New Beginnings | JungJi

8~

The door was easy to find. It was easy to step through. It was the falling across dimensions that hurt. His first trip had been smooth and seamless, but this trip was almost the opposite.

Every fibre of his skin burned, stabbing pain echoed through his limbs and constricted his heart. He screamed, but he couldn't hear his own voice over the sounds of the universe forcing a path through itself for him.

He opened his eyes again and he was standing on the corner of his old street. Dark apartments loomed overhead and the streetlights flickered. While he was falling, it felt like it took a millennia, but thinking back it felt more like a few seconds.

As he took the foreign - foreign? - steps towards his apartment, he wondered if anyone would be home. The world around him swayed as he entered the foyer. He decided to take the elevator instead of the stairs, pressing the second floor button with trembling hands.

Would his girlfriend be crying? Would his bandmates be cleaning out his things? Would his father be reconnecting with them finally, bonding over his passing? He took a breath as the elevator doors opened and readied himself for what he was about to see.

The hallway was empty.

That... wasn't unexpected. He wasn't sure what he wanted to see, but that was okay.

Jungsu made his way up the hallway. He still remembered the apartment code, punching it in easily. The door swung open to reveal the darkened apartment.

It was empty.

Well, almost empty.

"...Jungsu?" his girlfriend's voice called to him from the couch. He squinted into the shadows, freezing when he saw who she was with.

"Fuck, man," the drummer gaped at him from on top of his girlfriend. "Aren't you dead?"

His girlfriend?

She was never his.

Or, he was never hers.

She was just a reminder he was broken.

Despite the initial shock of the pair together, he felt nothing.

His lips stung from the kiss earlier. He dropped his head, the world swirling. Something was wrong. It was all wrong. He needed Jiseok.

He needed Jiseok?

He needed Jiseok.

Jungsu said nothing as he closed the apartment door and ran. He took the stairs two at a time, running back down the road at full speed.

He needed Jiseok.

He was wheezing when he got back to Buster's. Jiseok wasn't there, and Seungmin just scowled at him, refusing to tell him anything. The whole world swam before him.

He staggered, catching himself on a table. The people sitting there growled at him, shoving his hand away. Jungsu managed to catch himself before he fell flat on his face, to the table owners' - and Seungmin's - disappointment.

Suddenly, Jungsu realised where Jiseok was. He stumbled as he ran out the door and up the street. He turned corners and barrelled past buildings, skidding on the dusty ground.

He ran up the stairs, barely managing not to trip over the drunk man half way up. He threw the rooftop door open and there - there! - was Jiseok.

The younger turned to look at him with wide eyes. His face was red and puffy. Jungsu's heart burned. He made his way over from the doorway. He took his place beside Jiseok and linked their fingers.

"I'm sorry," Jungsu whispered as he pressed his free hand to the back of the younger's head. He moved closer, this time fully conscious of what he was doing. He closed the gap, slotting their lips together.

His life was fucked up, but maybe - just maybe - his afterlife didn't have to be.

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ONLY ONE MORE PART LEFT!!!!! lmao but bro just traumatised them and left xd theyll forever be questioning if hes alive or theyre crazy

ALSO TROUBLESHOOTING TODAY!!! 🎯 im so excited frr