𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ 𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 - 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐮

⇛ 𝐂𝐇. 𝟐𝟑

𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝟏𝟓

and then there were eight.

the rest of that night, they slept on top of the cornucopia as close to each other as they could because they knew the next day would be a difficult one.

donghyuck was first awake, his blurry eyes landing on renjun and jihyun who were cuddled up next to him. the two used him as a pillow because he was the best at comforting. he smiled sadly, knowing this would be the last time they could do that.

"hey." mark who had also woken up, called out to him.

"hey..."

"everyone looks so peaceful sleeping like this. i don't want to wake them." he whispered, patting chenle's hair.

"let's let them sleep for a few minutes and then we'll have to decide what to do."

"attention, attention, tributes." claudius loud voice boomed throughout the arena, jolting everyone awake.

"what's going on?" jisung asked, rubbing his dry eyes.

"some announcement..." mark replied and the group slid off the cornucopia, standing on the bloody grass, now fully awake.

"there's been a slight change. you are the remaining eight tributes and it stands that there can only be one winner. you have till the end of the day to decide. good luck and may the odds be ever in your favour."

"till the end of the day?" jihyun mumbled, glancing around at the others.

"we should decide now." mark said after they were left standing in silence for a while.

"what? so we're not going to fight each other?" jaemin asked.

"no. i can't... i can't do that to you guys." he said, his voice lowering as he averted his eyes to his feet.

"then how are we meant to decide this? i don't think i can. i don't want to do this." jisung mumbled, his fingers reaching to his hair and tugging at it as tears gathered in his eyes. jeno placed his hand on his back, rubbing circles on it as he whispered something into his ear and he calmed down, nodding his head.

"should we vote?" renjun suggested and donghyuck took a step forward, shaking his head.

"jihyun, it should be you." he said.

"what?" jihyun muttered, her whole body tensing up at his words. her head shot to the side where he was standing and he met her gaze with certainty.

"i agree. jihyun should be the winner." mark said.

"me too." chenle added.

"no. why? do you understand what you're saying?!" jihyun exclaimed.

"we do. you deserve to live on." jeno said.

"no. stop. you're scaring me."

"don't be scared, foxy." jaemin whispered, bringing his hand to her cheek. "it's time for you to go home now. doyoung and the rest of your family are waiting for you."

"no. no!" she broke away from him, shaking her head. "my cousin... did he ask you to do this? don't listen to him. you all should live! escape this arena, go back to your family's and live on. none of you deserve to die like this."

"jihyun..."

mark reached into his pocket and took out something blue. jihyun couldn't make out what it was until he started handing it to the others. nightlock berries.

"no! mark!" she ran forward to snatch it away but he moved his hands. "i should've known you kept these for a reason."

"i'm sorry, jihyun. we have to do this."