The Pitch || EXO

Chapter 5

They have stayed in this institute and have learned that it isn't really all that bad. Supposedly, the EJPG is just keeping them here to build a new estate. However, they have recently realized that there just aren't enough men in their workforce to get it completed on time, so, all men working on crops have been called out to finish the estate. The purpose of the EJPG is to get rid of anger and inequality and to instead replace it with clean cut boundaries and consequences - much like the old government. To the boys' knowledge, more than 2,000 people in Seoul have been murdered or are missing due to a food shortage. The disease that a few months ago was only in the outskirts of Seoul has now began to advance, yet not a single person knows what the disease is nor how to treat it. The first ill person found has been rushed through the yard, through the glass double doors and immediately to the emergency room. Yixing sees the person's face - female, blood dribbling from the nose and ears, eyes swollen closed with some yellow liquid stuck to the eyelashes, face equally as swollen with red patches here and there as well as odd small red marks on her limbs. Those are much too small to be chicken pox or measles. He stares in wonder, brain raking for all the clues it could get to solve this odd mystery, however, it draws a blank.

Chanyeol is passed a trowel, large bucket and a few other tools to place into the van. He and the others are being sent out to work on the new town, which is to be a large gated community. Once they arrive, they are immediately set up to do their work, bricking the wall of the community. Soon enough after a quick briefing, they all get to work, either loading wheelbarrows with bricks or carrying over buckets of mortar to lay over the bricks already stuck down. The work isn't too hard on their backs because they are constantly stretching to reach for another brick or spadeful of mortar, however their feet and knees were pretty much dead after a few hours. The wall is to be five feet high, so even the shorter men could reach without a step-ladder. Baekhyun is working away when he hears violent coughing and sniffling. He turns around to see Kyungsoo reach into his pocket for a tissue.
"You okay, dude?" He asks, slight concern spread on his face. Kyungsoo sniffles one last time.
"Yeah, just got a little cold." He gives a small smile.
"What a shame, we won't be able to hear your glorious singing in the morning." Jongdae jokes, heaves a massive bucket of mortar almost breaking his back while giggling. Baekhyun stifles a laugh, hiding his smile behind a gloved hand.
"Shut it, Dinosaur. Just because I have a cold, doesn't mean that I can't still whoop your ass!" Kyungsoo jokes, rolling his hands into fists.
"Well, I'm terrified. And I'm going to have nightmares after seeing your ugly face, but the boss doesn't look happy so we should get working." Jongdae still has a smile present, while pointing over to the tall man with a clipboard. They all face around again, returning to their work.

Minseok is gently bobbing his head in time to a song in his head when he is tapped on the shoulder by Junmyeon.
"Huh, yeah?"
"Do you have the feeling that something bad is going to happen?" He asks, eyes a little wide.
"Not really. I actually think that things are going to get better, so don't worry too much." Minseok sends a soft smile before patting Junmyeon's shoulder.
"Yeah, ya old man! Cheer up and stop acting like a sorry old sod." Sehun guffaws loudly, attracting a few odd stares from around him.
"Sehun!" Junmyeon hisses, hands arched to look like claws while his eyes are almost closed, only little slits visible. Sehun joins in the act, acting like a terrified little girl, holding the sides of his face dramatically while Minseok ponders over his own existence - and why he is friends with those two. It is finally lunchtime, the time for messing about with your friends, eating and relaxing (or sleeping). Of course all of the boys have worked hard (well, except Jongdae, Baekhyun, Sehun and Junmyeon) and are all sitting at a picnic bench to have their lunch. Lunch is basically ham or cheese sandwiches, some fruit, a bottle of water and a packet of potato chips.
"I haven't had chips in such a long time!" Jongin exclaims, putting the small blue packet up to his nose to smell the mouth watering scent of salt and vinegar. The others laugh, agreeing and they begin to look back on the times that they were idols, hosting concerts and getting ready for fanmeets. Although they miss them, it is nice to get a taste of what 'regular' life would be like. They get lost in their own conversations, Baekhyun speaking excitedly to Chanyeol about how he likes this new life that he has while Minseok and Yixing chat excitedly to the rest of the group about upcoming events. Jongin speaks to Kyungsoo about some form of show coming up, in which he wants them to audition for it. It is a show for the public to enjoy, although money doesn't exist anymore, these types of events run on how many hours you work, so at the end of each month, you receive a handwritten card with the amount of hours you did. The way that the system works is that as soon as you enter the vegetable farm, there is a sign in sheet and somebody there to 'guard' over it just to make sure that nobody cheats with how many hours they have. Once your shift is finished, you sign out via the time of when you are leaving and then one of the secretaries work out how many hours each person has obtained. The system is quite simple really and effective at the same time. People get rewards in turn for their hard work and the rest of the population don't starve. Or at least, the people within the EJPG won't.

Recently, the boys found out that the building where they live is called the Semi-Sphere due to its 'U' shape. Sehun is a little saddened that due to the housing and the size of the houses, (currently being refurbished in the gated community) the group will have to split into two but they will make sure to sign up for two neighboring houses so that they can still hang together after work. Soon enough, lunchtime is finished and the boys put their trash in the trash can before picking up their tools to begin work. After an hour and a half of continuing previous tasks, Baekhyun realizes that Kyungsoo is still violently coughing and his face turns into one of concern and worry. Worry about the fact that what if one of his best friends have the disease that everybody has been talking about and warned about? What if he catches it? How do people get it? Is it deadly? Can it cause people to go blind like the measles? Or can it cause a series of defects like the zika virus? He shakes his head to get rid of the thoughts but they keep on plaguing his mind. He pushes them back, however unconsciously moves slightly away from his smaller friend.

It is finally the end of the day and everybody is exhausted. Poor Yixing can barely keep his eyes open and Chanyeol has fallen asleep on top of Junmyeon while Minseok leans against Sehun. Jongdae yawns inaudibly while the bus comes to a stop. All of the tired passengers clamber out, dragging their feet towards the Semi-Sphere. They check in, then head straight to their beds. Most of them begin sleeping as soon as their heads hit the pillow, but Baekhyun stares into the darkness, scared eyes wide as he listens to the repetitive heavy breaths that Kyungsoo intakes, sometimes along with a little bit of hacking. He huffs to himself, rolling over and putting his pillow over his ears like a child. This is going to be a long night. A very long night indeed.

Thank you so much for reading guys and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I will try my best to update on Sunday. That'll be all my peanut butter cookies, hope that you have a wonderful day/sleep 🍪❤️

Word Count - 1441