It has been hours since the last announcement.
It has also been hours since they've last eaten, since there was no food prepared for them in the lounge. Only boxes of water bottle are stocked up for the newbies as they train, filling in their days with punching, kicking, throwing and everything that can defend them when the time comes. Not even the shadow of the soldier that claimed to be their leader was seen.
San has already stopped running, finding solace sitting away from the rest of the group members. With the time that they have, Elenna manages to gather all of them in a circle, save for San who politely refuses. They sit together and start to tell one another things before they are taken into VESTRA. San only watches from the corner, massaging his legs as he keeps his eyes on them.
"I was a student, studying here in Zuhal District before the outbreak of the virus. The last time I went home was three years ago to see my late father. Never thought it would be the last time I'd seen him," Wooyoung utters, his eyes moving around to see each of their faces. He lets out a cough, continuing, "we lived in Ezsar District for the longest time before I got an offer to study here. My brother didn't think it was a good idea until father told him he'll let him inherit all of his remaining assets if he let me go. I guess assets were more valuable than a younger brother though."
All of them are silent as Wooyoung speaks and he can see them already giving him a sympathetic look. He chuckles lightly, "I'm not surprised either way cause it has been my dream to further my study out of my district. It was fine until I heard about the virus reaching into Ezsar. I tried calling my father but he never responded. I had my hopes in me that he was still alive until I saw my brother, all drenching in blood and wounded, stepping into my dormitory with a rifle slung over his body."
Elenna eyes Jongho who is sitting beside him, signalling him to offer some comfort towards Wooyoung. Jongho is reluctant, but he still reaches Wooyoung's back and pat him gently. Wooyoung only chuckles as a tear appears between his eyelids that he wipes off quickly.
"What happened to him?" Arin asks, out of the blue.
Wooyoung turns to her, cocking up an eyebrow which Arin merely shrugs, wanting an answer. The others stare unbelievably at Arin but she pays no mind. Her eyes are still on him, waiting if he's willing to answer her question.
"You know what happened. He was infected."
"And you killed him?"
"Arin!" Mingi says in a hushed tone as he looks at her weirdly. Arin doesn't turn away from Wooyoung's gaze, still searching for something within him.
"You think I did?" he asks, and for the first time Elenna and Mingi could see no sign of joy in Wooyoung. He's all tensed up, triggered from what Arin has to say.
"I'm not surprised if you say yes."
"I think we should move on to the next person. Arin, you can tell us anything," Elenna intervenes, trying to shake off the atmosphere that is already tensing up. She looks at Arin with a pleading eyes, silently hoping she would stop.
"I don't blame you," Arin murmurs, finally breaking the eye contact she holds onto Wooyoung, "you did what you had to do. I respect you for it."
The anger building up in him is instantly extinguished as he hears her. Wooyoung feels his heart sink at the thought of it, before he turns away, wiping more of his tears that stream down his cheek. That one sentence broke him into pieces as he sobs, having his head hang down while his hands covering his face. His body shakes, and each time he tries to breathe he feels it piercing into his heart. The memories of his youth, his father and his brother.
Everyone didn't dare to say anything as Wooyoung's sob gradually disappeared. Hiccups of him echoes through the room, which make him cover his mouth, ashamed. When he finally stops, only then Arin raises her head again and speaks.
"I grew up as a juvenile. At the age of sixteen I was taken by the police and had been arrested," she starts, which makes everyone stare at her in awe. Even San, who is minding his own business, is now staring at her, no longer massaging his legs.
"As you know, in Qarax District, the law enforcement is stricter than any other district. I don't know what happened, but I was accused of a crime," she continues calmly, "let's just say it was a really serious crime."
Wooyoung's eyes bulge at the sight of her, but nothing prepares him for what she has to say next.
"My own parents reported and turned me in. They were screaming and crying, pointing at me, saying I am turning into a monster. That I did something and they don't know who I was. I begged them to let me go but they locked me up in the asylum. I was jailed in an asylum for ten years."
"And then you escaped," Wooyoung utters, which made her a bit amused. She lets out a chuckle before her feet kicking Wooyoung's who is sitting across from her.
"How did you know that?"
"You're an open book, Arin," he replies as both of them chuckles, leaving everyone else gaping their mouths. They shift uncontrollably in their seats, Jongho leaning a bit towards Mingi's direction.
"Why the hell are they laughing?" he whispers, loud enough for Mingi to accidentally snort as he holds back his laugh towards Jongho, but at the same time he doesn't feel like laughing together with Wooyoung and Arin would be respectful.
"Why the hell are you asking me that?" he replies in a raspy whisper, a little too loud for Jongho as he frowns while covering his ears.
"Don't scream into my ears!"
"What was I supposed to do then? Sing??"
"Can you guys shut up?!" Elenna scolds them, coincidentally whispering as she hears them.
Wooyoung and Arin pay no mind as they laugh over their little fate, considering it as a way to cope. She's bright with a smile now, turning to him with a sigh. The atmosphere begins to be less tense between each of them, now that they knew each other better than when they first met.
Wicked fate.
"Thank you, I needed that laugh."
Wooyoung only smiles back at her but before he gets to reply a siren blast all through the lounge, deafening their ears. San springs up from his seat before he quickly moves towards the glass door and peaks outside. He then turns back to them, still with his poker face, he points towards the door.
"It's time for all of us to gather again now. I don't know what will happen but I need everyone to stay close within our group members only. Avoid unnecessary interaction with other newbies, we never knew about their true intentions," San says in one go, before heading outside, holding the door open.
All of them nod and start to file out from the room and walk towards the gathering space in the lounge. Each step feels heavy as they force themselves to keep their lace up. Stares and whispers lingering around them as San leads the group into their line in front of the stage.
Without his glasses, it's only natural that Mingi's other senses are working even more sensitively towards the surroundings. Among the people there he catches an insult greeting his ears, burning his heart.
"Look at them, they'll be the first one to get kicked out."
Before Mingi gets to raise his hand, San already backed him down, shaking his head. He lets out a sharp sigh, turning away after secretly pulling out his middle finger towards the person after San passes to line up before him. Elenna sees it, pretending to look other ways as she giggles to herself.
Their attention shifts towards the soldier in front of them as he ascends the stage. Whispers slowly disappear, nervousness hits them when Yunho starts to speak.
"All right, listen up everyone. That siren just now concludes your first quarter of this training. The scoreboard is already changing as we speak, and I can see determination through each of you. Give yourself an applause."
The lounge suddenly filled with people clapping their hands, for whatever reason it was.
"I do think you guys are doing really well, even though there's still some of you guys engaging in an unnecessary fight. I must remind you again that peace and unity is what matters here, not emotions. One of your friends lost himself to his own emotions and took things personally, look what happened to him."
Mingi balls his fists, growing restless as he thinks about Yeosang. He doesn't know where to find him, or find out what they did to him. San senses Mingi start to tense up and he moves closer to him, whispering under his lowest voice, "they won't do anything to him."
"That guy didn't even do anything when Yeosang got beaten. Where was he even? He asks us to respect him as a leader but all he did was disappear when things went down here. What kind of leader is that?" Mingi refutes, his heart still burning as he thinks about Yeosang's whereabouts. San lets out a deep breath, knowing he could do nothing to help Mingi calm down.
"I don't know why but I feel.. very angry. Like if given chance I want to punch that Yunho right onto his face so he knows what reality are we standing on. San, we need to find Yeosang. What if they did something to him?"
"I don't know where he is, for god's sake. You need to calm down," San manages, as he tries to cover himself from getting seen by the soldier.
Mingi retaliates as he bends his knees so he couldn't be seen, "you're a mentor. You've been here way longer before we did. At least tell me what will happen to him? I can't just lose my mentor like that. Where did they bring those who were wounded during your training previously?"
San falls silent as he keeps his eyes forward, not wanting to gain unnecessary attention.
"Tell me!" Mingi whispers, his tone hardens.
"They never come back," San lets out a defeated sigh, "my friends, when they took them.. they never came back."
Mingi's eyes widen but San hushes him down before he gets to protest. He whispers through his teeth, warning Mingi from bursting out during these moments.
"If you want to live which I know you want, don't do any stupid things in front of them."
Their conversation then got interrupted by the soldier's voice that echoes through the whole lounge again.
"Ah, enough with that. Now, before we start with your second quarter of the training, a break will be given to you for exactly 120 minutes. Each second counts and I suggest you make the most out of it. Food and drinks will be available at the dining area. Suit yourself and be ready for the second quarter."