•••••
"Hina spook me. I don't think I can sleep anymore."
Donghyuck turned to look at Mark who was still awake. The elder hushed him to go back to sleep but he was also thinking back on what she said.
Hina had a clear reason on revealing that story. She was the closest person to Shin Dayul and she knows a thing or two about black magic. Recalling what happened to Shin Dayul, Mark remembered Koeun's guilty face.
"Hyung, do you know how Dayul sunbae disappeared?"
Mark flinched but it went unnoticed because of the darkness of the cabin. "...No," he lied through his teeth. He knew the lie was going to get him back but he didn't want to worry Donghyuck and the others who were listening to their conversation.
Mark was worried, especially for Koeun. He knew Koeun can't forget about that night Dayul disappeared and definitely will not when she knows Hina directly knows Shin Dayul.
"This is making me miss Herin." Donghyuck mumbled.
"I thought you hated her," Jisung butted in.
"I don't hate her. We're naturally like that." Donghyuck defended himself.
"Hyuck doesn't want to admit he has a little crush on her," Jaemin mumbled, shifting in his bed.
"I do not!" Donghyuck glared at Jaemin even though he can't see him.
"Guys, let's keep quiet. It's late," Mark calmed them down. "Some people want to sleep."
Meanwhile with the girls, it was awkwardly quiet.
Hina's thoughts distracted her from sleeping because she could hear whispers in her head.
Lami was awfully quiet, trying to process the recent information. She felt a little betrayed by Hina for not telling her about the secret but understood her nonetheless.
Koeun, on the other hand, felt her guilty conscience killing her. Her eyes roamed the room warily. She didn't feel calm. She was scared that something else was going to happen.
"I miss Herin," Lami mumbled.
"I miss her too," Hina sighed.
I'm sorry, Herin. It's all my fault. Koeun forced herself to sleep.
•••••
"Jaehyun,"
The pale one hummed as he stared outside the window. TY leaned on the wall beside the window.
"Did you think bringing the children here was a good choice?" TY asked.
"You're the wise one. What do you think?" Jaehyun asked back.
"I'm afraid it would cause them more bad than good after knowing about these things. Especially of that girl."
"Don't worry, they're strong kids. They know well what they're doing. Plus Mark's there. He know what to do. As long as they stick together, they'll be able to figure things out."
"And the girl?"
"Her? I don't know. We haven't seen her around. She's keeping a low profile, but I'm sure the kids are with her."
"Who knows Jae? They're probably dead by now. Have they even eaten?"
"Are you concerned?"
TY rolled his eyes. "To be fairly honest, yes. They're still children, and they don't deserve to be treated like this. I don't want anymore deaths to happen."
"Like what happened to us?" Jaehyun scoffed, looking at TY who stared back at him.
"You know better what happened. I don't think that's all there is to the surface. If you're that curious, we can drag some of your basketball buddies here." TY suggested.
"What about your dance buddies? They're more talkative." Jaehyun shrugged.
"You know how our deaths doesn't make sense?" TY mumbled.
"TY, should we just tell them already?"
"No, not yet, Jaehyun. Not yet," TY said while his eyes followed a disappearing silhoutte behind the trees.
•••••
"So...what are we doing today?"
The rest of the team looked at Mark lifelessly. Most of them didn't get a good night's sleep.
"You're the leader. You're supposed to know, or are you not the leader?" Donghyuck asked, looking half irritated.
"Don't snap at him, Hyuck." Jaemin scolded Donghyuck while the latter just mimicked him.
"Fine, I'm sorry." Donghyuck apologized and started to doze off.
"Mark," Chan called. "I'm sorry to say this now but yesterday, while you were gone, Seokmin hyung told me that I was to change groups."
"He did?" Yeri wondered.
Mark only nodded understandingly. "Sure, I guess you're probably needed somewhere else where you can help. We have enough hands here anyways."
"Thanks, but we'll still see each other." Chan pat Mark's shoulder as he left to go to his new team.
"Both Arin and Chan had to leave, I guess it's because not many third years are left now." Koeun told Mark.
"Arin left too?" Mark asked.
"Yeah, she told me Jiho sunbae needed her to handle a group of first years because their leader went missing."
Mark inwardly sighed. "I guess this is the best way,"
"What's with the atmosphere?!" Jisung beamed loudly as he hit Jaemin and Donghyuck's backs. The two winced in pain and yelled at him.
"I agree, we can't keep at it like this. Let's find out more, I know we can." Jeno suggested.
"And we will," Mark said and ushered them to stand up.
"Where are we going?" Koeun asked, following him.
"I remembered that we have another team bonding today." Mark replied.
"Bonding?" Donghyuck scoffed as he rolled his eyes.
"Wow, we're gonna get closer. Yay!" Jeno said sarcastically while waving his hands mockingly.
"How much more do we have to be? We've known each other for years." Lami replied, eyeing Jisung and Donghyuck.
"These two are too close though," Jisung said while pointing to the couple who were lowkey bickering.
Jaemin and Hina stopped talking and Hina went beside Koeun. "It's nothing. He's only bothering me."
"Hina!" Jaemin called, looking offended. Hina turned to him while sticking out her tongue playfully.
"These lovebirds are so lively in the morning." Lami complained, looking absolutely annoyed.
"Leave them alone. You don't want him to cry his eyes out. It's not pretty." Jeno told Lami as he urged her to walk away.
•••••
"What kind of bonding time includes going to the forest?"
"I know right! I thought we were going to sit around today!" Donghyuck agreed with Jisung.
"They just want us out of there." Jeno replied, looking awfully done and tired.
"When are we stopping?" Lami asked Koeun while tugging onto her shirt.
Koeun turned to Mark for an answer while he looked lost. She sighed. "Soon, Lami. After a few minutes, we'll be going back."
Lami nodded and continued walking silently. She was sleep deprived and now her legs were hurting her. She thinks it had been three hours since they walked into the forest but it's only been 45 minutes.
Jaemin and Hina, per usual are flirt bickering. It's their natural habit. Jaemin would look for a fight and Hina would pick on him. They go on and on and on until Hina hits him and he sulks then she eventually spoils him and they're back at it again.
Donghyuck, Jeno and Jisung who were walking behind the couple couldn't help but want to vomit their breakfast seeing their lovey dovey interactions.
Donghyuck acted out the puke scene and Jisung made a disgusted face while Jeno seemed to be enjoying both and surpressing his laughter.
Koeun and Mark were quiet. They didn't want to bring up the subject last night and neither do they want to discuss about the ghosts. Koeun still felt guilty and Mark felt sorry for her. He was worried but he knew she needed time for herself.
As the team passed a random checkpoint where a small purple colored flag was hung, Mark told them to take five.
Lami and Hina were sharing their water with Jaemin on the side begging for it too but getting ignored by both.
Jisung, Donghyuck and Mark were gathered together with Donghyuck telling some story about a snake.
Koeun was listening to Yeri complaining and gossiping about the other students.
Jeno was quiet and wandered a bit rather than sitting down. He walked back and forth while humming to a song.
"H-help,"
Jeno stopped humming and looked around for the voice calling for help. He peeked his head behind a large bush and was shocked to see a girl five feet below injured.
"Guys!" he called out for the rest. "Someone needs help,"
"Who is it?" Koeun asked, sprinting her way towards Jeno.
"I don't know, hey, you there. Can you hear me?" Jeno asked, taking a brave move to inch closer to the injured girl.
Once she lifted her head, both of them froze. Jeno looked shocked as his lips parted.
"Jeno?!"
"Siyeon?!"
"From all places to meet you, I meet you here, like this?" Jeno heard her mumble to herself while looking the most annoyed.
"What are you doing there?" Jeno asked, looking at the black haired girl.
"What do you think I'm doing here? Enjoying life and view?" She snapped at him. He raised his hands in defeat and glanced at the others who were looking at the both of them curiously.
"Does Jeno know her?" Donghyuck whispered to Jaemin while the latter shrugged.
Jeno never mentioned any girls ever since they became friends, so it was a bit unusual to see him talking to one, especially a gorgeous girl.
"Are you okay?" Koeun asked concerned with her condition. She couldn't see Siyeon well from the distance.
"I'm fine." Siyeon replied, gritting her teeth.
"How did you get here?" Jeno asked, coming closer to her.
"Don't, don't come near me." Siyeon warned him while putting out her palm.
"Or what? You'll hit me?" Jeno challenged and she went speechless. She didn't want to fight him who was trying to help.
"I really don't want you to help," Siyeon mumbled.
"Neither do I, trust me." he said while slowly lifting her up from the ground and circled her arm around his shoulder with his arm supporting her from the back.
They both finally got out from down there and was bombarded with questions by the whole team.
"How do you two know each other?"
"Jeno, are you okay?"
"Are you hurt, Siyeon?"
"Did you get hurt?"
"How did you fell?"
"What happened to you?"
"You and Jeno know each other?"
Jeno noticed her uncomfortableness and stopped them all from asking further.
"Her name's Siyeon, she's a second year and I've known her since we were children." Jeno answered on her behalf.
"Childhood?" Donghyuck asked.
"Does that mean you're friends?" Lami asked.
"No, no. Um, our parents know each other and we're sort of neighbors too." Jeno replied, making all of them quiet down.
"Alright then, how did you get here, Siyeon?" Mark asked her.
"Why should I tell you that?" Siyeon snapped back at Mark.
"Jeno's friend is rude," Donghyuck whispered to Yeri which made Siyeon glare at him.
"I am, so what?" Siyeon snapped at Donghyuck too.
"We're trying to help, but it's okay if you don't wanna tell." Mark replied.
"Well then, let's start going again."
"Are you gonna be okay?" Hina asked her while Siyeon nodded curtly.
"She'll say when she needs help." Jaemin told Hina as he pulled her away from Siyeon to let Jeno talk to her.
Donghyuck and Jisung shared looks at each other before shrugging and left.
Jeno picked up the purple backpack on the floor which he recognized as hers. "Yours,"
Siyeon who was too embarrassed and mad so she ignored him.
"Come on, I don't think you can walk by yourself." Jeno said, urging her to follow him.
Siyeon moved her leg and instantly fell down again. Now she felt more embarrassed to be seen by Jeno in this kind of condition. She cursed herself in her mind.
Jeno put on the backpack on her back and immediately pulled her up onto his back.
"Hey! I didn't say you could do this!" Siyeon exclaimed out of surprise.
"Didn't need you to tell me to," Jeno replied bluntly and adjusted her position.
"I don't need you to," she mumbled and he ignored her. "I hate you, Jeno."
"Thank me later,"
"I'm sorry." she murmured while holding tight onto him.
"Because you're heavy?" he asked, grinning happily. She sulked, hitting his shoulder lightly but still softened when she saw his eyesmile.
Jeno was too nice to be mad at.
Jeno was easily forgiven too.
"I hate you, Lee Jeno."
•••••