forgotten│the maze runner

t w e n t y

—Two Years Prior Continued—

  "Minho," Suejin bit her lip softly, gaze drawn to the ground. "I don't feel good about this."

  Minho tipped her chin up gently, causing her eyes to meet his concerned ones. "What's going on?"

  She blinked and slowly glanced around, an anxious feeling creeping up her spine. After discussing the plan in great detail with Minho, Thomas and Teresa had left only but a few minutes ago. Suejin almost hated to say this, but she had her doubts about the two.

  She bit her lower lip again, Minho's enthusiastic countenance lingering in her mind. She almost wanted to believe herself that an escape was possible, but she knew better than to let sheer naiveté cloud her judgement.

  Minho sensed her inner turmoil, his gaze softening at her troubled face. "Tell me."

  She sighed. "I- I just don't know how I feel about them."

  "Them?" Minho gave her a quizzical look followed by a frown. "Thomas and Teresa?"

  "Yes." Her voice dropped down to a low whisper, almost ashamed that she had to admit it. What was a plan like that worth if they couldn't even trust each other?

  His frown deepened, a sad look sweeping his eyes. "You don't trust them?"

  She immediately regretted her words. Thomas was one of his closest friends. She could see how her words had hurt Minho. "Minho," she murmured, placing a hand against his cheek. "It's not that I don't trust them." She winced internally, knowing immediately that that was a lie. "I-I just," she sighed. "What if we get caught?"

  "I hardly doubt WICKED will be able to catch us. Teresa's been hacking the cameras for a while."

  "You really don't think WICKED would be three steps ahead of us?" She gave him a pleading look. "They're not stupid. They know what they're doing, Minho."

  "Suejin, this is different. I know it is. We can outsmart them. We've done it before." There was that determined gaze again—hopeful and full of expectancy. Suejin wanted to believe him, but she had seen too much to hope for the best. 

  If all went wrong, WICKED would be anything less than unmerciful. She could only imagine the consequences if this went south. She stared into Minho's eyes, stricken by the deep love and warmth she felt. She had already lost everything. She couldn't help but wonder, would they take him away from her too? 

  "Okay." she whispered back wearily, forcing a small smile. She closed the distance between them, placing a kiss on his lips. She pouted, giving him a tearful look. "I just don't want to lose you."

  He exhaled softly, his breath warm on her lips. "You won't." He kissed her back firmly, pulling back to stare deeply into her eyes. "We'll run away and get married."

  She let out a small laugh, feeling the heat rush into her cheeks. "Don't be silly, Minho."

  His gaze didn't waver, and the intensity of it caused Suejin's stomach to fill with butterflies. "I'll make sure you'll never have to lose me." He kissed her forehead, her nose, then her cheeks, and finally back at her lips again. Suejin was sure her face was a deep shade of red by now. He pulled her into her arms, and she felt his nervous heartbeat thrumming against his chest. 

  And they stood there—two, young ill-fated lovers—embracing tightly in the dimly lit hallway of empty promises and foreshadowed failings.

  Suejin heard the click of the sliding door; she was waiting patiently for her usual afternoon routine. As she sat on the edge of her bed, she feigned a gaze of absentmindedness—fixing her eyes to the ground, hands folded in her lap.