19 : Masks Unveiled

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O.N.E. M.O.R.E. C.H.A.P.T.E.R. T.O. 2.0
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"Hyung, I don't want to die. Save me!" A blindfolded Sanghyuk screamed, and tear stains were clear on his cheeks, and Hongbin's eyes widened when he saw the video.

It couldn't be. This is all just a coincidence, he tried to convince himself. Sanghyuk said the same thing he did in Hongbin's nightmare. And that made Hongbin panic, again.

"Hyung, hyung, we need, we need to find him! He'll die if we don't!" Hongbin exclaimed, and stood up from his seat.

"Hongbin, calm down!" Hakyeon said, and his eyes fell onto the empty spaces supposedly belonging to Taekwoon and Sanghyuk next to Jaehwan, at Wonshik's dining table.

Hakyeon wished Taekwoon was there to help him calm Hongbin down. In this group, it's like they were the parents, and he needed Taekwoon to help him with their younger friends. Taekwoon didn't come to school earlier today, again, and it worried Hakyeon.

"I can't! He said the same thing he did in my nightmare!"

"Hongbin, that's a nightmare. It's probably just a coincidence. Breathe!" Jaehwan stood up too, holding Hongbin's shoulders.

"He died in that nightmare, hyung," Hongbin turned to Jaehwan.

"He fucking died, hyung!" Hongbin screamed.

"It's a nightmare. It doesn't necessarily come true, and it rarely does!" Jaehwan yelled back, stunning everyone to silence, yet once again. Jaehwan rarely yelled or even raise his voice the slightest to any of them, so it was a surprise when he did.

"Jaehwan-"

"Listen to me, Hongbin. If you ain't gonna be brave and face reality, and choose to just wallow around in your swamp of guilt and sadness, for fucking ever, then I don't need you!" Jaehwan screamed again, and Hongbin's eyes widened again. His eyes started to become teary, but Jaehwan put up a front, a front that he didn't care. He didn't want to, but if this is what Hongbin needs to snap back to reality and get functioning, he'd do it.

"Jaehwan, that's-" Hakyeon stood up to stop Jaehwan from saying furthermore.

"Nah, nah, not now," Jaehwan held up a finger to Hakyeon's lips.

"Right now, you are the closest to Sanghyuk. You know him more than anyone else here, and he knows you more than anyone else here! We need you to toughen up, cause mark my damn words, he'll need you when we actually find him!" Jaehwan sternly said, and Hongbin looked down onto the floor.

"I'm sorry, hyung, I just-" Hongbin started to talk.

"No, no, nah-uh, nah, nah. Don't give me those sad, pathetic apologies. You want to make a change, start to actually do it. I'm not listening if you just keep apologizing and crying, instead of doing something," Jaehwan sassily replied, crossing his arms across his chest. None of them could say anything in reply, they couldn't find word to say back.

"C-Can I just... Go to the living room for a bit?" Hongbin inhaled deeply. "I need some time."

"Sure. Wonshik, go accompany him," Hakyeon said, and Wonshik nodded, standing up to accompany Hongbin to the living room.

"Jaehwan, your points aren't wrong, but that's really mean!" Hakyeon hissed out.

"I'll apologize soon, but sometimes, he needs it. We all need that. The little push that gets us to where we're supposed to be," Jaehwan replied.

"I know, but there are times where the push isn't supposed to be used."

"I know that, hyung."

"Then, why did you do that?!"

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