Donghyuck's sudden sentence seemed to make the air deflate slowly, like a balloon with a small hole.
Renjun let out a small breath, all too tense, threatening to burst.
He had never liked the woman, presence seemingly too high. Not at all to his liking. She had a loud aura, but a quiet persona. Someone with secrets worth millions.
Renjun hated that.
She looked at the boys, thinking they were nothing but malleable minds.
But she was wrong.
So under that misconception, she started her preaching.
"Project Delta is focused on the potential polygamous partnering, but that's not what we are focused on today. We are focused on the Project Kkum. This is a project of the concerned housing of you're unit, excluding 00-00-01. We have an understanding that the building you are residing in is quite controversial in it's standing-"
"Please speak clearly," Donghyuck cut the woman, pointing his finger at Chenle, who was squinting at the woman in slight confusion. Even with the help of Jisung clarifying what she was saying in his ear, he wasn't quite catching all of the words.
The woman paused, clearing her throat slightly in irritation.
"The building you all live in, it is marked as an old government building, which can attract some people from the outside, or even Defects that live on the Outside, which can be dangerous. We are trying to study cohabitation between the seven of you. If it works, you won't leave, but if it doesn't you all will be separated into separate dorms," she finished, looking confident in herself.
"So does that mean-"
"You will move to 00-00-01's dorm, and if it will be permanent, that is still on the debating table, but the next 60 days will determine that," she clarified.
"And you had to drug us to tell us that? You couldn't just e-mail or something much easier?" Donghyuck spoke up once more, thoroughly irritated with the government's great planning techniques.
"It was a test," she simply said.
"Everything is a test to you guys," Renjun mumbled in Mandarin. Chenle looked at the older, who was squinting his eyes in annoyance. Directed to the government, of course.
"So are we done here?" Mark asked, standing up.
"Well-"
"O.K., cue to leave," Donghyuck cut her off, standing up as well.
This caused all of the boys to stand up, and proceed to start leaving the room.
"You boys need to be out of that building by 00:30," the woman said, quickly.
"Noted," Donghyuck answered, waving a hand behind him, leaving.
. . .
The six boys dropped Renjun off at his dorm, still in awe of the large building.
"Who knew M.C.M.'s were so privileged," Donghyuck said, laughing slightly.
This dense mood that hung over the group needed to be broken.
"Trust me, he's far from privileged," Jaemin defended, voice small.
They continued to walk, Mark and Donghyuck leading in the front, Jaemin and Jeno hanging slightly behind them, and Chenle and Jisung behind them.
Chenle held onto Jisung's arm, still shocked from the whole event that happened earlier.
"Jisung, what's going to happen to us?" he asked, looking up at the younger, eyes wide and watery.
Jisung smiled sadly at the older, knowing he was taking this harder than everyone else.
"Hopefully we get to stay together," Jisung answered, petting Chenle's hair gently.
Chenle nodded, trying to get the dreadful feeling out of his system. He didn't like the thought of an unknown future. No one did.
"What are we going to do?" he mumbled to himself, but Jisung still heard the soft question.
He held the older a little closer, trying to reassure that they'll be fine.
. . .
"All right, guys," Mark started from their small living room, "We've got about a solid 15 more minutes 'til we need to be out. Are we ready?"
All the boys were gathered with their things, anxiety and the thrill of something new flowing through their systems.
"Yes," they all collectively answered.
"Alright, let's head out."
They all started out, Jisung being the last to close the door.
"I'm gonna miss this place," he mumbled, looking at everything one last time. He let out a deep breath.
"Jisung! Come on!"
"Coming!"
. . .
Renjun had just gotten done taking a shower, and was finishing drying his hair, when the doorbell chimed through the house.
Sluggishly, he made his way to the door, not surprised by the six boys standing there.
Eyes half closed from tiredness, he waved the boys quietly inside.
He turned the overhead lights on, allowing bright lights into the room.
"Welcome to my humble abode. Pick a room, any room, just not the room facing the beginning of the hallway. That's my room."
The others nodded slowly coming into the large space.
Eyes wide, all they could do is stand there and admire silently.
"Come on boys, it's late," Mark announced, shaking his attention away from the grandness of the dorm. Their new dorm.
They each settled in a room.
Jeno and Jaemin wanted to room with Renjun, but Renjun refused, knowing that if they did he wouldn't be getting any sleep anytime soon. They would discuss everything, and that was the last thing Renjun wanted.
Mark and Chenle decided they were rooming with each other, leaving Donghyuck and Jisung to each have their own room.
They each settled in their rooms, saying a collective 'goodnight,' or 'goodnight, hyungs.'
. . .
Chenle was sleeping in the large bed, trying to fall asleep in Mark's warm embrace, but his thoughts were running too wildly.
He shifted, but stopped when Mark's sleeping self made a noise of annoyance at the movement.
He slowly detangled himself from Mark, getting out of the bed.
His feet hit the cold floor, causing him to hold in a hiss at the feeling.
He slowly made his way to the door, freezing when he heard Mark turn in the bed.
Their room was at the very beginning of the hallway, so he had some light to guide him from the living room.
He heard Donghyuck's light snores coming from his room as he passed it.
He paused when he heard Jeno's and Jaemin's soft voices emanating from their room, but he brushed them off and proceeded to his set destination.
Renjun-ge's room.
Slowly, he cracked the older's door, trying not to make too much noise.
He allowed the door to open enough for him to slip through, and closed it silently.
Renjun's room was a little bit larger than his own, as well as the bed.
Renjun was curled into a ball, seemingly sleeping peacefully.
Chenle approached his bed, and proceeded to climb onto it slowly.
"Renjun-ge," he called out softly, trying not to surprise the older.
"Yes, Chenle?" Renjun's voice almost scaring him, he pretended it didn't.
"Can I sleep with you?" Chenle felt like he needed.
"Of course, Chenle. Anytime," Renjun answered, turning to face the younger, "Come here."
Chenle slipped under Renjun's offered blanket, instantly having arms surround him. He smiled at the warmth, and hugged Renjun back.
"Now sleep."