Redamancy (Minho | The Maze Runner)

十五: Runners

AN: this chapter might be a bit meh because I didn't have much time to write it, my internship has started and it's taking all of my time I swear ugh ugh I hope you guys still enjoy reading it regardless! OTL 

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When she woke up the next morning, it didn't seem any different from being dead.

She lay there for a moment, unwilling to move, trying to process everything that happened last night. After her... Rejection (She didn't know whether it counted as a rejection since Minho didn't tell it to her face, but that wasn't really his fault anyway.) Newt didn't exchange any words with her, just silently brought her back to Homestead where they both quietly turned in.

It wasn't until the blond entered her line of vision did she break out of her thoughts and look briefly at his expectant expression for a moment. It wasn't time for the gladers to wake up to attend to their duties yet so when he didn't budge, she frowned but eventually sat up. Her vision whited out from the sudden movement and her head buzzed from crying yesterday, but she managed to somehow look him in the eye questioningly as if it was just another morning.

"You alright?" Newt asked, looking her over.

"Fine." Qiufeng smiled.

He cast her an uncertain look, but beckoned for her to follow him. Curious as to why he was dragging her out this early and eager for a distraction from her thoughts, she obliged. They stepped gingerly over the other sleeping gladers, making their way over to Homestead. He led her inside, all the way to the back where a few others stood waiting for them.

Through the dim lighting, she could just about make out a few familiar faces. There was Stan from the Track-hoes, Ben and Tim from the Builders, Dave from the Slicers... Surprise flickered across her face as she recognized Lester standing in the corner, his face hidden in the shadows, and...

She felt her heart stop.

Because Minho was there, talking to Alby. It was so normal that her chest ached even through the panic because she hadn't expected to face him so early in the day so she didn't have a proper plan of what to do.

She glanced at Newt, who kept his eyes focused straight ahead and refused to look at her.

"Morning lazy shank," Minho greeted with a smirk as the two approached the group.

There was a moment of silence where it seemed as though Qiufeng didn't hear him, before her eyes briefly glanced upwards to meet his and she allowed a flicker of a smile to pass across her face in acknowledgement. He frowned, noticing her weird behaviour and his gaze shifted to Newt. The other had occupied himself by speaking to Alby, and as Minho turned back to the girl in front of him, he felt a sense of uneasiness. Newt couldn't have told her about yesterday night, could he?

He shook off the unwanted thought, focusing himself. He needed to keep to the task at hand.

Alby and Newt turned to him, nodding their heads as they left the room. He saw Newt give Qiufeng's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he walked past her, to which she gave a weak smile in response. He frowned, feeling a weird squeezing sensation in his chest but decided to brush it off by turning to the small group of five. He surveyed them for a moment before he spoke.

"You shanks are gonna be runners," Minho began simply, in the most straightforward way possible.

He thought he saw Qiufeng's eyes widen a little but it was gone as fast as it came. Stan and Tim had started to talk amongst themselves in excited whispers, and while Dave and Ben did the same, they sounded less than eager.

"Why us?" Dave spoke up after a moment, his voice wary.

"Because you're all basically the best bet the glade has as runners right now, even if you're better suited for other jobs." His gaze flickered briefly to the only girl there, and she looked away. "Either that or it was already decided that you would run eventually."