the loser and the lover both die at the end. ✓

THE LOSER.

AUTHOR'S NOTE. This story was inspired by Adam Silvera's 'They Both Die at the End'. Major character death is a central theme to this story. 

In case you want to listen, here's the playlist I was listening to while writing: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4iX8Ej1RLqYlMEgVf3yPiZ?si=6ac031607ab04431

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy!

꩜

Choi Yeonjun was in the locker room when he got the call.

It was cruel, really; everything had been so perfect until then. The cold noodles he had for breakfast were divine. There wasn't any traffic on the way to the dance studio. And it took him only three hours to film his dance cover of Watermelon Sugar, as opposed to his other routines that usually ate up his whole day.

He had ducked into the locker room to send the group chat a quick text about their dinner plans when his phone started ringing. It was an unregistered number, which Yeonjun wouldn't usually have bothered to answer—but he was in such a good mood, and how could anything go wrong on a day like this?

"Yeonjun speaking," he chirped, using his free hand to sift through the mess of his locker. He was pretty sure he'd packed an extra pair of clothes somewhere. "Who's this?"

"Hello. I'm calling from Death-cast."

A beat.

"Could you please confirm that you are Choi Yeonjun, born September 13, 1999?" the monotone voice on the other end of the line asked. It wasn't until later that Yeonjun would realize how standard the entire spiel was. He'd already mentioned his name on the get-go; this stranger was just calmly reading off a script as if it weren't the worst call of Yeonjun's life.

"Hello, Yeonjun? Are you there?"

"Yes," Yeonjun said quickly. Pulling away from his locker, he slumped down onto the nearest chair. "Yes, this is Choi Yeonjun."

"Thank you, Yeonjun. I regret to inform you that sometime in the next 24 hours, you will be meeting an untimely death," the caller paused as if to let the information sink in.

"On behalf of Death-cast, we are sorry to lose you. Live this day to the fullest, okay?"

"Okay," Yeonjun responded, still dazed by it all. Then, more out of habit than anything, he added weakly: "Thank you."

The call went dead without another word. Yeonjun sat in his seat for what felt like an eternity, staring at his phone log. Three minutes. His entire conversation with the Death-cast had lasted only three minutes.

This had happened to him before. He'd be having a Good Day, but then something small would come around and trip him up. Maybe the master CD would refuse to play. Maybe Soobin nicked the kimbap he'd been saving. There was always something.

Beomgyu jokingly called them hiccups, and Yeonjun found himself waiting for them; holding his breath for whatever might take away his day's joy. The Death-cast call was today's hiccup. The worst hiccup he'd ever gotten.

His phone pinged, snapping him out of his shell-shocked state. It was Soobin.

do u still need a ride?

Ping. Another text from Soobin.

reply asap i wont hv time 2 make a uturn if u dont reply NOW

Despite himself, Yeonjun chuckled. What did Soobin know about not having time? As he keyed in his response, he contemplated skipping out on dinner. Maybe he could just disappear. No one would ever have to know he was dying, and they'd also never know when he died.