GAME RULES ━ ATEEZ

06.

"Hongjoong! In here."

Hongjoong heard Jongho's voice sound from across the hallway. The door was shut behind his friend, and Hongjoong reached for it. He jiggled the knob. It didn't budge.

"Jongho? Did you lock the door?"

Silence. He knocked on the door again. "Jongho?" 

Nothing. Hongjoong frowned. He opened a few of the other rooms, but Jongho was nowhere to be seen. 

The scent had seemed to spread evenly throughout the rooms, dissipating to near nothing. The tangy, sour smell he'd been so enticed to follow now remained as a nagging thought in the back of his brain, rather than something at the forefront. He swallowed, itching to leave, but he wouldn't leave without Jongho. 

"Jongho? Where'd you go?" 

He heard rustling behind the door. It sounded like someone was running their hands along the wall inside. 

"Jongho? Is that you?" He frowned, tightening his grip on the knob. "Jongho, unlock the door. Are you alright?"

He jiggled it again. "Jongho! Unlock the door." 

Annoyance ticked into nervousness inside his stomach. Why wasn't Jongho opening the door?

He tried to kick it open; pushed at it with his entire body weight, but to no avail. The door was locked from the inside, and Hongjoong could not get through. He was about to leave to retrieve someone else for help when he heard something, emanating through the wall from the inside. 

"Hongjoong! Hongjoong!" The voice was muffled between them, but Hongjoong could hear the desperation in Jongho's tone. "Hongjoong!"

"Jongho! Jongho, what's wrong?"

Hongjoong shoved his ear against the door, pushing and pulling. "Jongho! Jongho! Can you hear me?" 

He heard Jongho's voice, crying out, but could not hear any coherent words. There were sounds of bodies thrashing and falling, and Hongjoong swore he heard laughter--his laughter?

No. No.

"Jongho!!" 

——

Yunho never expected to wake up again. 

Moments after falling into the jacuzzi, he lost consciousness. The last thing he registered was the screaming of his friends from somewhere far above him, and the groaning of his name from far below. Something grabbed him by the back of his neck and he blacked out. 

But here he was. He was curled into a fetal position on the cement ground, hair dripping wet and clothes soaking him to the bone. His surroundings were dark. It smelled like mold. The only thing he could hear was water running through the pipes on the mildew-covered walls. 

Was he under the jacuzzi? Maybe in a basement? He wasn't sure. He stood up, his eyes slowly adjusting to the bleeding dark. He made out a shape above him. He reached out and pulled on a chain. Something opened above him, and then there was a ladder reaching down to the ground, leading into a dark hole in the ceiling. 

Yunho had no idea where it led. 

He put his foot on the step and began to climb. 

—— 

Yunho found himself in a room, empty of all furniture. The only thing he could see were two empty doorways, light flowing through in streams. He turned around, inspecting the rest of the room. 

He ran his hands along the walls, trying to find anything that could signal where he was. But the room was empty, devoid of any furniture, windows--anything that could give him any sort of direction. 

Suddenly, Yunho became very aware of his lack of a shadow. A voice came from behind him.

"Who's there?" 

He turned in a start. He knew that voice. A tall, lanky figure stood in the doorway. 

"Mingi?" He took a few steps towards his friend."Mingi! You're here. Mingi, I missed you. Thank God, I've been trying to figure out how to get out of here—"

"Don't get any closer."

"What?" Yunho stepped back. "What do you mean?"

"Don't. I know what you are."

"Mingi, it's me. It's Yunho." 

"It's not. It can't be. Yunho is gone."

"What?" Yunho scoffed. "You're acting crazy, Mingi, I'm right here—"

"You're not! You stupid creatures keep taking his fucking place and pretending to be him but I'm not falling for it again. I'm not. I will fucking kill you."

Yunho's jaw fell open, but another voice interrupted his thoughts. 

"Mingi! There you are! I've been waiting for you." That voice was familiar. Too familiar. 

Yunho. Another Yunho was standing in the doorway, a shadow cast over his face. 

Mingi's gaze flicked between them. He swallowed harshly. 

"This isn't fucking funny." His voice shook. "This isn't a fucking joke. Why can't you let us go!? Let the real Yunho go!"

Yunho stepped forward. "Mingi. I'm here. I'm right here." 

"I'm here, Mingi." Other Yunho copied him. 

"You're sick. This is awful. Is this a game to you?"

Other Yunho stepped closer. "Mingi. Don't you understand? This is a game. We're the players." Other Yunho pointed a shaky finger at him, directly at the center of his chest. Bullseye. "And he is the enemy." 

"No. No, no, Mingi. Mingi, I'm here, I'm right here. Mingi, please." Mingi's eyes seemed glazed, unseeing; he took a step towards him. "Mingi. It's me. It's Yunho. It's your best friend, Mingi, please!!"

Mingi was face to face with him. For a moment, Yunho swore he saw recognition flick through Mingi's eyes--but then he saw the devoid face of the other him, smiling devilishly on empty skin, and knew that this was a game--and he was the first loser. 

He blanked out. Someone mowed into his chest. His head smacked against the basement floor. When his eyes blinked open, Mingi was standing above him, face vacant. Yunho swallowed, reaching a shaky hand up to his best friend. 

"I love you, Mingi. I forgive you." 

Something crunched over his abdomen. He could no longer get air in. As his vision blinked out, he saw the other Yunho transform into something that was very much not human. He could do nothing but watch as Mingi's eyes flicked between him on the floor and the inhuman creature now towering above him. He watched as the realization came to his best friend's face. He felt Mingi fall to the floor, knees digging into his broken sides. 

He searched for Mingi's palm. He grasped his fingers. A sickening crunch came from next to him, and Yunho recoiled slightly. Something damp seeped between his fingers. 

Before Yunho's body went limp, he heard someone laugh. 

A phone rang. He should answer that, shouldn't he? 

But he's tired. He's so tired. He will rest his eyes, just for a moment. 

Before his lids fell closed, something flashed darkly above them. And Yunho knew this was just the beginning.