Sleeping Beauty Syndrome

19

Since San must have wanted something specific from us, we followed him into the living room, where Seonghwa had the laptop on the table. The email program was open and the KQ logo was visible.

"We've received a message saying that the CEO has fallen into a coma and emergency measures are now being taken. His wife will take care of everything until then and we have increased security here in the building, as there has been unrest in many countries and gangs have already formed here too, robbing people with large food supplies. We are not allowed to leave the building under any circumstances, but as there are no other employees in the building apart from us and the security officers, who are only on the ground floor, we are allowed back on all floors except the ground floor. This means we can train in the dance rooms and the studios are also accessible again. We are supposed to stream VLives from time to time for the Atiny who are still alive, if we feel up to it and work on new songs to keep our minds off things. We should also remember to go to the roof for at least an hour a day, more raised beds have been installed there and we have been given soil and seeds to grow our own vegetables as no one knows what the fresh food situation will be like in a few months. Dr. Park Lee will remain our medical contact person and we should always contact her if anything happens. We should also take good care of the members who are in a coma as there are no more nurses. They are building us solar panels that will mainly generate electricity for this apartment in case the municipal power grid fails, and there are enough water supplies in the basement in case the water pipes break down. A system is also being built to collect and filter rainwater," he explained in the email.

"They think of everything..." Mingi said, impressed, but Hongjoong sighed.

"But it sounds like we'll be cooped up here for years. They're making the building completely self-sufficient. Well, if I can go back to the studio, that's where I'm going. Are you coming with me?" Hongjoong asked Mingi, who nodded and quickly followed the older man.

"Okay... who's coming to dance with me?" San wanted to know as he looked around. When his gaze fell on Wooyoung and he shook his head, he grinned knowingly, but was then distracted by Yeosang, who had jumped up and taken San by the hand.

"I'll take care of Yunho and Jongho." Seonghwa declined and I was alone with Wooyoung again, who immediately pulled me back into his arms and kissed me. I cuddled up to him contentedly, whereupon he spread a woollen blanket over us and then switched to Netflix. We spent the whole morning like this until we decided to prepare lunch at lunchtime, as everyone else was busy. When we were done, we brought the others their meals. Wooyoung went to Hongjoong and Mingi and I went to San and Yeosang.

When I quietly opened the door to the dance room, I expected to find the two of them dancing and sweating, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. San was sitting on the floor with his legs stretched out, his back leaning against the mirror, and Yeosang was sitting astride his lap. San's hands had disappeared under his shirt, while Yeosang's fingers were buried in San's hair. The atmosphere seemed heated and they didn't notice me. I almost thought it was a shame that I had to draw attention to myself, because this was a show you didn't get to see every day and definitely a hot sight.

I had to clear my throat three times before they turned to me, startled.

"That makes us even then." I said with a grin to San, who scratched his head slightly ashamed.

"Huh?" was Yeosang's intelligent question.

"I caught her snogging Wooyoung..." San explained and Yeosang nodded understandingly.

"Yeah, I figured he'd finally get up the nerve... I mean, if not during the apocalypse, then when?" he said and snuggled into San's arms.

"And you two? Are you also a Laste Minute couple?" I asked with a grin, but Yeosang shook his head.

"We've been together for two years, we just had to keep it a secret until now. But from whom now?" he clarified.

"Wow, you hid it really well, I never noticed. Does Wooyoung know about it?" I wouldn't be surprised if he did, though.

"Who do you think set us up because we were too shy to confess our feelings?" San replied with a laugh. Yes, that suited Wooyoung.

"All right, please eat your food too, not just each other," I said with a grin before leaving.

Back in the apartment, I filled Wooyoung's, Seonghwa's and my plates and placed them on the living room table before going into Jongho's room to fetch Seonghwa. He was sitting at the youngest's bedside, talking to him quietly while he combed his hair lovingly. When he noticed me, he furtively wiped away a tear and I smiled sadly at him. He always tried to be strong enough for all of us, all too often hiding his own pain. Watching his bandmates, who were like his little brothers, lying here so helplessly, the loss of Juhee, none of that left him untouched. Without hesitating, I sat down next to him and hugged him tightly.

"I have no idea what to say to you to comfort you, because the familiar 'everything will be alright again' is probably an empty promise, but I firmly believe that they will wake up again..."