In case you don’t know (listen carefully)

You’re in danger right now (so dangerous)

Stop provoking me

I don’t even know what I’ll do

EXO- Growl

Symptom No. 3: Unstable

Cold pouring rain pelted down amidst a haunting night sky.

The wind roared with thunder.

Minzy ran anxiously throughout the dark corridors of forest like trees. Branches scratched at her skin as she did her best to fight her way through.

Her chest tightened in pain from ragged breaths but she didn’t dare to stop. She put aside all thoughts of giving up as she continued running through the maze like forest. It didn’t matter where she was going. It didn’t matter where she ended up. Nothing mattered at the moment until she knew for sure that she was safe.

She turned to look back over her shoulder to see if anything was still following behind. Though that became a fatal mistake as her footing slipped upon her next step. 

She shrieked, suddenly stumbling with a hard thud to the ground. Minzy breathed heavily and tried to move. She froze in place after hearing the sound of a branch cracking in the background.

Her eyes scoured through the heavy drops of rain but found nothing. She spared one last glance and breathed a sigh of relief. The bangs of her red hair covered her face as she hung her head low to inhale slowly.

“Did you decide to give up?”

That one dark, monotone voice sent a chill through Minzy’s body.

Her eyes widened as her head turned slowly to find a tall figure towering over her from behind. She gasped after realizing how close he was.

A sly grin thinned at his lips at the sight of her trying to move, but he wasn’t having that. Cautious so as not to alarm her, he bent down to kneel down beside her and carefully reached out to caress the side of her cheek.

“I’m afraid that I can’t let you run away from me anymore, sunbae,” he whispered.

Minzy tried to swat away his hand but the effort proved fruitless. He chuckled lightly while gripping both of her wrists, and his chest pressed down against hers to the ground.

“Let go,” Minzy pleaded through tired breaths. “Let go of me. I don’t want this.”

The boy didn’t bother listening to her beg. His streaks of hair blew with the wind as his dark eyes studied the lovely girl underneath him in fascination.

“I can’t do that.”

Even though she was pinned helplessly to the ground, Minzy couldn’t help but be taken in by such handsome features. She tried to focus and in turn mustered the best glare she could.

The boy chuckled. “You’re cute when you try to play the tough act.”

He bent down to nuzzle in the small crook of her neck and inhaled her scent. Minzy withheld a small shrill of a scream at the feel of a hot tongue against her skin.

“S-stop it,” she whimpered. “Stop it right now. Let go of me.”

Suddenly dark brown orbs looked up to meet her gaze. Minzy stared back at him dazed in a trance. She tried to open to speak but held her breath as the boy rested his forehead against hers.

“I told you I can’t do that.”

His voice was dark, yet Minzy could hear the hint of sorrow and yearning in his words. Her eyes closed as she gave up all remaining strength, and her body released itself to his force.

She looked away helpless. “I really like you. I honestly really like you, but… Why are you being this way?”

Her chin was held by a forefinger and thumb as she was forced to stare back into those same enchanting eyes.

Then suddenly a glowing hint of red flickered within them and he inched his way close to her lips.

His voice was silk like hostile as he spoke, “Because I don’t want anyone else to have you.”

“Minzy…”

This couldn’t be real.

“Yah, Minzy…”

What he just said had to be some sort of joke. It just couldn’t be real.

“Minzy-ah!”

Three sudden abrupt clangs from a gong echoed aloud.

Startled from her sleep, Minzy stirred awake in the sheets of her bed. She shot up with a shocking yelp and stumbled over the edge. Laughter filled the room from what sounded like someone choking on air.

Groaning from her clumsy fall, Minzy rubbed at the back of her aching head and looked up at the culprit.

“Bom unnie…”

Low and behold. Queen of corn and alien from another planet, the one and only Park Bom stared down upon her little maknae amused.

Bom put a hand to . “I’m sorry, Minzy. I couldn’t help myself. You were just so knocked out and I didn’t know how else to wake you up.”

“You could’ve done without that,” Minzy emphasized irritated, pointing at the gong on the floor. “Who keeps a gong around their apartment, anyway?”

Bom snorted. “Oh, our Minzy is not a morning person. I must remember this.” She bent down to help the little maknae by straightening out the few disarrayed strands of hair. “You sure are a heavy sleeper. I’m glad that my bed was at least comfortable for you after the long night we had.”

“It was a very long night,” Minzy agreed with a tired yawn.

“Oh, I believe it. All that dancing from the club last night can do it to you.”

“Yeah, it can.”

“Especially when you have a hot guy holding you in his strong arms like there’s no tomorrow.”

“Mm, I agree.”

Minzy paused for a brief moment on that last sentence. Her eyes blinked slowly then widened. She turned to look at Bom embarrassed and threw a pillow.

“Unnie! You said you wouldn’t bring that up again, you promised.”

“Tell me, Minzy. How did it feel to be in those strong arms of his?” She pulled at Minzy’s arms playfully and charmed, “Hold me like he did. I must know.”

“Why are you being like this?” Minzy whined. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

She covered both cheeks of her face to hide from blushing. In all honesty, she kind of did feel something if not anything from being held in the arms of EXO K’s handsome dancer. Still, the thought of it all made her flustered. It was a first for her to handle such complicated feelings in the life of being a girl.

She could recall everything from last night… and from those arms that caged her. It all seemed like a dream − her head pressed against a firm chest, being held close, and an inhaled scent of cinnamon and wood. She remembered how low the vibrato of his voice became as he muttered something incoherent into her ear.

The foreign emotions had become too much for her after that. She panicked for a moment and then pushed away from the boy’s arms. She remembered how her heart pounded like crazy.

He had tried to say something to her then, words of apology for being too bold. After that, she forced a weak smile, bowed respectfully, and then jetted off to find Bom who, while accompanied with a cute guy, had been watching everything from the bar.

All in all, last night had been rather embarrassing for Gong Minzy. Embarrassing yet oddly exciting.

“Yah, that guy was really cute though,” Bom said, interrupting Minzy’s thoughts. “At least he was better looking than the guy that I was talking to. But that’s enough of that. After all, I did wake you up for a good reason. Guess what day it is?”

Minzy pondered on the thought. She gasped and snapped her fingers. “It’s Menboong!”

“Yes! Today is Chaerin’s solo performance for mental breakdown on the music stage. We were supposed to meet Dara to go help support and we’re already an hour late.”

Say no more. Minzy stumbled over the bed sheets upon the floor and skipped her way to the bedroom mirror to fix her hair.

“Put some of this on,” Bom told her while spraying mist from a small tube. “It helps you look younger and fresh.”

“Unnie,” Minzy whined. “Not everyone can handle those weird products like you.” 

She waved her friend away who gave up with a roll of the eyes. As she stared into the mirror, Minzy took the time to skim over her face. She ran a finger over her cheek and sighed in relief after seeing that there were no wounds.

Her thoughts traced back to the moment of her running for dear life through a storm and the sight of red eyes. What a strange dream for her to have… That’s when the real thought hit her.

“Why did I dream about him…?”

“─Hey, you do have the signs right?” Bom called over her shoulder as her heels clacked along the halls.

Following behind came Minzy who was doing her best for balancing giant neon-painted posters. They were so big that she could barely see in front of her. That included, she found it truly amazing how her unnie could run so fast while wearing five-inch Michael Korus.

“Bom-unnie, you can slow down a little now. I think we made it in time. We’re close enough to the backstage room, anyway.”

Bom wiped away sweat while still balancing her Prada bag in one hand. “Wow, what a day for me to wear heels of all times. No, it’s these stupid halls. They’re way too damn long. Oh, oh, look! I see Dara up ahead.”

About a few feet away stood their fellow adoring member and fresh face of the group. She hopped up and down waving her hands excitedly.

“Aigoo,” she whined once her friends finally caught up, “I thought you two would never come. There’s one performance just before Cl goes on.”

She stared at the signs in Minzy’s hands and scanned through them. Her eyes rolled after speculating a fatal mistake.

“Bommie, I know your handwriting better than anyone,” s