[CONTENTID1]

This is all in the past timeline.

They are performing Rubber Band for the first time today on Inkigayo and Chanwoo is hella nervous. He can’t even sleep last night, nor even eating anything for breakfast. The only proper meal he has is yesterday evening kimchi fried Yunhyeong has made for him but he only takes half of it before he feels the nausea hitting him. He couldn’t even drink anything other than plain water. The small kimbap on Yunhyeong’s courtesy of making for him this early morning also remained untouched. He is sure he will get a scolding from the older when he sees the food he has made for the maknae is left behind inside their dressing room.

Truthfully speaking, it’s not a sickness or anything involving his paranoia on performing. Chanwoo is well aware it’s because of his bruises and the fact that nowadays he keeps seeing them everywhere around him. God, he swears he even got one following him home only to stay away from his house thanks to the pendant but when Chanwoo goes out for his schedule, it will follow him again; like a chewing gum stick on your shoelace, they are hard to get rid of.

And he knows there is no absolute way for him to get rid of it without an experts’ help and Chanwoo is in a quite dire need of Haneul at the moment. His bruises are increasing, his nightmares of the night he was attacked return and he keeps having bad premonition all the time. Not adding up to his paranoia that he’s being watched all the time even when he’s in the dorm, safe with his hyungs around. But he can’t shake the feelings away, something has been keeping an eye on him and it gives Chanwoo the unpleasant feelings all the time.

And of course, he doesn’t tell any of s about it. Not even June who seems to have noticed something is wrong with him for the past few days. He acts like nothing is wrong, normally going through with their lives and hectic schedules. Not even a single word about how numb his whole body would feel like sometimes, especially where the bruises are.

They walk ahead to the backstage, waiting for their que to perform. Chanwoo prays for his and the members’ safety throughout the performance for he can’t endure failure now, not when suddenly he feels something heavy on his right shoulder. , he thought. Not again. Hanbin gathers everyone up for a quick prayer in a circle. Chanwoo is standing in between the leader and June, the moment his right hand touches June’s the other maknae looks at him a bit dumbfounded. But June said nothing. They continue to pray in silence. Then they are up, but before Chanwoo could make it to his spot on the dark stage, June taps on his arm taking the maknae’s attention. June whispers to his ear asking, “Are you alright?” But Chanwoo has no time to answer him properly other than giving a smile for the intro of Rubber Band is played. And Chanwoo dances his heart out for the new song.

While in the midst of it, just a second before Jinhwan’s chorus, Chanwoo sees it. He watches as a long hair woman wearing a shabby and bloodied clothes standing in between the crowds. His eyes widen, but he gains him composure for then he’s standing at the back again. His eyes not leaving the thing. Then he sees it moving, like it floats until it reaches the stage where he and the others stand, Chanwoo starts to panic for it comes to him. But then he has to sit down for Bobby’s rap part, Hanbin besides him by 1 meter gap.

That’s when he feels it, a burning sensation all the way down his back. He couldn’t do anything other than enduring it, for he has to focus on dancing. Gritting his teeth through the pain, his part comes and Chanwoo is walking to the center while singing. His tone is a bit disturbed but it comes out nicely without much complication, though he notices few of s notice his awkward singing tone, especially the leader. For the first time ever, he is grateful that his part is only little because he doesn’t have to keep his hiss and groans down while singing anymore. He dances throughout the song without any accident but his back is killing him.

The performance ends well, and all iKON members retreat to the backstage safely. The crowds cheer, iKONICS happily chant their names and the members are all hype up for the performance. By the time they reach the hallway, Chanwoo starts to feel the pain on his back intensifies with every steps he take. Taking an arm of the nearest person he can grab, he takes a hold tightly before he stops walking at the middle of the crowds.

“Chanwoo?” He hisses in pain, the blue hat on his head is soaked with sweat he can guarantee that. It’s not because of the performance, but his effort to endure the stinging pain. He takes a glimpse at his side, turns out it’s Bobby’s hand he’s holding. The rapper is panicked, he takes a hold of Chanwoo’s back but it only causes the maknae to let out a painful yelp, taking everyone’s attention. Chanwoo turns his back to face the wall so that no one can touch it.

“Chanwoo yah, you’re okay? What’s wrong?” Bobby is completely taken aback, it’s obvious by how wide his eyes have become. One of their stylist who has been walking behind them start to panic too as she stands before Chanwoo.

“I’m—“ He wants to say something but the pain on his back is too much. The stylist baffles as she ushers them to the dressing room first for the hallway is a bit crowded. Other idols are walking ahead towards the stage and they’re on their way. When they have reached the room, Bobby gestures Chanwoo to sit down on the couch. By then, the remaining members notice how bad Chanwoo’s condition is. Everyone is on their feet. When the maknae sits, as the fabric of the couch makes a contact with his back he screams. Scooting forward he almost falls down but thanks to Bobby, he is saved. All the members are hovered over him sitting on the couch, asking what is wrong.

At that, the stylist noona notices it. She’s standing behind Chanwoo when her eyes catch the glimpse of some dark marks on the maknae’s back. Looking at it intently, her eyes widen when to see what is stuck on the maknae’s back beneath his oversized blue sweatshirt. “Chanwoo yah, you’re bleeding!”

Her remarks get everybody in the room in panic, including the body guard standing by the door. All the members stare at the maknae’s back, they see some patches of blood sticking through the blue shirt. Yunhyeong lifts the shirt up slowly and he gasps out loud with Donghyuk and the stylist. “Chanwoo yah, what happened?!” Yunhyeong shrieks and by then, the members’ eyes set on his back. They see blood dripping from the maknae’s back from what is seemed to be some wounds all over his back. Lifting his shirt further up, they see what seems to resemble claw marks starting from his shoulders down to his lower backs, countless and they are dripping blood.

All the members fall into silent for a minute, they are awaken by the groans Chanwoo let out. June and Bobby are crouching by each his side, the rapper has his hand on the maknae’s forehead. “, he’s burning up!” The members are on alert at that, even some stylists are panicking when they see the blood and the wounds by themselves. Jinhwan is right in front of the maknae, holding his hand tight with something in between his palm; the pendant. The moment Chanwoo feels the pendant on his hand, suddenle the nausea comes back. He pushes Jinhwan slightly away to vomit out on the floor. It’s only some trickles but what alarms everybody is that he’s vomiting out blood. Then the maknae passes out, his body falls onto June’s side, leaving s screaming his name in urgency.

Yet before his vision is consumed by the darkness, Chanwoo sees the long hair ghost comes hauling his way, right before his face; grinning its bloodied and hideous face to him.

“This is bad.” Jinhwan mutters as he walks around the hall, biting his nail in anxious. The members tiredly and worriedly watch over their mathyung. “We can’t continue on like this.” Jinhwan said again,