9th member of Stray Kids // y/n

chapter 29 ~ what do we do now?

It takes Chan approximately 2 seconds to take his phone out of his joggers, and by that time, Skzjigi has already been put on speed dial. It doesn't even ring twice before he picks up. Chan holds up the phone and places it on speaker so that everyone can hear. In the background of the call, the same news report can be heard, and Skzjigi pauses it before clearing his throat and sighing heavily.

"I want whoever has the remote to turn your TV off, please."
Seungmin hesitantly raises his arm and presses the On/Off button. Deafening silence fills the room as the screen of the telly turns black, but no one looks away, so we all end up staring blankly at our solemn faces. Skzjigi's voice conveys multiple emotions, as he speaks, that you can't quite seem to decipher. It's almost like a combination of confusion, sadness, worry, and emptiness.

"Y/N, I want you to make sure that no one does anything stupid and steps a foot out of that apartment. I'm going to be there in an hour or two. In the meantime, only pick up calls from me, ignore the company. The last thing you lot want right now is them bombarding you with questions."
Chan clears his throat tentatively, as if vacillating on whether to ask a certain question but ends up staying silent.

"Is everyone okay? I understand the last thing everyone wants to do right now is speak, but I need to know if anyone needs help."
You take a quick look at everyone, Felix, Seungmin, and Changbin sitting on the sofa, Jeongin on the floor and Chan, Lee Know, and Han standing. The air is heavy, and it feels hard to breathe despite one of the windows being slightly open. When you notice that none of the boys are going to say another word, you reassure Skiji.

"Yea, everyone seems to be fine, just shaken up by the report, I guess we will see you soon, drive safe."
When he hangs up after a farewell, the apartment, yet again, is shrouded in a state of silence more intense than the other. After a few minutes of everyone shifting around quietly, a million thoughts racing through their heads, it gets broken by Changbin getting up from the sofa and heading to his room with a sense of purpose.

"Do you think it's real?"
Felix's voice cracks as he says the sentence that everyone else was thinking. He sniffs, clearly on the verge of tears like you.

"There's no way. He seemed so happy for the first time in ages today."
Seungmin tries to reason with him, putting on a fake smile as he places the remote down on the coffee table and leans back on the sofa, hands clasped in his lap, head hung low. By this time, you had gone through the whole senario in yohr head about a hundred times, Seungmin was right... Hyunjin had been the happiest anyone had seen in days. When he left the flat, did he pick up the parcel and then decide he was going to do it, or was it all premeditated. Then it hits you.

"Guys... I'm not sure about you, but even after the news report stating it wasn't confirmed to be suicide yet, never did I once assume it wasn't. And I know that just makes me sound like a shitty friend, but -"

"Fuck, now that you pointed it out I never assumed it wasnt either."
Lee know rubs his face with his hands, cursing himself under his breath and kicks the sofa out of anger. Felix flinches.

"What is wrong with me, what if it isnt a suicide."
Changbin finally returns from his room, shooting you a look, dressed up in a different, all black outfit and heads to the front door. He crouches down, putting his trainers on.

"Where do you think you are going?"
You ask, knowing that your manager gave you the task of making sure no one left the apartment.

"How is that even a fucking question. I'm going to see if Hyunjin is okay."
Felix jumps up from the sofa and walks towards where Changbin is and begins putting his own on.

"Wait, no, Skijigi-nim told us to stay here. Changbin, Felix I'm not letting you go anywhere. We need to figure out what we are going to do."
You begin to walk towards the front door, determined to not let them out.