I'm sorry that I have neglected this for so long. I kinda didn't get into the flow anymore and after a while of procrastination it got even more difficult. I already considered deleting the story entirely but since a few of you have encouraged me to go on I thought I'd give it a try. Maybe I'll get back into it.

reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upVKjjYBmEw  (around 10:00)

I love Key's hilarious reaction when Arisa tries to give him the uggs ^^

Thanks for reading and commenting!

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I must have fallen asleep shortly after the call because we’re standing at a gas station when I wake up again about an hour later with Taemin’s hair in my face. He is still in dreamland curled up against me, his head on my shoulder. Jjong’s Jacket is draped over both of us. He, Minho and Kibum have left the car and I try to spot them without moving too much to let our baby sleep.

Jjong and Minho are talking with a guy at the rent-a-car next to the small supermarket of the gas station. Yeah, it would be great to change vehicles not only because our current one is equipped with summer tires. I don’t see Kibum and shortly think he might be in the restroom to fix his make-up but then again he’s not THAT vain now ...  is he?

But then I see him coming out of the supermarket, a thick quilt-jacket draped over his arm and a shoebox stuck under the other.

Ah, right, he had to leave his baggage behind at the airport and wasn’t exactly dressed for the freezing temperatures.

He opens the door on the passenger side in the front and sits down.

“Don’t say anything or you die”, he snarls without looking at me and pulls a pair of uggs out of the shoe-box.

I have to smile anyway, remembering how much he hates those. It also reminds me of his sincerety. He keeps his promises even if it requires him to do something he loathes from the bottom of his heart.

When he has finished with the boots he puts on the quilted jacket as well and I see that it’s in fact a woman’s coat in red with pink applications.

“They didn’t have much to select from in the coat department now, did they?” I ask still smiling.

“What makes you think that?” Kibum asks back while nonchalantly putting his phone into one of the frilly pockets and then pulls a face at me in the rear mirror.

Minho and Jonghyun come back, Jjongie wrapping his arms around his chest in the cold.

“Out out out”, he says, “we got a different car.”

Seeing Kibum in his new outfit his eyes grow wide and he’s about to laugh but Key shuts him up with just a glance. Minho doesn’t even try to mock him.

The new car doesn’t only have appropriate tires, it’s also much bigger.

“Is that a Benz?” Taemin asks sleepily, “how much was that?”

“Ask Kibum about his shoes and I’ll tell you”, Jjong says.

“What?”

But we’re already in and Minho starts the car. Taemin doesn’t really care and snuggles up again, this time to Jjong who has moved with us into the back.

The heating of the Benz works well. I almost drift back to sleep when once again a phone rings. This time it’s Jjong’s.

“Oh ”, he says, “it’s the company.”

Although it was bound to happen we didn’t really think about what to do as soon as SMEnt executives got wind of our disappearance. They certainly found out already that we’re all missing and they probably know about Yoogeun as well.

“Don’t answer”, I suggest and Minho nods approval. The phone keeps ringing.

“Kibum?” Jjong asks.

“Yeah, don’t answer.”

“Taem?”

“Yeah.”

It’s sweet that he asks everybody I think, and yet again I’m ashamed of myself that being here in this car with all four of them makes me happy even though the occasion is rather desperate.

We decide not to answer any calls except for those with suppressed numbers for the time being. In the end we’ll have to do a lot of explaining anyway and right now we need to focus on saving Yoogeun.

----

The snow has turned to rain when we pass Seocheon. We’ve managed half the distance without major difficulties but it’s getting dark already.

“What time is it?” Taemin asks waking up again, stretching.

I check my watch:

“4:20”, I tell him and immediately start to worry although we still got six hours left which should be sufficient to reach Mokpo. But then again we’ll have to find the right place there and even though we have GPS I’m not sure that ...

“Don’t worry, Hyung”, Taemin says and gives me one of his big soothing smiles, “we’ll make it.”

I seriously have to work on my facial expressions. It always gives it away when I’m concerned. Slightly embarrassed I pull out my phone when Minho suddenly steps hard on the brakes.

I only get a glimpse of an unlit truck diagonally on the road before we skid sideways, Minho desperately trying to avoid a collision but failing on the slippery surface. We crash into the guardrail and break through, toppling over. The last thing going through my mind before I lose consciousness is ‘oh dear God, please don’t let them die’.