❝ yah, stay quiet! ❞ a faint whisper tingles his sensitive eardrums. ❝ i'm trying to document it here! ❞

mark's eyes slowly flutter open, but he immediately squints when all of the sudden he's greeted by the merciless sun shining above him. as he tries to regain his sight, his brothers who were previously surrounding him immediately groan in disappointment.

mark captures an odd sight among the shifting clouds. he gets up. ❝ mission. mission! ❞

❝ yeah, it was our mission to get your pictures after we finished with donghyuck-hyung, but you got up too early! ❞ jisung scowls in annoyance.

❝ no, jisung-ah, mission! ❞ mark points up to the sky.

everyone lifts up their head to see what he's referring to. rockets, soaring through the air towards the never ending sky. ❝ yah, get up, we gotta move! now! ❞

donghyuck, who was deep into his slumber, had to forcefully waken up by jaemin hitting his back several times. ❝ yah, what the hell—❞ he didn't get to finish his sentence when he saw what made them swarm in panic.

❝ go, go, go! ❞ mark sprints towards the car, unknowingly taking the seat behind the wheel. donghyuck, who literally just got up to life, quickly reads the situation and calls shotgun.

❝ do you even know how to drive?! ❞ jeno exclaims to mark who had somehow taken his place.

❝ i don't know, perhaps? ❞ mark nervously puts his hands on the wheel. ❝ i suppose there must be something that i remember. hold on boys, this is gonna be bumpy. ❞

he hits the brakes and the car jolts up into the air, hustling forward in such a tremendous speed. with the rockets slowly fading, they must quickly catch up; for this might be the only chance they got to get to the red room.

❝ mark-hyung, i think i'm gonna barf.. ❞ jaemin gags.

❝ yah, na jaemin! ❞ renjun yells in disgust. ❝ not here! ❞

fortunately for mark, there were no change of directions and they were only going in a straight line, in an empty road with no sights of life.

❝ this! is! funnnnn!! ❞ jisung chirps, his hands dangling up in the air. chenle grabs his camera and makes use of the chance to take pretty pictures of the rockets.

in just a matter of minutes (and after a dozen kilometers or so with the godly speed) they get a glimpse of the sea they were desperately searching for. but the case didn't just end up there: they had to find the room they were looking for. so mark starts going slower so they could see where the rockets must've had blasted at.

❝ is that it? ❞ jeno says as he gestures at the beach across the road. ❝ there's a huge crowd right there.. ❞

❝ perhaps. ❞ donghyuck tilts his head. ❝ let's just go and find out. ❞

it's a strange sight to see a lot of people gathering around this early in the morning. mark abruptly stops the car at the edge of the road, making sure not to hit anything.. or anyone.

jaemin gets off the car, never minding the dizziness after such a hellride. ❝ wah, we should never let mark-hyung drive ever again. ❞

❝ it was fun, ❞ jeno smiles. ❝ it's like a rollercoaster ride. ❞

donghyuck is the first to head over the coast to see what's happening, followed by a very eager chenle who thinks he holds responsibility because it's his mission. ❝ what do you think they're doing, hyung? ❞

❝ blasting off rocketships, what else? ❞ donghyuck answers. ❝ though, i don't get why your dream led us here.. how is this relevant to the red room you saw? ❞

chenle shrugs. ❝ the man with the megaphone is announcing something, let's check that out. ❞

chenle and donghyuck immerse with the anticipating crowd who were soulfully listening to the man standing above the mini stage. ❝ thank you so much for the participation, everyone. we glad that you guys enjoyed our rockets exhibition. we will be returning back next week for another experiment! ❞ he announces happily. ❝ we would also like to remind you guys that the lottery event will soon start, so if you haven't done it yet, please write down your chosen six digits and quickly pass it to our staff so you could be documented as a participant! ❞

chenle scrunches his face. ❝ lottery? ❞

❝ lottery! ❞ mark raises his hand. ❝ hello, hello? anyone in charge? i would like to enter, please! ❞

❝ yes! yoojung, please help the bright young man right there, ❞ the man gestures at a very expressive mark who looked as if he just won something out of the lottery just by hearing the word.

❝ what lottery, hyung? ❞ jeno asks the latter in confusion.

❝ jeno-yah, make sure you remember these numbers. write it down somewhere, and don't ever forget to remind me about it everytime we meet again in between missions. don't! forget! yes, thank you very much. ❞ mark grabs the paper and pen given by the woman and he quickly scribbles the numbers. ❝ 240816. don't forget. ❞

❝ 240816, noted. ❞ renjun has the numbers carved into his mind.

❝ thank you, ❞ the woman takes the paper and heads towards the stage to be processed.

❝ let me guess, you got the numbers from the future us? ❞ jeno asks him, stunned.

❝ you've reminded me all along, every single mission, made sure that i had it correct. ❞ mark points out. ❝ all my life i've been prepared for this moment. ❞

❝ okay, i guess that's all that we got~ ❞ the man in front now has a small machine with him, supposedly as a random number generator. ❝ okay, we've inputted all your numbers, now it's time to see the results.. ❞ he clicks on the button, revealing an assorted number. ❝ 240816! to the one who feels called out, please do come forward~ ❞

❝ me! i'm 240816!! ❞ mark jumps around excitedly. ❝ yah kids, we won!! ❞

❝ wow, what a surprise. ❞ donghyuck says sarcastically though with a smile on his face.

❝ yay!!! ❞ jaemin shares the excitement with him. ❝ won what, though?!? ❞

❝ i have no idea!! ❞ mark flounces forward to the stage as he was told, never minding the cynical glares that were targeted towards him.

❝ hyung, hyung! look here! ❞ chenle raises his camera high. ❝ smile for the camera! you look great! ❞

mark receives a certificate and a photo session, though still clueless of what just happened. he just smiles and waves to the camera, specifically to chenle's.

❝ the boy entered last minute, he must've cheated! ❞ someone in the crowd yells.

❝ yah, nutcase! ❞ donghyuck yells back. ❝ just say you're jealous and get over it! ❞

the mc on the stage shakes mark's hand in advance. ❝ congrats on winning the lottery, mr.. ❞

❝ mark lee. ❞ mark returns the handshake eagerly. ❝ i'm sorry, what did i win, exactly? ❞

❝ you don't know? ❞

❝ i join awfully a lot of lotteries, this is the first time i've ever won yet i don't know which one, hehe. ❞

❝ you just won an exclusive three days vacation on our luxury lodging that faces right towards the beautiful ocean, brought to you by zhong corporation, of course! ❞ the man answers his question enthusiastically.

❝ lodging? luxurious? ❞ mark couldn't believe his ears. ❝ oh my, we be getting a place to stay— kids! ❞ mark calls out the others. ❝ good news! we won't be sleeping at the car anymore! ❞

the boys cheer in happiness, stirring confusion to the emotional crowd. well if that's the case, maybe we should just let them stay.. these kids are homeless...

❝ so when are you planning on using the opportunity, mr lee? ❞

❝ how about today? ❞

❝ .. today? ❞

❝ yes, i brought everyone here, we're all prepared. ❞ mark says, gesturing at his boys. ❝ but if it's unlikely for your case.. ❞

❝ ah no no, it's okay. the place is already prepared. ❞ he assures him. ❝ you bring any luggages, things we could carry for you? ❞

❝ uh no, just ourselves. ❞ mark laughs awkwardly. ❝ we got our car parked right there, if that's what you're asking. ❞

so in a way, somehow the seven boys have managed to get themselves accommodation, though it's clear that they won't be needing any once they've finished this mission. after the awarding ceremony, mark is immediately referred to his new place to stay for the next three days, and to their surprise, the place is wildly bigger than their thought.

❝ wow, this really is luxurious. ❞ jeno says out of fascination.

❝ yup, i could really get used to this. ❞ jaemin smiles.

❝ let me show you around, ❞ the woman who inputted their lottery numbers is now the one in charge of the awarding process. ❝ representing the zhong corporation, we would like to thank you for participating the rocket blasting event today, i'm sure you had fun? ❞

❝ yes, very much. ❞ mark says, nodding. ❝ this house looks huge and very out of place. ❞

❝ yeah, this is the only property owned by us in this area, we usually take care of buildings rather than vacation homes. ❞ the woman explains as she inserts the key. ❝ just ask us if you have any specific requests. ❞

❝ yeah, i got one. ❞ donghyuck quickly answers. ❝ you got any spare clothes we could wear? my body's starting to feel kinda itchy. ❞

❝ that's because you slept at the field last night, with the stink bugs. ❞ renjun hums.

❝ i think we could manage, but our uniforms wouldn't be a problem, right? ❞ the woman asks, referring to the navy blue suit that she's wearing. ❝ we really don't have anything else. ❞

❝ yeah, it's fine. ❞ jeno answers politely.

❝ okay, so here's the main room. ❞ the woman announces as they enter the house. ❝ forgive us for the lack of windows, our architect really has no idea of what a vacation home looks like. however, we prepared a lot of things for your entertainment. ❞

the sudden realization hits chenle the second he steps into the room. the familiarity, the texture. the wallpapers, the interior. the atmosphere.

they have now entered the red room.

—

next update will be the last chapter (?) of this chenle's mission~

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