Painter in the night| Changjin

Dejavu

Changbin stood in the cold, abandoned factory, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on his shoulders. The place reeked of decay and death, the air thick with the remnants of something terrible. His eyes fell on the lifeless body sprawled across the floor—a boy, his features twisted in an expression of fear and pain. Blood pooled beneath him, staining the concrete in a dark, ominous shade.

Changbin clenched his fists, his jaw tight as he tried to process what had happened. The guards stood nearby, their faces pale and tense as they awaited his orders. They had seen scenes like this before, but it never got easier. Especially not when it involved someone close to the boss.

"Clean this up," Changbin ordered, his voice cold and detached. "Make sure there's no trace left behind."

The guards nodded, moving quickly to carry out his instructions. Changbin's mind was already racing ahead, trying to piece together the events that had led to this. He had known Hyunjin was struggling, that the boy's mind was fraying at the edges. But he hadn't expected it to come to this.

As the guards worked to clean up the mess, Changbin turned on his heel and stormed out of the factory, his heart pounding with a mixture of anger and fear. He needed to find Hyunjin, needed to know if he was okay. The thought of Hyunjin alone, covered in blood, scared and in shock—it made his stomach turn.

The drive to Hyunjin's apartment was a blur, the city lights flashing by as Changbin's thoughts raced. He had been so wrapped up in his own world, so focused on his duties as the leader of the organization, that he hadn't noticed how deep Hyunjin's despair had become. And now, because of his negligence, Hyunjin had done something that could never be undone.

When he arrived at the apartment, he found the door unlocked. Changbin rushed inside, his heart pounding in his chest as he called out for Hyunjin. But the apartment was empty, the silence echoing through the rooms like a taunt. There was no sign of Hyunjin anywhere.

"Damn it!" Changbin cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He couldn't afford to lose Hyunjin now, not when the boy was on the edge of breaking completely. He needed to find him, to help him before it was too late.

As he rushed back to his car, a thought struck him. There was only one place Hyunjin would go if he needed to escape, somewhere he felt safe, even if only in memory. The little park on the edge of the city, the place where Hyunjin often went to clear his mind.

Changbin sped through the streets, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He prayed he would find Hyunjin there, that he wasn't too late.

When he arrived at the park, his heart sank at the sight of Hyunjin's car parked haphazardly by the entrance. Changbin jumped out of his car, his heart racing as he scanned the area for any sign of him. The park was quiet, the trees casting long, eerie shadows in the dim light.

And then he saw him.

Hyunjin was sitting on a bench near the edge of the park, his body hunched over as if trying to disappear into himself. Even from a distance, Changbin could see the blood staining Hyunjin's clothes, could see the way his shoulders shook with silent sobs.

Changbin's heart ached at the sight. He had never seen Hyunjin like this before—so broken, so utterly lost. He walked over slowly, careful not to startle him. The closer he got, the more he could see the pain etched into Hyunjin's face, the tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Hyunjin," Changbin said softly as he reached the bench, crouching down in front of him. "Hyunjin, look at me."

Hyunjin didn't respond at first, his eyes staring blankly at the ground. But slowly, as if coming out of a trance, he lifted his gaze to meet Changbin's. The look in his eyes was one of pure devastation, a deep, soul-crushing despair that cut through Changbin like a knife.