[CONTENTID1]

It felt like a boulder crashed on his body and hands were all over him. He opened his eyes, didn’t know when he had them closed. He panicked but relieved to see the hands were belonged to Jinhwan and Junhoe. He saw how frantic they looked like but he couldn’t quite get what they said. The ringing inside his ears was still there. A few seconds with the heavy shook on his shoulders from Junhoe—which he was very grateful for, his hearing ability returned.

“Are you alright?! What happened to you?!” Jinhwan asked him frantically, hands on his shoulder and thigh. He could see how pale Jinhwan was. The older was sweating buckets and that was somewhat worrying. Then his eyes were on the younger Junhoe who had the same worried expression like the older but cut the paler.

“What the hell are you doing lying on this floor?!” Something snap inside his head the moment Junhoe said that. His eyes widened in horror and he tightly grasped on Junhoe’s arm for dear life, the cold sweats forming once again on his forehead. “Chanwoo! Chanwoo was trying to jump!”

Hearing that made Jinhwan and Junhoe shocked, earning the high-pitched “WHAT?!” from them simultaneously. A nod from him and Junhoe wasted no time to stand up and take a hold of the rail. He looked down towards the street to look for the maknae’s body only to find none. As he wanted to let go of the rail, he noticed something sticky stuck on his right palm. He lifted his right hand up from the rail to see what it was. He didn’t expect to see blood.

“Chanwoo is bleeding!” Junhoe remarked while showing the red stain on his hand to the others. It only intensified the worrisome and horror painted on both Jinhwan and Donghyuk’s faces. The latter stood up with Jinhwan helping him because of his wobbly legs.

“I—I don’t understand.” Donghyuk uttered. “I thought that I have died—” He stopped halfway. The confusion messing his head badly. Strange, could he be dreaming? Wasn’t it Chanwoo just now? And did he just fly away and falling down? Everything was so messed up making his head throbbing in pain. Donghyuk felt like smashing his skull if that could make him think better of the strange phenomena he had just experience.

While he was in a mental debate, Jinhwan and June stood by his side, both much confused and anxiousness growing watching his behavior pacing around the balcony with hands clutching his head tight like he wanted to crack it open. “Donghyuk-ah, what’s wrong?! Please tell us what just happened to you! And where is Chanwoo?!” Jinhwan asked growing impatient.

“I don’t know hyung. It was—I was in the bathroom when the door suddenly was locked. I couldn’t get it open.” Donghyuk started to tell the story. “When I got out, the room was a mess, Chanwoo wasn’t in bed and there was just something on the floor…” He trailed off, mind remembering the weird black mud all the way from the windowsill to the door.

“Something on the floor? W—what is it?” June’s turn to ask question though he stuttered probably scared. But who wouldn’t be scared too? Donghyuk had forgotten when was the last time all of them hadn’t feel scared.

“The muddy footprints.” Jinhwan uttered gathering both his dongsaengs’ attention.

“You saw them too, hyung?” Donghyuk asked him.

“Yes. After you called me, I came back to the room to see what was exactly happening. When I got out from the room to the hallway I bumped into the others. And we split up to search for you and Chanwoo.” Donghyuk nodded his head hearing Jinhwan’s words. He was glad that what he saw wasn’t a hallucination. Or else that would have confirmed he was going crazy.

“Wait a second!” Junhoe interrupted. “What mud? What are you guys talking about?!” Junhoe’s reaction triggered a memory from both Donghyuk and Jinhwan. He wasn’t there when it happened. The night was supposed to be Donghyuk and Jinhwan’s turn to look after Chanwoo.

“I found footprints covered in mud in the room. Then I searched for Chanwoo all the way down this hall and I saw this room was opened. When I got inside, I saw him standing on this rail about to jump. I tried to grab him but I don’t know why and how I was the one falling down this building.” He told the story to Jinhwan and June that had a very disturbing look on their faces. Now Donghyuk realized how paler Junhoe was then the mat-hyung. He betted the younger might just pee on his pant if he can.

“Oh my God this…” Jinhwan stopped. “This is bad.” He said as he started to cold sweating. “Chanwoo is missing and I believe both of us have just experienced something very disturbing tonight.” He muttered, the last of his sentence almost unheard. Only then Donghyuk realized he wasn’t the only one handling some horror creepy stuff for the night.

“Anyway….” June started, “We shouldn’t dwell around here any longer. We have to find Chanwoo fast!”

“You’re right. Me and Junhoe met Hanbin and the others just now and they have told the nurses to help us find Chanwoo. They have called Sajangnim too and Youngbae hyung is on his way here.” The trio walked out from the room as Jinhwan spoke of the information to Donghyuk. The mention of Youngbae pricked his mind.

“Youngbae hyung? Why?” He asked as they jogged to the hallway.

“He said he wanted to visit maknae. But I told him about what happens. He told us to stay put and try to look for him around the hospital area until he comes. He brought a friend.”

The mention of ‘friend’ made Donghyuk felt uneasy. But he was sure Youngbae could help them. But now it was up on them to find the maknae fast.

—Few hours before—

Haneul and Youngbae were on their way to see Chanwoo but then their planned somehow changed while on the road. They did go to the hospital, but not the one with Chanwoo resided in for treatment. The nurse brought them to a room on the west-winged of Kyung Hee Hospital, the room was isolated from the others on the floor. As Youngbae entered with Haneul behind him, the former had his breath hitched. Like a hard slap on the face, his eyes mirrored thousands of unexplained emotions when his orbs landed on the person lying still on the bed.

Youngbae didn’t close his distance with hm. He stood midway from the door, the nurse already gone from sight. Haneul noticed his frozen stance and the turmoil in his eyes but he said nothing. It wasn’t in his place to say nothing. The psychic then took his steps forward and stood beside the bed, both hands on his side before he bowed respectfully to the sleeping person as he said,

“Nice to meet you at last, Seunghyun-shii. I’m Hwan Haneul.”

As Haneul straightened back his posture, he glanced at his back on Youngbae who had still not moving from his spot. It intrigued on Haneuls instinct to ask, “What are you afraid of, Youngbae-shii?”

“Afraid?” Youngbae asked, his eyes fixated on the other this time. It showed to Haneul much clearly how disturbed he was to meet his hyung. “I—” He trailed off and stopped, another contorted face he shown. Haneul felt bad for bringing him here all of a sudden but he knew that Youngbae realized how crucial it was to see Seunghyun. They needed to know what had exactly happened to him.

Just then, a movement was made and Seunghyun on the bed opened his eyes. He blinked a few times to adjust his sight with the light as he hadn’t accustomed his eyes yet with the surrounding after weeks he spent in coma. Haneul saw his eyes opened and ushered for Youngbae to come closer. The latter was hesitant but Haneul pulled him by the hand. They waited until Seunghyun would come to his senses before greeted him.

“W—who are you guys….” Seunghyun muttered still in drowsiness. Haneul gave him a small smile as he introduced himself again. “Hello Seunghyun-shii. I’m Hwan Haneul, Youngbae-shii’s friend.” He started off. “Youngbae-shii is here too.” He said and pulled Youngbae beside him, signaling the latter to greet his hyung.

“Hyung..” Youngbae eventually started speaking. His voice filled with emotions though his face was blank. Haneul wouldn’t say out loud he heard his troubled voice.

“Bae-ah..” Seunghyun muttered again. Then there was a smile on his face. It was small but noticeable even under those oxygen mask on his face. “I’m glad you’re here.” He said again, eyes adoring the face of his younger brother, though Seunghyun knew that the younger was still mad at him for what had happened.

“I—I’m sorry.” The sadness had finally become visible underneath his voice. Tears pricked behind Youngbae’s eyes and he started to feel sad. He wanted to cry so badly in Seunghyun’s arms but he held it in. “For not coming to see you when the doctor said you are awake. I’m sorry, hyung.” He apologized as his eyes turned red trying to suppress the tears from flowing down his eyes. The scene gave a warm feeling to Haneul as he stood there invisible through the two’s views. Smile lingered on his face watching the reunion. Seunghyun nodded his head as he said it wasn’t Youngbae’s fault and he didn’t blame him. He said the words Youngbae had always wanted to hear from him for a long time ever since the day Seunghyun had his accident. He was grateful that the older had finally awake and not leaving him so soon. That would be the last thing he had ever wanted.

After the much heart-warming moment, Youngbae realized that Haneul was still there and he blushed noticing hoe embarrassing that must have been for the other to watch him and Seunghyun like that. He wiped his tears off and tried to act casual with Haneul again though he failed it. He was embarrassed to let Haneul watched it.

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