6:32PM

That’s what the clock read. Unfolding the slip of paper between his fingertips Ji Yong glanced over the note once more. Able to decipher Young-bae’s short hand notes, he took note of the time. They were supposed to meet at 8:15pm. The question still remained as to whether Ji Yong would hold up his end of the bargain and actually show up. Tossing the flimsy slip of paper onto the table, Ji Yong stood from his couch, stepping out onto the balcony connected to his apartment. The air was moist from the rain and the brush of wind that passed by every now and then whipped against his small shivering frame slightly. He leaned up against the banister, not minding his sweater soaking up the small droplets that decorated the metal. He viewed the city landscape before him, watching the busy people trot up and down the sidewalks, listening to the car horns being blown every minute or so. If he left now, he could make it there even with the traffic.

7:03PM

Time continued to tick on as Ji Yong settled back in the couch, his legs curling in towards him and providing a resting place for his chin. He should have left a while ago but he’d made no move since then to do so. He was still dressed in his sweats seeming as if he were going to retire to his bed soon rather than go outside. With a heavy sigh, Ji Yong let his head fall into his knees. He shouldn’t let Young-bae’s effort go to waste, he should show up, say what he has to and move on with his life. What was he so afraid of? Rejection? While this wouldn’t be the first time that someone has rejected him but with Seunghyun . . . it was different. He wasn’t sure what he would do if-

No! Why waste energy on convincing himself not to go? If he didn’t do it now then he would surely regret it later, making it the biggest mistake in his life. If Seunghyun didn’t accept then maybe he’d finally get a chance to start over, a chance to move on. There’s no use in putting your heart into to someone else who can’t return it. But things were easier said than done . . . This love could very much be his downfall.

7:15PM

Thoughts of him . . .

7:34PM

Fears settle in . . .

7:47PM

A decision is made . . .

7:55PM

It was around fifty degrees outside so Ji Yong made sure to dress warmly. He takes one fleeting glance at his apartment behind him, hesitating as his hand wraps around the door handle. Now was a good time as ever to chicken out and turn back. He pulls his cell out of his pocket as the device begins to vibrate in the palm of his hand.  He recognizes the caller ID but he never answers. Instead he opens the heavy door and heads out. Making his way down the stairs quickly but carefully, he exits the building, stepping into the downpour of rain. By the time he’s reached his car, his hair is practically soaked in rain but he doesn’t mind so much. Jamming the keys into the ignition, he revs up before shifting into drive and pushing his foot against the gas pedal. The car joists with life as it pulls out and speeds down the street, its screeching echoing slightly as it made a quick turn.

Ji Yong glances at the time. It reads 8:04pm. His knuckles turn white against the steering wheel as he tightens his grip. He still had some time to make it. He goes a little over the speed limit, zipping through and between cars whilst changing lanes. Flipping to the news station he receives word of a traffic jam up ahead. He knows another route but he has to be quick. Time seems to be moving faster than his car is now but he doesn’t stop, he doesn’t want to. He knows Seunghyun will wait a little longer and that should be enough. As he leans into the left lane his cellphone goes off. He doesn’t hesitate to answer it this time with a hurried greeting.

He’s not surprised to hear Young-bae’s voice respond back. “Don’t tell me you decided to bail out at the last minute.”

“No, I didn’t,” Ji Yong confirmed as his eyes remained focus on the road ahead, his vehicle slowing down a bit to let a truck full of metal pipettes in the back come over into his lane. Suddenly a bad feeling overcame him as he watched the truck begin to swerve slightly. He brushed it off, planning to change lanes in a few seconds as he watched the truck speed up to form a gap. He continued to speak with his hyung. “I’m actually on my way there now but I took the long way to avoid a traffic jam. Let Seunghyun know I’ll be a little bit late will you?”

Just as he was entering a tunnel, he clicked on his turn signals while he listened to Young-bae. “Alright, I’ll send him a quick text for you then.”

“Thanks hyung,” Ji Yong said with a small smile on his lips. He was going to say something else but it never came, overpowered by the sound of high-screeching. He dropped his cellphone in that instance, gripping the wheel with two hands once again. Everything happened so fast. The truck was suddenly out of control, horns blaring nosily as it slipped into the opposite side of the road. A compact car heading in the other direction was nicked by the metal pipettes on its side but managed to avoid further damage as it slipped by. Ji Yong avoided getting hit by the compact car, managing to stay in his lane but then the truck in front came to an abrupt stop, metal pipettes slipping over.  With no time to slam on the brakes, his car collided with the back of the truck. Like spears, some metal pipettes skewered through his front window, all just barely missing his person by mere centimeters and one remained positioned just in front of him and aimed at his throat precisely.

There was a moment of silence from the shock. Ji Yong could barely hear anything besides the beating of his very heart, which was pounding like a jackhammer against his ribcage. His breathing was shallow, his body frozen in place, hands still gripping the steering wheel tightly. He glanced at the radio clock.

8:35PM

He wasn’t going to make it.

There was crash from behind as another car came screeching down the road, colliding with the back of Ji Yong’s car. The vehicle surged forward into the truck from the impact. The sound of metal clanking and breaking through glass echoed off the tunnel walls. There was a low hissing sound from the car then, which one Ji Yong didn’t know because he was more focused on that fact that something was stuck in his neck. He still remained sitting straight up in the driver’s seat, his eyes half-lidded and weary. He gulped feeling something solid against his throat as he swallowed slowly. He was sure something had punctured his neck but he couldn’t figure anything else out further than that and if there was any pain, he hadn’t felt it. His body felt dull to him, numb, dead. Ji Yong’s breath hitched as he tried breathing again. Darkness began to cloud the corners of his already hazy vision but the last thing he remembered was seeing through the fractured frame of his windows the crowd of people forming outside. He could hear a shrill sound then, mostly likely a female’s cry. Then there was a vague ringing in his ears just before he slipped into a heavy sleep, head drooping forward slightly.

All was quiet once more.