When the leader entered the house, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the staircase. Two boys were already rushing down, drawn by the tension that clung to the air like smoke after a fire.
“Hyung!” The older one called out, his voice sharp with concern. The leader stopped, his body stiffening as his eyes landed on the two boys, both the same age, both staring at him with unmistakable alarm.
“You are injured, hyung!” the younger one blurted out, eyes immediately drawn to the dark stains on his clothes.
“It’s nothing,” he replied flatly, his voice cold and clipped — the kind of tone that shut conversations down before they could begin.
“Where is—”
“Outside,” he cut in, irritation flaring beneath the surface as he brushed past them without slowing down.
The two boys exchanged a glance, then turned to watch his retreating back, unease settling deep in their chests.
“What happened?” one of them asked under his breath.
“I don’t know, Lele…” the older one murmured, his gaze still fixed on the hallway where their leader had disappeared.
“Come on. Let’s check on the others first,” the younger one suggested, already turning away.
“Yeah… I’m coming,” the older one replied distractedly, his thoughts still tangled around the image of blood and silence.
Chenle headed further down the stairs, while Sungchan hesitated only a second before turning and following his hyung upstairs, his worry growing with every step.
“Jisung,” the leader said as he stepped into the youngest’s room, his voice low and commanding.
“Hyung!” Jisung startled, immediately sitting up.
“Your laptop,” the leader ordered, not wasting a single word.
“U-uhm…”
“Give it to me. Now.”
Without another word, Jisung handed over his laptop, his hands trembling slightly.
The leader glanced at the screen only briefly before snapping it shut and turning away, already leaving the room.
“U-uhm—h-hyung!” Jisung called after him, but the leader didn’t react, not even slowing down.
“Jisung? What’s wrong?” Sungchan asked as he stepped into the room, sensing the tension immediately.
“Hyung just took my laptop,” Jisung said quietly.
“Why?” Sungchan frowned.
Jisung shrugged helplessly.
“I was checking the surveillance cameras around the area,” Jisung explained quickly. “I wanted to see who was behind it. I saw noona running after hyung… and then hyung came in and took it.”
Sungchan didn’t wait for more. He turned on his heel and ran back into the hallway, leaving Jisung staring after him in confusion.
“Hyung!” Sungchan called out sharply, his voice echoing down the hallway as he caught up with him just as the leader reached for his door.
Taeyong’s hand had already been wrapped around the doorknob. His fingers froze mid-motion, the metal cool beneath his skin. For a brief second, he considered ignoring the call—pretending he hadn’t heard it, retreating into the safety of solitude where no one could question him, where no one could see the cracks forming beneath his composure.
