Bittersweet | Meanie | Minwon

Fifty Six ○ You're Next

Wonwoo ran to the back of the stage as fast as he could and met Jihoon in the green room.

"Wonwoo? What happened?"

"Jihoon, where's Mingyu?!" He asked trying to catch his breath.

"Mingyu? Didn't he come to you?"

"No. He called me and he was crying. I couldn't hear what he said next. I am afraid if something happened to him. We need to find him!" Wonwoo said looking around himself.

"Yeah, let's go."

All the three ran out of the green room when someone called them from behind.

"Lee Jihoon! You're next." The staff called him. He looked at Wonwoo helplessly.

"You go perform on the stage. Don't worry about Mingyu. We both will find him." Wonwoo said reassuring him and they left the next second.

Jihoon scratched his head in frustration. His eyes filled with tears as he ran back into the green room, looking at himself.

"Mingyu-ya, Mianhae..."

He rubbed the tears off his eyes and took a deep breath. He was soon called on the stage. His hands trembled holding Mike and his hands didn't fit correctly into the bass.

---

Mingyu's legs trembled and he tried to hold on anything that he could get some support from.

The loud sound of someone walking in heels was filling up the room. Mingyu's brain freezing over every step he heard coming towards him.

And the sound of a metal rod hitting his cubicle echoed the entire area.

"Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me." He mumbled begging in a low voice.

"Mingyu-ya..." A sweet voice called him which caught his attention. He could see the person's legs from under the cubicle. And the rod was visible on the ground.

"I know you're inside. Come out baby. I will protect you from this world." The unknown voice said with sarcasm filled tone.

"Please leave me. Jebal!!!!" He cried holding the knob of the door. He smelled a faint sweet fragrance and he didn't know when he fell asleep.

---

Min was casually walking around the coridoors whistling happily for some strange reason. He saw Wonwoo and Chan running around. They didn't seem to see him so he made his presence obvious to Chan.

"Hyung! Have you seen Mingyu hyung anywhere?" Chan asked expectingly.

"Mingyu? No, I haven't. Why?" Min asked.

"He is missing. We aren't able to find him. Please help us."

"Okay..." Min said hesitatingly.

He joined them going through every classroom one by one but there were no traces of his presence.

"Did you guys check washrooms?" Min suggested.

They looked at each other and started checking through washrooms on the way.

Min particularly stopped beside the washroom where Mingyu was walked inside calmly.

"Mingyu? Mingyu?" He called calmly already knowing where he was.

He switched the running tap off and smirked. He opened every other door of cubicles and then stood infront of Mingyu's cubicle and caressed the door with the lock still not unlocked.

"Mingyu-ya..." He called sweetly. "Saranghae."

Min took a few steps backwards and ran outside the washroom.

"Guys! I think he is here!"

Wonwoo and Chan ran as fast as they could and Min pointed at the closed cubicle.

Before Wonwoo could do anything, Min banged on the door and shouted, "Mingyu! Are you inside?!" Which made Mingyu come back to his senses.

All the three started banging the door as loudly as they could. Mingyu stared at the door with fear filled eyes and closed his ears with his hands.

"Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me." He murmured.

All the banging stopping at once. Complete silence filled the area and then the sound of the door breaking echoed through the empty walls revealing Mingyu in a very bad physical and mental state.

Mingyu ran into Wonwoo's arms as soon as he realised it was him and fainted in a while.

Wonwoo carried him to the infirmary. Jihoon joined them too.

"I am sorry. I am sorry I wasn't there to protect you." Wonwoo cried looking at Mingyu's distressed face. Jihoon too cried looking at his beloved cousin whom he gave up for a mere competition. He was too guilty. Just maybe if he had joined them they would have found him sooner. The thoughts were running over his head.

Chan was pricking his nails as it became his habit whenever he was stressed. Min was calmly sitting in a corner as if he didn't exist like he always does.

After 3 hours of deep sleep, Mingyu woke up at an instance with a tensed look. He had probably dreamed about earlier.

"Gyu-ya..." Wonwoo called as soon as he noticed Mingyu was awake and finding it hard to breathe.

He quickly hugged him and placed a soft kiss over his sweaty forehead.

"Thank you for being safe till I found you." Wonwoo said looking at Mingyu's eyes which were filled with fresh tears.

"Hyung..."

"I am sorry Mingyu. I failed to protect you." Wonwoo sobbed while caressing Mingyu's wounded hands.

"It isn't your fault. It's none of you guys fault." Mingyu said looking at all the others in the room who looked at him with guilt and concern for him.

"Guys, I am okay. I am strong." Mingyu gave them a smile.

"I know you're not rascal." Jihoon said and hugged Mingyu tightly. "You scared me. You're literally the death of me, Kim Mingyu. You can't have a single fucking normal day in your life. Do you?"

"That's my speciality I guess." Mingyu humoured.