❄ Cold Relations ❄ [SEVENTEEN] ✓

Chapter 2: A Guide to Bartending (i.e. S.Coups's Hidden Fears)

"Oh no!" Seungkwan squealed. "Hurry, hurry! My mascara's running!"

S.Coups tried hard not to laugh as he pushed through the glass doors to a vast corporation building and ducked into the lobby. Water dripped from his leather jacket onto the clean tile floor. He shook himself off and ran a hand through his spiky black hair, most of it clinging to his forehead and falling in his eyes. The doors opened a few seconds later to let in a wet DK, Mingyu, and Wonwoo. S.Coups watched them shiver in their damp clothes and shrug out of their sweaters and coats, as he pondered how far ahead they were of the others. When the rest of the boys arrived, the lobby began to feel crowded. Thirteen people in one cramped space, and S.Coups could barely pivot his shoulders. He backed away from them, his back hitting up against another glass door as he fought for some much-needed breathing room.

The walls were closing in on him.

There was no way out.

S.Coups's heart swelled with panic; it pounded against his chest and tried to splinter its confines. Biting back a cry for mercy, he spun around and forced his way inside a vast area scattered with wooden desks, rolling chairs, and makeshift walls masquerading as office spaces. Printer paper was strewn all over the floor, as if a violent wind had blown through.

S.Coups filled his lungs with stale air, choking on he overpowering scent of wood glue and old coffee grounds that lingered in his nostrils. He imagined himself breathing into a paper bag, and by the time the others had joined him, he had regained his composure.

"What is this place?" The8 stepped forward, his brown puppy eyes curious and alert.

S.Coups bent down to pick up a crumpled piece of poster board. "This is part of a game design. I guess they make video games."

"Cool," Dino breathed.

Suddenly perking up, S.Coups pushed his way to the front, and resumed his role as leader. "We might as well do some exploring while we're here." A navy-blue door stood at the far end of the room, and behind it were two winding staircases leading down into the unknown. S.Coups glanced over his shoulder and gestured for a few brave souls to join him. "I'm going to check it out."  

"I'll come." A daring smile played upon The8's lips; if he could wander an abandoned school in pitch darkness, a dusty basement wouldn't even faze him.

Jun crossed his arms and added a little too coolly, "Count me in."

"Me too," DK cheerfully confirmed. "It's about time we had some fun."

"Left or right?" S.Coups let the question hang in the open air.

There was a jumble of different answers, but ultimately S.Coups chose the right staircase and slowly descended into the impenetrable blackness.

"Where are we?" Wonwoo clung to the shaky wooden railing for all it was worth. Then his feet touched down on a cement floor, and he cautiously started forward, cursing when his shin came into contact with something sharp. It tore his pant leg and sent a trickle of blood down his ankle. "Mingyu? Where are you?"

"Right here," the visual answered.

"That really helps a lot," Wonwoo scoffed, "considering that I can't see a thing!"

"I think I found a light switch," Mingyu said helpfully. "Let me just... I think I can..." he exhaled a sigh of frustration. "It's right here, if I only I could—"

CRASH!

Silence.

Wonwoo listened carefully; he strained to hear his friend's voice or the patter of his quiet footsteps, but there was nothing. And just where were the others? He could've sworn he was right behind them... That is, until he injured his leg.