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They will force someone to enter the Maze, whoever commits a sin or violates the rules. That's what they call Banishing.

The three of them were silent inside the hut, not knowing what to say to the girl. Zelia just looking at the door as she let Clint treat the wounds on her face and hands.

She's still processing what happened today. It was hard to believe for her that Minho would do this to her. She's having mixed emotions right now; she doesn't know what to do anymore.

Clint and Kendrix simply stared at each other, signalling to each other who would speak to the girl first. Zelia took a deep breath and was the first one to speak.

"You two are too obvious." Kendrix sat up straight when he heard his friend's voice.

"We're just looking for a time when we can talk to you," he said, and the girl stared at him.

"I'm fine; the pain is felt far away from the gut," Zelia said, and Kendrix just rolled his eyes.

"I never thought he would actually do that. That's why he's ignoring you because he has other plans."

"It's because he didn't do anything wrong," she whispered to herself.

"What did you say?" Zelia looked at Kendrix, who's looking at her confused. She gave him a smile.

"I said, Thank goodness I can fight back. It's worth a shot, you know? I'm glad I know how to throw a fist on the face."

"What are you going to do now?" Kendrix asked, and she just shrugged her shoulders. The girl didn't speak because she might have something else to say.

It only took a few minutes for Clint to finish treating Zelia. It started setting aside the things he used for the girl to treat all her wounds.

"Tomorrow morning, find me or Jeff so we can clean your wound, if you're comfortable." The girl gave Clint a short smile. Zelia feels he's sincere in what he said because the girl does not want to feel what happened might happen again.

"Thanks, Clint, I appreciate it."

"No worries, Zel," the man said and gave her a smile. Zelia stood up; that's why Kendrix suddenly stood up.

"I'll bring you to your hammock." The girl immediately shook her head.

"No need, Drix. I can still protect myself, and besides, nothing bad will happen to me if I disappear from your sight," Zelia said with a smile. In truth, she didn't want to reveal the fear she was gradually feeling. Fear she will those two.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm very sure," she said and widened her smile. Kendrix was about to speak when Clint suddenly gently squeezed his shoulder.

"I know you're concerned, but trust her. Besides, she is already here in the Glade, and Minho is also in the Slammers. If anything happens, she can ask for help anytime because our friends will hear her immediately if anything ever happens." Zelia thanked Clint for what he said. Kendrix slowly nodded and gave her a smile.

"Just find me if you need me," he said, and the girl just nodded before she left the hut. Zelia took a deep breath when she got out.

What am I going to do? I know that even though Minho is rude to me, he doesn't deserve banishing. I'm not that stupid to ask for that kind of punishment from him.

Zelia combed her own hair before looking around. Everyone is doing something because they are preparing what will be used when someone breaks the rules. She simply walked to the pit where Minho was imprisoned.

Minho's eyes were closed as he leaned against the wall. He was just waiting for someone to come to take him to the entrance of the Maze. It's only a few hours before it closes the door.

Minho slowly opened his eyes when he heard someone walking closer to where he is.

"Why are you here?" The young man asked the newcomer Zelia. She sat in front of the man, and he saw that there was medicine for her wounds.

"Your wounds weren't even treated," the girl said when she finally saw the man. He didn't say anything, so Zelia just spoke again. "How did you know this was going to happen?"

"I told you, they're just a bunch of klunkheads. They will find a way to look like they're victims," Minho explained, causing Zelia to frown.

"They're lying, Minho. You don't deserve this, that you will receive punishment just because of those fools." Because of what the girl said, the young man grinned.

"I thought you hated me; that's why I'm kind of expecting that you're happy right now." Zelia glared at Minho before she rolled her eyes and scoffed at him.

"You made me a very bad person on that," the girl said, and the man just shrugged.

"Who knows that you hate me so much?"

"You're the one who has a lot of anger towards me; it's too obvious." Minho's grin grew even bigger when he heard what Zelia said.

"Maybe," the young man said briefly, and his companion stopped speaking. They were also surrounded by silence for a few minutes before the girl spoke.

"Why are you avoiding me?" She asked while looking into the man's eyes. Minho resisted that as if he didn't want to argue with their stares.

"I don't know." Zelia seemed disappointed in the young man's answer. She didn't know if he was joking. Why did I expect anything from his answer to my question?

The girl just took a deep breath and was about to leave to go to her hammock when suddenly Minho spoke again.

"Seriously, I don't know. When I first saw you at the box, I immediately told myself not to approach you. Believe me, there's a part of me that wants to talk to you, but every time I see you, I walk away on purpose. I feel like it's wrong if I'm so close to you," the man explained. Zelia just listened to him silently as she looked into the young man's eyes.

"You don't hate me?" The girl asked; she didn't know why Minho's words seemed to make her feel better.

"Let's just say, I hate myself more than you." Zelia frowned and looked at the man with a mixture of wonder.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I also don't know." At this point, I can't find a sensible answer from him. Said the girl in her mind, and she just took a deep breath before turning around and leaning next to the door of the latter's prison.

"Why didn't you even defend yourself?" Zelia asked while looking at the Gladers, who were still busy with what they were doing.

"I guess, somehow, I deserve it too. You tried to approach me, but I've avoided you several times, and I'm being rude to you. Ben asked me many times what's my problem towards you, but I didn't answer him."

Suddenly the two were silent again, not knowing what to say next. Zelia admit that she is afraid and nervous right now for Minho.

"Why do you think I'm weak? That I need someone to protect me."

"I don't think like that. In fact, it's quite the opposite though." Zelia glances at him, who's now still looking at her. Before she could speak, Minho preceded her to speak.

"No one ever punched Newt in the face when they first went here. I admit that it's so wrong I said those to you that it feels like you're begging to me to be friends with you. I'm sorry." She turned around him to look at him again in his eyes, waiting for what he was going to say next.

"But it's true, I never think that you're just a girl, weak, someone who needs to protect you. When you throw your fist for the first time, I know that you can handle yourself. I see you as a strong, independent woman. Maybe that's why I've been ignoring you. Someday, you can beat me," he jokingly said on the last one. Zelia didn't notice that she was smiling.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"What do you think?" The girl thought about what Minho said.

"I think you're still part of a klunkheads."

"Oh, really, Ms. Med-jack?"

"Just saying, Mr. Runner." They both laughed at each other. Only now did Zelia feel this light feeling with Minho. "Apology accepted. Can't wait the day that I will beat you." Minho just scoffed.

"Yeah, right. Don't expect too much about that."

Silence surrounded them again, not knowing what to say as they looked at each other with a smile on their lips. It's like they forgot what was going to happen next.

"You know, I just realized you are sensible and fun to talk to." Zelia rolled her eyes while smiling when Minho spoke again while looking at her.

"Right, says the one who's been ignoring me since day 1." Minho just shrugged his shoulders before he took something from his own pocket on his pants.

"Give me your hand, Zelia." Confusingly, Zelia still did what Minho said. Her hand fit through the hole in the door even though there was no need to open it. The man came a little closer to take the girl's hand.

Minho put something in Zelia's hand. She looked at him with confusion in her face, and he just gave her a sign to look at what he gave her. She didn't expect what was in her hand.

"Minho..." She didn't know what to say. The girl keeps glancing at him, who's now smiling, and the necklace on her hand.

The necklace is just a simple silver colour with a crown pendant.

"When I first arrived here, that necklace is in my pocket. Even though I can't remember why I have those, I feel like I want to give that to someone."

"But why are you giving this to me?"

"It reminds me of you." Zelia frowned because of what Minho said. "You have power and strength; you can also be a leader someday; don't know when and how to give up. It suits you."

Zelia looked carefully at the pendant, and she didn't notice that she's now slowly smiling. Minho just stared at her, memorizing every inch of her face. The way she looks genuinely happy makes his heart beat fast.

"It's beautiful," Zelia said while still keeping her eyes on the pendant.

"Yeah, it is," he said, still looking at her. She noticed that someone was looking at her, so she stared at him. Minho didn't look away when Zelia caught him looking at her.

"Nobody gets out alive inside the Maze." Suddenly the young woman said the same thing that brought them back to reality where they are right now.

"I know, but maybe, maybe I can change that." Zelia just rolled her eyes when she heard what he said and was about to speak when she heard Newt and Ben approaching their place. She couldn't hide anymore because she knew to herself that the two had already seen her.

"You're right, Ben, there is something wrong," Newt said as they approached where Zelia and Minho are.

"Right? Zel won't just come here if Minho has committed a big sin against her." Because of what Ben said, the girl felt that the young man was staring at her, but she ignored it.

"Is it my time? It's a bit early because there's still an hour before the Maze closes," Minho said, and he saw the two newcomers sit in front of him.

"Actually, no, not yet. We just want to know what really happened," Newt said while exchanging looks with Zelia and Minho.

"Ask her after dinner."

"So it's still applicable that deal," the girl said with a sarcasm in her voice, and Minho just shrugged his shoulders.

"Wow, you guys are really talking to each other." Newt's voice was mixed with surprise.

"Believe me, I was also surprised. I didn't expect him to know my name either." Because of Zelia's words, Minho just grin.

"You really make me look like a bad person with your stories." The girl looked at the young man because of what he said. Before the two could throw a banter to each other, Newt cleared his throat. He was not disappointed though, and they remained silent.

"You are innocent, right, Minho?" Ben asked suddenly, looking seriously at his friend. Newt and Zelia looked at the young man as they waited for him to answer.

Instead of answering the latter's question, he just gave them a smile before closing his eyes. He will just wait for the time before the Maze door closes.

-----

Newt opened the door of Minho's prison, and Ben helped him out. The young man took a deep breath before walking with Ben. Newt and Zelia were left behind while just following the two.

They were walking quietly towards the entrance of the maze. Newt didn't know what to say to his friend. They stopped walking when they reached their destination. All the Gladers are here while the Keepers surround the entrance to the Maze.

Zelia saw that the Keepers made way for Ben and Minho. Ben removed first the rope from the man's hand and threw the bag he was holding inside for Minho before he walked away. The girl noticed that her friend had said something, and Minho just looked at him.

"I hope you know that rules are rules. I don't care if you're one of the Keepers," Alby said while holding a big stick.

"I don't mind, Alby. I still forgive you," Minho said while grinning. Zelia just took a deep breath. He is the only one who enjoys being trapped in the Maze, I guess.

"Maybe you're forgetting that no one can survive when they're trapped inside. Maybe it's only a matter of time; the Grievers are behind you; you're ready to be pulled anytime." She didn't have to look at who spoke. The girl secretly rolled her eyes, and Minho glared at the man who said that. Stan gulped secretly; he didn't know why he felt scared when they stared at each other for a seconds.

"Any last words?" Alby asked before signalling the Keepers to prepare the sticks they were holding. Zelia felt a strong wind blowing from the Maze, a sign that it was about to close. Minho looked at the girl, who was also staring at him.

"See you in 1 week," the young man said before running inside the Maze. He took the bag first before turning to the left. That was the last thing Zelia saw before the door closed completely.

Is it bad to hope that he will be safe inside even though I know it is unlikely to happen?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I didn't expect that this chapter is so long. I am very happy to write their interaction. Is it just me or I really find their moment is so cute? (I mean, except the part that Minho get Banished, you know)

I'm really not joking that this story is a slow burn. I'm getting so impatient too like I really want to write their interaction but Minho have other plan so....

Anw, I hope this book have a readers soon!