"Sigh~ what kids…" Senri said in disbelief as Kazuna went to the restroom. "Breakfast's ready little Kazuna. Come out quick okay?" Isa smiled. Kazuna nodded going in.
Suddenly Aigou's desperate voice echoed aloud. "Come on Elias wake up already! I am tired of saying that to you again and again!" he cried rolling over Elias who growled.
"Mm…?! I am waking up… just go, already…" he resisted in his sleep.
"No way! The moment I leave, you will sleep again! Just get up already!" Aigou retorted pulling his blanket.
"And, he isn't waking up again?" Aaron asked coming out of the restroom while Nagi sighed. "I'll help him." Senri removed his gear, heading to the room where Elias and Aigou were.
Soon Zach came out his room rubbing his eyes continuously, a childlike persona taking over him. Evan and Haruf looked up.
"So the one who always sleeps early and wakes up early has woken up at last today? What's the matter Zachariah?" Evan asked.
Zach shaking his head came out of the door bending his head down not to get hurt, (thanks to his height). He pulled his hand out showing the alarm clock to Evan who in turn grabbed it. "It didn't ring today…" he told innocently.
The boys including Haruf and Isa smiled. "Ah, the batteries are weak. I'll fix it and give it back to you in no time." Evan checked it. Zach nodding sat beside Ren and Orion too sleeping once again. "And… here goes the long guy as well." Noah whispered not even surprised.
"Didn't he sleep well last night?" Ren asked ruffling Zach's hairs from one hand and Orion's from the other. Isa walking up towards them shook his head, "Nope, he went to sleep early last night like always. He might be tired."
"And what's with Orion? Why won't he wake up? Usually he would be amongst the first ones to bang other doors giving his usual deathly greetings?" Haruf asked concerned looking at Orion who snored.
Nagi rolled his eyes. "Tch. Just leave him be." he clicked his tongue annoyed.
"Now, now, that's not good Mr. Nagi. Just give him a pat or two instead. No matter, what he might be like he is your partner after all." Noah advised.
Nagi hearing his words twitched his brow revolted heading into the kitchen murmuring, "Like I care…"
Evan and Haruf exhaled. A while later Elias came out of the room alongside Aigou and Senri who laughed. "Come on, wake up Orion why are you so lazy today, hun? You didn't even go out for a walk with us?" Senri asked pulling Orion's shoulders.
Orion woke up startled. "Hmph… Leave me I am tired…" he replied moody.
After a while, the highschoolers all awake and ready finishing their breakfast looked at Evan. "Rauf is calling us outside. Let's head to him and practice. He also has something important to talk about." he informed closing his book and standing up.
"What about those middle schoolers down there?" Kazuna asked. "They might leave, since they aren't willing to cooperate. However, if they will then they stay." Haruf smiled.
"So it all depends on them hun…" Isa whispered concerned.
Elias gazing at his phone asked, "By the way did any one of you receive a call from Alan?" The boys looking at each other for a while shook their heads. "No… I don't think we did." Noah checked his phone.
"He isn't replying in the group chat and even in the private ones. So I was wondering if he might've called. Since, I hadn't heard from him ever since he left." Elias continued. "Who knows, he might be busy in the city." Aaron guessed as Zach nodded. Evan and Haruf wondered.
"Don't worry, he'll call you back once he's free. Furthermore, leave your phones at the dorms before you leave. Or else, I will confiscate them again!" Evan warned heading downstairs. The boys hearing Evan's death call instantly hid their phones back into their safe cases.
"Hiding them is better than confiscation…" Noah whispered as Aaron and Orion agreed.
"Yeah, I can't afford not talking to Alan." Senri added.
"Exactly, not at all." Ren concurred.
"Come on now." Haruf patted Kazuna's hairs. "I wonder if Alan has found those boys back or not…" Senri speculated. "He must have by now, don't worry." Kazuna assured. The boys hearing him nodded following Evan.
(Mountain range of No Return) [Current Location: Hill side between the highest top and middle]
The fourteen boys including Alan glancing at the mountain top from the nearby cliff stood pondering.
"Considering our current speed and path ahead, we might reach the top at afternoon after seeing the time which is 9:30 right now." Cassiel estimated looking at his watch.
"Moreover, the hillside would be easy to pass if taken careful measures. However, the large rock before the flat top… how do we climb that?" Xavier asked Kenzo, Gabriel, Alan and Helios. "We don't even have ropes or pulling tools with us." Seraph continued. Poseidon and Ezekiel agreed.
"Can't we climb using our hands? I think I can since, I am very good at climbing. So once I reach up, I can pull you all one by one as well." Adam suggested confident.
"Yeah, thanks to my acrobatic play. I can also climb that distance without difficulty." Heber added while Azazel gulped form the sight before them, "Are… you sure, Brother Heber?"
"You both could do it and that's for sure however, that rock is very steep. Chances of falling are twice as high as climbing up if told for the worst." Poseidon warned.
"Then what should we do?" Feng asked puzzled.
Alan taking a deep breath walked forward. "Let's just reach that rock first, then we'll think about what to do next later. Who knows what we might find amid our way that could help us climbing up over there as well?" he guessed.
"Alan's right. We might find something along the way. Let's not get our hopes down too much." Helios concurred. The thirteen of them followed Alan climbing up through trees and bushes alerted. Kenzo observing the surroundings treaded lightly.
"It really feels the same, just like how we climbed the hilltop back at the base." Ezekiel recalled.
"You're right, the only addition here is of animals and cold. Whilst the rest remains the same." Ryan corresponded.
Realizing how cold it suddenly became Poseidon closed and opened his fists a minute after minute. "The farther we climb up the colder it gets. We also left our jackets back at the base. I wonder if I would be able to resist this cold…" he thought anxiously.
A sudden fret taking over him he thought, "Everyone is giving their utmost best in this situation and enduring it all. I don't want to be a further burden to them at any cost. I hope I get the courage and strength to endure this…"
Suddenly, Alan halted in his steps turning around. The boys too stopped puzzled. "What's wrong?" Gabriel asked. Alan turning to Poseidon called, "Poseidon…" Poseidon looking at him asked back. "Yes?"
"Come here." Alan called.
Poseidon glancing at Helios and Ezekiel walked up to Alan. Alan, on the contrary removing his jacket handed it over to him revealing a light white shirt over a full sleeved black high neck, "Wear it, it's cold up there."
Poseidon and the rest looked at him surprised by his sudden action. "Don't worry, I didn't fit bombs inside it. My size is small but not too small that it won't fit you since, it fits Aigou perfectly. Wear it and let's move forward." Alan told continuing the march, "The rest of you better cover up your arms with sleeves and bands. Don't let the cold catch you."
"How…" Poseidon asked astonished, "How did you know I can't tolerate cold?"
Alan glimpsing from the corner of his eye smiled, "I read about your syndrome the moment I learned about you. It stated that people in that condition are weak to cold and might collapse due to a seizure."
"It was after a while I realized that it's turning cold so I looked at you all to find which one might be most in need and handed it over to you the moment I caught your sight." he explained.
Poseidon tracing his small yet considerate back thanked, "Thank you." Kenzo along with Gabriel looked at Alan seriously. "Good for you." Xavier assured as Helios nodded. "I didn't even realize you were feeling cold captain." Ezekiel said disappointed.
"It's alright, to think he knew. Even I am surprised." Poseidon replied wearing the jacket.