The Ace (Stray Kids Kim Seungmin)

9

Towering rows of trees bordered a red sand pathway. Decorated with rotting leaves, shrubs and numerous overhanging vines and branches, it was clear the pathway hadn't been used in a while...  and that's assuming it had been used before.

Above the loud beating of his heart, Seungmin could hear the faint hum of rushing water. He never liked white noise -- his dreams taught him not to. It was always the calm before the storm. But the jungle was impossibly hot, reaching temperatures he didn't even know was possible. His loose clothing traced the outline of his figure, clinging on to his flesh as more sweat drenched his body. And to add salt to the injury, the humidity in the air was so high that breathing proved a harder task than necessary.

Right now, the mere thought of just dunking his head in the cool river water send an excited shiver down his spine. And his mind was muddled, rational thinking long gone as he found himself trudging towards the unseen water source.

Behind him were three equally as sweaty and tired, frizzy-haired boys. Heavy, shallow breaths escaped their mouths as they wearily marched behind their leader. Past more trees and shrubs and terrain they went, hiking around their new territory cautiously while gripping their shovels tightly. 

The sun was way past halfway, quickly descending to welcome them to a new task: nighttime. What was there to expect in this new area? More wolves? No wolves? Or perhaps worse. Although they couldn't think of a worse creature, it didn't stop the way the butterflies in their stomachs gnawed away at the organ.

"There!" Seungmin finally yelled, relief laced to the word as he hurried towards the stream. It was smaller than any of them expected and only deep enough to soak their shins when standing up. But it was a stream. And that meant rest.

Washing his face, the Ace released a content sigh and allowed his eyes to flutter closed. The sound of Jeongin and Jisung slashing each other and playing around filled his ears along with Minho's quite mumbles to himself. For the first time since they discovered the drawing, Seungmin felt at peace. He felt as though things were finally starting to sort themselves out and he didn't even have to do a thing about it. And he couldn't help the giddy feeling that maybe he will after so many years find the way out.

Jeongin's high pitched scream pulled him out of his thoughts as his eyes shot open. He imagined the worst, heart sinking as his gaze darted around the area before he finally saw the younger. He was sitting down in the water but his concern was on the material he was holding: a piece of leather. Actually, four pieces of leather.

"What's that?" Minho raised a brow, grabbing one of them and inspecting it.

"It looks like clothing to me," Jisung stated and he was right. As Minho held it up in from of him, it was obvious it was a black leather jumpsuit but Seungmin was more interested in the writing on the back than anything else.

"The Ace of Spades," he read, eyeing the gold letters above a drawing of what seemed to be an upside-down heart with a stem. He recognised it as the spades symbol in a deck of cards. However, there were a few extra details to it which included a sword that seemed to pierce through the heart part as well as a crown at the top of it all.

"Well, we can all see the favourite here," Jisung scoffed as he glanced at the other jumpsuits which had silver and bronze writing instead and only had the outline of the spades symbol. They were clearly dull in comparison to the one Minho had since thrown at Seungmin.

"But what does this mean?" the ace questioned. "Spades? What is that?"

"Doesn't matter," Jeongin stood up. "These were clearly given to us for a reason so let's quickly put it on before sunset. Perhaps they will protect us for what's ahead of us."