checkmate ; xdinary heroes

27.

nothing had been the same without gunil. seemingly everything seemed to go back to how it was but all of them knew that it was not that anymore. 

it could never be. 

the only 'good' thing they got from it was that they got even closer to each other, if it was possible and of course jooyeon was also included in this. he too, was always with them. 

it was as if the bond grew stronger. they never went alone somewhere and never left each others side. jungsu was keeping the promise he made pretty well and he was almost always going out with the others. always trying his best to protect the younger ones. not like he didn't try it before, but now it was as if there was something else that made him do it. for the sake of gunil, he tried harder. 

and it was another chilly evening, one of those where the weather through the day seemed to be amazing, but got cold by the evening anyway. all five of them were used to it and well prepared too. they always had fluffy blankets ready just in case it would be cold during the night. since obviously, they didn't have enough money to pay any kind of bills. 

hyeongjun, jiseok and jooyeon were cuddled up close to each other under a blanket on the couch, watching a random movie that way shown on the tv. while jungsu and seungmin were sat right beside each other, in an armchair, one blanket thrown around their shoulders. 

the windows were closed, yet it was obvious that it would soon get start becoming colder and soon even these soft blankets wouldn't be enough to warm them up. 

shifting his position to get more comfortable, ❝what should we do?❞ seungmin grabbed the corner of the blanket that was right by his shoulder and pulled it down, resting his head on jungsu's shoulder. 

jooyeon rose slightly up from his place, glancing at the two. ❝what do you mean?❞ he asked, tilting his head to the side. 

❝winter is approaching.❞ seungmin replied without looking at the youngest among them. and jooyeon didn't need any further explanation as to what that meant. it started worrying him too now. what were they supposed to do. probably get more warm clothes? 

pressing his lips into a thin line, jooyeon fell back on the couch as jiseok pulled him by his shoulders. he looked to the side, being met with the adorable sight of both jiseok and hyeongjun being half asleep. 

❝you are letting cold inside.❞ jiseok mumbled more to himself pulling the blanket back up, wrapping his arms around jooyeon's hand. 

chuckling at the elder's adorable behavior, ❝ji⸺ gaon,❞ he started as he wanted to say something, but was shushed by a tiny peck on his lips and gaon closed his eyes most definitely going to sleep. 

jooyeon glanced over at hyeongjun too who was also probably asleep too by now. jooyeon however couldn't help but think. not being able to fall asleep even if he kind of wanted to. he still thought about what seungmin had said. what they were going to do. not like it seemed like a big problem, they could always go wherever, steal whatever and kill whoever. jooyeon had gotten used to it already. but the problem was winter. he wasn't sure if they would be able to survive it. this winter was said to be the the coldest one among all others and it worried jooyeon. 

but on the other hand, who were they, to not survive something so simple like a freezing weather of winter was. they had gone through so much. jooyeon most definitely hadn't seen even half of it but he was already able to tell. they lost a friend. a close friend. the person who was apart of their family. 

they couldn't be hurt anymore. there was no way there was something they could not go through. as long as they had each other and didn't lose anyone.