I’m going to die…

 

She pounded frantically on the door, screaming her voice raw in a desperate attempt to be heard over the utter chaos outside, the shrill alarms and panicked cries clear even through the thick wooden door.  The young woman gave said door one final hit before letting out a frustrated cry, body crumbling to the floor in exhaustion.  Resting her hand against the door, she let out a choked sob as she felt the heat seeping through the once chilled wood.

 

I’m going to die…

 

Even when the smoke filtered into the tiny room, burning her eyes and filling her nose and mouth, that single thought ran through her frantic mind until her final choked breath.

 

I’m going to die…

 

---------------------------

 

“Are you really sure about this, Hyung?” HoJun asked as he sat beside his older brother on the bus bench.  “I mean, why do you have to go in the first place?”

 

HoWon sighed, bringing a hand up to run fingers through his hair.  “They’ll never get off my case if I stay here Jun ah,” he explained, voice tired and almost resigned.  “I can’t deal with all the comparisons anymore.  I’m not HoJae Hyung, no matter how much they want me to be.”

 

As much as HoJun wanted to argue and argue some more to keep his brother from leaving, he knew that the elder was right.  While his and HoJae’s future aspirations lined up with those of their parents, HoWon had different plans for himself.  Their parents wanted nothing more than for the three to hold down ‘respectable’ jobs such as doctor or lawyer or CEO.  HoWon on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to dance.

 

Performance arts seemed to come as easily as breathing for HoWon, be it singing, rapping, or acting.  His forte though, was easily dance.  He had the utmost control over his own body and its movements, something that HoJun(a klutz of the highest degree) had always envied.  His obvious talent was overlooked by their parents, who were too focused on the pitfalls and inconsistencies of the entertainment world to acknowledge what HoJun felt that the world should. 

 

 Added to that HoWon’s less than stellar academic record and the withdrawal slip he had turned into his university two months into his second year, their parents’ disapproval was obvious even to the most casual onlooker.  Unable to handle the pressure any longer, HoWon made all the necessary arrangements and packed his bags. 

 

“But why Seoul?  It’s so far away,” HoJun pointed out with a frown.

 

“Because I have a better shot with the amount of agencies based there,” HoWon answered before forcing a smile.  “Hey, it’s not like we’ll never see each other again or anything.  Once I’m settled, you’re coming to visit me, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

 

The younger boy shot his brother a weak glare.  “Of course I’ll visit.  Then you can show me all the touristy things and introduce me to some hot girls,” he stated, punching HoWon in the arm.

 

The two brothers talked a bit longer before the announcement marking the bus’ arrival.  Getting to his feet, HoWon pulled his dongsaeng, the only person who supported him completely, into a tight hug.  “Take care of everyone, yeah?”

 

“Don’t I always?” HoJun chuckled quietly, and HoWon pretended not to notice the catch in the younger’s voice.  “Call me when you get there, okay?”

 

“Of course,” HoWon murmured before pulling away.  Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his bag and boarded the empty bus.  Settling into a seat in the middle, HoWon gave his younger brother one last smile before the bus pulled away.

 

---------------------------

 

“Are you sure that you have everything?” the woman fretted, holding her son tight.

 

“Yes, Umma,” SungJong replied for what felt like the billionth time.

 

“You’re positive, because if there’s something that you forgot, I can have your father run home and get it.”

 

Sighing, SungJong just allowed the woman to fuss, but not before shooting an exasperated look at his father.  ‘Empty Nest Syndrome’, he had called it, which made little sense to him since his younger brother was still at home and would be for another couple of years at least.  Granted, he really couldn’t blame her either.

 

SungJong’s slight frame and feminine looks and mannerisms were easy lures for bullies, something he had lived with from as early as primary school.  After years of the same treatment, and childish insults evolving into adult cruelty, SungJong had been shaped into a very quiet and timid young man.  He spent the majority of his time at home with his parents and brother rather than venture out, something that always tended to put him on edge.  The internet had used the phrase acrophobia when he had taken to self diagnosing his mental state via his laptop.

 

Once graduation had come and gone, SungJong had, in an attempt to free himself from his self imposed reclusiveness, applied to a small university in Seoul and was luckily accepted.  It had taken quite a while, but finally his parents had agreed to let him go when they realized that it was something that their oldest child needed to do for himself.

 

“Honey, let SungJongie go.  You made sure that he has everything he needs,” SungJong’s father chuckled as he reached out and ruffled his son’s hair when he sighed in relief that he was out of the bear hug.

 

“Well I see the bus pulling up now, so just make sure that you call home once you get to Seoul and don’t worry about anyone else on the bus.  It’s pretty late so most people will be asleep, alright?”  Smiling, SungJong nodded before giving his father a tight hug.

 

When the bus came to a stop, his father followed him on board with his bag and slipped it into the overhead while SungJong got situated.  Relieved to see only one other person on the bus so far, the man gave his son a final ‘I love you, kiddo’ before getting off to stop his wife from crawling into the luggage compartment.

 

SungJong made sure to wave as the bus pulled out, pulling out his laptop to give himself something to do for the bus ride.

 

---------------------------

 

“They’re going to kill you, you know that right?” JiYoon asked matter of factly as the two walked into the bus terminal.

 

SungGyu just shrugged nonchalantly, tightening his hold on his girlfriend’s hand as they walked up to the ticket kiosk to retrieve his ticket.  Once it was in his hand, he led the way to the waiting area before taking a seat, pulling JiYoon into his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist.  It had been a stressful week, what with planning and making sure that his parents never found out what he was doing.  It was annoying enough knowing that they didn’t approve of SungGyu being in a band, but to know that they were sneaking to Seoul to audition would push them over the edge.

 

“So when are they getting there?” she asked, referring to SungGyu’s band members as she laced her fingers through her boyfriend’s as they waited.  She really didn’t want him to go, but unless he was accepted, he would be back within a couple weeks.

 

“Next week.  They couldn’t get out of work any earlier than that,” SungGyu explained before pausing to place a light kiss to JiYoon’s shoulder blade.  “I wish you were coming with me though,” he pouted, an act that would be almost cute if not for the fact that she hated his aegyo with a passion.

 

Sulking a bit herself, JiYoon carefully turned around in her boyfriend’s lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.  She was glad that the terminal was so empty, something rare for the time of day, but JiYoon wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.  “I wish I was, too, but my parents would murder me.  No matter how much they adore you, they’d never let me go knowing that we’d be alone in a hotel together.”

 

SungGyu grinned lightly before brushing his lips over hers.  “Not like we haven’t done that already or anything,” he teased lightly, thumb running light circles against her hip and laughing at the playfully indignant slap to the back of his head.

 

“ert,” JiYoon giggled quietly before kissing him lightly, slipping long fingers into SungGyu’s auburn hair.

 

“You love it,” SungGyu murmured against her lips before returning the kiss, knowing that it would be a while before he could see her again.  It was a weird thought since they’d been apart for no longer than a couple days since they had started dating the previous year, having met at one of SungGyu’s band’s shows and hitting it off instantly.

 

Deciding that words were highly overrated, JiYoon just sighed into the kiss, not letting her boyfriend go until the announcement came on the overhead.  Pulling away with a whine that she would vehemently deny if he tried teasing, she slipped out of her boyfriend’s lap to allow him to get to his feet.

 

Once up, SungGyu wrapped an arm around JiYoon’s waist and pulled her into a tight hug before dropping a kiss onto the top of her head.  “I’ll call you when I get there, okay?”  At her nod, he pulled back and smiled before placing another kiss to her forehead.

 

“I do, you know,” JiYoon said suddenly, smiling at SungGyu’s confused expression.  “Love it, I mean.”

 

Shaking his head with a chuckle, SungGyu gave her a final kiss before grabbing both his duffel bag and guitar bag and heading out to where the bus was waiting.  Getting on board and seeing the other two already settled, SungGyu just took a seat in the middle and once his things were situated, stuck his earbuds in his ears and tried to catch a bit of sleep.

 

---------------------------

 

A loud ringing whine fell from SungYeol’s mouth as his father turned the corner on the way to the bus station.  “Hurry hurry hurry,” he begged, long legs twitching the closer they got to their destination.  He had gotten the call from his agent that he had passed his last audition, landing himself a minor role in an upcoming movie by a well known director.  The only stipulation was that he had to go all the way to Seoul, where the movie was to begin shooting the following week.

 

“Appa can only go so fast, Hyung,” DaeYeol said with a sigh.  “Besides, it’s all your fault for not waking up on time-OW!  What the hell, Hyung?!” he cried as he rubbed the back of his head.

 

Their father just shook his head, trying to hide his amusement.  “DaeYeollie, leave your brother alone.  SungYeol, no violence in the car,” he reprimanded.

 

SungYeol was about to retort that he had it coming when he saw the bus terminal.  He bit back the cry of victory until his father had the car parked, moving to get his son’s bag out of the trunk while the two boys scrambled out of the car.

        

“So Hyung, do you have any lines this time?” DaeYeol asked before running into the terminal laughing.  The only thing stopping SungYeol from chasing and possible maiming his dongsaeng was the headlock his father had him in.

        

“Leggo!  We’re out of the car and you said nothing about no violence out of the car!” SungYeol ranted, trying to break the man’s hold.

        

“Yeol ah, you’re the oldest.  Perhaps you should start acting like it.  You’re making me have second thoughts about having you go all the way to Seoul without me or your mother.”  Not that he would ever stop him of course.  SungYeol had worked tremendously hard to become an actor and his parents would never take that away from him.

 

“But Appa, Gonam Hyung’s gonna be there, so I’m not really going by myself,” he pointed out when the man let him go and handed him his suitcase.

 

“I know.  I’m only teasing you,” his father chuckled, tugging on his son’s ponytail before nudging him toward the waiting area.  “Are you nervous?  This is a pretty big deal, you know.”

 

SungYeol reached up and rubbed the back of his neck.  “A little.  I mean, what if I mess up?  What if I forget my lines or something or miss my cue?”

 

The man stopped and tugged his son into a hug.  “You’ll be fine, SungYeol.  Just calm down and don’t stress yourself out, okay?  I can’t wait until I get to brag about my son the famous actor.”  Letting him go, he nudged him forward again.  “Just make sure not to forget us little people, okay?”

 

Grinning widely, SungYeol shrugged, his mood back up.  He had never been able to brood for too long.  “We’ll see.  I mean, you do make me clean the bathroom a lot…”

 

Once they caught up with DaeYeol, the three took a seat as they waited for SungYeol’s bus to arrive.  Once it pulled into the station half an hour later, SungYeol stood up and gathered his things, but not before giving his father and brother(reluctantly) tight hugs.

 

“Don’t , Hyung!” DaeYeol yelled as he boarded.  Shaking his head at the little brat, SungYeol took a seat near the front, simply placing his suitcase on the seat beside him since the bus was nearly empty.  Settling in, he pulled out his script and went over it, wanting to make sure he had it down by the time he arrived.

 

---------------------------

 

“Umma,” DongWoo whined as he stood outside the bus station, lithe body working through the intricate choreography that he intended to use for his final interview.  “No no no. Tell Noona that she can’t meet me at the station.  All she’ll do is mother me to death and you’re doing a good enough job of that without her help,” he teased, smile on his face.

 

But DongWoo sweetie, you know that I just worry about you.  I mean, moving to Seoul by yourself is a huge step.  What if you get distracted by something shiny and wander off and get kidnapped by some psychotic mass murderer and…

 

DongWoo’s smile widened as the woman continued her concerned rambling on his ear.  He understood what his mother was saying.  While his sisters had moved out and lived on their own years ago, DongWoo had chosen to remain at home, instead focusing on saving his money and looking for a job as a dancer.  The latter had come in the form of his former dance teacher.  A close friend of his was opening a dance studio in Seoul and when he asked if he knew any capable dancers, DongWoo’s name was mentioned instantly.  DongWoo’s love for dancing was evident and while he wasn’t as structured as a lot of the dancers that he knew, he had a raw, unbridled style that more than made up for it in others’ eyes.

 

Is someone meeting you there, DongWoo?  Because as much of an adult as you are, I would rather you not wander around such an unfamiliar city alone at night…

 

Nodding before realizing that his mother couldn’t see what he was doing, DongWoo spoke up.  “DongWook Hyung’s meeting me.  He’s letting me stay at his apartment until I find one of my own,” he explained to her yet again.  “I promise that I’ll be fine, Umma, and before you ask, yes, I’ll call you when I get to Seoul,” he assured.  “Oh, and tell those pesky girls not to meet me,” okay?” he repeated with an affectionate smile.

 

When the PA came alive, DongWoo covered the mouthpiece of his cell phone and pulled it away from his ear to listen to the announcement.  Hearing that his bus had arrived, the dancer grinned and grabbed his duffel bag.

 

“Umma, the bus just got here, so I have to go now,” DongWoo said as soon as he returned the phone to his ear.

 

Okay, Sweetheart.  Be safe and don’t forget to call as soon as you get into the city.  I don’t care if it’s three in the morning when you do, you hear me?

 

“I already said I would,” DongWoo chuckled at the order as he stepped onto the near-empty bus.  With a final ‘I love you’, DongWoo hung up shuffled to the back of the bus, shoving his bag into the overhead compartment before plopping down into the very last row of seats.  DongWoo stretched his legs out across the seat next to his and let out a relaxed sigh as he settled in for the long bus ride.

 

---------------------------

 

So you’re really on your way home?!

 

MyungSoo let out a light chuckle at his girlfriend’s excited tone.  “Yes, YeRim ah, I’m really on my way home,” he confirmed with the small grin that was solely reserved for her.  The girl was practically beaming over the webcam and MyungSoo was glad that he had agreed to the webchat as he waited for the bus.

 

How was your shoot anyway, Oppa? YeRim asked.  She loved hearing about her boyfriend’s modeling jobs since he always had the best stories to tell.

 

“Well one of the veteran models threw a grade A hissy fit over his outfit and demanded that I switch with him even though he’s taller and larger than I am,” he told her, smirking at the memory of the grown man practically kicking and screaming like a five year old.

 

Oh?  And how did that go over?  Her amusement was beyond clear and MyungSoo found himself smiling at the sound of her light laugh.

 

“Let’s just say that things went a lot quicker without him there,” he answered.  It was a moment later that he remembered something else.  “Oh!  The photographer let me take some test shots for him since we finished so early.”

 

YeRim positively lit up at that.  Oh my God, Oppa, really?!  How was it?  Did he say you did well?  Oh who am I kidding, of course you did well!

 

MyungSoo held up a hand and YeRim quieted.  “It was a blast.  I don’t use a lot of live models other than you, so it was a good experience.  Plus he gave me some of the prints to add to my portfolio with the model’s permission.”

 

While modeling allowed him to pay the bills, MyungSoo’s true passion was photography, of which he was a full time student at Chung Ang University.  Stoic and introverted by nature, it was rare to find things that MyungSoo felt truly passionate about, but photography was everything to him beside his girlfriend.

 

You had better show me when you get home, Soo Oppa.

 

MyungSoo nodded his head.  “Well who else would I share them with?  Of course you get first dibs, YeRim ah.”  The couple spoke for a bit longer before MyungSoo took a look at the time.  “The bus should be here soon, so I have to go.”  He had to laugh affectionately at the girl’s pout.

 

Call me when you get close and I’ll meet you at the bus station, okay?  Then we can go home together, okay?

 

“Alright.  Talk to you soon,” he replied, smiling at the blown kiss before closing the chat.  Looking up once he had put his iPad away, he noticed that the bus was arriving.  He gathered his things and headed outside to board.  Once on, he noticed that there were decidedly less people than he would have thought; all of whom were his age, give or take.  MyungSoo took a seat toward the front and pulled out his camera, scrolling through the memory card as the bus pulled away.

 

---------------------------

 

So WooHyunnie Oppa, what’d you do your last night at school?

 

A snort was then heard over the line.  Don’t you mean who?

 

WooHyun just sniffed.  “I don’t have to take this from you, brat.”

 

Just means I’m right.  Besides, you should be used to it by now.

 

“Seriously, KiBum ah, why am I even friends with you again?”  A question he’d been asking himself for years.

 

Because you love and adore me, duh… KiBum replied matter-of-factly, earning a quiet snort from Nicole.

 

I think you mean that we keep you around for sheer amusement

 

“Sorry man, but Nicollie’s right about that.  I mean, it’s not like you’re good for much else,” WooHyun chuckled before pausing.  “And could you please stop making me sound like such a ?”

 

Well if the shoe fits…

 

WooHyun just dropped his head with a loud exasperated sigh.  “I’m hanging up now.”

 

Fine, fine.  You’re not a , KiBum chuckled.

 

“Thank you,” WooHyun said before switching the phone to his other ear.

 

You just have an extraordinarily healthy life.

 

Before the teasing escalated as it always did with the pair, Nicole spoke up.  So when’s your audition?

 

WooHyun took a series of deep breaths(something he did often when dealing with KiBum) before answering the girl.  “Next week.  BooHyun Hyung’s letting me crash at his place.”

 

He heard KiBum sigh over the phone.  Still on the outs with your parents, huh? he asked, not expecting an answer.

 

WooHyun’s relationship with his parents was complicated to say the least.  While they supported him and his desire to be an entertainer (‘who can’t act worth ,’ KiBum was quick to point out), they did not approve of their youngest son’s lifestyle.  Studying had never been one of his strong points and while he wasn’t failing, he was barely passing the courses that had nothing to do with music.

 

Always social and friendly, WooHyun had taken to the partying side of college life like a fish to water.  As KiBum had insinuated, he was no stranger to one night stands and had quickly gained notoriety as the campus playboy.  It also happened to be how he met KiBum and Nicole in the first place.  He was, however, far more discreet with his male hookups as WooHyun was big on keeping up pretenses.

 

So are you nervous? Nicole asked, breaking him from his thoughts.  Because I’m nervous for you.

 

“Of course I’m not,” WooHyun  stated confidently.  “I know that I’m gonna make it, so why should I be nervous?”

 

Whatever man.  Want me and Cole to meet you at the station or is your brother picking you up? KiBum asked before he forgot.

 

“Hyung’s out of town.  He dropped off his spare key on his way through,” WooHyun explained.  Looking up, he noticed that the terminal employees were beginning to prepare for the bus’ arrival at the gate.  “I’ll give you a buzz when I get near so you know when to meet me, okay?”

 

After another snarky shot at his life, WooHyun hung up on KiBum and said a proper goodbye to the much more pleasant Nicole before ending the call altogether.  He grabbed his bag and walked over to the gate just as the door leading to the bus opened.  Stepping on, WooHyun stepped on board and made a bee-line for the back where he stuffed his duffel bag into the overhead compartment and dropped into a seat, getting comfortable.

 

Slipping on the headphones that had been resting around his neck, WooHyun chose a playlist from his iPod and lazily began looking at the other occupants of the bus before closing his eyes to focus on the music.

 

---------------------------

 

The feeling of something hitting his foot startled WooHyun to attention.  Looking down, he saw a cell phone resting against his shoe.  Blinking, he paused his music and bent down to pick it up.  The bright green casing looked like it had seen better days, but the phone itself seemed to be unharmed.

 

“Um, can I have my phone back please?”

 

WooHyun turned his head and paused when he saw the young man about his age, give or take a year or so.  He was good looking to say the least, with an adorably shy smile that looked so unused to being so reserved.   Handing the phone over to the stranger, he had to add delectably long and thin fingers to his list of observations.  As the young man plopped down on the edge of his seat and began fiddling with his phone, WooHyun realized that he definitely wouldn’t mind running his fingers through the dirty blond hair blocking the intriguingly intense eyes from his view.

 

He blinked, snapping himself out of the sudden daze he found himself in.  ‘God, I must really need to get laid if I’m eyeing a stranger like this outside of a party,’ WooHyun thought to himself as the other looked up with a grin that fit him much better than the shy one he had moments ago.  “Your phone okay?”

 

“Yeah, it’s all good.  I drop it way more often than is probably good for it,” he said with a light snicker.  “I’m DongWoo by the way,” he introduced.

 

WooHyun hesitated before shrugging.  “WooHyun.”

 

“Nice meeting you.  I was getting a bit bored and restless without anyone to talk to.”  DongWoo paused.  “You don’t mind, do you?  Because if you do, I can just go back over here and leave you alone.”

 

Watching DongWoo fidget nervously, WooHyun let out a chuckle and shook his head.  “No, it’s fine.  I was just as bored.”  Readjusting himself to converse easier, WooHyun continued.  “So you heading to Seoul too?” he asked.

 

“Mmm,” Dongwoo confirmed with a grin.  “I have a job as a dance instructor lined up.  You?”

 

“Audition,” WooHyun told him, slightly distracted as he recalled that dancers had some of the best bodies and flexibility.  “You’re pretty young to be a teacher though, aren’t you?”  

 

“Not really.  I’m twenty one.  Besides, my old instructor is the one hooking me up with the job.”

 

“You’re a dancer?”

 

Looking around at the unknown voice, the two saw another young man a few rows ahead who seemed to have heard their conversation.  “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop or anything, but that’s why I’m heading to Seoul myself; to be a dancer somehow,” he explained.

 

DongWoo simply smiled at him.  “What’s your name?  I’m DongWoo and this is WooHyun, but I’m sure you heard that unless you have selective hearing like me,” he added with a laugh, an odd sound that drew a smile onto both WooHyun’s and the newcomer’s faces.

 

“HoWon,” he said with a smile before he looked at WooHyun.  “You said audition?  Where at?” he asked curiously, placing his legs into the isle so he could turn easier.

 

“Woollim,” WooHyun answered with a smile.

 

He then spotted another boy toward the front turn around at the name.  “Woollim?  This bus is full of coincidences, now isn’t it?”

 

“Eh?” WooHyun asked.  “What do you mean?”

 

“I have an audition with Woollim, too,” he said, lips curling into a smile and already narrow eyes becoming even moreso.  “My band’s meeting me there later in the week.”  After a moment of thought, he got up and moved a bit further back to make speaking easier.  “I’m SungGyu, by the way.  Lead singer of the soon to be famous band Beat.”

 

WooHyun had to smile at that.  “So what kind of sound are you?  FT Island, CN Blue type?”

 

“Old school TRAXX is more like it,” SungGyu explained.  “I do a lot of screaming on stage.”

 

“I thought you looked familiar!” the feminine young man in the front remarked.  “I saw a fancam of you on youtube.  You guys are amazing!”

 

SungGyu laughed good naturedly.  “Thanks, I suppose.  And you are?”  

 

“SungJong.  I’m on my way to Seoul for school.  I start at Chung Ang University soon,” he told them with a shy smile.  Now that the shell shock of seeing someone he considered famous had worn off, SungJong felt himself retreat a bit into his shell.

 

DongWoo, seeing what was going on, would have none of it.  “No need to be so shy, SungJongie yah.  We don’t bite as far as I know of.”

 

“Did you say Chung Ang?”  They all blinked and turned, seeing a camera holding young man looking at them in interest.  “MyungSoo,” he introduced.  “Photography major at Chung Ang.”

 

SungGyu looked closer before his eyes widened and he pointed.  “You’re L, aren’t you?  Dude, my girlfriend loves you,” he stated, sulking when MyungSoo nodded his head in confirmation.  “Ugh, you have no idea how jealous I was of you until I found out you were just a model that she liked,” he continued with a chuckle.

 

MyungSoo joined in, albeit quietly.  “Sorry?”  SungGyu just waved him off, more amused than anything.

 

HoWon looked over at the seventh person on the bus who was trying to not make it apparent that he was listening.  “How about you?” he asked, smiling in reassurance.

 

“I’m SungYeol.  I just got a role in a movie, so I’m on my way down for shooting.”  He then looked at MyungSoo with a grin.  “And I believe we have the same agent.”

 

“Seriously guys.  What’re the odds of this happening?” SungGyu chuckled, not sure whether to be amused or freaked out.

 

“I at math, but probably astronomical, right?” DongWoo asked with a laugh.

 

WooHyun found himself smiling at the laugh.  “Pretty much.”

 

The small group, now all gathered in the back of the bus, continued their conversation for a bit longer before an odd sound broke through their voices.  Quieting, they heard the sound followed by another, then another after that.

 

“That doesn’t sound too good,” HoWon murmured to the others, eyes darting around in search of the origin of the sounds.

 

Before anyone could say anything else to that, a loud explosion was heard, the bus turning sharply as the driver fought to keep control.  The overcompensation plus the sheer length of the bus caused a fishtail effect.  DongWoo, who had been sitting precariously on the edge of his seat, was thrown forward, only to be caught by WooHyun before he was hurt, the others secure enough that they had been able to hold on.  It was quick, the driver regaining control shortly after, and when the bus stopped moving, no one said a word.

 

“Is everyone alright back there?” the bus driver asked, weathered features worried as he moved to check on the young men.

 

SungGyu was the first to speak, voice relatively steady.  “Y-yeah.  Yeah, we’re fine, right?” he asked the others, earning nods in reply.  The man narrowed his eyes and gave each boy a quick once over before nodding and heading to the front to open the doors, stepping out to check the damage.

 

WooHyun tilted his head up to see the blond in his arms, paler than he remembered DongWoo being, but still unharmed.  “You good?”

 

DongWoo released a shaky smile.  “Yeah.  Thanks for the catch,” he murmured, color returning to his cheeks when he realized the position they were in.  “Um, sorry,” he coughed, quickly pulling away to collect himself.

 

Seeing the sudden blush begin to form, WooHyun mentally grinned.  ‘Interesting…’

 

Once they were all situated again, the driver boarded the bus.  “Okay kids.  I’m sure you figured it out, but we have a flat.  Turns out that there’s also a leak in another tire as well,” he explained. “ I called the terminal and there’s a delay due to weather and a couple major accidents, so we’re stranded for tonight and possibly tomorrow night until they send another bus to shuttle us into the city.”

 

“Weather?” HoWon asked, brow raised.  “What kind?”

 

“Fog.  There’s zero visibility right now in Seoul.”  The driver took his hat off and scratched his semi balding head in annoyance.  “We have two options here.  One is we stay here in the bus until then.”  Before the young passengers had a chance to protest, the man held a hand up.  “The other is that we grab our bags and hike a couple miles back to that motel we passed.”

 

The seven looked at each other and after a minute of silent discussion, nodded.  “I think we’ll take our chances with the motel,” SungGyu stated as he got to his feet and headed toward where he had been originally sitting.  Grabbing his bag from above, he motioned for the others to do the same.  They followed his example and gathered up their belongings as well, filing off the bus and huddling together as they waited for the driver to secure the bus and collect his things as well before getting any luggage from beneath the bus.

 

“So how long of a walk is this gonna be?” DongWoo asked as he stretched out after sitting relatively still for so long.

 

“I’d say about an hour so if you take our luggage into consideration,” HoWon answered, doing the same as the blond.  Looking over at SungJong and the amount of bags he had compared to the others, he asked, “Do you need any help with your things, SungJong ah?”

 

SungJong, surprised by the kind offer, declined.  “Um, I think I have everything, but thank you for the offer, Hyung.”

 

“Just let us know if you do since none of us really have much luggage,” SungYeol grinned as the driver approached with his own bag slung over his shoulder.

 

“You kids ready to go?” he asked, earning seven nods in return.

 

As they walked, WooHyun decided to try and get to know the blond dancer who had caught his attention.  “So dance instructor, eh?”  The wide grin and emphatic nod had WooHyun smiling right back.

 

“Yeah.  My old teacher has a friend opening a school and I was recommended to teach both the kids and the advanced classes,” he told him.  It was obvious just how much DongWoo loved dancing simply by the way he lit up as he spoke.

 

“That’s quite the leap from kids to advanced,” WooHyun pointed out.

 

DongWoo just laughed at that.  “I know, right?  But I’m good with kids and DongWook Hyung always said I was the closest thing there was to perpetual motion with the amount of energy I have, so…” he faded out with a chuckle.

 

“Still though; moving to Seoul shows a hell of a lot of determination.  What about your family?  Girlfriend?” WooHyun asked, much more curious about the latter than the former.

 

“My mom’s convinced that I’m going to get kidnapped and sold into human trafficking or something,” DongWoo remarked with a shake of his head.  “And no girlfriend, especially since guys are a bit more my thing.”

 

WooHyun actually had to stop at that, blinking at the straightforwardness the blond had just shown in regards to his uality.  He was far more used to subtleties and while not completely in the closet, so to speak, WooHyun tended to hide behind his façade of a player rather than risk people seeing him negatively.

 

Seeing that WooHyun had stopped, DongWoo frowned, tilting his head before approaching him.  “Do you, have a problem with that?” he asked hesitantly, normally cheerful voice oddly quiet.

 

WooHyun found that he didn’t like the tone at all and was quick to remedy that.  “Oh, no no.  No, you just surprised me, is all.  I mean, not that you’re gay, but the fact that you’re so open about it.  After all, this country’s not exactly known for being accepting of homouality.”

 

DongWoo just shrugged at that, but he still smiled which WooHyun found to be a huge improvement over the hesitant frown he had worn a minute ago.  “I am who I am, so why should I hide it?  Sure I got my beat for it, but who cares?”

 

WooHyun found himself scowling at the idea that someone would even consider marring such a pretty face.

 

“So what about you?”

 

Looking up, WooHyun stared.  “Eh?”

 

DongWoo laughed before repeating himself.  “You mentioned that you were auditioning, right?  What for?”

 

“Oh!  I’m a singer,” WooHyun answered with a confident grin.  If there was one thing that he had absolute confidence in, it was his voice.

 

“Really?  Will you sing for me when we get there?” DongWoo asked and there was no way that WooHyun could say no with how excited the blond was.  “I’m holding you to that,” he added with a grin.

 

“I do have one little condition though,” WooHyun stated, grinning teasingly at DongWoo’s inquisitive gaze.  “You have to dance for me,” he bargained.

 

SungGyu had turned when he heard the extra something added to WooHyun’s tone as he made the deal with DongWoo and had to snicker.  It quickly grew into a chuckle when he noticed the complete obliviousness on DongWoo’s part at the fact that WooHyun was openly flirting with him when he thought no one was listening. 

 

“What’s so funny, Hyung?” HoWon asked, having heard the chuckle.  SungGyu just waved him off, still laughing lightly.  Realizing that he wasn’t going to get an answer, HoWon fell back and waited for WooHyun and DongWoo to catch up.  He smiled at WooHyun before turning his attention back to the other dancer.  “So what style of dance do you do?”

 

Conversation flowed freely for the walk, the seven acting as if they’d known each other for years.  MyungSoo had been taking random pictures of the group as well as the landscape while carrying on a conversation with SungJong and SungYeol when he noticed the younger begin to slow.  Putting his camera away, MyungSoo reached out and took the laptop bag that SungJong had been moving from shoulder to shoulder while SungYeol took the small duffel which left SungJong with his rolling suitcase.

 

“Eh?  It’s really okay, you two.  I had it,” he argued, sighing when he saw that they were ignoring the protests.  Instead, he took the chance and rolled his shoulders a few times, relaxing the stiffness that had come with the heavy bags.  “Thank you,” he finally said, laughing quietly when he saw the seemingly stoic MyungSoo crack a smile while SungYeol practically lit up at the words.

 

“See SungJongie yah? No biting, just like DongWoo Hyung said,” SungYeol joked as they walked.

 

It wasn’t much longer before the group finally reached the small motel, dropping their luggage in relief as they took in the sight of the building.  It looked more like an old manor than anything else; old, yet regal all the same.  As beautiful as the building was, there was something that put SungJong ill at ease.  Looking around, his eyes fell on DongWoo’s face, expression matching what he was feeling.

 

When everyone else began to head in, the two hesitated.  “Not sure I like this place, Hyung,” SungJong murmured, earning a nod from the dancer.

 

“Me neither, Jongie,” DongWoo responded quietly.  “Me neither.”

 

The two finally ran ahead and caught up with the others while the driver was speaking to the woman behind the counter.  Smiling, the man returned to the boys with a few keys in his hand.  “Okay, so we get free reign of the second floor.  Everyone take a key and head on up while I take care of the rest of this.”

 

Nodding their heads, they all grabbed a key and their bags before running upstairs.  The first room they came too was SungYeol’s, who happily dropped his bag in front of the door before looking to see where SungJong had ended up.  Both he and MyungSoo walked into the room and handed the youngest his belongings.

 

“Thanks again for carrying those,” SungJong said with a shy smile as he sat on the bed.  He still wasn’t used to the concept of people being nice to him and it probably showed in how he acted around the others.

 

“No problem.  They weren’t too heavy and I hardly brought anything with me since I’m just visiting and will be given wardrobe more often than not,” SungYeol said with a grin.

 

“Oh yeah.  What kind of movie is it?” MyungSoo asked, curiosity getting the better of him.  SungJong nodded along and looked at SungYeol.

 

“It’s a thriller.  I’m playing the lead actor’s son,” SungYeol explained excitedly.  “I’m not in it much, and don’t get many lines, but it’s the best role I’ve ever gotten and the exposure is something that’ll get my face out there.”

 

“Everyone has to start somewhere, right?” MyungSoo said, and SungYeol just laughed. 

 

 “How about you?  Hyung’s told me some interesting stories about you.”

 

MyungSoo lifted a brow.  “Oh?  Like what?”

 

“Like the time that the photographer grabbed your and ended up in the hospital when you broke his nose and jaw.”

 

“…he asked for that,” MyungSoo grumbled, making the maknae laugh.

 

“And when that female model quit because she said that you had the eyes of a serial killer and kept freaking her out,” the actor chuckled.

 

He just snorted.  “It took so much willpower not to laugh at the look on her face,” MyungSoo added before letting out a sudden yawn.  “Okay, I’m beat.  I’ll see you guys in the morning.  “I’m across the hall from SungJong if you need me for something.”

 

“Night, Hyungdeul!” SungJong said with a wave as both MyungSoo and SungYeol left the room.

 

---------------------------

 

WooHyun had just dropped his bag on the floor by the bed and removed his shoes when he looked up and noticed a door that he knew didn’t lead to the bathroom or the hallway.  Walking over, he tested the knob and noticed that it was unlocked.  Opening the door, his mouth went dry at the sight of the dancer, topless with his fitted jeans undone and only held up by the slight curve of his body.    

 

Pausing in his search for sleep attire, DongWoo blinked a few times before turning to see WooHyun in the doorway of their apparently adjacent rooms.  It took a moment, but when it finally clicked, DongWoo turned bright red and let out a strangled squeak as he grabbed the closest shirt to him and threw it on.  “Uh, hi?” he murmured, voice higher than usual as one hand held his jeans closed.

 

‘Oh dear God, how am I going to survive this stay without jumping the poor guy?’ WooHyun thought, his eyes practically glued to where he had seen those glorious abs that were now hidden beneath the too large t-shirt.  Snapping out of his stupor, WooHyun found himself blushing as well.  “Sorry about that.  I was just curious as to where the door led to,” he said before pausing to offer a sheepish smile.  “Surprise, we have adjacent rooms.”

 

DongWoo couldn’t help but let out a snort of amusement.  “So I see.”

 

The two stood there a bit longer before WooHyun finally realized that he was staring…again.  “I’ll, um, let you get changed.  Sorry I barged in like that,” he apologized again, but before he could close the door, DongWoo’s voice stopped him.  

 

“Does something about this place seem weird to you?” he asked suddenly.  “I mean, it just feels off to me…”  After a moment, DongWoo let out a sigh.  “Nevermind.  Now that I say it out loud, it sounds stupid.”

 

WooHyun looked at DongWoo before stepping into the room and guiding the dancer toward the bed before sitting beside him.  “How do you mean, Hyung?”

 

DongWoo found himself shrugging.  “Don’t know really,” he answered.  “Like I can’t fully relax or breathe normally.  I think SungJong felt it, too”

 

Realizing that DongWoo was completely serious, WooHyun considered what he was told for a few minutes before slowly shaking his head.  “Maybe you’re just tired.  I mean, it’s been a pretty long day, right?”  He made sure that DongWoo could tell that he wasn’t completely discounting his feelings though.  He’d never been what one would call sensitive.

 

DongWoo was silent before finally nodding his head.  “Yeah, maybe.”

 

WooHyun smiled reassuringly at the older dancer before placing a hand on his shoulder, lightly kneading at the area and reveling at the quiet sound that fell from the young man’s full lips.  “Try getting some sleep and if you need me, you know where to find me.”

 

Nodding his head, DongWoo gave WooHyun a slight smile in thanks before the singer finally pulled his hand away and got to his feet.  “I’ll see you in the morning then, WooHyun ah.”  He then grinned a bit playfully.  “You still owe me a song.”

 

“And you owe me a dance,” WooHyun shot back with a grin before it turned mischievous.  “Though I gotta say, I quite approved of the I got a few minutes ago!”

 

DongWoo’s embarrassed cry of ‘ert!” was drowned out by WooHyun’s laughter as he ran out of the room.