On their way back from their US Tour, the members of IZ*One are met with a force of nature, finding themselves secluded in the middle of a winter wasteland. What trials and tribulations must they overcome, in order to get out alive...
if they do?
Finding Yuri had slowly become a real life treasure hunt - we seemed to be getting closer and closer to her, but at no point would we be certain how further she was. Together with Hyewon, Nako and Hitomi, we continued shoveling up snow, scratching pass the layers that fell from the skies just the night before. All this, to find one tiny sliver of pink paper - almost the size of a shelled peanut. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth as we fought against the biting cold, putting aside all discomfort and doubt to achieve one goal - find Yuri.
"This way," Hitomi called out, as she discovered the subsequent piece of paper. Using her spade, she dug a little hole to indicate where we found the piece of paper - like making mini-checkpoints to ensure we don't confuse ourselves. Everything that we do now must be deliberate and precise - one mistake would mean that we can't go home; one minute wasted might mean that we miss the ride home.
(1 hour to extraction)
My wristwatch paused for a second. I smacked it repeatedly like a mother chiding a defiant child, as it, thankfully, resurrected itself and began ticking again.
"Come on, we don't have much time." I reminded the girls, seeing the three girls trying to warm themselves after digging around the white, cotton-like fluff.
"...here." Hyewon pointed out, finding the next piece. As we trekked over the crest of the slope surrounding us, we all gasped in wonder.
"What... What is that?"
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"Looks like a bunker," I guessed, "let's be careful from here." With wary footsteps, Hyewon tiptoed her way over the wired fence towards the door, waving at us to follow her. She raised her shovel to her front, ready to strike at anyone who emerged from the entrance.
"Look," Hyewon pointed at the ground at the corner of the structure - it was a small crumpled piece of the pink paper Yuri had used to lead us here. And sure enough, it was torn and tattered at the edges - giving it all away.
So we had found her.
"Try for the door." Nako signaled, spurring me to step to the far side of the door and push it open. There was no way this heavy metal door was going to slide open with the meek strength of one person. These metallic giants stretched far above our heads and could not be moved.
"Wait, there's a number pad here." Hitomi pointed out, asking Nako to step away as her body had been obscuring the entry device. For a second, everyone grimaced, thinking how we could bypass this elaborately secured door.
"Maybe something predictably unpredictable, like 0000?" Hyewon tested it as soon as she said - but to little luck.
*Incorrect Passcode*
"Dammit. What if we break this thing?" Nako suggested, clawing at her neck frustratedly.
"No, you pabo - what if they can't come out? Do you want Yuri to be stuck down there forever?" Hitomi stopped her, shaking her violently at her shoulders.
