The Odds | NCT DREAM

Chapter 13

Two faces. Two deaths. That was it for day two in the arena. That meant that there were only eight deaths total. That was only a third of the tributes, which mean two thirds were still remaining in the arena.

"That's not good." Renjun mumbled from beside Jade. The Careers were at their camp, each doing their own thing. Jade and Renjun were lying on the floor of the Cornucopia, staring at the sky. The anthem had just played and the faces were projected on the sky, signalling the end of another day.

"Tomorrow's going to be a rough one." Haechan said, placing his trident in the fire. He stared at the ember colour of the tips as he pulled it back out, waiting for it's original colour to return before placing it back in the fire, repeating the pattern.

"Why?" Bora asked, eyeing him from the corner of her eye as she sharped her knife.

"That means that the gamemakers are going to start pushing us all together in one spot." Renjun said before standing up, placing another block of wood in the fire. Jade got up as well, moving towards Jeno, who was sleeping peacefully. She removed the towel from his forehead, moving towards the lake, wringing out the water before soaking it again. She twisted the excess water out before placing the towel back onto his forehead.

Jeno's body had weakened significantly, barely able to walk. Bora and Hyewon continued scouting the forests while the other three stayed back to tend Jeno. When Renjun had changed Jeno's bandage before dinner, he had noticed that the wound had discharge leaking out, increased swelling and reddness around it, signs of infection. It was confirmed when Renjun checked his temperature a few hours earlier, his forehead burning against his touch. Jeno's condition becoming more severe by the second, and Jade knew that Renjun only blamed himself for mistaking the coconut oil for healing balm.

"You guys can go sleep first, I'll take the first and last watch." Renjun told them. The group stared at him, knowing Renjun was probably the most exhausted out of all of them, but the stern look on his face was enough to convince the rest to sleep.

...

Jade lied in her sleeping bag, staring at the stars. A part of her worried about whether Jeno would make it through the night. Despite the two of them hating each other for most of their lives, the Hunger Games had helped stitch their relationship back together. No matter what was in the past, Jeno was still her buddy from the same district, the closest person to her family when it came to all the people currently inside the arena.

Jade sighed, giving up on sleep as she turned her head. Renjun was sitting crossed legged beside Jeno, staring at him as he slept. At the noise of her movement, Renjun's head immediately snapped towards her.

"Can't sleep?" Renjun asked her. Jade nodded her head. Renjun tapped the empty space beside him. Jade got out of her sleeping bag, making her way towards him.

"Did you sleep at all?" Renjun asked.

"No, too much on my mind." Jade admitted as she sat down beside him. Renjun leaned back, supporting himself with his two arms.

"I feel bad for him." Renjun confessed as he stared at Jeno.

"It's not your fault Renjun, we all would have made the same mistake." Jade told him. Renjun slowly nodded, looking away. Jade could tell he still wasn't convinced but didn't want to push it.

"I wonder what they'll do tomorrow." Renjun said as he stared at the lake. Jade tilted her head, looking at him.

"They?" Jade asked. Renjun nodded.

"They as in the gamemakers. I wonder how they'll make us all move closer together." Renjun clarified. Jade shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know but it probably won't affect us that badly." Jade said. Renjun nodded in agreement.