Overdrive | NCT ✅

12. I get silent treatment from a duck

Lucas:

"Jieun's still studying, her exams are on Monday, I wouldn't bother her. Just make sure she doesn't study too late into the night, she has a habit of doing that," WinWin says, walking out of the front door, and I nod.

I bite my lip and check the time. It's only ten, but I decide to check on her anyways. I knock on her door, but she doesn't answer. I open the door slowly, but I frown when she's not there. I walk over and knock on her bathroom door; again, there's no answer. I open it and she's not there either. I check all of the rooms in the apartment, but I still can't find her, and I start panicking. I run out of her apartment and decide to check the roof; it's the only place I haven't checked.

My heart almost jumps out of my mouth when I find her walking barefoot on the wall that runs around the edge of the roof. She's giggling and spreading her arms out straight whilst walking tipsily along the wall. I glance around and catch sight of six empty bottles of soju, and my eyes widen.

"How much did she drink?" I ask myself.

I look back up at Jieun.

"Jieun! Get down! You're gonna fall!" I call out.

She looks up and grins widely.

"It's okay, Mum will catch me if I fall," she calls out, giggling again, and my chest aches slightly.

"Jieun, your mum's gone," I say softly, slowly taking a couple of steps forward.

I'm scared she'll fall if I make any sudden movements.

Jieun frowns slightly.

"What? No, she went to buy ice cream, she said she's going to come back," she says, and I look at her pityingly.

"Jieun, she's sleeping," I say.

Her face transforms suddenly, the child-like innocence disappearing.

"The car crash," she whispers, horror reflected in her face.

She stops walking and looks around, her face alert.

"Can you hear that?" she asks quietly, and fear pangs through me.

"Naeun?" she suddenly asks, turning around to face the rest of the city.

"I'm sorry," she chokes out, tears in her eyes.

She crouches down on the wall, her head in her hands, the wind whipping her hair around her face.

"I'm sorry, I tried saving you! I tried to look after Wendy like you asked me to, I'm sorry!" she sobs, looking up.

She's seriously starting to scare me, and I walk quietly up behind her.

"What? Come with you?" she suddenly asks quietly, and my heart stops beating.

The girl she's talking about is undoubtedly dead and joining her sounds like Jieun's about to do something really stupid. She takes a step forward, one foot hanging in midair, and I lunge forward, wrapping my arms around her waist. I pull Jieun backwards off the wall of the roof, my heart beating wildly in my chest. She starts struggling in my arms, trying to go back to the edge of the roof, and I tighten my grip around her. Jieun starts screaming, scratching at my hands, but I hold onto her in pure fear.

"Jieun!" I shout, and I carry on shouting her name until she suddenly spins around, her eyes like fractured glass.

She stops screaming, her face turning pale.

"I need to talk to Lucas," she says seriously.

"It's okay, I'm here," I say firmly, my heart rate slowing down slightly now that she's calmed down.