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fourteen.
"You two planned this?"
Soobin and Taehyun looked at each other before turning to face the other three. Taehyun walked forward, throwing the gun and catching it in mid-air so casually. "Not exactly planned but I guess-"
"It was them. I heard them." Beomgyu stood up, clenching his fists. "I heard their conversation in the kitchen."
"What are you talking about?" Hueningkai asked, confusion written all over his face.
As the fire grew alarmingly, none of them attempted to escape because of the gun Taehyun held, considering how Beomgyu actually tried to kill him, he wouldn't have second thoughts as well to pull the trigger. A few more minutes and the house would be swallowed by the fire. Soobin indeed spoke the truth when he said the neighborhood was newly-built and there was no other person living within the subdivision.
No one noticed.
And even if anyone noticed the smoke from far away, it would already be too late.
"The two of them wanted us gone," Beomgyu confessed what he heard.
"What if we get rid of them? We'll just tell PD that they disappeared after our mini-vacation."
"The other trainees are much more deserving to replace their spots anyway."
Hueningkai looked at the two in disbelief, confusion, and despair. He couldn't believe what he just heard. After all the times they spent together, one couldn't just get rid of their own group member just because of unfavorable attitude - and by getting rid, he meant literally to kill. He didn't expect it from the two.
The four weren't really all that different, Beomgyu tried to kill Taehyun and Yeonjun burned the house, trying to kill Soobin, and even if they both did it to prevent their own deaths, the two didn't even have second thoughts about it. Meanwhile, both Taehyun and Soobin secretly planned their murder all along.
But Hueningkai, he didn't do anything at all. He just wanted them to make up. He didn't deserve any of this.
"Is this true? Taehyun? Soobin-hyung?" He looked up, tears welling in his eyes.
He didn't expect it from them. They looked so kind-hearted in his eyes. The vows they made that even though they would quarrel all the time, they would never intentionally hurt each other physically...or leave. Taehyun and Soobin said it before.
It was all gone.
"You two were the liars all this time."
Soobin hummed. "Hueningkai, I want you to tell me something. Do you have any hidden dislikes about us?"
"What are you talking about? At a time like this? We are going to die in this fire soon! Why?"
"Just answer the question. Before we got into this mess, did you have any dislikes about us?"
"I-I...dont...really. I just hated the way you all were fighting," Hueningkai answered truthfully. "I wanted us to go back to the way we were before."
Soobin nodded, then walking over and crouching to Yeonjun's level. "You've been silent for a while. I'm asking...is it really because of my leader position that you started our fight?"
Yeonjun looked him straight in the eye. "What's the point? If you want to kill us then just go ahead and kill us. Stop it with this interview bullshit."
"Just answer me, hyung."
Yeonjun let out a deep breath, realizing he had no choice. "Yes, truthfully speaking. I had a hard time containing my jealousy and my ego was hurt when PD chose you over me. Happy?"
Soobin nodded and stood up, now facing Beomgyu. "What about you, Beomgyu? Why did you start picking on Taehyun?"
Beomgyu looked away. "He was talented, an all-rounder. Everyone praised him and I got less attention despite being visual and center. I was overshadowed."
"Then that's that." Soobin walked away and stopped just in front of the doorway. Taehyun twirled his gun and walked over to the three, sitting down on the ground so casually with his gun still pointed towards the group.
"What? Are you gonna leave us to die here?" Yeonjun asked. "And Taehyun still has his gun, what are you two exactly planning?"
Soobin turned around with a sad smile on his face. He showed the matchbox and rattled it once again, opening and taking a single matchstick out. Igniting the matchstick, he whispered something under his breath.
"I hope this serves as a lesson to you all."
Then he threw it out of the door, igniting the ring of gasoline on fire which increased its spread around the house. There was no escape this time.
"Wh-what are you doing!?" Beomgyu was at a loss of words. "You just ruined your own escape!"
"It was intentional," Soobin simply replied.
The fire covered the furniture all around them and was slowly inching towards where they stood. The smoke felt suffocating to the point that they had to sit down and cover their mouth.
Soobin shut the door and locked it, then walking over to the group and sitting beside Yeonjun.
They shared eye contact.
There was silence. Only the sizzling and cracking of the fire sounding in their ears. Just around a minute left until the smoke makes them pass out. Taehyun stood up, despite the smoke clouding his vision, he slid the gun a couple of meters away.
"Nobody is perfect. A mistake doesn't define who you are. Certain emotions may cloud your decision but that doesn't give any of us the right to act so selfishly. Remember what we all said to each other?" Soobin spoke to the group.
He couldn't breathe anymore - the thick smoke corrupted their lungs. None of them could. They didn't bother struggling anymore. It was inevitable. All the members felt was pain, sadness, confusion and finally, regret.
