𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ 𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 - 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐮

⇛ 𝐂𝐇. 𝟑𝟕

"they've burned down so many buildings, they're preventing people from going to their jobs so no one's making any money." jihyun sighed, running her hand through her hair.

as she moved her hand to her lap, she felt some strands stay on it and looked down to see that an unusual amount of her hair had come out after a gentle comb. she shook her hand, letting the strands fall to the floor and turned back to the hologram.

"it's the same here. they've closed the mines. people are starving. it's really bad. i don't think many will make it at this rate." haechan said.

"i'm scared about what's going to happen. i've had to go back to sneaking around and stealing food so i can give it to those who need it desperately, but almost everyone does. my sister has been cooking a lot more in hopes of giving it out but she nearly got caught and knowing the kind of punishments they're giving... she's afraid to continue doing it. i don't know what to do."

"that's the thing. there is nothing we can do. snow knows that. that's why he's doing this." mark said, rubbing his hand over his face and his bloodshot eyes. he was exhausted after many restless nights. 

"it's like there's always going to be something happening. we can't escape it and soon it'll be the reaping again and we'll have to be the mentors. i'm not ready." renjun said, tapping his fingers on the table in front of him. it had become his habit and he hated it.

"but we'll see each other then. we won't be alone anymore." jeno said to cheer the mood up. he found himself often having to do that because no one else would, not even haechan who was usually the mood maker in the group.

"i really miss you all." chenle added, resting his chin on the back of his hand as his eyes skimmed the holographic pictures of his friends he hadn't been able to see in person for a while.

"i miss everything about you guys, even when you were being annoying." jaemin mumbled.

"us annoying? you're the annoying one." jisung laughed.

"that's no way to speak to your elder!"

"old man nana."

"hey!"

♆

it was another night of jihyun sneaking out after curfew to see if she could find any food to drop off at people's houses. as she opened the back door of her house like she did every night, the kitchen light suddenly turned on, blinding her. she held her hand in front of her face, shielding her eyes.

"why are you doing this?" doyoung, the culprit that turned the lights on, asked.

"why bother asking?" jihyun replied as she was overwhelmed with a sense of deja vu. this was exactly how the day before the reaping went. doyoung had caught her sneaking around for the first time and he had done it again.

"i know you're—"

"don't say i'm trying to be a hero. you said that last time." she cut him off, shutting the back door.

"then you know exactly what my thoughts are on this." he said, crossing his arms. "don't do this."

"i have to, doyo. who's going to feed the people? they're starving. children are starving. i can't sit back and allow this. someone has to do something."

"and it cannot be you."

"why not?!" she exclaimed, now furious. she hated when people tried to prevent her from doing what she wanted when she knew it was the right thing to do.