Systemism

Hyeonwoo (8)

Hyeonwoo's vision blurred as he stumbled forward through the torrential downpour, his body screaming in pain with every step. The relentless storm mirrored his inner turmoil, but still, he pressed on. His clothes clung to his battered frame, drenched from both the rain and the sweat of the brutal fight he had barely survived. Each breath was a struggle, his lungs burning as if the very air he was inhaling carried the weight of his regrets.

Through the sheets of rain, a familiar figure caught his eye—Jin Na, slumped against the pavement under a small overhang. His face was twisted in pain, his hand clutching his chest where bruises were already forming. Even under the meagre shelter, the storm's fury still reached him, the winds whipping at his drenched clothes and hair.

Hyeonwoo dragged himself closer, his steps faltering but his resolve unwavering. His breath came in laboured gasps as he forced himself forward, inching closer to Jin Na. The weight of his exhaustion felt insurmountable, but he refused to stop.

Hyeonwoo: "You... good...?"

His voice barely cut through the howling wind, but Jin Na's bitter groan was enough of a response.

Jin Na: "Does it look like I'm doing good? That bastard cracked my ribs..."

Jin Na's words were laced with pain and anger, his voice hoarse as if every syllable took more effort than he could afford. Hyeonwoo collapsed beside him, his knees hitting the wet pavement with a thud as his body finally gave way to the exhaustion he had been fighting against for so long. The cold of the rain seeped into his bones, but it was nothing compared to the coldness settling in his heart.

For a moment, neither spoke. They just sat there, side by side, with the storm raging around them. The world was crumbling, their lives hanging by a thread, and yet, at that moment, there was a strange stillness between them.

Hyeonwoo: "I'm tired."

Hyeonwoo's voice was raw, a reflection of the emotional and physical toll the night had taken on him. He wasn't just tired from the battle; he was tired of everything. The lies, the fighting, the endless cycle of violence that never seemed to end.

Jin Na, through laboured breaths, huffed in agreement.

Jin Na: "Of course you are. Look at you."

Hyeonwoo leaned his head back against the cold, rough surface behind him, rainwater dripping down his face as he stared into the dark sky. His eyes were unfocused as if lost in the storm itself.

Hyeonwoo: "But... I can't stop..."

His voice trembled, not from fear, but from the overwhelming weight of everything that had led him to this point.

Hyeonwoo: "Something... something tells me to keep moving forward."

Jin Na turned his head slightly, his curiosity piqued despite the pain wracking his body. He raised an eyebrow, his exhaustion momentarily eclipsed by confusion.

Jin Na: "A gut feeling?"

Hyeonwoo's shoulders slumped, and he let out a hollow laugh, though it was devoid of any real humour. He shook his head as if he didn't quite know what was driving him anymore. The instinct to keep going was buried deep inside him, more a compulsion than a choice.