Obsessed [Editing]

Chapter 11

"What?" San's voice was filled with disbelief, his expression one of shock.

Wooyoung had stopped wiping a glass, now fixated on Tyler sitting on the barstool, leaning his elbows on the bar with his face in his hands. "You... you heard Hongjoong outside your apartment last night?" San's eyebrows pinched together and when Tyler nodded, the other sighed.

"Tyler... I don't think it was Hongjoong."

The two behind the bar jumped when Tyler slammed his hands down and he glared at his friends with tear-filled eyes.

"How the fuck would you know?! You weren't there! I know what I heard! It was him. I heard his voice. He was screaming and hitting the front door."

"Tyler, you could have been dreaming," Wooyoung spoke up as he settled the glass back in its usual place.

"If it was a dream, then why did the neighbours go outside? They heard it as well!"

San gently placed a hand over Tyler's. "Hey, calm down. It could have been some kids playing a prank. You miss him and your head is confusing your dreams with reality."

Tyler ripped his hand away from San's and gave the nastiest glare. Why did no one believe him? Did he sound crazy? Last night, the neighbours thought the noises were just a bunch of teenagers messing around to scare people. They didn't believe it was Hongjoong who had been missing for 3 months. Hongjoong was gone. He wasn't coming back.

"Why does no one believe me!?" San opened his mouth to respond but Tyler just angrily stood up. "Fuck you both!"

"Tyler!" Wooyoung called out to the said man storming out of the bar and not even 10 seconds later, Seonghwa walked in with a confused expression as he looked between the two behind the bar and then at Tyler down the street.

"Um, what's up with him?" Seonghwa raised an eyebrow as he pointed a thumb behind him and stepped inside, walking towards his friends. Wooyoung sighed and San flicked a towel over his shoulder.

"He's just upset over his friend, Hongjoong. The guy that had been kidnapped a few months ago. Tyler said he heard him outside his apartment last night, but I don't think it was Hongjoong."

Wooyoung looked over at Seonghwa with a frown. "He got even more upset when we wouldn't believe him."

Seonghwa hummed and began walking to the staff-only door. "Maybe he was imagining it," he muttered.

Wooyoung leaned against the bar and San went to walk away when his friend reached out for his hand which halted the other where he stood. A small frown pulled at San's lips when he saw how upset Wooyoung looked.

"Hey, you okay?"

Wooyoung shook his head and looked up into San's eyes. "No, I-I feel bad for not believing Tyler," his voice cracked and he inhaled shakily, his eyes growing watery. "I don't know what to believe, actually," he said just above a whisper.

San wrapped his arms around his friend's shoulders, holding him close. Wooyoung hugged him back and rested his forehead against the other's shoulder.

―――

Hongjoong had been glaring at the TV for an hour now and he'd glance down at the chain around his ankle, only to grow angrier. He felt like a chained-up animal. This was bullshit. Giving it a good tug made him wince and he knew it wouldn't easily fall off with just tugging.

He sighed loudly and hugged a white teddy bear close. He went into the wardrobe again to see if there was anything else to help pass the time and found the cute little stuffed toy hiding in the back at the top where all the boxes were placed.