𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑰𝑴𝑬 'ᴀ sᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴘᴘʟʏғɪᴄ'

1.01 | 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚍

“We don't tolerate bullshit in this hell hole.”

“You meant household right?”

“Nope, I meant what I said and I said what I meant.”

“Can someone please shut Yoora's alarm before I lose another braincell!” Xulin shouted, the alarm blaring throughout the small apartment. “You don't even have a braincell to start with, Xulin!” Yoora shouted back, flipping pancakes in the kitchen.

There were now 26 of them in the two lots of apartment. 16 in Yoora's apartment and 10 in Seungcheol's apartment, considering that he already has Eunha's family and his own mother staying with him. Each apartment had two rooms, Eunha and her family had one room, Seungcheol's mom, Yena and Minyoung in the other, the rest, Seungcheol, Junhui, Sunjung, Seira, Soonyoung, Seungkwan and Sujin stayed in the living room. While at the other apartment, Yoora, Xulin, Soojin and Lucy in one room, Hana, Meihua and Hanbyul in the other, while the rest of them stayed in the living room.

They were all cramped up especially to those living in Yoora's apartment because that's where they store their current supplies, they're "mission table", their "mission board" and their med bed but they all made it through their 8 months together. Some occasionally go back to their own zones and stayed there but they usually spend their days in the two apartments, having no specific missions to go through, they were like a family.

“I smell pancakes!” Seungkwan shouted loud for the others living in Yoora's apartment to hear. Lucy, Eunha and Minyoung were already up helping Yoora in the kitchen, it wasn't easy feeding 30 mouths if they counted Seungcheol's mom and Eunha's family. They all eventually woke up, all 26 people huddled up in Yoora's room after Seungcheol went to give breakfast to his mom and Eunha's family. “You know what we should do today?” Soojin asked, stabbing the pancake with her fork. “We should go for a headquarters hunting. Somewhere big enough for most of us to live in, to shower, to bathe and if we don't really use it, we can offer the rooms to some Zone One residents, act as their safe haven.”

“If we want to build a safe haven for those in Zone One, then we need to find that headquarters in Zone One.” Soonyoung said. “And I have the perfect place for it.” Yoora said.

Thankfully, after they had recruited their last recruit, someone made a suggestion to buy another van, to fit everyone in and because they have two drivers. They weren't as cramped as they were before but it still was somehow still hard for tall Mingyu to get inside, he had to sit in the front, beside Jeonghan because if he sat at the back he would probably hurt his leg but other than that, they were fine. “Zone One.” Xulin called when they arrived by the gates of Zone One. Before this, she was always in a hurry to acknowledge that she's in Zone One and it's good for her because she still can't forgive herself for what had happened to her mother but this time, she was well aware of her surroundings, everywhere she looked she saw flashbacks of herself and her mother having the best of days despite having nothing.

“that's the alley where we'll play hide and seek and I'll cheat.”

“that's the building where mom stole from a man to raise me and the last time she ever did so.”

“that's my old shelter.” Xulin pointed out to herself, smiling for a bit until the van stopped right in front of the place she last mentioned. “Why did we stopped? Why are we here? Lucy, tell me why did we stop?” Xulin started to panick.

“Yoora told me to park here.” Lucy said, looking back, quite worried for the older girl sitting at the back of the van. Xulin opened the back door and left, hyperventilating. “Hey, Xulin, do you like this? We all took part planning this, Seungcheol and Yoora mostly.” Seokmin said but later regretted saying anything once he saw how she was.

“Xulin, what's wrong?” Eunha asked. “This.” “This is what's wrong! That shelter over there is where my mother was murdered in cold blood, this is the place where I truly wanted to be almost 9 years ago. I don't want this!”

Xulin walked back inside the van, taking her bag out with her and walking towards the shelter, which still stands even though some of the bricks holding the roof up was messy and it looks like it could crash any moment. Xulin grabbed a flask from her bag and started pouring it down on the dusty blankets that was used to cover the bodies of a mother and a daughter, the flammable liquid poured down on torn photographs, newspaper and cardboard which serves as their bed. It reeked of strong alcohol, she took her cigarette and lighter, lighting her cigarette up before hesitating to drop the lighter on the shelter.

She closed it back and plopped down on the ground, sobbing. She felt two arms holding her shoulders, she turned and cried in their shoulder, wanting to shield her vulnerability from the others. She recognised the smell of cologne and looked up to see Seungcheol. “I'm sorry I overreacted. It's a nice gesture, I really appreciate it.” she smiled at him. Seungcheol held his hand up and pulled Xulin up with him and they walked towards the others. “Hey, guys, sorry, I overreacted.”

“No, it's fine, we should've actually ask first, we knew how sensitive it was for you to share about your mom. But we technically planned this ahead to have this as our headquarters, for free might I add as a symbol that everyone who's meaningful to us will be avenged.” Lucy said. “Yeah, thanks. This is our headquarters now and I'm pleased to tell you that, we officially have a new lead and I think it's safe to say that we get some shit done after we sort out this hell hole.” Wonwoo said.

“Cool, drinks on me at Mingyu's restaurant and we'll talk details there.” Jisoo said and they went inside, to see and take note of what they should change about the old grocery store before heading to Zone Two and get a good dinner before each and everyone one of them wish everyone good night. What a wholesome chapter for a start, isn't it?

Tomorrow, when the dawn breaks and some of the crew wakes up to make breakfast they'll start searching for a solution towards this corruption, nonstop, the question is, are you ready to join this journey?

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I actually thought of this scene better in my head and I'M REALLY SORRY FOR THE INEQUALITY IN SCREEN TIME !! I will try and make it fair for everyone!! That's enough of Xulin and Seungcheol for ten episodes. Skskksks

But, all things aside, I hope you guys like it !!