Four Seasons: Autumn 2/2

[chubummie]

​AN: Sorry Its been a long time. I had a tough time writing this part. I wrote a few different versions before settling on this one. Please enjoy it.

Autumn Part 2

Key couldn’t focus. He felt heavy but he was being carried. He could hear Japanese only Japanese. He was worried but he couldn’t move. He blinked slowly trying to concentrate.

“Minho?”

The person carrying him wasn’t Minho. There was more Japanese someone sounded angry but Key couldn’t make it out enough. His head was too fuzzy to try to translate it.

“Minho,” He called again but his voice was weak. They must have drugged him but where was Minho? What did they do to him? What had they done to Jonghyun and Jinki?

“This was a bad move.”

“You saw what he did to those people and those boys acted like it was nothing. They were used to it and they were a liability. He’d risk his safety for them. He has risked his safety for them. We can’t have that.”

“He’s calling out for his friend. What will we do when he wakes up?”

“We’ll deal with it when the time comes. For now we just need to carry out the mission, do our jobs.”

“You can’t carry him the entire way.” Kibum was shifted, “What if we run into trouble? He has to be able to protect himself.”

“When he wakes up, he’ll walk.” There was a pause, “Don’t let the fact that they’re young cloud your judgment. You’re the captain so act like it and we have a mission.”


Kibum focused on trying to erase the haze from his mind, to get complete control. “Where…Minho…What did you do?”

Kibum was set down, lights were shined in his eyes. “Are you awake?”

He nodded trying to regain his functions but the world was spinning. “Where are they?”

“We moved on without them.”

“Why?” Kibum wanted to feel his body become hot and angry but he was still too out of it. He could only know recognize the medic not that his vision was cleared up.

“Too many risks and you are our priority,” The medic answered.

“But if they arrive at the boat we won’t turn them away.” The captain added, “We just can’t risk them slowing us down or you risking the mission to protect one of them. They seem really capable; if they can make it to Incheon in time we won’t refuse them.”

“They’ll make it.” Kibum said glaring at them, “And if you’re lying to me, if you don’t let them on.” He stopped shaking his head his body finally responding to his emotions.

“What?” The medic scoffed, “You’ll kill us?”

“No,” He exhaled slowly closing his eyes to steel himself, “I’ll put a bullet in my head and you can explain to Japan how you let their chance to end this slip away.”

“Then I’ll have to induce you.”

“What? I want to be conscious when you die,” Kibum sneered and then received a hard slap.

“Hey,” The captain pulled him away, “You don’t touch him.”

“You don’t know shit about this world!” He yelled, slamming his fist against the ground. “You’ve had guns and water and food. You’ve never been hungry, you don’t know shit about corpses, or people that live in this world.” He glared at them, his face stung from where he was hit, “You think we’re just kids but you don’t know anything. I hope when my friends find us, they shoot you all in the chest so you can die and turn.”

The captain’s eyes narrowed, “And that’s the reason they were left. You are the key to the survival of the human race but you think your three friends are more important than an entire planet filled with billions of survivors. I didn’t think it was a good move but more and more it seems like we made the right decision. I don’t think you’re a kid, I know it. I can tell from your bratty attitude. We’ve all lost someone to be where we are. We’ve done heartless things to ensure that we and a nation of people don’t go hungry. You don’t get to lecture me about what I don’t know.” He took Key’s arm, “Get up, if you can run your mouth you can walk.”

Key yanked himself away and slowly rose to his feet. The captain patted the medic’s shoulder, the happy expression Key had seen on him the other day gone, “If you hit him again I’m hitting you. Don’t compromise the mission.”

“Yes captain.”

Key felt vulnerable. Even though he was being protected by five heavily armed well-trained soldiers. He didn’t have a weapon of his own and they were encountering more corpses than before. He watched one trapped corpse reach out in the same direction as they passed him and as he had expected they were being followed again.

“Eyes forward.” The captain said pushing him forward.

“We’re being followed.” He deliberately used Japanese.

“Your friends?” The captain responded.

“They couldn’t have caught up so quickly without a vehicle, and if they get a car they will plan to cut us off.”

“Then who?”

“The survivors from the people who followed you or their group; they won’t attack until they know where we are going. Then they will try to kill us.”

“The bomb is going to detonate soon. We’ll need to stop anyway.” The medic suggested.

“Let’s find a place to rest then.”

They took refuge in a rundown inn. Key can’t rest. He’s too on edge. He wants his axe. He wants to feel in control of his own life. He wants his friends. He wants Minho. He doesn’t want to admit how lonely he’s been without Minho…but even though they were fighting, he wants to see him the most. He wanted Minho to hug him. He wanted Minho to hold him and for them to cuddle close during a cold night. He missed Winter, when it was just the two of them and Minho made hell seem like heaven.

“Here you should eat something.”

Key turned away from him, “No thanks.”

“You haven’t eaten all day,” The medic responded, “You need to eat.”

“I’ve gone a week on two packs of ramyun, and a can of peaches.” Key remarked bitterly, “I’ll survive.”

“It’s an order,” the captain intoned, “You will eat.”

Key narrowed his eyes, “I’m not one of your soldiers. I don’t take orders.”

“You are not a soldier.” Yunho returned the glare, “You are a brat. Now eat your damn food.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“There’s two kids in Japan from refugee boat, a little one and an older one. I will call in to have the smaller killed in front of the older one,” He started his eyes steeled over, “Or you can do as you’re told.”

Key snatched the dried meat being offered to him and bit into it angrily. He chewed slowly trying to keep himself calm. To think they had thought Japan would be a safe place, it was clear to him now. Japan was safe but not for him, and not for the people he cared about. The others were safer here. Minho was safer here, in the place with the enemy they could kill. Even on the beach he hadn’t felt this way but he hoped he’d never see Minho again.

“They have Taemin and Yoogeun as leverage. They won’t arm him unless necessary knowing that he won’t kill them to ensure his own survival.” Jinki explained as they walked. “We have to cut them off make it to the boat before them to avoid confrontation on their terms.”

“Key has probably threatened them.” Jonghyun sighed, “But the only thing he has to use against them is his own life.”

“And they are being followed,” Minho concluded, “Most likely by a survivor from the group that attacked us and their original group.”

Jonghyun nodded, “If they don’t realize why the soldiers are escorting Key they’ll just try to kill them all. If we don’t find a vehicle cutting them off is going to be a stretch. Also the bomb will go off and there will be dead everywhere.”

“That’s our move then.”

“What?” Jonghyun blinked, “What move? Getting a car?”

“Cutting through the corpses,” Minho supplied.

“No, that’s not our move,” Jonghyun rolled his eyes, “That’s suicide.”

“We can do it.” Minho went on, “Key has done it before and so can we.”

“There could be hundreds thousands, one wrong move and we are all dead.” Jinki began, “Key may have done it but we aren’t Key. There’s no way, we can’t take the risk.”

“It’s the only way to make up the time.” Minho explained, “Even if we find a working car with enough gas, we’ll fall behind if we wait for the herds to move on after the bomb. We won’t stand a chance of making it to that boat before them. This is the only option.”

“I don’t know.”

“We can do it.” Minho took a deep breath, “Or I will do it alone.”

“Minho you can’t do that,” Jonghyun looked to Jinki, “Talk to him.

“We need the leverage, even if only I get there first it will give us the advantage we need.”

Jinki frowned, “He is right but I don’t want to risk something going wrong. We’re close to getting out of here and even though it’s slipping away we still have a chance. We won’t have a chance if we get ourselves killed.”

“You saw it, what Key did when he rescued Taemin?” Minho refused to give it up, “I can do it. I’ve been through groups before. I can make it through a herd.”

“We can’t split up.” Jonghyun shook his head, “No way, we’ve already done that enough.”

“You can’t stop me.”

“Then we’ll all do it together.” Jinki started pulling out the map, “We’ll prepare decoys that should make it easier to avoid incidents. We’ll take the yeongdong expressway to this smaller route to Icheondaegyo expressway which leads to the boat. They are probably going to stop outside of Suwon and move a few hours after the blast. If we can get by Suwon and Ansan we’ll definitely make it before them with good time.”

Jonghyun nodded, “Ok if we’re going to do this then we’re going to do it smart. The roads Ansan are probably pretty clear from bus evacuations but if we find a car that I can get working we’ll cut time in half. There’s a pretty good chance that we’ll find one and as long as there isn’t a herd in the way we shouldn’t have a problem.” He looked to Minho, “I don’t know how the whole herd thing works so I’ll have to follow your lead on that one.”

“We’ll need some corpses.”

“Where are we?” Key asked.

“A few kilometers outside of Suwon, stop speaking in Korean.”

“I’ve exhausted my Japanese.” Key responded, “I’ve exhausted my everything. How long are we waiting here?”

“That doesn’t concern you.”

Key made an exaggerated explosion sound using his hands and arms to emphasize. “Is that what we’re waiting for?”

There was no answer but Key was enjoying pushing the medic’s buttons, “Can I get a weapon now?”

“Shut up!”

“Stop speaking Korean,” Key smirked.

“Billions of people around the world and the one we need is a snotty brat.”

The captain chuckled, “In less than 24 hours he’ll be completely out of your hair.” He checked his watch, “It’s not long now.”

Key had already come up with a plan. He was anxious about not having a weapon but he was certain he could pull it off. These people didn’t understand this world. They didn’t understand the people here. Japan had never gotten to this and they weren’t ready for what was going to happen when the herds went towards Seoul. Minho could help Jinki and Jonghyun through it. They’d seen enough to survive that. Minho, Minho would make it. They would all survive it and get a head. Even though Key was uncertain he would escape but he was confident it would slow down the soldiers enough giving Minho and their hyungs more time. If they got there first Key would be able to explain. He’d be able to convince them not to go. He’d be able to get them away.

The blast came sooner than Key expected. The building shook at the after wave of the blast and immediately after the sounds of the dead could be heard. His heart beat fast, everyone was still. Then the gunfire and screams came. The people following them hadn’t a clue. He knew that this would be their fate. They had all known that. Key waited, timing this was important. He didn’t know how long he had waited just until he was certain the largest herds had passed. Now there were a few dozen surrounding them, so he moved.

The captain tried to stop him right away but the window was shattered. The corpses closest by had turned and began to trek toward them.

“What the hell is he doing? He’s going to get us killed.” A soldier started readying his gun.

“No guns. You’ll draw more in.” The medic hissed, “That’s what he wants. Damn it they’re going to get inside.”

Key now out of the captain’s hold broke another window. The sounds got louder.

“Are you going to give me a weapon now?” He smirked.

The medic moved first smacking Key to the ground and tossing a baton to him, “If anyone dies because of this stunt you better hope it’s me.”

Key wiped his broken lip gripping the baton tightly. He stood wordlessly, hearing more glass shatter. Corpses were already making their way into the building. Yes this was going to work.

“You can’t stay here. Time is running out. This is the only chance you’ll have at making an escape,” He suggested.

The captain glared at him before turning to his men, “We’ll have to back track to a safer location. Refrain from using guns as much as possible. Keep the kid safe at all costs. Don’t get overwhelmed.”

They moved out. Key was stuck in the middle behind the captain but it didn’t matter. The door burst and corpses staggered inside. The other door had been closer to the broken windows and was blocked off by the dead. Key scanned for a soft one. It was all he needed to get away. He found his target after three kills in a corpse who had a screwdriver in his chest. It was taken down by one of the Japanese soldiers first but Key didn’t hesitate. It was difficult, he wasn’t as soft as Key had hoped but he was able to rip him open.

“What are you doing?” The captain growled bashing in the head of a corpse close to him.

“Surviving,” Key remarked smearing himself in entrails and blood.

“We have an exit,” One of the soldiers called.

The captain grabbed him and the door on the other side finally gave way. “We got to go now.”

Key pulled away from him and made his way to the exit the medic and soldier behind him shutting and blocking the door. The soldiers and medic in front of him were fending off corpses clearing a path Key didn’t intend to use. A corpse bumped into him passing him to get to the people behind him. He looked back noting the confused look on the soldiers face before advancing.

Corspes passed him as though he didn’t exist. The soldiers weren’t far behind him but it didn’t matter this was about them losing time, energy, and morale. The medic caught him first. “You little shit.”

The others were behind him rushing, two soldiers took quick care of the three corspes before them. “No time let’s go.”

They ran dragging Key along with them but suddenly stopped. Key gulped, he hadn’t anticipated this. He stepped back bumping into the captain.

“They’re still coming?”

Key held his breath, counting to ten to keep his composure. Slowing them down wouldn’t mean anything if he died before he could see Minho again. He turned pulling at the captain’s arm, “We have to go the other way.”

“We can’t.” He shook his head, “We don’t have anywhere to go.”

“Just listen to me,” Key groaned. “I can’t let you die ok. I need you so I can see my friends again so listen to me. I know what I’m doing. For christ’s sake look at me.”

“Captain we have to move. Where should we go?”

The medic looked at him with wide eyes, “We don’t have a choice. We’ve never been like this before.”

So they headed back yet again following Key. He stopped to tear open corpses and lathered the captain first.

“That’s foul.” The medic commented.

“You wanna die?” Key snapped, “No? Then find a body.” He looked to the Japanese soldiers, “Do it or you won’t have a chance.”

Yunho looked down at him, “This was your plan. Slow us down, blend into the corpses to escape?”

Key nodded, “You left my friends. You threatened to have a little kid killed. It’s not safe for them.”

“And you think this is safer?”

“They know how to survive here. They know how to be safe here. Corpses are an enemy they can defeat.” Key explained, “All it takes is one wrong move from me in Japan and bam you’ll just have them killed huh. At least the people here have stopped pretending to be nothing but good.”

“I didn’t mean it. I’d never, it was an empty threat.”

“It won’t always be empty, not even from you,” Key retorted, “I told you I understand how things work now.”

He sighed, “Yeah kid I know.”

Minho had been relieved to see the signs. They were so close to Incheon. They were on the highway now playing dead under a vehicle. Three jawless corpses tied to the car, they lied covered in grime. Hopefully this would be their last time passing through a herd. Then it grew even quieter and they made their move quickly. Jonghyun was already trying to start up the car before they’d gotten from under it. “Work you piece of shit.”

When the engine started Jonghyun pumped his fist into the air. “Half a tank, get in. I’ll drive. ”

Minho cut the ropes from the car and hopped in the back where their things were. “Damn we’re actually doing it.” Jinki said as they drove off, “We’re going to pass Incheon soon. We can get there in 20 or so minutes. There’s no way they beat us there if the herds are still moving like that last one.”

Jonghyun grinned, “No way in hell, that’ll teach ‘em.” He looked back briefly, “We’ll see Key soon Minho-yah.”

Minho didn’t respond instead he kept his eyes on alert and held the axe close. He didn’t want to think about them being apart. He didn’t want to worry even more than he already was. Minho wanted to hold Kibum and to kiss him but he couldn’t imagine that being in his reach. They had been on such bad terms before that Minho could only hope that Kibum wanted to see him too.

The location was mostly isolated.

“The boat is there,” Jinki confirmed, “We can anchor to the car, I think we have a rope long enough. I can’t believe we made it before them.”

Jonghyun sighed, “I can’t believe we made it. We crossed two huge herds. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

“Any other complaints?” Jinki asked.

“And,” Jonghyun groaned, “my other shoulder hurts from holding my bag lopsided.”

“I told you I’d carry it.”

“No way you would’ve tripped trying to carry it and gotten us in big trouble,” Jonghyun replied, “And I’d feel bad making Minho-good carry three of them.”

“Well you can rest up now,” Minho began, “I’ll keep watch we can use the car as cover in case they decide to be hostile.”

“Don’t worry about,” Jonghyun smiled, “We’ll get everything ready and have plenty of time to rest.”

Jinki nodded, “The herds aren’t moving this way so this place is relatively safe but if something does come this way and we’re overwhelmed we only have one option.”

“Minho?” Jonghyun sighed, “If we don’t have another option what are you going to do?” Minho didn’t answer and Jonghyun went on. “Hey I’m talking to you! I don’t want to push you into that water but I will. So tell me what you’re going to do.”

“I’ll go hyung.” Minho clenched his fists, “I can use the boat to come back for Kibum if I need to.”

“I’m sure he’ll make it here before then.” Jinki supplied, “And I think the soldiers will allow us to go with them but I’m starting to think maybe Japan knowing about Key wasn't such a good idea.”

“Why would you think that?” Jonghyun frowned, “Japan is the safest place there is right now. Taemin is there. If they didn't know about Key we'd be stuck here with no way out.”

"I'm just not sure how much safer we'd be with them. We'd be signing ourselves over to them."

“What?” Jonghyun shook his head, “No, no they were taking refugees. They’re helping people.”

“Yes they are saving people but they’re also taking over entire countries. Think about it, the nation that cures this plague will be the sole powerful nation in the world.” Jinki explained, “They need Key to become that nation and I think they’re willing to do whatever it takes. Those soldiers more than just traveling easier, I think they left us behind because Key showed them how far he’d go to protect us.”

Minho bit his lip, “I’m going to go with Key.”

“I know,” Jinki shrugged, “I just want you to know what we may be getting ourselves into.”

“You don’t have to.” Minho looked to Jonghyun, “Neither of you have to. If it’s about Taemin, we can negotiate a trade. I can fill his place.”

Jonghyun crossed his arms groaning, “Come on you know the promise. No more separating. We all say hi to Taemin in Japan. If they use us to threaten Key then we’ll make a new plan to get us all out.” He grumbled, “Between the five of us we should be able to make something work. Let’s prep then we can have a quick bite and rest up a bit.”

They were close. Kibum was looking for any sign that Minho and the others had made it. He found it in a corpse with no jaw, no arms, and rope around it’s body.

“We’re close maybe three hours from our location,” The medic informed. “There’s still a herd behind us so we need to move. The sooner we’re on that boat the better.”

“It’s gone.” He was so happy he could cry, “They got there first.”

“What is he saying now?” A soldier asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Minho, my friends, they got there first.” Key smiled, “They probably took the boat.”

The captain shook his head, “There’s no way they got there before us. Even with our detour, they couldn’t have gotten ahead of us.”

“I told you.” Kibum sighed sitting down, “You don’t know what this world can do to people, what it can make people capable of.”

“Captain what is going on?”

“The boat is gone.” Kibum answered lying on the ground.

“Captain? What does he mean?”

“That sly Minho he probably led them right through a herd, so much for not having courage.”

“Don’t get cocky, we both know that boy won’t leave without you." The medic started, "Besides where would they go other than the airport where the rest of the retrieval team is."

Kibum scoffed, “You really don’t know anything. What I’d give for you to be stuck here, just for a month in this hell. I’d like to see how different you are if you survive it.”

"Let's see how different you are after a month away from this hell."

He saw them before they saw him. The first gun shot was just a foot shy of them. Kibum had to blink back tears when he saw Minho. He wanted to run forward but the Captain held his arm. Minho had his gun trained for them.

"Let me go." Key looked up to the captain, "You said if they made it they could go. They made it."

"I won't object but we both know I didn't think they would make it here and you know what's waiting for them at HQ." His expression to was grim as he pull his gun. "Tell them to cooperate."

"Let me go. I'll tell them to cooperate let me go.

"Stand guard, I'll handle this. Don't take a shot that compromises the mission." Yunho led him forward. Minho kept his gun trained to the captain even as they got closer.

"Stand down."

Minho's gaze went to Kibum. "Minho it's over."

"Are you okay?" Minho asked his gun didn't waver.

Kibum yanked himself away from the captian, and stepped before the gun knowing he was making the captain even more nervous. "It's over." Minho sidestepped to keep his gun off Kibum but still aimed at the captain. Kibum chuckled, "Yah you moron what did I just say? You got my axe?"

"Are you okay?"

"Where are Jonghyun and Jinki-hyung?"

"Are you okay?"

"Whatever my axe, do you have it or not?

"Key."

"No I'm not!" He yelled, "I'm afraid you're going to do something stupid and die! You had a boat dumbass why are you still here? You should have left! You shouldn't be here!"

"I have your axe." Minho finally lowers the gun.

"Of course you do," He hissed, "you fucking moron."

"Stand down, we're heading out." The captain ordered. "Let's go."

The boat is cramped but Minho holds his hand tight. The trip is short, on land there are people waiting. Minho squeezes his hand, Jonghyun pats his shoulder and Jinki smiles at him. Though they are silent, Kibum understands them. They know what can happen.

"Ah you arrived a little later than I thought you would. You look a little worse for wear but this was an extremely difficult mission. You all have to be tested for infection." The presummed leader announces. "You know procedure. Which one is Key?"

The captain motions towards him. "Him, the three with him are his companions. I can brief you after I've been tested."

Minho looked to him as they were led into the vacant airport. It was so different being here without the bustling crowds with everything shut down and quiet. Kibum refused to let go of Minho's hand. The doctor that tested them glared but Kibum didn't care.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Minho asked as they waited.

Kibum shrugged. Jonghyun scowled, "Who cares, damn soldiers made us leave all our supplies. Don't you feel uneasy."

Jinki frowned, "A bit but its nice that we're all back together."

Kibum leaned against Minho's shoulder. "You don't have to."

"You've sacrificed a lot for me," Minho replied, "but I'm doing this for me too. I'm done with us being separated."

AN: I hope you enjoyed it. The final part will be out fairly soon. Thank you for reading.