Echoes in the forest | Minsung

Into the Darkness

The night was thick with anticipation as Lee Know, Han Jisung, and Chan made their way into the forest. The air was crisp, every breath filled with the scent of pine and earth, and the faint rustling of leaves underfoot was the only sound that broke the stillness. The darkness was oppressive, the trees towering like silent sentinels, casting long, twisted shadows that seemed to reach out to them as they walked deeper into the woods.

Jisung's heart raced with a mixture of fear and excitement. They were about to do something dangerous, something that could change everything—or get them killed. But despite the risks, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He glanced over at Lee Know, who walked beside him, his expression unreadable in the dim light of their flashlights.

The tension between them had been building ever since that night in Jisung's apartment. The memory of their shared kiss, the way their bodies had pressed together in the dark, was still fresh in his mind. He could feel the heat of Lee Know's body next to his, and it was enough to make his pulse quicken, his thoughts racing to places they shouldn't be.

They reached a dense thicket of bushes, and Chan motioned for them to stop. "This is the spot," he whispered, his voice barely audible above the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves. "We need to stay hidden and wait. If anything happens, we need to be ready to move quickly."

Lee Know nodded, his eyes scanning their surroundings with a focused intensity. "Jisung, you stay with me. Chan, you take the other side."

Jisung's heart skipped a beat at the thought of being alone with Lee Know again, even in such a tense situation. He nodded, following Lee Know as they crouched down behind a thick cluster of bushes. The space was tight, forcing them to sit close together, their bodies pressed against each other in the confined area.

Jisung could feel the warmth of Lee Know's arm against his, the solid presence of him grounding Jisung in the moment. The forest around them was eerily quiet, the stillness broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant hoot of an owl. They waited, the minutes stretching into what felt like hours.

The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Jisung couldn't help but steal glances at Lee Know, his eyes tracing the sharp angles of his face, the way his lips pressed together in concentration. The moonlight filtered through the canopy above, casting a soft glow on Lee Know's features, making him look almost ethereal.

"What are you thinking about?" Jisung whispered, unable to keep the question to himself any longer.

Lee Know's eyes flicked to Jisung's, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Right now? I'm thinking about how this might be the craziest thing I've ever done."

Jisung chuckled softly, the sound barely audible in the stillness of the night. "Yeah, it's definitely up there on the list."

They fell into a comfortable silence, the tension between them ebbing slightly as they focused on their surroundings. But despite the seriousness of their situation, Jisung couldn't shake the awareness of how close they were sitting, the way their bodies touched in the darkness. His mind kept drifting back to that night, to the feel of Lee Know's lips on his, the heat of his skin against Jisung's.

"Lee Know," Jisung whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "About that night..."

Lee Know's gaze met his, something unreadable in his eyes. "Don't," he whispered back, his voice low and strained. "Not here. Not now."

Jisung nodded, biting his lip to keep from saying more. He knew it wasn't the time or place, but the tension between them was almost unbearable. He could feel it in every brush of their arms, in the way Lee Know's breath hitched when their legs accidentally touched. The air around them was charged, electric, as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

But instead of pulling away, Jisung leaned in a little closer, his lips barely an inch from Lee Know's ear. "You're right," he whispered, his voice soft and teasing. "But I can't stop thinking about it."

Lee Know's breath hitched, his eyes flicking to Jisung's lips before quickly darting away. "You're impossible," he muttered, but there was no heat in his words, only a quiet desperation that made Jisung's heart race.

"You like it," Jisung teased, his voice barely audible. He could feel Lee Know's breath on his skin, warm and tantalizingly close.

"Jisung," Lee Know warned, his voice low and strained. "I'm trying to focus."

"Then focus on me," Jisung whispered, his lips brushing against Lee Know's ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

Lee Know turned his head slightly, his lips so close to Jisung's that it would only take the smallest movement to close the distance between them. For a moment, Jisung thought Lee Know might actually kiss him, that he might give in to the tension that had been simmering between them for so long.

But just as quickly as the moment had come, it passed. Lee Know pulled back, his expression conflicted, his jaw tight with restraint. "Not here," he repeated, his voice firm.

Before Jisung could respond, a loud scream pierced the night, shattering the silence and sending a jolt of fear through his body. Both he and Lee Know froze, their eyes wide as they listened intently. The scream was distant, but it was unmistakably human—a cry of pain and terror that echoed through the forest.

Chan was already moving, his flashlight cutting through the darkness as he hurried towards the source of the scream. Jisung and Lee Know exchanged a quick glance before following, their earlier conversation forgotten in the face of the immediate danger.

As they moved through the trees, the scream came again, closer this time, and more desperate. It was a woman's voice, pleading for help, and the sound of it sent a chill down Jisung's spine. His heart pounded in his chest, fear and adrenaline propelling him forward as they pushed through the underbrush.

They reached a small clearing, and the sight that met them was enough to make Jisung's blood run cold. In the center of the clearing stood a woman, her clothes torn and bloody, her face twisted in terror. She was surrounded by three men, their faces obscured by the darkness, but the menace in their stance was unmistakable.

The woman's eyes met Jisung's for a brief moment, and in that instant, he could see the desperation and fear in her gaze. She was trapped, and there was no escape.

"Hey!" Chan shouted, his voice breaking the tension as he stepped forward, his flashlight trained on the men. "What the hell are you doing?"

The men turned towards them, their expressions unreadable in the dim light. For a moment, they seemed to hesitate, as if weighing their options. But then, one of them took a step forward, his hand reaching for something at his waist.

"Run!" Lee Know shouted, grabbing Jisung's arm and pulling him back towards the trees. Chan was already moving, his instincts kicking in as he led them away from the clearing and deeper into the forest.

Jisung's heart pounded in his ears as they ran, the sound of footsteps and rustling leaves filling the air. The trees seemed to close in around them, the darkness pressing in on all sides. He could barely see where they were going, the beam of their flashlights bouncing wildly as they sprinted through the underbrush.

"Faster!" Chan urged, his voice tight with urgency. "We need to lose them!"

Jisung's lungs burned, his legs screaming in protest as they pushed themselves to keep going. He could hear the men behind them, their footsteps pounding the ground, getting closer with every second.