𝓕𝓪𝓿 | 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐜𝐤

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐧

Haechan jolted awake, his heart still racing from the intense dream. His thoughts were muddled, the vivid memory of Mark's lips on his still lingering in his mind. Just as he tried to shake off the dream, a loud, urgent knock echoed through his apartment, cutting through the quiet of the early morning.

Groggily, Haechan stumbled out of bed and made his way to the door, wondering who could be knocking so insistently at such an hour. When he opened the door, he was met with the wide, alarmed eyes of his neighbor, Jisung.

"Haechan! There's a fire on the fifth floor!" Jisung said, his voice laced with panic and urgency. "I'm helping get people out until the firefighters get here. You need to get out now!"

Haechan's sleepy haze evaporated instantly as the words sank in. A fire? He quickly glanced back into his apartment, the gravity of the situation hitting him full force. He grabbed his phone and wallet from the nightstand, then threw on a jacket and a pair of sneakers.

"Let's go," he said, nodding at Jisung as they hurried out of the apartment.

The hallway was filled with a mix of smoke and the sharp scent of something burning. Alarms blared, adding to the chaos as people rushed toward the stairwells. Jisung led the way, knocking on doors and shouting to wake up anyone who might still be inside.

As they reached the stairwell, the smoke thickened, making it hard to breathe. Haechan covered his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket and continued to help Jisung, knocking on doors and ushering people toward the stairs.

"Come on, this way! Hurry!" Jisung called out, his voice slightly muffled by the smoke.

Haechan could see the fear and confusion on the faces of his neighbors as they hurried past, some clutching pets or hastily grabbed belongings. The fifth floor, where the fire had started, was only a couple of floors above them, and he could feel the heat intensifying.

Finally, the sound of approaching sirens cut through the noise, signaling that the firefighters were near. Haechan and Jisung continued guiding people down the stairs until they reached the ground floor, where the air was clearer, and the panic of the situation became more apparent.

Outside, a crowd of residents had gathered, some wrapped in blankets, others on their phones calling loved ones. The night was pierced by the red and blue flashing lights of the fire trucks as firefighters rushed into the building.

Haechan and Jisung stood together, breathing heavily from the exertion and the smoke.

"Thanks for waking me up, man," Haechan said, still trying to catch his breath.

"No problem," Jisung replied, his face still pale from the ordeal. "I'm just glad we got out in time."

As the firefighters worked to control the blaze, Haechan's thoughts briefly drifted back to the dream he'd had earlier, wondering if there was some twisted symbolism in the fire now burning so close to him. But he quickly shook it off, focusing on the reality in front of him—people were safe, and that was what mattered most.

As Haechan stood outside, watching the firefighters battle the blaze, the harsh smell of smoke still lingering in the air, a familiar car pulled up to the scene. Renjun hurried out, his expression a mix of concern and relief when he spotted Haechan among the crowd.

"Haechan!" Renjun called out as he jogged over, his eyes scanning for any signs of injury. "Are you okay? I came as soon as I heard."

Haechan nodded, still a bit shaken but physically unharmed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Jisung woke me up and helped get everyone out."

Renjun let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank goodness. I was so worried when I heard there was a fire in your building."

Just then, a police officer approached the group of residents that had gathered on the sidewalk. He was accompanied by the building's landlord, who looked more frazzled than anyone else present.

"Everyone, can I have your attention, please?" the officer announced, his voice carrying over the low murmur of the crowd. "The firefighters have determined that the fire was caused by a gas leak on the fifth floor. Fortunately, it's been contained, and the situation is under control."

A wave of relief passed through the crowd, but it was quickly replaced by confusion and concern as the officer continued.

"It appears that the gas piping in the building had not been properly updated or maintained, which led to the leak that started the fire," the officer explained, his tone serious. "We're currently investigating the extent of the negligence, and the landlord will be held accountable if found at fault."

All eyes turned to the landlord, who seemed to shrink under the weight of the stares. He stammered out an apology, trying to assure the residents that he would take care of everything, but his words felt hollow.

Renjun clenched his fists, his anger evident. "This could've been so much worse," he muttered, his voice low but filled with frustration. "All because the landlord couldn't be bothered to update the gas lines."

Haechan, still processing everything, nodded in agreement. "We're lucky it wasn't worse. But this isn't over. He needs to be held responsible."

The officer continued speaking, detailing the next steps for the residents, including temporary housing arrangements and the investigation process. As he spoke, Renjun put a reassuring hand on Haechan's shoulder.

"You're staying with me until this is sorted out," Renjun said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Haechan glanced around at the building, the flames now under control but the damage still evident. He sighed, realizing how close they had all come to a much worse outcome.

"Thanks, Renjun," Haechan said, feeling the weight of the night settling on him. "I appreciate it."

"Of course," Renjun replied, guiding Haechan toward his car. "Let's get out of here. You need some rest after all this."

As they drove away from the scene, Haechan's mind wandered back to the text exchange with Mark earlier. Everything felt surreal—one moment, he was at a gun range, trying to figure out what was happening between him and Mark, and the next, he was running from a fire. Life was throwing him one curveball after another, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the situation with Mark was only going to get more complicated.