dark room ─ nct dream

five

O1.O1.2O21 | 12:O5 PM

"Alright people, let's divide into twos. For the sake of hiding, of course, since we've only got three hours before the sun comes up."

Nobody dared oppose, for the fact that most of them couldn't have handled this darkness alone.

Renjun was quick to make his decision, "Chen-" Turning his head towards the fellow Chinese guy with bright eyes only to find him screeching a laugh at something stupid that Jisung said.

Disappointed, he turned towards Jaemin, his only salvation-who was busy pouting at Jeno, whining something cringe to disturb that poor boy's mental health.

With a sigh he finally looked at Haechan who seemed like an abandoned puppy, waiting for Renjun to pick him up with bright, pitiful eyes.

Renjun rolled his eyes as he walked towards Haechan who wouldn't stop grinning and wiggling his eyebrows.

"In the end, we're meant to be."

"And why is that?"

"Because nobody wants us," Haechan giggled right after saying that, wiggling his eyebrows again. Irritated, Renjun slapped his forehead to stop him from doing that again.

Here goes nothing, Renjun thought.

"Don't forget to turn your phones off," Haechan pointed his sharp eyes in low warning as if he was sure of the fact that one of them would've ended up cheating.

And he was spot on.

Renjun and Jisung groaned simultaneously, amusing the ones standing around them.

Jisung was acceptable, being the youngest but Renjun always tried to fool them as the tough one. Even if they knew he wasn't, it was funny watching him try his hardest.

Haechan gasped exasperatedly like it was the first time any of them tried to cheat in a game.

And before they knew it, they were already fighting over something fickle.

"I knew you weren't to be trusted!"

"You're being overdramatic, Haechan."

"Say what now? He's my partner and if he would've been caught cheating, we both were to be disqualified!"

"Haechan just needs a reason to fight."

"No. He's just a petty bitch who likes to win every little shit."

"The problem is that we fight too much."

"Wouldn't we need flashlights to hide at least?"

"Jisung, you traitor, just shut up."

"I vote for Renjun to be kicked out of this game. Right now. I can play on my own."

"Why is that stinky kid not getting disqualified, huh?"

"He has a privilege of being the youngest and the cutest."

"Stop giving me that smug look, Jisung. Or I will kill y-"

"Everybody shut the hell up before I lose my shit!"

Everybody went silent.

It was scary, watching the calm and collected Jeno Lee getting angry. They've seen him get mad before, and it was not a pleasant sight at all.

"I guess we'll just have to keep this shorty in the game tonight," Haechan rolled his eyes sassily. He didn't want to tick Jeno off.

"I can still be a shorty and double you up in a fight."

There was something very wrong with this situation, they all mentally agreed.

Because, One, these two just fought over something like their life depends on it.

Two, why the hell does Haechan has his elbows linked with Renjun's? And shockingly, for the very few times, Renjun was playing along.

Some of them believed that he was just trying to make it up to Haechan, scared he would abandon him after entering the house.

Walking together, the six of them stood on the stoop, head turned towards Mark who was to be left alone after a few moments.

The sight before him was oddly melancholic, Mark was certain. It seemed like that one scene from a movie where the lead actor would bid their final goodbye to someone close and end up never meeting again.

Tenterhooked as he was, Mark managed to wave a weak hand in the air, hushing them to rush inside.

And the timer for ten minutes starts.

It was eerily quiet and dull. Now that he was standing alone on the vast grounds, he could feel the cold harsh gusts of wind blowing right through him.

Mark hated this more than anyone because neither was this his idea of a 'fun' new year nor did he want to participate.

He still believes there was nothing wrong with Jaemin's homemade cake and midnight dinner feast.

It was only halfway through the time and he felt nothing better than the first time he entered this premises, helpless and watched.

A sudden shiver ran down his spine at the gust of wind passing through his ears and his eyes went wide.

"Mark," He could coarsely make out the words coming from. . . somewhere. The call sounded that of a plea and longing with a weird stretch to it that cringed him every time he reminisced about it.

The voice so mellow, it could almost be compared to the breeze. But mark knew better, or so he thought.

It was his name, after all, he has heard people call him that all his life, way too many times to confuse between them.

Suddenly the place felt so much smaller and crowded than it actually was like it was crumbling second by second.

Was he just paranoid?

Mark dared not look around to confirm, terrified to face the dangerous truth he wish he could ignore, his eyes trained at the spot his friends once stood by. His hands unconsciously wrapped around himself as if in defense.

And now all he wanted was to enter the warehouse and get his haughty and excited friends out from this place as soon as possible.

A/n: markhyuck who? I only know renhyuck. HELP what is this chapter lmao.