Then I Wake

Chapter 4

Seonghwa

After what felt like hours, I get the feeling of cool raindrops on my skin, washing my dried blood off. Being in this alley just doesn't feel right, not when I know what happened here. This was where the government left her to die.

Until Wonwoo showed up and finished the job.

Wonwoo. I'm not giving up until I find him.

I don't know what I'll do when I do find him, but that doesn't matter. I'll know when I see him. Taeyang's murderer.

Bloody water runs down my face and body, and I feel free. Depression and mistakes are behind me, back in my room. I'm not going back there.

A faint click brings me back to reality. A familiar noise, but I can't quite place it.

"A little far from home?" A voice comes to me from somewhere in the shadows.

Wonwoo appears in front of me, his face right in front of mine. "Did you miss me?"

I reach for my gun, but it's not there.

씨발!

"ATEEZ's Seonghwa, losing his gun so soon? You've changed."

Who's he to judge me?  That underhanded lowlife, killing an innocent person to get to me?

A shot hits the wall behind me.

"Pay attention. You're getting distracted."

He's giving me advice now?

I look up at him, but Taeyang stands in his place.

"Stay focused, Hwa. Don't hurt yourself for me."

Taeyang...?

Taeyang's gone, and Wonwoo is back where she was. He slides his tongue over his teeth, teasing, as he slowly steps closer.

"Pretty girl. Shame she had to go."

She was... God, I miss her...

"Mind games. I win." Wonwoo presses my own gun to my chest.

"Park Seonghwa... You're getting weak."

He clicks the safety off the gun.

"Goodbye. Send my love to Taeyang."

The shot rings out, and...

I wake up to the feeling of cool raindrops on my skin, washing the dried blood off.

It was a dream? I guess the rain was real, though.

Is my grief making me weak? Am I losing myself for Taeyang?

Wonwoo beat me in a dream. He could kill me if I see him now.  But I fell for his tricks, his mind games, and I won't this time.

But where is he?

Can I risk looking for him now?

My phone starts ringing.

At this hour?

I look at the screen. It's Mingi.

Mingi

He's not answering. Park Seonghwa seems to have disappeared entirely.

I guess it's not a surprise. He ran away, so I doubt he wants to be found. But why? He knows we're there to help him. We're like a family...

Wooyoung emerges from the kitchen with steaming plates of food, and Hongjoong takes his usual place at the head of the table, but Seonghwa's seat is empty.

Of course.

Despite the aroma of the food being ridiculously enticing, none of us can bring ourselves to eat. Not even the chef himself.

"Wooyoung put effort into this, we should eat. Keep our strength up." Hongjoong commands, but he hasn't touched his food either.

We're never going to find Seonghwa. Not like this.

The silence is louder than the screams inside my head as we look between each other, lost for words. He might come back.

He will come back... Right?

I look over at Hongjoong. He keeps looking at the door, then back at us, tapping his fingers on the table, impatiently.

"Where are they?" He mutters.

Who?

Without warning, there's an urgent, rapid knocking on the door.

Last time we let someone in like this, they killed Taeyang.

Hongjoong gets up immediately and opens the door. Eight (rather short) men step inside.

The leader steps forward.

"Need some help?"