Mischief Managed (Stray Kids Oneshots)

Crisis Mode | Seo Changbin

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon when Changbin suggested something a little out of the ordinary. "Hey," he said, grinning widely, "how about we do something fun? I found this escape room nearby, and I think we should try it. Just the two of us."

You raised an eyebrow. "Escape room? Like... one of those things where we have to solve puzzles to get out?"

"Exactly," Changbin responded with an excited spark in his eyes. "It'll be just like in the movies—except it's real life. And you know, less dramatic, probably."

With a mix of curiosity and hesitation, you agreed, not quite sure what you were getting yourself into. You both showed up at the venue a short while later, the cozy yet mysterious atmosphere of the escape room inviting you into what you could only imagine was about to be an adventure.

As you entered the room, the staff member explained the rules: You had an hour to solve a series of intricate puzzles to "escape" the room. The clock started ticking as soon as you entered. The only catch? It was just the two of you, no teammates, no backup. Changbin gave you a confident thumbs-up as he dragged you inside.

The door clicked shut, and the dim light of the room flickered, leaving you and Changbin to stare at each other in a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

"So, how do we start?" you asked, looking around at the locked cabinets and strange objects scattered throughout the room.

Changbin immediately went to the first table and started poking around. "I'm sure we'll figure it out. It can't be that hard, right?"

You laughed nervously. "Right... easy."

It didn't take long for you both to realize this wasn't going to be a walk in the park. The puzzles weren't as straightforward as you had imagined. The clues were cryptic, the locks were complex, and the timer ticking down above you was constantly reminding you that you had very little time to solve everything.

"Okay, okay, we can do this," Changbin said, his voice tinged with both determination and a hint of panic. He picked up a strange-shaped key and tried to fit it into a lock, only to discover it didn't work. He huffed in frustration. "What kind of key is this?!"

You moved to another table, trying to make sense of the next puzzle. "This is impossible! I think we're in way over our heads."

But despite the mounting frustration, Changbin wasn't one to give up. He started pacing, muttering to himself as he tried to break down the clues. You could see his mind working overtime, his expression focused and serious.

Then, suddenly, a loud clink of metal made you both jump. "I got it!" Changbin exclaimed, pulling open a hidden compartment in the wall. You rushed over, hoping this would be the breakthrough you needed.

Inside was another clue—this time, a riddle scrawled on a piece of paper. You both looked at it, confused. It was one of those riddles that sounded simple enough, but the answer was just... elusive.

Changbin rubbed his temples. "Are we sure this isn't just a joke? This is so cryptic!"

You sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "We're going to be here all day at this rate."

But then something shifted. You both exchanged a glance, and despite the mounting pressure of the clock, you couldn't help but laugh. "This is ridiculous. We're supposed to be experts, right?" You were practically giggling at how far off track you'd gotten.

Changbin joined in, laughing with you. "We're total disasters. I swear, this is the worst team-up ever!"

Despite the chaos and confusion, the laughter eased some of the tension. You both had your moments of frustration, but at least you were in it together. With every failed attempt, you got more creative, and in a weird way, that made the whole experience even more fun.

"Okay, let's just... let's try something crazy," Changbin suggested after a few more failed attempts. He grabbed a random object off the table and said, "What if this is actually part of the puzzle? Maybe it's not about the locks, maybe it's about the things around us?"

You stared at him, intrigued. "You know what? Why not?"

With nothing to lose, you and Changbin started trying even more bizarre combinations. You used objects that didn't seem to make sense, aligning random clues with no real logic. And strangely enough, it started to work. Bit by bit, the pieces fell into place.

The clock was ticking down, the minutes slipping away far faster than you could ever have imagined. Panic started setting in again as the countdown reached its final moments, and you and Changbin found yourselves scrambling to solve the last clue.

"What now?!" you gasped, sweat beginning to bead on your forehead as you stared at the final lock. You both tried combinations, but none of them were working.

"This has to be it!" Changbin shouted, nearly out of breath. He grabbed the key you'd found earlier and tried it again, this time pressing the right buttons on a keypad you hadn't noticed before.

A soft click echoed throughout the room.

You both froze, eyes wide. The door creaked open slowly, revealing the bright hallway outside. You'd done it.

"Wait, we actually made it out?" you asked in disbelief.

Changbin looked just as shocked. "How did that happen?! That was... chaos."

You both stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, as the realization set in. Despite all the confusion, the frustration, and the seemingly impossible puzzles, you'd managed to escape the room in the nick of time.

Changbin threw his hands up in victory. "Crisis mode activated and... we survived!"

You both burst out laughing, still slightly stunned by how wild the experience had been. As you walked out of the escape room, your laughter filled the air. It had been a complete mess, but it was the best kind of chaos—one that left you both feeling exhilarated and accomplished.

"So, same time next week?" Changbin asked with a grin, clearly not ready to give up on the adventure.

"Absolutely," you agreed. "But maybe we can start with something a little less intense next time."

"Deal," he said, clapping you on the back. "But where's the fun in that?"