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‼️‼️ VOTE ENHYPEN ON MNET FOR BOTH CATEGORIES!! (don't vote for female groups in top 10)
Aiko & Heeseung
The journey stretched on, time bleeding into itself as the van trudged forward, the desolate landscape passing by in a blur of broken-down buildings and overgrown roads. Inside the van, tension simmered just below the surface, threatening to bubble over. Every creak of the vehicle, every distant sound of wind howling through the cracks in forgotten structures, made the group's nerves rattle.
Heeseung's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, his gaze never leaving the road. He hadn't spoken much since they'd left the abandoned house. His focus was entirely on the task ahead, and his silence only added to the tension in the air. The others had mostly fallen into a quiet lull, some dozing off after the exhausting day, but there wasn't a single person who wasn't on edge. They were about to enter dangerous territory.
"We're getting close," Heeseung said suddenly, his voice cutting through the stillness inside the van like a sharp blade.
Aiko, who had been staring out the window in a daze, blinked and turned her attention to him. "Close to what?"
"The area owned by Genetech Labs." Heeseung's eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror, where the rest of the group were beginning to stir. "We're not at the lab yet, but this is their land. So keep your guard up."
"Great," Sunghoon muttered from his seat, rubbing his tired eyes. "What do we even expect to find here? A welcoming party?"
"Wouldn't count on it," Jay replied, sliding his knife back into its sheath as he checked his other gear. "But we might find trouble, so let's be ready."
Everyone began preparing, the sound of guns being cocked and checked, knives sharpened and stored. The air was thick with anticipation, fear hanging over them like a dark cloud. Aiko could feel her heart racing in her chest as she fidgeted with the strap of her holster, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Something feels off," Yuna said quietly, from her seat near the back. She was staring out the window, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Where are the Neomorphs? We haven't seen any in hours."
"Maybe that's a good thing," Jungwon offered, though he didn't sound too convinced.
"Or maybe it's the calm before the storm," Ni-ki said, glancing nervously at Sunoo beside him. "I don't trust this quiet."
"Relax," Jay said, though his voice was tight with unease. "We're almost there. Let's just get through this."
Aiko shifted in her seat, trying to steady her breathing. Her hand rested on the butt of her gun, her thumb running over the cool metal. She glanced at Heeseung, who seemed unnaturally calm, his eyes locked on the road ahead.
Suddenly, Heeseung slowed the van to a crawl, squinting into the distance. "Shit."
The group immediately sat up straighter, craning their necks to see what he was looking at. Up ahead, a massive barricade loomed into view—a wall of rusted cars and debris that stretched across the entire road, blocking their path entirely.
"What the hell?" Sunghoon muttered, leaning forward in his seat.
"That's new," Yuna added, peering through the front windshield.
"Why the fuck is there a barricade here?" Jay asked, his voice low and tense.
Heeseung brought the van to a stop, his jaw clenched. "Someone didn't want visitors."
"There's no way we're getting through that with the van," Sunghoon said, shaking his head as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Guess we're walking from here."
No one wanted to leave the van's relative safety, but they all knew there was no other option. The barricade was too large to drive around or through, and the lab was still a ways beyond it. Reluctantly, they began to gather their gear.
"Everyone, arm yourselves," Heeseung ordered, his voice steady. "We don't know what's waiting on the other side."
Aiko's heart pounded in her chest as she checked her gun again. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she forced herself to breathe, in and out, trying to calm the rising tide of fear building inside her. She glanced at Heeseung as he loaded his rifle, his expression focused and unreadable.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice low as he noticed her hesitation.
"Yeah..." she whispered, nodding, though her hands shook slightly. "I'm fine."
Heeseung held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. "Stay close to me."
They filed out of the van, the air outside much cooler than inside, sending a shiver down Aiko's spine. The group began moving toward the barricade cautiously, their weapons raised, scanning their surroundings for any signs of movement.
The silence was eerie. There wasn't even the faintest sound of wind or wildlife. It was as if the world had stopped moving altogether.
"Does anyone else have a bad feeling about this?" Sunoo whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Yeah," Ni-ki replied, his hand tightening around his gun. "This doesn't feel right."
As they neared the barricade, Aiko's eyes swept over the rusted cars and debris. Something about the way they were piled up didn't make sense. It wasn't random—there was a method to it, a deliberate stacking of vehicles that couldn't have been done by accident or by creatures. It looked more like a trap.
Suddenly, a sharp click echoed in the air—the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.
Before anyone could react, men dressed in dark clothing rushed out from behind the barricade, weapons drawn. In an instant, they had Ni-ki, Jungwon, and Aiko in their grasp, guns pressed to their heads.
"Fuck!" Jay cursed, raising his rifle instinctively but freezing when he saw the gun pointed at Jungwon's temple.
"Drop your fucking weapons!" one of the men shouted, his voice cold and menacing.
Heeseung's heart raced as he saw the terror in Aiko's eyes, the barrel of a gun pressed against her head. His fingers twitched on his weapon, but he knew better than to make any sudden moves. One wrong step, and she'd be dead.
"Let them go," Heeseung said through gritted teeth, his voice a dangerous growl. "Now."
The man holding Aiko smirked, his grip tightening. "Drop your weapons, or I'll blow her fucking brains out."
Reluctantly, Heeseung and the others lowered their guns, letting them fall to the ground with a dull thud. A tense silence hung in the air as the men watched them carefully, guns still aimed at their heads.
"What now?" Heeseung demanded, his eyes never leaving Aiko.
One of the men stepped forward, pulling a cloth from his belt. He held it up to Aiko's face, and before she could even react, he pressed it against her nose and mouth. Her eyes went wide as she struggled, her vision blurring as the fumes took over.
"No!" Heeseung shouted, taking a step forward, but the other man held up his gun, stopping him in his tracks.
One by one, the masked men pressed the same cloth to Ni-ki's and Jungwon's faces, their bodies collapsing to the ground as the chemicals overwhelmed them. Aiko's last conscious thought was the sight of her friends crumpling to the dirt, her body following soon after. Her vision went black as she hit the ground, the world slipping away.
Heeseung barely had time to curse before he felt the cloth pressed against his face, his body fighting to stay upright. But the fumes were too strong, and soon enough, his vision darkened. His last thought before everything went black was of Aiko, unconscious on the ground.
