there was so much more people apart of this community than they thought.

at dinner time, a short school bell was heard to signal everyone down to the cafeteria. the same school bell they used to switch classes. upon going down to the lunch room, there was a wave of unfamiliar faces.

"hey guys," yangyang greeted as he approached the group, "i know this looks a little intimidating, but um, make yourselves comfortable. please. eat something, there's more than enough."

once his eyes landed on nari's, she smiled and nodded, him smiling back before walking away. he went back to another boy who looked to be around their age, but in all honesty, everyone there looked to be around their age.

they stuck together like glue as they got in line for food. it didn't look the most appealing, but they knew sources were extremely limited and they were in no position to judge, especially since they were nice enough to provide hospitality when they didn't have to.

nari could hardly keep her eyes in one spot. every few seconds, she was gazed somewhere else, a deep feeling of worry filling her gut to a point where it was almost suffocating. a loud ringing sounded through out her head, but it shut out quickly when jaemin worryingly placed his hand on her shoulder.

"hey," he said, his voice low and soft, "are you really, like... okay?"

nari looked at him before looking back around her for a moment. "this feels... wrong. i don't know. somethings off."

"maybe the fact that we're in an entirely different universe?" jaemin replied playfully, joking in an attempt to make light of the situation, which earned a small smile from the girl.

"yeah, but you'd think i'd feel safe in a place like this. i don't."

jaemin nodded, understanding. "we'll be out of here soon."

the boy softly grabbed onto naris hand as they made their way to the table the rest of their friends found themselves at. nari noticed how jaemin kept going out of his way to make sure nari was okay, and she appreciated it. she may have began feeling something more than platonic towards him.

"alright, we need a plan," donghyuck said the moment the two sat down.

"um—here? now? when people are surrounding us?" jeno responded, his eyebrows lifting in concern.

donghyuck shrugged. "no ones listening."

"i don't trust this place yet, so we should just wait until we go back to our room," said jaemin, ensuring his voice was only loud enough for them to hear. donghyuck sighed softly but nodded, not pushing it any further.

they sat in silence as they ate, the only communication coming from the occasional eye contact between each other. for the most part, they kept their eyes everywhere else anxiously. little did they know, the same woman who let them in had been eyeing their every move.

letting them in as easy as she did, it had to have been to good to be true.

after just about everyone had finished eating, another bell had rung through out the area and everyone got up. the group had followed what everyone else was doing, and made their way back to their rooms.

"so," jeno started, "plan?"

"it can't be that hard to get out of here, right?" donghyuck asked.

"it is," the sound of yangyangs voice joined, as he slid through the door before shutting it behind him. "hyewon doesn't play about the security. hyewon is the lady who let you in, by the way. she kind of runs this whole thing."

the watched as the boy made his way fully inside of the classroom. "it might be a little difficult to get past her."

donghyuck scoffed, "she can't stop us from leaving. she didn't have to let us in, in the first place."

"you're right, she didn't, but she did. and she's gonna hold that over our heads." yangyang sighed, sounding annoyed.

"however, you kinda need me. i know this place like the back of my hand, and no offense, but i don't think you're getting out of here without my help."

nari perked an eyebrow up at the slight cockiness dripping from his tone. he could have been right, and they weren't risking getting anymore caught up.

"you're coming with us, then," jaemin insisted.

"i know."

yangyang ended up having multiple copies of drawn maps of the entire school. the four figured that since it was still the same school, then they could easily find their way around, but they were wrong. things were shifted, extra walls being added, like a maze. the boy may have been right about them needing his help after all.

"every night, people take turns watching over the place, and there's no way to get around them. i've tried. so you're gonna have to use the window, and i'll make up some excuse for myself."

he'd went back to his room and stayed there, as they all stayed awake and alert for the clock to strike 12. there was no way to send a signal, so they agreed to get going right at midnight. nari kept at her side on her sleeping bag, keeping so still the others swore she was actually asleep.

"nari," jaemins voice softly called, kneeling next to her. the girl turned to face him to show she was awake. "time to go."

"right," she replied, standing up fully with a grunt and grabbing the same bookbag she arrived with.

"where you going?" a man asked yangyang as he tiptoed through the halls.

so close.

"bathroom," the boy replied, scratching the back of his head.

the man pursed his lips in a look of suspicion, which gave yangyang a hard time holding eye contact because he was almost positive he was about to get sent back to his room. "okay. go. but come right back and don't do this again."

the boy nodded quickly and walked off, making his way to the exit which was luckily the same way as the restrooms. once he turned the corner, a sigh of relief escaped his lips but a gasp of surprise shortly after.

"what—" he stuttered to the boy who'd he just bumped into out of nowhere, "what are you doing here?!"

"where are you going?" the boy asked, a tremble in his voice that made yangyang feel a pit of guilt form.

"bathroom..."

"don't lie. you've been acting weird ever since those newbies got here. you're leaving with them..."

yangyang sighed again, shutting his eyes before opening them again to face his friend. "i am. i can't stay here anymore."

"yang, it's safer here than it will ever be out there—"

"we're not gonna be young forever. i'm leaving, and you can't stop me." he'd brushed past the boy, just for him to grab onto his wrist before he could fully walk away.

"i'm coming with too, then."

the four expected to see yangyang already outside, waiting, but he wasn't. for a minute they figured he'd gotten caught up and was sent back to his room, and knowing they couldn't wait forever, they were going to leave without him. that was until the exit door busted open and came running out was yangyang and another unfamiliar boy.

"run. run."

confused, but wary, they began running with the two far enough until they had to stop to catch their breath or else they'd faint.

"what the fuck were we running for?" donghyuck asked, kneeling to the ground in exhaustion.

"well," yangyang gulped, "my plan was fine, but, he wanted to come along."

"no offense, but who even are you?" nari asked, eyeing the new boy.

"uh.. shotaro. a friend of yangyangs. i'm sorry i almost screwed up your plan, but i couldn't stay there without him."

renjun stood tall as he continued to catch his breath. "i guess, the more the merrier?"