Girls Never Die || TripleS

16 - Decision

Enthusiastic whispers made their rounds through the tour bus as it drove on a mountaintop away from Daejeon. Jiyeon kept her eyes closed, trying to get a few more minutes of rest in. She was so jittery last night it was hard to sleep.

"How's our principal dancer doing?" A hand hooked over Jiyeon's seat from behind.

Jiyeon looked up and smiled at her friend. "I'm kind of nervous, actually."

"Don't be!" another girl cheered, play-smacking Jiyeon on the shoulder. "You'll do amazing. Just put on that winning smile of yours and you'll steal the show."

Jiyeon leaned her head back into her seat, wearing a comfortable grin. "Thanks, Haneul."

"Stay seated, girls," advised their teacher. "We wouldn't want something to happen before we even get to perform."

"Yes, mentor Shen!" The two girls obeyed and seated themselves.

Jiyeon let out an amused huff, turning around to look outside. Her smile wore down into a frown when she spotted the extended blockage before them.

"What's all of this?" asked the ballerina as the bus jolted to a stop. All around them, people stepped out of their cars, some even getting into fights. Vehicles quickly filled the space behind them. The other road was filled with cars rushing away from Seoul.

"Traffic? That wasn't on the feed," mumbled the driver as he stood up. "Stay in your seats," he said before stepping down.

The girls ignored his advice and leaned over to look out the window. The bus driver confusedly scratched his head at the havoc. Alarms blared while other vehicles unceasingly pressed on the car horn, sending jarring beeps through the packed road.

"I don't like this..." whimpered one of Jiyeon's crew members. The principal dancer kept her eyes on the man as he looked an approaching boy up and down. He kneeled in front of the kid and set his hand on his shoulder, mouthing something.

An odd chill ran up Jiyeon's neck. The child's eyes were hollow as he kept staring the driver down, and she noticed odd black lines going up his neck. The driver kept talking until the boy snapped his head towards the hand and bit into it.

The girls screamed as the driver pulled back in shock. The boy went at him again, and the man backed away whilst shooing the child. He urgently hopped back into the bus, shoving the kid away with his foot before closing the door and crashing into the driver's seat.

"What's happening?" asked mentor Shen on high alert.

"Something isn't right. We need to get out of here," blubbered the driver as he veered the bus off course, making his passengers sway to the side.

The dance crew yelled in terror when a man banged his palm against the bus, eyes distressed. His voice was muffled through the door as he yelled to be let in. The bus driver stopped and was about to open the door, but a woman lunged at the outsider before it could open.

Jiyeon sunk into her seat and closed her eyes, terrified. Curling into herself, she pressed her palms against the back of her neck.

The tour bus rocked back as the driver pressed the gas pedal, boosting the vehicle away from the commotion.

"Everyone's attacking each other. What's happening?" Haneul hugged herself as she stared outside.

Screams filled Jiyeon's ears. The ballerina looked up, wondering what happened.

"You almost hit someone!" She heard their mentor scold the driver. Her breath hitched when he didn't react.

"...Sir?"