19 | minsung

49

blaring sirens echoed through the street, casting a red glow on the dimly lit surroundings as snowflakes gently descended from the heavens.

before this tragic incident, the man behind the wheel had just finished work, yearning to return home to his family. 

murmurs from the radio filled the confined space of the car as the man headed in the direction of his house. however, as he passed by a particular university, an unsettling feeling crept over him. his instincts urged him to turn back and find an alternative route home. regrettably, no such path existed, leaving him no choice but to continue, silently praying for his safe return as the eerie ambiance persisted.

the university sprawled along the road, its streets nearly deserted, illuminated only by the glow of streetlights and a few open stores.

as the man neared the end of the university stretch, a ghastly figure materialized before him, causing him to jerk the wheel in terror. lost in panic, he was oblivious to the car's trajectory until a bewildered boy appeared in his headlights, the bright beams momentarily blinding him.

closing his eyes, the man prayed fervently for forgiveness as the car careened towards the storefront, colliding with the boy. his body slammed against the bumper, inadvertently dropping a plastic bag from his hand, now tainted with blood.

the man in the car slowly opened his eyes, blood trickling from his forehead due to the impact. although his injuries were not severe, the boy sprawled on his bumper bore the brunt of the collision.

the car had run over the boy and crashed into the store, shattering glass walls and potentially adding more injuries to the young male, whose fate remained uncertain.

overcome by guilt and shock, the driver sank to his knees, tears mingling with the tremors in his eyes as he witnessed the tragic aftermath.

meanwhile, amidst the chaos, a phone rang persistently, its caller unacknowledged by those preoccupied with the harrowing scene. clutched in the bloodied and shattered hand of the victim, kim seungmin, the phone remained unanswered.

jeongin stood by his room window, observing the moon's soft glow and the snow falling from above, the repeated ringing of his phone becoming increasingly concerning. he held the device to his ear, the caller id displaying "seungminnie."

furrowing his brow, jeongin muttered to himself, "why isn't he answering my calls?" 

"he told me he wanted to visit my dorm to tell me something important. where the hell are you, kim seungmin?" he attempted to reach seungmin once more, waiting in vain for a response.

peering out the window, he noticed distant red lights and heard the wailing sirens. "an accident?" he muttered, unaware that the person he sought to contact was involved in that very incident.

-----

hyunjin and felix sat on the couch of their dorm, their faces drained of color as they absorbed the shocking news displayed on their phone screens.

chan had already briefed the two about changbin's condition. security found him unconscious at the staircase of levanter hall, covered in bruises, and possibly with a fractured bone. fortunately, prompt action had been taken, and changbin was rushed to the hospital, where his relatives were now overseeing his care.

however, that wasn't the only distressing information chan had shared. he also informed felix and hyunjin about seungmin's critical state. seungmin's pulse was weak, and signs of survival were minimal.

shock and sorrow overcame felix and hyunjin. their hands instinctively covered their mouths as their eyes welled up with tears at the tragic fate of their friend.