HIDEOUT: LEE TAEYONG

10

soyoung

i laid beside yuta, supposed to be closing my eyes and fall asleep but i couldn't. i haven't seen taeyong today, i did see jaehyun and doyoung return but not him. i must admit, i'm so desperate to see him and talk to him... have a conversation with him just like what we had when we rode the bus together. maybe protecting his friends is more important now, and i would've done the same.

carefully, i sat up and pulled off the blanket we shared, quietly standing up and making my way out of the room, making sure to exit without waking up the sleeping prince. yes, yuta.

i needed to piss.

i felt my eyes enlarge after noticing how dark it was, the hallway was quiet and empty.. but not in a peaceful way, more like a terrifying way. during this apocalypse, i've seen a lot of terrifying things, and darkness is not the worst.

i shrugged off the fear inside me and began to walk, the clicks of my footsteps echoed through the hallway, i was quite scared to wake up the others, but the snores coming from johnny and mark's room were so much louder than my movements so i had nothing to worry about.

as i was about to enter the toilet, i felt someone's palm circling around my wrist, tugging me vigorously away from the door. i was luckily quick enough to profusely twist their hand, causing them to whimper.

i instantly turned around and saw somin, hugging her own hand while groaning in pain. "the fuck, why did you have to be so aggressive?" she exasperatedly complained, then sending me a grimace look.

"oh, it's just you." i said and crossed my arms. "what do you want? i have to piss." i said and didn't hesitate to show no respect for her. she can't expect me to have that for her, when she doesn't have it for me as well.

"i need help." she paused and frustratedly ran her fingers through her blonde locks. "dahye is stuck downstairs, inside the canteen." she frantically explained making me raise an eyebrow. "so?"

"she hasn't returned and it's worrying me, i don't dare to go down there alone..." she hauled my hand as i reluctantly pulled it back towards me. the sudden frantic actions she was showing was quite offbeat. "please come with me.. i can't do this alone... it's true, i only have pepper spray to defend myself and it won't even work."

"it's not like there are walkers down there?" i said, making her freeze for a brief second.

"well no, there's no walkers... i'm just afraid to go there alone." she reasoned. "you won't, dahye is there too so you won't be alone." i said, trying my best to prove her that she didn't need my help so she could let me piss in peace, but as an anxious girl she had come to the point where she'd force and drag me with her... i had no other choices so i gave her what she wanted.

"okay fine." i hissed and she began to lead the way.

maybe helping her would fix our "friendship". as much as i dislike her, i would have nothing against us being friends and getting along... having enemies during this apocalypse is stressing, especially when it comes to being in danger, they could literally leave you and let you die. that's why i try to avoid getting them.. but here i have dahye, somin and donghyuck. after helping her, maybe everything will settle down.

somin and i reached the first floor, i looked around and remembered entering here for the first time with jungwoo and donghyuck. what i've also realized is our main area, the area we frequently use is at 3rd floor.

"here." somin stopped her tracks, staring at the door that was blocked with heavy furnitures and metaled poles. "she's in there." she pointed before turning her head to eye me.

my eyelids rapidly blinked, observing the door with a straight face. "umm, don't you think there's furnitures in front of it for a reason? like, it's supposed to be closed?" i placed my palms around my waist and glared at somin, was this some sort of setup?

"what do you mean? dahye went in there earlier." somin sighed and rested her forehead on her palm. "please she tried searching for food and she never came back, you have to help!" somin frantically began to whine, an impatient person she is. i tried to hush her but couldn't. "fine just be quiet."

i carefully pushed off the furnitures, sensing somin quietly watch with a worried expression drawn on her face. as it was cleared, i sighed and looked at somin, quite unsure about the next step.

it's blocked for a reason, why would dahye go there.

i wouldn't even help her, if it was jungwoo or the others i would. i don't wanna save someone who wants to kick me out.

"go on soyoung, i'll try finding a weapon." she said and turned her heel, leaving me completely alone.

i reluctantly entered, tip-toeing while scanning my surroundings. once again there was darkness. darkness suffocating my body like a damp, musty, thick blanket, clinging to every inch of my skin. i've been used to it, it doesn't really frighten me anymore.

the canteen was expectedly empty, dusty and abandoned. the chairs and tables were destroyed and flipped. rotten food splayed everywhere on the floor and there was no sign of dahye.

i turned around and was expecting to see somin with a weapon, but why did she even need one when there's nothing dangerous in here?

before i could head back in, i heard a raspy growl echoing in the room, and that growl could only come from a ... walker.

as i turned around, i saw a flock of walkers, walking around with their broken leg, growling and searching for a new victim to fill their tummies up. fear reflected my eyes as i felt the anxiety crawl up my body. knowing i had nothing to defend myself with, there was a possibility that i would end being one of them, and putting the others in danger, maybe donghyuck was right... i'll bring disaster to them, sooner or later.

before a walker could spot me, a veiny hand grabbed my arm, tugging me vigorously inside a small locker, and lastly the door closing along.