why? // ateez au

the photographs.

"HONGJOONG! WAKE UP!"

Seonghwa's urgent voice jolted me out of my sleep, and I groaned in response. Still half-asleep, I reached for my phone to check the time, only to realize it was a ridiculously early hour.

"Seonghwa, it's fucking 6 am. Why are you so happy?" I muttered, feeling a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

"I made breakfast, just get up," he cheerfully replied before leaving my room with the door wide open. I grumbled as I reluctantly pushed myself out of bed, my bare feet recoiling from the cold floorboards in the bedroom.

I shuffled my way into the kitchen to find Seonghwa busy plating two plates with an outrageous amount of food. The sight was both overwhelming and perplexing.

"Just in time, come eat!" Seonghwa exclaimed, placing the plates on the table. I cautiously took a seat, eyeing the white plate with two sad-looking eggs. My hand reached for the bacon next to the eggs, only to realize it was raw.

I put the bacon back onto the plate, confusion etched on my face. "Seonghwa, what's wrong? You're acting overly positive..."

His shoulders tensed, and his smile faded. "I got a call from Mingi last night," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "He told me about a letter he received, someone saying they wanted to 'take his pain away.' But that's not all..."

As he trailed off, I leaned forward, my interest piqued. "What else did the letter say?"

Seonghwa took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly. "He said there were three photos attached to the letter. Three photos of Yunho's body."

My breath caught in my throat, and a sickening feeling settled in my stomach. The gravity of the situation was sinking in.

"Can we go to his place, please?" Seonghwa asked, his voice filled with concern. He seemed almost hesitant, as if expecting me to be angry at the suggestion. I nodded in agreement, pushing my plate towards him.

"I've lost my appetite."

Seonghwa looked at me with confusion, "You didn't even touch anything..." he snapped.

I stifled a laugh, "I mean, I'm full emotionally. I'm still hungry," I clarified, hoping to ease the tension.

His confusion turned to anger,

"You're a fucking dick"

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Together, Seonghwa and I stood in front of Mingi's front door, our hearts pounding and Seonghwa's breathing heavy. He raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Mingi? Are you there? It's Hwa," Seonghwa called out. The doorknob rattled as if someone were already on the other side, waiting for us.

The door swung open, revealing a tired-looking Mingi. He appeared even worse than the last time we saw him, with dark circles under his lifeless eyes and a ghastly complexion.

"Seonghwa!" he greeted, mustering a forced smile. His gaze shifted to me. "And you brought a gnome with you, huh?"

I let out a sigh, brushing off his comment as I walked past him into his apartment. Mingi, who was usually meticulous about cleanliness, had let his place become a mess. Clothes were strewn about, and a layer of dust seemed to cover everything, including the couch.

Mingi sniffled behind me, breaking the silence. "So, why are you guys here?" he asked, his tone filled with both curiosity and weariness. I didn't respond, instead opting to survey the room.

"We just wanted to check up on you, Mingi," Seonghwa calmly replied, stepping forward. "And maybe help clean up your living space."

Mingi shrugged, plopping down onto the couch. He leaned back with a heavy sigh. "Did you want to talk to me or something?" he scoffed, his mood shifting suddenly.

"You called me at 5 am, sobbing on the phone," Seonghwa reminded him, leaning against Mingi's kitchen counter.

The room fell into an eerie silence, the only sound being Mingi's increasingly rapid breathing. He stared blankly at the wall, as if paralyzed. His lips trembled as he tried to form words, but only incomprehensible mumbles escaped.

Concerned, I approached him. "Mingi, are you okay?"

He jerked sharply, his gaze meeting mine with slightly widened eyes. "Hongjoong," he croaked, his voice hoarse, "would you like to see the photos?"

I'm not sure what possessed me to say yes, but I found myself sitting beside Mingi and Seonghwa, the three of us huddled around an open envelope. Mingi's hands trembled as he reached for the three photos enclosed within.

He handed one to me and one to Seonghwa. The photographs were taken with a high-quality camera and had a glossy finish. They would have been pleasant images if they hadn't depicted our friend's corpse.

The longer I stared at the photo, the more the reality sunk in. It was undeniably Yunho. The flash had captured every detail of his broken face, from his bloodstained icy blue lips to his dark to lifeless eyes. My gaze traveled down his body, revealing a deep stab wound in his abdomen. It was a sight too gruesome to bear.

Feeling overwhelmed, I squeezed my eyes shut, a wave of pain washing over me.

"Hongjoong, please look at this one," Seonghwa whispered, his voice barely audible. I felt the corner of another photo brush against my wrist. I took it from his hand and positioned it in front of me, still keeping my eyes closed. My breath quivered as I inhaled slowly, then cautiously opened my eyes.

The photo mirrored the previous one, although more blurry. Yunho's shirt was torn open, revealing both the stab wound in his stomach and a deep cut across his chest. The killer's hand had entered the frame, clutching what appeared to be an organ. I squinted, my eyes widening in horror as I realized it was Yunho's heart.

My body began to shake uncontrollably, and I instinctively threw the photo away from me.

"Hongjoong, are you okay?" Mingi asked, reaching out to hold my hand.

This was the first time he had spoken calmly to me in weeks. He had been agitated and angry, which was understandable given the circumstances, but this sudden shift in behavior was unexpected. Mingi was usually reserved and caring, yet something had changed within him since Yunho's death.

In fact, it seemed that most of us had changed, except for a few who remained seemingly unaffected by the events unfolding around us. It was as if everyone else had reacted to the tragedy, while they remained strangely indifferent.

A realisation began to dawn on me, causing my heart to hammer in my chest. It all seemed to fit too perfectly, 

It had to be him.