VIII ; The Core Issue

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- Min', you're bleeding...

The older frowns lightly as his bubble gets bursted... Halfway.

- Mh? Oh this? Don't worry, tall head. These are just little scratches. It'll heal at the snap of a finger.

- Mmh...

Despite the fact that he has to concentrate on the road, he still takes a few seconds to observe the light wounds of the brunette and following a brief moment of silence, he snaps his fingers with his free hand.

Minho frowns again, focusing his attention on whoever just disturbed him. Without him being able to control it, an amused smile forms on his lips.

- And... What exactly are you doing?

- I want you to heal faster.

Touched by his words and his actions, Minho lets the swarthy hear a light giggle.

- You're cute.

Hyunjin rolls his eyes, a soft smile glued to his lips too. He doesn't believe Minho when he says it. He knows he probably doesn't really mean it.

The two friends continue their nocturnal stroll until they encounter a new obstacle.

- Looks like everybody decided to die today...

The situation is still inexplicable, but in front of them are new vehicles that won't be moving anytime soon.

- Bypass them. Let's get to the center of Manhattan. There, we'll probably be able to get a hint of whatever the hell is going on here...

The rain is still beating on the car window but Hyunjin does as offered.

The sooner they got to Times Square, the sooner their questions would be answered.

*****

Five, then ten, then twenty vehicles passed and the boys finally arrive in the heart of Manhattan.

- What the... What the hell is going on here...

Their expression quickly changes to something indescribable, something that demonstrates an emotion they've never felt before.

Hyunjin slows down and eventually stops the car right in the middle of the seventh Avenue, one of the busiest and occupied streets in the world.

Once the car stops, the rain seems to cease and the two boys remove their seat belts, getting out of the "borrowed" vehicle at the same time.

Finally outside, the two find themselves soaked from the rain but still...

- I don't understand...

They advance in the street populated by paralyzed people, frozen in time. None of the billboards seem to work.

The traffic lights never change color and the other lights also remain fixed. The water on the ground does not spread and even the few birds present do not seem to move an inch.

Minho raises a hand in front of him to feel the rain pouring over him, only when he's moving.

He observes for a moment one of the raindrops sliding very slowly along the palm of his hand, then looking up at the sky.

- Hyunjin...

Hyunjin had his eyes glued to this cemetery which now represents Seventh Avenue.

- I know... But I don't wanna believe it...

The brunette's eyes move unhurriedly towards the taller one.

They end up both looking at each other in complete silence.

Impossible for them to find an answer to this mess.

Impossible to find a logic to this chaos.

Impossible for them to take their eyes off each other.

- The time has stopped...

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