“Everything’s ready, right?” Mino asked once again, making sure that they didn’t leave anything behind.

“Yeah. I think we’re done”. L answered him while his eyes were still looking at their things. Probably he was counting their items. Jihyo was just silent. She was sad, but she knew she shouldn’t be like this.

Then, someone hugged her from behind. The hug, gave her the comfort that she needed.

“Goodbye, Song Jihyo. Take good care of yourself. I’ll take good care of everyone here. Just promise me one thing. Don’t die, okay?” Junmyeon whispered to her ears softly. She chuckled. The last sentence was somehow sounded funny to Jihyo.

“Then it’s okay for me to get hurt, huh?”. Jihyo playfully pinched his arm. He groaned in pain but still, he didn’t let go of Jihyo.

“At least I can still see you”. Jihyo was touched. Junmyeon had always been so caring and protecting to her. She couldn’t help but to owe him more and more.

“Alright”. The other boys just watched him with smile. L didn’t feel jealous at all. Having Jihyo as his girlfriend was beyond his imagination. He can handle this kind of small affection. Mino too was the same. Both of them knew the feeling of protective towards the only girl in their life. Junmyeon then walked to L and Mino and he hugged both of them.

“Good luck guys with your mission. I know you will do well”. He said, while patting their back.

“Thanks hyung. You take good care of yourself too. I’m gonna miss you” Mino said after they broke the hug. He loved him, just like his real brother. Junmyeon gave a smile, assuring Mino that he’ll be fine.

“I’m going to miss working with you”. L said to Junmyeon while patting his back. Junymeon giggled. He nodded, agreeing with L. He too will missed to work with L. Both of them were a great duo.

“Let’s get move” Jihyo said while entering at the passenger’s seat. Mino and L too entered the car. They gave a last look to Junmyeon and L started to drive, leaving Junmyeon and their house. Jihyo looked at Junmyeon through the side mirror. He was still standing, watching them leaving. Her mind was actually thinking of Chanyeol. She had her head down, fiddling her hands. Jihyo then took a deep breath and grabbed her phone.

“Flame in. Now”

L and Mino just watched her silently. This was the best way for them, they thought.

#

“Don’t. Don’t leave. Please. Jihyo-yah. Stayy. I’m sorry. Song Jihyo-“. Chanyeol woke up from his nightmare instantly. He was sweating a lot, because of the dream. He rubbed his face, frustrated with the dream. He got up and headed to the bathroom to wash his face. He grabbed his towel and walked to his bed again. Somehow, he was feeling, not good. He looked to Jihyo’s house. He can’t see well with the curtains blocking his view but it seems like, it was, red-orange in colour? He sniffed, and somehow he smelled, smoke.

“JIHYO’S HOUSE ON FIRE!!”. Tao’s shouting hit him hard.

‘Oh my god Jihyo, Mino and L’.

He ran exiting his room. He even bumped with other members who were still in pajamas, just as him as they heard the shout. Everyone was running furiously to Jihyo’s house. They’re all holding fire extinguishers, piles, buckets, and whatever source they can use to carry water to help their neighbour. They all ran towards Jihyo’s house only to find that her house was already in a huge fire. Other neighbours tried to help to put off the fire but they knew, it was already too late. But the EXO members didn’t give up. They still working together, even though people kept telling them to stop trying to save the people in the burned house.

Each one of them wanted to barge in to save Jihyo, L and Mino but was stopped by the other citizens.

“NOO!! NOO!! NOO!!! WE HAVE TO SAVE THEM! THEY NEED US!”. Chanyeol shouted out loud. Tears didn’t stop flowed from his eyes. Junmyeon held him tightly. He already knew about the threes’ plan, so he wasn’t surprised at all with the situation.

“WHAT THE HELL!? ARE YOU GUYS JUST GOING TO WATCH!? LET ME SAVE THEM!?” Kai shouted. He can’t believe his eyes right now, that tears won’t come out from his eyes. He was just too shocked.

“OH MY GOD JIHYO, L AND MINO. GOD PLEASE SAVE THEM”. Chen cried. He wished they were safe although it was impossible.

The EXO members except for Junmyeon shouted so that the people let them go to save Jihyo, L and Mino but to no avail. They gave up, as they saw the fire was aggressively spreading, making sure that the house was completely burnt. Some had their heads held down, some dropped down to the ground and some even laying on the ground. The EXO members were feeling hopeless and cried their heart outs. Junmyeon watched them silently.

‘I’m sorry, guys’.

#

The boys walked towards the funeral parlour soullessly while Junmyeon was just following from behind. He at least needed to act like he’s in depressed too. The boys were there to identify the dead bodies found in the burnt house. They don’t want to, but they had to. They don’t know the threes’ relatives, so this was the least that they can do for them.

“You should go, Chanyeol. You said they’re your long lost best friends, right?” Luhan muttered in a low voice while patting Chanyeol’s back gently. Honestly, his emotion was unstable too, but he knew, the others knew that Chanyeol was more than upset, because he once again lost his best friends. Chanyeol nodded. He gave a look to Junmyeon, signalling Junmyeon to follow him too.

They entered the parlour slowly. Somehow, the door was making a creaking sound, just like when they watched a horror movie. There, they saw three bodies covered with white shroud. Chanyeol could feel his legs were shaking vigourously, but he mustered his courage. He had to be strong for her, he thought.

The both stood beside the bodies. Junmyeon somehow felt the intense too, although he knew that it was all planned. Maybe because he was worried of how the others would react, especially Chanyeol.

“Are you ready?” Junmyeon asked Chanyeol with a slow voice. Chanyeol closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and nodded. Junmyeon pulled the shroud, revealing a completely burnt dead body. Chanyeol quickly closed his eyes as he saw the body, but his eyes caught the bracelet on the wrist of the dead body. The friendship bracelet that Jihyo and Mino had. He then knew, that he had lost his best friends. He didn’t need to identify other bodies. He was so sure of the others.

He dropped on the floor as his legs gave up. He cried, cried, and cried. Junmyeon hugged him tightly, to give him comfort. His tears couldn’t stop flowing. The others heard Chanyeol cried. They couldn’t believe it. They entered the parlour and were in horror to see the bodies.

“We should’ve save them” Kyungsoo muttered in a shaking voice. He liked them, so much, especially when he started to develop feelings to Jihyo. Baekhyun went out of the parlour and kicked the trash bin outside the parlour harshly. He left them, while his tears flowing from his eyes. He needed some times to be alone. S