The REPLAY of SKZ: Let's Go Back to Those Times

Chapter 22 - Jisung

"Alright, everyone in the car! Practice is over!" Chan announces, calling it quits for the day after speaking with Chris and Jacob, who had already spoke with Lee Know and the rest of us.

The younger group seems to hustle, putting their stuff in their bag as quickly as humanly possible, probably excited to get away from our dance leader. I bet they can't wait for tomorrow with more dance practice.

Since we just stole water from our past selves, we don't have anything except the clothes on our body to bring with us. We walk into the hallway, Woojin is already packed and out the door, but no one else has emerged. That is until they hurry out the door behind us. Some of them try to pass us in order to get to the first car. I squeeze into Lee Know to let them pass.

Chan is in the back doing leader things like making sure nothing was left behind, closing the door and counting his group like a very protective hawk. I wonder if he's counting us too.

Woojin is in the front, leading everyone to the garage and grabbing managers to take us all back. Apparently they won't get a new dorm for only two weeks so we'll all just have to continue cramming in one not meant for even nine boys.

I can hear rain colliding to the ground outside and flowing in large grimy streams down the overused streets, cracked sidewalks and into the old drainage systems. I hope the weather isn't too bad for the next coming days. But maybe it'll be nice to not have to socialize so much.

There doesn't seem to be an attendance for each car so it's a free-for-all, everyone rushing for the car in the front. For the shower, I assume. I stare at everything for a minute, trying to decide my best option. Eventually, I get into the last car. There's a lot less people are going for it so it'll be less stressful as a result. I slide the van door shut.

It seems that I get Minho as my seat mate in the middle row. Chris and Chan are in the back of the car already, somehow, chatting quietly among themselves. Jacob and Yongbok sit in front of us, the latter laying his head on Jake's shoulder.

I bring my knees up to my chest and lie my forehead on them. The car starts up and starts moving. For the first length of time (which I could very very roughly estimate as ten-ish minutes) the leaders seem to be talking, and even that is a quiet background noise; hard to hear with their near-silent whispers.

Until Minho breaks it that is. He says something and I ignore it, thinking that it's probably for someone else, like the two in the back. It isn't until he nudges me when I don't respond that I realize that whatever the heck he said was probably meant for me. Whoops.

I lift my head, his eyes on me prove my suspicion. "Hm? What'd you say?" I whisper.

"You are okay?" He repeated.

"Uh, yeah. I'm just drained." I mumble.

He nods awkwardly in understanding. "So your anxiety is worse?" He inquires and I tense. This conversation is going way too far.

"It's been okay. I know how to handle myself." I murmur.

"Right. Sorry."

We relapse into silence again. I sigh before laying my hand in between us. He asks about silent question and when I wiggle my fingers again, he grabs it. Now we're holding hands. Hopefully that stops anymore questions. I can see the stupid smile on his face so I just stare out the window.

The leaders have stopped talking and the rest of the ride back is quiet except for the honking of cars and the sound of rain beating into the metal roof.

There's a lot of rain and even some lightning and thunder now. It's soothing, with the beat of the rain on our roof and watching it flow outside. Sometimes our tires dip into the streams and send the water flying in a pretty array of droplets.