Held By The Neck | Lee Eunhyuk

Chapter 8

Everything has been calm for a while now. I’m still sitting against the door and Hyunsu returned to my side, leaning against me.

I was holding my phone, turning it over and over in my hands but not turning it on, saving the battery. Who knows how long will the electricity last.

“... myself now?” Hyunsu mumbled beside me. He was looking at his phone, not noticing that I can read everything on his screen.

It has the time and date along the usual apps you can see on the phone. There’s also a note displayed on the screen

AUGUST 25, 2020
TUESDAY
SUICIDE

I stopped my movements and froze. Hyunsu was just staring the screen.

He was still as a rock. I moved away from him and snatched his phone.

“Hey!” he stried snatching the phone from mine but I pointed my fingers at him which made him stop.

The note really says suicide.

I was just reading that word over and over again, not saying anything.

“Nara, your neck.” he said.

My hands were on my neck and I forced it down.

“Why?” I looked at him. My feelings are hurting for him, it always hurted for him ever since I discovered what he was going through. I’m hurting for him when his family died. I’m hurting for him when he entered his home. I’m hurting for him because he’s my friend.

“I’ve been planning it anyways.” he shrugged. He looked like what he said is nothing but I know him. His eyes were blank but his tone of voice was sad. He wants to live but not with the condition that he has to experience tragic misfortunes that haunts him everyday.

I’m hurting for him even more now, knowing that he’s been planning to go. I’m hurting for him even more now, knowing that I could’ve lost him. I’m hurting for him even more now, knowing that we’re going to die eventually because of this curse.

“We promised.” my voice cracked.

Hyunsu raised his head to look at me.

“We promised that we’d save each other, remember?” I told him. “We just became friends for the second time and you’re going to leave again?” I added.

I can’t afford to lose someone again.

“At least then, I’d die as a human.” he whispered.

Die as a human.

That makes sense.

It’s a hundred times better than dying as a monster.

I felt the scar on my neck and thought, maybe it won’t be as bad as I think it will, dying as a human.

At least we somehow saved each other.

A laugh was heard from me which made Hyunsu stare at me.

“Fine, go by all means.” I laughed.

He said nothing.

“But I’ll come with you.” I added.

“What? No! I can’t le-”

“What’s the point? Maybe we can save each other by doing this together.” I cut him off.

I walked towards the window, where he stood hours ago and looked at the destruction everywhere.

There’s nothing left for me out there.

Everything is getting destroyed by the second.

There was a creak next to mine, and when I turned my head, Hyunsu is now beside me.