Everything in the train was cold. The silvery seats, the metal untensils, the glass windows. Even the very air was cold and stung Jongin's nose every time he breathed. He rubbed his arms as he sat uncomfortably in his seat, his dark eyes darting around the room. Although the room was luxurious and seemed built for comfort, nothing about the room made him comfortable. It made him on edge, as if a monster would spring out of nowhere and attack him. 

The Capitol. The thought of the Capitol made his stomach turn over and his heart stop. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the thoughts of the Games and the Capitol and everything. 'This isn't happening; it's just a bad dream, I'll wake up in my bed any moment and Taemin would be making breakfast and we'll eat together..' Jongin breathed in and out deeply, eyes still shut, imagining the scene in front of him. But when he opened his eyes, the scene that greeted him was still the luxurious interior of the train cabin. He buried his head in his arms. He didn't want this. He wanted the small grey cottage he lived in, the shabby wooden table he ate at, the rickety chairs that he broke every now and then when he sat down too hard. He wanted the simple meals Taemin cooked.

He didn't want to go to the Capitol.

He didn't want to participate in the Games.

He wanted to go home.

Jongin opened his eyes and stared out of the window , at the lush green trees and the clear blue sky rushing past him, his heart throbbing painfully in his chest at the thought of home, and Taemin.

Taemin.

After the choosing, Jongin hadn't been allowed to see his brother because of his brother's outburst, but they had allowed him to see Minho, one of his good friends. 

Jongin gripped hold of Minho's hand. "Hyung!" 

Minho hugged him. "You'll be fine, Jongin. "

Jongin shook his head. " No I wouldn't. I can't win, Hyung. I can't.."

" You have to," Minho said, gripping his shoulders hard. "You have to come back. You're all the family Taemin's left,  you have to come back."

"How? I can't fight, I've never fought before.."

" Then learn. You'll have a mentor assigned to you that will teach you what you need to know. During the three weeks of training you have to learn whatever you can, okay?"

" I.."

" Jongin, listen. You need to toughen up, okay? You have to remember this, in the arena, there's no such things as friends. And never, never trust anyone else. " Minho's expression was serious and he looked directly into the boy's eyes. "Promise me you'll win, Jongin. "

Before Jongin could reply, the door opened and a guard came in. "Time's up. "

Minho squeezed Jongin's hand hard before letting go. "Come back soon." 

"Hyung.. Hyung I.."

"That's what Taemin told me to tell you. " Minho smiled sadly as the guard steered him forcefully out of the room. Jongin watched, frozen as Minho and the guard disappeared from the room, leaving him alone.

Recalling that meeting, something in Jongin's stomach twisted over. He couldn't possibly win the Games. 

But he didn't want to let his brother down.

He stared out of the window, a new resolve weighing him down and his eyes hardened, just a little.

The scenery outside the window disappears into a black stretch of wall as the Capitol approached.

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Another long wait for the update hue hue I'm sorry sweeties eue I got even busier after my exams ouo

anyways I hope you guys like this chapter keke

jongin doing some deep thinking Lawll~ 

ahh the answer to the question is actually because of coal :3 cos district 12 is in charge of coal and Jongin's nickname is coal (is it hehe) so..oh well..