1996 | Y.Jw

| 2.18 |

I quietly watched as Lin and Sunoo hugged tightly, meanwhile Riki tried to drag Emiko back into the house once more. Poor Jake stood in the door, watching quietly.

"Where's Millie?" Lin questioned as she somehow managed to pry Sunoo off of herself, immediately sending him on to hug me tightly.

"At college," Jake softly replied, "she's studying medicine once the summer ends... moved in last week. She'll be fine," Jake whispered quietly in assurance as Sunoo pulled me into a tight hug.

"I don't say it enough but god I missed you," he whispered quietly as I slowly hugged him back, "pull through for me, alright? All three of you?"

"It'll be like nothing ever happened," I hummed quietly at him and patted his back making him slowly pull back and smile down at me.

He hesitantly returned to the house, fighting with Riki to let go of Emiko. Eventually succeeding with the help of Emiko. Instead Emiko had resorted to just peck Riki's cheek softly with a small smile before assuring him it'll be fine.

"Kinda unfair you get to drag your boyfriend along," Lin chuckled as she got into the car along with Emiko following right behind her.

"We need him," I quietly excused as I got in myself, following Jungwon walking around the car with my eyes, "his skills aren't that strong anymore, but he'll be abe to tell us if we have to be aware of anything... and we need a driver."

Jungwon quietly opened the car door and jumped in, quickly starting the car before Sunoo lost his grip on Riki. It was clear on Sunoo's face that he was both struggling and highly frustrated with Riki in that moment.

"What have you done to that poor boy?" Lin questioned in shock as Jungwon finally began driving down the street.

"I promised him that if we made it out alive we would go on a date," Emiko shrugged casually, "I thought it might've been about time... right?"

 "Yeah..." I nodded as I looked over at her, turning in my seat, "about time."

"That's what I was saying," Emiko happily smiled before looking out the window and her smile immediately fading at the semi-dark summer night.

The car was dead silent for the rest of the ride. No one talked, no one whispered, not even a sigh. The radio remained turned off as well, even though I think music might've helped me calm down just a bit.

Jungwon parked a bit away from the lab's back entrance, right by the lapped hole we escaped through last time. Slowly a shaky breath escaped me as Lin and Emiko only looked out towards the building.

"Hey... it'll be fine," Jungwon whispered softly and I looked over towards him. He only gave me a small assuring smile along with a nod in return.

"I'm so scared," I quietly admitted and he only nodded as he turned off the car and shoved the keys into his front pocket.

"Well... the longer we wait the more panicked I'll be," Emiko decided before eventually getting out of the car. 

Seeing Lin disappear out after her I immediately pulled myself together and followed them out as well. I quickly grabbed onto Emiko's hand, meanwhile her other was held by Lin. Without a sound Jungwon wandered over and grabbed my hand softly in his as well.

"It all ends where it started I suppose," Jungwon murmured quietly making me glance at him, before he slowly disappeared for my own eyes. Emiko was starting it all in that very moment.

I felt a small tug on my hand that held Emiko's and I slowly followed along up to the fence, that slowly melted away. Lin had led the way forward. It all felt so weird to not be able to see each other properly, but we had accostumed to just listen to what each other's bodies said whenver a small tug were on our hands. The only one who was foreign from this was Jungwon, whose hand trembled slightly in mine.