Renjun's POV
"I cannot believe we still have another phase to go. And it's difficult!" Hyuck groaned and punched the wall for the nth time. Chenle pulled him back and grabbed his hands.
"Hyung.." I looked at their direction and saw Donghyuck's knuckles covered in blood. Mark hyung went up to them and blowed on his wounds.
Hyuck pulled his hands away from Mark hyung. "No thanks. I wanted this." He snapped and marched towards the backyard. "He just said he didn't like there." I heard Chenle mumble.
I sighed. "Let him be. He's frustrated right now because of the additional information Jaemin gave to us and mission that he wants us to do," I said and stood up from the stair I was sitting.
"So here's the plan; there would be three teams, two pairs each. Jeno and Chenle will be responsible here and the backyard, Jisung and Donghyuck on the second floor and Mark hyung and I on the third floor. If ever any of us can find Jaemin, tackle him down. Let's bring ropes to use it to tie him."
Jeno spoke up, "Where do we get ropes?" I pointed at the kitchen with my thumb. "Storage room. Jaemin said that when we capture him and make Lucifer leave his body, only then we could exit through the front door. That's when the game ends.
"When one of us captures him, one out of two from the pair will check to see if someone was already waving a candle, indicating Jaemin has been captured. We will gather near the front door and we'll leave this hell together. Quick reminder; there are secret doors around the place so you might want to check some if you can."
They looked discouraged from earlier, but Mark hyung finally spoke up. "You guys, I am sure this would be the final round. Jaemin did not mention anything that needs to be added after this mission. Let's finish this once and for all." He said.
Jeno nodded and stood up. "Mark hyung's right. We have to get moving or else nothing will happen." Jisung walked to the backyard, saying, "I will go get Donghyuck hyung, then." We nodded and my partner for this search, Mark hyung, walked to me.
"You sure about this, Renjun?" I nodded. Although there is a small percent this search would be short, at least we're still finishing this game with Jaemin. "Yeah. Jaemin said he won't use his demonic powers so I'm assured."
"Guys," I turned my head to Jeno who just came from the kitchen carrying three thick ropes. He tossed one to Mark hyung.
He let out a huff. "I just hope he's serious about his words. He tricked us once, he could trick us again." He said as we started to head to our assigned area. "Then try not to be tricked by him. You are not that stupid, Mark hyung."
"Wow, 'not that stupid'. You are still saying that I am." I scoffed and nodded. "Exactly." He just laughed it off while we made our way upstairs.
"You still got wax on your candle, right? Just in case." Mark hyung asked. I showed him mine and made it light up. He lit his own candle and we used it to search for Jaemin in the dark.
"I just hope he won't try to stab us." I rolled my eyes. "We're gonna die anyway." I replied. "I prefer to die in my own hands!" I shushed Mark hyung when he tried to reason with me.
We went inside the room that was fronting the stairs. Hell, I couldn't remember whose room it was anymore, and it didn't matter. All is left to do is get Jaemin and we'll be out of here in no time.
Mark hyung checked the bed and under it. "I think this is Hyuck's room." I turned to him with raised brows. "Huh? Why?" He pointed at the floor in front of the bed.
The inscription was still there.
DON'T DISTURB.
"Well, I don't care now. Jaemin is who we are after for. Besides, our monsters are innocent." I said and he nodded. We checked every corner of the room and since I've been here before, I pushed a sliding door down that was on the wall near the bed.
"Woah, what?" I heard Mark hyung exclaim behind me. I went on all fours and crawled inside to see if he was hiding there. This door leads to another library but smaller with a reading nook in between shelves of books.
I stood up again and looked around the dusty place. Mark hyung coughed. "Did no one ever visited this place before?" I smirked. "I did, but I'm not a book geek so I didn't even think on cleaning this up. Same goes for Hyuck."
"He knows this place?" I sighed. "I mean by not being a book worm." He nodded. I slid the ladder to the reading nook and climbed up. When I reached on where I guessed Jaemin might be, there is nothing except a dirty.. nook.
I slid down the ladder and went near the corner of the shelf containing books from centuries back then. I blowed the dirt off the books, trying to find a particular one.
"Oh, there you are." I dusted the book 'Scarlet' and pulled it down. A door-wide pathway came into view and I went inside there. "Woah, another one?"
I shrugged. "It just leads to my art studio back then." I replied to Mark hyung and we finally arrived at the said place.
Nothing was left, honestly, considering I brought them back home then threw them away. I still like art, but not using those materials. I didn't come here three months ago because hell, she was such a huge distraction. I was pretty glad I didn't get to paint her portrait.
I heard Mark hyung chuckle behind me. "Wah, it's been so long ever since I went here." I smiled at him. "Remembered the last time you visited?" I asked and grabbed the huge paper from one of the stands.
It was our portrait, the seven of us. I painted it like it was in the ninety's; we only looked at the camera while holding on to each other. It has nostalgic vibes.
Mark hyung placed a hand on my shoulder. "Of course." We smiled at each other and I placed the portrait back at its stand. "I am just going to put it on where it is. To whoever finds this, they will know we were here."
I looked around for the fountain pen that I left here and saw it near the window. I took it and wrote our names on our body. "What should we name our group?" I asked Mark hyung while finishing up his name.
"Hmm," I glanced at him and then he said, "Seven Dream!" I wrote it in big letters and wrote a 'We were here!' below the group name.
A tear left my eye and I immediately wiped it away. I placed the fountain pen near the portrait and turned to Mark hyung. "Come on, Jaemin's not here." He nodded and we left the art studio.
•••
Third Person's POV
Coming out of the shadows, Jaemin went to where Renjun and Mark just had been. He looked at the portrait that Renjun painted.
He still remembers this.
Raising a hand, he ran his fingers on the picture with them looking like a complete family.
Jaemin sighed and turned away.
He decided to give up and hide. He will wait for them to find him. He won't resist if they tie him up.
He doesn't want to hurt them any longer.
Like Renjun, a tear escaped his eye and left a mark on the dusty floor.
•••
