Embers of Hope// Hyunlix

Chapter - 14

Jeongin POV: 

I stood off to the side, my heart pounding in my chest as I took in the scene before me. Chan had just arrived, and the moment he stepped into the living room, the atmosphere shifted. It was like the air had thickened, heavy with despair.

My brother lay curled up on the couch, tears streaming down his cheeks, muffled sobs escaping him. I felt a surge of anger and helplessness rise within me. I wanted to protect him, to shield him from everything that had happened, but I felt so powerless.

"Changbin, what happened?" Chan asked, his voice laced with concern. I could see the worry etched on his face as he approached Hyunjin, kneeling beside him.

Changbin, who had been sitting on the edge of the coffee table, took a deep breath, steeling himself before he spoke. "It's... it's what we were afraid of. Hyunjin was at work last night, and... he was raped by someone from the office. He's been holding it in, and it just came pouring out now."

Chan's face fell, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Oh God, Hyunjin..." His voice was barely above a whisper as he looked back at his friend, helplessness written all over him.

I could feel my stomach twist at Changbin's words. Those two words echoed in my mind like a nightmare. Raped. It was unimaginable that anyone could do such a thing, let alone to someone as gentle and kind as Hyunjin.

"Hyung," I called softly, stepping closer. "I'm here. We're all here. You don't have to hide anything from us anymore."

He turned slightly, enough for me to see the pain etched on his face. His eyes were red and puffy, and I felt a surge of protectiveness over him.

"Chan, what do we do now?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. I didn't have the answers, but I needed to know how to help him.

"We need to make sure he feels safe," Chan replied, determination shining through the sadness in his eyes. "And then... we'll figure out the next steps together."

I nodded, feeling a small spark of hope ignite within me. We could do this. We could support Hyunjin through this hell.

As I glanced at Changbin, Minho, and Jisung, I could see they were all in agreement. We wouldn't let Hyunjin face this alone.

He is our friend and my brother, and we would fight for him. We'd do everything in our power to help him heal, to help him reclaim his life from the darkness that had invaded it.

Because that's what friends were for.

The weight of the situation pressed heavily on my chest. It was unbearable to see Hyunjin like this, and I knew we couldn't keep it from Felix any longer. He needed to know what was happening, even if it broke his heart.

"Chan," I said, getting close to him so Hyunjin wouldn't hear, my voice shaky but determined. "We can't keep this from Felix. He has to know what's going on with Hyunjin. He deserves to hear it from us, not from someone else."

Chan nodded, his expression solemn. "You're right. We need to tell him. But we have to be careful about how we approach it. Felix is already dealing with so much. We don't want to overwhelm him."

"Do you think he'll come here?" Changbin asked, glancing at the door as if willing Felix to walk through it.

"He has to," Chan replied. "He may not show it but he does care about Hyunjin. If he knows what's going on, he'll want to be here for him."

"Let me call him," I said, pulling out my phone. My hands trembled slightly as I dialed Felix's number, the anticipation gnawing at my stomach. With each ring, my anxiety grew. Would Felix be able to handle this news? Would he be there for Hyunjin when he needed him the most?