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Sitting at the kitchen table, the smell of antiseptic strong in the spring air, you listen to your uncle's stern voice. He finishes bandaging your scraped arm, his hands careful but firm.
"You did a good thing, Y/N, but next time this happens, I want you to think of yourself first," he says, looking you directly in the eyes. His concern is evident, etching deeper lines into his already worried face.
"But he would have died if I hadn't pulled him away from the oncoming trafficâ" you start to argue, feeling the injustice of his reprimand.
"I don't want to hear it," he cuts you off, raising a hand to stop you. "I know you have a very selfless heart, but you need to promise me you won't jump into traffic to save someone else if it means putting your own life in danger," he insists, his voice softening with worry.
Reluctantly, you nod, understanding the weight of his words. "Alright, I promise," you say, a bit sullen but knowing he's right.
"Good. You're just 16, and you have a long life ahead of you. I want you to live it fully. Live for your dreams, live for your loved ones," he adds, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze, reinforcing his hope for you to always prioritize your safety in the pursuit of helping others.
***
At the funeral, you stand isolated from the murmuring crowd, their voices blending into a sorrowful cacophony around you. You gaze unblinkingly at the casket that lies solemnly ahead, draped in flowers that seem too vibrant against the stark black and white attire of the mourners. Your eyes feel dry; you've been staring too long, too hard, without blinking.
Around you, people speak in hushed, respectful tones, their words a mix of condolences and confused speculations about your uncle's sudden death. They talk about what could have happened, their theories far from the truth, none of them aware of the real circumstances that led to this momentânone but you.
Days have passed since you last spoke, the weight of silence heavy on your tongue. The knowledge of what truly transpired, the secret you carry alone, presses down on you, isolating you further as you stand amid the crowd, surrounded yet profoundly alone.
***
"Where are we headed, Uncle?" you inquire, your voice tinged with curiosity as you sit next to him in the car. He drives with a sense of urgency, his eyes frequently darting to the rearview mirror, a sign of his heightened alertness.
"Y/N, why don't you grab some ice cream for us while I fill up the tank?" he suggests, his tone casual as he pulls into the parking lot of a convenience store.
"Sure!" Your spirits lift at the prospect, and you eagerly hop out of the car, the cash he's handed you clenched tightly in your hand.
You're just about to bill everything at the store when a thunderous crash pierces the air. Alarmed, you rush back to the front, the items you were holding falling from your hands as they go limp. Your heart drops to your stomach as you witness your uncle's car being repeatedly rammed by a minivan. After striking multiple devastating blows, the van speeds away, leaving behind a scene of chaos and the mangled remnants of what was once a familiar, safe space.
You watch in horror as your uncle's car lies flipped upside down, a chilling silence enveloping the chaos. Suddenly, a bloodied hand limply falls out of the shattered window frame, visible amidst the wreckage. The sight sends a shock through your body, and your legs give way beneath you, dropping you to your knees on the cold, hard pavement.
***
You jolt awake, a sharp gasp escaping your lips as a cold sweat clings to your skin. It feels as though you've just been pulled from a suffocating grip. Panting, you fix your gaze on the decorated wall ahead, your breaths heavy and uneven. With a shaky effort, you swing your legs off the bed, intending to seek solace in the fresh air, but stop short when Bohyun enters the room, carrying a breakfast platter.
"Y/N?" His concern is evident as he notices your distress. "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" he asks, quickly assessing your panicked expression.
"What am I doing here?" you manage to ask, your voice trembling, still disoriented and anxious.Bohyun sets the tray down and comes closer, his arms offering comfort. "You fell asleep before I got back last night," he explains gently. "I'm sorry I was so late; I didn't mean to worry you," he continues, sensing your unease and trying to calm the storm of emotions you're battling.
"What?" you echo, confused as you take in your surroundings and realize you were only reliving a nightmareâa vivid flashback. As you begin to calm down, a persistent ache gnaws at the back of your head. Instinctively, you reach up to touch the sore spot.
"Your head hurts?" Bohyun looks concerned. "It might be dehydration. Here, drink this orange juice," he suggests, extending a glass towards you.
You eye the glass for a moment, then take it and drink deeply, hoping it might ease the discomfort but it tastes weird. "Feel better?" he asks once you've finished.
You nod, though a lingering uncertainty remains. Despite the familiar setting and Bohyun's reassuring presence, something feels off, leaving you subtly disoriented.
BoHyun's smile is comforting as he watches you. "Let's go eat breakfast," he suggests gently, leading the way to the dining area.
***
As you step out of the room after getting ready, you realize you can't find your phone. "Did you see my phone?" you ask Bohyun, who looks around uncertainly.
"Where did you last have it?" he queries, prompting you to rack your brain. Last night's events feel fuzzy.
"I'm not sure; I think I might've had too much wine," you reply with a light chuckle. "Can you call it for me?" you ask. He obliges, but there's no ringâyour phone is dead, likely overwhelmed by birthday notifications.
"Oh, here it is," Bohyun says, retrieving your dead phone from beside the mattress where you had fallen asleep.
"I'll charge it on the way to Hyeyeon's," you tell him, reaching for the phone. He suddenly pulls you close, his tone shifting to a more romantic one. "Can you not go today?" he asks softly.
"I have to. It's our birthday traditionâshe cooks lunch for me every year," you explain.He sighs, a trace of nervousness in his voice. "Okay, but will you call me tonight?"
"Of course, I will. Bye for now," you assure him, giving him a quick kiss before grabbing your purse.
"Bye, I love you," he calls out as you head towards the door.
***
You soon reach Jimin and Hyeyeon's place. Sighing as you unplug your phone and make your way up. Checking your phone and seeing several missed calls from everyone.
As you step into Hyeyeon's place, the atmosphere is thick with tension. You barely have a moment to orient yourself before Jimin's raised voice cuts through the room, his frustration palpable even from a distance. "You better track her phone down right now or I'll kill you with my bare hands!" he bellows into his phone, startling you.
"Y/N," Taehyung calls out from the couch, his expression a mix of relief and distress as he quickly rises to greet you. "Fuck, she's here," he mutters under his breath before pulling out his phone. "I'll call Jungkook and let him know. He's probably flipping this whole town searching for you," he says, dialing hurriedly.
Everyone looks worriedâJimin, Taehyung, Miyeonâall showing clear signs of anxiety. Jimin, still simmering with anger and concern, turns to you. "Where the fuck were you, Y/N?" he demands. "I've been calling you all morning! Was Hyeyeon with you last night? Did she tell you where she was going?"
Caught off guard by the barrage of questions, you can only utter, "Hyeyeon?" in confusion.Jimin is about to continue his interrogation when Taehyung intervenes. "Jimin-ah! Enough! She doesn't know what's going on. I want you to go sit down for a minute," he commands, trying to de-escalate the situation.
"Hyeyeon is missing since last night and you're asking me to take a seat?" Jimin retorts, frustration boiling over as he resists Taehyung's attempts to calm him.
The words "Hyeyeon is missing?" echo through your mind, causing a sharp pang of anxiety. "Hyeyeon is missing?" you repeat, your voice shaky, as the gravity of the situation sinks in.
Taehyung's grip tightens as he fixes Jimin with a steadying look. "Jimin!" he exclaims, his voice firm but controlled, trying to pierce through the panic. "She is fine. We are going to find her," he reassures, his tone carrying both conviction and a calming force.
Hearing this, Jimin's resolve crumbles. He sinks back onto the couch, his body language shifting as the weight of the situation presses down on him. His hands rake through his hair, clenching in frustration and despair, before he finally looks downward, concealing the tears that have started to brim in his eyes.
"If anything happens to her, I will kill myself," he murmurs, the words barely audible yet heavy with a raw, heart-wrenching honesty. The room falls silent, the gravity of his words hanging over everyone like a dark cloud.
"We can't just sit here," you declare, your voice filled with urgency and concern. "I need to find her," you insist, your resolve unwavering, though you aren't exactly sure where to start looking.
As you turn around, and try to rush out, Taehyung's firm grip pulls you back.
"Not you too!" Taehyung protests as he clutches your hand, trying to anchor you to the spot.
"Let me go! I need to find her," you argue back, the fear for Hyeyeon's safety clouding your thoughts. She's never been involved in such dangerous situations; her gentle nature makes her particularly vulnerable now.
"No! Stop right here!" Taehyung's voice rises in desperation as he physically restrains you, pushing you down onto the couch with unexpected force. "Miyeon, make sure she doesn't move," he commands sternly.
Miyeon looks at you, her expression uneasy, almost fearful of the intensity in your eyes. She hesitates before sitting next to you, her own nervousness palpable as she attempts to comply with Taehyung's order. The room feels charged with tension, each of you grappling with the uncertainty and the urgency of the situation.
The sudden dizziness that grips you as Jungkook pulls you to your feet momentarily clouds your senses. His voice echoes around you, seeming distant and muffled. You blink rapidly, trying to clear the haze clouding your vision. Squinting at Jungkook, you struggle to place him. "Do I know you?" you manage to whisper, confusion lacing your voice.
Jungkook freezes, his expression turning from frustration to concern. "What?" he responds, his tone laced with confusion. The room falls silent, everyone's eyes locked on you. As your vision sharpens, recognition flickers across your face. "I know you," you declare, more firmly this time, though the name still eludes you, hanging just out of reach as a throbbing pain begins to build in your head.
Jungkook's gaze intensifies, worry creasing his brow as he studies you closely, trying to understand the sudden change. In that tense silence, Jimin's phone rings, slicing through the heavy atmosphere and drawing everyone's attention momentarily away from the unsettling scene unfolding.
Jimin quickly picks up the call, the tension palpable as everyone waits for an update. "You found her car?" His voice lifts with a brief flicker of hope, but it quickly dims. "But what?" His tone escalates, a mix of hope and fear. "BUT WHAT?" His voice cracks as he yells, the phone soon slipping from his grasp and clattering onto the floor.
Jungkook immediately steps in, holding onto Jimin, while Taehyung hastily picks up the fallen phone to continue the conversation.
"They found Hyeyeon's car, but..." Taehyung's voice trails off as he ends the call, his expression somber as he faces the group.
"BUT WHAT?" You demand, a knot of dread tightening in your stomach.
"But it was all burnt down...."
".................with her in it," he spoke in bare whispers.
____
A/N: I'm ready to be butchered by y'all.