virus | skz

-six-

"I told you, they'll be fine." I sigh as I lay back on the tattered blanket next to the gas cans.

"How can you be so sure? Channie got the fuck beat outta him by that mutated. Bin was still having trouble with his head. There's no way they'll be able to get home on their own." Felix shakes his head as his eyes scan the dark woods in search of any potential threats.

"Because it's Chan. Chan has gotten through worse. Trust me—he'll make it home with Bin. He always does." I insist as I stare up at the sparkling sky as my evidence begins to play in my mind.

"Let's go play." Chan chirps as he tugs on my arm. His smile stretches from ear to ear while I glare up at him.

"Leave me alone. I'm busy." I try to brush him off and return to my sketch, but he doesn't budge.

"Let's go play." Chan repeats himself only glancing away from me long enough to see SeungMin make his way past the open door and down the hall.

"I don't wanna play, Channie. I wanna draw." I sigh as I set my pencil down and turn toward him in hopes of getting my message across.

"But I wanna play." Chan pouts as his hands fall from my arm. He lowers his head disappointed.

"But I don't wanna. I'm sure Lix or someone will play with you. See if Bin's busy. Bin always goes on your stupid little adventures with you." I do everything I can to get him to leave me alone. I usually avoid getting snippy with him, but I just really want to sit and do nothing. After that loot yesterday, I'm exhausted.

"But I wanna play with you. No—I have to play with you." Chan insists as he stops his foot and scrunches his nose up.

"Why does it have to be me? You told me yesterday that if I went with Min to loot that old gas station you'd let me rest today. You know what happened yesterday. I'm sore. I don't want to go loot just for something to do." I turn him down once again, but I know I'm not going to win. He'll make me go one way or another.

"It has to be you because it's a store built for you. I found it when I was out playing with Bin and Sung. They thought we should just loot it for you, but I insisted you had to see it." Chan explains as his eyes sparkle with excitement.

"Fine. Let's go." I cave in and allow him to pull me up onto my feet. It's easier to just let him win so you can get it over with and save energy.

"You can't know for sure." Felix doubts me as he kicks at my foot. I scramble to my feet and grab my gun ready to help if needed.

"I know for sure. What'd you see?" I search the trees for whatever threat he felt the need to warn me about.

"I thought there was something back there—I don't know though—I can't see it anymore." Felix shrugs, clearly not at his best given the situation. I still don't know why they stuck him with me.

"I'm too tired for this. Why am I out here?" I sigh and fall back down in the bed of the truck.

"Why are you out there? Who the hell else would I put out there? JiSung is surviving on at most two hours of sleep in the last forty-eight hours. SeungMin is exhausted from doing it on the way there. JeongIn's ankle still bothers him when he stands for too long—which would only get worse if he gets jostled around back there. You know I can't do it. You and Lix were the only options. Just suck it up. You'll live. We have more important things to deal with—we don't need your whining." MinHo scolds from the front seat. I glare at him through the back window and stick my tongue out at him.

I groan and stare out at the rising sun. When MinHo said Chan yelled at him over the walkie talkie, the others insisted we had no choice but to ignore Chan's request to let him get them back. He would've made it just fine if you ask me, but my opinion isn't the only one that matters. I feel like it doesn't even matter in the slightest most times.