The Ace (Stray Kids Kim Seungmin)

4

"For the thousandth time, Seungmin," Minho huffed upon seeing the younger one exit the forest. "Stop going out when the sun isn't up yet. You are going to get yourself killed."

Minho sat on one of the steps leading up to their rundown cottage, using a dagger to sharpen the end of a stick

"A few wolves don't scare me," Seungmin stated.

"That's not my concern. Life's been eerily calm recently and I worry-"

"that they are planning something," he cut him off. "I know. You've said it a million times but look at me. I'm fine. Nothing is going to just out of that forest and kill me."

The elder didn't seem convinced.

"Not yet. But someday something might. All I'm saying is that you need to be more careful. You are our ace. We need you."

"Yeah, yeah. You remind me that at least a dozen times a day. Can you spare me a day of your nagging."

"Perhaps I will when you finally decide to listen to me." Minho finally glanced up, noticing the nest in the other's hand. "What's that?"

"Breakfast."

"Did you just steal some random bird's eggs?"

"She won't need them."

Minho rolled his eyes, standing up to follow Seungmin back into the cottage, "you really are something."

Their cottage was nothing like the girls'. Multicoloured wood planks of different sizes made up the walls. There were no windows and the door was a poorly cut piece of timber. In the centre of the room was a pile of ash from the fire they had made to get them through the freezing nights and in the corner lay two more boys, one awake while the other snored softly.

"Eggs?" Jeongin questioned as he stood up and approached the two other boys. "Thank heavens. I was not looking forward to having one of Minho's lumpy porridges."

The mentioned boy shot him a glare, stating, "you are lucky you even get fed usually. Besides, I'd like to see you try to make breakfast for the rest of us."

The youngest simply stuck his tongue out before quickly fetching soem wood to help Seungmin make a fire.

At the sound of the rest talking, the final boy, Jisung, awoke with a groan.

"Could you guys be quieter? I'm trying to sleep over here," he complained but only received a kick to his side.

"Breakfast is ready," Seungmin explained when met with Jisung's glare. "Better get it while it's still hot. Eggs taste terrible cold."

The latter's eyes lit up at the mention of food and he immediately rushed over to the rest.

"Now that everyone is awake," Minho uttered. "Do any of you mind if I change our plans for the day?"

"How?" Jeongin asked with his mouth half full.

"While digging yesterday, I found something strange. I thought you guys might be interested in it."

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?"  Seungmin asked.

The eldest shrugged, "you mean last night? I know you, Minnie. You would have made us all stop everything to go check it out. Besides, it's not stop-everything-you-are-doing-and-look-at-this strange. It reminded me of something, you know? Like a little déjà-vu moment." He glanced at their ace. "I was hoping you'd be able to make sense of it."

Seungmin wasted no time jumping up and heading to the door.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

"I literally just started eating," Jisung complained. "We'll get there eventually, Minnie. Just sit down and be patient."

He rolled his eyes, huffing as he sat back down to watch the other boys enjoy their meal. Seungmin had been the first out of the four to arrive in this place -- whatever this place was. When he arrived, he was welcomed by the leader at the time: a pale-skinned, muscular boy with curly, ebony hair named Chan. He had been their 'Queen card' but quickly offered Seungmin his role as the leader. There was also Changbin, their eighth card and Felix, their fourth. 

Seungmin still sometimes dreamt of them, remembered all their precious times together. He recalled how, despite how tough life was for them, they were content. And so he was too. 

All of that changed when a boy, Hyunjin, showed up. The day still plays in Seungmin's mind clear as day, effectively sending shivers down his spine and anger through his veins. Fire had spread across the fields, burning everything they had worked long years to build and ending life as they knew it in one day.

He remembered the fear in Felix's eyes as he screamed for him to run, to get as far away from there as he could. But his legs refused to budge. That day he watched as all the boys he grew to know as family perished in the fire. The fire caused by one man: Hwang Hyunjin.

And he swore that day he would get his revenge.

He swore that he would find Hyunjin again and he will make him pay for everything he did. 

"You alright?" Minho's concerned voice brought him out of his daze. It was only then that he realised they had all finished eating. 

He shot the elder a wide smile, "I'm fine.  Now, let's go already! I need to see this."