"Secure the school!" A teacher yells.

"Gather the students!" Another one hollers.

Teacher's frantically rush around gathering students and sending them off to their dorms. They ignore the worried cries and several questions, knowing that the main priority is keeping them locked up in a safe area for the time being.

The Headmaster didn't deliver any follow-up information, other than that the school needs to be secure. His tone and demeanor were enough for the teacher's to up into action and send the students to their rooms until further notice. The confused students make their way, some freaking out and some stunned at the teacher's odd behavior. This school has never had any major trouble in the time any of these students have attended, so the sudden shift worries several of them.

Seojoon is shoved towards the dorms, confused as to why Mr. Tuan is yelling at everyone to hurry. The teacher is always so quiet and calm, that the sudden yelling gives Seojoon an uneasy feeling. In the scattered crowd, Seojoon spots Jeongin and Seungmin who are holding onto each other as they get jostled around by the other students. The older moves his way through, trying not to get shoved to the ground by the other students.

"Seojoon!" He hears the shouting of his name to his side. Looking over he sees Changbin and Hyunjin, just off to the side so they aren't getting shoved around. Seojoon nods to them, letting them know that he saw them before continuing to make his way to Seungmin and Jeongin.

The older grabs onto one of the youngest's arms, giving it a light tug so they know to follow him. The teachers are too busy ushering other students into the crowd that they don't notice the group of students slip off to the side.

"What the hell is going on?" Changbin questions once the group is hidden by a wall, so they won't be spotted by teachers.

"I don't know, but we'll never find out if we're stuck in our rooms," Seojoon states, everyone immediately understanding what the older is hinting at.

"As curious as I am," Seungmin voices, "I still value my life and would like to keep myself as far away from danger as possible."

"Then stay back," Seojoon tells him, antsy to get moving, "we can check it out and then tell you about it later."

Seungmin's face doesn't read as if he is against Seojoon's plan, so the group takes it as he is going to stay back. They don't have Minho or Jisung with them, but from a brief scan of the crowd, they can't spot them. Jeongin gives Seungmin's hand one last squeeze before he sneaks off with the older members, leaving Seungmin all alone.

Obviously, Seungmin isn't very happy that he was left behind, but he is the one that said he didn't want to go. Still, a sense of abandonment hovers over him and it doesn't make him feel very good. Rejoining the crowd, Seungmin starts the round of getting pushed forward and shoved back as every student is trying to get to their dorm.

Finally making it to his hall, Seungmin walks down, making his way to his dorm as other students run by.

"Seungmin!" Jisung exclaims once the younger is at his dorm. Minho and Jisung were together when everything went down, not able to find anyone they went to Seungmin and Jeongin's dorm, figuring that they'd gather up people before grouping somewhere safe.

"Where is Jeongin?" Jisung asks. His words are quick, and he stumbles over them a bit, but that is understandable given the situation.

"He went with the others to go find out what is happening," Seungmin explains.

"Why aren't you with them?"

"Obviously something dangerous is happening," Seungmin states, "as much as I'd like to know what is happening, I still like to do it with my life. So, they told me to stay here while they go and check it out."

Minho and Jisung do nothing but stare at the younger for a few seconds, taking in his words. It doesn't sound like Seojoon to leave someone behind, even if they don't want to do it. He'd discuss it with them, convince them to go or make it so a small group goes so people can stay back. Completely leaving Seungmin alone sounds a bit out of character.

"Did they say where they were going?" Minho asks the younger.

Seungmin shakes his head, "no, just that they wanted to find out what is going on."

Minho mumbles a few curse words under his breath as he glances around the hallway. He eventually turns back to Seungmin before asking another question.

"I'm wanting to go find them, are you still wanting to stay? Because if you do, we don't have to go," Minho tells him. Seungmin thinks for a minute, weighing his options before coming to a decision.

"Let's join them," Seungmin answers. He'll be in danger anywhere in the school, so if he is going to die, he may as well go knowing he was trying to do something, and hopefully that something is for the good.

"Great, we should get going, I have no idea where they could be and this search could take a little while," Minho says, leading Jisung and Seungmin out of the dorm hall, and past the teachers.

~•~

Seojoon leads the other group members down a vacant hallway, checking around corners for teachers before carrying on. He doesn't have a clue on where he is going and is winging it as he goes along, but he figures that if he can wait it out until the teachers have gotten everyone in the dorms, then finally he'll get the answers he wants. The younger boys don't question Seojoon as they go along, all figuring that he knows exactly what he is doing and not catching on to how clueless he is, just as they are.

The older stops them in a stairwell, quickly checking to see if everything is clear before deciding that now would be a good time to discuss an action plan.

"Okay, what's the plan?" Seojoon questions the three boys, who all wear a look of surprise on their faces.

Changbin looks back and forth between Jeongin and Hyunjin, "we thought you had a plan..."

"What? Why would you think that?"

"Because you've always had a plan, there has never been a moment that you haven't had a plan," Hyunjin tells him, panic edging his voice.

"It's okay," Jeongin places a hand on Hyunjin's shoulder, "everything is going to be okay. I have a plan, though, you may not like it."

The older boys look at each other before looking to Jeongin. Although they are hesitant to follow it, they don't have much else to go with at the moment.

"What is it?" Seojoon asks, prompting Jeongin to begin his explanation.

"The teachers could be locking the school up for a number of reasons," Jeongin begins, "I think the best way to figure this out is to go to the center of where the chaos is."

Changbin and Hyunjin blink a few times at the younger, having no idea where he is going with this plan. Seojoon on the other hand very quickly figured out what Jeongin is saying. It would be risky, but Seojoon doesn't oppose it, plus it could help him with the answers he so desperately wants.

"Are you sure?" Seojoon asks, "we may not make it passed."

"It's the best idea I've got, and...it has the most action." Jeongin smiles meekly at the last part.

Still confused Changbin and Hyunjin stare at the two males who seem to be on the same page.

Changbin awkwardly raises his hand, "do you mind explaining what the hell you are talking about? Both of us are very confused."

"We're going to go break Chan out," Seojoon states.

~•~

Staring at the entrance to the detention center, Changbin questions how they are going to get past the guards. He tries not to dwell on it though since it seems Seojoon and Jeongin have a plan lined up for getting in there. Still, questions arise on how they'll slip past and then how they will unlock the doors. Changbin isn't feeling very confident about this, right now.

Seojoon and Jeongin are off to the side discussing things that Hyunjin and Changbin are unable to hear. It only makes them more nervous about the situation since no one is telling them anything.

"Will you please tell us what the plan is?" Hyunjin practically begs, "I'm feeling incredibly uneasy right now."

Seojoon looks up from his conversation with the youngest, looking at Hyunjin almost as if he is surprised, he is there.

"Yes, of course, sorry." Seojoon shakes his head, trying to find his train of thought, "Jeongin is going to create a diversion out here, which will give us enough time to sneak in locate the key in the desk and break Chan, Bambam, and Yugyeom out."

"I may get taken away, so I'll meet you guys back at the library," Jeongin adds. He turns to Seojoon, finalizing things before Seojoon moves away and brings Hyunjin and Changbin with him.

The older boys tuck themselves away in a crook in the wall, making sure no one coming out of the detention center would be able to spot them. Jeongin waits a few seconds, giving the older boys enough time to prepare themselves before he starts his plan.

Dramatically, throwing himself to the ground, Jeongin lets out an ungodly cry. He clutches his leg as though it is in pain, pulling off an impressive interpretation. It leads Hyunjin to question how often Jeongin was faking being hurt just to get the older to carry him around.

A couple of guards come running out, instantly kneeling to the ground to check on Jeongin whose cries only get louder as they try and ask if he is alright. With their backs turned, Seojoon leads him and the other two boys through the doors, while Jeongin keeps them distracted.

"My leg!" Jeongin cries, "it hurts so much!"

The guards move to examine it, one of the gently placing a hand on the boy's leg, which only causes him to let out a yelp.

"We should get him back to the dorms," one of the guards speaks, "he was probably running there when he fell and hurt himself."

The two guards pick the boy of the ground, as he whimpers. They help him walk down the hall, not realizing that Jeongin is making sure they keep an extra slow pace to give his friends more time.

Minho, Jisung, and Seungmin definitely don't expect to find a limping Jeongin being helped down the hall by two guards. But as they were making their way around a corner, Minho stops them, causing them to duck behind a few trash bins so they can wait it out.

"What happened to him?" Jisung questions in a whisper, as they hear Jeongin whimper and tell the guards how much it hurts.

"Nothing," Seungmin answers, "he's faking it."

Surprised by Seungmin's answer, Jisung thinks back to all the time the younger boy has been in pain. He wonders if he was faking it all those times too.

"Damn, he is a good actor," Jisung comments.

"Stupendous," Seungmin states, shaking his head soon after, "we can discuss that later, I just figured out how we are going to find the others."

The two boys nod, all of them carefully following behind the guards. They plan to break off with Jeongin, letting the younger boy lead them to the rest of the group.

--

Changbin rummages through the draws, searching for the keys. He hasn't been able to find it so far, and he is beginning to think that one of the guards took it with them, which is rather concerning. Seojoon and Hyunjin search around the other areas of the entrance, hoping to spot it there.

Just as Changbin is about to lose all hope, he feels the cool feeling of metal as he reaches far back in one of the draws. Pulling his hand out, the keys cling together, alerting the other two that they have found what they are looking for. Seojoon hurries over, grabbing the keys from Changbin's hands, before making their way into the halls.

They start at the far end, unlocking Yugyeom's cell first. The taller tries to question what is going on but is quieted by Seojoon who tells him that they will explain later. Next, they let Bambam out, who is equally as confused as Yugyeom. They follow behind the other students, watching as Seojoon lets Chan out of his holding. The three, now free, students all share a questioning look with each other before directing it to Seojoon.

"I know you have a lot of questions, and I will explain in a minute," Seojoon tells them as they walk out and put the keys back where they found them, "but right now we need to get to the library."

~•~

Word Count: 2,184