GROUND ONE • LEE DONGHYUCK •

fourteen.

DONGHYUCK ACCOMPANIED SAGE BACK TO HER ROOM— A FIRST AID KIT IN HIS HANDS.

He had found in the infirmary by the training center, grabbing it so he can tend to her wounds. She opened the door, the man following her into her room. "Go to the bathroom," he softly told her. She followed what he said without a word coming out of her mouth.

She had been quiet after the obstacle course situation. The boys figured it was shock, letting her remain quiet because they didn't want to push her. They were shocked however at the sudden closeness between the two as Donghyuck took her back to her room.

"I thought they hated each other," Jisung said, Chenle agreeing.

Jeno shrugged, a small smile etching on his face as he watched the two walk out of the arena. "Things change. They practically act alike I don't find it surprising," he told them.

"He's stealing my girl!" Jaemin joked, Renjun pushing him.

"Jaemin!"

Donghyuck pointed towards the counter, her eyebrows furrowing. He sighed. "Get on the counter Sage."

She eyed him but, got onto the counter like he said. He smoothly slid between her legs, opening the first aid kit. Sage eyes widened for a split moment before turning back to normal. He was so nonchalant with what he just did. How?

He grabbed the alcohol, placing it onto a cotton pad. "This might sting a little, just warning you."

He softly grabbed her hand, dabbing the alcohol onto the cuts she sustained from hitting the barbwire slightly. She winced but let him continue what he was doing. He did the same to her other hand, Sage watching his face intently. His bottom lip was pouted out as he concentrated.

It was cute. Cute?

She shook off her thoughts, her eyes going back to him fingers. He threw away the cotton pad and grabbed the ointment. "You know, I kinda miss your annoying voice right about now," he told her, spreading the medicine evenly along her knuckles. "Even if it hurts my ears sometimes."

She kicked him softly. "My voice isn't annoying," she muttered. He grabbed her leg, his hands radiating warmth as he looked up at her with a smile on his face. She was going to lose it.

"There she is," he dragged out.

"Stop it you jerk," she lectured. He tilted his head.

"Stop what?"

She pushed his chest, the brown haired man grabbing her arm with his free hand. The action made her lose her balance— her face inching closer to his. His arm that was once on her leg gravitated to her waist, catching her. Their faces were left a few inches apart, Sage's breath rapid from the near fall. Neither of them bothered to move from position, their eyes searching each other's.

Donghyuck looked into her hazel eye's the specks of green enchanting him. "Hyuck," she stumbled out, his pupil size increasing.

"You're the only person to call me that Sage," he told her, his voice becoming deeper. "God," he muttered out, her face heating up. He took a small step forward, their face inching closing. Sage closed her eyes, hearing nothing but his heavy breathing.

"Sag-"

The two were interrupted by a knock on her door. Donghyuck groaned loudly, moving away from her body. The warmth of his fingertips left her body as he made his way out of the bathroom. What the hell was that? She stepped out of the bathroom, Donghyuck muttering incoherent things to himself. He opened the to be faced with all of the boys.

"What?" he asked, his voice coming off more harsh than usual. Jaemin raised his eyebrows.

"Were we interrupting something?" he asked, plopping down onto her bed.

"No."

"No."

Sage looked at Donghyuck but he only avoided her eyes. She sat beside Jaemin, huddling her legs close to her chest. Donghyuck on the other hand, sat in a chair away from her bed. The boys talked about possible theories, the woman listening. It suddenly all began to click. She looked up— her eyes wide. "I think I know why they chose us," she spoke up, grabbing their attention.

Jaemin leaned his head against her shoulder, the woman not caring. Donghyuck however, noticed the slight smirk on his face as Jaemin looked at him.

"Tell us," Chenle said.

"The first day, did they make you relieve any memories? Anything from the past that you had wanted to forget" she questioned, the room silent. Their demeanor changed, meaning that they did see it too.

"It didn't make sense to me at first but, it does now. I think our common denominator is that we have all went through some sort of trauma. The file said that they wanted to stop citizens who had done wrong doing. They want to switch the roles. The wrong done do the wrong doing," she explained.

"The only way we can know if that is true is by getting Jongin's file," Mark added, Sage nodding. 

"There is a file cabinet inside of the lab," Jaemin spoke up. "I remember seeing it."

Sage smiled. "Then we know what to do next."

The boys eventually started to leave, the woman saying goodbye. A frown appeared on her face however when the tanned boy began to walk out. Where was he going? "Donghyuck?" she called out. He ignored her, leaving her room.

The small action left Sage overthinking the rest of the night.