Then I Wake

Chapter 8

Mingi

After we got Seonghwa back home, we're keeping him in sight at all times. Not that he can do anything anyway - we've taken the things he could have used to hurt himself, but we'd still prefer to make sure he's alright.

Where's my phone? I said I'd message Keonhee today.

I probably left it in my room.

My room is down the corridor to the left, and I share with San. I open the door and walk in.

"Hey, San is my-"

San and Wooyoung are sitting on San's bed, making out.

"Oh-"

I get out, forgetting my phone, and shut the door, quickly returning to the others.

That was disgusting. Why did I have to see that?!

San comes out of the room and runs towards me, holding my phone out.

"Please don't tell anyone you saw that... Oh, and here's your phone." He smiles and runs back to the room.

Ok?

"Mingi!" Hongjoong calls me over, "These are the pairings for later."

He passes me a piece of paper.
HJ + BC
SH + LK
YH + H
YS + IN
S + FX
MG + HJ
WY + CB
JH + SM

I'm with Hyunjin! That's great, I've been wanting to get to know him better, not to mention his visuals... Damn...

Come on, I'm not going to get anywhere if I don't keep my mind straight... In every sense of the word.

"Ok, everyone happy? I've given everyone in Stray Kids the location to head to, so stick in your pairs unless another pair needs assistance, alright? Off you go!"

Wooyoung

Changbin and I start walking away from the apartment into the cold. Hongjoong didn't let us take coats because he says they're too loud when you're walking. So, we're all going to freeze instead.

"Changbin, it's been too long! We haven't got to talk about anything other than work until now. I've missed you so much! So tell me, how is-"

"Wooyoung!" Changbin snaps, "Focus. A lapse in concentration could be deadly when we're dealing with the government. Got it?"

Shocked by his response, I just nod. That's not like him at all. He's right though, we need to focus at a time like this.

We walk side by side, in silence, an air of tension between us. Changbin has been my best friend since childhood, so it's probably just the stress of this mission. Right?

"Wooyoung, I'm-" Changbin starts, "Wait, what was that? Over there?"

He points to the right, looking for signs of danger.

"Stay here. I'm going to look."

Why can't I go too?

He is my senior, though, so I do have to listen.

He's been gone for a long time.

I hear him walking behind me, and start to turn around.

That's not Changbin.

The man quickly grabs me from behind and presses a gun to my neck.

"Don't scream, or I'll shoot." He whispers.

I can turn my head just enough to see the diamond tattoo on his neck. It's Dino.

"False alarm, Wooyoung, I think we're good-"

He stops in his tracks, seeing the situation.

"Dino?"

Seonghwa

Lee Know and I split up because we had a lot of ground to cover.

"Dino?" I hear Changbin's voice.

Oh no, they've found the government.

I hide behind a street corner and look round. Dino is holding a gun to Wooyoung's neck. Changbin gets his gun and points it at Dino.

"Oh no, don't shoot. I'll shoot your little friend. It's not worth the risk, Changbin."

He's right, of course. Dino's got them both right where he wants them.

"You wouldn't."

"I would." Dino pushes the gun roughly into Wooyoung's neck.

That's got to hurt.

Changbin runs forward and pushes Dino away, sending his gun to the floor, which he picks up quickly to avoid Dino regaining it. Changbin stands, Wooyoung on one side, Dino on the other, gun pointed at Dino.

Wooyoung looks around, and his eyes meet mine, widening in surprise. He flicks his hand to signal me to stay there.

"Well, I guess this is the end for me." Dino says, "I thought you were better than this, Changbin. I didn't think you'd kill anyone."

Changbin falters for a moment, then keeps his arm steady.

"What happened to all those years? Have you replaced me with Wooyoung?" Dino continues. "Now you'd shoot your old friend?"

"I'm sorry." Changbin says, his voice low. He turns to Wooyoung, "But some friends are worth killing for." He pulls the trigger with a bang, closing his eyes as Wooyoung falls to the floor, blood blooming from his chest.

Oh my god.

I get up, knocking a can over, making a noise.

Changbin looks over briefly, and I press myself against the wall. He looks back, not seeing me, and I run away, back to Lee Know.

Wooyoung's dead. Wooyoung's dead. Wooyoung's dead, and Changbin shot him.