Minki jogged down the hallway, and out through the front door, unsure of what to think. The thought that he’d just up and left on his hyungs had to have made it obvious; so he thought. Why he was so broken up so suddenly over a simple letter from Pledis, he wasn’t sure. He felt it was almost as if the company had already known of him and Jonghyun; but that couldn’t be, and he knew that.

Sniffling and dragging a tear back underneath his eyelid, Minki collected himself as he walked in the direction of the group’s house. The more he thought of this foolish idea, the more happy he’d become. No one could have known of his secret, except for Minhyun, and that was all he minded anything of, but the sting of Pledis’ idea stayed put in his thoughts. The last thing he’d wanted to do, aside from leave Jonghyun, was to put into his fans heads the idea of he being with Dongho; or anything like it in the slightest.

Reaching the corner of the block, Minki kept moving, eager to get as far as he could, as fast as he could. Setting foot on the curb once more, Minki turned quickly, hearing the faint sound of his name in the distance.

“Minki.!” Jonghyun shouted, chasing after him, his eyes on the blonde across the street rather than the cars in the middle. In a second, the elder was tossed from the hood of an oncoming silver Corvette, and to the ground with what would have been a thud if not covered by the sound of the wheels screeching to a halt just before striking a second time.

Before he’d had the chance to react, the owner of the car was on her knees next to the seemingly lifeless leader. It took a moment for the scene to unfold in the maknae’s mind, but as soon as it did, Minki was beside him in a moment. As he watched the woman shout, his thoughts raced, and he was unable to think. A darker toned man approached the two from behind.

“I’m calling 119. What’s your name.?” he asked the woman. Hesitantly, she responded. “Seong Su Hyun.” she nodded through her tears. He spoke quickly into the phone before directing his attention to Minki.

“And you.?”

“I....” unable to piece his words together, the youngest choked out the only syllable that he possibly could.

“Ren.” he said, his voice raspy with fear as he stared down at Jonghyun, who looked completely fine aside from the slickly flowing blood that poured from his side, where it was clear that he’d been hit.

“Suhyun, Ren; they’ll be here in a second.” the unknown male spoke as he knelt next to them, placing his ear over Jonghyun’s mouth, sensing a breath. Placing a hand on the brunette’s heart, Minki allowed a small smile to trace across his lips as he took heaving breaths.

Through his graceful sobs, Minki whispered as he rested his forehead against Jonghyun’s. “I won’t do it.” he promised.

Minki didn’t mind the fact that he could feel Suhyun’s eyes on the back of his head. Until he heard the sirens, the blonde stayed still, following the paramedics into the back of the ambulance, taking Jonghyun’s hand as soon as he could.

“You’re with him.?” a medic asked. Not caring whether the man meant his question literally or sarcastically, Minki nodded, using his free hand to wipe a tear from his right eye.

“Can I ask you his name....” he inquired, glancing at his paper. “.... Ren.?”

Through a sniffle, he spoke.

“Kim Jong Hyun.”

“And his age, birthdate, blood type.?”

Minki coughed out the three answers as his grip tightened. “17, June 8th ‘95, O, I think.” The blonde nodded to himself, becoming fairly sure that those answers were correct.

“And your full name, ma’am.?”

Caring less and less what the man thought of him with each bump or turn in the road, he answered, not looking up from Jonghyun.

“Choi Min Ki.”

Hearing the names together, the driver perked up at once. “Ren, of.... NU’EST.?” she asked as she adjusted the rear-view mirror to get a better look at him as she sped down the street. “My daughter loves you guys.!”

Only nodding, his head willing to shake due to the ignorance of this woman, Minki’s breath steadied as the ambulance pulled to a stop.