Your POV

“AHHHHHH!” I scream out in fear and grab the nearest thing to me. I’m not sure what it is, since not only the room’s pitch black, it’s also because I’m shutting my eyes tight. I only can feel it’s kinda soft, warm and have this really nice scent. Nobody else knows this but I’m achluophobia, meaning I’m afraid of darkness. For me, I don’t think that it’s not the common fear of the possible dangers in the darkness but really, the darkness itself. I’m pretty sure it comes from the time I was a doll. You know dolls can’t sleep. Dolls can’t even close their eyes (of course except some can when they’re put down). So when the house is in darkness, since everyone had fallen asleep and all, I’m still awake. Normal human wouldn’t understand the feeling of being alone in the darkness with nobody around. It’s like the feeling of being abandoned (I think). Whenever I’m surrounded by darkness, all my senses are pretty much gone. I feel very useless and vulnerable, one of the things I hate being the most.

I suddenly hear someone talking. I’m not sure what it is, the voice. I can’t even make out the full sentence. Heck, I don’t even know what the words are. Like I told you, my senses (even my brain) stop working in the dark.

Suddenly, I feel something shaking me, which makes me even more scared. I know it’s really pathetic of me but… can’ help it! I unconsciously shut my eyes and hug that warm thing more tightly. I don’t know why I do that. It gives me a sense of protection, maybe?

Gosh? I wish this black out (kinda strange since all ETS branches use their own power supplies so black outs never happen) will stop, or someone help me out of hear. Being stuck in a small, dark closet (not that small comparing to most closets but…) is the worst thing ever for me. I don’t think seeing a ghost would be scarier than this.

Sung Jong’s POV

I hear Jang Mi ssi scream so I get worried. Something happen? Of course, I move closer to her so I can…

I feel myself froze.

My god, she’s hugging me. Well, be more specific she’s hugging my shoulders (She’s actually quite tall for a girl. I remember my height is 177 cm, so she should be about 170 already). I also feel butterflies in my stomach and I think my ears are extremely red right now (they’re burning). Not sure if it’s because she’s the first girl that’s not one of my ummas or relatives I’ve hugged or it’s because I’m having a kind of… crush on her (I know I just know her for a few days but, it just happens naturally ok?). Most likely to be the second option.

I can’t see but I can sense she’s trembling violently right now, which lets me know she hugs me out of fear (Right, it’s common anyway. What did I expect? Not like… she likes me too… right?). I don’t really know the reason. Maybe she has… achluophobia? If that’s the case, I completely understand. I have a phobia of myself too.

Anyway, I should make sure she’s ok. The way she trembles worries me. I can tell her fear is very serious, more than my usual phobia.
“Are you fine Jang Mi ssi?” I ask her out of concern. But I don’t hear any respond. So I shake my left shoulder a bit (she’s on my left) to call her. But somehow, that only makes her hug tighter. Ok, now I know she’s in a really terrible condition right now.

I slowly and gently (of course) sit down so she can sit as well. I think it’s better for her, and me as well since I feel my legs are a bit shaking. When we has already sat the on the granite floor, I can’t feel her arms around me anymore (probably got lose when along the way) but she’s still shaking hard. I don’t know how and why I, I suddenly become bold. I wrap my arms around her and gently pull her head into my chest (I don’t know how since my height and hers are pretty close).

I sigh in content. This sure feels nice and warm. Wait, what? Yah Lee Sung Jong, what are you thinking you byuntae? Why are you having thoughts like this, especially at a time like this?

At least she has gotten calmer now I think.

Author’s POV

At the same time, one guy is troubled over why you haven’t come back yet. Of course, in this school students can skip classes freely as long as their grades don’t get too low. But he knows you’re not the type to. Sure, these past two days you only attend few subjects. But still, judging from your behaviors and conversations with Hyun Ah this morning (He’s actually a bit stalker-ish towards you), he knows you’re planning to stay in class ‘til the end of school day. But two periods have passed (not include the recess) and you still haven’t returned yet. He feels that something isn’t right. His sixth sense is telling him someone important to him is in trouble, and he thinks it’s you.

“If I still can’t see her after school ends, I’ll go searching for her. She must be in some kind of trouble.” He plans.

Unexpectedly (not for us readers anyway), other five boys also have the same thoughts. Today, they didn’t see you anywhere, not even in the cafeteria or your classroom (somehow, they went there at different times and Myungsoo also has gone somewhere else so nobody in INFINITE saw the others). They get worried over you. Some misfortunes may happen to every student, or worse, bullying. Although ETS is an excellent school, it cannot avoid them.

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It’s getting hotter and hotter in the storage room. Both you and Sungjong are now all sweaty. Somehow, you and Sungjong both choose to wear long, thick jacket (yours is actually a cardigan).

It certainly doesn’t help that there’s no electricity (it’s even considered lucky if you can see the switch) to turn on the AC in the room, and there’s no window in the room.

Despite trying hard to stand the heat, Sungjong can’t take it anymore. So he slight pull away and take off his jacket to cool down a bit. “Jang Mi ssi must feel very hot too. And I remember she has a cardigan. Maybe…” He’s planning to tell you that it’s better to remove yours when he remembers you can’t respond to any of his words.

He bits his lip. There’s only one way to help you take off the cardigan but… it’s not a very nice way and he may even called a byuntae if he does that. However, if he doesn’t do that, the heat may get too high for you and you might get a heatstroke. “She’ll understand, I’m sure.”

Then he nervously and slowly put his hands on the corners of your coat and pulls it backwards.

The coat now is halfway off. Just a little more… Afraid that you might panic again, he put his left arm round you, still hold you near his chest while his right arm continues to do the job.

Suddenly, the lights are . Sung Jong turns his head, eyes shut since he can’t adjust to the light yet. And you are still closing your eyes tight so you can’t notice the room is very bright now. Both of you fail to notice the six boys whose eyes and mouths are wide open.

***Flashback***

The six INFINITE boys have gone to almost every corner of the school to find you but still no success. The only place they haven’t been to is, of course, the clothing storage where you and Sungjong are.

“What are you [censored] doing here!?” Six of them shout at the same time (fortunately nobody except them is there at the moment).

Of course, as usual, they fight a bit (with words) as soon as they see each other’s face. But soon, they remind themselves why they’re at the storage area. It’s for you and they shouldn’t bother with the others in INFINITE.

“Well, I don’t have time for a [censored] like you. I have some business to take care of here.”

“Me too. I also have… something to do. Unlike you guys, I actually have things to deal with.”

Soon after, they ignore the others and continue with the search.

Actually, Jia has the electricity right after they captured the “things”. However, each room has its electrical system and people have to turn on the switch of each room to turn on the lights. Also, Yi Han has unlocked all the doors. But you and Sung Jong didn’t notice.

Finally, the six simultaneously end up outside the clothes storage.

“Why are you [censored] also here?” Ho Ya shoves Sung Gyu and Woo Hyun, making the two grunt in anger.

“If you [censored] don’t mind, actually, I won’t [censored] care if you mind, I’ll go on doing my thing.” Sung Yeol says indifferently.

“Who says you can. Get out of my way.” Myung Soo quickly adds and kicks Sung Yeol’s legs.

“Stop it you [censored]. If you want to fight, fight somewhere else. Don’t [censored] affect my business!” Dong Woo shout.

Silence…

“Fine, we’ll put this aside, for now. Let’s just continue what each of us has to do.” Sung Gyu calmly states.

The six enter the clothes storage, only to find the lights are turned off. Woo Hyun feel the light switch and turn on the lights.

An awkward silence fills the room. Nobody moves a single muscle, not even Sungjong who has seen the rest of INFINITE.

The sight inside the room isn’t very… pretty: Sungjong  taking off your coat, leaving you only in a loose pink striped tank top.

Eventually, one of them breaks.

“You [censored]!” Myung Soo shouts, running in and pull Sung Jong out, awaking you and continuously punches him.

The rest of INFINITE soon joins him.