𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 & 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐡𝐞𝐦 || 𝐉𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐥 (𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈𝐈)

9 - Jeonghan

"I love you."

Those are the last words I hear before he shoves me so roughly I am whiplashed to the side. My body jolts as I stumble down the small hill.

And right off the cliff.

My scream gets lodged in my throat, and I can't say or speak a word as I tumble through the night air and toward the water below.

The moment my body hits the surface, it's like glass shards spread across my body. The cold water is like knives against my skin, and I gasp in a painful breath as quick as I can before I'm submerged beneath the surface.

I suck in a breath moments before I'm plummeted toward the floor of the water, attempting to swim against gravity. My arms windmill around me as my butt hits the ground. My shoes shove against the ground as I push myself back to the surface. The cold water nearly paralyzes me, the cold so vicious it feels like lead seeps into my skin.

I shove off as hard as I can, kicking my way to the surface. The moment my head breaks free, I arch my back, allowing in as much air as I possibly can. I glance up toward the top of the cliff, hearing voices in the distance. A flashlight shines down at the water, and I quickly go back under the surface, swimming toward the edge of the cliff.

My back presses against it as I break through the water, intaking sharp, shallow breaths as I wait for the sounds of shouting to pass.

He pushed me over the edge.

He's trying to save me.

My heart sinks into my feet, and fear clutches me tightly as I fear the worst.

Did he allow himself to get caught?

I glance up at the cliff, wishing I could see him looking down at me, but I can't, and he's not there.

I silent sob rips through my chest, and I float onto my side, kicking softly around the side of the cliff. I'm as silent as I can, and eventually, the noises drift away.

They're gone. Did they get him? Is he in the back of the police car?

I shake my head, silent tears tracking down my cheeks and mixing with the ocean water. I paddle heavily against the waves until I find a clearing, almost like steppingstones up to the forest above.

I drag my weak, cold body to the top of the cliff, my fingers raw as I grip onto the sharp and dull stones. Once I reach the top, I collapse, falling onto my stomach on the forest floor. Shivers rack my entire body.

"It's so cold," I whisper, wishing Seungcheol was here to protect me. But he's not, and fear grabs hold when I realize I don't know where he is.

Please don't leave me.

I dig my fingers into the dirt ground, my nails becoming embedded with pebbles and twigs. I can feel them pierce my skin, and it's so painful as I pull myself up, my body so cold, so tired.

I grip onto each tree branch as I wander through the woods, knowing the general direction of where the cabin is, but worried I won't be able to find my way.

"Help me," I whisper, my cheeks drenched with tears, my teeth chattering as I glance left and right.

Where the hell do I go?

I pull myself through, the only light is the crescent moon shining down on me. It lights up the forest, only slightly through the branches, and I stumble north, swallowing down my cries as my body starts to ache.

I can feel it shutting down.

I can feel my entire being shutting down.

My knees eventually give out, and I fall to the ground, my palms slamming against the rough forest floor.