1996 | Y.Jw

| 16 |

"Nooo, you got to be kidding me," a girl shook her head the moment Jungwon and I walked behind Sunghoon down a flight of stairs, towards a cellar, "I'm imagining things."

"Soo's still in denial," Jake excused as I happily ran over to sit between Emiko and Lin, "Millie... not so much," he shook his head and glanced at another girl, who was sitting on the desk with her feet on the chair, her chin placed in her hand.

"I still think you're insane," the girl, Millie, shook her head, her dark brown bangs flowing back and forth slightly.

"It's like taking in a stray dog!" the other girl exclaimed.

"Soomin we've been over this," Heeseung sighed deeply.

"Besides, it's a good deed to take in a stray dog," Jake shrugged.

"We're talking about teenagers Jake! Teenagers!" Soomin sternly reminded, "and you want us to do what? Hide them from the government, which they apparently escaped from?"

"Jake, this is unrealistic," Millie shook her head quietly.

"Technically. Each of us will just get a new sibling," Jake pointed out in return.

"And you think my parents are cool with that?" Soomin questioned in disbelief, "you guys are mental."

"Can't one of you just explain everything?" Jay sighed and turned to look at the six of us, sitting on the same couch, "please?"

"Why isn't Kumiko here, huh?" Soomin turned to Jay, "if Millie and I have to help, why doesn't your girlfriend? Or Xia?" Soomin snapped around to Heeseung.

"We need Millie to give them haircuts," Sunghoon waved it off, "and if you'll be a darling get some clothes for all of them. You know how to get into the dumpsters of donated clothes."

"Donated, Sunghoon! Donated to people in need," Soomin clarified.

"And they don't look like people in need to you?" Sunghoon retorted, "listen. You know I love you, but if you'd just listen right now."

"I can explain, if you'd like..." Lin offered and held up her hand, only earning a nod from Jay, "basically they did experiments and tests on us, held us in the same rooms for as long as we can remember. We lived the same lives everyday, did we break a rule we would be punished. Now we're left with skills and no knowledge of the outside world."

"They didn't even know what country they were in until last night," Jay pointed out.

"They weren't even aware of what a car was," Sunghoon remarked as well, "questioned if it was really a car when I drove them into town."

"Well, what are these skills?" Millie questioned making the four boys who had helped us just look at all of us in return.

"Jiyeon is the most obvious one isn't she?" Jake questioned and the others simply shrugged.

"Can I show off?" Riki questioned after he had glanced over at me, noticing how I was sinking further into the couch.

"Go ahead man," Jake sighed.

Abruptly Riki disappeared from the couch, getting no reaction from the five of us that was left on it. Soon enough a small scream came from Millie, who had stumbled down from the desk the moment Riki had appeared beside her.

"Alright, drive me home," Soomin sighed and turned to Sunghoon.

"Soo if you'll just-" Sunghoon started.

"Drive me home so I can find some of my old clothes, and some of my brother's," Soomin clarified, "I'll go even more insane if I stay here, and that is the only way you'll let me get away for some time."