GROUND ONE • LEE DONGHYUCK •

ten.

KILLING EVE WAS A LOT EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

Mark had found out that she was a program. She controlled every system that was in Ground One. Hell, she basically was Ground One. There was no way to stop the people in here unless they unplugged her. Without her and her technology, everyone in here was practically useless— meaning that they would be able to escape.

Mark just needed to find where her source was. If they could find it, then he could plan accordingly. Three weeks had passed. The boys and Sage rotated in and out of the basement every two days. After the first two weeks, they had moved onto a different person. Kai had turned into a different person. He seemed more built.

He also hadn't talked to Sage either. She caught him glaring at her in the training center. It was weird honestly. His stare gave her shivers. Whatever was going on with him, she didn't like it one bit.

Sage sat beside Jisung in the empty arena, a small frown on her face. "Jisung?" she called, the younger boy turning towards her.

"Yeah?"

"What do you miss the most out there?" she quietly asked. He sighed.

"I miss going on late night adventures with the boys," he told her. "We would sneak out and do stupid things really. I miss getting in trouble and telling my parents that I wouldn't do it again. I miss getting scolded," he laughed out. "My parents... God I miss them a lot."

She smiled softly. "I miss my dad too. I hope he's okay." She cleared her throat, her eyes watering. "I also miss being able to see the outside. Never realized how much I took the world for granted until I wasn't able to see it again."

Jisung gazed at her, watching as she tried to hold back tears. Her mouth slightly twitched and her hands began to shake. He scooted closer to her, concern written all over his face. "It's okay to cry Sage. We are the only ones in here."

Sage let her sobs out, Jisung immediately holding her closer. She gripped onto his shirt tightly— her tears hitting his white colored shirt. It hurt him to listen to her gasp for air as she cried out every emotion she felt. He had noticed that she didn't
like to feel vulnerable.

He rubbed her back, calming reassuring her. "You're a good person Sage," he whispered. "Thank you for caring about all of us."

Her cries only increased at his words. She hadn't believed it about herself. Hearing those words made her feel like everything would be better.

The two didn't realize that someone had been watching them. He stood beside the door of the arena, his eyes soft as he watched Sage cry. He wanted to be the one there for her. He looked away quickly, knowing that he couldn't ever bring himself to do it.

The tanned man walked away from the door, sweeping his hair from out of his face. He hated seeing her cry more than he claimed to hate her.

Sage eventually moved away from Jisung, wiping her eyes. "I ruined your shirt," she muttered. He waved her off. "Nothing a washing machine can't fix. Do you feel better?"

She thought, nodding soon after. "Thank you Jisung."

"You don't have to thank me Sage. It's what's friends are for."

Friends. She hadn't had a lot of them growing up with her situation. She had finally found them but in the wrong place, the wrong time. Nevertheless, she was grateful to have someone to lean on. The two eventually walked out of the arena, going back towards their rooms.

An alarm sounded over the intercom, stopping the two from doing so. The lights began to flash red— Sage and Jisung looking at each other in silence. The hell?

"All participants of Ground One report to the Arena Now. Failure to do so will result in punishment," Eve announced.

"The hell do they have planned?" she muttered.

☾

The arena was filled with weapons. Tasers and knives were the main ones. Sage was in disbelief. "You will have fifteen seconds to grab a weapon. You all are separated into two teams. The teams are now being projecting onto the screen in front of you. The team with the most people standing after ten minutes will win. Have fun participants!"

Sage looked at the screen. Her and the boys were separated mostly. Donghyuck, Jeno, and Jisung were on her team while the others were on the opposite team. This whole place was fucked up.

"Sage I cant do this," Jisung muttered, backing up. She grabbed his hand. "They will punish you if you leave this arena. Only fight when needed to okay?"

Sage knew he didn't like violence. He couldn't harm an insect if he wanted to. He nodded hesitantly, grabbing a knife— Sage doing the same.

"You may begin."