Echoes in the forest | Minsung

The Price of Freedom

The night was alive with flashing lights and the cacophony of sirens as emergency vehicles swarmed the area. The media had descended upon the scene, their cameras flashing and reporters shouting questions into the chaos. The police had set up barriers to keep the crowd back, but the air was thick with tension and the scent of impending tragedy.

Chan arrived at the scene, his heart pounding in his chest. He had just been informed that Seungmin and Changbin had been taken to the hospital. The urgency in the message had been palpable, and he had rushed to find them, hoping that they were safe.

As he pushed through the throng of onlookers and journalists, he caught sight of Han and Lee Know near the edge of the police perimeter. Han was clinging to Lee Know, his face streaked with tears, his body trembling with the weight of stress and fear. Lee Know held him tightly, his face a mask of worry and resolve.

The sight of them brought a fresh wave of anguish to Chan's heart. The recent events had left him feeling helpless and desperate, and the weight of his father's betrayal was a constant burden on his mind.

Chan's search for Felix was frantic. He navigated through the dimly lit corridors, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The facility was eerily quiet now, the once chaotic scene now a somber tableau of devastation.

He passed through empty rooms and darkened hallways, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Finally, he spotted a small room at the end of a corridor. The door was slightly ajar, and a faint light flickered from within.

Chan pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was a stark contrast to the chaos outside. It was small and dimly lit, with a single overhead bulb casting a harsh light on the figure lying on the floor.

Felix was slumped against the wall, his face a mask of pain and exhaustion. Blood smeared his clothes and the floor around him, and he struggled to breathe, his breaths coming in shallow, labored gasps. Despite the severity of his injuries, a weak smile played on his lips as he looked up at Chan.

"Felix!" Chan's voice cracked with emotion. "I'm so sorry. I should have been here sooner. I—"

Felix raised a trembling hand, signaling for Chan to stop. "It's... okay, Chan," he managed to whisper through clenched teeth. "I knew you'd come."

Chan's eyes filled with tears as he knelt beside Felix, his heart breaking at the sight of his friend's suffering. "Felix, please hang on. I'll get help. I promise."

Felix shook his head slowly, his smile never fading. "No time. Just... be with me, Chan."

Chan's tears spilled over as he took Felix's hand, holding it tightly. The weight of his friend's condition was almost too much to bear. "Felix, I need you to stay with me. I love you. I've always loved you."

Felix's eyes, though dim with pain, sparkled with a tender light. "I knew," he whispered. "I knew... and I loved you too."

Their eyes met, and Chan leaned in, pressing his lips to Felix's in a tender, desperate kiss. It was a kiss filled with love, longing, and sorrow, a final expression of the feelings that had been buried beneath the surface for so long.

As their lips parted, Chan felt a jolt of fear as Felix's body grew limp in his arms. The light in Felix's eyes dimmed, and the once-strong grip on Chan's hand weakened.

"No, Felix! No!" Chan's voice was a raw, desperate scream as he shook Felix's lifeless body, his heart shattering into pieces.

The room was filled with the sound of Chan's anguished cries, his voice echoing through the empty corridors. He clutched Felix close, his tears mixing with the blood on Felix's face.