Inferno Hearts | Xu Minghao

2. Terror

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As he gazed upon her, a serene aura enveloped the room, casting a soft glow upon her sleeping form.

The gentle rise and fall of her chest seemed like a rhythmic dance of dreams, while the delicate moonlight kissed her features, revealing the faintest traces of worry etched on her smooth forehead, as though she was silently carrying the weight of the world.

In the tranquility of that moment, he found himself torn between two contrasting realities. On one hand, he couldn't deny the beauty of her innocence, evident even in slumber.

Yet, the bitter truth remained a haunting specter, a past marred by tragedy and heartbreak.

She killed my sister , he remainded to himself again. And again.

He reminisced about that fateful day, when the shattered fragments of his life lay scattered like broken glass. The loss of his beloved sister still weighed heavily on his heart, an ever-present ache that refused to fade.

And there she was, the one he once believed to be the architect of his pain, now lying before him in vulnerable repose.

As the door creaked open, a gentle intrusion roused him from the labyrinth of his thoughts, snapping him back to the present moment.

Startled, he blinked, momentarily disoriented, until his eyes met the figure standing at the door. Seungcheol, the man in whom he invests his entire foundation. He trust him with his life.

"Are you okay? You didn't come to have dinner with us. The members were waiting for you.", Seungcheol asked worried.

"I can't focus on anything else but the stark reality of my sister's murder, right here before me.  In front of my eyes, hyung."

"Minghao let's go upstairs and talk, maybe have a drink. You need to get this off your shoulders."

Before he could gather the words to articulate his concerns, Seungcheol's firm grip on his arm propelled him forward, a silent yet insistent command to leave the darkness behind.

Eager to escape the oppressive ambiance, Seungcheol's urgency swept over him like a gust of wind, momentarily eclipsing his own reservations.

Caught off guard by his friend's determination, he hesitated for a split second, torn between standing his ground and following Seungcheol's lead.

It was as if the decision had been made for him, and he found himself surrendering to the momentum, moving away from the enigmatic depths of the basement.

Upstairs, the members were anxiously awaiting his return, their hearts heavy with concern and curiosity. The air in the room seemed to hum with tension, like a coiled spring ready to release its pent-up energy.

But as the sound of approaching footsteps reached their ears, a collective sigh of relief washed over them, and a breeze of calm seemed to sweep through the room.

Their worried expressions softened into smiles as they saw Minghao and Seungcheol entering together.

Minghao's presence, especially after spending what felt like an eternity in the basement, brought a sense of reassurance that things were beginning to find their equilibrium.

As Minghao finally emerged from the basement, the room seemed to bask in the warmth of his return.

His eyes, though tired from the emotional journey, held a glimmer of newfound understanding—a silent assurance that they would face whatever lay ahead, as a united front.

With unspoken words and gestures, they welcomed him back into their fold, each member offering silent support.

There was no need for elaborate explanations; they knew that some things were best left unsaid. Instead, they found solace in the knowledge that Minghao was not alone in his struggles, that they would stand by him through thick and thin.

"Come on boys, let's have a drink."

4:30 a.m.

As her consciousness slowly returned, an unsettling odor invaded her nostrils, and she gingerly opened her eyes to find herself engulfed in pitch darkness.

A shiver coursed through her body, not only from the cold but also from the grip of fear that tightened around her heart.

An instinctive urge to escape surged within her, but her attempts to rise were shattered by the restraints that held her captive to the bed.

Nabi, stay calm, she whispered to herself, aware that panic would only hinder her ability to think clearly.

Her hands were firmly handcuffed, and her legs were tightly bound with a rope, leaving her feeling vulnerable and trapped.

Her heart raced, and the adrenaline fueled her resolve. She scanned her surroundings, straining her eyes to discern any clues that might offer a glimmer of hope.

The darkness seemed to cloak secrets, making it even more imperative to remain focused.

"You're up, hmm?" , a voice was heard, startling her. As her tears flowed unchecked, the weight of fear she carried felt almost unbearable.

"W-What do you want from m-me?", she asked, sobbing uncontrollably.

"You're a bit impatient, aren't you?" , the man said.

Before he could say something else, his phone rang. Nabi was startled by the sudden loud ring of his phone.

"Jeonghan, where are you? Dino said you leave to get some more beers but it's been minutes."

In the hushed ambiance of the dimly lit room, Nabi discerned the voice of the man on the other end of the line, as Jeonghan engaged in their conversation.

"Coming, Seungcheol-ah. Something caught my attention while I was looking for the drinks." Jeonghan said, eyeing the girl that was laying in the bed.

Before Seungcheol had a chance to inquire further, Jeonghan swiftly ended the call, eager to focus on the person right in front of him.

As he slowly drew nearer, her mind was consumed by fear. But he, on the other hand, found a twisted pleasure in the terror that painted her once beautiful face.

Captivated by the haunting allure of her eyes, which seemed to radiate in the darkness, Jeonghan ventured dangerously close to her bed, his hand yearning to caress her face, yet restrained by an unseen force.

Just then, the sound of a door opening disrupted the unsettling ambiance.

"Hyung, what are you doing here?"

"Minghao.."

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to be continued..