's back with comfort. "I would love to help you, Luhan. But, sadly, I can do nothing but wish you good luck." Top takes Luhan's hand and holds it up. "Give it up for District 6's Xi Luhan!" The crowd cheers and claps even louder than they did at my interview. The boy practically killed the chances of those who hadn't gone up yet and those who did. Nothing can top that confession.

Leetuek must've noticed the hatred in my eyes as he tells me to calm down when Luhan joins us. I try to resist my urge to punch Luhan hard in the face. I know he's trying to get my attention so that he can say something. "Don't. Come. Any. Closer." I glare at him hatefully. "I suggest you stay away from me if you don't want a black eye or a twisted neck."

One look in my eyes and Luhan knows that I'm not joking. Amber and Lady takes him back to the room. Leetuek turns to me. "I was the one who told him to play the romance card, okay? So don't go hurt him. If you want, you can take your anger out at me. It's pretty much my idea, anyway."

"So, then, when you said he wanted to train alone..."

"That was all my idea. Luhan just went along with it."

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because we knew you wouldn't go along with it. Look, sweetheart, Luhan saved your life. By confessing his love for you, he gave something for the sponsors to root for. They're going to want to try to keep you two alive so that you guys's love will last longer."

"Love? What love?"

"Alright sweetheart, just promise me three things. One, you won't hurt the boy. Two, if you don't already love him, you're going to pretend to. Three, you keep yourself and him alive."

"That's not possible. Only one can win. It's either me or him."

"Just trust me, okay?"

"Okay." I have to trust Leetuek. He is my mentor, afterall. My feelings are completely mixed up. I feel happiness and anger at the same time. But more hapiness than anger. Happy that I don't have to hate Luhan so much anymore. Angry that they kept this from me. "So, then... What he said at the interview... All of that was fake?"

"I wouldn't know, actually. It could be he's just pretending to survive. Or maybe... Well, you know what I mean."

I can't sleep. The sheets are incredibly comfortable and there's soothing music for me to relax and go to sleep but I can't. Why? Because I might die tomorrow. Yes. The day of the Death Games. I'm trembling badly in bed. I wonder if Luhan's asleep. I wonder if he's mad at me.

I brush my thoughts aside and go out of my room to get a glass of water. As I walk to the living room, I see Luhan, with his knees up to his chest sitting by the window.

"L-Luhan?" He looks up as his name is being call.

"Oh, hey, Sooyoung."

I walk over to the window and sit by it in front of him. "Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry I was being so cold to you before."

Luhan waves it away. "Ah, don't worry. It's no big deal. I don't blame you. You didn't know."

"Thanks."

We sat in silence for a while. "So... Tomorrow's the day." I nod. "I wouldn't bother asking if you're nervous. I know you are. We all are."

"We?"

"Sehun and Seohyun."

"Oh."

"Which reminds me, I saw you talking to 5 before the interview. Have you guys made an alliance?"

Now that I think about it, Kris and Jessica... Are we even friends? Kris and Jessica looked like they've partnered up. But I don't about me and them... We've talked but I don't think that counts as an alliance. "I don't think so. But it's probably for the best. I don't want to survive with them and then have to kill them at the end. Plus, if we move in big groups, the Careers are sure to find us."

"Points taken. So I guess it's just us with Sehun and Seohyun."

"Yeah."

After a beat, Luhan says something. "I don't want them to change me."

"How would they change you?"

"Turn me into something I'm not. I just don't want to be another piece in their games. I just want to show them that they don't own me. If I'm going to die, I wanna still be me. Does that make any sense to you?" 

I nod my head. "Yeah. But I just can't afford to think like that."

Leetuek walks me over to a hovercraft which I assume is going to take me to the arena. Luhan isn't with me. He's in another hovercraft for the males.

I stop as I know Leetuek has some farewell words for me.

"Alright. Listen carefully, sweetheart." That's probably the last time I'll ever hear him say that. "Once the word 'Start' flashes in the sky, don't hang around the Cornucopia. Just run. Try to find Luhan and your other allies if you can but only on the next day. And water. Water is important. Okay? Remember, don't go anywhere today. Just find a tall tree if you can, climb it and stay there."

I keep those words of advice locked inside my brain. "Does Luhan know all of this?"

Leetuek smiles. "Trust me. He knows everything." I start to walk towards the hovercraft. "Sooyoung?" Leetuek calls. I turn. It's the first time he's every used my name. "Stay alive." I nod even though I know that's not going to happen.

I'm seated in the hovercraft beside Jessica and with the female Careers. We have to wait until all the female tributes are in the hovercraft before we can take off. I try to get my mind off the games and talk to Jessica. "Um, Jessica?"

She turns and gives me the same glare she gave Kris before her interview. "What?"

"I just wanted to say good luck."

"God, kid. Luck?! That's not going to help my situation, your situation or anyone else's!"

"I-I know... I just thought I'd say it anyway..." I mumble.

"Sorry... I'm just a little cranky today."

"It's okay."

Our small conversation quickly ends as Seohyun steps into the hovercraft. I guess we'll be going to the arena right about now. I'm right. I can feel the hovercraft lifting and moving.

A Peacekeeper does something to the Careers which are too far for me to see but what I can see is the pained look on their faces. The Peacekeeper comes to Jessica and I can see what she is doing. She's injecting some sort of light into our arms.

"What's that?" I ask. The Peacekeeper moves on to me.

"Your tracking device." She injects it into my arm and I can feel the sting. I watch as the device glows inside my arm and wince. Painful. I wonder if this is what it'll feel like when a knife to pressed into my arm. Nah. It'll be a hundred times worse.

I met Eunhyuk at my chamber room. He's going to prep me a little bit before I go into the arena. The sight of Eunhyuk makes me smile and I run into his welcoming arms. He tells me to brush my teeth and shower which I don't really see the need to do since I'll probably be covered in blood a few minutes after.

Eunhyuk braids my hair just like how my mother does. He hands me the track suit I'm supposed to wear. As he zips my jacket, he notices my pin. My mockingjay pin. He knows I'm not supposed to bring that in but he smiles and pretends he didn't see it.

"10 seconds." I hear a voice say through the speaker.

10 seconds before I go into the arena. I look up to Eunhyuk, trembling. "I'll miss you, Eunhyuk."

"I'm going to see you again. I know I am." He gives me a really tight hug before I step into the tube to transport me up to the arena.

I got startled when the tube door snaps shut. Eunhyuk mouths the words 'Run' and 'Water' to me. I nod and the metal plate I'm standing on goes up.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let the 74th annual Death Games begin.

Hai, everybody!
So... You guys can probably tell what the next chapter's gonna be all about. Yeah... Oh, by the way, I swear, I do not have the book! This is based on the movie which I've only watched one time. Okay, maybe two since my brother has the movie. Two times with the movie and zero times with the book. I remember clearly what happens in the Hunger Games but I wanted to add some of my own parts since I kinda wanna make this more on the romance side than the adventure but they'll be plenty of adventure parts, I promise.
I hope you guys enjoyed and don't forget to check out the next chapter when it's been released. :)