𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 || 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐨

Chapter Fourty six

Joshua lay back in his hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts racing. The sterile smell of antiseptic hung in the air, mixing with the faint sounds of beeping machines and muffled conversations from outside his room. The weight of what he had discovered pressed down on him like a heavy blanket. Jeonghan was behind the attacks, orchestrating the chaos, driven by his obsession. And now, Seungcheol had discovered the truth, and he was furious.

With a deep sigh, Joshua rubbed his temples, feeling the headache brewing. “These both are dumb as hell,” he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. His heart ached as he considered the impending fallout. He had known Jeonghan was unstable, but to involve himself in something so reckless and dangerous was unforgivable. The guilt washed over him, a wave crashing against the shore of his conscience.

Joshua had always been drawn to the darker sides of the people in his life, but this was different. This was a betrayal that could cost him everything. Jeonghan, for all his flaws, had been a friend—albeit a twisted one—and now he was about to face Seungcheol’s wrath. Joshua knew Seungcheol wouldn’t hold back. He would destroy Jeonghan without a second thought, and while Joshua understood the anger, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of responsibility for the chaos that was about to unfold.

He turned his head to stare out the window, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky. A part of him wanted to let them go at it, to allow Seungcheol to exact his revenge, but another part of him—one that had been quietly nurturing a sense of empathy and care—knew that wasn’t the right answer. Jeonghan needed to be stopped, yes, but Joshua didn’t want him to be killed in the process. He had to intervene.

“I need to fix this,” he said aloud, determination threading through his voice. Joshua swung his legs over the side of the bed, wincing slightly as he felt the ache in his body. He had just been discharged, but he wasn’t about to let that stop him. He needed to get out, to find Seungcheol and talk some sense into him before things escalated beyond control.

Grabbing his phone from the bedside table, Joshua quickly dialed Seungcheol's number, praying he would answer. The phone rang several times before going to voicemail. Frustration gnawed at him; Seungcheol was probably too busy plotting revenge to pick up. Joshua knew he had to act fast.

“Come on, pick up,” he murmured, glancing around the hospital room as if Seungcheol would somehow appear out of thin air. Finally, he set the phone down, taking a deep breath to calm himself. He needed a plan.

Joshua’s mind raced with possible scenarios. He could try to find Jeonghan himself, reason with him, but he knew Jeonghan would be in hiding, likely terrified of what Seungcheol would do. But maybe he could find a way to contact him. Jeonghan trusted him, at least a little. Joshua had always been the one who could pull him back from the brink.

Just then, his phone buzzed on the bedside table, startling him. He snatched it up, heart racing, and saw a message from Vernon.

“Heard about Jeonghan. What’s going on? You okay?”

Joshua quickly typed back, “I need to talk to Seungcheol. Can you help me find him?”

Vernon replied almost instantly, “On it. Just rest up. I’ll see what I can do.”

Joshua felt a flicker of hope, but it was quickly overshadowed by the dread of what would come next. He couldn’t let this turn into a bloodbath. He had to step in, to mediate before Seungcheol took matters into his own hands.

As he waited for Vernon to respond, he leaned back against the pillows, the reality of his situation settling in. He had cared for Jeonghan, had tried to help him through his issues, but now he was paying the price for it. It was a twisted web of loyalty, love, and vengeance, and he had to find a way to untangle it all before it was too late.

“Hang in there, Jeonghan,” Joshua whispered, closing his eyes. “I’m coming to get you.”

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Hola!