There was nothing in the world worse than a breach of the fences. The fences are what keep everyone safe, most of the time at least. Whenever there was a breach chaos would break out. People would panic and sometimes people would die. It was a rare occurrence but it happened. The fences were the line between life and death, keeping life, love and happiness inside all the while keeping death, despair and sorrow outside. To be more precise the fence kept them out.

They used to be human, or so some people say. Since most people who live in the village now were born after the virus spread like wild fire throughout the world. Most of the people in the village bitten don’t turn, they die. The virus was merciless when it was first unleashed, it tore families apart, killed people, turned humans, killed animals, turned animals, the history on the matter is a little unclear to the specifics but one thing is known for sure. The people and animals that are outside the fence are infected with the virus. They are killing machines and will stop at nothing until you take your final breath.

Life inside the fence isn’t as bad as you would think it would be. Life went on the same as it did before the fences, almost. Everyone had a job they had to get done, whether it be farming, medicines, or something else equally important someone had to do them. The village had come up with a system, one that made sure everyone got a chance to do everything they wanted to try and then they got to decide what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. The village leaders didn’t mind too much if you suddenly changed your mind from something and did something else. Job changes were allowed. It was fine just as long as you pitched in and earned your keep.

Tao wasn’t too thrilled about his job in farming. He wanted to do a job with his best friend Kris. Kris was part of the military that patrolled the fence and sometimes they even went outside the fence. Tao would always bug him about the missions outside the fence but no matter how hard he tried Kris wouldn’t crack. Kris was very serious about his job, he would never tell Tao about any of the missions, even the simple ones. It drove Tao insane with curiosity but there was nothing he could do. Kris was never going to give him even the slightest details.

The only job in the whole entire village that you couldn’t decide to do yourself was being part of the military. They had to seek you out and choose you themselves. Tao really, really thought they would choose him, he is good in combat and even did the whole training course with Kris, but they didn’t choose him. He went to the military leader and asked him why but there was no answer for him. The older man just shrugged and said “You just didn’t get picked.”

Tao was furious for days after he talked to the man. He didn’t talk to Kris because he was so upset. Being part of the military had been his dream since he was a small child; he had given up countless hours of his life to training. He was angry and bitter, more so than he had been in all his twenty years of existence. It wasn’t fair, Kris didn’t want it as much as Tao did; It was Tao’s dream and always had been. Tao couldn’t help but be bitter towards Kris. Especially now when Kris wouldn’t even tell him anything about it at all. He could at least tell Tao what kind of weapons they have. But he didn’t and Tao was slowly giving up trying to find out. Their friendship was becoming fragile, threatening to break apart at any given moment.

The birds chirping outside woke Tao up. He stretched his arms over his head and let a lazy smile play at his lips. Whenever the birds chirping woke him up he knew it was going to be a great day, it always was. Tao let the smile stay on his face as he got up and dressed for work. He ate a quick breakfast wishing Joonmyun a good morning as he sped out the front door. He walked down the narrow, yet worn out path the led towards the outskirts of the village to the farms.

The land inside the fence was set up haphazardly since the more the population increased they needed to build more houses, and expand work. Most of the buildings were built wherever the people wanted them with no real layout. There are houses all over along with other work buildings, schools, etc. placed randomly throughout the village. If you weren’t used to the setup you would get lost quiet easily inside the village.

The farms were easiest to find because they made up the outskirts of the village. The farms were the first things that were places inside the fences. All along the fences you would find the fields filled with food to keep the population alive. Since Tao, Joonmyun, and Sehun lived only a short walk away from the largest farm, Tao settled on a job in farming. Joonmyun had scolded him for settling on such a tedious job for weeks after Tao took it. Joonmyun had known Tao since he was practically born and he knew Tao was not cut out for the life of a farmer. Tao needed to be in the military, it almost seemed like it was his fate to be part of it. Joonmyun just couldn’t understand why they didn’t take him in. He had been almost sure that Tao was going to get recruited by the military. 

Tao walks along the path for a short time before he climbs the small hill right before the farm. He stops when he gets to the top and just gazes at the field before him. Something gnaws at him, something unfamiliar. Regret. It’s strong and unrelenting as it attacks him as he looks at the rest of his life.

Tao doesn’t want to do this. He doesn’t want to be a farmer. He just wants to curl into himself and go numb. This isn’t the way things were supposed to be. Things were supposed to be completely different, more exciting, but things didn’t turn out that way and it’s too late for Tao to go back now. So, he walks down the hill and enters the field getting right to work.

Lunchtime rolls around a few hours later. Tao wipes the sweat from his brow and makes his way to the small building near the barn. Kyungsoo is already there waiting for him when he arrives. 

“It’s hot today.” Kyungsoo states.

Tao nods entering the building with Kyungsoo right behind him. “I was thinking of going down to the river to get some water, you want to come? We can take a swim while were down there.” Kyungsoo raises his eyebrows.

Tao sits down one of the many bales of hay in the small room. “I’m not really in the mood.” Tao finally answers Kyungsoo after a few minutes of silence. “I just want to get done with work today and go home and sleep.”

Kyungsoo nods in understanding. He opens his mouth to speak but then immediately shuts it. Tao stares at him curiously. “What were you going to say?” He asks.

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “It was nothing.”

“No, tell me.” 

“I was just going to ask you about something.” Kyungsoo averts his gaze to the wall behind Tao.

“Go ahead and ask then.” Tao reaches down to tie his boot which must’ve come untied as he was working. He is trying not to act too curious but he really wants to know what Kyungsoo was going to ask him.

“Isn’t Kris supposed to be coming back today?” Kyungsoo says almost too fast for Tao to understand.

Tao drops the laces in his hand. He grabs them back up and quickly ties his boot laces in a tight knot that he will surely regret doing later tonight when he goes to take the boots off. 

Tao opens his mouth to answer but Kyungsoo cuts him off. “If you don’t want to talk about I you don’t have to. I was just wondering, I don’t want to upset you or anything.” Kyungsoo says sheepishly.

“Why would it upset me?” Tao asks. It’s a lie and Kyungsoo can most likely tell. Of course anything to do with Kris is going to upset Tao. They aren’t on the greatest terms as of right now and Tao isn’t sure they ever will be again. “But, uh, yeah, I think that the military is returning later tonight.” Tao tries to steady his shaking voice but it’s hard. All his pent up anger is centered right on the military and every one in it. Tao doesn’t even care how petty his anger and jealousy runs. 

“Will you be meeting him at the gate?”

Tao scoffs. “Not in his wildest dreams.”

They go silent, it’s an awkward silence but Tao doesn't know what to say. He wants to start a new conversation about something, anything lighter than military talk but he can’t find words. 

They both get back to their work in separate fields. Tao is a little sad that him and Kyungsoo can’t seem to find anything to talk about other than the military. It’s the only thing they have in common. Kyungsoo has family and friends that are part of the military and he is always worried about them. Kyungsoo doesn’t seem to have as much information about his family and friends, he doesn’t even know the basics so he always comes to Tao.

△▽△

“God Luhan can’t you do this right just once?” The disappointment in the doctors eyes kills Luhan inside. He has been trying his hardest to get the medicine made right but something goes wrong every single time. Maybe Luhan isn’t doing the right thing with his life. He thinks that maybe, just maybe he should quit trying to become a doctor and settle on something he can actually do right.

“I did exactly what you told me to do!” Luhan argues. 

The doctor shakes his head. “You said that last time too. Luhan, you need to take your time and make sure everything is measured exactly the way I wrote it down. You