Guts (EXO)

Suddenly

Hyerin nodded in understanding. "You're right. I should just ignore all these stupid feelings and just-" she took a deep breath, "just focus on the task at hand."

Kris nodded once at her, respecting the way she was handling the situation.

"So," she started, cutting to the chase, "what are our plans?"

"There are no plans formed just yet, but Chen and Luhan are at the secret room, trying to figure stuff out. All we know for sure right now is that the only way we're going to get Tao back is if we give back the money to them and-" his eyes landed on her, "and if we hand you over to them."

"Which is clearly never going to happen," Kyungsoo hastily added.

Hyerin looked at him uncertainly. "Well actually, if we find a way to trick them by turning me in-"

"Are you crazy?"

"It may just be the-"

"Don't even start on that," Kyungsoo cut off, looking impatient. "Just don't."

"He's right, Hyerin. We're not going to turn you in," Lay said. "That's the last thing we would want do. Heck, we're not even going to let you near any of the enemies in fear of them abducting you."

"What I meant by taking advantage of your power is when they're finally vulnerable and easy to attack," Kris explained. "Although I have no clue as to how we're going to do that."

"Ideas will come up naturally. For now, we just need to get all the information we need," Lay said, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Alright." She nodded. "For now, we'll stay on the down low."

---

After settling things, the gang spent the rest of the day tending to their personal matters. It was a gloomy morning, perfectly matching everyone's mood as if it were entirely made for their grieving.

Nothing was the same without Tao. Everyone was down and trying to keep busy just so they won't have to think about the disaster that was going on at the moment. It didn't help that there was that issue with Hyerin, too. Everything bad was happening all at the same time and it was taking a toll on them.

Kai was polishing a set of daggers in the living room when Hyerin plopped herself on the couch opposite of where he was sitting, looking extremely troubled as she stared down at her phone.

Kai's gaze lingered on her as he absentmindedly wiped the weapon in his hand with a cloth, watching as her mobile vibrated in her hands, practically begging her to answer it.

"Aren't you taking that?" he casually asked, nodding at her phone.

Hyerin looked up, eyes wide from snapping out of her trance so suddenly. "Oh," she mumbled, looking down once again on the mobile before turning it off, jaw tightening. "No. It's not important."

"Of course it is," he said. "That's why you're running away from it."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What makes you think so?"

"Oh, I would know," he muttered, setting down the knife and taking another unpolished one. "I've been through that a lot of times."

Hyerin stared at him for a while before sighing and leaning back on the couch wordlessly. Of course he would know.

"Hyerin," he started, putting away the dagger and rounding the table in between them to sit beside her. "The situation you're in right now, I've been through it and I still am. I run away from things that I should handle myself but I'm such a big coward that I end up pushing it away. And I'm telling you this right now – don't run away," he said, giving her a look that held too much meaning behind it.