"Luhan!" Sehun yells amidst the storm Luhan is stirring up through the apartment. He's already grabbed his backpack and begun filling it with an assortment of things, though nothing much that Sehun really pays attention to. Instead, he focuses on the rushing boy in front of him, or at least, who appears in front of him for split seconds at a time. The news report still plays in the background, Sehun's ears only receiving snippets of what the reporter is saying. "Luhan," Sehun repeats, reaching out to grab his boyfriend's arm, or anything really. His hand finally hooks the flap of Luhan's ped jacket, Sehun grabbing tightly at the chance and tugging gently to bring Luhan to an abrupt halt. "Lu, what the hell is going on?" Sehun asks earnestly, wishing for his boyfriend to save him from the dark he's left him in.

"Sehunnie," Luhan sighs, taking Sehun's hand from his jacket and kissing it gently. "We're not safe here... I thought this would pass, but it looks like it's only going to get worse."

"What? What is?" Sehun presses with the hope that Luhan will sink into his calm a little further and explain things to him.

"I... don't actually know," Luhan confesses. "All I know is that this 'virus' going around," Luhan takes a pause and chews his lip to figure out what he wants to say next. "It's not normal. It's more than that."

"You mean this crazy EX-0 virus that everyone's been riled up about for the past few weeks?" Sehun responds. As if on cue, the reporter on screen pulls up images of graphs and charts, showing the current statistics of the virus and explaining them to the viewing public. Infections have increased over the past week, but no serious cases have yet to be reported. Sehun glances quickly at the numbers, though they may as well be arbitrary as far as he's concerned. There isn't anything alarming enough for Sehun to really care. The reporters warnings of staying indoors and keeping safe go unheard in Sehun's ears.

"Yeah, that," Luhan says, eyes still wandering the room as he goes through his mental checklist.

"Come on Luhan, you and I both know it's just a phase. It's been hyped up by the media. I thought you agreed on that? Just a few days ago you were complaining about how stupid this all is," Sehun argued, hoping that his boyfriend would snap out of this uncharacteristic panic.

"No," Luhan refuted. "It's not. I thought it was, but it isn't. It's serious." Luhan's eyes still had yet to meet Sehun's, despite the younger boy's locked on gaze. 

"What do you mean?" Sehun replies, zeroing in on Luhan's face even more.

"It's hard to explain. Nobody really knows what this thing is."

"Do you?" Sehun challenges. Not in a malicious way of course, but Sehun is getting a little worried that Luhan is overreacting, and he knows how protective Luhan can get sometimes. His question is enough to shake Luhan a bit though, finally garnering the attention he'd been working towards. Luhan snaps out of his daze, making eye contact with his boyfriend.

"Well, no, not exactly," Luhan answers, gaze faltering. "But I called Yixing last night, after you fell asleep. It's been awhile since we spoke since he began working in that medical research lab. Anyway, he told me he's seen a few extreme cases so far, but nothing they're really allowed to talk about."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Not much." Luhan's eyes finally flickered back to Sehun, locking eyes once more. "He said it's bad though - whatever this thing is, makes your eyes roll to the back of your head, causes your vitals to drop dangerously low. But the thing is, it doesn't kill you... at least, it hasn't yet. He said the worst of the worst turns the victims hostile, but otherwise it just drains you of all life." 

Luhan's explanation was cut off by Sehun, who curiously blurted, "You mean it turns you into a zombie?!!"

"Please, Sehun," Luhan chides, but with a mild tone. "I just mean that it's dangerous and we need to get out of here before things get worse." "

"But why is this only breaking ground now?" Sehun protests. "This virus has existed for at least two or three weeks! The reporter just said none of the cases have been reported as serious! Something's gotta be -"

"I don't know," Luhan cuts in sharply, trying to convey to his boyfriend that he also doesn't know much. He can feel his voice raising. "I don't know why Yixing has to hide this, and I don't know know why everything seems to be happening so suddenly, but the little I do know is enough to convince me that we need to leave! Sehun, please... Will you just... trust me?"

Sehun takes a deep breath and tries to shake the zombie thoughts from his head, but the very thoughts make his skin crawl when he allows them to infiltrate his imagination, pictures of himself, or worse, Luhan, turning into lifeless forms. He exhales roughly, deciding that keeping safe, for both his and Luhan's sakes, was probably in their best interest.

"Okay," Sehun breathes, and he swears he saw a smile of relief paint Luhan's flawless face with the quiet 'thank you' he uttered in response. It merely flickered though, quickly reverting back to his burdened frown. The sudden motion of his lips drew Sehun's attention more than anything, and in attempts to make the frown go away again, Sehun leans forward for a kiss. With the distance between them gone, he could feel Luhan's smile return against his own, and he tried to linger there, if only to keep it from disappearing again. Though Luhan pulled away first, a ghost of the smile still whispering airy feelings of bliss. Sehun beamed inwardly, finding the strength to move into action and help Luhan make the necessary preparations.

In the flurry of commotion though, Sehun couldn't help but reconsider his decision. Of course he trusts Luhan; he loves Luhan. But it's not that that's bothering him. Surely there must be something else they could do? The thought of leaving behind their shared home, and so suddenly too, nags his thoughts. But none too soon did the piercing voice of the reporter extract him from his doubts, a breaking news report coming forth and, unfortunately, confirming Luhan's fears. Both Sehun's and Luhan's heads popped up like prairie dogs, abandoning their current activity and gravitating to the TV to hear the news.

"This just in," the reporter spoke so stereotypically. Her voice had a shaky calmness to it, but her face struggled in hiding her panic, her eyes the worst perpetrator of all. "Accounts of the EX-0 virus have been reported from the Namsan Tower plaza." The screen cut to an aerial view of the plaza, where three figures could be seen, standing in the middle. They appeared hunched over, limbs hanging lifelessly. The crowd of people surrounding had curbed to the sides, but formed a ring around them, looking on. The general body language of the crowd conveyed emotions of curiosity and uncertainty, restrained by fear. A single boy, probably somewhere in his teens, broke from the crowd cautiously. His lone figure creeped closer to the three infected persons, reaching out what seemed to be a helping hand.

Luhan and Sehun watched the newscast intensely, holding their breath. What on earth was this boy doing, and why wasn't anyone stopping him? The boy approached the three figures with his hand still outstretched. Noticing, the person closest to him, a middle aged woman, lifted her head slowly, as if it would snap off with sudden movements. Closer and closer the boy crept until his hand found its way on her shoulder. They stared at each other and everything seemed so out of context. "It seems that a boy is attempting to help these three people," the reporter states obviously. "Emergency services are on the way we're told, and -"

Mid-sentence, the news reporter gasps, Luhan and Sehun mirroring the action. "Oh my god," she spills, the shock taking over her sense of professionalism. "Did he just... What just happened?!" the reporter shrieks off screen, the camera men not daring to switch the shots for even one second.

"Did you see that?" Sehun asks, pulling on Luhan's shirt sleeve.

"Mmm.." Luhan hums, studying the screen through squinted eyes.

When the boy touched the woman's shoulder, she looked up, her eyes meeting his. The camera had managed a more zoomed in shot, showing the audience that her skin looked pallid and very ill. A smile formed on the boy's lips as he tried to speak words of consolation, but when the woman opened , a pale blue wisp emerged from deep in , barely visible. Sehun was almost certain he was delusional, but Luhan seemed to have noticed it too. The wisp carried itself into the boy, who inhaled it seamlessly... unknowingly. His body showed no immediate or even dramatic reaction. But something was happening to him, slowly. His face grew weary, and his flushed cheeks drained of all color, and then suddenly, he looked just like the woman. With his livelihood robbed from him, he became an empty shell of a being. The revelation caused the crowd to scatter, having outburst into a panic, each person trying to save their skin while avoiding the infectious area in the middle. The reporter tries to collect herself, but stumbles on her words, the teleprompter having nothing to feed to her.

"Now do you believe me?" Luhan jabs, though in all sincerity.

Through a blank stare and mouth agape, Sehun can only nod.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shuffling Sehun through the door, Luhan closes it behind them, locking it more for good measure than anything else. Sehun's usual frown takes on a sad demeanor, unlike his normal nonchalant one, and he sighs, wishing for everything to blow over soon so that maybe they can return home in the near future. Turning around, Luhan notices the longing in Sehun's eyes and hugs him gently, whispering words of comfort and encouragement. "Come on," Luhan says quietly, taking Sehun by the hand and leading him away. Sehun spares one last glance at the apartment before turning back to look at the back of Luhan's head, and uttering a silent prayer that everything will be alright.

"Where are we going?" Sehun asks reluctantly, though luckily, Luhan answers softly rather than harshly.

"Well," Luhan begins. "It would probably be best to get out of the city," he reasons. Sehun nods at the words, though barely pays attention. He's still reeling over leaving home. After all, it was the first apartment he ever had. His first real home away from home. And the first home he shared with someone. A special someone, not just anyone. Sehun flashed back to when he asked Luhan to move in with him. A small smile tugs at the corners of his lips as he rememebers that day, and how excited he was when Luhan said yes. Back then, Sehun was ecstatic to have his boyfriend move in with him, and to this day, he still was ecstatic that they were living together. Despite not having much experience with relationships, Sehun took the risk and opened his heart and his home to Luhan, who thankfully, received it well, in Sehun's opinion. Luhan had brought something into Sehun's apartment that wasn't there before. It's not like Sehun could pinpoint what exactly, but his presence turned his home more warm and cozy - into a place Sehun looked forward to coming back to every night. Sehun hated the fact that he had to leave it all behind, but he hated that Luhan seemed all too willing to do so even more.

"Sehunnie?" Luhan asks, interrupting his thoughts. Sehun shakes his head less than animatedly, shaking off any emotion he had on it, and looks up in response. "Are you okay?" Luhan continues, having stopped in the middle of the path to ask the question.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Sehun lies through his teeth.

Luhan's brow creases with concern, and he studies Sehun's expression. Dejection seems evident, but Luhan struggles to read the emotion, considering the only one he's pretty sure Oh Sehun is capable of showing is happiness - and that one only really comes when he's kissing him. Luhan tries his luck and kisses Sehun sweetly on the lips, though it's very short, Luhan pulling away almost instantly. He tries to read the reaction despite the short duration, but isn't given much to work with. His lips form a thin line and he wonders if he's doing the right thing, but he kicks himself mentally and tells himself to have faith, and that this is what's best for the both of them.

"Sehun, babe," Luhan calls softly. "You do trust me right?"

Sehun looks up to see Luhan's worried and glistening eyes. Although he truthfully answers "yes," his home still pulls at his heart strings, Luhan's hand the hook that digs into his heart and tugs it, forcing Sehun to follow him. But Sehun finds some slack in the thought that losing Luhan would be much worse than losing his apartment, and he decides to go with it.

Thankfully, the streets are still relatively calm, most people opting to stay inside, Luhan assumes. Namsan Tower isn't far from where they are at all, so Luhan expected more of a bustling crowd, but as far as Luhan's concerned, that's just one less thing for them to deal with. "Come on," Luhan instructs again, Sehun still trailing behind. "We need to get to the train station."

"Did you decide where we're going?" Sehun asks, quickening his pace to keep up with his quicker, albeit shorter, boyfriend.

Luhan ignores the question, or more like pretends not to hear it, because he doesn't quite have his plans figured out yet, and knowing Sehun, Luhan is almost positive he'll resist. It's better then, Luhan decides, not to disclose anything until the time is right (and maybe running out.) Threads of ideas start weaving together in Luhan's head but with all this confusion surrounding him, he's not sure which threads to take and which to leave. But if the news report was any indication of the current state of things, Luhan's definitely positive things in Seoul are going to get much worse. Worst case scenario, all of Korea, but Luhan can't be too sure of that just yet. He debates with himself if they can chance staying in the country or if they should try and escape to China. Luhan leans toward the latter because he's never been much of an optimist, but Sehun is quite the opposite, and Luhan knows it will be hard to convince him to leave his home country. 

For the time being, Luhan focuses on the goal at hand, which is to get out of Seoul. Ideally, he would get them to the airport, but Luhan knows that between the two of them, they don't even have enough money for one ticket. Furthermore, a quick search on his phone tells him that the airports are closed down as of today due to the mysterious EX-0 virus. Well, there goes that idea, Luhan thinks. His only other options are travel by ship and so Luhan picks that one, deciding that getting to Jeju Island would be their best bet. If nothing else, at least they would be isolated from the mainland, but also, if fleeing to China appeared on the docket, it would be a little less suspicious to Sehun, and Luhan is very fond of that aspect.

When the two arrived at the station, Luhan understood where all the people disappeared to. They were inside alright. Inside the train station. He shouldn't have been surprised, but he was, overwhlemed by the amount of people swelling around the gates. "Sehun," Luhan says, placing a hand on the small of his boyfriend's back. "Can you hoist me up? I can't see what's happening," Luhan requests, to which Sehun obliges, wrapping an arm around Luhan's tiny waist and lifting him up, supporting his body with the side of his own. With his new found height, Luhan looks ahead to the front of the crowd, where he sees a thin line of police officers trying to restrain the hectic crowd.

"PLEASE," one of the officers shouts. "THE TRAIN STATIONS ARE ALL CLOSED DUE TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE EX-0 VIRUS. RETURN HOME IMMEDIATELY."

"Damn..." Luhan curses. He should've expected this considering he knew the airport was closed, but perhaps maybe he'd had a bit of optimism instilled in him over the past year, courtesy of Oh Sehun.

The yelling of the officer rang in his ears as Luhan tried to formulate a new course of action, this quick thinking wearing him out already. Though his harried thoughts were interrupted by another voice, one that he loved rather than wished would shut up so he could think.

"Uh, Luhan?" Sehun shouts from below. "Sorry babe, but, can I put you down now? My arm is getting tired..."

"Ah, sorry Sehunnie," Luhan replies with a smile - a genuine one. "Yeah, take me down." Gratefully, Sehun lowers Luhan to the ground gently, shaking out the soreness he had acquired in his arm.

"So what's the deal?" Sehun wonders.

"The trains are all closed down," Luhan says with a tinge of annoyance in his voice. "The airport too," he decides to add, just for context's sake.

"Well I'm guessing that probably means all the public transportation in Seoul is closed then," Sehun speculates, realizing he doesn't have many options to weigh. "And we don't have a car.."

"Agh, I know." Luhan taps his chin in contemplation, still coming up short of ideas. Sehun joins in on the brainstorming but doesn't have much luck either, apparent by the way he toys with the straps of his backpack. A slight disturbance of Luhan's jacket causes him to spin around quickly, his face bearing a fierce expression. Sehun is taken aback at Luhan's sudden motion and he feels something touching his waist - a finger most definitely not Luhan's.

"Hey!" Luhan yells angrily, having to look up to meet the eyes of the culprit. By now, Sehun's grabbed the wrist of the hand that's violated his space, gripping tightly as he stares down a different guy, shorter than himself and with silky, black hair. Sehun doesn't say anything as he looks into the face of this guy, but his eyes stare hard and unwavering. Luhan doesn't need any confirmation from Sehun to being the interrogation, harshly looking the man in front of him in the eyes as well.

"Were you trying to steal from us?!" Luhan demands, the guy in front of him smiling wide. He plays it off cool, casually throwing his hands in the air.

"Nah man, no of course not," he responds, the air about him really ticking Luhan off.

"What are you stupid? You know there are plenty of police around here," Luhan threatens.

"Ah, seriously, is it gonna be like that?" the guy sings. He doesn't seem at all worried, and Luhan has half a mind to punch him right now, despite the obvious height difference. For a moment, Luhan stops seeing red and takes the time to analyze the stranger, if for nothing else than identification purposes. He has a pretty cute face with subtle features, and short, spiked black hair. His nose sits on his face comfortably, with a long and slender bridge. Everything about him is handsome, even the way his ears poke out. At first glance, Luhan would've thought his funny ears would undermine his good looks, but strangely, it's fitting. Though good looks aren't enough to distract Luhan.

"Besides," the other stranger cuts in. "It looks like they have their hands full right now." He smirks at his own comment, and Sehun rolls his eyes at him.

"Who are you anyway?" Sehun asks of the stranger, releasing his wrist by practically throwing it down at the stranger's side.

"The name's Baekhyun," he responds coolly, taking his newly freed wrist into his other hand, rotating the cuff between his pointer and thumb, rubbing away the remains of Sehun's grip. Sehun couldn't help but notice Baekhyun's lithe hands, his fingers so pretty and slender, it was almost mesmerizing. 

"And what? You guys are thieves?" Sehun accuses, to snap himself out of his thoughts.

"Ah, something like that?" Baekhyun responds, mussing his hair and fixing his black frame glasses. Baekhyun's hair is jet black, the fringe coming up right above his eyes. He's about Luhan's height, and slightly resembles Luhan as well, especially with his pouty lips and brown almond eyes. Again, Sehun finds himself lost in Baekhyun, fighting to come back up for air.

"And you are?" Luhan asks, referring to the taller man.

"Chanyeol," he replies instantly. It's then that Luhan notices both Baekhyun and Chanyeol are wearing all black, from their jackets to their shoes. He finds it odd, but doesn't wish to question it further.

"So what, are you two like... a couple?" Chanyeol asks, wagging his index finger between Luhan and Sehun.

"They're cute!" Baekhyun chimes.

"Okay, we're leaving now," Luhan scowls. He and Sehun don't need to be further harrassed by these two idiots. Sehun turns to Luhan and takes his hand, the two walking away together, but not making it very far, Chanyeol's booming voice interrupting their exit. But it's his words that are like quicksand, catching their feet as they sink into the ground, the more seconds they spend listening, the harder it is for them to leave.

"You need a car, right?" Chanyeol asks, the words hooking them like bait. "We can help with that."

"And why should we trust you?" Luhan challenges, turning around to see the pair standing there casually.

"Maybe you shouldn't," Chanyeol replies nonchalantly. "But do you have any other options, pretty boy?" 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Although Luhan is pretty used to making snap decisions, they're usually at work, meaning they don't usually involve Sehun's life, but the lives of those who work under him. His stomach churns at the thought that he could be putting himself in danger, but even worse so that Sehun is involved too. Of course, Luhan would've never forced Sehun into something like this (maybe other things, but not this,) but between the glances they exchanged in the station just now, Sehun seemed pretty on board. Luhan knew they didn't have much else to turn to, and Sehun was no idiot to deny that. Maybe it was the way Baekhyun had enraptured him before, but there was just something about Baekhyun that put Sehun at relative ease. And so when Chanyeol rattled off an offer they couldn't really refuse, Sehun was the one who held more certainty, Luhan picking up on it and agreeing to the two strangers.

This feeling felt strange to Luhan, but seeing the resolve in Sehun's face gave him strength, reminding him that he needed to keep face, if only for Sehun's sake. He felt responsible for getting them into this mess, especially being that it was his decision to leave. Therefore Luhan accepted the responsibilities, among which included protecting Sehun and assuming the role of the leader.

"So what kind of car do you drive?" Sehun asks in earnest, watching the heads of Baekhyun and Chanyeol bob up and down as they walk down the street.

"That depends," Baekhyun chirps.

"On what...?" Sehun asks in confusion, his eyebrows furrowing to reflect it.

"On what you feel like!" Baekhyun sings back, finally turning around to look at Luhan's and Sehun's expressions.

"I'm confused," Sehun says blatantly.

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol boasts. "Is top notch at hot wiring."

"Wait," Luhan impedes. "We're going to STEAL a car?!"

"Sure, you could put it that way."

"There's no other way to put it!" Luhan shrieks in exasperation.

Though Luhan's concerns were shrugged off by the two black-clad boys, who seemed to be enjoying car shopping all too much. "Baekhyunnie, what about this one?" Chanyeol asks excitedly.

"Ah come on Chanyeol," Baekhyun rejects. "Why do you always go for those kinds? I don't like that brand."

"Why are you so picky..." The two argued over which car suited their fancy, Luhan and Sehun's existence beginning to fade. At least until Sehun's low voice spoke up, taking Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Luhan by surprise.

"How about this one?" Sehun suggests, pointing to a shiny black SUV, parked at a meter.

"Wow, this boy has expensive taste," Chanyeol mentions, nodding in approval. Baekhyun has already given his approval by commencing with the delicate lock picking process.

"Sehun, how can you be okay with this?" Luhan asks under his breath, grabbing Sehun's arm.

"Luhan, please," Sehun replies, looking off coldly into the distance. "You wanted to leave, so we are. Besides, Baekhyun said it earlier, the police are a little busy right now. It's not like they have time to stop a couple of car thieves." Luhan didn't expect Sehun's response and felt taken aback by his cold words. But Luhan knew he was right. Though the now evident tension between them bit at Luhan's heart, and he hoped that he could resolve it soon. Sehun is all Luhan has, most of his family having scorned and rejected him when Luhan revealed to them his relationship with Sehun. Though he didn't care for their acceptance, so long as he had Sehun to love.

Caught up in his thoughts again, Luhan looks up to realize that Sehun has long since left, standing next to Chanyeol while watching Baekhyun work his magic. Luhan sighs and joins as well, peering in from the side. The engine roars to life, smoothly running and purring in Baekhyun's ears.

"Ah, very nice," Baekhyun comments, commending Sehun for his prime choice. "Channie, you wanna drive?"

"Always!" Chanyeol booms excitedly, replacing Baekhyun in the driver's seat as Baekhyun hops out and rounds the car to take the passenger side.

"Hey uh... you!" Baekhyun points to Luhan as he holds the door open to the front seat. "Yeah, you," he repeats, confirming Luhan. "Tell me your name."

"Why?" Luhan says defensively.

"Come on man," Baekhyun whines cutely. "If we're gonna road trip together, at least tell me your name!"

Defeated, Luhan shares the information reluctantly. "It's Luhan."

"Nice to meet you. That doesn't sound Korean," Baekhyun speculates.

"I'm Chinese."

"Ah, okay. What about you, handsome?" Baekhyun asks, looking Sehun up and down. It makes Luhan uncomfortable, but Baekhyun's puppy eye smile reflects nothing other than playfulness. Luhan still takes caution though, having yet to become at ease around these two.

"Sehun."

"So, Luhan, where are we going?" Chanyeol beams, awaiting some direction.

"Jeju Island," Luhan replies curtly.

"Oh really??" Chanyeol's face lights up. "I always wanted to go there, but Baek and I just never seem to find the time. A crazy outbreak sounds like an ideal time though, don't you think so, Baek?"

"Ah yeah, it probably won't be crowded at all!" Baekhyun laughs. The ability for these two to joke and play kind of irks Luhan. It gives him the feeling that they're pretty desensitized people, making him wonder just how safe he and Sehun will be in their hands. Alternatively though, perhaps it would be in their best interest to get on their good side. Luhan thinks that maybe loyalty is something they largely value, and once they have that, safety will be a non-issue. Calling upon the remnants of Sehun's optimism left within him, Luhan resolves to bank on the latter, seeing as how Sehun has already seemed to make his way in with them.

"Hey Luhan," Chanyeol says.

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna need a navigator, and Baekhyun is with directions."

"It's true," Baekhyun chimes in.

"Oh, sure," Luhan agrees.

"Alright, then you can sit here," Baekhyun pats the leather fitted chair gingerly, offering it up to Luhan. "And I'll sit in the back with Sehunnie."

Luhan winces at the nickname, since it's his nickname, but since he already determined to get on their good side, he doesn't protest, swallowing his jealousy. Though it's not so much the fact Baekhyun dropped the nickname that bothers Luhan, rather the lack of response from Sehun, who didn't seem to mind at all. Slightly crestfallen, Luhan silently climbs into the passenger seat, watching in the rearview mirror as Baekhyun got cozy in the back next to Sehun.

"Let's go," Luhan solemnly instructs Chanyeol, who presses on the accelerator eagerly, speeding off into the distance.

"See ya later, Seoul!" Chanyeol sings. Looking out the window at the buildings rushing by, Sehun takes the words to heart, hoping that Chanyeol's proclamation is truth, and not an empty promise.