I gulped and smiled nervously. Suho staggered to Mira and wrapped her in a hug. 

"Mira, you're alive. God I'm so thankful!" His voice was muffled. Mira pulled back, happy tears glinting on her cheeks.

"I knew there was something fishy going on. But..this!?" She looked at Suho and noticed his head.

"Goodness gracious what happened?" Suho spilled the whole story. Mira blinked back tears amd hugged him again. I left them to their reunion and walked back to camp. Kyungsoo ran to me.

"Hyeri, I'm so sorry!" Kyungsoo apologized. 

"It's fine, she'll figure out sooner or later anyways." I sighed and sat down on a log. Kyungsoo went to get some snacks. The sun was up in the sky, beating down. Chanyeol and Kai was asleep. Sehun sat down next to me as Suho and Mira made their way back to camp. I had no idea where Baekhyun was, but I didn't worry much because I knew he was looking for food.

"Sehun, how are you putting up?" I indirectly asked him about his parents.

"It's all good. Right now, we are focusing on our survival. The past is the past," Sehun shrugged and leaned closer, "Don't tell Kyungsoo I told you this, but our food storage is running really low." I gasped and stood up abruptly. 

"I'm going to get food." I told him. Mira saw me and joined me. She grabbed my wrist and we ran toward the sun until we reached a new area. We searched for whatever food we could find. At least we didn't need to find freshwater; the river provided that. 

"Hyeri?" Mira called from besides me.

"Mhm?" I picked up half a loaf of cut bread and tossed it into the bags we bought. Mira found a couple packs of raisins and 2 bruised up apples. 

"How long did you know about Suho?" Her voice was dangerously silent.

"Uhm 2 days," I picked up a can of soup. We found some pears, some dried mangos, a bag of chips, some instant noodles, a package of hotdogs and some hamburger buns. The bag was heavy and we began our way back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mira's voice held a tinge of hurt.

"I'm so sorry...I wanted him to be delivered to you clean and out of harm, but when we found him, he was so messed up so I wanted to make him presentable. I didn't want you to worry." I explained. She remained silent for a while.

"It's ok....but tell me that in the future, you can tell me things?" She glanced at me sideways. I nodded feverantly. She smiled, looking relieved. Comfortable silence fell over us for the walk back. But before we got to camp, we ran into a sobbing girl. She looked eerily familiar. The girl was hunched over a woman and hugging a bear. It was the girl Baekhyun babysat occaisionally.

"Ara?" I walked up to her. Mira followed me, not as familiar with Ara as I was. 

"H-Hyeri unnie?" She stood up when she saw me and ran to hug my waist. Ara was around 4 years old and was by far, the cutest kid I've ever met.

"Ara, don't cry~" Mira knelt down and looked at Ara.

"Mommy!" Ara wailed and pointed. I saw her mom, skinny and haggard, lying on the floor motionless. She was gone. 

"Dead Ara, dead," I sadly told her. Ara pouted and wiped away some dripping tears.

"It's ok," Mira tried to console her.

"What happened?" I dared to ask.

"Bad boys robbed our food. Daddy can't find! Hungry, starve, mommy and me." She rubbed her stomach for emphasize. I took out the chips and gave her the bag. She looked at me with those big eyes and her face split into a huge grin. She took it and gobbled it up. Mira went to the mom.

"Ara, shh, mommy is gone. Unnie is going to take care of you ok?" I her hair until she was fully content for now. She handed me back half of the chips and nodded.

"Is Baekhyun oppa there?" She cutely asked, hugging her teddy bear. I french braided her long hair so it wouldn't be in her way.

"Yes," Mira replied and hefted the bag up. I lifted Ara up and we began to walk.

"Where is he then?" Ara frowned and looked around. She was a smart girl. Yeah, where was he? Food right? It had to be.

"Looking for food," I told her. Ara bobbed her head and stared into the distance.

"Where are we going?" She finally asked. 

"To our temporary home," I informed her as we got near. Our tents were all good still. Ara gasped and took in the sight. I put her down and asked Kyungsoo, who recognized Ara, to get her water. Mira went to put the food back and visit Suho. Suho was resting, for he came down with a fever. I'd check on him later, when he was awake.

"Thanks Kyungsoo," Ara sipped the water from the cup.

"Welcome. It's getting dark soon, I'll begin to cook." Kyungsoo went to the back. Sehun popped out of nowhere.

"Whoa who's this?" Sehun came toward us. Ara blinked innocently and finished her water.

"Park Ara. She lives across from us. You don't know her. Ara, this is Oh Sehun, my neighbor and Baekhyun's friend," I introduced them.

"Hi Sehun!" Ara enthusiastically hugged him. Sehun chuckled and hugged her back. 

"Your cute," he mumbled and set her down. We stared at the cackling fire that Sehun just set up. It was warm and bright.

"WHO'S READY FOR SOME JOKES-WHOA IS THIS ARA?" Chanyeol wanted to tell us some jokes but he got distracted. Kyungsoo bought a plate of hotdogs and hamburger buns to the table. He had a tomato in his hand. He expertly began to cook over the fire as we chitchatted.

"Chanyeol!!" Ara ran to him and fiercely hugged him. Chanyeol eagerly smiled, "How are you??" 

"Mommy died. But now I have you guys!" Ara was just like Chanyeol- cheerful despite the situation.

"Oh, we will take good care of you," Chanyeol promised, "Now I'm going to tell jokes!" Sehun facepalmed and Ara sat back down. Kyungsoo, who had been silent, interrupted.

"Guys, where's Baekhyun, he's supposed to be back by now. Where is he?" His tone was nothing but worry. Ara, scared, squirmed into Sehun's arms. Chanyeol's hands froze in midair and I widened my eyes.

"He's not... here?" I choked out.

"I haven't seen him since this morning actually," Chanyeol scratched his head.

"Yeah, he left, muttering about a locket." Sehun added. Kyungsoo blinked his owl eyes. 

"So he's gone?" I asked. They nodded. Ara's eyes filled with tears; Baekhyun had always been her favorite. 

My locket, he was looking for it. And he wasn't back, no. Instead he was gone.