Surprise, surprise! This story isn't dead. I wasn't actually planning on writing any more to this any time soon, but while I was taking a short break from writing in general, I finally felt inspired enough to work on this story. This chapter's only about 2k words and I kind of wanted to write more, but I also really wanted to post something. Sungyeol, Dongwoo, and Sungjong aren't in this chapter because they'll be the focus of the next one (well, Sungyeol will be if I can make things work they way I want them to). I've been watching a lot of dramas lately, so I think that's why this chapter seems really dramatic to me. I want to update Seasons Change before I write another chapter for this story, but it's all up in the air at the moment. If anyone's still interested in this story I hope you enjoy this chapter. (And sorry for making you wait so long (╥_╥) )

"Sunggyu!"

Woohyun's voice is right behind Sunggyu and urgent, but Sunggyu doesn't stop. He pushes his legs to run faster and forces as much air into his lungs as he can. He's never run as hard or as much in his life, but he's never had a reason to. He doesn't know where he's going or where to even start looking for Dongwoo. There's just this strong overpowering feeling that his friend needs his help, that he's in danger.

Sunggyu's legs give out as he reaches the end of the block. He falls to his hands and knees. He hears Woohyun come to a stop next to him. There's a long minute of silence while they catch their breaths. "Where...where are you going," Woohyun pants. He's hunched over with his hands on his knees. (Clearly he's in much better shape than Sunggyu.)

"I don't know. I don't know where he is, but I'll find him. I have to." There aren't a lot of things that can make Sunggyu cry, or generally emotional. He tends to keep his emotions in check. But right now he doesn't feel like he has any control over his feelings. He's scared and exhausted and worried and so confused. He doesn't know what he would do if something bad happened to Dongwoo. He could never forgive himself if he found him too late.

Woohyun crouches down to get to Sunggyu's eye level. His voice is soft, almost hesitant, when he speaks. "I think we should go back to the store."

Sunggyu turns his head sharply to face Woohyun. "But Dongwoo—" he starts incredulously before Woohyun cuts him off.

"He's out there somewhere. And I want to find him too, but we should calm down first before we try to do anything. Let's go back to the store and I'll call the others and make sure they're okay. It'll be easier to find Dongwoo if we have more people looking for him."

The rational part of Sunggyu knows that Woohyun is making sense. It's exactly what he would say if he was in his right mind. But there's another part of Sunggyu that just wants to be rash. It wants to scour the city until he finds Dongwoo, without a plan or backup. It's very unlike him. The first sob takes Sunggyu by surprise. He collapses onto the ground, his hands coming up to cover his face. Tears start to fall as more sobs come. He doesn't notice Woohyun's arms are holding him until he feels the steady warmth of the other's chest against the hands covering his face. "I'm so scared," he admits quietly. He doesn't know what he's supposed to do or how he can possibly find Dongwoo with nothing to go on but a feeling.

Woohyun's hands rub slow circles on Sunggyu's back. His voice is gentle, comforting. "Me too. But we're gonna find him, okay? We will."

Sunggyu knows Woohyun doesn't quite understand what's happening. One minute things were fine and the next, Sunggyu was sprinting out of the store without much of an explanation. But it's not like Sunggyu can explain it any more than he already has. It's like he has an emotional link to Dongwoo; he can feel what he's feeling. "What if something happened to him? What if we don't find him in time? I can't lose him."

"I'm sure he's okay. We're gonna find him," Woohyun says again. "Everything will be okay."

---

Myungsoo is waiting for them when they get back to the record store. He has his phone to his ear, a frown pulling down the sides of his mouth. Woohyun had called him while he and Sunggyu were walking back. Sungyeol, Howon, and Sungjong hadn't answered when he tried to call them. "Howon's not picking up," Myungsoo says, ending the unanswered call.

Woohyun pushes open the door to the store to let the three of them in. After Sunggyu had bolted out in search of Dongwoo, Woohyun had only been able to turn the open sign over to closed so he could keep up with the older man. He can only hope no one ignored the sign while they'd been gone. "We should try calling Sungyeol and Sungjong again," he suggests. Sunggyu still seems to be shaken up, so Woohyun takes that as his cue to step up. "Maybe they just missed our calls before. And if not, then let's hope they're all together and safe wherever they are."

Myungsoo nods in agreement. "I'll call Sungjong again." While the two of them try to get a hold of Sungjong and Sungyeol, Sunggyu goes to sit behind the counter. He should be doing something to help. He wants to. But he feels helpless. Despite his powers, it feels like there's nothing he can do. Dongwoo would know what to do, he thinks wryly. With a sigh, he drops his head onto the counter.

"Sungyeol's not answering," Woohyun says. Sunggyu can hear the frown in his voice.

"Neither is Sungjong," Myungsoo adds. They're both standing on the other side of the counter. In the short silence that follows, Sunggyu wonders if they're waiting for him to come up with a plan. Four of their friends are missing—most likely taken by the faceless threat they've been anticipating—if any time called for Sunggyu to be the leader they'd all made him out to be, it's now. Unfortunately, Sunggyu has no clue where to start.

"How do you feel now?" Sunggyu picks his head up to look at Woohyun. "Can you still feel Dongwoo," the other continues, "Does it still seem like he's in danger?"

In his haste to find Dongwoo and his subsequent breakdown, Sunggyu hadn't actually tried to sort which emotions were his. Dongwoo's panic had quickly become his own and the new level to his powers had been pushed aside. "I... I don't know," he admits. Helplessness, fear, anxiety; those are all his own feelings. Whatever connection he'd had with Dongwoo is gone now. "I don't think I can feel him anymore."

"You can do that?" Myungsoo looks between Sunggyu and Woohyun with wide eyes. Woohyun hadn't mentioned that during their brief phone conversation.

"That's how we knew something was wrong," Woohyun answers instead. "He could feel what Dongwoo was feeling, like they had some kind of emotional psychic link."

"So you're an empath."

"A what," Sunggyu asked.

Myungsoo let out a sigh of frustration. "You get superpowers out of nowhere and you don't bother to at least pick up a book? Empathy, you know, being able to understand what someone is feeling. In psychic terms, it means being able to actually feel someone else's emotions. Either you and Dongwoo have a mental or psychic bond or it's not just him and you know what everyone's feeling."

Sunggyu really hopes it's the first choice. Dealing with everyone's thoughts had been hard enough. Piling emotions on top of that would surely drive him insane.

"You should try it again," Myungsoo suggests.

"I wasn't exactly trying the first time."

Myungsoo brushes off his words. "The point is you should try reaching out to him. Maybe he'll sense you and he can tell you where he is."

Woohyun nods and reaches out to rest a hand on top of one of Sunggyu's hands. "It's worth a shot."

Sunggyu doesn’t feel as confident as the other two seem to be, but he’s willing to try anything if it means finding Dongwoo. He lets his eyes fall shut as he focuses on his friend. He thinks of Dongwoo’s face and his voice and calls out to him in his mind. There’s no answer. Just the quiet of the record store, Woohyun and Myungsoo watching him expectantly. Sunggyu doubles his effort as he concentrates harder on reaching Dongwoo’s mind. He’s almost desperate when he calls for him again. The moment his mind touches someone else’s feels like stepping into an air-conditioned room. It feels different from how he remembers Dongwoo’s mind, more closed off, but Sunggyu still calls his name one more time.

Only the voice that answers isn’t Dongwoo’s.

---

Howon winces at the pain that shoots through his arm as he throws his shoulder against the metal door in front of him. It hadn't budged the last five times he tried to break it, but he still wanted to give it another try. He's managed to remain calm despite waking up in an empty room with no memory of how he got there. His first thought had been of Sungyeol. He hopes the other is safe and unharmed wherever he might be.

Giving up on breaking down the door, Howon rubs his now sore shoulder. (It'll be bruised by the next day, but that's not very important at the moment.) He wouldn't have been able to get the door open anyway. There's no handle or knob and no hinges on his side. That means the only way to get in is electronically, probably by a keypad on the outside. If the hinges were on the inside, Howon could've used his powers to twist out the screws and make it easier to open the door. Now, his best bet is waiting for whoever took him to open the door for him. He's counting on catching them by surprise since they must already know what he can do. He hasn't found any cameras in the room so far. There's absolutely nothing at all in the room. Just plain gray walls, plain stone floor, bright fluorescent lights overhead. Not exactly a jail cell, but close enough.

Howon presses his back to the wall next to the door and slides down until he's sitting on the floor. He can't save anyone let alone himself from in here. He feels useless. What's the point of having superpowers if he can't even use them when he needs them the most? Pulling his knees up to his chest, he wraps his arms around his legs.

His thoughts drift to the others. He and Sungyeol seem to have been caught, but he has no idea how the rest of them are doing. Sunggyu and Woohyun had been together at the store. Did someone go there for them? Or follow them when they left? Myungsoo, Dongwoo, and Sungjong had all been alone. Were there people following them too? All Howon can do is wonder and hope. He has no way of really knowing.

...Dongwoo...

Howon doesn't recognize the voice at first. It's too faint, like he's hearing it through thick glass. He knows he's alone, but he still looks around the room. Of course, there's no one else.

...Dongwoo...

The voice is louder this time and Howon thinks he knows who it is. Sunggyu isn't looking for him, but he's now Howon's only option for finding a way out. Howon closes his eyes, trying to sense the other man in his mind.

Dongwoo, Sunggyu calls again. His voice is perfectly clear to Howon now. Almost as if they're sitting next to each other.

Wrong mind. It's Howon, actually. Despite his current situation (or maybe because of it), he somehow maintains his sense of humor. It's mostly another way to keep himself from panicking.

Are you okay? Where are you? Is Sungyeol with you? Sunggyu’s relief and concern are evident in his words.

I don’t know where I am, but I’m fine. I’m in a locked room. I haven’t found a way out yet.

And Sungyeol?

Howon hesitates. Even though there was nothing he could do, it still feels like it’s his fault. I… I don’t know. We were walking back from dinner and then everything went black. I don’t know if whoever took me got him too.

I think they did, Sunggyu replies. He hasn’t answered any of our calls.

“Our”?

Oh, right. I’m with Woohyun and Myungsoo. We’re at the record store. Dongwoo and Sungjong are also missing. I was trying to reach Dongwoo, but I’m glad you’re okay. We’re coming for you guys.

For the first time since waking up in this place, Howon feels the tension in his shoulders ease. He may not know where he is or who abducted him or why, but he still has hope. Hope that he’ll get the answers to those questions and hope that he’ll find a way out.