28

Jae Ren couldn't understand.

"He's not breathing, but he's alive." Ken calmly said. "This has never happened before, but he's in a state of sleep. Sort of."

She could only look at N.

"How is that guy alive without breathing?" Hansol snorted, earning a slap on the back of his head from multiple hands.

Hongbin shook his head. "He can stay like this for a week, at most. He'll need to breathe some time, soon. I'm not sure what happened..." He threw a worried glance at Jae Ren who sat frozen beside N. "His lungs are okay. It may be something to do with his brain."

Everyone felt nervous.

Jae Ren had not said a word.

"I contacted Onew hyung and Taemin hyung. They'll help." Ken squeezed her shoulders. "Jae, you look tired."

She shook her head and laid a hand on N's chest. She felt his heart still beating, yet he was not breathing. "I'll stay with N. Will you inform Leo, as well? But tell him not to go out of his way to come here."

"I understand." Ken nodded. As the second eldest, the responsibilities now fell on him. "Everyone, let's not crowd the room."

He closed the door behind him, leaving Hongbin and Jae Ren inside with N.

He needed to stay calm and collected. Jae Ren seemed a little distant and cold. He saw Hongbin giving him a sort of look earlier that made him more confused.

"P-goon. When will you have to leave?" He asked. All the thirteen members looked at Ken, almost startling him with the attention he was not used to receiving.

"This is the worst possible situation, but we have no choice but to leave tomorrow." He answered. "We're in no position to disobey orders."

"Then I will stay." Xero offered.

Seogoong clasped his hand on the young ones shoulder. "You know that is not an option. I suggest we leave tonight. As soon as possible."

A lot of the members stared at him in bewilderment, waiting for his reasons.

"I actually agree." Hojoon sighed. "Jae Ren must focus on N. The best we can do to help is stay out of the way."

"Don't you think that she needs us here more now than ever?" Xero flared, the room dropping in temperature. "We can't leave. I will not leave."

"Xero." Kidoh tried to reason, "We cannot help her right now. You have to understand the situation more. There has been something... bothering her lately." He hesitated. "We are of no help to her here."

Hansol frowned, also unwilling to leave.

But no one could deny that Jae Ren had been absent-minded lately.

More like she was continuously thinking, completely stuck in her thoughts.

"We leave at midnight. That is final. I'm sorry." P-Goon firmly laid out the order. "Hopefully, we may also find someone who can help on the outside."

Hongbin suddenly swung the door open and closed it behind him just as fast as he opened it. "He has woken up." But he did not seem happy. 

"That was fast." Ravi said.

"Is there a problem?" Ken asked immediately, noticing the look Hongbin had. 

"I want to see-" Hyuk was interrupted by the sound of a crash inside the room.

"What's going on?" Hansol stood up, alerted.

Hongbin shook his head. "Jae Ren can handle it. N hyung is just... no one should see him right now."

"Hyung, what's going on." Hyuk persisted, walking closer to the door, but Hongbin did not budge and blocked the door. "Hyung?"

"No. No one is allowed to enter. Not now." Hongbin firmly said. "Ken hyung. Believe me. I don't think anyone should interfere right now."

"Explain." Ken grew anxious as another crash was heard from within the room. "Now, Hongbin. Is N doing that?"

"Those are just accidents..." Hongbin reasoned. "I don't know how to explain it, really. Please be patient until I know what's fully going on."

Jae Ren could hear everyone arguing from the outside. They were on the verge of shouting at each other. She couldn’t find it in herself to care about them, for now.

"I'm sorry. Did I break it?"

"Don't worry about the lamp, N. Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? Tell me honestly." Jae Ren stared at him, trying to sense any sign of pain. "... Your eyes..."

A silver ring appeared in his eyes, making them seem as if they glowed. His hair was slowly turning silver, as if someone was spilling paint over his head.

"They're hyperactive right now. Everything is a blur. I'll be fine." He rubbed his eyes, unaware of the changes in his appearance.

"N... you look different. There's something wrong. Why did this happen?"

N shook his head, still covering his eyes. "This has happened before, Jae. Although I'm quite reluctant to tell you the cause of this."

"... Me?"

"Yes. You." N sighed. "I'm a little disappointed you're ready to blame yourself first of all, though." He managed to smile a little.

Jae Ren felt her stomach fall. "What have I done...?"

He finally looked at her, his eyes still adjusting. "This has happened before any of the other five were made. Jaekyun made me this way."

She listened intently. At the same time, various possibilities of what she had done kept running in her head.

"Jae Ren, did you try to break the contract?"

Her tongue felt like a rock in .

He waited, even though her silence was already an answer.

"I... I was thinking about it. But I haven't... I mean..." She stammered. "Is this...?"

N just smiled, patting the bed to urge her to sit. She stayed standing. "No. That's not the cause. After all, you haven't tried anything. I was just... confirming it. No one told me, I assure you. I just came to the conclusion myself." He remembered the subtle changes in her actions, her words.

"It's not what you might first think of it. Do you understand my reasons-"

"I don't. I don't want to hear it either." He was still smiling, although he wasn't looking at her anymore. "Please, I need to rest and be alone."

"Will you tell me what made you like this? Maybe I can help..." She dared to ask. "N, are you sure you're okay?"

He lay back down on the bed and curled to his side, away from her.

"No one can help me right now, least of all, you. Please, I need you to leave me alone."

A/N: Guess which era. 😏