The Mannequin - Minsung

forty-seven

Minho lays awake on his side. The lamp's on. In case Jisung wakes up. Gets scared. Has bad dreams.

Minho holds his hand too. It's warm.

He watches Jisung breathe.

Slowly... he sinks deeper into sleep.

He wakes with a startle. His heart's hammering. He's not sure why. He can't remember if he was dreaming.

There's light. Oh, the lamp. He left it on—

Minho jumps out of bed upon realizing... "Jisung?!"

The bed is empty. He looks around the room. Turns on the ceiling light. He slept holding Jisung's hand. How did he not feel him moving?

"Jisung!" He goes out of the room.

He checks the bathroom. The kitchen. "Jisung?"

He checks every corner of his house. Then comes back to his bedroom. He pulls the covering off the bed. Looks under it. Looks in the closet.

Minho's panicking. Jisung's nowhere in the house? It doesn't make sense! He was just here laying unconscious...

"Jisung!" Minho's voice is louder. It's shaking now.

He runs through every room again.

He passes by the front door. "Jisung—"

Oh god. The door is open!

"Mrs. Hwang, is Jisung here?!"

She looks shocked. "Minho?"

He pushes himself in. He's panting. "Is he here?"

"Minho," Mrs. Hwang says. Takes his arm. Turns him around. "No! It's five in the morning— dear, are you alright?"

Minho's trembling. "T-Then where is he?"

Hyunjin has come out too. He's pulling a robe over his sleep clothes.

Minho rushes to him. "Have you seen Jisung? Did he come here?"

"Jisung? I haven't seen him since last night when I left you both. Did he say he was coming here? What happened?"

"H-He's gone..." Minho says. He can't believe it himself.

"Did you call him?" Mrs. Hwang says.

"He didn't take his phone..."

Mrs. Hwang makes him sit. "But what do you mean he's gone? Gone where? Hyunjin, he's cold— could you bring him something?"

Minho stares around. He's checked everywhere.

He went through the streets near their place. He drove by the stores on his way here. It would be a long walk... if Jisung had come here...