The Gifted (Txt x Itzy)

七十四

Many gifteds had chosen to leave.

It seemed rather disheartening, to see the sudden great lack of volume the cave had. There were roughly only fifty of them left. Some were still being brought back by the leaders, who worked tirelessly without rest to search and rescue. And all the gifteds they brought were battered and bloody, requiring immediate attention, giving all the other gifteds a lot to do.

The ten mostly spent their time rushing about helping the healers or supplying medical equipment or nourishment, barely having enough time to say a simple hi to each other.

Most of them have established that they wanted to stay; the five girls and Yeonjun, but the other four still toyed with the idea of leaving in search of a new life.

It was so painfully obvious.

The twins spent their free time whispering in hushed tones, seemingly having a heated debate, while Kai simply avoided all of them as much as possible, as if getting ready to distance himself from his friends. Taehyun didn't say much, only speaking to pass on messages or request assistance. It was as if they were slowly breaking away.

-

Yuna managed to pin Kai down during lunch break.

"Well?" She asked, "Are you gonna tell us what's up?" Kai couldn't bring himself to look at her. Then he couldn't take it. "I want to go home, Yuna," Kai finally announced, "I want to go back to having a normal life."

Shaking her head hopelessly, Yuna replied, "What's wrong with a life here? With people like you?"

"My family?" Kai said, "My old life promised me a good future, steady income, a stable job. I can live without having to worry. You can come with me."

"But what about the constant fear of having to look behind your back everytime you move? Not everyone will be wiped out, I'm sure. Some people will remember," Yuna replied.

"And we're super safe here?" Kai scoffed, then pulled away. "I need to pass this to someone," He quickly said, hefting a pile of something in his arms.

-

The twins were still on the fence. The duo had voiced out their desire and thoughts to a few of their other eight friends. Chaeryeong shrugged, "Well, it's your decision, I can't stop you from doing anything." Jisu looked disappointed, "Don't you want to stay here with us? We'll be a family. A real family."

That really resounded with the two. "A real family," Beomgyu murmured, toying with that unfamiliar term carefully.

-

Taehyun seemed to be uncertain. He could be seen packing his bag, then unpacking last minute, contemplating his choices. Barely speaking to the rest, he instead constantly consulted with the leaders, who offered their various advice. Jimin, who looked a lot better, though he was still deathly pale, encouraged him to stay, but if he did wish to leave, he would be supported from afar as best as possible. Namjoon seemed a little hesitant to let Taehyun go (considering his power and strength), but reminded him that it was his choice. Jungkook whined and had to be pulled away from the boy.

Choices. "Bah," Taehyun wrinkled his nose. He was at a crossroad. And very much stuck there. "Hecate," Namjoon said suddenly as he stood behind the hunched-over Taehyun. He had found his way to the little corner that Taehyun tucked himself in. "What?" Taehyun asked. "Hecate," Namjoon repeated, "The goddess of magic, who also has a thing for crossroads. Some people think that there are only two choices, two doorways, two sides of a coin. But Hecate believed there are three or more crossroads, and you have many options. One would be to stay, of course. The second would be to leave. But the third option? In my opinion, the third one is the best of both worlds. You can go back and forth from here. Exhausting, yes, but it would have a balance of the world of the gifteds and the world of the humans for you."

He clapped Taehyun's back and left Taehyun to digest that idea.