Trigger ↬ [ P.JS ]

Chapter 14:

Change.

What is change? Hearing that change is pleasant cannot make one disagree more. Change is scary. Change is nothing but leaving home and staying in the streets until you learn how to live there. Change is when you finally take off your training wheels and hope for the best. Change is not pleasant. Change is unfamiliar. Change, everything changes.

Jisung hates change.

Jisung observed as the sun in Los Angeles already rose, it created beautiful swirls in the sky. It was peaceful. The colors mixed like smooth paint, and it lay flat, looking like an expensive abstract painting. It held hope. Shouldn't they be running out of hope already? Juxtaposing the sky, the land seemed to be root of chaos, everything that lived is lifeless.

The view from the small cottage, which was made by sturdy wood from trees in the exact forest, is enjoyed by a boy with a baggage of thoughts.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Jisung looked back and smiled slightly, "Well, I was thinking about us getting eaten by those," he said, pointing at the zombies that seemed to be home in their eyes now. "and may I add, your plan was absolutely amazing and clear and spectacular."

Jaemin chuckled and sat beside the younger. He looked at Jisung staring out the window, and wondered how can a young man be so mature and understanding. He met him when he was young, and Jisung was always older than him mentally.

It was trauma.

They just wanted to have fun nights as it was supposed to be summer break. With party in the clubs, sleepovers, arcade days, endless possibilities. But all that had to be ruined by this. The fucking apocalypse, that nobody asked for, nobody wanted, nobody needed. Why is all this even happening?

It felt like a vivid dream, not reality. It just went so fast and it wasn't sinking in, just yet.

He doesn't know what will come next— he doesn't want to know. He knows that it will be bad, maybe even worse that this. That will be his worst nightmare. The world that was once full of color turned conpletely gray, and he is not enjoying it.

Jaemin's thoughts were cut off by Jisung flailing his hands before his face. "You were lost for a minute there," he breathed out. "I think you need to tell me what your thinking about."

"Nothing, just," he stared at the boy before continuing. "just empty."

He then walked away and went out of the room. Jisung was again left alone in the small space considered as their meeting area in the cabin. What silly names. He shook his head, breaking the thought.

They made the small home themselves. Maybe when they were starting highschool? No one clearly remembers, but this place stood sturdy as far as they remember. That made them proud, it stands as what their friendship is.

The place where Jisung is right now, was created by himself. He made a little space for thinking, with the best view he could find. — which was now ruined by the ugly walkers roaming.

He sighed and pulled himself up, headed to the dining area. He could hear them chatting, but he could also hear utensils.

"Eating without me, again?" he sat between Jeno and Renjun. Mark turned to Jaemin,

"Yo, aren't you supposed to call him?" he laughed, still eating.

"I forgot!" the other groaned in distaste. Jisung just nodded and helped himself with a small portion of the simple meal they're having.

"Hey, get some more." Renjun nudged him.

He shook his head, "You guys eat more."

Jeno watched the interaction and decided to make the decision himself. He added a whole lot of pork and beans to Jisung's plate.

"Oh come on! I don't even like beans!" the youngest whined. One of them eyes him making a ruckus and just clicked his tongue.

"Just eat, and be grateful!" Chenle cut off his noise.

Jisung shut himself up and forced himself to eat and ignore the raven haired boy. The words he said was still stinging, fresh in his feelings. He knows he didn't mean those and yet he still got hurt.

Donghyuck, who was beside him, felt the unmatchable tension between the two. He thought that once they leave the Park's home, they'll be lighter and normal again. Things never stayed the same.

"So, do you remember our plan?" Mark cleared his throat, his plate clean.

Donghyuck nodded, feeling guilty for some reason. He pushed his plate away and drank a glass of water, reading the room's atmosphere. "We go at night, as always." he recalled the countless number of boring and serious conversations they had, which to say, he payed no attention to the words that Mark threw out because he had the attention span of a child.

"Yep, that's right." The eldest breathed out and leaned forward. "I know that this is all very hard for us, but I know that we'll make it. We just need to work hard and get to our parents, okay? Let's be positive."

"Oh gosh, here he goes," Donghyuck muttered only for his nose to hear as he rolled his eyes.

Renjun elbowed the other and bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. Unfortunately for Donghyuck, he's beside Renjun and that boy annoys the crap out of him.

"We should probably get some rest, we have a long day— should I say night— ahead of us," Mark smiled and nodded, signalling the boys to go and get some peace of mind.

Donghyuck stayed at the table and stared at particularly nothing. He was worried. His hands were quite moist and sweaty, and it was slightly shaking. It seems like he was in a rush, in a rush where you feel all kinds of emotions.

It us quite bizarre to get to see him like this. He never worries about anything, and he just goes with the flow. This time, he was shaken up. His thoughts seemed to be clouding his mind and as the seconds pass he gets more and more nervous—

until there was a knock on the door.

He sighed in relief and stood up, headed to open the entrance, but halted when he saw Jisung already frozen infront of it.

"I- wha- why are you here!?"

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hi! another update yayyy ,, i know its been a while ( like 3 days but whatever ) how is the chapter?? the plot is still moving like a bitchass snail but we're good.

also,,if u read my other books like knight or pretend U CAN SEE HOW MUCH MY WRITING IMPROVED OH MY GOD!?!?!?!?! seriously,,i was so cringey back then

andddd,,chapters are always 1k + words so thats an achievement too