haunted, the forest // nct [3]

{13}

     "Didn't we already pass that tree?" Haechan questioned. "I swear, I saw that same exact one."

     "That's impossible." Doyoung rubbed his cold hands together as he led his group through the forest. "We've been walking in a straight line."

     "Wow, if only Hyunji could hear what I got myself into again," Haechan scoffed.

"Hyunji?" Jaehyun questioned.

"My girlfriend."

Doyoung burst into laughter. He turned his head to look back at Haechan. "Seriously? She wanted to date you?" Another laugh escaped Doyoung as he turned back around, just in time to get hit by a branch.

It was Haechan's turn to laugh.

Doyoung stopped and clamped a hand over his nose. "Ow, fuck," Doyoung cursed while tightly closing his eyes.

Jaehyun and Gina joined Haechan and snickered at his karma.

"Yes, Hyunji does want to date me," Haechan confirmed with a cheeky smile.

Doyoung grumbled while rubbing his sore nose. He glared at the three who were still amused.

The laughing only stopped when they heard a scream in the distance. All four of them became tense from the sound. Their blood ran cold.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one who heard that," Doyoung whispered, shifting his eyes around the group.

The scream came again, this time sounding closer than before.

Doyoung's eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath. "That's Chanmi."

"Are you sure?" Haechan questioned.

"Yes, that's Chanmi!" Doyoung started to take off in the direction of the screams.

"Wait, hold on!" Jaehyun grabbed Doyoung's sleeve and pulled him back to the group. "If she's in trouble, we need a plan instead of running in there unprepared."

"What the hell? She's in trouble, we have to get there now!" Doyoung pushed away Jaehyun's grasp.

"Why would she be by herself? She came in here with Jungwoo and Chunja," Gina pointed out.

"She could've gotten seperated like our group," Doyoung started running again.

Jaehyun, Gina, and Haechan all glanced at each other before running after him.

X X X

Jihwan wrapped her arms around herself as goosebumps crawls on her skin. "Why does it have to be so cold? Can't we have at least one thing while being lost in the forest?"

     Ten scoffed. "Like we would get that lucky."

     Taeyong halted, causing the others to turn in his direction. They watched as Taeyong's eyes grew in fear.

     "What's wrong?" Mark asked him.

     Taeyong only pointed in the direction his gaze was focused in.

     Everyone slowly followed his finger to the distance. At first, they couldn't see what was catching his attention, but then they noticed movement as dark figures were moving closer.

     The four started to slowly step back, hoping they could sneak away from the ominous figures.

     "Taeyong?" One of the figures in the distance questioned. A female voice.

     "Daerin?" Taeyong questioned back, ready to dash toward the voice.

     Daerin starting sprinting in our direction and jumped into Taeyong's arms. She buried her face against his shoulder and tightly wrapped her arms around his neck.

     "I was so worried," Taeyong told her while stroking her blue hair.

     "Oh my god, Ten!" Johnny also quickly came up to the group. "Why did you separate from us?"

     Ten sighed in relief and collapsed against Johnny. "We didn't, you guys left us."

"We never left you," Johnny reassured Ten. "We were walking and suddenly you weren't behind us."

     "Where are the others?" Mark asked, noticing people were still missing as he walked up to the group.

     Vernon stepped up to the reunion, pulling his backpack around. "Hold on," he warned, "we can't be too sure these are actually them."

     "You're right," Jisoo agreed, taking hold of his arm. "I knew you'd protect us, you genius. How can we tell if they're real?"

     Ignoring her hanging on his arm, Vernon opened his bag and pulled out a large water bottle. "Everyone, drink," he ordered. "It's holy water."

     Ten narrowed his eyes. "What if you're tricking us?"

     Vernon took a sip of the water. "It's not effecting or killing me. If you smell it, it has not scent." Vernon held the bottle back out to Ten, impatiently.

     Ten glanced at Johnny, who gave him a reassuring nod. "If you're really Johnny, tell me where we first met."

     Johnny smiled. "That stupid trampoline place you worked at during high school."

     Ten's expression brightened and he took the bottle. One by one, the group took their sips.

     "That's a relief." Lucas let out a chuckle as he walked closer to the group.

     "Lucas," Jihwan said his name through clenched teeth.

     "Jihwan," he sighed, a grin forming on his face. Jihwan started to march over to him. Lucas held out his arms, waiting for her to hug him. However, she pushed him back.

     "I can't believe you separated like that." Jihwan gave him a disappointed look. "You could have died, who knows what this forest could do to you."

     Lucas dropped his smile and took her words and shove. "I didn't meant to. We had no idea."

     "Be more careful next time." Jihwan gave him a stern look. Then, she turned to the rest of the group. "Let's keep going, we have to get out of here."

     Lucas watched Jihwan lead the way, his eyebrows lowering. Mark walked up next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

     "Don't take it too harshly, man." Mark began to smile. "After being separated, she wouldn't stop talking about you."