"Are you sure you heard something?" 

 

    "I know I heard voices, I'm not crazy."

 

   "Well obviously someone has been in here." there was the sound of a crunching wrapper.

 

   "Do you think the trainees did this?" asked a girl's voice.

 

    These obviously weren't zombies. 

 

    "No, I think they have enough manners to clean up after themselves." said a deep voice. "Woah!" the same voice cried, their leather boots screaching on the wet tile. There was a thud as they gripped the counter to stop themself from falling, "There's spilled grease over here, guys. Watch out." 

 

    Hana scrunched her eyebrows together.

 

    Those voices. Why do they sound so familiar? she wondered

 

    There were more footsteps, each bringing them closer and closer to the counter. 

 

    Hana and Shin held their breath.

 

    The nearest cupboard creaked as it was opened and closed.

 

    "Whoever was in here finished whatever was left. Let's face it, nobody is here."

 

    "Well that doesn't explain the backpacks or the trail of mud that stopped in front of the door, now does it?" someone said irritably.

 

    "This is creepy and I don't like it, let's go."

 

 

    "But-"

 

    "Forget the food. Let's just leave before we find something we wish we hadn't."

 

    While the group argued, the sound of a light patter on the kitchen floor could be heard.

 

    Shin and Hana looked across from them to see a monstrous cockroach scurry past their feet. It's antennas moved furiously as it ran across the flat surface. They instinctively pulled their legs to their chest and covered their mouth. 

 

    "Whatever. We need to leave now if we want to go by your manager's apartement and make it to the house by sunrise." the conversation came to a screeching halt when the pest scutttled to the center of the kitchen.

 

    "Woah!"

 

   "It's huge!" there was the sound of mutliple pairs of shoes shuffling backwards.

 

    "Hey, maknae, kill it!" someone said as the maknae in question was pushed forward.

 

    "What?! Why me?!" he cried.

 

    "Because you're closer! Quick, go stomp on it!"

 

    The maknae took cautious steps as he moved closer to the creature next to the counter, muttering under his breath the entire time. But as he mustered the courage to lift his foot, the roach escaped into an empty cupboard and vanished from sight.

 

    "Oh, well that's too bad," he said, his voice coated with false disappointment. When he turned around, he hit his hand against the side of an oven. The butter knife he once held bounced and disappeared behind the counter.

 

    Shin and Hana jumped at the sudden clattering, the metal utensil landing next to Hana's foot. 

 

   "Push it back!" Shin mouthed.

 

    "I can't! He'll see!" She replied. She silently pleaded that the stranger wouldn't come to find it.

 

    "Seriously?" the youngest complained, groaning while he got down on all fours. He crawled around the kitchen counter to retreive the dull knife. But t

 

    His gaze reluctantly shifted upwards. 

 

   He took in the dark jeans, the red spotted grey sweater, the long black hair...his predicament not registering to him until was met with a pair of wide eyes and a blood stained face.

 

    He in a loud breath and fell back on his . Using his hands and feet, he quickly pushed his way backwards across the kitchen floor. Within a few seconds he was back to the front, breathing heavily as his friends surrounded him.

 

    "Hey, what's the matter, Sehun?" Amber asked as she bent down to his level.

 

   All the boy could do was point to the direction he had just retreated from and slap a hand over his mouth. 

 

   "The...counter?" asked Donghae, confused. He grabbed Sehun by the top of his arms and pulled him to his feet. 

 

    Eunhyuk, not as sure this time, waved the group forward. Their slow steps were taunting to the cousin's ears. As they neared, the group held their knives a little tighter, the pair doing the same for their skillets. Not knowing what to expect, the idols carefully took a step around the counter.

 

    Seven pairs of eyes looked down to see two bloody bodies, each returning their alarmed stares.

 

    Everyone was silent.

 

    It stayed like that for a some time, the seconds feeling like eternities as the group analyzed the ragged appearance of the duo.

 

    Once again, Hana didn't breathe, forgetting to do so as hung open. Instead of her heart speeding up, it seemed to stop all together when she saw who stood above them.

 

    Shin was the first one to move. He jumped to his feet in a defensive stance, holding his skillet like a baseball bat. The idols flinched and took a step back.

 

    It was quiet a while longer.

 

    Eunhyuk spoke first, "Who are you?"

 

    Shin squinted, "Who do you want us to be?"

 

    More silence.

 

    Despite the tension, Eunhyuk smirked and ran a hand through his electric blue hair, "You don't look familiar," he shifted his weight, "You two aren't trainees are you?"

 

    "Trainees?" Shin asked.

 

    "Yeah. Not like I would know anyways, you all look the same."

 

     "No, we came from outside." 

 

    The group began to connect the dots, but their bloody clothes still didn't make sense to anyone. One by one, their eyes left Shin and landed on Hana, still frozen in her spot.

 

    "W-what happened to you?" asked Chanyeol. 

 

    It took Hana a moment to realize the question was directed at her, completely forgetting about her bloodied face. When she looked up to meet the eyes of the tall boy that had asked the question, she grew flustered and looked down at her muddy shoes.

 

   How is this happening right now? Hana asked herself. She decided her hands were the safest place to look at the moment.

 

     Shin spoke for her, "We ran into some of those freaks a few hours ago," he took in the clean clothes and neat hair of the six guys and girl, "I guess you all don't get out much." Shin finally lowered his skillet, no longer seeing the group as a threat. There was no way anyone that tidy could be a danger. He looked at the group's choice of weapons and almost laughed.

 

    Butter knives? Seriously? These guys are completely clueless,  he thought.

 

    The group relaxed and lowered their 'weapons', too.

 

    Eunhyuk spoke again, "I guess you could say that," he looked Shin up and down, "but you're making us think twice about leaving.".

 

    "Why wouldn't you stay here? It's security is perfect." Shin said. 

 

    "Perfect? There's nothing here. What good is security if there's no beds, hot water, and almost no more food." he replied, pointing to the scattered crumbs and trash. 

 

    "Trust me, it's better than being out there." Shin said, shaking his head.

 

     "Well there's no point in us staying here if we have an even better place to go, right?" .

 

    Shin's eyes widened, "Well, do you have one? An even better place, I mean." everyone could hear the eagerness in his tone. His bravado peeled away with every question he asked, "Where is it? How far? Is it secure?" 

 

    The group gave each other wary looks, "Um...well..." Donghae began.

 

    "Look, I know you don't know us, and we don't know you," Shin said, "but you have to hear me out. We've been on the run for days by ourselves. Running for our lives in the freezing cold, sleeping in alleys. This," Shin pointed to the mess around them, "is our first meal in days."

 

    The idols thought they knew what it was like on the outside. From what the news said, it was just a small outbreak that could be avoided if you washed your hands and stayed inside. No need to be alarmed, they said, "You don't know how hard it is out there. You really don't. We could help you, though. We could help each other," Shin looked at all seven of them, "Please let us come with you. I promise we won't be a bother, we won't get in your way, just...please."

 

    The desperation was rolling off of him in waves. 

 

    There was the tensest silence yet.

 

    "Can we...maybe...talk about it first? For just a second?" asked Amber. Shin eagerly nodded his head. 

 

    The group quickly distanced themselves and formed a tight huddle.

 

    The occasional shout of protest was the only thing that could be heard for a while.

 

_________________

 

    On one end of the kitchen, a crucial debate was taking place

 

    "We can't just leave them here!" Donghae said, trying to keep his voice down. "You said it yourself, Eunhyuk, theres nothing here."

 

    "You heard what it's like out there! It's nothing like what they said in the reports. Can we really handle that alone?" Chanyeol asked.

 

    "But we're not alone! If you haven't noticed, there are seven of us. We would do fine without them. They'd just hold us back." Eunhyuk said, but Amber disagreed.

 

    "No, they have the experience. I mean, did you see what they were holding? Skillets! We had butter knives for crying out loud, that's telling you something right there," she said. Chen looked around the group to see the pair having a whispered converstation of their own.

 

    "Can we just talk about that girl for a second?" he said, "I mean, you all saw the blood on her face, if that's what its like out there, its going to be harder than we thought."

 

    There was a pause from the group as everyone weighed their options.

 

    "So what are we doing? Are we bringing them or not?" Kai asked, getting annoyed.

 

    "I say yes. If it's an issue of trust I say we take our chances. Leaving them would be cruel, and that's not us," Donghae said.

 

    "Says you." Eunhyuk muttered.

 

    "I say yes too." Sehun said.

 

    "It's a yes from me." said Amber.

 

    "The more the marrier. It looks like we'll need it." said Chanyeol.

 

    "Sure, but just don't make me sit next to them in the car, okay? I can smell them from here." Chen said.

 

    Kai shrugged his shoulders, "Let's do it."

 

    Six pairs of eyes landed on one person, "Eunhyuk? What do you say? 

 

    Still no answer.

 

    "Eunhyuk?" Donghae shook his arm, "Come on, its either a 'yes' or 'no'."

 

    He blew his flashy blue bangs and sighed.

 

    This was one of the many times in Eunhyuk's life that he was put in the spotlight.

 

_______________

 

    On the other end of the kitchen, Shin was walking in circles..

 

    "This could be the beginning of something great for us," he said, "We finally won't be alone anymore," he said, a smile spreading across his face.

 

    Throughout Shin's speech, Hana hadn't said a word or even looked anywhere other than the floor. 

 

    Shin finally noticed this. 

 

    "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, crouching down to see Hana's frozen face.

 

    She swallowed, "Those people..." she began.

 

    "Yeah..." he said, urging her to continue.

 

    "I know them." she said. Shin didn't understand.

 

    "What do you mean you know them? You just met these people. I just met these people."

 

    "Sure I don't really know them, but I do... I guess." she said. Shin was beyond confused.

 

    "Okay, hold up, what are you talking about?"

 

    Hana couldn't believe the words she whispered, "What I'm saying is, the people on the other side of this kitchen are famous. They're idols."

 

    Shin raised his eyebrows, "What? Really?" after a second's pause, Shin nodded, "Well that explains the ridiculous hair, right?" he laughed. He reached over to a nearby dish rack and grabbed a small rag. "You really do look scary, you know that, right? You looked better with the lights off," he commented as he wiped her face clean.

 

    Hana smacked his hand away, "No one asked you," she said in irritation.

 

    While they pinched and punched each other, someone cleared their throat.

 

    The cousins turned to see the group, all staring at them with looks ranging from happiness to uncertainty. 

 

    "Um..." began Eunhyuk, who was soon nudged in the ribs by Amber. He winced and cleared his throat, "We've decided to let you join us."

 

    Shin and Hana scrutinized the idols, waiting for them to take back their decision. 

 

    But it never happened.

 

     Unlike the other silences before, this one was filled with joy.

 

     "Uh, th-thank you! Thank you so much!" Shin said.

 

    "No problem," said Donghae as he stepped to the front, "Sorry that we got off to a bad start, by the way,"

 

    The other six had made their way across the kitchen to stand behind their friend.

 

    "This is Chanyeol." he said, pointing to the tall boy with brown hair.

 

    "Jongin." Donghae said, pointing to Kai.

 

    He continued down the line.

 

    "Sehun." he motioned to the maknae.

 

    "Amber." he pointed to the blonde tomboy.

 

    "Jongdae." he said, pointing to Chen.

 

    "And this is Eunhyuk." he said, finally motioning to the blue haired dancer.

 

    Eunhyuk nodded at the sound of his name, "Hey." 

 

    Shin smiled and eagerly reached out to shake Eunhyuk's thin hand, "I'm Shin and this is my cousin Hana," looking around at all the young faces around him, he put a hand on his hip. With the upmost sincerity, Shin said, "I can tell. This will work out well."

 

    Eunhyuk rubbed his jaw, "Yeah, me too, Shin. Me too," he looked back at Donghae and the rest and gave a smug look, "But if you're going with us," he began, turning back to look Shin dead in the eyes, "there are going to be some rules you have to follow." 

 

    Shin's smile slowly vanished, "Rules?"

 

    Eunhyuk looked down at Hana's strarstuck face, "Yeah, rules." 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

(A/N):