𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘- TMR, Minho

012, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬.

The sun dipped low behind the jagged remains of a ruined building, casting long, eerie shadows across the cracked ground. The dry, cracked surface of the Scorch was as unforgiving as ever, but the group moved forward, cautious yet determined. They had no other option but to push ahead and stay out of WCKD's reach.

Lila was at the front, her keen eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of danger. She could feel the weight of the others' footsteps behind her, but it wasn't just the sound of them that grounded her. It was the responsibility—the unspoken expectation that, when things went wrong, she'd be the one to fix them. And things always went wrong in the Scorch.

Minho walked just a few paces behind her, his gaze occasionally flicking to Lila. She moved with a confidence that he found both impressive and worrying. He was well aware of her skills and strength, but in a place as unforgiving as the Scorch, even the best could be caught off guard. And despite all the bickering and sarcasm, he wasn't about to let that happen.

"You always this tense, Firecracker?" Minho called out, his voice breaking the silence that had settled over the group like a thick fog.

Lila didn't bother to look back, her eyes still scanning the ruins around them. "In the Scorch? Only when I'm awake."

A smirk tugged at the corner of Minho's mouth. He was about to shoot back with another witty comment, but before he could get the words out, a low, guttural growl echoed from somewhere nearby.

The sound sent a chill down his spine, and his joking demeanor evaporated in an instant. Lila's body tensed, her instincts kicking in immediately. She had her gun in hand before anyone else could react, her sharp eyes darting around to locate the source of the growl.

It wasn't long before they found it.

A Crank, more feral and twisted than anything they had encountered before, lunged out from the shadows of a crumbling building. Its bloodshot eyes were locked onto Lila, its teeth bared in a grotesque snarl as it charged toward her with alarming speed.

"Lila!" Minho shouted, his heart hammering in his chest as he sprinted toward her. He didn't think—he just moved. Without a second thought, he shoved her aside, narrowly avoiding the Crank's clawed hands as it swiped at them both.

Lila hit the ground hard, rolling to her feet in an instant, but Minho had already thrown himself between her and the Crank. His hand closed around a rusted metal pipe that lay in the dirt, and he swung it wildly at the creature, hoping to buy them some time. But the Crank was fast—too fast.

It dodged the first swing and lunged again, this time knocking Minho back against the crumbling wall of the nearby building. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of him, and before he could recover, the Crank was on him, its foul, rotting face mere inches from his.

Minho didn't care if he lived or died—he couldn't let her die.

The Crank's claws dug into his shoulders, pinning him against the wall as it snarled and snapped at him, its teeth gnashing dangerously close to his throat.

"Get off him!" Lila shouted, scrambling to her feet. Panic flared in her chest as she saw Minho struggling beneath the Crank's weight, but she forced herself to stay calm. She had to stay calm.

With practiced precision, she drew her gun and aimed, her hands steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"Minho, move!" she yelled, her voice sharp and urgent.

Gritting his teeth, Minho managed to shift his body just enough to give her a clear shot. The Crank's teeth were inches from his neck, its rancid breath filling his nose, but before it could sink its fangs into him, Lila pulled the trigger.

The bullet struck the Crank square in the head, and it crumpled to the ground with a sickening thud, lifeless.

Minho stumbled back, gasping for breath as the weight of the Crank was suddenly lifted from him. His chest heaved as he stared down at the creature's corpse, the reality of how close he had come to death hitting him like a freight train.

"You okay?" Lila asked, holstering her gun and stepping toward him.

Minho, still catching his breath, let out a breathless chuckle. "Just another day in paradise, huh?"

Lila rolled her eyes but extended her hand to help him up. "You didn't have to do that, you know."

Minho grinned as he took her hand and pulled himself to his feet. "Yeah, well, guess I couldn't let you have all the fun, could I?"

Lila scoffed, brushing the dirt off her pants. "You're an idiot."

Minho wiped the blood from his lip, his grin never faltering. "And yet, you still let me stick around."

Lila shook her head. "Only because I don't want to be responsible for your dumbass getting killed."

Minho was about to fire off a retort when Thomas appeared at their side, panting from the sprint over. His eyes darted from Lila to Minho, and finally to the dead Crank at their feet.

"What the hell happened?" Thomas asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Minho shrugged, still catching his breath. "Crank tried to eat me. Lila saved my life. You know, the usual."

Lila crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Minho tried to take on a Crank solo. Didn't go well."

Thomas raised an eyebrow at Minho, who shot him a sheepish grin. "I had it under control."

Lila scoffed. "Sure you did."

"Let's keep moving," Thomas said, shaking his head but clearly relieved. "We need to get out of here before more show up."

As they continued their trek through the Scorch, Lila found herself walking alongside Minho again. Despite everything that had just happened, he couldn't help but smirk at her.

"So, Firecracker," he began, his tone teasing, "you gonna keep saving my life, or are you gonna let me do some of the work next time?"

Lila shot him a sidelong glance. "You're not exactly inspiring confidence, Minho."

"Harsh," Minho replied, clutching his chest in mock pain. "But fair."

Lila's lips twitched upward in a small smile. "You've got to be faster next time. I won't always be there to save your ass."

"Guess I'll have to come up with a new nickname for you," Minho said, grinning. "How about 'Badass?' Or maybe 'Hotshot?' Wait, no, that's me."

Lila shook her head, her smile growing. "Stick with Firecracker, Minho. Don't hurt yourself thinking too hard."

Minho laughed, clearly enjoying the banter. "Fine, fine. But someday, I'm gonna come up with the perfect nickname for you, and you're gonna love it."

"I'm sure I will," Lila replied sarcastically.

But beneath the sarcasm and bickering, there was an undeniable warmth between them, a connection that neither of them could deny. As they moved deeper into the Scorch, unaware of the dangers still ahead, they pressed on together—ready to face whatever came next.