The Clan: Part 1, Lost

Chapter 1: Kihyun

We'd made camp in a ruin of a building in the east of the town (that hadn't been rebuilt since the civil war a few years back). It was late, and we'd been walking around for most of the day. Kihyun had made a fire in the middle of the room that was slowly beginning to warm. It was still fairly chilly though.

"Need my jacket?" Kihyun asked, noticing me shiver.

I shook my head. I could power through it.

We sat in silence for a while, thinking about the day, the next day, but more importantly where our friends were and what they were doing. Were Jooheon and Shownu able to get the money without being harmed? Were Wonho and IM together roaming the streets of town? Were Minhyuk and Hyungwon still alive? These thoughts crossed my mind.

"I know what you're thinking." Kihyun said, looking at me from across the fire. He watched as my eyes stared at the floor, my tired head lolling up and down as all I wished was that Hyungwon was still alive.

"You do?" I said. Kihyun got up and moved around the fire to sit next to me, this time putting his jacket over my shoulders.

"We can't think about things like that."

I knew he was right, but it was easier said than done. Every day was a struggle; finding a place to camp where we wouldn't be seen, keeping out of the public eye, finding food and water... praying that our friends were OK. Being with Kihyun for the week, and Kihyun only, had certainly made us closer than we were before. We relied on each other and depended on one another until we found some news of the others, some way in which we could reunite all together. Kihyun was my only hope.

"You need to sleep." He said.

"But what about you?"

"You need it more than I do."

We had a rule. One of us sleeps for 2 or 3 hours, the other stays watch, then we switch. Another way to stay alive.

We had make-shift beds made from old bags, clothes and jackets and whatever else we could find in the buildings we had been in. I curled up on the floor, my eyes slowly drifting in and out of sleep as I watched Kihyun sit by the fire. His eyes were dark, cunning; it was like I could see the thoughts whirling around his head. He would get up once in a while, moving to the small window and looking out, or sitting by the door. He listened and watched for people, any sign of life, but there was nothing.

"Kihyun, come on, we have to go." I said, slowly waking up a sleepy Kihyun from his dreams. He got up off the cold floor and observed the surroundings, as if he was checking that everything was ok and that nothing had changed. The only thing that had was that the fire had now burned out. Our plans for the day were the same, keep moving, which we did almost immediately, exiting up the small stairs and out what was the front door.

"I suggest we head east today." Kihyun said. "We'll be on the edges of the city, and there we might be able to find some of the guys."

I was about to ask whether we needed to find them, but then shut my mouth. Of course we needed to find them.

We walked for a few hours, stopping here and there for water and a break. We had reached a small lake, in which Kihyun collected water, placing a water purifying tablet in it so it was safe to drink.

I suddenly noticed him flinch, his eyes darted behind him.

"Kihyun?" I said quietly. He held his finger up to me, indicating that I should be quiet. He gestured me to follow him, so I did. We crept into the bushes, hiding away and out of site.

"What is it?" I whispered once we had reached some kind of safety.

"Just wait, I think someone will approach the lake."