The Gifted (Txt x Itzy)

二十八

Tense silence hung between the group, no one daring to speak with Yeonjun's dark and frightening expression. At last Taehyun spoke up, "We're almost there, then we start going to...wherever that place is." "Is there a map?" Yuna asked. "Kind of," Taehyun said, "It's incomplete though. I think it needs all ten of us." "Fantastic," Jisu said, "Let's go."

"It's almost one in the morning," Yeji commented, checking her watch, "Shouldn't we stop for a while?" "We're in the middle of a forest," Kai pointed out, "That probably has plenty of predators and such. Maybe Taehyun can teleport us-" The older shot him a sharp glare. "I can't do that with so many people, I won't wake up until two days. We just gotta keep moving until we get out of the forest."

"This place is as bright as my future."

"Shut up Kai."

"I have fire," Taehyun produced a flame the size of a birthday candle, with the rest stared at dumbfounded.

"That totally makes it better."

"How about you do better, Mr I-can-shift-anything?"

"Sure."

Yuna yelped as the surrounding trees were scorched.

"Helpful."

-

Eventually, after lots of wandering, they found an abandoned warehouse, by the looks of it, dusty and grimy but at least not the forest floor. Dying light bulbs and flickering LED ceiling lights struggled to brighten the place, the stale air laden with dust particles. Boxes were stacked in a labyrinth of cardboard, weaving through the large hall. The ceiling stretched high, which made them feel less trapped, but the windows would not open, so they broke them. Yuna ran through the place excitedly, as did Kai and the twins. It was the first place that seemed safe and free of humans, but was not mossy and mouldy. Yeonjun's eyes scoured the place, and Taehyun was tense and worried; there were so many places that humans could be hiding, waiting. "I'm gonna look around," Taehyun told the others, "I don't feel very...comfortable." Chaeryeong nodded, "I agree. I'll come with you." dust bunnies stirred as the duo stepped through the corridors silently. "I'm worried we were followed," Taehyun murmured, "Humans are crafty." "I don't know about you, but-" Chaeryeong froze suddenly, her mouth falling shut and her body tense. "Chaeryeong?" Taehyun asked cautiously, backing away slowly. Chaeryeong's eyes were glassy, her fingers gripping her slippery glass pole. Taehyun wished he could hide his fear, but the creeping ivy that crawled towards him showed too easily. "Are you gonna attack me?" Taehyun asked helpfully. "Are you controlling those plants?" Chaeryeong asked in a not-Chaeryeong voice.

"If I said yes will you kill me?"

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Are you lying?"

Taehyun set a finger on fire.

"Would this convince you?"

"Hm."

A girl dropped down from the ceiling, choppy hair swinging as she stood shakily. Taehyun sucked in a short breath. "Thread," He said, pointing to her. The girl frowned, lifting her fingers that dangled with silvery lines, "My strings?" "Yes, but also no," Taehyun said, brushing away the shimmering thread that traveled to her. "Don't know how I didn't notice. Nevermind. I'm Taehyun, I'm just like you, what's your name?" The corners of her mouth quirked up. "I'm Ryujin."

"Hey. And uh...is Chaeryeong gonna be okay?"

"Oh, uh, she'll be fine in half an hour."

"Great. You should probably meet the others."

-

Everyone was asleep when Taehyun and Ryujin arrived, all except Yeonjun, whose glowering stare could make a grown man cry. The oldest tensed up when he saw Ryujin, casting a confused look at Taehyun. "She's the last one," Taehyun explained. Yeonjun looked amazed, "That means-" "-we can go now."

Ryujin's eyebrows flicked up as she studied the sleeping boys and girls.

"Is everyone like this?" She asked, her strings quivering as she swished her hands. Yeonjun blinked at her. "What do those do?" The girl jerked her hand and Chaeryeong slumped down, unconscious. "Cool,"Yeonjun remarked.

As Yeonjun brought Ryujin up to speed with what was happening, Taehyun dug out the notebook. "Yeah, I'm right. The map is complete," He said, and for the first time he felt like he could finally relax. Taehyun drifted off to sleep as his heavy eyelids closed.