WHO ARE YOU?|ATEEZ FANFIC (In Editing Progress)

Chapter 59|In the shadows

A gloomy atmosphere overwhelmed the group as they all got out of the car. Between the huge factory buildings where Yunho would have parked, no light really reached the ground anymore. The last rays of daylight touched the chimneys that towered en masse across the site. Hongjoong let his gaze wander over the area. Surrounding them were dozens of buildings that looked very similar to the desert warehouse, with large windows and gates. Every single building looked very old, at least forty or fifty years. Some of the huge window panes were smashed and the shards lay all over the floor.

"As always, everything looks very inviting." Jongho broke the boys' awkward silence. He had his hands in his jacket pockets and his jaw tensed, trying not to let it show that everything from his head to his feet hurt, as if he had a full-body soreness. His palm, where he had touched the fence, burned. His headache was gone, but an unpleasant buzzing sound still made him dizzy and uneasy. Hongjoong nodded in agreement at Jongho's comment.

"Let us hope that appearances are deceptive." He answered. Jongho just made a mocking sound.

"If you say that."

"Let's take a look around." San suggested, sticking to Wooyoung like a Band-Aid. The black-haired man with the beauty mark under his left eye still felt absolutely disgusting. His stomach wasn't making as big a fuss as it had when they left about half an hour ago, but he was still nauseous and felt like he was going to throw up again at any moment. He held on to San's arm and padded along next to the blonde as the group moved away from the car and walked somewhat unsteadily across the area.

"Are we sure we don't want to go to the hotel?" Mingi asked, who was walking by Yunho's hand and half hiding behind the taller man's back while running.

"I don't like it here at all."

"When have you ever liked a place?" Jongho asked and Mingi pouted.

"It was nice on the beach." There was a collective dreamy sigh.

"What I wouldn't give for this completely overcrowded bed." Yeosang sighed and Hongjoong nodded.

"And me for the couch." Seonghwa grimaced in confusion.

"You said the couch was uncomfortable."

"But I didn't have to share it." The eldest rolled his eyes. They walked across the grounds, away from their car, not quite sure where to go now. They were surrounded by at least ten buildings of different sizes. Did they have to search everyone? What were they even looking for? Such questions were asked by Yunho, who was walking at the back, right behind Wooyoung and San, looking around nervously. He doesn't want this place at all. It felt like they were being watched the entire time they arrived. With every step they took on the dusty asphalt path, the unpleasant goosebumps that had spread on Yunho's arms as soon as he got out of the car increased. When they reached a crossroads, the group stopped and Hongjoong looked around uncertainly.

"Where are we going?" Asked he. Behind him, Yeosang grimaced.

"Is going to the hotel an option?" The older man simply rolled his eyes at this question and shook his head before looking around briefly.

"Maybe we'll go in here first?" He pointed to one of the buildings to their left, which, compared to all the other buildings, looked the least likely to collapse on them if they merely opened the door. There was a hesitant silence for a moment. None of them wanted to go into any of these buildings. But if they had to, they would probably prefer this one. One by one, they nervously entered the building through a broken window - as the door was secured and locked with a chain. Wooyoung, suspecting he would throw up again if he tried to climb, stayed outside and sat on the bottom step of a metal staircase that led up the side of the building. Jongho kept him company. The others quickly climbed through the window, careful not to cut themselves on the shards, and when everyone was through, they gathered in front of the window and looked around.