The Suju Games

Chapter 45: Delay

(Kris) 

        Kris stood in front of the camera, he took a deep breath before starting, "I was asked to talk about this, to show that it's not only the people in the Capitol who are cruel, District people can be cruel too." Lay gave him a nod of encouragement, and he continued, "When I was young, I was the son of District 12's Mayor. I lived a much more comfortable life than the other kids, I had enough food to eat while they had scarcely any, but one thing they had just as much as I did, was their parent's love." 

        Tao, who was standing behind the camera, looked dazed. 

        "Until one day," Kris said, "I was having a small walk, when I heard a boy crying for his father to stop. I ran to see what was happening, and his father -" tears filled Kris's eyes, "Was - beating - him -" he couldn't continue anymore. 

        Tao stepped out bravely in front of the camera, this had not been planned, "He was beating me." Tao said in a clear voice, "When I was young, he's lock me in the basement, that was how I learned to jump so high," this part was directed at the tributes, "I'd jump out of windows, and when he took the ladder out I would jump right through the trapdoor, if he was chasing me I would jump into a tree, it took years of practice, but then I managed to make it. But then there was that one time, that Kris found me, I hadn't managed to escape my father, and he was beating me with a stick, whipping me with his belt. I would've died if Kris hadn't come when he had." he concluded, "From then on, Kris always protected me." he gave Kris a big hug, "Thank you, Kris ge ge." 

        "Cut." Lay said quietly, and Xiumin put the camera down to rest him arms, "You two." he said to Kris and Tao, "Should've told me years ago instead of just a few days before this, I could've helped." 

        "Lay don't be mad." Kris said, he knew Lay's quiet, dangerous tone. 

        Lay said nothing more, he walked away to film other people and Xiumin, giving Kris and Tao an apologetic look, scrambled after him. 

        "Aish, I should follow him." Kris sighed, "Thanks for helping me out there Tao, and for making me sound like a hero." 

        "You are." Tao told him before Kris walked off after his boyfriend.

***

(Ryeowook) 

        "Why didn't they tell us before they started filming?" Ryeowook whined, "Why'd they sneak up behind us?" 

        "The kissing or making out or whatever you were doing would have been awkward if you knew you were being filmed." Donghae said with a grin, he and Eunhyuk had been filmed too. 

        Now, an hour or two later, Ryeowook was still complaining, they had already started the walk to the Capitol, they would have to go through any traps the Capitol put at the borders, but they were ready. Together, the ten of them were invincible. 

        They led the entire, extremely large group of rebels, they walked in a line, the ten of them, with their leader Leeteuk right in the middle. Ryeowook felt more scared than ever, but he felt very proud too, to be walking at the front of the group, to be seen as someone who made a difference. And maybe to have everyone squeal over how cute he was too. 

        Beside him was Kyuhyun, holding his hand confidently, like he wanted to show the world that Ryeowook was his. 

(Kibum) 

        Kibum was glad to have his father walking right behind him, he could see how proud his father was of him, and it made him glow with happiness to be appreciated. 

        As the city came closer and closer, Kibum felt his heart pound faster and faster, any moment he expected an explosion. 

        And there was one. But he didn't think it would be Henry. 

(Henry) 

        One step at a time, Henry walked along side his hyungs, feeling braver and braver with each step. But then suddenly, when he put his foot on the ground, it exploded, and he felt his leg being ripped off his body. He let out a scream of pain as he tumbled onto the floor. The explosion had blown his right leg clean off. Well, not really clean, there was a lot of blood, and he knew that this was the end, how stupid he was to think he could last until the end.

        His friends rushed over to him, all screaming, Heechul held him tight as the medics rushed over. 

        Henry had stepped on a land mine. 

(Leeteuk)

        "Set up an operation table!" Doctor Sehun called, "We'll need to work on him right here!" 

        "And we have to wait till he recovers." Leeteuk said firmly, this time Lay agreed with him. 

        "He still won't be able to fight." Doctor Sehun told them sadly as he began the operation. 

        "He will, we'll wait until he is completely recovered if we have to, we'll set up camp right here, right in front of the Capitol, and wait till he recovers."

        "But-" 

        "He will go and get the revenge he wants, you hear me?" Leeteuk commanded, "He will go with us to avenge Zhoumi no matter what. We will delay the battle, the Capitol wouldn't dare attack us first anyway, so it's fine if we stay out here." 

        No one dared argue with him, it was clear to them that when it came to his dongsaengs and what they wanted, Leeteuk would do anything for them. 

***

(Doctor Sehun)

        They set a rebel camp right there, and stayed for a week, they dug out the entire ground and removed all the land mines, it took a week even with the large number of people they had. 

        And Henry? He had gotten a metal leg as a replacement for his real one. Though he nearly died from the loss of blood in the first few days, he was up and running in three weeks, which was, once again, a very speedy recovery. 

        But all the Doctor's doubted he would be able to survive another operation if he got hurt again.

     Sehun looked at Henry, who was running around on his metal leg for the first time, and tomorrow, he would walk into battle with it.