𝐂𝐎𝐆𝐍𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐍𝐓 ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ 𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐮

⇛ 𝐂𝐇. 𝟓

sumin had completed working as a bagger, slopper and bricknick, all jobs she didn't like and she knew the keepers wouldn't want her to join them anyway. she just didn't fit the roles well at all. the only roles left were cook, runner and medjack. three more days of working and she planned to try her best because her becoming a runner seemed very unlikely with the way jeno was acting and if she wasn't deemed suitable for any roles, she'd end up as a slopper. she'd rather jump off the maze walls than be a slopper.

her next job was working with the medjacks and considering she had spent time with chenle already, she was confident. she was standing on the other side of the door about to knock but she could hear voices inside.

"no... i'll ask someone else to do this. you can go back to your work." it was chenle. he sounded slightly annoyed.

"i insist. everyone else is busy."

sumin heard an unfamiliar voice and curious to see who it was, she entered the room and the two inside went quiet. the unfamiliar boy took that as his opportunity to sit on the bed.

"can't believe i have to mentor you for the day." was the first thing chenle said after the silence

"you know you've been waiting for this moment."

"whatever you say, shank. now take a seat." he gestured to the seat on the other side of the bed occupied by the glader. "so... this is jay who has volunteered to be your patient for the day even though i had someone else in mind but anyway... you've already seen how i bandage wounds. i want you to have a go on his arm."

"piece of cake." sumin muttered as she sat down next to jay and chenle moved to the other side of the room to treat someone else. "i don't think we met at the bonfire. nice to meet you."

"no... no we didn't. i don't like those events." he replied, his cheeks dusted a little pink when she took his arm.

"it was fun except for the part when i got knocked out by jeno."

"oh, yeah. i heard about that. jeno's a slinthead for hurting a girl. i never really liked him." jay replied and sumin raised an eyebrow at this but didn't say anything in response. chenle had also overheard that and sent a dirty look their way but was too busy to join the conversation and defend his friend.

"anyway, what's your role?"

"i'm a track-hoe. it's tough work but it's made me so much stronger in a year."

"oh, you've been here for a year?" sumin hummed as she finished up bandaging his arm.

"two. i used to work as a runner for a year but then i... i injured myself and switched to being a track-hoe."

"how'd you hurt yourself, if you don't mind me asking?"

"greenie, are you done?" chenle interrupted, his voice lower than usual. when sumin glanced over her shoulder and met his eyes, he held an eerie and unreadable look. it was like the entire atmosphere had just switched in a matter of seconds.

"yeah, i am." she stood up from her seat and he examined the bandage she had wrapped.

"jay, you can leave now."

"alright, see you around, sumin." jay smiled at her as he left the room, leaving them in a tense silence. she wasn't sure what had just happened but there was definitely something going on between the two boys.

"you need to stay away from him." chenle said, his eyes still trained on the door.

"what? why?"

"sumin, just do as i say." he said with so much conviction and harshness that she couldn't help but nod her head. he had also called her by her real name so she knew he meant it. then his voice got softer as he looked away from the door. "and good job on the bandaging. you did it perfectly."