Virus ~ A Stray Kids ff

1

"Experiment 080201, please step forward."

"Not again,"came an almost inaudible whisper.

The atmosphere was tense - not that it ever wasn't - as Jeongin shuffled out of the front line, and though it wasn't obvious, his hyungs could tell he was anxious from the way he rubbed his fingertips against each other. Some watched out of the corners of their eyes whilst they kept their heads looking forward, curious as to what was going on.

The white button up shirt, white jacket, white baggy trousers and white shoes should have made him stand out, but not when everyone around him was wearing the same thing, everyone meaning the other 500+ young people standing in perfect lines.

Jeongin managed to send a discreet glare to the boy who had spoken under his breath a moment ago, knowing he would lecture him again for not following the rules, even though he got in trouble a fair amount of times himself. Experiment 031097 was like that annoying, hypocritical parent that you for some reason decided to put up with. Jeongin had read about those in books.

"Experiment 140900, please also step forward."

The boy right next to him pouted as he followed the instructions, muttering to himself, "Is this about the food? It's about the food, isn't it?"

"And Experiment 150900, please step forward."

"This was your idea, Jisung,"the last boy mumbled loud enough for basically everyone to hear, standing next to the guy who was still going on quietly about food.

"Follow me."

Realising what was happening, those who had let up their blank stares forced themselves to look back forward again, though six pairs of daring eyes stuck to the three retreating figures.

→

"You just HAD to steal the chicken, didn't you?"

Jisung led the other two into the recreation room, which was basically a plain white room with metal benches lining the walls, refusing to show any pain. Meanwhile, Jeongin and Felix were clutching their limbs and whining, running straight to Experiment 220900, who immediately began to fuss over them.

"Don't act as if you didn't want it, Woojin,"Jisung scoffed over the mild chatter of the other subjects, not caring about respecting the elders as usual. Besides, Woojin was too nice to hit him. But Chan wasn't.

"Shut up, Jisung, where is your respect? You could at least ACT apologetic since you got in trouble."

"We all know you've done this type of stuff too, Chan,"Jeongin interrupted, turning away from Seungmin who was still asking him and Felix where it hurt. "Yeah, I heard you over there, whispering to yourself. 'Not again', huh? I will NEVER GIVE UP!"

A few heads turned at the commotion, but no one really cared anymore, returning to their soulless conversations.

"I blame all this on you, Minho. It all started when you tried to teach the younger ones what 'sexy' is,"Chan grumbled. "They haven't been the same since."

Experiment 251098 looked offended, and grabbed Jeongin. "What are you talking about, I'm great with kids!"

"Get away from me,"Jeongin protested. "I'll never be able to un-see it now."

"So, did they electrocute you?"Experiment 110899 asked, changing the subject before something strange happened again.

Jeongin and Felix leapt at the chance to complain.

"It was horrible, Changbin Hyung!"Felix cried in response to his question. "They gave us those pill things as well to make it more painful. The red ones."

"My burns still hurt!"Jeongin whimpered, clinging to Hyunjin, Experiment 200300.

"My poor Dongsaeng,"he cooed, stroking his hair.

"Don't feel bad for them,"Chan dismissed with narrowed eyes and folded arms, but he softened and his glare dropped. "It's been 13 years and I still don't know what the point of this is. The pills, the equations, the punishments, the electrocutions. This is so FRUSTRATING!"

The friends gradually quietened, gazes fixed to their 'leader' figure, the most experienced and yet just as clueless as the rest of them.

"Don't worry, Chan. We just can't lose ourselves,"Woojin sighed. "Like the rest of them."

"I don't know how much good that's going to do us anymore. Rebelling is only getting us into more trouble,"Chan muttered, turning away.