The Invasion (Part 2 of the KaiSoo Fanfic Series)

Chapter 21

Today marks one month. One month since he started keeping count. One month since he started losing sleep each and every night. One month since Jongin left Kohara and one month since he's hasn't returned. 

Kyungsoo wants to think positively, but it's hard with a picture of that old calendar pressed into his memory. It just keeps reminding him that he has so many more things to be scared about than he does to be hopeful about. 

He's even tried taking the logical approach. He knows the desert is big and unforgiving and it won't just take a few days to get there and a few more to get back. It could take them many more months before they return, especially since it took them six months to even arrive at Kohara in the first place.

None of it works, though. All he can think about is all the bad things that could have happened. They could have died from starvation on the journey there or back or they could have run out of water and now they're withering away at some random spot under the desert's heat. That is if They hadn't killed them already before they even had a chance to leave.

It's all he can think about and it's driving him insane.

The middle of the day is always the hottest in the desert, but as the evening begins to settle in, it cools down to a temperature that is much more bearable. Kyungsoo is distracting himself by cleaning up the classroom from the school day. That's where he spends most of his time these days, except when he goes back to their room to get rest or to make sure Ahyoung is getting rest, too. 

She's starting to learn to talk now, so she asks about Jongin a lot now, too. She can't pronounce his name yet, so she just calls him Nini. Kyungsoo thinks it's cute, but at the same time, he finds it sad because he thinks she might never get to know him. All she'll have are the stories of him and he really doesn't have many of those to tell. 

Ahyoung is playing outside with some of the other children while he cleans up inside. Luhan shows up and sees her, so he walks up to her. "Hi, Ahyoung-ah," he says in a friendly voice, making the little girl look up at him and smile back. "Where's Soo at?"

"Soo's there," she answers, pointing back at the classroom. "But Soo sad," she adds a few seconds later.

"Why would you say that?" Luhan asks as he furrows his eyebrows. 

"Soo sad," she repeats. "Soo miss Nini."

"Nini," he repeats slowly, only slightly confused. "You mean Jongin?"

"Yeah," she says and nods her head. 

"Yeah, I'm sure he does," he says, looking away from her for a second. "You be careful out here, okay? I'm going inside to talk to Soo."

"Okay," she says with a smile and a small nod. She runs off toward the other children and Luhan watches her before walking toward the classroom. He knocks on the door a little before entering, catching Kyungsoo's attention. 

"Ahyoung said you were in here," he says to him, walking over to the desks. "I just wanted to check in on you since I know today is kind of a sensitive day for you."

"You're thoughtful, but I'm okay, Luhan," Kyungsoo says, putting on a smile for the elder. "It's been a hard day, but I'm okay. I'm making it through. Hyunsik came by earlier to check up on me, too."

"Well, it's only because we care about you and we're worried," the elder replies, crossing his arms over his chest loosely as he watches Kyungsoo clean. "You haven't been yourself since Jongin and the others left. But then again, who has? Even Sehun's acting weird and he's the least emotional person I've ever met."

Kyungsoo chuckles lightly, sighing as he finishes cleaning the last desk. "Yeah, well, it's not the same without them around," he says as he stands up straight. "Especially because there's no one around to protect us if anything goes wrong."