Crescent // ATEEZ ✔

65 [reunion]

"Whose idea was it? I want you to show me who started this." Hongjoong crosses his arms over his uncovered chest as he leans back against the wall. His shirt is unbuttoned to avoid pressure on the wound on his stomach, where a stray bullet had pierced him during the shootout.

All fingers point towards Danbi and Wooyoung who are sitting side by side, except for Wooyoung's.

"Jung Wooyoung, don't try to shift the blame to Hwayoung."

Wooyoung grumbles as he changes the direction of his pointed forefinger to himself, instead of Hwayoung who's sitting on Mingi's lap.

"Hwayoung, why don't you go to your dad?" Mingi lets her go before she dashes towards a room at the middle of the hallway, pulling back the sliding door with all her might, jumps inside and closes the door.

When they're sure that the kid is out of earshot, Hongjoong starts, "Someone better have a good explanation on what on earth just happened back there on the island yesterday night, and when this plan all started."

Some of Dr. Kei's nurses pass by them and they nod, acknowledging them before those at the waiting area - Hongjoong, Wooyoung, Jongho, Mingi, Danbi and Remy return their focus onto each other, but particularly those who started yesterday's disturbance. Everything went perfectly well, even when those on the initial mission had surrendered their lives early, knowing that they had no chance of getting out of there alive once the bombs go off. They knew that fighting against the directors and trainers would wear them out, until they'd have no energy left to escape.

But the appearance of the helicopter - courtesy of Lee Minhyuk - changed the game around, and they never would have thought that they would make it out alive.

"Okay so," Wooyoung clasps his hands, "I'll start with the why we decided to do this. You," he points to Hongjoong who snaps his head back in sudden surprise, "are our leader who decided to abandon the rest of his team members, because he wanted to go and be a hero on this suicide mission. What? You told the rest of us to stay put and enjoy the effects once the Bifidensis and KTC are gone? Kim. Hong. Joong," he enunciates. Then he claps the back of his fingers onto his other palm at every emphasis, "Did. you. forget? 8 makes freaking 1 team and I don't want to hear all that about half of us dying while the rest of us get to live. Plus!" he points his finger upwards, "Since when do I actually hear your instructions? You can't expect Jung Wooyoung to follow what you say."

Jongho rolls his eyes as he rests his elbow on the side of the chair, leaning his body. "So overdramatic," he mumbles. Then he shrugs, "But he got his points."

Wooyoung opens his palms upwards shoulder-level, a smile on his face. "I can't believe that you, Seonghwa, San, Yeosang and Byul had the audacity to leave us behind on the pretext of destroying KTC's foundation, with the thought of going down together with the crumbling building. We're all here, all you needed to do was just ask! Shhh," he places a finger on Hongjoong's lips, immediately silencing him when the leader looks like he's about to say something, "I don't want to hear about you saying that you didn't want us to get involved was because you didn't want us to get injured. Do you think we will be able to live on knowing that you're gone when we could've done something?"

Hongjoong slaps his hand away with a disgusted face but he closes his eyes and nods. "Understood. We're sorry." He looks guilty that he avoids looking at their eyes, which are staring sharply at him.

"As you should," Jongho announces. "I still can't believe you, out of all the people, agreed to this mission when the rest of us are here. I would've thought it would either be Mingi or Wooyoung to do stupid decisions like this one."

"Hey!" Wooyoung and Mingi shout simultaneously, looking very offended.

The hacker results to hitting Jongho's head, but flinches when Jongho looks like he's about to retaliate.