"Performance and HipHop team verses Vocal line and Areum." S.coups announces and I look at Joshua, grinning because I'm on his team.
"Alright, let's go!" DK shouts and we all walk into the first round location.
It's supposed to be a school or something, there's an old building and school bus parked outside and a play park, but they're all damaged and ruined.
"Does getting shot with a paintball hurt?" I whisper to Joshua through the protective mask I'm wearing.
"Just a little bit." His muffled voice replies.
"3, 2, 1, go!" One of the workers shouts and the sound of a gunshot rings through the air, signalling us to start.
"Stay by me." Joshua says and I follow him to the school building.
I hear shots of paintballs being fired in the distance and I laugh, wondering who has been put out of the game already. Probably Woozi.
"Stay in here." Joshua mumbles and opens a door leading into a destroyed set of a classroom.
"Aren't we supposed to be out in the open, shooting people?" I ask.
"No, hiding is the best technique. Hiding and waiting and when they eventually find us, we have the advantage on who gets shot first."
"Ah..." I breathe and my mask becomes blurry.
I begin to take it off but Joshua grabs he bottom of it and pulls it back on.
"What are you doing?" He asks. "You're not allowed to take off your mask."
"Oh, sorry."
"It's alright. I just don't want you getting hurt."
Suddenly, footsteps echo through the corridor outside and I shuffle nearer to Joshua.
They begin to slow down when they near the door of the room and it's silent for a few seconds. The door then creaks open and Joshua aims his gun at the intruder.
He shoots straight away and the person jumps backwards, the bullet just missing him.
"It's me, don't shoot!" A voice unmistakably belonging to DK shouts.
"Oh sorry, teammate." Joshua apologises and DK shuts the door before sitting next to us.
"Jun, Mingyu and Wonwoo remain on their team and now, it's just us left."
"What?" I ask, eyes wide. "I survived longer than Seungkwan, the paintball champion!"
"Well done, star." Joshua muses and high fives me.
"Star?" DK questions.
"Oh, just a nickname." I say, not telling him the full reason behind it.
"We need to head out now, you coming?" DK says and Joshua and I both nod.
"Remember to follow me." Joshua reminds me.
"I will."
As soon as DK opens the door, a figure with his back facing us can be seen at the end of the corridor.
"Shh." DK says quietly and we slowly approach the person.
"You shoot him, Areum." Joshua whispers and DK agrees.
"Alright."
I grip the plastic gun and place my gloved finger over the trigger. When I'm only a few metres away from the person, I stop and aim the gun before applying pressure to the trigger.
A distinct red ball flies through the air before hitting their mask, causing them to jump back and shout in surprise.
"Did you, Lee Areum, just shoot me?" Jun asks and we all laugh.
"Sorry, Jun but you're out." DK laughs and pats his friend's shoulder.
"I really thought I was going to be the winner." He mumbles before walking away from us.
"Good shot, Areum." DK muses and high fives me.
"They're in the school!" We hear Jun shout from outside and we turn around to run.
DK shrieks and when I turn to face him, he has yellow paint splattered across his back.
"Keep going, leave without me." He says dramatically, faking emotion as if he's playing a role in a movie.
Joshua and I continue to run until we're out of the other end of the building. He then reaches for my hand and pulls me towards the empty bus before climbing in, me following closely behind.
"Hide here." He says and we crouch behind a seat next to a window.
"There's Woozi." I laugh, pointing at the smaller boy standing outside of the school building. He looks lost and confused and I can only praise him for getting so far.
After a few moments we hear footsteps nearing us. Joshua points the trigger towards the door, waiting until the figure emerges, and when it does, he shoots right away.
"Yah, Jisoo, we're teammates! I was doing so well!" Woozi complains and walks off the bus.
"It's just you and me verses Wonwoo and Mingyu." I say.
"Oh look, there they are," Joshua says and points out of the window.
"Oh no." I mumble as they jog to the bus.
"Shoot them." Joshua whispers and when the two, tall boys step onto the bus, Joshua and I both shoot them.
"We won!" I cheer and hug Joshua.
"Well done, star." He mumbles and hugs me back.
"Damn, you two are good!" Wonwoo complains and I laugh.
"The winner is the vocal team plus Areum!" S.coups shouts and my team cheer.
Somebody's phone begins to ring and we all look at S.coups. He takes his black phone out of his pocket and then answers the call.
"Hello?"
We all watch as his face drops.
"Is it serious?" He asks and I look at Joshua worriedly.
"What's happened?" Minghao whispers but S.coups ignores him.
"Okay, we're coming straight away, bye."
"Who was it?" Jun asks when he hangs up the phone.
"It was Kim Eui."
"Why was she ringing you?" I ask, cringing at the sound of her name.
"Vernon's been in an accident."
Author's note: omggggggggggg
thank u all so much for all the reads they're going up so quick i'm so happy aw