Do It For The District || Stray kids || Hunger Games

III

Dongju, Bora, Seungmin and I were eating in silence, well, apart from Bora, attempting to make conversation strike between us.

It never did, there was a depressive aura that hung around all three of the ones that stayed silent

I played around with my food and then set my cutlery down "I'm not hungry" I mumbled, standing up and walking back to my room.

It was going to be a long four days...

[°• _ •°]

"Hey" I heard a voice speak, I didn't recognise it, I looked up at him and the person flashed a small smile and bowed a little bit "I'm Yeo Hwanwoong"

"Are you the stylist?" I ask, more harshly than I wanted it to sound

I saw Hwanwoong's facials falter "uhm, well, yes, but I can help you and give you adv-"

"Help me!? Are you kidding me!? You can't 'help me' because I can't win, what's a stylist like you gonna do, huh!? You give tributes clothes and fuck off until the next tributes, you don't care, lord all mighty! Give up! You're not helping me feel any better about the games!" I snap

Hwanwoong opened his mouth to speak but he shut it again. "If that's how you feel, then I'm sorry but do you think I enjoy doing this? I get close to every single one of those tributes and then see them die because of a dumb mistake they made." He paused and opened the door, turning to leave "I don't." He spoke again, before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Was I too harsh?

[°• _ •°]

Darkness clouded my head as I tried to concentrate on building my skills, but I couldn't. I watched everyone train and it made it harder for me to think straight.

I saw Jisung throw some knives straight on the targets and I saw BamBam hit a bullseye with his bow and arrow.

My eyes darted to Chabgbin who had craftily moved his blade around to stab the correct targets and then Jongho practicing combat on dummies.

I looked up at a board that displayed names and pictures and scanned through them once again, I looked around for a younger one called Jeongin, soon my eyes landed on someone sat in the corner staring off into space, it was Jeongin. I decided on not to talking to him and I continued to focus on bow and arrow, which I wasn't improving in whatsoever. I sighed

God damnit I was hopeless at this.

[°• _ •°]

It was a long training session and I didn't feel any progress was building with my bow and arrow and I kept bothering myself with it throughout dinner where once again, Bora was trying to start a conversation, this time Hwanwoong, who was sat next to me, answered with short answers and with a small voice.

I continued to eat until I was finished and I excused myself, telling Hwanwoong to come with me, he complied and came into my room once he finished his dinner.

"I'm so-" I got cut off

"Hey, it's okay, I figured you'd say something like that" he paused "I understand how hard it is, I understand you're under a lot of pressure right now" he sighed softly "but I need to tell you something"

My eyebrows raised in curiosity, giving Hwanwoong the encouragemento keep talking

My sidetable lamp illuminated the side of his face as he looked into my eyes. "Even if I can't help you as you want me to, I want you to answer a question, do you believe in yourself?"

"No" I answered

"This is where you fall flat." He huffed "Answer me like you know you have a whole district cheering for you, like you have some of the capitol cheering for you" he spoke, adding some umph into his tone "now" he spoke "do.you.believe.in.yourself?"

"Yes" I answer, imagining my parents cheering for me

"That's fantastic" he grabbed my hand "now, it's a small world when you compare it to other planets in the solar system, when you look at Jupiter you don't realise how big it is, I want you to go into these games thinking you are on Mercury, you're closer to the sun, making the orbit faster, so these two weeks will be quicker, what you need is to put your all into it instead of thinking you're on Neptune mkay?" He spoke, looking at me "i need you to not give up, you need to continue to see everything this world has to offer, you need to stay determined so you can feel the joy of living to see the day something amazing happens, even if you don't think you can win, know we think and know you have the capability of doing so, so once you're out there, be yourself, be deadly, play like you're on Mercury, so you can savour those short days, so you can see what's next to happen in those short days." He finishes getting up and ready to leave my room, putting his hand on the knob and opening the door

"But Hwanwoong, it's hot on Mercury" I cheekily remark

He smirked and turned around, walking right up to me and moving close "and that's exactly what we need, add some spice in the games, get yourself some sponsors." He winked and took his leave, closing the door behind him, leaving me to think

"Oh and tomorrow is the evaluation day" I heard him shout before being completely out of earshot

Dongju had talked to me about it before so I had an idea of what to do

[°• _ •°]

Me and Seungmin were now waiting to be chosen to shoot with a bow and arrow and show off our skills, if we had any.

"Hwang Hyunjin"  I got up and walked to the room, grabbing a bow and arrow.

I felt eyes on me as I stood where I was meant to.

I aimed.

I drew it back.

I released.

I looked at where the arrow was

Not bad

I walked with Seungmin back to Bora and Dongju and we sat down

"Atta boys you two" Dongju spoke, sitting down next to Hwanwoong and I.

We all turned to the screen.