Throat Knife | Y.Jw

| 37 |

I was quietly minding my own business as I stood washing the white t-shirt in the clear stream that flowed through the corner of the camp. Once in a while I would hit the shirt against the rocks nearby to hit the excessive water out of the shirt before beginning to work on getting the smell out of it again.

"Jiyeon-ie," Heeseung's voice called out and I immediately turned to look at him as he held up a file again, "they gave us a new weekly plan. We're gonna have the meeting at the house now."

"Okay," I nodded at him and got up from the ground, walking with the wet t-shirt in hand as we made our way back to the red house.

"You alright?" Heeseung carefully questioned and I quietly nodded, "are you sure? It was pretty brutal."

"I'm fine," I assured him with a small smile, "I had just hoped I would be able to get more than a few months with my brother... but done is done and we'll continue."

"Jay would've been happy to hear you say that," Heeseung assured as I draped the white t-shirt over the railing around the house, to let it dry.

"I don't care what he would've been happy to hear or not. I care about recovering fast as possible," I pointed out, to which he just hummed before walking into the house and straight into the living room.

Everyone else, well nearly everyone. Neither Sunghoon nor Jay was there of course, but beside that everyone else already sat or stood around the living room, waiting to hear about the new file.

"So... first of I've been told that Sunghoon should rest until ready to do any physical activity that is harder than walking around," Heeseung stated and I glanced at Soomin, who just sat quietly scratching the side of her nose before sucking in a deep breath.

I could understand why she was so affected by this. She had been with him everyday for the past five years, more than I had. Sunghoon and I was only still adjusting for the other to actually still be alive and around us again. 

"Uhm... and then they also removed Jay from the list," Heeseung let out a deep breath before closing his eyes tightly and holding the file up in front of his face, "sorry," he muttered as he sucked in a deep breath and relaxed in his shoulders again while he looked back down at the file again, "anyways... the weekly plan."

"I can read it if you find it hard," Lin spoke up making Heeseung just nod before walking over and handing the file to Lin. 

As Lin looked through the file Heeseung immediately sat down beside Jake, who simply threw an arm over his shoulders while his other was occupied with holding Millie's hand in his. It was truly a wild turn this house had taken. It was the happiest place in the whole base just a few days ago and now it was the most depressed place in the base.

"Okay... Jungwon and Heeseung are going out to the northern border to see if there's a possibility to move up north in the future," Lin carefully read, "Sunoo, Beomgyu and Niki will be on garden duty, but it is not expected that there'll be much to look out for. Soomin and I are going out to check the animal snares in the western forest, to  look over any captures there. Millie and Jiyeon is in the medical house. Jake is on day shifts with Yeonjun in the northern tower. Everyone got it?" she questioned and looked around to which everyone nodded.

"Be careful, okay?" Sunoo questioned Lin, who just quietly nodded at him.

"I can't be in the medical house," I spoke up making everyone look at me, "Sunghoon-"

"I'll take your spot there," Heeseung offered, "I need to relax for some time. I'll take it for you as long as you go to the northern border with Jungwon."

"That's unless Jungwon needs rest as well," Jake pointed out and Jungwon immediately shook his head.

"I need to get out of here, and you know that," Jungwon pointed out, "it'll only take a few days to get up there and get back again. It'll be fine."

"Are you sure? You and Jay-" Jake started and Jungwon just nodded again.

"I need to get out," Jungwon insisted as I continued to just stand and look at him before I realized Jake had turned to look at me.

"Do you feel safe with going with Jungwon?" Jake questioned and I just nodded, "even after..."

"It's fine," I nodded in assurance.

"Well... then the meeting is over," Sunoo stated as everyone nodded and slowly got up and went to do whatever they were doing before.

I quietly stood in my place while chewing down on my bottom lip, my arms staying crossed over my chest. Maybe getting out of the base really was what I needed.

"Are you sure you can go to the northern border?" Jungwon spoke up and I looked over at him. Apparently he was the only other one who hadn't left the living room yet.

"Yeah," I nodded at him.

"Okay..." he hummed with a small nod, "we should go pack a few things. We're leaving at night fall," he stated and pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning against before walking towards the stairs.

"Jungwon?" I called out and he hummed before turning to me and leaning on the banister.

I carefully walked over to him and turned his head so that I could see the small gash that was sewn shut above his ear.

"I'm sorry," I whisper making him turn his head to me with a frown on his face, "I should've let go of your hand."

"Should you really?" he let out a small smile, "as far as I remember it was me who decided to keep holding onto your hand, when you tried to let go of me."

"They beat you because of me," I pointed out and he shook his head at me, "they did."

"They did not," he shook his head at me, "they did so because of me. It's not your fault. But... you might have to remove the stitches while we're on the road."

I quietly nodded as I removed my eyes from the black stitches at the side of his head before looking to his face, a small smile immediately spreading across his lips.

"Now come on... we have to pack a few thing," he reached his hand out to me.

When I hesitated to grab his hand he just grabbed my wrist and pulled me after him up the stairs and down to our room, so we could pack a few things before we had to go later in the evening.

"Should I go get your t-shirt to dry faster?" I questioned and Jungwon just waved it off.

"Let it be," he scrunched up his nose as he shook his head, "I'll survive a few days without seeing it," he assured and I let out a small laugh at him.

"Are you sure you won't suffer from not seeing your lovely white t-shirt?" I questioned and he just nodded at me, "okay but don't come after me when you begin to whine about missing your shirt."

"Oh I will," he stated before just grinning over at me, "you can't escape me."

"Watch me," I stated making him slowly turn and look at me as a smile slowly grew on my face.

"Watch you?" he questioned and I simply shrugged.

"Or catch me," I shrugged making him quickly rush over and lift me off the ground by wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Got you," he immediately smiled and I rolled my eyes at him.

"I didn't mean now. I meant when we were out of this god awful base," I reminded him and he let out a small laugh.

"God awful?" he questioned in amusement.

"Oh yeah, let me just go get punished for five days because of your stupid rules," I pointed out and he slowly hummed.

"Still lingering onto that?"

"Very pissed about that."

"Stubborn."

"Stupid."

"Whatever."